Prologue: Nuanced World

  (Hey! back to Jan and Laura soon! You can skip this chapter if you wish it also doesn't count in my scheduling order! it just provides context far far later on in the story! Also I did the math on the length contraction, so it should work out to the same for that speed of light! Feel free to double-check my calculations! However, I know this isn't really how length contraction/time dilation works so please ignore LOL, I wrote this part awhile ago)

  Thanks so much for reading!

  “Bank Right!, Right!” The Cadet screamed.

  An explosion riddled the upper deck. Debris soaring through the vacuum of space. Paer shimmered in the ship's reflective glow. The planet seemed peaceful as it silently drifted through the wayward stars. It was similar to Jan’s in size and flora just over ten thousand light years apart. The incomprehensible space separating two dichotomizing worlds was ever shortened by the progressive toil of technology. Two crewmen ducked as a loose wire shot sparks into the humid air. A master alarm blared, catching in the reflection of the ships deck panels as even more twisted rebar and charred flecks clung around in orbit. Each hit pattered like scattered rain against the Cindrix's mighty frame only this time it got stronger. In moments what seemed like short patters of plasma flaking against the outer plates had expanded into a hammering barrage that slowly crept towards the command deck. The world’s cloudy blue haze was in stark contrast as projectiles flung past into the depths behind.

  The cadet’s voice turned hoarse as plasma tore into the fractured steel. A pistol sat unlatched in its holster, swinging loosely at her hip. Cindrex’s hull stopped spinning for a moment as its entire frame creaked in the open void. It was strange to think just six months ago an entire fleet had perished in this very same orbit. Sixteen thousand ships and twelve million crew consumed in an inferno that swept across twelve systems. Now for the first time in forty years cargo vessels were free to trade without escourt. Until the pirates had arrived.

  Another explosion riddled the craft, this time debris spewing backward as the spaceship cruised past Paer's tinted glow.

  “Alert the Proctor, we have multiple targets encircling, the field is chock-full”

  Her eyes darted to the holo screen infront to see its map-like features glisten with a sea of red. It flickered for a moment, power jutting from one of the reactors to have her face pale. Six more alarms lit up like fireflies over the hundreds of buttons and mismatched switches that made up the front control panel. The cadet paused herself, taking time to adjust her hat before staring forward. Her finger froze, hovering over the master alarm as it swayed like a cobweb in the open air. She was uncertain and almost in shock at what had happened infront. Another cadet sat to her side, waiting for orders as she pursed her lips and left her tongue twisted in agony and regret.

  In a moment the entire ship began to tilt. It's centrifugal motion churned as objects fell.

  Music drifted through the open air.

  A solitary figure sat hunched over a piano. Keys fluctuated while the viewport behind showed a sea of stars. Beautiful in its composition, a flurry of notes echoed across the vaulted chamber. He could see plasma flashing and scorched metal peeling off the craft. A stray bullet even lodged itself into the viewscreen causing cracks so spread like rivers through the re-enforced glass. He seemed indifferent to this, only really caring when a few vent panels crashed onto the floor.

  Strikes, how can they be this bad?

  The door jutted open causing him to stop for a moment. Silence pierced through as they turned to face the Lieutenant. Her uniform was scorched and frayed, a fine powder of ash stuck to their darkened features. He seemed almost annoyed at her presence. Scoffing for a moment before he neatly tidied away the music and placed it in a nearby desk.

  A few moments later the Procter stood on the command decks floor. His tall lengthy human features were complimented by a mixture of black and purple uniforms. Every inch of its hair was perfectly sleeked back and arranged. The navy blue uniform was measured perfectly cut down and directed with the fallacious discrepancy of a millimeter. A few metals glinted on its shoulder. No sweat parted from its gaze, no indication of fear, remorse, or emotion.

