STAR BLAZERS
End of Days
Written By: Jeff Lincoln
Day 2555
Awaken the Sleeping Battleship
7 years
after the destruction of Earth
Unknown
Time
Unknown
Location
"Wake up
Commander." A quiet female voice called. "Wake up Commander, your job
isn't done yet."
Wildstar
opened his eyes and rapidly scanned the area. What he saw was amazing. It
looked like a space warp, but he didn't feel the overwhelming sensations of
one. He was lying on his back when he came to. His StarForce uniform was no
longer on his body. Instead a strange greenish blue garment was placed to cover
his body.
A woman was
standing next to him. At first she looked like Nova, but as his eyes adjusted
he saw that it was not Nova at all. Instead the woman had waist long blonde
hair, a short round neck, and bright blue eyes. Her voice was more high pitched and she had tan skin.
He sat up on
the table but then grabbed his side in pain. "Try to take it easy Commander, your body has been through alot." The woman
said placing her hand on his back, helping him up the rest of the way.
Wildstar
frowned, "If I remember correctly I shouldn't have a body. Where am
I?" He asked rubbing his eyes, remembering the horror of the Wave Gun
destroying his body and Earth.
"That's
going to be hard to explain Commander. For now I want to make sure our work has
been completed. I just need to ask a few questions." Wildstar nodded and
the woman continued, "In the year 2199 you left Earth to save your planet.
You spent a year in space fighting the Gamilons. Who was the Captain of the
Yamato?"
"Captain
Avatar, he died at the end of the journey from radiation sickness."
"Good.
Now two years after Earth was saved Earth was once again invaded, who invaded
your space?"
"Prince Zordar and the Comet Empire."
"How did
you defeat the Empire?"
"We used
Dessloks and Captain Gideons plan of attacking the bottom of the Comet Empire.
We attacked them from underwater when they were on Earth. Then we launched a
full scale attack on the bottom using both Astrofighters and the Yamato's main
guns. Once inside we blew up their main power center. Which
allowed us to destroy the top completely. Then Zordar's final fortress
appeared from the wreckage and began attacking us and Earth. That's when
Trelania appeared, returned Mark Venture and destroyed Zordar and his final
fortress." Wildstar sighed, "Are we done?"
The woman
shook her head, "Just one more question Commander. What is the last thing
you remember?"
"I
remember being killed by the Wave Motion Gun, me and the Earth. I remembert that
Nova was forced to pull the trigger herself." Wildstar shook his head
remembering everything that was going through his head just before he 'died.'
"Now are you going to answer my question? Where am I and what' going
on?"
"Commander
you are in what you call sub-space. The same sub-space that the Yamato travels
through when she warps."
"How is
that possible? No one can exist in sub-space, there's no air or gravity."
The woman
giggled, "If it was so far fetched who would have the time to make up such
a phony story? Commander you've been 'dead' for nearly seven years. Earth is
gone and there is only 245,183 humans left. The
Mauritanian Empire evacuated 250,000 people from Earth before the Yamato
destroyed it."
"What?"
Wildstar asked in shock, "I've been here for seven years? Where is the StarForce and the Yamato?"
"Yamato
is still at Earth, drifting in space. The Mauritanians evacuated her and took
the StarForce and the rest of humanity to the Andromeda Galaxy. Commander you
might like to know that Nova had a daughter after your death. IQ-9 is still
aboard Yamato, over the years he's managed to repair certain sections of the
ship, just to pass the time. Knox, Sandor, and the Engineering Staff all ended
up being sent to work camps at the edge of the Milky Way. Venture was sent to
prison camp near the Bolar Federations borders. Dash, Eager, and Homer managed
to escape and now are working with Desslok and the Galman Empire."
Wildstar
smiled, "So, that one moment we spent together did infact change her life.
Atleast humanity is still alive, but slowly flickering out. I've got to get
back to Yamato."
"And do
what Commander? You're only one man, Yamato needs a
crew and repairs. You can't fly and operate her guns alone." The womand
said shaking her head.
