Nexus of Time

by Mark Riverstone

  "So, they know our tactics, and what we're planning," counters Walter.

  "They don't know what technology we invented this loop. They didn't know about the ice block to board them faster, the toxin I created that is in your smart-ammo, they don't know about Ying boarding the ship, and if you come up with a brilliant idea to help us right now, they won't know about that either," says Dr. Black, trying to encourage Walter. "But we can't use the Mantis to send another message. They will be waiting at the Arctic transmitter to destroy us."

  On the Barge bridge, the tactical officer updates the captain, "Captain, the missile banks are loaded and are ready for launch."

  Walter hears the tactical officer's information and talks into the comm to the bridge, "Nemo, they can easily jam the missile targeting systems. Use the Mantis! Can you pilot it from the bridge?" says Walter, as he turns to Dr. Black while unbuckling himself from the Mantis' pilot seat. He then helps Dr. Black unbuckle, "We need to hurry, Dr. Black, and get out of here."

  "Yes, but I'm not going to risk the two of you," responds Nemolopolus.

  Walter and Dr. Black step out of the cockpit and close the door behind them, "Dr. Black and I are exiting the Mantis now. You need to launch it for an attack against the fighter."

  "What good does that do? Its weapons aren't powerful enough to take the fighter out," responds Captain Nemolopolus.

  They Grey fighter banks, then does a flyby and fires on the Barge, melting a hole in the side hull with plasma pulses.

  "Captain, the fighter has breached the hull in sector 40A," informs the pilot.

  Walter yells into his Comm as he and Dr. Black exit the Mantis into the launch bay, "Use it as a missile. It's fast enough to catch the fighter, has plenty of fuel, and can be piloted remotely. Ram the damn thing! If you don't stop that fighter, that one ship will take out the Barge."

  Captain Nemolopolus turns to his bridge crew. "You heard him, remote launch the Mantis, lock it onto the Grey fighter, thrusters at full speed and kamikaze its ass! Tactical, you pilot it and don't miss." Nemolopolus then addresses Walter on the comm, "Walter, how are we going to get you to send another message into the past? The Mantis will be gone, and the Barge hull is compromised. We won't be able to reach the transmitters at the ocean bottom until the breaches are fixed."

  "We don't send a message this time. This was a trap. They stationed a craft at the Arctic transmitters ready to destroy the Mantis."

  "What do you mean, a trap?"

  "They were too prepared for this. If we don't get that fighter this mission is over. I think the Greys recovered the Mantis last loop after Dr. Black and I died and sent back their own message to warn themselves of our plans. They knew we were going after a Fabricator ship, which is why it had so many defenses. The Greys were waiting for us to attack."

  Tactical calls out, "Mantis is locked on. The Grey fighter is trying to maneuver away and knock it down."

  "If they were waiting, why did they let us get so close?" Captain Nemolopolus asks Walter

  "We never said in past transmissions which Fabricator ship we attack, only that we attack one. It wasn't until we got close that they knew this ship was the one. They want us to connect our ship to theirs so we can't escape, ending our efforts here."

  "Ok, no more do-overs. Let's make this battle glorious. Mantis status!"

  Tactical responds, "Fifty meters and gaining. The Grey fighter is damaged enough to keep it from hyper speeds. The Mantis has been hit, but its engines and navigation are still at one hundred percent."

  "Evascott, status on hull penetration," asks the captain.

  "We are almost done, Captain," reports Evascott.

  "Smyte, we lost our element of surprise. Be ready for anything and move fast. The Barge exterior weapons are down, so you are our last line of defense."

  MSgt. Smyte responds with confidence, "You always give me a challenge, Captain. Listen up team! If we end up nothing but their memory after today, let it be a nightmare!"

  In a last-ditch effort, the damaged Grey fighter turns and heads straight at the Barge, the Mantis hot on its tail.

  "Captain, I think the fighter is approaching to ram us!" calls out the navigator.

  Captain Nemolopolus disagrees, "No, the Greys don't commit suicide. It will pull away at the last second trying to trick the Mantis into crashing into us. Prepare to steer the Mantis away when the fighter turns and don't collide with it until the fighter has steered away from the Barge. We don't want to cause ourselves collateral damage."

