Freedom Saga 2: Freedom's Bell (16 page)

The
Mjolnir fired another volley of spread attacks and destroyed six Talons. Far
away from the lone mobile suit the Maidens flew through the enemy with little
standing in their way.

“I’m
glad Valis finally called us in,” the Mjolnir said.

“I
am too,” Meldi said. “I wish it would’ve been earlier though. She and the
others look like death.”

“That’s
why she kept us out of it,” the Mjolnir said. “She wanted to keep us fresh.”

The
Mjolnir used its sword and slashed through a pair of Talons before blasting another
ship apart.

“You’re
reaction time seems faster,” Meldi pointed out. “When did you get an upgrade?”

“A
few days ago,” the mobile suit answered.

“You’ll
have to tell me the details later,” Meldi said.

“I
can’t,” the Mjolnir answered. “Brian ordered me to remain silent on the matter
until further notice.”

“Such
is my life,” Meldi sighed, “he’s always giving me the stiff arm.”

“Meldi,
I’d like you to return to the Avoni for now,” Valis ordered.

“I’m
on my way captain,” Meldi said.

The
Mjolnir danced its way through the enemy fleet and back to the Avoni. Once
there Meldi opened her com.

“I’m
back everyone,” she said.

Myli
appeared on the monitor. “It’s about time.”

“Yeah,
I feel the same way,” Meldi said.

* * *

Valis
opened a com link with all of her allies.

“It’s
time we move into the fourth phase,” Valis said. “The Freedom will act as the
spearhead of our attack. All forces move to their appropriate positions.”

“You
sound excited Valis,” Esra said.

“More
like she’s ready to end things,” El Kar said.

“We’re
moving into position now,” Brian said.

The
Columbia and Nevada bases moved into a row. At the same time, the sixteen ships
moved into a spear head formation with the Freedom at the front. Over a
thousand mobile suits and mobile armors swirled around the bases and ships as they
flew straight into the Malcovin fleet. At the same time the Maidens continued
their rampage through the disorganized enemy ships. After another half an hour
the Malcovin forces had been reduced to less than two hundred ships and four
hundred mobile suits. Half of the Malcovin ships fled and left the other half
to fend for themselves. When the Maidens moved to make another pass they
received the surrender signal.

“This
is Valis speaking,” she said. “All forces are to prepare for prisoners
immediately.”

* * *

Seles
and Mira landed their mobile suits on Freedom before two making their way to
the floor. When they stepped on solid ground they noticed Brian was waiting for
them.

“I
hope you’re not expecting anything from us right now,” Mira said.

“If
he does then I hope he’s ready for a punch in the face,” Seles said.

Brian
smiled. “No, I wanted to thank you for the hard work. I also wanted to tell you
to rest for the twelve hours.”

Seles
went up to him and kissed him. “Thanks.”

Mira
waited for a moment before doing the same. “No waking us unless it’s an
emergency, okay?”

“It’s
a promise,” Brian said. “Go rest you two. We’ll take care of everything.”

A
moment after they left Jesela popped out of the side room with her tablet.

“So
how’d they look?” she asked as she began maintenance.

“Like
hell,” Brian said. “I know others have fought longer battles, but in my time
here in space I’ve never seen something like that.” He noticed Jesela was
yawning. “And I’ve never seen you do that.”

“I
do yawn,” Jesela said. “But only when I’m stuck with the boring stuff. Grigon
wanted to keep tabs on the engineers over in the main launching bays.”

“This
is boring?” he asked.

“The
main bays have all the people,” Jesela said. “Where there are people there’s
excitement.”

“Interesting,”
Brian said.

He
went to the side room and grabbed a mainatence kit.

“I
can do this myself,” Jesela said.

Brian
shook his head. “To be honest I feel useless when I’m on the bridge. I’d rather
be out there than not.”

“Once
a pilot always a pilot,” Jesela said. “That’s how it is with you people. And by
the way, you’re not useless. You’re quick thinking during the battle saved a
number of lives.”

“I
know you’re right,” he said. “But it doesn’t change how I feel. By the way, how
did the adjustments to Mjolnir go?”

“They
went perfectly of course,” Jesela said.

“I’m
glad,” Brian said. “Someday we’re going to need that ace.”

* * *

Valis
was sitting in the Minerva’s cockpit when her com flashed.

“Are
you still awake?” Celi asked.

“Barely,”
Valis answered. “What is it?”

“I’m
prescribing sleep, that’s all,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow Valis.”

“See
you then,” Valis said.

Celi
made her way from the launching bay to her quarters. Valis felt vibrations as
the engineers outside started working on the Minerva.

I
was right
.
The Minerva displayed on the monitor.

“You
were,” Valis said.

That’s
how my system works Valis. I’m sorry I can’t relate it any better.

“You’ll
get there,” Valis said. “Just like your brother did.”

