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  “Woah.” Theo leaned forward. The swarm of monks reminded him of insects devouring an animal to the bones.

  “This footage was from the Bethel Incident two years ago. A group of fanatics decided the local Yasta had treasure inside their monastery. They launched a frontal assault. I don’t think a single one of the invaders survived. The Yasta don’t like to take prisoners.” Hubard let the final words sink in.

  After a momentary pause, he continued with his presentation. The image overhead changed again to show a blue sphere, about six inches in diameter. A series of numbers and letters were printed on it. “Now, this is what you need to find.”

  “I’ve never seen a data sphere like that before.” Cherish tilted her head to the side.

  Hubard’s face was grim. “Well, make sure you only take this one. There may be more, but, if there are extras, they are likely to be booby trapped. If you grab the wrong one, it will most likely detonate the moment you get it on the orbital lift.”

  Cierra squinted at the sequence on the sphere. “That is a lot of numbers and letters. Are we supposed to memorize all of them?”

  “That’s not necessary. I’ve already done it.” Cherish turned her head to one side and repeated the exact number letter sequence from the picture. The rest of the team stared at her in awe. Cherish smiled proudly. “It’s a new upgrade.”

  The team continued to work out a plan for the infiltration over the rest of the afternoon. Hubard pulled up various diagrams to assist them when necessary. All of the information was a bit overwhelming for Theo, but he did his best to keep up with what was being said. By the end of the session, they felt they had established a decent plan.

  Two

  Three days later, a drop pod containing Hojae plummeted towards the surface of the planet Turtiez. The Josti waited a good hour before he emerged. Although he wasn’t worried about what the locals thought, Hojae made certain to wear a robe that masked his lower arms. There was no reason to let the Imperial Magistrate know there was someone around who didn’t fit the profile of a native.

  Hojae hefted his mission bag on his shoulder. He closed the hatch behind him, and looked over the pod he had landed in. It had been specially designed by the Carbonari for his mission. The hull was a deep green that matched the local forest cover. The transportation used by the rest of the team would be different. They had to reach orbit after the mission was complete. His was a one-way affair, and was made for a single use. It was only big enough for him, and his bag of supplies.

  Hojae walked around the landing zone, and listened. Intelligence was certain the clearing was a remote enough location a falling star at night wouldn’t have been noticed at night. It was now early morning. Hojae watched as the Turtiez’ sun rose over the horizon. It sent rays of warmth across the undergrowth. Everything seemed peaceful. He didn’t sense anyone lurking in the shadows, nor did he hear anything unusual in the distance. In the early dawn, only the sweet sound of the local birds filled the air.

  Satisfied after scouting the area, Hojae walked back up to the pod and found the destruct switch. It required a complicated series of challenges and answers, to ensure no one used it while he was still inside. When the system was activated, Hojae stepped back ten feet to make sure the operation continued to completion. He didn’t want to be discovered because of a faulty pod.

  The pod, no more than ten feet in height, began to morph into something that resembled a time lapse movie of a rotting pumpkin. He watched as it shrank and emitted a small amount of smoke. The smoke was visible up close, but it wasn’t enough to attract attention above the tree line. The chemical reaction smelled strongly of butyric acid, the stench of decay. Luckily, the smell wouldn’t be out of place in a forest where fallen trees were constantly rotting in the underbrush. The pod began to collapse on itself until it turned a dull brown. It seeped into the ground, leaving only a wet spot behind. There was barely a sign that Hojae was ever there.

  Satisfied, he turned and walked in the direction of the monastery. Hojae trudged through the thickening forest. He was on a trajectory to intercept a column of religious pilgrims. They were headed to the small clearing outside of the Yasta monastery that the rest of his team would be targeting. Hojae managed to slip himself seamlessly into the throng of travelers. The more he blended in, the better.

  Later in the day, a stranger presented himself at the gate of the Hilarion Monastery. The figure was wrapped in a set of dark robes. He didn’t appear to be from any of the local villages. The novice monk on guard duty didn’t find his appearance odd. The monastery was a key stop on the path to enlightenment, which meant it saw plenty of people from all across the empire that time of year.

  The novice leaned against the gate, trying to see under the stranger’s hood. “If you’re here for a blessing, you’ll have to wait. The Elders are in a meeting.”

  The stranger handed the novice an envelope. “This needs to be seen by the Abbot. It concerns a matter of great importance. Only the Abbot must see what is inside it.”

  The novice stared at the face hidden inside the robes. It was that of a non-human, but they received all manner of sentient beings this time of the year. The novice clutched the envelope in his outstretched hand. “Who shall I say wants him to read the contents?”

  “Tell him Brother Perdurabo brought it.” The stranger kept his cold eyes locked on the novice’s.

  The blood drained from the guard’s face. “Just a minute. I’ll be back quickly.” He rushed off into the interior of the monastery.

  The Abbot was in a conference with a few of the Brother Superior monks. The novice entered the room, face down in a show of respect. He held the envelope out in his hands as if it were an offering. The elders watched him approach, with judgmental eyes.

