by Chris Fox
Chapter 50 -Begin the Assault
Fizgig strode through the halls of her ship, shoulders squared and tail held high. The ship would never recover, and entire sections were open to space.Yet she still flew, and Fizgig was proud of her. The Claw had a soul of her own, and that soul would never give up. No matter the odds.
Fizgig made her way deeper into the ship, the whir of power tools and the shouts of techs coming from up ahead. She strode purposefully onto the deck, pausing to survey the fighter bay. The handful of remaining darts had been gathered into the area closest to the functional launch tube. The few racks of ordinance were stacked near them. There were precious few of either, but at least her crew had been replenished.
They stood in neat, even ranks. The only notable exception was the techs, and even they paused in their work. Every last pair of eyes was on her. She stared back, proud and a little sad. These people had been marginalized for so long that they were willing to risk everything just to earn something she'd taken for granted her whole life: a name.
"Mighty Fizgig," the crowd chorused, nearly three hundred Tigris throats booming together. Every last soldier snapped to attention, and if there were a few stragglers, at least they'd made the attempt.
Fizgig stalked forward, prowling back and forth in front of the crowd. She studied them in silence for long moments before finally speaking. "We are Fizgig Pride. We are family. The first thing your family will teach you is honor. You are the equal of any Leonis. Remember that, and hold your head high."
More than one soldier straightened at that, and most adopted proud expressions. For many, it was the first time they'd been acknowledged by an officer, let alone a Pride leader. The ember of pride that had taken hold in each was delicate, and would need to be stoked, until it became a raging inferno. The way to achieve that was simple: victory.
"Our plan is simple, but devastatingly effective. We will allow the Leonis to engage the humans." She stopped pacing and raised her Primo rifle to her chest, displaying it proudly. "Admiral Mow will lead from the rear, like the coward he is. We will ambush him, and wrest the fate of our people from his bloody corpse."
She stabbed the pistol up into the air, firing a blast at the ceiling. Answering blasts rippled through the crowd, mostly slug-throwing weapons, stolen or purchased from humans. Eventually Fizgig raised a paw, waiting three seconds for silence. Most fell into line, but a few still fired and laughed.
"Silence!" Fizgig roared, cutting off the stragglers. "Today you will learn discipline, the coin with which you will purchase greatness. Act like warriors. Dismissed."
Fizgig turned on her heel, stalking from the barracks and into the Claw's aft corridor. She circled around to the top of the ship, taking the only remaining route to the bridge. The Claw was just as bedraggled as Fizgig's new pride.
That didn't deter her. If anything, it seemed fitting. She was old, and she was weary. So, too, was the Claw old and weary. Both should have returned to the home world long since, to foster the next generation of kits while waiting for Tigrana's embrace.
Fizgig took her time reaching the bridge, using the time to visualize Mow. She pictured her paws around his throat, saw herself biting down savagely and ending his life. That had always been the way of it for her, seeing the kill before she made it. It gave her a certainly, a knowing of sorts. She knew Mow would die, and that she'd be the one that took his life.
Chapter 51- Scan
Nolan suppressed his agitation as Kathryn's tube filled with pink light. Lena manned a terminal near Edwards, bent almost double to scan some sort of readings. Kathryn gave no outward sign of discomfort, peering curiously at the light surrounding her. Of course, no outward sign didn't mean much. If Lena or the ship had misjudged the proper amount of radiation, Kathryn would die within days.
"Nolan," Lena said, finally straightening from the panel. She clasped her tail in both paws. "The test will take roughly two minutes. During that time, there is something you need to know. Atrea and I debated telling you, as we aren't positive, but we think we've found something important."
"Something that could help us?" Nolan said, perking up slightly. They desperately needed a win at this point.
"During the original Primo empire, they utilized something called the Forge. Sometimes this is referred to as a place, other times as a weapon. It's unclear precisely what it is, but several myths from the second Primo empire suggest it was a vessel," Lena explained, blinking those feline eyes. "If I am correct, that vessel was never destroyed. The myths say that it was returned to the birthplace."
