Author's Note: This story will be updated periodically at Final Fantasy Online's fanfiction forums. GO THERE FOR NEW CHAPTERS, I probably won't update it here until it's finished. And despite the first chapter, trust me, It's FFVIII. Chapter 2 explains it all.

Final Fantasy VIII - Dark Contact

By J. Miller (aka SouthernComfort)



Chapter One

Heat is a problem in space. Most people think that it would be no problem at all, due to the fact that matter in deep space is around 3 degrees absolute, or -270 degrees Centigrade, but then very few people ever acquire the background necessary to fully understand the problem.

It may be that space is cold, but the problem with heat is the fact that little to no matter exists to transfer heat away from a ship. Heat builds up, quickly overwhelming the life-support systems on spacecraft, rendering the interior of the ship too hot to support life. The first spacecraft engineers didn't realize this, and the first two men in space baked alive as the temperatures quickly reached around 500 degrees Centigrade within the cockpit.

The design flaw was quickly corrected. To cool the interior of the ship, air returning to the life support systems was captured and pressurized, and due to arcane laws of the behavior of gasses, heated greatly as they were compressed. Then, after the atmosphere was compressed in tanks, heat was transferred through a complex system of radiators, which bled heat off into blocks of carbon, which were then ejected into space. After the temperature of the tanks fell to 40 degrees Centigrade, it was depressurized, thereby reducing the temperature of the air to near freezing and released back into circulation.

Such thoughts passed through the mind of Lieutenant Commander Jacob Elway, chief engineer of the TCWS Soul Hunter, as he sat in the conference room just behind the bridge, shivering in the icy winds flowing from the ventilators. The Soul Hunter, flagship of the Terran Confederation, was a massive heavy assault cruiser, designed to bring swift death and destruction to any enemy of Terra, Sol III, otherwise known to the inhabitants of the planet as Earth.

The strike force, composed of the ships Soul Hunter, Heart Eater, Skull Crusher, and other smaller attack frigates, had been launched over eight years ago. Their final destination was the system of Tau Ceti, to pave the way for the colony ship Goddess and to insure that the colonization project went quickly and smoothly. The Terran Confederation desperately needed the colony to ease the overcrowding on Earth, with its population of over 40 billion.

However, roughly four light-years back, the strike force had begun to receive radio communications from Tau Ceti III, the only inhabitable planet in the system. Admiral Tsien, the strike force commander, immediately reported the radio intercepts to the Confederate High Council by a probe with hyperlink capability. An hour ago, the strike force received the reply.

Admiral Tsien had called a meeting of the senior officers aboard the three heavy cruisers after receiving the message. It was sitting on the podium in front of him, as the admiral eyed Elway sternly for his uncontrollable shivering. Elway immediately controlled his reaction to the cold, for displeasing the admiral had gotten the previous senior engineer thrown into the cryosleep cells, for court martial after the strike team returned to Earth.

"If we are all prepared, gentlemen," Admiral Tsien began, "then I will start by reading the message from the Council. And Comdr. Elway? I had a report come in from Delta watch this morning about the atmospheric scrubbers leaking. I would like you to personally effect repairs."

A few of the other senior officers gave Elway pitying looks. Environmental scrubbers were full of a mix of sulfur loving bacteria and ammonium-loving algae. Though they cleansed the air of various noxious chemicals, the leak would make the scrubber room smell vile for a long time. It was cruel punishment for the simple fact of being cold, but Admiral Tsien was a well- known tightass about command presence.

"Gentlemen, I hereby repeat to you the actual contents of the message drone," Admiral Tsien spoke. "The Terran Confederation, due to the current crisis with the population pressures, has made to following decision. At no cost is the colonization of the third planet of Tau Ceti to fail. The commander of Alpha Strike Force, Admiral Tsien, is authorized to use any means necessary to insure the success of the colonization effort. He is also authorized and instructed to use extreme prejudice against any inhabitants of Tau Ceti III. Signed and sealed this day, the Third of October, in the year of 2348, the Grand Council of the Terran Confederation."

A few of the more senior officers grinned. Born and bred for combat, they enjoyed the thought of slaughtering millions. However, Elway had never had the others' bloodthirst, and the thought of murdering an entire species disgusted him. Elway debated with himself, wondering if it was wiser to speak out, risking the admiral's displeasure, or to be silent. Finally, Elway raised his hand for attention.

"Admiral? Xenocide? Is that really necessary?"

The Admiral fixed his angry glare on Elway once more. "Are you questioning the orders of the Council, Commander? I should hope not, for you are sworn to uphold their demands."

"No, admiral, I'm not questioning the order. It just seems a slight bit extreme."

"Good, then. And, commander, I do think that the best solution to the leak would be to manually check all of the scrubbers. After all, it could be contaminated. And I hope that you would never actually question the Council's orders. That would displease me very much. Dismissed."

As the crew filed out of the conference room, Commander Jackson caught Elway's arm. Jackson, the senior Weapons officer, had often chided Elway about his attitude, stating that the Confederate Space Division had no room for softhearted weaklings. By Jackson's face, Elway was about to receive more than a little criticism.

"What the hell was that about, Elway? What the hell do you think you were doing? You've just royally pissed the Admiral off, and I'm in the bridge during Alpha shift!"

"Sir, doesn't this seem just a little extreme to you? I mean-"

"Hell, Elway, I've been wanting to take a potshot at something lately," Jackson interrupted rudely. "What the hell is a soft-hearted little wimp like you doing in the Starfleet, anyway? It's out job to kill people! Now get down to your cabin for your sleep shift, and then fix the damn scrubbers when you wake up. The Admiral doesn't want to see your face until they are fixed."

Elway stared at the back of the Weapons officer as he stormed away. Xenocide? This might be first communication with an extraterrestrial intelligence! Xenocide! What was the Council thinking? What kind of monsters would destroy the entire population of a world just to put a few thousand people on a planet?

He trotted off to find the supply sergeant. Another blanket couldn't hurt on his bed, since he could do nothing about the chill in the air.

Heat is a real problem in space. And the flames of war burn the hottest of all.