Red Dogs
“Oh my One True God, lead us to the Peace of The Realm.”
Squadron Commander Eirene’s shrine to Ahr was located inside a small inlet near the corner of her quarters. Her hair was a buzzed and tapered cut. It demonstrated her dedication to the fighter-corps on the MUD Carrier Independence, part of Admiral Stone’s Assault Fleet near the ONI front, MATen Region.
She held her head down, eyes closed, and arms crossed over her chest as the quiet prayer left her lips. It was barely audible to the others in the room.
Behind her, a dozen pilots crowded the Squadron Commander’s cabin but remained at near attention, silent, in reverence as their leader concluded her prayer.
“Lend us your Light of Truth Peace in our Search,” Eirene continued while increasing her tone and ending in a resolute voice, “So Is Ahr!”
“So Is Ahr!” the voice of the pilots repeated loudly behind her. The room’s Quasi-Titanium layers echoed the words for a long second before silence returned to the room. No one moved.
Eirene stood up and turned to face the uniformed group of men. She glanced at her second in command, Lieutenant Santi, and he immediately stepped forward and reported the squadron’s status.
“Alpha, Charlie, and Delta Flights completed refueling and are on standby and listening. Waiting for Red-Omega Core Squadrons to lead. Ready for your next command, SC.” A quick and sharp salute exchange ended his report.
Eirene’s words had a little vibrato when she started speaking, but she cleared her throat and spoke again, this time calmer.
“You know what is coming. The ONI Titan monstrosity needs to be stopped. Red-Omega has a special mission because you are the best and most damnable group of sons-of-earthlings this fleet has ever had the pleasure of knowing. Don’t make me regret the time I spent training each of you into what you have become. Make me proud. Make the Fleet and the Corps proud! Above all, make the ONI remember this one time — when they faced the Red-Omega Squadron!” Eirene’s voice gained strength and power as she projected an intensity that matched the new burning in her eyes.
“Let me hear you, Red-Omega!” Her roar twisted her face in a hellish configuration.
Lieutenant Santi’s heart nearly stopped at his SC’s war cry. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.
The room exploded in many self-affirmations, insults to the enemy, and confirming shouts that echoed down the hallway and into the launch-tube section where other squadrons were preparing. Upon hearing the wild screams, a squadron commander shook his head and whispered to his colleague, “Eirene’s Omega dogs.”
Eirene looked at each of them, her Best, as they yelled and jumped, showing their approval and determination to complete the mission. She knew each of them would give their lives for completing their task, if necessary. Her glance ended at her second in command, Santi, and she sensed that some would even die for her first.
The howling and yelling were interrupted. Admiral Stone’s Fleet Command burst out throughout the ship, “Final Check and Ready. Launching in 15 pulses!”
“You heard the order, leave Hell with the ONI, and bring back Ahr’s Peace!”
Eirene punched a button, and the doors slid open as Lieutenant Santi waved, yelled, and hurried the pilots out and towards the launch-tube section. She returned a slight approval as each pilot saluted and disappeared through the double metallic doors.
It was tradition or maybe an inner knowledge they all shared with this type of mission when Death made itself present and accounted for.
When Eirene arrived at the staging area, she saw several of the squadron’s pilots jumping into the capsules that would become the cockpits in the small fighter ships. His second in command was the last to jump into the translucent canopy and flush into a wall opening that would quickly transport him to the appropriate fighter ship. The system was efficient. It could redirect pilots into different vessels according to mission directives or apply last-second changes to battle configurations.
She climbed into her command capsule and placed herself in a supine position. Quickly, the suit connected to the cockpit’s interface. She felt a suction spread throughout her extremities. The force immobilized her as the bio-interfaces pinned her pilot suit to the reclined seat. She was wearing the Primordial GLO Gear, a gift from her father.
The capsule closed. Multiple images of the squadron appeared all around. Pilots’ health status, ships’ ordnance, configuration selector controls, mission flight plan with numerous variants calculated, scanner views of areas, and enemy forces detected were all visible instantly.
An image rose to the side above the others. It was Santi on the private channel.
“SC, as promised, fleet gave Red-Omega the customized Pearce X series fighters. I didn’t know these babies could be customized with so much shielding; everyone was excited. We are kicking some serious butt today!” Santi didn’t hold back his exhilaration at the prospect of piloting one of the rarest fighter ships in the fleet.
“We’ll need it,” Eirene answered somberly.
Santi’s expression became serious.
“You think it’ll be that bad, eh? You know the squadron will follow you, the bowels of that monster and back. I know I will.” Santi gave his best smile as if posing for a holo-achieve.
“I’ll hold you and Red-Omega to that promise,” Eirene’s hint of a smile, even in its dark mode, was attractive. It made Santi break into a deep laugh.
He was no stranger to dangerous missions. He had risked his life flying with the Red-Omegas many times, and it was never something he looked forward to doing. Still, Santi kept reenlisting, and the reason was staring at him, Eirene. He wanted to serve under her to follow and protect her regardless of the consequences. Still, it was clear that she only had eyes for the Corps. He silently accepted the fact that he had no chance of ever replacing that one true love. So he remained. Santi was a die-hard romantic. In his mind, he imagined that risking his life, maybe giving it away, was all he needed to honor his emotions. Feelings that motivated him to be near Eirene. He could always change his mind later, but today, it was not that day.
