by Saxon Andrew
General Thurman walked up to Essay and said, “We want you to contact the Alien and request that it move its vessel.”
“What?”
“If we fire on it in its current position, the EMP could knock out every communication satellite above the planet.”
Thurman pointed to a console and Essay walked over to the operator. He handed Essay a microphone and he sighed. He pressed the button and said, “I’ve been asked to deliver a request to you.”
“I’m moving my ship above the north pole as we speak.” Essay looked at Thurman who raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Are you able to hear everything we say?”
“I am. I’ll speak with you after your launches.”
“So you know what’s coming?”
“I do.”
“Are you going to be alright?”
Essay heard a chuckle, “Let’s worry about that afterwards. I’ll speak with you then.”
An Air Force Major walked up and smiled, “Captain, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your quarters.”
Essay stood and followed him out of the room. Thurman walked over to Whitehall as he watched Essay leave the room. “Sir, why do you think the Alien chose him to open communications?”
Whitehall watched Essay leave the room and shrugged, “It said that he was the only sane person in the room. It’s my opinion that it may be right. I’ve issued promotion papers and the Captain will be promoted to full Colonel effective today.”
“Why Sir?”
“If that Alien sees something we’re missing, we may just need him to convince our leaders to listen. A full Colonel carries more weight than a Captain.”
Thurman shrugged. The Admiral was right. Colonels were usually on the front lines and their opinions did indeed carry more weight. He looked up at the monitor and wondered what the next day would bring.
• • •
Essay arrived at his quarters and threw his duffle bag on the bed. The Major said, “Your new uniforms are in the closet, Sir.”
“New uniforms?”
“You’ve been promoted to full Colonel and the Admiral ordered them delivered to your quarters. He asks that you wear them to all meetings.” The Major saluted and Essay returned it. He opened the closet and saw the uniforms with the gold eagle on the shoulders. He sat down and shook his head as he stared at the uniforms. He knew it was those in uniform that were used to attack and kill huge numbers of enemy soldiers. He wondered how long he would wear this new uniform.
• • •
Kam heard his thoughts and smiled. This one was beginning to see it.
• • •
Essay looked in the mirror the next morning and shook his head slightly. His close cropped black hair and fair skin was a product of his Scottish heritage. Michael’s hair was the same color. Stella had his blue eyes. Jim had his mother’s brown hair. He stared at himself and worried about what was happening. He lowered his head and said a quick prayer for his children’s safety and the safety of the planet. He opened his eyes and left the room.
• • •
He arrived in the nerve center and looked up at the monitors. He was surprised to see different faces on them. The British and Canadian Prime Ministers along with the President of France were on monitors next to the Chinese Premier. He looked at the Russian President and was shocked to see the President of Iran on the monitor next to him. He looked to the left of them and saw the Indian and Pakistani leaders on them. He struggled to see what they had in common that would have them present and then it hit him as he saw the Israeli Prime Minister on the last monitor next to the Australian Prime Minister. These countries all had nuclear weapons. He glanced up at the main monitor showing the Alien warship and saw the countdown was only an hour from completion. He looked at two smaller monitors under the large ones at the front of the room and saw the two rockets on their launch pads.
The Chinese Premier pressed a button and said, “I’ve been asked to lead this meeting. All of you that have been asked here have been given a recording of the last meeting that took place and I’m going to assume that you understand what’s happening. Do any of you have any questions?”
“WHY IS THE JEW HERE?”
The Premier looked at the Iranian and said, “If you and, as you call him, the Jew were trapped inside a building with your families, would you join him in defending them from being killed by soldiers firing at you?”
The Iranian stared at the Chinese Premier and said, “That question is illogical. That would never happen.”
“Then sit still and tell me that after today’s events take place.” The Iranian stared the Premier on his monitor and sat back with a scowl on his face. The Premier pressed a button and President Hodges saw him appear on his small personal monitor. “Yes, Premier.”
“Have you considered the ramifications if we fail to destroy that ship?”
“I have. And you?”
“I’ve done nothing else since our last meeting. This causes me great fear.”
Hodges sighed, “If any person isn’t scared by this, they’re really not sane. I’m assuming that you’ve come to the conclusion that if that Alien was worried about our attack, it wouldn’t have remained here.” The Premier nodded. “Then you’ve thought this through and, like me, you’re scared of the evidence it’s going to show us after the attack.”
The Premier nodded, “You are wise.”
“That’s why you insisted on the others being here to witness what happens.”
“It is. I hope it’s not as bad as my nightmares say.”
“Do you understand that we have to work together in the future?”
“I do and Michaelov agrees with me.”
“What about your military leaders?”
“They will be an issue.”
“I, too, am worried about mine.”
The Premier smiled, “This changes everything and I find myself looking at you as someone that will be a friend. We need your country’s help in what’s coming.” Hodges smiled and nodded.
