In his command center, Captain Zhoru'Larrik aimed his plasma pistol at the exit ahead. Combat stims flooded his system, fueling him with strength and sharpening his senses, as he braced himself for the infiltrator to arrive.
Keelah, how did it sabotage so many of our defenses? Shaani said, through the company's quantum neural link. I've never seen a Silent One construct capable of this.
They are always evolving, Aerun said. A part of me expected this.
But nonetheless, we will adapt, he said. Indeed, war was chaos. In that chaos, plans crumbled all of the time. And now, he'd have to adapt his tactics and strategies on the spot, or risk total defeat.
You've found your way out of far worse situations, saera, said Nylah's digital ghost, her voice as warm and soothing as Old Tikkun's morning rays. This is nothing for you.
Without you, I never would have made it this far, he said. Indeed, throughout their centuries together, his saera had been his boundless source of love and inner strength that propelled him through the Silent War and beyond. And even in death, as a digital ghost he had installed into his neural core, she still fueled him with inner strength to face anything in the galaxy.
Just then, an alert popped up on his HUD. His armor's sensors were picking up subtle vibrations in the air converging on his position.
Prepare yourselves, he said. Through his quantum neural link, he sent a signal to all available squads to come help if they could. Hopefully, they'd flank this pain in his side from the rear. Here it comes.
The vibrations rushed toward him, getting closer and closer, until eventually, they stopped near the entrance itself.
Amidst the ensuing tense silence, time seemed to run at a standstill. Until finally…
Open fire.
He opened fire with his plasma pistol, along with Aerun and Shaani. And together, they riddled their attacker with a flurry of plasma bolts, enough to brutalize a krogan several times over.
Under the onslaught, its shields flickered and flared. And their attacker roared, its unholy voice laced with an all too familiar sound.
The mechanical chittering of a geth platform.
Their attacker decloaked. Then finally, he lay his eyes on its hideous form – a twisted mockery of a geth prime with a glossy, black carapace, no discernable facial features, and a trio of weapon tentacles on its back. Briefly, his mind went back to the horror and madness of the Great Betrayal, to when the streets ran red with quarian blood.
The geth prime ran its omni-blade through his lifemate's chest. When she falls to her chest, limp and dying, something snaps within him. And he rushes into the fray, slaughtering everything before him, crying out in grief, in all-consuming hate and rage.
His blood ran hot as molten steel. And he battled the echoes of Felz'Khorath still within him, suppressing the urge to kill.
To drown the galaxy in oceans of blood and fire.
Zhoru! Nyla snapped, her voice commanding his attention. Zhoru, I'm here. I live on within you. Do not lose control of yourself!
Her words anchored him back to his usual peace and calm.
But then the assassin construct opened fire with its three gun tentacles, and the chamber erupted into chaos. His shields flared and rippled under countless impacts. Nearby consoles exploded in showers of sparks, and all non-Malukors dived for cover behind anything they could find.
The assassin construct's shields burst with a loud crack-schwoom. At the center of its chest, its power core glowed with malignant red light. Was that it's weak spot?
Target the power core on its chest, he said, returning fire with his plasma pistol. Aerun and Shaani did the same. And a few plasma bolts found their mark, only for a hyper-dense layer of shields to absorb them.
Keelah…
The assassin construct surged forward and slashed out with its omni-blade. With practiced precision, he blocked and parried every strike with his own. But every strike was so fast and powerful. Ancestors, he hadn't faced an opponent like this since his encounter with the Ascendant's enforcer, Morinth.
Alone, he would stand no chance.
Shaani and Aerun joined the fray, slashing and stabbing out with their omni-blades. Together, they lobbed off two of its weapon tentacles and carved deep slashes all across its chest. But their opponent only regenerated from every wound. And it moved like water, with unnatural speed and grace, as it took on all three of them at once. Constantly, it weaved and dodged through their attacks. Constantly, it parried and weaved through their strikes, only to counter and attack once more with increasing ferocity.
The power core! he said, parrying its strikes. Omni-blades were designed to go straight through shields. So ancestors, they had to land a blow! Shaani, create an opening for its chest. It's time to end this.
On it! Shaani said. Without hesitation, she feinted low, then struck high, opening the assassin construct's guard.
