In 2009, I began writing storyboard outlines for Space Ruckus: The Great Invasion. I had come to realize that the original story treatment from a few years prior would no longer suffice. I decided that now would be a good time to dig it out again with Space Ruckus: The Great Invasion playing a rather significant role in the ninth chapter of Nintendo Rhapsody. The storyboard outlines themselves were originally intended for the storyboard artist, and thus, have quite a few stage directions and POV information. It was fine for the storyboard, but not so fine for the casual reader. I have simplified a few things here and there for ease of reading. The chapter titles, by the way, were only temporary. They each borrowed from a different movie. It was my way of having a little fun while writing.
Chapter 1: Stand by Me
In a distant star system, an orbital base has been constructed for the purpose of mining the resources of Ralin V. A Class V gas giant with enough natural materials to power an entire fleet. A formal request was recently made for additional personnel. The base had found itself short-staffed for several lunar rotations. A transport ship is due to arrive shortly. Captain Seth Trilobite monitors incoming communication signals from the bridge of the orbital base. His crew is eager to see some fresh faces. A signal is soon detected from the transport ship. It has requested docking bay permission. Captain Seth Trilobite stands in attention and simply bobs his head to indicate approval.
The transport ship lands in the docking bay on deck one. An "All Clear" message is given over the loudspeaker. Captain Seth Trilobite departs from the bridge and enters the lift. A stream of multicolored lights pass over him as he descends through the lower decks. The new fleet personnel begin to emerge from the transport ship. A man in a blue suit steps out onto the deck of the docking bay. He approaches a security officer with a clippad in their hands. The officer asks the man for his name and rank. The man replies with a grin on his face, "Bill Grig. I am only a rookie, but I promise you won't be disappointed!" A man in a grey suit emerges from the transport ship. His name is Joe Commer. These two men were previously stationed together on the Ethorian orbital base. They are very good friends.
Captain Seth Trilobite welcomes the new personnel to the Ralin V base. He only wishes that Commander Bob Gunner could have been there to welcome them himself, but he is currently away on a deep space assignment. Members of the existing Ralin V crew greet Bill Grig, Joe Commer and all the other new arrivals. They are then escorted down the corridor and assigned crew quarters on deck two where they take a few moments to settle in. Bill Grig enters his quarters and has a seat on the bed. In an effort to give his new living space a touch of home, he removes a photo from his bag and places it on the overhead boarding. In the photo, Bill Grig's mother can be seen holding a delicious looking cake. Back on his home world of Orth, she is a renowned chef specializing in desserts. Bill Grig is proud of everything she has accomplished. A message is soon transmitted over the intercom. All new personnel are ordered to report for flight simulator training on deck three.
Chapter 2: Training Day
Bill Grig makes his way to the flight simulator room. He is one of the last to arrive. Bill Grig signs in at the front desk using his newly acquired Fleet ID. He then has a seat at one of the nearby terminals. A rotating fleet cruiser can be seen on-screen. He finds that Joe Commer will be his co-pilot during the training session. Everyone is anxious to get started. Six lessons appear on-screen. Basic Flight Controls (5 Points), Advanced Flight Controls (10 Points), Evasive Maneuvers (15 Points), Dogfighting (20 Points), Rescue Operation (25 Points) and Protection Operation (30 Points). Only four of these are required to pass the course.
Bill Grig, however, is not one to settle for an average score. He passes Basic Flight Controls and Advanced Flight Controls flawlessly. He continues to amaze everyone by pulling off a perfect score in Evasive Maneuvers and Dogfighting. Bill Grig finishes off the set with an unheard of record in Rescue Operation and Protection Operation. Joe Commer, on the other hand, finds that he is nowhere near as skilled. He congratulates Bill Grig on being a better pilot. Dan Trimodo, another rookie who was taking the test, appears to disrespect Joe Commer's flight skills. Dan Trimodo shouts with glee, "Looky here. It's hot shot and lame shot!" With the test now over, everyone stands and begins to depart the flight simulator room. Bill Grig invites Joe Commer to have lunch with him in the break hall. Joe Commer agrees and tells Bill Grig that he will meet him there in a few moments.
