Episode VI:
When the Blades Meet.
 

Kate walked slowly down the deck. She was remembering the conversation she had just had with Sam. Her fate wasn’t sealed yet; the tapestry had not yet been woven. Kate rounded a corner, and came straight into the face of Vo’rant. The Vasudan was leaning up against a wall; the scabbard of his sword was pushed up against his back, wedged between him and the wall. “Leader for the Shivans.” Vo’rant started. Kate looked up.
“Vo’rant.” she said. The Vasudan stepped away from the wall.
“It is time.” Sam came around the corner, and continued on down the hall. Kate fingered the hilt of her sword. Kate nodded.

“How are we doing?” David asked, the officer checked his pad and looked up.
“We’ve got all the fighters transferred over, Cargo bay one has been transformed into a hydroponics bay, we should have plants beginning to grow in about a week, until then we can survive on rations and synthesised foods. All the fighters have been moved over, we have three squadron wings of twelve fighters. Do you need me to list of our fighters?” David shook his head. “Very well Sir. We have full ordinance on all weapon systems, we’re running low on shipboard missiles though, one bank empty.” David nodded. “We’ll have the subspace drives fully operational in two hours. The Crew of the Dunwitch Hill have been moved to empty quarters on the Requiem and the overflow has been taken care of.” David nodded as he packed the floor. “The Dunwitch Hill has a skeleton crew aboard, preparing the self destruct. We should be ready to depart in one hour. Well make further repairs to the subspace drive in flight.” The comm. panel beeped, David walked over and activated it.
“Go ahead.” He said.
“Admiral, long range scanners have picked up the Shivan battle group.” David nodded. The officer swallowed hard, David glanced up, then looked down at the panel again.
“What’s their ETA?” there was a pause. “Lieutenant.” David said.
“Half an hour sir.” David clicked off the panel. He turned to the officer.
“Step it up.” The officer saluted, turned and walked out of the room. David turned to the large window, he reached out and touched the screen, it didn’t give. He drew a few circles around the stars with his fingers.

Vo’rant drew his sword, it made a long metallic screech as it scratched against the metal. Kate walked up. “Prophesied.” He began, “my destiny has been chosen, but you must prove yourself worthy to me.” Kate nodded. She fingered the hilt of her sword.
“Vo’rant, Prophesied, you have sworn your sword to me, I will hold you to that promise.” Kate said, she pulled forth the blade of the dawn. The sword shined brightly in her hands. She felt its power fill her. She readied herself.
 Vo’rant charged, swinging in high, Kate dodged to the side, Vo’rant’s curved sword went through the air where she had stood. Vo’rant ran through, He turned suddenly. Vo’rant attacked, Kate guarded high, blocking the curved blade. Kate pushed Vo’rant’s sword down and out of the way, Vo’rant pulled his blade up and attacked again. Kate was ready; she shifted into her position and defended high again. She thrust her sword down pushing Vo’rant’s sword back.
Vo’rant struck over his head, Kate guarded, her sword raised high above her head, She guarded against the mighty swing of the Vasudan, his bone crushing blow was stopped by her sword, he pushed it down unto her, she winced with the pain of trying to push him off. She gave up, crouching she rolled out of the wall. Vo’rant’s sword fell into the ground. The Vasudan looked up, Kate had got to her feet, and was prepared for Vo’rant’s second attack.

“How close are is the Shivan Battle fleet?” David asked, sweat began to bead on his forehead. He looked around the bridge of the GTI Dunwitch Hill an officer turned around in a chair.
“Long range scanners just picked them up. Ten minutes until they’ve entered firing Range. Fighters are already coming in.” David nodded; he looked over at the lieutenant. He shook his head. David balled a fist.
“Get our fighters out there, see if they can buy us any time. Start moving crews over.” David looked about, searching the room for someone as the officers buzzed about. “Where’s Captain Morrison?” An officer checked her console.
“Recreation deck one sir.” David nodded.
“Call him.” The officer tried, she spoke into a small microphone.
“I can’t sir.” David swore.

