The Ninth: Invasion

by Benjamin Schramm

  The Governor and his wife had entered from behind the doorway on the first day the troopers had landed. With any luck, they would be somewhere beyond. An elaborate foyer greeted him. Dozens of doorways led to several smaller chambers. Through open doors he could make out bathrooms, reading rooms, and other rooms designed for daily life. At the farthest edge of the foyer was a large closed door standing imposingly. Brent quickly charged the heavy door and pushed it open with all his might. The door slowly creaked open. He ducked as a projectile flew at him. As it rested on the floor, he recognized it as a pillow.

  “Shut that door!” the Governor’s wife shouted from inside the room. “And turn off those blasted alarms! Whatever it is can wait until morning!”

  Brent entered the room and activated the lights. The Governor and his wife shielded their eyes as they lay in bed.

  “You had better have a good reason for disturbing us, young man,” the Governor moaned angrily.

  “The Commonwealth is at war, and we need to evacuate,” Brent said flatly.

  “It’s too early for jokes,” Mrs. Lucchesi said as she rolled over.

  “It’s no joke,” Brent said with more force. “Your Protectorates are not skilled enough to protect you properly, and the enemy is likely already on their way here.”

  “How would you know that?” she asked over her shoulder. “Our defense forces have all received standard training.”

  “No offense, ma’am, but armed with that standard training, your men would do more harm to themselves than an attacking force.”

  “That’s a strong assertion,” the Governor said.

  “Not an assertion, it is experience. The squad of troopers from the academy would be more than your Protectorates could handle; an invasion force would brush them aside as if there weren’t even there.”

  “You must be the one who’s been training them in the evening,” Mrs. Lucchesi said, interest finally entering her tone. “So, you must be the one they call Brent.”

  “So, you were monitoring our actions. It’s of no consequence now. We must get you two to the transport.”

  “I don’t care how smart Tyra thinks you are, we are safest right here. Whoever is attacking us wouldn’t dare step foot in our home.”

  “Ma’am, I don’t want to make threats, but if you refuse to come voluntarily, I will be forced to take you to the transport by force.”

  “You wouldn’t dare!” she shouted as she finally sat up in the bed. “Who do you think you are? I’ll have your head for disturbing and insulting me.”

  “Feel free to make any complaints you wish – once you are on the transport.”

  “I’m going to have you stuffed and mounted on my mantel! How dare you. . .”

  The Governor put a hand on his wife’s shoulder. She reluctantly held her tongue.

  “Tell me, young man,” he said. “Why is it so important to you that we get on the transport?”

  “I can’t pretend to know the history between you and your daughter, but I do know that she still cares about you. She has lost and endured too much already; I won’t let her lose you two. If that means I have to drag the both of you to the transport kicking and screaming, so be it. You will be on the transport when it takes off.”

  The Governor and his wife exchanged glances as they got out of bed.

  “What about the rest of the citizens?” Mrs. Lucchesi asked as she threw on a robe and gathered some spare clothes. “We can’t just abandon them.”

  “I’ve already taken care of that matter. Please hurry.” Brent helped gather some basic necessities.

  “And the outlying provinces?” The Governor grabbed his wife’s arm and dragged her out of their chambers. “We’ve got at least a dozen major cities and countless smaller towns.”

  “I’ve taken care of them as well. You two are the last loose ends.”

  The Governor and his wife exchanged a surprised glance as they ran after the trooper in shiny black. The city was a ghost town. Shops and homes were empty; everything that could be quickly grabbed was gone. As the three made it to the landing pad, the last of the citizens were being loaded. Large piles of boxes were stacked at the edge of the landing pad. A tall man stood to the side of the main boarding hatch, a look of bewilderment on his face. Cain tapped the man’s shoulder and pointed at Brent as he got closer.

  “I take it this was your idea?” Cain asked as the Governor and his wife were escorted onboard.

  “Your father wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of convincing a ship to wait nearby if there wasn’t a mortal threat. I couldn’t very well run and hide knowing we’d left everyone else to die. I’m sorry about your cargo, Captain.”

  The tall man cast a questioning gaze at Cain.

  “Captain Perez, this is Brent. How’d you know we’d have space for everyone?” Cain asked.

  “You said yourself that Core Industries doesn’t have a large defensive force. Since you don’t have a PSF big enough to properly protect large numbers of ships, you’d have to compensate by using fewer, larger ships. Is everyone onboard?”

  “At the expense of three months’ worth of freight, yes,” the captain spoke briskly.

  Cain gestured inside as the ship started to hum. As the hatch sealed behind them, the ship started to rise from the ground. The hallways were even narrower than the Commonwealth ship’s had been. The captain looked like a professional gymnast as he quickly made his way around the ship. The bridge was barely large enough for the handful of crewmembers to work at their stations.

  “Report,” the captain demanded as he dived into his chair.

  “ITU fleet jumping in now, Captain. We’re reading a drop in the energy signature emanating from the academy,” a woman said, not taking her eyes off the display in front of her.

  “Detonation?”

  “Negative, too small. More likely the orbiter has been disabled. Or they are playing dead.”

