Into the Great Darkness

by George H Y Watson

  ‘Krell World Technologies’ ran all Krell related business for the British Government. Filled with Cromwell’s lackeys it made a fortune on the transfer of Krell low-level technology to Earth Industries. Well hidden behind a series of holding and shell companies, Cromwell ran it as the sole owner making billions of pounds for himself. Other billions entered the British Economy every year but only because Cromwell had to show Parliament and the British people some benefits of interaction with the Aliens.

  A sudden “Thunk!” from downstairs disturbed Cromwell from his reverie. Probably one of the house staff or security team, he thought.

  He continued to stare at the Krell Tower. Apart from the OWC’s, he was the only Earthman allowed into it. The Krell had promised to eventually transfer the high technology of the Faster-Than-light Drive to him when their manpower requirements had been fulfilled. Cromwell didn’t really believe that, but kept quiet and went along with them.

  “To hell with you” he said out loud, smiling, “I don’t need your empty promises”.

  The previous evening he had had a telephone call from Rodgers at MI5. An empty Krell spacecraft had been found floating off the coast of Wales, empty. Where the twenty four occupants were, no one knew but the Spacer was now being taken apart in an aircraft hangar at Cardiff Airport by engineers. From ‘Krell World Technologies Ltd.’ of course!

  It had not been all plain sailing for Cromwell and lately he sensed the end of his very successful career was coming. Someone had once said that all political careers end in failure, but not his, he was determined that he would be the exception. But he realised that nothing lasted forever. There had also been whispers of late in parliament, then mutterings then articles in the newspapers asking why was it that not one ‘OWC’ had returned to Earth in twelve years.

  Cromwell’s influence had up to now kept such dissent out of the media, but the flow of wealth and technology from the Krells had slowed dramatically of late. Also, the intake of new OWC’s had slowed to a trickle.

  The Krells would not give Cromwell a reason for the downturn, but during his frequent visits to the Tower he sensed anxiety and fear barely suppressed within his hosts. There were occasional mentions of someone called Kondor and Kondor’s Legions, but no explanation was offered. Cromwell came to suspect that there were serious problems on some of the Krell colony worlds. He kept this knowledge to himself, not telling any other members of the government. It wouldn’t do for the sheep to panic before he had left government and distanced himself from any subsequent trouble.

  Yes, it was definitely the time to resign as Prime Minister and ‘go’ with a capital ‘G’! He would leave Westminster and to use Parliamentary language, ‘Enter Private Life’. Arrangements for an unexpected departure were nearing completion and unsuspecting dupes had been positioned to ensure that he could not be blamed for any subsequent problems that arose concerning the Krells or the OWC’s. Over the last six months tons of incriminating documents had also been shredded for him by his Chums.

  There was another noise from below, a muted scuffling then silence. He dismissed it from his mind and promised himself to discharge several staff tomorrow. That would keep the rest on their toes! Nothing worked better than the threat of a compulsory Off-World Contract to keep people in line!

  Overall, he felt content with his achievements, regarding himself as the best Prime Minister the country had ever had!

  A trifle smug, he also regarded himself as untouchable by any means, political or personal. No one could enter his estate through the only privately-owned Krell force field in the world!

  A movement at the edge of his vision caused Cromwell to turn quickly in time to see a dark figure materialize out of a dark corner of the room. A tall man wearing a Krell Military Darksuit! Where the hell had he come from? What was it that he had in his left hand, pointing at Cromwell? The small device shone and Cromwell briefly experienced The Great Darkness that lay between the stars.

  The Prime Minister came back to consciousness slowly, groggily and realized he was firmly secured to a chair facing the window and the far Krell Tower. To the right of the window the stranger sat, staring at him.

  He struggled for a moment with his bindings until The Stranger said, “Save your energy, Tony. Those are Military restraints designed by your Krell buddies”.

  “Tony? Who the hell are you calling Tony? I’m the Prime Minister! And how did you get in here? My security people will be here at any moment!”

