E. D. F resurgent (e.d.f chronicles)

by Ian. J. Smethurst

Along the entire length of the port and starboard sides of the transport, exhaust vents slowly opened, and began venting the ships oxygen out into space. The remaining crewmen on board gasped for breath as the deadly vacuum of space sucked the air out of the vessel. Temperatures plummeted, as lieutenant Pryce, crewmen Franklin and Chambers, Siccio, and everyone else on the ship all fell to their knees, as they slowly, horribly, suffocated before gently freezing to death.

  Lathiel was protected from venting the oxygen from the ship, through the act of sealing off the bridge earlier, effectively creating a separate environment within the room. He calmly waited seven or eight minutes, just to be absolutely certain that everyone else onboard was dead.

  “ Ah at last, a little peace and quiet,” he smiled to himself as he keyed in the controls, returning the exhaust vents to their original positions.

  Making his way to the pilot’s position, he strapped himself in, and calmly plotted in a new course. Zero-six-seven degrees, elevation zero, straight for earth.

  On the Liberty, Captain Michael Alexander was attempting to tune into the outer colony news service, to get a glimpse of what he had to expect on Earth. They were two days into the journey now, and had just passed through the Wolf 359 system.

  Finally he had found the correct frequency, and in a small corner of the cracked display the video feed from the outer colony news service flickered into existence.

  “ I am Annika Raumov; this is the outer colony news service. The top stories today; it has now been two days since the historic Gamma IV peace treaty was signed between a team of E.O.C. A diplomats, and the Krenaran military, bringing peace to the war ravaged outer colonies. Celebrations and street parties continue to take place on colony worlds across E.O.C. A territory as news of the peace treaty spreads. In three days time, E.O.C. A president James Rushfeldt will be giving a speech broadcast throughout the colony worlds, congratulating the valiant struggles of the military, the population, and the spirit of humanity. There will also be a two minute silence to remember the greatest loss of life humanity has suffered since the second world war over one hundred and twenty five years ago. There will also be a warning about the tough times still to come, as the devastated outer colonies begin to re-build.”

  “ That is when he’ll strike,” Dalvosh said, his lumbering form hunched over Michael.

  “ Then we’ll have to make sure that he doesn’t.” Michael said as he continued to study the display, “do you have any other information that might help us with this guy?”

  “ Not really, I wasn’t at the facility where he was trained, all that I know is that he’s an expert assassin who has a specially created bio-technological gland that secretes this morphos x into his bloodstream. This gland also has a memory that keeps his original Krenaran D.N. A in a state of suspended animation. So that he can revert back to his Krenaran form. Ultimately, the stresses of changing shape and bone structure will kill him, but by then the damage will have already been done.”

  “ Tough break, so basically he is expendable,” Vargev said.

  “ Yes, Lathiel is just an experiment, if he proved successful we were going to recruit more subjects in an attempt to eliminate your highest value targets.”

  “ Jesus, if the war didn’t end when it did, we could be looking at hundreds of Lathiels,” Michael said.

  Dalvosh silently nodded, his reptilian eyes almost giving away a hint of sadness at the level his people had sank to.

  “ Just how much of an expert is this guy?” Vargev asked.

  “ There are rumours amongst the higher ranks in the Krenaran military, that he can approach, kill you, and then disappear before you even knew he was there,” Dalvosh replied.

  “ Then I guess that the odds are not on our side,” Michael said rubbing his temples.

  “ I would say not.”

  Lathiel was sat alone in the pilot’s chair of the now captured E.D. F Lincoln class transport blue-177. He grew weary, he was weary of the simplistic, cumbersome nature of Terran shipping. Indeed, Terran ships were grand and massive, but they were also awkward, and slow to maneuver, on top of that they had a woeful top speed. It was no wonder, he thought, that Krenaran ships had decimated scores of them.

