by Saxon Andrew
“You just scared me.”
Rachel stared at the freighter and said, “Follow me.” Rachel picked up speed and moved in over the giant drives on the rear of the transport and moved between the two giant rear stabilizers. She gently landed between them and the others landed around her. “How did you know we could move inside their stardrive field?” Hope asked.
Rachel rolled her eyes, “I’m insane. They’ve turned off the field’s grey color and I didn’t even think about it being there.”
“Well, now we know!” Ayet replied.
Rachel shook her head. She had to get out of this lethargy and get sharp. She could have blown the mission with the last stunt. “Yeah, I guess we do. We’re going to ride this beast to the planet before we jump off.”
“Do you think this is the Mercenary’s main digs, Rach?”
Rachel shrugged, “If it’s not, Hope, we’ve got our work cut out to find it.”
“I think this is it.”
“Why do you think that, Spring?”
“Look at that planet on the optical; it’s at least twice the size of Earth and the Commodore says they probably come from a high-gravity planet.”
Rachel looked into the optical eyepiece and nodded, “You’re right, and the amount of pollution around the planet looks dense. It must have a large industrial base.”
“The thickest pollution is only around the equator and it thins toward the poles. How are we going to see if this is the right planet? The optical scopes won’t work through the pollution and we better not scan the planet,” John replied.
“We’re going to have to go down and take a look.”
“I don’t know about that Ayet. Let’s see if we can see anything below the pollution band before we do that.”
“Rachel.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve been thinking about the Mercenaries using another species to defend their planet.”
“And, Ayet?”
“According to my fish-friend’s father, they rent out their warships to defend other planets. I think it would hurt their image to call in another species to defend them and I just don’t see them doing it. Why would a planet hire them if they could hire the ones the Mercenaries hire? I also think they’re pretty arrogant and would not believe they would need anyone else.”
“But there are species in their civilization that have the ability to be unseen.”
Ayet shrugged, “I really believe they wouldn’t use them under any circumstance; it would diminish their reputation. They have to appear to be able to take on anyone and anything.”
“I’ve done some reading about how guilds worked on Earth before the fall and I think the only ones who could defend another planet would be limited to membership in the Mercenaries. Guilds were sort of given a monopoly over different areas of an economy.”
“You read a lot, Hope!”
“Thank you, Spring.”
“I hope you’re right about that. The numbers of White Ships are increasing by the minute.”
The giant transport arrived 200,000 miles out from the planet and its drive-field disappeared. “Stay here!” Rachel commanded and when it was 25,000 miles out from the planet she ordered, “Lift your Striker’s gently and hold formation here.” The five grey Strikers rose from the Transport’s hull as it moved away from them.
Rachel said, “I’m going to follow the Transport down to the planet and look for the main guild building.”
“No, you’re not, Rachel.” Rachel’s eyes narrowed and Ayet said, “You’re expecting a child and you will not put yourself and your baby in that danger!”
“How do you…”
“We can all feel it, Rachel,” Hope interrupted. “You will command us but we will take the risks. You know Ayet is right about this.”
“Why would I be any different?”
“Because if one of us dies here, your baby will take their place in this conflict,” Ayet answered. I’ll follow it in, I’m the next oldest.” Rachel shook her head as Ayet’s Striker moved out behind the transport.
“I should be doing this!!”
“Rachel, Alex told us before we left to try and protect you; he believed you would try to take unnecessary risks. We all know you’re a warrior at heart but you have to think about your responsibility as a mother.” John hesitated and said, “You know we’re right.”
• • •
Ayet flew through the thick cloud layer close behind the transport and marveled at the colors of the clouds. They went from red to blue to yellow and orange. This wasn’t pollution but was a natural phenomenon of the planet. The transport was blowing the clouds around as it passed through them and he stayed inside the wash it was creating. After thirty-minutes, the transport left the clouds with Ayet right behind it. He lifted his communicator, but decided not to use it. He wasn’t certain the others would hear him this far away or if his transmissions would be detected. He began recording into his computer’s database and set it to send if power was interrupted.
“Guys, you won’t believe what is below the cloud layer, and by the way, it’s not pollution but a natural feature of the planet. I can see volcanoes in the distance spewing multicolored smoke from their tops. I came out of the clouds directly above a spaceport that is staggering. It covers all of the land below me as far as I can see. I hope the recording I’m making gives you an idea of its size. The numbers of transports and white ships on the ground is…uncountable. If there is a Guild Center here, it’s not located at this space port. I’m moving around the planet to see if I can find it.”
Ayet paused the recording and began moving away from the space port just below the cloud layer. He started recording again, “I’ve moved beyond the space port and all I’m seeing are giant warehouses and factory complexes. I can see farm land in the distance but the majority of the planet’s surface on this side is covered with a vast military complex of buildings. So far, I’ve not seen anything that would be a Guild Governmental Building.” He paused it again and continued moving over the planet’s surface. He arrived on the dark side of the planet and was wondering if this was where the Mercenary Guild had their government. He couldn’t see much as he moved around the planet but did see a bright light in the distance. He changed course and started moving toward it.
