Tynan turned to look at me.

  “Did you just find a loophole?”

  I shrugged, unsure whether or not I had found a technicality in Tynan’s rules.

  “You just spoke without being spoken to, but you were speaking to ask if you could speak … eh, I’ll allow it. Ask your question.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace. Is it possible to pull up a reference photo of Akka?”

  “Uh … sure, I guess. Why?”

  “Just a hunch.”

  Tynan eyed me wearily but gave a nod, accepting this explanation, just. “Pull up a reference photo.”

  A monitor to my right flashed, and a picture of Akka appeared on a nearby screen.

  “Whoa!” I gasped in awe at the image before me.

  Akka was a stunning planet in the photo; two times the size of Mars, with fifty-eight percent of its surface covered in ocean, its land-to-water ratio was much higher than Earth’s, making it look browner and greener than Earth. Perhaps the most stunning detail captured in the photo was Akka’s rings: orbiting at a forty-five-degree angle to its equator, with their right side sitting in Akka’s shadow, the left side bright and blue in the light of the system’s star. A dossier near the image detailed that the rings were comprised of Kyanite, a blue aluminium silicate, giving them a hue ranging from a light greyish blue to a deep navy blue.

  “Beautiful,” Tynan murmured in awe.

  Tynan’s remark was startling, and I glanced at my adversary – the real Tynan had no admiration for places like this. I remembered my journey to Astarte, a military-based, industrious world with its brown, barren, and lifeless environment. Compared to Gaia’s radiance, I’d found the world to be an empty and wretched place, and so I’d detested it. The voice in my head at the time – Tynan’s voice – had spoken to me, saying that Astarte was beautiful to him. He’d relished the forging of men and machines in the rumbling factories, ceaseless and obedient in their operation, stockpiling resources for a war effort.

  I glanced back at the advisors and saw that others were just as confused as I was – they’d heard Tynan’s remark, too.

  Not the worst thing.

  A little doubt amongst the leaders of the Empire could be enough to bring it down once more. Remembering why I’d asked for the reference photo, I returned my gaze to the live view of Akka.

  “Are we sure this is Akka?” I asked.

  The planet in front of us was almost entirely white, with the upper and lower thirds frozen beneath large polar caps, leaving only the equatorial third habitable. The beautiful rings in the on-screen image were nowhere to be found on the planet in front of us.

  “The planetary identification beacon confirms its Akka, and I’m picking up radio chatter from the surface – there are still people down there.”

  My gut clenched, and I felt like a thousand butterflies had materialised inside me. This colony was in huge trouble – it was rapidly freezing over, wildly displaced from its standard orbit – if it widened anymore, the planet would become uninhabitable. Even then, there was something else wrong with the view before me, compounding my growing sense of unease.

  I glanced at Tynan, and he seemed to have had the same thought. Then, it clicked.

  “There’s no –” I broke off, and then we both spoke in unison, “Stars.”

  As soon as I realised, I recontextualised the view before me and could perceive the blocky, asymmetrical, metallic surface of a vessel so vast that it filled up the entire view. I rushed forward and peered upward, trying to glimpse the universe, but all I could see was the mechanical surface of the orb. The Akka broadcast had estimated its size at half an astronomical unit in diameter, which I’d struggled to believe, but looking at this monstrosity now, I believed it – how could I not?

  “Fuck me … that’s one big arse vessel.”

  “Size matters not!” Tynan declared. “We’re going to give it hell and send it on its way!”

  “We’re just going to attack it?” I exclaimed, surprised by Tynan’s bold approach.

  Tynan cleared his throat and pointed to the screen showing my family.

  “I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

  “Better,” Tynan said as he picked up a communicator. “Hit the old, fat one.”

  I looked up at the monitor to see a soldier step forward and strike Zavis over the head, sending him tumbling forward. I felt my stomach twist, and I clenched my fists. I closed my eyes and reminded myself to hold my tongue.

