Prologue

  Eight months have passed since the end of the Marauder War. Six since Kyle and Anna were joined in marriage. Consistent with expectations, the Alliance remained united – because of this newfound unity, reconstruction efforts progressed quickly. The Necromyan collective disbanded, it’s races seemingly going their separate ways or joining under the banner of the newest ally to the Dragon’taan Marauder Corps, the Kirn. General Trellus remained the head of the Kirn military, and led his forces proudly next to the Marauder Corps.

  General Stathl’en announced that, in the next few years, he would be stepping down from his post as High General of the Marauder Corps, and proclaimed Kyle – now his nephew-in-law – his successor. This was met with out-and-out praise and cheer. Kyle had, to the galaxy, more than proved himself capable of leading the Corps.

  After a tense and lengthy trial, it was decided that Zuil Kuudaako would not be executed, but instead, sent into exile on a world where she would not be able to harm the Alliance any more. She was implanted with a tracking device, then taken there without further incident, and left there. No one had seen or heard from her since then, and no indication had been given that she had escaped exile.

  Desiring a long respite from the war, Kyle was given – and gladly took – shore leave until further notice with his team and his wife on Dragon’taan. Now united in marriage, Anna’s name was officially changed to Anna Stathl’en Indari, reflecting that she was married to Kyle Draco Indari. Their honeymoon was spent in a mountain resort north of the city. They returned home from their honeymoon changed. Whatever challenges the future had in store, Kyle, Anna, Vincent, Razuul and Leekuudah felt ready to take them on. The Marauder War may be over, but the Legacy of the Marauder Corps has only just begun. New threats stalk in the darkness, and a new enemy may yet rise in place of the Necromyans - an enemy perhaps older than the Necromyans.

  And yet, new revelations will bring into light the power of Kyle's destiny, and shadow what is to come...

  Part I: Brewing Conflict

  Chapter One

  He was ready. A young, light brown-skinned human waited in his cell for the guards to bring his last pleasures in this life. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, the shackles on his wrists forcing his other hand up as well. His blue eyes kept watch on the clock and the door. The time was fast approaching, and he was eager. It wasn’t his execution to feed and appease the dark spirit that dwelt within this prison the prisoner was eager about; it was the plan he was about to execute. And he wasn’t alone.

  The door hissed and parted, and two black-clad Terrans with dark voids in their eyes stepped down the stairs into his cell; behind them was a young, blue-skinned Anthropomorphic Dragoness in shackles. The prisoner cracked a wide smile when he saw her face.

  His accomplice. The Dragoness smiled when she saw the prisoner as the guards removed their shackles. “You have two hours,” one said, his voice having a monotone. “Enjoy them.” The two guards then left as the Dragoness began to disrobe. Her breasts were the first seen as the door closed. She took off her pants as the camera blinked off.

  “Good,” she said, “They’re not watching.”

  “Where did you stash them, Phaelis?” the prisoner asked.

  Phaelis smiled, planting a tender kiss on the prisoner’s lips. “Patience, Leo,” she whispered. “We’ve two hours.”

  “Yeah, and a bazillion Drakkonian Combine soldiers between us and that ship,” Leo said. “Speaking of which, how were you planning to draw them off?”

  “The virus will take effect in thirty,” Phaelis explained, “So suit up.” She kicked Leo’s bed, which opened to reveal an empty hidden compartment. Phaelis reached in and pulled something, and the floor in the compartment opened up and raised suits of armor.

  “MASRA suits? How’d you get those in here?” Leo asked.

  “Don’t ask,” Phaelis responded as she began to dress. “It wasn’t easy.” She then began to put on her armor, and Leo followed suit as she continued, “Anyway, once the virus takes effect, it’ll start to kill the power, starting with surveillance and the prison section doors.”

  “Then what?” Leo asked. “We just open the door and make a break for it?”

  “The doors can’t be forced open, so they will open automatically before the power is cut,” Phaelis answered. “We don’t want the guards to know it’s us, so all the prison doors will open. While the other prisoners are fighting the guards or whatever it is they’ll be doing, we’ll slip out of the prison section in the ensuing chaos using the personal cloaking devices included in the armor.”

  “And we make our way to the docking bay where the ship is stored,” Leo finished.

  “Actually, first, we’re gonna take the tractor beam out of commission,” Phaelis corrected him, “Then pick up our gathered intel. Then we make a run for the ship. Speaking of which, where will we go?”

  Leo took out a small medallion and replied, “To a world described to me by a friend... Dragon’taan. He had a son there he wanted me to give this to, guy by the name of Kyle Indari.”

  “Well, let’s not waste any time,” Phaelis said. She hit a button, and a Disruptor Rifle appeared in her hands. Leo did the same, with the same result. They positioned themselves on either side of the door, waiting for...

  The door hissed and parted before power was cut, and Leo crept to the new opening. To the right, two skeletal-looking Combine mech soldiers stood guard over an opening. To the left, an organic sentry – a tall, slender-looking Anthropomorphic Iguana creature – stood confused at the sudden and simultaneous opening of all prison cell doors. Soon after, the prisoners began to riot, attacking the sentry.

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  “Go!” Leo shouted. He and Phaelis emerged from their cell and shot the two mech soldiers dead. Plasma fire was heard, and Leo looked to Phaelis. “They’ll be sending guards down here to quell this riot,” he said. “We need to get out.”

  “That area up there is our only way out!” Phaelis said. “How else are we getting out of here?”

