Part 5
Alex
Everything is going smoothly, it seems that we will get through this discussion without a single problem, when Elizabeth suddenly jumps up. She stops in mid-movement, falling down to the floor, screaming. Everyone jumps up and rush to her. She is convulsing, her whole body is shaking.
`Max, no, NO!` Uh-oh. This is trouble. Valenti is reaching for his com.
`Don’t!`, I shout at him. He looks baffled, but he stops the movement. Explanations can wait. I kneel down beside her.
`What is it Liz? Talk to me!` She doesn’t seem to hear me, but she answers me anyways.
`He is calling me! He is in danger! I’ve to go to him!` She is trying to move, seemingly aimlessly, and I press her back down to floor.
`Help me to hold down her!` Two men instantly jump to me. Her convulsions increase in strength, three grown men are barely able to fight her.
`Help him! I have to help him! Let me!` Her shaking begins to subside, she begins to cry. Her shouts ease to incomprehensible muttering. What could have happened? What happened to Max, that she could feel from thousand of light-years? Their connection was supposed to be cut off when he left the Sol System.
There is total confusion in the room. I have to keep the others from calling help. There is no telling what goes on in her system. Serena is currently shouting at someone two steps above her on the ladder. I quickly jump up, entrusting Liz to my two helpers as I try to create some order in the chaos. I spend the next five minutes shouting at people, telling them to shut up and calm down. Meanwhile, much to my relief, Liz is regaining her consciousness. She stopped crying, but she is still shaking slightly. I kneel back to her. She doesn’t seem to notice the dozen men around us.
`He is calling me, Alex. He is crying for me. He is in so much pain… So much pain, and I can’t help him.`
`It’s okay, it will be okay, everything’s alright.` I try to soothe her, though I have no idea what to do.
`It will be okay. They will call Lonnie to him. She will help him. It’s so easy to see. So easy…` She is speaking softer and softer, her eyes are starting to lose focus. I have no idea what she is talking about, neither have the others, but regrettably, they’ve heard her. I’m afraid that a lot of explaining is due soon, but first I have to make sure that Liz is okay. She is not aware of her surroundings, she is staring into nothingness. I shake her gently, to snap her out of it. She doesn’t react in any way. I shake her stronger and call her name, but she is still just staring ahead with hazy eyes. I’m just about to shake her a third time, when suddenly her eyes regain focus. She looks at me, and for the first time, she seems to understand where she is. She whispers softly, her words are almost inaudible. Almost.
`Vertigo. talronids are besieging the Vertigo system.`
Liz
Burning fire hits me, and for one second, our link comes alive, but he passes out as soon as it does, leaving me alone with his pain. I don’t know where or how or why, but he took an incredible risk for me, and now, he is paying the price for it. He is calling me, and I try to rush to him, but the distance is too great and this body is too slow. There is nothing in me, except his call for me. It’s an undeniable urge, an elementary instinct to protect my mate. He is laying somewhere defenseless and wounded, and I have to go to him. But there are no thoughts here, no reasoning. Only the burning need to be at his side. His summon almost tears me apart from the inside.
Then the pain eases slowly. I see where he is. On Antar, they are taking him into an elevator to carry him someplace. I feel the danger around him. If one of them tried to help him… He could be destroyed. I can do nothing but watch mutely as my beloved is placed on a makeshift bed in a lobby. He is shaking from the pain, and he is calling to me. I try to tell him that I heard his cry for help, but my voice is muted by the distance separating our bodies. I scout ahead of him, to see what is awaiting him. This a vertex of the futures, a knot in the tapestry of time. I see a myriad possibilities, but they disappear one by one.
I see relieved that he is safe in the short run. They’ll call for the Princess, and she will help him. There are possibilities when something goes wrong, but my instincts tell me that it’s not the way for him to go.
The pain is mostly gone, our connection is fading. I start to drift back to my body. When my awareness arrives back to the heap of meat and bones laying on the floor of Destiny, the future collapses on me again. The fog that clouded my vision is gone somehow, my brief connection with Max cleared the path ahead of me. I’m in full control again! I plunge myself into the future. Or am I being sucked into it? It’s hard to tell, and it doesn’t matter anyways. I rush ahead, only to recoil instantly from the blackness in the near future.
Death. Death of hundreds of millions. I feel like I’m going to be sick. An unimaginable number of humans will die terrible deaths. Slowly, methodically ripped apart, dissected, tortured to death for information, but mostly eaten alive. Hundreds of millions of men, women, and children will serve as food for months on the motherships of their fleet. There are no words to describe the feeling of seeing a six year old consumed by a four meter large talronid stormtrooper. The worst thing is that there is no cruelty or hatred in them, for it, the child is only dinner, nothing else.
When Max told me of the talronid invasion, I never understood the true terror of it. I saw only his memories, space battles against a gruesome enemy. He never saw what happens when they lose.
I should feel a slight gratification. If anything, this will decide who our allies should be for the Council.
I see my people die again and again and again. There is nothing I can do. It will begin in two days - the planetary defense forces can hold out for that long. The nightmare will begin only after that. It takes four days for a message to reach Vertigo, ten days for a ship. I can do nothing but watch them die and vow that I’ll revenge them. Every death will be paid in blood a hundredfold. The only possible response to violence is more violence. Take a philosopher out to the battlefield, and see for yourself if he won’t grab a sword to survive.
I continue to watch the humans of Vertigo perish. If I can’t help them, I have to be the chronicler to record their death, to remember their fate. They will pay for it! If it is the last thing I’ll do, I’ll make them pay!
Seething hatred inundates me. I shake off the visions. If we hurry, we can crush them before they flee the scene of their crimes. I begin to hear Alex’s voice. He is shaking me. Now, that I decided to disentangle from the visions, I’m becoming aware of my surroundings. I’m weak from the ordeals, but I’ll manage. I'll have to. There will be little sleep for the warriors of humanity. We are going to battle!
`Vertigo. Talronids are besieging the Vertigo system.`
STAR Series (Very AU, sci-fi) {COMPLETE}
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silverofroswell
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silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
With all haste
Part 6
Serena
Alex is shaking her, trying to snap her out of the trance-like thing she is currently in. I don't know what happened. The Admiral and the ambassador of the aliens are lovers. But he is supposed to be thousands of light-years away! How can she know what's happening to him? I understand only a small part of what's going on, but it's enough to act. I've copied Colonel Whitman's example and tried to restrain the others from calling help. Whatever is happening to her, it's alien related, and unless there is no other choice, we can't let the medical staff near her.
Wait! Alex has succeeded! She is whispering something to him. Everyone is watching them. He suddenly goes very white and nearly drops her. Thanks god, she is strong enough to support herself. She is slowly standing up, shaking her head at the hands offered to her. She seems trembling, but this time not from the pain, but from something else. Her fists are clenched, her knuckles are white.
`Talronids are attacking the human colony of Vertigo.` Her voice is oddly flat. She seems to barely be able to control herself.
`What?`
`How do you know this?`
`What happened to you?`
A dozen questions arrive. She raises her hand, silencing them.
`It doesn't matter. Answers can wait. The defenders of Vertigo can't.`
`But it must have taken four days for the message to get here. This means...` It's Major Somogyi, the captain of the Duino. Liz interrupts him. She doesn't raise her voice, the same flat tone remains.
`The attack will only begin half an hour from now on. The defenders won't be able to hold out for more than two days.`
`And after that?` There is some perverse fascination in his voice, like asking the oracle for advice.
`The talronids capture the planet, take everyone as hostage. The lucky ones will die in the invasion. The others will get eaten alive during the next month.` She is trembling with fury. She is only a step away from an outburst, and I don't how long will she be able to maintain her controlled facade.
`And what can we do?` It's Valenti. He isn't questioning her. Maybe he anticipated some revelation like this.
`Make sure that they don't get away with their prize. Make sure that the rest of the prisoners get a quick death.` A stunned silence follows her words. I try not to think of what will happen to the prisoners. It has not settled in me yet, but I can understand her seething hatred. I don't know how she knows about but it suddenly doesn't matter at all. I believe her. You only have to look at her to see that she means every word she says. A quick look at the others tells me that they believe too.
The only thing that matters is taking revenge for our own and punishing those who turned against us, before they can flee.
She sees too, that we accepted her revelation. She starts giving orders to everyone, and without thinking, we jump to the tasks she assigns us. There is something in her eyes that keeps us from questioning her.
`Contact your personnel and call them back from leave. All crew will work double shifts until all the ships are refitted. All leaves are cancelled. Eight hours sleep is the most a man is allowed. Tell them it’s an endurance test. Tell them whatever they need to hear, but we have to be ready to leave when the message from the Vertigo finally arrives. I can't rush out of here, acting on impulse, it'd reveal too many cards, and it wouldn't save Vertigo anyways. Serena, inform the captains of Destiny's escort crafts of the drill. Jim you do the same with your own. I'll call Pierce.` She was thinking hard, not wanting to leave anything uncovered.
`Alex, contact Nasedo and have him warn Antar. I want to enclose a special message for Max.` My heart skips a beat. She let it slip that Max is from Antar! I look around but no one noticed it except me. They are mostly arranging their own to-do lists in their head. `After that, inform Enteroff. I want all crew back on their ships within six hours. The plans for the refitting are already ready. All captains will receive them within the hour. I want non-stop work. If some work can be left for the journey, schedule it for later. No matter what, we set sails in four days, and I want this Fleet ready, because we are going to battle.`
Alex
Shit! What the hell happened just now? I’ll corner her later about the things she said, but if it’s true, and I guess it is, we have to act fast. First of all, I start to look for our contact with the aliens. Max and Liz arranged for an antaran to stay on Destiny exactly for cases like this. He is pretending to be Edward Harding, a simple worker with no special skills or knowledge. I send him a quick note to an anonymous mail address, requesting a meeting in two hours. The place has been agreed on beforehand - one of the cantinas of Destiny. Not too posh for him, not too lowly for me. I don’t wait for his response, there won’t be one. I call Enteroff and inform him of the change of plans. It’s a pity we can’t trust him. He is loyal to Liz, and respects her as a commander, but he is well known for his loyalty to the system as well. It would make our lives easier if we wouldn’t have to lie to him all the time.
I tell him, that the Admiral wanted to test the readiness of the crew with an emergency start, explaining him the situation, but only in conditional mode. He doesn’t really understand the necessity of it, which is no wonder, but he will follow the orders. One sure thing about Enteroff is that he is dependable.
After hanging up the Vice-Admiral, I call Serena, and we split up the list of the escort ships. I recall the higher ranking officers, ordering them to return to ship with their crew immediately, while she handles everyone under the rank of Colonel. She will have to see to her own ships after that, while I have a meeting to conclude. Liz sends me two files thirty minutes later to give them to Nasedo. The first is a request for military support between future allies, intended for the Alliance leadership. The second is a heavily encoded personal note for Max. The fact that it’s encrypted means that she doesn’t even trust me with the contents. I wonder what can be in it, what secret is hidden from even me. But it doesn’t matter. Not really. I’ve put my life long ago in her hands, and I won’t start to have second thoughts. She might be my friend, but at times like these, she is first and foremost my Admiral.
I’ve enough things to occupy myself with until I have to depart for the meeting. I hurry down the corridors, avoiding the main routes, frequently checking for followers. I know that there is no chance that I'm being followed, but we can't be cautious enough. This meeting in itself is a huge risk. With the invasion of Vertigo, we are forced to act in haste. I don't know if they will buy the "readiness test" thingie, but we have no other choice. We have to be ready when the call comes.
Anyways, there is no way in hell, that anyone would shout "Collaborator with aliens!" just because we were lucky in choosing the time for an emergency refitting. As if there is such thing as emergency refitting. We are dancing at the edge of the abyss. I just hope that by the time they put it together, we will be in alliance with Draconis, and sunk waist-deep in the war with Talron.
I turn the last corner and step into the cantin. It's a moderately sized room, with about ten tables of various sizes and a bar. All the ships were designed with recreational facilities. The men would go mad on a two year tour of duty without any chance of relaxing. High Command is equally cautious about the ratio of the sexes. No more than five percent difference is allowed for a Fleet, and there can't be more than ten percent difference on the ships. Currently, forty-eight percent of the crew of the fleet is women, but it changes daily. So everyone can find himself or herself a partner. Married couples are allowed to serve together and can get joint quarters. It's only sensible.
I look around. In the darkest corner, there is a lone man sipping on his drink. I've only seen him in picture before but it fits. It must be him. I casually sit down beside him with my beer. It's unavoidable to be seen together, but I hope this will be the only time. I don't waste time, I cut right to the middle.
`The star system Vertigo is currently besieged by Talronids.` He raises his eyebrows, but doesn't say a word.
`When we'll receive the defender's message, the planet will already be lost. The Fourth will, however, depart immediately and exact revenge on them. Alliance support would be welcomed.`
I place two optidisks on the table.
`This is an official message from the Admiral of humanity to the Ambassador, requesting assistance as a sign of goodwill. It'd improve humanity's attitude to the Alliance greatly.` Liz never explained her intentions with the message, her only comment to the files was "Get them to A. as fast as possible", but I don't need to be a genius to understand her will.
