Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Chapter 1
Neo Amsterdam, New Holland, Netherlands System…
Fifteen-year-old Jordan Price walked along the sky paths of his hometown in a day dream state. Today had been a day among days. The Empyreal battle platform Ryuk had docked at the southern shipyards platform. This is the first time in over four hundred years that one of these massive space vessels had been to New Holland, let alone Neo Amsterdam. Everywhere he went he heard that the Empress Maiha Nakatoma was visiting the cloud city. That she was here to reinstate the Great Rosse Buurt Temple as one of the Empires temples.
Even as important as that was that was not what he was looking forward to. No what he hoped to see was the Sky Dancers. For as long as he could remember that was all he wanted to be. Being a Sky Dancer was in his blood. As far back as he could remember that was all he ever wanted to be, but he knew that his dream would never happen. Oh, he knew everything there was to being a Sky Dancer; he was raised in a family of them. There was only one problem Jordan Price was a male. Everyone knew that the symbionts would not bond with a male. Those fantastic symbiont Bio-suits would only bond to a female. This was common knowledge.
He had been told this from the time he could walk that he was not a real member of the family. That only the females of the family could carry on the family blood line. Jordan was not really surprised by this attitude among his family. Not when he was the only male still in the house. His mother actually told him that on the day of his majority he had to leave home. Not that Jordan really cared. He never knew his father, then again, no member of a Sky Dancer family ever did.
The problem was when a Sky Dancer reached twenty-five years they would go to the GBL and be impregnated with a random donor. That was the way of things for the Sky Dancers. There was no marriage or courtship, just walk in to the Gift of Life Bank and come out pregnant. The children of Sky Dancers never knew who their fathers were. They only knew their mothers. While female children were preferred as they stood a chance at continuing in their mothers’ footsteps males were never neglected. They just weren’t considered as a true part of the families.
The problem was that boys would never be able to fly like the girls. Oh, a boy could join the PDF as a fighter pilot and were often actively recruited just for that; they could never bond with a symbiont bio-suit. For most sons of Sky Dancers though they would become gas miners. Unlike most humans these boys could withstand the higher pressures of the lower atmosphere of New Holland. Unlike most Jupiter Class gas giants New Holland occupied the M-3 planetary position. Like most of the cloud cities of New Holland Neo Amsterdam was a gas mining outpost. But the real wealth was in the mining of Casper Crystals deep in the lower reaches of the gas giant’s lower atmosphere. The number of dead men and lost deep diver carbs was in the thousands if not hundreds of thousands.
That was where most of the Sky Dancer sons went. To the deep diver carbs and Cristal mining companies. Jordan had no desire to dive the depths of the gas clouds hunting for ghost crystals. No, he would leave Neo Amsterdam and New Holland all together. If he could not be a Sky Dancer, he would become a Death Dealer. He hadn’t shared his plans with his mother as she would not agree with is choice. He could hear her words now. ‘Sky Dancers do not make war. We are a peaceful people. Our place is among the clouds. Not down on the ground with normal humans. The way of the Death Dealer only leads to pain and death. Why would you shame our family in this way?’ It wouldn’t matter that Jordan could never be a true Sky Dancer.
Jordan was brought out of his depressing thoughts and daydreaming by a sudden impact from a ninety-pound human cannonball. “Hey big brother!” Jordan had to fight to keep his feet as he looked down at his little sister. There before him was a reminder of why he would never be a Sky Dancer. Even at ten years Raven was the perfect host.
“Hello little bird. So, what are you doing out here? You know that hatchlings aren’t allowed out in public without their guardian.” Jordan had a hard time keeping a straight face as Raven pouted.
“Mama sent me to collect you. It is almost time for Silvia to ascend. The candidates are even now gathering on the glass. This is going to be one of the most important of Bonding’s in four hundred years. They say that Empress Maiha is going to attend.” Jordan didn’t wish to rain on his sister’s happiness by telling her he didn’t want to go.
“Oh really. The Empress herself is going to be there you say? Well then, I guess we need to be going. Besides this will most likely be the last Bonding I will get to see.” Jordan took his sister’s hand and turned toward the city arena.
“What do you mean? You’ll be there for mine, won’t you?” Raven looked up at her older brother.
“I fear not little bird.” Jordan sighed he didn’t want to tell Raven the truth but knew that he had to. “No male family members over their majority may attend the Bonding’s. By the time, you’re ready to take wing I’ll have been out of the nest for five years. I can only attend now because Sylvia is on the glass. Come on little bird we don’t want to be late. I am sure mother already has our places next to the edge.”
“Oh, man does mama ever. We’re right on the edge. We are so close that our feet will be on the glass.” Raven’s excitement meant that their mother really did have a spot on the glass.
As the brother and sister worked their way to the city arena they passed a group of women dressed in the uniforms of Death Dealers. While Death Dealers were a common sight on Neo Amsterdam these four stood out. The first thing that set them apart from regular Death Dealer was their race. They were Drow elves. The second thing that set them apart was their unit insignia, it was a red triangle boarded in black with a snarling hounds head. These were the personal bodyguards of Empress Maiha. Everyone in the Empire knew of the Hell Hounds and here were four of them.
“So, the rumors are true the Empress really is here to see the Bonding.” Jordan whispered to himself. Before Jordan had time to understand the meaning behind the presence of the Empress’s bodyguards Raven pulled him on toward the arena. It wasn’t long before the two were standing next to their mother. Jordan just sighed as his mother gave him a less than pleased looked. “Sorry for my tardiness Flight Leader.”
“Your apology is accepted groundling.” Jordan bristled at the name groundling, like all boys of the Sky Dancers it was not a term of endearment. He hated being called groundling just like all the male offspring of the Sky Dancers.
The fact that his mother was also a Flight Leader made the hated name that more derogatory. He knew that his majority could not come soon enough form him. The day he turned eighteen he was off this planet. One way or another he would leave New Holland. The fact that they were in public was the only thing holding Jordan’s tongue. “Thank you Flight Leader.” He said through gritted teeth. “Has the hatching started?”
“No not yet, in fact your timing may even be better than most.” His mother never looked at Jordan. Her eyes were only for the symbiont eggs in front of his sister. “See there.” she pointed out at the glass arena floor. “Even now they begin to rock. Your sister will surely bond with a blue. She will make a fine Wing Second. Mark my words Jordan your sister will make our clan proud this day.”
Jordan looked out at where his mother had pointed. Sure, enough his sister was indeed standing in front of a blue symbiont. She would be second only to a gold, like his mother. Looking around the arena floor Jordan took in the twenty-two young women and where they stood. From the looks of things there would be five blues, eight reds, and nine slivers. Jordan could tell that this Bonding would be a very uneven distribution among the eight Flights. His attention was drawn to one symbiont egg though that was off to one side.
“Excuse me Flight Leader.” When his mother turned to look at him Jordan pointed to the lone egg. “Why is that one not with the other eggs?”
“It happens from time to time. That one is a black symbiont. Do you see how dark the shell is?” Jordan nodded his head. “Those will not bond with a host. If a candidate were to try bonding with a black it will kill them. So, we no longer take the chance and place those eggs where they will not find a host.” The idea of letting a symbiont dying went against everything Jordan was taught. “It is better this way.”
Jordan just kept his own thoughts to himself on the matter. His attention was once again brought back to the arena floor as the first cracks appeared in his sister’s egg. Just as his mother predicted it was a blue. He was surprised when the crowd roared at the sight of the blue symbiont covering his sister. What they did not know was that the symbiont could still kill his sister if she did not assert her will over the creature that would become her bio-suit.
It wasn’t long before it began to take her shape instead of a misshaped blob. Soon the tattle tale signs of his sister’s face began to appear. Soon there were more symbiont covered candidates. Once the first egg broke open the rest followed quickly. Jordan looked over at the raised platform where the Temple elders always sat. He was surprised to see the Empress Maiha along with the War Princess Alison standing there with the elders.
Jordan became so entranced with the sight of those two beautiful and powerful women that he started walking towards them. He no longer cared what was going down on the arena floor. In fact, he wasn’t even paying attention to where he was walking around the glass. He didn’t realize that his path would take him within two feet of the black egg. Not when there a mere fifteen feet above him was the embodiment of the Empire and his second greatest dream. Surrounding the Royal couple were ten Second Generation Death Dealers all members of the Hell Hounds.
“HEY KID GET OUT OF THERE!” someone scream just before the symbiont latched itself to Jordan’s leg. It took less than two seconds for the symbiont to cover Jordan completely. The last thing he heard was his mother and Raven scream in terror. They knew that death would surely take Jordan now.
At first Jordan, didn’t realize what was happening. Everything went black and all sound disappeared. It was only when the first tendrils of thick oily mass worked its way down his throat that he understood what was going on. He felt the oily substance working its way up his nose and into his ears. He then felt it tearing through his clothes and entering his rectum. He had heard his mother describe what a bonding felt like to his sister Sylvia enough times to finally figure out what was happening to him.
Against all odds, a symbiont was trying to bond with him. He knew that if he didn’t start asserting his will soon the symbiont would kill him. All the rage he had felt over the years at being treated as nothing more than a genetic material suppository rose to the surface. It fueled his will to live. Jordan began to fight back against the symbiont.
Time lost all meaning to Jordan as he fought for his life and dominance over the symbiont. If he survived the bonding, he knew he would have to show he was in control of it. He knew that the Flight Leaders would kill any bonded pair if the symbiont were to be the one in control. Sky Dancers maybe a peaceful people, but they would kill to defend themselves and others if a Sky Dancer posed a threat. The bio-suit symbionts may give Sky Dancers their wings they were also a double-edged sword. Not only did Sky Dancers have wings and could fly they were also extremely powerful.
What no one outside of the Sky Dancers knew was the pure raw power that came with symbionts. Symbionts were truly a wonder of the ages. They could turn an ordinary woman into a death welding terror in the skies. The first thing that symbionts bestowed on it host was their wings. With the wings came the strength of fifty grown men. The next was claws sharp enough to cut through space armor. The one thing that no one knew about outside of the Sky Dancers was the twin organs that the symbiont bestowed on a Sky Dancer. Those organs turned a Sky Dancer into a flying lighting rod.
Every Dancer had to learn to control that electrical power. They could throw lightning bolts up to three hundred feet at levels strong enough to melt through APS armor. The most powerful of Sky Dancers able to use this effect were the Golds. He would know this as his mother was more than just a Flight Leader she was a Gold. They were also the ones that would kill him if he could not control this symbiont.
So, Jordan fought with more than just his anger, and fear. He fought with a passion to be more than just a groundling. He was going to master the one color of symbiont that not even his mother would try. He would master the one color that all Flight Leaders feared. He would finally show them all that the sons of Sky Dancers were more than just genetic supply points.
When he started to see daylight again he knew he was winning. The next thing he knew was he could breathe with ease. Next his hearing returned. He could tell by the sounds of panic that surrounded him. With a surge of will and rage he forced his will on the symbiont. “I WILL LIVE! I WILL BE FREE! I AM MY OWN MASTER!”
Jordan had no sooner emerged from the symbiont than he pasted out. The boy had spent all his energy in doing what every Sky Dancer thought was impossible. He had tamed the deadly black symbiont. Only it was not a boy that emerged from the bonding. Lying there before everyone to see was a teenage girl.
Chapter 2
The birth of Thunder Hawk.
The first thing Jordan noticed when he woke up was that he was alive. “I did it, I beat the symbiont.” At first the timber and pitch of his voice didn’t register with Jordan. The second thing he noticed was that he was not in the arena on the glass. He was lying on his side in a hospital bed. As he tried to setup he felt something pulling at his back.
When he tried to see what, it was, something shifted on his chest. Looking down at his chest he was greeted by the sight of breasts. Slowly he placed his hand on the one on the left side of his chest. He squeezed and felt his own flesh being compressed. After doing the same on the right-side Jordan knew that something was very wrong. It was only when he really looked at the breasts on his chest that he realized he was covered in a black symbiont bio-suit.
With that realization came the reality that something was very, very wrong. Like all young men and women when confronted with something outside of their comfort zone he did what they all do. He screamed his head off and promptly passed back out. Unknown to Jordan at the time the force of his scream would bring help from an unexpected source.
Sister Sarah and Sister Katlyn of the Nightingale Sisterhood rushed down the hallway to the room from which the scream came. They knew what had just happened. They had seen it happen before among the earlier Second Generation Death Dealers. They knew that the Sky Dancer’s child had just woken to find that she was no longer a male. Gender shock was common in the early days of the Second Generations, and the Nightingale Sisters had become experts in the signs.
The two Sisters had been at the arena during the bonding. They had been on the Elders Platform with the Royal Couple. It was thanks to this position that they were able to get to the teen before anyone else. It was also their status as Nightingales that had stopped the Flight Leaders at first. They were certain that the Flight leaders would have killed the unconscious child. They kept screaming something about an out of control black symbiont and it being a mercy.
Thankfully the Nightingale Sisters never went anywhere without at least three Ida-ten Knights at their sides. So, when the two Daughters of the Dragon, three Black Swords of St. George, and the Child of Mars landed besides them in full combat mode the Flight Leaders backed off. Even as powerful as the Flight Leaders were they would not cross these Knights. Even here where the War of Succession had barely touched the people they knew of the powerful Knights of Ida-ten, and Second Generation Death Dealers.
Of the two Nightingales, Sarah was the younger but had more experience with Gender Shock than Katlyn so she took the lead. Katlyn had come to the Sisterhood flowing the end of the war, while Sara had been there from the start. She was bound and determined help this child. Sarah had her own personal reasons for helping this Sky Dancer. As Sarah entered the room she found the child laying on the floor out cold. “Katlyn, we’ll need the smelling salts. It seems that our new sister has just pasted out.”
“I’ll be right back Sarah, be careful of her wings. Those feathers are reinforced with carbon fiber nanotubes. They are sharp enough to cut through our bio-armor. And I have no desire to explain to the Mother Superior why you got one of your limbs cutoff while helping a hysterical child.” the younger Sister left to get the needed smelling saults.
Jordan had heard voices that brought him around before Katlyn could return. As Jordan opened his eyes he was greeted with the smiling face of an angle. “Oh, man I didn’t survive the bonding. I died on the glass. Are you here to take me to Paradise?”
Sarah giggled and shook her head no. “No I am not here to take you to Paradise, young Jordan you did not die. You survived your bonding with the black symbiont. Now let me help you up off the floor. You’ll be more comfortable on the bed.” Sarah told the teen as she pulled on Jordan’s hands.
“Then are you here to put me down?” Jordan asked with some fear. He knew that if the Flight Leaders found out that he was still alive they would kill him. Everyone knew that Blacks were deadly and had to be killed.
“No one will harm you child. You have the word of a Nightingale Sister on that. The Flight Leaders will not step foot inside this Temple. If they do, they shall face the Swords and Shields of Our Temple Guardians.” Unlike her fellow Sisters Sarah knew more than anyone else in the Temple of Ida-ten the attitudes of the Sky Dancers.
“Why are you helping me? Aren’t you afraid of the Flight Leaders?” asked Jordan in true amassment of this woman.
“I have my reasons Jordan Price, last son of the Price Family to still reside within the walls of that family’s home. As for fearing the Flight Leaders, they will find that they are not as powerful as they believe. Let them try our Guardians. They will find that not even their bio-suits can stand up to a Particle Projection Cannon or Plasma Pulse Laser.” Sarah knew all too well what this child faced.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but are you one of the Forgotten Ones, Sister?” Jordan saw the flinch in the nun’s face and twitch of her shoulders at his use of that term. He like so many had seen the very few candidates left on the glass. It didn’t happen often but it did happen. Usually when there were more candidates than there were symbionts. “I am sorry, Sister.”
“No need to apologize my young friend. You can only rely upon what you have been taught. No I am not one of the Forgotten Ones.” Sister Sarah smiled at the new Sky Dancer. “No, I left of my own free will. Just as you would have done in the next three years, my young friend.”
“Wait, you said that you left of your own free will, but you are not one of the Forgotten. So, just who are you? You talk like you know me or my family so you have to come from Neo Amsterdam. Just who are you anyway?”
“Yes, Sister Sarah, just who were you to know as much as you apparently do know about the Sky Dancers?” asked Sister Katlyn from the doorway.
Sighing Sarah looked over at Katlyn before answering that painful question. “Sister Katlyn, you did not know that I was originally from New Holland. I left shortly before my majority, very shortly. I left to join the Knights of Ida-ten. As for why I know so much about the Sky Dancers that is none of your concern groundling.”
Jordan picked up on the use of the term by the Nightingale nun. He knew right there just who was sitting beside him. Using the local slang and dialect Jordan made his thoughts known.
“So, tell me Lost Cousin have you found the peace of the stars welcoming or do you still dream of dancing among the clouds?” Jordan smiled at the pretty nun. He had heard the rumor about some of the Knights starting out in life as men but after going through the Second Gen. process becoming women. “Do the far reach clouds still call to your Blood?”
“More than the Darkness of the Lower Levels and the Casper Crystals will ever call to me. And yes, just like you would have done I left for the stars trying to find their peace. Which I have little bird.” The use of the endearment made Jordan drop the attitude. It also forced the youngster to look down at his body.
“I have joined the Sky Dancers. Haven’t I?” at first Jordan was excited at this prospect but the reality hit home of the cost. He was now a she and there would be no going back. “No I can’t join them, can I? They’ll see me as a threat to the Flights.”
“No, you cannot return to the nest little bird. Just as ALL Sky Dancers you most now take wing and to find your own way.”
“Where will I go? The Flight Leaders will try to kill me the moment I step foot out of this Temple. Forget about taking wing. The moment they see me in the sky they will attack. You know as well as I do they cannot let a black live. To them I will always be a threat. Why they fear the blacks so much no one knows but they do. You know this.”
Katlyn could only stand there is confusion as the two New Holland natives talked. Katlyn had been able to understand one in four words of the New Holland dialect. Then there was the rapid-fire way they were talking. In short, she and her AI were at a disadvantage.
Before either woman could answer the youngster’s question their attention was drawn to the room’s door. There stood a Flight Leader. Not just any Flight Leader but Helen Campbell, Supreme Flight Leader for Neo Amsterdam. “Because only a man can bond with the black symbiont.”
“Greetings Flight Leader Helen. Care to explain how you were able to enter this Temple?” the venom in Sarah’s voice was palatable to all in the room. “I would suggest you answer my question before I have the young man behind you remove your head.”
“Even after all this time you still hate me, my child.” The old woman sighed. At the look on Sarah’s face Helen got the hint. “I walked through the front door with an escort. The Reverend Father here is a close friend of the Sky Dancers.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re even here Helen. You have until the count of ten to explain. After that the Black Sword will escort your head from here. If you wish to try your claws, and electrical blots against him please feel free to do so.” There was no compassion in Sarah’s voice. What she didn’t want the other Knights to know was that she truly hoped the Flight Leader would try the Black Sword.
“Show respect to your betters’ groundling!” snapped Helen.
“MY BETTER! You are no better than the rest of the Sky Dancers mother! I may not have the firepower of the Guardians, but I am more than strong enough to handle the likes of you!” these unguarded words brought out the white elephant in the room.
“You would dare…” Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell never got to finish. The slap to the left side of Helen’s face put an end to all further commentary.
“Not only would I dare Supreme Flight Leader, I can. I am a battle proven veteran of the wars. Try me at your own risk. Now you will answer this little bird’s questions or I will pound the answers from you.” Sarah was beyond pissed off. She like all the sons of the Campbell line had been driven out days before their majority. They were most often found taking the most dangerous deep dive crab missions. They were always looking for the most valuable of crystals, the black heart crystals.
“Why do the Flight Leaders fear someone bonding with the black symbionts?” Jordan jumped at the chance.
“Because child no woman can handle the black symbionts. It takes an iron will fueled by an anger that women lack. That, and the physical strength to fight for control over the symbiont. Of all the symbionts, the blacks are the most powerful and the deadliest. There have only been seventeen pairings that have successfully happened between blacks and humans, all have been with males. You are the truth to the legends, young Jordan. A very uncomfortable truth; that the other Flight Leaders don’t want to get out, one that they are willing to kill to keep.”
“And what truth is that Supreme Flight Leader Helen?” asked Jordan.
“That only a man can bond with a black symbiont, which is but the first of some very uncomfortable truths. The next is that they are the most powerful and dominant of all the pairings. Next there is the fact that all black symbionts are male. Just like their hosts.” This fact grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. Most especially Jordan’s attention.
“What do you mean? Just look at me. I look just like my sister, and all the other Sky Dancers. I am a girl.” Jordan was standing up and point at his body. “How can having breasts, wide hips, rounded ass, small waist, and a flat crotch possibly say male?”
“Trust me Jordan Price you are still very much a male. You may appear as a female of our species but you are a male of it. In fact, you are the first male Sky Dancer in over seven hundred years.” Helen’s words had the ring of truth to them. So much so, that both Sisters of the Nightingale had activated their biometric scans to verify her statements. “The moment you cross paths with one Sky Dancer in season they will take to the air and you will give chase. Understand that you are no longer part of the Human race and species. That is another truth behind the legend.”
“So, you’re telling me that I may look like you but I’m not female?” Jordan asked.
“That is exactly what I am saying. It is also why I am here. Until you are of age we cannot let you near any other Sky Dancer.” There was real fear in Helen’s voice this time.
“Why?” asked Katlyn.
“He must learn to control his most basic drives and desires to mate. If he were to mate before he learns control he could very well kill both himself and the female. The discharge of their combined electrical charge would fry the female’s nerve system and cause him to blackout. If that were to happen at altitude the results would be fatal.” As Helen basically outlined the mating between Sky Dancers Jordan finally understood the fear of the female Sky Dancers.
“Wait are you telling me that I will want to mate while in flight?” Jordan asked in shock.
“Yes, my dear child that is exactly what I am telling you. If you doubt my word on this just look at the two Dancers outside waiting for me. One of them is in season the other is not.” Helen knew it was a gamble but she had to be sure.
With nothing to lose Jordan walked over to the window and looked out at the two Dancers. One silver and one red. The red dancer had a bluish shadowing to her. Jordan felt himself hardening with passion and a need to mount the young women. He looked down and saw that he was indeed ready to mate. Turning to face the Supreme Flight Leader the three women all saw his state of arousal and it did not bother Jordan.
“The red one will soon fly Flight Leader have you brought her for me?” Pure animalistic lust had filled Jordan’s voice.
“No Jordan I have not brought her here for you. You must regain control of your need to mate child. You are not yet ready to fly. Fight the symbiont child. Do not let it control you.”
The fear in Helen’s voice struck deep in Jordan’s heart. It took him a few minutes but he realized what was happening to him. The symbiont had taken control for just a few minutes and that was all it took. If he had let himself be driven by the need to mate he could have killed himself and the female Sky Dancer. It took Jordan a few minutes to regain control before he could speak without a lust filled voiced.
“How long will I be kept here?” Jordan asked.
“You can stay here in the Temple of course or you can leave and leave the planet for a while. Those are you only choices here Jordan Price. As I have said it has been over four hundred years sense a male Sky Dancer has walked Neo Amsterdam.”
“What if we shuffled him from one out post to another, mother?” Helen looked over at her one-time son. Sarah just smiled back at her.
“What are you thinking Sister of the Nightingale?” Helen had used Sarah’s title on purpose. She needed this to come from the Temple of Ida-ten, and not from the family of the Supreme Flight Leader.
“There are Temple of Ida-ten outposts in every major cloud city. We, the Knights of Ida-ten, can protect the fledgling until he is ready to fly. No one would dare to attack one of our temple outposts.” Sarah may hate and even want to kill her mother at times; but her duty as a Sister of the Nightingale over ruled her emotions. “You have the Word Bond of a Nightingale Sister, Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell.”
“Thank you, Sister Sarah, of the Nightingale Sisterhood. The Golden Halo Flight shall forever be in your debt. However, can your vaunted Knights of Ida-ten truly protect the fledgling? Can they really stand up to the firepower of a Sky Dancer?” the worry in Helen’s voice was palatable.
The two nuns started to chuckle before laughing out right. The young Black Sword of Saint Gorge didn’t even think twice before deploying his PPC and placing against the Flight Leader’s chest. “Your symbiont may give you the ability of flight and protect you against the depths of lower atmosphere but it is nothing compared to the raw firepower that Second-Generation Death Dealers and we Knights own.”
“BOY! Don’t even try to threaten me! I am…” Helen never got to finish her sentence. The snap crack and hum of a charging PPC was louder than a thunderstorm in the small room.
“IF you wish to keep your head Flight Leader I would shut the frack up. Let me explain to you just what is pointed at your chest. This is the Primary weapon of ALL Second-Generation Death Dealers, and Knights of Ida-ten. It is a twenty-millimeter Practical Project Cannon. The full impact of this weapon is kinetic, heat, and atomic. It is capable of punching through one hundred forty millimeters of composite ceramic fiber plate armor at over five hundred meters. Do you really think that your symbiont could stand up to that? Not even our own bio-armor can do that.”
The young Knight replaced the PPC with his PPL against her chest. “IF you think that is all we have to take down someone like you think again. This is our secondary weapon a twenty-millimeter Plasma Pulse Laser. Like the PPC it to can punch a big hole in CCF Plate armor. It may take a little more time but it will happen. We don’t play Flight Leader. You want to try us feel free to do so. Understand though that once we start, every last member of your flight shall become a target.”
The threat form the Black Sword left Helen without doubt that the Knights of Ida-ten really could and would destroy her Flight. Without turning to look at Sarah, Helen asked her what was really on going through her mind. “Tell me Markus did you at least find peace before you took up the mantel of Nightingale, and Second Generation Death Dealer?”
“I found my way mother and I found my peace. Now I suggest you leave. Don’t worry the Temple of Ida-ten will protect and teach the fledgling. I do have one piece of advice for you before you go. Never again walk through the doors of our Temples to demand something from us. You do so at your own peril. We the Knights of Ida-ten owe nothing to the Sky Dancers of New Holland. As far as we are concerned you and the other Flight Leaders are nothing more than parasites on the people of New Holland.” Sarah let her feelings flood her voice.
“One more question and I shall leave you my child. How many of your brothers are among the ranks of the Death Dealers, and Knights?”
“Only one other has joined the ranks of the Death Dealers mother. Johnathan is a member of the medical core for the Forty Fifth Calvary Regiment on Bitter Frost. The others are all deep dive crab drivers still here on New Holland. Have no fear mother we have not forgotten our lessons at your knee. We are healers and have not taken up the Sword as you so feared. Now go before I forget why you really came here.”
Helen gave the nuns a small bow and left. She knew that she was not welcomed here. As were all the Sky Dancers of New Holland. This was not their Temple and the Orders here were Warriors.
Once they were alone Jordan looked over at Sarah. “Am I truly to be shuttled from Temple to Temple?”
“Yes, Jordan it is the best can do for you right now. Other than sending you off planet which has been overruled by the Supreme Flight Leader.” Sister Katlyn said form off to the side.
“It should be MY choice to make not yours or theirs. As far as I’m concerned time on another planet would be for the best. Besides I might enjoy seeing another world.” Jordan said defensively.
“Jordan, I know that you feel you have the right to leave New Holland. The problem is that is not an option right now. If we attempt to get you off planet that will bring about a fight between the Flights and the Knights of Ida-ten. A fight that would leave far too many of OUR family members dead on the battlefield.” Sara laid out the truth of the matter for the young Shy Dancer.
“They are not MY family, Sister. They through me away as if I was trash before I was even off the glass. I heard the screams for my death from my own MOTHER. As for the Supreme Flight Leader, she can drop dead.” The smack to the face was faster than Jordan expected.
“You will hold your tongue fledgling. You may have a conquered a black, but we have faced death on the battlefield. Until you do fledgling you will mind your elders, understood?” Sara’s slap and rebuke forced Jordan to turn his eyes away from her.
“Yes, Sister Sara. I shall obey the orders of Flight Leader Helen of the Golden Halo Flight.” Jordan held his head down in shame at daring to argue with a Sister of the Nightingale.
Sara cupped Jordan’s chin and raise his face to look him in the eyes. “I understand your pain little bird, far more than any other Sister. Now is not yet your time to spread your wings and take flight. Understand?”
“Yes, Sister Sara. So, where will I go now?”
The pitiful tone in Jordan’s voice pulled at the strings of the two Nightingale Sisters’ hearts. They could see the rejection by his family had deeply hurt the teen. So, when Brother Daniel of Saint Gorge started to chuckle they all turned to him.
“You, my young friend, will join us in OUR quarters and be welcomed as one of our own. Unlike the Sky Dancers, we shall teach you the Ways of the Samurai, and of the Blade. The Knights shall become your teachers, and your family. Welcome home young Thunder Hawk.”
Chapter 3
Taking wing.
For the past four months Jordan, had been shuttled from one Ida-ten Temple to another. At each stop the two Nightingale Sisters and their escorts had been his only companions. Each day that he had the chance Jordan would fly around the courtyards of the Temples. With each flight, he would go higher and faster. By the time, they had reached Neo Rotterdam Jordan was breaking the sound barer.
It was in Neo Winterswijk, that he finally unlocked his electrical powers. The lightning strike shocked the teen into a power dive. He had seen his mother unleash one of her strikes when he was ten, and her strike held nowhere near the power of his. Also, not only was his ten times more powerful, it was more direct. The thunder crack rolled across the city from one end to the other, while the lightning lite up the day time sky brighter than high noon. He was so shaken from the unexpected release that he landed in the courtyard of the Temple.
When the Temple elder asked him if he was alright, Jordan replied. “Did that really come from me?”
“Yes, young one. That thunderbolt did indeed come from you. Now, let us begin your training in controlling that power.”
By the time, Jordan was ready to transfer to the Temple in Neo Workum, he had control over his thunderbolt to a point. He knew what he needed to do to release one and how long it took to recharge for another strike. He still had problems aiming his powerful blast, but that would come with practice. Every day he would spend more and more time flying.
On the day, they were to transfer Jordan took off and flew ahead of the transport shuttle. No sooner had he cleared the city’s edge than the local Sky Dancer Flights rose to chase him. In a panic Jordan stroke his wings for all they were worth. In seconds the Flights began to fall behind. Soon only the Flight leaders were chasing him. With a surge of pure fear Jordan pushed himself even harder as twin bolts of lightning streaked passed him.
What Jordan didn’t realize was one lightning bolt had hit home. All he felt was energized like never before. As his fear rose, so did his anger. When the Flight Leaders refused to break off pursuit Jordan looked back in anger. When the next three lightning bolts came they, all hit him. To Jordan’s amazement he was still alive and even felt the need to release his power in defiance. Not wanting to hurt the Flight Leaders Jordan aimed off to their side and fired.
The shockwave from his thunderbolt was so powerful all three Flight Leader tumbled in the sky. Its flash was so bright it lit up Neo Winterswijk in the evening darkness, over seventy kilometers away. The thunderclap echoed across half the hemisphere. The clouds that the bolt was directed at peeled away down to the lower atmosphere. What fight was left in the pursuing Flight Leaders left them, and they to fell away.
That one blast would have far reaching consequences. Word would spread from Flight to Flight, city to city. For the first time in four hundred and eighty years there was a MALE Sky Dancer. A male Sky Dancer who was in control of a BLACK symbiont. Even as Jordan fought off the Winterswijk Flight, his escort was racing to catchup they were recording the fight. Word of Jordan’s existence would spread faster that lightning in the lower levels of Neo Amsterdam’s atmosphere.
It wasn’t until Jordan slowed down that his escorts could match his speed. The pilot of the assault shuttle keyed his mike. “You really earned your call sign, Thunder Hawk. Over”
Jordan reached up to his headset and keyed his mike. “Sorry about that, Blue leader. I hope my blast didn’t cause you any problems? Over”
Jordan heard chuckling before Blue leader answered him. “Youngster, that blast was a ride and a half. I’ve dealt with turbulence before, but nothing like that. Just what the hell was that, Thunder Hawk? Over”
“It’s called a thunderbolt, Blue leader. Um… that was the biggest I’ve ever released though. To be honest I was just so mad I didn’t think about controlling the strength of the blast. Say, can you tell me our air speed? Over”
“Thunder Hawk, when we get to Neo Workum, we need to have a talk. We’re currently pushing five hundred and thirty-two miles. If you hadn’t slowed down, we would have had a hard time catching up. We had you on radar pushing mac two. Over”
Jordan knew he had been gaining speed and power with every day he flew, but he had no idea he could go that fast. As he thought about how fast he had gone, Jordan realized he could go faster. How much faster he had no clue as to. What he did know was the faster he went the
more electrical power he stored up and recharged. He could even now feel the massive amounts of energy stored inside him.
Jordan knew deep down inside that he could release another blast like the one he just released. He could even release one even stronger. One so powerful that it could blow a hole in the side of a Texas Class Battleship, possibly even a Battle Platform. It was no wonder the Flight Leaders were afraid of him. There was a downside to all that all power though. Jordan could feel it. If he released everything at once like that, it would kill him.
Jordan flew on to Neo Workum in silence. He had a lot to think about. He had fought back against the ruling class on Neo Amsterdam. The city council of Winterswijk, may not have sent the Sky Dancers after him, but they had still tried to kill him. Three full flights of Sky Dancers, and only the Flight Leaders could keep up.
Their lightning bolts, instead of knocking down or killing him, had only fueled his power. At first this filled him with dread until he flew through an upper atmosphere storm cloud. The first lightning strike left him dizzy. The second left him feeling high. By the third strike, Jordan was drunk on power. Jordan now knew WHY his mother and oldest sister always took to the air during lightning storms.
Realizing he was not ready for this kind of rush Jordan climbed out of the clouds. The last lightning strike as he cleared the clouds sent Jordan into a euphoria filled orgasm. During his flight through the storm he had failed to notice his ever-increasing sexual arousal. So, the sudden release of sexual tension was the strongest the young man ever experienced. Never had young Jordan felt such a strong sexual release in his life. Even as he was leveling off Jordan realized the danger mating while in flight held for him and his partner.
“If I ever get the chance, I’ll have to be the one in control. I could very well kill my partner if I don’t control her as well as myself.” As Jordan talked to himself he never realized that his mike was transmitting everything he said to his escorts.
Sister Sara, listened to Jordan words, and to the tone of his voice. She could tell that Jordan had just had his first sexual release sense his transformation. It had scared the boy in more ways than any warning the Supreme Flight Leader could give. She could also tell that he was more than a little drunk on power. She had talked Jordan into wearing a bio-monitor while he flew, so she could keep take of his vital signs. The bio-monitor had quiet working after the second lightning strike in the storm, but she could see the changes in his blood chemistry after the first strike.
Sara turned to Sister Katlyn. “We’re going to have our hands full once he realizes just how powerful he has become.”
“Sister Sara, you have a gift for understatement that reviles Reverend Mother Die Etsu.” Both women chuckled at Katlyn’s left hand compliment. “Right now, we need to figure out how we’re going to keep young Jordan from flying through any more storms. You know he is going to want that feeling again and again. And as powerful as our Guardians are, they are no match for that kind of raw firepower. I managed to get readings on the lightning bolts of the Flight Leaders. Even we can stand up against those, but what young Jordan fired off was off the scale. Those thunderbolts of his rival a Navel Class PPC.”
“Sweet Goddess! Are you sure about that, Sister Katlyn?” Sara asked in pure amazement.
“Sister Sara, I double checked her readings and her figures. That blast is equal to one of the main gun PPC’s for a Texas Class Battleship.” Both nuns looked over at Brother Timothy of the Children of Mars. Of their six Guardians, he would know best. His hobby of studying artillery design had been put to great use during the last Succession War. “I believe that the only main guns that would surpass the young lady’s firepower belong to a Shinigami Battle platform.”
“GOOD LORD! That kid packs the firepower of a battleship! Why the HELL are we letting her just run around?” asked the shuttles copilot.
Sara had to hold in her anger over the copilot’s stupidity. Thankfully the pilot didn’t have that problem. “Shut your FRACKING PIE HOLE STIEN! Until you know what is going on or one of the Nightingale’s tells you to do something just sit there and help me fly this tub.”
The young lieutenant looked over at his senior officer and closed his mouth. For whatever reason, they were flying cover for the kid he had no reason for knowing. Turning his attention back to the weapon and targeting controls. Stein felt that if the kid turned on them he would at least make the attempt to fight back.
Like all MV-17A assault shuttles this one was armed with four, turret mounted pules cannons, two chin mounted seventy-millimeter chain guns, and four wing mounted seven-inch rocket pods. Even at this range Stein knew he would only have one chance if the kid went rouge. Stein wasn’t going to let that chance slip past him.
For the next two hours, the flight crew held their place just over one hundred feet at Jordan’s six o’clock. Sara and Katlyn watched the long-range sensors for any sign of deviation from the norm. They to now understood the danger their young charge presented. If they could not teach Jordan control he would be far too dangerous to be released from the Temple of Ida-ten. As they approached Neo Workum Jordan flew in a tight circle to the near the shuttle.
Chapter 4
Family ties.
As had been their practice the assault shuttle would fly in front of Jordan blocking any radar signals. This was done to cloak Jordan’s arrival at the Ida-ten Temples. Once again, the maneuver worked to perfection. Jordan’s feet had no sooner lighted upon the Temple’s landing pad then a monk in plain white robes trimmed in gold approached.
During his time with the other Orders of Ida-ten, Jordan learned that each color of robe meant a deferent Order. The Children of Mars wore blood red robes trimmed in black. The Daughters of the Dragon wore blue with gold trim. The Swords of Saint George, wore black trimmed in red. The monk that stood before them now was a Brother of Balance.
Sara walked up to the monk. “Greetings, Brother. We have a postulant seeking shelter and training. Will the Brotherhood of Balance set the scales to rights?”
“The scales of balance are always set to rights in pursuit of justice, Sister. As for your postulant, she must first face her past.” The monk’s reply brought a frown to Sara’s face.
“May we know as to what crime she must answer?” Sara like the others wanted to know what the monk was talking about.
“Her family wait for her at the entrance to the Temple. The Law is clear in this matter, Daughter of the Nightingale. The child must face her family and claim her independence.” The monk’s answer caught Sara, Katlyn and their escorts off guard. They were all members of the same Temple. There should have been nothing standing in the way of their duty to Jordan.
Bother Robert of the Black Swords of Saint George stepped around Sara and Katlyn. “By whose orders do you dare to override a Nightingale?”
“This is a House of Balance, Black Sword. WE, do not answer to you or the Nightingale Sisterhood. WE answer to the Law.” There it was for them all to see. The Brotherhood of Balance would always stand by the letter and spirit of the law. After all it was their Order’s mission to enforce the law of not only the Empire, but also the planet they were on.
Only Jordan didn’t understand what was going on. “Um… Sister Sara, what is going on?”
Sara sighed and looked over at Jordan. “It seems your family has come before this Order to lodge a complaint. Until that complaint is cleared the Brothers of Balance cannot allow you or us to enter their walls.”
“I thought this was a Temple of Ida-ten?”
“We are, young one. The problem though is these Temple belongs to the Order of Balance, and is a Hall of Justice. As such we must abided by the Tenants that rule here.” The monk’s answer did not set well with Jordan, but he knew that the other members of Ida-ten would not go against the monk. He watched as the monk turned to Sara. “Will you come this way?”
Sara and Katlyn just nodded their heads and took Jordan by the hand. As they led him towards the front of the Temple Jordan worried over what would be his fate. The last City Council had sent their Flight to kill him, would his mother and sisters finish what they could not. Sara picked up on Jordan’s reluctance to follow.
“Don’t worry, little bird, you are still protected by the Daughters of the Dragon. The Brothers of Balance are merely following their Tenants. They may have to hear your family out, but they will not go against the Tenants of our Order to see that out. As their name suggests, they seek to find balance in all things. Correct Brother?”
The monk chuckled and smiled over his shoulder at Jordan. “Sister Sara is correct, Jordan Price. Not even the Reverend Father Timothy would order another Order to break their word of Honor. So, a simple Brother such as myself have no sway over the matter.” As the monk explained this to Jordan he felt relieved. “After you have talked with your family, just ask the Blood Red Knight at the door to send for Brother Alex.”
“Thank you, Brother Alex.” Jordan could see that the young man may have been a monk but he was still a man. This was the first time sense his awaking in the Temple back in Neo Amsterdam he was forced to reconcile his appearance. At all the other Temples were Jordan had stayed he had been surrounded by either the Nightingale Sisters, or Daughters of the Dragon.
Sister Katlyn had been using her medical monitors the entire time as they walked toward the main entrance. She spotted Jordan’s spiked heart rate and elevated blood pressure. Next, she noticed that Jordan was trying to place as much distance between himself and Brother Alex. Katlyn opened a secure channel to Sara.
“Sister Sara, we might have a problem.”
“What are you talking about, Katlyn?”
“Run a scan over Jordan. I think we might need to set him down and have a long talk about his appearance.”
“Why?” Sara’s one word question causes Katlyn to sigh. “What am I missing Katlyn?
“Sara, stop and really look at young Jordan. Do you see a male or female?” Katlyn’s question had the desired effect on Sara.
“Oh shit! You’re right. No matter where he goes from now on, even among the Temples, all people will see is a beautiful female Sky Dancer. Okay, leave it to me. I’ll sit down with her after evening prayers.”
Sara cut the connection and turned her attention to the three Sky Dancers waiting for them at the main entrance to the Temple. Unlike Katlyn, Sara could tell that these three women and preteen girl were all related to young Jordan. The Golden Flight Leader was none other than Ileana Price, Jordan’s mother. The two blue Sky Dancers had to be his older sisters, Sylvia, and Katheryn. The preteen girl had to be Jordan’s baby sister Raven. Even Katlyn could tell that this was a family.
Jordan may have cold feelings for his mother and older sisters, but he still loved his baby sister. Kneeling Jordan held out his arms as Raven ran to give him a hug. Raven shown no fear as she hugged the teenage girl that was once her brother. Stepping back Raven looked up at Jordan and smiled asking the one question his mother didn’t want her to. “Are you coming home Jordan?”
“That is up to mother and our older sisters, little bird.” Jordan’s answer caught Raven by surprise.
“But you’re a Sky Dancer now. You don’t have to leave the nest.”
“She is a black Raven. Step away from your sister please?” Ileana Price may not be able to act the way she wished, but she wasn’t going to endanger her youngest daughter at the hands of a black.
“Go on little bird. No need to anger our mother or sisters.” Jordan gave her one more hug then a gentle push towards his family.
“At least you understand your place in life.” Mumbled Katheryn behind Jordan’s mother. The problem was Jordan could hear Katheryn.
“If you think you’re my better, sister feel free to try me. Before you do remember I CONQUIRED a black. You’re nothing more than a pitiful blue.” Jordan had been thinking long and hard about what Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell had told him four months ago. The fight earlier in the day had shown Jordan the truth of Helen Campbell’s words.
Jordan’s taunt had the desired effect on his oldest sister. She flipped out and moved to smack him. Jordan’s speed and strength caught Katheryn by surprise as he grabbed her arm in mid-swing. When Katheryn tried to use her lighting on Jordan he just laughed as the rush came over him. This one act struck fear into the hearts of his family.
“I told you Katheryn, you’re nothing but a pitiful blue. I took four direct strikes from Flight Leaders. You’re nowhere near their power, and mean nothing to me. I CONQUIRED A BLACK! Do you have any idea of what that means? Truly any idea?! Let me give you an example.” Jordan let Katheryn go and stepped back. Seeing what Jordan was about to do Sara stepped in to keep things peaceful.
“Jordan, remember your promise. Not here, not in the garden, not inside the Temples.” Jordan gave Sara a hurtful look but did as she asked. “Thank you my young friend. I know that you want to put your sister in her place, but this is not the time or the place.”
“How dare you speak to me in that manner groundling.” The smack to Katheryn’s face shut the Wing Second up fast.
“You are no more my better than any other Sky Dancer Katheryn. Understand that here in these walls only the Reverend Father can over-rule one of my orders. As it is now, we are only here because of his orders.” Katlyn, felt she had to be the one to control the situation. She could already tell that Jordan and Sara were ready to kill.
“Excuse my daughters, Sisters. It seems that I failed in their instruction in the ways of proper Temple etiquettes. The fault is mine, and mine alone.” Ileana Price humbly bowed to Sara and Katlyn. “I hope that you will be better able to correct Jordan’s poor behavior. As I will be taking my Wing Second to task once we leave here.”
Ileana’s words left no doubt as to who she blamed for the embarrassing situation caused by her children. Taking the hint Jordan bowed to his mother. “Please excuse my inexcusable behavior, Flight Leader. You taught me better manners than that.”
“You have nothing to apologize for young Thunder Hawk. It is your older sisters that owe you an apology.” With that Ileana reached out and gave her child a hug. Whispering in his ear. “Do not trust Katheryn. Her Flight Leader sent the Wings of Winterswijk to attack you this morning.”
Jordan had learned enough control over the past four months to keep his surprise from showing on his face. Now, he knew who had broken the treaty between the Sky Dancers and the Temple of Ida-ten. He also knew that not all of the Flights felt the same towards him. As Ileana stepped back Sylvia stepped forward to hug him, Jordan smiled and excepted the hug.
“Welcome to the clouds, little sister.” Sylvia giggled into Jordan’s ear. “I thought I would have to wait eight more years before being able to say that. I can’t wait for our first flight together.”
Both Sara and Katlyn were using their medical monitors as lie detectors. They could tell that all but the oldest sister was truthful in their feelings towards Jordan. It was the oldest sister that Sara informed their guardians to target if things got out of hand again. They also knew that Jordan needed to release the energy that was currently filling Jordan to his limits. He was still holding a good deal of the power from the storm strikes. This fact worried the two nuns.
Using her internal commlink she linked to Jordan’s headset that he still wore. “Go for a quick flight with your family, Thunder Hawk. Don’t worry we’ll have you covered.” Jordan smiled at his family.
“Then why wait. First one to the South end crab docks wins.” Just as he hoped his two older sisters took off at full speed. Jordan just waited until they were past the outer wall of the Temple grounds before he even took wing. His mother just stayed where she was. She had already heard the reports of Jordan’s speed and power.
Jordan let his two sisters rush ahead of him until they were over the center of Neo Workum. That was when he put on the steam. Within seconds he closed the distance. At that point there was no way his sisters could get away from him. Three second later Jordan blasted past his sisters in a flash of black. Jordan speeded over the deep dive crab docks at just under mac one. Once he cleared the docks Jordan started to climb. His sisters tried their best to catch up but failed.
Once Jordan reached his set limits Jordan leveled off and aimed a thunderbolt at a distant cloud. He knew why Sara and Katlyn had sent him on this little flight. Now, was the time to show his sisters why even Flight Leaders feared him. Holding out his hands to direct the blast at the far-off cloud, Jordan released the pinned-up energy.
The blast caught both of his sisters off guard. Never had they seen or felt such a massive surge of power. The thunder crack rolled across all of Neo Workum miles away. The flash of light was blinding and seen from the docks. Sylvia tumbled through the air as the shock wave reached her and Katheryn. Katheryn had been all set to unleash her most power lighting strike when Jordan put on his little show. Katheryn quickly decided that if her Flight Leader want the Black Sky Dancer dead, then she would have to do that herself. If her one-time brother could unleash this type of power, she didn’t want to be on his bad side.
Jordan, swung down to hover in front of his two sisters. “Shall we have a game of follow the leader?”
Both sisters could already tell that Jordan wanted to show off. So, they accepted his challenge with Sylvia waving for him to led off. Both sisters figured that their new sister hadn’t had time to prefect her control over turns, climbs, dives, and lops. They would soon lean the error of assuming. Jordan quickly set off at a more leisurely pace, just over two hundred miles’ pre-hour.
Both older sisters had to use all their skill and strength to keep up with their younger sibling. Katheryn, being the oldest had more experience than Sylvia had a slight edge on her, but for some reason Jordan was out pacing and out performing them both. What neither sister knew was Jordan had been trained by the VTOL pilots for the Children of Mars, and Blood Red Knights. Those men and women showed Jordan no mercy as they had chased him through the skies of Neo Amsterdam. The very painful paintball hits from the chain-guns made sure Jordan learned his lessons.
When you’re trained by combat veterans who believe in extreme training methods you learn your lessons. Jordan was the only pupil for these veterans. So, he received more guidance than was normal. The speed at which Jordan took turns or climbs over buildings was shocking to his two older sisters. With every maneuver, Jordan made they were sure they would catch him, but time and again they failed.
Jordan flew over the outer wall of the Temple a full ten minutes ahead of his sisters. Ileana could tell by the way her one-time son landed she had just handed her oldest children a resounding defeat. Raven on the other hand just stood there staring in amazement. Her big brother was faster and quicker than her oldest sister Katheryn. Something that was only possible for the Flight Leaders. Everyone knew Katheryn Price was the fastest, most maneuverable of all the Blues and Wing Seconds on Neo Amsterdam. Jordan just couldn’t have beaten her, but he had.
