Lucy felt the danger and rushed through the engineering spaces of the vessel. The dead and wounded were around her, but for the moment they were best served by stopping whatever the SS had in mind.
She found an entrance leading onto catwalks in an engine chamber of some size. The power plant was visible enough, purple light glowing from its inner compartment, while wounded and dying figures were visible on the catwalks and below on the main deck. Near the wounded, two armed SS men were raising rifles to fire.
Her lightsaber flashed to life with an electronic snap-hiss. The noise drew their attention, too late for Lucy to rip the weapons from their hands with her will. She closed the gap as they went for other weapons. Two slashes were all that was necessary to put them down for good.
Ignoring the sensation of life extinguishing, Lucy looked down at the lower level. The SS teams were trying to get to the power plant, from the look of things, but were being held off by two figures who either were or resembled Humans of East Asian heritage. One was a woman, shaved mostly bald save for a tail of brown hair at the back of her head, wearing monastic robes of yellow and orange that left her thin arms of corded muscle bare. Beside her, a tan-complexioned man in a suit of green and beige stood in a ready stance, his dark hair cut short. Lucy noticed his left hand was held out toward a floating plate of what looked like a metal. It absorbed green disruptor beams that tried to strike both.
Recognizing the danger to the two, Lucy ran up to a point above the two groups before she jumped down. She landed in time to deflect a shot with her lightsaber and into another trooper, who went down with a bad disruptor burn on the shoulder. To keep the SS off-balance Lucy threw out a wave of force, an inelegant but effective strike that knocked two over and left the rest unsteady.
The two defenders behind her joined the attack. She felt energy rippling around her through the Flow of Life, in a way that reminded her somewhat of biotics. The woman twirled on one foot, as if gathering energy, and then thrust her hands forward. A gust of tornado-strength wind slammed into one of the boarders, throwing him back into the bulkhead near the entrance with enough force to knock him unconscious.
The other man made motions in the air with his arms, as if throwing something. Metal plates flew from the man's belt in time with these motions. Some flew in at an angle to cut flesh, others seemed to curve, forming solid bands around the wrists or ankles of the boarders, subduing them and disarming at the same time.
The return fire could have easily killed both, but Lucy's arms were almost a blur as she caught said fire, directing it away. Her lightsaber zipped through the air intercepting every shot while her new comrades of the moment used their unique abilities to their fullest. It was easy to notice the theme; one seemed to control the air, moving and shifting it, and the other focused on guiding his metal weapons in to bind or disarm the SS.
The arrival of Anders and his Marines swiftly brought the fight to an end. Through the doors they came, pulse rifles blazing, and the remaining SS were caught in the crossfire. Seconds after their arrival the SS were down, defeated or dead.
Seeing Anders, Lucy shut off her lightsaber and called out, "I think they were planting bombs."
"They were," he confirmed, his voice somewhat tinny through the electric speakers of his helmet. "I'm trained in EOD, my Marines will handle it."
"Right." She turned and faced the two defenders, who were astonished and curious. She sensed the questions forming in their minds and said, "I'm Lucy Lucero from the United Alliance of Systems. We're here to help."
The two nodded. The woman spoke first. "We are grateful for your intervention, Lucy Lucero. I am Yeshe Beifong. This is my cousin Komin."
"The man I was just talking to is Major Gabriel Anders, the Commander of Marine Troops on the Alliance Starship Aurora, where I'm based from," she explained. "We're already clearing your ship of boarders. We're here to…"
"Attention all assistance parties." The voice was Tra'dur, over on the Aurora. "Nazi vessels are entering range. We are raising shields and engaging."
The arriving SS cruisers were a formidable formation, another two Tannenburg-class ships accompanied by two smaller ships, Innsbruck-class cruisers. Together they posed a formidable, though not insurmountable, threat to the Aurora.
On the bridge of the Aurora Meridina responded to the arrival with engagement orders. The holotank beside Jarod's seat showed the relative position of the Koenig, nearby and under cloak, ready to engage. "Are they launching fighters?"
"Yes," Tra'dur confirmed.
Jarod was already at his controls. "I'll detail the fighters and Koenig to deal with one of the cruisers."
"Excellent. Tactical, fire when they're in range."
That range came moments later. The Aurora's main batteries opened up, battering away at the shields of one of the smaller Innsbruck-class ships. The Koenig rippled into view from "above" the ships, adding its firepower to the attack. The fighter wings of the two groups met in the space between the Aurora and the cruisers, exchanging missiles and energy fire.
Disruptor beams sliced through the open space and into the Aurora's shields. Angel triggered plasma fire in retaliation, focusing her fire on the weaker Innsbruck-class ships to knock them out of the fight.
Meridina activated the comm system to link to Robert and the others. "Boarding teams, what is the status of the friendly ship? We may need their assistance."
On the other vessel, Robert was being joined by Talara and a couple of security personnel when Meridina's call came. He looked toward Ursa, who was seeing to the wounded of her crew. "Enemy reinforcements have arrived," he said. "Can your ship help to fight them off?"
"The General Iroh has suffered extensive damage in our previous battle," Ursa answered. "But we may be able to get sufficient power to our weapons and engines to aid your ship. Another matter is that many of the crew have been wounded or lost in this battle, including our helmsman."
"We'll provide what aid we can," Robert replied. He glanced back to Talara. "Lieutenant, take a look at their helm controls, if you think you can operate them…"
"Yes sir," Talara said, recognizing his intent. While it was likely many personnel on the ship had at least some helm training, helm operation in combat demanded more. She approached the vacant station forward of the command pit and glanced at the controls. They were physical controls, switches and levers and a prominent wheel. She couldn't read the ideograph-based language on the controls. She drew in a breath and focused inward, sensing their intent through her power instead. As she came to recognize the controls in question, she started working them slightly, getting a feel for them.
Gradually she became aware of intense attention from the others. She glanced toward a uniformed man standing beside her. "Is there something wrong?"
"I have never seen a spirit like you before," the man said.
"Spirit? I am a Falaen." A tone from the helm station drew Talara's attention back to it. She didn't recognize the characters that flashed red, but a moment's consideration gave her insight into the meaning. "It would appear that the ship's engines are inoperable. We cannot maneuver."
At her chair Ursa flipped a switch. "This is the bridge. Engineering, concentrate repairs on the engine systems. We need combat capability." Several moments passed without a hint of reply. "Engineering?"
Robert tapped at his omnitool. "Dale to Lucero. What's the status of Engineering?"
"Secured, but there's some damage in the section. And a lot of dead and wounded."
A hard look was on Ursa's face. "Is Chief Lee there?"
A couple of moments passed and another male voice, one Robert was unfamiliar with, came over the line, "He was wounded, Highness."
Ursa seemed relieved to hear the voice. "Komin. You are well?"
"I am, and so is Yeshe. We received aid from these newcomers just in time."
"Can you restore power? More enemy voidships have arrived. Our new allies are fighting them off, but they will need the General Iroh in the fight."
"I'll get right to it," was the reply.
When Komin's conversation with whomever was on the bridge was over, Lucy watched him turn to the reactor. His cousin gave him a look Lucy thought of as wry. "You have always wanted to work on a Varrick generator," she noted.
"I never imagined doing it in a situation like this," he confided.
Lucy walked up to them and to the power plant. She felt a ripple through the Flow of Life from it. It reminded her, somewhat, of what she'd felt from the Balmera crystal powering the Castle of Lions. Although the energy itself didn't seem to come from the Flow of Life, merely disturbing it, making ripples in it.