Mjolnir’s
weird. He says strange things to us
.

“Strange?”
Valis asked. “What do you mean?”

“He’s
flirting with them,” Daes explained as she stepped inside.

“I
don’t remember Brian being that way,” Valis said.

“True,”
Daes said. “But remember, Mjolnir is more like Brian’s son than his clone.
There’ll be some personality differences.”

Are
you saying I won’t be like Valis?
The Minerva asked.

Daes
nodded. “Because you were born at a different time your personality will be
different. It’s the same whether you’re an AI or a genetic clone.”

Valis
shook her head. “By the way, how often do you speak with each other?”

Much
of the time we’re in the launching bay. In battle we don’t have the time to.

“Are
they able to contact each other between ships?” Valis asked.

“They’re
programmed to be able to contact each other just as our ships can,” Daes said.

Artemis
and Siren are funny. I think they match their pilots perfectly.

“I
need to pay closer attention to this,” Valis said.

“What
you need is some sleep,” Daes said. “Now get going and let me do my work.”

“As
you wish Daes,” Valis said.

Take
care of yourself Valis.

“To
you as well friend,” Valis said with a smile.

* * *

Veda
and Shiken Ka remained at their stations while the others went to rest. The
activity level on both bases decreased dramatically after the Malcovin were
brought onboard and escorted to the brigs.

“Another
battle won,” Shiken said.

“Another
in a long series,” Veda said. “What’s sad is our organization can’t afford to
lose even one.”

“If
losing the five means such we would,” Shiken said. “Not until we’re able to
mass produce such weapons.”

“I
doubt that’ll be possible anytime soon,” Veda said. “Even if we tripled the
annual budget it wouldn’t do much.” She put the image of the Grey planet killer
on the monitor. “And I can’t imagine what it’d take to destroy one of these.”

“It
took one ship of desperate people fighting to survive,” Myden said as he
entered the room. “Those who have the will to live will find a way.”

“A
better way of thinking I can’t come up with,” Shiken said. “Is that the wisdom
you gained in your long life?”

“No
Lord Ka,” Myden said. “I survived out of necessity. It was part of the plan;
otherwise my will would’ve given out long ago.” He stared at the image on the
screen. “By the way, is there reason you’re looking at that abomination?”

“I’m
studying it as much as I can,” Veda said. “Remember, in another life I was an
engineer.”

“Are
those really able to leap between galaxies?” Shiken asked.

“Yes,”
Myden said. “I visited Kelden for a time when they were first being experimented
with. In those days they were more like colonies than war ships.”

“How
many of them are there?” Veda asked.

“The
number now I can’t say,” Myden said. “When the machine god was activated there
were four active in our galaxy and eight in Kelden. There were two more as
well, but they were exploring nearby dwarf galaxies when the device was
activated.”

“Then
there’s a possibility there are more Greys like you still out there,” Shiken
said.

“It’s
possible,” Myden said. “My guess is they fled long ago.”

“I
hope you’re wrong,” Veda said.

“I
do as well,” Myden said.

The
footage of the Bronze navy’s defeat played on the monitors in Zaris’s hall. The
only people in the room were the king, the two remaining admirals, and a captain
who returned with the surviving ships. Once the video was finished Zaris
snapped his beak and stood up.

“You
did right bringing this to us,” Zaris said. “Off with you now.”

“Of
course my lord,” the captain said before leaving.

“This
defeat is telling,” Zaris said. “Even with a well-planned strike our best were
cut down. Heaven’s Light is a greater threat than I thought.” He looked at the
two admirals. “It’s time we cut our losses. Let’s focus on the rebels causing
problems across our empire. Vikrit, I trust you with the border. They’ll use
the female uprising as an excuse for invasion.”

“Yes
my lord,” Vikrit said. “My navy will hold the border against all threats to the
Malcovin people.”

“I
know you will,” the king said.

Admiral
Vikrit saluted before taking his leave. Once he was gone a number of the king’s
guards returned to their positions in the hall.

“I
was a fool to reject Grigon so quickly,” Zaris said as he sat down.

“There
was no other choice,” Shakar said. “His actions were clearly heresy to our
people’s ways. Those who commit such acts are doomed to death by our laws.”

“Let
me revise what I said then,” Zaris said. “I regret we couldn’t keep Grigon the
engineer. What’s worse is the grandson we left alive ended up leaving us.”

“We
have excellent engineers working on the problem,” Shakar said.

“Of
course,” Zaris said. “The defeat of two of our navies is bad enough, but the
uprising makes things worse.”

“Perhaps
it’s time for drastic measures,” Shakar suggested. “I know the free marketers
won’t like it but we need to preserve our power base.”