  “To answer your question, yes, we are just going to attack it. As the saying goes, the best defence is a good offence. So, we’ll kick this thing where it hurts, show it that humanity is not to be trifled with, and when it runs away with its tail between its legs, we shall be victorious!”

  I wish I shared Tynan’s confidence, but I couldn’t help but feel it was inflated. Did he think we really had a chance against this giant? By ourselves?

  “Someone … open up a broadcast on all channels.”

  A crew member tapped away at a console and then turned towards Tynan. “Channels are open, Your Grace.”

  Tynan rose from the captain’s chair and cleared his throat before beginning his speech.

  “People of Akka, this is Emperor Khidar of the Tynan Empire. The Republic has abandoned you. They answered your distress call and assured you help was coming, but no one has come to your aid!”

  I could imagine Tynan’s voice projecting across Akka, on every radio frequency, coming out of every device. The confusion rising in the citizens expecting the Republic but now hearing the Empire.

  “Despite the Republic’s betrayal, the Empire is here to save you. I am here to save you! You’re my citizens from now on, and you shall always have my protection. So, look to the sky, gaze upon me and my might, bear witness to your salvation! Look upon me, for I have the strength to do what the Republic was too frightened to attempt!”

  Tynan waved his hand at the crew member, and they cut the transmission. Not the most reassuring broadcast: a surprise empire, a totally plausible betrayal, sudden citizenship, wrapped up in a self-serving jerk fest.

  Talk about a twisted narrative!

  “Alrighty! Move us to the other side of Akka – place us between it and that monstrosity!” Tynan commanded.

  Akka steadily approached as the Chupacabra moved forward until it passed beneath us. Nothing else was visible now except the looming vessel.

  “If I may enquire, I wish to know what the plan is here, Your Grace,” I asked.

  “Simple,” Tynan said with a grin. “We give it a fireworks display.”

  I resisted the urge to disagree. It was one thing to deploy a Firecracker against a fleet of ships, but using one against a vessel larger than Mercury’s orbit around the sun was an entirely different matter.

  “The warhead is ready, Your Grace.”

  Tynan smiled, and his eyes gleamed. “Fire at will!”

  I watched as the warhead came into view, streaking away from the ship and towards its target. Tynan began counting down to detonation as he’d done the previous time.

  “Three … two … one!”

  There was a flash of light as the warhead burst open, blasting its payload towards the vessel. A few moments later, the thousands of explosive charges detonated, followed by secondary and tertiary explosions.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to see the holes we punched in this thing!” Tynan exclaimed.

  The detonations ceased, and the light faded. Everyone on the bridge peered out the window, waiting to see the results.

  “It looks … unharmed, Your Grace,” said Phobus, a note of contempt in his voice.

  “Yes … well, we obviously just didn’t hit it with enough. How many Firecrackers do we still have?”

  “Three more, Your Grace.”

  “Good! We’ll fire them all simultaneously!”

  “A question if I may, Your Grace.”

  Tynan turned to look at me. “You know, if you don’t stop exploiting the loophole, I’ll have to take it away from you,” he growled.

  “I appreciate that, Your Grace – I’m just trying to be of assistance.”

  Tynan narrowed his eyes. “What’s your question?”

  “Have our sensors detected any change in the vessel? Has it stopped moving? Or started moving? Are we registering any … I don’t know, power output, radiation, or anything?”

  “That was four questions.”

  “Or just one question in four parts,” I replied off handedly, regretting it immediately.

  Tynan pulled out his communicator. “Hit the bitch.”

  I twisted around and watched on the monitor as they hit Amorina in the small of her back, and she collapsed to the floor.

  I quickly turned back to Tynan. “I’m sorry, Your Grace!”

  “I bet you are … now, where was I? Oh yes, check the sensors. See if they have detected anything.”

  The crew got to work, filling the air with the tapping of their fingers on consoles.

  “The vessel appears to be stationary, Your Grace, and there has been no change in its movement,” said one crew member.