As she examined it, Lucy felt a sense of something wrong. The machine was being held back. She realized it was likely broken or damaged power relays. She followed one of the lines until she found a point of damage, likely from a disruptor bolt. "Here," she said aloud. "Damaged lines."
Komin followed where her eyes were looking. "Good eye."
"Not just my eyes. Let's get to work."
With a friendly ship to protect, the Aurora was at an inherent disadvantage. Multiple disruptor bolts struck at her shields, green beams causing blue energy to flicker into view where the deflectors resisted their power. On the Aurora bridge Tra'dur stated, "Shields now at fifty-six percent."
At tactical Angel focused the ship's main weapons on a damaged Innsbruck. The pulse plasma cannons built into the bow sent ten distinct streams of thick, sapphire pulses into the enemy ship. This time they slammed through the shields of the SS cruiser and ripped into the main hull, wrecking entire sections of the ship. A spread of torpedoes inflicted further carnage on the light cruiser, leaving it with great massive wounds.
Angel didn't get a chance to finish it off, as one of the heavier Tannenberg-class ships moved into position to take her next shot instead. Missiles erupted from its launcher, aimed directly at the Aurora. The particle interceptors spewed fire into the missiles' path to take them out before they struck, but only some were destroyed before the salvo crashed into the shields. "Shields now at forty-nine percent," Tra'dur said.
"I'm doing what I can," said Locarno, "but keeping us in a position to shield the other ship is reducing my choices."
"We must give them time," insisted Meridina, while the ship shook around them again.
Lucy's lightsaber made another cut, severing the damaged trunk line for one of the General Iroh's main power conduits. "There," she said.
Komin nodded. Lucy watched with interest as he used his gifts to move a new section of trunk line into position. She felt his power ripple and the result of it, as the interior lines pressed together until the connection was restored. He rotated his hands together and motioned as if compacting something between them. Metal shrieked lowly and the new section of trunk pressed into shape with the rest.
"That was a five minute welding job," she said aloud. "You did it in less than a minute."
"I'm a Beifong of Zaofu," he replied. "I've been training in Metalbending since I was a child. It runs in the family."
Lucy felt a number of questions welling up within her that she would file away for later. "What's the status on the power systems?" she asked into her omnitool.
"Looking at their readouts, main power is still cut from the engine assembly," replied Anders. "But you've restored full life support and weapons."
"Relay that to the bridge. We'll go to the next break." Lucy moved on, Komin following, both carrying the necessary materials to effect repairs.
"That sword you have," Komin said. "I've never imagined anything like it."
"It's a lightsaber," Lucy said. "It's a personal weapon for people with my abilities."
"I've never seen Bending like yours," Komin said. "I thought you were an Airbender for a moment there, the way you threw those invaders back, but Yeshe didn't feel you move the air."
Lucy gave him a look brimming with curiosity, but she held it back for the moment. "I can discuss my abilities later, but right now…" They came up to another damaged section of power line. "Let's get this ship going."
Komin nodded and pulled out another section of power trunk cabling. Lucy measured it and re-ignited her lightsaber to make another cut. She felt the sense of warning just in time to brace herself. The deck lurched below them. "The ship's under fire," she said. "Let's get this done now."
A second barrage of disruptor fire sliced along the General Iroh's port side, sundering armor and carving a wound into the ship's hull. Weapon emplacements twisted to face the Tannenburg-class cruiser responsible for the wound. Brilliant purple energy retaliated, meeting the ruby gleam flaring of the Nazi cruiser's deflector shields.
On the other side of the SS vessel, beams of sapphire energy impacted against the cruiser's shields as well, the ship gaining the full attention of Angel Delgado on the Aurora. She acquired a hard target lock and continued the barrage, firing the port plasma cannons. Bigger brilliant beams of blue energy stabbed at the SS ship.
Nor did she ignore the other two craft. A spread of solar torpedoes erupted from the aft launcher toward the more stricken of the two Innsbruck-class cruisers, already badly hurt from the attack runs of Commander Laurent's fighters. The sparks of blue-white light crashed into the unshielded hull of the Nazi cruiser, exploding the blood-red port nacelle and blasting huge wounds in its port side. The aft-facing plasma pulse cannons erupted in sapphire furry, the bolts crashing into those wounds. The enemy cruiser blew apart in a series of explosions.
But that was merely one of four ships in the fight. Even as the Aurora moved to aid the General Iroh, two cruisers remained to focus fire on her. The larger of the ships, another Tannenburg, also fired a disruptor barrage into the path of the Koenig, slashing across the attacker's shields as it bore down on the remaining Innsbruck.
The bridge shook under Zack's feet. At Ops Lieutenant Commander Magda Navaez, his Operations Officer and First Officer, reported, "Shields now at sixty-two percent."
"Continue attack run," he responded
"Yes sir," came the replies from Lt. April Sherlily at Tactical and Lt. Jean Hajar at the helm.
The pulse phaser cannon emitters installed beside the forward-swept warp nacelles of the Koenig opened up, spitting furious amber-toned energy in bolts at the smaller of the two cruisers ahead. Solar torpedoes followed the bolts in, all crashing against thee cruiser's shields and continuing to degrade them.
As the Koenig peeled away to begin another attack run, Delta and Echo Squadrons from the Aurora fighter wing followed them in, firing torpedoes as well and evading the rapid-fire disruptor bolts of the cruisers' point defenses. One fighter took a direct hit from said defenses and nearly disintegrated, the pilot and sensor officer ejecting from their stricken craft a moment later.
The torpedoes hit home. The Tannenburg-class ship's shields held, but the other cruiser's shields faltered, losing cohesion. Recognizing his opportunity Zack bellowed, "Attack Plan Whiskey on secondary target, now!"
"Aye sir!" Hajar responded while performing the ordered maneuver. Under her control the Koenig whipped around in space, straining the G force-absorbing inertial dampeners as she did.
"Firing!"
The moment Sherlily spoke, her finger triggered the pulse phaser cannons again. The Koenig's main battery was tremendously effective for a ship of her size. She was, essentially, a flying cruiser battery, and that meant her weapons were a threat to cruisers. With failing shields, the Innsbruck-class ship took damage directly from the Koenig's bow weapons. The bursts of phaser fire ripped into the Nazi vessel's hull, blasting chunks of metal and material from the wounds in said hull. Flame and atmosphere erupted in the wake of the hits.
And then the torpedoes hit home. One blew off a piece of the cruiser's nacelle, another wrecked a disruptor emitter. The others hit at points along the four hundred meter-long ship's hull, blasting more debris away from it, leaving the Innsbruck-class cruiser with significant system damage.
The cruiser's return fire continued, playing green disruptor beams over the Koenig's shields and over the Aurora's. It wasn't out of the fight yet. And its two larger allies were bracketing the Aurora with energy fire.
"Aurora's shields are down to thirty-five percent," Magda said. "They can't take much more of this."
"Return our focus to primary target," Zack said, frowning. That other ship had damn well better join us soon...
Another disruptor beam played over the dark-colored hull of the General Iroh, slicing away armor and hull material and exposing more sections to vacuum. "Breaches in void hull, forward decks, Sections 3 through 6," stated one of the bridge personnel.
Robert noticed Ursa and one of the older men, a man of kept dark hair and a stern expression, exchange looks. Ursa pressed at an intercom on her armrest. "Engineering, what is our status?"
The reply was from a young woman. "They are nearly done."
"We are under fire, we need power back now."
"That is understood."
The ship rocked again under Lucy's feet, nearly throwing off her aim as she cut free another damaged portion of the trunk line. The moment it fell away Komin moved a replacement into place with his Metalbending, tightening it and twining together the new connections..
