by G J Ogden
“Do you think they’ll believe me if I just radio to say we didn’t get a score?” shouted Hudson, over the roar of the engines.
“Oh, sure,” said Liberty, sarcastically, “after all, the RGF are always so trusting and reasonable…”
Hudson laughed, while Liberty glanced behind her chair to check on Tobin. He was tightly strapped into one of the compact auxiliary seats at the rear of the cabin, and was looking distinctly green. “Hang in there Tobin, it gets interesting from here…”
“What do you mean from here?!” cried Tobin, but then Hudson yanked back the controls and shot them skyward, like a ballistic missile.
“I hope Tory strapped herself in…” shouted Hudson, remembering that the mercenary was still in the medical bay.
“Well, if not, she’s going to need a few more injuries tending to…”, Liberty shouted back. Despite her joviality, Hudson could see that Liberty was feeling the pressure too, both literally and figuratively. They were pushing five-g, heading directly for the moon’s magnetic pole.
“Just a few more seconds,” Hudson called out, watching his instruments carefully. The strain on his body was excruciating.
The Orion burst out of the atmosphere directly above the pole, then Hudson leveled off, and burned hard in a low orbit. He watched the navigation scanner carefully, but it was just a mess of static. “It worked, the ride up the magnetic pole has messed up the sensor readings.” He glanced back at Tobin, hoping his statement had offered him some reassurance, but the young man was white as a sheet. “Relax, kid, by the time their scanners clear up, we’ll be well out of range,” Hudson said, still trying to make Tobin feel better. “They won’t bother chasing after us when there are other hunters still on the surface who are easier pickings.”
Tobin gave a weak thumbs-up sign, “Relax. Gotcha,” he said. Then his head fell into his hands. Hudson glanced at Liberty and they both laughed.
Hudson set a course towards the portal, reducing the throttle to a standard one-g. He checked the navigation scanner to make sure nothing was on his tail, then switched to automatic. Releasing his grip on the controls, Hudson then spun his chair around and unclipped his harness. “I think I should go and check on our patient,” he said, breezily.
Tobin wafted his hand in Hudson’s direction, “I’m fine, really. Or I will be in a few minutes…”
Liberty laughed, “He doesn’t mean you!”
Tobin looked up and his face flushed red, “Oh, yeah, sorry,” he said, clearly embarrassed. “You mean the wild west gunslinger in the medical bay…”
Hudson stepped up beside Tobin and slapped him on the back. “Take the hot seat until I get back, hot shot,” he said, pointing to the pilot’s chair.
Tobin frowned at Hudson, then at the chair. “Sure, okay,” he said, shrugging apathetically. “Though I’ve never flown something this old before.”
“Hey!” Liberty called back.
Hudson leant in closer to Tobin’s ear, “She loves the ship more than anything, kid,” he said, quietly. “So, if you want to walk out of here without any broken fingers, I’d be nice about the Orion.”
The young man met Hudson’s eyes, then glanced over at Liberty, who looked like she was ready to tear Tobin’s arms off. Tobin smiled, unclipped his harness and stood up, “What I meant to say is that it’s an absolute classic!” he said, brightly. “I mean, the VCX-110 is one of the all-time greats. It’s always been one of my favorites…”
Hudson smiled as the brightness returned to Liberty’s face. He waited for Tobin to slide into the pilot’s chair, then opened the door connecting the cockpit to the living space. As he stepped through, he faintly heard Tobin add, “You know, I think my mom owns the company that built this ship…”
CHAPTER 12
Hudson passed through the Orion’s living space and into the aft section, heading for the ship’s compact medical bay. However, as he walked, he spotted a thin trail of blood along the corridor leading to the cargo area. In the rush to get everyone back to the ship, and the subsequent pursuit by the RGF, he hadn’t paid attention to the scale of Tory’s injuries. She had insisted she was fine, but that was just Tory’s innate stubbornness and bravado talking, Hudson realized. He felt a sudden chill of fear, worrying that they’d left her to bleed out, alone in the medical bay.
