19

- Cori'ax -

“That should do it.”

The pilot pulled up and banked hard to the left, and Cori'ax felt his heart in his mouth with the sudden change of direction. Behind them and down on the ground, there was a wall of white explosions from the little objects the armored dropship had shot from its weapons pod. The wave of insect-like Norp stopped right behind the explosions and froze in place. They would not advance any further in that direction.

“Perhaps,” he agreed. “They are contained now, certainly.”

“Just leaving them a path back home, so they don't think they're trapped,” the Earth pilot said in his earpiece.

Cori'ax didn't respond. That was Charlotte's tactics they were using, and it made him feel proud to think about that. Proud and sad.

He was the only Acerex warrior here. Everyone else was an Earthling, and they kept a respectful distance to him as they did their jobs and helped rid a planet of the alien invaders. Not the invaders of Earth, of course. But the invaders of Acerex. And they were doing a good job, as far as he could tell.

The dropship lurched and he had to grab the handrail beside his seat.

Well, perhaps they weren't doing quite as good a job as Charlotte had. Her flying was smoother than this, her precision better. She could skim closer to the surface and he was pretty sure she used less ammunition to get the same results. Or better results.

They were little things that set her apart from the other pilots, but when added up, even a dirt-faced grunt like Cori'ax could see that she was in a class of her own. Not just better than the Acerex pilots, but superior to her own kind, these hotshot pilots from Earth.

He looked out the window, saw the line of dropships flying slightly behind them.

Many hotshot pilots from Earth, newly arrived in their brand new armored ships. It had been Queen Harper who'd suggested it, but he was sure that it had been Charlotte's idea in the first place. It bore the signs of her thinking: combat pilots from Earth to support the Acerex squads. But not as a part of the Acerex army. Just allies working together, each with their own specialty. Acerex warriors on the ground, Earth dropships and pilots in the air. He'd been surprised to learn that similar arrangements were common on Earth, because Acerex had never had allies before, only enemies.

He had gone to the Friendship as ordered, and then, when he discovered that he would have time before this mission, he had trawled the entire spaceship looking for Charlotte. But she was clearly not aboard. She was also not participating in this mission. He longed to see her again, but he had no idea how he could find her now.

He was the only Acerex in this dropship, and he sat in the back of it with a handful of Earth pilots as observers. They would soon be flying their own dropships, and now they could see what it would be like.

They kept their distance to Cori'ax and sat along the other wall. Their flight suits reminded him so much of Charlotte he had first stared at them with an expression they probably couldn't decipher, and now they wanted to be on the safe side.

The ship lurched again, and he narrowly avoided hitting his head on the hard bulkhead. Green streaks from some kind of enemy missiles shot past the window, and the pilot threw the craft into a spiralling ascent. Cori'ax clenched the handhold with one hand and the hilt of his sword with the other.

“They've got more weapons than I thought,” the pilot said with a tight voice. “Hang on.”

The craft dived back down and there was an ominous creaking noise from the stubby wings. On this planet, the air pressure was a lot higher than on Acerex or Earth, and Cori'ax hoped that the pilot kept that in mind. The dropship was sturdy, but the air resisted its movement much more than he was probably used to.

Another two enemy missiles shot past, and Cori'ax swore, feeling helpless in the back of the shuttle. He hated not being in control in a way he hadn't felt when Charlotte was piloting – she was so obviously better than anyone he had ever seen behind the controls that he had felt pretty safe. Now he didn't.

The dropship hit a vortex of hard wind and bobbed and veered up and down and to all sides in a way that seemed chaotic.

Charlotte had flown his squad on this planet, under similar conditions, but that had been a much smoother ride. He had sometimes sat beside her in the cockpit, stealing glances of her face when she was so totally in her element. She was clearly happy when she was flying, never quite still, always gently nudging and predicting and reacting and avoiding, always in perfect control of the craft. Even to him it had been remarkable. She was born to fly, just like he was born to wield his sword.

There was a loud bang and the ship shook violently. The engine noise was suddenly much lower than before, and the cabin filled with a flashing red light. The Earth pilots across from him looked at each other, alarmed.

“Brace for impact,” the co-pilot shouted in his earpiece, and Cori'ax squeezed the handhold even harder and bent his head down to his knees the way Charlotte had taught everyone in the squad.

