The Gabriel’s bridge, Dasos, Prasinos system
‘Every bloody time,’ fumed Linda, as she watched the Arena disappear. ‘Why is it with those two, everything they attempt quickly goes to rat shit?’
‘It’s back,’ shouted Phil. ‘Oh, shit.’
There was a collective gasp from around the bridge as the planetoid jumped back into existence right on top of one of the GDA’s heavy cruisers.
‘That poor crew,’ said Pol, the look of horror on her face mirroring everyone else’s.
The Gabriel had been cloaked and hanging back from the fleet’s activities in thinning out the bug traffic. Linda quickly moved the ship further away as they watched the GDA vessels all cease firing, then begin moving and cloaking as one.
They all winced and swore under their breath as a large chunk of the cruiser hit Stathmos Vasi space station and ricocheted off, heading straight down into the planet’s upper atmosphere.
‘I hope that falls somewhere remote,’ said Phil.
‘Doesn’t help those still alive inside it,’ mumbled Linda. ‘I feel so bloody helpless.’
Just as she said that, a lifeboat launched, closely followed by another.
‘Hitting the station reduced some of the wreck’s rotation,’ said Phil. ‘Allowing a few to reach a lifeboat.’
The space station’s positioning jets fired, rectifying the nudge it had just received and repositioning it in its recognised orbit.
‘Well, at least that’s still working,’ said Pol. ‘The last thing we need now is that monster de-orbiting.’
‘It’d be a planet killer,’ said Phil. ‘I always thought they’d allowed that station to get far too big.’
‘Data file from Andy,’ said Callon. ‘It’s the nano footage from inside the Arena.’
‘Has he sent it to the admiral?’ asked Linda.
‘Yes.’
‘Tell ’em to get back here now,’ she said, giving Callon one of her more serious glares.
‘Err…the signal’s gone again,’ Callon replied. ‘They must’ve gone back inside.’
‘What the hell are they playing at?’ she raged. ‘Their mission’s completed.’
‘Probably trying to avoid all the wreckage flying about,’ said Phil.
‘Oh,’ said Callon, not looking up from her screen. ‘I think I might know what they’re doing.’
Once she had transferred the nano footage from her screen to the holomap, everyone witnessed the huge cavern stuffed full of bug eggs from ground to ceiling and the labyrinth of flexible tunnels connecting the different levels.
‘Oh, crap,’ said Phil, slumping in his seat. ‘There must be millions of them in there.’
‘The queen,’ said Pol, pointing excitedly, as footage of an egg layer from the main cavern appeared.
‘Hang on,’ said Linda. ‘There’s another one…and another.’
‘So that’s how they’re able to reproduce so rapidly,’ said Phil. ‘Multiple queens. We’ve always gone under the misapprehension there was only one.’
‘Or perhaps they’re different to insects we’re accustomed to,’ said Linda. ‘They have soldiers and workers and maybe drones too, but perhaps they have special egg layers that the queen has no part in.’
‘Well, whatever it is, those layers are your number one target,’ said Phil. ‘Get rid of those and the battle is almost won. I mean, look at the speed they’re producing those eggs. No wonder they can afford to throw such numbers at us.’
‘Communication from the admiral,’ said Callon.
Linda pointed up at the holomap.
Bache appeared looking harassed and stoney-faced.
‘Gabriel, have you got all your crew back aboard?’ he asked.
‘Negative, Admiral,’ said Linda. ‘Both are still inside the Arena.’
‘ETA for their return?’
‘Unknown, they were about to return when the Arena attacked your cruiser.’
‘Inform me as soon as they’re out. I don’t want them as collateral damage when the marines go in. We have no choice now.’
‘Admiral, we don’t know how long….’
‘Linda, we’re detecting smoke from the Arena and the stream of bug traffic has ceased,’ interrupted Phil. ‘I think the boys witnessed the attack on the cruiser and are already doing the marines’ job.’
‘Admiral, did you copy that?’
‘Affirmative,’ he said, looking away at something on his bridge. ‘We’re getting the same data…Gabriel, stand by.’
The admiral disappeared and a close-up of the tunnel mouth appeared. Sure enough, a thin trail of smoke had become visible.
‘It’s not very much smoke,’ said Pol.
‘There’s the airlock down there,’ said Phil. ‘It’s only what had got into it from the other side before it cycled. I’m hoping they’ve torched all those eggs and that’s why their flow of traffic has dried up.’
‘None are going back in either,’ said Callon. ‘Let’s hope the boys are okay.’
‘I think they’re fine,’ said a voice from the tube lift.
They all turned to see Rayl step onto the bridge.
‘Ahh,’ grunted Linda, jumping up and welcoming her with a hug. ‘How are you?’ she asked, holding her at arm’s length and gazing at her face. ‘You’ve got a bit more colour in your cheeks.’
‘Fine…I can hear them,’ she said. ‘I thought you might want to know.’
‘The bugs?’ asked Linda. ‘You can hear the bugs?’
‘Yes…the queen is flapping big time,’ she said. ‘The egg hatchery has been destroyed and egg production has been postponed. The workers are reporting a flying monster spitting fire in the hatchery and the main chamber too.’
‘Yeah…back o’ the net,’ cheered Phil, punching the air.
Linda let Rayl go and turned to face him.
‘You’re getting very animated about large-scale slaughter,’ she said. ‘I thought Theos were complete pacifists?’
‘They’re not human though are they?’ he said, shrugging. ‘Just smelly insects.’
Linda pulled a thoughtful face and nodded.
‘No, I suppose you’re right there.’
‘Hang on a minute,’ said Phil. ‘Did they say a flying monster’s in the main chamber too?’
‘Yes,’ said Rayl.
‘What of it?’ asked Callon.
‘The only way into the main chamber is by elevator and they’re no way near big enough to get a mini-me inside.’
‘I see where you’re going,’ said Linda. ‘At least one of them must’ve jumped inside the Arena’s main chamber.’
‘That’s pretty cool,’ said Callon.
‘Andy’s done it before,’ said Rayl, startling everyone with the comment. ‘Jumping into battleship hangars and firing missiles. It was in the Messier galaxy.’
‘You can remember that?’ Linda asked.
Rayl stared at the floor for a moment and raised one eyebrow.
‘It seems I can,’ she said. ‘Don’t know why.’
‘That’s a good sign,’ said Phil, grinning. ‘It might be returning slowly, but at least it is coming back. I imagine random bits and pieces will return here and there. Most likely brought on by things happening that jolt your brain into remembering similar events previously.’
‘Thank you, Doctor Phil,’ chuckled Linda. ‘I must remember to book in for my psyche analysis too.’
Phil grinned back.
‘What are we doing then?’ asked Pol, pointing up at the holographic Arena floating above them.
‘We keep out the way and wait,’ said Linda, sliding back into her couch and adopting a more enigmatic expression. ‘As per usual, the boys have gone off piste again, so all we can do is wait and watch.’