  “Just follow me,” Leo said. He and Phaelis leapt down the opening the mechs had been guarding, and it deposited them in a garbage disposal area.

  “Now what?” Phaelis asked.

  “Just wait,” Leo replied. He gathered his breath, then said, “Computer: Open Garbage Disposal Unit Door 733981.”

  “Command confirmed,” the computerized voice droned in response. The door opened, and Leo planted a device amongst the garbage before he and Phaelis left.

  “Computer: Run Garbage Smasher scenario,” Leo commanded. The door immediately shut, and the sounds of massive machinery could be heard on the other side, with Leo and Phaelis’ frantic chatter faintly heard as well.

  “I guess that explains why you had that in place,” Phaelis commented.

  “If they find out we went down the garbage chute, they’ll send a team to investigate, and they’ll find our ‘remains,’” Leo explained. “By the time they figure out what really happened, we’ll be long gone.”

  “Let’s hope you’re right,” Phaelis said. The two of them activated their PCDs and continued their trek through the station, avoiding the Combine troops where they could. It wasn’t long before they came across one of the tractor beam power stations. Standing guard were two organic Combine sentries. The sentries stood, staring at the door, wondering why no one had come through. Leo and Phaelis moved along the catwalk, allowing the motion-activated door to close, and the sentries got suspicious.

  “Check it out,” one of them said. The other one nodded and moved carefully toward the door. It was a mistake. Phaelis took him, slit his throat and tossed him over the edge. His partner didn’t have a chance to sound the alarm, either, as Leo broke his neck and threw him into the stygian blackness below. Leo paused, staring at the dark abyss as Phaelis sabotaged the power station.

  “Leo, are you alright?” she asked.

  Leo shook out of his trance and accompanied Phaelis to the opposite door. “What is it with Drakkonians and heights...?” he muttered to himself. Leo and Phaelis continued their trek toward the docking bay, taking a detour to a small control room overlooking the ship – a Y-shaped vessel with a number of gun turrets and missile launchers. Phaelis opened the door, and revealed a surprised officer who was reaching for the door controls. He immediately went for a holstered pistol, but Leo was faster and shot him dead, then the mech at the computer. Phaelis went to the computer and said, “Looks like they haven’t had a chance to go through our intel.”

  “Well, good,” Leo replied. “Download it before they move it.”

  While Phaelis downloaded the data, Leo took the chance to survey the bay containing the ship. He grabbed a sniper rifle from the rack, and got a look at the bay; there were a few Combine troops standing guard – a pair of those Iguana creatures and a human – with a pair of mechs inspecting the exterior of the ship. Leo picked them off with the rifle, then shifted his aim for the guards. He nailed two, but the last one took cover beneath the ship.

  Dammit, Leo cursed under his breath. He shifted his aim, then shot the comm panel. “Let’s fucking go,” Phaelis said. “The Combine may be on high alert, now.”

  Leo grabbed his disruptor and headed out with Phaelis, making for the docking bay that contained the ship. The lone guard still hid beneath the ship, and Leo and Phaelis shot him at the same time before boarding the ship. They shut the boarding ramp and entered the cockpit, powering the vessel up. “Let’s get the hell out of here!” Phaelis exclaimed. The vessel lifted off, backed out of the hangar, turned around and zoomed off into the asteroid field surrounding the station. Strangely, no fighters chased after them; it was almost as if the Drakkonians wanted them to get away.

  “Are we clear?” Leo asked.

  “Not as of yet,” a computerized voice responded.

  “Who the hell is this?” Phaelis asked.

  “Name’s Jack,” the computer answered. “I reside here on this ship.”

  “What’s an AI doing on a ship like this?” Leo asked.

  “Getting you where you need to go, mister Sanders,” Jack replied.

  “How do you know where we’re going?” Leo inquired.

  “I’ve been watching your... rather clever escape,” the AI answered. “Had I still served the Drakkonian Combine, I’d have told them where you were.”

  “And you didn’t do so why?” Phaelis queried.

  “Reason one: Your virus knocked out the station’s internal comms. Reason two: Let’s just say I have had enough of the Drakkonians’... aggressive expansionism, shall I call it?” Jack responded. “Moreover, I have intel of where the Drakkonians are planning to expand next, which is why I am helping you.”

  “They’re going to Dragon-Shifter space, we know,” Leo said. “Can you get us to Dragon’taan?”

  “I can,” Jack replied, “But first, I must disable this ship’s locator beacon. One moment.”

  “How comforting,” Phaelis grumbled. “A Drakkonian AI playing defector.”

  “It could be worse,” Leo said.

  “True,” Phaelis agreed.

  “Done,” Jack said. “Now, if you’ll be so kind, lock in the coordinates to Dragon’taan, and I’ll engage the TDIG-R drive.”

  “The what?” Leo and Phaelis asked simultaneously.

  “The Trans-Dimensional Intergalactic Rift Drive,” Jack explained. “Dragon’taan is in another ‘verse – one reason why the Drakkonian Combine is expanding there.”

  Leo worked with the controls, he asked, “Tell me something, Jack – do you know anything of a man named Kyle Indari?”

  “From what I know in the Combine’s database, he is one of the top generals of the Dragon-Shifter Military, the Dragon’taan Marauder Corps,” Jack answered. “Soon to be the head of the entire faction.”

  “This keeps getting better,” Phaelis commented as the TDIG-R drive engaged.

  “Indeed,” Jack agreed. “We should hit Dragon’taan orbit within a few hours. In the meantime, there are a few details I think you should know...”

  * * *