  Dear god

  Wiring and shards of metal littered the chalky ground as the crew screamed in disarray. The cruiser, one kilometer long drifted endlessly. It's engines chattered as a swarm of crafts descended on the metal tearing it to shreds. Every few seconds the boosters would flair. Vibrant blue ion fumes whipping back like the power of a raging sun to cinder another insurgent into ash. The Procter took in a short exfoliated breath, pupils dilating as it adjusted its racing mind. He cast a quick glance to the floor.

  Panel 23b was missing.

  How was that possible, they were in space combat, how could the Cindrex have possible taken a hit strong enough to dislodge a panel like that?

  “Failure, Lieutenant, absolute failure” he spoke.

  The officer’s back rose, trying to hold back tears trickling down her ash-smeared cheek. Unsure what to do next she hovered over the splintered remains of the command deck. The Procter stooped forward to have the console’s glow reflect in his pale features and lifeless eyes.

  “Fifteen, insurgents, able to disable a ship as large as Cindrex?” he spoke calmly.

  In the distance, the cruiser's battery cannons continued to fire, bursts of energy tearing into the asteroid field above.

  “The purpose of this live trial was a final test of your ability to govern, adapt”

  He snarled again this time casting a glance towards the bloodied crew.

  “You called for a medic, they’ll be alright” He seemed indifferent. Almost annoyed at her concern. Yet not out of cruelty but her lack of understanding.

  A few more soldiers entered the bridge, plasma cutters and scalplux’s in hand. In moments they dragged the wounded into the backwards corridor, allowing only a skeleton crew to remain. A tactical coordinator cried out in pain as two medics stabbed morphine into his arm and let the drug slowly seep in. The Proctor then turned to face the Commander, eyes twinkling as the outside craft slowly churned to a pulp.

  “Would you like to relinquish command?”

  The Lieutenant spun on her feet, mouth pursing as her tongue failed to muster words.

  The Lieutenant-Commander cast a glance at her remaining team, then outside, her jet-black hair creased with sweat.

  “I don’t think it’s possible, we need to abandon ship, there's too many, Proctor, there was nothing we could..”

  The officer, banged his fist against a desk, frame caving slowly as metal sprayed in all directions.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Do you want to relinquish command?” He screamed.

  “yes, I do, I do” The Commander muttered. He was tensing up as fear flashed through his tear-stricken green eyes.

  The Proctor moved forward, and laid a slender hand to rest upon the soldier's shoulder, then in one quick movement he tore off the Commander's sleeve, taking the Captain’s bars and placing them upon his tailored crest. He didn't do this out of spite or hatred. Just cold methodical actions as if following a rule of law.

  Fire tore through the ship's grated hall as the officer stepped downwards, reaching the main console to have his palm rest upon the computer's bridge. Then his fingers began to slide across the latticework of keys as he stared, unblinking gaze piercing into the beyond. Two independent entities, engrossed in dichotomizing thought.

  Cindrex began to turn more rapidly, brushing into the steel shards which blaster fire had peeled off its once proud exoskeleton.

  “Alert, squadrons one through four, tell them to prepare for dismemberment but remain inside hangars”

  The Proctor turned a smile twitching on his lips.

  “Contact engineering, I need a burst fusion, something fast, very very fast, 0.87 C anything more well burn apart”

  The Lieutenant nodded, reaching for a rusted comm device at her belt.

  “You see that?”

  He pointed through the cracked glass to a break in the asteroid field, a small opening where the swirl of crashing rocks slowed to a halt. It was nice to show off like this. Especially after so many years of barely scraping past. He let out a faint smile for a moment. Sometimes he forgot how na?ve the world was closer to the core. The idea of civilian life more foreign than the plight of a thousand alien worlds.

  The Commander stepped forward, confusion lacing her eyes. She squinted almost trying to see if there was something there hidden to the naked eye.

  “I don’t understand, well die, it’s 400m wide, the Cindrex is 500m!”