Nasedo just nods; it's not his duty to comment my words.
`This one however is from Liz to her bond-mate. As I understood, it contains vital and extremely personal information. It's protected and encoded, at any attempt at tampering, it will self-destruct.` Liz explained to me that all the antarans on the mission are aware of their link, and they are all extremely loyal to their leaders, whom happen to be Max, Isabel and Michael. I guess ten years spent with the prince in a hostile environment can create a few loyalties. To them, there is not much difference between Max and Liz’s orders. As I stand up and head out of the bar without looking back, I follow this line of thought.
If Max is the crown prince, it means that he is the successor to the throne, if there wasn't some huge translation error. And if the antaran monarchy is anything like ours used to be, this means that she will be queen one day. Will she truly rule an alien planet? What they will do? Have they even considered this? Well, I have a much more urgent thing to worry about. For example I have to get down to the HR and call a press conference, before they come up with their own versions. I just so don't need a bunch of reporters breathing down my neck! I take a deep breath and head for the HR office. This will be a long four days.
Author's note: I hope no one tried to find part 6 in the last hour. I updated the topic, but I was called off for dinner... Sorry if anyone searched in vain.
With all haste
Part 6
Serena
Alex is shaking her, trying to snap her out of the trance-like thing she is currently in. I don't know what happened. The Admiral and the ambassador of the aliens are lovers. But he is supposed to be thousands of light-years away! How can she know what's happening to him? I understand only a small part of what's going on, but it's enough to act. I've copied Colonel Whitman's example and tried to restrain the others from calling help. Whatever is happening to her, it's alien related, and unless there is no other choice, we can't let the medical staff near her.
Wait! Alex has succeeded! She is whispering something to him. Everyone is watching them. He suddenly goes very white and nearly drops her. Thanks god, she is strong enough to support herself. She is slowly standing up, shaking her head at the hands offered to her. She seems trembling, but this time not from the pain, but from something else. Her fists are clenched, her knuckles are white.
`Talronids are attacking the human colony of Vertigo.` Her voice is oddly flat. She seems to barely be able to control herself.
`What?`
`How do you know this?`
`What happened to you?`
A dozen questions arrive. She raises her hand, silencing them.
`It doesn't matter. Answers can wait. The defenders of Vertigo can't.`
`But it must have taken four days for the message to get here. This means...` It's Major Somogyi, the captain of the Duino. Liz interrupts him. She doesn't raise her voice, the same flat tone remains.
`The attack will only begin half an hour from now on. The defenders won't be able to hold out for more than two days.`
`And after that?` There is some perverse fascination in his voice, like asking the oracle for advice.
`The talronids capture the planet, take everyone as hostage. The lucky ones will die in the invasion. The others will get eaten alive during the next month.` She is trembling with fury. She is only a step away from an outburst, and I don't how long will she be able to maintain her controlled facade.
`And what can we do?` It's Valenti. He isn't questioning her. Maybe he anticipated some revelation like this.
`Make sure that they don't get away with their prize. Make sure that the rest of the prisoners get a quick death.` A stunned silence follows her words. I try not to think of what will happen to the prisoners. It has not settled in me yet, but I can understand her seething hatred. I don't know how she knows about but it suddenly doesn't matter at all. I believe her. You only have to look at her to see that she means every word she says. A quick look at the others tells me that they believe too.
The only thing that matters is taking revenge for our own and punishing those who turned against us, before they can flee.
She sees too, that we accepted her revelation. She starts giving orders to everyone, and without thinking, we jump to the tasks she assigns us. There is something in her eyes that keeps us from questioning her.
`Contact your personnel and call them back from leave. All crew will work double shifts until all the ships are refitted. All leaves are cancelled. Eight hours sleep is the most a man is allowed. Tell them it’s an endurance test. Tell them whatever they need to hear, but we have to be ready to leave when the message from the Vertigo finally arrives. I can't rush out of here, acting on impulse, it'd reveal too many cards, and it wouldn't save Vertigo anyways. Serena, inform the captains of Destiny's escort crafts of the drill. Jim you do the same with your own. I'll call Pierce.` She was thinking hard, not wanting to leave anything uncovered.
`Alex, contact Nasedo and have him warn Antar. I want to enclose a special message for Max.` My heart skips a beat. She let it slip that Max is from Antar! I look around but no one noticed it except me. They are mostly arranging their own to-do lists in their head. `After that, inform Enteroff. I want all crew back on their ships within six hours. The plans for the refitting are already ready. All captains will receive them within the hour. I want non-stop work. If some work can be left for the journey, schedule it for later. No matter what, we set sails in four days, and I want this Fleet ready, because we are going to battle.`
Alex
Shit! What the hell happened just now? I’ll corner her later about the things she said, but if it’s true, and I guess it is, we have to act fast. First of all, I start to look for our contact with the aliens. Max and Liz arranged for an antaran to stay on Destiny exactly for cases like this. He is pretending to be Edward Harding, a simple worker with no special skills or knowledge. I send him a quick note to an anonymous mail address, requesting a meeting in two hours. The place has been agreed on beforehand - one of the cantinas of Destiny. Not too posh for him, not too lowly for me. I don’t wait for his response, there won’t be one. I call Enteroff and inform him of the change of plans. It’s a pity we can’t trust him. He is loyal to Liz, and respects her as a commander, but he is well known for his loyalty to the system as well. It would make our lives easier if we wouldn’t have to lie to him all the time.
I tell him, that the Admiral wanted to test the readiness of the crew with an emergency start, explaining him the situation, but only in conditional mode. He doesn’t really understand the necessity of it, which is no wonder, but he will follow the orders. One sure thing about Enteroff is that he is dependable.
After hanging up the Vice-Admiral, I call Serena, and we split up the list of the escort ships. I recall the higher ranking officers, ordering them to return to ship with their crew immediately, while she handles everyone under the rank of Colonel. She will have to see to her own ships after that, while I have a meeting to conclude. Liz sends me two files thirty minutes later to give them to Nasedo. The first is a request for military support between future allies, intended for the Alliance leadership. The second is a heavily encoded personal note for Max. The fact that it’s encrypted means that she doesn’t even trust me with the contents. I wonder what can be in it, what secret is hidden from even me. But it doesn’t matter. Not really. I’ve put my life long ago in her hands, and I won’t start to have second thoughts. She might be my friend, but at times like these, she is first and foremost my Admiral.
I’ve enough things to occupy myself with until I have to depart for the meeting. I hurry down the corridors, avoiding the main routes, frequently checking for followers. I know that there is no chance that I'm being followed, but we can't be cautious enough. This meeting in itself is a huge risk. With the invasion of Vertigo, we are forced to act in haste. I don't know if they will buy the "readiness test" thingie, but we have no other choice. We have to be ready when the call comes.
Anyways, there is no way in hell, that anyone would shout "Collaborator with aliens!" just because we were lucky in choosing the time for an emergency refitting. As if there is such thing as emergency refitting. We are dancing at the edge of the abyss. I just hope that by the time they put it together, we will be in alliance with Draconis, and sunk waist-deep in the war with Talron.
I turn the last corner and step into the cantin. It's a moderately sized room, with about ten tables of various sizes and a bar. All the ships were designed with recreational facilities. The men would go mad on a two year tour of duty without any chance of relaxing. High Command is equally cautious about the ratio of the sexes. No more than five percent difference is allowed for a Fleet, and there can't be more than ten percent difference on the ships. Currently, forty-eight percent of the crew of the fleet is women, but it changes daily. So everyone can find himself or herself a partner. Married couples are allowed to serve together and can get joint quarters. It's only sensible.
I look around. In the darkest corner, there is a lone man sipping on his drink. I've only seen him in picture before but it fits. It must be him. I casually sit down beside him with my beer. It's unavoidable to be seen together, but I hope this will be the only time. I don't waste time, I cut right to the middle.
`The star system Vertigo is currently besieged by Talronids.` He raises his eyebrows, but doesn't say a word.
`When we'll receive the defender's message, the planet will already be lost. The Fourth will, however, depart immediately and exact revenge on them. Alliance support would be welcomed.`
I place two optidisks on the table.
`This is an official message from the Admiral of humanity to the Ambassador, requesting assistance as a sign of goodwill. It'd improve humanity's attitude to the Alliance greatly.` Liz never explained her intentions with the message, her only comment to the files was "Get them to A. as fast as possible", but I don't need to be a genius to understand her will.
Nasedo just nods; it's not his duty to comment my words.
`This one however is from Liz to her bond-mate. As I understood, it contains vital and extremely personal information. It's protected and encoded, at any attempt at tampering, it will self-destruct.` Liz explained to me that all the antarans on the mission are aware of their link, and they are all extremely loyal to their leaders, whom happen to be Max, Isabel and Michael. I guess ten years spent with the prince in a hostile environment can create a few loyalties. To them, there is not much difference between Max and Liz’s orders. As I stand up and head out of the bar without looking back, I follow this line of thought.
If Max is the crown prince, it means that he is the successor to the throne, if there wasn't some huge translation error. And if the antaran monarchy is anything like ours used to be, this means that she will be queen one day. Will she truly rule an alien planet? What they will do? Have they even considered this? Well, I have a much more urgent thing to worry about. For example I have to get down to the HR and call a press conference, before they come up with their own versions. I just so don't need a bunch of reporters breathing down my neck! I take a deep breath and head for the HR office. This will be a long four days.
Author's note: I hope no one tried to find part 6 in the last hour. I updated the topic, but I was called off for dinner... Sorry if anyone searched in vain.
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silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 3
Part 7
A hundred hours later
The last four days were a nightmare for most of the officers of the Fourth Fleet. There was much grumbling and the popularity of the Admiral dropped a few notches. They were accustomed to hard work, but now, they didn't understand the reason for it. High Command questioned Liz about her decision too; she calmly replied that she wanted to test the endurance of her men. There were a few raised eyebrows about the changes in the weaponry and the shield system. They only received a short and rather harsh note saying that it was her fleet and she had authorization to do things her way, and if they didn't like it, they could shut up or relieve her. The note was actually a bit longer, but this was the basic meaning. She knew that she would be out of the Sol System, and next time they see her, she will be coming home from a victorious battle.
She was quite confident that she could beat the Talronids around Vertigo. In the vision only a smaller task force appeared, and the dictionary of the talronid strategists didn't contain the word "reinforcements". Though it remains a question whether there were talronid strategists at all.
All around the Sol System, the orbital docks were full of the ships of the Fourth. The work that could be completed in-flight had the lowest priority, though luckily, no one noticed this, or if they did, they kept it to themselves. The three gigantic battleships were surrounded by tugs, floating containers, men in space suits, flying all around the majestic ships. In the middle of the third day, the ships started to disengage the orbital docks one by one - the smaller ships were getting ready. The crew of the finished ships found however that their leave was still denied. When they complained about it, they met only shrugs - no one was allowed shore time, so they returned to the fine tuning of the new weapon systems, cursing the bureaucracy. It never occurred to them, that this time, it was not a misplaced order, that refrained them from returning to the planet.
Meanwhile on Destiny, another meeting of the conspirators took place. Liz carefully explained to them that she has been warned by the Alliance of increased talronid activity, and she wanted her fleet battle-ready as soon as possible. However, she carefully avoided the members of the inner circle, or at least being in private with them, not wanting to explain what happened a few days earlier.
After a hundred hours of hard work, the whole fleet was totally spent, but their Admiral could release her breath at last. They were prepared. And in the very last moment. Only an hour after the Titan, the last seventh-class battle cruiser levitated out of the orbital docks near Phobos, the long-range receptor center of Old Earth became filled with red lights. Several heart attacks later, they informed High Command. The technicians at the station, High Command, and the Council watched holding their breath back as the data started streaming from Vertigo. They sent a warning requesting assistance the minute the unidentified ships appeared from nothing at the edge of the system. Their long-range scanners were not triggered by wormhole travel, so they only picked them out when they were breathing down their neck.
The leaders of humanity watched the events unfurling before them with perverse fascination. The attempts at communication were greeted only by silence. They didn't know anything about talronids, draconians, antarans, or the Alliance, to them, humanity was the only existing space power. The Admirals were of course informed after the first minutes. Liz didn't watch the show, she already saw it, and worse, she knew the end. She started to broadcast it within her Fleet instead. It was strictly forbidden, but she thought that it will be... educational for the crews. And soon, all the fifty thousand warriors of the Fourth were watching the events that took place four days ago and thousands of light years away.
The talronid strike force was drifting in-system slowly; they were in no hurry. The defensive forces formed up before them, but it was a pathetically weak protective layer. Only a few cruisers and twelve squads of fighters. Vertigo was a fifty-year-old colony, but it was the farthest from Sol. And coincidentally it was the closest to the Alliance. Only three days travel afar at top speed, Deb`Recen, the farthest outpost of the Alliance was a hundred light years away from Vertigo.
It was clear from the constant video stream that it will take a day until the alien fleet reaches the planet, if they continue to move at their "current" speed. High Command immediately wanted to send out reinforcements, but when they started to debate whether they should send the Second, the Third or the Fourth, they were informed that the Fourth was already forming up and heading out of the system at top speed.
