Man o' War

Man O War Ares
Mark Arsenault

Alone, engulfed by a vast nothingness a small array of triangular objects floated relatively still in formation, it was like they rested on the tongue of a great beast and out of their cockpits the men gazed in a fearful bewilderment down its ghastly throat, into the hypnotic nothingness which made up that wild monster. As they did this the men grew aware of a brooding menace about that abyss which they so eagerly were entranced by. Knowingly they stared into the face of their enemy, only an array of blipping lights on a display the enemies threatening presence could still be felt; there was a cretin aurora of fear which shadowed their advance. No light, no sound, no comforts of the terrestrial environment which men had grown so used to easing their crossing, their transformation from man to a dog of war, a monster who bore out from under the many folds of conscious thought its ugly face only in times of the most desperate necessity. Then the other side came into sight, and what a fearsome sight it was to the men, their ships consisted of only three wicked spires jutting forward, even the shape of their craft expressing their savage attitude of attack. So in they came a swarm that almost blocked out the sight of even that so gargantuan emptiness. Without fear, the human ships lurched forward towards the vast enemy swarm; but inside their ships the pilots wallowed in it, they were rancid with the revolting stink of fear. Suddenly the formation sprung to life as the human ships shot spectacular blue flames out of the bellies of their craft, they ships looked like a flock of fire spitting dragons which illuminated the night sky as they rode to battle, gilded in crimson flame. This stunning display was followed by one even more dazzling as a barrage of red and yellow explosions decimated the ranks of the enemy, razing many of their feared craft. As the gap closed in between the two forces bullets erupted out of the human ranks while small burst of energy countered them from the enemy. Then with a silent yet chaotic and apocalyptic clash, the two formations were converted into a sprawling mass of fighting vessels. Like twin monsters they battled it out amidst a great lifeless void of deep space.
Like the drums of war enemy bolts struck one mans ship on the nose, for a short moment smoke and fire clouded the man’s view. Regardless he kept on his adversaries tail with only infrared sensors to guide him. The thick aluminum plated, kevlar reenforced hull stopped the burst with little effort. Machine cannons lit up the blackness, filling it with the sound of harsh death. The rounds shredded his opponent’s ship into small silver debris. Turning it into a glorious blue and green inferno which the victors ship streeked through without bother. The pilot suffered no emotion after his victory, he was just as despondent to the combat as his ship. Only grim seriousness occupied his mind. Guns flared as another target fell into his deadly sights, his hands gripped the throttle tightly as he pumped the second alien craft full of armor piercing rounds; smashing it into oblivion. “Yehaaa” another pilot screamed over the radio, like nails on a chalkboard the sound made his hair stand on end. “Ya got a bandit on your tail” instantly he felt the jolt of an energy burst hitting the flank of his fighter. The cannon mounted atop his craft spun around and fired a fury of bullets into the nose of the opposing craft, which caused it to catch fire and erradicly spin out of control. The man’s blood shot eyes weary from constant combat, scanned his panel display for another kill. Only to be inundated with a swarm of possible targets, without warning the screen froze as a great spiraling whirlpool of space opened sending forth from its retched mouth a colossal silver colored object. It was shaped like the enemy ships with long narrow spires towering vertically up and downward. From the gates of hell the great came this monsterious vessel, pelting the human lines with an endless flow of energy blasts.
“HOLY-“ were the last words of a pilot as his ship was annihilated by the firepower put forth by the enemy ship. Communications were restored as the gate of hell closed behind the demon which it had sent into the fray. Struck dumb by the wondrous sight, the man was caught off guard as his interceptor was violently rattled by a small explosion to his right, it was followed by another larger explosion. The sound of his aluminum frame bending and strattling under the force of the ships right fuel tanks combusting filled the man’s ears. It sent his small fighter into a horizontal spin, a voice yelled
“Eject the right side of your ship’s gone man!” as he tried to regain stability, but none of his controls would respond. His sight turned red as the centripetal force continued to gain, with his last bit of energy the man reached for the ejection lever. A high pitched squeal gained frequency, then burst as the lever was pulled emitting a cannon like blast next to his ear; all he saw was smoke as the seat was shot out of his vehicle. He looked upward out of the continual spin, there was the enemy base ship but rivaling it was the human carrier. Two cataclysmic explosions wrecked havoc all over the alien base ship completely destroying it, except for a large chunk of its mid section which was left as tribute to the destruction which humans were capable of.
