Edwards cautiously makes his way along the platform’s edge toward a tunnel opening. He stops and stares in fear at the sight before him. A sea of rats rush out from the tunnel. They squeak and hiss as they run along the old tracks. Standing on the platform, he stares at the sight in amazement. The rats are at least three to four deep, with each one propelling itself forward from the backs of those below. The wave of rats subsides. Edwards gulps when he notices the faint tendrils of green gas which seem to claw their way out of the tunnel before him. The gas is heavier than the air, and flows menacingly over the uneven ground, and the rats that failed to move quickly enough.
Edwards panics as he runs back towards the group. He is alarmed to see the beam from another flashlight haphazardly waving around as it approaches him. The man runs past Edwards at a full sprint, straight into the deadly gas.
Jones calls out loudly from the other end of the platform, “We’re trapped. Look for a service tunnel.”
Edwards takes a deep breath, and then walks purposefully toward his partner. Finding him, he says, “There is no way out of here.”
Jones glances fearfully left and right as the realization finally hits him; they are trapped.
Edwards sits down with his back to one of the station’s pillars and says, “How many years have we worked together?”
Jones sits down next to him, defeated, and replies, “A lot of years, my friend.”
“We had a good run, didn’t we?” Edwards states as he casts his beam over the approaching mist.
The sounds of people choking nearby reaches their ears. Both men stare at their firearms as they consider their limited options. A young and energetic man covers his face and then sprints up the corridor they first came down. The man almost makes it to the door where the heavyset man rests, before the gas penetrates his makeshift facemask and brings him down.
Jones pulls out his gun and then says, “This isn’t for me.”
“Me neither.” Edwards responds stoically as he pats his sidearm.
Both men shake hands as the tendrils of gas reach their feet, then seem to climb up over their legs. Minutes later, the platform is a lifeless void. The beams from the flashlights shine for a while, until the corrosive mist renders them useless.
Location:
Starship Terran
Sol System
John stares at his console deep in concentration. The Kord Power Unit ran out of energy a few minutes earlier, immediately reducing their speed. The ship steadily bleeds off speed as their available power diminishes with each passing second. Every nuclear reactor is now offline, with entire sections too radioactive to enter. Sweat drips down his back as he focuses all of his attention on a single readout. One with numbers that are diminishing at an astronomical rate. He lifts his fingers to his console, then at the last possible second, disengages the main drive.
Deck plates throughout the Terran jolt with the abrupt reduction in speed. All of a sudden, the lights flicker, then stay dim, while at the same time, the artificial gravity fluctuates. Alarms flash on every bridge console. Before the crew can react, the ship lurches to the left, jostling everyone on board. John quickly activates the ship’s thrusters as a new wave of sweat runs down his back.
Joe nervously reports, “The IGD is operating at minimal levels, it’s going to be a rough ride until it’s back to full power.” He glances fearfully at John and states, “This means that we can’t use the main drive or sub-light engines.”
“Got it,” John replies without looking up. He clenches his jaw tensely as he attempts to slow the ship down as gradually as he can.
Staring at the main viewer, Cindy is mortified by the sight before her. We’re too late! A pair of Atlan carriers are high above Earth’s orbit, as are at least fifty Gamin warships of various sizes. Thousands of Atlan fighters move as tiny dots across the view. The scene feels like a repeat of the battle at the Kord Space Station. Flashes of light from energy weapons are intermixed with the kinetic weapons the Gamin ships use. The Gamin satellite grid that was orbiting Earth, along with Space Station Unity, is nowhere to be found.
“Raise the bridge armor!” Cindy orders, a little too loudly.
A deep grinding sound reverberates down the side of the ship. John curses to himself as he swings them away from the Gamin ship they are sideswiping. The maneuver brings Earth’s surface fully into view. He glances up and gasps at what he sees. The blood runs cold in his veins while the hairs on the back of his neck raise up. Cindy’s eyes go wide at the scene before her, she puts a hand to her open mouth in complete shock. Her heart races as her mind tries to comprehend what she is witnessing.
