Vall's Will (17 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Eight

Snatched

She acted
instinctively, throwing up her hands and lifting her shields. But she wasn’t
recovered enough, and her body reminded her of the fact when bolts of pain
streaked underneath her skin, sending her into near paralysis. She spasmed,
throwing her head back, which connected with the underside of Vall’s chin,
clipping it. She heard him grunt as they both fell backwards.

She realized
he’d thrown out a hand, either to stave off the enemy’s fire, or to retaliate.
Blistering hot light exploded in front of her, searing her new skin a bright
pink.

Vall fell
sideways, taking her with him. With one arm holding her protectively against him,
he threw open his other hand. There were screeches of shock and pain, and
another bolt of energy sizzled so close beside them, she could smell fabric
burning.

“
Vall!
No!
”

She found the
strength to break his hold and roll away. Disoriented, she lay on the deck as
the Ben Objure continued to fire their weapons at Vall. Bursts of blinding
light expanded off of his own shield as he managed to get to his feet, all the
while firing back at them. Will knew he was looking for her. She also knew he
was capable of totally destroying this ship. But the only thing preventing him
from doing so was her. Until he found her, he would hold off letting the Ben
Objure feel the full extent of his power.

She had to stop
him. She had to stop both the Ben Objure and Vall, but without her shield and
her innate powers, she was completely helpless.

Will got to her
knees as she tried to formulate a plan. If she drew the Objurians’ fire away
from Vall, chances were they’d fire on her, and Vall would destroy them. If she
drew Vall’s attention, it might tilt the advantage in the enemy’s favor, and
Vall might be overwhelmed.

Oh, heavens,
what I wouldn’t give for a weapon!

She glanced
around, hoping to find something she could use to defend herself, when she felt
a familiar whirling sensation in the center of her chest. Someone had locked
onto her and was about to transport her off the ship.

“Vall!”

Will threw
herself toward him, praying she would connect with him. Vall saw her
outstretched hand, her fingers clawing for the edge of his robe. He dove toward
her to grab her arm, when a condensed spray of firepower suddenly immersed him,
surrounding him with paralyzing pain.

Will screamed,
her hand inches away from his. She had to make contact, any physical contact,
so that he would be transported with her, when the ship disappeared from sight,
and she was whisked away from the deck of the Objurian vessel. There was
another brief glimpse of black space and stars before the clean silver lines of
the Nion warship dissolved into view.

The moment she
was fully reconstituted, strong hands grabbed her arms and helped her to her
feet. Will turned to face Captain Alamet. “What happened?” Her voice
cracked, and her face was streaked with dirt and tears, but she didn’t care.

“The
Trinity
put out a distress call, saying you’d been kidnapped. We found your beacon
coming from the Objurian craft, and grabbed you as soon as we knew you were
clear.”

“Vall’s on
that ship! We have to get him off before the Ben Objure take him
prisoner!”

“Whoa,
whoa, whoa. Hold on there, Captain.” Alamet released her. “Why were
you on that ship in the first place?”

She tried to
calm down enough to appear sane and focused. “Vall snatched me from my
ship.”

“The
Trinity
is already here?”

“No. It’s
still hours away.”

“Then
how—”

“Just
listen
to me!” She glanced around the transport bay where four other men were
paying attention to this new development. “Vall’s a Resplendent. Do any of
you know what that is?” When no one replied, she pressed on. “A
Resplendent is a creature long believed to be a myth, but they really exist.
They have incredible powers, powers that can destroy at will. The Ben Objure
managed to overtake Vall’s parent when Vall was only nine. They killed the
parent and took Vall prisoner, hoping to shape him into a weapon that would
help them become the dominating species in this galaxy. But my crew and I
managed to rescue him, and Vall fell in love with me. I turned him away, hoping
to save him. Hoping that, if I could have him returned to his own kind, the Ben
Objure would cease their relentless search for him. They want him back, before
they believe it’s too late to mold him into their own personal doomsday
weapon.”

Her knees felt
wobbly. Her heart raced. Will took several calming breaths, then continued.

