Real time starcommander.., p.4
Real-Time Starcommander: A Strategy Gamelit Novel, page 4
The turrets opened fire, sliding back and forth in their mounts as they launched energy bolts with frightening speed at the drone swarm. The salvo was devastating, destroying three drones in quick succession.
Evan ordered his forces to break off, pulling them away from the enemy vessel. He tried to open the effective range of this new ship but the holotank didn’t respond.
“Nice try. We don’t have sufficient information on enemy ships to know their effective ranges. You’re on your own with this one,” Tolax said.
That wasn't good news. It was obvious to Evan that the new arrival was designed to counter the fast-moving drones, its weapons acting like anti-aircraft cannons, filling space around it with destructive energy. Evans only real option was to overwhelm it with ships, but with how rapidly it had destroyed his vessels he didn’t fancy his chances. There was no way he could make drones fast enough to replace those destroyed.
Taking a deep breath, Evan allowed himself a moment to think. He was wrong, there was another option to him, floating in the centre of his holotank. He quickly issued two orders, one collecting all of his drones into a single squadron, now eight-strong with recently built replacements. The second to the Yuushan itself, moving the ship forwards towards the enemy vessel. He had expected the holotank to refuse the request, but instead, it complied happily.
A second thought brought the weapons data for the Yuushan on screen. Two overlapping cones extended from the front, with a similar cone at the rear. Adjusting his view to get a better look Evan could see large turret-mounted cannons matching the tips of the cones. All around the ship was a large sphere, but Evan couldn't see what weapon it was attached to. He would find out in a moment; the outer edge of the sphere was about to pass over the enemy ship.
With a whoosh, missiles launched from the Yuushan, sliding out of ports scattered across its hull, swooping around towards the enemy ship. Space filled with explosions as the enemy turned its guns on the barrage, shooting down the projectiles as they approached. The Yuushan launched a second wave of missiles, the enemy fire continuing to keep the explosives at bay. It gave Evan an idea.
He ordered the Yuushan to fall back, moving it so that the enemy was just beyond the edge of its missile range. He mentally flung another order to the squadron of drones, sending them careening towards the enemy ship. Evan waited, holding his breath for the right moment. As the enemy opened fire on the drones, he ordered the Yuushan to edge forward back into range, another salvo of missiles launching immediately.
The effect was dramatic. The enemy ship had targeted the drones, turning its guns on the incoming swarm. It had shot down five when the missile salvo struck it, its weapons too busy to defend itself. The ship vanished in a maelstrom of explosions, only shattered fragments remaining once the flames were snuffed out by the void.
“Excellent! I am very impressed,” Tolax said. “I hadn’t expected you to defeat the ship. I just wanted to see what you would do. Moving the Yuushan in to engage was impressive. No Hegemony commander would willingly bring their command ship forward to fight. There will be just one more lesson for today then, I think. I need to rethink my curriculum if this is the performance we can expect.”
A notification hologram appeared from the tiny metal stud on Evan’s collarbone.
Salvage Ship construction unlocked (simulation only)
Resource cost: 250 minerals.
Category: Science ship.
Weapons: Tractor Beam (Not recommended for combat use)
Standard sub-light drive system.
Command cost: Two units.
A second notification appeared alongside it.
Research Frigate construction unlocked (simulation only)
Resource cost: 500 minerals.
Category: Science ship.
Weapons: Tractor Beam (Not recommended for combat use). Two Scatterplasma arrays- Light point defence weapon.
Standard sub-light drive system.
Standard Underspace Drive
Command cost: Five units.
Evan ordered the construction of an overseer, waiting for it to complete before queuing up one of each of his new ships. He watched as each slide out from the constructor. The salvage ship was the same length as a mining vessel, though it was shaped like the letter H rather being rectangular. The research frigate was much larger, rivalling the destroyed enemy vessel for size. It was very thin, its hull curving slightly at the bottom. Blue light poured forth from beneath the ship, reminding Evan of the constructors gaping maw. The research ship had barely fit the aperture, and he realised that frigate sized vessels were probably the extent of a constructor's ability.
“Good,” Tolax said, watching as the ships moved away from the constructor that birthed them. “Order the salvage ship to commence operations on the enemy wreck.”
Evan nodded and issued the command. The salvage ship slid through space, coming to a stop above the blasted remnants of the destroyed vessel. Blue beams appeared from the long arms to the front and rear and began to sweep back and forth. As they passed over the wreckage, debris became stuck to the beam like insects to flypaper, each sweep adding more and more to the building wall of parts. After a few passes, the beams stopped, the ship content with what it had scooped up. A smaller, thinner beam fired out for the centre, grabbing onto the biggest chunk of ship, one that was twice the size of the salvage vessel. It started moving again, heading automatically towards the research frigate, its captured parts moving along with it.
Moving into place beneath the frigate, the salvage ship released its cargo. It moved away from beneath the bigger ship as the glow beneath the frigate began to grow. The scrap drifted upwards, pulled into the curved section of the frigate by its tractor beam.