Ileana hugged her child. “I see that you put your oldest sister in her place. Well done, Jordan. Now, get inside and continue with your training. Trust these Knights, learn your lessons, and make us all proud. Remember, child you are a member of the Price family. We do not have the money or power of the High Families, but we never turn our backs on family.”
“What of Katheryn, mother?” Jordan smirked.
“She follows the orders of her Flight Leader as a good Wing Second should. You are a threat to that woman’s power and control, daughter. She will be forced to come to you sooner or later. Ronda King is a spiteful bitch with designs on being the next Supreme Flight Leader.”
This little tidbit of information was all Jordan and the Knights of Ida-ten needed know. They now all knew who was behind the attack and the reasons why. Jordan heard their approach first and turned to watch as his sisters came over the wall and land in the courtyard.
Katheryn was the first to speak. “WHERE in the name of all the flies did you learn to maneuver like that?! I’ve never seen anyone take the square at that speed before! What where you doing two-ten, two-twenty? And that dive over the watchtower! My GOD are you crazy?!”
Jordan’s mother screamed at the top of her lungs when she heard this last one. “YOU BUZZED THE WATCHTOWER?” when Jordan blushed his mother just looked at the heavens then turned to Sara. “Sister, please instill some discipline in my child?” she pleaded.
The members of the Temple who had been watching over Jordan all chuckled at hearing this. They knew that he was of the most self-disciplined of people they had ever met. Even as young as Jordan was he had a true sense of right and wrong. Jordan’s blush just turned even darker.
After promising his mother to never buzz the watchtower again Jordan hugged his sisters and said good-bye. He stood and watched as they all took wing with his youngest sister being carried by his mother. He knew that Sky Dancers were strong, but seeing his mother just take off with his baby sister hanging off her back drove that point home.
“Jordan, are they going to fly all the way back to Neo Amsterdam?” Asked Sister Alexia of the Dragons Daughters.
“You better believe it, Sister Alexia. And, yes, my family will carry little Raven all the way.” Jordan giggled at the thought of a fledgling traveling by any other method. “Trust me on this Sisters, and Brothers. No self-respecting Sky Dancer would allow someone else to transport one of their children between cities.”
-to be continued-
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Finding one’s true self.
Jordan woke the next morning to an uneasy feeling. Looking around the barracks room, he found himself alone. That was until he spotted the young novice for the Brothers of Balance. The teenage boy was staring at him in a way that made Jordan feel like a piece of meat. Getting out of bed Jordan headed for the communal showers. Like all Sky Dancers Jordan had figured out that his symbiont processed all his bodily waste through his skin now. That waste coated his skin in a layer of sweat and oils.
The only way to remove the waste was to shower daily. The reason behind this daily ritual was necessary for flight performance. If a Sky Dancer failed to bath they suffered poor flight performance. After showering and drying off Jordan stepped back into the barracks room to find Sara and Katlyn waiting. Looking around the room Jordan saw they were truly alone.
“Jordan, we need to talk. Please sit down honey.” Sara asked of the teen. Sara knew that the subject needed to be broached; she and Katlyn had put it off for far too long. As Jordan sat down, he knew it was important. Sara, and Katlyn only did this when something big had to be discussed.
Katlyn started off, and she saw no need to sugar coat things. “Jordan, we know that you are still male. The problem is you look like a teenage boy’s wet dream. We also know this has been causing you a great deal of discomfort. It is time to face facts. You can no longer face the world as a man or boy.”
Jordan sighed and looked down at his body. He knew this was coming, but had been trying to avoid it. The fact that Sister Katlyn was bring it up now, just drove the point home. Unlike, Sister Sara, Sister Katlyn didn’t mix her words of views with Jordan. He had learned this over the last four months. “Do I need to change my name?”
Both women breathed a sigh of relief as Sara answered her question. “No Jordan. In a way, your mother did you a favor by giving you a gender-neutral name. You only need to start thinking of yourself in the female. We can help you adjust to your new place in life. That is if you want?”
Jordan thought about what the two women were suggesting. Everything they were saying made sense to the young teen. Jordan looked down at his body one last time and made up her mind. “I would like to learn how to pass as a girl. I know that I’m still a male, but everybody else sees a teenage girl. I also know that just about everything I do screams GIRL. From walking to talking. My voice sounds like it belongs in a girl. I couldn’t pass as a boy if I tried to. I know, I’ve tried.”
“When?” was, all Katlyn asked. She had made sure that Jordan was never left alone, for fear of suicide.
“A few days ago, I slipped out just after dinner. I was bored, and want to see some of Neo Winterswijk. I had never been off Neo Amsterdam. So, I stole some of those novice robes and went for a walk around Winterswijk. I sort of got hit on by some of the local boys, at a soda shop. I panicked. I ran from the shop and haven’t been out on my own since. Other than to train or fly.” Jordan looked down at her hands. She waited for the nuns to give out her punishment.
“We’ll come back to that later, young lady.” Jordan winced at the use of young lady, but said nothing. “From now on you will wear the robes of a postulant when not flying or training inside of the Temple grounds. IF, and this is a big if, you leave any Temple grounds you will be escorted by at least two members of the Guardian Orders. You WILL learn the ways of each Order within the Temple of Ida-ten, not just the Children of Mars, Saint George, and the Blood Red Knights. You WILL learn them all. That means you start with the Nightingale Sisterhood as we are the ones you have most exposure to.”
“Yes ma’am. Am I in trouble?” Jordan knew that he was, but, had to have one of the nuns say it out loud.
Both Sara and Katlyn answered at the same time. “YES!”
“Um… what should I wear outside of the Temple grounds? I know that the last time I wore a set of robes from one of the Temples I attracted unwanted attention.” This was a real worry for Jordan.
Sara smiled down at the young teenage girl. “You will be provided a set of uniforms from the Daughters of the Dragons for those times. They will give you some measure of immunity among the civilians.”
Katlyn stepped in next. “You will also be allowed to wear certain local custom clothing, appropriate for a teenage girl of your age.” As Jordan heard this she turned white.
Since the end of the War of Succession, the teenage girls of New Holland, like most of the Empire, had taken to wearing Neo Lolita clothing. This trend was thanks to the Empress Maiha and her love for the fashion. Whenever she was seen outside of the Empyreal Battle Platform Ryuk she and the War Princess Alison were seen to be wearing the fashion, as opposed to their Kimonos. Jordan knew that those very attractive and sexually alluring clothes were now in her future.
“Um… Sister Katlyn, is there any way for me to avoid those?”
Once again, the two nuns answered at the same time. “No.”
Jordan sighed and looked up at the two young nuns. “Okay, already. I get the hint. You don’t have to hit me over the head with a wing wrench.”
Sara just smiled. “Yes, we do.” Hearing this the three young women laughed. Sara gave Jordan a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Jordan. We’re here to help you. The steps we are taking are only to help you adjust to being perceived as a teenage girl.”
“Your training with the other postulants will help you pass as a lady of culture and refinement. You’ll learn how to walk with grace and beauty. These are just a few of the things the Sisters will teach you.” Katlyn told Jordan with a small smile.
“Um… about that. What other nuns are here?” Jordan had only seen a few monks and Brothers of Balance since arriving.
“You just haven’t been around them Jordan. This is one of the few Temples that are segregated. The reason for the segregation is the Guardians here are ALL members of the Dragon’s Daughters. Then there are the Sisters of the Nightingale, like Katlyn and me. So, you will have plenty of teachers. We will also be moving you into the women’s dorms.” Sara just smiled at a very shocked Jordan.
Over the next two months Jordan came to understand the why of her being placed in the women’s dorm. As each day that past Jordan learned more and more about being a woman. To be more precise, a teenage girl. Jordan even made more friends among the postulants and novices than she ever had outside of the Temples as a boy.
The teenage girls that had come to the Temple of Ida-ten as postulants, and novices, taught her about all things a teenage girl should know. they did this in their spare time. The young girls bought the story that Jordan was a real tomboy before coming to the Temple. That and when they all saw Jordan’s wings the first time the girls all knew that Jordan came from a Sky Dancer family. It was common knowledge that they didn’t allow their girls to wear make-up or dresses.
This was the biggest sale point for Jordan’s story of being a tom-boy. The only problem was Jordan’s age. They all knew that there was no way for Jordan to be a candidate at her age. Jordan explained this away by telling them all that she had been at her sister’s ascension or bonding when she stepped to close to the glass. Most of the girls believed Jordan, except for one of the novices for the Dragon’s Daughters. This same novice also noticed that Jordan was emotionally down one day.
“Jordan, may I have a word in private with you?” Novice Emmeline asked while stopping Jordan during her morning duties. Emmeline led Jordan off to one-side away from the others postulants she was overseeing.
“How may I help you Sister Emmeline?” Jordan asked once they were by themselves.
“You can tell me the truth. I know for a fact that no female has ever conquered a black symbiont. Please, I am not trying to embarrass you, but my grandmother told me the legends surrounding the Blacks. How they can only be conquered by a male, and that the symbionts are male.
Are you the Black from Neo Amsterdam?” Emmeline had used the local dialect of New Holland.
Jordan smiled and stayed with Neo-Dutch. “I will answer your question, if you’ll answer mine first.” Emmeline nodded her head yes. “Which Flight Leader is your mother, and from what Flight?”
“My mother is Coria Lees, of the Grand Sunburst. She is a Red Sky Dancer for the third Wing. My grandmother is Bethany Lees of the First Wing of the Grand Sunburst. She is the one who told me of the legends of the Blacks. Before you ask fledgling, I left before my majority to join the Sisterhood of the Dragon’s Daughters. Yes, I used to be a boy.” Emmeline smiled at the shocked look on Jordan’s face. “Yes, young Jordan, I left the family so I could become a woman and still serve the greater good. I knew that like you I could never become a Sky Dancer. So, I came here and joined the Dragon’s Daughters as a Knight of Ida-ten. Now, what is your story?”
“Just as you guessed Sister, I was at my older sister’s ascension a few months back. They had placed a black off to the side to die as is normal. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was walking around the glass, and I got way too close to the black egg as it hatched. The next thing I know I’m waking up in the Hospital wing of the Neo Amsterdam Ida-ten Temple.” Jordan looked down at her body. “Looking like this.”
“What had your attention so that you would walk within reach of an unstable symbiont? Didn’t you realize the danger you were placing yourself in at the time?” Emmeline was beside herself in wonder at the pure stupidity of the situation. She couldn’t fathom anything that would distract her in such a way as to place herself in danger.
“The Empress Maiha, and War Princess Alison were standing on the Elders’ platform.” Jordan looked at her hands as she blushed. “They represented everything that I believed in at the time. The Empire and the Death Dealers. That is what I wanted to be before all this started. A Death Dealer. I didn’t have a lot other options at the time as you know. I was already saving up credits for my Jump to Hades. I had two more years of working the docks and I would have enough for the jump.”
“You do know that the Death Dealers would have paid for your jump out?” Emmeline asked at the blushing teenager. “Oh, you poor fledgling you had a plan, but not all the facts. No wonder you were so distracted by Empress Maiha and the War Princess.”
“Well, it does matter anymore. Now, I’ll never get off this planet. Sure, I can Dance in the Clouds, but I’ll never be part of the Flights. Almost ALL the Flight Leaders want me dead. Then there is the fact that me and every other Sky Dancer are no longer purely human. I have spent the last six months only in the company of Nuns, Monks, and Temple Guardians. When I fly, I must stay away from the storms or risk overload. Have I missed anything? Oh, and I am spending my Life Day a few thousand miles away from my family!” the sarcasm that dripped from Jordan’s voice was thicker than honey in the noonday sun.
Emmeline sighed and hugged the young teen. Outside of Sister Sara of the Nightingales she knew the pain that Jordan felt. Just as all the sons of Sky Dancers felt when they left home upon their majority. For most of them that was just before or just after eighteen years. Unlike their sisters who would not leave the home until they had completed their training as Sky Dancers. Training that took eighteen to nineteen months.
Here in Emmeline’s arms was a Sky Dancer forced to run from her home. To face life, long before she should have to, on her own. Working her heart out to learn everything she could about her new life. Train to control her new power and abilities. All while learning to be a teenage girl. No wonder Jordan was on edge most of the time. Emmeline squeezed her one more time then sent her back to her duties.
Once Jordan was working, Emmeline went to find Sara and Katlyn. It didn’t take her long to find them. Once they were free Emmeline confronted them. “Sisters, were you aware that today is Jordan’s Life Day?”
Sara looked at Emmeline as if she had just smacked her, while Katlyn looked on in confusion. “How did you find this out Sister Emmeline?” Sara asked quickly.
“Just a few minutes ago, Sister. I noticed a few inconsistencies in young Jordan’s story. So, I confronted her about them. She in turn asked more than a few embarrassing questions of me.” Emmeline switched over to Neo-Dutch for Sara. “My mother is Coria Lees, of the Grand Sunburst for the City of Neo Ravenstien. I too left for the Peace of the Stars, cousin. Just as you did.”
Katlyn was once again lost as the two New Holland natives talked. Sighing in disgust Katlyn. “I really need to update my language translation program if I’m going to be here much longer.”
Both Sara and Emmeline laughed at Katlyn’s complaint. “Sorry Sister Katlyn, I forget that Neo Dutch is not part of the Empire’s Standard Language Matrix. It is one of the very small few that are not included. We were just discussing something we have common. We do have a problem though with our favorite Sky Dancer.”
“I gathered that Sara from the rather unsettling comments. What has Jordan done this time?” Katlyn’s worry showed in her voice.
“The fledgling has done nothing wrong, Sister Katlyn. On the contrary, it is something that we have done wrong. Maybe I should say something WE have overlooked. Today is Jordan’s Life Day.” Sara explained.
“Okay, just what does that mean? You forget that I’m not from here.” Katlyn told them both with some heat.
Sara smiled at her friend and fellow nun. “There are three days in the life of every New Hollander that have special meaning. The first is their Life Day, the day they were born. The next is their Name Day, that is the day that each child receives their name before their family. The third day is their Majority Day, the day they leave home. For the Sky Dancers, it is different for the boys and girls. For the girls, it is their Ascension or Bonding with a symbiont. The boys usually leave home and are never heard from again. For those not of the Sky Dancer Families it is the day they graduate for Primary School.”
“I see. So today is Jordan’s birthday. She turns sixteen today and she’s away from her family. A day she should be celebrating with her family. It’s no wonder she is so upset. Any ideas on how to fix this?” Katlyn wasn’t one to sidestep a problem.
“Not at this time Katlyn. To be honest, until we can get her family to accept her as a Sky Dancer she’ll never see past the gift she has been given.” Sara pointed out.
“I think the best thing we can do is send her out for a long flight. One that will take her beyond the outer edge of the city. Say, for three hours?” Emmeline gave Katlyn a smirk. “Make sure she knows she can fly through a thunder cloud or two.”
“And what will, we be doing during her little flight?” Katlyn asked.
“Correcting a mistake.” Sara told her bluntly.
Chapter 6
Pirates of the Clouds.
Jordan headed for the upper most clouds the moment she left the Temple grounds. With powerful strokes of her wings, the young Sky Dancer put as much distance between herself and Neo Workum. It didn’t take her long to reach an altitude that most Sky Dancers could only dream of. Only the Golds or Blues could come close to this altitude. With each stroke of her wings Jordan felt Neo Workum fall away.
Her heart was filled with a happiness she had not felt in a long time. The teenage members of the Temple had thrown her a surprise Life Day party seven days ago, after her training flight. It had become one of her greatest Life Days. Jordan had let her mind drift as she flew though the Cirrostratus clouds that surrounded her.
Jordan smiled as she spotted the local Sky Dancer patrol thousands of feet below her. Jordan had already learned that the regular Sky Dancers were unable to match her flight performance. She was to be blunt stronger, faster, more powerful, in flight than any other Sky Dancer. Jordan wanted to laugh at their attempts to reach her height.
That was until Jordan realized that they weren’t trying to gain altitude on her but something else. Scanning the surrounding airspace Jordan found what they were hunting. The long prow of a Sky Raider transport ship broke through the clouds two thousand feet below her. This was no ordinary transport ship going between the cloud cities. This one was a pirate ship.
Of all the dangers that abounded on New Holland the Sky Pirates were the greatest. The wealth that is gathered by the crystal miners is enough to drive a good deal of men and women to piracy. It was the protection of the deep dive crabs and the city docks that was the main job of Sky Dancers.
A Sky Dancer may be able to survive the lower reaches of the atmosphere without an exco-suite but it was their ability to channel lightning bolts they were prized for. Sky Dancers were the first line of defense against the pirates. She watched as the patrol swung around and began to rake the transport ship with lightning bolt, after lightning bolt. Only to have this ship continue to fly on as if nothing had happened.
Jordan had been hearing tales that pirates had found a way to shield their ships against the powerful lightning strikes of the Sky Dancers for years. Here was the proof that Sky Pirates were armoring their ships against Sky Dancer attacks. Jordan watched as the second Flight rose from the city to come straight at the ship. Their own attacks had the same effect. Within minutes all eight Wings of the Rainbow Archers Flight were attacking the pirate ship. The pirates waited until the full Flight was engaged before firing the first return shot.
Three Sky Dancers were hit in the opening return fire. A Blue, and two reds fell to the rippling fire from the pirate ship. The second round claimed two more Sky Dancers, a Silver and a Purple. Only the Golds could completely avoid the withering fire from the pirate ship. That did not last long as a Flight Leader and a Wing Second were struck at the same time by the heavy guns of the pirate ship.
Jordan was going to stay out of the fight and let the Flight do their job. That was until they fired on the Temple of Ida-ten. Jordan unleashed the first of her thunderbolts in anger. Even though Jordan was further out than the others her and her thunderbolt wasn’t at full power, it was strong enough to take out the forward gun turret of the pirate ship.
This attack didn’t go without reprisal as the pirates turned their attention on her. Jordan knew that she didn’t have the armor of a Second-Generation Death Dealer or Knight of Ida-ten. There was no way she could survive an attack by the heavy guns of the pirate ship so she dived on them. As she streaked past at less than three hundred feet from the ships drives Jordan unleashed a thunderbolt at full power.
The resulting strike destroyed the ships drive systems. Jordan continued her dive until she was clear of the ships belly before she pulled up into a climb that would take her past the bow of the ship. Once again, she released a thunderbolt at full power. Only this time, the strike was aimed at the prow of the ship. The full weight of Jordan’s strike would not be known for a few minutes. It was not until the ship started to fall towards the cord of the gas giant that the full weight of her attacks would come to light.
The pirate ship started to split apart at the bow in a slow and methodical manner. Section, by section, the ship broke apart as it fell towards it’s death at the center of New Holland. The Sky Dancers of the Rainbow Archers swarmed the escape pods of the pirate ship. No one would be allowed to escape justice in death if they could help it. The pirates on the other hand were still trying to fight off the Sky Dancers.
Every citizen of the Empire knew the punishment for piracy, either in space or on a planet. The punishment was the same. Empress Maiha had passed that law and punishment during her first year on the Throne. No one wanted to be placed in the High Priest Control System. To be cut off from the world for the rest of their life. To be nothing more than a living computer network system manager. This was a fate that every pirate feared.
Jordan spotted two fast attack aircraft and one high speed transport shuttle racing away from the stern of the Sky Raider. She knew these were the captain and the bridge crew of pirate ship. At the speed these three craft were flying there was no way for a normal Sky Dancer to catch them. It was up to her to stop the pirates.
With powerful strokes of her wings Jordan closed the distance between her and the HST shuttle. Jordan was so concerned with the HST getting away she failed to notice the fast attack aircraft swinging around to engage her. If not for the sudden up swell of air currents Jordan would have been dead. Twin beams of coherent light passed just feet below her.
The sudden attack by the two fast attack aircraft forced Jordan to break off her pursuit of the HST shuttle. Turning her attention to them Jordan tried something she never had before. Pointing one hand at each attack craft Jordan unleashed a thunderbolt at them. The one Jordan had targeted with her right hand took the blast head-on. The one on the left swerved and avoided the blast. Even at half strength Jordan’s thunderbolt ripped through the airframe of the one she did hit. The resulting explosion caused the one that was missed to swing even wider to stay in control.
This sudden movement allowed Jordan to fire a second thunderbolt at the fleeing aircraft. This time she didn’t miss. Her thunderbolt hit the starboard engine forcing the aircraft to wheel about and into a cloud to explode. With both fast attack aircraft now destroyed Jordan turned her attention back to the HST shuttle only to find it had escaped the area.
With her main target gone Jordan returned to lend a hand in rounding up the rest of the pirate escape pods. As she closed the distance Jordan began to count the remaining Sky Dancers. Jordan was brought up short by the final count. Out of the seventy-five members of the Rainbow Archers only fifty-one were still flying. This was not good. In over seven hundred years no Flight of Sky Dancers had ever been so devastated.
A full third of the Rainbow Archers Flight had been either wounded or killed. For centuries, the Sky Dancers had fought against Sky Pirates and never had this high of a loss. No Flight had ever had a full third of their members sidelined to injuries or killed.
It took the Flight some time, but all the escape pods were captured. None of the Sky Dancers would talk with Jordan. Even though she had stopped the attack she was still an unknown among her own people. As they approached the city’s edge the Flight Leaders and Wing Seconds broke off from the others and cornered Jordan in the air.
“Come no further Jordan Price.” Ordered the Rainbow Archer Flight Leader. “We have several Dancers that are due to come into season.”
“Why should that matter Flight Leader? I have every right to land within the Temple of Ida-ten. I have abided by the orders of Flight Leader Helen Campbell. I have stayed away from the Flights as instructed. I have trained on my own. I have done everything that you people demanded of me.” Jordan’s anger at being held separate from her own people filled her face, body, and voice, as the heat of her anger filled her words.
“Peace young one, our concern is not to hold you away from our people forever.” The Flight Leader hovered just in front of Jordan with her hands out to the side. “We are only worried that you have not yet gained full control over your symbiont. We only wish to keep our youngest Dancers from an unwanted pregnancy. That is our only concern.”
Jordan knew that this was a valid concern for the Flight Leaders. Not just for the Flights of Neo Workum, but all the cloud cities. Jordan knew that she still needed to work on her control over her symbiont. The training flight through the clouds seven days ago, had shown her this fact. Not for the first-time Jordan understood the restrictions that the Nightingale Sisters and the Flight Leaders had put in place.
“I understand Flight Leader. I’ll head for the Temple allowing you and your Wings to secure the prisoners.” Jordan turned to head for the Temple of Ida-ten, but was stopped by the Flight Leader.
“Jordan Price, we are in your debt. The Rainbow Archers always repay their debts. When the time is right come to us and we’ll teach you the control that you need. Just ask for one of us.” The Flight Leaders all flew towards the city leaving Jordan alone with her thoughts.
Chapter 7
Change of plans on to Neo Geleen
Ten days after the attack by the pirates Sister Sara walked into the room that Jordan was using. As she entered the room she found the teenager only in her symbiont. “Are you ready for our next stop Jordan?”
“Would you be upset if I told you that I have been ready for the past week, Sister Sara?” Jordan giggled at the look Sister Sara gave her.
“Well, if that is the case, I suggest you finish packing. Brother Alex will be our pilot for today and that man hates delays. The way he acts a times you would think he was a commercial pilot before joining the Temple.” At Jordan’s look of confusion Sara laughed. “He joined the Temple after the last war. Before this he was a bomber pilot with the two-thirteenth bomber squadron from Hypha. That man is a true military pilot.”
“So… he should be used to delay’s? I thought that the military was like really big about being on time.”
“Honey child, have you ever heard the saying hurry up and wait. Well the military invented that saying. So Brother Alex may be more than used to waiting around for takeoffs, but he still hates the waiting.” Jordan had to laugh at Sara’s explanation.
Jordan had her bags packed and down to the flight line in ten minutes. As she walked toward the shuttle that would carry her guardians Jordan spotted seven Gold Flight Leaders next to the flight line. Jordan knew three of the Flight Leaders personally. The last four were all unknown to her. The fact that they were here at the Temple was not good in her mind.
Dropping her bag at the shuttle Jordan walked over to confront the Flight Leaders. Starting with her mother. Bowing slightly from the waste Jordan gave her mother a hidden smile. “Hello mother. I thought that the Flight Leaders weren’t allowed within the Temple of Ida-ten.”
It was not Jordan’s mother who answered her challenge, but one of the four Flight Leaders she did not know. “You dare to question our right to be anywhere on New Holland? How dare you? We go where WE wish and do not answer to groundlings or the bastard union of a black. Show respect to your betters or I will teach you the error of your ways.”
Jordan didn’t even think twice, she smacked the Flight Leader in the mouth knocking her to the ground. “DON’T EVEN BEGIN TO THINK OF YOURSELF AS MY BETTER BITCH! I COULD KILL YOUR HARPY ASS AND FEEL NOTHING! IF YOU OR ANY OTHER SKY DANCER BELIEVE THEY CAN CHALLENGE ME FEEL FREE. ONLY REMEMBER ONE THING. I FIGHT TO THE DEATH.”
All seven Flight Leaders were shocked to their cores. Never had anyone in the history of the Sky Dancers dared to raise a hand to a Flight Leader. Yet here was a teenager who not only broke the greatest taboo, but dare to challenge them all to a fight to the death. Only Jordan’s mother knew the fury that lay at the heart of her child’s rage.
Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell stepped between Jordan and the other Flight Leaders. As she neared Jordan she could see the flickering of electricity around the young Sky Dancer. Helen could see that Jordan was far more powerful than any Sky Dancer. “Peace, young Thunder Hawk. We come here with a request. A request that only you can grant.”
Jordan took a few deep breaths and stepped away from them. She knew that she had to get her anger under control. She knew that Sara and Katlin would be here soon. All she had to do was hold out until then. Turning around Jordan thought fast. “What is this request Supreme Flight Leader?”
Helen sighed. “We have a problem young Jordan, a problem that only a Black can solve. As you are the only Black we are forced to come to you. I know that you have no reason to help us, but please hear us out first?”
Jordan looked over at her mother. “Mom, what do you think I should do?”
The Flight Leader that Jordan had smacked butted in once again. “How dare you? Answer the Supreme Flight, now!” the woman ordered.
Jordan just ignored her and waited for her mother to answer her question. When it came, Jordan was surprised. “Do as you see fit my dear. I am not going to force you to do anything against your will. Not that I could to begin with. You always did as you believe was right.”
“You dare to let this impudent brat dictate what she should do? Where is your pride Flight Leader Ileana Price?” the angry Flight Leader was pushing Jordan’s temper to its breaking point. However, it was nothing compared to Ileana’s anger.
“Shut the frack up Heather Van Goth. I have had enough of your bullshit to last me a life time. As for allowing my child to decide what she wants to do with her life that is between me and her. And none of your concern.” When Jordan heard the name for this Flight Leader he knew what the problem was. Heather Van Goth was a member of the Van Goth High Family, and a Sky Dancer Flight Leader. This was not a family to play with.
“If you will not put this child in her place then I will.” As Van Goth turned to face Jordan she found not a child having a tantrum, but a pissed-off teenager with firepower to back herself up. It took less than a heartbeat for Heather Van Goth to change her mind. She had never been forced to face someone who held death in their hands.
“Flight Leader Heather Van Goth, if I were you I would back off before I get pissed beyond my limits. If you continue to push me, I will break my word to the Temple of Ida-ten.” Jordan was done playing political games with the woman. It may have been the lightning crackling across Jordan’s hands or the pure intent of murder in her eyes, but Heather Van Goth backed down as fast as she could. Jordan looked over at Helen Campbell. “As I said earlier Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell. What is your request? And why do you need me?”
“The answer is simple young Jordan Price. We have come to you to help us at the next hatching in Neo Geleen. We have gathered all the black symbionts from all over New Holland there. We have twenty-three candidates of age to present to the blacks, we still gathering even more, but no one to train them.” As Helen explained the situation to Jordan she figured out what they wanted.
“So, you have come to the only person to ever conquer a Black on all of New Holland, me. May I know why you have taken to saving the Black symbionts after all this time?” Jordan let her venom fill her voice.
“That is none of your concern Jordan Price.” Spat out Heather Van Goth. “Just do as you’re told or be done with it.”
This time Jordan didn’t need to correct Van Goth, Helen Campbell did it for her. “Heather, you will either remain silent or I will cut your tongue out! We are not in position to make demands or give orders. It is because of your Family and others like you that we are in this position! Now, shut up! I will be the only one to talk with young Jordan.”
“Very well, Supreme Flight Leader, I will hear you out fully. Why is it you need so many Black Sky Dancers all of a sudden?”
“The answer to that young Jordan is simple. Pirates.” Helens one word answer grabbed Jordan’s attention, he knew that there was more to this than they were letting on. “As you know the Sky Pirates have begun to armor their transports. The attack that you interrupted a few days ago, was not the first time we have faced these new Sky Raider transports. This is the first time that one has been stopped though. I read the reports from the Rainbow Archers Flight Leader. They would not have been able to stop that ship if not for you.”
“We should be Purging the Rainbow Archers, not dealing with this thing. The Flights can handle the Pirates. We just need to change our tactics.” This came from one of the other hostile Flight Leader. “We have never needed the blacks, and shouldn’t need them now. Really, Supreme Flight Leader, we should be killing this thing now not dealing with it.”
“Flight Leader Grace Marks, you will also curb your tongue. I do not need your approval for meeting with young Jordan Price. Nor do I need it to allow males the chance to Bond with a Black. The Grand Flight Consul met, voted, and approved this radical measure. You may not agree with it but you will abide by that decision. Now, you can either leave or remain silent, but I will not have you interrupt these negotiations again.”
Jordan scanned the faces of the remaining Flight Leaders. All three held their faces as if they were carved from stone. They gave Jordan nothing to work off of with their expressions. Jordan was saved from making a decision by the arrival of Sister Sara and Sister Katlyn. Sara was the first to speak. “You were told that the Temple is off-limits to your Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell. Why have you broken the accord?”
“We have not broken the accord Nightingale. We are outside of the Temple. The flight line is not part of the Temples. As for why we are here that is between us and the young Thunder hawk.” The way that Helen Campbell said thunder hawk grabbed Jordan’s attention.
“I will give you my answer Supreme Flight Leader Helen, if you will explain why you and every other Flight Leader calls me Thunder Hawk. Do that and I will agree to think about helping you with your problem.” Jordan had already decided to help them but he wanted some answers as well. This way she would get some of them at least.
“That is simple young, Jordan Price. Thunder Hawk, that is who and what you are. You are the First of the new Blacks. You are a Thunder Hawk. Does that answer your question?” Jordan just looked at Helen as if she had grown a second head. “That is your title young Jordan Price. You earned it the day you survived the bonding.”
It was this little piece of information that clicked in Jordan’s mind. He remembered the old tales her mother told as a child. During times of great crises, it is said that there would be born a Sky Dancer more powerful than any that lived. They would be a defender of the skies, and guardian of peace. She had heard the stories all her young life, but to be considered the Thunder Hawk was almost too much for Jordan.
“Fine, whatever. I’ll go to Neo Geleen as you have asked, but I am no Thunder Hawk. I’m just Jordan Price, last son of Ileana Price and the Price family, and conqueror of the black symbiont.” With that Jordan turned and walked away from the gathered Flight Leaders. Sara and Katlyn looked at each other and sighed.
“Come on Katlyn, we better tell Brother Alex about the change in flight plans. How do you think he’ll take it?” Sara asked Katlyn.
“Like a bad a case of hemorrhoids. I’ll take care of Alex, you deal with the bitches. If I deal with them it’ll get bloody.” Katlyn may not be from New Holland but she had already gained an extreme dislike for the Sky Dancer Flight Leaders. Sara just sighed at the back of her retreating friend, and fellow Nightingale.
“I see that more than a few of my fellow Flight Leaders have left a bad taste in the young Nightingales mouth my daughter.” Helen’s words came very close to causing a war on the flight line.
“Mother, if I were you I would count this a win and take wing before the rest of Jordan Price’s guardians show. They will not take kindly to you breaking the accord to leave her alone. Remember our guardians are living weapons, and are all combat veterans.” Sara’s warning didn’t fall on deaf ears for two of the Flight Leaders.
“Who do you think you are to threaten the Flight Leaders groundling?” Heather Van Goth thought she was just dealing with a normal nun. She was quickly taught otherwise by Sara’s speedy reaction.
Sara grabbed the obnoxious Flight Leader by the throat and lifted her off the ground. “I will say this once and once only Heather Van Goth. Never try the patients of a Nightingale Sister again. We may not have the firepower of our guardians, but we are more than powerful enough to handle the likes of you. Go away and never return to our Temples again.”
Sara dropped Heather on her ass and walked away. Helen Campbell looked down at Heather and sighed. “I warned you to behave yourself Heather Van Goth. We do not rule here in these temple walls. Be thankful my daughter was the one to deal with you. If it had been one of the other nuns, you would have lost your life in seconds. The Knights of Ida-ten are not to be trifled with, not even on a good day.”
“I still don’t see why you’re bowing down to these people or that petulant child. Just order them to hand the child over to us and be done with it. We only need the seed from that creature, nothing more.” Spat one of the three Flight Leaders who kept her peace during the meeting.
“Catharine, if you think you can force any member of the Ida-ten orders to do what you want please feel free to try. I for one have no desire to die before reaching my century mark.” Helen’s very cold and blunt words had the desired effect.
“Are they truly so blood thirsty that they would dare to take the life of a Sky Dancer Supreme Flight Leader?” Catharine Delacour asked.
“Catharine, these men and women do not make idle threats. I have been face to face with one of their Knights. I have also seen what those Knights can do with their power. I have no doubt in my mind that they would and could destroy every last Flight on all of New Holland if ordered to do so. We may be powerful sisters, but none of us can withstand the raw firepower of just one of those Knights. Now I suggest we take wing like my daughter has suggested. I have a feeling that Jordan Price has won the respect and admiration of these battle-hardened Knights.”
“My daughter has done more than that Supreme Flight Leader. Trust me when I say that, it is for the best that we met with her outside of the Temple walls. If we were to have tried this inside the Temple, not even the Reverend Father would have been able to stop them from killing us all.” Ileana just smiled at the looks of terror that crossed the faces of the gathered Flight Leaders. With a downward sweep of her wings Ileana took off and climbed as high as she could. She wanted to be at an altitude that would allow her to follow her daughter Jordan safely.
Chapter 8
Reverend Mother Katsumi
As the shuttle with Jordan’s guardians approached Neo Geleen the watchtower contacted them. “Nightingale flight four-oh-one this is Neo Geleen tower control. Do you copy? Over”
Brother Alex had been flying for more than thirty years. He had started out flying for Hypha Planetary Defense Force before joining the Temple of Ida-ten. When the chance came to join the Temple, he jumped at it. He barely survived the last crash that had cost him his left leg and ended his military career. So, he knew that the call was a legal contact.
“Go for Nightingale flight four-oh-one, Tower. Over”
“You’re cleared to land at Neo Geleen port on vector two-three-seven. Are you in contact with the Thunder Hawk? Over”
“Copy cleared to land vector Two-three-seven, Tower. That is a roger on contact with Thunder Hawk. Why? Over”
“Nightingale flight, you are to direct Thunder Hawk to land at the city arena. She will be met by the Supreme Flight Leader and your Reverend Mother Katsumi. Over”
When Alex heard that the Reverend Mother Katsumi was going to be meeting with Jordan he turned the two people who were better able to handle this problem. “Sisters! We got a problem!”
As Sara and Katlyn entered the cockpit they heard the Tower call again. “Nightingale flight, I repeat, you are to direct Thunder Hawk to the city arena to meet with Reverend Mother Katsumi and Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell. Do you acknowledge? Over”
Sara looked at Katlyn who was looking back at her. Then as one. “OH shit!” rolled off their tongues.
Brother Alex looked at the two nuns and chuckled. “Well, Ladies what do I tell them? They’re going to keep calling. I don’t know about you, but there is no way I am going to disobey the Reverend Mother.”
“Go ahead and answer them, tell them we’re sending Thunder Hawk to the arena. Then do us a favor and get a connection with the Temple. Let them know that the Reverend Mother is on planet and in Neo Geleen.” Sara didn’t want to deal with the Empyreal Reverend Mother Katsumi, but there was no way around it. One way or the other, they would have to face the Reverend Mother Katsumi on the city’s arena glass.
“Consider it taken care of Sister Sara.” Brother Alex reached over and flipped two switches. He then contacted the Neo Geleen watchtower.
“Neo Geleen Tower this Nightingale flight two-three-seven copy orders for direction of Thunder Hawk to city arena. Over”
“Copy that, Nightingale flight, cleared to land. Out”
Sara and Katlyn had returned to the rear area of the shuttle and contacted Jordan. After explaining to her the change in her landing zone the two nuns sat back and waited for Alex to land the shuttle. Hearing the orders to fly directly to the city arena Jordan dropped away from her trailing position and circled around to find the arena. As she flew over the arena grounds Jordan spotted the seven Flight Leaders from earlier in the day plus what looked like one of the nuns form the Temple.
With an ease that she had learned over the past months Jordan landed in front of the Flight Leaders and the nun. That was when Jordan noticed the robes that the nun was wearing. The robes were those of a Reverend Mother for more than Daughters of the Dragon. ‘Holy shit! This woman is the Head of the Empyreal Temple.’ Jordan realized.
Bowing deeply form the waist Jordan greeted her. “Greetings, Reverend Mother. I was unaware of your presence on New Holland.”
Reverend Mother Katsumi just smiled slyly at the young Sky Dancer. “There is no need for such formality young Thunder Hawk. You were not told of my presence because I ordered it. The Nightingale Sisters were only just told of my presence. As for my reasons being here those are simple. I was sent by the Empress to ensure that the Bonding of the black symbionts goes as planned. There has been a grave injustice on this planet. An injustice that the Empress has ordered to be corrected.”
Jordan looked at the glass behind the Reverend Mother. The sight that greeted her was one of pure wonderment. Thirty-seven black symbiont eggs laid on the glass hardening. Waiting for the right time to hatch. “Excuse me Reverend Mother Katsumi, but are those all really black symbionts?”
“Yes, they are Jordan Price. Thirty-seven to be exact, with another seven to arrive within the next few hours.” Jordan looked over at Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell. “Yes, Jordan Price, you heard me correctly. There will be a total of forty-four black symbionts on this very glass by nightfall. We will also have the rest of the candidates here by morning.”
“May I ask their ages?” Jordan knew that if she was going to deal with teenagers that were older than her there was going to be problems. Most of the sons of Sky Dancers had problems dealing with Sky Dancer females, and Jordan knew what she looked like.
Ileana Price knew what her daughter was getting at, and answered for the Flight Leaders. “They range from eighteen turns down to the youngest at fifteen, Jordan. Before you ask we have considered the ramifications of paring ones so young with a symbiont. I know that this is unusual Jordan, but we have no choice. Do not worry Jordan, I and the other Flight Leaders have told them that you, and you alone, are the one in charge. The Reverend Mother has also come to help you with the other hosts. She will be the one with over all control while you train the other Black Sky Dancers. The Empress Maiha has given her word on this.”
It was then that Jordan realized the Reverend Mother was here to help. Jordan couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was the woman who was more than just a spiritual adviser to the Empress. The Reverend Mother Katsumi was the Head of all the Ida-ten Orders.
“Mother, can you please tell me why this is happening? Why after all this time are boys being allowed to bond with symbionts? Why here of all places? Why is it that the Empress Maiha taken to caring what Sky Dancers do with our symbionts? The Imperial Family has never before shown interest in how we conduct our affairs.”
Katsumi had to contain her smile at this last one. “She was at your Bonding ceremony. She saw that the blacks could be tamed. I have received weekly reports on your progress from the Reverend Mother for the Nightingales. I have passed these reports on to her Majesty. She highly approves of you young Jordan.”
“As for why it is happening, daughter. The answer is simple. You proved that the legends are true. Only males can tame the blacks. As for why here, that is again simple. The city of Neo Geleen has no Sky Dancer Flights. They were killed to the last Dancer during the last Pirate raid. The pirates were also able to kill the symbiont hive queen here. To be honest Jordan, this city is relying on the aero fighter defense force for protection. That is why we are here.” Ileana’s words and very blunt sincerity damned near unhinged Jordan.
The thought of an entire cities Sky Dancer Flight wiped out was unheard of. Then the idea of someone actually, targeting a city’s hive queen was beyond Jordan’s or anyone’s comprehension. In over ten centuries no one had ever dared to attack a hive queen. That crime held a death sentence, one that would be long, painful, and very gruesome.
Jordan was drawn out of his thoughts by Supreme Flight Leader Helen’s voice. “Thunder Hawk Jordan Price we need for you to help our sons conquer these forty-four black symbionts. We need to know how you were able to do the impossible. What did you do?”
Jordan stood there and thought back to that day all those months ago. The more she thought about that day the more her feelings of that time on the glass returned to her. “I will help them, but I will do it without you here. Leave me and those kids alone. Stay away from the Temple of Ida-ten. I will give you the fighting force you need to stop the pirates, but you will no longer keep males off the glass if there is a black. Those are my terms. Are we in agreement?”
“Agreed, young Thunder Hawk.” Helen Campbell knew that she had to agree. She did it before the opposition could object.
“Then take wing Flight Leaders, and do not return until you are invited.” Jordan’s order did not sit well with the other Flight Leaders. The only one who didn’t object outright was her mother.
Jordan, Sisters Sara, and Katlyn, along with Reverend Mother Katsumi stood still and watched as the Supreme Flight Leader led five Flight Leaders into the air and away from the arena. Only Ileana Price stayed.
“You have come a long way, Jordan. You are more than I or the Empress could ever hope for. I see an iron will lies behind your youthful eyes. One that you will need in the times ahead.” Ileana held her pride in check as she knew that she had done her child a disservice.
“That is where you are wrong mother. It was your treatment of me that allowed me to conquer the black in the first place. It will be that same treatment of the others that will allow them to do the same.” Jordan’s words cut through Ileana’s pride to tear her heart out. “It takes more than just willpower to conquer the blacks. It takes an anger that women cannot understand or summon. Only the blind rage of injustice can do this. An injustice that is long simmering at the hands of oppressors.”
“I see. I pray for the day that you can forgive me for my actions Jordan. Until then fly free my child.” Ileana gave Jordan a quick hug whispering in her ear. “Remember your lesson about the politics of the Flights, dear. Not all the Flight Leaders are in agreement with the Supreme Flight Leader.” She then took to the air. Ileana had to get away before Jordan saw her tears.
“Jordan Price, you remind me of another young lady. One that would be proud to call you her friend.” Katsumi chuckled behind Jordan as the thought of that young woman came to mind. ‘Yes, Jordan Price, you are very much like Maiha when I first met her. You will make a fine Flight Leader.’
“Who would that be Reverend Mother? I highly doubt that there are too many nuns that are as willful as me. In fact, I would be willing to wager that there are none such as me. Just ask the Sisters that have been my guardians this past year. I have lost count at how many times those ladies have boxed my ears for breaking the rules.” Jordan just chuckled at this.
“So I have been told, Jordan. Now, shall we go and greet the candidates?” Katsumi gave Jordan a small sly smile as she thought about the young Thunder Hawk’s words. ‘Once again Maiha, you have seen what others do not. Jordan Price is more than she seems.’
Jordan bowed to the Reverend Mother and lead her to where she knew the candidates would be waiting. As the two walked from the arena glass Jordan thought about what her mother left unsaid. After fifteen years in the Price Family Household, Jordan learned that her mother would often leave parts of a lesson out. A part that she was meant to learn for herself. This time was no different. Her mother’s words about an iron will and to fly free were more than just pleasantries. They were a warning. A warning as to what, was Jordan’s riddle.
----- to be continued ----
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change.
Chapter 9
The Chamber of Cleansing.
As Jordan led Reverend Mother Katsumi into the Chamber of Cleansing she was brought up short. There before her were thirty-seven teenage boys, all naked as the day they were born. More than a few of them showed signs of abuse at the hands of their family. Jordan heard tales of abuse towards males in some Sky Dancer families, but had always put them down to stories told to frighten males in to behaving.
Here though was the truth of those stories. She also realized that she had been lied to. That was evident by the presence of the manacled and shackled young boys around the room. None of them had come here willingly.
Reverend Mother Katsumi had also realized they had been lied to. There were more than a few of them that were barely into their teens. Katsumi used her AI and contacted Sister Sara and Katlyn. After ordering them to meet them at the Cleansing Chamber, Katsumi turned to Jordan. “Tell me that the male children of Sky Dancers are not all treated in this horrid manner, Jordan.”
Jordan sighed and looked up at her. “No, Reverend Mother. Not all male children are treated such as these have been. In fact, I would say that these poor souls are the unlucky ones.”
“WHAT?” Katsumi’s surprise was clear as the upper skies to Jordan. Jordan also knew that she would have to explain, before Sara showed.
“Please try to understand Reverend Mother. I am the exception to the rule, when it comes to the Black symbiont. There have only been seventeen pairings in all our history. For all the power of the Flight Leaders, black symbionts scare them to their very core. This fear has been passed down to their children and the children of every Sky Dancer. The Blacks are so feared that the black symbiont eggs are normally placed off to one side where they cannot find a host and die, upon hatching.” Jordan left the rest unsaid. She did not have the heart to tell the Reverend Mother that these boys had been sent here in desperation.
“Are you telling me that the Flight Leaders sent these children to either survive or die trying?” Jordan just nodded her head to Katsumi’s question. Jordan didn’t have the courage to answer aloud. “How in the name of the Goddess can they call themselves mothers?”
“Reverend Mother, the answer to that is simple.” Sara’s voice with its bitter tone drew the attention of both Jordan and Katsumi. “They did this to give their people a fighting chance against the Sky Pirates. Most Sky Dancers do not look upon their sons as true members of the family. My own mother is Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell, and if I was still under the age of majority she would have sent me here to bond with a black.”
“How barbaric! How can a mother just sacrifice their child like? No mother should see their child as disposable? Tell me something Sister Sara. How did this attitude come about?” Katsumi had to fight to keep her anger in check. Not even during the last war did Empress Maiha force children to fight. Even among the Knights Maiha had gone out of her way to try and keep them out of the fighting.
“Please understand Reverend Mother. This attitude towards the males of the families took many generations to come about. The problem started when most of the symbionts would only bond with females. Over the generations daughters became preferred over sons in these families. So much so that the Gift of Life banks and the Temples no longer tell Sky Dancers the gender of a child until it is born. The legends of there being black symbiont pairings have been relegated to just that legends. No one wants to admit that they are true. To do that would-be heresy.” Sara let all the anger over the way the boys of Sky Dancers were treated fill her voice.
“I see. If that truly is the case then the Empress was right in sending me here to oversee the Bonding and training of these boys. What I want to know is why the Flight Leaders would send nothing but minors?” Katsumi was more concerned with this fact than the attitude of Sky Dancers.
“Because that was all there was to send Reverend Mother Katsumi.” Jordan saw no need to beat around the bush with the woman. She knew for a fact how many males were currently under the age of majority in all New Holland, but were old enough to face bonding with a symbiont.
“There is also the fact that certain Flight Leaders would not have sent the best candidates. The idea of supporting this endeavor goes against everything they stand for, so those Flight Leaders will do their best to ensure failure. Believe me Reverend Mother when I say we have an uphill fight on our hands, no matter what happens.”
“I see. Sister Sara, Sister Katlyn, see to these boys. I will be back in one hour. And if I see one fracking pair of shackles or cuffs you will both be spending the next two years on New Caledonia.” The threat of spending two years on one of the coldest planets in the Empire sent chills down the backs of the two nuns. “Jordan, how long do we have until the eggs hatch?”
Jordan looked down at the floor and thought about that question. Doing the math in her head Jordan didn’t like the numbers she was coming up with. “I will be right back, Reverend Mother Katsumi. I need to check something out on the glass.”
Before Katsumi could say anything, Jordan was out the door and heading for the arena glass. Once there Jordan went from egg to egg looking and feeling each one at a time. The more eggs she inspected the less the dread filled her. When Jordan realized that none of these eggs were ready to hatch she sighed in relief. “At least they didn’t drop Hatch ready eggs on our asses. We have time to get ready, at least forty-eighty hours. Thank the Goddess, for small blessings.”
Jordan hurried back to the Chamber of Cleansing. She wanted to be in time to tell the Reverend Mother the good news. Well as good as it got. All the eggs had been delivered and none of them would hatch within the next forty-eight hours. Now, all they needed was the rest of the candidates. They were still short seven boys, and Jordan had a bad feeling about the ages of the last ones for some reason. She had no idea of how prophetic that feeling would be.
As Jordan entered the Chamber of Cleansing, she was brought up short by what she found. Sara and Katlyn had all thirty-seven of the boys cleaned up and in Postulant robes. There was no sign of Reverend Mother Katsumi. This worried Jordan for a few seconds, until she remembered that Katsumi was in charge of this Bonding.
