ALTERNATE
TALES OF THE STAR FORCE
STAR BLAZERS---THE NET TIGHTENS
Being the fourth part of
THE NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz
This Act is being completed with the
Cooperation and Assistance of Derek A.C. Wakefield (as usual)---Freddo
ACT FIVE: A RECKONING
FOR ROTELLA
I.
Space Battleship Argo
The Vicinity of Cometine
Base GG-1
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Sunday June 8, 2206
1932 Hours: Earth Time
“Enemy
Fleet range, twenty-two megameters,” said Becker from the Cosmo-Radar,
“Captain, I’ve spotted another heavy carrier at the vanguard of the fleet, for
a total of twenty-six ships spotted. It looks like they’re beginning to launch
planes.”
“Black
Tigers,” said Wildstar. “Get ready to take off and attack: target, the enemy
carriers. Keep those planes from launching!”
“Roguh
that,” said Hardy with a smile. “Tigers, take off and follow mah lead!”
The
Black Tigers roared out of the Argo.
Three squadrons, led by Hardy, blasted in to attack the Cometine carriers,
while one cruised along with the Argo
herself to provide fighter cover.
Four
Cometine destroyers warped in near the Argo
a moment later and opened fire, only to have fire returned by the Rotellan
escorts under Captain Brazel. The Rotellans drew first blood as one Cometine
vessel blew apart, followed by a second one as two Black Tigers pounced upon
the enemy ship and blew it apart.
In the
fast-paced battle, a remaining enemy destroyer fired upon the Argo, which took a minor hit near the
bow. She responded with a salvo from her main guns that blew off three of the
enemy destroyer’s gun emplacements and left her smoking.
On
his carrier, General Dalkon took a report from the commanding officer of the
destroyer squadron. “What do you mean
you couldn’t stop them from launching planes?”
“Sir,
they responded too quickly, and the Rotellans have too heavy a screen around
them! We lost two ships already, and my own ship is….”
Then,
there came over Dalkon’s speakers the clap of an explosion and a scream as the
screen went dark. A klaxon began blowing a moment later on the bridge of the Dekgavis as a Cometine officer yelled,
“Enemy planes approaching our ship! They’re in the heart of the fleet!”
“One
missile cruiser destroyed!” yelled the comm officer. “The battleship Pradis is also reporting she’s under
heavy fire from the Argo! She has
destroyed one Rotellan ship, though, and she is returning fire!”
“Good!”
said Dalkon as he laughed. “Keep up the fight and…get our planes launched!”
Outside, a
Cometine maintenance vehicle worked in the elevator as a Scorpion was equipped
and was being readied for takeoff. The vehicle pulled away, and the Cometine
ship was ready to take off when two Earth planes screamed in like old naval
dive bombers.
They
attacked.
There
was a great explosion out before his bridge windows and the lights on the
bridge went dark as Dalkon stood in shock. “What’s happened?”
“Forward elevator destroyed! A burning Earther
plane plunged right into it!” yelled an officer as the emergency lights came
back up.
“Damn
the Star Force!” yelled Dalkon. “Continue preparing to launch from the aft
elevator! We’re launching if I have to shove the cursed planes out myself!”
“Not
bad,” said Jefferson Hardy with an evil grin as he approached the Dekgavis from above from over her stern.
“There’s laser fire, but, so what? I can take them out! Okay, boys!” he yelled
to his wingmen. “Full military power! I don’t want anything left o’ that theh
carriah after we’re done!”
His
wingmen responded, and Hardy pushed his stick forward along with his throttle.
He locked his missiles on the aft elevator just as the first Scorpion was being
raised at last to the burning Dekgavis’
flight deck for launch.
The
Scorpion never took off as two missiles were pumped into it, and the carrier
elevator. The plane, its crew, and the elevator blew apart in a fatal flower of
flame. At the van of the fleet, the Tigers attacked and blew apart the heavy
carrier at the rear of the fleet. 
Brazel’s
fleet now only had three carriers left.
Hardy
smiled, and he altered his course slightly as his plane and his wingmen flew
past the dying Dekgavis’ bridge
island, facing the bow. At the bow, they turned around, shot up the gun
emplacements on the bow, and then flew straight towards the bridge.
On
the bridge, the mad Dalkon screamed defiance as he saw his death coming right
towards his face while his bridge crew ran like rats, abandoning the bridge. A
moment later, he yelled “DAMN YOU!” as blue bursts of energy fire flew from the
planes of Hardy and his wingmen straight through space, through his windows,
and into his body, causing a momentary feeling of hot pain before he was
literally carved into five bloody pieces and splattered against the aft
bulkhead of his own bridge.
Hardy
and his flight were long gone as his leering, severed head bounced to the deck
like a basketball before it was consumed in a bright ball of fusion energy even
before explosive decompression could blow his remains into space as the Dekgavis blew itself to bits and flaming
debris. The enemy flagship’s bright, gruesome death blew apart the two
remaining light carriers, and the death of the carriers even took two Cosmo
Tigers who couldn’t escape the fireball along with them.