Chapter 3: Breakdown
As Bill Grig steps out of the lift onto the deck one corridor, he notices a bulletin on an overhead monitor. These monitors encompass just about every room on the base. Commander Bob Gunner is reporting from deep space. His team is investigating a mysterious signal originating from an unknown source. So far, everything seems to be in order. He promises another update when they have reached their destination. Bill Grig enters the break hall. Truly, a sight to behold. On the wall to the right, a very old arcade unit is still in operation. The peeling label reads "Galactic Struggle." To the left, a malfunctioning food dispenser and self serving bar can be found. Bill Grig would just love to have a drink. A series of tables and chairs line the middle of the room. At the center of each table is a holographic display monitor. Some of them appear to either not be in use or damaged. Finally, the back wall contains recruitment posters. Plenty of fleet personnel are already here, so they must be working. A musical track can be heard playing in the background, likely originating from a loudspeaker. It appears to be boosting everyone's mood.
Bill Grig meets back up with Joe Commer at a nearby table. As they begin to converse, Dan Trimodo walks by and harasses Joe Commer once again. Dan Trimodo says with glee, "Taking a break, huh? Those targets aren't going to miss themselves! They certainly didn't miss you!" Bill Grig says with a steadfast tone, "Ignore him. He's not worth it. People like Dan Trimodo don't even belong in the fleet. You have so much to offer, Joe. It's not all about targets on a computer screen." Bill Grig notices a familiar face sitting at a nearby table. His name is Sergeant John Squadner, and he is a very experienced pilot. He is talking with a few fellow fleet members about his request to be transferred to the Darcon XII orbital base. Bill Grig remembers hearing about him while stationed on the Ethoria orbital base. He was the first person to successfully navigate through the canyons of Nuckton.
Months earlier, Sergeant John Squadner was sitting in the cockpit of a modified fleet cruiser. He was checking his instrument panel. Sergeant John Squadner navigated his ship downward into a narrow and twisted canyon. Turn for turn, he maneuvered flawlessly. He seemed to know the terrain quite well. If only there were spectators, but Nuckton had not been inhabited for many years. Sergeant John Squadner approached the narrow mouth of the canyon, and as he did, turned his ship on its side to slide through. He breathed a sigh of relief, but it was clear that he never doubted himself.
Suddenly, a horrific sound can be heard on an overhead monitor. Commander Bob Gunner's entire team has been ambushed by attack ships. Most of them are completely wiped out. Commander Bob Gunner's ship, on the other hand, is pulled away by a tractor beam and loaded onto a cargo ship. Everyone in the break hall freezes up in disbelief. A crewman standing by the food dispenser drops his half eaten sandwich. A "Red Alert" is sounded throughout the base. Everyone in the break hall disperses to their place of duty, leaving Bill Grig and Joe Commer behind. Bill Grig assures Joe Commer that this will not be met with disregard and that they will form a plan to rescue Commander Bob Gunner.
Chapter 4: Contact
Bill Grig and Joe Commer exit the break hall and enter the deck corridor. The base is abuzz with activity now, but it does not seem to be fully directed at the rescue of Commander Bob Gunner. Everyone seems to be caught up in politics. How do we communicate with the enemy? What does the enemy want from us? How can we best level the playing field? Bill Grig is not a fan of politics. He is a man of action, not words. It is at this moment that Bill Grig and Joe Commer form a plan of their own. Bill Grig reminds Joe Commer of a lesson that they had earlier in the flight simulator room. They had to make a difficult choice regarding the abduction of a ranking officer. In that scenario, he chose to take matters into his own hands. Well, it is not a scenario anymore. Bill Grig and Joe Commer stop outside the docking bay. Bill Grig tells Joe Commer to wait for him there. Bill Grig does not say it, but he knows that Captain Seth Trilobite will never give Joe Commer clearance with his low flight marks.
Bill Grig races back to the upper deck to pick up his score chart from the flight simulator room. The attendant at the front desk graciously hands it over to him. Bill Grig enters the lift and chooses the bridge from the keypad. He anxiously waits for the door to open. Bill Grig gets his first look at the bridge. Terminals with viewing monitors line the oval shaped room. In the center, there is a comfortable looking chair, which Captain Seth Trilobite appears to be currently occupying. With everyone's attention elsewhere, nobody stops to think that a rookie should not be on the bridge. Bill Grig asks Captain Seth Trilobite for a moment of his time. He informs the captain of his drastic plan, and then pulls out his score chart from earlier. Captain Seth Trilobite does not entirely agree with this course of action, but he cannot ignore the fact that Commander Bob Gunner's life is at stake and that Bill Grig has the highest flight marks that he has ever seen in his time of service. Captain Seth Trilobite upgrades Bill Grig's Fleet ID to allow access to the docking bay. He then wishes Bill Grig a safe journey.
