by Mark Iles
“That’s right. A.O.W. ships are now arriving in large numbers. It appears the Commander-in-Chief is building a fleet ready to attack one of the ForeRunner worlds. Enough ships will remain behind to protect this system, including Vampyre when she’s ready. You’ll remain in command of her for the time being but keep her docked landside until needed; things are crowded enough up there as it is. I also want you down here keeping an eye on the search teams. Lieutenant Roberts is doing a good job and has things under control, but I want you running things just in case something goes wrong. We need to keep the Lenars and the Queen sweet.”
“Until when, the end of the war? Roberts is more than capable, she doesn’t need me peering over her shoulder.”
“This isn’t a choice, Commander. You follow orders, the same as I do. You’re an important liaison between the Lenars and the Regiments, and with the people of Capulet too. They trust you and while I agree that you and the Queen may not get on brilliantly, at least you respect each other and know where you stand.”
“I’d like to stand on her throat, as I’m sure you well know.”
“Be that as it may, the decision’s been made. You’re staying here and will be in command in my absence. Yes, I’ve been assigned to the fleet.”
Selena found herself gritting her teeth, a bad habit she’d picked up. Changing the subject, she said, “Acknowledged and good luck, I hope it all goes well. How big a fleet are we talking?”
“Difficult to say. We’ll be fielding at least four hundred A.O.W. ships, the Manta thirty-five or so, the Jellies … well. Their damn ships keep splitting up, so how the hell are we supposed to know? One moment we could have three ships the size of a planet, the next twenty or thirty more moon-sized ones – and then of course, how big is a moon?
“The Jellies have given us knowledge that will further advance our shield technology and torpedo yields. Unfortunately, the attacking fleet won’t have the chance to implement these updates until they get back. Those remaining behind, including ships under build, maintenance and patrol, will have them installed—or at least a substantial portion of them.”
“Can’t you wait until the Fleet’s been updated? Our beam weapons were no use against the ForeRunner Orbs, nor our torpedoes, come to that. The fleet will be in a similar position; C.I.C. will be sending them to their deaths.”
“Commander, I’ve advised waiting too. But what do I know, I’m just a colonel.”
Selena looked into Delmar’s eyes, the blackness within them bottomless pits. “Well, let’s hope we’re wrong, but I’ve a horrible feeling we’re about to get our asses kicked.”
***
Four days later, Selena and the others heard that most of the fleet had been wiped out. Everything had gone well until they dropped out of hyperspace in the enemy system. Somehow they’d been expected, and the slaughter was unimaginable. Only twenty-six A.O.W. vessels got away, and most of those were damaged.
The fleet’s loss was felt heavily. Grim and gray faces met Selena everywhere she went, for it had been a shocking and disastrous defeat. Everyone now had to face the fact that although the ForeRunner race was depleted, they still carried a terrible punch. Selena had known this and had tried warning Colonel Delmar. Attacking one of their worlds with substandard weapons had been foolhardy.
Of the Sken vessels, only a dozen or so survived. The Jellies were besides themselves with rage. You could feel it everywhere, an oppressive and palpable dread. It was like a subdued tingle in the skin, as if a storm of unbelievable power were about to break overhead. The surviving Sken vessels remained in orbit about Capulet with the A.O.W. ships as an ominous, brooding and troublesome presence.
Delmar had survived, much to Selena’s relief, for she’d come to understand and trust, to a degree, her senior officer.
A few weeks after the disaster, the colonel informed everyone that something odd was happening. Stars at a great distance were being blotted out. Something immense was moving towards them and they had no idea what it was. Throughout the news of this threat the Sken remained silent. It was only when the A.O.W. were about to despatch ships to investigate that the Sken revealed they were responsible for the strange phenomenon.
