any time to spare.'
'We're ready. Just lead the way,' said Tiet.
'I know my way around that ship,' said Kale. 'I should probably lead the way once we get on board.'
Tiet looked at Grod who nodded his own approval.
'Then let's go.'
The three men made their way quickly down to the domed chamber. They each noted their own weaponry on hand as one of the Horva prepped the portal for power up. Grod was wearing one of the plasma glove weapons they had seen the Horva using during the rescue in Thalidi.
'What is that thing anyway?' asked Tiet.
'The glove channels plasma energy from this pack on my back and targets by way of this targeting laser located in my data-scope lens,' said Grod. 'They're good; we've worked hard on these weapons.'
'Oh, we noticed,' said Kale. 'Your men fried those Hurutai with no problem.'
'The weapon is similar to throwing a bolt of lightening,' said Grod.
'I'm glad you've decided to be on our side,' said Tiet. 'It sounds like you've been monitoring our every move lately.'
'Well, it helps to stay informed, doesn't it?' said Grod jokingly.
The tech signaled a lock on the Baruk flagship when they were ready. 'Sir, we can't get an exact scan on what you'll face up there,' said one of the men operating the control panel at the gateway.
'We don't have time to waste, we'll just have to deal with whatever we find,' said Grod. 'Activate the transgate.'
The gateway came alive with energy before them. An image began to coalesce as the transgate brought the chamber at Nagon-Toth into direct contact with a location somewhere on the Baruk flagship.
'Gentlemen, it's time.'
WYNN was watching the last of the pulse cannon fire emanating from Thalidi's defensive batteries. Tiet had been wise to set the front for this defense at ten miles out from Thalidi's perimeter.
The Baruk had been trying for nearly twenty minutes to use the city's cannons against them but the range was not great enough to reach. It appeared they were giving up on that tactic now and Wynn wondered if they might emerge soon for a face to face fight with his forces. He didn't have long to wait.
The sixth gate began to open on the defense wall as Wynn watched through his data-scope lens, which magnified the image. They were coming; on a fast march toward their position. From his grounded angle it was impossible to tell how many, but it looked like thousands. With all of their new recruits, Wynn still only had five thousand warriors to face the Baruk. It wouldn't be enough. The Baruk were strong runners and within an hour they would be locked in combat.
THERE were no warriors anywhere in sight when the trio stepped out of Nagon-Toth's domed chamber into the Baruk Flagship. Kale studied the location for a moment and recognized where they were.
'Tiet, we're near the core of the ship. That means we could easily access the power stream for the gravity bomb containment chamber.'
'What in the world is that?'
'Gravity bombs are large super dense alloy spheres that produce a gravitational field powerful enough to crush a ship's hull like an egg. If we can disable the special containment field that prevents them from destroying this ship, then-'
'Then this ship will implode around them,' said Grod quickly.
'What do we have to do, Kale?'
'The coolant system would be the easiest to disable from where we are. If you and Grod could make your way down this corridor, you will come to an overlook for the containment chamber. You'll be able to see a series of yellow colored conduits running from above the chamber; these are the coolant conduits. I'm not sure how many there are, but if you can blow out at least two of them then the coolant pressure will rapidly fall to zero; after that it will take about ten minutes to lose the containment field altogether.'
'What about you?' asked Tiet.
'I'm going after the Three. They'll need to be distracted or killed while you two attack the coolant conduits. That area is heavily guarded, but they can pull many more warriors to stop us if someone doesn't distract them.'
Grod and Tiet eyed one another. 'I think it's a good plan,' said Grod. 'Anyway, what else do we have? But if we are not back through the transgate before the ship implodes, the gravity could threaten Nagon-Toth-and of course, we won't survive either.'
'Then we'll meet back here at the transgate,' said Tiet.
Kale watched his brother and General Grod as they headed down the long corridor. He would have liked to agree on meeting back at the transgate, but he did not plan on leaving the ship.
Given the power of Lucin, he would have to remain to prevent him from escaping when the containment failure alert sounded all over the ship. If they survived, then this effort would be wasted and the war itself would likely carry on to the inevitable end with the Baruk dominating the entire planet. Kale was determined to give his brother the chance to be the king he could never have been himself.
XIV
HE knew the ship well and made his way quickly and quietly toward the chamber of the Three; Lucin's mortal puppets. Kale encountered a number of warriors as he went, but evaded their notice. Soon he arrived at the chamber.
He guessed that Tiet and Grod would probably be close to the containment area by now and he had little time to distract the Lucin before intruder alarms would sound and they would lose the slight advantage surprise gave them.
Kale removed two spicors from his uniform and stepped back enough to throw them into the chamber door. They flashed violently, leaving a large hole through the alloy that comprised the door. Kale was through the door as soon as the energy dissipated.
He dived through and rolled to his feet, drawing his blade as he stood. The dispersion field ignited and lit the dark room around him, but the Three were not immediately seen. He closed his eyes and relied upon his mind, and then he found them. 'You can come out, I see you,' said Kale.
Kale immediately formed a kinetic bubble within the hole he had made and blew out the door mechanism with a thought.
'Did you think we would run from you Kale?' asked one of the Three.
'Or are you ready to end your life by trapping yourself with us?' asked another.
'You'll try to run before I'm through with you Lucin,' said Kale.
They laughed in unison. 'Pride goeth before a fal,l mortal. Do you really expect to defeat an angel?'
'You were an angel Lucin; now you're an abomination.'
They approached him from three sides, coming into the yellowish glow of his blade. Kale protected himself mentally as he felt them apply their own great mental faculties against him.
Lucin was putting tremendous pressure upon him as he searched for a weakness in Kale's defense, but he could find none.
Kale could feel the pressure continuing to build as Lucin sought to attack him mentally. He knew very well that he would have been easily overcome by the angel if he was not forced to split his attention and power in coordinating his warriors on the ground and with the ships still fighting the Vorn cruisers around the flagship.
Kale decided that he would have to try a counterattack soon or Lucin might break through his mental defense. Suddenly Kale lunged at one of them to strike with his blade. The symbyte swept out of the way fast toward one of the others like a hand being pulled back to its body.
A large piece of equipment flew at Kale from its place in the shadows as he attempted to correct his
