Episode X
Balestra Step, Balestra Lung
 

 Who am I? I don’t know anymore. Once, so very long ago, I knew who I was. But now, now I do not know. I lost myself, so very long ago, in that first war, that first conflict; I lost myself in what I said, in what I preached. I damned myself to this hell that I, and I alone created.
 What am I? I don’t know anymore. Once, so very long ago, I could look down at my own hands and know that I was what I was. But now, now, after so much has happened, after so much has changed, I can no longer recognize myself, who I am and what I am is all lost to me.
 No, forget all that, I know who I am, and I know what I am. I am the goodness that exists in the darkness; I am the light in the bleakest, darkest, night. I am that guiding light, a strong singular beacon on a lighthouse. The pain I feel inside is not a dissolution of what I am not, but it is what I have become, it knows me and I know it, I am strong, and I will survive.
 I created my pain, and I will defeat it, it knows that, and it is afraid. So in this cascading nebula, the colorful mist that mixes is me. I am that which is not.

  Ma’Krandoc passed the floor of the Rish’tan’s bridge. The Terran watched him quietly. He had changed his clothes again, now wearing a black overcoat. Ma’Krandoc suddenly stopped. An officer turned.
 “Sir, we have located the Terran Destroyer Requiem.” Ma’Krandoc floated down in a hurry, the man with the black coat pushed himself off the wall and slowly floated from that direction. He had gravity boots, but he hadn’t switched them on. “Sir, they are heading for the Icaris Black Hole.” Ma’Krandoc turned slightly as the man with the black coat floated over.
 “Set course for the Icaris Black Hole.” The Navigation officer twitched. He finally spoke up.
 “But sir, the Icaris Black Hole is one of the strongest in known space, no ship has ever escaped from it. There is even a moon which is being sucked in.” Ma’Krandoc sneered, he slid forth his dual blades. The Navigation officer suddenly sprung to the panel. “Setting course.” Ma’Krandoc relaxed his blades.
 “What does the Triplicate say about this?” Ma’Krandoc asked. The man in the black coat swallowed softly.
 “The Triplicate has perfect confidence in you. Now, if you will excuse me Lord, I have business to attend to.” Ma’Krandoc turned back to the small scanner screen, he watched the small blip move across the screen. The man in the black coat walked into a lift, the machine hummed as it began to move down away from the bridge. The man in the black coat flipped open a small hand held communication device. He spoke into it. “Prepare my personal shuttle.” A voice came back over the device; it was obvious that it was a Terran.
 “The Triplicate will not be pleased that you are leaving your post.” The man in the black coat looked around slowly, and then went back to the comm. unit.
 “You do not know my post.” The man in the black coat began. “Prepare the shuttle.” There was an ‘affirmative’ from the other side. The man in the black coat shut off the device, and stuffed it back into his coat. “Ma’Krandoc is dead, he just doesn’t know it yet.” The lift continued.
 Ma’Krandoc slammed his fist down into the machine. The screen blinked for a second, and then fitted back into its proper mode. The man in the black coat fidgeted on the screen.
 “Bastered.” Ma’Krandoc said slowly. The officer spoke quietly to the lord.
 “Shall I have him killed lord?” He asked slowly. Ma’Krandoc shook his head.
 “No, let the dog go, let him report back to the Triplicate, I will show them all.” Ma’Krandoc stepped away from the small screen. He looked around slowly, gave a small laugh, he looked up at the main screen. “Get us out of here.” He said, the navigation officer hit a few keys, and the massive jump engines of the destroyer engaged. The Rish’tan moved slowly into subspace.

