The Empire

by John Dizon

  "He did all this–-because of me," she tried to absorb it all.

  "I'm sure your mother and your people will be very grateful."

  "There must be a way you can be cured," her head was spinning. "You can't –-can't tell me you–-you ate them."

  "It's an addiction," Damien tried to explain. "It's somewhat beyond description. The withdrawal is unendurable. They gave us artificial flesh at first, then began relying on narcotics. It compounded the problem, which resulted in our entire platoon having to be confined. The Captain was forced to accelerate his operation and find us more targets. We literally devoured over a dozen Guard units. It was very fortunate that we caught up with your rescuers in time."

  "I–-I've got to speak to Grav at once," she began feeling sick to her stomach. "You must excuse me."

  "Certainly," Michael stepped past her and activated the door panel, allowing her egress.

  Styrena bolted from the cabin as fast as she could, and nearly catapulted herself headlong into Commander Aries.

  "Miss Stone. I only wish you had taken my advice."

  "Where is Grav? I demand to see him at once."

  "I regret to inform you that he is indisposed," Aries replied crisply. "The ship in currently under amber alert. The Captain may be issuing a red alert within minutes from now. This mission is far from over. Our sensors are detecting numerous spaceships of varying classifications approaching our position at accelerated speed. We have no reason to believe that they are anything other than hostile forces. Fortunately we are aboard the most powerful military vessel in the history of the universe. Only an attack by a small fleet of armed ships will present a severe test of the Captain's skills as a combat officer."

  "Is there any way to communicate with them? Are there any Federation ships, or Betan vessels among them? They wouldn't attack us if they knew I was aboard."

  "We are doing our best to identify and classify, only the speed at which they are approaching will not allow the Captain to hesitate in dealing with a non-response. Guards, escort Miss Stone to her cabin. I will be meeting with the Captain and our senior crew officers to assess the situation and determine a course of action."

  ~+~

  Styrena Stone had her earliest recollections from the Battle of Spitzer when her father had been reported as killed in action. Her mother had assumed his position and responsibilities as the Alliance continued its battle to remain in existence. They negotiated peace with the enemy forces and laid plans for the Great Migration. It was a long journey from one dark place to another, and when it was announced they were about to take an uncertain leap into hyperspace, it didn't really mean anything at all.

  When they arrived on Alpha and established a capitol and a country, it just seemed as if it was things that came according to the natural order. At once there was a city, at once there was a compound. She and her Mom were moved into a White House, and waited as the future of mankind progressed. She remembered the most wonderful thing of all: to go outside into the sunlight again.

  She remembered kissing boys and puppy love, the classmates from school and after-school activities who fell head over heels for the tall, beautiful young girl. Only her ubiquitous Secret Service guards never let anything blossom, managing to scare off the most stalwart of suitors. She refocused her attentions on sports and humanitarian projects, idly wondering if the boy of her dreams would ever come along at last.

  As the 22nd century progressed, the four universal powers seemed to have settled into their traditional patterns of existence. The super-powered Alphans sided with the industrious Betans against the warlike Cetans and the mysterious Deltans. The tedious game of politics dragged on endlessly, and the more things changed the more they remained the same. It was endless bickering with the neighbors over the fence, until one day they finally accepted a dinner invitation.

  It promised to be among the most boring yet. It would be even worse than the night the Deltans arrived and communicated with each other in their own language all evening. As expected, the black-garbed Scorpions muttered back and forth in their guttural accents between flowery speeches exchanged by the overabundance of diplomats. They would butter each other's butts all night, then vilify one another in their national newscasts back home the next day. The hypocrisy was more than Styrena could ever stand.

  "Excuse me, may I have this dance?"

  She stared up at the first man who ever made her heart skip a beat. He wore a flowing cape over his military-dress starsuit, a matching black sash festooned with countless medals. His dark mane was as meticulously trimmed as his beard and mustache, his smoldering cobalt eyes staring into her eyes as the windows of her soul. It was the first time she ever felt that her guards would be able to do nothing about this at all.