Bill Grig meets back up with Joe Commer outside the docking bay and uses his newly upgraded Fleet ID to open the door. Joe Commer is noticeably impressed. Bill Grig and Joe Commer enter the docking bay and have a look around. Toward the rear of the room, they find several fleet cruisers. They each hop into a fleet cruiser and configure their instrument panels. Bill Grig, who is always one step ahead, informs Joe Commer that he will take the lead. Two fleet cruisers can be seen exiting the docking bay. Several fleet personnel witness this scene from one of the passageways, often referred to as the glass walkway, and one of them points outward.
Chapter 5: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Bill Grig and Joe Commer fly away from the Ralin V orbital base and set a course for deep space. They ready laser power for any attack that they may need to make. The fleet cruiser has a weak defense, but it is all that they have to work with. Several hours later, Bill Grig and Joe Commer arrive at the location that Commander Bob Gunner's fleet was ambushed. Aside from a fair amount of scattered wreckage, there is no sign of the enemy forces. Joe Commer soon picks up a faint ion trail on his sensors. He manages to pinpoint the direction that the enemy forces have taken and informs Bill Grig over the intercom. Bill Grig and Joe Commer correct their flight path and blast off.
Soon enough, they catch up with the enemy forces. There are a number of attack ships swarming around the cargo ships in a protective pattern. Bill Grig warns Joe Commer not to attack the cargo ships. He fears that Commander Bob Gunner may be in one of them. Bill Grig and Joe Commer brace themselves for battle, and begin to fire on the attack ships. As they do, many of the attack ships break formation, and begin to fire on the fleet cruisers. Joe Commer manages to destroy one of them, but in his moment of celebration, takes a direct hit from another attack ship, and loses his laser power. Thus, Bill Grig is on his own to deal with the rest of them. Bill Grig takes some fairly severe damage throughout the course of the battle. With a weak shield in place, the outside of his ship quickly becomes badly scorched.
Bill Grig's panel begins to go crazy and he taps it with his fist. As he does, the panel lights back up. He is not certain whether or not the fleet cruiser can withstand much more of a beating. Bill Grig manages to maneuver behind the the last of the attack ships and anxiously pulls the trigger. With the last of the attack ships destroyed, Bill Grig and Joe Commer begin to inspect the cargo ships. There is still a defense mechanism in place, but it is more easily avoided than the attack ships were. A huge sigh of relief is felt between Bill Grig and Joe Commer when they overhear Commander Bob Gunner's voice on the intercom.
Bill Grig blows open the door of the cargo ship containing Commander Bob Gunner and flies inward; blasting crates along the way. Bill Grig reaches the other end of the cargo ship and frees Commander Bob Gunner's trapped fleet cruiser. Bill Grig and Commander Bob Gunner fly toward the opening of the cargo ship. Just as they escape, all of the cargo ships blast away. Bill Grig has a very strange feeling that they have not seen the last of them.
Chapter 6: Beerfest
Bill Grig, Joe Commer and Commander Bob Gunner request docking permission from the Ralin V orbital base, and then proceed to land in the docking bay. Commander Bob Gunner is glad to be back. Commander Bob Gunner wishes to thank Bill Grig and Joe Commer in public. The group make their way to the break hall where the rest of the crew has gathered. Commander Bob Gunner salutes Bill Grig and Joe Commer for their brave heroics in the field of battle. Everyone in the room holds up a glass of ale and toasts their new heroes. Dan Trimodo, who is also in attendance, refuses to toast Joe Commer. Dan Trimodo mutters under his breath, "He just got lucky. That's all." Shortly afterward, the festivities begin to wind down and everyone returns to their posts onboard the orbital base. Commander Bob Gunner reports to the bridge to continue his commanding duties and relieves a very tired Captain Seth Trilobite.