“Where’s the Reverend Mother, Sister Sara?”
“She went to the Temple, Jordan. She said something about getting enough trainers to help us out. I wouldn’t put it past her to come back with every available Ida-ten Knight at this outpost. Most of the ones in this Temple are combat veterans, so they will be the best trainers and teachers on all of New Holland.” Sara answered her truthfully. Sara didn’t tell her that was exactly what the Reverend Mother said she was going to do. Sara and Katlyn had heard of Reverend Mother Katsumi’s legendary temper, but had never seen it. Today they did.
It was said in hushed and reverent tones that the only persons to have a more violent temper was the Empress Maiha or the War Princess Alison. The two Nightingale nuns had no desire to piss off the Reverend Mother Superior any more than she already was. What set Katsumi off the most was when the youngest boy was asked his age. Not even Sara or Katlyn who were used to the attitude of the Sky Dancers expected the boy to say he was only thirteen years old.
“What happened while I was inspecting the symbiont eggs, Sister Katlyn?” Jordan asked the nun quickly.
Katlyn sighed and looked over at Jordan, then the gathered boys. “Reverend Mother Katsumi found out the real ages for all of the boys. Jordan, none of them have reached their majority. More than a few of them are barely into their teens, Jordan. Even the ones that are considered close are still a year or two away from their majority.”
Jordan sighed and looked down at her hands. “I’m not surprised. After all sons are nothing more than living sperm banks to most of the Sky Dancers. They figure that they will either die during Bonding or go insane forcing us to put them down. There is also the fact that these children are the only ones that the Flight Leaders would be able to get a hold of. Remember that when a male reaches his majority they leave home, sometimes just a few months before their Majority Day, Sister Katlyn. Some even leave the day after they turn seventeen.”
“She’s telling you truth, Katlyn. I myself left four months before my Majority.” Sara looked over at Jordan before asking. “How many of your brothers are still on New Holland, Jordan?”
“I only have one brother, Sister Sara. The last I heard from Robert he had signed on with one of the Crystal Mining Companies as a deep dive crab operator. That was over five years ago now.” Jordan’s very blunt admission of where she thought her brother was shook Katlyn to her core.
“Katlyn, I can count the number of family members I still have on New Holland on one hand and have fingers left over. They are all Sky Dancers, if you want to know. My own brother is now a Death Dealer as you know. That is the fate that awaits all male children of Sky Dancers. They either go to the mines or join the military. Most do both. They first go to the mines and work until they save enough credits to make the jump out of the system. After that they join whatever military force that will let them. The few that stay here, stay in the mines or join the Aerial Defense Force.” Sara knew that her friend was unsettled by this. The shock and discomfort was evident on Katlyn’s face.
Then one of the youngest boys there hugged Katlyn for no reason. “It’s okay, Sister. We all know what is going on. Most of us volunteered for this chance. If we die then that is the luck of the draw. Even our sisters face that fact when they bond with a symbiont.”
“What of the others?” Katlyn asked. “The ones that didn’t volunteer?”
Nine of the boys stood up, and Katlyn could tell that they were the oldest ones in the group. The oldest by his looks stepped forward. “We may not have volunteered like the hatchlings, but now that we’re here we’re all for it. Besides, it’s better than driving a crab looking for Casper Crystals in the lower levels. This way we either die or survive with a chance for something better in life.”
Katlyn sighed as she realized that the boys were doing the best they could in their current circumstances. Then she had a thought and looked over at Jordan and Sara. “Um… seeing as how you two are the only experts we have on Sky Dancers; can you explain why this place is called the Chamber of Cleansing to me?”
The boy that hugged her smiled up at her. “This is where we’re supposed to confess our sins, passions, and dreams. Once we’ve done that, we’re supposed to take this special bath of some kind. Other than that, your guess is as good as ours.”
Katlyn looked over at Sara and Jordan. Both just gave her sad smiles, but it was Jordan who answered for them. “Boys don’t ever get told what happens within this chamber, Sister Katlyn. I don’t know about what Sister Sara was told, but I know nothing beyond what the boy just told you.”
“Sorry, Katlyn. I can’t give you any more than they have. Even at my last sister’s ascension I was never allowed into this room. All I know is that my sisters would come here three days before the hatching. They did not leave once the outer doors were closed and sealed.” Sara explained.
“So, no one knows what the boys are supposed to do. That’s just fracking great. Can you two be of any more help?” Katlyn snapped sarcastically.
“They are not at fault, Nightingale.” The voice from the doorway was one that Jordan was not expecting to hear. She turned to see the person who the voice belonged to and almost shit herself. “Yes, my daughter, I have returned. I also have the Supreme Flight Leader’s blessing.”
“Why?” was all Jordan asked.
“Your Bonding happened without a proper Cleansing. The Supreme Flight Leader sent me to ensure that does not happen with these children. As for her reasons for sending me, there are a few.” Ileana just smiled at Jordan. “The most important is I am your mother.”
“No offence, mother, but I doubt that is the biggest reason.” The scorn in Jordan’s voice was palatable. Even Sara and the others could hear it. They all flinched at the harshness.
“Very well, I have stepped down as the Flight Leader for my old Flight.” This confession stopped Jordan cold. “I have gotten too old to truly lead Jordan. As it was I barely held control over my old flight. I no longer have the strength to fend off the challenges to my position. It is better this way. I can now spend my time teaching you, Raven, and your new Flight of Blacks. And I don’t mean just how to fly and fight either.”
“That is quite the confession Flight Leader Ileana. What brought about this change of heart?” All eyes turned to where Reverend Mother Katsumi stood in the doorway.
Ileana looked around the Cleansing Chamber at all the boys there and said just one word. “Them.”
Chapter 10
Traditions and truths.
Reverend Mother Katsumi considered the face of Ileana Price and knew she spoke the truth. “What is it about these boys? What is it about this situation that has forced your change of heart?”
“Too many of the Flight Leaders are willing to throw the lives of these boys away to save their own. My child may have conquered a black, but that doesn’t mean these boys will be able to do the same. I want to give them the best chance of success that I can. That is why I am here.” Ileana knew that the Reverend Mother and two nuns lacked the knowledge to truly understand what was going on in the Sky Dancers, politically.
Katsumi could tell that Ileana was hiding something, but let it go for now. She knew that Jordan needed the help that only a Sky Dancer could give. The biggest help would be in how the traditions of Sky Dancers were passed on to the young men and boys. There were just certain rights, passages, and ceremonies that were known only to the Sky Dancers.
“Okay, mother. You can stay, but only until they take flight. Then you have to leave.” Jordan was going to lay down a few more rules, but Katsumi stopped her with a raised hand. “Reverend Mother, I bow to your judgement in this matter.”
“Thank you, Jordan. I believe that it would be best for your mother to stay and help you with training these young Thunder Hawks.” Katsumi looked over at the gathered boys and smiled. “They and you need the traditions that only your mother can teach you all. Starting with preparing them for the bonding tomorrow morning.”
“We have more time than that, Reverend Mother Katsumi. Those symbionts will not be ready for forty-eighty hours.” Ileana looked at the boys and smiled. “The first thing that needs to happen is give them all a bath.”
When the boys heard this they all groaned. None of them wanted to get into the flowery smelling water that filled the Cleansing Chambers bath. The bath was more like a shallow pool. As they slowly lowered themselves into the water Ileana began to walk around the outer edge. It was as if she was looking for the first signs of rebellion among her young charges.
“I know the water is hot and smells of flowers. I know that you want to dunk yourself deep in the warmth, but do not do it. Keep your heads above the water. Let the water soak into your skin. It will soften it and remove your body hair. Yes, you heard me correctly. The chemicals in the water are there to remove your body hair. When you step onto the glass you must be pure of body and soul. That means no body hair, no waist in your bowls, you must be totally clean inside and out. If you are not, your bonding will be needlessly painful. Remember, the symbiont is part of you from this day on, until your death. You become one with it, and it becomes one with you.” Ileana looked over at one boy who started to get out the pool. “I did not say that you can leave the water, Paul Andrews.”
“Flight Leader Ileana, I don’t think I can go through with this.” The teenage boy told her honestly.
“I know that you are afraid, Paul. I will be honest with you all, if I had to face what you will on the glass I too would be afraid. No woman has ever successfully bonded with a black. Everyone that tried has died. Only seventeen times in all our history has there been a successful bonding with a black, with my child being the eighteenth. Your mothers have sent you all here to do what they fear. Unlike the rest of the Flight Leaders, I believe in you, all of you. Every one of you is a promise of a better future for New Holland. Have any of your mothers told you of what happens in here?” Ileana was smiling as she addressed the boys.
As she talked to them Paul Andrews returned to his place in the pool. Seeing that she had all their attentions Ileana began to tell them of the ceremony that they would go through. “First, one baths in this pool for six hours. This is to allow the oils and chemicals to cleans your bodies. I know that most of you are used to just a few minutes taking a shower in the morning. You can no longer take such short baths. Once you have bonded with your symbiont bathing will be an important part of your daily life.”
One of the younger boys looked up at Ileana, and asked. “Why? Don’t the symbionts just get rid of our waste like everything?”
“No, Markus Allen. The symbionts take our waste and pass it through your skin. Failure to bath will affect your flight performance. Remember this fact young Thunder Hawks. Your survival in flight relies on being clean.” Ileana could see that the boys were giving her their undivided attention.
“Flight Leader, why have our mothers kept this knowledge from us?” One of the oldest boys asked. “What is so important that we couldn’t know what goes on in this chamber?”
Ileana sighed before answering. “Long ago, during the first bonding’s it was felt that we should keep the traditions of Sky Dancers from the outside people. The reasons behind this, were two-fold. The first of which was the level that our symbionts bond with us. Unlike the bio-armor of the Second-Generation Death Dealers our symbionts change us down to our DNA. When you bond with your symbionts you become a race other than human. The second reason is one that must be kept a secret. There is a reason that all FEMALE Sky Dancers who step onto the glass are virgins. When they bond with a symbiont it is very much like rape. The symbionts take our virginity as for the blood needed to make the bond.”
Ileana saw the looks of fear on the faces of the boys, so did Jordan. When they look to Jordan she knew that she could not lie to them. “My mother is telling you all the truth. That was how it was for me.”
“I too went through this seventy years ago, ten years before even Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell was born.” At the boys’ looks of amazement Ileana smiled. “Yes, children I am the oldest Sky Dancer in all of New Holland. I will celebrate my ninety-seventh Life-day in a few months. That is also something that you all have to look forward to. A very long, long life. What most citizens of New Holland do not know is how long Sky Dancers live. The exceptions are Flight Leaders. Most of us die during Challenge Flights for control over the individual Wings and Flights. A regular Sky Dancer can expect to live over one hundred and fifty years before being claimed by old age. If we don’t die while defending our city.”
“But Flight Leader, my mother has always told me that we are a peaceful people. That we do not make war. We only fight to defend the cities. That is why no Sky Dancer child joins the Death Dealers or Imperial Military.” Ileana knew who the boy’s mother was and knew where that Sky Dancer’s oldest son was. She decided it was time to put an end to the lies.
“That is what we try to teach you, Richard Lang, youngest son of Krystal Lang, Wing Second of the Bright Frost Flight. The truth has nothing to do with what we want. Even now, your older brother John, flies a First Strike Fighter with the Imperial Navy. He is not the only son of a Sky Dancer to join our Empire’s Military. My oldest son, is part of the five-twenty-first Jump Infantry Death Dealer Division on Calladonia. The Supreme Flight Leader also has a son who is a Death Dealer. I could stand here for the next forty hours giving you name after name of Sky Dancer sons who have left New Holland to join the Empire’s Military. All that would do is waste time. Now, as I was saying for the next six hours you will not leave this bath. If you should need to use the restroom then you can leave, but must return to the pool.”
What Ileana didn’t tell the boys was that after about one hour they would all need to use the facilities. One of the chemicals in the water made the body want to void. A need that was so strong there were eighty stalls in the Cleansing Camber just for that reason. Continuing her walk around the pool Ileana considered each boy in passing. As she looked each one in the eyes, Ileana saw the flickering of a fire. A fire that was their rage at being first sent here, and then abandoned. She remembered the words of her daughter Jordan.
“Now, those doors will be closed, locked, and sealed after the first six hours. If you are still in this chamber when that happens children you have only one path left to you.” Pointing at the doors that lead to the hallway for the glass Ileana lied. “That path is through those doors and onto the glass. After that point on, you live or die by your own will. This is truth. Do you have the fire inside of you to do what my own child did by chance?”
Every boy looked around the pool at the ones next them. Ileana could see that they all had the fire inside them, but were only looking to see that they were not alone. Ileana sat down on the edge of the pool placing her feet in the water. With a smile that reached her eyes in more ways than one Ileana placed her hand on the shoulder of the boy nearest her.
“Yes, I can see that you all do. Now, as I said at the start I will answer any, and all questions, little birds. What is your next question?”
One of the youngest boys raised his hand as if he was in a classroom. Ileana nodded her head for him to ask his question. “Why are the blacks so feared, Flight Leader? There has to be more to it than just their power.”
And there is was, the one question that Ileana had been waiting for. “What do you boys know about symbionts and their hosts?” at the blank looks Ileana knew the answer. Only her son now daughter showed any idea of what she was talking. “Jordan, would you be so kind to tell your Wing the first rule that I taught your sisters?”
“Emotion is deadly to Sky Dancers. ALL emotion must be controlled always. Your symbiont feeds on emotion, the more emotion the stronger it becomes. Never let your emotions rule you, because when you do you give control over to your symbiont and baser desires.” As Jordan recited the lesson, the one she heard her mother recite over and over to her sisters, the meaning behind it became clear.
Even Jordan could see the danger that she presented to the Flights. The Supreme Flight Leader had pointed to the fact that she needed to be able to control her emotions to control her symbiont. Jordan once again remembered something else her mother had taught her sisters. “Of all emotions, anger must be the one you control the most. Anger leads to rage, and rage leads to the berserker.”
“Very good Jordan. I always knew that you paid more attention than you let on.” Ileana smirked at the look on Jordan’s face. “Yes, Jordan, I always knew that you were eavesdropping on your sisters’ lessons. I also know about every time you slipped into the area to watch as I trained the Fledglings.” Looking over at the boy who asked the question. “AS my daughter has pointed out to you all. Emotion is deadly for Sky Dancers. While our symbionts are a part of us, we are a part of them. While our emotions are effected by the needs of the symbiont, our emotions effect the symbiont’s response to those emotions. The stronger the emotion the greater the response. Do you understand, children?”
Paul Andrews looked up at her. “So, if we feel angry, the symbiont amplifies the anger. Is that correct Flight Leader?”
“That is correct Paul. However, it is not only anger that is effected. Love, sadness, happiness, ALL our emotions are amplified by the symbiont. So much so that a symbiont could take over the mind of its host. That is the greatest fear for all Sky Dancers. That is why Flight Leaders gather at the outer edge of the glass at every bonding. We gather to stop an out of control symbiont. With the power that we Sky Dancers are gifted by our symbionts an out of control symbiont is far too deadly to even consider.” Ileana had the attention of every boy there. They had all seen what Ileana had just described to them.
“That doesn’t explain the fear of the blacks Flight Leader.” Paul said.
“The black symbiont is more than just the most powerful, Paul. It is the only symbiont that we know of that is male. It takes powerful emotions and iron will to control those emotions. That is the reason why Sky Dancer females are taught from the time we could walk to control our emotions. You, as males, were never taught this, and the reason why I believe that you can conquer the blacks so easily. You don’t hide your emotions, but use them. That is another reason why you have all been sent here.”
“Excuse me, Flight Leader, but where did the Hive Queens come from?” Ileana hadn’t expected this question, and most especially from the boy who asked it.
“You are David Steel, oldest child of Loran Steel, Wing Second with the Grand Illusion, correct?” the boy nodded his head yes. “A Hive Queen is more than just a symbiont. What do you know of the founding?”
“New Holland was founded a little over eight hundred years by a group of gas miners. The first city was nothing more than an outpost. That outpost specialized in hydrogen gas for the earlier jump engines. The found the first Casper Crystals by mistake while cleaning the filters. That one crystal paid off the original cost of migration for the colony. Everyone knows this, Flight Leader. The Sky Dancers appeared sometime around the forty-year mark after the founding.” David answered honestly.
“Well, that is only partially true David. In truth, the original colonist did more than just find the Casper Crystals. Among their number was a woman who was a biologist, geneticist, and bio-engineer, Doctor Alvilda Jørgensen. One of the biggest problems that our founders faced was how to get to the most valuable of Crystals. Crystals that could only be found in the deepest parts of New Hollands atmosphere. You all know about the deep dive mining crabs, well they were only the second part of the solution. The first part was the symbionts. These were the brain child of that woman. At first the founders tried to use both men and women as hosts. To this day, we don’t really know what went wrong, but none of the men survived the way you would expect. Their bodies were changed in such a way that only a few really lived. Now, please understand there were no black symbionts back then, but the other colors along with one more, the purples or royal symbionts. There were twenty of these royal symbionts, ten went to the men and ten went to the women. Only the males survived these bonding’s. Every female died on the glass. It was those ten, royal bonding’s with males that produced our Hive Queens. Yes, children, you heard correctly. The very first Hive Queens came from the bonding between men and purple symbionts. Over the next centuries only fifty-seven royal symbionts have been hatched and bonded to a host. One for each city.”
“Excuse me, mother, but are you saying that the Hive Queens are male?” Jordan asked the question on everyone’s mind.
“No, Jordan. The Hive Queens are both, male and female. The Hive Queens have always been of both sexes. Before you ask, there have been no new royal or purple symbionts in over five centuries. Why we don’t know. I have a theory about this, but no proof to back it.” Ileana didn’t want to go into what was one of the biggest nightmares of Sky Dancer politics.
Jordan caught the double meaning behind her mother’s words, and changed the direction of the conversation. “So, back during those first bonding’s, the symbionts were supposed to be some kind of protection against the pressure of the lower depths. What happened to change that?”
Ileana smiled at her daughter’s direction change. “The answer is simple. Pirates. Back then pirates were an even bigger threat to the cities, and mines. So, Doctor Jørgensen, went back to her lab. Once there she took the original DNA for the symbionts she had created and changed it.”
Jordan asked a one word question. That one word would have far reaching consequences. “How?”
Ileana was proud of how her daughter wasn’t backing away from the hard truths of Sky Dancers. “She combined the attributes of three animals. The Great North American Eagle, is where we Sky Dancers get our wings. From the Ballgahga Giant Bear, comes our strength. The last animal she used was the Black Eels of Heaven’s Frost. It was from these eels that we gained our electrical attacks. As for where the symbionts first came from no one knows really, only that Jørgensen produced the first ones in five months.”
“Where did the blacks come from then? If she didn’t make them who did?” asked one of the boys on the far side of the pool.
“The blacks come from the Hive Queens. They are the ones who made the black symbionts. You see children, the black symbiont is every color of symbiont in one. They are the most powerful of all symbionts, but they are also the second rarest of them all. The rarest being the purple or royal. Now before you ask after those first ten Hive Queens were hatched and bonded the rest came from a secondary bonding with a Gold.” Jordan’s eyes grow wide at hearing this from her mother.
“That would have been my fate if there was a purple on the glass anywhere on New Holland. When a Flight Leader becomes too old to hold on to their Flight they either die during a challenge or as I did step down with grace and dignity. If, however, there is a purple on the glass we are presented to the royal symbiont. From there it is a matter of will on whether we control the symbiont or it controls us. After the second bonding our bodies become the base for a new Hive Queen. Growing in size to that of a monster. We first lose the ability to move, let alone fly. Even the food for a Queen is brought in through special passages, to keep young eyes from seeing what we become. It is a fate that Flight Leaders and golden symbionts all fear. Thankfully, I have avoided that fate.” Ileana looked over at Jordan who had turned white as a sheet.
Jordan, like all sons of Sky Dancers, never knew about where the Hive Queens came from. Also, like all boys, he had sneaked down the tunnels to pear at the monstrosity that was the bloated body of the Hive Queen. From her memories came the image of that thing. The Neo Amsterdam Queen is just over three meters tall, with a tail that swelled to over five meters across and ten meters long. The things legs were withered and useless, while the arms were bent and ended in claws that would rip apart a man. The face of the thing looked nowhere human and more insect in appearance. There were no wings on the monster’s back, but what looked like stubs where the wings should be. All in all, a truly nightmarish sight. The thought of her mother becoming so hideous a thing sent a shiver down her spine.
“Flight Leader, how is it that the Sky Dancer females still have children well into their eighth or ninth decade? I have wondered about that from the first time I saw how wide the margin was between siblings in Sky Dancer families.” Sister Katlyn asked of Jordan’s mother.
“It has to do with the fact that ALL female Sky Dancers only come into season once every twelve months. Their first season is normally around their twenty-fifth Life-day. From that day on we can have one child every year until we are grounded for life due to old age. Which for most of us is around one hundred and twenty or so. Most of us though, try to space our children out. Having one every three to five years, with four being the average. I hope that answers your question Sister.”
“It does indeed Flight Leader.” Katlyn wasn’t the only surprised with the answer. Jordan had never expected her mother to be so open and honest.
“Mother why are you being so forthcoming with all these answers? You never would answer them at home. Why now?” Ileana smiled up at her daughter. She knew that Jordan wouldn’t back down now.
“We are in the one room that no Sky Dancer dare lie in. Nothing but truth may be spoken in the Cleansing Chamber. This is OUR Temple, Jordan. It is also the FINAL step in every Sky Dancers’ journey onto the glass. The exact same journey that all of you are now undertaking.” Ileana looked over at one of the younger boys who started to rub his stomach. “Leave the pool, Adam Muller. Your body has entered the first stage of cleansing. Use the stalls dear, but leave the door up.”
The boy left the pool and did as he was instructed. Ileana looked at the others. “From now, if you feel your stomach cramping just get out of the water and use the nearest open stall.”
The boys all nodded their heads hearing this. Another boy around Jordan’s age asked the next question. “Do the Hive Queens talk to each other, Flight Leader?”
Ileana smiled over at the boy before answering. “We know that they do communicate with each other, but not in any way that we understand. I for one have never had what you would call a conversation with a Queen.”
“Why would the Hive Queens make black symbionts if only men can bond with them Flight Leader?”
Ileana looked over at the boy who asked the question. She gave them a one word answer. “Protection.”
Jordan did a double take, along with all the other boys. Ileana could tell that none of them understood. So, she explained in a way they would.
“While Sky Dancers are powerful, we do have weaknesses. The first of which is we can be killed just like a normal human. We are not invulnerable. While we place our Hive Queens deep in the belly of every city, they can still be killed by a well-placed, or lucky, missile and torpedo shot.”
Unlike the others, Jordan had not seen the hole in the belly of Neo Geleen. Ileana, looked around the room, and saw the same thing in every boy’s eyes. Now, she truly smiled to herself, it was just as she figured it would happen. The moment these boys heard of what happened here they would be filled with a righteous rage. “Do any of your wish to leave now?”
Ileana sat there waiting for any of the boys to get out of the water and leave. She knew that the bonds of family would be a driving force for these boys, but not as strong as their need for justice. That was the one thing that every Sky Dancer child was drilled with. When none moved to get out of the water she asked. “Should I signal for the doors to be sealed?”
As one the boys all stood up and bowed to Ileana. Returning to the water the oldest of the boys moved across the water towards her. “Flight Leader seal the doors. You want warriors, you will have them in us.”
Ileana stood up and headed for the doorway that lead away from the Cleansing Chamber. Once she stood in the doorway Ileana called out in a voice clear as the noonday sky. “SEAL THE CHAMBER! LET NONE PASS WITHOUT BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS!”
There was a load thudding sound as the two massive doors to the Chamber were slammed shut. This was followed by the sounds of chain being pulled across heavy metal handles. All those inside the chamber could hear the order to ‘apply the seal’. Ileana returned to the poolside and once again sat with her feet in the water. Jordan seeing her mother do this joined her, by taking the spot next to her on the left.
“Excuse me, Flight Leader.” Ileana interrupted the boy by holding up his hand.
“Now that, we are alone children, please call me Ileana. Jordan, don’t even try it, I am still your mother.” The room full of boys could be knocked over with a feather. None of the boys believed they would ever call a Flight Leader by their first name. Ileana saw this and smiled. “Boys, you have all joined a very small and elite group of people the moment that door was sealed. Do any of you know why we are called Sky Dancers? Or how we came to be called that?”
“That was my question Flight…” The look from Ileana stopped the boy, and he quickly changed his address. “Ileana. I asked my mother once and she just said that I won’t understand. Then walked off.”
“As you know our symbionts were originally supposed to be nothing more than a way for us to survive the lower deeps. When we became the defensive force for the cities we became something more. The first few times we fought off the pirates those cities got lucky and didn’t lose anything. However, the Wings all had heavy losses. Not all the deaths came from the pirates but other fliers. Our founders were close to ending the project. If it had not been for a former member of the air-defense fighters we very well could have been nothing but a footnote in our history. This young man came to us and offered to teach the original Sky Dancers how to first fly in formation, how to fight in formation, and how to work as a unit. To help teach those very first Wings the young man used a loud-speaker and music. When the people of Neo Amsterdam first saw, the Wings flying to the music they started to call those fliers Sky Dancers. As they were dancing in the sky.” Ileana smiled as she told the story of the first training flights.
She didn’t realize the effect the story was having on the boys around her. Sara and Katlyn stood off to the side watching as the retired Flight Leader began to teach the new Wing. Even during their time as novices none of their teachers had the effect that Ileana was having on students. Jordan could only sit in stunned silence as her mother taught the secrets denied ALL men since the beginning of New Holland’s history.
“Once you have all bonded with your symbiont you to will be taught to fly the same way.” Looking over at Jordan, Ileana smiled to take the sting out of her next words. “Jordan, I know that you were taught by Ida-ten Knights how to fly as a single flier, but now you must learn to fly in formation with your Wing and lead your Flight. I will do my best to teach you this and other things that a Flight Leader needs to know.”
“Ileana, whatever happened to that young man?” Asked Sara.
“He died, during the pirate raids defending the glass during an ascension. He killed so many pirates that no one could pass him without climbing over the bodies of the fallen. The Flight Leader of the time for the Golden Halo took his last to honor him.” Ileana knew that Sara did not know the origin of her last name until now. “Oh, yes Sara Campbell, your family owes their name to a man.”
“Ileana, ma’am, you never finished saying how the black symbionts are better at protecting the Hive Queens.” Ileana looked over at the young boy who had asked the question.
“First of all, is their pure unchallengeable power. No Sky Dancer can match the raw power of the black symbiont. Just ask Jordan. My lightning bolts pale in comparison to her thunderbolts. Next up, is the speed that is at the command of a black. Jordan, routinely outpaced her escort when she flew between cities. She learned to maneuver in ways that exploited that speed. That maneuverability is also one of the greatest advantages that all blacks have. Jordan can easily out-maneuver any normal Sky Dancer. I have seen this myself. Then there is the fact that blacks are two to three times stronger than a normal Sky Dancer. In short, children, one Thunder Hawk is equal to two Golds or three Blues.”
One of the older boys raised his hand. “Ileana, why do you call a black, Thunder Hawk? Aren’t those some kind of mythical birds?”
Jordan just smiled as her mother looked over at her. “Would you care to answer this one, dear?”
“Yes ma’am.” Looking over at the boy who asked the question, Jordan sighed. “The answer to that last question is yes. It is also the reason why we are call Thunder Hawks. You see the Flight Leaders look upon us as the ultimate Sky Dancer weapon. We bring death and destruction in our wake to the enemy. While, we bring peace and justice to our people.”
Jordan was interrupted by the sound of a dumbwaiter arriving with the evening meal. Ileana decided to put all questions off to the next day. “Well, I believe that we have gone over enough for one day. We have more than enough time once you have bonded to answer more later. Eat, and get ready for bed. The next twenty-four hours will be very hard on you all. For starting tomorrow morning, you will each confess everything about your life and plans for the future.”
Chapter 11
Confrontations and Confessions.
The next twenty-four hours were some of the hardest that Sisters Sara and Katlyn had ever dealt with. To the two Nightingale Nuns, the battlefield was easier to deal with. It started shortly after breakfast. By now the boys were fast getting over the fact that they were abandoned by their families. The problems came in two forms.
First there was the fighting between the older boys. None of them want to accept the fact that Jordan was going to be the Flight Leader. This was avoided by Ileana pointing out they were free to challenge Jordan at any time for the position of Flight Leader. When the oldest of the boys questioned Ileana what she meant, she smiled.
“All you have to do young Johann, is defeat Jordan in one on one combat. You do that and you can be Flight Leader. Now, seeing as how you feel that you have the right to question the orders of the Council’s Representative, you first have to get through me. Which, will be infinitely easier than taking on the only Thunder Hawk to ever be appointed Flight Leader.”
To drive the point home as to how hopeless that task would be, Ileana crushed a clay cup in her hand. Looking over at Jordan she smiled. Jordan got the hint and picked up one of the steel pitchers that held milk. With a slow steady squeeze of her hand Jordan crushed the pitcher. Johann backed down seeing that he was for now out-classed. As the boy backed away Ileana leaned over and whispered in Jordan’s ear.
“That one will need to be watched, Jordan. He or one of his friends will sooner or later try you. You’re forewarned, now be forearmed.”
Jordan answered the only way she could. “Understood, Instructor Ileana.”
It wasn’t long after that, that Jordan spotted the next confrontation. One that would have to be put down hard. Johann and his two friends started to threaten the younger boys. This time, she didn’t bother with subtlety. Jordan walked up behind Johann and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. “I will not tolerate that type of bullshit in my Flight, Johann. You try it again and I will end you.”
Throwing him face first into the pool, Jordan turned to the gathered boys. “Let this be perfectly clear to all of you. There will be no dominance games within our Flight. Understand something, when we fight one of us will either die or be severely injured. We need every Thunder Hawk we can to fly. I don’t care what you think about how you wound up here, you’re here now; and part of this Flight. This is now your family. We live or die as a family. Understood?!”
Even as Johann was starting to climb out of the water the other boys all answered they understood. Jordan looked down at Johann. “This is your last chance Johann Thorn. Do not make me regret giving it to you.”
For some reason the shocking display by Jordan put a stop to the fights before they were even born. None of the boys thought that Jordan would take the stance that she had. The idea of obeying the Sky Dancer Council was totally beyond their comprehension. Even Sara and Katlyn were confused by Jordan’s actions. Only Ileana knew and understood what Jordan was doing. When Sara and Katlyn confronted her about this Ileana sighed.
Taking the two Nightingale Sisters off to one side Ileana explained. “There are two factions within the Sky Dancers. Just as there are in most political organizations there are conservatives and progressives. Only for us those two factions are the exclusionists and the inclusionists. The inclusion party wishes to bring in new blood from the rest of the population. In other words, throw open the assentation ceremonies to the general population. They also want to end certain practices. The first of which is forcing our sons to leave the nest just before their majority. Another thing they want is to end the Challenge Flights. Too many Sky Dancers have died in those. The inclusionists want to allow older Flight Leaders to retire peacefully, not to be forced into it. As you can tell by their name the exclusionist party what to keep the old ways firmly in place. As you may deduce, the exclusionists outnumber the inclusionists.”
“So, your other reason for being here is to ensure the success of the boys. That’s why you warned Jordan about certain Flight Leaders. I wish I had known this before Flight Leader Ileana.” Sara snapped.
“You were to be kept in the dark for as long as possible Sister Sara Campbell. Those are the orders of the Supreme Flight Leader. Orders that I will follow, even though I have stepped down from my former position. Do not assume otherwise. YOU, above all, should understand that there is more going on here than what I have said. Now, I need the two of you to do the one duty that neither I nor Jordan can perform.”
Sara looked at Ileana with mistrust. “What duty is this?”
“I need you to act in place of our Priestesses and hear the boys’ confessions. Can you do this for them?”
None of their training had prepared them to be the confessors for forty-four teenage boys. While it was difficult to hear the dreams, sins, and aspersions of the boys, the smell that came from the stalls was sickening. It filled the Cleansing Chambers with its foul presences and made the duty that much harder. When they asked Ileana, what was in the water of the cleansing pool, Ileana refused to answer with more than that it was for the boys own good. Little did the two nuns know that the boys’ bodies were being purged of all toxins. Both inside and out.
By the time the boys walked out onto the arena glass their bodies would be as pure as the day they left the womb. The biggest problem that the two nuns had was getting the boys to open up to them. They were still viewed as outsiders. It took Sara snapping at one point, and biting the head off of one the boys in Neo-Dutch to change this. All the boys heard Sara castigate the miscreant with merciless fluency of their native tongue.
As the two nuns heard the confessions of the boys, they came to realize that their dreams of the future all fell into two categories. The first was the one that belonged to the older boys. They all dreamed of joining the elite Death Dealer units. They had all heard of those men and women. This was the common dream for the sixteen and seventeen-year-old boys. Among the young boys, those who were between thirteen and fifteen, they still hoped to fly among the clouds of New Holland.
There was one common thread among all the boys that Sara understood all too well. They all felt betrayed by their families, and had a great deal of animosity directed towards them. Katlyn, not being from New Holland had a hard time grasping this fact. So hard, that she needed to talk with Jordan and Ileana to understand why the boys were even still here.
“Sister Katlyn, the answer you’re looking for is simple. They ALL want the same thing, revenge. They want to prove that they are not second class citizens. That they belong in the skies just as much as their sisters do. Trust me, tomorrow when they step out on to the glass, they will be afraid. Every one of them will be afraid, but they won’t run. No matter how hard or painful it becomes, they will fight to conquer the symbionts. They’ll do it just to prove that ALL men can to do it. Just to spit in the face of their mothers and sisters.” Jordan looked down at the floor for a moment then at her mother. “That’s what drove me, when my symbiont bonded with me, to conquer it.”
Ileana had known there was more to her daughter’s success in bonding with her black symbiont. Something that Jordan hadn’t wanted to admit to. “It will be the same for them as well Sister Katlyn. Jordan used her hatred to fuel her will to survive. The others here will do the same. I know that I too am guilty of treating my child in the manner she has described in the past. I will not use sweet words when I finally face my day of judgement to ease my soul. No I will face my sins for what they are and take my eternal punishment as being just.”
Needless to say, Jordan and Katlyn were shocked by Ileana’s confession. This one act was heard by the boys, and it opened the flood gates. Soon, the boys were opening up, more and more, to the two nuns. They also started to ask questions of Jordan. The most asked one being, ‘Are you a girl now?’. It took Jordan showing them that she still had her male sex organs before that question stopped being asked. The next one being ‘Will I look like you after the bonding?’ or ‘Will I look like a girl too?’.
Ileana and Jordan saw no reason to lie and answered truthfully. When one of the youngest cried and screamed, he didn’t want to be a girl
Jordan almost snapped. Her mother stepped in front of the boy and demanded to know what was so bad about being a girl. When the boy couldn’t answer her right away Ileana took the thirteen-year-old by the hand and walked off to one small area of the chamber. An hour and half later they came back and the boy apologized to everyone for being a crybaby. None of the boys held it against the youngster. Hell, most of them had felt the same way, but didn’t voice their own worries.
Close to three in the morning Sara and Katlyn called a halt to the confessions. Ileana agreed with them, along with Jordan. After sending the boys to bed for the last time in the chamber the four gathered at the table placed there for meals. Katlyn was the first to broach the subject.
“Ileana, how many of those boys do you believe will survive the bonding?”
“To be honest, Sister Katlyn, may be half. Of those forty-four candidates, I fear that we may have to kill one out of every two. I wish that were not the case, but there has never been a hatching of this many blacks in all our history. While they are the most powerful symbionts, they are also the most unstable and hardest to control.” Ileana was truthful and it hurt her to be so honest.
Jordan just sat there not saying anything. She knew just how hard it was to conquer her own symbiont. It was not until now that she realized that her mother would have been forced to kill her or even her sister if their symbionts had been the one in control. Even after centuries an out of control symbiont was still a very real fear for Sky Dancers. The question that faced Jordan and her mother now was how would they stop an out of control black symbiont.
Sara answered that unspoken question for them. “I’ll make the arrangements, Flight Leaders. Do not worry, there will be no out of control symbionts. You have my word on this.”
Chapter 12
Blood on the glass.
Finally came the morning of hatching. Ileana led the forty-four boys over to a shelf cover with jars. Taking one down, she took off the lid and turned to the boys. “In this jar is neo-sight, or royal jelly. It is produced by the Hive Queens. You are to cover your bodies from the neck down. Do not miss one inch. Do not worry if the jar runs out, just come up here and get another jar. Understand, this is important. The jelly helps with the bonding process. It deadens the nerve ends and allows the symbiont to bond easier with the candidate. Be sure to coat the inside of your rectums as well boys.”
More than a few groaned hearing this last part. When one went to argue, Ileana shut him down. For the first time in the last forty-eight hours Ileana Price showed the cold hard stern Flight Leader that she was. “If you want to feel what is like to have a pole shoved up your ass feel free to ignore me. If you doubt that feeling ask Jordan. She did not have the chance to prepare her body the way that you do now. Her bonding was painful and was the closest thing to rape a male can experience. Help each other to ensure that you are all coated thoroughly.”
Once the boys had done as Ileana ordered she led them out the door and on to the area glass. The early morning sun glinted off the golden colored jelly that covered the boys. Taking each boy by the hand Ileana placed them before individual eggs. Once she had placed them where she felt best Ileana looked at them all saying. “Once the eggs start to hatch step into the symbiont. Let it flow up your legs. Once it has reached your waist throw off your robes. From this day on you will never again have need of clothing as your symbiont will forever provide the protection that clothes do. Whatever happens, do not fight the bonding, let it happen. The symbionts will not harm you unless you fight it. Let it cover you completely. Then use your emotions to win dominance over your symbiont. You will lose your virginity to the symbiont, boys. This is part of the bargain that you make with the symbiont. Your blood for its power.”
Ileana finished giving her last piece of advice and walked to the edge of the glass. She then waved for Jordan to walk out to the center of the glass. Jordan did as her mother ordered. Looking around at the gathered boys. Taking a deep breath Jordan called out. “Shortly the symbionts will emerge from their eggs. When they appear, do not show fear, brothers. Instead, let your anger fuel your will to survive. Our sisters and mothers fear the black symbiont for a reason. It takes the unbridled emotions of a man to conquer the blacks. Emotions they lack. It is time for the Thunder Hawks to rise and our rightful place among our people the Sky Dancers.”
Jordan looked at the faces of the youngest three. She could still see fear lingering in their eyes. Jordan went to each one in turn, placing her hand on their shoulder Jordan smiled. “I too, was afraid when my symbiont first came to me. I almost let it overwhelm me. It was my anger and desire to be free that allowed me to conquer my symbiont. Just remember that I am out here with you. You can do this.”
The boy she was standing next to, looked up into Jordan’s eyes. “Is it really that painful? Because I hate pain.”
“I won’t lie to you, Terry. The way I did it. Unprepared, fully clothed and totally off guard, felt like I was being split apart. You, and all your friends here have gone through a full cleansing. Both inside and out, not to mention spiritually. I bonded with my symbiont raw, and unwillingly. You go into your bonding ready for the challenge.” Jordan smiled and looked over at the others, then around the area glass. “You all are; do me and your families proud.”
Jordan walked over to join her mother as they waited for the eggs to hatch. “You did well, daughter. You calmed their fears, and fanned the flames of vengeance in your Wing. They shall make you proud when they take wing.”
“By the Goddess, mother. I hope you’re right.” Jordan looked over at the four Saint George Knights. “I just pray that we won’t need the Knights.”
“I hope that as well Jordan. We both know what is at stake here. Forty-four possible Thunder Hawks, all equal in power to you. The fear of an out of control black is far too real, as is the possibility of one. I was faced with the possibility of having to kill your sisters and yourself. This is the fate of all Flight Leaders, my dear. This is just one of your duties.” Ileana never took her eyes of the glass and the boys. Jordan heard the sad tone in her mother’s voice.
“Mother, how long did you have before you rose to the position of Flight Leader? Who did you have to fight for your old position?”
“I was a Flight Wing Second for nine years, under Flight Leader Racheal Pines, before rising to Flight Leader. She died during a pirate raid in my twelfth year as a Sky Dancer. No one challenged me at first. For thirty years, I went unchallenged. It was my own Wing Second, Gloria Remer, who first challenged me. She tried to force me into the City Watchtower during our Challenge Flight. She wasn’t expecting my roll-tuck or the lightning strike. She flew head first into the tower at top speed.” Ileana had to fight the tears that threatened to come at the memory of a onetime friend and lover, besides second in command who died at her hands.
“How many have died at your hands on the glass mom?” Jordan’s voice was just above a whisper in fear of hearing her mother’s answer.
“Fifteen. One of which was a sister, and one daughter.” This time Ileana just wiped the tears from her eyes. Even as Jordan wrapped her mother in a hug, she knew that one day, even today, she might have to do what her mother had.
“Mom, how can we tell if the symbiont is the one in control?” Jordan whispered in Ileana’s ear.
“Their faces, Jordan, their faces.” Ileana sniffled. “Remember the Hive Queen’s face? That is how we can tell. If our candidates look anything like that, then we must do our duty. And protect the rest of New Holland from an out of control symbiont. I pray that we do not have to go there.” The was a note of finality in Ileana’s voice that reached Jordan’s ears.
Jordan knew that is was up to them to do the right thing. She could clearly see the face of the Hive Queen in her mind. She also knew that the Queen might have started off as human, but there was nothing left there now. That, was why the Flight Leaders always said killing an out of control symbiont was a mercy.
Pulling back and looking her mother in the eyes. “I will do my duty, mom. As the only Thunder Hawk Flight Leader, it falls to me, not you. The Knights will not be needed, send them away.”
“No Jordan, this is one time that they may be the only way to stop an out of control symbiont. Remember, you withstood the attacks of four Golds. People who are as powerful as I am. No, if we have an out of control symbiont it will take the weapons of those Knights to stop it. All we can do is ensure that they target the right one. That is our duty, Jordan.” Ileana looked out at the boys, with a sadness that only someone who’s killed in mercy could have.
Before Jordan or Ileana could say more the sounds of an egg cracking echoed across the area glass. Both Sky Dancers scanned the glass searching for the hatching symbiont. The fearful look on Terry White, the youngest of all the candidates let Jordan know where the first hatching was taking place. Not thinking of the consequences Jordan hollered out to Terry.
“YOU ARE A THUNDER HAWK TERRY! YOU CAN CONQUER THE BLACK! YOU”RE MORE THAN STRONG ENOUGH! DON’T BACK DOWN, ATTACK IT!”
The boy looked up at Jordan then down at the egg in front of him. Ileana, and the other witnesses saw the change in the boy’s face. Fear was replaced with grim determination. Then in a load clear voice Terry stepped up to the egg throwing off his robe.
“I am Terrance Richard White! First son of Corah White, Red Sky Dancer, for the Boundless Skies Flight. AND I AM A THUNDER HAWK!”
The other boys looked at the youngest among them. The reactions varied among the older boys, but the most dominate was pride. Among the younger ones their looks were ones of ‘We can do this’. Every boy stepped up to their egg throwing off their robes the way Terry did. Names were hollered at the tops of voices, with the names of mothers and Flight Wings, all fallowed by I am a Thunder Hawk. Ileana did not realize at the time, but this one simple act would have far reaching and long term consequences. This one act would forever change the way ascensions and bonding ceremonies were conducted. What Ileana did see though was how this change helped the boys as the first symbionts left their eggs.
Instead of the fear locked candidates as would be seen with females, the boys were embracing the symbionts. They were not just letting the symbionts climb slowly up their bodies. No, the boys were squatting down placing their hands into the symbionts as if to embrace them. Instead of the statues of formless blobs, were solid forms of black humanoid shapes. Ileana could already tell that the boys were exercising their wills over the symbionts, and winning. Everywhere she looked on the glass Ileana could see the small drops of blood from the boys surrender to the symbionts. Unlike with the females these bonding’s would have far greater impact on the way life on New Holland.
“And a New Era begins.” Jordan looked over at her mother with questioning eyes. Ileana pointed to the glass. “There is the future of the Sky Dancers, daughter. We will no longer have to go to the Gift of Life banks for our children. The only problem we face now, is teaching your Flight of Thunder Hawks control until they are ready to mate. For most of them it will be several years, but, for a few that time will come sooner rather than later. Just as it is for you.”
It took Jordan a few seconds to realize what her mother was talking about. Then she remembered the day Supreme Flight Leader Helen first visited her. The fact that she barely controlled her symbiont still scared her to this day. No, she was not yet ready for her first mating flight. Neither were any of these Thunder Hawks. Jordan voiced her concerns. “How shall we prevent this mother?”
“And that is why Neo Geleen was chosen. The only Sky Dancers here are you and your Flight of Thunder Hawks, Flight Leader Jordan Price.”
----- to be continued -----
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Chapter 13
Light and Shadows.
Arena glass for Neo Geleen
It would be serval hours later before the first of the new Thunder Hawks awoke from their fights with the symbionts. Just as happened with Jordan, once the boys had asserted their will over the symbionts they passed out. Sara, Katlyn, and the four Saint George Knights could only stand and watch during the hatching. As the only witnesses to the ceremony, besides Jordan and Ileana, they were amazed at the courage of the boys. The six members of the Ida-ten Temple were all battle-hardened veterans and seen bravery under fire. They had never seen a totally selfless act of bravery on this scale.
At first, they could see the fear in the eyes of the boys, but then Terry’s act of defiance spurred them all. There was no fear on the glass as the boys attacked the symbionts body and soul. One of the Black Swords turned to Sister Sara. “There are some of the bravest young men I have ever seen. They would make a fine addition to any unit anywhere, sister.”
Sara looked up at him and smiled. “For those forty-four young men, I feel that Uncommon Valor is going to be common place.”
Katlyn signaled for a group of litters. Unlike Sara and the others, she had figured for their need. She had remembered how Jordan had collapsed following her ascension. Looking down at the forty-four young Thunder Hawks Katlyn hid the sly smile that came to her face. She knew that there would be more than one confused and frightened young man among them.
As the sixteen Nightingale Sisters moved among the boys placing them on the gurneys, Jordan did her best not to smile. She knew that these boys would be the cutting edge of defense for the cities of New Holland. “Well, mother, you and the other Flight Leaders have your weapons. Now, all I have to do is train them.”
“I have faith that we shall be successful, oh daughter of mine. The problem child will still be Johann. Sooner or later that one will challenge you. And I fear she shall not be the only one.” Ileana left the hard truth that Jordan may have to set an example unsaid.
“Then when the time comes, mother, I will show no mercy. As it is, I fear that we will not have much time before the next pirate raid.”
“How do you figure that?” Ileana was curious as to how Jordan came to that conclusion. In all her time as a Flight Leader no one had ever figured out how, when, or where pirates would strike next.
“Simple. This city has no other defense force, besides us. The Aerial Defense Force here is down to only one squadron. The miners have not stopped bringing up Casper Crystals. There is a freighter due in about five weeks to pick up those crystals. In short, this city will be ripe for the picking in four weeks. That is why we don’t have much time left before the next raid.” Jordan laid out what she had learned from her time wondering the docks as child.
Ileana thought about what Jordan said. Everything that Jordan pointed out was true. Even the part about the freighter due in to pick up the crystals. “Jordan, I will return in a short while. I need to gather a few things from home. Do not let your flight take wing until I return.”
As Ileana turned to leave Jordan stopped her. “What are you going after mother?”
“Training materials. If what you say is even half way true. We’ll need every trick for training that I can come up with. Plus a few that haven’t been thought up yet.” Jordan noticed that her mother didn’t take wing instead walked over to the four Knights of Saint George. “Excuse me, sirs, but I have need of a high-speed transport to Neo Amsterdam.”
The ranking Knight looked at Ileana with questioning eyes. “Um… don’t Flight Leaders normally fly themselves around?”
“Normally, we do, sir. However, I cannot reach Neo Amsterdam in the time frame that I am under and return. Is there any way that I can impose upon you and your Order for that SST?”
Sara had overheard what Ileana was requesting. To say she was shocked was the least. “Brother James, arrange the transport. Instructor Ileana, needs training materials that we do not have here. Make it happen, understand?”
“Yes, Sister Sara.” The Knight turned to a young acolyte. “Brother Tomas go tell Brothers John, and Carl that they are needed on the flight line. Inform them this is a priority one flight. No restrictions on speed or fuel, understood?”
“Yes, Brother James.” The young man took off at a dead run. He knew that if Sir James had given those orders it was important.
James turned to Ileana. “Instructor Ileana, if you will follow me, I’ll take you to meet your flight. I do have one request. Can you pull in your wings?”
It took Ileana a second to realize what the Knight was asking, and blushed. It had been over sixty years since she had last folded her wings in, so it took her a few minutes to remember how. “Sorry, about that sir. I forgot how wide they are. You’ll have to forgive me, it has been sometime that I have folded my wings.”
