NEBULAR Collection 4 - Second Reserve: Episodes 17 - 21

by Thomas Rabenstein

  A radio officer acknowledged and executed Nok’s orders. Before the lightspeed fast message could reach the Hawks in the sector with the failed satellites, a distress call was received.

  Nok turned around in her commander’s seat, facing the comm-section.

  »Transfer to main holo!« she commanded.

  The displayed information pushed to the outer holo margins, making space for a flickering, unstable video image in the center. The distress call was barely audible and garbled.

  »H ...wk Squad Fou … Lea ... r 2 … to b ... se … Lea … 1 …ki ... ed in ac ... ion… Retre ... t … ove … rwh … med … can no lo … g … r …«

  A panic filled scream ended the transmission.

  Silence prevailed inside the command central for several seconds.

  Nok’s voice sounded, »Are the Hawks still on the scanners?«

  »Sorry, no joy, Commander,« the scanner officer announced regretfully. »All Hawk ID’s vanished after the message break up, Ma’am!«

  »All of them ... all five?« Nok inquired, unwilling to believe her ears.

  »No IDs at all, Ma’am,« the officer acknowledged.

  Nok straightened in her seat and took another deep breath.

  »DEFCON 2! Launch all Hawks! Dust Devil and Blue Moon assume positions according to State Scarlet procedures. Synchronize all long range scanners and transfer the data to the main holo!« she commanded.

  The lighting in the command central changed to blue, sirens sounded throughout the base while airlocks closed off entire sections and non-essential personnel retreated into the underground bunkers.

  A lieutenant handed Nok her weapon and her protective vest.

  While she strapped on her weapon and slipped into her vest, she issued more orders.

  »The Ryan will take position within Triton’s shadow and scan the sector. All civilian craft land at closest bases!«

  Operators were doubling up at the most important consoles and alert stations. The comm-officer swiftly manipulated his console and reported, »The distress call was jammed by a strong transmitter!«

  »… but it didn’t work!« Nok interrupted him. »It seems the intruders are not perfect.«

  While the Blue Moon was changing positions, four target videos appeared on the long range scanners.

  »TARGETS! There they are!«, shouted the scanner officer into the room. »They’re not even trying to hide.«

  »Vector info!« Nok demanded.

  The Scanner officer’s voice trembled as he replied, »Toward us, Ma’am! These are large units, bigger than our Pulsar Types.«

  ›Just as Friedberg suspected!‹ Nok thought. ›This time, the intruders don’t seem friendly …‹

  The scanner section gave up seeking the missing Hawk ID’s. They had probably been intercepted and eliminated.

  »DEFCON 1! Space alert to all Fleet units!« Nok commanded.

  This caused several alert phase plans to come into play. Friedberg received the alert via tachyon comm-link as soon as it was issued.

  Moments later, four gigantic ships entered the Neptune sector.

  »Attention, unknown units have appeared inside the Neptune sector with a short range tachyon transfer – they all re-entered normal space simultaneously!« the scanner section announced.

  Seconds later, the short range scanners provided the first pictures on the main holo.

  Nok held her breath for a moment. At first she thought that the scanners were malfunctioning. The ships were huge! Each of the units had different features. The design pointed at different philosophies and functions. The base shapes of the four giants were a cube, a semi-sphere, a spindle and a cylinder.

  Nobody knew who these people were; they were not mentioned in the reports obtained from the Techno-Ferry.

  The comm-officer threw up his hands, »Commander, they don’t answer our calls, and we’re transmitting our standard welcome messages at full power, aimed directly at their ships.«

  »They’re listening!« Nok whispered. »They don’t want to answer, the bastards.«

  Suddenly, it became quiet in the control central and Nok looked around in surprise.

  ›They’re waiting for my orders!‹ she realized.

  »Were the messages sent to Fleet HQ?« she inquired.

  »Affirmative!« replied the communications officer.

