Heaven Saga 3: Sojourn Into Despair (2 page)

Brian
blinked his eyes a few times on the elevator to the bridge while feeling a
strange headache. He sighed before trying to shake it off.
It must be all
the studying lately.
He thought as the door opened. After walking onto the
bridge he stopped to salute his captain and the Reiki leader. On the bridge’s
main monitor showed the bridge of the Reiki ship, along with its octopi looking
crew members. Brian flicked his fingers in a specific sequence to activate a
hologram on his arms that resembled Reiki tentacles. He flicked his fingers in
a very precise manner to control the holographic limbs and cause them to move
in a sequence.

“I’m
glad we have that system,” Valis remarked while Brian and the Reiki captain
communicate through sign language.

“So
what’s he saying?” Kivi asked.

Brian
turned to them. “They’re just about finished with their work at this planet.
All they have left to do is obtain a few samples of the moon below and we can
be on our way.”

“Is
that all?” Valis asked.

The
Reiki captain began signing once more. Brian watched carefully and returned
with another message. During the conversation via sign language, Brian laughed
a few times, while the Reiki captain laughed via the sign and a few flutters
from the mouth.

Valis
smiled. “He asked for a sample from you, didn’t he?”

“That’s
what he was asking. I kindly refused,” Brian answered.

He
saluted in the Reiki sign as the captain of their ship did likewise, ending the
transmission. He stood in thought, thinking over everything he saw over the
monitor.

“What
else was going on over there?” Valis asked as she walked over to Brian.

“Everything,”
he answered.

“Please
elaborate,” Valis commanded.

“There’s
something he’s worried about,” Brian said. “I’m pretty sure if what I read on
the other Reiki’s signs were right they’ve found something they don’t want us
to know about.”

“What
might it be?” Valis asked.

“Is
it a base of some kind?” Kivi asked.

“I’m
pretty sure that’s what they were signing about,” Brian paused.
Damn, why is
this headache bothering me so much.
He shook it off again, “Although the
base in question doesn’t seem to be occupied at the moment.”

“What
species does it belong to?” Valis asked.

“Either
an unknown species, or possibly an unused base for the Greys,” Brian answered.

“If
so, the Confederation is going to need to know as quickly as we can send the
message,” Kivi said.

“I’m
going to prepare for battle,” Valis said before going to her chair to call up a
battle plan. “Brian, go to the launching bay again and ready everyone just in
case.”

“Yes
captain,” he said before leaving the bridge.

Kivi
returned to her seat, seeing the concern on Valis’s face.
She’s scared.
Kivi thought as she watched her old friend working frantically on a battle
plan. “Valis, what’s your assessment on the current situation?”

Valis
continued working on her plan without looking up. “If we’ve discovered a Grey
base this close to Confederation space it’s not good to say the least. There’s
a good chance they left a few probes behind and know we’re here. If I was them
I’d destroy the scouts before they could report back to base.”

“Then
assume the worst?” Kivi asked.

“Yes,
assume the worst,” Valis looked up, seeing a concerned look from Baed and Zae,
“But if I’m right, at least we can come out on the surviving end of the story.”

“I’m
glad you say so,” Zae said as she turned back to her console. Baed looked over,
seeing Zae blink at her. She smiled, turning back to her console as well.

“The
only hope we have to survive is if our mobile suits really can take on a Grey
ship,” Valis stated. “I’m praying to Kali they will.”

* * *

Dreka
stomped his foot while disagreeing with Jesela once more. Seles sat up in the
cockpit of her Zero, watching the whole spectacle on her monitor. Daes stood
nearby, working on the mobile suit’s computer systems.

“Those
two never stop, do they?” she asked.

“Never,”
Daes said. “I’ve gotten so used to it I don’t even think about it anymore.” She
sighed, watching it on the monitor and hearing it going on outside. “Saying
that, it never stops being funny.”

“How
do the other engineers feel?”

“They
laugh about it as well. In private of course, not to their faces,” Daes
answered.

“On
another subject, who’s going to leave with Kivi for the new ship?”

Daes
looked at the monitor again. “If I remember right, Kivi said either Jesela or
Dreka would be perfect. To be honest, I think Dreka’s the one to go with her.
He’s waited for a long time to get a promotion and has the stuff to be a chief
engineer.”

“What
about Jesela?” Seles asked. “You did say that she was an amazing engineer.”

“Jesela’s
great, but not a leader right now. In a few more years I can see it, but not
yet,” Daes said.

“I
can’t imagine it feels great having all the talent sucked away like this,”
Seles said.