“The Ben
Objure hired mercenary ships to find Vall. One of those ships found the
Trinity
and tried to destroy us, but by that time you had left Vall at Regency
Base. When the other ship found out, they notified the Ben Objure, who had
already surrounded the base with every vessel at their command. They gave the
base the ultimatum to release Vall back to them, or they would decimate the
base and Surro Two. When the Regents refused, the Ben Objure made good their
threat and fired. The base was evacuated to the safety of the tunnels on the
planet, including Vall.”

“That
doesn’t explain how you were on the Objurian ship,” Captain Alamet
interjected.

Will turned to
face him directly. “I told you, Vall is a Resplendent. His powers are
practically limitless. When the Ben Objure began firing on the planet, he
feared they would take him back. He feared becoming their prisoner again, and
being tortured. So he fired back.”

Alamet jerked
his head, stunned. “He fired back? With what?”

“With his
own power. A power that continues to develop, and grow, and strengthen. A power
that also allowed him to sense or know the
Trinity
was on its way to the
base, which is why he transported me off my own bridge, and down into the
tunnels under Surro Two. He wanted me with him. He wanted to protect me.”

Alamet pursed
his lips, restraining himself from repeating the question he’d asked earlier.
Will nodded. “I convinced him to stop firing. I told him I had to get the
Ben Objure to cease firing, as well. Vall knew I’m still unable to erect my
shields, or to protect myself, so he transported the both of us onto the Ben
Objure queen’s ship, so I could try to negotiate.”

“What
happened? They refused?”

She shook her
head. “They never gave me the chance. They fired at us the moment we
appeared. Vall tried to protect me. I tried to stop him. I tried to get him to
understand he couldn’t kill the Ben Objure, even though they meant to kill me.
Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

“You tried
to negotiate. It’s Nion warrior protocol,” the Captain stated. “Vall’s
intent was to protect you, until they fired. At that point, all bets were
off.”

“Yes.
That’s why I have to get back on that ship.”

Like a star
going nova, a question she had long pondered was answered in a single flash.
Will froze in place as clarity set in.

“It was
exactly the same way with his father.”

Alamet, who had
been giving instructions to one of his men, turned back to her. “What was
exactly the same way?”

“What
happened on the ship. Oh, dear heavens! That’s how they managed to destroy his
father! Somehow, he got separated from his father, and when his father dropped
his shield to go after him, they killed him!”

Will ran for the
transport tube, jostling past the guard who manned the controls. “Send me
back to the Objurian ship! Now! That’s an order!”

The guard
hesitated and looked to his true Captain. Alamet hurried toward Will.

“Are you
insane? I can’t let you go back to that ship!”

“You have
to!” Will insisted. “I have to go back before they ruin him! I have
to go back!”

With a calm
voice, Alamet tried to talk sense into her. “So they take Vall prisoner
again. We’ll go in and get him back.”

“No.”
Will shook her head. “It’ll be too late then.”

“Captain
Alamet.” They were interrupted by an all-call over the communications
grid. Alamet responded.

“Alamet
here.”

“Informing
you we’re within visual range of Regency Base, as you requested.”

“All
shields up!” the man ordered brusquely. “Prepare neutralizing
weapons!”

“Captain
Alamet?” It was a different voice, but one he recognized.

“Yes,
Windin?”

“What is
our target?”

“The
target?” Alamet frowned. “The target are the Ben Objure!”

There was a
pause, then Windin, whom Will assumed was the weapons master, spoke again. This
time his confusion colored his next question.

“The Ben
Objure are coming?”

Will saw the
Captain taken aback. The man glanced around at his crew. “The Ben Objure
are attacking Regency Base!”

“No,
Captain,” Windin replied. “There’s no one at the base.”

“No one?
What do you mean, no one?” Alamet looked to Will, who nodded.

“It’s too
late,” she told him.

“Too late?
Explain!”

“The Ben
Objure have ceased their attack on the base and are returning to their home
world because they’ve succeeded in getting what they were wanting. Vall’s their
prisoner again, and I pray on all that’s holy he doesn’t break.” A tear
ran down her cheek, and she swiped at it.

“What
happens if he breaks?” Alamet questioned in a soft voice.

“According
to legend, a Resplendent can turn toward good or toward evil. If he is raised for
good, he will use his powers to enhance life. But if he turns evil, nothing
will be able to stop him from crushing entire worlds. The Ben Objure are
determined to make him the most powerful, indestructible weapon ever contained.
They’ll break him to become a source of pure evil. And if they do,
when
they
do, nothing will be able to stop him.”

