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  A chill went down Devan’s spine. “Spatha, what have you done? Where is Burke? Where are my men?”

  “You should not have demanded that I give up my power. Your insurgents have been executed for rebelling against their governor. I have shut down the force field and the cannons. They have been fixed so that they can’t be reactivated again. It’s a shame I won’t be there to watch you and your rabble die. Goodbye, Sergeant Devan.” Spatha turned off the communicator.

  Devan roared with rage as he struggled to process Spatha’s betrayal. All the defenders looked at Devan’s outburst. He pointed at his men and ordered, “I want two dozen men to hunt the bastard Spatha down! Don’t let him leave this city alive! The rest of you, fight with everything you have! We hold this line!”

  As instructed, a group of defenders left the wall and ran toward the pale tower at the center of the city. Devan rose to his feet and continued firing his minigun over the wall.

  ______

  Manus oversaw the space battle from the Emden’s command bridge. He smiled as the fleets of the Crabbes and Bartons ripped away at the Spica Defense Fleet’s rear. The enemy armada struggled to maintain its integrity as they were attacked from two fronts.

  “That is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. I don’t know what made the pirates and smugglers turn on their allies, but they have turned the tide in our favor. These insurgents won’t hold out for much longer,” Manus mused.

  Admiral Vao entered the bridge with a big smile on his face.

  “Ah. I can see we received some new allies, Vice Shogun. Are they serving us well?” Vao asked.

  Noticing Vao’s smile, Manus asked, “What’s going on, Admiral? Are you responsible for this new turn of events?”

  “I am, sir. I made a deal with Spica Prime’s governor. If he betrayed his allies to us, we would welcome him as our newest vassal. He is responsible for the pirates and smugglers turning on the enemy fleet. He is also responsible for shutting down Londinium’s force field and other defenses. Their ground forces are in the process of being overrun. He has single-handedly handed us victory on a silver platter,” Vao explained.

  Manus nodded in approval. “While I do like the results your scheming has produced, I am irritated that you kept this from me.”

  His smile broadening, Vao said, “I wanted to make it a surprise for you, Vice Shogun. You know how I am about giving you big surprises. With such a significant victory assured, we will both win your brother’s favor.”

  “Again, I like your scheming, Admiral. This reminds me of why I chose you to be my right-hand man. Let us savor our victory together! Concentrate all fire on the enemy flagship!”

  After a while, none of the dreadnaught’s cannons fired. An unsettling sense of confusion swept over the crew.

  “What’s going on? Why aren’t we firing?” Manus demanded.

  One officer rose and explained, “All our weapon systems have been disabled, even the Pumhart Cannon. We’ve received reports that some technicians have hacked into our computers and dismantled several major systems. Based on our data, the weapon systems will be reactivated within ten minutes. We have no way to bring them back online before then.”

  Barely containing his anger, Manus asked, “Admiral Vao, was there something else the governor revealed about his allies’ plans?”

  “Yes, Vice Shogun. He said they sent a strike team to target our shields, but he didn’t say anything about this,” Vao replied.

  Turning to the nearest officer, Manus said, “Scan the ship to find signs of infiltration.”

  After a moment, the officer declared, “We have a civilian freighter in hangar TZ-86.”

  Manus tightened his fists until his palms bled.

  “Send whatever Feldorbots we have available to defend the shield generators and hunt down this strike team. Bring me these rogue technicians now!” Manus roared.

  As Manus yelled, he released a telepathic shockwave that made half a dozen officers’ heads explode in bursts of blood and pulp. The sight of the gore and headless bodies made the remaining officers scream in terror. Only Admiral Vao did not display any fear, wiping a blob of blood from his face with a handkerchief.

  “Return to your stations!” Manus bellowed.

  Terrified of their master’s wrath, the remaining officers went back to work while Manus stood fuming.

  ______

  Ten minutes later, Manus and Vao were presented with the rogue technicians who sabotaged the Emden’s weapon systems. The group stared blankly with emotionless faces, as though their minds were gone. Manus waved a hand in front of the nearest technician’s face, but there was no response. The sight of the apparently mindless men was unnerving to everyone on the bridge.

  “What’s wrong with them? Are they drugged or something?” Vao asked.

