Gabatrix: The Violet Wave

"How long will it take before they reach here?"

"Five minutes."

Javier knew that there was a five-minute window that the Shal'rein clan had before the Garja could make its escape. This meant that there was a brief moment of vulnerability before.....

"I can see you thinking, Javier," Shira interrupted his thought process. "You are attempting to figure out how long before my people will send additional ships. I will remind you that it will take a little longer once our own gate array is constructed. We have about seven minutes that we will have to fend off enemy warships that will come to us as we hold still."

"Ugh....." Javier commented. "Stop reading my mind."

There was a momentary brief smile on her face as they could see the faint blue vortex begin to appear about 230 degrees from the Garja's port side. It was quite distant. Space was vast, after all.

"Lesser Adjunct," one of the crew members called out to her. "The outpost's gate array is powering up. It is opening up a vortex near our location."

"Let's give them a little bit of a scare to slow them down. When their gate reaches about 80% completion, target the railgun at the opening vortex and fire."

"Aye."

"It is time that I go," Folar'sha told them. "We might expect casualties if we are going to be in a firefight."

"Good luck, doctor," Javier commented to her.

"As to you human named Javier."

With that, the doctor turned around and proceeded to leave the bridge. Javier turned his focus to the screen as he stood by Shira's side.

In space, the Garja continued in fabricating its own gate array. It appeared to be at three-quarters of completion as the ring looked like a broken halo being put together. More gate probes were being launched from the sides as they were forming a large circle.

The large dual railgun turret began to turn. It was slow as it adjusted upward and rotated almost 180 degrees around. It made its aim as it slowly turned and aimed at the opening vortex in the far distance.

"If they come in and start shooting at us, how long do we have before we get hit?" Javier asked.

"Approximately four of your minutes," Shira replied.

"I noticed that the crew just used the word minutes when they responded to you."

"You noticed well. I instructed the crew to use your time measurement. It is important that we know that well when we are interned. The knowledge, language communication, and time usage will make the transaction to your societies much easier as a result."

Javier could only imagine. It seemed so perfect what she had planned out. It only made sense that everyone spoke English. They could have spoken their own language, but instead, they spoke his.

The vortex was getting bigger and bigger. Blue lightning began to erupt from its center as the gate was getting more and more stable. The large railgun on the Garja suddenly opened fire. Blue and purple particles erupted as a small trail was left behind the hypervelocity tungsten round were thrown at the opening. A second shot erupted from the Garja as another round went hurling towards the vortex.

"I know it's a little too late to ask," Javier remarked to Shira. "Wouldn't it have been easier to just talk to your people and slow them down enough to make our escape?"

"I considered that. There is a flaw in doing that. The Gigesh sends an emergency transponder signal. This only happens when the ship is attacked too quickly or an all-out emergency to correct it. Much like what had just happened, the Gigesh only had one ship near it when it was attacked.......us. We also have other issues, as well. Outpost 2924 is in this system. There are only two gas giant planets. This planet has only a few moons, but the other one of the opposite sides of the solar system has a Shal'rein military outpost on one of its moons. Its range is just enough to track some of the events that just happened here. The transponder signal is just the final evidence they need to put all the pieces together. They see the Garja as an enemy vessel. Their goal is to come in and destroy us."

"Maldito....." Javier remarked.

Shira turned her head towards Javier's direction. "There is a question I wanted to ask you, Javier."

"What is it?"

"Did you enjoy having me with you during your captivity?"

Javier seemed to think about it for a second. "I didn't enjoy being held prisoner....but having you around was a unique experience."

"I liked the part of you holding my gun to me. There is a small cult of gun worshipers in the Shal'rein clan. To them, taking their own gun and pointing it at them is a request to become their mate."

"You.....are not one of these, right?"

"No.....but, I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Sometimes believing you are more powerful even if you don't is something I always enjoy watching. You get a chance to learn much from your enemies and allies."

"Ummm.....thanks?"

"After this, there are some things that I want to speak with you. It is something only two individuals are supposed to discuss in private."

Javier shrugged. "Sure. I got nowhere else to go."