 Kate looked out into the field of stars. They were headed for a Black Hole, a massive hole so powerful that light itself couldn’t even escape its mighty grasp. Sam had told them to go there, it would act like a Knossos, and send them spiraling towards whatever direction they faced when they went into subspace. It was dangerous, and almost impossible, they would have to time the jump right, and what would stop them from being pulled in? The gravity well of that massive dragon would surly tare them to pieces. But Sam was confident, he was sure they would survive.
But now Kate didn’t know if he was still sane. Perhaps Sam’s death and rebirth had twisted his soul in such a way as to drive him to the brink of insanity. Or perhaps the man was insane, leading them on this quest for death. Kate turned sharply.
 No, that was impossible, none of this made any sense anymore. She reached for her sword, Samuel Morrison’s sword, the sword of the leader for the Shivans. They called the sword; The Blade of the Dawn. And as legend had it, there was another sword, just like it, called; The Blade of the Twilight. Whoever made up these legends had a serious flare for the dramatics.
 “Are you alive?” Kate asked the sword.
 “What do you think?” A voice came from within the shadows. Ridow emerged and walked up to her, they were both bathed in the only light of the room. The small twinkling stars on the monitor.
 “I don’t know.” She said after a long silence. She gripped the hilt and drew the sword from its scabbard. Ridow reached over and fumbled Kate’s band at the end of her long braid; he held it up to his face. “I don’t know about that either.” Ridow let it fall, it swung back and forth at the small of her back. Warning lights sounded as the screen began to display subspace.
 “Warning, ship leaving subspace.” There was a sudden bright light, and then the screen was back to stars. Except this time, off in the distance, was a large swirling mass.
 “The black hole.” Ridow said slowly. Kate nodded. A moon loomed in the event horizon of the massive rip in light. It was somehow glowing, as if, for this moon, and this moon alone, light could defeat the gravity well and pull itself out to meet the great ship. More jumpnodes opened, and from it expelled a great Destroyer. Kate suddenly grew stern.
 “Shivans.” Ridow nodded. “I know that ship.” Something struck Kate, she fell back, Ridow reached out and she fell into his arms.
 “Kate!” David said, in a half-muffled voice.

Swirling dust, the spinning Hole untop of them, pulling at them… a burning Destroyer, the Revenge, burning, wreckage… The Requiem, spinning out of control towards the hole in space and time itself… A Shivan, laughing, looking at her, Ridow’s there, Dove, Vo’rant as well… The Shivan shoots a blast from his shoulder cannon… She yells… Ridow hits the ground… the bridge explodes… Samuel Morrison reaches out towards her, and…

 “Kate!” Ridow keeps yelling. Kate was on the floor, she reached up and grabbed at his shirt. Ridow lets her get a grip, he takes a hold of her wrist and helps her to her feet.
“What was that?” Kate shook her head.
 “I don’t know, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.” They rushed off to the bridge.

 “… and we have a Shivan destroyer behind us, and that thing out there is blasting us with temporal waves.” David said slowly. Kate nodded. “That’s why we can see that moon, the light from it is trapped in faze, it’s here one moment, the next it could disappear forever.” An officer turned around.
 “Sir, they’re launching fighters.” David turned around, Kate nodded, she started for the door. Ridow smiled.
 “Finally some action!” He turned and ran out of the room.

 Sam was waiting for them when they emerged from the ready room. Sam looked over the crew, he had a quirky smile on his face. Kate and the rest of their party walked up to Sam. He stood looking at them. “Black Sparrows” He began. “you will be engaging multiple targets. Keep them away from the destroyer, but do not engage the destroyer. Leave that one to us.” Behind Sam were three Perseus fighters and a Horus interceptor. “All the usual refinements. Your bays are full with harpoon and Hornet class missiles. I’ve managed to get you UD-8 Kaiser Xaser’s, but you’ll have to live with a second fire bank of HL’7’s. Suback class.” Sam began to leave. Kate and the rest of them looked over at their fighters, they didn’t look any different. Vo’rant walked up to the Horus interceptor, the flight crew looked over at him strangely. One of them spoke up.
 “You want something Captain?” one of the flight crews asked. Vo’rant was puzzled.
 “I would like to get at my fighter.” The Flight crew officer began to laugh.
 “This isn’t your fighter, Sir.” Vo’rant started to look around the Horus interceptor. Dove followed, Kate began to walk forward. Ridow followed Kate. “That, is your fight.” There on the deck sat a silver bird, the likes of which this galaxy had never seen before, nor would it ever see again. There, on its bright silver hull was a single black sigil. It was a white bird, hard shape, and created out of simple straight lines. The sigil had no squadron number on it, the bird was cut in half, and had a motion blur as if it was trying to get away from something. Vo’rant walked up to the silver craft. He placed a hand on its hull. He read of the words slowly.
 “Black.” He began. “Sparrows.” The rest of the team was coming over to their fighters. Ridow smiled, he stopped a moment.
 “Well I’ll be damned.”  Kate stepped up the ladder and nestled herself in the cockpit. The work teams pulled the ladder away, one of the helped the air hoses to find their way into her helmet. Kate hung out the cockpit.
 “You boy’s coming? I don’t know about you but I want to try out my shiny new toy.” Ridow smiled and found his fighter. Dove paused. Vo’rant walked over.
 “Something wrong?” he asked slowly, Dove shook his head. “Well let me tell you, killing Shivans is a lot more fun then hunting down Vasudans.” Dove smiled.
 “I would hope so.” Vo’rant smiled. “Let’s show them what the GTVA is made of.”