  “Its power capacity appears to be constant as well … although we are picking up a lot of power … in the realms of 342 yottawatts!” said another crew member, who quickly added, “Your Grace.”

  The power estimate was staggering – I couldn’t believe it – it was almost as much power as Sol!

  “We’re also not detecting any noticeable radiation levels, Your Grace,” added one last crew member.

  Tynan turned towards me. “Satisfied?”

  “Yes, Your Grace. Thank you, Your Grace.”

  Tynan smiled and turned back towards the window. “Fire all remaining Firecrackers!”

  The three warheads streaked into view, tearing across the distance between the Chupacabra and the vessel. The missile’s initial detonation triggered in unison, spreading the payload across the surface of the mighty machine before us.

  “Here we go!” Tynan said, appearing almost giddy.

  The entire view turned white as the payloads exploded, and the chains of secondary detonations kept going for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the light subsided, and once again, the massive vessel seemed unfazed and unharmed.

  “Well? Are we picking up any changes?” Tynan demanded.

  The crew confirmed there had been no changes after reviewing the sensor data.

  “Perhaps we are ill-equipped for this challenge, Your Grace.” Lorcan suggested.

  “We have other cards to play, and besides, this thing is just sitting there. It doesn’t seem to care that we are here, nor that we’re throwing stones at it. Let’s keep pressing the advantage while we have one,” Tynan replied.

  “Maybe it’s best to rethink this course, My Lord,” said Phobus. “Possibly along the lines of what we discussed earlier?”

  Tynan frowned. “I said we have other cards to play. I intend to play them.”

  I glanced back at the advisors and noticed a look pass between them – they were displeased with Tynan’s choice, and I wondered if they would go up against him.

  “Your Grace,” Anwir began.

  “We really think this is not the wisest course of action,” Phobus continued.

  “Having cards available to us is good, but be that as it may, the Firecrackers are one of our more powerful weapons,” Lorcan said, bringing up the rear.

  When I looked at Tynan, I could see something the advisors could not – Tynan’s face twisting with rage. I looked back towards the advisors.

  “If several of those could not scratch the vessel before us,” Lorcan continued.

  “Then what hope do our other ordinances have of producing a different outcome?” Anwir added.

  “Even if we threw everything this ship is carrying at it, it is likely to still prove fruitless – we would need munitions on a fleet scale to combat this vessel effectively,” Phobus concluded.

  “Silence!” Tynan yelled, leaping out of his captain’s chair and rounding on the three shocked advisors. “You advise me when I seek council! Not afterwards, not beforehand, not in between – only when I seek it! Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Your Grace!” all three advisors said in unison.

  “Do not speak again unless I ask you to!”

  “Yes, Your Grace!” they said together again.

  Tynan sighed and returned to his chair. “This is just a tougher nut to crack than anticipated,” he hissed. “Regardless, we will carry on. What other weapons do we have access to?”

  “We have our rail guns and gauss cannons and eight nuclear warheads.”

  Tynan tapped his fingers against the armrest of his chair as he weighed his options.

  “Let’s go with the gauss cannons. Fire a round from each one.”

  “Yes, Your Grace. Charging cannons now!”

  I watched a crew member initiate the charging sequence and monitored the screen as the cannons powered up. I glanced at Tynan and saw him watching the screen, too.

  The charge level reached one hundred percent, and Tynan grinned. “Let’s see if this thing can take these on!”

  The ship shuddered, and two large solid slugs rocketed away from us, covering the distance between the Chupacabra and the vessel much quicker than the Firecracker warheads had. As before, the vessel acted as if it was unaware of the oncoming projectiles, and the whole bridge was still as the rounds impacted its hull.

  “They … they just … disappeared into the surface!” Tynan exclaimed.

  The crew frantically tapped away at their consoles, trying to find an explanation for what we’d witnessed … or what we hadn’t witnessed.

  “Where are my gaping holes? Where’s my debris?” Tynan yelled as he leapt out of his chair and gestured out the window at the vessel.

