by Frank Carey
“Your crew is well trained,” Andromeda noted as she watched them prepare. “Are they all ex-military?”
“No. In fact, none of them has any military background except for Sheila, who's a retired Space Marine. The rest of us worked our way through the Merchant Space Navy,” Fiona said as she sat down in the center chair. She looked up at the master chronometer and did a quick calculation. “Look, we've got about four hours to kill before we reach Earth. Why don't you go get some sleep? I'll show you to our guest quarters which are just aft of the bridge. We'll wake you before we arrive.”
“Thank you. I could use some recharge time.”
Fiona got up and led Andromeda to the guest quarters. Inside on the table was a selection of foodstuffs and a bottle of water. “Eat and get some rest. I promise we won't let you miss anything.”
“Thanks,” Andie replied as she marveled at the size of the room and the foodstuffs on the table. After a quick meal and a trip to the head, she lay down on the bunk and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
###
“Andie, what's a star?” Romy asked from his hospital bed.
“A huge ball of burning gas. It's so big it can burn for millions of years.”
“You're so smart,” her brother said as he looked out the window of his room. “One day I hope to be as smart as you,” he said as he closed his eyes.
Before she could reply, the monitors above his bed sounded alarms as his vital signs flat-lined. A nurse tried to take her out of the room, but she fought. Eventually, it took two big orderlies to drag her from the room.
An adult now, no more a child of twelve, she stood on a hill and watched her younger self as she threw a flower on her brother’s shroud-wrapped body as it lay on top of the funeral pyre. In moments, it was engulfed in flame.
“Well that was a show. Too bad that's not me engulfed in flames.”
Startled, Andie turned to face a person standing next to her. “Romy?” she whispered.
“Romulus Clyemne, brother to Andromeda Clyemne at your service,” he said with a bow.
She looked at him, filled with disbelief. Instead of a sickly ten-year-old, he was a man almost her age. He was encased in a suit of silver with electronics embedded in its surface. “But, you're dead! You've been dead for twenty years.”
“Piff and piddle. Do I look dead?” he asked as he flexed his muscles. “I have never been so full of life.”
“How? Where are you? For that matter, where am I?” she asked as the scenery around her changed to that of an asteroid.
“Andie, don't you remember? You're aboard the mighty space transport Hippolyta, and you're sound asleep. I swear, you could fall asleep during the fiercest of thunderstorms.”
“I remember now, I almost died fighting Annihilator. The Hippolyta saved me. But, where are you?”
“About a light-second ahead of you. And you needn't have worried. I would have never let you die in that little metal room.”
“Romy, I don't understand any of this,” she said as she hugged him, happy to see he was alive and healthy.
She stepped away as he changed. “I will explain everything soon, I promise,” he said as he changed into a huge ship. He became Annihilator.
She screamed.
###
“Andromeda, wake up!” Sheila yelled as she held the screaming woman upright.
Andromeda stopped screaming and opened her tear-drenched eyes. She looked around and saw Sheila holding her while Doc stood behind her running a scanner over her. Fiona stood in the door watching. “What happened?” she asked.
“You were asleep for about four hours,” Fiona said. “When you didn't answer my call, I came in to see if there was a problem. I walked in and touched your arm. Instead of waking, you sat upright and spoke briefly before screaming on top of your lungs. I had the computer page Sheila and Doc when I couldn't calm you down or wake you.”
“She was having one hell of a dream,” Doc said. “Her neurotransmitter levels are off the chart. The last time I saw readings like these was during a consultation with a telepathic counselor.”
Fiona looked at the doctor with a frown. “Telepath?”
“Yes. When a telepath communicates with a non-telepath, the non-telepath's brain experiences elevated neurotransmitter levels. I would swear someone was communicating with the commander telepathically except we have no telepaths on board.”
“What did I say?” Andie asked. “You said I was talking.”
“It sounded like you were talking to someone named Romy,” Sheila said as she removed a blood pressure cuff from Andie's arm.
