The End of the Slavers: The Dawn of a New Era

[Mantrid Brizon]

Chapter 5: Loss.

“No!” Harvey shouts as he stands up. He rushes around the table, only to be held back by James and a few Lagos guards.

“Poor Jonathan…” Michael says as Jonathan’s head rolls down the steps towards the center of the docking hub. “He would have made a great minion.” Stepping backwards, he waves a hand and shouts “Slaves! Kill them all!”

The sound of boots echo through the tunnel, clanking on the floor panels as dozens of Michael’s drones rush through. They storm in and begin firing wildly. Many of them stop and stand in place as the fire, without attempting to use cover. The Lagos forces take their time, leaning out of cover to fire before stowing themselves again. The wave of drones is felled quickly, but soon another wave rushes into the docking hub, flooding out of the tunnel that leads to Governor Parr.

“Those damned drones…” Michael grumbles as he walks towards his ship, pushing past the next wave. Frank Tanner follows close behind. “If only they weren’t so simple minded.” He boards Governor Parr and walks towards the bridge; hundreds of drones are lined up and armed as he passes them. He approaches a series of control panels and stands next to his crew.

“The horde is armed and ready. How many shall I send, Master?” a crewmember asks, turning in their chair and looking up at Michael.
“All of them…” Michael answers.
“All 1,000?” the crewmember says. “Shouldn’t we save some of the drones for our own defense when we leave to colonize?”
“I see…” Michael begins, as he slowly turns his head to look down at his crewmember. “You must have a hearing problem.” He continues as Frank Tanner steps up, standing behind them.
“No sir…” the crewmember nervously responds.
“Send them all. All 1,000.” Michael says. “We can always make more, and cheap slaves are readily available to me…”

Back within the docking hub, George takes cover behind his crates as laser blasts flash around him. Smoke rises from the burn marks as he keeps his head down. Wave after wave of drones enter the docking hub, filling the large hall and packing the tunnel to the Governor Parr tighter than a can of sardines. Lagos forces take carefully aimed shots as they lean out of cover, dropping dozens of Michael’s drones. James and Harvey take turns; James fires a few rounds as Harvey utilizes his machine-blaster, firing multiple round bursts in rapid succession.

The battle rages on as Lagos forces slowly start to drop. As one Lagos soldier falls, another steps out from the corridor to the docking hub, quickly taking their place. Drones pour in opposite of the Lagos forces, arriving into battle faster than they’re being slain. The drones see George’s movement and quickly zero in. They fire scores of laser and plasma blasts at his pile of crates.

George can barely move from his barrier. He raises only his hand out of cover to fire; blast after fiery blast exits the gold barrel of his custom modified blaster. Soon, his blaster loses its charge. George sits down, his back up against the metal crates as he swaps out the battery for the one in his pants pocket. The drones attempt to spread out. George takes a few deep breaths, preparing himself.

He pulls in his legs and takes a squatting position. He waits for a lull in the firing, and then rushes back towards the Lagos forces. Drones fire at him wildly as he runs, zigzagging to avoid the burning rain. The drones seem focused and cease battling with the Lagos forces as they begin moving in to kill George.

“Protect him, damn you!” James yells to their troops.

George trips over a corpse and falls to the floor. With no chance to get back up, he looks to his left and sees a valley in the floor for piping to run through. He grabs hold of his sword sheath and keeps it pressed against his body as he rolls over the corpse and slips himself into the valley, hiding himself between the piping. The drones move in and fire wildly at the floor near George as the Lagos forces continue to drop them like flies.

James and Harvey stand up. James fires until his blaster loses charge and clicks harmlessly. James drops down behind his cover as Harvey fires burst after burst. A Lagos guard leans in and slides a fresh power cell across the floor towards James. He picks it up and quickly swaps them out as he leans back out of cover. Harvey’s machine-blaster also runs dry; he drops back down behind his cover and begins to swap power cells, then stops to look at the container of red liquid that he had taken earlier.

“We need to do something, Harvey!” James shouts.

Harvey grabs the container and stands back up, holding the container in one hand and his fully charged machine-blaster in the other. Aiming at the drones nearest to George, he fires burst after burst.

“Shoot the drones; push your fire from the front of the line to the back. We need to get them further back!”Harvey shouts.

James turns his head to look at Harvey, and sees the container at his side.

“Do it men. Push them back from George and our barrier!” James adds.

The Lagos forces stand up and fire well aimed volleys at the drones; they mow them down like grass as they push them back towards the tunnel to Governor Parr. Blood runs like a stream and pours down into the valley that George has hidden himself in. George groans in disgust as the blood spills over him and the iron smell fills his nostrils.

Reinforcements rush in to take the place of the fallen drones, but as the new troops charge in, Harvey holsters his machine-blaster and brings the container of red liquid to his chest.

“Get down!” Harvey yells. He twists his torso and draws back his arm as he lobs the container up and over the field of corpses. It flies towards the new drones and smashes onto the floor. A large fireball engulfs the drone reinforcements, as well as the entire opening of the tunnel they’re appearing from. Drones rush away from the fireball, flailing their arms as they scream in agony.

“Fire!” Harvey yells as he draws his machine-blaster. James, Harvey, and the Lagos forces concentrate their fire on the bright red flames that block their view of the tunnel. Laser and plasma rounds fly out of the inferno, returning the favor. Drones scream as they run around the docking hub floor, engulfed in flames. George pulls himself out from his hiding space in the floor, looking like death incarnate. Blood drips from his body and clothes as he stumbles out.

