Chapter 3: Fireworks in Space
Written by: 菁鸟
1
Ceres Major XI Spaceport, Passenger Waiting Hall.
It was not a holiday season, yet the waiting hall was still crowded and bustling. Ceres Major was not only the most populous planet, but also an enormous port. The massive size of the planet meant it had to have a vast number of spaceports, sending resources from Ceres to the entire Galactic Alliance.
The broadcast voice in the great hall suddenly boomed like thunder overhead, interrupting the incessant clamor, before erupting into noise again after a momentary silence.
Phoenix sat alone on a metal bench, hugging two backpacks, watching people come and go as she awaited her friend's return.
"Praise the Warp Gate!"
An advertisement flashed on the electronic screen next to the bench.
It was an ad for civilian warp gates. Phoenix thought to herself as she glanced over, seeing a few gorgeous models enthusiastically introducing the product on the screen. "This is really not the place for that, at a traditional spaceship port that disdains warp gates." Phoenix muttered softly, "Probably not one in a thousand people in this waiting hall could afford a warp gate."
"The Warp Gate - a new tool for interstellar travel, saving your precious time. Officially supported by Galactic Alliance Army technology, with military-grade configurations to ensure you can go anywhere, anytime! Just 29,999 Galaxy Credits for..."
Ah, there's the catch. Phoenix calculated silently. Warp gates are fast, sure, but that's equal to a month's salary for an ordinary Ceres worker...these ads should be on that rich eco-architecture planet instead.
"Sorry for the wait, Phoenix!"
Disar emerged from the crowds, holding two drinks. Phoenix smiled and took one, handing her backpack back to Disar.
The advertisement board was looping the promo again.
"Warp gate ads. They're almost everywhere," said Disar, also looking at the screen.
"I actually really want to try it sometime, since it was military-only until just a few years ago when it became available for civilians..."
"Let's give it a shot when we get back from Zhey Auna," Disar said with interest.
"But it's so expensive!"
"Did you forget? If we test as Shipsians, there's a 28,000 Galaxy Credit subsidy...plus the scholarships we got for ranking in the top five last time and the time before..."
"Then it would be totally free!!!"
Phoenix's voice rose involuntarily, and Disar quickly covered her mouth.
"Attention passengers, flight 0716 to Zhey Auna is now arriving. Please proceed to the gate."
The broadcast came right on schedule.
"That's us, Phoenix."
"Let's go, Disar."
2
The interior design of a spacecraft is vastly different from an airplane. Instead of rows of seats, there are small rooms like sleeper train cabins.
After pushing through the crowds, Disar and Phoenix finally found their room. A standard double cabin, with the view from the gate visible through the window. In the middle was a long table, with convertible sofas that could serve as single beds on either side - essential for getting some sleep on the journey lasting over ten hours.
The two had just stowed their luggage under the table when the overhead speaker crackled with an announcement.
"Attention passengers, welcome aboard the Z0716 spacecraft. We will depart from Ceres Major, make nine warp jumps over 19 Ceres hours, and arrive at Zhey Auna. During warp, you may experience dizziness or nausea, please press the call button immediately for assistance from our crew..."
Phoenix and Disar listened intently.
"This Dovacoon 194 model ship is equipped with safety measures, with escape pods at the rear. Our route stays within secured Alliance territory. The artificial gravity system will activate shortly before departure. Have a pleasant journey."
Phoenix flipped curiously through the travel brochure on the table, but was interrupted by another stack of papers Disar handed her.
"I've prepared a full itinerary for this trip, Phoenix. What time we'll see a warp gate, which moment we'll catch a glimpse of a planet - it took me half a month to put together this complete guide!"
"Wow, Disar, you're amazing..." Phoenix quickly took the itinerary, flipping through the pages detailing exactly what scenery would be visible at each hour, minute and second, with ample time scheduled for rest.
"Zhey Auna and Ceres may both have 24-hour days, but the day/night cycle is quite different...so adjusting for the time difference is essential," Disar pointed out a note in the guide proudly.
Phoenix weighed the thick itinerary in her hands. "So what's our first stop?"
"Right here. Before entering space, the ship has to go through a launch trajectory where we can view the entirety of Ceres Major - about thirty minutes from now we'll take our first rest break."
Though a spacecraft, it still utilizes warp gate technology, just at lower public rates compared to private use.
The ship began moving slowly. Phoenix rushed to the window, but realized it wasn't the ship moving, but rather the launch rail underneath it.
Soon the ship was rotated vertical, gradually ascending up what looked like a tunnel-like launch shaft.
"Boom!" A thunderous roar made them both jump, quickly looking outside - the side thrusters were glowing blue. The scenery in the launch shaft blurred rapidly.
