The Ruins of Arlandia Complete Series

by William Wood

  “Does that mean you’re going to leave?”

  “Yes,” Dev said. “Calvin said they’d drop me off, right after they get the next segment.”

  “Oh,” Wexton said. He sounded disappointed. Calvin followed their voices. He was mesmerized by the tiny planets, the vividness of the color. It felt like he was flying through space.

  “Hey, Calvin,” Dev said. “How’s it going? You left the palace to come down here with us lowly types?”

  “Yeah,” Calvin said with a smile. “What’re you guys doing?”

  “We were looking for our home planets on the star map.” Dev said. “Where’s yours Nils?”

  “Oh, I’m not sure,” Nils answered. “I don’t know what planet I’m from. I was told it was destroyed a long time ago, and my people were scattered. I was born on a ship, in a void between galaxies. I’ve been alone, wandering from place to place, struggling to stay alive. When I wasn’t searching for food and water, I was digging around in old junk yards looking for parts to keep my ship flying. I didn’t think I could go on anymore; it was almost a relief when the Goremog caught me. I was ready to die.”

  “Wow,” Dev said. “I don’t know what’s worse; knowing your planet was destroyed and having to live with those memories, or never having a home to begin with.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Wexton said. “That seems to be everyone’s destiny.”

  Calvin felt a pang of fear for his own world. “I’m afraid you’re probably right,” Calvin said. Then he wanted to change the subject. “Are you doing alright?”

  “Yeah,” Wexton said. “You were right. The Alerians are good people. They’ve been very good to all of us.”

  “I told you,” Calvin said. “I want to make sure you understand something. You know we’re going to be leaving soon, on Azure Frost. I didn’t want to assume you were all going with us. You don’t have to. You can stay here, with the Alerians.”

  “I’m going with you,” Dev said. “You’re still taking me to Ohniah Prime, right?”

  “Yes,” Calvin said. “That’s still the plan, after we get the fifth segment from the gas giant. Unless I can talk you in to staying. You’ve been very helpful. I’m not sure we could’ve made it through some of that without you.”

  Dev smiled. “I know, but my people need me. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s alright,” Calvin said. “I understand. I’d probably do the same thing.”

  “I’m going with you,” Wexton said. “I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

  “Good, how about you Nils?” Calvin asked.

  “I’ll go with you too,” Nils said. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. If there’s a chance what you’re doing will end this nightmare, I want to be part of it.”

  “Great,” Calvin said happily. “We’re all going, then.”

  Two days later, in the evening, Calvin and Astra were having dinner with the King and Queen. They had spent every evening together, but tonight was special; tomorrow at four in the morning they would arrive at Yelsha Four.

  It was as if the King had saved the best food for their last meal, and there was a lot of it. But their moods were subdued. Calvin was dreading the moment they would have to say goodbye to Fulton and Lady Tridara, mostly for the effect it would have on Astra. It was going to be difficult, not only for her; he was growing very fond of them.

  After dinner they went deeper into the private residence to a small comfortable sitting room and listened to music, talked, and relaxed. They sat by a fire, on soft couches and asked Calvin to tell them about New Arlandia. While he was describing the beauty and majesty of the capital city, two servants brought trays of drinks and desert.

  After desert, Commander Rale and Lieutenant Ne’rual joined them at Fulton’s request. They set up a holographic projector on a table in the center of the room. Rale hit the switch and a blue silver planet filled the front of the room. It was the gas giant; Yelsha Four. The image was crystal clear; Calvin wondered if it was a real time image. He could see the silver clouds drifting in the atmosphere.

  “My Lord Fulton asked us to come here and give you a briefing on our current situation,” Commander Rale said, looking at Calvin and Astra. “Some of this you already know, but I’m not sure if Lieutenant Range knows so I’ll give you everything. Defender and Aleria’s Hope are now the last surviving capital ships in the fleet. The Deccion, our third largest ship, a heavy destroyer, was lost two days ago trying to rendezvous with us. There were no survivors. Twenty-two Alerians and five hundred robots were killed. Sadly there are only seven hundred and twenty two of us left. We’re not running out of time anymore, we’re out of time. Our situation is extremely desperate. There’s a large Goremog fleet following us, made up of at least three battleships and one heavy carrier. Every time we drop out of hyperspace, within minutes they arrive and swarm us. But worse, each time it happens their fleet grows larger.”

