Stargazers: "The Return to Canaan"

The Return to Canaan 

            Hours before the arrival of Daedalus, or even Siegfred, the ancient armor Gabriel surfaces from dive just outside of Canaan’s atmosphere.  It gleams from the light of the distant star as it cuts a sharp curve through space and into the planet’s orbit.  Friction warms the outside while the inside remains unchanged.

            Chastity watches the skyline appear through the monitors, holding the controls tight as the armor rocks and rumbles around her.  It isn’t her first time entering a planet’s atmosphere, but it is the first time she had done so in an armor, and the experience makes her nauseous.  Behind her, the Lady sits at rest, eyes closed, still. 

            It takes the dusty surface of the planet to inform Chastity as to their location.  She sees the darkened facility far below them, swelling into view.  The asphalt is marred by wrecked armors and broken bodies decayed and exposed.  “Canaan,” she whispers, her empty words echoing in the silence.  She glances back at the Lady.  “Why are we here?”

            “The answer is here.”  The Lady’s voice comes from all around Chastity, who is beginning to believe that the Guide and the machine are now one.

            Gabriel makes a sharp descent towards the surface.  Inertia pins Chastity to her seat and leaves her light-headed.  Her limbs tingle and prickle as her blood gathers in her head.  Then, the armor stops with sudden buoyancy, bouncing in the air before landing amidst a cloud of dust.  The top hatch hisses as its slides open, and Chastity unbuckles herself.

            The Lady climbs out first, surveying the area.  Chastity climbs out afterward, peeking between the Guide’s ankles.  “Is it safe to be here?”  Memories of the battle replay in her mind.  For her, it was little more than a darkened room stinking of blood.  Flashes of Lancelot fill her mind.  His cold eyes make her stomach twist.

            The Lady leaps from the armor’s shoulder before looking back up at Chastity from the bullet-eaten asphalt.  “Come with me.  There is no one else here.”

            “What about the armor?”

            “Only we can pilot it,” the Lady says.  “Without me, it will not operate.”

            Chastity glances back at the inert controls, lifeless and dim, before climbing out.  She moves slowly and carefully, the armor having no ladders to help her down.  Her landing is a graceless fall into the dust that has gathered around them.  The Lady helps her up and waits as Chastity dusts the sand from her rear.  Ahead lies the fresh ruins of the Canaan research facility.  Up until now, Chastity hasn’t seen the full scale of the battle with her own eyes.  What she finds makes her wonder how they ever survived so long during the attack.

            “Come.”  The Lady marches resolutely head, and Chastity stumbles after her.

            “This is the last place I expected to be.”

            “I understand,” says the Lady in a tone that indicates genuine understanding buried beneath absolute certainty.  “But this is the only place for me.  This was my birth, my home, and it will tell me what I am.  I am sure of it.”

            Chastity draws a deep breath as they approach the facility.  At the doorway, she releases it.  “Then let’s do this.”

            Together, they enter the facility.

 

-Stargazers part 1-

 

            Robin watches from Siegfried’s helm as the ship surfaces outside of Canaan.  Space ripples around them as he orders the ship closer, into Canaan’s orbit.  The helmsman synchs orbit with the research facility, and Robin stares down at the dusty planet through the monitor, knowing that this is where it began and determined to see that it ends here, too.

            “Sir, we’re in synchronous orbit,” says his helmsman, glancing back at him.

            Robin nods.  “Good.  Lunch shuttles.  I want infantry on the ground searching the interior for the girls.  Have two platoons of armors secure the exterior and one more to watch the unknown armor.  I will lead another platoon in forming a defensive barrier around the atmosphere.  The Republic forces will be following us shortly, I am sure.”

            “Yes, sir,” says the helmsman, and the comms officer relays the information throughout the ship.  Robin, meanwhile, goes to the armor bay to change and prepare for combat.  He pulls on a red, military grade flight suit and fastens his helmet before going to his prototype Gigas Armor, Tyr.  Stopping to stare at it before battle, as he always does, he draws a deep breath and closer the visor on his helmet before climbing in.

            The bay opens shortly after and launches shuttles first.  They make slow progress into atmosphere with an escort of Hunter armors surrounding them.  As these ships touch ground the bay reloads and launches its second wave.  These armors follow the first wave down, securing the landing pad and the area around the facility.  Robin waits patiently inside of the Tyr, head down, eyes closed, breathing steadily.

