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

by TJ Viola

  Danny realized he had felt the same way about having to develop cold fusion, as well as about the Gaser, and both times he’d been successful—with that realization his thoughts began to develop a course of action, and as this occurred, his feelings of desperation dissipated. Muglar was fascinated by how rapidly this transition took place; it was clear his comments helped, but it was also obvious Danny would have made a similar transition without his input.

  “I’ll assemble my science team immediately, so we can begin without further delays.”

  Danny brought his team up to date, and they were anxious to interact with Muglar, knowing he could provide vital details that would accelerate their progress and dramatically increase the odds of Earth defeating the Ammagans.

  “Let’s start with developing protection for your spacecrafts and for your military against our natural radiation rays. The body armor I’m wearing is made of a material we call Triagmite; this material has several important characteristics, including light weight and exceptional strength. It also has another property of little value to Ammagans but essential for your defense. It has the ability to deflect our radiation rays!”

  Muglar was certain that revealing this information would convince everyone of his commitment to the agreement he had negotiated with Danny. To his surprise no one seemed to understand the significance of this information since Triagmite was not a material available on Earth. Once Muglar realized that most of Danny’s international team wasn’t involved in the discovery of the Gaser, he asked Danny a leading question. “Danny, didn’t you mention that the discovery of the Gaser required a new material for the reflectors?”

  “Of course! When we invented the Gaser, we developed a new alloy composed of aluminum, lead, silicon, and titanium for the reflectors. Is this alloy Triagmite?”

  “Exactly, and only a very thin layer is needed to provide the required protection; however, to get maximum protection the correct ratio of metal and critical annealing/sintering processes are required.”

  Danny’s mind went into overdrive and analyzed all the possibilities and hypothesized that a thin coating of Triagmite could be applied by a high-pressure molecular sprayer, to rapidly coat all existing spacecrafts and body armor. It would take a significant research effort to perfect such a process, but it was indeed feasible once Muglar revealed the required manufacturing process for Triagmite. Having developed a course of action for the first priority, Danny was ready to move on to the next challenge.

  “You indicated we need some type of protective shield to defend against your various space weapons. Our military establishments have been trying to develop an effective force field ever since it was theorized that such a protective field should be possible by taking advantage of the magnetic properties of matter. To date, no one has been successful and many great minds have tried.”

  “Once again, you have all the basic ingredients, and the critical component for such a field is all around us—cosmic particles that you call cosmic rays and cosmic dust.”

  At first Danny didn’t see how cosmic rays, which were high-energy ionized and magnetized particles, could possibly be used for a protective shield against advanced space weapons. Once again it was Rolo who understood the implications of Muglar’s suggestion.

  “As you know, Danny, Grillion never developed such a capability due to their ability to project their collective aura energy in a defensive manner. Cosmic rays, which are abundant in outer space, could be concentrated or collected to form a barrier around an object. It is conceivable that such a barrier would absorb or reflect the energy of any incoming projectile or energy source.”

  Danny now understood the potential for cosmic rays, which as Rolo indicated were a natural source of high-energy space particles with a wide range of properties. “Since such particles are ionized, they are influenced by magnetic fields.”

  Muglar was once again impressed with the intellectual prowess of the Grillions and the mental capacity displayed by Danny. Danny had demonstrated the ability to take new concepts and evolve many permutations of scientific possibilities. He was witnessing Danny envisioning a spacecraft encircled by multiple rings of magnetic lines of force, with varying intensities, creating successive layers of denser cosmic particles.

  The value of having Muglar on their side was apparent to all involved. In their first exchange of ideas, the ability of Earth to defeat the Ammagans had increased significantly. They would now be able to accelerate the development cycles for their defenses.

  Muglar was about to provide Danny with the answer to his next logical question, which was how to create a magnetic field strong enough to form a cosmic shield, when the biosphere control room erupted into chaos as an unknown entity materialized in their midst.

  *****

  Muglar immediately recognized his Exalted Leader, Vorlov, and took a defensive posture to protect his leader from any possible hostile reaction, especially from Titch.

  The scene that unfolded was surreal as Muglar and Vorlov had a bitter exchange in the presence of the members in the biosphere. Yolan transmitted the essence of what was taking place to Danny.

  “Muglar,” Vorlov scowled, “you betrayed me, your people, and yourself. Where is your spacecraft? What are you doing secreted away, plotting against your own people?”

  “Betrayal,” Muglar said. “You talk to me of betrayal, giving the order to have me executed. Where was your trust? Where was your loyalty?”

  “You disobeyed my edict. Any civilization found defying our quest must be destroyed. No exceptions!”

  “And what has such a strategy gained? A planet was destroyed that held the secret we seek. Should I destroy another?”

  Vorlov was incensed to find Muglar working with his perceived enemies and wouldn’t listen to his arguments. “Ammag is on the brink of total chaos while you hide in this cave.”

  “Chaos? Why should Ammag be in chaos when it will be another generation before our uranium supplies become depleted again? We have time and the Grillions have the technology to give us back the opportunity we lost—the opportunity I lost.”