“Salvage frigates recover components from destroyed starships, then bring them to a research frigate. The frigate will deconstruct the parts, reverse engineering any interesting technology, if possible. Otherwise, it will simply break down the components for minerals. In this way, it is possible to recycle destroyed ships after a battle, whilst hopefully learning more about our enemy.”
Picket Frigate construction unlocked (simulation only)
Resource cost: 500 minerals.
Category: Frigate class combat ship.
Weapons: Eight Scatterplasma arrays- Light point defence weapon.
Standard sub-light drive system.
Standard Underspace Drive
Command cost: Five units.
“I have expedited the research for this example,” Tolax said.
“It makes sense,” Evan said. He pulled his hands from within the holotank, the silver liquid leaving no residue. The images on the walls vanished, the shapes on the tank melting back into the vat. “That’s it for today, right?”
“That’s correct. We will pick this up again tomorrow. In the meantime, I would recommend you get some rest.”
***
Evan laid back on his bed, his legs dangling over the edge. It was slightly too high off the ground for his comfort, and the oval shape of it felt wrong in a way he couldn’t describe. He wondered if the other humans on the ship were having the same experience he was. Everything seemed just slightly off like it had been built by someone working off descriptions only having never seen the objects in person.
It had been several hours since his training session. Evan had discovered he was finally able to tell the time, the stud on his collarbone projecting it when he mentally asked for it. He remembered Tolax saying something about the nanomachines in his blood making adaptations and the holograms and their notifications had to be part of it. According to the clock is was three PM GMT, but it didn’t feel that way to Evan. His morning of training had flown by, time passing quickly as he had worked.
The sound of automatic doors opening caused Evan to sit up. He had left the doors to his room open, finding the controls on the wall next to it. The text on the holographic panel had been displayed in English. Tolax had mentioned the nanomachines would allow Evan to interact with Hegemony technology, and he assumed that the presence of a familiar language was down to the tiny robots inside his body.
Sandeep had come through the main doors, sweat staining his jumpsuit. He was panting, stopping to lean against the doorframe of Evan’s room.
“Alright,” Sandeep said, bobbing his head. “How did your training go.”
“Not bad. Pretty easy all things considered.”
“Easy, yeah, easy.” Sandeep wiped his sleeve across his brow. “Using that holotank thing is tricky, isn’t it? Takes a lot out of you.”
Evan shuffled forwards onto the edge of his bed. “I didn't find that. Honestly, it was pretty effortless. You just kind of think, and it does what you want.”
“Oh…must be something that just comes naturally to you then.”
“You’ll get it. Could be today was just a fluke for me.” Evan stood up and stretched his arms. “Come on, let’s get something to eat, I’m starved.”
Sandeep stepped out of the way, allowing Evan to walk into the corridor. He followed as his fellow human began to walk towards the mess. “How far did you get, in the training? I managed to spawn some drones and get an overseer going. Nira thinks tomorrow I might be able to try my hand at combat.”
“Right, right. Same,” Evan said. Telling the truth would only hurt Sandeep’s feelings further. Using the holotank had been the easiest thing in the world for Evan, and Sandeep had so obviously found it a struggle. “How was Nira? She seems a little…hard-edged.”
“Yeah, I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I’m not going to lie, she was tough. Kind of reminds me of one of my old schoolteachers.”
“I can imagine. Tolax is a bit of a pushover compared to her I reckon,” Evan said. The doors to the mess opened with a swish. “I think I lucked out there.”
He walked across the room to the far wall. The mess wasn't big, two simple tables with their hovering stools took up most of the room. There were two hatches on the wall, within which they always seemed to be a waiting tray of food.
“More jelly again today you think?” Sandeep said.
“Maybe. I want to try something,” Evan said. He ran his hand over a small bulge in the wall next to the nearest hatch. A hologram sprung to life. It displayed a list, one that Evan scrolled down with a flick of his hand. “Looks like we do have some options. Our old friend is the top option look, nutrient jelly. Delicious.”
“Hey, I can read this!”
“Yeah,” Evan said, pulling the collar of his jumpsuit aside. He tapped at the metal stud in his flesh. “I think it’s this thing. Those nanomachines they injected us with when we got abducted made it, I think. Does yours project holograms as well?”
“With the ship stats on them? Yeah, it does. Scared the life out of me the first time it did it.” Sandeep squinted as he peered at the list. “What is grunik broth? Is that a broth made by gruniks or made of gruniks?”
“We could give it a go? Has to be better than the jelly, right?”
“Can we even eat it?” Sandeep said.
Evan pointed to the top of the hologram. Across the top it declared the foods to be compatible with human digestion. “Looks like it.”
“Worth a try then.”
Evan selected the option on the hologram. A bar appeared in its place, ticking up slowly as it counted the time until the broth was ready. He moved to the other hatch, making the same selection as on the first. A loud ding indicated when the first broth was done, the shutter rising automatically.
Both men began to gag. The broth smelt rancid, the stench stinging their nostrils and causing their eyes to run. Sandeep doubled over, his body spasming as he wretched whilst Evan staggered backwards.
“Jesus, what the hell is that?” Speaking was difficult. Evan's stomach churned as he tried to talk, threatening to spill its contents across the floor.
