Rogue One - 01
Date: 12/29/2023,
Categories:
Fantasy & Sci-Fi,
Author: The_Technician
Chapter One - The Brulaxians
“Incoming! Incoming!” the shrill voice of the communications tech for Earth Base Two Omega screamed loudly just before the auto-defense alarms began blaring, drowning out her screams.
“Report!” barked the commander after silencing the alarm and the tech replied a little more calmly, “I’m reading an incoming ship traveling at light eighteen.” The communications tech’s bright blue eyes were wide with a mixture of surprise, amazement, and fear as she scanned her instruments.
“What else, Darlene?” Commander Sylvia Blackstone asked curtly.
“The engine signature is the same as a class seven Star Cruiser with Zorloxion reverberating quad thrust drives, Commander,” the tech reported. “But the ship reads as a... a... a... size much, much smaller than even a class one Planet Cruiser.” Then she added in a quivering voice, “It reads even smaller than a star fighter, but I can’t trust my instruments on anything that small traveling at that speed... if it is actually traveling at that speed.” Her voice dropped to almost a whisper as she turned to face the Commander and added, “... if anything can truly travel at eighteen times the speed of light.”
Everyone’s attention was drawn to the weapons tech as she called out loudly, “Incoming missile launched from craft. Small... very small... heading directly for the base.”
“Size? Type?” Commander Blackstone said tersely. After a moment of silence she added angrily, “Amanda, can we defend against ...
... it?”
“Unknown,” weapons tech Amanda Dawson said slowly. “But it is small, very small.” Then she added, “Arcing in almost directly at us. But we can’t do anything as long as it is beyond light.” Her eyes were wide with fear. Sweat glistened on her ebony skin as she awaited impact.
The base shook violently. Compressed light and space particles that are pushed ahead of anything traveling faster than light slammed into the mountain just west of the base as a small communications drone dropped out of overlight directly overhead and began circling the base.
A male voice immediately came over the communications speakers. “This is Rogue One requesting permission to land at Earth Base Two Omega,” he said in that calm voice pilots use when requesting landing clearance. Then he laughed and continued, “Actually, there is no way you can give me permission to land because you can’t communicate with me while I am in overlight. But I will be dropping out of overlight shortly before landing and I would really appreciate it if you don’t panic and start shooting at me.” He paused and then said somewhat rapidly, “I have important information for the base commander. I have a way to penetrate the Brulaxian shields. The fate of Earth depends upon you allowing me to land.” After a pause, he returned to his calm pilot’s voice and said, “I am assuming that you got this recorded message. I will be landing shortly.”
Nothing was known about the Brulaxians other than the name broadcast by Earth ...