It took them five minutes to contact the bridge of Destiny, when the next conversation occurred between the Head of Council and the Admiral.
`What do you think you are doing, Admiral?`
`I'm heading off to Vertigo to meet the enemy, Sir.`
`No one had given permission to you! Return immediately to Earth!`
`And what will happen after that?` Her tone was a bit too impudent for the Head of Council.
`You will be questioned about leaving your positions.` He tried to sound threatening.
`Oh, no I meant what will happen to the people of Vertigo? We are the closest to them, and my fleet is at nominal readiness.`
`If there was any trouble, the people of Vertigo are long ago dead, and we both know it.` Her voice became suddenly sugary.
`And we let their death go unavenged? This puts us in quite a bad light.`
Her tone became icy again.
`Or would you want to explain to your electors, that two hundred million people died because of your inability to act? Sir, with due respect, I'd rather take the chance that there is someone to save.` The Head was speechless, partly because of anger, partly because he thought about the PR catastrophe that would happen if the news got out. Little did he know that he was already way too late with that.
`You will return immediately to the orbital positions!`
`I seriously doubt it. It's my duty to protect humanity from alien threats just as it is yours. Let me out to fight them. If you fail to act, you will lose your chair. But if you send me out, then you've done everything you could, and even if we are late, no one will blame you.`
The Head saw that one of his assistants was frantically waving him to agree, wearing an expression of total panic. He didn't become the leader of humanity by being stupid. He didn't know why his assistant was so frantic, but the pure terror on his face was enough to convince him.`
`Then Admiral, you are ordered to relieve the star system Vertigo from the unknown threat, if there is any. You will depart immediately. You will receive your written orders afterwards.
`Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.` She was playing the subservient servant again, though it was clear that she won this battle.
The Head put back the receiver and turned to his assistant.
`Dietrich, I hope you have an excellent reason why I had to set that madwoman loose.`
`Sir, that fucking bitch put the whole conversation out in live!`
------
Meanwhile on the bridge of Destiny, Liz was laying in her chair, exhausted from laughing. Alex was doing a little victory dance around the room. Some of the officers were frowning upon him, but most of them were smiling as well.
`Well, that was the move of the century,` Alex said, stopping finally beside his chair.
`Even I'm proud of myself, and that's something. Machiavelli can do me a favor.`
`Liz, after that, he will come back from his grave and beg you for lessons!` On a sudden impulse, Liz put out the conversation to the common radio network. The whole Fourth, most of the First, and lot of the orbital stations heard what's their Head of Council like when he is not reading a speech. This time, it was clear who is the bad guy and who is the good girl. When the Fourth turned on the SI drives and accelerated to two thousand c in the split of a second, Liz, for the first time in the last month, really believed that she could pull this off. And more importantly, she has just severed all links between her crew and the Council. A few weeks on the battlefield, away from Earth, and they will belong solely to her.
Caesar gave land to his legionnaires before he led them through the Rubicon. She will have to give them glory and the promise of peace to achieve the same.
------
Two days later, on Antar
Max stood silently in the window of his room. Two notes arrived today concealed as one. He carefully removed any trace of the extra information before he gave it to his father, and then retreated to the safety of his room to read the other. He brought a computer with him from Earth, with the necessary decoding software. He loaded the data and typed in the password. "Together".
"Beloved," he read the first line and smiled." I know that you are okay now. But I felt when you were not. I don't know what you did today, I only know that it was dangerous, but you succeeded. You reached me through the stars. I don't know what it means, but it happened. I'd felt your pain for a brief time, and I saw that Isabel would help you. And I saw other things too. I saw what will happen to the people of Vertigo. I'm rushing there to exact revenge. I don't know whether I will succeed or not, but I think I will. Try to be there. If an Alliance fleet showed up and helped us beat the Talronids, it would do wonders to the accepting abilities of my crew. Please, come and help us in fourteen days. There are other matters, matters that I can't commit even to this message. I will have questions about my kind. Something happened that worries me. I can't kiss you, nor can I hold you now, but I hope that soon I will be in your arms. I will love you forever. P. E."
He put down the paper thoughtfully. "I can't commit even to this message." It will be about prophecy. She was not saying anything about the visions, she was just referring to them, but the signature... P. E. could stand for Parker, Elizabeth, but he doubted it. Prophetess Elizabeth? It didn't sound like Liz. He smiled when he understood. Prophetess Evans. That had a ring to it. He read the message again, carefully committing it to his memory, and then equally carefully, he destroyed the message.Tomorrow, he will convince the Senate that they need to send out an expeditionary force under his command, and after that he will head for the library to collect all available data about prophecy.
A hundred hours later
The last four days were a nightmare for most of the officers of the Fourth Fleet. There was much grumbling and the popularity of the Admiral dropped a few notches. They were accustomed to hard work, but now, they didn't understand the reason for it. High Command questioned Liz about her decision too; she calmly replied that she wanted to test the endurance of her men. There were a few raised eyebrows about the changes in the weaponry and the shield system. They only received a short and rather harsh note saying that it was her fleet and she had authorization to do things her way, and if they didn't like it, they could shut up or relieve her. The note was actually a bit longer, but this was the basic meaning. She knew that she would be out of the Sol System, and next time they see her, she will be coming home from a victorious battle.
She was quite confident that she could beat the Talronids around Vertigo. In the vision only a smaller task force appeared, and the dictionary of the talronid strategists didn't contain the word "reinforcements". Though it remains a question whether there were talronid strategists at all.
All around the Sol System, the orbital docks were full of the ships of the Fourth. The work that could be completed in-flight had the lowest priority, though luckily, no one noticed this, or if they did, they kept it to themselves. The three gigantic battleships were surrounded by tugs, floating containers, men in space suits, flying all around the majestic ships. In the middle of the third day, the ships started to disengage the orbital docks one by one - the smaller ships were getting ready. The crew of the finished ships found however that their leave was still denied. When they complained about it, they met only shrugs - no one was allowed shore time, so they returned to the fine tuning of the new weapon systems, cursing the bureaucracy. It never occurred to them, that this time, it was not a misplaced order, that refrained them from returning to the planet.
Meanwhile on Destiny, another meeting of the conspirators took place. Liz carefully explained to them that she has been warned by the Alliance of increased talronid activity, and she wanted her fleet battle-ready as soon as possible. However, she carefully avoided the members of the inner circle, or at least being in private with them, not wanting to explain what happened a few days earlier.
After a hundred hours of hard work, the whole fleet was totally spent, but their Admiral could release her breath at last. They were prepared. And in the very last moment. Only an hour after the Titan, the last seventh-class battle cruiser levitated out of the orbital docks near Phobos, the long-range receptor center of Old Earth became filled with red lights. Several heart attacks later, they informed High Command. The technicians at the station, High Command, and the Council watched holding their breath back as the data started streaming from Vertigo. They sent a warning requesting assistance the minute the unidentified ships appeared from nothing at the edge of the system. Their long-range scanners were not triggered by wormhole travel, so they only picked them out when they were breathing down their neck.
The leaders of humanity watched the events unfurling before them with perverse fascination. The attempts at communication were greeted only by silence. They didn't know anything about talronids, draconians, antarans, or the Alliance, to them, humanity was the only existing space power. The Admirals were of course informed after the first minutes. Liz didn't watch the show, she already saw it, and worse, she knew the end. She started to broadcast it within her Fleet instead. It was strictly forbidden, but she thought that it will be... educational for the crews. And soon, all the fifty thousand warriors of the Fourth were watching the events that took place four days ago and thousands of light years away.
The talronid strike force was drifting in-system slowly; they were in no hurry. The defensive forces formed up before them, but it was a pathetically weak protective layer. Only a few cruisers and twelve squads of fighters. Vertigo was a fifty-year-old colony, but it was the farthest from Sol. And coincidentally it was the closest to the Alliance. Only three days travel afar at top speed, Deb`Recen, the farthest outpost of the Alliance was a hundred light years away from Vertigo.
It was clear from the constant video stream that it will take a day until the alien fleet reaches the planet, if they continue to move at their "current" speed. High Command immediately wanted to send out reinforcements, but when they started to debate whether they should send the Second, the Third or the Fourth, they were informed that the Fourth was already forming up and heading out of the system at top speed.
It took them five minutes to contact the bridge of Destiny, when the next conversation occurred between the Head of Council and the Admiral.
`What do you think you are doing, Admiral?`
`I'm heading off to Vertigo to meet the enemy, Sir.`
`No one had given permission to you! Return immediately to Earth!`
`And what will happen after that?` Her tone was a bit too impudent for the Head of Council.
`You will be questioned about leaving your positions.` He tried to sound threatening.
`Oh, no I meant what will happen to the people of Vertigo? We are the closest to them, and my fleet is at nominal readiness.`
`If there was any trouble, the people of Vertigo are long ago dead, and we both know it.` Her voice became suddenly sugary.
`And we let their death go unavenged? This puts us in quite a bad light.`
Her tone became icy again.
`Or would you want to explain to your electors, that two hundred million people died because of your inability to act? Sir, with due respect, I'd rather take the chance that there is someone to save.` The Head was speechless, partly because of anger, partly because he thought about the PR catastrophe that would happen if the news got out. Little did he know that he was already way too late with that.
`You will return immediately to the orbital positions!`
`I seriously doubt it. It's my duty to protect humanity from alien threats just as it is yours. Let me out to fight them. If you fail to act, you will lose your chair. But if you send me out, then you've done everything you could, and even if we are late, no one will blame you.`
The Head saw that one of his assistants was frantically waving him to agree, wearing an expression of total panic. He didn't become the leader of humanity by being stupid. He didn't know why his assistant was so frantic, but the pure terror on his face was enough to convince him.`
`Then Admiral, you are ordered to relieve the star system Vertigo from the unknown threat, if there is any. You will depart immediately. You will receive your written orders afterwards.
`Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.` She was playing the subservient servant again, though it was clear that she won this battle.
The Head put back the receiver and turned to his assistant.
`Dietrich, I hope you have an excellent reason why I had to set that madwoman loose.`
`Sir, that fucking bitch put the whole conversation out in live!`
------
Meanwhile on the bridge of Destiny, Liz was laying in her chair, exhausted from laughing. Alex was doing a little victory dance around the room. Some of the officers were frowning upon him, but most of them were smiling as well.
`Well, that was the move of the century,` Alex said, stopping finally beside his chair.
`Even I'm proud of myself, and that's something. Machiavelli can do me a favor.`
`Liz, after that, he will come back from his grave and beg you for lessons!` On a sudden impulse, Liz put out the conversation to the common radio network. The whole Fourth, most of the First, and lot of the orbital stations heard what's their Head of Council like when he is not reading a speech. This time, it was clear who is the bad guy and who is the good girl. When the Fourth turned on the SI drives and accelerated to two thousand c in the split of a second, Liz, for the first time in the last month, really believed that she could pull this off. And more importantly, she has just severed all links between her crew and the Council. A few weeks on the battlefield, away from Earth, and they will belong solely to her.
Caesar gave land to his legionnaires before he led them through the Rubicon. She will have to give them glory and the promise of peace to achieve the same.
------
Two days later, on Antar
Max stood silently in the window of his room. Two notes arrived today concealed as one. He carefully removed any trace of the extra information before he gave it to his father, and then retreated to the safety of his room to read the other. He brought a computer with him from Earth, with the necessary decoding software. He loaded the data and typed in the password. "Together".
"Beloved," he read the first line and smiled." I know that you are okay now. But I felt when you were not. I don't know what you did today, I only know that it was dangerous, but you succeeded. You reached me through the stars. I don't know what it means, but it happened. I'd felt your pain for a brief time, and I saw that Isabel would help you. And I saw other things too. I saw what will happen to the people of Vertigo. I'm rushing there to exact revenge. I don't know whether I will succeed or not, but I think I will. Try to be there. If an Alliance fleet showed up and helped us beat the Talronids, it would do wonders to the accepting abilities of my crew. Please, come and help us in fourteen days. There are other matters, matters that I can't commit even to this message. I will have questions about my kind. Something happened that worries me. I can't kiss you, nor can I hold you now, but I hope that soon I will be in your arms. I will love you forever. P. E."
He put down the paper thoughtfully. "I can't commit even to this message." It will be about prophecy. She was not saying anything about the visions, she was just referring to them, but the signature... P. E. could stand for Parker, Elizabeth, but he doubted it. Prophetess Elizabeth? It didn't sound like Liz. He smiled when he understood. Prophetess Evans. That had a ring to it. He read the message again, carefully committing it to his memory, and then equally carefully, he destroyed the message.Tomorrow, he will convince the Senate that they need to send out an expeditionary force under his command, and after that he will head for the library to collect all available data about prophecy.
-
silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 4
Warning! This part is not nice. (I should have put this sign out before part 5)
Chapter 4
The fall of Vertigo
Part 8
The three battleships slid through the emptiness with ten percent over the nominal top speed of their drives. The labor was non-stop on all ships, everyone worked two shifts, and rested only eight hours a day, but this time, no one was grumbling. Hatred moved their muscles, seething anger and dire need to take revenge.
