by Don Viecelli
“Are your people going to try and stop the Yoyka transports from landing on Earth?” Di asked.
Doug cringed at the thought before answering Di. “Yes, I have been told Armed Forces will attempt to prevent any space landings by the Yoyka transports. They have mobilized their Air Forces and Armies on the ground to try and prevent any landings.”
“This will be difficult to prevent, if not impossible,” Di said straightforwardly.
“How soon before the Yoyka transports reach Earth?” Captain Tills was studying the hologram that showed numerous red icons moving toward Earth.
Shonya answered, “The first of the Yoyka transports will arrive in thirty of your minutes, but they are using cloaking technology.”
Doug wondered, “If we can spot them on this hologram, why can’t our military?”
Di replied, “Our technology can locate cloaked spacecraft within certain parameters. The Yoyka transports are within the detection range even if we cannot see them visually. I can request the detection scanners to display their coordinates on our viewing screen if you wish to see them.”
“Would our military forces be able to use the coordinates to find the transports before they land on Earth?” Tills asked.
Di passed the question on to Shonya who replied, “I can send all the space coordinates to whomever you wish, but you do not have the weapon technology to stop any of the Yoyka transports. The best we can do is identify where each of the spacecraft is headed and their landing sites.”
Doug did not hesitate. “That would be great, Shonya! Start transmitting the data to our people in Houston where we are landing. They will know what to do with it.”
Doug looked at Di. “Has the Yoyka warship moved away from Mars?”
“It will not move until their transport ships have landed on Earth. Then they will try to capture us. Therefore, we must leave as soon as your people have been delivered on Earth.”
“Then we must say farewell and head for the Qumruku to leave,” Doug said. He walked up to Di and shook his hand. Then turned to Cleota and bowed. “I hope to see your people again soon. Together, we will fight these Yoyka monsters and defeat them with your help.”
“I agree, Director Douglas Martin. We must stand together now against the Yoyka, but your battle must be won first. I am sending Tumil down to Earth with you. He will take our quantum computer technology and show your people how to use it. We still require an antidote to free our people on Qum. The Yoyka Imperial Leader knows we have the capability to do this and they will do anything to stop us. He knows about the Holtu androids now as well. Therefore, both our races are a most serious threat to them. We must work together to accomplish this.”
Doug did not know what to say at first. If the Qumru people were willing to help humans fight the Yoyka, then it would be great news for everyone. “I am very thankful for your offer, First Chair Cleota. We will do all we can to help defeat the Yoyka and free your people. Just let us know what you need.”
Before Doug and Captain Tills could leave, Di announced, “I am coming with you. I must wait here for my superiors to arrive. They will try to destroy the Yoyka dreadnought. It will be a mighty battle.”
Doug was taken by surprise. “Who will captain the starship to Holtu?”
“Sonya is capable of operating the Solruku, but First Chair Cleota will be in charge. Other Qumru people I have awakened can help her without any problems to reach Holtu safely.”
Doug smiled in spite of the circumstances. “You and Tumil will be most welcome on Earth. We have a lot to learn from both of you.”
“We must hurry. We need to land everyone before the Yoyka transports arrive and the fighting begins. Shonya, you have control until the other crewmembers arrive to help you. First Chair Cleota is now Captain of Solruku.” Di waited for acknowledgement.
Shonya appeared. “I have control Vice Leader Di. First Chair Cleota is now Captain of Solruku.” Then she added as if to remind everyone she was capable of independent thought, “Good luck on your mission.”
Doug was no longer surprised at Shonya’s level of sentience. He waved goodbye to Shonya. Then everyone left the Bridge except Cleota. They made their way to Level 15 Hangar Deck where Janice and Doctors Mun and Colbert were waiting impatiently.
Janice motioned to Doug to hurry. “I was getting worried you weren’t coming.” She hugged him and looked at Tumil and Di. “I wasn’t expecting to see either of you again.”
“Tumil and Di are coming with us. They want to help us fight the Yoyka on Earth.”
“We must leave!” Di started up the ramp. Everyone followed and Doctor Colbert closed the door hatch behind them.
Within minutes everyone was strapped in and the Qumruku flew out of the hangar bay into open space. Earth was visible outside the windows. It looked so much bigger as the sunlit side rotated into view. It would not take long to land at Houston NASA Johnson Space Center where several other Qumrukus loaded with passengers had already made their way to the surface.
*****
President Mary Anderson was once again back inside the Situation Room at the White House watching the startling events unfold on the large monitoring screens hanging on the wall in back of the room. Everyone who attended the meeting one hour ago was there. The air conditioning was having a hard time keeping the room cool enough to handle the crowd. Some people were sweating in spite of the cool temperature.
“What’s happening, General Bradstone?” Mary spoke up over the noise in the room.
“Our Air Force fighter jets are trying to intercept the alien transports, Madam President.”
“It’s no good!” Carlo Russo broke in. “They can’t get a lock on any of them to fire their missiles.”
“Do we know where they are headed?” Mary fully understood the problems trying to track and shoot down enemy spacecraft that could not be seen on any radar systems.
