[Ascendance: The Journey to Type 7. Ch_022]
Four Universal Hours Earlier...(1 Universal Hour = 2.5 Earth Hours)
Rax Veylan's fleet was gliding through the depths of space, bound for the Horizon Cluster with their cargo—28 starships to be delivered to a client who preferred to remain unnamed.
The fleet was deep in warp drive, moving as a silent wave of power across the universe. All was routine, or so they thought.
Suddenly, a blip of static burst across the communication channels, followed by a flash on the radar. [BOOM!] The sensors registered an explosion from one of the ships. Rax's head snapped up as alarms blared, warning of catastrophic damage.
"What in the Void was that?!" shouted one of his officers, hands flying over the console to assess the damage.
Rax's gaze hardened. "Report! Which ship was it?"
"It's… it's the Trident, sir," a young officer stammered, eyes wide with disbelief. "And... another ship's gone too—one from the rear line."
As the ships came out of warp drive, Rax and his crew saw the aftermath. Two of their vessels, obliterated into debris that floated eerily in the stillness of space.
There was no fire, no smoke, just fragments of twisted metal and the empty silence of space. The stars offered only a distant, cold light, casting a shadow over the wreckage.
The fleet's radar showed something else now—a massive, dark silhouette hidden in the void. Barely visible, it loomed at the edges of the fleet's formation, absorbing what little light reached it. It was a starship, larger than any they'd encountered, and nearly invisible in the vastness of space.
"Sir," the officer whispered, fear creeping into his voice, "there's… there's something out there."
Rax's jaw tightened as he studied the silent, black ship on the display. "So, this shadow decided to strike us in our blind spot." He activated the fleet-wide comm channel.
"All ships, prepare for combat! We have an unidentified vessel directly ahead. Arm the plasma cannons, shield generators at full capacity. I want no mistakes!"
A voice crackled over the comm, tense but clear. "Captain, that ship... it's emitting no readable signals. No identifiers, no emissions—nothing. It's like it's... consuming all the light around it."
"Silent as the Void," Rax muttered, his fists clenched. "It's like a phantom."
The crew members glanced at each other uneasily. Some tightened their grips on controls, others murmured quietly, wondering what kind of enemy could eliminate two of their ships so swiftly.
Another officer turned to Rax, his face pale. "What are your orders, Captain? That thing took out two of ours in an instant."
Rax's eyes narrowed, his tone cold and resolute. "We stand our ground. Whoever—whatever—is piloting that ship… we'll show them what it means to face the Veylan fleet." He paused, then added, "And prepare for evasive maneuvers. This ghost in the shadows won't have another chance to catch us off-guard."
Just then, a message appeared on their main console. It was a direct transmission from the dark ship.
[Transmission incoming…]
A voice, low and menacing, broke through the static. "Rax Veylan," it said, almost mockingly. "You brought quite a fleet with you. But do you really think that will save you?"
Rax leaned forward, seething but controlled. "I don't know who you are, but you're about to learn what happens when you provoke the wrong fleet. This cargo is under my protection. Identify yourself."
A cold chuckle echoed from the speakers. "You'll know me soon enough. I'm your death."
[Transmission ended.]
The lights flickered, and Rax's crew tensed, steeling themselves as they watched the massive ship drift closer, silent as death itself.
Rax's hand tightened on his command console, his voice a low growl as he barked, "Prepare for full-scale engagement. If they want a fight, they've come to the right fleet. All units, lock onto that ship and prepare to fire on my mark!"
As the battle commenced, Rax's fleet fired a volley of missiles, streaking like fiery comets across the dark void, aimed straight at the looming silhouette.
[BOOM!]
The space around the shadow ship erupted with flashes of light as missiles exploded on impact—or so it seemed.
But just as the missiles closed in, the silhouette vanished.
[Silence]
An eerie calm filled the radar screens. The crew watched, confused, as their missiles soared harmlessly into the empty void.
"Where…where did it go?!" one officer exclaimed, scanning the radar furiously. He swiped at the screen, trying to detect the massive vessel. The tension on the bridge was palpable, a mixture of fear and disbelief.