            Finally, he launches.  His armor jerks at the catapult flings him from the ship, and then he is weightless in space.  Other armors join him and take off as he simply drifts in space, enjoying the calm before the battle.  Then, initiating his thrusters, he directs himself toward the planet and hovers just outside of its upper atmosphere, making sure not to drop inside but staying close enough for entry in a pinch.

            Space warps in the distance, and Daedalus surfaces. Robin recognizes it, vaguely, from the battle above Athens.  Judging from its size, he knows that it won’t carry many armors, but he expects that it still has the silver prototype which had so quickly devastated his forces the last time.  Robin flips his comms.  “Look sharp, people, we have enemy incoming.  Light cruiser, won’t have many armors, but it will have refueled and restocked.  Be careful.”

            “Sir, yes, sir,” is chorused back.  Beside his armor, Seigfried makes a slow turn to meet the attack while Daedalus, smaller and swifter, has already launched armors and moved to meet them.  “Air, spread out and cover Siegfried’s flank until we can return fire.  Ground forces, dig in and prepare for enemy attack.  Hunter one, hunter two, with me.  We’ll meet the forces head-on!”

            “Sir!”

            Before Tyr can move, cannon fire comes sailing in, slamming Siegfried hard in the side and bulging its magnetic shields under the force.  Robin is forced into his seat as Tyr rockets forward, claw ready and two allied armors trailing after.  Here, the battle for Canaan truly begins.

 

-Stargazers, Part 1-

 

            Mercury leads with six armors trailing.  They follow her in an evenly spaced v with their weapons ready. Deadalus follows after with its cannons trained on the slowly turning hull of Siegfried, ready to open fire once in range.

            LeGuin’s voice cuts through the rumble of the armors on their approach.  “Follow Guinevere’s lead.  Defer to her judgement but avoid grouping up.  They get you together, they can use a ship to take you down.  Watch each other’s backs.  Retreat to Deadalus for support. We’re outgunned, but if we’re clever, then we can keep them outwitted.”

            A chorus of confirmations follow his speech.  Guinevere watches her instruments as she closes in.  Once within firing range of enemy armors, she pushes her thrusters to thirty-percent and feels her body tighten into the seat.  Mercury jumps farther ahead of the following armors, who drift apart as their leader runs.

            At close range, Guinevere activates Mercury’s hardened-light blades and wades into the fray.  Armors part around her as she cuts a path through enemy squadrons.  Daedalus sales between the wreckage, watching Mercury’s approach to the port side of Siegfried, where Guinevere leaves a shallow gash across its outer shell, taking a few turrets in her assault.

            Arthur breaks off and enters atmosphere.  His armor rattles around him as friction builds.  Soon, he breaks the outer layer of the atmosphere and falls into the cloud line.  Diving below, he turns toward the research facility and dives headlong into enemy forces.  A few federation armors meet him in the sky, intercepting his path toward the landing pad.  He uses the Archer’s right arm turret to quickly dispatch of them without changing his trajectory.  They blaze and smolder as their husks drop rapidly through the air, descending beside him.

            Enemy armors open fire on him from the ground.  Arthur flies a lazy spiral around them, slowing to return fire and check his bearing.  The federation have bunkered around the facility, forming tight rows of armors aiming for the sky.  Combat will be too time consuming, and he can see the unknown gigas from Athens at rest on the asphalt, open but already captured, and assumes the Lady and Chastity to be inside of the facility.

            Going full speed, he rockets toward the facility without returning fire, relying on his evasive maneuvers and his hardened-light shields to see him to the front door, and zips past the canopy before turning to prepare for landing.  His sensors wail, and he slows as a short-range missile gives a short chase and catches him in the shoulder.  An explosion rocks the armor, separating the armor at the left arm and sending the torso crashing to the ground.  It skids to a halt, digging up asphalt around it.

            Arthur groans, hanging from his seat.  His last sight is of his cracked screens blurring before he passes out.