The dark side was covered with lights from the factory buildings but not enough to get a good look at them. As he approached the bright light, his head went back. A giant structure, with hundreds of giant white columns around it, appeared. He slowed and stared at it. It was larger than any building he had ever seen on Earth. Even the giant pyramid was smaller. It covered more than a five-square-mile area and was incredibly beautiful. This had to be where the Mercenary’s Leaders were located.
He added the view of the building to his optical recordings and knew his family had to be worried about him. He looked up at the cloud layer and instantly moved his striker. A huge transport came out of the clouds and turned toward the space port; it moved through the spot he was just located. He saw the clouds swirling wildly where it exited and he knew he was in trouble. They couldn’t see him…but they could see the turbulence of clouds being moved by ships passing through it. The Transport had hidden him on the way in but he would have to wait for another one to lift to leave. That wasn’t going to happen if the building below him was attacked. His brother and sisters would be in great danger if they tried to move through the layer of clouds to the planet’s surface.
He activated the recorder and said, “I don’t see any way to avoid their sensors if you move through the cloud layer. I’ve seen thousands of dishes all over the surface of this planet pointed toward the sky and they have complete coverage of anything moving through the clouds toward the surface. You’ll be seen and lose the advantage of being invisible. I believe getting one ship out will be safer than all of us attempting to escape. I’m waiting until sunrise and, at that point, I’m going to attack this structure. I’m also removing my invisibility during the attack so as no
t to reveal we have it to use against them. If I make it out of the clouds, I’ll use it again. I hope this is the best decision but I have to make it based of the information I have at hand. If, by some chance, I don’t make it, tell Mom and Dad I love them very much and I also love all of you more than I can express. I also want you to go and tell my little fish friend that I’m sorry I won’t be able to visit again. I love you.” Ayet moved to just below the clouds and circled the building.
• • •
Sunrise came and was incredibly beautiful The light reflected off the multi-colored clouds lighting up the surface with incredible colors. Almost immediately, thousands of small surface vehicles began arriving at the giant building and parked at large concrete parking lots scattered around the building. Ayet used his optical system to look at the incoming traffic and shook his head, “Not yet.”
• • •
“WHAT’S HE DOING?!”
“Calm down, Hope! He’s moving around the planet looking for the Mercenaries’ center of government. If he gets into trouble, he’ll contact us.”
Hope fell back in her chair and shook her head, patience was not one of her strong-suits.
• • •
Two-hours after sunrise, Ayet saw a huge vehicle appear and move to the front of the structure, where it stopped just outside two giant doors. A huge creature exited the vehicle and walked up the stairs as another large air-vehicle came over the horizon and stopped in front of the building. Ayet trained his scopes on the creature that exited and he began typing on his keyboard. A moment later he heard, “That is the being who was on the surviving transport’s transmissions.”
Ayet sighed, now it was time. He moved his Striker several miles beyond the building and turned. The giant structure was end on to his approach and he moved slightly into the lower edge of the clouds. He activated his Rail-Guns and Cannon as he made a quick check of the weapons system…everything showed up green.
• • •
The Supreme Guild Master was furious. The idiot that he sent to find the two missing ships approached his huge chair with is head lowered. GOOD! He knew he had failed miserably. The Guild Master opened his mouth to report, when a giant ripping noise filled the room.
• • •
Rachel yelled, “GET OUT OF HERE!!” The four invisible Strikers turned and flew at maximum acceleration directly away from the position they were holding as thousands of white ships roared past their formation and disappeared into the clouds. They were all shocked and Hope screamed, “AYET IS CAUSING THIS!”
Rachel yelled, “FOLLOW ME IN!!”
John screamed, “DON’T DO IT!!” The Strikers stayed in place and John said, “They’ll be able to see our turbulence if we move into the cloud layer!” Thousands and thousands of White Ships were pouring into the cloud layer all around the planet and Rachel fell back in her chair as she saw the massive turbulence in the clouds they caused. “Ayet must have seen we’d be detected if we went in without something to mask our movements through the clouds. He is acting on that realization.”
Rachel sighed, “You’re right, Spring.”
• • •
Ayet removed his invisibility and accelerated out of the clouds and moved to six-hundred-feet as he flew in on the giant structure. He pulled the triggers on his control lever and kept them pulled as he arrived at the east-end of the beautiful building and the structure began disintegrating. The balls made a hellacious noise as they broke the sound barrier and tore into the east-end of the building. The noise grew in intensity as he flew over the building and he sighted his center Rail-Cannon over the building’s center. He didn’t rush, he took his time, and nothing remained standing as he passed over it. He held his course and saw that there was no need for a second pass…the once beautiful structure was in ruins and flames were starting to consume the rubble.