"And you think this Forge could help us against the Void Wraith?" Nolan asked, intensely curious. "And that it's still around, even after so many thousands of years?"
"Yes, and yes," Lena said, nodding. "The Primo built the Forge after they were first attacked by the Void Wraith. They used it to create the technology that later became their ships and weapons. The Forge was part research vessel, part weapon. By itself, the ship would be incredibly formidable, but it likely contains technological secrets beyond even the Primo's most advanced levels."
The implications were staggering. Nolan suddenly understood one of the possible motives this Eye might have. Assuming it was overseeing the creation of an army in the Milky Way, it would be just as interested in the Forge as they were. Nolan couldn't be certain, but this certainly seemed like a reason to blow up the Primo libraries. If a ship like that existed, you'd definitely want to prevent your enemies from finding out about it.
"You said it returned to the birthplace?" Nolan asked, his excitement mounting.
"I did," Lena replied, ears drooping. "Atrea and I have no idea where the birthplace is, not yet anyway. We'll continue to study, but some of the data we needed was destroyed back at the library."
Nolan stifled a surge of frustration. Just when he'd thought they might have a leg up. There was nothing for it, though. They had to fight with the weapons at hand. If they managed to end the war between humans and Tigris, maybe then they could find this ship.
The console behind Lena began beeping. She turned to face it, raising a hand to her mouth. "Oh, my. Nolan, you need to see this."
Nolan hurried over, bending to study the data Lena was looking at. It showed a mass of red tendrils spiraling through Kathryn's body, a thin latticework that traced the nervous system and led to a thick mass centered around the base of the spine.
"Can we remove it?" Nolan asked.
Lena shook her head sadly. "This is way beyond my capabilities," she said. "Our best neurosurgeons would be hard-pressed to do anything. This thing has effectively merged with her nervous system. I have no idea how we'd kill it without killing her."
"All right," Nolan said, taking a deep breath. There had to be a way to fix this, not just for Kathryn's sake.
Though, he had to admit, it was mostly for her sake.
"There's more bad news," Lena said, swiping the screen until it showed another graph. "That's the rate of advance. This thing is taking over more and more of her body. If the process continues, I'd guess she has no more than six to eight weeks before it kills her."
As terrible as it was, Nolan didn't give in to it. They had a job to do. He couldn't help her, but he'd already helped Delta, and could help countless others.
Chapter 52- The Plan
"So that's the story," Nolan explained, resting his hands on the conference room's chrome table. "We need a way to disable the chips, something wide-scale enough to affect them all at the same time. We're some of the best and brightest out there. Suggestions?"
Lena and Atrea looked at each other, as if each was unsure who should defer. Nolan caught Hannan hiding a smile out of the corner of his eye, clearly amused by the scholars as they tripped over each other trying to be polite.
"I believe we may have a way," Atrea said, resting a leathery hand on Lena's shoulder. "Lena, please correct me if you have a better approach, but we don't need to disable all the chips. We merely need to disable the transmitter. Who
holds the leash? Eliminate that threat, and it won't matter if these men have chips. They're not dangerous if no one can activate them."
Nolan blinked at the simple audacity of the suggestion. It made sense. He held his tongue, waiting for the others to offer their opinions of Atrea's idea before he weighed in. That was a trick he'd picked up from Dryker.
"How will we find the transmitter?" Hannan asked, suddenly more interested in the conversation. "If it's Mendez, won't he just issue his orders before the battle? Delta, how often do you receive orders on that thing?"
"Almost never," Delta said, his words just above a whisper. He'd been mostly silent since Ship had used the Judicator assembly to restore his eyesight.
"Excellent point," Nolan said, drawing everyone's attention. "The only way we'd be able to find the transmitter is if we were able to bait the person in control into using it. Delta, what kind of circumstance might force them to use it?"
"Hmm," Delta said, rousing from his funk. "I'd guess one of two men will be holding the reins, either Admiral Mendez or Admiral Chu. Those are the top dogs among the human brass. One of those two men is likely to be in charge of the assault on Tigrana."
