Galactic Startup

by Brian Whiting

  “There’s nothing between here and Saturn,” she said.

  “Is there a way to increase power or sensitivity to the sensor array?” Alex asked, already knowing the answer.

  Mason looked at Alex and shook his head.

  “Alert UEF Command that the skies are clear, but continue the drill. I want to stay in orbit for the next twenty-four hours. Keep running periodic sweeps. Mason, lets give our boys some orientation training,” finished Alex, with a sly grin.

  They had arranged a training simulation in which Mason and Alex suited up as mock Zorn drone and attempted to tag the marines, who in turn had to land a number of infra-red shots on their suits. Alex was disappointed in how slowly the recruits grew accustomed to fighting in zero gravity conditions, and allocated increased training hours over the next two days, while they headed to Dark Star to pick up the new fabricator. He was satisfied that there weren’t Zorn pods heading towards Earth.

  In his cabin, he placed a communication request to Kalibri. Grateful that the Destiny had the subspace communications array.

  “Captain Alex, how may I help?”

  “Kalibri. You mentioned that there were other alien civilizations, and you implied it would be a waste of time reaching out to them. What brought you to that conclusion?”

  “Most attempts at contact by the Theans have had unfavorable outcomes.”

  “Have these contacts been face to face? I am asking because, while I have allied myself with the Theans, we don’t really get along. We are just too physically different. Perhaps those differences made other races react the same way.”

  “It is possible you are correct, Captain,” Kalibri replied.

  “Send me a star chart, with Earth at the center. Display all known alien territories and scale to size,” Alex asked.

  What Alex received a few moments later astounded him. Earth was at the far end of an arm on the Milky Way galaxy. As the scale zoomed in, a long way, the first area to be visible was all in red, marking known Zorn space. They effectively cut off the arm towards the inner galaxy. If Alex wanted to get near the center, he would have to fly through Zorn space or cross a vast expanse to the next arm. The next color to become visible was yellow for Thean territory. Alex knew it was several decades out of date. The next color was green, but it was the furthest from the tiny blue dot representing Earth.

  “Tell me about purple,” Alex asked. It was fairly close to Earth and fanned out a little ways towards the tip of their spire on the map.

  “The Emeians. A bipedal species, but aggressive. First contact resulted in a damaged ship, though they did eventually meet with us. They met and immediately departed. It took some time to understand the language, but when we translated their farewell message, it included the words “Kill on return”.

  “Hmm. What about gold?” It was the next closest color to Earth.

  “We don’t know anything about that species except they clearly mark their borders. If you cross them, your ships are destroyed. We have lost two ships attempting to make contact. We don’t even know what killed them. An advanced technology that doesn’t show on sensors. Commander Mason is at your door.”

  There was a knock.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Alex as he opened it. Mason barged past Alex and rolled out a 2D NASA plot map across his desk. He paid no attention to a small glass of water that fell to the floor in the process. The map showed asteroids on large elliptical orbits, comets, and other known plotted objects.

  “This is the Solar System, right? We know what it looks like. But this is what the sensors are showing. I just printed it off.” He laid a new sheet over the map. It was blank.

  Alex looked at him. Wordlessly, they walked rapidly to the bridge.

  “Cindy, can you show us any nearby objects on the sensors? Any asteroids, rocks, anything at all?” She looked up and then back to her console, where she started tapping.

  “We aren’t reading anything anywhere near here.”

  “Kalibri!” Alex shouted, knowing the comm line was still open. “Why don’t the sensors pick up asteroids?”

  “The sensors are built to detect metallic, artificial surfaces. Otherwise the readings would be full of unwanted contacts and false-positives.”

  Alex pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “What’s our ETA to Titan?”

  “twenty eight hours hours,” Cindy replied.

  “Now that we have a nuclear reactor, can we reverse course?” Alex asked.

  “I believe it would be faster to accelerate towards Jupiter and slingshot back to Earth.” said Cindy. Kalibri chimed in too.

