I paused to make sure she was finished. “We are banged up.” I admitted. “But we are both alive. Admiral, I need to brief you; We are aboard a Gilbaglian escape pod. The dropship squadron just passed us, but we are being relayed by a Undulon ship with a Blutencer host.”
“Who the fuck are the Undulon?”
“Allies of the Cetoplin,” The voice of the Blutencer broke in over our conversation. “Please excuse this interruption. Colonel Valentine’s companion is grievously wounded and may not survive. We are now relaying the pod location. We have the pod secured in a dampening field so that it will not be able to travel further beyond it’s current position. Please make haste to this location.”
It didn’t take Mallory’s crew more than a minute and the huge carrier loomed outside of the pod’s viewport. I slumped back. The Eternity was doubtlessly the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life at that moment.
“Wonderful.” The voice crowed. “Admiral Valentine, my name is Mike.”
I glanced at the speaker in the wall. Mallory was silent for a long moment.
“Mike?” She asked after a long moment.
“Yes. As I told the Colonel, we have lived on Earth for many millions of years. We…have adopted some of your names.”
I shook my head. This galaxy was getting smaller every day and I was going to need a notebook to keep track of everyone soon.
“Okay…” Mallory said.
“Admiral, the Undulon are ready to decloak their ships. There are only seven of them, and each will fit easily inside of your ship’s hangar bay. Colonel Valentine has promised there will be no hostilities, may we confirm that with your word?”
“Colonel?” Mallory asked me.
“I did.” I confirmed, helping Rosita to her feet as five tenders escorted by five Viper attack fighters closed on us, latched onto the pod and then began to haul it towards the Eternity.
“Then that is what shall be.” Mallory replied to the Blutencer.
“Wonderful. We are decloaking now.”
If the voice coming out of nowhere to save me was a shock, I had my entire sanity shattered by the appearance of the Undulon ship. Each one was shaped differently, slightly bulbous with bristling communication masts and massive engine pods. I blinked several times. They had simply appeared, from thin air.
“Requesting permission to dock with your carrier,” Mike said brightly.
“Granted,” Mallory said. “Please allow us to complete recovery operations and we will clear a deck for your ships…um, Mike.”
The Blutencer chuckled and signed off the comm channel.
“Permission to come aboard, Admiral?” I asked. Rosita smiled broadly at me.
“Granted,” She snapped, clearly angry. “And you’re never leaving again.”
---
The pod was lowered gently onto the deck of the Eternity, where it settled gently. I felt the heavier gravity of the Vandorian ship and sighed in relief. I hated shipboard duty, but I would definitely rejoice if I never had to ride an escape pod.
I hit the controls and explosive bolts blew the hatch off the pod, where it landed on the gleaming black deck with a heavy bang. I stepped out, facing Mallory, who had her arms crossed and a scowl on her beautiful face. I managed to salute. “Colonel Valentine reporting as ordered, Admiral.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed explosively then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. The deck exploded in applause as dozens of crew, soldiers, and personnel hurried forward to embrace or slap me on the shoulder, shake my hand. My uniform was basically tattering, and it only took a couple of moments before the medics had Rosita out of the pod and on her way to the medical suite, and I gripped my wife’s hand as my knees buckled. A heavy pair of hands grabbed my shoulders and a smaller body pushed itself under my arm to help me stand. I looked up and saw Lieutenant Antillon and Captain Dawes helping me to stand. I grinned at them.
“Thanks,” I said. “I’m a little tired.”
Mallory slid herself under my other arm and they helped me walk to the medical bay.
Doctor Kahleesh turned around and looked at me and then rolled his eyes. “Of course, you would survive.” He sighed. “I had additional shift duty on weather or not you would survive. Now you’re going to make me work overtime, Colonel.” He nodded at one of the beds. “Put him over there and I’ll see what is wrong with him now.”