  “It appears as though the vessel is unaffected. There’s no change to its position, movement, or power output, and no deformations to its surface – no sign of any impact whatsoever. That’s all I can tell you, Your Grace.”

  Tynan clenched his fists, and I watched his right eye twitch. The grand salvation of Akka was not going according to plan, it seemed.

  “If I may, Your Grace,” Anwir began.

  Tynan spun around, grabbed the sidearm of the nearest soldier and aimed it at Anwir.

  “Did I ask for your council?” he roared.

  Anwir shook in his wheelchair. “No, My Lord! You did not as –”

  The gun fired, and the advisor slumped over in his wheelchair, blood pouring from his forehead into his lab. Tynan waved the gun at Phobus and Lorcan.

  “This is your one and only warning!”

  The two remaining Advisors nodded.

  Tynan then rounded on the soldier he’d taken the sidearm from.

  “As for you!” he yelled. “You allowed yourself to be disarmed!”

  The sound of the second shot echoed through the air as the soldier hit the ground and caused everyone to jump back and shrink in on themselves, least he decide to point the gun at them next.

  “Everyone take note – if you bear arms, they’re your responsibility! Do not allow them to be taken from you, lest they be used against you or your leaders!”

  “But only us, our superiors, and you can use each weapon, Your Grace. It wouldn’t matter if anyone else took the weapons,” a soldier interjected.

  Tynan’s face twitched, and for a moment, he looked confused.

  Did he forget that that’s how their weapons worked?

  A third shot rang through the deathly silence that filled the room and the soldier fell to the floor.

  “My point stands … do not allow your weapons to be taken from you.”

  Tynan returned to his chair, his chest heaving from the anger seething within him.

  “Fire a nuke at this … thing!” he bellowed.

  I inhaled sharply. Nuclear warheads were … well, they were nuclear warheads – certainly, not a weapon to be used lightly. Launching a single Firecracker – or three – was one thing, but a nuke was taking things up a notch.

  “Yes, Your Grace.”

  They started the missile initiation sequence, and I looked down at the two dead soldiers.

  Such a needless, wasteful loss of life.

  But this was Tynan’s world. This was how he had always operated: by creating an environment of fear. I glanced at Tynan. He was becoming more unhinged and unstable. I looked out the bridge window again to see the nuclear warhead flying towards the vessel. Part of me expected a result like the two previous attempts: either it would detonate harmlessly on the exterior or mysteriously disappear beneath the surface.

  “Look!” a crew member shouted, pointing out the window.

  A portion of the vessel’s surface seemed to have liquified, forming a black cloud that flew away from the vessel and swarmed towards the oncoming warhead.

  “What is it doing?” Tynan asked, but no one could give him answers.

  I watched in amazement as the swarm intercepted the nuke and appeared to take apart the warhead mid-air. Moments later, it was nothing but a collection of components, and the swarm seemed to carry them back to the vessel. The swarm re-solidified into the vessel’s surface and the warhead components disappeared beneath it.

  “Well,” said Tynan. “That’s kind of a neat trick.”

  “What would you like us to do, Your Grace?” a crew member asked.

  “Fire all the other nukes simultaneously, and when the surface swarms again, fire the rail guns – maybe we can buy enough time for the nukes to arrive intact.”

  “As you wish, Your Grace.”

  I glanced over at Tynan. He had grown pale, sweat beaded across his brow. I could see the fear on Tynan’s face – his overconfidence was returning to haunt him now.

  “And they’re away!”

  Everyone on the bridge turned back towards the window and watched the seven remaining nukes streak their way across the gap between the two ships. A larger portion of the vessel’s surface than before dissipated into the swarm.

  “Fire the rail guns!”

  The Chupacabra vibrated as its rail gun armaments fired, sending hundreds of bullets hurtling towards the approaching swarm. They made contact with the swarm, and I could see dozens of little impacts as they collided and shattered.

  “It’s working!” Tynan exclaimed.