A warm gust of evening air blew past me, flicking up sand that related against my suit and stung my face as I looked off into the distance. This planetary rotation was waning, and the red suns were already falling across the horizon, lighting up the skies with brilliant deep crimson and maroon colors that reflected across the endless pool of glimmering blue water before me.
Taking a long breath, I watched as the suns disappeared completely behind the rolling ocean in the distance, taking all of the light with them and casting my home world in darkness.
It was time.
Turning away from the water, I made my way back to the base where my brothers awaited me. All the while, the environment around me began to change with the vanishing of suns and the coming of darkness. As I marched, the lush ground beneath me came to life, alighting in a luminescent glow with each of my steps startling awake the nocturnal life forms residing there. The Duresca trees that surrounded me too began to light up, reflecting the light of the moon to glow a rich emerald green that lit the path for my return.
It wasn't long until I had navigated my way through the lush forest back to the base, stopping just before the entrance of the large silver structure before me. Though before I entered, I turned back, taking one last look up into the sky to see the countless reflections of light of distant planets and systems speckling the endless darkness above. Lighting its own path for my people to take, tonight.
Turning away, I approached the large base until I stood before the large silver wall of the towering entrance. My eyes fell down to my reflection against the wall, where the intelligence system immediately recognized my presence.
WELCOME BACK GENERAL CANDORE
The base's robotic intelligence system greeted me as the wall I stood before vanished in a silver glimmering ripple, allowing me passage.
Stepping inside, my steps echoed across the endless hallways as I made my way deeper into the base and toward the hangar where the entirety of my fleet awaited. A crowd of anxious voices began sounding around me, their deep baritone whispers echoing against the walls as I passed.
They were anxious, as was I. The news we had received earlier today was unbelievable and sparked a frenzy of excitement and anxiety throughout our fleet as word spread and our preparations for the mission began.
As I grew nearer, the voices hushed on cue as I approached the hangar and came to a stop at the doorway that vanished to allow me entry. Immediately the dozens of soldiers paused in their communications to stop, raising their hands to salute when my form appeared before them.
"At ease, soldiers," I announced, my voice emanating throughout the room as I entered. At my command, the soldiers rested in their salutes yet remained attentive and silent, their eyes swirling with excitement as I passed.
I made my way across the line of soldiers who bowed as I walked by until I stopped before the one I had appointed to be my second in command following Vorian's disappearance. His long dark hair was tightly braided to his scalp for battle, exposing the long black scar that ran down his temple across his left eye and down to his lip. As I approached, Ronan followed my movements with his eyes. However, his left eye remained dull and gray, unseeing.
The memory of how he had gotten that scar was still fresh in my mind, but it served as a reminder of his valor and competence in battle. Which made him the only logical choice to lead such an important mission.
"Ronan, how are the preparations coming along?" I asked and the tall Zurian saluted me before responding.
"Preparations have been completed as you commanded, General," Ronan replied and I nodded.
"Good, then we will take our leave now." I began before turning to the line of soldiers who still stood at attention, watching and awaiting my next command.
"Load the ships and get ready for take-off, we are leaving now!" I commanded the room and instantly the soldiers responded.
"Yes, sir!" They all repeated in unison before scrambling from their posts to prepare their ships for take off. I observed them momentarily as they began gathering supplies and blasters alike, arming themselves as they rushed inside their fleet ships to await my command. Only the most capable of Zurians were chosen for this mission, leaving the rest of the planet to wait in anxious expectation until we return.
Out of the corner of my vision, I noticed Ronan had begun to make his way to his own ship and I stopped him just in time. "Wait," I called out to Ronan, making him pause in his steps. I watched as he pivoted, instantly turning his focus back on me.
"I need you to pilot the transportation vessel. If Commander Vorian's message was true, then it is our utmost priority that this vessel remains protected," I explained and Ronan nodded.
"Of course, sir. It would be my honor," Ronan replied, though I could see the disappointment cross his face. Piloting a transportation vessel would remove him from the action, which he above all would be most justified to want to be a part of. Yet, given his reasons, I couldn't allow it. I couldn't have emotion compromising the mission.
Stepping forward, I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry yourself, your brother is strong. We will get him back one way or another."
"Yes, sir." Ronan said, bowing to me before taking off in the opposite direction.
My gaze followed him as he expertly navigated his way through the crowded hangar, the reflection of his blaster attached to his hip dancing across the sleek exterior of dozens of fighter ships before he approached the main vessel and stepped inside. Once he was out of sight, I let my eyes wander over the large transportation ship with an air of disbelief and wonder.
