Grey War Saga 1: Twilight of Innocence

Twilight of
Innocence

By Marcus Johnson

Text Copyright ©
2014 Marcus Johnson

All Rights Reserved

For my friends and family and all those
who’ve supported me

Thousands of
light years from Galactic Confederation territory was the homeworld of the
Naerendi people, also known as the Greys. In place of the sky a colossal
structure covered the planet. Spires that served as buildings as well as
orbital elevators held the entire outer shell over the darkened surface of
their world. Carved deep into the ground and accessible only through massive
elevators sat the heart of their world. A sphere of computing power the size of
a moon served as the mainframe of their machine god, the being controlling
every aspect of their existence. Billions of Greys moved about in a mechanical
manner for the constant upgrades and maintenance work required to keep their
world functioning. All of the planet’s power systems came from either the
thermal energy from the interior or the red dwarf star it circled around.
Outside, millions of saucer shaped ships came and went at all times. Suddenly,
all of the smaller ships in deep orbit scattered when five specially made
planet killers appeared. Each of the giant spheres had a diameter of a thousand
ketres
but resembled the smaller planet killers in all other ways save
for their coloration. Inside the room where the machine god was kept five
figures appeared from the shadows. Each wore a gray cloak over their colored
exoskeletons and held a telepathic staff in hand as they approached their lord.
Once they reached a few
vetres
of their god’s body they knelt before it.

“Long has it
been since you called forth the five generals,”
Regen Alondes,
the general of the Black Star Knights, said telepathically.

“I have called
for the five of you personally because today is the day we destroy the Galactic
Confederation,”
the machine god said.

“Then it’s war
my lord?”
Regen asked.

“War it is,”
the machine god
said.

Regen stood
before looking at the others.
“If god commands us to war then we shall
destroy the Confederation. Let not one world stand. Let not one colony escape.
Trample them into the ground my soldiers! Until the last heretic is dead we
shall fight!”

The telepathic
link between the Greys echoed their general’s words throughout the empire.
Regen turned back to his master.

“Is there
anything else you wish of us my lord?”

“Yes,”
the machine god
said.
“I order you to leave one seed alone.”

“Which one would
that be my lord?”
Regen asked.

“Terra Prime,”
the machine god
said.
“Let it be the last world we destroy. For my desire is that you
capture Brian Peterson and put him before me in chains.”

“
What grand
execution do you have in mind my lord?”
Regen asked.

“Brian will
watch as his world is purified in celebration of our victory,”
the machine god
said.
“I will then curse him to a fate far worse than death.”

“As you wish my
lord,”
Regen said.

* *
*

“Memento mori…”

Brian woke up
hearing those words echo through his being. He stood up and threw his clothes
on in haste at the same time Seles stirred and did likewise. She saw something
dark behind his eyes.

“What’s wrong?”
she asked.

“It’s
happening,” he said.

She looked
confused for a moment before the meaning behind his words came to her.

“How long do we
have?” she asked.

“We need to get
ready now,” he said. “Their first wave is already inside Confederation
territory.”

“How do you know
this?”

“Their god
showed me,” Brian said.

She hugged him
tightly. “Remember you’re not alone.”

“I know,” he
said. “Thanks Seles.”

The Alaska base
of Heaven’s Light appeared in lunar orbit of Reiki Prime. Captain Javrin and
her second in command, Loc Shor, immediately sent out another warning signal.

“That should
do,” Javrin said.

“I’ve got more
bad news,” Loc said as she turned the monitors on.

All of the Reiki
ships able to fight were currently engaged with a fleet of a thousand Grey
carriers. Swarms of smaller attack vessels surrounded the Reiki as the force
closed in on the homeworld. Javrin hit the com.

“All forces are
to move out in formation A-1,” she ordered.

“Yes captain,”
all the subordinate captains said.

The remaining
nineteen Avoni class ships and almost a thousand Phase Raknas and Fangs
launched from the asteroid base. Loc activated the main shields and readied
their cannons.

“Do you think we
have a chance?” Javrin asked.

