The Suit Complete -Rough Draft-

This is the rough draft of my story The Suit. I have Complied the seven parts into this one. Please note this is still a rough draft and I am looking for critics and errors.

The Suit

“So you must be the brother.”

“Yes, now tell me, how is he doing?”

“First tell me of your relation to him.”

“I need to know! Is he alright?!” He violently grabbed the Czar by the collar.

“Sir, I must know the relation.”

He stared down his dark black eyes then loosened, “he is my brother, not by blood. We grew up on the same planet, Earth XIII. We were raised as hunters, wild game, big game, bounties, anything with a price on it’s head.

“After hunting down Sirius we were recruited for the SR-11 project, which as you know was a complete disaster. With only three of us surviving we were out of business, no one would hire us, too many believed the propaganda. It all became a nightmare.

“Till Richard came along. He was at the time, head of Lab 42, he told me that he saw great potential in some of the work I produced in my spare time. He hired me and my brother to fully develop my project. All was going well until the damned Federation came in guns blazing and took Ale, the organic AI that was developed two levels above our lab. 

“Now tell me is he ok?”

“You work, how far is it?”

“What does this have to do with my brother?!”

“Do you wish for him to live?”

“YES!”

“How far is your work?”

“Early phases, nothing more than computer simulated tests. The explosion blew up the only prototype that had been made so far.”

“Have you looked over the,”

“ENOUGH QUESTIONS! IS HE OK?” He cut him with a fire of angry and fear.

“You humans are built in such an interesting fashion. You are built from the inside out, where as we Czar have our skeletons on the outside. Your brother is in a very unusual state. The explosion damaged the nerves in his lower spine that control muscle movement. His is going to be paralyzed from the neck down. If he can no longer move, he can no longer live.”

“Oh dear god,” he fell to his knees pounding the metal floor.

“Now do you see?”

“See what?”

“Your research.”

His face lit with curiosity, “my research?”

“Yes, you see, your brother’s entire body is still working, the nerves that control muscle movement are in fact still active, simply his muscles are not responding. If he were connected to one of your suits, he would then have functioning muscle movement. Otherwise, he is doomed to this.” He moved to a switch on the wall that raised the blinds on the observation window.

Inside were a number of life support machines, tubes and sensors connected to the short body of his brother. His flesh had been burned to a now fleshy pink instead of it’s usual dark tone.   His chest was raising with the pump of the oxygen machine and his blood was circulated by another set of tubes that ran into his forearms. 

“A suit huh?”

“Indeed, if he would agree to such a thing,  you could connect him to it, he could live again.”

“Hmm.” He made his way into the room, his ears filled with the hum of the machine sucking blood out, spinning it, and then returning it. The oxygen machine was a louder mimic of normal human breathing. And the heart monitor played the rhythmic skip of his murmur. 

He sat down on the clear left side of the bed next to him, “Ved? Ved I need you to wake up.”

His dark eyes were out of place next to the new light tone of flesh, they were slow to open and sluggish to find him.

He grasped his hand, “Hey brother, can you speak?”

His lips struggled to part, his voice harsh and slow, “Are, you, alright?”

“You idiot, I’m fine, but you aren’t.”

He tried to lift his head, to look over his body, “I, can’t, move, Lazzy”

“I know, some of your nerves got fried, they don’t know how to fix it because they aren’t exactly broken, your muscles just aren’t listening. Everything below your neck has gone unresponsive.” 

“Worth it.” He made a rough sound that in no fashion represented the laugh that Laz knew it to mean. 

Lazorus shook his head, “Ved, I have a very important question for you. Do you want to live outside of this bed?” 

“What, kind, of, question, is, that?”

“Give me a week and we’ll walk out of this room together.” He bent over and kissed him on the forehead, whispering to him “I love you brother” before standing. 

He turned, his body transformed by rising anger, rage drove his foot steps to thud, his hands were balled into tight fist, his nostrils snorted with deep breaths and his heart raced. In that single moment he planned out every line of code, every hardware blue print, and every design for the suit, now he only need build it.

“You will build him a suit?”

“I need a lab, a team, and rare resources known only to your people. Will you help me?”

“Respect to a Czar is worth more than his own mother’s love, and your work demands great respect. You shall have every and anything you need.”

The evening found him clasped from exhaustion over a mount of technical blue print and designs. Various prototypes of the suit lie scattered around the lab. Monitors flashed the results of numerous equations and virtual test. Lazorus had spent the first day well, yet his sleep was troubled. He could see Ved, broken in that room, motionless. The nightmare finally broke, after he watched Ved grow old in his broken form. 

He found himself standing in the observation room, staring at Ved. He kept thinking of returning to his work, to begin building the suit, but his body wouldn't respond. 

“I see sleep evades you.” The Czar doctor quietly entered behind him.

“It does not evade me, it plagues me.” His stare continued to pierce the glass. 

“You love him don't you?”

“He's my brother, he's the only family I have. Why wouldn't I love him?”

“So your work, you do it rather fast.”

“Not fast enough, I'm here perfectly fine and he can't even lift a finger.”

“Perfectly fine? Is that you what you call your current condition?”

Lazorus looked at himself his skin was covered in numerous bruises, cuts, the black clots of massive blood loss, and the wide burn across his back. 

“Hmph, you've got a way with words Czar. It just occurred to me, I don't know your name.”

He began chuckling under his breath, “No one has asked me for my name in over a century, if it weren't committed to my memory I would have long forgotten it. My name is Azurith.” 

“Thank you, Azurith. I owe you more than my life.”

“Simple trifles, I assure you.”

“Simple trifles? You saved my brother's life, and gave me everything to help restore it. Not to mention my own life as well.”

“Simple trifles for your research to continue.” 

“Why is my research so important?”

“Czars have always been more advanced than humans, and they are not timid to admit such. With your research, you can close the gap and teach Czars a lesson in humility.”

He stared at Azurith and saw a smile cut across his snout. 

  “I am unlike many Czar, as you find outside of this base. We here have built the foundation of a faction, one that serves as the bridge between our races. Your research will allow our dream to become a reality.”

“And your help will allow my dream to become a reality.” He slowly entered Ved's room. 

Azurith watched as he pulled a chair next to ved. He grabbed his hand and laid his head down next to him. 

The next day found Ved fully awake and fluently talking. Question after question was asked as Lazorus began tailoring the suit. Measurements were taken, blueprints were rewritten, and thousands of lines of software coding were complied. 

By the late hours of the evening half the a suit was being displayed in the lab. Azurith was captivated in it's design as Lazorus was once again by Ved's side.

“So how are you doing?”

“I can't move anything but my jaw, I only started breathing and pumping blood on my own a few hours ago, and I can do nothing to help but answer questions.” His sarcasm was scarcely hidden. 

“And without those answer our work would take longer. It helps me with the coding and the design. Just give me a few more days, alright?”

Ved smirked, “don't rush, and in case it doesn't work, don't worry about it, ok?”