Aerun stabbed out with his omni-blade, going for the opening. But then the assassin construct weaved out of the way, then rammed its omni-blade through Aerun's gut.
Aerun gasped.
NO! Shaani shouted.
For a moment, time seemed to run in slow motion. And his mind reeled through the horrors of the Great Betrayal once again.
Suddenly, amidst a battle raging in Catyn's streets, their geth companions turned their weapons onto them, then fired. Within seconds, plasma bolts tear apart dozens of his brothers and sisters in arms, reducing them to scraps of scorched flesh and cybernetics. Amidst the carnage, geth primes cut down dozens more with their omni-blades, stabbing and slashing them to pieces.
Once again, the echoes of Felz'Khorath surged through him, the need to slaugher raking at his mind.
But then Aerun retaliated. He sliced off the assassin construct's blade arm, leaving it temporarily defenseless. Zhoru, now!
Without hesitation, he surged forward, then drove his omni-blade through the assassin construct's power core.
The assassin construct let out a sickening, agonized scream, loud enough to shatter glass. And then its power core erupted in a burst of sparks that sent him flying backward through the air.
He hit the ground on his back. Staring at the ceiling, he gritted his teeth.
I knew you could do it, Nylah said. Now, get up, you bosh'tet. Aerun needs you.
Without hesitation, he climbed to his feet. In the aftermath of the fight, there was only a heavy silence, periodically broken by the sound of crackling sparks from ruined consoles. And ahead, Aerun was clutching at his wound, just barely able to stand, before he fell to one knee.
Near Aerun, Nylah's digital ghost appeared as a hallucination – as visual data his neural core was imprinting directly onto his eyes – and she was wearing her favorite Selmaas, the one she always wore around their home – long before they became Malukors.
Keelah, those years were sublime…
She knelt by Aerun, who was panting. " Help him, saera."
Without hesitation, he rushed toward him, along with Shaani. Kneeling by Aerun, he scanned his vitals with his omni-tool.
According to the results, the assassin construct had flashed cooked most of his intestines. But already, his nanites were working hard to repair the damage, reassembling them cell by cell. At the same time, most of Aerun's backup organs and implants were doing their best to compensate and keep him alive.
In the end, Aerun would survive. But with his injuries, he would need to spend time in the Az'khaelon's medical bay, recovering, before he'd reach full combat effectiveness once again.
"I…I can still fight," Aerun said, clutching at his wound, trying to stand up. "I can still…" Aerun grunted in pain, then fell to one knee once more.
Always such a survivor. "Sssh, try not to move," he said, putting one hand on his shoulder. "While I admire your resilience, you are in no condition for combat. You need a medic."
"But Captain…" Aerun croaked out. Aerun coughed up some blood. "I…"
"This is an order, brother," he said. "On the Az'khaelon, you will recover in the medical bay until Chief Medic Ezaru clears you for combat. Is that understood?"
Aerun huffed through his nose. "Understood."
On the company's quantum neural link, he sent out an urgent request for a medic. Undoubtedly, they would have to evacuate Aerun from the battlefield.
Soon, a squad of Malukors finally arrived at the command center, their weapons drawn. Leading them was Sergeant Zhaigo'Vael, who approached him. "Captain. We arrived as soon as we could." The Sergeant stopped in his tracks when he spotted Aerun. "Oh by the Anscestors…Aela, stabilize him immediately!"
Aela'Krael, the squad's medic, complied without hesitation. "Yes, sergeant!"
As Aela stabilized Aerun, injecting him with pain blockers and other drugs to boost the capabilities of his nanites, he sighed, then stood up. Beside him, Nylah appeared, now clad in her battleplate and nearly as tall as him. "He's going to make it. Keelah, you and everyone under your command have survived worse."
He nodded. Indeed, he had no doubt that Aerun was going to live. But how about his plans for this battle? Had the assassin constructs ruined everything?
Finally, every non-Malukor in the room began to emerge from their hiding spots. Ahead, he spotted two quarian marine officers lying dead on the ground, having died in the crossfire.
He gritted his teeth. Keelah, where was Khanah? If she was dead, then this would seriously –
Just then, Khanah emerged from behind a shattered, smoking console, then approached him, looking far less shaken than he had expected. Indeed, not only was the human brave, but she was also strong. "Goodness, what in Earth's name just happened?"