“That’s…that’s the worst thing I’ve ever smelt.” Sandeep tried to edge closer, his feet fighting against the decision. “The other hatch!”
It was too late; the second broth was done. The hatch let out its happy tone as it lifted, unleashing a second wave of pungency across the mess hall. Evan wondered what he had done to deserve such a nightmare. He had only wanted a can of cola and a sandwich. This felt like a disproportionate punishment for his hubris.
Evan took a step towards the hatch. He could be stubborn when he wanted to, his repeatedly slamming his head against the platinum league was proof of that. He had ordered this repugnant smelling food, and he was determined to at least try it. The smell got worse the closer he got to the hatch, sweat starting to trickle down his brow.
A simple metal spoon was resting in the broth, the liquid contained in a high sided grey bowl. The broth itself was a dull brown, unidentifiable chunks floating within it. Evan grabbed the spoon, lifting it to his lips. He felt his nose twitching, rebelling at the smell approaching it. He put the spoon into his mouth, bashing the metal against his teeth in his hurry.
“Any good?” Sandeep said tentatively.
Evan shook his head, the spoon handle sticking out from between his lips. He spat it out, the spoon hitting the floor with a clang. “Somehow…it tastes even worse.”
Chapter Four
Evan spent the rest of the day trying to recover, the rancid smell of the broth finding its way even into his room. He had barely managed to keep down the spoonful he had eaten, his body rebelling against the taste of it. He found himself wishing he had chosen the same boring jelly the aliens had been feeding him since he had arrived. At least he could stomach that. The whole experience put him off searching through the menu, scared of what other horrors lay within. Not for the first time, Evan longed for the cheese and pickle sandwich that had been left back on Earth.
He splashed water onto his face, the sink folding down from the wall. It had taken him several minutes to work out how to work the tap, the device being controlled by a hologram like most Hegemony technology. It seemed like overkill to Evan. Having a physical knob to turn seemed to do the job in his experience. If anything, the complex controls felt like a detriment.
It seemed typical of the Hegemony, or at least what little Evan had learned of it. Someone, at some point, had added the controls to the tap and nobody had ever questioned it. It astounded him that such basic tactics that he had used during the simulation had elicited such a response from Tolax. It was no wonder they were losing the war.
That war. One that threatened to engulf Earth. It was hard for Evan to imagine the scale of it, the sheer distances involved. He had seen the map of course, of the invaders stabbing into hegemony space. They hadn’t been moving as a single front, instead pushing forward in several different places. Evan recognised the tactic from the history documentaries he liked to stream on occasion. It was a blitzkrieg. The invaders were punching right through Hegemony lines before they faced their superior numbers.
“Why does it smell so bad on this floor?”
Evan turned towards the doorway. The voice was unfamiliar. A human woman was standing in the open door, twisting the end of her shoulder-length black hair around her finger. A hologram extended from her collarbone, the same kind of stud present as in Evan and Sandeep. She was wearing an identical black jumpsuit. On her nose rested a set of wide-rimmed glasses.
“Poor lunch decisions. Who are you, exactly?” Evan said, wiping his face on the sleeve of his outfit.
“Byeol. I’m assuming you got snatched from Earth the same as me.” The woman took a step inside the room proper, shutting off her stud hologram as she did.. “I guess all the rooms are identical then?”
“I would assume. How did you get down here?”
“I took the lift?” Byeol looked over glasses at Evan. “Obviously.”
Evan shook his head. “No, I mean the that we’re supposed to be separated. All the humans that is. Tolax said so.”
“Tolax your alien then?”
“I guess so. You haven’t answered my question, anyway, how did you get down here?”
Byeol shrugged. “I just activated the elevator. There was no lock or anything on it. Maybe someone forgot to shut it behind them.”
“Right.” That made a lot of sense to Evan. Tolax had seemed so preoccupied with the outcome of the training session that Evan suspected it might have been his trainer's fault. Too busy staring at the hologram coming out of the tiny disc he carried most likely. “So, you play Star Commander as well?”
“Sure did. Middle of the platinum league personally. Didn't have the time to push higher. Honestly, who has? Your Korean is pretty good by the way.”
“Huh. Well, that's because I'm speaking English. I guess this nanomachine translation thing works on human languages as well. That's good to know. I was high platinum myself. Nearly into diamond. Nearly.” Evan found he no longer cared about the leagues. Getting into diamond felt pointless now. Those guys might have gone pro, but Evan was going to command real spaceships in real battles. That seemed a lot cooler.
“I wonder why they only took platinum players.”
“Not just platinum players. I share this floor with a guy called Sandeep.” Evan stepped towards the doorway, checking up and down the corridor to make sure there was no one else there. Sandeep's door was shut, an attempt to ward off the smell of the broth. “They snatched him up by accident when they grabbed me. He's only bronze league. I know the answer anyway, to why they only want platinums. I asked the other day. It's because people would notice if diamonds went missing.”
Byeol cocked her head to one side as she thought. “Yeah, I can see that. If half the Korean national team vanished overnight, it would be pretty obvious something had happened.” Byeol walked forward, taking a seat on the end of Evan’s bed. “So, what’s your alien look like? The one training you?”