Hardy
smiled as he looked over the holocaust, saluting for a moment as he then recalled
the comrades who had died in the fireball. He flicked on his radio and said,
“Wildstah, this is Hardy! We lost six Tigahs, but we destroyed all the enemy
carriers. Elapsed time, nineteen minutes!”
“Okay,”
said Wildstar. “Return to base, Hardy…your mission’s accomplished.”
The
remaining twenty-eight planes of his first three squadrons swung up and over
the Cometine fleet as long-range space naval gun fire from the Argo and the two remaining Rotellan
ships began to roar in, picking off the other Cometine vessels ship-to-ship.
The enemy
missile ships continued to attack, firing a large salvo of their short-range
missiles towards the Argo. The salvo
could only be described as hellish.
Missiles
flew towards the Argo, which took
damage but sat steadfast as Captain Brazel’s two ships also took damage but
helped to shield her.
“Ten
ships remaining!” said Becker. “Two space battleships, two cruisers, six
destroyers!”
Wildstar
said, “Domon, have the gunners prepare wave motion cartridges. This has been
going on for too long; I want to attack that base!”
“Yessir!”
said Domon.
A
few minutes of pounding elapsed as the heavy shells were loaded into the Argo’s main guns.
Finally,
Domon said, “Wave motion cartridges loaded!”
“Open
fire,” snapped Wildstar.
The
Argo blasted three salvoes from her
three main turrets. The missiles flew towards the enemy fleet, and they plunged
right into the enemy space battleships. They blew apart, followed by the
missile cruisers. Only one destroyer survived the holocaust, and that was by
warping away in a cowardly fashion.
Finally,
the battered Argo was done…but she
was just done with the fleet.
“Mister
Kitano?” said Wildstar as Hardy ran up onto the first bridge.
“Yessir!?”
he said.
“Captain
Brazel has given us the coordinates for the enemy base. Take us there,
helmsman. We still have some work to do before we can rest tonight.”
“Yessir,”
said Kitano with a mad grin.
II. FIGHTING WITHIN THE
COMETINE EMPIRE
Planet Melezart
The Vicinity of Cometine
Base GG-1
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Sunday June 8, 2206
2019 Hours: Earth Time
“Do
you notice what I’ve noticed?” said a Cometine slave on the surface of the
planet on which Cometine Base GG-1 (which was also known as Gamma-Gamma One)
lay.
“I’ve
noticed it,” said one of the slaves. “Most of our guards have just taken off.
Only one guard is left over here by our part of the rock pit.”
“Let’s
have a talk with that guard, shall we?” said the old man, who was known as
Brigard. “Malus, you threaten him with a rock and make him talk. This is
weird.”
“It’s
dangerous,” whispered the barefoot slave. He, like the others, was working in a
quarry inside a Cometine work camp near the edge of their occupied capital. The
sprawling Cometine base, a two-days’ walk away was an arrogant construction
that towered about ninety kilometers away in the distance across the plain.
Still, even the Cometine guards stopped what they were doing and they watched
as streams of fire roared up from the base.
Brigard
and Malus nodded to each other. They got two rocks and smashed the nearest
Cometine guard in the head. As he fell, Malus took his blaster and he shot
apart the chains that hobbled his ankles and old Brigard’s ankles.
Another
Cometine guard ran up, but Malus shot his weapon out of his hand. Then, he
pointed the weapon at the green trooper’s head and said, “Okay, damn you, TALK!
Where are most of the guards?”
“Have
mercy!”
“You’ve
had none upon us!” hissed Brigard as he put a fallen combat knife to the
guard’s throat. “Talk, damn you, or I’ll cut your accursed throat out! How come
most of the detail has left us alone like this?”
“The
great base is under attack and they were called back home to its defense,”
hissed the Cometine trooper. “We expect a great battle but we expect we can
drive the enemy away in due course with little casualties. Let me live, and
I’ll put in a good word for you so you won’t be executed when my commanders
come back!”
“All
right….” He said. “I’ll let you live…if you allow us to be set free.”
“Okay,”
hissed the trooper. He was an officer here at the labor camp. He said into his
helmet communicator, “All remaining forces; this is Hagan. Free the slaves.
Repeat; let the labor units go free. We’ll tell Granlatz that our slaves
rebelled, but we…”
A
shot rang out from Malus’ blaster. A startled Lt. Hagan fell dead to the
ground. Malus took his weapon and gave it to Brigard as the rebellion spread
amongst the labor camp as even more slaves fought back. “Not bad, eh, Brigard?”
said Malus.
“I’ve
been waiting for this for a long time,” said the old man as he clapped another
freshly armed slave on the back. “You, Maigar…go open the women’s barracks.
Kill the Cometines who were keeping the women captive…for their base,
disgusting purposes as “comfort troops” and then make sure the women are
clothed, freed, and armed.”
