I went to the seats and sat. I sat without the bar; I had to think. I was not the man to deal with insanity; perhaps father would be more forceful, but I, clearly, was no man of action. My mind raced in futile circles seeking answers just out of my reach.

“I have the perfect lock,” said Barachiel. “Why waste it?”

Khamuel asked, “What's your calibration?”

Barachiel answered with pride in his voice. “Zero point zero zero one.”

I couldn't think. I returned to hang from the handrail behind Khamuel. I asked, “How many Colonials did we lose?”

“Four men per ship,” answered Barachiel.

“They had a total of seven ships,” added Khamuel.

Barachiel said, “Don't forget Tarmish.”

I tried to add the dead in my mind when I was startled by Nimrod's bitter voice. “Colonials? Is that what you call them? Parasites is a better name. Way too small for such high-handed demands. I had to kill them. Don't you see? They're like bugs coming out in the absence of light.”

I stood behind Khamuel as I watched the ships ahead of us speed just above the tops of tall trees. I spied a white city in the distance, and just as I began to adsorb its beauty, its tall spires, and sturdy parapets, Nimrod's ship shot straight up, two Vimana on his tail firing madly. I had two questions in my mind. How could Nimrod do that with a damaged foil? Also, how could the Oliphareans miss when they were so close behind him? Then I was temporarily blinded by a bright light and nearly lost my grip on the rail as Khamuel banked sharply.

“Priesty panties!” swore Khamuel loudly. “Nimrod took out the whole city.”

I was shaking my head and blinking away bright spots in my eyes when Barachiel said, “Five Vimana approach.”

Khamuel said, “By the size of the trailing ship, it must hold more men.”

Feeling superfluous and impotent, I asked, “How many?”

I was thrown about, barely able to maintain my grip. Khamuel answered intermittently, “Two in the small ones. Four in the big one. Maybe.”

“Three,” said Crish, a pained growl in his voice. “It is the ship of the raaja. Bha Huda.”

Barachiel said, “A group of eight follows the five.”

“Busy little shipbuilders,” said Khamuel.

Nimrod said, “Yes. Just like bugs.”

I answered Nimrod in reproach. “They're people, not bugs.”

Nimrod laughed and said, “Perhaps, Jeez, but, they all make that crunchy sound under my heel. Vermin, I say. Bha Huda fancies himself a king. The Colonials have plans for conquest beyond their means. There is only the one, and that will be me.”

I looked through the viewport; once again, we were diving for the valley below. I had just focused on a stone city when it lit up like a sun. Too late, I turned my head and closed my eyes.

Khamuel cried out in distress, “I can't see.”

Barachiel answered, “I've got you. Shake it off.”

The agitated chatter between the Olipharean ships passed my senses without registering. Clearly, we were in trouble. Khamuel was flying blind, or rather, Barachiel was flying the ship while facing aft. I had not noticed redundant controls in the weapons chair.

I was once again dealing with bright spots in my eyes while gripping the overhead rail. I blinked and rolled my eyes as I looked through the viewport. I could just make out the five new ships settling in above the original two when I heard Bha Huda's voice. “Is that a Colonial ship with you? I told you to destroy them.”

Crish answered, “It's Jeez. He came to shoot his own. Yet, he asks us to sit on our thumbs.”

Bha Huda said, “Secure band.” And all chatter ended abruptly.

Khamuel said, “Taking the controls. Thanks, Bar.”

Barachiel asked in a flippant manner, “Who has your back?”

Khamuel reported, “Eight new ships.”

I saw all of them through the viewport. The new arrivals maneuvered between Crish and Nimrod where they took up the attack on the Akkadi ship. Nimrod easily evaded their fire while strafing workers in waterlogged fields.

Barachiel said, “I think their calibration is off.”

Nimrod said to no one in particular, “Ah! The king of corpulence has arrived.”

Bha Huda answered the taunt. “Do I hear a vile sparrow? Once more does it mimic intelligent speech.”

Barachiel asked laughingly, “Estranged lovers? Sore displeasure?”

I called out, “Bha Huda. This is Jeez. We really need to stop and talk this through.”

Bha Huda replied, “Murderer of Akhil has nothing to say. Stay behind; when I pluck the sparrow, I come back and dispense raaja justice.”

Nimrod laughed, then said, “Bha Huda, your insectoid witticisms belong beneath my heel.”

They were densely committed to their antagonism. I was astounded. I asked, “Am I the only one who sees the need for peace?”

Nimrod replied casually, “That is not a question a real man feels comfortable asking.”

Bha Huda commanded, “Vihaan, peel back and silence the king of murder.”

One of the Vimana turned back, but no sooner had it turned than an explosion caused it to bank left and fall.

