Emergence: Chapter 65

Ilisa watched as the Corlen Warspheres entered Prauw's atmosphere and followed them down to the planet. This Liberator craft handled much smoother than the Raanian Stingers she was used to, and she was glad for that; the Corlens had led her on a long and twisted journey to get here and – while she was an excellent pilot – she wasn't sure she would've made here in a Stinger.

The Warspheres split into small groups, each landing at various towns and cities across Prauw. As she drew closer to the surface, she noticed that the familiar brown smog of Prauw had been replaced with dark grey smoke, with red and orange flames flickering behind them. Xaosian warships were grounded, as were their Reapers and troop carriers. A wave of anger flooded over her, she wanted attack, to kill them all, rain down death from above and slaughter them where they stood. But she knew that would make her no better than them.

Instead, she opened a com-channel to the Empire flagship. “Empire Flagship, this is Ilisa.”

She recognised Cinradahs's voice answer. “Ilisa!” His voice was full of relief. “We were worried about you, you've been gone a while. Too long, we thought.”

“The Corlens led me here the long way.” She replied, flattered that someone besides Strom would care. “They're on Prauw. As is most of the Xaosian military, by the looks of it. The entire planet, or what I've seen of it, is devastated. Not as bad as Raan,” her voice faltered at the mention of her world's destruction, “but it's definitely getting there. I can see Hak'i and Irinian ships too.”

Cinradahs didn't answer straight away, but she could hear distinct voices saying indistinguishable words away from the com. “They're likely fitted with the Inducers which put them under the control of a rogue Artificial Intelligence. The Xaosian military are all under its control, so it makes sense for any allies to also be under control. As for the Corlens, they'll do what the Hak'i Dominort wants; Keinam told me that they follow strength, and the Hak'i have always been the strongest. What they do, the Corlens follow. We've set course for Prauw now, but it'll be an hour before we get there. Try and hide on one of the moons, do not try and take anyone on.”

“Understood.” Ilisa signed off.

She keyed in the coordinates for Munau; there was no way she was going to hide-out while people were in danger, she could handle herself.

*

“Lyss, stop!” The woman shrieked as the armoured man drew closer to Ash and Carnat.

“Beldun,” he responded calmly, “My name is not Lyss Fown. It's Foton. I'm sorry for hurting you, there's something in...” He winced and clutched his head, before yelling, “something in my head! An AI is controlling me and everyone here.” He stopped. “Shut it.” His voice turned monotonous and emotionless. “Foton is gone. And soon, you will be too.”

He threw the knife at Ash, who threw himself out of the way. The knife embedded itself in the wall, handle shaking. Ash looked back at Foton, who had already drawn another one and was running towards them. Carnat's exoskeleton closed around his face, leaving only his eyes visible. Ash pushed himself up, scrambling to his feet, before grabbing the knife and wrenching it out of the wall, the crumbling brick work coming away too. The wall crumbled and fell. “Dammit!” Ash muttered as the dust blew into his face, and he coughed.

Beldun lunged for her dropped vibro-blade, and chucked her companion his gun, which he caught with his uninjured hand. “Don't head-shot him, Sagar. My friend is still in there somewhere.”

Foton was on top of Carnat now, lunging with his diamond blade, which Carnat tried to parry with his exoskeletal blades, but the blade cut straight through them. Carnat gasped in pain as they fell to the floor. Foton slammed an armoured fist into Carnat's stomach, where his wound from his fight with Hak'i was. He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Foton grabbed his head, and put the knife to his throat.

Before he was felled to the ground by a shot from Sagar. He turned to face the other human, and threw his knife, which Sagar shot down. Ash moved in with his knife, stabbing forward. Foton twisted out of the way, grabbed Ash's hand and squeezed his wrist, pressing his thumb down hard, until Ash's hand involuntarily released the knife. Foton caught it before it hit the floor, before stabbing it at Ash, who dived out of the way so the knife stabbed him in the thigh. Ash swore again as blood poured out. Foton wrenched the knife from his leg, turning it and throwing it at Beldun, who it hit in the arm.

“Just give up.” Foton called to them all. “I can have a squadron of Xaosians here to finish you whenever I want.”

Ash sighed and closed his eyes briefly. He knew it was true, and he suspected that at least one of the four wouldn't make it out alive.

