Bitterness

by Freddo

The Third Act of the New Comet saga continues as in 2205, the Star Force is faced with a new attempt to invade Earth. Story told in six parts. Now COMPLETE

1. Chapter 1

ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE

STAR BLAZERS---A ROOT OF BITTERNESS

Being the third part of THE NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz

This Act is being completed with the Cooperation and Assistance of Derek A.C. Wakefield (as usual)

Also, per the request of some, the name of the Star Force's ship for this chapter (and in my others) will revert back to its Star Blazers series name of "Argo" rather than "Yamato." Hope this won't detract from the story for anyone-enjoy! -- FREDDO

ACT ONE: A SUDDEN TAKEOFF

I. PREPARATIONS

Earth

Tokyo Megalopolis

EDF Space Dock Number Five

Space Battleship Argo

Friday, December 13, 2205

0600 Hours: Earth Time

Ever since July, Dock Number Five had been the Argo's resting place. There, the battered space battleship had been undergoing repairs and a leisurely, carefully-considered refit; the mighty ship, after all, had arrived home from her last mission in a rather bad state of repair.

The ship was about seventy percent done in early November, but still needed some work to be fully space-worthy again. That final work had been proceeding at a rushed, priority pace ever since about November 15th.

At the same time, the members of the First Star Force had been recalled from the four corners of the globe and other assignments in space; and scout ships had been looking for any sign of communications from the Arizona. As each day had passed, the hopes of finding the Second Star Force, and Mark Venture, Paul Rosstowski, and Aliscea Rosstowski alive faded.

It was known that Aliscea had been alive in early December; Queen Starsha had sent a priority message through to Earth stating that she had sensed her presence. Since then, however, there had been nothing but silence.

This bad news hung over Commodore Derek Wildstar's head as he prepared the mighty space battleship for launch later that day.

"What's going on, sir?" asked Lt. Tetsu Kitano from the helm as he watched Wildstar going over some materials at the Captain's station.

"I have a lot on my mind," said Commodore Wildstar. "Would you attend to your checklist and let me attend to mine?"

Kitano nodded. As he did, he looked at Nova at her post, who caught the question in his eyes and shrugged.

Commodore Wildstar thought, I have to confide in all of you sooner or later. It's that report I received earlier this morning at 0500 from the Commander; a report from the space frigate Heerman. It wasn't conclusive, but signals were picked up; possibly in a Cometine code…I….

"Wildstar!" said Homer from his post. "It's the Commander! Priority One signal!"

"Put him through," said Wildstar.

Wildstar sat with one hand on his Captain's hat (which he never wore on the bridge) as the Commanding General of the EDF came up on the main video panel of the Argo.

"Wildstar," said Singleton. "How are the preparations for launch going?"

"According to my board, sir, we should be able to take off at about 0900 Hours. The preparations are eighty-nine percent complete now. We were about to go onto internal power and begin flooding the dock when you called, sir."

"Wildstar, I have grave news. You recall that report that I sent you this morning?"

"Yessir. The report from the Heerman?"

"Yes, that. Before we lost touch with the Heerman, Commander Rodriguez confirmed that they were Cometine…we think he fell under…"

Loud klaxons suddenly sounded behind the Commander on the image on the Argo's main screen. It was now 0618 Hours.

"Sir?" asked Sandor from his post. "What's going on?"

Domon looked shocked as he saw people in the background running in all directions at EDF Headquarters. "I'm getting a report," said the Commander…hold on…I…"

What is it? Nova thought from her post. Please don't tell me it's started already! But we're still in undersea dock!

"Sir," someone yelled at Headquarters on the transmission as more people could be seen running about on the screen as the image flickered out for a moment before coming back on.

"Warp disturbance?" said Sandor from his instruments.

"Sandor?" snapped Derek.

"My sensors have just picked up a space warp…over the city…it…."

A thunderclap resounded through the dock, making the Argo shake in her blocks. It was now 0619 hours. Then, Sandor said, "Captain! Request permission to begin flooding dock immediately!"

"Granted!" said Commodore Wildstar. "Commander!" he yelled as Singleton came back on the screen.

