by D. J. Holmes
Such an idea seemed far-fetched to Emilie but, given how strange everything in front of her was, she couldn’t rule it out. “There’s only one way to find out,” she said as she nodded towards the half open access hatch. “You may open it fully now,” she said to the shuttle’s pilot. Emilie braced herself as the flow of goo increased. Within seconds it had covered her shoulders and was moving up over her flight suit’s helmet. As soon as she was completely covered, she walked forward. Surprisingly, the goo was thin enough that she didn’t float. It made walking a lot easier. As Walker ducked and moved through the hatch, Emilie took a deep breath and followed. The inside of the alien ship was just as strange as the outside. The hatch opened into a large corridor, easily four times the width of anything in Intrepid. The walls appeared to be made of the same substance as the outer hull. Everything looked grown rather than made due to its irregularity.
“I don’t think the goo is the aliens,” Walker said moments later. Emilie picked up her pace and came up beside the marine sergeant. If she hadn’t been preparing herself for encountering something so strange, she would have let out a shriek. As it was, she made to grab Walker’s arm out of fright. She only stopped herself short inches away from his forearm. Instead she just stood and stared. In front of her was a creature floating in the goo. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. The closest description she could come up with was a hybrid between a jellyfish and a squid. The alien’s head, or was it its torso? Either way, it was large and bulbous and looked extremely fragile. Yet coming out of the center of the alien were eight large tentacle like arms that rippled with muscle as they swayed back and forth.
Emilie was still trying to take in the scene in front of her when what she could only describe as a maw opened in the center of the alien’s torso. It moved back-and-forth several times, emitting a strange squeaking noise. Her whole body felt the goo around her vibrate. Then, after about a second’s delay, her suit’s translation software kicked into gear.
“You have succeeded in waylaying us Captain. Not for many decades has an alien stepped foot aboard a Kalassai ship. I would declare you privileged, except for the fact that you have forced your way on here,” the alien said.
Emilie bowed to the alien, giving the gesture that, at least within the Varanni Alliance, was the universal sign of respect. “I apologize for any concern I caused your Captain and crew. You’ll notice that we did not fire any weapons at your ship, however. It was never my intention to start a fight. On the contrary, I have been searching for your species for more than six months. My name is Captain Kansas, my species and several of our neighbors are involved in a war with the Karacknid Empire. One that will be the end of our civilizations if we lose. Recently we have befriended the five species that call themselves the Conclave. They told us about your species and your centuries old war with the Karacknids. It is my hope that we may become friends and allies against our common foe.”
“If you are at war with the Karacknids, then your species has my condolences,” the alien said as the rippling of its tentacles changed pattern. “Your homeworld will soon be conquered, if not destroyed. The Karacknid’s have no mercy. You should abandon all hope and flee while you can.”
“Never,” Emilie said with emotion. “Never will my species run from an enemy as evil as the Karacknids. Not after what they have already done to us.”
“So they have already destroyed your homeworld. Again, you have my sympathies,” the alien replied. “If you truly have come all this way seeking out my species. Then listen to the wisdom that we have to share. Fighting the Karacknids is futile. There is no hope of victory. Even today your ship was lucky. If their squadron had arrived when you were not refueling, they would have destroyed you.”
Emilie took a breath. She needed to try a different tactic. “Your species has known the Karacknids for far longer than mine has. I am sure you have much wisdom to share. But you cannot know everything. You say there is no hope? On that you are wrong. The Karacknids attacked my species’ homeworld. That is true. But we defeated them. We drove them back and forced their invasion fleet to retreat to their own space. More than that, when a much larger Karacknid fleet, numbering more than four thousand warships, attacked our neighbors, it too was driven back. There is hope. But only if those who oppose the Karacknids band together.”
The alien’s tentacles stopped swaying. “You have defeated the Karacknids in battle?”
“Yes, and more than once,” Emilie said as she lifted her chin. “They have the numerical and technological advantage. But they can be beaten. We have done it before, and we will do it again.”
The alien looked frozen in place. For what seemed like an eternity it didn’t move or speak. “Remain here,” it eventually said. Then, almost in the blink of an eye, it twisted its body around and all eight of its tentacles snapped as they propelled the alien further into its ship. The force of the goo being thrust at them almost made Emilie stumble.
Walker turned to her, “It seems you made an impression. And here I thought it was just them who were making the impression on us.”
Emilie wanted to ask Walker if the marine thought the alien had believed her. She suspected there was no point though. He wouldn’t appreciate her second-guessing herself. Instead she waited patiently for the alien to return. When it didn’t appear to be in a rush, she studied the ship around her. Reaching out, she touched the wall of the corridor. Though it didn’t quite feel as she had been expecting, it still gave her the faint impression of tree bark. Even up close it was uneven and rough.
“Here we go,” Walker said, pulling Emilie’s attention back to the center of the corridor. The alien was returning. Or at least, one of its species was. Emilie had no idea how someone was supposed to tell them apart.
