by Derek Haines
‘Over here Sergeant Snikkle,’ String called out quietly, attracting Snikkle’s attention. When he arrived with his colleague, String introduced him to Feb.
‘Sergeant Snikkle. Please meet February the Fifth, our Supreme Potentate of the Twelve Sun Systems of Gloth,’ String said proudly.
‘I’m truly honoured to meet you sir,’ Snikkle said extremely politely and respectfully. Bowing his head just a little in reverence. ‘May I present Lieutenant Hibril Likklet. I hope you don’t mind sir, but we’ve both been OK’D from service, and a cruiser is safer to be piloted by two.’
‘Very nice to meet you Lieutenant Likklet,’ Feb said.
‘I am honoured to serve you sir. Very honoured indeed,’ Likklet said as he also bowed his head. Just a little more than Snikkle and with a nervous lick of his lips.
‘Time to move then I believe. Ready?’ Feb smiled to all around him. Then led his now assembled crew through the port entrance doors.
Feb passed the requisition file to Sergeant Snikkle who looked quickly at the cruiser allocation.
‘Oh wonderful. SSGCC-Twelve,’ he said with a smile.
‘Is that good?’ String asked.
‘Oh yes,’ Lieutenant Likklet replied. ‘It’s one of the new models.’
‘With particle fuelling,’ Snikkle added somewhat proudly.
‘What’s that?’ String asked as they all walked briskly through the port building towards the cruiser tarmac.
‘Never needs re-fuelling. It gathers up sub-spacial particles and self-converts it into power,’ Snikkle said.
‘Wow!’ String said. Clearly impressed.
‘Lead the way gentlemen,’ Feb gestured to Snikkle and Likklet as they left the port building and started out on the tarmac.
‘This way then,’ Snikkle said in a very assured voice.
Twenty cosmic cruisers filled their whole field of view. Each one glistening under the vast array of floodlights that lit the enormous tarmac and stretched away as far as the eye could see. Towering above the army of engineers, technicians and service crews who looked like ants in comparison to their size, were the gigantic silver balls that were Glothic Cosmic Cruisers. Each one floating in its allocated bay and being tended to by the ground staff. Three silver balls rose a good twenty percent higher and glowed brighter than the rest, adjacent to each other in the second row of cruisers.
‘They’re enormous,’ String said. Clearly impressed with what he saw.
‘Yes. A bit more impressive than when you board at a spaceport lounge,’ Snikkle replied.
‘I guess the bigger ones are the new models then.’
‘That's right String. Ours is the one on the right. Usually we carry up to two thousand passengers so we'll have plenty of space,’ Snikkle tried a little light humour, but String missed it as he was mesmerised by what he saw in front of him.
‘But no cabin service on this trip!’ Likklet added, but again String missed it completely.
Snikkle and Likklet strode forward confidently towards SSGCC-Twelve while String fell back in stride with Feb, his sisters and Snurd. Technical officials were seated in a transparent office that like the cruisers, hovered just above the surface of the tarmac. Snikkle took the authorised file to the officials while Likklet started his exterior inspection and a conversation with two engineers working under the SSGCC-Twelve. Feb and his entourage waited in a huddle a little distance away to ensure Feb wasn't recognised, as the first rays of daylight peeked out from the horizon. Waiting impatiently, as it seemed to take forever for the officials to check, stamp, re-check and stamp again, Feb could see that Snikkle was answering a lot of questions. Likklet, even though calmly going about his inspection, looked nervously across his shoulder from time to time. All the while, the new day was inching its way from below the horizon. Feb checked. A quarter to six. Eons were passing as they waited.
Finally Snikkle seemed to be moving towards leaving the officials in their floating office. One, two, three false alarms before he finally exited and headed towards Feb.
‘Is everything alright?’ Feb asked in a manner just a little less confident than one would expect from a ruler of twelve sun systems.
