by Boris Mosso
Using that technology, the fleet spaceships would be able to slip into environments with density, the same way as if they were in the emptiness of space.
They flew over several cities and then they appeared over an intense blue ocean to come across an archipelago and immediately after with another continent, in whose coastal line the City of Lenodon was imposingly visible. They decreased the momentum and descended over a huge platform of decorated rock with countless deep green weed braids in the middle of the Old Lenodon. They stayed there surrounded by the massive original buildings from the Espacian Civilization, looking far from the modern buildings of the monumental and modern city. They sent out a brief communication from there:
—Director Umbaga, we’re at the Old Lenodon, in the Vertice’s point. We’re at the predefined position and confirm being in dormant state from this moment. Over.
2 - The Scardian Messenger
Dressed in his flawless blue uniform, the Young Vector’s Captain approached Tronius, waiting to be seen.
He remained self-absorbed, watching Espacia moving away in the space horizon. He stood upright in front of the completely transparent wall at the end of his Vector’s control bridge.
The Admiral’s spaceship was a swift black spot which would leave Moon Baltar behind in seconds, after tracing a path almost touching the natural satellite. He wished to take a last glance at the Espacian Fleet’s colorful installations. While training, these had been his home during half of his life.
He found out, disheartened, that the dark side of the first and greatest of both of Espacia’s moons, went back to absolute darkness for the first time in tens of thousands of years. Not even a trace of light could be seen in the cities which only a few weeks ago, accommodated millions of Espacians. Neither were there any signs of life in the Solarian Systems fleet’s main headquarters
—Yes Captain.
—Sir, a compact Messenger Spaceship just crossed a nearby leap point. They carry a protocol one ordinance. We have their messenger on line. It’s a Scardian Spaceship.
Communications of that security level could not be delivered by quantum channels in times of war. Only in regular transmission speed or speed of light. That’s why a messenger spaceship had leaped one thousand three hundred and eighty light years from the Atirov System to the Solarian System, trying to deliver the message directly.
—Verify the security codes before leaping to Cratias. Summon Admiral Tribar in holographic. He should listen to the reports in real time.
—In real time Admiral?
—Yes.
—Very well, we’ll call him to the Trendar Spaceship.
Admiral Tribar appeared immediately, pictured in a color and full-size holograph. The high Officer of medium height and somewhat a heavy built, honored of being the greatest rank Second Officer after Tronius in the Espacian Fleet. They both greeted each other and remained quiet. Following, another full-size hologram of a meter ninety tall being, showing defined and straight features. Who, although having a prominence like a nose in the center of his face, breathed through three thin horizontal and side openings on each side of its face and part of its thick neck. The thin being, having an intense yellow colored skin and dressed in a military suit, emerged in the middle of the control bridge, making tiny movements with its long limbs. Tronius immediately recognized a Scardian Officer, but did not exhibit his ranks on his uniform, something very unusual. Tronius thought that the old Espacia’s fierce enemies, were ironically their allies now.
This arrogant race like any other, had no home anymore, since their planets and systems’ groups had been occupied and their many residents were almost completely exterminated by the enigmatic and powerful enemy at the beginning of the invasion six months ago. Holding the sad record of having been the first species from the Astral to confront the current pervasive invader.
The many war spaceships’ survivors, of what was one of the most efficient, respected and disciplined war fleets from the Astral Galaxy, continued fighting aside the coalition. He knew that even the last of them would confront the enemy, but they wouldn’t have a home to go back to, neither in triumph.
Their endurance had been so fierce on their worlds’ surface, the last defense barrier after being almost completely defeated in space, that the invaders chose to destroy the abilities to support life, in a clear message for the rest of the civilizations that still endured.
The Scardians’ tragedy had a profound effect in all other civilizations. Finally bringing about the unconditional unity of the various systematic fleets. Before that, the presence in the coalition of some powerful and arrogant empires, had hampered the defense military operations, many times.
—I understand that Admiral Tronius is waiting for my communication.
The metal, quiet and deep sound in the Scardians’ voice, was faithfully represented by the universal automatic translator.
—Speak messenger.
—Greetings, Admiral Tronius, Admiral Tribar.
Sir… I have a communication for you from the Unified Command. The coalition fleets are facing the invader in these exact moments; both in the Emodian System as well as in the Nopra Binary System.
It has been a few hours since the battles began. It was a combined attack that began at the same time in both systems. The enemy entered in quantum leaps with fleets greater in number and capacities than the ones our allies presented in response.
—An attack in those systems was expected any time. What’s happening in the Octario System, messenger?
—Mister Admiral, almost the fourth of the Astral Fleet’s total who defended System Octario, have disappeared in combat. The remainders withdrawn, went back to the Atirov System. The Bagras’s System second fleet defended the evacuation with great courage and was destroyed in matters of hours. Only a few larger spaceships were barely able to escape, escorted by a few defense spaceships. The Unified Command is still not able to recover from such unexpected loss.
