“As you wish commander,” Sheris said. “I pray Kali watches over you.”
“The same for you,” he said before ending transmission.
“It’s back to me and you,” the mobile suit said.
“Let’s go my friend,” Brian said.
* * *
Siata and Baeron stood on the bridge of the Zakar as the fleet pursued the Mjolnir.
“What do you think he’s doing?” Baeron asked.
“It appears he’s sending messages to Earth,” she said. “For what purpose I can’t figure out.”
“Maybe he wants to change them?” the Minan suggested. “His message seemed to convey such a sentiment.”
“What I’m wondering is why my people haven’t stopped him yet,” Siata said. “We’ve been inside Mylor territory for a hundred light years.”
“That’s a good point,” Baeron said. “And we’ve been out of touch with headquarters for a while now. Being half a galaxy away does that to a fleet.”
“So what you’re saying is we’re all alone with no back up and no access to supplies?” Siata asked.
“Exactly,” Baeron said. “Other than the scouting fleets we’re on our own.” He grinned. “The way a good hunt should be.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” Siata said. “I’m growing quite bored of the chase.”
“Chase?” Baeron asked. “This isn’t a chase my lady. Our prey senses us. Brian knows we’re about to strike and is on high alert. The chase we don’t enjoy, it’s the desperate fight for survival to come.”
“The Mjolnir has gravity jumped away,” the navigation officer reported. “One of our scouting ships has reported its position in a nearby system.” He put the display on the monitor.
“Then this is where our hunt will take place,” Baeron pushed a star system a few jumps away. “Prepare our ships for battle. In four days we’ll capture the Terran and his mobile suit.”
“Yes sir,” his subordinates said as they went back to their duties.
Baeron turned to Siata. “When the time is right I’m going out there in my Lance. We’re going to need every able body to win this battle.”
“Are you sure?” the Mylor asked. “If he awakens it’ll be the end of you.”
“I’m not going sending my men out there to die,” Baeron said. “Not unless I’m willing to put my own life on the line.”
“I see,” Siata said. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“No offense taken my lady,” Baeron said. “Whether he awakens or not is a moot point at this venture. We must stop him before he reaches Terra Prime.”
Chapter 30 - 80 Light-years Away
The Mjolnir gravity jumped into another solar system. In the distance was a rocky planet several times the mass of Earth. When the mobile suit flew closer the Confederation fleet surrounded it and launched their Lances.
“Mjolnir, begin recording of all signals originating from Earth,” Brian ordered. “We should be receiving information from the late 1930s or 1940s.”
“Recording,” the mobile suit said.
“Make sure to order the information by language and country of origin,” he ordered.
“Doing so,” the Mjolnir said. “Are you going to send another message?”
“Sure.”
“I’m ready.”
“This is Brian Peterson speaking once again. According to my calculations this message should reach Earth sometime in the year 2100. Despite what those chasing me think, I’m not going to gift you with any technological schematics or the like. To influence the development of humanity would be to sully the reward. There’s a certain sense of achievement humankind should feel when they gain the ability to travel between stars. Heck, you may have a better system then the current one the Confederation uses, so why not let you look for it?” Brian paused to take a sip of water.
“Brian, their forces are advancing,” the Mjolnir reported.
“Alright,” he said. “As you can see I’m being chased. The reason is because I and those who agree with me are a threat to their power. I guess it’s the same with any society. Those with power, usually being those with the money or military, are the ones who rule over everyone else. The races of the Confederation are united on the individual world basis, but not united as far as the High Council is concerned.” The blips on the radar were getting closer. “Well, I’d better deal with the situation. This is Brian Peterson signing off. Farewell my fellow Terrans.”
Brian locked his helmet into place and threw the bottle aside. “Ready all combat systems.”
“Done,” the mobile suit responded.
The Confederation ships and Lances formed a sphere around the Mjolnir. They kept their distance as they bombarded the lone mobile suit. The shots were absorbed by the shields but still shook the entire body.
“This is rough,” he said as he glanced at the enemy formation. “They’ve figured out something.”
“What might that be?” the Mjolnir asked.
“Surround and pound from a distance,” Brian said. “It’s such a simple yet effective battle tactic. Let’s go to full power.”
The Mjolnir’s exterior began emitting red particles as the phantom wings appeared once more. The enemy shots started blinking through the Mjolnir like it was a ghost. Brian gripped the controls as he flew for the nearest enemy. The Mjolnir blinked and slashed through the heavy class vessel. When the ship exploded six Lances were taken out at the same time. The Mjolnir flashed again and slashed through another two ships. The explosions in their wake destroyed another fifteen Lances. The sphere fell back and fired continuously at the glowing mobile suit. Suddenly, the Mjolnir came to a stop as the light emission grew and the particles began turning gold. The light coming from the mobile suit blinded everyone nearby. Inside, Brian tossed his helmet off and stumbled forward. His vision blurred as the energy flowed from inside his body out. His entire body was engulfed in light as he fell to the floor.
* * *
“Where am I?” Brian asked.