Concerned, Delmar despatched several small spy ships anyway. When one sent back a video feed, she looked stunned, as she called Selena and shared the view. Sitting in the Captain’s chair on the bridge of the Vampyre, Selena put it onto the main screen and gripped the arms of her chair tightly. Like the rest of the bridge crew, she was mesmerized by the site before her. The video displayed an unbelievable armada. Even at long range, the fleet filled the screen. There were countless Sken vessels the size of planets, others larger than the most massive of suns. Together they formed a vast, unbroken field. They gleamed, twisted, changed shape and colour.
It was the sheer number of such ships that was blotting out the stars and, according to the spy craft, this fleet would pass worryingly close to Capulet. The armada consisted of millions of the huge vessels. Sometimes they melted into each other like liquid metal; other times they simply absorbed another, all the while continuing onwards.
There were many smaller craft with them, the number beyond count, flitting one way and another, as if by random. They streaked off at unbelievable speeds before stopping instantly and reversing course, or moving off at a sudden ninety degrees without even a pause. Some of them scattered from their larger kin in a shotgun effect, as if preparing to fend off approaching adversaries.
This wasn’t the only such fleet. Many others were reported, some even dwarfing the one approaching Capulet. The sight was utterly alien, sending shivers through Selena’s body as she gripped the armrests tighter and tighter.
She felt helpless, and knew that if the Sken turned on humanity, nothing would save them. Mankind would be destroyed. Utterly. For the first time in her life she was afraid. Her entire bridge crew stood awestricken, watching the monstrous sight marching across the heavens towards them, sucking up light from the stars as they passed. Many stars dimmed and went out, others guttered like flames in a breeze before valiantly fluttering back to a lower brilliance.
She faced Colonel Delmar on the screen. Neither of them spoke. What could they possibly say?
After a long moment, her voice broken and hoarse, Delmar finally said, “This is going A.O.W. wide. Whatever it takes, we mustn’t anger them and we’re going to comply with whatever they want. We don’t have any choice.”
Selena was in total agreement.
***
A few days later, the Sken fleet diverted course slightly and skirted Capulet’s system. Everybody that could possibly do so watched, breathing sighs of relief as the huge vessels sailed majestically past. Everyone had been concerned that their sun was under threat. The Sken and Manta vessels in system slipped away to join the armada without comment.
It took days for the fleet to clear the heavens, for the stars to begin to shine through once again. Yet even at that great distance, their sun dimmed, creating an enduring twilight. It became bitterly cold and within days the low temperature broke all records. Pools, ponds, reservoirs, and rivers froze. Globs of ice began to be seen on the seas and the moonlight faded. At the end of five days, just when people were beginning to fear the seas would freeze over, the sunlight began to increase.
Reports came across Selena’s desk from other systems, including Loreen. They told of other such armadas that had come and gone like shadows in the night, sweeping up their kindred ships before moving on.
For a long time, nothing happened. There was a long palpable suspense; and then, without warning, all hell let loose. The skies filled with distant blinding flashes which made those looking skyward shield their eyes. Within those sudden glares, worlds and entire solar systems died. Space warped and time bent, bringing with it those flashes almost as they occurred. Ships, moons, and asteroids vanished, as they were sucked from existence and hurled into oblivion. Ships venturing into, or caught between, these odd parallels were never seen a
gain. Humanity watched in awe, humbled.
One colony reported a huge amoebic ship approaching. It engulfed two of their moons and vanished without a word, leaving the colony to deal with the catastrophes that came as a direct result. Tsunamis swept those distant shores and earthquakes shattered whole continents. Any human habitat on those moons vanished with them. One moment they were there and the next they were simply … gone.
People huddled in their homes, not daring to go out in case they were struck down. The Alliance of Worlds mustered what strength it could, just in case. They waited, knowing that against the vast forces being unleashed they stood no chance at all.
***
A call from Loreen startled Selena from her reverie. It was Franks, her friend back on Loreen who now headed the local populace. “One of those Sken bubble-ships just came and snatched Hope,” he said. “They just … took her. Can you help us?”
“Woah, slow down. What do you mean, snatched?”