"Commodore," said Singleton. "Sensors have just picked up a large Cometine fleet emerging from warp over Earth!"

"Where?" said Wildstar.

Nova's radar immediately began to beep as the high-energy meson sensors came on-line. "Derek…they're about five hundred kilometers over the Great Eastern Sea; and they're downrange over the Philippines and slowing fast!"

"Where are they heading?" said Derek. "Nova, I want to know the answer to that question yesterday!"

"Here," said Nova. "I don't know how the heck they know we're here…"

"Well, they damn well know it. Sandor, begin flooding the dock!" snapped Derek, "NOW!"

"Yessir."

"Commander," said Derek as he echoed what he had said to Singleton a bit over four years ago when he had been stealing the Argo. "We're taking off! Can you get fighters and battle satellites up until we can engage them and try to get some of First Fleet to cover us?"

"We'll do our best," said the Commander. "The nearest major Fleet unit; the North Carolina's battle group, is in orbit around the Moon. The Black Tigers were scheduled to meet you aboard the ship in orbit at 1100, but I think we can get them aloft sooner. It looks like you might be the closest capital ship to engage the enemy now, Wildstar. Good luck!"

Wildstar saluted as Sandor said, "Water in the launching dock!"

Water began to fill the dock at high pressure right after Sandor hauled in the Argo's gangway and sealed the mighty space battleship off from the outside world.

Commodore Wildstar then turned on the intership comm system. "All hands!" he said. "This is the Captain. I've just received intelligence that indicates the Megalopolis may fall under attack in just a few minutes. I expect all of you to turn to and prepare the ship for both emergency liftoff and battle! Get us aloft, and then prepare for combat!"

"Port and starboard boosters balancing well," said young Tim Orion from his station on the bridge. Yamazaki hadn't even arrived aboard ship yet, as it turned out; that morning, he had been in the hospital with a skin disease and had been expected to leave and join the Star Force in a day or two. Orion hadn't expected a baptism of fire like this as the acting Engine Group Leader, but he was doing a good job at setting aside his fears to get to work. "Mr. Kitano, we should have auxiliary power within ten minutes."

"Prepare to start wave motion engine right after that," ordered Wildstar. "Lift all except the third-stage safety measures and use the overrides to get the main flywheel and supercharger powered up!"

"Yessir," said Orion as sweat ran down his face.

"Beginning to power up training mechanisms for main guns," said Domon from his post. "Pulse laser houses are now forty percent manned."

"Water over the navigation bridge," said Sandor.

"We have clearance from Dockyard Command to open up the locks when pressure equalizes!" said Homer from his post.

"Good show," said Lieutenant Pavel Kumyat from his post. Kumyat was a young Russian EDF officer currently acting as Artillery Officer in the absence of both Rosstowski and Dash.

"Yeah, baby, thank my freckles!" laughed Eager.

"What's with you?" said Nova.

Eager laughed and said, "Remember when we stole the ship that time, Nova? We were sure breaking the rules and messin' up the paint when we rammed through that lock! We don't have to do that now!"

"Great! I hate bumpy rides," said Nova. "Especially when my hair's still wet from the shower!"

"Lieutenant Commander, you should've dried it this morning," snapped Commodore Wildstar.

Nova gave her husband a look that said the equivalent of "aaaaaaarrrrrggh!" Some of the crew grinned at the momentary diversion between the young couple before turning back to their posts.

"Preparing to stabilize gyro, and ready to open chocks when I have the green," said Kitano from his post.

"Final status," said Wildstar. "All hands on bridge, report!"

The bridge crew began to signal their status as the dock filled up.

"So, what's going on?" said Deke Wakefield at the Academy as he met Sasha on the way to breakfast. Not far away, a clock read 0621 Hours.

"I don't have a lot of time, Deke. Sorry. We have double cheerleading practice for the last game of the season today, so we can't get together after breakfast," she said with a sad look on her face.

"Sasha…it's great you made the squad and all that," said Deke as he stared her down while Brew stood nearby in the cold that morning. "But…I mean…"

"Deke, I have to prove myself! This is only my third start, and it's the last major basketball game of the season before finals tomorrow night. I hope you can be there to see me."

