Episode XI
Showdown 
 

             The second planet in the Ross 128 system spun lazily in space. A jump node exploded out in space. Sams Ulysses emerged and started for the planet. Twelve Dragons lined the path. Sam flew his Ulysses down the long line of fighters. He eyed each one as he passed. He shifted power to his forward shields for the entry.

               Votion came out of subspace on the far side of the planet, away from the Dragons. He immediately flew down to the planet. Coming down he noticed the large dish, that dish marked the massive subspace sensor that was built there. He saw the lifeless Dragon, and he decided to set down far away from the zone. 

                Sam saw the Dragon, it was sitting lifeless, not moving, still. Sam set down near it, and opened his cockpit. Stepping out he scanned the brown planet. There were hills in the distance, and the sun was going down. If Sam remembered correctly, the nights here only lasted a few hours, if less. He quickly removed his flight suit and picked his sword up out of its place. He cocked his gun and started to walk towards the patch of grey, as he did a Shivan stepped out from behind the Dragon fighter. Sam never saw him. 
                  The Shivan was Cronis, he had two large reddish devices around his middle. His race developed in a zero G environment, and he needed a special device to keep him up and moving. Sam walked to the edge of the grey space. It was all dust and hills. In the distance Sam could see the large scanning station. Cronis stepped onto the mat. 
                    So we meet again, Terran. Cronis said. Sam spun around. He looked into the bright red eyes of the mighty Shivan. Sam glared at him. 
                    Yes, we meet again, for the last time. Cronis started to move, Sam moved with him. This time one of us will not leave this planet. 
                    Do you like my new fighter? Triton Dynamics was very kind in providing it. Sam aimed his gun, and fired at the Shivan. Cronis lifted up his arm and the bullets bounced off. He then drew his sword. 
                    Do you like my new sword? The Ancients were very kind in providing it. Cronis looked angry. Just answer one question before you die. Sam said as Cronis looked up.
                    What? Cronis asked with a glare in his eye,    
                    Why? Why did you attack us? We did nothing to you, and yet you have killed millions. You fight without giving a reason, without saying a word, and when we capture your technology, you say nothing, why? Cronis might as well have been laughing.                                                  You should know the answer to that question Terran. Cronis made a motion with one of his free hands. We are not so different from you. Oh yes, we always knew where Sol was, but if we simply destroyed your home world it would not have ended there, we had to break you first. Sam grew stern. You fought the Vasudans on what? A wrong look, a word from a general? Tell me Terran, did you ever say anything to the Vasudans? I know that you communicated, but did you really say anything? Sam didnt say a thing. I thought not. I will break you legend, Leader for the Shivans. Sam sneered.
                     It is time to end this, I will die before you break me. Sam spit towards the Shivan, not hitting him, Cronis understood the gesture. 
                     Time indeed, if you will not surrender, then you will die. Cronis shot forward his claws. They came out of the wrist, stopping in the palm. The dual curved blades gleamed in the light. The sun was just coming up, it was the dawn. Sam bent his sword and a beam of light shot across the field. He held the sword out in front of himself, and with a mighty yell charged at the Shivan. Cronis followed the movement and started to move in for the attack. Sam brought his sword down. Cronis lifted his dual blades. He didnt know what would happen next. 

                        Votions Horus set down, lifting a plume of brown dust into the air. Votion got out, He breathed in the air, it reminded him of his home planet. Vasuda Prime was gone, he could not have saved it. But perhaps he could save his friend. It took him a while, but Votion removed his bulky suit. He eased into his robes, and picking up a water bottle, he started to run across the planet, towards the scanning station. The dust was kicked up around his feet. 