“No, not ok. You are in this because of me and it'll be because of me that you get better.”

“Still worth it, and it's late, you need sleep. You can't work if you are tired.”      

“I know, but I can't sleep.”

“Hey, I don't blame you for this. I blame the Federation.”

“But it should have been me. I should be there and you should be here.”

“What good would that do? I'm not the suit expert. this is the best way things could have played out. I may be stuck here, but you are well enough to get me out.” 

Laz was silent as he gripped Ved's hand. He stared into his dark eyes and saw the truth in his words. “You are right. And tomorrow the suit will be done, but we won't be able to get you into it until the day after. We want to wait another day to make sure you are stable and well enough.” 

He smiled at his brother's concern, “Laz?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank You.”

He smiled, leaned up and kiss his forehead, “Get some sleep, m'kay?”

The night arrived, peace was settling to the chaotic work of the day. The suit was being moved from the lab to Ved's room by Laz himself. He wheeled the suit in slowly as Ved smiled. 

He stared down the armored suit it, it was slightly taller than himself. Built in the form of a man, it was smooth plated and tamed sky blue. The suit was complete with an armored helmet, closed with a blue transparent visor. 

Lazorus smiled as he watched the slight hint of Ved's happiness. “So what do you think?”

“It's beautiful, but I know you, it does something.”

Laz cut a sharp small grin, “indeed it does.”

“First, it has an inner bio-layer, something that I could never achieve at Lab 42. With the bio-layer, the suit is able to receive commands from your nervous system. It also uses both local and central receptors. It will respond to your thoughts and your muscle's natural reflexes. 

“Next, the suit has a layer of flex muscles, which are equal to the average strength of a Czar.

“Finally, the outer layer is the high density light weight armor. It will protect you from most common weapons, bullets, knives, most carbon based steels, and iron. It does offer slight protection against explosions, but not enough for you to get any funny ideas. 

“And to top it all off, is the coding and design. The bio-layer also acts as one big computer, responding to your thoughts and voice, it is also linked to the helmets display visor. Also if anything comes up that hasn't already been planned for, the suit is designed modularly. Each layer can disconnect from the other but only by your will. If we need to make any changes to any layer, it can be easily done.”

Ved just smiled, he saw the joy in his brother's face, could hear the twang of excitement in his voice. “You worked hard.”

Laz took his usual seat next to Ved, “of course, I had to make it perfect, and don't think that any of this is permeant. I built it with change in mind.”

“Change…..Such a funny word. It applies to numerous situations, has the potential to mean so much. Yet it's all wrapped up in such a tiny word, change.”

“Yeah this last week, these few events, it's started a lot. the Federation has Ale, Lab 42 has been ravaged, the Czar are pushing this new faction.”

“Hm? New faction?”

Laz smiled at him, “nothing for you to worry about. You have to be ready for the suit tomorrow.”

“You know, I'm a little scared. I've been in this bed for three days, that I know of, and I've been trying my best to move, to get up, to life a finger, wiggle a toe, to do something. But all I get is, nothing. Now I've got this suit, I've got a chance to move again. It's just, scary is all.”

“Nah, you wouldn't be scared of such things. You'd meet this challenge with zeal. It's something else, tell me, what is it?”

Ved stared at the suit, then to Lazorus, “Lazzy, I want to hug you. Every since the explosion all I've wanted to know is that you were safe.”

“Well, tomorrow with the suit on,”

“No no no. I want to hug you with this body. Every night so far you've come in here and held my hand, and I couldn't feel it. I felt nothing, and you are my brother, you are all that I have anymore and I can't even feel you. It's like I'm all alone, like I'm doomed to this loneliness forever.”

Lazorus bite his trembling lip, he gazed upon his brother to find the same teary look as his own. In a harsh whisper, “I promise. One day I'll find a way to fix that. Like I said, it was built for change.” He reached down and grabbed his hand, “it's late now. One day, you'll wake up and be able to feel this.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” He leaned over and kissed his forehead, “now get some sleep, you have a busy day tomorrow.”

“Good night brother. Love ya.”

“Good night, love you too.”

Morning greeted the medical room with buzz. Azurith had brought in numerous doctors and nurses to observe. The small room had been filled with various tools and the layers of the suit hung on their racks. Lazorus had begun prepping the bio-layer’s start up protocol. The flex layer had been prepped hours before hand, but he rerun the procedure.  

The observation room was loud with soft whispers of excitement and the aw of wonder. Azurith stood on pins and needles at the window, his dreams riding on the line. Lazorus finished the start up and stepped away from the computer, “alright everyone, the suit’s layers have been prepped and the operation is ready to begin. I now ask that everyone leave the medical room at once.”

As the few Czar doctors left, Laz locked the door behind them, and closed the blinds. “The first part of the operation is of a private nature.” He turned to Ved.

“Private nature?”

“The bio-layer must be worn on top of skin only.”

“Oh, so you have to strip me.”

“I figured that the Czar didn’t need a lesson in human anatomy.”

Built out of thousands of cells working together to form to Ved’s body, they immediately began registering his vitals. After double checking the fit of the Bio-layer, Laz opened the blinds and the observation room burst in a frenzy of chatter. Questions were raised left and right, awes and gasps were exchange at the sight of the bio-layer.

“Next up is flex muscle.” Lazorus attached the pieces one by one to Ved’s bio-layer then moved to the computer. “I am now starting the flex-bio-layer interaction program, this is ran whenever the bio-layer in introduced to a new flex muscle. Now you should be able to move, start slowly.”

Ved was already standing, stretching and squatting, his face perhaps held the most aw of the two rooms. He whispered to himself in amazement, “this is unbelievable, I can move.” He looked at his new form as he moved his fingers, he turned to Lazorus to see him crying.

“Remarkable.” Laz looked at the armored layer and then to the monitor. “Alright, the armor is ready to be attached. You may proceed to do such.’

“How about you take that honor, dear brother.”

Lazorus attached all of the armor layer pieces, except the helmet. It fit as perfect as his skin as each piece had been carefully measured to Ved's exact dimension. He was filled with the excitement of a child with a new toy, Laz was overwhelmed with the joy and pride of giving his brother this gift.

Azurith tapped at the window and pointed to the door. Laz motioned for the door but Ved cut him off, "here, let me." His enhanced speed and agility were met with glee and gasp. 

"Congratulations Lazorus,” Azurith held the bustling crowd, “the operation was a success."

"Indeed Azurith, indeed it was" his last words he whispered to himself as he looked Ved over.

"Good then, now I must speak with you two on a matter that can no longer hide in the dark. Please if you will follow me to my office."

"Ved grab your helmet, but don't put it on yet." Laz undocked a small tablet from the monitoring station that continued to return Ved's and the suit's vitals.

Azurith’s office was a clean and ordered chaos. Maps, grafts, and plans were stacked across his large round almost room sized desk, with a holo monitors flashing the display of planet side camps and supplies. 

"What is all this?" Ved curious studies all the information. 

