Chapter 9: The Decisive Battle Part One
The ship floated slowly behind an asteroid, just out of range of the Massive. They were waiting, the attack would begin soon.
"I hope everyone is ready" Syn glanced back at Xero and Sligh.
"Everyone remembers their jobs right?" Sligh looked between the Enforcer and the Collector. "Syn is going to shut off the main cannons, Xero is going to deal with Der, and I am going after Neer."
Xero reclined in his seat "We're professionals, Sligh, relax." Sligh was going to speak out that Xero was being too relaxed, but the look on the taller Irken's face told him more than enough. Xero was taking this seriously, more so than either of the other two. "Just don't get yourselves killed."
Just then hundreds of ships came from the nearby planets. The Resisty were ready to attack. And suddenly the Irken swarm fighters emerged from the armada.
"Hang onto something, we're about to start." Syn had a deathly focused expression. He didn't look away, waiting for the signal. The ships took to battle, with the Irkens easily holding the upper hand with their swarm. And at the sight Syn made the vessel lurch forth, boosting itself toward the Massive. Sligh took control of the back turrets on the ship as some of the swarm broke off. "Don't, we need all power in the thrusters right now." Syn didn't look back, spinning and diving through space as the swarm gave chase. "Ten…nine…eight…." He pulled up violently sending the ship upward toward the Massive. "Seven…six…five…four…" The swarm had suddenly engulfed them along with the Resisty. "Three….two.." The swarm finally started firing upon them. "One." And at that final word, the swarm started overlapping incorrectly and crashing into each other. Interference in the swarm caused them to lose their hive mind connection and crash together. With phase one under way Syn pushed the ship through the break in the swarm and the Resisty began taking the upper hand.
And now Syn was flying to a docking bay.
*Convention Hall Aboard the Massive*
Neer was floating before an audience alone on stage. Monstrosities and his personal guards around him. And a legion of Irkens stood in front of him.
"Fear not my brave Irken soldiers. Even now, the Resisty and the traitors try to end our great empire. But they shall fail!" Neer looked completely out of it, his face seemed sunken, aged. His eyes were almost wild, as though his mind were cracking by the second. "We shall cut them down, none shall stand in the way of MY EMPIRE!!!"
*On the Command Bridge*
"He's going insane." Der spoke up just behind Blor as he began charging the organic sweep on the first planet.
"Tallest Neer is fine." Blor defended.
"Blor, he's had us destroy twelve planets today alone. He's lost his mind."
"If you're right, then don't antagonize him. If he's really lost it, he will kill you regardless."
Blor was beginning to have doubts about Neer. He had destroyed so many world's recently, but Blor could not betray him, he was far too loyal. He believed in Neer, and he held hope that once this battle ended Neer would go back to the way he was. But Blor had a feeling that he knew how this battle would go. He simply fired the other cannons on the Massive destroying the Resisty ships. When something unexpected happened.
*Convention Hall*
"Now then, you must prepare for…." Neer was cut off as the Massive shook and everyone began to shake and fall over. He spoke into his wrist "What is happening Blor?"
"My Tallest, something is pulling us away, something is connected to our power core."
"Then get it off our ship!" Everyone in the room managed to stand up again as the Massive stopped moving. Just as everything seemed to calm down Neer noticed three Irkens casually strolling by. Syn, Xero, and Sligh were simply walking through the room. "Soldiers, kill those traitors." He pointed at the trio.
"You should probably get to the bridge, Syn" Xero said, pulling a small blaster from his hip. Sligh did the same after clicking a synthetic arm into place. The soldiers and the Monstrosities advanced on them. Syn wasted no time and took off running.
The two Irkens watched as they were approached, weapons ready. The first soldier reached Sligh, being dropped by a single shot as the smaller Irken sprouted the legs of his PAK. Xero stepped back, and Sligh began cutting them down five at a time. Xero pulled a second blaster from his other side and set to shooting the other Irkens, focusing on the ranges Irkens. A Monstrosity approached him from the side and swung at him. He jumped away and shot a small wire from his wrist holding the beasts fist in place. With it trapped he ran up it's arm and grabbed it's head putting a shot into it.
It didn't stop thrashing, so Xero made a knife from his armor and jammed it into its head. With a tug, he noticed that the Monstrosity was following his movements. Keeping that in mind he pushed the blade forward sending the Monstrosity barrelling into a group of soldiers. A twist of the knife had the Monstrosity turn and start sprinting through groups of soldiers, trampling them without remorse. Xero pulled the knife from its head and jumped off bringing the knife down, allowing gravity to help him split the massive Irkens PAK straight down the middle. And it collapsed, dead before it hit the ground.
Sligh meanwhile was being assaulted from all directions. His PAK legs helped keep the soldiers at a distance, but did little to slow the Monstrosities. He simply climbed them like towers. Putting dozens of energy bolts into their heads until they dropped dead. The smaller Irken simply continued like that cutting down soldiers left and right.
"You four, get that traitor!" Neer called out sending four of his personal guards after Sligh.
The metal clad Irkens approached, the collars of their uniforms covering their mouths, leaving only their synthetic eyes to be seen. The metal of the armor seemed to slide from their arms and take the shape of metal pikes and staves in their hands. The first of the four managed to stab through Sligh's blaster so the smaller Irken jumped back. A quick glance showed him that Xero was still going strong, leaping over Irkens left and right, putting them down in one swift attack every time. Before he could react one of the four slammed his PAK with a staff, cracking it. Another thrust a like at him. It grazed his face, splitting the flesh open. He knocked them back with his PAK legs and caught the third guard. He slammed the guard into the ground and began mercilessly pummeling them with the PAK legs. Despite the savage beating the guard began to stand, ignoring the force that should have kept him beaten into the floor. The fourth guard cracked Sligh over the head with his staff. He stumbled away, and the guards slowly followed him. Just as one went to impale him with a like, the very weapon was tossed from his hands. Xero had shot the weapon from his hands and was already back to seemingly being a one Irken death squad.
