Welcome to the second-to-last chapter.
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Chapter 5.5
And Hell’s Coming With Me
December 21, 1928 A.D.
HMS Felnas, Killshot Orbit above Asalele, Qurus Star System, Levakian Confederation
Tantomile was getting dizzy. The world spun around her and she occasionally hit a wall as she made her way along the corridors of the Felnas’ interior. Ahead of her, Amaya, Toa Nanui, Korova, and King Admetus were all having the same trouble. The Partogans, with their smaller bodies, seemed to be suffering more so than the Levakians.
The enemy was having the exact same problem. The men and woman who crewed the Felnas were also irradiated, but they were not enjoying the benefits of Combat Drugs. Every volley of wildly inaccurate gunfire the Felnas crew sent towards Tantomile and her team was countered with pinpoint sniper fire from the invading Levakians.
“Has anyone seen the Paradox yet?” Tantomile wheezed into her radio.
“Negative. No sign.” Was the reply.
Tantomile didn’t get it. The Ark Angel was definitely docked to the Felnas. Where the hell was that damned Snowskin!?
Lost in thoughts, Tantomile ran headlong into another wall. The impact felt jarring, but it restored her focus just in time! The sound of Gauss Rounds flying past her head made the Empress look around.
King Admetus and Toa Nanui had forced their way into a galley, where the crew was only putting up a half-hearted defense. Some of the soldiers collapsed to the floor and waited patiently for death after firing only a few shots. While her forces took the galley, Tantomile found a wash basin and dunked her whole head into it. When did the sensation of water on her face become so painful?
“How long do we have?” She asked no one in particular.
“We’ll be finished in about an hour.” Toa Nanui coughed.
“Give or take.” Amaya added.
“No, I’m not talking about us.” Tantomile gasped. “The gun… the-the Wrath Cannon. How long do we have?”
“I’m not sure.” Toa Nanui said. “If they already started the firing sequence, we might be running out of time already.”
Toa Nanui moved across the galley and stopped to use a computer terminal. His hands were shaking and sweaty, causing his fingers to slip on the keys:
Cmd_usr/ status report: man weapn
Sys/ Syntax Error!
Cmd_usr/ status report: main weapon
Sys/ Authorization?
Toa Nanui waved at Hakara, who pulled a military Command Card out of his pocket and slid it into the reader.
Cmd_usr/ Authorization: Vice Admiral Maui Patariki, Partogan Royal Navy
Sys/ Weapon charging. 50% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 15 minutes.
“Shit!” Amaya gasped. “They’ve already started the firing sequence!”
“How do we shut it down?” Korova asked.
Hakara took over the computer and pulled up a map of the Felnas’ interior.
“The Cannon Control room is here.” He began. “There’s an armory on the same deck about a hundred Bios this way. We overrun the armory, stock up. Then we push the CCR. Get inside. If the main weapon’s about to fire, then the Captain will be in there with his Command Card. We get it, then abort the firing sequence.”
“We need a backup plan in case this all goes wrong.” King Admetus started to say, but Tantomile cut him off.
“Too easy. We blow up the whole ship. Not like it matters if we’re still aboard or not. We go with Nanui’s plan. Push the armory, force the Control Room. It’s the most direct path that takes the least time.”
“It also has the heaviest resistance.” Amaya chimed in. “We’ll die if we charge straight in.”
“We’re dead either way.” Tantomile said. “Everyone check your weapons and ammo. Admetus, call up the other teams. Everybody’s gonna hit the same target. Maximum force.”
…
Weapon charging. 65% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 13 minutes.
…
There is nothing more terrifying in this Universe than the sight of a Pride of Lions charging towards oneself. No words can describe the terror and panic that swept through the Felnas’ Armory as it was beset on all sides by a hundred heavily armed and drug-enhanced Lions.
Fully grown men wept and whimpered as they laid down their arms and begged for their lives. (Which surprised Tantomile and a few others) A significant number of soldiers accepted, nay, welcomed death by gunfire as preferable to death by radiation sickness. A few of these people offered token resistance and intentionally missed their shots. (Which surprised no one.)
With the armory fully under her control, Tantomile ordered everybody to rearm and equip themselves with “anything you can carry.” It only took her warriors a few minutes to completely strip the armory of everything of military value. Meanwhile, Tantomile reunited with her companions. Amaya, Toa Nanui, Arahu, Rapati, Hakara, Tumeric, Admetus, and Korova had all disposed of their original weapons and were now carrying heavy Magnetic Cannons. In any other situation, Tantomile would have objected to letting every member of the squad carry a fully automatic machinegun, but this was not “any other situation.” She gave her comrades an approving look. They gathered around her, and spoke together as a group one last time.
“Everybody knows the plan?” Tantomile asked.
“Get into the Cannon Control Room.” Rapati began.
“Kill everyone in there.” King Tumeric continued.
“Get the Captain’s command card.” Korova elaborated.
“Shut down the Wrath Cannon.” Arahu contributed.
“If Akira shows up?” Tantomile inquired.
“Kill her too.” Amaya growled.
“And if it goes wrong?” Admetus chimed in.
“I’ll use the Captain’s command card to trigger the self-destruct.” Tantomile finished. “It's the only way to be sure.”
The companions looked around each other one last time. Everybody nodded at one another silently and grimly.
“Anything else you want to say, Empress?” Admetus asked.
A murderous look flashed in Tantomile’s eyes. As she spoke, her warriors gathered around to hear their Empress speak before leading them all into battle.
