by Jay Toney
Amber went first. She selected one of my solar systems and used her wand to launch a rogue planet at one of my planets. She succeeded in colliding with one of my inner planets, knocking it out of orbit. The planet spiraled towards the sun, taking two more planets with it.
Jewel went next. She was teaming up with Amber, selecting one of my solar systems. She launched a planet towards one of my outer planets, hoping to knock it towards the sun and destroy multiple planets. She hit the planet, but it went out system instead.
Now it was my turn. With them playing two against one, I would have to play very aggressively. I started with Amber's Galaxy. I searched through system after system, settling on a system with a blue giant. I used my cue stick to launch my rogue planet towards a large gas giant. It struck, causing the planet to accelerate. As it sped up, its orbit spiraled down, destroying all of the inner planets. It left me with just two more planets in that system.
Amber, lined up her next shot and knocked a planet out of orbit. Jewel did the same with her system. I was lined up good for my next shot. I hit my rogue planet knocking it into the closest planet. The collision caused it to hit the last planet in the system, sending them both out of the solar system. The Sun exploded into a supernova, leaving a black hole.
The girls each took out one more planet. I found another system with a giant star, and launched my black hole at this system. Every planet was destroyed, the sun went supernova and left another black hole. The two black holes merged, becoming a super black hole.
Amber destroyed my last planet. The systems sun expanded into a red giant, then collapsed to a white dwarf, and finally it cooled shedding its outer layers, leaving her with a black dwarf. Jewel went next. She knocked the last planet out of orbit. Its larger sun expanded to a super red giant. It collapsed, then went supernova, leaving her with a black hole.
My next shot had me sending my super black hole into the center of Amber's galaxy. It had the desired affect of destroying over half of her galaxy. Something that I never seen before happened. My black hole grew with the additional mass. Its gravity started a chain reaction causing all of Amber's solar systems to start spiraling in towards my Super black hole, which in turn grew even larger, attracting more of her solar systems. She was out of the game.
Jewel knew that she was beat. It was time for dinner anyhow. We ended the game hurrying to the Officers mess. It was Rosie's turn cooking dinner, and we were assured a treat, She and Doc were still having their mock contest, and I wasn't going to change my vote to settle it.
Rosie prepared a stew similar to Doc's lizard stew, but using pork and adding more spices. It smelled and tasted great. From the look on Doc's face, he was enjoying the meal, but he would never admit it to me. The Iniguar crew ate the meals that their wives prepared for them. For the most part, they were vegetarian. They usually kept to fruits, nuts, and vegetables by need, rather than by choice. They were starting to experiment with our frozen meals, becoming acquainted with our omnivorous diet. They enjoyed the varying diet and its many flavors and textures. It wouldn't be long before they would be joining us for meals.
We headed back to the bridge, and relieved Shar'tu, and the other Iniguar officers.
"Shar'tu, there is plenty of stew left in the officers mess. Enough for all of you and your bond mates. You are welcome to join us there for our meals."
"Thank you Nathaniel. Perhaps we will join all of you for the occasional meal. If we ate with you all the time, our bond mates would have little to do. Tonight we shall try your stew."
"Enjoy your meal."
I looked at the timer, we only had a short time to go. When we reached our destination, I brought us out of hyperspace. Persephone slowed our ship. When the sensors started reporting data, and the view screen showed the starfield again, I had Persephone change our course to Penduli the jump point. It meant a rapid deceleration, followed by a rapid acceleration, back towards where we entered the system. When we got our speed back up to .2c, I had everyone shut down their drives and run dark, with passive sensors only, running lights off, and no transponder emissions.
I didn't want to take the chance of us being followed, and spotted.
"Nathaniel, I have a translation for you know."
"What did he have to say?"
"He demanded our surrender for trespassing, or face destruction. He also said that he and his officers would take great delight crunching on our bones."
I had another enemy, hungry for fresh meat from the sound of it. I should have left the fleet alone, and jumped out of the system as soon as I could. Hopefully the computer files Mike downloaded would make our trespass worth while.
We coasted in the dark, eyes on our sensor display watching for our new enemy and counting down the time it would take to escape from this system. When the timer reached zero, we all jumped to the next system.
It Had To Be Spiders
Amber's scans didn't reveal any ships that could be part of our fleet. We would continue searching as we crossed the system. Fortunately our new alien friends hadn't found us yet. I prayed that they'd given up the chase and went back into hibernation. I had the Alliance and the Crimson Tide to worry about, I didn't need to worry about other new enemies. We were deep in Crimson Tide territory, encounters with them couldn't be helped. So far they seemed to be less organized, the further we got away from the Alliance.
Our Database showed that there were colonies established on the third planet of this system. However there were no traces of recent space travel that our sensors could detect. Amber was very thorough in her search for any traces of drive emissions. The main screen showed the starfield ahead of us, and our tactical screen only showed our ship, the Vengeance, and the Lucy.
"Persephone set our course for the next jump point."