  "Yes, Captain," says the tactical officer.

  Racing toward the Barge, the Grey fighter acts as it intends to ram right into the side, then pulls up and flies along the Barge hull only meters from the surface. The Mantis makes the same maneuver, but comes scarily close to hitting the Barge, missing it by only feet. Flying past the Barge, the fighter banks upward for another pass. The Mantis fires its acceleration thrusters and in seconds, catches up to the fighter and smashes into the fighter's rear. While fragments of both ships break off on impact, the two ships arc toward the ground, tumbling and spinning into a crash, leaving smoke trails behind them.

  "Fighter down! Mantis down, too," calls out the tactical officer.

  "Retract the damaged railguns turrets and close their doors," orders the captain.

  "Should we fire missiles at the Fabricator ship?"

  "No. Our missiles won't damage their hull. Keep them ready as a last resort and hope we don't get attacked again."

  In the docking bay, the engineering crew cuts away the last section of the Grey's hull, exposing a large hole for the assault team to board the Fabricator ship. The massive docking clamps from the Barge hang in the air ahead of them. The floor of the Fabricator craft beyond the cut hole is a two-meter drop.

  Evascott orders the engineering crew, "Pull your equipment and clear it out of the docking bay. Smyte, I'll stay right here. You are cleared to board."

  MSgt. Smyte nods, "Right." She points to two of the assault team, "You two, board first and lay cover fire while the rest drop in. The second in, find cover positions or get belly down and assist with cover fire. They will try to pin us here, so we have to break through quickly and charge toward their control center as fast as possible. Ying, once in, lead the squad to that location. The rest of you, protect Ying at all costs. He's your only way in and back. Unstrap and move out!"

  As soon as the first soldier drops through, laser blasts stream out from the darkness within the Grey ship, putting a hole right through one of the soldier's chest. Smyte grabs the soldier ready to drop next.

  "Man down! Halt! We need cover. Smoke grenades. Tear gas. Masks on!" orders MSgt. Smyte.

  No longer in the launch bay, Walter yells into the comm as he and Dr. Black work their way through corridors, "Smyte, No! Do not use smoke grenades! The Greys possess partial infrared vision. Smoke will only make it easier for them and harder for us."

  "I can't go in with no cover. We'll be as easy to target as ducks landing on a lake!" points out Smyte.

  Walter replies, "Their eyes are more sensitive than ours, as is their hearing. They will be easier to blind or deafen, and the effects will last much longer."

  Smyte understands, "Got it. Team, lose the smoke grenades. Grab extra flashbangs from that ammo locker and prepare to toss and drop in succession on my mark. Two flashbangs at a time, followed by two men. When you hit the floor, take shots and move for cover or a protective position. The next two down will toss grenades and take lead, leapfrog style. We'll blind our way in and push them back."

  Walter interrupts, "Smyte, Ying may be equally susceptible to the light and sound. You might want him to bring up the rear until you break through, so you don't impair him."

  "Roger that. Two men up here on my mark with grenades ready," orders Smyte.

  The next two of the assault team rush up to the edge of the hull hole.

  "Fire in the hole!" yells Smyte as the two soldiers throw grenades. A set of flashes and loud bangs release a
t the base of the drop on the Fabricator ship. "Ok, go!"

  Two team members drop through the hole, roll, and take aim stances. They fire a few shots at blind staggering Greys. The Greys wear silver projectile proof jump suits and helmets that prevent the nanobot shots from penetrating their clothes. Instead, the nanobots just stick to the surface.

  "Commander, the nanobot blasts aren't penetrating their suits!" says one of the boarded soldiers into his comm.

  Smyte yells into the comm, "Walter, what now?"

  "Don't worry. The bots will activate and bore through the material into their flesh. They can bore through anything. It just might take a couple seconds to get through."

  "Next two, drop then throw, now!"

  Next two team members drop and roll, then throw two more flash bang grenades, further disorienting the Greys. The four team members squat in aiming position, fire off another round that sticks to the suits of the Greys. Then one of the Greys senses something on its suit, tries brushing it off with his hands, then retracts the helmet and removes the suit after the nanobots penetrate it. A team member sees the Grey exposing its flesh as it pulls off the suit and shoots it again. The smart-ammo blasts into the flesh of its chest. The Grey lets out a screeching wail. It then thrashes wildly as the nanobots bore and release the petroleum payload. Almost instantly, the Greys flesh discolors and blisters as blood and fluids drips out the nanobot holes.