The squadron had gained its elite reputation for doing the most challenging missions the Corps had to assign and coming back in one piece. What made this one mission different was the enemy. This was no lousy border skirmish. It was not even a pirate stronghold raid at impossible odds. This was an enemy that was formidable beyond anything the squadron had ever faced or ever imagined facing.
In the background, Eirene heard the shouting to her pilots as Admiral Stone’s Fleet Command streamed through all linked channels.
“Squadrons, Launch!” Her vessel slipped out into space first, clearing all others for launch simultaneously.
Red-Omega was joined by the Old-Guard Fighter Squadron. It was commanded by Captain Pine from the Carrier Independence, formed by some of the most battle-tested pilots in Admiral’s Stone Fleet. Soon after, two other groups followed. The first was a flight of Large Fighters known as the Ogrika Screams, famous for their ability to pour high rates of concentrated fire on targets. The second was a Special Z-Bomber Flight which carried the GIFT for the ONI monster. In total, the small assault group was composed of some 60 Small Fighters, 4 Large Fighters, and 4 Special Z-Bombers, each carrying one GIFT. Operation Dark Storm was on its way.
The mission was a simple Seek and Destroy directive. Catch the ONI Titan rear defenses by surprise, punch a hole for the bombers, and let the GIFT do its magic. Rendezvous with the MUD Carrier Providence for debrief and celebrations. For the plan to succeed, the group needed to hide in one of the countless wreckage that littered the path of the retreating MUD forces and near the oncoming monster.
The situation was dire. The ONI Titan had decimated planetary, satellite, and defense forces on its pathway of destruction. Its gigantic size, impenetrable shields, endless outer perimeter defenses, and exotic new weapons were all a strategical nightmare for MUD Command. The latest attempt to concentrate multiple fleets on the Titan had failed miserably. The entire front had collapsed with devastating ship losses. All fleets were withdrawing and regrouping near the MUD Mining Planet, Aurora. Admiral Stone’s Assault Fleet had the assignment of covering the retreat and delaying the ONI Titan. The mission was to give the Main Fleet time to receive reinforcement, bring replacements, resupply, and perform repairs. For this, Admiral Stone had been given custody of four GIFT bombs, the most destructive ordnance MUD scientist and engineers had ever conceived. It could destroy all matter within 500 k-clicks, more than enough to wipe out a city or damage the ONI monster considerably. The problem was its range. It had to be delivered close to the target since the Titan’s missile defense was indisputably perfect. Admiral Stone’s choices were limited. The Red-Omega squadron and its illustrious Squadron Commander Eirene had to lead the mission if there was any chance of success.
“Dark Storm rising” was the only message sent over the Black Ops encrypted channel. Three red blips on the comm display were the only response. She understood. Admiral Stone’s Fleet Command had received the message. It was commencing its faint attack, a long-range assault composed of high-energy particle beams and powerful missile batteries. The assault was focused on the Titan’s outer perimeter escorts and its robotic defenses, including the scouting ships surrounding the Titan. Bridging the Titan’s primary defenses had proven impossible at long range. The bombardment was to create a distraction and help wipe out robotic guards on the Titan’s perimeter. The hope was it would provide a better chance of success for Eirene’s Assault Group.
Eirene saw a bright light ignite and sparkle in the distance, like a new star on the horizon, as Admiral’s Stone Fleet unleashed its entire arsenal at the ONI Titan defenses. It didn’t take long before a monstrous shadow eclipsed the light. A dark void slowly filled and was replaced by a black, the incoming landscape. The Titan was approaching rapidly. It was heading straight towards her group of ships.
Admiral Stone sat on his command chair onboard the MUD Carrier Independence. He watched the images around him intensely as if searching for something. Reconnaissance and status reports flooded his view. His fleet was taking damage. The barrage was only affecting the outer support ships and skirmish scouts around the ONI Titan.
A priority report flashed above the others. Small crafts were reported in heavy fighting near the outside boundary of the Titan’s shields. Ship signatures and identification codes began appearing, too slow for him. The Red-Omega Squadron was nearly intact at 90%. Captain Pine’s Squadron was down to 60%. Two of four Ogrikas were destroyed, and the Z-Bombers were taking severe damage but closing fast on their target. All the ships showed concerning failures, except two. Captain Pine had minor system malfunctions, and Eirene’s ship, surprisingly, appeared to be near perfect working order.
“She is so lucky!” He thought to himself.
“It was a great idea to include the Tigu Pets on the ships,” offered the lead analytics staff member. “Repairs might be slow, but it’s giving the squadrons ships higher durability and engagement ratings.”
Alarms sounded as the Admiral’s Flag Ship took a heavy hit from the Titan.
“Admiral, we can’t hold the position for much longer. The ONI Titan has turned to face our fleet, and it’s beginning to concentrate is firepower,” his second in command explained sharply. His anxiety became translucent as one of the fleet’s capital ships exploded on one of his images.
Admiral Stone sighed and begrudged his own order.
“Retreat!” Admiral Stone yelled over the clamoring.
Simultaneously, four large explosions, one after the other, were detected on scanners near the ONI Titan. The GIFTs had been delivered.
Exotic radiation bathed space around the Titan, and it disrupted all transmissions. It was impossible to receive detailed data. One thing was sure, the Titan remained on view, and it appeared undamaged.
No ships were visible around the Titan. Admiral Stone’s breath sank.
A personal message remained unopened in his private folder. It arrived moments before the explosions were detected. It was from Eirene.
It read, “I Love You, Dad.”
