by John Walker
Jacks nodded. “Do you have any additional information about it now?”
“The closest thing we have is our environmental repulsion shields to avoid contact with space debris,” Singer explained. “But theirs is much more concentrated. Like a true energy defense. Doctor Wilson suggests that the odd markings on the hull are emitters which reinforce the barrier. It must be constantly engaged but only visible when we attacked it.”
“Can you tell how powerful it is? Can we penetrate it?”
Singer sighed. “We don’t have anything on board that could. Maybe a physical probe but short of that? No. It’s definitely capable of keeping anything out.”
Doctor Meyers spoke up, “how’d those smaller objects get in? Did these shields lower when they arrived or were they able to move through? It’s an important question we need to answer.”
Singer replied, “we weren’t observing when they returned to the larger vessel so I’m afraid I can’t answer that.”
“But we were recording it at the time.” Meyers moved to another station and tapped away. “I’m bringing the feed up down here.” One of the objects approached the vessel and when it drew close to the mothership, something flashed and it entered through a rounded hole. That hole sealed immediately, leaving the smooth surface behind. “Did we get readings then?”
“We did,” one of the techs said. “Looks like there was a minor power surge but it barely registered on our meters. It was so small, I’m surprised anyone bothered to take note. This could’ve been anything, including one of our own people turning on a row of servers downstairs.”
Meyers stood up and addressed the room. “We can surmise that these aliens have incredible power regulation. They are able to create a shield around their vessel which requires only a minor surge when they want to open it up. Furthermore, it barely registers when they make adjustments. That’s an important factor to keep in mind. And … we know the smaller ones have the shields too.”
“What’s it tell us?” Jacks asked. “What do we know about it from your theory?”
“It explains their beam weapons,” Meyers said. “And their seemingly reactionless propulsion. Concentrated, destructive energy could be possible as well. So far, we’ve seen what amounts to a non-lethal variety I’d say.”
Another one of the engineers snapped his fingers. “If getting here required them to use that much power, then faster than light travel must require a ridiculous amount of energy. Especially if they have such a firm grasp of regulation. What sort of reactors do you think they have on that thing?”
Meyers shrugged. “I don’t want to speculate but I can say this, we’ve encountered a giant here. Their technology vastly exceeds our own and while that might’ve been something we were taking for granted, proof of it is pretty intimidating.” He took a moment to look at some readings and shook his head. “Wow. That’s … incredible.”
“Don’t leave us in the dark,” Jacks said. “What’s wrong?”
“Those power outages were targeted,” Meyers replied. “Just as when they hit the Demeter vessels. Singer’s ship just picked up small bursts from the surface of the shields. Doctor Wilson thought they were random but if you check their trajectory, they are aimed specifically at the different places that are currently without power.”
“Meaning the people trying to restore electricity are wasting their time,” Jacks said.
“Exactly but more importantly, they’re intentionally performing this action.” Meyers brought a map up on the big screen. “They targeted specific locations, possibly those they thought presented the biggest threat. Unfortunately, they do not coincide with the missing people so we can’t make that jump. It does mean they were worried about something in those locations.”
“Isn’t that us?” A technician asked, gesturing to the map.
“Yes,” Meyers confirmed. “They tried to bring our power down but the base is shielded.”
“Wait, they tried to take us out too?” Jacks narrowed his eyes. “When they attacked?”
“Yes, right away. They’re all gone now though, so why are they still keeping us in the dark?”
“To buy themselves time to leave,” Jacks replied. “Maybe they don’t know whether we have the ability to retaliate or not, so they’re playing it safe. That’s what I would do.”
“Sir,” Singer spoke again, “we’re picking up a large energy reading now, much bigger than before. We’re pulling away and buying some distance.”
“Do that,” Jacks said. “And get well out of the way.”
“The energy surge is picking up …” Singer’s voice took on a tension Jacks had heard plenty of times before in his military career. The man was afraid and the stress came out as he chewed his syllables. “We’re moving at full speed but whatever’s about to happen will … in less than forty seconds.”
Jacks forced himself to remain calm, drawing a deep breath before he spoke. “Get out of there, Singer! Just move. Put everything into the engines and get out of there.”
“Thirty seconds.” The connection dropped.
“What happened?” Jacks asked.
“Singer has cut communications,” Meyers replied. “The surge he’s talking about is coming from the alien shields, I think. It seems to be directed at the Probity specifically. The Seeker is pulling away. They’re parting.”
“Smart ploy.” Jacks nodded. “Avery doesn’t want to be caught in whatever happens there. God damn it, what’s that surge going to do, Meyers?”
“I really can’t say, sir.” Meyers shrugged. “If I had to guess, I’d say that it would do the same thing to the ship as it did to Demeters One and Two. Hopefully, these ships have enough shielding to keep the crew alive this time if so. We’re probably talking about some kind of EMP.”
“Good God.” Jacks rubbed his eyes. “Get the Probity back on the radio!”
