Endeavour (Atlantia Series Book 4) Read online

  ‘You’re infected,’ Evelyn said. ‘You need to trust in us, this isn’t the way.’

  ‘What would you know of trust?’ Kordaz snarled as he glared at Evelyn and the surrounding Marines. ‘Your kind is obsessed with destroying yourselves, keen only to use each other. I placed my trust in you and this is what happened!’

  Kordaz jerked his fist in the direction of the burnished metal of his chest and the metallic orbs around his eyes.

  ‘It’s not us that betrayed you,’ Evelyn insisted. ‘But here you are killing people you don’t even know!’

  Kordaz glared at the machine being guarded by the Marines, and at Qayin where he lay on the stretcher also surrounded by guard of soldiers.

  ‘A murderer, a convict and a traitor,’ Kordaz snapped as he pointed at Qayin, ‘and yet you defend him with your lives while abandoning me, a Veng’en, to die alone on Chiron. I know damned well what your captain had in mind when he sent me down to the surface, just as I know why he sent all of the Marines he could trust the least–he wanted everybody he did not wish to take with him down on that planet so he could abandon them.’

  ‘That’s not true,’ Bra’hiv intervened. ‘He wanted somebody he could trust the most, and you were the only person he felt he could send down there and be certain would not betray us. We thought that Qayin sold you out down there, but it wasn’t him. Truth is, we still don’t know who betrayed you!’

  Kordaz, the plasma grenade still held in his fist, peered at Evelyn as though seeking some sign of confirmation from somebody he perhaps might still have some faith in.

  ‘It’s true,’ she insisted. ‘I know that you want revenge, but you’re seeking revenge on the wrong people.’

  ‘Then why are you in league with the Word, the very thing you’ve insisted you wish to destroy?’ Kordaz challenged.

  ‘We are not in league with it,’ Meyanna replied, her voice constricted by the force of the Veng’en’s grip. ‘It’s proven to be the only thing that might be able to get us out of here. The woman you just stabbed is the only one of us who is able to communicate with it! She needs my help!’

  ‘And I need yours,’ Kordaz snarled as he looked down at her. ‘Cure me, or nobody leaves this ship alive!’

  ‘I can’t cure you!’ Meyanna insisted. ‘Not here, not like this! If you want to be cured, the only thing that can really do it now is the Word itself and you just stabbed the only person who can talk to it!’

  ‘And we need to get out of here, right now!’ Lieutenant C’rairn added.

  As if in response a thunderous blast hammered the hull of Endeavour and the landing bay shuddered as the lights flickered weakly, what power remained in the fusion cores struggling to prevent the system from becoming overloaded by the impacts.

  ‘We’re under fire!’ Andaim shouted.

  Kordaz glared around him as though uncertain of what to do, and Evelyn saw Emma’s eyelids drooping as she weakened from loss of blood. Evelyn holstered her pistol and crossed the landing bay toward Kordaz, extending her hands out to her side as a gesture of goodwill. She came to a stop before the towering warrior and looked up into his metallic red eyes.

  ‘No matter what you think we are not your enemy, Kordaz,’ she said. ‘But none of this will be resolved if we do not leave this landing bay right now. We are under attack and cannot stay here. If you want Meyanna’s help, then we have to get off this ship.’

  Kordaz glared down at her, his massive muscular arm still holding Meyanna close to his chest, the plasma grenade within his other fist humming with restrained energy.

  ‘You abandoned me to die,’ he hissed at Evelyn.

  ‘I abandoned you because you were already dead,’ Evelyn replied. ‘I could not have hoped to have moved you and you were infected anyway. We did not do this to you, Kordaz. The Word did this to you, but the machine we now have with us is not the same. It’s older, it’s helping us. It might even be able to help you.’

  Evelyn gestured at the warrior’s metallic chest. Kordaz stared at Evelyn for a long moment, and then down again at Emma.

  ‘Why do you look so alike?’ he demanded.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Evelyn replied as another blast shook the landing bay. ‘We need to talk, but it’s got to be later. If we don’t get off this ship we’re all doomed.’

  Kordaz regarded her for a moment longer, and then slowly lowered his arms as with a flick of one taloned finger he deactivated the grenade and released Meyanna.

