Star Blazers: A
Time of Serenity
By: Jamie A.
Tucker
Disclaimer Statement: Please note that
Space Battleship Yamato and Star Blazers are registered trademarks
of Voyager Entertainment. Star Blazers/Space Battleship Yamato is copyright
2004 by Voyager Entertainment, Lejji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki. Star
Blazers: A Time of Serenity is copyright 2004 by Jamie A. Tucker and is a
fan-fiction as a personal hobby and is not intended to infringe upon the
copyright holders of Star Blazers/Space Battleship Yamato.
(Author’s note: This will
probably be the shortest chapter in the tale. The Demise of Colonel Riech was written to show that the Gamilons did in fact
test the magnetic tractor beam prior to the Argo’s arrival in the Sanzar System
in Star Blazers “Quest for Iscandar : Episode 23)
Chapter Six: The Demise of Reich
Place: Sixty mega meters from the Sanzar System.
Time: March 2200
It has been nearly four days since Desslok had ordered Colonel Reich to return to Gamilon. Desslok was very angry at the Colonel for the attempted implementation of his attack plan on the Star Force with without his approval. The Colonel realized that if the Star Force reaches Iscandar, they would be in for the awful shocking reality of defeat. Desslok had known the fact that Gamilon sat right next to Iscandar as its twin planet and could be used as a trap to defeat the Star Force. The Colonel was worried about his own demise. Reich’s helmsman, radar officer and weapons officer traveled with him on the return voyage to Gamilon.
“Colonel, we’re approaching the final warp point to Gamilon. Shall we proceed?” asked the helmsman hesitantly.
“I’m not so sure if we should really return to Gamilon. I have heard that other Officers who either let the Star Force slip through their fingers or disobeyed the Generalissimo had met their own demise through Desslok’s favorite termination method,” said the Colonel.
“Then why not make an escape to another planetary system outside of Gamilon territory, sir?” inquired the weapons officer.
The emotional atmosphere on the bridge of the destroyer was highly charged with intense sense of absolute fear and uncertainty. The Colonel wondered if an escape plan would be appropriate or if he and his men should put up resistance. The Colonel knew that either choice would lead to his ship’s own demise.
“Stay on our present course, Ensign Murtha. I feel that if we took a hide and seek approach to this mess, Desslok would send a search party after us like he did with that foul stench of Gamilon acid, General Lysis,” said Reich with utter disgust.
“Why does Desslok want to go after his best man?” inquired Ensign Murtha.
The Colonel took a deep breath and sighed. The level of stress was bearing down on the Colonel’s mind like a crushing, pressurized compactor.
“Ensign, I thought you have already heard by now. General Lysis allowed the Star Force to slip through his fingers. He nearly had the Star Force completely crippled via the brilliant plan of putting that drill missile into the Argo’s wave motion gun. The Star Force somehow reversed the weapon and sent it flying back into the fleet. The entire fleet, save for only Lysis’s command ship were destroyed,” explained the Colonel.
“Did Lysis survive?” asked Officer Mortov who operated the destroyer’s weapons systems.
“According to the reports I had received prior to being ordered back to Gamilon, Lysis has indeed survived the catastrophe. He had initially planned to ram the Argo,” said Colonel Reich.
“So that is why Desslok had ordered General Faust to join the task force with General Radlock’s fleet for the purpose of apprehending Lysis!” exclaimed Mortov as he suddenly realized the depth of the situation.
“Precisely!” replied Colonel Reich.
“Sir, we are at the final warp point,” said Ensign Murtha.
The ship’s navigation and propulsion systems suddenly
crashed. The lights on the control panels flickered and blinked as if the
panels had become a display of flashing Christmas lights. Ensign Murtha tried
with much effort to regain control of the ship. The
“Murtha, what the hell is going on? Don’t you have control over this vessel?” shouted Colonel Riech.es
“No, sir, The Engine has a sharp increase in energy level automatically. I have not even started the sequence for the final warp yet,” shouted Murtha back to the Colonel as he tried to override the ship’s systems.
“Can you go to the back up computer system?” inquired Reich.
“It’s no good. I’ve tried that all ready!” shouted Murtha as the whine of the engine grew increasingly louder by the second.
The video screen lit up with the image of Desslok as Krypt was seen by his side. Desslok stood up from his chair and stared at the helpless Colonel.
“Colonel, your ship is now under control by long range remote control. Your systems have been overridden so that you can not take control of your destination,” said Desslok calmly.
“Desslok, you’re behind this!” shouted a shocked Colonel Reich.