“No.
I wish they could stay forever, but life dictates otherwise. Kivi will be
leaving soon, along with a number of crew members. Even you’ll feel the pull.”

“I
know. Kaela’s leaving as the leader of the mobile suit units.”

“That’s
your top pilot,” Daes observed. “Not to mention the increase in responsibility
put on you.”

“Change
is like that. We just have to adjust to it,” Seles said.

“You’re
starting to sound more like him every day,” Daes pointed out.

“I
certainly hope you’re wrong about that,” Seles said.

“What
do you mean?”

“Brian
has a way of saying strange and sometimes foolish things,” Seles explained.

“That’s
quite true Seles, it really is.”

* * *

Brian’s
vision began to blurring as the headache grew worse. He tried shaking it off,
closing his eyes.
How is it possible I’m getting a migraine? I need to see
Celi once everything’s quieted down.
He thought before opening his eyes. As
he opened them a feeling dread filled his entire body. Right in front of him
stood a creature he’d hoped to never see, a Grey staring him in the face with
its unfeeling black eyes. He drew his rakna and tried striking the creature,
but it vanished right in front of his eyes.

“What
the hell was that!?” He shouted, pounding his fist on the wall behind where the
Grey stood. “Where are you!?” He shouted, receiving no answer. He frantically
turned in circles, looking all around him.
Something’s not right.
Brian
thought before focusing all of his mental energy to stave off the headache.
I’d
better get to the Mjolnir and fast. I have a bad feeling something terrible is
about to happen.

* * *

“How
are you and Brian getting along these days?” Celi asked Mira as the two worked
on their ultimate project.

“Hit
and miss,” Mira said. “Seles and I agreed to alternate nights, but the duties
we’ve been under lately have cooled things off.”

“Be
glad he cares about you as much as he does,” Celi said. “There are times when
I’m jealous of you two. I’m even jealous of the captain at times.”

“You
can always make a move,” Mira said. “I’m sure Seles would understand. Of course
I wouldn’t think anything of it.”

“What
about the captain?” Celi asked, smiling.

“Now
that may be a problem,” Mira said, laughing. “She does have the higher rank.”

“He’s
due for a physical,” Celi said as a grin appeared on her face. “Maybe I should
take him up on his offer to play doctor.”

“What?”
Mira asked. “He really said that?”

“A
long time ago,” Celi said. “I’m sure it was a joke, but I’m thinking of taking
it seriously.
Callun Daimya
is just not for me.”

“I
thought you were open-minded?”

“I
am, and I understand why two Kalaidians would do that,” Celi said. “But, it’s
not for me. And given that he’s the only male around of a compatible species it
makes things rather difficult.”

“If
we figure out how to mix his genes with ours we can make a ton of men,” Mira said
playfully. “Why not going with a ratio of two males for each female?”

“You’ve
got to be kidding,” Celi said. “That would be too many,” she laughed, “Although
the concept isn’t a bad one. So what’s the news on the other couple?”

Mira
sighed. “Those two are so dense it’s frustrating. I really wish they’d stop
dancing around each other the way they are and just admit it.”

“So,
in other words, no progress,” Celi said.

“Yeah,
no progress at all,” Mira said.

* * *

“What’s
this?” Jesela asked as she looked at Daes’s new scanning device.

“What
is it?” Dreka asked. He noticed a few blips on the screen. “That isn’t good.”

“What
isn’t good?” she asked.

“This
scanning system is meant to pick up cloaked ships, as well as tiny space time
distortions,” Dreka explained. “The only races that distort space in any
meaningful way with their ships are the Original Five or the Greys.”

“Daes,
I think you’d better get down here!” Jesela shouted.

Daes
looked at Seles. “Prepare for battle. I have a feeling that’s our queue to
fight,” she said, using the elevator cord to get down to the ground. She ran
over to the scanning system.

“Is
it bad?” Jesela asked.

“Really
bad,” Daes answered before hitting the com. “Captain, our scanners have
detected six space time distortions nearby.”

“Six?”
Valis asked. “Please send me their positions and probable mass.

“It’s
on the way captain,” Daes said.

Valis
gathered her thoughts as she looked over the plan one more time.
Let’s do
this.
She thought as she stood up.

“Kivi,
ready the Avoni for battle,” Valis said. “Zae, contact the Reiki and tell them
we’re launching our mobile suits and taking up a defensive formation around
them. Inform them that we’ve picked up unknown ships.”

“Yes
captain,” Zae said.

“Everything’s
good here,” Kivi said after activating all weapons systems.

“Good.
Baed, turn the ship about and ready for evasive action,” Valis commanded.

“Yes
captain,” Baed said before turning the ship about.