  Meyanna broke away from the Veng’en, dashed to Emma’s side and dropped down beside her as Evelyn joined them and looked at the wound in Emma’s chest. The blade was still buried in her chest as Meyanna started trying to stem the flow of blood.

  ‘Don’t try to take it out,’ she instructed. ‘Just hang on.’

  The landing bay shuddered again as a massive blast impacted the hull outside and the illumination flickered out entirely. In the darkness only the blue screen of the computer terminal was visible along with the flashlights of the Marine’s rifles.

  ‘Time to go, don’t you think?’ C’rairn called as he jogged towards the gunship.

  Evelyn looked at Lieutenant Riaz, still pinned against the wall of the landing bay. ‘We need to get aboard or we’re all dead.’

  Riaz twisted his features into a grim smile. ‘We’re all dead anyway,’ he snarled back. ‘I’d rather die here than face what is awaiting is out there.’

  Lying on her back on the deck, Emma groaned as Evelyn heard mumbling and warbling from the computer terminal. Emma’s eyes flickered weakly as she whispered to Meyanna.

  ‘Boarding protocol, five–zero–seven–zero–one, initiate.’

  Riaz hissed in anger as behind them the gunship’s boarding ramp opened, the ramp sinking to the deck with a clang as the landing bay was rocked violently by another impact.

  ‘Let’s go!’ Bra’hiv yelled, and whirled to his men. ‘Get the injured aboard!’

  Evelyn grabbed Riaz’s collar. ‘What do the Morla’syn want with you?’

  Riaz sneered up at her, the life fading from his eyes. ‘They wanted us out,’ he gasped, ‘tried to kill us all because we learned the truth. The Icari Line, it’s not what you think it is.’

  Evelyn gave Lieutenant Riaz one last glance and then made her decision. She yanked his plasma shield generator from his webbing and then turned her back on him and the other injured members of his platoon. With the Marines she boarded the gunship, helping to push the computer terminal and the stretcher containing Qayin ahead of them.

  Andaim and Meyanna carefully lifted Emma between them and hurried onto the gunship’s ramp as Evelyn dashed towards the cockpit and threw herself into the pilot’s seat. She cast a quick glance across the controls and began flicking switches as she located the emergency engine–start system concealed low beneath the control panel. Similar to the one fitted to Colonial Raythons, the system bypassed the normal start procedures and allowed for an immediate getaway in an emergency.

  ‘Strap yourselves in, fast!’ she shouted back into the interior of the ship. ‘This could get rough!’

  Behind her she saw Emma being laid down on a row of seats by Andaim, as the CAG then rushed to join Evelyn in the cockpit and took the co–pilot’s seat. Behind them, Evelyn heard Emma’s soft whispers as though she were murmuring in her delirium.

  ‘Launch protocol, atmospheric evacuation, initiate!’

  Emma’s voice was barely a whisper but it was as though she was vocalising every command the Word gave and with a sudden start Evelyn realised why: the Word could not alone give commands, it was only able to relay the commands of human beings, the reason why it had not had the opportunity to take over control of Endeavour to conquer the humans with which it shared the ship. It required human interaction.

  The reason for the face embedded into Endeavour’s bridge suddenly made sense, a permanent cybernetic link to the ship’s computers. But then, who or what was Emma?

  Through the cockpit windows Evelyn saw Endeavour’s l
aunch bay doors suddenly open and a rush of escaping air flash by as it was sucked out into oblivion in whorls of white vapour. As the gunship’s engines whined into life she saw the body of Lieutenant Riaz spin past the gunship and out into the bitter vacuum of space along with the bodies of his platoon.

  Evelyn threw the throttles forward as the engines engaged and the gunship lifted off even as giant plasma blasts slammed into the hold around them in violent explosions as flames tore through Endeavour’s hull.

  ***

  XXXIV

  ‘They’re firing!’

  Mikhain leaped out of his seat on Arcadia’s bridge as he saw the Morla’syn destroyer suddenly ripple with light as its plasma cannons opened fire upon Endeavour.

  ‘All power to starboard shields, brace for impact!’

  The crew scrambled to divert power as Mikhain grabbed the guard rail of the command platform just before the salvo of massive blasts hammered into the Arcadia’s shields and the frigate tremble under the blows.