A harsh buzzing caused him to jump out of his restful sleep. Rising he bashed his head against the top of his bunk, laying back down he began rubbing the fresh bruise. “Garder! Get up here now.” Garder turned and sat on the side of his bunk, still rubbing his bruise he looked around at the partially lit room. Groggily, Guarder stood and walked over to his sink, he splashed a cool yet stale handful of recycled water on his face in an attempt to wake himself up. Looking deeply into the mirror, Garder realized that he had only gotten 2 hours of sleep. Its been worse he remembered the dream, at the time he had been awake for 42 hours and had spent all of them in the cockpit. It was just after the jump, the jump into hell. Garder grasped the cool aluminum bulk head next to the mirror using it as support as he rested standing up. “Nick!” the voice was more of a beg now. Nick began to dress in his light green uniform, it was like a jump suit only it didn’t look the part. The top half was a hard, but light Kevlar fiber which covered the whole torso, and upper arm regions of the body; it was meant to offer some level of protection against random shrapnel in the case of a hull breach. In all honesty he doubted if it would do anything in a situation like that except get in the way. Turning to exit his quarters he noticed the picture of earth he had put up.
A brisk wind seemed to blow across his face, the soothing smell of pine trees and daisies took him away back to his home. He opened his eyes expecting to see a pictures landscape of rolling mountainous terrain covered with a blanketing cover of green forests, the sky would have been a sea of bright blue light that was blinding to look up at. The mountain’s majestic greatness was awe inspiring to look upon. Like a releasing scream of freedom, it rejuvenated a man no matter his condition.
But when his eyes opened they only saw the ugliness of human creation, a gray bulkhead with a nice picture posted on it. All of the things he loved had been left behind the rolling hills, the mighty mountains, the whisper of costal waves crashing upon thunderous bluffs. Now there was only space, gelid, cruel, and empty. This was of his own doing, it was him who had designed this forsaken ship which mercilessly had carried men so much further then they had wished to go. Many hours Nick had pondered what went wrong how they ended up traveling 5 light years away from earth instead of jumping mere miles. The crew had come out of the jump only to be attacked almost instantly by those... the Tamili they called themselves. A shiver ran up Nick’s spine, so many long years ago had it been. That inital attack, the invasion of earth; it seemed so cruel that the Tamili had traveled such a distance from their homes, just to slaughter the human race. To utterly and totally annihilated it from the universe, what had they done to inspire such hate into those monsters hearts. They had been made inferior he thought. Yes that was it, the Tamili had one day decided that humans were morally, and intellectually inferior. Humans were not deserving of a place in this universe, and their execution had been set. However they were all deceived, for they did not know the extent of human determination to survive. The war had been long, and it had been brutal but humans eventually pushed the Tamili from their homes, they rid themselves of that travesty to sentient life. Nick had fought, yes he had fought them on the very streets which he grew up, he fought them out of the cities which he called home. He even fought them in the nether reaches of space, and he did so with much skill and cunning. It was Nick who originally put forth the idea of fitting the prototype X-33's with various armerments and putting them into orbit to attack the remaining Tamili fleet that had not been hit by ICBM’s in the initial counter attack. He was outraged that the U.S. government was prepared to let the Tamili float in orbit for the next several years. After that the world united to form an alliance called the U.E.D. the united earth defensive. Everyone had become intensely focused on putting something... anything in the sky that could protect earth against another attack, further more something that could strike back. Nick offered the world just that something, better yet he offered them a ship that could do it without regard to time. Ironic, that this ship he made was supposed to disobey space and time, yet they were now at the constant mercy of it. For when the first jump was made, they had been transported much further from earth then hoped, 5 light years too far. As the jump hole closed up the attack began it was the first of many. Now the men of this ship christened the Man O War, Ares, were lost, 10 years away from earth, under constant attack by the Tamili, and ALONE.

The Epoch

They had been traveling at ½ the speed of light with their anti-matter engines for the past month at that rate they would reach earth in 10 years. But the methodical attacks by the Tamili had been slowing down their progress and they didn’t seem to be letting up at all, Nick could see it was starting to effect the crew everyone was tired, and all around the ship an aroma of depression seemed to waft. The Tamili was a relentless foe even though every base ship sent at the humans had destroyed the constant attacks did not stop. 16 base ships in a month had been slain by the Ares and a countless number of interceptors were being annihilated by the small fleet of SRI-01's which the Ares carried in his belly. The SRI-01 had also been designed by Nick, it was a short range interceptor craft, but really it was a flying tank. With half inch thick aluminum 2024 armor plating which was insulated with a blanket of high strength kevlar the SRI’s were basically impervious to small energy blasts. Its main gun is a .50 caliber Gatling gun loaded with depleted uranium armor piercing shells. He took this idea originally from the A-10 which uses a similar armerment only firing a .30 caliber shell. Its secondary gun mounted on the top aft section is a .30 caliber Vulcan cannon, which could rotate and fire at flanking enemies. All this was topped off with an assortment of hellfire and sidewinder missiles held in one of the 2 missile bays on the under belly of the ship. Maybe it was a tank but with its duel rotating RC-10 rockets the craft could pick up some serious speed, it maneuvered with an array of frontal and side mounted small thrusters; but also had the ability to strife and rotate with its main engines.
