The Ammagan Invasion of Earth: A Chronicle of the Quest to Save Earth from an Alien Invasion Force

by TJ Viola

  In the end the decision was easy. He would continue with an even greater sense of urgency, reasoning that life without freedom was not living, it was merely existing.

  Chapter 22

  Defiance

  F rustrated with his lack of progress toward a final solution, Muglar was absolutely committed to his new strategy. Few planets resisted cooperating in his quest for acquiring uranium, but those that did suffered the consequences. As a result, the number of scientific resources put toward researching an energy solution for his race had increased exponentially. He was fully aware of the growing opposition on Ammag toward him and his military leadership. He believed results would silence his critics, but not those that demanded he use the superior weaponry he had developed for galactic domination. Regardless, he made the conscious decision to continue with the current military campaign and deal with his opposition at a later date. As he reached this conclusion, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the communications officer.

  His communicator focused him back to the present. “Commander, we just entered the Orb Galaxy.”

  “Launch the research vehicles to search for uranium on the uninhabited planets.”

  “Sir, should we transmit our ultimatum to the remaining planets?”

  “Not yet, Bragger. Let them contemplate our arrival.”

  *****

  “Sir, we intercepted a general communiqué from the Council of Elders. It appears to be encrypted; should I translate?” Mylo asked Zeiss.

  Zeiss immediately understood the significance of an encrypted message even before seeing its contents.

  “No, Mylo! Notify Yolan to meet me in my quarters, immediately.”

  Word reached Eros and Titch that Zeiss had received a secret communication from the Council of Elders.

  “Eros,” Titch asked, “what do you think the message contains?”

  “My guess is a significant event has occurred, one that could impact us.”

  “What makes you so sure?”

  “He didn’t ask Mylo to decode the encryption.”

  “Because he has the code.”

  “Exactly, all prearranged.”

  “But why would the Council need to contact Zeiss?”

  Eros didn’t answer Titch’s question and just gave her a knowing look.

  “Of course, the Ammagans have entered our solar system!”

  “Which means our mission has failed!”

  Titch stormed out of the fitness center and headed for Zeiss’s quarters with her aura ablaze.

  *****

  “Thanks, Yolan, for coming so quickly. We have intercepted an encrypted broadcast from the Council of Elders, which contains a message for us. Before departing for the biosphere, Thorig and I agreed that our focus would change if the Ammagans entered our solar system. He has informed me they have arrived; however, due to a new strategy employed by the Ammagans, our alternate plan is not to be executed.”

  “I don’t understand—what plan? I thought the whole purpose for the biosphere was to avoid detection and that we would continue independent of any threat from the Ammagans.”

  “At the time we believed that if our galaxy came under attack, Grillion’s only options would be total enslavement or annihilation—neither was acceptable. Therefore, our mission was to change to one of active engagement with the enemy.”

  Yolan’s angry aura engulfed Zeiss as she received those thoughts. “You’re telling me that you and Thorig lied to us. We have dedicated a significant portion of our lives to participate in this endeavor believing we could change the course of history and eliminate this scourge from our Universe.”

  “Yolan, our mission had been, and still is, to defeat the Ammagans, whether we accomplish this by working in the past, present, or future makes no difference, the objective is the same. I need your continued support, as I always have. This communiqué indicates we must press forward with our mission independent of what occurs on Grillion.”

  Before Yolan could answer, the portal to Zeiss’s quarters opened and, silhouetted by her fiery aura, stood Titch. With the fury of a Tasmanian devil, she burst into the room demanding an explanation about the encrypted message.

  “Titch, once again you are out of line. I’m in charge of this mission, and I will inform you and Eros when appropriate of any situation that impacts our success. Is that perfectly clear?”

  Eros and Mylo entered the quarters. Titch, sensing support, pressed her demands.

  “It is not difficult to deduce that the message was intended for you and there is only one reason for the Council of Elders to break silence—the Ammagans have invaded our planet. I insist on being transported back to the surface, so I can help defend our freedom.”

  “Titch, I commend you for your depth of loyalty and willingness to sacrifice your life in defense of our planet. But let me reassure you we all feel the same, and remind you that our objective is not only saving Grillion but to eliminate the Ammagan threat to the Universe.”

  Titch moved toward Zeiss, but he demonstrated his own ability to control the power of his aura. Titch found herself unable to move as he walked to her, their eyes locked as if in mortal combat.

  “You are once again out of order, Titch. I will inform the crew of my plans going forward when I’m ready. In the meantime, I suggest you use your considerable energy to attend to your duties. Now, I would like to continue my conversation with Yolan in private.”

  He released Titch from his aura embrace and she slowly left the room, shocked that anyone had the ability to overpower her, especially when she was in such a state of arousal. Once the portal closed, Yolan expressed her opinion.

  “I don’t condone her tactics, but she has a valid position. We are a small crew, so I recommend you inform all of us of new developments.” She paused, then said, “Regardless, you have my personal support.”