“How long Instructor Ileana?” Sara asked hiding her smile with her hand.
“Over sixty years, Sister Sara.” Everyone looked at Ileana in shock. “WHAT? I was a Flight Leader for longer than most. I never had a reason to fold them.”
Hearing this caused the gathered members of Ida-ten to laugh. With bow and gesture Sir James Wright smiled. “Then let us get you home so you don’t have to be uncomfortable for too long.”
As Ileana and the Knight of Saint George walked away, the Reverend Mother Katsumi looked onto the arena glass from her hiding place. She was not alone in the shadows of the public entrance tunnel. Besides her stood four rather striking young women of unknown heritage. The main reason for this the bio-armor of a Second-Generation Death Dealer, and the heavy combat helmets with the visor down. The second most striking feature about the women were the three swords they carried, and the red on black color block pattern of their armor. Everything about the women screamed Personal Royal Bodyguard.
Without taking her eyes of the glass, Katsumi asked the women. “Was the Intelligence Raid successful, Lady Daniela?”
The mechanical voice that answered was one that few ever heard. “Yes, and no, Reverend Mother. Before you ask, the answer is simple. We gained the knowledge of where the pirates will attack next, but nothing on where their main bases are. The base we raided was nothing more than an outpost.”
“We were lucky that the Lady Nia was able to locate that one, Reverend Mother. We really need a dedicated Intelligence Service for this type of work. Has the Empress made any headway with the Hand of the Empire yet?” the woman to Katsumi’s left was just a mystery as the other four.
“No Lady Lisa, we haven’t, I am afraid. The Empress has been combing through thousands of personnel files hoping to find just one candidate. This is one time that I fear our Empress Maiha will fail.” Katsumi sighed heavily.
“Do we really need THAT type of warrior Reverend Mother? I know that my father more than once tried to push for such an organization.” The third woman’s voice did not have the mechanical tone or sound of the first two, but did hold one of iron, passion, and military baring.
“Lady Cassidy I know how you feel about not wanting a Secret Police within the Empire. But you must see the way of things in this matter. The Human Empire covers more than twenty-five percent of the known universe. We are just too massive of a nation for a normal policing force to cover. Not even our vaunted Brothers of Balance are able to do all that is needed.” Katsumi knew that this was a continuous point of contention between the Empress and these four women.
The last of the women sighed before commenting. “Reverend Mother, we know this, but it still doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. That program smacks of oppression on just too many levels. Can we really justify our actions in this?”
Not even Katsumi wanted to answer this question, but knew that it was her job to do so. After all, she was more than just the Head of the Temple, Katsumi was the spiritual and personal advisor to Empress Maiha, long with teacher to these four powerful young ladies. “This is one time we must make a deal with a devil Lady Sara. Sometimes, just sometimes, it is better to know the evil for what it is than to have it fester in the dark. Speaking of which, any word on the political factions within the Flight Leaders?”
All four young women shock their heads no, but it was Lisa who answered for them. “All we know is there are two factions, the inclusionists, and exclusionists, Reverend Mother. Outside of that, nothing. If we are to learn more, I fear we must go to former Flight Leader Ileana Price or young Jordan.”
“So once more, we fight a war of light and shadows.” Katsumi looked down at the arena glass one more time at the young Thunder Hawks. “I feel that those boys will drag the two factions into the light kicking and screaming. I also feel that we will need to be the guiding light for them. If not, then no matter how hard we try, those Thunder Hawks will take their revenge against the Sky Dancer Flights. There are far too many crimes those women have to answer for.”
The privet chambers of Flight Leader Ronda King, Neo Winterswijk
Ronda King paced the floor of her office almost in a fit of rage. Never had there been such an act of heresy in the history of the Sky Dancers. She could not believe that Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell had broken with tradition in such a dramatic fashion. The black symbiont eggs should have been destroyed. Not allowed to hatch and bond with unworthy males. Was she the only Flight Leader with the vision to see the danger these pairings presented to the Flights.
Despite all of Ronda’s warnings, the Supreme Flight Leader was ALLOWING these creatures to just walk around freely. To add insult to injury, Helen Campbell had been allowed to train those pitiful males in the ways of Sky Dancers. Everything was going against traditions, traditions that had kept the Sky Dancers in power since the early days of New Holland.
“Why couldn’t those damned inclusionists just accept the truth of things. Why do they have demand change when there is no need for it. Can’t they see that we are the rightful rulers of New Holland?” Ronda’s rant was heard only by bare walls.
She was interrupted by a knock at her office door. “Enter.”
Her office door was opened by the one person she didn’t want to see just then. There in front of her was one of the main reasons she was seething. Katlyn Price her Wing Second, and the sister to the first Thunder Hawk. The woman who had failed to carry out her orders to kill the filthy creature that was causing all this upheaval in the Flights and Sky Dancer Council. Ronda King wanted to call Katlyn out for a challenge flight, but had no grounds for one. In fact, her Wing Second had placed the problem squarely in her hands to deal with as a good Wing Second should have done. As Ronda’s orders went against those of the Supreme Flight Leader’s order of none interference towards the black bastards.
“Report.” Ronda snapped without looking at Katlyn.
Katlyn knew that her Flight Leader was angered at her for not killing her sister. Katlyn could tell by the tone in Ronda’s voice, if not by the look on the woman’s face. Sighing Katlyn stood tall and gave her report.
“Flight Leader, the hatching proceeded and was an unexpected success. All forty-four symbionts bonded with their hosts with none going out of control. From what our spies could see, the boys had almost no fear of the symbionts. That they were fully prepared for their ascensions as if they were real Sky Dancers.” Kathryn looked down at her notes before continuing. “Your son appears to have matched my brother’s accomplishment in conquering the black symbiont, Flight Leader.”
Katlyn ducked as the pitcher of water flew at her. “I SENT HIM THERE TO DIE! NOT TO BECOME SOME DAMNEDABLE THING! YOU WILL NEVER SPEAK OF THAT THING AGAIN TO ME! I WOULD NEVER HAVE LET SUPREME FLIGHT LEADER HELEN HAVE MY CHILD IF I THOUGHT HE WOULD SURVIVE! UNDERSTOOD?!”
Katlyn stood back up slowly, waiting for her Flight Leader to calm herself. She knew now that Flight Leader Ronda King was truly insane. Katlyn, also knew that her OWN safety in this Flight was at stake. If Ronda was willing to sacrifice her own son to forward her agenda then Katlyn was nothing but another pawn to her. Before Katlyn can answer her Flight Leader Ronda changes the topic.
“Tell me something, Wing Second. Is your mother teaching those things ALL of our ways? Be truthful, as your life depends upon it.” There was something frightening about the look in Ronda’s eyes to Katlyn.
Seeing this Katlyn thought to buy herself time. Time to first gather more information on Ronda’s plans, then to ensure her escape. “As far as I know Flight Leader. I have not had direct contact with my mother since my return from Neo Workum. I can make a guess though.”
“Then guess, Katlyn.” Ronda snapped.
“The answer is yes. My mother has never been one to skip over any part of training, when it comes to fledglings. She will take them through each aspect of our training. Starting with our traditions, and their meanings, to how we fly and fight. Starting off with Elements, then Squadrons, over to Groups, then Wings, and finally Flights. She will teach them how each level there is one Leader, and one Second. Trust in this Flight Leader, Ileana Price will follow our doctrines.”
Ronda looked at her Wing Second hard, trying to find any sign of depiction. When Ronda found none, she asked her next question. “Do you believe that these acts violate all of our traditions?”
Katlyn didn’t need to be reminded that her life depended on your answer. “Yes, Flight Leader I do, but they are at the orders of the Supreme Flight Leader. That is the only reason my mother would go against so many traditions.”
Ronda King once again tried to find any sign of depiction by her Wing Second, and again found none. The problem was Ronda felt she could not truly trust Katlyn Price. Ronda had been forced to take Katlyn into her Flight ten years ago by the Council. Of all the members of her Flight, only Katlyn was an unknown to Ronda. Ronda, knew that all her Flight were exclusionists. Katlyn has always been the one unknown factor in her plans, but she had always followed Ronda’s orders.
“Do you believe that your mother will instruct the black bastards in Challenge Flights or will she gloss over that part of their training?” A plan had started to form in Ronda’s mind. One that would allow her to control those powerful symbionts and their hosts.
“Yes, Flight Leader. My mother will not skip or delete any of their training.” Katlyn knew that her mother may not agree with the practice, but she would teach the Thunder Hawks all their ways. That included the formal ways of issuing a Challenge and how a Challenge Flight was conducted. Katlyn saw the slight smile that came to Ronda King’s face. “Does this help, Flight Leader?”
“Yes, it does, Wing Second Katlyn Price.” Ronda walked over to the window in her office and looked out at the dark red orange clouds. Then she thought about the information her Wing Second had given her. Not wanting this chance to slip passed Ronda gave her Wing Second her orders. “Wing Second Katlyn Price, you are to fly to Neo Geleen and insure that MY son is taught all of our ways. By that I mean he is instructed in the ways of Challenge Flights.”
Katlyn knew, then and there, Ronda King wanted control over the Thunder Hawks. That would be the only reason for Ronda’s son to challenge her little sister Jordan. Kathryn bowed to her Flight Leader. “I will leave at once, Flight Leader.”
Katlyn wanted to run from the Flight Leader’s office, but left with all the dignity her mother instilled in her. When Ronda was alone once more she pushed a button on her desk. The side to her office opened and let in Stephany King, Ronda’s oldest daughter. “I heard everything mother. Do you think that Richard will obey your orders if he can successfully defeat Jordan Price in a Challenge Flight? We both know that he has always been a willful child.”
“Oh, he will obey my orders daughter. Unlike the others that sent their sons, I took precautions. He will either do as he is told or he will die at my hands.”
Stephany looked at her mother in surprise. “What did you do mother?”
“Oh, just a small injection of a micro-explosive capsule at the base of his brain. A simple radio command and his head is removed from his body. Yes, daughter, I do not trust your brother to do want is in the best interests for OUR cause on his own. This way I KNOW he will do his duty.”
“If he should fail mother, I have the backup plan in place.”
“So, your friend over in the PDF/ADF was able to secure the weapons for us?”
“The thirteen-millimeter railgun rifles will be delivered at sundown five days from now, mother.” Stephany gave her mother a predatory smile.
“And the rest?” Ronda was almost elated hearing at hearing this. She knew that her daughter would be able to get the weapons. After all no mere male could fight the charms of a Sky Dancer.
“He’ll only be able to get us five cases of anti-armor rockets mother. That will gave us a total of twenty-eight eighty-four-millimeter anti-armor rockets. The pulse laser rifles will not arrive for another ten days, but there will be enough to finish outfitting the Flight. To be honest mother, why are you even thinking about using that stupid Challenge Flight ploy. We will have the firepower to face down those false Knights and put the Temple of Ida-ten in its place.”
“That may be so, Stephany, but if we have Richard challenge Jordan Price in view of all then he must accept. If Richard wins, then we will have a free hand in how that Flight is run. If he loses then he was not fit to be our rapier.” Ronda turned and looked back out at the clouds.
“Send your brother a message. He is to challenge Jordan Price the first chance he gets. Tell him he has only fifteen weeks. That should be enough time to learn what he needs to get the job done. After all he will have turned seventeen by then and should be the oldest. It is his right to be Flight Leader, he should not have to answer to some whelp.”
Both women laughed at this. They both had taken over their current positions from older Sky Dancers through Challenge Flights. That was how one gained power in the Flights. They believed that only the strongest had the right to command or rule.
Chapter 14
Training flights and unseen observers.
Once again Ileana stood on the training platform with the mike in her hand. Just as she had done for the past three weeks Ileana gave instructions to her newest pupils. Unlike Sky Dancers in the past the Thunder Hawks were learning faster than any students Ileana ever had.
On the last night of the second week Ileana commented to the Reverend Mother Katsumi, that the Thunder Hawks went from bounce to sonic boom overnight. Like all Instructors before her Ileana had started off with the simplest of exercises. No one expected the young Thunder Hawks to master the basics of flight in only a matter of days. By day four Ileana had them working in Elements, by the end of the second week she was doing her best to keep them at Squadrons level tactics and formations.
At first Ileana tried to hold the youngster back. She feared overstraining their new muscles and bodies. That was until Jordan and Sister Sara pulled her off to one-side following the third day of training. “Mother, I know that you believe that you have my Flight’s best interests at heart, but you’re not helping them.”
“How so daughter? What makes you believe that you know better than I in how to train young Sky Dancers? How many have YOU trained?” Ileana was not wanting to piss off her daughter, but she did have the knowledge and experience in this matter. More than fifty years to be exact.
Jordan sighed as she knew her mother was right, to a point. Thankfully Sister Sara stepped in at this point. “Instructor Ileana, please understand. We learned from training Jordan that the Thunder Hawk Sky Dancer is stronger, faster, and as much as I hate to say to you, far superior to your normal Sky Dancer. They heal at a rate only surpassed by Second Generation Death Dealers. Your new students can handle anything we throw at them, and then some. Right now, we need them focused on their training. Grind them down. Keep their minds on learning how to be the warriors that your cities need.”
Ileana picked up on the under currents of Sara’s plea. “Why? What is so important that those fledglings not have time to think?”
This time it was Sara who sighed. “It is their bodies.”
That was all Ileana needed to hear. She looked over at the table of feminine looking boys and sighed. Even to her they ALL looked remarkably like her own child Jordan. The only difference being in the appearance of age. Some were more mature in their figures than the others. The problem being that all the young Thunder Hawks had the same face as Jordan.
“I figured as much, Sister. Have you and your Sisters figured out how this happened? I mean forty-four people all appearing to be the same. What are the odds? Outside of clones this has never happened in human history.” Ileana felt the need to point out the obvious.
“The Reverend Mother Rachael of our Order has a theory. When Doctor Alvilda Jørgensen first engineered the symbionts, she had a limited genetic pool to work from. When she manipulated the symbionts further it cut down the genetic pool even further. When the Hive Queens made the first black symbiont, that pool was even smaller. So, small that the symbiont’s genetic makeup was a single strain. That single strain would always effect the appearance of every Thunder Hawk. Didn’t you have problems recognizing your own child after her assent?”
It took Ileana a few seconds to remember, but when she did, she had to fight to school her expression. “Too be honest, no I did not at first recognize Jordan on the glass. If it had not been for your mother’s description I would have been hard pressed to recognize Jordan in Neo Workum.”
“Now you see why we need for you to push this Flight harder than any other in the history of the Sky Dancers. This is for their own good. They need time to adjust to their new bodies and faces. Time that sadly we do not have.” Sara remembered her orders from Reverend Mother Katsumi, and kept the knowledge of the recent raids on pirate bases in the system.
Katlyn and Sara knew that something was in the works, but Katsumi wasn’t sharing. Nor were the Daughters of the Four Winds. Even as Sara thought about those four women a shiver ran down her back. It is said that only the Storm Dancer lance had killed more of the Black Rose and Crimson Shield in single combat. Every member of the Temple had seen them walking quietly through the halls making no sound in their passing. As if they were ghosts or phantoms.
“Tell me Sara Campbell, what troubles you so that you would refuse to share what you know with my daughter and I?”
“Instructor Ileana, this is one time that you must trust in only what I have told you, and nothing else.” Once again Jordan and Ileana caught the double meanings behind the Nightingale’s words.
Ileana was brought back to the here and now by the snap of wings. Looking up at the current Squadron coming overhead Ileana snapped out.
“Keep, your line straight Kendra. You fall back too far and you won’t be able to cover you wing second. When that happens, bodies pile up. Susan, pull in tighter to Karen. Teresa, keep your line on Lisa. Remember not to push yourself ahead of the others. You get too far ahead of the others and you’re just as dead if you took a direct hit to the head. This is where team work comes in to play. The only advantages we have in a fight against the pirates is maneuverability and combined firepower.”
The teens quickly complied with Ileana’s commands. Then as one they targeted the dummy gun turret and cut lose with their thunderbolts. Even with Teresa being the youngest of them all the Squadron hit the practice target and destroyed it completely. The next Squadron up was Johanna’s. Like the last Squadron they were a five-man team. Only this team was made up of all seventeen year olds. Also unlike the last Squadron, this one was almost perfect in their formation.
When they struck it was in harmony. “Good, keep it in tight and strike the target, together.” Ileana called out. She knew what awaited them over the next wall. She wasn’t disappointed. Each member of Johanna’s Squadron was hit by ten ten-millimeter paint balls. The Black Swords lived up to their reputation.
The next three Squadrons gave a better performance, but they too fell to the guns of the Black Knights. When the fifth group of teens came over Ileana was surprised by their formation. Instead of in-line or line-abreast they were in a Flying-V formation. Placing their outer elements forward of their center or Lead element. This formation had many advantages that the others didn’t. The problem was it also had a major disadvantage. That being their firepower was pulled to the rear and not concentrated forward. Then the unexpected happened.
The Squadron fired and their target was destroyed before her eyes with one strike. When the Black Knights moved to engage, they were taken down before they had a chance to engage. Each target and lance of Knights were taken down in order. This Squadron had shown what tactics and Intelligence could do.
It wasn’t until the Squadron had cleared the final obstacle that Ileana realized who was leading that group. Jordan had done what none of the other Leaders had. She had watched as each pervious squadron went through the gauntlet. She had used forethought and intuition to gain the upper hand. “Yes, my daughter. The Council was correct in assigning you to be this Flight of Thunder Hawks Flight Leader. You have learned your lessons well.”
Ileana’s whispered thoughts were heard by only two people. People that stood in the shadows watching the training session. The smaller of the two smiled wickedly as they walked away. “So, Instructor Ileana, your daughter is more than she appears. She has indeed learned her lessons, and not just the ones taught to her by my Knights, very good.”
The shadowy figures faded further into the shadows of the tunnel. No one even saw the figures enter the tunnel at the beginning of the session. Just as no one saw the figures fade into the darkness. “I know that we can now leave the fate of this world in her very capable hands. Time for us to get out of here Alice. I doubt that Captain Smyth will stand for holding our shuttle all day. You know how he gets, when we’re even just a few minutes late.”
The second figure just sighed. “You know something kitten. One of these days mama is going to find out about your little side trips. When she does you’re really going to be in for it. You know, that right? You know how she feels about you sticking your nose into Temple business.”
“Oh, but pussycat, this is not Temple business. This is just me being a concerned Ruler trying to ensure that outside parties do not interfere with what is an internal problem amongst the Planetary Defense Force.” Not even the War Princess Allison Nakatoma could keep a straight face at hearing this from her wife, the Empress Maiha Nakatoma. Better known as the Empress of Death or Death’s own Daughter. The two women giggled as they walked out unobserved by anyone.
Ileana never once took her eyes off the five member teams as they flew their drills. Nothing failed to escape her sharp eye and relentless dedication to her mission. Once all nine squadrons had flown the training patterns she called them in. She started her review over each flight, and she was just as relentless with one as she was with the whole squadron. She went over each mistake and explained what they should have done to avoid them. Ileana also pointed out where each squadron had performed correctly.
When she turned her review over to the Captain for the Knights of Saint George the man could only point to where the teams failed to take in the full picture. “Listen up you maggots! That was the most disgusting show of aerial combat awareness I have ever seen. If we had been using LIVE AMMO none of you would have lived. There was only one team that even came close to having a battle plan in this situation. Of the nine teams that made that attack run eight would have been sent home in body bags. If we could have retrieved the bodies!”
Looking over at Johanna Thorn the Captain leaned down in her face. “And you! What the frack were you thinking?! Holding a straight and level flight path following a strafing attack. What were you trying to do?! Died a hero’s death?! No, you were trying to be some kind of glory hound, fracking hero of heroes! That’s what you bunch were trying to do! Out there looking to collect medals is a sure-fire way to end up in an early FRACKING GRAVE!”
No one of the gathered teens said a word. They just sat there praying the crazed Captain didn’t land on them next. Taking a deep breath, the Captain sighed before continuing with his part of the lesson for the day. Walking over to a set of tarp covered objects he waved for their attention. Yanking off the first one the Captain called out to the teens.
“This, young ladies, is a twenty-millimeter Gatling anti-aircraft, eight-barrel cannon. This weapon has a fire-rate of one thousand rounds per minute. It is capable of punching through two inches of Carbon Ceramic Fiber Armor at fifteen hundred meters.” Stepping over to the next tarp and yanking it free the Captain exposed a second weapon. “This is a standard twenty-megavolt laser Calliope, ten-barrel, anti-aircraft emplacement, weapon system. Fire-rate is just over nine hundred pulses per minute.” By the time the Captain stepped up to the third trap the gun-crew had already removed it. “This, lovely weapon, is a one-twenty rapid- fire autocannon. Not to be confused with a standard autocannon, the rapid-fire autocannons fire rate is five rounds every three seconds, versus the standard rate of one every two seconds. The rapid-fire autocannons are perfect for anti-aircraft operations. Lastly, we have a standard twin-cycle pompom one-oh-five, radar controlled, and targeted, anti-aircraft battery. Most, if not ALL, of these weapon systems can be found on a Raider class dropship. I will not even begin to try to describe the anti-aircraft defense on a warship class dropship.”
The Captain pointed across the arena floor to a three-by-three piece of metal on a rail cart. “That, children, Composite Ferro Ceramic Fiber Armor three inches thick. Now, before you ask, at four hundred meters hitting a three-foot by three-foot piece of metal is not as easy as you think. When that block of metal starts its run down the track it will be traveling at just over two hundred and twenty miles per hour. If you think you can do it feel free to try after this demonstration. Gun crews man your weapons.”
The four gun crews ran to man their weapons. This was their time to drive the point home to the teens. Once the weapons were manned the Captain hit a button on the podium releasing the rail cart. The cart started out slow, but before it had reached the marked area for engagement its speed had reached the promised 220 mph. The Gatlin was the first to fire, followed quickly by the Calliope. Between the first two weapons the armor plate was holed in over three hundred points. When the 120mm raped-fire AC opened up chunks of armor started to fly off. The 105mm pompom made those holes even larger when it engaged. The last ten meters were a surprise for the teens as five High-speed missiles slammed into the armor plate. Those had not been talked about by the Captain.
“OH, did I forget to mention the standard seven-inch anti-aircraft missile system? My mistake.” The man had the poor graces to act embarrassed. “THAT, ladies, was a just a demonstration of a standard layer air-defense. You can take this to heart ladies. Those pirate Sky Raider transports have just as much firepower, if not more so, of a standard Raider class dropship. The next time we tell you to use your FRACKING maneuverability, DO IT! Class dismissed!”
The Captain along with the gun crews started breaking down the weapon systems as the forty-five teenagers left the training area. More than a few of the teens were white in the face. The prevailing thought for them all was one that none really wanted to face. That thought was if today had been for real none of them would still be breathing.
Chapter 15
Challenges and Consequences.
Jordan could not believe what she was hearing. Her mother had stopped Jordan just after dinner that night. “Jordan, have you heard what three of your flyers are demanding?” at Jordan’s blank look Ileana sighed. “They’re demanding to be taught the proper forms for a Challenge Flight.”
Jordan just sighed. “Which three mother?”
“I take that you are not surprised by my news. Very well, Regina King, Johanna Thorn, and Lara Snowden.” Ileana watched her daughter’s face as she told her the names for any signs of emotion. Seeing nothing but contempt for the three names Ileana wanted to smile. “So, you have been expecting something from these three?”
“Katlyn, came to my room shortly after she arrived here last night. She told me that her Flight Leader latterly ordered her here to ensure that her son was taught about Challenge Flights. What I don’t understand mother is why Katlyn would even let me know about her Flight Leader’s orders? Doesn’t that go against everything a Wing Second should do?”
Ileana started to chuckle, then outright laugh. Hearing what her oldest daughter had done was the perfect example of a Wing Second stepping in the Hive of another Flight. Once she regained control of herself Ileana smiled down at her daughter. “Oh, my dear Jordan, your sister did everything that a GOOD and PROPER Wing Second should do when visiting another Flight on the ORDERS of her Flight Leader.”
“Okay, mom. Just what does that mean?” Jordan had come to understand her mother far better over the last few weeks and her attitude towards men. Jordan, had even began to forgive her mother for a good deal of her treatment towards her younger self. “How is Katlyn telling me that her Flight Leader ordered her here, to ensure that her son was taught the proper forms of issuing a Challenge Flight, doing the right and proper thing for a Wing Second?”
“Think, child. Use that all too inquisitive mind of yours.” Ileana knew and always had known, that Jordan was far more intelligent than she let on.
Jordan gave her mother a glancing glare, then did as she was told. It took Jordan a few minutes, but she quickly began to piece the puzzle together. It was as if the lights of a long quiet theater were all turned on one at a time.
“Katlyn cannot just come right out and say that her Flight Leader is plotting against me. She can as a VISTOR tell me as the current Flight Leader her reason for her visit. Now, if she was ORDERED here by her Flight Leader that changes things. If, Katlyn agreed with her Flight Leader all she would have to say was that she was here to verify our training. Now, IF Katlyn doesn’t agree then she can truthfully tell me exactly WHY she is here. The question I have to face now, is why is the Neo Winterswijk Flight Leader so concerned about Challenge Flights?” Jordan knew that she was on to something here. She just needed a few more pieces to the puzzle. Thankfully her mother provided those pieces.
“Remember your lessons on OUR politics young Flight Leader. Are you an inclusionist or exclusionist? Will you side with the past, like Rhonda King? Or will you give Helen Campbell her needed leverage for change?” Ileana just quirked her lips at Jordan’s look of confusion then understanding.
“Rhonda King, is an exclusionist. She sent Kathryn here to make sure that her son would issue a Challenge. Only Rhonda King is also a TRADITIONALIST and must insure that the Challenge is done in the correct form. If, the Challenge is not issued correctly I can just kill Regina outright. Not that it will do Regina any good, once the Challenge has been accepted, I’ll just use all the dirty, nasty, and downright vicious tricks the Knights have taught me. I’ll latterly fly her into the arena glass.” Jordan let the confidence of all her training fill her voice.
“Jordan, there is one way that Regina King can change the odds in her favor. One that will place you at a major disadvantage making all your training worthless. It is called a Section Challenge. As the Flight Leader, you are the only member of your Section. Regina has her whole Section to call on. That places you in a three on one situation.” Ileana placed her hand on Jordan’s cheek. “As good as you are dear, I fear that they can and will be too much for you.”
This time was Jordan who had to keep from laughing in her mother’s face hearing this. “Mom, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I really do hope they make that big of a mistake. Remember, who were my first training instructors. Those men and women left me with more bruises than I care to comment on. The Knights of Ida-ten believe in force manipulation. They have always been outnumbered and their training reflects that. They made me go up against three to four fighters every time I took off for training. Trust me mom. If they want to use a Section Challenge to take me out, let them. All it will get them is dead.”
This last was delivered with a cold harshness that grabbed at Ileana’s heart. The fact that her child who was barely sixteen, was so willing to kill, terrified her. For the first-time Ileana realized that her child could kill without remorse. That Jordan wasn’t just a Sky Dancer, but a true warrior.
“As much as I wish that were not the case Jordan, I know it will happen now. I was hoping that YOUR Flight would be able to avoid those things. Along with the pity politics that so many of the other Flights deal with. I guess I was just too much of an optimist.” Ileana just wanted to shake her head in disappointment.
“No mother, you didn’t fail. The ones that failed are those that refuse to learn that we must step away from the old ways. They are the ones that still believe that Sky Dancers ARE entitled to piss on those we protect. They have done nothing but listen to their mothers and sisters about BLOOD PURITY. How the Sky Dancers should be RULING New Holland. That we are some kind of fracking super-race of humans. No mother, you have done everything you could to change that attitude among my Flight. For the most part you have succeeded. It only those three that are failures, and I know why more than you.”
“Enlighten me Jordan. How is it that you know where, when, and why I failed those boys? Because when the next group of trainees come through I want to be ready.”
“They want something more than to be just Thunder Hawks. Two of them want revenge against their mothers and families. The last wants power more than revenge. Just like someone else that you know personally.” Jordan let her disgust at the three members of her Flight fill her voice. Then she drove the point home. “I forgot one thing. All three of them come from exclusionist families.”
That was all Ileana needed to hear. “I will make sure that they learn the proper forms for issuing a Challenge, Jordan. Make an example of them ALL.”
“Do not worry, mother. I will be the only one coming home from that flight.”
Ileana did not smile as she left to give the one class she had been putting off for as long as possible. Jordan, turned and went looking for her sister Katlyn. She needed a little more dirt on her opponents, most specifically Regina King.
Jordan figured that she would not have to wait too long the next morning. As she looked around the dining room she spotted what had become the normal breakdown of the Flight. Squadrons were eating with Squadrons as one would expect. It was the two Sections that were off to the side that bothered her the most. One she knew she had to get rid of, the other protect.
The Section she needed to protect was composed of the three youngest members of the Flight. All three girls were no more than thirteen and they all looked up to her. In their eyes, Jordan had become their hero and big sister. Jordan shook her head and sighed. She was sure that those three were being effected by their symbionts, but her mother corrected that misconception. In the words of her mother, ‘they are fledglings looking for guidance Jordan. You are the only one who can provide that guidance. I can teach them our ways, but YOU lead them.’
Looking over at the other Section the one that held her problem children it took all of Jordan’s will power to not unleash a thunderbolt. “There they are now all I need is for one of them to do is get stupid. It should be too fracking long.”
Jordan’s words would be more prophetic than even she would know at the time. Jordan didn’t even have a chance to get her breakfast before the Challenge came. The only surprise was who issued the Challenge. Regina Thorn stood up and called out across the room, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Flight Leader Jordan Price, why are we wasting our time?! These training exercises are nothing like the real thing. We should be taking over the Flights. We deserve to rule not be placed in some backwater hell hole! Or do you lack the courage to standup for us? If you don’t we demand a true Leader!”
Jordan barely let the sly smile caress her lips as she replied. “Do you think that you know what true combat is like Regina King? DO you believe you know what we need to do better than I? You think that POWER gives you the right to rule. If that is the way you feel then issue your Challenge and be done with it.”
Jordan could tell that Regina wasn’t expecting that kind of reaction. Jordan was surprised a little at how fast Regina recovered. “By the Right of Wing Second and Section Leader for the Alpha Squadron. I stand as the Voice for my Section, WE hereby give voice to grievances that you have failed to address. I stand before you as this Sections Voice, we Challenge you by Section for the Right to lead this Flight. The choice of venue is yours by Right of the Challenged. How stand you Flight Leader? Do you stand by your choice?”
Regina didn’t know it but she had handed Jordan everything she needed to drive her point home, and get rid of the three biggest troublemakers in her Flight. “I accept your Challenge Section Leader. When the sun sets, we shall have our Flight.” Jordan turned to walk out of the room, but stopped looking back at Regina and the other two. “I hope you have made out your wills, this will be a fight to the death. Anything and everything goes. Just the way your mothers would want. You wanted a Challenge Flight Regina King, you have one now. I hope you have made your mother proud.”
Not even Ileana was expecting the cold harshness of Jordan’s voice. She knew that her daughter was going kill those three. Ileana also knew that Jordan would not feel one ounce of regret doing it. Katsumi, Sara, and Katlyn looked on showing no emotion. They had seen war and revolution; this would be no different. Unlike Ileana they knew the anger that Jordan fought so hard to control.
“Daughters prepare the field. I want no mistakes, and no interference with the Challenge Flight. Am I understood?” Katsumi never took her eyes off the scene before her. She knew that Jordan had the advantage over the three turncoats. Sara and Katlyn just bowed then left the dining room.
Regina King, Johanna Thorn, and Lara Snowden walked towards the arena just before sunset. The three of them had spent the day planning on how they would kill Jordan Price, and be done with the Temple of Ida-ten’s interference. In their minds Jordan price, the Knights, and Temple of Ida-ten were no better than their mothers. Instead of taking power as they should, they just let the people decide their own fate. They were the rightful rulers of New Holland. All they had to do now was take their rightful place.
As they entered the arena the trio noticed that the arena was more than half full. In fact, there were close to three hundred Sky Dancers of varying colors and ranks, with about one third of the Golds in attendance. Next, were the members of the Knights of Ida-ten, they made up the rest of those there. After that came the mayors for almost every city on New Holland. Not that it mattered to the trio, it just went on to prove that they were the rightful rulers of New Holland. What they had not known, but Jordan did, was that Ileana had sent word of the Challenge to every Flight, and city she could.
Katsumi stood among the stands with Sisters Sara and Katlyn. They were not alone. Ileana Price, and her two oldest daughters, Sylvia, and Katheryn stood just behind them. Katsumi never took her eyes off the arena floor, but did ask the one question on the minds of the three nuns.
“Ileana Price, can you tell me how you see this fight coming to an end?”
“With the three challengers dead on the glass, and my daughter vindicated as the rightful Flight Leader. After today, no one else will dare take up their cause. Jordan will end the challenges and put the fear of the Goddess in her Flight.”
The note of confidence in Ileana’s voice caused the three nuns to turn to look at her. Sara put their thoughts into words. “How do you see that happening Ileana Price? Jordan is outnumbered three to one.”
“The numbers will not matter, Sister Sara. This Challenge began and ended in the dining hall. This fight will be more of an execution than a true Challenge. As it should be in all honesty.” Once again Ileana’s tone said more than her words.
“You will have to explain this to me Ileana Price. Why should this be an execution?” Katsumi really wanted to know. She knew that Ileana’s perspective had a lot to play with the politics of New Holland.
Ileana answered by asking a question. “Kathern, Sylvia, what are the rules governing all Challenge Flights?”
“No one section can challenge another without the Flight Leader’s approval. All challenges must be overseen by the Flight Leader. No Section can challenge a Section from another Squadron or Group.” Kathern answered.
“No Section may challenge directly the Flight Leader’s position. To do so is open rebellion. ALL Challenges for Flight Leader are one-to-one, and personal. No outside influences are to be tolerated. Those that defy this are considered Outlaws, and are to be put to death.” Sylvia saw where her sister and mother were going and thought that she should provide the rest.
“Excuse me, but are you telling us that Jordan doesn’t have to follow any rules? That she can just show up and shoot those three?” Katlyn asked in total surprise.
“No. What we are saying is that the moment the sun sets Jordan will enter the arena at highspeed and kill those three before they can even take wing.” Ileana told them with pure venom.
“Ileana Price, I am a little surprised by the venom of your words. What has happened to drive you and your family to this point?” Katsumi asked.
“As the only current Flight Leader in our family, a challenge to Jordan’s authority is a challenge to our family. Among Sky Dancers you do not challenge a family and walk away. Even if those three were to be victorious, they would not live long enough to celebrate.” To drive the point home Sylvia and Kathern each held up a ten-millimeter Gorgon assault rifle. The three nuns needed nothing further to convince them that this was indeed a fight to the death.
Before either of the nuns could say another word a gong rang out across the arena. Regina, Johanna, and Lara stepped fully onto the arena floor. Then just as Ileana had predicted Jordan entered the arena in a steep dive from above and behind the three Outlaws. They never saw her coming as three fast thunderbolts slammed into them. The pure power of the strikes drove the three to the ground.
Jordan pulled up into a tight highspeed climb and rose to just over two hundred feet before snapping over in a wing tip turn. A turn that brought her back into another dive lining her up for her next attack. This time Jordan released two powerful thunderbolts that traced a crisscross path over the injured Outlaws. The two thunderbolts had been focused down to almost pinpoint beams of pure plasma. Once again Jordan pulled up out of her dive and climbed for the skies. And once again she winged over in a wingtip turn and dove on her enemy.
At just over one hundred feet Jordan released a final attack on the bodies of the Outlaws. One that was so powerful, it’s thunder drowned out the cracks of the two previous attacks. This one attack smashed the glass under the bodies of the three Outlaws and turned their bodies to ash. This was Jordan’s last and final attack. An attack that had more than proved her right to lead the Thunder Hawk Flight.
Jordan gently landed in front of where the three Outlaws had once stood. Her landing was so slow and light, it appeared as if she flouted to the arena floor. Where only moments before, Jordan was the ravaging angle of Death, she was now, a beautiful swan landing before the masses. Even her sisters were stunned by the grace that Jordan showed. They had seen Jordan walk threw the halls of the Temple and the back areas of the arena, but she had never shown this much grace in her movements. It was as if their younger sister had always been exactly that, their sister and not brother. Jordan turned and walked to the center of the arena.
In a voice filled with more than just anger Jordan called out to the gathered peoples. “WHO AMONG YOU WOULD CHALLENGE MY RIGHT TO LEAD NOW?”
No one answered her challenge. Not even among the most radical exclusionists there wanted to challenge this demon in angle clothing. Everyone had seen her three attacks, and the devastation those attacks delivered. Only one person in attendance knew the secret of Jordan’s powerful attacks. Ileana Price was not about to give that information away.
Ronda King could not believe her eyes. The upstart had not only eliminated the threat her child presented, but had left no doubt as to who was the Flight Leader here. Nodding to her daughter Stephany, Ronda led the four members of her Flight from the arena. Once they were out of sight Ronda rounded on them.
“We must resort to our alternate plan now. Stephany, have our weapons arrived?”
“Yes mother. I saw them unloaded from the HST from Neo Winterswijk just this morning. They will be delivered to the safe house this evening.”
Ronda looked over at the only other Gold in her party, Jessica Winter. “Jessica, is the safe house secure?”
“Yes, Flight Leader. We have more than enough supplies to last five weeks. I was even able to secure the extra munitions you suggested.”
“Lisa, have you been able to secure a copy of the training flight schedule?”
“Yes, Flight Leader. You are not going to like it though.” Lisa answered Ronda.
“Why?”
“The monsters are not scheduled to fly for the next five days. It is in honor of some ceremony that the Temple of Ida-ten holds.” Lisa sighed and pointed out the white elephant in the room. “We are to be off Neo Geleen by the end of tomorrow.”
Ronda just smiled at the young woman. “Oh, but we won’t have to leave. Not that I now know about this ceremony. We will pay our own respects by not flying during the next five days. I just have to inform Ileana Price and all will be well. Now, return to our dwelling and I will meet you later.”
With that Ronda King went to find Ileana. Little did the woman know the outcome she was hoping for from that meeting would not be the one she wanted. The two Wing Seconds however had a feeling that their Flight Leader was in for a rude awakening. Especially when it would be Jordan Price that would put an end to her plans.
Chapter 16
Jordan’s first conquest.
Jordan stood off to one side as the groundskeepers for the arena clean the arena glass. He knew that the Challenge had been legal in some respects, when it was anything but legal. In truth, the Challenge would never have happened if not for one family’s need for power. This something that Jordan knew all too well. She had spent more than enough time over the past few days with her oldest sister to grasp Ronda King’s desire to rule New Holland.
“Tell me, little sister, did you really go all out?” Katlyn asked from behind her. Jordan didn’t want to lie to her, but knew she had to.
“Yes, Katlyn, I went all out. I held nothing back in this Challenge Flight. I had to drive home the point that the Thunder Hawks were not, and are not, the playthings of the Council. To do otherwise would have encouraged other Flight Leaders to have their sons Challenge me.”
Katlyn was nobodies dummy and saw through the lie for what it was. “You can lie to mother, little bird, but not to me. I saw you release more power in our little chase than you did here today. I am more than willing to wager on that.”
Jordan knew she had been caught out by her sister and just sighed. “Very well, yes, I held back, Katlyn. I only did that so the Flight Leaders and their Seconds, did not know the full extent of our power. I want Thunder Hawks to be respected not feared. If I truly went all out there would be a massive hole in the glass.”
“I thought as much. Have you ever gone all out? I mean before that one time we chased you.”
“I have Katlyn. Only that chase we had wasn’t me going all out. The only time I ever went all out was against the pirate raider. To be honest, I am a little afraid of letting loose. I fear that I may never come back. That is how strong the black symbiont is. Thunder Hawks are truly a partnership with our symbionts.”
Jordan’s little speech must have rattled Katlyn. Jordan watched as she shivered at Jordan’s cutting words. For someone like her and all female Sky Dancers, the thought of being out of control is terrifying. All their lives they have taught to control their emotions. That they needed that self-control to control their symbionts. Here though they are being shown that lack control is needed to control a black symbiont. Jordan was the prime example of that.
Before they could go further in their little discussion a voice that Jordan would rather not hear just then called out to her. “Jordan Price where is your mother?”
As Jordan turned she saw Ronda King standing on the other side of the glass. Before Jordan can answer her though, she noticed something about the woman. There is a bluish shadowing to Ronda just as the red she had been shown shortly after she first woke up in the Neo Amsterdam Temple, only much darker. Jordan hissed out something that she was not yet ready for, and drove fear into every Sky Dancer still within hearing.
“You are mine for the taking, bitch. Fly or die.” Hearing this Ronda King felt a fear that had never crossed soul, and an animal instinct fill her. An instinct that she was unable to fight. With all her might Ronda King took wing and strove for the highest clouds. She flew as if the very hounds of hell were hot on her heels, and gaining ground. Never, before had she felt so completely out of control and lost to her symbiont’s needs.
A hungry sneer crossed young Jordan’s face as she watched her pray climb for the clouds. With each passing moment Jordan’s dormant masculine self, rose to the surface. With it came the obvious sign of his true sex. Katlyn for all her years a Wing Second was at a loss for what to do. Nothing had ever prepared her for what she was now seeing. In truth, none of the living Sky Dancers had ever seen what was about to happen, not even the Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell was ready. And she had known that this could happen.
Even as the Knights heard the outcry of panic it was too late. For Jordan had taken off at a speed that no gold could match. He was lost to his raw and uncontrolled need to mate with Ronda King, just she was lost in need and fear for it to happen. Even as she climbed, Ronda felt her neither regions begin to moisten. Looking down at Jordan all she saw was her first true mating partner. All it took was the one look to drive the remaining part of Ronda King’s human mind to the back of her consciousness. All that was left was her symbiont.
With a flick of her wings Ronda dove past Jordan in a dive that would take her through a thunder cloud. Jordan had long since given into his symbionts needs and gave chase. Down they dove through the first of many thunder clouds, only to climb out after four or five lighting strikes. With each strike their sexual arousal grew, and grow it did by leap and bounds. For more than ten minutes Jordan played with Ronda, and she with him.
Slowly though Jordan started to regain control over his symbiont. Just enough to know that he had to end this mating flight soon. Before he or Ronda were injured or killed by the climbing electrical charge held within their bodies. Releasing all but a tiniest amount of his energy Jordan forced Ronda to change flight and into his waiting arms. Ronda tried to prolong her mating dance with her lover by filling him with all the electrical power she had stored so far, but this only invigorated him more. Sensing that surrender was her only option Ronda gave herself to the young Thunder Hawk that held her in his arms.
Rolling over and spreading her wings to help keep them in flight Ronda presented herself to Jordan. Somewhere during this briefest of time Jordan sensed her surrender and acceptance. With the care of a true lover Jordan matched his wing strokes with hers before entering her most private of orifices. As he entered Ronda, Jordan felt the two symbionts merge from the waist down forming their legs into one massive unite. He also felt her arms cross her breast and fuse. It was as if he was carrying a mummy in his arms as they flew.
For Ronda King, the mating flight soon became more than she could ever have hoped for. The sexual pleasures and orgasms filled her with a need to endlessly mate. Even as her symbiont sealed away the use of hers arms Ronda did not care. Just so long as the Thunder Hawk dominated her. Used her for his sexual release she just did not care. To her this was truly heaven. With each successive orgasm, Ronda King lost more and more of her individuality and independence. Even as Ronda lost her ability to speak, then see, and finally hear, she just didn’t care. To the outside world, it was as if Ronda King was slowly mummified in midair. Only her wings remained unbounded by her symbiont.
Jordan finally regained enough control to realize that he had been mating with Ronda King for more than two hours. During that time, he had more orgasms than he believed possible in his young life. With this realization also came clarity. With one last final orgasm Jordan withdrew from Ronda King. After withdrawing his member Jordan was again in control of herself. It was at this point that she realized that she had a problem. Even though she was no longer conjoined with Ronda, Ronda had not returned to her human shape. In short, Ronda King now resembled an ancient Egyptian mummy with wings.
With all the control and skill, she had learned over the past months Jordan flew towards the Neo Geleen arena. In their mating flight, Jordan and Ronda had flown more than two hundred miles away. As she flew, Jordan thought about what had happened to her. The last thing she truly remembered was Ronda King demanding to know where her mother was. Then very little after that. It was this very disturbing loss of memory that worried Jordan more than anything else. Soon though Jordan had another worry as Ronda’s wings pulled in and folded across her back. No sooner had this happened, then Ronda’s body truly started to take on the appearance of a mummy, or butterfly inside of its cocoon.
What Jordan did not know at that time, was Ronda’s symbiont was sealing her away to protect the three children that she now carried. It would not be until she had landed that she would learn the full impact of her sudden mating with Ronda would have on the future of the Flights. With all the strength of a Thunder Hawk Jordan carried the mummified body of Ronda King the rest of the way to Neo Geleen.
With heavy strokes of her wings Jordan slowly descended onto the arena glass. Laying Ronda at her feet Jordan waited for the first of the Flight Leaders to converge on her. She didn’t have to wait long. Nor was she surprised by the first one to reach her. Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell practically charged her.
“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU WERE EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN MATING FLIGHTS!” the woman was besides herself in her anger over what had happened. Jordan just looked at her and quirked her lips before answering.
“Oh, I know what you said. I also know that you let Ronda King attend this little show today, knowing her condition. So, DO NOT YELL AT ME FLIGHT LEADER HELEN CAMPBELL!” Jordan stopped herself before she lost total control. Taking a deeply needed breath Jordan looked the woman in the eyes. “You were hoping for this. All of it. You wanted me to get rid of those three members of my Flight in a very public and brutal way just to force Flight Leader Ronda King into a confrontation with me. With her being in season, you knew that I would force her into a Mating Flight. My only real question is why. You had no way of knowing that I could control the flight.”
Helen sighed as she knew she had been caught. “You are correct Jordan Price, Flight Leader of the Thunder Hawks. Ronda King and her Flight was a detriment to not only my Flight, but the Government of New Holland. With her grounded with child her plans go to ground as well. I gambled with her life and yours. All in the hopes that you had gained enough control over your symbiont. I will not apologize for doing what must be done to save our world from the exclusionist faction. Not now, nor never. If that means I have to send you to your death then so be it. If I have to sacrifice this Flight, then I will. I will do all that and more, may the Goddess have mercy on my soul for it.”
“Well the Goddess may show you mercy Supreme Flight Leader, but for me and my Flight there will be none shown. You try playing games with our lives again. I will personally hunt you down and gut you with my bare hands. Right now I suggest you take Ronda King and leave. Begone from my sight before I lose what little is left of my control.” Jordan turned and started to walk away but looked back at Helen Campbell with cold dead eyes. “Never let your politics interfere with my Flight again. From now on Thunder Hawks are not your play toys. Remember, we are killers, and that is all there is to it.”
Helen Campbell and the remaining Flight Leaders watched as Jordan Price walked away. Not one of them thought about challenging the young woman about her show of very blunt and total lack of respect to Helen Campbell. They knew without doubt that Jordan would kill them. Kill them all, and not show one bit of remorse. One of the youngest Flight Leaders stepped up behind Helen.
“No offence Supreme Flight Leader, but if you were hoping to control that one through family ties, you made a monumental frack up.”
Helen Campbell turned to look at the young Flight Leader before sighing sadly. “No, Marsha Leaks, that was not my hope or my plan. In truth, I only wished to have Jordan Price remove Ronda King from the political field. Yes, I knew that Ronda had come into season, and I hoped that Jordan would get her to rise. I did not have plans for the deaths of those three boys. That, I place at the feet of Ronda King. does that explain my motives to your satisfaction?”
“It does, but what of Ronda King and her Flight?”
“The Neo Winterswijk Flight shall be broken down and spread throughout the other Flights and Hives. A new Flight will be formed from Sections and Groups brought in from other Flights, with a new Flight Leader appointed by the Council. As for Ronda King, she will be returned to Neo Winterswijk where she will be allowed to give birth to her child and raise it over the next seven years until her wings return.” At the looks of confusion on the faces of the gathered Flight Leaders Helen Campbell sighed. “None of you have studied the old texts, have you? Never mind answering I know you haven’t. A mating with a Thunder Hawk grounds any Sky Dancer until the child is born, but a mating with a gold will forces that Sky Dancer to spend the next seven years grounded. All to ensure that the child is cared for until it is ready to take wing for the first time.”
“You mean, that if we mate with a Thunder Hawk we will be forced to raise our children for the next seven years?” Asked a very stunned Flight Leader.
“Yes, Grace Hightower. The reason is the children of those mating’s are pure Sky Dancers and will be born with wings. They will be just as we are, only without the needed time to mature. That is why we will be grounded until they are ready for their first flight. Now, someone go find Ronda’s Section. They need to return their former Flight Leader to Neo Winterswijk.” With that Helen Campbell walked away. As she was leaving the arena Helen knew that change had finally came to New Holland and the Sky Dancers.
