Saturn

Saturn

“Chamus base I.D. we have notification of a run-a-way approaching the martian asteroid belt. Jupiter tracking stations suggest impact on Saturn. Please intercept or advise.”

“Saturn tracking, this is Chamus base 10, we have received your message, please advise nature of run-a-way.”

“Passenger ship having received unknown amount of damage. Entered military zone previous to run-a-way status, engaged in battle. We are uncertain if the ship is military in nature. Hold… Security center recommends possibility of a x-z bomb, they may have picked up unprocessed fuel at the base. Annihilation must be out of orbit. Please direct immediate attention.

“Chamus base 10, this is Saturn Security we are now a code red. This is not a drill. Moon fields are to be generated immediately. Activate anti-war head phasers. Α-Ω bombs set to maximum planetary damage.”

“Saturn security, please advise of Uranus response to Code Red.”

‘Chamus base 10, this is a Code Red. You must follow set procedures. Communications shut down effective immediately.”

“Security, respond!, respond! Damn!” The commander of Chamus military depot turned to his advisors. It had began, the final war., “Code Red, gentlemen, proceed. Air borne dipatch one squadron to intercept the passenger vehicle-you understand-no survivors.” Since the early days on Eos to the cohabitation of Saturn men had fought wars. Some to destroy enemies, some to gain profit, some to prove their point. Always men had died and children had perished without love. It was the insanity of men to find dignity in the slaughter of families. I have always known this, even when entering the military. At first I had sought merely to hold my own financially through the service but, oddly, I had enjoyed it enough to pursue it further till I was in charge of the Chamus base defense system. But then I had thought that there would be no war. There had been accidents in the past, but in 5 Saturn years no one had died from a nuclear device, civilian or military. No one would be silly enough to start a nuclear war. Yet here I am. The button was pushed. I will be locked in the center of Chamus forever unless the doors were released by a Green order from Saturn. My family is dead. No, no bombs have fallen. I would have known, but I’ll never see them again, I will never have grandchildren.

Why! Why! Damn the communicative silence. It wasn’t the run-a-way that will be dealt with too easily, but why. The talks had been going well. The Uranian government was becoming more favorable to rejoining our forces. The joint mission to Venus had been a great success. Students were exchanged everyday. The political prisoners had been released. Why had the Uranian’s done this to their planet! To our planets! I’m a soldier; I’ve learned that when an enemy kills you, you must kill him before you die. I must destroy Uranus for Saturn too is dead. I must make sure Uranus pays for this; “Communication officers, are we set?”

“Nuclear missiles armed and ready.”

“Aerial bomb prepared for launch.”

“Moon shields 100%.”

“Chamus planetary shields 70% No contact with the other shields yet.”

“Civilian population alerted, shelters open.”

“Satellite telescopes on screens one through sixteen.”

“Ground telescopes on screens seventeen through fifty.”

“Ground cameras functional, infra-red feed on screen fifty one, all sectors functional.”

The ultimate state of readiness. All of my men know the routine. All I have to do is wait.

“Chamus planetary shields at 100%, contact made with other shields. Energy flow indicates all planetary shields are joined. Saturn is sealed.”

They’re waiting now. It’ll be me or my first mate that will call the order. But they need to wait for me, thirty seconds. Thirty seconds to die for life or to live for death. I’m a soldier, I die that others may live; I live that others may die. Especially those that would hurt Saturn. I must live to make sure they die, “Air borne launch! Interplanetary missiles launch!”

“Interplanetary missiles wave launched, defense missiles ready.”

“Airborne launched. Squadron green lost three fighters-technician errors. Squadron yellow diverted to run-a-way”

“Shields clear a window.”

“Planetary shields holding.”

“Martial law imposed. Aerial division technician found guilty of treason, terminated. Family now being questioned. Looting in sector 7 under control.”

“Satellite telescopes indicate no incoming.”

“Ground telescope identify launches. Dog fight in Quadrant ninety three, three Saturnian planes downed by unknown Saturnian pilot.”

“Ground cameras functional.”

“Ground telescope officer, identity the plane.”

“30-90-43, commander”

“Computer detonate 30-90-43”

“Voice check confirmed, 30-90-43 detonated”

“Ground telescope confirms, commander.”

“Any others?”

“Ground telescopes identifies none others, planes have cleared shield windows”

“Close shield, commander”

I rule Chamus. No one will ever question an order. There is only one order I can’t give. Code green. Damn I want to stop the war, but it’s too late. They’ve made their move. Besides Code green has to come from Saturn…

Thirty minutes have gone by. No news except the termination of the run-a-way. No signs of incomings. Planes are being tracked by satellite telescopes. No evidence of a launch from Uranus. No Green order. What’s going on? Where’s the damn war. Oh shit! We started it! Thirty minutes, they’ve just entered the visual range of Chamus. We started the fucking war! “Officers, report stats.”

“Missiles to reach Uranus in thirty minutes. Wave two to reach in forty minutes, Wave three to reach in fifty minutes, Wave four cleared windows one minute ago. Defensive missiles at ready.”