  “Muglar, you speak in riddles. The past is past and cannot be undone. Our uranium supplies are almost exhausted again. We must succeed, and any sign of weakness will cause others to defy us. Grillion will be destroyed and destroyed now, and you will perish with them!”

  Vorlov dematerialized as suddenly as he appeared, leaving behind a void that held all in its grip. Zeiss was the first to react. “Muglar, where did he come from? Does he have the capability to follow through on his threat?”

  “It wasn’t a threat,” responded a disheartened Muglar. “He must have arrived in the latest version of The Exterminator, which was in development when I launched my last mission.”

  “How is it possible that he found you without some type of probe that would have been detected and caused Zucan to take defensive measures?” Titch shouted.

  “Zucan was unaware of his presence; the next-generation spacecraft was scheduled to have a type of cloaking capability. He didn’t need to probe the planet to locate my position. All Ammagan commanders are implanted with a homing device.”

  “How much time do we have?” Titch demanded.

  “Minutes. The Gasers need to be pumped to maximum power levels and aligned before they can be fired to achieve total destruction.”

  Titch grabbed Zeiss and ran toward the transporter room.

  “Titch, what are you doing?” asked a confused Zeiss.

  “We must execute your backup plan. It’s the only way.”

  Zeiss understood her intent and stopped running, pulling her toward him. “Titch, you can’t! There must be another way.”

  “There might be, but we don’t have time. Tell me the code. Now! Will Zucan know we’re in danger if we execute the code? Zeiss, listen to me. Will he?”

  “Yes, once the code is entered, Zucan will know we have executed our defense mechanism and will direct the combined power of every Grillion to the Council Elder
s.”

  There was no time to think or argue. Seconds could mean the end of Grillion.

  “How will I know where to transport?” Titch asked.

  “The transporter automatically tracks all teleportation activity; all you need to do is enter the proper code sequence and telepathically instruct it to transport you to the last coordinates it detected.”

  Zeiss knew that Titch was right, this was their only hope, but he would be the one. As he approached the transporter Titch slammed him with a vicious aura projectile, knocking him several feet across the room. Kneeling down at his side, she tried to reason with him. “You never could keep your thoughts from me, especially when you get excited. Listen to me, Zeiss. You know I’m the only one capable of absorbing sufficient energy to destroy that huge a spacecraft. Give me the code, please.”

  “2060.”

  As Titch entered the transporter, she turned to Zeiss. “You damn well better make sure Danny is successful! See you in another future.”

  Zucan was presiding over a Council of Elders meeting when he received the prerecorded message from the biosphere transporter. He notified all the Council members, and aura energy instantly began to flow into each member from all over the planet. Each Council member was a representative from a segment of Grillion and was capable of collecting their constituents’ aura energy and passing it on to others.

  Simultaneously, while absorbing tremendous amounts of energy, Zucan ordered his security commander to define the threat that had prompted Zeiss to execute their agreed-upon emergency defense plan. Zucan knew he had to act without hesitation, but he was also concerned that he hadn’t been informed of any impending danger. The report was negative, adding to his confusion, but just then he received a message from Titch giving her precise coordinates in deep space. Having complete faith in Zeiss’s judgment and Titch’s commitment to Grillion, he ordered the release of all the energy that had been building inside the Council members. At that very moment, the Council members and Titch became one entity bound together by the life source of billions of Grillions.

  *****

  Vorlov had rematerialized in the control room of his craft and gave Zard the order to unleash the full destructive power of their Gaser collector weapon. Zard’s loyalty to Muglar ran deep.

  “I’ll transport Muglar to the safety of our ship and then execute the order.”

  “No!” shouted Vorlov with a rage so profound that it stopped all activity in the control room. Looking around the room at the confused faces of his crew caused his anger to increase. “What are you all looking at? Execute your orders!”

  Just at that moment Titch began to materialize behind Vorlov. No one moved, transfixed by her sudden appearance, her natural beauty, and the flaming aura engulfing her body. Vorlov’s fury was about to erupt with uncontrolled consequences when he sensed Titch’s presence.

  Turning, he fired his portable Gaser point blank at the flaming figure to no avail. The intensity of her aura easily absorbed what would have been a lethal blast under normal circumstances.

  “Commander, return to Ammag now and we will spare your ship. Otherwise, you will all perish.”

  Turning to the console video screen, Zard saw an amazing sight.

  “Commander, Grillion is ablaze. It’s about to explode,” Zard shouted.

  Vorlov shifted his attention from Titch to the screen, bewildered by what he saw.

  “Muglar informed you that we have capabilities unknown to your species. What you are witnessing is the collection and projection of all the natural life-sustaining energy of every citizen of Grillion. I’m absorbing this energy as we speak, and soon I will be unable to maintain control. Give the order to leave now!”

  Vorlov had always been a fierce warrior and competitor and never backed down in the face of adversity. “Fire the collector!”

