Sacrifice:The Shenkar War (37 page)

             
“
Maybe we will get lucky and this high council member will eviscerate the Supreme Overlord for us. From what Reeta says, the Supreme Overlord commanding this Dread Fleet is one of their best. Remove him, and we would have a lot easier time of it,” Tim said hopefully.

             
“
Well, from the way I hear it, that probably won’t happen. The Admiral wants to kill this high council member. So we are here to see what the plan is,” replied Evan.

             
Turning and looking around, Evan saw that all the pilots were now present and just about seated. Admiral Kelvin entered the room with Captain Caqel and Commander Dunklin in tow. The room fell silent as the Admiral walked to the front of the room and stood at the podium. Captain Caqel and Commander Dunklin seated themselves in chairs behind the Admiral, one to the left and one to the right. Arranging some papers in front of him, the Admiral took his time before he spoke. At last, when all his papers seemed to be in order, he turned and activated a button on a remote he was holding. A large map of System 238 sprang to life on the wall behind him. Turning back to the assembled pilots, he then finally spoke.

             
“
As many of you know, we have intercepted reports that one of the high council of the Shenkar Federation will be arriving in this system tomorrow. The transmissions we received also indicated he is traveling with a small escort for one with so much power. The estimates on the convoy size are four Shizrec-class cruisers and an equal amount of Kelgen-class destroyers. The fighter cover should number somewhere around five hundred. I know this is still a sizable force, but according to the latest estimates by our Meshtrell friends, if we should win this battle, we will effectively break the Shenkar offensive. This is why when you pilots go into battle, the
Sacrifice
will be going with you.”

             
Murmurs broke out at this point, reacting to this news. Evan knew that the original mission had called for the
Sacrifice
to stand down from any major engagements. For Admiral Kelvin to use the
Sacrifice
in this upcoming battle, he truly must believe they could win this war.

             
“
Win this battle, and we can go home. The Earth will be safe,” said Tim quietly to Evan.

             
“
Something isn’t right about this whole thing. The Shenkar know we are present in the system somewhere. We have never intercepted anything before, yet now we get this one and it just happens to be one we can’t pass up? Also, the force is just large enough that we will need to bring the
Sacrifice
into the engagement to assure victory. I’m telling you, something is rotten about this whole thing . . . I wish Liam was here,” said Evan.

             
“
I guess we have to trust in the Admiral to get us through this. He is considered to be an expert in military strategy,” said Crystal.

             
They spent the next few hours going over the upcoming mission. All the possible scenarios were recounted. Evan and the rest of Necro Squadron would position themselves within N-6. As the enemy convoy entered the system, they would attack. Once all enemy ships were engaged, the
Sacrifice
would fold in and assault the enemy force from behind, effectively boxing the enemy force against N-6. With all the details conveyed, the assembled pilots began to break up and head off to prep for the flight. As Evan gathered up his notes, Admiral Kelvin approached.

             
“
Mr. Maxis, we need a word,” said the Admiral.

             
Tim and Crystal left without another word as Evan turn and waited quietly for the Admiral to speak. Looking around to make sure they were alone, he then turned to Evan.

             
“
I will be honest with you. I don’t believe this to be as easy as it seems. In all actuality, I believe this to be an ambush to kill more of our pilots, but on the chance this isn’t an ambush, it is too great an opportunity to pass up. Furthermore, I don’t believe the Shenkar think we will bring the
Sacrifice
into direct battle, so I think that will be our edge. But in the event this goes sour, I need something from you. In the event that Captain Caqel and I are killed, then I need you to take command of these pilots and lead them the best you can.”

             
“
But what about Commander Dunklin--he would be next in command?” asked Evan.

             
“
Commander Dunklin is a good man, but he is not a pilot nor does he truly understand your men and women’s mission. You will need to lead the men and women to the asteroid base. I am not going to order you to throw your lives away . . . that is a choice. I never agreed with the mission you were given that was to lead to all your deaths. I believe you will do what you need to do in the end, but don’t be foolish about it.”

             
“
Yes, Admiral. I will try to not let you down.”

             
“
I know you will do your best, and that’s all I ask,” said Admiral Kelvin. He then bowed his head slightly and then walked from the room.

             
Sighing, Evan dropped his notes back onto the table and then turned to an overhead map of the system. Over and over, he began to study possible routes of escape on the map that detailed the upcoming mission. Evan wasn’t a religious man; he had no use for religion, as he felt it was a tool for the weak-minded. But still he silently prayed that they would get through this and put an end to this madness.

Shenkar Battlecruiser
Tryliene

              He woke at the sound of the door sliding open. Craning his head around, he spotted the one named Scyren entering the room. Scyren ignored him and walked over to where an array of small containers rested upon a shelf, the contents unknown to him.

             
Turning his head back, he closed his eyes again and concentrated on what he did know. He knew he was being held captive by a race known as the Shenkar. He had been a pilot who had been fighting these Shenkar and, from the sounds of it, doing rather well. He still couldn’t remember his name or who he was, but images and names flashed into his memory. He mostly saw a tall man and a short beautiful woman. He was pretty sure the man’s name was Evan, but when it came to the woman, he was unsure. She truly was beautiful and had startling green eyes. Other images flashed across his mind as he tried to regain something of his memories.

