“You will pay dearly for this,” Quafeira screams.
“Slovas,” Alverin continues,” it is over. You have lost. Surrender.”
After thinking hard, Ibris has reached a similar conclusion: Game Over. She has no desire to die for Slovas’ lost cause or his genocidal aspirations. Without appearing suspicious, she slowly moves her finger toward the firing contact on her hand masor. Four heavily armed security officers have quietly entered the downstairs living room.
Alverin continues. “After 120 lakarian workers had perished, Tavus-Alverand still continued with Project Hilexos. The lakarian authorities saw through the lies. Both our worlds were on the verge of war. Now, we have given the akerians and their allies exactly what they want to come against us. Slovas, I beg you! End this insanity!”
Everyone else can see Alverin’s remorseful stance. Quafeira, with tears of streaming down her face, is seething. Within the old house is the person who masterminded the entire scheme to have her father murdered. Now, she possesses only a burning hatred for him. Inwardly, she vows to bring Slovas and all others who were responsible for her father’s murder to justice. Unfolding before her eyes is the indisputable evidence she needs to initiate the largest lawsuit against Tavus-Alverand. Such a legal battle would initiate a social-political firestorm the likes of which have never been seen before in history. She is determined to bring Tavus-Alverand to complete ruin.
She knows that many competing corporations would gladly join her in this endeavor. High officials within various other and competing corporations had experienced substantial profit loss, as well as losing their fair market share due principally to Tavus-Alverand’s many illegal business practices. As numerous people are aware, Tavus-Alverand’s position as the premiere computer systems and software giant was achieved primarily by implementing aggressive business tactics. Such tactics included fraud, customer coercion and exploitation. On many worlds, Tavus-Alverand senior officials had used their corporate leverage to influence government policy, which insured the firm’s position, along with amassing enormous wealth. For Quafeira, it has now become a cry for vengeance.
Standing alongside her, Nathan, Tyrone and David can see the anger and distress on Quafeira’s face. The teens realize the impact that their actions are having on this conflict. David has come to a distressing conclusion. Slovas turns toward Ibris just as she is about to point her weapon at him. After knocking the hand masor out of Ibris’ hand, Slovas gives her the hardest slap he can muster across her face. After a loud scream, Ibris falls to the floor. “Stupid ungrateful rach’na!” Slovas yells. Just as he picks up and levels his hand masor at Ibris, two security officers force the door open. Slovas raises his masor. Ibris rolls farther away as both officers fire off a rapid volley of masor pulses.
Slovas, a burned and smoking corpse, falls to the floor. The security officers take aim at Ibris.
She immediately raises her hands. “I surrender! Please do not shoot me!” She yells. “I must do this or many innocent humans will die!” Courageously, she grabs the extraspatial otivicon, stands up and runs past the heavily armed security officers and down the stairs. “Alverin! Slovas is dead! Hurry!” Ibris screams as she runs out into the front yard. Alverin runs toward her and snatches the device out of her hand. On opening the device, he manipulates the controls to begin the shutdown sequence. Forty-five dangerously long seconds pass before the extraspatial otivicon is finally deactivated. Deprived of remotely guided forces, the extraspatial conduit collapses.
North Central Anonwood
The crowd of people, including local and state police, continues to gaze in awe at the damaged high rise buildings. An enormous area of empty space, where portions of two tall buildings once existed, is clearly visible. All onlookers are finding the sight too incredible to believe. The tens of thousands of tons of concrete, steel and other material that made up the missing building portions are nowhere to be found. Within this crowd, few would dare imagine that the missing material is now plunging into a black hole located approximately 13,930 light-years away.
After numerous and fierce explosions were detected high above earth, Russian and American military officials had raised their respective defense conditions to their highest levels. Full-scale thermonuclear war was mere minutes away. In essence, the same explosions that keep stars burning for billions of years were to be used for incinerating millions of humans. However, some military officials were desperately hoping and praying that these above atmospheric explosions were due to another explanation. Five minutes before U.S. officials launched the first wave of some twenty Minuteman III ICBMs, various U.S. military officers at SAC headquarters and NORAD conferred over the matter via secured phone lines. NORAD officials reviewed the computer data from the DSP satellites and checked with the early-warning radars ringing the country.
