The massive warship continued, lights glittering along the darkened black hull as seventy canisters jettisoned to either side, a burst of thrust from the small rear stabilising engines as they spiralled downwards as increasing velocity, beginning to glow from intense heat as they entered the planet’s atmospheric ring. Drifting further, the gravitational pull dragged the flaming canisters through into the lower atmosphere and towards the streaking rockets below, the metallic objects contracting briefly and then detonating, thousands of small energised droids bursting from the perforated hulls, the nano robots surging outwards across the upper sky to hunt down the rising missiles.
The nano droids homed in on the numerous targets, clanking against the fast moving sleek hulls, several of the missiles immediately losing power, thrusts shuddering as highly magnetic charges surged and fused through interior circuits. Many of the missiles were rendered useless within seconds, the nano droids tearing through reinforced outer hulls to devastate the weapon interiors, the velocity carrying the disintegrating rockets into the heated upper atmospheric ring.
High powered detonations swept across the upper atmosphere, flashes above the dark clouds visible from earth’s surface as radioactive surges burst across the heavens, asteroids and broken satellite debris vaporising in the intense heat that surged outwards, swirling flame and toxic particles reacting with the heat from the sun. Further large explosions occurred in lower space, the lack of atmosphere causing numerous colours to sweep outwards, reactive particles drawn downwards with energy voids as the intense lights flickered and grew, further pulsing canisters jettisoned from the orbiting warship above towards the kaleidoscope of burning and churning colour.
Several whirling pools seemed to form in the extended mass of particles, voids created from the numerous detonations merging to perpetuate the intense energised motions, the swirling colours glimmering from the sun’s rays. The canisters swept downwards into the polluted space clouds, turning and spinning as their ends rotated automatically, drawing polluted particles into the inner holds full of nano droids, the robust high strength frames then closing before thrusters reengaged, the scorched cylindrical hulls spiralling away to enter the upper earth’s atmosphere, plummeting downwards through the drifting radiation clouds, the specialist operators in the warship above selecting individual targets below…on the earth’s surface.
Chapter Twenty Six: Our Time is Now!
David Bland grimaced as the hold fell into darkness, the dull clunks outside causing him to wince as the uncomfortable shuffling around him commenced, a flight officer to his right coughing to gain attention amongst the thirty startled occupants then exclaiming, ‘Lower visors…make ready and fasten your belts, this will be a rough journey.’ The Trevakian rose, holding the overhead racks on either side as he stepped between the boots below, reaching out to tap the visor buttons of the soldiers, his determined voice ringing out across the small enclosed space, ‘We will descend rapidly…’ The grim officer hesitated as the clanking outside continued, ‘Once the dropships have left, the main ships will commence their assault run…Fahimian and our fighters are preparing to depart from other vessels…once they are away as our protective shield, we will be following…’
The officer reached David, glancing down as Jozefina attempted to adjust her eye shield next to the airport manager, the officer’s lips pursing as he reached forward, ‘Allow the visor to adjust to the light properly…move your eyes from side to side so it can synchronise with your senses.’ The officer grinned as both visors slipped downwards, seeing the two managers blink several times as the lights flashed and roamed across their vision, hydraulics whirring outside and beneath as the pilot checked his controls.
Stepping further, the Trevakian neared the doors to the cockpit, his tone still instructive, ‘I will advise you when to arm your weapons…this will be just before we land in case we are hit…we don’t want any accidents on board.’ He drew a sharp breath, ‘Oxygen will be recirculated through the cabin due to emergency protocol five…the drop ship will not be drawing in air from inside the atmosphere, it may be too toxic.’ Jozefina and David looked up in alarm as the officer’s helmet shook in annoyance, ‘The humans have apparently launched nuclear missiles and we are monitoring the pollution levels…they may have been destroyed in the upper atmosphere and this air will therefore be heavily polluted.’
Jozefina gasped as the suddenly visor became clear, her arm rising as the officer turned, her head shaking in shock, ‘Nuclear missiles? Toxic air? What the hell has happened on earth?’ Her head dropped back onto the seat rest as David Bland gripped her arm reassuringly, his own expression grim and tensed.
The flight officer swallowed, clearly irritated by the interruption, ‘I have little detail, but we know the fighting is bitter and in several locations…there will be a full briefing once we land.’ He glanced round as the outer noises continued, ‘The engineers are sealing air ducts and adding additional filters…if any of the pollution gets into an enclosed space like this, we will receive extensive exposure before landing…additional emergency oxygen canisters have been added to our supply, but as a precaution you should all regulate your breathing and remain calm. Are there any further questions?’
On the bridge of Galactic Freedom, the admiral was staring at the screen before him intently, low lights pulsing as the ship gathered speed, adrenalin beginning to sweep through the commander’s frame as he rose from his seat, his head turning slowly I relish for the fight ahead, ‘Has the second warship moved out of range?’
A lead ensign nearby glanced upwards excitedly, ‘Yes admiral…all our ships are now in formation, proceeding on pulse power and preparing to cloak further. Dropships will disembark from the rear ships as we approach earth’s orbit, then they will join the assault!’
The commander nodded, a faint smile crossing his lips, ‘Good…let me speak to vice admiral Herk on the
