Gall Force:  The Day After
By Fred Herriot
450 Clare Avenue South, Welland, Ontario L3C 3B3 Canada
gorgo@net.co.kr
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Based on the "Gall Force" series created by MOVIC.
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NOTE:  This is a fan-fiction story written by a "Gall Force" fan for the
enjoyment of both other "Gall Force" fans and anime fans in general.  It is
not intended to act as a part of the official "Gall Force" continuity, nor
is it intented to infringe on the rights of all legal copyright holders,
including CBS-Sony Group, MOVIC and US Manga Corps/Central Park Media.
Permission to re-transmit this story through the Internet; to file this
story in Usenet ftp and other archives; and to print this story for
distribution in fan fiction magazines and APAs granted.  Full creative
credit is appreciated, though.

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PART THREE - A FATEFUL DISCOVERY

Hyperspace.

 Eluza watches as the brilliant colours of warp speed blur past the
"Starleaf's" command bridge.  It felt like Alpha-12 all over again.  A
damaged ship, little in the way of crew, they were heading for the Ninth
Solar System and now were alone, leading the way.  Talk about deja vu!  None
the less, the captain feels more relaxed.  The war was over, the Paranoids
were on their way to their new homeworld many kiloparsecs away and the last
remnants of the Solnoid fleet were right behind them.  What was there really
to worry about?  The core of her command crew had been with her for years,
and the rest were trustworthy friends.  If something went wrong, they were
more than ready to deal with it.

 Stepping up to her, Rabby hands her a cup of tea, then sits down at her
station.  "Everything's looking good," the first officer muses.

 "Pretty much so," Eluza hums.  "At least this time, the ship isn't as
banged-up as after Alpha-Twelve."

 "Yeah," Rabby sips her tea.  "Just in case, I sent Mal down to physically
inspect the G-canceller with TOIL and AIL.  Also, I asked Shildy to look in
on the Blossom."

 "You're not taking chances," Eluza stares at her.

 "It's my job, remember?"

 "True," the captain nods.  She had nearly expired before Rabby, Patty and
Rumy had been forced to abandon the old "Starleaf."  It had been a hideous
experience.  Feeling her insides ripped apart by the Paranoid monster
bearing the host factor genes for Project:  Exodermus, then the
psychological realization that she was being taken over by a being that was
nothing like she had ever heard of, much less encountered.  Dying seemed the
only option, the only way to prevent the creature from hurting her friends.
Fortunately, her constitution was more sturdy than she or the Paranoid had
predicted.  The "Sardin's" crack team of medical officers had found reviving
her no problem.  "Well, let's hope this voyage goes much easier."

 "Amen to that," Rabby sighs.  "Eluza, what do you think of Lufy's new friends?"

 "Shildy, Spea and Amy?" the captain muses.  "They seem a competent lot.
They were the ones who destroyed DAMIA, remember?"

 "True," Rabby nods.  "I'm concerned about Amy's inexperience.  Mother, it
was like meeting another Rumy."

 "This time, we won't have to worry about Paranoid sneak attacks," Eluza
counters.

 "You hope."

 "You still don't believe?"

 "I don't know what to believe," the first officer shakes her head,  "I
mean, I trust Captain Nebulart's judgement, and I thank the Great Mother
she's around to lead us now that Journey and the fleet commanders are dead,
but can we trust the Paranoid after the hell we've given each other for so
long?"

 "Can we trust ourselves?" Eluza muses.

 "True," the first officer nods agreeingly.  "But, I suppose our separating
ourselves like this would do a lot of good.  And Terra is such a beautiful
world.  I couldn't think of anything really wrong happening to us there."

 "Famous last words," Eluza snidely grumbles.

 Mal arrives at the bridge to hear that last statement.  "What famous last
words?" the engineer inquires.

 "We're just concerned about what's going to happen to us on Terra," Rabby
reports.

 Mal sits beside Eluza.  "I suggest we concern ourselves first with what
could happen to us now."

 Both senior officers tense.  "What's wrong?" Eluza inquires.

 "I'm not sure...nor is OX-11," Mal shakes her head.  "However, there seems
to be an anomaly in the G-canceller temporal distortion control system.  It
could be a sensor glitch."

