Lyssa Thorne's
Science Fiction Novels
Double Dragon Ebooks
“FESTIVAL OF SHIPS”
EPISODE 25 – ATTACK
BY: LYSSA THORNE
FADE IN:
INT. UPPER FLIGHT DECK LOUNGE
A day later, Sannaro was sitting in the flight lounge thinking about the great party everyone threw for Danu later that day after the council.
ARCAS
Arcas to Sannaro, Arcas to Sannaro, where is your location?
Sannaro shook his head and looked up at his second.
SANNARO
Huh?
ARCAS
Where were you or was it, who were you talking to?
SANNARO
I was thinking about the party yesterday.
ARCAS
I wish I was still down there too. Iara’s the greatest, San! She’s already saying she wants to draw a portrait of me.
SANNARO
Come back down to the deck plates, Arcas.
ARCAS
You’re just saying that because you were lucky that you were allowed to take Cherna three years ahead of everyone else!
SANNARO
Am not!
AKKI
Oh, this is great, our Team-leaders are teasing each other out of boredom!
SANNARO
Huh?
ARCAS
Where were you or was it, who were you talking to?
SANNARO
I was thinking about the party yesterday.
ARCAS
I wish I was still down there too. Iara’s the greatest, San! She’s already saying she wants to draw a portrait of me.
SANNARO
Come back down to the deck plates, Arcas.
ARCAS
You’re just saying that because you were lucky that you were allowed to take Cherna three years ahead of everyone else!
SANNARO
Am not!
AKKI
Oh, this is great, our Team-leaders are teasing each other out of boredom!
TISA
Arcas has a point. I’d love to be with Ikku.
LOUDSPEAKER V.O.
Battle Alert, battle Alert, invader ships sighted and launching attack ships.
Sannaro surged out of his chair, grabbed his helmet and followed Arcas out the door as the other pilots followed Sannaro.
They ran to their Vizha'i as the support crews were rapidly preparing the fighters for takeoff.
Sannaro pulled on his helmet and climbed the ladder.
As soon as he hit the seat, he strapped in, flipped switches as his canopy was lowered and locked.
His crew chief gave him the good luck sign and his ship began rolling backwards to the lift where it raised his ship to the launch deck.
Within minutes, he was catapulted into space.
SANNARO
Red one to Kumani, threat board’s lighting up like a nebula! Red team requests help, a lot of help!
FLIGHT CONTROL (V.O.)
Houk, wait. Eleven standby teams are launching. Be advised- acknowledge as Ku-red, copy.
SANNARO
Houk, Kumani. Ku-red one, engaging targets, out.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Don’t forget we’re Ku-red.
RED TEAM (PSI V.O.)
Houk.
HAR-PURPLE #1 (V.O.)
Har-purple one to all Vizha'i, invader shuttles have slipped through skirmish line and heading toward the Festival! I need help with intercept!
VU-RED #1 (V.O.)
Vu-red one to Har-purple one, we’re assisting.
IN-WHITE #1 (V.O.)
In-white also assisting.
SANNARO
Ku-red one to remaining teams, deploy Uzhume team and the rest support forward skirmish. It’s still heavy up here, over.
UZH-YELLOW #1 (V.O.)
Uzh-yellow one, houk, Ku-red one.
Sannaro barely noticed the acknowledgment because he was nearly dizzying himself with aerobatics trying to escape an invader that locked onto his tail. It was frustrating him that he couldn’t anticipate the pilot as he usually did and this one had a lock on him longer than any pursuer ever had.
SANNARO
Arcas, get this unkafata off my tail!
ARCAS
Coming, San.
Arcas quickly followed and blew up the bogy locked onto Sannaro.
SANNARO
Fa'arata.
HADAH
Grays are joining the fight. Where do you want us?
SANNARO
Grays? Shuttles can’t engage these invaders!
HADAH
We’re being overrun, Ku-red one! I’m not staying a target on the ground!
FILP
Grays, clear this planet so our people can pack up.
SANNARO
We’re packing up the Festival?
LAZHA
They followed us out here. No one’s safe. Beat them back!
VIZHA'E
Houk.
The battle remained intense for another hour before the invaders began their retreat.
Sannaro’s arms were aching as he flew into the retrieval deck and landed his battered ship on the lift. He sighed and dropped his leadened arms to his lap, grateful to allow the magnetic pulley system to take his ship to his parking area.
When the ship stopped, he pulled off his helmet and shook his sweaty hair out.
