STAR BOURN:
THE WARRIOR'S PATH
[Ascertaro,Raven’sShadow.] . [Localsystemtime:1800.]
AsReleckdockedhisfreighterattheportthatspacetrabc control had assigned him to, he felt his nerves uHild Hp. Pis armor felt heavier, and as he glanced over at his Xhaeleron T assaHltriOe,asenseofdreadmadeitselfknownwithinhimas well.
-his was it. After years of dreaming and planning, he was takinghisDrststepstowardhishHnt.
VncethedockingmagnetsweresecHred,hereachedoverfor his helmet and placed it over his head. -he headsIHp display cametolife,andhehadtoclenchhisDststopreventhishands fromshaking.Getaholdofyourself.They’llsmellyourweakness otherwise.
FrauuinghisXhaeleron,ReleckforcedhimselftostandHp and walk toward the hatch leading oHtside. Pe coHldn’t let himselfgiveintotheuHildingnerves.jotaftereverythinghe haddonetogetwherehewastoday.
zHstasithadforthepastfewweekssincehelefthome,the memoriesofhislastconversationwithhisfatherplayeduack in his mind. As mHch as the words spoken on that day hHrt uothofthem,Releckknewtheywerenecessary.
?or as long as he coHld rememuer, his father pHshed uack against the warrior cHltHre in their society. Jnstead of the yoHng anthrHm Eoining the Ascendancy military, he soHght oHtlessdeadlypaths,sHchascomuatsports.Jtfellondeafears, however.AfterhHndredsofyearsspenthonoringthegenerals oflegendandtheirarmies,itwasgoingtotakemorethanone mantochangethecHltHre.
As a resHlt of his father’s ueliefs, Releck endHred plenty of lectHres auoHt the dangers of the uattleDeld and the lives thrownawayfortheueneDtofthepowerfHl.PeHnderstoodit onauaselevel,uHtwhenyoHhadalienslikethe2aHhlons,what other choice was thereB Vne doesn’t simply negotiate with a 2aHhlonandleavealive.
jomatterhowmHchheargHedthatpoint,ReleckcoHldn’t makehisfatherHnderstand.UachtimehewasdeniedtheulessI ingtoEointheAscendancy,itfeltlikeaknifetwistinguetween
hisrius.AsifhispeaceIlovingfatherwasgoodenoHghtosHrI vivethetrialsthemilitarywoHldprovide.
Relecksighed.Peknewthatwasn’tthecase3thathisfather loved him dearly. Uven so, he coHldn’t help uHt take it as an insHlt.-hatwaspartiallywhyheintendedtoseethismission throHgh. Pe wanted to prove to his father that death wasnMt gHaranteedontheuattleDeld.
;ponreachingtheship’se—it,hetappedawayattheconsole to the right, where the hatch then opened. VHtside was the sHrprisinglycleanstationknownasAscertaro.
xhen he pictHred the 'adlands, he e—pected grimy space stations, city worlds fHll of crime, and star systems riddled with pirate activity. So when he stepped oHt of his freighter and took a closer look at Ascertaro, he was shocked to Dnd a highIend, respectauleIlooking station. qayue he coHld get throHghthismeetHpinonepieceafterall.
RHnningthroHghthemaponhisP;G,heconDrmedthe designated location was Dfteen minHtes from here. Vn his way to Ascertaro, Releck was concerned auoHt the prospect ofadoHulecross3theTInetwasn’tknownforhostinghonest Hsersafterall.Uvenso,whenhecameacrosssomeoneuoasting auoHt their intelligenceIgathering skills, he coHldn’t pass Hp theopportHnity.
-he intel uroker4Asher, as he called himself4seemed pleasantenoHghwhenReleckreachedoHttohim.xhenthe yoHng anthrHm presented his re“Hest, Asher was conDdent hecoHldgettheinformation.xithhowshinyandcrimeIfree thisstationlooked,ReleckfeltaOoodofreliefovercomehim. -erriule as the 'adlands coHld ue, it looked as if not all its systems and residents were as deploraule as their repHtation sHggested.
