Freedom Saga 1: Heaven's Light

by Marcus Johnson

  The pulse cannon fired into the newly shaped cylinder. Instead of amplifying the pulse into a large blast it forced it into a number of smaller shots and fired in all directions. The Lances nearby suffered damage and pulled away. The Confederation fleet retrieved their ships while laying down cover fire. The Mjolnir moved to chase them.

  “Let them go,” he said.

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t purse?” the mobile suit asked.

  “This is a war of attrition,” Brian explained. “Despite our impressive showing our enemy has the luxury of numbers. Retrieve the reflector plates and shut down the protective field.”

  “As you wish,” the Mjolnir said.

  * * *

  The main fleet gravity jumped into the debris field the Mjolnir left behind. Baeron and Siata watched as the mobile suit flew away.

  “Sir, we’re receiving the data on the Mjolnir’s new attack and defense systems,” the science officer reported.

  “Please put it up on the monitor,” Baeron ordered.

  “Yes sir,” the science officer said.

  The monitor showed the video the Mjolnir during the battle a few hours prior. Everyone on the bridge watched with great interest.

  “The Mjolnir isn’t glowing red anymore,” Baeron observed. “Why do you think he’d change tactics and use the special weapons on his mobile suit?”

  “He can’t berserk anymore,” Siata said.

  “Why couldn’t he?”

  “He chose life,” she said. “The Teacher didn’t have the option.”

  “What about the display of light before?”

  “For a brief time he awakened,” Siata said. “Something happened to him during those moments. From what I can see he had one card left to play if he wanted to live.”

  “It was probably something lieutenant commander Celi prepared ahead of time,” Baeron said.

  “No doubt,” she said.

  “If he can’t berserk it’ll only be a matter of time,” Baeron said.

  “It was never his intention to hold out forever,” Siata said. “His goal was to draw us out here as a distraction.”

  “So his allies had time to prepare?”

  “Precisely,” Siata answered. “But we’ll catch our prey. Brian has crossed the threshold and survived to tell the tale. I’m guessing he’s had a few questions answered as well.”

  * * *

  Grigon entered Myden’s dark quarters onboard the Freedom. The old Malcovin made sure to close the door behind him. After he did so the hooded Grey stepped out of the shadows.

  “Is it time?” Grigon asked.

  “Yes,” Myden said. “Brian is about to be captured by the Confederation. We must prepare the Maidens for the next stage.”

  “All five of the special models are ready to roll out,” Grigon said. “And the Freedom is almost complete.”

  “Can it fight?”

  “It’s not at one hundred percent,” Grigon said. “But if something comes up it is ready.”

  “Very well,” Myden said. “Once he’s been captured I’ll call everyone together. It’s time they knew the truth.”

  Chapter 32 - 67 Light-years Away

  The Mjolnir gravity jumped into another solar system the next day. It appeared near a gas giant surrounded by asteroids and moons. Brian sat in the cockpit and finished off the bottle of wine. Afterwards he cracked open an emergency ration and ate it with little enjoyment.

  “You’re not drunk, are you?” the Mjolnir asked.

  Brian laughed as he ate. “No, Valis only gave me one bottle,” he sighed as he stared at the food, “This brings back bad memories.”

  “Memories of the sojourn?” the mobile suit asked.

  “Yes,” Brian said. “I’d kill for a pizza right now. Hell, I’d take a Kalaidian salad.”

  “There are times I wish I could understand these things,” the mobile suit said. “I don’t have a sense of taste.”

  “That’s right old friend,” Brian said. “Your energy comes from a gravity drive, not food. I have an idea.”

  “What is it?”

  “Why not have Daes to make you an avatar?” he suggested. “If you had a body like ours you could experience so much more. By the way, is there a good place to hide?”

  “There are a number of places,” the Mjolnir reported. “Do you prefer moons or asteroids?”

  “Let’s take a moon,” Brian said.

