Hope in the burning skies

by Kalimdor

Rainbow Bridge

Place: Edge of Milky Way galaxy
Year: 2494

Trip to the edge of galaxy always made him nervous. Sweating all over body, shaky hands and eyelid tick was uncontrollable. Just glimpse in the hollow that marked the end. Nothing more, just thick dark blue space without any source of light.

Sitting in the command chair of his corvette didn’t help to stop this kind of sensations. Huge viewing window on the head of the ship was crystal clean, except for notification areas. Walls of text displayed on it were inestimable help for his crew. He didn’t have any special gift for science or engineering. These lacks gave him a lot of headache in his personal missions. Just like this one.

“Is everything all right sir?”

“No, nothing is all right. I feel uncomfortable on this high quality bench.” His personal adjutant and psychologist in one black average girl, it was miraculous for outsiders that she could still endure his presence for that low salary “Note that all Grathius flotilla needs to replace them for the right ones!”

Holopad in her hands filled itself with his whim in more official style instantly. She nodded and moved away to nearby dispenser. Black uniform emphasized all her positive values for management and mind peace. Platinum crest studded with diamond letter G on her heart shined brightly attracting envious glances. She noticed his look and corrected golden leather strap, slight blush on her face didn’t escape his attention.

For Dominion records and population his employees were just bunch of slaves working for daily protein paste. He liked it this way and he hoped to stay like this a bit longer in minds. Sending video materials about poverty on Uriel, capital world of Grathius, warmed imagination enough to withstand waves of immigrants from Dominion wastes. For his people, although it might sound crazy, credits served no practical purpose for services driven society. Space ruled by Dominion’s slave corporations, as they were imagined, was living hell.

Organized chaos on his commanding bridge worked flawlessly. Every mind and thought shared in cacophony of voices, individuals living with the same dream. Proudly wearing insignia of one of the most vicious and fascistic organization in the known universe. Blind devotion and ultimate loyalty build on trust and he was on its helm. Price for this trade was even, it was freedom backed with eons old law born in once powerful imperium.

“Station is visible sir.” Navigation commander issued loudly obvious statement “Orders?”

Far before bow of ship showed first biggest ring of Calipso Technology research center, their target and prey. As plans say station is huge energy container with three antimatter arc reactors and accelerator tube with ten thousand hands onboard, mostly scientist. ‘Throw particles in space and see the magic’ said the last words in report.

“They detected our presence!” shouted analytics wing mate “Sensors discovered various energy peaks, they are heating up stationary weaponry!”

“Establish non-secured connection.” Adjutant took the initiative “Let them know with who they are dealing.”

With clunky noises big screen lowered just before commanding seat. Current ship commander took the plastic cup from adjutant and seated him as comfortable as possible.

On screen appeared very young whitey bit younger than him, blue piercing eyes inspected his callers and stopped for second on Grathius insignia.

“This is head of station security. State your business.”

Grathius leader slowly drank his drink and woman spoke without emotions “Dominion weaponry assimilation and technologies special envoy. Dominion assets check.”

“Done and done. Welcome High Commissar in Calipso Station for dark matter research. I will greet you right with station owner. Goodbye.” With blink interlocutor disappeared while screen lifted itself instantly.

“All values are going down, threat denied.” All teams’ leaders lined up before commanding seat giving reports “We have the dock and ship is prepared to land.”

Boy handed over cup and wiped his mouth with silk handkerchief.

“Listen to your orders and listen well because I will not repeat. First word to crew.” Four of them stood at attention instantly with short salute “Dock the ship and take care of it. Then follow orders coming from station commander Karl and Unicorn forces according to rank.”

“Yes Sir!” Arms once more sliced air and leaders followed order. Two other men suited in Grathius carbonized armor still remained in line.

“Now for task force.” Reaction of two soldiers was vastly different. They kneeled before him and hit the floor with armored fists. „Master.”

“Hear me Unicorns! You are branch of new Grathius force that will topple Dominion.” Characters remained motionless but on screen of commanding showed two readings which he likes to observe. Two separate readings with vastly raised heartbeat numbers were very promising. ”Today I will witness your leader skills. Objective is simple, search and destroy mission, leave no one alive. I will lead initial strike, do not disappoint me. You are free.”

“Wherever you go we will follow, master.”

Through central naval information speaker flowed long awaited announcement “To all hands, prepare for boarding.”
Adjutant helped him to stand up “Everything is ready and waiting in your room.”

“Thanks Alice, it will be a long trip today. I needed to build up my strength.”

“You will not need me there?”

“No, I will deal with it.” She sent to him half-hearted look “Really, I will.”

***

Waiting another minute in front of the stations airlock made him tired of doing nothing. Briefcase weighed on his hand and he realized that his tie is not correctly tied. In certain situations look have grand impact of how we see other person, five critical seconds. He inadvertently looked at visor of soldier standing next to him and he returned look.

“We can override them if you want, boss.”

“We are not hosts here, little respect for our inviter”

“Yes master. He just approached the door with two other, seems like female.”

