CHAPTER 67 – ENEMIES
DATE: JUNE 11th, 7 A.U. (AFTER UNIFICATION)
LOCATION: SOL SYSTEM, ABOARD UTRN INDOMITABLE WILL
CAPTAIN HENRY O’TOOLE
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“What in hell just happened? Report!” Henry shouted in exasperation.
They better not have…! The Captain’s train of thought was interrupted by Commander Cutter’s voice.
“They… escaped, sir.”
“I’m going to need a better explanation than that, commander.” Henry growled.
A gentle hand laid on his back snapped Henry out of his rage spiral. He looked over and shared a long look with Chantal. Something in the look of concern on her face calmed him In that moment, prompting him to take a deep breath.
“They escaped into what we believe to be a wormhole, sir. There was a notable hawking radiation burst while they were still on the ground. I believe it was linked to the Ark of the Covenant. It seems so obvious now in retrospect. I take full and personal responsibility for this failure, sir. My crew performed admirably and are above blame in this scenario.” Commander Cutter replied in a grim tone.
Henry set his jaw while he let the Commander’s words marinate in the air before he replied.
“We will discuss the nature of your failure further in private. Return to the space around the Doghouse facility to retrieve Karst’s team and provide mission support in whatever ways are needed. You are to then return to the Indomitable Will for a full debrief.”
“Sir, yes, sir.”
“Keep me posted, out.” Henry said before he cut the feed.
Henry ran his fingers through his crimson hair with a deep sigh before he turned to Alvarez.
“Looks like we need to plan another funeral.” Henry said with a shake of his head. “What a mess, I can't believe we’ve lost two irreplaceable flight crew and their Shadowhawk. We’ll need to take a crew from the Dirge of the Fallen to replace them.”
“That’s one less Shadowhawk we can use for counter boarding ops should we come under attack here. With us still down by one drone bay for at least a little while longer, I don’t like how vulnerable this makes us. If Horus returns, we may not be able to fight him off this time.” Commander Alvarez replied.
“We’ve clipped Horus’ wings for the moment, and sent him running; let’s just hope that will be enough. Osiris said Horus has less capability to repair his ship than we do, so the war in space is all but over for the time being. The real battle for control of the system will be on the surface with the Fist of the Argonauts as the tip of our spear. We'll need them at full strength; arrange the transfer.” Henry ordered.
The two men stared each other in the eyes without flinching. Finally, Alvarez relented with a subtle nod.
“By your orders, Sir. I’ll have the flight crew ready to transfer by the time we receive the Fist of the Argonauts. I would be derelict in my duty if I didn't say I still think you are dangerously downplaying the damage Horus can still do.”
“I share your concerns, that’s why I’m aggressively prioritizing repairs the way I am. We still have half our drone launch capacity, one operational C.L.A.P.P.E.R, and a little over half our anti-ship missiles left. We’ll be able to defend ourselves if it comes down to it.” Henry stated in an attempt to ease his Executive officer’s concerns.
“Speaking of which, when are you going to have that port side C.L.A.P.P.E.R back up and running?” Alvarez asked with arms folded as he turned to Chantal at Henry’s side.
She set her hips and raised an eyebrow before she responded.
“We’re working on reassembling the electromagnetic barrel assembly right now. The compression chamber rebuild is already complete and it passed all preliminary tests earlier today. We should have it fully reassembled and ready for full system stress testing sometime in the next week. We’ll also need to refill our Deuterium reserves as soon as possible.”
“Good glad to hear it, is there any concern for the starboard unit having the same issue?” Alvarez asked.
“We checked the voltage transformers for the same kind of damage, but it seems fine. Henry ordered a run of upgraded replacements I designed, but who knows when the Daedalus will be able to get to it. Even with the new marine trainees staffing extra shifts, they’re still hopelessly backlogged with parts orders for the drone bay. The current design will have to suffice for now.” Chantal replied.