“Of
course, Brigard.”
Deep
inside Cometine base GG-1, klaxon after klaxon went off as many troopers ran to
their places. “The first and third missile batteries are armed and ready!” said
an officer to Marshal Hirgel, the officer who had taken over command of the
base from Lieutenant General Dalkon when he had left on his last mission with
the fleet. “We’re preparing our interceptors, and we’re beginning to track the Argo and the two Rotellan corvettes.
Should we hit them first with long-range missiles, or interceptors?”
“Long-range
missiles, of course,” said Hirgel with a laughing snort. “It’s too bad we don’t
have any antimatter missiles left…a pity that Dalkon took them with him to his
grave. Still, we must use what we have left. And ready the guard fleet! How
hard can it be to bring down one space battleship?”
“Lordship,
they say the Argo is like a force of
nature, or even a ghost ship. They say you cannot kill it.”
“I
can,” laughed Hirgel. “Kernag, what is it?”
“Twenty-eight
planes spotted coming in at high speed! They seem to be the Earthers! They got
the jump on us!”
“WHAT?”
roared Hirgel. “How could they launch so
quickly, let alone replenish in such a…?”
“All
right,” said Hardy as he focused upon the enemy base in his gunsights. “Black
Tigers, here we go!”
A
moment later, his planes dived down from the edge of the atmosphere down
towards the enemy base at very high speed. As they roared in, they fired salvo after
salvo of missiles at the enemy base, blowing apart hangars, missile
emplacements, and enemy planes on the tarmac, almost everything they could
find.
Only
a few Cometine ships got off the ground to do battle with the Cosmo Tigers, but
in a few minutes, although Hardy had lost three more pilots, much of the enemy
base above ground was a smoking, blazing ruin, to the utter shock of Hirgel
down in his bunker.
“What
do we do?” muttered Hirgel.
“Sir,
it is my suggestion that we prepare for evacuation,” said one of Hirgel’s
officers.
“Perhaps…we
can fight on...” said Hirgel. “Perhaps…”
Hirgel
turned. “No. You are right. Prepare the carrier Vargansha. We will take off now! Perhaps I can salvage something of
this.”
“You’d
run now?” said another officer.
“Yes,
so we can fight another day,” said Hirgel. He turned and left.
“We
will prepare to evacuate,” said Hirgel as Hardy’s Tigers roared back towards
base, their mission again accomplished. Hardy and the Black Tigers would fly no
more today, but they had certainly done their jobs, and done them well.
Hirgel’s
carrier took off and cruised over the planet. “Enemy carrier task force off our
starboard bow!” said Becker. “They came up from the base?”
“Where
are they coming from?” hissed Wildstar.
“They’re
not making any move towards us,” said Sandor as he looked at the image that had
come up on the video panel of the Argo.
“I think maybe they’re running from…”
“Missiles
approachin’!” yelled Eager. “Big wave of missiles comin!”
“Eighty
missiles,” said Becker. “It’s a widely dispersed wave, five minutes to impact,
and…”
“Now’s
the time, Domon. Stop all engines. Ready the wave motion gun!” snapped
Wildstar.
Before
long, the crew had on their goggles. “Two minutes to firing!” said Wildstar
from his post at the Captain’s command station. He nodded as Domon took over
the checklist from there, competently going through all of the necessary steps
while Becker sweated at the approach of the incoming wave of missiles.
“One
minute to impact!” cried Becker. “Missiles at twenty megameters’ distance!”
“One
minute to firing,” snapped Domon. “All hands prepare for recoil shock.”
“Energy
level, eighty percent,” said Yamazaki from his post.
“Thirty
seconds to firing” said Domon as the characteristic whine sped up. Finally, the
final countdown began. When Domon reached zero, Wildstar snapped “FIRE!” and
Domon responded, yelling “FIRE!” as he worked the firing trigger.
Becker
began to sweat as she could finally see the missiles roaring in, but, soon,
everything was obliterated in a blur of flaming light as a burst of energy
roared out of the huge firing gate in the Argo’s
bow. A blast of energy roared down to the planet down towards Cometine Base
GG-1, obliterating the base, 
obliterating
the equipment that Hirgel had left behind, obliterating the ships and planes he
had left behind, and even obliterating the thousands of lower-ranking Cometine
troops he had left behind.
Of
course, all of the missiles had been obliterated, too.
Wildstar
took a long, deep breath. “Well, we’re done,” he said as a disbelieving Becker
scanned down to the base and said, “We finished off that entire base, sir?”
“We
sure did,” said Wildstar. “You can see that mushroom cloud. They’re finished.”
“No
Cometine signals detected from the planet,” said Homer. “I think they’re gone,”
he said. “They must have been localized around that one huge base that we
just…”
“Blew
to Kingdom Come,” said Eager with a smile.
