TWIN

As they drew near, Orin worked to get a visual of the battle taking place ahead. A tactical map replaced part of the information on the display. Markers representing various sizes of Vorn space vessels moved on the screen as faster moving dots, representing the mechanical spheres, intermingled with them. A large ship disappeared from the map along with two smaller ships traveling near it.

“Those things are slaughtering the Vorn fleet,” said Tiet.

“It’s about time someone gave it to them,” replied Millo.

Orin remained focused on the tactical data coming across his monitor. Just because these mysterious mechanical spheres decimated the enemy ships did not necessarily mean they were allies. The tactical map tracked all of the engaged vessels, but the Vorn signatures were rapidly disappearing from the display. Each time a vessel exploded approximately, fifty spheres were destroyed with it. The objects were clearly running suicide missions. But why?

“What are we going to do when we reach the battle, Orin?”

“I’m not sure, but at current speed there won’t be many Vorn ships left when we arrive.”

Orin recalibrated the scanners to bring up a more accurate picture on the display. After a few adjustments a visual appeared, showing two remaining Vorn vessels with spheres swarming about them. Explosions erupted at various places along their massive hulls as the spheres strafed the lengths of each vessel with powerful energy weapons.

The individual spheres moved in concert and soon the last two ships broke apart on the Saberhawk’s display. Even watching the destruction of the Vorn fleet could not erase the feeling of imminent danger. The spheres were too deadly for the Saberhawk crew to be happy about the victory.

“What if they turn on our ship next?” Tiet asked. There seemed little chance of surviving such an attack if the entire Vorn fleet of space cruisers could not. So far the massive Vorn space station was left unharmed. Orin’s computer showed nearly one hundred thousand people aboard it.

“I wonder why they didn’t attack that space station?” Dorian asked.

Before the last syllable escaped her lips, a massive beam of energy emanating from some point beyond the planet, smashed into the Vorn space station, knocking out its shields and further vaporizing one quarter of its surface area.

“Where did that come from?” Millo shouted.

“I don’t know. There’s nothing on scanners—just empty space,” Orin said, mystified.

Within moments, another powerful burst slammed into the station. Without shields to buffer the blow, the structure shattered like a window pane. Several large sections of debris began to fall toward the planet, dragging the atmosphere with white hot material, vaporizing during its descent.

“That’s an unbelievable amount of power coming from somewhere,” Tiet said. No longer content to stay in his chair, he joined Orin at the systems control station, with Dorian close behind.

“Millo, I think the planet would provide us with at least some protection—better than just sitting out here,” Orin said.

“I’m for that,” he said. “Setting course and speed.”

The Saberhawk veered away from their previous course toward the planet. They hoped to avoid whatever predator was lurking nearby and find further information about what was really happening on this side of the rift.

☼

Vale was unable to discern the trouble occurring around the ship. Wedged inside the landing-skid housing, the android had no view of the surroundings. Except for vibrations given off through the hull of the ship and some flashes of light, all was quiet in space. Now was the time to break into the ship and acquire his target again. He did not have proper schematics for the vessel. But Vale was within the shield perimeter of the ship, and any weak place in the hull would suffice for an entry point.

Using the hypermagnetic discs in his appendages, the android climbed out of the skid housing and began to cross the surface of the ship. Coming across the top of the ship, Vale spotted a docking hatch. He crawled toward it, paying little attention to the nearby planet they were approaching. The android located the emergency panel and peeled it away effortlessly revealing the keypad underneath. Vale applied his hand to the pad and sensors beneath his pseudo flesh began to scan the internal controls. Within moments his processors had decoded the lock. He applied the code.

The outer hull door unlocked. Vale turned the manual lever and released pressurized gases as the bulkhead doors parted, allowing him to enter the vestibular area to await atmospheric equalization. The outer door automatically closed and the area re-pressurized to match the interior of the ship. Once the process was completed, the interior door unsealed itself and opened, allowing Vale free access to the interior of the Saberhawk.

☼

“Orin, I’m reading a hull breech,” Millo said.

“What? Where?”

“The docking hatch has just been opened and resealed again.”

“Sensors still show we are the only life forms on the ship,” said Orin.

“Is the area pressurized?” Tiet asked.

“Yes. I’m still showing normal atmospheric conditions in the cargo area.”

“All right, I’ll check it out.”

“We’ll check it out,” Dorian said.

Tiet didn’t even try to argue the point with her. They moved quickly through the passageway from the bridge toward the cargo hold. When they reached the cargo bay, Tiet tapped the switch on the bulkhead to release the door. As he stepped into the area, the computer automatically brought up the lights. Heavy footsteps grew rapid and close then paused as the illumination came on.

