by Greg Dragon
“Got three and four, east,” said Valus Rho, one of the handful of Revenants in their squadron.
“Light them up,” said Joy.
“Moving in to assist,” said Millicent Ral, a girl Helga remembered from the bar.
When Helga saw a Geralos zip ship, she made to pursue, until another appeared out of thin air. I’m losing my mind, she thought. No way did that just happen. “Got a bogey south,” she said into the comms.
“That’s four. Be careful,” said Valus. “He has the ability to cloak.”
“Splash one,” Darius Ghea said excitedly.
“Splash two,” said Will Haws. Then, “Three just cloaked.”
Helga opened up her cannons on the ship in front of her, but his shields were strong so she had to pursue. “Stalking four,” she announced, but then the ship vanished again. Helga cursed, and rolled the vessel before shooting out over the water.
Her computer began to scream, and she knew what it was without having to look. The Geralos ace had uncloaked and was now bearing down on her. “I knew it!” she shouted, and dipped the Classic so low that its underside touched the sea.
There was something about Geralos missiles that the Alliance pilots knew well. Being near water confused their sensors and made it impossible to track. The missiles that trailed her began to dip into the water, but the lasers were tearing into her shields as the Geralos took to her rear.
“On four,” Valus said.
“I got it,” Helga replied. “I’m baiting, so back off me. I have him right where I want him to be.”
Helga scanned her shields as she held the Classic steady and saw that they were at 15%. She bit down hard and pulled back on the stick while slamming the thrust forward with the palm of her hand. This pushed the Classic into an upward loop that took her above her pursuer’s position. But the Geralos ace recognized the maneuver and slowed down to cloak in front of her.
Instead of completing the loop, Helga rolled the Classic upright and let loose a barrage of missiles into the oncoming ship. There was no way to avoid the exploding debris, so she closed her eyes tightly as the two ships collided.
The only thing that saved her was the shields she had left, but it still felt as if she’d flown into a wall. Helga tasted blood from where she bit into her tongue, and the pain forced tears into her eyes.
The computer screamed loudly to protest the damage to its hull and moved into a state of self-repair. “Splash four,” Helga said with relief, but there was only silence on the comms, and she wondered if she’d damaged her equipment.
“Hey, idiot, get your ship repaired and fly like you’ve got some thyping sense,” Joy said. She was on a private channel, but her words still stung. “If you have one on your six, then someone is going to peel it off. Don’t tell us that you ‘got it,’ you arrogant cruta.”
“Sorry, Joy—I mean, Lieutenant. I got caught up, you know how it is,” Helga said. There was no immediate reply, and that stung even more. So much had happened and she was still making rookie mistakes.
She found a narrow valley away from the others and flew the Classic inside, staying so close to the ground that she could make out a camp. She recognized their flag as the Meluvian military. They had been fighting the Geralos for weeks before the Inginus had been called.
They were in really bad shape and were about to lose the land, which meant that the Geralos would set up a base on the planet. She knew that this was how the humans had lost Vestalia. They’d been unprepared for the lizards, who set up beachheads everywhere. Eventually the death toll became too much, and they were forced to escape their home planet.
The Alliance battle cry was “never again,” yet here they were about to lose Meluvia. She kept the Classic flying low until her shields were fully replenished, then she pulled up and out of the valley.
As she made the climb, Helga narrowly missed a warbird that had found the hidden valley and was cruising with ill intent. The two ships had almost collided and she wondered how her computer had missed it. It still wasn’t on her radar now that it was in plain view.
“Got a bogey here that’s not on my radar,” she announced, but the comms were still quiet. She climbed up to the clouds, then descended on the warbird, which was doing its own maneuvers to try and locate her.
They almost collided again, but Helga banked hard and brought the Classic around to try and flank it. She squeezed the trigger of her laser cannon as if she wanted it to break. But her shots merely tickled its impenetrable shields, and it maneuvered itself to return fire.
“Anyone have five?” said Millicent suddenly.
