C74 The Visage of a Demon.
The Visage of a Demon.
Hope.
The situation was far from Ideal.
Hope could watch the bridge crew of the TMS Silencer use their Warfare Tactical system in progress, a simplified command-structure that required Alber only to set commands, navigation data, and targets, simply via the screen before him. To be forwarded to the relevant stations, which in turn relayed the orders towards anyone it concerned, all just within the flick of a finger across the screen.
Verbal commands were there, but they were reduced only to the most pressing announcements, a means to signify something that needed immediate attention or handling. Like for instance, the information of their front-line, when one of the Tank type destroyers received damage so significant that it threatened the functionality of the ship in question.
“ War-Tac system, logged for later Inquiry. “ She registered for herself while comparing the Terran’s act of selfless sacrifice, with the actions of the Siren’s in control of the Dusk vessels.
It was something she registered as worthy of a Hero’s tale to a degree, as in the eyes of Humans, this act would both, be a Heroic tale, and a tragedy. There was no sign of the Human greed and lust for power that Anthony was struggling to accept as part of human nature. In fact, there was little Logic behind this effort other then to prolong the inevitable.
The Xa’Leen attack was inefficient, they could have overrun the Terran defenders within an hour. But their strange militaristic behavior restricted them in doing so, costing them thousands of life’s, and giving the Terran’s a means to hold them back for a time.
But even still, Terran’s were loosing ships gradually, and even if this first wave were to fail breaking through, the second wave that hit in a few hours, it would reach Allistor 5 despite their inefficient efforts.
It was not even a struggle for survival, it was clear already that they would die. But she could watch a determination to make this as costly for the Xa’Leen as possible. And by the report she seen, even that would have been a vainful endeavor, had the Xa’Leen acted as aggressive as the report suggested.
The Siren by comparison were, detached from the reality of the circumstance they partook in. It was not about survival for them, and even seemed more like a game were some, like Kira, had begun to even tally their kill count.
Siren were not one for violence, they neither found pleasure in it, nor particularly cared for it, by what she was able to observe at least. And that information file given by Aria had suggested as much. They had no love for war and violence, it was a waste of energy for them, and given the option, they would chose to do anything else other then to partake in combat.
But that script seemed to flip when they had someone they considered a mate, or a source of their pleasure and entertainment.
Their lacking capacity in Pity and compassion also made them able to overlook the sufferings of combat and war as such. Allowing them to perceive this entire situation as nothing more then a game, and a prospective source of gaining attention of the man that had essentially made them theirs.
It implied the capacity to even become a treacherous element, or to put it in human terms, they were likely capable to bend over backwards, just for a good fuck. Which also put into a new light the suggested specialization of their species to seed life, suggesting it only as a means to an end, as was already hinted at in that file.
“ Further observation data required. “ She logged for herself.
She had more important business to attend to for now, Anthony was still not reachable for her, and the increasing number of drones he released started to gain the Terran’s attention.
Alber already took note of it, but he let it slide, despite the growing interest showing clearly on his face. Hope assumed that, while he wanted to know the details of it, that question was pushed back in favor of the current situation, as the number of drones clearly was to his advantage.
But it was clear that, if he somehow survived the current ordeal, he’d report his observation to Terran High Command, and possibly pose questions about it towards the Sovereign faction himself.
“ Calculating prospective drone capacity. “ Her system registered, considering the amount of drones that Anthony could possibly create with the material they had stored. And the number reached prospectively around 80 thousand, a number that he was unlikely to reach.
She could not be sure about this, new ability, and it’s energy consumption, but using his ability to change a ships interior details, it seemed unlikely to her that he could create more then perhaps, 10 thousand, and that was already a generous estimate.
“ New Contact, at 40 to 80 ! “ She heard the Silencers Tactical officer announce though, and that announcement interrupted all current tactical subroutines as she required to observe the changing situation again.
One unit, a giant worm like creature with a dark brown, partially black exterior. Comparable in appearance to the smaller orb worms. But where the orb worms had more of a flat, wide mouth with some form of tendrils around it’s interior, this one was rounded, and had actual fangs, clearly visible when it opened it’s mouth wide.
It seemed at first that it would charge for the Terran fleet, but it then turned about and begun accelerating towards the Wrath.
It did not seem yet to have any discernible weapon, but it was larger then even the Silencer, and it looked a lot like the creature that had tried to swallow the Jump-ship in Bospherous, suggesting it to be more of a close quarters combatant.
“ Anthony, you have incoming from the rear ! “ She tried to warn him, but she still could not reach him.
But she could hear Alber giving orders to charge the main cannon, and to aim at the new creature, though that process would likely take too long. That spinal mount cannon had massive energy requirements, especially at a full power charge.
Well, not like the loss of the Wrath would matter in the grander scheme, the drones should last a while still, and they already caused quite some damage. The Xa’Leen fleet already lost thousands to them, and they would loose thousands more before the drone’s lost their combat capacity.
