Freedom Saga 3: The Dawn of Liberty

by Marcus Johnson

  “The shield is holding,” Jesela said.

  “Our job is to buy time for our allies,” Brian said.

  “The other two seem to be taking care of things on their end,” Grigon said before cawing.

  “It’d be much easier if our enemies and allies didn’t use the same ships,” Myden said.

  “The friend and foe system should be working,” Grigon said.

  “It is,” Myden said. “It’s just difficult keeping things lined up right.”

  “Then we’ll fly further into the enemy fleet,” Brian said.

  “Captain, I’ve deciphered their strategy,” Tctie said telepathically.

  “Let me see it,” Brian responded.

  Tctie concentrated and delivered the plans the duchess had for the battle.

  “Thanks,” Brian said.

  “I’ll help you when the time comes,” Tctie said.

  “What I’d like you to do is contact the duchess and tell her we don’t want to fight,” Brian ordered. “I know it probably won’t work but we have to try.”

  “As you wish captain,” Tctie said.

  Brian quickly put the plans in his head into the computer and sent it to the other ships. The Ick-Tckt fighting on his side immediately changed formation and countered the enemy’s movements. The Freedom slowly forced its way closer to the asteroid base while the enemy threw everything they had at its shields.

  * * *

  Duchess Mlka saw her enemy changing formation and had hers do the same. As soon as she did so they changed again, causing her to grind her mandibles angrily.

  “It’s like they know what we’re going to do before we do it,” she said.

  “Is it possible the Grey is helping them?” her first warrior asked.

  “That may be true,” the duchess said.

  “You’re wrong,” Tctie said telepathically to all of them. “I’m the one telling them your thoughts.”

  “What is this voice in my head?” the second warrior asked.

  “It’s unnerving,” the third warrior said.

  “What do you think my lady?” the first warrior asked.

  “This is a trick from the Grey no doubt,” she said.

  “It’s not,” Tctie said. “Captain Peterson took me in when no hive would. Now I’ve been ordered to find a peaceful solution to this problem.”

  “Tell your captain we won’t listen to any deal he has in mind,” the duchess said.

  “Very well,” Tctie said. “Let history know that the great Duchess Mlka was taken down by a single drone.”

  All four of them felt his memories flood into their minds. When they recovered they saw the Freedom was approaching.

  “Never mind what just happened,” the duchess said.

  * * *

  Once they were finished tearing through the enemy fleet the Artemis and Siren returned to normal. The few surviving enemy ships fled.

  “That was a lot of work,” Seles said.

  “We took some damage as well,” Mira said.

  Seles ran a diagnostic and found the limbs were all damaged and her shields were drained.

  I’ll be alright. The Artemis wrote.

  “You look pretty beat up to me,” Seles said.

  I can keep going. The Artemis responded.

  “Is she saying stuff again?” Mira asked.

  “Of course,” Seles said. “What about the Siren?”

  “She’s just like me,” Mira said. “But she says we need a break.”

  Brian appeared on their monitors again.

  “I’m sorry to say this but no breaks,” he said. “I want the two of you back with the ship immediately.”

  “So she didn’t listen to reason, did she?” Seles asked.

  “No she didn’t,” Brian said.

  “We’re heading back now,” Seles said.

  After the screen went dark the two sat silently for a moment.

  “He’s persistent,” Mira said.

  “That’s one of his best qualities,” Seles said. “Let’s hurry back. I have a feeling he’s going to need us for something soon.”

  * * *

  The asteroid base fired its weapons at the Freedom but found nothing would work. Brian smiled as he adjusted the plan again to counter the duchess’s strategy.

  “How long do we have?” Brian asked.

  “At their current power levels our shields will switch back to normal in fifteen minutes,” Grigon said.

  “I hope that’s enough time,” Brian said.

  The Artemis and Siren landed back on the hull and added their cannons to the attack. The base started firing extra heavy HV missiles to drain the shield faster.

  “Captain, let me be a distraction,” Tctie requested.

  “We can’t lose you at this point,” Brian said.

  “If you don’t let me go they’re going to launching something the shields can’t stop,” Tctie warned.

  Brian saw the image of a nuclear explosion turning the tide of the battle in his head.

  “They wouldn’t,” he said.

  “She will captain,” Tctie said. “She’s already got her escape route figured out.”

  “Then do what you have to,” Brian said.

  “Yes captain,” Tctie said.

  The four armed mobile suit flew off the hull and towards the base.

  “Good luck,” Brian said.

  * * *

  The sound of battle moved away from the capital when the duchess’s allies on the surface were driven back. Queen Kchlt was in her hall alone and watching everything. The main battle remaining was the one in orbit as the Freedom and base squared off with one another. She also noticed her guard fleet joining the battle above the north pole. Now that the two sides were even the battle slowed to a crawl. When she went to change some of the formations on the surface she felt something in her mind.

  “I know you don’t know who I am Queen Kchlt, but I have to deliver this message,” Tctie said telepathically.