  “This can’t be happening,” Astra said. “What happened?”

  “Two weeks ago we were patrolling the Axia system,” Lieutenant Ne’rual said. “That’s where we found Azure Frost. We spent a lot of time there, searching the area for clues about what might have happened to you. We were there too long, and the Goremog found us. It was just a scout, but we detected a signal, calling for reinforcements. The next time we came out of hyperspace, the scout was behind us, along with a light cruiser. They kept their distance. We should have destroyed them. Instead we chose to try and escape. But it was too late.”

  “I thought your ships can cloak,” Calvin said.

  “They can,” Commander Rale said. “But the Goremog have found a way past our cloak.”

  “What?” Astra gasped. “How?”

  “They bombard the area of space around us with a new weapon,” Fulton said. “When our shields come into contact with the radiation, our cloaking field fluctuates. The worst part is that the radiation is persistent; sticks to us like needle bush thistles. When we jump to hyperspace, they are able to see the direction we went, and have more ships ready to converge on us when we stop again.”

  “How did this happen?” Astra said, visibly shaken. “We don’t make mistakes like this.”

  “It was just luck for them,” Rale said. “Bad luck for us.”

  “Bad luck?” Astra said.

  “The scout found us while we were bringing Azure Frost aboard,” Fulton said. “They watched us tow the damaged ship into a cargo bay and disappear. That’s how they knew we were here. They were able, at that moment, to test their new weapon.”

  No one spoke for a while. The fire crackled softly. The holographic image of Yelsha Four floated quietly in the room. Calvin’s mind raced. Their greatest advantage, maybe their only advantage was the cloaking device; gone. What did that mean for the rest of the mission?

  “So there’s a fleet of Goremog ships following us, right now?” Calvin asked.

  “Yes,” Rale said flatly.

  “What are we going to do?” Astra asked.

  “Tomorrow morning,” Commander Rale said. “At three-thirty, you will be on board the Azure Frost, with engines and cloak engaged. As soon as we drop out of hyperspace you will exit the Defender and hide behind the gas giant.”

  “Sir,” Calvin said to King Fulton. “You told me that you were going to regroup in a secret location. How can you do that with the Goremog following you?”

  “When we emerge from hyperspace, the Defender will immediately depart the system. However; Aleria’s Hope will stay long enough for the Goremog fleet to arrive. When we re-enter hyperspace, they will see, and follow.”

  “You’re using Aleria’s Hope as bait.”

  “Yes,” Fulton said. “It’s the biggest ship we have, a target they won’t be able to resist. There are only two people on board, with nine thousand robots. Their sacrifice will save us from a massive space battle with the Goremog, one we can’t possibly win.”

  “We need you to stay cloaked,” Commander Rale continued. “And wait for them to leave. After
they’re gone, you can go after the fifth segment of the engine, eh, weapon.”

  Calvin looked at Rale, and started to say something, but Rale moved on. On the computer screen he zoomed in Yelsha Four, to a small gray shape floating in the atmosphere.

  “The research lab is located deep inside the atmosphere where the pressure is extreme. Collecting this segment is going to be very easy. Using a special radio code, you will remotely activate a large elevator pod, which is connected to a long tether. You will simply take the elevator to the base and load up the segment. We will give you all of the protocols you will need to do it. Don’t worry, the elevator is big enough to accommodate you and the segment. This is what you’re looking for.” The screen changed again to show a round sphere, with small spikes protruding from its center. “Any questions?” He looked at Astra and Calvin.

  “Sounds easy,” Calvin said to Astra. “What could possibly go wrong?”

  “Stop,” Astra said.

  “We’ve upgraded Azure Frost’s weapons; more than enough fire power than you’ll need.”