‘All quite normal sir. They never let a cruiser out without making sure they have every I dotted and T crossed,’ Snikkle said confidently. ‘Shall we be off then?’
‘Certainly. Let's get moving,’ Feb immediately replied.
Likklet saw the group approaching and stood at the entry. A long ramp that fell out like a long canine tongue from the cruiser to the tarmac. It was still a good five minute walk from the base of the ramp to the entry hatch way above. A steep walk that need a little energy to complete. Snikkle leading the way with Likklet at the rear. Snurd, String and Feb helping the three ladies on the steep ascent. Almost half way up the ramp a zinging sound filled the air and a small explosion followed, just a short distance behind Likklet.
‘Run! Now!’ Came the shout from Likklet.
No one could help themselves. Before they ran, they all looked over their shoulders to see a group of guards running towards their cruiser. Another zing and bang got their attention and reminded them very quickly about the order to run. Which they all did now with renewed energy. Snikkle was making good ground and bounded ahead of the group in an almost lizard like gait. Feb hoped he was off to start some engines. In a hurry. Another zing and bang got rid of any tardiness, as it hit the ramp just to the left of String who leapt a little in surprise. The ramp started to level out. It was rising towards the cruiser.
‘It's alright. Snikkle has started the ramp retraction,’ Likklet shouted in between pants for air. ‘Keep running.’
Running became easier as the angle of the ramp now meant that they were running downhill. It also protected them from the firing as the guards were beneath them now. They all heard the roar as Snikkle had clearly made good time in getting to fire up the ship. Zinging and explosions were now at a rapid rate, but luckily under their running feet and protected by the strength of the ramp. They felt the ship start to move upwards as they approached the hatch. Likklet pushing them through and slamming his hand on a large red button just inside the hatch, which was obviously to close the hatchway.
‘Did you see who they were?’ April asked Feb breathlessly.
‘Not really. Too busy running. Council Guards perhaps.’
‘Get everyone secure fast Likk,’ came Snikkle's voice from the intercom.
‘Come on! With me!’ Likklet shouted and they all followed him into a bare crew cabin with ten pressure cubicles.
‘Get in one fast,’ Likklet said as he pushed May into the first cubicle. The rest finding one for themselves. Likklet making sure everyone was secure before jumping in one himself just seconds before all air was sucked from the whole unpressurised entrance bay area.
There was little to do except for everyone to look at everyone else locked away in their transparent cubicles. This was a long way from the comfort of travelling as a paying passenger with all the trimmings. The passenger compartments were fully pressurised and no passenger ever noticed the hassle that is involved in getting an enormous globular space craft into the nothingness of space when there were free drinks to be had. It was a pity really because if they had had more time they could have all gotten comfortable in the big lay back seats of Luxury Class if they hadn’t been being shot at by upset guards as they rushed aboard. Instead they suffered the discomfort and lack of champagne willingly knowing that they had probably been rather fortunate not to have been incinerated on the entrance ramp.
It took close to an hour before a multitude of previously unnoticed flashing lights started doing their assigned job and flashed a reassuring shade of bright green. Likklet put his hand up in a sign to wait before opening his cubicle and checking all was ‘situation normal’ before opening the other cubicles. Once everyone was out and seemed to have survived space entry without any problems, Likklet pushed a button on an intercom panel.
‘We’re coming up S
nikk.’
‘Use the Luxury Class Likk. It seems to be totally under-booked for this flight.’
‘On our way Snikk.’
‘Do you serve Rysininum tea?’ May asked.
Nobody Mentioned Voids
Once everyone was settled in Luxury Class, Feb went with Likklet to the flight deck. Sergeant Sipply Snikkle was busy plotting a course that would at least make it challenging for any likely pursuers. With its spherical design and arcing protective force shields, it could navigate asteroid and space junk clusters that were extremely dangerous areas for smaller attack craft. Snikkle was plotting his course for the Xandibund belt. An almost never ending swathe of asteroids and space junk spun together by the opposing forces of Sun System One and Two.
