The Beast

The Beast - Part 37

The next few weeks flew by without deviating from the expected. Kanu's story was confirmed by Taro, leaving Gabriel without much reason to keep her locked up. So he released her but she became, to his surprise, a regular visitor and was maybe even beginning to be Zu's and Gabriel's friend. Chip's training intensified her monologues about everything from Armor to Vehicles turned into reflex training and a basic course about the inner workings of his suit. Tibi kept to herself, he wasn't sure why but Chip kept him busy enough that he didn't get much time investigating it. Taro himself wasn't pleased to give up Gabriel but Chip convinced Taro of the necessity of training. One notable event was the jump to the Licharbnat system, Gabriel was provided a softening pod by Taro but chose to experience the jump without one. He expected weird stuff to happen but it just felt like a few G-forces pressing on him for 10-15 minutes, definitely not comfortable but not hell either.

One day on his way to Chip he was intercepted by Verona, who brought him to Taro. He was waiting on his usual couch for him: "Gabriel, how are you doing?" Gabriel knew that he wasn't brought here to report on his well being.

"I wore this suit everyday for the past since training started, for all I know it's part of my skin now but that's not why you called me here is it?"

"You don't have to tell me about Chip, the little interaction I have with her is enough for me.", Taro's mimic became more serious, "But you're right, I have reason to call you. There is an opportunity that has arisen which I can capitalize on with you."

Gabriel opted for a small charm offensive "I'm happy to help out. What can I do for you?"

Taro leaned forward: "I don't think you're getting the scope of what I'm about to ask you. Would you like to behead a King?"

Gabriel thought he missed something: "What?"

"Take a seat, this might take a while." Verona signalled for him to sit in between her and Taro, so he took a seat, "The annihilation of Rutha broke the local Rutha leaders' will to fight, causing him to flee outside of union space. A group of aristocrats took that opportunity to reinstate the royal family, which ruled the world before the war. I have made contact with the king of Licharbnat and he is willing to hand over control in exchange for a few demands. So far so good but my intelligence suggests that they are using negotiations to buy time before stabbing us in the back."

Gabriel cut in: "I understand the story so far but where is the jump to me beheading a king?"

"What do you do to someone who wants to betray you? You betray them. I have called a meeting to negotiate whatever and the King has accepted under the condition it takes place in the royal palace on top of a mountain. As you might guess, my soldiers aren't too keen about a frontal assault against a palace filled with royal guards."

Gabriel nervously cut in again: "But I am?"

"You won't have to kick down the front door. I have a plan. We fly a transport plane to the palace, they will think it's me inside but it'll be you inside a drop pod I let Chip build. Then the Big Boy opens fire and destroys as many defensive structures with an orbital bombardment, this will help but I can't risk killing the royal family by accident. That's where you come in, the plane will airdrop you as close to the family as possible."

"Why can't you risk killing the family, isn't my goal to do exactly that."

"Yes and no. A second plane will bring me down once you're done so you can hand me the king's head over but I need some parts of the family alive for their power and as hostages, so try to not kill everybody."

Gabriel felt a little disturbted: "Is handing over a cut off head really necessary?"

"I paid a staff member to give us access to the cameras. The attack will be displayed on every screen and holo on this planet by the end of this week. This whole operation isn't necessary, I could also besiege the planet and bomb every town into rubble but even I would prefer to avoid a genocide. Gabriel, you need to understand that this operation screams over the top dramatic because it's nothing but a big intimidation technique. I could also send down a squad of my best soldiers but a mystic beast killing it's way through the palace will simply look better."

"Okay, when will we attack?" Gabriel didn't want to kill again but refusing would either cause Taro to put more pressure on him or a siege ending countless lives.

"Later today, the negotiation was set to happen over dinner.", Taro continued, "Is there anything I can provide to assist your preparation?"

Gabriel was put on the spot and didn't know what to say. Did he have a pre-slaughter ritual? Should he have one? No, just jumping in and improvising had worked so far, it was more important that he had a good recovery afterwards: "No, thank you for the offer though."

"Okay, but Verona will keep you company in case you come up with something." Verona stood up, as Taro finished talking and led him out the room.

"What now?" Verona looked directly into Gabriel's eye, maybe for the first time ever.

"I'm already too late for Chip's training." He took a step but Verona blocked his path.

"I am here to ensure you are well rested and relaxed before the attack. She is too...energetic for that purpose. Is there anything else you'd like to do?"

Gabriel took a breath and started thinking. He had lived to train ever since making the deal with Chip. Playing games with Zu and Kanu was fun but not what he needed to prepare. He could head to Tibi but what would he do there? He was still pissed at her for drugging him. A layer of coldness made its way up his back, as he realized there wasn't anything to look forward to. He was nothing but a caged animal with a handful of not even friends.

He whispered: "I-I don't know."

Confusion showed on Verona's face for just a second before she caught herself again: "I see, follow me."

He tried to throw off the bad thoughts to no avail, as they climbed higher and higher in the ship. On a normal day he would've focused on remembering the tight paths and ladders they took but today wasn't a normal day. Gabriel was still deep in thought as he climbed up another ladder but that changed when he looked up. They arrived in a glass dome on top of the ship. The view awed him, during all the time on space ships he had never a good look at the outside. Stars stretched across the horizon with a background of a red nebula not far away. His view shifted, next to the cruiser were dozens of other ships flying in formation and below all of them was a beautiful green planet. His view shifted again to the floor and Verona, she was lying on a torn up mattress on the floor.

Gabriel asked her, still in awe, where they were. She explained that Taro stopped arming this point defense station years ago and that she sometimes came here to relax. He laid down next to her and together they watched ships, stars and debry fly past them.

The galaxy was truly gorgeous.