Helium 3: Fight for the Future

by Brandon Q. Morris

  I... I lost the location shortly after it launched! The remote scout’s steps attested to his shame, fear, and confusion. With such incompetence, he’d have Kasfok’s wrath to fear. I can’t find it in the visible range, or in any other electromagnetic frequency band. It is as if it suddenly dissolved into nothing!

  From the first skirmish with the Iks near the gas giant, Kasfok was aware that they had excellent cloaking devices. All the same, he was surprised that it was no longer possible to detect the pod in any frequency range, but that no longer mattered. Whatever the Iks were up to, the small ship would not be able to prevent their species from being destroyed.

  Forget the pod, he drummed. The asteroid ship is our target.

  Then they arrived at the right distance, and he addressed all Shipmasters. Open fire!

  Kimikizu stood trembling in the middle of the Bud’s bridge, tears streaming down her face. At first Tolkut hadn’t known what the secretion of water from her eyes meant, and was worried that it might be a sudden illness. Perhaps it was a reaction to pathogens in the Bud's air that could be dangerous to the Iks. But Norok had told him that it was a sign of sadness.

  Tolkut could certainly relate to how Kimikizu was feeling. Kasfok’s attack had just begun, and it was not going well for the Iks. They had sent out many of their flying machines, which bravely threw themselves at the Mendraki’s much larger spaceships, but they were shot down like pesky insects. They only managed to land a hit once in a while, but all of the ships in Kasfok’s fleet were still fit for combat.

  The small flying machines achieved one goal, however. They had slowed down the approach to the asteroid. The large ships could not simply ignore them and were forced to react and defend themselves against the constant attacks, which upset the careful arrangement of the fleet formation and perhaps gave the Iks just the time they needed for Tolkut to rush to their aid. But the number of victims was increasing with every micropulse. It was clear that, before long, there wouldn’t be enough flying machines to further delay the attack on the asteroid. Tolkut wondered why they weren’t using their cloaking devices. When asked, Norok only shook his head, which, as Tolkut now knew, was what the Iks did to communicate that they didn’t know the answer to something, or didn’t want something that was offered to them.

  Firing range reached! the remote scout reported.

  All ships, open fire! ordered Tolkut. Try to hit the weapon domes and engine sectors if you can. I want as few deaths as possible! If we can shoot Kasfok’s ships so they’re no longer suited for combat, we’ve achieved our goal.

  The seven barrel-shaped ships split up, and each headed for one of Kasfok’s ships. Tolkut had chosen the net fleet flagship, Proud Dance in the Sunlight, as the Bud’s target. He had been certain that Kasfok would keep at least one other unit of his formation nearby to protect himself. In fact, there were two. Relgor’s Home is a Happy Web, and the Spark of Light in the Silvery Drop under Shipmaster Hantar, were providing cover for the Dance. Relgor and Hantar had always been loyal to the Netmaster and would defend his ship with their lives. Tolkut knew what the Bud was up against.

  While the six remaining cylindrical spaceships pounced on Kasfok’s eight other units, the Bud shot at the enemy’s triple configuration. Tolkut’s plan was based on his six ships holding the six attackers, hoping the Iks could handle the two remaining adversaries alone. The next micropulses would prove whether the Bud was capable of taking on three enemies. Without the nanos it would have been a hopeless endeavor from the start, but even so, the chances were not particularly good. All it would take was one direct hit to the power supply and Tolkut’s ship would be a goner. Even the nanos wouldn’t be able to repair a continuous fusion reactor.

  Launch torpedoes!

  The first volley hit the newly-repaired Home is a Happy Web in the back and immediately destroyed four of the impulse engines configured in a ring. At the same time, the Bud trembled from a railgun salvo.

  Hit amidships, reported a bridge officer. Hold bulkheads and... The holes are closing back up again... The pressure in the affected sections is going back up!

  Steps of triumph accompanied the announcement. The nanos were working as planned.