It would take us to a uninhabited system, MCX3247A. There was nothing in our database concerning this system, other than the fact that it was uninhabited. We still had to continue our search of the systems we traveled through, looking for possible stragglers from Reds fleet.
Reds fleet was supposed to wait for us, to rendezvous with them in the Hades System. It was still a long way off, but we should get there before the fleet left in search of a system they could settle in. We still had nine San Paulos months to get there before they left us behind.
Shar'tu and his crew relieved us, with him taking the command chair. All of us left to eat dinner in the officers mess. It was Doc's turn to cook dinner. I was disappointed. I expected a feast from him, but instead we had hamburgers and fries. He noticed the look of disappointment on my face and asked, "You didn't expect me to go all out cooking every night did you?" Actually I had. After he noticed, that I was eating the burger enthusiastically he said, "These burgers are made from eel meat. I seasoned them to make them taste less fishy."
Doc knew that I hated eel. He waited to make sure I was well into the burger to tell me, on purpose. It didn't matter, I couldn't stop eating the burger, and grabbed another when I finished it. Doc chuckled, while I was eating my second burger. I looked between Amber and Jewel to see where I got this new found taste for eating eel. Both were enthusiastically eating their meals. I couldn't tell, but I had the satisfaction of Doc not seeing me spit out my food.
After dinner we went to our quarters. Amber and Jewel got in our hot tub to soak, and relax. I laid on the bed to rest my eyes for a few minutes. I was spending more time on the bridge, working a complete shift, now that Shar'tu and the other Iniguar officers were working the 2nd shift. The bridge was monitored on the third shift, by only one member, of the crew. His sole purpose was to monitor critical systems from here with his counter part doing the same in engineering.
I had slept longer than I had planned. It was nearly the end of Shar'tu's watch, when he summoned
me. Persephone sounded an alarm in my cabin. It was loud and high pitched. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn that she used this alarm to annoy me. It would not only wake any sleeper, but would wake the dead too if they heard it. I was awake, but dazed and confused thanks to Jewel. Amber and Jewel both urged me to get out of bed.
"Persephone, you can silence the Alarm now. We are all awake," Amber told the AI.
Jewel and Amber led me to our small galley. Amber poured me three glasses of juice to drink, while she and Jewel dressed. I was still dazed, needing more time to wake. Jewel and Amber belted on their blasters. Amber carried mine, seeing that I hadn't come to my senses yet. Both girls urged me, then finally grabbed my arms and led me to the bridge. By the time we got there, my thoughts were finally clearing.
"Jewel, can you possibly take this muddled thought process back?"
"I wouldn't if I could. I've never woken up so clearheaded before. Give it time, you will get use to it."
"Yeah, but the feeling of needing to wear one of your nighties, when I get up is disturbing."
"I thought you liked my nighties?"
"I do, on you or Amber. Not on me."
"Well, you haven't worn one yet as far as we know. Give it some time, you will get use to it."
We entered the bridge, and Shar'tu exchanged places with me.
"Captain Roberts, my communications officer has picked up a weak signal from the third planet. It is a distress signal. The repeating signal is calling for help. I expect it requires some urgency, on our part. I've adjusted our course to this planet."
"Let me hear the distress call."
"Char'nox, play back the message for the captain."
Char'nox made a few adjustments on the communications console:
"Anyone we need help. The bugs are attacking. We need weapons and ammunition urgently."
"Bugs attacking doesn't sound to bad. It sounds more like they need a pesticide, than weapons."
"I believe they are using the term bugs loosely. They may be referring to an alien insectoid species. Some species of insectoids can be quite formidable."
"I guess the only way to find out is to investigate."
"Amber see what you can find out in our database, and start scanning the planet."
"Shar'tu, go ahead and stand down. I may need you later."
"Persephone, when we get near the planet, enter orbit."
"Jewel, contact the Vengeance and the Lucy, get them up to date with the distress call, and ask them to enter orbit with us."
We entered orbit. Amber had completed her scans, and research.
"Nathaniel, there are three colonies on this planet. One large, and two small colonies. The small colonies are nothing ,more than small outposts for the major establishment. My research doesn't show any insect life that could be a danger to the colonists. I've downloaded the colonies records, there is no historical data for any type of bug attack."
"Could it be from an invasive species?"
"The colonies do not have any records supporting any type of invasion."
"We will have to go down and investigate. I can't see any alternatives."
Doc and Jane came onto the bridge. He was surprised to see us already here.
"Nathaniel, what are you doing here so early?"
"We've been here most of the night."
"We?"
"Amber, Jewel, and I."
"What for?"
"We received a distress signal last night about bugs attacking the colonists on this planet, and their needing weapons and ammunition."
"I don't suppose any of you have taken time out to eat?"
I hadn't even thought about eating. I was definitely feeling hungry now. I wished he hadn't brought up the subject, because I was getting hungrier just thinking about it.
