Spacer Clans Adventure 2: Naero's Gambit (26 page)

Hashiko cast her normally proud
glance down for a moment, her fierce eyes still roving, back and forth, staring at the ground. Cold and unyielding, she still looked slightly bewildered. In shock and disbelief.

She barely
took Naero’s hand and shook it before letting it drop.

“N
ow,” Naero stated. “Now that we are comrades, we shall decide together what the rules of the sparring circle are. All of this superior and inferior adept crap ends right here and now. Agreed?”

Hashiko hesitated, and nodded.

“Agreed. So be it.”

“G
ood. Now we’re all just good, committed practitioners of the Wisdom of Chaos. Master Vane, I have a feeling somehow that the Tua are going to have one of their feasts this night. Why don’t you and Hashiko join me at the celebration? And for once we can all just cut the crap and really talk. Openly and honestly. Just the three of us.”

Both of them stared at her like she was insane.

“Why, hell. I’d bet even the Tua have a few things they’d like to say to you two, if you would ever take the time to listen.”

Master Vane cocked his head.
“Seriously? You win one match and we’re all good buddies, Maeris? Pass.”

He dismissed her
with a wave of his hand like he usually did.

“
Go laugh and play with the rats. Gorge yourself on their bland, shitty fare. I have too many other things that are actually worth doing.”

He transported away
the very next instant.

What a dickhead
.

Hashiko just glared back at her.

“This changes little, adept. I still do not like you. And at one hour past dawn tomorrow, I shall challenge you again. As I shall do each day until the natural order of things is restored, and this circle is mine once more.”

Naero smiled fiercely.
“Hashiko. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I
will always be better than you in every way that counts. You will never be my equal, let alone my superior.”

Naero shook her head sadly.

“Make no attempts to pity me, Maeris.”

“
Unbelievable. You still don’t get it, do you, Hashiko? I never said you couldn’t beat me. Some days you’ll beat me. Some days I’ll beat you. That’s the way life is. That’s the way Chaos is–if you really think about it. But we don’t have to have contempt for each other. It doesn’t have to be like that.”

Naero looked her right in the eyes.

Hitting her with Chaos logic had Hashi off guard again.

Naero smiled.
“And, like I told you before. You might beat me, but you’ll never defeat me.”

Hashiko turned without another word and
stalked away.

Naero stood in the circle
, folded her arms in front of her, and watched Hashi depart.

While the Tua sang
with joy at Naero’s triumph.

31

Naero sat the small, battered little wooden stand
in between her and Master Vane.

He monitored everything she did very closely.

Naero sat in the secret mountain complex chamber with her legs crossed. Arms relaxed to either side, resting on her knees.

The immense chamber was like an arena in size and shielded against Chaos Energy.

Master Vane had brought Hashiko and then Naero here to spar from time to time, increasingly using both Chaos and a mix of Cosmic energies and techniques.

Naero kept her strong, slender fingers knitted in simple Mystic meditation patterns, the hood of her old body suit pulled up around her face.

Vane yawned.
“I don’t have all day, Maeris. If you have something to show me, then you’d better get to it.”

Naero did not flinch. She did not panic or hurry.

A small pinpoint of Chaos energy appeared over the center of the wooden stand.

It quickly ex
panded to either side as a red glowing line.

From there it took shape quickly into that of a long
, intricate scarlet sword blade with a black round hand guard and slender handle for use with one or two hands.

A
perfectly formed katana, made entirely out of pure Chaos energy.

Her
primary focus.

She had been perfecting it
and its use in secret for nearly a year.

Vane studied it for a few seconds.

“Looks good. Impressive even. But what can you do with it?”

Faster than thought, Vane blasted her with red lightning bolts of
pure Chaos force.

Naero already had her sword in hand and absorbed the entire attack in a flash, sucking the streams of lightning right into the pulsing blade, making it even more powerful.

Vane stuck up his bottom lip.

“E
nergy absorption. You learned that from me.”

“H
ashiko uses it too.”

“W
here do you think she learned it?”

Vane blew glowing red Chaos bubbles out of his pursed mouth.

The bubbles expanded, transparent, but took on the forms of creatures. Chaos energy constructs–monsters.

Giant insects. Hulking humanoids. Winged serpents.

Vane sent them all charging in at her.

Naero fell upon them, lining up her angles of attack.

Some she cut down. They shrieked and faded away.