The Governor of Vertigo decided to trust the planetary defense net instead of evacuating his home. This decision cost him and all his people their life. The Fourth was able to tap into the message being sent to Earth and spent the first two days listening to it with growing apprehension.
The system patrol crafts were keeping a close tab on the unknown enemy that was drifting slowly in-system. They'd tried to establish communications with the talronids in vain. They kept a good distance from the suspicious-looking vessels, circling them, guessing at their origin and purpose, while the people of Vertigo kept glancing at the skies, awaiting the attackers.
And they came. The red and sick green plumps slowly surrounded the planet, while the human crafts circled ever closer around the lush-green globe that served as home for more than two hundred million people. They didn't want to start the battle; the talronids did this favor for them. Without a single warning, the whole fleet rushed upon the defenders. The side of the largest enemy "ship" exploded, releasing thousands and thousands of winged creatures into space. The ten-meter long terrors looked like props from some bad horror film. But they were not. Propelled by their antigravitic "muscles", they attacked the defending ships and space stations in hundreds, an unending swarm of thick armored monstrosities. Their only weapon was their ability to focus gravity, but it was more than enough.
The stations orbiting the planet massacred hundreds upon hundreds of them, exploding them with invisible bolts of searing energy, but they were simply overwhelmed by the mad onslaught. The "dragonlings" got closer and closer, seemingly undisturbed by their extreme losses while the rest of the talronids grew closer behind the swarm of the creatures. The fighters were instantly drowned by the oncoming horde, they were outnumbered a hundred to one. The bigger ships remained near the stations, trying to fend off the attack. When the greater talronids drew close enough, it was over. Acid, suicidal talronids, and gravitational waves tore apart the defenders.
The planet watched in mute horror as the only thing that stood between them and certain death was destroyed in less then ten minutes. The Governor knew that he was dead, and so was everyone else on the planet. He didn't try to flee, he remained with his people to the last moment, transmitting cries of warning into the depths of space. It was his last duty, to record everything that could be of use to humanity.
Everywhere on the surface of the planet families cuddled up, shaking from fear, saying last words to each other. There were those who broke down crying, those who kept shouting that this isn't possible, hoping madly in some wonder, some last minute savior, those who were trying to run and hide from what is to come, but most just stood mutely. Like stupefied little rabbits mesmerized by the snake. They waited for the bombs to drop. But none came. The talronids never wasted good food when it was ready for the ripe.
Three days after an unknown fleet exited the wormhole near Vertigo, blood red ships descended from the skies. Troop carriers. The nightmare began.
There was no ground army on Vertigo, only a small police force, armed with small pistols designed to capture rather than to kill. The talronid stormtroopers were the epitomes of destruction, honed to perfection by thousands of years of self-evolution. Four-meter high mantis-like warriors, with thick, black chitin-like armor. They could easily lift a truck, jump fifty meters up into the air, or sprint a hundred miles an hour. They had no apparent eyes, or any recognizable orifices. Lightning burst forth from their front legs if need be, they created explosions out of thin air at distance, their powerful gravitation controlling abilities allowed them to fly shorter distances. These unstoppable killing machines were set loose upon the unsuspecting world. They could easily find their marks. They didn't go just for the intelligent life. They collected all the proteins they could find, but they enjoyed the hunt above all. And there were enough targets for them. Out of the two hundred million, only hundreds could hide from them. There was no hope. The cameras were inorganic and thus were unharmed. They continued to show the pictures, telling the sad tales of a dying world.
A telepath caretaker fighting in the defense of a group of kindergarten children, destroying dozens of talronids with the power of her mind, until blood run from her nose and she could barely stand from the exhaustion. She tripped on a stone and fell, and in a second, a two-ton stormtrooper landed on her after a hundred meter long jump. None of her charges survived the next two minutes.
A group of twenty, armed with hunting weapons took on a lone talronid. Their lasers didn't even scratch its fire-resistant hide. It killed them in a second with its natural weaponry, then rested there for hours to feast on their remains.
A mother tried to hide in the woods with her husband and children, hoping that they could remain unseen in the shadows of the forest. They were found.
------
Deaths and deaths again. The humans never stood a chance against the onslaught. The talronids have come, seen, and won. Vertigo remained there defeated, plundered, raped. They started to methodically harvest all the available resources, whether they were metals or animals. The most of the stormtroopers returned to their carriers shortly after the slaughter was finished. Many were killed, but most were just taken prisoners, simply picked up and carried to common ground. They started to examine everything, experimenting with the humans, the animals, and the technology that surrounded them. Frail larvae were carried down, the extensions of the hive-intellect, the Talron, that controlled this particular fleet. The larvae raped the minds of their human captives, extracting all the knowledge about their race. Soon, what the humans of Vertigo knew, the Talron knew as well. It listened to every little word, every bit of information extracted, every scream that pierced the air. And there were enough of those. Enough to chill the blood of the Fourth's crew, who could only see and hear what was happening on the once-alive planet of Vertigo.
Chapter 4
The fall of Vertigo
Part 8
The three battleships slid through the emptiness with ten percent over the nominal top speed of their drives. The labor was non-stop on all ships, everyone worked two shifts, and rested only eight hours a day, but this time, no one was grumbling. Hatred moved their muscles, seething anger and dire need to take revenge.
The Governor of Vertigo decided to trust the planetary defense net instead of evacuating his home. This decision cost him and all his people their life. The Fourth was able to tap into the message being sent to Earth and spent the first two days listening to it with growing apprehension.
The system patrol crafts were keeping a close tab on the unknown enemy that was drifting slowly in-system. They'd tried to establish communications with the talronids in vain. They kept a good distance from the suspicious-looking vessels, circling them, guessing at their origin and purpose, while the people of Vertigo kept glancing at the skies, awaiting the attackers.
And they came. The red and sick green plumps slowly surrounded the planet, while the human crafts circled ever closer around the lush-green globe that served as home for more than two hundred million people. They didn't want to start the battle; the talronids did this favor for them. Without a single warning, the whole fleet rushed upon the defenders. The side of the largest enemy "ship" exploded, releasing thousands and thousands of winged creatures into space. The ten-meter long terrors looked like props from some bad horror film. But they were not. Propelled by their antigravitic "muscles", they attacked the defending ships and space stations in hundreds, an unending swarm of thick armored monstrosities. Their only weapon was their ability to focus gravity, but it was more than enough.
The stations orbiting the planet massacred hundreds upon hundreds of them, exploding them with invisible bolts of searing energy, but they were simply overwhelmed by the mad onslaught. The "dragonlings" got closer and closer, seemingly undisturbed by their extreme losses while the rest of the talronids grew closer behind the swarm of the creatures. The fighters were instantly drowned by the oncoming horde, they were outnumbered a hundred to one. The bigger ships remained near the stations, trying to fend off the attack. When the greater talronids drew close enough, it was over. Acid, suicidal talronids, and gravitational waves tore apart the defenders.
The planet watched in mute horror as the only thing that stood between them and certain death was destroyed in less then ten minutes. The Governor knew that he was dead, and so was everyone else on the planet. He didn't try to flee, he remained with his people to the last moment, transmitting cries of warning into the depths of space. It was his last duty, to record everything that could be of use to humanity.
Everywhere on the surface of the planet families cuddled up, shaking from fear, saying last words to each other. There were those who broke down crying, those who kept shouting that this isn't possible, hoping madly in some wonder, some last minute savior, those who were trying to run and hide from what is to come, but most just stood mutely. Like stupefied little rabbits mesmerized by the snake. They waited for the bombs to drop. But none came. The talronids never wasted good food when it was ready for the ripe.
Three days after an unknown fleet exited the wormhole near Vertigo, blood red ships descended from the skies. Troop carriers. The nightmare began.
There was no ground army on Vertigo, only a small police force, armed with small pistols designed to capture rather than to kill. The talronid stormtroopers were the epitomes of destruction, honed to perfection by thousands of years of self-evolution. Four-meter high mantis-like warriors, with thick, black chitin-like armor. They could easily lift a truck, jump fifty meters up into the air, or sprint a hundred miles an hour. They had no apparent eyes, or any recognizable orifices. Lightning burst forth from their front legs if need be, they created explosions out of thin air at distance, their powerful gravitation controlling abilities allowed them to fly shorter distances. These unstoppable killing machines were set loose upon the unsuspecting world. They could easily find their marks. They didn't go just for the intelligent life. They collected all the proteins they could find, but they enjoyed the hunt above all. And there were enough targets for them. Out of the two hundred million, only hundreds could hide from them. There was no hope. The cameras were inorganic and thus were unharmed. They continued to show the pictures, telling the sad tales of a dying world.
A telepath caretaker fighting in the defense of a group of kindergarten children, destroying dozens of talronids with the power of her mind, until blood run from her nose and she could barely stand from the exhaustion. She tripped on a stone and fell, and in a second, a two-ton stormtrooper landed on her after a hundred meter long jump. None of her charges survived the next two minutes.
A group of twenty, armed with hunting weapons took on a lone talronid. Their lasers didn't even scratch its fire-resistant hide. It killed them in a second with its natural weaponry, then rested there for hours to feast on their remains.
A mother tried to hide in the woods with her husband and children, hoping that they could remain unseen in the shadows of the forest. They were found.
------
Deaths and deaths again. The humans never stood a chance against the onslaught. The talronids have come, seen, and won. Vertigo remained there defeated, plundered, raped. They started to methodically harvest all the available resources, whether they were metals or animals. The most of the stormtroopers returned to their carriers shortly after the slaughter was finished. Many were killed, but most were just taken prisoners, simply picked up and carried to common ground. They started to examine everything, experimenting with the humans, the animals, and the technology that surrounded them. Frail larvae were carried down, the extensions of the hive-intellect, the Talron, that controlled this particular fleet. The larvae raped the minds of their human captives, extracting all the knowledge about their race. Soon, what the humans of Vertigo knew, the Talron knew as well. It listened to every little word, every bit of information extracted, every scream that pierced the air. And there were enough of those. Enough to chill the blood of the Fourth's crew, who could only see and hear what was happening on the once-alive planet of Vertigo.
-
silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
The glory of blood
Part 9
The Admiral was standing on the bridge in her sparkling white uniform. The officers around her were all working silently, speaking as little as possible. There were no jokes today. Fire burned in their eyes, as they saw to their tasks with gritted teeth. And this fire was the strongest in their Admiral.
There were still thirty minutes left from the journey. All systems were refitted and tested by now, and the men and women of the Fourth Republic Fleet were spending all their time on fine-tuning them. For the first time, their lives will depend on them. They all saw what happened on Vertigo. Many of them broke down crying when they saw the pictures. But in the end, they all stood up and vowed that they'll die sooner than to let it happen again. They were all eager to fight the invaders, and blessed the Admiral that she insisted on refitting the ships in such a hurried manner.
It didn't take much to put two and two together. The order that called them back to their ships came the day invaders mysteriously appeared at the edge of Vertigo. The modifications in the shield system and the weaponry "luckily" seemed effective against the invading swarm too.
There were strange rumors flying about their Admiral. Though none of the crew would have admitted it to an outsider, they were convinced that the Admiral knew of the attack. Suddenly everyone seemed to remember smaller inconsistencies in her style of command, but no one dared to make the verdict that Admiral Parker could see farther into the future than all the other precogs of humanity put together. Yet.
They were glad that she brought them here. They also remembered the affair with the Head, and it got an entirely new meaning in the light of the fall of Vertigo.
Seething hatred ruled the hearts of the men, against the monsters that hurt their brethren. They didn't see the similarity between the Talron’s and humanity's actions. Mankind got a spoonful of its own medicine, and it didn't like it one bit. The talk in the cafeterias, where men rushed in to have quick lunch, consisted mostly of dark oaths of vengeance. It is a dangerous thing for an army to hate an enemy too much. It was why the Admiral ordered the communication officer to open a channel to all the crew of the fleet.
`Warriors of humanity!` It was an unusual beginning. They weren't the soldiers of the Fourth, or the Republic anymore. Warrior suggested something that reached back to the beginnings of time. You took one of us, we'll take one of you, the most ancient deal between communities.
`Today we will avenge the death of hundreds of millions of our brethren. We will go in and destroy them. Swiftly. Effectively. Without mercy. Without remorse. And most importantly: without hatred. You can not let your emotions control you. We will win this day. We will crush the enemy. But only if you keep a cool head. We are soldiers, not a horde of cavemen. Don't rush into the battle. Don't leave the formation. I'm ashamed that I have to repeat this to you, but I'm afraid that some of you lost a little control in the last days. If you make mistakes, people will die. You among them. And the murdering monsters will get away. I will not allow that to happen. I'll hunt down everyone and everything that threatens my humanity. No one gets away with the death of hundreds of millions of sentient beings. Not while I'm breathing.` She was speaking in a low tone, but the anger and hatred resonated in her voice. It was a voice that spoke of iron control and determination to destroy anything that dared to stand in her path.
`Make me proud today. Kill as you were taught. Destroy the enemy. Avenge Vertigo.` She paused for a second, and added in a much less heated voice, dark with deep sadness. `Remember Vertigo.`
This was a strange battle cry, but the people found themselves muttering solemnly.
