Chapter Seven
October 6, 2199
1103 Hours, Earth Time
Space Battleship Yamato, Beneath the Surface of Iscandar

"Commander Mekaer reporting, sir!" snapped the young officer as he saluted crisply to him. He was dressed in the uniform of the Fifth Independent Fighter Base, a black uniform with sleek gold markings.

Talan accepted the identification card from him and handed it off to another official. The verification process gave him sufficient time to study the young officer.

He wore the rank pins of a squadron leader, and a few symbolic pins which represented medals. Oddly for a pilot, his brown hair fell over his eyes in a manner that Talan guessed was intentionally rebellious rather than accidental.

But the young officer's eyes were neither those of the star pilot or the rebellious young officer. They blazed with a hidden fire which put him uncomfortably in mind of Desslok's eyes, though his were colder, more deadly. Mekaer's eyes were sharp and passionate, but they also belied the faintest trace of hatred that was hidden in his sharp salute.

The official handed Talan the identification card, nodding, and Talan returned it to him. As Mekaer tucked the card back into his uniform, Talan said, "You'll be commanding the Navigation division. I recommend heading to the bridge as soon as possible to familiarize yourself with the navigation systems, since the rest of the crew arrived yesterday due to them not having to be transported in from the farther bases."

Mekaer nodded, and Talan was beginning to hope all this would go smoothly when he said, "Sir, if I may ask, why are you, one of the highest ranking officers of the Fleet and Leader Desslok's personal friend, handling signing me in?"

This Commander was really reminding him far too much of Desslok for comfort. "I will follow my orders, Commander," he said, and mentally chided himself instantly. You idiot, the point was to keep him from resenting us any further than he already does! Judging by the flash in Mekaer's eyes, he had said exactly the wrong thing. "That is loyalty."

"I see," Mekaer said slowly as he left. Upon reaching the door, he saluted quickly before more or less slamming the door behind him.

Talan shook his head. "I am tempted to go put on a suit of armor until Desslok and Mekaer have finished destroying this ship."


"Sir, we're reading an increase in tachyonic radiation from that ship. If this isn't confirmation, than nothing is. The Iscandarians have built a warship."

Dash sighed, and stiffened again as another officer reported, "And they've transported about half a ship's complement from Gamilon and the surrounding areas. Intelligence says we think they've teamed up."

"Oh, for the love of-" Dash bit his lip, since most of the words he was thinking of using were a bit strong for a commanding officer of an invasion, especially when he worked under Derek Never-Swears Wildstar himself.

"Okay. Lieutenant, have our nearby patrol groups head over to take that thing out. Um. . . other Lieutenant, you open a channel directly to Wildstar. No, wait, to his office. I do not want to catch him showering or something."

"Sir. . . it's 1100 Hours on Earth."

"Yeah?"

"And. . . it's a Thursday."

"Just do it!"


He was simply grateful they hadn't yet told him to put on one of those ridiculous green-and-white armored uniforms everyone else in his division was wearing. His military façade would have simply changed and put it out of his mind, but he abhorred the idea of obeying any more commands than strictly necessary. "I will obey my orders, Commander." Did they even care about his brother, or had they just told him to die and forgotten about it?

Mekaer flipped a few superfluous switches to make it seem as though he was working. This panel was so different from a fighter's cockpit, where each bolt had been designed with a specific purpose in mind. As soon as he could get permission, he was going to completely rebuild this stupid panel.

"What's your name?"

Mekaer looked over at the speaker, another Gamilon with shorter brown hair. "Mekaer," he said shortly, turning his gaze back to the control panel and mentally counting the amount of levers which would actually serve a purpose.

"I'm Xandir."

Seventeen. Out of thirty-eight. Really.

"Good for you."

"Finally, you've met someone ruder than you!"

He looked over at the speaker, a young man with pale blonde hair seated at the control panel. Another Iscandarian, like his second-in-command.

"I thought Iscandarians were supposed to be pacifists?" Mekaer said as he checked over the panel according to his military-issue checklist. Like the board, the majority of it was absolutely useless.

