Waltz Amongst the Stars

The universe was a tranquil, obsidian canvas decorated with specks of glitter and diamonds of its distant stars. Its frozen particles of matter lay undisturbed in the vast expanse of space. The peaceful atmosphere belied the brutal war raging across the quadrant, the aftermath hanging in the air like a dark, dense nebula. The intense pressure between both sides was stifling with no end even remotely in sight.

A wave of over a thousand ships broke the stillness, the deafening roar of their engines silenced only by the vacuum of space. They moved at sub-light speed in perfect formation, the grid they formed covering millions of kilometers. Pointed bluish-grey attack vessels with curved scarab-shaped hulls were interspersed with larger bird-like Galor- and Keldon-class warships in a light shade of burnt orange. The faint purple and orange glow of their engines trailed behind the line of defense they formed. After a short time, they stopped and waited for the inevitable engagement like a massive wall hanging in space.

One ship lagged behind, the Excalibur, which warped out to meet them. Her smoldering crimson engines and gleaming purplish-black hull were in stark contrast to the other attack ships in the area. The other ships on the stage welcomed her as she arrived, and her presence seemed to strengthen their resolve. She had no position in the grid and merely powered down, waiting on the invisible dance floor for the partner she knew would be arriving shortly.

He soon appeared with six hundred others in tow, in various shades of silver and jade. The Defiant was roughly twice the size of the Excalibur and easily twice as powerful. His oblong shape and integrated engines made him stand out from the vessels accompanying him, though his light slate hue left no doubt as to which side he was on. They’d briefly met before, no more than in passing, and he’d caught her eye. She would have pursued him even without the expressed order to do so.

She kept her watchful eye on him as the group engaged their sworn enemy, circling and preying upon his comrades. The adversary made a brash attack on several Keldon vessels at the heart of their defense, which fell back as though on cue, beckoning him into the trap they’d undoubtedly set for him.

As soon as he set foot on the dance floor, she was there to greet him. She cautiously approached him as if to say, “May I have this dance?” He found her challenge irresistible and failed to hesitate, leading her through the black star field. Bright bolts of orange and purple energy erupted in every direction like strobes as they rotated and gyrated about one another. Ships exploded in huge balls of flames around them, and though they could feel the heat of the explosions and debris against their skin, it did nothing to distract them from each other.

She was an excellent follow, anticipating each and every one of his moves with the precision of a champion dancer. Her exceptional cunning frustrated him as their waltz turned to an intense tango in this dance to the death. His strength meant nothing if she continued to evade him so easily. He was an easy target for her, and if he didn’t have ablative armor, he’d quickly have been finished.

Her bright purple laser eyes drilled him repeated as they flew in close proximity. He tried to pierce her with sparkling blue quantum torpedoes, but she spun away from him like a ballerina in a pirouette. They came about and jousted once more, leaving him an opening to run, which he took without a second thought. Not about to let him flee, she chased the cool azure glow of his engines, sending a barrage of torpedoes in his direction. He dodged them the best he could, afraid of what fate would befall him if he didn't.

Suddenly, their dance through the stars was interrupted when a group of verdigris-colored Vorcha cruisers cut in. They diverted her away from him, trying to tempt her with their arrogance, and she punished them accordingly with every ounce of strength she possessed. She longingly watched him as he continued on into the darkness, fading from her sight but not her mind.

She hoped they’d meet again someday, and so did he despite the thick knot of fear he felt toward her. He’d never met such an intelligent partner whose beauty concealed her inner strength. He hoped they’d both outlast this terrible war and could someday glide through the endless landscape of space in a more charming waltz amongst the stars...no longer as enemies but as friends.