by Will Crudge
Marbles replied.
Then a crackling sound came of the ancient intercom speakers within the dilapidated docking area. “Attention, Titan Security Forces! This is the UAHC – UDF Fighter, Blood-Reaper! You are detaining critical personnel, and need to stand down!”
The security team began to glance around nervously. The leader seemed less shaken, however. “Clever pirate trick, I’ll give you that! But unfortunately for you, that’s all the probable cause I need to cut you down!” She gestured to her team to take aim, but they were all too distracted by the sound of the docking bay door as it creaked open.
The door opened up to the view of a blood-red LRF-90 super fighter that seemed to hover a few meters beyond the atmospheric protection field. Its weapons bays were opened, and a gnarly array of heavy beam launchers, cannons, and missiles rounded out the façade.
The female leader of the security team began to spout orders to her team, but by the time she opened her mouth, they’d already begun to drop their rifles. “What the fuck are you doing?!” She yelled at them.
One of the team members spoke up. “Sergeant, that thing is an LRF-90! Pirates would never be able to get a hold of one of those, not to mention that civilians can’t get their hands on that kind of weaponry. It’s got to be legit… Unless you want to risk your life, and ours, in the process! I suggest you stand down as well!”
“He speaks the truth, dear!” Shade interjected, and the Sergeant wheeled her head back around towards her, with her face seemingly in shock. Shade was within a meter of her, and the Sergeant tried to point her rifle directly at the panther’s head…. Tried.
Shade swiped the rifle out of the Sergeant’s hand with a single slap of her massive paw. The rifle skidded across the deck harmlessly. “Now listen, dear!” Shade spoke sternly. “Either I can have you locked up for treason, or you can decide to stand down…. But there is also a third option that you won’t live to regret, understand?”
By the time the Sergeant reluctantly complied, pulled her pistol from her hip-holster, and gently placed it on the deck, the Blood-Reaper had already glided into the dock. It landed gently on its support struts a moment later.
“Uh… I only have so much room in here, folks!” Kindle said over the exterior ship’s speakers. “I hope you fine people… err… and battle drone, have a ride.”
But nobody had time to reply… The thruster array of a UAHC frigate lit up the room with a blinding light of thermal energy, and ions. It was in an obvious, yet insanely dangerous DECEL maneuver, and managed to bring its velocity to zero within a few hundred meters of the docking entrance.
“I’ll – be - damned!” Kindle laughed out loud. “Hey, y’all… You ARE NOT going to believe this shit!”
Unity at Last
Location: UAHC Battleship, Hailstorm, Situation Room
Date Time: Post Interstellar 011/14/4201 0903HRS Crimson Standard Zulu
System: Interstellar Space, Outer Fringes of Human Controlled/Crimson Space
“I never thought I would be hosting the Acting Sovereign of the Crimson Alliance aboard my flagship!” Darius said with a chuckle. Chancellor Singleton shrugged his shoulders, and leaned in toward the table slightly.
“I never thought I’d ever meet a non-human biologic, or even be hosted on a UAHC flagship!” Singleton replied. The conference room was filled with a mix of UAHC, UDF, and Crimson top brass. On either side of the room were four UAHC marines in heavy infantry armor, who were accompanied by an equal measure of Crimson marines. They all stood silently, and seemed to stare each other down behind their tinted visors.
Kara sat beside Keltec, who sat directly across from Chancellor Singleton. Directly to her left, was Fleet Admiral Zeff. War Master Jep, and his daughter, Jimma stood behind Darius’ seat, along with all three of their paired Zodiac mounts. At the head of the table, was none other than Consul Gerhardt. War Master Condor and Killjoy stood him.
Val was noticeably absent, but soon he casually entered the room wearing his best clothing… For the first time since anyone in the room had ever known, Val was wearing a long flowing white robe. No longer was he wearing the typical regalia of a lone monk-academic. Even though the fabric was made of humble materials, it was still more self-indulgence than Val had ever displayed… At least since any other human had been alive, Darius figured.
Darius couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the momentous mix of people… and Zodiacs… all joining together in one room. He always figured that if any meeting of the sort were to take place, then it would be for the purpose of ending a human war, and not to plan for an inter-galactic one.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for your attendance!” Gerhardt addressed the room. “Unfortunately, it takes the impending threat of a non-human species to forge a peace between us.”
“Indeed!” Singleton nodded in agreement. Although he wasn’t shocked by the man’s supposition, Darius couldn’t help but be taken back by it either. “I believe now is the time we stand together. Not just as a species, but for the sake of our galactic neighbors, as well!”
Gerhardt smiled, and began to clap. Soon the whole room followed suit… except the troops on duty, and the Zodiacs. Darius fought off an audible chuckle as he imagined what it would be like for Shadow and Sheba to try and clap with their dinner-plate-sized paws.
Soon the revelry calmed down, and Gerhard spoke once more. “It’s a shame we couldn’t have gathered sooner, but this will have to do. We have to discuss how to organize our combined forces, of course. Both Chancellor Singleton and I have reached out to every independent human nation state, principality, and even to known havens of pirates… Every corner of humanity needs to hear our pleas for a combined human effort!” Gerhardt paused to allow for more clapping.