“The best thing we can do to take the pressure off of them would be to repair the manufacturing floor of the Duat. Unfortunately, even the most optimistic estimates I’ve heard say it’ll be weeks before they can sort out which drones can be repaired, and which ones are only useful for parts. I’m probably going to have to assign them additional marines to accelerate the process, even if it means we stretch our forces even thinner. There are no good solutions, only risky trade-offs.” Henry added in mild exasperation.
“All this power, and we can’t even project it. At this rate, we could be out of the fight for weeks, if not months.” Alvarez replied bitterly.
“All the more reason we need the Fist of the Argonauts at full strength.” Henry reiterated the point.
“I agreed with your assessment. Like I said, I’ll get the transfer done as ordered. What about our resident grey?” Alvarez asked.
“What about him?” Henry countered, genuinely curious.
“Has he given any updates on when we can expect the Solar Warden? Or did it’s refit get another delay? We could really use that nano factory they promised.” The Commander replied.
“Give them a break! They lost another colony to Apophis’ forces just a few days ago. The war isn’t exactly going in their favor right now, can you really blame them for needing the extra time?” Chantal interjected.
“I understand they’re fighting a war out there, but so are we! Unlike them, we only have ourselves, while they have a million year old galaxy spanning civilization to support their war effort. Sending one ship shouldn’t be that much of a challenge, especially if they want our help in their war when this is all over. All the more reason we shouldn’t be so quick to trust them without reservations.” Alvarez replied in a heated tone.
“Like it or not, we are allied to them, and we have to trust them, within reasonable limits. They have earned a little leeway with us after all the free gear and augmentations. We knew this was going to be a waiting game for the Solar Warden, even in the best case scenario.” Henry folded his arms and appraised his XO with a critical eye.
“I think you’re letting your Xenophobia get to you a little bit here, buddy. I get where you’re coming from, but I’m with Henry on this one. Frankly, we need more allies and less enemies. They’re our best shot if we want to survive long term, to keep this system secure, and maybe, someday, even get to go home.” Chantal said as she threaded her arm around Henry’s bicep.
Henry looked over at her and smiled for a quick second before he turned his gaze back on his XO.
“I don’t want to destroy our chances at getting home any more than you do. What I want, is to ensure they provide the support they’ve promised. I want to ensure that they’re not just going to use us and discard us like some kind of… useful idiots. We are not them, and they are not us and we would be fools to forget that fact.” Alvarez replied.
“That’s not exactly ‘the only good alien is a dead alien’ level xenophobia, but you’re treading the line. The Alderei might not be human, but they are intelligent beings who have motivations and strategic interests just like we do. Surely you can see this, I’ve never known you to be an irrationally paranoid person.” Chantal said with an edge to her tone.
“Of course I can see it, and I would like you to be right, but I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t share my perspective. I like to think that my healthy sense of paranoia is the biggest reason I’ve survived as long as I have. The worst thing a leader can do is ignore advice contrary to their own pre-suppositions, or worse, to purge contrarian advisors from their ranks. You need to hear the paranoid case if for no other reason than to avoid being blindsided should they choose to betray or abandon us. When it comes to our survival, and our freedom, I trust nothing blindly, and I recommend you do the same.” Alvarez stared Henry straight in the eyes as he spoke.
Henry took a long moment to consider Alvarez’ words of wisdom before he replied in a deliberate, even tone.
“I have no interest in living in an echo chamber like some tin pot dictator, but I still have to stick to my instincts in leadership at the same time. You will always be welcome to privately speak your mind, in an appropriate time and manner with me. I know you’re not paranoid, I see it more as pragmatic caution. If you don’t trust them explicitly, at least trust the fact we have a mutual enemy and reasonably compatible strategic objectives. We can treat them like any other political entity on Earth from the age of nations. That’s a game we know how to play; a game we know how to win.”