The magnificent Bagra’s System second fleet was destroyed. His mind couldn’t help from calculating. Six million lives were transformed into space dust; which was the third part of the crew carried in the entire Espacian War Fleet. It concluded that it was surely a harsh emotional and strategic blow for the Astral Fleet’s Commanders, as that fleet along with the first fleet from the Bagra System, was called to be one of the pillars in the Vintar’s Constellation defense and of the rest of the galaxy.
Tronius sensed the confusion and discouragement in Tribar’s body movements.
Who was this enemy devouring fleets, planets and systems, as if it was a black hole? Nobody knew it, but dozens of speculations poured down. Some assured that it was a breed coming from the Dark Galaxy, belonging to the galaxy’s local group. Others speculated about a civilization inside the Astral, hidden in secret development, waiting for their military abilities to be powerful enough to take total control over it. And for that reason, they patiently waited for tens of thousands of years, while it spied on the military powers and the Spiral’s Galaxy more advanced civilizations. That was the most popular within multiple possibilities, but nothing was known for certain. Only their spaceships were known and vaguely knew the invaders’ physical appearance, upon retrieving some bodies in very bad condition from the inside of their almost indestructible armors which they used to fight in the planetary surfaces. The fearful and ruthless terrestrial units from armored entities, as they were called by the Astral’s high Unified Command.
The recurrent sabotage cases performed in a coordinated manner in all the global systems which represented the sum of the Coalition Forces, was now painful and permanent suffering for the allies also.
The enemy wielded the amazing skills of infiltrating their own beings as organisms like the natives from the melting pot of breeds who resided in the Astral in shapes still unknown to the Unified Forces scientists.
From the beginning the damage it would cause the troops’ moral from the dawning and unprepared galactic coalition, was ev
ident.
The Admiral noticed that his spaceship’s young Captain remained crestfallen, politely at ten meters from him, listening carefully to the Scardian Officer. The rest of the present crewmen on the spaceship’s bridge couldn’t hear the slightly encouraging news, transmitted tersely by the messenger.
Tribar, who remained silent until then, approached the Scardian with a rough voice, barely showing refinement and little effort to hide his dislike for a member of the breed who had been about to end with the Espacian civilization in the past. The messenger ignored the high Official’s unpleasant tone of voice, answering in adherence with the strict etiquette rule.
—Scardian, I imagine that you not only have brought bad news all the way to our domains. What are the reports from the Unified High Command?
—Admiral Tribar, it’s estimated that about seventy percent of the remainder from the Astral Unified Fleets, could withdraw by leaping into the Atirov System in the next hours. The orders for you indicate to travel to that Global System as soon as possible. They will not be left as reserves this time.
—What’s the situation in Atirov?
—The ones left behind and withdrawn forces of at least forty systems are reorganizing in the Vintar Constellation, specifically in the Atirov System. The defense from each inhabited planet has been reinforced there and from the space stations. Also, the Atirov Fleet’s headquarters base in the Aterian Planetoid.
After the fragile agreement reached with the Federation of the Thirty or Foreign Group Federation, it’s expected that the other side of the galaxy’s Federate fleet join us in about three Espacian weeks…maybe more; although we haven’t been informed of their next movements with certainty. The Unified Command’s defense analysts even fear that in the end they won’t even send reinforcements.
—Why have they decided that, Sparcian?
—The Astral intelligence community has followed the steps of these negotiations and movements from different Federal outer zone fleets.
—We know that.
—Right Sir. The matter is, that major displacements have not been detected coming from that Galaxy’s area, however, it has neither been possible to perform detailed inspections… fearing of being discovered.
—You’ve done well. If the Federates discover us spying, they can also turn against us.
At that point, couldn’t contain himself.
—Three weeks Tribar, to cross two hundred thousand light years.
The delay of those negotiations will really weigh on us. They face the same danger as the coalition. If we’re defeated today, this curse will inevitably fall on the Federates hereafter. And on top of that, our higher commands now figure that they might not even come to the Vintar Constellation. —That’s right Sir, it’s estimated that they will wait for the battles’ results to come, prolonging the negotiations for that purpose.
—You shouldn’t take too long then, we barely have strengths to continue confronting the invader’s crushing progress.
Tribar interrupted the dialogue, visibly annoyed and appalled.
—But they committed themselves! They signed a military alliance agreement with the Unified Defense!
—Sir… you can expect anything from the Federates.
Tronius and Tribar understood that perfectly, whereby they exchanged cold glances for a few seconds.
The young Vector’s Captain moved away a few meters away, trying to hide his frayed face due to the discouraging news received several minutes ago.
Tronius resumed the questioning; he couldn’t afford losing time nor allow himself to be discouraged, at least not obviously.
—Is the first defense ring operational in Atirov? Are there any signs of the Browns in the Vintar Constellation, messenger?
—The Scardian messenger was somewhat surprised after hearing Admiral Tronius calling the invaders that way, since it was a derogatory and informal name, very common among the allies’ low rank troops emerging spontaneously after not ever been able to identify the enemy’s origin. The Scardian seemed to look sideways; maybe someone else was there with him in the small messenger spaceship’s cabin.