Others she blasted to bits as she maneuvered, with bolts of lightning and fire
from her sword and hands. Even from her third eye, thinning their ranks.

The last score or so she took down in an entire wave, unleashing her sword
’s power all at once in an entire sheet of expanding Chaos energy.

Naero cleared the field
with a tsunami of force.

“N
ice move, but now you’re weaponless.”

Naero re-summoned her sword in one hand.

In a flash she held two of them.

Then they both vanished.

Naero rubbed her hands together as if shaking dust from them.

“
They’re just tools. I don’t even really need a focus any longer.”

“N
ot bad. You have shown some…slight progress these last few months.”

“S
light?” Naero said.

Too late.

She’d let her guard down for an instant and she knew it.

Hundreds of long thin
rods of Chaos energy speared up from the very floor at her feet, transfixing her.

The agony
. Overpowering.

In a flash Vane let her collapse to the ground, negating what could have been another
lethal attack, if he had allowed its damage to actually take hold of her.

He could have torn her into little chunks.

“Tell me, if I allowed that attack to do its full damage–instead of negating its effects at the last instant–could you have regenerated all of that damage in time before you perished?”

She rose up onto her hands and knees, mouth gasping for air.

She finally found the strength to shake her head.

Hundreds of wounds,
crisscrossing through her entire body.

There would have been n
o way to close them all off in time.

“E
ventually,”
Vane said.
“Like Hashiko you’ll get better at defending against such attacks. Sense them coming before they strike you. Cosmic energy or a mix of Cosmic and Chaos energy usually works well as a shield or barrier against them. Giving you time to escape or counter-attack.”

The thick, glass-like red shield formed around him in an flash.

A dozen of Naero’s energy Katanas shattered against it and got absorbed.

“Y
our are tricky,”
Vane said, rising to his feet.
“I’ll have keep remembering that…especially when I’m forced to destroy you.”

“M
aster Vane,” Naero said, getting to her feet. “Why do you keep saying that? You know I’ve made substantial progress in every area. I can use and control the majority of my abilities now. And I’m well on my way to exploring and mastering the rest. You shouldn’t have to destroy me now. I’m not a threat any longer.”

Vane raised both eyebrows at her.
“I’ll be the judge of that, Maeris. I think you’re even more of a danger now than ever before, and you’ve yet to master the other two Mystic Wisdoms. In fact, I foresee a day coming when you shall become one of the greatest threats this universe and our peoples have ever faced. I’ve always had a bad feeling about your family, and especially about you. Now I’m just beginning to understand why. But I will say, you are extremely intriguing. That’s just one of the reasons I haven’t killed you off yet. But tick-tock. I will need to make a decision, and very soon. What a shame.”

Naero paused and swallowed hard.

He really meant to destroy her still?

After all of her hard work and progress?

Vane walked away from her with his hands in his pockets, whistling a tune.

“D
on’t take it personally, Maeris. It’s not you’re fault you’re a monster. You can’t control what’s truly lurking deep within you. No one could. It doesn’t change anything, but it’s certainly not your fault.”

“I
’m not. I’m not a monster.”

“W
e’ll see. And when that day comes, and I’m proven right. I’ll be there to put a stop to you. On my terms. And no one’s going to hinder me.”

The next day was in fact the
day.

Naero
’s three long years were up at last.

Janosha would
fall back in sync with the rest of the universe.

And High Master Vane would decide her fate.

32

Naero’s final day on Janosha…either way

For good or ill, it started just like most others.

She and Hashiko fought each other to a grudging standstill in the sparring circle.

T
hey had grown more or less equally matched it seemed.

They had seen all of the other
’s tricks and techniques. Many times over.

Until one or the other of them progressed further or learned something new, they were at a stalemate.

Of course Hashi said nothing personal to her.

She said her initial farewells to Iika, Bahan, and her Tua family.

Hopefully there would be time for more.

Vane finally summoned her
, to his private quarters in his larger, infinitely nicer cave.

In the entire three year
’s time, Naero had never set foot in it once. She’d never even seen inside it before.

And of course, it was f
illed with tek conveniences and gadgets by the way. Thank you very much, High Master Vane.

That really pissed Naero off.

But she couldn’t say anything, as usual.

Not when Vane held her life in his very hands.

He ignored her at first and puttered around.

If he did decide to kill her…she wondered if she
’d get a chance to say farewell to any of her family or friends.