  He could tell she had read the manual. Just didn't understand it. It was typical of commissioned officers these days and besides anyone who was worth something was fighting on the front these days. Even if they were winning little veterans could be spared. The Lieutenant turned, echoing words to the new Captain. She had recovered now and was no longer shell-shocked by sight of her bloodied friends. The task gave her purpose, action or at least an escape from the world infront.

  “Engineering prepared, next jump will be the approximate velocity” a static buzz voiced.

  “This vessel is only rated for 0.75!” she replied.

  The Proctor stared through the glass into the murky clouded surface of Paer below. It's orange swirls haunted his bated breath. It seem futile to explain. Every second the insurgents grew stronger and there was only so much metal around the ships core. The cadet's may have been in training but those they faced weren't. Worse he had recognized a few of them. The logo's on their ships still burned bright. A few of the craft even had familiar scars. These weren't just normal pirates they were remnants. Once honored fighters who would hang on until the bitter end.

  “That's exactly what I’m counting on,” the Proctor responded.

  The other turned. They were now visibly concerned and almost shaking at the thought of what their leader had proposed. A few crew members looked to the for guidance only to fall victim to the Proctor's cold gaze.

  "What!, by killing us? this is madness, even with our shields intact this ship couldn't take a direct hit like that!"

  The Lieutenant stepped back, clearly distraught.

  "this is madness, if we deploy we have a chance, we can sacrifice Cindrex but we'll beat them in a dogfight any day" She responded.

  The Proctor ignored her. This would be a teachable moment. Or at least a moment that was a little less boring than his regular agenda.

  “In the face of death courage doesn’t win battles, it’s audacity which turns tides. Cadet, I need you to have all working cannons execute a fire pattern, in this helical formation, Now”

  “Yes Proctor” She responded confused.

  At least she could take orders

  “I want you to get it to spin fast, very very fast, use beams one through seven”

  He traced out the pattern with his hand causing an orange hologram slowly rising into the air.

  “You see Lieutenant, that gap isn't too big as the Cindrex isn’t 500 m wide, it’s 246m”

  He stared at the onboard clock, eyes twitching as his hand grasped the ship's main controls. Then in one short furl, he pressed with all his might. Boosters flared, flames trickling as for a moment the entire craft jutted forward, streaking tendrils of light lashing against its skeleton frame as it sped through the crack in the field. The tractor beam lashed onto every speck of rock. Slowly it began to rotate, churning the thrashing metallic asteroids into position. In front the insurgent craft sped forward, using the safety of the field they continued to strafe the ship's hull, easily evading the pelting barrage of the ADS turrets below. Extending his index finger the Proctor’s mind slowed, breath radiating across the hull. For a split second it seemed like a fire raged within his empty eyes. A purple flare flickering within the dark abyss. Time slowed as the cruiser's thrusters blasted into the empty void of space. Behind Jupiter watched as horrors unfolded. The ship jutted for a moment reacting to the Proctor's split-second touch. The fabric of space tore through the void as the flaking hull crumbled. Terror shivered down their spines as the craft threaded the tiny hole, appearing relatively unscathed outside the asteroid's reach.

  The Lieutenant stood, mouth gaping as the Proctor barked orders. The tractor beams pulled the remaining asteroids into a helical pattern, closing their retreat as the mounds of hurling rock stirred into a grinding storm of debris. Two jet-shaped insurgent crafts fried, steel peeling into dust at exposure to the Cindrex’s mighty engines. Another boosted forward, desperate to catch Cindrex’s same escape yet was caught halfway by a fractured rock. It's hull tore to have its pilot's glossy face shrivel in the arctic void. The rest swarmed desperately trying to avoid the new rain of asteroids.

  In seconds, Cindrex’s fighters disembarked, the twelve remaining dogfighters streaking through the black to hover in place, picking off any stragglers who escaped.

  Without hesitation, the officer turned, hands sweeping as he motioned towards the Cindex’s main weapon. In a few moments the Sominex cannons fired, their sweeping barrage splintering the coming assault. He could almost hear their screams. See as the pilots withered in the abyss. What was it all for?