‘Any friends on our tail?’ Likklet asked.
‘Haven’t had time to look Likk. Can you check?’
‘Onto it Snikk,’ Likklet said as he slid into the other co-pilot’s seat next to Snikkle.
‘Thank you gentlemen. You really did well,’ Feb said genuinely.
‘Well sir, a bit of a rush in the end, but very happy to be back flying,’ Snikkle relied.
‘Looks like we have a few Noorlac class interceptors just behind us Snikk,’ Likklet said.
‘How far?’
‘About seven parsecs.’
‘Right. Set all shields to full power.’
‘Underway. I’ll cut power from all the empty passenger cabins. That’ll give us a lot more time on full powered protection.’
‘Good idea Likk. Arm atomisers.’
‘Arming atomisers.’
‘Don’t fire on them unless it’s absolutely necessary. I don’t want innocent Glothic pilots killed,’ Feb said in a manner that was clearly heard as an order by the two pilots.
‘Understood sir,’ Snikkle replied. ‘They could well be friends of ours sir, so I understand. Entering the Xandibund belt in six parsecs,’ he added so Likklet could calibrate the front and rear shields for entry into the asteroid belt.
‘Fire on the right Snikk,’ Likklet announced surprisingly calmly as two loud explosions sent a tremor through the cruiser. Another two explosions on the left and another shudder.
‘They’ve split Snikk.’
‘Got them on the scanners Likk.’
‘Shields all holding,’ Likk confirmed as simultaneous explosions on the left and right had Feb grabbing at the back of Snikkle’s seat to keep his balance.
‘They’re still not forming to come from below Snikk,’ Likklet shouted above the next round of explosions.
‘Is that good?’ Feb shouted.
‘That’s our weakest point sir,’ Snikkle answered. ‘There’s a weak point in our shields there, but not as weak as the older models, so we should be fine.’
‘Should be?’ Feb asked with a raised eyebrow above his now nervously gyrating left eye.
‘Best I can say sir,’ Snikkle replied as more explosions rocked the cruiser.
‘Get Glothic High Command and tell them to call off their attack. Tell them the Supreme Potentate is aboard. I’ll check on the others,’ Feb shouted.
‘Yes sir. Good idea,’ Snikkle replied as Likklet busied himself fine tuning the shields after each explosion.
‘There’s a small weak area developing in shield sector nine Snikk. Ten degrees tilt to starboard will get it away from the lines of fire.’
‘Tilt manoeuvre set Likk. Thirty seconds. Still no attack from below?’
‘All clear below.’
Glothic High Command did not respond to Snikkle. He tried again.
Feb made it back to the luxury class cabin. Rocking down the corridor from wall to wall as the attack continued.
‘Everyone alright,’ he said cheerfully as he opened the door and stumbled in, falling into an empty seat rather ungraciously.
‘I think so sir,’ Snurd Humped replied with his customary lack of any intonation whatsoever which gave the impression he wasn’t concerned at all. The near white faces of April, May and June confirmed they were all a little scared by the events.
‘Should I serve the tea soon Feb?’ String said and Feb started to laugh.
‘Maybe there’s only champagne String!’ Feb replied as another more powerful explosion rocked the cruiser.
‘Champagne ladies?’ String asked with a huge smile and they nodded and tried to smile at the joke.
‘I’ll get back to the flight deck then. Take good care of the ladies huh?’ Feb said to Snurd and String.
‘Oh yes. Of course sir,’ Snurd replied loyally and flatly.
‘We’ll be fine Feb,’ String said as Feb got up to leave.
‘We still have our friends on our tail I hear,’ Feb said as he returned to the flight deck.
‘Yes sir, and no response from Glothic High Command.’ Likklet confirmed.
‘I’m setting a course for Sun System Two sir,’ Snikkle added.
‘But Terranova Two is in Sun System One.’
‘Yes sir. But these small Noorlac class interceptors aren’t inter-system capable. They’ll have to call off their attack once we pass into the Unterlodd Void.’