“Words don’t matter anymore.” She said. “Good, innocent people are dead. If that doesn’t piss you off, then why are you here right now? Akira... the Paradox... She’s a coward. She never stands and fights, she just runs away after the first hit. She’s never had to take on anyone who’s got nothing left to lose. She’s never had to fight us. And when she does... we’ll put the fear of Riri Nui into her! Akira wants to control our destinies and write our future for us, and this is the moment we break free! Today, we’ll show Akira that we are masters of our own fate! We chose our own destiny! We will FIGHT AND DIE on our terms! Today, Akira thinks Asalele is going to be destroyed, and eleven million innocent lives snuffed out... all because it’s what she wants! We’re going to prove her wrong! The people of Asalele will live because of us! They will be free to make their own destinies and Akira will not be allowed to say a damn thing about it! Now every lion and lioness, every man and woman who dares to live, fight, and die free... FOLLOW ME!!”
…
Weapon charging. 75% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 11 minutes.
…
It was an explosive symphony of violence and destruction! One hundred Levakians and five Partogans erupted out of the armory and into the main corridor. Tantomile led the charge, roaring until the walls seemed to shake and the floor trembled! Too loud to comprehend, tens of thousands of Gauss Rounds sped down the hallway and annihilated the defenders! The surviving crew of the Felnas scattered like leaves before the attackers!
Any man who resisted for more than a second was met with overpowering gunfire. Entire sections of Protosteel wall were demolished in moments as Arahu, Rapati, Hakara, Amaya, and Toa Nanui fired their Mag Cannons indiscriminately from the hip. Dozens of blast doors were closed and emergency bulkheads sealed in a desperate effort to stop Tantomile and her allies, but their luck held. Six or seven Cannons were trained on each obstruction until the way was clear again. Finally, at the end of a very long hallway, Tantomile could see a reinforced doorway. The label on it was too far away to see, and Tantomile’s vision was growing foggier by the minute. But she was certain this doorway led to the Cannon Control Room.
“Secure that intersection!” Tantomile ordered, “Fan out and kill everyone you meet!”
Breaking up into groups of six or seven, Tantomile’s invaders forced their way into every door, nook, and cranny. No mercy was shown to anyone found hidden away. There was no time to search the dead or loot the area. Tantomile’s forces quickly began to reconvene. Within minutes, Arahu had brought confirmation: This reinforced door led to the Cannon Control Room itself, and the command staff was inside.
At Tantomile's command, the huge force of invading lions gathered around the area, blocking off all three doors that led into the room. Amaya, Korova, Admetus, and Tumeric all helped their fellow soldiers bring forth breaching charges. The final assault was going to be overwhelming and brutal.
Tantomile pressed her ear to the reinforced door and listened. There was a male Partogan voice speaking inside.
“Ihanga, launch the marker beacon and note the time in the log. ‘Control room assaulted by Levakians. Escort still absent.’ Himona, get her a gun!”
Then a serene computerized voice spoke up from inside the Cannon Control Room:
“Weapon charging. 80% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 9 minutes.”
Tantomile stepped back from the door.
“Breach and clear!”
One! Two! Three sets of breaching charges detonated! Behind her, Tantomile felt a huge rushing of air as the blast door separated from the wall and fell to the floor. Then she heard voices on both sides yell:
“GRENADE!!”
The first blast nearly overwhelmed her, it was so close! Nearly twenty lions were killed instantly! Tantomile could have sworn she’d seen King Tumeric go down in the blast, but there was no time to count the dead! Tantomile screamed to her soldiers:
“For Levakia! For your families! For Asalele!”
The boarding party swarmed into the Cannon Control Room and into a brutal, body-crushing melee!
Pistols and knives flashed in the dim light! Claws and teeth sank into flesh, and the manes of many Levakians turned red with blood in the first few seconds, but the Felnas’ crew fought back intensely! Bodies began to pile up around the doors and in the middle of the room, but over the heads of the fighters, Tantomile could see her objective at long last:
“Weapon charging. 90% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 5 minutes.”
The Cannon Control Mainframe computer took up most of the back wall, and those ominous words were repeated across nearly a dozen screens. Crouching down near it and taking cover behind an overturned workbench were four Partogans Tantomile actually recognized. They had once been crew members of the same Ion Cannon Frigate Kendra had served aboard before her Royal Election. Tantomile didn’t have time to do anything with this information though.
She’d stood still for a second too long!
WHAM!
A Gauss Round hit Tantomile’s flank and sent her to the ground, hard! Amidst the chaos of moving feet, falling bodies and shell casings, the Empress focused more on standing up again rather than checking to see where she’d been shot. As she got back on all fours, she felt a Partogan hand grabbing the top of her head! Tantomile didn’t hesitate! Before the Felnas crew member could even raise his pistol, the white lioness was upon him! With one paw, Tantomile crushed the man’s gun-hand, and with the other, she pinned him to the ground by his chest! Then Tantomile opened her jaws wide and engulfed his entire skull! The sound of crunching bone and spurting blood filled Tantomile with new energy! The blinding pain in her side became a dull ache, and she charged into the main battle with a new kind of fury!
Around her, things were starting to go the way of the attackers! Overwhelmed by both drugged-up lions and the effects of radiation sickness, the crew of the Felnas was starting to give way to the crew of the Shieldbreaker 2.
King Admetus, Arahu, and Korova surged forth with a strike team from the left! Arahu grabbed a server bank with both hands and pulled it out of its frame, turning it into new cover for the Levakian attackers. Arahu was punished for his efforts by being shot nearly twenty times by the enemy, he collapsed on top of the low cover, and Korova braced his Slugthrower Rifle on Arahu’s body. Korova fired a blast that took out two defenders in one hit!