  The blast lit up the night sky, visible to all the planets in the galaxy. Titch first destroyed the collector, then the tentacles of her energy flowed throughout the metal frame of the craft, making visible its skeletal structure, and then with a final aura release, she obliterated the spacecraft. For a very brief moment she felt invincible, like a deity, and then it was over.

  *****

  Zeiss gathered his composure and returned to the control room knowing he needed to show strength and a singleness of purpose. He was their leader and needed to behave like one.

  “As you all have witnessed, Titch sacrificed herself to save Grillion. Now, we have a decision to make. The Ammagan Empire is on the brink of extinction and without its leader, as a result, they are unlikely to mount another offensive against Grillion or any other planet. In the unlikely event that we are attacked again, we have clearly demonstrated the capabilities to be victorious, but that won’t save us. Titch was an Exceptional and unique in her ability to absorb the collective energy of all Grillions.” Zeiss paused and slowly looked around the room making eye contact with his team members. “We have a choice to make once again. We can end our self-imposed isolation now, return to our normal lives, and take the chance that Ammagan no longer presents a threat, or we can continue our efforts to save Earth, the Ammagans, and countless other civilizations that have been lost.”

  Zeiss remained silent waiting for a response, hoping that he would get support to complete their mission. He half expected to hear the mocking tone of Titch’s voice, but it was Eros who spoke up.

  “Sir, if we stop now, we know our past and now have a secure future, but if we . . .” Eros paused as he looked around to see if Yolan agreed with his comments. Thinking that he received a sign of encouragement, he continued. “If we continue, we could unleash unspeakable horrors and be creating a past and future far worse than what the Universe has experienced. We have already violated every protocol for thought-time travel and the consequences of our actions could be extremely devastating.”

  Muglar remained silent, knowing that the survival of his people hung in the balance. The decision was theirs to make, and he would have to live with the consequences.

  The years in the biosphere had passed slowly, the isolation often unbearable, but they had endured because they believed they were Grillion’s last line of defense. The threat was over and Eros’s assessment was indeed compelling.

  Yolan, however, saw things differently. “Didn’t we look upon the Ammagans with scorn, not just because we were threatened by their actions, but because they valued their own existence above all others? If we stop now, aren’t we doing the same, not by our actions, but by our inaction?

  “What Eros said is true. The moment Danny defeats Muglar all of this will cease to exist. Our lives will have been different, the Universe will be different, and Grillion will face different challenges, possibly caused by our actions. However, if there is evil and destruction in that new future, there will also be those like ourselves who will fight for a better tomorrow. I agree all of this is speculation. There is only one certainty: if we stop now, countless billons will never have the opportunity to see what could have been, whether for better or worse.”

  Zeiss and Eros were moved by Yolan’s emotion and clarity of reason. The vote was unanimous to continue.

  Muglar finally spoke. “Zeiss, I’m ready to give Danny the information he requested.”

  Yolan notified Danny and forwarded the information provided by Muglar.

  “We used a meteor shower that passed by Earth in 2058 as a way of camouflaging a military probe. The probe looked and behaved like a random meteor caught in Earth’s orbit. The probe tapped into Earth’s communication networks and allowed our military to monitor all transmission frequencies. After a few months of surveillance, we had sufficient information to plan an effective surprise attack. Having completed its mission, the probe disintegrated upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, eliminating the possibility of discovery by your surveillance systems.”

  Chapter 37

  The Final Conflict

  A fter several years of intense research and preparation, Earth was ready
and waiting. Ground defenses were in place around every major city and all nonessential personnel evacuated from military installations. The space station had been expanded and housed two command-and-control spaceships, and fighter crafts were equipped with the latest weapons and innovations inspired by Muglar’s insights and technical specifications. Additional spacecrafts were positioned across the globe in abandoned missile silos. These crafts were capable of entering outer space in a matter of minutes to engage the enemy.

  The critical turning point for developing an effective defense of Earth occurred when the meteor storm, foretold by Muglar, predicted by Danny, arrived on schedule. Until this event, the world leaders and their respective security commanders were all looking for an edge, a way to use the incredible advances made by Danny and his research team to their own advantage. This attitude changed abruptly when one of the meteors entered Earth’s orbit as predicted. At that precise moment, Earth became one planet among many, one civilization, one species fighting for survival.

  Danny and his father were in command of the two spaceships that would lead the attack against Muglar and his fleet. Their plan of attack was approved by the UN Security Council, but more importantly, it was also approved by Muglar and Zeiss. The key to their success would be to mislead Muglar into thinking his attack strategy was working flawlessly thus enabling Earth’s command ships to launch their own surprise attack. During the resulting confusion, the ground-based crafts would simultaneously launch and position themselves for a counteroffensive.

  What would follow would be up to the ability of Danny, his father, and Muglar to direct the defensive operations, but ultimately, the final outcome would be in the hands of destiny.

  *****

  Muglar believed his strategy was working as planned. His spaceship was positioned behind the dark side of the moon and his fighter crafts were ready to launch on schedule. Within minutes his attack force could be in Earth’s orbit and before their presence detected, several neutron bombs, strategically placed, would ignite a global holocaust.