"There's a big difference between being a pacifist and being nice. And what about you? Except for the hair, you fill out every stereotype about Gamilons there is!"

Mekaer got to his feet, glaring at him. "And you'll never understand us, because only someone who's been in battle can understand the pain of losing a friend to war!"

"A war that maybe wouldn't have happened if you hadn't invited it over for dinner!"

"You think we asked for the Terrans to come and drop radioactive material on our planets? You think I asked for my brother to die in this war?"

The Iscandarian gave him another sharp look. "Why must you always turn discussions into fighting? This is what I mean! If you could learn to curb your tempers-"

"Let's see how you react when some of your own people die to this war, Iscandarian!"

"So you think we've been unaffected by this war? We've lost as many as you have!"

"Oh? I've read your records. There was a deadly plague that was completely eradicated by the Earthling attacks! We weren't benefited by something like that. So, who really suffered more from this war?"

"That's enough."

Mekaer froze. Even if the Iscandarian didn't recognize him, he did. He most certainly did. . .

"You forget that both sides were harmed by this war," Leader Desslok said coolly, but with a deadly undercurrent to his words. "If this mission fails, then both Iscandar and Gamilon are doomed to destruction. You would do well to remember that."

Mekaer gritted his teeth. There he was, the same person who sent his brother off to die. And he was under his direct command?

Deal with him later, a voice whispered in his mind. For now, you'll be more benefited by acting loyal. Let your vengeance for Damiru wait. Until a time when it would be best suited to carry it out. . .

"I'm sorry, sir," he said as he saluted. "I allowed my emotions to take the place of better judgement. It won't happen again."

Desslok nodded, and he returned to his post.

Funny, Mekaer thought as he continued the checklist, making revisions whenever he deemed it necessary. That could just as easily refer to my private agenda as well as my stated one. "I allowed my emotions to take the place of better judgement". . . One thing's for sure: you'll never be able to attack him while having your emotions dictate your actions. . .

A beeping sounded, and he instinctively looked over at the tactical radar screen. A tightly clustered group of blips was heading towards their position.

"Leader Desslok, Queen Starsha. . . I'm picking up a group of bogies, heading in this direction!"

Queen Starsha? He looked behind him, and, sure enough, there she was, wearing that blue dress of hers. He wondered when she'd shown up, since she certainly wasn't there when he was having his fight with the Iscandarian communications officer.

"Starsha, what's your opinion?"

Hmm. Starsha, operating the Cosmo-Radar. Wasn't that a bit of a menial position for a queen? And, certainly, she couldn't like be under Desslok's command any more than he did. . .

"Confirmed; Terran patrol units, heading right for us!"

"Are you certain, your Majesty?" the Iscandarian radar operator (Rashura) said as his hands flew over the panel. "All I've got is bearing; they must be jamming us!"

"Believe me, it's Terran!" Starsha said. "Recommend liftoff immediately!"

"Venikira, can we do that?"

"Conditions aren't optimal, but we can."

"Very well!" Desslok snapped. "Xandir, begin priming the weapons! Mekaer, launch sequence, now!"

Mekaer swallowed hard as he looked at the rock covering the windows. Taking off under battle conditions was second nature to him, but not when factoring in a 285-meter battleship he had no experience in piloting, which was submerged in a layer of rock which would require a specialized launch sequence, and which had a 50% chance of exploding without even launching. . .

Sometimes, I really hate being pessimistic.


"Dash, repeat that, if you please."

"The Gamilons and Iscandarians have built a space battleship which they are now launching, sir. I have taken the liberty of launching a force to destroy them as they launch."

Wildstar's eyes narrowed. "This is no doubt a response to the Nova Conspiracy. Ensure they do not escape, Dash. You know what will happen if they succeed."

"Yes. I do."

The screen went black.

"Sir, the 'Nova Conspiracy'?"

"A formerly respected EDF officer who went rogue and committed treason to help this bunch. We'll need to be very careful about this, Lieutenant. Very careful."