“Then what
do you suggest we do now?”

“Go after
that ship. Get me on board that ship.”

“Captain—”

“I have to
go after Vall,” she insisted in flat, firm voice. “I can reach him. I
can keep him from turning, if it’s not too late.”

“The Ben
Objure will try to kill you,” he reminded her.

“I know,
but I have to get to Vall. If I don’t, he’ll turn, and it’ll be too late. If
they kill me, he’ll turn, and the worst will be forthcoming. Yes, I know the
odds aren’t good, but please, Captain. Put me back on that ship.”

“You truly
believe you alone can stop him from turning?” Alamet still seemed
skeptical.

Giving
the man a wane smile, Will replied. “Do we have any other options?”

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

Resplendent

Will stood on
the bridge of the
Legion of Mercy
as Captain Alamet sat in his command chair
behind her. Together, they watched the river of stars cascading around them as
the ship hurtled toward the Ben Fil Dera system.

“Captain
Tayte, incoming message,” the communications officer announced.

“Put it on
audio.” She waited a second for the connection to be made before
continuing. “This is Captain Willis Tayte.”

“Plymon
here, Captain. Good to hear your voice again. We were beginning to think we’d
never see you again.”

Will could hear
the good-natured tease in the man’s voice, and grinned. “You know what
they say. A bitch of a captain is hard to kill. What is your location?”

“Magnus
here, Captain. We are running a perpendicular course with yours as per Captain
Alamet’s orders. We are less than forty-seven minutes away from Ben Fil Dera
Objure.”

“Have you
heard from any other warships?”

“The
Gift
of Peace
and the
Promise of Faith
have reported in. They should join
us within twenty minutes.”

“Captain,
what are your orders?” Plymon requested. Now that she was back in contact
with her ship, he automatically handed command back to her. She wondered if it
galled him.

“We’re
going to surround the planet and demand they return Vall to us.”

“The same
tactic the Ben Objure used on us?”

His disbelieving
tone turned her grin into a smile. “Similar, but not exact. First, before
you arrive, I need you and the rest of the crew to become familiar with a
species known as Resplendents.”

“I’ve
already be made aware of them,” Plymon told her. “I will extend that
knowledge to the rest of the crew. What is the next step?”

Good old
Killjorn. Will knew why the physician had let Plymon in on the secret. With her
absconded from the ship, the next in command would need to know every detail of
what he was up against.

“Then we need
for Vall to find me. As for step three, you will hold all fire and answer
directly to Captain Alamet. In the event I am not able to communicate directly
with you,
Trinity
will be under the command of Captain Alamet, unless it
is determined I am no longer alive. Is that clear?”

“Yes,
Captain.”

“Thank you,
Plymon. Tayte out.”

She heard Alamet
get up from his chair and walk over to stand beside her. After a moment or two,
the man spoke up.

“The
Future
of Strength
will already be in orbit when we arrive. The
Era of Harmony
is
less than half an hour behind us. That’ll be six warships, Captain. An
unprecedented showing of Nion strength. I don’t remember this many warships
gathering since the Velphic Wars.”

Will glanced
over at the man, the smile reappearing on her lips. “That was a bit before
my time, Captain, but I do remember studying about them at the Academy. If
we’re lucky, we may end this possibly eternal standoff the same way the Velphic
Wars did.”

“How do you
plan to approach the Ben Objure without your shields?”

“I’ll use
one of the containment suits.”

“The suits
don’t have any weapons capabilities.”

“No, but at
least it’ll keep me somewhat safe if they happen to fire upon me. Or if I’m
thrown out of the ship.”

Alamet didn’t
appear to share her belief. “All right, Tayte. Let’s assume this mission
is deemed a success. Let’s say you talk the Ben Objure out of taking your Vall
man prisoner again. What then? Where do you see yourself when all of this is
over?”

Her first
impulse was to commit herself to many more years aboard the
Trinity.
But
for the past hour her mind and her heart had been elsewhere. Her thoughts had
not been on her duty, or the fact that she was a powerful Nion warrior. She
wanted to tell her friend that she wanted to spend the rest of her life in
Vall’s arms, protecting him as he protected her. Showing him the beautiful
wonders of the universe, as well as its dangers. She wanted to watch him hone
his abilities, and encourage him during their development. She wanted to be
with him as he removed himself from the little boy persona and became a man,
mentally as well as physically.