Alarms went off throughout the area and Jacks looked about frantically. Everyone flew into overdrive, their hands flurrying over the controls. He refrained from demanding information or a report. He knew they needed to do their jobs but his curiosity and controlling nature battled with his need to keep quiet.
“The surge has gone off,” Meyers said. “I was … right, unfortunately. The Probity has no power. It’s drifting.”
“Christ, can they get it back up?” Jacks asked. “What about the Seeker?”
“So far, it’s fine.” Meyers tapped the console before continuing. “They should be able to restart the engines if they weren’t damaged in the surge. But they’re in zero G right now and they’ll need to get environmental suits on soon. I’ll have Commander Harden start a rescue operation to help them out.”
“Wait.” Jacks held up his hand. “We might be leading them into the same situation. Have them continue to withdraw.”
“Sir,” Meyers glared at him, “Commander Singer’s team needs help.”
“And right now only Commander Singer needs it. We can’t afford to have four ships down. I’m sure you agree with that.” Jacks scowled. “No, until further notice, Singer’s on his own. Those people are trained and I have faith in them. Start analyzing the scan data you received and get me more information on these aliens.”
“Yes, sir.” Meyers turned away, clearly disgusted. Jacks understood. He wanted to send people to help as well but practicality demanded they preserve the resources they had. He hated to assume Singer’s team was lost but he knew in his heart, it was more than likely. They knew the risks and unfortunately, they were bitten.
I only hope it proves to be worth it. I’ve got information for the council and the world now. The operation wasn’t a complete loss. Now, I just have to tell everyone what we found so they can start worrying about a different set of problems, instead of the ones they all made up on their own.
***
Doubt hovered at the back of Warren’s mind moments before he called for the charge but by then, it was too late. The hallway was wide open. Their enemy knew they were coming. Any attempt at s
tealth would be a waste of time. Every second meant more people died in the terrible machine. Life and death hung in the balance.
The men and women under his command understood the situation better than any five soldiers ever would. Having nearly been rendered to nothing themselves, they had a special interest in saving the others. Even as they picked up the pace and ran toward danger and potential death, not one of them faltered.
Some of his people were not even military. Those civilians they rescued remained in the back, unarmed, dazed but determined to survive, to fight. The most zealous of them seemed prepared to put themselves at risk for it but Dex held them back. There was no reason to sacrifice them, not when perfectly capable soldiers stood ready to lead the battle.
A yellow glow lit their way, an indication they were closing on the machine. Blue beams flew past them, attacks from their opponents as they tried to suppress the attack. Warren pulled the trigger, the first to return fire. It was as if he flipped a switch. The armed ones on his side opened up, making the air vibrate with all the buzzing.
None of them knew the extent of the weapons they used. Whether they had ammunition or might overheat. It didn’t matter. Desperation drove them on, a type of zeal that overwhelmed self-preservation. They knew the score. Surrender or capture meant death. Victory was the only option.
More people fell around him. Warren instinctively flinched to the left, the heat from the beam searing his skin as it passed by. Their opponents were apparent from the flashes of their weapons, each one illuminating a target for a split second. He took advantage of the visibility, taking aim before pulling the trigger multiple times.
Screams competed with the buzzing. Human and alien alike cried out as casualties rose. Warren felt utterly shocked that he had yet to be injured, that he’d made it so far in the front of the charge. He sensed his fellows around him. None of them faltered, even as the injuries continued to rise.
The aliens began to fall back, moving toward their conveyer belt. Warren knew their ploy. They wanted to use the humans as shields again, to put some doubt into their attackers while they could continue to shoot without worrying about what they hit. He couldn’t count them but the bodies of their dead created an obstacle in the hallway.
Two marines pulled ahead, jumping over the corpses and firing their weapons wildly. One of them cried out and Warren swore the man must’ve been shot but he kept moving, tossing his pistol off to the side. A moment before it bounced on the ground, Warren noticed it was steaming from the handle and barrel.
Now I know. These things do have limits. Leave it to a marine to find them.
Dex grabbed him and dragged him to the ground, narrowly saving him from another shot. They landed on something soft, a couple of bodies of the aliens. Something wet soaked through Warren’s shirt, making him sneer as he considered what it had to be. Shouts around them echoed off the walls.
The word surrender got tossed around. More buzzing happened. Warren pushed up on his elbows and aimed ahead. A target stood … he nearly pulled the trigger, his finger twitching half a second before the alien threw his arms up in the air, his weapon tapping the floor. Did that just happen?
Dex stood as their companions secured the prisoners, three in all. Warren counted the dead. Seven of his own people and more than eight aliens. They lost nearly half their force in the conflict but now all of those standing were armed. A grim pall fell over the group as they tended to the people they came down to save.
“How many humans could they possibly have taken?” Warren asked aloud. “And how many have already died?”
Avania stood at the control panel and when she looked up, her brow furrowed. “I …” She cleared her throat. “I … the number is … high.”
“How many?” Warren insisted. “Tell me!”
“Two-hundred … thousand.” Avania winced as the others started shouting. “They have processed well over three quarters of those.”