 "Then again, it could be something else," Rabby sighs.  "Mother, I KNEW
this was going to happen!"

 "Enough, Rabby," Eluza calms her first officer, then stares at the
engineer.  "What steps have you taken?"

 "OX-11 is trying to diagnose the problem as we speak," Mal reports.  "He
believes that it is not life-threatening, but I took the step of preparing
to transfer all pertinent data into the Blossom's mainframe should we be
forced to abandon ship."

 The grim stare on the dark-hued woman's face reflects her knowledge of
Pony's fate when the G-canceller on the old "Starleaf" overloaded.  That
Mal's sister chose to die to ensure that the Species Unification Project
could succeed had not lessened the tragedy.  "Good work," Eluza stands.
"Keep an eye on that unit, Mal.  I don't want bad engines to destroy us
after the hell we just came through."

 "Yes, Captain," Mal nods, then heads to her station to continue anaylzing
the problem threatening the ship.

 At that moment, Spea and Amy step onto the bridge, having just showered.
"Whoo!!" the former sighs.  "At least they've got warm showers on this ship!"

 "Thank the Mother for that!" the latter muses.  "And no line-ups, either."

 "Aren't you two relaxing a little too much?" Rabby stares at them.

 Coming to attention, both intelligence officers look contrite.  "Sorry,
Commander, but after what we've been through, we haven't had time to take
anything of a decent break," Spea shrugs.  "We've been going full out since
we blew DAMIA up."

 "That's more than understandable, but we've got a new problem on our
hands," Rabby warns.  "Get dressed and report back here.  And find Lufy,
wherever the devil she is."

 "Yes, ma'am!" both women salute, then run off the bridge.

 "Kind of a rough way to treat new friends, eh?" Eluza muses.

 "Now's not the time to get cuddly, Eluza!" Rabby retorts.

    *    *    *

 The first Attacker credo:  We own the stars.

 The second Attacker credo, Lufy remembers stated "Nothing beats the smell
of freshly-burned cordite in the morning."  It meant that there was nothing
better in relieving tension than a spell on the gun ranges blasting targets
to pieces.  Even better, she was testing her skills against Miti, a
definately up-and-coming fighter pilot.  Her score was more heavy on
ship-wrecking than drone-bashing, but it would have surpassed Lufy's had the
war continued.  However, now that the war was done and there was no enemy to
blow up, taking one's frustrations on a shaped piece of cardboard seemed
more inviting.

 Snapping her automatics up, Lufy fires a fusillade of twenty rounds into
the target's head, then ejecting the L-shaped dual magazine, she flips it
around, reloads, draws and fires another twenty into the heart.  However,
she could not imagine what her target was.  Strange.  Usually, it was a
Paranoid trooper.  After all, that was all she had fought for so long.  None
the less, her aim was still impeccible.  Head and heart cored out.  "Not
bad," Miti muses.

 "Try it," Lufy stares at the younger Attacker.

 Miti draws her pistol, takes smooth aim, then squeezes the trigger.  Her
automatic had a drum magazine, which held fifty rounds.  Lufy preferred the
L-shaped magazines, but knew that the drums were better suited for combat.
In a minute, the head and heart of Miti's target is likewise cored out.
"Not bad!!" Lufy whistles.

 "Thanks," Miti sighs.  "I wish it was Journey that I was killing, not some
piece of wood."

 Lufy blinks.  "What makes you say that?"

 "What the bloody hell makes you think I'd wish otherwise?" Miti holsters
her weapon in shoulder rig.  "Lufy, have you really ever seen the Paranoids
you killed?"

 "Well, there were mostly in drones," the older Attacker muses.

 "I've seen them, when they were in normal exoskeletons," Miti sighs.  "No
rifles, either.  They didn't have the chance to shoot back at me when I blew
their ships up."

 "So?  That was the name of the game."

 "I wish I could truly believe that," Miti sighs.  "I'm an Attacker...and
I'm a Sensualist.  I kill in the name of my people, but the idea of
destroying life, even if they were Paranoid, sickens me."

 "So what makes you wish you had the chance to kill Journey?"