She had spent
the time keeping hope alive within her heart that the Ben Objure hadn’t broken
Vall. She had sent out mental vibes, telling him she was on her way, and
wondering if he could receive them. She had tried to steel herself for the
possibility that all her planning might be wasted effort, and that, in the end,
he could be forever lost to her.

She had prepared
herself for the time when she would have to destroy him herself if he had
turned toward evil. Reaching down, she brushed her fingertips over the stasis
tube strapped to her thigh. Without her own natural weapons, she would have to
rely on the old-fashioned kind until hers returned.

“Where do I
see myself? That’s too far into the future for me to imagine, Ambris. Ask me
again after all of this is over.”

“If we’re
still alive.” The man replied with humor.

“Yeah. If
we’re both still alive.”

He returned to
his chair as Will continued her watch from where she stood. Every so often she
would close her eyes and focus inwardly, seeking any sort of twinge or spark
that would signal Vall’s presence, without luck. She knew she had been farther
away from him the last time he’d taken her. Being this close and still not
receiving anything from him could not be good news. Will worried if he was
unconscious…or worse.

Furthermore,
standing there and fretting over what might-have-could-have happened wasn’t
getting anything accomplished. She was acting more like a love-struck girl
instead of a warship captain. Irritated with herself, Will growled softly.

Time to do
something constructive instead of pining away—

Initially, it
felt like a tugging on her skin. Will turned to look at Captain Alamet when the
ship disappeared from around her. A white, misty glow enclosed her, keeping her
alive as she tumbled through the empty void of space. An instant later, the
dark bowels of an Objurian battle cruiser formed around her. Will dropped to
her knees as the artificial gravity took hold. A heartbeat later, pale arms
caged her and lifted her to her feet.

My Will!

“Vall!”
She started to turn around to hug him when she froze at the sight in front of
her.

He had pulled
her into the middle of a standoff. Nearly a dozen of the Ben Objure were
crowding around him, forcing him backwards. They all held a variety of weapons,
many of which she didn’t recognize, but by the way they were held left no doubt
in her mind as to their purpose. The creatures jostled each other, as if vying
for a position in the front of the pack. As she stared at them, they moved a
fraction of an inch closer.

“Translate
for me, Vall.”

His response was
to pull her more tightly against him.

“I am
Captain Willis Tayte. I am a Nion warrior representing the warship
Trinity
of Hope.
At this moment, your planet is being surrounded by six Nion
warships.”

The creatures
appeared confused. They glanced among themselves, until one large female
dislodged herself from the others and stepped into the barren center. Unlike
the others, with their deep black exoskeletons, her carapace was gray.

“Why are
you here, Nion?”

“I’m here
to ask that you abandon your goal to enslave the Resplendent.”

“Why are
you not shielded?”

They were cautious
as well as confused. Even though her uniform identified her as Nion, the lack
of her aura was not protocol. They suspected a trap, and Will couldn’t blame
them.

“Because I
come to you with the hope of reaching a peaceable ending to this encounter.”

“Take your
request elsewhere. Our dealings with it are not your concern. We had it first.
It is ours.” This time they referred to Vall as if he was another piece of
cargo.

“Trafficking
in sentient beings is against all laws of every inhabited race in this
galaxy,” Will replied, keeping her voice level. “As a representative
of the Nion—”

She never got to
finish. She’d caught sight of one of the Ben Objure adjusting the settings on
her weapon. It was a slight gesture, barely observable amid the constant shoving
and pushing. Normally she wouldn’t have given the movement a second thought.
But without her shields, she had to be extra cautious, despite Vall’s
protection. Automatically, she tried to reach for her own stasis pistol, but
Vall’s arms were in the way. Her own arms weren’t long enough to grab it.
Unable to stop the creature herself, she pointed at the thing’s weapon.
“Vall!”

She heard a yell
that didn’t sound human. Before she could react, the Ben Objure seemed to
project its own aura. A rainbow of color outline its body in sparkling hues. An
instant later, the creature exploded outward, spewing chunks of body pieces,
internal organs, and blood in all directions.

