The Ninth: Invasion

by Benjamin Schramm

  “Plot us a course to Reloas – shortest possible travel time. Depart when ready.” Shen issued his orders.

  “Shouldn’t we wait for Core Industries?” the navigation officer asked.

  “Knowing Alden, his forces are all ready in position.” Shen smiled to himself.

  “How is that possible? There are ITU patrols everywhere. How could they miss an entire battle fleet?”

  “There are several ways to avoid detection, and Alden has no doubt invented a few of his own. I’ve had dealings with him before, and it’s safe to say he is quite possibly the most dangerous man in the Commonwealth.”

  “Dangerous, Admiral?” the ship’s captain asked, setting down his pad.

  “Alden knows what he wants, and he has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to get it. That alone makes him troublesome. However, what makes him downright dangerous is the fact he knows how to get what he wants.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “If Core Industries wasn’t a legitimate corporation, I’d be tempted to call Alden one of the greatest criminal masterminds out there. There is nothing he can’t accomplish. Hiding a war fleet right under the noses of the ITU would be child’s play for him.”

  “If he’s so powerful, why not just take the ITU out? Why wait so long?” the captain asked.

  “That I don’t know. CI and the ITU have been at each other’s throats for decades, but Alden has never taken the initiative. You would think war would finally have forced his hand.” Shen stroked his beard thoughtfully.

  “Maybe he was waiting for something,” the ensign said.

  “What do you mean?” the navigation officer asked.

  “Well maybe, just maybe, he was waiting for us to show up. You said he’s smart, right? What if he counted on us or some other group from the navy showing up?” the ensign asked.

  “Great, so we have been reduced to a pawn,” the navigation officer said with a sigh.

  “Cheer up!” A wide grin covered the captain’s face. “Pawn or not, I’m just happy to know there is some kind of plan behind all this. The ITU won’t know what hit them.”

  The bridge crew chuckled to themselves. The captain had been working under the admiral for so long he was more of a figurehead than an actual leader. He attended to the minor details of the ship while the admiral made all the big decisions. Although the captain’s duties were minimal, he did have a larger purpose to Shen. With a minor glance, Shen could get a feel for the entire ship. The captain was the ship’s center, so to speak. If the captain was in good sprits, awaiting a fight, then it was safe to say the rest of the crew was on a similar note.

  However, something didn’t seem right. It was reassuring to know the crew was ready for action, but something was nagging Shen. He left the bridge and walked down the corridors, trying to collect his thoughts. He’d been an admiral long enough to know to trust his instincts. He wandered aimlessly, lost in thought. Something had bothered him on the bridge, but what? Shen relived the scene in his mind over and over, attempting to find what he had missed. The ensign’s voice rang in his head.

  “Not something, but someone!” Shen shouted to no one in particular.

  Shen rushed down the corridors with renewed purpose. Alden couldn’t have known any part of the Navy would survive the ITU ambushes. In fact, he had even ordered his security forces to attack them when they landed. He had no idea they were friendly. The fact the Navy ships weren’t intercepted in orbit meant Alden’s entire space fleet had to be in position already. So, why wait? Alden wasn’t waiting for reinforcements; he was waiting for someone. Shen knew there had been something strange about those troopers at Alden’s table.

  Tyra and Ronald stood firm as the ship’s troopers rose from their activities. Liz hid behind Marie, clutching her shirt tightly. A particularly strong looking trooper sneered at Liz as he approached.

  “Final checks all clear,” a nasally voice shouted from the P.A. “All systems go. Switching to internal power. Powering up main engines. Mooring clamps released. The Harbinger is underway!”

  A tremendous force pulled everyone toward the floor plating as the ship escaped the clutches of Eos’ gravity. Even the strongest looking troopers shuddered as they tried to remain standing against the added weight. Only Cassandra seemed unaffected. After a while, the strain subsided and completely faded. Shaking off the last effects of the launch, the troopers continued moving toward Tyra’s squad.