"I should be there," said Deke.

"If flight training doesn't interfere again like last time, Deke?"

"Sasha, you know we have lives…and this is wartime, you know. There's even scuttlebutt we might graduate at the end of this semester rather than next semester. Heard that? And there will be things more important than cheerleading, soon."

"Yes….especially when you graduate and leave me behind," sighed Sasha.

"Sasha…I won't forget you…" said Deke.

"I hope not," she said with a wan smile. Then, she said, "Listen….I hear something…."

"I don't hear anything," said Deke.

I can't tell him all of it; not yet… thought Sasha, but I KNOW something bad is happening. It's my senses…I just KNOW it!

"Listen," she said to Deke. "What do you hear in the distance?"

Deke cocked his ears. "Sirens?"

"Off in the city…they…"

Then, air-raid sirens began to blow on the grounds of the Academy.

The midshipmen were stunned by the sirens going off. Then, a voice said on the PA, "This is the duty officer! The region of the Megalopolis is under enemy attack! This is no drill! All midshipmen are to take their pre-arranged action stations by classes and ranks! All senior pilots are to man trainers at once at the airfield! This is no drill! All midshipmen to action stations!"

"I have to man a post at my dorm," snapped Sasha. "You know…."

"In case they send troops," said Deke. He pecked her on the cheek and said, "You know where I'm going…the airfield!"

Sasha nodded as Brew ran out of his dorm buckling up his pants. "Dekesticks! What the hell is the delay? Here's your flight bag, bro! We gotta get going!"

"Right," said Deke. "Well, it looks like we're getting some extra training today," he said dryly.

"Except it ain't training!" yelled Brew.

"Right…it isn't," said Deke as he ran off towards the nearest transport vehicle that was headed towards the airfield.

0625 Hours…

Aboard the flagship of the enemy fleet, the single-deck carrier Malanga, the Cometine Commander on the scene, General Higron, smiled as he heard the preparations going on about him for the attack on Earth.

"Sir, our four battleships are readying their guns for the bombardment of the Megalopolis with us as part of the first wave. Our ten destroyers are preparing to back us up with close-range fire. The first Scorpion attack wave is almost ready for launch."

"What of the second wave?" asked Higron with a sneering smile.

"They've just emerged from warp close to Earth as we just have and they are preparing to engage the battle satellites behind us. We have two battleships and eight destroyers on line in the second wave."

"Good. Leave Major Barratz in command of the second wave. My strategy has worked admirably, and it will, if we can get in and out, be the first of many terror attacks to break the Earthers' will and deplete their forces prior to the main invasion."

"We are leaving the troposphere!" said a radar officer as the Malanga and her fleet began to break through the clouds above the Great Eastern Sea. "The Megalopolis is a thousand klen downrange from us! Ten enemy planes are on their way in to defend their city!"

"That's their first wave? That's pathetic!" laughed Higron. "Launch Squadron Number Four to engage; continue launch preparations for ground attack squadrons One through Three! Launch Ground Attack Squadrons after Squadron Four is launched! And…ready our secret weapon!"

"Yessir!" said the flight officer.

Earth, today will be a day of terror and dread for you; a sneak attack with no warning! Higron thought as he laughed to himself while his fleet sped in at high speed.

0627 Hours…

Beneath the ocean near the Megalopolis, the Argo had just emerged from her undersea dock and was heading off underwater at high speed to a point near the mouth of Tokyo Bay to surface and advance towards the enemy fleet.

"Latest location of enemy fleet," said Nova from her radar. "Three thousand kilometers to the south, between Palau and Yap Islands, heading north-westwards! Altitude…eight hundred kilometers and descending, speed, eighteen space knots and slowing!"

"Hmm. Good. That gives us some time to intercept, but not a lot," said Commodore Wildstar as he looked at an old souvenir of his-a digital stopwatch that had once belonged to Captain Avatar.

"One hundred and twenty seconds to surfacing!" said Kitano. "Preparing for maximum speed to close the range!"

