Serve and Protect

by Douglas Varnell

  Before long the word was spread about who had arrived and what they had been doing. Hunter and his men were inundated with questions from admiring cadets and even Australian surfers. To Hunter’s surprise, even the Muslim cadets were acknowledging his good work, but what surprised everyone most was when Andre approached Hunter and extended his hand, saying, “Your sister told me all about you. She made you sound like some kind of super-hero. With that ponytail you do look a bit like Thor. If you’re half the man your sister claims you to be, then it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Like any other gathering on Verron, when the feeding was over, there was music. With this crowd it was mostly rock-n-roll and it was surprising how talented some of the cadets where as they sang and played along with the Verron family. Everybody there had to have a picture taken with Zeus and a lot of them were taken with their new alien friends. Pavel and Ilna were posing with several of their new volleyball playing friends when the crowd grew quiet and started looking up at the dark clouds that had finally stopped flooding the terrace. A large number had headed outside to meet Zeus as soon as the rain slacked-up. Bart was standing with Katelyn, Ginny and Maria and their new friends when he suddenly stopped talking and looked up and behind them. Suddenly 99 and Ilna got excited and started doing that embarrassing goat/monkey dance together. Circling the terrace and looking for a clear spot to land, were Finley and his new mate Burka. Finley had been watching way too many animated cartoons and loved Burka Avenger. The crowd spread out to make room and the newly formed couple as they proudly landed on the terrace right in front of Zeus and his life-long friend 99. Burka was adorable, well for a gargoyle looking flying baboon/monkey with leathery black skin and claws on her hands and feet, but she was definitely female and was a bit more petit than Finley and shapelier and had a small tuft of green hair right between her pointy bat-like ears. She was a little shy in her first public appearance and clung closely to Finley’s side. Ilna and 99 greeted her warmly and Zeus gave her a lick. Next, Finley searched out Paul Verron and introduced her to the first human he had ever liked and whispered something in her ear. She smiled and politely bowed to King Verron. Paul reached over and gave Burka and Finley a big hug and welcomed Burka to the family. Of course everyone had to take a picture of the happy couple and the excitable Lyncardi swarmed to meet someone their size that could fly. Finley, 99, Ilna and Burka stayed long enough to be sociable, but left before everyone else and headed to 99’s new home to visit together and probably watch some Sci-Fi. He and Ilna had recently discovered Transformers and had all 10 movies to share with their friends.

  The day before was a Thanksgiving that none of the visitors from Earth would soon forget. But with only one day left before they had to get back to the Academy, all of them were going to make sure they added one more thing to remember to their list of memorable moments on Verron. Instead of taking gateways to visit the Verron allies, Amber chose to offer them space-flight at warp-speed and by gateway to take a short tour of six different Nations. While Katelyn and her friends were enjoying one last day of surfing, the cadets from the United States Air Force Academy became the first cadet astronauts in history and got to see much more than they would have had they simply stepped through a gateway into a busy tourist or welcome area. They had been impressed enough with their tour of the Ship Manufacturing Facility and the simulators, but when they boarded a Verron Man of War for their day’s activities it was like a dream come true for young men and women who had fantasized of space-flight since their youth. Amber told them that one day in the future regular aircraft would become obsolete on Earth and what was normal for Verron would one day become routine for Earth as well, but first there had to be some form of unity on Earth before such radical technology was released to them.

  Cadets were swarming all over the big ship, climbing in Fighters and Light Destroyers and checking out the operation of weapons systems so destructive that it defied imagination. What really got their attention was when Amber told them, “There are other Nations in the Universe who possess weapons just as powerful and who are able to withstand an assault even from Verron’s best weapons. These Nations are out to enslave or destroy the rest of the Universe. One day I hope Earth will join the fight to stop them; many of you may one day be a part of that effort.”