  Avoidance maneuvers! Yaw forty degrees to the right, pitch minus twenty degrees, ordered Tolkut, to take the Bud out of the range of fire and simultaneously approach Kasfok’s ship from behind and above.

  They still got another hit from a railgun, this time fired from the Spark of Light.

  Hit in the engine sector. Engine seven failure, announced the damage report.

  One engine down and the situation wasn’t critical yet, but they couldn’t lose anything else if the Bud wanted to maintain full maneuverability.

  Broadside on the Spark of Light!

  Shipmaster Hantar’s ship was immediately showered in bundled laser and maser beams, while four torpedoes sped out of the launch tubes. The Bud’s portside rail gun was also pelting the enemy with its deadly projectiles.

  The Bud was rattled again. Several small holes suddenly appeared on one side of the bridge, and their mirror images appeared on the opposite wall. The super-fast metal balls pierced the entire width of the Bud. Two displays shattered in a golden shower of sparks, and the Mendrak who had been sitting in front of it was transformed into a bloody fountain of spurting flesh when a projectile pierced him at several percent of lightspeed, causing his body to explode.

  Kasfok is also attacking us, an officer reported. Hit in the nosecone and command section. All damage being sealed by the nanos. No vacuum failure. Our defense batteries were able to shoot four incoming torpedoes. Four more on their way!

  Tolkut could see the holes in the walls closing back up. Only the unfortunate officer could no longer be helped.

  Then the shots from the Bud hit their target. The displays that were still functioning showed how the Spark of Light was severely hit in several places. One of the nuclear torpedoes had come through and struck the rear section, where two engines had instantly exploded. The hull of the enemy ship had been pierced through amidships by the railgun salvo, and since the Spark of Light didn’t have any nanos, the onboard atmosphere flowed from dozens of places out into space. The laser beams blinded the enemy’s target sensors, and the microwave beams from the maser gun melted several weapon domes on the ship’s hull.

  The Spark of Light turned and fled.

  Shipmaster, it’s incredible! Engine seven shows that it is once again fully operational, the Techweaver reported.

  Tolkut danced the steps of satisfaction, and he saw Kimikizu and Norok embrace. The nanos actually could work wonders.

  That’s impossible! That can’t be! Kasfok was staring at the display that showed the Solstice Bud. Apparently undaunted by the many hits it had received, the Bud was approaching his ship. It was clear that the holes in its fuselage from the railgun projectiles had closed back up. In addition, the engine that had been struck during the second salvo had started back up again, as attested to by a plasma beam flickering and glowing blue from the radiation field.

  I require an explanation! How is he doing this? He drummed out the message and emphasized his anger with the corresponding steps. His body exuded a smell of anger and aggression, along with a whiff of concern.

  Since we don’t have such technology, the Iks have to be behind it, Kasfok’s Techweaver suggested. As we know, he took at least one of them on board, and one of their pods is accompanying his ship.

  That had to be the explanation. He was starting to worry that he might have underestimated the Iks. Kasfok was furious that his enemy had technology that he could not fight against. But he still had more spaceships than they did, and at least the attacks from the pesky pods were becoming increasingly less frequent. His ships had shot most of them down.

  Tolkut’s ships were still attacking to prevent further advancement, although three of his units had been severely damaged. They hovered in space, no longer capable of performing any maneuvers, but they had managed to take th
ree of their opponents out of action. Three other pairs of fighters were locked in battle and hitting each other with everything they had. But, Kasfok noted, the two other ships from his attack fleet could now finally approach the asteroid ship unobstructed and disable the cannon emplacements there.

  Kasfok knew that Tolkut would have to be eliminated if he wanted his plan to succeed.

  Turn around and set course for the Solstice Bud at once, he ordered angrily. Pass the command on to Relgor. We will be seeking a decisive outcome. There will be no retreat. We want to see if the combined firepower of our two ships is enough to blast the damned Bud to bits, regardless of any inexplicable abilities to repair itself!

