by Tripp Ellis
Chloe glanced at the overwhelming enemy forces and took a deep breath. She throttled up and flew back into the fray.
The Revenant rumbled from another impact. The blast knocked Slade, and most of the crew in the CIC, to the ground. The grating sound of alarms buzzing filled the air, along with smoke and haze. The Revenant had taken heavy damage and casualties. They had expended her supply of tactical nuclear weapons. The constant barrage of cannon fire had quickly depleted their supply of ammo. They were dangerously low. The barrels of the Mark 25s were white hot from the constant stream of projectiles rifling through their barrels. The Revenant had been in a lot of tough scrapes before, but this was probably the worst.
President Slade staggered to her feet. The acrid smoke burned her eyes and made it hard to breathe.
“Sir, we’ve lost main engine number one,” Bennett shouted. “There’s a hull breach in sections 23 through 48. 62 through 71. 115 through 121. And that’s the good news. Half of our warships are not responding.”
Captain Zoey Bryant grimaced. “Starboard full,” she commanded. “Let’s put some distance between us and them.”
Another impact rattled the ship. Multiple explosions echoed through the corridors.
“Engine number two is gone.”
Slade’s face was grim.
“Sir, I’m receiving a communication from the Saarkturians,” Officer Bennett said.
“Put it on screen,” Zoey replied.
King Valinok appeared on the display. He was far from the young boy who had lost his mother during the previous Saarkturian attack on New Earth. He was a man now, and had clearly set out to avenge the Queen’s death.
It all made sense to Slade now.
Like all Saarkturians, Valinok’s skin was pale, almost translucent. His eyes were black like a sharks. And his teeth were closer to fangs. But the Saarkturians closely resembled humans in form. They were taller, stronger, and smarter. The two species shared over 98% of the same DNA.
The King spoke perfect English. “As you are aware by now, your fleet is trapped within the Otari nebula. Once we annihilate your fleet, my armada will move on to your home world of New Earth. We will take your colonies, one by one, and destroy them.”
Slade’s whole body tensed. Her stomach twisted. Her heartbeat elevated, and a mist of nervous sweat coated her body. She wanted to scream.
“For too long have you occupied our sovereign space. It is an affront to the Creator, and a violation of the Holy Scriptures. Your species is an abomination. Wiping the scourge of humanity from the face of the galaxy has long been the desire of my mother, and my grandfather before her. But I am a kind and merciful ruler as our god, Xanathu, is kind and merciful. The Scriptures tell us to show love towards our enemies, and to show forgiveness. As such, I’m going to allow your species to redeem itself. Surrender unconditionally, and I will allow your species a peaceful exodus from this sector. You may go about and pollute the galaxy as you see fit, as long as it is far, far away from Saarkturian space.” He paused for a moment. “I have but one small request. President Slade, you must surrender yourself. You are responsible for the death of my mother. And you must face judgement and atone for your sins. You have 15 minutes to express your intention to surrender. Failure to comply will result in total and complete destruction of your fleet and the human race.” The King smiled. “I eagerly await your response.”
The transmission ended.
The CIC was silent. All eyes fell upon President Slade. Her throat felt dry and swollen. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t flow. She cleared her throat.
“What are we going to do, Madam President?” Captain Bryant asked.
33
The Revenant
Slade took a deep breath. “I’m going to agree to their terms. I don’t see another viable alternative at this point. Notify the Vice President.”
The CIC went silent.
Slade looked at her watch. There was less than a minute left on the deadline. “Re-establish communication with the Saarkturians.”
Valinok’s face appeared on the display.
“I will need a few assurances from you,” Slade said.
“You are in no position to negotiate. I have all but decimated your fleet. It is by my merciful grace that I have spared you thus far. My kindness will not extend for much longer.”
“I need your assurance that no further harm will come to any citizen of the Federation. And a reasonable amount of time will be given for the colonies to evacuate.”
Valinok pondered this. “What do you consider reasonable?”
“Were talking about hundreds of millions of people. The resources and infrastructure for a mass exodus don’t exist. New settlements will have to be colonized. Additional transportation methods will need to be created. A relocation of this scale could take a decade.”
Valinok balked. “I will not abide humans in this sector for one moment longer than absolutely necessary.”
“Our kind has been at war for almost 3 decades now. Give us three years to evacuate,” Slade pleaded.
“Because I’m feeling generous, I’ll give you a year. Anyone left behind after that time will be destroyed.”
Slade clenched her jaw. “Unacceptable.”
“There are many unacceptable things in life that you must learn to accept. I’m afraid, this is one of them.”
“I’m not letting you go alone,” Walker said.
Slade stood on the flight deck next to Marine One. “I need you to stay here and help lead the exodus.”
Slade was instructed to transport herself to Valinok's flagship within the hour. The alien fleet ceased fire, and all the fighters were recalled.
“Do you really think they’re going to let us leave this sector?”
Slade exhaled. “I don’t know.”
“It’s wishful thinking. They despise our very existence and way of life.” Walker looked deep into her eyes. “You can’t do this.”
