Deathstalker 05 - Deathstalker Destiny

trust any of the Maze people anymore."
    "You went into the Maze," said Carrion, his voice entirely unjudgmental. Silence
    shrugged uneasily.
    "I never went all the way through. Never… changed, the way they did. I'm still human. And Humanity needs the Darkvoid Device. If we can work with the Deathstalker, so well and good. If not…"
    "Yes?"
    "Damned if I know. There haven't been many who could make Owen Deathstalker do a single damned thing he didn't want to. All I can realistically do is appeal to his sense of honor and duty. In his own way, Owen has always been an honorable man. But he's also a wild card, in a game where the wrong move could spell death for the whole of the Empire. Owen has never understood or cared for the practical realities."
    "Unlike you, Captain?"
    "Oh, I've always been a practical man, Sean. That's why the Deathstalker's the official hero of the Empire, and I'm still just a Captain. But in the end, I was the one Parliament trusted with its orders; trusted to save Humanity. They know I'll get the job done, no matter what."
    "And Hazel d'Ark?"
    Silence winced. "Let's not talk about her. I have my orders. No one is to be allowed to interfere with this mission."
    "You never change, Captain," said Carrion.
    And then they both suddenly vanished from the bridge, plucked away by powerful forces in the depths of the planet below, teleported down into the cold heart of the Wolfling World.

    They all arrived together, in the same moment, four human figures materializing
    in the midst of a great green forest. The surrounding trees stood tall and proud, draped in heavy swaths of summer greenery. Angled shafts of golden sunlight dropped down through the canopy of interlocking branches high overhead.
    Dust motes swirled lazily in the glimmering light. The air was full of the rich scents of earth and mulch and leaves and growing things. But for all its grandeur the forest was still and silent, with not a sound anywhere. This was not a real wood, not a natural thing. The Wolflings had created the forest long and long ago, so they could have somewhere to run and play and hunt. Now they were all gone, save for Wulf, the last of his kind, but the forest remained.
    Owen and Hazel looked at Silence and Carrion, who looked right back at them.
    After a moment that seemed to stretch and stretch, Owen and Silence straightened up a little, and ostentatiously moved their hands away from their guns. They nodded slightly to each other, as close as two such old rivals could ever come to bowing. Respect had never been a problem between them; only politics. And very different ideas of duty. Hazel sniffed loudly, and moved her hand from her gun to her belt. Carrion leaned casually on his power lance.
    "Well," said Owen finally. "It's been a long time since we last met, hasn't it, Captain?"
    "Not since Lionstone's last Court," said Silence. "Just as well really. We never did have anything in common, except the things we fought over."
    "Who's your friend in black?" said Hazel.
    "I am Carrion; a traitor and destroyer of worlds. I bring bad luck."
    Hazel looked him over, unimpressed. "Fancies himself, doesn't he?"
    Silence and Owen exchanged an understanding look, acknowledging a shared history of having to make allowances for their companions. Hazel and Carrion caught the look, but didn't understand it, which was probably just as well. To avoid having
    to say anything else for a moment, they all looked around them, and the silent forest looked back. The continuing quiet was eerie, disturbing.
    "We've all come a long way," Owen said finally, as much to break the quiet as anything. "Is this where you thought your life would lead you, Captain? Is this the future you saw for yourself, at the beginning of your career?"
    "I haven't considered the future in a long time," said Silence. "I have enough problems dealing with the present."
    "I know the feeling," said Owen. "But it does seem somehow… right, that we should end up here, where it all began. A lot of stories find their end back at their beginning."
    "Oh God, he's gone all metaphysical again," said Hazel. "Look, Owen; we're only here because this is our last bit of unfinished business. The Maze gave us incredible powers. I always knew there'd be a price to pay, eventually."
    "Yes," said Carrion. "There's always a price. No good deed goes unpunished."
    Owen and Silence ignored both of them with the ease of long practice. "I take it you know about the latest reversal?" said