“Ha ha ha ha…Yes, it is people like you who have kept us from winning against the Star Force. However, I wanted to have you honored by witnessing the testing of our newest plan to defeat the Star Force. Colonel, if you had followed my orders, you could have been promoted to be a General. It is rather sad that I had to recall you to Gamilon. But since you are now facing me, you will not have to face me here on Gamilon,” said Desslok.
“Desslok, if you would have allowed me to take care of the Star Force, we could have easily won a battle on Pegasus,” said Reich.
“Leader Desslok, I beg you please spare the life of Colonel Reich”, shouted Ensign Murtha with beads of sweat running down the sides of his face.
“Colonel, it’s great that you have a crew who respects you. I admire their courage to stand up for such an intelligent and otherwise, stupid officer. I had expected you to return alone. Since you have brought some company with you, they will meet the same fate as you, Colonel.”
“WHAT??” shouted Colonel Reich as his chest tightened into forceful knots.
“I have nothing further to say, Colonel. May you enjoy your
return trip to Gamilon once and for all. Ha ha ha ha ha ha,”
said Desslok as the screen went blank.
“Murtha, try to shut down the engine. Mortov, you and Baal get the escape pods ready. We must escape our demise. I think I know what Desslok has in mind.”
The small crew followed the orders of their leader with
urgency. They knew their destiny was not a happy one. After all, being dragged
into the acid
“Colonel…” said a voice through the bridge intercom.
“Go ahead Mortov, How many escape pods did you find?” asked Colonel Reich.
“We’ve located only one escape pod sir. It can only seat two people sir,” said Mortov.
“Report back to the Bridge. I’ll take the escape pod,” said Colonel Reich as he retrieved his jacket from his chair.
The two deck officers never responded back to the Colonel. Ensign Murtha had given up on overriding the remote commands that came into the ship’s computer systems from Gamilon.
“Colonel, Let’s get that escape pod and send us all out of here. We’ve got ten minutes left until the ship makes her final warp. Desslok’s technicians have already uploaded the coordinates. I’ve tried to do what I could to override, sir,” said Ensign Murtha sadly.
“I understand, ensign. You did the best you could. Now, let’s get the hell out of here,” said Colonel Reich as the two left the bridge.
In the emergency exit room, Mortov and Baal conspired to make their exit. They inspected the escape pod’s navigation and propulsion systems for any failure.
“The escape pod looks good, Baal,” said Mortov.
“Yes, I don’t want to wind up meeting my demise on Gamilon. Let’s go ahead and take the escape pod,” replied Baal.
“What about the Colonel and Murtha?” asked Mortov.
“Fuck them! We’re out of here!” shouted Baal.
The two men entered the escape pod and closed the hatch. Mortov punched in a set of coordinates that will take them on a course to the nearest hospitable planet or Gamilon base. Baal began to go through the escape procedure and opened the escape pod tube on the aft side of the destroyer.
A few seconds later, Murtha and Reich entered the Emergency Escape pod room to find that Baal and Mortov had already sealed themselves in the escape pod.
“Damn you two! You acid drinking scumbags get out of the escape pod!” shouted Reich through the ship’s radio to the pod.
A huge cloud of steam filled the tube where the escape pod was seen from the other side of the hatch. The escape pod was jettisoned out of the destroyer as a rushing torpedo. Ensign Mortov took command of the escape pod and backed away from the destroyer.
“What are we going to do now, sir?” ask Murtha rather dryly.
The colonel shrugged his shoulders and sighed. They both looked at the departed escape pod one last time.
“Murtha, you need to get back to the bridge. I’ll think of something else before we arrive in Gamilon’s orbit,” said Reich as he folded his arms.
Murtha exited the pod room and raced back to the empty bridge. The countdown had already been started automatically since Desslok had put the vessel under remote control.
“If I could just think of something… we could delay the trip to Gamilon,” thought Murtha as he looked around the control panel.
A few minutes later, Colonel Reich arrived back on the bridge and sat down at the tactical radar. He noticed Murtha looking over one of the circuit boards of the navigation station. Murtha studied the boards in search of away to reverse the electrical system to the engine.
“I think I found a way to keep us from warping,” said Murtha with beads of sweat rolling down his face.
“Hurry up before the countdown gets to zero. Energy level is already now at one hundred and fifteen percent,” said Reich as he watched Murtha tinker with the circuit board.
Murtha began to work several wires into a cross section of
another circuit board. He wiped the sweat from his brow and placed his hand
back on the circuit board. Murtha’s damp
sweaty hand came down on two live wires. Colonel Reich heard the hissing and
zapping sounds of electricity coming from the navigation Station.
“Murtha!” shouted Reich as he jumped up from his seat and grabbed the nearby fire extinguisher.