AshewalkedthroHghthehallsofAscertaro,thewhiteand gold palette of the corridors stood oHt to him. Jt wasn’t a common design choice among space stations, after all. -hat, pairedwiththeHsageofuotsratherthanorganiccrews,gaveit astalefeelingReleckcoHldn’t“Hitedescriue.Yonsideringthe anthrHm’snatHralhauitatisdeepuelowthesHrface,thatsaid alot.
-hemorehethoHghtauoHtit,themorehestartedtonotice thelackofanyaliensatall.Pewascertainhehadseenother shipsdockedattheporthewasassignedto,uHthewasueginI ningtodoHuthisownmemory.Pisheartwasracing,andin hiscHrrentenvironment,itfeltliketheloHdestnoiseinallof Ascertaro.
'efore he coHld scare himself enoHgh to tHrn aroHnd and highItail it oHt of here, Releck reali2ed he was less than ten metersawayfromthemeetHplocation.PowcoHldheuailoHt
nowwhenhewasalreadysocloseBYlHtchinghisriOetightly, hegatheredhisresolveandpHshedthroHgh.
-Hrning the corner, Releck was faced with a corridor that cHrvedtotheleftanddippeddownviaastaircase.Ashewalked downthestairs,hemadesHretokeepaneyeonhisradar.-he locationremindedhimofanalleywayfoHndinacity,andthe corridoritselffeltliketheperfectplaceforanamuHsh.
GespitehisgHtfeeling,however,theradaronlyshowedone other person in the center of the passageway. qoreover, he coHldn’thearanyoneelse.xiththeirimpeccaulehearing,anI thrHmwerenotorioHslydibcHlttosneakHpon.-rHstinghis sensesandhistechnology,ReleckurHshedo5hisparanoiaas ueingcaHseduyhisine—perience.
After he reached the uottom of the stairs and continHed onwardtothecenterofthecorridor,hewasmetuyahHman male.PelookedtouemiddleIaged,andratherHnkemptasfar as Releck was concerned. 'etween his straggly hair and long ueard,hestHckoHtlikeasorethHmuinastationlikeAscertaro.
-hehHmanhadhiseyesglHedonhimforDvelongseconds ueforeheDnallyspokeHp.67oHReleckB9
Fivinghimafractionofanod,theloneanthrHmtookastep forward.6AsherB9
6jah,9themansaidwithasmirk.6Pedon’tdouHsinessin person,seeBPetoouHsyforthat.J’moneofhispeople.9
Releck felt a knot forming in his stomach. Asher hadn’t mentioned the fact that they woHldn’t ue speaking directly. -henagain,hedidn’tsaytheywoHldueeither.AsmHchasthe anthrHmwasHneasyatthisdevelopment,hewasn’tgoingto makeasceneauoHtiteither.-heuestthinghecoHlddowas playcool.Don’tshowweakness.Notinfrontofpeoplelikethis.
6GoyoHhavetheinformationJneedB9Releckasked.
Gespite ueing taller than the hHman, the man opposite Releckdidn’tuackdown.Jnfact,helookedmoreamHsedthan anything.
6qayue.7oHgotsomecreditsformeB9
Releck took a step forward, thoHgh the man held his groHnd.6JalreadypaidAsher.9
67oHpaidhim,uHtwhatauoHtmeBAmJchopped-orvin orsomethingB9
AgainsthisuetterEHdgment,ReleckpHshedthemanagainst thewalluehindhim.Jfhewantedrespect,heneededtoshow strength.-hat’swhatthe'adlandswasallauoHt,wasn’titB
6Gon’tmesswithme,hHman,9hesaid.6FivemetheinfoJ paidfor.9
6Vr else whatB 7oH gonna kill me, little uoyB9 the hHman grinned.
