Invasion Wars 1: Crimes of War

by Ray O'Neil

  Unlike Mars, the moon wasn’t big enough to sustain an atmosphere. It was an automated outer post, one of the only UAM owned areas that was run by robotics. UAM on one half, ERA on the other — no life to be found. Only machines. As the train drew closer to the moon’s curve, the top of a satellite dish could be seen poking out. The ERA base was on the other side, hidden in complete darkness.

  Emich was running on an oxygen reserve the entire trip, his Exoframe storing it in its metallic cells. Still, he felt constricted in the train, hard to breath among the crates of supplies. Being his first time in space, the thought of being lost forever ran through his head. One small mistake or one tiny mechanical error and he’s sent out into space with no way to return. The train stopped with a sudden halt, not meant for human passage. Bracing himself against the wall, the kinetic shielding on his Exoframe flashed as he bashed into the metal surface.

  The hatch to the train raised open, robot workers wheeling in right away, their treads spinning in silence. Emich pushed his way by them, their giant claws lifting up the crates like forklifts, taking them out into the train station to unpack. Most of it was more robots, there to change the guard while the units that were completely unusable were to be reshipped for recycling. A drone floated over him, its thin arms nearly bashing him in the head. The place wasn’t made for humans, everything small and narrow, barely enough space for the train to fit on the station’s single rail.

  Emich’s communicator chirped, now that he was in range of the satellite.

  “I see you made it to the outer post in one piece,” Valerie said tauntingly. “How was the flight?”

  “It would’ve been better if there was a class higher than cargo hold.”

  “With such short notice, our only other option was strapping you to a missile.”

  Emich took a second to take the kinks out of his neck. “Don’t tell me you’re my only contact. There isn’t a military personnel I can talk to? Someone who can at least call for backup in case things don’t go so well?”

  “Mr. Kuznetsov and I are the only ones who know you are up there. Backup would only do more harm than good.”

  “We make sure we are the only ones who know you are up there, as well,” Demeitri added, from a headset of his own. “Valerie is a master at what she does. There is no way anyone can get through to our audio link.”

  “Why do you need so much security? I pretty sure the Niflheim can’t understand our language, even if they somehow hacked into the system.”

  Demeitri scoffed. “It’s not the Niflheim we worry about. You’re using UAM equipment. In the eyes of the ERA, that makes you a rival. If they catch wind that the UAM has a way to destroy the Muspell Cannon, they will try to take that winning ticket for themselves. Meaning…”

  “I hear you.” Emich leaned against a wall, taking out his MBC4 off of its back sheath. “So, what’s the plan? That is, if there is any.”

  “It’s a long shot, but its power core is what you want to go after. If it works like an Yggdrasil does, then you can use a demo charge to take it out to render it helpless. A missile barrage from Outerpost Hati should clean up the rest. We give the UAM the go ahead and its mission accomplished.”

  Emich pushed off of the wall. “And if it’s not like an Yggdrasil, what then?”

  There was a pause until Demeitri started to talk. “Then we’ll think up of a plan B.”

  Emich sighed. “Great. No pressure.”

  “You should start heading towards the ship bay,” Valerie insisted. “The only mannable ship there is going to be a stealth craft: The Zumwalt. Your escorts are going to be remote controlled Bolts from our own relay station, here in Sindri tower.”

  “Affirmative.”

  The ship bay was the only part of the base that was considered comfortable to move around in, the high ledge overlooking a packed bay, filled top to bottom with Bolt fighters. Attached to the ceiling, they resembled bats hanging in a cave, their wings folded over the underbelly until they are put online. Stepping up to the hexagonal carrier, he pressed the button, the hydraulic system pushing him forward towards the Zumwalt in front of him. Rising off of the bay’s floor on a platform of its own, the Zumwalt spun in place to have its cockpit facing the hangar’s door. The ship was nothing but corners, a sleek shine glossed over its black skin — a material designed to make it invisible in the void of space.