  ‘Sheilds holding, ninety four per cent,’ Djimon reported as he glanced at the tactical displays.

  ‘Maintain position over Endeavour’s aft hull,’ Mikhain ordered the helm as he judged the position of the Morla’syn destroyer. ‘We need to give General Bra’hiv time to get those people out.’

  The massive destroyer was already turning in an attempt to outmanoeuvre the two frigates and bring her weapons to bear upon Endeavour’s stern. Even as Mikhain watched Atlantia attempt to match the move and keep herself between Endeavour and the destroyer, another alert signal went up as Lieutenant Scott called out.

  ‘I’ve got a launch from Endeavour’s aft bays, unidentified craft, massive electronic countermeasures. I can’t tell who is aboard or where they are going.’

  ‘Get it up on screen immediately!’

  A screen on the bridge switched displays and showed a barely–visible black gunship accelerating out of Endeavour s aft landing bay, her ion engines flaring bright blue as she accelerated and immediately turned away from Endeavour’s hull.

  ‘Communications?’ Mikhain asked.

  ‘Negative, captain – no transponder, no identification.’

  Mikhain thumped a hand down on the guard rail in frustration as he watched the gunship pull away from Endeavour’s hull just as another massive broadside was launched by the Morla’syn destroyer.

  ‘The general and his men could be aboard!’ Lieutenant Scott insisted.

  Djimon leaned close to Mikhain, his voice low enough that only they could hear it. ‘So could Kordaz and Qayin.’

  Mikhain watched the gunship pulling away and whirled to the helmsman. ‘Maintain position but keep checking the gunship!’

  ‘Aye, captain.’

  ‘This could be our chance,’ Djimon hissed. ‘Blow her out of existence while we still can!’

  ‘I’d rather let the Morla’syn do that for us,’ Mikhain growled back.

  The broadside of plasma blasts hammered into Arcadia’s hull and the frigate shuddered under the blows, two of the rounds passing beneath her and striking Endeavour’s stern quarter with brilliant explosions that tore through her superstructure as though flaming spears were piercing her.

  ‘Hull breaches on multiple levels of Endeavour,’ Lieutenant Shah reported. ‘All aft landing bays are now unusable.’

  ‘Are you detecting any life forms aboard?!’ Mikhain demanded.

  ‘Yes, came the reply. ‘Multiple life forms in the holds, all of which are now breached and exposed. The number of surviving life forms is dropping rapidly–there’s nothing we can do for them.’

  ‘Contact Atlantia, emergency frequency!’ Mikhain snapped.

  ‘Negative, captain. The Morla’syn are jamming our communications frequencies!’

  ‘Damn it!’

  Mikhain glanced at the tactical display and saw Atlantia still holding her ground as round after round of plasma fire flared against her shields. He could see that they would only endure a few more salvos before her shields would be utterly obliterated and the frigate exposed fully to the immense power of the Morla’syn weapons.

  He glanced at a secondary display and saw the gunship making a run for it, apparently attempting to reach Atlantia.

  Mikhain turned to the helmsman. ‘Lay in a pursuit course on the gunship! Maximum thrust!’

  ‘Aye, captain!’

  Arcadia broke free from covering Endeavour’s hull as the frigate swung around to give chase to the tiny gunship fleeing past its bow. Mikhain watched as Arcadia accelerated and began cutting of the gunship’s flight path.

  ‘We’re getting a signal from the gunship!’ Lieutenant Shah called. ‘I don’t know how but they’re managing to break through the Morla’syn jamming.’

  ‘Open a channel,’ Mikhain ordered.

  A screen flickered and an image of Evelyn and Andaim appeared at the controls of the gunship.

  ‘We are all aboard,’ Evelyn revealed. ‘Signal Atlantia and tell her to use Endeavour’s hull as cover against the Morla’syn destroyer’s fire, and you to!’

  Mikhain nodded. ‘Turn around, get that gunship aboard us now.’

  ‘Negative, captain,’ Evelyn replied. ‘Captain Sansin will not want the Word or any infected species aboard Arcadia. He’ll want us to land aboard Atlantia.’

