Patterns of Chaos: Book One - The First War
Chapter 30

Her ship had barely hit the deck when Jennifer burst from the hatch. Sprinting for the corridors, she caught bewildered looks from the various technicians and crewmen she passed by.

End this. End this. End this. Her thoughts formed a constant litany as she ran full force. He had to die, there was no other solution. With Paul gone, there would be no driving force for this war.

Her mind was locked onto the strongest psychic image she could sense, it had to be him, had to be. She turned corridor after corridor. Was he leading her somewhere? Jennifer was beginning to doubt that she would be able to replace her way back to the hanger; but that was all right as long as she took him down first. So long as she fixed her mistake, it would be all right…

The last door she went through slammed shut behind her. She skidded to a stop. There were vast windows or screens in this room, affording an impressive view of the ongoing battle outside. Vessels on both sides were destroyed, but the Red Talon’s presence was certainly deciding the battle.

Bookshelves lined one of the walls not given over to the awesome view; a large oak desk in front of them, barren but for a deck of cards.

“Welcome to my home.” Jennifer whipped around to see Calixta facing her, gun in hand. Her appearance was equal parts surprising and shocking; namely her physical appearance, for there were twin trails of red down her face.

“Thank you?” Jennifer’s reply was lame as she raised her hands, but she was confused. Hadn’t she been tracking…?

“Little trick I figured out. Certain animals on Earth increase their mass to scare away their hunters. I simply used the same principle to make you my prey.” Calixta’s aim was steady, Jennifer was concerned. She had never really faced down another psionic before.

“I’d ask for a tour, but I don’t think you’re interested in showing me around.” Jennifer cast her mind around, trying to figure out some way to get away from this situation. However, she also needed to satisfy her curiosity. “Why do you want me dead so badly, anyway?”

“You have to ask?” Calixta snarled. “You tried to kill my love, you humiliated me in Toronto, and to top it all off…” she trailed off, her aim trembling slightly.

Jennifer saw where this was going and could not suppress a laugh. “He doesn’t still love me! That has to be the-”

“Shut your mouth!” The other woman screamed, unconsciously pushing Jennifer back a few paces with the psychic force of it. “Did I say that? Did I?!” She reached up with her other hand and steadied her aim. “What I was going to say, before you so rudely interrupted, was not that he still loves you….but that he loved you first.” Fresh tears fell from her eyes. “It’s stupid. I know that. It’s nothing more than petty jealousy. But I also know that I hate you for it.”

Mother of god, this woman has gone insane. Jennifer thought to herself. Was I this far gone back then? “Calixta...you don’t know what he is. He doesn’t deserve this blind devotion you’re throwing at him.”

“Really?” Calixta giggled without humour. “He saved me. I was going to die, losing control of my body, trapped in a stagnant carcass of meat, and I shouldn’t love him for saving me from all that?!”

“You can be grateful, sure. But to follow him, leashed as you are now, how is that different? You are still trapped. The cage is gilded maybe, but you still don’t have control.” Jennifer lowered her hands. “You do what he says, when he says. He sent you after me, didn’t he?”

Calixta snarled again, throwing her gun away. “No. I wanted you dead for myself.” And she threw herself at the other woman, determined to rip her head from her shoulders.

On Earth, Alliance high command was preparing to launch another squadron of fighters, when Admiral Hasegawa’s death was announced. Mitchell Cameron was horrified; Hasegawa had not only been his ally but his friend. “Godspeed, my friend.” He whispered.

“Sir, a text communication from the vessel, again demanding our surrender.” The communications officer looked haunted by the scale of destruction that Stragdoc had caused so far. Cameron could not blame him; the man was a walking war crime.

“Young man, do you know history?” Cole, the American, spoke.

“Sir?”

“World War Two, General McAuliffe? Bastogne?” Cole wore a shark’s grin.

The officer looked back at him, and started to smile. Cameron and Burvechev stared blankly at each other at the Americans private joke.

“Sir, a reply from Earth...I don’t get it…” The Red Talon’s communications officer looked puzzled at his commanders.

Stragdoc called up the message, displaying it on his personal screen.

To the Psi-Omegan Commander,

NUTS!

Earth Alliance Command.

“Very. Funny. Is my cannon ready to fire yet?!” Stragdoc all but shouted.

“Five minutes, sir.”

“Alliance Headquarters is where? Vienna? It’s Vienna, yes?” Anger was pouring off the incensed Emperor in waves.

“Yes sir!” A crewman gasped through the stifling cloud of psychic anger that suffused the room.

“Move the Red Talon into position, I want those arrogant bastards’ blood atomized the very instant we are able to fire!”

“With the battle going on, it will be difficult to maneuver around our own ships-” the navigator, Truk, began before Stragdoc grabbed him by the throat.

“If they’re too stupid to get out of our way, let them DIE!” Truk wilted against the barrage of words, and hastily turned to obey his master once he was released.

Stragdoc stood in the center of the bridge now. I will burn the entire planet if I have to. There are other worlds. Then a fresh psychic shockwave rocked him.

“Calixta…” He breathed, and barked orders as he ran for the door. “Open fire as soon as we are in position! Issue our ultimatum afterwards, surrender or the planet burns!”