In space, the two railgun rounds flew for some time before they flew directly into the vortex. The Garja's gate array was at 95% completion.

"You think we hit anything?" Javier asked as he pointed at the vortex displayed on the screen.

"Possibly. The vortexes are too big when the rounds go through it. The ship on the other side will most likely see it fly by rather than get hit by it. There is still a possibility of hitting the target, though."

"Entire warfare being waged through gates. Incredible."

"Believe it," Shira remarked. "In one of my battles, I utilized gate arrays and siege dreadnoughts to fire rounds from one solar system to another. Folding space has little limits. If a ship can be sent through it, a shell or a warhead can be sent through it. There are only a few things that can't. Entire warfare strategies can be formulated based on shooting targets that are light-years away."

"I recall hearing a family member mentioning something like that. The UHN passed theories of being able to commit to such abilities. The number of resources to coordinate it are insane."

"It can be. Even during the battle......" Shira was interrupted before she continued.

"Gate is completed, Lesser Adjunct," one of the bridge crew responded. "Powering up the gate. Four minutes remain."

"As soon as it's activated, fly into it. Keep those engines going, and don't stop the moment we exit."

"Aye."

"Lesser Adjunct," another crew member replied. "Ship is emerging from the vortex."

In space, the gate array in front of the Garja was powering up. A small blue vortex began to appear. It was a struggle as the swirling mass was getting bigger and bigger. The vortex that was on the port side of the Garja erupted as a large violet-colored dreadnought flew through it. Its rear engines were roaring hot as it fully emerged from the vortex.

"Hmmm.....decided to send the big ones out for me, aren't you?" Shira commented. The words were barely loud enough for Javier to hear.

"Kiyliy class Dreadnought has arrived near us," the crew member reported. "They will be on us in about four minutes."

"Target the dreadnought and open fire. It will at least give them a hard time or possibly cause them to veer off."

Shira pointed her hand at the screen. She spoke softly for Javier to hear. "When we open fire with the railguns, and we are speeding up, we have to make course adjustments. It is possible for us to eventually overtake our own shots as we continue to accelerate forward of we don't steer out of the way of it. The dreadnought is going to make a couple of shots, but they will not do anymore because their goal is to close in and destroy us."

"We will be sitting ducks," Javier commented.

Shira seemed to give a questioning look. "I am assuming that is a phrase to refer to being idle while the shots hit us. Yes, we are vulnerable. The Garja is designed to land troops and deploy aircraft to a planet. It lacks the ship to ship combat capability that a battleship or dreadnought has. Either way, this ship lacks the firepower to win against other warships. However, this ship's size can take a few hits from even a few railgun rounds."

The Garja's railgun turret opened fire again. Two rounds were expelled as a faint trail of particles flew into the direction of the dreadnought.

The dreadnought almost reacted immediately. Within less than twenty seconds, the starboard vectoring thrusters began to push the dreadnought to the side as its rear engines were roaring hot. Blue flames expelled from its large thrusters.

The vortex from the constructed ring array was getting bigger and bigger. Javier could see the void of blue and black in the center as the array was beginning to fold space.

The dreadnought replied in kind. Using its two dual heavy railguns, four shots were expelled in the direction of the Garja. It then used its vectoring thrusters to shift its position a little bit.

"The ship has opened fire on us, Lesser Adjunct." A random bridge crew commented to Shira.

"Two minutes remain," Shira replied.

"You can count the time to yourself?" Javier asked.

"A little bit. When it reaches past twenty minutes, I will start to lose track."

"That is still pretty amazing."

Shira turned her head to her bridge crew. "Most likely, the dreadnought has targeted our power module. Make sure that there is no personnel in that area. The moment that the power generators are hit, switch over to the emergency power supplies. Utilize the lander's power generator.....assuming it doesn't get destroyed."

"Aye," one of them replied.

"What if they targeted the bridge?" Javier asked.

"The goal is to capture us," Shira replied. "That is a possibility but tactics usually involving disabling a warship. Thankfully, this ship is rated to handle against their forward-mounted particle beam cannons that the dreadnought uses."