  “As you wish,” the Mjolnir said.

  The Mjolnir flew into a crevasse on a large rocky moon.

  “What kind of signals are you picking up?”

  “We’re receiving radio and television signals,” the mobile suit said. “From what I can tell it’s the 1950s.”

  “Continue recording,” Brian said.

  “Is there a reason why I’m doing this?”

  “I want to hear the voice of a human,” Brian said. “That and I have a home to return to.”

  “Are you talking about Earth?”

  “Yes and no,” he said. “Earth is a place I’d love to see one more time. But I doubt we’ll get there. The home I’m talking about is where ever she is. Where ever they are. Seles and the others mean too much to me to abandon them. When I was suffering from the red eyed glare I wasn’t able to think about things in real time. I couldn’t see what I was doing to hurt them. Now I know these things.”

  “I miss them too,” the Mjolnir said.

  “I’m sure you do,” Brian said. “We’re most happy when we’re with those we love.”

  “What is happiness?”

  “Happiness…is important,” he said. “Without it we can’t live good lives and often we don’t know we had it until it’s gone.”

  “Will I ever come to know what it is?”

  “I think you already have,” Brian said. “That’s it! It’s time ready the next message.”

  “Recording on your mark,” the Mjolnir said.

  “This is Brian Peterson speaking again and my time on the run may be coming to an end soon. If the timer is correct this should reach Earth in the year 2087. I wonder what Earth will be like in that year? Have you unified as one, or are you still at war? I doubt conflict has left you yet, but the door is opening. You see, each of us is searching for something in our lives, a reason to live. For some it’s to live under god. For others it’s to live in harmony with nature. There are innumerable options but it stems from a common source. What we seek is happiness. A place where poverty, fear, and hate has been banished to the dark ages. Perhaps the utopia I speak of is unrealistic. Perhaps it can’t come true. I know this and yet I can’t help but seek it. I don’t want perfection; what I seek is a better world then the one we live in. I hope someday to look upon the Earth and see a people not at war, but at peace. I say this because though I haven’t been home in over a decade I still love our blue Earth. I love its oceans and skies, rivers and mountains, with green forests and snowy ice caps. You don’t know how beautiful the Earth is until you see it from afar. I hope one day you can see the Earth as I do, as a beautiful blue pearl floating in the darkness of space.” The image of Earth filled his mind. “This is Brian Peterson signing off.”

  “It’s been sent,” the mobile suit reported.

  Brian sniffed the air before looking at himself. “I need a shower.”

  “We’re low on clean water,” the Mjolnir said.

  Brian laughed. “I was too busy awakening to keep track of stuff like that. Well, let’s find a nice piece of ice and start processing.”

  The Mjolnir flew outside and scanned the area. “There’s an ice field only a hundred ketres away.”

  “Let’s go,” Brian said. He locked his exoskeleton’s helmet on. “Man, I need a shower.”

  The Mjolnir flew into an area filled with ice. The dark gas giant below loomed over the entire horizon. In the distance the parent star shined dimly. Brian pushed the button to suck all the air and pressure from the cockpit and took a step outside. His feet magnetically clung to the Mjolnir as it took chunks
of ice and crushed them.

  “How’s the purity?”

  “It’s close to one hundred percent clean,” the mobile suit reported. “Nothing the filtering system should have a problem with.”

  Brian gazed at the bands of clouds on the planet below. “This is amazing.” He grabbed a small piece of ice and looked at it. The Mjolnir put the crushed ice into a valve on its back. Brian gazed at the star in the distance. He walked up to the shoulder of the Mjolnir and sat next to its head. “This is what I dreamed of when I was young.”

  “You wanted to stare at ice?”

  Brian laughed. “No, I dreamed of being an astronaut. I wanted to see Earth from the moon. I wanted to walk on the red dust of Mars. If I died right now my life would be fulfilled.”

  “What does it mean to be fulfilled?”