  He was just passing the Barnards star system, and was only three days away from his destination. Three days until the weakling E.O.C. A president dies, and the Terrans will have no choice but to surrender to Krenaran superiority. Then he could go back to his home on the Krenaran moon of Klymar, a rich man. He had heard no word from his lord Alax on Gamma IV, Lathiel presumed that he was either still fighting the Terran ships around that area, or that he had finally claimed the large Terran base there and would resume contact soon, the thought heartened him. Somehow Lathiel doubted that the pitiful resistance offered by the Terrans and the hated meddling Solarians, would stop the overlord of the Krenaran empire.

  Alax had once visited the top secret training facility on Corvandris, and in his Krenaran form Lathiel was slightly taller than average, standing at just over 9 feet tall. But even he was in awe of the size and power Alax exuded on those powerful mechanical legs of his. He was the epitome of raw Krenaran strength and power.

  Strangely though, it wasn’t Alax himself who had sent him on this mission, it was another high ranking Krenaran officer by the name of Galdon. Lathiel had managed to check this Galdon’s clearance before departing for Terran space. And it was definitely high, he had level ugro access codes, and only a member of Alax’s personal staff had that high a level.

  Lathiel, who’s real name was Krovash, a name that only Alax and Axus had known, although Axus was killed. This was intentional, for fear of it leaking out into public knowledge.

  He had spent his early years with his father Vugron, who was a Krenaran foot trooper, the young Krovash desperately wanted to follow in his fathers glorious footsteps. To be in the Krenaran military was one of the most powerful positions a Krenaran could obtain. It granted housing, land, even political power. Indeed, the head of the Krenaran military is widely judged to be the head of the Krenaran race.

  Vugron, however never got to that lofty height, he was just an ordinary rank and file soldier. He had his small house on Gravosh III, he had his family, and that was all that his father wanted in life, and this was where the young Krovash grew up.

  However, things were to change when Krovash came of age to join one of the many Krenaran military academies, he knew very early on that he was destined for some other purpose.

  In Krovash’s training, he would never accept that a frontal charge using brute force and with all weapons blazing was the answer. Much to the chagrin of his superiors, instead Krovash repeatedly opted to attack from the shadows, to blend in with his surroundings, and to strike when his enemy was at his most vulnerable. Many thought Krovash’s techniques were superior, however military commanders viewed it as a cowardly affront to the pride and power of their military, Krenarans skulking in dark corners like frightened children, never.

  It was this tendency that ultimately unsettled the warriors within his company, many thought it an insult to the Krenaran sense of honour and pride in combat. This led to him being given the title Gromish alcra, the sword from the dark.

  His company commander however, recognised his talents and transferred the young warrior to the newly operational top secret training facility on Corvandris. Where, for many years he perfected the art of striking from the shadows, as well as from distance; to kill without ever being seen.

  It was this innate ability led to him being selected for this most dangerous of missions.

  Three days later, the transport blue-177 finally entered the Sol system. Lathiel, with consummate skill dropped the ship out of plasma drive on the far side of the moon. He wanted to get as far in-system on plasma drive as he could. Thereby shortening the time in which the pathetic E.D. F could react to his intrusion.

  A communication blazed through the speakers, interrupting his concentration. “Transport blue-177, this is lunar con
trol, state your reason for approach?”

  Lathiel had to think hard, and quickly. “Lunar control, this is transport blue-177, we are on approach to Earth to deliver medical supplies from Barnards star.” He managed to remember from the late Siccio’s flightplan.

  “ Transport blue-177, you are earlier than scheduled. Can you give any satisfactory reason?”

  Lathiel grew anxious, if he didn’t give the correct response now, within five minutes fighters would be all over him picking him apart. “Lunar control, we were loaded faster than anticipated at Barnards star.”

  A long pause ensued, which only served to heighten the tension. Finally, a communication broke the silence. “Transport blue-177, you are cleared for approach to Earth.”

