STAR BLAZERS
End of Days
Written By: Jeff Lincoln
Day 2562
Twice the Damage
7 Years After the Destruction of Earth
0900 Galman
Homeworld Time
SpacePort
Number 39 - Space Battleship Yamato Gantryway
When they
found out about Yamato's return Dash, Eager, and Homer couldn't beleive it.
They debated on the idea for hours, Dash was adament
that it was some sort of Galman trick. Eager was heart broken, he thought that
Yamato should've remained at Earth, a tribute to those that had died. Homer was
exstatic, finally a chance to strike back at the Bolar Federation AND the
Mauritanian Empire. Though divided on opinion on the return of the ship, they
remained adament on the second half of the information, that Commander Wildstar
was alive. They thought it was completely impossible for a man killed by the
Wave Motion Gun to come back.
Even as Yamato
lowered down into the atmosphere and settled into the drydock they doubted what
they were seeing. Yamato still damaged was returning to them. As soon as the
gantryway was extended and lowered they took off running into the ship. They
rounded corner after corner, as they made their way up to the bridge. As the
doors opened they were met by three beam rifle barrels.
"Hold
it!" The Galman soldier exclaimed aiming at Homer's face. "What are
you doing up here this is a restricted area."
Dash slapped
the weapon away, "Oi, this is our ship to begin with. Get out of my way
before I report you to Emperor Desslok." The soldier grunted and raised
the weapon against Dash's forehead.
"Try that
again human and your brains will be plastered across the deck." The
soldier said flicking the safety off. The weapon hummed angrily as its power
increased.
"Private
that is enough!" Masterson said walking up behind them. "These men
are honored guests and this is THEIR ship let them pass." The soldier
nodded. He flicked the safety back on and stood at attention, his back against
the wall.
"What's
going on Masterson? Desslok didn't mention you being here." Homer said
stepping forward, his head swinging left and right examining the damaged
bridge. From across the room behind Masterson a loud sigh echoed the bridge.
"You guys
haven't changed at all have you?" Wildstar said to them without turning
his chair around.
Eager leaned
around Masterson and snorted, " 'You guys?' Don't
presume to know us. None of you Galmans know us...besides Emperor Desslok of
course."
Wildstar
laughed, "Trust me, I know you all better than you think."
Homer crossed
his arms, "Really? Just who are you then?" Wildstar closed his eyes,
rose out of his chair, and faced his friends. Homer immediately dropped his
arms to his sides and let his jaw drop. Dash took his glasses off and rubbed
his eyes rapidly. Eager pointed his left index finger and then fainted.
Wildstar
raised an eyebrow at Eager's reaction, "Ok I guess I didn't know he'd do
that..."
"This
isn't some sort of trick is? I mean is it really-" Homer said shaking his
head rapidly.
"No this isn't some trick Homer, it's really me. Or do you
need to galavanting around the ship trying to
coinvince everyone that I'm some sort of optical illusion?" Wildstar said
raising a hand in question. "Because honestly this
routine of 'Is it really him?' is getting quite boring."
"But we
saw you die!" Dash said placing his glasses back on. "No one could've
survived the Wave Motion Gun."
Wildstar
crossed his arms, "Desslok did..." Dash and Homer looked at each
other and remembered Dessloks return in 2201. "Are you guys going to doubt
the idea that if Desslok could survive the Gun, I can too?"
Dash shrugged,
"Give us one shread of proof and we'll beleive you."
"I can
always show you what it's like to be dead for 7 years due to it." Wildstar
said shrugging. Dash and Homer blinked a few times and laughed. Wildstar raised
an eyebrow and thought to himself, "Did I say something funny?"
"Well if
the sense of humor don't tell it all, nothing
will." Dash said between laughes.
Homer walked over
to Wildstar and extended his hand, "Welcome back Wildstar. I'm sorry that
I doubted you, you of all people."
Wildstar shook
his head and instead of shaking Homers hand he pulled him into a bear hug,
tears welling up in his eyes, "It's great to see you guys again. Sorry for
being gone so long, I was...busy."
"Um...Wildstar
you're hurting my back." Homer said pushing against Wildstar's shoulder,
"Besides...you should save the emotion stuff for Nova." Wildstar
instantly released Homer.
"She's
here?"
Homer shook
his head with a sigh, "I'm sorry Skipper, but she's at a Space Camp in the
Andromeda Galaxy. Desslok did his best to free as many of us as he could. Dash,
Eager, and I barely made it out of the Mauritanians hands alive." Wildstar
bowed his head with a sigh, Homer placed a hand on Wildstar's shoulder and
continued, "Just look at the bright side though,
we can free them all now."
"He's
right Commander." Desslok said stepping out of the stairwell, his black
cloak flowing behind him. "You've got Yamato once again, your crew is
alive, and now you've got allies willing to help you."
Wildstar
looked up and smiled, "That means alot coming from you Desslok."
Desslok raised his hand to Wildstar and he shook it, "Together we'll get
my people back."
Desslok nodded,
"We'll get them back, all of them. The ones in the
captivity of the Bolars and the Mauritanians."
"Even the
Bolar's have them? Something tells me this is going to be a long
journey..." Wildstar said bowing his head.