  The Proctor turned to the Lieutenant.

  “Clean up what's left”

  The officer breathed out. She was relieved to hear his Superior’s remarks and placed the command bars back onto her soldier. In the background two cadets smiled and hugged each other in relief. The Proctor shuddered for a moment. They were untrained but at least they followed orders well. They needed work. He was about to raise a hand, motioning for the Lieutenant to come forward when suddenly an alarm pierced through the deck’s shouldering hull.

  “Commander, incoming insurgent craft,”

  The red dot slowly inched forward on the holo map, a trickle of water descending the mountainscape. The proctor held his breath. His immaculate fingers flexed upon the controls.

  “The ADS system will pick it off, concentrate fire, upwards, walk it up”

  At the bow of the ship the remaining turrets spewed hell upon the silver vessel. Their hail of gunfire pinged off the ship's thick exterior like pebble against rock.

  “Strikes Commander it’s a border” another replied.

  The Proctor turned, a hint of shock plastered through his face.

  In an instant the Commander crumbled, losing his footing as the entire bridge shook. The Proctor fell. Multiple master alarms tore through the air as vapors swirled from the damaged vents. The Lieutenant leaned forward and lent a hand to raise the Proctor to his feet. He accepted and quickly took cover behind a nearby console.

  The sound of a drill encompassed all as the craft latched itself onto the ship's bridge, slowly boring inside. Sparks and shards of metal debris began to fly as the metal plates peeled back to reveal a single iron door. They had little time to prepare. Crewmen scrambling for their weapons as those who remained coherent barked over the hoarse air. The hatch swung open, a barrage of bullets strewing from those inside. No time to act the Proctor reached for the Lieutenant holster and tore the gun from her strap. Hand steady as bullets whizzed past his head, he slowed his breath and fired.

  Three insurgents lay dead

  Cylinders ricocheted off the ground as the barrel heated, smoke rising from its tip. Their rifles were limply grasped in their still-warm hands. The Proctor inched forward, the entire crew unharmed as they slinked from their hiding spaces.

  Boots crunched on broken glass as a soldier stepped over the trickling blood to the only insurgent left alive. A bullet was lodged in their chest and their placid grey uniform fabric tore. The ARR logo shone dimly on their sleeve. It was interesting how much fear those three circles had once instilled. Entire worlds crumbling into scattered dust as ships flocked like disgruntled hives over the scattered clouds. Now it was almost like seeing ghosts. The fabric was remnants from what had once been a pillar of strength and an army so potent it had set out to cursed the stars. The Proctor reached forward and used his now bloodied hand to lift off the soldier's steel helm. The liquid stuck like plaster to it's titanium frame as the smooth-shaven face beneath stared back. It was human. Too human. The insurgent's eyes twitched in fear as they slunk down towards the floor. Then suddenly the prisoner stopped as their mouth contorted both a perplexed and haunted gaze. For a moment the Proctor felt a tinge of emotion, something different, something else, pity wincing through the mask of pain.

  At this, the Lieutenant stormed forward, her pistol in hand as they surveyed the causalities.

  “Are you alright?” she replied.

  The officer stood tall, examining the unconscious rebel.

  For a moment Ellis couldn’t answer. He only stopped, stunned as he dropped his gun to the floor. It was a moment transfixed in a mixture of silence and awe. He could feel them, eyes like daggers prying into his skull, until a single ring pierced through the still air. The cadet froze as she heard the voice whisper through. She must have stood there for only two or four seconds, but it was enough to show effect. A pale gaze streaked through her features, a mixture of admiration and horror etched into every word.

  “Proctor, Sir you have a request?”

  “From where?” he replied slowly.

  “The frontline”

  Silence echoed as he walked towards the phone. His hand slipped over its sleek frame and intrigue flashed across his eyes.