Warren felt as if someone punched him in the gut. The number was unfathomable. So many. “How could they possibly churn through them so quickly?” He asked. “How is this possible?” Debra, Gary and Jake added to the list. He counted the survivors they just preserved and found himself surrounded by nearly a hundred people.
But that was not even a drop in the bucket compared to the sheer number of individuals who had been brought aboard. This is an atrocity.
“Where’s the next converter?” Warren asked. “Where do we have to go?”
“Further along,” Avania replied. “However … the number of dead …” She paused. “It may be prudent to take one of the shuttles you arrived in and escape with those we have saved.”
“We have to try,” Warren said.
Avania approached, lowering her voice as she spoke to him. “I’ve seen the numbers. We will not get there in time to save a significant number. There are two more converters on board and they’ve been going this whole time. By the time we get to the last one, at this rate, we will barely scrape another fifty or so. And that is being optimistic. How many will we lose in the attempt?”
“So we should hurry.” Warren’s conviction faltered. He felt terrible for what he intended to do, what he felt was the right thing. Human beings were being slaughtered down the hallway and he genuinely considered leaving them there. She was right though, and he hated her for conveying the message. “Must be a nice luxury to cast off lives so easily.”
“I think there’s more honor in saving lives than risking them for a lost cause.” Avania’s eyes blazed as she peered into his face. “I believed you to be the leader here but if you can’t make this type of decision, you may not be fit.”
“Don’t presume to understand me.”
“Then behave in an appropriate manner.” Avania took a step back and swept her hand over the people around them. “Look into their faces and decide what we’ll do. I’m prepared to follow you regardless. I will help in whatever way I must to get us off this ship and to safety. We are in a dire place. Act accordingly.”
Warren gestured for Dex to join them. “We need secure a shuttle and get out of here.”
“What about our other people?”
“Think about it.” Warren scowled. “They’re already dead. We need to save the ones we can. Once we’re back on Earth, we’ve got a surprise for these pricks and will take them down. Providing I get there in time to launch it.” He looked at Avania. “Mind leading the way? Seems like it’s time to go.”
Chapter 6
Jacks sat in his office, watching real time collaboration between the scientists and the technicians over the data collected on the object. He was hoping they’d have some reasonable information soon, something he could take to the council but so far, they were in theory mode. That wouldn’t help.
Hard facts! Jacks felt frustrated. I need hard facts. Without them, we’re all just spinning our wheels and the world knows it.
A knock at the door ended when Doctor Meyers stepped inside. “Simulations are done. Our weapons would certainly damage the metal but those shields are another matter entirely. That technology …” He shook his head, eyes wide. “I’m having a hard time explaining … it’s potent. Repulsion on a level that we’ve only talked about.”
“Break it down,” Jacks said. “You think it can stop our weapons?”
“My initial calculations suggest it could shrug off decent side asteroids.” Meyers sat down with a sigh. “We’re going to have to find another way to crack it if we intend to destroy the thing. If that’s what you intend to do with the Leviathan. Somehow, we’ll have to deal with that defense.”
“What about their blast that knocked out the Probity’s power? Can the Leviathan defend against it?”
“The good news is we’ve done an analysis and determined that they basically hit the ship with a concentrated EMP blast. Luckily, the Leviathan had the problem that kept them grounded so we can put something in place to protect the core systems. Essentially, if they are hit, the reactor will not go offline. They
’ll just have to reboot effected systems and move on.”
“What’s that mean for the Probity’s crew? Or the Demeter ships?”
“We haven’t been able to raise them on communications,” Meyers replied, “however, if the Probity crew got their environmental suits on, there’s a good chance they’re alive. Once the situation’s under control, we can help them. They might need to abandon ship but I’m hoping it’s just a matter of a few repairs.”
“How’s that ship different than the Leviathan?”
“Technology on the battleship is the most advanced we’ve got. Everything is shielded for combat. While that doesn’t necessarily help against the EMP, it is reinforced. It shouldn’t overload the way our first ship did. Plus, we’re ready for it. Forewarned is forearmed in this case, especially when it comes to toys. To put it simply, they tipped their hand.”
Jacks rubbed eyes, leaning back in his chair. The Leviathan hadn’t reported readiness yet. They were still in the testing phase of putting in that damn regulator. At least I have information. He looked up just as Madison burst into the room, eyes wide. Sweat soaked his hair and he’d gone totally white.
Horrors filled his mind as he considered the alien attack. They’d done it once, why not again? The next time, it might be far worse. Everything that might happen played out in Jacks’s mind. He drew a deep breath to relax. Blind speculation put him in the exact state he wanted to keep his people out of, a state where thinking became difficult.
“What the hell, Madison?” Jacks didn’t bother to hide his irritation. Panic was one thing but anger, that worked. “What’s wrong?”
“Sir … we’ve got a huge problem.” Madison swallowed hard. “The media … they want a comment on video footage from some private astronomy lab? They witnessed the incident between our ships and the object and now, they want to know if we’d like to talk about it. They’re demanding answers and would like to know if they witnessed our battleship failing.”