'eforeReleckcoHldrespond,amassive,threeIDngeredhand wrapped aroHnd his shoHlder and threw him uack. xhen
Releck hit the uHlkhead, the impact knocked the ureath oHt ofhim.
qorethanthesharppaininhisuack,uewildermentDlledhis mind. Pis radar hadn’t shown anyone else with them. Vf all theracesinthegala—y,howcoHldamorgHlsneakHponhimB -woofthem,atthat.
-he hHlking urHtes each stood ten feet tall. -heir yellow teethande—posedgHmsstoodincontrasttotheirgray,leathery skin. Fiven how toHgh the skin was, they often didn’t wear armor.'ythispoint,Releckknewe—actlywhathadhappened, andhewasreadytoDghthiswayoHtofthissitHation.Jnspite ofhispoHndingheart,hetriedhisuesttokeephisureathing calm.
-hiswasit.qakeorureak.Goordie.
6jow hold on a minHte, kiddo. -his don’t need to tHrn uloody,9thehHmansaid,6JEHstwantsomecredits.-hatain’t nothingtokillover,isitB9
-hemorgHlsfoamingatthemoHthforhisuloodsaidotherI wise,uHtReleckchosenottouringattentiontothat.Jnstead, hehesitantlyloweredhisXhaeleronandreachedforhiscredits inhisHtilityuelt.-hetoweringalienstookastepforward,uHt thehHmanraisedhishandtostopthem.
Releckdidn’tcoHnthowmanycreditchitshetookoHt,uHt hemadesHrenottogivethemalltoAsher’sagent.Freenashe
was,theanthrHmwasn’tthatfoolish.xithaOickofhiswrist, hetossedthemoneytothehHman’sfeet.AshepickeditHp, Relecklookedtoeitherendofthecorridor,tryingtospotany otherpossiuleenemies.
JtwasdHringthisthathespottedwherethemorgHlsmHst have entered from. Pidden in the uHlkhead were hatches. xhile that solved where they came from, that didn’t e—plain whyhedidn’tseethemonhisradar.
After coHnting the credits, the hHman looked Hp. 67oH wondering auoHt my uoys, aren’t yoHB -hey’re called map erasers.U—pensivelittlethings,uHtHsefHl.xithenoHghtrainI ingtoo,morgHlscanhavesHrprisinglynimulefeet.9
6xhyareyoHtellingmethisB9Releckasked.Jfitcamedown toaDght,hewasconDdentinhisauilitytocomeoHttheother sidealive.JtwoHldn’tuepretty,thoHgh.
67oH got ualls4or whatever the anthrHm e“Hivalent to themare.Jlikethat.AsyoHare,thoHgh,yoH’retoogreenfor the'adlands.zHsttryingtoueagoodSamaritanisall.9zHdging uythegrinonhisface,ReleckdoHutedthat.
6xellBxhere’smyinformationB9
6Alright,alright.-hemanyoH’relookingforisinSerpent’s Pole.zHstawordofadvice:tHrnuackwhileyoHcan.7oHdon’t standachanceagainsthim.9
;nlikethemischievoHsaHrathehHmane—Hdedsincethey Drst met, the stone cold e—pression he now wore told Releck howserioHshewas.JtwasalmostenoHghtomaketheyoHng anthrHmdoHuthimself.-akingadeepureath,Releckmerely nodded.
6-hanks, uHt J think J can handle myself. xhere is this Serpent’sPoleB9
6NorkaSystem,intheAnHuisjeuHla.Yan’tsayanymore thanthat.-hinkofitasatestofskill,yeahB7oHwon’tlastlong ifyoHcan’tdothisonyoHrown,9Asher’sagentsaid.
Releckhadtostophimselffromgrindinghisteeth.jomatI terhowmHchthishHmanpokedandprodded,hewoHldn’tlet hisgHarddown.PisfathertaHghthimuetterthanthat.