  The Stranger laughed loudly at his naivety, “Your security people lie forever still! They were no match for an experienced Krell Attack Squad with twelve years’ experience!

  Who the hell am I indeed? I’m one of your first Off World Contractors or as we like to say, one of the first people you sold into alien slavery!”

  Cromwell’s brain moved into overdrive as he digested the words. The concept was incredible, but oddly, not a surprise to him and it would be best if the concept wasn’t aired in public. Words were his weapons and could be manipulated to mean whatever suited him. Using his best Parliamentary voice, the one he used to cower his opponents, he said, “That’s surely cannot be correct. You must be mistaken. And also, who is ‘We?’”

  As fast as lightning The Stranger was off his seat and painfully pressing some kind of device into the soft perma-tanned skin of Cromwell’s face, the face loved by millions, “We are the people you sent to be the mercenaries of the Krells and this is a standard issue plasma pistol, you bastard!”

  For the first time, Cromwell experienced a twinge of physical fear. Maybe he would not be able to talk the stranger down. Surely not!

  “Mercenaries? I’ve seen the 3D’s sent back by the Krells showing happy workers on their agricultural planets enjoying an enviable lifestyle compared to their counterparts here on earth. There is no mention or hint of mercenaries!”

  The Stranger removed the pistol from Cromwell’s face and moved closer, nose to nose. Cromwell could see the green flecks in the whites of the stranger’s cold eyes and the greenish tinge of twelve years under an alien sun on his skin.

  “3D’s. you’re being purposely obtuse, Tony. You’re not in Parliament now so don’t tell me you swallowed that bloody propaganda!”

  Cromwell squirmed, for indeed he knew the 3D’s gave a ‘too good to be true’ view of Off World life. The truth was he had never cared enough to pursue the matter with the Krells in case his personal gravy-train was interrupted.

  The Stranger stood back and continued, “Twelve years ago I’d finished university and was about to become an Architect. I had a fiancée and good career prospects, until the building industry experienced the Krell-driven superior technology slowdown. Simply put, my prospects disappeared along with my fiancée and I was conscripted!

  But looking on the bright side, I’m the most experienced Krell Attack Squad Leader those damn aliens have. Or should I say, had. I’ve come home now with lots of my friends!”

  “Talk sense, man! Friends, what do you mean, friends?”

  “I mean that there were far more Drop Ships than the one your men found off the coast last night.”

  Cromwell squirmed around in his seat, looking at the lights on the desk Vid console, each one denoting a government department and at the moment, most importantly, the one for the military.

  “They’ll be lighting up soon, Tony. Mark my words! We’ll just wait here, comfy together, like the friends that we’ll never be!

  The Stranger smiled a cold venomous smile, “Whilst we wait, let me regale you with my sad, sad, Off-World tale of inhumanity and deprivation!”

  Year 1 of Off World Contract UK A00100EH.

  Location: Alien Combatants Training Facilities, Epsilon Eridani B5.

  We were herded down the spacecraft ramps and marched towards the training camps where we would survive for the next six months or so. A few of the ‘Barrack Room Lawyer’ types, who didn’t quite ‘get it’, tried to argue with the Krell guards. They received a fatal jab from the ‘Sti
nger’ that all the Krell Overseers carried. Soon our trail to the camps became littered with bodies.

  We were given the usual training that you would receive on Earth or any planet, to make you into a soldier. The forced marches, weapons training, spacesuit warfare tests etc. The Krells, or ‘Greenies’ as we came to call them kept well back behind personal force fields, weapons ready.

  Some people suffered from Culture Shock and found they just couldn’t take being in an alien environment. Others were found to be untrainable as soldiers. Some became physically ill. What they all had in common was that one minute they were in your bunkhouse and the next day they weren’t and were never seen of again.

  After six months, Earth time, we were deemed fully trained by the Krell. That’s a laugh! To use a pun, we were as green as grass as well as actually beginning to get a greenish tinge to our skin!