Sligh caught the pike and without skipping a beat jammed it through the guard putting a sizeable hole through the guard and his PAK killing him instantly. With a flashy spin of the pike Sligh was ready to continue.
*The Bridge*
Syn walked in slowly, finding only Blor manning the cannons and steering the ship. "Where are the pilots?"
"Dead, they failed to shoot you down when you escaped. Neer had them executed." Blor held a solemn tone in his voice.
"He's just wasting Irken lives too then, so why are you still helping him?!"
Blor looked back, a deep sadness in his eyes, which was quickly replaced by resolve. "Because I believe in him."
"Then I'm sorry Blor…"
"Don't apologise, I made my decision, and if you win, I'll accept the punishment." Blor pulled a blaster out "but I'd rather die fighting for what I believe, than be executed for it."
Syn drew his own blaster. He didn't hide the fact that he didn't want to kill Blor. But he knew, Blor wouldn't betray Neer. So there they stood blasters ready, waiting for the moment. They waited, with breath held, then without warning they raised their blasters and fired. They both…missed? Blor threw the blaster down.
"This is all wrong, it's all so wrong….he isn't himself anymore!" Blor was clearly upset. "The Neer I knew was an ambitious ruler, with at least some semblance of decency….what he is now, he's just a monster."
"Stand aside Blor."
"I can't, you have to kill me. I can't let him down….so I will not doubt him, even in my dying moments. Now kill me." Blor was adamant. He refused to betray Neer, even casting doubt was a betrayal in his eyes. So he refused to do even that. "Kill me, before I begin to doubt him."
Syn walked up to him, seeing the pain in his eyes. He didn't fear dying, he simply didn't want to betray his friend.
"Blor?" Neer's voice came over the communicator.
"Yes my Tallest." Blor was confused, this wasn't part of the plan.
"Has the Collector reached you yet?" Neer had a sinister tone in his voice.
"Yes sir. He's proven formidable."
"Get close to him, I have something to say." Neer's words were cold, as though he planned something horrible.
Blor obeyed standing right in front of him. "I'm as close as I can get, he's right in front of me my Tallest."
"Thank you Blor. Oh Syn, you shouldn't have come back. But since you have, and you're clearly trying to sway Blor to your side, I shall give Blor what he wants." Neer said and Blor stumbled forward, abject horror and pain on his face. "Blor, I thank you for your loyalty. I'm sorry it has to end this way, but victory demands sacrifice, you understand don't you?"
Blor smiled sorrowfully and looked into Syn's eyes. "I do my Tallest, I am honored to have served you." Blor's body began to bulge. "You may want to run while you can."
Syn pushed him off and bolted for the door. He barely cleared the blast zone but was knocked off his feet. Stunned, he glanced around the room. Blor was everywhere, dripping from the ceiling, down the walls, splattered across the floor. Neer really had lost it, to turn his most loyal advisor…into a suicide bomb. That was just wrong. Syn walked to the initial explosion site. All that was left of Bloor was a small shard of his PAK, with Neer's emblem engraved on it. "Loyal till the end." Syn picked it up and stored it in his PAK. The small Irken walked to the bridge and shut down the cannons. Before he left he set a series of explosives on the controls. They wouldn't get reactivated until Red and Purple had the room fixed.
*Convention Hall*
Xero pulled the trigger of his blaster. It was empty. As another soldier approached he simply threw the blaster hitting them directly in the face and knocking them out. Another came from behind. He caught him, side stepped, and tossed the soldier over his head sending him crashing into the floor. Sligh tossed the pike to him and he stabbed the soldier using the pike as leverage to jump forward and kick another soldier back. He pulled the pike out and used it to take the legs from underneath a soldier as he tossed it back to Sligh.
The smaller male caught the pike and blocked a staff strike from the last of Neer's four sent bodyguards. With a powerful push Sligh knocks the guard off balance and stabs through him killing him as his PAK is cut open.
Sligh stumbled back, he was exhausted, but to his surprise. Or lack thereof, Xero made quick work of what was left of the soldiers and Monstrosities.
Just as Xero turned to Neer he heard a voice ring out. "Ooooh Xeeeeerrooooo!" Der called from the door Syn ran through earlier. He was holding the Collector in the air by his antenna. "Let's finish this little rivalry here and now."
Xero looked to Der. The other Enforcer was clad in smart metal armor like Xero, but there were tubes in his left arm and leg, and his PAK was seemingly larger than before. "Let him go and we can, Der."
"Of course, but first" Der, without a moment's hesitation impaled Syn from behind straight through his PAK. Syn began to thrash and clutch at the sword going through his back and out his chest. The look on his face was one of fear, pain, and pure panic. He fought with everything he had, trying to escape, but Der kept pulling him back pushing the blade through him all the way to the hilt of the sword. Then he ripped the blade out and tossed Syn's body to the ground.
Silence, it was as if everything fell away in that moment. Der's laughter, Sligh's calls for Xero to focus, Neer's gloating at his soon to be victory. Xero couldn't hear any of it. Upon seeing Syn's body hit the ground, one word filled his mind. "Death."