Cosmos (Discontinued)

1: The Bogey (part 2)

Dash-2 linked, the IMS displayed with a chirp, confirming the synchronized flight. A blue navigation blip popped over the edge of my visor, the vectors for Gendiea.

I rolled the thrust lever forward and twisted the yoke, boosting us away from the asteroid belt while simultaneously rolling into the direction of the navigation blip. Once centered on the vectors, I pulled the thrust lever back to idle.

The Persecutor's NI gained control, activating the mass exchange drive. My canopy pulsed with cold, blue hues as the shields caught and contained the sudden release of energy. Then the boosters fired.

My gut tightened with excitement, even though I would barely feel the acceleration. The thought of traveling near the speed of light -- literally chasing light -- was exhilarating.

The stars around me blurred, streaking over my canopy like spilled oils. Then a bright, colorless ring of light, like a white projector screen, radiated outward from the center and blanketed over my canopy. As soon as it touched the edges, it retreated again and unmasked a different image than that of the magnificent nebula.

Now, only dead black space filled the top half of my view, fringing on a glowing curvature of lush green jungles and vibrant blue seas. Gendiea hung before us like an orb, rotating imperceptibly, so close we could almost reach out and touch it.

I leaned forward and lifted my visor to get a better view of the sprawling topography 5,000 kilometers beneath me. Entire gorges, thousands of meters deep, and waterfalls taller than the mountains back home. Of all three habitable planets, this was the only one I never visited. Mainly because it was forbidden.

"I've received the data from the sensors," reported Vel. "It appears the bogey has entered the atmosphere and is currently roaming the surface."

"It's on the planet right now?!" I gasped, gawking in his direction. Through time dilation, the jump had taken us twenty-three minutes. I'd expected it to have disappeared by now. What was it after on that planet?

"The sensors have a lock on it, directly below us. But due to the strong ionosphere, we may not be able to interact with the bogey."

I tossed a hand toward the planet. "What are we waiting on?!"

"Not so fast. It's off-limits. Our best course of action is to await reinforcements, and for the bogey to exit into orbit."

"Vel, that atmosphere has it trapped like a fish in a barrel!" I explained. "At low altitudes it's limited to supersonic speeds, which means we can intercept it. If we let it escape into orbit, it'll just jump off!"

"The planet is off-limits, your highness."

I groaned and threw myself against folded arms on the dashboard, muttering, "who cares about some treaty signed over fifty years ago! The Augurs might not even remember."

"They're religious fanatics who live their entire lives according to ancient transcriptions. I doubt they'll forget about this treaty any time soon."

"Wait, the treaty says we cannot 'set foot' on their planet," I countered. "We're flying above it!"

"Until we need to make an emergency landing, which is probable in this scenario."

"Then...let's not make an emergency landing," I murmured coyly, my impatient fingers rubbing against the thrust lever. I would be darned if I let it get away. "We'd be forsaking our duty to our empire if we let it go!"

"Our duty is to the throne. And mine is to protect you and your family from harm, both physically and politically. Remember, the senate ratified this treaty. If we violate it, we give them power over the consequences. Also, we know nothing of the bogey's capabilities. I cannot risk an encounter that would endanger your life."