“I’d start
praying to your goddess about now,” Loc said.

“I’m already
doing that,” Javrin said.

* *
*

The Avoni was
docked in the Columbia base as the asteroid orbited of Dega Jul. Valis was in
her quarters working on the next battle plan against the Zarite forces when
Brian appeared on her screen.

“It’s a bit
early for you to be up,” Valis said.

“Valis, I need
you to switch from what you’re doing to something else right now,” he said.

She could see
the seriousness on his face. “What’s going on?”

“A thousand Grey
carriers will be attacking Dega Jul in a few minutes,” he explained.

Her eyes widened
while she changed her battle simulations. “Are you sure?”

“Trust me,”
Brian said.

“I do,” Valis
said. She sat in shock for a moment. “I thought we had more time.”

“We all did,” he
said. “I’m heading out now. Please do your best to lead us to victory.”

“I will,” she
said.

* *
*

Veda and Reban
calmly went about their work while the Columbia base stocked up on supplies.

“Even after two
years the Zarites are still a problem,” Reban commented.

“They’re
determined, I’ll give them that,” Veda said.

The monitor
flashed and showed Valis in the cockpit of the Minerva.

“Veda, a fleet
of a thousand Grey carriers is about to attack us,” Valis said. “Scramble all
ships and mobile suits in formation D-3.”

“What?” Veda
asked.

“She’s not
lying,” Reban said.

The scanners
began picking up a fleet of Grey ships.

“That’s an
insane amount of enemies,” Veda said. “I’ll do as you say Valis.”

“Thanks
grandmother,” Valis said.

* *
*

Commander Baeron
sat on the open hatch of his Lance Phalanx while sipping some water. His mobile
suit was standing in the street of Dega Jul as the dawn broke on this side of
the planet. While checking his
zenti
axe the bearman heard an alert come
from the cockpit. He ran inside and saw Siata on the monitor.

“Baeron, the
orbital alert system has detected a fleet of Grey carriers entering orbit,” the
Mylor woman said.

“Are you sure
they’re Greys?” he asked.

“There can be no
doubt,” she said before sending a visual to his monitor. He stared at the fleet
of twenty
ketre
wide vessels as they quickly approached. “We’ll deploy
all our forces and defer to Captain Valis on the plan.”

“I understand,”
Baeron said as he quickly booted his Lance’s systems up and hit the com. “To
all Confederation units, a fleet of Grey ships has been detected and is
approaching with deadly intent. Scramble every ship and mobile suit available
and head for orbit. All ground forces are to evacuate the civilian population
to the underground shelters immediately.”

“Yes sir,” his
subordinates responded.

From the surface
of the city planet thousands of mobile suits flew into orbit. Baeron led his
unit of twenty to the Columbia base. His com flashed before Valis appeared on
all of their monitors.

“This is Captain
Valis of the Avoni,” she said. “All Confederation forces are to assume
formation D-3. I’m currently in the process of determining their battle plan
and will switch things accordingly. That will be all for now.”

Baeron hit the
com to send a private channel to Valis.

“I can see
you’re concerned commander,” Valis said.

“What do you
believe are their targets?” he asked.

“Their goal is to
keep us busy for a while before sending a planet killer,” Valis said. “I’ve told
Siata to focus our defenses around the orbital ring.”

“Alright,”
Baeron said.

* *
*

Seles and Mira
were in the Artemis and Siren when the alert system came on. Jesela was down
below checking things over. All three of them stopped what they were doing when
the Grey ships appeared on their monitors.

“That’s a lot of
them,” Seles said.

“Too many of
them,” Mira said.

Jesela tapped on
their mobile suits’ legs. “All of the modifications are complete. There’s just
one more thing I’d like to do.”

Seles and Mira
both poked their heads out of their cockpits.

“And what would
that be?” Seles asked.

“Attach those,”
Jesela said while pointing up.

Above them were
four refitted Novaguards.

“The automated
system Grigon uses in his Talons are installed in them,” Jesela explained.
“They’ve been tuned to your fighting styles so they shouldn’t get in the way
during combat.”