“Leave him to me and remember to be more economic for energy bullets. One clip is more expensive than ten grenades.”

After these words, round metallic doors opened widely. Rich and brightly illuminated wide lobby unfolded just before them. In other circumstances he would really appreciate the greeting for his high commissar majesty. Huge white Dominion flags were floating in nearly every empty place of the room. Snow white carpet extended through whole area ending in another round door. Even one and only screen was displaying good and beloved Prime Minister in his weekly speech. Two beautiful girls accompanying much older fellow held in their hands baskets with spherical sweets, wrapped up in white collars, smiled widely. Owner of the station had the same attitude and approached him vigorously, light reflecting on his bald head blinded him every time he passed line of the ceiling lights.

“Welcome, welcome! It is our pleasure to meet such an important figure in our facility.”

They were onboard and now one thing left to confirm “Where is your head of security?”

“Oh, this young man? He is on the way here.”

“Your mother never told you not to open the dock to a stranger craft or at least uninvited one?” Old man realized something was wrong and smile on his face faded. Girls were still standing and smiling.

“You are not here for Dominion matter, don’t you?”

“Did I ever say that I am?”

Old man slowly stepped back and looked in direction of nearest doorway. Grathius leader turned head to the nearest soldier and said magic words.

“Carry out the mission.”

Many months passed when he last experienced two barrels shooting near both of his ears. Little bells ringed in his head while heated mono-bullets met their targets. Blood and parts of brain spattered glorious carpet and flags. Small candies flew all around lobby leaving tidy wooden baskets. Shock gripped old man and he couldn’t move or speak, just look at young man before him. Groups of soldiers poured from both of his sides like black tide every one with engraved silver unicorn on dark violet armband.

Old man recovered from first shook when Grathius brat started to walk towards him. Hand went for weapon from leather pistol holder. None of the soldiers paid attention when he emptied whole magazine at their leader. Heated projectiles just bounced and bust in flames just an inch from his face without any harm done.

“What the fuck was that!?”

“Special gift from my dearest friend. Just like this!”

Long and slim sword with hexagonal texture stopped near elder carotid. Blade sliced without effort past metal of pistol cutting its tip. He threw remains of it on the floor and run to the nearby defense drone. Hits and screams fizzled out to his expectations.

“Norman what are you doing! Activate defenses, we are under attack!”

To confirm station owner words loud sounds of nearby explosions and white smoke filled lobby. Unit remained silent, doors shut down, with last hope he reached console. Selecting channel after channel he tried to communicate with someone else. Only white noise and hellish screams answered to his wild calls. They grimly completed the loud steps of leather boots hitting metallic floor just before old man.

“What do you want?! I have money! I have research data! I have friends! Everything you want!”

“There is one thing I want to have trough you. But it will not make you happy.”

“Wh-a-a-a-t?”

Instantly boy made two wide strides and his face meet the face of elder.

“Loyalty.”

Old man didn’t realized what happened but suddenly he lost control over his lower body. Legs bended against will and he ended sitting in steadily increasing pool of red liquid. Locked up door opened and from other side slowly emerged his former head of security.

Norman suited in black soldiers uniform with unicorn band stood just before him. Same as adjutant shield tightly covered way to his heart.

“Loyalty, huh?” blood got into lungs and he needed to split it but didn’t reached to boots of his nemesis “Such a rare thing in these weird times.”

Long haired whitey knelt before Grathius leader and hit his bare hand against floor.

“Master, command me.”

“I treated you like a son. I gave you everything little, ungrateful fucker.”

No one paid attention to his words.

“Don’t play with me Karl. I have an important thing to do after this little party of yours.”

Youngster named Karl nodded and picked up nearby sliced pistol. He aptly dismantled it and only one part left in his hand, glowing blue cube. Elder suddenly realized what will happen next.

“Kill me son of the bitch!”

“I have heard that you want to live forever. Why not to try old fashioned hibernation?”

With nail he scratched the surface of the cube and threw in old man despaired face. Cube smashed to pieces against his forehead and blue mist enveloped body and surroundings. Crystallization was rapid and with blink of an eye he turned into ice statue.

“This station belongs now to you and whole Unicorn unit as it is you are head of it.” He cleaned his sword against biggest cloth of white and put it to sleek scabbard “Commander Karl Becker.”

“It will be an honor sir.”

Despite all around chaos Sword focused on nearby floating model of station “I have heard that when you launch particles from this huge cannon thingy you get very particular effect.”

“Yes sir, when station is accelerating particles to transfer them, it visualize as normal light diffraction. It is now a mystery why it is doing this way.”

Sword laughed audibly “How come you were in security duty?” he raised his eyebrow giving him the answer “Eh, very well. Last thing I can do now is rename this babe.”

“By any means, It is all yours sire.”

He knew all along how he will call it. He glimpsed to console where Karl awaited for little change in database. For him that was simple erase and type but for Sword it was beginning for a new era.

“Rainbow Bridge.”

Next chapter 'There's more than one of everything' coming in nearest weekend.