***
“How did you overcome Altos?” The King asked in a gasp as he watched the destruction of the shuttle.
“We didn’t,” Carol explained. “We merely burned out all the electrical connections on the shuttle. The Altos or Vril, as we call it, is still there.”
“Where did you acquire these fantastic weapons?” the King then asked with bewilderment.
“We’ve had them for a long time, your highness,” Carol responded. “But I think that Colt will now show you a game changer.”
“Game changer?” the King inquired after a hesitation.
“Come on,” Carol said with the excitement of a young girl. “You need to get closer to see this,” she said as she pulled on the King’s sleeve. He and his two companions walked to the middle of the line. Carol placed them next to the area where the totally stunned Sumi commanders stood with a defeated look on their blue faces. He also now faced Colton Banyon. Carol took her place at the end of the human line.
“Does everyone have their cellphones turned on?” Colton Banyon asked his team.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Oh, we have studied these silly little devices you call a cellphone,” Erox blurted out. “They are a child’s toy and can’t harm a Sumi.”
Eighteen people now pointed the face of their cellphones towards the Sumi. They had moved closer together so all the cellphones touched each other. All their screen shots were the same. It was the picture of the Sumi spaceship stuck in the mud of the mighty Mississippi River.
“For your information, there are somewhere over seven billion people on Earth,” Banyon said. “Almost all carry a cellphone and while it is not exactly an offensive weapon, it can be a devastating defensive weapon against your kind.”
“Your riddles do not amuse me,” Erox said sarcastically and waved his hand in annoyance.
“Okay, I’ll make it clear for you Erox,” Banyon replied. “We have discovered how to destroy Altos. And everyone on Earth will be able to render it useless. Is that clear enough?”
Both the King and Erox reacted. Shock and horror filled their faces. “No one has ever been able to destroy Vril in the billion years that it has been used by my people,” the King muttered. “If you can destroy Altos, our planet is doomed.”
“Well actually, we can’t harm Altos, but we can destroy the container you use to hold it,” Banyon explained. “We discovered the process by accident when one of our people was attempting to open one of your weapons in a lab. You see, we know that Altos must be held in a container made of a special glass. The glass is vulnerable.”
“I don’t believe it,” Erox interrupted arrogantly. “This is just another one of your tricks.”
Banyon continued patiently after the interruption. “All glass has a stress point that causes it to shatter. It can be caused by a sound wave. We have that sound wave on all our phones.”
“Is this some sort of threat?” the King managed to ask.
“Why, yes it is,” Banyon replied evenly. “When you leave here today, you must never come back. Every cellphone in the world will be given this application. If you ever come to Earth again, we will make sure you never return to Maltos.”
“Prove that you can destroy Altos,” Erox demanded and folded his long arms.
“Loni,” Banyon said as he dumped all the Sumi weapons from the plastic bag onto the ground. “Pick one to demonstrate for our guests.”
Loni smiled at the blue men across from her and made a dramatic show of picking up a weapon from the ground. She stood like a game-show model and held the Reducer laser gun using only two fingers while making sure that they all could see what she had in her hand.
Colton Banyon pointed his phone at the weapon. He then pressed a button on his phone and suddenly the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind began playing.
It was the ringtone for Kenny’s cellphone. He had received a call and it had destroyed the Vril container in the weapon he was working on in the lab.
Within seconds, a green liquid began flowing from the device. Soon the liquid evaporated and dissipated. She gracefully walked over to the stunned Erox and handed him the weapon.
“Now shoot me,” she requested and opened her small arms and threw out her chest in submission.
Erox didn’t hesitate, but found that nothing happened when he pressed the start button. “This can’t be,” he screamed. “Altos powers everything for us. We can’t survive without it.”
“You have just condemned our people to extinction,” the King shouted in despair. “We need the wood from Earth to survive. You are denying us the very thing that keeps us alive.”
“I’ve done nothing to stop your survival,” Banyon responded hotly. “The real problem is that you have become too dependent on Altos. It is the narcotic that you crave and seek. Instead of finding a better way, you just feed your habit.”
“We must surrender Erox,” the King said regretfully. “There is no other choice for us. This expedition of yours is over.”
“We are Sumi, we never surrender,” Erox defiantly responded as he eyed the King.
The King continued speaking. “Then you and your commanders must commit blunk. It is our way.”
“No,” Erox roared back. “We must kill these useless non-blues first and then withdraw to space. They can’t reach us there while we continue our attack. I have already sent a number of starships to their leading cities. I’ve even sent the green gas to one city. Soon this puny world will be chaos.”
“The green gas is not poisonous to the non-blues,” the King informed Erox.
The military leader was shaken by the King’s statement, but soon replied with determination in his voice. “We still have most of our ships and warriors. We will continue to attack.”
“Why? We will surely lose,” the King uttered. “They can make your weapons useless. Why would we continue?”
“Because, I must fulfill the prophecy,” Erox screamed at the King. “See the sacred Staff of Life,” he pointed at Mandy. “One of the women holds it. Once I have it, no one can stop me,” he said in a crazed voice.