Usually he’d jump down to the deck before his crew would roll a ladder up to the cockpit, but this time he awaited the ladder before he climbed out and stepped down to the deck.
ZHUNI
Are you injured?
SANNARO
Nui, just bone tired, Zhuni.
Sannaro clipped his helmet onto his left side and walked slowly to the flight lounge.
Hadah ran up and put his arm around Sannaro’s shoulders.
HADAH
That was a big battle you coordinated, San, a top job!
SANNARO
Twelve teams from twelve ships flying at once as well as a hundred fifty shuttles! Friends and loved ones vulnerable planet-side, invaders with unreadable minds and it was all my responsibility! It was enough to drive me crazy!
HADAH
The Commanders are going to be saying some good words about you this day, boy!
SANNARO
Can they tell me after forty-eight hours of sleep?
HADAH
I don’t think you’ll get that much, but I think you’re entitled to twelve. Then after that, you and Red team will be on alert with the rest of us until the Festival’s packed up and everyone’s safely aboard again.
INT. UPPER FLIGHT LOUNGE
Red team was given eight hours instead of twelve, but Sannaro didn’t grumble. He went straight to his quarters and laid down on his bed, still in his flight suit.
Seven and a half hours later, he awoke, took a quick shower, changed into a fresh flight suit and returned to the flight deck.
By then, the festival was almost packed up and the shuttle pilots were working overtime to move equipment and people because the Vizha'e couldn’t assist like they had when the Festival had begun since they were all on alert in case of another attack.
To Sannaro’s surprise, all the Vizha'es were in the lounge watching a main sensor recording of the battle Sannaro had fought eight hours before.
Sannaro quietly slipped through and found a seat. Now as a spectator, he couldn’t believe he’d lived through this battle with only sweaty hair.
He also got to see the second skirmish above the planet that he’d been too busy to see and was amazed at the scope of the battle. It had been immense and had truly taken all the pilots from all twelve ships to send the invaders into retreat. The tactical network was played back at the same time.
Sannaro was shocked at how often he heard himself sending commands to his own team as well as the entire fighting force.
No'ama took Sannaro’s hand and squeezed it while she gave him a look of proud admiration.
NO'AMA (PSI V.O.)
I taught you well, Sannaro.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
So you did.
NO'AMA (PSI V.O.)
That was a huge battle, San. For it being your first time to be called on to take the senior position, you did remarkable.
SANNARO (PSI V.O.)
Nobody told me to take the senior position, No'ama, it just happened that way! If they knew I was one of the newer Team-leaders who’s barely out of his teen years, I don’t think they would’ve let me carry the battle.
NO'AMA
They did follow you and you fulfilled the job with surprisingly little casualties despite two skirmish lines and a planetary exodus. I’m sure the estimation of your abilities have increased with several Team-leaders and many commanders today. I was one of those on that planet who joined with a shuttle and I deeply appreciated that you were up here holding them back so we could launch those shuttles off the ground before they were destroyed.
After the screen blacked out, Lazha stood up.
LAZHA
That was the battle that happened yesterday. Sannaro made us proud with his leadership of all twelve standby teams and those of you who joined the battle in shuttles. After the battle, an emergency council was called as the festival was being packed up. We knew a massive battle was being fought above us. When I mentioned the conversation I had with Sannaro on the first day of the Festival, linking the Invaders with the invasion that happened two-hundred years ago, a few of us remembered the Astrisi barely held back the first invasion and were severely decimated by the end of the war. With that in mind, we’ve decided we’ll all stay together and travel back to Allied space where, upon our arrival, we’ll contact the Allied Defense Force and offer - a wartime alliance.
ESLIN
Wartime Alliance? The ADF would rather fire on us than work with us!
Many pilots added their assent to Eslin’s.
LAZHA
That maybe true but remember, our history says three cultures were destroyed before the invaders were defeated; Cashanaya, Gasbaja, the very planet we’re visiting now, and Belvas! I, and many other commanders, believe that trying to fight the invaders separately almost caused the extinction of a whole alliance! The Astrisi almost didn’t survive the first time. This alliance is different because the Humans are colonizers who don’t stay with their home planet. They embrace other cultures and invite them to live side-by-side on the same planet with them. They’re truly allied, not like the former alliance that was loosely allied for monetary reasons. The Humans are stronger and better equipped. We Astrisi can give them information on how our ancestors defeated the invasion just as the survivors of Gasbaja did for the Astrisi enabling the Astrisi to successfully fight off the invasion. They need our knowledge enough, they’ll think twice about firing on us, especially when we come twelve ships strong.