  “Cindy is correct.”

  “Do it!” said Alex, feeling something like ice spread outwards from his heart. He paced up and down in front of the view-screen until the ship’s acceleration forced him back into a chair.

  Chapter 15

  From the shadows

  Clear skies and sunshine. The vacationers at Mesa Harvey’s resort in Mexico were doing what vacationers do. Soaking up the sun, snorkeling, and sipping piña coladas.

  Only someone gazing out at that precise spot on the horizon at that exact moment would have seen the object crashing into the ocean at tremendous speeds. No one could have known it was ejecting three Zorn drones on the sea floor. They were almost as fast through the water as they were on land.

  Several beach-goers wondered at the tall plume of water a quarter mile off the beach, and the slight waves that followed minutes later. A few people decided to leave the water and head to another part of the resort. Most were tanning with their eyes closed and didn’t see a thing.

  No one was prepared when the aliens emerged from the water. One of the drones had caught a swimmer with its sharp, pointed legs. It dangled the unfortunate person in front of the vacationers, as the entire beach gawped in shock. Then, as if making some kind of statement, the Zorn reached up with its short arms and separated the body into two pieces.

  People began to scream and flee in terror. All three Zorn dashed forward. The screams got louder, and more desperate. One by one, vacationers were impaled by large Zorn legs.

  The nearest armed personnel were an entire town over, where half a dozen police officers were protecting a local politician at a public speaking event. They got word that creatures from the ocean were killing resort guests, and security was requesting backup. It wasn’t long before someone uploaded video of the Zorn attacking and killing.

  ***

  Meanwhile, in the Pacific Ocean, in the command and control center of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the USS Gridley, a crewman was reporting to the captain.

  “The first target was outside engagement range, sir. The second and third are approaching optimal firing range.”

  “Sir, Commander says the deck is clear.”

  “Notify clear deck.”

  “Aye sir, notify clear deck.”

  “All stations report combat conditions ready, sir.”

  “Open four tubes.”

  “Open four tubes, aye.” Another crewmen began toggling switches for the intercept missile tubes.

  “Two missiles per target. Stagger launch when ready.”

  “Two missiles per target. Launching now, sir,” another crewman shouted.

  “Two away.” Everyone on the ship could hear the rumbling and thrust exhaust of mid-range intercept missiles blasting off at two-second intervals.

  “Fourteen seconds to first impact. Twenty-five seconds to second impact,” a crewman called as she watched her monitor. There was intense silence for long moments. “Splash target one!” came the shout. Even while she said it she staring intently at her screen.

  “Captain! Target two has changed trajectory, second volley no longer on course.”

  The captain opened his mouth but the crewman continued.

  “Target two is heading directly for us! Twelve seconds.”

  “Fire at will,” roared the captain. Two short-range missiles sped at tremendous speeds to intercept the incoming pod, w
hich banked sharply as they went past. The pod made increasingly erratic maneuvers as a CIWS minigun began pouring thousands of rounds in its direction. Those that hit were deflected by its hardened shell and angled design.

  The deck gun managed to fire off one anti-air round, striking the pod directly, causing it to flip end over end towards the ship. It was just bad luck that the razor-sharp penetration end impaled the ship precisely as intended.

  The pod disappeared entirely into the ship above the water line, cleaving a great rent through its armored hull. Deep below decks, the sharp end opened in two different directions, like a baby bird opening its beak. Two Zorn drones scuttled forth, the third having died from the deck gun.

  In the tight corridors of the ship, they excelled in their lethality. Their legs punched through decking and bulkheads easily, allowing them to zip around corners or up or down ladders with ease. Half a dozen crew were already dead before the intruder alarm was activated. There was a rush towards the arms locker. It was more bad luck that one of the drones had chosen that particular route in its path of destruction. Several shots were fired, but they didn’t slow the Zorn down at all. Most died before they’d even managed to obtain a weapon.