He quickened his pace, heart racing, before practically punching the door release button. The door slid open and he swung inside, blurting out, “Tory, are you okay?”
Tory Bellona looked up at him and frowned. She was sitting on the side of the bed, and was stitching up a cut to her left side. She had removed her armored jacket and tank top, so that all she wore on her upper half was a compact sports bra.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” said Hudson turning away, and covering his eyes, like one of the three wise monkeys. There was no need for him to do both, and he immediately felt foolish. “I was just making sure you were okay. I saw the blood and…”
“I’m fine,” said Tory, interrupting Hudson’s embarrassed ravings. “And you can turn around. I’m sure I’m not the first semi-naked woman you’ve ever seen. Or, at least I hope not…”
Hudson lowered his hand and turned around, slowly. He’d rather have kept his face hidden from Tory, considering that it felt like it was melting. However, he also didn’t want her to think he was bashful, or inexperienced in the ways of semi-naked women.
“No, I’ve seen lots of naked women,” said Hudson, immediately regretting opening his mouth. Tory paused stitching herself up for a second, and raised an eyebrow at him. “I mean, when I say a lot, I actually mean not that many,” Hudson blurted out, digging himself into an even deeper hole. “But I’ve definitely seen naked women before. I mean, not recently,” he continued. Just shut up already! Hudson urged himself, but it was like his mouth was being controlled by a sadistic ventriloquist. “Apart from now that is. Not that you’re completely naked yet.”
“Yet?” said Tory, her eyebrow still as pointed as the needle in her hand.
Hudson winced. He was long past being able to salvage this encounter, and just wanted to skulk away like a scolded puppy. “I think I’ll just go and come back when you’re done,” said Hudson, edging back towards the door. He was sure that if this continued for much longer, the heat of his skin would cause his hair to catch fire.
“Relax, Hudson Powell, I’m just messing with you,” said Tory, pressing the needle through her skin again. “Are we clear of the moon?”
Hudson was relieved that Tory had steered the conversation onto less fleshy matters. He stepped back inside, but still tried not to look. Though the combination of her lack of clothing, plus the fact she was stitching herself up as casually as if she was repairing a ripped shirt, was hard to ignore. “Yes, we’re clear, and I lost the RGF ships too. We’re on course back to the portal now.”
Tory finished stitching the wound, cut the thread with a pair of scissors, and placed the bloodied instruments into a surgical tray that was resting on the bed. She then stood up and stretched, before angling the side of her body towards Hudson. “How does it look?”
Hudson glanced down at the wound, noticing only then that it was one of three on Tory’s side that she’d stitched up. The quality of the work was impressive, considering it was self-administered.
“You look great,” said Hudson, before feeling another tug of embarrassment. “The stitching, I mean.”
“What else would you be talking about?” asked Tory, folding her arms. This time she had raised both eyebrows at him.
Hudson’s mouth fell open, but his brain had frozen. He had nothing. However, to his surprise, the next thing Tory did wasn’t to punch him in the mouth, but smile.
“Are you normally this twitchy when you’re alone with a woman?” asked Tory.
Hudson huffed a laugh, grateful that Tory had again relieved the tension between them, and also thankful that she hadn’t hit him. “Not normally, no.” Then he smiled back at her. “But then again, you’re no ordina
ry woman, Tory Bellona.”
Tory unfolded her arms, then grabbed Hudson’s jacket. Before he knew what was happening, she’d pulled him towards her and kissed him. “That’s for not leaving me behind.”
Hudson’s hands fell around Tory’s waist. He tried to think of something poignant and heroic to say in response, but he didn’t get the chance. Tory pulled him in close again, except this time it wasn’t for a mere peck on the lips.
“Oh, shit, oh no!”
Hudson jerked away to see Liberty standing in the doorway of the medical bay. She had one hand over her eyes, and the other pressed to her hip; it was a perfect blend of stunned awkwardness. “I’m sorry, I should have knocked or something,” she said. Despite the hand shielding her face, Hudson could see that she’d flushed a bright shade of crimson.