Altogether the SRI was a fearsome killing machine which ultimately led to the demise of many a foe; but the Ares was running out of nukes to hit the Tamili base ships with, if those ran out the only other armerment that could possible bring down a base ship was one of the six rail guns. Missiles for the interceptors were running on low supply as well. If there was one thing that was not in low supply it was food, oxygen, and energy. The hydroponics farms aboard the ship were roboticly run and operated efficiently, producing ample supplies of various foods, and oxygen. All this was powered by a nuclear reactor. Odd Nick thought that supporting life was so easy while perusing the art of killing was such a difficulty in the harsh, unforgiving, and lethal realm of deep space. So immersed in thought that Nick didn’t realize he was already in the command deck.
“Garder! How many times must I call your intercom before you wake up!” an angry red faced man asked.
“Sir sorry” Nick stood at attention before his commander.
“How many hours have you been sleeping!” he questioned
“I have received 2 hours sleep Sir.” Nick ended with a slight snap,
“Two hours too many.” Nick was still a civilian even though he had been fighting in the war for over five years, he had been in more battles than most experienced officers on earth. His life was the war, the Tamili had taken everything from him.
“Yes Sir!”
“ Yesterday our communications picked up something, I was wondering if you could help us understand its relevance.” He said quickly changing the subject.
“It’s a comm from earth, apparently it was sent through a jump hole. 2 weeks ago, now because of our current velocity...”
“Yes the message will have taken an additional week and three days to reach us.” Surprised by the speed that Nick answered the question, the commanders only response was
“Oh”.
“Sir what did the com say, what was the message?”
“That... I don’t know if you really wan-“
”I want to see it” Nick interrupted, a curious expression on his face. The commander looked down and shaking his head,
“ok if you must, but I don’t think you will like it.” He signaled to the Com officer, who in turn clicked some of his keys bringing the message up on the main speakers. For a short moment only static filled the small command center, then it cut to a robotic sounding voice. “Ares if you are getting this message, then the worst has happened. We cannot make this long on account that the jump hole can only be maintained for a short time.” Nick interrupted the Comm
“An attack on earth?”
“Just listen...”
“Its some kind of virus, Tamili constructed we think. It infects humans causing death in a short period. Most of the population has been wiped out we are the last... we are alone.” Gagging Nick collapsed to the floor, blindly feeling around he tried to stand up but couldn’t. His legs went weak, they began to shake and he could feel a sore feeling in the back of his eyes tears began to bubble up out of the eyes which had been dry for so long. For years he had managed to not think of his family slaughtered that one night, to not think of the millions killed in the attack but now his little bubble of stability burst shattering his moral into a million pieces.
“Earth is gone son...” the commander said with a sincere tone. He suffered the sight of Nick grubbing on the floor. Until his mouth exploded spilling out chunks of what was his dinner, then he fell apart, and darkness over took him.
White shores, they stretched as far as the eye could see. The warm sand flooded up and over the sides of his feet rejuvenating his spirit. Down the coast jagged bluffs cut into the sea like knives cutting into warm butter, the waves crashed upon the bluffs jetting water into the air, the cool sea water sprinkled on his face cooling his hot temper. The ocean reached out over the horizon, joining with the vast blue sky at a wheel which was the setting sun. Crimson clouds filled his eyes, staining a deep red color into them even when Nick looked away. Over head seagulls squawked, and in front of him waves crashed, filling his ears with all the sounds of the coast. A Chilled wind blew in the aroma of fresh fish so strong was the smell that when Nick opened his mouth he could almost taste the halibut and salmon being cooked in the distance. He so longed to stay, but the waves and the sand and the sky itself receded away as he was ripped from the nebulous existence on his beach. He was pulled away from the beach, away from the world on which it existed, so far away was he that the beach and the world was only a distant fleeting memory, and he was in the deep of space spinning hopelessly reaching for the beach.
The methodical waves were replaced with the rhythmic tinging sound of his alarm. Nick woke up back in his bed, a blinking red light chimed next to his face. It was a recording, still half awaked and wishing only to go back to that beach of his dreams he pressed play on the view screen next to his bunk.
“Don’t beat your self up kid, that was tough stuff... for anyone to swallow. Anyway, as of now we are in full stop, as soon as you can come up to the bridge and… Well, tell us our options.” Then an idea a devious brooding idea, an idea almost as evil as the enemy which it opposed gained entrance into Nick’s mind. Humans had been beaten and bloodied in this fight but they were not out, and they had a plan.

The Plan

Nick’s heels clicked as he walked at attention into the briefing room, the commander, and all his officers sat in seats all facing a central point in the room. Behind which was a large view screen.