I chuckled as they put me on the bed. I was too proud to be carried into the medical bay on a stretcher, but I wasn’t too proud to accept help from my wife and fellow officers. And hey, I’d mostly walked here on my own. I looked over to where Rosita was on a bed with several tubes and monitors attached to her.
“Is she going to be okay, doc?” I asked, jerking my chin at the closed doors. I looked at him and saw my bio signs reflected on his glasses, his eyebrows raised.
“At the moment, I’m more concerned with you, Colonel.”
“How bad is he?” Mallory asked.
“His liver is lacerated, one of his kidneys is ruptured. He had massive internal bleeding, a torn rotator cuff, ripped muscles, his wrist his broken in six places, he has four dislocated fingers and a herniated disk.” He looked over my head at Mallory and smirked. “He’ll be fine.”
“What about Rosita?” I fairly gasped as he poked around where my liver was. “Hey, I still need whatever is left of that thing.” I said.
“Well, you clearly didn’t think so when you were out getting yourself into trouble.” He poked me again. “I think we can save it without surgery. We’re definitely going to need to put you under for that disk though.”
“Doctor!” I shouted in my best command voice. “What about my pilot!?”
He looked back at the doors and swallowed hard. “Colonel, I don’t know. She did not have our gene modifications, and she took a beating. I’m amazed she is still alive.”
I closed my eyes. “Do what you can to save her, please. She followed me into the gates of hell and fought like a woman with twice her experience. I looked at my wife. “Admiral?”
“Yes, Colonel?” She asked, tears in her eyes.
“Respectfully, Admiral, Flight Officer Daniels is the reason I am standing here alive. Without her bravery and courage, I would not have survived that mission. I would like to request that she receive a commission and the Navy Star, regardless of her status after this day.”
Mallory nodded and tears spilled from her eyes. “Consider it done, Colonel.”
“Thank you, Admiral.”
I closed my eyes and welcomed the oblivion of the pain killers.
Chapter Fifteen
---
Vandorian Carrier Shadow of Eternity
On Station, Human manufacturing world Cesspool, Formerly “Winged Freedom”
Four Days Later
I awoke some time three days following and learned I had missed the reception of the new allies of the Human Empire: The Undulon and the Blutencer. Mallory played me a video recording of the ceremony and we had a private chuckle at the odd looking Undulon, who Mallory informed me when I asked, they were “Noodle people or some shit, I don’t know.” To which I had nearly broken sutures with laughter.
Rosita Daniels, the fearless Phelb pilot that had risked her life to get me aboard the Gilbaglian flagship, visited me the day I was to be released to the medical center. She looked smart in her new Navy uniform complete with her new rank insignia and the Navy Star pinned to her lapel.
She looked bright, her body seemed stronger and she overall looked healthy.
“Colonel Valentine.” She said with a smart salute. My fingers were still just a little swollen, but I returned the gesture.
“Lieutenant Daniels,” I replied with a smile. “It is very good to see you.”
She smiled her shy smile and looked down. “Sir, I haven’t had the chance to thank you.”
I blinked. “For what, Lieutenant?”
“For getting me off that ship.” She said softly. “I saw your mission
report. I have no idea how you overpowered all those Gilbaglians and managed to escape. Or how you found the Blutencer.”
“They found us,” I replied. “And you don’t need to thank me, Lieutenant. I would never leave anyone behind, no matter what the cost.”
“I don’t care what you say, sir. You have my deepest thanks. And I hope someday I will get to return the favor.”
I smirked anyways and extended a hand. She shook it, then turned smartly and departed. Shuffling to where a fresh uniform was folded neatly on the chair of the recovery wing, I paused to look at myself in the mirror. A livid red scar now ran from my brow straight down my cheek and ended at my jawline. I had been told that somewhere in the carnage of my escape from the Gilbaglians, I had ripped a hard drive out of its slot in the wall, and it also happened to be the exact intel I was after.
Somehow.
Hehe.