"Don't
give up Wildstar, Sandor, Knox, Doctor Sane and
Yamazaki are the closest of targets." Desslok said placing a hand on on
Wildstar's shoulder, "Come Wildstar, lets let the Engineers begin working
on Yamato. I've already arranged for living quarters in the
"Thank
you Desslok but I'm afraid I will be staying aboard Yamato. This is my home
now." Wildstar said looking back up at Desslok, "Desslok can we talk
for a moment? In my quarters?"
"As you
wish Wildstar, Masterson knows what to do." Desslok said waving towards
Masterson who returned a nod. Desslok quickly followed Wildstar up the
stairwell and entered the topmost section of Yamato, Captain Avatar's room.
Wildstar waited for a moment until Desslok was inside the room and quickly
locked it.
"How bad
is the war going?" Wildstar asked, his hand still
on the door.
Desslok let
out a sigh, "We're expecting an attack on Galman any day now. I won't lie
to you Wildstar, the war is almost lost."
"You expecting me to help you?" Wildstar said turning to
Desslok, anger hidden in his voice.
"No I'm
not Wildstar. I've done terrible things and regret them all. Given our history,
I'd atleast expect a friend to understand atleast. Doesn't
mean I'm going to force him to join forces with me."
Wildstar
nodded, "I see you've still got some compassion inside you. Desslok once
humanity is saved, where would we go? Earth is gone and I doubt the Bolars
would want to help us out."
"There
aren't many systems out there that hold Earth-like planets." Desslok said
crossing his arms. "How long would you be willing to search for a new
home?"
"Until I die. You'd know I'd do anything to protect
Ear...humanity." Wildstar sat down on the open bed and placed an open palm
on his eyes, "I've messed up Desslok and this is a mistake that I can not
take back."
"Now you
know how I felt when Gamilon was destroyed."
"Which
time? When we destroyed it or when you decided to attack the people mining the
planet?"
Desslok
shrugged, "Both. I was heart broken, defeated, and I vowed to make the
StarForce pay. Then again, if it wasn't for Nova, we wouldn't even be
talking."
Wildstar
chuckled, "I suppose your right about that...God, Nova...I miss her so
much."
"You'd be
surprised at the intel we've got on her...she's not
exactly the kind of person that goes around un-noticed." Desslok said
sitting down in Avatar's old chair.
"Tell me
what you know." Wildstar said lying down on the bed.
Desslok nodded
and began, "She's no longer known as Nova Forrester anymore, it's Nova
Wildstar. She's been moved from seventeen different space camps to her final
one, all for being the destroyer of Earth. Mark Venture has also been relocated
with her, all because he helped her blow up four power plants."
"Nova did
that?" Wildstar asked raising an eyebrow.
"She was
trying to free some children that were going to be executed,
she needed some sort of distraction." Desslok said closing his eyes and
crossing his arms, "From what we've gathered the Mauritanians are not
a...sane people. They hate humanity with a passion and their hate for women and
children are just as strong."
"Genocidal
mainiacs is more like the words for it. Please continue." Wildstar said
with a sigh.
"Another
thing you should know is that Mark Venture has been along side her for a great time
now. Not as a couple but more as her protector. He is married now and has a son
of his own." Desslok said, "Wildstar I must say no matter what
happens it seems your crew has always managed to survive everything that has
been thrown at them."
"I'm not in
the mood to hear that Desslok." Wildstar said giving Desslok a quick
scowl.
Desslok swept
his arm infront of himself, "I'm sorry Wildstar. Just know that the Galman
Empire is at your service."
"Desslok...why are you trying to help us? And dispense with the
bull." Wildstar said as he stood up from the bed.
"I feel I
owe you all a great deal, you saved me from myself, helped try to save Iscandar
when Gamilon exploded." Desslok said with a shrug. "To me the
StarForce is my distant family and I hate to see a broken family. I also feel
that I must atone for my attempts of destroying humanity. Therefore I will do
anything to see it restored to its former glory and power."
Desslok turned
and stretched out his arm, "Behold, Planet Starsha. Humanities new home,
if they choose to live there. It's a Earth-like planet
with enough food and water to sustain two Earths. Humanity can and will thrive
there, AND if the Bolars and Mauritanians are defeated, it shall become a
protected, not ruled, territory of the Galman Empire."
Wildstar's
eyes went wide and then began to tear up. "Thank you Desslok."
Desslok
extended his hand, "Together we will free humanity from its genocidal
keepers." The two shook hands and realized that they had been destined to
work together even after all the wars they had faught against one another.
Suddenly alarms began blarring throughout the ship Desslok and Wildstar
instantly looked out the main window and saw planet bombs colliding against the
surface of Galman.
"They're
here...they've finally come for my home planet..." Desslok said clenching
both fists and closing his eyes. "Today is the day we repay all
debts..."
The final
hour for the planet Galman has come. Will the Bolar Federation finally destroy
Desslok and his people? Or will the Bolars finally be pushed back? More
importantly however, will Yamato survive the encounter and continue it's journey through the stars?
Yamato
strikes in 243 days.
This
chapter is dedicated to the men and women behind the scenes, continually
working on Space Battleship Yamato.
Here ends
book one of the End of Days Saga. Thank you all for
reading this start of a new adventure, more will come
with time. This first book is dedicated to Pastor Jeff Francoeur, the greatest
influence on my life and christian faith. Thank you
for everything.