  “. . . I don’t care how many men it takes – find them!” Harper shouted, walking through the doorway behind Tyra’s squad. “Even if you have to personally turn every room upside-down, I want them found. I can’t have recruits wandering the ship,”

  “Found them,” the woman following Harper said with a smirk as she pointed dead ahead.

  Harper stared at the squad for a moment.

  “How did . . . who guided them?” Harper barked angrily at the troopers already in the room.

  The troopers all backed away from their leader. Exchanging glances, the troopers tried to shift blame and save themselves from Harper’s wrath.

  “He guided us,” Hiroko said with a grin as she perched on Brent’s shoulder.

  Cassandra shot her a disapproving glance as she helped him take the pressure off his leg.

  “A recruit managed to navigate through the Commonwealth’s greatest warship? Those plans were supposed to be a military secret!” Harper grumbled.

  Harper seemed to have two tones of voice, shouting and seething.

  “I’ve never seen a blueprint for this ship,” Brent said diplomatically. “I breached no protocol I know of.”

  “So you just happened to find your way here?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Then how exactly did you beat me here?”

  “Sir?” the woman standing behind him quietly interrupted.

  “What is it?” Harper continued to seethe.

  “We have a guest, sir.”

  “I don’t care if the Grand Executive of the Union herself is here; I’m not finished!”

  “I can’t speak for the Grand Executive of the ITU, but I’d like to have a word with you,” Admiral Shen said in a calm voice.

  Harper instantly froze. Slowly, he turned around and gulped as he found Shen standing in the doorway. Harper and the rest of the troopers saluted. Shen briskly returned the salute and gestured for Harper to follow him. As the doorway sealed, the troopers collectively let out a sigh of relief.

  “You’ll have to forgive Edward,” the woman who had been following Harper said politely.

  “He’s normally not this ill-tempered, I’d imagine,” Rhea said, with a kind smile.

  “Please don’t misunderstand me. He’s always like this.”

  “Then what exactly are we supposed to be forgiving him for?” Cain asked.

  “He’s always a little rough around the edges, but he’s normally not this . . . vindictive. He’s just mad we ran from the ITU instead of fighting.”

  “And since we’re strangers it’s easier for him to take his frustrations out on us,” Dante said, with an understanding nod.

  “Chelsea! Don’t apologize to them,” a thick, rough voice shouted.

  Brent tried not to react as he realized the man who had sneered at Liz was standing right behind him.

  “Don’t tell me we have to fight you, too,” Erin said with a sigh.

  “After the day we’ve had, I wouldn’t doubt it,” Doug said with a grin.

  “Tell me, did someone put ‘kick me’ signs on our backs?” Owen asked Chelsea.

  “Or in Brent’s case, ‘shoot me.’” Cain started laughing.

  “That’s not funny!” Cassandra forcefully nudged Cain.

  “What’s wrong with all of you?” the man shouted at the squad. “Don’t you realize we are at war?”

  “Of course we do,” Tyra said, stepping toward the strong looking man. “In fact, let me ask you a question.”

  “What’s on your mind, little lamb?” the man asked, wi
th a look of superiority on his face.

  “How many of you have been shot at today? How many of you have been hit?”

  The man stared at Tyra, not understanding her question.

  “While the lot of you have been sitting here feeling sorry for yourselves, my squad has been fighting for its life on Eos,” Tyra shouted at the man. “Don’t think for a second you are in any position to lecture us on anything!”

  The man backed away almost apologetically. The nearby troopers looked over Tyra’s squad as they absorbed what they’d heard. The room grew so quiet the normally ignored swishing sound the door made was clearly audible.

  “Well, I’ll give you one thing,” Harper seethed. “You all have plenty of spunk. Chelsea!” he shouted her name despite the fact she was only a few steps away.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “These recruits will be joining us. Make sure they have a place to sleep.”

  “At once, sir.”

  “The rest of you, listen closely! The admiral wants us to be ready for a combat drop by the time we get to our destination. He wants all of us ready. That means we will be getting these recruits up to speed. Now, I don’t care how frustrating or irritating our guests are, save your energy for the Union.”