  “Three ships jumping in on top of us!” a man shouted from the corner of the room.

  “Evasive action!” the captain shouted. “How long until the jump drive is ready?”

  “Drive at thirty-seven percent and rising; jump in six minutes,” a man said as he quickly switched between readouts.

  The ship suddenly shook violently. Several monitors flashed red as the crew scrambled to maintain their balance.

  “Damage report!”

  “Minor damage to rear hull plating, Captain. One of the Union dogs is in pursuit. The other two are touching down in the capital city.”

  “Master Hooten, please escort your friend off the bridge. Things are going to get a little dicey.”

  Cain nodded and gestured for Brent to follow. Cain didn’t quite navigate the corridors as gracefully as the captain had but it was obvious he had practice at it. Another violent shock sent the pair tumbling. It wasn’t like the 3Ps. Space combat there was portrayed as exciting, with powerful weapons thundering through space; in reality there were no warning sounds before the impacts. The ship would just suddenly silently lurch in a random direction.

  “The Union is really giving us a pounding.” Cain said as he stood up. “Guess they don’t want us getting away,”

  “Don’t let Rhea hear you say that,” Brent said as he regained his footing. “I think the captain is busy enough with one fight on his hands. Where is everyone, anyway?”

  “Crew quarters, B deck. The rest of the refugees are in the cargo bay. Probably scared out of their minds.”

  “Do me a favor. Check up on the squad and let Cassandra know I’m all right.”

  “Where are you off to?”

  “Someone’s got to keep the civilians calm and out of the crew’s hair until we jump.”

  Cain nodded and rushed off down the narrow corridors. Brent hurried back to the docking hatch. When they had first entered the ship, the captain had headed toward the bow; the cargo bay must be in the rear. It was easier to find the main cargo bay than he had thought. Wide corridors clearly meant for moving freight created an
obvious path to the cargo bay. As he got closer and closer to the bay, he could hear loud shouting and screaming. There were families huddled throughout the massive room. Cranes and other heavy equipment were secured against the walls and ceiling in an attempt to make more space for the citizens. Children were screaming and weeping as the ship shook. Brent tried to calm down the huddled groups near him, but his efforts were defeated with every weapon impact. Suddenly, the captain’s voice rang out over the P.A.

  “Attention! The ship is about to jump. All hands brace. Try to remain calm.”

  The citizens instantly panicked. They all tried to move to the aft of the cargo bay to escape the coming jump. He spotted a few familiar Protectorates among the stampeding horde.

  “Fall in!” Brent shouted, as loudly as he could.

  The Protectorates he had trained moved away from the horde despite themselves. Like trained animals responding to a cue, they closed in on Brent. The massive horde of citizens paused, huddling together as the Protectorates formed around the trooper dressed in shiny black.

  “You made it!” Philip called out nervously.

  “Of course I did. You expected otherwise?”

  “Shouldn’t we get ready for the jump?”

  “I am ready. What are you doing?”

  “What do you mean? Shouldn’t we get as far back as possible?”

  “Why? The Wall will pass over the entire ship; being in the rear won’t prevent that. Plus, I find it rather enjoyable.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Philip asked in complete disbelief. “You enjoy getting cut in half? One part of you light years away from the other?”

  Suddenly, a loud scream assaulted Brent’s ears. Turning, he found the forward edge of the cargo bay was missing, the blackness of space creeping closer. The Protectorates struggled to stay in place and not run, however, the terror etched into their faces was unmistakable. The citizens tried to increase their distance from the nothingness, wedging themselves against the far wall as much as humanly possible. Everyone in the cargo bay let out a gasp as Brent walked toward the Wall and stuck one of his hands through it.

  “It doesn’t hurt; in fact it sort of tickles,” he said calmly as he faced the horde.

  The Protectorates stared at one another in complete surprise. The citizens were uncertain how to react. Philip looked at him as if he’d gone crazy.

  “Hiroyuki!” a woman screamed.

  A young boy about seven years old ran down the cargo bay toward Brent. As he reached him, the boy smiled a wide grin as he shoved a hand through the invisible wall. The boy immediately started laughing. Apparently, he found the sensation pleasant too. He turned to return to his mother, but his hand remained fixed in the Wall. When the boy tried to pull his hand out, he started to panic as he realized the stillness wouldn’t let go. Using his free hand, the young boy tried to pull his arm out from the Wall by the elbow. Brent put his free hand on the boy’s shoulder.

  “Don’t fight it. It’s okay. Feels funny, doesn’t it?”

  The boy was startled at first, but slowly relaxed and released his arm caught in the Wall. The boy nodded to him and tried not to cry. Brent heard the protests of the citizens as a few others left the horde to join the trooper and the boy. One by one they’d reach out with a single hand and let the Wall pass over them. A small few would burst into laughter, as most tried to make sense of what they were feeling. As the Wall completely passed over Brent, he heard a low sniffling. The little boy next to him was on the verge of crying, his resolve slipping.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, kneeling.

  “I can’t see momma. I want my momma.”

  “Don’t worry, momma is just on the other side of that wall. You’ll see her in just a minute.”

