Queen of Hearts Page 6

  “You are saying that my mother and father are also this species, and their parents were?” I asked as I shook my head. “Your story is hard to believe.”

  “Why is it so hard to believe?” Yu asked. “Haven’t there always been stories about people that weren’t human living amongst the population? Since humans could tell stories there were vampires, werewolves, elves, fairies, and other changelings. The lies and truth become the same.”

  “How did you allow Adam’s monster to come to the surface?” Eve asked quietly.

  “The pieces were there,” Yu said. “Like a puzzle in his DNA that had been scattered and forgotten.”

  “You are full of shit,” I said. “You put--”

  “Were you always angry?” Yu asked me as his lips curled. “Did you enjoy the killing you did in the Marines? You found an outlet for the monster. Your sister didn’t. Why was she always sick? Why couldn’t the doctors figure it out? She got treatment, but it was just steroids so her human shell could fight against her alien soul. Do you see the life in her face now? Do you see the fierceness in her eyes? She knows who she is now. I uncovered this treasure for her, just like I did for you. Yes, it was inside of you, but I put the pieces together and gave you immortality. That was who you were. That is who you are.” Yu let out a long breath and then looked at the ceiling of his room. “I really am a fucking genius. Everything is falling into place.”

  “Your story doesn’t make sense,” I said. “How did I get this alien DNA in me in the first place? Or, if I am one of these tiger-men, how did I get the human DNA?”

  “They bred together of course,” Yu said as he rolled his eyes. “Do you need me to explain the birds and the bees to you, Adam? I thought you were married.”

  “Cross-species breeding doesn’t--” I started to say, but the blonde man interrupted me.

  “Look, Adam, one of us is a genius scientist, and the other one eats crayons. It’s best if you don’t think too hard on this. You might hurt yourself. Just believe me when I tell you that you were more tiger-man than human, and all I did was arrange the pieces in the right order.”

  “What did you do with the body you found on Parnarta?” I asked through gritted teeth.

  “That’s how I figured out their DNA. Helps to put the jigsaw puzzle together when you know what the finished product looks like.” He shrugged. “It’s an arms race. All these other corporations are creating super soldiers, but they are just throwing noodles against the walls and hoping that they stick, like her.” Yu gestured to Eve. “They were looking for a way to create a god, but they didn’t know what to do when they finally got one. So, what did they do? They locked her in a room and then tried to make more.”

  “You sent me to capture Eve,” I said.

  “Of course,” Yu replied. “It’s a war, Adam. You know that in a war you have to build your own weapons and then steal your enemies’ toys.”

  “Tell us about this war,” Eve said.

  “War?” he asked as he raised his eyebrows.

  “You just mentioned war,” I replied.

  “Suuuuuurrrrre,” he said with a dry chuckle. “Everyone wants to control the universe. It’s an arms race.”

  “That’s it?” I asked. “You don’t have an enemy? You don’t have a purpose or a grand scheme? You just want to build super soldiers and then use them to acquire more super soldiers?”

  “Oh, I have plenty of enemies,” he laughed. “People don’t like it when you steal their stuff.”

  “You are being coy,” I said as I turned my head to Madalena. The Prime Valkyrie nodded and then stepped toward Yu with her knife out.

  “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Okay, ask a more specific question.” Yu stepped back against the wall of the room and waved his hands at Madalena. “You don’t have to cut anything.”

  “Why are you building an army?” I asked.

  “Well, first of all, because it’s fun,” he said, but then Madalena took another step toward the man, and he gasped. “Look, there is bad shit out there. I already told you the galaxy is impossibly huge. The older the Milky Way gets, the more time that other races have to find this little grain of sand and kill everything.”

  “You are talking about the SAVO,” I stated.

  “SAVO?” he asked.

  “They are vampires,” I said. “We think that Elaka Nota used their DNA to give Eve her powers.”

  “My people call them the Draugr,” Madalena said.

  “They once consumed all life in this galaxy,” Eve said. “Then they seeded the planets with life. Now they are waking up and wish to feast.”