  *****

  Zeiss decided to disclose all the details of the original secret plan and to ask everyone to reaffirm their commitment to the mission objectives.

  “As you are all aware, thanks to Titch’s usual display of diplomacy,” Zeiss had to wait for the laughter to subside before he could continue, “I have received an encrypted message from the Council of Elders. Before embarking on this project, Thorig and I agreed on this method of communication should the Ammagans enter our solar system. It was hoped that we would complete our objectives prior to this occurring, but in the event that Grillion was threatened or under direct attack, we would play a strategic role in the defense of our planet.

  “The Council had been studying the Ammagans’ tactics for many years and concluded that one of their first acts of aggression would be to blanket the planet with high-intensity, electromagnetic waves that would disable most, if not all, of our high-frequency electronic equipment. This would shut down all of the planet’s teleportation capabilities and minimize the government’s ability to launch an effective counterattack.”

  Titch interrupted, “This is all very interesting, but what we want to know is when we can return to the surface, now that your mission has failed.”

  “As I was saying,” Zeiss continued, “in the event of such an attack by the Ammagans, we would play a vital role in our civilization’s defense, since we would probably have the only operating teleportation station on the planet.”

  “How would that be possible?” Yolan asked. “Surely our equipment would also be affected by such an attack.”

  “Not necessarily,” Zeiss responded. “During the construction of the biosphere, a new experimental material was used to shield our electronic equipment. This, combined with the unique location of the biosphere and its depth under the surface, should protect us. Unfortunately, we will not know if these precautions will be effective until after the initial blast.” He stopped, expecting another interruption. “Yes, Titch? I can tell you have a burning desire to ask another question.”

  “How are we expected to fight the Ammagans with only one transporter and the four of us?”

>   “Titch, of all people, you know the answer to your question.”

  Zeiss could easily tell from her aura that Titch was deep in thought, struggling to find the answer, and suddenly she knew. “Of course, each of us could transport to different Ammagan spaceships and absorb aura energy focused by all the inhabitants of Grillion toward the spacecrafts.”

  “Sounds like a suicide mission,” Eros commented. “Absorbing that much aura energy would cause us to spontaneously explode.”

  “That was the idea—destroy the mother crafts,” Zeiss responded. “Fortunately, it won’t be necessary.”

  Even though no one would have hesitated to participate, there was a visible sigh of relief.

  “The encrypted message indicates that due to new tactics employed by the Ammagans, such action is not warranted. The Council has indicated they will yield to the Ammagans’ demands and allow uranium mining operations, but not before they demonstrate we are not defenseless. This, they believe, will provide us with the time we need to complete our primary objective.”

  Zeiss noticed that Titch’s aura had calmed down. “Titch, you did us all a favor. It’s good to have everything in the open, and you can be assured that I will keep you informed of any critical surface developments.”

  The message to Zeiss did contain the elements of a new plan, one that was designed to gain Muglar’s respect and hopefully his trust. As the last line in the message indicated, the Council was taking some risk: By showing some signs of defiance and demonstrating our defensive posture, we hope to buy you more time, but the risk is high. If the Ammagans reject our negotiations, we are preparing an army of your most recent invention, Nano-Bots, to attack their spaceships.

  *****

  “Commander Muglar, we have received responses from four of the five planets with advanced life-forms.”

  “Bragger, are you telling me that one planet is defying my direct order?”

  “Well, sir, we don’t know the circumstances. We have retransmitted your message.”

  “Yes, you’re right, Bragger. Let’s not overreact. We will have the meeting without them. I’m sure their neighbors will be more than willing to give us some insight into their neighboring planet. Meanwhile, learn what you can by intercepting communications that might indicate defensive preparations.” Muglar entered the conference center and greeted his guests. “Allow me to extend to you all the hospitality of the Ammagan Empire.”

  “We couldn’t help but notice, Commander, one of our planets is not represented. To be quite frank, we are surprised by a show of such ‘leniency’ given the history of your trek through the Universe.”

  “And whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?” Muglar asked.

  “Deputy Starrk, representing planet Stif.”

  Muglar let a long pause of silence induce fear into each member’s subconscious before speaking again.

  “Am I to assume that you also speak for the others in raising this concern?”

  There was considerable mumbling among the participants and it was obvious they concurred.

  “Very well then,” Muglar said, “but first let me warn you not to take this as a sign of weakness on my part. I have one goal and I will stop at nothing to achieve that goal, and I believe you have all seen or heard about the consequences of my convictions.”

  Given the look in Muglar’s eyes and the aggressive stance of his massive body, they got the message.

  “Our analysis of your galaxy’s history would indicate this may be the first time all of you have come together. It appears that you are set on your complete and mutual destruction.”

  No matter how far Muglar traveled or how many civilizations he encountered, the story was the same: an insatiable desire to control and dominate others seemed to be universal law, ingrained in the organic molecular makeup of all species.

  “It is curious,” Muglar continued, “that the planet Grillion has never been involved in your mutual desire for domination. Explain why?”