On Tantomile’s other side, Amaya, Hakara, Toa Nanui, and Rapati were tearing their way through Kendra’s old crewmates. Ihanga Waaka was the first to fall, she had gotten too close to Rapati’s bionic arm and he had crushed her throat while shooting her in the chest with his free hand. Tirowaru Himona had shot Toa Nanui in the shoulder, the Prison Warden’s return shot had been lethally accurate. Homai Kewhena, who had once come within a second of radically changing history, was floored by a seemingly battle-crazed Amaya; leaving Hakara to face Ourangi Pipiri alone. Kendra’s father was carrying an empty rifle, all rounds had been fired, and yet he was still dangerous! Ourangi was faster on the draw, shooting Hakara in the chest once before the Time Traveler was upon him! Hakara swung his rifle wildly, striking Ourangi over the head and knocking him to the ground… where a small metal object roughly the size of a playing card fell out of his hand… The Command Card!
Tantomile stopped everything she was doing and began fighting her way through the sea of melee fighters to reach the spot where she’s seen the Command Card fall. Hakara slumped against the Cannon Control Mainframe and slid to the floor, leaving a bloody trail for Tantomile to follow. She was right there! Her tail and flank were brushing up against the Mainframe computer! She could see the Command Card on the floor, between the legs of a slain lion. To her left, the screens flicked past!
“Weapon charging. 95% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 3 minutes.”
A Felnas crew member got in Tantomile’s way! The man grabbed Tantomile by her shoulders and held her in place! Panicking, Tantomile threw all of her hopes and desperation into a single thought, a frantic, last-ditch play! She reached out with one paw and focused all of her remaining willpower into the Psionic Amplifier strapped to her arm! Telekinetic energy rippled across the tiny little battlespace and enveloped the Command Card, and then it shot through the air, pulled by the power of Tantomile’s thoughts! The little metal card hit Tantomile’s paw and stuck to it as through it were magnetized!
And then…
“SHE’S HERE! SHE’S BEHIND US! THE PARADOX IS ATTACKING FROM BEHIND!!”
King Admetus’ voice carried over the battle and caused Tantomile’s heart to sink. A new noise was beginning to surge across the Cannon Control Room. It was like a rapidly approaching thunderstorm, or a tornado that had just touched down, or the storm surge of a powerful hurricane.
Akira was here. She was cutting through all of the fighters, Felnas and Shieldbreaker 2 alike. And Tantomile didn’t need to guess where she was going.
Tantomile slashed the man in front of her with her claws, then turned back to the computer and started to frantically jam the Command Card into the reader!
“Weapon charging. 98% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 1 minute.”
Tantomile dropped her weapon and focused her efforts entirely on the computer in front of her! She started to punch in the abort command when-
“AAAUUUGHHH!!”
Tantomile was shot a second time!
She whirled around to see Homai Kewhena, barely clinging to life, laying on the floor behind her and lining up his pistol for another shot at Tantomile’s back! She started to lunge at him, but Admetus and Amaya beat her to the punch. They descended on Homai with incredible, bloody violence, while Amaya screamed:
“Tanty! Go! Now’s your chance!!”
Tantomile returned to the computer and had barely put one paw on the keyboard when a massive wave of psionic energy rolled rough the battleground! Pain unlike anything Tantomile had ever felt before course through her body, more intense even that two fresh gunshot wounds! It took all of her strength and determination to remain on her feet! It took all of Tantomile’s focus to keep pressing keys even though the battlefield had fallen nightmarishly silent behind her. It took all of her remaining physical strength to lift her battered and irradiated paw and insert the Command Card into the reader.
Sys/ Weapon systems fully charged. The Wrath Cannon is ready to fire.
Cmd_usr/ Shutdow-
Tantomile never finished typing the word. She heard the footsteps behind her, but didn’t have time to react! A Telekinetic force grabbed the lioness around the middle and began to forcefully pull her away from the computer! Tantomile dug her claws into the machine and defiantly screamed:
“NO!”
Pulling with irresistible power, Akira separated Tantomile from the computer and threw her all the way across the room! Tantomile saw a sea of bodies beneath her before she hit the wall and crumpled to the floor! But there was no time to think, no time to plan! The Empress got back to her feet as quickly as possible, and she saw she wasn’t the only one to survive Akira’s first attack. Rapati, Amaya, King Admetus, and Korova were all still on their feet! They all had weapons drawn, and they formed one final wall, one last barrier between Akira and the Wrath Cannon! Standing shoulder to shoulder, the four fighters were battered, bloody, and visibly broken, but they weren’t dead yet, and when they saw Tantomile rising to her feet behind Akira, Tantomile noticed their sprits rising as well.
Akira the Paradox seemed to be sizing up her opponents. She flexed her arms and activated her Celestial Gauntlets, then she quietly said in Partogan:
“Get out of my way.”
When no one moved, she repeated the command in Levakian. Still nothing. Akira took a step forward, towards the computer and the four remaining fighters… and they all charged at her, while Tantomile pounced from behind!
Akira deflected Rapati with one arm and with the other, punched Admetus in the face! Some kind of powerful charge ran through his entire body and the great lion convulsed terribly before falling to the floor, dead. Tantomile sprang into the air and dove down towards the Paradox, who swept her hand through the air and blew Tantomile away as through she were a leaf caught in a strong wind! Tantomile hit the wall a lot harder this time and took a little longer to get up. Korova got around Akira’s side and pointed a Slugthrower rifle at the side of Akira’s head! She gave him the quickest of glances and the entire weapon exploded in Korova’s paws!