  “Yes, but please keep in mind your greatest asset is stealth,” King Fulton added. “Even with the new Goremog weapon, they have to get close enough to hit you with it. Stay out of the areas affected by its radiation.”

  “Your cloaking device and shields operate at the same time, to keep you invisible and protected,” Commander Rale added. “Azure Frost has the strongest shield generator we have ever made. Remember that. But if you get into a combat situation, run; get out of there.”

  They spent the rest of the evening listening to orchestra music from old days of Aleria, and drank special fruit drink, of a fruit that could only be found on Aleria. The King and Queen had been saving it, but decided it was time to drink it, given the days they were about to face were far from certain. That night, Calvin found it hard to sleep. His mind would just not stop.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX:

  HIDE AND SEEK

  Calvin’s alarm went off very early the next morning, but he was already awake, staring at the ceiling. He rolled over and looked at the clock. The red digital screen displayed 2:00. Why didn’t they spend the night on Azure Frost? Then he remembered, as of last night it was still being rebuilt. He sure hoped it was ready now. The Defender and Aleria’s Hope would exit hyperspace in exactly ninety minutes and the Goremog fleet would be right behind them. The timing had to be perfect if the plan was going to work.

  He didn’t waste any time getting showered and dressed. He was way too excited to be tired, even though he really hadn't slept; just drifted in and out of sleep all night.

  Calvin was hungry, so the first stop had to be the dining room. It wouldn't be right to resume the mission on an empty stomach, would it? Everyone except Astra was already there, with plates all over the table. Calvin got a big plate with his favorite breakfast, a cup of hot coffee and sat down next to Dev, who had saved him a seat. Calvin was nervous and could see the tension in everyone, but that didn't seem to affect their appetites.

  There wasn’t a lot of talking; just eating. At 2:45 they took the train to the main hangar bay.

  They found a large crowd of Alerians gathered near the Azure Frost, which sat in the middle of the cavernous bay. It was the most beautiful ship he’d ever seen, and it looked new; the fresh paint sparkled under the bright lights.

  Dread wasn’t exactly the right word for how he was feeling, but it was close; his heart ached. He and Astra had spent every evening in the royal residence with King Fulton and Queen Tridara. The feeling grew stronger every night. Saying goodbye this time was going to be very difficult. For some reason he couldn’t explain, there was sense of finality in the air, like this was the last time they were going to see them. Dev, Wexton, Nils, Petori and Freks slipped through the crowd easily and up the boarding ramp with little notice.

  The entire Alerian race, seven hundred and twenty people, minus the two that volunteered to lure the Goremog fleet away with Aleria’s Hope, was there. Many were crying.

  Calvin and Astra had made their way around to everyone until finally, at the bottom of the boarding ramp they reached her parents. Astra fell into their arms. They cried, and kissed each other good-bye. The King shook Calvin’s hand first but then embraced him tightly. Calvin kept his emotions in check until the Queen hugged him, and even he got caught up in the moment and cried.

  “Take care of my daughter,” The Queen whispered through tears.

  Looking into Queen Tridara’s eyes, Calvin said, “I will.” Calvin took Astra’s hand to let her know it was time to go, but he didn’t pull or say anything. She reluctantly stepped back and whispered goodbye. The crowd moved away from the ship. Calvin and Astra walked up the boarding ramp hand in hand. Astra looked back one last time before the ramp closed with a loud hiss and click.

  Without a word, Astra followed Calvin to the bridge. Astra sat in the right seat and Calvin in the left. Even the seat harness felt different. When he pulled it down across his chest it connected itself on both sides and tightened automatically. It felt good to be back in the pilot’s chair. The seat was more comfortable than the old one; everything smelled new.

  Ion was already there, sitting at the main computer terminal near the door. Calvin turned to Astra. She was looking at him and touched his arm.

  “Let’s go,” she said.

  “Preflight is complete sir,” Ion reported.

  “OK, start the engines,” Calvin said. “Yes sir.”

