The Forging of the Iron Ram (6)
Schwarz Brigadier General trailed after them reluctantly, unable to shake his worry as the two strode out of the bridge toward the hangar. In the Bellerophon hangar, about fifty Caesar Legion troubleshooters who'd come up from orbit and forty elite Human Brotherhood soldiers stood ready.
Aurora planted herself in the center of the hangar and bellowed to them all.
"We're heading out now to rip those pointy-eared bastards' warships to shreds!!!!"
"Woooaaah!!!!"
The troubleshooters roared in cheers, while the Human Brotherhood soldiers cheered through tears. Aurora pressed on.
"If we get hit by an EMP, we'll freeze right there, lost in space, easy prey for interceptor missiles or laser cannons that could strike anytime—or we might just plow forward and smash ourselves to bits. Hell, we could get blocked by their shields before even breaking through and end up deep-kissing the barrier in a fiery explosion. Our lives are that cheap!!!"
No one flinched at her words. This electric thrill was the only proof they were alive. Aurora shouted again.
"But we've crammed twelve insanely powerful engines into this beast, slathered it head to toe in EMP emitters, and we'll punch a hole big enough for even our ant-sized shuttles to slip through. We'll infiltrate, storm straight to the bridge, seize everything, and counter-charge their fleet!!!"
Arms spread wide, Aurora demanded, "Will you follow me?!"
"Long live His Imperial Majesty!!!"
Ninety voices thundered, echoing off the hangar walls. Watching this, Brigadier General Schwarz froze, thinking to himself, Oh shit.... This is basically the 5th Fleet. What the hell's in that blood of theirs?
But the youngest, the Emperor himself, is super chill, right?
No, maybe it's because they're all women?!
—That doesn't even make sense. He gave up pondering.
Modifications kicked off immediately in the hangar. A Condor-class shuttle got twelve high-output rocket boosters slapped on—no safety features in sight. EMP generators were plastered across the hull, designed to spam pulses during approach, disrupting defenses and punching a temporary hole in the shields.
It took just forty-seven minutes, so safety was tossed to the dogs. But with their blistering speed and willingness to die for the Emperor, safety was for cowards anyway. The result: a freakish flying marine abomination with twelve engines jammed tail-to-tail. EMP emitters studded the surface like acne, but raw speed crushed every flaw.
Aurora stood at the shuttle's ramp door, and ninety assault troopers lined up behind her.
"Target is.....!" She jabbed ahead, toward the seventy-kilometer pure-white behemoth floating in the void beyond the hangar.
"That one!" Her mad grin flashed as she yelled, "Distance to bridge after breach? Fuck it, we don't know the layout—so ram the closest spot and bulldoze to the bridge!!!"
"Long live His Imperial Majesty!!!!"
The gutsy plan—supersonic shuttle smash, infiltrate, seize bridge—passed unanimously. The lone dissenter, Schwarz, was a loser anyway; objections weren't even theoretically viable. No opposition.
Aurora took the pilot's seat herself.
"Launch!!!!"
Twelve engines ignited at once. The shuttle rocketed like a bullet toward the enemy ship. Moments later, the phase barrier shimmered into view—a translucent energy wall shunting shells to another dimension.
But EMP wasn't a shell. On contact, twelve engines' thrust and EMP surge slammed together. Physical impact plus electromagnetic disruption overloaded a single point. Just 0.3 seconds—but enough. The twelve-times-overpowered shuttle pierced the gap and plunged inside.
BOOM—!
"Success!!! Weapons up—prep to slit those Kirow xenid throats!"
"Long live!!!"
Ramp doors flew open. Dozens of troubleshooters poured into the enemy ship. Aurora leaped first.
"35 kilometers to the bridge!! Full charge!!!"
Governor Lilian followed, yelling, "For His Imperial Majesty!!!"
"Long live His Imperial Majesty!!!"
*****
The Eldra flagship's interior was predictably stunning. Silvery-white organic curves, walls pulsing with bioluminescent lights. The faint floor vibrations mimicked a heartbeat, millennia of civilization etched into warship decor. Corridors felt like art galleries.
Aurora Astraea sprinted one such beauty, scraping her sword along the walls—modern art's pinnacle: eco-terrorist paint bombs. Straight gashes scarred the pristine silver.
Seven minutes post-crash-landing, ninety troopers rampaged inside. They seized their zone, locked it down, then nabbed two adjacent corridors. Troubleshooters and Brotherhood elites moved like Mongol horse archers on meth.