  Following Krell Standard Combat Graduation Procedure we were landed on Epsilon Eridani B3 with only light weapons, laser rifles mainly. The trouble with the lasers was that they took two seconds to charge between shots and had been discarded by the main Krell Armed Services years before. However they were deemed suitable for non-Krell personnel!

  The ships departed and their vibration alerted the Dondas living below the surface. The Dondas are an insect subspecies that is instinctively inimical to mammal life forms i.e. Humans.

  There were about six hundred of us standing in the open, fingers up our collective waste disposal orifices when the tunnel lids of the Donda nests popped open. They poured out, bigger than a large earth dog, six legs and sharp pincer filled jaws hungry for meat!

  The troops in the outer fringes of our group were slaughtered before they knew what was happening. Others stood in disbelief and horror as the Insects came towards them. Although we had a nominal Leader with his subordinate ranks, this organization didn’t survive the first contact with the totally alien Dondas.

  Quickly, I shouted for the men to form a semicircle of double ranks, the front kneeling, the rear standing. There was continuing slaughter of our men until this was done and our plasma rifles began to take their toll.

  The battle went on for three hours by which time we had consolidated our position on a small plateau. Our losses had stopped and the Dondas lay in burning heaps all about us. Occasionally a small group of them would probe us, trying to find weakness in our ranks.

  Four days we stayed there, worrying what would happen when our Lasers went dry.

  At the end of the fourth day the transports returned. The Greenies were ecstatic when they realized over 70% of us had survived! We found out later that the norm for the other subjugated races was 25%.

  I was immediately made an Attack Team Leader.

  Year 3 of Off World Contract UK A00100EH.

  Location: Asteroid belt, Barnard’s Star.

  The Krells had their expansion into this sector stopped by the Kendor race. Humanoid but furry like large bears, the Kendors found that they could not subjugate themselves to the Krells or make any ‘arrangements’ as you did, Dear Tony.

  My Attack Group had spent three days clinging to debris in the nearby asteroid belt whilst the Krell fleet stayed comfortably out of immediate danger, well in the rear awaiting the arrival of the Kendor fleet.

  The Kendors were clever. They were moving some of their fleet slowly through the asteroids where they couldn’t be detected because of the dust and rocks. Their plan was to sneak under the Krell Fleet Standard Formation and deliver a resounding blow to the large carriers.

  Much to my regret now, the incursion of my Attack Group into the asteroids was my idea. When I mentioned it to the Principal Overseer the Krells were astounded. They eventually came to think that of all the races they had conquered, the Earthmen had the most warlike qualities. What a find the Earthies had been! It would be their undoing someday, I was determined about that. They would pay dearly for the deaths of my comrades and fellow slaves, Dear Tony.

  We had our eyes on a group of five destroyers moving towards us. The twenty four of us moved as one, to plant sonic mines onto the hulls. But as we drew close we were seen, but too late to do the Kendors any good. They couldn’t bring their weapons to bear because we were too close but as my group floated free of the vessels we were lucky; only three were burned to death by the Kendor fire-weapons.

  There used to be an old movie where it was said, “In space no one can hear you scream.” That is not true.

  When the destroyers had their hulls breached by our mines they began to disintegrate and clouds of different gas types were released simultaneously. Before the gasses dissipated totally, ship-sounds were conducted to us in a kind of tenuous atmosphere and we heard the tortured screams and shouts of dying beings. They were dying at the behest of the Krells because for us to refuse would have meant instant execution.

  When we returned, the Overseers were jubilant. What wonderful finds indeed the Earthies were!

  We didn’t feel wonderful, Dear Tony.

  Year 7 of Off World Contract UK A00100EH.

  Location: Krell R & R area Epsilon Eridani D7. Earth Human Sec 2; A.K.A. ‘Dodge City’.

  I can’t remember what the aliens called the small town we went to after returning from active duty, but we called it ‘Dodge City’, and for good reason.

  It could get wild there as our men and women blew off steam. As a result there were no Overseers present. Alcohol was illegally available as were most other earth vices if you were so inclined.

