Myden turned away and moved towards the shadows. As he faded from view he looked her in the eye. “I hope I’m wrong.”
* * *
After the meeting in the command center Brian stood in the docking area and looked out. Hundreds of engineers and soldiers from Heaven’s Light and the Confederation milled about while doing their work on the base. The inner door to the dock opened and allowed in four heavy class ships from the special task forces. Valis walked up next to him.
“Looks like Baeron is coming with us,” Brian said.
“He wouldn’t let me say no,” Valis said. “Anyways, having a fleet of their ships guarding the base will allow the rest of us to scout about.” She noticed the look in his eyes. “You don’t care, do you?”
“No, I’m glad he’s willing to help,” he said.
“What’s bothering you?” Valis asked.
“I’m restless,” Brian said. He looked at her. “When I was on Earth I had no intention of serving in the military. My life was focused on the mind, creativity, and stories. Sometimes I feel I just don’t fit in here.”
“Do you want Mjolnir back?” she asked.
He smiled. “No, he’s better off with Meldi than following me around.”
“I’m glad you turned me down,” Valis said. “Meldi and Mjolnir have become quite the team.”
“That’s what I wanted,” he said. “My issue is downtime. And now that the Greys are here there’s no time for it anymore.”
“You’re the type who needs long bouts of solitude to recharge,” Valis said. “I know because I’m that way as well.”
He smiled at her. “Thanks.”
“Are you free tonight?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said.
Chapter 6 - Finding a Reason
Brian found himself flying through a swirling tunnel of light. Looking behind he noticed the Mjolnir was with him and had some damage dealt to its body. Further beyond was the wreckage of innumerable crafts. What is this place? He thought. This isn’t like the blue ocean of thoughts at all. He continued searching for a way out but found he couldn’t. After a long time he saw something blocking the exit of the tunnel. When he reached out to pierce the object he heard Valis’s voice. Suddenly the dream was over and he opened his eyes. He was in the bed in Valis’s quarters. She stood next to him with her uniform on.
“Are you awake now?” she asked.
“What was that?” he asked while shaking his head.
“Your left eye was leaking,” she said. “I was worried and got away from you.”
He sighed and shook it off. “I’m alright now. I was having a very odd dream, even for me.” He saw Valis clear her throat and hold up his clothes. “Of course,” he said as he took them and put his clothes back on.
“What’s it like for you?” Valis asked while the pair stepped into their exoskeletons.
“It’s strange,” he said. “I have a hard time describing it to others. The truth is I don’t know how to use my power properly. That’s why it was smart of you to get away from me.”
“Having you stick an arm through my body isn’t exactly what I’d call fun,” Valis said.
“That’s true,” Brian said. “Shall we go?”
“Of course,” she said.
* * *
Seles found Kivi in one of the training rooms on the base. Kivi put her rakna blades down and turned around.
“You look down,” Kivi said.
“Myden is saying things again,” Seles said.
She stood next to Kivi before drawing her sword and readying the shield on the other arm. Kivi put her two blades up in a defensive stance as they circled each other.
“I thought I was the only one who felt that way,” Kivi said as they started sparring. “So what did he say?”
“To be ready,” Seles said as they backed away from one another.
Kivi smiled. “He said the same thing to me last night.”
“I wonder if he does the same for the others,” Seles said.
“I assume he does,” Kivi said.
The pair went into a prolonged flurry back and forth with no clear victor.
“You’re getting better,” Kivi said.
“I’ve been working on it,” Seles said. “Do you think I’m ready?”
“Can you sing?” Kivi asked.
“Yes,” Seles answered.
“Then Mira and I will make a Maigar out of you when we have the time to,” Kivi said. “I’m surprised Brian didn’t train you himself.”
“He offered to,” Seles said. “But I decided you were the better choice.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you talk to me about things he won’t,” Seles said.
“Are you ready for whatever Myden is worried about?” Kivi asked.
“No,” Seles said. “I don’t believe anyone can be.”
“That’s the conclusion I came to,” Kivi said. “I also don’t believe in worrying about ifs and maybes. Live for the moment, that’s my way.”
“I used to feel the same,” Seles said as she went in for another set of attacks. Kivi forced her back and they resumed circling each other. “A long time ago Brian told me he believed in the future I was trying to create. I still don’t know what he was talking about. The one thing I know is I have to keep looking ahead. I have to keep searching. Because one day I’ll know what it is I’m supposed to find.”
“That’s pretty abstract,” Kivi said.
“Of course it is,” Seles said. “Finding one’s purpose in life isn’t like finding a gold bar on the ground.”
The two women laughed as they exchanged another round of strikes and feints.
“Maybe I’ll find my purpose on this journey as well,” Kivi said.
* * *
Later that day the Columbia base gravity jumped into another resource system. The Freedom, Vomada, and Daevoni then left the base and gravity jumped away. A moment later the Avoni, Reinkar, and Raulno did likewise. Brian was on the bridge of the Freedom with Myden, Grigon, Jesela, and the four droids. Captain Esra joined them from the bridge of the Daevoni via the monitor.