"It will be Chu," Nolan said, without hesitation. His eyes narrowed, as he considered his former benefactor. "Mendez is too smart to be caught in the open like that. Chu likes glory, so I'm betting Mendez puts him in charge of the battle. We find a way to force Chu to activate the chips, which identifies his flagship. Then we attack that ship."
"What if you're wrong about the person in charge?" Lena asked, sipping her tea as if she were drinking from fine porcelain instead of a military surplus cup.
"It won't matter," Nolan said. "Whoever uses the chip is in command, so if we get a signal we take down whoever is using it."
"We're down to a handful of Judicators, just the ones that were being repaired when we hit the library," Hannan cautioned. "Edwards is in a bad way, too. He needs a major refitting. Even if he didn't, he's not going to fit through a UFC starship's corridors. That's means it's the people in this room, plus a handful of expendable robots, to take on an entire capital ship. Their Marine detachment will be at least thirty-six men, and that's if it's been stripped. It's much more likely they'll have over a hundred battle-trained Marines."
"That's why they can't be allowed to see us coming. We're going to use Void Wraith cloaking tech," Nolan said. He couldn't help but grin as he pressed the button on the top of his new belt buckle. A tingle of static electricity rippled out from the belt, up to his head and down to his feet. A moment later, Hannan's jaw fell open. Nolan tapped the button again and the field dissipated. "We have four of these. That's enough to get a small infiltration team onto the bridge. They won't be ready for plasma fire, and they won't see us coming. We kill Chu, and take the chip transmitter."
"That still leaves the issue of the chipped soldiers," Delta cautioned. He seemed uncomfortable with everyone staring at him, but after clearing his throat he finally continued. "If they receive an order, they'll follow it. Even if we stop Chu, the captains will follow whatever order he gives. They'll take suicidal action, and if he tells them to ram the Tigris, they will."
Nolan considered that, waiting to see if anyone else spoke. No one did.
"We're going to have to jam the chip's quantum entanglement," Nolan finally said, the plan forming as he spoke. "We can get the entanglement from the chip in Delta, and when we hit the system we can start broadcasting. That will prevent the person from giving the order."
"How do we detect that person transmitting?" Atrea asked in her gravelly voice. She leaned forward, meeting Nolan's gaze. "If you jam the entanglement, then you block the very signal you're monitoring for."
"Good point," Nolan said, sighing. "I can't think of a way around that."
"Pardon me, Captain," Ship said. "I may be able to solve that problem."
"How?" Nolan asked, glancing up.
"I can write an algorithm that will monitor the entanglement. Any time it detects an activation, it will also activate," Ship explained. "This will log any attempt to use the network, and prevent the bulk of any message from arriving."
"Your algorithm wouldn't be detected until it started jamming, right?" Nolan asked, already warming to the plan.
"Precisely, Captain," Ship confirmed. "It would lay dormant until a signal was detected."
"Then I think we have a workable plan, people," Nolan said, rising to his feet. "Hannan, I want a detailed assault plan for a team to reach the bridge undetected. See what you and Annie can come up with. Lena, Atrea, keep working on this Forge."
"Captain, we're receiving an incoming transmission," Ship said.
"Put it on screen," Nolan said. A moment later, a hologram sprang into existence on the far side of the room. It showed a weary-looking Captain Dryker, still aboard the cavernous Primo vessel.
"Nolan, we've just arrived in-system at Tigrana. You need to get here. Now," Dryker said, expression pained. "The Tigris are beginning their assault on the human fleets. The 11th is bombarding the planet."
Chapter 53- Orders
Mendez was tired. The joining had provided him with many abilities, but using them came with a cost. Every day, he added another layer of exhaustion, and he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Sooner or later, he'd buckle under the strain. He suspected the larva knew that--counted on it, even. That was troubling, but there was nothing he could do about it. God knew he'd tried. Over and over, at first. Now he accepted his role.