  “You’re the one, aren’t you?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Tctie said. “As much as I’m honored you know of me I must show you something.”

  “Go ahead,” the queen said.

  She saw the disturbing image of a nuclear explosion destroying the Freedom and all the forces near it.

  “The Duchess Mlka is going to launch the missile in a few minutes,” Tctie said. “I know the angle is difficult but we need you to use that special weapon.”

  “How did you find out about that?” she asked.

  “I sensed it when I touched the Duchess’s mind,” Tctie explained. “Be ready to fire when I say to.”

  The queen stared at the asteroid base on the monitor for a few seconds.

  “I’ll be standing by,” she said.

  Kchlt went to the console and changed the angle of the third orbital tower’s cannon. After taking a moment to aim properly she waited.

  “Now!” Tctie shouted into her mind.

  The queen hit the button to send the massive beam out. All of the forces near the Freedom were already out of the way when the beam passed by them and destroyed something coming out of the asteroid base.

  “Your aim was true,” Tctie said. “Now we’ll take care of the rest.”

  * * *

  Duchess Mlka slammed her clawed hand on her chair after the beam destroyed her missile.

  “Maybe they really can see our every move,” the second warrior said.

  “That’s what I’m beginning to think,” the first warrior said.

  “They’re playing us for fools,” the duchess said.

  “If they know what we’re going to do before we do then how can we win?” the third warrior asked.

  “If we can’t win through tactics then we’ll hit them with everything we have at our disposal,” the duchess said. “All forces are to focus everything on the Freedom. Sink that ship and everything else will fall into place.”

  “Relaying the orders now,” the first warrior said. “Is there anything else you’d
like to do?”

  “Set course for this base to ram their ship,” the duchess said.

  “Of course my lady,” the first warrior said.

  * * *

  The Freedom found itself isolated after all the enemy vessels began targeting it. The rumbling was getting worse when Brian noticed the asteroid was headed right at them. He moved the ship to avoid the collision but found they were too close. As he gritted his teeth the Artemis fired an arrow at the asteroid. Although the shield absorbed the attack, the effect was enough to push the base over the ship.

  “That was too close,” Brian said.

  “I always keep one in the quiver for things like that,” Seles said.

  “I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but the shield is about to give out,” Grigon said.

  “We should try something different,” Brian said. “Tctie, I think it’s time you use your power.”

  “I’m ready,” Tctie responded.

  Chapter 45 - Echoes of the Mind

  Tctie moved his mobile suit in front of the asteroid base and let berserked before pushing his telepathic power to its limit. The drive on his modified Phase Rakna spun faster as light engulfed the mobile suit. All of the Ick-Tckt in the area stopped fighting when they sensed his presence in their minds. Those onboard the Freedom felt it a moment later and paused what they were doing.

  “For thousands of years our race has warred amongst itself,” Tctie said telepathically. “And with it the endless cycle of killing has repeated itself over and over again. Perhaps it’s time we try something else. The days of hive against hive are over. There’s more than enough space for everyone to live and more than enough resources where this kind of thing isn’t needed. I know those of you who can hear this message doubt it’s real, but I assure you it is. For some reason I was given the chance to change myself. I was a simple drone. But after my hive was destroyed I was nothing. I was nothing until I met all of my friends on the Freedom. For the first time I experienced individuality. To them I’m not just a drone, but a person. This is the inevitable path our people are on and if we don’t do it right it’ll be our undoing. I don’t want to see that and neither do any of you. Let’s find a better way of solving this problem. Please join me in ending this.”

  The glow from his mobile suit faded as the pause continued. The duchess’s forces seemed utterly confused. Tctie focused his power and felt the duchess inside the base’s mind. I see, so you have chosen death. He thought as the battle resumed.

  * * *

  Duchess Mlka pushed her soldiers on to fight. The asteroid base aimed its attacks for Tctie’s mobile suit and the Freedom.

  “It’s only a trick by the Grey!” she shouted. “Don’t listen to his prattle. War is the method used to determine who is fit to rule. It’s in our nature to fight, and I say nature is right!”

  She heard a cheer from her captains come through the com links.

  “A drone is a drone till their death,” the duchess said. “Change is possible through the females and only if we allow it. Equality is the flawed belief that all beings are the same. But in reality each being is inherently different. Some are fleeter of foot than others. Some are born with more intelligence than others. Progress is always made by the superior being. In our people it’s the female who holds the wisdom and strength. Only through us can the rest of you even be born. It’s your duty to serve our interests because you share the same fate as us. If we die, you die. That’s the ultimate law of nature.”

  “My lady, it appears they’re backing off,” the first warrior reported.

  “Then we’ll push forward until they’re destroyed,” she said. “Focus all our attacks on the Freedom. Sink that ship and victory is ours!”

  * * *

  The Freedom retreated to join with its Ick-Tckt allies. The fleets over the north pole were still locked in a stalemate. The queen’s forces on the surface were driving the duchess’s allies back on all fronts. Brian smiled when Tctie flew back to the ship and landed on the hull.