Rapati and Amaya attacked together while Tantomile closed the distance! Rapati grabbed Akira’s left arm and tried to crush the Celestial Gauntlet with his bionic arm! Akira activated the Gauntlet and a Shard Blade extended outwards, impaling Rapati in the chest! With his final moments, Rapati wrapped both of his arms around Akira and forced himself closer to her. Akira struggled and tried to pull herself away from him, not noticing Tantomile and Amaya both closing in around her!
Amaya got to Akira first! Unarmed, she got behind Akira and wrapped her right arm around the Paradox’s throat!
“This is for Nya, you monster!” Amaya shrieked, squeezing as tightly as she could!
Then, a second later, Tantomile reached Akira, reared up to her full height and raised one paw, claws extended, and started to deliver the killer blow!
Akira got one hand free and reached up behind her. Amaya’s entire body burst into flames! Enveloped in the white-hot inferno, Amaya released Akira and began to roll around on the floor, screaming until her breath was gone and her body lay still! Akira deactivated her Shard Blade, allowing Rapati’s corpse to fall to the floor, and then side-stepped Tantomile’s attack!
Tantomile’s claws raked the front of Akira’s body, slashing her breast and belly! Akira screamed as her white shirt was finally stained with her own blood. The Paradox staggered backwards and looked up at Tantomile. For half-a-second, Tantomile’s purple eyes stared deep into Akira’s blue ones. The white lioness saw the Paradox’s fury turn into rage.
They lunged at each other! Akira went high, Tantomile went low! Striking the Paradox in the belly, Tantomile took the wind out of Akira and pushed her all the way to the floor! Landing on her back in between two piles of bodies, blood splattered everywhere and stained Akira’s entire outfit! Tantomile landed on top of Akira, opened her mouth wide, and closed her vice-like jaws around Akira’s chin and neck!
And then… pain. Unimaginable, incomprehensible PAIN surged through Tantomile’s body as she was stabbed! Then she was stabbed a second time!
Akira had pressed both of her Celestial Gauntlets to Tantomile’s chest and belly and had activated the Shard Blades! Tantomile fought viciously to maintain her vice grip on Akira’s throat, but the Paradox retracted her Shard Blades and then extended them again, stabbing Tantomile a third and fourth time! Tantomile’s body didn’t obey her commands anymore. Her grip slackened, her legs gave out… and she finally collapsed. Using Telekinesis, Akira pushed Tantomile’s limp body to one side and stood up.
Tantomile could feel her heart thundering frantically! She could sense every drop of blood and adrenaline coursing through her body as she began to crawl across the blood-soaked floor, between the bodies. Gasping and panting for every breath, Tantomile traced Akira’s bloody footprints and followed her back towards the Cannon Control Mainframe.
Desperate, Tantomile panted and yelled at Akira:
“Stop. Stop! Don’t do this!”
Ahead of her, Akira was completely drenched in blood. When she turned back to look at Tantomile, the Empress understood why Sebakhira had once described her as a “nightmare.” The look Akira gave Tantomile would cause most deep-space Leviathans to cower with fear.
“I have to.” Akira said quietly, but forcefully. “The future depends on it. This is the only way.”
“Like hell it is!” Tantomile spat from the floor. “Nothing good comes from eleven million people being murdered!”
“The future won’t be perfect without this!” Akira shouted. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Perfect!?” Tantomile would have laughed if she wasn’t in so much pain. “Don’t be an idiot. You can’t build a perfect future on a mountain of bodies and rubble.”
“You’re wrong.” Akira hissed. “When I’m done, trillions of people across the Galaxy will be safe and happy. I’m saving the future for everyone!”
Tantomile scoffed and tried to crawl again, but her legs no longer responded.
“And how many people would want to live in a future built on the graves of untold millions of innocents?”
“How many would even know?” Akira retorted. “How many would care?”
“You and me.” Tantomile answered.
The Paradox picked up a Gauss Pistol from the floor.
“No.” she said. “Just me.”
Akira took aim and fired! Tantomile felt the bullet enter her neck, and the pain alone nearly overwhelmed her. With each second, her vision got foggier, the sound became softer and tinny. Tantomile knew it was over, but that didn’t mean she would give up here at the end. Putting one paw in front of the other, Tantomile dragged herself through the blood and the bodies. She couldn’t look up anymore, her head… didn’t seem to be working right. Akira’s feet were just out of reach… and the river of blood leaving Tantomile’s neck felt warm and soft, as did this floor… Tantomile was so sleepy… and the room as getting darker now… as though Tantomile was going down a tunnel… a tunnel with no light at either end… she was so… so sleepy now, and putting one paw in front of the other was such hard work. She just needed to rest, just for a moment. There was a sound... a soothing, relaxing voice… like a melody, or a lullaby… Tantomile let out a deep, rattling sigh as the serene voice lulled the last vestiges of her consciousness away…
Weapon systems fully charged. The Wrath Cannon is ready to fire. Commencing primary ignition.
Weapon engaged.
Commencing surface delivery.
Surface impact confirmed.
Surface temperature fifteen-twenty-three and climbing.
Estimated immediate casualties: Ninety-eight percent.
Surface temperature seventeen-forty-two and stable.