 “Alpha wing check in.” Kate said.
 “This is Alpha 2, ready to go.” Ridow said happily.
 “Alpha 3 is good to go.” Dove said.
 “Alpha 4 roger.” Vo’rant said.
 “Alpha wing keep formation, this is about to get hairy.” Kate looked around her, the radar showed multiple targets, she checked her instruments and switched the comm. back on. “You with us back there Beta?” There was nothing, then a strong Scottish voice came over the comm.
 “This is Beta wing, following your ahead alpha lead.” Kate smiled. “Whichever wing kills the least enemy bogies buys the drinks.” Kate smiled. Ridow spoke up.
 “Well Black Sparrows that sounds like a challenge to me.” Kate nodded. Kate’s screen light up.
 “Alpha wing and Beta wing, please keep your mind on the target.” Kate began to laugh. They flew for another few meters, those enemies were getting close. A blast shot out of the Revenge, the Requiem felt the hit, but kept on moving.
 “The Requiem has engaged the enemy. All fighters, break and attack.” Ridow came over the comm. unit.
 “My three favorite words.” Ridow hit his afterburners and flew past Kate. Kate smiled, she hit her engines and followed him. A second later, they were in the middle of it. Kate was locked unto Katana 1, the lead enemy fighter. The swift tawny Asteroth class fighter pulled itself around Kate’ it began firing into her back shields. Kate grit her teeth and hit the flight stick over hard. She also hit the maneuvering thrusters hard, giving her an awkward spin. Blasts from the quick Asteroth spun around her, one blast came too close to her cockpit. It bounced off her front shields, but Kate still pulled her head over to one side, as if the blast was going to hit her in the face. Kate pulled herself out of the role and straightened her fighter, before the Asteroth could fire again she launched two countermeasures.
 The two spinning spheres split apart into a thousand shining pieces. The Asteroth thought it was a new bomb and pulled up sharply. Kate shut down her engines and watched the Asteroth pass overhead. She kicked in her power and followed the swift Shivan fighter. She pummeled the back shields of the enemy fighter until it had none left. Before the Shivan could realize his error Kate sent a harpoon into its engines. The missile shot forth, it’s four wings sliced out, and the missile began to push itself towards the enemy fighter. Right into the engines, the missile found its mark in the enemy fighter. The Shivan exploded in a fiery light. Kate smiled as the image of the exploding Shivan fighter glowed in her face.

 Ridow had found himself two lovely dancing partners. The tow fighters were chasing Beta four. “A little help over here.” The fighter pilot said. Ridow smiled.
 “I’m right behind you Beta four, I want you to do exactly as I say.” The pilot acknowledged. The Two Shivan fighters kept attacking Beta Four’s back shields. Sweat bedded on Ridow’s brow. “When I give the word aim your fighter straight up and hit your afterburners.
 “All right.” Beta four said, shacking with fear.
 “Wait for it.” Ridow said slowly. “Wait for it.” Ridow switched over to hornet missiles. “Double fire on.” Ridow said quietly to his fighter. “Disengaged targeting computer.” The red targeters disappeared from his HUD. “Wait for it.” He smiled as the two ships came close together. “now!” He yelled. Beta four hit skyward at amazing speed. Ridow fired his missiles. Twelve missiles blasted forth without a target and without warning. Their blue tails streaking across space. The missile found the shields of the two fighters, they ripped through shield and hull, and the two fighters died in the incandescent night of space.  Ridow spun his craft, the blue tails of the missiles rapping around his craft. He flew through the explosion. “Reengage targeting computer.” A red dot lit up on his radar, and the missile  fire key suddenly light up on his dash. Ridow launched a countermeasure and spun his craft in a circle, the enemy Mara flew straightforward. Ridow smiled, “There’s always a straggler.” He waited for the lock, and fired. Twelve more missiles shot from his bays. The fighter had nowhere to go, it exploded with the impact.
 “Wasn’t that a little overkill?” Vo’rant asked. Ridow smiled.
 “Not in the least.” He began to laugh.

