#
The world had changed overnight for Elijah when they showed up. In a matter of weeks his entire village and all of the villages within weeks journey were now laboring day and night for them. Elijah had no particular love for the newcomers but he also understood when to fight and when to join, so he learned and absorbed as much information from the aliens as he possibly could. Aliens, not gods, is how Elijah understood them. Sure, they possessed powers that were so amazing that they in all intents and purposes to him were gods, but they were not gods. Elijah understood this.
Elijah also understood that these aliens had not come to his homeworld for the benefit of his people. They seemed preoccupied with something – something else, something that scared them. So, Elijah decided that if it scared these powerful beings, then their only hope would be to join them – as distasteful as that might be.
Elijah had studied his people’s history and was probably one of the most learned students of his people’s past. Much of that history seemed too much like religion and mythology to him but now, now he was unsure of everything. Every chance he got he would question the aliens about why they were there and what was their purpose. What he typically got was that “His will would be done. ”
“These aliens are here,” Elijah would tell his family, “because they are preparing for something. We should all endeavor to discover what this is. To them we are but primitives. In science and technology yes we are, but we have minds and we can think and we know our planet, our home. We are the only ones who care what happen to us. We must keep our eyes and ears open and look out for ourselves.”
Elijah’s family quickly built a network of closely trusted friends. In a matter of weeks Elijah was getting steady reports from many villages of the aliens’ movements and planning. He had to bide his time and learn.
#
Michael stood stiff in the war room of the huge wheel-shaped spacecraft that he had designated as the forward operations command post. From the tactical information and the real-time multidimensional battlescape emulator, he knew that the war raged fiercely in the planetoid belt just past the outer gas giant planets of this system. The Plan had already been disrupted when the Army failed to stop the insects at planet 17,777,111,342. The bugs continued to advance and were only a decade or less from the rearward muster points that had been set up a decade earlier. They had to be stopped, but Michael had used every tactic and strategy that had worked for him previously – for more than ninety million years. But the Bugs advanced forward.
“General,” Jacob thought over the net.
“Yes, Colonel, report.” Michael barked into Jacob’s mind.
“We have lost more than seventy percent of the Starfires, and the fleet frigates have all but been destroyed. We need reinforcements or I fear this campaign will be lost,” Jacob thought as he dodged incoming repulsor blasts from several different bug pods. He pulled the starfighter into a full acceleration dive through a small planetoid, shattering it into thousands of deadly fragments. The planetoid fragments caught several of the bug pods unaware, smashing them into oblivion.
Freeney swept in behind Jacob to mop up the bugs that had taken a six o’clock vantage point and was himself blind-sided by heavy fire from bug plasma artillery on the planetoid below. Spixcer dropped a cache of antimatter bombs on the planetoid, but it was seconds too late. Freeney’s shields were gone and his personal field was nowhere near strong enough to repel such a hit. He had been vaporized by the plasma bursts.
“Colonel, this is madness! We are outnumbered and outpowered. We must retreat!” Spixcer thought on the person-to-person code to Jacob.
Jacob had exhausted his antimatter bombs, his plasma disruptors were offline, and his repulsor cannons were at thirty percent. The starfighters in his command had been dwindled to less than a third the number of the bug pods and there was no support from the fleet that would be available for precious minutes.
“General Michael, it is my professional opinion that we are nothing but meat for the grinder at this point. We are having little to no effect against their superior numbers.” Jacob was slammed by a repulsor blast that completely depleted his shields and sent him spinning wildly at near relativistic velocity out of the planetoid engagement zone.
“Very well, Colonel. We shall try a new tactic.” Michael switched from the command channel to the wide area net. “All soldiers retreat at maximum pseudo-jaunt capabilities. Rescue frigates will be back to save you as soon as possible. You have all fought in a manner that would please our Great Emperor. Glory to Abhir!”
Michael watched the tactical displays and the multidimensional emulated battlefield in his mind as the Army of the Seven Stars retreated once again. But this time he would do something different. All of his great ships would be lost, but that would be a small price to pay to stop these insidious vermin. When the emulator showed that only acceptable losses would be taken, he gave a command to the giant space wheel’s navigation system and at full pseudo-jaunt it lurched into the local star and the giant spaceship – and its crew of seventy thousand – imploded at the star’s central core.
Michael reintegrated on the connection pad of a battle cruiser waiting at the maximum range of the teleporter system – nearly half the distance light travels in a year. Michael regained his composure and walked immediately to the tactical systems displays and completed the coded wireless handshaking to his frontal lobe implants. The battlescape emulation reappeared in his mind. Michael could see the star had collapsed on itself and been induced to go supernova. Of course the bugs could escape the blast wave, as they were a few light hours out, but they would have to retreat. The system was lost completely, but at least the insects did not take it. Michael continued to read the tactical displays and watch the data from the battle and now the rescue operations filter through his mind. More than eight hundred million inhabitants of the little green world of that system were lost and over seven million soldiers of His army were lost. Abhir would not be pleased. A bittersweet victory to say the least.
