Episode XX
New Wings of the Dove
 

 Dove forced his eyes open. His vision was still half blurred; they had given him another whiff of whatever the hell that stuff had been. Dove rolled his head on his shoulders, trying to see, trying to figure out where he was. The last thing he remembered was seeing Richtoven, the man didn’t look human. Dove blinked a few times; there was a light high above him. What was this? A bad interrogation chamber? He shook off the last moments of dizziness from his head. He looked up and stared into the darkness.
 “Welcome back.” Dove looked down at the straps holding his arms. The voice had come from before him, it sounded familiar.
 “Am I a prisoner here?” Dove asked slowly. Dove tried the cuffs around his ankles and wrists. He twisted his hands back and forth, the straps were hard metal, and he would never have the strength to open them up by himself. Perhaps a trick from the old book would get him out.
 “No.” Came the voice. The clasps clicked off quickly, and with a sharp metal clang. Dove stood slowly he looked around the room. Dove walked slowly around the perimeter of the light, he stopped behind the cold chair. The lights suddenly came on, Dove turned slowly, he saw the face of Sirus, and he had a weapon.

     * * *

 Ridow and Vo’rant followed the procession of soldiers down the hallway. Ridow slumped against a wall and breathed out slowly. The wall was hard, and cold to his back. Vo’rant suddenly struck the wall next to him, and slid down into a sitting position. Ridow allowed himself to fall a short distance until he was sitting on the ground. He held on of his plasma pistols tightly, as if it would protect him from the cold of the wall. Vo’rant looked quickly up and down the hallway, he turned to Ridow.
 “We must find a control room, or security room or something.” Ridow thought for a moment, this was a Vasudan RF class base, he had glanced over the schematics once, but he couldn’t remember much from that, certainly not enough to go on. Logically the only place that would serve as a control center would be in Ops, and there was absolutely no chance of breaking into Ops. Then Ridow remembered something.
“Didn’t you Home Guard guy’s have a fetish with spying?” Vo’rant frowned at Ridow’s words. Ridow almost laughed, and had the situation been different he might have. “Don’t feel bad, our Intelligence service turned on us, remember?” Vo’rant nodded slowly. Then Vo’rant thought for a moment.
“Ma’rian never liked to spy.” Ridow understood, he wouldn’t have enjoyed watching his back either. The life of a spy wasn’t glorious, and the Home Guard didn’t like to mention their second fold purpose.
“Perhaps not, but He must have had some kind of network.” Vo’rant nodded slowly. “Where would his quarters be?” Ridow asked slowly. Vo’rant thought for a moment.
“Follow me.” Vo’rant said slowly. He stood, checked around the corner and took off down the hallway. Ridow sighted, wondering why he had ever accepted this thing in the first palace. Pushing himself up, he took off down the corridor following the tall Vasudan.
 
     * * *

 Vo’rant and Ridow found the door, it was opposite the botanical hydroponics room. Vo’rant always knew that his friend had loved green plants, and often enjoyed strolling through gardens or hydroponics bays. The door was simple, it had Ma’cran’s name on a small plaque, now that name was half scratched off, but Vo’rant could still make out a piece of it.
 “This is the place.” Vo’rant said slowly. Ridow nodded he cocked both his guns and nodded slowly. Vo’rant punched in a series of keys on the small pad next to the door. The door wined for a moment and then opened. Ridow stepped in through the open door. The man inside was shocked.
 “Who are you?” The man yelled, he reached for a weapon, but Ridow shot him before he could make it to the weapon hanging on the wall. The room was simple, gray walls, with the large logo of the GTVA over the bed. A poster half covered the logo, the poster had on it the symbol of the NTF. Ridow stepped up and ripped the poster down revealing the large gold and silver symbol. A small computer was imbedded into the wall. Vo’rant stepped over to it, and sat down in the large oversized chair. He began to work. Ridow stood nervously, he walked over to the closet, opening it, he picked up the dead man and shoved him into the closet, he closed the door. He looked down at the floor.
 “Blood is so hard to get out.” Vo’rant smiled slightly. Ridow walked over and peered over the Tall Vasudan’s shoulder. “Anything?” Ridow asked slowly. Vo’rant continued to work, slowly, but without hesitation, he brought up a new screen. He pointed a finger at a small symbol.
 “This is for Archived, and this is for current.” Ridow nodded. “Let us try current, but they may have discovered some of the cameras.” Vo’rant said typing in several code words. A map of the complex appeared on the screen, several dots appeared in different locations on the map. A small square appeared next to each dot, the box displayed a live feed from that camera. Half of them displayed static, on another one a hallway was filled with dead GTVA Marines, that had been their team, murdered, and left rotting by the NTF. Another displayed a small room with two figures. Another… Ridow turned back to the one with the two men.
 “Does that look like a GTVA Uniform to you?” Ridow asked pointing at the room with the two standing men. Vo’rant nodded. He typed in more code words and the small image enlarged till the point that it included the intire screen. The screen showed two figures, and one was wearing a GTVA Uniform. The man turned slowly, he looked at the door, not up at the camera. But it was enough, Dove was there.
 “I am bringing up the location now, hold on Dove, we are coming.” Vo’rant said slowly. He brought up the map again, and placed a finger on the dot. He mumbled something under his breath. He stood. Ridow stepped back to give the Vasudan some room. Vo’rant turned and headed for the door. “Follow me.” He said simply. Ridow nodded, he headed for the door, but stopped when he reached the weapon that the man had been going for, he stopped. He picked it up, and discovered that there was actually two. He smiled. He stepped through the open door, and holding a weapon for each of his hands, he fired into the computer. The computer shorted out, Ridow smiled and headed after Vo’rant.

