by David Brush
“W... ead you… Eternity. Comm… ocked… appro... awn…”
“What the hell are they doing over there?” said Nightrick to no one in particular. “It sounds like their signal is being jammed.”
Katherine Denova, the Special Branch officer in command of the bridge, pushed past the young tech and swiped a series of commands into his console. Her otherwise glowing face lost its light in the dim eye sockets that rested above her small nose, where two dull teal eyes studied the bright screen in front of her. “We’re picking up an unknown source of interference the closer we get to the planet, Doctor. Should we hold here until we can locate the point of origin?”
“No, continue forward. I don’t know what those warmongers are up to, but they wouldn’t dare attack us.”
“As you command,” she said, shoving back off of the console. With a quick motion, she pushed the blond ponytail that had fallen over her shoulder back into place.
“Commander Denova, I’ll be departing from the ship shortly. I’m leaving Turing to handle inter-fleet operations. I trust you and Lieutenant Commander Tang to make sure that we don’t have any problems with Commander Zarnok. I know how trigger happy that son of a bitch can be, so take the appropriate precautions when meeting with him.”
“Yes, sir. Zarnok knows well enough not to start fights he can’t win.”
Nightrick nodded. “Your presence here is an implied threat, and I’m sure he’ll understand that. I don’t think any human being has killed more sphinxes than you. Zarnok just barely made it off of the Dark World before you and Solar Squadron brought it burning down into the Atlantic. If he knows that you can trash a capital ship with a handful of fighters, I’m sure he won’t be eager to find out what you can do with a dreadnought like the Eternity.”
The doctor spared one last glance out the viewport at the rapidly approaching orbital station before turning and walking back through the thick blast doors that sealed the bridge off from the rest of the ship. As he walked along the corridor towards the hangar bays, surrounded by his elite cadre of guards, he tapped his translucent datacuff and began fidgeting with the projections that emanated up from it. Meticulously, he checked every last detail of the deployment, right down to the fireteam composition of each group. James and Haley met the procession halfway to the hangar, walking up alongside the doctor, who looked up for a moment to acknowledge the newcomers before returning his gaze to the projection flashing out of his datacuff, which had begun flickering wildly.
“Damn thing,” he said, slapping the device. “What the hell is going on? Whatever the sphinxes are using to block us is even interfering with intra-ship tech. No jammer that I’m aware of could possibly bypass this ship’s shielding. We need to find out what those beasts have developed.”
Haley nodded. “My cuff has been acting up too. I couldn’t even message the hangar earlier. This is going to make deploying a little trickier. We might not be able to communicate at all once we leave the ship.”
“Well hopefully Commander Denova can convince Zarnok to shut off the jammer. Otherwise, this is going to be a nightmare,” said Nightrick, looking down at his cuff as the projection stabilized.
James cleared his throat. “Based on the last transmission we got from the orbital platform before the interference started, we believe that the sphinxes landed somewhere near the savanna biome.”
“It probably reminds them of home,” said Nightrick. “Sphandaria is as hot as the Brukan Desert.”
“Then that’s where we’ll start,” said Haley, slowing as the group approached the first sealed hangar bay. “If all life down there is actually immune, it shouldn’t matter where we begin, really.”
Nightrick nodded. “I have full faith that you two will figure this out before our avian colleagues manage to. Under absolutely no circumstances can we allow the sphinxes to take credit for a cure that originates on one of our frontier worlds. This victory will belong to mankind.”
“A cure is a cure,” said Haley, stepping towards the hangar bay as the massive blast door ground its way across its well. “Even if we share credit with them, we still come out looking like heroes.”
Nightrick’s brow creased ever so slightly, falling just short of a frown. “I need both of you to promise me that no matter what happens here, the sphinxes do not leave this system until I’ve cleared them to go. I don’t know what they’re planning or what they’ll find down there on Dawn, but we can’t risk their expedition leaving until we know that they’re leaving in peace.”