#
The rescue went well and most all of those who made it free of the engagement zone were saved. The survivors were rushed back to the muster points for medical attention, resupply, and new orders. Jacob survived the ordeal physically unharmed, but the sacrifice of millions of lives again and again was more than he could accept. Was His plan simply to sacrifice everybody in the Kingdom? Would that be any worse than being overtaken by the Bugs – after all, isn't death death?
#
Over two decades had passed since the aliens landed on Elisha’s homeworld. When they arrived he was but seven years of age. His father had warned them then that they should keep an eye on the invaders as closely as possible. For twenty years the house of his father had slaved and labored for the aliens. The entire cell network that Elijah had created had yet to deliver anything useful that would aid them in ridding themselves of the false gods – that was about to change.
Elisha was spreading His word to villages in the mountains when a fleet of battered vehicles landed at the nearby basecamp. Laborers rushed to help the soldiers from the Army of the Seven Stars unload wounded and equipment from the vessels. There were tens of thousands of wounded, there were thousands of damaged weapons and ground assault systems – it took all day for the villagers and the healthy soldiers to unload the ships. Elisha did his part to help, whether he believed in these aliens or not, he was still a good man and these were living beings that should not be forced to suffer so for their Leader. Elisha did the right thing and helped where he could.
For two decades the members of the cell network had been trying to discern more about what battle was taking place in the heavens, but the aliens were tight-lipped about it. It was none of the business of the primitives – they should be more concerned with pleasing Him and carrying out His will. But today –
A small battered frigate dropped to the south side of the village nearest the alien hospital. Thirty-six armed guards flowed from the
hatch levitating via their magic glowing presence and between them they carried a different creature. It had the likeness of an insect and must have been taller than two men. Its shell was black and red and when it turned its head its face had the likeness of a man but with large mandibles. The creature wore some sort of body armor on top of its exoskeleton and when it moved it moved with great strength, for it bounced the soldiers levitating in their magic glow around like toy balls.
Nukpana! I must tell my father, Elisha knew.
Several days later word finally got to Elijah through the cell network – Nukpana! Elijah knew that he must do something, but what he was unsure of. If the ancient warnings were true, nothing would stop the creatures, nothing could stop the creatures – except their masters. If the Nukpana have been unleashed, then Elijah feared it was only a matter of time before they destroyed his world – his family. I must act, he thought.
#
“What do you mean he claims to know about the bugs?” Major Spixcer questioned the sergeant via a person-to-person.
“Well, sir, he came up to my men and started babbling about knowing the evil we face and how to stop them!” The sergeant shrugged his shoulders and placed an image of the primitive laborer in Spixcer’s mind.
Spixcer contemplated the man for a moment as he thought over his image. “Okay, get him here now, and keep it quiet. We don’t want to raise false hope.”
“Right, sir. I can have him there in half an hour by Starfire. If you want him earlier I suggest the pads.”
“No, spacecraft is fine. Spix out.”
#
Elijah had traveled in his life, as far as a hundred villages away, but this was incredible. The soldier had led him to one of their small metal beasts and levitated him up and into a seat that was directly behind where the soldier would sit. The man placed binders all around Elijah’s shoulders and waist and told him not to move around too much and not to touch anything. Then the man floated into the front seat and a large clear crystal formed above them. A few seconds later Elijah heard the rushing noise of a thousand rivers and was thrust into his seat and felt as though he weighed many times his normal weight.
“Have a look out the cockpit, uh, what did you say your name was again?”
“Elijah. And you aaarrr-” Elijah looked out at that moment and realized he was so far above his world that even the largest buildings could barely be seen.
“I’m Sergeant C’leat. Never flown before I gather.” The sergeant laughed.
“No. My Gods, we can see the world from here. It is round!” Elijah said.
“They all are.” C’leat laughed again. “Just relax and enjoy the view. I’ll have you back on the ground in about fifteen minutes or so.”
#
“Do you have a map of my world? I will show you,” Elijah told Colonel Jacob and Major Spixcer.
“Spix, accommodate him,” Jacob replied.
Spixcer thought a few commands to the rooms systems and then a three dimensional image of the planet appeared before them. “There you go.”
Elijah looked at the planet, his world – it was round, the stargazers were right! And my Gods look at the great seas upon it. But he had no idea where to start. He had never seen his planet from that view before.
“What’s wrong, Elijah? Here is your map. Just touch it to zoom in.” Spixcer said.
“Spix, I forget that you were born into the Kingdom and not assimilated.” Jacob shook his head side to side. “Elijah, this is how your world looks from a great distance away, just as your moon does. Understand?” The colonel waited to see if Elijah did understand and could tell that Elijah was a quick study. “Now, you’ve never seen your planet from this view right?” Elijah shook his head. “What is the name of your village?”
“I am from G’l’d,” he said.
“Really? My first contact with you people was not far from there in a little place called Z’ra’phth. There was a little old woman there running things.” Jacob laughed.
“Yes,” Elijah remarked. “I know it well. I had an, uh, acquaintance there at one time. Can you show me this place on your map?”
