Battle for the Earth

by John P. Gledhill

  Tannacha’s reputation for total disregard of his Annunaki warriors’ lives had also not been lost on the succeeding generation of warriors.

  A solution had to be found before the rabid Annunaki Sybotes could be released into the wild on Earth, otherwise they might prove to be more of a liability than an asset for the Annunaki. None of Tannacha’s preparatory research had anticipated this problem, and the Annunaki scientists on board the huge transport were having a terrible time trying to find a solution. It was like a sailors’ shore party gone awfully wrong.

  Nevertheless, Tannacha had demanded that the Sybotes were to be sent, so that’s what would happen. After all, he was the supreme commander.

  The final shuttles were arriving on board the Gerona, the immense transport craft that would ferry these new Annunaki Sybotes to their destination at Dulles on Earth, and into Tannacha’s hands.

  **

  Tannacha was making preparations for the arrival of his new battle group, This had been his plan all along. The trouble was, again he hadn’t told anyone in his first fleet about it.

  He had called Nalater into his conference room and brought him up to date with his plans. Nalater was impressed yet again. At least Tannacha still had the ability to surprise him, time after time. Maybe that’s what distinguished him as leader.

  **

  The scientists on board the Gerona had eventually found a quick fix for the Annunaki Sybote’s discipline problem. A second mind-control device placed on the opposite side of the brain seemed to calm the creatures down and make them more controllable.

  The rest of the fleet was ready to go and waiting for the Gerona to be filled with its quota of Sybotes. The rest of the cargo had been loaded. This comprised mainly various ground assault craft, almost tank-like but without tracks, preferring to hover four feet above the ground and bristling with pulse weapons. There were shuttles, small, medium and large, and purpose-built, pre-fabricated buildings.

  Around five hundred Sybotes had now been loaded and modified, and more were arriving every hour. The process of modifying the Sybotes had now been transferred to the research facility on Nibiru to speed up the process.

  Eventually the prescribed target of one thousand Annunaki Sybotes was achieved and the fleet was now ready to take flight.

  **

  Tannacha and Nalater had not been idle at the Dulles base, and the town of Chantilly was in the firing line again. Nalater had been ordered to clear space to the south of the Dulles base and he finished the job that the resistance had started by levelling Chantilly to the ground. A five-square-mile area over Chantilly was flattened until no more than a three-inch-high mound of earth was left.

  The conversion of the underground station deep under the Dulles base had been finished and fully kitted out with state-of-the-art equipment to produce human Sybotes by the dozens. The defences around the base were impenetrable for ground attack and daunting for an air attack. Annunaki assault craft were on permanent patrol in the airspace above the base, and were on scramble alert from the Nephilimis hovering above the base.

  Tannacha was now ready to greet his new fleet and take on the Earth again.

  **

  45

  The battle group started to move out of the asteroid field that surrounded Nibiru and slowly grouped into the designated formation, with the battle cruisers flanking the support ships and transports in a massive V shape.

  This battle group was even more impressive than the one that Tannacha had led in what now felt like a lifetime ago. It thundered forward like a huge manta ray, carving its way through space, led by two small, ten-man shuttles, that were able to lead them through the hazards of space on hyper-drive.

  All of a sudden the fleet was enveloped, and in the blink of an eye were gone into hyper-space, and on their way to Earth - for better or worse.

  **

  On board the lead cruiser, Sutan, the commander of the new battle group, was holding a meeting in one of the sumptuous conference rooms on board his flagship Orpious. All ten of his battle cruiser commanders were represented, but because they were all in hyper-space, the meeting wasn’t held in person. Holographic representations of each of the commanders were seated around Sutan’s large conference table.

  They were discussing the reports Tannacha had sent back on the first shuttle from Earth, in particular concerning the two cruisers around the other side of Mars. Nobody knew that there was a base on Mars. They simply thought the ESG were hiding out there.

  The other thing that was on the agenda was the question of the resistance fighters, although this was not seen as a particular threat to a battle group and army this size, especially with the new threat of the Annunaki Sybotes.

  Sutan was looking forward to getting to Earth and meeting up with his elder brother, Tannacha. He relished the challenge of fighting these elusive Earth people and skinning them alive. It was just unfortunate in his eyes that there were only two ESG cruisers left. Still, they would have to do for now.

  Sutan was something of a perfectionist and liked well-structured plans. Keeping his commanders informed and in the loop was important to him, unlike his brother’s more maverick approach to war.

  He had not been wasting his time while he was waiting for the battle group to set off. He had put together a plan of action for the battle group on its arrival on Earth. This of course would be at the discretion of Tannacha and not open to debate.

  Still, Sutan thought it a good plan.

