by Sid Kar
Starship RedStorm was flying straight into the Machine Planet as were rest of the starships of Starfleet Majestic, converging upon the gigantic metallic ball like a contracting sphere.
They had been fighting on and off for a few weeks now. Starfleet Majestic would barrage the Machine Planet with thousands and thousands of rockets and retreat far into space when the planet returned fire with thousands of its own rockets. They would run towards either a gas giant or a star because the Machine Planet could not get close to a large space object for the gravity would overwhelm its engines and cause a collision.
But they could not run away either because the Machine Planet was on course towards Starfire Empire’s space and if Starfleet Majestic could not stop it, there was no other fleet in Starfire armory that could. Machine Planet was slower, much slower and it was a miracle that it could even travel faster than the speed of light but it was inching closer parsecs by parsecs everyday.
They were running out of ammunition and after one more round of attack they would have to return to Starfleet Command to rearm themselves. Finally, Commodore Melvyk had made a decision that he would try one last ‘dare it all’ move to shut down the central system of the Machine Planet.
Machine Planet increased its rate of rocket fire and as they got closer to the planet’s surface tens of thousands of automatic laser batteries opened fire upon the Starfleet filling up the dark sky with bright red flashes of light in every direction. Machine Planet was a weapon but also a weapons factory and deep beneath its surface machines were hard and fast at work producing rockets and laser batteries.
But this time the fleet did not turn around and fly away. It was essential for all starships to keep approaching the Machine Planet’s surface till the last moment for the deception to work. Entire starships kept getting destroyed every few seconds as if they were individually piloted starfighters under the intense firing that an entire Planet was capable of delivering.
Capitan Setvyk ordered his laser gun crew to concentrate upon destroying the incoming rockets instead of any other targets now visible on the surface. The whole planet surface looked like a monstrous mix of a giant factory and innards of an incredibly complex machine with thousands of parts measured in cubic miles working together synchronously to achieve the whole body’s dastardly aim of total destruction of the enemy.
Also visible now were the huge craters pock marking the entire surface of the planet, many of them more than a mile wide and many overlapping over each other along with millions of shattered metallic parts scattered everywhere, the material evidence of massive damage Starfleet Majestic had the power to inflict on any enemy. It would be hard to decide for an observer what was more impressive, an entire planet that was a one whole war machine or a fleet that could rip apart a whole planet in its entirety.
They had already lost over 100 starships today, similar to the previous confrontations with the Machine Planet.
Capitan Setvyk and his crew could not see out their transparent diamond window anymore so intense was the incoming laser fire.
Then the order came for the sudden break. The starships of the fleet simultaneously executed inverted rolls and accelerated at the maximum rate out into space flying in all different directions to confuse the Machine Planet.
Except for Starship RedStorm which kept flying down at the planet.
It had stopped firing rockets and lasers. It was bellowing smoke and fires were visible on its surface. A computer algorithm would designate it as a disabled starship free falling to its inevitable demise into million shards of metal upon the impact.
That is exactly how Machine Planet’s defensive algorithm tagged it and ignored it.
Their fleet’s battle strategists and analysts had discovered that Machine Planet’s programming had a few flaws in it, flaws not due to any incompetence on the part of its creators but due to the nature of the machine that was run on mathematical rules of calculus and probability. Out of all the fleeing enemies, the Machine Planet would chase that group of starships whose destruction would inflict the most damage on the enemy. But if the probabilities of gain-loss ratio were nearly equal than the Machine Planet would do nothing, its battle program unable to choose the target of pursuit. Indeed, the Machine Planet’s surface rocket and laser batteries had stopped firing and instead giant repair machines had appeared on the surface, going about their work in a precise, clockwork manner just as only machines would.
