Equilibrium of Terror: Part 2

by Eddie R. Hicks

  The malware; that was the real purpose of it. “Tell Eupiar to hurry the fuck up,

  Xavier said. “The rest of the fleet may be safe for now, but us and the Wilfrid Laurier are still at risk.”

  “We could just hold back,” Chavez said.

  “No way, we hold back the main fleet and Mars will fall. So I say again, tell Eupiar to hurry the fuck up.”

  ESV Wilfrid Laurier, Mars orbit, Sol system

  The bridge crew moved their hands away from their faces as the light from six nuclear missiles dissipated. Two Hashmedai destroyers were lost as a result as Chevallier ordered the crew to continue their game of cat and mouse by moving to a safe distance and picking off Hashmedai capital ships as if they were a giant interstellar sniper. The lack of communication made it a challenge, prompting all fighters to scatter and stay far away from the Wilfrid Laurier in general.

  “Nice hit,” Patel said, patting Vick on his shoulder.

  “We can’t keep this up, Captain,” Mikhailov said.

  “Just keep our distance for now, and keep moving,” Chevallier said. “Remember our mind shields are down they can board us at any time if they get in range.”

  Gladius squadron, Mars orbit, Sol system

  “Heads up! She’s back!” Aura yelled as she saw the psionic interceptor return to the battle.

  The interceptor was fast as it shot down five Solaris fighters in a matter of seconds. As expected all missiles and rail gun fire simply moved around the psionic interceptor like an invisible hand swatted them away.

  “This is Gladius lead, do not engage my marketed target,” she said as she highlighted the interceptor for all fighters to see on their HUD. “I say again to do not engage marked target.”

  “It’s ripping us up,” Orbital said.

  “I’ll handle her,” Aura said. “Deal with the rest of the flack out here!”

  All UNE fighters pulled their craft away, fleeing from the devastating psionic interceptor. All except Aura whose fighter pushed forward with a full burn, she wanted a rematch, and she felt she was the only one experienced enough at that point to go toe to toe with her. And from what she experienced, the pilot took pleasure in one on one encounters.

  The two resumed the bout from before, diving, rolling, evading weapons lock. All the while, the rest of the UNE appeared above them as they rapidly dropped out of sub light speeds and spread out to engage the Hashmedai fleet while their fighters poured out in the battle.

  “Hell yeah! The Calvary has arrived!” Orbital said.

  Plasma missiles and rail guns streaked across the horizon in exchange for plasma cannon fire with the inclusion of the UNE fleet and the fighter squadrons docked within the ships. In the night skies of Mars, the battle looked like an astounding meteor shower without end as marines on the surface battled Hashmedai warriors and guardians in deadly urban combat in most cities. Cities that did not see combat did saw a light show above them as their defense shields ripped from repeated bombardment from interceptors while waves of Solaris fighters swooped down with their missile launchers working in overtime to put an end to their alien invaders.

  Leviathan, Mars orbit, Sol system

  “Oh this is getting good!” Yominv said as the UNE fleet arrived. “Tell the fleet its time.”

  The next phase in Yominv’s plan began to take shape. The Hashmedai fleet began to spread out around most of Mars forming almost a small web around it as interceptors from carriers and the Leviathan continued to pour out. The UNE fleet was surrounded with no way in our out. To increase their chances of survival the human ships grouped closer together.

  “Our captured atomic weapons, are they ready?” Yominv asked.

  “Each one has a psionic assigned, they await your command,” Gayir said.

  Yominv looked at his tactical projection; there were only seven ships in the battle. One was missing, the ship that was the source of the malware.

  “Do it,” Yominv said.

  “Wait.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “All the human attack ships except for one that has their mind shield active!”

  How? All tests we did showed it will spread quickly throughout their network. Yominv smashed his first on the side of his chair then hissed loudly. This can’t be! His enraged thoughts echoed as the bridge crew watched and waited his new orders. The reality was only one ship could be destroyed instantly; this was not part of the plan.

