by DJ Morand
28: FALLOUT
Near Quintar V - Independent ATLAS-V Class Gunship: Atlas
2973 ESD - Wednesday, June 16th 13:20 hours
After disposing of the two crew, the Vald, and Aurora Rigel, Abel, Tee, and Artemis secured AaBee's body in the cold storage. Abel wanted to bring him home, which ironically was Quintar V. They meshed out again with ADM at the helm while the rest of them took rest.
They meshed out within sight of Quintar V. The Rear Admiral's escort was waiting and Zed agreed with Abel's request to bring AaBee's body to the surface. The EXOs couldn't ex him now and he would have wanted to be home. Abel knew little about him, but he was a sort of surrogate for Zee.
They had a funeral for Zee, but it was not on Quintar V where Zee had been born and struggled against the AI. The majority of Quintarran's lives had been spent on Quintar V, it was home regardless of their oppression. He felt he was honoring Zee by bring AaBee home. The lack of opposition concerned Abel. The communications ADM had intercepted indicated they knew he was coming.
Just when he was about to remark on it ADM spoke, “Statement: Incoming URSA class vessel. Reading additional contacts, twelve RAVEN class fighters and scouts.”
“Flak, I knew it was too good to be true,” Abel said. “Artemis, I need you to start acquiring targets. Tee! Get on the comms with Rear Admiral Zed and have him coordinate an attack on those RAVENs,” Abel ordered as he sat down in the captain's command chair.
“ADM I need a neural uplink with the Atlas, give me sub-light navigation and start an attack array based on Artemis' targets,” Abel finished.
“Confirmation: Affirmative, preparing neural link in three … two … one,” ADM said.
Abel felt the entire ship weigh down on his mind. The complex ins and outs of ADM's programming, the location of every member aboard the ship, the schematics, and the sensory input all flooded into his neural uplink. The Atlas and Abel became one. He began evasive action to avoid making direct contact with any of the approaching ships and filed the Atlas into formation with the EFNF battlecruisers.
The Lady Luck took the central point flanked by the other two EFNF ships. Abel kept the Atlas below and behind the other three ships, concealing his heat signatures with the exhaust of the other vessels. A general comm request came through to each of the vessels.
“Observation: no EXO virus is contained within the communications request,” ADM relayed.
“Tee, go ahead and put the comm up on the viewer. Don't open our end of the channel though,” Abel said.
Tee nodded and the Transteel viewer shifted. Breaker Jones appeared before the crew of the Atlas, “Greetings Abel Cain. I been waiting a long time for this. The EXO Prime wants you dead.” Breaker smiled. “I am feeling inclined to oblige him. Time to die. Fleet Commander Doyle, ATTACK!”
The message ended with Breaker’s order of attack. The RAVENs fanned out and opened fire. The EFNF Battlecruisers drew the fire and began maneuvering to release their own single pilot fighters. The Battlecruiser fighters were smaller versions of the RAVEN-S model, but equipped with high powered laser turrets. Their small wingspan and blunted look made them appear like small rodents, thus they'd been designated as RATS Fighters, Rapid Attack Terrestrial-Space Fighter. The RATS Fighters were not particularly effective against anything larger than a courier class ship. They were designed to swarm and overtake smaller fighters like the RAVEN-F and RAVEN-S models.
In the confusion of the many ships, Abel directed the Atlas to circle down beneath the mess of fighters. On the upward swing he angled the gunship for a combat strafe against Breaker's ship. The two gunships squared off as Abel launched at the Mirage.
Laser fire flared against the shields of the Mirage. Abel swung around for a second attack run when the Mirage launched four antimatter missiles at once. Abel pulled the Atlas up and into a spiral. The missiles twisted in a spiral with him. He jerked the Atlas forward with enough momentum to tip the nose of the ship upward. Midway through the turn he twisted to starboard and dove back at the Mirage.
