Story #273 - Barrier

Barrier

“The Barrier will hold.” Captain Tal's voice rang out over the staging square, nearly full to bursting with fifty Walkers. Each had heard the speech and exulting line that went with it hundreds of times, but still they stiffened, backs rigid with pride and faces beaming. They knew the Barrier would hold, knew it would keep them all safe. Even if a crack were somehow to appear, they were trained to deal with it, trained to respond to whatever might come through. The Realms would be safe, no matter what the men of the Barrier were up against; that was the way it was, and the way it always would be.

“I ask you, men of the Barrier – will it hold?” Tal cried out, and a cheer went up from the assembled. “Will it hold?” He bellowed.

“YES!” Came the shattering reply.

“Dismissed, then.” Tal's said with a clipped salute, and the men began to file out, faces set and strides determined. They would not fail.

…

Bix Teever had heard Tal's speech at least a hundred times since taking his post at the Barrier, but somehow the Captain always managed to make it seem as though this patrol might be their last, as if the fate of all the Realms rested on their shoulders. Despite himself, despite twenty years of jaded service in the forces, Bix always found the speech exciting, found that it set his blood racing to...walk.

That was the truth of it – that was what they really did for ten hour shifts each day. Up and down their appointed section of the Barrier, staring into the shimmering yellow wall that lay just beyond the stone walkway. Of course, the wall was not really yellow, just like the stone wasn't really there. From what he understood, the entire facility was a three-dimensional projection of a four-dimensional space. They'd all had to take a class when they started, a little training session hosted by one of the Barrier's eggheads. The wormy fellow had explained that the V'goth didn't need to use three-dimensional space to travel, which was why they'd been able to invade the in the first place. Using technology stolen from the V'goth when they retreated, the best minds in the Realms were able to erect the Barrier around the entire solar system, preventing any traffic in or out. Thankfully, there were enough on-planet resources to sustain all of the Realms for the next three hundred years, since there was no way to know if or when the V'goth would give up the hunt.

That was the real downside to the Barrier- it was either on or off. No ships could leave, just as none could enter, and turning it off to allow passage for even one scout vessel would leave the Realms undefended for the better part of a year while the Barrier's generators recharged.

Bix moved to the edge of the walkway and looked out at the sphere that kept them safe and hemmed them in. Personally, he'd take the safety over the need for exploration, but he knew more than few who felt the other way. Nuts to them, though – they could amuse themselves fighting for the Realms in one of the colony wars – he would keep his job here on the Barrier, protecting what really mattered.

A ripple in the Barrier's imaginary fabric caught his eye, and his heart skipped a beat. For all that he'd been trained in how to respond if an attack came, what it really boiled down to was shooting his gun wildly and trying to get to an alarm. Sealing the Barrier wasn't something that could be done easily, and he had no illusions about killing a V'goth on his own. He was expendable – he knew that much – but if he could raise the rest of the station, they'd likely be able to mount a coherent defense and seal the breach. One life for many, just as it should be.

There was a low grunt from behind him as Yannick passed by. As large as any two men put together, Yannick had been sent to the Barrier station for repeated issues in his previous squadron, and it was a simple and well-known fact that staying away from Yannick was the best way to stay out of trouble. The man was unpredictable at best.

He was about to turn and continue on his walk when he heard another grunt from the bigger man, low-toned and intense. Whilrling, he watched as Yannick's body tumbled to the ground, a tall creature in a blue-plated armor suit standing above it. A quick glance at the Barrier showed a tiny hole, already sealing itself, just below the edge of the walkway. His blood ran cold.

Lifting his rifle, he slipped off the safety and began to slowly back away. The nearest alarm station was only ten yards behind him – radios wouldn't work near the Barrier, so hardlines were the only options.

The V'goth held up a hand, and with the other popped the clips on its helmet. There was no mistaking its features, no way it could be confused for something else.

It was him.

The world began to spin lazily around him as what he was seeing refused to mesh with what he knew was possible.

“Listen,” the thing that couldn't be him said quickly, “we don't have much time. We need to shut this thing down, and quickly.”

“What?” He was impressed he managed to get the entire word out.

“Dammit!” The other-him swore. “I'd forgotten how obtuse I am. Let me sum it up for you, hotshot. You're not safe in the Barrier – hell, you're not even in the Realms. The V'goth won the war ten years ago, not us, and created the Barrier to keep us trapped. They've been twisting us – well, you – to their aims ever since. You've been sold a line about us stealing V'goth shield tech, but what we really took were their duplicators. There are a new set of Realms, and we're finally strong enough that we've come to save our former brothers in arms.”

Bix nodded as he reached the alarm, made like he was actually considering the nonsense he was hearing, and then pulled down hard. A warning klaxon sounded.

“Goddamit!” The other man said, gliding toward him, and Bix grit his teeth. One way or another, only one of him would be standing when the rest of the Barrier crew arrived.

- D