 "Why not?!  She's the one who kept this damn war going, even after Malthus
was destroyed!"

 A point Lufy found herself agreeing with.  A year ago, Miti's talk would
have been seen as nothing short of high treason, punishable by death, the
body being stripped and transformed into a cyborg soldier.  However,
Journey's decisions after the destruction of Malthus had made no sense.  Why
continue to fight a war when there was nothing to go back to?  "Well, she's
gone now and we're still here," Lufy sighs.  "Hey, let's hit the showers!  I
wanna relax."

 "Don't bet on that," a voice warns.

 Both Attackers see Spea run in.  "What's wrong?" Miti inquires.

 "The captain wants us on the bridge," the intelligence officer reports.  "I
don't know, but both she and Commander Rabby seem pretty upset about something."

 "Mother, Rabby gets upset over a broken fawcet!" Lufy groans, then looks at
Miti.  "Haven't you been able to mellow her out?!"

 "Hey, she's got worse!" the flight controller shrugs.

 The three women laugh...

    *    *    *

 Minutes later, the "Starleaf's" crew muster on the bridge.  All look
nervous as Rabby relays the situation.  "OX-11 has picked up an anomality in
the temporal distortion circuits of our G-canceller," the first officer
notes.  "Currently, he's working on trying to discover what the problem
really is.  I don't know if this is just old memories of my first trip to
Terra's home system coming back to me, but I don't see any reason not to
take precautions."

 "OX-11 is prepared to download all information into the Blossom should the
worst happen," Eluza adds.  "Just in case, Shildy, I want you, Spea, Amy and
Patty to prepare emergency gear."

 "Of course, Captain," Shildy nods.

 Rabby turns to the crew's lone android.  "Catty, double-check the catapult
controls and all applicable hardware.  Your sister had to sacrifice herself
to see to it we survived when the old 'Starleaf' blew up.  I don't want that
happening to us again."

 "I understand, Commander," Catty nods.

 "Lufy, take Eni, Mini, Maini and Moi to the ground vehicle hangar," Eluza
turns to the Attacker.  "See what you can stuff into Blossom.  No sense not
taking any chances."

 "Sure thing, Eluza.  But, aren't we getting a little too panicky here?"

 "Do you want to get out and push?" Rabby retaliates.

 Everyone laughs...

    *    *    *

 In a couple of hours, the emergency preparations are complete.  However,
the crew do not relax, for OX-11 is still unable to locate the problem with
the G-canceller.  With their safety somewhat guaranteed, everyone tries to
keep calm.  In their guest cabin, the three ex-Lorelei Fleet officers
gather.  "Things are never simple for us, aren't they?" Amy lets out a
depressed sigh.

 "Not really," Spea rubs the bridge of her nose.  "But at least we can hope
now.  The war's over."

 "But new ones can begin," Shildy stares at the passing starfield.

 The others stare quizzically at their leader.  "What do you mean?" Spea tenses.

 "There's something about the warp field around us..." Shildy's voice trails
off as she tries to remember something.  "I trained as an engineer prior to
entering intelligence, and I remember learning something in basic warp
dynamics...but I can't seem to recall it now."

 "It is not necessary," a new voice declares.

 The three turn to see Catty walk into the room.  "What is it, Catty?" Amy
gulps.

 "OX-11 and I have detected the problem," the android reports.  "May we
proceed to the bridge so I may inform the others?"

 "Let's go," Shildy stands.

 Moments later, everyone stands on the bridge, tensely awaiting Catty's
report.  "OX-11 detected a computer virus in the temporal field generator
control systems.  They are malfunctioning as we speak."

 "I KNEW it!!!" Rabby barks.

 "Please," the android interrupts, a touch of annoyance in her voice.  "May
I finish?"  At Eluza's nod, she continues.  "The temporal field generator
ensures that when a ship enters warp, that the time-dialation effect
approaching and surpassing lightspeed will present to any ship is negated.
Simply put, that is not happening."

 "THAT'S what I saw!!" Shildy slaps her forehead.  "Oh, someone hit me for
being a fool!"

 "Wait, wait!!" Lufy interrupts.  "I'm a fighter jock.  Warp dynamics isn't
my game!  What's that mean?!"