  Nok’s voice became dangerously muted as she said, »Then Friedberg knows what’s going on. We are not going to allow these strangers to penetrate any deeper into the solar system, shoot at our Hawks or eventually attack this base! We will show them where the buck stops!«

  Nok looked into pale and devastated faces. Most crew members realized that this was no time for negotiations – the intruders had declared their hostility!

  »Commander Daralamai to Dust Devil …,« she called her former ship with a determined voice. »Ready on Space torpedoes … Salvo, Ripple, Two at each intruder! No warning shots! Triton Base Defense … If intruders come below 400,000 kilometers open laser batteries at will! Acknowledge …!«

  »Dust Devil: Roger!«

  »Titan Base Defense: Roger!«, they acknowledged.

  This was the Dust Devil crew’s first time in combat. Nok remembered many of the crew onboard the ship and tried to imagine what they were feeling right now.

  The Dust Devil extended her torpedo launchers and targeted the intruders.

  Suddenly, a second holo activated, showing Igor Petrow’s face, onboard the Blue Moon.

  »My ship is combat ready, Commander! My lasers are charged and torpedo launchers ready. I’m awaiting your orders, Ma’am!« he reported bluntly.

  Nok Daralamai was still hesitating, watching the range indicators. She was still hoping to avoid a direct confrontation with the intruders.

  ›They didn’t even give us a chance to talk,‹ she pondered.

  »Intruders have crossed the 400,000 kilometer line!« the scanner section announced.

  At the same moment, the Dust Devil launched her torpedoes.

  The first salvo of four torpedoes left the launchers, followed by a second salvo three seconds later. Each of the hostile craft was larger than a pulsar cruiser, measuring between 800 to 1,000 meters in either length or diameter.

  »The strangers are not evading!« triumphed the fire control officer. »Our torpedoes will hit them head on!«

  Nok began to perspire slightly. The way these strangers acted – or did not – was anything but encouraging.

  ›Are they laughing at us?‹ she wondered.

  The torpedoes reached their targets, and four flashes brightened the holo, followed by four more flashes seconds later. The Dust Devil had fired her largest calibers. Seconds later the vibration from the base laser batteries reached the command central. A barrage of laser and nuclear weapons greeted the intruders. The explosions overloaded the base sensors, which shut down momentarily.

  Nok waited breathlessly for the report from fire control after the first wave of attack, but there was only silence. A technician got up and walked over to Nok.

  »It didn’t work! They haven’t even been thrown off course! How’s that possible?« he wondered.

  »I can see that … thanks, Sergeant,« she replied dryly and turned toward Gork. »Alert your people, Gork, and explain to them what’s going on.«

  Gork had slumped down in obvious fear.

  »I’ll give you your weapons back. The strangers might attack the base from the surface. You’ll need to defend yourselves!« she advised.

  »Bu … but we’re no longer …,« Gork stuttered.

  »Go – now!« Nok insisted loudly and activated the common tactical control frequency of all Triton Base forces.

  »Attention … the attackers are employing very strong defense shields. I think their ships are as well protected as Globuster lenses. A landing of enemy forces may be imminent. If they attack us from out of space and the command link is severed, then each commander decides, according to base defense procedures, and avoiding casualties!«


  A high pitched whistling tone suddenly pierced through the command central, superimposed on the Fleet frequency. Nok cursed aloud and held her ears. A sound like nobody had ever heard before filled the room.

  »What the fu …,« the communication officer cursed. »Is that supposed to be a message?«

  A rhythmic noise, spiked with mistunes and high pitched squeals changed to a rasping, undoubtedly artificial voice.

  Nok was painfully aware that the enemy knew not only the Fleet frequencies, but the Human language as well.

  »The commander of Circle Battleship Reusus thanks you for your welcoming salutes! We will now return the salute in our age-old tradition!« The dry tone of the artificial voice was so flat that Nok couldn’t honestly tell if it was serious or sarcastic.