  ‘There’s no time,’ Mikhain insisted. ‘We will quarantine the landing bay and ensure that there is no danger of infection. We are closer than Atlantia and she is under heavy fire. The sooner you get aboard, the sooner Atlantia will be able disengage from the destroyer.’

  Mikhain saw Djimon move alongside him and peer closely at the cockpit of the gunship. There, in the background beyond the cockpit door they could see Qayin lying on a stretcher and being tended to by Meyanna.

  Mikhain saw the indecision on Evelyn’s features, but then he saw her manipulate the controls of the gunship.

  ‘Very well, ensure that you completely isolate whichever bay you require us to land in.’

  ‘Aft bay seven, we’ll clear it immediately,’ Lieutenant Scott replied.

  ‘Order all Raythons to land,’ Mikhain ordered. ‘My guess is that Captain Sansin will want us to disengage and jump to super luminal as fast as possible.’

  Mikhain saw Djimon conceal a grim smile as he realised that Mikhain was planning to ensure that the gunship remained aboard Arcadia for as long as possible.

  ‘Aye, captain!’ Lieutenant Scott replied.

  *

  Captain Idris Sansin watched as he saw the gunship leave Endeavour’s hull and turn towards Arcadia. Within moments, Arcadia’s compliment of Raythons broke away from their defensive patrols and began retreating into a landing pattern.

  ‘He’s pulling out!’

  Idris heard Lael’s alarmed cry, and his brain raced as he attempted to figure out why Mikhain would suddenly disengage from the battle and leave Endeavour’s hull entirely exposed.

  ‘Can we break the Morla’syn jamming?’

  ‘Negative captain,’ Lael replied. ‘Their emissions are too powerful and the encryption too complex for our computers to decode at this time.’

  Idris watched the tactical display screen as Arcadia turned away from the battle and the Raythons began lining up to land. The gunship vanished as it landed in a separate bay.

  ‘I’m detecting Arcadia’s super luminal engines running up,’ Lael reported.

  Atlantia rocked violently as another massive salvo of plasma blasts hammered into her. The bridge lights flickered weakly and a series of alarms rang out.

  ‘Shields at sixty four per cent, fires on decks C and D, no hull breaches,’ Lael reported.

  Idris made his decision quickly. If Mikhain was pulling out, either they had recovered Bra’hiv’s team or that same team was lost. ‘Order all Raythons to land and prepare to make the jump to super luminal. Lay in a pursuit course for where ever Arcadia heads.’

  ‘Aye, captain.’

  Idris looked at the Morla’syn destroyer. So far, neither Atlantia o
r Arcadia had fired a single shot against them, Idris preferring to maintain neutrality despite the aggression being directed at them. If they ever had the chance to face the Galactic Council, they would need the moral high ground in every action. But there was now no doubt that the Morla’syn would have seen the black gunship leave Endeavour and land aboard Arcadia, and given their determination so far to hunt down the Special Forces troops that they claimed had murdered so many of their own he felt it was without doubt that they would follow Atlantia into super luminal cruise. If they had been able to follow a Special Forces vessel for so long, they would have no problem tracking a large frigate’s gravity wake.

  ‘We’re going to have to fight them at some point,’ Lael said softly.

  Idris looked once more at the tactical display and the data scrolling down it revealing the sheer might of the Morla’syn destroyer. Although they had never engaged in combat before, it was well–known by colonial forces that the Morla’syn ship was vastly more powerful and armed far more heavily than any single Colonial vessel. Although not outwardly aggressive, it was commonly known that once provoked the Morla’syn were implacable foes who would stop at nothing to defeat any perceived enemy or threat.

  ‘I know,’ he replied. ‘Just not here, not now. Are the Raythons aboard yet?’

  ‘The last of them are landing right now. We will be able to make the jump in sixty seconds.’

  Idris looked at an image of Arcadia on one of the display screens. ‘We can only hope they got everybody out, but that might mean they also have the Word aboard and perhaps even Kordaz.’

  ‘The Morla’syn jamming will stop them from sending a signal letting us know their trajectory,’ Lael reported. ‘We’ll be following blind, tracking their gravity wake. If we lose them…’

  ‘We can’t stay here,’ Idris replied, knowing that he had no option but to disengage and flee. ‘My wife may be aboard Arcadia.’