Battleship Furiosa

by Michael G. Thomas

  They look so familiar, and so friendly, yet so very different to us.

  "Yes, it is very true. Time is relative. That is what we have always been taught."

  "Relative? Oh...I see."

  She looked away for a minute and then spoke again, but much more quietly.

  "So, you find the things that excite you move on too quickly? But the things you dislike will never end."

  Nate smiled. It was a simple enough statement, and one he was sure he and his friends could all agree with.

  "Exactly."

  "Ah," said Valdis, "I understand. The waiting for the next battle feels longer than it actually is. Yet when you are enjoying yourself, perhaps with good company, the time is gone too fast. This is the same...I think."

  Nate cocked his head a little as he listened. It was hard, due to her accent and mannerism to work out if she was playing with him or not. All of the young Byotai spoke English, and Nate still found it surprising they could speak it so well. Nonetheless, the language used by Valdis would have been considered flirting back on Relentless. Out here, and in this situation, he had simply no idea what was happening, only that he felt surprisingly comfortable around the alien pilots. Only then did Nate realise she was still waiting for an answer.

  "Uh...I...Yes, the same."

  Valdis chuckled once more, and Nate could feel his face reddening. She took a moment as she considered everything he'd said so far, but then took an interest in the way Nate's skin colour had shifted. He instantly felt self-conscious and looked for a way, any way to steer things away from him. He took it as an opportunity to ask something that had bothered him for some time now.

  "Valdis, how is it that you all speak our language so quickly, and so easily? A few decades ago you'd never even heard of us. Now you shame people like me. I must look and sound like a barbarian in your eyes."

  Their eyes met and locked together for a few seconds, until finally Nate relented and moved to his from hers. She was intoxicating in a way that not even the strong and wilful Private Valentine was.

  "Language is not difficult for us, Nate. As children, the well educated are expected to learn the tongues of all our neighbours. This is part of our study, and the neural trainers that we all practice with provide much assistance. I learnt your language three years ago, and I am glad you find it pleasing."

  Nate pulled his head back in surprise.

  "Wait a second. You speak other languages? Like Khreenk?"

  Valdis chuckled in that odd, throaty way. So intrigued was Nate, that he seemed to be missing all of her attempt at subtlety. She moved closer before answering.

  "Some of their dialects, yes. How can you expect to work and negotiate with your near neighbours, if you cannot understand them?"

  Nate laughed upon realising she was describing him perfectly.

  "Apologies, I am sure you speak many of your own tongues. I am led to believe you have hundreds of different languages from the old nationalities of Earth? Surely learning these must prove equally difficult?"

  "We do, but I don't know them very well. English is the most important language we have, and every citizen speaks it."

  He leaned in close.

  "We call it the Lingua Franca."

  Valdis mouthed the words but looked confused.

  "What is that?"

  Nate shuffled on his seat to move nearer to her. Now he could see her long, smooth hair that seemed to bend light through its colourless appearance. This close he could smell the cinnamon scent much more strongly.

  "It was originally a language spoken one and a half millennia ago, on Earth. Back then, traders would meet and be forced to communicate in their own languages. Lingua Franca mixed several languages together into a loose new language."

  "I see. And what does the name mean?"

  "Ah...I think it means language of the Franks. That was a name given to all the different peoples of the West that spoke similar languages. Today it is used where multiple cultures share words to create a hybrid language that is imperfect, but works between parties."

  Valdis licked her upper lip as she considered what he'd just said.

  "So, if I taught you some words from my own tongue, and you did the same for me. We could have a broken conversation?"

  Nate nodded slowly.

  "Yes, except you already understand my language only too well."

  "Perhaps I could share something with you, to get you started."

  Valdis placed her left hand in her bony forehead and then ran it along the deep brown lines that marked her skin.

  "My name Valdis Ferreus in your language, and you may not know, but second names are rare among my race."

  "I know. We've studied your people for some time now."

  She opened her mouth and bared her teeth with amusement.

  "Really? Well, my family name comes from a genetic trait. Ferreus is related to the chemical called Iron. When exposed to oxygen, it creates..."

  "Iron oxide," replied Nate, as though he was answering a test.

  "Exactly."

  Nate nodded with the sudden realisation as to the meaning of her name.

  "The name is related to the brown markings on your face."

  Her expression changed instantly, and she held out her hands and showed him the back. Apart from the subtle skin changes compared to human flesh, they were remarkably similar. The dark brown lines were clearly visible on the upper side as well.

  "The pigmentation covers my entire body."

  The door opened with a clunk and waiting there was the tall figure of Lieutenant Commander Holder. She wore PDS gear and carried her helmet under her arm.

  "Okay, people. Your break is over. It's time to mount up."

  Nate rose from his seat and found Valdis already on her feet and handing him his helmet. As he took it, her hand touched his for a brief moment. For some reason, Nate had assumed it would be hard and dry, but it had the same warm softness as his own.

  "Nate."

