Chapter 13
“The world swam in and out of focus as Greeny regained consciousness; he looked around and saw a figure standing over him. The man had acquired several new cuts and bruises since Greeny had last seen him, but Greeny had no problem recognizing him.
“"Dennis." He said, as he was helped up by the Captain.
“"My Lord," Dennis said, with a half bow, "We thought you were dead."
“"So I hear." Greeny said, blinking a few times to try and focus his eyes. "What happened?" He asked, gesturing around at the half of the building that still stood.
“"Looks like you were hit with the remains of a scarab, you are lucky to have survived." Dennis replied. Greeny sighed and looked out into the distance.
“"That's the story of my life Dennis." He said, a vacant expression on his face.
“
“"Where are we going, my lord?" Dennis asked, trying to keep pace with Greeny's near-run.
“"I want to visit some old friends, then we are going after Cold Fire." Greeny said, without looking at Dennis. The pair continued on for a few more minutes and then Greeny hoisted himself up onto a ladder half hidden in shadows. Dennis followed. He looked around and saw that they were in the Imperial Monument. A tribute to all the fallen councilors and heroes of the Empire. It mostly intact, as it was several hundred meters below the surface. The room was a huge circle with dozens of pedestals arranged around the outside, each one projected a five meter tall image of the Terran it was built for.
“Dennis walked up the pedestal for Elder Taveius and touched the plaque on its surface. Where had once been written 'The Great Warrior' now were scrawled the words 'The Bumbling Coward'. He slowly walked around the room and looked at the other pedestals, each had been vandalized in the same way, insulting the heroes it was meant to immortalize. Dennis turned to Greeny to see his reaction to the vandalism. But Greeny was simply standing and staring at the plaque of the newest pedestal, the pedestal of himself. His face was full of sadness, but Dennis couldn't make out the words on the plaque from where he was so he began to approach.
“"I have seen enough. Let's go." Greeny said, his face looked haunted, and Dennis wanted to do something, but he felt helpless. On the way towards the exit of the Monument Greeny stopped and entered a small room.
“"Wait here." He said, as he walked off.
“
“Greeny looked around, he was in the weapons room at the monument. He walked up to the centre display case and opened the lid. He placed his hands inside and lifted a plain katana out. He turned it over in his hands and slashed it through the air a few times.
“"What is that?" Dennis asked as Greeny approached him, the sword still drawn.
“"This is Müller's sword." Greeny said, "It is the sword he used whilst unifying Earth, since I have only three shots left and we seem to be running very low on ammo I felt that it would be a suitable weapon to defend Terra with once again."
“"So now we are going to kill the pirates?" Dennis asked.
“"Yes, Womble should have found him by now." Greeny said, as he reached for his mobile communicator. "Womble," he said into it "Where is Cold Fire."
“The Orfine growled a response "Teleporting down Greeny, stand by." There were a few moments of silence and then Womble and what looked like most of his crew appeared out of the air.
“"Emperor." The Orfine said bowing, a move which Greeny didn't return. "Our ship had sustained heavy damage, we had to abandon it."
“"But you know where Cold Fire is?" Greeny asked.
“"Yes, he is not far from here, follow me." The Orfine said, gesturing for his crew to follow as well.
“
“It was not an uneventful journey. About a third of Womble's people had been killed by the various pirates that they met along the way, and although the Orfine took care of most of them Greeny had still managed to bloody his sword. As they rounded the final corner Greeny heard Womble growl some orders to a pair of his crew and the two walked up to a wall and planted three blinking devices on it. They gestured for everyone to get back and a few seconds later there was an explosion.
“"Go!" Shouted Womble, first in the Orfine language and then in the Terran one. The group jumped around the corner again and those who had guns opened fire into the new hole. Greeny and the unarmed Orfine jumped into the hole and began to fight the pirates in hand to hand combat.
“There was little return fire from the pirates, they were obviously not ready for a fight and several dropped to their knees, hands held high and open, the universal sign of surrender, but that didn't stop Greeny, he cut through all that he could reach, spraying himself in blood off various colors in the process. There were a few more seconds of combat and then an eerie silence filled the air.
“"Cold Fire will have defiantly heard that." Womble said, looking at Greeny, "Let's go get him." Greeny nodded and raised his sword. The pair ran off, leaving the rest of the Orfine and Dennis to cover their exit.
“
“Cold Fire was sitting calmly in a chair, his eyes were shut and Greeny would have thought he was sleeping except for the fact that when he approached the pirate opened his eyes.
“"Greeny. Good to see you again," He said with a strangely genuine twist on his voice, "Oh and I see you bought your dog along too, how nice."
“Greeny ignored his comments. "Time for you to die Cold Fire." He said, hate filling his voice and face.
“"Yeah, we will see about that." Cold said calmly. He then turned to Womble "You shouldn't have come Orfine." He said.
“"What was I suppose to do pirate? Let you bomb more neutral areas?" Womble spat.
“"What are you on about?" Cold Fire said with annoyance. Then a smile slowly spread across his face. "I knew you were low Greeny, but would you really go that low?" Greeny looked down at the floor and then back up at Cold, a fire burning in his eyes. "You did, didn't you?"
“Womble looked between the two of them "Did what?" He asked, then he realized "You set off that bomb at the ISC headquarters to get us to help you." Womble's face screwed up and he bared his teeth. "This is an outrage!" He shouted. Greeny didn't say anything. "I am calling my troops off, you can save yourself." Womble said, turning and reaching for his communicator. When his back was turned Greeny drew his sword and walked up behind the Orfine. Womble spun back as Greeny slashed up, the arm that was holding the communicator was severed just below the elbow. The Orfine yelped and dropped to the floor, cradling his stump.
“"I don't give a smoke about you or your people, dog! You are pathetic and just a tool to help me get back my Empire! If a million Orfine die to save the life of one Terran it won't stop me sleeping at night!" Greeny shouted, just before he cut the Orfine's head clean off.
“"You're slipping Greeny," Said Cold, in his usual calm manor, "A month ago you would have kept that all under control." Greeny ignored him again.
“"Now it's your turn to die." He said, his voiced barely above a whisper.
“"No, it's yours." Cold Fire said. He stood up and with lightning speed drew a pair of long swords from behind the chair. He jumped at Greeny and with the sword in his left hand struck at Greeny, Greeny moved his sword inwards to block to blow but it was wrenched from his hand and flung across the room. The sword in Cold's right hand simultaneously was brought up and thrust into Greeny's chest. It penetrated the armor and went into the wall behind Greeny pinning him there. Greeny kicked and screamed in pain, he could barley register Cold Fire bringing the other sword up level with his neck. But then Cold stopped, turned and darted down a corridor. Greeny saw Dennis run up in front of him.
“"Help!" He shouted. A couple of Orfine ran over and pulled the sword out of Greeny, causing him to lose consciousness with pain.