It was a large ship, towering over all the other small fighter ships. It was a ship meant to transport thousands of beings at once, something I never thought we would have the chance to use, until today.
Upon receiving the emergency message from Commander Vorian, our base lit up in a maelstrom of flashing lights and alarms before the intelligence system relayed the message to me. A message I replayed in my mind over and over again, still in disbelief.
This is Commander Vorian reporting from the Terra Quadrant. I am reporting a mission success. I repeat, I am reporting a mission success. I am requesting backup to my location immediately. Prepare for hostiles upon arrival.
Upon hearing this message broadcasted, the entire hangar erupted in cheers and cries of disbelief. I too was overwhelmed with relief and joy at first, until I remembered the Commander's last words.
Prepare for hostiles upon arrival.
Vorian had said. It was a vague statement, but enough to immediately shift my mood into one far more wary.
Vorian was a capable commander, and upon his sudden disappearance, I sent scouting ships across the galaxy to try and locate him but to no avail. His disappearance sent our entire fleet into disarray as it was the first time any fleet member had failed to return from a mission. As Zurians, our race was among the most capable and technologically advanced in the galaxy. To have a fleet member as capable as Commander Vorian go missing, was more than disheartening for the whole fleet.
As a result, all missions were immediately stalled as everyone reeled from such a tragic loss. Hope was slowly disappearing until his message sparked a new wave. It was like new life had been brought back to our world, and everyone was buzzing with anxious hope that perhaps there was a solution for our species after all.
Upon receiving his message, we were able to locate his ship by tracing the coordinates of where the message was transmitted and we began preparations immediately. He had sent the message from an unknown yellow star system within Terra Quadrant; an unexplored portion of a faraway galaxy that originally was assumed to have no signs of intelligent life.
It was far away from Zur, one of the farthest quadrants from our planet, and it would take a few solar rotations to get there even traveling at hyper speed. So we had to leave, immediately. There was no time to waste.
With that thought, I turned away from the transport vessel and made my way to my own ship. My ship's automatic door opened upon approaching and I stepped inside. Entering my ship, I was immediately greeted by my ship's computer system that lit up the panel of controls as I settled into the pilot's seat.
"Systems engage," I commanded and the computer immediately responded.
SYSTEMS ENGAGED.
My ship replied, and the viewing panel of my ship peeled back to reveal the hangar with tens of dozens of ships lined up awaiting my command.
My eyes scanned the hangar and I took a steadying breath. "Engage fleet communications network."
My ship's reply wasn't long in coming.
COMMUNICATIONS ENGAGED.
Keeping my eyes on the awaiting ships, I spoke.
"This is General Candore contacting all fleet members, follow my lead and prepare for take-off," I announced, my message emanating to every ship in the fleet through our connected computer systems.
Then, without wasting any more time, I leaned forward, placing my hands on my ship's navigational toggles. Engaging the ship's thrusters, I expertly navigated my ship to hover off the ground before turning toward the large hangar wall.
As soon as my ship left the ground, my fleet followed. The hangar echoed with the sound of dozens of thrusters engaging as ships lifted off the ground to follow me, including the loud rumbling sound of the large transport vessel powered by the skillful Ronan.
Approaching the hangar wall, the silver barrier slowly evaporated before my ship, allowing us to exit. Guiding my ship out of the hangar, I took off directly into the dark skies above and off into the stars.
The fleet was quick to follow behind and as soon as we left the thick barrier of Zur's outer atmosphere, I glanced down at my ship's navigational panel.
"Plot a course to the Terra Quadrant," I ordered my ship before engaging the communications line once again to contact my fleet.
"Prepare for a hyperspace jump," I announced to my fleet as my ship plotted a path to Commander Vorian's location. I watched as my ship's navigational system finished setting a course before I glanced out my viewing panel one last time.
I let my eyes wander the vast expanse of space and I found my gaze falling to my own blaster strapped to my hip as I replayed Vorian's warning in my mind. For him to say that the planet he was on was hostile, was surely nothing to be underestimated. We would be prepared, or die trying.
With that thought, I made my final order.
"Ship, engage hyperspace jump to Terra Quadrant," I ordered and my ship immediately began to rumble.
ENGAGING HYPERSPACE JUMP.
My ship's computer system replied as the stars around me began to blur and stretch around my viewing panel as my ship lurched forward, sending me on a hyper-speed jump through the galaxy, hurdling toward an unknown planet where a hostile welcome was awaiting us along with the potential solution to save our dying world.