The initial estimate of 250 thousand Xa’Leen in the first attack wave had now been reduced to somewhere around 170 thousand, an impressive feat, but still inconsequential. She could register around 3,2 Million across the system, and the movement within those three gas giant’s suggested there would be more still.
“ Cap, the Xa’Leen are changing formation. “ The Tactical officer announced on the Silencer, and Hope adjusted her observation to the current engagement again.
She could watch how the Xa’Leen abandoned their current formation, approaching the Terran fleet while splitting into 5 groups, each accelerating in an increasingly tighter formation to overrun the Terran fleet positions.
Alber reacted quickly, adjusting to have the current main gun charge released at the group approaching his position. While also ordering what he called, an offensive retreat, drawing navigation lines on his screen to be forwarded, that suggested the fleet to pass by Allistor 5.
He was abandoning the colony, using the defensive structures there to thin out the Xa’Leen numbers as much as possible. And he did so not to flee, but to have the Xa’Leen chase them while preserving his fleet for as long as he could.
Alber was trying to split attackers between planet and his own fleet, and informing the colony about this move, so they would prepared themselves for the attack that was now inevitable.
He was aiming to take along as many Xa’Leen as he could before they would inevitably perish, holding no illusion still about their fate. And he was suggesting towards Nana that they should move to the rear of their escape, the furthest away from the Xa’Leen, as though to give them as much time as possible to change their mind, to have a chance still to escape.
[ “ Nana, Inform him that we will make up the front-line. We will buy them as much time as possible. “ ] Hope informed the Siren.
[ “ Kira, take the others using the Mark II, and charge the Xa’Leen, stay evasive and out of their reach, but take as many with you as you can before the ships fail. Considering his earlier actions, Anthony might even prolong their lifespan for a while. “ ] She then directed to the Siren in control of the more advanced Dusk variation.
Alber had already seen how the Wrath had been hit multiple times, and then be repaired by those silvery orbs that appeared around it. Even then, he had stayed silent about it, but that ability, or technical function as Alber may perceive it, was out in the open now.
So it was save to assume Anthony was not holding back anymore, which could both be good, and bad for them. Though, it could still be used within the framework of the Established smokescreen towards the Terran’s.
[ “ Received. “ ] The Siren acknowledged, with Nana informing Alber, while Kira and the others broke formation to assault the Xa’Leen currently headed for Alber’s group.
Looking back then at the Wrath, she could see the massive Worm beast biting down on the Wrath, clamping it’s teeth down on the rear of the ship, which it had approached from the left side. Tearing at it until the Wrath broke in half, which caused the beast to accelerate again while breaking down the part of the ship it took with it.
For a moment, Hope considered that this was probably it. She could watch some of the Tank type destroyers, that had been positioned a few thousand kilometers ahead of the fleet, being swarmed by orb worms, trying to tear them apart with what looked like pure muscle strength of their maw’s.
Even the more distant group that was still out of combat-range had now suddenly accelerated, so it would not be much longer now before the defense failed completely. Allistor would likely be another loss for the Terran’s, and she dared not imagine how it would impact Anthony after he witnessed Bospherous.
All in all she, from her viewpoint, considered this endeavor a waste of resources, both material, and in form of human life.
But she also tried to calculate the emotional impact and human values into that consideration. And from that illogical point of view, accepted that they simply did the best they could to preserve human life. By assuring that the next encounter with the Xa’leen would see them in reduced numbers.
Though she was then interrupted in that contemplation, just as she moved the remaining Dusk ships to protect the Terran fleet, as there was a broadcast that suddenly permeated through every perceivable means of communication. And it appeared to come from that Worm creature that, just now, had bitten down onto the remaining half of the Wrath.
No, it came from the Wrath itself, but it was also using electromagnetic waves, like the Xa’Leen seemed to do for short range communications. And the communication, well, it wasn’t any at all, it was just, laughter, or rather, a giggle. An immature, childish giggle, filled with the enthusiasm of a child that was playing and enjoying herself.
Yes, her, it was not Anthony’s voice, it was a girl’s voice, young, immature, innocent. And as the Wrath disappeared within the worms Maw, that voice started to sing, off-key, but still with that childlike enthusiasm.
“ Hey hey, wont you stay,
Noc is here and want’s to play.
No no, don’t you go,
Let’s paint a picture in the snow.
Dream dream, dance and scream,
When I tear apart you at the seam.
Don’t you struggle, don’t you run,
We will have a lot of fun.
Hey hey, it’s Okay,
All the pain will go away.
Sing sing, sing my song,
and bring them all, your friends along. “ The voice sung, and then decent into a giggling fit.
“ Where is that coming from ?! “ Alber demanded, and the Siren appeared just as confused.
Whatever purpose there was in this, it was seeding confusion within the allied ranks, but the Xa’Leen seemed just as perplexed by it as the others, with some of them stopping in their tracks to swarm out to different sides, as though the message managed to mess with their coordination.
[ “ Hope ? Where is that coming from ? “ ] Kira asked as the girls all seemed confused, as that communication was forced and could not be blocked.