Then the shuttle shook and rattled and obviously scraped against the ground, because the noise inside was intense.

Then there was a deafening bang follwed by a sudden and deafening silence. Even the earpiece had gone silent.

Cori'ax looked up. The pilots across the aisle from him were looking out the little round windows, and they clearly didn't like what they were seeing.

“Shit,” his translator device said. “Those are some ugly-ass things.”

Yes, Cori'ax thought to himself, the Norp were unusually unappealing to look at. But he was more worried right now about the air, which was suddenly much harder to breathe. He immediately saw why – the rear of the shuttle had been torn partly off and was open to the alien atmosphere. He was breathing much thicker air than he was used to.

And if the shuttle was open to the air around it, then the Norp could probably get in, too. They could not be far away – the ship had still been flying over the battlefield when it crashed.

He drew his sword, went back to the rear of the shuttle and crouched down.

Yes, there they were. Dirty-white and partly translucent aliens with waving spears and antennas and huge metallic mandibles.

He turned his head. “Do you have any weapons?”

The Earthling pilots showed him their small, black handguns and his heart sank in his chest. They would need larger weapons than that to make an impression on the Norp that were on the way towards the crashed shuttle.

Well, at least he had his sword. He would fight until the end.

He climbed through the jagged hole in the craft and took up station outside. The Norp were small little beings, but they moved fast and there was very many of them. The dense air filled his nose and the alien, chemical smell from the mist all around him almost made him retch. It was not a good place to die, but nobody ever had a choice in that.

The Earthlings came out after him and checked on the pilot, but the shuttle had landed with the cockpit first, and it was buried into the alien soil, flattened and destroyed. Only the passengers in the back had survived the crash.

The Earthlings took up defensive positions, and Cori'ax had no idea if what they did made any sense. He had never fought with guns. But they seemed pretty confident, even if they weren't battle soldiers, but pilots.

“Probably better if you get out of the way, warrior,” one of them called to him.

He jerked into a crouch when they started shooting past him with red rays. The sounds from their weapons were hard and flat, and after each one, an approaching Norp would fall over and create some confusion among the others as they scrambled to get around it. Clearly the Earthlings were good marksmen. But there were thousands of Norp and only a handful of defenders, and the aliens still came for them from all sides.

“Get down!” someone yelled, and Cori'ax hit the ground. A wall of fire suddenly erupted among the closest Norp, and soon after, an Earth dropship screamed overhead.

Ah. They had seen the crash and were now doing their best to alleviate the situation with bombs or other weapons from above.

More bombs from other ships hit the enemy around them, and when the smoke cleared, there were only scattered pockets of Norp left nearby, and they were now moving away from the crashed dropship.

Cori'ax got to his feet again and looked around, not really able to believe what he was seeing. Two of the dropships were landing right by them, and the Earthling pilots were now running towards one of them in an ordered formation, still firing their guns at the now distant enemy.

For a moment Cori'ax just stood there, frozen. He hadn't swung his sword even once, and now his Earth allies were making their escape from the battle. Were they not going to stay and fight? Well, it would make some sense, of course. No reason why they should sacrifice any more for Acerex than they already had. Two pilots were lying dead in the wreckage.

The first shuttle shot up from the surface as the survivor had entered it, but the other one remained on the ground as if it was waiting.

“Hey, warrior,” said an amplified voice in clearly translated Acerex. “We can see that you want to admire the view, but we'd also think you should get in here. As in, right fucking now.”

He looked around, confused. Were they talking to him?

“Yeah, you. You can't do much good on your own here. Mission accomplished. Home to beer and pizza. Or the Acerex equivalent.”

He walked towards the craft, confused and uncertain. He took a step up and inside, but before he could sit down he was pinned to the deck by the shuttle's acceleration as it left the planet at what he knew was close to full speed. Soon the rocky field below became just a part of a continent, and the Norp were nowhere to be seen.

He finally placed his sword back in its scabbard, unused in combat or the first time ever.

He'd been rescued.

By Earthlings.

- - -

The shuttle landed in the Friendship's giant hangar and Cori'ax stepped out, locating the craft's pilot and walking up to him.

“My life is yours,” he said and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The rescue pilot looked up from his pad with big, brown eyes. “Huh?” The translator device conveyed his confusion.