"Princess Ursa is insistent that the ship's power must be restored shortly," Yeshe said over the internal comms.
"I'm sure she is, whoever she is," said Lucy. "But this takes time, even with abilities. We…"
"...are done," Komin pronounced. "That should be the final repair necessary."
Lucy ran a scan with her omnitool, confirming Komin's assessment. "Power's circulating freely through the system."
"Yeshe, the board in Engineering, is it…"
"...it is, cousin," came the reply. "The ship's engines have power once more."
Lucy immediately keyed her comms to Robert. "We've got engine power," she said.
On the General Iroh bridge, Talara noticed the warning signal disappear, turning to another ideograph glowing green. "The engines have power, Captain," she said. "Engaging drives." From her examination of the control board, she identified the engine thrust lever and pushed it forward.
"Present strong side to the enemy," Ursa ordered. "All weapons, fire at will."
Talara nearly asked what she meant, but she sensed Ursa's intentions and turned the ship to port.
The General Iroh's engines were firing already, due to Talara's initiative. Now they roared to full power. Powerful cannon mounts tracked toward what Robert considered the ship's starboard side. With power fully restored, the weapons were at full effectiveness again. They focused on the Tannenburg-class ship between the General Iroh and the Aurora. Brilliant beams of purple light lashed out in sequence, stronger than before, straining away the ruby-tinted shields of the SS vessel.
The Aurora's maneuvering picked up, the other ship freed now from the need to protect the motionless General Iroh. Robert watched its sapphire beams playing over the SS heavy cruiser's shields and knew Angel and Meridina saw the same opportunity; the chance to overwhelm the SS cruiser's shields and finish it off. Its sister ship was still laying into the Aurora, with the Koenig and the Aurora's fighters harassing it in turn, and the remaining Innsbruck-class cruiser contributing what fire it could given its damaged situation.
The battle wasn't over, but at least they had a shot now.
At that moment, his attention was diverted. Robert collapsed to his knees as phantom pain flooded his being, with it a distant scream of agony echoing in his mind.
Ursa noticed with concern. "What is wrong? Are you injured?" she asked.
"No. Not me," he croaked. "Julia… I can feel it… they're hurting her…"
In the healing chamber with the kohltou tanks, Fassbinder observed with satisfaction at the scream coming from Julia. She spasmed from the Eubian nanobots flooding her nerve endings with pain signals. From where he stood he sensed the enormity of it, the inescapable agony, and he delighted in it.
And there was something more to it now, he felt. He could feel something in Julia's being, the faint hint of a tether, a connection. What was it? Who was she connected to? His grin grew as he considered the possibilities and found further cause for enjoyment in them.
That satisfaction faded when he felt Julia's mind shut down. He'd pushed her too far. She was no longer conscious, and her body was failing from the abuse. He tapped the gauntlet key to shut down the nanobots and dialed down the electrical current to nothing. Another step and the kohltou's circulation picked up, ensuring she would heal effectively. That was the important part, indeed, the entire point of using the miracle fluid. It healed her body, restored some of its vitality, and ensured she would not die from the tortures he was inflicting. And there were so many more he had planned once they finished testing the Aurora Chair with her...
He sensed his approaching subordinate a moment before the Sturmbannführer entered the room. "Sieg Heil!" the man shouted, arm held up ramrod straight in a proper salute.
"Heil Kranefuss," Fassbinder replied, returning the salute. "Report, Sturmbannführer."
"We have received a message from Oberführer Franck of the Dogger Bank. His squadron is engaged with the Alliance vessel Aurora and one of the local civilization's ships."
Immediately Fassbinder realized the implications. A part of him surged with irritation: he'd hoped to have more time to make preparations before being discovered. But then again, this was precisely what he hoped, wasn't it? If they were coming in alone like this, that meant the Aurora and the Alliance were likely not ready for a major effort either.
"Well, how intriguing," he said. "Thank you, Sturmbannfuhrer. I now have much to plan." He looked to Julia's unconscious form floating in the kohltou. "Oh so much to plan," he said, cherishing the anticipation for the scheme forming in his mind.
:
Another disruptor beam struck at the Aurora, making the ship shudder. "Shields now to nineteen percent," Tra'dur reported. "Cohesion is faltering."
"Maintain fire."
Angel did so happily as she directed more plasma fire to port on the faltering Tannenburg there. Their new ally likewise maintained a full barrage of brilliant purple energy, scouring the enemy ship and keeping its shields at the brink of collapse. Angel likewise directed a solar torpedo spread to aft at the Innsbruck-class ship limping up toward the rear.
The enemy cruiser's disruptors fired, weakening further the Aurora's. With her own gone, however, there was nothing to stop the solar torpedoes from striking. The hits to damaged hull proved too much. The light cruiser was blown apart.
"Two targets remaining," Angel crowed.
Meridina replied with a nod. 'Return fire to our main target"
"Koenig is moving to engage as well," added Jarod.
Meridina observed that process. Zachary's ship threaded the needle of friendly and hostile fire, coming in from a third angle on the enemy ship's ventral arc. The belly of the SS cruiser was barely-protected, their faltering shields desperately directed to repel the batteries of the Aurora and General Iroh.
With the rapidity of a bird of prey, the Koenig struck, diving "down" (by her own relation) at the belly of the enemy ship and opening up with full forward batteries. The shields on that arc failed after the first torpedo spread. The Koenig swung from left to right (relatively speaking), zig-zagging around oncoming fire as her pulse phaser cannons continued to rip through bare hull. Explosions flowered from the enemy ship at every impact. More solar torpedoes erupted from Koenig's launcher, each blowing out more and more guts of the cruiser.
The damage was telling. The enemy ship's shields failed, and now the General Iroh and Aurora joined in the slaughter, blue and purple beams cutting into the ship as it fell apart around its crew. The SS ship fired a last few shots in defiance, but did no appreciable damage before the cruiser went completely dark.
The Koenig shot away from it, and with good reason. Meridina steeled herself at the sensation of what was coming. Somewhere on the SS ship, someone on the crew intentionally shut down the magnetic fields confining the ship's antimatter fuel, allowing the volatile substance to make contact with ordinary matter. Opposites met and annihilated each other in a flare of brilliant energy, one that utterly consumed the cruiser in a white fireball.
That left one foe, the second Tannenburg, which was still firing on the Aurora while fending off the remaining fighters of the same. With the odds so clearly against them, the SS cruiser turned away. "They're preparing to go to warp," warned Cat.
Meridina considered the option of pursuit. But a glance at the battle damage told her it was not wise. This cruiser was still fairly intact, not very damaged at all, and the Aurora's shields were faltering with several systems already harmed in some way. A pursuit would be unwise. "Allow them," she said.
A moment later, the enemy ship warped away.
"Stand down to Code Yellow status, recall all fighters. Lieutenant Tra'dur, signal Robert and the others on the other vessel," said Meridina. "It would appear that we have conducted a first contact mission under fire."
"Yes Captain," replied Tra'dur.
Tag
Ship's Log: ASV Aurora; 23 October 2643 AST. Captain Meridina reporting. Our mission to recover Captain Andreys has resulted in an unexpected outcome, a first contact with a space-faring Human civilization native to N1C4. They are pursuing the SS exiles for their own purposes involving SS raids on their outlying colonies. We are currently providing assistance in repairs for the vessel we assisted, known as the General Iroh. I have alerted Defense Command to the first contact situation.
