The Players..

Zander Kane, once a trusted and highly decorated general for the united federation, Kane betrayed not only his own race, but his own flesh and blood to join the dark collective, so he could be with the woman he loved. Now, he rides stardust and slipstreams, captaining the Betha, fighting for the collective, in hope of one day freeing the worlds from the federations ruling grasp.

High Lord Quinn, Quinn’s past is still yet to be revealed, but his past association with Zander Kane makes his story more of a mystery.

President Balmires, the current elected president of the united federation, Balmires’ rise to power is one worth of it’s own story, soaked in blood and betrayal.

Last time on Dark Stars: Fire Light…

After attempting to destroy a vital defense weapon for the united federation, Zander and the crew of  the interstellar battleship, Betha, found themselves viciously hunted down by a Z class Star Destroyer that was somehow waiting for them, turning their act of terrorism against the federation, into, a suicide run. Soon, Zander found himself a prisoner of High Lord Quinn, and his crew dead.

And so we continue…

The light blinds him, he looks up, trying to shield his eyes, but his hands jerk back, as the blue glowing shackles that tether him to the metallic cells surface tighten and pull him back.

“Welcome back to the world of the living Captain Zander, I thought, you were going to rob me of the reveal,” a voice says from somewhere behind the light.

“So, you’re High Lord Quinn,” Zander says through clenched teeth.

“You don’t seem surprised by this?”

“Should I be? Everyone knew, and I wanted it to be you.”

Quinn laughs, “Zandar, you amuse me, as always, you show…”

“All this, it’s going to get you nothing, so you might as well save your jaw for the president of the alliance, I’m sure he’s expecting you soon, with all the spoils of war, but me, I’m tired of your voice, so, for once listen to me when I say shut up.”

“Don’t be foolish Zander, there’s many things we, I, can offer you, a warrior of your skill, could rise higher than many who already sit on Balmires cabinet, divulge the location of your pathetic priestess, join me my friend, and toge….”

Zander laughs, “You think I’m that stupid, I’d never give you the information you’re after, there’s a reason why only a few chosen know where she resides, and I’d die first before I tell you. Besides, my friend, the man you were, he died at the battle of the fallen star, this, whatever you are now, you’re not even close to who he was.”

Quinn moves from behind the light, his crimson red uniform shimmers in the light, while his hairless, pale white skin glows, making his empty black eyes seem like holes to another world. “I remember fallen star, many of your race died that day, as did mine, but, we all made choices that day, mine, was for me, yours, was for something else, something stupid. But, it does pain me to hear you say those words, I had hoped you would join me here, in the glory, in, the darkness, maybe, you need more time, perhaps I shouldn’t be so hasty, we have a day or more until we reach the citadel.”

“Don’t waste your time, Balmires and his kind will soon fall, we’ll bring justice to the worlds, and end what his people have done, free the worlds, let them be their own once again.”

“You’re a fool, they had their chance, but instead all they did was waste it, before his ascension, wars raged for centuries, hate prospered, but, under Balmires rule the universe has healed, has become one with each other, and your dreams, they’re lined with blood.”

“They were your dreams once as well, anyway, it’s better than enslaving the whole galaxy under one rule, taking worlds beliefs away, forcing them to follow one way of life, and, if they reject it, call for their own ways to continue, you crush them, destroy their worlds, hunt their people down and kill them like dogs. So tell me, how that is a better way!” Zander yells, as he pulls against his bonds once more.

“I was blind, like you, like the rest of your people, but I saw the light, I saw we were the ones causing death and destruction, taking innocent lives for a cause that is rotten, blind, worthless, and full of faults. Perhaps it’s better this way, perhaps, my dream of you being able to see the true power, the true way, is, something that is just that, a dream,” he says nodding his head to the side, as two similar uniformed men rush towards Zander, pulling him to his feet, as Quinn raises a blaster. “I’m disappointed we could not continue this friendship, but know this, when news of your death filters back to your people, they will panic, and then, we will hunt them down, one by one, and kill them all, as I am….” He stops and tilts his head, his black eyes widen with curiosity, as Zander smiles. “What amuses you? Do you not realise that today, is the beginning of the end, we have won and you, you will die.”

“I’m smiling because you think I was stupid enough to come alone, stupid enough to trust you after Baxter ten,” he says, as a blaster bolt tears through Quinn’s head. The two guards have no time to react as shots tear into them as well. “It took you long enough,” he says as two figure dressed in golden suits of armour shimmer into existence.

“I had to wait for the right moment,” a female voice says.

“Why, so you could prove yourself right about him?” he says as they release the bonds. “Where are the others?”

The two golden armoured figures look at each other, then at Zander, “We are all that is left, the others,” she says, lowering her head. “The others are no more.”

“What? How?”

She looks down at Quinn, “He wasn’t alone, there was another.”

“What you’re saying doesn’t make sense, how’s that possible?”

“It’s something I’m still trying to get my head around, but, the time for speculation will have to wait, if we are to finish this, we must move quickly, time is running out.”

Zander picks up Quinn’s blaster and checks it’s power cell, “I always knew this was going to be a one way trip.”

“So did I,” the two armoured females say in unison.

To Be Continued