"Don't you have more troops? Can't you just repel them if they come aboard?"

"While it is true. The dreadnought will disable our vessel, preventing our escape as more ships arrive. We have 343 crew and troops on the ship. I would not count on the dreadnought just trying to disable us, though. They might just try to destroy us instead."

The dreadnought was getting closer and closer. Within three minutes, it had closed the gap to about half the distance it started from. The two shots from the Garja harmlessly flew by it into the void of space. The Garja however, was standing still.

Four shots closed in at blazing speeds against the Garja. One of the shells struck the top portion of the landing pad, where the fighters were recovered. About a sixth of the section was blown into space as debris rained out. Another shot missed. The third shot struck the rotating centripetal ring, shattering a section into space. Much like the battle of Aphadus, the ring was turned into a broken halo. A sizeable hole appeared as the round continued to travel and into space on the other side. The hole on the centripetal ring was enough to blow five rooms into space. The last shot hit the power module almost perfectly. The shell broke from one area, flew through the entire section, and flew out on the other side of the ship. The lights on the ship fluctuated a little bit, but it remained on.

"As predicted," Shira commented to the dreadnought's salvo. "I praise their ventral turret gunner, but their dorsal gunner.....they will need more training."

Javier felt a minor tremor to the ship as the shots had instantly flown through it.

"They are closing in on us....." Javier remarked.

"Yes, but they are too late. Their goal is to intercept us before we try to escape. Any attempt to shoot us will slow them down."

"Can they shoot down the gate?" Javier asked.

"It is possible. With the luck of the ventral gunner, they have onboard, maybe. It is unlikely but possible. The gate array ring is very thin compared to the great mass of the Garja. It is generally more practical to shoot the escaping ship instead."

"What do you think they will do?"

"They will follow us into the gate."

"Uh....." Javier reacted with surprise. "Can't we destroy the gate once we get through?"

"We will try, but it is possible they will still get through. This is where you come into play."

"Me?" Javier replied.

"Yes. The moment we jump into the gate, you will have access to that panel. We will be in the New Olympian system. You will notify the New Olympians that we are harmless. Warn them about the dreadnought that is going to follow us, and if everything goes according to plan, we will be safe."

Javier finally understood the situation that he was put into. "I see," he replied. "That is why you wanted me here. If we jumped into UWA territory, the UHN would have to fight off that warship. You are counting on the New Olympians and their unknown strength to dispatch the dreadnought. You anticipated all of this....."

Shira simply smiled for a brief moment before she resumed her original state. It was a sign that Javier had hit the mark.

Precious seconds were ticking by. The gate array was getting bigger and bigger. Finally, blue lightning flashed from the center. The dreadnought was getting closer and closer. It seemed at first, if the carrier were not going to move, the dreadnought would activate its vectoring thrusters to ensure it wouldn't collide with it either.

Javier felt the tension as he monitored the enemy warship. He gripped the seat that Shira sat in. The vortex was fully stable. It was now or never.

The Garja's rear engines activated, as it propelled forward. Javier felt himself tugged to the rear as his boots tried to hold him in place. The crew was strapped in, but he wasn't. His hand held onto the seat to brace himself. He felt a large handgrip onto his arm to keep him in place the moment he felt the tug. Shira was on it instantly, as she steadied him. The acceleration was heavy and hard for his body to hold, especially from a standing position. Only the combination of the aforementioned was what prevented him from flying backward as the ship was propelling itself forward.

Huge blue flames were erupting from the Garja's rear engines as it shoved itself forward. Slowly the ship inched forward as it neared the gate aperture. It would be the bridge section that would go into the vortex first but only for a few seconds.

Javier could watch as the g-forces pressed upon his body. He could see the vortex get bigger and bigger till eventually, he saw nothing but it. The results were instant. He felt the same thing as all crew of the UWA feel the moment they flew through folded space. It was only for a second. It almost felt like being in two places at once. The vortex would produce a minor series of swirls of light. So much could be said of the surrounding environment, but it was measured in only a second. The view could be described as beautiful, but it quickly faded as he saw the exit of the gate hit the Garja instantly.