While there are certain aspects to their technology that are of interest, their 'Bending' capabilities are of the greater interest. It would seem the local Human civilization has developed a unique connection to the Flow of Life. I sense this may be why the Flow of Life feels different in this universe.
The Aurora and the General Iroh were now side by side in the middle of interstellar space. Mongoose fighters from the former were flying outward, forming a perimeter defense should SS ships arrive. The Koenig was patrolling the parsec around them for the same purpose.
Meridina and Jarod beamed aboard the General Iroh with one of the repair crews sent by Scotty. While the engineering personnel went off to help with repairs they were met by Yeshe. Meridina sensed a serenity in the young woman that would have fit well with the more contemplative members of the Order of Swenya. "You are Meridina and Jarod?" she asked.
"We are."
"Please, follow me."
Yeshe led them further into the ship. Their ultimate destination was the officers' wardroom, with a table and chairs of tropical hardwood, the wall adorned with red banners and a gold flame insignia in the middle. Robert, Lucy, Talara, and Richmond were waiting there, with Ursa and Komin present. Meridina sensed vibrant life energy in both, as she did in Yeshe. It was a peculiar feeling, clearly linked to what her people considered an active, connected swevyra, but yet different than she was used to.
"Princess Ursa, Mister Beifong, this is Meridina and Jarod, the Acting Captain and the Operations Officer of the Koenig respectively." Robert turned to the two new arrivals. He seemed pale and tired. Meridina knew it couldn't just be from the fighting. "Meridina, Jarod, Princess Ursa of the FIre Nation and Komin Beifong. You've met his cousin Yeshe."
Meridina nodded. "I am pleased to meet both of you. Your ship's aid was timely in the battle."
"Your arrival was rather more timely," Ursa replied evenly. "We did not expect to find allies against the Invaders."
"That is your name for the Schutzstaffel, then? It seems fitting."
"These… 'Nazis' as you call them have raided several colonies on the frontiers of the Five Nations." Ursa was a woman of clear self-discipline, but the worry of a mother showed through it. "It was their last raid that claimed my daughter. The survivors told us they took her as a prisoner."
"Have they tried to ransom her?" asked Robert. "The SS wouldn't take a prisoner if they didn't need her for something."
"No. Nothing." Ursa clenched a fist. "We have been tracking them for two weeks in the attempt to find wherever their forces are based. We are certain it is not far from here, but the void is vast and the stars spread out."
"It is likely that they took your daughter to the same place they took Captain Andreys," Talara noted.
"The friend you have come to rescue?" Ursa nodded. "We have common cause then."
"That we do."
"You say you are from an Alliance. Will more of your people come to aid us?" asked Komin.
"We've informed them of where we are and of the first contact with your people," Jarod replied. "As things are, we're gathering our fleet to hit the Nazis back, but it may be a day or so before they can join us. We have many worlds that need protecting now that it's clear the SS have copied our interuniversal drive."
That last term caused clear bewilderment and uncertainty in the others. "Interuniversal drive?" asked Yeshe. "What do you mean by that?"
"It is a jump drive that generates temporary transit points between universes," Meridina replied. "It makes our civilization possible. Unfortunately, toward the end of our war with their Reich, the Reich's leadership completed the project to replicate the technology. Or, at least, their SS did."
"I see. So that is how they came to our space, and now you are here as well."
Robert nodded. An old feeling of guilt welled up within him. "We never intended for people like the Nazis to get our technology. I'm sorry that our failure to stop them from copying it has caused your people loss."
"The fault is not yours," Yeshe said. "The fault is theirs."
"We've been telling him that for years now," Lucy remarked drolly, giving Robert a knowing look. He returned it and sighed. "Anyway, your ship should be good to go soon enough. But since we have time, I'd like to know more about your people. The abilities you showed, for instance…"
"I feel the same toward you," said Komin. "You don't move the air or earth, and you don't throw fire, but you seem to know where your enemy's attack is going to be every time. And you threw back the invaders without using any elements."
"We use the connection of our life energy to the universe. Well, it can be more complicated than that, but it's a good starting point. And you?"
Ursa was the one to answer. "The people of our world are divided into the Four Nations. I am from the Fire Nation. Komin is Earth Union, from the state of Zaofu, and Yeshe is from the Air Nation. And there are also the Water Tribes who dwell at our world's poles, Northern and Southern."
"You mentioned that your colonies are from five nations earlier," said Richmond. "The fifth is…?"
"The United Republic," Yeshe replied. "The Republic was founded in the aftermath of the Hundred Years War as a home for people from all nations. Over the last two and a half centuries, the Republic became its own nation. It is the heart of the Five Nations Compact."
"I'm guessing that members of each original nation wield the elements they're named for," Lucy observed.
"Some, although many are non-benders."
"Huh," Jarod murmured. He glanced toward Robert and Lucy. "Is this like your abilities?"
"They may be related," Robert said. It was clear his mind wasn't on the conversation, even with the speed of his reply. "It's something to consider for later. Right now we need to figure out what we know about the SS presence, and how we can get back Julia and Miko."
"Agreed," said Ursa. "Please, tell us more about these SS, and what kind of foe they are."
"I'd like to hear more about your Alliance, and the non-Human life like Talara," Komin added. Noticing Ursa's look, he almost sheepishly added, "When you're done, I mean."
"Very well," replied Meridina. "Allow us to explain."
In the quiet of his room, Erik Fassbinder read the reply from his leader. Kranefuss was displeased to learn their prize had been compromised so quickly after the operation. The SS would have to abandon this remarkable place. And they would do so with maximum destruction.
It would be quite a shame.
But an even greater shame would be losing this opportunity. He sensed what was coming. The Aurora crew were aware that they were running out of time, that if they didn't come soon, they would lose the chance to reclaim their friend. The same was true for the local untermenschen and reclaiming that brat in the holding cells. They weren't going to wait for the friendly fleet. They were going to come now.
And Fassbinder would be waiting for them.
Another stun stick blow caused Julia to collapse into a heap on the floor of her cell. Her guards retreated back across the threshold of the cell's forcefield before activating it, confining her again. She heard them walk away and began to stir. While that green fluid healed her body, it did nothing to ease the ill feelings within her. She crept slowly over to the cell door. Contact with her fellow prisoner was the only thing to help her stay sane.
Across the way, Miko regarded Julia with compassion and clear frustration. Her hands balled up into fists and tears flowed from her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said.
Julia looked toward her, thankful to see mercy and sympathy in at least one set of eyes in this hell. "There's nothing you can do about it."
"I know, but still…" With an ever-more furious look, Miko finally drove her fist into the ground beside her, not quite hard enough to crack the knuckles at the impact. A wince came to her face, but it mattered little compared to the tears flowing from her eyes. "What you're going through, the way they keep taking you to be tortured, it's terrible. I should be able to stop it."
To that Julia chuckled. "That sounds familiar," she sighed, thinking of Robert. "Save your energy for battles you can win."
Julia didn't expect the vehemence that came from Miko. "That's just it! I should be able to fight back! To… to get out of this, but I can't!" She gestured toward the collar. "This keeps me from bending! And… and I don't know how else I can fight them, I don't know how to use their weapons…!"
"Be patient," Julia advised. "You never know when we'll get an opportunity." As she spoke she looked over the collar on the younger woman before returning to looking into her eyes. "It's not your responsibility to protect me, Miko."
"That's where you're wrong," Miko insisted.
"I am?"
Miko nodded. 'You are."
"Alright," said Julia. "Can you explain? You're responsible for helping me because…?"
Miko nodded and drew in a little breath. She was regaining composure from the outburst of emotion.
