Chapter 9
It had only taken the tactical commander a short time to ascertain where Vorak's com signal had come from, so there was only one alternative, he thought as he undocked the smallest and most expendable fighter and proceeded with his routine check of components. Even on one of these miniature ships, the components were built to stand up to anything: Hull, sensors, computer systems and engines were predictably in good shape. In fact, the damage report had reflected that everything was in good working order, which was fortunate, in case he needed to engage the Shalka. this fighter had been outfitted with shields of his own design, and most importantly, an extra strength long-range laser that was up-to-the-minute technology that had just been released from the weapons department with a site that focused immediately on enemy ships. He might be able to have an edge over Commander Vorak, at least he hoped. But he didn't want to pin his hopes on him calling on a few of his fleet to aid him. No, he needed to be prepared for anything, and that's why he had the energy saber. this as well was a new advance from the weapons systems, and was a testament of the knowledge and wisdom of the head of department of the Pyrian military, Tolar Red Designation. Buron had worked with him long before tolar had become head of department, but it was plain to observe from his actions at critical points that he was made for the position. At this time, he hoped that the antidote could be found so that he could scuttle out of this hellpit and end up unscathed, but even he knew that his luck might have run out on that score. How he wished that it would happen that way, and he would attempt to make it so. It was important for him, for his people, for Anara, their young...
All too soon, he pinpointed the tiny moon's location, but he didn't see it, and then suddenly, it loomed large on his scanner, even though it comprised one-fourth if that of their homeworld. It was dark, forbidding, and barren. The landing pad was just a bare, open space of land with some kind of natural cavern or some such structure in the background. the science division wasn't aware of this moon's existence, so how could it have just appeared out of nowhere?
Suddenly, with the force of a meteor's impact, his fighter impacted with a projectile, and was in a nose dive for the moon's surface. A quick examination of his controls revealed that all systems were offline, except the backup life-support systems. He was thankful at least that he hadn't forgotten to don a hostile environment protection garment before he set out in the event that those systems gave way too. Suddenly and predictably, the rough chitter came out of his com unit. Vorak, Buron thought dourly, He knew it. Wouldn't even give him a chance to fight back, wouldn't even give him a chance to possibly perform he unthinkable action of defeating him. He tried to use at least the bare minimum of thrusters to slow the free fall that was now occurring. However, it stopped before the thrusters were able to completely activate and the fighter set down in one of the most barren areas of the moon, near some kind of cavern. without any warning, the door was forced open with a jarring noise, and war Commander Vorak insinuated himself into the space, saying "so you have come today, for a visit I think..." he said this in a mocking voice. "but I desire it for you to come willingly, therefore I will use no method to restrain you. You do wish for me to disclose to you the location of the antidote, do you?"
Buron said, "yes I do desire it, but I perceive that there is to be some kind of catch. You'll want me to perform some egregious task for you for the purpose of betraying my own people. I refuse utterly."
"Silence!" thundered Vorak, "You only have a debt which you owe that must be paid in full this day. You accrued this debt when you chose to covertly perform surveillance on my people when the first strain of tristanizine was released, and when I was perfecting...well...other things, but I assure you, we did not initiate the spread of this virus into any venue that your people currently make use of."
"I have gotten intelligence from our law-enforcement division that you are a shining example for your people, that is, you once again, on this day have perverted the truth to suit your own means," said Buron, but before he finished the last word, a gout of flame from war commander Vorak had hit his face.
"I will not tolerate being insulted in this manner," said Vorak, "for I have some mysteries to divulge concerning the government of your own people," He looked triumphant at this point. "You see, some of us have insinuated ourselves into your government's substructure...Ah," he pretended to think carefully at this point, "I don't surmise that you will be alive after this minuscule discussion of ours, so I will impart to you a little information. It is our hope that, very soon after this sevenday concludes, your precious queen will be terminated. It helps to have interlopers from our High Command who are willing to make it so. Also, you might want to know that your mate is also due to stand her own trial before she attempts to be a witness in the trial of anyone else. However, I will not disclose to you how, but there will not be a single soul who will watch over and guarantee the safety of your young."
