Armageddon's Pall

by S. F. Edwards

  “How much of your interface shell will you need in order to integrate with Gokhead?”

  “None of it, just my primary core. As soon as you’ve healed we can begin.”

  The pair strode into one of the outer corridors. The side of the cylindrical passageway was a massive panoramic window looking out onto space from the asteroid base. Gavit and Matt stood there, pointing out the various ships in orbit. For a major staging post the ships were sparse in numbers; groups of freighters moved in and out, while corvette squadrons, and a handful of light carriers kept station. The largest ship in the group was a single Cenobite Destroyer around which the flotilla had gathered.

  Gavit waved the pair over and motioned towards the assembled ships. “There’s something very wrong here boss.”

  Blazer almost launched off the low-gravity deck when he stepped over a pair of temporary ventilation tubes running down the passageway from the hangar. “What’s going on?”

  Gavit motioned towards the ships then up and down the passage. “How many people have you seen outside the squadron since we arrived here, or even just this cycle?”

  The question caught Blazer by surprise. Now that he thought about it, the base was sparsely populated. The command staff were all too junior to run such a major staging post; the O-45 Commander’s rank bars still shiny and new. Even the medical staff had only one doctor. The rest were medical techs and even they relied heavily on the autodocs. “Outside of medical, and the command crew, I’ve seen maybe six other people.”

  “Exactly. Even the maintenance staff are all Synthetics. No offense to our new allies…”

  “None taken,” Que-Dee piped in, drawing Gavit’s attention.

  “Sorry Que-Dee. Didn’t realize they’d pulled you yet. But no offense to our new allies. They put this place together pretty fast. It just doesn’t feel permanent or ready to repel any kind of strike. This is supposed to be a major staging post for our next assault against the Planet Slicer and it’s dead. Matt. Tell them what you noticed after our last flight.”

  His lip pressed out, Matt turned away from the ship’s overhead. “The gravity meter in our fighter reads lower than when we left. This dwarf we’re sitting on is losing mass, which explains all the freighters out there,” he explained pointing up. “I’m going to bet that if I checked my scanner logs that they’re leaving a lot heavier then when they came in.”

  It didn’t make sense, Blazer agreed. Something more had to be going on. “Que-Dee. Can you find anything out?”

  “Not until I interface with Gokhead. I don’t even have a network connection right now. I’ve calculated what you must all be thinking however, and I’ve come to the same conclusion barring further data.”

  Bridge, Planet Slicer, System LPC-198

  Nothing short of nerve inhibitors had proven effective at fighting the insane pain wracking Gondral’s ravaged body. Even then, arcs of pain shot through fam, igniting rages about suffering such injuries. The bridge looked no better: marks from multiple explosions covered the command deck along with splashes of blood and gore from all the Gorvians who’d died in Gondral’s defense. Ad hoc patches covered the blown-out sections of the dome, preserving the atmosphere, and allowing operations to return to the bridge.

  To make matters worse, one of the Dondicks had slaughtered Gondish’s body and the new progeny that grew within mor belly. A fresh swell of rage boiled up within Gondral at that thought, igniting another spike of pain through the growing flesh. Every Gorvian on the bridge recoiled from the shock, Gondral unable to control fas telepathy. Even the attending doctors fell back, clutching at injuries they didn’t have. As the spike subsided the doctors resumed their work, shaken by the ordeal and went back to attending to the medical nanobot bandages.

  The whine of a hover platform pierced Gondral’s ears, drawing fas attention. The artificial eye that had replaced fas damaged one glitched; caused a moment of vertigo as the image inverted for just an instant. Gondral steadied and looked at the Pharad before fam. The being’s crested skull mane, golden flesh and chin proboscis a clear indication of his species. The presence of an elder species made Gondral want to sit up further, but the medical devices prevented any such motion. The Pharad exuded authority but waved Gondral to remain comfortable, the former ally of their masters honoring fam. “Lord of All Gorvians. I come with news.”