IQ
9.7 said, “I detect many, many life signs from the planet, however. There are
humans alive down there. Many humans.
I am doing calculations to see if we condemned them to death via tachyonic
radiation sickness. Congratulations, Commodore Wildstar. It appears that you
are very efficient in committing genocide.”
“So…it
was…inhabitated,” said Sandor. “Wildstar, I hope we didn’t harm any innocent
people with the wave motion gun. You remember how Captain Avatar always said
that we had to be careful about using its great power…for just that reason.”
Wildstar
bowed his head. “I know, Sandor. Maybe I shouldn’t have ordered the Gun to be
fired if I knew there were innocent people on that planet. But, we didn’t know,
did we?”
“Not
until now,” said Sandor, who looked very troubled as the Argo and the Rotellan ships cruised through the atmosphere down
towards an ocean. There was a large, partly ruined city by the seacoast, and in
the distance, a mushroom cloud had formed at the point where Cometine Base GG-1
had been.
“Hmm…”
said Sandor. “This is odd, Wildstar. The architectural style of some of those
buildings looks familiar…I wonder who could have built that city?”
“Or…who
ruined it?” said Wildstar. “There are fires burning in the distance…see? I hope
we didn’t cause those…”
“Homer,”
said Wildstar. “Contact Captain Brazel…see if he can contact…any of the local
inhabitants…see if…”
Then,
unexpectedly, the Argo’s screen came
up. An old man appeared on it.
“Hello,”
he said. “Is this the space battleship that just attacked the Cometine Base?”
“Yes,
it is,” said Wildstar. “I am Commodore Derek Wildstar, commander of the space
battleship Argo, from the planet
Earth…”
“The
same ship that aided Trelaina of Telezart in killing Zordar…” said the old man
with a smile.
“How
do you know of Trelaina?” said Wildstar, stunned.
“We
have many means of knowing of her. You see, on this planet, we are distant
cousins of the race that founded Telezart. Before the Comet Empire conquered
this world, we were known as The Republic of Melezart, and NOT Cometine Base
World Gamma-Gamma One. We were founded long ago by colonists from Telezart, and
we had contact and commerce with many worlds before the Comet Empire came. We
knew of Miss Trelaina because a very few survivors of the civil war that she
stopped with her mind-energy fled here. But we do not blame Trelaina for having
unwittingly used her power to stop the war, any more than we can blame you for
having used your power to stop the slavery and rape of our world. The Cometines
had built their base inside an ancient crater for defensive purposes, a crater behind
a mesa. That mesa will keep most of the fallout from harming our city or its
suburbs. We are grateful to you for your efforts. Until a few hours ago, we
were enslaved by the Cometines in a labor camp. My name is Conciel Brigard. I
was once a member of this world’s Parliament before the Comet Empire came.”
“If
the prevailing winds don’t blow much over the city in the next hour, they
should be safe,” said Sandor. “The radioactive byproducts of our tachyonic
reactions, luckily, have very short half-lives.”
“Thank
you for helping to…ease our minds,” said Wildstar. “But how do you know of
this?”
“It
is easy,” said Brigard with a benign smile. “Our knowledge goes beyond our city
area…for a good reason…”
“What
is that reason?” said Wildstar.
“Trelaina
of Telezart…or her spirit…appeared to us just a short while ago. She told us to
tell you not to feel excessive guilt over what you had to do to help in
bringing an end to Princess Invidia’s evil for us.”
“Trelaina
appeared to you?” said a stunned
Wildstar.
“She
did,” said Brigard. “And she also had a message for you, specifically,
Commodore Wildstar.”
“It
was?” said Derek.
“Help these people,” said Brigard. “We
need food, medical care and supplies, humanitarian aid. She asks you to provide
them for us.”
“And
we will do so,” said Wildstar. “Kitano, take us down towards the ocean and the
dockyards of the city. Homer, contact Captain Brazel and tell him that we will
be landing. And then…contact the Commander. We need to tell him what happened
here today…and about Trelaina’s request for aid. Trelaina,” he said softly. “It
is incredible to know that you could still be helping to, in your own fashion,
protect others…”
A
pensive Wildstar shut his eyes as the Argo
cruised down towards the seas of Melezart.
III. INVIDIA’S DISGRACE…
The Eritz Gatlantis
Deep Space: 90,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Wednesday June 11, 2206
1300 Hours: Earth Time
The
New Comet sped through space even as Princess Invidia slapped Field Marshal
Hirgel across the face. “You IDIOT!” she screamed. “How could you and General
Dalkon have lost Base World Gamma Gamma One like that? And you had the temerity
to RUN back here with your carrier rather than stand and fight the Star Force?”
“Lady,
I thought you needed the report. The Star Force is being aided by supernatural
powers! Trelaina of Telezart…”
“Do
not speak of her…she is DEAD,” hissed General Dyre. “She killed herself for
good when she died with Prince Zordar. How could anyone survive great explosion like that?”
