The Fall of Elanti

The child’s pitiful cry was cut short by the sound of a gun. Elanti stood in the doorway, tall and unmoving, as her father wiped the speckles of blood off his boots. She made no sound and no outward indication that the scene that had just played out before her turned her stomach into a blender. The room smelled of sweat, iron, and old water. It was not hard to make out the small forms that lay discarded near the opposite end of the room. Bile tried to force its way up her throat. It burned, but she managed to push it back down. Her father, the war general, stood up straight and smiled at her.

“Elanti,” he said in a smooth baritone. “You’re just in time. I’m headed to the latest debriefing, and was hoping you’d join me. There will be a quick breakfast in the mess hall after.”

Elanti’s spine stiffened in a practiced posture. “Of course, sir. I have finished my morning training and am ready to take on more responsibility.”

The General nodded, once, then left the room. Elanti finally exhaled, and some of the tension left her shoulders. She didn’t glance back toward the room as she went; this wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last.

The hallways of the military facilities on Dúband always seemed to smell like wet clay and bleach. They were long and well-lit. Going from one room to the next felt like a never-ending journey to Elanti on most days, and this day was no different. These underground pathways were all she knew up until her 16th year. After that, her father had taken her to the surface of Dúband, and she learned why they stayed beneath the surface.

Mountains ruled the land and skies, and a dark, rolling force sat atop them as a crown. Various creatures of formidable strength and cunning roamed everything in between. A dark, toxic haze filled the air of the planet. The native creatures thrived in the hellish environment, but Elanti’s people, the Spekini, couldn’t survive on Dúband on the surface unaided. The elaborate underground tunnels and living facilities fixed with heavy filtered air were the only reason the Spekini were able to live and breathe with relative ease.

Elanti made her way to the war room along the corridor that had the mess hall. The room was well-lit, with a rectangular table that spanned the length of it. The walls were littered with monitors, writing boards, and various maps of Dúband and other planets. Her father and the other leaders were seated at the far end of the table.

“Second Lieutenant Erok,” The General spoke with no emotion. “Sit. We’re about to start.”

Elanti sat at the end of the gathered leaders. She tried to mask the queasy feeling in her gut at sitting at the big table.

“Our forces are being sent to several outposts along the outer reaches of Belegamil. According to the latest intel, these outposts are truly abandoned, and they provide the ideal setup to launch a brand new set of assaults on the Voges.” Said by Commander Quetz, a surly man who had the personality of a duststorm.

“And we’re sure these outposts are out of the eye of the Voges? The last thing I need is to have a premature confrontation and lose years of preparation.” The General responded.

“Yes, General, I’ve overseen the reconnaissance teams myself. The only things left to do are gather remaining supplies and send out the troops that will occupy those outposts.”

The planning went on for another hour, with everyone communicating how their commands are being set up and fulfilled. Elanti sat there, listening intently through it all. Only talking when asked how her platoon of specialists was coming along. Her team's task was to be one of the first outposts to strike and signal. Paving a clear path for the rest of the outposts to strike at various points over the next several years. It was an important role in the war for their homeworld. She was an important piece, trained to be as her father wanted. Cold, ruthless, and efficient. She hated every lesson, every training, every step closer to being more like The General. Her father.

After the meeting was a small meal before plans were to be set in motion. The food was bland, but it had everything their bodies needed to function. Elanti had heard stories of the spiced meals and various meats and fruits from their original homeworld, Belegamil. The place the Voges had stolen from them. Her people were trapped in this hellscape, just trying to survive, while all the while, the Voges thrived in the lush environment that was their birthright. Elanti, like the rest of her people, was determined to get it back. She just hoped it wasn’t at the expense of her own morality.

Over the next few days, the military might of the Spekini selected, secured, and sent supplies and provisions each company would need for their outpost assignments. Elantis’ team was debriefed and put on the first ship for their outpost. These outposts were scattered along the inner and outer rings around the planet Belegamil. The rings were made up of various debris, while each outpost sat upon a massive piece of solid rock and ice. Her team's outpost is on the innermost ring. The trick was to be able to slip onto the outpost without being spotted by local planetary intelligence. The ships they used were small and slender, similar to those of typical spy or smuggler ships. These ships could hold a maximum of 200 people and were able to maneuver as easily as smoke. Each company would leave for its outposts several days after the others. Elantis’ platoon would be alone for the first week, gathering intel and finding weak spots.

It took an entire day cycle on Dúband to reach the rings of Belegamil. After that, it was a relatively quick flight to get to their designated outpost.

It was dark when Elanti found it. So dark in fact, she wasn’t even sure they were in the right place. The outpost was cold and looked like it hadn’t been lived in for a good long while. There was no sound. Just the constant emptiness that space always seemed eager to provide. When Elanti opened the door of the main building and did a quick sweep of the place, it felt more like home than was comfortable. The team quickly set to unloading and unpacking all their gear and supplies. It took most of the day. As they began to bed down for the night, they saw lights out in the distance. Coming from the direction of Belegamil.

Everyone quickly shut off anything that emitted light or a radio frequency. They hid and watched as the lights got closer.

“As soon as that ship touches down, get into the ambush formation. Freesil and Greant, you two distance yourselves and get sights on the outside boring dock of the ship. Wait for my signal if they exit.” Elanti said to everyone in the room.

She crouched next to the door, leaving it cracked open. As soon as the ship landed near theirs, directly in front of the building, her team went through the back exits to get in position. No one made a sound, and Elanti waited.

The moment the crew exited, Elanti crept out the front door. The newcomers were moving their searchlight around, confident they had an upper hand. She moved easily, avoiding the light and getting within touching distance. Her foot stepped and crunched on something loud, but by the time the lights moved towards the sound, her blade was in the Voges’ neck, and her team had them surrounded.

“If you radio back to anyone, we will kill all of you,” Elanti said coolly.

“Spekinis, I should have suspected. You mongrels never learn, do you?” The man who spoke was big, with short-cropped ears, and massive tusks protruding from his lower jaw.

“It is most unfortunate for you that you’ve seen us. You know you can’t leave.” Elantis’ stomach twitched at the growing knowledge of what she would have to do here. The two parties continued to watch the other in a growing silence. No one moved. And no one would dare unless Elanti gave the command.

Elanti twitched her hand in a series of curt gestures, and within seconds, every one of the Voge party had dropped, lifeless to the dirt. She sent five of her team into the ship with orders to disconnect any and every outgoing frequency. They came out ten minutes later with three of the remaining enemy crew.

“Take them inside and restrain them.” Said Elantis’ second in command.

One of the three was a girl, no more than 16 cycles with eyes as big as a planet. She was shaking, and her green skin looked pale in the dim lights.

“How many patrols do you have out in the rings?” Elanti asked.

No one answered.

She shot the male Voge in the head.

“Between 100 and 150 per ring.” The older Voge said, her body shaking with rage.

Good Elanti thought. Maybe her father was right in some of his methods. As she pressed for more information, the older Voge gave little more of value. But Elanti pushed; she slowly drove a dagger into the young girl's upper thigh until the other broke. They got more timelines for patrols and when they switched out. As soon as the Voge women gave all the information they could, Elanti shot them both. Without Remorse. Without hesitation. Elanti walked out of the building and stared at the surface of Belegamil, wondering what else she would do without blinking and what empathy remained. She had thought, she had hoped there was still some left even after the years of desensitization and training with The General. But maybe she was just like her father in the end. Maybe there was no escaping that fate. The light in her slowly dimmed until all that was left was the cold vastness of space.