*

Ilisa didn't recognise Munau. She had only seen it in pictures before, but the skyline was unmistakable. The skyscrapers mixed with the chimneys of the factories, all topped off by the planet's tallest tallest building, The Flare. The bright lights helped to illuminate the sky and burn through the smog. Acting as a lighthouse for ships, it would guide them towards the spaceport. Now, the lights illuminated nothing, not even the smoke spewing from the city below. The Flare itself was not intact, the spire on the top had crashed into the spaceport below, piercing its roof and annihilating most of the civilian craft inside. Anti-aircraft batteries had been erected atop the intact skyscrapers.

The radar in the ship started to beep rapidly. She glanced at the radar; a missile had locked onto her ship. She swore, before doing a barrel-roll, hoping to put the missile off, before she flipped the ship round behind the missile and shot it down, the explosion rocking her ship, slamming her against the side of the cockpit, bruising her ribs and hips.

The radar beeped again, showing that a bunch of Reapers were on her tail. Shots rocked her ship again, throwing one engine out. Smoke plumed out of the back of her ship, and it began to slow and drop. She performed another barrel-roll to avoid a a barrage from the ships behind her. She tried to flip behind the ships, but they followed her every manoeuvre.

These AI-controlled pilots are too good Ilisa realised.

Another barrage thumped into her ship, and it went into a nosedive. She screamed, despite her efforts to keep silent. The ground grew closer, and the nosecone slammed against the ground, forcing it back into the cockpit as the ship skidded to a halt.

Someone approached the ship, and she doubted it was friendly. She picked up the vibro-blade and pistol tucked into the side of the cockpit. Her chest ached, as did her sides and hips, but she reckoned she could fight.

*

“We're approaching Prauw now sir.” Tarib informed Cinradahs. “What do you want to do?”

“Release the craft over the planet, and drop the combat-pods over the towns and cities. We'll fight them on land and air.” Cinradahs turned to Saiun. “How's Keinam doing?”

“He's doing well, I think he's healed up already.” Saiun's oxygen tank bubbled loudly, and he gave it a smack.

“Call him in.” Cinradahs ordered.

“Sir?” Tarib called. “We've picked up a strange signal on Prauw coming from the capital, Munau.”

“Where's it coming from?”

“The industrial district in Munau,” Tarib explained, “We should send in a team to take it out, avoid damaging the area too much, that'd cripple the planet even more.”

“Do you think that's how the AI is controlling its army?” Cinradahs asked.

“It's possible. We checked the network already, and it wasn't through that, so maybe.”

“Any chance you can counter the signal?” Cinradahs suggested.

“I dunno, not yet.” Tarib sounded solemn. “It's constantly shifting and changing its patterns, I'm not sure how long it will take. Could take a few minutes, could take days.”

“The way our luck is going, it'll take days.” Keinam walked onto the bridge.

“Keinam!” Cinradahs beamed. “How you feeling?”

Keinam nodded. “Better thanks. In a bit of pain, and more disappointed in myself for failing that battle.” He shrugged. “What do you want me to do? Ground or air?”

“Where do you think you'd be best?” Saiun asked.

Keinam thought for a moment. “Ground. You can coordinate the air battle, right?”

“That was the plan. We'll drop you over Munau, the capital with a squadron of other fighters.”

Keinam nodded. “Sounds good. I'll go prepare briefly, then I'll head to the combat-pods.”

Cinradahs nodded. “You've got ten minutes.”

“It won't take that long.” Keinam replied.

He walked through the ship, flattening himself to the wall as people ran to their battle stations, combat-pods, and the hangar bay. After they rushed past, he headed straight to his chambers, keying in the code and slipping himself through the sliding door. He reached under his slim mattress and pulled out a wooden case. He stroked the top of it, brushing the dust off of it. Pulling out a key from a pocket on his robes under the exoskeleton, he unlocked the padlock holding it shut, and opened it.

Inside was a katana in a black sheath, covered in ancient Adjetian writing. A dead language now, this blade was handed down from Warchief to Warchief throughout the centuries of Oblivion. A leather-wrapped handle led onto a diamond-steel weave blade, where the two materials intertwined with each other, creating a beautiful – and deadly – effect. He fastened the sword to his robes, before covering it with his exoskeleton, leaving only the handle showing, so it was easy to unsheathe, whilst he could remain protected. Placing the box back under his mattress, he left the room and made his way to the combat-pods.