                          Cronis blocked Sams thrust. He thought that this would be an easy battle, but he was wrong. He tried to push Sams blade up, but found that the more pressure he put on the sword, the more he pushed, the more it pushed back. Either Sam was stronger than a fully grown Shivan, or Ancient Steel repelled Shivan steel. Cronis jumped back with amazing agility. 
                           So, it appears that Ancient, and Shivan steel repel each other. Sam swung his sword around in a few circles. 
                            The mighty Shivan, or should I call you Sakaan? Cronis drew back. You destroyed Vasuda Prime. Cronis stepped forward.
                             It was necessary to stop the Vasudans from destroying more races. Cronis said. Sam shook his head. 
                             That is not what Im talking about. Sam shifted his weight, but kept his sword out in front of him. Long ago, you destroyed Vasudan Prime, you choked it of all its resources, did you return to finish the job? Cronis moved forwards. 
                             We were in our early space faring days when the Ancients came to our world, we were like you then, and when the Ancients came, they destroyed us. We escaped into space, but we could not sustain ourselves. We looked for a world where the Ancients had prepped the resources, then we found Vasuda Prime. We saw the Ancients leave, and then we moved in. We destroyed that world to save our own. That was when Kionus told us that we had become the Ancients. And so we set out to preserve the jump nodes, and to make sure that no race would ever destroy another. Cronis ran forward, Sam jumped to the right and slashed at Cronis. He missed. Cronis spun to face Sam. The Ancients were heading for Sol, we stopped them at the fourth planet. You should be praising us. Cronis jumped in from the side, Sam blocked and jumped over to the side. Sam struck for Cronis side, but Cronis struck Sams blade to the ground. Sam recoiled, and jumped back. 
                               You will find that we Terrans do not praise murders. Cronis threw his blade at Sam, Sam jumped to the side, and jumped up as Cronis blade sliced the air where Sam was. Sweat beaded on his forehead. 
                                If you stop moving, you will find that my blade will be far less painful. Sam grit his teeth, and attacked again. Cronis blocked, and then pushed Sam away with his other. He fell into the ground. Cronis slammed his blade into the ground, to stop from crashing down into the grey tarp.  Pushing with his free arm he freed his blade from the ground. His two arms flexed nervously. Cronis walked towards Sam. Sam pushed himself up. He wiped the blood from his mouth. Cronis hit him again. A strong hit to his middle sent Sam flying across the land. He missed the tarp and slammed into the ground. A dust cloud filled the air. Sam coughed and with the side of his hand he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
                               I will fight you to the end. Sam said, he stood, wobbling on his feet. Cronis laughed. 
                                I will have fun with you before I kill you. He kept coming. Sam held his sword firm. Cronis swung at Sam. Sam put his blade between himself and Cronis. The pure force of the Shivans blow hit the sharp end of the sword. The blade that could not be broken bit into the Shivans arm. Sam pulled his sword out. Red blood fell to the ground, but the bleeding didnt last for long. The Shivan raised its arm in pain. It let out a mighty yell. Sam jumped, he landed on top of the Shivan. Cronis tried to grab him, but Sam jumped again, he spun around once, and landed in a squat position behind the Shivan. 
                                 So tell me Shivan, is there a little man inside of you? Or was that real blood. Cronis spun around. 
                                  You will pay for that. Cronis said. He lifted up his arm and the two blades shot out again. He stepped forward. Cronis had amazing agility on only two feet. No one has ever beaten me. Cronis charged forward again. Sam stood his ground. Every time Cronis attacked, Sam put his sword in the way, and Cronis blades bounced off. They moved around in circles, back and forth, they fought with no end in sight. Sam jumped quickly to the side, and found Cronis blades in the way, he struck. His blade bounced back, Sam struck again, but his blade bounced back again. Sam stopped attacking, but he didnt let his guard down. Neither of them moved. Sweat dripped down his face. The Shivan bobbed up and down slowly. Sam figured that Cronis was just as tired as he was. Sam pointed his sword at Cronis. 
                                  Youve never met me. Cronis almost laughed. Cronis pointed his dual blades at Sam. 
                                  And you, never me. Cronis slowly turned his arm, back and forth. He slid the two blades back into their hiding place in his arm. I will give you a fighting chance. Cronis was beginning for an attack. Sam yelled as he charged. Cronis dodged out of the way and hit Sam in the back. Sam was thrown into the tarp, he rolled over and over, but kept a firm grip on his sword. He stood up and touched his forehead. Blood was slowly coming out of a wound in his head. He flicked his hand out, and then took a firm grip on his sword.  Pitiful. Cronis suddenly frowned, as he saw what Sam had in his hand. He suddenly looked down. There at his feet was a small explosive. Cronis jumped out of the way as Sam hit the small button on the grey box that he held in his hand. The shockwave threw Cronis into the sand, a dust cloud lifted from where he landed. 
                                  Always look at your enemys belt. Sam began to walk towards Cronis. Now its my turn. Sam said smiling. Cronis brought out his blades and began to fight. He guarded against Sams attacks. Cronis wondered how any Terran could have tricked him like that. Cronis jumped back unto the tarp, the sound filled Sams ears. Sam ran and attacked Cronis. The mighty Shivan backed off with each blow. Sam brought his sword down on Cronis, but Cronis held his blade high, and Sams blade bounced uselessly off. Sam recovered, but it was Cronis turn to attack. Cronis pushed Sam backwards. Sams blade drifted to the ground, but he brought it back up to guard against Cronis blast. Sam jumped back, and then dove forward. He flew over Cronis blades, and landed on top of the mighty Shivan. Sam was about to stab Cronis, when the two mighty arms lifted Sam high into the air. 
                                        This has definitely been fun, leader for the Shivans. Cronis laughed. He squeezed Sam tightly. Sam winced in pain. Cronis had the ability to crush steel, Sam knew that; he would have to act fast. But I am afraid that I have a world to destroy. He squeezed tighter. A little while ago the Galatea was destroyed, and now the Tvachi will crush Sol, and you will not be there to destroy the devil. He began to laugh. Sam echoed him. Cronis suddenly stopped. What? Cronis asked. Sam continued. He coughed up blood. 
                                        The devil is already dead, the Lucifer, or at least that is what I think the Tvachi is, will be destroyed. The GTA has discover your weakness, inside subspace you cannot use your shields. A team has already been sent to intercept them. The Olympus had it in her memory banks. Cronis yelled. Even if I die, you will never win. Sam took the time that Cronis was occupied, trying to figure out his legend, to get out of his grip. Sam thrust his sword down into one of the Shivans arms. Cronis dropped Sam, Sam pulled out his sword and fell down onto Cronis. Sam raised his sword to kill Cronis, but the mighty Shivan hit Sam, he fell across the ground, and slammed into the ground. His sword fell away. Cronis, looked at him. Sam tried to move, but the pain in his side refused to let him move. Sam looked over at his sword. It was out of his reach, he looked back up, and Cronis was flying through the air at him. It was over.
 