     * * *

    Dove looked at Sirus, he didn’t know what to say, couldn’t know, no one could. Dove had left that life behind, a life of death, of always running, and a life of hatred. Dove settled back, he decided that he was still in chains, even if he couldn’t see them.
 “If you’re going to kill, I’d suggest you do it now.” Dove said slowly. Sirus reached into his holster and drew his pistol. He clicked the release and the clip flood out into his free hand. The room was quiet and the metallic slide resonated in Dove’s mind. Sirus placed the gun on the table, along side another one. A dark uniform lay on the table, it was a uniform of the NTF. The room was quiet after that, neither of them said a word. Sirus stepped forward.
 “Is that all you have to say to me Rick?” Sirus said. Dove didn’t move. “Well Brother?” Sirus asked slowly. Dove turned. Then looked back at Sirus.
 “You’re not my brother.” Sirus pushed forward, quickly, he came close to Dove.
 “I was your wingman, and your friend, there was a time when that was god enough.” Sirus said slowly. Dove stepped back, he looked over at the weapons on the table, he could go for them, Sirus was too far away, but what good would it do? “You know I’m right.” That much was true, even if Dove could reach the guns he knew he couldn’t kill Sirus, he owed Sirus too much.
 “I’ve changed.” Dove said slowly, walking around the chair, his hand rested on the chair’s back.
 “We have all changed.” Sirus said. Dove quickly shot back.
 “Not like this.” Dove remembered Sam, the visions, the hatred had flown out of his veins as if water, he was no longer like that, he could no longer kill for pleasure, that is what Sirus offered him, could he really return? Be what he was before? Lost?
 “I have changed as well, the Leader for the Shivans changed me.” Samuel Morrison suddenly shot through Dove’s brain, he remembered the man more vividly now. This Richtoven was a fraud Kate would prove that, no matter what happened to him.
 “I too have met the Leader for the Shivans.” Sirus began to laugh, Sirus didn’t know, he could never know, and Dove couldn’t tell him, couldn’t tell him that he had met Samuel Morrison, the Leader for the Shivans.
 “Catherine Norrow is not the Leader for the Shivans.” Dove was about to say something but Sirus cut him off. “It doesn’t matter who the Leader for the Shivans is, it only matters that we are together again.” Sirus smiled. “The Brothers of Death are together again.
 “The Dove.” Dove said slowly. Sirus nodded.
 “And the Raven.” Sirus laughed. “You still remember. Do you remember how we were feared, just us two, even the largest of destroyers feared us. We were Immortal.” Dove turned away, he looked at the wall. “It has not been the same since you were captured. These foolish boy’s do not know how to fight. Do you remember the good old days?” Dove thought for a moment. He remembered attack ships on fire, Screens glittering in the dark, that is what he remembered, the killing, and the death, the power and the strength. The knowledge that for the last thing they will ever see was his face, that was what Dove remembered.
 “I remember death.” Dove said simply.
 “You enjoyed it, Remember?” Dove remembered, he could never forget his reign of terror over the universe…

