Phoenix Reborn Read online

  It had been three months since she reunited with her firstborn son, after six years of being apart. Their reunion had been a mix of tears and laughter as they spent day after day reconnecting and sharing their experiences. Marlena had been amazed by how much Alex had grown. When she last saw him, he was a sweet little boy who always had a knack for cooling her off when she got mad. He still had the sweet green eyes and quick smile of the child she remembered, but he’d grown much taller than her and his well-muscled frame gave him a sense of grace and strength.

  “Hey, Mom,” Alex’s voice replied cheerfully over the communicator. “Are you coming back already?”

  The reunion had been the happiest event in Marlena’s life, in the past six years. It was dimmed quickly when they learned of William’s death, and the two had cried together for days. They were also both worried about Connor and, together, worked tirelessly to modify plans on how to pull him out of the OMBIcademy, so that they could reunite the family once and for all.

  “Affirmative, returning to Sapphire just as soon as these engines warm up; ETA thirty minutes,” Marlena replied, matching Alex’s cheerful tone as best she could.

  “Is everything okay?” Alex asked, sounding sincerely concerned.

  Apparently, she hadn’t done as good a job matching his cheer as she had hoped, or Alex was as perceptive to her mood as he had been when he was younger. She was grateful to have her son back in her life. It gave her pleasure beyond words to know he was waiting for her in their house in Sapphire City, the capital of Aeris VII. But she knew she was going to have to share Sanders’ report and hated the idea of Alex crying even one more tear.

  “We’ll talk when I get back. I’ll give you the full report then,” she said absently, trying to avoid saying more than she had to over the communicator.

  “Affirmative, see you in thirty minutes, Mom.”

  Tizona lifted easily off the grassy plateau and up into the light-purple sky of Aeris VII. It was the planet that was meant to be epicenter of UEDF activity in the Hourglass Nebula and a hub for trade between the colonies. After the incident of 2115, Marlena arrested the EMC leaders assigned to the colony and declared independence from Earth. As she flew over the long valleys and wide rivers, Marlena marveled, as she always had, at what a paradise Aeris VII was, especially compared to some of the other colonies.

  The planet was about half of the size of Earth with water covering most of the surface. Two continents sat on opposite sides of the planet, both blessed with fertile land, temperate climates and an abundance of fresh water. The hue of the sky was the result of a slightly denser upper atmosphere which also caused Aeris’ two moons to appear violet and crimson in the sky.

  The entire population of the planet was only about twenty thousand people, which represented the original colonists and crew of the Andromeda, the crew and families of the 3rd and 5th fleets as well as various other colonists from other systems who had wanted to relocate. Most of those people lived in the city, although many had chosen to build homes and smaller settlements within short flying distance of the capital.

  The flight from the communications array to Sapphire City went by in a dreamy haze, Marlena thinking a lot about her family, trying to come up with a good plan to reconnect with her youngest son.

  As she came out of the Grimnir Mountains, she spotted the city beyond. Sapphire was a beautiful place, having been built strictly using the commanding architectural concepts pioneered by William Mercer. The buildings and homes were all structurally designed as tributes to the materials they were built with, every square foot of ground well-planned and carefully designed for the optimum balance of function and flow. Everything about Sapphire was majestic. The city only housed about twelve thousand people, most living near the edge of a great lake they called Amsvartnir. The city only had eight tall buildings, which were used mostly for commerce at street level and apartments above. On the far end of the city, opposite the lake, sat the planet’s only military controlled airfield, where several frigates were undergoing maintenance for their turn in the rotation of orbital defense patrols.

  Marlena aimed Tizona at a small island that was a little over two miles off the coast of the city and set her down on a landing pad behind a large house that stood as the island’s only structure.

  She had built the house there with the help of the Aeris colonists, which they described as a “temple to the woman’s fiery spirit.” It was as large as the home she had back in Healdsburg, California, and built with a similar style in mind. Naturally Marlena had given it a more fiery touch, emphasizing the raw energy of nature in its concept, unlike the home that William had designed back on Earth. His design flowed with the landscape in the valley, where it had stood, using the curvature of the land to emphasize his design. By contrast, Marlena’s design dominated the island and the lake around it. Using strong lightweight metals and force field generators as design materials, the house stood in defiance of nature as if challenging the heavens themselves to try to remove it from the island.

  The fortifications had a practical purpose more than an aesthetic one, even though Aeris VII rarely produced a storm that would threaten even the weakest structure. The house was built to withstand an orbital attack for a short time as well as any atmospheric bombardment; as the leader of the Independents, Marlena knew that she had to take extra precautions from assassination attempts.

  Tizona settled onto the platform at the rear of the house, next to where Skoll knelt like a dragon-faced samurai in black armor, bowing before his lord. Marlena was surprised to see Alex outside washing his Battle Armor Vessel with a rag and bucket. She smiled at the apparent care he was taking in making sure that his ship looked immaculate.

  Although, more than twenty feet tall while standing, kneeling Skoll was much smaller than Tizona and, as they discovered after the Battle of the Eagle Nebula, could actually fit into Tizona’s cargo hold. After powering her ship down, Marlena disembarked through the cargo hold doors and met her son on the landing pad.