NOKI
How can we trust them?
LAZHA
We’ll just have to have faith. I know you’ll be the ones called on to work with the ADF the most and put your lives in their hands as you fight beside them in battle. We have to set aside our instinctive distrust of the Worlders to survive. The first rule of the Astrisi is to survive. The only way we can do that is to fight alongside the Worlders. I apologize to the Team-leaders present for pulling rank on you but Filp didn’t return.
The room silenced at the news.
LAZHA
I’ve taken liberty of choosing a new Senior for you because I don’t have time for you to deliberate that decision. I’ve awarded the Senior sash to Hadah.
Hadah took off his red sash with the vermilion stripe and laid it in Lazha’s hand, then took vermilion sash out of her hands and tied it around his own waist.
LAZHA (CONT.)
Sannaro, since you’re world-born, I’ll be needing your knowledge of Basic and your coordination skills to communicate between the Vizha'e and the ADF. This record of the battle will impress the Worlders with your ability to lead in battle. So, Hadah has agreed that for the duration of this war, you’ll be his Senior Second.
Sannaro gasped and looked up at her.
Hadah grinned as he stood up and took his red sash with one vermilion stripe on the tail from Lazha and held it up to Sannaro.
Sannaro gulped, but untied his unadorned red sash and laid it across Hadah’s hands, then took the red and vermilion sash and tied it around his waist.
LAZHA
Congratulations, Hadah and Sannaro.
NO'AMA
Sit down before you faint!
Sannaro gaped, but crisply sat.
Several people giggled nervously, including Cherna, but Lazha was satisfied. Lazha took Sannaro’s hand before she left the lounge.
HADAH
Team-leaders, I need to talk with you up in the conference room. Seconds, take your teams to alert stations.
The lounge emptied and things began to take on a semblance of normal.
When they were all in the conference room, Hadah sighed and took the head chair.
HADAH
We’ve had some successes as well as loss. Our first business is to choose a new leader for White team.
ESLIN
I wouldn’t trust Murto, Filp’s second, with the Team-leader position. He’s unimaginative.
NOKI
Meaning he’s dense as a bulkhead.
ESLIN
I wouldn’t put it that harshly.
HADAH
We’ve established that two of us wouldn’t choose Murto. So does anyone have suggestions for a candidate?
NO'AMA
Haiku isn’t too bad.
HADAH
You’ve said it yourself that Haiku’s too conservative.
SANNARO
I don’t want to sound like I’m showing favor, but, how about, well, Cherna?
ESLIN
Or how about your own second, Arcas?
SANNARO
With me learning a new job, I really need him.
HADAH
That’s a valid point. Cherna’s one of my junior pilots and I have nothing but praise for her. I think she can handle a Team-leader position. What do the rest of you think about Cherna?
NO'AMA
I like her. The times I’ve flown with her, she’s shown some incentive.
NOKI
I’ve noticed she has good instinct for working with others, even those she hasn’t had that much experience with.
HADAH
It sounds like a unanimous vote for Cherna. We’ll give her the White team.
Hadah used the computer to open a loudspeaker connection.
HADAH
Cherna, report to the Pilots’ Conference room.
Several minutes later, the door opened and Cherna stepped in.
CHERNA
You called for me, Hadah?
Sannaro tried unsuccessfully to stifle a grin.
Hadah casually picked up the sash that had been around Sannaro’s waist minutes before and stood up.
HADAH
Cherna, it’s by unanimous vote by the Team-leaders that we give you this red sash to lead the White team.
Cherna’s jaw dropped.
ESLIN
Well, go take it, girl!
SANNARO PSI V.O.
Go, ko'ia.
Cherna hesitantly moved toward Hadah with her eyes locked on the red fabric in his hands.
Cherna quickened her pace around the table.
She stopped in front of Hadah, untied her yellow junior sash, laid it on Hadah’s hands, took the red sash and tied it around her waist.
NO'AMA
Way to go, girl!
HADAH
I want you to immediately turn your flight-suits in to be modified into white. We’re in a war and I need you properly colored as soon as possible.
CHERNA
Houk, Hadah!
HADAH
Welcome to the Team-leaders.
She turned to the table, her face beaming.
INT. ABRINDA SPACESTATION
The Namura landed on the Arcturus space station Abrinda where they visited Jonathan Daniels, Zerbeck Matauni, Marc Daniels and Jim Meyers the Arcturus ISP.