  If he went in the wrong direction, there would be no way to tell where he is. Nobody to help. No way to return.

  Getting into the pilot seat, he closed the hatch, finally able to breathe air from another source again. The small ship light up from his presence, the control panel and screen turning on. The engine would have roared if there was any air outside, but he could feel a slight vibration. The screen in front of him turned on, the visual-capture squares starting from the center and spreading to show what was in front of him, without having to put fragile glass between him and outer space. A reticule spun around the hanger door, Emich swiping it to the side.

  The activation of the bay doors also activated the Bolt escorts, their lights glowing red to indicate they were unmanned machines. Against humans, seeing the red lights gave them the incentive to fire at them first, knowing there wasn’t a human on board — weather they felt killing a human was harder or thinking an AI was more skilled. Either way, it didn’t matter against the Niflheim. Emich knew the Bolts were going to be nothing but million dollar decoys. They were the only thing defending Outerpost Hati from any threat, meaning the base was going to be helpless once they are gone. No way back to base.

  No pressure.

  His gun rested by his side, ready to be used once he’s out. Checking the small storage case behind him, he could see extra demo charges were in there, as well as extra ammunition. He didn’t know how much he would need, but there would never be enough to take out the entire crew. During the training sessions in the suit, he made sure to practice with his Saebo more than he should have. The Zumwalt’s slanted wings lifted off of the ground, having been used as landing gear.

  Right when he blasted out of the hanger, Valerie chimed in. “The controls for the ship follows the universal LUFT system. I assume you can pilot the Zumwalt on your own?”

  “Of course,” Emich said confidently. “I’ve had to learn on the go, once or twice.”

  “So I saw. I had to double check when I was reading up on your war history. Someone that dedicated to the ERA and taken in for war crimes.” She tasked tauntingly. “What could make such a good apple go sour?”

  Emich drew closer to the Muspell ship, seeing it appear as a small dot on the enhanced visual screen. “I never said I was dedicated to the ERA…”

  “Mmm-hmm.” Her tone was infuriating, but Emich didn’t know why. “Your Bolt escorts are right behind you. I’m monitoring your pilots personally. The Zumwalt has been proven to get through whatever detection system the Niflheim use on their ships, so you should have no problem sneaking yourself in. It should have a hive for its own craft. Your escorts will be what sends out the swarm. You have weapons of your own, but don’t be tempted into a dog fight.”

  “I’ll try my best.”

  As the pack of spacecraft flew away from outer post Hati, their distance revealed themselves to the ERA outer post. From the curve of the moon, the Eye of VALKYRIE followed their flight path. Her base stayed concealed in the dark side of the moon, unmoving and unstirred. Despite the base’s state of stillness, VALKYRIE was processing, thinking. Once the eye tower turned and focused on the Muspell Cannon, she knew exactly what to do.

  The distance counter on the reticle over the Muspell shrank, while the visual size of the Niflheim ship grew. Staying on his flanks, the Bolts were light flying flares, able to get anyone’s attention. Their rockets had a special add-on inside that caused the exhaust vent to light up, purposefully put there for attention. By the time Emich could see any detail of the cylindrical Muspell, a zoomed in square indicated that its closest hanger hive was opening, a segment under
the shadow of its forward solar-pedal breaking off into space. Without skipping a beat, Sky Screamers spewed out of the gap, blending with the aesirium rocks that floated about.

  The Bolts fanned out, attempting to spread the Sky Screamer swarm as far out as possible. Emich continued his course, keeping his crosshair on the broken-off wall. It was going to be risky going through such a crowded area, but it was the only way in, unless he wanted to try out the giant tube where the death ray came out of. Small blips appeared all over his screen, showing the high number of Niflheim fighter craft. Seeing streams of bright red also indicated that the Bolts were spotted.

  Everything was going just as planned… until the hull of the Muspell moved.