"Because," Miko said, "I'm the Avatar."
She found an entrance leading onto catwalks in an engine chamber of some size. The power plant was visible enough, purple light glowing from its inner compartment, while wounded and dying figures were visible on the catwalks and below on the main deck. Near the wounded, two armed SS men were raising rifles to fire.
Her lightsaber flashed to life with an electronic snap-hiss. The noise drew their attention, too late for Lucy to rip the weapons from their hands with her will. She closed the gap as they went for other weapons. Two slashes were all that was necessary to put them down for good.
Ignoring the sensation of life extinguishing, Lucy looked down at the lower level. The SS teams were trying to get to the power plant, from the look of things, but were being held off by two figures who either were or resembled Humans of East Asian heritage. One was a woman, shaved mostly bald save for a tail of brown hair at the back of her head, wearing monastic robes of yellow and orange that left her thin arms of corded muscle bare. Beside her, a tan-complexioned man in a suit of green and beige stood in a ready stance, his dark hair cut short. Lucy noticed his left hand was held out toward a floating plate of what looked like a metal. It absorbed green disruptor beams that tried to strike both.
Recognizing the danger to the two, Lucy ran up to a point above the two groups before she jumped down. She landed in time to deflect a shot with her lightsaber and into another trooper, who went down with a bad disruptor burn on the shoulder. To keep the SS off-balance Lucy threw out a wave of force, an inelegant but effective strike that knocked two over and left the rest unsteady.
The two defenders behind her joined the attack. She felt energy rippling around her through the Flow of Life, in a way that reminded her somewhat of biotics. The woman twirled on one foot, as if gathering energy, and then thrust her hands forward. A gust of tornado-strength wind slammed into one of the boarders, throwing him back into the bulkhead near the entrance with enough force to knock him unconscious.
The other man made motions in the air with his arms, as if throwing something. Metal plates flew from the man's belt in time with these motions. Some flew in at an angle to cut flesh, others seemed to curve, forming solid bands around the wrists or ankles of the boarders, subduing them and disarming at the same time.
The return fire could have easily killed both, but Lucy's arms were almost a blur as she caught said fire, directing it away. Her lightsaber zipped through the air intercepting every shot while her new comrades of the moment used their unique abilities to their fullest. It was easy to notice the theme; one seemed to control the air, moving and shifting it, and the other focused on guiding his metal weapons in to bind or disarm the SS.
The arrival of Anders and his Marines swiftly brought the fight to an end. Through the doors they came, pulse rifles blazing, and the remaining SS were caught in the crossfire. Seconds after their arrival the SS were down, defeated or dead.
Seeing Anders, Lucy shut off her lightsaber and called out, "I think they were planting bombs."
"They were," he confirmed, his voice somewhat tinny through the electric speakers of his helmet. "I'm trained in EOD, my Marines will handle it."
"Right." She turned and faced the two defenders, who were astonished and curious. She sensed the questions forming in their minds and said, "I'm Lucy Lucero from the United Alliance of Systems. We're here to help."
The two nodded. The woman spoke first. "We are grateful for your intervention, Lucy Lucero. I am Yeshe Beifong. This is my cousin Komin."
"The man I was just talking to is Major Gabriel Anders, the Commander of Marine Troops on the Alliance Starship Aurora, where I'm based from," she explained. "We're already clearing your ship of boarders. We're here to…"
"Attention all assistance parties." The voice was Tra'dur, over on the Aurora. "Nazi vessels are entering range. We are raising shields and engaging."
The arriving SS cruisers were a formidable formation, another two Tannenburg-class ships accompanied by two smaller ships, Innsbruck-class cruisers. Together they posed a formidable, though not insurmountable, threat to the Aurora.
On the bridge of the Aurora Meridina responded to the arrival with engagement orders. The holotank beside Jarod's seat showed the relative position of the Koenig, nearby and under cloak, ready to engage. "Are they launching fighters?"
"Yes," Tra'dur confirmed.
Jarod was already at his controls. "I'll detail the fighters and Koenig to deal with one of the cruisers."
"Excellent. Tactical, fire when they're in range."
That range came moments later. The Aurora's main batteries opened up, battering away at the shields of one of the smaller Innsbruck-class ships. The Koenig rippled into view from "above" the ships, adding its firepower to the attack. The fighter wings of the two groups met in the space between the Aurora and the cruisers, exchanging missiles and energy fire.
Disruptor beams sliced through the open space and into the Aurora's shields. Angel triggered plasma fire in retaliation, focusing her fire on the weaker Innsbruck-class ships to knock them out of the fight.
Meridina activated the comm system to link to Robert and the others. "Boarding teams, what is the status of the friendly ship? We may need their assistance."
On the other vessel, Robert was being joined by Talara and a couple of security personnel when Meridina's call came. He looked toward Ursa, who was seeing to the wounded of her crew. "Enemy reinforcements have arrived," he said. "Can your ship help to fight them off?"
"The General Iroh has suffered extensive damage in our previous battle," Ursa answered. "But we may be able to get sufficient power to our weapons and engines to aid your ship. Another matter is that many of the crew have been wounded or lost in this battle, including our helmsman."
"We'll provide what aid we can," Robert replied. He glanced back to Talara. "Lieutenant, take a look at their helm controls, if you think you can operate them…"
"Yes sir," Talara said, recognizing his intent. While it was likely many personnel on the ship had at least some helm training, helm operation in combat demanded more. She approached the vacant station forward of the command pit and glanced at the controls. They were physical controls, switches and levers and a prominent wheel. She couldn't read the ideograph-based language on the controls. She drew in a breath and focused inward, sensing their intent through her power instead. As she came to recognize the controls in question, she started working them slightly, getting a feel for them.
Gradually she became aware of intense attention from the others. She glanced toward a uniformed man standing beside her. "Is there something wrong?"
"I have never seen a spirit like you before," the man said.
"Spirit? I am a Falaen." A tone from the helm station drew Talara's attention back to it. She didn't recognize the characters that flashed red, but a moment's consideration gave her insight into the meaning. "It would appear that the ship's engines are inoperable. We cannot maneuver."
At her chair Ursa flipped a switch. "This is the bridge. Engineering, concentrate repairs on the engine systems. We need combat capability." Several moments passed without a hint of reply. "Engineering?"
Robert tapped at his omnitool. "Dale to Lucero. What's the status of Engineering?"
"Secured, but there's some damage in the section. And a lot of dead and wounded."
A hard look was on Ursa's face. "Is Chief Lee there?"
A couple of moments passed and another male voice, one Robert was unfamiliar with, came over the line, "He was wounded, Highness."
Ursa seemed relieved to hear the voice. "Komin. You are well?"
"I am, and so is Yeshe. We received aid from these newcomers just in time."
"Can you restore power? More enemy voidships have arrived. Our new allies are fighting them off, but they will need the General Iroh in the fight."
"I'll get right to it," was the reply.
When Komin's conversation with whomever was on the bridge was over, Lucy watched him turn to the reactor. His cousin gave him a look Lucy thought of as wry. "You have always wanted to work on a Varrick generator," she noted.
"I never imagined doing it in a situation like this," he confided.
Lucy walked up to them and to the power plant. She felt a ripple through the Flow of Life from it. It reminded her, somewhat, of what she'd felt from the Balmera crystal powering the Castle of Lions. Although the energy itself didn't seem to come from the Flow of Life, merely disturbing it, making ripples in it.