“You saved me in a battle situation. From certain death. Thus I owe you my life.” It was a little strange to have to explain it. Any Acerex warrior would have understood and accepted.

“That's my job, all right,” the pilot said and made some marks on his pad, peering back at the weapons pod as if to check how much ammunition he had used. “And it's the best job in the universe. You don't owe me shit, dude.”

Cori'ax started to feel silly, trying to convince someone that he was in some ways a captive now. Should he press the point? “I feel that I do.”

The pilot stroked his hand along the fuselage of the craft, putting a finger into a hole with jagged edges. “Huh. Thought I felt a little jerk when we took off from there. Just missed a power box, too. Looks like those bugs have some ranged dumb weapons after all.” He glanced over at Cori'ax with what looked like mild amusement. “No, you don't, warrior. Really. Hey, we were briefed about the 'captive' tradition you guys got going for rescue stuff. We don't do that. This time I got you out, just as ordered. Next time, who knows. You'll be saving my ass, maybe. You owe me nothing. I don't want a captive or slave in any way. That's only between Acerex. And if you ask me, pardon the lack of diplomacy, it's stupid as fuck. Get going now, warrior. You're in my way.”

The pilot gave him a little smile to take the edge off, then busied himself under the wing.

Cori'ax stood there forlornly for a moment, then slowly sauntered off across the hangar deck.

'Stupid as fuck'? Yes, that was the way it had felt. That tradition was probably ripe for the grave. Like so many other traditions after the Earthlings had arrived.

He stopped and turned around, counting the ships that had just come in. Three of the dropships had been lost, including his. Earth dropships with Earthlings for crew. How many had died? How many Earthlings had died for Acerex that day? On an alien planet so far from home that they could only just about spot their own Sun in the night sky if they knew exactly where to look?

Earthlings fighting and dying for Acerex. Bravely. Like warriors.

Like Charlotte. She had risked her life, truly and genuinely. With no pretense. She'd done it willingly. And today, these other ones had, too. And they had rescued those who were stranded, expecting no reward.

Were these the acts of enemy invaders who wanted the Acerex ill? Or the acts of friends who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their new friends for no obvious reason except that they were true friends?

He frowned, lost in thought. Surely no enemy would do anything like that. Surely that was evidence of true friendship-

“What do you think, warrior?”

He turned around, relieved to have that thought interrupted. Queen Harper came towards him, alone, without her bodyguards. Reflexively Cori'ax looked around, checking his surroundings for any threats against the royal. He instinctively knew that he was responsible for her safety as long as she was close. He would guard her with his life without a second thought.

There were no threats and he bowed slightly. “Your Highness. I think it's good.”

She came to a stop. “I thought you'd appreciate it. More than most warriors would.”

Cori'ax kept his face neutral. On one hand he wanted to smile at the prospect of having many of the Earth dropships support the Acerex army. On the other hand, he had little to smile about at that moment. He had taken it for granted that Charlotte would be somewhere aboard, and that she would want to see him, too. But no.

“Indeed, Your Highness. Yes, I appreciate it. We need this.”

Half the hangar on the Friendship was filled with a long row of modern Earth-made dropships of the same type as the one that Charlotte had flown for his squad. These were brand new and shone brightly in the light. They had been slightly upgraded to fit the Acerex needs, probably as specified by Charlotte.

Harper stroked a hank of hair out of her face. “That's what Charlotte told me. We've had so many pilots apply for this duty, we'll be able to give you the best ones. They'll still be under Earth command, but they'll be detached to the Acerex army. Your squad can have first pick of them.”

Cori'ax looked away. “I believe my first pick is no longer available.”

Harper smoothed down the front of her simple jumpsuit. Nobody would suspect her of being the queen of a whole planet, Cori'ax reflected. She looked like any civilian worker. Except that her name tag just read HARPER instead of the family name, like everybody else's did. He approved of it. She knew who she was. She had the warrior in her, too, just like Charlotte. How could he have missed it?

She looked past him, out of the huge hangar doors. “I think she might come back to active duty. But if you want her, you'll have to fight me for her. I'll want her to command this unit. I'm sure I can't pry her out of the pilot's seat, so she'll be a very hands-on leader. But still, I don't want Charlotte attached to any one squad. Unless it's her own and she's its captain.”

Cori'ax grunted. The logic was obvious. But it probably took Charlotte out of his reach forever. “I suppose that makes sense, Your Highness.”