"Wildstar!" said Homer from his post. "Earth Defense reports that the Red Reapers attack squadron from the Philippines is ready to intercept! The Green Hornets and Black Tigers are being readied for launch around the Megalopolis; Lieutenant Cory Conroy asks us to be ready for a rendezvous."

"Got it. Young Conroy, though? Where's Hardy? He should be in command!" snapped Derek.

"Last time I spoke with Hardy, he was assigned TDY to an ROTC Military Science unit at Pan-Am University," said Domon. "They needed an experienced pilot there to teach some World Health Organization nursing cadets the basics of flying shuttles." said Domon.

"Oh boy…Jeff surrounded by all them cute females in short little skirts!" laughed Eager. "I bet he's havin' to keep the girls away with bug spray!"

"Chris, last I heard, Hardy still doesn't date much," said Nova.

"Why's that?" said Eager.

"He still has Mio Hoshiyama on his mind from the war…remember her and how she died? But, enough-we have a battle to fight!" snapped Nova. Then, she looked at her screen and said, "Enemy fleet, twenty-seven hundred kilometers to the south; altitude, seven hundred kilometers, speed, sixteen space knots; they've passed Yap, Derek! Tachyon control!" snapped Nova to a member of her Survey and Analysis Group down in the bowels of the ship. "More power on circuit five from the starboard radar aerial, please!"

"Keep them on track," said Wildstar. "Kitano, where are we now in terms of surfacing?"

"We're one minute to surfacing," said Kitano from his post.

"Good," said Wildstar. "Full speed ahead!"

"Main engine, increase output by ten percent!" said Orion from his post.

Down in the engine room, the crew repeated the order. "Output up by ten!" snapped the acting Crew Chief from her post off near the main supercharger panel.

"Aye, aye, ma'am ;ready supercharger!"

"Switch energy to fifth circuit!"

"Switching energy!" barked a young enlisted man as he worked a large switch several meters away.

Not bad, guys, thought Lieutenant Diane Henson as she worked for the first time as supervising Crew Chief down below.

0628 Hours

The Enemy Fleet

"The first defense squadron is four hundred kilometers to our west, and the enemy chatter says they're ready to fire missiles!" said a radar officer aboard the Malanga.

"Complete ninety-degree turn!" said Higron.

"Squadron Four ready!" said another Cometine Officer.

"Good," said Higron as he pulled a handgrip on a coiled wire up from a compartment in one arm of his command chair. "Activate SMITE!"

A moment later, the SMITE field, a development taken from the Gamilons in 2201 during their alliance with the Comet Empire, went off. Twenty Scorpions faded into warp, and emerged from warp a moment later right before the twelve startled EDF Cosmo Tiger pilots near Samar Island in the Philippines who comprised the Red Reapers.

"What the….," said Lt. Richard Ware, the pilot in command of the Reapers. "Those guys have the Gamilon Matter Transporter…and they're…."

In the cockpit of one of the Cometine planes, the pilot laughed as he aimed at the distant Cosmo Tiger and said, "Now, you will DIE, Earther!"

At that, he blew the unfortunate pilot's plane apart as another Scorpion evaded an AA laser battery to begin blasting apart the base near Samar Island.

"Sir!" yelled another Reaper. "They just shot me up, I…..AAAAAAARRRGHHH!" yelled an Earth pilot as his plane blew apart,

"Regroup and attack from another corridor!" said Ware. "Reaper One to Base! The enemy has SMITE! Repeat, the enemy has SMITE!"

0633 Hours…

At the Academy, Deke, Brew, and four other cadet pilots were the first to reach the airfield. They were using Cosmo Tiger II trainers for their flight training; these were strike-fighter Tigers with two places without the aft ball turret behind what was normally the RSO's rear cockpit place; these planes allowed for a student pilot and instructor to fly them together.

