Convergence/Prelude

Prelude
            For a moment, the packed assembly hall bore memories of warmth and familiarity. The slender flute of rose-colored claret in his hand was cool to the touch, the taste of the wine exquisite. Standing in a knot of friends and classmates all attired, like himself, in the same formal white dress uniform trimmed with black and gold, the newly-minted lieutenant laughed and joked. The exact words escaped him, hushed by the cacophony of the crowded room, but he knew they were humorous, light-hearted. He spied his family from the corner of his eye, Amaa, Adaa, and his little brother Harstem in their formal attire standing off to the side, talking to the Kirwells.

His eye wandered out over his circle of friends to catch a tall, lithe young woman sauntering by. She made even a dress uniform, a military tailor’s best attempt to stamp governmental uniformity and repressible elegance on every wearer, look stunning. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he reflected how lucky he was to have her in his life. Ntani Anselam—Ensign Ntani Anselam—had been his girl for eighteen months now. He had had no idea how alive someone could be until that brown-haired captain of the slingball team had entered his life in a whirlwind of cadet romance, late nights talking of futures and loves, and a riot of activity. Ntani was always in motion. Even her brown eyes rarely were still, bouncing from sight to sight, unless something truly captured her attention.

The lieutenant smiled at her and waved her over. She flashed him a dazzling smile of her own in response and was almost to his circle of friends when there was a low boom that rippled through the hall. The lieutenant froze as the entire station rumbled, causing the meniscus of his claret to bob erratically. His stomach lurched as he realized what was happening. Only something truly momentous could have such a tangible impact on the cavernous orbital station that hung over the planet of Corellia in silent vigilance. The lieutenant looked up through the transparisteel viewport, dread filling him as he saw, headed straight toward them, the knifelike shapes of the oncoming fleet decanting from hyperspace.

He caught Ntani’s eye for an instant. Her usual confidence was replaced by worry and fear. Ntani was one of the bravest and most confident people he knew, but in this case, her fear was well-placed. Alarms cut suddenly through his momentary paralysis, wailing with dissonant howls. A stern military voice, gravelly from years of command and hard living, barked orders over the sudden discord.

“All Five Worlds personnel, battle stations! This is not a drill!”

The lieutenant knew without a doubt that it wasn’t. He looked around his circle of friends one last time—Kether, Lamkins, Oxtana, Moldava, Ntani—and then was whirled away as the station shuddered from the first impacts. Red flares and shards of light burst forth from the oncoming fleet. He staggered to his feet, trying to see what was attacking them. He recognized the distant shapes of metal ships hanging in the void as Grasp designs, sending a cold shudder through him. The next several minutes flew past in a chaotic blur of red light mingling with gray metal, of choking, roiling smoke, of frantic screams and thunderous explosions that simultaneously tore at his hearing and sucked it away. Raging fire and flying debris filled his vision. His stomach churned and tore at him, the ache almost palpable as his friends were lost from view forever. ''His family! He had to find his family!'' The world lurched around him; then he was floating freely as the station lost artificial gravity. He pulled his way from the large assembly hall into a side corridor, scanning the area. The air reeked of burning plastic and ozone. Still groggy, he shook his head to clear his vision and struggled forward.

Howling air currents tore at him suddenly, and he felt his ears pop as the compartment depressurized. Training and instinct took over. Pushing off one wall with his legs, he darted into a side compartment. He vaguely remembered the two people he ran into, scared young teenagers. But eventually darkness overwhelmed him, leaving him awash in a sea of unconsciousness, utterly helpless and trapped in a tiny space.

He was somewhat surprised to emerge from that black oblivion, pulled back to reality by the ministrations of a team of red-suited medics. Everything seemed dream-like, as if his mind had overloaded and hadn’t fully remembered where it was or what happened. For whatever reason, the attackers hadn’t completely destroyed the station. Apparently, he learned that rescue crews had plucked him and the two midshipmen he’d saved from the wreckage of the space station after several hours in an airtight compartment.

The fact of his survival was no relief, though, for once the shock and after-effects of oxygen deprivation wore off, he realized the true depth of his loss—his family, friends, classmates, Ntani—all gone in a few feverish moments of hopeless, ruthless battle. And the worst part was that he saw it all again in vivid, horrifying detail every single night he slept.