 Shildy turns to the Attacker.  "Simply put, Lufy, any object that
approaches the lightspeed barrier is subject to an alteration of temporal
dynamics.  Time slows down for the traveller.  What may be minutes to the
traveller will be years in surrounding space."

 "Y-years...?!" Patty stammers.

 "Yes," Catty nods.  "The virus has ensured that while the temporal field
generator is malfunctioning, it is not completely deactivated.  If it was,
we would all be dead."

 "So what IS happening?!" Miti snarls.  "Get to the point!"

 "As we proceed towards Terra, we advance in time," Catty states.  "OX-11 is
calculating how much time will elapse by the time we de-warp."

 "How about nailing the problem in the bud and de-warp now?!" Lufy proposes.

 "That is impossible," the android shakes her head.  "The virus also
contains a fail-safe program which would detonate the G-canceller should we
attempt to alter the flight program."

 "Oh, that's wonderful!!" Rabby groans.

 "I have completed the calculations," the voice of the ship's main computer
utters.

 Everyone looks at the engineering station as Mal sits.  "How far ahead will
we travel, OX-11?"

 "Three million standard years."

 Silence.  Everyone blinks.  "OX-11...would you repeat that, please," Mal's
voice is on the verge of breaking.

 "Three million standard years."

 "Three MILLION?!?!" Rabby exclaims.

 "That is correct, Commander," the computer replies.  "Further, I have
detected the cause of the virus."

 "Report," Eluza orders.

 "The virus was downloaded into the control systems at the time we received
the transmission from the Paranoid flagship at Sigma Narse."

 Anger then replaces shock.  "What?!!" Lufy screams.  "Those slime!!  They
did that on purpose!!!"

 "But why?!!" Patty exclaims.

 "Why not?!!" the Attacker wheels on the combat officer.  "Once we were
gone, they could have lept ahead and destroyed Terra long before we could
ever get there!!!"

 "That's right!!" Spea gasps.  "Everyone in the fleet got that transmission!!"

 "Oh, no!!!" Amy wails.  "We'll never have a home now!!!"

 "Not necessarily," Catty remains calm.

 "What do you mean?" Rabby stares at the android.

 "It is simply Paranoid nature," Catty turns to the first officer.  "I
believe they did not do this out of deliberate hatred.  It is fear and
self-preservation which drove them to this act.  Their nature would demand
that as many walls as possible be erected between our two races even if
final peace has been achieved."

 "So they wouldn't destroy Terra," Eluza concludes.

 "To them, it would not be seen as necessary," Catty nods.

 "So we're safe, hopefully," Rabby crosses her arms.

 "Yes," the android nods.  "Further, there is an advantage."

 "That being?" Shildy looks curious.

 "By the time three million years have passed, the new race on Terra would,
barring serious calamity, have developed to the point where we could
possibly make contact with a race possessing the same level of culture and
technology as we," Catty adds.

 "That's a big bit of speculation, Catty," Spea warns.

 "True.  We would have to wait until we arrive on Terra to see for ourselves."

 Everyone slowly relaxes.  "Well, all we have to do now is wait and see what
we do find," Shildy sighs.

 "How long do we have to wait?" Miti inquires.

 "OX-11?" Mal looks at the computer.

 Only silence answers from the computer.  Everyone tenses.  "OX-11, is there
a problem?" Mal gulps.

 Suddenly, the ship shudders as the warp field around them fades to reveal a
normal starfield...and a very familiar pair of worlds with a pale yellow
star in the near distance.  "There is no problem, Mal," the computer
replies.  "We have arrived."

 Everyone runs to the forward windows to gaze at their destination.
"Chaos!!" Rabby gasps on seeing the pitted and scarred surface of Terra's
lone natural satellite.

 "Look!" Amy points.  "Terra!!"

 Everyone turns to gaze at the blue-green world beyond Chaos.  Tears well in
Spea's eyes.  "Oh, it's still beautiful!"

 "The landforms have altered, I think," Shildy notes.

 "Understandable," Catty is already at the science station.  "Three million
years have passed.  Terra is a geologically active world."