Azurith turned an eye from Ved to Lazorus, "have you informed him yet?"

"No, I thought it best not to stress him out anymore."

"Tell me what?" He turned to Lazerous. 

"Some of the younger Czar are arrogant, and wish to see the Humans put in what they believe to be their rightful place, under our feet. A faction of such Czars, New Blood, has risen among many of our planets. It is headed by a young, restless and rather charismatic Czar. His following is growing more by the minuet. 

"This is the time for a new faction to rise, one that will set a balance between our races. The Union shall start here and shall stop at nothing until New Blood is dismantled."

" A war between factions…." Ved pressed his hand to his chin with an unfamiliar tingle of touch. 

"And the Federation will no doubt be involved.  Brother, surly you feel the call of the hunt. The call to return to our trade."

"Yes,” he fell into vivid memories of a now seemingly distant past, “that wonderful siren’s call rings in my ears as well. But, we can not risk attacking only one.  If we go for the New Blood, The Federation will strike the both of us. If we go for The Federation, then New Blood steps in and wipes us out. We need a plan to destroy them both at once."

"Then the two of you will join us?"

"On a few conditions."

"Name them."

"Lazorus and myself are no low leveled pawns, if anything we are two of the commanding officers for this faction."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"We are informed of everything, no secrets between us three."

"A briefing of internal affairs will be scheduled for tomorrow."

"And lastly," he shoot his infamous grin to Lazorus, "we need weapons."

"Our entire war department will be signed over to the two of you jointly. Who better to raise our army?"

"One question Azurith." Laz looked at the Czar, "How do you plan to close the gap with my suit."

"I thought you would never ask." He crossed the room and waved another Czar in from the hallway. "This is my son, Dawn Fang, he is one of the strongest Czar here on this base."

The Czar was built much like any other, thick hard shelling encased his body, each part carefully molded through years of shedding. His shape was that of a well toned man, chiseled with muscle and toned with definition. His shell was a deep and powerful hue of brown, eyes yellow, teeth razor sharp. His ears matched the average man, and his crown was smooth and bald, the standard for Czar men. 

"I hear you are the Human Czar that has been the talk of the base."

"Human Czar? Hmm…Yes but, my name is Ved."

"And I Dawn Fang, shall you accept a challenge of strength?"

"I get it now.” Lazerous look back and forth between the two, “by design the suit will easily overpower Dawn Fang. Your son stands no chance against my brother.” 

Ved and Dawn Fang shared looks of disbelief. 

"Exactly, with a suit that powerful, any human can hold his own with a Czar. Marching across the Federation will be simple, and New Blood will fall shortly after. Now son, I want you to pin Ved."

Dawn Fang turned to him, " if you will permit such a challenge."

"HA! I'd try without the suit." Ved hunched down into position.

The suit went into action, matches his battle instinct and reflex. The layers moved flawless together in unison with smooth and elegant motions as though they were muscles. 

"Be easy brother, I'm not sure of how far you can push in that suit."

"I've faith in this suit brother."

"I know, but how far can your body go in it's condition? Be easy."

He nodded in agreement. "Shall we then?"

"We shall." 

The two were leaving Azurith’s office, entering the hustling and bustling halls of the base. A sight that had been previously directing away from the medical department. They made their way through and around the crowds and yelling to their newly arranged quarters.  

Ved was the first to sit down on his bunk, releasing a deep sigh. 

“Now that is a sound that you haven’t made in awhile.” Lazerous took a seat beside him. “How you feeling?”

“To be honest, I’m tired.”  

“Good,” he pressed a hand to his armored shoulder. “After all that’s happened you should be beat.”

“Ha, just like Dawn Fang.”

“Especially after that victory. Which reminds me,” he crossed the room logging into a holopad. “I want to run a diagnostic test.”

“Oh ok.” 

Lazerous begin typing in communication protocols for the bio-layer. The screen began to flash through a number of readings: heart rate, breathing, neural activity. 

“So how is this thing powered?”

“Oh yeah, I didn’t tell you. It is built as a living organism, so it producer its own energy.” 

“You’ve out done yourself.” He smiled softly. 

“Not yet I haven’t, when I find a cure I’ll outdo myself.” 

“How about worrying about yourself?”

“Huh?” He shut down the holopad.

“I saw you limping in the hall. You’re hurt, how bad is it?”

He stared off into the empty side of the room. “Does it really matter right now, we have a war to fight ya know?”

Ved’s expression feel flat, “Lazerous if you don’t tell me right now.” 

He pushed his words under his breath “My back.” 

“How bad?” 

“Bad,” he muttered under his breath. 

Ved crossed over to him and gripped his shoulders.

He smiled softly, “you gripped pretty gently, good job, you could have easily destroyed my shoulders.”

“How bad?” 

“Most of my back has 2nd degree burns.” 

Ved’s face betrayed his deep pain, ‘How have you dealt with the pain?’

He fell onto his bunk. “Easy,” his words were soft, “I look at you.” Ved sat beside him, “Have you seen a doctor yet?”

“Yes I saw one when we got here.”

“And?”

“I need a skin graft.”

“Who’s the donor?”

“Don’t have one. Don’t need one.”

“What? You need that skin replaced. You could caught a disease.”  

“Do you not realize that the entire base is sterilized and deemed as a medical environment? I’m not going to catch any infection.” 

“Just get the skin graft.”

“From who? You know damn good and well that the only person that matches my DNA is you.” 

“So take the skin.”

“NO!”

Silence befell the argument, Lazerous hung his head. 

“You can’t give me a skin graft. The bio-layer won’t read the donor area. You’d end up back in a bed.I’ll just take a prosthetic.” 

Ved shock his head, “Alright, come on, let’s get you down the medical ward.” 

“Captain the scouting drone has confirmed Al and the other prisoners from lab 42 are at the Federate station ColdStone.” 

“Excellent,” Azurith turned from the main monitor of the bridge to Ved, “you and your brother should have fun with this.” 

“Richard and Morgan are on that ship correct?”

“Yes bio scans confirm the both of them are prisoners, but we have since lost the singles. We also caught a transmission of a man screaming.” 

“Play it.”

A crackling fuss was broadcast, “help they’re logging into my back files!” 

“Any idea what that is Ved?”

“I’d say AL, but I had no idea that he was that far along in growth. We’ll need to secure him, Laz says that he’ll prove invaluable.”

“Ved tell me, how is he doing?”

“Better, he’s pushing to go with me on this mission.”

“Hm…” 

“I couldn’t tell him no. Besides, he’d just find a way to go any way.” 

“Persistent.” 

“No,” Ved dawned his helmet while turning to the bridge exit, “Protective.” The doors closed behind him.

“Captain? Orders?”

“I’ll never understand how those two work. Set a course for the Federation ColdStone. Stay out of scanner range.” 

“Lazzy?” Ved was slowly entering his room. He found no signs of him and with his enhanced speed he crossed the ship to the hanger. 

