Deathstalker 08 - Deathstalker Coda

as it takes, even though what I may eventually have to do scares me. But I promised you we’d be together again. And we will, one way or another.
    And so he turned his thoughts inward, concentrated his mind in a certain way, and let go of his hold on the present. He fell backward, into time, beyond the Pale Horizon, into the days that were. He dropped back through history, like a stone plunging through water, traveling faster and faster.
    Days and nights flickered and were gone, until the planets and the stars whirled around him, becoming a flashing rainbow of colors. Guided by instinct, following a kind of trail only one such as he could even have perceived, Owen pursued Hazel back through history. Eventually the trail he followed was interrupted, and Owen slowed until the stars and their planets resumed their usual imperceptible dance against the dark. The universe came back into focus, the galaxy was still, and Owen Deathstalker hung alone in the long night, looking down at the planets turning slowly below him.
    He knew, without having to be told, that this was Heartworld, which would one day be named Golgotha, and then Logres. Heartworld—hub of the legendary, fallen, First Empire.

    On board the starcruiser Havoc , flagship of the fleet the Emperor Finn had sent to crush the rebellion on Haden, Brett Random was already making trouble. He hadn’t wanted to come aboard in the first place. The thought of being trapped on an Imperial ship had scared the hell out of him, not least because there were any amount of warrants still floating about with various of his names on them, from the days before he became a hero of the Rebellion. It was all very well everyone saying they were all on the same side now, but Brett hadn’t got where he was by trusting people. So, first he volunteered to stay behind on Haden and look after the Hereward . Lewis shot that one down immediately. He didn’t want Brett (and quite probably Rose) running around where he couldn’t keep a watchful eye on them. Brett had protested loudly, and it had done no good at all.
    Then Brett got up Silence’s nose by demanding officers’ quarters on the Havoc for himself and Rose, plus room service and full access to the ship’s dispensary. He was still coming up with new conditions when Shub teleported the whole lot of them en masse onto the Havoc ’s bridge, and Brett made it very clear that teleporting didn’t agree with him by puking all over the command deck. Captain Price welcomed his new allies on board, carefully not looking at what Brett was doing, and crewmen arrived to take everyone to their assigned quarters. Rose picked up Brett and carried him away, still feebly cursing and complaining.
    Price willingly gave up his command chair to Admiral Silence, and stood at his side as Silence lowered himself carefully into the hot seat. It had been a long time since he’d commanded a ship, let alone a fleet. And he still wasn’t keen on accepting the unearned title of admiral, but everyone else had insisted. Apparently, they were even making a new uniform for him. Probably something garish, knowing the current fashion. But, the Imperial navy was still very big on the chain of command, and if they were going to take orders from the Deathstalker, they would much rather it came through one of their own. Besides, as Price diffidently pointed out, there was a vacancy. (Price didn’t explain that this was because he’d shot the previous admiral in the head, for being one of Finn’s creatures, and a complete bloody psychopath. Some things should be kept inside the family, so to speak.) And anyway, Owen wanted it, and he was the Deathstalker, so that was that.
    The other Deathstalker was just glad to be out of the very cramped cabins of the Hereward . Lewis and Jesamine were currently occupying very luxurious guest quarters, with all the comforts of home and then some. Jesamine had run around the room touching things, bounced on the bed a few times, and then squealed with joy as she spotted the complimentary beauty tech provided. She had immediately parked herself in front of the biggest mirror, and set about undoing all the damage done to her famous beauty from “absolutely ages of roughing it.”
    “If I’m going to lead a rebellion and inspire the masses to follow me, I really must look my best, darling,” she said firmly.
    There were many things Lewis felt like saying to that, but fortunately he had enough sense to say none of them.