  “CIC is on lockdown, sir,” a terrified crewman said to the captain. They were all watching the massacre via security cameras. The Captain made mental calculations as to the number of crew left alive on the ship.

  “Priority message in the clear,” declared the Captain. “The USS Gridley has been boarded by alien hostiles. The enemy will immanently take the ship with all hands lost. Preparing to scuttle.”

  “Prepare to scuttle the ship,” the captain said, trying to keep his voice from sounding frantic.

  The crew looked around, stunned and unsure. Before the captain could reply, two Zorn legs punched through one of the doors of the CIC with a sound like gunshots. They retreated and punched through again. The captain walked calmly to the door and pointed his sidearm through one of the holes, emptying his clip into the drone.

  “Captain, we got a message. It’s from Fleet Command, they want confirmation of our original message.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t believe it either,” the Captain said out loud, just as the Zorn breached the door and made quick work of him and everyone else.

  If there had been anyone else left alive on the Gridley they might have observed the spiderlike drones as they continued to scurry around the scene of carnage, methodically roving every inch of the ship. Then they would have seen the drones fling themselves from the deck into the water, legs kicking wildly as they began to sink through three kilometers of ocean. Soon the pressure became so great it crushed their exoskeletons, killing them instantly. They continued to sink beneath the endless shadow of the destroyer, as it continued sailing slowly eastward.

  ***

  Timmy was working on the dark matter collectors when he got the call from the Pentagon. It was General Green.

  “Where the hell are the saviors of the Earth?” he started, not waiting for Timmy to sputter his confusion. “Your goddamn Zorn have invaded, just like you said, and you’re nowhere to be found. We have touchdowns in the Pacific, Mexico, Maine, Tanzania, and hell, even North Korea. What the hell are you people doing?”

  “We’re on it!” Timmy hung up and proceeded to seal the dark matter container carefully. Then he jumped into the shuttle and made for the UEF Complex, still partially under construction. In the command center, a general alert had already been broadcasted globally. Timmy went straight to the small hangar where he kept his side project.

  All it needed was the dark mater material. It took another twenty minutes to get the UEF Surprise II flight capable. As soon as it was in the air, he made a beeline to the Academy. He landed in the training field and got out, yelling at the top of his lungs.

  “I need troops with weapons, stat! This is not a drill!”

  It didn’t take long before soldiers formed up for loading, though they were a little surprised at the means of transport, it looked like a beaten-up old cargo container. That didn’t stop it moving fast towards the nearest known Zorn location. The troops braced themselves. They were on loan from the US Armed Forces, like the ones on the Destiny. It would be another year before they started training UEF enlistees.

  Timmy wondered what had happened to the Destiny as he spent several minutes finding the exact spot to drop the soldiers. They would need their flagship if the reports were accurate. Finally, he spotted the police cars and fleeing crowds, and lowered the cargo container to ground level. He gave the squad leader his phone number for pickup as the troops filed out. Then he hovered above the action, waiting for word. Only a couple moments had gone by when his cell phone rang. It was the squad leader.

  “You’re on speakerphone. I’d appreciate it if your end was silent. At least this way you’ll have an idea of what’s going on.” Squad Leader Montrose stated plainly.

  Timmy reached over to mute his end of the line, but decided not to. In case he had something important to say.

  While he waited, he noticed the power level drop a percentage point, to sixty-seven percent. The UEF Surprised was not meant for real combat, or any other use, being Timmy’s private work of nostalgia, but the shuttles didn’t have enough space for the troops, and the Destiny was nowhere to be found.

  The Surprise II only had one used car battery. While Timmy watched the indicator, it dropped another point. He found a mostly empty parking lot and set the craft down to conserve energy. A pair of jets sped past overhead. He wasn’t sure which country they belonged to.