  He was left with two options face them head on which would increase the risk of them losing ships in the process. Seven human ships launching nukes at once was deadly, only the Leviathan could survive such an impact and according to his tactical display, they’d already lost five percent of their ships, with that number expected to rise with each passing hour. Humans were indeed a formidable force one that mastered adapting Radiance and Hashmedai technology to their own. There was only one way for his plan to work, the uninfected UNE ships needed to be infected and their mind shields taken offline.

  “One human ship is infected correct?” Yominv asked.

  “Yes, Admiral,” Gayir said.

  “Can our psionics connect with its computers?”

  “If we get close enough, yes, it is possible.”

  “The humans must have figured out their computers were being compromised and shut off all network activity.”

  “You want us to force the infected ship’s network to reactivate?”

  Yominv nodded to the Archmage then directed his attention to the helm. “Bring us as closer to the infected ship as possible.”

  “At once!”

  “I’ll need assistance,” Gayir said. “I’m not familiar with human computers or their language. With more of us connected we might find a means of forcing their network to activate.”

  “Use as many psionics as you require,” Yominv said. “Just leave me with a few to keep the overshields active.” Yominv looked at his tactical hologram as it reported multiple missiles and several atomic missiles aimed directly at the Leviathan as they moved closer to the Wilfrid Laurier. “We’re going to need the protection.”

  Gayir’s thoughts drifted away as he attempted to connect with the Wilfrid Laurier, computer systems. He felt the presence of several other psionics aboard the Leviathan join him as they poked around and searched for a means of forcing the lockdown of its network to shut off. Their progress was slow more psionics were needed and stronger ones at that.

  Like Noylarlie.

  “We require more minds,” Gayir telepathically said to his fellow psionics. “I will reach Noylarlie’s mind she could help make our progress faster.”

  Multiple thoughts reached out to the other Archmage aboard their ship, there was no response.

  “Where is she?”

  Little that Gayir and his team of psionics knew, while Di’aria’s mind did partially connect with theirs, she intentionally made no progress into looking for the network activation command for the Wilfrid Laurier. She directed their frustrated thoughts and it presented an opportunity for her. If Noylarlie stayed out of this it would force every psionic aboard to participate in a desperate attempt to move the malware to the rest of the UNE fleet. It would be a perfect time for her to strike, if she could kill all the psionics while they remained in their trance the ship would be hers. From there she’d be faced with the task of disposing of the Leviathan’s crew and combat forces that would be at a disadvantage with no gravity or psionic support.

  “I’ll check on her.”

  “Thank you Di’aria.”

  Di’aria removed her thoughts from the link and rapidly moved down the halls leading toward Noylarlie’s quarters. There was no reply with the door chime, no reply when her fists smashed onto the door. There was a reply as she conjured blue light to jump port her inside.

  Noylarlie’s quarters was a mess with ruined furniture thrown around or ripped apart. In the middle of the room Noylarlie sat cross-legged meditating as two red gems hovered next to her. Di’aria applied her psionic barrier
having realized that she may have angered the Archmage who was more than capable of killing her in one on one combat.

  “There’s a war going on,” Di’aria said.

  “Tell the Admiral and Archmage I’m busy.”

  “I’m fine with that answer.”

  “Good,” Noylarlie said as her red glowing eyes opened. “Now leave before I incinerate you with my mind.”

  “Now, now, what would the gods think of that?” Di’aria didn’t believe in such talk, but she was interested to hear what Noylarlie would say and react to the word.

  “I don’t give a fuck what they think.”

  Di’aria smiled and folded her advanced cybernetic enhanced arms. “That makes two of us. Keep doing what you’re doing Archmage. I’m going to need your assistance in a few minutes.”

  A new ally had been found, the mighty Noylarlie.

  The purple protective overshield of the Leviathan continued to hold on as the combined fire of the UNE fleet refused to let up. Yominv ordered the fleet along with the Leviathan to focus their attacks on all ships expect the Wilfrid Laurier, in the off chance their plan would fail.

