The United Space Coalition Saga - Book 1: Starfall

Chapter 2

2511

Deep in the dark void, hundred of light years from the nearest United Space outpost or border, a menace lurked.

It was filled with a hatred, like an insatiable appetite only fillable with one thing: violence.

And it took form in a cold, harsh room made only more sinister with the presence of the people in it.

The room was long, like a hall, and it was very crowded with members of four distinct species. But it was the four people at the end of the hall, standing up high on the stage, which carried the weight. One of them stepped forward, and instantly everyone was silenced and sat down.

The figure spoke, and his voice shook the whole hall down to the bones of each being in it. "My friends, the time has come."

"The time of persecution, and oppression is past. Never will we be hurt and driven away again by those who preach their holy ideals but contradict them in the worst way possible. Now, we will do unto them, what they did onto us.

And now, I tell you: vengeance is upon us, for the great work has been completed, and now, the great purification has begun. Victory will be ours, and we will rule the stars again as we once did!" The figure left the stage, as the whole hall, and every ship and outpost that was tuning im burst into cheers and roars and battle cries as a myriad of small powers came together for the first time for a purpose of the most wicked sin of all, and a whole generation of species; no, souls, moved with a dark purpose towards their foe for many years to come.

-----------------

"I'm telling you, something's off with these sensors." Crewman Mike Reacher peered at his readings in the main command center of the IMDR StarTrain Depot. His colleague, Rose Fletcher looked over. "Maybe it's a malfunction. We haven't had any repairs done ever since it was built. Maybe something's broken."

"Hmm. Still, it's weird." He sighed and looked at one of the trains pulling in, hearing Rose picking up the radio as she keyed in the contact number for the particular StarTrain coming in. "This is the IMDR Depot Control to the Einstein StarTrain, you are clear to proceed to bay-" 

She never got to finish her sentence.

Mike heard a clatter of the radio falling on the panel, and a gurgling sound came a little while later. He turned just in time to see her fall onto her desk, a Bentari throwing dart sprouting from her neck, and a bright red blossom of blood growing from it. His hand went straight to his sidearm, but before he could even close the distance to the security locker, he felt the cold tang of a knife suddenly going into his back, going straight through his left lung and through the other side, causing a small spurt of his own blood to spurt from the wound as his eyes widened in horror. 

He pressed his comm, and tried to call for help from the security office, but all that came out was a strained gurgle, and it soon fell from his hands as he slipped from his chair, crashing down as he stared up into the cold eyes of a masked figure, all suited up in an environmental suit. But there was no mistaking the malice that glittered in his eyes, and as his vision slowly faded, he only had one thought in his mind.

Shit.

-----------------

"IMDR Depot Control, this is the Einstein StarTrain, please respond." The driver of the StarTrain pressed the comm again, to no reply. He frowned. Surely his comm wasn't already broken?

He bent down, tugging at the maintenance access hatch when he suddenly heard a clunk coming somewhere from the lower decks. A soft double ping from his info panel revealed a flashing light: Pressurized Access Door 8 open.

The broad shouldered american's eyes widened. "Not on my watch." he muttered as he quickly reached for another access hatch, one that concealed a completely different thing, and after unlocking it, pulled out a rayzer-a standard issue but powerful directed energy pistol.

Stepping back, he looked around the 2 levelled cockpit, which only had one access port, behind him. He carefully overrode the door, forcing it to close as he started to lock down the entire ship, depressurizing each deck as he went.

After almost every deck had lost it's air, except for the top one, holding his rayzer, he punched in the passcode and lent his fingerprint to the door, which slid open it's two layers of monowindium polymer armor, equipped to defend against even the worst of weapons. 

He peered through the gloom, trying to discern if anything was there when several explosive darts screeched past his ear, smashing into the panels behind him and disappearing in bright flashes of crimison fire and a loud bang, Shouting in surprise, he began returning fire, bolts of concentrated energy of his own shrieking past as he fumbled with the controls to get the doors shut. 

The narrow corridor that separated the staff section from the protected sanctuary of the cockpit was lit up with bright flashes of weapons fire, the automatic fire of Cryosian pressurized weapons, and the slow but steady return of turquoise energy pistol rounds. Finally managing to shut the door, he staggered back and squeezed off a few more shots before the shield closed in, sealing off everything and plunging the entire cockpit into silence as he collapsed into a nearby chair.

A hiss behind him was his only warning.

He jumped straight up, turning behind him and firing like crazy into the figure that stood behind the seat, screaming a battle cry as streak after streak of energy crashed with destructive force into the Bentari soldier who would have been his executioner had he waited a minute longer.

The soldier suddenly seemed surprised, then, as he looked down at all the wounds that had been blasted into him, crumpled and fell into a heap . The driver panted, and took a deep breath when a loud blast from behind propelled his body, slamming it into the panel nearby. 

He slowly slid down, and behind him he turned with his last movement to look at a second officer behind him, who, without a trace of emotion, unlocked the doors, letting in several more officers and soldiers all who sat down in the chairs where his flight crew might have sat.

There was a second one behind me...

For him, the story had ended, but for his foes, the story was just beginning. They barked commands at each other as they pressed buttons and pulled levers, awakening the big train as the compartments were repressurized and a few doors opened. "Cre'eel, the package has been stored and locked. Arming it now."

A rapid triple beep sounded. "The package has been armed and set for detonation." said one of the officers. His superior, looking down at him, said: "Begin launch sequence. Activate Interdimensional portal generators and bring inertial dampening fields and radiation shields to full power. Set course heading to 240 mark 023 and lay in a course for the Elysia station."

As each station called out their confirmation, the commander nodded, then pointed a finger ahead. "Then... engage. And let this day be shrouded in the history that is to come from what we are about to do today!" His crew roared, and seconds later they were engulfed in a bright flash of light: the light of a portal, taking them to the sixth dimension, and inevitably, their fate.

(The beginning of the build up had begun! As always, please feel free to let me know what you think could be improved and could be upgraded too. If you have any ideas for some plots that you want me to do please let me know!)