“Over the last month I have been tracing Tamili jumps to our position, by following the trail of gravity waves which they leave behind each time they jump we can locate their home world and well eventually totally demolish it.” Murmurs and whispers swept across the crowd,
“Exactly how do you plan on doing this?” questioned one of the officers with a sarcastic tone.
“Well you see the way that the Tamili’s jump isn’t in one large jump instead its rather like skipping across a pond, they will jump from one spot to the next and so on until they are in range enough to jump accurately on a specific location.” the mob nodded signaling that they generally followed Nick. He decided to risk more detail on this subject,
“What a jump is, is a temporary artificially made singularity, which is more commonly know as a black hole. That is why ever time a jump hole is opened it blacks out our com.’s, its opening a hole in space time. Within this hole there is no space time geometry, meaning we, or the Tamili move from one location to another without having to experience the effects of time. Infinite velocity, these holes in space geometry are made by tearing its fabric with either an extremely high density of energy which is what the Tamili use or a high density of mass which is what we use. In our jump drive we collide several Dutrainum atoms together we strike them at the right speed so that they collide and bunch together at the chandrasekhar limit.” Nick lost them there he saw there faces cringe with confusion.
“Which is the limit at which subatomic particles may be joined until the space time geometry becomes warped and eventually caves in creating a singularity.” He didn’t know if they followed what he was explaining but it really didn’t matter.
“Anyway the Tamili jump long distances by using these gravity beacons, they emit gravity waves; this attracts any singularity formed. You see singularities are only attracted to another singularity, it was just last night that I realized, that’s why the original jump went wrong. I didn’t even expect our singularity to transport us a distance because there wasn’t another singularity for it to link to. But there was...” Nick pressed a button, the view screen in back of him lit up displaying a wide black expanse. In which there was a representation of earth with a blue sphere, and a gray box that represented Ares.
“There was a scientist called Rosen, before the war who did some research on these primordial black holes. They are black holes, just extremely old ones, because of their age have a much weaker gravitational pull but still maintain a singularity. It is because of this that we did not initially pick up the presence of this primordial black hole at first, it is also why when we jumped the Tamili were all over us, they used our same jump hole. The good news is that if we jump now we will end up back at where we started, from there we can continue to jump to each of the Tamili jump stations-“ A young officer interrupted him.
“How many of these... jump stations will we have to go through? And wont there just be a Tamili attack party waiting on the other side, I mean what if we just jump into the middle of their version of a space fortification.” Nick clicked another wall mounted button, the view screen zoomed out revealing an array of dots, spread across a hexagonal chart.
“These are all of the Tamili jump points that I have so far discovered, I know that there are many more ranging to even other galaxies. So we know that the Tamili have probably settled many worlds, across this galaxy and maybe into others. What I also know is which world is their home, I tracked which portals were most used, that being which one emitted the largest quantity of gravity waves. This jump hole here.” Using a remote Nick zoomed into a hexagonal space in the upper left corner.
“Is where their main home world exists. Now as for the possibility of us jumping into a Tamili base fleet un prepared shouldn’t be a problem, we can just deploy the SIR-01's and either have them jump first as a recon ship or have them jump with use so that we may quickly eliminate any threat on the other side.” A hand raised in the increasingly perplexed looking crowed,
“Ya what’s the plan when we get to the planet? All we got are a couple of Nukes...”
“Yes but we also have a large supply of anti protons, with a portion of our supply I would be able to create a weapon with the yield of hundreds of our largest nuclear warheads. This effectively would knock the world off its axes, and demolish everything on the side which we detonate it. If not totally break apart the world itself.” Heads nodded in agreement that the plan seemed like a good one.
“In 7 jumps we will be in position to strike the Tamili home world.”

The First Jump

The sweltering Florida sun beat down on Nick, only adding to the intensity of the moment. Thousands of eyes all lay upon him, people had come in droves they had walked, they had driven, some had even flown in for the historical event. A nervous sweat poured down his face, he thought that he must look like an idiot.
“So many of you have come here this day to for the christening of this ship which has once again restored our hope in the human ability to survive, even in an age as uncertain as this. This ship will be our guardian, in times to come against the threat of the Tamili. We will watch the skies, and be ever vigilante against any intrusion any defilement of our homeland.” suddenly Nick switched moods, he seemed to become more comfortable shifting his weight he continued.
“A man of Athens once said that brave men are a cities strongest tower of defense. I can say having been witness to this that it is absolutely true, even though we humans take pride in our achievements intellectual and technological alike. It was not our technology that beat back the Tamili when they invaded our world, our homes. It was no new sophisticated gun that turned every battle for earth soil into a Tamili massacre. No super computer outsmarted, and out-stratigized the Tamili ground forces time after time. There was no advanced fighter that trekked into the vacuum of space to slay the last of the Tamili fleet on their own ground. It was men, the strength of brave and perseverant men that achieved all these seemingly impossible tasks. Some of our most advanced technologies failed where the stubborn will of men succeeded. I will always remember the fighter that charged a formation of many Tamili grunts, with only an axe, and after he had defeated many of them, his axe became lodged in two half cleaved pieces of red meat that was once a Tamili, still he continued to fight on with only his bear hands.” The crowd cheered with an enormous ferocity that could only represent their pride in this one man, in the will of all men. Their cheers shook the earth too its core as it did Nick, making him turn bright red with a pride that seemed to seep out of his every pore, and he breathed it out as he spoke on.