He looked into her eyes. "An assassin construct. Yet another type none of us had ever seen before."
Khanah took a deep breath. "Guess we should have expected this."
He nodded. Indeed, he should had expected this. However, now was not the time to dwell on the past. "That might be true. But war is chaos. Now, we can only look forward to the future and salvage what we can."
He looked back toward his holo-screens, surveying how the battle was progressing. In space, morale was high. Han's fleet had just arrived minutes ago, and was now reinforcing Rael's, continually denying the Silent Ones orbital superiority.
However, on the ground, the middle defensive line was crumbling.
With so many drone nests, artillery emplacements, and AA defenses sabotaged, the enemy was hammering the defenses with devastating firepower from the ground and from above. Now, enemy aerial constructs were raining death from above, reducing countless fortifications to molten slag with missiles and storms of plasma bolts. Now, enemy siege and tank constructs were in the position to concentrate their firepower on where the defenses were weakest and punch right through.
On another holo screen, the casualty figures were also mounting, faster than ever before. Several squads and platoons were already evacuating their wounded to the emergency medical stations, often under fire. And he had no doubt that if they did not retreat to behind the last defensive line soon, then the enemy would slaughter them all.
This reminds me of the Doom of Calun'Saa, Nylah said. Remember what you did there?
I remember. Centuries ago, that battle had been so similar to this one. And against all odds, he had helped evacuate countless innocents – both quarian and asari – from the Silent One's onslaught. Indeed, just like then, things were not going to plan. The middle defensive line was going to collapse far sooner than he expected.
But he knew exactly what to do.
Without hesitation, using the holo-screens before him, he relayed orders to every available combat engineer – both Malukor and normal quarian – to get as many defenses back online as soon as possible. They all sent confirmation runes to confirm and scrambled to fulfill his orders.
They will still need support though, Nylah said. They will be under fire.
I know just what will help them, he said.
With a thought, he opened a comm channel to the Az'khaelon, to his executive officer currently commanding the Az'khaelon.
Qharan, what is your status? he asked. The situation on the ground has changed and we need orbital support.
Captain, Qharan said. Currently, we are locked in an engagement and are unable to provide direct assistance. Can you wait until other ships can provide covering fire?
Wait until they provide covering fire? Keelah, his troops defending the middle defensive line needed support now – not until then. But what could he do? Ah yes, the Az'khaelon still had artillery satellites and orbital drone nests he'd kept in reserve. Now was the perfect time to use them.
Qharan, until then, launch every artillery satellite and orbital drone nest we have, he said. We need to buy our brothers and sisters every second we can.
As you command, Captain, Qharan said. May the Anscestors be with you.
He severed the comm-link, then huffed through his nostrils.
Hopefully, this will give the remaining refugees enough time to escape, Nylah said. Keelah, my soul weeps for them, saera. In many ways, humans are just like us.
Indeed, they are, he said. Unlike turians, krogan, and asari, it seemed humans shared similar perspectives on concepts like family, love, and community. If any alien species could work and live amongst the quarian people, it would be humanity.
Without warning, an alarm blared on his holo-screens and tactical displays. Behind enemy lines, one of the freshly constructed enemy monoliths activated and glowed a bright red. And all across the colony, holo-screens and speakers went haywire, blaring out static laced with distorted screams.
"Zhoru?" Khanah asked. "What's happening? What's going on?"
On other holoscreens, the refugees were growing more and more disorderly, with Khanah's volunteers and the local militia struggling to hold them back. Together, their voices overlapped in a panicked, cacophonous maelstrom of voices.
Keelah…Nylah said. This is psychological warfare.
"The Silent Ones are resorting to psychological warfare," he said. Ancestors, this was going to complicate things. But nonetheless, he had just the solution.
He opened a comm-channel to Sergeant Nuro. Nuro, one of the monoliths just activated and is scrambling all human electronics. I need you and your platoon to destroy it immediately and restore human communications. Afterward, I want you to head to the extraction point immediately and come behind the last line of defense.
It shall be done, Nuro said.
He cut the comm-channel. Next, he sent out a flurry of orders to any available combat engineers to shut off the local power grid. Undoubtedly, it would provide at least a temporary relief for the refugees.
Just after he sent out that order, Khaen sent him an incoming comm-request. Without hesitation, answered it.