  Alex was only sixteen, but he had grown into a man with the body of an athlete. Standing over six feet tall, his strong arms and legs gave him the appearance of an adult rather than a teenage boy. He kept his hair short, which emphasized his striking green eyes and the fluid handsomeness of his face. He wore a tank top that morning, showing off his muscular arms and the glowing black bracer that he always wore on his right wrist.

  Looking at Alex, Marlena was glad that she kept her home on an island, if only so that the teenage girls in Sapphire City wouldn’t beat down her door to get her son. He had already earned a reputation for his heroics in the Battle of the Eagle Nebula and, in town, Alex was something of a minor celebrity.

  “How did it go, Mom?” Alex asked, cutting right to the point.

  “Not bad. Major Sanders is working on the plan, but it’s going to take some time.”

  “What’s the problem then? Is Tons okay?”

  “He is. They’re giving him a hard time and I don’t know how he’s going to react when he hears the news about William.”

  “Yeah, they were really close. I don’t know if he will ever get over it,” Alex said insightfully, deep concern evident in his voice.

  “I know. I’m worried about it too, but if either one of us tries to get anywhere close to Earth now, we’re going to be attacked by the full force of the UEDF.”

  Alex unconsciously looked over at Skoll. With the help of his mom, he had defeated two UEDF Battle Frigates and the entirety of Black Squadron, capturing most of the pilots. Even so, he knew he would be overwhelmed near Earth, even with the help of the powerful Battle Suit Vessel.

  “Don’t even think about it, Alex! You would get close, I have no doubt. But the orbital defenses around Earth are way too strong. Even if we went in with everything we had, none of us would make it home.”

  “I know!” Alex snapped, anger burning in his eyes.

  Marlena was shocked to see her son so upset. Normally Alex had a cool head, choosing
to remain calm and focused rather than displaying fierce anger. Connor burned hot, Marlena was like a wildfire, but Alex was like a cool lake with a calm surface.

  “I can see you’re upset,” Marlena began, not used to seeing her son at all reactive, “but we need to bide our time. I have been getting reports that Harruhama has begun imprisoning influential UEDF dissenters, from bloggers to public figures. Gas prices are rising and even people who have been found stockpiling weapons and food have been under investigation. The situation on Earth is bad, and the EMC may soon lose control.”

  “I know. I just can’t stand waiting while Connor is still out there. I’m worried that Harruhama won’t give up on coming after the colonies too. With Earth’s resources so depleted, I don’t think we can expect peaceful negotiation anytime soon,” Alex said, calming down.

  Marlena was amazed at how well-informed Alex was. He had been paying attention during the strategy sessions he’d attended, sharing information with the best minds in the 3rd and 5th fleets. His eye for political influence and military tactics was incredible.

  “Well, there isn’t anything more we can do about it for today. We have to trust our men on the inside and focus on the problems we can solve. If things get bad enough on Earth, we will make a move. Until then, we wait.”

  “I know. I just worry about Connor. We have to bring him back here, Mom,” Alex said, sounding sincerely worried.

  Marlena was touched by her son’s concern and shared much of what he felt. She had felt impatient every day for the past six years, wanting to get a chance at recovering her children. When she received word from Adam Malavich, of Atmos XI, that Connor had come looking for his brother just after they’d left, she cursed and threw things for the better part of the day until Alex calmed her down.

  Now looking at her oldest son, she calmed down again. She knew that if they worked together, they could find a way to get to Connor. With that thought in mind, she took her son inside to make him dinner.

  Chapter 2

  Will to Power

  Connor woke up the morning of the battle on his bunk in the Green Army barracks feeling depressed. He hated the idea of sitting on the sidelines while the other kids were gaining skills and points to unlock valuable weapons and abilities on their OMBIs. He had even been banned from using the practice rooms, which had all been welded shut before he was even allowed back into the OMBIcademy. To make matters worse, he hadn’t been able to send or receive mail from William or Alex in months, leaving him feeling entirely alone. He still went to the gym every day, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of his friends from Blue Army; however, no matter what time he went, the gym was nearly empty when he arrived.

  He was frustrated watching his new army go out to a battle, knowing they would probably lose without him, while he had to remain in the barracks. He had been waiting like this for months, hoping he would get a chance to get back into the arena or training rooms soon. Connor Pereira did not like stagnating.

  When his OMBI vibrated with new mail, Connor got extremely excited for a moment, hoping that it was from his family. His excitement was crushed a moment later when he read the message:

  Message 1: Report to Observation Lounge “Conscript Pereira is ordered to report to the observation lounge immediately.”

  Delivered 0800 2121-07-03

  From: Major Sanders

  Connor dressed in his green uniform frowning the entire time. He had been the commander of Blue Army when he first arrived at the battle school five months prior. His record was still undefeated; however, the new Head Commander had removed the scoreboard and transferred him to Green Army as just a soldier, a soldier who was not allowed to fight. Connor hated his green uniform; it always reminded him that he wasn’t a part of the army that he’d started out on, never mind his OMBI was still blue when he used it.