  “Ahh,” Yu said. “Yes. I’m surprised you all know about them, but then again, maybe I shouldn’t be.” Yu’s blue eyes focused on Eve.

  “The history of the Draugr doesn’t quite match up to the tale you just told us,” Madalena said.

  “The ‘Draugr’ as you call them were the first predators to come to this galaxy,” Yu said with a shrug. “Their prey decided to make their stand, but they were defeated and enslaved. Some species were eliminated, some were kept to seed worlds and repopulate. Others were tamed and used as troops in their war.” Yu turned to me. “That’s what happened to your ancestors, Adam. They became slaves and were forced to do the bidding of their masters.”

  “Sounds like a familiar story,” I growled at him.

  “Well, it worked for them,” Yu said with a laugh. “So I did it. Can you blame me?”

  “Do you know that the Draugr are returning?” I asked.

  “Doesn’t matter.” Yu shrugged.

  “They intend to destroy the galaxy again,” I said.

  “You aren’t thinking long-term,” Yu said. “Predators live on short timelines. They might win again, but then something will come along that is stronger than them. Long-term is just to fight the battles you can win, avoid the ones you will lose, and get stronger in the meantime.”

  I stared at the man for a few moments while I puzzled through his words. His strategy made sense, except for the whole “short timeline” comment, but then I recalled the video of him in Parnarta. It had been over a hundred years old, and the man looked like he hadn’t aged a day.

  “You aren’t human,” I said.

  “Ding. Ding. Ding.” Yu laughed. “I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out.” Yu looked at Eve, shook his head, and then tapped on his skull. “He relies on you too much. You can’t crack this egg.”

  “What are you?” I asked.

  “Does it matter?” Yu shrugged. “I’m the one playing the game. You are my pawn, Adam. You always have been, and you always will be. You are doing just what I expected you to do.”

  “I’m your pawn?” I asked with a laugh. “You seem to be a prisoner on my ship, answering my questions, with my woman threatening to cut your balls off.” His statement should have made me mad, but I guessed he was just grasping.

  “Yet I wanted you on this station, and here you are. Did you kill Kuroda? If you are here, then that means you did.”

  “No,” I said.

  “Oh? That’s unexpected.” He genuinely seemed surprised.

  “And you didn’t expect for me to capture you,” I said.

  “Maybe.” The man winked at me, but my anger had passed, and I was able to keep from punching him again.

  “Face it, Yu, whatever fucking plans you had are done, and--”

  “But you came looking for me,” he interrupted. “You’re sliding. I know it. Your anger is devouring your soul. You are losing what you think you are. The vampire woman of yours tried to dig around in my head for a cure, but she couldn’t find one. Are you going to ask me?”

  “No,” I said. “I’m going to let you sit alone in this cell for a few days without food or water. Then you’ll be begging to help me. I’m done asking you for shit.”

  “Uhhh. That will be annoying,” Yu said. “It will also be a waste of our time. You should just let me go.”

  “Let you go?” I laughed. “No. I’ll let you
go after I put a bullet in your head.”

  “Even after I saved you and your sister? Adam, I’m hurt by your lack of gratitude.”

  “Fuck you. You didn’t save me, or my sister.”

  “I did. You’ll come to realize that soon, Adam. You’ll come to find out you need me more than I need you. Especially if you are going to try to fight the Draugr, or SAVO, whatever you wanna call them. What does SAVO even mean?”

  “We are done talking for now,” I said as I turned away from the man.

  “Before you go and leave me here without food or water…” his voice trailed off, and I turned around to look at him.

  “What?” I asked.

  “What have you and Kuroda spoken of? I’m dying to know.”

  “Good, I hope it’s a slow death,” I said, and then I gestured for Eve and Madalena to follow me out of his room.

  “His answers are interesting,” Madalena whispered after we closed Yu’s door and locked it.

  “He’s a fuck,” I said as I rubbed my tired eyes. “What did you get?”