 

-Stargazers, part 1-

 

            The assault of Siegfried leaves its stern scarred.  Fragments of steel and fiber glass float through space, catching the light and glittering like stars.  Some pieces continue to glow orange with residual heat as they drift gently in the void. Magnetic bullets are hurled through space as Deadalus continues its assault, stopping only long enough to reorient for attack.  It glides slowly toward Seigfried’s starboard to remain out of the enemy’s line of fire.  So far, it has avoided any damage.  All incoming enemy armors have met with anti-armor fire or been intercepted on approach.

            The core of the Republic offense is the prototype armor Mercury.  Guinevere pushes her armor to thirty-eight percent of its max speed and can feel the strain on her body from it.  She breathes through the discomfort, keeping her eyes steady and focused on the monitor in front of her.  It is her vision, and she is the armor’s brain.  If she dies, it dies.

            Enemy armors rupture around her.  She parts them with wide, deep dives through space, each leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.  A haze of smoke lingers around pitted armors, scattered among pearls of oil and blood.  Burnt bodies drift in the vacuum.

            “Guinevere,” LeGuin’s voice calls over the comm, “How are you holding up?”  He watches from Daedalus, happy to see the damage they’ve done.  Siegfried takes a sharp turn, spinning into position.  Soon, it will line up and open fire, but LeGuin intends to have them limping before that can happen.

            “Fine, sir.  Mercury is running optimally.”

            “Do you need to return and rest?”

            “I’m. Fine.”

            LeGuin checks her vitals and rubs his goatee.  “If you’re sure,” he says after a long, careful pause.

            “I’ll hold,” she says.  “At least until Arthur returns.  At least that long, I’ll hold.  I have to.”

            LeGuin sighs.  “And we’ll support you.  Everyone, tighten the noose.  The enemy is already down by half.  Let’s clean up and enter atmo.”

 

-Stargazers, part 1-

 

            “Art…ter…Arter…Arthur…Arthur!  I repeat, Arthur, come in!”

            Arthur opens his eyes, breathing deeply, gasping as his head rings.  His limbs feel limp and prickly, and he finds himself hanging from his seat with broken monitors buzzing and sparking around him.  The comm hangs inches from the ground, spinning slowly.  His fingers are numb.  Most of him is numb.  What isn’t hurts.

            He grabs clumsily at the comm.  “I’m here.  I’m here!”

            “Arthur!”  It is LeGuin’s voice, Arthur realizes.  “We saw that you were shot down.  Glad to hear your voice.  Report.”

            Arthur lifts his arms and flexes his fingers, slowly returning sensation to them.  Pinpricks replace the numbness.  Looking down his body, he finds no obvious injuries, but he groans all the same with each movement.  “I’m okay.”

            “Will you require pick-up or support?  I might be able to spare an armor or two with Guinevere up here.”

            “No.  They’ve got the surface locked down.”  Arthur checks the radar, smacks it with his open palm.  The screen flickers, flashing long enough to reveal approaching enemy armors.  They have him surrounded and are tightening the noose.  Arthur checks his system diagnostics next, and his stomach goes cold.  “I’ll continue on foot alone.”

            “What? Are you crazy? Permission denied, Arthur.  I’m sending reinforcements.”

            “I’ll be fine,” Arthur shouts back.  “You’re Osceola’s captain, right? So, you’ve seen her records.”

            “I have.”

            “Even the confidential ones,” Arthur asks, and a pause follows.  “I’ll just imagine that you know them.” Arthur feels around his seat and finds a button.  Pressing it, he parts the harness and falls forward, landing heavily against the front of his armor.  “I’m a Centurion, too.”

            LeGuin goes quiet for a time as Arthur checks himself a second time.  His body aches, and he has bruises, but he can find nothing broken beyond use.  “Understood,” LeGuin says.  “Contact me again when you can.”

            “Copy.”  Arthur drops the comm and reaches for the pistol harnessed to his seat.  He pulls it out and checks the clip.  Then, he reaches into the back and grabs a handful of clips, which he fastens to his suit.  Then, slapping the radar one last time, he sighs.  “It’s been a while since I’ve been up against odds like this.”  Standing, he grabs hold of the hatch.  “Feels like coming home.”

-Stargazers, part 1-

 

            The Lady leads Chastity through the abandoned hallways of the facility.  The walls shudder as combat rages outside.  Dust stirs, falling from the ceiling and forming moats in the fragmented light.  The rooms smell sharply of rot and decay.  Shadows cling where stray light cannot touch them.

