Admiral's Exile

Admiral Bera Isodle wrapped his coat around his shoulders. The heavy wool scratched at delicate skin much the same as frost frozen metal burned his fingers. He perched on top of the caravel and held up his spyglass. He adjusted it, careful to keep his back pressed against the main stabilization fin, and watched the dense forest for anyone approaching.

They shouldn't have landed on this planet. It was in the middle of nowhere - the only habitable planet in a small chain of them - and so far off the beaten path that Bera didn't even know if it was named. Hell, he didn't even know if they were still in Andromeda proper.

Darkness hugged the frozen forest. Ice hung from every branch and tree, save for where their ship rested. The heavy afterburners, needed to bring a large ship down to earth, had burned away most of the ice. Bera's ship now rested on a small bed of charred vegetation and blackened stones. A single moon hung high in the sky. It cast a silvery light on everything that pooled in the small crevices. That light skipped and danced over the caravel's dented hide. Caravels were tough ships, true, but the Dragon had been caught with her shields down. In the seconds it took to raise them, the Dragon had already veered off course. Now she rested in some winter dead forest, far from the dreadnought she was supposed to dock with.

Bera's earpiece crackled to life.

"See anything?" Tava asked below. Bera saw her welding torch in the gloom.

"Just some animals." Bera adjusted himself, painfully aware he was silhouetted in the moonlight. "Thank the gods for that. We're not in any shape to cut and run."

Four three-meter deep gashes exposed the Dragon's bones. Those were gifts from the same assholes who stranded them here.

"I could use fresh meat," Tava said. "Permission to go shoot at something?"

"No." Bera rubbed his face. "I need you here in case anything happens to me."

His second in command snorted. "As if," she said. "You said it yourself - there's nothing but some animals out here."

"Tava," Bera said. The hair on the back of his neck prickled. He swore under his breath. "I think we have company."

He turned around, still gripping the fin, and swore under his breath. Lights danced through the forest. They dipped and rolled, like there was a road back there. Bera pressed a button on his spyglass. Instantly, the filter revealed heat signatures crashing through the forest. Nine of them, to be exact. Two looked humanoid, three looked like canines, and the others were... strange. Bera didn't know how to describe it. Maybe they were riding in some sort of speeder. He didn't hear any roaring, though. The wind picked up, catching his loose, long black hair. Bera ground his teeth. He didn't want to get in a fight if he could help it, though he would defend himself if he had too.

"Copy that," Tava said.

"Put everyone on full alert." Bera adjusted himself so he could see better. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Dogs barked. Bera wondered if they were the same ones he'd seen.

Something whizzed through the air and buried itself in the metal beside him.

Bera shouted. A second shot rang out and a bullet - an honest to gods' bullet - buried itself in his shoulder. White hot, searing pain flooded him. Bera screamed. He lost his grip on the fin, slipped on the slick metal, and crashed to the ground. The impact stunned him for a second. Vines tore at his dark blue coat. The silver braid ripped off. The Dragon groaned behind him as Tava adjusted her bearings. Bera picked himself up. He drew his blaster pistol with his good hand and scanned the underbrush.

Something moved near a twisted oak tree. Bera hoped it was a dog.

"What the fuck?!" Tava yelled into her earpiece. "What happened?!"

"I got shot," Bera said. He rolled his shoulder and fought back a groan. "I'm going to teach our friends a lesson."

He spat on the ground and set his jaw, turning off the ear piece. The throat mic scratched as he swallowed. Bera pressed his back to the cold metal as his hearts quickened. His cat slit golden eyes caught the moonlight as he watched.

The bracken moved again. Bera held his pistol, his finger on the trigger. Ice wrapped around his veins as he crouched there. He bared his teeth. His shoulder throbbed in time with his hearts beating. Dark red blood smeared his white undershirt. It bled through to his heavy jacket and chilled unblemished skin. His boots squished through foul mud as he paced. The wind picked up, bringing with it faint whispers. Bera growled under his breath. He kept close to the Dragon, his breath freezing in the cold air.

Something tumbled out of the underbrush.

Bera turned around, squeezed off a bolt, and froze.

Two humanoids, both male, stared at him with wide eyes. They were both far too thin to be healthy and ragged clothing hung off their emaciated bodies. Bera swore under his breath. Even from several meters away, he saw the bruises and filth on moon pale skin. Both men trembled. The leader - a man with a y shaped scar on his cheek and large, blue eyes - opened his mouth like he was going to speak.

Another shot rang out.

The second one - the injured one, going by the blood, flinched.

Bera crossed the three meters between them. He grabbed the injured one by the collar, threw him toward the Dragon, and shoved his pistol into the leader's hands.

"Can you use this?!" he barked.

The leader blanched. Bera knew he didn't understand him.

He turned the leader around, put his finger on the trigger, and squeezed it. The wounded one screamed when a blaster bolt struck the oak tree. Wood splinters showered the ground. Smoke coiled through the air and reached to the moonlit sky. The leader blanched. He pressed his scrawny, filthy body against Bera and grabbed at his coat. Bera gagged. The man reeked! He pushed the leader away and drew his ceremonial dagger in one fluid motion.