Partly because Eldra internal security was lax as hell. Ships designed assuming no intruders past the phase barrier. Who'd crash through with zero safety, twelve engines, and EMP frosting?
....Yeah, okay.
"Kuhahaha!!!! We found their broadcast room!! Let's brag we're inside—plant the Human Empire flag and preach His Majesty's glory!!"
"Long live His Imperial Majesty!!"
Empire tongue over enemy internal speakers—not Eldra. Didn't matter. The fact alone bred terror. Alarms wailed ship-wide; panicked Eldra crew voices leaked through walls.
Aurora hyped Lilian with Eldra for flair: "Quietly become our Governor's bride!!!"
Lilian's ears flushed Eldra-style. "Wh-what?! Why say that now?! C-can I really hog this?!"
"Of course!!! You've earned this glory solo!"
Broadcast ended. Now, just the bridge showdown for the ship's fate.
******
Ship central E-12 corridor. Eldra Navy Lieutenant Kaellan Silverleaf hastily rallied twelve grunts. His patrol squad had heard Empire speech booming ship-wide. First thought: hack, like wartime comms jamming.
But gunfire echoed, guard comms cut—realization hit fast.
"Humans boarded!! Take 'em out quick!" Kaellan's pointed ears quivered in tension. "Weapons ready—follow! Sweep E-sector first!"
Eleven of twelve rose, rifles up. The last didn't. Rearmost: female Eldra in standard gear, rifle in hand. Identical to others.
"You too—move!" Kaellan urged gently, mistaking panic. Officers handled hysterics.
She muttered softly—in Empire tongue, but his veteran ears caught it from the last war.
"Ahh, our General Aurora loves these tactics. Turns out our Emperor's got real plans."
Kaellan scowled. 'Our Emperor'?
"What the—"
Her right arm melted like liquid metal, reforming into a razor blade.
"Wha—?!"
"Shh."
Blade sliced his throat.
Slash—!
Silver blood sprayed pre-collapse. He crumpled.
"Haa.... Farewell to this nasty shell."
She morphed: gray metal to silver-white hair, pointed ears rounding human. Slender frame bulked slightly; silver metal rippled under skin.
"Hmm.... Why's everyone blind to me?"
Kaiya von Essenbach's right arm reverted. She eyed the eleven frozen Eldra, terror and hate blazing.
Fair—ally turns killer.
Kaiya smiled. "Guess I should introduce. Greetings—Kaiya von Essenbach, dispatched from IndyneXo."
Polite bow, then: "Hey! You two—drop the act. Process quick, gotta roll."
Two reacted: man behind Kaellan, woman mid-squad. They shifted—Eldra facades melted, silver liquid gleaming. One: 2m+ hunk. Other: petite woman. Fellow Terminators.
"Eldra details are a bitch. Barely squeezed in."
Three Terminators loomed. Nine Eldra shook rifles at them.
"Sh-shoot!! Raaah!!!"
Kaiya's arms transformed: left shield, right barbed metal whip-tentacle. Male's: quad autocannon. Female's: massive axe.
Slash—!Rat-tat-tat—!BOOM—!
Eleven down in one second.
Slither—
"....Lame. Gotta gut live ones for Soul Engineering clues."
Kaiya retracted tentacle. "Beat those troubleshooters to the ship—earn His Majesty's nod, right?" Competition burned in red eyes.
Aurora's crew raced distant bridgeward. They arrive first? Credit theirs. Sad. Kaiya first? IndyneXo's win.
She'd heard from Habsburg: Emperor favors doers.
'Biggest actor gets biggest praise!'
Devouring a 70km flagship? Peak action.
"I claim it first!! Kyieeeek!!!!"
Kaiya bolted, duo trailing. Oncoming Eldra? Axes and bullets pulped them sans resistance.
Bang—!
"Gaaah!!!"
Rat-a-tat-tat—!
Bullets pinged Kaiya—mere fuel for her near-liquid form.
"Thanks for the snack. Here's yours."
Crunch—!
Blade-and-tentacle horror immune to guns? Eldra nightmare fuel.
"Fire! Keep firing!!" Officer sprayed pistol—useless ant-shot, absorbed.
Kaiya accelerated.
"It ain't working!!"
"What the hell?!"
"M-monster!!"
They fled opposite—toward bridge. Perfect guides for Kaiya.