Kivi
stood up after looking at the plan. “I like it.”

“Since
we’re unsure of our enemy’s intentions or capabilities, I figured the best defense
is offense,” Valis said.

“What
if they’re not Greys?” Kivi asked.

“Unless
there’s been an appearance by a new space faring society in this section of the
galaxy it must be the Greys. Brian will hail them before firing, so they will
have a chance to avoid combat if they wish it,” Valis explained. “What I’m
curious about is what has the Reiki so flustered.”

“If
they found a base it’s possible they stirred up something they shouldn’t have,”
Kivi suggested.

“That’s
the most likely possibility,” Valis said. “The question is did they try to
recover anything from the base?”

“That
situation is very similar to when we recovered Brian,” Zae said. She turned
about to join the conversation. “In that case the Greys were after the ship we’d
captured. If it wasn’t for the crazy maneuver you called for the Avoni would’ve
been destroyed.”

Baed
looked up from her panel. “That wasn’t an easy trick to pull off in a ship this
big.”

“No,
it wasn’t,” Valis said. “Now we’re faced with a much worse situation. Even
though we have new weapons to attack and defend with, I’m unsure if they’re
strong enough to fight Grey class ships. In our previous encounter there was
only one enemy ship, but in this situation we’re faced with six or more. I hate
betting on an uncertain factor the mobile weapons pose.”

“But
it’s what you’re best at,” Kivi said. “Taking a chance is something you do well
Valis, better than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“True,”
Valis answered. “I’d better tell the rest of the crew the situation.

Zae
checked her panel. “They Reiki acknowledge our current situation and have begun
calling their members back from the surface of the moon. It will take them less
than half an hour to collect them all.”

“Excellent,”
Valis said. “Tell them if it is Grey technology to leave it behind.”

“Yes
captain,” Zae answered before sending the message over.

* * *

“Brian,
get to the Mjolnir as quickly as possible. I‘ll be sending over a battle plan
shortly,” Valis commanded over the com. He shook his head once more as he
headed for the launching bay.

“Yes
captain,” he said.
I can hear them. They’re nearby; close enough to mess
with my head.
Brian thought as he walked into the launching bay. He looked
over to the main console, seeing Daes with Jesela and Dreka, discussing what to
do. He ran over to them.

“We
need to launch immediately,” Brian said. Dreka nodded and headed for the Phase
Talons. “Did you get that Seles?” he asked, turning to the Zero.

Seles
stuck her head out of the cockpit. “I got it,” she answered.

A
moment later a number of Kalaidian and Malcovin pilots entered the room and
boarded their mobile suits. Brian ran over to the Mjolnir and did likewise.

Captain
Valis sent over the battle plan.
The Mjolnir wrote on the screen.

“Thanks,”
Brian said. He sent the plan to all the mobile suits launching. In the former
cargo bay, along with the same sized one on the opposite side of the Avoni
launched at total of forty four Phase Raknas and twenty two Phase Talons.

Dreka
flew at the front of the Talon unit. “Our mission is to act as a defense for
the Reiki vessels.”

“We’ll
do our best lieutenant,” his subordinates responded. The Talons created a
circle around the half dozen Reiki ships with their backs to the moon nearby.

Seles
took the lead of half the Raknas as they took a defensive position around the
Avoni. “We’re to act as the last line of defense ladies,” Seles said. “You’ve
been training to fight in these for a long time now, let’s show some results!”

“Yes
lieutenant!” her subordinates answered.

Brian
took the lead of the other twenty two Raknas and flew them to a forward
position where the strange blips appeared on the screen. The Mjolnir drew its
pulse cannon and charged for a full blast. The Raknas behind it did likewise.

“This
is Lieutenant Commander Peterson of the Independent attack vessel Avoni hailing
the unknown ships. We have no desire to fight you and wish to speak with your commander,”
Brian said on all frequencies. A long silence ensued afterwards. He closed his
eyes before aiming the pulse rifle on the Mjolnir.
Here they come.

A
moment later something with a disc shape emerged and fired a pulse blast at the
mobile suits. Each opened fire in a barrage that destroyed the Grey ship before
it could do anything else. At the same time five more saucers emerged and fired
back with a series of energy blasts. The Mjolnir barely dodged out of the way
as five Raknas took heavy damage. They backed away while firing at the Grey
ships. Another barrage later and another Grey ship exploded. Beside the Mjolnir
two Raknas were destroyed in the return attack, along with a couple others
being damaged heavily.