It also contained recordings up to the moment when I’d ripped it from the socket and went sprinting down the long corridor. Apparently, I’d allowed myself to enter a black out rage and had killed a dozen Gilbaglians with my bare hands before getting my hands on my weapons and using them to continue violence. I’d killed most of the fifty bridge crew and then tore off down the passageway, with my intel, with my pilot, and managed to escape.
Not because I’m an action hero or anything. But because I. Always. Finish. My. Fucking. Mission.
Mallory had sent the data back to Earth and the holographic recordings of Antillion’s interrogations and allowed the entire human population to see what the Gilbaglians had done to both our creators and then us.
There was some human resentment that the Cetoplins were technically the god they wanted to worship, but fortunately Davon slapped them down fairly quickly.
That isn’t to say there wasn’t some serious intrigue going on, when we discovered that the Blutencer were not just allies, but a creature we knew well.
The space-faring variety of the Blutencer was, surprisingly…
An Octopus.
That’s right. An eight-legged, suction cupped ocean-dwelling Octopus.
Of course, they didn’t call themselves that, but my shock when I first met one was instant. They had lived on Earth beneath the oceans as not to disturb our development, but also to hide from the Meyges.
The Undulon had searched for their allies for over a hundred fifty thousand years, and only discovered them after the Blutencer sent a message from Earth for them to pick up a select number of their race so they could aid their unwitting hosts.
If the Blutencer were surprising, the Undulon were totally out of this galaxy.
They stood over twelve feet tall, and for all of the joking, Mallory had been nearly accurate to call them “noodle people.” They were made up mostly of bony cartilage and were incredibly, weirdly flexible. They had four knee joints and eight arm joints, and it made them move in incredibly strange and creepy ways.
This also showed fully their reasoning for staying out of the fighting. They did not understand “firm bodied species” like humans and Cetoplins and Meyges, who stood tall and rigid, so they relied on stealth and sneak to win battles instead of brute force. And why they also sought defense from stronger species, like Cetoplins, Meyges…
…and humans.
The Council arrived a day before I’d escaped the evil clutches of the doctors and signed a formal mutual aid and peace treaty with the Undulon, and were willing to do so with the Blutencer, who only giggled in their weird way and said they were already a part of the human empire, since they had spent so long in our territory.
I found the fact that they had quaint human names like “Mike”, “Dave” and “Larry” incredibly comical and somewhat unnerving. The fact that everything was a joke to them and they giggled like little children constantly was even weirder.
I poured my sore and aching body into my uniform and had nearly managed to get my pants on all by myself when Mallory came through the doors.
“You are supposed to be resting for another four hours.”
“Fuck that,” I gasped, forcing my leg into the uniform fatigues, only to discover they were too small. I frowned up at Mallory. “Booster?” I asked.
She nodded and pulled another pair of fatigues out of the locker on the wall. “Only for you though, Colonel.”
“What is it this time?” I asked, wondering what kind of crap the Doctor thought up to shove into my genetic code this time.
“It’s a combination shot this time, Destota.” She said softly. “First, your bones were not as strong as your muscles, so they’ve given you a growth supplement. Second, you were pumped full of medical nano to repair any damage you sustain in battle.”
I raised my eyebrows. “So…I’m a mechanical man?”
“Hardly.” She rolled her eyes. “But you will be less likely to suffer internal bleeding and injuries this way. Since we can’t seem to keep you out of battles, you’re going to need to be stronger. Unfortunately, the growth supplement also enhanced your muscles. Again.”
This was moderately annoying. I’d have to recycle all of my uniforms and order new complete sets.
“Any other good news?”
“There are octopi crawling all over my ship.” She said with disgust evident in her voice. “Installing Undulon modifications.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes. And on Saisei, Orion’s Fury and Makalos.”
I frowned. “Makalos?”
“It means “peerless” in Swedish.” She replied. “It’s…pretty incredible.”