Two of the missiles collided and exploded in a brilliant flash of light. The heat temporarily flared before the vacuum of space swallowed it. The brief moment was all Abel needed to distract the other two missiles as he skimmed the top of the Mirage. He could feel the vibration of the two ships' shields colliding. In the last second, before one or both shields collapsed he pulled the Atlas up again. The anti-matter missiles connected solidly with the rear of the Mirage. Abel watched the display as the Mirage's shields went from ninety percent to thirteen percent.
“Artemis, Adam. Focus all laser fire on the Mirage's shield emitters, use the rail turrets to keep them occupied,” Abel ordered.
“Targeting shield emitters,” Artemis said.
“Confirmation: Affirmative, shield emitters targeted, opening fire,” ADM said.
Both the Atlas and the Mirage danced through space. Breaker managed to deal significant damage with another barrage of antimatter missiles, two of which reduced the Atlas' shields to seventy percent. The battle continued as ADM whittled away at Breaker's shields. The EXO commander took significant damage while trying to avoid the Atlas.
Meanwhile, First Fleet struggled to maintain their advantage against the EFNF battlecruisers and the RATS fighters. Already three of the RAVEN-F vessels were taken down by a swarm of the EFNF ships. Having ignored the Mirage the battlecruisers focused on the EXO fighters so much that they did not see the antimatter missiles come from the gunship. One of the cruisers lost propulsion and the main engine burst. A score of the fighters in proximity were vaporized.
The EFNF began to wane in power as the RAVEN fighters were more experienced and skilled. The nine remaining First Fleet pilots tore through another of the battlecruisers. The resulting explosion took out half of the remaining RATS fighters. The Rear Admiral's flagship stayed true and fired several shrike missiles along with an impressive array of ship to ship counter-fire.
Abel ducked and weaved the Atlas around the Mirage. He quickly learned that while the Mirage looked like the Kodiak, it had none of the maneuverability. The profile was a bit too large, and the rear engines were sorely lacking. He took advantage of the sluggishness to circle around for another strafing run. He remembered that this URSA vessel could extend the shield plates as an obstacle with seconds to spare. Breaker called in his trump card and the quantum plates launched out sideways. Abel had to pull up and to port so hard he could feel the Gs rattling his chest. The inertial dampeners took over and he reversed the ship again, realigning his approach.
“Tee, put me contact with The Lady Luck,” Abel ordered.
“Aye. Captain,” Thomas Tee said.
“Captain this is Rear Admiral Zed, how can I help?” the commander of the Lady Luck said.
“I need some of your fighters to draw the attention of that gunship. Get them to start using the quantum plates. I have an idea.” Abel said.
“Affirmative, sending fighters now,” Zed replied.
Abel watched as the fighters peeled off the First Fleet RAVENs. He turned the Atlas and flew directly at the smaller First Fleet fighters. The Atlas was an imposing force that the First Fleet had never dealt with. They had trained against the EXO Vultures, Capital Ships, and Battlecruisers. They were not prepared for Abel Cain and the Atlas
“Artemis, pick your targets, I want to target shield emitters and propulsion systems,” Abel ordered.
“On it,” Artemis replied. “ADM, see if you can get me emitters on the RAVEN-F vessels and propulsion on the RAVEN-S vessels.””
“Confirmation: Affirmative, awaiting targets,” ADM said.
Artemis targeted both emitters and propulsion on both ships, but ADM did as he was asked. The laser turrets blazed away at propulsion and engine control, while the rail turret targeted the shield emitters. Abel grinned wide as the Atlas tore through First Fleet. The fighters under the Fleet Commander began to crumble. Abel respected that they never broke rank, not even when they faced death.
<
br /> “Captain,” Rear Admiral Zed came over the comms. “I have to pull my fighter's back, I am losing too many men.”
Abel understood, “Pull them back Rear Admiral. Then mesh out of system and head to Eden. The EFNF is compromised. The EXOs are under control of the Vald. If we make it out of here alive we'll meet back up with you. We're bringing this bird down to the planet. We have people to save.”
“Negative Captain, we're not leaving you, just pulling back fighters. Take care of that URSA vessel on your way down. The remaining RAVEN fighters cannot hold up against our missile ordinance,” The Rear Admiral said.