6joted. Jf yoH don’t mind, J have somewhere else to ue,9 saidReleck.
Pis feet remained planted on the deck, however. jo way was he going to tHrn his uack on these thHgs. After a few intense seconds, the hHman smiled, patted the two morgHls ontheuackandwalkedo5.-hankfHlly,itwasintheopposite directionfromwhereheneededtogo.
xhenReleckcoHldn’theartheirfootstepsanymore,helet oHtasighofrelief.AsmHchasherepeatedtohimselfthathe woHld’vedonewhathehadtodo,theyoHnganthrHmthanked
thegodsitdidn’tcometothat.VfallthepeopletoDndhimself atoddswith,morgHlswereattheuottomofthelist.
As he walked uack to his freighter, his mind tHrned to the individHalhiswholemissioncenteredaroHnd3LordAdmiral orrHk.jotonlywashetheleaderofthe aHhlonLegion,uHt he was considered the mightiest 2aHhlon of them all. illing him woHld take more than a miracle. xhat other choice did hehave,thoHghB
PHndredsofyearsago, orrHktheJmmortalwasresponsiI uleforthedeathofcoHntlessanthrHm.-wentyIDveyearsago, hekilledevenmorehHmans.AndwhatwashispHnishmentB LosingcoloniesandheavyoversightfromtheRepHulicsenate. joprisonsentence.jodeathsentence.?orallintentand pHrposes, orrHkgotawaywithitallHnscathed.-hatended now.ReleckwoHldavengethedeadandmakesHreEHsticewas served.
-hatsaid,doHutcreptHpwithinhim.qayuethathHman wasright.XerhapsReleckdidn’tstandachance. No.Stayfocused.I’vetrainedintheSim-Roomsadnauseam forthis.Ican,andIwilldothis. xhen he arrived uack at the docking port, he gave his freighter a look over. She sported the uron2e cHrvatHre aesI theticthatwasHni“HetosahngrHnships.xhiletheshipwas farfromingoodcondition,itdidn’tlooklikeshewasinany
worse shape than when Releck departed from her. -aking a ureath,hegavehimselfasatisDednodueforeenteringthroHgh hermainhatch.
AfterRelecksatinthepilot’sseatandremovedhishelmet, he allowed himself a moment to enEoy the fresh’ air. YomI pared to the terriuly stH5y o—ygen his helmet provided him, theship’sairfeltlikeagodsend.PereadontheholoInetthat thiswasanormalfeelingwhenservicemenDrstenteredactive dHty,uHtthesensationwasparticHlarlyuadforanthrHm.-he vastcavesystemsontheirhomeworldofGravinatrainedthem torelyonthinair,notfoHlair.
'eforeReleckcoHldcontactspacetrabccontroltore“Hest his departHre, the soft soHnd of measHred footsteps against steel gave him paHse. Jf it weren’t for his natHrally enhanced hearing,hemaynothavenoticedit.
Someoneelsewasthere.'HtwhoBxhytargethimofallthe peoplewhowerepresentonAscertaroB
Jtdidn’tmatterrightnow.RelecklookedaroHndwhiletryI ingnottotHrnhishead.Peneededaweapon.
Pishelmet,mayueBjo,toorisky.JfheendedHpdamaging it, that coHld caHse him troHule when he reached Serpent’s Pole.
PisXhaeleronB-hatmaywork.'ythetimehehaditaimed attheintrHderthoHgh,itmightuetoolate.xhatotherchoice
didhehaveBPecoHldn’tEHstthrowhimselfatthisperson3if theyhadaweapon,thatwoHlduesHicideonReleck’spart.
xithadeepureath,heforcedhimselftoact.qovingwitha speedgainedfromallhistimeintheSimIRooms,hegrauued hisriOeandtHrnedaroHnd.Attheentranceofthecockpitwas ayongHn,theirsHnken,ueadyeyesstaringaholethroHghhim.
