“Sabre 1, control. Report.”
“Six contacts bearing 240, low velocity, flying low.”
Control confirming. 6 contacts bearing 240. Contacts are confirmed hostile, engage and destroy.”
“Copy control, Sabre engaging hostiles.”
“Sabre 1, fox 1.”
The drone erupted in fire, its tail shredded as missile fragments tore through the unarmored fuselage. The aircraft tumbling downward. The wingman immediately swung towards the attacker, the bay doors already opening to unleash a missile on the offending part.
“Fire on the lead drone!”
The rear gun opened fire, tracing along the path of the drone, the shots struck true, but not before the missile dropped away from its housing.
“No!” the engines flared and the missile streaked away, engine burning bright blue as it sped away from the falling craft. Stomach sinking, Laura watched as the missile arced up towards the lead fighter, the jet spraying flairs as it tried to evade its fate.
“Missile! Missile! Flairs Ineffective! Sabre 1 Punching Out!”
The missile struck just ahead of the thrusters, folding the fighter in half in a bright orange fireball. Laura yelped as she watched the machine die, only to inhale with relief as she caught sight of the pilot as their seat threw them clear of the explosion. The second jet swerved away, also dumping flares as several more drones turned to intercept it.
At the very least it gave Laura the breathing room she needed as the dropship turned northward and began the final stretch for the base.
…
The war room was deathly silent, every eye focused on a single large monitor showing the final moments from the perspective of Sabre 1. Apart from the ticking of computers the only sound was the quiet breathing of the technicians. Finally the General spoke:
“Alert the Americans, and get a report up the chain, looks like we’re in for a hell of a time.” With that he turned and strode out of the room, the officers and technicians quickly turning back to enact the new orders.
Nidi sat back, mind churning as she grabbed disparate snippets of thought from the noosphere.
Enemy. Pursuing. Where are we going? Threat. Kill. We can’t keep running.
That was new, something above the instinctual chattering of the swarm.
“Is someone there?” Nidi called, her voice echoing above the relentless chittering of the swarm.
“Yes. Yes! I’m here” the voice called back her voice distinctly tinged by poorly contained panic.
“Hello, I am Nidi, who are you and how did you get connected to the Noosphere?”
“You can hear them?” the voice replied. “The voices?”
“Yes. The noosphere, the psychic link that connects all biomorphs in the swarm. Which begs the question, what are you doing in the noosphere?” The voice didn’t reply for a few seconds.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“I don’t know. I got bit by a bug, got bug skin and a gun grew out of me and now there is a voice in my head telling me to kill my brother and my friend.”
“That is odd. Why would the swarm tell you to harm a biological? Besides assimilation of new bioforms the swarm has no reason to target an external… Unless…” The voice remained silent for a moment and then spoke:
“My friend, her name is Laura. And she has… metal bits.”
‘That would do it.” Nidi stated, her face shifting into a less concerned, more resigned mask. “Still in control of her own actions?” The voice affirmed. “Well then she is basically target number one. Knowing the swarm, you most likely gave them the information they needed to find you’re friend. So stay where you are and I’ll”
INTRUSION!
The psychic burst ripped straight through the connection, silencing the voice and inflicting a horrific migraine upon Nidi.
LOCATE! DESTROY!
“YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!” Nidi commanded, forcing her entire psychic strength into the command. “I am of the swarm! I am not an intruder nor an interloper. So you will hear me.”
Listening.
“Great.” Nidi snapped “Now that you’ve calmed down, what is happening?”
Swarm. Threatened. Machine. Pursue.”
“How are you’re numbers?”
Numbers? Few. The final admission came with far more regret then she had ever imagined possible from the collective.
“Alright, attempt giving local control to that human you assimilated, give me connection and I’ll convince her to provide assistance.”
Compliance.
“Hello? Hello!?”
“I am here.” Nidi responded. “Are you well?”
“I’m a bug. How do you think I am?”
“Bioform enhancements can significantly enhance the effectiveness of assimilated organisms so I am imagine you feel good?”
“You really don’t have any concept of sarcasm do you? I’ve been turned into a fuckin’ xenomorph and now I’m stuck in a hole with a bunch a giant spiders with an alien talking in my head. I’m not good at all!”
“I see.” Nidi replied. “Well perhaps I can get you ‘better’. The swarm needs a commander and I am in no position to take command, in fact the only reason I can communicate with you is because we are each focusing on the other.” Nidi’s explanation was suddenly cut short as the door to her cell slid open.
“I have to go.” Nidi apologized as she rose to her feet. Through the door stepped one of this world’s ‘officers’ looking the man up and down, Nidi felt a surge of discomfort at the sight of the metallic weapon that rested in a pouch on the man’s hip. The soldier himself was definitely on the older side of the species, his short cut hair had gone grey and the skin starting to loosen under the eyes. Speaking of the eyes, there was an observable weight behind them.
“How may I help you…” she trailed off.
“Blackmore” the man replied. ‘General Blackmore.” Nidi gave a slow nod.
“It is nice to meet you General Blackmore, how may I help you?” The man waited a moment before speaking.
“Follow me.”
The two of them strode through the hallways, soldiers stepping to the peripherals and into alcoves as they crossed the facility. After several minutes of walking they finally reached a heavy metal door that was flanked by two guards. Placing a card upon a flat shining panel, the General looked back at Nidi and spoke.
“Welcome to the war room.”
With a solid clunk the door unlocked, and Nidi found herself entering a veritable hive of activity. Scanning the room she watched as dozens of men and women moved back and forth between tables, glowing screens and other machines that she couldn’t name. As she continued to watch she began to pick up bits of the discussions; movement of troops the resources required, important points to defend and known enemy assets.
“It’s a Commander.” Nidi muttered. “An inefficient one, but it fills the same role.” The General strode forward, an aid running to hand him a ‘folder’ which he began to skim through as he made his way to a large table at the center of the space.
“At the current time, this is where all ADF and US operations are commanded from, approximately 15 minutes ago, multiple reports were received of UAPs fires and explosions, due to recent events, two F16s were dispatched to investigate.” The General paused for a moment before continuing, his voice far less grandiose then it had been just before. “Things did not go as planned.” Behind him, the screen flickered to life, showing some sort of recording, the view was extremely shaky, as for the sound, there was nothing of note except for a horrible howling that seemed to grow louder and louder. For several seconds the recording revealed nothing in the darkness. Suddenly there was a brilliant flash and a crack, a burning meteor appearing in the sky, someone in the recording swore, there was another flash, this one streaking across the view, the recording swung around, trying to track the missile, it only caught the impact, whatever the machine had attacked erupted into a ball of flame. The recording ended.
“While our pilot was able to eject unharmed, we do not have the resources available to clear the skies, not with these kill ratios. Which is why you are here.” He turned to face Nidi. “And that is why we need you to tell us everything you know.”