  "Why, certainly. May I ask your name?" she asked, rising as he took her hand.

  "I am Captain Grav Drachna of the Imperial Starfleet. And you are Styrena Stone. It is my deepest pleasure to meet you."

  They danced a traditional waltz beneath the ballroom lights, and she was conscious of the fact that all eyes were on the dashing couple. She was resplendent in a blue velvet gown that favored her eyes, and though she stood five-foot-nine she barely came up to his nose. She felt as if he was able to absorb her into himself like a warm cocoon, insulating her from all the cares of the universe.

  "I've seen your likeness in countless images," he smiled at her. "I feel as if I've known you all along. Only meeting you is so much different."

  "It's so stuffy in here," she suggested. "Perhaps we can go out onto the balcony for some fresh air."

  They went outside and began talking as if they knew each other forever, and were experiencing the last moments they would ever be together. They told each other what they loved, what they wanted and what they dreamed of. It was as if there was an invisible barrier that separated them, keeping them from falling desperately into each other's arms. Only he handed her a note on paper before they rejoined the security guards that escorted them back to their tables.

  Styrena returned to the banquet table at the dais and exchanged remarks with her mother before returning to her seat. She patiently bided her time before indicating she wanted to go to the hospitality room and powder her nose. Her guards dutifully followed her steps as she exited the ballroom and made her way along the circular hallway. She slipped inside a particular room which, unknown to them, had an alternate exit. Within minutes she was on her way to the plaza level where Grav Drachna awaited.

  He brought her to the landing area where he bullied a guard into giving him access to a hovercraft. At once they were ten meters above the skies of Serenity, soaring freely with Federation crafts in eventual pursuit. They maintained a respectful yet watchful distance as the couple took the ride of their lives.

  She would later access Starnet and learn of the exploits of Drachna, widely recognized as the most skilled pilot in the universe. He had set flying records in countless vessels during the Cetan Wars, and was unparalleled in competition throughout the New System. The conservative dipsy-doodles he made during their ride thrilled her to no end. Although when they returned to the landing complex at the White House, both Federation and Imperial security forces were quick to return the sojourners to their respective companies.

  Despite their best efforts, the guards were stunned as the couple joined in an embrace upon exiting the vehicle. They restrained themselves as Styrena and Grav's faces nearly touched.

  "I'll find you," he said. "I'll always find you. If it takes forever, I'll find you."

  It was a first kiss that seemed as a vortex, drawing all the light and energy in the universe between them. Their lips joined them as one, and parting seemed to take something eternal from them as they nearly stumbled in rejoining their hosts.

  She would never forget that moment. Only now she tried to reconcile her image of the romantic warrior, the man of her dreams, with the incomprehensible phantom that awaited her on the bridge of the Invictus. It was a truth she did not want to
know, but knew she had to if her soul would ever find peace.

  ~+~

  A short time earlier, a small group of officers headed down the narrow corridor leading to Captain Drachna's cabin. Only crewmen passing by the contingency were befuddled by the sight of a hover disc alongside them carrying a food tray and a carafe.

  Drachna looked up from the console along the far wall of the parlor area as Commander Aries appeared along with Dr. Sardonicus, Warrant Officer Mazola and Ensign Vodik. He arched an eyebrow at the sight of the hover disc.

  "Captain, it appears that we are about to engage with the enemy force surrounding the area from where Captain Satyricon is transmitting," Aries spoke up. "We are about to man our battle stations. It has come to our attention that you have been working non-stop since the rescue of Miss Stone. We are concerned that you may not be able to function at peak capacity."

  "Do you think I might be able to get a good night's rest while all of this is going on?" he scoffed.

  "Grav, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you accompanied me to sick bay and allowed me to give you a quick physical," Sardonicus suggested.

  "How about a couple of aspirins and a hot cup of tea? I've come to know that it's the best remedy for most malfunctions."