“But
I saw Trelaina,” insisted Hirgel as
he held out his hands pleadingly to Invidia, Dyre, and Gorse, and to Field
Marshal Balkal, who were witnesses of what was appearing to be his field
court-martial in Invidia’s throne room.
“Did
she come out of a bottle of Rikashan Ale?” snapped Balkal. “You always were a
fool, Hirgel. So was Dalkon! At least Dalkon atoned for his sins to the
Princess and the Grand Emperor by dying in battle. You will have no such
chance,” said Balkal as he looked at Invidia. She nodded as he then began to
undo his blaster.
“NO!
Mercy! I can tell you what Trelaina said! She prophesied doom to us unless you
leave Earth alone, she said…” gasped Hirgel.
A
moment later, Balkal hissed, “Go and finish your talk with Trelaina…in Hell!” A shot rang out, and Hirgel fell
dead with a huge hole in his chest.
“Troopers,
get rid of this,” snapped Invidia as
she kicked at the corpse. Four blue-clad troopers saluted and dragged the body
off. “I’m not giving up Earth because some ghost told me to,” snapped Invidia.
“Dyre, what was that report you had?”
“Yes,
Princess. Balkal and I have the latest operation Fleet figures for House
Gatlantis for the past twelvedays’ worth of operations. Princess, our total
losses have not been nice to consider. And with the loss of those mines and
shipyards on Gamma Gamma One, they will get worse.”
“So,
recapture Gamma-Gamma One,” said Invidia. “The only people holding it are the
Star Force.”
“Princess,
it isn’t just them,” said Gorse. “The
Rotellans helped the Argo take
Gamma-Gamma One from us, and they also helped them by destroying Automated Base
F-7. Also, Earth sent out a call for help; forces of the Rikashans and the Gamilons are now in the system,
helping the people of what used to be the damned
“Yes.
There is virus growing in the Rotella Sector called freedom and rebellion,”
said General Dyre.
“How
many ships do we need to stamp this out?” roared Invidia as she snapped her
wooden pointer in rage. “Or should we just smash Gamma-Gamma One…or
Rotella…with the Comet?”
“Princess,
we have lost over eight hundred ships since we began operations again against
Earth and Gamilon over a year ago.”
“I
know that!” hissed Invidia. “What of the requests you sent to Prince Kazar of
House Kolog, Prince Sarak of House Dinarda, and Duchess Viga of House Octlan
for more men and ships?”
“Those
requests…were denied…by Higher Authority,” said Dyre as he wondered if he was
going to be shot next. “What is worse…the Grand Emperor himself has somehow
heard of these requests. He demands that you make contact with him to report to
him face-to-face about the War.”
“NO!”
yelled Invidia as she dropped her stick…in fear… “It is not Viceroy Savel I am
to contact?”
“No.
It is the sublime, High Emperor himself. It is his command,” said Dyre.
Invidia
nodded and left.
The
High Emperor of the Cometine Empire was a mysterious priest-god-king who was
held to be an incarnation of the Goddess Arishna’s genius to the Cometine
people. Few Cometines ever met him face-to-face or saw his face in any way,
shape, or form, since he usually spoke through his Grand Viceroy, the Lady
Savel.
Invidia
knelt in a dark communications room before a holographic screen, and all she
saw of His Lordship were two glowing red eyes as she made contact with the
Homeworld deep within the Andromeda Galaxy. She had never been, within her
memory, to the Homeworld, and even her father had told her that he had only had
two audiences before the Emperor himself in his long lifetime as a great Prince
of the Empire. Invidia herself had only spoken to the Grand Viceroy twice, so
she felt great fear as she cleared her throat to speak to His Lordship.
“Your
Highness, I am Princess Invidia, your must humble servant, I…”
“You
are the daughter of Zordar,” rumbled a deep voice. “Even I have heard of your
reputation. Loth was I to grant you the Throne of Gatlantis by Imperial
Warrant. Although I know that your victories are great, your reach exceeds your
grasp.”
“Lordship,
I am pleased to hear that you admire me, and…”
“SILENCE!
Who said to thee that my words were words of Admiration, Invidia?. I met your father
twice. He was a wise man. He took five years to plan the Invasion of the Milky
Way. I decorated him face-to-face once for his conquests. I do not decorate my
vassals for losses.”
“What
is your command?” said Invidia.
“Your
toadying and scheming requests to Houses Kolog, Dinarda, and Octlan for more
vessels for your campaigns was denied by me when the Viceroy presented it to
me. You are to secure the Rotellan Sector and you are to sign an Armistice with
Gamilon and the Terrans and those allied with them and bring an end to all
fighting in your area within three years and then consolidate what you have
taken in your valiant father’s memory, to be sure it does not slip from your
grasp and disgrace Us amongst our slaves.”
“Lord!