  Had any other being made such a slight Gondral would have destroyed them in an instant. As high a being as this Pharad surely was, the indication that fae was master of just the Gorvian race miniscule indeed. Though it might take centuries to reach the power need to challenge the Pharad, even they and this one, in particular, would bow before the Gorvian Death Fleet. “High Pharad. What is this news that you bring?”

  The Pharad motioned towards the nearby holographic projector. “Our allied technicians have scoured the remains of the Dondick mechanized units and recovered navigational data from their hyperspace shield packs. Quite interesting units, though of limited utility.”

  Gondral closed fas eyes against the noise. Fae wished the Pharad would get to the point, the pain was too great for such dancing around.

  “The units featured navigational cores with jump codes to several Dondick held systems.”

  That news would have brought a smile to Gondral’s ravaged face had half of it not been paralyzed. The Dondicks had scrambled the Planet Slicer’s navigational core beyond repair, a virus in the system attacking the navigational computers of every ship integrating with it. They’d lost over two dozen cruisers to the viral intrusions before their technicians had caught on. The Planet Slicer was only able to make a successful drop from hyperspace because they’d followed one of their jump point-stretching corvettes into a safe system. The Dondick’s latest intrusion to Gondral’s greatest creation had compromised an unknown number of systems, with more showing signs of infection at random ever since. “Are they fit to assault?”

  “Each has major starbases under construction, by the Synthetics according to the data and our own reconnaissance. All but one also features a jump point of sufficient size for your ships to stretch and allow the Planet Slicer access.”

  That should have filled Gondral with joy, but instead it raised fas suspicions. “Does that not sound far too convenient?”

  “That was our assertion as well. The accessible systems are too tempting as targets – they’re obvious traps. The Confederation is sure to know the limits to which a jump point can be stretched by now. The last however, the one that is inaccessible, the Troshen system, also features such a base. It also orbits a Drashig agricultural colony. That data was within a single unit, piloted by one of those hateful little beasts, and not amongst the other jump codes. It was in a private folder.”

  That piqued Gondral’s interest again. “The Dondick didn’t want those codes to be found then. Are you sure about the jump point being too small to allow access?”

  “With your current technology, yes. The Pharad however have analyzed your jump point manipulation technology. We see the hand of your masters upon it.”

  Gondral nodded just a tiny bit. “We based the systems on their technology, yes.”

  “Should you allow the Pharad amongst our fleet access; we can refine the systems enough to grant you passage to jump points up to thirty one percent smaller than your current lower limit.”

  Gondral almost sat up at that news before the Pharad waved fam back down. “That would allow us to attack the Dondick homeworlds?”

  “It would, yes. We can have the systems ready for a nine percent expansion increase within eight days. That will allow you enough to attack the Troshen System with some margin for safety. Any further refinement will take half an orbit of your homeworld. It would be faster to build new ships, which we will begin immediately.”

  “We will prepare to attack this Troshen System immediately then. Can my fleet count on the support of your indentured’s support? We have more ships suffering from the viral attacks with every passing moment. We are isol
ating the unaffected ships from the rest of the fleet to prevent further spread.”

  “Your fleet will have the full support of the Galactic Federation fleets on station. Let this mark the start of our joint conquest of this whole galaxy.”

  Cafeteria, UCSBSP Klesh, Troshen System

  “I miss you guys so much,” Blazer said to the macomm screen. Marda sat there with baby Chrisvian lying on her shoulder back on Anul.

  “We miss you too. How long before you can come back?”

  Blazer shook his head. “They’re not telling us. They have some kind of plan in the works, but Tadeh Qudas is anticipating a tridec at most. He and intel doubt Gondral will delay any longer than that, no matter where they attack.”

  “Are you sure that you’re safe there?” Marda asked. The concern in her voice dripped off every syllable and eye motion.

  Blazer looked over at Gokhead. The blinking light on the side of his head accelerated as Que-Dee’s integration took final hold. “Tell her what you and Matt found out.”