As she examined it, Lucy felt a sense of something wrong. The machine was being held back. She realized it was likely broken or damaged power relays. She followed one of the lines until she found a point of damage, likely from a disruptor bolt. "Here," she said aloud. "Damaged lines."
Komin followed where her eyes were looking. "Good eye."
"Not just my eyes. Let's get to work."
With a friendly ship to protect, the Aurora was at an inherent disadvantage. Multiple disruptor bolts struck at her shields, green beams causing blue energy to flicker into view where the deflectors resisted their power. On the Aurora bridge Tra'dur stated, "Shields now at fifty-six percent."
At tactical Angel focused the ship's main weapons on a damaged Innsbruck. The pulse plasma cannons built into the bow sent ten distinct streams of thick, sapphire pulses into the enemy ship. This time they slammed through the shields of the SS cruiser and ripped into the main hull, wrecking entire sections of the ship. A spread of torpedoes inflicted further carnage on the light cruiser, leaving it with great massive wounds.
Angel didn't get a chance to finish it off, as one of the heavier Tannenberg-class ships moved into position to take her next shot instead. Missiles erupted from its launcher, aimed directly at the Aurora. The particle interceptors spewed fire into the missiles' path to take them out before they struck, but only some were destroyed before the salvo crashed into the shields. "Shields now at forty-nine percent," Tra'dur said.
"I'm doing what I can," said Locarno, "but keeping us in a position to shield the other ship is reducing my choices."
"We must give them time," insisted Meridina, while the ship shook around them again.
Lucy's lightsaber made another cut, severing the damaged trunk line for one of the General Iroh's main power conduits. "There," she said.
Komin nodded. Lucy watched with interest as he used his gifts to move a new section of trunk line into position. She felt his power ripple and the result of it, as the interior lines pressed together until the connection was restored. He rotated his hands together and motioned as if compacting something between them. Metal shrieked lowly and the new section of trunk pressed into shape with the rest.
"That was a five minute welding job," she said aloud. "You did it in less than a minute."
"I'm a Beifong of Zaofu," he replied. "I've been training in Metalbending since I was a child. It runs in the family."
Lucy felt a number of questions welling up within her that she would file away for later. "What's the status on the power systems?" she asked into her omnitool.
"Looking at their readouts, main power is still cut from the engine assembly," replied Anders. "But you've restored full life support and weapons."
"Relay that to the bridge. We'll go to the next break." Lucy moved on, Komin following, both carrying the necessary materials to effect repairs.
"That sword you have," Komin said. "I've never imagined anything like it."
"It's a lightsaber," Lucy said. "It's a personal weapon for people with my abilities."
"I've never seen Bending like yours," Komin said. "I thought you were an Airbender for a moment there, the way you threw those invaders back, but Yeshe didn't feel you move the air."
Lucy gave him a look brimming with curiosity, but she held it back for the moment. "I can discuss my abilities later, but right now…" They came up to another damaged section of power line. "Let's get this ship going."
Komin nodded and pulled out another section of power trunk cabling. Lucy measured it and re-ignited her lightsaber to make another cut. She felt the sense of warning just in time to brace herself. The deck lurched below them. "The ship's under fire," she said. "Let's get this done now."
A second barrage of disruptor fire sliced along the General Iroh's port side, sundering armor and carving a wound into the ship's hull. Weapon emplacements twisted to face the Tannenburg-class cruiser responsible for the wound. Brilliant purple energy retaliated, meeting the ruby gleam flaring of the Nazi cruiser's deflector shields.
On the other side of the SS vessel, beams of sapphire energy impacted against the cruiser's shields as well, the ship gaining the full attention of Angel Delgado on the Aurora. She acquired a hard target lock and continued the barrage, firing the port plasma cannons. Bigger brilliant beams of blue energy stabbed at the SS ship.
Nor did she ignore the other two craft. A spread of solar torpedoes erupted from the aft launcher toward the more stricken of the two Innsbruck-class cruisers, already badly hurt from the attack runs of Commander Laurent's fighters. The sparks of blue-white light crashed into the unshielded hull of the Nazi cruiser, exploding the blood-red port nacelle and blasting huge wounds in its port side. The aft-facing plasma pulse cannons erupted in sapphire furry, the bolts crashing into those wounds. The enemy cruiser blew apart in a series of explosions.
But that was merely one of four ships in the fight. Even as the Aurora moved to aid the General Iroh, two cruisers remained to focus fire on her. The larger of the ships, another Tannenburg, also fired a disruptor barrage into the path of the Koenig, slashing across the attacker's shields as it bore down on the remaining Innsbruck.
The bridge shook under Zack's feet. At Ops Lieutenant Commander Magda Navaez, his Operations Officer and First Officer, reported, "Shields now at sixty-two percent."
"Continue attack run," he responded
"Yes sir," came the replies from Lt. April Sherlily at Tactical and Lt. Jean Hajar at the helm.
The pulse phaser cannon emitters installed beside the forward-swept warp nacelles of the Koenig opened up, spitting furious amber-toned energy in bolts at the smaller of the two cruisers ahead. Solar torpedoes followed the bolts in, all crashing against thee cruiser's shields and continuing to degrade them.
As the Koenig peeled away to begin another attack run, Delta and Echo Squadrons from the Aurora fighter wing followed them in, firing torpedoes as well and evading the rapid-fire disruptor bolts of the cruisers' point defenses. One fighter took a direct hit from said defenses and nearly disintegrated, the pilot and sensor officer ejecting from their stricken craft a moment later.
The torpedoes hit home. The Tannenburg-class ship's shields held, but the other cruiser's shields faltered, losing cohesion. Recognizing his opportunity Zack bellowed, "Attack Plan Whiskey on secondary target, now!"
"Aye sir!" Hajar responded while performing the ordered maneuver. Under her control the Koenig whipped around in space, straining the G force-absorbing inertial dampeners as she did.
"Firing!"
The moment Sherlily spoke, her finger triggered the pulse phaser cannons again. The Koenig's main battery was tremendously effective for a ship of her size. She was, essentially, a flying cruiser battery, and that meant her weapons were a threat to cruisers. With failing shields, the Innsbruck-class ship took damage directly from the Koenig's bow weapons. The bursts of phaser fire ripped into the Nazi vessel's hull, blasting chunks of metal and material from the wounds in said hull. Flame and atmosphere erupted in the wake of the hits.
And then the torpedoes hit home. One blew off a piece of the cruiser's nacelle, another wrecked a disruptor emitter. The others hit at points along the four hundred meter-long ship's hull, blasting more debris away from it, leaving the Innsbruck-class cruiser with significant system damage.
The cruiser's return fire continued, playing green disruptor beams over the Koenig's shields and over the Aurora's. It wasn't out of the fight yet. And its two larger allies were bracketing the Aurora with energy fire.
"Aurora's shields are down to thirty-five percent," Magda said. "They can't take much more of this."
"Return our focus to primary target," Zack said, frowning. That other ship had damn well better join us soon...
Another disruptor beam played over the dark-colored hull of the General Iroh, slicing away armor and hull material and exposing more sections to vacuum. "Breaches in void hull, forward decks, Sections 3 through 6," stated one of the bridge personnel.
Robert noticed Ursa and one of the older men, a man of kept dark hair and a stern expression, exchange looks. Ursa pressed at an intercom on her armrest. "Engineering, what is our status?"
The reply was from a young woman. "They are nearly done."
"We are under fire, we need power back now."
"That is understood."
The ship rocked again under Lucy's feet, nearly throwing off her aim as she cut free another damaged portion of the trunk line. The moment it fell away Komin moved a replacement into place with his Metalbending, tightening it and twining together the new connections..