  "Next two, Go! Now! Go! Evascott, extract the wounded," orders Smyte.

  "How? When?" asks Evascott, surprised by the order.

  "Just stay strapped, jump in, grab him, then have your men pull you out," says Smyte.

  Without hesitation, Smyte and her team charge forward two by two, with Sandy and Ying going last. The assault team works its way deeper into the Fabricator ship in a leapfrog sequence, leading the way with flashbang grenades and shotgun fire. Ying follows the invading assault team down a corridor, while Smyte and another soldier crouch poised and weapon-ready at the hull opening right inside the Fabricator ship, flanking the wounded team member.

  "Evascott! Come on!" yells Smyte.

  "Captain?" calls out Evascott.

  "You heard her, Evascott, extract the wounded."

  "Yes, Captain. Riggins, you are going in with me. Extend your straps," orders Evascott as they both lengthen the straps connecting their harnesses to the support rods in the docking bay. "Let's go!"

  Evascott and Riggins jump into the Grey craft, landing next to the injured assault team member. Smyte and another team member scan with shotguns, their senses in high alert. The rest of the assault team disappears into the Fabricator ship, out of view, their progress marked by the distant echoes of flashbang grenades and gunfire. Evascott wraps his arms around the wounded crewman who sags lifeless while bleeding from the chest hole.

  "Pull me up! Riggins, help lift me," commands Evascott.

  As his engineering team in the docking bay reels in Evascott's harness straps, Riggins pushes up on his feet, helping move Evascott and the wounded man back in the Barge. After they pull Evascott and the wounded soldier into the Barge docking bay, Riggins yanks on his straps, letting those on the docking bay know he is ready.

  "A medic team should be there right now. They will take the wounded. Keep your men in the docking bay, Evascott, in case Smyte needs any more help," commands Captain Nemolopolus.

  A few medics open the interior docking bay door, grab the wounded man, and drag him out of the docking bay, sealing the bay again behind them. Unphased that he is covered in blood, Evascott shouts orders to his engineering team, "Get ready to extract more wounded."

  "Assault team, this is the captain. How is your progress into the Grey vessel?"

  "This is Smyte, the opening is secured. There are no hostiles on us at the moment. Mambai, where are you?"

  Mambai, the lead assault soldier deep in the Fabricator ship responds, "We're outside the control center. We've got Greys pinned inside but the hostiles are fortified in there. We are having trouble breaking through. Their resistance is focused here."

  "How long do you think it will be to take the command center?" asks the captain.

  Mambai and his team duck as laser blasts flying by intensify the fighting. With each volley of shotgun blasts the assault team fires at the Greys, the Greys return laser fire. Wounded Greys writhe and screech at their seeping blistering wounds. Mumbai looks around to check his team, spotting several members laying lifeless, their limbs severed off from their bodies.

  "I can't say, Captain. We are taking casualties and gaining no ground."

  "You can't get stuck there. Mambai, you and your men hold that position as long as you can. Ying, how far are you from the ship's power center?"

  "Not far, I just have to double back and swing around," answers Ying

  "Ok, Ying, take Sandy and one of the assault team and head to the power center to retrieve the Zeus box. Even if we can't take the control room, if we steal the Zeus Box the mission will be a success and their ship won't have enough power to attack or follow us. Understood?" asks the captain

  "Got it, Captain. Sandy, Reynolds, follow me," says Ying.

  While Mambai continues to keep the Greys pinned down in the control center, Ying hurries off with Sandy following, and Reynolds bringing up the rear. When the coast is clear, Ying cuts through side corridors, into an oblong shaped room. Sandy and Reynolds enter right behind him. In the middle of the room embedded into the wall is the Zeus Box connected on five sides to power conduits.

  "Reynolds, cover our backs. Sandy come here," says Ying.

  Reynolds stands by one of the room's openings, shotgun-ready, while Ying runs to a control panel. Ying waving his hands over spots on the panel while Grey language spools across the surface.

