Phantom 500 - Episodes 1 - 5

by Alex C. McDonald

  “That door there,” said Captain Riker referring to the door they had all just exited, “is the only spot that is not covered by the force field. If the Lycans find it that is their way into the colony.”

  “Yes, sir,” Riker’s three companions said as they all understood what he meant. They were all dressed in special spacesuits that allowed them to breathe and stay warm outside on Europa. The four weapons were located in a square formation around the colony. Riker found a small hatch in the ground where the cockpit for his weapon was and he jumped inside and closed the hatch behind him. It was a cramped space with space for one person to sit. Riker turned on the weapons and the screen lit up before him. Out of the ground four-large barreled cannons emerged and aimed at the sky. “Riker ready.”

  “Randell here and ready.”

  “Coen here and ready to go.”

  “Kakura, are you ready?” said Riker.

  “Just a moment, Captain. It’s a bit of tight squeeze,” said Kakura he was finding it difficult to get comfortable in the cramped space. He laid his 6-barrelled Gatling gun/rocket launcher behind him. “Okay I’m ready.”

  “Good. Everyone, we’ve got some pretty heavy duty weapons at our disposal here so let’s make sure we give the Lycan’s something to remember,” said Riker.

  The large Lycan Destroyer was close now and three fighter jets zoomed out of its cargo hold and darted towards the colony. The large sixteen cannons got ready to fire.

  “Captain, should we fire?” said Kakura.

  “Just hold on gentlemen. They are heading for the colony and I want to make sure they are here to fight. The force field will be able to hold if they fire,” said Riker. The fighter jets zoomed past Riker’s cannons.

  “Sir, they are in my field. Do you want me to fire?” said Coen.

  “No, hold,” said Riker. The Lycan fighter jets hovered above the colony circling it.

  “What are they doing?” said Randell. Then, the three jets began the aggression and fired a missile each at the colony. They exploded on the roof shaking the small pod. The miners inside fell to the ground, but the force field held.

  “Take them down boys,” said Riker. All at once sixteen cannons aimed themselves at the three fighter jets and fired. One after the other they exploded and crumbled. The inexperienced miners in the colony cheered.

  “Well done, Captain Riker,” said Raheem, the Control Officer, over the microphone.

  “I’m afraid we’re not out of it yet, Raheem,” said Riker. They looked up and fighter jets began pouring out of the Lycan Star Destroyer.

  “How many sir?” said Coen.

  “Dozens. Fire at will!” said Riker. The cannons turned and lit up the sky as they fired on the incoming torrent of Lycan Fighter Jets. Several bumped and crashed into one another as the fire from the cannon’s exploded their comrades around them, but many made it past the cannon’s fire and zoomed towards the colony’s main structure.

  “There’s too many of them!” screamed Coen as a Lycan fighter jet darted past his fire and was poised to send a missile straight at him. However, Kakura swung his cannons around and fired on the fighter jet, saving Coen.

  “Too many? Ha-ha, there are never too many Lycans to kill,” said Kakura, who then swung his cannons back around and began firing again. Despite the four men operating the anti-aircraft weaponry, the Lycan Fighter Jets were getting through to the colony’s home.

  “Lycan tanks at 10 o’clock!” said Riker. Captain James Riker quickly changed the frequency of his radio. “Aurora, tell me the Phantom 500 is ready to go.”

  “I’m ready, Sir. Make your way back now and we should be good to go,” said Aurora.

  “I’m not making my way back, Aurora. There’s no way we’d get out of here without any cover fire. You're going to have to do this one alone,” said Riker.

  “But Captain.”

  “No, buts. When you get into space and your communication’s are fine, you mayday for help immediately. I’ll be okay once Starfleet get here. Now, launch!” said Riker.

  “Okay, sir. Ready to go,” said Aurora. Riker switched his radio frequency back to the others.

  “Okay, gentlemen. My pilots about to take off in my Phantom 500, we want to give her some cover fire so that she can make it out alive,” said Riker.

  “What? Without us?” said Coen.