"Princess Ursa is insistent that the ship's power must be restored shortly," Yeshe said over the internal comms.
"I'm sure she is, whoever she is," said Lucy. "But this takes time, even with abilities. We…"
"...are done," Komin pronounced. "That should be the final repair necessary."
Lucy ran a scan with her omnitool, confirming Komin's assessment. "Power's circulating freely through the system."
"Yeshe, the board in Engineering, is it…"
"...it is, cousin," came the reply. "The ship's engines have power once more."
Lucy immediately keyed her comms to Robert. "We've got engine power," she said.
On the General Iroh bridge, Talara noticed the warning signal disappear, turning to another ideograph glowing green. "The engines have power, Captain," she said. "Engaging drives." From her examination of the control board, she identified the engine thrust lever and pushed it forward.
"Present strong side to the enemy," Ursa ordered. "All weapons, fire at will."
Talara nearly asked what she meant, but she sensed Ursa's intentions and turned the ship to port.
The General Iroh's engines were firing already, due to Talara's initiative. Now they roared to full power. Powerful cannon mounts tracked toward what Robert considered the ship's starboard side. With power fully restored, the weapons were at full effectiveness again. They focused on the Tannenburg-class ship between the General Iroh and the Aurora. Brilliant beams of purple light lashed out in sequence, stronger than before, straining away the ruby-tinted shields of the SS vessel.
The Aurora's maneuvering picked up, the other ship freed now from the need to protect the motionless General Iroh. Robert watched its sapphire beams playing over the SS heavy cruiser's shields and knew Angel and Meridina saw the same opportunity; the chance to overwhelm the SS cruiser's shields and finish it off. Its sister ship was still laying into the Aurora, with the Koenig and the Aurora's fighters harassing it in turn, and the remaining Innsbruck-class cruiser contributing what fire it could given its damaged situation.
The battle wasn't over, but at least they had a shot now.
At that moment, his attention was diverted. Robert collapsed to his knees as phantom pain flooded his being, with it a distant scream of agony echoing in his mind.
Ursa noticed with concern. "What is wrong? Are you injured?" she asked.
"No. Not me," he croaked. "Julia… I can feel it… they're hurting her…"
In the healing chamber with the kohltou tanks, Fassbinder observed with satisfaction at the scream coming from Julia. She spasmed from the Eubian nanobots flooding her nerve endings with pain signals. From where he stood he sensed the enormity of it, the inescapable agony, and he delighted in it.
And there was something more to it now, he felt. He could feel something in Julia's being, the faint hint of a tether, a connection. What was it? Who was she connected to? His grin grew as he considered the possibilities and found further cause for enjoyment in them.
That satisfaction faded when he felt Julia's mind shut down. He'd pushed her too far. She was no longer conscious, and her body was failing from the abuse. He tapped the gauntlet key to shut down the nanobots and dialed down the electrical current to nothing. Another step and the kohltou's circulation picked up, ensuring she would heal effectively. That was the important part, indeed, the entire point of using the miracle fluid. It healed her body, restored some of its vitality, and ensured she would not die from the tortures he was inflicting. And there were so many more he had planned once they finished testing the Aurora Chair with her...
He sensed his approaching subordinate a moment before the Sturmbannführer entered the room. "Sieg Heil!" the man shouted, arm held up ramrod straight in a proper salute.
"Heil Kranefuss," Fassbinder replied, returning the salute. "Report, Sturmbannführer."
"We have received a message from Oberführer Franck of the Dogger Bank. His squadron is engaged with the Alliance vessel Aurora and one of the local civilization's ships."
Immediately Fassbinder realized the implications. A part of him surged with irritation: he'd hoped to have more time to make preparations before being discovered. But then again, this was precisely what he hoped, wasn't it? If they were coming in alone like this, that meant the Aurora and the Alliance were likely not ready for a major effort either.
"Well, how intriguing," he said. "Thank you, Sturmbannfuhrer. I now have much to plan." He looked to Julia's unconscious form floating in the kohltou. "Oh so much to plan," he said, cherishing the anticipation for the scheme forming in his mind.
:
Another disruptor beam struck at the Aurora, making the ship shudder. "Shields now to nineteen percent," Tra'dur reported. "Cohesion is faltering."
"Maintain fire."
Angel did so happily as she directed more plasma fire to port on the faltering Tannenburg there. Their new ally likewise maintained a full barrage of brilliant purple energy, scouring the enemy ship and keeping its shields at the brink of collapse. Angel likewise directed a solar torpedo spread to aft at the Innsbruck-class ship limping up toward the rear.
The enemy cruiser's disruptors fired, weakening further the Aurora's. With her own gone, however, there was nothing to stop the solar torpedoes from striking. The hits to damaged hull proved too much. The light cruiser was blown apart.
"Two targets remaining," Angel crowed.
Meridina replied with a nod. 'Return fire to our main target"
"Koenig is moving to engage as well," added Jarod.
Meridina observed that process. Zachary's ship threaded the needle of friendly and hostile fire, coming in from a third angle on the enemy ship's ventral arc. The belly of the SS cruiser was barely-protected, their faltering shields desperately directed to repel the batteries of the Aurora and General Iroh.
With the rapidity of a bird of prey, the Koenig struck, diving "down" (by her own relation) at the belly of the enemy ship and opening up with full forward batteries. The shields on that arc failed after the first torpedo spread. The Koenig swung from left to right (relatively speaking), zig-zagging around oncoming fire as her pulse phaser cannons continued to rip through bare hull. Explosions flowered from the enemy ship at every impact. More solar torpedoes erupted from Koenig's launcher, each blowing out more and more guts of the cruiser.
The damage was telling. The enemy ship's shields failed, and now the General Iroh and Aurora joined in the slaughter, blue and purple beams cutting into the ship as it fell apart around its crew. The SS ship fired a last few shots in defiance, but did no appreciable damage before the cruiser went completely dark.
The Koenig shot away from it, and with good reason. Meridina steeled herself at the sensation of what was coming. Somewhere on the SS ship, someone on the crew intentionally shut down the magnetic fields confining the ship's antimatter fuel, allowing the volatile substance to make contact with ordinary matter. Opposites met and annihilated each other in a flare of brilliant energy, one that utterly consumed the cruiser in a white fireball.
That left one foe, the second Tannenburg, which was still firing on the Aurora while fending off the remaining fighters of the same. With the odds so clearly against them, the SS cruiser turned away. "They're preparing to go to warp," warned Cat.
Meridina considered the option of pursuit. But a glance at the battle damage told her it was not wise. This cruiser was still fairly intact, not very damaged at all, and the Aurora's shields were faltering with several systems already harmed in some way. A pursuit would be unwise. "Allow them," she said.
A moment later, the enemy ship warped away.
"Stand down to Code Yellow status, recall all fighters. Lieutenant Tra'dur, signal Robert and the others on the other vessel," said Meridina. "It would appear that we have conducted a first contact mission under fire."
"Yes Captain," replied Tra'dur.
Tag
Ship's Log: ASV Aurora; 23 October 2643 AST. Captain Meridina reporting. Our mission to recover Captain Andreys has resulted in an unexpected outcome, a first contact with a space-faring Human civilization native to N1C4. They are pursuing the SS exiles for their own purposes involving SS raids on their outlying colonies. We are currently providing assistance in repairs for the vessel we assisted, known as the General Iroh. I have alerted Defense Command to the first contact situation.
While there are certain aspects to their technology that are of interest, their 'Bending' capabilities are of the greater interest. It would seem the local Human civilization has developed a unique connection to the Flow of Life. I sense this may be why the Flow of Life feels different in this universe.