  The next morning Amber and the cadets were flown back to the Academy in the Man of War instead of making a gateway. Ginny was there to see off Jeffrey and Emily was there to see off Andre. Several of the surfer girls were around to tell the flyboys goodbye. The cadets were excited to see the reaction when the big ship landed at the Academy and 275 cadets poured off to head back to class. They knew that they would be the envy of the Academy. Tala, Brad, Robert and Cruz left early for Area 51. Katelyn made a gateway to escort her friends back to Australia with several invitations to Ginny from them for her to come to Australia to visit. Katelyn next took Ginny home and got a hug and unceasing gratitude from Bart’s little sister. Hunter headed back to be there when his men made it home from family visits. He knew that none of them could get from the Indian Ocean to the states and back in a short four-day weekend. He had his two pilots drop the men home and pick them up with the stealth transports. He ordered that the cloaking be maintained the entire time. Family members were a bit puzzled as their sons walked into nothing and disappeared. Katelyn remained behind for a couple of days to discuss her plans with Emily, Maria and of course Bart. Three days of surfing had loosened him up considerably and getting to know the people of Verron really helped the first three members of her new Organized Crime and Gang Task Force feel more comfortable about what they would soon be called to do. Katelyn began by summarizing her plan to the three phases, saying “I plan to take advice from Uncle Paul and focus initially on the source of the problem, the drugs and the people who make them. I have every intention of going for the big players first, the people who control governments and law enforcement and pretty much have grown accustomed to doing anything they feel like doing. I will use Verron aircraft and Verron pilots to carryout phase one.”

  “While we’re doing that, I believe we need to make arrangements for you three to receive a Verron military enhancement, as well as Jxansa Gha and weapons training. We will also teach you how to use our body armor and forcefields. Vlad has agreed to train my people in Spetsnaz and KGB clandestine operations techniques and FBI Director Comey has agreed to help us select the best possible targets for maximum effect. Once I begin Phase I, the drug world will be in total chaos and there will be so many of them killing each other for control of the declining resources, it will make our job a bit easier.” Bart thought the briefing sounded good, but maybe with a little too much enthusiasm or unrealistic expectations. The FBI and DEA had been attempting for decades to reduce the supply chain, but as soon as one source goes under a new one rises up. He politely raised his hand and asked, “You’ve mentioned the devastation you plan to cause the drug lords with your Phase I program. Would you mind letting us in on exactly what this Phase I program entails?” Katelyn smiled and replied, “I was wondering who would be the first to ask. I’m not surprised it was you, better than tell you, how about I show you.”

  Katelyn made a quick call on her com unit and the four of them headed out of the small conference they were holding at the Mansion kitchen table and boarded the elevators. Bart noticed Katelyn punch-in a code and do a retinal scan before the elevator began to drop far lower than the customary stop at the hanger floor. They exited the elevator and walked down the wide hallway of the Mountain City storage facility and soon faced another large secure and heavily fortified elevator. Tlase approached them from behind and did voice-recognition, palm and eye scan, then stuck her finger into a small opening for a DNA verification. Bart had been in some really secure places before, but had never seen anything like it. They went down for what seemed like another mile before the elevator door opened to a large hallway. There were several high-security entries along the hall, but Tlase led them to the one at the end of
the hall. Repeating the security procedures once again, they then stepped into a decontamination chamber and donned EV suites before going through the next set of doors. When the air-lock whooshed open they were looking at a laboratory that looked like it came directly from a high-tech Sci-Fi movie. Tlase escorted them through the busy lab to a chamber in the back and another set of clean-room security doors. As they entered the chamber and the doors locked behind them, Tlase turned and said, “You must understand that the things we develop in this laboratory are capable of killing every living thing on this planet in seconds and can never be allowed into the wrong hands. If one step in our security procedure is not done perfectly, the entire lab and everything in it would be destroyed with a photon bomb designed to incinerate everything and everyone in the lab.”