  “He did not want you to speak to Kuroda,” Madalena said.

  “Or he wants you too, and he is playing you,” Eve replied with a shrug.

  “Hmmm,” I said as the three of us walked away from Yu’s cell and toward Persephone’s hold.

  “You need to rest now, my love,” Eve said.

  “Yeah, I will. I want you both to keep an eye on Kuroda. He seems committed to me, but he once tried to kill me. I don’t know if I trust him entirely, or if I understand what he is up to.”

  “I will alert the crew to take notice of him,” Madalena said.

  “Thanks,” I said as I smiled at the warrior woman. “We’ll be in hyperdrive for a bit, so I suppose I should get some res--”

  Madalena’s transponder beeped and Nikki’s voice came across.

  “Prime Valkyrie, Adam is not wearing his transponder, and I have an alert.”

  “What is it?” Madalena asked as she met my eyes.

  “Thirty Black Heart vessels have exited hyperdrive and have surrounded the station.”

  Chapter 4

  “Thirty?” I asked. “That’s a lot. What class are they?”

  “Four carriers and the rest are a mix of classes with the smallest being a destroyer.”

  “Shit,” I growled. “That’s some muscle.”

  “We can leave before they find us,” Eve said. “It is possible that they might not know we are here.”

  “The timing seems too convenient,” I said. “With our luck they will already know we are here and that I killed Warren.”

  “They might be coming here to track Warren’s last movements,” Madalena said.

  “Nikki,” I said as I leaned into Madalena’s transponder. “Can we plot a course out around them.”

  “It depends on if they are here for us,” she answered. “If they shoot as soon as we undock, then I might have a problem since Persephone’s speed will not be wound up. Evading will be difficult. If they aren’t here for us, then it won’t be an issue.”

  “Are Baccor and Reeyal still on board?” I asked Madalena.

  “No, they have left,” she answered.

  “Call an alert,” I said. “Get everyone on the bridge, crew into position. I also want Kuroda there.”

  “Yes, Adam,” Nikki said, and then the transponder beeped.

  I ran to the elevator on exhausted legs, and my two lovers followed me. Paula, Kasta, Kuroda, Hegeia, Uma, and Waiola met us at the elevator, and we all piled inside.

  “It’s a fleet of Black Heart mercenaries,” I told everyone. “Thirty of them.”

  “That’s their whole fleet,” Paula said.

  “How do you know?” I asked.

  “We pulled their navigation info, remember?” she answered. “They are probably coming here to find out what happened to Warren.”

  “Can we get out?” Kasta asked.

  “Maybe,” I said. They might not be looking for us, and then we can escape.

  “But then they might attack the station,” Kasta said. “Or they might dock and tear it apart looking for Warren. Fuck, this is shitty timing.”

  “Get to your stations,” I said as soon as the elevator opened on the bridge. The women poured out, but then I turned to Kuroda before exiting. “I’ll need command of the fleet here.”

  “They are already yours, Tiger,” he said. “Might I give you more advice?”

  “Yeah,” I said with a nod.

  “Do not escape,” he said. “It will be a tough battle, but one you can win. Your enemies must know not to trespass against you.”

  “These guys might not even be looking for me,” I said. “They might not know what Persephone looks like. I don’t want to fight if I don’t have to.”

  “Do not fight the battles you will lose,” he said. “But fight every battle you will win.”

  “I don’t have a lot of time, and it is dangerous to invest my ship and crew in a battle when it isn’t our objective.”

  “You are the leader of the light,” he said. “They are attacking you by attacking your station. You cannot be everywhere at once, I agree, but you are here right now, and they would not have brought thirty ships if they did not wish to go to war with Wobbegong. You must destroy them. Make them understand that no one challenges Tiger and wins.”

  “You said Dragon was wisdom and quickness, why do you encourage me to attack everything?”

  “I would flee,” he said with a nod. “However, I am advising you. Tiger must do his nature. Kill these fools, defend your empire, and then we will continue our quest.”