Meanwhile, Aurora's troubleshooters and Brotherhood slowed. Organic foes easier than liquid freaks? Eldra weren't dumb—just late to respond.
"Aw, fuck these pointy-eared shits!! Stay quiet on an Empire ship, you'd get prime Human Brotherhood enlistment!"
Alerting via broadcast? Double-edged. Terror instilled, but defenses spiked: barricades, bulkheads sealed, heavies deployed.
Fifty troubleshooters, forty Brotherhood pierced—but speed dropped: 200m/min to 50m/min.
Lilian yelled mid-sprint: "This pace? Over nine hours to bridge!"
"I know! Got a plan!"
"What?!"
"Remember me!!!!!"
"Huh?!"
Aurora gritted, charged barricade.
Slash—!
Sword sheared plate, dove gap, downed three hiders in three seconds—swept all.
"Hoo.... Urk!" Backlash: coughed blood.
"Hoo.... Gotta go faster."
Endless corridors in this monster ship. Faster? Bridge in ten minutes.
Then—screams ahead. Not their path—opposite.
Someone clearing foes frontally.
Who? Why?
Intersection: silver flash. Eldra hurled into wall.
"Guak!!!"
"Sigh, boring. Knew it—turn everyone into Terminators."
Aurora arrived. Path cleared: twenty shredded Eldra. Center: white-haired, red-eyed woman.
"Kaiya von Essenbach....?"
"Oh? War maniac? Fancy meeting here."
Kaiya flicked blood from sword-arm casually, reverted it. "Nice to see you, General."
"Why are you here....?"
"Got here first."
"First? Wait, huh?"
"That 'huh?' is right."
"....."
Simple: bridge. Two entrances—left, right.
"....Everyone—run!!!!"
"Stroll like nobles."
*****
Bridge crew sealed doors for last stand—both burst open.
BOOM—!
"Kill 'em all!!!"
Aurora and Lilian sprayed from right.
BOOM—!
"Hup—!"
Kaiya and duo from left. She speared heavies left-arm-lance, right-arm-slice toss.
Two teams crushed thirty resisters. Bridge: bloodbath. Fifteen officers panicked at double assault.
Ten seconds. All over. Pincer wipeout left none.
Kaiya and Lilian eyed central helm—ship's heart, directional core.
"That's.... mine!!!"
"No way!!"
They dashed.
Thud—!
"Got it!!!"
"Kabi..."
Lilian touched first—barely beating Kaiya. Ship hers now.
Lilian grinned victory.
"Sssp.... Stings?" Kaiya bit lip, sighed, nodded defeat.
"So." Exhale. "What now with this warship?"
Aurora eyed forward viewport. "Obvious question...."
Beyond: Eldra Combined Fleet battling brave Empire ships.
Aurora strode center as troubleshooters mopped corners: cowering comms, navs, control officers. Empire's now—trespassers.
To one officer: "Control secured?"
Lacedaemon Regiment Captain saluted. "Affirmative!"
Aurora's grin widened. "Good!!" Pointed viewport. "Show those fuckers His Majesty's wrath!!!"
Captain hammered console. Eldra bio-interface rejected human hands—glitch city.
"Weapons offline!!" Bio-auth needed.
Silence. Aurora: "Then ram 'em!!!!!!"
"Ship slaughter! Ship slaughter! Ship slaughter!!!"
Troubleshooters, Brotherhood chanted unison. Ship accelerated. Only Kaiya skipped the weird cheer.
At viewport, she mused: Dealing with these lunatics to win? Tough gig. Glad I'm sane.
Something outside: warp glow. Not Eldra.
Emerging: massive Giants. 120m Titan-class punching Eldra flank.
Smaller than ships, but mobility x tens. Left: huge shield. Right: massive sword. Felt familiar.
Giants sliced kilometer cruisers paper-thin, smashed butter-soft. One sword-bisected cruiser. Another rocket hammer pulverized flawlessly.
Kaiya smiled. Modern war's like this.
Huge ships diced by robots? Fitting end to battleship era.
Why broad-surface targets? Giants rule now.
She checked sensors: ground view.
"Heh, pointy-ears playing dirty?"
Eldra drop pods rained on Forge surface. Sneaky amid orbit chaos.
Vile. Kinda cool. Peak Eldra.
"Let's go." Duo followed. Glanced at Aurora, Lilian. "Time for our job."
His Majesty might need a hand. Obviously.