  On arrival at Earth, Sutan would despatch five cruisers to hunt down the ESG cruisers and the transports with them. That would be the end of them. Meanwhile, the Annunaki Sybotes would hunt down the resistance and take care of them, bit by bit, if necessary. This strategy would be repeated all over the globe.

  Tannacha could then concentrate on making his human Sybotes and getting ready for the colonisation of Earth.

  Sutan had put this plan to his commanders for approval. One and all, they agreed it was an excellent plan. The meeting was brought to a close and Sutan returned to his bridge to check the progress of the battle group.

  **

  Marie gasped, and called out for Jumouk.

  ‘They’re not in the asteroid belt any more. They must have just gone off into hyper-space.’

  Jumouk began scrolling through the visual display screens.

  ‘That’s them on their way then. Probably gives us two days. Pausanias has assured me that the defences on the Mars base are up to the job.’

  ‘Doesn’t that really depend on what they throw at us? Bear in mind that will give them twelve battle cruisers.’

  Jumouk nodded in agreement.

  ‘Well, I’m sorry, Marie. We just can’t anticipate the outcome of this one.’

  Lee had now joined them.

  ‘I’m afraid Jumouk’s right, Marie. The ball really is in their court this time.’

  ‘Still, all’s not lost yet. We’ve got this amazing base. We’ll just need to see what Pausanias can pull out the hat.’

  ‘Marie, will you warn Finney what to expect, and tell him to pass it on to Mark? To be honest I think Mark might be at the sharp end first.’

  ‘No problem, Jumouk, consider it done.’

  With that Marie headed off in the direction of the communications console.

  Jumouk shook his head at Lee.

  ‘It doesn’t look good, Lee. Is there really nothing we can do?’

  ‘I think we’re just going to have to see how it goes, I can’t think of anything we can do to stop the Annunaki battle group now.’

  ‘I’m afraid the war on Earth might now be lost, but we must do everything we can to protect the civilians on this base. There is a possibility that if they get Earth they might leave us alone.’

  ‘I believe that might be wishful thinking, Jumouk. Don’t forget how unforgiving they are.’

  Marie rejoined them. She wasn’t told about the last part of their conversation.

 
‘That’s Finney up to date. Mind you, he’s not too happy. There’s nothing going on in London since the Annunakis pulled out. Personally speaking, I think he’s bored.’

  ‘Next time you speak to him, tell him to make the most of the peace and quiet I don’t think it’s going to stay that way for long.’

  Jumouk spotted the ever-elusive Pausanias and made his excuses to Lee and Marie.

  ‘I just need to have another word with Pausanias. Will you both excuse me for now?’

  With that he took his leave and ushered Pausanias into one of the annexes leading off the main control room.

  ‘Pausanias, I need to know the full capabilities of this base. The Annunaki battle group that was at Nibiru will be here in around two days, and I still have very little knowledge of this base.’

  Pausanias rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

  ‘Jumouk, I am sorry but you are going to have to be patient with me when I say we have nothing to fear here.’

  ‘I hear what you’re saying, but how can you be so sure we won’t have a problem, when they will have twelve battle cruisers to our two?’

  ‘As I say, Jumouk, you’re going to have to trust me for the time being. But do not worry, my friend. All will become clear in good time.’

  Jumouk shook his head firmly.

  ‘There is obviously something you’re not telling me, and I don’t understand why you’re not keeping me in the loop.’

  Pausanias smiled. He had to give Jumouk ten out of ten for persistence.

  ‘Very well, my friend, let me show you something that will help ease your mind.’

  He gestured for Jumouk to follow him.

  As they entered the turbo-lift, Pausanias punched a code into the control panel and a whole new panel appeared next to the original one. He selected a level and section Jumouk was unaware existed. When the turbo-lift came to a standstill they entered a long, well-lit corridor. Pausanias paused and ran his finger tip over a strip of foil on the wall. A small four-seater floating craft appeared to rise from the floor in front of them. Pausanias gestured for Jumouk to take a seat in the craft.

  Pausanias then selected some digits from the control panel, and the craft shot off on what seemed to be a predetermined course, coming to a stop after three minutes at a pair of large twin doors. They dismounted and Pausanias again ran his finger tip lightly over a strip of foil on the wall. The doors slid open and the two entered a large room filled with consoles and three-dimensional imagery.

  The doors closed behind them and Pausanias went directly to a large depiction of what looked like Mars. As the by-now thoroughly mystified Jumouk joined him, Pausanias began to explain:

  ‘This is the heart of our defences. As you can see on this depiction of Mars, we have pulse weapons stations all around the planet intensifying around the entrance to the base. These are defensive positions.’