Ayet jerked the control lever and went to maximum acceleration toward the clouds. He surprised the first White Ships to arrive at the scene and blew past them. They immediately turned behind him and the chase was on. He entered the cloud layer and twisted the Striker to the left, twenty White Ships were bearing down of him from directly above and he managed to twist the striker out of their path and pass them. But more were coming and they could see the turbulence his Striker was making in the clouds. Three White Ships tried to ram him but he was barely able to turn away in time. And still more White Ships roared in around him. He sighed and pressed the send button on the recorder. He turned vertical and opened fire with all three Rail-Weapons hoping to blow everything out of his path. His guns quit firing after ten seconds. He had exhausted his ammunition. He had used most of it attacking the building.
He knew he couldn’t allow the Striker to fall into their hands and he did a thirty-five-G turn as eight White Ships flew in on him at a speed he couldn’t avoid. He quietly said, “I’m sorry Ayet. Then he said, “Self-Destruct!” The Grey Striker blew up in a massive explosion taking out twenty-White Ships bearing down on him and sending the clouds roaring away.
Ayet’s recording was received by his family and they listened to it as thousands of white ships continued to pour into the cloud layer. Suddenly, the cloud layer was ripped apart by a giant explosion; Rachel was crying as she said, “Let’s go home.”
• • •
The Supreme Guild Master and thirty-thousand other Urriks died in the attack. That was not the worst of it. The Guild Master that led the attack at Earth had taken the data-disc from the transport’s computer without making a copy. He was challenged by his son, who quickly gave it up when he saw his father’s expression.
The pilots that fought in the battle at Earth were questioned about what happened but Urrik Pilots don’t have the language to answer anything but extremely simple questions. The questioning sessions sounded like:
“What can you tell me about your mission?”
“They were fast.”
“How fast?”
“They were fast.”
“What kind of weapons did they have?”
“Bad ones.”
“Were they beams?”
“They were bad.”
“WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME!?!”
“They were fast.”
“How many of them were there?”
“A lot.”
“More than a thousand?
“A lot.”
And so, it went. The Scanner Craftsman on the transport could have helped but the Guild Master killed him in a fit of rage on the way back for asking a simple question. All the data he collected was on the Disc the Guild Master took to his meeting with the Supreme Master. That disc was hit dead center by a cannon round while the Guild Master was holding it. Nothing remained of either. Pieces of the Supreme Guild Master were found but no one could determine what part of his body they came from. To make matters worse, the stardrive had been emptied of its data to record the disc and the data had not been replaced.
The Guild Masters scattered around the Guild Civilization began moving to take control of the Guild and infighting became rampant immediately.
• • •
Jester and Jokie were on scout duty and Jokie jerked her head up, “Four Strikers have just appeared on the scope.”
“Four?”
Jokie looked in the eyepiece again and looked up, “Four.” Jester sighed and Jokie said, “What?”
“I was told to keep my eyes out for five Strikers that left on their mission.”
Jokie grabbed her throat and said, “One of them saved me at least three times!”
“They saved me as well. We’re going to report this to the next scout. We’ll come back afterwards.”
“Will we leave Earth unprotected if we leave?”
“If there was a danger, they wouldn’t have stopped being invisible. The Director should know about this.” Jester turned the scout and accelerated to full speed.
• • •
Ed learned that the Carpenter Children were returning and he jumped up from the tab
le. What’s going on?” Jillian asked.
“The kids are due to arrive shortly.” Jillian jumped up and rushed out behind him. They arrived at the launch cave and waited for the familiar sound of approaching Strikers. Jillian saw Ed close his eyes. He opened them and said, “There are less than five.” Jillian listened closely but couldn’t determine how many were approaching. A moment later, Jimmy, Summer, and Alex rushed into the cave. Summer was crying and Jimmy had a steely expression. The four strikers turned a corner and began slowly moving in. Ed blew out a breath, “Ayet’s striker isn’t with them.”
Jillian’s eyes narrowed as she said, “Do you know the numbers on all of our Strikers?”
Ed continued to stare at the four Strikers and said, “Don’t you?” Jillian knew at that moment that Ed was completely back in the land of the living. He worried about every ship in his command.
The four Strikers landed and Rachel was the first to climb out. Summer ran forward and embraced her just as Alex joined them. “Mom, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Jimmy looked at her and Rachel said with tears falling down her face, “Ayet…” She dropped her eyes into Summer’s shoulder and wept. Jimmy’s eyes closed and he shook his shoulders. He opened them with a firm expression and went to Hope, who had just climbed out of her Striker. He embraced her as she broke down. John and Spring climbed out and Summer ran to them as Alex embraced Rachel. Summer hugged them and felt her heart breaking with theirs.
• • •
Ed stared at them and Jillian reached over and held his hand. Ed nodded toward the Carpenters and said, “That is what love looks like.” Jillian nodded. Ed turned to her and said, “Jillian, I love you.” He turned back to the Carpenters and Jillian squeezed his hand; the big lug-nut had beaten her to saying it!
Chapter Thirteen
Spring swam through the lagoon and she saw one of the aliens come toward her at an extraordinary speed. It arrived and came to a stop, “I’m sorry. I thought you were Ayet.”