'As you said, Barudii, we may see one another on the battlefield someday; but this is not your day to die. Now take your peace and go in it.'
Tiet gave him one last look then backed away from the room full of warriors. The main gate opened up behind him allowing him to exit as Grod walked slowly after him, watching him leave. The Horva were falling in behind him with their weapons still at the ready just in case, but none were aggressive toward him.
Wynn watched from the support beams above the chamber where Tiet had fought with the General. He couldn't believe what was happening. Tiet had said he would kill him. Grod was within his grasp and he spared him.
Even with the broken arm he probably still could've made it out if he had wanted to. The young king was surprising him more with each passing event.
His gun was still trained on the General from his perch. Wynn waited for Tiet to make it back over the defense field and head back for his ship over the ridge before he left his hidden position and made his way back to his own fighter. The Horva never knew he was there; his Barudii cloak had seen to that. He hoped Tiet had not been aware of his presence either.
IT took Wynn several hours to make his way back to Baeth Periege in his ship. He had arrived nearly at the same time that Tiet's fighter was reported to have docked in a different part of the city, near the main medical facility.
He was going to have to see to his broken arm. The medics would put him through the standard osteoblast enhancement. What used to be done in weeks back home was now done in two hours with Vorn medical treatments. It would be enough time for Wynn to get to Kale before Tiet was able to. Hopefully he would be undergoing the treatment before anyone even told him about his brother being captured.
Wynn sprinted out of the lift of the holding facility. He wasn't sure why Kale would just surrender himself, but he needed to find out as much as he could before Tiet heard of his brother's arrival. From what he knew about Tiet's feelings concerning Kale, he would be fortunate to even get a quick death.
Wynn placed his hand on the DNA scanner and entered the room of Kale's holding cell. He was still there sitting quietly with two armed guards watching him carefully. The cell was such that any tampering with the mechanism, even mentally, would cause another separate system to fire a charge within the cell that would stun the prisoner and potentially even kill them. The energy field comprising the front wall was still functioning properly.
Kale stood to his feet as Wynn entered the room. He did not know the man, but he remembered him from the platform, running behind his brother after the battle with Orin. He perceived him as Barudii. He could sense his power before he had even entered the room.
Wynn stood before the energy field to face Kale. He could sense the power of the Barudii. He almost felt like he was in Tiet's presence, the intensity was so powerful.
'Kale Soone, my name is Wynn Gareth; I served under your father.'
'I have heard your name, but I do not know you.'
'I would like to know why you came back to this planet and why you surrendered to our forces.'
Kale waited a moment before answering, studying Wynn's face and considering the question. 'It doesn't really matter. The Baruk are on their way. I'm not one of them. I didn't have anywhere else to go.'
'But you didn't have to come here. You realize that you are facing a death sentence by coming here. I just want to know why,' said Wynn.
Kale's guard seemed to soften at that point. 'I'm guilty of killing my own family Mr. Gareth. I betrayed them to the Vorn. My brother is the only one of them who escaped. If he wants to kill me then I'm sure I deserve it.'
Wynn could see the emotion in Kale's eyes as he spoke. He meant what he was saying. 'Perhaps if you told Tiet then he might…'
'He'll never forgive me. And I really don't blame him. Whatever I receive for my crimes against my people will never be enough,' said Kale.
Wynn wasn't sure what to say. He could sense truth in the man and genuine remorse for his past crimes. He stood there still, watching the son of his former king, and he felt sorry for the man. Not because he might die as a traitor, but because he was genuinely repentant and had no way to repair the damage he had done.
Suddenly the door to the room was opening and in walked Tiet.
'So it's true!!' he shouted.
He pulled his blade from his scabbard as he crossed the small room toward the cell. This was exactly what Wynn was hoping would not happen. He noticed Tiet's arm still tucked to his side. He hadn't made it to get the repair yet. Tiet was already bringing his broken arm up painfully to place his hand on the DNA scanner.
It was a moment frozen in time. The energy field went down to the cell as Tiet raised his blade to strike his brother. Wynn knew it now; he was really going to kill him. He looked at Kale. He was just standing there with his eyes closed like it was going to be a relief to his own inner pain.
Tiet thrust his father's blade toward Kale, and then it was landing on the ground beside him. 'What are you doing?!' shouted Tiet.
Wynn had caught his arm in mid-flight and disarmed him. It was a split second decision to save Kale's life; to save Tiet from the regret and torture of having killed his own brother. 'Tiet, if you kill him you'll never forgive yourself,' said Wynn as they struggled.
'He killed my father, my mother and Orin; our people were slaughtered because of him!' shouted Tiet.
'It's alright, Wynn,' said Kale, 'I deserve this, let him go.'
'You shut your mouth, traitor!!' shouted Tiet as he attacked Kale with his mind.
Kale was pushed backward into the wall. He slumped to the floor in pain under the kinetic attack; he wasn't trying to shield himself at all from his younger brother's righteous fury.
'Tiet, he is still your brother, all that you have left of your family!' shouted Wynn.
Tiet shook free of Wynn's loosening grip on his arm. 'Stay out of it, Wynn.'
He looked back to Kale still groaning on the ground trying to breathe. Something snapped in his expression as he looked at his brother bent to his will on the ground in pain. He released him from the attack and backed away with a bewildered look on his face.
He turned away to walk out, looking very disturbed. Tiet extended his good hand behind him and caught his blade as it leapt from the ground, flying across the room after him. The door closed behind him.
Kale began to recover himself. Wynn did not help him up. Instead he stepped back outside the cell and scanned the lock to reactivate the cell's energy field.
'Watch him,' he said to the guards, who were stunned by the event.
He looked back at the cell to see Kale climbing back to the small bed against the cell wall. There wasn't time to worry about the pain either of the brothers might feel; the Baruk were still on their way.
XII
RANUL rushed into the power lift heading for the bridge of the Vorn cruiser Esyia. The Baruk were headed into the sector where they were patrolling. The probes along the way were being destroyed systematically as they journeyed toward Castai-Rex. With at least fifty large warships, they were flaunting their power and moving quickly.
The level indicator clicked away as the lift carried him toward the bridge where he could analyze the latest data. There were only two Vorn battle cruisers assigned to each sector from among the twenty-three that had been confiscated on Castai-Ori and left on Rex after the departure of the remaining Vorn military during the battle of Baeth Periege. The Onicule was traveling with them nearby.
All the Vorn battle cruisers were heavily armed and highly maneuverable, but with the greater number of Baruk vessels approaching, many serving aboard the cruisers were expecting to fight a losing battle. Still, morale among the crews remained strong. If they were going to lose, then they would take as many of the Baruk with them as possible.