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“So, you’re saying that we’re back to living with the consequences of great power politics once again, just on a galactic scale. It’s amazing how effective an outside universal threat was in making us cast our differences aside back on Earth. We’ve always had to much more in common than our petty differences would imply. Why couldn’t that same process work to strengthen our alliance with the Alderei over time?" Chantal asked.
“It is a mistake to overly humanize an alien race. On the surface they appear to be rational actors with a strong moral compass, but that’s because we have a shared enemy. We simply have no idea of how fast they’ll abandon us to save themselves, or how the whole dynamic of our alliance might change when that threat is removed... The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy, after all. History is rife with conflict being set aside and resumed again after dealing with a mutual threat.” Alvarez said without missing a beat.
“Yeah, but we’re not and never have been at war with the Alderei. Don’t you think you’re being a little pessimistic here?” She challenged.
“America wasn’t at war with the Soviet Union before World War two, but that didn’t stop us from falling into the cold war after we beat the Nazi’s together.” Alvarez shrugged.
“Yeah, but we’re not a credible threat to the Alderei, nor are we locked in an existential ideological struggle. I will take your perspective into advisement, but I see this situation as far closer to America and France during the Revolutionary war. The Alderei are providing resources, supplies, and naval cover to keep the larger enemy occupied and distracted. The biggest difference is that we won’t have the luxury to wait a century and a half before we return the favor.” Henry replied in a firm tone.
“That’s all I ask, sir. That you keep your eyes wide open in your dealings with them. I know you have so far. In fact, I’d say you’ve done a fine job of negotiating. What we cannot afford is to get complacent. We have no margin for error, especially while the Earth remains unsecured and in enemy hands.” Alvarez replied with a nod.
“Then I think we understand each other. I’ll think on your words, I promise. In the meantime, however, I’m going to lean on you for one more thing.” Henry said.
“Anything you ask, sir, I’m your man.”
“First, I need you to work on that Shadowhawk transfer. Afterwards, I need you to round up every marine with any technical skills whatsoever, even if it’s just fixing their own cars, and get them prepped and supplied for reassignment to the Duat.”
“Aye, Captain. With your leave, I’ll see to it, then.” Alvarez replied.
Henry nodded, and the man left to work through the list of tasks he’d laid out for him.
“Are you sure that’s wise? Will we have enough left to be able to repel boarders?” Chantal asked.
Henry took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his crimson hair before he beckoned her closer.
“We’ll be fine, the walls of our new dry dock are more than thick enough to mask what little heat we leak. I doubt Horus could even find us, unless he’s been spying on us this whole time. I doubt that, with the speed we were able to carve out this asteroid. Either way, we’ll leave enough marines here to send him packing.”
“Alright, you’re right… I’ve seen the mountain of raw ore cubes in that cave on Ganymede where the Hephaestus set up shop. It’s enough to keep them busy smelting for at least a year. I just… can’t help but feel like we’re still sitting ducks out here.” Chantal admitted.
“I’ve made us as safe as I can for now, including doubling our space combat patrols, just in case. I think it’s far more likely that Horus would succeed in an attack on the Duat than on us. They’re far more of a sitting duck out there than we are. The new marines will be useful both in defending the facility and in finally getting those drones rebuilt. I may even be able to spare a screening frigate… perhaps the Orichalcum?” Henry mused over his plans once again, desperate to improve them in any way.
“There are so many issues to manage just in the logistics of getting our supply chain running, much less considering where to defend against attack. Sometimes I don’t know how you handle it all, my love. Our hold on the outer system is far more precarious than most of us would care to admit.” Chantal wrapped herself around his right arm and laid her head against his shoulder.
Henry smiled down at her as he assembled his words carefully while he scanned for anyone potentially listening in.