“There is much to be proud of my fellow men, but I offer a warning as well.” the crowed died down surprised by the sudden change. “All throughout our fight for survival, humans never asked themselves why we deserved to survive. Even at that moment when the honor of all humans was at its highest, there were still men who killed, looted, and rioted in the blind rage which followed our great resistance. even at that moment in which it would seem that all humans should be united in their fight against the Tamili. The same continues to happen today, I still see humanity split un-united. We must learn to treat our fellow man with compassion. For no man is an island, instead every man is part of a vast and glorious continent, and only together can we be worthy of survival. So I here by christen this ship the Ares!” A bottle crushed spraying white champagne across the X-33 space jet’s nose.
Nick blinked, and he was back on the deck of the Ares, light years away from earth. A steady hand hovered over a switch, the cover that usually protected that switch from being accidentally hit was flipped back. “Sir, are we ready to jump?” he waited a second re checking all of the displays. “Jump” upon the order the officer flipped his switch quickly, not allowing any time for second thoughts. A gathering impulse sound reverberated through the ship, Nick could feel it in the floor and wall’s. Then a large black sinkhole in space itself opened up just beyond the Ares’s bow, the crew could feel the ship lurch forward. It was suddenly swallowed up by absolute nothing that existed beyond space, beyond time, beyond the darkness of reality.
They emerged reborn, the Ares jumped back into cold hard reality. But it was a warm welcome that they found.
“Commander we have a communica coming in, it’s on U.S. military frequency.”
“Put it on the main speakers.” A soft blip sound signaled that the message had been patched through to the main command deck speakers. “Ares is that you?! This is the refugee fleet from earth, please send aid fast. We are under atta-“ static cut off the message,
“Their jumping a base ship in... that’s why the comm is down. Quick launch fighte-“ Nick blurted out, but he was cut off by the chain of command.
“Who exactly is in charge of this vessel?!”
“But sir the refugees...”
“Its time to survive son, we cant just go wasting our munitions on piety battles- officer prepare to jump ag-“
”No Sir we cant, please I beg you just let me take some fighters out.”
“You don’t even know the strength of the attacking force is“ Nick pointed at one of the 8 view screens which encircled the room
“I have visual confirmation on one base ship, it would only take a few fighters... Just let me take a few willing pilots.” The room was silent, as the commander weighted his options. Selfish bastards... Nick would have said it aloud would it have not limited him from helping the refugees.
“Sir every minute”
“Fine, go just get out of my sight!” he spat in Nicks face.
Nick hastily jogged towards the elevator, grabbing a flight suit on the way. He hit the circular button several times, in an attempt to make the lift doors open faster, it was a vain attempt. Finally the doors rolled open revealing the spherical elevator interior. The pressure driven elevator began moving down toward the flight prep deck, as it moved the gravity disappeared and his pressure suit began to float around as he tried to wiggle into it with haste. All Nick could think about was that base ship closing into range of helpless refugee fleet, shivers ran down his spine. The hatch rolled open unavailing a sea of SIR’s sitting on the hanger bay floor and a good amount preped for combat missions on huge metallic slabs called launch slabs.3 full squadron’s of SRI’s would be pulled up to the launch deck on these slabs, from them an electronic motor would speed them down a track on the launch deck. This would preserve the valuable fuel needed by the pilots for maneuvering. In the back ground, engineers moved about bussily checking, repairing, and maintaining the SRI fleet. In the gravity free enviorment an engineer floated towards Nick.
“Garder all the pilots have already got the order from the commander to not aid you.” He informed Nick
“Do they know what’s going on?”
“Yes sir which is why 9 of the 30 on duty pilots are waiting for you in their craft. First slab Garder” Nick in full suit kicked off towards the first slab. “Yours is the Artemis...” The engineer’s voice faded away. Up from the belly of the Ares Nick’s wing rose. Nick looked to his left then to his right, a young face looked back at him and nodded. The kids name was Rick, Nick could see his defining wavy brown hair even from that distance. A good kid but just that, Rick couldn’t have been older then 21, still he was probably the youngest man to ever fight in the vacuum of space not to mention one of the first. Two years ago when the Tamili were in orbit around earth Nick had taken a pair of X-33 space jets up to make battle with the Tamili, in each of their cargo bays were two proto type SRI’s. Rick had been one of the pilots, so had Apollo which sat in the ship to a Nick’s left. Apollo’s older face had been scared by age and many war wounds, from what war Nick didn’t know, but he was at the time glad to have someone more experienced around. They were both good men.