"I've got
to do something. I can't just sit here and let humanity die. There's got to be
some way to get Sandor and the others back and ready to fight." Wildstar
said hopeful and hell bent on vengance for his own death and the death of his
home planet. Not only that, but he also needed to rescue Nova and the others
from the Mauritanians, god knows what they have been doing to her.
The woman
smiled and turned on her heel. She approached a locker and opened it. She
reached inside and pulled out Wildstar's StarForce uniform. It was the same,
but changed. The top was no longer cloth, it was
instead leather, with pockets lining the front, and a zipper going up the
middle. His pants were no longer white with the red bell bottoms, they were now
black. His white shoes were replaced with black combat boots similar to the
Space Marines.
"It's
time for things to change Commander. Let this new uniform remind you that
things have changed. I will not be able to help you again, we are only allowed
to save those who's lives were not meant to end."
She handed him the uniform and stepped out of the room. As Wildstar changed all
that he had learned echoed in his mind. He didn't know whether or not to trust
the strange woman who had brought him back. He also didn't know how he would be
able to get the Yamato ready to fly again. By the time he had finished putting
his uniform on the woman had returned with his Astro-Automatic and a odd looking device.
"You look
good in your new uniform Commander." She handed him his weapon and
presented the device. "This device will allow you to fix your Wave Motion
Engine. We will do our best to repair the inside of it. When you start your
engine we will inhabit the engine and-"
"What do
you mean inhabit?" Wildstar siad raising an eyebrow.
"Oh...I
forgot you didn't know. In your level of space your engine works on tachyon
based suction. Well we are those tachyons that allow your engine to work."
"Your telling me that your people are what makes the Wave
Motion Engine and Gun work?"
"Yes I am, how else would you be able to go through the space warps
without being killed and use the Wave Motion Gun to destroy the Comet
Empire?"
Wildstar shook
his head. This was all too much for one day, it was
beginning to overwhelm him. "If that was the case why didn't your people
help the Saturn Fleet destroy the Comet Empire? You could have ended the war
then and there."
"Our
connection is the strongest with the Yamato. We were living in the engine for
the whole two years the ship was in flight. It was too short of a time for the
others to live in the engines of those ships at Saturn. It's like learning your
way around a
Wildstar
nodded, "I understand, can you sned me back now? I want to get to work
right away. There is little time and I need to get to Nova and the rest of
humanity as fast as I can. I thank you for all that you've done,
might I ask you your name?"
"My name
is Mizuki." She took a step closer to Wildstar, "This may seem
awkward Commander it's the only way to send you back. Good luck and I will
always be watching." She reached forward and pulled him close and kissed
him. As she did Wildstar felt his body ripple and tingle.
As she stepped back he looked down at his body, it was slowly disappearing.
Then his environment changed, it went from the sub-space area to the all to familiar Yamato bridge. Still destroyed
after the battle with the Mauritanians.
As he walked
from the rear of the bridge back towards his all to
familiar spot at the Combat Commanders station he saw that the Wave Gun trigger
was still raised. He placed his hand on the back of the chair and thought back
to his final moments. How he knew that Nova would be crying as she was forced
to pull the trigger. He regretted not being able to tell her sooner about how
felt about her. He was glad that he was able to spend a few hours with her. He
was also glad that the time they spent together wasn't in vain.
As he looked
out the window he raised a fist, "I'm coming Nova, I'm coming back to save
you and the others." He turned around and looked at the leaning plaque of
Captain Avatar, "Captain Avatar, I've been lazy and haven't been thinking
of anyone but myself, please give me guidance and help me make up for all I've
done." He looked down at the floor, "Yamato, I'm sorry for everything
you were forced to do and that you were abandoned. Let's go together and
destroy those that are forcing our extinction. Together we will save what is
left of the human race."