“What do you mean? Why?” said James.
Nightrick looked him in the eye. “Because it’s better to fight one battle here on Dawn than another war back on Earth.”
CHAPTER FOUR
The open room in the center of the space station housed two terminals, glowing a soft blue from their displays. The only other visibility came from overhead, where a pair of long bulbs was casting a dim yellow light down onto the newcomers. The metal paneling caught the reflection and shone, as if illuminated by the flickering of a candle. Dr. Nightrick gave the console in front of him another flourish, flooding the abandoned core of the station with light as the plated blast shielding rose away from the large viewport at the front of the square chamber. He looked out on Dawn, letting his eyes trace the long ocean that separated the two massive continents below before turning his attention back to the computer.
“I’m getting interference here too,” he said, slamming his hand down on the console. “Is the comm line open to the Eternity or is that still cutting out as well?”
The black-clad officer fidgeting with the nearby comm relay looked up. He shifted nervously, feeling a cold sweat dampening his underarms through the thick suit coat. “No, sir. The interference has actually gotten stronger. It seems the closer we get to Dawn, the worse it gets.”
“Wonderful,” said the doctor, sparing a glance back at the armored soldiers behind him. All around the room, the Shadow Guard stood like pillars of stone, unmoving but imposing in their own right.
“If you give me a moment, I might be able to find a workaround,” said the officer, unscrewing a piece of paneling on the side of the console he’d been trying to utilize. He pulled a thin wire out from his datacuff and connected it to the intestines of the machine in front of him.
“That’s why I brought you, Lieutenant. Have James and Haley deployed yet?”
Lieutenant Ashcroft shook his head, patiently waiting for his cuff to stabilize again before swiping the next command in. “Dr. Mercer and Dr. Hall’s strike steam should be deploying shortly. In fact, they’re probably launching as we speak. Their flight path will take them near enough to the station that I might be able to ping them despite the jammers if you’d like a final word with them before touchdown.”
Nightrick nodded. “Do it.”
As the lieutenant tapped his cuff again, the power surged throughout the station, and everything went dark. The plated shielding slammed back down over the viewport, leaving only the red backup lights flashing through the blackness that had encompassed the chamber.
“Uhh… shit,” said Ashcroft. “I don’t know what…”
Before he could finish his thought, the entire chamber sprang back to life. Dr. Nightrick looked down at the console’s display, which was once again emitting its bluish glow.
“Well whatever you did, it looks like we’re back online,” said the doctor, scanning the readout. “I’m not detecting any interference at all.”
“So we are. That’s odd; I didn’t do anything yet.”
“Nevermind,” said Nightrick, frowning. “It must be glitching still. The orbital defense grid is showing twelve dreadnoughts approaching from the other side of the planet. That’s a full fleet.”
“Sphingian ships?” asked the lieutenant, walking over to examine the screen for himself.
“No. I’ve never seen ships like this before. They’re too large…”
Nearby, the comm station finally chirped.
“Dr. Nigh
trick, this is Commander Denova,” came the grainy voice. “The Eternity is under attack. I repeat, the Eternity is under attack. Unknown hostiles.”
Before he could even take in what he was hearing, the doctor nearly fell over as the entire deck shook from an impact on the outer hull of the station.
“Sir,” said one of the armored soldiers, tapping his comm off. “The forward sentries are reporting docking pods; we’re under attack. We need to get you to safety.”
Another burst shook the station, sending Nightrick spiraling across the floor. The lights flickered as a second pulse flooded the chamber. He pushed back onto his feet, noticing that some of the soldiers seemed to be locked in mid-stride.
“What the hell?” said Lieutenant Ashcroft, examining one of the statuesque warriors. The man had one leg on the ground and the other suspended up in a forward strut.
“Their armor is locked,” said Nightrick, looking at the frozen soldier next to him. “No one in the universe has this kind of technology. Those suits are unhackable.”