  "Yes?"

  She looked to the door as the pilots began to file out onto the hangar deck.

  "This is our fight, not yours. If it comes to it, do not sacrifice yourselves in vain. If my people fall, then you will be needed to defend your own worlds."

  Nate tried to look positive rather than the terrified teenager that he actually was. Even as he tried to speak, his heart was pounding away. So heavy was it that he worried the others might hear it.

  "Don't worry about that. Remember, we're here to scout the area, make contact with Makos, and to create a communication relay back to the fleet."

  "Yes," said Valdis, as she squeezed his hands, "But my people have a saying. No plan survives the first encounter with the enemy."

  Nate squeezed her hand, and as they released, he grinned. He had never expected to have such a conversation with the reptilian species, let alone find he had feelings towards one of them.

  "Valdis, we have that exact same saying."

  She laughed.

  "Then, perhaps we have a chance after all."

  The pilots fanned out on the hangar deck to find the mixture of human and alien crew standing to attention. Everything was ready, and with just ten fighters, there was little else for them to do. Lieutenant Commander Holder was already at her ladder and halfway up before she stopped and looked back at the other nine.

  "Ironclads, this is an auspicious day. Look at yourselves."

  Nate looked left and right, taking in the shapes of his friends, both old and new. All of them were in their flight gear and carrying sidearms, as was now required when in hostile space.

  "This is the first time we've operated a mixed squadron, but it is not the first time we've fought together. The Alliance and the Empire have been friends since that day almost sixteen years ago, when our ships burst into the Helion System. Within a few short years, we were embroiled in a massive war that has left us closer friends than ever."

  She pointed towards the bow of the battleship.

  "Today we will
help pull together the fleets of both our forces so that we can stand up to the tyranny of this so-called Star Empire. Are you ready?"

  The Alliance pilots lifted their arms and cheered, and the Byotai, who looked a little confused, then did the same.

  "Then get to your fighters, and remember your training. Stay in pairs, and follow my orders to the letter. Fly smart, fly safe. Good hunting!"

  And with that, they separated and headed for their fighters. Nate walked alongside Billy and Cassandra as they passed by Matilda. She was already up her ladder and climbing inside. As usual, she had nothing to say and concentrated on exactly what she had to do. Next was Billy, and Nate and Cassandra waited for a moment as he started to climb his ladder.

  "Be careful out there," said Nate.

  "Yeah," agreed Cassandra, "Let's all come back in one piece this time."

  Billy looked down at them both and laughed.

  "You two are having a laugh, right?"

  He jumped in, leaving the two of them to walk to their fighters. Cassandra stopped and extended her hand to his. They shook for the first time ever, and she then nodded to their Lightnings.

  "I'm not joking, Nate. I've got a bad feeling about this mission. Come back safe."

  She turned and left him alone to walk to his fighter without a friend nearby. Once there, he stopped and looked at it. The paintwork gleamed, and any signs of damage were hidden behind expert craftsmanship and the careful placement of new parts. His eyes moved to the right and found the pylons all fully loaded with ordnance.

  "Well, she ready to go. It's time."

  He turned to the left and found Valdis standing right beside him. In her hand she held a small golden motif. It was little bigger than a thumbnail, but she handed it to him as though it was the most valuable thing in her possession.

  "It is the emblem of the Ironclads. This one was given to me personally by the Imperator, hours before our last battle. It will bring you luck in this battle."

  She reached out and placed it in Nate's right hand. As he took it, she pushed forward, grasped him firmly, and kissed him on the lips. It was a short, but passionate affair that left him breathless. He watched her walk to her interceptor and then shook his head in surprise. Billy looked down from the side of his cockpit and waved furiously.

  "Way to go, Nate!"

  "Idiot," he muttered quietly, "Always knows how to kill the mood."

  * * *

  Two Byotai soldiers entered the bridge and marched into the centre to speak with the General. Commander Higgins watched for a second, fascinated by the way the aliens moved and behaved. They seemed so polite and civilised when in the company of others, but on this ship there was a harsh attitude, where everything was spoken with firm resolve, and the senior officers treated like warlords. These Byotai dressed very differently to those he'd met before, and he could only assume it was due to the ship being in the Royal Squadron.

  This is not what I expected.

  Both of the soldiers were bare headed, and dressed in grey and yellow. Their normal armour was embellished with additional plates covered in detailed carvings. Yet for all this protection, parts of their bodies were left completely bare. The shorter of the two was clearly female, and bared part of the chest area to show the dark skin beneath. The impression given was that while discipline was tough, there was also a strong hint of decadence about the entire vessel. The female warriors emphasised their femininity by showing off flesh, and he'd seen a good number of them with their pale hair arrayed in all manner of strange shapes.

  "Close all gun ports. Prepare to move through the Rift," said General Honorius.

  The translator presented him with a flat, characterless voice, but the Commander knew better than that. Every word he spoke was treated with the utmost of respect, like he was the Prince himself.