“What do you mean three hours? I want this rig prepped and fueled in thirty minuets. Let’s see some action people. Get your asses moving!” He was standing on the upper level of the ship’s hanger, barking commands at the Flight Deck Hands. He was standing in front of a console with the information on the stealth rig displaying.

“Enjoying the new power of your rank?” 

“ ’Course not, these boys are wet behind the ears. Reminds you of the rookie at the Hunting Lodge doesn’t it? 

“Oh yeah, did they need help.”

“You can say it for these rookies too.” 

“So how’s the back?”

“Doesn’t matter.” He continued to press through menus, options, and protocols. 

Ved sighed, “when are you going to worry about yourself Laz?” 

“Soon. I have a plan.” 

“And that is?”

“Can’t say.” He playfully stuck his tongue out at him.

“Now you know that you are going to tell me.” He shifted himself on the hand rail as he watched the Flight Deck Hands move about doing their work. 

“True.”

“So tell.”

“Beg.” 

“You know I will.”

“You know I wouldn’t make you.”

“So tell.”

“Soon as we have Richard, Morgan and most of all, Al.”

“Waiting until everyone else is safe I see.” 

“No, waiting for AL.” 

Ved raised an eyebrow at him, “why?”

Laz swung his hand down and the screens closed. “Simple, the only way I can rest is if my work is safe, your suit being my work. Right now I’m the only one who knows how it works.”

“Exactly why you should stay here.”

“Hush you, if we can get AL and Morgan, I can get her to let me teach AL how the suit works. Then if anything happens to me you will still have AL to maintain the suit.” 

“Still looking out for me eh?” 

“Naturally,” he looked at Ved through the helmet. “Even in all that, I still see you as short and skinny as you were as a teenager.” 

Ved busted into laughter. “Ah, I missed this so much, our little pre-fight ritual.” 

“Like I’ve said, if this is end, let’s enjoy it.”

Azurith came on the intercom system, “alright gentlemen, we’re as close to the ColdStone as we can get. Begin the rescue mission.” 

The two’s expression, attitude, and body language shifted. Years of training had taught them to act purely on instinct. Lazerous loaded the screen back up and released the docking locks on their transport. Ved was already on board beginning take off procedures. 

“Load the weapons, I want five marines on deck now!” He lead the five into the cargo bay of the stealth ship, Dawn Fang at his side. “Good to see you on your feet and off your back.” 

“Ha! Yes your brother is incredible. You built one hell of a suit.” 

“Did I now? You can thank your father. And don’t worry, Ved’s suit is special, the ones to come will live in his shadow.” 

They took their seats and watched the hanger doors open. Ved was an expert pilot, almost as skilled as Lazerous. Lazerous was also the expert shooter, Ved would seem to often live in his shadow, but on the battlefield, the two worked flawlessly together. As separates they proved trouble, together they were an army. 

Ved handled the ship with ease, taking an indirect route through a large asteroid belt. Slowly they approached the massive Federation owned space station, ColdStone. Cleverly designed as a large broadcast array and safely nestled in the dark depths of restricted space.

“Looks like the hangers are open. Two miles wide, left. Go for a fast landing, I’m disabling the security now.” Lazerous, a programming wizard, he flew through numerous screens, tearing down the advanced and complex security protocols and firewalls of the ColdStone’s defenses. 

Ved swung the ship around a large astroid and launched full throttle towards the Flight Hanger, in a kamikaze fashion he slammed the ship down. The gust of wind from the swift landing threw the flight deck hands to the ground diosrienting them all.  

The marines were quick to engage, dispatching their disorientated enemy. Spanning out in a wave they secured the hanger and closed the blast doors.

“Lazerous the hanger is secured.” Dawn Fang yelled down from the control balcony.

“Scans show AL and the doctors in separate location.” Lazerous lead Ved to one of the middle access doors. “I want you three to take the left access door, go to the fifth intersection and make a right, down the hall should be a cell where Richard and doctor Morgan are located. Bring them back alive or I’ll have your asses.” The three sped off as Dawn Fang operated the doors. “You two hold this position, Ved and I will make our way to AL.” 

As the doors closed they were thrown into a long straight away corridor. The walls were lit by only the flashing yellow caution lights that had been engaged with their hasting landing.   

“Laz talk to me, what’s that gut say?” Ved held his plasma rifle at the ready aiming down the hall.

Lazerous only laughed, “the days of my gut guiding us are over dear brother. You suit has an inferred, electrical, and night vision. Give a quick scan.” He began flipping through screens on his holopad. 

Ved gave the few mental commands that brought up the different vision modes on his visor. He was quietly amazed at his suit’s abilities. He smiled as his scans concluded what he knew Laz’s gut was telling him, they were alone. 

“Truly amazing Lazzy, truly amazing.”

“Heh, what’s amazing is that I have contact with AL. Our job is about to be fairly easy.”

“How so?” The two had reached an intersection some 20 yards from the Hanger. Lazerous walking the corridors as though he built them.

“AL and I currently have control of the entire station. We locked down all the sections between us and any resistance we may face.” 

Ved chuckled as he keep his rifle at the ready. “Fight smart, not hard.” 

“The old motto.”

“So are you going to tell the others?”

“You know why I am not going to.”

“To keep them on their toes, like I am right now.”

“Exactly, and heads up. We got six hostiles in the room with AL.” He put the holopad away and raised his rifle up at the door that they had reached. His muscles tensed with anticipation,  “ready?”

“Always.” Ved smiled as the door opened.

He burst into a rush, drawing the attention of the four guards that surround AL. Lazerous rolled in unnoticed and downed two of the four before the sentry on the opposite side of the room began firing at him. Ved was quick to knock the closest sentry down with his momentum, turning to engage the remaining two as Lazerous took the kill on the first sentry. In only a few fluid motions they had cleared the room and were reloading their weapons. 

“Absolutely astounding work! You two work beautifully together. And Ved! My what a suit!” The words rang from the large glass cylinder that contained a human brain grafted with processors and cables, connecting it to the metal base with a small monitor displaying the sound wave that reacted to AL’s thought and speech.

“Good to see you in one piece AL.” Lazerous was cracking into the control panel for the lock that held him in place.

“Good to see you two, and scans show Morgan and Richard on board your ship already. I’m impressed.”

Ved chuckled at the compliment. “It’s been some time since we had work like this, but we didn’t get too rusty.” The large metal clamps holding AL down on his pedestal lifted. “Alright, time to get you to the ship.” The two lifted him up and began making their way back to the Hanger.

“Watch it now, you drop me and Morgan will use your brain as a replacement.”

“All diagnostic test passed, you’re back at full operating capacity AL.” Morgan stood at the control panel for the lab that they had been giving access to. It was the same spot she had been standing in for the last week. 

“Excellent, I already feel better.” Al was checking over the results himself, searching for areas that could be improved.

“Amazing, absolutely amazing.” Richard was standing off to the side, as he always did when Morgan worked. Her willpower and determination could only be described by the furious shade of red that graced her beautiful curly hair. 

