Disclaimers: All characters are mine.
Resistance of Memories
by
A.J. Marks
Part 1
The resistance force had put up a good fight, but in the end it was a futile attempt. The enemy had deployed the most elite force it had. A force that called themselves the ‘black destroyers.’
Jason pulled his fighter into a hard bank turn to try to engage the new enemy arrivals. Jason knew that he probably would not survive the battle but he wanted to take just one more enemy with him.
His weapons locked on the enemy fighter in front of him and he pulled the trigger. He watched as the beam weapon impacted on the dull gray enemy fighter and it exploded in mid air.
He had to pull up sharply to avoid any shrapnel from the explosion, but he never saw the enemy come from behind him. One second he was pulling up to avoid the shrapnel, the next second he was shrapnel.
The leader of the ‘black destroyers’ turned and set his eyes on the next target and destroyed him as well.
With the arrival of the ‘black destroyers’ the battle ended fairly quickly with the resistance wiped out and prisoners taken to serve as slaves, or worse.
“It is confirmed that the planet of Taphthal was taken by the Peree. I am afraid that there were no survivors from the resistance elements that we sent to help them.” Resistance commander Qiel Wezab told her advisors. “The resistance against the Peree won’t survive much longer I’m afraid unless something changes and soon.”
“I guess one of us will have to tell Princess Kadti that her fiancée was killed.” Markus said.
“It will break her heart, Markus.” Qiel said. “They were really in love, and he was a great pilot and military leader, he will leave a big vacuum in our forces.”
“I believe that we should begin our preparations for evacuation of our base.” Aaron said.
“Yes notify the Princess about that also and get the engineers and scouts to start looking for a suitable planet for our new base.” Qiel said. “I will tell the Princess the news about Jason.”
“What about Jason.” Qiel and the rest of the group looked at the door to see Princess Kadti standing there with a questioning look on her face. “And what is happening on Taphthal, no one is telling me anything.”
“Princess, I’m afraid that there is no communication with Taphthal since the battle began.” Qiel told her, she knew that it was not the whole truth but that could wait a few minutes until they were alone. “Markus, start the preparations to leave.”
“”I’ll get right on it.” Markus said as he got up and left to start talking to the company commanders on the up coming evacuation. The rest of the advisors also got up and left to give Qiel and Princess Kadti some time alone.
Qiel looked at the princess, with her metallic like skin she really did not look like any thing she ever imagined. He red hair was holder length and the white toga she wore made her seem more regal on her. She was one of the main reasons the resistance was still around, her words and wisdom belied the fact she was only 20 years old. However, now Qiel had to tell the princess that her fiancée was dead.
Kadti walked over to the chair and sat down. Qiel was not saying anything yet and that scared Kadti. She knew that it must be bad news.
“I’m not sure how to tell you this, but I’m afraid that Jason was killed in action.” Qiel told the young women.
“No, it’s not possible, I just talked with him last night.” Kadti said in disbelief. “No!”
“I’m afraid so Kadti. His signal was knocked out as the battle was winding down.” Qiel told Kadti.
Kadti looked down at the table sadly. ‘Why did you have to go Jason?’ She thought to herself. She did not notice Qiel get up and move next to her.
“We do not believe that he survived, we were losing the battle and it was almost over.” Qiel said as she put her arm around the princess like a mother comforting their young ones.
“No survivors at all?” Kadti said as she raised her eyes to Qiel’s.
“It doesn’t look good for any survivors, and any that did survive were taken into slave warriors, maybe.” Qiel said.
“You’re probably right, I just hope that he was killed not taken as a slave.” Kadti said.
“Why don’t you go and get some rest, it will be a while before we are ready to start the evacuations. You look like you could use the rest.” Qiel said getting up and leading Kadti out of the room.
They walked out of the small building that had held the military conference room and into the sunlight of the three suns that orbited the planet. One was just beginning to set, a second one was at it height and the third was between the two.
Qiel dropped off the princess off at her quarters and set off across the compound to see how the evacuation plans wee going. She knew that they did not have much time to allow an orderly evacuation of the base. The resistance would leave a small resistance group to help protect the planet in case the Peree did come.
She was interrupted by an ensign coming up to her.
“Admiral!” The young ensign said.
“Yes, what is it?” She asked him.
“Admiral Markus asked me to deliver this message to General Reball, but I haven’t been able to find him.” The young Ensign said in a rush.
“I think I last saw him at the shuttle docks, try there.”
“Thank you ma’am!” He said and took off toward the shuttle dock.
‘To much to do!’ she thought, ‘just too much.’ She continued toward the command center to find out the latest developments.
Princess Kadti went and laid down on her bed even though she did not feel tired. Instead all she could think about was the events of the past year.