  “At least you tried,” Brian said. “What’s our status?”

  “Weapons are working at seventy five percent,” Myden said.

  “Our shields are at sixty five percent,” Grigon said.

  “The mobile suit units report no major damage,” Jesela said.

  “Communications and all peripheral systems are working normally,” Droid A reported.

  “So that’s where we’re at then,” Brian said. He looked at the asteroid base. “Why don’t we try something we’ve had done to us before?”

  “What do you mean?” Jesela asked.

  “How did both the Malcovin and Ick-Tckt damage our bases before?” Brian asked.

  “They focused everything on one spot to overload the nearby shield generators,” Grigon said.

  “Let’s do the same thing,” Brian said before hitting the com. “Captain Zkcha, we’re changing our target to the asteroid base.”

  The warrior captain appeared on the screen.

  “That’s the best solution I see as well,” Zkcha said. “Where should we focus on?”

  “Let the Artemis lead the way,” Brian said.

  “As you wish Captain Peterson,” Zkcha said.

  “Did you hear that Seles?” Brian asked.

  “Loud and clear,” she responded.

  * * *

  The base started shaking after the Freedom and its allies targeted the same area. The duchess and her three warriors watched their impregnable shield being drained.

  “If this keeps up a hole in our defense grid will open up in five minutes,” the first warrior said.

  “What are our allies doing?” the duchess asked.

  “The six fleets engaged with the queen’s forces are too busy to help us,” the third warrior said. “Our allies are fighting the enemy as best they can but it’s proving difficult.”

  “Our focus on the Freedom is backfiring,” the first warrior said. “Now that they’re in the middle instead of the front our shots aren’t hitting them.”

  “Have our ships shift back to fighting the way they did at the start of this,” the duchess said. “We’ll focus on the Freedom.” She glared at the ship. “Send out our Stars.”

  “That’s our last line of defense,” her first warrior warned.

  “I was saving them for later but we have to use them now,” the duchess said. “Send them out.”

  “Yes my lady,” the first warrior said.

  A moment later a number of bay doors opened all across the asteroid base. Three hundred Auguar Stars emerged and headed straight for the Freedom.

  “That should take care of them,” the duchess said.

  * * *

  The Artemis and Siren started firing at the mobile armors as they approached in mass. Seles switched her cannon to spread mode while the other mobile suits on the ship aided in the defense.

  “She must really hate this ship,” Mira said.

  “That or she likes destroying things,” Seles said. “Do you have anything left?”

  “I have a few seconds of song power,” Mira said. “I’ll wait until they surround the ship.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Seles said.

  The mobile armors struck the Freedom up close. All the mobile suits on the hull returned fire and took out a number of enemies as they passed. When a large number of them were close enough Mira activated the song system for a few seconds to disable their vessels.

  “That worked pretty well,” Seles said.

  “I’m glad I figured out I could use it for short spurts like that,” Mira said.

  “I wonder if that was her last resort,” Seles said.

  “We won’t know until the battle is over,” Mira said.

  * * *

  Brian locked the helmet of his exoskeleton into place.

  “Are you taking a step outside again?” Jesela asked.

  “No, this time I thought I’d bring an escort,” Brian said.

  “The duchess plans to flee if you attack
the inside of the base,” Tctie said telepathically.

  “Can I leave her to you?” Brian asked.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Tctie answered.

  “Thanks,” Brian said. “Myden, you’ll have to take care of things here.”

  “I will,” the Grey said.

  Brian used his exoskeleton to gravity jump outside. He quickly made his way to the Artemis and knocked on the hatch.

  “Seles, would you mind letting me in?” he asked.

  “Give me a moment to ready the interior,” she responded.

  He heard the cockpit depressurize to match the vacuum of space before the hatch opened. After he was inside the door closed. A few seconds later everything returned to normal.

  “Keep your helmet sealed until we’re finished with this,” Brian said.

  “So what do I need to do?” Seles asked.

  Brian focused his mind and touched the inside of the Artemis with his hand. Seles watched as a strange green glow engulfed her mobile suit.

  “I’ll guide us through the tough spots,” he said.

  “Alright,” Seles said.

  The Artemis was glowing with green light as it flew to the asteroid base. Any attacks coming at it flew right through the mobile suit like it was a ghost. Once it was at the base Brian guided them through the holes he perceived were there.

  “This is really weird,” Seles said.

  “It’s even weirder when you can see them,” Brian said. “We’ll be at their main power generator in a moment. Be ready to attack.”

  “You’re going to try talking again, aren’t you?” Seles asked.

  “You know how persistent I am,” Brian said.

  Chapter 46 - The Third Duchess

  Duchess Mlka and her three warriors activated the escape system. The interior of the asteroid shifted as a heavy class ship separated and a hole in the structure opened up. The duchess rubbed her mandibles angrily as her ship headed outside.