Slade could see the sadness and concern in his eyes. “Don’t let your personal feelings for me cloud your judgment.”
Walker clenched his jaw. “I’m not. The survival of the species is at stake.”
“I know that. If I don’t surrender, the species will be annihilated.”
Walker knew she was right, but he didn’t want to admit it. His eyes brimmed with tears, and he wasn’t one to cry. The two embraced and held onto each other.
“Just think, you’re getting off the hook. You don’t have to marry me now.” Slade tried to make light of the situation.
“Get the chaplain. We’re doing this now.”
“You know I had envisioned doing this somewhere a little more romantic.”
“What could be more romantic than doing this on the flight deck surrounded by gunships, flight crews, Secret Service agents, and an alien armada?”
Slade pondered this for a moment. “You’re right. I don’t think I’d want it any other way.” She gazed into his ice blue eyes. “Although, I wish we had a little bit longer for a honeymoon.”
“Me too.”
“You know, 8-ball is an ordained minister.”
Walker arched his eyebrows. “8-ball? What? Did he get a certificate online or something?”
Slade laughed. “I think so.”
One of the Secret Service agents tracked 8-ball down, and he was on the flight deck in a matter of moments.
“So, this is legit, right? You can do this?” Walker asked.
“Yes, I’m legally allowed to perform marriage ceremonies. You guys sure waited till the last minute.”
“Make it snappy,” Slade said.
“All right,” Commander Clark cleared his throat. “We are gathered here today—“
“Snappier,” Slade barked.
“Do you Kurt Walker take Aria Slade to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”
Walker stared into Slade’s eyes, and said the words with all his heart, “I do.”<
br />
“Do you, Aria Slade, take Kurt Walker to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?”
Slade smiled like a schoolgirl in love and said, “I do.”
“I now pronounce you man and wife. Captain Walker, you may kiss the bride.”
Walker took her in his powerful arms and kissed her. The two melted into one another. It was a bittersweet moment, and the embrace was all too brief.
“This is the part where you tell me how much you love me,” Slade said.
“You already know how much I love you.”
Slade pushed herself away. She tried to smile, but tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t think you’re supposed to cry at your own wedding, are you?” She dried her eyes with her sleeves and tried to pull herself together.
“Madam President, we need to go if were going to meet the deadline,” one of the Secret Service agent said.
Slade and Walker exchanged a last glance.
“I’m going to get you out of this,” Walker said in a reassuring tone. It somehow sounded possible when he said it.
Slade nodded. Then, without any further ado, she spun around and walked up the ramp of Marine One. The hatch closed, and the thrusters powered up.
Walker stepped away from the craft and watched as it lifted from the deck and lumbered out of the bay, into space. He tried his best not to fall apart, but he had that sinking feeling in his gut this was the last time he was ever going to see Aria Slade.
34
Surrender
Marine One glided through the nebula toward the Saarkturian flagship. Valinok and the Zarvox armada surrounded the Federation fleet.
Slade’s tormented eyes gazed out the window at the array of alien ships. The lump in her throat burned. It took everything she had not to break down. She had been fighting the Saarkturians for her entire life. Now the Federation was going to crumble and bow before them and the Zarvox—under her watch, no less.
Marine One landed on the flight deck of the Saarkturian flagship. Slade took a deep breath and nodded at one of the Secret Service agents to open the hatch. She strode down the ramp and held her head high. She was greeted by the angry barrels of Saarkturian rifles. A slew of guards corralled her and marched her through the twisted passageways of the massive super carrier.
The ship was sleek and minimal, with curved organic designs. It had been engineered to perfection. It was dimly lit—dark and ominous. The Saarkturians didn’t need as much light—they had better visual acuity.
Valinok waited in the CIC for his prize to arrive. When Slade was brought before him, his vengeful eyes sparkled with delight. He surveyed her for a moment before he spoke. “I expected more from someone with such a storied reputation. You are far less impressive in person.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint.”
“Nothing is going to sully this day. Long have I waited for this moment.” Valinok was an imposing figure. At almost 8 feet tall and carved of stone, he had grown to embody the Saarkturian warrior culture.
“I have kept my end of the bargain. Now let the fleet return to New Earth.”
Valinok grinned. “If there was ever a doubt about the inferiority of the human race, that question has been put to rest. It is clear you suffer severe mental deficiencies. Your willingness to put trust in your enemies is astonishing.”
Slade’s eyes widened with the dismal realization that she had been double crossed.
“If you think I’m going to let humans peacefully exist, you’re sadly mistaken. History has taught us that you will continue to destroy the galaxy. If I let your species live, you will no doubt rebuild and return someday to exact revenge. I am not a fool.”
“You gave me your word.”
“I do not respect my enemies.” He eyed her with contempt. “I am under no obligation to speak the truth to those who would do harm to me. That is madness.”
Slade glared at him.
“Besides, your fate is not in my hands. Your kind now belongs to the Zarvox. Your colonies will be destroyed, and humanity will become slaves in their empire. It is part of our arrangement.”