  While Timmy waited, he looked around inside the container. It was the definition of bare bones. One fixed chair in the corner by the battery, and a laptop sitting on his legs. Not even space-worthy, with no lights or paint. Bursts of gunfire erupted from his cell phone. Timmy looked at the tall building that seemed to be the epicenter of the action, and watched several windows on the second story shatter. People in the area had scattered long ago. The whole place looked deserted.

  “One down. Reload, eyes up, people!” Squad Leader Montrose bellowed.

  “Follow the black streaks along the floor,” said another voice. “I think it’s Zorn blood. Damn, so many bodies.”

  “You gotta help me! You gotta get me out of here!” someone was shouting. Timmy had never heard such terror in a voice.

  “Where did it go?” the squad leader barked. There was a woman’s scream, which grew louder as the team rushed towards it. Followed by a massive barrage of gunfire.

  “Two down,” said the squad leader “Is that all of them?”

  “Reports say three per pod,” someone replied.

  “Top up and give me a sit rep.” There were shuffling sounds.

  “Yellow ammo, green water, green equipment and one KIA.”

  “All right. We continue,” said the squad leader. “Let’s clear the remaining floors.”

  Timmy jolted at a sound closer to home. That’s when he noticed the car nearest him had been shredded, with a body inside. As he looked closer, he saw others cars that had suffered a similar fate.

  Timmy felt his heart start to race. He powered up the drive and lifted off the ground. He was a few feet up when a Zorn leg punctured the wall next to his own leg with a terrible boom.

  Timmy screamed. He nearly lost control of the craft as he instinctively pulled his knees up onto the chair, sending the laptop flying.

  “Land on the roof!” Montrose cried, his voice sounding tiny over the phone. “On the roof! Get to the roof!” He kept repeating it, his voice growing more and more out of breath as he pumped up a stairwell. But the noise of the thing scrabbling on the outside of the container was much louder. There was another detonation as a second hole was struck, near the top of the container wall.

  Timmy dove for the laptop like it was a life vest. His fingers began to move as instinct kicked in. There was another deafening bang of a leg-strike, but the Surprised was on the move now. Even before the container reached the build
ing, the soldiers on the roof opened fire at the container. Timmy screamed even louder in the thunderous hail against the metal walls, clutching his hands to his ears.

  One of the soldiers on the roof got a lucky shot off. The round pierced the center lower part of the front bone, effectively paralyzing the creature. The Zorn stopped moving and the craft swayed from side to side as Timmy continued to adjust power settings to gain control. The Zorn slid off the container and fell limply to the ground. Timmy managed to level the ship out, but made a hard landing, causing minor damage to both the ship and building. He stepped out, waved weakly at the onlooking soldiers, and fell to his knees. The squad leader ordered them on board while he knelt beside Timmy.

  “You did well. Can you stand?”

  “Yeah,” Timmy managed to say. Montrose helped him up.

  “Well done. Now we need you to be a hero again. There’s more people need saving.”

  Timmy took a deep breath and hobbled back to his chair. He set a course for the next closest incursion, Mexico. Behind them, a pair of helicopters had arrived on site and landed a bunch of troops in the parking lot.

  ***

  UEF Destiny was traveling so fast it had to orbit the Earth and moon in a figure-eight to slow itself sufficiently. The crew had just endured fifteen minutes of severe g-forces. Groaning and the smell of vomit filled the bridge.

  “Status,” Alex asked, after he wiped liquids from his chin, neck and hair.

  Lanora, who seemed completely unaffected by the transition, advised that ground attacks we’re underway as she called into UEF Headquarters. He couldn’t believe how composed she was as she waited for a command.

  “Two Zorn ships in orbit, Captain,” Cindy said. “Destroyers.”

  “A destroyer is of comparable size to the Destiny, Captain. They typically have four boarding pods and no other relevant armaments,” Kalibri offered.

  “One of the destroyers is inbound to our location. ETA thirty-two minutes. The other destroyer is making for the ISS. ETA eleven minutes.”

  “Get us between that ship and the ISS!” Alex commanded.

  Cindy plotted a course.