`Remember Vertigo.`
None of them seemed to notice the personal pronoun before the word "humanity".
She turned off the com, and put it back on the table. She saw that the men and women around her were still standing frozen, deep in thought, preparing themselves mentally for the battle. She started back towards her post.
`Sound red alert,` she said to the chief com officer over her shoulder. The man hit a few buttons, and on all the ships of the fleet, the lights suddenly turned red.
For the first time in the last two hundred years, a red alert has been sounded. Sirens came alive.
`All hands to the battle stations. All crew to their ships. All personnel assume their positions. Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!` Men rushed to their posts, moving with silent determination. The fire control rooms started to fill up with life, the fighter pilots climbed into their craft, ready to take off the moment they will be in normal space again. The engine room started to heat up the fusion generators to their nominal maximum output. The shield sections prepared to snap the shields into place instantly when they arrived. Within ten minutes, everyone settled down, and for many of them, the ten longest minutes of their lives began.
Gigo -> Honestly, where did you get that notion that they'll win? Anyways, this is not the war yet, just a minor skirmish. The underequipped garrison of a backwater system is equal match for a couple of moths, not for a talronid strike force. As for the propecy part... Well, the most thought I spent on this was that a shock was necessary to complete changes in Liz, nothing else. (this is of course not entirely true, but I'm currently working on chapter 7, and that's the first time the question rouses again.)
The glory of blood
Part 9
The Admiral was standing on the bridge in her sparkling white uniform. The officers around her were all working silently, speaking as little as possible. There were no jokes today. Fire burned in their eyes, as they saw to their tasks with gritted teeth. And this fire was the strongest in their Admiral.
There were still thirty minutes left from the journey. All systems were refitted and tested by now, and the men and women of the Fourth Republic Fleet were spending all their time on fine-tuning them. For the first time, their lives will depend on them. They all saw what happened on Vertigo. Many of them broke down crying when they saw the pictures. But in the end, they all stood up and vowed that they'll die sooner than to let it happen again. They were all eager to fight the invaders, and blessed the Admiral that she insisted on refitting the ships in such a hurried manner.
It didn't take much to put two and two together. The order that called them back to their ships came the day invaders mysteriously appeared at the edge of Vertigo. The modifications in the shield system and the weaponry "luckily" seemed effective against the invading swarm too.
There were strange rumors flying about their Admiral. Though none of the crew would have admitted it to an outsider, they were convinced that the Admiral knew of the attack. Suddenly everyone seemed to remember smaller inconsistencies in her style of command, but no one dared to make the verdict that Admiral Parker could see farther into the future than all the other precogs of humanity put together. Yet.
They were glad that she brought them here. They also remembered the affair with the Head, and it got an entirely new meaning in the light of the fall of Vertigo.
Seething hatred ruled the hearts of the men, against the monsters that hurt their brethren. They didn't see the similarity between the Talron’s and humanity's actions. Mankind got a spoonful of its own medicine, and it didn't like it one bit. The talk in the cafeterias, where men rushed in to have quick lunch, consisted mostly of dark oaths of vengeance. It is a dangerous thing for an army to hate an enemy too much. It was why the Admiral ordered the communication officer to open a channel to all the crew of the fleet.
`Warriors of humanity!` It was an unusual beginning. They weren't the soldiers of the Fourth, or the Republic anymore. Warrior suggested something that reached back to the beginnings of time. You took one of us, we'll take one of you, the most ancient deal between communities.
`Today we will avenge the death of hundreds of millions of our brethren. We will go in and destroy them. Swiftly. Effectively. Without mercy. Without remorse. And most importantly: without hatred. You can not let your emotions control you. We will win this day. We will crush the enemy. But only if you keep a cool head. We are soldiers, not a horde of cavemen. Don't rush into the battle. Don't leave the formation. I'm ashamed that I have to repeat this to you, but I'm afraid that some of you lost a little control in the last days. If you make mistakes, people will die. You among them. And the murdering monsters will get away. I will not allow that to happen. I'll hunt down everyone and everything that threatens my humanity. No one gets away with the death of hundreds of millions of sentient beings. Not while I'm breathing.` She was speaking in a low tone, but the anger and hatred resonated in her voice. It was a voice that spoke of iron control and determination to destroy anything that dared to stand in her path.
`Make me proud today. Kill as you were taught. Destroy the enemy. Avenge Vertigo.` She paused for a second, and added in a much less heated voice, dark with deep sadness. `Remember Vertigo.`
This was a strange battle cry, but the people found themselves muttering solemnly.
`Remember Vertigo.`
None of them seemed to notice the personal pronoun before the word "humanity".
She turned off the com, and put it back on the table. She saw that the men and women around her were still standing frozen, deep in thought, preparing themselves mentally for the battle. She started back towards her post.
`Sound red alert,` she said to the chief com officer over her shoulder. The man hit a few buttons, and on all the ships of the fleet, the lights suddenly turned red.
For the first time in the last two hundred years, a red alert has been sounded. Sirens came alive.
`All hands to the battle stations. All crew to their ships. All personnel assume their positions. Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!` Men rushed to their posts, moving with silent determination. The fire control rooms started to fill up with life, the fighter pilots climbed into their craft, ready to take off the moment they will be in normal space again. The engine room started to heat up the fusion generators to their nominal maximum output. The shield sections prepared to snap the shields into place instantly when they arrived. Within ten minutes, everyone settled down, and for many of them, the ten longest minutes of their lives began.
Gigo -> Honestly, where did you get that notion that they'll win? Anyways, this is not the war yet, just a minor skirmish. The underequipped garrison of a backwater system is equal match for a couple of moths, not for a talronid strike force. As for the propecy part... Well, the most thought I spent on this was that a shock was necessary to complete changes in Liz, nothing else. (this is of course not entirely true, but I'm currently working on chapter 7, and that's the first time the question rouses again.)
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silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 5
Part 10
The human fleet burst out of nothingness in the middle of the system. Within the split of a second, the shields were in place and the hangar doors opened, spilling thousands upon thousands of small craft into space. Meanwhile, the launchers coughed up a smaller fleet of pointy objects, which headed with incredible acceleration towards the talronids - nuclear missiles. A Talron doesn't know the meaning of surprise, but it was caught unprepared. Most of its battleships were resting on the surface of the planet, harvesting food and resources. It opened the side of a carrier, sending out the dragonlings to meet the incoming warheads.
The nukes were destroyed before they could get into range, but Liz had the last one detonated, destroying a sizeable amount of dragonlings with it. By that time, the fifteen thousand drones, two thousand fighters, and five hundred gunboats of the Fourth were mostly deployed, buzzing around the tightly knit group of the fleet, as it headed towards the fleet orbiting the planet. By the time they got into action range, the whole talronid fleet was up and prepared to greet them. Liz went for the total destruction of the enemy. Confident in her people's abilities, she ordered Doom and Fate to circle around the enemy, even if it meant that the two battleships arrived a minute later into the battle. Meanwhile, the lower-class ships flung themselves into the heat of battle.
------
`This is Angel Lead. All wings report in.`
`Six online and ready for battle. `
`Ten online and ready for battle. `
`Two online and ready for battle. `
The routine kept them moving while they flew towards the enemy. They all felt the grip of fear on their heart. They were the best trained soldiers of the Republic, still, they were afraid. For the first time in their life, the enemy was going to shoot back!
Kyle was searching for some valiant words to say to his comrades, but he found none. Life was not a sci-fi, where you could always shout some stupid battle cry an it would be over with that. Instead, he was checking the displays of his systems, seeking refuge in the thousand times practiced routines. The talronids were approaching fast. He cleaned instinctively his hands on his pants, though he was wearing gloves. Only when they were nearly in range, did he speak up.
`Everyone, brace yourselves, here they come!`
------
Destiny, Central Bridge
Liz
I'm gripping the railing that runs around the 3-D map of the battlefield. It's so easy! Everything is crystal clear. I feel that it was supposed to be like this. Now the fight has a true stake, it's not just a simulated riff-raff. The gap between death and life is so enormous that I can't miss it. It's within my power to decide who will live, and who will die. I rush along the paths with speed I've never experienced before. Immersed in my visions, I bark orders. They don't necessarily make sense, but they keep my people alive. I move a cruiser out of the path of a kamikaze talronid and order a frigate to destroy it. I pull a group of fighters away from one of their dying motherships, and I send the Loki to seek another target, the two other battlecruisers will finish her off without the Erika. I'm at the center of the wheel.
There was always something off with the battles I've been in. A damp feeling around my abilities. A wooden sword that has a faulty balance. Now cold, sharp steel is in my hand, and I cut down my enemies with it. I can't stop; there is no halt. The future when I disengage the trance, is only one of the possibilities, equal to all the others, but not the best in the outcome. So I continue tightening the net around the talronids. The battleships slowly move inward, destroying everything in their range, while the escort ships loosen up the enemy before them. The computer-controlled batteries of Destiny, Fate, and Doom find their marks without fault. The things that so easily slaughtered the defenders of Vertigo are crushed as easily under our heels. There is no escape for them. No mercy.
Alex
She is standing with closed eyes, and orders are streaming from her. In the first moment, I had to scream at them to obey her, but now, they've given up reason. She took over the command of the whole fleet, she is paying as much attention to gunboats as to battlecruisers. How does she do it? She seems to see the entire battlefield with closed eyes? She can truly see the future? But how? It is impossible!
I can't stop to wonder on things like this. It's clear that we have the upper hand, but still, we have to take care. The arms of the fleet are closing in on the talronids. Enteroff is in his element. Destiny is the angel of death, we are vaporizing everything near us. The layer of protective crafts around the core of the talronid fleet gets slimmer and slimmer with each passing second. But what is this?
Blue gates are opening all around us! What the hell is happening here? Liz seems oblivious to the sudden panic on the bridge. Without opening her eyes, she only says:
`Loosen the formation to accommodate them,` and then returns to directing the ships.
The rest of us watch fascinated as six sparkling blue ships slide out of the wormholes. They are the size of a battlecruiser. They are shimmering with an unearthly glow, strange, skate-like blades are sticking out of their sides, like the ship was made for gliding instead of flying. I've seen them in picture before, they are draconian cruisers. I quickly glance at Liz, she doesn't look like she is going to do anything about it. I snatch up a com, and set it to all-crew mode.
`Leave the newcomer's alone! No one is to attack them!` I overstepped my boundaries with this, but I think I'll be excused afterwards.
`Tell Pierce to obey,` it's Liz. The next moment the com officer shouts, that Doom is asking whether he can open fire at the newcomers. It's creepy.
Meanwhile the Alliance ships are already attacking the enemy. They don't deploy fighters, and I think it's a wise move, considering the confusion of the battle. Liz moves a few ships out of their way, and we finish off the rest of the talronids together.
When the last of their blob-ships explode in the crossfire of Fate and the biggest Alliance ship, Liz's grip slowly eases on the railing. She opens her eyes, and I swear, for a second, something like lightning was crackling in her eyes!
We've won the battle, swiftly and cleanly, but Lizzie, I hope you know what you are going to say, because you have a fucking lot to explain!
-> Gigo: You mean it will suck when they all die? (Evil laugh) Don't worry. By now, I know exactly who will live and who will die. Or the proper attitude from the writer would be that they'll all live happily forever ever after? (another evil laugh). This is a dark sci-fi romance after all. (I know, I'm messed up. But the voices told me that it's alright.)
The human fleet burst out of nothingness in the middle of the system. Within the split of a second, the shields were in place and the hangar doors opened, spilling thousands upon thousands of small craft into space. Meanwhile, the launchers coughed up a smaller fleet of pointy objects, which headed with incredible acceleration towards the talronids - nuclear missiles. A Talron doesn't know the meaning of surprise, but it was caught unprepared. Most of its battleships were resting on the surface of the planet, harvesting food and resources. It opened the side of a carrier, sending out the dragonlings to meet the incoming warheads.
The nukes were destroyed before they could get into range, but Liz had the last one detonated, destroying a sizeable amount of dragonlings with it. By that time, the fifteen thousand drones, two thousand fighters, and five hundred gunboats of the Fourth were mostly deployed, buzzing around the tightly knit group of the fleet, as it headed towards the fleet orbiting the planet. By the time they got into action range, the whole talronid fleet was up and prepared to greet them. Liz went for the total destruction of the enemy. Confident in her people's abilities, she ordered Doom and Fate to circle around the enemy, even if it meant that the two battleships arrived a minute later into the battle. Meanwhile, the lower-class ships flung themselves into the heat of battle.
------
`This is Angel Lead. All wings report in.`
`Six online and ready for battle. `
`Ten online and ready for battle. `
`Two online and ready for battle. `
The routine kept them moving while they flew towards the enemy. They all felt the grip of fear on their heart. They were the best trained soldiers of the Republic, still, they were afraid. For the first time in their life, the enemy was going to shoot back!