“We all got five,” said the lieutenant. “Light it up.”
Several phantoms appeared from the clouds above and fired on the warbird. First its shields depleted quickly and then it buckled as it tried to escape, but the Revenants were relentless and it crashed into the ground.
For thirty minutes they fought like this, fending off the Geralos. Then reinforcements arrived, and the lizards began to escape. Several jumped recklessly into space to try and preserve their lives, while the others fled across the sea to find another country to harass.
When things were under control, Joy gave the coordinates to an air and space station where they could refuel. Helga couldn’t wait to stretch her legs and breathe fresh air without the need of a mask. She followed the Revenants—who flew in a tight formation—only breaking off to land when they finally found the strip.
After coming to a halt, she slid open the glass, appreciating the sweet fresh air after what she’d been smelling in her helmet. It was raining, but she didn’t care. The water felt amazing on her skin and she opened her mouth, flicked out her tongue and tasted the refreshing droplets.
As she sat in her cockpit licking raindrops, a rumbling sound forced her eyes open. There was a truck pulling up with a tank on the back, and Helga realized that it was their fuel. She didn’t know how long they’d have this break so she climbed down from the cockpit and unzipped her suit. The water was cold but it was welcome, and in her excitement she forgot that she’d taken off her shirt.
Whistles and cheers came from the truck as Helga unknowingly gave them a show. When she realized what they were looking at, she covered herself, embarrassed. Then Joy Valance walked towards her with a cross look on her face.
All of the happiness she’d felt since landing melted away in an instant. “Do I need to say it?” Joy said as she walked up, and Helga shook her head and sighed.
“I could use a break,” she said, and the lieutenant’s features softened.
“We all could, Ate, but time and place, girl. Zip up your suit and pretend you’re one of us,” she said.
Helga turned around and zipped up her front before giving her admirers an obscene gesture. She looked down at the helmet, remembering the vomit. The rain was really coming down now, and she watched as the men ran for the cover of the station.
The lieutenant was still standing in front of her when she came out of her daze, and she saw that she was waiting patiently. “Are you good, Ate?” she said, looking concerned.
“Where’s Cilas?” Helga said, suddenly feeling confused. For a split second her mind drifted off and a deep depression settled in.
“The lieutenant is with the 110th, Ate. They dropped out early before anyone else. I’m sure we’ll see him when this is all over, but we have a job. Are you able to do it?” she said.
Helga regarded her through bloodshot eyes, then nodded despite what she felt. Deep tiredness and depression had become her reality, and all she wanted to do was get drunk. “I’m good, Lieutenant,” she said, saluting stiffly. “I just need a few minutes to catch my breath.”
30
When the Rendron came out of light speed to join the fight, Retzo Sho saw that their delay had in fact been devastating. The Inginus was in bad shape, and the Soulspur was the only thing stopping it from becoming scrap. Both infiltrators—for all their might—could not withstand the power of the Geralos battleship, even
with the Aqnaqak taking most of the heat.
The Soulspur had flown ahead of them at the behest of Captain Retzo Sho, but now as it fought alongside its twin, Retzo could see just how futile it was. They looked like two bull terriers and a Great Dane trying to take down a velociraptor.
When he recognized the Geralos vessel, his heart sunk at the reality of what they were up against. This was Nian, a battleship, and the Geralos’ indomitable planet killer. Nian had turned enough warships into salvage to make its very presence frightening. What Retzo Sho was witnessing was the shape of death itself.
He thought about his crew, and the thousands that called the Rendron home. They were a warship first, but this did not take away the fact that they were also a floating city. He, their captain, was meant to keep them safe, so it made him reconsider his actions.
“Inginus is not going to make it,” Genevieve said, her hand over her mouth as she leaned against her console. She had family on that infiltrator—most of the crew did—and seeing it buckle against this giant warship sent tendrils of fire down Retzo’s throat.