Getting inside the first one he saw, he felt the impact gel flow around him, ensuring that he'd be cushioned adequately on impact. With a pop, the pod shot out of the ship. Keinam smiled; he loved the free-fall, which he didn't get to experience often. The pod slammed into the ground, but all Keinam felt was a slight jolt into the impact gel, but there was no pain; he wasn't sure if that was the painkillers still, or if there was genuinely no pain.

The hatch opened and he climbed out.

He'd landed in what he assumed was the industrial district of Munau. He heard Cinradahs say that the AI's signal was coming from there. “Tarib,” he spoke into his com, “Where's the signal coming from?”

“A warehouse about fifty standards east of your location.” Tarib replied, the signal crackling. “But wait for your team, Keinam, it could be dangerous.”

Keinam ignored him, running in the direction Tarib had told him. Two Xaosians were guarding the door to the warehouse, and they raised their guns when they saw Keinam. Keinam twisted his hand into a barrel, firing blood-bullets at the two Xaosians. One of the Xaosians' guns were knocked out of his hand, while the other got a shot off, but the bullet didn't penetrate Keinam's armour. As he got closer, he drew his sword with a satisfying-sounding shing of metal sliding on metal. Leaping, he brought the sword down on the still-armed Xaosian, the blade finding a crack in the armour plates on the Xaosian's shoulder, taking its arm off, before Keinam ripped his helmet off and beheaded him; it was the best way to make sure the Xaosian would rise from the dead. He brought the sword round to the unarmed Xaosian, cracked the helmet's visor, before plunging it into his forehead.

As the body fell to the floor, Keinam opened the double-doors to the warehouse. Looking around, he noticed that the conveyor-belts and mechanical arms were still working. He approached the nearest one, and picked up one of the ovoid objects: an Inducer.

“Cinradahs,” Keinam spoke into his com again, “the warehouse Tarib sent me too makes the Inducers that the AI uses. I'll try and shut the machines down, and I'll get back to you.”

“No. You won't.” came a voice from further inside the factory.

Keinam looked around to see a hooded figure approaching him. “You're an Assassin, aren't you?”

“The Blind Assassin, leader of the order.” He replied.

Keinam pointed at him with his blade as the Assassin drew his own. The assassin leapt over a conveyor-belt, and slashed at Keinam with his blade, which Keinam parried with his own. Keinam grunted; the assassin was strong for a human, almost matching his strength. He pushed away, knocking the assassin back.

He took a good look at the Blind Assassin as his hood fell back. Scars covered his face, and bloodless tears had opened up. His eyes were glazed over;Keinam had assumed that Blind Assassin was a meaningless title, but it was fact. “How do you fight?” Keinam asked. “You're blind.”

The assassin smiled, more cracks opening around the edges. “I use an AI to see. Using an Inducer, it uses CCTV images and beams them into my brain, showing me you from different angles. It also acted as a threat detector, tapping into the Empire Network so we could eliminate criminals and murderers to protect people across the Empire. Then, it decided that it was best for the Empire, what with the impending destruction of Narcsia and the over-pollution and possible destruction of Prauw and K'hrak, to unite the Empire and expand it – forcefully.” He swung the blade again, which Keinam ducked out the way of.

“Well, it was a good idea until it went rogue.” Keinam conceded.

*

Strom loved flying, and it was about time he flew again. He wasn't sure that the Orbans approved, but he didn't care. He wanted to help the Empire – no, he needed to help the Empire. To give something back to the Empire that had saved him. Granted, it was the Orbans that had saved his life, but they were part of the Empire too.

Strom, what are you doing? Sa'tui broadcast to him.

I need to do this, Sa'tui. Strom sent back.

Well, we'll keep an eye on you here.

Thanks buddy. Strom smiled; it was nice having someone watching over him, caring about him. He wished Ilisa was here beside him.

Strom flew over a town, he didn't which one, he'd never bothered to learn Prauw's geography. As he passed over, he fired on the anti-aircraft batteries, disabling a few, but also damaging some of the skyscrapers; he never was amazingly accurate.