 "Full sensor sweep, Catty," Eluza orders.  "I need to know what we're up
against.  Miti, Patty," she turns to the flight controller and the combat
officer, "...bring the ship to battle stations."

 "Eluza, we don't have much to fight with!" Patty reminds her.

 "True, but we're in totally unknown territory here," the captain reminds
them.  "I intend to be prepared as best as I can."

 "Yes, ma'am!" both officers run to their stations.

 "I still got my fighter here," Lufy runs off the bridge.  "I'll gass it up
and get it ready."

 "Have the gunship serviced, too," Shildy turns to Spea and Amy.

 Both women run off the bridge.  "Completing demographic scan," Catty
reports.  "Sensors indicate a total of approximately six billion
Solnoid-type inhabitants on Terra."

 "Six BILLION?!?!" Rabby gasps.

 "Affirmative.  Commencing geological and climate scans," Catty does not
look up from her board.

 "Six billion," Mal shakes her head disbelievingly.  "How in the name of the
Mother do they feed them all?!  The population of Malthus never exceeded a
billion!"

 "Surely by now they should be able to proceed forth and establish some
colonies," Shildy adds.  "I think the fourth world of this system is capable
of holding some."

 "We'll answer that soon enough," Eluza hums.

 "Climate scans complete," Catty reports.  "Sensors indicate that a
considerable amount of pollution associated with a post-industrial type of
society is in the atmosphere, soil and oceans.  Further, the planet's
protective ozone layer is decaying.  Geologically, the planet is still quite
stable, although there are active earthquake and volcanic zones along known
fault lines.  Commencing social-cultural scans."

 "They're behind us, then," Rabby muses.  "Catty, any signs of nuclear
activity?"

 "Affirmative," the android reports.  "Sensors indicate that many atomic
weapons have been detonated over the previous fifty years.  Considerable
signs of nuclear fission-type reactors.  No signs of deep space travel
capability.  Sensors do indicate an extensive and intricate
telecommunications network, both in visual and radio capacities.  Computers
are also apparent, but nothing towards any form of true artificial
intelligence."

 "They're just about to break out into deep space," Rabby hums.  "We may
have arrived a little too early."

 "True," Eluza nods.  "Catty, any signs of local space travel?"

 "Affirmative," Catty nods.  "Sensors indicate a considerable amount of
communications satellites in Terran orbit.  Sensors also indicate many
landing sites on Chaos indicative of missions with organic controlling
elements."

 "What about the fourth planet?" Shildy inquires.  "It seemed a better place
to go than the second one."

 "Several landers without signs of organic activity," Catty reports, then
blinks.  "Captain, sensors also indicate two small spacecraft presently in
Terran orbit!"

 "On screen!" Eluza orders.

 The screen shows a split view.  The first spacecraft is a delta-winged
object with a single controlling rudder, black trimming on a white hull with
identifying markings.  The second is a cigar-shaped craft with no signs of
motive power but with a number of sensor and power arrays.  "What are
they?!" Eluza blinks.

 "The first craft appears to a cargo orbiter of some sort," Catty reports.
"Little motive power; it's propulsion system seems to be composed of
manoeuvring boosters.  Clamps on the underside indicate that a second
propulsion stage is used in launching it from Terra."

 "It's so fragile," Miti shakes her head.  "I wouldn't be caught dead in
that thing!"

 "Brave people," Shildy whispers.  "Actually flying in space in that!"

 "Agreed," Rabby nods.  "They've got Solnoid passion!"

 "What of the second craft?" Eluza inquires.

 "It is a satellite controlled by organic elements," Catty reports.
"Currently, three sentients are aboard.  Seven on the first craft.  In fact,
the first craft appears to be manoeuvring to dock with the second."

 Everyone watches as the orbiter slowly approaches the satellite.  "Can you
confirm if they have names?" Eluza looks over.

 Catty places a set of earphones over her head.  After a minute, she turns
back.  "Affirmative, Captain.  I am also picking up a short-band visual
transmission between the two.  The orbiter is designated 'Atlantis,' the
satellite 'Mir.'"

 "On screen," Eluza turns to look at the front viewscreen.

