The Corrupted Star

by Martin HC

  “You were, indisposed, and I had a lot of alone time with her, so I thought it was only fair to let you have some too.”

  “Jill that's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me,” he told his lover, then turned back to Babaidou.“I don't suppose there's any way we can talk our way out of this?”

  Babaidou, caught up in the surreality of the rapid argument and discussion snapped back to the matter at hand, his attention had been captivated by what was happening on the screen, it only now dawned on him that there was still a fight going on.

  “Unlikely.”

  “What if I threaten you?” Haydn enquired.

  “Are you some kind of fool?”

  “Yes, he is, but we don't hold it against him,” Tira fired out, taking advantage of the set-up. “Light travels faster than sound, he always looks bright until he speaks.”

  Feissa opened up into a fit of laughter from her chair, still curled up in the same position but seemingly feeling better now.

  “It's... funny because he's... a caveman,” she heckled from the background.

  “Tira really, really, why do you always do this? And you, less of that caveman nonsense, it hurts,” he finished by pointing at Feissa, not waiting for a reply from either he spoke to Babaidou and politely enquired. “So Mr bad guy, why can't I threaten you?”

  The Ferren had had enough, he tapped a code rapidly into his control display then looked back up. Tira stood in the middle, the others flanking her sides while Feissa remained curled up on the chair. Babaidou grinning for the first time in a long time, pressed the detonation control.

  Eight plasma fusion warheads detonated simultaneously, and the Ophelia's antimatter core erupted in answer.

  Babaidou watched the three vessels disappear, the Ophelia directly under his target and beside them a single remaining cartel frigate on the massive, glitching display. All nine detonations together created a white-out, forcing the view to dim, the small box displaying Tira and the rest, grained out and cut completely.

  He smiled to himself, was that all it took, the so called advanced and mighty foe becoming nothing in an instant. His unmasked source, Arterou, warned that it would require more, had given him an as yet unused tool to finish the job, now he could use it for much more productive purposes.

  Drawing himself up, his mind was on the Mergence war fleet now, his first target would be their flagship.

  The white-out from the antimatter blast began clearing, a single silhouette remained and Tira's broken image reappeared, becoming clearer as the antimatter's energy dissipated.

  “I wa...ed y...u Comm...er.” she said, her voice rattling through the speakers, only adding more to the menace in her tone that was already there. Her face was dark, a gash marred her features, healing as the image stabilised, the wall behind her was cracked, the damage running diagonally from the bottom to the top, it too stitched and moulded itself back together.

  “Visual targeting on that ship,” Babaidou yelled.

  “Target acquired,” came an immediate reply.

  “Before this is over Commander, I promise you'll suffer a fate worse than death.”

  “I'll let you in on a small secret girl, that was not my last card,” he told her, eyes alight with fire. He looked down to his weapons operator. “Open fire.”

  The operator reached down to the small control panel on a console and activated something, the flagship thrummed as a field of energy surrounded the Ferren hull, inbound weapons fire was absorbed and a lone nuclear warhead, slipping in past the flagship's point defence detonated before hitting home, the field of energy burned bright and redirected the nuclear power out and away.

  A build up of red light formed off the ship's nose, a black energy around the build up leached out from nowhere, making its way in faint trails to the centre of the ball of light, corrupting the ruby red with swirls and streaks of a depth-less black.

  Less than a few seconds passed in total from when the operator pressed the button. Red and black energy shot towards Tira's surviving ship. Striking her dead on, the rippling beam met her shields, and after a second more the beam burned through. Tira's connection with Babaidou cut, permanently this time.

  The energy hit with so much force, some of the nightmarishly long and spiked curving lances were blasted away, burning to nothingness as the beam emptied it charge.

  Her hull had been gouged through, revealing a blackened and charred hole which crackled with electrical power, red arcs of energy discharging between the open sides and into the structure itself.

  “Weapon is recharging,” the operator called. “Energy shielding has remained in place,”

  Babaidou barely heard the update, looking on in wonder at the raw power he wielded. The range alone was like nothing he'd ever experienced.

  Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

  The weapon's energy didn't stop at burning her hull, it made its way through the open hole, tearing on down into her superstructure until it found the command room, its booming noise filled the air and deafened the team as it bypassed everyone, but Tira. Red lightning lit her up and smashed the small girl to the deck, raw power discharged through her and into the floor. Her breathing was rapid and weak as she lay motionless on her face.

  Haydn ran to her and turned her gently, the clothing was burned away in places, revealing deeply lacerated and seared skin. She opened her eyes and struggled to grab breath to speak.

  “Tira, try not to speak, try not to speak.”

  “What was that?” Jill yelled. “What happened to Tira?”