“That seems to be a common problem on this ship,” said Tory. Though, unlike the mercenary’s usual responses, it wasn’t said in a snarky way.
Hudson watched, wide-eyed, as Tory grabbed her tank top from the bed, and pulled it on. She then threw her jacket over her shoulder, and said, “I’ll see you two in the cockpit,” before breezing out of the medical bay.
Hudson and Liberty remained in silence for a few seconds, before Liberty asked, “Is it over?” She was still shielding her face with her hand.
Hudson tutted, “Yes, ‘it’s over’, you can look now.”
Liberty lowered her hand, but she didn’t meet Hudson’s eyes, and was consciously trying to avoid even looking in his general direction. “Well, that was excruciating,” she said.
“Speak for yourself…” said Hudson, smiling, but Liberty didn’t appear to be amused. “What’s up?” he added, giving Liberty an easy way out.
“I just came to tell you that Tobin is picking up some odd gravitational readings,” Liberty said, finally managing to look Hudson in the eyes. “And I’m also picking up a crazy-high spike in Shaak radiation. I wanted to see what you made of it.”
Hudson frowned, “A spike in Shaak radiation? Like when we opened a new portal?”
Liberty nodded, “Similar, but this is on a whole different scale. I’m talking at least an order of magnitude more intense.”
Hudson took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. Considering what he knew was coming, a large spike in Shaak radiation didn’t sound like a good omen. He wished Morphus was on-hand to provide an explanation, but for now they were still on their own. “Then we’d better get back up there,” replied Hudson, nodding towards the door.
Hudson followed Liberty back out through the living space and into the cockpit. Tory was standing behind the pilot’s seat, looking more her usual, brooding self. Tobin noticed Hudson and Liberty come in, and slid out of the chair. He’d already spun the Orion around to face back towards the moon and gas giant, though the ship was still coasting towards the portal.
“The scanners are going crazy,” said Tobin, as Hudson slipped in front of the controls. “I have no idea what to make of it.”
Liberty dropped into the second seat, and Tobin moved up behind her. “The spatial distortions seem to be intensifying around the moon,” said Liberty, checking the updated readings. She scowled at the new numbers as they flashed up on her monitor. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that a portal was opening, but it must be a hundred times the size of anything we’ve seen before.”
“Look!” shouted Tobin, pointing out through the cockpit glass. A massive swirling vortex of purple energy was swelling in space, next to the moon. They all watched in stunned silence as it continued to grow, like a massive tropical cyclone being fed by warm ocean waters. Then there was a near-blinding flash, forcing Hudson to shield his eyes. However, when he opened them again, he couldn’t believe what he saw. There was a ship emerging through the newly-created fold in space; but this was no ordinary vessel. In pure size alone, it made even the titanic Revocaters look ordinary. It was like an aged, battle-worn great white shark, that was scarred and hardened from countless victorious encounters with its prey.
“What the hell is that thing?” shrieked Tobin, his voice shaky and almost shrill.
“I don’t know…” replied Liberty, her voice also frayed and uncertain.
However, Hudson knew exactly what it was. He’d seen it before, in his memories, at least. The memories that Morphus had implanted into his brain. The great ship had finally returned.
“That’s Goliath,” said Hudson, as calmly as he could manage. Then he met the eyes of each of the others in turn. “We have to go, right now. Because there’s not a damn thing anyone or anything in this system can do to stop it.”
CHAPTER 13
Hudson and the others stared on in awed silence as hundreds of smaller vessels seemed to eject from Goliath’s surface. It was like watching a giant murmuration of starlings. Most flew down into the moon’s atmosphere, while others darted towards the dozens of hunter ships fleeing the surface. Those that remained, swarmed around Goliath, forming a mesmerizing, constantly shifting dark cloud.
“What are those smaller vessels?” asked Liberty. “Are they like fighters or drones?”
“I’ve seen one of those things before,” said Tory, unexpectedly speaking up. “We encountered one when we first entered the system. I don’t know what they are, but we couldn’t destroy it.”