“Keep in mind, we have our new ally, Keltec.” Gerhardt gestured towards the non-human entity, and Keltec gave a curt nod. “Keltec is the last survivor of his race. A long-lived species that not only have been decimated by the ancestors of the Mwargoths, but also have some common genetic lineage as well. We’ve brought him here from the galactic core, and he has vowed to provide us with keen insights and guidance as we face an unknown opponent. Keltec…” Gerhardt nodded to Keltec as if to ask him to speak.
“I am honored to be among humanity, but alas, it disheartens me to know that my presence is even necessary. It also pains me to tell you the truth of your situation.” Keltec said eloquently. Then he seemed noticed a hand raise from across the room. Darius recognized the man as a Fleet Admiral in a Crimson dress uniform.
“If I may, Keltec.” The Admiral spoke up. “What are our chances of receiving any further military aide from our – galactic neighbors – in these dire circumstances?”
“That’s just it, Admiral. Humanity is alone in this.” Keltec said with a frown. The room erupted in nervous banter and cross-talk. Darius scanned the room, and decided that the concern was warranted.
“Ladies and Gentleman, please!” Gerhardt called out, and soon the chatter fell silent once more. However, the exasperated expressions on many faces lingered viscerally. “Let Keltec explain.”
Keltec nodded in acknowledgement and continued. “I won’t give you false hope. The Mwargoth’s have not faced defeat since your ancestors lived in caves… And the race that defeated them is no longer with us.”
“Were they wiped out as a result of defeating them?” Zeff asked.
“No. They evolved. They have ceased to exist in the third dimension.” Keltec answered. The room went silent, and more than a few confused faces appeared across the table. But
Keltec pressed on. “The other races would rather be consumed in fire, then to resort to violence. They seem to accept it as a form of ascension, or natural cleansing… But that’s a fallacy. A delusion, of you will. The fact is, that most of the galactic sentient beings are either blissfully unaware of the impending threat, or they believe it can be dealt with by using reason and diplomacy.”
“Sounds spineless!” One female General spouted.
“Indeed… Well, technically I’m spineless.” Keltec chuckled. “But the meaning of your words are accurate none-the less. Either we must make the Galactic Council see the error in their thinking, or humanity will remain as a race of living weapons.”
“But they have been defeated?” Zeff asked. Darius knew that Zeff was all too aware of the truth, but he figured it was an act to spur on the exchange.”
“Yes.” Keltec nodded. “They were beaten by another race, of which, my race and the Mwargoths also have common ancestry with. They are known as the Arcturians. Unlike me, or the Mwargoth’s for that matter, the Arcturians were more – humanoid – in structure, and possessed many traits that humanity does. It’s a myth, however that they never used any form of violence. The Arcturians were highly spiritual, and are almost literally canonized as a race of supreme beings by many. The races of this galaxy are in denial. Denial that their idolized saviors were capable of war… But capable they were. They may not have turned warfare into an art-from, as humans have, but they were skilled enough to send the Mwargoth’s back into the abyss for eons.”
“So this race of super-beings had more technology than we do, I’m assuming?” Singleton asked.
“Vastly more. They may not have been the most advanced race this universe has ever seen, but they were certainly the most advanced race to develop weaponry at the height of their civilization.” Keltec explained.
“Do these weapons still exist?” Zeff asked. “Can we somehow find them?”
“I don’t know for sure. Perhaps the archives of the galactic council may be able to shed light on that, but that’s the problem. The Chairman of the Council is the keeper of the archives, and he would be reluctant to allow us to uncover the truth… A truth that he likely knows all too well. Only an overriding vote can force him to give us access, but that would be nearly as difficult to achieve.” Keltec explained.
“Sir!” A UAHC Soldier with a Colonel’s rank barged into the room. Everyone’s eyes spun around to see the man rushing in. Darius calmly answered.
“Yes, Colonel?” He asked.
“Mwargoth ships… five in all… they’ve attacked Taskforce Fish Hook!” The Colonel said anxiously. The Crimson officers exchanged confused glances, and Darius noted that Singleton seemed exude confusion as well. He wished he had the chance to explain everything before the enemy had arrived. That was the plan, in any case.
“Damage assessment?” Darius asked calmly.
“Ten cruisers, two dreadnaughts, one juggernaut.” The Colonel replied.
“Has Broadsword Squadron cut the connections to avoid detection?” Darius asked. He instantly regretted bringing up the Broadsword in the presence of the Crimson leadership since he knew they would not be happy about that particular battlegroup operating within Crimson controlled space.
“Yes, Sir.” The Colonel replied.
“I suppose that brings up the trigger point for my approval of the next phase then, doesn’t it?” Darius said it as a matter of fact.
“That’s correct, Sir.” He replied.
Darius turned to Consul Gerhardt. “Sir, I’m formally requesting approval to execute phase two of Operation Nosebleed.”
“Permission is granted, Fleet Marshal.” Gerhardt replied with a tinge of a smile. Darius calmly turned back to the Colonel.