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Neo Amsterdam; 10 days after Jordan’s mating flight
Helen Campbell looked at the assembled members of the Grand Council of Flight Leaders. She knew that the first topic was going to be the grounding of Ronda King and the disbanding of her Flight. She knew that she had engineered the situation to remove the woman form political power, but there was going to be repercussions. Especially among this august body. Helen wasn’t surprised by the first voice to be raised in complaint.
“Supreme Flight Leader Campbell! What is to be done to that abomination and its so-called Flight of Thunder Hawks? That thing raped a Flight Leader! We demand Justice! These creatures cannot be allowed to just force themselves on Flight Leaders or any other Sky Dancer at will!” Heather Van Goth shouted angrily up at her from the assembly floor.
“Flight Leader Van Goth, you have made a very dangerous accusation. Thunder Hawk Jordan Price did not rape Ronda Price. The Thunder Hawk exercised their God given right to mate with a Sky Dancer in season. Ronda King knew she was in season and still sought out the Thunder Hawk Jordan Price for a confrontation. SHE, not Jordan Price made the first move, knowing full well the consequences of her actions. SHE decided to ignore our legends and the lessons therein. Now, she and her Flight shall pay the price of her arrogance.” Helen never stood up or raised her voice, but she knew that she got the point across.
“What?! We’re just going to let those things ground one of us whenever they feel like? Have you no pride Campbell?! We need to kill them now before they destroy our very way of life!” This came from one of Ronda King’s strongest supporters, Martha Stone. Another of the High Families Flight Leaders on New Holland.
Helen Campbell now had two of the more vocal Exclusionists rallying behind what they believed to be a crime against one of their own. It won’t take much more to get the rest of them railed up. Helen just needed to push them a little more.
“So, Martha Stone, has your birth into a High Family shown you have more tactical Intelligence than me in this matter? I pray you tell this august body of your peers, some of whom witnessed the firepower of just one Thunder Hawk, how we’re to accomplish this feat? In this very chamber are three Flight Leaders who poured all they had into, an unsanctioned I might add, attack on Jordan Price; just to have her shrug it off as if it was nothing and return fire with enough raw power to shake the very clouds. The very same Thunder Hawk, that destroyed a pirate raider on their own with just two discharges. Oh, and let us not forget that very disturbing show of control during a challenge flight that left three of her own Flight dead on the glass. Please, tell me how are we to fight something like that? I for one would love to know how.”
“We use the weapons that are stored in our city armories. We kill these monsters before they can come into their full power. We strike before the next sunrise and kill them all in their sleep.” Screamed Veronica Keller. The current leader, and second most vocal of the exclusionists’ party. She was also the most blood thirsty of that group.
Helen Campbell looked over at the war leader for the exclusionists, and sighed. Of course, Veronica Keller would be the one pushing for such tactics. The woman lacked the subtlety of a heavy gunboat. Everyone here, on New Holland, knew that the Empress Maiha was not what one would call a true diplomat, but Keller put the Empress to shame.
“How many of you feel this way?” Helen called out. she was not surprised by the number of hands that were raised at this question, or the number that stayed down. “I see. Very well then, if the exclusionists party feel this way then I, nor any inclusionists member, shall stand in your way.”
The cheer at hearing this was almost deafening. Helen held up her hands to call for quiet. “However, you shall not have access to the armories. If you wish to attack another Flight then you shall do so with only the weapons provided by your symbionts. Your attacks will be seen as Challenge Flights between Flights.”
This announcement was met with pure disbelief. Never in all of their history had one Flight challenged another. Individual, Section, Group, and Wing challenges have happened but never a full Flight on Flight challenge. The idea was beyond those gathered here to comprehend. Helen Campbell smiled and then went in for the kill. “And Flight Leaders, if you didn’t understand what Jordan Price was driving at after her Challenge Flight let me clarify. Thunder Hawks only accept Challenge Flights to the death. For them it is kill or be killed. The Thunder Hawks do not take prisoners, and do not spare lives.”
The quiet that filled the room at hearing this was as heavy as a supermax heavy ore carrier. To these women the thought of fighting to the death between Sky Dancers was an abomination, greater than the black symbionts, and their hosts. Even among the exclusionist party only a very few would be willing to go that far. Helen knew this and moved to set them apart.
“For those of you who wish to take part in this route you have until the Council Chamber doors are again closed. Leave now, and return only in victory. Understand though, that if you stay you will abide by the rulings of these Council. Those are your only choices. I will no longer stand for the infighting.” Helen pushed the button that would unlock the chamber doors and waited.
Helen didn’t have long to wait. Nor was she surprised by the Flight Leaders that stood up to leave. Of the twenty-seven exclusionists Flights present only eight rose up and left. These eight were the hard liners and core of the exclusionist Flights. Of those eight, three were led by High Families Flight Leaders. Helen while not surprised by this turn of events, was disheartened. She knew that sooner, or later, young Jordan Price was going to be in for the fight of her life. Even with her whole Flight behind her it was going to be a hard fight.
“Supreme Flight Leader, are you just going to let them walk out?” asked one of her strongest supporters, Flight Leader Cathy Wright.
“It is their choice Cathy. Remember, each Flight operates independently. As such, each Flight has sovereignty within their own city. I will not be the first Supreme Flight Leader to break this tradition. While I do not agree with them it is their right to act against the Thunder Hawks.” Helen Campbell let a small smile come to her lips before continuing. “That doesn’t mean I won’t be letting Jordan Price know that they are coming.”
“Helen, you are without doubt one of our greatest Supreme Flight Leaders. With Jordan Price knowing who is going to come at her, she has time to plan her responses. Knowing that young hot head though, she is going to attack them before they can even get their Flights organized.” Wright smiled at her friend and Leader.
“Now, you see why I am not worried about what those eight will do. Jordan Price will most likely end our problems with the exclusionist party by the end of the year. She will have either killed them off, or grounded them in pregnancy. Either way will be just fine with me, but I would prefer the later.” Helen looked to where the eight hard line members of the exclusionist party were walking out the chamber. She began to take stock of their individual conditions. “When this is over Cathy we will have eight new Flight Leaders, with five of them being promoted from the Wing Seconds to replace their dead. The other three promotions will be due to groundings. If Jordan Price doesn’t just place her own people in place over those Flights.”
Helen left the reason unsaid for her thinking. She knew form a conversation she had with Jordan just days before that the young woman would place her people in charge of any Flight that challenged her. Helen also knew that Jordan would do so without a second thought to the repercussions of her actions within this hall. As far as Jordan was concerned the Council needed fresh blood. This point had been made abundantly clear to Helen during her last confrontation with the young Thunder Hawk Flight Leader. Jordan told her bluntly that if any Flight dared to challenge her or her Thunder Hawks Jordan would leave nothing behind but ash and blood.
“What I fear more than the removal of our problem children Helen, is that one’s raise to power among our number.” At the questioning look from Helen, Cathy explains her fears. “I am no exclusionists radical, Helen. But, if Jordan Price decides that we stand in her way what’s to stop her? She could very well walk in here an abolish this Council and there would be nothing we could do. Her power alone is enough to cause fear and distrust among our sisters.”
“I do not believe that shall ever be a problem, Cathy. Jordan Price and her Thunder Haws may have no love for this Council, but they do respect it. The problem will be making our sisters understand this fact. Jordan does not seek power, she just wants to remove the exclusionists’ attitudes from this Council and our people. As, much as I want to deny her claims I cannot. Too many of our fellow Sky Dancers look upon our sons as nothing more than genetic suppositories. This has to be changed and we have to allow our sons to bond with black symbionts.”
“I see.” In truth Cathy didn’t. as far as she was concerned the old ways were still the best ways. The idea of treating a son the same as a daughter just didn’t make sense. After all, it was the old Emperor and Cardinal Richelieu’s foolishness that led to the last War of Succession. A war that was won by Empress Maiha Nakatoma.
Helen sighed as she could hear the indifference in the other Flight Leader’s voice. “Cathy, if we keep mistreating our sons it shall be our downfall. For far too long we have committed a most heinous crime against our male children, all in the name of tradition. If you haven’t realized it yet, the Hive Queens have been laying smaller and smaller clutches every year. If you doubt me, look at the records. For the past three hundred years the clutch sizes have dropped from over fifty to barely two dozen. I firmly believe that it has been the lack of new genes in our bloodlines. Those young Thunder Hawks will be our salvation, mark my words.”
Flight Leader Cathy Wright did not have the same confidence that the Supreme Flight Leader did in this new path for the Sky Dancers. Though she would not fight her over this. Cathy Wright felt, like a great many of the Flight Leaders, that the wait and see approach was the best choice.
Chapter 18
Neo Geleen, Office of the Flight Leader
Jordan couldn’t believe the report she was reading. There in black and white, was a breakdown of possible locations for pirate bases. She, like most New Holland citizens, had heard the stories of abandoned mining platforms. Like most, she believed that those stories were just that, stories. Yet, here was confirmation that there were real honest abandoned mining platforms. Looking up at the Reverend Mother Katsumi to confirm her worst nightmare.
“Reverend Mother, I know this is going to sound arrogant, but is this report accurate? And, if it is, just how accurate?”
“Yes, Jordan Price that report is accurate. As for how accurate, I was informed that it is close to ninety percent accurate. Enough so that the Empress gave the Blood Red Knights orders to search for every last one of those platforms. If they find pirates they are to take them into custody to face judgement.” Katsumi kept her face passive as she answered Jordan’s question. She knew the young firebrand was just barely holding in her anger of that report.
“Reverend Mother, do you realize that, for more than three hundred years, Sky Dancers and the DPF have been searching for the pirate bases? Hell, the fact that there may be real abandoned mining outposts is just too farfetched to consider. I mean you do understand just how much goes into just placing a mining platform in this atmosphere? The cost for one, and its upkeep is prohibitive of just abandoning even an exploration platform. Those are the cheapest and smallest by the way, at just over two hundred and eighty-seven thousand gold credits. That is just the purchase price, then you have the setup, and maintenance costs. Those run anywhere between one to two hundred thousand per month. For a platform to be used as a base for operations like your Intelligence Agency is suggesting you would need one almost as big as say oh Neo Geleen or Neo Winterswijk. Even then something that size would be spotted by our orbital satellite network. No, this report has to be wrong.”
“Is it possible to place a platform lower in the atmosphere? As just below the surface clouds? Where the pressure is not so great to cause problems, but if enclosed to sustain life with the use of airlocks?” Katsumi asked pointedly.
Jordan had to sit back and think about that. She had spent her whole life living on one of the cloud cities. In fact, she had even played in the lower reaches as a child. During that time, she had made friends among the maintenance crews that worked and maintained the massive generators that kept Neo Amsterdam aloft. When she had gotten older they even taught her how those great machines worked. It finally dawned on her that a platform could be set deeper into the atmosphere of the gas giant that was New Holland. Then Jordan looked down at the list of abandoned mining outposts. She took more than a few minutes to go over the list and the types of outposts that were abandoned.
There was a total of thirty-eight abandoned outposts, of those only nine were exploratory in nature. Small, light, moveable, and costs effective for what they were designed for. Look for heavy concentrations of Casper Crystals. It was the other twenty-nine platforms that worried Jordan. They were all modular models, that could be connected to form a massive single platform. One, that could withstand the lower reaches of the troposphere, not to mention the stratosphere where they most likely were. More than deep enough for the heavier clouds of the upper atmosphere levels to conceal a platform from the satellite survey and security network.
“Reverend Mother, I really hate to say this, but you may be right. If the pirates have even half of these platforms we have a really big fracking problem. Only eight of these platforms could not survive lower than the thermosphere, which is where we are now. The rest thou are all modular platforms that can be and are sealed platforms. Ones that can be interlocked to form a much larger platform.” Jordan looked up at Katsumi with real worry this time. “The big problem is that five of these modular platforms are station keepers. They each hold and control elevation and station keeping engines for much larger platform formations. We could very well be looking at three to six pirate bases, depending on how they’re put together.”
“Why would that dictate how many we face?” This was something Katsumi had no knowledge of, and followed her lifelong policy of deferring to an expert.
“The larger and more complex the configuration the more station keepers you need. If they put all of the support modules together then you would need four of the station keepers. Now, if they broke them down to one of each type then you only need one station keeper.” Jordan explained for Katsumi.
“I will give you that Jordan, but you said three to six. Why?”
Jordan got up and went over to the holo-tank they used for training flight simulations and patrol flight patterns. Keying in the needed information Jordan began to configure layouts of the modules. She started with the station keepers. Then went through the other twenty-tree modules. Once she input all the module types Jordan entered a command to randomly configure the modules. Breaking them down into just three to six total configurations. The biggest deciding factor was the limited number of docking and repair modules. With only six repair modules and ten docking modules as being the primary limiting factor.
“Jordan, how low into the planetary atmosphere could one of these configurations be placed? The reason I am asking is the need for what type of force to attack them with first. Secondly, would it be possible to use Jump Infantry to attack these installations? And lastly, could these types of modular constructed bases be moved from one point to another. What I mean are they mobile or fixed.” It was the first-time since starting this conversation that Katsumi showed any emotion. Concern.
“I’ll answer the last question first, Reverend Mother. It depends on the configuration. The larger four and three the base configurations are more than likely to be a fixed position platform. These five and six smaller configurations can be mobile. The set of five will need additional resources to move them such as two or three dropships acting as tugs. The ones that we need to worry about as far as being a mobile repair and resupply platform are these six configurations. They can move under their own power. Not only at their current altitude, but change in altitudes as if there are bloody damned elevators.” Jordan stopped and took a deep breath before continuing with answering Katsumi’s questions.
“As for your first question. Any of these configurations can drop to the lower reaches of the troposphere, with the exception of one of the larger configurations. That one configuration is the largest of them all, and is my greatest fear. Before you ask the reason is simple. It takes all eight station keeper modules just to keep it from falling into the center of the planet. It is also the one that will have the greatest likelihood of being armed and armored like a battle platform.”
Katsumi interrupted Jordan at this point. “Wait are you saying that there could be the equivalent of a battle platform floating around the lower clouds of New Holland?”
“Yes, ma’am. That is exactly what I am saying. However, that is an unlikely event. One of the things about pirates we must remember is their mentality. To build this type of platform they would have to work together. Pirates are not normally a community minded people. They’ll only band together out of need for self-preservation. They have been able to act independently for just too long. The reason for this is simple. The individual city Flights refuse to work in form of coordination or as teams. You, me, hell even the Empress, could stand before the Grand Council with a two-hundred-fifty-point power point presentation how working together they would still refuse to see the benefits. There just too many hide-bound old betties on the Council to do any good.” Jordan let her disgust at the Grand Council fill her voice and show on her face.
“I see. Neither I, or the Empress, realized it was that bad. As for my question for using Jump Infantry; is it possible?” Katsumi needed this information more than the rest. What Jordan and the members of the Grand Council didn’t know was the Blood Red Knights were planning an attack on these installations.
“If you want to waste good infantry, go right ahead.” Jordan’s very blunt comment brought Katsumi up short. “Reverend Mother, you have to understand something here. There is a reason we use deep diver crabs to go after Casper Crystals. Those damned things are engineered to handle the pressures of the lower atmospheres. It’s those pressures that the mining companies fight to get the sons of Sky Dancers as drivers for the crabs. We’re less effected by the changes in pressure as the crab goes deeper and deeper into the lower atmosphere.” Jordan pointed at the list of three configurations that were the largest. Then pulled up a display of the pressures at the lower depths. “Remember, how I told you that only one of these couldn’t reach the lowest troposphere? Well, all the others can. At those depths, even with powered Armor standard Jump Infantry will be crushed before they can even get on the platform. Forget about getting into position to carry out an attack on the station itself. Not even Sky Dancers can handle the pressure at those levels. The lowest any Sky Dancer has ever reached without specialized gear is the Mesopause.”
“Jordan, what kind of pressures are we talking about here?” Once again Katsumi was trying to figure out a way to attack a pirate platform in the stratosphere.
“High enough at that a point prick hole in the armor of a deep dive crab will cause total failure of the armor. A failure so fast that the driver would never know what happened.” Seeing that Katsumi didn’t truly understand the dangers faced by the deep dive crab drivers Jordan gave her a demonstration. Walking over to the office cooler she reached inside a pulled out a bottle of water.
“See this bottle. Its full and stronger than it looks.” Katsumi nodded her head at the very obvious point watched as Jordan pored the water into a flower planter. Jordan then blew air into the empty bottle before capping it. “Now, it’s full of air. This is your standard crab with its armor in working order.” Taking a letter opener form her desk Jordan punched a small hole in the bottom of the bottle. “This is a crab at depth with weekend armor.” Jordan crushed the bottle between her hands. “This is a deep dive crab on its way to the core.” Then Jordan dropped the now crushed bottle on the floor. “From the time of first failure to total collapse and burnup in the lower atmosphere, twenty seconds.”
“BY THE GODDESS!” Katsumi couldn’t believe what Jordan just demonstrated. “And your friends and cousins willingly go to the mining companies knowing what can happen?”
“For so long that has been one of the few choices that males of Sky Dancer families have. Before you ask. Nobody knows how many dead Sky Dancer sons in crushed crabs rest in the lower reaches. It the mining companies it is an acceptable loss every time one goes missing. They just write a check and pay off the families. Those of us who get a chance join the Ariel Defense Forces or Planetary Defense Forces as pilots. Our natural affinity for the air currents make us phenomenal pilots. Our last choice is joining a dropship crew and working our way off planet to join the Death Dealers.” Katsumi could hear the anger once again to the forefront over the way the sons of Sky Dancers were treated.
“If you want to attack those platforms Reverend Mother, you’ll need ships that can handle the pressure at those levels. I’m not talking by light or heavy corsairs here either. You need heavy destroyers, and up for that kind of attack. Even then I doubt that your Captains really know what they’re in for at those depths.”
Jordan sighed as she thought about her childhood friend now dead in those cold dark depths that is the hell of the New Holland Stratosphere. The more she thought about how to attack something like a resupply and repair platform capable of operating at those depths the more a plan formed in her mind. She knew that only the deep dive crabs could operate as one-man craft at those depths. Heavy assault shuttles would be nothing more than a suicide mission at those depths. No, they needed another way to get troops onto and into those platforms. That or force them to the high altitudes where Sky Dancers could attack. First though they needed to know where those platforms were.
Jordan walked over to the window of her office. She needed a few minutes to get her anger under control. Katsumi watched this very enigmatic, passionate, head strong, young person, once again thinking about someone was very similar. ‘Jordan Price, one of these days in the near future you and I will have to sit down with the Empress Maiha Nakatoma and her wife the War Princess Allison. You are wasted as a mere Flight Leader. Your passion like hers will not let you stay in the shadows for much longer my child. No, I see it dragging you kicking and screaming onto the world stage, and under fame’s ugly spotlight.’
Chapter 19
Pirate platform 3, The Black Watch
Captain Randal Kidd looked out the porthole of his office in the central tower as the tugs pulled the newest addition to his platform into place. With this latest addition, he would command the largest resupply and repair platform on New Holland. It would also be the heaviest armed platform of the three main platforms. His was also the richest for one simple reason. If his fellow pirates wanted to arm or armor their raiders they had to come to him. His was the only platform that had construction docks that could perform the work.
His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of his executive officer Jacob Bonny. “Sir, I have the latest report from our spies in the main cities.”
“Just put them on my desk Number One. Unless there is something I should know about now?” Kidd never turned around or took his eyes off the new module.
“Yes, sir. There are five cities nearing the point of shipping out full loads. The city of Neo Geleen hasn’t seen fit to replace the dead Hive Queen, or its Flight as of yet. It is also one of the five on the list. I know that it is not my place skipper to tell what targets to hit, but this one sounds like a trap.” Jacob didn’t know why, but his gut feeling was telling him to stay away from Neo Geleen.
Kidd turned around to face his XO. “Jacob, you know for a damned fact that I hate ‘yes men’. Now tell my why you think we should leave a city with no aerial protection from Sky Dancers? This shows that we can hurt the Sky Dancers and they don’t have the resources to replace lost Queens or whole Flights. If we keep targeting the Hives from now on we’ll own the cities in this hemisphere.”
“Sir, the Red Dragon got lucky with that shot. Captain Hunt won’t admit it, but it was pure unadulterated luck that made that shot possible. As for why I believe we should stay away, I have no solid proof, just a gut feeling. It’s not like the Sky Dancers to just abandon a city this way. We’ve put a hurting on more than one city’s Sky Dancer Flights, and the other cities just sent members from their Flights until the injured city rebuilt its Flight. Then there are the reports of a Flight made up of some new color Sky Dancer that is being trained by those do-gooders Knights of Ida-ten. From what our spies have seen they are magnitudes of power stronger than the most powerful gold or Flight Leader. Some reports from the spies say that this Flight is made up of Sky Dancers that are similar to the one that destroyed the Blue Max during the raid on Neo Workum.” Bonny didn’t want to bring up that very painful subject. The lose of the Blue Max had hit the fleet hard.
“Damn that black Sky Dancer! We had the Rainbow Archers on the ropes before it showed up with that damned portable plasma cannon. An entire crew captured or killed, not to mention the loss of a raider ship in the process.” Kidd pounded his fist on his desk. “Any word on where that bitch went to?”
“The same as our last report, Captain. Our spies have tried repeatedly to find the bitch, but luck. It’s as if the planet opened up and swallowed the whore whole.”
“I want that whore found and killed, Bonny. If you have too, place a bounty on her head. In fact, do just that. Make the bounty for her at twenty thousand, dead or alive, preferred dead. If someone can bring her in alive pay a bonus of ten thousand. That should take care of the problem. One way or another.” Kidd had a grim smile on his face. A smile that did not reach his eyes.
“I’ll set it up sir. Will you be inspecting the new additions later today?” Bonny asked to see if he had to make adjustments to the Captain’s schedule.
“No. I’ll take care of that tomorrow. How is our latest guest liking his new quarters?” Kidd didn’t really care, but he always found entertainment in the misery of those captains that crossed him.
“Captain Hood, I mean, Former Captain Hood is fast becoming a useful member of our High Priest system. We should get about four to five months of use out of him before he goes stark raving mad.” Bonny said with a smirk. He never liked his old boss.
“You know Bonny, if you weren’t such a decent person I would swear that you are enjoying the thought of Hood going mad.” Kidd smirked.
“I will admit that I do find some satisfaction in that man facing insanity rewarding. He damned near got me and the rest of the Revenge’s crew killed taking on that cruiser class dropship two years ago. If it hadn’t been for our Engineering Office we wouldn’t be talking right now. You’ll not see me shed a tear over that one’s lose.”
Kidd just nodded his head as he understood the man’s anger. Part of the job of every pirate captain was to insure safe, acceptable, and profitable conquests. Captains did not go hunting bigger, bitter armed, heavier armored, like the Empire’s ships of the line. You only took on those as a last resort. As it was that dammed fool almost led that cruiser back to the Black Watch. Kidd was shaken from these dark thoughts by a heavy thud shaking the platform. Kidd looked back out the porthole. Then smiled a really smile.
“Looks like the Golden Swan has made final contact. I figure it should take another two days to complete the tie in of the new additions. This will make us the largest of the resupply and repair platforms sir.” Hunt said happily.
“In more ways than one, Number One. Only the Dark Horizon will be bigger. Thankfully, with the profit off that Neo Den Helder raid was higher than expected. Those blue Casper Crystals paid for more than a few upgrades around here.” Captain Kidd had a very pleased tone in his voice over that sale. The seventy tons of blue Casper crystals brought in close to nine and a half million gold credits. Those credits paid for the new anti-aircraft emplacements, and additional armor plating for the dry docks. It also allowed him to set the trap for Damion Hood. “Have our spies in the Grand Council reported anything on that emergency meeting?”
“I am still waiting on those reports, Captain. I doubt that there will be any new developments though. There are still too many opposing party hardliners for Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell to make any real changes. In a way, this is both good and bad for us.” Bonny had learned to except these questions from his Captain, and kept his face expressionless.
“How so Number One?”
“Good in the fact that so long as there is a deadlock in the votes she cannot push through any changes in their organization and effect a stauncher defense. Bad in that a deadlock keeps what we know about how each Flight is going to react to us a flip of the coin. Even now, the inclusionists Flights are attack our ship with portable heavy weapons like the one at Noe Workum. They’re not as powerful, but when they use them in massed attack the result is devastating. Only the exclusionist Flights are keeping with their traditional forms of attack, refusing to use nothing more than their symbiont given weapons. Our problem with them though is they have taken to using more coordinated attacks. Attacking in groups on a single point.” Bonny reach over and picked up a hard copy file on the last raid by one of their ships. “The raid on Neo Landgraaf was against the best of the exclusionist Flights. Not only were they driven off, but the Dutchman is in need of heavy repairs.”
“So, the Sky Dancers have changed tactics on all fronts, regardless of politics. Do you still have that raiding plan for massing ships for raids?”
“Yes, sir. I brought it with me. Though as it stands right now, we only have six armored raiders. The rest of our ships still need to be retrofitted. The cost of those retrofits has been the only thing keeping us from doing so.” Bonny knew what his Captain was thinking already and pointed out the needed Intelligence.
“Those six should be enough for now. I think I have a way to use them to keep the Sky Dancers busy while our unarmored ships attack the city dockyards.” Bonny looked at Kidd with questioning eyes. “We send two of our heavies in as cover for the light weights. The Sky Dancers can’t turn their backs on the heavies or they face certain destruction. However, they won’t be able to stop the lighter ships from docking with the city and raiding the dockyards. They’ll be in a no-win situation no matter what they do.”
Bonny only saw one hole in his Captains plan. “What about the ADF or city defenders? Surely they won’t just let our crews dock without a fight.”
“That is why we’ll arm our lighter ships with heavy guns and anti-personal batteries. As they dock those weapons can be used to sweep the defenders from the dockyards. For every heavy we send we will send two light weights.” Captain Randal Kidd was the Captain for one of the largest pirate fleets on all of New Holland for a reason. He was if nothing else a tactical mastermind, with few or no equals on New Holland.
“Which city are we going to hit first Captain?”
“The one that we shouldn’t, Number One. Besides, have you looked at the loadout for Neo Geleen? Four hundred tons of Casper Crystals just waiting for the picking. Fifty tons of blood reds, seventy-five tons of ice blues, another seventy-five of navy blues, thirty tons of clear yellows, thirty of the pinks, thirty-five of dark chocolate browns, and one hundred and five tons of midnight blacks. Enough crystals for a King’s ransom. If we can get our hands on those crystals we will be able to retire for the rest of our lives off just our cuts of the midnights. Besides, if we do as I suggest we’ll be in and out before the Sky Dancers have a chance to think straight in all the confusion. Just think about Bonny me boy. Riches beyond your wildest dreams. Warm sunny beaches on a nice warm water world like Patagonian or maybe you like the idea of year-round skiing and chasing a snow bunny around the slopes of Grindelwald on frozen Dettwiler. Even if we only take a one percent cut we could both retire for life to one of those places or any other we wish too. As it is just taking our standard ten percent we’ll never spend it all.” Kidd was really counting the credits in his head.
For Bonny, the idea of retiring at such a young age was a dream. Like a lot of the sons of Sky Dancers he had resigned his self to working until the day he died in one of the deep dive crabs. What his fellow pirates didn’t know was his real name. He had been born to one of the exclusionists’ families. Not just any exclusionist family but one of the High Families exclusionists. If they could really pull off a raid of this magnitude it would be a massive blow to those families, and most especially his own, the Van Goths. Ever since his mother Heather had thrown him out on his seventeenth Life Day Steven Van Goth had dreamed of revenge.
To achieve that revenge Steven let himself be captured during a pirate raid on the dive docks. Once aboard the pirate ship he swore allegiance to the ships’ crew and captain. For the last twenty years he had worked his way up through the ranks to the XO’s position for his Captain. That Captain had been like a father to the young Steven Van Goth. To hide his real identity Steven took the name of Jacob Bonny. He took his name from two of history’s most famous pirates Jacob Marely and Ann Bonny. Now, here his Captain was handing him his greatest dream on a silver platter. Revenge against the exclusionist Sky Dancers, with the added benefit of early retirement. All at an age to still enjoy that retirement. Then Captain Kidd gave him an even bigger surprise.
“And if this report on Neo Geleen is correct. There is a Monarch class four super cargo dropship in port right now. That is filled with nothing but Purple Haze Casper crystals. Imagine, two hundred tons of the most valuable Caser crystals in all the Empire just waiting for someone to come along and pick it. We could let the other crews take what they want from the other crystals. While we and take fifteen members of the crew from the Challenger Deep seize that Monarch and head for deep space. A few tweaks to the RFID and a paint job later. We have new name and clean travel records. We make landfall on one of the Crystal dealer planets sell off our cargo, then the ship, and we’re home free.” Bonny would have done anything that Kidd wanted when he heard his Captain’s plan for taking the Monarch class dropship.
Jacob Bonny, a.k.a. Steven Van Goth, was sold on the idea. Even though his sense of survival was screaming for him to reject the idea as ludicrous. The thought of that much wealth just waiting to be snatched was just too tempting for Jacob. “I’m in my Captain. Just make sure that you pay for your own tickets to Dettwiler. I’ll take care of my own.”
Then Jacob got a very thoughtful look on his face. “You know Captain, we’re the only ones who know exactly how much tonnage there is on the ship. And what type of cargo it is carrying. Nothing says we have to give our prize crew their full share. Why if we do it right, they’ll be none the wiser.”
“I knew there was a reason I always liked you Jacob.” Randal Kidd broke out laughing at his XO’s plan to cheat the prize crew.
Chapter 20
Battleship Fire Wind, New Holland.
Captain Lisa Holts read the report from the Reverend Mother Katsumi a second time. Never in a million years would she believe that she would be following the directions of a snot nosed kid from a backwater mining planet. When she joined the Death Dealers after the Second War of Succession Lisa had already attained the rank of Captain in the regular Empyreal Navy. It was one thing to follow the orders of the Empress and her appointed commanders, quite another to follow the orders of some commoner still wet behind the ears.
She was sure that her heavy corsairs could handle the pressure of the lower atmosphere. Lisa Holts was not about to disregard over more than half of her attack squadron on the word of a civilian. Pulling up a map of the gas giant New Holland Lisa had the computer overlay the atmosphere layers and the pressures at each layer. It didn’t take Lisa long to understand the warnings in the report from Reverend Mother Katsumi. Letting out of soft whistle Lisa reached over and called for her tactical officer Sub Commander Leroy Haskell. She needed the man’s point of view on how to crack this nut.
As she waited for Haskell to join her she also asked for her XO, Tactical Officer, and Weapons Officer to join her in her ready room. As the four command staff officers entered her ready room Lisa activated the holo-tank. “Ladies and gentlemen, I give New Holland’s atmospheric layers.”
“Skipper, I know that I am new to your command, but what does that have to do with our current antipirate mission?” As her Weapons Officer, Sub Commander Arnold Sweeny. The man was a mountain of a human. Standing well over six feet tall, close to the seven-foot mark. He was the perfect example of someone from one of the heavy gravity planets in the Empire.
“Somewhere in the stratosphere are several pirate bases is what Guns. According to this report. There could be as many as six resupply and repair platforms working down there. Our problem is how to take them out. As you can see the pressures at that depth pose a very real and present danger to our smaller ships. What I want is a plan to force those platforms to the upper reaches where we can bring the full weight of this squadron down on them. Suggestions?”
The gathered officers looked at their captain as if she had just sprouted cabbage out of her ears. The idea of a platform being large enough to act as a Resupply/ repair base was not uncommon, but to have them operating at those depths and pressures was. The fact that only the battleship, two destroyers, and four heavy cruisers could safely operate at those pressures limited their responses. The light cruisers, frigates, and corsairs were good for only down to the Mesopause, even then that was being optimistic. Whatever plan they came out with, it could only revolve around the heavy hitters of their squadron. That was until Lisa’s XO got a funny look on his face. One that Lisa was well acquainted with.
“What’s on your mind Bob?”
“I was wondering about those platforms. How are they kept at that depth? Do they need to rise to the upper thermosphere to resupply? Can they be forced to the upper reaches? Just how well armored are they? Can we drop depth charges or fire torpedoes down to that level? If we can will the concussion of those weapons be enough to force them to the upper reaches or crush them? You’ll have to forgive me here Captain but fighting these pirates is similar to fighting a surface war on a water planet. I think we need to approach this battle in that same fashion.” Lisa watched as her XO Robert Kinds began moving icons around on the display.
Once the rest of her Command Staff saw where Bob was going they all quickly put in their own ideas. Four hours, two pots of coffee, lunch eaten, and numerous packs of cigarettes later, Lisa and her staff had a battle plan for going after the pirate platforms. One that would take advantage of their limited resources. Even Lisa saw the value of using this new plan.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we have a battleplan. Let’s hope that it lasts longer than the first contact with the enemy. Get some sleep people. I have a feeling that the next few weeks are going to be busy ones.” After giving the order, Lisa followed her own orders and got ready for bed.
----- to be continued -----
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Chapter 21
Battleship Fire Wind, Upper Atmosphere, 9 days later…
First Lieutenant Danni White worked her station as hard as she could. Her Captain wants those pirate support platforms. It was her job as the battle sensor Watch Officer to find them. Only this was one time that she was out of her depth. She was trained to find targets in deep space, or on a planet’s surface. Here she was trying to find a target in what was basically an ocean from high orbit. She had to recalibrate her sensors eight times every shift. Her subordinates had given up and refused to sit at their stations until the captain had given up this futile search.
The gas giant that was New Holland was just over 143,708 km from pole to pole, and 152,984 km at the equator. In short just a little bigger than Jupiter in the Earth Prime system. The sheer size of the planet had the whole squadron spread out from the North Pole to the equator, working search patterns. The sensor operators, on the other ships of the squadron were also complaining to her. As the senior operator aboard the Flag Ship for the squadron Danni was the one to catch the shit from the other watch officers. The only person Danni could go to was her friend Gunnery Lieutenant Nora Holloway.
More than once Danni thought that she had a hard target for her captain that she was positive they had finally found one of the pirate platforms. Only to have one of the Heavy Cruisers report back that it was a crystal or just a gas knot. Those misses had allowed her to calibrate the sensors better, but it was still not good enough to find what she was looking for. “Damn it, if the Captain would just let me scan one of those fracking city platforms just once. I know that I could find those damned pirate platforms.”
“What was that L.T.?” asked Seaman Fourth Class Hess, the enlisted operator on duty at the time. He knew that the L.T. had said something, but hadn’t heard what. His headphones had blocked out most of what she said.
“Nothing Hess. It was nothing. Just talking to myself, and wishing.”
“You know what they say about sensor operators who talk to themselves, L.T.?” Hess smirked at her.
Knowing that there was about to be a joke made at her expense Danni just answered. “No what do they say, Hess?”
“That it’s the first sign of impotence, but that only happens for enlisted. Officers have been found to have a lowered IQ and few brain cells. Sorry, ma’am, but you’re on the fast track for the vegetable farm.” The rest of the bridge crew heard the by play between the two sensor operators and chuckled. Even Danni had to smile before laughing. The joke was just the medicine she needed to get her second wind. Then just as she was starting to get back to her own scans Hess places his hand on hers. “Um… L.T. I think I might have a contact?”
“What do you got Hess?”
“It’s on the passive scans. Heavy engine noise, like pumps circulating air. I know this sound crazy, but I also have what sounds like swelling air currents. Like when we make lower atmosphere entrees. You, know like a wind rushing around the haul of a ship as it gets ready to make landfall.” Hess was already starting to track the target location sounds.
“Okay, Hess, I get what you’re talking about. Start your track, and send me what you have to my station.” Danni spent the next twenty minutes going over the data that Hess had sent her. The sensor data kept telling Danni that it was a ship, and a very big one. Yet, after nine days of false leads she wasn’t about to jump to conclusions. As she worked the data, she noticed that the ‘target’ was changing altitude and yes, it was moving. This was most definitely a man-made target.
“Guns! Possible contact! Bearing two-five-three-point-three. Altitude seven-seven-zero-one-five-seven-point-two-eight descending. Tracking Two-five to three-six-zero. Contact is heavy.” Danni had no sooner called out the possible target than the bridge crew began making bets among themselves. Seeing this Danni sighed, then looked at the white grease pin marks at her station counting. This would be the seventeenth time her words set in motion a battleplan that had yet to be used. After the fifth time, the bridge crew started taking bets, after the twelfth time the gunnery-crews started a pool. Her own sensor operators, had placed bets in the gunnery pool. “Guns I’ve got sixty Gold Imperials that says your boys and girls are going to get a workout this time.”
“What odds are you giving Tactical?” Nora called out from her position. She knew that Danni was sick and tired of the other sections giving her section shit.
“Whatever you want to give, Guns. We have a hard-lock on a man-made target.” Danni had not turned away from her station until now. “And Nora, it’s not alone.”
“OH SHIT!” Nora spun around in her chair. “Are you positive Danni?”
“In more ways than one. Time to wake the CO. Nora, I hope those modified torpedoes of yours are going to work.” Danni called back.
“If they don’t, it’s going to be a long descent down to where that target is. Any idea of what we’re looking at yet?” Nora asked.
Danni turned and looked at Hess. “Well, Hess, what do you think? We got a pirate raider or something else down there?”
“Ma’am, I’ve been working that contact as hard as I can and all I can tell you is that it is as big as a heavy Cruiser or Overlord cargo drop ship.” Hess looked over at Danni. “Ma’am, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I’m also starting to pick up the sounds of something even bigger down there. And ma’am, whatever it is, it’s as big as any of the cloud city platforms.”
“GET ME CONFIRMATION ON THAT TACTICAL!” Nora yelled from across the bridge deck. “Steward go wake the CO and NUMBER ONE. NOW! ALL HANDS TO BATTLESTATIONS!”
Those words set the final preparations for combat in motion aboard the Battleship. For the next ten minutes Danni and Hess worked to confirm their findings. By the time Captain Lisa Holts and the ships Executive Office entered the bridge they had confirmed their target’s size and destination. Lara Holts could tell by the look on her sensor operations officer’s face they had a hard target.
“Talk to me Tactical. What do we have?”
“Captain, we have two targets. Both at the same altitude, with our first target on a collision course with the secondary. We’re still working on the size of the secondary target, but the primary is confirmed to be a raider class dropship. Ma’am this has to be one of those pirate bases with a returning raider ship.”
“COMS, any reports of attacks on the Cloud Cities?” Lara called out.
“Negative, Captain. The planet has been quiet as the grave for the past fifteen days. If there’s been an attack no one is talking about it.”
“If that is the case then we may have just gotten more than a bit lucky. I would lay long odds that is a supply ship coming home to mama. Tactical, get me a hard lock on that target. Guns I want a full spread of those torpedoes. Try to force them to the upper reaches. If not blow that bitch straight to hell.”
A round of ‘Aye Captains’ echoed through the bridge as the crew for the Battleship Fire Wind began final preparations for combat. At their station Danni White and Seaman Hess worked furiously at getting the needed hard lock. Within twenty seconds the two Tactical operators were calling out range, bearing, and heading for both targets. Then Danni did the one thing none of them expected. She fired off an active sensor targeting sweep. The return flashed across her screen showing a massive cloud platform. “CAPTAIN! HARD LOCK ON PIRATE PLATFORM!”
“GUNS! TARGET THE PLATFORM!” the words had no sooner left her mouth than a full spread of missiles rose out of the clouds. The foreword anti-missile batteries fired sweeping the incoming missiles from the sky. With those forty missiles, the pirate platform sealed its fate. From the bow of the Fire Wind twenty-four heavy anti-ship torpedoes streaked towards the lower depths and the platform.
At speeds reaching super-sonic the five-hundred-pound-warhead torpedoes ripped through the sky leaving behind swilling tunnels in the clouds. The Weapons and Armament crews were counting on the speed of the weapons to reach their targets before the pressure of the lower atmosphere crushed them. While the engine compartments had been reinforced there wasn’t much they could do for the warhead. The very nature of the explosives prevented this. Not that it would matter in the long run. The pure concussive blast from five-hundred pounds of ship destroying high-explosives would do more damage than the actual impacts.
The pressures of the lower atmosphere made the gases act like in the same manner as a liquid. Just like water the gases wouldn’t be compressed or moved out of the way easily. The vacuum created by the blast would rip whole sections from the platform through sheer force. The blast itself would rupture the protective seals for whole sections weakening joins and modular connections.
The first to break free would be the outer edge sections and docks. These were quickly followed by the storage warehouse and living areas. The explosion of the armory and weapons storage modules brought about the greatest damage. Their deaths disrupted the massive generators that powered the station keepers. One at a time the three station keeper modules failed. With this failure, the platform Dark Horizon once home to the largest pirate fleet on all of New Holland died.
The only witness to the deaths of thousands of men and women was the Raider class dropship Dark Heart. The crew was forced to watch as their home came apart under the relentless assault of both nature, and man. The Dark Heart didn’t have long to mourn the loss of its home port. The blasts that killed the Dark Horizon were having their own effect on the Raider. Unlike the platform though the dropship could change its altitude easier, and faster. Pushing their engines to the max the Dark Heart raced for the upper atmosphere, and safety.
Aboard the Fire Wind Captain Lara Holts could not believe what had just happened. “GUNS! I thought you told me those torpedoes wouldn’t destroy our quarry?”
“They shouldn’t have, ma’am. Those were nominal yield warheads. There should have been no way those warheads caused that much damage. I have no explanation for what just happened. The only thing that we did to those Mark Nines was to reinforce the engine compartments and guidance housing.” Nora explained.
“Ma’am, I think I know what happened.” Danni said as she turned from her screens.
“Alright, Danni, tell me your theory.”
“Back during the twentieth century during the Second World War the Navies of the time used a weapon called a depth charge. It was an anti-submarine weapon that used the concussive force of an explosion to force a submarine to surrender or sink. The pressures at that altitude basically turn the gases down there into a semiliquid. Now, if the gases act like say water the blast would be amplified by at least ten-fold, if not more, ma’am.” Danni’s explanation had everyone’s attention.
“Were these depth charges effective Lieutenant?” The NUMBER ONE asked.
“Very, sir. It is reported that the Axis Nations lost more than seventy-five percent of their submarine forces to these depth charge style attacks. The actual number of those vehicles lost to these types of attacks is still unknown, sir.” Danni had always been given a hard time about her love ancient naval history but this was one time that it was paying off for her.
“Are you telling me that no matter how low of a charge we fire off the effect will be greater than it would be in space or on a normal planet?” Lara asked.
“Yes ma’am. So long as we attack them at that altitude we run the risk of killing rather than capturing.” Danni answered correctly.
“CAPTAIN! We have activity on the secondary target. Ma’am, it’s coming up fast and hot. Bearing three-three-six, range nine-thousand, altitude varying.” Hess called out.
“GUNS get me a targeting solution on that ship! I want survivors this time people if possible. Main and secondary guns, only. No, I repeat, no missiles or torpedoes. Nav, brings us about for a bow on shot.” Once again, the crew answered their captain’s call to battle stations.
As the Dark Heart broke the surface of the upper clouds they were met by the very real and scary bow of an Empyreal Battleship. The Navigator abroad the Fire Wind spotted the rising dropship first. It was Danni though that gave the order to evade the oncoming Raider. “HARD OVER NAV! COME RIGHT BEARING ONE-ONE-FIVE! ENGINERING FULL POWER TO THE ENGINES! GET US OUT OF HERE!”
Captain Lara Holts was ready to countermand the order until she spotted what her Tactical Officer already had. “GET A MOVE ON PEOPLE! THOSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO RAM US!”
The massive warship rolled to one side as it answered the commands form its Navigation Officer. The two ships passed within twenty meters of each other. Far too close, and fast for the powerful main guns of either ship to track effectively. Danni had not let her attention wonder as she held on for dear life in the high-speed maneuver. She spotted what would be the deciding factor in this battle.
“Captain! That ship has its mass-drive scoops open! They’re dumping pure Radon gas into their engines! They’re going to suicide Captain!”
Danni had no sooner gotten the words out of her mouth than Lara gave orders to save her ship. “NAV MAKE FOR THE STARS NOW! ENGINEERING FULL POWER!”
The Fire Wind engineering section pushed the massive engines to their limit. The battleship surged once more and climbed towards space. With the distance between the two ships growing by the second every member of the Bridge Crew held their breath. At just over a thousand miles apart the Dark Heart exploded in a blinding flash of light and deafening roar. The powerful engines of the dropship had reached critical mass in an out of controlled fission reaction. One so powerful that even with a thousand miles separating them the Battleship Fire Wind is rocked by the concussion of the blast.
As the battleship settles, down into its normal flight path Lara Holts smiles, then chuckles. “Well, it looks like Guns is buying the drinks tonight Danni.” The bridge crew stair at their captain for about ten seconds before breaking out in laughter.
Chapter 22
Air space near, Neo Geleen
Jordan and her mother were watching as the youngest three Thunder Hawks went through their daily maneuvers. Unlike other Sky Dancer Flights, Jordan had gone to the Planetary Defense Force and City’s Aerial Defense Force and asked for help. She knew that the key to winning the fight against the pirates would be coordinated attacks. To do that she knew that her people needed to communicate with each other. It had taken some work to keep their radios from shorting out during flight and combat. The raw power of Thunder Hawks was the major problem.
Jordan had faced two very difficult problems with the headset radios. The first of which was unlike normal Sky Dancers, Thunder Hawks carried a continuous electrical charge. The second, was their ability to store and release charges that were as powerful as a Naval PPC. The solution came from an unexpected source. One of the pilots for the ADF suggested using Jump Infantry Combat helmets.
At first Jordan had met with resistance from her mother about the use of the helmets. That was until she showed how much easier it was to control her Flight in the air. All it took was one time for Ileana Price to see the effectiveness of the helmets to change her mind. The coordination of her daughter’s Flight surpassed any Flight of Sky Dancers on New Holland with the use of the helmets. Where before they had always used hand signals, and prearranged attack plans, Jordan’s Flight could change their attacks as needed.
As the three youngest Thunder Hawks swung wide then dove on the towed targets Ileana smiled. Jordan had spotted the flanking maneuver of the training fighters for what it was and had taken steps to counter it. All three of the youngsters unleashed their first strike at the same time destroying all three targets. Her oldest daughter hovered near her and watched in wonder.
“Your sister, is quite the tactician, wouldn’t you say, Kathlyn?”
“In more ways than one, mother. To tell you the truth, she frightens me mother.” Kathlyn Price was honest with her appraisal of her younger sister.
“I understand your fear, Kathlyn. Jordan and her Flight are powerful in the extreme. Why the shear raw power of even the youngest Thunder Hawk dwarfs every Flight Leader and Gold Sky Dancer there is. I tell you truth, my child, the Council would do well to hear her out and adopt her suggestions.”
“Speaking of the Council mother, I have word.” Kathlyn knew that she should wait until they were back in Jordan’s offices, but felt that she could trust her mother.
“Speak.” Ileana ordered.
“The Council has split. The fractions have finally broken what has been from the time of our Founders.”
“How many Flights have arrayed themselves against your sister?”
“Eight in total, mother. I don’t need to tell who they are. We both know who the hardliners are in the exclusionist camp. Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell has ordered that no one it to stand in the way of these Flights and their Challenges of Flight Leader Jordan. To use her words ‘Thunder Hawks only accept Challenge Flights to the death. For them it is kill or be killed. The Thunder Hawks do not take prisoners, and do not spare lives.’” Kathryn sighed inside her helmet. “Mother why do I feel that Supreme Flight Leader Campbell wanted those eight Flights to challenge my sister?”
“Because the old bitch did as I instructed her to.” The sharp intake of breath Ileana heard from her oldest daughter let Ileana know she has caught her daughter off guard. “That’s right Kathryn. I told Helen Campbell to goad those eight Flight Leaders into walking out of the Council Chambers. It has been what ten, fifteen, days since the Grand Council Meeting?”
“Ten days mother.” Kathryn answered quickly. “You know this. If you wanted Supreme Flight Leader Helen to send the exclusionist Flights at Jordan and Her Thunder Hawks why have you been helping to train them?”
“Because, Kathryn. This Flight is the only Flight that can remove a cancer among our people. Those eight Flights are all hardliners, this is true. Only it is not the whole truth. Nor the only reason for removing them from power. The cities under the protection of those eight Flights have suffered at their hands. The best of them is no better than the pirates we fight.”
“I don’t understand mother. My old Flight is an exclusionist Flight. We never looked down on those we protected. Nor did we abuse them. How can these Flights be so different from my old Flight to warrant their destruction? Because surely that will happen if they challenge the Thunder Hawks.”
This time it was Ileana who sighed. “Of ALL the exclusionist Flights, Kathryn, your old Flight is the most liberal in their attitudes. Yet, they still banished you from their number for daring to side with family. But, these are not the excesses that worry me and others among the Council.”