He was surrounded by a strange blue ocean of thoughts. He heard the voices of the Confederation forces near the Mjolnir. As the currents moved he began seeing flashes of history. One by one he saw the images of Kalaidia, Shandi, Malcov, and Mina. He reached out to touch them when a glowing being of energy floated over and stopped next to him.
“So you’ve reached this point,” the glowing being said.
Brian stared for a moment. “It’s been awhile.”
“Almost ten years,” the Teacher said. “I gave you my final thoughts. Now is the time to remember Brian. It’s time you know the plan and why I decided to implement it.” The being moved its hand and the images changed to the countryside of ancient Europe. Brian watched as legions of Romans fought Celts.
“What is this?” he asked.
“This is who I was,” the Teacher said. The images centered on a tall, dark haired Centurion. “We were Rome. For millennia our people were the conquered. But one day that changed. No longer would we be at the mercy of the world. We would shape its destiny and in doing so we would be the masters of fate. We were civilization and everything outside was chaos. We set out to change the world. As our territory grew so did our pride. In those days I believed I could change the world with a sword and my will. I was Rome. I was civilization. But pride blinded me. I didn’t see the darkness behind such belief.” The image changed to a battle in a dark forest. “We tried encroaching upon those we called barbarians.” The imaged showed his soldiers dead with him lying alone in the forest with an arrow in his shoulder. “It was at that moment I reached to the sky and cursed my fate. My world was shattered and as I limped away I wondered if there was another way.” The imaged showed him discarding his armor and shaving his hair. “I died on the battlefield that day. No longer was I Rome. I was a man. I changed my name and traveled the Earth in search of answers. After years of searching I found myself still without an answer. I reached the sky once more and asked whatever being could hear me
if there was an answer. That was when they came.” A small saucer shaped ship landed and opened to him. He stepped onboard and was greeted by a number of Greys. Brian noticed one of them looked like Myden. “They told me they felt my consciousness reach out to them. Because they spoke in my mind I didn’t question them. They took me from the Earth so I could find the answer I sought. I saw their homeworld and learned that despite their godlike technology, they still warred. They still conquered. It brought me to tears. So I set out on my own with a ship they gave me as a gift. I went from world to world and found the same. Each race was divided and couldn’t find peace. Even after thousands of years they still war with each other. Is war so deep seeded inside us that there’s no way to avoid? I thought such a thing for a long time.” The imaged changed to him speaking with Myden. “Myden was wiser than any of his kind. In him I found a friend. But we knew as the red eyed glare consumed me the end was near. So before death I enacted a plan.” The glowing being turned to Brian. “I was the Teacher. I showed them the path. You are the Warrior, the one to lead them down the path.”
“And the Goddess will open the door at the end,” Brian said.
“That’s right,” the Teacher said.
“What is the plan?”
“Ten stages were set as benchmarks,” the Teacher said. “The first stage was spreading the word. I did this when I traveled from world to world.”
“Did you return to Earth?”
“No, I wasn’t allowed to,” the Teacher said. “The second stage was to imprint the Maidens. The third was ensuring their path genetically. The fourth was the development of an energy system to awaken the younger races. That became the mobile suit you’re flying. The fifth stage was the expansion and strengthening of the Confederation. The sixth stage was to prepare for the coming of the Warrior. The seventh is when you appeared. The eighth was the awakening of the Warrior and the Maidens. The ninth is the creation of an organization to change the peoples of Alden. And finally, the tenth stage is unification. Only by being of one mind and heart can people ever find peace. This doesn’t mean the end of individuality. That path leads to the creation of false gods like the Greys have now.” The Teacher paused for a moment. As he did so a melancholic look came to his eyes. “I longed for peace. So much so I gave everything I could to ensure it became reality. And now, I pass the torch to you.”
“I’m not worthy of such a task,” Brian said.
“But you are,” the Teacher said. “Only those who’ve lived through despair can ever find true happiness.”
“What should I do?”
“Live,” the Teacher said as he floated away. “Alden needs someone to lead them down the path. As the only one to reach this point you’ve been appointed.”
“Will I see the changed world?”
As the Teacher floated away his voice echoed. “When the time comes you’ll join me in here. Farewell until then.”
“Wait!” he shouted as the light continued to grow brighter.
* * *
“What’s happening?” Baeron asked.
He and the others watched as the Mjolnir pulsed with energy so bright they couldn’t gaze upon it.
“He has awakened,” Siata said. “The message has been sent.”
“What are you talking about?” Baeron asked.
“The future is here,” she said. “Close your eyes and hear his voice as it echoes across space.”
* * *
Brian opened his eyes and saw nothing but light. He groped around as the Mjolnir spoke. As his hand slipped over the injector he placed it to his throat.
“I…I will live,” he said as he injected the serum.
He closed his eyes as the light disappeared and the Mjolnir turned back to its normal color. He breathed with relief as all of the images and voices faded away. The only thing left in his mind was Seles.
“I will protect her,” he said. “I will protect everyone.”
“Brian!” the Mjolnir shouted. “Are you alright?”
He laughed. “Yes my friend. I’m better than ever.”