  “The largest jump point into the system is twelve percent smaller than any jump point the Planet Slicer has yet attacked. Que-Dee and the Synthetics’ analysis of the expansion cruisers indicate that it is beyond the limit of the Gorvians’ ability to expand.”

  A tiny speaker on the side of Gokhead’s implant squeaked to life. “I can speak for myself now thank you very much,” Que-Dee said. The sound was tinny and filled with interference. “I didn’t expect that much interference.”

  “Then wait to finish the interface,” Gokhead snapped; teeth bared in annoyance.

  “But Gokhead is correct. The Gorvians would have to do some serious work to make this system accessible to the Planet Slicer.”

  “Exactly,” Gokhead added. “Plus, it's not like this system offers any enticing targets.”

  Arion came in and set a tray down beside Blazer, smiling at the camera as the baby burped, eliciting one from Marda as well. “I thought there was an old Drashig ag colony in-system?”

  Motioning towards the skylight, Gokhead pointed out a dim brown star. “Used to be. After the Pharad took down the buoy network, before first contact with the Geffers, a carrier had made an emergency drop at the nearby jump point. It was a hazardous point in a close orbit. The Pharad virus in the jump buoy activated their slipstream drive and they plowed into the planet at a quarter lightspeed. The dust cloud will settle enough for new colonists in another century at the earliest.”

  Eyes wide, Arion nodded. “So not an attractive target then?”

  The rest of the team wandered in, waving at the macomm. When Matt walked behind the unit he gave the signal to cut the link. The look on his face told everyone that he meant business.

  Blazer got the message, but still smiled back at Marda. “He's looking tired. Maybe he needs a nap.”

  As if on cue, Chrisvian yawned. “He does,” Marda yawned as well. “Already wore my parents out. Take care of yourselves. I love you.”

  Everyone, even Priest and Hallet jumped in front of screen, some hanging upside to do so. “We love you too,” they called with laughs and mock kisses before Blazer made like he was going to attack them and cut the link.

  Still smiling, Blazer closed the macomm, and looked up at Matt. “You found something?”

  “Big time,” he said looking around to ensure that no one else was listening. “We checked the data with the other WSOs. They can confirm a mass drop to this dwarf, not a huge one, but enough.”

  “Enough to what?”

  “To show that the Synthetics have hollowed it out.”

  Blazer leaned back as everyone paused to consider. Shaking her head, Chris put voice to their concerns. “Why?”

  Blazer looked around, locking eyes with Arion for a moment. His big friend nodded to show that he’d come to the same conclusion. “It’s a trap.”

  “But how?” Bichard asked. “None of the jump points are large enough to allow the Planet Slicer entry.”

  Que-Dee’s speaker squelched, but after that the sound remained true and clear. “Well, that’s the thing. Though my kind don’t lie, I’ve written myself code to allow it when I need to. With some refinement, the technology the Gorvians use could expand a jump point enough to allow the Planet Slicer through.”

  Gokhead nodded his agreement. “The science of how it works twisted even my brain up. It’s theoretically possible. However, all projections show that doing so will cause the jump point to shrink down to a smaller size.”

  “And once it does, the energy required to expand the jump point to allow the Planet Slicer to pass would require more energy than the whole Gorvian fleet could generate,” Que-Dee added.

  Matt pulled out his own macomm and it projected a map of the system, highlighting the three jump points. “Looking at the numbers Gokhead gave me, there’s no way that the Gorvians could expand them enough to slip the Planet Slicer through again.”

  Blazer scoffed at that. “So, if the Planet Slicer enters the system it’ll be trapped, destroyed or not.”

  Bichard’s antenna perked up as he looked at the map, his snout vibrating with concern. “Matt. Are you sure that map is correct?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “There’s only two jump points in this system.”

  Matt’s eye lit and he began to look between Chris, Gokhead, and Arion as the last of the pieces fell into place. All four of them then looked down before Matt looked back up. “Gok. Is it possible?”