She was lean and fit for a A.I. doctor. “What do you expect Richard?”

“I expected this, otherwise I would not have staked everything on it.” Richard shuffled his black hair from his eyes and began wiping his glassing with his jacket. 

Morgan’s face went flat at the statement. “Yes and you lost everything. How amazing can it really be?”

“Amazing enough. True,” he replaced the glasses and reflected over his lost, “I may have lost my lab, and some of the best damn men and women ever. But every last bite of data is stored in AL. Every last person that died, did not do so in vain. Their work shall live on in AL.”

“Speaking of storing data, Lazerous has requested to store a large amount of super encrypted data.”

“For what?” Morgan’s face went tense with the flare of her temper.

“A fail safe of sorts, he wants to store, no, he wants to teach me how Ved’s suit works. He fears that he will not see the day that Ved walks without the suit.”

Morgan’s fury had drifted into a somber look. “Those two.” Her words were merely a whisper to herself. “Give him the proper permissions to do so. I want you to take his research to heart AL.”

“As if I had one.” AL’s humorous tone made Richard shake his head as the door to their lab opened. 

Azurith stepped in, his eyes filled with a subtle sparkle as he spotted Al. “I see that you all are settling in well.”

“Indeed we are are, and again I must thank you Azurith.” Richard stuck his hand out to him. 

Azurith accepted the gesture, “Ah, but I need your help now.”

“How?”

Azurith began circling Al, admiring his beauty. “As you have seen, this base serves as the headquarters to a new and rising faction, The Union.

“We serve to close the gaps between Humans and Czar, and to stop both the Federation and New Blood.”

“If you are going after the Federation count me in.” Morgan was quickly plotting her revenge. 

“I expected you to be very gun-ho about this. And as for you two?” He turned to Richard and AL.

“I go where Morgan goes.” AL chipped in.

“And I shall see that the last remains of my lab survives.”

“Excellent, then consider yourselves to be members of The Union. Chief of Lab Operations Richard, Head of Artificial Intelligence Officer Doctor Morgan and AL. Welcome to The Union.”

Ved sat down on his bed, Lazerous once again over him with his holopad running more diagnostics. “I’m telling you, I feel fine.”

“Of course you do, you are not stressed out like during the mission.”

“And you have made a number of changes to the suit since and I feel fine.” 

Lazerous gave him a stare over the top of his holopad. “I still need to see the suit while you are stressed. We almost need another mission.”

A piercing siren went off followed by the yellow caution lights that were scattered through out the base. Everyone began to scramble to their stations, months of training was being put to the test. 

Azurith turned to Al, “hack into this base, begin defensive protocol Alpha One!” He rushed out of the room towards the Command Room.

A frantic and panicked voice came over the intercom, “we have a breach in the MessHall! Begin evacuation of all Civilian Level Personnel!”  

Ved and Lazerous were rushing towards to the Command Room as they heard the announcement. 

“You get to the MessHall, I’ll see to the evacuation!” Lazerous sped down a side hallway towards the general quarters as Ved rushed off to the breach. 

“Azurith I’ve locked down several of the blast doors but someone is overriding them. They are making their way to your position!” AL screamed the news as the many officers of the Command room confirmed three more breaches. 

“Evacuate all personnel! I want everyone out of here now!”

They all took the order, each dropping through the secret evacuation chutes in the floor of the room. These types of chutes were scattered through out the base, each one leading to the subterranean levels that lead further to the sub-rail network that was built into the planet. 

Azurith activated the total lockdown protocols for the base and then opened a channel to AL, “I want you to evacuate immediately, send word to Ved and Lazerous to get out now.”

The channel closed and Morgan looked to Richard, then to Al, “get a line to Ved’s suit now.”

“Trying to, Lazerous’ security system is top notch, it’s taking some time.”

Ved watched as the blast doors cut him off from his targets and left him alone in the hallways. He then saw the visor displayed notification of AL’s channel request. 

“Al, what’s going on?”

“Total lock down, complete evac, but we need you to get Azurith someone is heading toward him.”

Azurith turned with little surprise as the blast doors to the room slowly opened. In the parting stood a single dark toned Czar. His body was accented with yellow strips that made him resemble a predator cat of the wild. He wore a thick belt made out of synthetic fiber that held a pistol to his right and a long metal sword of Czar design, bending in wild curves, to his left

“I should have known.” His voice was amused and casual. 

“Why have you come?” Azurith tensed his muscles.

“Oh come now, I thought that you’d be happy to see me father.”

Azurith shot his eldest son a hateful look. “You are far from my son Zane. You are still in the shadow of your brother.”

“Enough talk, I’m here for that suit.”

Azurith was shocked, “how do you know about that?”

“Words travels fast, especially when the Federation is offering such a large reward for it. Now tell me, where is the suit?”

“My fallen son know this, you will never get your hands on that suit, the one who wears it could take you without it. And with it you would stand no chance.” 

“Father I grow tired of your words. This man, this mere human shall be no challenge to my blade or my strength. Now tell me, where is he?”

“Zane you never learn do you?”

“Father it’s a pity,” he drew his blade, “I could use someone like you for my ranks. New Blood could use some experience.”

“I’d rather die.”

“I’m glad you say that.” He crossed the room in a blitz, thrusting the sword through Azurith’s heart.

As his father’s lifeless body fell to the ground, Dawn Fang stood in the door way. 

“Father!” He charged Zane, who quickly dropped and lifted Dawn over his back and threw him back into the hall.

“Is that anyway to treat your brother?”

“You left this family years ago.” He stood to charge as Ved appeared and grabbed him as Zane raised his pistol. Ved stood in front of him to deflect the blast with his suit.

“Unbelievable.” Zane stared with a look of intrigued interest. 

Ved only turned and pulled Dawn. “We have to go now!”

Dawn followed, but he could not brake his look at his father’s face, at the smile that was still there, a smile that came as he laid eyes on his son one last time.

He ushered the last of the civilians from the sub-rail tram. They had made it to the reserve base safely enough, but his mind was incapable of ease, he had yet to check on Ved. He pulled out his holopad and quickly began opening a channel to Ved’s suit. 

A static fuss rolled over as they made the connection, “Ved can you hear me?” 

“Not really, we’re underground, I got Dawn but was too late to save Azurith.”

The news struck Lazerous a deep wound, “I’m at the reserve base, where are you?”

“We missed all the trams so we are on foot. We’ll try to get there as soon as possible.”

The line dropped with his final words. Lazerous knew it was no good, the underground tunnels couldn’t hold a signal. The crust of the planet was too think to allow for such.

“Commander, orders?” Two marines helping with the evacuation were staring at him curiously.

“Send trams down these tunnels. We got two officers in there. I want them here now!” He turned and went to help with the other preparations of the new base. 

“How far do these rails go?” Ved had taken lead point, scanning the tunnel for any signs of life.

“The entire planet.” His words were short and angry, his response was purely out of respect to Ved. 

“So how about telling me who that was?” Ved was testing the waters.

