Grey War Saga 1: Twilight of Innocence (4 page)

Brian found himself
flying through a swirling tunnel of light. Looking behind he noticed the
Mjolnir was with him and had some damage dealt to its body. Further beyond was
the wreckage of innumerable crafts.
What is this place?
He thought.
This
isn’t like the blue ocean of thoughts at all.
He continued searching for a
way out but found he couldn’t. After a long time he saw something blocking the
exit of the tunnel. When he reached out to pierce the object he heard Valis’s
voice. Suddenly the dream was over and he opened his eyes. He was in the bed in
Valis’s quarters. She stood next to him with her uniform on.

“Are you awake now?”
she asked.

“What was that?”
he asked while shaking his head.

“Your left eye
was leaking,” she said. “I was worried and got away from you.”

He sighed and
shook it off. “I’m alright now. I was having a very odd dream, even for me.” He
saw Valis clear her throat and hold up his clothes. “Of course,” he said as he
took them and put his clothes back on.

“What’s it like
for you?” Valis asked while the pair stepped into their exoskeletons.

“It’s strange,”
he said. “I have a hard time describing it to others. The truth is I don’t know
how to use my power properly. That’s why it was smart of you to get away from
me.”

“Having you
stick an arm through my body isn’t exactly what I’d call fun,” Valis said.

“That’s true,”
Brian said. “Shall we go?”

“Of course,” she
said.

* *
*

Seles found Kivi
in one of the training rooms on the base. Kivi put her
rakna
blades down
and turned around.

“You look down,”
Kivi said.

“Myden is saying
things again,” Seles said.

She stood next
to Kivi before drawing her sword and readying the shield on the other arm. Kivi
put her two blades up in a defensive stance as they circled each other.

“I thought I was
the only one who felt that way,” Kivi said as they started sparring. “So what
did he say?”

“To be ready,”
Seles said as they backed away from one another.

Kivi smiled. “He
said the same thing to me last night.”

“I wonder if he
does the same for the others,” Seles said.

“I assume he
does,” Kivi said.

The pair went
into a prolonged flurry back and forth with no clear victor.

“You’re getting
better,” Kivi said.

“I’ve been
working on it,” Seles said. “Do you think I’m ready?”

“Can you sing?”
Kivi asked.

“Yes,” Seles
answered.

“Then Mira and I
will make a
Maigar
out of you when we have the time to,” Kivi said. “I’m
surprised Brian didn’t train you himself.”

“He offered to,”
Seles said. “But I decided you were the better choice.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you
talk to me about things he won’t,” Seles said.

“Are you ready
for whatever Myden is worried about?” Kivi asked.

“No,” Seles
said. “I don’t believe anyone can be.”

“That’s the
conclusion I came to,” Kivi said. “I also don’t believe in worrying about ifs
and maybes. Live for the moment, that’s my way.”

“I used to feel
the same,” Seles said as she went in for another set of attacks. Kivi forced
her back and they resumed circling each other. “A long time ago Brian told me
he believed in the future I was trying to create. I still don’t know what he
was talking about. The one thing I know is I have to keep looking ahead. I have
to keep searching. Because one day I’ll know what it is I’m supposed to find.”

“That’s pretty
abstract,” Kivi said.

“Of course it
is,” Seles said. “Finding one’s purpose in life isn’t like finding a gold bar
on the ground.”

The two women
laughed as they exchanged another round of strikes and feints.

“Maybe I’ll find
my purpose on this journey as well,” Kivi said.

* *
*

Later that day
the Columbia base gravity jumped into another resource system. The Freedom,
Vomada, and Daevoni then left the base and gravity jumped away. A moment later
the Avoni, Reinkar, and Raulno did likewise. Brian was on the bridge of the
Freedom with Myden, Grigon, Jesela, and the four droids. Captain Esra joined them
from the bridge of the Daevoni via the monitor.

“Valis likes
pairing us up,” Esra said. “Do you think she’s trying to tell us something?”

Brian laughed.
“I wouldn’t mind taking you up on that offer. But we have a crisis to deal
with.”

Esra sighed.
“It’s always business before pleasure.”

“Do you want to
split up for the search or stay together?” he asked.

“Let’s stay
together,” Esra said. “If we find a fleet of carriers we’ll need each other for
protection.”

“That’s what I
thought you’d say,” Brian said.

“Captain, we’re
receiving a distress call,” Droid B reported. “It’s from the Minan resource
colonies around the fourth planet.”