“Morphus called them seed ships,” Hudson added, while checking the navigation scanner. Some of the alien vessels were accelerating rapidly towards the portal, pulling g-forces that no human being could withstand. Others were picking off the fleeing hunter ships, smashing through them like giant arrowheads. “They were originally designed to help Goliath spread life throughout the galaxy. Now they do the opposite.”
“How do you know all this?” asked Tory.
“It’s a long story, but I’ll fill you in once we’re safe,” said Hudson, glancing up at her. Then he rotated the engine pods and began the deceleration burn for the portal transit. He checked the navigation scanner again, noting that the smaller alien vessels were still closing rapidly. “Assuming we make it to safety, that is. Those seed ships are coming in fast.”
“How long until we reach the portal?” asked Tobin, his voice and posture still tense.
Hudson checked his readings again, “If I ignore all sensible safety precautions, and just charge straight for it, then three minutes, maybe four.”
“And how long before those seed ships get here?” Tobin added, more hesitantly.
Hudson shrugged, and glanced back at Tobin. “I’m not going to lie, kid; we’ll be cutting it pretty close.”
Suddenly, an alarm rang out on Liberty’s console, and all eyes turned to her. There were a breathless few seconds, before she finally spoke up. “I’m detecting another massive spike in Shaak radiation, even larger than before,” said Liberty. “And it’s coming from Goliath.”
“Maybe it’s leaving?” asked Tobin, but Hudson knew that was wishful thinking.
“No, it’s…” said Liberty, but then she scowled at the data, hesitating.
“It’s what, Liberty?” asked Hudson, practically on the edge of his seat.
“These readings don’t make any sense,” replied Liberty, tapping angrily at her keypad. “It’s like there’s another portal opening, but the co-ordinates can’t be right. They put it in the center of the moon.”
“There’s a portal opening in the center of the moon?” replied Hudson. However, repeating what Liberty had said didn’t cause it to make any more sense.
“That’s what the readings say,” said Liberty, still doubtful. “I can’t explain it.”
Hudson glanced back out of the cockpit glass at the great ship. It had now angled its nose towards the planet, as if it were a predator preparing to pounce. Suddenly, there was another massive flash of purple light, and a giant portal vortex began to grow. It was forming on the opposite side of the moon to where Goliath was looming.
“There’s something emerging from the new vortex,” sai
d Liberty, her voice tense and jittery.
“Is it another ship?” asked Hudson, but Liberty shook her head.
“I’m detecting metals, but no power signatures,” said Liberty, now sounding more confused than anxious. “Superheated iron and nickel, plus some other elements I can’t identify.” Then her brow furrowed even more deeply, before she turned to Hudson, wearing a look of pure astonishment. “It’s the moon’s core! Goliath has created a portal between the moon’s center and that new vortex. It’s like the portal swallowed the moon’s entire core, and spat it out into space!”
“How is that even possible?” said Hudson, “Goliath’s crystal was destroyed; it shouldn’t be able to create portals.”
Liberty shrugged, “I don’t know. It shouldn’t be able to core a moon like it was an apple, either, but that’s what it just did.”
Liberty’s console chimed an alert again. She read the data, shaking her head in disbelief the whole time. She turned to the others, her face suddenly pale, and said, “The moon is collapsing…”
Hudson was again about to parrot what Liberty had said, as if repeating her words would somehow provide a different answer. However, he was suddenly rapt by the scene unfolding in front of him. With the moon’s inner core vanishing through a fold in space, the outer core had violently collapsed into the void left behind. This had caused the surface of the moon to crack, like a tray of toffee smashed with a hammer. It was an event of such cataclysmic intensity that the moon had begun to rip itself apart.
Hudson was unable to tear his eyes away, but the worst and most horrific scenes were still to come. The ejected metallic core had been expelled close enough to the moon to be trapped by its gravity. It then plummeted into the surface, like an enormous wrecking ball. The resulting impact smashed the moon into pieces.
Goliath had remained still, silently observing the carnage from its perch. Then as the moon broke apart, the great ship began to turn. It angled its nose in the direction of the portal leading to Sapphire Alpha, and slowly began to advance.