“How big is it, compared to Shockwave?” I had designed the Shockwave myself on Novela while we rearmed for the war with the Phelbs, and I had used a City Carrier to build it, so the damn battleship was almost nine miles long and was armed and armored so heavily that I had my doubts that anything could destroy it.
“Smaller, but faster, and heavier.” She meant the tonnage. I explained it earlier, but once more for the dim kids: tonnage refers to how much mass a ship can carry, and in the case of spaceborne battleships, refers to how much weaponry it can expend.
“Impressive.” I paused. “Who built it?”
“Combined Phelb and Vandorian crews.” Mallory said, holding up my blouse as I pulled on my T-Shirt. “And before you ask, it is here and ready for whatever suicidal mission you have thought up.”
I grinned. “This time I’m sending Antillon into it.” I said, accepting the blouse and pulling it on. “I think he’ll be a good fit to command the Night Stalkers as my executive until MacKenzie gets back.”
“Um.” Mallory looked around. “About that.”
I raised an eyebrow. Usually, she didn’t even consider stepping into the affairs of the Night Stalkers, so her interference would have a very exceptional reason. “Yes?”
“Chancellor Wrathe asked that he be allowed to send…Major Venlent, to assist until MacKenzie comes back. If he does.”
I blinked at her slowly, twice.
“She’s here?” I asked.
“She is here.” Mallory nodded. “And just remember you need another day to let the nano help you recover.”
“Yeah, I’ll worry about everything else tomorrow. Mind helping me find our cabin? I don’t remember where I sleep.”
“Gladly.” She replied. “But there are a few people here that want to see you.”
“How many appendages do they have?” I asked slightly panicked.
Mallory laughed as the door opened and nodded at Dawes, Severson and, to my great surprise, Wingell.
I frowned at the smallish Vandorian. “Councilor?” I said, shaking his offered hand.
“I just wanted to see what it looked like when someone else was getting shot.” He quipped. Ever since he’d been treated for his minor dementia after his actions on Vandor, he had received a full pardon from the Council and then had continued to serve with honor since that fearful time. But when he’d been acting like a moron, I’d shot him a couple of times.
“It doesn’t fe
el as great as it looks.” I confessed with a grin. “It is good to see you again, Councilor.”
“You as well, Colonel. May we walk and talk for a moment?” He looked pointedly at Mallory.
“As long as it is in the direction of our cabin.” She warned, pointing at him. “And don’t let him fall down.”
“I’m not going to fall down.” I objected. I’d been out of bed doing sit ups and push-ups to keep my cardio intact when the Doctors had left me alone. “I may fall asleep, but I won’t fall down.”
We walked a short distance before Wingell turned and handed me a wooden box. I opened it and laughed, then tossed it back to him. “I’m not going to become a General.” I said. “I need to be in the front lines, Councilor. Perhaps someday, when the fighting is ended, I can retire to that post. But for now, I am needed elsewhere.”
He shrugged. “You can’t blame us for trying. Perhaps this is more suited to your taste.” He tossed another box to me, then held up a hand when I glared at him. “This one comes from your wife,” He said. “And the rest of the Council. And you can’t return it.”
It was a medal. A gold cross with a Valkyrie emblazoned on it, casting a thunderbolt. The Vandorian Legion of Honor, the highest Military honor awarded. To my knowledge, only two Vandorians had ever received the medal, and the other was my father.
I stared at Wingell. “I don’t want this, either.” I said, snapping the box closed and offering it back to him.
“A decoration then.” He insisted, pushing it back towards me. “Chancellor Wrathe and Councilor Moore have insisted. It is in your file regardless.”
“Someday I want to see that file.” I said with a faint grin.
I’m not egotistical.
Okay. I am. I’m a guy, cut me some slack. And I would, someday, love to kick back with a few drinks and read my files and laugh at the story it tells.
Oh wait…
Right.
“Someday perhaps we will indeed,” Wingell said with a smile. “But first, we need to address the situation we are faced with. Have you had word from the Shockwave?”
Requiem of a Nightmare Page 16