Ashcroft tried prying a coil rifle out of one of the soldier’s hands, but couldn’t budge it. “We need to get the hell out of here.”
“There’s no point heading for the transport,” said Nightrick, stopping the man dead in his tracks. “They’ll be waiting there already.”
As the lieutenant moved to argue, the blast door leading to the docking terminals slid open in front of him. He backed up a pace, mouth agape, as a figure came staggering into the room. The man before him wore a mask that looked markedly similar to the standard issue helmets of Special Branch, except for the fact that it appeared to be melting. The metal sagged, with the exception of the very top of the helmet, where sharp pieces of black steel rose up, forming a sort of crown around the head. The figure’s armor was of the same composition, draped in a ragged, blood red cloth. The weight of the suit clanged against the deck as the man moved through the chamber, leaning ever so slightly against his scepter, composed of purple wood with deep red veins running along its duration. Trailing close behind the masked figure were six foot soldiers, who fanned out near the door to the airlock, stopping in front of the frozen Shadow Guard like distorted reflections.
“Dawn,” said the figure in a gravelly voice, looking through the station’s viewport at the planet below. “A gem of which your kind are underserving.”
“Where did you get that armor?” asked Nightrick, standing his ground nearby. “Who are you?”
The figure turned his head towards the doctor. “We are the hollow men. We were like you once, before being forsaken. Now, all that remains are the husks of men, shells of those you left behind.”
“You’re human then?”
“Once,” said the figure, walking over to Nightrick. “You don’t recognize me, do you? Of course you don’t. The mighty Dr. Nightrick doesn’t have time to think about the fallen or the lost. Soon though, you’ll have nothing but time to reflect on what you’ve done.”
Nightrick slid his foot back an inch, widening his stance. “Call off your fleet.”
A wicked, strained laughter filled the chamber. “I’m afraid not.”
Nightrick lunged at the masked figure, slashing down with his right hand. The man blocked, thrusting his gauntlet out towards the doctor’s chest with inhuman speed. The blow landed, knocking him back across the chamber. He tried to roll out of the fall, managing to push back up onto his feet, but as he did, the masked figure was on him again. Nightrick blocked the racing scepter just over his head, feeling the bones in his forearms crack under the immense power of the crushing blow. The masked man pulled the scepter back then thrust it out, ramming the pointed end into the doctor’s chest, plunging through the flesh with ease. Nightrick stepped back, pulling the scepter loose with his mushed arms, opening the puncture wound as his head began to swim wildly. He had just enough time to see the tip of the instrument drip a lone drop of green liquid out onto the floor before his vision began to blur. Half blind, he stumbled over as he tried charging the masked figure again. After a moment, he pushed up onto his knees and closed his eyes, desperately attempting to focus through the frenzied spinning. The vertigo got worse as he knelt there, lost in his head.
“Sleep now, Doctor,” said the masked figure as Nightrick slouched over onto the deck. “Dream, and learn to fear once more.”
James looked across the aisle of the transport at the armored soldier who was rifling through his rucksack. He stared for a long moment before turning towards Haley.
“I don’t recognize that private over there. Do you?”
“No actually, that’s odd,” she said, tapping open the roster on her datacuff. “I’ve noticed three other soldiers that aren’t listed either. I thought at first that maybe Dr. Nightrick was sending a special team down with us, but I can’t imagine that he wouldn’t have mentioned it.”
“I wonder what he’s up to,” said James, turning towards the small pane of glass resting on the other side of the ship. He watched Dawn grow larger and larger as they hurtled through the dark sea.
“I don’t know, but it looks like I might be able to ask him,” she responded, running her finger across the translucent datacuff. “The signal is completely clear again. I’ll contact him when we pass by the station in a moment.”
“There it is now,” said James, standing up and approaching the port. “But what the hell is that next to it? Is that a sphingian ship?”