Will screamed.
“
No, Vall! Don’t kill! Don’t kill!
”

The scream
echoed again, this time overhead. She barely had time to see the remaining Ben
Objure readjust their weapons when Vall threw her to the side. She fell,
tumbling and rolling to a stop several meters away. Getting to her knees, she
looked up, dazed and afraid. The sound of disruptive rays firing were like
shrieks of metal upon metal. But above that ear-splitting noise was a darker,
louder wail.

A shudder ran
through her as she watched the huge creature rising until it towered over the
Ben Objure. A creature that no longer resembled anything human. A creature with
eyes that glittered like yellow suns going nova. A mythical being with enormous
fangs, and with heavily muscled arms extending outward, ending with slender
hands bearing long, curved claws.

The firepower
bounced off Vall, unable to penetrate his own personal shield. Lights flashed
everywhere as the weapons continued to discharge ineffectively. The room
appeared to be filled with breathtaking color, as if the place contained a
small nebula.

Vall took a step
toward his tormentors, no longer willing to retreat. He waved a hand at one Ben
Objure that tried to move around behind him. It paused, dropping its weapon
just as it burst into a hundred wet, sizzling lumps.

Vall, no!
Don’t kill!

She screamed in
her mind, knowing her own voice would be drowned out in the onslaught. Getting
to her feet, she judged the distance between him and the creatures. She had to
stop Vall. Somehow, she had to get him to cease the killing.

Vall, no!
Don’t kill! Listen to me! They want you to become evil. They want you to become
like them! Listen to me! Don’t kill! Don’t let them turn you!

The screaming
seemed to intensify. Another Ben Objure plastered the floor and ceiling with
grue. The smell made her want to gag, and holding a hand over her nose didn’t
help. By sheer will alone, she managed not to throw up.

Her body acted
on pure instinct the split-second she saw an opening. She sprinted toward Vall,
still mentally yelling at him as she held out her arms and hands and waved them
to get his attention. The Resplendent looked surprised at her reaction. In the
next second, an intense burning struck her in the back. The force of the impact
threw her off her feet, propelling her forward, directly into Vall’s arms.

Will! My
Will!

She’d been hit.
Funny. Although she felt the pain racing like lightning through her body, her
mind remained lucid. Maybe he was holding the worst of her condition at bay, to
protect her.

Will clutched
the thickly muscled chest, unable to do more than close the fingers of one hand
in the shredded fabric. The other hand rested on the stasis tube nestled
against her leg.

“Vall.”

Her eyes misted
slightly. Through the thin veil of tears, she managed to see Vall’s face
transform back to the familiar visage she loved. He bent over her, concern replacing
the fury that had made his golden eyes flash.

My Will!

“Vall,
don’t kill. If you kill…you’ll turn evil.” It was becoming difficult to
speak. Difficult to concentrate. Difficult to focus. Will blinked as Vall
lifted her off her feet and clutched her closer to him. There was no way to
tell if the Ben Objure were still firing at him. There was no way to know
anything, other than the fact that he was himself again, and he was giving her
his full attention.

“Don’t
kill. Don’t kill, Vall. Don’t become like them. Don’t become evil.
Please.”

“My
Will.” His whisper sounded in her ear. His breath hitched. “You can
not leave me, Will. I will not let you.”

Not let you? How
could she explain to him that death was the one power he had no control over? How
could she tell him that he could obliterate the Ben Objure, and any other
species, as well as whole planets and galaxies. But once the act was done,
there was no reversing it? No bringing it back. No putting things the way
they’d been? He was strong, and getting stronger every day, but bringing back
the dead was not one of his abilities.

It was getting
cold. She must have shivered, as he drew the torn and stained edges of his robe
around her. Moving her fingers slightly, she managed to rotate the stasis tube
until the barrel faced him. It would be a point blank shot.

If miracles were
possible, he would listen to her. He would take her plea to heart.
Unfortunately, she knew the opposite would most likely happen. She was dying,
and once she was gone, Vall would go berserk with grief. The cost of life would
be staggering. Worse, it would only be the beginning. That’s why it would take
a minimum of six Nion warships to take him out. Take him down. Permanently
disable him.