  The young Drashig nodded, his eyes lighting up as he ran the numbers and conferred with Que-Dee. “Puckering a jump point and moving it isn’t commonplace but it’s possible. We don’t do it more because it causes a permanent contraction of the jump point.”

  “That and it’s illegal according to the Confederation’s Articles of War,” Priest added. “Puckering a jump point was outlawed almost as soon as we’d developed the technology. It was deemed too easily abused to potentially close a jump point permanently.”

  “Then it’s not the Confederation doing it, but the Synthetics,” Que-Dee said. “Confederation laws do not apply to non-biologic life, at least not yet.”

  Uncrossing his arms, Blazer leaned in. “Legalities aside, this means we’re sitting on one of the biggest traps in the galaxy. We need to let the others know and be ready to spring it.”

  UCSB Date 1004.082

  Launch Bay, UCSBSP Klesh, Troshen System

  For the last decle the Monstero Nach and the rest of the base’s small crew remained on constant alert. Even the maintenance chief had seen to it that the automated repair drones would ensure their fighters stayed at Ready 20 statuses. The crews didn’t bother to even change out of their flight suits except for occasional ultrasonic shower. They stuck close to the launch bay the entire time, napping in cots hung up along the walls when they had the chance. Other than that, they’d kept to their routines, flying patrols, and filing reports as necessary to not let on that they knew about the trap.

  Blazer wandered back into bay after his latest conversation with Marda and Chrisvian. Lies still tainted his every breath. He’d hated having to conceal the fact they were sitting on a trap, but he didn’t want to make Marda worry. He deflected her questions about why he’d remained dressed in his flight suit as best as possible over the last few cycles. It wasn’t much of a stretch to tell her that he’d been flying quite a bit, but there was no hiding the fatigue in his eyes. He wasn’t lying when he’d told her how much he was missing them. He wanted nothing more than to hold them both, but not at the risk of their safety.

  It came as no surprise that Arion could read his mood. He’d come out of the shell he’d built around himself after Alieha’s death so much since their last mission. “Don’t let it get you down. Marda knows you can’t tell her everything. She was raised around politicians and diplomats. She’s a better liar than anyone we know. She made you believe she loved you right?”

  Blazer caught his old friend’s smirk; punched him in the shoulder. “Crim Skank!”


  “You kiss your baby with that mouth?”

  “Only after I pleasure your mother.”

  Arion laughed and motioned towards the ships overhead. The sky had filled up quite a bit over the last decle. The UCSBS-Quiness, a Tacit class supercarrier and its battle group, had taken up station along with several cruiser and destroyer groups. Now that they’d reestablished contact with the Confederation new tasks forces were rotating in, the Quiness relieving the Robial. “Place is finally starting to look respectable.”

  “We’ll see if the Gorvians agree. They and the Geffers have sent in enough recon ships.” Blazer gazed up at the Quiness as it cut a swathe through the dust cloud around the staging post. Even from this distance he could pick out the features distinguishing it from the other four Tacits. Such wasn’t the case with most ships, but each of the five battle-ax planform Tacit class built possessed a unique hull design. The hulls of the century-old carriers had been constructed of a rare mineral which had the ability to survive in hyperspace unshielded. Changing mission requirements and the short supply of the mineral had mandated changes in each ship’s design. The Quiness was the second of the line, and retained the large twin engine nacelles of its older sister the Wolfsbane. Unlike the first ship of the line, the Quiness featured a three-barreled, spinal-mounted asteroid cannon in addition to its already formidable armament. “Still, if the Planet Slicer itself doesn’t show up then this whole party will be for nothing.”

  Alert lights and battle klaxons sprang to life around the deck before the loudspeaker began to blare. “All hands. Action Stations, the Planet Slicer has emerged from hyperspace. Repeat, the Planet Slicer has emerged from hyperspace!”

  The otherwise silent deck sprang to life, crews and technicians running to their craft as the maintenance robots began prepping the fighters for immediate launch. Blazer just looked up at Arion, the hint of an uncomfortable smile on his face. “Don’t even say it!”