“I remember now. Romy was my younger brother. He died when I was twelve seasons old. At least I thought he died.”
Fiona walked over and knelt next to the young woman. “What do you mean you thought he died?”
“In my dream, I was standing on a hill with Romy. I was my current age and he was a little younger. We were watching his funeral. He said he was alive. He knew about the battle and my being rescued. It was like he was there, watching me. He then said he would explain everything.”
“Why did you start screaming?” Doc asked as she checked Andie's pulse.
“Because Romy turned into Annihilator.”
No one said a word. The silence was broken by a call from the Bridge. “Captain, Helm. We are light seconds from Earth and Annihilator has dropped to real-space.”
“Copy that, John. How close can we get before we have to drop?”
“Three minutes at max real-space speed and that'll be in three minutes.”
“Roger that. We'll be there in a minute. Captain out. Andromeda, are you up to joining us on the Bridge?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good. Sheila, stick with us,” Fiona said as she walked down the corridor to the Bridge with Andromeda and Sheila close behind.
“Captain is on the Bridge,” Akira said as he vacated the Command Chair. “We are still unable to communicate with Earth. There is too much interference from the Nova.”
“Lovely, so we're going in deaf?”
“Yes, at least until we clear other-space. Once back in normal-space we should be able to call.”
“What about Annihilator?”
“Moving steady like an arrow arcing through the night.”
“How poetic,” she said as she watched the readouts on the master chrono.
“Real-space in three...two...one...mark!” John said from the helm. A small shudder ran through the ship as it changed realities.
“Earth orbit in two minutes,” Cora said from the navigation station.
“Natasha, full sensor sweep. Where's Annihilator?” Fiona asked as she watched the displays around her.
“Working... Found it! Dead ahead and in low Earth orbit. Altitude approximately five hundred miles. Ma'am, a League warship is engaging it. It’s the Nova.”
“Dammit, Haruki! This is no time for theatrics,” Akira said as they watched helplessly. “John, ETA?”
“One minute, Sir.”
“Nova is warning Annihilator off,” Liz said from communications. “No response from Annihilator.”
“Nova is firing all weapons,” Natasha said while looking at Akira and seeing his hands clench in frustration. “No effect. Annihilator is returning fire. Direct hit.”
“Severe damage to Nova,” Liz reported as she listened to the radio. “Weapons down. FTL down. Two real-space engines destroyed. Shields down.”
“Annihilator is powering up for another shot.”
“Captain, give me the radio!” Andromeda pleaded.
“Go!” Fiona said. “Helm, I want us sitting between Annihilator and Nova.”
“Ma'am?”
“I'm going to gamble that Annihilator won't shoot us with Andromeda on board, so move, mister.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” John said as he brought the Hippolyta around Annihilator and stopped between the two ships, shielding the League warship from the weapons of the alien spaceship.
“
Captain! It worked,” Joanie said. “Annihilator now has weapons lock on us while ignoring Nova.”
“Annihilator, Annihilator, this is Cmdr. Andromeda Clyemne of the Olympian Space Navy. Stand down. I repeat, stand down. Override code alpha-omega-eight-one-seven. Countersign Hades. Do you copy?”
Silence came from the radio as they looked down the Annihilator's gun barrels.
“Dammit, Annihilator, stand down! Do you copy?” Andromeda implored from the Communications Station.
As if to answer, the massive weapon retracted into the hull while a bay door opened beside it.
“Damn big gun,” John said as he wiped his sweating palms on his pant legs.
“That was a defensive battery. You should see the offensive ones,” Andie said as she sat down to catch her breath.
“Don't you people do anything small?” Natasha asked as she stole glances at the shuttle bay waiting for them.
“Go big or go home,” Andromeda replied.
“Captain, three fleets have arrived on scene,” Joanie reported. “I have IFFs from Earth Defense Force and League Space Navy. The other is unknown, though the energy signatures match Annihilator's. An Earth Defense Force tug is tractoring Nova away from Annihilator.”