                                    Votion ran up to the scanning station. He checked over it and found a small blinking light on it. He furrowed his brow. He punched in a few keys, and a small image of the Galactic Terran Wings appeared on the screen. 
                                    PLEASE ENTER NAME AND ACCESS CODE Votion cocked his head. 
                                    Captain Takeye Votion, Service number 23152091514, code 96-alpha-beta-24. The machine hummed and beeped. It spoke to him again. 
                                    WE ARE SORRY CAPTAIN, YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS TERMINAL. Votion nodded.
                                     That is what they all say. Votion ripped a panel off the tower and began to cross wires, the screen flickered, and changed, until it spoke again.
                                     ACCESS GRANTED Votion stood and started to open files, or anything that he felt was appropriate. He looked at the subspace tracking relay logs. Four Triton Dynamics transports had disappeared in Ross128 since the Shivan attack, they had travelled along an unknown jump node towards an unknown jump node. The freighters had extra shielding, and very powerful jump drives, strange for a simple freighter, but then again this whole situation was definitely not normal. He checked the logs. For the last few days something about the size of an Orion Destroyer, was headed for this system, along the same jump nodes. And plus, the logs suggested that the ship would emerge in the next few hours. The logs also suggested that there was a lot of traffic along this jump node when the Shivans first came. Votion clicked a few keys, this information was not supposed to be displayed. When Votion hacked the system, he must have tripped this information. Someone had gone to great lengths to hide this. Votion remembered Sam, and started running again. 
                                   Sam had treated him like an equal. No Terran had ever treated him like a equal. Even Admiral Wolfe had that look in his eyes that made Votion feel uneasy. Every Terran he had met treated him as if he was still an enemy. But Sam looked at Votion as a friend. And he was not about to let Sam die. If Sam was dead, then Votion would kill Cronis. Votion hated the Ancients for leaving, he hated them for leaving his world to die. The Tikaan left the Vasudan people to die in the hands of the Sakaan. Sam brought peace back to him, and to his world. Sams actions would float back through the Hammer of Light officers from the Cheops. He pushed faster, harder. 
                                   Votion would not leave Sam to die on a desert world, he would not repeat that which the Ancients did to him, and his people. The Terrans would not have to suffer the way his people had. The Terrans would not have their world destroyed, the way the Shivans had destroyed his. 
                                    Votion came over a rise, there, he saw Cronis and Sam fighting. Sam was in the grip of Cronis, he was too late. Sam thrust his sword down into Cronis. The Shivan yelled and dropped Sam. Sam pulled his sword from the beast, and landed on its back. He was about to go for the final thrust, when Cronis batted him away. Sam flew across the brown arena, his sword fell from his grip. He lay on the ground, barly moving, he couldnt reach his sword. 

                                      Sam looked up, Cronis began to jump. This was the end, with his claws extended, Cronis would turn him to pulp in seconds. He only hoped that the GTA would be able to defeat the Shivans. His life was worth nothing compared to the whole human race. Hopefully his death would not be invasion. Cronis jumped. 
                                        Sam! Votion yelled from across the way. That wasnt the translator, Votion was yelling his name from across the field. Sam turned his head slowly, Votion was kicking up large plums of smoke as he ran. Sam almost smiled. Votion slid next to Sams sword, he tossed the blade to Sam. With great pain, Sam lifted his hand and caught the sword. Sam pushed himself down the tarp. He held the sword out in front of him. Cronis was shocked. The Shivan came down on the blade at full speed. His weight drove it right through him. His blades bounced off the ground. The force of the hit drove the sword hilt down into the ground next to Sam. 
                                      Cronis slipped the blades back into his arm. He staggered away, the blood falling from his middle. It cant end like this. The Shivan staggered around. No. He looked up into the sky. It does not matter, the Tooakinar will be here in moments. Behold the Tavary jump node. Cronis rocked from side to side, and then fell over. 
                                      Sam pulled his sword from Cronis lifeless body. Votion had stood, and he walked up to Sam. Are you all right? Votion asked, Sam held his side and nodded.
                                    Ya, Im fine. They looked up into the sky, a large red jump node opened in the sky. The ship that emerged looked like an Orion destroyer, the hull was red, and had Shivan designs all through its skin. On the sides there were four guns, just like the dual ship killers on the Lucifer. But I dont think that we will be for very long. They both watched the ship emerge from the jump node. The end to the legend was coming. 
 
 
 

                                                                To be Concluded...