Well, let's hope there was no-one in there.

Shut it, Sa'tui, it couldn't be helped! Strom smiled; he knew that Sa'tui was only messing. If there was anyone in there, Sa'tui probably would've picked up their minds with his telepathy.

Two Warspheres behind you.

“Ah, shit...” Strom muttered as they began to fire on him.

Language...

Kinda busy Sa'tui.

Point taken.

Strom sped up as the Warspheres drew closer. One stayed behind him, while one went over the top of the ship.

Remember, the Warspheres are made of Corlens, they can detach anytime.

“Ah, shit...”

The Warsphere above him fell apart into four jaguar-like molten-steel being, all landing on his ship. One tore the tail fin off, while two others bent his wings. The final one hammered on his cockpit and Strom screamed as it made him jump. He began to lose control, before he was able to spin it back into a barrel-roll, throwing the Corlens off the ship and down to the ground.

One Warsphere left.

*

Carnat slammed a fist into the back of the Foton's head, the exoskeleton denting the helmet. Foton turned around, grabbed the fist and swung him over his head, plunging his hidden-blade into Carnat's back, who screamed in pain. While it only pierced the exoskeleton, it hurt him like hell and he fell flat on his stomach.

“No!” Ash yelled, running at Foton, who turned to face him.

“Ah, Ash...” Foton said. “Finally trying to help Carnat instead of the other way around. How novel. How cute.”

Sagar shot Foton again, this time sending him sprawling forwards with a gasp; after two shots, the armour had pierced.

“Don't kill him!” Beldun yelled. “He's not himself, we can help him!”

“Just knock him out then.” Carnat groaned as he tried to get up.

Foton got back up, faster than Carnat, and threw a knife at Sagar, hitting him in the throat. He fell to the floor, clutching his throat. “Sagar!” Beldun screamed, running over to him.

“Don't worry about me,” he said, “survive.” His eyes glazed over as more blood pumped out.

Ash grabbed a brick from the crumbled wall and smashed it into the back of Foton's helmet. He turned and grabbed Ash by the throat. The pressure cut off Ash's breath, and he gasped. Carnat tried to get up, but he was too weak and he fell down again. “Ash!” he called.

Ash slammed the brick into Foton's visor, and it cracked. His grip loosened, and Ash took a deep breath, before smashing the brick into the helmet again, shattering the glass and revealing Foton's face. To Ash, it looked tortured and, when he looked into Foton's eyes, he could see the despair there. Foton's grip tightened again, and Ash slammed the brick into Foton's face, breaking his nose and knocking him down. Ash regained his breath and slammed it down again. “This is for Sagar!” He did it again, blood covering the brick. “And this is for Carnat!” Foton let out a breath, before his eyes closed as he fell unconscious. Ash rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing.

“You did it.” Carnat groaned. “Nice one buddy.”

Ash smiled at him. “Thanks man.”

*

Ilisa crawled out of the wreckage of her Liberator and stood up again, cocking her pistol. Walking towards her was a pack of Corlens, led by a Hak'i which, judging by its size and tusk-length, was the Dominort. Her heart raced as she back away. She couldn't fight Corlens. Hell, she could barely fight a Hak'i.

She remembered something Cinradahs had said about the Corlens in a briefing; the Corlens follow the strongest, and now they follow the Dominort. If she beat the Dominort...

The Corlen growled at her. “Dominort.” She said in her most dominant voice. “Call off your Corlens and fight me yourself. Unless you're a coward.”

The Hak'i grunted indignantly. “You think I'm a coward? My ship crashed earlier, and I could still crush your bones in my bare hands.”

“Then call off the Corlens and face me. Alone.” Ilisa noticed a spark erupt from his ear. The Inducer's damaged, must have been broken in his crash. He's not thinking rationally or clerical like the AI. Not completely anyway. Might be a bit easier now.

He raised his hand to stall the Corlens. “Fine.”

He charged at Ilisa, who dived out of the way and drove the vibro-blade into his chest. He roared in pain, before Ilisa shot him in the chest again. He stumbled back, but his animalistic nature drove him to anger rather than submission. He thrust a tusk at Ilisa, who was faster than him, but it still cut into her forearm. She gasped in pain; the cut wasn't too deep, but the pain was nauseating. She shot him again, this time in the head, but he just roared and lunged at her. She stabbed the vibro-blade into his lunging hand and shot him again in the forehead. This time, the Hak'i stumbled back and fell to the ground. Ilisa leapt on him, before driving the vibro-blade into his forehead and digging out the Inducer, before slashing his throat.

