Where Gods Hold Sway
8/03/10
Original concept: Summer '08
Mingled awe and resentment set the tech's fingertips to trembling, but he managed to key in the release code with a minimum of error. Soon mist hissed into the air and the transparent lid of the long-term stasis pod swung upward. The woman who lay in repose was short, perhaps a few inches past five feet, cheeks just barely flushed and mouth parted so that a flash of white could be seen between the dewy petals of her lips. Lush auburn hair cushioned her head, wavy and thick, and as the pod door clicked into its stationary position her eyes snapped open. The woman in the pod just to her right awakened a millisecond later, eyes the same shade of bloody red, pupils slit and the color of amber in sunlight.
"How long?"
The tech snapped to attention as the women stepped onto the deck of the Suspended Animation bay, his salute firm, if belated.
"Seven years, ma'am."
She nodded, dismissed him with a gesture and stretched as the effects of prolonged stasis made themselves known to her body. A moment later she straightened her flight suit and strode in the direction of the bridge. Her partner fell in step beside her, their boots thudding resolutely against the dull metal floor. The lift brought them to the bridge in seconds and the crowd of officers, technicians, translators and other personnel parted before them as they marched right up to the violet-suited commanding officers.
An intricate bun held in place with a thin silver band was their first glimpse of the first officer, who spun in place when she sensed bodies behind her.
"Damn." The lines around her eyes were deep and gave her a sense of authority rather than age. She sighed and rubbed her temple in effort to stave off a migraine. "I thought we had more time. If they woke you up, were halfway to oblivion already." She nodded to the women in turn, expression stern.
"Daria. Jane. Welcome back."
The auburn-haired woman nodded and rolled her shoulders within the confines of her ash-gray suit. The stenciled pale gray outline of spread wings covered her back and curled around to her collar bone, an empty sword belt slung across her hips. Beside her, a tall brunette stood in like attire, the wings on her back stenciled in a blue so light it was almost white. The belts on her hips hung like gun holsters, though they seemed to be built for a different weapon.
"General Landon. Its nice to see you've mellowed in your old age."
The woman scowled, but the light of mischief danced in her eyes.
"Not all of us can be stuck forever at twenty-two, Morgendorffer."
"Nah," the tall brunette grinned, an expression that showed both sets of large, sharp fangs to good advantage. "Just the lucky ones."
A few good-natured insults were flung back and forth, the easy bantering tone setting those in the immediate vicinity at ease. Behind the trio, a set of doors whooshed open and a large, powerfully built man with silver-streaked black hair pulled back in a long, thick braid strode purposefully into the room. He wore the same violet as General Landon, but with a thick gold ribbon shot through the shoulders in contrast to her silver and a thin cape trailed back from his left shoulder.
"Ladies," he greeted and smirked beneath his goatee. The three women turned to him, Landon snapping to attention while the other two smirked and rose two fingers in lazy salutes.
"Hey there, Cap." Jane drawled as she tossed her short black hair and gave the tall man a thorough looking-over. "Looks like the years have been good to someone."
He chuckled as Landon glared and flicked his obsidian eyes over the pilot's thin form in an appraisal that was almost insulting in its brevity.
"Jane. You're looking as perky as ever." He turned to Daria, eyes lingering for a second longer than was decent in his appreciation of her leather-clad form. "Daria. I don't think perky would quite do you justice."
A slow, close-lipped smile spread over her face and her eyes sparkled.
"Well, Michael, I would have to consider that a compliment."
Their shared gaze raised the carefully maintained temperature to an uncomfortable thirty-eight degrees centigrade and was only interrupted by a decidedly unsubtle clearing of the first officer's throat.
"Captain Mackenzie, the briefing...?"
"Yes." His eyes lingered on Daria's for a moment longer, then switched to Jane before turning to one of the holo-screens. "If you would turn your attention to this screen, ladies, you will receive a concise if brief account of the events which transpired in your absence and, ultimately, led to your presence here today."
The partners watched in silence, received the occasional highlight where events were painted too vague. Twenty minutes later the hologram had run to its conclusion and the emblem of a black skull wearing an ornate battle helmet was frozen in the air before them.
"Underworld." The venom in Jane's voice curdled the very air they breathed, though none present could begrudge her. It had been nearly a decade since their enemies had signed what had become known as The Treaty of Tides, and the peace which had risen up in the interim had been a cherished one. Daria and Jane were set to cold sleep with their comrades, an honor saved only for the most tried of soldiers. It was a luxury few were afforded and allowed them to exist in a realm beyond pain. None had been spared in the war leading up to the Treaty; all those in this galaxy bore the invisible scars of loss.
"How long do we have?" Palpable relief rippled across the bridge and the Captain relaxed visibly. Leave it to Daria to cut to the chase, she had always been the practical one.
"We're just a few jumps away from the Elysium system. Hell Hounds have been sighted as close as the Fields, but the asteroids are interfering with scans. An attack can come at any time."
Daria nodded, eyes lidded as strategies skimmed across the surface of her mind. It would take some planning, but if anyone could do it, they could.
"Where is-"
"Your Chariots are prepped and waiting for you in the west hangar." Michael nodded at them, face grave and jaw tight. "I try not to do this, but you wouldn't be here if the situation was not thus: all our hopes ride on your shoulders."
"No pressure, though." Jane's grin was fierce, eyes already burning with the fires of battle.
Captain Mackenzie saluted, and the riders rose their hands to their brows. On the left breast of each of their suits was a crest and name plate, beneath which glared their ranks: HERO First Class.
On unspoken signal, the women turned crisply on their heel and marched off.
Their weapons and equipment were ready in their usual lockers and they strapped on as they strode toward their respective Chariots. They were parked as always, side by side and as she stopped inches from the gleaming silver hull, Daria ran her fingers across the laser-etched owl glaring above the flowing inscription, Athena. The lights here were dim as usual, but their night vision was more than ample and Daria soon picked out empty spots across the hangar. A frown tugged at her lips as she realized a few faces had been conspicuously absent earlier.
Placards bearing the names Aphrodite, Hera, Persephone and Narcissus glowed above four empty Chariot slots and the first seed of unease took root in the back of her mind.
"The Furies have taken flight." Daria turned her gaze to Jane where she stood beside Hermes, the metallic blue ship's cockpit already open to admit his mistress. Jane's expression was hard to read, but her eyes burned bright with baleful fire. Daria raised an arched brow.
"Can't let them have all the fun, can we?"
"Hells, no, partner. Seven years since I've had a decent meal..." A long tongue stole out and ran over scarlet lips as amber pupils contracted to bare slivers. "I can't wait to take a few prisoners. They always taste better when they go down fighting." Jane caught Daria's eye and winked.
A razored grin split the auburn-haired woman's face, fangs long and glistening white.
"Race you."
Jane's answering smile matched Daria's in fire and fury and, with one last pause to pull on gloves, check the fit on sword belts and baton holsters, the Heroes slipped into their Chariots. Daria pulled her owl-eye flight goggles down, Jane tied a scarlet bandanna around her neck and the flight deck locked down as the outer doors slid open. Diamonds shone from the black velvet shroud of space as the partners disembarked from Heracles, the first ship in Olympus's fleet. Within seconds they were racing toward the Fields of Elysium and all the glory of war.
End.