“Oh no,” Joe says forlornly as the armor plate which is designed to protect the main viewer, fails to lift into place. He glances at the others on the bridge, too stunned to speak.
John pushes the Terran’s thrusters to maximum. Orbiting Earth in the opposite direction of its rotation affords them all a sight no one will ever forget. George arrives on the bridge just in time to witness the scene. He stops and stares at the image on the main screen in mortified silence. His visor’s sensors enhance everything he sees, which in this case, is not a good thing. He, like the others, is too numb to do anything except watch.
A huge dust cloud fills the air over the Australian construction dock, while another rises up from somewhere over Northern China. As Europe swings into view, a Gamin ship of similar size as the Terran, is visible in a low orbit over France. It suddenly comes under a barrage of weapons fire. Hundreds of lasers from Atlan fighters carve into the ship causing catastrophic damage. Seconds later, the ship explodes, showering the ground below with its wreckage. The chances of anyone surviving the destruction are slim.
Europe is covered in a multitude of expanding green gas clouds. Atlan fighters dart in and out of sight through the mist, clearly strafing the larger cities. A number of mushroom clouds from nuclear detonations rise up from Russia, as either desperate measures of those below, or as a part of the Atlan attack itself, it is impossible to tell. Cities glow from fires of unimaginable size and ferocity, while vast tracts of land are completely changed.
John turns to Cindy and says with a heavy heart, “The Gamin are actually winning the battle, but we all know what that gas does.”
No sooner does John finish speaking, than a new spacecraft arrives, high above Earth’s atmosphere. It is truly massive, easily twice the size of Regent Voknor’s flagship. The instant this new vessel arrives, numerous energy beams reach out from it, and in one volley, completely destroy another Gamin ship. The destroyed spacecraft was the same size as the Terran. It is practically vaporized by the vicious onslaught. Thousands of additional space fighters stream out from the newcomer’s flanks to join the attack. Hundreds approach the Terran, and immediately begin firing their lasers. Hull plates melt, then peel away from the ship; the Terran’s shields are virtually useless against their weapons.
The bridge speakers crackle. Regent Voknor’s voice comes through loud and clear, “We must leave, there is nothing that can be done now. Your world is lost.”
“No!” George screams in anguish. He slams his console, driving his suit’s fist right through it. He staggers back, then steps out from his bodysuit. His face is a contorted with rage, “We must fight.”
Peter quickly steps to George, and says, “Your family may yet be safe.”
Everyone on the bridge turns and stares at Peter in disbelief.
John quickly returns his attention to Earth, and begins maneuvering the Terran away. He glances curiously at a list of coordinates that appear on his console, then, hoping they are from the Regent, keys them in.
Peter puts a hand to George’s chest, and quickly explains himself, “Your family has been under protective surveillance since we left Earth.”
George’s anger turns to frustration as the view of Earth swings away, “What? How?” He utters in a confused daze.
Peter’s attention turns to Cindy as he adds, “My associate’s threat conting
ency plan was to get them to her old facility.” He adds quickly, “And you yourself saw the clouds, Akardy may have had time to get them there.”
Cindy blinks in surprise as Peter’s comments register. She turns to George and states with confidence, “George, if your family can get to my old facility before it is sealed, then they should be safe.”
John stares at his console and says with urgency, “We’re going to have company any second now, and this ship is in no shape to fight.”
Cindy lowers her gaze, and with mounting anger, orders, “Get us out of here!”
Joe monitors his console for a few moments, then reports, “The Gamin are bugging out too.”
Sweat rolls freely down John’s back and under his armpits. Maneuvering the Terran away from Earth is easier said than done. He pushes the ship to its limits, and beyond, once more. He twists and turns the Terran around debris, enemy ships, and other Gamin spacecraft.
Voknor’s voice unexpectedly fills the bridge, “We will go back for survivors, after the Atlans leave.”
Cindy’s eyebrows raise in surprise, while she questions doubtfully, “Survivors? From that hell!”
