Forming The Blockade

Posted on 14 Jul 2019 @ 9:56am by Story Teller

411 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: Truth and Justice
Location: Penduli V
Timeline: MD 15 || 1145 hours

The Aketi Commander Varke stood in the center of his ship's control center, his arms crossed in front of his body. Though no one could see the scowl hidden under his mask, his entire crew knew full well the displeasure the man felt. Nearly three months ago, he and two other ships encountered a massive vessel, the size and design unlike anything seen in the zone. It had been floating, tumbling, damaged and helpless. His fellow commanders begged him to destroy it. Being the senior commander and seeing an opportunity to learn, he seized it. The vessel's crew was discovered to be mindless, but not without teeth.

Varke made a mistake that day, and it cost him the lives of fifty Guardians and three vessels, including his own. The Chief Guardian was most displeased with the final result, yet he did approve of Varke's actions. Tracking down and eliminating the threat to the zone became Varke's redeeming mission. Failure meant Varke would be made an example of.

After receiving his new ship, it had taken Varke a month to track down the alien vessel. It was almost a month too late, as the aliens had found the Kalisa Archive, and it was now orbiting Penduli V. Like all Guardian vessels, his own ship did not have the power to traverse the minefield. He could count on only one thing: the alien vessel would not remain at Penduli V.

And it would not be allowed to leave the zone.

"We have arrived at Penduli V," announced the pilot.

"Put us into position," Varke ordered, his voice firm and quiet. "Status on the fleet?"

The sensor technician placed a plot on the main viewscreen. "Fifty of our vessels will arrive within the next cycle. Twenty more after that."

Varke smiled, the movement of his cheeks indicating the expression concealed by his mask. "When this Black Hawk exits the field, we will ensure that the evils of Penduli V will perish with it. The safety of this zone will be maintained, no matter what it will cost us."

An affirming cheer erupted from each occupant of the control center. Each person there had sworn their lives to protect what was left of the zone, to keep another Great Conflict from happening again.

Varke, however, didn't cheer. He remained with his arms folded, intently watching the alien vessel orbiting the forbidden planet. Varke had made his mistake once. It would not happen again.

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