Are we giving up the war of vengeance upon Earth? Upon Gamilon? They have
mocked you, Lord? They have…”
“They
were and always will be a part of the Empire. Even with your shortened lifespan
as a bastard daughter of a slave concubine of Zordar’s who slept her way to the
top of her pustulant little House, you should live long enough to conquer Earth
and Gamilon within three to four years after we lull them into thinking we have
peace and good relations. Then, you will attack again when they least suspect
it, when you have thousands upon thousands of vessels, and then you shall
destroy their fleets and then safely enslave their home worlds with the Eritz Gatlantis. They will not live in
freedom. They will become our slaves. That is my warrant.”
“Yes,
Lord,” said Invidia as she bowed. With a trembling voice, she said, “Your
wish…is my…command.”
She
shut her eyes and bowed her head as the image faded, Then, she wept. Curse this, she thought. How can I defend the memory of Father if I
have to make peace with those bastards?
And
in her mind, she began to scheme…again…she knew there had to be a way to make
things go her way…but how would she
do it?
Then
she rose with a smile. In her mind, she was beginning to formulate a plan…a little
plan of her own for Earth and the Gamilons….
IV. REBUILDING AT
MELEZART
Space Battleship Argo
Planet Melezart
The Vicinity of the
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Friday July 25, 2206
Commodore
Derek Wildstar was visiting Doctor Sane as several nurses brought in sick and
wounded people from Melezart who were being worked on in the Argo’s Sickbay.
“What
amazes me is how many people the Comet Empire seem to have starved,” said
Doctor Sane as he adjusted his glasses.
“I
wish Nova was here. She would love to be helping these people,” said Wildstar.
“I
don’t know,” said Sane. “Knowing what I’ve seen, it would probably be close to
breaking her heart. They were working people and starving them to death. Just
the way the ancient dictatorships on Earth used to treat their enemies…”
“And
just the way the Josiahites treated theirs, more recently,” said Derek as he
bowed his head.
“We
do what we can, here,” said Sane. “It is good that Desslok sent that General
Fraken there to help us and that Lord Cha’rif sent that Rikashan commander
named Givantis. Even though I trust neither of them,” said Doctor Sane with a
whisper.
A
moment later, they saw General Givantis, the Rikashan commander on the scene,
coming into Sickbay. “Wildstar,” he said, putting his hands over his fat
stomach as he spoke in his raspy voice. “I trust you are making good use of the
supplies that Lord Anton Cha’rif sent you?”
“We
are, General, thank you. Why are you here?”
“I
still wish to nail down the location of where we are going to put our base. It
is a simple, and reasonable, quid pro quo,
Commodore.”
“I
told you, we have no influence there,” said Wildstar. “You will have to talk to
the Provisional Parliament of Melezart for that.”
“That
means talking to Brigard. You have
influence over him, Commodore. And over Fraken.”
“It
is a good thing that the Melezartians are agreeing to any of us building bases here after what they suffered under
Invidia’s forces,” said Wildstar.
“Please
talk to them,” said the balding Givantis with an acid smile as he tweaked his
thin mustache, which stood out in sharp relief against his sallow orange face
and black eye patch. “It is my hope and Cha’rif’s that we can keep this peaceful. Good day, Wildstar.”
Sane
glared at the Rikashan’s back as he left. “You see why I don’t trust him,” he
said.
Wildstar
nodded. “I’m going to have to talk to Cha’rif again. Maybe to Desslok. I hate
being a diplomat,” he said. “Oh, I know there are times when one has to be, but…”
“You’re
longing for the opportunity to tell Givantis exactly what you think of him?”
said Sane.
Derek
nodded.
“So
am I…” said Sane as he motioned Wildstar over and poured a glass of sake for
his skipper and for himself. “So am I.”
“Did
you notice that he…uh…?” said Wildstar.
“Yes,”
said Sane. “The man smells.”
In
the meantime, on Earth, Sasha returned to the Space Fighters’ Training School
at last. She was now a Midshipman Second Class, and, as such, she was now in
her third year at the Academy.
She
pulled on her new sky-blue and white cadet uniform for the first time and felt
an odd sense of foreboding about it as she looked at herself in the mirror of
her room in the dorm. I sense, she
thought, that I will soon surpass this
cadet rank but be wearing this uniform for a very long time.
Then,
as she pulled on her boots, Sasha shivered and said to herself, “Why the heck
does it feel like I’m putting on my wedding dress? I can’t be anywhere near
getting married…Deke…poor thing…is so worried about the war and doesn’t write
much…probably getting shot at every day…but I’m so worried about him…I wonder
if the scuttlebutt is true…and we’ll be graduating sometime in May on an
advanced schedule….Oh, heck, who am I talking to, anyway? The wall?”
Sasha
threw down her hairbrush, sat in a chair before her mirror, and sighed. She
then continued to speak out loud, “It is a bit odd that I am even here at the
Academy this time of year. But I was selected as an Honor Representative
because of my high grades. That’s funny. I will begin teaching plebes next week
NOT to cheat, lie, steal, nor tolerate those who do and what do I live? I live
a damned lie every day of my life since I have to keep my real identity hidden
under the name “Sasha Petrovsky.”” She looked at her false name on the nametag
of one of the fatigue outfits she had worn on training maneuvers this summer,
and she felt like spitting upon it.