“Move, Dorian!” he shouted pushing her aside.

Tiet barely drew his sword in defense before the android came down from above with its own Barudii blade. The force of the attack nearly knocked Tiet off his feet. Instinctively he forced back with his mental power, trying to compensate for the android’s greater physical strength.

He ducked down and rolled away then leaped back toward the menacing robot, slashing at it with all of the fury he could muster. The Android defended itself well. Dorian got back to her feet with her own sword drawn, but she kept out of the way for the moment looking for an opening. Tiet hoped she would not intervene. He and Vale exchanged strikes at a dizzying pace. Tiet used the two-handed fulcrum technique taught to him by Orin long ago, incorporating the Way for speed and agility enhancement. Still, he could not get past the android’s weapon to destroy it.

Vale’s face was expressionless as he countered each strike and parried only to meet the humans blade each time. His computer mind rapidly coordinated every movement while trying to find a weakness in Tiet’s defense that would allow a death blow.

Vale’s back was now to Dorian. Tiet could feel her in his mind as she lunged for the android. He wanted to stop her, to protect her, but it was too late. Vale noticed her steps, the rush of wind around her blade and moved to defend himself.

Tiet struck again to draw its attention from her, but to no avail. Dorian’s blade penetrated the androids synthetic skin then dragged across its adomen exoskeleton as she swiped down across its back. Leaving his sword hand to counter Tiet’s strike, Vale struck Dorian with the other, sending her back to the floor with a fractured arm.

A fury welled up within Tiet as he sensed her pain. He blasted Vale with a mental burst that sent the android flying back hard into the cargo bay wall.

It felt different than when he had used the Way back on Castai. He felt more powerful. But his rage overpowered his bewilderment. Vale stood again, quickly recovering from the fall. Tiet lowered his blade as the android lunged for him only to be hurled back against the cargo bay wall again and again.

Tiet felt the power surging now. He sensed the workings of the android and felt the drain of its power as it fought to get at him. He sensed the physical pain of Dorian and the presence of Millo at the helm and Orin coming toward the cargo bay. Then something happened he had not expected. The android spoke to him.

“Are you afraid to fight me, human?” it asked, trying to stand again. “You are a coward for using your mental power to avoid open combat with me.”

“Don’t listen to it,” Dorian said, still huddled on the floor holding her arm.

“Yes, human, cower with your woman,” Vale said.

Tiet replaced his sword in its scabbard, as he released the android from the invisible grip of his mind. Vale cautiously picked up his own blade from the ground. Tiet’s kemsticks leaped to his hands from the magnetic clips on his thighs. He calmed himself and moved into the fluid movements of his favorite two-handed technique.

Orin had rarely taught him to use the kemsticks, as he favored the blade, but Tiet had always enjoyed the two-handed style with its rapid-fire strikes and elaborate movements. Vale attacked quickly. For a few moments, they remained deadlocked blow for blow. Then Tiet shifted to his own version of the two-handed technique, relying on no discernable pattern the android’s mind could decipher. As Tiet increased his speed, he became a blur of motion. He landed a strike to the android’s leg then another followed quickly to the torso.

The robot failed to match the speed of Tiet’s attack. For every three to five strikes made, one landed on the android’s body, doing serious damage to its exoskeleton. The robot retreated away from the continuing assault, losing bits and pieces of his mechanical structure as the strikes continued to find purchase on his body.

He sliced Vale’s forearm open, disintegrating the motor controls of his hand. The android’s sword fell from the limp appendage. Tiet never let up on the robot. Orin was now in the cargo bay with Dorian, helping her with her injury. Tiet wanted to be the one consoling her. He dealt a quick and final deathblow, driving a kemstick right through the android’s chest where its primary power source was housed.

Vale fell to the cargo bay floor and moved no more. Tiet replaced the kemsticks on each thigh. He ran to Dorian’s side.

“How’s your arm?”

“I don’t think its bad….”

“It’s fractured in two places.”

“Are you sure?” Orin asked.

“Yes, I…I sensed it as it happened. I’m not sure how though. The Way seems more powerful on this side of the rift.”

“Interesting…we had better get to the med-station and set Dorian’s arm.”

The trio walked back through the cargo bay entrance and sealed the door again.

“What about the android?” Tiet asked.

“I don’t trust leaving it there,” Orin said. “Open the outer bay door and flush the remains into space.”

Tiet complied, being only too happy to finally rid themselves of this persistent assassin. He keyed in the command on the cargo bay keypad. The computer scanned for life signs as a routine safety measure and then opened the doors. The pressurized gases quickly rushed into the vacuum carrying Vale’s lifeless, torn body with them. Tiet watched the debris clear through the cargo door window and lingered only long enough to see the doors closing again.