1627
Mauritanian Time
Mauritanian
Space
Meanwhile in
the Andromeda galaxy, Nova Wildstar looked out of her bedroom window. She gazed
up at the now familiar stars, wishing she could leave the tyrrany of the
Mauritanian Empire. Even after the seven years of 'peace' she never was able to
get over killing Wildstar and Earth. She missed them both dearly. She would
always wonder what had happened to the families that were aboard the Yamato
when the ship was first attacked. She worried for Knox and the others, wondering
where they had gone.
From behind
her, her daughter Setsuna walked up. "Mommy, I'm hungry, can you make me
something to eat?" Nova smiled at her daughter and took her hand and
headed into the kitchen of the small shack.
"What would you like sweetheart?" Nova asked pulling a
seat out for Setsuna.
Setsuna
smiled, "Soup, please." Nova giggled and rubbed her daughters head.
Nova reached back up and opened the cabinet and pulled out a can of soup. She
grabbed a bowl for the soup and placed it in the oven. While she waited she
looked back at Setsuna.
She looked at
her and smiled, then thought to herself, "Derek, you should be here. Your
daughter looks so much like you." She turned back around and looked out
the window, "If only I could bring you back and have you by my side
again..." She quietly let a few tears fall, "I miss you so much
Derek."
2210 Space
Time
Space
Battleship Yamato - Wave Motion Engine Control Room
Meanwhile back
at Earth, aboard the Yamato, Wildstar worked around the clock to fix the damage
to the Wave Motion Engine. He removed the damaged paneling and replaced circuts
and repaired damaged power controls. So far he had not successfully found IQ-9, it was possible that IQ-9's batteries had run out.
Wildstar instead went to Engineering to start working.
After several
hours Wildstar had finally repaired the major damage to the Engines. Now it was
the moment of truth, whether the engines would start after 7 years of drifting.
"Begin
coldstar charge from the backup batteries now." Wildstar said flipping a
switch. From deep inside the engine a loud groan amd grinding could be heard.
The moniter to his left lit up, it showed him the power levels in the engine.
The main power bar remained stationary, however the auxilary power indicator
went through the roof.
"Start
auxilary engine." Wildstar pulled a lever back and pushed another forward.
A loud roar and whistling sounded and the steady beeping of the power indicator
gave him reassurance. "Engine pressure at 2700, 2800,
3000. Starting flywheel." As Wildstar
pushed another lever foward he looked up and watched the two giant gears start
to turn. "Main engine, switch on!" He turned the final knob and the
mighty Wave Motion Engine started back up. Lights all across the ship came back
on.
The bulkheads
and doors that had remained open after the evacuation closed automatically.
Then the strangest thing happened, to Wildstars left a shimmering image of
Mizuki appeared.
"Good job
Commander. I knew you could fix the engine." She smiled, "I am not
the real Mizuki but I do have a mind of my own. I am what you would call a
hologram. I am here to help you, I have access to all
of the ships computer systems. I have already restored life support and have
shut down any non-essential systems."
Wildstar nodded
and moved out of the control room and towards the engine controls, "Do you
have helm control?" He asked as he monitered the power flow, adjusting for
any power drains.
"Yes I do
Commander. As well as the Communication system."
"Good,
send a message, see if you can contact the Galman Empire. Tell Desslok that
I've returned and need his help." Wildstar said walking out of the Engine
Room, Mizuki right behind. "I know that Dash, Eager, and Homer are working
with him. Tell him that we are going to need some help getting the Yamato
battle ready again. In the mean time plot a space warp to the
"Aye,
Commander, plotting long range space warp edge of the Solar System."
Mizuki said flickering out and disappearing.
With
Wildstar alive again and the Yamato once again flying through space the journey
continues. But will Wildstar be able to resuce humanity with only one ship?
Will humanity itself survive this journey, or will it flicker out completely?
Yamato will
strike in 250 days.
This
chapter dedicated to Paul Godwin, US Army National Guard 379th Engineering
Company. Our prayers go out to you and your fellow soldiers. God bless.