Nimrod said, “You're welcome. You owe me one.” As a second Vimana shattered, and parts of it disappeared behind the Taush, Nimrod added, “Make that two.”

Bha Huda voiced his rage in a prolonged and abused vowel. “Vile beak nose!” he cried in a strangled voice.

Crish yelled broadcast, “Destroy! Now! Waste the Akkadi!”

The scene before me brightened with intensified firing. Bright bolts of energy rained around the Akkadi ship, but Nimrod remained unscathed; a testament to his piloting prowess.

Barachiel laughed. “This is just too funny,” he said. “Let me show them how it's done. One shot, that's all I need.”

We were high in the sky once more, our ships mere specks racing between towering clouds. We followed Nimrod into the blinding white soup and had not the tracking been up, we would have lost him in that cloud. Suddenly, Nimrod dove toward the planet at an incredible speed. The Oliphareans followed, and as Khamuel dove after them, my feet all but came off the floor.

The cloud was far behind us, and the valley rose to meet us. In the center of green forests and reflective rivers sat a gleaming white city. As Nimrod banked away, I closed my eyes guessing another lethal flash would follow.

Nimrod's voice filled my sightless void. “Continue the chase and watch more cities burn. Have you lost count of the dead? I have. Perhaps the dead don't count.”

Bha Huda and Crish, in answer to Nimrod's taunt, howled and swore. The firing of the Oliphareans never ceased, but neither did they land any hits. Nimrod was too good for them.

“This is genocide!” screamed Bha Huda. “I swear you will pay.”

Nimrod spoke to me, his voice calm with an air of superiority. “Join me, Jeez. After we eliminate the insignificant, we can raise up a world in which those who live are the ones who matter. Prove yourself to me. Crush the fat blue bug.”

The scary thing inside me roared like a beast and raked my resolve with long cruel claws. If I gave the smallest measure, I might crush all of them. I recalled the look of terror in Agga's eyes, and I remembered his disgust as he turned from me.

Khamuel asked in uncharacteristic rancor, “Are we just along for the ride?”

Barachiel said, “One of you give the order. Indecision makes my feet itch.”

Nimrod said, “Yes, Jeez. Perhaps another city will help you decide.”

All the while, Bha Huda and Crish screamed orders. All the while, Nimrod proved himself the superior warrior. At times, the chase took us in circles. We rose to the clouds and fell to the earth like a child's toy. The loops threw me about, and my sweating hands slid unfavorably on the hand rail.

“Why don't you fire?” Bha Huda asked me. “Shoot the berserker and I will waive your affront to the Olipharean people.”

“The voice of desperation,” said Nimrod.

Crish said, “Help us, Jeez. Help us save lives.”

“Bug lives,” replied Nimrod in reproach.

Another Vimana fell from the sky as Nimrod laughed in lofty disregard. Crish screamed rage, a rage that I could feel. I remembered Bermesh in my arms. I remembered driving back the Oliphareans in a burning rage, and how close I had come to killing Akhil with my own hands.

“Kill him!” Bha Huda screamed at me. “Kill him, Jeez. You will not? Then, die with him.”

A Vimana left formation and sped toward the Taush. It fired on us as Khamuel banked sharply away. It followed and fired again. Then, it disappeared in a bright flash I could only imagine. What I saw was its disappearance from tracking.

“Fecal expletive,” swore Barachiel.

Khamuel said, “That was too close.”

Nimrod laughed and said, “Pick a side, Jeez. Are you a man or a bug? Join me and be a life that matters. You are alien to me, but a friend in respect to your father. Join me and rule this world, Jeez. I will make you number two, but I will not ask again.”

I said, “Khamuel, follow at a distance.” I could feel my resolve hardening.

I said, “Barachiel, keep your thumb on the trigger.” I felt my thoughts come into focus.

I hailed the ships below us. “Bha Huda, Crish, Nimrod, hear me. I am here to broker a peace between idiots. I will deliver my offer of amnesty once, and will not repeat myself. All of you have built ships and weapons from this planet. They are not fleet-specific. Bha Huda, Barachiel will destroy any ship you send at us. Nimrod, if you fire on us, it will be the last thing you do.”

Nimrod laughed. “Forgive me for not trembling.”

Bha Huda said, “You are not better than us. You bluff.”

“Test me,” I said. “I will shift to you with wand in hand.”

Barachiel proclaimed happily, “The King is back.”

With my resolve in better shape, I continued. “Nimrod, your arguments are a thin veil for the blood lust in your heart. You simply wish to kill.”

Crish said, “You see him as we do. How many thousands will you let him kill?”