Kyle was searching for some valiant words to say to his comrades, but he found none. Life was not a sci-fi, where you could always shout some stupid battle cry an it would be over with that. Instead, he was checking the displays of his systems, seeking refuge in the thousand times practiced routines. The talronids were approaching fast. He cleaned instinctively his hands on his pants, though he was wearing gloves. Only when they were nearly in range, did he speak up.
`Everyone, brace yourselves, here they come!`
------
Destiny, Central Bridge
Liz
I'm gripping the railing that runs around the 3-D map of the battlefield. It's so easy! Everything is crystal clear. I feel that it was supposed to be like this. Now the fight has a true stake, it's not just a simulated riff-raff. The gap between death and life is so enormous that I can't miss it. It's within my power to decide who will live, and who will die. I rush along the paths with speed I've never experienced before. Immersed in my visions, I bark orders. They don't necessarily make sense, but they keep my people alive. I move a cruiser out of the path of a kamikaze talronid and order a frigate to destroy it. I pull a group of fighters away from one of their dying motherships, and I send the Loki to seek another target, the two other battlecruisers will finish her off without the Erika. I'm at the center of the wheel.
There was always something off with the battles I've been in. A damp feeling around my abilities. A wooden sword that has a faulty balance. Now cold, sharp steel is in my hand, and I cut down my enemies with it. I can't stop; there is no halt. The future when I disengage the trance, is only one of the possibilities, equal to all the others, but not the best in the outcome. So I continue tightening the net around the talronids. The battleships slowly move inward, destroying everything in their range, while the escort ships loosen up the enemy before them. The computer-controlled batteries of Destiny, Fate, and Doom find their marks without fault. The things that so easily slaughtered the defenders of Vertigo are crushed as easily under our heels. There is no escape for them. No mercy.
Alex
She is standing with closed eyes, and orders are streaming from her. In the first moment, I had to scream at them to obey her, but now, they've given up reason. She took over the command of the whole fleet, she is paying as much attention to gunboats as to battlecruisers. How does she do it? She seems to see the entire battlefield with closed eyes? She can truly see the future? But how? It is impossible!
I can't stop to wonder on things like this. It's clear that we have the upper hand, but still, we have to take care. The arms of the fleet are closing in on the talronids. Enteroff is in his element. Destiny is the angel of death, we are vaporizing everything near us. The layer of protective crafts around the core of the talronid fleet gets slimmer and slimmer with each passing second. But what is this?
Blue gates are opening all around us! What the hell is happening here? Liz seems oblivious to the sudden panic on the bridge. Without opening her eyes, she only says:
`Loosen the formation to accommodate them,` and then returns to directing the ships.
The rest of us watch fascinated as six sparkling blue ships slide out of the wormholes. They are the size of a battlecruiser. They are shimmering with an unearthly glow, strange, skate-like blades are sticking out of their sides, like the ship was made for gliding instead of flying. I've seen them in picture before, they are draconian cruisers. I quickly glance at Liz, she doesn't look like she is going to do anything about it. I snatch up a com, and set it to all-crew mode.
`Leave the newcomer's alone! No one is to attack them!` I overstepped my boundaries with this, but I think I'll be excused afterwards.
`Tell Pierce to obey,` it's Liz. The next moment the com officer shouts, that Doom is asking whether he can open fire at the newcomers. It's creepy.
Meanwhile the Alliance ships are already attacking the enemy. They don't deploy fighters, and I think it's a wise move, considering the confusion of the battle. Liz moves a few ships out of their way, and we finish off the rest of the talronids together.
When the last of their blob-ships explode in the crossfire of Fate and the biggest Alliance ship, Liz's grip slowly eases on the railing. She opens her eyes, and I swear, for a second, something like lightning was crackling in her eyes!
We've won the battle, swiftly and cleanly, but Lizzie, I hope you know what you are going to say, because you have a fucking lot to explain!
-> Gigo: You mean it will suck when they all die? (Evil laugh) Don't worry. By now, I know exactly who will live and who will die. Or the proper attitude from the writer would be that they'll all live happily forever ever after? (another evil laugh). This is a dark sci-fi romance after all. (I know, I'm messed up. But the voices told me that it's alright.)
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silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Ice breaking
Part 11
Liz
The battle is over, but the day is not. I'm myself once again; the storm of futures settled around me at last. I'm afraid I've created only more problems. I couldn't let my people die. Entering the trance prevented many deaths, but was it the wisest route to take? It's useless to ponder on that now; what's done is done, and even I can't change the past. Let's see instead what the future holds!
The six Alliance ships are sitting ducks in the middle of our fleet. I'm sure that currently all of my captains, well, almost all of my captains, are aiming at them.
`Admiral, incoming transmission from the alien crafts! Definitely radio waves. They seem to be using older Republic frequencies! ` It's the comm officer. He can't hide his excitement.
`Put it out. ` Contrary to him, I know what to expect.
`This is the Alliance Warship Moonbeam hailing the human forces. Do you read us?` It's clear that it's a synthetic voice. Everyone is amazed that they are familiar with our way of communications. It's impossible to guess the language of an alien race, the medium they use and the encoding of the communication. They draw the conclusion that they know us extremely well. While they tried to guess what this all means; I can let out a small sigh of relief. Moonbeam. So everything's alright. Moonlight would have meant that there are minor troubles and Moonshadow means "It's a trap, get the hell out of here!” We've agreed on about a dozen codes beforehand. I give the appropriate answer after signaling the comm officer to open a channel to them
`This is Admiral Parker aboard the Republic Battleship Destiny. Unidentified ships, we thank you for your assistance. Please state your purpose.` Protocol gives me a lot of maneuvering space, handling alien encounters is left to the chief officer of the fleet, and that happens to be me. I try to avoid appearing over-eager. I can't help but to wonder, is that truly Max on the other ship? I could reach out for him easily, but I don't. I can't. I long for his touch, and the possibility that he is within my reach is eating me up. I would instantly find him and the connection would be there again... And everything would be over. I can't endanger him with my stupid needs. I have to be strong!
`Admiral Parker, we were pursuing the talronid task force. We have no hostile intentions towards you and your race. We were trying to destroy the creatures you were battling.` It's of course a lie, but I think my officers will take it. It's a cruel thing to say, but this talronid attack was exactly what we needed. I can practically hear the thoughts of the people around me. The enemy of the enemy is a friend. Maybe the deaths of the people of Vertigo wasn't meaningless after all. Maybe I should say that aloud. It doesn't fit into the script, but the circumstances changed.
`Unidentified forces, the enemy of the enemy is a friend. We have no hostile intentions towards you either.`
`Then I suggest a cease-fire.`
`Currently, I agree.` The people around me let out their breath. They feel too that history is being written here. There is a bit of radio silence
`Admiral Parker, my second in command suggests that maybe we could be of help; if you want to retake the planet, instead of bombing it. We carry a number of ground troops that could be useful in cleansing the planet.`
I look around the room.
`We thank you for the offer, Moonbeam, and we will discuss it. You seem to know things about these "talronids". Could you give us information on them?` The talks are on the way. Another obstacle taken. Whoever is on the other side, begins a short explanation on what to expect. I think I pulled this off pretty smoothly. We are currently in league with the Alliance. If they help us retake the planet, it can justify a more permanent peace treaty. The Council won't be able to do anything against it. Saviors of talronid captures? That's definitely a good first impression on the Alliance.
------
Four hours later
There were only a few thousand survivors left on Vertigo by now. When most of the Talron were destroyed, the will controlling the talronids broke. The stormtroopers reverted back to their most primal instincts and began slaughtering everyone in sight. Most of the captives died on the ships in the crossfire of the Fourth's ships; the maddened killing machines slaughtered the few million, still left on Vertigo. The orbital bombardment began only minutes after the space battle ended, but those few minutes were enough for the stormtroopers to massacre most of the rounded-up humans. Some escaped and they soon learned, that despite what their instincts said, it was best to stay out in the open, under the watchful eyes of the battleships hovering over the sole continent of Vertigo. The sharpshooters of the Moiras hunted down many talronids, but the rest soon learned to avoid the open places.
Now, a couple of hours later, the survivors of Vertigo could finally sigh in relief - their planet was being invaded for the second time in two weeks. Two dozen sleek, crab-like ships descended from the skies near the major groups of survivors, escorted by the cruisers of the Fourth. The yellow-blue comps landed on the grass, and the cruisers joined them on the ground shortly. What happened next, was something that none of the onlookers have ever forgotten. The ramps of the adjacent ships opened at the same time. A few humans wandered down on the ramp and waved to the survivors to come over to them. However, they could only watch the comps stupefied. Squads of six rushed down on the ramp, four antarans and two renulars, but they didn't know that. They only saw yellow-armored figures, holding a rifle in one hand and a glowing sword in the other.
The talronids gathered at the edge of the clearing, in the shadow of the trees, went mad from the sight. They were gathering there for a time, more than a hundred lurked in the safety of the forest. Now, they rushed out as one to destroy their enemies. The guns on the battleships came alive; high-energy shots evaporated many of them. The humans screamed in terror and started to run towards the cruiser. The Alliance soldiers however remained in place. The antarans kneeled for better aim and started to rain death on the incoming stormtroopers. The crossfire of the battleships and the antarans took out the half of the hundred in less than a few seconds, but the rest got to close quarters. That was when the impossible happened.
The antarans threw away their rifles to get a better grip on their swords. The blades, vibrating from unearthly energies, caused terrible wounds on the enemy. The renular telepaths picked out the stormtroopers one by one, without the protection of the mental force of the Talron, they were easy targets. They destroyed their minds, while a wall of steel protected them from the talronids. The strikes from the mighty gravitational weapons utterly failed to penetrate the shield of any of the warriors. Within thirty seconds, there were only humanoids left standing.
The humans just witnessed that two dozen frail creatures like them took on a hundred talronids and won. From the last days’ experiences, killing a single talronid was deemed impossible, and now these creatures slaughtered them with the same ease as the talronids massacred the humans.
The "invaders" turned to the humans and bowed slightly then took off in four different directions to hunt down the remaining monsters of deep space, leaving a few dazzled survivors behind on the clearing.
On the twenty-three other landing spots similar events took place. When the ships carrying the survivors docked with Destiny, they had a few tales to tell...
A/N Somewhere I messed up the numbering. This should be part 10. Not that it matters.
Ice breaking
Part 11
Liz
The battle is over, but the day is not. I'm myself once again; the storm of futures settled around me at last. I'm afraid I've created only more problems. I couldn't let my people die. Entering the trance prevented many deaths, but was it the wisest route to take? It's useless to ponder on that now; what's done is done, and even I can't change the past. Let's see instead what the future holds!
The six Alliance ships are sitting ducks in the middle of our fleet. I'm sure that currently all of my captains, well, almost all of my captains, are aiming at them.
`Admiral, incoming transmission from the alien crafts! Definitely radio waves. They seem to be using older Republic frequencies! ` It's the comm officer. He can't hide his excitement.
`Put it out. ` Contrary to him, I know what to expect.
`This is the Alliance Warship Moonbeam hailing the human forces. Do you read us?` It's clear that it's a synthetic voice. Everyone is amazed that they are familiar with our way of communications. It's impossible to guess the language of an alien race, the medium they use and the encoding of the communication. They draw the conclusion that they know us extremely well. While they tried to guess what this all means; I can let out a small sigh of relief. Moonbeam. So everything's alright. Moonlight would have meant that there are minor troubles and Moonshadow means "It's a trap, get the hell out of here!” We've agreed on about a dozen codes beforehand. I give the appropriate answer after signaling the comm officer to open a channel to them
`This is Admiral Parker aboard the Republic Battleship Destiny. Unidentified ships, we thank you for your assistance. Please state your purpose.` Protocol gives me a lot of maneuvering space, handling alien encounters is left to the chief officer of the fleet, and that happens to be me. I try to avoid appearing over-eager. I can't help but to wonder, is that truly Max on the other ship? I could reach out for him easily, but I don't. I can't. I long for his touch, and the possibility that he is within my reach is eating me up. I would instantly find him and the connection would be there again... And everything would be over. I can't endanger him with my stupid needs. I have to be strong!
`Admiral Parker, we were pursuing the talronid task force. We have no hostile intentions towards you and your race. We were trying to destroy the creatures you were battling.` It's of course a lie, but I think my officers will take it. It's a cruel thing to say, but this talronid attack was exactly what we needed. I can practically hear the thoughts of the people around me. The enemy of the enemy is a friend. Maybe the deaths of the people of Vertigo wasn't meaningless after all. Maybe I should say that aloud. It doesn't fit into the script, but the circumstances changed.
`Unidentified forces, the enemy of the enemy is a friend. We have no hostile intentions towards you either.`
`Then I suggest a cease-fire.`
`Currently, I agree.` The people around me let out their breath. They feel too that history is being written here. There is a bit of radio silence
`Admiral Parker, my second in command suggests that maybe we could be of help; if you want to retake the planet, instead of bombing it. We carry a number of ground troops that could be useful in cleansing the planet.`
I look around the room.
`We thank you for the offer, Moonbeam, and we will discuss it. You seem to know things about these "talronids". Could you give us information on them?` The talks are on the way. Another obstacle taken. Whoever is on the other side, begins a short explanation on what to expect. I think I pulled this off pretty smoothly. We are currently in league with the Alliance. If they help us retake the planet, it can justify a more permanent peace treaty. The Council won't be able to do anything against it. Saviors of talronid captures? That's definitely a good first impression on the Alliance.