  Surprise filled him as he looked back at the Wall. Hundreds of hands were sticking out of the nothingness. Countless fingers were wiggling and writhing as the Wall passed over them. As the Wall passed through the far edge of the cargo bay, the young boy ran back toward the horde.

  “Did you see me, momma?” the boy asked as he jumped into a pair of open arms. “I was the first one! Was I brave, momma?”

  His mother hugged him tightly as the rest of the horde looked at their hands in wonder. The Protectorates bowed to Brent like the tripod before they returned to their families. The mass of people easily spread out from the far wall. An excited commotion filled the cargo bay as the citizens started talking about what they’d just been through. Brent turned as he heard the hatch to the cargo bay slide open.

  “It’s okay, everyone. We jumped safely. No one . . . panic?” the captain’s voice trailed off as he watched the excited mass of refugees.

  A little girl ran up to the captain’s side and pulled on his shirt.

  “Mister, are we going to do that again?”

  “I’m sorry, but we are,” the captain said apologetically. “It’s going to be at least a dozen jumps or more until we reach our destination. You have about ten minutes to prepare for the next one.”

  The girl smiled widely and ran off toward the refugees.

  “We get to do it again!” she shouted excitedly as she got back to her friends.

  “Did I miss something?” The captain scratched his head, completely dumbfounded.

  “How is everyone?” Mrs. Lucchesi asked, as she entered the cargo bay. “They must be terrified!” Brent noticed the strong woman actually shaking.

  Her husband was nervously buttoning his shirt as he followed her. His hands shook as he tried to steady himself after the jump.

  “You must be the Governor.” The captain shook Mrs. Lucchesi’s hand. “You don’t need to worry. I don’t know why, but everyone is fine. In fact, they are better than just fine, they seem to be down right relaxed.”

  A look of surprise covered her face. As she was about to say something, a female trooper burst in through the open hatch and scanned the horde of citizens.

  “I knew it!” Angela shouted angrily.

  Cain and the rest of the squad entered the cargo bay behind her, some still pale from the jump.

  “I knew you had something to do with this!” Angela said as she stormed toward Brent.

  “To do with what?” the captain asked in annoyance at the interruption.

  “Are you blind?” Angela hissed. “You don’t have to be a Weaver to tell something’s wrong.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Marie said as she studied the cargo bay’s occupants. “Everyone seems calm to me. I don’t see anything wrong.”

  “That’s just it!” Angela nearly shouted as she gestured to the citizens. “No one is scared, not even a little bit! We were under attack and had to jump away. I’ll remind you that for some of these people that was the first jump of their lives.”

  Realization hit the troopers. They looked at the calm and even happy faces of the refugees. Instead of cowering in fear, they were chatting warmly. There were no tears or screaming. No one was hugging the floor plating, swiping at the air, vomiting, or any of the other common reactions to a first jump. The troopers scanned the cargo bay, trying to make sense of what they were seeing.

  “How did you do this?” Angela demanded as she turned toward Brent.

  “Oh, so that’s it,” Cain said with a grin. “You’re not mad at him or confused by it. Your jealous he’s a better Weaver than you are.”

  Angela turned a murderous gaze on Cain but didn’t say anything. He laughed like thunder and started patting her shoulder over and over.

  “Mother?” Tyra shouted abruptly.

  Tyra had finally realized whom the captain had been addressing when Angela had burst into the room. She ran over and hugged both of her parents.

  “I thought you’d still be on the planet for sure!”

  Speechless, Mrs. Lucchesi returned her daughter’s embrace. Ronald stood a respectable distance off with a small content smile on his face.

  “You were right, Tyra,” Mrs. Lucchesi said with a warm smile.

  “About what?” sh
e asked.

  “Even if you don’t pay attention, it’s hard not to notice your friend. Brent is obviously the most unique of your squad.”

  “Now dear, be nice,” the Governor said absentmindedly.

  “I meant it as a compliment.”

  “Tell me, Captain, did the enemy really invade our home?” he asked.

  “I’m afraid so, Governor. Union ships had already landed and soldiers were entering the capital as we jumped.”

  Rhea stiffened only slightly, a look of sadness on her face.

  “Then I suppose we might just owe you our very lives young man,” the governor said to Brent with a gentle smile.

  Tyra blinked a few times before locking her eyes on him. The troopers all turned their attention on him. He wasn’t sure what to say, when he felt a small hand pulling on his. Looking down he found the small boy pulling him.

  “What’s wrong, Hiroyuki?” Brent asked.

  “Will you join us?” the boy asked excitedly.

  “Join you in what?”

  “It’s a surprise,” the boy said with a huge smile.

  Brent shrugged to the group staring him down and let the boy pull him along. The boy took him to a large group of children all bickering and arguing among themselves. When they noticed whom Hiroyuki was pulling behind him, they all hushed and smiled mischievously.

  “Not again!” Owen shouted in fear. “Captain you should have warned us!”

  At the far end of the cargo bay, the invisible ribbon was eating the ship again. The captain and the rest of the group near the hatch slowly backed away from the Wall, a mixture of fear and surprise on their faces.

  “Now!” Hiroyuki shouted excitedly.