“Exactly that. We were eating a meal when Hope just stood up without a word, as if she was in some kind of trance, and walked out the door. We were calling her name and asking what was wrong as we followed her into the garden, but she didn’t answer. One of those weird amoebic things, appeared out of nowhere and floated down onto her. It…it just enveloped her. Swallowed her whole, and floated away again.”
“Have you spoken to Admiral Van Pluy?”
“Of course,” Amanda said, peering over Franks’ shoulder.
“What did he say?”
“He’s trying to contact the Sken to find out what’s going on. Is there anything that you can do?”
“I’ll do what I can, which isn’t much at all, to be honest. Van Pluy’s your man and he’ll be doing everything possible, you can trust me on that. I’ll speak to Colonel Delmar and see if we can raise them from here.”
“We lost her once,” Franks said, “Getting her back was a miracle in itself. We can’t lose her again. Please, you have to help us!”
She promised to get back to them if she received any news and broke the connection. Then she called the Admiral, who said he was indeed doing everything he possibly could, but he couldn’t promise anything as the Sken weren’t even answering his calls. They were a law unto themselves, and only contacted the A.O.W. when it suited.
Selena called Franks and Amanda back to let them know what had been done but said that, for the moment, there wasn’t a lot anyone could do. Breaking the connection with her friends left a very bad taste in her mouth.
Selena recalled how Amanda and Hope had gone missing down the Rabbit Holes, that strange warren of tunnels buried under a hill on Loreen that somehow led to other worlds. She remembered how Singh had discovered the ForeRunner machines, which they’d called the Caretakers, would follow his orders. Out of sheer boredom after watching them marching back and forth endlessly with those silly woven baskets on their heads, gathering food before disappearing down further tunnels, he’d stood and asked one of them to bring him an apple. He’d only been mucking about at the time and hadn’t expected anything, but had been stunned when the Caretaker had stopped and done exactly what he’d asked. Summoning Selena, he told her what he’d done and demonstrated it again. Out of sheer desperation, Amanda had followed his lead and asked the Caretakers to find Hope.
All of the machines had stopped, turned around and disappeared into the forest. Their mutual disbelief had turned into astonished delight, when the machines eventually reappeared with Hope sitting upon them in a lotus position. The broken bones Hope had suffered in an accident had not been repaired but instead somehow replaced by the same glass-like alloy that the ForeRunners used, leading to speculation that she’d been cloned, much like their old shipmate Arthur had. Yet, although she’d been watched closely since and apart from an incredible growth rate, she’d given no reason for them to doubt her.
On reflection, Selena realised that if Jenks had been able to hide what he was from both the Lenars and the Sken, then perhaps Hope had too. May she was a ForeRunner agent, but if she had those abilities, then how had the Sken discovered and kidnapped her? And what’s more, why? Nothing seemed to make any sense. All they could do now was wait to see what happened.
That and pray.
***
Selena and Jas often sat together by the window in her room, with Shadow besides them, all three watching the firework display in the heavens where fleets, worlds and creatures were dying in their millions. But it had been almost two weeks since the last explosion lit the heavens, and they couldn’t help but wonder what was going on out there, in the endless ocean of the cosmos.
“So much for the power of mankind,” Jas said, looking up at the sky one morning. “Those battles made us look like children, watching as adults perform tasks they know nothing about. Is it over, do you think? There’s been nothing for ages.”
“Maybe,” Selena replied. “If so, we can only pray that the Sken won. And if they did, let’s hope they decide to go back to wherever they came from.”
Jas regarded her with those solemn brown eyes. “I can’t help but wish things could go back to the way they were, before the Manta came.”
Selena found herself agreeing. “All we had to worry about then were cruel monarchs like our Queen, pirates and other such criminals. Now we also have the ForeRunners, Manta, and the damned Sken too. Those Jellies can brush us aside whenever they like.”
