The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Chapter Ten



As the ship drifted toward the vast battlecruiser Jason looked to his Father, wondering what he was thinking, as he stared ahead, his gaze fixed on the leviathan.



James did not see the ship, he saw those on Earth who had sent him here and, for once he was grateful for the state sponsored courses for the unemployed that had enabled him to both build and pilot a ship such as that which he did now.



He then saw the world he’d known burn, with the green turn to black, as his fellow townspeople died, in horrific fashion.



Spring-coiled, the pilot of the smaller craft called back to his son, “We’re going to be flying under the ship, alright Jason?”



The youth nodded, wordlessly…



“You’re nodding aren’t you?” His Father enquired, hoping that he was and, that he might understand that his Father was looking out for him: “Well speak up lad, ‘cuz that don’t help me understand you, I’m no telepath!”



“Yes I understand,” Jason clarified, each word drawn out.



“And, I can understand sarcasm,” James told his son, without looking back, as he began preparing the timing sequence on the device in his lap.



“You know why we’re not being blasted out of the sky by them?” He asked of Jason, as they got nearer still and both were able to see the heavy armaments carried by the Telos battlecruiser.



“Erm no Father,” the young man answered, his nerves evident in his voice. He had realised that moment, just how endangered he had suddenly become.



“We’re just too small… frell son, as far as they’re concerned, we’re just another piece of floating rock and, it’ll stay that way until…” He wasn’t going to explain his plan, not yet. ‘After all,’ James mused, ‘if worst comes to worst, at least the lad will be safe in here and, the auto sequence will take him somewhere habitable.’



James wanted to know that his son would be safe… after…



“Alright lad, see that switch...?” He pointed just to the right on his son’s left shoulder.



“Uh-huh, I do…” Jason replied, noting where his Father meant.



“When I call ‘now’ you pull that lever, alright?” He enthused, hoping that all his years of teaching would not be needed and, they might both survive what was intended.



“Uh-huh I understand,” Jason assured his Father.



“Good,” James told him, as he stood and began to undress. Then once in his vest and pants, he opened a locker and withdrew an environmental suit.



“This I couldn’t make,” he explained as he dressed, “I was just fortunate that one of the ships I used had a few stowed away, for whatever reason. And, right now it’s going to suit my purpose…” he explained, as he donned the helmet.



Then James made his way to the rear of the ship, powered by its two engines on short wings. He twisted the wheel before him and, opened the hatch being careful not to drop the gift, he had so carefully prepared.



“When I say now, you pull that lever alright?” Jason heard through the ships comms.

He nodded, then realizing he had done so and spluttered aloud quickly, “I hear you!”



“Good,” James muttered aloud; “I came out here for three years. Now after two times ten, or so I figure; I’m due my payback…”



He looked down to the gift in his hands, wondering with ironic humour, whether his gift would be appreciated. He doubted it, he considered with a smile, seconds before telling his son, “Now!”



James pulled the lever and the airlock door opened, as the small craft passed below the much larger ship, carried by the gentle inertia produced from a measured burst from its thrusters awhile back.



He drifted upward, thankful for the secure tether that held him tied to his own ship, as he delivered his present, to its intended recipient, the ships engine housing.



The magnet held the device in place and then James began to pull on his line, to draw himself back into the small spacecraft.



“Lever, now!” he called out once back in the airlock, pleased his son’s responses were quick, as he was aware how little time was left, before his gift made its presence known.



“Yessir!” Jason answered quickly, as he followed his instruction and the outer door closed, as his Father made his way rapidly back to his seat.



“We have to go now Jason. I doubt they’ll like my delivery…” he muttered, as he began his pre-flight check.



“Drokk it,” he snarled, “I haven’t time for this!”



And, he was right. A small explosion erupted from the package, that tore at the field providing the ships hull integrity and a crack quickly formed in the casing around the battlecruisers engines.



With no sound to reach them, the two could watch in utter silence as a further series of explosions opened up throughout the large ship, causing it’s hull to fracture further, before a larger explosion tore the ship in to and thousands of people spilled from it’s many levels, their cries silent in the silent of space.



“Justice has been served…” James muttered, his face stone-like.



Then James powered up his own starcraft, directed it toward the stars far away and turned to his son, with a smile fixed firmly on his face: “You know Jason, this isn’t an end; this is just a kind of… new beginning and, our time to shine…”



Jason grinned at his Father and asked him, “So, will you tell me about me Great Nin?”



And as the craft entered uncharted space, James spoke with his blue-eyes twinkling with pleasure, as he told him of the old days and the old ways… times that were passed and, that could still be relevant, if he or his son chose…

Chapter Nine



Once the two were inside the cabin, the hatch above them was ratcheted home, with a hand-crank to the left of it.



