The Anvil of Dust and Stars (Dark Seas Series Book 1)

by Damon Alan

  A fitting fate for what they did. Even if they didn't intend it.

  Military forces a century ago were a tiny fraction of their current size, and because of that response to the Hive threat was slow, and ineffective. This allowed the Hive to gain control of several star systems, and a foothold in the galaxy that humanity has been unable to shake off.

  Sarah studied the available information on how the Hive infects humans, and what the signs and symptoms of infection were. She learned the process took from two to eight days depending on the materials available to the nanobots within the host body. Victims who didn't have the right nutrient mix were often consumed to feed the nanites inhabiting healthier hosts. Sarah wasn't sure if that was cannibalism or not, but it was revolting.

  More was known about the Hive conquest of Zelan, and as a military survivor and war hero she was able to access it using her contacts. She learned of data available from the inspection cameras her squadron put in place on Ninarka. She was permitted to view it at a secure military intelligence facility.

  One scene stuck with her more than any other, becoming indelible in her mind. She watched as an infected Widdis, now a Hive host, consumed the body of a woman. As it ate it stared at the camera, intentions unknown. Did it want the horror to be seen? Did the Hive think in terms of fear and viciousness? She didn't know. Nor, to be honest, did she want to know.

  Sarah noticed something she didn't see mentioned in other reports. In the infrared light of the camera, Widdis's eyes glowed like cat eyes.

  Sarah magnified the image, zooming in on the left eye.

  As the image drew in close she saw the artificial retina created by the nanites within Widdis's eye. The patterns exhibited the orderly pathways of circuitry. An organic machine.

  Poor Widdis.

  Once again her resolve against the enemy was renewed.

  I will fight. At all costs. This body will never be what Widdis became.

  Chapter 13 - Hidden in a Tin Can

  17 GUSTA 15311

  By the time the inquiry results for Sarah's actions were finally released, the public had already lost interest. People grew bored and moved on to other things, not to mention there was an underlying tension that increased as the Hive threat grew. By the time the inquiry results came, crime levels were a bigger story. The monarchy was publicly mindwiping violent criminals for the first time in hundreds of years.

  Other military incidents occurred as well, many similar to The Five Freighter Fiasco, almost all unmentioned in the media. But Sarah's attack on civilians was the first, garnering special attention.

  No apologies came from the holo outlets. Only one news source reported her exoneration. The moment was past, and nobody cared. Killing freighters and passenger liners from Zelan and Alberath became non-events.

  The military transferred Sarah out of grapplers, and onto a capital ship. She asked why she was transferred, and was told by a clerk that a transfer to the warship would minimize any new interest from the media. Sarah Dayson returning to a grappler might draw some interest.

  She knew complaining would do no good. The military machine was a juggernaut, and once moved in a direction it was next to impossible to change.

  After another month of preparation, Sarah left Vonn and Jac to report aboard the RKV Chimera in orbit over Korvand. An older battlecruiser, the Chimera carried an FTL drive and led a small flotilla of ships. The flotilla was assigned combat defense of Korvand, but as an older unit would be shifted to defend Srarach when the day Srarach needed help came.

  Sarah was assigned as a junior officer in the navigation section. Bravo shift.

  After boarding she made her way through the vessel, looking for her quarters. As she moved along the maze of gangways, she thought again of Vonn and Jac. Vonn refused to migrate. He said that time would come, but it wasn't that time yet. He didn't want to leave Sarah with nobody to come home for.

  Nonsense. I will follow him once my term of service is up.

  Sarah stowed her gear in the tiny compartment she shared with another junior officer. Sarah read the tag on the woman's locker. Ensign Marta Bendalla.

  There's barely room to turn around in here…

  Sarah pulled herself onto the top bunk and tested it. She tightened the zero G straps around her… yawned…

  Someone knocked on the hatch, and Sarah's eyes popped open. Another knock. Sarah slapped the button to open it with her foot without leaving the bunk.