Meanwhile, Bill Grig and Joe Commer find themselves walking down the corridor, discussing what has recently transpired. Bill Grig thanks Joe Commer for his help in battle. However, Joe Commer knows now that he is not cut out to be a pilot, and they both realize that they will soon be parting ways. Bill Grig is on the path to becoming a Captain, while on the other hand, Joe Commer is now on the path to becoming an Engineer. Bill Grig and Joe Commer shake hands and then walk off in opposite directions. In the docking bay, Sergeant John Squadner boards a transport. His transfer request was approved and he is now looking forward to his assignment on the Darcon XII orbital base. The transport blasts into space. A distant star can be seen twinkling in an ominous way. There is much activity somewhere in the galaxy. The fleet can only hope that they have seen the last of their attackers, but nothing can ever be said for certain.
Chapter 7: The Sixth Sense
A few days have passed since the successful return of Commander Bob Gunner. Most of the crew members have put the whole experience behind them. Several of them can be seen in the corridor going about their usual business. However, for one crew member, the experience is still vivid. Bill Grig is sitting alone in his crew quarters and once again pondering the events that transpired. He knows that something does not quite add up. Bill Grig decides to do a little research in the laboratory on deck two. As he is making his way down the corridor, he notices an advertisement on an overhead monitor. Bill Grig does not quite understand the need for such things on an orbital base in deep space, but regardless, he decides to watch it. A blond haired man, no older than nineteen or twenty, is advertising his new shop, which specializes in ship repair. It is called Steven Handy's Fixer Uppers, and is located on Nuckton. Now, when would this information prove useful? Bill Grig enters the laboratory and has a seat at one of the terminals. He powers up the master computer and prepares to search the database.
Using footage from the initial attack on Commander Bob Gunner's team, Bill Grig is able to gather some new information. Several clues arise during his investigation. Most intriguingly, the symbol on the cargo ships. Bill Grig also notices that the enemy forces went into a V formation during both encounters. Bill Grig searches for the strange symbol in the database. There is only one result on the screen. Bill Grig now knows exactly what they are dealing with. The race known as Velorian. The database lists them as highly volatile. Their primary ambition is planetary conquest. Bill Grig's face turns to dread as he realizes the implications of these findings. To make matters worse, Bill Grig notices that there is a disturbing piece of archival footage associated with the Velorian name. It seems to date back twenty years and reveals the horrific last moments of another civilization. Bill Grig fearfully presses the play button.
In orbit around Zendar, crew members go about their daily activities onboard one of Zendar's finest bases. Everyone is as cheerful as can be. Suddenly, an armada of attack ships drop out of warp near the base and begin to fire on it without pause. As they do, many of the crew members frantically scatter throughout the corridor. The base is slowly torn apart and many of the crew members are sucked into the void of space. Terrifying screams can be heard from virtually every direction. For a brief moment, they shake about and gasp for air, but space quickly consumes them, and their lifeless bodies float outward. A very large explosion cuts the transmission short. Static fills the screen.
Bill Grig fears that the same fate could soon befall his own civilization and rushes to tell Commander Bob Gunner about his frightful discovery. On his way to the lift, Bill Grig overhears peculiar noises. They seem to be coming from the outer walls. He is not imagining them. Other fleet members begin to make comments. A few moments later, Bill Grig witnesses something zoom by the window. Everything is clear to him now. The Velorians are using probes to test the defense systems of the orbital base. Bill Grig enters the lift and chooses the bridge from the keypad. He can only hope that there is still time to warn Commander Bob Gunner.
Chapter 8: Under Siege
Just as Bill Grig begins his ascent inside the lift, a force of nearly fifty attack ships enter range of the Ralin V orbital base. Unfortunately, they do not look very friendly. Meanwhile, on the bridge, Commander Bob Gunner is trying to establish contact with them. The communications officer is unable to open a channel. Clearly, the aliens have no interest in idle conversation. The aliens begin to open fire on the base and Commander Bob Gunner orders an immediate counter-attack. The entire fleet is ordered to report to the docking bay. Bill Grig's lift has stopped somewhere between decks three and four. Sporadic power outages are being experienced throughout the base.
An attack ship circles through the inner section of the orbital base. It lines up a target; one of the glass walkways. A severe impact ignites the walkway as several fleet members are making their way through. Those that are not immediately burned alive, begin to make a run for the adjacent corridor, screaming their lungs out along the way. Flames fully engulf the walkway. One fleet member tries to reach for the outside corridor, but an emergency door slams shut to prevent further breaches. Everyone that was in the passageway is now dead.