Zhoru…Khaen began. I sense something. The same vibrations you felt before the assassin construct attacked. Let me show you.
Through the company's quantum neural link, Khaen shared his senses, and he felt the same vibrations he did earlier. Keelah, it could only mean one thing.
Another assassin construct.
Once again, Nylah appeared before him, looking powerful and majestic in her battle plate. "Khaen needs help, saera. Alone, he will not survive, and neither will the human governor."
Through the quantum neural link, he could feel Shaani's overwhelming urge to protect her lifemate. It was all too familiar sensation, and he had no doubt that nothing would stop her from rushing to Khaen's aid.
Nylah's digital ghost looked him right in the eye. "Let her go. Khaen needs her."
Briefly, he looked back to his last stand during the Great Betrayal, to when he had fallen to Felz'Khorath, slaughtering everything before him in a grief fueled rampage. No, he could not allow his friend to suffer what he did, to emerge from that madness, as cold and empty as he was now..
"Go," he told her. Over the centuries, he had watched Khaen become perhaps the greatest duelist his legion had ever seen. But even with his omni-blade skills, he had to admit that his friend would not survive against an assassin construct alone. "Khaen needs you. But bring help. Do not face the assassin construct without help. That is an order."
Through the quantum neural link, he felt Shaani's relief and gratitude as a surge of bliss and euphoria.
"Thank you, Captain," she said. "And yes, I'll bring all the help I can."
Soon, Shaani bolted out of the commander center, as did Aela helping Aerun outside.
Again, he focused his attention back on the holoscreens and began sending out a flurry of orders to bounce back from what the battlefield situation had become. Indeed, no matter what, he'd give this battle everything he had.
For you, saera, he told Nylah. Yes, if it led to the quarian people securing their new home, then it was undoubtedly a cause worth dying for.
In the colony's communication center, Governor Goto was sitting at the central console, addressing his people, filling them with as much courage and resolve as possible. "People of Mindoir, I know you are terrified. But in dark times like now, look toward each other. Look toward our brave militia. Look toward our new friends. And realize that you are not alone…"
As he spoke, he looked toward the holoscreens showing footage of the refugee columns and his words were having a visible impact. Despite the horror and madness of their current situation, he could see a steely resolve to survive in their eyes.
And he couldn't be any more proud of them.
"When this is all over, we will look back on this day and–"
Every holo screen before him went haywire, blaring out static laced with distorted screams.
His skin crawled. His stomach churned. And his heart thrashed. It was like listening to the sounds of hell itself.
"Khaen!" he shouted, his voice just barely cutting through the noise. "Khaen! What is happening?!"
Amidst the noise, Khaen stirred, then drew his side arm – a formidable, energy-based hand canon.
He approached him. "Khaen! Are you listening to me? What is–"
"Stay behind me," Khaen said, his voice commanding. And then the Malukor opened fire at something ahead of him. His target's shields flared with every shot, and his target let out a sickening, cacophonous mess of distorted screams laced with static and metallic trilling.
Without hesitation, he took cover behind a nearby pillar. As Khaen battled the abomination, his heart thrashed, pumping ice-cold blood through his veins. His hands began to shake. And he could hardly breathe. But then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Get yourself together.
Yes, for Etsuko.
For Kasumi.
Briefly, he peeked from behind the pillar. The abomination's shields burst with a loud crack-shwoom and a flash of light. And then the abomination surged forward and slashed out at Khaen with its wrist-mounted energy blades. Weaving through its strikes, Khaen drew his own wrist-mounted energy blade, then blocked and parried the attacks coming its way, with sparks flying every time their weapons clashed.
As Khaen battled the abomination, he got a good look at its form. And it looked like a twisted mockery of a quarian android, with no facial features, a trio of gun-tentacles on its back, and elongated fingers ending in razor-sharp claws. It towered of Khaen, standing at least one head taller than him.
And he couldn't help but let his jaw drop as the fight unfolded. Indeed, it was glorious yet terrifying to behold, like watching a demi-god of war hold back a force of darkness and evil itself.
Again and again, Khaen countered the abomination's move's, lobbing off several of its limbs, and carving deep gouges across its body. But with every counter, the abomination only regenerated and renewed its assault with twice the ferocity, with twice the raw thirst for death and destruction..