Then, a cold voice broke the silence. "Behind you."
In less than a millisecond, the dark ship materialized directly behind four of Rax's fleet vessels, its hull almost pressing against theirs as if daring them to react.
"Captain!" another officer screamed. "It's right on top of them!"
But before anyone could respond, the silhouette's cannons flared with a dark, menacing energy. In quick succession, beams of energy tore through the four ships' shields like paper.
[ZZZZT—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!]
The ships exploded one by one, bursting into fields of burning debris. The silence of space made it even more chilling—no sound, just silent devastation.
Rax watched, his hands clenching the edge of his console, knuckles white. "It's… it's playing with us," he muttered, a chill running down his spine. His usually steely composure was shaken, and for a moment, he didn't have words.
Another crew member, visibly panicked, turned to him, "Captain, we can't even track it! How is it moving like this? It's impossible!"
Rax forced himself to breathe, his voice low but firm. "It wants us to feel helpless. But we aren't done yet." He opened the fleet-wide comms. "All units, form defensive clusters. Focus fire if you have a visual. Whatever tech they're using, it has to be straining their systems. We'll find their weakness."
A few ships moved to form clusters, but before they could complete the maneuver, the shadow ship appeared again, this time directly in front of them. It hovered ominously, its sleek, angular shape casting an imposing shadow over the clustered vessels.
The shadow ship's cannons pulsed again, firing in rapid succession.
[ZAAAAAP—BOOM! BOOM!]
Two more ships disintegrated into plumes of shrapnel and debris, scattering across the battlefield.
The crew on Rax's bridge was visibly terrified now, their eyes wide, some of them frozen as they watched comrades vanish from their screens. One officer, his voice trembling, whispered, "Captain...this is a massacre."
Rax set his jaw, swallowing his own fear as he steadied his crew. "Stay focused! We're not going to be easy prey. All remaining units, target everything you have on that ship's last position!"
They fired again, beams of light and missiles creating a deadly storm around the shadow ship, but once more, it disappeared, leaving them firing into nothingness.
Suddenly, it reappeared above the fleet. From its belly, a dozen smaller drones launched, each sleek and agile, flashing with blue lights as they zipped toward Rax's ships like deadly hornets.
One of Rax's closest lieutenants, a hardened veteran named Brin, shouted, "Incoming drones! Target them before they get close!"
Rax's fleet opened fire on the incoming swarm.
[ZZZT-ZZZT-ZZZT!]
Lasers sliced through the dark, but the drones were fast, weaving and dodging as they closed the distance. A few ships managed to down some of the drones, but others zipped past, exploding upon impact with the fleet vessels.
[BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!]
Rax was gripping the console tightly, his expression a mix of anger and desperation. "They're picking us off like nothing. How is this ship equipped with so much firepower? This doesn't add up!"
His second-in-command, trying to maintain composure but clearly rattled, turned to him. "Sir, could this be…some sort of experimental tech? Nothing moves like that, not even black-market cloaking tech can match this speed."
"Whatever it is, it's beyond anything we've seen," Rax replied grimly. "But we're not going down without a fight."
He opened the fleet-wide comms again, his voice hard as iron. "All remaining ships, prepare for one last, concentrated strike. I don't care if this thing is a ghost—show it the fury of the Veylan fleet!"
In a final, desperate effort, the fleet coordinated their firepower, locking onto the shadow ship as it appeared once more. With a roar of energy, missiles and plasma beams converged, hurtling toward the black vessel in a brilliant display of defiance.
One by one, the silhouette decimated Rax's ships with ruthless precision.
[BOOM!] [BOOM!]
Ship after ship erupted into debris, silent explosions scattering across the void, while Rax's final vessel drifted in horrified silence.
The crew's morale had long since plummeted into despair, their faces pale, some staring blankly as the realization of impending doom settled in.
Amidst the panic, Rax stood tall, his gaze steely, the only one with composure left on the bridge. His heart pounded, but he refused to let his men see any weakness.
Then, the ominous message flashed on their comms console. A transmission from the shadow ship. Rax's heart skipped a beat as he accepted it. The voice on the other end was cold, authoritative. "If you want to live, open your ship. Surrender and let us board."