  “I don't know but she's hurt bad,” Haydn answered, noticing Feissa was on her feet now just a few metres away, looking like a startled animal at the sudden cacophony of noise and light.

  “She's trying to tell you something,” Jill told him.

  The man struggled to listen to the breathless mumble, it was too quiet to hear and so lifting the girls body gently in his arms he lowered his ear to her face.

  “What is it? What are you trying to say?”

  “Get away from me,” she strained out.

  “Tira, I don't understand.”

  She began to stand, forcing her way out of her protector's arms and raising herself weakly, flashes of blue lit up her eyes and wove their way through her wounds. Haydn could see what was happening now, the darkness was pushing for control again, forcing her to subside to rage and it was taking everything she had to hold it down.

  “Get away from me,” she forced out again, but the voice wasn't hers, it was unrecognisable as it escaped her lips.

  “You should all step away from her,” a male voice spoke from behind the three causing them to spin and stare at him.

  “Who are you?” Haydn shouted out aggressively, his frustration and anger getting the better of him.

  “I'm a friend, here to help and you should trust me, for now you want to step away from her.”

  As if to put evidence to his recommendation, energy flared from several of Tira's slowly healing wounds and swirled round her body, hitting against chairs and barriers, burning them away, so they all done as suggested and backed away from the girl.

  “Bob? How did you get on this ship?” Jill fired out.

  “The same way I got you to that room, Tira's shielding is down now, she's weak, vulnerable.”

  “How can you help?” Jill asked.

  “That weapon has to be destroyed, it's too powerful. I've seen one like it before, and it has to recharge but we have little time.”

  “Jill, who is that?” Haydn demanded to know.

  “That's Bob, you've met him at the bar, he helped me find Brenn on the cartel frigate earlier,” she answered him, her look changed now as she pointed at Tira who was still fighting her own personal battle. “He's like her, he uses transport doorways too and he can't be killed.”

  “Not that she didn't try... twice,” Bob confirmed. “Look, if you want to destroy that weapon before it fires again, she has to get onto that Ferren ship.”


  “If you're like her, why can't you do it?” Haydn asked aggressively against the background noise.

  “I'm one of her people, but I don't have her power, she has to go over and be the one to do it. I can open a doorway and get us there, but she has to leave with me now, before they fire again,” he visibly strained to get his point across, almost pleading with them.

  “Jill?” Haydn asked.

  “We can't let them use that weapon again, Haydn.”

  “Tira, can you make it across?”

  The swirling energy around her began to subside, she looked at him weakly but then nodded with determination.

  “Open a door,” Haydn ordered. “Take us across.”

  “Us?”

  “She's going nowhere without me,” he told the man with an unusual level of steel in his tone.

  “And he goes nowhere without me,” Jill spoke, with her regular level of steel.

  “OK, I won't argue but I can't guarantee your safety.”

  “Just open the doorway.”

  And he did, the deck of Babaidou's ship could be seen clearly, the voices and noises of his command group could also be heard. Damon sat with his back to them, less than a metre from the open bridge. Jill moved in first, grabbed the man and silently pulled him through the portal, he fell to the floor, the usual effects taking place. After moving Damon aside, Bob followed Jill, and Haydn grabbing Tira helped her walk. With a gentle hand to his chest, Feissa stopped them.

  “I'm not sure you should come with us, I don't know what's going to happen there,” Haydn told her.

  “I know, I have a feeling my dress would get ruined, but do take this,” she said, offering him an energy pistol. “I know you aren't carrying one, I have no idea why with the amount of trouble you find yourself in, but you should take this.”

  “How did you hide a gun in that dress?”

  “I'm a survivalist,” she answered. “Careful though my love, I don't trust that man... and the safety's off,” she finished, pushing the gun into his hand.

  Haydn took it from her, and tucked it into his waist under his jacket. Nodding, he moved through the doorway with Tira, and into the command room.

  Surprise Surprise

  Not a single person saw them enter the room, they looked around watching the business of the place, people focussed on terminals, conversed amongst themselves and busied about the deck. One individual pushed past Haydn, so focussed on a display tablet he hadn't even looked up to see who it was.

  They slowly moved to the centre, taking up positions at the bottom of the steps.

  “Two minutes until charge limit reached, commander,” someone called from one of the centre rows.

  “Confirm visual weapon's lock when ready, then fire again,” a man at the top of the stairs called down.

  They all looked up at the last man who spoke, Haydn, Bob and Tira understanding the language fluently, Jill didn't.

  “That's him,” Haydn whispered to Tira. “Top of the steps.”