“Yes,” Voknor replies, then he adds, “we faced a similar fate, long ago.” His voice slows as he continues, “I regret that we could not save your planet. None of our ships can survive a Vanguard’s firepower. Indeed, it is rare to escape an encounter with one.”
George collapses to the ground, a broken man. Tears flow freely down his face, his balled up fists strike the deck plates. He mumbles, “We will make them pay for what they have done, we must.”
Golward has also been observing the battle in silence. Having been rescued twice now, by the crew of the Terran, he is quite familiar with the feelings of loss. But watching the destruction of his rescuer’s planet is affecting him deeply. The long fur on his face is wet and matted from his own tears. He gazes at the floor and says quietly to himself, “There has been too much death, let us yet prevail.”
Cindy, like everyone else, is visibly shaken, and asks John. “Where are you taking us?”
John replies, his voice is flat and devoid of emotion, “Co-ordinates from Regent Voknor. Well, I hope they’re from him.” A skittish laugh escapes his lips, then he adds a little hysterically, “If not, then we’re in for a short ride.” His fingers frantically move over his controls in his continued efforts to swing the Terran away from Earth.
Radclyf arrives on the bridge, and stands numbly in the doorway, his hands shaking in distress. He frowns in confusion when he sees George kneeling on the floor, crying. He lifts his gaze to the main viewer just as England swings briefly into view, and immediately notices the expanding gas clouds. His hands fall to his sides as he comprehends what is happening on Earth. His face contorts as feelings he has kept to himself for many years can no longer be contained. No one hears his quiet mumbling through his quivering lips, “My dearest Polly. I am so sorry, and now it’s too late.” Anger quickly replaces anguish, and in a fit of rage, he roars loudly, “They will all die! I will have my vengeance!”
Cindy quickly turns in shock at the sound of Radclyf’s voice. She had not expected him to come to the bridge, and just stares at him, too stunned to speak.
The steady impact of weapon’s fire against the Terran increases. Small thumps cause the ship to shudder, while powerful lasers carve the Terran’s hull apart as easily as a warm knife slides through butter.
John nervously glances to Joe as he overrides alarm after alarm. In an act of desperation, he stabs at the main drive symbol as he venomously states, “Screw it!”
The Terran lurches forward as it is propelled away from Earth at many times the speed of light. The ship collides with a passive chunk of wreckage, causing the superstructure to shudder and groan alarmingly. Sections of hull peel completely away. Some of this debris remains trapped between the ship’s navigational shields and the main hull. The rest escapes through sections where the shields are so weak, that the ship threatens to distort. A ripple effect, like a wave, runs its way all the way from the nose of the ship, to its rear. The floor, beneath the nuclear reactor that almost killed George, gives way. Radiation from the contaminated reactor quickly spreads.
Joe feeds more and more power to the navigational shields and the internal gravimetric dampeners, in a desperate attempt to hold the ship together. He is extremely busy reviewing alarms and symbols, some of which are new, even to him.
John stares at his own console anxiously. The list of damaged thrusters and sub light engine ports is extensive. But the greatest worry to him is the main drive status, which indicates their imminent failure.
Joe notices a new alarm and shouts, “Hull breach, levels seventeen through twenty, forward section alpha!”
Patrick disconnects his suit from the wall. He glances at George, then says, “I’m on it.” He leaves the bridge and makes his way forward, heading toward the damaged area.
John frowns as he taps his console over and over. Looking at Joe, he states in a baffled tone, “I can only get factor five out of the engines.”
Joe replies with a nervous laugh, “I am surprised they’re working at all.”
The Terran shakes and shudders worse than ever before. Overstressed water pipes break all over the ship, flooding corridors with water. Hangar deck crews stare upward in fear as the ceiling creaks and groans, then finally buckles. The steady hiss of venting atmosphere prompts all who are left in the area to evacuate.
A steady trail of debris follows behind them as they continue to move forward. The main engines, which usually glow solidly, now pulsate in an irregular pattern. A key support strut which connects them both, bends and flexes, then breaks free adding to the debris. Hull plates peel away from the ship in ever increasing numbers, exposing more and more of the ship’s outer decks to the vacuum of space.