  The troopers roared and cheered as they balled their fists. Harper wasn’t the only one who had regretted running. Brent was just pleased the other troopers were so easily swayed. The promise of fighting the ITU would be handy for keeping his friends out of harm’s way. Chelsea smiled warmly as she guided Tyra’s squad through the troopers to the bunks.

  “Why does he keep calling us recruits? We passed the exams,” Hiroko whispered to Owen.

  “It’s your arm patches,” Chelsea said, having overheard. “You don’t have an insignia yet.”

  “So we haven’t graduated and haven’t been assigned to a formal outfit yet,” Doug said. “What’s the big deal?”

  “You are all untested,” Chelsea said with a smile. “Maybe you’ve had a trial or two, but there is no substitute for the real thing.”

  “I see.” Cain grinned at her. “So when exactly does one become tested?”

  “I’m afraid I don’t get your meaning.” Chelsea raised an eyebrow.

  “Well, obviously being shot doesn’t cut it. So when do we get to join the club? When we’ve been hit twice? Three times maybe? Do we have to lose a limb or two? Is there a height requirement? You must be this tall to be a trooper,” Cain said, holding out his hand at a height just higher than Harper’s.

  The rest of Tyra’s squad burst into laughter. Chelsea’s warm smile didn’t fade for a moment as she waited for the squad to quiet down.

  “I’m guessing you’ve been shot then. Shall I have you escorted to sick bay?” Chelsea asked.

  “Me? Never!” Cain matched Chelsea’s warm smile. “I leave the heroics to everyone else. Now Brent over there, he can’t resist sticking his neck out.”

  “Then does he need the assistance of a medic?”

  “He’s all ready been checked out,” Cassandra said defensively.

  “That’s certainly good news. Now, these bunks here are currently empty. Feel free to rest for as long as you like. We’ll bring you up to speed in the morning.”

  Chelsea saluted briefly and headed back toward Harper. Brent noticed Chelsea’s warm smile faded the instant her back was turned to the newcomers. She had barely been able to hold it long enough. The squad waited for Tyra and Ronald to pick their bunks before claiming their own. Most immediately flopped into their bunks. Cassandra gently helped Brent to his bunk.

  “Up to speed . . . what do you think she meant by that?” Humphrey mumbled.

  “No idea,” Angela said with a sigh, “but I can guarantee it won’t be pleasant.”

  “She tried not to show it,” Cain asked with a grin, “but I really angered her off when I made fun of our charming new division leader, didn’t I?

  “Now, there’s an understatement,” Angela said with a subdued smile. “Although, it probably doesn’t matter; there isn’t a single trooper here who isn’t angry or annoyed at us.”

  “I thought Owen told you to lay off the Weaver abilities.”

  “Believe me, I don’t have to work to sense this. They are practically shouting at me.”

  Cain finished unpacking a few items, and then took a seat next to Angela. She raised an eyebrow as she tried to create some distance between them on the bunk. She instantly relaxed when he put his hands over her ears. Brent could sense the enshrouding cool fog. A look of serene bliss covered her face as Angela rested against him.

  “Dante, you’ve got to teach me that one day,” Cassandra said with a smile.

  “After today, I’ll join in some of that training,” Doug said. “Did you see how Angela handled those security forces?”

  “You think that was impressive?” Her voice was slow and calm. “Imagine if Brent had asked me to do something I was good at.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Not all Weavers are created equal,” Marie said. “Don’t you remember the mess hall, Dougie?”

  Doug thought for a moment before shrugging. Liz giggled slightly.

  “Moron. We were attacked by two Weavers. How could you forget something like that?” Marie asked, with an annoyed sigh.

  “Oh yeah! I remember now. Those two were terrifying. But what does that have to do with Angela?”

  “What Marie is trying to explain is, different Weavers have different strengths,” Brent said, interrupting. “Those two were skilled with panic and paranoia. Angela’s strong suit is depression.”

  “If you knew that, then why did you ask me to work on fear?” Angela asked in surprise.

  “I needed them disabled for a minute or two. Depression could have done the trick, but I didn’t want to risk suicide. Plus, I know you don’t want to deal with depression anymore.” Brent smiled warmly.