             
A sharp piercing pain in his arm shook him from his thoughts. Opening his eyes, he spotted Scyren standing next to him; he hadn’t even heard the humanoid approach. It held a long thin, sharp instrument in its hand that it was currently pushing into his arm. Seeing him awake, Scyren removed the instrument and set it upon a tray that was positioned next to the examination table.

             
“
I see you are awake. Shall we begin again? What is the current force size here in this system? What is the strength of your planetary defenses?”

             
He didn’t answer but just studied Scyren. It was the same routine they had been going through each time. The same questions were asked, and when he couldn’t answer, he was then tortured until he passed out. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to answer but that he couldn’t answer because he just didn’t remember--although deep down inside he knew that even if he did remember, he wouldn’t tell this humanoid.

             
“
I know you understand me, human. Perhaps I wasn’t persuasive enough.”

             
Turning around, Scyren reached for a cylindrical object that rested upon the counter. The object was roughly seven inches in length. A small metal loop hung off the end of one side, and the other end had a hole at its center and was surrounded by what looked to be several tiny crystals. The object seemed to have been scorched by fire recently.

After retrieving the object, Scyren held it out in front of him. Scyren depressed a small button on the cylinder, yet nothing seemed to happen. Scyren frowned down at the object and then raised it to study it more closely. After a moment, Scyren smiled and then pressed the button to his shackled hand. A red shimmering blade sprang to life at the touch of a human.

              Holding the blade aloft for a moment, Scyren then lowered the blade and slowly pressed it against the pink flesh. His armed sizzled as it burned. He gritted his teeth but he did not scream out; instead, he just continued to stare at Scyren. Removing the blade, Scyren set it down upon the counter and then turned back once again.

             
“
Well, it seems you humans are tougher than most races we have encountered. If you are not prepared to speak, then you leave me no choice.”

             
And with that, Scyren turned and walked to another counter and began to pull small jar-like containers down from a shelf. Carefully, the humanoid mixed several of the contents together into one container. Once done, it picked up a large syringe and used it to withdraw some of the black liquid. Once the syringe was completely full, Scyren then returned to the examination table.

             
“
This is one of the most corrosive chemicals known to me. This chemical agent will burn through your body. I can assure you, it will be painful, and it will be slow. You will feel like every cell in your body is on fire and exploding. So do you wish to talk now?”

             
The Shenkar scientist stared at him for a moment, almost expecting an answer. Then, with a shrug, the Shenkar, after some struggle with an invisible force field, inserted the needle into his left arm.

             
It felt like hot liquid fire surging into his veins. Slowly, he felt the burning hot feeling spread throughout his body, the pain building with intensity. It felt as if every cell in his body was exploding. The pain spread throughout his entire body until it reached his brain. He had thought he had felt pain before, but he found new meaning to the word, and he screamed like he had never screamed before.

Shenkar Battlecruiser
Tryliene

              Scyren watched the human writhe in pain, his body contorting as much as it could under the restraints. Veins swell as the blood pumped through. The human’s face was racked with pain; his mouth opened, and he screamed.

             
After a few moments of listening to the human scream in pain, Scyren then turned and exited the room. His assistant met him just as the door closed behind him.

             
“
I administered chemical compound 345 into the human’s bloodstream. The screaming you heard before the door closed is evidence that the compound is succeeding in purging the nanites from the human’s body. I have some work to do, so I wish for you to monitor the subject until I return. Do nothing except monitor him until I return--is that clear?”

             
“
Yes, Master Scyren.”

             
Scyren turned and walked toward his quarters to write his report to the Supreme Overlord.

Shenkar Battlecruiser
Tryliene

              Scyren’s assistant entered the examination room to the sound of screaming from the human as he thrashed against his restraints. The assistant stood there until the door closed, then walked to the counter to retrieve a monitoring device. Abruptly, the screaming stopped and the room was silent.

             
Turning around, the assistant looked at the still human form. Walking over to the examination table, the assistant raised the device to the body and scanned the human. Vitals were low but the human seemed to still be alive.
Tough beings, these humans are
, the humanoid thought to himself. Examining the body more closely, the assistant noticed a peculiarity. The skin had seemed to go pale with a bluish tint to it.

             
Suddenly, the human’s eyes flicked open and looked straight at the Shenkar. Pure hatred burned in those eyes--eyes dead except for hate. Suddenly, the subject began to pull against his restraints.

             
“
You will not be able to break those restraints, human. Our strongest warriors cannot break those--”

             
However, the Shenkar never finished what he was going to say. The assistant was cut off as the restraint holding the human’s left arm down suddenly ripped free off the examination table. The human’s mouth twisted into an evil and vicious smile as he lifted his free hand toward the Shenkar. Stepping back quickly out of reach, the Shenkar looked about for a weapon. Seizing a wicked-looking blade from a nearby table, the assistant turned and prepared to ram it through the skull of the human.