  “Yes, it’s the best chance we’ve all got to get a message to Starfleet. She’s going to be coming out of the South part of the compound so direct your fire there,” said Riker.

  ***

  “I’m ready to launch,” said Aurora to Captain Riker.

  “Go for it,” said Riker.

  “Give me a nice clear path,” said Aurora.

  “Will do,” said Riker.

  Aurora clicked the Phantom 500 into readiness for launch and pre-programmed the ship to go into light speed as soon as it broke through Europa’s atmosphere. Her destination was Mars, where the largest docking stations of Starfleet Battle Destroyers were.

  The rocket’s turned on and burst out of the Europa docking station and up into the sky. The Phantom 500 was making a fast run for it, but the Lycan pilot’s saw the ship and several Lycan fighter jets darted for the Phantom 500. Explosions and debris ricocheted all around the Phantom 500, but Aurora kept the ship steady.

  Aurora barely had time to take a sigh of relief as the Phantom 500 broke out of Europa’s atmosphere, before the ship jumped into light speed.

  ***

  From the Lycan Destroyer two different objects came hurtling out of the sky. They landed on Europa’s icy surface with a crack and then began to morph. The Lycan’s realized they needed to make this invasion swift before Starfleet arrived.

  The objects morphed into tanks and had been sent to take out the anti-aircraft cannons. They fired at Coen’s position missing the cockpit where he was sat, but taking out one of his cannons, leaving him with only three.

  “Woah! That was close,” said Coen sweating.

  “Hang in there,” said Riker.

  “I’m sorry, James, but you’re not my Captain anymore and I’m not in the military anymore. I want to be behind that force field,” said Coen and he began climbing out of the cockpit he was in.

  “Coen, don’t you move. They’re not trying to take you out. That was a shot to scare you, they want you to run,” said Riker, but Coen didn’t care what Riker was saying as the panic had completely taken hold of him and he ran for the colony compound.

  “Captain, he’s a sitting duck out there,” said Kakura.

  “Yeah, but they’re not firing on him. They want us all to run so that we show them the way into the colony,” said Riker. “Goddammit! He’s left us with no other option, we’ve got to abandon our post and retreat otherwise we’ll be mince-meat once Coen shows the Lycan’s the entrance.”

  “I’ve got my gun for cover fire,” said Kakura.

  “I’m ready to run sir,” said Randell.

  “Let’s hope Aurora gets Starfleet here fast,” said Riker. “Okay gentlemen, retreat.”

  All at once, in the midst of a Lycan invasion, Riker, Kakura and Randell abandoned their post and joined their frightened comrade running for safety. Kakura couldn’t help but fire his Gatling gun a few times.

  “Kakura, no need for that. We’ve got to move fast to catch Coen, otherwise the Lycans will kill us,” said Riker. Kakura nodded and joined Riker and Randell in the sprint to the secret doorway. More objects tumbled out of the sky from the Lycan Destroyer and thudded on the ground cracking the ice around it.

  “Landing party’s sir, carrying infantry,” said Kakura. Riker turned around to see two-legged, skinny, humanoids dressed in futuristic-medieval armor; carrying rifles begin to jump out onto Europa’s surface.

  “Oh I remember them, my nightmares are coming true,” said Riker.

  “Mine too, but in this dream I have a rocket-launcher,” said Kakura who stopped running knelt down and fired a rocket at the landing Lycans. It exploded right
in the middle of the Lycans infantry, killing the first landing party.

  “Kakura, move! Coen is almost there,” said Riker. Kakura smiled and shrugged.

  “Not if I can help it,” said Kakura. He took his huge gun and squeezed the trigger gently so that only one bullet came out. It sailed through the air and pierced right into Coen’s left calf. Coen screamed and fell to the ground. “That should slow him down.”

  Riker, Randell and Kakura ran until they caught up to Coen, who was dragging himself along the ground with a panicked look on his face. Oxygen was fast leaving his suit and he was gasping for breath. Kakura picked him up and stared straight into his eyes.

  “Never leave your post,” said Kakura.

