by C J Klinger
The President had been swayed by his prediction of the Mecrats fate and had agreed it would be a waste to expend such incredibly lives on a battlefield. His national security advisor had pointed out the Islamic State was actually kidnapping people for the sole purpose of drawing the Mecrats into a combat situation. It would be a matter of time before the Islamists would succeed in destroying them. In a nationally broadcast statement, President Brewer had revealed the human powered nature of the Mecrats Project and announced they were being retired from military service and being offered an opportunity to join NASA’s astronaut program. All nine of them had accepted the invitation.
For the past year they had been going through an extensive modification program to reengineer their bodies into a shape more suitable for space exploration. Instead of stopping bullets, their new bodies were designed to stop radiation. The added benefit of never being affected by the lack of gravity had an immediate effect on the design of any space craft they would fly.
A sound caused Doctor Williamson to turn and see his daughter come into the chapel vestibule. Cathy was a radiant bride. Her natural beauty was framed by the white wedding gown she and her mother had labored to select. She came up to him and kissed him on the cheek. The elder Williamson found he had tears in his eyes.
“Are you ready to give me away, Dad?” she said teasingly.
“Only if you promise me you’ll be happy,” he answered, full of pride for the daughter who had followed in his footsteps and far outpaced his own accomplishments.
She looked up at the man who had set the standards for all men she would meet in her life and said, “I already am.”
The usher opened the doors and they started down the aisle toward the two rows of towering, humanoid creatures that had formed an honor guard in front of the altar where a handsome man waited with another of the towering creatures who would serve as his best man. Gregory Donavan, civilian engineer at Space X looked with extreme pride at the approaching angel who would become Mrs. Gregory Donavan.
The beginning.
Chuck Klinger
July 15, 2015
Note from the author.
In addition to writing, I also paint and draw. It has been my practice to “doodle” out the fictional characters or places as I am developing them. It helps me to visualize them as I continue to develop the story. The concept of the Mecrats intrigued very much and when I finished the story, I found I had created a substantial collection of drawings about the events in the book. I would like to share some of them with you.
CJK