  The instruments lit up and the computer screens glowed to life. The engines began to vibrate. The ship’s computer read 3:28. Two minutes to go. Calvin felt a surge of excitement. They were going out again. This was it; the big moment. The massive hangar bay doors slowly began to open. A purple glow surrounded the edges. The beautiful blue storm that was the hyper drive effect filled the view ahead. No matter how many times he saw it he was mesmerized each time. Through that he caught glimpses of elongated lights that he knew were stars. Calvin watched the dials and gauges, when the engines were at full power, he raised the shields and activated the cloak.

  There was a brief hum and vibration. Calvin wished there was a way to verify they were invisible.

  “Looking good,” a voice said over the comm system. “Your cloak is working perfectly. I can’t see you on the scanner, or with my eyes.” That made Calvin feel better. He hated taking the computer’s word for it.

  “Stand by, Azure Frost.” The voice said over the comm system. “We’re exiting hyperspace, now.” As they watched, the blue hyper drive cloud dissipated and the stars suddenly returned to normal.

  Calvin put his hands on the maneuvering thruster controls, but hesitated. He could feel the eyes of every Alerian on him and wanted the takeoff to be perfect. He gently increased power and the Frost floated five feet into the air.

  He pushed the throttle forward and Azure Frost glided out into the blackness of space. Calvin smiled uncontrollably.

  “Good bye and good luck,” King Fulton’s voice floated over the speakers.

  “We love you,” The Queen said.

  “Good bye,” Astra said, wiping her eyes.

  “We’ll see you later,” Calvin said, wondering if they would.

  He looked at the short range scanner. The screen was clear. The only thing he saw was the bright red sun and four planets of the solar system; no ships. He was confused for a second until he realized all the Alerian space ships were cloaked.

  Astra set one of the large monitors to long range-sensors. Calvin felt a pang of terror. Dozens of red dots moved very quickly down a hyperspace corridor towards them.

  “Calvin, what are you waiting for, get us out of here!” Astra said sharply. Calvin jabbed the throttle forward. If the ship had not been equipped with inertia dampeners, they would have been flattened against the backs of their chairs. Azure Frost sped toward a large silver sphere. He was impressed with how responsive the controls were. He could feel the power at his fingertips, like the ship was urging him to go faster.


  “Sir,” Ion said. “I recommend you take us behind the gas giant as quickly as possible. The Goremog are likely to bombard the system with radiation as soon as they drop out of hyper space."

  “OK,” Calvin said. “Too bad we can’t see the other ships. How will we know when they jump to hyperspace?”

  “We can see them,” Astra said. “Well, we can see their transponder. All I have to do is modify the sensors.”

  Suddenly the short range sensor view changed to show silhouettes of two massive warships. Defender was turning ninety degrees to starboard. Aleria’s Hope had moved off across the system, heading towards the other side.

  “There we go,” Astra said.

  “I don’t understand,” Calvin said. “How can it be that easy to detect your ships when they’re cloaked?”

  “Our transponders don’t broadcast a signal,” Astra explained. “So they’re not transponders, exactly. They’re more like markers. The computer generates a tiny holographic chemical element; something that could never exist in space. Our sensors are calibrated to look for it. It’s so tiny no sensors could ever detect it unless they were looking for it.”

  “The Goremog fleet will arrive in ninety-four seconds,” Ion said.

  “Defender, what're you waiting for!” Astra snapped.

  “Stand by,” A voice said. “We’re preparing to enter hyper space.”

  "You better hurry,” Astra said angrily. The seconds ticked by slowly. One minute felt like a lifetime. Defender jumped into hyperspace with ten seconds to spare, much to Calvin’s relief.

  Suddenly a storm of lights erupted on the far end of the system, and one by one small and large Goremog ships began to appear, and emerge from dissipating hype-space clouds. Calvin was shocked and held his breath. The enemy fleet was huge. There were more ships than he could count.

  “One, two, no, three heavy carriers,” Astra said. “Four battleships, sixteen heavy destroyers, thirty two frigates. Oh my, seventyfive corvettes. Wow.”