The Aurora and the General Iroh were now side by side in the middle of interstellar space. Mongoose fighters from the former were flying outward, forming a perimeter defense should SS ships arrive. The Koenig was patrolling the parsec around them for the same purpose.
Meridina and Jarod beamed aboard the General Iroh with one of the repair crews sent by Scotty. While the engineering personnel went off to help with repairs they were met by Yeshe. Meridina sensed a serenity in the young woman that would have fit well with the more contemplative members of the Order of Swenya. "You are Meridina and Jarod?" she asked.
"We are."
"Please, follow me."
Yeshe led them further into the ship. Their ultimate destination was the officers' wardroom, with a table and chairs of tropical hardwood, the wall adorned with red banners and a gold flame insignia in the middle. Robert, Lucy, Talara, and Richmond were waiting there, with Ursa and Komin present. Meridina sensed vibrant life energy in both, as she did in Yeshe. It was a peculiar feeling, clearly linked to what her people considered an active, connected swevyra, but yet different than she was used to.
"Princess Ursa, Mister Beifong, this is Meridina and Jarod, the Acting Captain and the Operations Officer of the Koenig respectively." Robert turned to the two new arrivals. He seemed pale and tired. Meridina knew it couldn't just be from the fighting. "Meridina, Jarod, Princess Ursa of the FIre Nation and Komin Beifong. You've met his cousin Yeshe."
Meridina nodded. "I am pleased to meet both of you. Your ship's aid was timely in the battle."
"Your arrival was rather more timely," Ursa replied evenly. "We did not expect to find allies against the Invaders."
"That is your name for the Schutzstaffel, then? It seems fitting."
"These… 'Nazis' as you call them have raided several colonies on the frontiers of the Five Nations." Ursa was a woman of clear self-discipline, but the worry of a mother showed through it. "It was their last raid that claimed my daughter. The survivors told us they took her as a prisoner."
"Have they tried to ransom her?" asked Robert. "The SS wouldn't take a prisoner if they didn't need her for something."
"No. Nothing." Ursa clenched a fist. "We have been tracking them for two weeks in the attempt to find wherever their forces are based. We are certain it is not far from here, but the void is vast and the stars spread out."
"It is likely that they took your daughter to the same place they took Captain Andreys," Talara noted.
"The friend you have come to rescue?" Ursa nodded. "We have common cause then."
"That we do."
"You say you are from an Alliance. Will more of your people come to aid us?" asked Komin.
"We've informed them of where we are and of the first contact with your people," Jarod replied. "As things are, we're gathering our fleet to hit the Nazis back, but it may be a day or so before they can join us. We have many worlds that need protecting now that it's clear the SS have copied our interuniversal drive."
That last term caused clear bewilderment and uncertainty in the others. "Interuniversal drive?" asked Yeshe. "What do you mean by that?"
"It is a jump drive that generates temporary transit points between universes," Meridina replied. "It makes our civilization possible. Unfortunately, toward the end of our war with their Reich, the Reich's leadership completed the project to replicate the technology. Or, at least, their SS did."
"I see. So that is how they came to our space, and now you are here as well."
Robert nodded. An old feeling of guilt welled up within him. "We never intended for people like the Nazis to get our technology. I'm sorry that our failure to stop them from copying it has caused your people loss."
"The fault is not yours," Yeshe said. "The fault is theirs."
"We've been telling him that for years now," Lucy remarked drolly, giving Robert a knowing look. He returned it and sighed. "Anyway, your ship should be good to go soon enough. But since we have time, I'd like to know more about your people. The abilities you showed, for instance…"
"I feel the same toward you," said Komin. "You don't move the air or earth, and you don't throw fire, but you seem to know where your enemy's attack is going to be every time. And you threw back the invaders without using any elements."
"We use the connection of our life energy to the universe. Well, it can be more complicated than that, but it's a good starting point. And you?"
Ursa was the one to answer. "The people of our world are divided into the Four Nations. I am from the Fire Nation. Komin is Earth Union, from the state of Zaofu, and Yeshe is from the Air Nation. And there are also the Water Tribes who dwell at our world's poles, Northern and Southern."
"You mentioned that your colonies are from five nations earlier," said Richmond. "The fifth is…?"
"The United Republic," Yeshe replied. "The Republic was founded in the aftermath of the Hundred Years War as a home for people from all nations. Over the last two and a half centuries, the Republic became its own nation. It is the heart of the Five Nations Compact."
"I'm guessing that members of each original nation wield the elements they're named for," Lucy observed.
"Some, although many are non-benders."
"Huh," Jarod murmured. He glanced toward Robert and Lucy. "Is this like your abilities?"
"They may be related," Robert said. It was clear his mind wasn't on the conversation, even with the speed of his reply. "It's something to consider for later. Right now we need to figure out what we know about the SS presence, and how we can get back Julia and Miko."
"Agreed," said Ursa. "Please, tell us more about these SS, and what kind of foe they are."
"I'd like to hear more about your Alliance, and the non-Human life like Talara," Komin added. Noticing Ursa's look, he almost sheepishly added, "When you're done, I mean."
"Very well," replied Meridina. "Allow us to explain."
In the quiet of his room, Erik Fassbinder read the reply from his leader. Kranefuss was displeased to learn their prize had been compromised so quickly after the operation. The SS would have to abandon this remarkable place. And they would do so with maximum destruction.
It would be quite a shame.
But an even greater shame would be losing this opportunity. He sensed what was coming. The Aurora crew were aware that they were running out of time, that if they didn't come soon, they would lose the chance to reclaim their friend. The same was true for the local untermenschen and reclaiming that brat in the holding cells. They weren't going to wait for the friendly fleet. They were going to come now.
And Fassbinder would be waiting for them.
Another stun stick blow caused Julia to collapse into a heap on the floor of her cell. Her guards retreated back across the threshold of the cell's forcefield before activating it, confining her again. She heard them walk away and began to stir. While that green fluid healed her body, it did nothing to ease the ill feelings within her. She crept slowly over to the cell door. Contact with her fellow prisoner was the only thing to help her stay sane.
Across the way, Miko regarded Julia with compassion and clear frustration. Her hands balled up into fists and tears flowed from her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said.
Julia looked toward her, thankful to see mercy and sympathy in at least one set of eyes in this hell. "There's nothing you can do about it."
"I know, but still…" With an ever-more furious look, Miko finally drove her fist into the ground beside her, not quite hard enough to crack the knuckles at the impact. A wince came to her face, but it mattered little compared to the tears flowing from her eyes. "What you're going through, the way they keep taking you to be tortured, it's terrible. I should be able to stop it."
To that Julia chuckled. "That sounds familiar," she sighed, thinking of Robert. "Save your energy for battles you can win."
Julia didn't expect the vehemence that came from Miko. "That's just it! I should be able to fight back! To… to get out of this, but I can't!" She gestured toward the collar. "This keeps me from bending! And… and I don't know how else I can fight them, I don't know how to use their weapons…!"
"Be patient," Julia advised. "You never know when we'll get an opportunity." As she spoke she looked over the collar on the younger woman before returning to looking into her eyes. "It's not your responsibility to protect me, Miko."
"That's where you're wrong," Miko insisted.
"I am?"
Miko nodded. 'You are."
"Alright," said Julia. "Can you explain? You're responsible for helping me because…?"
Miko nodded and drew in a little breath. She was regaining composure from the outburst of emotion.
"Because," Miko said, "I'm the Avatar."