As he picked up the communicator and made to give his orders, a bright light appeared as a smaller Geralos ship—a destroyer—jumped in to assist the Nian. “Mr. Riles,” Retzo said. “Intercept the new vessel and put us in between it and that battleship. Rendron fighters are cleared to engage the enemy. Focus on the cannons. Give the Inginus a chance.”
He shifted the channel to speak over the PA system so that everyone onboard could hear. “Rendron, this is your captain speaking. We’ve come out of light speed to quite the situation. We have a Class-A Battleship dropping lizards onto the planet Meluvia. We remember how that went last time, don’t we? Never again. You have been well trained and now it’s time to show and prove.
“Over ten billion Meluvians will be relying on us, Rendron. I will not let them down, and neither will you. File your fangs, sharpen your claws, and let loose that fury you’ve honed on my ship. We are the last defense, my friends. Now get to your jobs and let’s give them hell.”
Retzo looked over at Genevieve Aria and saw fire in her eyes. He hoped to have inspired the same fire in his pilots, who would be running to the hangar to deploy. He nodded at her then, and she picked up where he left off, speaking to the ship while he got up to pace the bridge.
“All hands man battle stations,” Genevieve shouted, her voice taking on an octave that Retzo didn’t recognize.
It’s been too long. We’re not prepared for this, he thought. We’ve let the infiltrators get hard while we softened in the shadows. “Listen to me,” he said, addressing the crew on the bridge. “Everyone here and the officers below deck are the only thing that will get us through this alive. Mistakes will happen, but we must make up for them, instantly. There is no time for regret or chagrin. We’re all together now, a fist, and we need to take that ship out of the fight.”
They echoed their acknowledgement, but he wasn’t so sure. Most of these officers were very young and hadn’t seen combat past simulations. It put a lot of pressure on him, but he was Captain Retzo Sho. He won this role by commanding the Soulspur and by sending over eight warships to a fiery grave.
They would look to him now to be the legend that he was. The commander who knew where to hit the lizards, to exploit their weaknesses. He stopped behind his captain’s chair, his hands gripping the back as if he meant to break it.
Retzo watched the screen showing a simulation of their flight as they moved to intercept the new destroyer. But the Nian saw their intentions and turned its batteries on them. Good, you thyping idiots, fire on us and not the Inginus, he thought. He grabbed his communicator and contacted the Soulspur.
“Jit,” he said when the commander was on the line. “What happened? I thought I asked you to stay out until we jumped in.”
“The Aqnaqak contacted us to help with the defense,” Jit said. He didn’t sound well, and Retzo began to worry. “We came in with them but this ship must have unlimited shields. I’m sorry, Captain for disobeying your orders, but I truly believed the Aqnaqak had gotten your clearance.”
More communication issues, he thought, but who am I to blame? “Captain Cor loves a fight,” he said. “I’m not surprised to find Aqnaqak here. Don’t apologize old friend, you’ve done the Soulspur proud. Now I am going to have to order you to jump.”
“I can’t Captain Sho, our FTL is offline. A chunk of our aft was blown out from a torpedo. We’re crippled, sir. Our cannons are just about the only thing left functioning.”
“How’s your crew holding up?”
“I sent my Marines to the planet to aid the effort. Lang has done the same, though his ship is in worse shape than mine. Our pilots are out their fighting, whatever’s left of them. We don’t expect to live out the night, Captain. Those that stayed have accepted their fate. We—”
“Stow it, Jit. No last rites. Not now. Your first priority is to get your engine repaired while we and the Aqnaqak attract the heat. What I need you to do is to get enough thrust to break off and leave when you can.”
He didn’t wait for a response as he clicked off the communicator and patched a call through to Tyrell Lang. The Inginus was in the worst shape of them all, yet it was being aggressive and moving out from the cover of the Aqnaqak.
“Commander Lang,” Retzo said. “What you are doing is literally suicide. Disengage from that battleship and put your focus on repairing your shields.” What are you doing Lang, you dolt? he thought, as he hung up to contact the Aqnaqak.
“Captain Cor,” he began. “What’s your situation?”