  “Yes? What is it? What is so important that you needed to interrupt our meeting?” This was the final day of the festival, and the Abbot was busy with the financial reports. His agitation was evident in the tone of his voice.

  “A stranger at the gate told me to bring this to you.” The novice walked forward, without looking up. He placed the envelope on the Abbot’s desk, and slowly backed away.

  “And did this stranger have a name?” The Abbot pushed his dinner plate away. He picked up the envelope with his long, thin fingers.

  “He said his name was Brother Perdurabo.”

  The Abbot froze momentarily. Recovering his senses, he tore the envelope open, and pulled out the letter. His hands trembled slightly. The Abbot was an older man, with a long, grey beard. The aura of command radiated from him. He quickly read the letter, and then placed it on his desk. When he spoke, his voice was sharp and serious. “Escort the brother in, and be quick about it.”

  The novice hurried out of his leader’s office, and went back to the inner gate. The stranger was still there, thank Batumah. He beckoned for Brother Perdurabo to enter the inner court of the monastery. As soon as the visitor was inside, the novice shut and locked the gate again. “His Grace wants to see you right away.”

  The novice escorted Brother Perdurabo inside the Abbot’s office. Eager to please, he scanned the room for something more he could do. “Would you like me to find a chair for our guest?”

  “Please do.” The Abbot’s eyes focused on the newcomer. “Make sure it’s a big one.”

  Once he was seated, and they were alone, Hojae removed his robes. He was able to relax for the first time since he’d landed. “I wasn’t expecting a warm welcome, but I at least thought the boy on guard would know my name.”

  The Abbot smiled at Hojae as if they were old friends. “How was your trip? The landing wasn’t reported, so I assume you didn’t have any trouble.”

  “The pod came down exactly where the Carbonari planned. I took care of it once the trip was over.” Hojae alternated stretching his arms. Having to keep them concealed made him stiff.

  The Abbot cut to the chase. “So, what do you have for us?”

  Hojae leaned back in his chair. “Soon, you�
�ll receive a visit from the Carbonari. I don’t know the exact time. That part was decided after I left. The rest of the team was supposed to leave a few days after me. They’ll take an orbital lift down, and conceal it somewhere. I assume they have avionics on board that will overpower the local sky marshals, unless they’ve found a way to bribe an air traffic control operator. Sometime after they land, the vanguard of their team—the same team that boosted the minerals from Carristoux—will find a way over the wall. They will attempt to find a storage chamber with a data sphere in it. The Carbonari Grand Council has decided that a specific sphere is key to the success of their overall operation. They plan to be in and out quickly and quietly, without you knowing they were here.”

  “How do they plan to do that?” The vein in the Abbot’s neck throbbed angrily.

  “I’m guessing they’ll disguise themselves as monks. Keep a close count of who’s on duty over the next week, if you want to catch them. I’d advise you to let them sneak in and out. Put some bogus data on the sphere they want. They’ll never know. That way, you’ll have a complete record of who came in and left. You’ll also be able to plant information you want them to have. I think that is the best plan.”

  “Never!” The Abbot slammed his fist down on the desk. “That is preposterous! We’ve never yielded to outsiders, and I don’t plan to start now!”

  “Have it your way.” Hubard shrugged. If the Abbot didn’t have sense enough to listen to his intel, that was on him. “Oh, they’ll have one of those new swords Hubard made, too. The ones he calls lasanas. I’d be very careful around them. I’ve seen what those blades can do. They’ll cut through infintium. None of you’ll be safe.”

  The Abbot swallowed hard. “Good to know. And just what is your part in this whole operation?”

  “I was selected to wait outside in case they needed anything. Too bad I never got the signal in time to prevent their capture.” Hojae smirked.

  “Indeed. Quite a shame. You may leave.” The Abbot waved him away.

  Hojae stood up, and walked to the door. He paused before he passed the threshold, and turned back to the Abbot before leaving. “Just make sure the money goes into the regular account.”

  After he was gone, the Abbot turned to the monks around him. “What do you think of the information he gave us?”

  One of the elders frowned. “Didn’t that one give us the bad information on Carristoux? I thought he was the reason we lost those new mineral samples.”

  “He claims the update never reached the station in time. We found out about the additional member of the Carbonari team after they’d stolen the mineral.” The Abbot tapped his fingertips along the table rhythmically. He was lost in thought.

  “Which mineral was that?” Another elder joined the conversation.

  “The Relissarium. That’s what the engineer with the Carbonari calls it.”

  “I see.” The elder looked around the room to see if anyone else had a problem with what had just occurred. “I, for one, don’t trust that Josti. If he’ll sell his comrades out, he’ll sell out anyone.”

  The Abbot puffed up his chest. “His information was reliable in the past. I expect it will be reliable enough now. We’ll mobilize the novices early tomorrow morning before first light. Let them have a chance to prove themselves. From what our dear friend told us, we only have to worry about three or four Carbonari. They won’t field the entire team at once. Once we have eyes on them, they’ll lead us back to their orbital lift. If his information is no good, we will at least have had an excuse to keep the novices busy to see how they perform.”

  “That is assuming they won’t try to hit us from orbit. It’s happened in the past.” A monk, who had been sitting quietly, offered his opinion on the matter.