  56th of Frien, 298

  The enemy ships had pounced on the asteroid like a flock of crows—and yet they were supposed to flee! Tubamizu was torn. As a Protector, it should have been her natural task to defend the generation ship with her life. She should have sacrificed herself before a single Iks could fall. She was trained for this, and she was prepared to do it.

  Her sisters were to perform this noble task, and she envied them for it. The Supreme Mother had assigned Protectors and Conquerors half the remaining flying machines each. Their mission was to protect the generation ship from being destroyed for as long as possible. Meanwhile, she and her crewmates aboard the last flying machine were to sneak through the ranks of the enemies as quickly and unobtrusively as a frightened zwuarg, playing out the rope as they flew.

  This wasn’t really to her liking, and she knew Wakamizu and Tolamizu felt the same. Sitting next to her was Tola, who was helping her navigate, and who was supposed to ram the barbed hook of the rope into the moon. Waka had taken the gunner’s position, and on the target screen Tuba could watch her friend cheerfully aim for one enemy after the other. She primarily targeted engines. The signatures indicated that they were fusion drives, which meant that if they managed to damage the containment fields, the entire ship would explode.

  But, because firing would reveal their position, Waka wasn’t allowed to actually pull the trigger. Her shooting could mean one less opponent, but then there would be ten others hot on their trail. It was already going to be plenty challenging to make it to the moon. They were doing everything they could to remain unseen. The engine was cool, and they sailed on the momentum they’d gotten shortly after takeoff. The cloaking devices protected them from the eyes of the enemy. Their flying machine was equipped with the cloaking systems from all the other ships so that they could remain invisible in any frequency range. Therefore, the other flying machines had to do without their cloaking devices, but given that they were firing, they remained visible.

  There was just one problem: the rope. While it was very thin and black and shouldn’t have a radar signature, it was not invisible. The enemy could notice if it were to catch the light of an explosion or from the third planet. They weren’t actively pursued, but surely their braking in the system had been noticed and led the enemy to the correct conclusions. Tubamizu pounded on the floor with her beak. She knew what could happen, but there was nothing she could do about it. They needed luck plus the composure to not give off signs of life, no matter the circumstances.

  “There, flying machine number four.”

  The Navigator pointed to the screen, and Tuba saw a fireball. Whatever had been there existed no more. She forced herself not to think about who’d been on that flying machine. And yet their names came to her, each one of them, unbidden.

  “It came from there,” said Tola, pointing to a long barrel shape representing an enemy ship.

  Tuba estimated the course. If they accelerated for a brief moment, they could catch the enemy from behind. The enemy ship would be defenseless. Revenge for flying machine 4!

  “Better not,” said Tola, as if she could read her mind.

  Tuba leaned back.

  “I thought of that too,” the Navigator admitted. “We would have gotten them from behind. Their engines wouldn’t have made it.”

  “You’re right, though. We have to keep our focus on the mission.”

  They gradually left the immediate combat zone. Tuba tried to mentally escape the events. What they were going to do was difficult. They were gliding closer and closer to the moon, which, as the companion of such a small rock planet, was surprisingly large. But that was just luck. The second planet had no moons at all, and the fourth only had two runts orbiting it. As for the first gas giant—they would never have made it anyhow.

  It was too bad about this moon. From the surface of the planet, it probably looked quite romantic. It had circled the planet for billions of years, and now it was suddenly going out on its own. Little would change on the planet because of their maneuver—unless the momentum drove the moon into its planet. It wasn’t possible to calculate the outcome because they didn’t know precisely when the leaders would decide to start the maneuver. They intended to hold off as long as possible, but carry it out as soon as necessary.

  “I’ll start gradually getting ready…” said Tola.

  “Thank you.”

  Tubamizu didn’t know what more to say. She watched the Navigator work her way into her flight suit. This one looked particularly awkward because of the additional engines, which were simple solid boosters that would serve to accelerate Tola. The Navigator would ride a giant spear with the rope hanging from the end. The faster she went, the deeper the spear and barb would dig into the moon. They had no time to drill a deep hole and pack it with ice, as they had done when they’d first arrived in the system.

