ZOE zero

The city of Calodonie sat nestled below the towering peaks of the Ferderon Mountains. Protected from the harsh light of the Terrax sun by an amber dome. Prisms of light to dance across the inner walls of the city in an array of colors; making buildings made of crystal and precious metal sparkle and gleam like jewels. It was the capital city of the planet Teirsa and the headquarters of the Alliance resistance against the Spectronian Empire. It was the jewel in the crown of the newly re-formed Dawntian Realm.

Within it's protected dome the people felt safe and secure, knowing that daily patrols kept a watchful eye out for the possibility of attack. Dehil to dehil activities had become complacent as the threat of any attack grew more and more remote and now with the Alliance Council visiting the city, the threat became an impossibility. Thus the citizens flocked to the palza concourse at high sun to eat and shop, never once imagining that lurking behind the brightness of their own sun was the darkness of their worse enemy.

A loud hum filled the air, echoing off the walls of the dome as the hour of the passing patrol approached. A small shadow passed across the sun as those on the promenade stopped and cast their eyes upward. It had become a tradition to look at the patrol as it passed, as if to pay homage to the pilots for a job well done.

The shadow broke apart and smaller shadows came at the city with great speed and ferocity. No one moved as they descended on the city like small winged avengers. The amber dome shattered under the first wave of attacking vipers. People scrambled for cover as tiny shards of amber crystal rained down on them. Screams filled the air as the entire city fell to chaos.

"Father! Protect us!" "Help me!" "Protect us!"

Buildings crumbled under the assault as the second wave of vipers flew across the city. The academy, which had stood at the city's center, was laid to ruin. The Science Academy, which had been the greatest achievement for the planet Teirsa, shattered as the first laser barrage rained down on them.

)O()O()O()O()O()O(

"We are receiving unconfirmed reports of explosions at the Verdrah Complex and Governmental Centra in the citra of Calodonie." The standard dehil newscast blinked breaking up before it once again cleared to show the shadowed silhouette of the non-descript speaker. 'Rumors have run rampant of a secreted transmission alluding to an attack against the Alliance Centra World of Teirsa, but to date no one has confirmed this. In the Serrian news . . ."

The silence on the bridge was deafening. No one spoke, all actions ceased, and all eyes were glued to the com-controller's panel as the transmission was shut off and the speaker's voice was silenced.

"Scanning for further reports." Nerria Tolliver spoke as her fingers flew across the keyboard finding other signals. "Signals coming from prime world now."

The command center filled with words spoken quickly and in panic. Some were spoken so quickly it was hard to hear, others were spoken in whispers and pleas. The first one was more official.

"Sadow troops are entering the city and are proceeding to the Governing center. Where are the vistars!"

"By the Father! The protection grid failed! We're all going to die!"

"Commander?"

Odin Lowe was the Commander of the Red Star, the primary Starfighter of the Teirsan Alliance. He'd been appointed this post upon the death of Commander Roth, his mentor and trainer. The man had led this Starfighter into countless battles only to die in his bed one night of an undiagnosed Serrian collage. With his last breath, he turned his ship over to Odin and commanded his body to be placed in space.

Now Odin, his command only five thyerox old, stood stunned along with his bridge crew in disbelief of what they were hearing as message after message of destruction filled the command center. Running his hand through his mossy green hair, he took a deep breath to steel his reserve in order to give his orders in a calm voice.

"Lt. Reather, plot a direct course to Teirsa at our fastest speed."

The order broke the strange silence and unlocked the crew. Everyone rushed to get to their stations and find out as much information as possible while getting the Starfighter ready for fast travel.

"This is the Red Star to Calodonie Command, come in Calodonie Command." Nerria, the young ensign assigned to the communications array frantically tried to search for the message sent. She pulled out all the tricks that she knew, but the signal was lost. "Please, please come in Calodonie Command."

"This cannot be happening." Odin's words were spoken softly, his eyes meeting those of his friend and colleague, Chang Wufei. "They could not have gotten to Teirsa without someone seeing them."

Wufei had no words of comfort for his friend.

"This is the Red Star Command ordering all fighters to the ready. Check all vistars for re-fueling and clearance on launching as soon as we reach Teirsa."

Odin listened as the bridge crew of the Red Star ran as quickly as possible to perform their duties. This was what they had been trained for. This was what they knew. Though none, not even him, had ever expected the call to come from their own home world, the heart of the Alliance was under attack.

Taking his seat in the central command section of the bridge, Odin met the eyes of his first, De'mon. It was clear what it meant if Calodonie fell before the enemy. All hope for the Alliance would be lost.

"May the Father guide us there as fast as he can." It was a prayer spoken silently by them all as Odin steeled himself for the things to come. "Nav com, give us a time."

Nav com looked away from the screen to glance at the console. "Estimated time is ten dials to reach Teirsa Prime."

Odin cursed under his breath. Even at their top speed they weren't going to make it. "Where in the tragan were the vistars?"

De'mon looked at his commander in surprise. Never, in all their thyerox together in battle, had he heard Odin use such strong language. The man had always prided himself on his ability to command with calm resolve.

"Commander. . . "

"Even at our top speed we're not going to make it in time." Odin cursed again. "Where was the coverage?!" With a sigh, he met De'mon's eyes and took another calming breath. "Get me all the information you can. I don't want us flying blind."

"Aye, Commander." De'mon nodded and went to fulfill his orders.

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The explosions drown the screams as the protective shield around the city fell and the enemy landed inside the city. Citizens unfortunate enough to be there were quickly cut down by the Sadow army.