“That Czar was Zane, he was my older brother and my father’s eldest child.” 

“I’m sorry for your lose Dawn.” 

“Truly I wish you would have left me to die.”

His retort threw Ved off guard, “then what would your father have died for? How would you feel not seeing The Union bring down New Blood? Or the Federation?”

His words hit home, Dawn Fang’s heart stirred with passion and the hunger of his father’s dream. “You speak well for a man of war.”

“A man of war can rally his brothers. We have suffered a great lost today.”

“But not without gain.”

Ved looked back to him, “how so?”

“My brother is stupid, when we were young he would always pull that move to throw me. I used that move to slide a tracking beacon on his person.”

Ved smiled at him as the bright light and booming sound of a tram approached them around the bend.

Lazerous was surrounded by the lower ranking officers of the military. Orders of defense and replenishing the ranks flew in every direction. Scans of the new base and surrounding areas were flooding in, communication scrambles were mandatory and orders over the intercom system did not stop.  

Ved and Dawn Fang were swept away in the crowd as they made their way to the new command room. Lazerous dismissed the two low ranking officers that were in front of him.

“Good to see you two back.”

“The base looks like it’s busy.” Dawn stared at Lazerous and was reminded of his father. 

“Yes, indeed it is,” Lazerous pulled out his holopad and began running diagnostic on the suit. “Also Dawn,” he looked over the top of the holopad, “I’m sorry about your father.”

“His death will not go without punishment. I shall hunt my brother down. And I’ve already begun my hunt. I planted a tracker on him in our fray.” 

“Excellent, that makes perfect timing as well, since your father has passed, that leaves you in charge of The Union.” He continued his scan of Ved’s suit. 

Dawn Fang was shocked at the announcement. He hadn’t thought about the faction and the fact that he was now in charge of hundreds of civilians and officers. The thought was frightening.  

  “You alright Dawn?” Ved could read the fear on his face.

“Yes, such a large responsibility is heavy to take on. I almost don’t know where to begin.”

“Well I already began the defensive reinforcement, and all personnel have their new orders by now. The base is ready but I’d give it more time. We need to let the ranks grow a little.” He turned to Ved, “and you and I need to talk.”

“The diagnostic turn something up?”

“Huh? Oh no, I just need to talk to you, privately.” He looked to Dawn, “nothing personal, just brotherly matters.”

“This I understand and respect. My brother was not always as he is now.” He stared off recalling a distant time of childhood glee and simplicity. 

“Well in the meantime, talk to Al about tracking your brother. So far he’s been coding and scrambling network and communication activity.”

“Yes, we shall follow his movements, hopefully even find his base.”

Lazerous and Ved were in their new room, they both sat at the table looking over the holopad results.

“How did the repairs fair?” Ved could hardly understand the complex data charts and readings.

“They went perfectly, even with the unexpected spike in stress.”

“So that’s all you wanted to say?” Ved was slightly perplexed at the request of a private meeting. 

“Actually no, I am leaving.”

“What do you mean?” The comment threw him off guard. 

“I got a message just a while ago, from a very old friend of mine. He usually stays off the network but he had to contact me so we could meet.”

“I don’t buy it, it’s a trap.”

“He knows the old code.”

Shock crossed his face. “Well then, I didn’t know anyone from the old Hunting Lodge was still around. When do we leave?”

“Not we, just me. He requested a private meeting. Besides I need you to go see AL.”

“Why do I need to see AL?”

“Two reasons: One to check for trackers. I doubt you have any but we need to be double sure.”

“And two?”

Lazerous went quiet and stared away from him. “He is going to be studying the suit as well. I’ve already uploaded the bulk of my research, the rest remains locked in your suit. You are to give him the proper access and let him learn it.”

“You plan?”

“Yeah, I have to be sure.” 

Ved stood and walked to his side, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I know that you’ll find the cure, you’ll see me walk for yourself, and I’ll hug you for it.”

“We’ll see about that.” Lazerous smiled.

Ved returned the smile, “so how long will you be gone?”

“About a week or two. He’s pretty far away.” 

“Any idea what he wants?”

“Said something about Lab 42 reports. I don’t know what it’s a bout really. I haven’t had much information from the outside world.” 

“Look, be careful. No matter what it is, be careful.” His face held fear. 

“I always am brother.” He smiled at him. 

He had seen his brother off, it was a private affair. The two did enjoy the silence, their parting was odd and difficult for them. They each stumbled for the words to mark their parting as Lazerous boarded his ship. In the last fifteen years, the two had never spent a day apart. They each realized that everything around them was, pointless. The people all became blobs, the places and faces were now gray blurs. Life was a motion that they both had to trek through in order to be reunited. 

“So how’s the data transfer going with AL?” Lazerous had a channel open to Ved’s suit.

“It’s been mostly observation for the last two days. He says that you help clear up a few things in the coding.”

Lazerous chuckled, “actually a lot of things in the code. It’s all written in my style, most of it is purely personal design.”

“Huh, well how is the meeting going?”

“About to dock at the station in the next hour. I’ll have to close the channel and you won’t be able to call for awhile. The station is in a dead zone.”

“Lazzy be careful.” He nearly choked on the words.

Lazerous was quick to catch it, he already knew that Ved was having the same feeling that he was. “Will do Veddy.”

A look of crossed his face, “you haven’t called me that in years.” 

Laz smiled, “figured that you needed it.” He looked up and saw the cluster of asteroids that hid the broadcasting station. “Well, this is it. I’ll open the channel as soon as I can.” 

“Be careful brother.”

Lazerous smiled just as the channeled lost its signal. He had slowly entered the asteroid field. He turned his attention to the field that was flying towards him. He loosely gripped the stirring controls and pushed the throttle to mac. His small cruiser style vessel was built for just this. And so were his skills. His muscles were reacting purely on instinct. His eyes were almost closed as he gracefully moved through the shifting field. He brought the ship into the hanger of the broadcasting station and learned that there was only one other vessel there. A Federation scouting ship. 

Lazerous quickly dawned the combat armor that he stashed away and readied his rifle. Cautiously he swept through the hanger and towards the upper levels of the flight deck. He saw no one, only consoles, and screens flashing information and alerts about the dropped broadcasting systems that were offline. 

He found his way to the access lift and rode up to the domed observation deck that topped the broadcasting station. It was a beautiful sight for the middle of no where. The floor was made of tiled paths leading through lush gardens and trees. Somewhere in the distance Lazerous could hear the trickle of water. 

On the far side of the current path he spotted his friend sitting on an old fashion wooden bench. He made his way up to him weapon still drawn. 

“Tell me old friend, have the years of war made you this paranoid?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were federation?”

He shuck his deep black hair and turned his green eyes upon him. “Would you have come?”

“Why’d you join?”

“Forced to.”

The two stared each other down. Lazerous read his body, his relaxed breathing, easy muscle movements, and his laid back attitude. He lowered his rifle. “You would have killed me already if you wanted to.”

“I’m hurt, you are my brother-at-arms Lazerous.”