Hayato rushes onto the bridge, and between huge breaths, says, “I got here as fast as I could. The engines…” He pauses as he tries to breathe in fresh air.
Cindy and Joe both turn to Hayato, and with building anxiety, wait for him to catch his breath.
After what feels like an eternity, Hayato continues, “The door leading to the port side engine room has buckled.” He takes another deep breath, and then adds, “There is a lot of noise coming from the engine, along with the smell of something burning.”
When no one responds, John speaks up, “We will be arriving at the coordinates in roughly thirty minutes.” He shrugs his shoulders. There is nothing he, or anyone else, can do except to hope that they make it.
Joe alternates between looking at the view screen, and the icon for the main drive on his console. His anxiety levels increase with each and every passing minute.
Robert takes out his hand-held recorder, and quietly reports, “November 12th, 2019 will be a day for the history…” He stops talking as his emotions boil over. He looks up with tear filled eyes. In a sudden fit of rage, he stands and throws his recorder at the wall, where it smashes to bits. “What am I doing?” He stammers as his knees buckle.
The rest of the bridge crew is too stunned to react to his outburst.
Cindy nervously chews on her lower lip as she watches her crew fall apart. Soon her own mind begins to shut down, leaving Golward as the sole being who is able to think clearly.
Chapter Ten - Night Falls Forever
The Terran’s main drive fails, hurtling the entire crew brutally forward. A violent shudder accompanies the abrupt speed change, it travels from the front of the ship, all the way to the rear. Weakened hull plates are hurtled away from the ship, as if by some great unseen force. A deep grinding sound emanates from inside the ship, prompting fresh alarms to resound from every console.
John stares at the useless main drive, then disengages the non-functioning symbol. He activates the sub-light engines, then glances at Joe, who shakes his head from side to side. John puts his hands on the edge of his console in resignation, and waits apprehensively. The forward view displays open spac
e, and nothing more. He stares at his console, then compares it to the coordinates given. They are half a light year short of where they are supposed to be.
Cindy anxiously taps the armrests on her command chair as she waits for John or Joe to say something, anything. Just as her patience is wearing out, a streak of light appears and stops right next to them. It is followed by another, then another. Cindy observes the familiar spacecraft, then leans back in her chair, relieved. The Gamin fleet is joining them.
Joe is also comforted, but his relief is short lived as he reviews the numerous alarms before him. He sighs, then reports, “If I am reading this properly, our main drive is toast, literally. Wherever we are, it’s where we’re staying!”
Cindy’s expression hardens as she issues her orders, “Organize repair teams, immediately. Their first priority is to seal the hull breaches. I want a complete damage report before we do anything else.”
“Yes ma’am,” intones her subdued bridge crew.
Radclyf shuts out his emotions, gives a single nod to Peter, then leaves the bridge. George reluctantly gets back into his suit. He repairs the console he drove his fists through, then leaves the bridge to look for Patrick.
Golward, who has been observing his saviors, speaks his mind. “It is clear that something has changed with the Atlans.” He stares up at Cindy for a moment, and explains. “We had a peace treaty with them, one which both sides have honored for countless generations. But, over the last few years, three of our space stations have been destroyed. Now we see them flying all this way to devastate your world, and with a Vanguard class carrier, no less.”
Cindy frowns, and stares at the short hairy alien while she ponders his words. She says, “Both you and Regent Voknor find this ship special.” With a shake of her head she adds, “I know it’s massive, but is there something else we should know about it?”
Golward turns his gaze to look at the stars which sparkle on the main viewer. With fear in his voice, he replies, “The only other time I heard of the Vanguard Class Carrier being used, was when the Atlans ambushed the Gamin Emperor’s fleet. It was thought that they only had one.” He turns to Cindy, and then adds, “But if they did, why would they use it to attack your world?”
Alliance (Terran Chronicles Book 4) Page 30