“What excesses do you speak of mother? What can worry you and the Grand Council so much that you would endanger whole cities by removing the protection from Sky Dancer Flights? Surely not even you could be so cold.”
“No, Kathryn, I am not some cold blooded, uncaring, power hungry, greedy, bitch. I leave that to those whores in the High Families, and exclusionist Flights. Most especially those eight that walked out of the Council. No, I take that back. They would rather bleed the honest hard-working miners of their cities of every last credit they can squeeze out of them. Levying a tax for doing their duty. Taking what they want from merchants because it strikes their fancy. Forcing the daughters of those same citizens to work as servants in their homes. Taking what is not theirs on the grounds that they’re Sky Dancers. This IS the cancer that I speak of Kathryn. One that Helen Campbell and I hope to cutout of our sisterhood, with the use of the Thunder Hawks. We will save our people even if we have to sacrifice enter cities.”
The conviction in Ileana’s voice made Kathryn shiver. She had heard the rumors like all Sky Dancers of the abuses taken by certain Flights. Like all true Sky Dancers, Kathryn had put those rumors down as just that, rumors. If what her mother was telling her was true then she would back her mother’s plans with every ounce of her being, and soul. The very idea of Sky Dancers being the parasites that her mother described was beyond abhorrent to her. Kathryn was about to give her word to support Jordan and her mother when movement caught her eyes.
“Mother, are the other Wings supposed to be flying today?”
“No. Why?” Ileana looked over at her daughter, then to where Kathryn was pointing. “Oh, hell. They’re early. JORDAN! We have incoming!”
Jordan flipped in mid swing and looked to where her mother was pointing. There before her eyes were sixteen Gold and thirty-two Blue Sky Dancers. Jordan knew that there was no way that she with the three youngest Thunder Hawks could take them all on at the same time. They needed space and above all more Flight members. Only that wasn’t going to be possible.
“Alright, we can outrun them, fly, and fight them. In their favor, they have numbers. They outnumber us by eight to one if I count mom and Kathryn. No, that’s not right. This is our fight not theirs, so that makes the odds better than twelve to one. Not good on the best of days.” Jordan stopped talking to herself then keyed her mike. “Instructor Ileana, Wing Second Kathryn, this is our fight. Return to base and call out reinforcements. They want a fight then India Squadron and I will give them one. India fall in on me swipe right and climb for the stars Indians.”
The three youngest members of the Thunder Hawks didn’t even question Jordan’s orders. They just fell in on her left and right as she swiped wide to the right and climbed. Ileana and Kathryn were shocked by Jordan’s order. Kathryn keyed her mike. “They could not really be going on the attack so vastly outnumbered. Could they?”
“They are Kathryn, and you are your sisters Wing Second. What are YOU going to do?” Ileana asked her oldest.
Kathryn just smiled at her mother before dropping over into a high-speed dive. “Take the enemy from behind Mother. Get us some help!” She called out just before the mike went dead. Like their mother the two older sisters of Jordan had taken to carrying a ten-millimeter Gorgon assault rifle since the Challenge Flight.
That one weapon would do more than even the odds in Jordan’s favor. It would change the total outcome of the air-born battle. While the symbionts gave Sky Dancers the more than just the ability of flight it did not give them the protection of a Second-Generation Death Dealer’s bio-armor. The ten-millimeter high-speed rounds can punch through the side of most light-armor craft. For a normal unarmored human or even a Sky Dancer it would be like a hot knife through butter.
Ileana smiled as her oldest daughter showed what it meant to be a true member of a Sky Dancer family. Kathryn may not be able to match her younger sibling in speed, maneuverability, strength, or firepower; but Kathryn can match Jordan in her fury. Especially when it comes to family. Even as children Sylvia, Kathryn, and Jordan had always fought like most siblings, but the moment an outsider tried to interfere with one of them they all came running. With the delaying fight in her children’s hands Ileana headed for the Neo Geleen area to get help.
Jordan and the three members of the India Squadron had reached an altitude that Jordan knew the regular Sky Dancers couldn’t reach. As one they rolled over and dove at them gaining speed as they closed the distance. Unlike her sister who was climbing fast from below and behind the renegade Sky Dancers. As the distance, closed Jordan keyed her mike.
“Terrassa, Shawna, Kelly, we’ll only get one pass before they break up. Terrassa, Kelly, target the outer elements of the Golds. Shawna, you’re with me. We start in the middle and work our way out. Full power release girls. These people came here to kill us. Show them no mercy as they won’t be showing us any. On my mark, three, two, one, RELEASE.”
Four thunderbolts reached out from the four Thunder Hawks. Even at full power the Golden Sky Dancers were able to fight off most of the attack. Not all were able to withstand the onslaught of the raw power. Of the sixteen Golds eight were burned to ash with the first strike. The renegades were not going down without a fight. The remaining forty unleased multiple lightning strikes at the four Thunder Hawks. This was their second mistake of the fight so far. The first was going head-to-head with four pissed off Thunder Hawks in staggered Squadrons of eight.
Veronica Keller, could not believe her eyes. Eight of her staunchest supporters’ dead in the first exchange and they did nothing to the abominations. Not even with twenty-seven lighting strikes hitting the Thunder Hawks were still coming. Veronica had gathered the most powerful of her followers, forty-seven in all. The in-fighting between the different Flights had slowed down their preparations for the attack. This had taken more than eight days to sort out, but once done they trained hard and fast for this attack.
Yet, none of their preparations and plans were going the way they should. The abominations should have run when they first saw the force arrayed against them. No, they turned and attacked, even outnumbered twelve to one. Flashing the hand sign to split off and sweep wide, Veronica felt they could close in and used their superior numbers at close range. They could use their strength to pull the abominations apart limb by limb. When the cracks of automatic gunfire from behind reached her ears, Veronica knew it was too late.
Kathryn, had not only gotten into the prefect position to fire on the renegades, but had been able to shoot down five of them before being spotted. The speed and unexpected nature of her attack had thrown the renegades into a full-blown panic. Kathryn waited, the surprise attack had stopped Veronica Keller’s attempt to coordinate her Flights next attack. Kathryn had spent the last twenty days training with the very people that the renegades were now trying to attack. She’d had to out think the younger Sky Dancers hourly, on a daily basis, just to be able to keep up with the young Thunder Hawks. To say that Kathryn had an advantage would be an understatement.
Rolling over and pulling a tight righthand snap-turn Kathryn brought herself once again in line for a high-speed diving attack. Kathryne wasted no time in going on the attack again. This time her aim was better, and two Golds died in her passing, along with four Blues. Jordan seeing what her sister was doing split her Squadron in half once they were pass the renegades. Sending one half wide to the left, Jordan led the other in a wide sweep to the right. Kathryn’s attacks had a greater impact on the renegades that she had expected. It was not until she had once again pulled up out of her dive to climb that she saw. Her two passes had removed the core of Veronica Kelly’s veteran fighters.
Jordan and her two elements made their pass in a crisscross pattern. The havoc they rained down on the renegades left them with only a few Sky Dancers still flying. Of those few only three were still able to fight in any shape. Veronica Kelly, Heather Van Goth, and Martha Stone, the only High Family members of the Sky Dancers to defy the Grand Council. Kathryn didn’t think twice as she pulled the trigger three times and killing the three women. With all of the golds and Flight Leaders dead the last few Blues turned and flew for the far horizon.
“Let them go.” Jordan ordered after keying her mike. “They’ll spread the word faster than we could of what happened here this day.”
“Flight Leader Jordan Price, is that wise? Those women could blow this all out of proportion. Make us look like demented and crazed killed.” Kathryn asked of her younger sister.
“This is one time that it would be best if they did Wing Second Kathryn. I want every last exclusionist to know the penalty of for Challenging the Thunder Hawks.”
“This is one time that a scared survivor is better than a dead witness. Well played little sister, will played indeed.” Kathryn giggled.
Chapter 23
Pirate Platform 3, the Black Watch…
Randall Kidd could not believe the report he was reading. One delivered not just ten minutes ago by his Number One, Jacob Bonny. Their prize in Neo Geleen was gone. The massive Monarch class dropship had departed three days earlier. Millions of gold credits gone. All because of four of his ships’ captains. The men had gone against orders and taken out their ships on independent raids. Only to return with empty holds and needing heavy repairs. That act of defiance had cost his plans time that he did not have.
Now, he had to reset the time line for his plan and reset the target. “This day just can this day get any worse?” The knock at his office door drew his attention. “Come.” Kidd called out with some heat.
Jacob Bonny walked in and handed Kidd another report, then stepped back. “Captain you’re going to want to sit down before reading that. All I say is it’s bad.”
Kidd knew his Number One would never give his opinion on anything without reason. If Bonny was suggesting he sit down then he did. As Kidd read the report his face turned white. “Is this report accurate?”
“As far as we can tell sir. Yes. It’s one-hundred percent accurate. The Dark Horizon has been destroyed by the Empyreal Navy, Captain. The last transmission from the Dark Heart was a video recording of its destruction.” Bonny handed over a disk. “This is a copy sir. Our Tactical Officers are trying their best to analyze the weapon that battleship used.”
Kidd put the disk into his player and started it playing. “Have you seen this yet?”
“No, sir. I got handed the report and the disk then told I needed to get to you ASAP.” The two men sat and watched the attack on their only competition as a resupply and repair platform. They saw the first explosions of the weapons thousands of feet away from the platform. With each explosion, the massive platform rocked on the screen. Then the first of the outer rim sections breakaway and fall into the heart of the planet. For the next ten minutes, they watch as the platform crumbled and died in to the lower atmosphere of New Holland.
When the vid stopped Kidd turned to Bonny. “I take it that the Dark Heart suicided before the Empire’s dogs snapped them up?”
“Dumped enough Radon into their mass-drivers to force a total overload of the engines. No survivors, sir. The Dark Heart went down with all hands. The only good thing that came out of the action was we gained the name of the battleship that attacked the Dark Horizon. It seems that the Fire Wind is one of the new Elvin designs and crewed with a mixed-race crew.” The disgust was clear in Bonny’s voice over the idea of humans and Elves working together.
Kidd let his own feelings on the matter color his response. “No better than a bunch of over indulged sluts, pairing off with inhuman parasites. Those Sky Dancers let their so-called symbionts affect them more than they want to let on. They’re no better than the parasites they bond with sucking the life blood out of the people of this planet, while giving nothing in return. The only ones who are worse are the High Families and their bull shit.”
Bonny wanted to argue this point, but knew that it was pointless. In many ways, he agreed with his captain on this point. The fact that his captain had worked his way up from deckhand to captain was proof the system worked. Only Bonny knew that Kidd would never rise above his humble origins on the streets of Belfast on New Ireland.
“I hate to say this Captain, but until we can figure out how to combat this new weapon of the Empyreal Fleet we may need to climb to a higher altitude.”
Kidd looked over at his Number One in shock. He never thought that Bonny of all people would advocate climbing up out of the cover that the heavy clouds gave them. The very idea of exposing them to satellite reconnaissance. Kidd looked back at the vid screen and replayed the video. After the second time through Kidd thought about what his Number One was suggesting. “As much as I hate to say this Jacob, you may be right. How far do we need to go to avoid what happened to the Dark Horizon?”
Jacob sat back and thought about what his captain was asking. “Sir, I know that you’re not going to like hearing this. So, I’ll just come right out and say it. The lowest we can safely operate would be no lower than Neo Amsterdam or Geleen. Yes, I know that leaves us wide open to the orbital satellites and over flights by the PDF, but if we stay below the Thermosphere we’re dead. Those weapons are using the pressures of the lower atmosphere to increase their impact.”
“How much of an increase, Number One?”
“Hard to say, Captain. I have no way of measuring the blast effects other than that vid. That’s the reason our tactical Officers are still working on their analysis. If what I believe it true, then we need to get our asses as high as we can. Those weapons have far too great a reach for us to go lower. At least, in the upper atmosphere we have a chance to fight back and escape if we have to. None of our ships can withstand the concussive force of those weapons at this depth. That was the reason the Dark Heart as heavily armored as she was headed for the stars.” Bonny sighed then looked his captain in the eyes. “She was going down with all hands one way or the other sir.”
“Damn. Is there nothing we can do to fight those things?”
“Not at this time sir. We’re out of options. It’s either take us up or wait for the Empire to hunt us down and kill us here.” Bonny didn’t like it but it was the truth.
Kidd went over his options and realized that he had none on this matter. “Give the order Number One. Take us up to the Stratosphere. Once there begin evac drills, weapons drills, damage control drills, the works. I want the crew ready for anything and everything. Put up a CAP of no less than twelve fighters at all times. If the crews and pilots bitch show them that vid.”
“Aye, aye, Skipper.” Bonny got up and headed for the door.
“And Bonny.”
“Yes, Skipper.”
“Have the Revenge, Challenger Deep, Flying Dragon, Bachelor’s Delight, Mary Celest, and Blakes Blade, made ready for combat. If the Empire shows I want them off this platform as fast as we can get them. They’ll have to buy us time to get light weights off the platform. Before you even say it, Bonny I already know. there are heavy hitters and won’t stand a chance against a real warship, like that battleship. I give us maybe one, two weeks before they spot our asses. At the outside.”
“I hate to say this sir, but we may have one week at best.” Bonny knew for a fact that the orbital satellites were far better than they wanted to give them credit for. The weak links in the system was the operators. If it hadn’t been for more than a few well place bribes those satellites would have found them long ago.
“How long do you think we can buy off our friends?”
Bonny gave his captain a searching look, then smiled. “If we slip them another hundred thousand here or there, three weeks to a month at best. After that it’s any one’s guess. The Fleet is spread form pole to pole trying to find us. And this big bastard is not the most maneuverable of crafts.”
“Spend the credits Number One. Buy us the most time you can.” Kidd ordered.
“Aye, Captain. Let’s hope like hell it buys us enough time to figure out those new weapons of the Empire’s.” Jacob Bonny left his captain to his thoughts and to carry out his orders.
Randall Kidd watched as the young man that was his Executive Officer leave his office. Once alone again, Randall replayed the vid of the Dark Horizon’s death. He watches the video four more times before finally getting up and getting something to drink. Raising his glass and downing the drink Kidd sighed. “Fair Winds and Favorable Seas. My old friends. I’ll see you on the other side of hell.”
Chapter 24
Private Offices of Helen Campbell, Neo Amsterdam
Helen Campbell sat reading the reports on training flights and the everyday activities of Sky Dancers all over New Holland. Only eight Flights had refused to implement the new training regimes. They were the eight renegade Flights that had walked out on the last Council Meeting. What was even more disturbing was the lack of pirate activity. Yet, the reports from the mines told of profits rising only at a half of them. Helen had been a Flight Leader, then Supreme Flight Leader long enough to distrust this. Taking the mine reports Helen began to sort them.
The ones reporting higher profits went into one pile, the ones reporting normal profits into another, and the ones reporting a loss into a third. As she did this Helen noticed a trend that did not sit well with her. Of all the mines reporting lower profits only three had suitable reasons for those loses. What was disturbing was all three of those mines fell under the protection of inclusionists Flights.
The ones reporting normal or no loss of profits were in the minority and all being protected by both inclusionists and exclusionists Flights. Helen was starting to see a pattern that was truly unsettling. This pattern was confirmed by the last set of reports. The ones reporting higher than normal profits. These were all under the protection of purely inclusionists Flights. Getting up from her desk Helen walked over to her office door calling out to her Flight Second.
“Grace can you come in here for a minute?”
The young golden Sky Dancer came out of her office as quickly as she could. “You need something Helen?”
“Yes, I think we have a real problem with the exclusionist Flights. One that is both disturbing and alarming at the same time.” Helen led the younger woman into her office and showed her the mine reports. Grace Lee was the first Gold Sky Dancer in her family in over six generations. Her status as a Gold Sky Dancer was a matter of great family pride, so when she had become first a Wing Second then finally Flight Second to the Supreme Flight Leader, Grace swore never to dishonor their traditions. So, it didn’t take her long to spot the problem or what was causing it.
“Supreme Flight Leader Helen, are these reports accurate?” Grace asked then continued at Helen’s nod. “Then one of two things are happening. The first is the mines are starting to play out in their current locations and need to be moved. That would explain a lower than normal profits. The second which if it is true is of greater concern. Our sisters in the exclusionists Flights are extorting the miners for protection. Those can be the only two reasons for a decline in profits with the lack of pirate activity that we are currently seeing.”
“What are the chances of that many mines playing out at the same time, Grace?” Grace gave her Flight Leader a look that said are you crazy. “I take it by the look on your face Grace that the chances are astronomical. Please, forgive me as I do not really have a true working knowledge of the mines. Speaking of that, how is it that a fifteenth generation Sky Dancer knows so much about the Crystal mines?”
Grace sighed before answering. “Unlike most Sky Dancer Families, mine didn’t just forget about our sons, and brothers. I would spend my vacations as a fledgling visiting my brothers and their families. Most are still here on New Holland working for the mines. More than a few of them have worked their way out of the dive crabs and onto the docks. I learned a great deal about how the mines operate from them. I also saw a good deal of graft and corruption among the exclusionist Flights.”
“Just how bad is all of this Grace?”
“I truly had no idea until now, Helen. I doubt that anyone outside of the mine companies and their employees truly know. And, they won’t talk for fear of losing their protection from pirates. I believe that the only reason we got these reports is because the Flight Leaders for the exclusionists Flights have been too busy getting ready to fight Jordan Price and her Thunder Hawk Flight.”
Helen stood there thinking about what Grace had just told her, and it made sense to her. If those Flight Leaders were too busy training their Flights to attack the Thunder Hawks then the mine companies could send in unfiltered reports. The knock at her office door drew both Grace’s and Helen’s attention. One of their Communication Tech’s stood there with a grim look on her face.
“What is it Caroline?”
“Supreme Flight Leader, I believe you need to read these two new reports now.” The young woman handed over the two pieces of paper to Helen first. Then stepped back and waited in case she was needed. Thankfully, Caroline knew that the Supreme Flight Leader was not one to kill the messenger.
The more Helen read of the first report the greater her joy. One of the pirate platforms had been found and destroyed by the Empyreal Navy here on New Holland. This was truly fantastic news. If the report was accurate then there could only be two more of these massive pirate resupply and repair platforms operating on New Holland. Thusly reducing the pirate threat greatly.
The second report though dashed her joy and raised her anger to new heights. “Is this second accurate, Caroline?”
“Yes, Supreme Flight Leader. The renegades attacked Jordan Price and her smallest Section just two hours ago. If the rest of Instructor Ileana Price’s report is to be believe then the hardline Leaders of the exclusionist party are now, dead along with their Flight Seconds. Leaving a power vacuum in eight of our Flights. However, that is not our greatest problem. if you read further down you find Instructor Ileana has stated Jordan Price’s attitude towards solving the problem for us.”
“That is Flight Leader Jordan Price, Caroline. Do not forget that again. She does not suffer the folly of fools lightly.” Helen corrected the young Red Sky Dancer without looking up from Ileana’s report. As she read further down Helen caught her breath when she came to the point Caroline was referring to. “She cannot be serious?”
“What? What has Flight Leader Jordan Price done this time Helen?” Grace asked with more worry than she wanted to show.
“It seems that our young Thunder Hawk Flight Leader, Jordan Price had declared war on the exclusionist party, Grace. She is going after them all. Not just the renegades but all exclusionist Flights. My old friend Ileana has laid out the young Thunder Hawks intentions quite clearly. She is going to replace the Flight Leaders of those Flights with her own people. One way or another, the exclusionist party’s day are numbered.” Helen handed over the second report to Grace before continuing. “We, the inclusionists party have a choice to make. We back her, or become her next target.”
“MY GOD! I thought the Empress was ruthless.” Grace said out load. The voice that came from the door to Helen’s office was so hard and mechanical that it drove a level of fear through them both in surprise. All three turned to look at the four women in black and red bio-armor of the Royal Guard.
“Jordan Price, has nothing on Death’s own Daughter Flight Second Grace Lee. Pray SHE or her WIFE does not come here to solve the problem. IF that happens then not even the inclusionists party shall survive. I suggest that you back Jordan Price. That or get out of her way and pray Jordan Price doesn’t see you as a threat to the peace and harmony of New Holland.” The one in front left no doubt as to which way the Supreme Flight Leader and her party should go. The unvoiced threat that Death Dealers and Ida-ten Knights would be reinforcing Jordan’s Thunder Hawks was there for all to understand. The Four women turned and walked away disappearing as mysteriously as they appeared.
Grace Lee turned to look at Helen Price. “Were they really here, Helen? Was that really the Daughters of the Four Winds?”
Helen gulped before answering Grace. “Yes, that was them, and yes they really were here. Rally the loyal Flight Leaders and their Seconds, Grace. We need to end this before, it gets beyond our control.”
“I hate to tell you this Helen, but it already has.” Grace Lee knew without a doubt that any control Helen Campbell had over the situation with the Thunder Hawks had disappeared the moment Jordan Price was declared Flight Leader. “I just pray that Flight Leader Jordan Price ALLOWS us to help.”
-----tbc-----
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Chapter 25
Temple of Ida-ten garden, Neo Geleen
The Reverend Mother Katsumi glided through the garden as if made of smoke. Her sometimes unearthly movements and beauty often unsettled the young Thunder Hawks. To Jordan, she was just being the Reverend Mother. Jordan had long gotten used to the woman and her mystical ways. The fact that Katsumi was here to see Jordan this time was not without cause.
“You wished to see me Reverend Mother?” Jordan asked as she bowed to Katsumi.
“I did. You can start by explaining to me why you failed to wait for the patrol flight to back you up?” Katsumi had to fight to keep her anger over Jordan’s fight with the rogue Flight Leaders under control.
Jordan just shrugged her shoulders then gave Katsumi a smirk. “Seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean it’s not like they could really hurt us. Not, without firearms. We both know that their lightning bolts only fuel the power of a Thunder Hawk, and there were four of us against sixteen Golds. More than a far fight.”
“A far fight you say? Just HOW do you consider forty-eight to four a FAR FIGHT? They outnumbered your whole section by twelve to one. Did you not even think about the Blues in that attack? Where was your tactics? What was your next strike? What if you failed to take out the leaders in your first attack? What then? Did you not even think of how your brash actions would affect this Flight? A Flight that is under the protection of the Temple and its Orders.” The more Katsumi questioned Jordan the more the teenager wanted to crawl under a city block house. What was truly maddening for Jordan was the fact that Katsumi never once raised her voice above a normal conversational tone. “I am waiting for your answers, young thunder Hawk.”
“I don’t have any answers, Reverend Mother. In truth, I didn’t think beyond fighting those in front of me at the time. I had no plan. I was making it up as I went. I knew that we had the advantage in the air. That unless they could get in close to us and use hand to hand combat we had them. I knew their lightning bolts would only fuel our thunder bolts and make our attacks stronger and faster. Outside of that I had no idea of what else I would do. I am sorry Reverend Mother. I let down you and my Instructors from the Knights of Ida-ten.” Jordan sighed and bowed deeply at the waist. “It shall never happen again.”
Katsumi looked at her charge and hid the smile of pride. ‘Yes, she is most definitely Maiha’s younger counterpart. Brash, bold, quick thinking, and very quick to anger.’ Katsumi kept her thoughts to herself. “Now, that you have seen your mistakes Jordan Price how do you plan to deal with the Supreme Council? You know they will summon you to the Grand Chambers to answer for what has happened here.”
Jordan thought on this question before answering. She had not really thought about it. There were currently eight Flights without Flight Leaders. Yes, when the rogues attacked they issued no challenge, but Jordan had already warned the Council that any attack on the Thunder Hawks would be considered as a Challenge Flight. Yet, who could she place in those empty positions that would not abuse their new power. Then Jordan remembered something that Katsumi told her months ago.
“Reverend Mother, who would you suggest that I place in the position of Flight leader to the now empty positions?”
“Now, you’re starting to think child. Start with your oldest members. They are the ones that you can trust the most and have the most control.”
“Should I just take them to the cities where the exclusionist Flights without Flight Leaders are, or confront the Grand Council first?”
Katsumi smiled at Jordan’s question. ‘Yes, just like Maiha. Now, she is thinking beyond what is in front of her.’ “Where would your greatest tactical advantage be? In the far flung individual cities, or in the grand Hall of the Supreme Council?”
Jordan looked up at the afternoon sky. She closed her eyes and started the mental relaxation techniques that Sisters Sara and Katlyn had first taught her. With each breath, Jordan felt her mind falling into a deep relaxed and calming state. Jordan sought not clarity, but control.
When Jordan finally opened her eyes she had some control over her raging emotions. She also had an idea of what she needed to do. “I must take the fight to the Supreme Council Chambers. There is where I will either finish this war or they will finish me. As for who I will take with me the answer is simple. Bravo and Delta Wings will accompany me. They along with Indian Wing as my personal escorts.”
Katsumi just gave the young Thunder Hawk Flight Leader a sly smile as she thought ‘Oh yes. Just as her Imperial Majesty thought would happen. Jordan will rip the cancer from this planet with her bare hands, even if she has to do it on her own. The Supreme Council will do well to listen to this young firebrand. To do otherwise is to their own peril.’
“So tell me Flight Leader Jordan Price. When shall this grand confrontation take place?” Katsumi already had an idea of when Jordan was going to face down the Supreme Council, she just wanted to hear it from Jordan.
“Three days from now in Neo Amsterdam, Reverend Mother.” The feral grin that graced Jordan’s face was one that left no doubt as to what she was going to do. “The Wings I selected are all made up of former inclusionists’ sons. They’ll be replacing the Flight Leaders for the exclusionist Flights that challenged us. After all I did warn them that any attack against us would be considered a Challenge Flight.” Jordan never stopped smiling as she laid out her plans for Katsumi.
To the older woman it appeared as if Jordan had taken on part of the characteristics of the animals that were used to make up the original symbionts. The more she thought about that fact, the more Katsumi realized that Jordan and the other Thunder Hawks were indeed the TRUE predators of the New Holland skies. Predators that were nothing like the normal Sky Dancers. Ones that hunted by their very nature, and instincts. These young Thunder Hawks would take on every fight as it were their last, and fight to the death. Here before her were what the Sky Dancers were meant to be. Hunters of the far flung skies.
The more Katsumi studied these people the more she realized that there was no way to improve on them. Not even as Death Dealers could these young people be better. This idea both thrilled and terrified Katsumi. She knew that her report to Maiha and Alice would have to reflect this important fact. Unbeknownst to Jordan and Ileana Price, Maiha had actually thought along those very faulty lines. Now, all Katsumi had to do was sit back and let the final acts play out in the Supreme Council Chambers three days from now.
Chapter 26
Pirate platform 3, The Black Watch
Robert Kidd stood looking out his office window at a sight he had never seen from his office. The clear open skies of New Holland. It had been two days since they broke through the lower clouds. Yet, not even one of his scout pickets had reported seeing the Empyreal Navy. His XO, Jacob Bonny, had the scouts running nonstop from the moment they broke through the cloud cover. His attention was pulled away from the window when his office door opened.
Jacob Bonny walked in and didn’t look happy. “Captain, we finally found where the Fleet has been. You’re not going to like it.”
“Skip to the summery Bonny. How bad is it?”
“They hit the number two platform. The Night Wind, Glass Ghost, Wrath, Six Pence, and Sky Crawler were shot down with all hands before they could clear the station dockyards. The Black Lilly, Bent Sword, and Southern Cross, were able to clear the docks but went down with all hands before even firing a single shot. To be blunt the second fleet didn’t stand a chance in hell sir. That battleship wasn’t alone this time. The entire Fleet came at them. As for the platform’s weapons they were taken out by the fighters of the Super Carrier. As for the rest we’re still going over the feed from platform two. It was captured with almost all hands.”
“DAMN! How many personnel in total did we lose?”
“More than eighteen thousand in all, sir.” Jacob didn’t hide his feelings on the matter. “Sir, it was a massacre of the first order.”
“Are you telling me that there were no survivors?” The shock and surprise was clearly evident in Robert’s voice.
“Yes, sir. That is exactly what I’m saying. The Navy is issuing one warning to surrender, then blasting whatever is in range.” Bonny got a very serious look in his eyes. “Captain, even with our size, the Black Watch cannot stand up to the firepower of that magnitude or an organized attack of that nature. We stand a one in ninety chance of even getting off a shot. As for our air-defense weapons their about as good as they get, but are still nowhere near enough to stop a concentrated attack by Military trained pilots backed by AI driven fire-control systems.”
“How long do we have before the Fleet figures out where we are?”
“Two may be three days, Captain. That’s an honest estimate. Before you ask our friends have already told us to frack off. They were very blunt about trying to bribe them with more money. Nothing can change their minds. I even threatened to turn them into the Military Police and Port Police. It’s the same answer every time. Nothing doing and go ahead report them. They are all more afraid of the Empyreal Navy than they are of us.” Bonny knew that the next bit of info would drive his captain over the top.
“What aren’t you telling me Bonny?”
“Remember that problem we had with that black Sky Dancer?” At Kidd’s nod Bonny continued. “It is still there and getting worse. There’s over forty of them now. The little scum destroyed a Flight of forty-eight exclusionists in a mid-air battle over Neo Geleen. Well, I shouldn’t say battle. It was more one sided than what we’ll face with going up against the Fleet. According to our spies in Neo Geleen they’re the new Flight in residence there.”
“Where do you think those new Sky Dancers will go next?” Kidd asked.
“IF, and this is only supposition, they do as I believe they will. They’ll head for the Supreme Council meeting in three days. Now, this is both good and bad for us.”
“How so?”
“Good, in that the Flight Leader will not be in Neo Geleen. We can hit the docks with all our remaining ships. Bad, if she doesn’t take her whole Flight with her.”
“What are the chances that the Flight Leader will split her Flight?”
Bonny thought about for a moment. Then he remembered how his mother would always have half of her Flight with her when she traveled. The other half would remain in the city on patrol. The only exception was for a Supreme Council meeting over a Challenge Flight between Flights. That was when it hit him. Bonny smiled at his captain as a plan formed in his mind.
“She’ll have her whole flight with her at three days from now.” Bonny quickly went on to explain his plan. “We can put all of our ships in the air at the same time. We could hit the docks all at once, and this time we’ll have a real payday. Here take a look at this printout of the current cargo ships in port at Neo Geleen.”
Bonny handed over the second stack of reports. Kidd read the list and almost shouted in ecstasy. Four Monolith class dropships filled to the brim with grade one A, Casper Crystals. Ranging from the blood reds to midnight blacks. A grand total of over twelve hundred tons, with one ship filled solely with midnight blacks. That was the ship he and his crew would target. Four hundred tons of black Casper Crystals, would put them all on easy street.
“Prep the Red Skull, Texas Rose, Mary Celeste, Red Dragon, Challenger Deep, and the Dark Horizon for departure.” At the look on Bonny’s face Kidd smiled slyly. “Yes, I know that is our full fleet, including the unarmored ones. We’re going to need them if we’re to take ALL four of those Monoliths.”
“ALL FOUR SIR?! Are you crazy? The enter PDF will be on alert the moment the Sky Dancers take off.” That was when Bonny understood his captain’s plan. “You plan on using overwhelming force. The PDF only has standard strike aircraft.”
“Exactly. Then there is the fact that the PDF’s fighters are so outdated that they’re a joke. A sick one at that. The only real defense Neo Geleen has is those black Sky Dancers station there now. With them gone, the place will be basically defenseless. Not even those Knights of Ida-ten will be able to handle our overwhelming numerical advantage. They may be crack pilots, but they can only do so much when outnumbered by more than a four to one force. Even if you throw in the PDF joke, we’ll still outnumber them three to one.” Bonny had to admit that Kidd was right. They did have the numbers.
“I’ll see to the arrangements Captain.” Bonny turned and headed for the door. “By the way if we do this right. The Carol A. Deering, with those four hundred tons of black Casper Crystals will make a nice payday.”
As the door closed Kidd smiled, then chuckled. “In more ways than one, Steven Van Goth. Sadly for you, you’ll never seen a single credit of that payoff.”
Little did Robert Kidd know that the very same thoughts were going through Steven Van Goth’s a.k.a. Jacob Bonny, head. The only deference was Bonny had a plan in place. He also had the crew to get the job done.
There was only one fly in their soup. The Empyreal Naval New Holland Battle Group already knew where the Black Watch was located. After a resupply in Neo Geleen they were going on the attack against the Black Watch.
Chapter 27
The Empyreal Super Carrier North Wind…
Admiral David Saint-James, walked out of his ready room with a frown on his face. He was not a happy man. So far the North Wind had only been able to attack one of the main pirate platforms. Even then it was only in a fighter support role.
“That bitch Holts is going to claim all the glory for cleaning up the pirates on this planet at this rate. I still can’t believe that her lone ship took out that first platform. Then she goes in tight and deploys her fracking Marines. Damn it! I’m supposed to be the one in charge of this Battle Group.”
What made things even worse was the fact that he had spent more than three quarters of his munitions in trying to drive one of those platforms to the surface. Nothing worked and they lost track of the platform in the disturbance of the lower reaches. Then to top everything off when he finally gets a chance at a platform his bomber and torpedo squadrons were reduced to strafing runs, and light rockets. That final attack had reduce his squadrons to only defensive ordnance. What was even worse those pigs over on the Fire Wind had been the ones to design the new torpedoes and missiles. If it wasn’t for the ‘advisors’ sent by the Empress he wouldn’t even be this low in the atmosphere.
Just the thought of those four women sent a chill down his spine. The machine like voices of two of them was enough to drive fear into most people. Then there was the fact that they always wore those tactical helmets. No one on his ship had seen their faces. To top it all off, they were Second Generation Death Dealers for the Daughters of the Dragon. This was apparent by the fact that their bio-armor was always deployed. The red and black color scheme marked them as part of the Royal Bodyguard. Then again, these four were not your normal guards, they were the Daughters of the Four Winds, and personal advisors to the Royal couple.
David had kept his feelings towards the four women to himself, from the moment they first set foot on his Flagship. The only person who had any idea of how he felt about the Four Winds was his XO. Then again, John Hess felt the same way about them and Lisa Holts. In their eyes the Empyreal Navy was no place for women. That also meant on their ships. Once the North Wind docks at Neo Geleen, David was throwing them off the ship. What really burned his ass was the fact that the Four Winds were known to be more cyborg than human.
The problem was trying to prove that fact. There were far too many vets that had cybernetic replacements, and repairs following the last war. The fact that two of the woman had mechanical voices could be played off as cybernetic repairs. After all, it was well known that the only APS Lance that had a higher kill rate in the last war was the Storm Dancers. The exploits of the Daughters of the Four Winds were almost as legendary as the royal Lance.
That still didn’t matter to David Saint-James. He was old school Empire, a native of New Holland, and above all a member of the High Family of Saint-James. Once he had the pirates under control, he would force the planetary government to expel the Death Dealers stationed here. Once that was done he would petition the Admiralty to send an all regular Naval Force. Then he would put this planet to rights. He would put the High Families Sky Dancers in charge of the Supreme Council, first. Then he would revoke the mining rights of the independent miners. The idea of those scavengers dragging in all those Casper Crystals was just wrong. Only properly licensed mining companies should be allowed to operate on New Holland.
The fact that he and his family personally owned four mines in four deferent cities was one of the driving factors for this last change. He knew that with the Empress’s personal bodyguards looking over his shoulder he would be unable to make those changes. They would make continuous reports to Empress Maiha. Who would put an end to any thoughts of his plans for enriching his family further. He had to get those four women off his ship before making any moves.
“Not having a good day Admiral?” The voice was cold and mechanical as always that came from behind him. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance at the pirates.”
“Captain Daniela, it is not the fact that my ship couldn’t claim a platform for itself that has me upset.” David grounded out through clenched teeth. All four of the Empyreal Bodyguards could tell the man had alternative motives. And it was their presence that was upsetting him. This was way they had been placed on this Super Carrier by the orders of Empress Maiha. “My personal feelings in this matter are of no importance. Only the mission has importance here.”
All four of the Daughters of the Winds could hear the lie in David’s voice. It took all of Daniela’s self-control to keep from gutting the man then and there. Lisa wasn’t far behind her friend and sister-in-arms. Cassidy wanted to just remove the man’s head and hang it from the bow of the Carrier as a warning to everyone else. Of the four only Sara could say to be close to having control over her emotions. Sara quickly opened a secure connection to her lance mates.
‘All three of you need to get a grip on your emotions, and do so now. Maiha sent us here to rein in this upstart, or put him down. Those were her orders.’
Through the link Sara heard the thoughts and felt the emotions of her friends calm. Cassidy was the first to regain her senses. ‘Thank you, Sara. Just promise me when it comes time, I get to remove that arrogant shit’s head.’
‘NO. That man doesn’t get off that easy, Cassy. If anything we turn him over to the Empress to face justice, at best he gets turned over to Jordan Price.’ Lisa told her lance mate through the link.
‘You’re both wrong. The Empress gave us the duty to cleanse her command structure of these old hard liners. We will not shirk our duty.’ Daniela ordered over the link. ‘Remember, we are her Right Hand.’
With that reminder Daniela cut the link and painted a target lock on the head of David Saint-James inside her tactical helmet. When the time came she would be the one to end David’s life. If it was the last thing she did. She wasn’t the only to do that either. All the Daughters of the Four Winds had hard locks on David. They were just waiting for the final insult before removing his head.
The Saint-James High Family was just one of the families that they has been sent here to try and reign in. In truth there were eighteen, just on New Holland alone, that the Empress wanted brought back in line with the laws of the Empire. As it was right now, Empress Maiha was working towards restoring more than half of the Heads of House for the High Families that were decimated in the War of Succession. The main reason behind this was the way the former Cardinal Richelieu targeted those High Families that defied him. Only those that would have supported his final bid for the Crown would have been left alone.
The Saint-James Family was one such High Family. David Saint-James was more than willing to keep the status quo on New Holland. They had been one of the reigning High Families from the time of the founding. It had sickened him to learn that the Empress had placed new laws on the powers of the High Families. Laws that restricted their ruling powers and how much property they could own.
The ways of the Monarchy were fast being replaced by new Democratic systems. None of which sat well with the current High Families. However there was little they could do, against the Empress Maiha and her wife that is. Yet, the Royal Couple could not be everywhere, and had to rely on the High Families to handle certain matters when it comes to Government. The problem with this, in David’s eyes, were the people that the Empress was using to restore those High Families. They were all the bastard children of those High Families.
First though David needed to get rid of the Daughters of the Four Winds. As the Sky City of Neo Geleen came into sight a real plan began to from in David’s mind. One that would allow him to rid the Sky Dancers of their problem, and him to rid himself of his own problem. Everyone who grew up on these cities knew the most dangerous times for a ship’s personnel was during docking. More than a few crewmen had lost their lives by stepping wrong on the gangplanks. Especially if they hadn’t been properly secured before demarcation.
A simple kick at the right place and down goes the gangplank taking with it everyone on it at the time. David knew which gangplank team to put on that detail. One that was loyal to him and the XO. They wouldn’t ask questions, if they were paid enough.
Little did David Saint-James and his XO know, that was just one of the reasons the Daughters of the Four Winds were on New Holland and aboard his ship. The Empress had sent them there to not only watch over Jordan Price and the Thunder Hawks, but to investigate corruption among the High Families on New Holland. Most especially the ones that had control over the crystal mines.
With an open link Daniela gave her opinion to her lance mates. ‘The Admiral will try to make our deaths look like an accident.’
‘The best time for that to happen will be when we leave the ship. A miss aligned or unsecured gangplank has led to more deaths than gunfire in ports.’ Cassidy informed her friends. Of the four of them she would have the most experience in ship board operations with her father being one of the Naval heroes of the last war.
‘Cassidy, would something like that be noticeable?’ Sara asked quickly.
‘Only to someone who knows what to look for. Before you ask, yes I know what to look for. Daddy MADE sure I knew what to look for when it comes to gangplanks. In his exact words. NEVER trust the plank to hold your weight. If it won’t hold a Cadillac APC then it won’t hold you.’
‘Damn girl! I thought my old man was a hard-ass about safety. Yours makes mine look like the class clown.’ Lisa told Cassidy.
‘Trust me I know. Daddy, may take chances in combat and wartime, but not in a peacetime exercise. He held THREE Fleet Masts on the same day, and sent one Lieutenant Junior Grade, and two Lieutenants to Frost Heaven Penal Colony for thirty years each. All for the same charge. Failure to follow safety regulations.’ The other three members of her lance heard the fear of Cassidy’s father at times, in her voice. They could tell that she was being deadly serious.
‘Oh Wow, girl. We never realized that your dad was such a hard-ass.” Daniela knew that Cassidy’s father was a real tactical genius and loved his daughter without restraint. But when it came to the safety of his crews and ships nothing stood in his way of ensuring that came first, to include his daughter. ‘I wish he was here now to handle this mess for us.’
‘No we don’t Danni. If my dad was here, we would be the ones standing before the Captains Mast in deep shit. HE absolutely HATES spies. Of any stripe. That includes those that work for us. If he knew what we’re doing right now, He’d flip the frack out and haul our asses in on Espionage charges.’ Cassidy smiled at her lance mates. ‘Five years ago he sent a Criminal Investigation Age for the Navy to the brig for seven years for conducting an illegal investigation on one of his ships.’
‘Damn. That’s harsh. Now, we know where you get your tenacity.’ Sara said over the link.
‘Yeah, my mom.’ Cassidy wisecracked. ‘She’s worse than my dad.’
‘How’s that?’ Lisa snarked. Not believing for one moment that Cassidy’s mother could be any more of a hard-ass than her father.
‘If my mom knew what we’re doing, she’d take a rawhide strap to ALL of our asses. Empress Maiha’s orders or not. And, before you ask, my mom is Rear Admiral of Military Intelligence Lorelei Pike.’
“Oh Shit!” Daniele said out loud. Only to blush at the outburst. She quickly apologized to the bridge crew for the disruption. “Sorry.”
‘Tell me something, Cassidy, when were you going to bring up the fact that your mom was the head of Empyreal Military Intelligence?’ Daniele asked over the link.
Cassidy took a few seconds before answering. ‘Um… Never if I could have helped it. You all know how much I hate talking about my family. Now, you know why.’
‘No duh. Now, we all know why, and we understand. The person I feel sorry for anymore is little James. He has to grow up in the shadow of the Daughter of Death and the War Princess.’ Daniele said with sorrow in her voice. ‘Then there is our young Jordan Price. Now, there is a true pickle. That kid will have her hands full with that Council meeting tomorrow.’
‘No kidding. If she doesn’t handle that meeting just right, she’ll be fighting the Supreme Council from now until Dooms day.’ Cassidy put in.
‘I have a feeling that she will surprise us all.’ Lisa looked out at Neo Geleen through the forward windscreen of the bridge deck.
Chapter 28
Chambers of the Supreme Council, Neo Amsterdam
The two Blue Sky Dancers stood at the doors to the Chambers of the Supreme Council defying anyone who was not a Flight Leader entrance. Their orders were simple. Only the elected or appointed Flight Leaders were to be allowed in this Council. All others were to be sent away, or struck down. There were two such guards at every entrance to the Council Chambers. There were even guards at the outer doors, and on the glass at the arena. No one was getting in unless they were supposed to.
Jordan saw the arena guards even before she and her small escort cleared the far upper edge of the arena stands. As one the three youngest members of her Flight unleashed three of the lowest powered thunderbolts they could. The eight guards dropped before they knew what had hit them. Though not powerful enough to kill the guards, it was strong enough to knock them out for the time being, and a good deal more for six of the guards.
For the past three days Jordan and her escort had been city hopping while building a power reserve deep within each of them. In short there were twelve pissed off Thunder Hawks, each carrying three times their normal charge as they crossed over the edge of Neo Amsterdam. The whole Group touched down without challenge. They had come in high and fast. They used their speed and maneuverability to enter the arena undetected. Jordan looked around at her escort of eleven Thunder Hawks, her mother, and two older sisters. “You all know what you’re to do. Get to it, and if they challenge you. You know what to do. Just keep the damage down as best as you can.”
The group laughed at their Flight. Of them all, Jordan was known to be the one to cause the most damage when she lost her temper. While Jordan had been a Thunder Hawk the longest, she still lacked a certain amount of control at times. The biggest reason behind this was the fact that she had the most unconventional bonding. Unlike the rest Jordan never went through the Cleansing ceremony.
More than one of Jordan’s Flight, not to mention her family, felt that this was the root of her anger control problem. Katsumi put the problem down to Jordan’s continued internal emotional battle with her two half’s. Jordan the male, and Jordan the Female. Unlike the rest of her Flight, Jordan was still at war with herself over her Ascension. Katsumi, had spent more than one evening meal, talk in the garden, or simple cup of tea trying to help the youngster to know this truth.
Even the two Nightingales, Sara and Katlyn, couldn’t see the depths of the young Thunder Hawks emotional pain. Now, that pain was going to be turned on the Supreme Council in a barely control rage. A rage that burned brighter and hotter than the New Holland System’s sun. It has been this same rage that has been Jordan’s driving emotion for changing the way things were done among the Sky Dancers.
Jordan watched as Bravo and Delta Wing broke down into their Sections and headed for their assigned entrance points. Jordan had come to Neo Amsterdam with more than just a political plan. She had come here with a battle plan. One that she now put into motion. Four teams striking at the same time on four of the five entrances of the Council Chambers. While her and the three members of the Indian Wing, long with her family took the main entrance.
Leading her family towards the main entrance Jordan let her anger rise towards the surface. With that anger came the power of her symbiont. Unlike the normal Sky Dancers, Thunder Hawks used their emotions to control their symbionts. The greater the emotion the greater the power influx. The first guards they encountered paid the price of Jordan’s barely control rage over having to face the exclusionist Flight Leaders over Neo Geleen.
It was only a single thunderbolt, but that one thunderbolt destroyed the five hundred year old outer doors to the Council Chambers. Along with killing the guards in their passing. Not for the first time had Ilene Price seen the power of her third child, but to her second daughter this very blunt display of raw power by her kid sister was truly terrorizing. Silvia had seen Jordan unleash some powerful blasts in the past, but this was the first time that she had seen Jordan cut lose.
Little did she know that Jordan was still holding back on her power and rage. She was waiting until she faced the Supreme Council to truly release her power to its fullest. It had taken all of Jordan’s control to only release what she needed to destroy the door. The fact that it also destroyed ten feet on either side showed how massive of a charge Jordan and her Thunder Hawks were carrying.
As they approached the final doors to the Supreme Council Chambers one of the two Blues stationed there stepped away from her position. Stepping into the middle of the hallway the young woman held up her hands. “HALT! Come no further, Thunder Hawk Jordan Price. You and your people have no place here.”
“Step aside, Carrie Frost.” Jordan ordered coldly. “You are nothing more than an annoying, pitiful, Blue, that is not even a Wing Second. You stand no chance against me or my escort.”
“I am sorry, Thunder Hawk, but my orders are that no one but Flight Leaders are allowed to enter.” Carrie didn’t like the look that prevailed in Jordan’s eyes. There was something about it that said her death lay in Jordan’s hands. Yet, Carrie knew that she could not defy the orders of the Supreme Council.
“For starters, Carrie Frost. I am supposed to be in there. As the Flight Leader of the Thunder Hawks that is my right. If you fail to address me by me title one more time, I will consider it a Challenge. Also, remember there are eight other Thunder Hawks that are Flight Leaders themselves by Right of Combat, and Challenge Flights. They have come with me this day to claim that witch is theirs. So, for the last time, step aside, before I kill you and your companion.” Jordan let her cold fury fill her voice and eyes.
Carrie Frost had ascended more than twenty years ago. She knew her place among the Flights. She knew that she could have more than eighty more blues, a one-hundred-sixty reds, and two-hundred-forty green Sky Dancers there in ten minutes, but she would be dead long before then. She knew that if she did that she did call for those additional Sky Dancers it would be a bloodbath. For the Sky Dancers that is. And Carrie knew this very blunt fact of life.
So with a bow of respect Carrie stepped aside and waved for Jordan and her party to pass. Susan Forthright who stood guard with Carrie though refused to move. Susan was also one of the few hardline exclusionist left among the Sky Dancers. In her eyes Carrie had just violated her duties as a Sky Dancer.
“Carrie may have abandoned her duty for you abominations, but I will not.” With that said, Susan threw the most powerful of her lightning bolts at Jordan screaming. “DIE! SCUM!”
The lightning bolt hit Jordan full force. To Jordan it was merely a recharge after her earlier release. Not that Jordan needed recharging. Jordan and the other Thunder Hawks were already at the upper limits of their abilities to hold a charge. It was one of the reasons Jordan had issued the order to blast every door between them and Council Chamber. She knew they needed to bleed off some of their power, before facing off against the Supreme Council. Jordan knew if they didn’t, then half of her plan won’t work the way she needed it to.