  "I've ordered your favorite dish and beverage," Aries countered, waving her hand so that the hover disc alighted on the edge of the console. "Venusian beef and rice along with Martian milk. They are almost impossible to come across in this day and age. However, we were lucky enough to come across Betan black-marketers who gave us a somewhat reasonable price. Perhaps we can't make up for your lack of sleep, but this certainly will provide the appropriate nutrition."

  "Place it in a refrigeration unit," Drachna replied. "Your concern is duly noted and appreciated."

  "Captain, your disregard for your physical condition poses a threat to the security and safety of the ship and its crew," Aries made another gesture, causing the lids over the platter and the carafe to open. "A couple of minutes of refreshment will not be too great a sacrifice of your time."

  "Commander, take this plate back to the bridge and await my arrival for further instructions."

  "Captain Drachna, I insist!" Aries walked across the room and stepped up onto the split-level dais.

  "Aries, that is an order."

  "Drink your milk!"

  With that, Drachna spun around and delivered a lightning backhand that sent the carafe smashing against the far wall.

  "Get out!" he snarled. "Dr. Sardonicus, I want to have a word. The rest of you can either report to the bridge or the brig, your choice. Guards, see to it."

  The officers dutifully left the cabin, thankful that Drachna's blow had not targeted Aries' face. The door slid shut behind the guards before Drachna came off the dais to confront Sardonicus.

  "Benedict, my old friend. What could have caused you to make a decision such as this?"

  "It's Ben, Grav. And what are you talking about?"

  "Do you doubt that it's the same person you're dealing with?" Drachna's brow furrowed. "Don't you think I had eyes on the kitchen area along with every other nook and cranny? You know what they say about honor among thieves, wouldn't the same hold true for mutineers?"

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "I know she drugged that waste," Drachna sneered. "And what would you do, cut a deal with the Empire for immunity if you brought their ship back in one piece? Tell me, were you planning to trade Styrena off along the way for some extra credits?"

  "Dammit, man, have you lost your mind? Vernu Hyte would have us disintegrated even if we brought two ships back. We're headed the wrong way! Freedom is behind us, westward towards Alpha. Why in wasteland would you sail straight into an ambush, especially with that girl on board?"

  "Come now, Ben," Drachna cajoled. "What's happened between us? We've sailed this ship since it was first commissioned. So has most of this crew. Do you think I feel you all went along because of some romantic inspiration? Or some misplaced sense of loyalty? You went along in hopes of saving this ship. We all did. How many times have we risked our lives for this ship? We weren't going to let them put it in orbit on exhibition, or use it for target practice. This is our ship, and that's why we did what we did."

  "So why are you risking everything? Tell me why you're risking everything. Everything."

  "Let me ask you something. Have we ever walked away from a fight?"

  "What?"

  "Back when we were in the Academy drinking at non-com waste holes. Or when we were bouncing around asteroids near the moons of Saturn. Even when they gave us this ship and we went up against the biggest rebel forces in the Cetan Quadrant. On land or in space, Ben. Remind me when we started running away."

  "Is that what this is about? Are you wasting me?"

  "This is our last mission, Ben, our last run. How's it going to go down? The Invictus, the most powerful craft in the universe, turning sternward and sailing away from a fleet of pirate ships. It'd be the stuff that pirates would sing of for the rest of the century. Is that what you want? You want to run from these wastrels?"

  "So that's what it is. This is about your ego."

  "You want to hold a plebiscite? Majority rules? Are we a democracy now?"

  "Dammit, Grav, this is on your head," Sardonicus fumed as he stalked out of the cabin. "I pray in the name of Creation that you prove me wrong."

  He managed to sidestep as Styrena came barreling past the guards into the cabin. Drachna signaled the guards as they left the couple alone in the room.

  "Styrena, my dear. Are you okay?"

  "Well, you just handed me over to your guards without a word," she glared. "Then you don't even stop in to see how I'm doing."