Her family had been killed by the attack on her home planet by the Peree. She had been lucky that she was visiting a neighboring race when the attack occurred. She knew that her family was dead, because the Peree did not keep royal members or high-ranking government officials alive conquering a planet.
She had learned of the resistance shortly after when they helped the race of the planet she was on evacuate and plan a resistance. They had learned that she was a princess and had asked her to be a figurehead of the resistance government. At first she declined, but within a few weeks she agreed.
She put her head on the pillow and sighed. It had been about that time that she had meet Jason. His comfortable, relaxed attitude helped her in her depression that she had felt for her family.
Now the Peree had taken another person she loved. It seemed to her that everybody she cared for would die by the Peree.
A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.
“Come in.” She said as she wiped her eyes and ran re fingers though her disheveled hair. She watched as the door opened and a small gray haired old lady walked in.
“How are you young one?” The older women said with a slight crackle in her voice from her age.
“Ok, I guess Ucro.” Kadti said to the older women.
Ucro hobbled toward a chair near the bed and sat down. The older women was consider a type of new age oracle. She would tell of people futures and legends. Some said she was just crazy, but too many things that she did and said could not be accounted for. Nobody knew what race she was or how old she was, as she did not speak of those things.
“You do not have to hide your feelings to me young one.” Ucro said. Kadti always felt that Ucro could read her like a book, and that made her feel uncomfortable. “Now tell this old lady how you really feel?”
“I can’t hide from you, can I?” Kadti said as Ucro nodded her head. “It just isn’t fair!” Kadti continued as tears started falling down her face.
Ucro looked into Kadti’s face and saw her golden eyes as tears continued down her cheeks.
“Why?” Kadti whispered, “Why does everyone I love die?”
“That I can not explain to you.” Ucro told her. “I can tell you what I have seen little one.”
Kadti did not feel like trying to guess what her old friend meant so she just asked. “What do you mean?”
Ucro looked at the princess and took a moment to study her. She had red shoulder length hair, golden metallic like skin and golden eyes that would twinkle like twin suns in the sky when she was happy. Today those eyes were cloudy and her shoulders were slumped.
Kadti shifted uncomfortably under Ucro’s stare.
“I have seen that you will become a great Queen someday, little one.” Ucro told her. “But I have seen more than I ever told you.”
Kadti frowned, she had not been told this. Ucro had told her that she would be queen someday but nothing else.
Before Ucro could reply there was a knock at the door.
“Princess Kadti.” A voice said from behind the door.
“Come in.” Kadti said.
A young messenger walked in to the room.
“Princess I have been instructed by Grand Admiral Wezab to escort you to the shuttle bay as she wishes for you to evacuate now.” He said.
“Is there something wrong?” Kadti asked him.
“There have been some unusual fluctuations in the electro-magnetic ions in the area.” He replied, “Intelligence believes that we don’t have much time before the Peree arrive.”
“Ucro will come with us.” Kadti told him.
“If you wish, princess.” He said.
“Little one, I am not worth the trouble, go on.” Ucro said.
“I’m not leaving unless I know that you are safe, Ucro.” Kadti said to her.
“I will be safe.” Ucro told Kadti.
“Please, I need to know that you are safe.” Kadti pleaded with her.
“Very well, I’ll go with you.” Ucro replied as she got up and started toward the door. “But we should go now.”
A few minutes later they were boarding the shuttle that would take them to a waiting spaceship. Before getting on Kadti turned toward the young messenger that had escorted them to the shuttle.
“Be sure to be safe yourself.” She told him.
“I’ll try princess.” He said.
As her shuttle took off a group of soldiers watched it leave.
“The princess sure does care about everyone, huh?” One asked the messenger who had escorted her.
“She sure does.” He replied.
“I think we would all lay our lives in the path of fire to protect her.” Another said.
“Don’t you soldiers have work to do?” Qiel asked as she approached the group.
The group quickly dispersed with quick murmurs of ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘right away ma’am’. Qiel walked toward another shuttle shaking her head. ‘We all would, she is our future.’ Qiel thought.
The shuttle had touched down on the spaceship and it was getting ready to leave the planet to help set up the next base.
Kadti and Ucro walked down the corridor to what would be her new quarters for the next few days.
After they had arrived in Kadti’s new quarters she asked Ucro a question that had been on her mind all day.
“Ucro, you never did finish what you were going to say before we were interrupted. What were you going to say?”
"The universe has a way of keeping things in balance. When something becomes to strong someone or something will rise up and help achieve balance.” Ucro told her.
“So where is this balancing force in our time of need Ucro?” Kadti asked her.
Ucro walked to the door and looking at Kadti said, “You are little one.”
Ucro closed the door and left a confused Kadti looking at the door.
End Part 1
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