Captain Erika Kelvin greeted the Delegation.
KELVIN
Gentlemen, it’s not often that we get dignitaries at our office.
ZERBECK
We're out this way to inspect the damage at Ilbari.
KELVIN
That was a tragedy. There isn’t much to see.
JON
Still, we want to inspect it for ourselves. We’re the Delegation that’s to meet up with these invaders to assess whether we can make a peace agreement. We need to understand what we’re up against.
KELVIN
I understand. I can give you my ISP Commander here to accompany you to Ilbari, but I must warn you, gentlemen, an investigation is underway there. I ask that you contaminate as little evidence as possible.
JON
Our pilot and copilot are well versed in those protocols. Lt. Daniels and TO Meyers are ISP from the Sol Division. They can warn us off.
KELVIN
Then shall we go to Commander Talin’s office?
As they walked through the halls, Marc caught Jim craning his neck to see the faces of each patrolman who walked past.
MARC
What’s up, partner?
JIM
My former partner may be here. I just wondered if I might see him.
MARC
Oh, that’s right, Sid Powers did transfer here because his mother was ailing.
JIM
Right, that was just before I met you two years ago.
MARC
You could ask Commander Talin about Sid. I don’t think Dad or Uncle Mat would object.
Jim nodded just as they reached that office and entered.
The commander stood up from his desk.
TALIN
Captain Kelvin!
KELVIN
At ease, Commander. Eric, with me is a Delegation from the Planetary Council on Earth. They want to inspect Ilbari. Could you accompany them to Ilbari and give them a tour?
TALIN
Yes, ma’am, I just need to locate my Chief TO and we can head out.
KELVIN
Thank you, Commander. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ambassador Daniels and Zerbeck. I must return to my work.
JON
Thank you for your help, Captain Kelvin.
KELVIN
Patrolmen.
Jonathan shook her hand and so did Zerbeck.
EXIT KELVIN.
Talin pressed his com line.
TALIN
Chief T.O. to Commander’s office.
His voice rang out from the PA system then he closed the line.
JIM
Excuse me, Commander Talin?
TALIN
Yes, sir?
JIM
Sir, I am TO3.
Talin sat back in his chair.
TALIN
It is kind of you to divulge that. Now what can I do for you, Tech Officer?
JIM
My former partner transferred out here. I was wondering if he’s still around. His name’s Sidney Powers?
TALIN
Lieutenant Powers still works for me. So you must be James Meyers. Sid still talks about you.
JIM
We’re good friends. I’m afraid I haven’t been keeping in touch as well as I should.
TALIN
You can leave him a personal letter and I’ll make sure he gets it, Mr. Meyers.
JIM
Thank you, Commander.
TALIN
Come to think of it, you may see him on Ilbari helping with the investigation.
Talin entered a command on his computer that brought up Unit assignments.
TALIN (CONT.)
That’s right, I assigned Powers and Thatcher to the investigation team yesterday to help the Detectives. We may see them out there.
JIM
I’d like to say hi to him.
By then, a short, thick man entered the office.
MORCHIONI
Called for me, Eric?
TALIN
Chad, we’re going to lead an Ambassador’s ship out to Ilbari so they can look over the scene. Gentlemen, my Chief Tech Officer Chad Morchioni. Chad, this is Ambassadors Daniels and Zerbeck, Lt. Daniels and TO3 Meyers.
MORCHIONI
Pleasure to meet you.
He shook each man’s hand.
TALIN
Mr. Meyers was Sid Powers former partner.
MORCHIONI
You’re Jimmy, huh?
JIM
Jim. That’s Sid. He always did call me Jimmy.
TALIN
He and I’ll take off in our cruiser and meet up with your ship outside.
JON
All right.
Jonathan said then gestured for Zerbeck, Marc and Jim to leave the office to return to the Namura.
END ACT 1
ACT 2
EXT. ABRINDA SPACE STATION
Just beyond the station was a Police cruiser. It looked like a hot rod of a spaceship, blue and white, with a short profile, wider than tall with fins on either side of the ship at the back with the lettering on the hull that read AA1.
TALIN (V.O.)
Alpha Alpha one to Namura, adjust your heading to coordinates 14398.7, copy.
MARC
Roger, Alpha Alpha one, adjusting to coordinates 14398.7.
Marc keyed in the numbers into the ships computer.
TALIN
See you there, over.
Marc brought the trans-light engines on and sent them after the police cruiser.