  “Kakura get down!” screamed Riker. A Lycan fighter jet swooped down at them and fired. Riker, Kakura and Randell jumped just inches out of the way, but the bullets didn’t miss Coen and he landed on the floor coughing blood.

  “Run! They’ve seen the entrance,” said Kakura. Riker quickly scooped up Coen and threw him over his shoulder. Kakura turned and fired his Gatling gun into the air at another incoming fighter jet that deterred the jet from firing. They all ran as a missile exploded nearby and jumped for the door, they heaved the injured body of Coen inside and shut it behind them. They then entered through another door and began frantically taking their spacesuits off as they were now in an oxygenated area.

  They were joined by other miners and they all began frantically stripping the clothes off Coen. Kakura shoved them all aside and grabbed the medical kit off a miner. There were three large bullet wounds on Coen’s Torso, four if you include the one Kakura put through his leg.

  Kakura breathed deeply and then delved into Coen’s wound with tweezers to find and remove the bullets. He pulled one out and threw it in a metal basin.

  “I-I’m sorry I ran,” said Coen to Kakura.

  “Hand me the Coronary Duratus Machine,” said Kakura. A miner unlatched a suitcase and pulled out what looked like a food blending machine, but instead of the mixer at the end it had a long sharp needle.

  “Here,” said the miner handing it to Kakura. Coen’s eyes widened in fear, but Kakura didn’t think for a moment and inserted the needle right through Coen’s sternum and into his heart and then pressed the button. Immediately, Coen’s heart stopped beating and his head fell limp to the side.

  “Was that necessary?” said Riker.

  “He was losing too much blood, I needed to stop his heart from pumping,” said Kakura. As quickly as he could Kakura pulled the remaining three bullets out, including the one in his leg and then pulled out a medical glue gun and glued the wounds and punctured organs back together. He then pressed the Coronary Duratus Machine again and Coen began coughing. Kakura held him up and allowed him to cough out the remaining blood until he was completely coherent again. The miners cheered Kakura’s valiant medical act.

  “Thank you,” said Coen.

  “I’m sorry I shot you in the leg,” said Kakura, but Coen just smiled.

  “I promise I’ll never leave my post again,” said Coen.

  “Raheem?” called Riker across the compound to Raheem who was frantically still typing on his computer. “Have you managed to get communications back up and running?”

  “I’m afraid not, Captain,” said Raheem.

  “Damn. Looks like we’ve got a last stand on our hands everyone,” said Riker.

  “Everyone, get what you can to make a barricade. We’re going to have Lycans coming through this door in any moment. You’ll need your spacesuits on as the pressure is going to change once they blast a hole there. Use whatever weapons you have and whatever you do, do not surrender,” said Riker.

  “Sir, I have the most powerful weapon. I want to be in the center,” said Kakura.

  “Of course. Fight bravely, friend,” said Riker who tapped Kakura on the shoulder. He then moved to help the scurrying miners shove together whatever they can to make a barricade. All wearing their spacesuits they were ready in record time. There were plenty of rifles to go around and the miners, Captain Riker and Kakura lined up behind the makeshift barricade of tables, chairs and whatever else they could find, ready to fight. It then went eerily silent.

  “What’s taking them so long?” said Kakura. He spoke too soon as a banging noise came from the doorway.

  “Here they are,” said Riker.

  “Captain, I feel sick.”

  “Sh, you’ll be fine, Raheem. Bury that deep inside and then use it to fight,” said Riker. “Starfleet’s coming.”

  “Thank you for staying with us and not running,” said Raheem.

  A small explosion sent the door off its hinges and when the dust settled 5 Lycan infantry appeared, dressed in their armor poised to fire. Kakura quickly took the opportunity and fired his Gatling gun. The Lycan’s armor was strong, but the bullets still pierced it and sent them to the ground.

  “Hey, leave some for the rest of us,” said Riker. Then the Lycans started pouring in. “Everyone, open fire!”

  Everyone immediately opened fire. Lycan infantrymen began piling up at the doorway, but more kept coming.

  “They’re using their own as shields,” said Raheem.