"Doc, the girls and I are starved. We can definitely use some breakfast before we go to the surface, to investigate."
"I'll see what I can whip up for the three of you."
Doc left and Mike came onto the bridge.
"Why are we in orbit? I thought we didn't need any supplies."
"The colonists have a bug problem, and we are going to see what we can do to help."
"That sounds like fun."
"I'm glad you see it that way, because I'll need you with us."
"Randolph, get four marauders ready. I'll need a full load out for a ground attack."
"I'll get them ready for you Captain."
Doc arrived with a cart loaded with food. My mouth was already watering, in anticipation of the meal he brought. Jewel and Amber joined me seating ourselves along one side of the table, in the anteroom. Doc unloaded pans of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, biscuits and gravy. He also put a dispenser full of coffee, and another dispenser of juice on the table. As soon as he was clear, we scrambled to fill our plates and stomachs.
I didn't even taste my breakfast, hurrying to finish my plate of food, so I could get another. The girls were far from dainty, eating like pigs too. I sighed and loosened my belt a notch after finishing my meal. I poured a cup of juice, drinking it slowly savoring its fruity flavor. We all thanked Doc, for providing us breakfast. Otherwise, we would have probably eaten premade frozen meals and not felt so satisfied. He cleared the plates, and Mike joined us on the bridge.
"So, what's the plan Nathaniel."
"We are going to take a dozen men in powered armor with us down to the surface and do a bug hunt. We will be flying to all three colonies, starting with the one furthest out from their main colony. Beyond that, I don't know. We will have to figure it out as we go."
"How are they going to be armed?"
"I was thinking that half of them should have flame throwers, and all of them would be equipped with blaster rifles."
"That sounds a little extreme for a bug hunt."
"According to Shar'tu, they may not be ordinary bugs, but may be larger alien insectoids. I hope it is just everyday bugs."
"So do I."
We left the bridge, heading to the shuttle bay in the port nacelle. The Marauders were loaded with two external gun pods, ten percussion bombs, but only four missiles each. I didn't expect to be facing weapons towers, but I still liked missiles. The external guns were only 20 mm, but we had twice the Ammunition in the pods. They were very useful for clearing ground forces.
With our preflight done, and troops, wearing power armor, boarded, we launched.
"Nathaniel," Reds voice came over my headset. "Give me a minute to get my people loaded. I'm coming along on this bug hunt. I have twenty of my troopers boarding now."
We waited in orbit. Red's Marauder joined our group making five of us.
"Nathaniel, we never used bombs in gravity, how do you do it?"
"Its done the same way. The weapons computer knows the difference between zero gravity, and the planets gravity. It will make all the calculations for you. Just select bombs on your weapons select panel, line your target up in the cross hairs, and squeeze the trigger."
"Thank you Nathaniel, Amber and I will see you on the ground."
I made sure navigation computer had the colony locked in. From the size of it, it was little more than an outpost. I advanced my throttles, and dove towards the ground, keeping the nose of my ship pointed at the target. When gravity took hold of my ship, I eased back on the throttles, letting gravity take over.
The nose of my ship started glowing red as I entered atmosphere. My ship was buffeted, descending through thicker atmosphere. Plasma covered my viewport, making it impossible to see. I watched m
y instruments, staying on course, and continuing my dive. The assault shuttle left a trail of fiery contrails as I continued my dive.
The ship was slowed by the denser atmosphere, and the plasma began to fade being replaced by the view of the ground rapidly approaching. V-max, and altitude warnings sounded and lit up on my instrument panel. I ignored them, opening my speed brakes part way when the ship started to shutter violently. At the last minute I pulled back hard on the controls, bringing the ship out of the dive. I opened the speed brakes to slow the ship, when I was satisfied with my airspeed, I closed the speed brakes and advanced the throttles slightly. The first outpost was dead ahead.
I circled the area, looking for any signs of danger. The other Marauders caught up with me and joined me in formation. There were no communications from the ground. I slowed my ship, looking for a landing sight, and selected a flat area just outside the outposts walls. I circled around, lowering my landing gear, and landed in the clearing.
I shut down the Marauder, and exited the ship with the three troops I had with me.
"Nathaniel, by the gods, you must be insane flying like that. Your wives must be equally insane following you. I'm surprised you still have your wings attached after exceeding maximum velocity."
"I was just having a little fun. It isn't often I get to fly like that. You should see me fly during a raid."
"Only from a safe distance and on the ground. Mike was right, Jewel and Amber can really fly. I've never seen anyone fly like that."
"You ought to see Doc fly. You'd swear it was Nathaniel flying," Amber said.
We all made our way into the outpost together, 32 troops accompanied us. The streets and buildings were deserted. There wasn't any sign of anyone. Occasionally we would come across piles of a white powdery substance. Other than that, everything looked new and undamaged. It was like everyone just left, without bothering to pack.
Red knelt by a pile of the white powder, and started scanning it with his comp. He looked at the readings, then turned to me.