Almost instantly, the launch shaft disappeared, replaced by darkness. No, not complete darkness - points of faint light marked the existence of countless stars. Disar turned back, taking in the breathtaking view.
Ceres Major, the largest inhabited planet in the galaxy. Now the nurturing mother that raised untold humans finally revealed her face to her children.
"So beautiful, that's Ceres Major."
Disar sighed from the depths of her heart.
"Magnificent."
Phoenix practically pressed her face to the window.
"Alright, we've seen our first scenery - there's a half hour rest period coming up, after which we'll get to see a warp gate jump."
Disar turned away, starting to prepare the beds.
"Just a bit longer...I haven't had my fill yet, Disar."
"Fine, but you have to be asleep within an hour - otherwise the time difference will throw you off."
3
"...come back...Stri..."
Phoenix was a bit dazed.
This is a dream, my own dream, she determined.
Who is calling me in the dream?
The scene before her eyes was blurry. Someone seemed to be saying something very close by.
"Fla...dead...retreat..."
Dead? Who died?
She wanted to ask out loud, but in the next second she was getting farther and farther away from the other person.
"Please...no...don't go..."
"Crack--"
4
A piercing sound rang out.
The sleeping Phoenix irritably covered her head with the blanket.
"Crack crack, crackle, sizzle--"
"Hey...Disar...your alarm is so loud..."
"Hey--Disar--wake up--"
Phoenix reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up.
"Phoenix...not so loud...three more minutes..."
"Huh? What's that noise then?"
"What noise? You must be hearing things, Phoenix..."
Disar answered groggily.
"You didn't hear it? Intermittent cracking sounds, like electricity."
"No..."
"Really, you didn't hear it?"
"I said no already!"
Disar also sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Well, getting up two minutes early won't hurt..."
Phoenix frowned towards the window, but her expression soon relaxed.
"Disar, look, it's a warp gate!"
Disar instantly became alert, also looking outside.
A massive ring-shaped space installation hovered in place. The warp gate, stably operating in the orbit of a small planet, seemed to sense the approaching ship and began emitting a low rumbling hum.
"First time seeing one, it's really magnificent."
"Yeah, I wonder how it will..."
As they watched, a dazzling burst of sparks suddenly erupted from one side of the giant warp gate.
"Huh?"
The warp gate stopped humming, and the faint blue glow also disappeared. Something burst through the smoke from the explosion, shooting out.
Phoenix and Disar instantly recognized the red, grey and white small spacecraft.
The small craft unleashed a torrent of red projectiles towards the ship.
"--Void Army!!!"
As they screamed out, a deafening alarm blared throughout the ship.
"Warning. Under attack. Shields activated, auto-defenses online. Please remain calm. Escape Pods are being prepared."
Disar quickly grabbed their bags, pulling open the cabin door to see chaos in the hallway. The alarm and screams drowned out the repeated "remain calm" from the broadcast.
"Phoenix, hurry!"
Disar called out anxiously. Phoenix immediately grabbed her bag and followed Disar into the crowd.
They barely had to walk, being pushed along by the mass of people.
Phoenix stared intently out the hallway windows, reflecting the helpless expressions of the crowd. A pale purple shield had deployed, enveloping the entire ship.
Her mind raced - the damaged warp gate meant they couldn't immediately escape by warping away. There were two remaining possibilities: either defeat the enemy with the ship's defenses, or evacuate before the shields failed.
The Dovacoon 194's defenses were...automatic turrets on top, and front/rear autocannons below...
Phoenix saw waves of red projectiles impacting the shields as the ship accelerated at full speed, trying to outrun the enemy.
"Ding!"
A momentary purple flash struck the shields, causing them to flicker blue.
Speed lasers?!
The ship violently shuddered for an instant, and the crowd began screaming, shoving more frantically towards the escape pods, completely disregarding the "remain calm" instructions.
But that single laser was just the opening salvo.
Seven or eight purple beams from mid-sized enemy craft bombarded the flickering shields in succession, shaking the ship each time.
Crackling came over the speakers.
"Captain, shield integrity is down to 60 percent!!"
In the chaos, the internal comms had been patched through to the broadcast.
"Damn Speed Lasers--what about the escape pods? Are they ready to launch?"
"Reporting, pods are ready to deploy decoys at any time!"
"Have we called the Alliance Army yet?"
"Reporting...the shaking cut off our comms with them!"
"Then hurry and..."
He was cut off by a tremendous boom.
Disar and Phoenix watched in horror as the view outside changed color.