  Babaidou himself was focussed on a display of his own and tapped away, above everyone in the centre was a holo display. Two distinct colours, green and yellow populated the area, the yellow heavily outnumbered green, and a master reticule wrapped around one green marker, identifying which ship in particular they stood on.

  Bob walked silently up to both Haydn and Tira.

  “You have to release yourself to your power, Tira. Bring it forth, use it to find and destroy the weapon.”

  Fighting her weakened state, Tira pushed herself off Haydn's arms and took four difficult steps out in front of her team. Closing her eyes she allowed the darkness to envelope her mind, she felt it's support like she did against the digital Darkspace AI, and found that link which allowed her to maintain control.

  The skin around her eyes and still open wounds began to glow, the energy slowly leant it's strength to her and her whole body straightened. The activity in the slightly darkened room was now being picked up by Ferren command staff, slowly drawing their attention one by one.

  There was no reactions at first, a group of individuals stood behind a glowing girl was an unexpected event, so surreal they couldn't put reason to it. On the edges guards began to take notice, shuffling closer, uncertain of the legitimacy of the undisclosed presence.

  Babaidou looked up, picking up on the unsettled silence in the room and noticed his guards moving with purpose, their weapons raised. Looking to where the weapons were pointing, he froze upon seeing the group at the bottom of the steps.

  Shouts were loudly heard, guards became audible and shouted to the intruders, now confident that they definitely shouldn't be in the room, let alone glowing.

  Tira's small glow became something much brighter, the power manifesting itself physically and swirling around her body. Occasionally a tail of transparent and grainy energy would brush across her own body or leg, stripping away cloth and skin like a whip, only for the skin to heal again covering the reddened muscle and flesh. The other three slowly backed away, step by step as the slow cyclone of power gained in size and thrummed around her.

  A panic and sudden rush of activity filled the command room as officers who were armed like the guards drew weapons, several fired into the heart of the now swirling torrent of energy. Those that were unarmed made their way backwards up the steps towards Babaidou, who remained unmoving and watching the display below.

  Shot after shot hit the shield of light, some being absorbed, others slipping through its swirling torrent and burning away her flesh, and like with the energy itself the wounds healed as fast as they formed. More the cyclone grew until it began consuming the consoles, chairs and barriers of the room and finally, in one massive release of power, Tira retaliated.

  The cyclone blew out, burning everyone away, guards, staff and officers were turned to ash and dust in the blink of an eye. The remaining barriers, consoles, displays and chairs in the room blew or burned, the strike not entirely turning them to ash like the people but devastating all the same. The floor itself was burned away in some areas closest to her, revealing structure work, sparking cables and the odd gap showing a room below.

  Atop the the scorched and cracked steps, Babaidou survived, the sole survivor of his crew in the room. He fell to the ground on the platform as Tira released her attack, and the upward direction of the sloping room directed the remaining energy over his head, but not before burning away his left arm just above the elbow.

  Her power now showed itself, the darkness became solid around her. In a rapidly moving display of forces, a ghost like wire-frame of Tira began to form. Just a few steps in front of the girl it took shape and all the time never broke its bond, small strings of pulsating light remaining fixed to her at all times. Everything came together to create a mirrored nervous structure as eyes burned to life in the faceless light, pinpoint, blue and brilliant.

  Tira could feel its absolute power, feeding her strength and healing wounds completely, but most importantly, under her control. Unlike before it no longer resisted and settled for being awake, allowing her to use its being while observing the surroundings.

  The fleshless structure looked at the protected bystanders behind Tira. Menacing blue eyes with a spine chilling stare, eyed each of the silent team in turn.

  “Release it's power,” Bob shouted, drawing Haydn and Jill's attention, breaking their stares from the event. “You still have to destroy the weapon, use it to find the source of the power and destroy it.”

  The strength she wielded was invigorating, power surged through her with every breath, she'd never known a feeling like it and reached out. Feeling the energy of the weapon she released her guidance to the darkness, and let it hunt.

  “That's it, let the entity find the weapon, let the creature do its work.”

  “Creature?” Haydn asked.

  “Yes, can't you feel it, can't you feel its strength, such a raw power that we dragged into our universe.”

  “I feel nothing, what is that thing?”

&nbs
p; Tira felt the weapon, the energy hungry darkness surrounded and began to feed on its power, burning it apart, but something wasn't right. The darkness was slipping away from her, its power weakening, being pulled into the weapon further and further, she could not stop it and began to lose her control.

  “Can you feel it, Tira?” Bob laughed out, ignoring the man's question. “Can you feel the creature leaving you?”

  Tira cried out a little, as the darkness fought against being dragged away from her, the struggle to keep its power in check was becoming too much.

  “Bob, what is happening to her?”