  Tlase explained to Bart the weapon that had been used by Katelyn when she took out the gangs in Chattanooga, informing the three guests, “We call it the Rapture Round. The round contains a specific formula designed to eradicate a specific DNA, in this case, human DNA. We could actually design it to be race specific by targeting and eliminating say all people with white DNA, or black or Jewish DNA. A bomb could then be dropped on a city or a country and complete genocide could be obtained of an entire race. We used it once before on Klelta. They were being enslaved by a humanoid race. Rapture rounds were used to eliminate the large enemy army and with no effect at all on the Klelta. The ones Katelyn used were a smaller dosage and each round had a small amount in it. It is critical that one is a good shot when using it, one round - one target. A stray bullet could vaporize an innocent. Now, here’s what you all came down here to see. This formula was first used to kill a specific kind of cannibalistic vine we encountered on Verron. We were able to disintegrate the vine with no harm to surrounding vegetation. At Katelyn’s direction we have formulated DNA specific defoliants to kill the coca plant, opium poppy and cannabis plant with no harm to coffee beans, cacao tree, or even a tea leaf. It will poison the ground for regrowth of these plants and leave nutrients to help surrounding vegetation flourish. We could destroy a coca field and replant it immediately with coffee or bananas with no ill effects. Here, let me show you.”

  Tlase walked over to a large terrarium. Inside was growing a row of poppy plants, a row of coca and some very healthy looking cannabis. Between the rows were typical tropical vegetation, ferns, vines, grasses and even cacao and some coffee beans. Tlase removed an aerosol mister from a nearby cabinet and put one end of it into a small rubber sealed opening in the glass window of the negative pressured terrarium. She quickly squeezed the bulb of the mister and instantly the entire row of poppy plants vanished is a bright flash. Nothing surrounding the plants was touched. She repeated the exercise for the coca plant and the cannabis. Each time the designated plant vanished.” Tlase looked at the four observers and told them, “It will have no effect on any living creature. She pointed back at the terrarium and you could now see numerous animals that had been hidden from view by the now vaporized plants, lizards, rodents and even spiders and snakes, were completely unscathed. Katelyn took charge of the conversation, saying, “We will soon have enough produced to begin Phase I, which entails using cloaked Verron ships equipped with spray equipment, much like a crop-duster, we will systematically fly above the rain clouds that provide the water to the tropical areas where these plants grow. There are a lot of acres involved, but it doesn’t take much to have the effect you’ve just seen. Once a field is destroyed, it cannot be replanted.” Turning to Bart, she asked, “With the source of cocaine, heroin and marihuana gone, then we begin to focus on the chemical labs. As the drugs dry-up, King Verron’s daughters intend to market a product we use on Verron. One injection and you can be totally free of drug or alcohol addiction. The war over a shrinking supply and the prices of the reduced inventory will bring out the worst in organized crime and gangbangers. I also have Lucy prepared to clean-out all financial resources as soon as our friends at the FBI and DEA tell who the big-dogs are, they will soon be broke-dogs. The money we confiscate will be used to finance our operation.”

  Bart looked at Katelyn and asked, “You planned all this on your own?” Tlase interjected, “Every step of it.” Katelyn smiled, “I had a lot of help to make my ideas work, but they were all my ideas.” Bart smiled and replied, “I owe you the biggest apology of my life. I thought you were just some vindictive girl trying to atone for the fact you weren’t there when your friend died. But you’re not just another pretty face and you’re not just some idealistic Princess who wants to play cop. This is brilliant and if it doesn’t work nothing will.” He got a little grim and added, “You were right when you told me a lot of people are going to die. But I believe the number we will obviously kill will be far less than those who will kill each other. Count me in, boss.” Katelyn turned to her two friends who were feeling the same way as Bart. They both quickly agree that they were in as well. Then Maria asked, “So what’s this about military enhancements and weapons training. You mean I get to carry a gun?” Katelyn smiled and told the enthusiastic teen, “Not just any gun. You’ll be carrying a Rapture Gun.” Smiling at Bart she added, “We don’t want to be leaving any bodies behind as evidence, now do we?”