  Shaking his head, the Abbot dismissed his cohort’s concerns. “That was the Borno Succession a hundred standard years ago. We lost the entire monastery, but I doubt the Carbonari has their hands on a nuclear weapon. Even if they did, they’d never use them for this kind of operation. They wouldn’t risk the civilian casualties.”

  “It’s the new mineral that scares me. I read those reports too. If those blades cut through infintium, there isn’t any substance that will stand up to it.” The first monk that had spoken up looked around at the other elders. They simply were not equipped to handle that kind of advanced weaponry.

  “Lucky for us, the Carbonari will deliver one of those new blades to us tomorrow, by way of their infiltration team. It will save us the trouble of finding one on our own, and give us the advantage in future battles.” The Abbot smiled. In his mind, they had already won the skirmish.

  “Providing we can stop them.” The doubting elder countered the Abbot’s confidence. “We have enough infintium blades for half the novices; the rest will need to use steel. The Brother Superiors all carry them. We have an entire detachment of regular monks with lasers. No impact guns; it’d be nice to have some as backup.”

  “We’ll use what we have.” The Abbot was set on taking down the Carbonari team with his own group of warriors. If he had to call on other monasteries for help, he would have to share the glory with them as well. He adjourned the meeting. His mind was elsewhere.

  “Here. Put these in your kit.” Cierra threw some robes at Theo’s head.

  He snatched them off of his face, and held them out to look at them better. “Yasta robes?”

  “Trust me. You’ll want them once we get there. Unless you would rather go in your plain clothes?” She chided him teasingly.

  The last few days had been nothing but horror stories of what happened to Carbonari members who were caught by the Yasta. Theo folded the robes and shoved them in his bag. “I’ll take the robes, thanks.”

  “Smart man. Maybe we can make a brother out of him, yet.” Makram patted him on the shoulder. “Word just came in. We leave tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Theo’s mouth was suddenly dry.

  Makram nodded. “Hope you’re ready, recruit. We’ve only got one shot at this. Don’t mess it up.”

  Theo and Cierra watched as he walked away. After he was out of earshot, she shook her head. “Don’t mind him. You’ll be fine.”

  “Why do we have to worry about all this stealth, anyway?”

  “It’s the best way to do it. We go in and get out before anyone notices. No mess, and we’ll have the data sphere the Grand Council needs. Hand me your kit. I need to double check it.” Cierra looked through his bag and rearranged it a little. Each kit was supposed to be packed the same way. That way, if any of them got into trouble, they could reach inside someone else’s pack and find exactly what they needed.

  “I’d rather we took every one of those monasteries out from orbit. The Brotherhood could do it. I’m sure there are plenty of bombs hidden away for the task. Lock them in synchronized orbit over the targets, and drop them all at the same time. Remove the Yasta all at once, so they’d pay for what happened on Relisse.” Theo’s voice was full of gravel. Cierra shrank slightly at the pure, visceral rage that flashed across Theo’s face.

  She not so subtly tried to change the subject. “There, your kit is good to go now.”

  Theo didn’t seem to hear her. He kept following his train of thought. “We don’t even have to do it that way. We could send in some teams to knock out their leaders. Kill every one of those Superior shaved heads at once. Let them know how it is to be on the receiving end of justice.”

  Cierra sighed. He wasn’t going to drop it. “It wouldn’t do any good. Someone tried that, about two hundred years ago.”

  “They did?” Theo looked up in surprise.

  “All the novices and regular monks received battlefield promotions on the spot. Most of them kept their ranks even after their assassins’ death cult was wiped off the face of the universe.”

  Theo was quiet. “I still think they should pay in the worst way possible. If we could just take them all out at one time, there would be no way for them to recover.”

  Cierra didn’t sa
y a word. It was obvious to her that Theo had gone to his dark place. He’d traveled there many times, since his home world was exterminated. Sometimes it lasted for minutes. Other times it lasted for hours or days. Initially, she had tried to pull him out of it, but it was no use. Cierra left Theo alone in his angry thoughts and walked out to the training field.

  In the distance, she could see the orbital lift making ready for their trip. The part of the plan she did know involved a lift rendezvous with a container cargo ship in a nearby trade lane orbit. There was more involved in the trip, but she had zoned out when Hubard was going into the details. It seemed simple when Hubard explained it to them, but outside of the conference room, everything blended into one.

  They had received intel from Hojae that the surface was peaceful. So, why did she have a bad feeling about the mission? She wrestled with her feelings. Was it possible that she was falling victim to her desire for revenge the same way Theo did occasionally?

  Her past experience had taught her that actually following through on revenge was often less satisfactory than the idea of it. Revenge had a way of blinding a person. People who lived for revenge never found satisfaction, even when the object of their hatred lay on the ground in several pieces. They also had a tendency to create collateral damage along the way. She’d seen it happen many times over the years. All Cierra wanted to see was the emperor and his boot-lickers thrown into the streets of Pollux. For her, that desire was an act of justice, not revenge. Cierra remembered how her family struggled every day to survive after her father died. One time in her life, burned forever into her being, came flooding back.