  Splitting apart its outer hull, a massive crystal in the shape of an eye protruded from the opening, blinking. Niflheim ships were living creatures themselves, which met something had to have awoken it from its slumber. There was a strange noise, like a throbbing in the air. Emich couldn’t hear any kind of clear sound, but he knew it had to do with the Muspell waking up. A purple pupil of light floated around in the crystal eye, following an object nearby.

  It was the Zumwalt.

  One of the Bolts was disintegrated after it fired a few rockets, hitting a sky screamer before it exploded. The other three Sky Screamers turned their attention to their next target, with Emich already making evasive maneuvers. Missiles and plasma rounds lit up the void of space around him, machine gun tracers flying in the Muspell’s direction. Because bullets contained their own oxidizer, they were just as effective in space as they were on Earth. Emich figured that out first hand when he opened fire on the Sky Screamer that was heading right towards him.

  The alien craft fired back, but couldn’t get a clear shot, having its Frecka pilot launched out into space when he shot through the crystal wind shield. Dodging over the emptied vessel, he still had more company coming his way from behind. Red salvos flashed by him, getting too close for comfort. He was already close enough to the Muspell to see its defensive turrets crawling up and down its hull, firing at the Bolts and not his Zumwalt. It was as if they knew he was there, but not to an exact.

  “Emich, what’s going on? Why did you open fire?” Valerie was more puzzled than concerned, already feeling like they should have sent anyone else but him.

  “Your stealth ship isn’t so stealthy.” A salvo blasted into the Muspell’s hull near him, the aesirium shards shaking his cabin. “I might as well be lit up like a Christmas tree.”

  “What?! That’s impossible. The Zumwalt is invisible to radar, digital capture, everything but the naked eye.”

  “What if they’re not detecting the ship?” Demeitri offered quickly.

  “What do you mean?” Valerie asked. “What else could they be seeing?”

  “Not seeing… but they are definitely sensing.” He monitored the space battle from the holosphere in his office, seeing the Muspell’s eye opening the same time Emich did. “The Niflheim communicate through telepathy, that we know for sure. Anything on that particular wavelength frequency could let them know the area that it’s coming from, the relay point.”

  Valerie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “But humans can’t respond to the Vanir Frequency…”

  “You two keep on trying to make sense of things on your own,” Emich blurted irritably. “I have some business to take care of.”

  The swarm exiting the hangar hive changed course, flowing towards the area around the Zumwalt. Shooting into the swarm heading straight for him, he fired off a quick burst and released a line of missiles, like shooting into a tsunami made Sky Screamers. Veering to the left, he avoided the hail of red salvos, having them sent off into deep space. Skimming along the hull, Emich had to think of another way in. The Bolts were almost finished and done with, only a few more still circling around and fighting a losing battle.

  The swarm behind him scattered about, unable to get a good idea where he was, now that the eye couldn’t focus on his location. Still, a few were able to get close, flying overhead and unaware. As he traveled down the Muspell’s side, the bulging eye looked down, the purple pupil glowing. Emich looked to the side, seeing the back camera screen. All he could see was a flash of purple directed at him.

  “Looks like it’s time for plan B!”

  Raising away from the hull, Emich was getting close to the mouth of the cannon. The solar petals wavered, charging up the energy stored inside of them. The UV meter on his ship started to beep wildly, detecting a strong presence of radiation, growing as he flew. Sky Screamers pursited, continuing the plasma fire. They were starting to get too close, squares on his viewing screen flashing with static from interference.

  Pushing down on the control wheel, the Zumwalt took a sharp dip, making the world in front of him flip instantly. The long arc of a swing directed his craft straight into the inside of the cannon, Niflheim following him in blindly. The entire inside was a bright yellow, as if drawing close to the sun itself. Changing the screen to a grid mode, he could see the caverns in the ship, safe behind the crystal shielding encasing the cannon's barrel. Emich knew it was a long shot, but he had no other choice.