“Squadron Yellow returning to join defensive squadrons. Others approaching Uranus”

“Moon shields at 100%”

“Planetary shields at 100%.”

“No civic problems.”

“Satellite telescopes functional.”

“Ground telescopes functional.”

“Cameras functional.”

They’re getting tired. They must all have realized that we started the war. That means we’re all out. No code green until Uranus is destroyed. One hundred missiles each wave, ten waves from each moon. The fifth wave will destroy the shields. The sixth wave will kill 90% of the population. The seventh will raise the surface temperatures to 300 celsius and generate earthquakes off the scale. The eighth will begin vaporizing the surface. The ninth and tenth just to make sure. Fuck!

Sixty minutes “Officers, report status.”

“Wave two of missiles have reached Uranus. Wave seven has cleared windows. Defensive Missiles tracking incoming wave one.”

“Offensive squadrons have reached Chamus and are engaged.”

“Nothing at defensive squadron.”

“Man shields at 100%.”

“Chamus Planetary shields at 100%.”

“Civilian population unsettled. Patrols are having difficulty controlling flights. Three deaths, fighter injuries is sector eight.”

“Satellite telescopes indicate impact of waves one and two, Wave four now out of sight, wave seven entering field. Air borne engagement suggested by telescopes. Wave one of Uranus missiles identified. Estimated destination is two point seven minutes, on Saturn in twenty-eight minutes. Chamus unlikely to be hit due to position behind Saturn.”

“Ground telescopes show no problems.”

“Ground cameras confirm riots throughout civilian sectors, patrols being directed to areas of disarray”

This is it. The weak point in our tactics. To make sure they don’t know what we’re doing. There is a communication silence. Without communication we can’t coordinate our anti-missile missiles and they can’t coordinate with each other. Targets have to be precise. The various moons will end up shooting the same missiles. Hopefully only a few will get through. “Launch defense missiles! Defense squadrons prepare for enemy attack. Shields make sure you’re at full!”

“Defense missiles launched.”

“Squadrons ready for battle, sir!”

“Shields at 100%, Window’s created.”

“Shields at 100%.”

“Ground telescopes confirm launch.”

Ninety minutes, shit, “Officers, repeat status.”

“Wave four missiles has reached Uranus, Wave ten have cleared the windows. Defense missiles engaged waves one and two Uranian missiles. From wave one 12/150 struck the moon shield of Eos, 10/150 struck the Staturnian Planetary shield. 1/150 approached Chamus it was shot down by defense planes. A total of 50/150 are known to have passed the anti-missile missiles. From wave two a total of 50/150 are known to have passed through the missiles. It is estimated the Eos’ moon shield will fail when these strike it generating a ten percent deficiency in the planetary shield. They will not be able to launch all defensive missiles. Eos was able to launch all offensive missiles. Defensive missiles wave three is now approaching Uranian wave three.”

“Offensive squadron engaged in battle over Chamus, status unknown. Defensive squadrons from Saturn are taking a heavy beating.”

“I don’t want to hear about Planetary squadrons Air borne officer. Everybody is on their own, Thank you, I know.”

“Yes, commander… Defensive squadron are holding, meeting minimal attack.”

“Commander, We just lost power from Eos. The shield is dropping. Now rising. Estimation to 95% commander.”

“Moon shield officer continue report”

“Sir, Eos…”

“Continue report, officer”

“Yes, sir. Moon shields functional”

“Chamus Planetary shields at 95%”

“Civilian population getting worse. Forty deaths, two patrolman included, three hundred ninety seven injured including fifteen patrolman.”

“Is it only sectors seven and eight”

“It has spread into six and nine sir”

“Ok, telescope officer?”

“Satellite telescope on sector four lost in battle. Eos is registering direct hits. Uranus just got hit by wave four showing some shield damage. It’s moons are glowing.”

“Ground telescopes indicate occasional aerial fights, no major damage.”

“Cameras, functional show rioting in section seven.”

Eos is dead. Our home. Where our species arose from is now dead.

“Sir we just lost another 15% from planetary shields.”

“How much can be compensated?”

“We’re the only ones that aren’t being hit badly yet. We’re getting minimum support from the others. It’s to 80% but that won’t hold. Three waves sir?”

“I know, you’ve got to keep it up!”

“Yes, sir”

“Moon shield just took a blast in the southern quadrant. Shield dropping to 50%…”

“Break communication silence, alert defense squadrons.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Shields coming back up 60,70,75% stabilized. That couldn’t have been one bomb.”

“Commander take a look at section eight.”

“What is it?”

“It’s one of the moons of Uranus, watch the playback”

Why does he want me to watch this? A moon being bombarded, that’s all…Oh God! Oh God! The moon vaporized, Oh God! He’s repeating it on screen fourteen, why?

“Wasn’t that great, commander?”

“Why are you repeating it, telescope officer?”

“Sir?”