  "Engines to full."

  The vessel rocked gently as the powerful engines activated. They would be travelling through the Rift at great speed, and if anything were waiting for them, they would be unable to avoid it, or turn back in anything less than an hour. It was risky, but the General didn't seem bothered about that.

  Another ship, another mission. It's not so different really.

  The battleship felt both familiar and incredibly alien to Commander Higgins. He'd served aboard several ships from small clippers through to the carrier, ANS Relentless, but never on a Byotai ship. The computer systems were similar to those in the Alliance, and recent exchange programmes had ensured a degree of interoperability that he was now very grateful for.

  We can do this, can't we?

  He looked behind him and out of the nearest artificial window. To the rear flank was one of the three Viper Class destroyers. He'd heard of them but never actually seen one in the flesh before. They bore many of the design elements of Furiosa, while maintaining the insectoid styling so common among the Byotai. They were also coloured in the same greys and yellows of the other Royal ships.

  If only they'd had a few more, this fight might not have been necessary.

  Commander Higgins shook his head and turned his attention back to his work. There were far too many distractions aboard Furiosa, and he could quite happily have spent days or perhaps weeks exploring the mighty ship. Now he would have to forgo that opportunity and instead focus on his task. He checked the fighter positions on the vertical display in front of him. It was an odd unit, made from a crystal clear projection that hovered in front of the controls. The projection appeared translucent, and he could make out the senior officers ahead in the centre of the room. Like many of the newer Alliance designs, a combined bridge and CIC was used to operate the ship. Here the Captain and his officers could command a battle to maximum efficiency, safely hidden away inside the heavily armoured hull.

  Blue outlines showed the Alliance and Byotai craft, looking odd parked next to each other. The Lightning fighters appeared slightly larger overall, but the Mantis fighters were much longer. Each showed ready indicators, and all were now fully fuelled and armed, the pilots in their cockpits and awaiting orders.

  Ten fighters, on a ship that normally carries eighteen!

  He shook his head as the realisation dawned on him that they were woefully undermanned and underequipped for a major fight. They carried fewer fighters than were even available for normal operations on board Relentless. He was also all too familiar with the fact that the ship had been defeated in battle with a full crew and compliment of fighters.

  Well, too late to worry about that now.

  Commander Higgins lifted his head from his display and to the middle of the room. The bridge was quite a surprise to him and smaller than he would have expected. It was fully circular and provided a shielded dome from which to observe the battle. The outside of the circle was transparent, but clearly artificial and provided a crystal clear view of the region around the ships. The Byotai were taking no chances in creating vulnerabilities like windows. The space was then divided up into two rings around the central vertical projection; so massive it took up a full quarter of the room. The first ring was an open walkway that allowed the senior officers, including the ship's commander to walk around the display, look out of the artificial windows, or check the smaller displays used by the officers positioned in the second ring. These units showed the same data on both sides so that a commander had access to every piece of important information.

  A light flashed twice, and he moved his eyes to the central unit. It showed a handful of objects, and in the middle of the display unit the large outline of the battleship. Just behind her was the escort unit of three Viper warships. Around this large projection were the senior officers, each facing inwards and their backs to the wall. General Honorius spotted him and indicated towards the central display.

  "Commander. Everything satisfactory?"

  His translator obscured his voice, but his expression betrayed his nerves. He might have been a seasoned commander, but the stakes could not have been higher for his people.

  "All rea
dy to go, General. The Ironclads are prepared to launch on your command."

  The alien nodded three times.

  "Good work, Commander. Your assistance and expertise in this time of crisis will not be forgotten."

  He then turned away and concentrated on the large central display while the Byotai officers went about their business. Commander Higgins rubbed his forehead and then tapped on the outline of the first fighter.

  "Ensign Lewis. I'm showing a pylon failure on your third hardpoint."

  The young pilot answered promptly, and he immediately relaxed at hearing the calm and confident voice.

  "Understood. Checking it now."

  Good, very good.

  Commander Higgins scanned along the line of waiting spacecraft as he double-checked their status and readiness. At the same time, the formation of Byotai ships continued on their course to the Serpentis Rift. By the orders of General Honorius, they were throwing caution to the wind and planning on making quite an entrance. That meant ignoring the standard procedure for approaching a Rift. It was normal to only use manoeuvring thrusters, but that was becoming less common these days as the stakes continued to rise. This was a protocol observed in most star systems by starships, as both a courtesy and to keep the shipping lanes safe. There was little worse than a ship arriving on the other side a Spacebridge, only to be unable to alter heading or velocity quickly enough to avoid a fatal collision.

  "This is it."

  The Commander looked up to see the Byotai General speaking to the other officers. His voice reverberated through the bridge, and undoubtedly through the rest of the ship. There was no emotion to his translated voice, but the reaction from the others made it clear it was working.

  "Furiosa will cross the threshold, and we will not stop until we have located General Makos and made contact with our kin. Ready yourselves, for we go to war!"