Sam lifted his hand away from the sparking remains of the wall comm. panel. Kate and Vo’rant didn’t even budge, their swords flashed like fire. Each jumping, crashing into the other, and then falling back again, only to leap up again for another hit.
Vo’rant struck from the side, Kate guarded, As Vo’rant hit she pushed his sword high she pulled it over her head, and clanged it into the floor. Vo’rant pulled free from under Kate’s sword. He swung down from above. Kate pulled herself up, she moved to the side and clamped her sword in both hands, she guided Vo’rant's sword straight down into the ground. Vo’rant suddenly jumped forward. Kate pushed herself back. Vo’rant spun into a ball, taking his sword out of the ground, he stood and turned. Kate pushed herself back up.
Vo’rant attacked. Slicing at Kate, she guarded, slowly stepping backwards. Hit after hit, drew her a little farther back. She suddenly jumped to the side, Vo’rant sliced and missed. Kate struck out for Vo’rant's head, the Vasudan pushed himself backward, missing the shot initially. He swung his blade up, pushing Kate’s over to the side. Kate recoiled and went in for another attack.
Vo’rant guarded high, he forced Kate’s sword down to eye level. “You can do better then that Terran!” Vo’rant said as he pushed Kate off. Kate fell down, she hit the floor rather hard, She spun around, and felt the blood coming from her lip with her hand. Vo’rant gave a smile half pain, and half satisfaction.
Kate raised her sword up, she closed her eyes, She suddenly opened them again, She stung out at Vo’rant, the Vasudan suddenly lost his smile. Kate struck to the right, Then to the left, at a speed that Vo’rant had never seen before in his life. She spun up high, and then down low faster then Vo’rant could react. She threw his sword high up into the air.

“Fighters have engaged Shivan ships.” David nodded. “How are we doing?” David asked, the lieutenant check his pad.
“Half the survivors have moved over to the Requiem, well have everyone over in ten minutes.” David nodded. He turned to the tactical officer.
“How long until the Shivans arrive.” The officer turned.
“Five minutes Sir.” David swore. The Shivans were getting closer, they wouldn’t be ready and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Kate and Vo’rant watched the sword fly high into the air. Suddenly Vo’rant was in the air, he caught the sword and fell to the floor with a strong hit. The whole Station rocked as fire from the Shivan beam cannon’s ripped into the station.

“Begin the attack.” Ma’Krandoc said, Officers ran about, the tactical displays showed the station, fire leapt across the Terran installation. “They were obviously not prepared for our attack.” Blasts shot out of the few beam turrets that the Station had. They crashed into one of the smaller craft in the attack fleet. “Destroy the Leader for the Shivans.”  One of the officers floated over to Ma’Krandoc.
“Lord, the Destroyer is powering up its engines.” Ma’Krandoc pushed him off.
“Don’t worry, our preliminary scans show that, that destroyer is badly damaged. It will not get far.  “I will be avenged.” The Shivan backed off from Ma’Krandoc.
“Yes, Lord.” The Shivan resumed its post.
“Continue the attack!” Ma’Krandoc yelled.

