Darkness: Book One of the Oortian Wars

by Iain Richmond

  “It sounds like a child’s rattle,” whispered the commander seconds before a scream filled the open-COM then fell silent with a sickening, wet thud. Compression rounds continued to boom and small arms fire popped in rapid bursts.

  “Sidearms!” Captain Fei stood, reached under his command chair and punched the release. A compartment door fell open. Fei pulled out a short, thick-barreled pistol and attached it to his waist. The crew of the Kwan Yin followed his order, each opening their stations compartment, frantically strapping on sidearms.

  “Captain Fei, two of our battle group are falling out of formation, main engines off line, repair systems destroyed, hull integrity below fifty percent, and falling.” The commander read the damage report in a robotic tone while the Battle-Net screen flashed red, tracking each new incoming danger exiting the dark field while countering with missiles. The emerging enemy’s numbers from their flanks were slowing, but the second wave slowly encroached, keeping its distance, waiting. The rattling sound of the COM grew faint. The screams of the battle group’s dying crewmen faded and the small arms fire turned sporadic. The ship-to-ship filled with the panting breaths of those still alive at the helm or slowly dying behind it.

  “Battle group this is Captain Fei. Full stop.”

  “But, sir!” Commander Zhu shouted. “We have not cleared the field! The second wave? We have a chance to get out!”

  “Calm yourself, Commander, these are our brothers and sisters who fall behind, dying as warriors and heroes of the People.” Fei found his entire bridge locked on his movement. The commander sucked in a deep breath and looked to the deck.

  “You are the bravest officer I have ever known, Commander Zhu.” Fei waited as his friend raised his head and met his eyes, the look of fear replaced with a warrior’s pride.

  Fei spoke to the open-COM. “Crewmen of the People’s Navy.” He knew commanders had perished. Lieutenants, ensigns or even a seaman could be at the helm of the four battered Vipers. “We live together, we fight together and if needed, we die together. No vessel will be left behind. The Kwan Yin remains intact and will move into a cover and point position over the battle group.

  “Captain, the field is moving!” The commander fell silent, the dark field rushed to fill the exit and pulled closer in all directions. “Second enemy wave is gone, our Battle-Net sensor range is only a few klicks in all directions—”

  The hologram in the center of the bridge displayed an endless, impenetrable black-fog circling the battered vessels. The Battle-Net warning sounded again, 610 red dots emerged from the field, encircling the battle-group and stopped, floating in front, waiting.

  “We are completely surrounded.” The commander squared his shoulders. “Your orders, sir?”

  Fei eyed the crew on the bridge then stared at the green light of the open ship-to-ship COM. It represented the remaining living crewmen of his battle group and the light looked dull and faded. Rasping breaths muted by distance and injury pulsed over the COM. Battered crewman of the battle-group, huddled next to a functioning COM waiting for an order.

  Captain Fei leaned in toward the COMs at his captain’s chair. “We fight to the end and the People’s Republic will tell of our valor and fearless action in the face of insurmountable odds, a story that will be told for thousands of years. A story that will inspire and rekindle the passions of the greatest nation earth has ever known.” A predatory grin ended Fei’s speech. “Lock on all targets.”

  “Battle-Net has a hard-lock on six hundred ten stationary marks. Battle-group ordnance inventory post launch will be two percent, sir.” The commander nodded toward Fei.

  Captain Yue Fei came to his feet. “All vessels, load functional Data-Pods with full situational upload.” He glanced at the continuous feed of the latest data on his personal screen. Twenty-one functional Pods will do, he thought.

  “Random flight paths to the following targets: five to 10th Fleet rendezvous coordinates, five to Station Pluto and the eleven long-range Pods with solar sails, to Earth.” It worked for Captain Falco, Fei considered. If just one Data-Pod got through, there may be something for Admiral Chen to use in the coming battles. The question was whether the Data-Pods would blast blindly through the dark field that now surrounded them and out the other side. Or, he thought, they would simply lose themselves in the field. Fei bet most or all would be destroyed by the enemy upon entry.

