6 Billion A.D./The League Fights Back

Chapter 7: ...

Tentative Synopsis: The League fights back, but Rigel's loyalty is tested after Sophiy's death.

7.1

Gas clouds gathered over the viewport.

7.2

Spaceships maneuvered through each others' ranks. When the shiny fleet approached Rigel's line, Rigel's side seemed to disappear.

In volleys, opposing sides passed through each other. As in battles from so many years ago that they were long forgotten. Yet, somehow the traces of those battles remained. Different technologies, different tactics.

From watching one would think that the opposing sides were dancing rather than fighting. Each side went by the other without so much as brushing against it. Where were the strikes?

Here and there, almost invisibly to the untrained eye, one side took out a ship from the other side. These losses were minimal from a certain standpoint. Yet, cumulatively, they resulted in a tilt in the balance of power.

Morp stared angrily at the display in his visor. "What is this?!"

A crew member walked up to his side. "Sir, this is for you," he said, handing Morp a sealed package.

As virii had battled within and outside of their ancestors' bodies for billions of years, and as their ancestors had battled nearby tribes -- and each other -- for so many years, the opposing sides found any advantage they could. Yet, for all their work, the other side found their own advantages, equaling out the results.

Rigel had an idea.

Grabbing the controls, he paused where otherwise he would have swooped up into battle. Hovering above the central plane of the battlefield, he watched Morp's troops advance for three full seconds, five full seconds, seven full seconds. Then he suddenly dove into battle, sideswiping a pressing opponent. Score one.

Did it affect the outcome? It did. As opposing fleets continued diving into each other, Rigel continued to improve his pause-and-swoop maneuver.

It seemed to throw off the patters, the rhythms of the enemy.

Gradually, slowly, Rigel took out more and more ships. Five, ten, fifteen.

Slowly, the battle shifted in favor of Rigel's side.

Soon enough, he knew, the enemy would relay the results back to their headquarters. The enemy analysts would figure out his pattern. They would develop a counterattack. But, at least for the moment, Rigel had handed his allies an important victory.

And, perhaps more importantly, Rigel had developed a technique that would enable him to make further headway.

On and off the battlefield. If such a distinction could be made.

Back at base, Rigel removed his uniform, switching into civvies

"Good job," his squad leader said.

"So, do I get an award, or what?" Rigel asked.

"Don't worry, you'll get a reward," his captain answered.

Rigel looked over his dirty uniform. The stains, the smells, they washed over him in a wave of pleasure

7.3

The... ... ...

7.4

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7.5

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