     * * *

 It was two years earlier, when they were flying together, the Brothers of Death. It was another battle in the history of the NTF, another fight. Ships flew, and destroyers fired. The battle was futile, but it was the glory, the Brothers of Death were feared, destroyers ran, and together they had gotten almost a thousand kills, they were death living, and breathing. Where they went only death followed, only pain followed. Cruisers died in the depths of space by their hands, and Dove had loved it.
 “Rick, how are things over your way?” Fire exploded in front of Sirus’ cockpit. Another ship had been killed, the death black fighter screamed through space. Dove laughed slowly. He smiled.
 “Nothing I can’t handle.” Dove said smiling. This had been another life, one of killing and of death. One where the GTVA coward at his feet, and where evil pumped his heart. Another fighter sprang up around him, Dove smiled coldly. “Now you Die GTVA.” He followed the craft, and pumped shots into its shields. It cried out in pain, for mercy, for Dove to let it live, but Dove didn’t care He fired again into the small craft, and it exploded in a bristling explosion of metal and flesh.
 “Good kill Brother.” Sirus said smiling. Dove smiled.
 “Thank you Brother.” Dove returned. A Hundred more fighters would die today, more that could be counted would die in the next few weeks. Dove enjoyed himself, he actually loved killing, and it destroyed him. Dove loved them all, loved the way they died. Some were bold, and spat in his face, others felt they died for their country, and others died in pity, on their knees and beginning. Dove liked it better when they begged, but those were never a challenge.
 “Hey Rick..” Sirus said quickly. Dove smiled.
 “What is it Brother?” Dove asked slowly.
 “What about that station over there?” Dove looked over, off in the distance he could see the station that they called Dunwitch Hill. It was rumored that the great David was stationed there. Dove shook his head.
 “We need bombers.” Dove said slowly. He wanted to take out that station. Stations had the most people on them, and he had never killed that many people at one time.
 “Agreed.” Sirus said slowly. “Let us return to base Brother, we will be back.” Dove nodded. They turned to leave, but a ship came out of nowhere.
 “Leaving so soon boys?” A voice came over the comm. system. “The party hasn’t even started yet.” Dove turned his craft.
 “How dare you.” Dove said slowly. He locked unto this new fighter and began to fight with it. It spun around, and maneuvered like no other craft that Dove had seen, this pilot was an ace, but not any ace, no. This ace must have fought in the Great War, to move like he did, only a pilot with that experience could fight like this. The fighter attacked, and quickly, Dove lost his shields. Another blast ripped through his wing, and his power was gone. He drifted in space, slowly, without power.
 The new fighter went after Sirus, Sirus fought it, but soon he engaged his drives, and left Dove there. Dove called out to him, but in space no one can hear you scream. The new fighter drifted over, Dove looked out his cockpit and managed to read the words on the side of the ship's wing. Black Sparrows. And Dove was alone….
 

     * * *

 Dove threw the images off, the memories, all that was past, he could never go back, or could he? Sirus was offering that change.
 “Are you offering me a return?” Dove asked slowly. Sirus smiled, and stepped forward, he moved towards Dove, and nodded.
 “Yes. We can be Brothers again.” Sirus extended his hand, and Dove took it, grabbing his old comrade’s wrist. What was he doing, how could he do this? It was impossible, or was it? How could he go back, how could he return to that life of killing of death? “I won’t leave you again.” At that moment Dove pushed Sirus off. Dove moved towards the door, but stopped short. “I thought you were dead, Brother.” Sirus said quickly. He tossed a gun over to Dove. It slid on the floor and banged against Dove’s thick boot. Dove looked down at the weapon. “Go ahead, pick up the weapon.” Dove looked down, he picked up the gun and checked the clip, it was full. “If you believed I wronged you Brother, then kill me, if not, then join me.” Dove looked down at the gun, as if contemplating his existence. The door suddenly opened. Ridow and Vo’rant charged in. Vo’rant stood in front of Ridow in the small doorway. The gun came up between Dove and Vo’rant. Vo’rant staggered to a halt. He looked at Dove.
 “Dove…” He began slowly. Sirus smiled.
 “Prove your loyalty, Brother. Kill the Vasudan.” Dove held the gun tightly Vo’rant didn’t move, He just looked at Dove, but hatred never filled the Vasudan’s eyes. For a long moment they stood there, not moving, eternity passed before their eyes as Dove’s mind was ripped apart, piece by piece. Dove turned quickly, spinning on his heals. He pointed the gun at Sirus and fired. The bullet screamed across the room. It hit Sirus in the chest. The man staggered backwards, shocked to his core. He began to fall, Dove rushed in and caught the man before he hit the ground. Sirus looked up at Dove. He forced the words.
 “… Because I left you?” He asked harshly, wincing with each breath. Dove shook his head.
 “No… Because you had not changed enough.” Sirus died there, his head became limp. Dove let Sirus’ head fall to the floor. He looked up at the Ceiling. “I killed Sirus.” He began. “I liked Sirus.” Dove staggered. Slowly he rose to his feet and looked down at the limp, dead, body of Sirus his friend. “Sleep in peace, my old Friend.” Dove looked up at Vo’rant the Vasudan smiled slightly.
 “Thank you.” Vo’rant said. Dove looked at the Vasudan.
 “Did I make the right choice?” Dove asked slowly. Vo’rant looked down at the dead body of Sirus. Vo’rant shook his head.
 “I do not know, only you may answer that question.” Dove nodded slowly. Slowly, Dove nodded. He knew that, he knew that the demons he had known were his, and only he could vanquish them. Sirus had been a remind, a reminder of the man he had been, the man he was, and the man he no longer wanted to be. It was time for him to form a new life, a life as a Black Sparrow.

    * * *

 Kate ran down the hallway, Ridow had pointed her down this way, down this hallway. But why, what had told him that she should go his way? But it was as good a choice as any, Richtoven could be anywhere, and she had to press on, it didn’t matter anymore, nothing mattered. Only finding and killing Richtoven mattered. This new NTF threat will die with Richtoven, this strange fixation on her that Richtoven had for her would be his undoing. She had to find Extinguisher, had to save him, and if Richtoven got in her way then he would die, just sooner then expected. And somewhere, the man in the black coat laughed.
 
 

Leader for the Shivans 3: Journey from Dunwitch Hill
Will continue with:

Episode XXI:
Extinguisher