  The Battle-Net warnings sounded again and Commander Zhu spun towards Captain Fei. “Six hundred ten marks increasing heat signatures, sir. Enemy is stationary, but power sources are growing.”

  “Launch the Data-Pods,” Fei ordered over the ship-to-ship COM.

  Twenty-one round spheres streaked out of the battle-group in two waves, adjusted their course and plowed into the dark field.

  “All Data-Pods have entered the field and are off our sensors. Missiles ready for launch.” Commander Zhu’s hand hovered over the launch pad.

  “Patience, Commander. If we fire too soon they will retreat into their black camouflage and we waste our only hope of collateral damage. Let them come.”

  In front of the broken ships of the battle-group still holding a ragged formation, the black field flashed. Data-Pods were dying, Fei thought, exploding within its depths. Destroyed by unseen predators that slashed and hammered the Pods into scrap.

  The Battle-Net lit the bridge. Commander Zhu boomed, “Incoming!” Half of the circling enemy streamed toward them.

  “Two thousand meter launch cycle!” We will bring you close and slaughter you like sheep. Fei relished the image.

  Damaged but functioning stabilizing thrusters fired on all sides of the formation, the sheer number of missiles streaming from the hulls of the five boats pushed the vessels. Within seconds the battle group destroyed all attackers within the two thousand meter killing field.

  “Three hundred seventy-two hostiles heading straight for us, Captain.”

  The final assault, Fei exhaled, “Are they slowing down, Commander?”

  “No, sir, they have increased speed by ten percent.”

  “Good. They feel the pain of losing their own. Fire remaining missiles on my command.”

  Captain Fei rested a steady hand on the butt of his side arm. “May the winds of hell carry our vengeance to your doorstep in this life and the next,” he whispered. “Fire!”

  the Void

  LOR – Realm of Warriors

  May your path be bathed in the blood of your enemies, your end a new beginning. LOR added his farewell to the Warruq thought-stream; his optical sensors filled with disintegrating carapaces and frozen entrails of his Warruq fighters. He had long given in to the warrior’s rage and the exhilarating passion it induced for his self-destruction.

  A rope of frozen organs clanked off his skull plate as he neared the worthy adversary. His orders were to leave the center vessel alone. Aris had spoken of its power, the only true voice among these new soft skinned beasts. He was sure the Creators wanted it for themselves, a trophy of a conquered force.

  A piece of Warruq armor-plated carapace hammered into his midsection and spun into the Void. Pain pulsated through LOR’s systems. I am close to fulfilling my Oath and in the Realm of Warriors we will meet! He pushed through the thought-stream without a single response. The Void was a lonely place without a connection to the Darkness and too far away to connect with the clans protecting the Veil. LOR was alone, last of his warriors.

  Their numbers were now few but this new enemy had far greater power than Aris the Chosen One or the Creators had known. The vessels carried more warriors than LOR and his Warruqs totaled, but some of his clan had torn into the soft enemy’s carapace and he could see the frothing wounds bubbling and oozing on their surface.

  LOR streaked towards his target alone. He heard the approaching adversary before his sensors created an image. It seemed to be using one of the ancient tongues to somehow track LOR. Its pulsating voice continued to redirect its course to ensure it would hammer LOR into pieces. None of the word
s spattering from it brought hatred. The chasing form simply chattered then adjusted its course, directly toward LOR’s path.

  LOR’s systems made the necessary adjustments based on the history of the current battle that no longer uploaded into his core, but enough was learned to elude the pursuing enemy for the split cycle he needed. LOR hardened his carapace by locking his functioning plating, each painfully slipping into place with a sucking click.

  For the clans, was LOR’s final thought to an empty thought-stream and he ignited the remaining contents of his methane sac. The increased pressure created a breach in his weakened midsection; his organs spilled out of the gash and froze. LOR’s lifeless form shot forward, its speed far exceeding its physical parameters.

  LOR tore a gaping hole through the enemy; the last Warruq in the Void disappeared, Oath fulfilled.