“Phase two is a go, Colonel. Nuke those fuckers!” Darius smiled. The Colonel smiled back, rendered a quick salute, and then quickly left the room. Darius looked around at the myriad of confused faces around the table. “I apologize for having to proceed with our plan prior to fully briefing our Crimson counterparts. I assure you, it was the next topic of conversation on our agenda.”
“What is going on, Fleet Marshal?” Chancellor Singleton asked, as Darius sensed the man was trying to hold his anger in check.
“We had to test our enemy’s metal. Keltec has already given us valuable intelligence, however his knowledge may not include any recently acquired capabilities our enemy has. Detonating tactical nukes can be done by any flag officer in the UAHC… But once you get into the giga-ton yields… I had to request permission from the senior UAHC elected official within the theater of operations… In accordance with our laws of war, of course.”
Moments later the Colonel barged back into the room, but this time his face wasn’t filled with panic… but rather a large smile. “Status?” Darius asked.
“We’ve bloodied their nose, Sir.” The Colonel said proudly.
Darius smiled, and looked around the room. He tried taking stock in the expressions of his Crimson guests, but they seemed more flustered than anything else. “You see, folks?” Darius paused to place his elbows on the table. He leaned in, interlaced his hands, and then spoke once more.
“The Mwargoths have actually lost one war to another species… But we humans? Well, we’re still undefeated.”
Epilogue
Location: Battle of Acre
Date Time: Three Months later
System: Exo-human Controlled Space
“Are you sure that this book ended well?” Skull asked Doom on their internal audio net.
“I guess so, why?” Doom answered.
“I mean, there wasn’t some big huge battle scene with crazy big animals shredding bad guys, or anything. Seemed kinda rushed, don’t you think?” Skull asserted.
“Well, I disagree. Case in Point… Sovereign Protocol ended with Darius liberating the UAHC HQ, and finally taking command of Fleet Forces. Objective complete, right?”
“Uh, yeah.” Skull responded dismissively.
“Then you had the Battle of Tangine… A book that you, and Crusher had a much bigger role in than I did! It ended with the battle concluding and the bad guys surrendering, right?” Doom said rhetorically.
“Once again, yeah.”
“Well, now you have United Front… The objective was to bring humanity together, and then tie up a few plot lines from the previous threads. Then at the end, the UAHC, Unum, and the Crimson all get together and they decide not to kill each other. Objective complete! Mic Drop!” Doom said.
“Yeah, but… I don’t know. There was some action… I just felt like I wanted to see some Mwargoth asses being kicked. Seems like a good way to transition to the follow on saga, you know?” Skull said.
“What the fuck are you two talking about? Stop filling the Fire Support net up with all your cryptic bullshit! Only dudes that can’t get laid read books! And even worse… Dudes who never get laid write them!” Corporal Thomas said over the audio net.
“Are you hearing this?” Skull asked Doom. “This motherfucker is begging for Will Crudge to kill him off!”
“What the fuck is a Milk-Judge?” Thomas scoffed.
“Aaaand Boom! Muted.” Doom chuckled. “Seriously, we need to be careful. The humans in this story have no idea that they are just characters in a book. They’re idiots, after all.”
“Amen, brother!” Skull answered. “But back to this book. I guess it was kind of cool for Kara to fly into combat naked, and for Jimma to spend several chapters with her meat-curtains dangling out in the open air!”
“What the fuck is a meat-curtain?” Doom asked.
“Lady-bits. You know, the vertical roast beef sandwich?”
“Didn’t need the visual, but yeah… It’s been a wild ride, huh?”
“Looks like I’m getting tone on the laser seeker thingy.” Skull said.
“For a two-millenia old combat veteran, you sure as hell don’t know your terminology, do you?” Doom retorted.
“Fuck off! This - Elf-rif
t - shit is new to both of us, dick!” Skull snapped back.
“ELRIF, you mean? As in ‘Eye-Safe-Laser-Ranger-Finder’?”
“Ass!” Skull said.
***
Corporal Thomas stood on the keel of the Foehammer, as his magnetic boots kept him secure to the metallic hull. He had his optics zoomed in on the unsuspecting Mwargoth warship, as it crept out of the nebulous cloud of dust that was protruding from the nearby gas giant. He lined up his reticles, and he worked out the calculations in his mind.
He knew it was redundant to do so, but a well-trained FISTER always did it out of habit in case the fire direction systems malfunctioned. Lisa manned the coms console, as she was crouching down on one knee. Todd was in the prone position, as he was keeping a steady aim with the ELRIF. The most vulnerable part of the enemy ship was about one third of the ship’s length from the prow, or so Keltec had advised.
“Alright you, fucks!” Sergeant Gail shouted through the helmet audio. “Now that those two dumb-ass NAV systems have shut the fuck up, we can transmit our final vector data!” She walked up behind the three others, and crossed her arms. Thomas looked back at her with a smile.
It’s good to have you back, Gail! He thought to himself. Then he turned to go back to his assigned task.
“Data sent, Sergeant!” Lisa reported. “Birds have reached the IP, and are on approach for the final attack run! ETA, 34 seconds!”
