Armstrong gestured to the right. "We'll start over here. Just be your pleasant selves."
Tawn chuckled. "Pleasant selves... hello... hello... hello..."
The march along the first wall took twenty minutes. Circling the room itself, most of an hour. When the parade of greets and shakes had finished, the two Biomarines were escorted to the balcony outside that looked down upon the waiting crowd.
The President moved out to a waiting microphone, waving his hands to a cheering crowd for several minutes before gesturing for them to settle.
"My fellow Humans!" The crowd roared. Another calming gesture followed after a full minute. "Today we celebrate what we hope to be the last war ever fought between Humans." Applause again followed. "Today we celebrate a great victory over an invader. The species known as the Burrell may be responsible for us coming to this sector of the galaxy. They may be responsible for our being able to travel great distances through wormholes. Heck, they might even be responsible for the terraforming of this planet to make it accommodating and livable for all humanity…
"But the Burrell do not own us. The Burrell do not own this space we call home. And the Burrell may have created this situation, but the Burrell are not the solution. Humans are the solution. We are a free people, now united in a common defense..."
The President's speech went on for forty minutes before Tawn was called to the mic and introduced. Several minutes later, the roaring sea of people quieted.
"I'll keep this short…" Polite applause followed. "OK, my fellow Domers and Earthers, we now unite under one banner as one people. Moving forward, the term Domer will have less and less meaning. As will Earther. Today we are all Humans. Humans who have sacrificed much to get to where we are. Let us celebrate being Human. Let us build a fortress for humanity and defend ourselves from the stars. Thank you."
A man down in the crowd yelled out. "Freely! Bite me!"
The crowd laughed.
Tawn pulled the mic into her hand and leaned over the rail. "How about I come down there and punch your face!"
Cheers, applause, and laughter spread across the ocean of bodies.
Tawn, assisted by the President, placed the mic back in the holder with a scowl on her face. Looking up, Harris was sporting a smirk.
She stepped up with a whisper. "You did that, didn't you?"
Harris nodded as he chuckled. "Cost me five hundred credits. Took me an hour in the bars to find someone willing to do it."
Tawn pointed. "You'll pay for that later."
"Yeah. But it was worth it."
The stump stepped up to the mic. "Hello, fellow Earthlings!"
The crowd went mostly silent with somewhat confused looks.
"That's right, Earthlings. We're all descended from the planet Earth. Whether you're a Domer or Earther or Bellan or from Blewitz, we're all originally from the one and the same planet… Earth. You've all studied it in school. You know our origins, and those origins are what unites us. We are all Earthlings."
A pause was followed by a polite applause.
"As Earthlings, or as we like to call our species, Humans, we have come to occupy this sector of the galaxy. It's become our home and our lives. Being Human is what we are. And what we are today is victors!"
The applause grew.
"As you know, the Biomarines were genetically engineered. We were raised and trained to fight war. We're sworn to protect Domicile and all her citizens and all the citizens of the free colonies… and that's what we've done... because we're also citizens. We're Humans. And the war fought and the victory won was for all of us. The ships we used, the Domer military that sacrificed itself, and all those here who toiled to make it all possible, this recent victory is our victory. It's your victory. It's a victory for all humanity."
A healthy applause followed. Harris turned to see Tawn patting her hand over a wide-open mouth as if attempting to keep herself awake with a yawn. As he began to turn back, an aide touched the President on the shoulder, whispering in his ear.
The President’s gleeful smile turned to a stoic expression of concern.
Harris leaned in close. "Sir? Everything OK?"
Armstrong uttered a single word. "Frizoid."
~~~~~
Once again, this Human is asking for your help! If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review on the site where it was purchased. And by all means, please tell your friends! Any help with spreading the word is highly appreciated! I have a free science fiction eBook short story, titled "THE SQUAD", waiting for anyone who joins my email list. Also, find out when the next exciting release is available by joining the email list at [email protected]. Visit the author's website at www.arsenex.com for the rest of the series and other works!
Thank you for reading my work! I hope you have a great day!
Stephen
Books by Stephen Arseneault
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SODIUM-AMP-OMEGA Trilogy Series
SODIUM:
Butchered, abandoned.
Dissected like lab rats.
Alien machines are stalking Humans.
