SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT PORTING INTO AREAS WITHIN THE ASTEROID
WOULD BE HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND NOT RECOMMENDED. THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL
ELECTRONIC, QUANTATRONIC AND NUCLEAR ACTIVITY AT THE ASTEROID’S
CENTRE.
“Send a robot drone in to investigate,” said Phoenix.
UNDERSTOOD.
The screen changed to the view as seen by the drone’s camera as it ported to a few feet from one tunnel entrance. The asteroid’s surface appeared red under the light of its far away star. The black mouth of the tunnel entrance gaped uninvitingly.
The pupils of all eyes watching the screen contracted as the drone powered on its lights, illuminating the first few yards of the tunnel’s interior. A grey shape appeared in the entrance before eyes had time to refocus.A flash of emerald. The screen went black.
THE DRONE HAS BEEN DESTROYED, CAPTAIN.
The graphic image of the asteroid re-appeared. A red dot showed the drone’s last position and a red cross marked the offending tunnel.
SHOULD I DESTROY THE ASTEROID CAPTAIN?
“Not yet Marshia,” said Phoenix. “Are you safe from that beam?”
YES, CAPTAIN.
“Replay the last second slowly.”
UNDERSTOOD.
The scene replayed slowly on the screen.
“Pause!” said Phoenix as the grey shape was illuminated.
“Some kind of small metallic craft,” said Apricot, squinting at the screen, “with what looks like two, or maybe three, laser turrets.”
“Yes,” agreed Phoenix turning to Apricot. “You don’t suppose there’s one of those things in every tunnel, do you?”
“Unlikely, sir.Perhaps we just were unlucky?” suggested Apricot.
“Got any spare largish empty boxes, Marshia?”
YES. PLENTY, CAPTAIN.
“Deploy six around the asteroid as if you were sending in six drones,” said Phoenix. UNDERSTOOD.
The screen showed six blue dots appear around the asteroid as the empty boxes where ported to separate tunnel entrances. They quickly blinked out of existence almost as fast as they had arrived.
“What happened?” asked Phoenix.
ALL SIX ITEMS WHERE PORTED SIMULTANEOUSLY.THEY WERE SYSTEMATICALLY
DESTROYED TWO AT A TIME.
“What do you infer from that?” asked Phoenix.
IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THERE ARE TWO ENEMY MACHINES. THEY PORT TO EACH
LOCATION AND DESTROY THE TARGETS IN TURN.
“Have two drones open fire as soon as they materialise at an entrance,” said Phoenix. UNDERSTOOD.
The screen again showed the view from one drone. A stream of blue pulses disappeared into the mouth of the tunnel almost before it came into view. An orange plume erupted from the entrance. The scene rocked as the shock wave passed over the drone.
BOTH DRONES SUCCESSFUL.
“Yes!” yelped Apricot excitedly punching the air.
Phoenix remained calm. “Send in the drones, please, Marshia.”
UNDERSTOOD.
The screen split vertically showing the almost identical views seen by both drones. Light flooded the tunnels as the drones moved slowly inside.
A graphic in one corner of the screen showed more and more of the interiorstructure of the asteroid as the drones’ scanners were able to pass data back to Marshia.
Each member of the control room crew watched the screen intently. Nobody blinked. The air conditioning hummed. Something electronic beeped mysteriously.
FAST MOVING CRAFT DETECTED.
Marshia’ssudden announcement made everyone jump.
On the graphics display, small, green dots appeared in the tunnels heading towards the drones. Blue plasma flashes showed on the drone screens as they opened fire. Both screens showed a flat rotating arrowhead spitting green beams dead ahead. They closed with the drones almost too fast for the eye to follow. Both screens went blank simultaneously as the drones succumbed to the deadly laser barrage. EIGHT MANNED FIGHTER CRAFT HAVE BROKEN THE SURFACE.
The graphics screen showed eight green dots emerge from around the sphere of the asteroid and race away forming the corners of an expanding cube with the asteroid at its centre. Twenty miles from the surface they simultaneously broke their straight-line paths. Each craft followed a great looping course towards Marshia. They joined in perfect formation forming the outline of a great octagonal coin.A craft at each corner.The coin’s face towards Marshia.
“Any threat, Marshia?” barked Phoenix.
NONE.
“Warn them off.”
UNDERSTOOD.
There was a pause as everyone watched the screen anxiously. The green dots did not veer from their course towards Marshia.
“No good?” asked Phoenix.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IGNORED, SIR.
“Put me on please, Marshia.”
UNDERSTOOD.
“Gentlemen, or whatever forms you may be,” said Phoenix in a kindly manner, “the craft you are about to attack is, for all intents and purposes, the single most powerful force you will ever have the misfortune to encounter. Your lasers, ion-canons and nuclear warheads will be as a light breeze tickling the flanks of the mighty gargantuiguana .” Phoenix chuckled lightly. “But seriously, there is absolutely no need for this. So, please. Turn back.”
There was no response from the advancing fighters.
Phoenix stood up. “Please. Don’t make me do this,” he said with concern in his voice. The craft kept going. “Can they be disabled, Marshia?”
NOT WITHOUT DESTROYING THE CRAFT, CAPTAIN. I MUST HOP BACK OR DEFEND
MYSELF IN FIFTEEN SECONDS CAPTAIN.