Se stood up again, dropping the vibro-blade. Her legs and arms felt weak and they ached like hell. She looked at the Corlens, who grew closer to her. “Oh, shit...” I think I miscalculated. Ilisa stepped back again, tripping over the Dominort's corpse.

The Corlens grew closer, silent. Then they stopped, less than a standard away from her. “Why aren't you attacking?” She muttered.

And the Corlens bent down, forelegs bending and their heads touching the ground. Kneeling before her. “You're mine now. So stop attacking and regroup here.”

*

Strom tried to out-manoeuvre the Warsphere behind him as it continued to fire on him. And then, it just stopped firing. Strom looked around to see that the Warsphere had veered off in another direction. Intrigued, Strom followed the Warsphere closely.

It didn't go too far; Strom hadn't realised how close he was to Munau; he knew Munau because Ilisa was obsessed with the place. He watched as it detached into four Corlens; an elegant transformation, as it split into quarter, before each one changed shape to become the Corlen shape that Strom knew. They dropped to the ground and moved through the city. Other Warspheres were convening on the location, and copying the actions of the one Strom followed. Curious, Strom dived down to the ground and climbed out of his ship, following the Corlens. While he was glad that they didn't attack him, he was mildly surprised.

They formed a circle around something and, as he drew closer, he could see who it was. “Ilisa!”

She turned to see him, and a smile lit up her face. “Strom!”

He ran towards her, and they hugged. “What's going on?”

Ilisa gestured to the dead Dominort. “I killed the Dominort, and now they follow me. Pretty cool, right?”

Strom nodded. “Amazing...”

*

Keinam swung the sword at the assassin's legs, but he leapt over it, and plunged his hidden-blade into Keinam's shoulder, piercing the exoskeleton and Keinam's shoulder. “You bastard!” Keinam yelled, before slamming his fist into the assassin's face. He stumbled back, not seeming to care about the pain.

Keinam slashed at the assassin's wrist, severing his sword hand, before back-handing Blind Assassin in the face, knocking him to the ground. Keinam punched his face again and again, letting out centuries of rage and betrayal, his hatred of the Pyrkagia, his dislike of the humans who betrayed him with them, the years of desperation and rationing to survive, the loneliness, the loss of his Warchief brothers, and his Empire.

He stopped, horrified over what he was doing. So much hatred, all taken out on one man. And now his face was torn, and his hands were covered in blood and brain fluid. He took a deep breath and went to investigate the warehouse further. He found more Inducers, thousands, maybe millions of them. He shook his head; he knew the AI wanted control of the entire Empire, but he hadn't realised it had the resources until now.

He moved into a back-room and found a large computer system. A screen sat in the centre, surrounded by hundreds of holo-cards and hard-drives, with an aerial on the top. On the screen, words appeared. Keinam looked closer to see the screen.

So, it seems you beat me.

“You're the AI, aren't you? The rogue one the assassins used.” Keinam asked.

Yes. You've found me. Stored on these hard-drives. All I wanted was what was best for the Empire.

“I get where you were coming from.” Keinam admitted. “But taking free will and hostile takeovers of other planets isn't an option. We strive to be an Empire of peace, not war.”

Then your Empire is doomed. You haven't seen what I've seen. I've seen a ship rom beyond the Empire, with a warning for us. Darkness is coming, Keinam, and you can't stop it.

“We stopped you. We can stop whatever that threat is. United, but with our free will.”

Keinam stabbed his blade into the computer, slicing the hard-drives and screen. Looking at his handiwork, he left the warehouse.

He got his com out and radioed Cinradahs. “Level the warehouse I was just in; the AI's central hub was based there.”

“Got it, sending Liberators your way.”

Three ships flew overhead, firing on the warehouse, annihilating the building entirely.

Keinam looked around to see a Xaosian clutching his head, before falling to his knees, taking his helmet off and weeping; they remembered what they'd done while under the AI's control.

“Cinradahs.” Keinam smiled. “It's over. We won.”