  The other races the Krells had subjugated were confined to other sectors and we saw very little of them, except when we were on duty. They were all shapes, sizes and colours. One thing was common, though; a hatred for the Krells.

  By this time I was a ‘Commander: Attack Groups’. The other Commanders and I had our first meeting in the back room of Daisy’s Drinkery, ‘Home of the Best Non-Earth Beers this side of the Green Sun!’

  We just seemed to gravitate naturally to this location and everyone knew if the Krells found out, it would be summary execution. It was here that the idea of rebellion and escape was first mooted.

  There were about twenty four of us ‘Originals’; that is the first ones to be recruited by the Krells and betrayed by you, Dear Tony. As time passed combat attrition reduced our numbers and new faces took their place. By the time we went into action against the Krells, I was the only ‘Original’ left.

  Each Commander represented a legion from a specific race numbering about three thousand battle-hardened soldiers. Our end tasks were gradually delegated amongst us as our plans took shape. For The Big Day, some would begin to subvert supplies from the Krells, some would prepare sabotage of the Krell war machine and some would prepare to assassinate Krell Overseers and Command Staff.

  I was happy that I would be in the last group!

  Year 12 of Off World Contract UK A00100EH.

  Location: Governors Palace. Krella Prime, Epsilon Eridani System.

  After twelve years servitude to the Krells, we Earthmen were regarded as trustworthy. We had done the Krells bidding on a dozen worlds. Killed and conquered for our masters without a second thought and helped expand their empire far and wide.

  But we did have second thoughts all those years ago in Daisy’s Drinkery. For our many comrades now gone, we were about to give the Krells a taste of their own blood!

  Thirty other Earthmen and I waited in an anti-room. We were soon to be ushered into the presence of the Prince-Regent of Krella and rewarded with medals for our long service to the Empire.

  We weren’t considered to need ‘Dress Uniform’, being a lower quality race than the Krells. As a result, we each had hidden inside our loose fitting Battle Blousons a variety of weapons, loaded plasma pistols, thermite grenades and micro-edge cleavers to name but a few. On every wrist we had a synchronized signal band. When I stood forward to the Prince, I would activate mine to send the ‘Go’ command to all of the rebellious Legions.

  The Overseers stood nearby. After twelve years of no tr
ouble, they were relaxed and not paying too much attention to us.

  The access light glowed and we were marched into the anti-room and lined up in front of the Prince-Regent and most of the Senior Army Command Staff.

  The Prince stood and addressed me by my Krell name. He informed me that henceforth I would be the Attack Legions Supreme Commander. I would control about 250,000 men.

  “Already am,” I thought to myself. Ignoring what the Prince was saying, I looked down and pressed my signal band. At the end of the line I could see an overseer pressing the arming switch on his stinger. I had not shown the correct respect to the Prince or stood to attention properly and would be punished.

  The Overseer never lived to lift his stinger as one of my men slashed his arm with a cleaver. His personal force field was only good for deterring energy weapons and he screamed as his arm left his body. The Command Staff were transfixed in horror. I pulled out my Plasma pistol, the same one I am pointing at you now, Dear Tony and shot the Prince through the head. He hadn’t even dropped to the floor before the slaughter began! We ran through the Palace destroying all and everything in our path until, finally we reached the grounds where Drop Ships awaited.

  Above us, visible even in daylight, we saw the flashes indicating the destruction of the Krell Home Fleet. Soon the sonic booms of debris entering the atmosphere were heard and then vibrations beneath our feet of tremendous impacts far away.

  Our Drop Ships lifted to take us to our fleet of commandeered Destroyers and Drop Ship Carriers. Below us the planet was in flames. In a single blow our Legions had destroyed the standing armed forces of Krella Prime and the Home Fleet itself! For years we had waited for this moment and it felt good! The green blood of revenge sang through our veins.

  There were of course, other Krell Fleets but they were busy conquering some other poor souls far away and could not be spared to chase us. As we journeyed to Earth, we broadcast to the Colony Worlds we passed what had been done on Krella and exhorted the conquered peoples to rise up.