He's going to lose, he realized. Khaen was struggling, his shields tanking blast after blast from the abomination's weapon tentacles. And if he died…
Just then, Khaen drew something from his waist, shoved it into the abomination's chest, and kicked his opponent backward. It exploded with a deafening boom that rang his ears and rattled his bones.
Khaen bolted toward him. "We need to move."
Without warning, the Malukor grabbed him, picking him up as though he was a child.
"Hey, hey, hey," he said. "What are you doing? Stop!"
His heart thrashed as Khaen busted through the nearby window and jumped down onto the rooftops below.
Khaen'Gerrel sprinted across the rooftops as fast as he could, weaving his way through obstacle after obstacle. Behind him, the assassin construct let out a deafening roar and then chased right after him.
Ancestors, over the centuries, he had survived against all odds amidst the ugliest warzones the galaxy had ever seen, having bested four Krogan champions in single combat, along with three of the Thessian Empire's Inquisitors and Titan Corps operatives.
And yet no opponent compared to the assassin construct he had just faced.
Not even geth primes.
Alone, he could not best such an opponent. He needed help. He opened up a comm channel to Zhoru. Zhoru, I have the human governor. But the assassin construct is chasing me. I need support.
I'm coming, saera, Shaani said, a hint of desperation in her voice. Through the quantum neural link, his heart broke at her terror that he might die, at her overwhelming need to be at his side. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, to soothe her pain. Don't you dare die on me! Fight and survive with everything you have!
I will, saera, he said. Keelah, over the centuries, they had survived everything the galaxy had thrown at them – from the Silent War, to the Great Betrayal. Countless times, she had saved his life, and vice versa. And he had no doubt that she would be there for him yet again. I will.
And Khaen, Zhoru said. When you face it, target its power core with your omni-blade. All other attacks will be futile.
Understood.
Above, the assassin construct was flying through the air with two sets of wings on its back, reigning death from above. Several times, it launched a flurry of energy beams that speared through the air. And as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, weaving his way through obstacle after obstacle, he only narrowly dodged them, along with the explosions that followed.
Soon, he activated his armor's cloaking system, then drew a decoy grenade from his waist and threw it. Immediately, the assassin construct chased after it.
But it would not do so forever.
He had to keep moving.
Eventually, he found a spot from where he could jump back down onto the streets below and jumped over the edge. On the way down, the human Governor clung to him with desperate tightness, and soon he landed on his feet, his armor absorbing the impact that cracked the ground. For a moment, he studied the mini-map on his HUD, and all escape routes either led to dead ends or would put the refugee columns in danger.
No, he could not allow that. There had to be another way.
Zhoru, Shaani, he said. From my position, all of my escape routes either lead to dead ends or put the refugees in danger.
Go here, Shaani said. On his HUD, a set of coordinates lit up on his mini-map. We can reach you there fastest and ambush it. Go!
Without hesitation, he sprinted towards the location on his mini-map.
"Where…Are…We…Going?" The human Governor managed to say.
"We are leading our pursuer into an ambush," he said, shoulder-barging his way through a flimsy, stone wall. "Just remain calm and do as I say."
Eventually, he reached the coordinates on his mini-map. And they lead to a dead end, to a wide alley choked with debris.
Nearby, he spotted an empty storage crate, partially hidden behind a pile of rubble, coated with soot and ash. "Governor, go hide in that storage crate. If I do not survive, then perhaps Shaani will find you."
The Governor nodded, then complied. "Good luck."
Once the Governor was hiding, he faced the entrance to the alleyway, then drew his plasma pistol and omni-blade. When the assassin construct came for him, he would be ready. He would fight it with everything he had.
Over the next few seconds, the ensuing silence gnawed at even his enhanced senses.
Come on…he clenched his jaw and gripped his plasma pistol tighter. Face me!
Soon, his armor's sensors picked up those familiar vibrations in the air. And then the assassin construct swooped down from above and landed with a loud thud. In the blink of an eye, its wings retracted into his back, only for its trio of weapon tentacles to replace them. Then without hesitation, it surged toward him, and opened fire.
As his shields tanked every shot, he opened fire with his plasma pistol. But again, his shots only made his target's shields flare and ripple. Soon, his opponent closed the distance and slashed out with its omni-blades.