 The battle between the Revenge and the Requiem was growing, the exchange of fire kept up. Red bolts struck the Requiem with minimal force. The Requiem poured blast after blast into the Shivan destroyer. Sweat was forming on David’s face. “keep firing.” Another blast hit the Requiem. The ship shook. An officer turned sharply.
“Sir, the gavametric field of the Black hole has begun to pull both ships in.” David nodded.
 “Recall all fighters.” He said slowly. “prepare for the jump to subspace.” Another hit came from the enemy destroyer. “All gunners, target her engines. The Black hole will do the rest.” David realized why Sam had wanted them to get to that Ancient device so badly. With this armor they’d be able to survive the black hole for just a little bit longer.

 The Revenge pitched and yawed. “Sir, our fire is having no effect.” One of the officers turned around.
` “Sir, if we continue on this course the black hole will destroy us.” There was nothing left but hatred in the eyes of Ma’Krandoc. His crew had already begun to flee in escape pods. They were being sucked in and his crew was leaving him there to die, alone, and cold, and all he could think about now was vengeance. Another hit struck the Revenge, it’s blood seeped into space.
 “Sir they’ve hit the Engines, we’re going down.” The crew ran, Ma’Krandoc tried to stop a few of them, but they we’re already gone. They had abandoned him there, there trapped in time for all eternity to think of his vengeance. Then he saw the strange glowing planet, being pulled slowly down into the dark vortex. He was headed straight for it. He smiled.
 “It isn’t over yet.” He began to laugh.

 Kate walked unto the bridge of the Requiem. David was watching the burning hulk of the Revenge float slowly down to the planet. Sam didn’t look happy.
 “I’ve got to go down there.” He said slowly. Kate furrowed her brow.
 “But why?” She asked. Sam watched the burning ship fall.
“Because it is the end of my journey, lying down there, on that planet, amongst the burning wreckage of a thousand years. I must face the final act.” Kate knew what Sam was talking about.
 “We’ve defeat them, there’s no reason for you to die, come with us.” Sam shook his head. He turned and looked at Kate, he smiled.
 “You’re much like Susan.” He almost laughed. “perhaps to be with her, or perhaps to save this universe. You forget that I am already dead. This does not matter.” Kate nodded.
 “Then take this with you.” She drew her sword. Sam placed two fingers on the blade and pushed it down. He shook his head.
 “no.” he began. “There is no need.” Kate slid the sword back into its scabbard.
 “Then I’m coming with you.” Sam began to say something but Kate cut him off. “I am coming with you.” Sam nodded.
 “well you are the Leader for the Shivans, and how can I argue with that.” He smiled. All right. Kate and Sam took off. David spoke up.
 “Take care old friend.” David said slowly. Sam stopped and looked back. He walked forward, he fingered the ring around his finger, he slowly slid it off. Sam reached out and took David hand. He placed the ring in David’s palm Sam closed David’s fingers around it.
 “You carried this once for me, old friend.” He said slowly. “Now carry it again.” David nodded. Sam walked away, the doors to the bridge took a thousand years to close. David watched after his old friend leave. “goodbye old friend.” Sam said as the doors closed. “Goodbye.”
 “Goodbye, may you be carried gently on the backs of whales my old friend.” The revenge crashed into the planet, and a small transport left the Requiem, and for one solitary moment, you could have sworn that it was the Galatea.
 
 
    To be continued…
 
 
 

Leader for the Shivans 3: Journey from Dunwitch hill
Will continue with:

Episode XI:
The Second showdown