“I
don’t want to do that because it shows we’re under fire,” Zaris said as he
looked at the video of the destroyed Bronze navy. “But you’re right old friend,
we need to do something.” He looked at one of his guards. “Call the press
officer. I have an announcement to make.”

“Yes
my lord,” the guard said before leaving.

“I’ll
do whatever it takes to preserve the ways of our people,” Zaris said.

* * *

Deep
under the capital city of Malcov Prime the leaders of the female rebels met
again. The red feathered leader, Seka, turned on the monitor. The screen
flashed before showing the grand hall with Zaris standing in front of his
throne.

“To
the people of Malcov, it is I, Zaris, your king speaking to you,” he started.
“For the last twenty seven years my vision of a prosperous Malcovin people has
been made reality. Our economy has done well and our military the finest
equipped in the Confederation. But now, a pair of traitors to our people,
Grigon and his grandson Dreka, has joined the rebels and fight against us. They
will lie and cheat in every way to destroy our prosperity. To execute their
plan they’re using the military might of Heaven’s Light, a mercenary organization
led by the Terran Brian Peterson. Along with the other leaders of that
organization Grigon and Dreka seek to take our world from us by force. As your
king I cannot allow this and as such declare martial law. We will close the
borders to those who hate our way of life and strike down those corrupting our
people from within. It’s our duty to…”

Seka
turned the sound off.

“I
don’t need to hear his posturing,” she said.

Another
bird woman entered the room and handed her leaders a data crystal each.

“Did
you make contact?” Teaika asked.

“Yes,”
the soldier said. “Valis promised she would meet with us in the next ten days.”

“Excellent,”
Seka said. “It’s finally going to happen.”

“I’d
rather have been able to do it on our own,” Kili said.

“We
would’ve succeeded even without their help,” Seka said. “It just would’ve taken
us several decades to do so.” She cawed. “Let us rejoice with this news. The
time has come.”

* * *

Valis
walked onto the bridge of the Avoni. There, Zae, Baed and Vae were at their
stations. She sat down in her chair and turned on the computer.

“Is
it true you’ll be leaving us for a while?” Baed asked.

“I
will,” Valis said. “But I leave the Avoni in good hands.”

“It’s
good to hear you say that,” Zae said. “But why are you going in person?”

“To
show them we mean what we say,” Valis said. “Actions speak louder than words. That’s
what Brian keeps telling me. In order for the strategy to work we need the
females of Malcov to help us. That and the fact there are many sympathetic
males these days.”

“Amongst
Dreka’s generation I suppose,” Baed said. “But the older ones like their king
are set in their ways.”

“It’s
not very different from our people’s history, just in reverse,” Valis said.

“Are
you going alone?” Vae asked.

“No,
Grigon will be joining me,” Valis said. “Dreka said something about coming as
well.”

“When
will you be leaving?” Baed asked.

“Tomorrow
sometime,” Valis answered.

“We’ll
take care of things here then,” Zae said. “Don’t worry about us, just take care
of yourself.”

“I
will,” Valis said.

* * *

The
six ships in the docking area of the Columbia base were being repaired. Dreka
directed exterior work on the Raulno when Kivi walked over to him.

“You
can go,” she said.

“Are
you sure?” Dreka asked. “I don’t want to leave you in the wind.”

Kivi
smiled. “You worry too much Dreka.”

“My
grandfather says that a lot,” the birdman said. “I think he worries too
little.”

“Perhaps,”
Kivi said. “I can let you go because you trained this crew better than anyone
else could.”

“Thank
you,” he said. “You’re the best captain I’ve ever served under.”

“Will
you be taking anything with you?” she asked.

“Just
a Talon I’ve been working on in my spare time,” he said. “Valis will need
backup in case things get heated.”

“No
doubt they will,” Kivi said.

“By
the way, are they working together?” Dreka asked.

“The
Gemini’s working perfectly,” Kivi said.

“I’m
glad,” Dreka said.

* * *

Grigon
entered the launching bay where the Artemis and Siren were to find Jesela and
Brian working on the two mobile suits. Both the Kalaidian and Terran were
covered in grime.

“Did
you come to relieve us old man?” Jesela asked.

“No,”
Grigon said. “I’m didn’t want to leave before looking them over.”

“So
you’re leaving me alone?” Jesela asked.

“You
can handle it young lady,” Grigon said.

Brian
emerged from a strange position on the Artemis and jumped down.

“I’m
done,” he said.

“Thanks,”
Jesela said.

Brian
turned to Grigon. “When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow,”
Grigon said. “I think Dreka wants to impress a certain young woman back home.”

Brian
laughed. “I didn’t know he thought about things like that.”

“Before
I was forced to flee I set the union between him and the lady in question,”
Grigon said.

“What’s
her name?” Jesela asked.

“Seka,”
Grigon said. “Valis told me she’s in charge of the underground back home.”

“Sounds
like a match made in heaven,” Brian said.