Mission Sigma — Chapter 4
The ogre with the Mohican gritted his teeth. Landrik could tell he was about to pounce. “It’s time to put your lights out,” he seethed, bounding forward, backed by several more Vector Prime members, “you Federation f…”
A blast of crackling static ripped whatever he was about to say next from his mouth. The voice had returned, resonating from every part of the spaceship as it repeated its earlier command.
“Please. Not Now!”
The plea seemed anguished, somehow desperate. But the fizzing static swirling around it was angry and threatened to shred every eardrum.
The vocal onslaught stopped the ogre and his cohorts in their tracks. Their hands rushed to their ears where they stood. Everybody waited.
“I am Sigma Tech,” said the voice.
Gasps of surprise resonated through the older crew members who knew all about Sigma Tech. Green light emanating from the Stargazer’s window eerily flickered in their widened eyes.
“I am your last hope,” Sigma Tech said.
With each implausibly loud utterance, the hull of the vessel and everything inside it trembled. A fallen wine glass shattered from the sound. The Stargazer listed. People lost their balance and fell. Down went the ogre and one of his henchmen. Somehow, Landrik managed to stay on his feet, his trunk-like thighs quivering as he fought to keep steady. Ava held fast to Landrik’s arm to keep her own balance. Behind them, Bem began to groan and stir.
“Before all things become one,” Sigma Tech continued, “the war to control The Rift must be fought.”
A long pause followed. Overhead lights pulsed. Within the momentary space, static rippled through the atmosphere.
Sigma Tech continued. “There will be many battles in this war, but there will be no bloodshed. For this is not a war that can be won by spilling blood. To win against these ancient powers, the mind must venture within.”
The sound of the voice remained loud but was starting to fragment, like some sort of signal weakening. Everybody waited, saying nothing, eager to hear what would come next, hoping Sigma Tech would provide more information.
It didn’t let them down. “The time has come. Alliances have been chosen. What is within you is now manifest. Federation…Vector Prime…Equinox…”
As each Alliance’s name was uttered, their respective Sigils pulsed with the same green light then faded. With the crew members interspersed, the appearance of the glowing lights came from random places. But when Sigma Tech appeared to have finished speaking, a long silence followed.
During this time, Landrik and Ava watched as, like attracting magnets, the crew members wandered around the Stargazer’s deck until they had grouped themselves by category.
Landrik looked down at Ava. She raised her eyes to meet his. They gazed at one another. Landrik felt his mouth go dry.
“You’d better join your guys,” he said, his voice cracking.
“You’d better join yours, too,” she said.
A singular nod of understanding passed between them, Ava’s fingers slipped from Landrik’s arm, and she slowly walked to join the Equinox division. It was then that Landrik sensed movement behind him. He turned and saw Bem getting to his feet.
“You too, Bem. Get with your people.”
Bem scowled at Landrik before scrambling drunkenly to join Vector Prime. He placed himself next to the Mohican-headed mercenary. Shoulder to shoulder they took a beat to shake hands and give one another a nod of recognition.
Seeing this, Landrik swallowed hard and pushed down his emotions. Traitor, he thought.
Landrik now stood alone. He was the last person to move. He took a deep breath and strode toward the Federation side. Upon reaching it, he shook hands with a couple of his nearest compatriots, and distantly nodded his approval to the rest of the group.
But as soon as he turned his back to them, he became thoughtful. He looked over at Ava and saw she was looking at him. Were they thinking the same thing? That they wanted to be together, in the same tribe? Landrik broke line of sight, feeling humiliated, unable to compute the events of the past hour.
The alliances stood in silence, awaiting further comms from Sigma Tech. It came soon enough.
To be continued…
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