Just then the ship bolts forward and Tabitha falls into my arms. Her long, braided hair covered my face.

“What happened?” she says in a concerned voice.

“The ship is being moved along the conveyor belt to a launch position. It won’t be long now.”

She smiles and says, “Guess I’ll go and get my own seat. For safety. Till later.”

Gingerly, she makes her way to a seat a few meters away in front of one of the dilapidated computer arrays. Parts of it start to light up in green, red and yellow.

The ship is being jerked left and right, up and down and we both quickly realize it prudent to put on the safety belts that fortunately still work. The ship is being moved much faster now and my stomach is feeling queasy.

Then the abrupt halt. The strain on my body is intense. If not for the belt, a serious injury would have been unavoidable. Then there is nothing but space outside the ship. I lean forward briefly before I’m pushed back as the ship launches.

Then for the first time in my life, I experienced weightlessness. I flap my hands up and down in wonderment.

Tabitha laughs and says, “You’re crazy.”

The crowd hushed in deference.

“The people thank you for coming to the defense of their home world. Your legend had already reached this small part of the Empire but never did we think we would need you so badly. Please follow me.” said the Emperor’s Representative.

Timothy surveyed his surroundings. He was on a hilltop fortification which was surrounded by large mountains on every side. Artillery and laser guns lined the battlements.

He was led to a large, stone whose large wooden doors quickly closed behind him. He and his three loyal men found themselves surrounded by naked women. Their skin was red and dry, at times leaving flakes on the floor. A result of the hostile environment.

It had indeed been some time since he had the pleasures of the flesh but rage flew through his veins. The Tyranids were just a short few days away. There was no time for this or other formalities. Maybe later, after victory.

“Get out, get out now,” he shouted.

The women looked at each other in astonishment.

Then his machine guns perked up and pointed at some of them.

They immediately fled.

“What’s wrong? Would you prefer some boys instead? Whatever you desire,” a perplexed-looking Representative said.

“Now is the time for war, not pleasure. I want to speak to your top commanders at once.,” said Timothy authoritatively.

“Yes of course,” came the reply.

“What now,” Tabitha asked.

“This is an automated transport ship. It’s going to the coordinates you gave me in the pub. We don’t t have any crew to worry about so we should try to find somewhere with a view. We’re here for a while.” I replied.

I’d never been on a ship before but from what I could gather this used to be a manned ship that had been converted. From a documentary I once watched, this is actually quite common. This ship might have been as far out as the Kuiper Belt at one stage. There are remnants of human habitation throughout. Chairs and tables stacked to the side of some of the rooms. But most of the space is filled large wooden containers of produce. The lighting flickers.9

We reach the old main deck of the ship. I quickly sit on the captains seat. In a way, it’s like a dream coming through. This was where I wanted to be since I was little.

There is a transparent screen all around us showing us the environment outside the ship.

“What has you so happy?” Tabitha asked.

“Just being here, with you on this ship.”

She comes towards me and kisses me on the lips.

Timothy could hear the noise of the people outside before he was even pushed out of the ship in his decrepit wheelchair. Then large roars of Timothy, Timothy were belt out by the ecstatic crowd. Some tried to push forward to touch him but were held back by tall, strong guardsmen who were dressed in the imperial red uniforms.

The sky was hazy and the foul smell of the atmosphere was immediately apparent. It was uncomfortably warm.

Then Timothy saw it for the first time, his new battle-chair. His eyes were transfixed by what he saw. It looked perfect with a red frame and armed with four machine guns. Two on each side of where would sit and two over where his head would rest. His men instinctively lifted him up and placed him and his old backrest into it. Everything had been done to his exact specifications.

Timothy was feeling something unknown to him for a very long time – happiness. It was his dream chair. Now he was ready for war. The crowd went into a hushed silence as he maneuvered the chair and its weaponry back and forth.

Then there was commotion within the crowd with some screaming. There was a surge of the crowd left and right leaving a man in rags on his knees. His eyesee were bulging and his skin was turning rougher and scalier.

“Get away from him,” Timothy implored. He had seen this before.

Then he opened fire destroying the would be monster.

“Bravo, bravo,” bellowed the bald Emperor’s Representative who appeared from the masses.

Gerard was flapping his hands motioning for us to follow him. He led us to a narrow door made from the same dark steel like substance as the rest of immense structure. Once inside, i froze for a moment through sheer wonder. As if my heart had missed a few beats.

It was beyond anything that I had seen. One large spaceship after another stacked in rows both vertically and horizontally. Gerard knows where he is going and we quickly follow him as he darts ahead.

We go left, then right as if in a maze. We hear others in the distance but we keep swerving away from them at just the right moment. Gerard has done this many times before.

After walking for what seems far too long, we come to an abrupt halt.

“Seo é do thicéad as seo amach.” said Gerard triumphantly.

(This is your ticket out of here.)

“What did he say Ciaran?” Tabitha immediately asked Ciaran.

“That this is our ship.”

It was an old mid sized ship from a bygone era. It would have been standard at the time with a large bridge at the front. It smelled of toil and decay, only exacerbated by its fading blue colour.

With that Gerard took a keypad and pressed some buttons. A side slowly clanked open.

With that I took hold of Tabitha’s hand and went to go into the ship.

“Wait, your coming with me?” she said surprised.

“Yes, there is nothing for me here.”

They entered the ship and the door began to squeak close. They turned to Gerard and waved goodbye.”

The Emperor’s representative, a plump bald man of Iridion 5 was sweating profusely when Timothy informed him that he would be travelling to his planet and joining the fight against the imminent invasion on a video call.

He would be taking an advance rapid shuttle that would arrive a few orbits before the hive ship. The Representative clearly had no military experience and was only too happy to hand over command of the planet’s defence forces as well as to start production on his battle wheelchair for his arrival. The chair would have all his requested modifications.

“Thank you Timothy on behalf of the Emperor and the people of this world.”

Just a few hours later, he prepared to board the advance the shuttle and looked at those around him. They looked despondent, even the three soldiers who had been by his side at the previous battle. Their eyes looking at the ground, somewhat slouched. Timothy felt something in his gut.

“For the Emperor.”

There remained a stony silence.

“An alien species is devouring our world, slaughtering our people. But we will not go silently, we will not retreat one inch. We will not be food. We are the destroyers of worlds and it is our Emperor who is the God.”

Roars of defiance came as he was pushed into the shuttle.

“You can’t be serious Gerard.”

But Tabitha quickly gets in and motions her hand for me to follow. Against my better judgment I climb in and the boot is quickly closed. It is very cramped and dark, our bodies are ushed right up against each other. Her breasts are pressing into my chest and her scent is easily picked up. Then our foreheads touch.

I try not to think about sex. In fact, thinking of anything else will do.

I hear the ignition and our journey begins. We alternate going over flat surfaces and very bumpy ones, banging our heads together.

At some point, she clasps my hand. Her skin is soft and warm.

All I want is to kiss her. If only it was more comfortable. She is so perfect. The car comes to an abrupt halt and I hear the sounds of footsteps. She lets go of my hand. The boot opens and we are bathed in light.

“Alright people, here we are. Let’s hope this goes well.”

I gingerly get out followed by Tabitha. There is a building in front of that stretches up into the sky to the other side of the habitat. It has no beginning and no end.