"Boom--"
The shields were ripped open by a massive gash, immediately followed by a red laser beam punching through. The beam struck the top autocannon dead-center, the explosion deafening.
The next barrage was a hail of purple Speed Lasers, shredding what remained of the shields into scattered debris.
Red projectiles slammed into the side autocannons, blasting them apart. The engines stopped glowing blue as they failed.
Flickering lights and electronic whines added to the apocalyptic atmosphere.
"All passengers proceed immediately to the escape pods."
"Reporting, shields at 98 percent failure, Captain!"
"Top autocannon completely destroyed, Captain!"
"Signal array severely damaged, communications offline, Captain!"
"Starboard engine hit!"
"It’s over, Captain!"
"Launch decoys immediately, prepare to fire escape pods."
The captain grit his teeth as he gave the orders.
5
Cries, screams, and sobs intertwined, filling the entire ship cabin. Time seemed to stretch endlessly, each excruciating second feeling like agony.
Through the crowd, Phoenix vaguely saw the overhead sign: 10 meters to the escape pods.
"Phoenix, did you hear that last announcement?!" Disar's voice came from the nearby crowd.
"Yes!" Phoenix shouted back with all her might.
"Use that stuff! Quickly!!"
In an instant, Phoenix recalled the medal and what Aries had told her about it.
"This is the medal I received as a new recruit. There's an emergency beacon on the back - press the button three times in a life-threatening situation to call for support from the nearest Alliance soldiers."
That's right...the medal! In her shirt pocket!
Phoenix fought through the crowd, desperately clawing at her pocket, but it was too packed to even get her hand inside.
"I can't reach it--"
Phoenix threw her whole weight against the people beside her, briefly creating enough space to reach in. But just as her fingers touched the medal, before she could pull it out, she was squeezed in again.
"Damn it--!!"
Finally, her painfully compressed hand emerged from the pocket, clutching the medal tightly. Without hesitation, she thrust the small medal over her head.
She tried pressing the button on the back.
"Boom--"
A barrage of lasers slamming into the hull sent the cabin into violent shaking.
Loose objects flung around wildly from the intense shaking, clattering against the walls as they whipped past, becoming dangerous projectiles.
Several people were thrown up and slammed back into the crowd, letting out anguished cries as they were struck. Phoenix barely managed to cling to a handrail and avoid being flung out.
In those few chaotic seconds, Disar and Phoenix were both squeezed into the escape pod entrance.
"Phoenix--are you okay?!"
Disar called out frantically.
"I'm fine, but the medal--"
The shaking had knocked the medal from her grasp.
"Where did it go--?!"
Disar's brow furrowed as she squeezed to the side of the entrance, then stepped directly onto the door handle, gripping the protruding edges to hang precariously on the frame. She scanned the floor amid the crowd, desperately trying to spot any trace of the medal.
A faint purple laser beam flashed through the window, illuminating the cabin.
For just an instant, a tiny glint appeared outside the escape pod entrance.
"I see it!"
Disar shouted.
"Where?!"
"On the floor, outside the entrance!"
"I’m on it!!"
Phoenix immediately turned and fought against the flow of the crowd to get out. But the mass of people was overwhelming, making every inch excruciatingly slow.
"Fifteen seconds left."
"Phoenix!! You won't make it back in time!!!"
The end of the crowd was only five meters from the pod entrance now. Hearing the warning, they surged forward even faster.
"I saw the glint too--"
"Phoenix! Stop!!"
"Ten seconds."
The medal had fully emerged into view.
Phoenix was still five meters away.
Disar swallowed hard.
"Warning, gravity simulation disengaged."
Only two or three people hadn't squeezed through the doors yet. Phoenix finally broke free of the crowd and dashed for the medal.
"Five second countdown."
"Five."
Phoenix sprinted forward, now three meters from the medal.
"Four."
Her foot hit the ground, then lifted again.
"Three."
In an instant, the gravity simulation cut out.
Phoenix was flung upwards, slamming into the cabin wall with a "thud."
"Ughhh."
"Two."
"Phoenix!!!"
"One."
In that single second, Disar inside the escape pod made a decision of life or death.
She poured all her strength into her legs, and kicked off.
Her body arced through the air in a straight line.
Her target - the medal outside the escape pod.
"Door closing."
The twin doors slammed shut in half a second, followed by the sound of the pod detaching.
Disar snatched the medal just as she crashed hard into the wall beside Phoenix.
They hadn't made it onto the escape pod.
"Disar, hurry press it--"
One, two, three.
Disar didn't hesitate, ignoring the pain as she immediately pressed the button.
Then, the button lit up.
"This is the Galactic Alliance Army. Distress signal received. Report your situation."