  A young officer floated in the hallway, he looked into the room. “Lieutenant JG Sarah Blaire Dayson?”

  “That's me. Come in.”

  The man squeezed into the compartment.

  “Not much room, I'll stay up here on my bunk, Lieutenant…”

  “Harris. Sal Harris. I'm the lead for the navigation section on Bravo shift. We're 2100 to 0900 every day.”

  “Do I start tonight?”

  “We're not going anywhere, but you can come up and observe. Captain Sheffaris likes people to have forty-eight hours to settle in. He's a good man. Very fair.”

  “I'll be there tonight.” Sarah looked at her chronograph. “I just had a nice nap. I should be fresh.”

  “No worries. Let the shifts change.” Lieutenant Harris pointed at Bendalla's locker. “Marta is on Alpha shift. When you meet her you'll know shift change is completed and you can come up when you like. I'll introduce you to the Captain. He and the XO overlap shifts so they know both crews.”

  “Sounds good. I'll see you then.”

  Lieutenant Harris departed. Sarah stared at the hatch as it closed behind him. The Chimera had no grapplers, no flight deck unless you counted the small bay for the two personnel transfer shuttles. Life on a capital ship was going to be a different world for her.

  At least nobody on board was calling her a murderer. So far there was no sign anyone knew who she was at all.

  Chapter 14 - All Ashore

  18 GUSTA 15313

  The tactical maneuvers conducted by the Third Flotilla, the battle group led by the RKV Chimera, centered around the philosophy they'd be outnumbered dramatically in any battle. Thirty-six ships filled out the flotilla roster, varying from the grappler carrier Edolphus to the ECM/ECCM ship Kublana. The flotilla was composed of ships over a kilometer long to ships thirty meters long. Some had a crew of thousands, some a crew of twelve.

  Captain Sheffaris, in command of the flotilla, drilled the ships and crews constantly. With two of the monarchy's four systems in Hive hands, the remaining fleet ships grew more desperate in their defense tactics. Several grappler crews volunteered directly to Captain Sheffaris to carry an extra nuclear weapon on their craft to increase their punch… by using the grappler itself as the missile to deliver the weapon. Sheffaris refused. He answered them saying a society that would burn it's youth on the altar of sacrifice was not a society worth fighting for.

  Sarah agreed with him, and realized he was the type of man she'd enjoy fighting for. It was one thing to fight for the people. It was another for the people to demand the ultimate sacrifice. Everyone was ready to die for the Queen and Korvand, and if duty demanded, Srarach. But the idea of suicide pilots was revolting. Even if it worked and Korvand survived, it would stain their society with shame until the next battle… or the next. If Korvand was to fall, let it be with heads held high, with honor.

  That wouldn't keep individual grapplers from making that choice in battle, however. Each carried a fusion reactor. Shutting down the magnetic containment of the reactor would cause an explosion that would cripple an enemy capital ship if delivered close enough.

  The months passed and Sarah learned her duties. She developed a love for the elegance of a capital ship as they trained for the coming battles. The Chimera was old, but the ship had aged well. It carried lighter armor than newer cruisers, which made it more nimble. Not a grappler by any means, but she still enjoyed the maneuvers and the feel of controlling over half a million tons of fighting machine.

  Orders came regarding deployment to Srar
ach. Hive mapping drones were discovered and destroyed in Srarach. Undoubtedly countless drones achieved their mission unnoticed. Once the Hive mapped a system, invasion followed eight to twelve months later. Four were already passed. It was just over a forty day jump to Srarach. If the Navy was going to send more ships, they'd need to have them underway soon to get them there before the earliest possible invasion date. It would take an additional month to get the ships into position for a proper defense.

  Srarach was a marginally inhabitable world terraformed by the same colony ship that colonized Korvand eight thousand years earlier. It sat at the outer edge of the habitable zone for the A9 class white star it orbited. The planet was cold, the star harsh, and the conditions on Srarach were such that only a Srarachan would love them. If even they did.