Capitan Setvyk and his crew secured themselves with stern belts as their starship got close enough to the planet’s gravity to feel its effects and they now fell straight down from the atmosphere. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time as Starship RedStorm accelerated at exactly the gravitational rate. Setvyk looked for a target on a scanner and ordered his crew to lock in. It was a laser battery protecting a vast, open area. This was presumably the central command system of the giant machine. Setvyk didn’t know how Commodore Melvyk and his command room had determined it, but given that it was the only large opening, it was not unreasonable to pick it as a tunnel to a hopefully softer underbelly.
“Officers and soldiers of Starship RedStorm,” Commodore Melvyk’s voice boomed over the starship intercom, “This may be our last chance of stopping this beast. Ignore any incoming rockets and concentrate full firing upon the defensive system around the opening. Destroying the inner wiring and controls of the Machine Planet is our only hope. And now we launch the Tsar Rocket!”
A huge and rapidly accelerating rocket screamed out of Starship RedStorm and to support it along hundreds of other rockets rushed all alongside it directly towards the opening which was at least 10 square miles of open space amidst the metallic surface stretching all around for thousands of miles.
Machine Planet appeared to be surprised and jolted, if a Machine could be surprised, that is, Setvyk thought to himself as his crew opened fire and struck a laser battery disabling it on spot. Setvyk became busy finding a second appropriate target and assigned it to his crew. Then a third target and a fourth as they fired with full energy caring nothing about overheating of the laser gun. This was literally victory or death moment. But even as his training took over his motions, thoughts were racing in his mind, analyzing the larger battle situation.
Starship RedStorm had apparently launched its entire rocket arsenal and it was sufficient to keep Machine Planet’s counter rockets from intercepting Tsar Rocket: the superweapon that carried a 100-megaton atomic punch.
The Tsar Rocket barged down the opening and a few seconds later a tremendous explosion rocked the surface. Millions of shards of steel were thrown out in the air for tens of miles and even the metallic surface tremored as if suffering a vicious earthquake, shuddering like a bed on springs being jumped upon by unruly children. The planet apparently had an atmosphere and a massive shockwave even shook Starship RedStorm many miles away and sent it tumbling upside down for a few times before the command room regained control and steadied the Starship. Capitan Setvyk and his crew felt as if they had taken a roller coaster ride and were then thrown midair from atop the coaster. They held their heads to steady their minds. Then they saw the massive red mushroom cloud rising from the opening but the terror they felt at its sight paled in comparison to the hopelessness that seized them when they saw a huge, flat metallic shield battered and bruised and holed everywhere like thousands of open manholes but essentially holding its place.
How could the Commodore not have anticipated it? Setvyk wondered angrily. Whoever was smart enough to turn an entire planet into a gigantic war machine would be smart enough to shield and reinforce any opening to its central nervous system.
But Commodore Melvyk had not called it quits yet. He launched the second superweapon they were carrying: the Plasma Arc. The Plasma Arc raced rapidly towards the shield. The defensive lasers were absorbed by its intense heat and the incoming rockets from Machine Planet’s surface were vaporized on contact. The Plasma Arc smashed right into the center of the shield and sheared its way d
own the thick metal with a rainstorm of sparks shooting out like a volcanic outburst. A few seconds later the Plasma died out but left a huge cleave into the shield revealing a depth over tens of meters.
“Damn it,” Capitan Setvyk exclaimed. That was the thickest shield he had seen and it had still not been penetrated. And what would they have done anyhow if they had created an opening; their rocket supply was all depleted?
Commodore Melvyk still had no intentions to give up. Suddenly Capitan Setvyk’s laser battery lost power and so did all the other laser batteries. Commodore Melvyk had engaged the SuperLaser System, concentrating all the energy available to laser guns into one concentrated beam of laser, now fired straight through the split left behind by the Plasma Arc.
Starship RedStorm changed course and headed straight towards the opening and the metallic shield under it, trying to steady the SuperLaser concentrated beam on the best spot possible. The SuperLaser started burning a hole rapidly making its way down the metallic shield.