Bill Grig notices a hatch above him and quickly pops it open. He climbs out of the lift and has a look around with the aid of his visor's night vision. Bill Grig finds an emergency ladder in the lift shaft that leads to the various decks. He climbs upward to reach the bridge. Bill Grig soon arrives to inform Commander Bob Gunner of the alien race's intentions. Commander Bob Gunner realizes that this is not going to be an easy battle to win. He has something special to show Bill Grig. Bill Grig and Commander Bob Gunner quietly depart from the bridge and once again make use of the emergency ladder inside the lift shaft. Commander Bob Gunner orders Bill Grig to follow him to the lower deck.
As Bill Grig and Commander Bob Gunner pass by the lift, it begins to sway back and forth. Bill Grig warns Commander Bob Gunner to watch out for falling debris. They both hold tightly onto the ladder as the lift comes crashing down. It ultimately collides with the lowest deck. Commander Bob Gunner hopes that nobody was hurt down below. Commander Bob Gunner reaches for the deck two door and slowly pries it open. Bill Grig follows him through the doorway. As they make their way through the corridor, a major breach occurs. The overhead monitors and wall panels begin to buckle, and then fly outward.
Bill Grig and Commander Bob Gunner hold tightly onto the inside wall to avoid being sucked into space. The oxygen level in the corridor quickly depletes and they begin to gasp for air. To avoid suffocation, Commander Bob Gunner unlocks the door to the private docking bay and Bill Grig follows him through. The door closes behind them. Commander Bob Gunner has been experimenting with new ship technology. He has something to show Bill Grig that will change the shape of the fleet forever. Several schematics can be seen on a nearby table. Commander Bob Gunner unveils his creation, the G-Flyer! Jim Wise assembled the ship and Commander Bob Gunner supervised its construction. He believes that now is finally the time for its maiden voyage.
Chapter 9: Star Wars
Bill Grig hops into the G-Flyer and starts the engine. He notices that this ship has a much better defense system than the fleet cruiser. It is equipped with two phaser cannons, which have a significantly faster recharge time. It is also equipped with an improved shield system, which can be further enhanced by temporarily disabling phaser production, and it features a one of its kind target tracking system. Bill Grig is impressed by these improvements. Commander Bob Gunner warns Bill Grig that the G-Flyer is still a prototype. He should take tender care of it. Bill Grig fires up the booster rockets and blasts into space. The sheer pressure of the blast knocks him backward into his seat. The fleet has already taken some fairly massive casualties. Bill Grig can only hope that he is in time to save the base itself.
Bill Grig decides to give the new defense system a test. With a quick tap of the trigger button, the G-Flyer's duel phaser cannons heat up and ignite into space. They make contact with several unsuspecting attack ships. The result is fiery splendor. Bill Grig has now aroused the attention of the other attack ships. Many of them suddenly shift their target on Bill Grig and his powerful new ship. Wave after wave of attack ships bombard Bill Grig. Relentlessly, he plows through them with his duel phaser cannons. It soon comes down to just one remaining attack ship. Sergeant Kit Adome, a pilot in the battle, orders the surviving members of the fleet to return to base for repairs. Bill Grig remains to settle the score.
Meanwhile, in the docking bay, Joe Commer has enlisted his services to repair incoming ships. He believes that he has finally found his true calling. As Joe Commer looks onward, the first batch of fleet cruisers arrive fresh from battle. One of them lands near Joe Commer. It is Sergeant Kit Adome. He asks Joe Commer to be gentle with her, referring to his ship. Joe Commer picks up a utility belt from a nearby table and gets to work.
Bill Grig engages in a dogfight with the last remaining attack ship. Turn for turn, the G-Flyer is one step ahead, and it is soon proven that it can outmaneuver just about anything. Bill Grig says goodbye to his competition once and for all. With one last tap of the trigger button, it is blasted into oblivion like the ones before it. Commander Bob Gunner informs Bill Grig over the intercom that there are more attack ships approaching the sector. Bill Grig wants to make sure that they never arrive. He sets a course for deep space and engages the booster rockets once more.
Chapter 10: Deep Impact
Bill Grig soon arrives in deep space and finds himself up against an unbelievable number of attack ships. Through the window of his ship, he can see a large solar radiation cloud. The attack ships quickly spot Bill Grig and hone in on him. Their blaster fire practically disables his shield. Several scuff marks can now be seen on the G-Flyer's exterior. Bill Grig goes into a barrel roll to avoid some of the more devastating shots. It seems to be fairly effective. With a few well placed shots, Bill Grig takes out several of the leading attack ships, but he soon realizes that nothing will stop these aliens forever.