 An image appears.  It shows the interior of what the crew believe is the
satellite called Mir.  Inside are a group of sentients, a mix of
Solnoid-type with the majority being the same type of being as Patty's
offspring.  Behind them are three somewhat rectangular banners.  "Flags!"
Rabby points.

 One of them is divided into three horizontal fields, from top to bottom
white, red and blue.  The second is a garish-looking emblem composed of a
blue canton with fifty white stylized stars, the remainder divided by
thirteen mixed red and white stripes.  The third is a two-by-one flag with
red sides and a white centre emblazoned with a red eleven-point emblem which
reminds Rabby of the leaf of a native Terran tree.  "Three different flags,"
she hums, then turns to Catty.  "Catty, is the planet politically unified?"

 "Negative," the android looks back.  "I will place a schematic of Terra's
political divisions on the screen."

 The image changes to a stylized map of Terra.  Each of the five main
continents are split apart into many pieces, each getting different colours.
"Mother, I can't count that high!" Miti exclaims on seeing so many.

 "These are just the primary divisions," Catty looks back.  "I do not
understand exactly what they address them as.  You see, there is not one
single language on the planet."

 "Not just one language?" Shildy stares at the android.  "How many are there?"

 "OX-11 estimates two thousand."

 "Two thousand languages?!!" Eluza gasps.  "Mother, how do they communicate
with each other?!!"

 "I cannot postulate," Catty shakes her head.  "However, OX-11 does report
there are several main language types being used, usually broken apart by
the type of alphabet they use."

 "Try to find one which is similar to ours, if that's possible," Rabby orders.

 "Yes, Commander."

 "Hey, what's with the hub-bub?!" Lufy calls out as she returns to the
bridge with Spea and Amy.

 "Are we close to Terra?" the young intelligence officer inquires hopefully.

 "Not yet," Eluza sighs.  "We're still trying to figure out what's what on
this planet.  Two thousand languages, an unbelievable number of political
divisions...!"

 Spea and Amy go to Shildy for an update.  Lufy relaxes by Miti's station.
Standing, Rabby walks over to Catty.  "Catty?"

 "Yes, Commander?" the android states at her.

 Rabby leans down and touches lips with Catty.  The android blinks,
confusion on her face.  "Why?"

 "I wish it was your mother I touched lips with," Rabby smiles, then waves
towards Terra.  "But congratulations appear to be in order.  It appears that
the Species Unification Project is an unqualified success."

 "Yes," Catty nods, then presses lips with Rabby.  "On behalf of Mother,
thank you."

 Rabby smiles, then looks over to see Patty blankly staring at Terra, now
growing in size as the "Starleaf" continued its approach.  The first officer
walks over, then lightly touches the combat officer's shoulder.  "What's wrong?"

 "I...I don't know," Patty shakes her head.  "I'm sorry, Rabby, but...I
looked forward so much to seeing Rumy and the boy again."

 "I know," Rabby nods.

 "I'm sad," Patty gestures as she tries to put her thoughts into words,
"...but it's not overwhelming, you know."

 "I think I understand," Rabby notions towards Terra.  "Think of it this
way, Patty.  Your offspring probably lives on in all the sentients now
living on Terra."

 Patty blinks, then nods.  "Yeah, that's true!" she lightly smiles.  "I
never thought of it that way."

 "It's okay," Rabby nods.

 Miti looks at her readout, then turns to Eluza.  "Captain, ECM indicates
multiple scanning systems on Terra's surface and in several of the
satellites in orbit over Terra.  Recommend we take measures to protect
ourselves just in case we're spotted."

 Eluza hums as she considers the problem.  The Terrans had local space
travel and nuclear capabilities.  They probably had not encountered an alien
race in their history...and given the amount of years which had passed since
the Solnoids had contact with this world, any memory of Solnoid interference
on Terra would have long been lost.  Would they be psychologically prepared
to contact another race?  "A good idea, Miti," she nods.  "We're probably
the first visitors the Terrans have had in three million years, so let's not
push it.  Take us around the planet.  Put Terra between us and 'Mir.'"

 "Yes, Captain," Patty assumes the helm.

    *    *    *

To be continued...