[ “ I am not sure, but it appears Anthony is trying his hand at psychological warfare. It may not be ideal, but it seems to have a desirable effect on the Xa’Leen. Use that opportunity to further thin their numbers. “ ] Hope instructed the Siren.
She was just guessing herself, and by the struggle on the TMS Silencer, trying to turn that frequency off, she could tell that Anthony was blocking every single channel available with that childish acting voice. Psychological warfare, that was the closest she could imagine, and by the struggling of that massive worm, she guessed that he was using it as well.
It appeared to be fighting something within itself, and by the massive amount of electromagnetic waves released from the creatures thin membranes along it’s body, she assumed that the creature was probably, screaming ?
It did appear to confuse the other Xa’Leen, which further noted that this creature must be something of a commanding entity. Hope could only assume that Anthony was probably using the Android to attack it from within, and the creature may not be able to properly fend him off.
Were they able to understand human speech ? Or, given that it may be psychic in origin, was there a sort of, multilingual component to it ? How did it cause such confusion amongst the Xa’Leen, when before, even the death of thousands had not shaken them ?
“ Logged for future inquiry. “ She registered, there were still to many things of importance right now to waste on this detail.
But she was wrong, at least in part, and she only realized it when a white edge burned itself through the worm’s skin from within, slowly to emerge, as though reenacting birth, in a most macabre and, visibly painful way.
That white edge, it went over into an obsidian black body, slowly to emerge from the beast, followed by four white spikes that broke through the creatures skin, only to suddenly dart forward, ripping the beast apart, with internal structures, that Hope could only assume to be internal organs, entangled within those spiky wings, ripped from the creatures body to be left floating within the path that new appearance took.
It was a ship, at least Hope thought it was, about the size of a destroyer by her initial estimate. And it had no immediately identifiable installations along it’s body, which appeared sharp and aggressive.
The ship was showing a stark contrast in it’s coloration, with the Obsidian black, featuring specific points across it’s hull that were kept in a milky white. Such as the main bodies edge, a larger protrusion on the rear, the tip’s of those hook like wings, and 16 protrusions on the ships top, and bottom side. And these protrusions, they were evenly spaced, suggesting that they might be arranged as such with a purpose in mind.
The white on the ships rear begun to emit a bright light, and then it darted forward, rushing with a frightening acceleration towards the scattering Xa’Leen. It was bopping and weaving between them, just to barely miss some of them with it’s main body, while it’s wings started to impale one Xa’Leen after the other.
“ Clip your wings, slash your limb, stab your heart, tear you apart ! “ That voice then sounded with cruel though childish delight, while those white protrusions begun to glow with intense light at the same time. Only then to release multiple beams of brilliant white, aimed to purposely cut the thin membrane wings of random Xa’Leen.
And then Hope finally noticed it. That ship, it was no longer sending on every frequency, it was only emitting electromagnetic waves now, taunting and terrorizing the Xa’Leen in their own language, while adding the pained screams of their own kind into the mix.
But the reason why she still could so clearly hear, and even understand it, was because it was present within Anthony’s psychic network. A new presence, intelligent, though also, anything but Sane.
[ “ Everyone pull back, now ! “ ] Hope warned the Siren, while then forcibly taking control of Nana’s android.
“ Captain Alber, cease fire and withdraw to the planets low orbit. Only fire on Xa’Leen trying to approach you. But do not, under any circumstance, approach that new Contact. “ She warned Alber through the android.
“ What is that thing ?! “ Alber now demanded, watching the ship on his main screen already. He seemed just as confused as the rest of his crew, or the Siren for that matter, completely unaware that the person talking to him was now someone else.
“ It is a weapon, it will react to any aggression, and if it see’s you as a threat, it will open fire on you. I can not tell you more then that. “ She responded.
Alber accepted it begrudgingly, he knew to little of the Sovereign faction, and had no real means right now to make any demands of them. So he turned his attention to the Bridge crew, to issue orders for their ships to assume a new orbit around Allistor 5, instead of passing by the colony as previously intended.
[ “ Hope ? What exactly is going on here ? “ ] Nana asked, a little put off by the fact that Hope simply wrested away control over the Android.
[ “ That ship, it’s present in Anthony’s Psychic network. It’s his creation, but it’s looking for any excuse to attack. It would even attack it’s allies right now if any excuse is given to it. “ ] Hope explained.
[ “ Um, perhaps we should get Ina to pull Anthony out after all ? “ ] Kira suggested.
[ “ No. That ship is intelligent, it feels like another AI, but it’s immature and can not distinguish between friend or foe. Anthony needs to reign it in before he can release control on it, or it might attack the Terran’s, or us for that matter. “ ] Hope warned.
[ “ For now, just stay back with the Terran’s, build a front for them in case the Xa’Leen get their act back together, so they have time to resume their previous strategy.“ ] She then instructed.
Hope was giving a half truth to the Siren, as she could not exactly tell what it was she sensed. But every fiber of her artificial being told her not to pull out Anthony, or that thing would go on a rampage.