She fixed her brown eyes on him, and for a change there was no warmth in them. “When it's just the two of us, you can call me Harper. We're friends, I believe. Yes, it does make sense, doesn't it? From one thing to another, Cori'ax: when I said 'what do you think', I meant it literally. What do you think about Earthlings on Acerex? Aliens on your home planet? Influencing your whole society and culture? Ruining your traditions? Changing the ways things have been for centuries? Tell me. Now.”

The question came out of the blue and hit him like a sledgehammer. His mind reeled and he almost took a step back from the shock of it. He'd wanted to avoid thinking about it, now more than ever.

But now it was like a landslide in his mind, as everything came to a head. This was it. He had to make up his mind. She knew. The queen knew what he had been thinking. Somehow. And she had spoken right into his mind.

“Your queen requires a response, warrior. Right now.”

He'd never suspected that the usually so informal Harper was capable of such an icy tone. It hit him like a whip and he had to answer. He could not get away from this and still expect to retain any honor.

She had commanded him. She stood there, unprotected, in her simple jumpsuit with no sign of her status. And yet it was more effective than if she'd been in full regalia with two squads of warriors at her side.

It was clear. She was the queen and he was a warrior. Perhaps she couldn't give him orders in battle. But here and now, he was at her command, as it had to be in any warrior society. She had every right to protect her kingdom.

Or was she protecting Charlotte? The idea that she would need to be protected against him was like a dagger in his heart.

He took a deep breath between clenched teeth. “I ... I hated it.”

“And now?”

He faced her full on, towering over her. Still he felt small. “And now ... I don't.”

She held his gaze for three heartbeats. Then she must have seen that he was sincere, because her eyes went mild again, and a smile was playing on her lips. “That's a reply as good as any. I can see you mean it. I had to ask. I know that many warriors are skeptical of all aliens, and I actually understand why. But you, Cori'ax, you can't be in doubt anymore. Shall I explain why?”

“No, Your High- Harper. It's not necessary. I understand. I don't hate the Earthlings being here anymore. What happened today is proof good enough. But the main reason is Charlotte.”

Yes, finally he did understand. Anyone who had been close to Charlotte or Harper or any of their friends would realize within less than a minute that the Earthlings were not enemy invaders. Anyone would see it. Except him, of course. He was too stupid and too stubborn. He had lived with her for months without having the guts to think the thought to its conclusion, to consciously say what he knew deep down was true: It's real. The Earthlings are friends.

First he felt it as a pang of sorrow. He had been wrong.

Then the brightness took over. He had hardly dared think about it. If the Earthlings were indeed friends, the alliance would be impossible to defeat and Acerex would be safe forever. It was true!

His hand went to his forehead in disbelief. How stupid could you get? Spirits, had she ever chosen the wrong warrior to spend that first night with.

And for all that was holy, he had to see her again! To apologize. To beg for forgiveness that he had been so slow to see her goodness and honesty. And to see if-

An explosion of light went off in his mind, so intensely that he could feel the heat from it in his whole body. It was a good explosion, something he would only know once in a lifetime. And at its core ...

Yes! Of course! It was all so obvious. The Earthlings were friends, and so he could allow that thought now. The gates in his minds were open, finally he could think freely.

Charlotte was ...

He pictured her in his mind, her otherworldly face, her round shape, her soft, melodious voice with a hint of a rasp to it, her determined look when she was behind the controls of a shuttle, the way she would sigh in delight when she opened her legs for him. His mind contained all of her and tried to show him all of it at the same time, tried to shove every emotion she roused in him to the forefront of his consciousness at the same instant. Thousands of happy moments, blissful experiences, glorious seconds where she was all his and he was all hers. All came together in one and blocked out everything else, and it was the most wonderful experience he'd ever had. It changed him, then and there. Nothing would ever be the same.

He was distantly aware that he was laughing. Of course! It could be no other way.

Charlotte was ... she was ...

Harper reached out for him. “Are you all right, Cori'ax?”

He couldn't reply. The huge hangar spun around him. He found nothing to grasp for support. He heard Harper give a surprised cry, and his first thought was that he had to call for someone to relieve him in guarding the queen, because he was going down and would no longer be able to.

The deck hit his knees, hard.

“My Mahan,” he sighed, and then he knew nothing more.