Alliance ground forces tried to hold them back but it was a losing battle as vipers returned for another pass. There was little time between one attack to another and no way to contact any of the outside areas for help.

"This is trank leader we've got ground forces! Heavily outnumbered! Where's our air support!? Vipers have taken out Planta Unas, we're defenseless down here!"

Base command heard the calls but before they could answer a squad of vipers strafed the area. The command center, along with the surrounding facilities, were destroyed.

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"Commander, we have confirmed reports of the attack.."

Odin looked up from the rayer report he'd been handed when De'mon entered his office. "How bad is it?"

De'mon tried to find the best way to say what he had to report when Odin became impatient and growled out, "Just speak, De'mon, it can't be as bad as I imagine."

De'mon sighed and pulled the board up to read it. "Actually it is." Tapping board, he rolled the report so he could read all the details. "The station at Prime Ish has been hit. It's bad enough that any signal we're getting is all ready automated. Calodonie, Furgust, and Bain Rawhe have fallen. Damage unknown. Reports from transport Gammen is that Base Command and Planta Unas were both destroyed."

"Destroyed!" Odin exploded and grabbed the board from De'mon. As he scrolled through the information his face became colder and his blue eyes turned to ice.

It made De'mon hesitate for a few mirax before continuing. "We're the closets Starfighter within three quads. Even the Unians have nothing closer, though they are offering to send medical help."

He picked up the pace as Odin stalked angrily out onto the bridge, continuing his report as quickly as possible. "I've ordered all squadrons to return and ready for battle. The ship's engines are running to flank. Nav times us out at three dials. Poppin Geno says he can only give us another two grades of power before we completely ruin his engines, but he doesn't recommend it."

Odin nodded as he took his seat at command, his mind shaken by the unfathomable thought that such could happen in this dehil and time. There were so many barriers between the outer realm and the heart of the Alliance to allow even a single viper be able to reach the protected center of Teirsa.

Keeping his voice level, he looked at his two command officers. Wufei looking solemn; De'mon keeping his features locked in silence. "I want to know how this happened. How they got through the outer defensive systems with no warning and why ground stations never saw them coming."

Both men nodded and turned only to stop when a shout covered the other noises on the deck.

"Commander, we are receiving a signal from Lira!" Lyrka, the senior com officer had been monitoring the signals since the news had broke, but now her heart raced as a sporadic signal increased it's strength.

"Main screen, NOW!" Odin leaned forward as the image, at first broken by static, came into focus. "Boost the power, Com, I want to be able to see it."

Lyrka did as ordered, her fingers all ready flying across her console to get the best possible signal from the closest base to home.

"Emerge! Emerge! Primary targets have been hit. All ships docked in the Lira base have been destroyed. This is combat station Lira Ish are you receiving us?" The image broke up for a moment before once again revealing the wounded image of a young ensign. His face bloodied and covered in soot, his uniform tattered it's insignia gone. "We were attacked by the dark forces. They came from the dark side of Teirsa, we had no warning. Life support is cut in half, we don't expect it to last much longer. The vistars have all been destroyed, the bay and all landing ports are gone. We have no contact with the planet nor do we have control of the base. The bridge was wiped out, we've had no word. We are losing. . ." The screen blinked again. "All resources are at their max. We can only account for fifteen crew, no officers. We request immediate help."

"How long?" Odin shouted.

"Six dials, Commander." Nav com reported.

"Kick up the speed." Odin ordered. "Re-route systems, get us as much speed as possible."

"Aye sir!"

Odin sighed, no matter what he ordered they would be a long time getting there. "Wufei, are we sure we're the closest Starfighter?"

Wufei, long time friend and science officer sighed softly as he quickly confirmed what he all ready knew to be fact. "I'm afraid so, Commander. The Rising Star is next, but even at it's fastest speed it's still five dials behind us."

Odin nodded and turned his gaze back to the flickering screens. The marks of devastation being shown were almost too much to bare. The targets had been well chosen. The timing had been perfect. With the city relaxed and unsuspecting, there was no defense against them. There had been no time to launch a defense, no time to do more than pray, as the enemy fired upon the city and its inhabitants without warning or mercy.

"Speed has increased to twin pars over Sec." Odin simply nodded as he sent up a silent prayer. They had gained only two dials.

()O()O()O()O()O()O()

Consciousness returned with pain. Not that it had not been so before, but this time he knew there was a difference. A sharp pain in his right arm made him catch his breath only to find that there was a weight on his chest. Moaning softly, he slowly opened his eyes to the darkness the surrounded him. Trying to move, he breathed in slowly the scent of dust and death making him choke, if it hadn't hurt so much he would have laughed.

Shutting his eyes for a moment he held back the scream. He'd tried to warn them. He'd told them what the message had said and they had ignored him. Now they were paying for their arrogance and he feared the consequences of it once he was outside.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly raised his left hand in order to judge how big the space was. His hand stopped two pars above him, making the space just big enough for his upper body. Closing his eyes, he began to slowly inhale, puffing air in and out of his lungs until he was calm. Then with a shout, he sent all the gathered energy through his uninjured arm and against the debris pinning him down.

It shook and moaned before exploding out and away with a force that embedded the beam into what was once the left wall of his cell. Dust covered him as the wreckage re-settled around him. Slowly sitting up, he clutched his right arm as he looked around. The Facility was completely destroyed, along with the main research buildings and the military arena. The surrounding area was equally devastated and almost unrecognizable.

Tearing a strip off his tunic, he carefully wrapped his injured arm and stood. Pushing his hair away from his face, he took his first tentative steps out of the rubble. His heart wrenched as he looked around him, taking in the rubble of what was left of the city of his birth.