EXT. ILBARI -DAY
As they approached the ground on Ilbari, Marc studied the array of ships and settled on a parking place, then set the Namura down.
JON
Look at the burn scores on the ground!
Marc looked grimly over the scene as he secured the systems and opened the hatch.
Jonathan walked down the ramp, but stopped short of stepping down to the grass and looked around.
ZERBECK
The stench of death is in the air.
Marc resisted the urge to pinch his nose closed.
Jim waved his hand in front of his face.
MARC
Sh’kukte!
JIM
More like Uksake!
JON
You’re learning Brocana, Jim.
JIM
I spent several months with a translator in my ear, baking in light of Aldumu and Balda. I think I should have picked up some of the language.
ZERBECK
Aldumu and Balda?
JON
The Brocana names for Alpha and Beta Centauri.
JIM
Balda is the consort of Aldumu who’s first to rise and prepare the world for the scorching presence of Aldumu.
MARC
You did listen to the mythological stories Zak and I told over the evening fires!
JIM
Was there anything else to do?
MARC
Not really.
ENTER Talin.
TALIN
This way, gentlemen, there’s really very little to see. The Astrisi found Ilbari right after the attack. They reported they were going to make a landfall here to get some foodstuffs, but found complete silence when they arrived. They sent out some of their fighters to scout the planet just in time to see the invaders leave.
ZERBECK
Why should you believe a bunch of nomadic space-farers?
TALIN
Because what we found here is exactly what they reported.
ZERBECK
The Astrisi attacked a whole mining planet years ago so they could have been the ones who killed these people.
Talin waved for them to follow him.
After walking for a while, Talin stopped at a patch of scorched grass outlined in white paint-lines and squatted beside a depression in the ground.
Talin swept his hand over the depression.
TALIN
Unless the Astrisi have redesigned their landing pads, this isn't an Astrisi print. Two kilometers away we did find depressions made by only two Astrisi fighters. Look here-
Talin stood up and moved about a kilometer away and squatted again at another depression.
TALIN
The length between pad prints is for a ship much too big for an Astrisi fighter or shuttle, but too small for an Astrisi Mother-ship. We’ve swept this whole planet and there are three other sets of depressions, each near a populated center. All the belongings were taken, even baby spoons. As I see it, why’d Astrisi want to take things they’d make themselves? For that matter, why’d the invaders want everything unless they didn’t know better?
JIM
That would suggest they are so alien to our culture, they’d find our belongings indiscernible.
TALIN
That’s what we thought, Mr. Meyers.
JON
Why the indiscriminate massacre?
ZERBECK
Maybe they didn’t know who was a threat and who wasn’t?
MARC
Even when the Astrisi attacked the mining planet, they only took the seranium they needed to power their ship. Many people survived that attack and there were even other cities and towns that weren’t even hit. The attack was only isolated to the mining complex and the nearby town where the miners lived. What I see here isn’t the Astrisi’s M.O.
Talin stood up again.
TALIN
That’s right, Lieutenant.
Another patrolman approached with the rank of first lieutenant on his flight-suit.
Jim took his former partner’s arm then slapped his back.
POWERS
You’re right. This isn’t Astrisi work. Nice to see you again, Jimmy. Is this your current partner?
JIM
Sid, glad to see you. This is Lieutenant Marc Daniels. He’s been even more interesting than you were, Sid.
POWERS
That’s hard to believe! Seriously, though, you should see the town. No one survived. We only found ashes and bits of clothing. All the buildings were cleared out. Even carpets were taken. It was weird. It’d make no sense for Astrisi to take carpets. I own a few Astrisi carpets and they’re the best artistic textiles in this region of the Alliance. Why’d they want standard boring carpets when they weave eye-popping artistic rugs from the size of a room to a throw rug?
Talin and Sid Powers walked Jonathan, Zerbeck, Marc and Jim through the town, showing how appliances were torn from the walls indiscriminately. They found holes in the walls from where pictures were mounted, but no longer had the pictures or the methods they were hung.
JON
I’ve seen enough. This is greatly disturbing.
ZERBECK
This is unthinkable! More barbaric than I’ve ever seen.
They left the house and returned to the Namura.
Sid stood with one foot on the ramp and the other on the grass.
POWERS
Hey, Jimmy, I heard you finally tied the knot with Malia Konane?
JIM
I did. I was sorry you couldn’t attend.
POWERS
Me too, but my mother was in the hospital.