  But Srarach was part of the Korvandi Monarchy, and the Queen's Navy was bound by duty to protect them. So a defense of Srarach was organized, including the Chimera and the Third flotilla.

  Captain Sheffaris ordered the flotilla to half staffing. Every crewman was given two weeks of uninterrupted time to spend with their families.

  Captain Sheffaris's wife came to the Chimera to spend time with him. He stayed on board to see to his people.

  Sarah grew to admire him a lot. He was strict, but a fair and caring leader.

  I will be the same when my day comes. If it comes.

  Sarah's roommate called Sarah a pie in the sky optimist for even thinking there was a future. Bendalla said the Monarchy was in its final days.

  Sarah knew death was likely, but it didn't feel that way. She intended to see the future Bendalla feared.

  “Mankind has fought numerous enemies among our own kind since before we ever left Earth,” Sarah told Bendalla. “We've vanquished evil over and over again. We'll do it again.”

  Marta sneered and rolled her eyes. “We're doing a great job. One more colony stands between us and nothing.”

  “There are untold thousands of human worlds still.”

  Marta signed. “But they're not us. Not Korvandi.”

  Sarah kept her thoughts to herself.

  Maybe not. But they're human.

  * * *

  11 HUNI 15314

  Sarah spent her two weeks ashore with Vonn and Jac, in the tropics. Days on white beaches, nights in a rustic bungalow playing board games and drinking. Jac was three now, nearly four. He would start primary school the next Fall, although he was already ahead of his peers.

  Sarah's parents immigrated off planet, Sarah was relieved to see them go. She'd miss them, but passage offworld was getting harder to find. It was a serious topic that needed addressed with Vonn as well.

  Life is lived differently when it's lived on the edge. This was the last time she might see Vonn, she was about to step into a fire that nearly killed her once before. It didn't feel like the end to her, but she would live the few days remaining with Vonn as if it were.

  They made love twice a day and ate expensive food at restaurants they couldn't normally afford. They dove in the ocean for shells and took submersible tours of the reefs.

  Life seemed normal and desperate at the same time. A desperation born of loss yet to happen. Sarah finally breeched a subject she'd wanted to save for the last day.

  Vonn and Sarah sat on a wooden pier over a shallow lagoon near the bungalow they'd rented. Jac played behind them, a local man let the young boy help reel in his fishing pole. Jac was elated.

  Sarah sat with her feet dangling over the edge of the pier, inches above the clear blue water. The lagoon was calm, although she heard surf roaring in the distance. Several minutes of silence passed between Sarah and Vonn before Sarah spoke. “You and Jac have to leave Korvand.”

  “Not yet,” Vonn said. He lay back on the sun warmed wood of the pier. “It's not time.”

  Sarah slapped him on his belly, satisfied to hear him grunt. “Vonn, it's something we need to start considering. I can get you the papers to get off planet. The Hive are too close. They might attack Korvand three years from now, or fifty, we don't know. Nobody knows how the machines think. But when they get here it will be too late.”

  Vonn groaned and shielded his eyes from the sunlight so he could look at her. “I know, Sarah. But it's not time yet. When you get back from Srarach, I want to be here. We can talk about it then.”

  Sarah turned and looked out over the water of the lagoon. If she looked right at him she'd waver from what needed to be said. Vonn and Jac were the only people alive who could melt her resolve. “I want you to start thinking about it then. The Hive have never absorbed more than one planetary system at a time, so Korvand should be safe until the Chimera gets back. They'll might attack other systems before they turn their eyes on Korvand. Probably will, they don't seem to care about our political boundaries.”

  “Good to know. But you're arguing my side on this.”

  “I have an angle. I always do. Others are going to think as you and wait, but you need to get ready to leave with Jac. He's counting on us to keep him safe whether he knows it or not. We can still get you two off planet right now, open berths aren't that hard to find for military families.”

  Vonn closed his eyes again and used his freed hand to massage Sarah's lower back. “When you get back from Srarach, we'll make plans.”

  She leaned into his massage. “If I get back. If I don't come back, you're to leave immediately after hearing about my death. Do you understand? Promise me.”