"Connect me with Chu," Mendez ordered, withdrawing a cigar from the breast pocket of his uniform. He took his time cutting the end, and then lighting it. By the time he'd taken his first puff, the view screen had flickered to life.
Chu's bridge was older than Mendez's ship, and the stations on Chu's vessel were still manned by active personnel. Mendez could see at a glance that they were terrified of Chu, and for good reason. He looked positively ghastly atop the captain's chair, his belly and limbs slightly distended. His skin was nearly translucent. If Mendez needed any proof that the larva meant ill for him, the proof was in Chu's health. How long had Chu been implanted before he'd done the same to Mendez? That would determine the time table, the amount of time Mendez had before he looked just like Chu.
"What do you want, Mendez? The Tigris are about to launch their assault. I need to attend to the battle," Chu said, his eyes narrowing in distaste.
Mendez had grown used to the contempt, and could hardly blame Chu. Chu had been the one to recruit Mendez, and before that had been the top agent among the admiralty. Now that was Mendez, and Chu had no one but himself to blame.
"That's why I'm contacting you, actually," Mendez said, giving Chu a friendly smile. "I wanted to clarify how this battle is to be conducted. I'm broadcasting a series of deployment orders now."
Chu glanced down at his data pad, his scowl deepening as he read. After nearly a minute his eyes shot up, spearing Mendez. "I can't give these orders. Some of these are suicidal. This is career ending. I'll be stripped of rank, if we even survive."
"Regrettably," Mendez said, without an ounce of regret, "the masters have decided that such a sacrifice is necessary. You'll send the best unimplanted captains to their deaths. The Tigris are receiving similar orders. Those likely to oppose us, on both sides, need to die in this battle. Casualties need to be immense. Is that understood, Admiral Chu?"
Chu's face twisted in emotional agony. He wrestled with it, seemingly unable to speak. Mendez waited patiently, letting the man twist. He truly did regret losing an agent with Chu's influence, but the damage they'd inflict here made the sacrifice worth it. Today would mark the beginning of the end for all resistance to the masters.
In one fell swoop, they'd wipe out the strongest parts of both humanity and the Tigris. After this, the implanted parts of their fleets would outnumber unimplanted parts. They could co-opt both species' militaries, using them to speed the masters' conquest. More, this attack ensured that the two races would never be able
to unite.
"I understand," Chu finally said.
"Good. Best of luck, Admiral," Mendez said, then he severed the connection. He glanced at one of the drones jacked into the bridge. "Take us to the star's nadir point, then dive for the Helios Gate. I want to be gone by the time this battle gets underway."
Chapter 54- Career Suicide
Chu's wiped at his forehead, shocked when he saw the streak of red across the back of his hand. That wasn't sweat. It was blood. He began to tremble, struggling to hide from the truth he simply couldn't admit: the larva was still growing. As it grew, it fed on him. He was dying, sacrificed to the masters in a very literal way. He could feel it slithering through his nervous system, infecting every part of him like a cancer.
What terrified him the most was how much he welcomed it.
"Sir," one of his bridge techs called. He hadn't bothered to learn their names. "The Tigris fleet will intercept in sixty seconds. Do you have orders you wish to convey to the captains? Several have already hailed us."
"Yes," Chu said, straightening despite the pain that had crept from his back into his chest. "Have the Defiant, the Equilibrium, the Sojourn, the Midway, and the Rebel move to intercept. The 11th will continue their orbital bombardment. The rest of the fleet will stand by for additional orders."
The tech protested. "Sir, are you sure--"
"Relay those orders, Lieutenant," Chu said, silencing the lieutenant with a chopping gesture.
"Aye, sir," the lieutenant said, moving back to his console.
Chu understood the man's protest. By continuing the bombardment, they would weaken their defense and drive the Tigris into a suicidal frenzy. The Tigris would stop at nothing to destroy the 11th fleet, the one that had belonged to Admiral Kelley until recently. It was the single largest concentration of loyal officers in the fleet, and if the Tigris wiped them out it would break the back of UFC resistance.