"Game time, Brew," said Deke. Brew nodded, and their flight instructor, Bryan Hartcliffe, ran up and yelled, "Guys, I'm gonna be the bloody squadron leader! Forget the cadet shit for now, mates! Far as I'm concerned, you're fighter pilots! Man yer planes and join up behind me! We're headin' south by way o' Daito-Jima and Yap! Order from Command is get everything that can fly up there; and that includes us! Enemy's over Yap Island now; we're leading them in with the Red Reapers, Black Tigers, and Green Hornets! Intercept the attack craft first, then the enemy space warships! The activation tags have just been pulled on those missiles we've been carryin' all semester! We're gonna launch 'em in live fire!"

"Sir, are we to break the tags in our planes?" said Midshipman Norris, another cadet whom Deke and Brew knew wasn't the brightest man in their training squadron.

"No, we're playing war games!" snapped Deke irritably. "Of course we break the tags, jackass!"

"Good goin, Wakefield," said Hartcliffe.

"We need a squadron name," said Brew. "We shouldn't be ID'ed as Training Squadron Five, sir!"

"And we won't be," said Hartcliffe. "Something Tigers…."

Then, Deke looked up at the sunrise as he put on his helmet. "How's about calling us the Sun Tigers, sir?"

"Good. We're the bloody Sun Tigers then," grinned Hartcliffe as the other cadets ran up. "Midshipman Shangrao…get to your plane first!" said Hartcliffe. "Then…"

Suddenly, something like a heat wave shimmered up in the high sky. There was a high humming, and then the sun was darkened by an ugly shadow as five Cometine Scorpions appeared from nowhere and began to shoot up the airfield.

"Whatthebloodyhell?" snapped Hartcliffe as one of them hit a Tiger with a laser bolt and blew it up, followed by a second and a third. "Damned bastards! Okay! Use the other runway! Watch yer asses!"

Deke didn't need much direction. He ducked behind a landing wheel of another plane just as laser bolts went off all around him. He was being strafed.

0634 Hours…

The Great Eastern Sea

A minute later, the Argo finally blasted up out of the Pacific, and as soon as she lifted off, she opened her wings and began to gain altitude.

"The enemy fleet's splitting up!" cried Nova from her post. "One battleship and four destroyers have just executed a space warp!"

"Any idea where they're headed?" asked Derek.

"Calculating it based on last known course and heading," said Nova as her gloved fingers rapidly worked a set of keys at her post punching in coordinates and mathematical data.

"NO!" she cried a moment later as the results came up on her screen a moment later as a trigonometric plot. "Eager! Confirm my data!"

"Got it, but this don't sound good," said Eager as he took a download from Nova's post.

"Where are they headed, radar?" snapped Derek.

"Right for the city," said Nova.

"Confirmed!" said Eager. "Make that double-confirmed!"

"Why?" said Commodore Wildstar with gritted teeth.

"They're over the city now!"

"CRAP!" yelled Wildstar. "Kitano! Take us back; one hundred eighty degrees!"

"Commencing turn, one-eighty," said Kitano angrily.

"Domon…ready main guns," said Wildstar.

"Main guns…being readied," said Domon. He didn't need to ask what the target would be.

0635 Hours…

From the Malanga, a wave of one-man Cometine attack planes that were SMITED in and adapted from larger former Black Nebulan designs suddenly flew down the streets of the Megalopolis in the half-light of dawn, causing havoc wherever they went as they strafed buildings and attacked EDF tanks that had been hastily called to duty to help defend the Earth's capital city. Some of the buildings they strafed were offices, others were apartments. Those civilians who hadn't yet responded to the air-raid sirens were killed in their apartments as they stumbled about trying to get clothed and ready to get into shelter. The death toll from the treacherous enemy attack would prove to be in the thousands.

Not too far away, the Green Hornets were taking off at last under an enemy barrage, helping to defend the city from the attack planes…and even from the attack troops that some of the ships had begun to land in the streets of the Megalopolis itself. Indeed, parts of the city were now officially battlefields.

Battlefields in which both civilians who were caught out in the open and EDF troops caught in the open were getting killed right in the streets of their home city.

In the meantime, civil authorities were having a hard time keeping people from looking up in fear and anger as the Cometine ships could be seen overhead. Two of the destroyers had begun to strafe the business district with their heavy guns, while the battleship sunk an EDF space battleship and cruiser at their moorings at the dock.

