Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles

by Morgan R. R. Haze

  Once I closed my eyes, my mind was flooded by a rush of information as my head settled into the headrest Aria had crafted. My nose and mouth stayed comfortably above the liquid this time, while the rest of my body was almost entirely submerged.

  I could see the AlliedCorp station clearly through the ship's scanners. It was monolithic, comprised of three obelisks, two being smaller than the one located in the middle. The obelisks were long and rectangular, ending in sharp points at either end. On each of the obelisks there were four docking ports which protruded like spikes, one on each side of each obelisk. All of the obelisks were connected by large bridges, one straight with an arch, and the other curved. The main obelisk stood high above the rest, so that the station almost resembled some ghoulish fortress, suspended in space.

  I had anticipated forty or more ships, but had hoped they would mostly be freighters. However, I came to realize that they were almost all frigates, each one far larger, and more heavily armed than the Waylay. Whoever authorized the Fenix strike team to go to Mecca Prime was ready for my arrival. Again I wondered why I had been left behind and who had put me in the safe room.

  I knew that as we drew closer, I could take full control over the AlliedCorp fleet and was tempted to obliterate the now departing Fenix battle cruiser. It had delivered my people to the station as I had expected. But I could hear Jason as the conscience in my head, saying that this ‘needs to be casualty free’, even if I really wanted to make an example out of those that had dared to move against us. Jason didn't need any more lives on his already weighed down conscience.

  Even though I was processing all of the data faster than I could consciously understand, I knew that something was wrong. There was a discernible pattern that was far more prevalent than it should be. Not all was as it appeared. Was there something greater at play here, or was all of this some kind of sick game? Or both?

  I turned my mind back to the present, issuing the order to my team, "They have our people isolated on the station. I shouldn't have any problems getting you a clear route to them. Be ready to move when we dock. Neil is beyond our help now." I broadcasted over the Waylay’s comm.

  Once the Fenix battle cruiser engaged its stardrive and left Zeta Sector, I was free of the threat that the Phantom Corps posed. Had I made my attack too soon, the Phantom Corp Techno path on board could have countered me. I knew that I would have been able to overcome their cyber attack. However, it would have consumed vital energy, which I needed to disable the AlliedCorp fleet.

  The moment was finally right to strike. I seized full control over all of the AlliedCorp ships and Zeta Sector Station. I could feel the draining pull immediately. I just focused more forcefully on the task at hand. I could see the chaos I was causing on the ships as they lost all control over their helms, sensors, communications, exterior doors and weapons. I closed the heat shields over all of their view ports. The station and its mighty fleet were rendered powerless. I had bought our crew enough time to break Jason and the others out of the station, but we wouldn’t have long. The Waylay was able to move right through the center of the fleet without anyone observing a thing. It was eerie, as though we were a small submerged vessel exploring a collection of ghost ships which had sunk towards the depths of an ocean floor.

  We docked at the same port as the Fenix battle cruiser had and I cleared the way for our rescue team to bring our people home. It was relatively simple to misdirect the station staff and block the access route I had chosen. But it was a much heavier burden to keep the AlliedCorp fleet at bay.

  Aria had been on many missions before, but not Gabe, and certainly not Willow. I wondered how effective they would be as a unit. I was sending a cook, a nurse, and someone who liked to blow things up, into a hostile space station surrounded by a formidable fleet. This could turn out very badly.

  Gabe insisted on taking point; with Willow in the middle, and Aria bring up the rear. They moved through our airlock, into the main obelisk of the station. Most of the AlliedCorp personnel were locked behind closed doors, but I knew that Gabe and the others would need to find Bree, Jason, and Mark quickly. I still wasn’t sure how long I could paralyze the AlliedCorp ships before my stamina gave out.

  They came to Jason’s location first, in one of the interrogation rooms. I could see from his heat signature, how brutally he had been tortured. I couldn't tell the full extent of the damage done to him, but I couldn't risk disabling his inhibitor and causing him to go into shock. I started to feel another wave of my cold rage and regretted not crushing the Fenix battle cruiser when I had the chance. They would have to retrieve Jason last due to the state he was in.

