The Enemy within the Rings #Blogbattle #Scifi

This story has been written for Rachael Ritchey‘s blog battles. It’s a weekly challenge welcome to anyone. The rules are:

1. 1000 words max
2. fictional tale (or true if you really want)
3. PG (no more than PG-13) Content – let’s keep this family friendly!
4. Your story must contain the word(s) from the theme and/or be centered around the theme in a way that shows it is clearly related
5. Go for the entertainment value!
6. State the Genre of your story at the top of your post.
7. Post your story on Tuesday, by 11:59 PM PST
8. Use the hashtag #BlogBattle when tweeting your story, put a link back to your #BlogBattle Short Story in the comments section of this page, and/or include a link to this page in your own blog post (it creates a “ping-back” which will alert me and our friends to your #BlogBattle post)
9. Have fun!

“Slowing the ship to enter Saturn’s orbit” was Hudson’s voice in Commander Scott’s earcom.

“Bring us as close a sis safe to the rings, if there’s someone lurking out here then I don’t want to make our arrival too obvious” Scott had already gone over this approach when planning this mission, but he thought it  never hurt to re-iterate.

Commander Scott was commander of an Earth Corps frigate called the Achillies. She wasn’t the biggest, fastest or most powerful spaceship in the corps, but he knew how to handle her when it mattered. Space pirate were becoming a huge problem, but there was something different about what was going on here. Three mining vessels had disappeared in the last month in Saturn space and Achilles was the first ship on the scene to investigate the disappearances. The next spacecraft wasn’t due for a week, until then it was down to him and his crew to find out what had happened and secure the area.

“Do we have any unauthorised spacecraft in the area?” Scott was now walking along the spartan metallic corridors back to control. He wanted to make sure that this was done right and he had an uneasy feeling, space pirates had never done anything like this before.

“Nothing sir” came the reply from his operations manager. This was Gina’s first mission and was young and new, but she was very good. Scott knew he could trust her to carry out a thorough job. “All I have on sensors are the mining ships M305, M370 and M42 is just leaving Saturn space.

“Good, I’m just on my way up, let me know if anything changes” Scott replied.

“Will do sir”

It was as soon as he had heard this that suddenly, for no perceivable reason a rising sense of tension, almost fear rose within him. He started running where he has been walking, the crew that saw him coming moved, the others that didn’t weren’t so lucky. Pushing them to  one side or other he made his way to the access tube for the control centre. It was then that it happened, thrown from his feet to the deck floor, a massive explosion and the sound of grating, tearing metal reverberated though the ship.

The door to the control centre slowly slid open, Scott forced it open. He gasped as he entered to utter carnage. Hudson was on the floor, dead. His head had been shattered by shrapnel most of the rest of the bridge crew were seriously injured, only Gina was left unhurt.

“Sir!” She called over, trying to compose herself, as Scott approached she fell apart “I – I’m sorry… I saw nothing, it came from nowhere… Hudson”

“Gina” In a firm gentle tone he talked her back “We don’t have much time an I need you. We have to take control and see this through, I’ll take Hudson’s place, I’ll be right next to you. Take a breath, get control, I’m here and we have to get these guys to survive and I need you to help me”

Shaking, she returned focus to her controls “ok… ok… I can do that” Scott manned the controls on Gina’s right.

” I’m taking us close to the rings, hopefully they’ll give us cover” Achilles lurched  as he powered and guided the ship to the millions of pieces of rock and Ice that made up the rings. “Power up the weapons Gina”

“They’re powered and ready, but I don’t have a sensor target” Gina was starting the re-gain her composure, her willingness and eagerness returning.

“You don’t need it – fire a wide spread directly behind us” With that she let loose a fury a plasma fire directly behind the Achilles, Gina and Commander Scott watched as the rear view screen showed the plasma rays lancing out, hitting nothing until, one beam hit an invisible object, a huge an monstrous shape emerged from the nothingness, charging straight at them”

“Let the auto targeting system take over now, we’re at the rings” Gina set them going, the exchange of fire was blinding between the two spacecraft, their enemy unable to distinguish Achilles from the rock and ice of the rings, but the huge enemy providing an easy target. Pounding their hull with blinding white beams of power. Scott guided Achilles through the ring debris, their eager enemy hunting them out.

“We’re not going to get rid of them like this” pulling the ship down, Scott took Achilles down through the rings, hoping they wouldn’t follow – but they did. tearing through the rings the relentless hunter powered ever closer toward them.

“My God, these guys want blood!” Gina shouted, “What now?”

“I’m going closer” Swinging Achilles toward the planet, the engines powering the craft at full speed. As they watched a huge door opened on the monstrous craft.

“You’re not getting us!” Scott shouted, he pulled this ships engines into full reverse and hard up. Their bodies strained against the breaking force, metal grinding as Achilles stopped dead in space. Within seconds their enemy passed them, heading straight for the Saturn with no sign of stopping. The wash from the engines rocking Achilles. Commander Scott and Gina watched, waiting, hoping they wouldn’t turn. Hoping the damage they had sustained was enough to have disabled them. The ship didn’t seem as monstrous now, ever smaller it glowed in the planet’s atmosphere, ever brighter until a huge flash and a ball of flame meant it was over. Whatever it was, had gone.

Scott and Gina breathed again. Looking at each other for a moment.. “Well done Gina, inform command what has happened. Give them the casualty numbers and complete ships status. I’ll take us back to the rings”

“Yes sir. Thank you”

The Achilles returned to the rings, to await the assistance of the fleet, the enemy vessel was never identified.

I’ve gone a bit over again – sorry. I hope you all like it!

Simon 🙂

Copyright 2015 Simon Farnell

No ownership claimed to pictures.