The shuttle arced down and plummeted to the ground at terminal velocity. Vingo bowed his head and grunted.
“It’s time me and you had a conversation,” Charlie said.
“We’ve already had a conversation,” Vingo replied.
Charlie scraped toward him on his backside and narrowed his eyes. “Why did that mech come after us? It seems like a strange priority considering the scion presence.”
“I’ve already told you. I gathered information for the Amalgam. Croatoans fear the scion, but the Amalgam are also a concern after two colony rebellions.”
“You can stop playing games with me. I don’t give a shit about cosmic politics, I only care about my son and Layla surviving, and getting home. You need to start coming up with some answers. You owe us.”
Vingo blinked repeatedly. Charlie glared at him, waiting for a response. He’d had enough of the tredeyan’s bullshit. The previous punches were only a drop in the ocean compared to what he would do to him if he didn’t start talking.
“I may have a solution that will meet both of our needs,” Vingo said and pointed toward the distant hills. “Our capital city, Gauruss, is just over there. I can get you new air filters, supplies, and perhaps a chance to make it back to Earth.”
“A chance?” Charlie said, feeling like they’d already been here before. The false promises, like dangled carrots, leading them to achieve Vingo’s own objectives. “I don’t trust you. The moment our air runs out is the moment I empty my magazine through your visor. Do you understand?”
“I understand, but please listen. If we can gain entry to the storage vaults, I can access the master system and find the location of a micro-gate.”
“A micro-gate?”
“The rumor is that we created a compact solution. The gate you destroyed was a first-generation design. The locations are a closely guarded secret—if they even exist. It’s a long shot, but it’s the only option I can offer.”
Charlie frowned. “You expect us to believe this, don’t you? You know we have little choice, but I swear, Vingo, the moment I suspect you’re up to something, I will gut you like the fish out there. Don’t even pretend you’re being selfless, by the way, because I don’t buy it for a second.”
“If you help me into the vaults, I can gather more technical specifications and communicate with the Amalgam. If I have enough to offer, it might convince them to come and collect me. As things stand, this is our only option, for both of us.”
At least Vingo was being more open about his motivations. If he wanted to survive, and his actions suggested he did, then perhaps there was a small chance he was telling the truth about the micro-gate. Either way, it wasn’t as if they had a lot of options open to them.
Three black scion mechs, square in shape and the size of a regular house, floated up a distant hill toward a group of eight buildings at the top. They hovered above them and red lasers shot from their undersides, blasting each building in turn until they burst into flames.
Charlie hated not having a plan, but they were flying blind without local knowledge. The thought of Denver and Layla suffocating on Tredeya was insufferable after all they’d been through. As much as it grated him, once again they would have to follow Vingo’s direction.
“We’ll take you to the vaults,” Charlie said. “But fuck us over and you won’t see tomorrow.”
“You don’t need to threaten me. I’ve lost my group, my ship, and only have one option left. You are in the same situation. We can work together to achieve a satisfactory conclusion.”
The political speak made Charlie clench his fists.
Vingo glanced down and edged back.
“We can always go back to the command center and get filters,” Charlie said. “I remember seeing at least another thirty human suits.”
“It’s under scion control. You will die. But it’s your choice if you want to risk it.”
Charlie turned away from Vingo. A pair of scion fighters passed overhead and split in different directions. The confusion created by the invasion probably helped them survive to this point, but that alone wasn’t enough.
With the tech on display from both species, a way home didn’t seem unrealistic, but Charlie struggled to believe Vingo’s claims about a micro-gate. He wondered if there was a way to speak with the scion. They had a common enemy in the croatoans, after all, and as far as he could tell they didn’t have a beef with humans from Earth… but then the very idea of siding with an alien species made the bile in his guts churn.
Everybody had a motivation for going into battle and Charlie would side with the devil to get everyone safely home.
“Did you hear all of that, Den?” Charlie said.
“Every word,” Denver replied. “It’s time to move.”
Chapter 28
THE DESCENDING early evening sun continued to warm Augustus’ mask. Distant gunfire crackled to his right. Zoe’s flanking move had started.
He turned to view his army spread around a clearing in a pine forest a mile from Unity, eagerly waiting for his command to advance. The timing had to be right.
“Enemy advancing,” Zoe said over the radio. “Two hundred… no, three hundred heading toward us. Twenty bikes.”
“Hold your position and fight to the last man, woman, and croatoan.”
“Roger, out.”
Augustus felt a surge of irritation. Subordinates didn’t end conversations with him. He always had the final say.
Most of the Unity force had been drawn in to the flanking move. They couldn’t simply hold against Zoe’s numbers and hope for an attritional siege. It wasn’t in their nature and would also guarantee defeat. He knew they had to attack.
Destiny presented itself on a silver platter. It was time to make good on his promise to the scion and reclaim the world once again.
This time there would be no mistakes. Augustus turned to face his army and raised an arm. A hush descended around the clearing. “Do not let fear overcome your place in history. Battle is the most beautiful thing in the world. We cleanse all that is wrong. Bravery is the best form of defense. Tonight we will celebrate the dawn of a new world, forged in our blood and sense of duty.”
Augustus paused and glanced around the troops while the croatoan commanders translated for the aliens who didn’t understand. A low vibrating sound rose from the ranks—the collective noise of alien satisfaction.
“Whoever brings me the body of Aimee Rivery will earn a seat on the council,” Augustus shouted. He turned and pointed in the direction of Unity. “Advance!”
Collective clicking filled the air, like a thousand raindrops hitting a glass roof.
The army was already aware of his battle plan. Soldiers were to assault the eastern end, the opposite direction to Zoe’s force. Hover-bikes would supply air support. They would charge through the city, burning the rickety buildings, killing anything showing signs of resistance, and corralling the rest of the citizens into the arena. He would give them a choice once there. Join the new empire or face immediate execution.
It didn’t need to be intricate. Augustus could afford plenty of collateral damage and still remain the global superpower. With victory came immortality, however the scion managed to do it.
Each croatoan commander led his division through the pine forest. Augustus straddled a hover-bike and thrust into the air. He needed a high-level view of the battle, in case a change of strategy was required.
The hover-bike cavalry took to the sky and headed east, on a wide sweeping course that would bring them over Unity at the same time the soldiers attacked.
Maria was secured in a shuttle, ready to use as leverage if required.
Tears of pride welled in the corner of Augustus’ eyes. The sight took him back over sixteen centuries to his last big battle. Today would ensure that Adrianople would be finally crushed into the dirt. All texts destroyed, talk of it punishable by death. His decisive failure would be forgotten by future generations, who would celebrate him as a brave leader and liberator.