Reich sprayed Murtha with the contents of the container. Murtha was now jerking and convulsing with full power as the water became a conduit of electricity that had spread over him. Reich stopped spraying as he realized that he only made the situation for himself and Murtha worse. When the convulsing stopped, Murtha laid on the floor of the bridge being pale and blue. Reich’s most trusted radar officer was gone. He was no more. Reich knelt down by Murtha’s side to grieve him.
“You were brave Murtha. Long live Gamilon!” said Reich as he stood up to his feet and saluted his deceased comrade.
The engine of the destroyer had built up so much energy for the final warp. Reich sat down in his command chair. Ten Seconds later, he saw the weird patterns of lights shine around the bridge as the destroyer made it’s final warp.
On Gamilon, Desslok’s technicians had gathered in the secure room that housed the controls to the tractor beam projector. Many of Gamilons greatest field commanders had arrived on Gamilon from their respective territories.
“Attention gentlemen, may I present to you, our Generalissimo, Our Supreme Leader Desslok!” said Krypt from a makeshift podium in the control room.
“Desslok! Desslok! Desslok!” shouted the men as Desslok made his way into the control room to the Podium.
Desslok raised his hands to silence the gathered crowed.
“Greetings gentlemen, I have invited you hear to witness the test that could change the course of history for Gamilon. As you know, Gamilon has been at war with the Star Force for quiet sometime now. They are now making at stop at the Planet Pegasus. I’m sure they will be very surprised to see that Iscandar had once set up an outpost there under Queen Starsha the First. Rest assured gentlemen, the Star Force could have been defeated months ago. I have chosen you and invited you here for us to make preparations for the greatest battle ever fought in our glorious history,” said Desslok with a slight smile.
The men cheered wildly at Desslok’s words. Many of the generals in the room have never come across fighting such a spirited and determined enemy. Desslok raised his hand to silence the cheers.
“Within the next hour, you and I will witness the power that will eventually draw the Star Force to Gamilon. Once the Star Force reaches the Great Magellanic Cloud, we will begin to savor the first taste of victory. At the present time, Colonel Reich’s destroyer is on course for a punishment. He had disobeyed my direct orders for not attacking the Star Force. I had decided at the time that I would deal with them on my own initiative. Colonel Reich is our unwitting volunteer. Therefore, we shall see that his demise will match the demise of the Star Force,” said Desslok as the men cheered again.
A radar officer walked up to his commander and gave him a note on a board. The commander walked up to Krypt and whispered the news to Krypt that Reich’s destroyer is now in orbit around Gamilon.
Krypt nodded at Desslok as a signal that the time had come for Reich’s demise.
“Commander Sod, place bring up the visual on the display panel,” ordered Desslok.
On the bridge of the Destroyer, Colonel Reich arose from his command chair and walked to the center of the bridge. He stared at his home planet with no hope of reprieve from Desslok. Desslok appeared on the video display panel as his guests stood behind him.
“Colonel Reich, do you have any last words you wish to say before you meet your demise in perdition?” asked Desslok.
“Desslok, you have been a wise leader of our people. Because of your pride, you shall met a very hard downfall and disgrace all of Gamilon,” said Reich.
“Reich, you are starting to sound like some terran space trash. Enjoy your demise in our wonderful acid sea! Ha ha ha,” said Desslok as he laughed at Reich.
In the control room, the atmosphere was tense. The technicians had made the final preparations and all that was needed was a command to fire.
“Gentleman, now watch as we will see how the Star Force shall meet defeat!’ said Desslok.
Desslok nodded at the control room commander. The Commander gave the order to fire. Seconds later, a beam of pure white magnetic energy streamed upward into the Gamilon sky. The beam hit Reich’s Destroyer and pulled it towards Gamilon. As the beam pulled the destroyer, Reich had fallen to the floor and hit his head against a console. The impact had knocked the Colonel unconscious.
The destroyer fell through the atmosphere with ferocious speed near Gamilon’s equator. The ship fell through a hole in the planet’s crust and crashed into the acid sea.
“Gentlemen, this is how the Star Force will be defeated. Colonel Reich’s ship will be dissolved in about an hour. Long live Gamilon!’ said Desslok as he raised his hands a final time and left the control room with Krypt.
Colonel Reich remained unconscious on the bridge floor as the ship floated in the acid sea. The damage caused by the magnetic beam was severe. The port side bulk head had been ripped apart and the ship listed heavily as it began to take on the deadly uninvited cargo. At 11:45 am, Colonel Reich passed on in dissolution. The destroyer took the final bow as it flipped over and dissolved into the acid sea.
TO BE CONTINUED....
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