Slade’s whole body tensed, and her eyes blazed into him.
“You, on the other hand, will remain my prisoner. And I will make sure that you suffer throughout the rest of your miserable existence.”
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Emma said.
Walker stood in one of the 1st deck hallways on the Revenant, looking out the window at the fleet of alien warships that surrounded them. He was lost in thought, pondering his options, trying to devise some kind of plan.
“You remember the Marine Recon unit that we picked up from Ceti Reticuli 9. Apparently they encountered the Zarvox. Want to know how they defeated them?”
His inquisitive eyes snapped to her. Emma had Walker’s full attention now.
“Proxima flu. The Marines were infected. Apparently the incubation period is faster among the Zarvox. And it’s fatal.”
“How did the Marines get infected with the Proxima flu?”
“Looks like somebody screwed up and put a live virus in the vaccine.” Emma grinned. “The vaccine that was distributed to every ship in the fleet. There have already been reports of multiple outbreaks among crew members.”
There was a spark of hope in Walker’s eyes.
“How are we going to deploy the virus to the enemy fleet?”
“They are going to do it for us,” Emma said with a devious glint. “King Valinok has issued an edict that the Zarvox are going to board each ship and take prisoners of war. If we inoculate every crew member with the tainted virus, it’s likely it would cause an outbreak among the Zarvox. It’s a gamble, and we may lose a high percentage of our troops. We’d have to overtake the warships and provide the antidote to our troops before the incubation period completed.”
“How long is the incubation period?”
“5 to 7 days.”
“And how long is the incubation period for the Zarvox?”
“It seems to be almost immediate. 15 to 20 minutes, according to the reports.”
“Let’s bring this to Captain Bryant. We’ve got to act fast.”
35
Pow
Massive Zarvox transports lumbered toward the UPDF fleet. Several landed on the flight deck of the Revenant. Each transport was armed with an array of energy cannons. The turrets swiveled, ready to blast anything that resembled a hostile act. Several massive creatures emerged in full battle gear from the dropships, weapons at the ready. Soon the deck was swarming with these hideous aliens.
The Zarvox troops were accompanied by a Saarkturian interpreter.
"Surrender peacefully, and you will remain unharmed," one of the Saarkturians shouted. “Lay down your weapons and move in an orderly fashion to the transports. Cooperation will ensure your survival."
The crew of the Revenant was stunned. Senior officers directed personnel to comply with the alien’s demand.
Doctor Jackson had worked frantically to inoculate as many of the Revenant’s sailors as possible with the faulty vaccine. But there wasn’t enough time to infect more than a few hundred. He hoped that would be enough to rapidly spread the virus to the Zarvox. But the Zarvox body armor and helmet seemed to be protecting them from immediate infection with the Proxima flu.
The mammoth creatures could barely fit in the hallways of the Revenant. They had to stoop down to avoid the ceiling, and they had to crouch even lower when moving through the hatches between compartments.
Walker cringed as he watched these beasts take over the ship. Section by section they corralled crew members and forced them to the flight deck. As the transport filled, they began ferrying the prisoners back to the Zarvox warships.
Walker and Emma were rounded up and put on the same transport along with Chloe, Captain Bryant, and some of the other pilots from the squadron.
“15 to 20 minutes, eh?” Walker said to Emma with a doubtful tone. It
had been longer than that already, and nothing was slowing down the Zarvox.
“Give it time. They are not all going to be wearing battle armor aboard their warships. There must be some bio-protective feature within the armor.”
The prisoners were packed into the transports like sardines. Pressed against one another with no room to move, it became claustrophobic and stifling.
It was going to take several hours to transfer the entire crew of the Revenant. But the flight lasted a matter of minutes. The transport landed on the flight deck of one of the Zarvox warships. The back ramp lowered and a platoon of Zarvox warriors greeted the prisoners with assault rifles.
It was a welcome relief to get out of the stuffy container. But it was like stepping out of the frying pan into the fire as the towering creatures lorded over them.
The aliens escorted them through a maze of passageways to a detention center. There was a central command station and several cell blocks. Each cell was a honeycomb-like structure, contained by a red beam.
The cells were overcrowded, just like the transport had been. The air aboard the Zarvox warship was hot and muggy to begin with. Packed in a tight cell with dozens of other occupants made it even more so. On the plus side, it was the perfect environment to incubate disease.
Walker’s eyes glanced about the cell, studying it for weaknesses. He weaved his weight to the front and pressed against the force shield. It was motion and force sensitive. The harder you pressed against it, the more rigid it became. It was a common quality of lesser shields. He knew that some membranes were permeable, given the right circumstances. They reacted to high-intensity, high-velocity impact. Slow and steady pressure could, sometimes, allow an object to pass through the quantum field. If you did manage to push a finger or a hand through the beam, a sudden movement could trigger the rigidity of the membrane. If that happened, you’d end up losing whatever was caught in the beam. It made it a risky proposition.
