Morgan gasped out of her sleep. Once she recognized her surroundings, all she could hear was her ragged breathing bouncing off the walls of the hold. She had been in the grips of a nightmare, or had it been a vision. Within the dream realm, her brother, El Mar, had been calling out to her desperately. He was as she had left him at the palace, pouting that she had to go on another stupid mission and how stupid this war was that took all of his sister’s time from him. Since the Tragedy, El Mar had clung to Morgan more like a son than a sibling, despite only a four year age difference between them. This was a side effect of his trauma.
The psychologists and counselors had tried their hardest to right the prince, but there was no help for him. He simply refused to leave the safe haven of childhood. In his mind, he would always be a ten year old. It frustrated Morgan only a little and she allowed her brother certain licenses, but she was also firm with him when the occasion called for his maturity. Morgan was the only person he would listen to. Not even his father, the rightful Emperor, could command the authority his sister did over him.
However, in the dream, his frantic cries indicated something in the distance between them. Morgan focused her sights hard, but the image was fuzz and grainy. They appeared to be soldiers – Spryten soldiers. They were writhing about like sharks in frenzy. She drew nearer to the carnage as El Mar drew closer to her; his voice pulsing in her ear.
“Save her, Morghana,” he pleaded. “Please, stop the bad men.”
Morgan was unsure who her brother was referring to. Was it their mother? Many times, El Mar had invaded her sleep with his own nightmare of the Tragedy. But this didn’t look like the same layout. Soon, the grain began to clear, helping her piece the surroundings together. By the look of it, this was another part of the barge. Maybe another hold? It was dimly lit, but there was enough light for Morgan to make out the shadows of her troops surrounding her. However, someone was missing. Where was Delta? Suddenly, the pit in her stomach deepened and it began to fill with an uncontrollable rage. The frenzy before her was the soldiers – raping Delta.
She stood frozen watching the attack. The Sprytens faces were a mask of malice and delight. The animalistic grunts and groans echoed through the hold grating on Morgan’s nerves. Their movements ebbed and flowed in a savage dance over Delta’s body. Why didn’t she fight back? Why did she look paralyzed?
Breaking through her trance, Morgan glared around the hold looking for a weapon. Finding none, she prepared to charge the men with all her fury and power, but an equally stronger jolt forced her back. She shook off the shock and prepared again to mount her attack when El Mar grabbed his sister’s shoulder.
“No, Ghana,” he said. “This field is too strong for you. You’re going to need my help. Take my hand. Use my power.”
Morgan looked down at her brother’s hand and didn’t hesitate to take it. Her anger was that deep. Grasping it tight she charged forward again, only to be halted by another voice.
“NO!” it screamed. “Don’t!”
“Stop, general!” another echoed.
Letting go of El Mar’s hand, she sought out the voices, immediately recognizing them. “Vollo? Ava?”
“Oh, the Fates, she can hear me,” Vollo sighed, then quickly added, “If you try to stop them it could kill you and her both. I don’t know how you broke the neuro-bonds, but anything you do will cause harm. Just take a look at Shogun.”
Morgan’s eyes swiveled immediately to the giant, who still lay unconscious. She returned to Vollo, “What can I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Vollo, you are asking me to walk away,” she gritted.
“This is the mission we signed up for, general,” he reminded her. “The fact you have broken the level plain they had established means there is a way around it. Take that knowledge back to the base and see what they can do.”
“But I didn’t break this plain as much as I had tried,” she dashed his hopes. “El Mar brought me here.”
“How could he?” Vollo inquired. “He’s not capable of soul projection. Is he?”
“Believe it or not, El Mar is far more capable than his mind allows,” she assured him, causing El Mar to bashfully smile behind her. “But back to Delta. How…”
“Leave,” Vollo ordered his commanding officer.
“But…”
“Leave!” he bellowed, just as another shockwave over took them.
Morgan felt the bolts of electricity fizzle through her veins and she was ripped apart from El Mar, who promptly vanished from sight. That’s when she had awakened in the hold wondering if it all had really happened or had she been having a nightmare. She shook her head of the ache pounding within. She glanced up at the neuro-cuffs holding her to the ceiling. Frustrated, she brought her hands together and sent out a reverse wave through them. A small explosion released the cuffs, depositing her to the floor with finesse.
She rubbed her wrists gently while glancing about the hold. Picking an arbitrary corner, Morgan sat down and closed her eyes. Maybe now she could get some shut eye. Vollo was right. There was nothing she could do; at least not until she got a hold of Ginza to relay this new information. However, she was reserving her vengeance as surely as Vollo and the others. Those soldiers would not make it far into the week without some Messian retribution.
Cenzo was waking from his brief nap in his quarters. As he rolled out of his bunk, the buzzer from his door sounded indicating the arrival of someone. He pressed the release lock, causing it to slide open. Aries immediately marched in looking somewhat perturbed. He stood before his friend unsure.
“Spit it out,” Cenzo ground out, not liking how his senses grew defensive.
“We have a problem,” Aries relayed.
Cenzo shrugged into a fresh, black tank then his Spryten issued general’s coat. “What?”
“You have to see it to believe it,” Aries replied, turning on his heels to lead the way.
Cenzo reluctantly followed not liking the sound of this one bit. He fell into step with Aries as they headed down into the bowels of the barge to the secondary holds. Guards were standing armed and ready along the path. He had asked for more guards around the perimeter, because of the special cargo they were transporting. They merely nodded their acknowledgements. Some couldn’t make eye contact with their general as he headed into the large hold. Once the door slid shut, they heard a string of curses that set off a chain of winces down the line.