JIM
I’m sorry she passed away.
POWERS
At least I could be with her for the time she had left. I have no regrets.
JON
We need to move on. I’m glad to meet you, Mr. Powers. Jim’s spoken many times about you since he’s been my son’s partner.
POWERS
It was nice to meet you, Ambassador Daniels. See you later, Jimmy. Stay safe.
JIM
I’ll try, Sid. Bye.
Jim walked up the ramp.
Sid put his foot down on the grass just as the ramp pulled into the ship. Then he walked back toward the Detectives.
Marc resumed his seat at the pilot console and turned on the systems.
Jim finally returned to his own chair.
Marc saw his father enter the room and sit heavily into his own chair.
ZERBECK
I can’t believe what I saw out there.
JON
I can’t either, Mat. Can we reason with beings that char innocent people alive just to take their belongings?
Marc turned his chair around to look at his father.
MARC
So what do we do now?
JON
We continue on as planned.
Marc turned back around to prepare the Namura for flight.
INT. NAMURA
Days after they left Ilbari, Marc was almost feeling bored as he glanced at his control board.
Jim was staring out at the streaking stars, lost in thought.
Jom and Mat were in the rear common area continuing their conversation about what they’d seen on Ilbari.
The ship shuddered violently.
Marc was instantly alert and he immediately began evasive maneuvers.
JIM
Marc, scope says we're approaching a large skirmish and fast.
Marc nodded and brought the ship out of hyperspace.
Jonathan rushed up to him from the next room.
JON
What’s happening, Marc?
MARC
I think we’ve found four invader ships, but they’re under attack.
Marc made course corrections to evade energy volleys.
ZERBECK
By whom?
JIM
Would you believe the signature for the other vessels are Astrisi?
ZERBECK
How are they doing?
JIM
Who, the Astrisi or the invaders?
JON
Who’s winning?
MARC
I think it’s resoundingly the Astrisi.
JON
You said vessels, how many?
MARC
Would you believe twelve?
JON
Last time I heard, there was only twelve in their whole fleet!
ZERBECK
Why are they together? They usually work separately in their own sectors.
JON
Who knows.
Marc was entranced by the maneuvers he was seeing from the small white and red space fighters. He tried to follow one ship that had two separated red stripes on the tail-fin, but the pilot was darting everywhere, taking out invaders like he instinctively knew where the target was going to fly.
MARC
Look at their tactic’s Jim! I thought I flew well, but they’re fantastic!
JIM
They sure are!
A light flashed ahead and Marc frantically flew around the bolt.
MARC
Strap in. An invader shuttle’s coming to engage us. I wish we were in the cruiser. Namura has lesser mobility.
Zerbeck and Jonathan rushed to other chairs and strapped in just in time for Marc to evade a shot.
Marc continued to evade laser bolts until one grazed the starboard. He picked his head up off the control board flowing blood from his forehead.
Jim’s left eye was swelling, but he stood up and staggered over to the first-aid box for the med-kit. He cleaned his face so he could see again, then treated Marc’s split forehead.
Marc was frantically flying to keep the shuttle from hitting them again until he saw the invader at his tail blossom into a fireball and the same red-on-red tailed Astrisi fighter pulled away.
JIM
The invaders are pulling away.
KI'EL
Astrisi ship Kumani to Alliance ship.
JIM
This is the Alpha Centauri Namura. Thank you for helping us fight the invaders off our tail.
KI'EL
You’re welcome. We will defend anyone from these invaders. Do you have wounded?
JIM
Roger, we have two.
JON
Three!
Marc glanced behind him and saw his father held his left arm close to his body.
JIM
Correction, we have three wounded.
KI'EL
We offer you transport since it is too dangerous for a small ship like yours to fly this sector.
JON
Accept!
JIM
We accept, Kumani.
KI'EL
Roger, Namura, I’m turning you over to flight control.
MARC
Roger, Kumani.
FLIGHT CONTROL
Kumani to Namura. Fly toward the aft sector of the ship and line up with the top deck of the ship. Enter through the open bay at landing velocity. Shortly before the wall there will be a lighted rectangle. You must stop on that rectangle. That rectangle is a lift that will lower your ship down into a maintenance bay. From there, you will be directed to a parking area. Do you copy?
MARC
Roger, Kumani. Preparing for approach.
Marc followed his orders and successfully landed on the strange vessel.
When the maintenance bay came into view, he gasped.
MARC
Jim, can you still see?
JIM
A little.