“Put us on
course for them,” Brian said. He looked at Esra. “I think we should send out
our mobile suits.”

“Agreed,” she
said.

* *
*

The mobile suits
from the Freedom and Daevoni searched the colonies. From the wreckage it was
obvious they had come under attack. Seles and Mira flew on their own to the
largest of the colonies and found a massive hole in the outer shell. The
Artemis and Siren paused when they reached the breach.

“I’m not
detecting any life signs,” Seles said.

“This is bad,”
Mira said. “They didn’t even have a chance to defend themselves.”

“Let’s take a
closer look inside,” Seles said.

“Of course,”
Mira said.

The pair
descended into the colony until they reached ground level. The interior of the
complex spanned ten
ketres
and included apartment complexes and agricultural
domes. Floating around everywhere were the bodies of thousands of Minan
civilians. Both mobile suits recorded everything they could.

“It looks like
this area was completely depressurized,” Seles said.

“Does this place
have an emergency shelter?” Mira asked.

“It did,” Seles
said.

Their scanners
showed a large part of the complex that was now destroyed.

“This is what
war with the Greys looks like,” Mira said.

“They won’t
leave one of us alive if they can help it,” Seles said. “With things as they
are I won’t be surprised if this is the norm everywhere soon.”

“The best
solution is to drive them out of the Confederation,” Mira said.

“I agree, but it
won’t be easy,” Seles said.

Their coms
flashed before a haggard looking Minan man appeared on their screens.

“Oh thank
goodness,” the Minan said. “We thought we’d been abandoned.”

“I’m Commander
Seles Daevon of the Freedom,” she said. “We came because of your emergency
beacon.”

“I’m Lieutenant
Commander Halden,” the Minan man said.

“Where are you?”
Seles asked.

“I and about
three thousand others were able to escape into the command center of this
colony,” he said. “We have no means of leaving on our own.”

“We’ll send some
transports in to help,” Seles said.

“Thank you
commander,” Halden said. “Tell me, did any of the others make it? We lost communication
with them a while ago.”

“I don’t think
so,” Seles said before showing him the video feed. She saw tears in his eyes.
“I’m sorry.”

“I am as well,”
Halden said.

* *
*

Brian was pacing
around the bridge when Kyli appeared on the screen.

“We’ve found another
three hundred survivors in the second colony,” she reported.

“I’m glad we can
help them,” Brian said. “Continue on then.”

“Yes captain,”
Kyli said.

“That brings out
total to four thousand and two hundred survivors,” Jesela said. “Where are we supposed
to put them all?”

“Have them
escorted to the Vomada,” Brian ordered. He looked at Grigon. “That’s alright,
isn’t it?”

“Of course,” the
old birdman said. “It’ll be a tight fit but it’s the best place for now.”

The scanners
went crazy when a number of disturbances in subspace were detected. A moment
later a fleet of a hundred Grey carriers appeared nearby. They quickly went to
surround the Freedom, Daevoni, and Vomada.

“Just our luck,”
Esra said over the monitor. “I think formation E-12 would be best.”

“Agreed,” Brian
said. He hit the com. “Seles, Mira, Kyli, we’re using formation E-12.”

“We’re on it,”
Seles said.

“Activate the
Hades system,” Brian ordered.

“It’s on its way
on,” Grigon said.

On the other
side of the screen Esra ordered the same thing on the Daevoni.

“I’m glad you had
this system installed,” she said.

“The point of
testing it on the Freedom was to see if we could synch our gravity drives
together,” Brian said. “The only issue is we can’t afford to install it on all
our ships.”

“Six is enough
for now,” Esra said.

Both Brian and
Esra’s eyes began glowing when they berserked to ignite their ships. The
Freedom and Daevoni moved towards the approaching Grey fleet while the Vomada
fell back to gather the transports. The mobile suits from the Freedom and
Daevoni circled around the two ships in defensive formations while the Talons
with the Vomada defended the survivors. The Artemis and Siren emerged from the
largest colony and flew to the front. As the Grey fleet came closer fifty
attack ships emerged from each of the carriers. The mass of saucer shaped ships
then targeted the two ships and pounded them with pulse fire. The Freedom and
Daevoni shifted their systems to Aegis mode for maximum defense and reflected
the pulse fire back at the Greys while their mobile suits and standard weapons returned
fired. The Artemis shifted its reflector plates to spread mode and fired into
the front line of the enemy formation.

Seles kept the
barrage going by using the spread mode while wave after wave of attack vessels
charged them. The transports finished landing on the Vomada before the ship
gravity jumped away with its Talons in tow.