• • •
Essay sat in his chair and saw the expressions on the world leader’s faces. Some were frightened; some were angry; and some were confused. He looked up at the countdown and closed his eyes. It wouldn’t be much longer until the world was radically changed.
• • •
The countdown hit zero and everyone in the room looked at the small monitors with the two huge rockets. The Chinese rocket ignited and the Premier said, “We’ve timed the arrival of the two rockets to arrive at the alien vessel simultaneously. The being launched in my country has further to go so it will lift first.” A few minutes later, the Russian rocket ignited and lifted off its launch pad. “Every observatory on Earth that has a view of the Alien will be recording what happens along with our military satellites. There is a possibility of the satellites being knocked out even though they’re shielded. The magnitude of more than four hundred nuclear explosions going off together is much more powerful than they were built to withstand.”
The Iranian saw the alien ship on his monitor hanging in space as another monitor showed the two missiles exiting Earth’s atmosphere and homing in on it. He stood up and watched the missiles track in on the ship and yelled, “WHY DOESN’T IT MOVE?” He stared at his monitor and then sat down as the monitor was filled with a brilliant flash.
Numerous small monitors went black but six of them continued to show the giant explosion in space. The fireball was incredibly huge and the Premier said in a calm voice, “It is going to take some time for the fireball to disappear. This is the largest nuclear explosion ever achieved by mankind. If it happened on the surface of the planet, an area the size of France would be vaporized and everything within three hundred miles would be burned into ashes by the shockwave.” The world leaders stared at their monitors and witnessed what a nuclear explosion really meant. Seeing it on artists’ renditions did not prepare them for what they saw.
Forty minutes later the fireball began growing smalle
r. The vacuum of space didn’t provide any material to feed it and it began diminishing in size at a rapid speed. Then the gathered leaders saw the Alien Ship still hanging above the planet.
The Chinese Premier looked somberly and said, “If you will ask your officer to open communications?”
Hodges looked at Essay and nodded for him to go to the communications terminal. Essay walked forward and picked up the microphone. He pressed the button and said, “Are you all right?”
“I’ll communicate now without using your electronic device.” Essay nodded and put the microphone down. “You should know that I am from a telepathic species and I can communicate with my thoughts. All of you can understand me and I’m hoping what you’ve just seen has you worried. Before I tell you what I’ve decided, I’m going to start sending recordings to your monitors showing the species that will be coming to your planet. At the conclusion of those recordings, I will tell you what you have to do if you want my assistance.”
The leaders suddenly saw a planet appear on their monitors with a sky full of starships just like the one in orbit above the planet. They heard the Alien’s voice describing what was happening. Essay sat in his chair and watched the carnage. He wanted to look away but couldn’t do it. Those clawed creatures were demons from hell. He saw in his mind what would happen if they came to Earth. He was frightened to the depths of his soul for his children. He forced himself to look at the leaders on the room’s monitors and saw real fear on their faces. The recordings took two hours to complete and finally the monitor showing the monsters killing millions, went dark. He immediately thought, “You are in a ship of that species.”
“Yes, this is one of their newest warships. I stole it from a new ship commander.”
“I notice that the last recording shows how they treat those they’ve conquered.”
An image appeared on the giant monitor in the center of the room and they saw the alien for the first time. It was one of the species on the last recording. “That is how my species is treated by them. All first-born females are ordered to be delivered to the Traugh communities when they are fourteen years old. Few of them survive a year. Most die within a month of being sent.”
The Chinese Premier gathered himself and managed to say, “When will they be here.”
“Within two to three hundred years.”
“What can you do to help us survive?”
“At the moment, nothing.”
The Leaders all showed their shock at the pronouncement. The Alien shook its head, “You are no better than the Traugh. You kill millions of your species and have built weapons that can kill billions more. Releasing your species into the galaxy would be sending another conqueror out to attack innocent civilizations.” The Alien stared at them and said, “But…you have it in you to become worthy of salvation.”
Hodges said, “What do you require?”
“I am leaving and will return to your planet exactly two years from now. If you can demonstrate that you can come together as a species, I will give you the tools to start building against the day the Traugh fill your skies with warships.”
Essay said, “What is your name?”
The Alien looked at them and paused. After a moment it said, “You may call me the Prophet.”
Essay quickly said, “What do you prophesize about us?”
The alien looked at them and smiled, “You will find the beauty inside you or you will die. Once the Traugh remove all the natural resources from your planet, they will kill every being on it. They never leave any conquered species behind that may one day attack them. That will take hundreds of years but the end is certain. You have to decide your future. I can’t impose one on you.” The alien stared at them and then said, “I am doing one thing before I leave.”
Michaelov said, “What is that?”
“I will remove every nuclear weapon on the planet. There is a time of conflict coming where your species will become one or turn on each other. I will not leave the tools that can kill billions of you.” The Leaders looked around at each other and the Alien said, “Two years. If you cannot find it in yourselves to learn to love all of your species and come together, I will leave and you will face your fate.”