  His instruments continued to beep in warning as he flew deeper into the cannon, waiting for the perfect moment. He was followed by the Sky Screamers, some passing him in search for his craft. A few of them blindly crashed into the inner barrel, crumbling away into nothing. Halfway into the Muspell, there it was, a cavern closer to the middle than any of the rest. Directing his reticle over to it, his gun turrets and missiles were locked-on to its place.

  Giving it all he had, his payload shot downward into the crystal wall, chipping away at it little by little. Once the HI missiles made contact, huge crystal shards flew out into space, floating towards the center of the cannon. His gunfire exposed his position, having the Niflheim ships open fire right after. Doing a barrel roll and rising up, Emich sent his ship into a sudden twist downward, straight into the hole he made, firing his twin 88 turrets as he did. The high powered rounds dug through the wall, carving a path as fast as his vessel was flying.

  The Muspell vibrated with energy, the miniature sun at the end of its barrel swelling in size. Heat sensors went haywire, beeping up a storm. Emich could see his heat shielding flaking off in the back, his wings whittling down. By the time he entered his self-made tunnel, it was deep enough for his small ship to squeeze in, what was left of his wings cracking right off the edges. The solar beam exploded behind him, turning the Sky Screamers into particles instantly.

  Emich wasn’t in the barrel anymore, but a flare of energy followed right behind him. The wall in front of him gave in, blowing outwards into a massive cavern. He couldn’t outrun the beam’s flare. It was already melting his engine, having him move from momentum. With no control of the Zumwalt, Emich grabbed his gun… and braced for impact.

  Chapter 11

  “Ah, we’ve been expecting you.”

  The old Chinese man led the group in, closing the door behind them. The restaurant was quiet, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. A luxury in Shanghai. Deep within the walled community of the city’s free zone, there was little reason to worry. Still, cultist would always slip through the cracks, getting inside without anyone knowing. As long as they didn’t cause any trouble in plain sight, there was no way to tell if a cultist was right there — besides their obvious tattoos.

  “Please, have a seat.” The man bowed them towards a booth far away from all of the customers. “Master Lo will be right with you.”

  They were in need of a rest. One of them hid their bullet wound under a long trench coat, Ashley having done the stitches herself. Her former Seithr had fallen in battle last month, the new one a woman. It didn’t matter who was in charge of her, they always felt like a nurturing parent. She was able to sleep in her Seithr’s lap during the ride on their stealth jet.

  After killing everyone in that base–after seeing Emich again–she still felt like a helpless child.

  “Drink
up,” her Seithr said, offering her a decorative cup of green tea.

  Shanghai was one of the most advanced cities in the NDA sphere of influence and it was trapped in the past like the rest of them. Tradition stayed, no matter how many years go by. Ashley could see her Seithr was a traditional woman herself, a good bit of Asian in her blood. She never got to see the face of her previous one. Faces were unnecessary within the Neo Ettin.

  The only thing that mattered was the Niflheim.

  Ashley took the cup, taking a sip of it right away. “Thank you, my Seithr.”

  She looked among the group, seeing the battle hardened men laughing and enjoying themselves. Everyone was celebrating the return of the Niflheim, making it impossible to get any word in edgewise. Parades, fireworks, self-combustion ceremonies, everyone was celebrating one way or another. The elevated height of the city was the only thing keeping the place from being underwater; the lower city below it completely flooded. The high side of Shanghai, where the rich and mighty ruled.

  The only part of Shanghai that was still alive and well after the devastating tsunami caused by the landing Yggdrasil.

  The Seithr of the group stood up, holding her own cup in her hand. “I want to congratulate you all in a job well done. Without your help, our saviors would still be trapped in the evil clutches of the ERA.”

  “We’ll get them all, one way or another,” one of the acolytes interrupted.

  The Seithr didn’t mind one bit. “Of course, of course. The ERA are never going to be able to rest easy as long as the Neo Ettin is alive.”