“I don’t like to spell this out in public for the sake of morale, but The Duat is the key to the entire war. If we lose it, we risk our alliance with Egypt, and the ground war becomes complicated to the point of near impossibility. We need Egypt’s armies and their grain production capacity for the ground war as much as we need the manufacturing facilities of the Duat to repair the Indomitable Will.” Henry whispered.
Chantal’s eyes widened in alarm before she pulled back.
“I… I didn’t realize… How can I help?” She asked.
“Right now? I need that C.L.A.P.P.E.R up and running again, preferably yesterday. I’m also going to ask that you visit our resident Alderei to see if you can get an update on the Solar Warden for me.”
“I’ve got you babe. Meet you in our chambers later?” She said with a wink.
“Can’t wait.” Henry smirked.
His eyes drank in the sight as she sauntered off with a very intentional swish of her hips. It took him a long minute to come back down from the clouds and reframe his mind back into the game.
Back to work, Henry… We’ve got a war to win. He thought before he reached for the comms to connect to the Daedalus.
MEANWHILE…
DATE: JUNE 11th, 7 A.U. (AFTER UNIFICATION)
LOCATION: SOL SYSTEM, ABOARD THE DARKWATCH SATELLITE
ENOCH - METATRON
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Metatron’s astral hologram floated serenely amidst the chaos bathed in red emergency lights. The Darkwatch pitched hard, and sparks flew as the ship shook off a powerful blow against their shield. Uriel fought to keep them out of a spin and dismissed an alarm notification on the heat buildup in the shield cooling system.
“WHO ARE THESE ADAMU!? HOW ARE THEIR WEAPONS SO POWERFUL!? WHAT ACCURSED TIMELINE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE SPAT THEM FORTH TO VEX US SO?”
Uriel’s voice rang out in Metatron’s consciousness as their ship was knocked radically off course by an explosion behind them.
That fear.… It wasn’t like the Commander letting that show…. That alone set Metatron on edge, despite the fact that he could come to no real harm. Uriel, however, possessed a body and was charged with a mission of the direst importance.
His astral eyes were drawn again to the Ark of the Covenant as it glowed in its custom saddle. Heavy duty cables were connected into the ship emanating from a small, humming portal directly above the wings of the Cherubim. As far as he understood, some cables fed power into the Darkwatch, while a thicker hose shunted heat away in something Uriel had called coolant.
We need to do something if the ship is going to make it through this… Metatron thought to himself.
“I know we can shape the waters of primordial chaos into a shield, can’t we also use it to attack? General Michael was able to use that tactic to great effect. We should stand and fight rather than flee from this battle!” Metatron focused his thoughts towards Uriel’s consciousness.
“CLEVER THINKING, YOUNG ONE. SHAPED CHAOS MATTER IN THE RIGHT HANDS CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON, BUT IT REMAINS ONE WHICH REQUIRES WE DROP OUR SHIELD BEFORE WE CAN ATTACK. YOU HEARD THE LORD; WE MUST DEFEND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT AT ALL COSTS.”
“If we destroy them, they are no longer a threat to us or the Ark of the Covenant! If we slay them now, then we can work to repair the damage they have done to the timeline, perhaps even recover the Lord’s seven thousand year plan. If we act boldly now, we can end this war in one battle!”
The ship rocked from yet another impact against their shields. Even with the Ark of the Covenant hooked into their systems, they couldn’t seem to vent the waste heat through the portal anywhere near fast enough.
At least we’re almost out of the atmosphere… Perhaps we will be better able to fight them in the void. Metatron thought before he was interrupted.
“YOU ASSUME MUCH OF WHICH WE DO NOT YET KNOW. WHAT IF THE HERETICS HAVE MORE SHIPS THAN WE HAVE YET SEEN? WE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR WEAPONS OR DEFENSES, AND THE DARKWATCH WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A WARSHIP. WE NEED HORUS AND THE POWER OF HIS UR-UACHTI IF WE HOPE TO WIN.”
“Commander Uriel, what if the Exile King refuses to treat with us?”