  On their way to finding Mark, some of the AlliedCorp guards managed to blow open one of the doors, leading into the corridor where my team was.

  “You have company.” I said into Gabe, Aria, and Willow’s ear pieces.

  “We’re on it!” was Aria’s reply. She created a makeshift barrier with her suppression foam, making cover for them in part of the corridor.

  Through the Waylay’s sensors, I could see their heat signatures. Eight guards took cover and began blasting down the corridor. I could detect one preparing to launch a plasma grenade.

  “Hurry, take him out!” I yelled. Even though the orders that had been in place with Fenix had been to use nonlethal force, AlliedCorp’s standard operating procedure was to eliminate any direct threat.

  I could see the silhouette of Gabe’s life sign in red. It began to glow brighter than the rest. Suddenly, I saw firsthand the berserker inside, which Gabe had been suppressing for so long. In explosive athleticism, jumping over their cover, surprising even Aria, Gabe dashed down the corridor, barely avoiding several direct shots to his torso, but managed to take out four of the guards in melee combat. His arms stuck his targets so quickly and ferociously, that it was hard to read where his hits were all landing. He finally reached the guard who was preparing to launch the grenade. It looked like Gabe was going to run past him, but just before he was parallel to the guard, Gabe’s right arm extended and the guard was clothes lined. The guard smashed into another behind him, and they fell into a stack of crates. Gabe’s blow destroyed the crates, which were being used by the last two guards as cover. Gabe dropped low and barreled into the last two guards, with no regard to his own safety.

  “Go now!” Gabe yelled back down the corridor towards Aria. She hesitated, but then complied and she and Willow continued on without Gabe.

  Next they reached the cell where Mark was being held. He was in bad shape, but nowhere near Jason’s condition. I reluctantly deactivated the nerve inhibitor on Mark, knowing the pain it would cause him to feel. But we were running out of time. I could feel surges of light headedness wash over me, but I pushed through it.

  “Here Mark, take this rifle.” I could hear Aria say.

  “Where’s Gabe?” Mark asked Aria.

  “He’s still behind us I think, but judging by his fighting style he’ll be here soon enough.” Aria replied. Once Mark was ready, I provided them with directions to Bree’s cell. The most direct route now was to blast through a wall, into a parallel corridor.

  “Yes! And I was worried I wouldn't get to have any fun!” Aria exclaimed over the comm. Aria began to set the charges on the wall to their left, which appeared to lead nowhere.

  “Stand back, this is gonna’ be a big one!” Aria shouted.

  The solid wall exploded, turning into a mess of rubble and smoke. I could sense the fire suppression systems being triggered.

  “Who’s that through the smoke?” Willow shouted out.

  I read the life sign, and it was that same bright glow from before. Gabe somehow managed to get all the way to the other side of the wall, through the labyrinth of corridors, dropping dozens of guards on the way.

  “Aria?” Gabe said in surprise.

  “Gabe!?” Aria responded. “I thought you were behind us.”

  “I must have gotten carried away.” Gabe said sheepishly.

  “
That’s an understatement!” Willow said.

  “And I thought I looked beaten up. Nice work.” Mark quipped.

  “We are almost done, hurry up!” I reminded them.

  As they reached Bree’s cell and I could detect her lying on the bed. I had wished to spare her pain, but I turned off her nerve inhibitor so she could walk. Once they collected Bree, they returned the way they had come to retrieve Jason.

  In the interrogation room, Gabe gently picked up Jason, careful not to exacerbate his injuries. I was starting to lose my grip over the station, so I focused on closing all the available bulkheads behind them to slow the AlliedCorp personnel who were breaking through.

  Once my team was safely back on board I uncoupled the Waylay from Zeta Sector Station. Just before I activated our stardrive, I left AlliedCorp with a nasty surprise, sending my most virulent virus to continually block any attempt at finding us. I could sense the AlliedCorp ships powering back up, and I knew they would be attempting to fire on the Waylay within moments… however, there was one last thing I had to do.