Knowing Van
e, probably not.

How were her friends after the three months?

And what had happened to Khai? She still needed to find out.

If she survived the day of course.

Hey, it was only three months. What could have happened?

Master Vane turned to Naero suddenly.

Then Hashiko flashed in.

“W
hat’s wrong, Master? You sent me and urgent summons?”

Vane looked at them both
and did not hesitate.

“T
he Fifth Spacer War is beginning as we speak. The Clans are now at war throughout all the known systems, on every front.”

Naero gaped.

She slipped away for three lousy months.

A
nd everything went straight to hell?

It figured.

Hashiko asked. “How are we–”

“
We are losing. Very badly. Our foes have armed all of their fleets with the advanced ion cannons. They’re dominating every battle. And they have superior numbers. What’s more, they have refused to take any prisoners. Any of our ships or allies that they take are being blown up, or dumped into the nearest star–with their crews still inside.”

Hashiko snarled, cursing. “The bastards!”

Vane turned to Naero.

“At least t
his means a reprieve for you, Maeris.”

Naero was still stunned about the war
news. Struggling to take it all in.

The Clans. Her people. They were losing? She couldn
’t believe it.

“Janosha to Naero…”

“Huh?”

Vane shook his head.
“I can’t really kill off a valuable resource like you very well now, can I? Not with a desperate war on and all that. Not when the Clans need every available weapon to fling at the advancing foe. Even a monster like you, Maeris. I’ll just bet you can do some damage to our enemies, before they cut you down.”

“W
ho are we fighting now?” Naero asked.

He rolled his eyes.
“Why the Gigacorps, of course.”

“Which ones
?”

Va
ne glared at her like she was a total idiot.

“A
ll fourteen of them, including the remnants of Triax. Everyone but Joshua Tech, of course. The devils are all in. Fully committed to wiping out the Clans for all time. What happened to Triax apparently scared the living shit right out of them.

“T
hey mean to take down all the Clans, while they still have a chance to do so. Their massed fleets are sweeping in across the entire length of the Spacer Arm. They’re not allowing anyone to escape into the unexplored regions. They’ve bypassed and will deal with our allies–after they’ve taken all of us out. They fully intend to destroy every Spacer vessel they can locate.”

“B
ut how?” Naero asked. “We beat them before. Sure. They have the numbers. And the ion guns. But the Clans should still have the Tek advantage overall.”

Master Vane shook his head.

“Not any more, by all reports.”

“W
hat?” Naero still couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

It was as if the entire universe had gone mad, in less than a year and a half
of real time.

Master Vane turned away, put his hands behind him, and stud
ied a pop-up tactical screen that shot up in front of him.

Naero took in the horrible reality.

It was all true.

Even at a glance,
Naero could see that the combined Clan Naval forces–both military and commercial–fought a slow, stubborn retreat through Clan Space.

Paying a bloody price for each par sec.

Yet it was a full, fighting retreat, nonetheless.

Retreat.

Defeat.

Something the Clans knew so little
about.

Master Vane chimed
back in.

“I
t is definitely the ion cannon,” Master Vane noted. “It appears now that the Corps were already in the process of upgrading all of their fleets to use that advanced tek across the board. What happened to Triax during the Annexation War terrified them all. They stepped up their plans at all costs.”

Naero nodded.

“If all of their fleets now sport those new guns,” Naero said, feeling the blood draining from her face. “They now possess the decisive edge in Tek as well as numbers. From their standpoint, why not go after us while they can?”

Hashiko remarked coldly.
“Strategically and tactically, it makes perfect sense.”

Even Om
agreed.

S
ince Intel progress with the KDM has all but stalled.

Naero couldn
’t bear to study the tactical displays any longer.

The long casualty lists of not just individuals–but entire ships and their crews.

Ships and people she knew.

Naero
turned away.

Her people, despite all of their valor and cunning.

Were already losing this vile war from the very outset.

“W
hat’s happening to the Alliance?” Naero asked.

“F
or now,”
Vane said.
“Like I said, they’ve been bypassed or ignored for the time being. All fourteen Gigacorps are using their combined naval forces to tighten the noose around Clan Space. It might take them a few years to wear us down, but after they polish off the Clans, they’ll have all the time in the universe to deal with all the remaining little fish. Joshua Tech, the Matayans, the Miners. Anyone else.”