  “To be fulfilled is to be content, or happy to put it another way,” Brian said. The dim sunlight glinted off the lenses of the exoskeleton’s helmet. “When I look at planets like this I realize just how small I am.”

  “I’m not much bigger,” the Mjolnir said.

  “When compared to the size of planets and stars we’re nothing more than specs of dust.” Brian stood up and tossed the chunk of ice at an asteroid in the distance. “I feel like I finally have some perspective.” The two sat silent for a while. After a few minutes Brian looked at the planet below. “Mjolnir, are you picking up any signals related to baseball?”

  “The most current data stream is showing something called the World Series,” the mobile suit answered. “It appears to be between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.”

  “1953?”

  “That’s the year,” the Mjolnir said.

  “Set all the related games aside so we can listen to them later,” Brian requested.

  “Done, by the way, the water is ready for use.”

  “Great,” he said as he headed back inside. After the air and pressure returned he removed the helmet and stepped out of his exoskeleton. He floated into the back room and opened the tiny bathroom door. “Mjolnir, could you move around and give me some gravity.”

  “Sure,” the mobile suit said. It started spinning and moving around.

  A short while passed as Brian showered and changed his clothes. He stepped into the cockpit and put on his exoskeleton again.

  “How was your shower?”

  “Great,” Brian said.

  The scanners flashed on.

  “I’m picking up another fleet,” the Mjolnir reported. “It’s twice the size of the last one.”

  “How far away are they?”

  “Seven hours.”

  “Good,” Brian said. He sat back in the pilot seat and rested his head. “I’m going to get some sleep, alright?”

  “I’ll wake you if anything happens.”

  “My body is hoping nothing does,” Brian said as he closed his eyes.

  Chapter 33 - 60 Light-years Away

  “He’s here,” the communications officer reported. Both Baeron and Siata looked at the monitor.

  “He’s not making much of an effort to hide anymore,” Baeron said.

  “I know,” Siata said. “What’s he trying to do?”

  “Perhaps he knows the hunt is coming to the end,” Baeron suggested. “The ships from the last battle say the Mjolnir took some damage.”

  “True,” Siata said. “And his messages for Terra Prime aren’t damaging in any way. If he sent schematics or such I’d be worried, but it’s been nothing but warnings and predictions.”

  “Captain, the Mjolnir is heading for the shattered moon of the second planet,” the science officer reported.

  “Put it up on the screen,” Baeron ordered.

  “Yes sir,” the science officer said before displaying the image.

  A super Earth far too hot for life was the main planet. Surrounding it were rings of rock and a small moon split in half from a previous, unknown collision.

  “He’s choosing the battlefield,” Siata said. “Deploy all units.”

  “Yes captain,” the officers said before relaying the orders. The fleet followed the Mjolnir.

  “What do you think he’s doing?” Baeron asked.

  “He’s training us,” Siata said. “If we can’t capture a single Terran than we have no chance against the Greys.”

  “I’d have to agree,” Baeron said. He turned to the security officer. “Ready my Lance for battle.”

  “You’re fighting him personally?” Siata asked. “It’s been awhile.”

  “If our hunt is coming to the end I want to see it with my own eyes,” Baeron said.

  * * *

  “They’ve taken the bait,” the Mjolnir reported.

  “Good,” Brian said. He checked the mess of rocks and objects moving around the shattered moon. “Let’s set up some mines.”

  “As you wish,” the mobile suit said.

  A moment later it fired a number of proximity mines into the rocks nearby.

  “Finished and mapped,” the Mjolnir said.

  “Ready the reflector plates and dragon wing protection system,” Brian said.

  “Yes.”

  The wings extended and emitted an energy field around the mobile suit again. The plates on the outer hull popped off and floated around the Mjolnir.

  “Deploy the reflector plates in maze formation,” he said.

  “Of course,” the mobile suit responded.

  The plates flew around the mobile suit in various directions and angles.