  “Any progress?” Yominv asked as sweat rained off his forehead.

  Gayir remained in his trance, unable to speak. Another psionic tasked with relaying information back and forth to the bridge and Gayir’s thoughts said on his behalf. “He reports they are close but the AI aboard the ship is trying to resist them.”

  Yominv’s fangs gritted as he hissed.

  ESV Winston Churchill, Mars sector, Sol system

  If one were to be observing an area of space where a ship traveling at sub light speeds slowed down. They would see at first space and the stars that filled it one second, then a second later the ship in question appear out of nowhere, as if it was always there. The Winston Churchill did just that as it slowed from sub light speeds outside of the web of imperial ships harassing Mars.

  “That’s a lot of ships,” Benally said as the Winston Churchill plunged closer into the heat of battle.

  “Let’s do something about it,” Xavier said. “Ready nukes.”

  “Thought you’d never ask sir.”

  A small salvo of nuclear warheads left the Winston Churchill and accelerated toward several Hashmedai destroyers and frigates blocking their way. The alien ships were obliterated in the wake of bright light that followed. It was like a sledgehammer punching a hole through a wall rather than going around looking for the front door.

  “A way is clear sir,” Chavez said.

  Xavier smiled and yelled. “Take us in!”

  There were no fucks given as the Winston Churchill moved past the radioactive debris field they created as they moved toward Mars and the UNE fleet. Several Hashmedai ships mostly interceptors adjusted their heading to deal with the new player that joined in the fun.

  “Shields holding.”

  Xavier tapped the console in front of him and established a communication with the labs. “Eupiar give me some good goddamn news now!”

  “We’re good, you can turn your Wi-Fi back on,” Eupiar said, much to Xavier’s delight. “I’m uploading the fix to the rest of the fleet as well.”

  “Contact the fleet give ‘em a quick update of our situation!”

  “Aye, sir,” Yates said while her holo screen gave her an update of Eupiar’s fix.

  Slight tremors traveled throughout the Winston Churchill as more Hashmedai ships took aim at it. None of them were of Xavier’s concern. The Leviathan was however. He gazed at the enormous dreadnought and its oversized plasma cannons via the windshield.

  “Let’s say hello to our friend,” Xavier said.

  With its forward weapons rapidly firing, the Winston Churchill pushed and fought to close the gap between it and the Leviathan in hopes that perhaps an eighth ship would take down its overshields.

  Leviathan, Mars orbit, Sol system

  Gayir laughed as he sensed the Wilfrid Laurier’s network activate, their psionic attack was a success and the malware would spread throughout the rest of the fleet in the next few seconds. It was strange to him, how easy they were able to get it to activate after all the resistance they got at first, it was almost as if the crew activated it on their own accord.

  “Easier than I thought,” Gayir said as he exited his trance. “We were successful admiral.”

  “And the last human ship is here as well,” Yominv said. “Splendid, send our human friends their early Christmas gift.”

  Gayir sent a telepathic message to the eight psionics on standby in the cargo hold of the Leviathan. They all stood next to their respective nuclear missiles as their cybernetics wired into their bodies radiated brightly, then stopped, nothing happened. They all reported the same issue all eight ships had their mind shields up including the one that was confirmed to have theirs down.

  The news made Yominv rage for two minutes.

  “I can’t explain it, sir,” Gayir said.

  Yominv’s hair from his fit was a mess, his yellow eyes began to twitch and his hands were still rolled into a fist from the outburst. He sat back in his chair and attempted to regain his composure. “Have all ships destroy the human vessels,” Yominv said softly. “I don’t care how many we’ll lose.”

  “I’ll have all Celestial Order loyal ships hold back, with any luck only the imperial loyal ships will be sacrificed,” Gayir said.

  Yominv agreed and Gayir attended to his duties and sent a wide telepathic message to the entire fleet of the new plan. As he finished he returned his sights to Yominv who looked at a holographic projection of the Hashmedai calendar.