the words were barely out of Vorak's mouth when Buron leaped upon him. this had apparently been the last straw. Before he could pin the heavier Shalka down completely, Vorak was able to get up and out from under Buron's weight. One of Buron's front paws had left deep gouge marks on his chest which left Vorak bleeding copiously there. The latter then rejoined with flames which connected and burned Buron's own torso. The fighting was matched pretty evenly for a long time, and then for awhile, it seemed that Buron could defeat the shalka commander at last. But with a terrible swipe and head butt to the stomach he was down again, and was half-carried, half-dragged to a filthy, grimy cell which seemed to be cut out of the cavern. there was still the weak glow of luminescent plant life as he'd seen earlier, but its featureless rock walls only served to underly the hopelessness of the situation he was in. He so wished that Anara would understand that this was the only way it should be, or war Commander Vorak and company would make their way all the way down the ranks till he had disposed of every one of their people, and this definitely wasn't the way events were to flow. He could not tell her now, but he had dispatched a holographic message over private channels, telling Volok that it was to be delivered to her at her earliest convenience. He hoped it would be soon enough. . After trying all possible features that could be exits, he only came up against the force field with a shock of pain. After pacing back and forth across the cell a number of times, he tried the energy saber with no effect. He tried a couple of other methods he had learned to break force fields, to no avail.
the sky was dark, and as soon as he noticed this, he noticed that the force field was getting darker as well. "I have finally decided what action I will perform concerning your personage," Vorak's sinister form at last darkened the doorway behind the force field that prevented Buron's escape. "I bear no good tidings for you, but I will obtain all of your knowledge for my own. And you, betrayer of the collective that you are, will aid me immensely." A twisted expression of mad glee suffused his countenance, and Buron only then could see the column of guards behind him. He knew this could only mean one thing: the ceremony of revealing, which was one of their own, perverted by the Shalka and carried out in more diabolical extreme. Nooooo! he screamed silently, they can't do this to me! but they would, and he knew it all along, knew it when they had left him alone in that filthy cell for a revolution or more. He thought of the good times that he had shared with Anara, and even those instances they had gone through situations they didn't think they would come out of, but they had. this wasn't one of those, unless those Majesty Defense cruisers that were deployed which were looking for Tristanius could find him. Please let the cloaking on this awful moon fail!
Vorak must have seen a flicker of hope in Buron's expression, for he said, "this moon's cloaking device will not fail. I have made it even more reliable than it was when I first discovered it. It's power source is now set to tap from the sun, therefore it will only deplete when the sun dies. Nobody will discover your whereabouts."
So it was decided, with no possibility of reprieve, Buron thought sourly. He was once again dragged out of the cell, but to a different place..some kind of clearing inside the cave with its luminescent plant life with what looked like a rough platform in the center. It was then that tactical commander Buron fought his hardest to be free, and hopefully find some way to see where the antidote was secreted. But it was not to be so. After he had singed a healthy chunk in Commander Vorak's shoulder, he was ambushed by at least seven of the guards who pinned him down, with no way for escape. then he was hit with an immobilization pulse, leaving him paralyzed, and Vorak or one of the bastards had sunk teeth into the artery at the base of his neck. Vorak stood over him, and as his vision was fading to the size of a pinhead, an unholy scream left him which he didn't recognize as his own. He felt his soul being inexorably ripped from him, but with a presence of mind he didn't think he had at that moment, he screamed out in his mind, No, dammit, no! He will not have my soul too, and he knew no more, The last thought that crossed his mind being the antidote, and Anara, and a jumble of other thoughts that pervaded him.
Vorak looked contemptuously down at the body of his victim, realizing that it had all gone according to plan. Every bit of it. He did not expect Buron to come at all, but even so, he had, and that would be one more step towards victory.
Buron had been an immeasurable amount of trouble to him however. He leaped upon him, extracted and ate his heart, and proceeded to do the same thing with the brain. this he shared with the guards standing around him, who had been watching him ruminate over the one he had conquered, which was not a thing that war Commander Vorak had done often. they didn't care. He
would be one more in a means to an end.
