Chapter One
Kiana Tezcan stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. The gash on the side of her face had started to heal, and the bruising had faded, but her side still ached. Reaching up, she moved to brush the loose strands of brown hair way from her face. She noticed that the leather band wrapped around her right forearm had shifted, reveling four small, sharp blades made out of bone. Just then, the comm unit by the door beeped.
"Kia, can I come in?"
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Frankie"
Sergeant Franklin Wolfe was the only real friend that she had in this place. He was the only person who seemed to really understand her.
She hesitated. "Ummmm, just a second." She quickly slid the leather back up her arm. Turning to face the mirror, she said, "Come in."
The door slid open and Frankie entered. He was dressed in the black uniform of the Diashaga. She glanced at him through the mirror.
"What are you all dressed up for?"
"Didn't you get the flexi? Everyone is supposed to report to the main hanger dressed in uniform."
Kiana merely grunted, fighting back a smile. Sometimes being a member of the Diashaga had its perks. Reaching into the large trunk at the foot of her bed, she pulled out a small bundle wrapped in a piece of silk bearing the crest of the imperial family of Tarn Vedra. She carefully unwrapped a force lance and a jacket that had been placed in a vacuum-sealed bag. Frankie looked on with interest.
"Where'd you get that?" he asked quizzically, picking up the piece of cloth. Kiana didn't answer right away, carefully unwrapping the jacket. It was made of red leather with two rows of gold buttons.
"It's been in my family for generations," she said, taking the cloth from Frankie. Folding it, she tied it tightly to the upper part of her left arm. Retrieving the jacket, she put it on and buttoned it. Reaching down, she picked up the force lance off the bed and slid it into the holster she had strapped to her leg.
"How come I don't get one of those," Frankie said, pulling it out of the holster. He started fiddling with several of the buttons.
"I really wouldn't play with that if I were you."
"Why not?" he said handing it back to her.
"Because it is keyed to my DNA and if anyone else tries to use it, well lets just say that it will be very unpleasant.." she said, walking over to the dresser. She opened a small black box and removed the contents. Frankie watched as she began to arrange the pins on her jacket.
"What's this one?" he asked, taking one in his hand.
"That one," she said, holding out her hand, "is the Silver Horn. It was awarded for outstanding service to the Imperial Family." She reach out and removed the three pictures off her mirror. Tucking them safely into her jacket, she turned and faced Frankie. "Well? What do you think?"
"Very impressive. Now we'd better go or we're gonna be late."
Twenty minutes later, Kiana found herself in the observatory staring out at the night sky. Her conversation with Frankie had triggered memories that she had buried deep within herself. They were memories from another lifetime, a lifetime that she would rather forget. Sighing, she took one last look at the sky and headed to the mess hall. She had promised Frankie help fixing a large refrigeration storage unit. She was almost there when the alarm sounded.
"Battle Stations. Battle Stations. Report to battle stations." Kiana quickly changed directions and headed back the way she came. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the corridor sending her crashing to the ground. Dust and debris filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. Choking, she struggled to her feet. Far off, she could hear more explosions and the screams of the wounded. She had to get out. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her body as she raced along the underground passageways. It was almost as if someone was trying to erase the hideout from existence. As suddenly as they began, the explosions stopped, leaving her wondering what was going on. Turning a corner, she got her answer. At the other end of the corridor was Frankie, fighting for his life against several members of the Drago-Kazov Pride. Swearing, she charged, tackling the nearest Nietzschean. She sent him crashing to the floor. Spinning around, she clobbered another with her force lance. Before the others could react, she grabbed Frankie's arm and dragged him back down the passageway.
Ducking into a nearby room, she barricaded the door and turned to look at him.
"You okay?" she asked, eyeing the large gash on the side of his face.
"Yeah," he replied with a weak smile. Looking around, she spotted a small first-aid kit. Opening it, she removed several bandages.
"How did the Dragos find us?" he asked, as she began to dress the wound.