Standby for planetary destruction in ten…
nine…
eight…
seven…
six…
five…
four…
three…
two…
one…
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Chapter 5.5
And Hell’s Coming With Me
HMS Felnas, Killshot Orbit above Asalele, Qurus Star System, Levakian Confederation
Tantomile was getting dizzy. The world spun around her and she occasionally hit a wall as she made her way along the corridors of the Felnas’ interior. Ahead of her, Amaya, Toa Nanui, Korova, and King Admetus were all having the same trouble. The Partogans, with their smaller bodies, seemed to be suffering more so than the Levakians.
The enemy was having the exact same problem. The men and woman who crewed the Felnas were also irradiated, but they were not enjoying the benefits of Combat Drugs. Every volley of wildly inaccurate gunfire the Felnas crew sent towards Tantomile and her team was countered with pinpoint sniper fire from the invading Levakians.
“Has anyone seen the Paradox yet?” Tantomile wheezed into her radio.
“Negative. No sign.” Was the reply.
Tantomile didn’t get it. The Ark Angel was definitely docked to the Felnas. Where the hell was that damned Snowskin!?
Lost in thoughts, Tantomile ran headlong into another wall. The impact felt jarring, but it restored her focus just in time! The sound of Gauss Rounds flying past her head made the Empress look around.
King Admetus and Toa Nanui had forced their way into a galley, where the crew was only putting up a half-hearted defense. Some of the soldiers collapsed to the floor and waited patiently for death after firing only a few shots. While her forces took the galley, Tantomile found a wash basin and dunked her whole head into it. When did the sensation of water on her face become so painful?
“How long do we have?” She asked no one in particular.
“We’ll be finished in about an hour.” Toa Nanui coughed.
“Give or take.” Amaya added.
“No, I’m not talking about us.” Tantomile gasped. “The gun… the-the Wrath Cannon. How long do we have?”
“I’m not sure.” Toa Nanui said. “If they already started the firing sequence, we might be running out of time already.”
Toa Nanui moved across the galley and stopped to use a computer terminal. His hands were shaking and sweaty, causing his fingers to slip on the keys:
Cmd_usr/ status report: man weapn
Sys/ Syntax Error!
Cmd_usr/ status report: main weapon
Sys/ Authorization?
Toa Nanui waved at Hakara, who pulled a military Command Card out of his pocket and slid it into the reader.
Cmd_usr/ Authorization: Vice Admiral Maui Patariki, Partogan Royal Navy
Sys/ Weapon charging. 50% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 15 minutes.
“Shit!” Amaya gasped. “They’ve already started the firing sequence!”
“How do we shut it down?” Korova asked.
Hakara took over the computer and pulled up a map of the Felnas’ interior.
“The Cannon Control room is here.” He began. “There’s an armory on the same deck about a hundred Bios this way. We overrun the armory, stock up. Then we push the CCR. Get inside. If the main weapon’s about to fire, then the Captain will be in there with his Command Card. We get it, then abort the firing sequence.”
“We need a backup plan in case this all goes wrong.” King Admetus started to say, but Tantomile cut him off.
“Too easy. We blow up the whole ship. Not like it matters if we’re still aboard or not. We go with Nanui’s plan. Push the armory, force the Control Room. It’s the most direct path that takes the least time.”
“It also has the heaviest resistance.” Amaya chimed in. “We’ll die if we charge straight in.”
“We’re dead either way.” Tantomile said. “Everyone check your weapons and ammo. Admetus, call up the other teams. Everybody’s gonna hit the same target. Maximum force.”
…
Weapon charging. 65% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 13 minutes.
…
There is nothing more terrifying in this Universe than the sight of a Pride of Lions charging towards oneself. No words can describe the terror and panic that swept through the Felnas’ Armory as it was beset on all sides by a hundred heavily armed and drug-enhanced Lions.
Fully grown men wept and whimpered as they laid down their arms and begged for their lives. (Which surprised Tantomile and a few others) A significant number of soldiers accepted, nay, welcomed death by gunfire as preferable to death by radiation sickness. A few of these people offered token resistance and intentionally missed their shots. (Which surprised no one.)
With the armory fully under her control, Tantomile ordered everybody to rearm and equip themselves with “anything you can carry.” It only took her warriors a few minutes to completely strip the armory of everything of military value. Meanwhile, Tantomile reunited with her companions. Amaya, Toa Nanui, Arahu, Rapati, Hakara, Tumeric, Admetus, and Korova had all disposed of their original weapons and were now carrying heavy Magnetic Cannons. In any other situation, Tantomile would have objected to letting every member of the squad carry a fully automatic machinegun, but this was not “any other situation.” She gave her comrades an approving look. They gathered around her, and spoke together as a group one last time.
“Everybody knows the plan?” Tantomile asked.
“Get into the Cannon Control Room.” Rapati began.
“Kill everyone in there.” King Tumeric continued.
“Get the Captain’s command card.” Korova elaborated.
“Shut down the Wrath Cannon.” Arahu contributed.
“If Akira shows up?” Tantomile inquired.
“Kill her too.” Amaya growled.
“And if it goes wrong?” Admetus chimed in.
“I’ll use the Captain’s command card to trigger the self-destruct.” Tantomile finished. “It's the only way to be sure.”
The companions looked around each other one last time. Everybody nodded at one another silently and grimly.
“Anything else you want to say, Empress?” Admetus asked.
A murderous look flashed in Tantomile’s eyes. As she spoke, her warriors gathered around to hear their Empress speak before leading them all into battle.