‘Where is that?’
Bang! Another hit rocked the SSGCC-Twelve.
‘Just past our exit point from the Xandibund belt sir. It’s the area of inter-gravitational turbulence between the two sun systems.’
‘Sounds dangerous.’
‘It is sir,’ Likklet added to the exchange. ‘But preferable to any Hoog battle class destroyers catching up with us,’ he warned just before another vibrating hit.
‘I plan to loop back from the centre of Sun System Two sir and approach Terranova Two from the outer quadrant of Sun System One,’ Snikkle said.
‘Alright. I see your logic. But tell me. What’s dangerous about the Unterlodd Void?’ Fed asked.
‘It’s not mapped sir.’
‘What? I thought Sun System One and Two were mapped to the millimetre.’
‘Yes. They are sir. But because of the inter-gravitational turbulence in the Unterlodd Void, things, well, eh, keep moving. So there’s been very little point in mapping things that are never in the same place twice sir.’
‘So how do you navigate through it?’
‘With our eyes open and very, very slowly sir.’
‘Any other choices?’
‘Stay and do battle with Hoog battle class destroyers sir.’
Another two blasts hit.
‘Try Glothic High Command again,’ Feb ordered Likklet. Feb listened as no reply was forthcoming.
‘Strange there has been no attack from below Snikk,’ Likklet commented.
‘Yes. I have the feeling our ex-colleagues might be obeying orders, but know what they’re doing. Our flanking shields can handle this all week,’ Snikkle replied.
‘You mean, they’re not well, really attacking?’ Feb asked.
‘About twenty-five hits to our belly would be about all the shields would defend sir. But as we’re not returning fire, I think they’re going easy on us.’
‘So they’re being friendly?’
‘In a manner of speaking. Yes sir.’
Another friendly explosion hit.
‘First sign of Hoogs Snikk,’ Likklet announced as he scanned his monitors.
‘How far?’
‘Looks like they’ve just got around to launching from Gloth. Eh, hold on. Another group launching from Alternus.’
‘I suppose you’re going to say that they’re not so friendly then,’ Feb asked, as he knew an attack launched from Gloth’s nearest planet, Alternus, meant that someone was now issuing orders inside Glothic High Command. This spelled trouble. This was higher up than Glutz or Overload.
‘Friendly or not sir, one hit below our belly third line from a Hoog, and we probably won’t be going any further sir.’
‘Can you get to the Unterlodd Void before they reach us?’
‘Yes sir. Easily I think at full power.’
‘Well. You’re in command of the cruiser gen
tlemen. What do you think?’
‘Unterlodd,’ they replied in unison.
‘Very well. Get moving.’
‘Yes sir. Um. It might be wise to go tell the others to strap up tight. It might get a bit bumpy at full power. Especially when we enter the Unterlodd Void.’
‘Right. And as long as you miss all the asteroids between here and there.’
‘We might have to make a few, um, eh, manoeuvres sir.’
‘I’ll stay with them. Call me when we’re safe and secure.’
‘Yes sir,’ both Snikkle and Likklet replied.
Feb moved down the corridor, banging from wall to wall as Snikkle had obviously started to apply full power. It felt as if the walls were twisting as Feb battled forward, once again entering the luxury cabin unceremoniously and having himself launched from the hatch onto a seat in the second row.
‘You’re not very good with that hatch,’ String shouted above the roar of the acceleration everyone could feel.
‘Buckle up everyone. It could get a bit bumpy,’ Feb ordered and noticed immediately that everyone except himself was safely harnessed. When he got launched again, landing in the third row this time, he decided to follow his own orders and buckle up.
‘Where are we going exactly?’ Snurd Humped asked without any intonation, which made him sound completely disinterested and as if he was asking for directions to the bathroom.
‘Terranova Two Snurd. Just taking a short cut through the Unterlodd Void,’ Feb replied as if it was a real adventure.