  He walked slowly through the cold metal halls of the OMBIcademy, taking the longest way possible to get where he was going. He walked by the Blue Army barracks, hoping to run into one of his friends, but was disappointed to find out they had gone to the commissary. He passed by the now-sealed training rooms where he had met Omega, the training hologram that taught him how to fight and eventually led him to Hati, the Battle Suit Vessel that took him to the Eagle Nebula. Connor grimaced at the memory; he never thought he would miss hanging out with a simulated person.

  Leaving his old barracks and training rooms behind, he walked until he arrived at the lift to the observation deck, thinking about what Major Sanders could possibly want with him. When the airman at the lift asked him why he was there, Connor went into a tirade.

  “I was summoned, obviously. How efficient is it that every time there’s an order issued, the peons don’t hear about it and have to ask everyone who walks by what they are doing? Never mind, you won’t know, since you obviously don’t know anything!”

  The airman was stunned by the child’s outburst, and without another word stepped aside to allow Connor access to the lift. Getting aboard and pushing the button for the observation lounge, Connor glared at the airman until the doors had sealed shut. Riding up the lift, Connor could see his reflection in the metal doors and was surprised at how different he looked compared to when he had first been drafted.

  His once-foppish hair had been cut short, more befitting a soldier. He had grown a little bit over the last five months too, he could tell because the uniform he wore felt tight and looked a little too small. The bracer attached to his arm didn’t hurt anymore at least, just felt like a part of his arm now. But it was his eyes that had changed most; not being allowed to participate in battle or train, Connor’s eyes had lost their spark. He looked away from the reflection and grumbled about how lift technology should be improved to go a little faster.

  When he got to the top, the doors opened slowly, revealing the anteroom of the observation lounge. The administrator stood behind a metal desk, starring down at Connor as if she were about to tell him to go back downstairs. Before she could speak, Connor saved her the trouble.

  “Connor Pereira here to see Major Sanders,” he said quickly.

  “Have a seat,” the administrator said, pointing to some chairs on the far side of the room.

  “No.” Connor walked past her through the doors to the observation room.

  He hadn’t felt like taking a suggestion just then from some administrator. He figured that adults always thought they could tell kids what to do, just because they were bigger. But ever since he had mastered martial arts in the training room and had piloted a Battle Armor Vessel across the galaxy, Connor didn’t feel like he was smaller than anybody.

  The administrator objected, but lost the argument when Connor shut the doors behind him, locking them with a deft turn of his left hand. With a mischievous grin on his face, Connor turned to find Major Sanders waiting for him.

  “You really are a funny kid,” the major began, putting Connor off his guard. He hadn’t seen the man since he had been recruited more than five months before, but he remembered that Sanders hadn’t treated him very well.

  “Well, if it isn’t the big man who drugs small children in the privacy of his own little airplane,” Connor began smugly. “I won’t even ask what you did to me while I was asleep.”

  The smile the major had been wearing was gone. He scowled at Connor as he had done all those months before.

  “Now that’s the Major Sanders I remember,” Connor said with a grin.

  “Look down there,” Sanders ordered, changing the subject.

  He pointed out one of the arenas, where Black Army was making short work of Green Army class 2126.

  “Green Army is a bunch of babies. They can’t beat Black Army,” Connor said after looking down at the battle raging below.

  “No one else can either.”

  “I can! It was easy too. Blue Army completely shut them out,” Connor replied, remember his first battle with the supposedly unbeatable Black Army.

  “Since your last victory, no one has been able to c
hallenge Black Army in the arena,” Sanders informed Connor. It wasn’t really news to the boy; he had suspected that Blue Army would not do as well without him leading.

  “Then maybe you should get all the other armies to team up against them, or was that just for me?”

  “That was not my call, but yes, that was the only time in OMBIcademy history that more than two armies fought in the arena.”

  “And because no one could beat me, I am not allowed to fight or train?” Connor asked, venom oozing from his voice.

  “Also, not my call, kid, the new Head Commander believes that all soldiers should have an equal chance to grow.”

  “Except me,” Connor corrected.

  Major Sanders just shrugged. He agreed with everything Connor said, but didn’t have a solution to offer.

  “Listen, kid, I didn’t invite you up here to listen to you complain about how unfair your life is. I brought you up here because I had something important to tell you,” Sanders said, taking control of the conversation.

  “Well, what is it?” Connor asked impatiently.

  “It’s about your stepfather. Three months ago, during a routine investigation, William Mercer, along with twenty members of a special operations team, died in an explosion at your home in Healdsburg.”

  Silence hung in the air as Connor digested the news. Sanders could see tears beginning to well up at the corners of the kid’s eyes as if he were trying to fight back waves of despair. Major Sanders knew how close this boy was to his stepfather, and the idea that he had just delivered news of the third parent that he lost in his short life, left Sanders feeling sick.

  Connor burst into tears.

  “An explosion that killed twenty-one people during a routine investigation?!” Connor screamed angrily, tears pouring down his cheeks.

  “Yeah, kid, that’s what the report said,” Sanders offered quietly.