  “I’ll consider it,” I said as I gestured for him to follow me off the elevator. We turned the corner around to the bridge and then I pointed to one of the gunner stations.

  “Lux, I’ve got a recruit for you. Teach him how to use the systems.”

  “Yes, my lord,” the black-haired warrior woman said to me.

  I stepped past her and continued to the front of the bridge. Sivaha was standing next to her chair, and she bowed her head to me when I moved past her.

  “Husband, might I--”

  “Not now,” I growled at her. “Sit your ass down.”

  Everyone else was already sitting in their positions, and they turned to me when I sat in my captain’s seat.

  “Do we have communications with the Wobbegong security fleet?” I asked Madalena.

  “Yes,” she said. “They await your orders.”

  “Have the Black Hearts opened communications with the station?” I asked.

  “They haven’t yet,” Zea called out from her seat.

  “That’s strange,” I said.

  “Yeah,” the blonde hacker agreed. “I thought they might be lying to us, but I’ve broken into their communication channels. They haven’t-- wait, hold up. Something is coming through.”

  “Put it up on screen,” I said.

  “Got it,” Zea replied, and an image of a handsome dark-haired man appeared on the side of our front display. He looked like Warren, only a bit bulkier in his plated armor.

  “Wobbegong,” he said with an elongated “g” sound at the end. “I am Arex Royzar, leader of the Black Hearts navy. You will surrender to me immediately and prepare for occupation, or I will destroy all of you.”

  “That’s a dumb thing to say,” Kasta said from her seat on the other side of Eve. “Surrender or die, he doesn’t quite have enough ships to--” The screen flashed as the Black Heart Fleet opened fire on Wobbegong station. A single burst of red plasma fire erupted from each ship’s main cannon and spun toward the station.

  It looked like it was heading right for our dock.

  “Nikki!” I shouted, but the pilot was already engaging Persephone’s engines. We tipped forward and then the dark ship’s engines pulled hard. Pressure pushed into my chest, but the pain forced the exhaustion out of my body.

  “We are going to clear!” Nikki shouted half a moment before the salvo of plasma tore into the harbor behi
nd us. Our rear screen was up, and the entire red dock district was covered in molten lava. We had been the only ship docked in that private harbor, so I guessed they picked the spot to make a show of force that wouldn’t result in too many casualties.

  “Madalena!” I shouted, “Tell the fleet to wrap around the sides and hit them on the edges. Nikki, aim us at heading 22.3 by -34.5. We are going to pass under the right side.”

  “Yes,” both Madalena and Nikki answered in unison.

  “Lux!” I turned my head over to shout at the valkyrie. “Focus fire on the side ships. Nikki is going to make strafing runs. I’ll command the front cannons. Wait for my order to start shooting.”

  “Yes, Adam!” Lux shouted back.

  “Paula and Kasta, you two are on drones. Launch as many as you can control. First priority is to keep theirs off Persephone, the second objective is to follow the gunner’s fire and inflict extra damage.”

  “Yes, Captain!” the sisters said as they bent over their controls.

  “Zea, you are on nav and comms duty now. Eve and Sivaha, you are both on front cannon and laser array. Get on it.”

  “Understood,” Eve said.

  “Yes, Husband,” Sivaha replied.

  The two wouldn’t have the best controls because of the smaller terminals on their officer’s chairs, but we were still short of people to man the cannons. We needed every bit of help that we could get since Wobbegong’s security fleet was only twenty ships and it was going to be hard to make up for the deficit with just Persephone.

  Twenty-one to thirty wasn’t great odds, but these Black Heart fuckers didn’t know who they were dealing with.

  I was the Tiger, and it was time for my enemy to hear me roar.

  “Zea, open up a comms request with Arex,” I growled as Nikki pushed more G’s through Persephone. We were cutting right below their fleet, but the ships hadn’t fired on us yet. They probably didn’t think a single one-hundred and sixty-meter-long ship could be much of a threat to their armada.