“Well Samuel,” he took a seat beside him, looking over the blue Federation uniform, “what forced you to join?”

“It’s how the Federation works, they are composed mostly political red tape, setting up laws so that they can do anything and then building an army to enforce that law. Anyone who tries to stand against the Federation is offered a job in the ranks.”

“What? Why a job?”

“Well, take the job and you and your children’s children will be set for life. Decline and they’ll kill you and your family.”

“So you took it?”

“Hey, I sit in an office, stamping papers and make twice as much as I did at the lodge. Not to mention, I’ve cracked into all the classified documents, killed about thirty officers above me and used what I know to climb the ranks.

“On the surface I’m a top ranking logicist officer, but really I’m killing anyone who gains power around the offices. Can’t touch the Army though. The higher ups won’t have it. I tried once, I ejected a General into space. The red suits told me I’d be next if I set my eyes out of the office space.”

“So you are not loyal to them are you?”

“No one is loyal, they all know I like to kill everyone. Everyone is killing each other and doing what ever they want. We just get some more paperwork to cover it all up and mums the word.”

“Clean kills as always. So what is it that you want to talk about?”

“That suit of yours.”

Lazerous’ expression went stiff.

“They saw it when you took AL and the two doctors. They want it too, there’s a huge bounty on it.”

“What do they know about it?”

“Nothing really, they simply think its a super weapon. So they want it.”

“And you’re here to get it. Using me as a hostage, right?”

He chucked, “you were always quick. But yes, those were my orders.”

“And your plan?”

“Why do you think we are here in a dead zone? In a currently offline communication broadcast station? I have no intention of kidnapping you. But instead, I’ll offer you a deal.”

“What do you have to offer?”

“A cure.”

Lazerous stared at him puzzled, “for what?”

“That suit, it’s helping Ved walk. He suffered in the explosion, he lost all muscle controls. The nerves work, but the muscle don’t respond.”

“How in the hell did you learn about that?”

Samuel took his turn to laugh, “I was the expert hacker and the intelligence power house during our Lodge days. I saw the medical reports on the Czar’s base that was attacked.” 

“Your skills never cease to impress me. So you have a cure and in exchange for it you want the suit?”

“No, I know you, that suit is useless to anyone other than Ved. I want a blueprint. Draw up the design and I’ll hand over this.” He reached into his coast pocket and pulled out a jar of purple liquid. “This will stimulate the growth of his muscle’s nerve receptors. We developed it for the crippled. The Federation isn’t all bad ya know. Just full of bullshit.”

Lazerous stared at the vile. “You’re sure it’ll work?” 

“Would I be here wasting your time otherwise?”

“Ok, you’ve got a deal.” He grasped the jar and held it up to the light. 

“Sir our scout’s scan returned numerous ship trails and four Czar fighter wreckages. We believe that Lazerous has been captured.”

“And the tracking beacon?”

“It was disable roughly twenty minuets ago.”

Dawn turned from the controls to look at Ved. 

  His body had become tense with anger and fury. His hand had squeezed the hand rail that he was standing against. 

“Give me the coordinates of tracking beacon code name ‘Zane’.”

The officers began typing commands into their consoles, pulling up large maps and displaying star systems and planets, pin pointing the beacon to the a capital ship that stood in a fleet orbiting a large orbital space station. “Sir there seems to be a channel request from the beacon’s location.” 

“Open the line!” Ved yelled in a flash of anger. 

A video image of Zane appeared over the map, “hello Dawn.”

“What business have you contacting me?”

“Oh come now brother, I’m hurt, can’t we just talk?” He smirked at his own sarcasm. 

“I don’t have time for this state your business.” Ved was yelling commands from behind Dawn.

“Now now, that won’t get your brother back, now will it?” His sinister grin was pushing Ved to his limit. “Now then, you want your brother, and I want your suit. Get the picture?”

Ved was no longer even in the room. He anger had broke free and rushed him across the large base to the Armory. He began gathering large plasma rifles, ammunition, pistols and wiring a belt of explosives together.

“Commander, orders?” The few officers and marines in the Armory were curiously eyeing him. 

Dawn cam over the intercom, “Ved I need to know what you’re doing.”

He stood looking from the explosives to the marines. “Dawn, let’s have some quality family time.”

The screams and shouts of ‘BattleStations!’, the orders to load the fleets, the wail of the siren that was screaming along side the flashing red light, all boomed and echoed through out the halls. But Ved heard silence heard only his thought, a single thought. His brother was gone, kidnapped far away. He blamed himself, even brow beat himself all the way his ship for not demanding to go with him. But then he could hear Lazerous telling him how it would be Ved who was caught and Lazerous on his way to get him back. 

The base was quick to assemble their fleet. It was the original space port for the planet and easily managed the large fleet. Their numbers had grown with the month old orders to replenish the ranks and restock war supplies. Lazerous’ last orders were the very ones that aided in seeing his retrieval. 

“You have a lot of nerve Czar. What does the likes of you have contacting the Federation?”

“Just thought you’d like to know, I have in my possession Doctor Lazerous and his suit of a brother is on the way.”

“You’re bluffing Czar, there’s no way you could get those two.”

“Would I be sending you my coordinates otherwise? Lazerous is here and his brother is on the way. Now get your asses here with my money. And you might want to bring some fire power. Long range scanners detect a number of large ships coming this way.” He smirked as the channel closed.

“Sir was it wise to give them our position?”

“Of course not, but we are running out of time. Hopefully the Union and the Federation will arrive together. Then they will blow each other up.”

“What if they hit us first?”

“Well, that’s a risk we’re taking now isn’t it?” 

“Ved what’s your plan?”

“I’ll board Zane’s ship and get Lazerous out, you all engage his main forces, create a distraction. And I have a funny feeling the Federation might show up.”

“Then I’m not the only one with that feeling. Alright, open a Fleet Channel.” The officer at the communications panel began to open the channel. “Attention all units, we will break into three fleet squads, I’ll head Alpha Fleet and we will make a full charge for the head Capital ship that Zane pilots. Beta Fleet will wait until New Blood’s forces are deployed and flank them from the side.  

“Gamma Fleet will remain behind, we have wind that the boys in blue will be dropping by and we want a special surprise for them. Now break formation and fleet up. We’ll be arriving at the target area soon.”

Dawn’s words rang true, Zane’s fleet was becoming visible in the distance. The massive Fleet broke into three and two warped off into their positions. Alpha Fleet increased in speed and closed the gap between themselves and New Blood. 

“Pull up Ved’s tracking beacon. I want to see it on the secondary screen.” Officers began typing commands and soon the small stealth craft was displayed. He was flying high above the space that would be the battlefield. 

“Ready long range missiles and hail the Capital ship.” 

The screen opened and Zane could be seen casually sitting in his command chair. “So brother, I see this won’t be a peaceful engagement.”

“Zane you have one last chance, return Lazerous now and I might let you live.”