  Angela silently thought to herself as a smile pulled at Cain’s mouth. Doug shrugged to himself, as he had no idea what any of them were talking about. The day had been a long one, and sleep came easily to the squad. It was a good thing, too. The entire squad was asleep before the ship made its first jump. Brent forced himself to stay awake until the Wall came. The brilliant light of the green nebula danced around the interior of the ship. Wisps of smoke snaked just far off enough to be safe as arcs of lightning played in the distance. Quietly, he let out a sigh of relief as the Wall passed without waking any of them. Without realizing it, he fell asleep shortly after the passing of the Wall. The familiar three tones woke him in the morning. Brent smiled to himself as the last images of an auburn field faded. The universe might be in turmoil, but at least his dreams were still the same.

  “Rise and shine!” Chelsea shouted energetically.

  He hadn’t noticed her, but she was already standing at the edge of the bunks. She must have been waiting for the tones to wake the newcomers. He chuckled to himself as he wondered if this was her form of revenge.

  “Something funny?” she asked him – the only awake trooper.

  “Not really. They always take a while to get up in the morning. I see you don’t share that problem.”

  Chelsea opened her mouth to speak but quickly snapped it shut. Her eyes were fixed on his uniform.

  “Something wrong?” Brent asked.

  “You’re a . . .” Her voice faded, unable to say the word.

  “Weaver, that’s right. Didn’t you notice?”

  Absentmindedly she shook her head. Chelsea quickly scanned the other troopers.

  “Just two of us. Angela and I are the only Weavers in the squad,” Brent answered her gaze.

  “Only?” she asked in surprise. “Two Weavers in the same squad. I didn’t know such a thing was possible.”

  “Is it really that odd of a thing?”

  “No offense, but your kind is hard to deal with individually. I’ve never heard of a pair of Weavers willing to follow orders.

  “It’s safe to say Tyra’s squ
ad is one of the most unique in the Commonwealth.”

  Brent smiled warmly at Chelsea as she tried to sum him up with her eyes. It was clear she was reevaluating her opinion of him.

  “Nevertheless, the tones have sounded and it’s time to get up,” Chelsea shouted to the rest of the squad. “We have a long day ahead of us.”

  The others reluctantly stirred. As Brent stood, Chelsea took a step away from him. Her gaze was locked on his leg. Without realizing it, he had stood on his injured leg. Brent was just as surprised as she was. He barely felt any pain when he put weight on it. Even with Cassandra’s help, every step had been painful the day before, but now it felt only slightly fatigued - like he had just finished a long jog.

  “I thought I told you to take it easy on that leg,” Owen said, clearly flustered.

  “It’s too early to bicker,” Erin said with a yawn.

  As the rest of the squad slowly stirred, Owen looked over Brent’s leg again.

  “Something wrong?” Chelsea asked after a while.

  “Nothing at all,” Owen said over his shoulder as he shifted to block her view.

  He silently inspected the wound as she tried to sneak a peak.

  “A good night’s rest did him wonders.” He stood with a smile after he put away his medical equipment. “He’s ready for whatever torture you can dish out.”

  Chelsea shifted her weight uncomfortably as Owen chuckled.

  “So you do have some sort of torture in mind,” Cain said, grinning on his bunk. “Let’s hope it’s physical. It’s way too early for psychological torture.”

  The squad chuckled as Chelsea put up a forced smile. Brent imagined she probably wanted to ring Cain’s neck.

  “Now Cain, it’s not nice to pick on more than one girl at a time,” Dante said with a smirk. “Or are you already tired of Angela?” “

  Suddenly the blanket around Cain started moving of its own accord. With a single jolt, Angela was sitting upright. Brent realized Cain wasn’t where he was supposed to be; the two of them had fallen asleep in the same bunk. Chelsea started blushing. Penny and Marie instantly jumped to the side of Angela’s bed with wide grins on their faces. Her face flushed with anger as she looked at the two girls. He could only imagine what emotions she was sensing from them.