Once again, he blocked and parried its blows, with sparks flying every time their weapons clashed. But now, his opponent was fighting with twice the ferocity and bloodlust of their last encounter, blaring out its sickening chorus of distorted screams laced with static and mechanical blurts.
But he would not falter!
Roaring in fury, he countered and lobbed off one of its arms, and one of its weapon tentacles, and carved several deep gouges through its body in devastating slashes. Such wounds would kill a Krogan several times over.
And yet, the assassin construct only regenerated and renewed its assault.
As he put it on the defensive, slashing and stabbing out with his omni-blade, it blocked, parried, and weaved through so many of his strikes. Several times, it countered and either carved deep slashes across his armor or bashed hard enough to pulverize a normal quarian's bones.
Alerts blared across HUD. Firestorms of agony racked his body, but his enhancements and armor compensated, pumping him with combat stims, allowing him to fight on.
Through the company's quantum neural link, Shaani's rising terror gnawed at his mind.
Saera! she said. Just hold on a while longer. We're coming!
Her voice fueled his muscles with the strength to fight on.
No. He would not die!
Again and again, he slashed and stabbed out with omni-blade, blocking and parrying his opponent's every strike, fighting with everything he had. As he did so, slicing and rending his opponents to shreds, its power core glowed brighter and brighter, its shields flaring and bubbling.
He had to destroy it. He had to land a blow that would end this once and for all.
But then the assassin construct swept his legs out from under him.
Faster than he could react, it had him pinned to the ground, poised to drive its omni-blade right through his chest.
This was it. After eight hundred and seventy-three years, he had finally encountered an opponent he could not best in battle. I'm sorry, saera. I–
Shaani roared, loud enough to be heard from hundreds of meters away.
Then a series of thunderous crack-shwooms sundered the air. In the blink of an eye, a flurry of plasma bolts tore into the assassin construct, scorching chunk after chunk off its body. Under the barrage, it bellowed with fathomless hate and rage and faced its attackers, ready to tear them limb from limb. Soon, its power core was exposed.
And finally, he had the opening he needed.
Without hesitation, he sprang to his feet, then surged forward and drove his omni-blade right through its exposed power core.
As soon as he did that, the assassin construct let out a sickening gasp, as though in pain. Good. If this abomination was suffering, then he hoped it was suffering the worst agony imaginable.
Suddenly, the assassin construct's power core flared with sparks.
"Get down!" Shaani shouted.
And without hesitation, he pulled out his omni-blade, then whirled around and dove for the ground. The power core then exploded with a loud boom.
In the aftermath, he stood up, the air choked with dust. Keelah, yet again, Shaani had saved his life. But before he could thank her, he had to check up on the Governor. "You can come out now."
Governor Goto emerged from the storage crate. "You finally killed it?"
"Yes," he said. "It's safe now. Come."
Soon, after the dust settled, his lifemate and the three other Malukors decloaked before him. And immediately, his gaze locked with his lifemate's. As they stared at each other, a warm, blissful sensation rushed through him, and his heart surged with peace and joy.
Soon, they approached each other. With a thought, he lifted his armor's faceplate. His lifemate did the same. And then she pulled him in for a deep, passionate kiss. Leaning into it, he hummed into her mouth and held her tight. Keelah, he never wanted it to end.
But eventually, their lips parted.
Holding his head, she pressed her forehead against his. "I thought I was going to lose you. Don't you ever do this to me again."
He kissed her again, then looked deeply into her eyes. "When it's finally my time to join the ancestors, you will be there, ready to die alongside me. I promise."
"Thank you, saera," she said. "Thank you."
Behind him, Governor Goto cleared his throat. Briefly, he glanced at him.
"I don't mean to interrupt your moment," he said. "But I believe we should get out of here."
He looked back at Shaani, into her beautiful eyes. And through the quantum neural link, he could feel her agree. "My thoughts exactly."
Meanwhile, back in his command center, Zhoru'Larrik was sending out a flurry of orders on the holoscreens before him, trying to salvage the mess that the situation had become. Already, combat engineers, both quarian and Malukor, had repaired much of the sabotaged defenses. But nonetheless, the middle defensive line was about to collapse.
On some of his holoscreens, the emergency medical stations were overflowing with wounded, screaming in agony. The emergency supply stations had long since depleted. And the fighting had reduced the colony's outskirts to a scorched, smoldering nightmare of burning buildings, of blood-soaked streets littered with rubble, corpses, and craters.