Nimrod chuckled lightly and answered, “Does the king have an opinion? Your grounds are banal.”

I replied, “Be that as it may, this is not your home world. No one here is your enemy. As for you, Bha Huda, your own recklessness feeds the fire of destruction. You seek to control people who are not yours to control. To the both of you, I say this, stop now. Talk it out, and I will allow each of you to go your way without penalty.”

Bha Huda said, “I will take this time to speak in calmness as an act of final deference to a former king. Do not speak to us of blood lust; you have murdered a brother to my own shame. You have mocked and not regarded the cherished traditions of the great Olipharean people. I fear no punishment from you; it is you who should fear. Only your blood will appease the murder of Akhil.”

I replied, “Akhil was punished for the murder of an innocent.”

“Yes,” said Bha Huda, “and I told you that Bermesh was of our lowest caste. We were within our rights to take his life.”

Nimrod spoke up. “That's great, Bha Huda. You understand the lower levels are trifling. You know why a man at my level must destroy the insignificant souls of your caste.”

“You are mad,” shouted Bha Huda. “Who is insignificant? It is beak nose. You are alien; last of your kind. You should go to them I say.”

Nimrod shouted back, “If and when and where are not in the hands of the likes of you. You are the alien. You are blue. What an ugly color. My anus is blue.”

Barachiel laughed. “That's a good one. Points to the Nakki.”

Bha Huda yelled back, “You are not true enough to be bird. You wear a mask.”

Then I shouted. “Stop! The two of you argue like little children.”

“Or an old married couple,” added Barachiel.

“You're right,” said Nimrod, his voice somber. “Time for the parental hand.”

Two Vimana burst into blackened flames and fell away. The remaining Vimana repositioned, but two more Vimana met a sudden end. Then we were all diving again, following Nimrod to the earth below.

Three cities vanished in a flash as bright as the sun. Crish screamed and Bha Huda howled. The Vimana pressed the Akkadi ship with continuous fire. Nimrod laughed as he easily evaded all they sent his way. Khamuel held a safe distance from the insanity ahead of us while I gaped at the utterly insoluble muddle in which I had become mired.

Barachiel asked me, “Jeez, why do you hesitate? Give the order.”

Khamuel reproached his friend, calling his name in a scolding manner. “Barachiel!” said Khamuel, but then he said to me, “Take action, my King. We serve your will.”

Nimrod's laughter could be heard above the intra-Vimana chatter as they fired, shouted commands, and adjusted tactics. Equal to Nimrod's bitter glee was the heart-wrenching agony I heard in the voices of Crish and Bha Huda. Nimrod was leading us skyward once more. I considered that Nimrod would again dive and destroy another city.

I commanded Khamuel to end communications and called to Barachiel. I asked, “Can you clip one of Nimrod's foils?”

Barachiel answered. “Easy.”

I had line of sight on the Akkadi ship. I knew it had been hit when it lurched awkwardly. “Open communications,” I said.

Nimrod's rage filled the Taush like the roar of a wild beast. “Jeez!” he screamed.

“Hold on!” Khamuel shouted as he pulled the Taush into urgent evasive maneuvers.

I was thrown about roughly, but I held on. Nimrod was throwing all he had at us, but Khamuel was no ordinary pilot. He was an officer, a fleet-trained warrior. My spirit lifted Khamuel in praise. He was my angel.

Barachiel asked, “Can I shoot now?”

Khamuel answered, “Stay your hand. He's no match.”

Nimrod stopped firing at the Taush and instead, fell toward the green valley at incredible speed. All Vimana followed firing and missing while Nimrod made a straight line toward unsuspecting souls below.

Khamuel reported, “More Vimana on the way. Twelve.”

Of the first fifteen Vimana, seven remained. It seemed reasonable that reinforcements would arrive, but I wondered just how many Vimana Bha Huda had at his disposal. Still, in all, they would make little difference, for it seemed only the Taush was capable to bring down the Nakki marauder.

Nimrod said to me in what sounded like a clipped growl, “Jeez. You really disappoint me.”

I replied, “Nimrod, you are irredeemable.”

Bha Huda laughed. “Ha! Olipharean backup right on time.”

I called to him, my mind set against Nimrod, “Bha Huda, I can help.” Some small voice inside me said there was still hope for peace.

Bha Huda replied stonily, “Tired of Huim lies. Jeez cares for Jeez.”

I said, “Listen to me. We can take Nimrod down. Ask yourself, has anyone landed a hit but us?”

Bha Huda said dismissively, “We do not need your help. We want nothing you offer. Sit back and witness the full might of Olipharean fleet while you ponder justice to come.”

I replied in frustration, “Idiot. You're out-classed.”