“Words don’t matter anymore.” She said. “Good, innocent people are dead. If that doesn’t piss you off, then why are you here right now? Akira... the Paradox... She’s a coward. She never stands and fights, she just runs away after the first hit. She’s never had to take on anyone who’s got nothing left to lose. She’s never had to fight us. And when she does... we’ll put the fear of Riri Nui into her! Akira wants to control our destinies and write our future for us, and this is the moment we break free! Today, we’ll show Akira that we are masters of our own fate! We chose our own destiny! We will FIGHT AND DIE on our terms! Today, Akira thinks Asalele is going to be destroyed, and eleven million innocent lives snuffed out... all because it’s what she wants! We’re going to prove her wrong! The people of Asalele will live because of us! They will be free to make their own destinies and Akira will not be allowed to say a damn thing about it! Now every lion and lioness, every man and woman who dares to live, fight, and die free... FOLLOW ME!!”
…
Weapon charging. 75% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 11 minutes.
…
It was an explosive symphony of violence and destruction! One hundred Levakians and five Partogans erupted out of the armory and into the main corridor. Tantomile led the charge, roaring until the walls seemed to shake and the floor trembled! Too loud to comprehend, tens of thousands of Gauss Rounds sped down the hallway and annihilated the defenders! The surviving crew of the Felnas scattered like leaves before the attackers!
Any man who resisted for more than a second was met with overpowering gunfire. Entire sections of Protosteel wall were demolished in moments as Arahu, Rapati, Hakara, Amaya, and Toa Nanui fired their Mag Cannons indiscriminately from the hip. Dozens of blast doors were closed and emergency bulkheads sealed in a desperate effort to stop Tantomile and her allies, but their luck held. Six or seven Cannons were trained on each obstruction until the way was clear again. Finally, at the end of a very long hallway, Tantomile could see a reinforced doorway. The label on it was too far away to see, and Tantomile’s vision was growing foggier by the minute. But she was certain this doorway led to the Cannon Control Room.
“Secure that intersection!” Tantomile ordered, “Fan out and kill everyone you meet!”
Breaking up into groups of six or seven, Tantomile’s invaders forced their way into every door, nook, and cranny. No mercy was shown to anyone found hidden away. There was no time to search the dead or loot the area. Tantomile’s forces quickly began to reconvene. Within minutes, Arahu had brought confirmation: This reinforced door led to the Cannon Control Room itself, and the command staff was inside.
At Tantomile's command, the huge force of invading lions gathered around the area, blocking off all three doors that led into the room. Amaya, Korova, Admetus, and Tumeric all helped their fellow soldiers bring forth breaching charges. The final assault was going to be overwhelming and brutal.
Tantomile pressed her ear to the reinforced door and listened. There was a male Partogan voice speaking inside.
“Ihanga, launch the marker beacon and note the time in the log. ‘Control room assaulted by Levakians. Escort still absent.’ Himona, get her a gun!”
Then a serene computerized voice spoke up from inside the Cannon Control Room:
“Weapon charging. 80% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 9 minutes.”
Tantomile stepped back from the door.
“Breach and clear!”
One! Two! Three sets of breaching charges detonated! Behind her, Tantomile felt a huge rushing of air as the blast door separated from the wall and fell to the floor. Then she heard voices on both sides yell:
“GRENADE!!”
The first blast nearly overwhelmed her, it was so close! Nearly twenty lions were killed instantly! Tantomile could have sworn she’d seen King Tumeric go down in the blast, but there was no time to count the dead! Tantomile screamed to her soldiers:
“For Levakia! For your families! For Asalele!”
The boarding party swarmed into the Cannon Control Room and into a brutal, body-crushing melee!
Pistols and knives flashed in the dim light! Claws and teeth sank into flesh, and the manes of many Levakians turned red with blood in the first few seconds, but the Felnas’ crew fought back intensely! Bodies began to pile up around the doors and in the middle of the room, but over the heads of the fighters, Tantomile could see her objective at long last:
“Weapon charging. 90% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 5 minutes.”
The Cannon Control Mainframe computer took up most of the back wall, and those ominous words were repeated across nearly a dozen screens. Crouching down near it and taking cover behind an overturned workbench were four Partogans Tantomile actually recognized. They had once been crew members of the same Ion Cannon Frigate Kendra had served aboard before her Royal Election. Tantomile didn’t have time to do anything with this information though.
She’d stood still for a second too long!
WHAM!
A Gauss Round hit Tantomile’s flank and sent her to the ground, hard! Amidst the chaos of moving feet, falling bodies and shell casings, the Empress focused more on standing up again rather than checking to see where she’d been shot. As she got back on all fours, she felt a Partogan hand grabbing the top of her head! Tantomile didn’t hesitate! Before the Felnas crew member could even raise his pistol, the white lioness was upon him! With one paw, Tantomile crushed the man’s gun-hand, and with the other, she pinned him to the ground by his chest! Then Tantomile opened her jaws wide and engulfed his entire skull! The sound of crunching bone and spurting blood filled Tantomile with new energy! The blinding pain in her side became a dull ache, and she charged into the main battle with a new kind of fury!
Around her, things were starting to go the way of the attackers! Overwhelmed by both drugged-up lions and the effects of radiation sickness, the crew of the Felnas was starting to give way to the crew of the Shieldbreaker 2.
King Admetus, Arahu, and Korova surged forth with a strike team from the left! Arahu grabbed a server bank with both hands and pulled it out of its frame, turning it into new cover for the Levakian attackers. Arahu was punished for his efforts by being shot nearly twenty times by the enemy, he collapsed on top of the low cover, and Korova braced his Slugthrower Rifle on Arahu’s body. Korova fired a blast that took out two defenders in one hit!