  Suddenly, a bright, ring-like energy burst left one of the ships and receded from Triton. The farther it went, the more it seemed to gain speed and energy. It appeared to be charging itself with energy as it went. It became so bright that the command central crew had to close their eyes.

  Nok’s fingernails dug into the seat’s armrests.

  »What are they shooting at?« she asked into the room.

  »Despina, Ma’am!« the scanner officer announced perplexedly. »The small moon is the target! We have a relay station with about twenty people working there.«

  »Impact on Despina in about five seconds,« a scanner operator announced.

  A moment later the energy ring hit the moon. The word impact did not describe what happened to Despina. The energy ring cut the 150 kilometer diameter moon in half, causing it to burst from the inside out.

  Horrified screams sounded out inside the control central as Despina was reduced to fast – expanding rubble. Twenty men and women had just lost their lives – without warning!

  »Permission to attack the enemy!« Petrow demanded angrily.

  Nok shook her head.

  »Blue Moon and Dust Devil will retreat immediately!« she commanded. She was still watching the expanding debris of the former Neptune moon.

  »I can’t do that …!« Petrow rebutted hotly.

  »… you do as you’re told, Petrow, or I’ll relieve you from your command!« Nok hissed at him.

  Petrow stared at her, speechless. Then he hesitantly turned around and signaled his pilot.

  A short while later both ships accelerated and took up positions behind the disc of Triton.

  Nok was certain that an escalation would only cost more lives. She needed to gain some time and find out what these intruders wanted. Minutes later, the intruder ships assumed a tight orbit around Triton. They descended very low, as if they wanted to squeeze Triton with their sheer size and weight.

  »One of their units is landing!« a close proximity scanner operator announced. »The other three remain in orbit. The size of the cube ship is about 740 to 800 meters along the edges. The edges and corners are rounded. It is the same ship that destroyed Despina.«

  »That will be the Reusus,« guessed Nok. She gave her full attention to the scene on the holo. It wasn’t long before the ship made a rough landing on the surface. Next to the flat pressure domes of the base, this ship was gigantic, almost mountainous! The strangers didn’t use energy landing shields; they rammed the ship’s hull directly into the ground, its weight pulverizing the rocks underneath it.

  It didn’t matter to them if the ship crushed some rocks or parts of the bases’ infra-structure. They ruthlessly destroyed a 30 meter high communication tower creating a small crater in the process. A noticeable tremor reached the control central, indicating that the ship seemed to be very heavy indeed.

  »Did you ever see anything like this?« Nok asked into the room. »They don’t give a damn about our base!«

  ›Still … they didn’t destroy the base … at least not yet!‹ she pondered. ›It would be no effort for them! We can’t even defend ourselves …‹

  After the dust had settled there was more bad news.

  »The enemy ship is opening its hangars … releasing massive troop contingents!« a Base Defense officer announced over the tactical comm-link. We have taken position and are ready to engage the enemy!«

  »No!« Nok yelled, following her gut feeling. She watched as hundreds, thousands, of exotic beings disembarked from the big ship. The enemy army rolled like a wave toward the base’s main dome. »Remain calm! Do not resist. Open the airlocks to the base and … let them in!«

  »What?« Base Defense asked agitatedly. »You want to surrender without a fight?«

  Nok calmly repeated her orders.

  She was clenching her fists but she appeared composed on the outside. What she said next went utterly against her grain, but it was absolutely necessary, »Open the outer gates – or do you want the enemy to shoot holes into our base? Look at them, Major! The odds are overwhelming. You wouldn’t have a chance in Hell! If they want to take the base they’ll do it, and kill us all.«

  Resistance or submission

  Nok watched with a grim face as the big airlock gates to the main dome opened, letting the invading hordes pour into the base. The strangers advanced quickly and uncompromisingly; obstacles like parked vehicles were destroyed if they were in the way. The intruders were bipedal, but they seemed to be staggering.