“Whatever you did recharged the drive faster than normal,” the mobile suit reported. “Do you wish to jump away?”
“Sure,” Brian said. As the Mjolnir flickered and leapt through space time he stared at the stars. “I understand now. For all those wishing for a better world I give my life for that future. But before then, I’m going to live as long as I can and with those who care about me.”
Chapter 31 - 72 Light-years Away
When the Mjolnir came out of a gravity jump the scanners detected a small scouting fleet nearby.
“Arm all our options,” Brian ordered.
“Are you alright?” the Mjolnir asked as each system went on.
“Never better,” he said. “But I can’t berserk anymore. It’s just me and you.”
“Arming cannons and HV batteries,” the mobile suit said. “Do you wish to initiate the reflector plates?”
“Ready them immediately,” he said.
“Done,” the Mjolnir said. “The enemy is holding position.”
“That’s to be expected,” Brian said. “Please ready to send the next message.”
“Ready on your mark,” the Mjolnir said.
Before speaking he popped open a bottle of Kalaidian wine and drank some.
“This is Brian Peterson speaking again. I’m sure those of you listening are amused to no end that the first contact received is from another human being. If I’m right this should reach Earth sometime in the year 2092. Let me clue you in on a little secret. I’ve taken a drug given to me by the chief medical officer of the Avoni, a Kalaidian woman named Celi. For the first time in almost two years I’m able to think straight. Now that I’m normal the messages from now on will hopefully make more sense. But given my current state I doubt that,” he paused to take a sip of wine, “The Kalaidian people make the best wine I’ve ever tasted. Yes, that’s right; aliens drink alcohol and all kinds of other things. For example, the Shandi drink a heavy tea as beer. I didn’t complain when given a cup because I hadn’t had caffeine in over a year. The reason for that is the people who took me in, the Kalaidians, have a strange reaction to caffeinated products. For them it acts as an aphrodisiac.” Brian laughed before drinking some more wine. “Enough of that, I’ll end up being an alcoholic if I keep this up. What I wanted to talk to you about this time is the multitude of alien races I’ve met in my time in space. The Greys are as I’ve warned. The people who took me in are called Kalaidians, and for the most part, they look a lot like us. Because a plagued wiped out all of their males a century and a half ago, I’m looked upon as a savior. So if you reach space and find a ton of Kalaidians resembling me, you’ll know their attempts at mixing our blood with theirs succeeded.” He took another sip from the bottle. “Another race I mentioned is the Shandi. They look like huge snakes with arms and a humanlike face. To be honest, they look kind of creepy if you’re not ready for it. More of their philosophy is detailed in the data arriving with this message, but they’re decent people.” He scratched his disheveled hair. “The next race is the Malcovin and they’re a large bird descended race. In spite of their cawing and obsession with shiny objects they’re a lot more human like than one would think…”
“Brian, the fleet is closing in on us,” the Mjolnir reported.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to leave the rest to the data file,” he said. “I have another battle to survive. This is Brian Peterson signing off.”
“The message has been sent,” the mobile suit reported.
The ships launched their Lances and surrounded them again. The lights flashed as they opened fire with their pulse cannons. Brian piloted the Mjolnir and dodged as many as possible while the shield took the rest. When the Lances closed in as the Mjolnir returned fire with its pulse cannon.
“Deploy reflector plates in power position,” Brian said.
“Of course,” the Mjolnir said.
The plates attached to the mobile suit p
opped off and flew into a cylindrical formation in front of the pulse cannon.
“Activate dragon wing protection field,” he said.
“Activating,” the Mjolnir responded.
The new wings on the Mjolnir extended outward and created a protective field around the mobile suit. It slid the shield aside and grasped the pulse cannon with both hands before bracing itself. The Lances continued closing and firing, finding the shield around the Mjolnir was too much for their weapons. As their shots battered the lone mobile suit’s shields, the cannon lit up and fired a blast through the reflector plates. The normal sized red pulse was amplified by a magnitude of ten as it blasted out the other side and flew through a number of Lances. The pulse of energy ended its flight after slamming through a pair of Confederation ships. Brian shifted the Mjolnir’s direction and fired again, blasting through half a dozen mobile suits and another three ships. As he moved to fire again the ships and Lances spread out as they continued firing. When the Mjolnir fired another volley into their fleet the ships started firing HV missiles. The shields outside absorbed the blasts but the shaking was immense.
“What’s our currently status?”
“Our shields are holding at eighty percent,” the Mjolnir reported. “At the current rate the enemy will be wiped out and leave us at fifty percent.”
“I suspect they don’t have the stomach for that,” he said.
Brian shifted to attacking the approaching Lances. As they suffered damage or were destroyed each tossed an explosive mine at the Mjolnir. The explosions covered the mobile suit in light. As the smoke cleared the shields held but the outer hull was dented by the pressure.
“Shift reflectors to spread fire mode,” Brian said.
While the Mjolnir dodged another pair of thrown mines the reflector plates opened up holes in the cylinder shape to create a number of barrels.
“Done,” the Mjolnir reported.
Freedom Saga 1: Heaven's Light Page 16