“Understood. E ma ruoy rehtorb dna uoy era enim. Godspeed Rear Admiral.” Abel said.
“E ma ruoy rehtorb dna uoy era enim. Godspeed Captain Cain,” the Rear Admiral replied.
Abel turned the Atlas around again and launched a few shots at the Mirage. Abel pushed the ship near to full power and screamed towards Quintar V.
“ADM, get me a link to the TP-D, anything a distress signal, computers, anything. I need to know where she crashed.”
“Confirmation: Affirmative Captain, locating the TP-D Justice now,” ADM replied.
Abel nodded as the Atlas soared toward the large planet. He checked his sensors and saw that the URSA gunship was in pursuit. Breaker opened fire and several laser strikes connected with Abel's rear shields. He could feel the impact as rail weapons pelted the back of the ship. Abel pushed the Atlas as fast as he could.
“Statement: I have located the TP-D Justice, patching through coordinates now. WARNING: The URSA gunship is powering their antimatter cannon,”” ADM warned.
“Flak! I forgot about that. ADM drop a few tachyon bursts behind us. Artemis, get a target for that antimatter cannon and launch everything we have at it. Their shields are low enough I don't think we'll have to contend with them after,” Abel ordered.
“Confirmation: Affirmative, tachyon burst in two … one,” ADM said.
“Target acquired Captain,” Artemis said.
“Fire at will Artemis, kill the flakker!” Abel yelled.
“I am picking up the TP-D Justice at Golf Lima November Three point Seven Eight Zulu Romeo,” Tee relayed. “Multiple contacts on the ground. Looks like EXO.”
“Confirmed Tee,” Abel said as she angled the Atlas towards the coordinates.
Artemis fired the missiles while the Mirage tried to gain a new bearing on the Atlas. The missiles arced out towards the ship and exploded on impact. Abel didn't wait to see if they were successful and dove into Quintar V's atmosphere.
29: EXO PRIME
Quintar V - Surface Wreckage: TP-D Justice
2973 ESD - Friday, June 18th 14:00 hours
Echo and Six sat within the TP-D, they returned after gathering fish and water. The majority of Quintar V was grassland and meadow with the occasional great stream of water. There were trees, but Six’s sword was the only bladed tool they had and it wouldn’t be much use chopping down a tree for shelter. That left them with the option of returning to the TP-D so they could stay warm when night fell.
The majority of the TP-D Justice was powered down. Echo figured this was best as it kept the EXOs from being drawn to it. More than likely they had already converged on the vessel in the day Echo and Six were gathering basic necessities. Neither of them knew about the space battle happening above when they cooked their meal. Echo had not seen any EXOs and for some reason she was worried about it. There should have been a presence at least, if not a full battalion of them set upon the TP-D.
Is it possible they’re not aware we crashed here? Or that they think the TP-D broke up in the atmosphere? Echo asked herself, but she didn’t know for sure.
Instead she worked on a plan to escape Quintar V. She had decided she was going to live, despite her admonition against the EFNF and Abel to come and rescue her. She watched Six sleep. He had kept watch the night before while she rested. With little else to do now, she watched him while she did the same.
Quintar V was dangerous ground. Echo agreed that the station on the moon would have been ideal, but now that the TP-D Justice was grounded planet-side she had to find a way to protect its secrets. The EFNF put years of research into building the destroyer and she could not let it fall into EXO hands. She worried the EXOs were already aware of their location and were simply biding their time. Six did not seem to share the same concerns.
Abel would have already left, Echo thought. He is probably smarter than I am.
She couldn't help a bit of self-deprecation at this point. She had led her crew into a trap and they had been killed for it. Echo could feel the weight of her mistakes bearing down on her. The feeling settled in yesterday and it had not left. Echo knew she was feeling sorry for herself, but it didn't help alleviate the feeling.
Echo turned and looked at Six. He was stirring. She had let him sleep most of the day, since first light. She figured based on his waking movements that it had to be sometime in the early afternoon. None of the equipment on the ship was still functioning. The power had mostly gone out shortly after the crash. The metal absorbed most of the day's heat and kept the interior warm even though it was fast approaching winter outside.