“Valis likes pairing us up,” Esra said. “Do you think she’s trying to tell us something?”
Brian laughed. “I wouldn’t mind taking you up on that offer. But we have a crisis to deal with.”
Esra sighed. “It’s always business before pleasure.”
“Do you want to split up for the search or stay together?” he asked.
“Let’s stay together,” Esra said. “If we find a fleet of carriers we’ll need each other for protection.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say,” Brian said.
“Captain, we’re receiving a distress call,” Droid B reported. “It’s from the Minan resource colonies around the fourth planet.”
“Put us on course for them,” Brian said. He looked at Esra. “I think we should send out our mobile suits.”
“Agreed,” she said.
* * *
The mobile suits from the Freedom and Daevoni searched the colonies. From the wreckage it was obvious they had come under attack. Seles and Mira flew on their own to the largest of the colonies and found a massive hole in the outer shell. The Artemis and Siren paused when they reached the breach.
“I’m not detecting any life signs,” Seles said.
“This is bad,” Mira said. “They didn’t even have a chance to defend themselves.”
“Let’s take a closer look inside,” Seles said.
“Of course,” Mira said.
The pair descended into the colony until they reached ground level. The interior of the complex spanned ten ketres and included apartment complexes and agricultural domes. Floating around everywhere were the bodies of thousands of Minan civilians. Both mobile suits recorded everything they could.
“It looks like this area was completely depressurized,” Seles said.
“Does this place have an emergency shelter?” Mira asked.
“I
t did,” Seles said.
Their scanners showed a large part of the complex that was now destroyed.
“This is what war with the Greys looks like,” Mira said.
“They won’t leave one of us alive if they can help it,” Seles said. “With things as they are I won’t be surprised if this is the norm everywhere soon.”
“The best solution is to drive them out of the Confederation,” Mira said.
“I agree, but it won’t be easy,” Seles said.
Their coms flashed before a haggard looking Minan man appeared on their screens.
“Oh thank goodness,” the Minan said. “We thought we’d been abandoned.”
“I’m Commander Seles Daevon of the Freedom,” she said. “We came because of your emergency beacon.”
“I’m Lieutenant Commander Halden,” the Minan man said.
“Where are you?” Seles asked.
“I and about three thousand others were able to escape into the command center of this colony,” he said. “We have no means of leaving on our own.”
“We’ll send some transports in to help,” Seles said.
“Thank you commander,” Halden said. “Tell me, did any of the others make it? We lost communication with them a while ago.”
“I don’t think so,” Seles said before showing him the video feed. She saw tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“I am as well,” Halden said.
* * *
Brian was pacing around the bridge when Kyli appeared on the screen.
“We’ve found another three hundred survivors in the second colony,” she reported.
“I’m glad we can help them,” Brian said. “Continue on then.”
“Yes captain,” Kyli said.
“That brings out total to four thousand and two hundred survivors,” Jesela said. “Where are we supposed to put them all?”
“Have them escorted to the Vomada,” Brian ordered. He looked at Grigon. “That’s alright, isn’t it?”
“Of course,” the old birdman said. “It’ll be a tight fit but it’s the best place for now.”
The scanners went crazy when a number of disturbances in subspace were detected. A moment later a fleet of a hundred Grey carriers appeared nearby. They quickly went to surround the Freedom, Daevoni, and Vomada.
“Just our luck,” Esra said over the monitor. “I think formation E-12 would be best.”
“Agreed,” Brian said. He hit the com. “Seles, Mira, Kyli, we’re using formation E-12.”
“We’re on it,” Seles said.
“Activate the Hades system,” Brian ordered.
“It’s on its way on,” Grigon said.
On the other side of the screen Esra ordered the same thing on the Daevoni.
“I’m glad you had this system installed,” she said.
“The point of testing it on the Freedom was to see if we could synch our gravity drives together,” Brian said. “The only issue is we can’t afford to install it on all our ships.”
“Six is enough for now,” Esra said.
Both Brian and Esra’s eyes began glowing when they berserked to ignite their ships. The Freedom and Daevoni moved towards the approaching Grey fleet while the Vomada fell back to gather the transports. The mobile suits from the Freedom and Daevoni circled around the two ships in defensive formations while the Talons with the Vomada defended the survivors. The Artemis and Siren emerged from the largest colony and flew to the front. As the Grey fleet came closer fifty attack ships emerged from each of the carriers. The mass of saucer shaped ships then targeted the two ships and pounded them with pulse fire. The Freedom and Daevoni shifted their systems to Aegis mode for maximum defense and reflected the pulse fire back at the Greys while their mobile suits and standard weapons returned fired. The Artemis shifted its reflector plates to spread mode and fired into the front line of the enemy formation.
Chapter 7 - Fighting to Save Others
Seles kept the barrage going by using the spread mode while wave after wave of attack vessels charged them. The transports finished landing on the Vomada before the ship gravity jumped away with its Talons in tow.
“It looks like we’re holding up,” Mira said.