  Vonn laughed. “It's not going to happen, Sarah Dayson. Everyone who ever met you knows you're a survivor. You'll get back here from Srarach if you have to hitch a ride on a meteor. Then we'll make plans.”

  Sarah turned to look at him and grabbed his manhood with implied threat. “I said promise me.”

  “Okay, okay. I promise. Calm down there, we'll need that tonight.”

  Sarah laughed the delighted giggle of a victorious young woman as she lay back on the wood beside Vonn. At first it was almost too hot to lay on, but the heat equalized into her skin and then it felt good.

  She interlocked her fingers within his and he lifted her hand to his lips to kiss it.

  If only this was forever.

  Chapter 15 - From Fear, Chaos

  34 JUNI 15314

  The Third Flotilla dropped out of highspace within the Srarach system. Alpha shift was on duty, the XO had the conn. Sarah was working a double shift because her roommate was sick. Marta would have to work a double for Sarah the next day. Twenty-four hours on position wasn't fun, but it did keep boredom at bay. Sarah pinpointed the position of the flotilla while she listened to other ships check in with the Chimera.

  As was normal the arriving flotilla sent a signal to space control operations on Srarach. The lightspeed delay was over four hours. The XO ordered the fleet to hold off decelerating into the system until the response from Srarach returned. Once they started to decelerate the EM noise from the fusion engines would block out any incoming signal.

  Captain Sheffaris relieved the XO about six hours later, and the Captain ordered the flotilla into position for deceleration. Sarah watched as the stately ships rotated one hundred and eighty degrees about to prepare. Some of the small ships completed the maneuver in thirty seconds with precise bursts from their thrusters. Other ships, like the Chimera, took longer. It was seven minutes before Sarah reported to Lieutenant Harris the ship was stable, and the Lieutenant passed that on to the Captain.

  “Good work Dayson,” Sheffaris said.

  Sarah wasn't sure he'd known her name. He'd never addressed her directly before outside of an occasional acknowledgment in a briefing or passing in the hallway. He'd always called her Lieutenant then.

  “Thank you, sir,” Sarah answered.

  “That reminds me, I have something for you. Now is a good time since we're just sitting here waiting. Come up to the command deck, Lieutenant.”

  That's not usually a good thing. Sarah released the auto-straps on her gravity couch, then pushed off to float up to the Command Deck
next to the Captain. The XO pushed into the room from the bridge access hatch.

  Oh shit…

  The Captain locked his boots to the floor. “Everyone stop what you're doing. I'd like your attention.”

  The bridge fell silent and gravity couches rotated to face the Captain.

  Sarah gulped nervously, but relaxed when she saw the XO smiling at her.

  “All of you know the Lieutenant JG, an outstanding member of Bravo shift and an integral part of our team here on the Chimera. It's common knowledge that I hand pick my XO, as well as the chiefs and command officers of my various sections. I rarely make the effort to do the same with my junior officers, it's up to the commanders of their sections to do that. I did, however, pick Lieutenant Dayson for our crew.”

  Captain Sheffaris took a datapad the XO extended to him. “I'm sure many of you realize who Lieutenant JG Sarah Dayson is, some admire her and some revile her. Others don't give a damn either way. All of you have been professional enough to keep any feelings you have out of your work. I have remained detached for the most part, but I have to admit my admiration now for the Lieutenant's command decisions in protecting Korvand. Because of that, I have been working to get Lieutenant JG Dayson a backdated promotion for her efforts. I respect an officer who will conduct herself as she did during what came to be referred to as the Five Freighter Fiasco. She had a duty, and she executed it, no matter how difficult that duty was. I expect no less from any of you.”

  The Captain handed Sarah the datapad. “In honor of your efforts and personal sacrifice, Sarah Dayson, you are promoted to Lieutenant, minus the JG. This is that promotion, and it's backdated to the day you did your duty, in the face of hardship, and despite the cost. The promotion came through just before we left Korvand.”