As the lightning from Susan filled her Jordan snarled. With a casual flick of her wrist Jordan delivered her own attack. The thunderbolt slammed into the chamber’s doors with enough force to blast them from their hinges. At the sight of this very casual display of power Susan Forthright fell back in pure fear. She, like a great many of the other exclusionist members, had heard of the power of a Thunder Hawk, but like most didn’t believe. Now, she was forced to confront the very uncomfortable truth. The stories fell short by a great deal. Susan scrambled as far away from Jordan and her party as they walked through the door to the Supreme Council Chamber.
Ilene Price noticed that Jordan spared the guards on the arena glass and at the inner most doors to the Council Chambers. Whatever had angered her with the guards at the outer doors must have been from her past. Then as Ilene thought about this very interesting question the faces of the four guards came to her mind. They had been girls that had bullied Jordan when she was younger. Jordan may not have realized this fact, as she was still angered over the attack by the exclusionist party Flight Leaders just a few days prier. Ilene just sighed and let the matter go for now. Ilene knew that she and Jordan would have to sit down and talk about her lack of control over her emotions.
Supreme Council Chambers earlier
Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell looked around the chamber hall. Everything had gone just the way that Ilene Price had predicted. The exclusionists tried to replace their numbers among the fallen Flight Leader, but the inclusionists had been able to block each one during the voting. Again, just as Ilene Price had predicted. So long as the Thunder Hawks stay in Neo Geleen for now Helen could control the Council. And with that control Helen would be able to make more than a few badly needed changes and social reforms.
The biggest bonus from the attack on the Thunder Hawks by the exclusionists Flight Leaders had been the deaths of more than half of the High Families within the Sky Dancers. Now, all she had to do was keep the Thunder Hawks out of the meeting. That way she would be more able to influence the outcome of the voting. With the right people in place she would be able to rid the Supreme Council and the Sky Dancers of the High Families. Once, this was done, they could get the mines out from under the control of the High Families once and for all.
The sudden explosions from outside was the first indication that Helen’s plans had gone astray. The sudden rolling sounds of thunder within the halls was the second indication. Helen looked to the main door of the Council Chamber and waited for the inevitable arrival of Jordan Price. “Hopefully, she will not have brought her acceptable number of Wings as escorts.”
“What was that, Helen? How can you just sit there as we are attacked by someone?” Kathrine White asked from her place two chairs down.
“We’re not under attack, Kathrine.” Helen never took her eyes off of the main door. “That is the Thunder Hawks come to claim their rightful prizes.”
“What rightful prizes?” Chantilly Moor asked with true fear.
“The eight Flights that challenged them over Neo Geleen.” Helen sighed before answering the Flight Leader’s question. “Jordan Price told us all, that any attack on the Thunder Hawks would be considered a Challenge Flight. Now, that those eight Flight Leaders are dead Jordan Price has come to place her people in command of those Flights. We can do nothing more than sit back and accept the truth of the matter. By our own laws we have to allow this, Chantilly.”
All other conversation was cut short by the blast that tore the doors from the hinges at the five entrance ways. As the doors tumbled through the room and across the floor, all eyes turned to the five public entrances. All save three sets. Those eyes were locked on the main entrance and the seven people who strode through the now empty archway. It took all of Helen Campbell’s considerable self-control to school her features and not show her surprise. Never, had Helen believed that Ilene Price and her two oldest daughters would back Jordan’s play for power.
“HELEN CAMPBELL!” Jordan yelled at the top of her lungs. “You dare to try and stop the Thunder Hawks from claiming our rightful prize. Those eight Flight Leaders are here to take over for the ones that died in the Challenge Flight. By the laws set down by our ancestors those eight Flights belong to us now.”
“NEVER!” The scream came from one of the few hardliner exclusionist Flight Leaders left, just before the lightning bolt was thrown at Jordan. “DIE YOU ABOMINATION!”
The lightning bolt never hit Jordan, but the thunderbolt did reach its target. All eyes turned to the young girl who had stopped the attack on her Flight, this time. Jordan started to laugh at the thought of little Terry catching what must have been the Flight Leaders most powerful attack, while returning one of her own. One that was far more controlled than any Jordan could have delivered at the time. Ilene, Kathrine, and Silvia just stood back smirking.
They had seen the India Wing perform similar acts in the past. Of the nine Wings in the Thunder Hawk Flight they may be the youngest, but they had the most control over the power of their thunderbolts. It was for this reason that they delivered the opening attacks and why Jordan had decided they would be her personal escorts for this meeting. “Don’t try that again. The next person who does dies.”
Helen knew that Jordan’s threat was not an idol one. “Stand down, let her speak. This is the Supreme Council of the Golden Halo. All Sky Dancers are welcome within these halls. That includes the Thunder Hawks.”
“That is where you’re wrong Helen Campbell.” Jordan’s voice was low, quiet, but clear as a bell tone ringing in the open air. “The exclusionist party is no longer welcome here, or on New Holland.”
At this statement the last of the exclusionist party members stood up in defiance. Jordan gave them all a predatory smile. It didn’t take her long to stop the five that were close to coming into season. “Sharon King, Natalie Cole, Kathy Vickers, Marry Beth Snider, Lisa Saint-James, you five are close to your season. Leave now, and none shall force you into a mating flight. Stay and I will not be held responsible for what your sons do.”
The five Gold Flight Leaders looked down at the Thunder Hawks arranged around the floor of the chamber. Each could see small parts of themselves in their faces. They could not tell which young woman was her son but they know that they were there none the less. With more than a little fear they ran from the Council Chambers. They all remembered what had happened to Ronda King at the hands of Jordan Price and had no desire to experience the same fate. Not yet any way.
So, it was with no little amount of fear they all stood and left the chamber. Jordan just smiled as they walked out, before turning her eyes on Helen Campbell. “Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell, we have a problem.”
“What might that be Flight Leader Jordan Price?”
“You sent eight Flight Leaders to challenge me and my Flight knowing god damned well that we would see it as a direct Challenge against the whole Flight.” Jordan ground out through gritted teeth. “I told you and everyone else that all Challenges against a Thunder Hawk were to the death. YOU and all the other witnesses to the failed Challenge Flight within my own Flight knew this.”
“They came at you of their own volition, Jordan Price.” Helen stood up as she countered the extremely angered youngster. “And you will be respectful of your elders within these walls. That is unless you think you can take on the full might of the GOLDEN HALO?”
The minute Jordan heard the threat she started to first giggle then laugh out right. With contemptable ease Jordan fired a full-strength thunderbolt towards the celling. The resulting blast reigned down dust and debris everywhere. The thundercrack rumbled laud enough to deafen most of the Sky Dancers. Only the Thunder Hawks were used to the decibel level of their thundercracks. Ilene Price and her two oldest daughters had kept their tactical helmets on, so they were unaffected by the blast or the resulting thundercrack.
The Price women had learned months ago that it was best to wear hearing protection when dealing with angry Thunder Hawks. They had a nasty habit of blowing great bug holes in walls and doors when they were angry. Usually by unleashing a thunderbolt or two at close to half or high strength. After giving Helen Campbell, a very blunt demonstration of a Thunder Hawks full power Jordan jumped at her. The sudden attack caught Helen off guard and completely by surprise.
Dragging Helen up off the floor by the throat with one hand Jordan growled out. “Let me be absolutely clear on the matter Helen Campbell. Not only will I destroy your Golden Halo Flight, but I will leave nothing behind but ash. I may only have forty-five Thunder Hawks under my direct command but they more than make up for their lack of numbers but shear raw power. If you want to go to war with me and my Flight then by all means fracking bring it on. Just remember that I will not spare lives or take prisoners. In my Flight, it is kill or be killed during Challenge Flights. We train to go to war and win. By any and all means. OUR, Instructors are all veterans of the War of Succession form the Temple of Ida-ten Knights.”
Looking around the Chamber at the other Flight Leaders Jordan let her disgust and anger fill her voice. Just as it had fill her eyes long ago. “This is your last warning Flight Leaders. Heed or ignore it at your own peril. Change your ways before I change them for you. Understand that I will have no problem with doing the later by force if needs be.”
Helen croaked out barely. “We need time.”
“Your time is up Helen Campbell.” Jordan leaned in close to Helen’s face. “Your time ran out the moment you let those eight Flight Leader’s attack my Flight. Now, those Flight Leaders will be replaced by my people. Form this point onward those eight Flights shall be under Thunder Hawk control. Unless you want the rest of the Flights to face the same fate, you’ll do as you’re told.”
When Jordan finished she threw Helen Campbell to the floor and turned to walk out. her three escorts quickly fell in behind her. “Secure your Flights, Thunder Hawks. You have four days before I inspect them.”
As one the two Squadrons called out. “Yes Commander!”
-----tbc-----
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
The Empress Maiha sat on her throne looking down at the person in front of her. Maiha was not pleased to say the least. Then again, whenever Maiha dealt with anyone from the Amazon people she was in a bad mood. The idea of using genetic engineering to chase the idea of a super race of humans was just too aggravating for most people. To Maiha it was an insult. The problem was the planet they came from was protected under the clone laws. The other problem was you couldn’t tell the difference between their sexes, until they gave you their names. And with the High Families wanting to keep their oh so precious genetic purity, none of their Parliament reps weren’t about to change the laws.
“Very well, what is it that you want, Lord Cologne? My time is at a premium right now.” Maiha growled.
The Amazon looked at Maiha with barely concealed contempt. “My planet’s mines on New Holland have been attacked four times in the last two years. What are you doing to put an end to these attacks, Empress?”
The fact that Ambassador Cologne was basically demanding Maiha give her answers that the ambassador’s planet wasn’t privileged to, took Alice placing her hand on Maiha’s shoulder to stop her wife from killing the Amazon. Alice intervened “Ambassador Cologne, I suggest you adjust your attitude before you lose that pretty head of yours.”
The none to suitable threat had the desired effect. The six-foot eight Amazon blanched at the thought of dying on the Battle Platform. He had forgotten Empress Maiha’s legendary short temper. Swallowing his pride, the Ambassador bowed deeply at the waist. “Forgive my abrasiveness, Empress.”
“You’re forgiven Ambassador, just remember that EVERYONE is held accountable for their words in the royal court. Even the Empress herself.” Alice pointed out.
“I shall remember Princess Alison.” Cologne knew that he would remember. The stories of the Empress Maiha’s temper had more than a little truth to them. Bowing once more the Ambassador started over. “My planets High Families are worried over their investments in four of the mines on New Holland. In the past two years seven registered ore carriers have been taken by pirates, while the four cloud cities themselves have been repeatedly harassed. All to the tune of more than ninety million Imperial gold credits. The Sky Dancers are no longer effective against the pirates and are now in a civil war. I have been sent here to find out what you plan to do about this deplorable situation?”
Maiha struggled to control her temper. The arrogance of the Amazon was more than enough to piss Maiha off on most days, but she had just started her monthly cycle and wasn’t in a good mood. To say her legendary temper was short during this time would be to say the ice fields of Bitter frost were warm.
“Let me be extremely clear on this Ambassador.” The growl in Maiha’s voice made Alice wince. She just knew that her wife was about to blast the Amazon with her PPC. “The matters on New Holland are being handled. YOUR planet’s government has no say in HOW another planet handles THEIR internal problems. Just as they have no RIGHT to make demands of me. Am I perfectly clear?”
“Your Majesty, I must insist that you reveal your plans on how you plan to deal with these threats to our crystal mines.” The moment the words left Ambassador Cologne’s mouth Maiha left her throne.
Grabbing the Amazon by the neck Maiha extended her combat blades in her left arm. Hissing in the Ambassador’s face. “You are less than two seconds from death you over indulged prima donna bitch. I do not answer to you or your fracking government. They and you answer to me.”
Throwing the Amazon Ambassador across the room towards the door. Maiha gave an order to the guards stationed there. “Get that person off this ship.”
The two Death Dealers saluted and grabbed the Ambassador by the arms. As he was being pulled from the throne room the Ambassador made a mistake. One that could very well coast the Ambassador his life. “You’ll pay for ignoring the Amazon people and their rights, Nakatoma.”
The words had no sooner left the Ambassador’s mouth than the guards started pounding the shit out of him. Maiha’s voice cut through the room. “Enough. Bring that piece of crap over here.”
The two Death Dealers dragged the Amazon over to Maiha. Looking down at the beaten person Maiha let her anger fill her voice. “You just came very close to a death sentence, Cologne. That last person to make a death threat towards the Crown is now nothing more than atomic ash. Take this as a warning back to your people. The High Families of any planet do not dictate to the Royal House. Nor do they make demands of the Royal House. Get this through that block of ferrous fiber armor you call a mind. The next time one of your Ambassadors shows up in my Court acting the way you have here today, I’ll just be sending back their head. Guards carry out your orders and get this bitch out of my sight.”
The two Death Dealers dragged the Ambassador from the Royal Throne room. Maiha sat back down and sighed. Alice could tell that the meeting had affected her wife greatly. “What is wrong Maiha? I’ve never seen you lose control with an ambassador like that before. Sure, I know he was an Amazon and they are all total assholes. What just happened was way out of the ordinary, even for you.”
The sigh that escaped Maiha this time was one not of anger, but sadness. “You’re right love. I hate that it happened in the first place. But that ambassador was pushing me for a military solution to a civil problem. yes, I know that the cloud cities and mines have been being harassed by the pirates. I know that the Sky Dancers have been slowly out gunned over the last three years. I know that the pirates on New Holland have pretty much gotten the upper hand. I know that the High Families have been exerting their influence inside of the Sky Dancers and their Council. I know that the four Amazon sponsored cities and mines have been hit the hardest, but I also know that those cities happen to be specialty mines, not just straight crystal mines. Those four mine companies only go after the purple crystals. The Amazon gene facilities are powered by those crystals. In short, their whole race depends on those crystals. No purple, no new Amazons.”
“Damn. No wonder they’re so hot for you to use a military solution here, and get rid of the Sky Dancers.” Alice looked over at Maiha. “I noticed that you didn’t inform the good ambassador that you already had a military response to the pirates in place. Why is that?”
“I knew that if Ambassador Cologne knew about the Navy already being in place he would have pushed to have the Sky Dancers removed. I am not about to step in on how a planet runs its own government. I will also not allow another planet within our Empire to force THEIR way of governing onto another. That has been one of the founding principles of the Empire from the time we first left Earth Prime. That every planet has the right to govern themselves as they see fit so long as they adhere to the laws of the Empire. Do I like it, the answer is no, but I will enforce the laws of the individual planets. That person wants me to usurp the laws of New Holland, something that I will not do.” The anger had returned to Maiha’s voice. “Just as I will not force the Amazons to stop their cloning, as it is protected by the laws of their planet. The Sky Dancers and their Council are protected by the laws of New Holland.”
“So, you losing your temper had more to do with it being that time of the month and the Ambassador being a pompous ass. One who just had to go and piss in your cornflakes too, far too, early in the morning. Does that about sum things up?” Alice asked with a chuckle in her voice.
“Pretty much love.” Maiha stood up from her throne and helped Alice up from hers. “You know how much I hate dealing with bullshit before I’ve even had my morning coffee.” Turning to look at the closed doors of the throne room Maiha sighed. “I could not believe that the Amazon would even believe they could make demands like that. You would think that they would have learned by now.”
“Love, I have a feeling that sooner or later, we’re going to have to face off against the Amazons. They’re never going to just sit back and allow us to implement the changes that you want.” Alice knew that Maiha didn’t want to hear what she had to say. Even if it was the truth.
Maiha breathed deeply to calm herself before answering. “I know Alice, but I don’t have to fracking like it.”
“Then what has you so on edge about the pirates on New Holland?” Alice had sensed the razor edge of Maiha’s emotions. “What is it that you think we’re missing?”
“Someone has been backing those pirates, Alice. And it hasn’t been just one High Family. It’s been a planetary government. One that has been trying its damnedest to push through new gene and cloning laws. The problem has been proving what we know. Without the evidence all I have is pure speculation. What I need is for one of those pirate platforms to be captured.” Maiha got a very thoughtful look on her face as she said this last part.
“What are you planning love?” Alice asked with a sly smile.
“Now, why would you ask something like that Alice?” the look of innocence on Maiha’s face didn’t match with the reputation of the most feared hellion in the Empire. At the dirty look from Alice, Maiha gave in. “Okay, Alice I do have a plan. One that revolves around Jordan Price and her Thunder Hawks. I just hope that the Fleet brought her enough time. Because if they haven’t then those fracking Amazons will be making their big push for taking over New Holland.”
“Are you telling me that the Amazons are the ones behind the pirates?” Alice asked.
“The information that Gina recovered from that one platform pointed towards that yes. The problem has been finding enough evidence to back it up. I know those sections cost more than half a million apiece or more. Someone had to put up the original cost of those platform sections. The problem has been every time one of our ships engages those pirate platforms they self destruct or go down in pieces.” Maiha had read the battle reports more than once. All in the hopes of finding a way to attack those platforms without losing them.
“Is that why you have the Knights of Ida-ten pushing the training for the Thunder Hawks so hard? To be able to capture one of those platforms?” Alice asked.
“Oh yes, Alice. And I believe that they are the perfect force for taking down one of those platforms. The Sky Dancers are fast, nimble, and strong making them prefect for attacking airborne platforms such as these. The Thunder Hawks though make Sky Dancers look like children in comparison. If, and this is a big if, the pirate platforms are to be captured intact then they will need that training.”
“Will they have time? And will their training be enough?” Alice questioned.
“To be honest love.” Maiha sighed as she looked out the window of her throne room. “I just don’t know. The Sky Dancer society was never a true military force. They never been more than peacekeepers. They only time they truly fought someone was during the pirate attacks. Even then they did so more to drive them off. The Sky Dancer symbionts may have come from true predators, but over the years the women who have bonded with those powerful creatures did only one thing. They denied their emotions and instincts. If they hadn’t done so the Sky Dancers wouldn’t be in the position they are in now.”
“Is that why you sent Reverend Mother Katsumi to help Jordan Price?” the smile of predatory glee that crossed Maiha’s face was all the answer Alice needed. “You know something love? If I didn’t know better, I would swear you were taking lessons from mom on how to be infuriating.”
Chapter 30
Pirate platform 3 the Black Watch…
The battle for the pirate platform lasted no more than four hours. Just as Admiral David Saint-James, predicted without their ships to defend the platform, the regular everyday personal were no match for his Marines. When the satellite images were shown to him two days ago he knew the time to strike was now. He had done what that Holts hadn’t. He had captured one of the pirate bases almost intact.
That he had defied orders to do it, was beside the point. He had kept his promise to his Family Head to capture one of the pirate platforms. With that accomplishment he had secured his place in both planet and Family history. Thankfully those pesky Daughters of the Four Winds had been at the Temple of Ida-ten when he left Neo Geleen port at high speed. Not that he cared, they had just refused to die. Every attempt that had been made to make their deaths look like an accident had failed.
How the one had spotted the poorly secured boarding ramp still confounded him and his XO. Then there was the crane failure that should have dropped ten tons of supplies on top of them. The heavy freight container dropped as it should have but the Four Winds just stepped out of the way. Like it wasn’t even there. The failed attempt by local street thugs had been an exercise in futility. He put those thoughts aside as his XO approached.
“Okay, Number One, what do you have for me?”
Reading from the tablet in his hand, the XO gave Saint-James the after-action report. “Sir, at present we have nine-hundred and forty-seven prisoners, and two-hundred and eleven dead among the platform crew. We suffered twenty-two deaths and sixty-one wounded among our Marines. Out of the fighters, we lost fifteen to enemy fire. As far as the platform’s defense’s go they are mostly still intact. The strike against the central control center disabled the automated targeting system. Our engineers should be able to repair it in a matter of a few hours.”
“Did you say we have close to a thousand prisoners?” Saint-James couldn’t believe what he had heard. “You have to be mistaken XO.”
“No sir, I double checked. We do indeed have nine-hundred and forty-seven prisoners. That number could very well climb, sir. The Marines are still in the process of mopping up. There are sections that haven’t yet been cleared or secured. At the current rate we very well could top a thousand prisoners before the platform is totally secured.” The smugness in his XO’s voice told Saint-James all he needed to know. They had truly succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
Not thinking twice about his next order Saint-James smiled. “Prepare one of those light cargo dropships for transporting the prisoners. They’ll start repaying for their crimes of piracy right here on New Holland. I figure they can operate a deep dive crab. If not then it will be a better death than becoming a High Priest sub-unit. Besides, I highly doubt that any of them are fitting candidates for the process, or possess the needed mental capacity to become a High Priest.”
“Normally I would agree with you sir.” Saint-James looked over at his XO. “I would suggest that we still perform the required testing. We would be remiss in our duties if we failed to do so.”
There was something in his XO’s voice that grabbed Saint-James attention. “Alright, Number One, what has you so worried?”
“Permission to speak freely sir?”
“Granted.”
“Sir, with close to a thousand prisoners the Empress will find out. If we fail to follow standards, we could very well incur her wrath.” The XO took a deep breath. “We already have her eye as it is. Those cyborg bitches made that abundantly clear.”
It was true that Saint-James was being looked at hard by the Empress. He knew that already. “Very well, perform the needed tests.”
“Yes, sir.”
Then as the XO turned to leave Saint-James had a thought. “Question Number One. Doesn’t planetary law supersede Empyreal Law in matters such as this?”
It took the XO a few minutes to look up the needed information. “In this case sir, the answer is yes. It seems that New Holland has a much steeper penalty for piracy and conspiracy to commit piracy. Why do you ask sir?”
“Because we’re going to use planetary law to punish these criminals.” The sly smile that graced Saint-James mouth let the XO know that he was up to more than just side-stepping the Empress’s decrees. “Think about it Number One. Close to one thousand criminals all convicted of piracy. Do you know what the planetary law penalty is for that crime?”
“No, sir, not really. Why?”
“Forfeiture of all rights, and privileges within the law. If you are found guilty of piracy on New Holland you can be sentenced to a life of slavery legally, and sold to the highest bidder. That is just the start.” Saint-James started to rub his hands together. “As the commanding officer of the force that captured them, and the platform I hold all rights to them and the base.”
“Sir how is that?”
“Under the laws of New Holland this platform was taken by us in a lawful military action. Thus placing it and its crew in our possession.” The blank look on his XO’s face forced Saint-James to explain further. “Under New Holland law penial slavery is legal. ALL of those prisoners are now nothing more than slaves by local law. As the CO and XO of the military force that captured them WE own them. WE can sell them to whoever WE see fit. SO long as we partial out a percentage to our crew and Marines under the Prize Laws of the system. Which by the way breaks down the total sale in the following amounts. Captains receive a twentieth percent. The XO receives the same. All other officers and senior NCOs receive a tenth of percent. Junior NCOs and enlisted all receive a fifth of a percent”
The XO for the Super Carrier North Wind could not believe what his commanding officer just said. Quickly accessing the planetary law database the young man searched the laws and penalties covered under New Holland laws. Within seconds he found what his CO was talking about. They really could own every last person that had manned the pirate platform, and the platform itself. All they had to do was take command of the central command center. Which had already been cleared by the Marines. All Saint-James had to do was walk into the unit and take the ‘helm’.
Clearing his throat the Xo smiled at Saint-James as the possibility of riches danced behind his eyes. “Sir, I suggest that we headed for their bridge. By law to take this platform as a prize we need to take the helm.”
The two men smiled at each other then headed for the command center. Little did the two know that their whole conversation had been witnessed and recorded. Four shadowy figures raced ahead of them. The Daughters of the Four Winds had spent the last twenty-four hours cloaked aboard the North Wind gathering the evidence of David Saint-James’ treason. Now, they had all they needed to carry out their orders.
There would be no need for a trial for these two men. They had condemned themselves by their very own words and now actions. The sentence was death. Daniela and the others reached the command center well ahead of Saint-James and his XO with their six-man Marine escort. Once there they took up places around the room and recloaked to await their quarries arrival.
Saint-James cockily walked into the command center. He was the master of all he surveyed and not even the Empress could stop what he was about to do. Stepping up to the central computer he called out. “In the name of the Empire I claim this station and all its occupants as prize, under the laws of New Holland.”
Daniela steeped away from the wall where she taken up position. Decloaking Daniela smiled behind her helmet’s visor. “Thank you, so much for sealing your fate, Saint-James. By order of her Majesty, the Empress Maiha I hereby sentence you to death for the crime of High Treason.”
To say that Saint-James and his XO were shocked to see the Empress’ advisor and Daughter of the Dragon was an understatement. Saint-James was the first to find his voice. “Where the frack did you come?”
“We’ve been here the whole time Saint-James. Right behind you the entire time. Watching, waiting, recording every move, and command you have made. You have a choice to make sir. Face her Majesty’s justice in a court of law, or fight being declared Outlaws.” Daniela knew that the last option was not a real one, but felt that she should at least point it out to the man. Not that either option was little more than a death sentence. One would just be quicker and less painful.
Daniela and the rest of the Four Winds didn’t have long to wait for Saint-James’ answer. Nor were they really surprised by it either. “Kill this abomination!”
As the six-man Marine security team raised their weapons Lisa, Sara, and Cassidy dropped their cloaks and struck. The six men never knew what hit them as the three swords flashed with blinding speed removing heads form necks. Daniela just stood still as Saint-James and his XO stood there in total disbelief at the cold efficacy with which the four women killed. They had never before witnessed such cold and uncaring killing in all their long military careers. They knew that death happened when Naval Class dropships engaged in battle, they had seen it as young officers.
They had also seen death during peace time operations. They had learned the hard lessons that deep space could kill at any time. Yet, despite having seen all that, and learning those harsh lessons, never had they faced death on the battlefield. Not until now, did they truly understand that death could be personal and cold. From the bodies of their Marine escorts to Daniela the two men finally grasped the moment of their deaths was at hand.
Daniela slowly pulled her katana from its scabbard. Standing before them she calmly asked. “Any last words before I carry out your sentence, gentlemen?”
Saint-James knew that this was his last chance to justify his actions decided to try and sway these cold-blooded killers to his side. “I was merely following the laws of New Holland. I was well within my rights to claim this platform as prize for myself and my crew. We deserve something for capturing this platform.”
“That is where you are wrong Saint-James. Those laws were put in place for civilian use, and only apply to citizens of New Holland. Which, you and your crew are neither. Before you try to argue that you are a New Holland citizen, let me remind you of your service oath. You pledged your life to the Empire until you retire or leave the service of the Empyreal Navy. Which you have done neither. Therefore, you have committed an act of High Treason. Next argument?”
Saint-James knew that he was beat at that point. Looking over at his XO who already fallen to his knees Saint-James joined him while looking up at Daniela. “They say that only those who have died at your hands, and the Empress have seen your faces. The least you can do is remove your helmets. I would rather face death at hands of cyborg trash, than a faceless bitch.”
Daniela was sorely tempted to ignore the request, but personal honor dictated that she honor it. “Very well, David Saint-James, you shall see the face of your executioner. Remove your helmets sisters.”
As one three of the four women reached up and removed their helmets. Once this was done Daniela followed suit. Saint-James and his XO both turned white at seeing her face. A face they both knew extremely well. A face that shouldn’t be above ground. It was the face of a ghost returned to hand out vengeance or justice, they knew not which anymore. Everyone knew that Princess Daniela Dan was dead, but here she stood before them with a katana in her hand ready to take their heads.
Saint-James regained his voice first, and it was filled with both fear, and amazement. “You’re dead. I read the reports.”
“How can you still be alive?” His XO questioned.
“Oh the reports of my death are true gentlemen. The Princess Daniela Dan died that terrible day on Hades. Just as we all did that day. Now, you face the Hand of the Empress and we are here to carry out her justice.” Daniela had stepped around to stand to the right of Saint-James, while Lisa had taken up a place to the left side of his XO. “Are you ready to face your eternal reward sirs?”
Both men knew that nothing more could be said to stop the four women from killing them. They had by their own words and actions condemned themselves to this fate. Daniela and Lisa both raised their swords into a striking position, and waited for the men to answer the question. Finally, Saint-James nodded his head to be followed by his XO. As one the two women brought their swords down through the back of their necks, severing their heads from their bodies.
As the two heads rolled across the floor Daniela sighed, then pulled a silken cloth from her belt. Wiping the blood from her katana she handed the red cloth to Lisa so she could do the same. The cloth was passed from one Daughter of the Four Winds to the next until it finally returned to Daniela. Replacing the cloth in her belt Daniela bent down and pulled the radio from the XO’s belt.
Pressing the transmit key Daniela contacted the next person in the chain of command. “Commodore Reilly, come in please? Over”
“Commodore Reilly here. Who is this? Over”
“Captain Daniela of the Royal Guards, Over.”
“Authenticate, Over”
Pulling up the needed information from her AI Daniela responded. “I authenticate Blue Rain. Over”
“Yellow Clouds. How may I be of service Captain? Over”
“You can send a detachment of Marines to recover the bodies of Admiral Saint-James, his XO, and their escort. Over”
The blunt statement of facts must have thrown the third in command for a loop. “Did you say reclaim the bodies of the Admiral and his XO? Over”
“That is a roger, Commodore. All eight of them are dead. The Admiral and his XO were executed by myself and my fellow Royal Guards on the grounds of High Treason. We have proof of the treason sir. Over”
A few second later the Commodore answered back. “I have a squad of Marines on route to your location now, Captain. They should be there five minutes. Please stand by to be escorted to the bridge of the North Wind for answers. Over”
“Understood, Captain Daniela. Out” Daniela and the others knew that they would have to answer a few questions for what they had done here. Not that it would matter in the long run. They received their orders from the Empress, and had carried them out. they had tried to steer the man back onto the correct path, but had failed in doing so. Saint-James was just too arrogant for his own good.
Replacing their helmets the four sisters looked at each other. Daniela was the first to speak. “Well, it seems that we’ll be filling out the paperwork after all.”
“Like my dad always says, the job ain’t done until the paperwork gets pushed through. Not that it is going to matter. We have enough evidence against those two to cover us.” Lisa sighed. “Shit, we got enough for a novice investigator to put them down. If Reilly can’t see that then he has to be in on Saint-James’ plans.”
“Not true, Lisa.” The other three looked over at Sara. “Remember, we were sent here by her Majesty to investigate the corruption in the Sky Dancer Council first. That led us to the corruption among the fleet. Which led us this shit for brains.”
“She is telling the truth.” Cassidy pointed out quickly. “So far we’ve been able to take care of only half the problem. The rest of it is in Jordan Price’s hands.”
“Then may the Goddess give her strength. Because she is going to need it.” Daniela said just as the Marine squad entered the room. “Come on, let’s let the corpsmen do their job and get out of their way.”
Chapter 31
Arena Glass, Neo Geleen…
Sisters Sara and Katlyn stood off to one side as Thunder Hawk Jessica White drilled her Wing and the other four Wings that had been left behind by Jordan. Jessica had been placed in charge during Jordan’s absence, and the young teenage woman was nervous. It had taken the two sisters of the Nightingale two days to calm the girl. This was the first real practice in two days for the Wings that had remained behind. As the two nuns watched their attention was drawn to three people who entered the arena from the southern entrance.
The Abbot for the Brothers of Balance and two Deacons from the Temple Guardians. One from the Children of Mars, the other was a Knight of Saint George. From their baring and determined pace both nuns knew something was wrong. Without a second thought they hurried to intercept the three new comers. Bowing from the waste Sara took the lead and greeted the Abbot.
“Welcome lord Abbot. How may we be of service?”
“We’ve come to talk with the Thunder Hawk known as Jordan Price sister. Where is she?” The Abbot answered rather courtly.
“Sir, she is not here at this time. She is still in transit from Neo Amsterdam. Perhaps we may be of service?” Kathlyn said trying to redirect the Abbot’s attention to her and Sara over Jessica.
The Abbot could tell what the young nun was trying to do. “Then I will talk to whoever she has left in charge. Where is the Thunder Hawks next in command?”
There was no way that either Sara or Kathlyn could avoid the problem any more. The Abbot had basically ordered them to lead him to Jessica White. “Right this way lord Abbot. Jessica White will be with you shortly. She has one last Wing to run through the exercise and then she can give you her full attention.”
Turning to Sara the Abbot smiled. “Thank you, Sister Sara. I know that you do not want to disrupt your charges training but it must be done.”
Kathlyn decided to find out what was so important after hearing this. “Excuse me, Lord Abbot, but why would you disrupt our charges training? You and the Brotherhood of Balance have stayed out of the matters concerning the Thunder Hawks. Only once stepping in to help Jordan Price and her family to reconcile.”
“We have received reports from the Super Carrier North Wind. They have captured the remaining pirate platform. That is the good news. The bad news is that the pirate fleet belonging to that platform had already disembarked. Where they are going is still unknow to us. We can only hazard to guess their final destination. We also have no information on the size of the pirate fleet or its make up.”
The more the two nuns heard the less they liked. Sara was the first to question the Abbot. “Lord Abbot, please tell that you don’t believe Neo Geleen is their target?”
“I wish that I could sister.” The Abbot sighed. “The docks currently have four Monolith class dropships filled to the brim with grade one, class A, Casper Crystals. According to the mine records the crystals range in color from the blood reds to midnight blacks. A grand total of over twelve hundred tons, with one ship filled solely with midnight blacks. Four hundred tons of midnight blacks for the Orion system. There is also one ship loaded with nothing but royal purple crystals for the Amazon system. Those two ships must not be hijacked or captured by pirates.”
This was news to the two nuns and they didn’t understand the importance of the two ships and their cargo. Seeing this the Abbot quickly explained. “When Neo Geleen was attacked and lost their Sky Dancer Queen, the pirates managed to capture two ships with the exact same cargos. Those two ships almost cost Neo Geleen their freedom.” When Sara didn’t understand the last part Kathlyn decided to spare the Abbot.
“Sister Sara, Neo Geleen is an independent mining city. The loss of those two shipments could have bankrupted the mines and thereby the city itself. Neo Geleen is most likely under contract to both Orion and Amazon for suppling those particular crystals. Failure to deliver on the contract and either of those planets can step in and seize the city along with the mines.” Looking over at the Abbot Kathlyn asked the most important quest of the day. “Have either of those two planets filled for ownership under the seizure clause yet?”
“The city has been able to avoid that so far. Thankfully the last loads of crystals left here unmolested. Those shipments were enough to keep the city and mines solvent and out of bankruptcy. That will not be the case if they lose these next shipments.”
The Abbot’s answer was all Kathlyn needed to hear to understand just how dire the situation was for Neo Geleen. The Abbot as the local representative for the Brotherhood of Balance would be forced to ensure that the mines and the city complied with the notice of seizure. In short, if those dropships were highjacked or raided for their crystal cargos the mines and city would become the property of either Orion and Amazon. Only one of which was a halfway decent proposal.
“And now that most of the Fleet has gone off in search of that last platform Neo Geleen is basically defenseless. With the exception of the Thunder Hawks, PDF fighter force, and what the Knights of Ida-ten can put in the air. So, with this in mind you came down here on behalf of the city elders to see what kind of defense the Thunder Hawks can or will provide.” Sara said summing up the situation.
When the Abbot went to correct the upstart attitude of the Nightingale Sister the Deacon for the Children of Mars spoke up. “You have a very unique grasp of the facts Sister Sara. Yes, that is exactly why we are here. Are the Thunder Hawks ready for the kind of fight that may be headed our way?”
Sara looked over at the Deacon and thought about what he was asking. With this in mind she answered the only way she could, honestly. “Who can say sir. Is anyone really ready to take the life of another. As for wither or not they’ll fight that is another matter entirely. The Thunder Hawks will perform their solemn duties to this city and any other they are stationed at to the fullest of their abilities.”
The Abbot seized on this answer. “Then they will fight to defend the city?”
Before either Sara or Kathlyn could answer the Abbot an angry voice came from behind the man. “MY sisters and I will die to the last for this city. Just as every Sky Dancer has since our founding, Priest. Now, get the frack out of my FLIGHT’s arena before I turn you into so much ash.”
The Abbot and two Deacons turned to face the young woman who had threated them. Only Sara and Kathlyn had seen Jessica approach. The crackle of lighting between the young woman’s hands showed her displeasure and annoyance with the three men.
“Flight Leader Jordan Price left me in charge of the Thunder Hawk Flight Abbot, not the Nightingale Sisters. Our small Flight has grown beyond needing the protection of your Temple. I suggest that you remember this the next time. As for you performing your duties to the city elders return to them and inform them that we will not shirk our duties now, or ever. No matter how little our numbers, Thunder Hawks are still Sky Dancers now and forever.” Jessica White didn’t know where the courage came from to stand up to the three Temple elders, but she wasn’t going to question it as she let her feelings fill her voice. Pointing at the Wings hovering overhead she drove the point home. “There is all the proof you shall ever need. When danger threatens OUR cities, we take to the skies.”
With that Jessica launched herself sky ward and with a few strokes of her wings joined her Wing and the rest of the Flight. Calling down at the top of her voice. “What shall the Temple of Ida-ten do when the pirates come?! Stand idly by while we fight and die? Or will you join us in putting an end to this scourge that has plagued our planet for more than three centuries?”
After throwing down the challenge Jessica didn’t wait for their answer. She just flew higher into the sky with the remaining Wings of the Thunder Hawk Flight hot on her heels. With just the last thirty members of the Flight behind her Jessica had a fighting force far greater than any of them realized. One that would be put to the test, far sooner than anyone would believe. The sounds of a warning claxon rang out across the city center and all around. Everyone knew what the sound was and what it meant for the city. The pirates had returned.
Chapter 32
Attack on Neo Geleen, and revenge of the Thunder Hanks.
Jessica and the Flight had just cleared the outer edge of the city when the first tones of warning reached them. Almost as one the thirty remaining members of the Thunder Hawk Flight turned towards the city and started to scan the skies. The first thing that Jessica spotted was a lone SST on fast approach coming from the direction of Neo Amsterdam. The next thing she spotted was the six heavy cruiser class Raider dropships coming from the last reported position of the remaining pirate platform.
It was those six ships that were Jessica’s main concern. Jessica needed a battle plan for handling all six ships at once. The problem was she just didn’t have the forces to handle all six ships. The training she had received along with the other Thunder Hawks had always been to attack in groups no smaller than Sections. For anything the size of those ships they had been drilled to attack only in Wing size formations as an entire Flight.
Her attention was drawn back to the SST as it passed close to her formation. From the rear of the craft four dark winged figures fell, to be followed by one gold and two blue figures. Even before they were fully in sight Jessica knew that Jordan Price had returned. And with her return a ray of hope.
“Alpha Lead to Flight Lead, Over” Jessica said over her combat channel.
“Flight Lead to Alpha Lead, I see that you have arranged a welcoming home party for me. Over” came Jordan’s reply over the speakers in Jessica’s helmet.
Jessica want to shout for joy at hearing Jordan’s voice, but kept her cool. “WE thought that you would need something for stress relief after dealing with our mothers. Over”
“Well, you didn’t need to go to all the trouble of arranging a pirate attack Alpha. A simple day at the spa would have sufficed. Over”
“Sorry Flight Lead, but we couldn’t get any reservations at the spa. So, we did the next best thing. Massed pirate attack. Any ideas on how to handle this boss? Over”
It took Jordan a few seconds to take in the whole picture before she came up with an attack plan. Something she had been doing from the moment she and India Wing had left the SST. “I have a plan Alpha, but the Wings aren’t going to like it. Over”
When Jessica heard this, she knew that Jordan was being honest. So, did the other Wing Leaders. “Go ahead and give it to us boss, Over.”
“I know this is going to sound crazy, but have any of you ever watched a swarm of hex-bees defend their nest?” Jordan waited as almost every Thunder Hawk answered yes. It was something every boy on New Holland was very familiar with. Usually on a very painful level. “Okay here we go Thunder Hawks. I want each Wing to attack one Raider apiece. Break down into Sections and come at them from different points of the compass. Remember to watch for the layering of the air-defense. Remember the hex-bees. Concentrate your attacks on their bow thrusters, bridge, and main engines. Save your blasts for those areas and ignore the defenses as much as possible. All we need to do is buy the PDF and Knight fighters time to deploy. Over”
Once Jordan had laid out her battle plan for the Flight and why she chose it the Flight followed her lead. Over the past months the young Thunder Hawks had come to not only trust Jordan, but love her. Their loyalty had not been bought or forced, but earned. Earned the hard way by Jordan never asking any of them to do what she wouldn’t do herself. So, it was no surprise to them when Jordan broke formation with her Wing escort and attacked the lead Raider head on.
At just under her top speed Jordan closed the distance between her and the Raider. She knew that her Flight just had to buy time for the PDF and Ida-ten Knights to get their fighters into the air. They would be the heavy hitters in the fight, not her Flight of Thunder Hawks, but it was a matter of pride for her and the Flight. They were still Sky Dancers of New Holland and Neo Geleen was their city. And NO ONE was going to take that away from them without a fight to the death.
Jordan unleashed her first thunderbolt at just over three hundred meters hitting the bow of the heavy cruiser class Raider. Her target had been the bow thrusters trying her damnedest to destroy the pirate’s ability to steer. The return fire was at first sporadic and uncoordinated. It was as if the ship’s targeting computer couldn’t lock on to Jordan. Jordan didn’t squander this opportunity, and struck the same area again. Whatever Jordan was targeting was having a major effect on the pirate ship’s ability to target her.
Little did she know that her strikes were having an effect beyond their apparent power. Between the two hits, the pirates primary and secondary bow targeting sensors had been destroyed. These two seemingly inconsequential hits had forced the crews to fall back on manual targeting. It would be this fact that would have far reaching effects on the battle. As the other Wings broke up and moved into attack position, Jordan’s escorts were already swarming the one Jordan had.
The crew of the pirate ship had no idea of where to focus their fire for defense. They were being attacked from the stern, bow, keel, port or starboard. It was as if the Sky Dancers were coming from every direction at once. Which is what they were doing. The members of India Wing may have been the youngest members of the Thunder Hawk Flight but they were the most loyal of them all.
They were also the ones that the older members feared the most. The reason for this was simple, they were also the meanest fighters of them all. The three young girls refused to be bullied by the older members, even going so far as to showing the older members of the Flight that they had more control over their symbionts. So much control that Jordan had actually picked them as her personal escorts and Wing.
The first to strike was Tracie. She had come in from the stern targeting the main engine control and connection mounts. This area was also the point where the fuel for atmospheric travel was mixed. To say the result of her attack was spectacular is an understatement. The port-side engine blew damaging the center line engine with its fiery death.
Sandy was the next to attack and hers was just as damaging. She had come in from the sunward side of the ship targeting the bridge’s superstructure. Just as her Wing sister had done Sandy held back for a second strike. Not that it would be needed as the superstructure folded over like melted butter. The attack had finished off what Jordan’s attack had started. The ship was now deaf, dumb, and blind.
Kelly was the last to strike, but hers would be the one to drive the death nail in the pirate’s coffin. Coming in from the planet-ward keel at full speed Kelly unleashed two consecutive thunderbolts into the mid-ship area of the Raider. The first ripped away the outer armor, exposing the interior of the ship. The second finished the job. It tore its way into one of the missile magazines. The resulting explosion tore whole sections of armor from the ship.
Jordan looked down at where the upper deck area of the cruiser smiling. There before her eyes was a gaping hole in the ships armor. Not even thinking twice, Jordan dove on the ship releasing a thunderbolt at full power aiming for that hole. The follow-on explosion from her attack ripped the bridge from the ship. As she passed the keel Jordan spotted Tracie climbing fast for another attack run on the stern.
Tracie didn’t waste time in turning around and climbing as fast as she could after her first attack run. She wanted the other two main engines. She knew that her first attack had destroyed the port-side and damaged the center-line engines. Now, she was targeting the starboard-side engine. If she timed her attack just right the pirate ship would lose all power from her next attack. As she passed the stern she hugged the engines as closely as she could. Once she was ready Tracie released everything she had at point-blank range.
Tracie’s final attack had been perfect. the thunderbolt slammed home just above the main injection port for the starboard engine. Tracie had barely cleared the area before the engine first tore itself apart, then finished destroying the center-line engine. Her attacks were total successes, leading to the ship falling towards the planets core. Even as the ship started its descent into the lower reaches of the gas giant that was New Holland the first of the fighter craft for the PDF and Ida-ten Knights began to engage the other ships.
Unlike the faulty intel that the pirates had, the pilots of the local PDF were some of the best, and they knew who they were facing. In fact, they were a crack fighter Wing of Death Dealers and trained against the Ida-ten Knights on a daily basis. The VMF-214 had a very long, and historic background going all the way back to the second World War. It was one that the current members were not about to tarnish. They would fight to the death and take as many of the enemy with them as possible. The other two Wings of fighters were just as deadly as their Empyreal counterparts.
The first was the eighty-first tactical escorts of the Children of Mars. Better known as the Lost Souls of Hades. These young men and women were known for their tenacity and unrelenting skill of fighting. During the Second Succession War the Lost Souls were said to have one of the highest kill rates among the Empyreal Forces. The other Wing from the Knights came out of the Knights of Saint George. The sixty-seventh scout-fighter Wing were known for their unorthodox methods of combat in the air. So much so that they racked up an impressive number of kills during the last war, not as high as the Lost Souls but still impressive.
Between these three units there were now sixty-six of the meanest fighter pilots in the air. And they all had one thing on their mind. Destroy the enemy and take no prisoners. They all knew that air-to-air combat was a battle of two elements, earth and fire. They live in the air and die by fire. But for the Thunder Hawk Flight of Neo Geleen none of that mattered.
No for the Thunder Hawks life in the skies of New Holland meant only one thing. Hunt or be hunted. And, when it came to being the hunters, Thunder Hawks were the apex predators of the New Holland skies. Not, the fighter, bombers, and torpedo attack craft of the PDF or Ida-ten Knights. Even as the three groups of aircraft began their attack runs on the pirate ships, Jordan and her Thunder Hawks were ravaging unholy terror and mayhem on the five remaining ships.
Ilene Price hung back with her two oldest daughters had followed Jordan’s orders upon exiting the SST. They had flown to an altitude that was high enough to be able to observe and help coordinate the attacks of the Flight. From her position Ilene Price and her daughters were stunned into disbelief. They had known that Jordan and the Thunder Hawks were deadly, but for the first time they truly understood just how badly normal everyday Sky Dancers were outclassed.
“Mother, please tell me that you’re not planning on reporting the full power of our sister and her Flight to the Supreme Council?” Asked closest older sister Sylvia from her position just above and behind her mother.
“This is one-time Sylvia, that discretion shall truly be the better part of valor. I believe that if the Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell truly knew just how devastating the Thunder Hawks were. She would send the PDF to kill them.” Ilene didn’t want to tell her daughters that Helen Campbell had already thought of doing just that. And that, was before there was proof of the Thunder Hawks full power.
With this battle now, almost at an end, Ilene realized that she never once had to tell the Wings what to do. At no time did she have to correct a Section or redirect one to a new target. Once Jordan had given the Wings their assignments and her battle plan they carried out their instructions. As a former Flight Leader, she had more than once had to perform those very actions with her old Flight during a battle with the pirates. At no time during the battle was she needed to help guide or direct the Thunder Hawks. The main reason was none of them sought personal glory. A problem that plagued most Sky Dancer Flights.
Yet, here was an untried Sky Dancer Flight that went into battle without questioning their Leader’s battle plan. A Flight that had never seen one day of combat, yet were preforming like a veteran Flight with a history that was centuries old. A Flight that was determined to prove they were just as good if not better than the ones their families came from. And today they had proved it, all of it. The Thunder Hawks truly were the Apex for the Sky Dancers.
“Tell me, mother. Did you ever think that Jordan and HER Flight would be this effective? Be honest mother, please.” Kathryn asked.
Looking over at her two oldest daughters behind her Ilene sighed. “No, my daughters. I never believed that Jordan or her Flight would be more than a distraction. Instead she and her Flight have proven me wrong. I truly pity those that would try to oppress these young women from now on.”
Ilene noticed that the final pirate ship was now under attack by the combined force of the Thunder Hawks, PDF, and Knights of Ida-ten. Just as with all battles through history as one side loses forces the tide of battle swings to favor the victor. This time it appeared that the defenders of Neo Geleen would be the victors, barring any unforeseen consequences. “Come along daughters. This battle is over and we need to be waiting on the arena glass to greet the victors.”
The two Wing Second looked at their mother as she flipped over into a dive and headed for the city. With a shrug of their shoulders they were quick to follow. They had learned a long time ago never, never question the orders of their mother. As much as they wanted to stay and watch the death of the last pirate Raider, they knew that their mother wanted to do something special for their sister. Little did they know that Ilene Price had other concerns on her mind. She knew that someone would report the true power of the Thunder Hawks back to Helen Campbell.
Until the confrontation two days ago in the Supreme Council Chambers Ilene had been able to downplay the power of the Thunder Hawks. With that incident and now this battle, that will no longer be possible. People will try to manipulate her youngest daughter and her Flight. Ilene knew this all too well.