“Strut, thank the planets,” said Tara Cor, and he smiled at the nickname and the sound of her voice. It was one of the many things he’d loved about her back when they were pilots sharing bunks. She would call him strut because of the way he walked. He knew it was a compliment so it would always make him smile.
“I don’t know what this thing is made of, Strut, but we’re at a bit of a stalemate, trading shots. Get your infiltrators out of here, man, and you and I, we’ll crush this thing. Whatever you do though, make it quick. I’m running out of resources.”
“Hold tight, Tara, I’m on it,” he said. “Call you back in a bit.”
He stepped forward and touched the glass, looking out at the Aqnaqak and trying in vain to gauge her condition. Two of the gun batteries were badly damaged, but the other thirty-eight were firing. The shields seemed to be holding up against the missiles from the Nian, and the ship had enough bulk to provide cover for the infiltrators.
“Captain,” came a voice from his right, and Retzo looked over to see who it was. Toro Hanes, one of the ship’s navigators, had stood up from his station and was beckoning him over. He was one of the newest members of the bridge, and Retzo didn’t recognize him. Short of stature, hair dyed green like a Meluvian’s, but his bushy mustache revealed the fact that he was very much Vestalian.
“Mr. Hanes,” Retzo said. This had better be good.
“Sir, I think that you’re going to want to see this,” he said, motioning to his console. Retzo saw that there were a set of translucent ships in front of him, hovering over a semi-circle on a hologram display.
“Rendron shields at ninety-five percent,” announced the computer. They were beginning to take a beating from the Nian’s main cannon.
“Put some fighters on that destroyer,” he growled. “CHENG, I’ll take what you can give me. Where are my fighters, Genevieve? I want that destroyer put on ice.” If Viles was alive, there would be no need to ask, he thought. He marched across the bridge to Toro Hanes. “What is it?” he said impatiently.
“A destroyer just jumped in, cloaked,” Toro said excitedly. “See the distortion? I can tell from the size. He jumped in at this location and will attempt to flank the Inginus, sir.”
“Two destroyers, what are the chances? You have to be thyping kidding me,” Retzo whispered. It was the last thing they needed. They could actually lose Meluvia. He leaned over the hologram display which sho
wed their ships above the planet.
From what he was seeing the Rendron was flying to the far side of the Nian. On the other side—the business side—was the Aqnaqak taking it on. Behind the Aqnaqak was the crippled Soulspur, with the Inginus above it all, with just enough gap above the Aqnaqak to fire on the Nian.
On the far side of the Soulspur’s location was a distorted oblong shape. He knew this was the cloaked destroyer, and his heart began to race.
“CHENG,” Retzo shouted into his comms.
“Captain,” Chief Engineer Dino Centuri replied in an exasperated voice.
“Cloaked Geralos ships. You did some study on them, correct?”
“Yes, sir. Well not officially; they were a bit of a personal obsession, really,” he said. “What makes you ask, Skip? You thinking about investing in Geralos tech?”
The sarcasm annoyed him but he forced a smile. He would often do this when he felt stressed, to take the edge from his response. Leave it up to Dino to crack a joke at the worst times, but the Chief Engineer was one of his best men.
“I know that the way those things operate are completely alien to our own,” Retzo said, “but what about cloaking? Is the technology similar to ours? Specifically what I am asking is... can they be shielding while they’re cloaked?”
“That’s a new one, Skip. I’m not sure,” Dino said. “Give me a minute and I will find out.”
Retzo considered the layout. “Rendron prime,” he said to the computer. “Give me simulations of positive outcomes with no casualties from the enemy.”
Immediately the computer presented several holographic screens with different situations played out on each, running on a loop. There were too many to study, and he didn’t have the time, so he narrowed it down even further until he had an idea of what to do.
He reminded himself that it wasn’t just their lives at stake, but the lives of the billions living on their allied planet. The Meluvian people were kind, and one of the first to aid Vestalia during the invasion. Meluvians were a major presence in the Alliance, and many members of his crew had family there.