The assault carrier had flown cleanly through the wormhole as it suddenly appeared in a new location. Seen in the far distance was that of a red dwarf star. Not far was a red planet that seemed to be barren of all life. The intense solar flares of the star had rendered any possibility of life to develop on it.....yet it did.

Javier knew that they had made it. Seen far from a distance was that of the New Olympian fleet. It appeared to be twelve in all. These massive dreadnoughts were white in color and almost appeared to be cigar-shaped. He had little time to celebrate.

The Garja began to bank downward. Its vectoring thrusters allowed the ship to turn straight down as it got further and further away from the vortex. Javier could feel the g-forces as it tried to lift him into the air. His boots were still doing the job in keeping him in place as the rear thrusters of the Garja began to slow down. Shira still had a firm grip on Javier to ensure that he didn't go anywhere.

Shira could see the vortex in the distance. She used her other hand to reach down to the panel of her chair. Her eye saw the signal. It was a single button as she pressed it to activate the signal.

Suddenly, a large dreadnought flew through the vortex. It was coming in much faster than the Garja originally did. The planning of taking the Garja away from the vortex had worked. The dreadnought risked ramming the Garja if the assault carrier did not turn from coming through it.

It was extremely close. Shira had activated the signal to destroy the constructed gate array on the other side. Instantly, the array exploded as the vortex collapsed. The dreadnought had flown through the gate array but just narrowly avoided being caught going through it. If it had taken a split second longer, the ship would have been shattered in half.

"Shit....." Javier commented as the Garja had stopped turning. He could watch the entire scene unfold on display. He could see the gate collapse and the dreadnought that had flown through it. The carrier was flying downward as it was getting further away from its pursuers. The engines had slowed down on its thrusters to allow him enough mobility to move around.

"You know what to do, Javier. Time is of the essence." Shira commented calmly.

Shira looked down as she began to tap a series of buttons on her chair. Javier could see that the enemy dreadnought was keeping its course at the moment. In the distance, he could see the great white fleet of New Olympia. It was a fantastic sight of the mighty dreadnoughts used by the New Olympian colony. Their ships were more massive than the vessels of colonies of Batrice and Gillan. The dreadnoughts were so massive that it took two Martian battleships just to measure the sheer length of the dreadnought. He could see the great dual cannons that were mounted in front of the ship. It was almost as if the vessels themselves were giant siege weapons. The dual mounted cannons were attached to a giant forward swivel that connected to the ship. This allowed the dreadnoughts to aim its gun almost in any direction easily. If it needed to point up or down, it could merely roll itself to aim at its target. Near the cannons were four forward-mounted engine thrusters. Large arrays lined near the turret. Behind the arrays was the large white bulbous structure, and near the rear were the engine thrusters.

"Javier," Shira called out. "I am opening up a general communication channel on all bandwidths. It is audio-only, and it is directed to their ships. Speak normally as you would. Your words are being broadcasted right.......now," she stopped talking as she pressed the final button.              

Javier could hear a small audio click as the channel was open. If there was anyone out there listening, then it was time. He swallowed hard as he could see one of the large dreadnoughts breaking formation of the New Olympian fleet.

"Attention all New Olympian ships," Javier called out. "My name is Ensign Javier of the UHN. I am onboard the Garja, a Shal'rein assault carrier in your system. The crew wishes to defect and request asylum to the UWA. The dreadnought that has entered our system is in pursuit of us. They are hostile."

He stopped talking for a little while as Shira remained silent. Her single eye was aimed at the display screen. It was here that they could see something amazing unfold.

The New Olympian dreadnought that broke free began to emit a swirling mass of gathering energy. Colors of white light began to swirl around the large arrays. The ship had used its vectoring thrusters to adjust itself as the swivel-mounted dual cannon made slight adjustments.

"I repeat," Javier called out as he watched the screen. "We are under attack by the Shal'rein dreadnought and request assistance. The people of the carrier wish to defect. Please help us."