------
Four hours later
There were only a few thousand survivors left on Vertigo by now. When most of the Talron were destroyed, the will controlling the talronids broke. The stormtroopers reverted back to their most primal instincts and began slaughtering everyone in sight. Most of the captives died on the ships in the crossfire of the Fourth's ships; the maddened killing machines slaughtered the few million, still left on Vertigo. The orbital bombardment began only minutes after the space battle ended, but those few minutes were enough for the stormtroopers to massacre most of the rounded-up humans. Some escaped and they soon learned, that despite what their instincts said, it was best to stay out in the open, under the watchful eyes of the battleships hovering over the sole continent of Vertigo. The sharpshooters of the Moiras hunted down many talronids, but the rest soon learned to avoid the open places.
Now, a couple of hours later, the survivors of Vertigo could finally sigh in relief - their planet was being invaded for the second time in two weeks. Two dozen sleek, crab-like ships descended from the skies near the major groups of survivors, escorted by the cruisers of the Fourth. The yellow-blue comps landed on the grass, and the cruisers joined them on the ground shortly. What happened next, was something that none of the onlookers have ever forgotten. The ramps of the adjacent ships opened at the same time. A few humans wandered down on the ramp and waved to the survivors to come over to them. However, they could only watch the comps stupefied. Squads of six rushed down on the ramp, four antarans and two renulars, but they didn't know that. They only saw yellow-armored figures, holding a rifle in one hand and a glowing sword in the other.
The talronids gathered at the edge of the clearing, in the shadow of the trees, went mad from the sight. They were gathering there for a time, more than a hundred lurked in the safety of the forest. Now, they rushed out as one to destroy their enemies. The guns on the battleships came alive; high-energy shots evaporated many of them. The humans screamed in terror and started to run towards the cruiser. The Alliance soldiers however remained in place. The antarans kneeled for better aim and started to rain death on the incoming stormtroopers. The crossfire of the battleships and the antarans took out the half of the hundred in less than a few seconds, but the rest got to close quarters. That was when the impossible happened.
The antarans threw away their rifles to get a better grip on their swords. The blades, vibrating from unearthly energies, caused terrible wounds on the enemy. The renular telepaths picked out the stormtroopers one by one, without the protection of the mental force of the Talron, they were easy targets. They destroyed their minds, while a wall of steel protected them from the talronids. The strikes from the mighty gravitational weapons utterly failed to penetrate the shield of any of the warriors. Within thirty seconds, there were only humanoids left standing.
The humans just witnessed that two dozen frail creatures like them took on a hundred talronids and won. From the last days’ experiences, killing a single talronid was deemed impossible, and now these creatures slaughtered them with the same ease as the talronids massacred the humans.
The "invaders" turned to the humans and bowed slightly then took off in four different directions to hunt down the remaining monsters of deep space, leaving a few dazzled survivors behind on the clearing.
On the twenty-three other landing spots similar events took place. When the ships carrying the survivors docked with Destiny, they had a few tales to tell...
A/N Somewhere I messed up the numbering. This should be part 10. Not that it matters.
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silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Hiatus
There will be an about four day long hiatus, I'm afraid. (I might post something in the middle). I'm only five parts ahead of you, and real life is breathing down on my neck, so I have to take a little break.
A side note, I've reread the whole BtS and HotS so far, and I've found a few surprising things. If anyone noticed them, then please tell me, I'm curious. (They probably only come up if you read the whole thing at once, if you do at a one part/day rate, you'll never notice them)
-Maria is once a Liutenant, once a Captain.
-There are either 24 or 25 antarans on Earth
-There are 8 or 9 races in the Alliance
-The times just don't add up sometimes (Though I've tried to prevent it)
-The name of poor ole' Yian's ship changes in every part.
I don't think I'll repost, though, I'm way too lazy, even to write a script to do it. It'd take hours, I'm posting this on three boards. Maybe (if ever) when I place it in the author's archive.
Just a sudden idea. Isn't an altruistic soul out there who would do the dirty work for the common good? I'd give you my password for a few days and send you the parts. I suppose not, but it was worth a try.
So people, anyone noticed any of the little mistakes (or something else that escaped my attention?)
A side note, I've reread the whole BtS and HotS so far, and I've found a few surprising things. If anyone noticed them, then please tell me, I'm curious. (They probably only come up if you read the whole thing at once, if you do at a one part/day rate, you'll never notice them)
-Maria is once a Liutenant, once a Captain.
-There are either 24 or 25 antarans on Earth
-There are 8 or 9 races in the Alliance
-The times just don't add up sometimes (Though I've tried to prevent it)
-The name of poor ole' Yian's ship changes in every part.
I don't think I'll repost, though, I'm way too lazy, even to write a script to do it. It'd take hours, I'm posting this on three boards. Maybe (if ever) when I place it in the author's archive.
Just a sudden idea. Isn't an altruistic soul out there who would do the dirty work for the common good? I'd give you my password for a few days and send you the parts. I suppose not, but it was worth a try.
So people, anyone noticed any of the little mistakes (or something else that escaped my attention?)
-
silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 6
Part 12
Three days later
Most of the damages from the battle were repaired by now. The Fourth lost about a dozen fighters, three gunboats, and no larger ships. Only a fraction of the defense force that Vertigo used to have. It took twelve hours for the Alliance Scouts to clear the planet, with the assistance of the fifty something human cruisers, which descended into the atmosphere. Thirty-one thousand were saved in total. Thirty-one out of two hundred thousand. A one-in-seven thousand chance. They were sure lucky.
The survivors were placed on the battleships, but it was only a temporary solution. Liz already ordered the assembly of a jump-ship from the spare parts on Destiny. They only had to connect a bridge and a fusion reactor to one of the spare SI drives. The Loki got the task of ferrying back the civilians to Earth. It likely meant a promotion for Colonel Wronsky - Liz was sure that they'd try to buy her loyalty. She talked extensively about it with Erika, and they agreed that she will accept the bribes and "betray" her Admiral, but until than, she will have a few things to say to the press.
The talks were proceeding smoothly. More than smoothly, extremely fast. Prince Zander, the commander of the Moonbeam, "admitted" that they've been watching humanity for a while. He invited humanity to a peace talk to his mother world. Under different circumstances this would have been considered a suicidal move for the Alliance, but this time both parties knew that the cards have already been dealt, and more importantly, they were the dealers. Liz reported back that she just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to map the defenses of the alien's capital. The answer that will forbid her to do anything like it will arrive only in eight days, and she will be many light-years away when it will reach her .She didn't need prophecy to know this, it was the only possible answer the Council could give. Well, as long as she is the one in charge out here, they can order anything they want, but they can do absolutely nothing to make her obey.
She knew that they will get suspicious of her, three days from total anonymity to peace talks was lot less than the three months or three years normally expected, but she didn't have that much time. And some time will have to pass until they will even think about the possibility of being betrayed. She had to conclude this business before the Council could intervene. She left time for the stories of the survivors to get around, before she had her next announcement. This will be the last step in leading away the crew of the Fourth from the leadership of the Republic. She needed them to become her own, private army, only loyal to her. There might come a time when they'll be forced to choose between her and the Republic, and by that time, they'll have to be ready to make the right choice. She didn't know the true extent of her capabilities, but she suspected that they are far more powerful than she ever imagined. After the battle, she was sure that she could beat the all the other fleets in quick succession if they came one by one. The most frightening thing was that she wasn't sure that she would be defeated if they all came at her together.
By now, the rumors of their Admiral's performance during the battle had spread among the whole fleet. The fighter jocks reported similar feelings too, in mortal danger their abilities multiplied. The performance ratio of the precog-driven vessels increased with four hundred percent, and it decided the decades old race between the fighters and the drones.
She didn't talk about it to anyone yet. There were just too many things to do, and no one could corner the Admiral on the bridge, demanding to know why they won the battle so easily. She avoided everyone, not knowing exactly what to say to Alex, Kyle, or Jim if they asked what the hell happened there. She was just not ready to answer those questions. But the time has come. Today will decide whether she will be able to remain the Admiral of the Fourth Republic Fleet or not.
She was in her room, in front of Destiny's secondary bridge. She gathered her thoughts and went over what she was going to say. She tried to probe ahead into the future, but her speech held no immediate consequences, so she couldn't use her gift to decide what to say. She was more nervous than she had been in years, save for some of the times with Max. So much depended on the next five minutes!
She cleared her throat, requested a channel to the whole Fourth and began:
"This is Admiral Parker speaking. I'm sorry to interrupt your work, but I think I owe you an apology for not being honest with you...
L. B > Wow, I've never been compared to Frank Herbert, at least not favorably. Tnx. I hoped that it was clear from chapter 1 of HotS that antarans, renuls (or renulars) and draconians are the three humanoid races out of the Nine. (Of course they call themselves draconid or antarid instead of humanoid) So antarans have two legs, two arms, etc, like when I described Max somewhere, and that's how an average antaran looks like. Shapechanging abilities are limited extremely. Let's say one of every five hundred thousand is able to do a full body change, to change into another antaran( the rate of the really talented piano players or chess players) , and one out of ten powerful shapeshifters can morf into humans or renulars( the geniuses, who have international fame). Only even fewer can copy the draconians, because of the small frame. But all antarans can do small alterations, especially over a long period of time, like consciously growing stronger muscles or getting a few cms higher over a year.
Full body change means a crude replication of some of the more vital systems, so it takes months to learn a race. The royal family has extremely strong dominant genes, that's why both Max and Isabel were able to morph into humans.
So shifters are categorized by the strength of the alterations they can make and the speed with which they make them, and the royals (and the rest of the Earth-team) are on top in both categories (the Royal Four means the King, the Queen, the Prince and the Princess, Ava and Michael are excluded)
So one out of five million is able to copy a human. Old age or youth elinimates the half of them. There are about ten to twenty billion antarans. Let's say that 1 person out of fity is able to do undercover work in a hostile enviroment without cracking, for decades. This is really a crude estimate but it leaves us with fifty to a hundred antarans who can work as spies. (This was just a short computation for myself to check the number of the possible spies)
About Maria. If your boyfriend doesn't call you, and his supposed best friend tells you that he went to another star system for an art conference then what do you suppose:
a) your boyfriend is an asshole, left you and his friend is covering him
b) your boyfriend went to an art conference and he is being a man and forgets to call you because he is too busy ogling the waitresses
c) your boyfriend and his friend are both aliens, and your friend is not neglecting you because she found the love of her life, but because she is too busy betraying her race? Further thoughts on Maria, see A/C at end of BtS
Again, A/C was nearly as long as the part itself
Three days later
Most of the damages from the battle were repaired by now. The Fourth lost about a dozen fighters, three gunboats, and no larger ships. Only a fraction of the defense force that Vertigo used to have. It took twelve hours for the Alliance Scouts to clear the planet, with the assistance of the fifty something human cruisers, which descended into the atmosphere. Thirty-one thousand were saved in total. Thirty-one out of two hundred thousand. A one-in-seven thousand chance. They were sure lucky.
The survivors were placed on the battleships, but it was only a temporary solution. Liz already ordered the assembly of a jump-ship from the spare parts on Destiny. They only had to connect a bridge and a fusion reactor to one of the spare SI drives. The Loki got the task of ferrying back the civilians to Earth. It likely meant a promotion for Colonel Wronsky - Liz was sure that they'd try to buy her loyalty. She talked extensively about it with Erika, and they agreed that she will accept the bribes and "betray" her Admiral, but until than, she will have a few things to say to the press.
The talks were proceeding smoothly. More than smoothly, extremely fast. Prince Zander, the commander of the Moonbeam, "admitted" that they've been watching humanity for a while. He invited humanity to a peace talk to his mother world. Under different circumstances this would have been considered a suicidal move for the Alliance, but this time both parties knew that the cards have already been dealt, and more importantly, they were the dealers. Liz reported back that she just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to map the defenses of the alien's capital. The answer that will forbid her to do anything like it will arrive only in eight days, and she will be many light-years away when it will reach her .She didn't need prophecy to know this, it was the only possible answer the Council could give. Well, as long as she is the one in charge out here, they can order anything they want, but they can do absolutely nothing to make her obey.
She knew that they will get suspicious of her, three days from total anonymity to peace talks was lot less than the three months or three years normally expected, but she didn't have that much time. And some time will have to pass until they will even think about the possibility of being betrayed. She had to conclude this business before the Council could intervene. She left time for the stories of the survivors to get around, before she had her next announcement. This will be the last step in leading away the crew of the Fourth from the leadership of the Republic. She needed them to become her own, private army, only loyal to her. There might come a time when they'll be forced to choose between her and the Republic, and by that time, they'll have to be ready to make the right choice. She didn't know the true extent of her capabilities, but she suspected that they are far more powerful than she ever imagined. After the battle, she was sure that she could beat the all the other fleets in quick succession if they came one by one. The most frightening thing was that she wasn't sure that she would be defeated if they all came at her together.