  “They’ve been hit by a Bushi’s telepathy. They didn’t sabotage us willingly. Whoever did this is a professional,” Manus observed.

  Grinning brightly, Vao asked, “Does this mean we have Bushi onboard? Are they part of the strike team? I thought my clairvoyance was detecting something fishy. Now I know why.”

  Smiling just as widely as Vao, Manus suggested, “Want to go Bushi hunting, Admiral? We know their targets. Shall we each head for one of the shield generators?”

  Chuckling, Vao replied, “Oh yes. I’ll go get my gear and a squad of my Feldorbot Commandos.”

  “Good hunting, Admiral.”

  “You too, Vice Shogun. May the best man win.” Turning his attention to one of the senior officers on the bridge, Vao instructed, “You have command until we get back, Captain Roc.”

  “Yes, sir. What shall we do with the saboteurs?” Roc asked.

  “These wretches are useless in their current state. Dump them out the nearest air lock,” Manus ordered.

  Both Manus and Vao left the bridge with purposeful steps as a great spiritual hunger consumed them. Behind them, personnel were leading the lobotomized technicians out of the room.

  CHAPTER 17

  Jarek sat in the pilot seat of the Benfold Star as he waited for the strike team to return from their mission. Outside the hangar, the sound of the titanic battle roared like a thunderstorm. Inside the hangar, the mood was relatively calm. The interior was clean and well-maintained. Every once in a while, small robots either hovered overhead or drove by to the next room. The soldiers who stayed with the ship patrolled the hangar in case enemy forces came their way. Among the commandos was Jarek’s Fish copilot, Private Neka, who was brandishing a sturdy pistol.

  Despite the grim situation they were in, Jarek felt more bored and impatient than scared. Ever since they’d arrived, there was no sign of resistance other than the technicians they encountered earlier. It was as though the Shogunate was too focused on the battle to know the strike team even infiltrated their flagship.

  Staring at the pale-white wall in front of the Benfold Star, Jarek muttered, “If the others don’t get back soon, I’ll just have to use the front cannons to blow a hole in that wall. That would be a fun way to pass the time.”

  “Aren’t you the least bit scared about our circumstances?” asked a familiar voice.

  Jarek turned in his seat to find Kelba standing in front of him, wiping engine grease from her hands.

  “Of course I’m scared. I would be a damn fool if I wasn’t scared. We are in the belly of the beast. Focusing on my boredom keeps my attention away from my fear. It’s more comforting that way,” Jarek explained.

  Shaking her horned head, Kelba said, “You truly have a weird way of coping with extreme danger.”

  “I sure do. How’s the engine? Is it still purring?”

  Swallowing hard, Kelba explained, “I have some bad news, Jarek. Very bad news. The radiator in the central engine burst and lost all the coolant when we landed. We will not be able to leave this hangar without exploding into a fireball. This bucket of bolts hasn’t flown in decades. This was bound to happen sooner or later.”

  Jarek’s heart sank
at Kelba’s news. The aura of fearlessness he displayed crumbled instantly, and the core of his chest froze. “You’re joking! What the hell are we going to do now?”

  “I can piece the radiator back together. Somehow we need to find coolant around here or we’re not going anywhere,” Kelba said.

  “Where are we going to find coolant in this place? It’s massive!”

  After a moment, Kelba suggested, “There are some shuttles in this hangar. Have some of the guys get some coolant from it. I’ll get started on the repairs.”

  Jumping out of his seat, Jarek ran down the boarding ramp and reached the nearest soldier, Corporal Mick.

  When Jarek explained the situation, Mick exclaimed, “This situation just keeps getting better and better. I’ll get the boys to check the shuttles for coolant.”

  With the situation in hand, Jarek started walking up the boarding ramp. One soldier went to the closest shuttle to find coolant, while the rest maintained their patrolling positions. Suddenly, a loud siren bellowed in the hangar. Jarek’s blood chilled when he saw Feldorbots marching through the doors that led into the dreadnaught.

  “Take cover!” Mick ordered, and the remaining commandos hid behind crates as the robots opened fire.

  Jarek ran inside the Benfold Star and shouted, “The jig is up! They found us!”