  “Before we commence with this battle I’d like to send another message,” he said.

  “I’m ready to record.”

  Brian took a sip of water before speaking.

  “This is Brian Peterson speaking to you once again. I’ve been rather serious when sending these messages. I know that and believe some levity is called for. This message should reach Earth sometime in the year 2080. The lesson today is keeping an open mind. The first thing to shock me when I was taken in by the Kalaidian people was their vegetarian diet. I didn’t think much about it when I was back on Earth. I was an omnivore and loved meat. Spending a year with Kalaidians changed my diet. That is, until I tried some Malcovin food. I find it strange how different each race eats and drinks. I guess having different body chemistries does that. That brings my main point. Don’t be surprised by the look of the alien races. To date there’s only one race resembling ours, although the Braiden count as a close second. The Mylor are the oldest in our galaxy other than the Greys and I know very little about them. All of the Original Five move around in exoskeletons and show no one what they look like underneath. My guess is they look different from the rest of us, but hell, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised. Be prepared for the strange.” He glanced at the radar. “It looks like I need to survive another battle my friends. I’ll be in touch soon. This is Brian Peterson signing off.”

  “The message has been sent,” the Mjolnir reported.

  “Good,” he said as the Lances moved in. “They look excited today.”

  The Mjolnir backed into the debris field and aimed the pulse cannon at the first set of reflector plates. After it fired the energy bounced in many directions before slamming into the first rank of Lances, destroying two and damaging three others severely. When they closed in, the mines activated and filled the area with explosions and dust. A number of Lances exploded from the blasts and debris. At the same time, the Mjolnir fired a volley of shots into the reflector plates and attacked their mobile suits from numerous directions.

  “It looks like they have us surrounded,” the Mjolnir said.

  “That’s alright,” Brian said. “All we have to do is survive a little longer.”

  * * *

  Baeron watched the confusion filled battle from the cockpit of his Lance model mobile suit. As his men were destroyed one after another the Minan soldier carefully noted everything. After a few minutes he turned on his com.

  “Squadron leaders, pull back and attack the shattered rocks arou
nd the Mjolnir,” he ordered.

  “Yes sir,” each pilot responded.

  A moment later the Lances inside the battle area backed away and aimed their pulse cannons at the debris. The Mjolnir continued firing at the Lances as they filled the area around the lone mobile suit with rocks and dust. The Confederation ships opened fire with their HV missiles and filled the area with explosions. After the bombardment finished, the dust cleared and the Mjolnir was nowhere to be found.

  “All scouting units move in,” Baeron ordered.

  A few minutes passed before the scouting mobile suits returned. A pair of them held something. As they came closer, Baeron noticed they were carrying the broken wings and left leg of the Mjolnir.

  “Sir, this is the debris we found,” the pilot explained.

  “Are you sure there wasn’t anything else?” Baeron asked.

  “Nothing sir,” the pilot said.

  He glanced at the rocks all over the place. “Continue the search.”

  “Yes sir,” his subordinates said.

  * * *

  The damaged Mjolnir was hidden inside a small asteroid as it moved away from the shattered moon. The wings were blown off and most of the left leg was missing. Only half of the reflector plates remained. Brian frantically worked on a number of panels before systems came back on. He jumped out of the compartment.

  “Are you still with me?”

  The eyes on the mobile suit flickered and started glowing blue again. “All systems are functioning,” the Mjolnir said. “But I’m not feeling a hundred percent.”

  Brian returned to the pilot’s seat and performed a diagnostic of the Mjolnir’s systems. As soon as he saw the phase cloak still functioned he turned it on.

  “You’re not looking well,” Brian said. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “It’s not your fault.”

  “Yes, it is,” he said. “I should’ve anticipated they’d try something like that.” He banged his fist on the arm of the pilot’s chair. “I should’ve listened to Valis more.”

  “Captain Valis is an excellent tactician,” the Mjolnir said. “You’re almost her match.”