Selena was so frustrated she felt she was about to explode. “Whichever way you look at it, humanity is screwed. The universe has gone mad!” Realising what she was saying, she gave Jas a hug. “Don’t worry, it’ll be all right. Everything pans out in the end.”
Comfort flowed from Shadow, easing into their senses. He assured them that Selena was right, the Sken would soon depart back to those dark places they’d been summoned from. Selena stroked the soft fur on his head, sensing rather than hearing a satisfied purr.
They were sat waiting for the other members of the team to arrive, so that they could go and have supper aboard the Vampyre, when Selena’s hand-held vibrated. The message was from Colonel Delmar. Short and sharp, it summoned her to the control room immediately, and said that her team members had been told to report there too.
Trying not to show her consternation, Selena stood and said, “Jas, stay here. Shadow needs to come with me, but we’ll be back as soon as we can.”
Jas raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She simply nodded and gazed back up towards the heavens as they left.
It didn’t take them long to get to control, where Colonel Delmar sat on the edge of her seat, staring up at the screens. She wore the all-in-one standard black uniform, and the black strip of hair across the middle of her head, from front to back, looked freshly trimmed and possibly dyed.
“You called, Colonel?” Selena asked.
“Just watch,” Delmar replied, noting Shadow at Selena’s side with a quick sideways glance, before nodding towards the main screen in the control room.
It was only moments later that alarms sounded and a Sken vessel flashed up on their screens. The visual was being sent by countless bots the size of pinheads, scattered throughout their system. The ship arrowed past towards Capulet, then slowed on approach.
“We picked it up on long range sensors,” Delmar said. “Looks like we’re about to get an update on the war.”
“They’re asking permission to land,” Comm’s said, loudly.
“Permission granted. Escort them to the conference room.” Delmar turned to Selena. “Well, this should be interesting, Commander. Care to join me?”
Selena, the colonel and Shadow were already there, waiting along with several others, when a single brilliantly yellow-coloured Sken arrived and was shown into the room. It fluttered over to the huge wooden conference table and just floated above it, wings beating rapidly. The groups studied each other, then the humans bowed their heads slightly. Except for Selena—she’d always said she would bow to no one. Besides, she suspected the Sken had no understandi
ng of bows, handshakes or any other such greeting or signs of respect.
Selena sensed through Shadow that the Sken was exhausted.
“Greetings,” Delmar said. “I see you’re alone today. What news of your battles with the … Cetra?”
The Sken’s words whispered through the corridors of their minds.
“There have been a great many battles. In their fight with you the Cetra withheld many of their abilities which we knew nothing about, and so once our battle was joined we were taken by surprise. Their physical numbers were limited but they had built a large fleet and automated them. We managed to turn them against their builders and so, finally, the battle was won.”
“Drones,” Selena said. “Is that what you mean, that they used drones?”
The Jelly ignored her. “Afterwards they used these unknown weapons. Ones that killed our living ships. The enemy had prepared well for the event, for they knew that without our ships, we are nothing.”
“Symbiotes,” Selena said. “Does it mean that one of you cannot exist without the other?”
“You are somewhat correct, Selena Dillon,” the words echoed in their minds. “We … co-exist.”
A subtle scent filled the room. It was floral, but indescribable in its complexity. Somehow it spoke of the Sken’s horrendous losses, and brought with it a great sense of loneliness. Selena wondered suddenly if this was part of their communication, something they’d all missed. Perhaps the Sken communicated with smell as well as telepathy, as a means of conveying their feelings. She felt an unexpected sense of sadness wash over her from Shadow.
“Sounds like they used biological weapons,” Delmar said, thoughtfully.
“Makes sense,” Selena added. “Look what they did long ago to the Lenars.”
“Many of our ships were hit but were not destroyed, and we wondered why. They seemed well and continued fighting and tending us. They merged with others, and with others again—as is our want. Unexpectedly, these weapons began to trigger. Those ships died … horribly, and our interstellar cities with them. We felt their agony in our minds as our great ships died, and our people were cast into the void even as their craft shrivelled.”