Then,
Sasha looked in the mirror, and her heart nearly stopped when she realized that
she wasn’t the only person in the room. The other party in the room wore a long
royal-blue dress, had long platinum-blonde hair, and she was gleaming just
slightly.
Sasha
turned around to be confronted with Trelaina of Telezart as her internal
psi-meters all pegged the “red” mark. “You’re dead,” she said. “I don’t
normally hold conversations with dead people.”
“It
all depends upon by how you define ‘dead’,” said Trelaina with a smile. “I have
surpassed some of the needs of being mortal, if you ask, but I still have much
to learn. Even you do not understand, but you just stand on the threshold of a
world filled with both angels and terrors, great things both Seen and Unseen.”
“Did
Mother send you?” said Sasha
bitterly.
“She
has been watching over you and she has prayed for guidance, you could say. I
was bidden to come here to answer her prayer since there is much concerning
Derek Wildstar, Mark Venture, your Aunt Nova, Deke, and some of my people that
concerns me greatly. But, in response to these questions of yours, you will
only have to wait a little while longer before you have that which you desire;
that being adventure and romance. But, be warned…both of these things are
double-edged swords. The same fire that illuminates your night can also burn
you badly if you are not cautious. So, take care, Sasha.”
“So,
what are you saying?” said Sasha.
“Be
patient, just a little while longer, and you will see your dreams and wishes
becoming manifest. But, be warned, because these wishes come with a measure of
pain…be ready for the bitter, as well as for the sweet, Sasha of Iscandar…”
Before
Sasha could answer, the form of Trelaina had vanished.
“Now,
that was weird,” muttered Sasha to herself. “And every sense of mine was going
off like a shock cannon or something. I need to think about this…really, really think…”
V. CONTINUED TERROR…
The Vicinity of Alpha
Centauri
Space Battleship
Saturday, August 2, 2206
0830 Hours: Earth Time
Deke
Nineteen pilots dead, thought
Deke with a sad nod to himself. And,
still, the green bastards keep on coming to attack our base, or to attack the
ships going back and forth between the base and the solar system and other
places. Where do they get all of these ships from…all these subs…all these
destroyers, all these missile ships? he thought as he locked onto the
bridge tower of a Cometine space sub that had just appeared from subspace. It
fired its torpedoes at the distant
“Okay,”
said
“Roger
that,” said Simon.
“Gotcha,
Deke,” said Brew.
The
flight flew towards the enemy ships like one entity, three planes and their
crews all locked in sync, all working perfectly towards one goal.
The
Cometines stumbled in firing their first round and beginning their 180-degree
turn. That was all the time Deke and his pilots needed to pump their remaining
missiles into the enemy ships and evade their fire. A moment later, there were
no more Cometine destroyers in their area.
“Return to base!” snapped Conroy over Deke’s
headset.
“Roger,”
said
A
Cometine battleship warped in several hundred kilometers behind them, and for a
moment, Deke started, but he took a deep breath as a blast of energy from the
“Nice
job, Rosstowski,” said Deke in a low voice.
“I
hate to break up your flight,” said Conroy later on as he spoke to
“Thank
you, sir,” said a surprised Brew.
“You
earned it by your flying and your kills, Mister,” said Conroy as he clapped
Brew on the back. “Just like your friend here.
“I
know, sir,” said
“I
looked over your reports…good work,” said Conroy. “Unless we have a call for “All
Sun Tigers on deck”, you guys are relieved until eighteen hundred. Get some
chow and some rest.”
Deke’s
squadron broke up and headed out of the flight bay. Boy, do I need some rest, thought Deke. I’ve been flying since midnight. Sometimes these rotating shifts are
crazy, man, crazy…
VI. INVIDIA’S BITTER
VICTORY…
The Eritz Gatlantis
The Vicinity of Planet
Rotella
79,500 Lightyears away
from Earth
Saturday, August 7, 2206
1200 Hours: Earth Time
“What
is the word from Hemlitz, the so-called ‘President-in-Exile’ of the Rotellans?”
demanded Invidia as she stood in her throne room. It was now “X-Hour”, the
moment which Baron Gernitz had waited for for a very long time. He was waiting
inside the Eritz Gatlantis with a
massive fleet of about a hundred vessels, waiting for the word to sweep out and
commence his final attack upon Rotella; the one that would wipe much of the
planet clean of resistance. The one that would win that part
of the war.
But,
embittered, Invidia had other plans. Her patience had about run out.
“Hemlitz
refuses to surrender, Priincess,” said Dyre. “He says he is gathering all
forces together for a great assault.”