An attack ship attempts to collide with the G-Flyer. Bill Grig takes evasive maneuvers to avoid an impact. Is this what they have reduced themselves to, suicide bombing? With a few more well placed shots, Bill Grig takes out several more attack ships. Bill Grig's radar shows two attack ships racing toward him from opposing directions. At the last moment, he spins away, and the two attack ships collide with each other. In one last ditch effort, Bill Grig wipes out the remaining attack ships with his duel phaser cannons.
Bill Grig breathes a sigh of relief, albeit a bit prematurely. To his surprise, a small base has emerged from behind the solar radiation cloud. Unfortunately, the G-Flyer's phaser cannons do not seem to have an effect on it. Bill Grig's only choice is to dock with the mysterious base. After doing so, he locks up the ship and takes note of his parking space. It appears to be Velorian 3-D. Bill Grig enters a dark corridor and gets his first real look at the ugly invaders. At first glance, they appear almost squid-like. Several tentacles extend from their chin and legs and reptilian skin covers their arms, head, and torso.
It is not long before the aliens spot Bill Grig and open fire on him. Thankfully, Commander Bob Gunner had the foresight to equip the G-Flyer with a portable phaser. Bill Grig returns fire on the aliens. Bill Grig advances his way through the base. He stops periodically to shield himself from alien fire and then continues to move forward. Soon enough, he locates the control room and finds the core of the base within. Bill Grig attempts to gain access to a nearby control panel, but it proves unsuccessful.
Bill Grig has only one option now. Using his phaser, he fires directly on the core itself. The core begins to spark and then implodes on itself. Bill Grig races back the way that he came and locates the G-Flyer with very little time to spare. As Bill Grig is flying away from the rubble that was once an alien base, Commander Bob Gunner sends an urgent message over the intercom. He orders him to return to Ralin V. More attack ships have surrounded the orbital base.
Chapter 11: Top Gun
Several major blasts penetrate the orbital base, resulting in the emergency closure of the second and third decks to preserve the safety of the crew members onboard. All activity is now isolated to the docking bay and the bridge. With their ships repaired, the surviving members of the fleet return to battle. Joe Commer proved to be quite the handyman. The fleet cruisers seem to be operating at full capacity. Nay, even stronger than before. Bill Grig soon arrives to find himself up against an even more unbelievable number of attack ships. He wonders whether or not the Velorians have anything better to do with their time. Bill Grig taps the trigger button and blasts into the middle of the battle.
Bill Grig mows down everything that he can, but sadly, even that is not good enough. The attack ships appear to be adapting to his flight style. Bill Grig is on the receiving end of some very severe firepower. If he takes one more hit like that, he will lose his shield and be a sitting duck. Now in front of the attack ships, and with the orbital base in clear sight, Bill Grig decides to loop around for a kill. Once again, he taps the trigger button and blasts directly into the middle of the battle.
Bill Grig makes a third and final run. He wipes out all but one of the attack ships. The last attack ship loops around and positions itself behind the G-Flyer. Bill Grig takes evasive maneuvers through the inner section of the orbital base to avoid blaster fire from the trailing attack ship. Finally, Bill Grig himself loops around and positions himself behind the attack ship. As they say, one good turn deserves another.
Bill Grig taps the trigger button and sends the final attack ship into pieces. Commander Bob Gunner once again contacts Bill Grig over the intercom. They have learned the location of the alien base. Bill Grig sets a course and yet again engages his booster rockets. Meanwhile, Sergeant Bud Kelson, another pilot in the battle, orders the surviving members of the fleet to remain and protect the orbital base in case any more attack ships may arrive.
Chapter 12: The Last Starfighter
Bill Grig soon arrives at the alien base. It is an enormous monstrosity. Size must really matter to the Velorians. He soon realizes that the base is not his only problem. A truly unbelievable number of attack ships are scattered about the area. Bill Grig prepares for his attack. Forcefully, he blasts toward the alien base. From virtually every direction, attack ships race toward Bill Grig with an unprecedented level of fiery fury. Bill Grig cannot fend them all off. He quickly loses his shield completely. His only defense now lies in his skills alone. Bill Grig will not go down without a fight. Bill Grig spots a series of beams that span the surface of the alien base and decides to fly between them to avoid some of the more devastating attacks from above.