Man is suddenly no longer alone in the universe. Advanced enemies plague our very existence. We have to muster all our strength, determination, and courage if we are to survive. And if those can be managed, there is a galaxy to be conquered.
This six-book saga takes Man from his first encounter with aliens back in 1957, all the way to a fight for our all-out survival in the future. If you love tales written in the style of the science fiction masters, prepare yourself for full immersion in this fantastic adventure! Get it here!
AMP:
In a distant galaxy, Humans are on the run.
An insane species follows.
They will not stop... ever.
Trapped on an immense station with limited resources, our only option has been to flee. Years of peace are over. War is again coming to the Grid.
This time however, it's time to stand and fight.
This exciting eight-book series chronicles the struggles of Don Grange, a simple package deliveryman, who is thrust into an unimaginable role in the fight against our enemies. Can we win peace and freedom after a thousand years of war?
Continuing as a legacy of the SODIUM series, the story picks up a thousand years into the future. Don't just sit at home scratching your head about what to do because you are bored, go on a mental rampage, travel the stars, take a risk and dive head-first into this non-stop-action saga! Get it here!
OMEGA:
The Alliance is crumbling.
There are rumors of war in Andromeda.
Whole colonies are being conscripted to fight.
When corruption and politics threaten to throw the allied galaxies into chaos, Inspection Detective Knog Beutcher gets caught in the middle. Espionage, intrigue, political assassinations, rebellions and full-on revolutions, they are all coming to Knog Beutcher's world.
Told from the unique perspective of an alien, this thrilling eight book series is cast a thousand years into the future beyond the exciting AMP series. Prepare to be reading until the wee hours! Get it here!
* * *
HADRON:
Billions die.
Life on Earth is shaken to its core.
We can be our own worst enemy.
After scientists using the Large Hadron Collider discover dark matter, the world is plunged into chaos.
Massive waves of electromagnetic interference take out all grid power and forms of communication the world over. Cities go dark, food and clean-water supplies are quickly used up. Marauders rule the highways. One group of citizens takes a stand. Can they make a difference?
A benevolent species will arrive in their spaceships to rescue the Human race from themselves. Only, are they really so benevolent? Our little corner of the Milky Way may be a very hostile place.
This eight book adventure begins as a modern day, Human survival story and then morphs into an all out fight for r
ule of our section of the Milky Way. If you love reading apocalypse-turned-science-fiction, and reading with your mouth agape, this saga was made for you! Get it here!
* * *
ARMS:
Selling arms to the outer colonies.
A sweet deal.
Unless you're being used to threaten the peace.
Genetically engineered and trained for war, Harris Gruberg and Tawnish Freely, former Biomarines with the Domicile Defense Force, have been out of work since the centuries-old war with New Earth came to an end two years prior. They lack the knowledge and experience needed to live among a civilian population.
Getting involved in the illegal arms trade offers the promise of working with something they know-- weapons. When the profits from their efforts run wild, they soon find out acquiring wealth so easily comes at a high cost. Will their mistakes bring a return of the Great War? Or is what's coming far worse?
If you enjoy fighting the good fight, protecting the people and what you love, the ARMS saga will keep you ripping through pages until your fingers bleed! Get it here!
* * *
FREEDOM:
Addicted.
Enslaved to the Empire for 500 generations.
We are bought, sold, traded, and hunted for sport, our value only measured in credits.
But a mysterious virus is sweeping through our populations, giving immunity to the addiction and making us aware of our condition. We feel the call of freedom. Our masters feel different.
If you love being dependent, confined, trapped in a great story, this unique six book saga will become an addiction of your own! Get it here!
* * *
QUANTUM:
A lifetime lived in under a minute...
Impossible, everyone thought.
Until now.
An Opamari scientist has found a way. By cloning a subject and sending the clone back in time, the subject can live the clone's entire life in less than a minute of sleep.
But all actions have consequences. Playing with the past can be disastrous for the present.
When a ruthless tycoon steals the technology, the future of the galaxy is at risk. Will humans, after being slaughtered by the Opamari more than 50,000 years before, be resurrected by the tycoon's actions?
If you love time travel and historical fiction, the Quantum saga will keep you burning through the pages late into the night! Get it here!
* * *
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ARMS Helm's End: (Book 7) Page 26