“Just like the old days guy’s eh?”
“Yeha Nick! ya ready to slaughter some Tami’ or what?” Nick looked down at his weapons display.
“Lets go boys... Weapons hot?”
“Copy that Guard, our fourth is Erin today... she’s flying the Erinyes Nick.” Nick couldn’t see her from his position on the launch deck but he was still effected by her presences all the same.

Blood, terrible and flooding, rather serging out of a great gash blanketed his hands. It flowed freely into the mud and marsh water, the horror began to spread rapidly through the marsh. Nick tried, desperately pushing with all his strength on the wound attempting to stop the flow, trying to stop death. Tears, began to pour out of his eyes just as rapidly as the blood was flowing from the wound. “Nick... s o r r-“ she sputtered as fluids began to flood up her throat, the words ended in the popping of a red bubble that had formed around her light pink, and innocent lips. Now the once so alive face, always red with blush turned a bitter and blue, a placid and sombre expression fell across it the blank expression of death; bitter like the cruel life which he had been doomed to endure. Through a sea of tears he let out one last smile as Nick looked upon her face for the last time, his blooded hand stroked her cheek staining it bright red. Her so noble blood was spilt on the embankment behind which he hid, and her body ruined and terrible had been smote down by a cruel fate. Nick dropped the lifeless limp body onto the slopping mound, he let it slide slowly down into the merky consuming marsh waters and watched it disappear into the reeds. She had been brought to her death by blubbering morons and a false image of war, and he hated her, he hated them for that.
“Rick Goddamit! ya know how I fe-“
” Nick! You forget yourself, this is all we could get from the 30 on duty pilots she’s a good pilot... she’s not Clair man... just forget it.” The sling motors made contact with the track, filling the ackward silence that had emerged with a loud slamming noise that made Nick jump in his seat, and snapping him back to the reality of the situation. There was a click and the craft was accelerated down the track, then freedom as they exited the deck. In that second Nick did forget, the war, death, pain, his sacrifice; he knew the freedom of flight. Then his eyes fell upon the refugee fleet, and he remembered, his chain’s his bindings those shackles of duty of sacrifice. So the duel squadrons cruised towards the refugee fleet. Soon they were close enough for Nick to make out the refugee ships. A mob of white X-33's transportation ships originally used for commercial purposes. Had gathered behind a blockade of stealthy looking black military space jets. They had already launched their interceptors which floated within the blockade ranks. He could make out several mounted cannons on the military space jets, they had been armed to the teeth with munitions.
“Ares interceptors this is the refugee fleet-, we need you to concentrate your fire on the main base ship we can defend the civilian fleet against Tamili interceptors.”
“Copy that refugee fleet.”
“My god there’s tons of them, they are the lucky ones hu Nick. They escaped the genocide that ravaged earth.” Rick said on a privet channel as to not unsettle the refugee fleet.
“Just concentrate on that base ship Rick” Apollo commanded over the Comm.
“I don’t think so Rick, no they like us are the truly forsaken, we are those who had to live to see everyone we love and care for die... Yes it is our damnation that we that I live to see these evil times. One day we all had happy normal lives, but now we only know pain. If it is not the pain that kills us it will be the fact that we must face it alone, no loyal friend to meet our end with, no words of comfort before we plunge into the cold darkness of death. There is nothing between us and chilled emptiness, we are alone...” The comm. channel was only filled with static, but then the defining silence was broken
“What are we to do Nick, when the blast of war sounds in our ears, when all hope is gone, alone surrounded what are we to do? We fight Nick, we must fight, we must turn defeat into victory and re-instate hope. So stiffen the sinews, and imitated the action of the tiger and the bear, for war is upon us whether we would have it or not.” Nick doubted if Erin knew of what she spoke of
“Ok boys and girls cut the chatter!” The Tamilian fleet was getting closer, their savage silver spires closed in on the human fleet like the teeth of a wondrous and primal beast who is about to plunge into his prey. The nine formed a wedge, their formation cut through the Tamili mob of interceptors, putting out a large amount of fire and decimating the frontal ranks of the Tamili mob.
“Save your missiles for the Base ship- what the hell? Its another whole wing of interceptors, how many you guys detecting?”