“That’s the only good news we have at the moment, Madam President,” General Bradstone replied. “We know where they are headed from the data the Qumru starship is sending us, but we cannot intercept any of them. They’re too fast and undetectable in the air.”
“Some of them are landing now, General!” one of the Air Force generals in the room acknowledged.
“God damn it! Where?” Bradstone swore.
Pictures appeared on the TV screens. Alien spacecrafts were landing on airport runways near large metropolitan cities all over the world. Three of them were located in the U.S.; New York City, Boston and Miami.
“They’re unloading a dozen infected people and taking off again! They’re spreading the people out at different landing spots, the bastards!” General Bradstone was infuriated.
It was true. Mary could see it happening all over the world. The aliens were spreading the infected people from Mars over as many locations around the world as they could. She could see the people lying on the ground. Many could not walk from the difference in gravity on Earth, but that was not the real problem. Other people were rushing in to help them as good people do. It was a disaster in the making. Each one of those new people trying to help would become infected with the Yoyka nanomachines upon contact.
“The infection will spread faster than we can control the situation.” Vice President Allen Denton hung his head as silence spread throughout the room.
Mary agreed the situation was dire. “We need the CDC to spread the word to these other countries to quarantine everyone at these sites to stop the spread of the nanomachines as best as they can. Let’s hope the people landing at Houston can help us stop this contagion from spreading out of control before it’s too late.”
Chapter 46
Earth
The Qumruku carrying Doug, Jan, Shirley, James, Di, Tumil and the final Mars passengers landed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center near Houston, Texas within minutes. Other Qumruku had recently unloaded Mars survivors and had returned to the starship. The people with Doug were the last to land on Earth. Many of them had never been back to Eart
h since they left to live on Mars many years ago.
At first, some of the people needed help to stand and walk in the heavy Earth gravity. All of them felt renewed strength from breathing real Earth oxygen for the first time in years. Some even said they could smell the salt water from the Gulf of Mexico nearby.
The NASA Johnson Space Center was home to the US Space Program. Mission Control was still part of many space flights for the government. Astronauts trained nearby and there were excellent medical, science and technology research centers and universities close at hand. These facilities would prove to be invaluable in the fight against the Yoyka nanomachines now unleashed among the world’s human population.
Doug supported Janice as they walked down the Qumruku ramp unto Earth soil. Doug had not been back on Earth for over two years, but he was in excellent physical condition and was able to walk slowly without assistance to the waiting van that would transport them to the location where everyone was being taken for evaluation and questioning. Following down the ramp were Doctor Mun, Doctor Colbert, Captain Tills, Di and Tumil.
Waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp were several military personnel all outfitted in blue protective biohazard suits. Everyone was obviously worried what the people from Mars were bringing back with them.
The two aliens, Vice Leader Di and Tumil, gathered numerous stares and questions from nearby officials who wanted to meet them for the first time. Di was dressed in his dark gray and black armored suit while carrying weapons on his side and helmet on his back. Di did not need to breathe air and looked remarkably calm as he followed behind Tumil. The alien was wearing a breathing mask, although he told Doug he would be able to breathe normal Earth air after a few hours adaptation. Tumil was taller than Doug, but shorter than Di. It was obvious to most people that Tumil was a live, breathing alien who looked humanoid with obvious differences. Di looked more like an android, but moved, spoke and thought like a Qumru alien. It was clear Di was a military soldier and not to be fooled with.
Once the van was filled with passengers, it drove off to a large building that served as a medical facility on base. Doug and the others were led to a large room where refreshments were made available and people could sit down and relax until called for medical evaluation and questioning.
Doug and Janice waited with Di, Tumil, Chang-Woo and James on one side of the room until a man wearing a biohazard suit walked towards them. Doug recognized the face behind the mask as the NASA Administrator.
He walked right up to Doug and said, “My, name is Shoji Ito, NASA Administrator. Sorry for the protective clothing, Director, but everyone is worried about the nanomachine infection you warned us about. It has begun.”
Doug knew the Yoyka had brought other infected Mars colonists to Earth. “You have nothing to fear from us Administrator Ito. Matter of fact, what we have can save your life. It would be better if you and the others here remove their suits and let us pass our protective nano-agents to you.”
“I believe you.” Unexpectedly, Shoji removed his head covering and gloves, causing several people in biohazard suits nearby to gasp out loud in surprise. “Ah, that feels much better,” he said smiling. Then he shook Doug’s hand slowly and deliberately.
Shoji paused to let others see what he was doing. He continued, “I’m afraid we don’t have much time. Spaceships are landing all over the world releasing infected people from Mars. They are spreading the contagion to thousands of people as we speak. The CDC is warning everybody they can, but it will be hard to contain the contagion now. I believe you can help us.”