“But, you were never meant to fulfill the prophecy Erox,” the King argued. “That man, Colton Banyon, is the one who is designated to fulfill the prophecy, not you,” the King pointed to Banyon as he spoke.
“I will have the staff,” Erox roared.
“No you won’t,” Colton Banyon said with finality.
“Send everything we have against these non-blues,” Erox screamed at his commanders. “I want every warrior to attack. I must have the staff.”
That’s when all hell broke loose.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Inside the crashed shuttle craft, the pilot and co-pilot were dead. They had been killed by the electrical charges from the lightning bolts. But the Sumi warriors had been protected in the cargo hold. They formed up and let out a roar as they drove their sleds at maximum speed out the door and towards the white clad non-blue humans.
Wolf had recently told Banyon that there were twenty warriors inside the shuttle. Banyon had asked for an update while the King and Erox were talking. Wolf had also told him the other news. There is no turning back now, Banyon thought.
“Here come some Sumi warriors,” Eric shouted as he noticed the blue warriors exit the shuttle craft.
“You three,” Banyon quickly pointed to the three Patel sisters. “I want you to cover the Sumi commanders. The rest of you point your cellphones in the direction of the warriors,” Banyon ordered. “Play the theme,” he continued.
The sleds the warriors were driving suddenly dropped to the ground and their laser guns disappeared. They stumbled and many fell on to the dirt, but quickly got up and continued their charge with only their huge swords. They had the crazed look of fanatics as they screamed and continued to charge.
Banyon’s team formed up into a classic box defense. It was much like what the British used during their long dominant military rule. They opened fire.
; Sumi warrior after Sumi warrior was cut down like charging rhinoceroses. They fell face first and didn’t move after they hit the ground. The concentrated firepower of Banyon’s team overwhelmed the charging warriors. In less than thirty seconds all the attackers were dead. But they were only a distraction ordered by Erox.
“Colt,” Maya shouted. “Look.”
When Banyon looked at the far end of the huge hole where Maya pointed, he saw the rest of the news. Only Banyon didn’t see its appearance as bad news. He had expected it. It had positioned itself exactly where Timmy had suggested in the altered order sent by Erox’s commander through the command center.
A starship had uncloaked over the ridge of the hole. Banyon realized that the ship must have been there for some time as thousands of Sumi warriors had already left the ship. Suddenly they poured over the edge on their sleds and down into the huge hole in the ground. It was directly in front of Banyon’s team.
***
Erox seized the opportunity. While his minders were preoccupied with staring at the huge lethal starship, he shouted out to his commanders.
“Shields,” he ordered.
All six of his commanders reached for a lapel on their uniforms. Behind the flap was hidden a small device. They grabbed it and pressed the start button. A shield engulfed each of them individually. They knew that nothing could penetrate the shield and they were safe. A smug smile now crossed the face of Erox. He folded his arms and waited for his warriors to kill everyone in the hole, especially Colton Banyon. Then the Staff of Life would be his. Nothing can stop me now.
“Hurry everybody,” Banyon screamed. “Get into the ditch, now.”
“Your highness, you should get into the ditch too,” Carol advised the King and his assistants. “Some of these warriors may try to kill you too.”
When planning the operation, Banyon had directed the military to dig a trench behind where they stood. It was dug just in case things didn’t go as scripted. He and his people dropped into the trench. They peeked over the top.
“Why aren’t they charging?” Loni asked as she watched thousands of Sumi glide into the far end of the hole. They milled around, but made no attempt to charge.
“They know that we can’t get out of this hole and are massing for an overwhelming charge,” Eric explained. It made everyone in the trench a little nervous.
“Get your Orion weapons ready,” Banyon shouted out. “Fire when I call your name.”
“Look at that stupid Erox,” Heather huffed. “He thinks that nothing can harm him in his little bubble.”
“Actually, nothing can,” the King replied factually. “The Altos that supplies the shield is inside the bubble. No sound wave can penetrate it.”
“My God!” Loni exclaimed. “He might get away.”
“No he won’t,” Banyon said forcefully. “I want Tom, Dick, and Harry to keep your guns on their bubbles. If they come out, shoot them. If they stay inside, we’ll deal with them later. They can’t stay shielded forever.”
“You are correct,” the King commented. “The shields can only protect them for twenty-four hours before they will shut down. Then we will have them.”
“The Sumi are coming,” Eric screamed.
***
A massive number of warriors headed for the back of the bomb hole where Banyon and his people hid. They moved at top speed. There were so many Sumi charging that they made a solid wall. It looked like a blue tidal wave. And more Sumi kept leaving the portal in the ship.
“Steve,” Banyon screamed.
Steve stood up and fired the Climate weapon. The Sumi were well out of handgun range, but not out of tornado range. Suddenly a large whirling wall of high winds sprang up and headed down the middle of the bomb hole picking up dust and dirt while increasing in speed. It hit the center of the Sumi warrior line and began tossing them into the air. Their huge figures could be seen swirling around inside the dark cloud like paper dolls. When they reached the top of the tornado they were tossed out and landed on top of other Sumi. The tornado cleared a path all the way back to the far wall. It died out when it hit the dirt cliff at the end.