  Kelba cursed loudly as she dropped a wrench, screaming, “Damn it! Now of all times! Keep them off me as long as you can!”

  “Do the shields and weapons still work?”

  “They should work! Why?”

  “I’m going to give them hell!”

  Jarek jumped into the pilot’s seat, pressed a number of buttons, and seized the controls. The defense systems of the Benfold Star growled to life as Jarek turned the front turret toward the advancing Feldorbots.

  “Looks like I get to blow a hole in this wall after all. Eat plasma, you bastards,” Jarek sneered.

  Then Jarek and the commandos opened fire on the robots. The first few waves of Feldorbots were wiped out instantly. When the barrage of laser blasts faded, the door leading to the hangar was a smoldering hole of superheated metal.

  Jarek panted hard as he watched the flames dancing in the far corner of the hangar. Adrenaline surged through his veins as his hands trembled at the controls.

  After a while, Jarek released a triumphant laugh as he cheered, “That’s it! Come after us at your own peril, you hunks of tin!”

  From the other side of the ship, Kelba hollered, “Don’t get cocky, bird boy! They’ll keep coming until either we leave or they kill us! Stay alert!”

  Jarek scowled. “Don’t stifle my moment!”

  “Just hurry up with the coolant before more robots come!”

  Sighing, Jarek picked up his communicator and said, “Hey, guys. Can you hurry up with the coolant?”

  “We’re moving as fast as we can,” Mick’s voice answered.

  “Pick up the pace before more tin men arrive.”

  Jarek turned off his communicator and sagged in his seat. He continued to stare at the fiery end of the hangar. The sight of the flames calmed Jarek’s nerves as he waited for what would happen next.

  ______

  Bralu walked with determined steps as his team members made their way through the seemingly endless hallways of the Emden. Every once in a while, they encountered a Feldorbot patrol and cut them down before they raised the alarm. Firing laser blasts were too risky because they drew too much attention. Instead, Bralu and Owen brandished their Kirus and sliced the robots apart before they could alert their comrades.

  The two Bushi wielded their Kirus with deadly efficiency. When the Feldorbots fired lasers at them, Bralu and Owen blocked the shots. As this happened, the unique metal of their blades absorbed the energy of the lasers and superheated the weapons until they glowed white-hot. With their cutting power explosively increased, the Kiru sliced through the robots’ metallic shells. The extreme friction lit the machines on fire, and their remains were left smoldering on the floor.

  After they dismantled the latest patrol, Bralu glanced at Owen’s Kiru and said, “I must say I always liked your Kiru, Sensei. It looks like something from a pirate movie.”

  Smirking, Owen joked, “It is fitting since we are boarding and raiding a ship. We are essentially space pirates.”

  Suddenly, the clairvoyance of the two Bushi detected an overwhelming presence. It felt as though the weight of an entire ocean was being pressed down on them. The sensation made it difficult to stand up.

  Seeing their companions’ disorientation, one of the soldiers asked, “Are you guys okay?”

  Ignoring the commandos’ concerns, Bralu asked, “Did you feel that, Sensei?”

  “Yes. The Ronin I sensed earlier is here on this ship, and he is coming! He knows we’re here!” Owen exclaimed.

  “What do we do, Sensei?”

  “Take our men to the shield generator. I’ll hold him off for as long as I can.”

  “Are you sure, Sensei? I know your blindness doesn’t hinder you, but will you be able to take on such an enemy alone?”

  “I’ll try, but if I don’t confront him, the mission could be in jeopardy. Continue the mission, Bralu. If you don’t, Spica Prime will fall. Go!”

  “All right, Sensei.” Bralu turned to the soldiers and ordered, “Three of you go with him.”

  Reluctantly, Bralu parted ways with Owen and took the remaining two of their commandos to the shield generator. As he walked, Bralu looked back at Owen and wondered if this would be the last time he would see his mentor.

  ______

  Owen and his men took cautious steps through the dreadnaught’s halls. Owen’s psychic vision portrayed his environment as a ghostly blue. It was as though Owen was walking through a misty world full of spirits. The sensation was similar to a constant out-of-body experience.

