And now, the greatest, most spectacular-stupendous-amazing-mind-blowing short story ever! Behold, THE FIRST AND FINAL FRONTIER (part 1)! NOTE: This is the only Ikarus Chronicle that is not told from Walliker's point of view. I thought I might shake things up a bit.
Ailen sat at his private desk, surrounded by cubicles filled with workers under his command. He never thought that he would get a promotion from minor secretary to chief-of-staff for the new Ikarian President, Henry Mason Walliker. He had saved his master's life twice already and fought an army of fierce enemies. The only thing he wanted to do for the rest of his life was work for Walliker. Or maybe take a year-long vacation. Or both, even though that was impossible. Ailen felt a reoccurring surge in pride. He was almost on top of the world, near the highest rung of the ladder. He fortunately or unfortunately could neither be on a ladder or on top of the world. He was in space, the vast darkness and blackness that hung above his warring home-planet Rosacua. At that very moment, he sat aboard the Executive-class
Tactician. While Ailen thought about everything he'd done to deserve being on the
Tactician, Walliker was on the command bridge, observing the ship's destination: a planet called Or in the Salice sector, a few lightyears away from Rosacua. He was there to negotiate a pact that would allow the two planets to trade resources freely. But he was told to do it as quickly as possible, even though the last trace of Ferran rebellion on Or was wiped out fifteen years ago. Walliker wasn't one to take things lightly after being at war with Gahn and the Ferrans for at least two decades. But he wasn't to worried about enemies on Or but more about enemies above Or. The Salice sector had been attacked frequently by an elusive alien race, but they were only attacked in space. Everyone aboard was tense with excitement or fear. Excitement thinking about the probable success of the pact. Fear of an unknown enemy. Walliker experienced neither. He was simply cool, calm, and collected. "We are entering Or airspace in 3... 2... 1..." proclaimed Walliker. Suddenly, he halted the countdown. "Wait," he shouted, "the ship will not descend!" One of the pilot's assistants whispered something in Walliker's ear. His eyes grew wide as he nodded. With shaky hands, he picked up the communicator. "All passengers aboard the
Tactician, we have lost all control of the ship. The mysterious aliens that have preyed upon the Or are now upon us. They will board the ship soon. Prepare your weapons..."
**************************************************************************
One score men stood outside the entry door, waiting for any sign of resistance as the enemy ship finished prearing the boarding ramp. Walliker's idea was to not shoot at the enemy until they had started boarding. It would leave them stranded on the
Tactician and unable to escape. Suddenly, a strange beeping noise emitted from beyond the blast doors. "That can't be good, men," called Walliker. "Fall back now!" As the soldiers slowly retreated from the door, the beeping noise grew more rapid. "It must be a bomb," whispered a soldier. "Everyone hide," yelled Ailen, who was now at the sealed entryway with the others. Walliker threw a cloaked detonation device, a favorite stealth weapon of the Ikarian people, in front of the blast doors. That was when the beeping stopped. For a split-second, everyone thought that the bomb must have been disfunctional, but a loud BOOM followed the silence. The creatures that came through the doorway were some of the scariest things the crew had ever seen. They were each at least six-and-a-half-feet tall, had the skin of humans, and had only three bony fingers on each of their
three hands (two in a normal position, the other on their chest). Oh, and did I mention that on top of this they had flamethrowers, pulse rifles, and the latest and most advanced in military technology. Walliker, hidden behind he control panels with Ailen and another soldier, took a black remote from his pocket. Grinning, he put his fingers on a red button in the center. Ailen and man beside him covered their ears. Without hesitation, Walliker pushed the button. What followed was strange to the crew. The explosion blew a hole in the ship floor that sucked the creatures into space. The blast had taken out the legs of the enemies, but they still clung to the remaining part of the floor. They attempted to pull themselves up when the previously-timid Ailen jumped out from his hiding spot and shot the hands of an alien. The bullet ricocheted off of the target's hand! Ailen went for the head on his second shot, and the alien burst open, remains flying out from under the ship. He cringed at the sight. At least the others knew what to shoot at. Soon the aliens had all been killed. "Nice shooting, Ailen," said Walliker. Ailen shrugged. "Don't mention it," he responded. "INCOMING TRANSMISSION," boomed a voice over the loudspeakers. Walliker's gaze met Ailen's and they rushed to the holoprojector. Walliker pressed a button and the image appeared. It was one of the enemy troops. No, their leader! His appearance was like that of the others, but wings protruded from his back and a black cloth cover his mouth and neck. "Greetings, Commander Walliker," said the enemy leader. "I am Laadinur, leader of my race. I believe that you have something that belongs to me." "What might that be, hostile?" questioned Walliker. "Your companion's family, loyal guards, were sworn enemies of my people. They plundered our treasuries and destroyed our ships in this sector. In one raid, they stole the Xalen'Ga-Har relic, an ancient device that could destroy objects and people by using sheer willpower." Ailen looked appalled, but he could not deny it. Recently, he had discovered the truth about his family. But that was nearly a thousand years ago. What would Laadinur want with it now? "Do you have any proof of where the artifact is?" snapped Ailen. "Indeed I do," replied the alien. "It has been right under your noses all this time. The Ferrans originally planned to take it to sea and destroy Ikaria, but you destroyed the FSS
Pike. Now, it has been sold to PyRe members below us on Or. I ask for your help in retrieving the artifact. If you do, my army will fight alongside you against your enemies." Laadinur paused. "Is it a deal?" Ailen looked worried. "What if he turns out to be a traitor?" he wondered. "He hates my family, so-" "Ailen Seekret," said Laadinur firmly, "I do not despise your family. They were right to hate my predecessors. It is in Bion blood to hunt, kill and destroy." "So you are the infamous Bions?" asked Walliker. "Yes indeed," admitted Laadinur, "but I wish to erase the demons of the past by allying with you. Will you accept?" Ailen looked at Walliker, who had his head down. Suddenly, he looked upwards and said, "I accept, Laadinur. Behold, the greatest alliance of all time!"
My stories have morals: reconciliation and forgivness is the main part of this one. And, yes, that battleship in Story #1 did have a purpose. All is revealed in time!