“FEAR NOT, YOUNG ONE, FOR EVEN NOW THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD ARE WITH US. OUR ORDERS ARE CLEAR, AND OUR ENEMIES ARE THE SAME. THE EXILE KING WILL JOIN WITH US IN COMMON CAUSE, FOR WE HAVE WHAT HE DESIRES MOST FERVENTLY, A PATH BACK TO POWER.”
“Then I place my faith in your superior wisdom, Commander.”
“OUR MISSION DEMANDS HASTE, EVERY MOMENT WE WASTE ALLOWS THE HERETIC ADAMU TO SPLIT THE TIMELINE FURTHER. THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD HAVE PRESERVED US! WE ARE OUTSIDE THE GREATER GRASP OF THE PLANET’S HOLD NOW; IT IS TIME WE MAKE OUR ESCAPE.”
Uriel pressed a button on the digital map interface and all power dimmed for a moment as the Ark of the Covenant glowed brightly and radiation alarms sounded in the cabin. Moments later, The Darkwatch satellite reemerged smoothly into real space with a bright flash before their barrier dropped, and the exterior view was restored. The majesty of Saturn’s rings filled Metatron with a sense of awe at the sheer scope and variety of creation.
“IMPRESSIVE, IS IT NOT? WERE OUR MISSION NOT SO DIRE, THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT TIME TO CONTEMPLATE THE DIVINE MYSTERIES.”
An alert showed up on their screen along with the sound of steadily increased beeping before the ship lurched hard into fresh acceleration.
What… is that?! Metatron thought.
“HOW?! BUT WE ESCAP…” Uriel’s voice was cut off as the whole world around him erupted into chaos and fire.
Alarms blared everywhere as the Darkwatch tumbled and vented atmosphere. A series of pressure doors slammed shut, cutting the rest of the ship off from access, preserving the air in the cockpit. Uriel struggled against the controls until he eventually was able to stabilize the spin.
“DO YOU SEE NOW… JUST HOW DANGEROUS THESE ROGUE ADAMU ARE?” Uriel wiped blood away from his eye as the cut skin on his brow began to stitch itself back together.
“Yes, Commander Uriel. They are not to be underestimated. Please forgive me for ever doubting you.” He had to resist the urge to have his astral hologram shrink or fade away at the rebuke.
“IT HAS ALREADY BEEN FORGIVEN, YOUNG ONE. NOW PREPARE YOURSELF… THE STRIKE CRAFT OF HORUS APPROACH. THESE NEGOTIATIONS AT BEST WILL BE FRAUGHT WITH PERIL, AND AT WORST ARE DOOMED TO FAIL. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU KEEP YOURSELF HIDDEN, NO MATTER WHAT BEFALLS ME. SHOULD THESE TALKS FAIL… THEN YOU ARE TO RETURN TO THE PLANET AND INFORM GABRIEL. HE’LL KNOW WHAT TO DO.”
“Are we sure this is the best idea?” Metatron still couldn’t help but ask in spite of his best attempts at self-control.
“IT IS THE BEST OUT OF A VERY SHORT LIST OF EVEN WORSE IDEAS. THAT WEAPON FOLLOWED US THROUGH THE PORTAL, AND SOMEHOW WAITED FOR OUR SHIELD TO DROP BEFORE IMPACTING. THE DARKWATCH IS DEAD, I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO BE MY TOMB.” Uriel said before he grunted and ripped a piece of metal shrapnel from his stomach.
“NOW HIDE YOURSELF, YOUNG ONE. REMEMBER TO LET THEM TAKE ME, AND TO FOLLOW CLOSE BEHIND TO WATCH AND REPORT BACK. DO NOT REVEAL YOURSELF, NO MATTER WHAT.”
Metatron dropped his astral projection, pulled himself up to the ceiling and watched as Uriel removed his sword and raised his hands up in the face of the flying sparks of plasma cutters.