  Never had Lathiel felt such relief at hearing that news, he gently increased the power to the ships inter-system engines which roared into life, and the transport gradually picked up speed and headed towards Earth itself, the inter system boosters blazing white hot.

  Barely half an hour later, the battered Liberty dropped out of plasma drive near alpha base, orbiting mars.

  “ Get me alpha base command,” Michael said, he had no time for pleasantries.

  “ Admiral Mason here, welcome back Liberty, I’ve heard great things happened over at Gamma IV.”

  “ Sorry admiral we are here on business, it’s an emergency. Have there been any unusual events happening around Earth?”

  “ Not around Earth captain, there was an E.D. F transport that came in out of plasma drive near the lunar control station. I found it a little odd, since transports don’t usually drop out of plasma drive this far inside a system and it was much earlier than expected.”

  Michael grew tense, half an hour. That would mean it would be getting ready to dock at Earth.

  “ What was the identification of the transport?” Michael asked.

  Mason consulted something off-screen for a few seconds, “blue-177, what kind of emergency captain?”

  “ There is going to be an assassination attempt on the president at his speech today, do you know where it is taking place?”

  “ Sure, everyone knows. It’s in Prague, at the institute of quantum mechanics. Due to start in about an hour and a half’s time, what proof of this do you have captain?”

  The huge form of Dalvosh stomped into view of the admiral, “The threat is real admiral, he is a rogue agent activated before the war ended, and he can take on the form of any humanoid he touches; only we can stop him.”

  “ My god!” The admiral gasped, “I’ll contact Earth, let them know of the situation, and get you emergency landing clearance.”

  “ I would recommend alerting your guards quietly, if Lathiel notices any sign of increased activity, it could spook him,” Dalvosh suggested.

  “ Understood; Mason out,” the communication ceased.

  “ Continue on course for Earth, maximum sub-light.” Michael said, preying that they weren’t too late.

  “ Yes captain.” Eldathar replied working the controls.

  The Liberty rapidly accelerated past the gigantic spherical installation of alpha base, and headed for Earth.

  The small transport had cut through Earth’s atmosphere with relative ease, and continued to descend through the cloud cover towards a freight loading platform, just outside of Prague.

  The speakers blazed into crackled life once again, “Transport blue-177 you are cleared to dock at pad D, once docked please have your crew remain onboard for security checks.”

  “ Understood control,” Lathiel replied before he ended the communication. They won’t find anyone aboard, he thought. Just corpses, which, while they are busy trying to find out what has happened I’ll be slipping straight out the front door.

  The twinkling lights of the city of Prague were visible now as the transport gently glided on its final approach toward the platform.

  Lathiel kept his eyes peeled on the viewer as he tried to make out the shape of the platform amongst the sprawl of buildings. Gradually it revealed itself; just on the outskirts of the city.

  Quickly keying in some controls on the pilots console, five landing legs gently lowered from their positions secreted within the underside of the transports hull.

  The small ship continued to slow and descend for its final approach to the platform. Lathiel keyed in the control to add reverse thrust as the transport came in, and gradually slowed the ship until it virtually hovered above the landing pad using just the power from its gravitic engines. He killed the power just as the transport came to rest on the pad. Lights from the surrounding buildings shone down upon the transports aged hull.

  Lathiel, still in the guise of lieutenant Forrest, went to greet the cargo inspectors. Making his way through the tight confines of the ship and down towards the lower loading ramp on deck seven. He punched in a control and lowered the main ramp with a loud hiss of pressurised air. Once the ramp had finished lowering, three men came aboard. Lathiel acknowledged the men with a polite nod “Lieutenant Forrest, bringing in those medical supplies as requested.”

  “ Forrest, where the hell is the commander here, you’re three days early! We might have to turn you around, does he even know how much shit he is in! He’s damned well screwed up our schedule for the next three days.”

  Another man spoke up, “There’s another transport due in on this pad in a few hours time and we’ll have to divert him, which throws the others out.”

  “ Just following my orders,” Lathiel said, trying to remain as blank as possible.