The Machine Planet then went crazy if such a state existed for a machine. Capitan Setvyk and crew had nothing to do but watch. All the mechanical parts visible to them started moving furiously, smoke and sparks belched out here, there and everywhere.
Then the Machine Planet fired three Micro-Black Hole weapons right in between the Starship and its own surface and the Starship rapidly accelerated towards the surface. It’s engines no longer being able to hold it in a floating position in midair.
“Bastard Planet has gravity weapons too!” Setvyk exclaimed.
“We need our lasers back to try to destroy them or we will smash into that shield ourselves,” the gunner said.
But power did not return to their batteries, instead the SuperLaser system kept firing and their starship rapidly fell towards the surface as the Micro-Black Hole weapons pulled them down.
“Our Commodore apparently means to use the Starship as a rocket to smash the shield and the planet’s command system,” Setvyk commented wryly. He had given up any hope of surviving now. The starship was straight atop the shield and falling straight down the vector of its laser beam.
Then this is how the Machine Planet would be stopped, Setvyk thought, half in sorrow and half in humor. The Machine had no brains, by pulling down the starship, it would strike itself. Starship RedStorm’s fusion reactors carried even more power than the Tsar Rocket or even ten such rockets. The impact would destroy the shield and huge burning chunks of metal and molten reactor cores would fall straight down into the panels, wirings, electronics, whatever the hell controlled this beast.
Just as Setvyk had resigned himself to his fate as a sacrificial offering to victory, he saw four momentary flashes of rose colored energy rays from four distant horizons of the Planet.
“SpaceCutter Rays!” Setvyk shouted. The damn planet had every weapon in Starfirian arsenal for itself.
The four SpaceCutter Rays slashed through the Starship RedStorm like four hot knives through a stick of butter and sliced the massive starship’s hull into separate chunks of useless metal. Each of the component pieces fell towards the surface and were further sliced by the SpaceCutter Rays that kept hacking and chopping like four sharp swords, the former components of the starship into smaller and smaller harmless chunks.
Capitan Setvyk and his crew tumbled and tumbled down the atmosphere. The former roller coaster like ride from Tsar Rocket’s shockwave felt like an upright, steady attention pose in comparison to the jumble dive they were now taking. There would be no victory in death, but they would die defeated in vain, Setvyk’s final thought echoed inside him just before their heads started spinning like a globe and soon they would all lose their consciousness and most would lose their lives when their compartment, now broken apart from any other piece of the starship, slammed onto the hard, metallic surface and shattered into pieces.
But Capitan Setvyk was lucky as he fell upon the transparent diamond window shield just as their compartment hit the ground. His body screamed in ache for the force of impact carried through the diamond shield but the diamond itself did not crack and Setvyk was jolted back into consciousness and found himself lying flat atop the large diamond pane. He yelled in agony while his right hand instinctively reached his belt and he drew his laser pistol as he attempted to sit up.
Don’t tell me, Setvyk muttered in rage, this planet also has an infantry of machine soldiers.
Chapter 9: Chemicals of Joy and Wonder
Nearly two weeks had passed since their victory at the Battle of Rainmar and the ongoing siege was proving to be slowly unraveling in their favor. Mercurians had by now managed to translate the Starfirian language completely and had even started to break some of their easier codes and were picking up transmissions beamed by errant civilians hiding under the depths of Rainmar. It was a military command center but also a civilian planet and many civilians wanted to negotiate a type of surrender where they would be allowed to leave the planet in exchange. But Admiral Valorun had to admire that there were a far larger number of civilians who fully supported their military leaders’ decision to hold strong come what may. But planet Bravo was a different case altogether, a military outpost, it showed no sign whatsoever of letting up and asking for terms.
Vice-Admiral Lewyn burst into the personal quarters of Admiral Valorun where he was holding a conversation with their fleet’s spymaster Polanus Horus. Polanus was explaining various nuggets of information which they had gleaned from transmissions they had picked up and decoded.