  "The only reason I didn't use lethal force and crush your entire fleet is that Jason wouldn't have wanted it. This is the only warning that I will give you. Cross this ship again and not even Jason's distaste for bloodshed will protect you." I whispered from the comm closest to the man behind this attack.

  As the Waylay’s stardrive engaged, the AlliedCorp frigates began firing on our visible position. Finally, the last overpowering wave of fatigue hit me with extreme force. I felt a skull splitting pain, while managing to open my eyes briefly; I looked down and could see the blue embrace turning hints of purple due to blood which was pouring out of me. All went dark, as I let the last of my conscious mind fall away.

  AlliedCorp Zeta Sector Station -Day 385- Bree Reiter

  Sounds of explosions and weapons fire brought me out of my daydream about Kendric. Upon hearing the door open sensation returned to my body and with it pain washed over me. I could feel the device on my neck detach and fall to the bed.

  I rolled over onto my back to see what would happen next. As I moved pain streaked through me, originating from whatever had been done to my lower back.

  Aria, Gabe and Willow all looked much different than I had ever seen them. Each was grimmer. Willow looked every inch a warrior, encased in armor and weapons. Aria looked much like herself, but there was no happy smile or bubbly laughter. Gabe looked the most changed. This was no longer the gentle giant; this was a man to be reckoned with. Mark was even more battered since the last time I had seen him.

  "We need to hurry, Ell's frozen their systems, but she won't be able to hold it for much longer." Gabe said, as a sense of urgency permeated everyone’s awareness.

  I tried getting up but gasped, and fell. Mark helped me, despite having difficulty himself. As we kept moving it became a little easier.

  The next stop turned out to be the room holding Jason. The only time I had seen someone in that bad of a condition was the one execution I had witnessed on Fell. It was a criminal being led out of Gallworth Prison. Gabe had to carry Jason as a father would a young child.

  Suddenly, we were at the Waylay's hatch, but Neil wasn't with us. I felt panicked. After all the assurance I had given him, was his fear correct? Was Ell leaving him behind?

  "What about Neil?" I asked, grabbing Gabriel's arm.

  "Ell said he was beyond our help. We have to leave, now!" He commanded.

  "I promised! We can't abandon him. He was terrified." I pleaded.

  As I tried to head back, Mark gripped me tighter. I attempted to pull away. Mark, muttered, "We have no time for this," and threw me over his shoulder, half limping while running, he boarded the Waylay.

  I was in shock. How could any of this be happening? I would never have thought they would leave someone so vulnerable behind.

  AlliedCorp Zeta Sector Station -Day 385- Neil Allister

  It sounded as though power generators and systems to the station came back online, yet I couldn’t tell for sure. I attempted in vain to see anything in my pitch black cell, but all I could discern was that I was still alone. I began to speculate; had the others who were captured with me, left? During the outage and sounds of explosions, did Bree, Mark, and Jason escape? I hoped they did for their sake. But if they were gone, why did they leave me behind?

  Time passed. It could be days for all I knew. But I still had no answers. Then, like a shadow, he appeared. I had resisted him thus far, battling against his torturous methods. Yet here he was again, Gregor.

  A few dim rays of light suddenly shined down on me in the center of the cell where I stood, shrouding everything else outside of the beams in darkness. I could hear his footsteps, one by one, slowly and deliberately walking around me, but I couldn’t see his face. In fact, I had never seen Gregor's face directly as he always concealed himself whenever we spoke. Finally with his cavernous voice, Gregor addressed me, "So Neil, here we are, alone again."

  I knew that my interrogation was starting, but hoping for some answers about what had happened, I rallied my courage and spoke. "Gregor, what happened during the power outage? I heard explosions and fighting. Where are Bree, Jason, and Mark? What have you done with them?"

  Gregor continued to pace slowly around me, quietly laughing under his breath, stopping just behind me, then leaning in by my left ear, whispering, "Neil, what a fool you are. Why do you care so much for them? They make you weak. Sentiment does not aid one to ascend to their higher purpose or consolidate power."