“Please break off! You are forcing us to defend ourselves!” Phoenix pleaded with them. TEN SECONDS.
“Break off your attack now!” shouted Phoenix.
The eight craft continued their advance. Phoenix stood motionless. CAPTAIN?
Time had run out.
“Destroy them!” said Phoenix bitterly.
UNDERSTOOD.
The eight green dots on the graphics display disappeared.
Phoenix slumped down in his chair. “Idiots!” he said.
“Had to be done, sir,” said Apricot.
Phoenix looked sadly at Apricot for a moment. Then he straightened with resolve. “Send in two more drones, Marshia.”
UNDERSTOOD.
The two drones surveyed the maze of tunnels moving slowly towards the centre of the asteroid. Mobile mini-scanners were despatched to speed up the reconnaissance as the armed drones advanced inwards. At about five miles from the asteroid’s centre, spacesuited armed troops were encountered. Their hand weapons were not powerful enough to disable the drones.
Phoenix sent numerous messages urging the troops to give themselves up. But they refused and persistently attacked the drones. The troopers did not stand a chance. The crew of Battle Cruiser Marshia stood silent, listening to the hideous sounds of the one-sided battle inside the asteroid. From the screams of the injured and sight of some shattered bodies it could be seen that the troopers were human. What made them throw themselves at the drones was anyone’s guess. Hundreds sacrificed themselves. Giving their lives to an, as yet, unknown cause.
Phoenix ordered the casualties be shuttled out of the asteroid and ported to the sick bay, which quickly became overwhelmed by the number and severity of the injuries. West volunteered his services, saying he had some first aid experience which might come in useful. He did not wait for Phoenix’s approval and set off to the sick bay at a run.
The drones came at last to the central portion of the asteroid. Scanners showed it to be a large metallic sphere almost a mile in diameter. Inside were estimated to be over one thousand people. A whole colony huddled in fear of this powerful newcomer.
*
Phoenix ordered Apricot to take a squad of men in and try to make contact with the colonists directly as they would not respond to his or Marshia’s communications.
Apricot and twenty heavily armed soldiers boarded a shuttle, ported to an entrance to the asteroid and entered the tunnel complex. With the knowledge gained from the scanners and drones Marshia quickly piloted the shuttle to the central structure.
“Good luck, gents,” said Apricot to the men as they stood ready to disembark. Apricot turned pointedly to one of the heavily armed suited figures. “You stay with the shuttle, Parker.”
The soldier standing next to the man Apricot had addressed stiffened to attention and barked an affirmative “Sir!”
Apricot frowned behind his own reflective battle visor. “ These damn suits make it very hard to figure out who is who,” he thought.
Apricot turned and thumped a large, green button and stood hand weapon at the ready as the shuttle door hissed aside. “With me, gents,” he said, jumping lightly through the doorway. He crouched a few feet from the shuttle, keeping watch as his men disembarked. He motioned four men to keep watch and for the rest to follow his lead.
With the shuttle, via Marshia, maintaining artificial gravity Apricot and his men jogged towards a large, dull metallic door set in the tunnel wall. The door was formidably featureless save for a thumb sized green, glowing button placed at chest height under a small horizontal grill. The button was labelled
“PUSH”.
Apricot frowned at the huge, grey door for a while before thinking that all this frowning would give him wrinkles. He pressed the button which emitted a harsh “buzz”!
Apricot and his men took a pace back, weapons levelled at the entrance. After a moment a small, male voice came through the grill. “Yes?” it asked. Apricot caught himself frowning again. He toyed with “Surrender or die! ” as a response. But he would feel daft saying that.
“Take me to your leader? ” No.Too corny. This was a tricky one ... He became aware of the shuffling and coughing of the squad of heavily armed and highly trained, not to mention well rehearsed, killers behind him.
“ Errmm...” began Apricot, “I would like to talk to someone in authority about the possibility of a truce and maybe have a bit of a chat about all this unnecessary killing and so forth.”
“What?” squeaked the smallvoice. “You’ll have to stand closer to the speaker. I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”
Apricot move towards the grill and took a breath to repeat himself. But he didn’t get the first word out.
His world turned to hell.
*
THE ASTEROID IS TURNING, CAPTAIN.
“What do you mean, Marshia?” Phoenix frowned.
IT WOULD APPEAR THE ASTEROID IS MANOEUVRING, CAPTAIN.
“Extend a Gravitational clamp please, Marshia.”
UNDERSTOOD.
“And get Apricot and his men out of there now!”
THAT IS PROVING DIFFICULT, CAPTAIN.
Phoenix drew breath to tell Marshia to try harder but swallowed the words, knowing she would be doing all in her power to get the crew to safety. He watched the screen intently as the asteroid started to tremble and shake like a scared dog.
Phoenix could not keep the concern out of his voice."What's happening, Marshia?" I AM HOLDING THE ASTEROID, CAPTAIN. IT IS STILL TRYING TO MANOEUVRE
AWAY.
“Message to the craft in the asteroid,” said Phoenix, standing and straightening his uniform. UNDERSTOOD.
“This is Captain Phoenix of the S B C Marshia: may I recommend you power down your engines while we talk about this.” In response, a chunk of the asteroid covering an eighth of the southern hemisphere fragmented and blew into space.