He sighed. On the bright side, Nuro had completed his mission. He and his platoon had destroyed the monolith scrambling human communications. And now, they were on the way to behind the last line of defense in their stealth ship.
Nylah's digital ghost appeared right beside him, crossing her arms. "Keelah…they're dying out there. Those brave men and women. You need to order them to retreat."
Ancestors, he wanted nothing more than to do that, to somehow stop the casualty figures from continually rising. But if he gave into that temptation, he'd only leave their rear exposed when the enemy smashed through whatever resistance remained.
No, he had to wait until the Az'khaelon could cover their retreat with an orbital bombardment. He had to find some way of halting their momentum to allow the remaining two refugee ships to escape. As much as I want to do that, I can not. Ordering the retreat now would only result in more deaths in the long run.
Nylah sighed. "You always could handle the burden of command better than I could. In any case, though, I have complete faith in you. Never forget that."
A warm, soothing sensation bloomed in his chest. I won't, saera. Until the day I die…
Soon, Khaen opened up a comm-channel to him through the company's quantum neural link. Zhoru.
I knew you would survive, he said. Is Governor Goto safe?
He is, brother, Khaen said. Heading back to the command center now. Keelah Sel'ai.
Keelah Sel'ai, he said before cutting the comm-link.
"I'm so glad that Shaani saved him," Nylah said. "Ancestors, it almost reminds me of that time I almost lost you…" Nylah clenched her fists. "When the Ascendant's favorite pet almost–"
I remember, he said, his voice warm and reassuring. Ancestors, how could he ever forget? It had been the only time he'd crossed paths with the arch-traitor of the Justicar Order, with Master Samara's former apprentice, Morinth. Keelah, after Samara had mortally wounded her in a duel during the Justicar Purge, the Ascendant's scientists had turned her into something…monstrous, into his ultimate weapon of terror to keep the Empire's elite in line. Keelah, her biotic abilities…they were beyond measurement.
Indeed, perhaps only the Ascendant himself or the Grandmaster of the Order could challenge her in that regard.
Just then, Khanah approached him. "I can't watch this any longer."
He glanced at her. "Excuse me?"
"They're dying out there, Zhoru!" she said, pointing at one of the holoscreens. On it, several of her men were in critical condition, just barely clinging to life. A few even had missing limbs and were screaming in agony. "We need to retreat now!"
He sighed. He didn't blame her for feeling this way. Likely, it was her first time facing the grim realities of war. "Khanah…If I order them to retreat now – without the cover of an orbital bombardment – I will expose their rear to the enemy. The remaining defenders will be slaughtered and the enemy will advance toward our last defensive line with unchecked momentum. Is that what you want?"
"No," she said. Briefly, she looked at the ground and gulped. She looked back at him. "Of course not! It's just that—"
"Sssh," he said, hushing her. "Then allow me to do my duty." On the company's quantum neural link, he opened a com-channel to Qharan. Qharan, I need that orbital bombardment. How long?
Moving into position now, Captain, Qharan replied. I take it you want to minimize collateral damage.
Yes, he said. He gritted his teeth. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, that he wouldn't have to escalate this conflict with an orbital bombardment. But what choice did he have? Bring the enemy death from above. Keelah Sel'ai.
Keelah Sel'ai.
He cut the comm-link, then looked back at Khanah. "Fortunately for us, it seems my ship is en route now to give us what we need."
On his holoscreens, he sent out a flurry of orders to retreat to behind the final defensive line, informing them that soon an orbital bombardment would provide them with covering fire. As soon as he sent out those orders, the defenders began an orderly retreat, bringing along the wounded, with a few units sacrificing themselves to allow their brothers and sisters in arms to escape.
Meanwhile, the refugees were hurrying along, following the lead of David Anderson and Jack Harper, who were doing a marvelous job at keeping them calm and orderly.
Again, Nylah appeared right beside him. "Now, comes the hardest part."
Yes, he said. But no matter what, he would be ready. He would not falter.
One of his holo-screens, he watched the Az'khaelon finally move into position in this planet's orbit.
Awaiting targets, Captain, Qharan said. We fire on your command.
On a nearby holo-screen, he highlighted the zones he wanted cleansed of all life. Open fire.