“All
Raknas that are damaged retreat to the Avoni,” Brian commanded as he watched
the battle unfold. Another Grey ship exploded as it rammed a Rakna in a
suicidal charge. He noticed that half of his fighting force had been either
destroyed or suffered heavy damage. The three Grey vessels in front stopped
suddenly and began retreating. Blinking his eyes and going berserk, Brian flew
the Mjolnir forward at lightning speed and blasted one more Grey ship to
pieces. The remaining two disappeared, leaving him with a mass of wreckage all
around.

* * *

Valis
watched as Brian’s forward attack force was decimated, clenching her fists in
anger.
This is worse than I thought. Even though the mobile suits are
capable of destroying the Grey ships, they’re much easier to destroy than I had
hoped.
She looked at the damage caused by the Grey ships.

“Seles,
Dreka, remain in your positions,” Valis commanded.

“Yes
captain,” the pair answered.

“Brian,
return with all remaining mobile suits for repair.”

“Yes
captain,” Brian said after ending his berserk.

Kivi
watched as well, taking note of the damage. “I don’t think Brian enjoyed that
very much.”

“No,
I could hear the frustration in his voice,” Valis said. “I’m not too happy
about it either. We’re getting out of here.”

“Agreed,”
Kivi said.

* * *

Brian
landed the Mjolnir in the launching bay as a number of Raknas followed suit. As
he stepped out of the mobile suit, he gazed at the half dozen that had taken
heavy damage. A number of the medical crew waited to receive the injured
pilots. As he went down on the elevator cord Mira ran over to him.

“Are
you alright?” she asked.

He
shook his head while looking over at the battered pilots, along with the three
destroyed mobile suits. “I knew what I was getting into when I joined the Avoni
a long time ago,” he turned to Mira, “I thought I’d made my peace with death,
but it doesn’t feel like it right now.”

She
looked at the injured pilots. “I’m sorry Brian, but I’ve got my duty to
fulfill.”

“Go
and save them Mira. I’ll help Daes and the engineers get the mobile suits
repaired as quickly as possible.”

“Alright,”
she said as she turned to put the injured in order of who needed treatment
first.

He
joined Daes as she was swamped by her engineers on what to do first. “I want
six of you each on the damaged Raknas.” Her subordinates took her orders and
began working. She turned around and saw Brian right next to her.

“I
wish we would’ve known they would go down so easily,” Daes said. “New
technology has so many unknowns attached to it.”

“At
least they can fight back,” Brian said. “Before, we didn’t even have that
choice.”

“True.
If you’re not occupied I’m going to need your help putting a few of these back
together,” Daes said.

“Let’s
get to it then,” he answered. “If what Valis fears is to happen we’ll need to
launch any minute now.”

* * *

“Captain,
all the Reiki have returned to their ships,” Zae reported.

“Good.
Order everyone back to the Avoni and prepare for a gravity jump,” Valis
commanded.

“Yes
captain,” Zae said.

“We’re
going to run for it?” Kivi asked.

“And
hope they aren’t in the mood to chase,” Valis answered.

One
by one the mobile suits landed in their respective launching bays. The small,
spherical Reiki ships flew very close to the Avoni.

“Activating
drive,” Baed said. The Avoni and Reiki were enveloped by a strange light as
they vanished from the barren solar system and appeared in another one about
twenty light years away.

“We’ve
appeared near the asteroid belt of this solar system captain,” Zae reported.
“Calculating the positions of the planets shows that there are a number of
moons surrounding a gas giant near our position.”

“Are
any of them defensible?” Kivi asked.

“Yes.”
Zae answered. “We can pick our choice when we get there.”

* * *

“It
looks like the Avoni has come to join us,” captain Esra said over the monitor
to captain El Kar.

The
Daevoni and the Reinkar orbited the gas giant the Avoni flew towards. The
Daevoni had taken heavy damaged from a previous fight with Greys while the
Reinkar had also taken some damage. Behind them were two small fleets of Reiki
ships.

El
Kar checked the scans of the Avoni. “It doesn’t appear they’ve taken much if
any damage.”

“That’s
Valis for you,” Esra said. “I’m pretty sure by the way they’re moving they
didn’t come back to greet us.”

“No,
they’ve seen battle with the Greys,” El Kar said. “The Confederation is going
to have a fit when they find out how far the monsters have progressed.”

“At
the rate of estimated expansion they’ll reach the official border of Confederation
space in less than fifty years,” Esra said. “That’s about two hundred years
before schedule.”

“And
other than the one Terran onboard the Avoni we won’t have the benefit of their
aid.”

“Not
unless the Mylor get the idea to give the Terrans the technology to fight
alongside them,” Esra said.

El
Kar laughed. “That would likely bring about another Geluke Don, so I doubt
that’ll happen.”