  "I'm cutting the power and diverting the ship to use the reserve cells so I can remove the Zeus Box. What I need you to do, Sandy, is watch right here. If this sphere turns orange or yellow, that means the Zeus Box is powering back up, and that could kill me if I'm touching it, so do this..." Ying makes a motion on a section of the panel, "which will suppress the power again. Understood?"

  Sandy nods, "Yes. Here is the cargo satchel to carry out the Zeus Box."

  She hands him the satchel and watches the panel. Ying sets the satchel on the floor next to the Zeus Box, then reaches in and starts to remove the clasps holding the Zeus Box in place. Sandy sets her shotgun aside and motions over the panel, maintaining energy suppression.

  Without warning, a few Greys appear in a second entrance to the room, as well as two arriving behind Reynolds. Reynolds sees the ones coming behind him and fires off successive rounds hitting those two, but the Greys at the far entrance release laser blasts from their chests at Reynolds, searing a hole through his body armor and chest. One of the Greys Reynolds shot is dead, the nanobot pellets striking it in the head, penetrating its eyes and boring into its brain. The other Grey he shot screeches in pain as the nanobots bore through its jumpsuit and into its skin.

  Distracted from unmounting the Zeus Box, Ying spins to see Reynolds drop, then turns his head the other direction to see two Greys rushing at Sandy standing next to the power console. Without hesitation, Ying leaps with the speed of a cougar and the power of a gorilla, flying across the room, crashing into the two Greys. One fires a burst from its chest weapon, stripping the skin off a small section of Ying's arm. The resiliency and quick reflexes of the Greys fight back against Ying, but his massive arms are unstoppable. His right arm picks up one Grey up and throws him against the wall, while his left arm backhands the other Grey, snapping the Grey's back while sending it to the ground. Ying's arm reseals itself where the skin was stripped away, leaving no mark.

  Sandy shifts nervously, unsure what to do. Reynolds is dead. She wants to help Ying, but Ying is consumed with rage while he crushes Greys into immobility. Noticing the panel section turning yellow, Sandy moves her hand to suppress the power again.

  Sandy calls out to Ying, "Ying, we need to get the box and
get out of here!"

  Just then, the Grey shot by Reynolds staggers with skin blistering skin to Sandy and grabs her, knocking off her helmet. She struggles to fend against it, but the Grey bites her on the face. Sandy screams and stumbles back, falling to the ground. The Grey makes adjustments to the panel, sending the color frequency instantly through yellow, orange, then searing red.

  Ying stops crushing the Greys and turns.

  "Sandy!" yells Ying as he leaps back across the room landing on the blistering Grey at the panel.

  Grabbing the Grey by the torso, Ying slams it so hard against the wall its skull splits open and brain pieces fly out. The power around the Zeus Box is now surging so strong that the box and the conduits connected to it are glowing bright white from heat. Ying works furiously at the console, trying to shut down the process that the Grey activated, but to no avail. Sandy moves over to Ying, holding her bleeding face.

  "What's going on? What did it do?" asks Sandy.

  "I'm not sure. It initiated a power surge. The energy and heat level keep increasing. We can't remove it if I don't stop it."

  A flash simultaneously comes from the conduits, striking the Zeus Box. The Zeus Box glows then liquefies, flowing off the stand it sat on, running onto the floor, and seeping through it, disappearing. Ying and Sandy watch stunned. With the cuboid gone, the conduits can't offload the power built up in them. The energy arcs between them, creating a blue-white flash pop, incinerating the conduits and damaging power flow.

  Outside, high above the outskirts of Denver, the Grey Fabricator ship loses power and propulsion. The ship drops in altitude, the rear of the ship losing elevation faster, the front being held up by the Barge connected to it. However, the Barge struggles to keeps its own altitude. While the Barge's bow tips forward being dragged down by the falling Fabricator ship, the stern stays elevated using all its propulsion power. The Barge struggles to keep the tilting Fabricator ship airborne.

  In the docking bay, Evascott and the engineering team stumble down the slanting deck toward the opening, but held in the Barge by their harnesses. MSgt. Smyte and the guard with her inside the Fabricator ship get on hands and knees to prevent from falling inward.