On Tantomile’s other side, Amaya, Hakara, Toa Nanui, and Rapati were tearing their way through Kendra’s old crewmates. Ihanga Waaka was the first to fall, she had gotten too close to Rapati’s bionic arm and he had crushed her throat while shooting her in the chest with his free hand. Tirowaru Himona had shot Toa Nanui in the shoulder, the Prison Warden’s return shot had been lethally accurate. Homai Kewhena, who had once come within a second of radically changing history, was floored by a seemingly battle-crazed Amaya; leaving Hakara to face Ourangi Pipiri alone. Kendra’s father was carrying an empty rifle, all rounds had been fired, and yet he was still dangerous! Ourangi was faster on the draw, shooting Hakara in the chest once before the Time Traveler was upon him! Hakara swung his rifle wildly, striking Ourangi over the head and knocking him to the ground… where a small metal object roughly the size of a playing card fell out of his hand… The Command Card!
Tantomile stopped everything she was doing and began fighting her way through the sea of melee fighters to reach the spot where she’s seen the Command Card fall. Hakara slumped against the Cannon Control Mainframe and slid to the floor, leaving a bloody trail for Tantomile to follow. She was right there! Her tail and flank were brushing up against the Mainframe computer! She could see the Command Card on the floor, between the legs of a slain lion. To her left, the screens flicked past!
“Weapon charging. 95% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 3 minutes.”
A Felnas crew member got in Tantomile’s way! The man grabbed Tantomile by her shoulders and held her in place! Panicking, Tantomile threw all of her hopes and desperation into a single thought, a frantic, last-ditch play! She reached out with one paw and focused all of her remaining willpower into the Psionic Amplifier strapped to her arm! Telekinetic energy rippled across the tiny little battlespace and enveloped the Command Card, and then it shot through the air, pulled by the power of Tantomile’s thoughts! The little metal card hit Tantomile’s paw and stuck to it as through it were magnetized!
And then…
“SHE’S HERE! SHE’S BEHIND US! THE PARADOX IS ATTACKING FROM BEHIND!!”
King Admetus’ voice carried over the battle and caused Tantomile’s heart to sink. A new noise was beginning to surge across the Cannon Control Room. It was like a rapidly approaching thunderstorm, or a tornado that had just touched down, or the storm surge of a powerful hurricane.
Akira was here. She was cutting through all of the fighters, Felnas and Shieldbreaker 2 alike. And Tantomile didn’t need to guess where she was going.
Tantomile slashed the man in front of her with her claws, then turned back to the computer and started to frantically jam the Command Card into the reader!
“Weapon charging. 98% Capacity and rising. The Wrath Cannon will be ready to fire in 1 minute.”
Tantomile dropped her weapon and focused her efforts entirely on the computer in front of her! She started to punch in the abort command when-
“AAAUUUGHHH!!”
Tantomile was shot a second time!
She whirled around to see Homai Kewhena, barely clinging to life, laying on the floor behind her and lining up his pistol for another shot at Tantomile’s back! She started to lunge at him, but Admetus and Amaya beat her to the punch. They descended on Homai with incredible, bloody violence, while Amaya screamed:
“Tanty! Go! Now’s your chance!!”
Tantomile returned to the computer and had barely put one paw on the keyboard when a massive wave of psionic energy rolled rough the battleground! Pain unlike anything Tantomile had ever felt before course through her body, more intense even that two fresh gunshot wounds! It took all of her strength and determination to remain on her feet! It took all of Tantomile’s focus to keep pressing keys even though the battlefield had fallen nightmarishly silent behind her. It took all of her remaining physical strength to lift her battered and irradiated paw and insert the Command Card into the reader.
Sys/ Weapon systems fully charged. The Wrath Cannon is ready to fire.
Cmd_usr/ Shutdow-
Tantomile never finished typing the word. She heard the footsteps behind her, but didn’t have time to react! A Telekinetic force grabbed the lioness around the middle and began to forcefully pull her away from the computer! Tantomile dug her claws into the machine and defiantly screamed:
“NO!”
Pulling with irresistible power, Akira separated Tantomile from the computer and threw her all the way across the room! Tantomile saw a sea of bodies beneath her before she hit the wall and crumpled to the floor! But there was no time to think, no time to plan! The Empress got back to her feet as quickly as possible, and she saw she wasn’t the only one to survive Akira’s first attack. Rapati, Amaya, King Admetus, and Korova were all still on their feet! They all had weapons drawn, and they formed one final wall, one last barrier between Akira and the Wrath Cannon! Standing shoulder to shoulder, the four fighters were battered, bloody, and visibly broken, but they weren’t dead yet, and when they saw Tantomile rising to her feet behind Akira, Tantomile noticed their sprits rising as well.
Akira the Paradox seemed to be sizing up her opponents. She flexed her arms and activated her Celestial Gauntlets, then she quietly said in Partogan:
“Get out of my way.”
When no one moved, she repeated the command in Levakian. Still nothing. Akira took a step forward, towards the computer and the four remaining fighters… and they all charged at her, while Tantomile pounced from behind!
Akira deflected Rapati with one arm and with the other, punched Admetus in the face! Some kind of powerful charge ran through his entire body and the great lion convulsed terribly before falling to the floor, dead. Tantomile sprang into the air and dove down towards the Paradox, who swept her hand through the air and blew Tantomile away as through she were a leaf caught in a strong wind! Tantomile hit the wall a lot harder this time and took a little longer to get up. Korova got around Akira’s side and pointed a Slugthrower rifle at the side of Akira’s head! She gave him the quickest of glances and the entire weapon exploded in Korova’s paws!