  “They always do,” replied Riker, who continued to fire. The Lycan soldiers piled up their dead and began pushing them forward aiming their rifles over the top. There were only a couple of meters now between the two opposing sides. Some of the miners began to fall to the ground with bullet wounds. The Lycans were so close now that Riker pulled out a handgun from his belt and shot one of them in the head at point-blank range.

  The Lycan’s jumped the barricade and it was hand to hand combat now. One of them pulled a blade from his belt and swung it at Kakura, who skillfully grabbed the wrist of the Lycan. He then broke the Lycan’s arm and took the sword from him and cut his head off.

  “Pull back!” screamed Riker.

  “To where, Captain?” said Kakura. He was right, there was nowhere to pull back to, the Lycans were on top of them. This was it. A Lycan jumped the barricade and landed right in front of Riker. Riker tried to lift his handgun and fire, but the Lycan was too quick and punched right through the glass of Riker’s helmet and right into his face, knocking him to the ground.

  Dazed and losing consciousness Riker was horrified at the scene around him. He saw three Lycans dive towards Raheem, who had tried to run back to his desk to contact Starfleet. Randell was being dragged away by two Lycan soldiers. Kakura was desperately beating away six or seven Lycan soldiers. Miners were screaming and falling.

  Riker blinked again and was sure it was his dwindling consciousness, but he was certain he could see a large man that was slightly translucent standing in the middle of the battle. He was extremely tall with short blond hair and bright green eyes that almost glowed. His clothes were humble robes that a monk might wear and the look on his face was one of deep concern. Riker was certain he was dying and he hoped that this was someone who was here to help him through to an afterlife.

  The large handsome being then looked over at Riker. He smiled and then winked. He then held up his right hand and vanished. Suddenly, the sounds of battle faded. He could still hear the terrified screams of the miners, but they too were stopping.

  “Captain? Captain, are you okay?” said Kakura kneeling down next to Riker. Kakura had a few scars and was bleeding. He quickly took the damaged helmet off Riker and replaced it with another one. One, which Riker suspected, was from a dead miner. However, Riker breathed again.

  “I’m okay,” said Riker who got up to his knees and then was helped to his feet by Kakura. He looked around and saw that there was not a Lycan in sight. Even the bodies of the dead Lycans had vanished and the Destroyer in the sky was no longer there. To his surprise, Aurora came running up and hugged Kakura and Riker at the same time.

  “Oh my god, what the hell happened,” she said with tears streaming down her face. The colony’s home was beginning to be filled with Starfleet soldiers and medical o
fficers, who began immediately attending to the injured and wounded.

  “I don’t know,” said Kakura. “One moment I had a dozen Lycan soldiers on top of me, the next I am wrestling with myself.”

  “I saw something or someone,” said Riker.

  “Who?” said Aurora.

  “A man. He was tall, taller than you, Kakura. And his eyes, they were this magnificent green,” said Riker.

  “Amazing,” said Kakura.

  “What?” said Aurora.

  “We were saved by an Ethereal,” said Kakura.

  “What’s an Ethereal?” said Riker.

  “Beings of Light. Rarely are they seen. In fact the only sightings my people have are from stories handed down through generations,” said Kakura.

  “What did they do with the Lycans?” said Aurora.

  “Who knows?” said Kakura.

  “Captain Riker, thank you. I don’t know what just happened, but thank you,” said Raheem.

  “Excuse me Captain. I am Lieutenant Percival, would you mind explaining what happened here?”

  “No, I think its best you ask Raheem here. He’s the one in charge. I’m sure their doctors will help with the injured. Permission to leave Raheem,” said Riker, who started walking to the docking station of the Phantom 500.

  “Well, permission not granted, Captain. Surely Starfleet will want to talk to you,” said Raheem.

  “Get them to send me an e-mail,” said Riker, who turned around and saw Aurora and Kakura not having moved yet. “Are you two coming?”

  “Yes, Captain,” they both said.

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  About the author

  Alex C. McDonald is a writer of fantasy, apocalyptic horror and science fiction.

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