Using his duel phaser cannons, Bill Grig blasts anything and everything around him that he can hit. From every which way, there are swarming attack ships and spinning turrets. Bill Grig does not know whether or not he will survive. Suddenly, Commander Bob Gunner sends a message over the intercom. He informs Bill Grig of a mother ship at the other end of the alien base. If Bill Grig hopes to live through this day, he will have to take down this mother ship. To his surprise, after passing through the last beam, a large vessel rises from beneath the alien base. It is an enormous shielded ship. Bill Grig blasts it with everything that he has. He only briefly pauses to dodge attacks.
The shield surrounding the mother ship begins to fade. Bill Grig believes that he has gained the upper hand. However, in his moment of triumph, he fails to notice a swarm of attack ships rise from behind the mother ship. Bill Grig goes into a last minute barrel roll to avoid the oncoming fire. It is almost too much to avoid. Just barely, he manages to survive the attack. If he takes one more shot like that, he will be done for, however. Bill Grig blasts the attack ships into oblivion and then continues to concentrate on the mother ship. The shield is finally destroyed. With his last ounce of breath, Bill Grig races in for the kill. He relentlessly holds down the trigger button and gives the mother ship everything that he has.
Suddenly, the mother ship explodes into a million pieces and Bill Grig engages his booster rockets. He passes directly through the debris. Bill Grig mutters the words, "sayonara suckers!" Bill Grig watches as the remaining attack ships lose control and collide with the alien base. He can only assume that the mother ship contained flight directives for the other ships. Bill Grig flies the bruised and battered G-Flyer to safety just as the alien base explodes. Commander Bob Gunner sends one last message over the intercom. He congratulates Bill Grig on his successful mission and asks him to return to Ralin V. Celebration is now in order.
Chapter 13: The Sound of Music
Bill Grig lands the G-Flyer in the docking bay. He is glad to see that the old base still stands. Albeit, a little worse for wear. Power has been restored to some areas. After the final battle, the entire fleet remained in the docking bay to welcome Bill Grig home. In the crowd is Commander Bob Gunner. He has a smile on his face. Everyone shakes hands with Bill Grig and once again thanks him for his bravery in the face of battle. Commander Bob Gunner has a surprise waiting for Bill Grig in the break hall. He invites him and the rest of the fleet to join him there.
Once there, Bill Grig is formally promoted to Sergeant. The fleet toasts him. In attendance to wish him well is Bill Grig's friend Joe Commer. Suddenly, Dan Trimodo shows up one last time to disrespect him. Dan Trimodo shouts in passing, "Hey there, stinky wrenchhead!" Having listened to what Bill Grig told him a few days ago, Joe Commer ignores him and continues to celebrate with the others. Bill Grig thanks Commander Bob Gunner for the use of his new ship, the G-Flyer. Commander Bob Gunner is very satisfied with how the ship operated, but only wishes that Bill Grig had not scraped the fresh paint job. He is sure that the ship will again prove useful. Therefore, Commander Bob Gunner decides that it is time to mass produce a version for the rest of the fleet. He has envisioned a very promising future. Everyone in the room once again holds up a glass of ale and toasts their victory.
Meanwhile, across the sector, other fleets are celebrating the victory too, including Ethoria and Darcon XII. Sergeant John Squadner is among the celebrating fleet members. Later, back on the Ralin V orbital base, Bill Grig stands in the corridor, peering off into space. He reaches for his helmet and removes it from his head. Bill Grig, now moving up the ladder of command, ponders his past for a moment. He recollects on memories of his former home in a distant galaxy. A home that he has not seen for several years. His obligation to the fleet being one of the reasons for this. He can only hope that, one day, he will see Orth again. These thoughts soon fade from Bill Grig's mind as he continues to celebrate the victory with his fellow fleet members. Meanwhile, the stars continue to shimmer and a shooting star can momentarily be seen passing by. The galaxy is finally at peace again... for now.
In the laboratory, power has been restored, and a few sparks are flying. Several terminals have been knocked over and files are scattered about. An overhead shelf collapses to reveal a few more files. Most of them are not very interesting, save for one. A file titled "Assignment: Orth."
In the words of Winston Churchill, "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
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