“Anyone who opposes their dominion.
” An Old-Earth Mongol strategy, from her military history. Naero shuddered.

One quarter of the galaxy under the complete
subjugation of the Gigacorps.

Forever.

With she and her beloved people dead and gone. Aunt Sleak and Zalvano. All of her friends. Exterminated. The victors would write the history.

Naero clenched her fists.

Vane spoke up again.
“And rumors abound that the Corps have some mysterious new alien allies from somewhere unknown as well. Deets are sketchy at best on that front. There have been a few sightings of strange advanced alien ships here and there, but so far their new allies are laying low. Why should they bother tipping their hand? The Corps are already winning on all fronts. Their new alien allies still remain a wild card in the background.”

Naero
guessed that was where the Corps got the ion cannon tek from in the first place.

Thoughts
, Om?

He could now converse with her at will, even while she stood right in front of Vane.

I concur. From interacting with Alala, ion weapon tek is indeed strange, and highly advanced. It did not originate among the Corps. Perhaps not even from this galaxy.

How is that possible?

The Kexx and the Drians travelled between other galaxies. Their war with the G’lothc carried them into one of the galaxies next to ours in order to finally defeat them. Three quarters of your own galaxy remains unexplored by humanity or any of the other known races.

Great. Search out everything you can Om. We need answers
and we need them yesterday.

Impossible. I cannot distort of modify temporal reality.

Om…

Naero lifted her head and looked at Master Vane.

“So, what do we do?”

Master Vane looked at them both.

“We fight them, with every weapon at our disposal. Including you, Maeris. We fight them and survive, or we die. That’s all there is. It’s that simple.”

Hashiko nodded.

“High Admiral Klyne has requested that Mystics attach some of their best adepts to the Strike Fleets in support and advisory roles, in an attempt to help intervene. We need to find ways to slow or halt the Corps advance. We need to buy our people time. You will both carry the acting battlefield rank of Strike Fleet Captain. And I should not have to say this, but the two of you will also need to cooperate and get creative.”

He emphasized the point.
“You’re a team now. I fully expect you to act like one, and obey your superiors.”

Hashiko
’s eyes flashed. “I remain the senior adept.”

“O
n Janosha you are, but not in the Intel Navy. Deal with it, Hashi. You are the more experienced adept as a Mystic. But Naero has command experience with the fleets that you do not. Like it or not, you are both equals now. And all pettiness aside, I fully expect the two of you to work together for the survival of our people. Is that clear? Both of you?”

He glared at them intensely, with all of his glowing eyes.

Both of them bowed their eyes slightly in respect.

“Y
es, High Master,” they said in unison.

“V
ery well. Your orders will continue to be updated. You will report directly to High Admiral Klyne, the Chain of Command, and to anyone on the Mystic High Council. Get going.”

No emotion, no well-wishing. No sentiment.

For practitioners of Chaos Wisdom, such was a waste of time and energy.

Just do your duty. Plain and simple.

Naero didn’t know what Hashiko had up her devious little sleeves.

But for her part, Naero
’s mind already raced. She fully intended to get as creative as possible.

And she was going to do her best to fully recruit Om and crack something useful out of the KDM as well. Anything.

They passed two new Chaos adepts as they departed, a male and a female. One pulsing with dark energy, the other with blazing light.

Male and female.
They looked familiar to Naero somehow, but she did not know them or their names.

Of course as Chaos practi
tioners, Hashiko knew them. She even nodded to them in passing, as they did to her. But nobody said anything, and kept walking.

With her and Hashi departing for the War,
Vane and Janosha would need new guardians. Time dilation or no, if things went badly, war might even come to Janosha and the other two Mystic Homeworlds.

She spoke with Hashiko as they departed to be picked up by their
waiting naval shuttle.

“I
’m willing to work together with you, Hashiko. Whatever bad blood was between us, we need to set that aside and join forces. We can both learn from each other still and play to our strengths.”

Hashiko sneered
under her breath.

“W
hatever. Just do your job and don’t get in my way. I don’t like you Maeris; I’ve never liked you.”

“S
heesh, you’re such a jerk. Have you ever liked anyone?”

Hashiko shot her a look.
“That’s none of your concern. So stop worrying about me. I can follow my orders to the letter. Yet nothing in them says I need to like you, Maeris. So just drop it. But for once you are right. We have a war to win.”