He takes a few steps towards the fireball, walking over a corpse. He looks on in amazement, before noticing the flailing and burning drones. He aims at the screaming, fire engulfed drones, and then shoots round after round. As they drop, two drones with only small fires on their arms and pants legs charge at him. George aims, but when he pulls the trigger, his blaster clicks. George had forgotten that the battery he had in his pants pocket was already partially drained earlier.

He steps backwards and stumbles on the corpse. He drops his custom blaster which slides across the floor towards his troops on the other side of the docking hub. As a drone lunges at him, he reaches out; grabbing the drone’s wrists, he sticks out his foot and throws the drone up and over him. He reaches for the brass handle of his Falcata sword, pulling it out of the sheath.

The 2nd drone lunges at him as he points the Falcata forward. The drone quickly impales himself on George’s sword. A rib cracks as the blade pushes through his body, the tip quickly protruding from his back. Blood runs over the blade and onto George’s chest as he rolls to the right, dropping the drone’s body to the ground. George places a foot on his adversary’s chest, pulling hard on the hook shaped handle of his sword, drawing it from its victim.

Standing quickly, he turns to see the first drone charging at him again. He lunges to the left as laser blasts suddenly fly past him, dodging the charge of the drone. The drone slips on the floor, but quickly regains his balance. George stands up and holds his sword out to his left, shifting the blade. He glares at the flaming drone, who charges yet again, screaming like a wild animal. George steps to the left, swinging his sword to the right as his enemy passes him.

The drone drops to his knees as his grips the place where his right arm used to be. He tries to take a knee as shock comes over him. George walks up to him as the fire begins to die down behind him. He turns to look at George, only to see him for a split second, as George swings the Falcata. The blade strikes the back of the neck and crushes the vertebrae, nearly severing his neck. His corpse falls to the floor as his head hands by a small piece of flesh.

“George!” James yells out.

George looks up, and then turns to see a perfectly healthy drone swinging at him with a retractable baton. He brings up his sword, turning the blade to the side as he parries the baton strike. Placing his palm on the flattened end of the blade, he pushes forward, causing his enemy to stumble. The drone regains his balance and brings up the baton as George brings up his sword. The baton comes down fast as George swings the sword. He strikes the baton and it flies out of its owner’s hand.

As he recovers from the swing, he pulls back and draws the sword across the drone’s torso on a diagonal angle. He kicks the drone’s knee, dropping them to the floor, and then brings the sword down with both hands, decapitating him. Looking up, he sees the fire has nearly burned itself out. As more drones with batons and electron-whips pour out through the charred entrance of the tunnel, George runs back towards the rearmost barricade.

“How many have they killed?!” Michael demands.
“Approximately 357 life-signs have been lost out of 1,000, Master!” a crewmember responds as they look at a screen on their control panel.
“Damn them…” Michael begins. He turns and walks down the corridors towards the tunnel. “Frank, I need you to get to your ship and prepare for launch. This has already been a setback.” He stops and turns toward Frank. “I will NOT tolerate another…” Michael finishes.
“Yes… Master…” Frank replies.

George slides across the floor near the leftmost corner of the barricade. A Lagos guard is kneeling behind it, holding George’s customized blaster by the barrel, the grip facing George.

“Here you are boss.” He says as he hands it to George. “I replaced the power cell for you. I wish I had a spare to give you too.”
“Thank you, soldier.” George says as he places his Falcata sword into his right hand. “Keep your head down and get ready for a fight.” George finishes as he grabs his blaster with his left hand.
“I’m always ready, boss! But if I keep my head down, how do you expect me to fight?” The guard replies with a chuckle.
“Good point.” George replies with a sinister smile.

The drones regroup and prepare for another full-on assault. The entire Lagos force can hear them charging what weapons they have left, unrolling the metal coil of their electron-whips, and extending their batons.

“What’s your name, soldier?” George asks, as he kneels behind the barricade.
“Zane, boss. They call me Zane.” He replies.
“Zane, eh? Try not to die, Zane.” George says as he stands up and takes aim.

Zane smiles and stands up as well, aiming his Needler rifle at the tunnel entrance. George raises his Falcata and calls out to the Lagos forces.

“Get ready, everyone. They’re going to make a move soon. Charge up your blasters, reload your Needlers, and make sure your batons, knives, or brass knuckles are ready. Reinforcements need to bring your spare power cells and ammunition to the front, and squeeze every man against the barricade as you can; stagger formation.”

The troops holding back in the corridor march in. They lay out spare ammunition as some of them take positions against the barricade, as ordered. James and Harvey walk around the back of the line towards George.

“It’s good to see you, brother.” James says with a smile. “I’d hug you, but you look worse than death.” He chuckles.
“I’m glad you’re still alive, James. Same to you Harvey. I’m glad you used that little ‘Bottle O’ Hell’. Smart thinking.” George replies.

Harvey nods, but remains silent. He turns towards the charred tunnel entrance and aims his machine-blaster.

“Let’s finish this…” Harvey murmurs.
“Yes. Michael needs to pay.” James adds.
“Don’t worry.” George says, looking over at his brother and only remaining Slaver. “We’ll kill ‘em all…”

---