  Once again, Deputy Starrk spoke for the group. “The Grillions are a weak civilization with no interest in developing advanced weaponry.”

  “That might explain why they haven’t attacked any of their neighbors, but it certainly doesn’t explain why the rest of you haven’t tried to enslave them.”

  “They aren’t as technologically advanced as we are, but they do have metaphysical capabilities that are extremely destructive when used collectively.”

  “So, you have tried, but failed. Very interesting. We will have to visit this peaceful, yet aggressive planet. But that can wait. For now we need to get down to business. I believe you all know why we are here and what your options are. Let me assure you our goal isn’t universal domination, even though it may look like that from your perspective. We are fighting for our survival, which is something I’m sure you all can appreciate.”

  Muglar went on to explain their situation and demands, which were accepted by all present. After the meeting adjourned, Muglar was thinking about how to engage planet Grillion when he was interrupted.

  “Commander, we have received an invitation to meet with the Council of Elders from Grillion, tomorrow at noon.”

  “Invitation? Sounds more like an order. Don’t they know who they are dealing with? Doran, assemble ten of your best men and meet me in the transporter room in ten minutes, outfitted in full battle gear!” Muglar was furious and prepared to annihilate the entire planet. “Begin the activation sequence for the central Gaser and be prepared to fire on my command. Once your men are in position, activate the transporter. And, Doran, don’t hesitate to fire when ordered.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Everyone was in position, in full battle gear, ready to be transported when the system malfunctioned.

  “Commander, we are unable to activate the transporter; it appears that either the planet has a protective shield or somehow they have encased our spaceship in a protective shell.”

  Muglar’s anger turned to curiosity, thinking that such a capability would be of value to Ammag. Fear was never a factor, since he believed if the inhabitants of Grillion had the ability to destroy them, it would have happened already. Just as these thoughts flashed through his mind, assessing his situation and his next course of action, a new message was received. Doran could clearly see that the contents were disturbing to Muglar, and this was confirmed by the urgency in his commands.

  “Doran, order helmets to be worn at all times and activate their brain wave scramblers, immediately!”

  The message was short and nonthreatening, but the implications were clear:

  Commander Muglar, I understand your confusion; however, the Council of Elders is not available to meet with you at present. Please accept our earlier invitation. As you already know, we are not an aggressive civilization; therefore, you have nothing to fear from us. On the other hand, any further action by you will be considered an act of aggression, and, as our neighbors have already informed you, we are capable of defending ourselves.

  It was apparent to Muglar that not only had the transporter been made inoperative, but his thoughts had been intercepted. Clearly the Grillions had the potential to inflict considerable damage to Muglar and his ship, but they also potentially represented the breakthrough he had been seeking.

  Muglar, along with his escorts, entered the Grillions’ Council chamber at the appointed time with anger, fear, and hope, creating a confusing mix of emotions within his massive frame. The chamber itself was an edifice that stimulated the senses due to its simple yet spectacular architecture and thin veil of colors that appeared to swirl effortlessly over every surface, bringing everything to life.

  Vorlov greeted Muglar, “Welcome, Commander. We understand you have some requests for us to consider.”

  Muglar was quick to respond. “It would be wise not to play games with me. I know you can read our thoughts and this alone would make you a formidable foe; however, if you defy my request for cooperation, you and your entire civilization will soon cease to ex
ist.”

  “Commander, is it wise to threaten the unknown? You have your doubts, as well you should. We are a peaceful civilization, but that doesn’t mean we lack the ability to protect ourselves.”

  Muglar’s anger was about to erupt as he walked closer to the dais. Suddenly, his approach was abruptly halted as if he walked directly into an invisible shield. His fierce countenance turned to one of confusion and then enlightenment, as he saw his adversary’s outstretched arm halting his progress.

  “Do you honestly believe your puny force field can stop us?” Muglar roared, as he continued his menacing approach. He was now using all his strength, exerting every ounce of his will power to inch closer.

  “Commander, your strength is truly remarkable, but you are experiencing a mere fraction of my energy field, let alone the potential energy that exists in this chamber. I will demonstrate.”

  The aura field of every Grillion in the chamber immediately came to life and a spectacular pulsating kaleidoscope of colors merged into a vibrant stream of energy flowing into the Council leader’s body and then emerging from his outstretched hand. Slowly, but steadily, Muglar rose into the air, powerless to prevent this act of humiliation. His men momentarily stared in disbelief and raised their Gasers in unison to protect their commander.

  “Hold your fire,” Muglar ordered.

  He realized that any attempt at resistance would result in the death of his men and possibly the destruction of his craft.

  Muglar was slowly lowered to the chamber floor.

  “Commander, I apologize for this dramatic demonstration. I felt it was imperative, however, that you understand the nature of our defensive and offensive capabilities. I have the ability to channel the natural energy of every inhabitant of Grillion; in fact, every Grillion has this ability, if so ordained. As I have assured you, we are a peaceful civilization. We will honor your request for mining our uranium and we would do so without the threat of violence. You must understand, however, we will defend ourselves if it becomes necessary.”