            Chastity stays close, so close that she nearly steps on the Lady’s heels, and she holds her nose and squints in the darkness as she follows.  Each new room finds her searching the floor for familiar faces.  She hopes she doesn’t see them, but she cannot keep from looking.  The Lady walks straight toward the laboratory, towards familiar ground.

            They stop in the lab, at the pod where the Lady was found.  The lady kneels down and touches the floor.  “They covered it.”

            Chastity’s brow knits as she peers over the Lady’s shoulder at the dented floor panel.  “They covered what?”

            “Dinah,” the Lady says.  The steel tears as the Lady forces her fingers through it. With a jerk she opens the floor, the panel comes up in pieces, fragments of it bouncing off the walls as it is discarded.  The Lady skins the floor in this way and leaves it in curled chunks to the side.  Beneath they find darkness.

            Chastity swallows nervously.  “Dinah?”

            “Here, I will learn what I am for.”  The Lady dropped from view, disappearing into darkness.  Below, Chastity hears a hallow ringing as the Guide lands and the sound of foot falls following, reminiscent of the Guide ship below Athens.  Chastity, using the floor for support, drops down and trails after the Lady.  She can see the vague form of another ship as her eyes adjust to the deeper darkness.

            “And what does that mean? What exactly do you expect to find?”

            “I do not know,” the Lady said, eyes glowing in the darkness.  “But I know it is here.  It is in my brain.  I can feel it.

            “Feel it?”

            The Lady stops and looks at Chastity with those glowing eyes.  They are all that Chastity can see by in the darkness.  “It is a memory, but it is fragmented.  I need to complete it.  Here, I will find the answer to all of your questions, and mine, too.”

            Chastity stares for a moment.  Canaan had become only a place of death for her, but now she can find something good for it.  She feels the place where her implant is and nods.  Then, drawing a deep breath of stale air, fresh without the scent of death, she says, “Then, lead the way.”

 

-Stargazers, part 1-

 

            Arthur tests his armor one last time before pulling the emergency hatch.  When he finds it unresponsive, he climbs onto the back of the seat and pops the hatch open.  It sighs and then groans as he pushes it up and off.  Sliding lethargically, it falls from the armor, landing dull against the sand.

            Federation soldiers stop at a distance and train their weapons on the armor as Arthur climbs from it.  He descends its back carefully and lands behind its prone, metal body.  There, he presses his back to the armor and closes his eyes.  He draws a deep breathe, inhaling the dry Canaan air.  It sucks the moisture from his throat and his tongue, but it also focuses his mind.  Another breath, and he moves past his own pain.  A third, and he is focused only on the task at hand.

            A fourth breath, and he rises, and he fires.  Bullets ricochet off of the armor around him, punching dents into the plating but unable to part the steel.  One of the Federation soldiers falls with a two holes in him, one in the chest and the other the head.  Another clutches his knee cap as he falls to the ground, blood gushing from his wound.  His screams unnerve his allies enough to draw their attention from the enemy.

            Three soldiers remain, and they unload their assault rifles on the armor.  Its helm tears, its visor fractures.  Optics shatter and sprinkle glass in tear-drop shards.  Arthur listens on the other side of the armor, breathing through his pain, through his anxiety, and through his gut-twisting fear.  The armor hums under the rain of bullets.

            One soldier runs dries and fumbles changing his clip, dropping it to the ground and scrambling to pick it up as another runs out of ammo.  The third stops firing to survey the results of their attack and catches a bullet in his right eye.  His right shoulder pops immediately afterward.  Behind him, the first soldier is already flailing, collapsed to the ground as the second soldier drops his ammo and wets himself.

            Arthur finishes them quickly.  He leaves an extra bullet in each head and gathers their clips.  Searching their bodies, he also takes field rations that are on them, any extra clips he can find a place for on his uniform, and one assault rifle.  He holsters his pistol and checks the rifle, removing the spent clip and reloading with a fresh one.  Then, he looks down the sights.

            The facility awaits him, armors marching around it and drop ships landing with fresh troops.  Arthur ducks among the bodies and moves forward in a crawl.  He isn’t afraid of dying, but he is worried about everyone else who will die on the way.