  Jumouk was impressed. The defences did appear to be well positioned and formidable.

  ‘We also have offensive positions which target any incoming craft with pinpoint accuracy at a range of up to ten thousand miles. These are not just pulse weapons, they are beam technology. The beam is less than a human hair in width and is invisible to the naked eye. It travels at the speed of light and - before you ask - no, it isn’t a laser beam.’

  Jumouk looked dumbfounded.

  ‘How powerful is it?’

  ‘The beam is inert antimatter and only becomes active at critical mass. If you imagine standing at the top of a set of ladders with a cup full of syrup: if you dribble the syrup from the cup in a fine stream, a puddle forms when it hits the floor. The beam works on the same principle: it puddles and builds up on the target’s atoms reaching critical mass after a few fractions of a second.’

  ‘And the result?’

  ‘Devastating. It would tear a battle cruiser apart in a second.’

  Jumouk wandered round the depiction of Mars, nodding his head approvingly.

  ‘You seem to have it all well thought out, Pausanias. I have to say I don’t think the defences could be any better.’

  ‘Thank you, Jumouk. I assume I have put your mind is at ease now.’

  Jumouk had moved away from the Mars depiction and was wandering around some of the other consoles that were dotted around the room, acknowledging the operators as he passed them.

  ‘These other consoles, do they also play a part in the defence strategy?’

  ‘Yes, the system is fully automated. Once a threat has been identified, the system takes over and determines the best ways of dealing with it. When the threat has been dealt with, the system then returns to a monitoring mode.’

  ‘How can it tell what is a threat and what is not a threat?’

  ‘The system is monitored by two operators at all times. It identifies activity, then simply asks if that activity is a threat. If weapons fire is detected, the system reacts automatically.’

  As Jumouk strolled round the room he seemed pretty well satisfied.

  ‘Shall we return to the main control room now, Jumouk?’

  Jumouk didn’t really want to go back to the control room; he would much rather have stayed on to explore this level of the base, which he had never seen before. But under the circumstances he felt that he had probably had his fair share of revelations for the day. Besides, now that Pausanias was being a little more cooperative, he didn’t want to push his luck and alienate him.

  ‘Yes, that would be fine, and thank you again for the guided tour.’

  **

  Back in the control room Marie asked Jumouk if he wanted to go for a tea or coffee in one of the annexes. It was pretty obvious what her intention was. She wanted to know what Jumouk had seen, but didn’t like to ask outright.

  Sitting at the coffee table and sipping a hot latte, Marie brought the conversation delicately around to the subject of where Jumouk and Pausanias had been.

  ‘Did Pausanias manage to set your mind at rest, then?’

  ‘Yes, he certainly did, Marie. I think I can confidently say this base seems extremely secure, no matter what happens.’

  Marie took another sip of her coffee.

  ‘I had a look at the defence console in the control room, but it’s not exactly self-explanatory. I know Pausanias ran through a brief explanation of it with me, but as far as I could make out it’s mainly automatic.’

  Jumouk nodded.

  ‘It is. In fact, the whole system is fully automated and as a back-up measure has two of Pausanias’s people monitoring it at all times.’

  Marie was reluctant to ask outright exactly where they had gone, but she did feel she was being put off a bit.

  Jumouk wanted to speak to Lee soon to reassure him that at least the Mars base and its occupants were safe.

  Fiona meanwhile had her work cut out, organising the settlement of the new arrivals at the Mars base. This was a tough challenge, but she did have the help of Pausanias’s staff, and was amazed at how well organised they were, and how many people this base seemed able to support.

  The food replication machines in the numerous dining areas were excellent. They could produce anything, and what was more, it tasted like the real thing! Everybody was more or less settled in and seemed contented. Pausanias’s staff were helping out with any problems, even down to medical requirements. There were two fully equipped hospitals, fully staffed by trained nurses and doctors, even if they were Pausanias’s people. It was almost as if the human population had been expected.

  **

  Fiona joined Marie at the coffee table, after Jumouk had left to track down Lee.

  ‘How is the settling-in going, Fiona?’

  ‘Great. Pausanias’s people have been worth their weight in gold. You would almost have thought they had planned for this somehow.’

  ‘To be honest, Fiona, right now I would believe anything. This place is just unbelievable!’

  Fiona ordered a green tea from one of the Android waitresses. She had qu
ite taken to green tea thanks to Lee’s penchant for it.

  ‘What’s going to happen to all the people left on Earth?’

  ‘I really don’t know, Fiona. What I do know is we’ve got our work cut out for us up here.’

  Lee joined them at the table. Jumouk had already brought him up to date regarding the security of the Mars base.