  “Stay on your guard, men. This is no ordinary prey we are hunting. I sense our foe is dangerous beyond belief. If you see anyone suspicious, shoot to kill,” Owen instructed.

  “Who are we looking for, sir?” one soldier asked.

  Suddenly, before Owen could answer, he heard a trio of small explosions behind him, and something warm and wet splashed on him. Turning around, Owen saw the decapitated corpses of his three companions. He wiped a piece of what splashed on him and noticed that it contained a tooth.

  Realizing what had happened, Owen held his Kiru forward and hollered, “I know you’re here, Ronin. Show yourself!”

  With seemingly distant footsteps, a figure emerged from the other side of the hallway in front of Owen. The eerie footsteps became even more haunting as Owen’s enemy drew closer. Eventually, the figure stopped a yard from Owen with a katana-like Kiru in hand.

  “Who are you?” Owen demanded.

  Pointing his sword at Owen, the Ronin taunted, “You stand in the presence of the Vice Shogun of the Shogunate, Bushi. You chose the wrong ship.”

  Owen’s heart skipped a beat when he realized who he was facing. Standing in front of him was Manus Ira, the second strongest Ronin in the Shogunate.

  Gripping his Kiru with both hands, Manus challenged, “Do you think you can stand against me, Bushi?”

  “Maybe not, but I can stall you long enough for the rest of my team to finish their mission,” Owen admitted.

  Manus chuckled. “Are you referring to your plot to disable our shields?”

  Owen’s blood froze and he asked, “How do you know our intentions?”

  “Let’s say we have a spy on your planet. Your friends are walking into a trap. Don’t think about running to warn them, because you won’t be alive to tell them.”

  Owen assumed a fencing position, the opening stance of the Mantis Style. Manus held his sword in front of him with the point upward, the opening stance of the Tiger Style. Both combatants stared each other down, waiting for someone to make the first move. The only sound that could be heard in the hallway were the muffled explosions of the battle outside the ship.

  Manus
made the first move with a ferocious two-handed strike, but Owen easily deflected it before countering with a swiping slash. Manus leaned back in time to dodge Owen’s technique. Sadly, Owen’s counterattack left him wide open, and Manus swiftly swung his sword, grazing Owen’s right pectoral muscle. Owen ground his teeth with discomfort before continuing the duel.

  As Owen and Manus clashed, the differences in their respective techniques were clear as day. Owen relied on quick thrusts and stabs as well as elaborate footwork. It was a combination between tight defenses and extreme reliance on augmented agility. Manus utilized overwhelming strength and precision. However, Owen noticed that Manus’s Tiger Style was a unique variation. It heavily used psychically enhanced speed to compensate for the style’s lack of mobility. To make Manus even more dangerous was the design of his Kiru, which had a slightly curved handle. The curved hilt not only gave Manus superior precision and blade control, but it also added extra power to each of his strikes. The resulting combination made Manus’s usage of the Tiger Style elaborate and unpredictable.

  “You may be able to perceive your environment despite your blindness, but it still has an effect on your style. I can read your every move, while you can’t read anything,” Manus boasted.

  “You’re right that my blindness affected my technique, but I have compensated with some tricks,” Owen sneered.

  A small compartment hidden in Owen’s prosthetic forearm opened, and a Kiru that resembled a bowie knife popped out. Owen caught the additional blade and deflected Manus’s sword with the knife before countering with a slash from his main Kiru. Owen managed to cut Manus’s chest to the bone, but Manus did not seem affected.

  “That is a dirty trick, Bushi!” Manus grinned.

  “A man in my position needs to think fast to be fast, Ronin,” Owen boasted, twirling both of his blades.

  The two continued their battle with renewed intensity. With his two Kirus, Owen altered his fighting style. He used his bowie knife for speed and defense, while he used his cutlass for power and offense. Owen’s new technique threw Manus off balance and gave Owen enough room to fight the Vice Shogun on even footing. When the two duelists collided, their movements appeared as blurs to onlookers. Every time their Kirus struck each other, they produced a shower of flaming sparks that lit up the hallway. It was a brilliantly violent display to behold. Even though his focus was fixed on Manus, a part of his mind drifted to his teammates and the trap they were heading toward.