  “I’m ready now,” said Tola.

  She would not be returning from her journey. She had to guide the spear until it drove into the surface of the moon—and then she would hit the moon’s hard surface at high speed. But it wouldn’t be long, Tuba knew, before she and Waka followed her in death. As soon as the rope was anchored, the generation ship would be launched out of this system. Tuba had resolved to give up her life at the highest possible price, and to kill as many enemies as possible. She knew she could count on Waka’s help.

  “Okay, exit,” she said.

  “Crap, enemy contact, fall-summer,” Waka suddenly reported.

  “Take him down. Permission to fire granted,” Tuba ordered.

  She saw a red spot on the screen. It was not one of the giant ships. Presumably they had deployed pods in order to better combat the very maneuverable flying machines. One of the pilots had seen the rope and followed them. Hopefully Waka would shoot him down before he could report anything.

  The red spot disappeared, but then two new ones appeared.

  “Like sugar flies,” said Waka.

  Just a moment later, the two spots were no longer visible.

  “Tola, you have to get out now before the next ones show up.”

  “Yes, commander.”

  There was no goodbye. Tola opened the hatch, allowing the atmosphere to swirl outside. The spear was attached behind the hatch. Tuba was watching her using the outside cameras. The sky was black, and the moon was nowhere to be seen, but this was to be expected as long as they were in stealth mode.

  “Disengaging the spear,” Tola said over the helmet radio, and then, “Spear has been disengaged. I’m going to fire up the engines now.”

  “Take care,” said Tuba.

  “Take care,” said Waka. “We’ll meet again soon.”

  Tola whizzed past them astride the spear and set course for the moon.

  “You know what to do.”

  “Yes, commander,” said Waka. “I won’t let anyone get close to her.”

  Now that she was riding on the spear, the Navigator was visible. The cloaking devices only hid the flying machine. If an enemy noticed Tola and the spear, they’d have to blow the attacker out of the sky at all costs. If necessary, Tuba would bring the flying machine down on the alien’s engine.

  But no one had noticed the solitary Iks yet. Or perhaps the enemy didn’t consider her all that important. Perhaps they wouldn’t see any reason to prevent an Iks fr
om falling onto the surface of the moon. The three enemies they’d shot down had evidently not been able to pass on what they had seen.

  In order to be able to observe the nosedive, Tubamizu had opened up the range of the cloaking devices a bit. Whoever looked in their direction now would notice a green shadow, like some kind of ghost. And she also saw a green figure approaching the moon faster and faster. Tola was about to hit. There would be a spray of dust and debris. The Navigator would die. Tuba held her wings tightly around her, but still she trembled.

  Decision

  All incoming torpedoes have been intercepted!

  Tolkut breathed a sigh of relief. Even though the nanos were capable of repairing damage caused by railguns or energy weapons, they could not fix the kinds of large-scale damage to the ship that would result from a nuclear explosion. In the end, the Iks’ tiny miracle machines weren’t capable of miracles after all. The technology was very advanced, but it still wasn’t magic. Therefore, it was critical for the officers operating the defense guns to do their job and intercept incoming space torpedoes before they could seriously endanger the Bud.

  The Dance and the Homeland are turning and setting course for us, reported the remote scout. They’re trying to flank the Bud.

  The Techweaver had made it possible for Kimikizu and Norok to listen in on all the messages from the bridge, and they could also follow the development of the tactical situation on the displays that still worked.

  “Two of Kasfok’s ships have broken through and are attacking the defensive positions on the surface of our generation ship,” Kimikizu said. Tolkut assumed that she was worried, even if the thread vibrations couldn’t communicate this. He became increasingly aware of how important it was to be able to express feelings in a conversation. They’d have to develop a way to do this for the future—if there is any future for the Iks in this system at all, he thought, not for the first time.