“HA! Do you think that little fleet will stand a chance against the army of New Blood? Dear Dawn, I’ll burn your fleet down and pull that suit out of the ashes.”

“So be it.” The channel closed down, “Fire the first wave of long range missiles, ready wave two.”  A pulsing stream of missiles erupted from the fleet. Tens of missiles from the long range cruisers crossed the distance and exploded into the ranks of New Blood. The damage was little only a few ships had lost their shields and they were quickly replaced with back vessels. 

And these ships were greeted by the next wave of missiles. The ranks took damage and then broke. The smaller faster Frigates moved in first being met by the same type of ships from The Union’s ranks. 

The battle had begun and tension in the middle ground was high. Frigates moved back and forth, in tactical patterns, attacking and ganging up on each other. They had to break formation with each wave of cruiser missiles that ripped through those slow enough. The cruisers were closing the gap as well as the much larger capital ships. 

Ved held his position as he watched the chaos below him. The cruisers had arrived and were pounding into each other as the Frigates desperately dodged their large rounds and missiles. He watched as the capital ships eased their way into battle. His target was finally close enough. He set the explosives at the back of the ship, next to the fuel tank. He gripped the flight controls and dive bombed towards Zane’s capital ship. He leveled the fall with the large windowed bridge. 

Zane could spot the ship and broke out into a frantic rush. “Seal the blast doors!” He yelled over his shoulder as the rest of the crew saw their impeding doom. 

Ved’s ship crashed into the bridge before the crew could react. Only Zane made it beyond the blast doors in the hallway that sealed as the hull was breached. The thunderous explosion tore the bridge to pieces. The ship’s systems were all put into emergency mode, their main controls destroyed in the blast. The crew had been thrown into a communications black out and had no idea of what was transpiring. Ved crossed the vacuum of the explosion sight and made his way to the blast door, hacking it and making his way into the hall. It acted as an air lock as he began to slay his way through the ship.

Lazerous took the two guards to his cell by surprise during the explosion. He had taken both of them down, gathering their guns, the key to the cell an was desperately searching for a holopad or computer console. He handled the Czar that were stationed out side the cells and the few roaming patrols. For him, Czar were just large prey, having spent so much time around them in The Union and the Hunting Lodge he knew how to handle them. But their numbers made them a challenge. Already he had slain close to two dozen when he finally found a communication room. 

He soon learned of the ship wide communication black out and rewired and reprogrammed the console to broadcast to Ved’s suit. He managed to get a simple audio channel open. “Ved can you hear me?”

“Where are you?”

“Was that explosion you?”

“I like to enter with a bang, now where we you?”

“Cell block A. How do you plan on getting out?”

“Borrow a ship from the hanger, I’m wearing a tracking beacon synched to the Fleet they won’t attack us.”

“Alright the hanger isn’t too far from my location. Where are you?”

His answer was the loud static of an explosion that could be heard and felt through out the ship. “The remains of the Barracks.” 

“You’re two floors above the hanger, get there now.” 

The two fought through the waves of Czar and locked doors. Lazerous entered the hanger to see Ved at a launch control panel readying a ship. The hanger floor was riddled with Czar corpse that have been in the hanger when Ved Entered. Lazerous made his way on board the ship as Ved finished the prep for launch. The two watched the Hanger’s blast door opened and Lazerous laid eyes on the battling Fleets. 

The Federation had come into the fray and the three forces were going at each other relentlessly. Lazerous took the vessel high as Ved opened a Fleet Channel to The Union. “All units begin retreat. I’ve got Lazerous on board.” 

The Union Fleet changed tactics as they began to lead the Federation and Czar forces to each other and then drop down out of the fray and into warp. Lazerous and Ved watched as the two remaining fleets torn into each other. The Czars overpowered the Federation and began to destroy their battleships and soon enough their capital ships. 

“That just leaves New Blood.”

“Not for long.” Ved pulled out a remote and pressed the button. A series of loaded escape pods began to detonate, with Zane’s capital ship being the grand final. The New Blood Fleet was being torn apart from every direction. 

Ved smiled as Lazerous admired his work.

“You are something else Ved.”

“Hey no one messes with my brother.” He said it with a relaxing breath. His mind was at ease now that he had returned.

Lazerous smiled then dropped into thought. “Ved?”

He tried reading the look on his brother’s face. 

“I may have a cure for your condition.”

“How? From where?” He was in disbelief and shock. 

“Does it matter?”

“Yes it does, I want to know who to thank if it works.”

“I doubt you’ll be thanking anyone. I got if from,” he paused, “from the Federation.”

A look of bewilderment shot across his face. “How?”

“Part of a deal, our friend ended up working for the Federation and offered me the cure.”

“I don’t want that thing. It’s poisoned! And that meeting was a trap!”

“No it wasn’t. I ran across a Czar scouting party and a battlecruiser happened to within warp range. And I tested the cure on both myself and our friend.”

“What the hell did you give him?”

“A suit blueprint.” 

“You idiot!” He was flushed with anger and fury. “Why would you give them that?!”

“Do you think it was real?” He had to raise his voice above Ved’s to silence him.

A silent moment passed, “do you think that for one minuet I’d betray Dawn or Azurith? The Union? Do you think that I would hand over the blue prints of your suit and betray you?” His voice was calm and rang true. 

Ved smiled at his hasty reaction. “You gave them a fake.”

“A little more than a fake. I gave them some armor plans, but they are only 3% as powerful as you armor layer.”

Ved gave him an infamous glare.

“I had to make it look real, but I promise that there is no way for them to get anything out of it.”

Ved smiled and looked at him, curiously searching for the cure.

“It’s right here,” he reached into his coat pocket, revealing a vile of purple liquid. 

The Union’s fleet had returned to the base, damage control was being performed. The losses were being counted and tallied. The base was filled with the glory chants of victory. Any heart ache was short lived, merriment was to be made.

Ved and Lazerous were busy locked away in the medical bay. Computers and controls panels were set up and the layers of the suit had been removed and lied out on tables. He was injecting the cure through the bio-layer and began to monitor Ved’s neural activity. He was in silence as he watched the results. 

Ved began to clench and unclench his fist. He pushed himself into a seated position, staring at his wiggling toes. He stood up off the bed and took his first few shaky steps toward Lazerous. He more fell into him than hugged him. He smiled as he gripped his brother in a tight embrace,

“Thank you brother.”

Author's Note

Please point out grammar and spelling issues. Also feel free to give feedback.

Reviews

[Falling Leaf.]

I've never been the biggest fan of science fiction, but I quite liked this piece. I suppose there's something in every group you can fancy!
~The Wilted Rose

[Coyote Poetry]

Wow. A very long story. Could break the story up and get more folks to read. I like the beginning. The brother being told of his brother injuries. I like the storyline and many good situations in the story. No weakness in the story. I did like the ending. Thank you for sharing the outstanding story.
Coyote

[Shep]

Great story, not a lot wrong with it that I could see. This could easily be. Novel. You held me from the beginning until the end wanting more. Awesome write.