The station rocked and yawed. Fire exploded from one of the light fixtures on the bridge. David grabbed a hold of one of the arms on his chairs. “Return Fire!” He yelled. David turned to the lieutenant; he was hanging unto the wall for dear life. “Report.” The lieutenant checked a pad.
“We got two minutes until everyone is over.” David nodded.
“Damage report.” He yelled. Someone yelled from across the bridge.
“Damage on half the decks. We’re on fire and sinking fast.” David nodded.
“Time to go.” He looked around the bridge, all faces turned to look at him. “Everyone get on the destroyer.” Nobody moved. One of the officers stood.
“Sir.” She began; another bolt hit the Dunwitch Hill. “I believe I speak for everyone here when I say,” she looked around. “We’ve lived with this station, and now we’ll die with her, to protect the Leader for the Shivans.” David nodded slowly.
“Your right. He sat down in his chair. Regain full power to the weapons, let’s hit them with everything we got.” David turned in his chair to look at the Lieutenant. “Allen, get Samuel Morrison and Kate to the Requiem.” Allen walked up to David.
“No David, your place is there, not here.” Light flashed as another lighting fixture fell down behind Allen. David saw a flash around the man, a face in Allen’s that was not his own.
“Stonefox?” David asked, half questioningly, Allen smiled.
“Go.” Allen said, he reached out and placed a hand on David’s arm.
“That ship needs you. They need you.” David stood.
“I’ll never forget you.” David said walking out of the room.
“You never have.” The door closed behind the Admiral. Stonefox sat down into the chair. He looked up high into the ceiling. He closed his eyes. “Thank you Vo’tion.” Another light fixture exploded out into the room. The light was gone, the emergency lights light up, the room was bathed in the bright red lights. Blood seem to drip over everything. Allen looked down and into the screens. “Target that main destroyer. Blow that ship to hell!” blasts exploded from the Dunwitch Hill striking the main cruiser of the Shivan attack force.

Kate and Vo’rant continued their struggle as the lights around them exploded, panels began to smoke. Ridow ran over with a fire extinguisher and put out most of the fires. Vo’rant pushed Kate back as she guarded high and then low. She suddenly stood her ground. David ran into the room.
Kate meat Vo’rant’s blade high, arms outstretched Vo’rant didn’t move his sword. Kate spun around and struck Vo’rant’s sword. All the lights in the room exploded in one massive blast. A bright light hit the in tire room, David guarded his eyes, Dove and Ridow almost fell down.

A shock wave of light filled the in tire space. It spread out from the station. The wave bounced up and down as it spread out. It struck the Shivan vessels; a small cruiser couldn’t take the stress and exploded. The wave passed over Terran fighters without disruption, but exploded the Shivan vessels in front of them. Ma’Krandoc’s destroyer was pushed over. Lights exploded and Shivans yelled.
Ma’Krandoc regained his footing. “What was that?” He asked. All his screens were showing black and white static. “Regain systems.” Shivans floated about.
“We’re trying.” Ma’Krandoc threw a Shivan out of the way.
“Fools.” The screens returned. The carnage was displayed before him. “Continue the assault.” It took a while for the cruiser to re-establish a lock.

A shout of excitement exploded from the bridge. Vo’rant looked over at the wall, bathed in red light. The sword of Vo’tion stuck from the wall. He fell to one knee. “Prophesied, my sword, my name, are yours.” Kate nodded; she helped the Vasudan up, and slid her sword back into its scabbard. Vo’rant walked over to his sword, and pulled it from the wall, he slid it back down into its scabbard.
“Now let’s get the hell out of here.” David led the way; they all ran down the hallway. The Station took another hit and rocked from side to side. They ran down the docking tube and walked unto the Requiem. Ridow hit the closing button on the hatch. The hatch closed slowly. David smashed his fist into the comm. unit.
“Detach, get us to the node.” The struts around the hatch exploded away from the Requiem, the mighty vessel gave a long metallic screech as it’s engines engaged fully and it began to move away from the station.

Ma’Krandoc looked at the moving vessel, it was running, but why did the station still fight. “What’s going on?” One of the Shivans behind him spoke up.
“They’re running, they cowards.” Ma’Krandoc grabbed the Shivan and bashed him up against the wall, the did it again, and then tossed the Shivan down the hallway, the Shivan crashed into the wall, and began to spin.
“Fool, a Terran alone might be a coward, but I know the men that lead these destroyers, and they are no cowards.” Ma’Krandoc looked back at the scene. “The Destroyer runs, yet the station keeps firing… why?” Then it suddenly hit him, like the fire of a thousand suns scorching his skin. “They’re covering their escape. The Leader for the Shivans is on that ship!” Ma’Krandoc turned to an officer. “Stop attacking the station, fire on that destroyer!” The mighty ships turned to engage the Terran destroyer, running.