The man whispered something. His pretty blue eyes were far too large for his face. He shook like he was freezing. That shabby grey striped uniform he wore clearly did nothing against the cold. Some dim part of Bera realized he didn't even have shoes.

Great. Bera grimaced. This back assward planet does slavery.

He sighed and reactivated his earpiece. "Tava, have medical on standby. I found what the adversary was chasing. Get me three guys out here and a medic, too."

"Kileo, Taimi, and Rin can come," Tava said. "I've got them on scanners, Bera. It's bad."

"Bring the rail guns online," Bera decided.

It was probably overkill, but this wasn't the time. Bera needed to put a little fear of Dagasa in the adversary.

"I know you don't understand a word I'm saying," Bera said. "But keep the business end of that thing pointed at the bad guys, will you?"

The leader stammered something. Going by the hitch in his step, he was lame as well as underweight.

Bera groaned. "Fuck. Tava..."

"Wha-aat?" Tava sang.

"We need a medic sooner rather than later," Bera said. He gestured for the locals to follow him. "I gave the one who's not all bloodied up my pistol. His buddy looks like he's about to drop dead." He turned and dragged the wounded one to his feet. "C'mon. Try not to die on my pretty ship, please."

The leader shouted something. Bera ignored him. He had better things to do.

An eerie silence settled over the clearing. Bera picked his way over the tangled branches, dragging Local #2 behind him. He all but forced #2 behind the wing well, then gestured to #1. Local #1 stared at him. He seemed smart enough - Bera figured he would have died by now if he was an idiot - and that gave the situation a little hope. Weirder battles had been fought. Bera gripped #2's hand and made him touch the metal. He glared at #2, hoping against all hope that he got the message to stay the fuck there.

"Right," Bera said as he turned. "Let's play guard duty."

#1 held the pistol like it was a piece of radioactive waste. Going by the fact this planet still used slugthrowers, he probably did think he'd been handed a piece of radioactive space trash. Bera rolled his eyes. It was a simple laser pistol. He could walk into any dive bar, hand over twenty dinni, and walk out with a dozen of the damn things. They weren't exactly a new wonder of the modern galaxy.

"You're one lucky bastard," Bera said. "I think we have to hold the adversary off for..." He did the math in his head. "Five minutes? Until they can get the temporary welds off the back hatch. Then we get a medic and turn on the rail guns."

#1 stared at him like he was speaking gibberish. Bera supposed he was.

A branch cracked maybe five meters away from them.

Bera pressed his body into the shadows. He nudged #1, gesturing for him to do the same. Miracle of miracles, he obeyed. He panted like a Meehrani steamship and he was unsteady on his feet, but he had the sense to wait. For that, Bera thanked Saint Murphy.

Two men stepped into the clearing. They were tall, wearing black uniforms with silver accents. One of them had scars covering the left half of his face. His cold blue eyes scanned the ground. He didn't seem like he was scared of the Dragon, but that didn't mean anything. Bera licked his lips. He took a breath and helped #1 raise his pistol. He figured he didn't need to tell him what would happen next. Bera gripped his knife. He moved #1, careful to keep him in the shadows, and waited for the men to make their move.

The rail guns rattled ever so faintly as Tava moved them into position. #1 trembled as he heard that. He turned to look at Bera, his lips ever so slightly parted.

Bera resisted the urge to kiss him. He squeezed the man's shoulder to comfort him.

One of the intruders said something in a sharp, harsh language. #1 shoved his fingers in his mouth to keep from speaking. Bera touched his shoulder again to ground him as he waited. He hated this. Hated waiting in the shadows. If he didn't have two wounded men with him, he could have charged in with both guns blazing.

"Wait," Bera whispered. He helped #1 aim the pistol. "Let Tava do her thing."

A light on top of the fin flashed on. The red light lit up the dark forest. The first man jumped back. He shouted a few words, but his comrade grabbed him. Bera bared his teeth in a snarl. He forced himself to stay still as he waited.

The light changed to green.

Bera knocked #1's legs out from under him and tackled him to the ground as a hail of laser fire erupted overhead. #1 screamed. He scratched at Bera, struggling to get free, but couldn't find the leverage. His bony ribs poked into Bera's side. Bera pinned him effortlessly. The guns roared as they filled the air with bright white bolts. The ground shook as bits of earth and stone went skyward.

Men screamed. Bera didn't know what side they were on.

He thought he heard engines come online and reverse from the ship. Bera crouched over #1, still holding him down, as he waited for the smoke to clear.

He didn't dare move until a hatch appeared in the Dragon's dull, silver hide. Bera sighed in relief, then decided to see just how much trouble he'd bought himself. He rested back on his heels and offered #1 his hand. #1 glared at him as he picked himself up from the dirt. He bared his teeth, cocked back his fist, and knocked Bera flat on his ass.

Bera shook his head. He sat up slowly and rubbed his jaw.

"You know what?" he said. "I think I like you."