  34

  Station Pluto

  Captain Jack Falco

  “Nice view,” Captain Falco stated as he strolled up behind Commander Azim Shar’ran, a fully kilted Lieutenant Ian Wallace and Ensign Sierra Holts. Before the barrage of ‘what are we here for’ questions came his way, Falco asked them to wait. He needed a moment alone with Pema Tenzin, who was on his way. After receiving three nods, Falco moved a few meters down the clear wall that looked out into the beautiful black.

  Falco faced station Pluto’s Infinity Wall, gravely looking out at the dock. The Anam Cara sat proudly in her grav-locks; she was ready, good as new and fully reloaded. But he felt ‘it’ coming. The same feeling that overcame him the moment over half the world’s population dropped where they stood. The moment he lost his wife and daughter.

  Admiral Chen had released the latest information on the battle group. ‘They had made contact and were making progress,’ was all Chen would say. Admiral Chen continued to conceal and filter the incoming data from him. A calming presence appeared behind him. Falco turned to see Pema Tenzin.

  “Captain Falco, I was told you wanted to see me.”

  The two men continued to evaluate the recent damage they had inflicted on each other during their long overdue grav-fighting match.

  “Brothers again, old friend, but we could not be together under worse circumstances.” Falco smiled at the man who had begun as his greatest foe in the ring so long ago and quickly became one of his closest friends. Falco had chosen the military and Pema the university. Only recently reunited due to the largest terrorist attack in humanity’s history that created a road to global peace. And here we stand, Falco thought, five years from Earth.

  “Yes, Captain, that is true, but who else would you want at your side when you enter the storm?” Pema Tenzin gently nodded.

  Falco folded his arms. “Admiral Chen has taken the rest of 10th Fleet to aid Captain Fei, but—”

  Pema finished his sentence, “You fear it is too late. This new adversary will gather its forces and search for the home from which the battle-group was launched. Which also means, you do not believe this enemy is of Earth.”

  “That is my very concern. The UN has spent mountains of money searching for life beyond earth, even found remnants near Mars of ancient starships. But this is different; this is out our front door.” Falco paused, each man turned, looking out the Infinity Wall into open space, the Tibetan lotus engraved in the clear panel before them. “If the 10th cannot stop this force, a force I feel is far greater than we imagine, Station Pluto could be nothing more than a bread crumb on the trail to the Mars Station.” Falco turned toward Pema, “And if they find the Mars Station?”

  “Luna Station… Earth,” Pema said with a sigh. “Station Pluto must be prepared for the storm that rages towards its shore.”

  Falco cracked an inappropriate grin. “Why is it that you are always using the ‘hurricane analogy?’ When your country’s closest sea access is over a thousand klicks away?”

  “Storms come in many shapes, my friend. The Chinese wave broke across my country centuries ago and only recently, has it subsided. The Korean Terror Militia shook the entire planet and now a new tempest moves toward us.” Pema turned toward the red wall behind them. “It will try and wash over this station. I believe we have awakened a battering mass of ancient power. I too, can feel it coming, Captain. What are your orders, sir?”

  Falco raised a scarred eyebrow. “I guess you knew where this was going.” He reached into a pocket, “Take this and we can get on with it.” Falco extended a sore limb and dropped a single silver bar into Pema’s open palm. “It comes with a UN pay grade raise to Chief Engineer of the Anam Cara. At least, as soon as we get back to earth.” Falco did his best to hide the sarcasm he felt.

  “Can you do that?” Pema looked less than convinced.

  “It will take paperwork… a bit of bureaucratic wrangling,” Falco stated, “but that can wait. Now pin that bar to your chest.” Falco stepped back then snapped his lean form ramrod straight. “Chief Engineering Officer Tenzin report for duty,” he bellowed in his best captain’s voice and looked to where his other officers were waiting. Falco waved them over.

  “Meet our new Chief Engineer,” Falco announced to his approaching officers.

  “Honored to serve with you, Chief Tenzin,” Commander Shar’ran said with a grin.