  Chapter 18

  Thanksgiving was over and it was back to life as usual for the Dragon Guard, the holiday visitors and those on Verron. Life as usual for professional surfers of course was back at the beach to practice or off for a photo shoot to endorse their sponsor’s products. The next edition of Surfer Magazine would feature dozens of photos of the trip to Verron and endorsements of how great the surfing was there. Ginny even downloaded her brothers GoPro HD Video on YouTube. In days it had hundreds of thousands of hits; it may have had something to do with alien surfers and volleyball players. Bart, Emily and Maria returned home briefly to get permission from their bosses and, family in Maria’s case, to return to Verron for a few months. Maria and Emily had a hard time convincing their mothers that they would be alright, but eventually they gave in. Bart went directly to Director Comey for a briefing and for new orders to be assigned to the Verron: Organized Crime and Gang Task Force. He had never been as quickly received by the Director before and was surprised to find CIA Director Sullivan in the office when he arrived. After telling the two Directors about everything that had happened in Chattanooga and about his visit to Verron for the past four days, then discussing Princess Katelyn Verron’s plan to fight organized crime and drug cartels, both Directors informed Bart that his operation would have to be off the books because it violated almost every U.S. and International law. Director Sullivan then added, “We have several operations going on with Verron that are not on the books. Everything they do goes against the established norm, that’s why they work. We will assign one inside information liaison at the FBI, and for your international missions, with the CIA. You understand of course that we can’t furnish any manpower or weapons that may be traced back to either agency. You will be operating undercover and on your own. It has to be totally separated from any other FBI or CIA operation since we both feel there are people inside the agency that are working for the organized crime syndicates.” Bart left the meeting with a lump in his throat and thinking, “Katelyn Verron, what have you gotten me into?”

  Katelyn was planning her first operation of Phase I with Tlase and Marie Verron-Parks, making certain there was an ample supply of the three different formulas to hit her proposed targets. Just as they were about to finish, Paul Verron entered Marie’s office and greeted his daughter and niece with his usual mischievous smile. Marie looked at him and simply said, “What?” She knew Paul well enough to know he was up to something. He shrugged his shoulders and asked, “How far along are you on planning your rapture run? I’m here to ask you to change it before you get too far along.” The three women looked at Paul and Katelyn asked, “Change what?” Paul walked a bit farther into the office and informed them, “I know your goal is to target drug dealers, but how would you like to make a double wha
mmy and help your cousin too. Hunter is preparing to push hard on the Taliban and wants to target their funding as much as possible. Selling opium is a major source of their revenue. Would you mind making your fist target Afghanistan and Pakistan to help out your cuz? He would really appreciate it and it will still put you closer to your own goal.” Katelyn turned to Tlase and Marie and asked, “Well, if we shift our focus from the cocaine business to the opium business, do we have enough formula to target what Uncle Paul is asking for? It will actually make it possible for us to fight on two fronts at the same time, with Hunter and his group fighting one of the battles for me.”

  Marie played on the computer a minute and informed them that there was plenty of the opium poppy formula prepared to cover what Hunter had requested and maybe even China and Thailand as well.” Katelyn smiled and gave King Verron her best put-on exasperation, and told him, “Well, if I have to do his job for him, I guess I may as well get it done first so I can get to my own project. Tell him we will be making the first run tomorrow evening. Ask him if there are any specific areas he wants hit first?” Paul nodded his approval and as he exited the room, could be overheard saying, “Got that Lucy?” The girls knew that once Lucy was given the go ahead from King Verron, it was a done deal. Katelyn smiled and told Tlase and Marie, “I think I will take out half of them now and wait a week for the others and see how many of them kill each other thinking it was their rival gang that poisoned their crop.” Tlase smiled, Marie shook her head and said, “You two are as evil as my Dad.”