One of his officers looked at him, eyes wide and pleading. "Captain… we're done for if they board us…"
Rax's jaw clenched, but he didn't show hesitation. "We don't have a choice. Prepare to let them on board." He took a deep breath, his voice firm, even as it betrayed his own resignation. "I'll handle this."
As the docking sequence completed, the bridge doors hissed open. Thirty figures marched in with chilling discipline, their presence heavy, like a black storm cloud descending upon Rax and his terrified crew.
At the head of the group was an imposing, muscular old man with silver-streaked hair, his navy-blue uniform immaculately pressed and adorned with insignia of rank and distinction. Behind him, four guards, just as muscular but clad in brown uniforms, flanked him like silent sentinels, their sharp eyes sweeping the room. The remaining 25 soldiers, weapons at the ready, fanned out around the room with military precision.
Rax's breath caught as recognition dawned on him. His eyes narrowed as he muttered, almost to himself, "Thors Ashvale… King's Envoy."
Thors Ashvale met his gaze, a faint smirk on his weathered face as he stepped forward, his piercing eyes locked on Rax. "Ah, Captain Rax Veylan," he said in a deep, resonant voice, thick with authority. "You seem surprised to see me."
Rax's mind raced. Thors Ashvale—the name alone was enough to instill fear. The King's Envoy, known across the at least half of the universe as a relentless enforcer of royal decrees, was rumored to handle the darkest, deadliest assignments. But why was he here? And why attack a mere smuggling operation?
Swallowing hard, Rax spoke, trying to keep his voice steady. "Why…why would the King's Envoy descend on us like this?" He scanned the armed entourage around Thors, the laser weapons gleaming ominously in their hands. "We're just merchants… nothing worthy of the King's attention."
Thors chuckled, a cold sound that filled the bridge like the rumbling of distant thunder. "Merchants, you say? Merchants who thought they could smuggle 28 starships under the nose of the Empire."
He raised an eyebrow, mocking amusement in his gaze. "Oh, I've come across 'merchants' before, Captain. I've yet to meet one who wasn't hiding a little more than they claimed."
Rax felt a bead of sweat trail down his brow. "The ships aren't for the Empire. We…we have our own agreements with clients in the Horizon Cluster. We're no threat to the King."
Thors took a step closer, towering over him. "You overestimate your value, Rax. The King cares not for petty disputes or private deals. But he does care about unauthorized activities in imperial space. You should have been more discreet."
At this, Rax's hands balled into fists. "We've been careful. Our routes—our contacts—were supposed to be secure. Who tipped you off?"
The smirk on Thors's face grew as he held up a small, round device—a transmitter bearing the insignia of Rax's own fleet. "Your operations are as secure as a leaky hull, Captain. It wasn't hard to find you."
One of Rax's officers, a young woman who had remained silent till now, broke down, her voice trembling. "You can't just destroy us… please, show mercy…"
Thors's gaze shifted to her, his expression hardening. "Mercy?" he repeated, as though the word itself tasted bitter. "The King shows mercy to those who follow his rule. You all chose to live outside it." He gestured to his men, who began taking positions around the bridge, training their weapons on Rax's crew.
Rax clenched his jaw, fury and helplessness warring within him. He knew what this was—an execution disguised as a mere operation. There was no negotiating with the King's Envoy. But still, he had to buy his crew time, perhaps a way out, anything.
He locked eyes with Thors, his voice like iron. "I might have underestimated your reach, Thors, but don't think that means you can break us." He stepped forward defiantly. "The Horizon Cluster won't forget this. People will know the truth."
Thors's eyes glinted with amusement. "Oh, I'm sure they will. But not from you."
Without breaking eye contact, Thors raised his hand, signaling his guards. The four muscular guards trained their rifles on Rax's crew, moving methodically, securing every exit.
Rax's heart pounded, every instinct telling him to fight, to resist. But he was outmatched, outgunned, his crew terrified, and the shadows of Thors's men closing in.
Thors leaned in, his voice a deadly whisper. "Any final words, Captain Veylan?"
TO BE CONTINUED.