While the tornado caused immense devastation and killed many warriors, the Sumi immediately regrouped. After a few minutes they started their attack again. At the same time, more warriors kept descending from the starship.
“Kenny,” Banyon shouted.
Kenny fired the Determination weapon. A gigantic ball of fire shot out from the weapon and cut a flaming path through the Sumi line. Screams and roars of terror could be heard echoing off the walls of the deep hole as many more warriors died. The smell of burning flesh now permeated the dust filled air. Still more warriors came down into the hole.
“Chase,” Banyon sang out.
The tall lawyer fired several lightning bolts into the charging line. Banyon could hear the sizzle of more flesh frying as the lightning bolts zigzagged through the attackers. The bottom of the hole was beginning to fill with bodies. Erox still stood in his bubble. He turned and watched the carnage with only mild interest. He had a look of certainty on his face. I have two hundred and thirty thousand warriors on that ship. It’s only a matter of time before they break through the non-blue’s defenses.
When Colton Banyon peeked over the ridge this time, he noticed that the flow of Sumi into the bomb carter had slowed to a trickle and guessed that the starship had discharged all its warriors. That meant that about a quarter of a million Sumi warriors were in the deep hole with him and his team. He smiled. It was all part of his plan.
Suddenly, the starship fired the red laser from the top of the ship. It streaked across the heads of the warriors and slammed into the dirt cliff directly over the trench where Banyon and his team hid. The laser dug a deep two foot wide tunnel into the ground. It made no sound, but everyone could hear a sizzle as anything in the lasers path disintegrated.
“Colt, that was too close,” Loni shouted. “We only have one minute before the starship will shoot again. The next shot will hit us.”
“Okay, I think we are ready for the next phase,” he responded. “Heather, I need you to build behind the men in the bubble. Can you do that?”
“I’m on my way,” she said without hesitation.
“I’m going with her for protection,” Steve said. Heather was his girlfriend.
“I’m going too,” Mandy, Heather’s friend, shouted. She handed the Staff of Life to Maya.
The three friends bolted from the trench and sprinted past the curious Sumi commanders in their bubbles. They all turned and watched as the three non-blues humans charged at the deadly Sumi warriors.
As soon as they passed the six shielded bubbles, Heather stopped and fired the Imagination weapon. It immediately began constructing a two foot wide wall across the width of the big hole. It worked very quickly. Within a few seconds a three foot high barrier was complete. Mandy and Steve began firing their guns as several Sumi were already in range. Heather soon joined them as the wall continued to be built on its own. They were out of bullets in a few seconds.
“We’d better get out of here now,” Heather shouted. They turned and ran as the wall kept building. It was ten feet high by then. But the Sumi were on sleds. Three had already floated over the top.
“Previne,” Banyon screamed. “Use the Security weapon. The rest of you fire.”
A blinding light emanated from the device that Previne fired. Two of the Sumi threw up their arms to stop the searing pain in their eyes. Banyon’s team picked them off easily. But just as they finished firing, more Sumi came over the wall. The defenders had to keep firing.
The remaining warrior from the first group managed to avoid the debilitating light. He continued after the three running non-blue people. Mandy turned and faced the threat.
“You guys keep going. I’ll take care of this one,” she yelled. She then assumed a martial arts stance and waited.
The Sumi attacker was suddenly cautious. He didn’t know what to think. She was less than half his
size and unarmed, yet she challenged him.
The Sumi was ten feet tall and had an arm reach of over five feet. Mandy knew that she would have to be really quick if she was going to get inside the additional twenty foot range of his laser weapon for her attack, and then he also had his gigantic sword.
She danced in front of him. “Come on big guy. Take your best shot,” she taunted.
The Sumi roared and swung his weapon at where she was located. But she used her quickness and was already sprinting directly at him. He realized his mistake too late. His reflexes were no match for the small girl. She leaped into the sir and buried the knife she had drawn from her leg strap deep into his neck. She then flipped over his shoulder and hung on to his armor. She stabbed him again in the back of his head. He made no sound as he began to fall to the ground. Mandy rode on his back until he buried his face into the ground. She deftly performed a summersault and came up running.
***
“Colt, we can’t wait any longer,” Colonel Cole screamed between shots. We are almost out of ordinance. There is just too many of them.”
“Timmy, now!” Banyon screamed. The geek was sitting cross-legged in the trench amid all the turmoil around him. He had his laptop open. His gun was on the ground next to him. He had not been able bring himself to fire a shot. But he could press a button.
“Done,” he yelled back.
Chapter Thirty-Five
The birds in the canopy of the jungle above the bombed out pit were the first to react. Hundreds of them took flight as soon as they felt the first wave pulse. Suddenly the jungle was filled with the unmistakable chaos of heavy metal music.
“What the f…,” Banyon screamed.
“Oh, sorry,” Timmy replied. “I was listening to my favorite band before.” He hit another button and the mind shattering pandemonium of electronic music was replaced by the smooth sound of the theme from the famous Close Encounters of the Third Kind movie.
The Society of Orion: Book Eight The Sumi Collision (Colton Banyon Mysteries 22) Page 10