  »Attention everybody: Before the intruders can reach the command central, we will send all pertinent sensitive data to Earth via tachyon comm-bridge,« she announced clearly. »Do it now while we still have time. We will not offer them any resistance. We can still try to negotiate, find out more about them and what they want.«

  The communication officer nodded and went to work. Nok entered her personal security code into her wrist communicator and deleted all log entries she had saved to the base’s main computer. If the invaders hacked into the main computer they would find as little information as possible. There were already contingency programs in place that made sure that if someone hacked too deeply into the systems the data would be erased and the memory banks destroyed.

  Faint fighting noises sounded from the main entrance to the command central. Some soldiers had lost their cool and had fired at the intruders. The fight lasted only seconds until it became quiet again.

  Suddenly, somebody forcefully banged against the entrance door. The crew members looked at each other – the enemy!

  »Open the airlock!« Nok commanded, rising from her seat. »Keep your weapons locked and in your holsters. I do not need a bloodbath!«

  The airlock door slid aside and a wave of intruders spilled into the command central, pushing the crew roughly away from the consoles. Crew members who refused to surrender their positions were forcefully pushed from their seats and thrown on the floor. The invaders seemed possessed of enormous physical strength. Nok, standing in the middle of the command central and watching the aliens overpowering her crew, had never seen beings like these. Their massive, barrel-like torsos were supported by two muscular legs protruding from the torso just barely above where Humans would have their navels. Their legs had two sets of joints to help keep their balance. The torsos seemed like wobbling masses of flesh and fat with skin like marbled beefsteaks – or, almost, brain structures. Two long trunks, multifunctional organs, which also served as hands, extended from the lower third of their bodies. Their entire upper bodies were supported and held in shape by horizontally running, flexible bands. At the front were two fixed organs which seemed to act as eyes. The way the intruders staggered about made them look deceptively vulnerable.

  Nok discarded the thought. The strangers obviously knew how to defend themselves. They were not all the same size: some were stockier, and their heights varied by a couple of meters.

  A dominant-looking being stalked toward Nok and planted itself into position before her. With a snarling voice – probably the result of a faulty translation device, it asked, »Do you give the orders here?«

  Nok took a deep breath. The unnerving, disrespectful voice set her on edge.

  »I am Commander Nok Daralamai of the Solar Uni
…«

  » … resistance or submission?« the ugly being interrupted her harshly.

  Nok frowned. She had the feeling that her answer could decide the life or death of her entire crew. She straightened … her people waited, not daring to say a word!

  Weakest point

  »Resistance or submission?« the stranger demanded again, his voice even more threatening and uncompromising.

  Nok felt her pulse racing as she tried to decide what to do next. She knew nothing about the aliens; would they see capitulation as weakness and punish the crew anyway?

  »Can we negotiate a truce?« she suggested hesitantly, deliberately disregarding the loss of her Hawks and Despina’s destruction.

  The stranger appeared to be listening, though its lack of a real face made it difficult for Nok to read.

  The answer was non-verbal – a bright explosion appeared on the central holo from the Dust Devil’s orbital position.

  100 men and women had just been annihilated!

  Nok gasped for air and stared at the holo. She had to fight to overcome her rising panic, finally drowning fear with sorrow for the loss of the ship and her crew.

  One of the intruder ships had fired upon the Dust Devil without warning. The crew hadn’t had a chance; the Solar Union ship had no defense energy shields.

  »Submission …,« Nok croaked with a rasp in her voice, not wanting to give the extra-terrestrial the chance to execute another example. »We capitulate!«

  »I expected no less,« the being replied cruelly, »since we belong to the Circle of Victors!«

  Nok shook her head, not understanding. She fought to stay calm and controlled and not do anything unwise. She clenched her fist until the knuckles of her hands became white. She recognized that she was in shock at the being’s attitude and its coldness after having just killed 100 Humans.

  »What do you want from us?« she asked weakly.

  The stranger stared at her. Nok felt as if dead, cold eyes were staring at her.

  ›… eyes of death and horror!‹ she corrected herself.