  "You think they make me weak? That having hope, love, and family are contemptible things? You are wrong! They make me a better person. Bree reminded me of that." I challenged.

  "Ah yes, Bree. I had believed she was a worthless orphan, yet she is more valuable than I previously surmised. She was exposed to Teragene, and survived. It is extremely rare for someone to have the right genetics to withstand such a prolonged exposure… without a myriad of scientists controlling such an experiment." Gregor mused, and then condescendingly responded in a forceful voice, "You think they make you strong... Really? You are so deluded. You believe there is actually hope for you? I suppose you already forgot your past, how you inherited so much wealth. On the planet of Fell, when you were sold by your father to serve at Count Mondragon's estate, you knew the laws of that planet. You would never amount to anything beyond your low-born class. Yet, here you are, a captain of industry with wealth, and power. While now having a considerably smaller Mondragon Industries Fleet, courtesy of Fenix…you retain your overall economic influence; something that has been, and will be of use to me."

  I felt sickened by the thought of what he meant, then replied, "What do you mean? What happened to my fleet?"

  Gregor responded, "Yes, when you were wasting your time on Mecca Prime with your long lost niece, Bree, Fenix blasted your Mondragon Industry freighters to hell. I wonder how many innocents died on those ships because of your lack of leadership, your mismanagement."

  My stomach turned and I felt chills, I knew every manager and director in the escort convoy that stayed in orbit while I was meeting Bree, Jason, Ell, and Mark on Mecca Prime. I tried not to be too attached to employees, yet I couldn't help but think about the families they left behind; the orphans who would be subjected to the same conditions that Bree had, all because their fathers or mothers never returned from space. I blamed myself for their needless deaths. All caused by my own selfish pursuits in my personal life. Maybe my judgment had been clouded. I never thought that pursuing family could carry such grave consequences.

  Gregor continued, "But at least their deaths were an indirect result of your scheming, your incompetence. On Fell however, Count Mondragon, along with the servant that you first met at the door when you were brought there, Taylor Everett, their deaths were a direct result of your unsavory nature. Even your own father died because of your resentment."

  How did Gregor know so many details of my history on Fell?! Those were things that I never told anyone... ever. He mu
st have been trying to twist my mind at this point, but I knew that they died because of my brother Philip, who along with my father I had allowed to stay in the abandoned portion of Count Mondragon’s estate. Without any hesitation, I lost my temper and responded, "You are a miserable liar! You shouldn’t know any of this... I would never have hurt any of them! It was Philip; I shouldn't have trusted him to be there with me."

  Gregor ignored my outburst and simply accessed a panel, inputting some commands. A hologram appeared in front of me. It depicted the outside of a formidable structure, "Neil, do you know what you are looking at?" I knew immediately and my stomach dropped. It was Gallworth Prison on the planet of Fell, a place I tried to forget. "Yes." I responded.

  "Then, you will enjoy the next part." Gregor then transitioned the picture to the dungeons of the prison; the confession chambers. It was horrific, how such things could be done to people in that prison… I started to look away. But then, there was a familiar face amongst the anguished prisoners, it was Philip.

  I finally looked downwards, responding, "I know, Philip went to Gallworth for killing my father and poisoning Count Mondragon. He even framed the Count's main servant for the crime."

  "Your perceptive powers astonish me Neil. But where is the servant? Hmm? No, the only one languishing in this record of confessions is your brother Philip. Now, watch, and as the saying usually goes, learn!" Gregor's attitude was still cold, but growing temperamental.

  The footage continued with a series of interrogation records. Each entry started with Philip's interrogator listing the start date that the interrogation began. It was always fifteen years earlier than when Philip should have been in prison for the murders. What was more confusing was the interrogator never mentioned my father or Count Mondragon. There were no questions about the lead servant, Taylor Everett, and his part in the murders. Rather, the questions were all about Philip’s misconduct; petty theft, gambling, and gang activity. That was all.