“You will follow me Captain, my Captain will speak with you. My name is Lieutenant Wass-maka. Let me welcome you on board our ship.”
Emilie shared a glance with Walker. The alien was taking a very different tone with her. “It is a pleasure to be welcomed here. Especially given how rare it is for any to be welcomed. It is a privilege.” As she bowed her head, the alien tilted his torso slightly towards her in reply.
“This way,” Wass-maka said as it turned its body and moved forward with a gentle swish of its tentacles.
As Emilie followed, she kept her eyes open, taking in every square centimeter of the ship she could. As they continued, she grew disappointed. There was nothing for her to see. It seemed like they were just walking along one never-ending corridor. Only when Wass-maka took a sharp right turn and the wall peeled back, did Emilie realize they had probably passed many different sections of the ship. “This is Captain Wal-sma of the Kalassai ship Wayfarer,” Wass-maka said as it pointed a tentacle towards one of several Kalassai floating within the large oval room they had just entered. Emilie guessed it was Wayfarer’s bridge.
Emilie bowed to Wal-sma, “Thank you for agreeing to meet me Captain.”
Wal-sma returned the gesture. “Your ship is impressive. Any other species but the Karacknids and we would have destroyed you. I hope we did not cause any serious damage with the one hit we succeeded in making.”
“I do not believe so,” Emilie replied. “Your ship is impressive too. I’ve never seen sub light drive technology nor weapons quite like yours. They caught us off guard.”
“Then I’m glad we did not catch you off guard too much,” Wal-sma said. “You have to forgive us for our reaction. My species has spent centuries on the run from the Karacknids. It makes one rather jumpy.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Emilie responded. “I knew we were going to catch you off guard. But I could see no other way of getting the time we might need to convince you to speak with us. I knew that taking weapons fire from your ship was a risk.”
“Well, your ship handled it admirably Captain. The truth is that is the main reason why you are standing here before us. Without the demonstration of your ship’s capabilities, I would never believe the cla
ims you have made to Wass-maka.”
“About defeating the Karacknids?” Emilie asked.
“Indeed,” Wal-sma answered. “Now, I have some questions for you.”
“Of course, I am happy to answer,” Emilie replied.
“How many warships does your species have?”
Emilie had to think for a second. “It’s been more than a year since I was home. If there have been no more major engagements and the projections about new ship construction were correct, then we should have over four hundred warships. Our nearest ally, the Vestarians have almost a hundred of their own. So far in the war, our two fleets have fought together as one. We had many more than that before the Karacknids attacked us. More than a thousand were lost in the battle for our homeworld. However, all of our new ships will be much more powerful than what we lost. Our new ships incorporate technologies that have been shared with us from the Varanni and the Mindus. They are both enemies of the Karacknids. That number does not take into account our fighters. There should be many more of those.”
“Fighters?” Wal-sma queried.
“Small attack craft that take advantage of a technological breakthrough my species made. They can launch devastating attacks against ships a hundred times their size. In large part our fighters are what allowed us to counter the Karacknids’ numerical advantage.”
“And your allies, how many ships do they have?”
“The Varanni Alliance,” Emilie began, “Their fleet numbered around five thousand warships. Though, both they and my own species did not know about the Karacknids until just four years ago. Our industries and shipyards are still being expanded. We know that the future of each of our species is at stake in this war. We are in the process of converting those civilizations to the point where we can fight all-out war with the Karacknids. We know the conflict may last decades. Nevertheless, we are committed to standing against them and fighting for our freedom.”
“If you and your allies have been so successful against the Karacknids, then why have you come seeking us?” Wal-sma asked.
“Because we know that despite our best efforts, we may not win,” Emilie answered honestly. “The Karacknid empire is many times larger than all of the space my species and our allies own combined. I was sent to this part of the galaxy to seek out new friends and allies. The Karacknid empire is constantly expanding its borders, gobbling up their neighbors and enslaving them. Our best chance of defeating them is to attack them from many sides. To make them fight a war on several fronts and divide their strength so that they can be defeated piece by piece. The Conclave species recognize that they must stand up to the Karacknids. I know your species has already been attacked by them. But perhaps you do not need to be on the run forever. Perhaps the Karacknids can be defeated and you could return to your homeworld.”
At the mention of the Kalassai’s homeworld, Emilie sensed a change around her. Most of the other Kalassai tilted their bodies slightly away from her. Captain Wal-sma’s stopped swaying back-and-forth. “Returning to our homeworld is not an option. The Karacknids destroyed it when my species first fled from them,” the Kalassai Captain said slowly in a very different tone.
“You have my sympathies,” Emilie replied. “Perhaps then it is not peace that your species could gain from joining us, but revenge,” she continued, determined to make her case. “Or the freedom to find a new homeworld without fear of the Karacknids destroying it.”
“A new homeworld is all but impossible to find. My species has a very particular set of requirements,” Wal-sma explained.