“Barely,” Seles said. “We need to do something to get out of this.”
“What do you propose?” Mira asked.
Seles hit the com. “Brian, do you mind if I try something?”
“Go ahead,” he answered. “At this rate we can’t fire back at them.”
“Alright then,” Seles said. “Mira, I want you to use your song system and fly straight into the center of their fleet.”
“Sounds dangerous,” Mira said.
“It won’t be because Kyli and the others will be right behind you,” Seles said. “Did you get that?”
“I hear you loud and clear commander,” Kyli said.
“We’re on our way then,” Mira said.
The Siren began glowing when its paralyzing song system turned on and extended outward. It then flew to the front and led the one hundred and forty four Phase Raknas and Talons into the heart of the Grey fleet. Seles’s eyes began glowing while the Artemis charged up for an arrow shot.
Feeling aggressive, aren’t we?” the Artemis wrote.
“The best defense is offense at this point,” Seles said. “The Greys don’t show mercy and don’t hesitate. The key is to get there faster than they can.”
The reflector plates are deployed and ready. The Artemis wrote.
“Then let’s give our friends some room to work with,” Seles said.
The Artemis lit up and fired the first arrow through the reflector plates in spread mode. All of the smaller attack ships within a hundred ketres of the two ships were instantly vaporized. Seles aimed at a different area and did the same. Once the area closest to the Freedom and Daevoni was cleared she shifted the system to power mode and flew towards the enemy carriers. She fired six arrow shots in succession, destroying a total of thirty carriers in the process. With the pressure off of them the Freedom and Daevoni shifted to attack mode and joined the assault. Beams three times the size of the Artemis’s arrows fired from the two ships as their gravity drives spun and covered them with glowing green energy. When the Siren circled about the center of the enemy fleet was silent and left unable to attack. It and the mobile suits with it fired at the immobilized enemies and destroyed them with ease. When the Grey fleet went to encircle the Siren, the Artemis fired a pair of arrows to clear the area. The remaining enemies pulled back to regroup while the Siren led the mobile suits back to the two ships. The smaller vessels returned to their previous positions to defend the Freedom and Daevoni.
“That’s all I’ve got for now,” Seles said.
“Your plan worked great,” Mira said.
“It was excellent commander,” Kyli said.
“Yes, but it only held off the first wave,” Seles said.
“The first wave was enough,” Brian said. “We can take care of the rest.”
The Freedom and Daevoni carved their way through the enemy ships with explosions all around them.
* * *
The bridge crew of the Freedom worked away as the battle continued. Brian turned around and took the helmet for his exoskeleton armor off the captain’s chair.
“What are you doing?” Jesela asked.
“I’m going to find something out,” Brian said. “Myden, look after things while I’m gone.”
“I will,” the Grey said.
Brian locked the helmet into place and gravity jumped outside. He spotted the nearest Grey carrier and sent out a signal for the others to not attack it. Using his special sight he found his way inside until he reached the command center. Hundreds of Greys ran about in a panicked state while he cut them down with his rakna blade. When he was alone with a single Grey he quickly closed the door behind them and grabbed the creature.
“Now my enemy, show me everything,” Brian said as he tore through the Grey’s mental defenses.
&
nbsp; “You’ve come,” a voice echoed in Brian’s mind.
“Of course,” Brian answered. “What are you thinking of doing?”
“The seeds will die first,” the machine god said. “Then one by one every race you know will fall. I’m saving humanity for the final act. Enjoy the carnage Brian the Warrior!”
The sound of laughter filled Brian’s mind. When he tried focusing he saw a vision of the Viken homeworld being destroyed. With it flashed the vision of a dozen different worlds of races on the verge of joining the Confederation being destroyed. He staggered back when the visions repeated with laughter coming with it. He lifted his sword and stabbed the Grey in the head. After throwing it to the ground he stumbled out of the room and gravity jumped back to the Freedom. He smiled under the helmet as he fell over and drifted into unconsciousness.
* * *
After two thirds of their ships were destroyed the remaining Grey ships gravity jumped away. Both ships and the Artemis and Siren returned to normal as they moved back into a standard defensive formation.
“That wasn’t easy,” Seles said.
“No it wasn’t,” Mira added.
Myden appeared on their monitors. “Seles, Mira, we need you back on the ship. Brian did something foolish and it would be best if he was treated as soon as possible.”
“We’re on our way,” Seles said. “Kyli, you and the others are to stay out here for now.”
“Of course commander,” Kyli said.
The Artemis and Siren landed on the Freedom a moment later. In the launching bay Jesela was ready for them.
“Should we use them?” Jesela asked as the two headed for the floor.
“I think so,” Mira said.
“They worked in the first battle, so let’s do it,” Seles said.
“Alright,” Jesela said. “All mobile suits within our organization will be equipped with a Novaguard using Grigon’s system within the week. Of course, it’s two for the special units.”
“Thanks Jesela,” Mira said as she ran to sickbay.
Grey War Saga 1: Twilight of Innocence Page 4