—Yes, Admiral. The defensive rings have been reinforced with everything available. A brief very hard skirmish was produced yesterday in Atirov’s outer area, beyond the gaseous planets. The invader was able to be rejected from the first ring. The enemy immediately withdrew in quantum leaps to an unknown destiny.
—They must be testing the defensive responses that we can set up at their arrival.
—Admiral, the Atirov Directors have deduced the same thing. The matter is, that the largest part of the invading attack fleets, will enter the Vintar Constellation at any time. The Unified Command strategic advisors are also expecting parallel attacks in any of hundreds helpless systems, in a range of ten thousand light years from the Vintar Constellation. The enemy has given enough samples of their capacity to be present in many fronts at the same time.
Tronius already knew it also. That was the reason why the Espacian Systematic Council had chosen a total preventive evacuation of the Solarian System residents, a month ago.
He now understood that in the Atirov System, the last defense would be carried on. If they were defeated there once again, it would be the last large-scale battle that the Unified Defense could present and with that, the Federates would refuse to send any help in the future. From that point on, nothing would stop the invader in its quest to take control of all the Astral’s inhabited worlds.
There were thousands of known and full of life planets in different evolution and development stages. Despite that, there were only one hundred and eighty Solar Systems known to be harboring civilizations, technologically prepared to confront a space conflagration. Half of them were defeated before establishing the coalition firmly and set a transversal defense for the terrible enemy.
Furthermore, the great military potential from the Federate Fleets was unknown to the Unified High Command due to the tight historical posture and self-reliance of their leaders. Which was silently tolerated by the Astral Fleet’s Supreme Command during the endless conferences and negotiations in previous months, to which even Tronius and Lusten De Kraun assisted to, the First Espacian Counselor.
The remote galactic neighbors never showed greater enthusiasm in the past to maintain diplomatic or commercial relationships with this side of the galaxy’s civilizations, which incurred even more uncertainties on the last Foreign Federation’s decision.
Tronius focused his sight back through the transparent dividers; seeing that at the distance his planet was already a small colorless spot of light. It was the only spot of light with life in eighty-five light years around.
One hundred eighty-one thousand years went by since the first piece of metal merged into Espacia and almost one hundred seventy-one years since the first ancestor peeked into space in a basic self-propelled spaceship. That turned them into one of the youngest breeds in the Astral, to reach that achievement, being the smaller civilizations who mastered the leap to hyperspace.
The Scardian officer’s hologram moved and Tronius refocused on the taciturn messenger, a member of one of the most feared and hated breeds by the older Espacian generations. The messenger waited silently for his answer. Once obtained, the compact Scardian spaceship would go back to the Vintar Constellation.
—Scardian, what is your name and rank?
—Miseran, my name is Miseran Admiral. My rank at the Scardian Fleet is equal to that of a Captain of type Flantart spaceship from you Espacians. Althought I don’t have a spaceship to command nor honor to deserve one.
The Admiral and his young captain looked at each other intrigued due to the mysterious messenger’s words. Tribar’s hologram didn’t even move an inch. The Espacian Fleet’s second Commander couldn’t hide his deep contempt felt for Espacia’s older enemies.
—Then you’re a type Rantar Cruiser Commander from the Scardian Fleet.
—Right Admiral…
—I understand… Cross
the leap point again and inform the Unified Command of our will to comply with the agreement and orders. We’ll leap to hyperspace in less than five hours, crossing the one thousand three hundred and eighty light years along with the Espacian War Fleet; the only one from our Solar System and from this Galaxy’s corner.
—Sir, yours is the last untouched fleet and probably the most advanced one in our opinion; you’re the last hope.
The messenger referred to what the Scardians specifically believed about them, as the rest of the galactic powers were far from having the same concept about Espacia, before and during the invasion. One way or another the Scardians had terribly suffered against the Espacian Fleet during the old war. He envisaged that the traumatic memory was nowadays still palpable for both species.
—Admiral Tronius, Admiral Tribar, farewell.
—Goodbye, Commander Miseran. Follow the path outlined by your Ancestors.
The holograph disappeared, and silence prevailed for a few seconds. Tronius shook his head slowly, trying to forget the baffling and sad words from the Scardian envoy.
In the control holographic, the Scardian spaceship created a small fog filled with very intense colors thin strands which moved in an array of white to red, shifting from different and beautiful pink tones to orange; then it disappeared. He was going back to Atirov using his old, but efficient hyperspace leap. Tronius, without paying the least attention to the maneuver, arrived at the bridge’s exit crossing his hands on his back. Tribar’s hologram wasn’t present in the room anymore.
He went to his large quarters walking through the wide and straight corridors instead of using a levitator. The lights coming from the ultra-thin plates located on the ceiling, drew uneven shapes with his shadow while moving amongst some crewmen crossing his path, which remained nervously still at his passing; Tronius didn’t see them at that moment.