Invidia
laughed at that. “If he thinks he means he will get the accursed Star Force,
Gamilons, and Rikashans to help him, he is wrong.”
“You
won’t stand and fight, ma’am?” asked Gorse. “This is the chance for the
decisive battle we have been waiting for, all these months…”
“If
we lose, the regional Governors will laugh at us,” hissed Invidia. “I am making
sure we will NOT LOSE! Gernitz, stop the attack!”
“What,
ma’am?” he said from the bridge of his flagship.
“Control
room, intensify the Comet Field to FULL POWER!” snapped Invidia.
“Aye,
aye, order received, Princess!” snapped an operator in the Eritz Gatlantis’ huge control bridge as the huge ship roared
onwards. “Course and speed?”
“Full
speed, to NTO-225. ADVANCE!” howled Invidia as a course
intersect came right up on the massive screen in the throne room below
the command officers’ boots. Invidia clenched her fists and began to laugh as
the command staff realized what was happening.
“You’re
crushing Rotella?” asked Gorse.
The
mad light in Invidia’s eyes above her crazed smile spoke for itself. “They have
resisted me too long,” screamed Invidia. “The Empire will learn the price that
traitors must pay. I should have taken full comand long ago. It was foolish of
me to have left this to others! Now, we go ahead to victory, and I pray I can do
this to Gamilon and Earth soon!”
“Shouldn’t
you at least give them a few minutes’ notice to evacuate?” demanded Dyre. “Even
we should show some mercy and grant
some of them asylum as Zordar…”
Invidia
slapped Dyre across the face. “ENOUGH! Any more and off comes your head! I don’t
care that we slept together, Dyre! Now, I am the ruler!”
An impersonal voice from below said, “Two minutes to
contact with Rotella, Princess. We are already picking up growth,
matter, and human beings from the planet and consuming them within the Comet.”
Gernitz
said, “Hemlitz is pleading for mercy. He says he will abdicate.”
“Shut
him up,” snapped Invidia. “Full screen on,”
she said as she watched Rotella shadowed in the light of her Death Comet. “I
want the best view possible of the planet breaking up.”
The
Argo was in a routine orbital patrol near
Melezart with Fraken, Givantis, and Captain Brazel of Rotella aboard as
observers when an officer on the
“This
is Sandor. What is it?”
“We’re
picking up a massive light in space about five hundred lightyears away, at
NTO-225,” he said. Captain Brazel clenched his fists as soon as he heard the
coordinates and saw the plot coming up on the Argo’s astro-compass. “We also read a strong energy source; not as
strong as that of the Technomugar Fortress, but four times stronger than the
“Put
the transmission up on video,” said Wildstar. “Captain Brazel…what’s…?”
“It’s
in the Rotellan System. It’s right near my home planet.”
“What?”
said Eager.
“Video
panel, switch on,” said Becker in flat tones very much unlike the grave tones
that Nova would use at a moment like this.
“Gods
forgive us,” muttered Fraken as he beheld the monstrosity.
“The
White Comet!” barked Givantis.
“No,”
said Wildstar. “It’s even worse. It’s Zordar’s evil
brought back to life again.
Brazel
forced himself to look as he could see Rotella in the evil shine of the New
Comet. It was only there for a moment.
Then,
it broke into pieces, which swirled into the Comet’s vortex, and then were
gone.
Captain
Brazel looked on, and then he banged his fists against Becker’s panel. “MY
WIFE!” he screamed. “MY CHILDREN! MY FAMILY! ALL GONE!”
To
everyone’s shock, he grabbed his own sidearm and shot himself in the head before
he could be stopped. He made sure the shot would be fatal.
“Wildstar,”
said Fraken. “We’ll intercept them…you’ll have my fleet…I’ll call Desslok…”
“You
have my fleet, I will call Lord Cha’rif,” said Givantis as he clapped Wildstar
on the back. “We can rid the universe of this evil…now, and once and for…”
“All
hands,” said Wildstar as he activated his klaxons. “All hands to combat
stations…all hands to combat stations…our target…the NEW COMET!”
“We
know how to stop them this time, Wildstar,” said Sandor. “First the Comet Field…”
“Then
we attack at the bottom,” said Fraken.
“And
then we wave-motion gun them to dust in just a..” said
Domon. Then, he looked up, and his eyes went wide as the New Comet disappeared.
“What?”
said Wildstar.
“They’ve
warped,” said Becker. “I’ll try to get their intercept course…”
“Hit…and
run?” hissed Fraken.
An
enraged Wildstar then looked up at empty space and screamed out what they all
felt as he bellowed, “COWARDS!”
“I
don’t have an intercept course,” said Becker. “They warped into a nebula…and…the
course ends there…I…”
“It’s
all right,” said Wildstar. “You did your best.”
And,
at that, the War escalated up to a new stage as everyone realized that, like
her father Zordar before her, Princess Invidia had just joined the society of
mass murderers…
END.
To Return to the Introduction to The New Comet, click here