  “About time you got back into the action, Chief. Pulling the grav-sleds around has kept you in shape at least,” Lieutenant Wallace noted.

  “Ensign Holts.” Holts reach out a hand. “Pleasure to officially meet you, Chief Tenzin.”

  “Pleasure is mine, Ensign Holts. Captain Falco speaks very highly of you.”

  Falco cleared his throat and looked to each of his officers. “We have a problem. Few things are more difficult than trying to defend a fixed piece of real estate in space that is also a shining beacon of humanity. We have a lot of work to do.

  “Lieutenant Wallace, change that skirt and run a full systems’ check on our girl, the Anam Cara needs to be fully capable. Commander, get our new chief his uniform and both of you start tallying up every usable weapon on Station Pluto and check the mining gear. Ensign Holts get every shred of data you can on who or what we are dealing with.”

  Falco looked toward his antiquated watch. “We meet aboard the Anam Cara in two hours, have your reports ready. Get busy.”

  While his crew moved in various directions, the mapping system chimed away in the background with each officer punching in differing coordinates into the wall monitors. Falco felt the uneasiness of what was coming. Admiral Chen, he thought, I need to contact 10th Fleet and our lives may depend on the arrogant ass.

  First things first, I need to find Director Lipinski and begin evacuating the thousands of non-essential personnel, in other words, anyone who cannot pull a trigger. Falco knew time was short and priorities would decide their future, their lives and in the worst-case scenario, every life between Station Pluto and Earth.

  Falco picked up his pace, feeling like Atlas with the world on his shoulders.

  35

  Full burn – the Black Field

  Admiral Chen, 10th Fleet

  “We have lost COMs with the battle-group.” Commander Zhu again tried to hail Captain Fei, without success.

  Admiral Chen slammed a thick fist into his armrest. “Keep trying, Commander.” He leaned forward in his admiral’s chair, tapped the controls on the side of his armrest and set his COMs to Fleet-wide and sucked in a deep breath. “Captains and commanders of 10th Fleet, maximum burn, any ship that falls behind will be dealt with harshly!” Admiral Chen bellowed then felt another quake while the grav-system adjusted to the increased speed of his dreadnought.

  Chen would drive each vessel beyond its safety limits to reach his battle group now fully under siege. He scanned the signatures of his vessels on a floating hologram above his left armrest.

  Three dreadnoughts, nine cruisers and eighteen patrol boats, the greatest space fleet Earth had ever assembled. He punched at the data-pad on his right armrest reducing the hologram scale; the vessels became small dots on a vast, growing pla
in leading to a massive black field. Chen touched his data-pad again and his personal hologram disappeared.

  He slowly rotated his chair, seeing every station and officer on the bridge until he had returned from where he had started. His flagship the Qing Long was the state-of-the-art Dreadnought class vessel when it left Earth. Over one hundred meters long with a fighting crew of close to 3,000 and armament that could lay waste to a small moon. But what good would it do now? What can these vessels do here, in this endless space? he thought.

  Commander Zhu turned from his Battle-Net station. “Admiral, battle group vessel signatures should be in range of our long-range scanners… nothing. Admiral, they are gone. The field has moved towards us, sir, and now covers the area of the last coordinates of the battle group. They could have been overrun.”

  “Or they have been destroyed.” Chen looked around his vast bridge and command center, all eyes waiting for their admiral to give out his orders.

  “One hundred twenty five percent burn, Commander, Stealth formation,” Chen stated.

  Chinese officers were long versed in the ancient strategists. Jiang Ziya, General Sima Rangju, Wu Qi, and the great, Sun Tzu provided the foundation of strategy for the People’s military machine; the challenge was applying it when surrounded by the vastness of space.

  “Admiral.”

  “Lieutenant?” Chen stated with the usual level of impatience.

  “Sir, Captain Falco has asked for an open feed between 10th Fleet and Station Pluto along with all pertinent data regarding the battle-group and our current situation.”

  Chen’s face tightened. With the battle-group destroyed or incapacitated, he might need the ragtag vessels left at Station Pluto to fight off anything that got through 10th Fleet.