Free Spirit of Empire 4: Sky Knights by Lawrence White

wants a thousand ships. We won’t just be killing gleasons, we’ll be keeping your kingdoms from each other’s throats. I’m guessing we’ll end up having a presence on your world for a long time to come, probably a big presence.”
    He stared into Galborae’s eyes. “Our effectiveness begins with you.” He pointed to the lights shining below on the planet. “Are you prepared to talk to kings, and are you ready to show others how to talk to kings?”
    “I’m ready to kill gleasons, but I hear you. I will think on this.” He stared down at the sparkling world below with a forlorn expression. “How am I going to find my home?”
    Havlock ignored the question. “Tell me, what’s it like to fight a gleason?”
    Galborae’s whole body tensed momentarily, then he became his old self again. “I don’t really know. I only fought one and I lost that fight. I believe I killed it, but in my mind I was dead as well. It’s worse than your worst nightmare. I only had a vague idea about where it was, but I suddenly sensed it beside me, then I felt its warm breath on my face. The next thing I knew, it’s arms went around me. Claws pierced my armor as if it wasn’t even there. The one that killed me was, I believe, playing with me and the others. It could have taken all of us without effort, but it took its time. The only way we fought back at all was through our melds.”
    “Oh?”
    Galborae nodded. “Our melds sensed it and attacked. Brael and I moved in with swords as the gleason made short work of our melds. We injured it, but we were really just flailing around trying to make contact. Brael died, then I killed the gleason as it killed me. I learned later that a second gleason fought the rest of my men. Your Knight’s men got there right about then with the intention of testing an idea that stunners would make the gleason think it was mortally wounded. It must have worked because it became visible, but just for a moment. As soon as it did, everyone who was still standing attacked it with arrows and an axe. They never stood a chance. They died before the Knight’s men learned they needed to stun it harder. Once they learned that, they then killed it with blasters.”
    “What were you doing there in the first place?”
    “The gleasons were new to our land. We received several reports of people suffering horrible deaths, and I was sent to investigate. We tracked it, though we had no idea what we were tracking. In the end, we became its prey. These creatures are worse than your worst nightmare. As anxious as I am to return home, I cannot say there will be any home to return to.”
    “Well, whenever I do get you back home, I need to make sure you stay alive.” Havlock looked down at Galborae’s sword. “We’ve issued you a stunner and a blaster, yet you still carry your sword.”
    “I have not been apart from my sword since I started training as a young man. I like your blasters, but for close fighting, the sword has some advantages.” He drew it out and smoothly cut the air a few times, then held it out to Havlock.
    When Havlock took the sword, he almost dropped it. “It’s heavy!” he exclaimed.
    “I don’t even notice anymore,” Galborae said. “The weight helps it to cut and pierce better.”
    Havlock ran a thumb along the edge and was surprised at how sharp it was. Clearly, Galborae took good care of his equipment. He considered for a time, then said, “For your own safety, I want you to be fully outfitted like a marine, including our body armor and helmet, but you’ll be introducing me to kings. Body armor that looks more like what you’re wearing now would work better.”
    “If you have such a thing, bring as much as you can. I’m not the only knight on Tranxte who would benefit from it.”
    “I wonder if we could come up with a better sword?”
    Galborae took his sword back possessively. “I like the one I have.”
    Havlock nodded, but his eyes took on a far away look.
     
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