by Stan Butler
Chapter 3
In Greenland the great monstrosity of steel and glass that was the military academy glistened in the pale light on arctic spring. A figure stood on the high walls and looked out over the clouds below him.
“Every light casts a shadow Davrid.” spoke a man standing behind him. “We need this to happen and as you are our most successful marine. You are also the only one who knows the threat, so there is little choice on who we send.”
“I know Seth, but sometimes I wish that I had never become associated with D28, so much death for just the testing of one weapon? Why do we have to use a starliner and why the hell doesn't the subject know the truth?”
“You know the answer to the latter but why a starliner? Because there is no way to link it to us. We will lose many good people in this, perhaps too many. But if this test succeeds then we will enter a new golden era. The fate of the human race rests on your shoulders for now; we have other ideas in development but if this one works, well then...”
“Do you sometimes think that we may be making a grave mistake, that our ‘allies’ may not be allies and are just looking for a reason to attack?”
“Sometimes, yes. But do you really think that they could ever hope to defeat us?”
“You forget one thing sir, I have seen them fight. Should this come to war between us, I know what side would win and it would not be ours.”
“If that is to be the case, we shall see. But do not fear, our weapon developers are working flat out to develop weapons to use against them.”
“And what if they find out about the use of antimony?”
“Then we are doomed.”
The two figures looked out over the white carpet of the clouds beneath them.
Davrid finally broke the silence.
“The tactician you are sending with me, can she know the truth?”
“I am afraid not, this must be kept secret.”
“And why do we need the prisoner?”
“Our member of the church of sight has foreseen that he will play a part in this.”
“Psychics do not always see the true future, Seth.”
“But they do see the truth, Davrid.”
Three hours later DavridTelod, marine elite and Mia Carthage, tactician graduate first class boarded a V.E.R., a vertical escape rocket, and headed towards their destiny.