Read Online Children of the Void: Book One of the Aionian Saga by Jack Halls - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jack Halls
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silence.
“Luzariai.” Her golden armor both distorted and amplified her voice so that it was clearly heard at the far end of the cavern. “We stand before the precipice with nothing but an awful choice. I won’t shame you by asking you to be brave, because you have already proven your courage. It is my great honor to stand here this day, before the gates to eternity, among the greatest generation of Luzariai. You already have my respect, but more than this, you will save countless worlds. We may be a defeated people, but even in defeat we defy our enemies.”
An eruption of applause echoed through the cavern. It was a short speech, but there was no time for anything more elaborate. Tloltan raised her fist in the air as she looked upon the faces in the crowd, wishing that she could somehow etch them all into her memory. More than anything, she wished she could promise them they would succeed, but they all knew the odds. It would only serve to remind them that they weren’t going to survive.
A Koramoa Warrior waited on the ground as she came back down. “Koramoa Tloltan, we’re ready on your command.”
“Thank you, Captain Neeza. Have your soldiers move into position and inform me the moment we’re ready to commence.”
The captain saluted, and turned to execute Tloltan’s orders. Every Luzariai in the cavern moved to their positions at the machines.
The Orbital Defense Corps is in position. They’ll hold out as long as they can.
Tloltan made a mental response and gave her instructions. She looked up to see two Koramoa Warriors standing at attention in front of her. The taller one was named Ukte, and he wore the headdress of an ancient bird god, with sharp eyes and a sharper beak. The other, a fierce young warrior named Itzau, wore a headdress depicting a draconic elder god covered in scales, with a long snout and rows of sharp teeth. They were her two best soldiers, hand-picked to accompany her. Itzau saluted with a fist to her chest. “Your ship’s components are ready for launch, Koramoa Tloltan.”
“Very good. Let’s move.” She waved for them to follow, and the three of them marched to the appropriate machine. Massive doors were opening on each of the machines to reveal racks of large, bullet-shaped pods. The Koramoa Warriors posted at each machine helped the Luzariai climb into the pods through a round hatch at the bottom. This first group would probably only last a few minutes. The bravest of the brave.
The voice of her captain sounded in her ear. “Koramoa Tloltan, we’re ready for the first wave.”
The Orbital Defense is also ready.
“All right, Captain,” said Tloltan. “Send the first wave. After that, launch continually as pods go online. We can’t let up for even an instant. I leave Starry Caverns in your hands.”
The captain confirmed and signed off. Soon after, the sound of the machines changed from a low hum to a high-pitched whirring sound, and the first pods were away. Magnets accelerated the pods up through the roof of the canyon, through twelve kilometers of solid rock, and out the peaks of the equatorial mountains. They’d blast out of the tube through the thin alpine air and enter orbit moments after that.
A Koramoa Warrior stood next to a set of special pods, waiting for Tloltan. As she approached, the warrior saluted and turned to open the pod doors. Superficially, these pods looked the same as the others being loaded into the tubes, but on closer inspection, they were slightly larger, longer, and filled with instrumentation.
Tloltan walked up to her pod, stepped over the edge, and lowered herself down into a chair. A harness system unfolded around her body and strapped her in as her two companions entered their own pods. The attending Koramoa waited patiently by the launch controls.
Tloltan looked up at the warrior once more. “Launch when ready.”
The warrior gave a salute before the doors closed. Darkness engulfed Tloltan with a hiss of pressurized air.
“Luzariai.” Her golden armor both distorted and amplified her voice so that it was clearly heard at the far end of the cavern. “We stand before the precipice with nothing but an awful choice. I won’t shame you by asking you to be brave, because you have already proven your courage. It is my great honor to stand here this day, before the gates to eternity, among the greatest generation of Luzariai. You already have my respect, but more than this, you will save countless worlds. We may be a defeated people, but even in defeat we defy our enemies.”
An eruption of applause echoed through the cavern. It was a short speech, but there was no time for anything more elaborate. Tloltan raised her fist in the air as she looked upon the faces in the crowd, wishing that she could somehow etch them all into her memory. More than anything, she wished she could promise them they would succeed, but they all knew the odds. It would only serve to remind them that they weren’t going to survive.
A Koramoa Warrior waited on the ground as she came back down. “Koramoa Tloltan, we’re ready on your command.”
“Thank you, Captain Neeza. Have your soldiers move into position and inform me the moment we’re ready to commence.”
The captain saluted, and turned to execute Tloltan’s orders. Every Luzariai in the cavern moved to their positions at the machines.
The Orbital Defense Corps is in position. They’ll hold out as long as they can.
Tloltan made a mental response and gave her instructions. She looked up to see two Koramoa Warriors standing at attention in front of her. The taller one was named Ukte, and he wore the headdress of an ancient bird god, with sharp eyes and a sharper beak. The other, a fierce young warrior named Itzau, wore a headdress depicting a draconic elder god covered in scales, with a long snout and rows of sharp teeth. They were her two best soldiers, hand-picked to accompany her. Itzau saluted with a fist to her chest. “Your ship’s components are ready for launch, Koramoa Tloltan.”
“Very good. Let’s move.” She waved for them to follow, and the three of them marched to the appropriate machine. Massive doors were opening on each of the machines to reveal racks of large, bullet-shaped pods. The Koramoa Warriors posted at each machine helped the Luzariai climb into the pods through a round hatch at the bottom. This first group would probably only last a few minutes. The bravest of the brave.
The voice of her captain sounded in her ear. “Koramoa Tloltan, we’re ready for the first wave.”
The Orbital Defense is also ready.
“All right, Captain,” said Tloltan. “Send the first wave. After that, launch continually as pods go online. We can’t let up for even an instant. I leave Starry Caverns in your hands.”
The captain confirmed and signed off. Soon after, the sound of the machines changed from a low hum to a high-pitched whirring sound, and the first pods were away. Magnets accelerated the pods up through the roof of the canyon, through twelve kilometers of solid rock, and out the peaks of the equatorial mountains. They’d blast out of the tube through the thin alpine air and enter orbit moments after that.
A Koramoa Warrior stood next to a set of special pods, waiting for Tloltan. As she approached, the warrior saluted and turned to open the pod doors. Superficially, these pods looked the same as the others being loaded into the tubes, but on closer inspection, they were slightly larger, longer, and filled with instrumentation.
Tloltan walked up to her pod, stepped over the edge, and lowered herself down into a chair. A harness system unfolded around her body and strapped her in as her two companions entered their own pods. The attending Koramoa waited patiently by the launch controls.
Tloltan looked up at the warrior once more. “Launch when ready.”
The warrior gave a salute before the doors closed. Darkness engulfed Tloltan with a hiss of pressurized air.
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