“Who the fuck is responsible for this?” he bellowed. “Aries, I want fucking answers now!”
“We are in the process of reviewing the tapes, General,” Aries assured him. “It looks like they discovered the female among the troops. The medic on call says she’s barely breathing and has suffered extensive wounds to her midsection and lacerations to the face.”
Cenzo gripped his dreads viciously wishing it was the guilty parties’ collective necks. He glared down at the crumpled mess before him. How was he ever going to explain this in a report? He’d never had it happen before even when they had captured other soldiers. His eyes scanned the crowd looking for a guilty face. They all stood stoically before him; many in various degrees of dress. He saw one soldier in particular that didn’t appear guilty enough for his taste despite the clear evidence he had whole heartedly participated in the act.
Cenzo surprised him by gripping his throat tightly, fiercely yanking him to meet his gaze. “Tell me that’s not a smirk on that face, soldier?” he growled coldly.
“No sir!” the soldier replied quickly looking remorseful.
“Explain yourself!” he demanded shaking him.
“The prisoner asked for it, sir!” the soldier replied.
“For this?” Cenzo bellowed pointing him toward the mangled body.
“She’s nothing more than a Messian dog, sir!” the soldier prattled on lamely like a child caught with their hand in a cook jar. “If she plans to fight with the big boys, then she should be able to take what comes with the territory.”
A rage filled Cenzo. He had heard of such thoughts running through the Spryten troops, but never blatantly voiced to his face. He glanced at Aries who looked just as appalled by the soldier’s response.
“And you believe this is what she deserved?” Cenzo asked with an eerily calm tone. “So, because of her gender, this is the punishment she receives as an imprisoned soldier.”
Fearful of the steely look in his general’s eyes, the soldier stupidly nodded his response.
Cenzo merely shrugged in response, the storm brewing faster and harder behind his eyes. Suddenly, with a gut-churning yell resounding from him, he mercilessly slugged the soldier repeatedly till his nose was no longer noticeable and he was out cold. Defused of his anger, Cenzo turned and addressed the other culprits.
“When Aries has reviewed the tapes and has compiled the guilty parties, I will personally deal with you,” he vowed. “You fools don’t realize the amount of trouble you will bring your King and his Royal Court if this leaks out to the Universal Council. Heads will roll and it sure hell will not be mine. Guards, confine them to their rooms!”
“Yes, sir,” the men complied marching the men out. Two soldiers quickly swooped up the downed man and dragged him out. Another pair carried the Messian soldier out on a stretcher to the medic quarters.
Once the room had cleared, Cenzo slammed his fist repeatedly against the wall. Aries tried to grab his arm but was shoved away for his trouble. His rage safely banked, Cenzo closed his eyes and tried to steady his breath. He had never lost that kind of control before, but that scene had set something primitive off in him. He realized that in their society women were treated more like possessions rather than equals, but he never would have dreamed that this kind of carnage existed in his ranks. His own naïveté he guessed. He would never let it happen again.
“Cenz-” Aries began.
“Go check on the status of that Messian soldier,” he ordered daring Aries not to press him. “Return to me with a full report from Crush.”
“Yes, sir,” he said leaving the hold.
Alone, Cenzo could feel the anger further defuse from his body. His breathing had returned to normal. Inhaling sharply, he blew the air back out with just as much force. He glanced at the other Messian soldiers in the room and realized they had witnessed this whole scene and had been powerless to stop his troops. He couldn’t even fathom the anger that must’ve instilled or, worse yet, the rage. From the stories he heard, Messian soldiers were fiercely loyal and went into blind frenzies to avenge a fallen comrade.
Walking over to one soldier, he stared at him with a look of deep remorse and condolence. The soldier was dressed in leather cargos and a fitted sleeveless shirt. His arms were bunched with tightened muscles and decorated with a maze of tattoos. His hair was a crisscross of cornrows that lay elegantly down his back. His eyes, a mixture of emerald green and topaz, rimmed with unrequited rage.
Reading his stats on the monitor, he realized this was Morgan’s second in command, Vollo Vartaine. Unsure why, but Cenzo felt compelled to offer the man a chance to voice his anger. Locating the proper switch he eased the suspension on the man.
He cleared his throat and began introductions, “I’m Vicenz-”
“I know who you are,” Vartaine quickly assured him. “What I want to know is what will be done to our man?”
Cenzo nodded slowly his understanding and replied, “I will have my own personal physician tend her and report back to you and your general.”
Vollo digested what he said and added, “And the men responsible?”
“I will have internal charges brought before them,” he assured. “But that’s all you may get.”
“I guess under the circumstance that is all we could ask for,” Vollo agreed. “Will you notify my general?”
“Yes,” Cenzo reassured him. “I’ll leave now and tell her.”
“How will you ensure this will not happen again, General Napoleon? We have another female,” Vollo revealed.
Cenzo met his gaze sternly and vowed, “Trust me. It won’t.”
Cenzo started to punch in the suspension sequence when Vollo added, “I’d be careful when entering the general’s quarters.”
This steadied his hands and brought his eyes colliding with the lieutenant’s. “Why is that?”
“Just be warned, General. A bound between a Messian soldier and commander is very deep and it would be wise to bring back up,” he said, repositioning himself for the suspension, saying no more.
Not wishing to push him further, Cenzo turned the switch which froze the soldier in place. He turned on his heels and left to face… what exactly?
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