Good Morning Antemyst

VI. What Happens Tonight

By no means had I expected Boryxxen to be anywhere near the front line of his attack. He would be hidden in the forests, most likely using guerrilla tactics. That would be something of a challenge. As my detachment left the city, someone brought me a headset, and another officer walked alongside me with a latte. "Keep it warm," I said.

Mariana's shields were finally raised. The technology there was based on Antemystic genetics - force field defection and distortion. Projectiles were either absorbed or sent back in a very general return-to-sender. As we passed, I yelled in Rixyan, "Anyone not willing to die for the pride of their idiot chief, your chance to retreat is now!"

Quite a few Rixyan men left their posts at that.

We still had to fight our way past the city - and by fighting, I mean I mostly threw offenders telekinetically out of my way - but after a while, things got quiet. The area grew dark, and dense with trees. I lifted a finger to my lips.

The first few shots rang out when we could barely see the city behind us.

Someone beside me put up a force field, and I took the opportunity to knock the gun out of a Rixyan's hands and butt him in the head with it. Several others in my group did the same to other attackers. Two things were clear: while the Rixyans had somehow gotten rifles, they were not well trained in how to use them; and while we were having trouble seeing in the dark, their night sight was not that much better.

I gestured for us to keep moving. Deeper into the forest we went. Antemystics are part of nature; we understand it. We were still caught off guard when the arrows came.

Someone swore loudly. "Duck!" I whispered hoarsely, and we all took cover behind trees. The Rixyans were using their chameleonlike properties to blend in, though, and that cost us, pitting us in hand-to-hand battles with creatures we could barely distinguish from our surroundings.

I tossed one against a tree and another into a bush. "Hey!" the second one said; I realized he was from my own group. I dusted him off and whispered a quick apology.

"Do we have a plan?" someone asked softly. "We're kinda taking it out here."

"Who's down?" I asked. No one was, but a small majority had arrow or bullet wounds. A few arrows had whizzed over my own head; one lodged itself in my curls. I pulled it out and touched the arrowhead. "It's coated in something...." I licked it. "Oh, nightshade. We've been immune to that since the nineteenth century."

"Know your opponents," someone agreed.

My headset crackled to life. "Commander, this is Cyrna Station 4, ID Mirage. Three corvette-class spacecraft just entered Cyrna over Cicyryxi. They've identified as detachments from NOSC Crescent."

What? Crescent, and the rest of the convoy, was still three months out! "Let them in, but keep air and ground support on them."

"Copy that, Commander. Their commander has a message for you: 'Let there be light.'"

"Gotcha. Thanks, Mirage." I glanced around. "Prepare for bright lights, everyone."

I looked up in time to see three long streams as the spacecraft entered atmo. We held our positions. A couple of minutes later, the spacecraft - small, fast, and incredibly silent - hovered and shone spotlights into the forest, catching the Rixyans off guard. Suddenly they were less chameleon and more men trying to look like shrubbery. We grinned at each other and went on the offensive.

"Commander Fosterman," a woman's voice said over my headset. "General Monroe here. NOSC Bienville, Iberville, and d'Orleans, at your service."

"A pleasure," I said as I disarmed a blinded archer and drove my knee into his solar plexus. "How did you get here so fast? And how'd you get my comms?"

"Our commander will brief you on that. We recommend that you follow a straight path to the indicated building as quickly as possible. We'll provide suppressing fire."

"Which buil-" One of the spacecraft shone a red light on a particular hut. I waved the others toward it. "Ah. Thanks, Roxanne."

"No worries, Commander. We'll regroup at base." The comms cut off sharply.

Inside the hut, unaware of his own special spotlight, was Boryxxen. He immediately jumped to his feet when he saw me. "Latte," I said, and my courier placed the drink in my hand. It was still very warm. I removed the lid and threw the drink in Boryxxen's face.

The chief screamed. "Rahxi!"

"We have much better swear words," I remarked, then switched to Rixyan. "Surrender and call off your attacks. All of them."

"Never!" Boryxxen wiped at his face. None of his staff in his hut moved to help him at all.

"Hear that?" I stood quiet for a while, long enough for everyone to take in the rounds being fired into the forest. "That's the sound of death from above, a good century or two ahead of your guns. They will not kill any of your people unless I instruct them to. I suggest you behave."

"You would never kill. It is not in you," Boryxxen mocked.

"Is it?" With barely a wave of my hand I raised the chief several feet off the ground. "What you should learn tonight, Boryxxen, is that any Antemystic is a warrior, and I am a legion."

I let him fly across the room. "Has your chief Boryxxen made good choices for your people tonight?" I asked the rest of the Rixyans in the room.

They indicated no.

"Has he killed many innocent people and put many of your lives at risk?" I asked.

They indicated yes.

"Are these not grounds for exile and the appointment of a new chief, under the organization of the Rixyan tribes?"

They all nodded.

"You wouldn't!" Boryxxen started to get up.

"Stay down, or I'll embarrass you in front of your troops as well." I picked up one of the crude rifles. "These were made here. Based on Earth designs."

"Yes, made just for you, one day," the chief replied contemptuously.

"How thoughtful. You're definitely getting replaced. As for Antemyst, you're a war criminal, and you'll be tried as such." I flicked my wrist and flung Boryxxen through the door. "Come with us."

Outside, the first dark colors of sunrise were painted across the sky. My Antemystics looked among one another knowingly. "There's a reason our flag is a black sunrise over the sea," I told Boryxxen.

"And what is that?" the former chief hissed.

"It's a new day." I smiled faintly. "Don't you see us rising above it all?"