by Dean Kutzler
“Admiral, just how do you plan on averting the Scarab’s sensors. If their ships are nearly indestructible to UFWA’s technology, what chance do those warships have? Once they pick up your ship’s signatures, they’ll send a dart and blast them from the sky.”
“Sorry, Saren, but thanks to your daughter’s ingenuity, our scientists have modified our SAFELDs with shielding, matching the Scarab’s frequency. Along with the small size of the craft, it should give them a false sense of security. By that point, the other five will be on the way before they can even recuperate. Obey the order, Saren, or you will be classified as insubordinate and outlawed by UFWA command.”
Saren knew restating the power Genesis was capable of would not sway his decision. He’d always been stubborn, difficult to negotiate with, his way or no way. In a court of law, she didn’t think rationalizing, how he wanted to send more than three hundred people to their deaths, would stand up against risking the few people left at UFWA command to the Scarab.
She accepted the scenario for what it was: a no-win situation.
“Again, Admiral Tog, with all due respect, so be it,” she said, terminating the connection. Any further communication with him would go south, quickly.
Great! I’m an outlaw.
SLIP IN ~ SLIP OUT
AFTER some much-needed rest, Saren left her quarters, conveniently located off her command room, and walked onto the bridge. Grôk had found a science station which Atmos graciously adjusted to fit his larger physiology. Daxton was reviewing the tactical station, and Ensign Brody was quietly concentrating on his helm.
She hadn’t assigned them duties except for Ensign Brody, the others had taken it upon themselves, and she was okay with that. They weren’t all typical UFWA academy-trained cadets, after all. Her new crew was used to the quick-thinking they’d had to adapt to in Kahari. She was grateful they had chosen to remain with her through the next difficult leg of the journey, and she wouldn’t bust their balls too hard over the decision.
“Good morning everyone, sorry I overslept. I see you’ve all found a place aboard the bridge.”
“Yeah, Commander,” Daxton said, trying out the word in all seriousness this time. “Hope you don’t mind we took it upon ourselves.”
“We know you under stress. Thought you need decision-break,” Grôk said, offering that terrifying grin.
“Oh, I wasn’t complaining, science officer,” she said, returning the smile. “But we’ve got rocky roads ahead and from this point forward, any decisions lying outside the realm of the duties you’ve tasked yourselves with—I want to know first. Atmos is here to fill in if either of you needs assistance. For now, he is my number one.”
“Yes, Commander,” Grôk said, bowing his head.
“Thank you, Commander Thorn. It is my duty to serve you,” Atmos said.
“Ensign Brody, status report.”
“Everything has been uneventful, Commander. Up until fifteen minutes ago.”
“How so, Ensign?”
“I’m not sure what to make of it, ma'am. Genesis keeps sensing flashes of yellow light with intense heat signatures of fire. It’s as if they be slippin’ in and out of the Void Stream.”
“That’s impossible, unless…Ensign, have Genesis cross-reference those heat signatures with the balls of fire the dragon gods were flinging at us.”
“My God—they’re a match, Commander. They must’ve survived the destruction of the planet.”
“Apparently, lack of sanity doesn’t dampen intelligence. They’re learning—and quickly. I was afraid that wouldn’t be the last we saw of them.”
“Insane people are usually geniuses,” Daxton said.
“That thought’s been at the forefront of my mind since I stepped aboard, Daxton,” she said, wondering if Dahl-Rem’s form only returned to its prior state but not his mind. “Fire can’t exist in the vacuum of space. Unless the dragon’s breath is providing the oxygen? I don’t know. This is just crazy. Ensign Brody, what’s the frequency of the events?”
“The fire bursts are arriving at an interval average of three bursts per four minutes, increasing in frequency by five percent each cycle.”
“Whoa!” Daxton exclaimed. “I think I saw one on the viewscreen.”
“This isn’t good—at all.”
“No,” Daxton said. “Those things’ll give us a run for our money.”