Doug nodded his head in agreement. “Let me introduce you to Vice Leader Di and Tumil. Di is from Holtu, a second home world of the Qumru people. He is a soldier android and will help us fight the Yoyka. Tumil is from Qum, recently invaded by the Yoyka aliens. He is a leading scientist of the Qumru people and developed a preventative nano-agent solution that will protect us against the Yoyka infection if received before exposure to the Yoyka nanomachines. He agreed to help us develop more of the nano-agents and work on a cure for those already infected.”
Shoji shook both of their hands as Doug continued, “And this is my wife, Doctor Janice Martin. She discovered the first live bacteria on Mars and is now working with Doctor Mun from the Mars CDC office along with Tumil to develop more nano-agents. This is Doctor James Colbert, an astrophysicist who along with Captain Shirley Tills and some of her people helped me find Vice Leader Di. Together, we captured the Qumru starship that allowed us to return to Earth.”
Shoji acknowledged all by shaking their hands as well. It was clear to everyone nearby that Shoji was now exposed to whatever these people from Mars had brought back to Earth with them. They were still afraid to remove their suits. It would take more time and much more convincing before anyone wearing biohazard suits would willingly remove them and take the chance.
Doug noticed the reactions around them. “What is the President doing about the transport landings?”
Shoji took a few minutes to explain the current situation. “President Anderson raised our military alert status to DEFCON 1. The military tried to intercept the alien transports, but were unsuccessful. With the information the starship sent us, we know where most of them landed and are implementing quarantine procedures now. But I fear that will not be enough. We need to spread your nano-agent solution to as many places we can before things get out of control. What do you suggest we do?’
Doug had only one solution in mind. “Let those of us with the nano-agents infect as many people here as we can and send those people to where the infection is spreading. It’s the only way we can slow down the Yoyka nanomachines from spreading their contagion before it’s too late.”
Shoji nodded his head in agreement. “I will do everything I can to see this happens. But first I must present the case to President Anderson. Give me a few minutes to make the call.”
Shoji pulled out his comphone and dialed the President. He stepped away for a few moments while the private conversation was held. Shoji returned to Doug and said, “She agrees to try your solution at one of our infected sites in Miami. I will ask National Guard volunteers here to participate. I, however, must stay here for observation. Perhaps we can get you all settled and start working on that cure.”
Chapter 47
Rahta
Rahta, Imperial Leader of the Yoykan Empire watched what was happening on Earth through his viewing screens. So far, everything has been working out perfectly as planned. He summoned High Commander Anahta to the Command Center and demanded that First Leader Utor be brought to him.
A few minutes later, Anahta appeared with Utor following close behind. “You summoned us, Imperial Leader?” Anahta bowed before Rahta.
“What is the status of our transport ships sent to Earth?”
“They are returning to the Yoykan Malee now. All infected humans have been dropped off at many population centers as instructed. The nanomachines are spreading rapidly, Imperial Leader.” Commander Anahta stood erect waiting for the next question.
“What about the Qumru starship. Have they not unloaded humans too?”
“They have done so, Imperial Leader, but that is of no concern to us. What difference would that make, if I may ask?”
Rahta studied his High Commander and wondered if he realized what was really at stake? “Is is not possible these humans from Mars have a way to stop our infected nanomachines from infecting every human on their planet?”
“We know from Utor that they may have some quantities of a nanite solution developed on Qum that can prevent humans from becoming infected if given early enough, but there are no indications that the Qumru have enough solution to stop our nanomachines from spreading throughout the human population as predicted.”
Rahta considered the response and had to conclude Anahta was right. There was no proof the Qumru have developed anything but a preventive solution that was in limited supply. It seemed implausible the humans could prevent the Yoyka nanomachine
s from infecting the entire planet within weeks. All he had to do was wait for the contagion to spread.
“We will let the nanomachines do their job, Commander. Now, we must deal with the Qumru starship.” Rahta stared at Utor. “Tell me; where will the starship go next?”
Utor was in what appeared to be a controlled state. He could move and think, but could not act on his own. He was at the complete mercy of the Yoyka masters.
Utor spoke through his translation device, “The starship will travel to Holtu where it will unload its passenger minds.”
“And just what is on Holtu, Utor? How many Qumru people and how many of your android soldiers?”
“Holtu is the home to five billion Qumru people. It is also the home world where the Holtru androids live. There are ten million android living on Holtu now. They serve and protect the Qumru people whenever needed.” Utor spoke in a monotone voice that showed no emotions or feelings.
Rahta looked at Anahta and said, “My warships will soon find out more about this Holtu planet and solar system.”
“Yes, Imperial Leader. I am concerned about these android soldiers also. Utor told me he is certain some of their warships are on their way here. They could show up at any time and we do not have any warships to defend this ship.”
Rahta thought about Anahta’s concern, but dismissed it. “We have dealt with androids before. They have never presented much of a problem to our military forces. Why should we be concerned about these androids?”
“Because, Imperial Leader, these Holtu androids are fully conscious entities. Even the Qumru were worried about them after they were created. That’s why they were told to live on a different home world far away from Qum. Now, the Qumru live with them openly on the same home world. We should expect with the advanced technology the Qumru possess that the androids will be strong enemies and we must not underestimate them.”