“I count 50 interceptors!” Apollo transmitted. “Ok use two of your missiles before we make contact, your all allowed another one missile in dog fight but I want at least one hellfire saved for the base ship-“ Nick’s plan reinstalled hope in the hearts of those few brave pilots that under took that righteous crusade. A crusade against fear a quest to conquer man’s in-humanity towards man. Still in their hearts they knew this would be their last charge, 9 hellfire missiles couldn’t take out a base ship, not in Nick’s wildest dream; it was doubtful they would even have that many. The Initial missile barrage, created a furry of flame and destruction in the Tamili ranks. However it was not enough to make the fight an easy one for the pilots,
“Here we go!” And the mighty clash ensued, a calamity of titanic proportions followed as the human ships proceed to cut down many Tamili ships. Nick had control of both his cannons at the same time, for most of the fight, attempting to duel wield his weapons to maximize his killing output. It was a savage and brutal art that of war, but Nick knew it all too well. He destroyed the enemy with a zeal, the zeal of a man who knew only how to fight. Nick had forgotten everything else even why he fought, he fought on because it was all he knew how to do. The magnitude of destruction which the men wrought upon the Tamili fleet was such that the debris from their destroyed ships began to inhibit the maneuverability of the man made craft. Nick noticed one thing, Erin had never once fired a missile, not even in the initial bombardment. Eventually the human’s countered and annihilated the Tamili interceptor fleet,
“Attack the base ship- all units regroup and attack the base ship. I want missile concentration on its launch decks then give it strafing fire all over the mid decks!” Shouted Nick over the intercom. Now the few brave men charged the base ship directly into its withering fire could with ease destroy an interceptor with even a partial hit. Still they charged, Bathed in honor and swelling with pride the seven remaining human ships advanced spinning eradicly to avoid being hit. Colossal balls of blistering energy seemed to miss the human ships by only inches, as if deflected by the will of a merciful god, “may the foes of the righteous be condemned” Nick whispered to himself as the seven closed in approaching their own damnation. The barrage got so terterous at times that it looked like a blizzard of fire was being put out in their direction. Finally the men were in missile range and all accept Erin’s ship launched their hellfire missiles.
“Erin fire your missiles, what the hell are you doing?!” Nick spat into his mouth piece. Then with a skill and speed almost inhuman Erinyes was maneuvered past every energy blast fired, in very close to the base ship. Nick could see Erin switch on her main engines, her vessel sped towards the Tamilian launch deck. The men held their breath for a few moments before a gargantuan fireball was belched out of the Tamilian launch deck, spitting out a mess of interceptors that were ready to be launched. The explosion was followed by a sequence of others which came from within the base ship. Nick knew that not even that would be enough to take out an entire base ship, Erin had wasted her life. Amidst his hopelessness a sliver of hope emerged as he saw the smoke clear, a large portion of the base ship was absent. Its absence revealed the ships main anti matter drive. “Everyone, concentrate your fire on the base ship’s anti matter drive!” A furry of bullets raked the alien drive, at first no effect was seen but then an explosion several times the yield of a normal nuclear weapon erupted devouring the base ship in a green, blue, and white fire ball.

The enemy mine

The whole hanger had become filled with officers and some civilians from the refugee flee that had come to pay homage to their saviors. Rick and Apollo stood on either side of Nick, just below the podium that had been set up behind the three flag draped coffins.
“We bid fair well to three of our most brave brothers in arms today. May their souls find earth even in this bitter and cold reach of the universe.” A slab holding three coffins was lifted up slowly, as the bangles played softly in the background. Then the audience heard the great swooshing sound as the three comrades were launched off the deck into the emptiness of space. More death more killing... would it ever stop. Nick thought, but he knew there would be much more before the end came.
“Nick we have something interesting, the military attachment to the refugee fleet tells us that a group of Tamili agents were the ones responsible for releaseing the plague upon earth. They later divulged the secret in an interrogation. But that’s not what’s interesting these agents were human...” Nick looked at the commander, a shocked expression across his face.
“Yes that’s very possible, the Tamili used genetical engineering to create all their ground forces, it wouldn’t have been hard for them to clone a human.”
“The military got a list of names out of the agents, it turns out there was a whole lot of them in our midst, one of them was even put on board the Ares.” Nicks expression suddenly became grave and steely the two men stopped walking
“We have him in a holding cell...” Said the commander motioning towards an unmarked door. Nick as if hypnotized by it began slowly walking toward that doorway. Automaticly as he approced the door slide open, Nick looked back for only a second back at the commander. Before he continued into the room. As Nick approached the cell his eyes fell upon the thing, which was lying face down, in place of a shirt it had a cover of bruises over its back and arms.
“Is it dead?” the attending marine guard shook his head. With a silent whoosh Nick lifted the bars, opening the cell. The marine aimed his MP-40 at the prisoner so that if it even motioned aggressively its life could be terminated.
“Wake up!” Nick kicked the prisoner, the traitor in its face. A groan signaled that the miserable form of life had awakened. It sat up
“Please no more-“
”I only want a few answers...” it looked at Nick curiously.
“So they finally sent you down here... I told them I would only talk to you.”
“Talk to me about what?” Nick was suddenly integrated.