"It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters right now is getting out of here alive. Now, hold still." She finished taping the dressings in place and stood up. "Our best chance of getting out of here alive is to get to the hanger." Frankie nodded his agreement. Kiana walked over to the large cabinet and examined the lock. Pulling out her force lance, she fiddled with the settings and fired. The cabinet flew open, reveling several rows of Gauss guns, ammo, grenades, and other weapons. Reaching in, she grabbed several clips of ammo and tossed them to Frankie.
"Hand me that bag." Turning back, she placed several of the grenades in the bag, along with extra ammo clips. Turning around she looked at Frankie, "Ready?"
He nodded. "Let's do this."
They headed out into the hall. Kiana took the lead, motioning for Frankie to follow.
Ten minutes later, they arrived in the corridor leading to the main hanger. Pausing, Kiana signaled Frankie to draw his gun, and then she held up six fingers and pointed around the corner. He nodded to let her know that he saw the Nietzscheans guarding the door. Taking a deep breath, she looked at him and nodded. She knew that they were hopelessly out numbered, but she also knew that their only escape lay behind those doors.
"One, two, three" They rounded the corner and opened fire. The Nietzscheans were caught by surprise and hastened to return fire.
She felt the sting as the bullet tore through the jacket and graze her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Frankie engage one of them in hand to hand combat.
"Surrender. This is a fight that you cannot win." The Nietzschean said flatly. "If you surrender, we will spare your life."
"LIKE HELL!" She snarled, lunging forward. She planted her fist in his face, sending him staggering backwards. Reaching down, she yanked her force lance from the holster and pushed a small button on the side. The lance extended into it's staff form and began to crackle with electricity. Twisting around, she clobbered the Nietzscheans behind her, knocking them unconscious. Leaping over their bodies, she planted the lance squarely in the back of one of Frankie's attackers and fired. He fell lifeless to the ground. Frankie wiped the blood from his eyes and pointed behind her. Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise and he staggered, clutching his side. In an instant, Kiana was beside him, catching him as he fell forward. Reaching in the bag, she pulled out a grenade. Ripping out the pin with her teeth, she held it up. The remaining Nietzcheans blanched and backed away. Half carrying Frankie, she staggered to the door. Fumbling for a minute with the access panel, she opened the door and pushed him inside. She lobbed the grenade and dove into the hanger. She felt the heat from the blast and gasped in agony as several metal shards tore into her side. Staggering, she dragged Frankie behind a stack of crates.
"Hang on" she said, ripping open his jacket. The wound was deep and she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to stop the bleeding. As she began to rip his shirt into strips, he caught her hand.
"Save yourself. It's too late for me."
"Don't be stupid." She fought back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. "I'm not leaving you behind."
"Listen, there is something that I have been meaning to tell you. I love you. I have loved you since the first day that we met." He paused gasping for air. Reaching up, he brushed the loose hair off her face. "I...the reason that I never said anything was...was I know you've been hurt in the past," she opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "Please, le...let me finish. I...never asked, because I knew that you would tell me when you were ready," he tugged at the chain around his neck. Reaching up, she helped him undo the clasp. "My mother gave this to me before she..." his voice trailed off.
She felt tears begin to slide down her face.
"I'll get you out of here," she said hoarsely.
He pressed the medallion into her hand. Closing her fingers around it, he said, "My mother said that there are only two things in life worth dying for, love and honor." He shuddered as pain shot through his body. "I am glad to have known you, Kiana Tezcan." Suddenly they could hear shouting in the corridor. "Go. I'll cover your escape." He struggled to a sitting position. Drawing his gun, he began to load a new clip. She looked at him for a moment. She knew that once he had made up his mind, there was no changing it. With a weak smile, she put the medallion in her jacket pocket and handed him the bag.
Saluting him, she jumped over the crates and headed towards the lone slip fighter. As she scrambled on board, lines from a song that her mother had sung to her as a child, floated across her mind.
Bound by blood and High Guard honor,
Hold the line until the light.
Hold the line against the night.
As she powered up the fighter, shecould hear the explosions as Nietzscheans blasted their way through the hanger door. As the tears rolled unchecked down her face, she piloted the fighter out of the hanger and jumped to slipstream.