The moment Haley looked out through the pane of glass, she had to divert her gaze away from the brilliant flash off in the distance. When she looked out again, the scorched wreckage of the station was drifting down into the atmosphere of the planet below.
“Nightrick…,” she started, before feeling the sharp point of a needle pierce her neck. She slouched over sideways in a violent spasm, convulsing in the middle of the narrow walkway. James turned towards her, hearing the small gasp that had escaped her mouth. White foam spewed up over her lips in large globs as she writhed on the ground.
“Haley,” he said, feeling the hand on his shoulder as he moved to help her up. He spun around, grabbing the arm with both of his hands and twisting the limb so hard that he heard the bone break through the thick armor covering it. The face of the soldier that he’d been staring at twisted up in agony as he rammed him into the wall, still guiding him by the broken arm. Hearing the footsteps, James dodged sideways, pulling the gimped soldier in front of the black gauntlet of the man who had stabbed Haley. The wounded soldier’s face exploded as the metal glove turned the bone and flesh into pulp.
The sound of gunfire rang out from down the narrow path. James looked towards the commotion, watching his entire landing force get mowed down by the third unknown soldier, who sprayed thousands of rounds through the cabin before anyone could even react. The gunman walked meticulously from seat to seat, shooting the wounded as they begged for mercy. James fell back towards the cockpit, dodging the unrelenting flurry of blows being rained down upon him by his pursuer. He pulled his handgun free of its holster and squeezed off a quick shot at the armored attacker, sending a slug racing right through the man’s unguarded head. As the dead soldier lurched over, the heavy door guarding the ship’s controls ground open. Before James could turn around, the fourth man had his arm in a lock from behind, forcing him roughly to the ground.
The man with the gauss cannon walked over and shoved his head up. “Dr. Mercer. The hour of your reckoning is at hand.”
“What the hell did you do to her?” said James, eyeing Haley’s now limp body down the walkway.
“We did something you should have done ages ago. We freed her.”
Without making a sound, Haley sat up at last, dazed. She looked over at James, surrounded now by the two remaining attackers. Wiping the last bit of foam from the corner of her mouth, she pushed onto her feet as quietly as she could, creeping towards the group. Once directly behind the man standing in front of James, she pulled his handgun out of its holster and pressed it up to the back of his head. “
Anyone moves and he’s dead.”
The man turned around with a hearty laugh. “Idiot. That weapon only works with my biometrics. You couldn’t fire it if you wanted to.”
Haley tried pressing the trigger in, finding the metal unwilling to budge. She gazed down at the gun for a second before quickly twirling it around and slamming the butt of the weapon into the man’s face, breaking his nose.
“Fucking bitch,” he yelled, stumbling backwards.
James threw his head back into the man behind him, sending the soldier reeling against the wall. He ran into the cockpit and pulled the pilot’s body aside, dumping it into the pool of blood that had collected on the floor beneath it. Consulting the coordinate readout flashing across the display in the center of the instrument console, he grabbed the steering wheel and spun hard, sending the ship into a tailspin down into Dawn’s atmosphere. One of the soldiers stumbled into the room with a pistol in hand, leveling the weapon at James, who grabbed the wheel again and pulled it back, launching the transport into a full arc through the white clouds. The ship overturned, slamming anything not strapped to the ground into the ceiling. As it righted, everything came crashing down.
James pushed back onto his feet and tried to pull the transport out of the nose dive into the thick jungle they were hurtling towards. He jerked the steering column back, but only managed to get the front end of the transport up a little before clipping one of the towering trees that rose up out of the canopy below. The jolt sent his head slamming down against the metal control panel, knocking him into darkness as the transport hit the ground like a falling star.
Commander Denova stood on the deck of the Eternity, looking out through the viewport as the ship listed heavily to the right. She grabbed the nearby railing to steady herself as the deck shook from yet another barrage unleashed by one of the massive dreadnoughts sailing up behind them.