"Even if it's got Desslok involved?"

"Especially if it's got Desslok involved. I don't even want to think about the consequences of him knowing about this."


"Sir, auxiliary engine powerup completed!" Mekaer shouted, gripping the control sticks with both hands as the ship rocked wildly from another hit. The rock over the windows was starting to slip from the blows that had struck it.

"Aye, powerup completed, now preparing to engage main engine!" Venikira shouted.

"How long until we can fight back?" Xandir hissed as he watched the battle display on the main screen.

"Let us do our job and then you can do yours!" Mekaer snapped back as he flipped switches in preparation for the sudden influx of power that would soon follow.

"Another wave is diving!" Starsha shouted.

He flipped on the alert klaxons as the ship rumbled from another hit.

"Talan, can we even take off after the damage they've incurred?"

"We don't have another option!" Talan shot back as he monitored the reports streaming in from the separate divisions.

"Can the fighters take off via the upper catapults?" Mekaer asked him as he watched the needle on the power gauge creeping up. 20. . . 40. . . 60. . .

Talan blinked and said, "I don't see why not. . ."

"Then have them launch!" Desslok shouted, and Mekaer saw him give him an approving nod.

"Fighters launching!" Xandir shouted. "Eat it, Terrans!"

"The fighters are successfully pushing the destroyers back," Starsha said. "I estimate three minutes until they are destroyed."

"I take it you don't know Kai, ma'am," Mekaer said. "They'll hold them back."

"Open the valve to the wave motion engine starting cylinder!" Venikira barked. "Two minutes to ignition!"

The deck rumbled again, but this time it was from the whir of the main engine beginning to spin.

"Power level approaching 100%," Mekaer said as he kept his eye on the power gauge. "Begin detonation sequence for demolition charges!"

He pulled back on a lever, and called into the intercom, "Brace for detonation and launch in one minute!"

"Auxiliary engines reaching maximum output!"

"Power level approaching 120%! Activate flywheel!"

"Activate flywheel, aye!" Venikira shouted as, far below, the sleek engine began to slowly turn.

"Demolition charges armed!" Xandir called.

"Begin ten second countdown!" Mekaer shouted. He looked up at the screen, gritting his teeth. Just hold off for ten more seconds. . .

"Wait!" Talan shouted. "Severe damage to Engineering spaces! We have to abort!"

"Belay that!" Desslok snapped. "Continue the countdown!"

"My report coincides with Talan's!" Venikira yelled. "We'll have to abort!"

Desslok smiled. "Trust me."

Mekaer gave him a strange look, and Desslok nodded ever so slightly. Mekaer turned around and snapped, "Continue the countdown!"

"Mekaer?" Venikira said.

My thoughts exactly. . . he killed my brother, and yet why do I feel as if I. . . understand him?

"It'll work!"

"Very well! Continue countdown sequence!"

Mekaer narrowed his eyes as the rock slipped further. Come on. . .

"Ten. . . nine. . ."

The ship rocked again, and he heard the sound of an explosion deep within the bowels of the ship.

"Eight. . . seven. . ."

"Leader, we have to abort!"

"Six. . . five. . ."

The flywheel sped up, glowing brightly as the Iscandarium and Gamilashium in its core shone with a deadly emerald-sapphire flame. . .

"Four. . ."

The rock cracked further, revealing blue sky and ships ready to fire. . .

"Three. . ."

Starsha gasped in shock as she felt another psychic presence keeping the ship from dying as she was reborn in a deadly baptism of fire. . .

"Two. . ."

"Demolition charges, activate!"

"One. . ."

All around the ship, the carefully placed charges exploded, revealing the massive ship to the Earthlings for the first time.

"Wave Motion Engine, ignition!"

"Yamato, launch!"

The ship and surrounding area rocked with a sound like a peal of thunder as the engine glowed pure white as the ship detached from the crust of Iscandar.

The Space Battleship Yamato lifted free from the surface and blasted towards the shocked Terran fleet like the avenging angel of Gamilon and Iscandar.