“That’s not so much my concern as we’re leading them right to Aurailia. They’ll destroy the planet. Atmos, please tell me Genesis can safely drop out of Void Stream or change course?”
“Negative. Sorry, Commander Thorn, nothing known can safely navigate outside the set stream within the void.”
“I don’t understand,” Daxton said. “I know we can drop out safely, but why? Shouldn’t this advanced ship be able to bypass it?”
“A good analogy for understanding Void Stream would be to think of it as an infinitesimal number of Old-Earth records, which are linked together, but, each containing only one groove on which the needle, or, ship in our case, can travel. The ship can be forced off the groove, but without a path to follow, it will veer in any number of ways until it finds another path to lock on to.”
“Atmos, how capable is Genesis battling within the Void Stream?”
“The capabilities remain the same as outside the stream and can continue until the destination is reached.”
“Daxton, start tracking those fire bursts in anticipation of the next entry. Be prepared to hit them with everything Genesis has got when one finally manages to slip through. Grôk, I know this is near impossible with an ordinary ship, but since Genesis is extraordinary, I want you to try and calculate the best scenario based on our progress percentage to Aurailia of when and where to drop out of the Stream.”
He nodded, immediately going to work with the ship’s interface.
“Ensign Brody, keep tracking the event intervals and have evasive maneuvers set to engage the moment those fire bursts are happening every other minute. We can’t outrun them, or we’ll quicken the arrival time to Aurailia.”
“Aye-aye, Commander.”
Saren had prepared the best she could. All they could do now was to wait for the damned things to enter the Void Stream. She wouldn’t risk dropping out in the middle of a star or planet until Genesis at least gave the dragons a run for their money. The risk was just too high. She’d save it as a last resort to ensure the dragons didn’t find Aurailia.
Flashes of light on the viewscreen caught her attention.
“Commander, the bursts are now arriving at intervals of five every forty-five, no, thirty-seconds.”
“Thank you, Ensign, but I can see them now.”
Everyone focused on the viewscreen.
Bursts of fire appeared in the void, right before the Dragon Gods slipped in like they were playing tag, flying across the stream, spitting fire and exiting back out. They’d been cooped up for a long time.
Saren wasn’t sure if the dragons just hadn’t noticed them yet or didn’t care, but it couldn’t be a coincidence they were slipping into the vastness of the void right near Genesis’ location.
“They’re definitely tracking us. Daxton?”
“Almost got it, Sar—Commander.”
He was struggling under the pressure, having never trained for bridge command, but she wouldn’t have Atmos step in unless necessary. She needed him to feel she was confident in his abilities, and as a result, they would emerge. He wasn’t just a space pirate. He was a very resourceful man.
Ensign Brody said, “Fire burst appearing in—“
A large bubble of water erupted from the ship’s cannon, heading for the ball of fire, which emerged into the Void Stream at an incredible rate of velocity.
“What the hell is that, water?” Saren asked. “If my physics teachings serve me correctly, that’ll be like trying to use water to put out a grease fire. It’ll just scatter the flames. Not sure that’ll stop them.”
“Wait for it,” Daxton chided.<
br />
The water bubble hit the fire burst, wrapping around and collapsing it, turning the fire into steam.
No dragon came through.
“See?” Daxton said.
“Excellent, Daxton!” Saren praised. “How is that possible?”
“I had Genesis load the water torpedoes with nanites programmed to suck the fire into the water, making it impossible for the two to separate.”
“Ingenious, Dax! How many water torpedoes can Genesis fire in rapid succession?”
“Oooo, now you’re asking a lot,” he said, looking back down at the comm, pressing a few buttons. “Six, before a five-minute regeneration time. They take a lot of power. According to the readings, it takes billions and billions of nanites to make it work.”
“Keep ‘em busy, Dax, while we try and figure a safe way out of the stream. It won’t be long before that becomes ineffective, once one slips through. Let’s just hope it’s enough time.”