Jacob reached out to the world floating before them as if he would pick it up, but rather he spun it slightly to the opposite side from what they had been viewing. “We’re on the wrong side of the planet. You have traveled today, Elijah.” Jacob could see Elijah’s eyes widen.
Jacob zoomed into the village that he knew from decades before – he stopped at house level resolution. Elijah gasped.
“Praise be to Him!” Elijah said. “This is wondrous.”
“Colonel,” Spixcer said impatiently.
“Right, Spix. So, Elijah, show me what you wish to show me. Just drag your finger along the surface in the direction you wish to go. If you need to zoom out we just say ‘zoom out.’”
Elijah nodded as he studied the map. He touched the surface, expecting to feel something – he did not. He traced the path through the streets and from village to village, across the mountain pass and the Mountain Temple, to the ancient temples near the Great River. “Here. It is here that I need to take you.”
“Spix?”
“About thirty minutes, sir.”
“Get us there.”
#
The temples were mammoth architectural feats for such a primitive culture. It must have taken them a century to build. Why they had built them was a mystery to most. But Elijah – the premier historian of his people – knew their ancient purpose.
“It’s through this passage and then down another thousand feet or so. Follow me.” Elijah led them through the passages of the ancient temple to a great chamber filled with writings from thousands of years before. “Here, here! See!” Elijah pointed to a hieroglyph of a large insect creature carved into the chamber wall. The creature stood towering over many dismembered men. Spixcer and Jacob traded glances. “They are called Nukpana – true evil they are. And here, see this.” He pointed to a wall covered with the bugs marching over army after army of men and all manner of beasts.
“What does this mean, Elijah? Have these Nukpana been here before?” Jacob asked.
“No, no. This is a warning from our ancient Gods. Long before you arrived. These are our Gods’ protectors and are only unleashed if our Gods are overcome by evil. It is then that the Gods believe the universe will be unfit and their Nukpana will spread and devour the heavens. Making way for a rebirth. Once the galaxy is devoured, the evil creatures will die and the cycle of life can begin again. This is not a prophecy but a warning not to threaten the Gods.” Elijah explained.
“A thrice-be-damned doomsday device!” Spixcer exclaimed.
“Sounds like it,” Jacob agreed. “But who are their gods?” Jacob placed a finger on one of the Nukpana and asked Elijah.
“Ah, yes. Here.” Elijah pressed into a golden symbol on the wall with all his might. “Uh, it is stuck. Can you help me depress this lever here?” He pointed at the large symbol. The three men put their shoulders against the large symbol on the wall and pushed. A door-sized panel gave way and swung open. Before them was a thirty-foot tall gold and ivory statue of a giant half man half lion beast with gold mane and a white stripe on his forehead.
#
Elisha passed from village to village as swiftly as he could with hopes to reach his father before he left. At each alien encampment he would stop and speak with the alien liaison officer. At each encampment the alien liaison officer expressed to him that his father had been called to Serve Him in the heavens and he might not see him again for a while – or maybe ever.
“Be proud that your father is the first of your race that has been blessed enough to be called to Serve Him,” the aliens would tell Elisha. “But you must hurry for they leave soon.”
Elisha wished to see his father before he left their world to Serve – Elisha had to know why he would do such a thing. Finally, several villages downstream on the Great River, Elisha managed to find an officer of the Army that had met Elijah before
and thought well of him. The officer took Elisha’s hand and levitated him at speeds faster than any of the flying creatures of his world to the camp near the Great Temples. He managed to find Elijah with only minutes to spare. There, in the shadows of the Great Temples, he saw his father for what might be the last time.
“Father, oh father!” Elisha wept. “How can you leave us, your beloved family to leave with them?”
“Elisha, my boy, I love you and your brothers and sisters and your mother more than life itself. And it is because of this love that I must go in order to save you and our world from the evil swarm of the Nukpana that will soon light upon our world and devour us, as the ancient warnings tell.”
“But they can take care of this, father.” Tears streamed Elisha’s face.
“My son, you must promise me to carry on as we have and that you will be the man of the family. You must take care of our world, son.” Elijah held his son’s head in his hands and kissed his son goodbye.
“Elijah, it's time to go,” Spixcer said as he and Jacob came to him. The two aliens lead Elijah into a ship and it left for the heavens. Elisha fell to his knees and wept.
#
“Don’t try to step out of the red glow, Elijah. It is there for your protection.” Spixcer told him.
“Thank you, Major Spixcer. Where are we? Where did He send us?” Elijah had been greatly intimidated by Him before being transported magically to where they were now. One minute he had been bowing in front of the Almighty and the next he was in this dark place being greeted by this talking red cloud.
“We are in Hell,” Spixcer said, frightening Elijah.
“Enough of that, Spix!” Jacob ordered. “This is a maximum security prison, Elijah. We believe that the Kingdom conquered your gods about two and a half centuries ago. There are a few of them left here, we believe. That is why we brought you to them. If they understand who you are, perhaps you can convince them to help you.”
Free Stories 2011 Page 11