“Everything... I don’t like being what I am, its not that I just one day I decided to betray my race. I didn’t even know I was an agent until I got on this ship. I still remember home an-“ Nick grew angry and he didnt want to hear about it’s downloaded memories.
“Shut up, you’re a goddam monster!” he yelled in the things face.
“I just want to know why” Nick’s expression was cold as stone cold as the reach of space which they trekked through.
“Why this, why this elaborate war, why do you only bring death and pain. Why did you all do it, is it because you fear us is it because you hate us?” The thing looked down at the alunuman floor, in disappointment
“This whole war, this hell which you put me through, and only one question went through my mind that entire time why?” he said it in a sombre tone.
“I would have thought that you of all people would know the answer to this question. You saw mans in-humanity to man in the first part of the war, and you even saw it only hours ago when your captain refused to help the refugees. All your life no one has ever appreciated your intelligence your brilliance, they are your enemy Nick not the Tamili!” the thing let out a dubious laugh.
”Imagine that, they resented you, but suddenly when you obtained power when you offered a thing that might just save them... what did you become, a hero. You dot, you were too into yourself to even realize you had been used.” Nick was confused and saddened.
“Here I will help you understand why, do you remember your christening speech for the Ares, I do you said that humanity never asked itself why or if they deserved to survive during the war- men still kill and steal from each other over piety differences… Well maybe you don’t”

Earth, Beta

Warm earth, Crisp air, Green radiant trees, the heat of a sun. Loud screeching then a slapping sound as energy blasts collided with the concrete blockade Nick was hiding behind. He clutched his assault rifle, sweat poured out of his forehead as he tried to find the courage to return fire. Nick turned to his right, one of his friends was yelling at him from behind the cover of a separate blockade. Like Shirking banshees two Tamili ships cut through the sky above, one rained down a blue energy stream; and Nick’s comrade seised to exist. Evaporated, annihilated from reality. Nick’s attitude then shifted his face grew cold and steely, it was as if part of him had died then and he was left incomplete.
“We’re approaching the LZ, boys prep for combat!” Garder blinked, and he was back in the Cargo hold of an X-33. That had been the last time Nick saw his best and last surviving friend. All his life Jack had been there, he had never been alone before, then he was gone. Their companionship had been something pure, everlasting, and un-yielding no matter the circumstances. When the Tamili invasion commenced it was together that they took to the battlefield, and at times it seemed that everything good the boys had known was gone, destroyed. When it looked as if all humanity had turned to madness and all order turned to anarchy. Nick was not left alone to face the madness and anarchy, no Jack had been there by his side at all times and together they faced the terror’s which the invasion had created. Not anymore, part of Nick had withered away and died that day, maybe the only truly human part for now he felt like a shell of a man incomplete. Like he had lost a pure thing that horrible instant, it drove him to the edge of insanity that he could not go back he could not ever have his friend again. Livid at the fact that he might only feel pain, and hate for the rest of his life; never again will he know the soft light of love upon his face, or the warm feeling of friendship in his heart. The waves of the invasion had washed that away, they had cleansed him of his humanity.
“Sir I still don’t understand why you came down with to the planet with us, we’re fully capable of defending the refugee settlement.”
“because Captain, I’v got more combat experience that any Marine on this ship, and if you boys run in to anything unexpected chances are I’m best qualified to take care of it.” In his heart Nick knew that was not why he was there. He invited death, for him it would be a relief. Many saw his acts as brave, and he feed them hope this way, Nick gave them all the hope which he posesed until there was none left for himself. And because of this he did not fear death, his transformation into the true nothingness. He awated the day when he may join the legions of the dead, and would welcome it with open arms.
“ETA is 2 minutes.” Nick began strapping on his gear. He wore an magnetorheological vest which used a fluid consisting of iron particles and oil to protect its wearer. The vests proved invaluable when hit by a Tamili energy blast. The vest stretched downward protecting Nick’s thigh area, while hard ceramic plates protected his shoulders, arms, and shins. A carbon faceplate defended his noise and mouth. All this was topped off by an indestructible helmet, and ballistic goggles. Lowering his HUD eyepiece Nick began to look more like a blue eyed monster then a man, as did the rest of the Marines in the cargo hold.
“Captain, what’s Alpha sites SIDREP?”
“Sir Alpha site was attacked 5 hours after their landing on Beta earth.” Beta earth had been discovered after the second jump into Tamili territory, it was a planet roughly the same size of earth. However planet hadn’t been properly explored or charted before the refugee ships began landing on it for settlement. Disobeying their orders to not land on the planet.
“Luckly two squads were among the refugees they were able to defend the LZ and establish a perimeter. After fending off the first wave the squads were able to locate and designate the Tamili caverns, which they seem to be using as bunkers. We plan on giving them a volley from the Ares’s rail guns then going in for the ground assault. We will probably just be mopping up though.” Suddenly every man in the cargo hold was jolted forward