“Husband, analysis please.”
Akira walked to the science station and ran estimates. “Not nearly enough fire power. Annihilator's shields are just too powerful. Commander, can Annihilator hide in a sun's chromosphere?”
“Yes, and fire from inside as well.”
“Shut the door,” Natasha exclaimed as she shook her head
“Suggestions?” Fiona asked.
“Accept the invitation,” Akira said, pointing to the open door.
Fiona thought for a moment before hitting the intercom button. “Attention. We are about to enter Annihilator. We may not come out. Anyone not up to this may leave now via a life pod.”
Akira listened to the intercom feed. “The crew has opted-out, Captain.”
“I assume they didn't say it quite that way, did they?”
“No, Ma’am. What they said can't be repeated in polite company.”
She hit the intercom once more. “You know I love you all. Prepare to dock with Annihilator,” she said before killing the link. “John, take us in, slowly. We don't want to startle it.”
“Aye, Ma’am,” he replied.
The Hippolyta slowly entered the warship, the massive door closing behind them, sealing them inside.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“One minute to Earth orbit, Admiral,” Capt. Myrene said as she sat and watched the Bridge from the command chair. Around them, the Bridge crew prepared for battle.
“Real-space in three...two...one...mark! Helm called out as the ship shuddered while the view screen shimmered before stabilizing on a view of space directly ahead of them.
“By all the gods,” Hera said as she saw her worst fears come to life. In front of them was Annihilator in close orbit around a blue orb of a planet. The huge ship sat broadside to the blue orb while a fleet of warships approached. One warship sat near the behemoth, severely damaged and bleeding atmo into the vacuum of space while a second ship approached, perhaps to render aid. “What the? Athena, is that a freighter approaching your war machine?”
“Science, zoom in,” the admiral ordered. The view screen changed to show a small, unarmed ship approaching Annihilator's portside docking bay. “Scan that freighter for Olympian ID tags,” the captain ordered. Every Olympian sailor had an ID tag implanted at the base of their skull. The tag, no bigger than a grain of rice, had the owner's serial number and medical history stored within it.
“Aye, Captain. Scanning...” the Science Officer said. “Got one. Serial number 118-alpha-216457883-kappa. Running it through the database... Cmdr. Andromeda Clyemne, currently the XO of the OWS Artemis.”
Before the captain could reply, Adm. Galactus walked onto the bridge. She walked over to the science station and brought up Andie's personnel record, smiling at the commander's picture.
“Admiral, do you know Cmdr. Clyemne?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. She's my daughter,” Athena said as she walked back to her seat. “Captain, be advised that we were just informed of two pilots being aboard Annihilator,” Athena said. “One is an unfriendly, and the other is a CSec agent who was sent to stop her. You are to assume Annihilator's mission is to destroy the planet below.”
“You're just having a helluva day, aren't you?” Hera asked as she put her hand on her old adversary's shoulder.
“I'm retiring when all this is over. Let some young officer take over. I've had it.”
“Right, you spending your days planting flowers around a cottage on Olympia. The mind boggles at the thought.”
“Captain, the Earth fleet is placing itself between the planet and Annihilator. They are powering up shields and weapons,” the first officer said.
“Tactical analysis?”
“Their technology is on par with ours. Interesting... Annihilator is ignoring them and us. Her shields are up, but weapons are on standby. Sensors detect an inordinate amount of chatter on Annihilator's computer network. Unable to break encryption.”
“Captain, an Adm. Joshua Fenstrom of the Earth Defense Fleet is asking to speak with whoever is in charge,” the communication officer reported.
“Put him on main viewer,” she ordered.
The visage of an older human male appeared on the screen. His white hair was a counterpoint to a salt and pepper beard, and his skin was like tanned leather. His uniform was a blue jumpsuit with no fruit salad except for a single nametag. His bearing was that of a well-seasoned warrior. “My name is Adm. Joshua Fenstrom, Supreme Commander of Earth Defense Forces. Welcome to Earth.”