  Two of the three men headed towards the command deck in an attempt to find the now dead commander, lieutenant Pryce.

  “ You can check through the inventory with me,” the third man said, he was a shade taller than the other two, with a rather scruffy looking unkempt beard.

  “ No problem,” Lathiel said with a smile, his chance had now come.

  The Liberty closed in on Earth, just passing the moon.

  “ Get me E.D. F command headquarters on Earth,” Michael asked.

  “ Patching ye’ in,” Kinraid replied.

  A young woman with long dark brown locks flickered up on the holoviewer, “greetings Liberty, what can we do for you.”

  “ I need full emergency landing clearance in Prague, preferably as close to the institute of Quantum mechanics as you can get us.”

  “ We have already been informed of the situation through E.D. F command, you intend to physically land a ship the size of the Liberty next to the institute?” She asked incredulously.

  “ Or as close as we can get,” Michael finished for her.

  The woman consulted something out of view for a few seconds.

  “ There’s a park near to the facility that you might be able to land in. It’s called Stromoika park, I’ll arrange for the area to be cordoned off immediately.”

  “ Thanks,” Michael replied, “Liberty out.”

  “ Well here goes,” Kinraid said.

  Vargev gave the commander a look of silent distain; he must be a newbie to come out with something like that.

  “ Everyone hold onto something, this is going to be rough,” Michael said.

  That enticing sapphire blue planet, with gentle wisps of white cloud that was the Earth loomed large, the bright azure glow of its atmosphere was clearly visible as the Liberty began its entry.

  The outer hull began to heat up rapidly, and the ship started to shudder, at first gently then increasing in violence as the winds in the upper atmosphere increased.

  Michael preyed that the ship would make it through entry, she had taken a heck of a lot of damage, and it would be touch and go.

  The Liberties hull trailed fire and smoke as it punched ever deeper into Earths atmosphere. The shuddering became almost unbearable; conduits exploded and crewmen were thrown across the floor. Small fires began to break out amongst the damaged circuitry, the fire suppression system was knocked offline again. Outside the ship it looked like a travelling inferno, parts of damaged hull plat
ing were torn completely off the ship due to the immense pressure.

  Even the huge form of Dalvosh was struggling against the unrelenting violence of punching deeper and deeper into the Earth’s atmosphere.

  The shuddering had finally stopped, smoke still hung thick across the command centre, and the crew immediately went to work putting out the myriad of small fires. At length, the environmental systems came back online and started clearing the smoke.

  Michael wiped the sweat lining his brow, “We made it!” Elated, a wide grin played across his face. It was all he could do to stop himself punching the air in delight, damn I love this ship, he thought.

  The holoviewer cleared, showing the white blanket of cloud cover below them, the ship continued to descend trailing smoke and pieces of damaged hull plating from its incredibly hot outer hull.

  “ Status?” Michael asked as the rest of the command crew picked themselves up from the violence of entry.

  “ We’ve got severe damage to the outer hull; multiple hull fractures. Integrity is at eighteen percent and holding, minor injuries reported.”

  “ Well at least we made it through,” Michael said with genuine relief.

  The Liberty quickly punched through the cloud cover, and flew over the landmass that was mainland Europe.

  They descended quickly, and soon they could see the mountain ranges between them and the outskirts of Prague itself.

  Lathiel silently approached the form of the man checking through the transports inventory, he had his back to him, consulting a handheld scanner. Before the poor soul even had a chance to react, the assassin grabbed his head, wrenched it backwards and savagely sliced the mans throat. The man staggered, coughing and spluttering on his own blood, Lathiel thought the man was making too much noise in his death throes so he rammed the mans head against a large shipping container next to him, instantly knocking him unconsciousness.

  Carefully, he dragged the man’s body behind some other containers and activated his crodes gland again, pain ravaged the assasins body once more as he gradually took over the form of the inventory man, within seconds the transformation was complete.