  The day had changed at least by Earth hours.

  It was Christmas day and they were officially behind schedule.

  ESV Winston Churchill, Mars orbit, Sol system

  Communications, network, mind shield and QEC were all back on line. Xavier once again felt in control of the situation as the battle raged on. The feeling only lasted for a minute as he realized the Hashmedai stepped up their efforts. The ships that were attacking the surface pulled away, a blessing for the folks on the ground, more work for those in space.

  There was more plasma being thrown around and not enough nukes, rail guns and plasma missiles to compensate. More Solaris fighters had to be called in to assist resulting in nukes being used less frequently to avoid friendly fire.

  “Captain,” Yates called out to him. “Admiral Stone wants us to focus on the rest of the fleet and ignore the dreadnought.”

  “Well nukes are off the table soon,” Xavier said. “Though last I checked that thing can take pounding.” A thunderous tremor rocked the floor then two more. “Helm bring us about,” Xavier said “Tactical. Target and focus on the nearest destroyers.”

  “Aye sir.”

  “These guys aren’t making this easy, sir!” Chavez said.

  “Do your best Mr. Chavez. Keep us out of firing range of that dreadnought.”

  Watching the Winston Churchill rise, parse, target, and fire on Hashmedai ships from the windshield reminded Xavier of the sci-fi TV shows he used to watch as a kid. Where heroic captains commanded their ships to crush enemy forces, little did that kid knew he’d be doing just that some fifty years later.

  The intercom beeped, Xavier patched the message through to the bridge’s speakers. It was Staff Sergeant Boyd. “Sir I have an idea,” he said. “But it’s going to require us to get really close to the dreadnought, a suicidal pilot, two POWs and EVE.”

  “I’m listening.”

  EVE, Hijinks, Chris, Sarah, Onatiasha and Zhinbryo all entered the flight deck. Magnetic boots kept them to the floor as they approached Chief engineer Shanuka Weerasinghe. EVE, Chris, and Sarah all wore EDF protect suits while Hijinks had her flight suit on. Onatiasha and Zhinbryo were equipped with their Hashmedai equipment plus helmets from environment suits from the Silver Raven. Chris was impressed how well EVE blended in with them as he looked at the android. She looked like an EDF solider and according to her was just as skilled as using t
he protect suit after a download and install of an update to her system. EVE is living up to the name versatile in her name, he thought.

  Weerasinghe hovered above a transport ship as he performed last second modifications to it as per Chris’ request. “We good to go, chief?” Chris asked him.

  “It isn’t getting any better than this,” Weerasinghe said. “Please be careful. This transport is the first one I tinkered with to boost the shield output for the marines’ mission.”

  “That’s all I needed to know.”

  “I made mistakes with the recalibration on this one, mistakes that I made sure didn’t make on the modified transport Miles and his team took.”

  “Heh.”

  Hijinks opened the door and entered to take a seat in the cockpit. One by one everyone climbed aboard while Weerasinghe kicked upward and away from the transport.

  “Not too late to turn back now,” Weerasinghe shouted down toward them.

  “As we used to say before the invasion,” Sarah said. “YOLO!”

  Everyone was aboard and Hijinks began a quick preflight check. They were green to go, including the modified shields. The hanger bay doors slid open unveiling the flashing lights of the chaotic battle outside like theater curtains rising. The transport left the Winston Churchill. Hijinks’ piloting skills zigzagged them away from sudden death from interceptors and friendly fire.

  “Ready?” Hijinks asked everyone as the Leviathan came into view.

  Chris’ idea was nothing short of madness. They planned to board the Leviathan much like the way they had boarded the command ship attacking Earth twenty-two years ago. Only this time there were no nukes; no time to load it onto the transport. Chris’ plan was to invade the dreadnought and cause enough chaos on the inside to disrupt its operations. Perhaps even straight up disable its reactor, then it wouldn’t have power needed for its plasma cannons, taking away the pressure it was putting on the fleet.