MARC
This maintenance bay is incredible! There's fighter parking as far as the eye can see!
Zerbeck rushed up behind Marc to see the view.
ZERBECK
They’ve got a damned super-carrier on this spaceship!
The lift stopped.
FLIGHT CONTROL
Turn your vessel around and park in the first two parking spaces beyond the lift.
MARC
Roger.
Marc taxied the Namura around and settled it across the parking spaces, then opened the hatch.
A group of white jacketed medics rushed on board and stopped at each person.
DANU
This man has a broken arm.
Tila studied Zerbeck who was still looking out the window.
TILA
This man is uninjured.
Tila moved to Jim.
TILA
This man has a swollen eye and possibly a concussion.
ZHAD
I know the pilot has a concussion and possibly a fractured skull. Danu, get collars for the pilot and copilot. I want them immobilized before we move them.
Zhad turned to Zerbeck.
ZHAD
Sir, I am Zhad the head doctor here.
ZERBECK
I’m Ambassador Zerbeck Matauni of Zeta Minor. The man with the broken arm is Ambassador Jonathan Daniels of Alpha Centauri and the pilot and copilot is Lieutenant Marcayo Daniels and Technical Officer James Meyers of the ISP. We were on a mission to contact the invaders in order to ascertain whether we can come to a peaceful solution.
ZHAD
You can’t. Nothing has worked on them for over two-hundred years. I’ll have someone take you to our Commander Lazha, but I have more wounded so please excuse me.
Zhad busied himself with putting the cervical collar around Marc’s neck.
DI'OK
I’m Di'ok. I’m here to guide you.
ZERBECK
Hello, Di'ok, I’m Zerbeck Matauni, Ambassador of Zeta Minor.
DI'OK
I’m glad to meet you, Ambassador Zerbeck. Your fellow shipmates are being treated. While they’re healing, would you go with me to talk to our council leader and the Commander of our ship?
ZERBECK
I’ll go with you. I’m impressed with your knowledge of honorifics, Di'ok.
DI'OK
Thank you, Ambassador. I’ve always been fascinated with languages.
ZERBECK
We were out here to try to attempt a peaceful dialog with the invaders, but you can see we didn’t have much success.
DI'OK
Neither have we. They nearly destroyed the Astrisi once before.
ZERBECK
Dr. Zhad mentioned that peaceful dialog with them didn’t work two-hundred years ago. Can you tell me why?
DI'OK
I should leave that to Parik and Lazha.
Di'ok lead Zerbeck across the deck to the elevator. They took the elevator to the Council room.
At the head of the table was Parik and beside him was Lazha.
Parik stood up and held out his hand.
PARIK
I am Parik, Senior Council member, and the woman beside me is Lazha, commander of the Kumani.
Zerbeck seemed a bit reluctant as he shook Parik’s hand.
ZERBECK
I’m Zerbeck Matauni, Ambassador from Zeta Minor to Earth. I was a member of a delegation that was attempting to open dialog with the invaders in order to ask for a peaceful resolution.
LAZHA
It’s obvious they don’t want one!
ZERBECK
We were tracking one of their ships and didn’t realize it was engaged in battle with your ships until we were caught in your battle. Another Ambassador was in the delegation, but he’s in the Hospital being healed of his broken arm. His name’s Jonathan Daniels, Ambassador from Alpha Centauri to Earth. Our pilots were injured, suffering from head traumas and concussions. Their names are Lieutenant Marcayo Daniels and Technical Officer James Meyers of the Interstellar Space Police, Sol-Lunar Division. I was told by your head doctor the Astrisi have met these invaders two-hundred years before?
PARIK
He spoke true. They destroyed three cultures and decimated our defense force before they withdrew. Only the Saili weren’t touched because the atmosphere of Sailia was as much poisonous to the invaders as to anyone else.
ZERBECK
And this war happened one-hundred years before we Humans invented long distance space travel so why have they come back now?
PARIK
More technology to plunder, I suppose. We know very little about them and the history records seems to be equally unenlightened. Only the records show that with the combining of the remnants of two cultures were our ancestors able to defeat the invaders and drive them away until the present.
ZERBECK
The Allied Defense Force is preparing for a defensive against the invaders pending the result of this delegation. May I call Earth to report the mission has been halted due to severe injury?
LAZHA
You may. Since the Astrisi are the only force at this time who knows how to fight the invaders off, may we join you in your defensive?
ZERBECK
Excuse me for my surprise, Commander, but I thought the Astrisi didn’t ally themselves with anyone.