“Adm. Fenstrom,” Athena said as she stepped into view of the camera, “I am Adm. Athena Galactus, Supreme Commander of the Olympian Republic Expeditionary Force. Sorry about all this. Someone seems to have stolen one of our ships.”
“I hate when that happens. May I assume you and your fleet are here to retrieve it?”
“We call it Annihilator and yes, either retrieve it or destroy it.”
“Interesting. Are you privy to why it ended up in orbit around our little planet? I will say our shore leave facilities are second to none.”
“There is no crew, Admiral. Only the two pilots. As to why it came to Earth, well that will take some explaining.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Adm. Galactus, may I come aboard your ship and meet with you to discuss this further? I do my best work in person.”
“In person? Really? All alone?” Athena asked, stunned.
“Yes, just me. I don't take up a lot of space,” he said, smiling at his own joke.
“Yes, of course,” she said while trying not to stammer. “May I send a shuttle to pick you up?”
“That would be fine. I'll have my communications officer send you the details. Give me ten minutes to put on a fresh jacket.”
“Ten minutes it is, Admiral. Galactus out.”
“Very good. Fenstrom out.”
“Still want to retire?” Hera asked from the back of the Bridge.
“Very funny. Captain, did you get the coordinates?”
Captain Myrene looked at the communications officer who nodded back. “Get a shuttle over there,” she said to the First Officer. “Anything else, Admiral?”
“No, let's just wing it for now. Status of Annihilator?”
“Unchanged,” Capt. Myrene said.
“Wonderful. Ladies, Captain, let's go meet the admiral, shall we?” Adm. Galactus said.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Athena, Hera, Margarete, Rachel, and an honor guard waited in the reception room as the shuttle landed outside in the shuttle bay. “So, we meet the humans again after thousands of years. I wonder if they know,” Hera asked.
“I'm going to assume the answer is 'no' for now. We'll cross those rapids after we finish with this waterfall.”
The door opened and Adm. Joshua Fenstrom walked into the reception room flanked by the shuttle's pilot and copilot, neither of whom could stop staring at him. Athena looked around her and saw the others staring as well.
“Ladies! Decorum!” she said as she walked up to the admiral and clasped forearms in a classic Spartan handshake. “Adm. Fenstrom, welcome to the Penthesileia. I'm Adm. Athena Galactus,” she said before introducing the others, each of which performed the same forearm clasp.
“Thank you. The trip was smooth and uneventful. My compliments to the flight crew,” he said, nodding to the two women flanking the shuttle doorway to the bay. He watched carefully as they both got a little wobbly kneed. Interesting, he thought to himself as the admiral led him and her entourage into the ship. “Admiral, have your people visited Earth in the past? Your language and mannerisms, like the arm clasp, would suggest you had.”
Athena looked at Hera. “Yes, that is something we probably need to discuss after we take care of this Annihilator situation.”
“Agreed. I look forward to that conversation.”
“Admiral, If I may ask, you are human, are you not?”
“Sort of. I'm Venlanten. My people adopted Earth as our home thousands of years ago. Genetically, we share ninety-nine percent of the human genome. My late wife was human, and we have four children together.”
“I'm sorry for your loss,” Athena said.
“Thank you. Since we are sharing, Priestess, I notice you have no men aboard this ship. Is that by choice or necessity?”
“Ah, here we are,” Athena said as she led them onto the bridge while bypassing the question altogether. Joshua was impressed, but he was also tenacious, so he deferred the question for a later time instead of dropping it completely.
“Impressive,” Joshua said as he was shown around the room on a quick tour. “Adm. Galactus, not to be a bore, but why is Annihilator sitting in orbit around my planet?”
“Frankly, Admiral, Annihilator is here to destroy Earth,” Athena said, abandoning any pretense of political gamesmanship. She then told him everything Margarete had told her.