Bonus Memory
Aug. 19th, 2020 01:24 pmThe scene is one of a space battle. There is the Voidtrecker Express, longer than how you know it, curved on a train track hanging in the nothing of space. Around it is a shimmery bubble, some sort of shield, considering the train doors are opening and inside the doors stand Voidtreckers, in space suits, helmets off until they are ready to move through that bubble.
The train isn’t fighting. No the battle is being fought between giant robots and much smaller fighter jets. A quick look around will show quickly that the Voidtreckers are piloting some of the fighter jets.
There is a planet nearby and a whole set of space stations, including what looks like a train station, the train station is jet black and on the side, in proud gold letters: Home Station of the Voidtrecker Express
The Voidtreckers are wining. Not everyone fighting in the small fighters are wearing Voidtrecker uniform, some are in regular space suits. Most seem human but there are a few different aliens around. Most of those in the space craft are dressed in purple, up in one of the space stations there seem to be a group of orange team, fixing something on the outside.
”Glad we called you guys in. You’ve turned the tide in less than an hour.”
The voice seems to be over comms, spoken from one of the non Voidtrecker pilots.
Then out of the space around them, a darkening of the sky. There are no clouds in space, but these are shapes, appearing, blotting out the stars.
There is a moment, a moment of absolute stillness, a confused pause. The firing stops for a moment, both from the pilots and the robots.
“Intel on our new visitors Voidtreckers?”
“Negative” A man’s voice. “We are running some scans, to try and identify them.”
Inside the luggage compartment of the voidtrecker express a handful of worried looking Blue Team appear. A young man in red is there to meet them, looking worried.
“We can’t gauge the threat leve...”
There are no earthquakes in space either but that sure is what it feels like. A rumble that seems to shake the very universe itself. A silence, a silence so terrible, as if the whole of existence is holding it’s breath.
A bright light, blinding. The Voidtrecker Express moves, slamming into the void.
“Take us back!” A girl who seems no more than twenty, dressed in Blue, is stood in the Luggage compartment, she yells at no one. ”Take us back!”
The train shudders again and once again they are in space…
It’s the same place, except it is not. There is no planet. No robots, no shining station. No shapes. Just floating debris.
***
The Voidtreckers have gathered now. Stood in the dining carriage. Almost all of them are Red team, Blue team are the next largest followed by a small handful of oranges. There are only two Purple team members. About eighty people all told. All young, none older than their mid twenties. All looking shocked, angry, grieved.
“We need to go back!” The girl in blue demands again.
“We are back Vian. This is… Was...” The man in red breaks off, angrily turning to punch the table.
“No. I mean back back.” They turn to look at Vian, whose face has tear tracks, but is filled with determination. “If this isn’t a catastrophe then what is? We can go back. Fix it.”
“We failed Vian. We don’t get second chances.” The voice isn’t harsh, a woman in orange, shook her head. “We can’t go where we’ve already been. You know that Vian… We’ve failed worlds before...”
“This isn’t just any failed mission.” There were tears in Vian’s eyes. “Is it possible?” She looks at another girl in orange, a girl who seems almost human apart from the silvery markings, almost like tatoos, covering her skin. “Xela?”
Xela doesn’t look like she wants to answer that question. But all eyes are on her. “Yes. It’s possible. But not allowed. Dangerous. Highly risky.”
“We just lost everything Xe.” This is another man in red, anger tingeing his voice. “Can you do it?”
The handful of Orange team look at each other, gather close and have a quick, whispered discussion. It seems heated but eventually they part slightly. The others stand silently, a tense, terrible silence. All of those in Red team look as if they were trying their hardest not to punch anything.
Xela looks over. “It is possible if you give the order, Vian. You hold the highest rank now.” She gives Vian a long, hard look. “On your head be it.”
Every eye turns to Vian and she closes her eyes, a beat. “Do it.”
The memory ends.
The train isn’t fighting. No the battle is being fought between giant robots and much smaller fighter jets. A quick look around will show quickly that the Voidtreckers are piloting some of the fighter jets.
There is a planet nearby and a whole set of space stations, including what looks like a train station, the train station is jet black and on the side, in proud gold letters: Home Station of the Voidtrecker Express
The Voidtreckers are wining. Not everyone fighting in the small fighters are wearing Voidtrecker uniform, some are in regular space suits. Most seem human but there are a few different aliens around. Most of those in the space craft are dressed in purple, up in one of the space stations there seem to be a group of orange team, fixing something on the outside.
”Glad we called you guys in. You’ve turned the tide in less than an hour.”
The voice seems to be over comms, spoken from one of the non Voidtrecker pilots.
Then out of the space around them, a darkening of the sky. There are no clouds in space, but these are shapes, appearing, blotting out the stars.
There is a moment, a moment of absolute stillness, a confused pause. The firing stops for a moment, both from the pilots and the robots.
“Intel on our new visitors Voidtreckers?”
“Negative” A man’s voice. “We are running some scans, to try and identify them.”
Inside the luggage compartment of the voidtrecker express a handful of worried looking Blue Team appear. A young man in red is there to meet them, looking worried.
“We can’t gauge the threat leve...”
There are no earthquakes in space either but that sure is what it feels like. A rumble that seems to shake the very universe itself. A silence, a silence so terrible, as if the whole of existence is holding it’s breath.
A bright light, blinding. The Voidtrecker Express moves, slamming into the void.
“Take us back!” A girl who seems no more than twenty, dressed in Blue, is stood in the Luggage compartment, she yells at no one. ”Take us back!”
The train shudders again and once again they are in space…
It’s the same place, except it is not. There is no planet. No robots, no shining station. No shapes. Just floating debris.
***
The Voidtreckers have gathered now. Stood in the dining carriage. Almost all of them are Red team, Blue team are the next largest followed by a small handful of oranges. There are only two Purple team members. About eighty people all told. All young, none older than their mid twenties. All looking shocked, angry, grieved.
“We need to go back!” The girl in blue demands again.
“We are back Vian. This is… Was...” The man in red breaks off, angrily turning to punch the table.
“No. I mean back back.” They turn to look at Vian, whose face has tear tracks, but is filled with determination. “If this isn’t a catastrophe then what is? We can go back. Fix it.”
“We failed Vian. We don’t get second chances.” The voice isn’t harsh, a woman in orange, shook her head. “We can’t go where we’ve already been. You know that Vian… We’ve failed worlds before...”
“This isn’t just any failed mission.” There were tears in Vian’s eyes. “Is it possible?” She looks at another girl in orange, a girl who seems almost human apart from the silvery markings, almost like tatoos, covering her skin. “Xela?”
Xela doesn’t look like she wants to answer that question. But all eyes are on her. “Yes. It’s possible. But not allowed. Dangerous. Highly risky.”
“We just lost everything Xe.” This is another man in red, anger tingeing his voice. “Can you do it?”
The handful of Orange team look at each other, gather close and have a quick, whispered discussion. It seems heated but eventually they part slightly. The others stand silently, a tense, terrible silence. All of those in Red team look as if they were trying their hardest not to punch anything.
Xela looks over. “It is possible if you give the order, Vian. You hold the highest rank now.” She gives Vian a long, hard look. “On your head be it.”
Every eye turns to Vian and she closes her eyes, a beat. “Do it.”
The memory ends.