LAZHA
We have interdependence with your people, Ambassador Matauni.
ZERBECK
Excuse me, Commander, my family name is Zerbeck.
LAZHA
My apologies, Ambassador Zerbeck. If your alliance is wiped out, we Astrisi also suffer. It is in our best interest to ally ourselves with you in this conflict.
Zerbeck bowed.
ZERBECK
I will inform the Alliance Council.
The panel in front of Parik beeped and the councilman opened the channel. He spoke shortly with Ko'epe at the communications station on the bridge.
PARIK
Di'ok, Ambassador Daniels is healed and is asking to join his fellow Ambassador. Would you guide him here?
DI'OK
Houk, Parik.
He rode back down to the Hospital thinking he was getting his run for the day.
As the elevator door opened, he saw the older man he’d met earlier, now sitting in the waiting room alcove.
DI'OK
Ambassador, I’m here to take you to the Council chamber to join the meeting with Parik and Lazha.
JON
Thank you, young man. You have quite an impressive ship here!
DI'OK
Thank you, Ambassador. You haven’t seen anything yet!
They stepped into the elevator to go to the Council Room.
JON
That’s what dazzles me. I’ve seen only a fraction of your ship and what I’ve seen is a grand accomplishment to innovation!
DI'OK
Here we are.
The door opened to the same room as before with Parik, Lazha and Zerbeck Matauni patiently awaiting his arrival.
PARIK
Fa’arata, Di'ok.
Di'ok and Ambassador Daniels exited.
Ambassador Daniels nodded his head in greeting at Lazha and Parik.
JON
Most impressive ship you have, Commander.
LAZHA
Thank you, Ambassador Daniels. Ambassador Zerbeck, Parik and I were discussing your mission to initiate peaceful dialogue with the invaders.
JON
Yes, that was our mission.
PARIK
I regret to tell you, the invaders do not want dialogue. They only want to plunder.
LAZHA
We suspect these invaders are the same invaders that attacked our region of space two hundred years ago and destroyed a former alliance.
JON
You’re telling me there was a former alliance in this region of space? A whole history has been lost?
LAZHA
Yes, it was back when we Astrisi lived on a planet called Astris in the Ras Elgethi system. We had a loose commercial alliance with the planets Cashanaya, Gasbaja, Belvas and Sailia.
JON
The last two I recognize, but the first two I’ve never heard of before.
LAZHA
That’s because Cashanaya, Gasbaja and Belvas were completely wiped out by the invaders. You recolonized Belvas and the Saili and the Astrisi were the only races that survived the invasion.
JON
Ah, the pyramidal structures of Belvas that we found when we colonized that planet were all that remained after this invasion? Fascinating!
LAZHA
And the survivors of Gasbaja joined the Astrisi and intermarried. During that time, they taught us some valuable military space battle tactics.
JON
So that invasion took an almost disastrous toll on your alliance.
LAZHA
Yes, that is why we Astrisi want to ask the Alliance for a wartime consolidation of forces. We Astrisi can advise your ADF about the history of the last invasion to help prepare you to fight these invaders off again. Hopefully, with less casualties than the first war.
JON
I thoroughly agree. I will inform the Council of Representatives of this new knowledge.
Ambassador Zerbeck stood up and whispered some words into Ambassador Daniels’ ear.
Di'ok could see he was tense and glanced distrustfully at Lazha and Parik.
Ambassador Daniels shook his head in negation, glared uncomfortably at Ambassador Zerbeck and said a few more words.
Di'ok found that he wished he had Sannaro’s telepathy so he could eavesdrop on what the two Ambassadors were saying to each other.
Finally, Ambassador Zerbeck frowned deeply but resumed his seat.
JON
Commander Lazha, please set a course for Earth. I fear my personal ship is quite damaged and I feel you must speak with Speaker Bell personally about what you know.
LAZHA
I agree. All twelve ships of the Astrisi will set course for Earth.
As Di'ok heard these words of agreement, he knew he was witnessing history in the making. For the first time since the Astrisi had a planet they called home, the Astrisi were making a new alliance. Both races were facing a major war that would decide their very survival.
SUPER: KELLIN
Damn it, they survived!
SUPER: TAREK/SIKYATAVO
Sannaro is getting better!
SUPER: KELLIN
The war isn't won yet!
SUPER: TAREK/SIKYATAVO
We'll see who wins in the end.
FADE OUT.
THE END.