“Limited electrics,” James explained apologetically, “but, I’m pretty sure it flies and can do what we need to do…”



“What’s that?” His son asked, still testing the strength of the crossed webbing that had been used to hold him to his seat.



“Get revenge on them that sent me here and did all you saw,” James told the youth, as he began a systems check.



Jason did not reply, or make comment. He could hear an edge to his Fathers voice he had not heard before and, it worried him.



After a short time passed, James turned his seat round, to face his son, “Okay,” he began, “The countdown has begun and ideally, soon we’ll be looking down on all this and looking for a few answers. You ready?”



The youth did not know how to answer, or whether he should; after all, it seemed his Father was on a personal mission and, it seemed he was just along for the ride: ‘quite literally’… he mused, as suddenly the ship roared into life.



Engines roared, then became silent as the main drive kicked in, whilst still planet side.

But, James was ready for what would happen next – having spent nearly twenty years preparing for this very event.



And, around him rock vibrated, shuddered and, then shattered, with a thunderous roar and, suddenly the homebuild was able to thrust through and it took to the skies.



James looked out the front screen, his grip on the joystick tight, his eyes alight with his desire to obliterate the threat to the world that he’d grown on.



‘Up there is my foe,’ he reminded himself, pulling back on the joystick so that the small spacecraft would begin its ascent.

Chapter Eight



Father and son watched their town be destroyed in silence. Neither could find the right words that would fit. Yet, as James watched the soldiers rip apart all that the three had created, he found voice.



“Jason, beneath my bedding there’s a door, open it… and get one of those rucksacks of gear and get down there, I’ll follow you. Alright?” He shouted, bringing his son back to this defining moment; one that he had planned for, over many, many years.



Jason rose and scampered to where the bags stood against the wall, “Which one?” He shouted, watching as his Father lay where he had, carefully taking aim, his face showing intense concentration.



“Doesn’t matter son,” his Father shouted back, “They’re all survival packs… Now go!” Jason ran, grabbed a shoulder-bag and scurried over to his Father’s bedroll, as James took his first shot.



The aim had been clear and true, with the target planted years earlier: an explosive, planted at the base of the communications array. The explosion produced a sonic wave that knocked over all those standing in its wake, prior to the fireball that that followed the second shot and, the second device, planted beneath the fuel dump…



And, as the sound of the explosion tore through the valley, the shock wave downing all three of the warcraft, Jason, and then James slid into a metal cylinder, which led them downward through the mountain, at tremendous speed.



“Father… where… are we going…?” Jason called out, into the dark, feeling terrified and exhilarated at the same time.



His arms folded across his chest, his heels pressed against the corrugated steel tubing, James slowed his descent, so that when they landed, it would not be on his son’s head.



“Just remember,” he called out, “this was never really meant for two…”



Then, as he finished speaking, a hatch slid open at his son’s approach and Jason found himself looking down into a well-lit cabin, with one seat below him, that he suddenly fell into, his fall being absorbed by the chair’s deep padding.



Feeling momentarily confused, as he looked round the small cockpit, Jason looked at the switches and flashing lights and, the second seat, just behind where he sat.



He liked the seat and, as he thought how comfortable it was, his Father landed upon him, laughing.



“Goddamn,” James yelled, “I’m damn glad that worked as well as it did!”

Chapter Seven



Having re-attained their formation, with one craft leading the other two, the three silverbirds flew high midst the clouds, then careened toward the winding river and the middle of the small town of Freedom; each with twin wing guns blazing with short purple beams of energy, that tore apart rock as easily as it disintegrated flesh.



Buildings of metal were ripped to shards and the people inside burnt within, their screams reaching the onlookers in the cave.



And, as townspeople ran from their buildings into the street at the sound of the approaching craft, they were quickly mown down, their bodies turning immediately into a cloud of bloody dust.



An energy blast hit a small fuel pump, which exploded, sending flames high into the air, sending shards of metal flying outward from the blast.



A piece of metal tore into Janice Deakin’s ankles as she ran, causing her to fall; thus her death was mercifully quick, for as her lifeblood ran out, she clutched at the earth as she watched her pupils run ahead, into a phalanx of armed and armoured soldiers, all prepared to deal death, for Telos.



Then as her vision rapidly diminished, with oncoming death, Janice heard one of the soldiers speaking into his wrist comm: “Their Freedom’s been acquired Ms. Teal. And, Telos has a new acquisition, as you wanted…”



“Very good Traynor, I can well imagine a few happy shareholders at that piece of news,” the Commander was told, “Now leave your men to mop up. You can help me celebrate...”



At this news Traynor pressed a button on his wrist unit, sending a high dose of stimulant through his system.



“Micheals…” He spoke through his internal comms to his men, “you’re in command, I have to go back to the ship…”



A moments silence followed, then he added, “…to report.”