“What about our
special systems?” Mira asked.

“The upgrades
are ready to go,” Jesela said.

“Then let’s move
out,” Seles said.

Jesela quickly
attached two Novaguards to the pair of mobile suits. She watched as the two
launched into space.

“Good luck,” she
said before heading to the bridge.

* *
*

Brian stood on
the bridge of the Freedom with Myden, Grigon, Jesela, and the four droids. The
lone ship had taken the initiative and was far ahead from the others at the
moment. Bearing down on them the fleet of Grey carriers began launching their
smaller saucer shaped crafts.

“That should
bring our foes to over fifty thousand,” Brian said.

“Are you sure we
should be going it alone?” Jesela asked.

Brian smiled
after his left eye began glowing. “Activate the Hades system,” he ordered.

“Yes captain,”
Grigon said.

“Myden, do you
have any special advice on how to destroy them?” Brian asked.

“Sink the
carriers first,” Myden said. “The smaller crafts can be handled by our mobile
weapons.”

“That was what I
planned for,” Brian said. He hit the com. “Kyli, take our mobile suits outside
and stick with the ship in formation D-3.”

“D-3 it is
then,” Kyli said.

A moment later
one hundred mobile suits launched and landed on the hull of the Freedom. On the
back of each one was a Novaguard ready to be activated.

“Why do you think
we didn’t receive word from the Alaska or Siberia bases?” Jesela asked.

“They used their
planet killers to move their forces in quicker than anticipated,” Brian
answered.

“Is that
possible?” Grigon asked.

“It is,” Myden
said. “No doubt they’ve launched an all-out attack on the Mylor territories as
well. Their goal is to pin us down and pick us off one by one.”

The four gravity
drives powering the Freedom lit up and spun to full power. On the outer hull of
the two
ketre
long ship a number of specially created reflector plates
emerged. Brian touched the controls for the main cannon and the intercom
system.

“We are Heaven’s
Light, the light that shines liberty upon the world. Wherever tyranny shows
itself we will strike. Until the day the Freedom’s bell rings eternal our
mission will never end.” Brian paused. “To everyone who can hear my voice I ask
you to take up arms and fight. If you can’t fight then help those who can.
These foes will not listen to reason or show you pity. Their mission is to
destroy every one of us without mercy.”

“The Hades
system is ready,” Grigon reported.

“Excellent,” Brian
said.

The Freedom lit
up as the bow of the ship shifted into a cannon barrel and fired a massive beam
of energy through the three closest Grey carriers, destroying them in an
instant.

* *
*

The Alaska base
and its forces were holding the Greys at bay with the aid of the Reiki fleet.
The base shook when a number of the Grey attack vessels charged and crashed
into the shields.

“What’s our
status?” Javrin asked.

“We’ve lost four
ships and three hundred and twenty mobile weapons,” Loc reported. “The Reiki
have lost over five hundred ships and several thousand fighters.”

“How’s the evacuation
going?” Javrin asked.

“All gravity
drive enabled colonies in the system have left,” Loc said. “Every ship that can
is taking those on the surface away as quickly as possible.”

The monitor
flashed when the scanners picked up a pair of planet killers in lunar orbit.

“Captain…,” Loc
said.

“I know,” Javrin
said. “We’ll try our best to stop them. Ready all nuclear missiles.”

“Of course,” Loc
said.

The Alaska base
and its ships turned about to meet the moon sized enemy ships.

“We’ll focus
everything on the closest one,” Javrin said.

The fifteen
ships and all the mobile suits armed their missiles and held close to the
asteroid base. Swarms of smaller attack vessels launched from the planet
killers and surrounded the Alaska base.

“Activate the
Hades system,” Javrin ordered.

“Are you sure
you can handle it?” Loc asked.

“None other the
Captain Peterson himself showed me how to use it,” Javrin said.

“As you wish,”
Loc said.

Javrin
concentrated and let the berserk come over her as the Alaska base was enveloped
in a powerful defense shield.