“It looks like
we’re holding up,” Mira said.

“Barely,” Seles
said. “We need to do something to get out of this.”

“What do you
propose?” Mira asked.

Seles hit the
com. “Brian, do you mind if I try something?”

“Go ahead,” he
answered. “At this rate we can’t fire back at them.”

“Alright then,”
Seles said. “Mira, I want you to use your song system and fly straight into the
center of their fleet.”

“Sounds
dangerous,” Mira said.

“It won’t be
because Kyli and the others will be right behind you,” Seles said. “Did you get
that?”

“I hear you loud
and clear commander,” Kyli said.

“We’re on our
way then,” Mira said.

The Siren began
glowing when its paralyzing song system turned on and extended outward. It then
flew to the front and led the one hundred and forty four Phase Raknas and
Talons into the heart of the Grey fleet. Seles’s eyes began glowing while the
Artemis charged up for an arrow shot.

Feeling
aggressive, aren’t we?”
the Artemis wrote.

“The best
defense is offense at this point,” Seles said. “The Greys don’t show mercy and
don’t hesitate. The key is to get there faster than they can.”

The reflector
plates are deployed and ready.
The Artemis wrote.

“Then let’s give
our friends some room to work with,” Seles said.

The Artemis lit
up and fired the first arrow through the reflector plates in spread mode. All
of the smaller attack ships within a hundred
ketres
of the two ships
were instantly vaporized. Seles aimed at a different area and did the same.
Once the area closest to the Freedom and Daevoni was cleared she shifted the
system to power mode and flew towards the enemy carriers. She fired six arrow
shots in succession, destroying a total of thirty carriers in the process. With
the pressure off of them the Freedom and Daevoni shifted to attack mode and
joined the assault. Beams three times the size of the Artemis’s arrows fired
from the two ships as their gravity drives spun and covered them with glowing
green energy. When the Siren circled about the center of the enemy fleet was
silent and left unable to attack. It and the mobile suits with it fired at the
immobilized enemies and destroyed them with ease. When the Grey fleet went to
encircle the Siren, the Artemis fired a pair of arrows to clear the area. The
remaining enemies pulled back to regroup while the Siren led the mobile suits
back to the two ships. The smaller vessels returned to their previous positions
to defend the Freedom and Daevoni.

“That’s all I’ve
got for now,” Seles said.

“Your plan
worked great,” Mira said.

“It was
excellent commander,” Kyli said.

“Yes, but it
only held off the first wave,” Seles said.

“The first wave
was enough,” Brian said. “We can take care of the rest.”

The Freedom and
Daevoni carved their way through the enemy ships with explosions all around
them.

* *
*

The bridge crew
of the Freedom worked away as the battle continued. Brian turned around and
took the helmet for his exoskeleton armor off the captain’s chair.

“What are you
doing?” Jesela asked.

“I’m going to
find something out,” Brian said. “Myden, look after things while I’m gone.”

“I will,” the
Grey said.

Brian locked the
helmet into place and gravity jumped outside. He spotted the nearest Grey
carrier and sent out a signal for the others to not attack it. Using his
special sight he found his way inside until he reached the command center.
Hundreds of Greys ran about in a panicked state while he cut them down with his
rakna
blade. When he was alone with a single Grey he quickly closed the
door behind them and grabbed the creature.

“Now my enemy,
show me everything,” Brian said as he tore through the Grey’s mental defenses.

“You’ve come,”
a voice echoed
in Brian’s mind.

“Of course,”
Brian answered.
“What are you thinking of doing?”

“The seeds will
die first,”
the machine god said.
“Then one by one every race you know will fall. I’m
saving humanity for the final act. Enjoy the carnage Brian the Warrior!”

The sound of
laughter filled Brian’s mind. When he tried focusing he saw a vision of the
Viken homeworld being destroyed. With it flashed the vision of a dozen
different worlds of races on the verge of joining the Confederation being
destroyed. He staggered back when the visions repeated with laughter coming
with it. He lifted his sword and stabbed the Grey in the head. After throwing
it to the ground he stumbled out of the room and gravity jumped back to the
Freedom. He smiled under the helmet as he fell over and drifted into
unconsciousness.

* *
*

After two thirds
of their ships were destroyed the remaining Grey ships gravity jumped away.
Both ships and the Artemis and Siren returned to normal as they moved back into
a standard defensive formation.

“That wasn’t
easy,” Seles said.