  "Darling, I–-"

  "Don't you 'darling' me," she fumed. "I had Andromeda take me to steerage."

  "Andi…?"

  "Oh, Andi, I'm sorry," Styrena felt strangely jealous. "I threatened to bring her up on charges before an Interplanetary Tribunal. She said it was on you, but decided to take me down anyway."

  "Why did you want such a thing? Why would you get involved?"

  "They kept me alive. They could've killed me, but they didn't."

  "I uploaded the ship's log. You were tortured, weren't you?"

  "Don't play Mr. Goody Goody!" she blazed. "You came after me with a pack of cannibals! You had everyone eaten! Have you lost your mind?"

  "I knew that the abductors would have no other place to seek refuge other than the Betan frontier," Drachna lowered his eyes, appearing more vulnerable than anyone had ever seen him. "My greatest fear was that the Revolutionary Guard would cross the borders and intercept them. Those fanatics have been slaughtering Believers throughout the frontier with no fear of retribution. I wanted them to imagine a fear even greater then they themselves inspire. When I learned where the Tiger Experiment was being conducted, I knew it was my best chance."

  "I don't know what to think," she turned away. "This is horrible."

  "I have to return to the bridge," he stepped forth and put his hands on her shoulders. "We are about to engage a fleet of mercenary ships. They hope to capture you and bargain for the reward offered by your government. Please remain here where no one will disturb you. Know that I will give my life before I let them near you."

  "Grav," she turned to face him, tears welling in her eyes. "Be careful."

  "I love you, Styrena. I always have. I always will."

  With that, Drachna departed from the cabin and headed for the bridge to face the challenge ahead.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  M ick Rhymes sat at the bridge of the Hellfire with Daisy Dukes and his crew leaders, staring intently at the command console. On the main screen was the image of the Invictus closing in on their position. The computer system indicated that contact would be made within the next two minutes.

  "It's showtime, gentlemen," Mick spoke into the microphone, his voice being transmitted to the dozens of ships participating in the attack. "Deploy your ships
according to the plan. May the Creator be with you."

  Mick watched the sensor screen, the ships appearing as multi-colored icons on the space map. He saw the starship zeroing in on the cruiser at the center of the horseshoe formation. Just as planned, the cruiser lurched, then dropped into hyperspace as the two warships on either side began spreading in a wider arc. The starship slowed to a halt, its crew obviously assessing the situation as Mick's warship circled to its portside behind that of Beryllium's. Molybden and Neptune's warships were making their moves along the starboard side.

  "Sensor readings are indicating a massive surge of energy," Daisy said frantically. "They're getting ready to fire."

  "Come on, Necromicon," Mick shook his fist. "You can do it."

  "I'm showing two crafts emerging from the cruiser on either side," Hermes reported, studying a side screen. "I think they'll make it."

  At once there was an enormous explosion that shook the Hellfire as if they were caught in a cosmic storm. The crew watched in apprehension as the Invictus released its torpedoes, scoring a direct hit on the cruiser before it disappeared into hyperspace. The vessel erupted into a gigantic fireball, the explosion creating a flash that momentarily filled the main screen with blinding light.

  "Oh my goodness," Daisy wailed, holding her fingertips to her cheeks. "No one could have survived. Please let them all have escaped."

  "Hellfire to Necro One and Two," Mick called into his microphone. "Do you read me? Do you copy?"

  "Necro One here, we're free and clear," Mick recognized Necromicon's voice.

  "Necro Two free and clear," Mick heard Von Kilgore's voice.

  "Praise the Creator," Daisy's eyes grew misty with joy and relief.

  "Looks like we're finding religion around here all of a sudden," Triton smirked. "Imagine Grav Drachna turning us into Believers."

  "Well, they say seeing is believing," Mick began punching command codes into the console. "Drachna may see this, but he sure won't believe it."

  "It's happening, Mick," Hermes stared at his console screen. "Look."