By now, the rumors of their Admiral's performance during the battle had spread among the whole fleet. The fighter jocks reported similar feelings too, in mortal danger their abilities multiplied. The performance ratio of the precog-driven vessels increased with four hundred percent, and it decided the decades old race between the fighters and the drones.
She didn't talk about it to anyone yet. There were just too many things to do, and no one could corner the Admiral on the bridge, demanding to know why they won the battle so easily. She avoided everyone, not knowing exactly what to say to Alex, Kyle, or Jim if they asked what the hell happened there. She was just not ready to answer those questions. But the time has come. Today will decide whether she will be able to remain the Admiral of the Fourth Republic Fleet or not.
She was in her room, in front of Destiny's secondary bridge. She gathered her thoughts and went over what she was going to say. She tried to probe ahead into the future, but her speech held no immediate consequences, so she couldn't use her gift to decide what to say. She was more nervous than she had been in years, save for some of the times with Max. So much depended on the next five minutes!
She cleared her throat, requested a channel to the whole Fourth and began:
"This is Admiral Parker speaking. I'm sorry to interrupt your work, but I think I owe you an apology for not being honest with you...
L. B > Wow, I've never been compared to Frank Herbert, at least not favorably. Tnx. I hoped that it was clear from chapter 1 of HotS that antarans, renuls (or renulars) and draconians are the three humanoid races out of the Nine. (Of course they call themselves draconid or antarid instead of humanoid) So antarans have two legs, two arms, etc, like when I described Max somewhere, and that's how an average antaran looks like. Shapechanging abilities are limited extremely. Let's say one of every five hundred thousand is able to do a full body change, to change into another antaran( the rate of the really talented piano players or chess players) , and one out of ten powerful shapeshifters can morf into humans or renulars( the geniuses, who have international fame). Only even fewer can copy the draconians, because of the small frame. But all antarans can do small alterations, especially over a long period of time, like consciously growing stronger muscles or getting a few cms higher over a year.
Full body change means a crude replication of some of the more vital systems, so it takes months to learn a race. The royal family has extremely strong dominant genes, that's why both Max and Isabel were able to morph into humans.
So shifters are categorized by the strength of the alterations they can make and the speed with which they make them, and the royals (and the rest of the Earth-team) are on top in both categories (the Royal Four means the King, the Queen, the Prince and the Princess, Ava and Michael are excluded)
So one out of five million is able to copy a human. Old age or youth elinimates the half of them. There are about ten to twenty billion antarans. Let's say that 1 person out of fity is able to do undercover work in a hostile enviroment without cracking, for decades. This is really a crude estimate but it leaves us with fifty to a hundred antarans who can work as spies. (This was just a short computation for myself to check the number of the possible spies)
About Maria. If your boyfriend doesn't call you, and his supposed best friend tells you that he went to another star system for an art conference then what do you suppose:
a) your boyfriend is an asshole, left you and his friend is covering him
b) your boyfriend went to an art conference and he is being a man and forgets to call you because he is too busy ogling the waitresses
c) your boyfriend and his friend are both aliens, and your friend is not neglecting you because she found the love of her life, but because she is too busy betraying her race? Further thoughts on Maria, see A/C at end of BtS
Again, A/C was nearly as long as the part itself
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silverofroswell
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 3:29 pm
- Location: Hungary
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Sword of Flame
Part 13
Parry. Parry. Thrust. Parry. Cut low. Blades back high. Cross. Pull back. Parry high. Kick out. Jump. Thrust. Parry. Damn!
The Prince of Antar swore loudly as he slipped. He can’t fall; it’d mean his death! He was fighting desperately to keep his balance. He was fighting an opponent with skill matching his own. The fight had been going on for minutes by now, but he could claim no successes so far. He was constantly backing away, mostly just parrying the otherwise deadly blows, and sometimes launching a quick low strike. He wasn’t sure that he’d be able to penetrate the opponent’s defenses.
He was already sweating hard, figuratively speaking. He wore only a loose shirt and tight pants. The shield generator was securely attached to his belt, but both he and the opponent used dual energy blades that were able to cut through almost any shield. He launched a series of attacks, but his blows were easily deflected. He just can’t be defeated! Especially not by his own sister!
They were dueling in one of the training rooms of the palace. Couples were circling on the grand floor, seemingly immersed in the deadly dance, but he was sure that everyone kept half an eye on him. There were always a few healers in the gym. Only expert bladesmen were allowed in here, but accidents always happened.
He only came down here to regain a bit of his lost edge, to do some solo exercises, but Isabel appeared almost instantly and challenged him which he of course just couldn’t turn down. He expected an easy victory, but it seems that Lonnie practiced a lot more than he did, since they got back. He was quite hapless at what to do against his sister’s swirling blades. She thrust forward her right weapon, aiming for her brother’s eyes, while launching the left towards his stomach. Without flinching, he slapped her blades outwards, leaving her momentarily defenseless. Smelling victory, he lurched forward, aiming for her heart, ready to stop a millimeter above her skin. His caution was unnecessary; he met his sister’s kick in the middle of the jump. He was sent back stumbling. With two quick motions, she took away his weapons, and pinned him down with her swords.
He shrugged, admitting his defeat. She took away her energy blades from his throat and helped him up .Antarans didn’t sweat, but he had a strong urge to wipe his face clean with the hem of his shirt.
`So, Zan, have you had breakfast? `
`Not yet. Maybe we should. `
`No, I already ate. I would eat alone, if I were you. ` The second part came in Human. Max concentrated and changed his throat to be able to speak Human too.
`Seems a nice idea. Anything I should know about?` There were a few who raised their heads because of the alien sounds, but quickly looked away when they saw who were talking.
`Just your bride. She came exactly when I finished, and didn’t look like she was about to leave soon.
`Oh.` He just sighed. It was getting hard to avoid Aviana everyday. The palace was a big place, but the high nobility ate together in one dining room along with the most honored guests. Everyone supposed that they’ve spent a lot of time together, but in fact, he only met her two times since the party, and both were random encounters, and he practically fled both times. He just couldn’t let her touch him. He knew that he should come up with something soon, maybe asking for some space, or anything, because she was getting suspicious.
`Let’s go for a walk instead!` He just shrugged and followed her to the garden.
Isabel
At last I finally managed to get him alone. Two days has passed since the message arrived from Liz, and he had been on the warpath ever since. He managed to convince the Senate that we have to send a relief force to the conquered human planet and that he has to be the head of the diplomats. I think my father agreed to all of this because he is glad that his son is taking up some responsibilities at last. If he only knew! I don’t know how they’ll be able to keep it from Mum and Dad. It is almost impossible for bond-mates to pretend that they are not together. Well, we’ll have to face that problem when it comes up. The expeditionary force leaves in two days, we have to get there exactly when Liz does. She will slow down the progress of her fleet if she has to in order to meet my brother right on time on the battlefield. Coincidences like this are hard to arrange. He spent yesterday on the ships, supervising the works. Rath went off to the Eleventh Draconian Fleet right after the message came. He’ll only be the SINC, at least until he catches up with the new weaponry and tactics developed in the last decade. The talronid’s territory is quite far from the humans, we are nearly in the middle of them. Or the supposed territory of the talronids. We have no idea where they came from, two hundred years ago, they just appeared one day out of nothing and destroyed the Talron system. That’s where they got their name. There seems to be an endless supply of them, and we’ve never found any talronid planets. In this war, we’ve been on the defensive from the beginning. According to all books on tactics, this is a sure sign that you are losing. We’d managed to track down a group of Talrons about thirty year ago and destroyed them. Ever since, the borders have been relatively quiet. Only a few smaller Talrons attacked, and they were easily defeated. This attack on Vertigo can mean only bad things. But that’s not what I’ve wanted to talk about with my brother. I’ve counted the days, and it just doesn’t add up. It takes four days to get a message to Old Earth from Vertigo, three to get it here and ten to reach Vertigo from Earth. And still, we are supposed to meet Liz in Vertigo nine days from now, instead of five. Four days are missing, and this is just one of the mysteries.
What was more forbidden than his relationship with Liz? What did he have to fight the Granolith for? I’ve done my report to them, and now I want to get answers!
>Shiesty23: I'm honored to get your first post, welcome on the board.
Sword of Flame
Part 13
Parry. Parry. Thrust. Parry. Cut low. Blades back high. Cross. Pull back. Parry high. Kick out. Jump. Thrust. Parry. Damn!
The Prince of Antar swore loudly as he slipped. He can’t fall; it’d mean his death! He was fighting desperately to keep his balance. He was fighting an opponent with skill matching his own. The fight had been going on for minutes by now, but he could claim no successes so far. He was constantly backing away, mostly just parrying the otherwise deadly blows, and sometimes launching a quick low strike. He wasn’t sure that he’d be able to penetrate the opponent’s defenses.
He was already sweating hard, figuratively speaking. He wore only a loose shirt and tight pants. The shield generator was securely attached to his belt, but both he and the opponent used dual energy blades that were able to cut through almost any shield. He launched a series of attacks, but his blows were easily deflected. He just can’t be defeated! Especially not by his own sister!
They were dueling in one of the training rooms of the palace. Couples were circling on the grand floor, seemingly immersed in the deadly dance, but he was sure that everyone kept half an eye on him. There were always a few healers in the gym. Only expert bladesmen were allowed in here, but accidents always happened.
He only came down here to regain a bit of his lost edge, to do some solo exercises, but Isabel appeared almost instantly and challenged him which he of course just couldn’t turn down. He expected an easy victory, but it seems that Lonnie practiced a lot more than he did, since they got back. He was quite hapless at what to do against his sister’s swirling blades. She thrust forward her right weapon, aiming for her brother’s eyes, while launching the left towards his stomach. Without flinching, he slapped her blades outwards, leaving her momentarily defenseless. Smelling victory, he lurched forward, aiming for her heart, ready to stop a millimeter above her skin. His caution was unnecessary; he met his sister’s kick in the middle of the jump. He was sent back stumbling. With two quick motions, she took away his weapons, and pinned him down with her swords.
He shrugged, admitting his defeat. She took away her energy blades from his throat and helped him up .Antarans didn’t sweat, but he had a strong urge to wipe his face clean with the hem of his shirt.
`So, Zan, have you had breakfast? `
`Not yet. Maybe we should. `
`No, I already ate. I would eat alone, if I were you. ` The second part came in Human. Max concentrated and changed his throat to be able to speak Human too.
`Seems a nice idea. Anything I should know about?` There were a few who raised their heads because of the alien sounds, but quickly looked away when they saw who were talking.
`Just your bride. She came exactly when I finished, and didn’t look like she was about to leave soon.
`Oh.` He just sighed. It was getting hard to avoid Aviana everyday. The palace was a big place, but the high nobility ate together in one dining room along with the most honored guests. Everyone supposed that they’ve spent a lot of time together, but in fact, he only met her two times since the party, and both were random encounters, and he practically fled both times. He just couldn’t let her touch him. He knew that he should come up with something soon, maybe asking for some space, or anything, because she was getting suspicious.
`Let’s go for a walk instead!` He just shrugged and followed her to the garden.
Isabel
At last I finally managed to get him alone. Two days has passed since the message arrived from Liz, and he had been on the warpath ever since. He managed to convince the Senate that we have to send a relief force to the conquered human planet and that he has to be the head of the diplomats. I think my father agreed to all of this because he is glad that his son is taking up some responsibilities at last. If he only knew! I don’t know how they’ll be able to keep it from Mum and Dad. It is almost impossible for bond-mates to pretend that they are not together. Well, we’ll have to face that problem when it comes up. The expeditionary force leaves in two days, we have to get there exactly when Liz does. She will slow down the progress of her fleet if she has to in order to meet my brother right on time on the battlefield. Coincidences like this are hard to arrange. He spent yesterday on the ships, supervising the works. Rath went off to the Eleventh Draconian Fleet right after the message came. He’ll only be the SINC, at least until he catches up with the new weaponry and tactics developed in the last decade. The talronid’s territory is quite far from the humans, we are nearly in the middle of them. Or the supposed territory of the talronids. We have no idea where they came from, two hundred years ago, they just appeared one day out of nothing and destroyed the Talron system. That’s where they got their name. There seems to be an endless supply of them, and we’ve never found any talronid planets. In this war, we’ve been on the defensive from the beginning. According to all books on tactics, this is a sure sign that you are losing. We’d managed to track down a group of Talrons about thirty year ago and destroyed them. Ever since, the borders have been relatively quiet. Only a few smaller Talrons attacked, and they were easily defeated. This attack on Vertigo can mean only bad things. But that’s not what I’ve wanted to talk about with my brother. I’ve counted the days, and it just doesn’t add up. It takes four days to get a message to Old Earth from Vertigo, three to get it here and ten to reach Vertigo from Earth. And still, we are supposed to meet Liz in Vertigo nine days from now, instead of five. Four days are missing, and this is just one of the mysteries.
What was more forbidden than his relationship with Liz? What did he have to fight the Granolith for? I’ve done my report to them, and now I want to get answers!
>Shiesty23: I'm honored to get your first post, welcome on the board.