The High Families were known for interfering in the internal matters of Flights, and with there being no members represented in the Thunder Hawks, someone was going to target the mines and city. The main reason behind this was Jordan’s very blunt attitude towards the High Families. If she had not bonded with her symbiont and joined the military she might very well have been reprimanded for that attitude. Ilene knew her second youngest child better than Jordan knew herself.
It was this knowledge that worried Ilene the most. If the High Families tried to interfere with her, the bloodshed would be beyond measure. Ilene Prince knew that Jordan would not stop with just the one High Family member that made the transgression. She would kill every last member of that High Family, and if Ilene was going to keep Jordan’s Flight out of the planetary powerplays, she needed to keep a lid on the power of the Thunder Hawks.
-----tbc-----
Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change
Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell, was in the middle of reading the reports on her desk for the third time. Her spies in Neo Geleen had sent in the reports of the battle with the pirates. That battle had taken place over three months ago. Everything she read made her realize just how far Jordan Price and her Thunder Hawks were already starting to slip from under her control. The more that Jordan exercised her control over the Neo Geleen Flight and the Council the more Helen felt her power slipping away. If these reports were to be believed, then the Thunder Hawk Flight presented a much greater threat to her than she first thought. A threat that she needed to either control or remove.
Without looking up at her daughter, and Wing Second Lacey. Helen demanded quickly. “How accurate are these reports?”
“Far too accurate to be the ramblings of mad men, mother. Those were just the preliminary reports. I am still compiling the follow-on reports.” Lacey answered her with as much control as she could. “Permission to speak freely Flight Leader?”
Helen knew what was on her daughter’s mind. “Given.”
“You should have killed Jordan Price when she was in the Grand Council Chamber. Letting that thing walk out ALIVE was YOUR mistake. The Council Guards could have ended this problem before it got out of hand. And it’s just getting worse. Even now, those eight Flights that she has control over are aligning themselves with her. Even more frightening is the fact that none of the Sky Dancers in those Flights are rebelling against their new Flight Leaders. I will NOT go into the fact that we are losing supporters among our own party.”
“What do you mean we’re losing supporters among the inclusionist party?” Helen snapped at Lacey. This was something totally new to her.
“It’s simple mother. Even now as we speak more and more of our fellow Sky Dancers are aligning themselves with Jordan Price. The reports of the battle against the pirate fleet and Jordan Price’s victory have them WANTING a Thunder Hawk section in their Flights. The idea of having that kind of firepower is more than enough for the other Flight Leaders to court Jordan Price’s favor. Even now, Flights from all over New Holland are sending her Sky Dancers that have come into season. All of which are either junior Golds and Blues. All in the hopes that a member of her Flight will mate with them.”
“Are you telling me that Flights are intentionally allowing mating flights?” Helen was floored over this news. Lacey shook her head no.
“Mother, these are not consensual mating flights. Flight Leaders are sending their exclusionist or rebellious elements that have come into season for these mating flights. One by one our supporters and those of the exclusionist party are being grounded through pregnancy. Jordan Price’s rebellion is slowly growing, but it is growing none the less. It won’t be long before they come for us.”
Helen thought about what Lacey just told her. “Have these changes in attitudes effected our standings inside of the planetary Congress?”
“That is a little confusing mother. Within the Parliament the city representatives are backing you, mostly on the grounds of tradition. While the mine owners are backing Jordan Price this is to be expected as they are more concerned over profit. As it stands we still hold sway there to a point. As the city representatives outnumber the mine owners. It is the High Families in the Hall of Lords that are waffling. Of the thirty-one High Families represented only nine are solidly behind us. There are five, one is from Neo Geleen, behind Jordan Price. Of the remaining seventeen nine can go either way, four have to report back to their Head of Family before making any decisions, and the last five no one knows what they’ll do from day to day. In short mother, we need to stay away from the Hall of Lords.”
Helen turned and looked out her office window as she contemplated this last piece of information. If the Hall of Lords was in turmoil and the Parliament was in a hopeless deadlock, then this could be the time for the Sky Dancers to truly take control of New Holland. Yes, she was the one to push Jordan Price and the events that placed the young woman in her current position, but that was done to address the threat of the pirates. Now, with that threat removed, there was no longer a need for the Thunder Hawks. If Helen could get the Parliament and Hall of Lords to restrict their numbers, then Helen could regain control of the Council.
Slowly a plan began to form in Helen Campbell’s mind. One that would finally place in her hands the planetary Governorship for New Holland. And with it the vast wealth and power of the Casper Crystal Mines. Looking over at the Parliamentary Building for New Holland a smile came to Helen’s face as she realized that her plan could work. Only she needed to strike now, while the iron was hot.
“I need for you to arrange for me to address Parliament and then the House of Lords as soon as possible. Before you ask yes, I heard what you said earlier about the both of those august bodies of government. Trust me, I know what I’m doing.”
“And just what is that mother?”
“I am going to use the very thing that Jordan Price hates the most to rid us of her. The High Families, and their House military forces.” At her daughter’s blank look Helen sighed. “While Jordan Price and all other males of our race hate us, there is one thing that they and Jordan hate more. The High Families. Her distain for the High Families is well known and documented.”
“And just how is that going to help you regain control over this situation mother? So, what if she hates the High Families? Who doesn’t?”
“Yes, that is true but you’re missing the most important fact here. Jordan Price has had more than one run-in with High Family members. I will use those run-ins as a reminder to them of just how volatile young Jordan Price is. Then I will point to her new position among the Thunder Hawks. Telling them that she can now attack and wipe them out if they don’t do as she wants. It will be the imagined threat of her dictatorship that will drive them to back me as I force Jordan Price to accept me as the true leader of the Sky Dancers.”
“I hate to tell you this mother. But your plan won’t work.”
“Oh, and just what insight do you have that I do not into the minds of those pathetic High Family worms?”
“It’s simple, mother. Greed. The High Families are only concerned for profit. They care nothing for political goals or motives. You want to stop Jordan Price from replacing you. You’ll have to do it in the one place that she’ll respect.”
“And just where is that?” Helen growled at her daughter.
“The one place where ALL Sky Dancers are equal. The skies over our cities.” Lacey knew that she was playing with fire. Yet she had to make her mother see the truth of the matter. “If you try using the High Families to remove Jordan Price and the Thunder Hawks now, you’ll bring down the Imperial Military on our heads.”
“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?” Helen screamed at Lacey. “I may be a Gold and the Supreme Flight because of my power, but I’m no match for the weakest of Thunder Hawks. Let alone the most powerful of them all, Jordan Price.”
“That is your only chance mother. Challenge Jordan Price for the undisputed leadership of all Sky Dancers or step aside and allow her to take your place.” Lacey knew that she had to make her mother see reason. “And firepower doesn’t matter if you keep the challenge to hand-to-hand, and a flight challenge.”
“Wait! Did you say hand-to-hand and a flight challenge? How is that going make things even? A Thunder Hawk is naturally stronger and faster than we are.” Helen pointed out to her daughter.
“Mother, think. Jordan Price maybe stronger than you, but in a fight, that doesn’t matter. It’s all about training. Training that Jordan Price does not have. As for the flight challenge, the same can be said as well. Sure, she’s faster, but as the Challenger you get to set the course for the flight. There is not one inch of the airways over Neo Amsterdam that you do not know, like the back of your hand. Force the upstart to face you here, in our arena, on our glass. She will either accept the challenge or concede outright.” As Lacey laid out her plan for handling Jordan Helen saw the wisdom behind it.
“Send the Challenge, Lacey. Use one of the other Flight Leaders to convey the message. Preferably one of the exclusionist party members. That way if Jordan Price decides to kill the messenger we won’t lose anyone important.” Helen’s order and callus remarks about the messenger unsettled Lacey.
With a bow Lacey left her mother and went to find one of the few exclusionist Flight Leaders still in Neo Amsterdam. Helen knew that her daughter would carry out her orders to the letter. Walking over to the cabinet in her office Helen pulled out a map of the city. With more than just a working knowledge of the city Helen took out a pin and began to circle certain buildings. After circling eight buildings Helen stood up straight smiling.
“Even if Jordan beats me in the hand-to-hand portion, she will die in the flight portion. All I need are the right people willing to act as my equalizers. Not even a Thunder Hawk can stop a ten-millimeter fully-jacketed round.”
Chapter 34
Neo Geleen Arena, two days later
Jordan had just touched down when her mother walked up to her accompanying another Gold Sky Dancer. Jordan knew the woman and her politics. Once more Jordan had to fight to keep her temper in check. Over the last month and a half, she was having to deal with the increasing number of requests for Mating Flights pushed her patience. “Mother, who have they sent us this time?”
“I am afraid that you are mistaken, Jordan.” Ileana sighed. She too had grown tired of the Mating Flights. “This young Gold is an emissary of Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell. It seems that she desires a Challenge Flight.”
“Who is it that Helen Campbell wishes to Challenge?” Jordan almost growled, already knowing the answer. She knew that this day was coming.
“You.” The Gold Sky Dancer’s simple one-word answer was one that Jordan was expecting. “It is to be a hand-to-hand and a flight challenge.”
“The conditions?” Jordan asked.
“The Challenge is to be held in the skies over Neo Amsterdam. It is for the position of Supreme Flight Leader. Five days hence from the time of your acceptance. If you should refuse, then you are to stop all recruitment of political backers.” The Gold Sky Dancer laid out the Challenge as she was instructed.
“Return to Helen Campbell and tell her that I have not recruited anyone to be political backers. That I have no designs on the Grand Council.” Jordan explained to the Gold.
“So, you are refusing to accept her Challenge?” the Gold asked.
Ileana placed her hand on Jordan’s arm to stop her from answering. “Jordan, wait. Think about the long run, and what your answer will affect.”
“Mother what are you talking about?” Jordan snapped. “I’ve never had any expectations in the political arena. Why should I even play to Helen’s delusions?”
“Because, my dear child. This is one time where the powers that be can be brought to heel. Forced to face their failings and short comings.” Ileana explained.
“So, you’re saying that I can take over as the Supreme Flight Leader, and end most of the bullshit that goes on in the Flights. Sorry mother, but I just don’t see why I need the heartburn or headache. Especially if I have to face her down in Neo Amsterdam. She wants to Challenge me, let her sorry ass come to me.”
Ileana sighed as the Gold Sky Dancer smirked before saying. “It seems that your daughter has failed to grasp the situation, Ileana Price. Not that it matters, she has clearly refused the Challenge. I’ll inform Supreme Flight Leader Campbell of the refusal. Pleasant skies and fair winds while they last Jordan Price.”
“Hold it, you arrogant bitch.” Jordan snapped. “Mother, please explain to me what is really going on here? Why is that bitch so happy about me refusing the Challenge?”
“Because if you refuse then Helen Campbell can go to the High Families and petition them to use their Military assets.” Ileana gave her daughter a thoughtful look before turning harshly on the Gold Sky Dancer. “And, seeing as how we have pissed off more than our fare share of High Families they will gladly do her this favor.”
“They wouldn’t dare attack us with outside Military Forces. Would they?” Jordan asked in pure disbelief.
“In more ways than one, Jordan.” Ileana almost snapped. “Your own attitude towards them has pissed off more than a few of the High Families. Let us not forget that you put the Saint-hills boy in hospital for three months thanks to that fight you two had three years ago.”
“This has got to be pure horseshit. That bitch wants to force my hand in a faceoff with her sorry ass. Why? She knows that I’ll beat her. Does she?”
“You are wrong Jordan Price. The Supreme Flight Leader can and will defeat you. You’re nothing more than an upstart fledgling that her mother should have put down. Real POWER is not how strong you are but what you can do with the power you wield.” The smirk on the Gold Sky Dancer’s face vanished at the moment of the last word.
Jordan cut lose with a thunderbolt at full power that cut through the fading evening skies like a hot knife through butter. The growl that escaped from Jordan’s lips was that of a pure apex predator. “Take this message back to your Supreme Bitch you sorry excuse of a Sky Dancer. In five days I will see her ass in the skies over Neo Amsterdam. She called the tune and I will collect for the piper.”
As Jordan turned to take off she stopped. “Oh, and one more thing. Tell her this fight will be to the death. Anyone, interferes with our Challenge then all bets are off. I will rain down fire and destruction on all those involved.”
“I will let the Supreme Flight know you have accepted her challenge, Jordan Price.”
Jordan decided to get one last dig in before she took off to complete her daily training. “That’s Flight Leader Jordan Price. Now, get out of my city.”
The crackle of lighting across Jordan’s hands was all the Gold Sky Dancer needed to see to know she had worn out her welcome. With powerful strokes of her wings she took to the skies. She, like so many others, had heard the stories of Jordan’s temper.
Once the Gold was gone Jordan released her anger. “Why can’t they just let us Be, mother? What is it that we represent to them that terrifies them so much? All, I’ve tried to do is protect this city and my Flight.”
“It’s because you can do what they cannot, my daughter. Your very existence is a threat to the order of things. You have not yet realized the powerbase you have gained inside of the Grand Council already Jordan. Even now, you are making great changes in how the Sky Dancers and the Thunder Hawks especially are viewed.” Ileana began explaining to Jordan.
“What do you mean mother?” Jordan questioned.
Ileana sighed. “Jordan, for the past few months Flights from all over New Holland have been sending you their junior Golds and Blues that have come into season for mating flights. With each mating flight you have been forced to send the Thunder Hawk that captured their mate to replace them until they can give birth. With each one they in turn send you a replacement Sky Dancer. Look around you, Jordan. What do you see as far as your Flight goes?”
Jordan looked around at the status of her Flight and the current members. Looking hard at the current members as they flew through their morning training exercises. Just short of a quarter of them were now made up of Golds, Blues, and a few Reds. It was as if the Flights were trying to spread her Thunder Hawks among themselves through some kind of breeding program. The more she looked around the madder she became. The Flights were doing what she had told them not to do by using her own beliefs against her. With each Flight Jordan lost one more Thunder Hawk.
“Damn. Why didn’t I see this before? And with each mating flight they gain more firepower. But, how am I gaining power in the Council?”
“What happens when a Thunder Hawk gets challenged Jordan? What happens to the challenger? How many of the Flights that have sent you Sky Dancers are now run by those Thunder Hawks?”
Jordan thought about what her mother was asking her. The truth was simple as they come. “You challenge a Thunder Hawk, it is always to the death with us. The challenger normally dies. As for those Flights the answer is simple. All of them are now run by those very Thunder Hawks.”
“Between the eight Flights that rose up to Challenge you directly and the four that you took care of at the Grand Council that is a total of twelve so far. You add in the others that have been taken over by the rest you now have control over two thirds of the Grand Council. You are a real threat to Helen Campbell. She has been the Supreme Flight Leader for more than fifty years now. She has used the political division between the parties to stay on top. Now, you come along and change all that just by being you.” At Jordan’s blank look Ileana wanted to pound her next to youngest child about the head and shoulders.
“Jordan, you are the following in every regard. Aggressive to the point of rudeness, yet you’re fiercely loyal to the point of fanaticism, belligerent towards the High Families, show total apathy towards the Grand Council, and I will not even dignify your attitude towards the mine owners by describing it with words. You’re completely antipolitical nor are you politically correct in anyway. In short, my lovely daughter, you are everything that Helen Campbell is not.” Jordan just stared at her mother with her mouth hanging open. “You have all the advantages to turning this planet around. You also command the most powerful Sky Dancer Flight in all of our history. Never has there been a Flight made up of just Thunder Hawks.”
Jordan thought about what her mother had just told her. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts that ran through her head, Jordan turned to Ileana. “I need some space to clear my head, mother. Take care of the mornings training please?”
“Of course, Jordan. Take to the skies and find your balance.” With those words Ileana waved for Jordan to take off.
Not wasting her time Jordan headed for the skies. She needed to think. For more than two hours Jordan road the thermal drafts of the upper clouds. With each passing hour she rose and fell going over her feelings for the Challenge. As much as she wanted to just forget about the Challenge she knew that she couldn’t. As she flew Jordan listed the facts behind her need to accept the Challenge.
First there is the fact that the High Families would surely back Helen Campbell in a bid for power against her proved this. Second, was the mine owners. These men and women had power and wealth. While they often butted heads with the High Families over the running of the cities they were left alone when it came to the mines. It was only the Sky Dancers that kept the High Families out of the mines business. Next was the actual Grand Council itself. That alone was enough to give her heartburn. The two warring political parties have driven such a massive wedge within the Grand Council that it was almost impossible for them to get anything done. It was that division that had allowed more and more of the exclusionist party members to gain power and influence over the inclusionist party. Now, that power was waning. All thanks to the rise of the Thunder Hawk Flight, a Sky Dancer Flight that was led by her the very first Thunder Hawk in centuries.
As she flew Jordan also realized something else. Helen Campbell would not easily give up her position as Supreme Flight Leader. Jordan knew without a doubt that Helen would cheat in their Challenge. The problem was how and when. Even in a hand to hand fight Jordan outclassed Helen in both strength and training. That only left the flight portion of the Challenge. That was where Helen would cheat. The question was not when but how would Helen cheat. The more Jordan thought about that part of the Challenge and how it would affect not only the Council, but the High Families Jordan found her answer. Helen would use the High Families to kill her. That would be the only way for Helen to win the Challenge. As Jordan returned to the arena she began to form a plan to deal with the High Families interference.
Chapter 35
Neo Amsterdam Arena, five days later.
The Flights had gathered over the last two days to witness one of the greatest events in their current history. Every Sky Dancer that could be there was the there. Blues, Greens, Reds, Golds, all were alike this day, and all were equals. Mixed in among them were civilians of every station in New Holland life. They were all here to see history being made on this day. Not in over six centuries had there been as actual Challenge Flight for the Supreme Flight Leader position. For the last six centuries that position of authority was only held by election. No one had ever thought about Challenging for the Supreme Flight Leader position when Helen Campbell was elected. For the last fifty-seven years the Grand Council had been held in a nonstop unbreakable gridlock.
Now, that gridlock was about to be broken. Lacey Campbell looked around at the gathered Sky Dancers, and people of Neo Amsterdam. On every level, there were miners, mine owners, ship personnel, shop keepers, Lords and Ladies, members of High Families, all were here to see the downfall or death of a Sky Dancer. Everywhere she looked Lacey wanted to unleash her anger on these people. It was the idea that most didn’t really care who won the Challenge that angered the young Sky Dancer.
Her mother was putting her life on the line to protect the peace. They did not in her mind understand the threat that the Thunder Hawks represented. She just knew that if Jordan Price and her Thunder Hawks were able to gain control over the Grand Council then the peace would be shattered. The rights of the people would be crushed under the rule of Jordan Price. That, all that would come from the Thunder Hawks and their rule would be nothing short of a true Dictatorship. One that would rival the Dictatorships of Earth’s twentieth century in oppression and bloodshed. She just knew that Jordan Price should not be allowed to live beyond this day.
When her mother had told her of the three sniper positions she had setup with the help of the High Families she was furious. This went against all that it meant to be a Sky Dancer. Yet, if they were going to stop Jordan Price and restore order it had to be done. Now, all Lisa could do was wait and pray that the snipers would be able to kill Jordan Price in the flight portion of the Challenge.
Lisa was dragged from her thoughts by the arrival of Ileana Price. “Tell me Lisa Campbell. Do you believe that your mother will succeed?”
“Not only shall she succeed where the others failed, Ileana Price. She will do so in true Sky Dancer fashion. Unlike that monstrosity you call a daughter.” The sneer in Lacey’s voice was almost arrogant.
Ileana just chuckled at the younger woman, before answering her back. “She will fail Lacey Campbell. Just like all the others that have Challenged my daughter, your mother has greatly underestimated her. Before you say otherwise allow me to point something out to you. Something that both of you have overlooked. Jordan doesn’t play fair. Her favorite saying is the following. If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying hard enough to win.”
Lacey looked at Ileana in pure shock. The idea that Jordan would be doing the same thing as her and her mother never even crossed their minds. Ileana went on to drive the point home with a vengeance. “You thought that she would not think about placing snipers along the flight challenge path?”
When the look of shock turned to one of disbelief Ileana knew she was right. Pulling out her radio Ileana contacted to the belt at her waste. “The Flight Leader was right. Snipers have been posted along the Challenge Flight Path. Over”
The voice that came out of the radio’s speaker was one of confidence and poise, but not that of Jordan Price. “Copy that Flight Instructor. I’ll send in the Cleaning crews now. Out”
“Who were you just talking to Ileana Price?” Lacey demanded of Ileana.
“I do not answer to you Lacey Campbell. But I will answer your question. That was my Flight Leader’s Wing Second, Stephany Winter.” Ileana smirked.
“But how? How did you know? We told no one about the second part of the Challenge.” Lacey couldn’t believe that her mother’s plan was already in jeopardy.
“Jordan knows how to fight in ways that Sky Dancers do not. We figured that your mother believes she can win the hand-to-hand combat because of her vast experience over Jordan in this area. This will not happen. Jordan will not kill your mother on the glass, but in the skies over head. Nor will your mother win the hand-to-hand combat. You and your mother have forgotten that my daughter and her Flight of Thunder Hawks have been trained by Knights of Ida-ten in all matters military.” The roar of the crowd drew their attention to the arena glass.
Down on the arena floor two figures stepped out of two different entrances. On the North end standing in defiance of everyone was Jordan. There was no fear in Jordan’s face or posture. It was as if she was actively courting the other Sky Dancers to attack her in the open. Directly across from her stood Helen Campbell in total contrast in attitude towards Jordan. Helen’s stance was regal almost to the point of being arrogant. It was as if she felt that it was her right to rule over New Holland, and its people. A complete and total opposite of what Jordan presented.
As one they started walking towards each other. A deadly silence falls over the arena. No one wanted to break the quiet on the off chance they would miss any comments between the two combatants. Jordan just stared at Helen as if she was nothing more than a distraction to be removed. For Helen it was far more than just a Challenge for the leadership of the Grand Council. It was to be a battle of wills. If she didn’t enforce her will over Jordan’s Flight and win this Challenge her position in the Grand Council would still not be secured.
As they neared the center of the arena glass eight racks of melee weapons rose up out of the floor. Swords, axes, maces, pole axes, pikes, and even a few hammers were within reach of the two combatants. Jordan looked at the weapons and knew that she would have to select one of them, but which one. Watching Helen step over to the nearest rack of weapons, Jordan smirked. The war hammer that Helen choose would be of no help in this fight. Jordan knew that by custom she was supposed to choose the same type of weapon. The problem was Jordan didn’t believe in making things easy for anyone who Challenged her by following custom.
With this in mind; Jordan made her selection. The mace felt as if it weighted nothing in her hands. In truth the weapon weighted close to twenty-five pounds, and would crush bones, and organs alike. The weapons were ancient and barbaric, but that was beside the point. They were to insure an equality between the combatants. No modern weapons could be allowed during a Challenge. Only the weapons that each Sky Dancer was given by their symbiont and the weapons of the ancients.
Helen gave Jordan a look of contempt, and sneered. “Just like always, Price. You flaunt the Ways of our People. I should have had you killed on that first day.”
“That is where and when you made your greatest mistake Campbell. The same mistake you’re making now. You, and all your ilk, believe that the sons of Sky Dancers are not part of your people. We never were. The same can be said for Thunder Hawks. And until you start treating us as Sky Dancers, we do not have to abide by your customs. We’ll abide by the customs that we want to, and forage the ones that we need.” Looking down at the mace in her hand Jordan smirked. Then tossed it aside. “On second thought, you know something. I won’t even need this piece of shit. I’ll end this fight bare handed. Bring it on, bitch.”
With a scream at the came form her very soul Helen Campbell charged Jordan. The arrogance of the young Thunder Hawk was just too much for her to stand. She knew that she had to hurt Jordan. Hurt her bad enough that she would be on equal footing during the flight portion of the Challenge. If not, then Helen could only trust in the six snipers placed throughout the city to end the threat of Jordan Price.
Jordan’s smile at Helen’s loss of control failed to reach her eyes. She stood waiting as Helen charged. With all the skill honed over hours and hours of Close Quarters Combat training Jordan made her first move. Stepping to the side at the last possible moment Jordan dropped low and swept her right leg through where Helen’s feet would be. Just as advertised the move put Helen face down on the arena glass. Jordan continued to spin and returned to a full standing position.
As Helen starter to regain her feet the crowd roared in excitement over her take down. With renewed anger Helen turned and raised the war hammer. Again, she rushed Jordan only to have hammer stopped in mid-swing by the younger woman. Jordan had merely reached up and caught her arm just below the wrist. With an air of contempt Jordan held on to her arm as she spun around to throw her across the arena glass. Again, the crowd roared both in shock and encouragement. As Helen pulled her hands under her to standup once more a battle axe imbedded itself just inches from her head. Looking over her shoulder she saw Jordan standing next to the nearest rack.
“Get rid of the hammer Campbell. Use the axe. Maybe you’ll have a better luck. Because one way or the other this Challenge ends here on the glass.” Jordan taunted her. “Your High Families snipers will not get a chance to come into play.”
The pure shock at her plan to eliminate Jordan being so openly discussed was almost too much for her. She still tried to deny it. Then Jordan did something that no one expected. She waved her hand above her head in a circular motion. One by one six Thunder Hawks dropped out of the skies over the arena. In each Thunder Hawk’s hands was a struggling man in High Family Military uniform. With contemptuous easy they dropped the High Family’s soldiers in the center of the arena.
“As I said Helen Campbell. Your plans to use these men are done for. There is no way that I would not have thought about this approach. Or, the two anti-air batteries that were placed in the Orin Tower. Maybe you believed that your friendships with certain High Families would go unnoticed by myself and my mother. You are pathetic Campbell. All your and their plans for cheating have been taken into account.” Jordan just stood there smirking. “You are as transparent as a pane of glass. I knew you would try something. Do you think that I’m so stupid as to accept your Challenge and not take precautions?”
“How? What gave me away?” Helen demanded.
“Your own arrogance gave you away, Campbell.” Jordan sighed then squared her stance. “This fight and Challenge end now.”
With a fury that belied the rage she truly felt Jordan attacked Helen for the first time. Years of pinned up rage and depression boiled over in that one moment. Nothing was left on the table as Jordan attacked the one person who represented the feelings of every Sky Dancer son. Helen had never been on the receiving end of such fury. Even as Helen raised the war hammer to fend off Jordan’s attacks she knew it was a futile gesture. Jordan drove her left fist through the shaft of the weapon as if it was made of tissue paper. The speed and power of Jordan’s attacks was beyond anything she had ever faced.
When Jordan drove her right-hand palm fat into the center of Helen’s chest the older woman knew the fight was over. Helen felt her rib cage breaking from the blow. Jordan didn’t stop there as she lashed out with her right-wing to slash cross Helen’s left arm and side. As Jordan spun back around for the next blow, Helen jumped for the air. Abandoning her fight on the arena glass Helen knew that her only chance at winning lay in the skies over Neo Amsterdam. Helen knew that she needed space to maneuver and build speed for her attacks.
Jordan smiled as Helen took to the skies. Just as she had planned. By being the first to take to the skies, Helen forfeited the hand-to-hand battle in the eyes of the crowd and Grand Council. Jordan let Helen gain altitude before taking off to chase her across the skies. Jordan was going to end this fight where it should have begun. Even as Helen pounded her wing to gain altitude Jordan was already gaining on her. For the first time the people of New Holland saw the pure power of a Thunder Hawk in flight.
As Jordan passed Helen she called out to her. “Do you feel that Helen Campbell? That heavy dragging sensation? That’s old age Helen. Your old age.”
“I am not old you upstart!” Helen screamed at the top of her lungs. “I will kill you Jordan Price and end your threat to my rule.”
“You are pathetic Helen.” Jordan called back as she flipped over to dive on the older woman. As she folded her wings to increase her speed Jordan taunted her one more time. “Your time has come and gone, you ancient excuse for a Sky Dancer.”
The last taunt was more than Helen Campbell could stand. Helen unleashed her most powerful lightning strike on Jordan. The rush of power that flowed through Jordan from the lightning fueled her rage as she closed with Helen. Jordan’s first strike against the aging Supreme Flight Leader was to rake her claws down the woman’s back. Helen’s scream of pain could be heard down below within the arena.
No one had expected the two combatants to take to the air before the flight portion of the Challenge. So, when Helen left the arena glass all the spectators knew this was no longer a straight forward Challenge for the leadership of the Grand Council. This had now become a fight to the death. A fight that would decide the future of their planet and its people. Each faction was there for different reasons. For the High Families it was a continuation of the status quo, so long as Helen Campbell continued to rule over the Grand Council. For the mine owners, it was a break from that very stagnation with a shakeup in the Grand Council.
For the miners, dockworkers, warehouse workers, and all the other common people who were the true sprite of the planet, Jordan’s win meant freedom. They had all heard of her attitude towards the mine owners, and High Families. They also knew that if Helen Campbell were to win this fight there would be no stopping the High Families, or the mine owners. For the drop ship crews and captains, it would be business as usual no matter who won, as most of them were not from New Holland. The few that were wanted the status to be maintained as it kept operating costs down, therefore increasing their profit margin.
When Helen’s soul wrenching scream reached the arena, everyone’s eyes were pulled toward where the now falling Gold Sky Dancer high above them. What really grabbed their attention though was where Jordan now flew. Just mere feet behind Helen. With each passing foot of altitude Jordan punched Helen between her wings. What none of the non-Sky Dancers realized was just how deadly Jordan’s attacks were for Helen. Jordan, the Thunder Hawks, and every Sky Dancer there however did know. Jordan was breaking the back of the Gold Sky Dancer. Even if Helen survived the soon to be crash landing, she would never again take to the skies. If Helen was lucky she would with time be able to walk again, but flying would forever be lost to her. With the loss of flight, Helen would be forced to step down as Supreme Flight Leader for the Grand Council. Knowing this Jordan had concentrated her attacks on the wing joints between Helen’s shoulder blades.
With each blow more, nerves were destroyed. Jordan had been pushed by Helen into this fight. She was going to finish it now and forever. Jordan may not want the position of Supreme Flight Leader, but if taking that position was the only way to bring peace to her planet she would do it. Helen Campbell felt each blow to her flight pinons and wing joints with increasing dread. She knew that her nerves, tendons, and muscles in those areas were being damage beyond her symbionts ability to repair. With no way to fight back Helen surrendered to her fate.
Letting here wings fold back Helen closed her eyes and fell head first out of control into the arena glass. Seeing Helen fold her wings and go into an uncontrol dive Jordan pulled up and away. Hovering a few meters above the arena glass Jordan sighed at the body of Helen Campbell. The Challenge was over and once again someone had paid the ultimate price for issuing a Challenge against her. With each Challenge Jordan knew that she was losing a little more of herself to her symbiont.
“How many more times can I do this?” Jordan whispered to herself. “When will I no longer recognize myself in the mirror? Worse still, when will I no longer wish to look in the mirror?”
Over in the stands Ileana turned to Lacey Campbell one last time. “That Lacey Campbell is the price of those who Challenge a Thunder Hawk. My daughter never wanted your mother’s position. She was content to just be a Flight Leader, and protector for our planet. Hear me now, you and your mother have your supporters among the Grand Council parties, inform them that this will be the last time a Thunder Hawk shows mercy in a Challenge. Remind them all that Thunder Hawks are the ultimate predators of the skies. Understand that of all the Thunder Hawks my daughter is the most powerful, but she is also the most forgiving. Do not try the patience of the other Thunder Hawks, Lacey Campbell. They will not be as forgiving.”
“We cannot just surrender to them Ileana Campbell. To do so goes against all that it means to be a Sky Dancer. No Sky Dancer has ever bowed to the whims of a man. You know this more than any of us. Yes, I know the truth as do all the other Sky Dancers that Thunder Hawks are our male counterparts. YOU should have done YOUR duty when YOUR son was first bonded with that symbiont.” Lacey answered her hotly.
Ileana sighed at the youngest daughter of Helen Campbell. “Lacey, I know what I should have done according to custom. But I am still a mother. I could not in good consciousness kill my own child. When you have had your first hatchling you’ll understand, until then, do not speak to me of one’s duty to our people. Understand something, a mother’s duty to her children exceeds any other duty.”
“Was that why you stepped down as the second most powerful Flight Leader in all of New Holland? To protect your child?” Lacey could not believe what she had just been told. The idea that a Sky Dancer should put a son before the safety of the Flight was beyond her grasp. “You cannot expect me to believe that you willingly gave up that power for a mere male? What is your real game here, Ileana Price?”
“No, game Lacey. What I have told you is truth. I stepped down to train my daughter Jordan and her fellow Thunder Hawks. They are what they are because I have trained them in our ways. If I hadn’t then you, your mother, and the Grand Council would have faced a far greater danger than the one you do now.” At Lacey’s blank look, Ileana wanted to pull her hair out by the roots in frustration. “Think child. What would have happened if those very Thunder Hawks had no guidance? They would have come at all of you with a vengeance. A vengeance without equal in ALL our history. All that power turned lose on the Sky Dancers for all the wrongs we have heaped on our sons down through the centuries. All that rage unleashed on us. Do you really believe that we could have withstood such an assault?”
It took Lacey a moment to understand where Ileana was going with her argument, but when she did Lacey turned white with fear. A fear that reached her very soul and turned it to ice. She, unlike her mother, understood the power that each Thunder Hawk wielded. The thought of an enter Flight of them attacking each regular Flight one at a time was almost too terrorizing for her to face. Ileana smirked at the look of horror that now graced Lacey’s face and turn to walk away, but not before throwing one last dig at Lacey.
“Next time you think that you have all the angles covered Lacey just remember one thing. Jordan doesn’t play by the rules, and never will. I look forward to seeing you at her coronation in four days Lacey. I expect you to be there.”
Chapter 36
Grand Council Chambers, Neo Amsterdam
Epilogue
Jordan couldn’t believe the bullshit she had to put up with over the last four days. The fitting of the circlet, and signet ring. The appointment after appointment of endless bureaucratic bullshit. The nonstop meetings with individual Flight Leaders from both political parties and the civilian government. Each Flight Leader, mine owner, High Family or worker union representative forced Jordan to take a different approach to gaining their backing. Yet with each meeting Jordan gained a greater understanding of the political structure of New Holland and the part that Sky Dancers played in that political atmosphere.
With the civilians, Jordan’s promise to keep the Sky Dancers separate from all involvement was more than enough to gain their backing. All they wanted was for the Sky Dancers to stay out of their business. Only the High Families had problems with this, until Jordan reminded them that they could be facing a military force unlike any other on the planet. The thought of having to face off against the total Sky Dancer force plus the Thunder Hawks changed the attitudes of the High Families in a matter of minutes. Everyone on New Holland knew that if you owned the skies you owned the battlefront. And Jordan now commanded the greatest aerial defense force on New Holland. In short Jordan owned the skies, and the upper hand.
The only High Family that truly gave her a problem came in the form of Ambassador Cologne for the Amazons. In Jordan’s eyes the man was nothing more than a pompous ass. One that needed to be put down like a rabid dog. When the Amazon Ambassador demanded that Jordan help their government foreclose on four of the cloud cities that supported mines owing them two year’s worth of Casper Crystals Jordan almost threw the bitch over the side of Neo Amsterdam. It was only Ileana’s intervention that saved the Ambassador’s life. Cologne may not have seen Jordan’s already legendary temper, but he had heard of it. Now, he knew the truth behind the stories, having faced Jordan’s anger first hand. He knew that no matter what his people wanted, they would never control this wild and untrainable fire brand.
That meeting had taken place two days ago and Jordan still had a bad taste in her mouth for the Amazon people. In her mind and the mind of her mother the Cologne High Family had jumped to the top of their shit list, them and the Amazon people. A true hatred for outsiders was settling in among the people of New Holland. One that threatened to destroy all Jordan’s hard work for the past year. It took all of Jordan’s considerable newfound skill at diplomacy to ease the tensions between the Hall of Lords and the Planetary Parliament.
Jordan looked over at her mother as they went through the final preparations for the coronation. “Jordan, I know the last few days have been one trial after another. I want you to know how proud I am of you. You have done what no Sky Dancer has ever been able to do. You have united the two political factions within the Grand Council and the three political forces of our planet. You, not some outsider, you a son of New Holland has done this great feat.”
“No mother. You’re wrong about that. All I have done is what needed to be done for the greater good of the planet. Helen Campbell could have done the same thing that I did, but she was too consumed with gathering power. As for the inclusionist and exclusionist parties all it took was the threat of more Challenge Flights to bring them into line. They ALL know they cannot stand against the power of a Thunder Hawk. I kind of proved that harsh fact. The same can be said for the Hall of Lords and Parliament. Those two august bodies understand that Sky Dancers control the skies. On New Holland, you control the skies, you control the planet. It cannot get any simpler than that, and they know this.” Jordan’s pragmatic view was disquieting to Ileana. That was until she realized just how right her daughter truly was.
Even now after all her years as a Sky Dancer Ileana Price never really thought about the military might that Sky Dancers represented. On every city there was a Flight. Each Flight had between seventy-five to a hundred and twenty-five members. the scary thing was the smallest of Flights, the Thunder Hawks, were the most powerful of them all. Their raw firepower was beyond any other Flight.
“Tell me something, Jordan. Do you plan on dispersing your Thunder Hawks throughout the rest of the Flights now?” Ileana felt that this matter needed to be discussed.
Jordan sighed. “As much as I wish that I could keep the Thunder Hawks solely in Neo Geleen, but I can’t. With out me there the other Flight Leaders will continue to send their younger Golds and Blues for mating flights. Not that I don’t blame them really. They all want the chance at having first the firepower of a single Thunder Hawk and second a way to increase their Flight through breeding true Sky Dancers. Just look at the twins that Ronda King just birthed. For the first time in four centuries see have seen the birth of two Sky Dancers the way we were meant to be born. Don’t you see mother? Sky Dancers really are a separate species from Humans.”
“Jordan, I have always known this. Just as every Flight Leader has. We just went out of our way to hide this fact from the rest of New Holland. Now, that you are the Supreme Flight Leader that is just one duty of many that fall to your oversight. That was why we have always used the Gift of Life Banks to inseminate our members. It was felt that if the general population were to ever find out that we can produce our own Sky Dancers without the GLB that we would be viewed as less than human. It is also the reason why we have guarded the secret of our seasons so closely. During the early days of the Sky Dancers a great many secrets of our biology after bonding with a symbiont was felt to be too horrifying for the general public to know. The Flight Leaders of the time felt that it would be in our best interest to hide our unique nature behind layers of secrets.” Ileana knew that Jordan wasn’t liking what she heard. Then again Jordan hadn’t liked anything that she had been told over the last four days. This was just the latest unpleasantness.
“Mother, I understand most of this, but why hasn’t the Hall of Lords and Parliament been informed of our nature? What I mean is why hide the fact that we can reproduce without the need of the GLB form them?” Jordan almost demanded.
Ileana gave her a two-word answer. “The Amazons.”
That was all Jordan needed to hear to understand. Her meeting with Cologne had driven the point home that the Amazons were doing their level best to move in and take over New Holland. If they ever found out that the Sky Dancers could reproduce without their help it could force them to attack the Sky Dancers directly. Until now they never acted as more than a defense against pirates. With the Thunder Hawk Flight all that changed. Changed it in a way that no one saw coming. Even now, on fifteen of the twenty-one arena glasses that had symbionts ready to hatch there were black eggs. Each with possible candidates for when they hatched. Candidates that were chosen from the general population of the cities where they were laid.
“And soon there will be fifteen more Thunder Hawks to straighten our forces.” Jordan sighed as the reality of the situation set in. “Mother, am I do the right thing by allowing the Flights to chose from outside our families for the male candidates?”
Ileana place her arms around her daughter and pulled her into a tight but firm hug. “Of all your decisions Jordan this is the best of them all. Yes, it is time for Sky Dancers to step away from the old ways of secrets and lies. We must embrace new ways and ideals if we are to survive as first a people, and secondly a race. If you doubt me just look at the births of the newest Sky Dancers.”
“What do you mean by that mother?”
“For the first time in over five centuries we are seeing colors that were thought to be lost to us. Until these newest births there have only been Golds, Blues, Reds, and Greens, with the occasional Black or Purple. Ronda King’s twins are proof of this. One is a Bronze, the other a true Yellow. It is said, believed, that Kathrine White will birth twins as well. The Sisters of the Nightingale have been called in to consult on our unusual pregnancies. Almost every Sky Dancer that has gone through a mating flight is pregnant with twins. Only three are not carrying more than one. Four of them are carrying triplets.” Ileana told her daughter for the first time.
“Good lord mother! Why haven’t I been informed of this before now? Multiple births will draw attention that we don’t need.” Jordan almost whined.
“That is why I, and the others, have kept this quiet, and from you. Besides, this is a family matter. A matter to be handled by families, and no one else. Just as it has always been among Sky Dancers. Just ask your older sisters, and brother when you were born.” A small smile of mischief graced Ileana’s face as she let her mind follow back to that time eighteen years ago. “I put a nosey news hound in the emergency wing of the hospital for daring to invade the maternity ward just hours after you were born. The fool was trying to get pictures of the newborns for the few Golds that gave birth that day. We’re still trying to figure out who did more damage to the dummy. Me or Lisa Van Price. What we do know is that the news hounds have steered clear of the maternity wards ever since. It seems that their collective sense of self-preservation has taken a hold of them and isn’t letting go when it comes to our children. It’s hard to believe that was just over eighteen years ago.”
“Why haven’t I ever heard about that mom? I never pictured you as being one of those over-protective mothers? Wait that didn’t come out right.” When Jordan tried to correct herself Ileana just chuckled.
“Jordan, my beloved child, you will always be my little bird. Just like your brothers and sisters will always be my hatchlings. When the time comes for you to have your own family I fully expect that you shall be just as protective of your children as I have been. If not more so.” Ileana leaned in close to whisper in Jordan ear. “I’ll let you in on a secret, dear. All Sky Dancers have the maternal instinct to protect our young. Even you my dear.”
Jordan smiled at her mother. “Hopefully mother that will be a long time in the future. I don’t even have someone in mind for a wife yet.”
“She will come my dear. I have seen this in my dreams. You will be one of the greatest Supreme Flight Leaders of all time.” Ileana was interrupted by the sound of trumpets coming from the Grand Council Chamber. “Well, my dear. It looks like our time to ourselves is over for now. That is the first call.”
“I know mother.” Jordan sighed. “I just wish that I had your confidence in me. What if I make a mistake? People could die.”
“And that is why you’ll become one of the greatest Supreme Flight Leaders, Jordan. You care about more than just yourself. That and you are willing to listen to the advice of others. You may not like what you hear, but you always hear them out.”
With a swat on the butt Ileana pushed her daughter towards the door. “Now go claim your place in our history my child. I will be here for a while longer.”
Hugging her mother one last time Jordan heads for the Grand Council Chambers. As she entered the hallway the trumpets sound a second time. Ileana knew that her decision all those months ago had been right. “If only she knew what you had done mother. Jordan may well kill you in your bed. She might just do it any way.”
“Katheryn, if you’re implying that I set your younger sibling up to be bonded with that Black symbiont on purpose I will take your head off.” Ileana snarled without looking over her shoulder at her daughter.
“Mother I love you dearly. I also know that you would do whatever it took to end the threat that Helen Campbell and the dead lock within the Council represented.” Ileana could tell that Katheryn wasn’t going to let this line of investigation go. “I hate to tell you this mother, but I pulled the surveillance video of that bonding. I saw you intentionally point out the Black egg to Jordan. Why? Just tell that, and I’ll never again speak of this matter.”
Ileana turned to face her oldest daughter as the trumpets sound for the third and last time. There would be no stopping coronation now, and she could relax. Her job was done, and the planet was finally safe. She saw no reason to keep her secret form her daughter now. Looking her daughter in the eyes Ileana explained.
“The deadlock in the Grand Council had Flights fighting each other rather than the pirates, Katheryn. Without something to unify them the Flights would have eventually failed in their duties to the people of our world. You, me, and every Sky Dancer took our oaths to protect our world, not just our individual cities. The two factions within the Sky Dancers had forgotten their duty and were only concerned for their individual cities. We were losing the war against the pirates. Just look at what happen with Neo Geleen. A missile strike killed their Queen and the Flight died. The pirate would have started targeting our Queens on purpose. Once they started that we would have gone extinct and the cities would have fallen to the pirates.”
Ileana sighed. “The Grand Council couldn’t see past their petty arguments to the greater picture of things. So yes, I did point out the Black to your sibling. Yes, I hoped that Jordan would walk near the egg as it hatched. Yes, I did everything I could to manipulate the situation in her favor to becoming the first Thunder Hawk in over four hundred years. Yes, I acted like any other Gold Flight Leader should when she conquered her symbiont. I had to, to protect her and my plans. There are you happy now, Katheryn? Or does your need for revenge for your old Flight Leader demand more from me? Do you want my life as well?”
“No mother. I am satisfied. I now have the truth of things.” Katheryn just smiled at her mother then hugged her. “I will take this to the grave with me. No one shall know of what you did to protect our planet and our people. Besides, no one would even believe me if I told them. You went out of your way to cover your tracks mother. And did a damned good job of it. I hate to tell you this but there is no video evidence of Jordan’s bonding. I lied, just wanted you to admit to your manipulations and why you did them.”
“You my dear daughter are as devious as they come. I bow to your very astute observations and investigative skills. I hope that Jordan will be able to call on you and your skills in the future.” Ileana prompted Katheryn.
“As you are always saying mother. Family first, family always. I shall be there for my sister when she needs me. Just as will the rest of the family. What of you mother? What will you be doing from now?” Katheryn asked.
“Look around at the Council Katheryn. How many of the old guard do you see? Never mind I’ll answer that for you. There are only ten of the old Flight Leaders left. The younger generation are taking their places among the Council. This is a good thing Katheryn, as dinosaurs have no place in Jordan’s Council. No, only the flexible and open-minded need apply to this governing body. I stepped down because I saw the winds of change blowing the moment Jordan first stood against Helen Campbell. I shall return to Neo Geleen and continue in my duties as Instructor for the Thunder Hawk Flight. I also still have one last child at home to finish raising, or have you forgotten your baby sister Raven?” Ileana smirked as Katheryn face palmed.
With a grace that can only be gained by years Ileana walked past her daughter. “Come along Katheryn. We have work to do yet. Jordan may have secured the Council and a firm footing within the two planetary government bodies. She still has a long way to go to making the changes that need to be done to save our race.”
“How long do you think it will take before Jordan can just sit back and not worry about the rest of us Sky Dancers?” Katheryn asked from about ten paces behind Ileana.
“I fear that we have decades of work ahead of us Katheryn, decades. Change is inevitable as the movement of time. And just like time it cannot be rushed.” Ileana stopped and turned to look back inside at the Grand Council Chamber where Jordan was taking her oath of office. “Then there are times like this when change is like a bolt of lightning out of nowhere on a clear day. Up there is your sister, and Supreme Flight Leader. The youngest to ever hold that position, and I feel soon to be one of the greatest. So long as we do our part.”
“I shall do mine mother as will Sylvia and Raven once she has joined our ranks as a Sky Dancer. I also believe that Jordan will lean heavily on all three of us when the time comes. Sylvia will be her military advisor, while I shall fulfil the role as her Spy Master. As for little Raven, only the gods of the winds know that.” Katheryn told her mother.
“I believe that you are right Katheryn. I also noticed that you left me out of that little line up. Care to explain why?” Ileana smirked as Katheryn blushed. “Let me guess. I am due to come into season again soon and you expect me to be giving you a new sibling to spoil. Well, I hate to spoil anyone’s fun, but you’re too late. I am already with child. The Nightingales tell that I shall give birth sometime after the summer solstice. Have a pleasant evening Daughter. I know that I shall.”
Katheryn just watched as Ileana just turned her back and walked away. It would not be until the next morning after the celebration of Jordan’s coronation that Katheryn would learn her mother had taken a SST back to Neo Geleen. When she confronted Jordan over this Jordan just chuckled and said. “I knew that she was going to do that Katheryn. I also knew that she was pregnant. Leave her be, mother has earned her right to enjoy her last days in peace. After all this is most likely her last season. Let her spend her time with our baby sister, and hopefully baby bother.”
“Okay Jordan. Besides we got our hands full as it is just dealing with running the day to business of the Grand Council.” At Jordan’s blank look Katheryn laughed. “We are family little sister. As mother always says. Family first, family always.” They finished together. “I just know that we’re going to have our hands full. Come on, sis, let’s get started. The day is almost half gone.”
“No sis, the day has just begun. Until now, I didn’t have a clue on how I was going to get a handle on half this crap. Now, with you here to help I just might be able to what mom dropped in my lap. By the way, did she give you a hint as to why she set me up all those months ago?”
The end for now.
To all my readers out there in BC land. This will be my final posting for the year. As such I wish you all a Happy New. Please be safe if you plan on going to a party and drink responsibly. I would hate to send the Black Badges after you all for DUI.