“Screen fourteen.”

“Sir!… sir, that’s one of ours.”

“Oh.”

“Commander, Planetary shield just dropped 30%. Rebuilding….I can’t do it. I’ve got back to 60%, but I can’t hold it… Commander, what do I do? Commander!”

“Commander we took another hit to the moon shield we’ve dropped down to 50,55,60% I can hold it for a while. Sir.”

“Keep it going men, we’ve got to keep it going. Another ten minutes and Uranus will be vaporized, we’ll have won!” But all of their missiles will have launched. How could they have thought we could win? No, I mustn’t say that. We can win, we will win.I must believe that.

“Captain we just lost another moon”

“Planetary shield down to 20% power drain is too much, the other moons are shutting off their supply. 10% sir!, Surces are be depleted!”

“Divert planetary shields to moo shields!.”

“Energy being diverted”

“Planetary shields to zero.”

“Moon shields up to 65,70,73%, stabilized.”

“We’ve lost another moon – just vaporized.”

“Easy telescope officer.”

(Easy shit!)

“You fucking bastard! It’s your fucking fault, you shit, you pushed the fucking red button. I’ll make sure you die before I do, you God damn fucking shit….”

The telescope officer is drawing on me. I live that others may die. I’m faster than him. Good-bye officer. “OK man get back to work.”

“We’ve lost screens three plus seven also, sir.”

“Ok, Ground telescope officer, you’re promoted to telescope officer.”

“Yes sir, thank you sir!”

“We have cameras fixed on a riot zone, commander, civilians are armed and killing each other. We’ve lost count.”

“Saturn just got hit, again, again, again, again…”

“Enough telescope officer.”

“Yes, sir”

“Defense squadron captain broke silence, sir. He’s lost all his men. There aren’t any of the enemies around. He’s heading into Saturn. Should I detonate his craft?”

“No, he’s abandoning a dead post.” And we are manning it.

“Last of the defense missiles have been launched sir.”

“Moon shields dropping to 40%, I can’t raise them sir.”

“Sir, look at screen forty seven please”

“What is it officer?”

“I don’t know sir, see the white flare at the surface of Saturn’s atmosphere?”

“The shields are gone, what could that be?”

“Commander, It’s the defense squadron captain, his ship burning up on re-entry”

“Saturn’s temperature,” It must be incredible.

“Get on with the work man, we’ll make it,” even if Saturn doesn’t.

“Commander, wave nine hit us. Shields are now at zero. I’m building them up on solar power, we’re up to 5,6,7,7.5,7.7%”

“Sir, look at Saturn!”

“90% of wave nine made it through the defense missiles.”

“Rioting in the central corridors, the settlements are in absolute chaos!”

“Stop!” That’s it, we sit and watch now, and it’s over. “Everybody we’ve fought a good battle and you’ve all done the children of Eos well. You should be proud of yourselves but now the war is over. If you’ll look at screen one you’ll note the Uranus is a dust ball. There is no life on Uranus, only two of its moon remain, both barren. We’ve survived, that’s the key. I guess the men on Saturn hoped we would.”

“Look at Saturn! Damn it! It’s molten, look at it! See how the last wave of missiles seems to pass through the planet, they freaking melted Saturn!”

“Telescope officer, come to attention”

“But, sir!”

“Attention! Now!”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’re soldiers; we knew that people would die. In war, the winner is the one who lives the longest. We did. We won. We were the superior. Freedom has won over dictatorship. We have proven once and for all that mankind is truly greatest when it is free. Uranus is a molten mess! Saturn is the soup of souls and the giver of our own life. Saturn shielded us from the missiles that we may live. Like a good soldier it died for us. Long live Saturn!”

“Long live Saturn! Long live Saturn!”

Yes, long live the dead Saturn. Barely a core left in the last glowing area that once was a planet with water and fields of plants, and people, filled with life. Now it’s too hot for even the eye of God to look upon. Too hot, too white, too dead for me to bear. “Let us now stand in silence and honor our dead comrades”

“Sir, the tenth wave just hit us. Ground telescopes burning out, surface temperature reaching eighty thousand, core temperature reaching one hundred. We’ve lost the atmosphere.”

“Life support systems on, functioning all right, sir.”

“The outer shelters!”

“Camera fifty one”

“The’re burned to a crisp. None of them could have survived.”

“Core temperature dropping to fifty degrees Celsius, dropping.”

“Life support raising central chamber temperature, stable at thirty degrees.”

“Core temperature dropping to below twenty degrees Celsius, dropping.”

“Life support systems, ok.”

“That was it, gentlemen. Not only did we survive longer in the war but also we survived the war. Unquestionably we won!”

“Yes, sir, we won…”

They know, we won, we fucking won. Six men, two women in chamber with food for one week. A chamber that’s closed to feed the dead civilians frozen, charred in their riot. Yes we won, we died last.

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Two days after the war. Solar panels are burnt out. Now running on battery. Life support systems will fail soon…

Look at the pretty rings we created.