“How are we going to convince the billions that haven’t seen you?”
“It’s not going to be that hard. Immediately after I destroy your nuclear weapons, I am going to speak to every being on the planet about what their future holds. I will also send the recordings you just saw over every electronic device on the planet with a display.”
“That is going to cause panic!”
“They should be panicked. Out of their fear, it’s possible that something good will rise. You will have to direct them in what happens.”
“Can we tell them that you have the things we need to survive?”
“I will give you this ship along with the plans to build a ship that can destroy it. But first, the killing of each other must stop.”
Essay yelled, “What are you going to be doing for two years?”
The Alien smiled, “I’m going to other planets and help them to meet the coming invasion.”
The Indian Prime Minister said, “You might as well destroy all the aircraft, tanks and heavy weapons along with the nuclear weapons.”
“I really thought about doing that, but you’re going to need the metals in them to build your warships if, you find a way to peace among you. You should contact your nuclear weapon facilities and immediately evacuate them. I’ll give you an hour to comply and then I’ll destroy them. After I complete their destruction, I will deliver my message to every one of your species on the planet.”
Hodges yelled, “The planet will die if you explode that many nuclear devices.”
“There will be no explosions. However, you will need large amounts of dirt to fill in the holes.” The Alien stared at the leaders and smiled, “Why do you think I had you attack my ship with your most powerful weapons?”
Essay said, “To show us that there’s nothing we can do to prevent you from doing whatever you choose to do.”
The Alien smiled, “You are the sanest person in this gathering. Not only can you not stop me, but the Traugh will laugh at your efforts to stop them when they arrive. You have fifty-eight minutes to evacuate your facilities. You might also want to start announcing that I will be sending a message out at that time.”
The Leaders began disappearing from their monitors and Hodges looked at the Premier, “Good luck.”
“And to you as well.”
• • •
Essay ran up to Whitehall and grabbed his arm, “Sir, I need to get back to my family.”
“Can you fly a helicopter?”
“Yes Sir.”
“There’s a small attack chopper on the pad outside the entrance. I’ll issue orders that you’re coming to pick it up. It has two extra fuel tanks attached and it should get you home.” Essay nodded and turned away but Whitehall grabbed his arm, “Colonel, take care of my daughter!”
Essay looked at him and nodded, “I intend to ask her to marry me one day, Sir.”
“When did you make that decision?”
“When the Alien ship appeared in the fireball.”
Whitehall nodded and released his arm. Essay ran out of the room. Whitehall sighed. He ordered the helicopter delivered so Connor could go to his daughter. He smiled slightly. He was the sanest person on the planet. He’d do what was needed to protect her. The helicopter would help him in the effort.
• • •
Essay went through security at top speed. It was much easier getting out than getting in. He arrived at the entrance and saw the small attack chopper idling just outside the main blast doors. The Sargent looked at his ID and nodded. Essay jumped in the pilot’s seat and lifted the MH-6 above the sprawling complex. He flew around the main Air Field and turned east. He went to full speed and thought about the distance. He had about eighteen hundred miles to the cabin and traveling at 200 miles an hour…nine hou
rs. The Alien would be communicating with every human on the planet in another hour or so. He lifted his cell phone and punched a number. It started ringing and he said, “COME ON! COME ON, ANSWER IT.”
He started to hang up but heard Jim say out of breath, “Hello!”
“Jim, is Emily around?”
“Here she is.”
“What’s going on?”
“Emily, I need you to take the children to the cave and pull the camouflage over it.”
“What’s wrong, Essay?”
“The Alien is going to communicate with every person on the planet and I expect there to be wide spread panic. Move whatever food you have in the cabin to the cave.”
“I loaded up the SUV with food stores yesterday when I picked up the weapons. Where are you?”
“I’m currently over Wyoming in a helicopter your father gave me to get home. I won’t be there for at least nine hours. Get in the cave and I’ll go there when I arrive.”
“What are you going to do with the copter?”
“There’s a cut in the hill next to the cave that will hide it with the blades retracted. We’ll cover it with branches.”
“Please hurry, Essay.”
“I’m violating every flight regulation on the books. Just get the children to the cave.”
“We’re going now. See you this evening.”
Essay lifted his phone and pulled up the GPS coordinates he had saved. It was probably going to be dark when he arrived and he would land the MH-6 in the clearing. They could move it to the cut in the ravine in the morning. He moved lower as he poured on the speed. An hour later he heard the Prophet begin speaking. He heard him in his mind and after a few moments, the display on his panel began showing the recordings of the Traugh invasions. He lost most of the visual controls when the display began showing the recordings but he knew they would end before he would need to land. His cell phone also showed the recordings and he would have to fly using major landmarks. He turned south and found Interstate 90 in ten minutes. He moved above it and followed it east at high speed as the recordings continued to play. By the time he left I-90. He could see the first fires start burning below him.