Then, the destroyers made a rendezvous with the battleship, and the enemy ships flew in a slow formation right towards Government Center itself, stopping within sight of Earth Defense Headquarters over the burning docks and the nearby inlet.

On the battleship, which was known as the Algarve, its skipper, Major Samara, stood in conference with General Higron over their comm circuit.

"Major, you will have the honor of contacting the Earthers, "said Higron. "Tell them that our command is that they surrender the Argo to us so we can try and execute her crew as war criminals. If they do that, we will stop the attack because we will have a great victory to report to Invidia if we bring the Argo and her crew back to her as captives. If not, we will blow them apart! Is that clear, Major? That is what Invidia wants, I know, and it will please her immensely! She wants the head of Derek Wildstar on a stake!"

"I will obey your orders with pleasure, General!" said Samara with a truly wicked grin.

II. THE TRUMPETS OF WAR

Earth

The Vicinity of the EDF Space Fighters' Training School

Friday, December 13, 2205

0637 Hours: Earth Time

By some miracle, Deke Wakefield had gotten alive into the cockpit of Trainer 0508; one of the eight planes that would survive the enemy strafing that day. He was roaring aloft, and had also reported seeing an enemy squadron being SMITED in over the airfield.

A moment later, Brew took formation beside Deke, and the two of them then had enemy Scorpions to deal with over the airfield; two, to be exact, two that were speeding in right for them.

Hartcliffe had gotten aloft a moment before them, and he said, "I think you guys know what to do. When y' get done, meet up behind me so we can find the ships."

"Roger that," said Deke. "Two bandits coming in now. They just got in range. FIRE!"

Deke squeezed his firing pickle, and two missiles roared off from his plane and from Brew's plane. A moment later, Brew was whooping, "Scratch two green dudes! Earth is kicking ASS!" as the Cometine planes were blown to bits.

"Not bad, mate, but there's six more of 'em," said Hartcliffe. "To defend the Academy, we've gotta shoot those bandits down first!"

"Got it!" said Wakefield as he lined up his sights for another run, squinting at the sight through his silver-rimmed aviator glasses. As he did, he thought, So this is what it's really like; what I've trained for! I got a taste of it this summer…but now…we're really here…really up in the sky in something high-performance in combat. It's exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It's war! No one else…not even Dawn or Sasha…could understand what this is like. But now…this guy's in my sights…time to shoot him DOWN!

Deke fired again, and down came the Scorpion boat in a huge and very satisfying explosion. It was great, and it felt good…fighting back at long last.

"There you go, you green son-of-a-bitch! Take that for screwing up everyone's morning!" said Deke, not aware he was talking out loud as he flew his Tiger like a madman in formation with the others.

"Yo, bro, what's that?" said Brew.

"Nothing, Brew, just me being happy!"

"Look out there, bro…at five o'clock!"

Deke looked, and he smiled when he saw something red and blue and large roaring past in the distance up from the ocean at very high speed.

"We're getting serious if they launched the Argo," said Deke. "There must be a ton of them out there!"

"Damn straight, Dekesticks!" said another one of Deke's friends, a midshipman named Pat Terrell. "You can see five ships off in the distance, right over the city! They…"

Then, a signal came in on another channel. "This is Hartcliffe, people! All opposition has been taken care of over the Academy. They landed one troop carrier, but that's but stranded. Our mission is to rendezvous with the Black Tigers at RRW-12 at 30,000 in one minute and rendezvous with the Argo! There's more opposition in space, and we're supposed to help cover them! Roger that?"

Deke was the first Sun Tiger to bark "Roger!" followed by several others. He then looked out over the city, wondering what they and the Star Force were going to do to the Cometines hanging over the Megalopolis itself over the inlet.

0641 Hours…

"They're demanding to talk to you, sir," said General Stone in Earth Defense Headquarters.

"Open the channel," said the Commander in an angry huff.

An officer nodded, and, a moment later, a nasty green visage framed with dark hair and a black and red uniform appeared on the main screen in the Operations Room of Earth Defense Headquarters.

"Greetings, Earth People," said the enemy officer in a nasty, rasping voice that echoed over the vast room.