“I’m on it!” he said. “Er—Commander.”
“Grôk? Any luck?”
“Genesis confirm—impossible to predict random Void Stream exit. However, it agree my theory if ship drop out in less dense gravitational pull, the chance is likely safer. Strange thing. It say you can do it safely, Commander Thorn. I ask it how and say no information.”
“Saren!” Daxton shouted! “One got through!”
“Ensign Brody, where are those evasive maneuvers? Daxton, do the best you can to keep out the rest.”
“Already engaged, Commander. But two more dragons have slipped through,” Ensign Brody said.
“How long until we reach Aurailia?”
“Just under three days at the current rate of Void Stream velocity.”
“How long will it take Genesis in the Stream from Aurailia to AARU?”
“Under a day.”
Ensign Brody was on his game. He had the entire course plotted, waiting for the commands.
“That doesn’t leave us much time to intercept the ship from UFWA command, provided we’re able to defeat these dragons without having to slip out blindly.”
Saren faced a conundrum.
Either scenario did not leave them with very much time.
“Atmos, will engaging the cloak, hide us from the dragons?”
“It is unknown. Since there is no information—“
“Shit! Yes, yes—ask it to speculate.”
“I have, Commander Thorn and have received the same information as Grôk. Genesis says you have the capability of both dropping safely out of Void Stream and cloaking the ship from the dragons.”
“It can tell you all that, but not how?”
“No, the information is not found.”
“Atmos!” Daxton shouted. “I need help! Another dragon got through! That’s four and, they’re gaining on us.”
Atmos assisted Daxton with tactical, shooting ineffective plasma balls at them. The energy just absorbed into their scales. “Traditional weaponry does not work,” Atmos said aloud. “Pushing aside the assumption lasers will have no effect…”
Four laser beams shot from the ship’s cannon, each hitting its target and absorbing into the dragons.
“Try antimatter,” Grôk shouted.
Four invisible bolts shot from the cannon, only becoming visible when they hit each target in a cloud of invisible waviness, like a sun beating down on pavement.
The dragons reared up, swatting at the invisible force and spitting the inextinguishable fire. Once the waves of antimatter dispersed, the dragons resumed their courses for Genesis.
“This ship is incredible, and so are those Dragon Gods,” Saren said under her breath. “Atmos, can you increase the density of the antimatter?”
“Yes,” Atmos said, “but it is most difficult to produce. The nuclei of antihelium have been—“
“Skip the science lesson and make it happen—full power!”
Four identical bolts hurled from the cannon, causing the ship to buckle and the lights to dim.
“What happened?”
“The power used to produce the maximum output of antimatter density you requested, depleted Genesis’ universal power buffer. I tried explaining before proceeding with the command. It will take Genesis ten minutes to fully recharge while maintaining critical systems along with Ensign Brody’s evasive maneuvers, provided nothing else is required to drain the reserve.”
“My apologies, Atmos, but we spoke about this. I need critical information in the shortest form possible. Think of it in terms of end result. Skip the unnecessary jargon unless I specifically—”
“Commander, look!”
The bolts of highly dense antimatter struck the dragons, sticking like glue, and hurling them backward.
“I wonder how long it'll hold,” Saren said.
“Seven minutes, forty-two seconds,” Grôk answered.
“You calculated the time it took the dragons to fight through the last bolts of antimatter, increasing, for the density added?”
Grôk bowed his head.
“We got seven minutes, people! I’m open to suggestions.”
“Antimatter is the most destructive thing Genesis could use against normal matter,” Atmos said. “I am out of options, but am searching the database for unconventional methods, as Daxton had with the nanites and water bubble.”
“What if we use those nanites in the antimatter bolts? Help me out here, Grôk,” Daxton said. “Could such a thing be done?”
“Antimatter, when collided with matter creates annihilation of both, by definition,” he answered from memory, not using the aid of the ship. “Maybe if nanites constructed of antimatter—“ His head was down, furry fingers hitting the science comm’s buttons. “No. Power required equal to maximum antimatter. Only increases trap by one minute.”