“Maybe in that we could help you,” Emilie proposed. She took a risk. “My species’ home system is many thousands of light years from here. My ship traveled through a wormhole to reach the territories owned by the Conclave species. If we became friends, your ships could use our wormhole to explore an entirely new part of the galaxy. We could help you with that exploration.”
Wal-sma bowed its head slightly. “Your offer is a kind one Captain. Perhaps the kindest my species has received since fleeing our home system. But I do not believe you realize what you are asking of us. For generations we have fled at the sight of a Karacknid warship. Our ships can fight them if necessary, but we do not have the numbers to survive a serious confrontation. How do you think we could be of assistance in your war?”
Emilie took her time to reply. “Wars are won in many ways,” she eventually said. “You can help us with information about the Karacknids. Maps of their territory. We could also share technologies with one another. My ship for example is coated in a specially designed stealth material. We had never encountered the sensor the Karacknids used to try and detect your ship. Nevertheless, we believe our stealth coating significantly reduces the effectiveness of the Karacknid sensors. We could share it with you and help your ships to better hide from the Karacknids. In all these ways and more, I’m sure your assistance would be of great benefit in the war we fight. However, I will not lie to you, ultimate victory may only be achieved if your ships directly engage the Karacknids. Given your species’ history of fleeing the Karacknids, I’m sure you have become very adept at avoiding them. Perhaps your ships could sneak into their space and raid their freighters? Disrupting their economy and shipbuilding endeavors will be as effective as winning large-scale naval battles in this war.”
Wal-sma’s tentacles changed their swaying again. “I have heard enough Captain. I cannot make a decision on behalf of my people. But your words deserve to be heard by our leaders. I will take you to one of our cities. There you will share what you have sought to say here.” Wal-sma turned to one of the other Kalassai nearby. “Are we ready?”
“Yes Captain,” the Kalassai replied.
“Begin,” Wal-sma ordered.
In front of Emilie and the Kalassai, a section of the goo they were suspended in changed. It actually condensed together and formed a series of shapes. It took only a couple seconds for Emilie to recognize one of them as Intrepid. It was their form of a holo- projector! What happened next made her cry out in alarm. “What are you doing?” she demanded when two small objects rushed away from Wayfarer and towards Intrepid. Before anyone could answer, one split into more than a hundred smaller contacts just in front of Intrepid. The second passed over the top of her ship and then split as well. The two hundred contacts rushed towards Intrepid’s hull. Point defense plasma bolts and laser beams reached out and struck several of them. The attack had happened out of the blue though and most of the contacts reached Intrepid’s hull. Instantly her ship’s power readings disappeared and she began to drift in space. It was all a trap, Emilie screamed to herself as she turned towards Wal-sma, her fists clenched.
“Do not worry Captain, our attack will not cause lasting damage,” Wal-sma said.
Though Emilie wanted to reach out and throttle the Kalassai, she had to grab Walker’s arm. The marine sergeant looked ready to drive his fist through Wal-sma’s soft looking central torso.
Unaware of Emilie or Walker’s emotions, Wal-sma continued. “We fired two negater missiles at your ship. They are designed to disable a Karacknid vessel. The smaller contacts you saw latch onto a ship’s hull and release a particle wave into the ship. The wave should not harm your crew or your systems, but it will disable your reactors for a short period of time. I’m afraid your ship cannot know where we are going. The location of our cities is our most highly kept secret. I could not risk that your ship would try to follow us.”
Emilie’s anger was bubbling within her. Wal-sma could have explained things to her. She could have ordered Intrepid not to follow them. Wal-sma could have let her say goodbye to her crew and Alvarez. Yet from the images in front of her, she could see that Wayfarer was quickly pulling away from Intrepid. Despite her desire to shout at Wal-sma, Emilie bit her tongue. Arguing now would do no good. You’ve got what you wanted, she said to herself. She had found the Kalassai. And now she was being taken to their leaders. But where is that? She couldn’t help but ask. And how far away is it? Emilie
swallowed hard. She had no idea what she had just got herself into.
Chapter 17
The Imperial Research and Development Division had humble beginnings; but just a few naval officers meeting to discuss technologies and ideas quickly grew. Most historians agree it reached its zenith under Admiral Scott in the post Karacknid War era. Today there are tens of thousands of naval officers and scientists working for the division. Tens of thousands of independent contractors comb the galaxy looking for new alien tech they can sell. The IRDD always offers lucrative bounties for new curiosities. After all, it was thanks to alien tech that the early Imperial Fleet managed to catch up with the Karacknids’ capabilities.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.
One moment Alveraz was sitting in his command chair trying to imagine what Emilie was experiencing on the Kalassai ship, the next all hell broke loose. Alarms blared. His restraints automatically tightened. He felt Intrepid’s flight computer throw the ship into an evasive maneuver. Looking up at the holo projection, he was just in time to see two contacts race across the gap between Intrepid and Wayfarer. Moments later they both disappeared to be replaced by hundreds of smaller ones. Then everything went black and every alarm ceased.