“Glad you came,” Admiral Valorun said, “I was just about to call upon you.”
Lewyn was glad the old man was in a happy mood from his earlier victory for he had half expected to be scolded for barging in uninvited.
“I just heard that you have ordered our second fleet to stay back,” Lewyn said.
“I want them to protect our rear and our exit in a hostile, uncharted space,” Valorun said ignoring him and turning again to Polanus.
“But did you hear about Starfleet Majestic…did you tell him?” Lewyn looked at Polanus.
“Him before everyone else,” Polanus chuckled, “Grand Admiral decides what information is fit to be disclosed to everyone else, including yourself Vice-Admiral.”
“Then you must have deduced that Starfleet Majestic may be a match for us,” Lewyn said.
“And how did you come to that conclusion?” Valorun asked.
“From the communications we have intercepted, there are many calls for this Starfleet Majestic to be sent to Rainmar for its liberation from our clutches,” Lewyn said, “with full confidence that the said fleet would accomplish its mission and no hints of doubts.”
“That was my conclusion,” Polanus said, “But VC Lewyn arrived at it independently before I could apprise him of it.”
“Very good,” Valorun smiled, “subtle but clever. I agree, that even after Starfirians have a much better understanding of our strength they still believe in this Fleet’s power, must mean it is their central strike fleet and the most powerful one and very likely capable of giving us a fight of our lives.”
“Therefore, we must call upon our reserve fleet when we attack Majestic,” Lewyn said.
“But why would we attack it? The calls for its mobilization give away the fact that Starfirians have chosen to hold it back to protect their capital star system and the central space of their empire,” Valorun said, “let it rot there,” and he grinned wide.
“We aren’t going to attack their capital?” Lewyn asked.
“Not just yet anyway, first I have to make a sojourn back to Mercuris Majoris,” Valorun said.
“But why?” Lewyn almost demanded despairingly. The final victory appeared so near to him that he could not understand why the man who would be its architect was the one slamming the brakes.
“To meet our Emperor and the Admiralstad and the Corporatstad,” Valorun said.
“The path back is dangerous space,” Lewyn said.
“Who will attack a Megaship like…nevermi
nd Vice-Admiral, I am taking a fleet of 300 starships along with me,” Valorun said, “Prepare for our departure. Dismissed.”
Lewyn saluted him half-heartedly, stomped his feet in indignant protest and walked out.
“Do you mind me asking why?” Polanus said, “your move is quite against your own strategy of a few and fast decisive strikes to finish off the war as soon as possible.”
“Not at all,” Valorun said, “my vice-admiral is excitable and eager to rush into action, impatient for rewards. I would have a thorough conversation with him if he wasn’t so stuck up on winning victories and medals for himself without any consideration of the cost in lives, resources or the larger strategic implications on our Empire. We could lose and lose very badly a battle in their central space against their main fleet. Their fleet would have the support of a multitude of SpaceCutter Ray stations, orbital battle platforms, space fortresses and planetary arsenals. Maybe I could overpower them if I bring in our reserve fleet. But that would be a very dangerous move because if we lose that battle, the entire Mercurian Empire would be left open to invasion from all across space. Our defeated and routed spaceships, flying in space totally unknown to them, scared and panicky, would be easy prey to Starfirians closing flanks from all sides. Not to mention, when the news spreads across the galaxy, our older enemies, harboring desires of revenge would launch attacks upon our spaceships trying to escape back.”
“That is a very wise thought,” Polanus said, “We have thrown nearly all of our might into this war, a huge gamble, I wouldn’t even have done that.”
“It was my idea,” Valorun laughed, “But you are right. The Starfire Empire is the last major galactic power left in our galaxy whom we haven’t cowed into acknowledging our primacy. There will be no more unexpected surprises. We win this war, we rule the whole galaxy.”