“He’s not a pet rabbit, Lizett,” Sixty-Two said. “You must not trust him with your life.”
Lizett pouted. “You will not even try?”
“Try what?”
“Step with me. I’ll take your gripper and show you the way.”
Sixty-Two glanced over his shoulder. His forces had lined up on the rocky region around the crater. They were well-placed. When the enemy came charging over the ridge, they would be exposed to his fire from a hundred laser cannons.
Lizett took his gripper. His curiosity got the better of him and he allowed her to guide him into-nowhere. A moment later, he stood beside Lizett and Ornth. They looked positively smug.
“How are we standing here?” he demanded. “Is there some kind of magnetic field? Some kind of trick of physics? Or is the floor simply disguised?”
“It is the place that cannot be,” Ornth explained unhelpfully. “It is the place I have sought.”
“How far does it extend?”
Ornth made a sweeping gesture, indicating the entire sinkhole. “There is no limit.”
Sixty-Two looked around, and suddenly new possibilities occurred to him. “There are no holes? No gaps?”
“This place cannot be,” Ornth said.
Sixty-Two made a sound of disgust with his speakers, but he quickly began testing the ‘ground’ around him. It gave slightly under a mech’s feet, but only an inch or so. After that, it was as firm as land could be. He soon found himself marching this way and that. He returned to the rim of the crater and jogged along its border, a hundred yards in every direction.
Finally, he turned to his army, which had now formed up ranks before him and quietly awaited whatever might come to them. He felt pride in their stalwart nature. Mechs did not flee combat. They might fall and die, but never while screaming in terror.
He then gave the order for his entire army to retreat out onto the streaming vapors, to stand upon nothing- to hide in plain sight. They did as he asked, walking awkwardly at first, as if each step would be their last. But soon, they adapted, and they walked further into the pouring storm of hot gasses. They could not be seen, nor heard here.
As they waited, Sixty-Two reflected on what might seem to others to be a cowardly act. He knew his people were anything but cowards. But he also knew the enemy would not advance if they didn’t have sufficient force to destroy them all. They retreated in order to survive another day-or at least, another hour.
Twenty-Two
The Skaintz made planetfall a day after they’d swept aside the human fleet. The Twilighters on the ground were in a panic, calling up their personal armies and preparing to defend their own estates.
The nife spent the last hours in deep, tactical thought. By the time the Gladius slid into high orbit over the planet, he’d hammered out the final details. Nothing he could come up with was better than the most direct approach available. In the end, the Imperium battle plan was typical of its kind. It would be swift, direct and brutal.
The enemy had only one detectable spaceport with surprisingly little traffic. The port was in the middle of one of the two largest population centers, making it doubly valuable as a prize of conquest. If nothing else, the Empress would be extremely pleased due to the plentiful number of flavorful food-creatures.
The nife took the plan to her for final approval. As she listened, she became wild to taste fresh meats.
“An entire city of meat-creatures roaming around at will?” she asked. Her maw slavered at the description. “I’ve been eating dust and scraps for months. I will have a grand tasting on the very first day. I insist that you launch now. Our assault vessels have sufficient range, I know that they do.”
“Patience, Empress! The ship will soon be in stationary orbit. When the big engines stop, we shall launch the assault ships.”
“Do you wish to see me starve and wither away? I demand that you launch them now! ”
The nife rankled. He could see now why the original Parent had nearly been spaced. The Empress was impossible to deal with. He felt an urge to relinquish command. If she wanted to give the orders herself-so be it. The monarch’s powerful musk prevented him from such behavior, however. He dipped his stalks and closed his cusps over his orbs in defeat.
“I had planned a barrage of suppressing fire, but I shall press the attack immediately.”
The Empress hesitated. “Is there risk involved in this course of action?”
“There is risk in all warfare, madam. We face a determined enemy. They fooled us with their long-range firepower on initial contact, and they may have more surprises in store.”
“Are you suggesting my person might be violated?”
The nife’s stalks rose, as he now sensed an opening. The Empress feared the humans. He had little regard for their military capacities, but he now realized that if he could enhance the danger they posed in his reports, his job would be made easier. The Empress would both allow him to follow his own plans, while at the same time becoming more forgiving of any failures. The more he thought about the plan growing in his mind, the happier he became. Within seconds, he was strutting around the Empress’ nest, being watched by a dozen of her pod-like eyes.
“We face a foe that has beaten Imperial forces in the recent past. We’ve seen them in action now, and they were nearly successful in stopping us as we entered their system. They are highly dangerous, and more importantly, deceitful!”
The Empress flapped her drooping lung-sacs. “Very well, we shall follow your original plan. Destroy their batteries at range, and send down the assault ships when they lie supine.”
“Excellent choice, Empress,” the nife said, maneuvering behind her, into the region where she had the fewest eye-clusters. He found her form inviting. Just looking at her organs was stimulating. Her bulging hindquarters were similar to those of a Parent, but much more grand.
“May I personally thank you for giving me the honor of commanding this assault?” he asked as he ogled her. “After its successful conclusion, your name will be forever-”
“What are you doing back there?” interrupted the Empress.
“Pacing, my great lady-it helps me think.”
“That’s quite enough prattle for now. Get out. You are to launch your invasion as soon as possible.”
The nife hastened for the exit.
When Aldo received news of the Nexus fleet’s defeat, he mounted and rode swiftly to where Nina marshaled her forces. They were one ridge away from the enemy lines, and scouts had reported seeing mech activity along the rim of a huge, steaming crater. Nina wanted to align all her forces for a single, sweeping charge. The enemy had chosen their ground very poorly.
“Nina!” Aldo called.
The Baroness wheeled her mount and scowled. “I prefer that you use my proper title when I’m standing before my own troops.”
“Sorry, Baroness. But there is an emergency. The aliens have arrived. The Nexus fleet has met them in the skies overhead.”
“Excellent! Let those pompous tax-collectors earn their keep, for once.”
“That is not all, milady. The battle has already been waged.”
The Baroness finally turned her full attention to him. “Well?”
“We have suffered a grave defeat. Gladius has been significantly modified into a mothership, apparently. They launched scores of sleek fighter craft and destroyed the Nexus fleet in its entirety.”
Baroness Droad appeared confused. “All of them?”
“Yes. They fought well, taking many of the enemy craft with them. But in the end, they were overwhelmed.”