Allen stood. “Damn.” He said slowly. “They’ve figured it out, but perhaps we can use the shock wave.” He thought for a second, then spoke up. “That large destroyer is too smart to destroy us, perhaps some of the other ones won’t be as smart.” He pointed at the scene. “Target some of those smaller cruisers.” Beams shot across space towards the moving ships. They cut across three destroyers. The three of them turned and began to fire on the station again. “Yes, come on you slippery Shivan scum. Teach us a lesson.” The power of three destroyers cut through the station.

Ma’Krandoc suddenly stopped. He looked over at the three cruisers. “No! Idiots. They’ll destroy the station, contact them, now! We’re too close to that station.” The officers tried but it was too late.

“Time to die you Shivan sons of -“ The station exploded in a massive fireball, the three cruisers tried to run, they crashed into each other, the shock wave hit them and ripped them apart. Ma’Krandoc’s destroyer was hit with the blast, the ship was tossed about like a toy boat in a bathtub.
The Requiem reached the jump node a few minutes later. It powered up its engines and flew into subspace. Ma’Krandoc’s scream could be heard across space and time. Sam felt it; he shivered, and smiled.
The Requiem speed through subspace, the colourful blue lights filled the bridge. David felt as if a thousand eyes were watching him, slowly boring holes into his mind. Had that really been Stonefox on the bridge of the Dunwitch Hill? Perhaps not, perhaps so. David could never tell anymore. Glowing Swords, Shock waves of energy that don’t affect ships with Terran and Vasudan energy signatures, the dead coming back to life, the list went on and on. These were things best suited to a Fantasy novel, not to his little Science fiction world of the present. He watched the small spinning white light at the end of the astral tunnel that made up subspace. What was subspace, no one really know, no one ever would. It shouldn’t exist. Scientists told them, while looking down at them, that subspace was perfectly natural and fit with all those laws that some scientist long since dead, made up by watching the moon float around the earth as the bomb shells ran down into the night.
Sam walked unto the bridge; David was still in a daze. Sam walked up next to David. The Admiral didn’t move. “Beautiful isn’t it?” David suddenly snapped out of his trance. He nodded. “Almost like a tunnel through another world, a world that never was and will always be.” David gave a short laugh.
“Since when did you become a philosopher?” David looked over at the Admiral sitting in his big chair.
“The Day I died.” Sam said slowly. David turned to look at Sam.
“That’s the one thing about all this I never got. What the hell is going on here? People coming back from the dead, taking over bodies, glowing swords, what is this? Some kind of magic?” Sam gave a small laugh, he walked forward.
“When the first explorers came to China on the Silk Road, and saw fireworks for the first time, they thought that was magic. But now we know it’s a simple chemical combination and a small bit of fire. Just because science can’t explain it, doesn’t mean it’s magic. Hell, in the future we may discover that when we die, whatever chemicals make us who we are, are transported to a parallel universe, and that those chemicals can be brought back through this barrier. And added to someone else.” David stood out of his chair and joined Sam on the deck plates.
“And then all those religious types will have the last laugh.” Sam smiled.
“Perhaps.” Sam turned a slight bit, so that he was half-facing David, and half looking out the view-screen. “You afraid of a little unknown Science David?” David smiled.
“No, I’m afraid of not understand it.” Sam nodded slowly.
“So are we all.” The two figures stood there on the bridge for quite some time each looking out into the darkness, and bright swirling mists of subspace. The Dunwitch Hill was gone, and their journey had begun. Sam turned slowly to look at David. “Come.” He began. “I have some more magic to show you.” David frowned, as if he had enough problems to worry about, like getting back home. But something in Sam’s eyes told David that he would be getting back home a lot quicker then he had ever realised, but that their journey wasn’t about to end with getting back to Terran Space.

    To be continued…
 
 

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

Episode VII:
The Ancient Gift