-heli2ardIlikealienpoHncedonhim.ReleckDredaconcenI tratedueamofparticleenergyattheyongHn,whichHltimately uHrned o5 a third of their tail. -hat didn’t stop the alien, however.-heyreachedReleck,tryingtowrestletheXhaeleron away.;singthenatHralstoneshellcoveringmostofhisfaceto hisadvantage,ReleckgavetheyongHnaheaduHtt.
-he move weakened the li2ard man enoHgh for Releck to kick him farther away and Dre a uolt of particle energy at the alien’s stomach. xhen the intrHder went down, Releck paHsed.-heywerestillalive,uHtwitheringinpain.
-heyongHnwaswearingafHllIuodyulackHnderIsHit,and a heavy coat. xhile they were likely placing their hands on the stomach woHnd, it also looked to Releck like they coHld ue reaching for something Hnder their coat. xith hardened resolve,heDredhisXhaeleronatuoththeyongHn’sarmstoue safe.
-hiselicitedmorepainfHlcriesfromthealien,whichmade something deep within Releck contort. -here was no doHut inhismind3hedeliveredadeathsentencetothisperson.
XHshingasideanylingeringdoHuts,hesteppedcloser,keepI inghisXhaeleronpointedattheyongHn.6xhyareyoHhereB GidsomeonesendyoHB9
Frimacing,theyongHnmHttered,6PesaidyoHweregreen
-hatyoH’dueaneasytarget 9
Fritting his teeth, Releck cHrsed to himself. Uven if the intrHder didn’t name him directly, they didn’t have to. -his wasthehandiworkofthathHman.ReleckcoHldn’twraphis headaroHndwhyhewoHlddothis,andperhapsthatwasthe proulem.qayuehewastoogreenforallthis.
ReleckshotonelastuoltofparticleenergyintotheyongHn’s head,endingtheirmisery.XHttinghishelmetuackon,hereadI iedhimself.'eforehecoHldleavethisstation,heneededtodo asweepofthefreighter3makesHrenooneelsewashidingin hisship.
UachstephetookwasmeasHred.xiththate“Hipmentthe hHmantoldhiminmind,ReleckmadesHrenottorelyonhis radar.Pecheckedeverypossiulehidingspothimself,smallor large.Jnthesilence,hisheartueatseemedliketheloHdestthing inthesector.
AfterDfteenminHtes,Relecksighed,leaningonthenearest uHlkhead.Pewasclear3nootherenemieswereauoard.Fiven therewasonlyoneintrHder,thatyongHnwassHrelytellingthe trHth.Asher’sagentclearlythoHghtlittleofhim.
Xlacing his Xhaeleron down, Releck stared at his hands. -hose hands took another person’s life. Pe knew what he shoHlduefeeling.GisgHst,shock,anything.Jnstead,Releck’s soHlwasempty.PefeltnothingfortheyongHn.JnalltrHthI fHlness,hewasn’tsHrewhethertouegladordistraHghtatthat.
Panging his head low, thoHghts of his father came to the forefront.PeneverspokeofhistimeasamedicinhHmanity’s waragainstthe2aHhlons.jevertoldReleckwhetherhehadto kill.-heyoHnganthrHmwonderedwhathisoldmanwoHld sayifheweretheretoseehim.
'alling his hands into Dsts, Releck looked toward his riOe. There’snogoingbacknow.NowaytogobacktothemanIwas before.Forbetterorworse,thisisthepathI’vechosen.
Gespite their di5erences, he hoped that in time his father woHldcometorespectthat.
Xicking Hp the Xhaeleron, he uegan his trek uack to the cockpit. qayue it woHldn’t ue in a oneIonIone Dght. qayue it woHldn’t ue Hp close and personal like he dreamed. Vne way or another thoHgh, the yoHng anthrHm was certain of 1”
onething3LordAdmiral orrHk’sdayswerenHmuered,and ReleckwoHlduringEHsticedownontohim.