Small favors, she thought.
Six continued to wake. He groaned and stretched then looked to Echo. She saw that look in his face again. A peculiar mix of admiration and something more than respect. It unnerved her, not because she was disturbed by the prospect of a man feeling for her, but because she knew he would die for her. Echo didn't want anyone else to die for her. As she watched Six wake and watched his gaze wander she heard something in the distance.
“Locate any survivors,” the voice was saying. It was distant, like a voice on the wind, but she thought she recognized it. Echo stood up and motioned to Six to be quiet. He complied, but gave her an odd look.
This would be a helluva time to be glitched E, she thought.
Echo listened intently for the voice again while readying her plasma pistol. She left the safety off, but she had not yet charged the weapon. The moment she activated it the high pitched whine would alert whoever was searching for them.
“The hangar looks to be damaged, move around to the forward canopy,” the voice said.
Echo knew the voice now. It was Alek Vale, but there was a quality to it she couldn't place. A part of that voice buzzed with power,the kind of electrical power that a machine used. She knew it. Many EXOs had that voice. This one was different though, there was still life to it. Echo didn't want to know what the man that could stomach being part EXO was like. She didn't want to be within spitting distance of him.
Luck was not on her side. Alek Vale rounded the corner to the forward canopy and stepped inside. The man was average. There was no imposing strength to his presence, there was nothing remarkable about him. He was plain save for the few lines of electrical circuitry she could see through broken skin. At worst the man could have been an android, or a plain looking cyborg. Then Echo met his eyes. Alek Vale's eyes burned with insanity.
She couldn't look away as he locked his gaze on her. He smiled, she cringed. His mouth was blackness stained by outlets of small white teeth. Blue glowed from his eyes and his mouth. She half expected it to come from his nostrils and his ears too, but it did not. Echo continued to stare in horror summing up the adversary before her. The whine of her plasma pistol reached her ears and she realized her instincts had taken over.
“There is no need little one. Hmm, auburn hair, light blue skin, you are the one that traveled with Abel Cain. Do you know me?” He asked almost conversationally, but there was a hint of a demand to his query.
“I do,” Echo hated herself for answering, it felt like giving in.
“Go ahead, say it,” Alek said.
It wasn't an unreasonable request, but Echo felt the need to ignore him. She didn't want to mention his name for fear of him. He seemed to catch on to that and he smiled again. He watched her eyes as they watched his. Echo shifted her sight and she saw Six. He was
just behind Alek. Six raised the sword and Echo's eyes betrayed them both.
Alek saw the look and turned on his heel. He ducked under Six's swing and grabbed his wrist. With a flick of his own wrist, Alek broke Six's grasp on the sword. The weapon fell into Alek's other hand. The hilt of the blade landed cleanly in his waiting grasp. He thrust it upward.
Time stood still. Echo could hear the sick slosh of the sword as it punctured and ran through Six's abdomen. She watched the look on his face go from shock, to fear, to acceptance, and finally to death. The light fled his eyes as he met Echo's eyes. His hands gripped the EXO Prime feebly. Alek stepped away and withdrew the blade.
Six crumbled to the floor his blood spilling out, but he was already dead. Echo couldn't even scream, the shock of it grasped her heart and shook it. She raised the pistol. She pulled the trigger several times. The rasping cough of the pistol was like her very own battle cry. The plasma bolts glowed green-blue as they arced towards Alek Vale.
Echo caught him off-guard as the plasma seared into his left leg. She watched as the first bolt melted away eating at his skin. The skin fell away from his leg in a sickening plop exposing the mechanics underneath. The subsequent shots went wild, but one hit the same leg. The plasma blazed and burst as it ate through Alek's leg. He was screaming now, an inhuman cry that spoke of animalistic savagery. Echo fired the pistol several more times until the weapon began to screech in alert. The chamber was beginning to overheat. Echo dropped the weapon and watched as the EXO Prime - Alek Vale - began to writhe in agony.