“No it wasn’t,”
Mira added.

Myden appeared
on their monitors. “Seles, Mira, we need you back on the ship. Brian did
something foolish and it would be best if he was treated as soon as possible.”

“We’re on our
way,” Seles said. “Kyli, you and the others are to stay out here for now.”

“Of course
commander,” Kyli said.

The Artemis and
Siren landed on the Freedom a moment later. In the launching bay Jesela was
ready for them.

“Should we use
them?” Jesela asked as the two headed for the floor.

“I think so,”
Mira said.

“They worked in
the first battle, so let’s do it,” Seles said.

“Alright,”
Jesela said. “All mobile suits within our organization will be equipped with a
Novaguard using Grigon’s system within the week. Of course, it’s two for the
special units.”

“Thanks Jesela,”
Mira said as she ran to sickbay.

“By the way,
what did he do?” Seles asked.

“He used his
dimensional thing to enter one the carriers and pumped one of them for information,”
Jesela explained. “The scans say he’ll be alright, but Myden looked concerned.”

“I hope he got
something worth the trouble,” Seles said. “Well, I’d better get to the bridge.
And as for the system, do it. We need every pulse cannon and HV missile we can
get when we’re fighting out there.”

“Everything will
be ready within the week,” Jesela said as Seles headed for the door.

* *
*

A long time ago
I believed in others. I believed if we could understand one another the
violence would end. But beliefs aren’t reality; they’re just shadows dancing in
the distance of the mind. Ideals are for those who dream, but for those of us
who wake up we know the truth. The world is a cruel and random place. People are
fallible and flawed. The only way to change such a fate is to open our eyes.
That is my wish Brian. Wake them from this nightmare we call reality.
Brian opened his
eyes and saw a vast spinning machine above him. Next to him stood a Grey like
Myden, but with long red hair and matching facial hair. His body was covered in
a purplish light that resembled a butterfly. He turned and stared Brian in the
eyes.
To be alone is our fate. We were born different from the others and
cursed to endure a solitary existence. But instead of feeling sorry for
ourselves we fought through the tears. Fight on Brian of Earth, and let the day
come when your blade and my staff meet. That is my only dream now…

Brian snapped
back to reality as he sat up in the med lab of the Freedom. Suv Gar stood next
to him and leaned back. His left eye stopped glowing after he took a deep
breath.

“How are you
feeling captain?” Suv asked.

“Fine
lieutenant,” Brian said.

Mira ran into
the room. “Are you sure about that?”

Brian smiled.
“Yes Mira, I am.” He stepped into his exoskeleton and let it close around him.
“Can I go?”

“The scanners
say you’re alright,” Mira said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“It took me a
long time Mira, but I found what I was looking for,” Brian said. “Behind every
lash of hatred there was a cry.”

“What kind of
cry?” Mira asked.

“A desperate cry
for help,” he said.

* *
*

Seles was
working on the bridge with Myden and the four droids. Once she was finished she
looked at Myden.

“What is it
Seles?” he asked.

“Why is the
machine god the way it is?” she asked in return.

Myden smiled.
“It was a mistake, the greatest my people ever made. To think so much of
ourselves to craft a device like it. Only a fool could believe mortals were
gods. But the greatest regret is that I didn’t do what needed to be done. One
act of evil could have averted this if I had only done it.”

“I don’t
understand,” Seles said.

“The best way I
can put it is to ask you something,” he said.

“Go ahead,” she
said.

“If you could
save the world by killing Brian, would you do it?” he asked.

Seles looked
down and thought for a while. “I don’t think I could.”

“A long time ago
my best student made a terrible mistake,” Myden said. “If I had taken his life
then the troubles we see today would probably never had happened.”

“You’re wrong,”
Seles said. “Even if you had killed him another would have made the same
mistake.” She looked him in the eye. “If I had to make that choice I wouldn’t
kill Brian. I’d knock him out and try convincing him to change his mind. He
would if he was given a chance to see reason.”

“You’re a better
person than I,” Myden said.

“You’re jaded
because you’ve been regretting something for so long,” Seles said. “You need to
find your friend and help him. That’s all there is too it.”

“You make it
sound so easy,” Myden said.

“I know it isn’t,”
Seles said. “Arguments between friends are the hardest to overcome. But if you
approach him with honesty in mind he’ll know.”

“Thank you,”
Myden said. “I’ll try to do as you say.”

“Tell me, did
you care about him?” she asked.

Myden smiled.
“He was my brother in arms, but more than that, a great friend.”