Rapati and Amaya attacked together while Tantomile closed the distance! Rapati grabbed Akira’s left arm and tried to crush the Celestial Gauntlet with his bionic arm! Akira activated the Gauntlet and a Shard Blade extended outwards, impaling Rapati in the chest! With his final moments, Rapati wrapped both of his arms around Akira and forced himself closer to her. Akira struggled and tried to pull herself away from him, not noticing Tantomile and Amaya both closing in around her!
Amaya got to Akira first! Unarmed, she got behind Akira and wrapped her right arm around the Paradox’s throat!
“This is for Nya, you monster!” Amaya shrieked, squeezing as tightly as she could!
Then, a second later, Tantomile reached Akira, reared up to her full height and raised one paw, claws extended, and started to deliver the killer blow!
Akira got one hand free and reached up behind her. Amaya’s entire body burst into flames! Enveloped in the white-hot inferno, Amaya released Akira and began to roll around on the floor, screaming until her breath was gone and her body lay still! Akira deactivated her Shard Blade, allowing Rapati’s corpse to fall to the floor, and then side-stepped Tantomile’s attack!
Tantomile’s claws raked the front of Akira’s body, slashing her breast and belly! Akira screamed as her white shirt was finally stained with her own blood. The Paradox staggered backwards and looked up at Tantomile. For half-a-second, Tantomile’s purple eyes stared deep into Akira’s blue ones. The white lioness saw the Paradox’s fury turn into rage.
They lunged at each other! Akira went high, Tantomile went low! Striking the Paradox in the belly, Tantomile took the wind out of Akira and pushed her all the way to the floor! Landing on her back in between two piles of bodies, blood splattered everywhere and stained Akira’s entire outfit! Tantomile landed on top of Akira, opened her mouth wide, and closed her vice-like jaws around Akira’s chin and neck!
And then… pain. Unimaginable, incomprehensible PAIN surged through Tantomile’s body as she was stabbed! Then she was stabbed a second time!
Akira had pressed both of her Celestial Gauntlets to Tantomile’s chest and belly and had activated the Shard Blades! Tantomile fought viciously to maintain her vice grip on Akira’s throat, but the Paradox retracted her Shard Blades and then extended them again, stabbing Tantomile a third and fourth time! Tantomile’s body didn’t obey her commands anymore. Her grip slackened, her legs gave out… and she finally collapsed. Using Telekinesis, Akira pushed Tantomile’s limp body to one side and stood up.
Tantomile could feel her heart thundering frantically! She could sense every drop of blood and adrenaline coursing through her body as she began to crawl across the blood-soaked floor, between the bodies. Gasping and panting for every breath, Tantomile traced Akira’s bloody footprints and followed her back towards the Cannon Control Mainframe.
Desperate, Tantomile panted and yelled at Akira:
“Stop. Stop! Don’t do this!”
Ahead of her, Akira was completely drenched in blood. When she turned back to look at Tantomile, the Empress understood why Sebakhira had once described her as a “nightmare.” The look Akira gave Tantomile would cause most deep-space Leviathans to cower with fear.
“I have to.” Akira said quietly, but forcefully. “The future depends on it. This is the only way.”
“Like hell it is!” Tantomile spat from the floor. “Nothing good comes from eleven million people being murdered!”
“The future won’t be perfect without this!” Akira shouted. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Perfect!?” Tantomile would have laughed if she wasn’t in so much pain. “Don’t be an idiot. You can’t build a perfect future on a mountain of bodies and rubble.”
“You’re wrong.” Akira hissed. “When I’m done, trillions of people across the Galaxy will be safe and happy. I’m saving the future for everyone!”
Tantomile scoffed and tried to crawl again, but her legs no longer responded.
“And how many people would want to live in a future built on the graves of untold millions of innocents?”
“How many would even know?” Akira retorted. “How many would care?”
“You and me.” Tantomile answered.
The Paradox picked up a Gauss Pistol from the floor.
“No.” she said. “Just me.”
Akira took aim and fired! Tantomile felt the bullet enter her neck, and the pain alone nearly overwhelmed her. With each second, her vision got foggier, the sound became softer and tinny. Tantomile knew it was over, but that didn’t mean she would give up here at the end. Putting one paw in front of the other, Tantomile dragged herself through the blood and the bodies. She couldn’t look up anymore, her head… didn’t seem to be working right. Akira’s feet were just out of reach… and the river of blood leaving Tantomile’s neck felt warm and soft, as did this floor… Tantomile was so sleepy… and the room as getting darker now… as though Tantomile was going down a tunnel… a tunnel with no light at either end… she was so… so sleepy now, and putting one paw in front of the other was such hard work. She just needed to rest, just for a moment. There was a sound... a soothing, relaxing voice… like a melody, or a lullaby… Tantomile let out a deep, rattling sigh as the serene voice lulled the last vestiges of her consciousness away…
Weapon systems fully charged. The Wrath Cannon is ready to fire. Commencing primary ignition.
Weapon engaged.
Commencing surface delivery.
Surface impact confirmed.
Surface temperature fifteen-twenty-three and climbing.
Estimated immediate casualties: Ninety-eight percent.
Surface temperature seventeen-forty-two and stable.
Standby for planetary destruction in ten…
nine…
eight…
seven…
six…
five…
four…
three…
two…
one…
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