"I am Major Naresh Samara of the House of Gatlantis of the Greater Cometine Empire. Your Regional Governor, Field Marshal Balkal, has been ordered by Princess Invidia to take control of this sector. You agreed to surrender to the Greater Cometine Empire back in November of your year 2201, a little over four of your years ago. Do not forget that you have surrendered to us and are under our authority!"

Like hell we have, thought Singleton as he clenched his fist.

Samara continued to rasp, "The fact that you exist at all right now is due to the mercy of Princess Invidia. Unless you complete your duly agreed-to surrender, there shall soon come a day when the Princess' mercy shall run out and she will remember your role in the genocide of our people aboard the original Gatlantis Comet Fortress City and in the death of your ruler, Prince Zordar. At any rate, we will commence in a bombardment of your city unless you assent to our first command, which is…surrender the criminal space battleship Argo to us at once! Her crew is guilty of war crimes and genocide, and Princess Invidia demands a public trial for the following officers; Captain Derek Wildstar. Commander Mark Venture. Commander Stephen Sandor. Lieutenant Nova Forrester, and Sergeant Marion Knox. Those five criminals and their confederates stand accused of crimes that warrant death by torture. What say you? Will you spare your city by turning these maniacs over to us at once?"

Stone came up to Singleton and got his attention by tapping at a screen on his post and grinning. He mouthed the words, Star Force.

Singleton looked at the readout and grinned a little. Then, he looked up at Samara and said, "I believe you are over the water right now?"

"Yes we are! What does that matter to us?"

Singleton himself tapped out a quick coded message at the board. Then, he said, "I think you will have your answer in a moment, Major. Just sit back and wait."

"Wait? For what, Singleton? I am a busy man!"

0646 Hours…

As the Argo hung over the Megalopolis in the bleak and cold early winter morning sky with the enemy fleet visible in the distance, Homer excitedly said, "Captain! Message in code from the Commander!"

"What is he saying?"

"Wildstar, they are over the inlet near Confederation Street. Fire now!"

"Confirmed!" said Eager from his post.

"Range, two thousand meters," said Nova. "Well within our firing range."

"Main guns, lower angle to the lowest possible," said Wildstar. "Kitano, turn us about on our ventral axis ninety degrees. Then, Domon, fire at will!"

"Yessir!" said Domon with a tight grin. "Ready to fire!"

"All guns," snapped Wildstar, "Open fire!"

At that, the Argo's guns spoke as the red and blue space battleship cruised in right over the city itself. Samara ignored his radar officer, and so, his ship was among the first caught in Wildstar's ambush as the Argo's main guns tore through her like a knife through hot butter.

The ship was blasted to bits as everyone in EDF Headquarters cheered just as the view switched to that of the Argo firing again and again, taking out the Cometine destroyers next. One destroyer fired back at the Argo, which took a hit and took some damage near her keel. The Argo finished off that destroyer as the rest of the fleet decided to make a run for it.

The Argo then turned and began to pursue the enemy fleet off over the Great Eastern Sea as the news media picked up dramatic footage of the Argo speeding away from the battle with the burning wreckage and gas of some of the enemy ships burning behind her in the sky. Down in the shelters, the underground city, and in parts of the Megalopolis where people hadn't yet evacuated, people looked up at the screens and cheered as they saw their greatest defender, the Star Force, busy once again spearheading the defense of Earth on a bleak winter day not long before Christmas 2205.

"Yeah, they did it!" someone in one of the crowds yelled.

"We won't be spending Christmas down below again!" someone else cried in a part of the city where people had gathered in a square. Another image of the Commander live at EDF Headquarters was ignored as people focused on a certain mighty blue and red space battleship.

"Go, Wildstar! Kick their green asses back where they came from!"

"Go for it!" yelled some others.

A little boy yelled, "Mommy, I want a model of the Argo for Christmas! The big 1:500 model!"

"Take them out!" yelled some others.

"Go, Star Force!" yelled others. Then, wild cheering filled the squares and filled the airwaves as the dramatic footage of the Argo filled the screens.

TO BE CONTINUED….