“Eight minutes is better than seven. Grôk, program the ship to create the antimatter nanites on command. Work with Daxton if needed. We’ll use them as another last resort.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Daxton!” Ensign Brody shouted. “Forget it, too late. Commander! Two more dragons have entered the Void Stream.”
“Evasive maneuvers, Ensign. I know you can handle one. We’re trying to figure out a solution, not a Band-Aid.”
Saren wouldn't reprimand Daxton or allow anyone else to, either. He wasn’t a trained officer, and being a Space Pirate doesn’t qualify. This stuff was relatively new to him, and he was doing a fine job of it. “That’s okay. We’re all working at our best. Daxton, just keep an eye on tactical at all times. I believe you can set audio cues.”
He looked down at the station, clicked a few buttons and said, “Oh yeah. Sorry, Sar—Commander.”
Saren couldn’t help smiling. “Daxton, call me whatever comes to mind, Saren is fine. Just focus on the tasks at hand.”
“This dragon be more aggressive, Commander. It’s getting within range faster than the rest. I’m having a hard time shaking the shite.”
Saren got up from her chair and moved toward the viewscreen. “Is that dragon silver—“
A fireball filled the viewscreen before striking Genesis with great force. Saren flinched and fell to the deck while the ship was propelled sideways as Ensign Brody desperately fought to right it.
“Commander Thorn, please remain in your chair. All stations are designed to use gravity to hold the occupants steady in cases like this.”
A rush of wind soared up beneath her, assisting her to her feet and she ran back to her chair, pulling the hair out of her face and tucking it into the collar of the body armor.
“Thank you, Atmos. Damage report, Ensign.”
Another fireball struck the Genesis, sending the ship tumbling through the Void Stream and dimming the lights for a moment.
“Shields holding but they cannae take another blast like that. Power reserves are at thirty percent. I’ve rerouted ship’s power to critical systems only. All four dragons have now escaped the antimatter bolts and be coming at us, faster now! They’re all shootin�
�� fireballs!”
“What’s so special about this ship that they keep trying to destroy—That’s it!” Saren shouted, realizing why they wouldn’t stop. “Why didn’t I realize it before?!”
They were out of options.
Thinking time over.
“Grôk, is there enough power to execute dropping out of Void Stream utilizing your less dense gravitational pull theory? Please tell me yes!”
“Yes,” he said, quickly.
She looked at the viewscreen, and multiple fireballs were about to hit the ship. “Do it! NOW!”
The big guy flipped back to his station and hit one button.
Atta-boy, Grôk!
The ship phased out of the Void Stream, and the fireballs harmlessly passed through, eliciting a deafening roar from the silver dragon.
But the dragon’s outcry was cut short as the viewscreen abruptly flared with bright, burning light and the temperature on the bridge instantly rose thirty degrees.
Red alert signs started flashing over the viewscreen and stations.
“What happened?” Saren cried. “I thought we made it out in time!”
“We did!” Grôk grunted. “We slip from Void Stream into a neutron star. I so sorry calculations wrong!”
“Ensign Brody, get us out!”
“I be trying, Commander! The ship’s power is too low, and the star’s mass is too dense. It’s like flying through the mud. I don’t think she’s gonna make it!”
No.
She would not die, leaving her daughter an orphan like herself.
No!
She would not let the Avenger’s crew die mercilessly at the hands of the Scarab.
NO!
I WILL NOT LET THEM ALL DIE SO THE SCARAB CAN WIN!
“NOOOOOO!” she screamed, banging her fist down on the arm of the chair.
Red-hot rage burned inside her chest so fiercely she wasn’t sure if it was the star burning through the outer hull of the ship, or the threatening anger inside her trying to get out. Then suddenly, a blinding light filled the bridge, and then, Genesis was gone.