These radars could detect the launch of Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles or the launch of Soviet Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles almost anywhere on the Earth’s surface. Within three minutes before launching a retaliatory missile strike, military officials found no physical evidence, as indicated by any of the various early warning radar systems, of Soviet Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles having been launched. President Gerald Ford is quickly notified. Two minutes before the first wave of Minuteman III missiles were launched, both leaders were informed of the findings.
To the grand relief of both leaders, military officials had established that an unknown above atmospheric anomaly was the cause of the false alert. Ford and Brezhnev agreed, although hesitantly, to a pull back of their respective air, naval and nuclear forces. Brezhnev rescinded the firing order to launch the first wave of twenty SS-19 missiles. Likewise, Ford, by presidential order, rescinded the firing of the first wave of twenty Minuteman III ICBMs. American and Russian military officials had begun scaling back their naval and air forces as well. Ford had begun screaming and cursing at NORAD and SAC military officials for another false alarm. Despite these unusual exoatmospheric events, Ford adamantly denies that the United States or any of its NATO allies are involved in any type of above atmospheric nuclear weapon testing.
General-Secretary Brezhnev is just as adamant regarding any military action by the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces. Several communication satellites, though, were reported to have ceased functioning. In light of new information, however, American and Russian military officers concluded that these explosions were caused by an unknown phenomenon. World War III was averted-again. Via televised special news reports, government officials desperately attempt to allay public fear of imminent nuclear war. With regard to the explosions seen in the sky, U.S. military officials insisted that the explosions resulted from a rare atmospheric phenomenon.
In Anonwood, radio and television news journalists continue to report on the unusual gravitational phenomenon. A few U.S. military officials are convinced that the gravitational anomaly and the outer space explosions are directly related to the appearance of the alien vessels. A number of people had reported seeing alien crafts coming down in a forested area a few miles north of Anonwood. In response, a detachment of heavily armed U.S. Marine personnel in armored transports accompanied by four AH-1 Super Cobra attack helicopters are being readied to move out toward the area in question. As a measure of calm descends, one person within the crowd stands angry, yet composed. Unknown to the others around him, he knows the actual reason for these bizarre occurrences: powerful alien technology.
With such alien technology in his possession, he reasons, he could become the richest, most powerful and influential person on the face of the earth. Powerful government and military leaders would spare no expense in acquiring alien super technology. Thus, earth’s entire military weapons industry, he realizes, would be able to use alien technology to build enormously powerful energy-based weaponry. Ultimately, billions of dollars will be his for the asking. He will have no further need of his Mafia associates. With such inordinate wealth in his possession, he will have three multistory p
alatial homes built. Each palatial home would comprise the most opulent furnishings imaginable.
Each home would be constructed on a separate private island in the South Pacific. He imagines having a different mistress in each one. Now, only one person is standing in the way of his achieving great power, extreme wealth and eminent prestige. He breaks into a smile. “David Williams, we shall meet again,” he vows under his breath, “and this time, you and your friends will pay with your worthless lives.” With this thought in mind, Anthony Weiss turns around and walks quietly away.
Chapter 5 Meirosian Journey
Within Meirosian Territorial Space
Earth Year: 2259 A.D.
“Severe damage to left side!” Kalel yells. Vausteau and Kalel fight to bring the Patheran back under control. A second veson blast, though, pierces the Patheran’s weakened force deflector screen, thus allowing a third blast to rupture a considerable portion of the outer hull. Now irreparably damaged, the Patheran is adrift in space. “How could they attack us without us detecting them earlier?” Vausteau demands.
“I do not know,” Kalel responds. “We should have detected any ship long before it came into weapons range.”
“We are helpless,” Vausteau admits. “They could just finish us off!”
“Not that I would want them to. However, we are being hailed,” Kalel says as he activates the visual. The bridge of the Masrekah comes into view. Vausteau is shocked. “Zahn! I cannot believe this! You, a thaon military general, in charge of an enemy Rigis Coalition ship? How do you intend on explaining this to the Anatahn War Council?”
“I have no need to explain anything,” Zahn begins frowning. “Did you actually think that you could get rid of me so easily? Your tenacity in this accomplished nothing! Admittedly, Za’avas found you a worthy foe. I find you contemptible. Now, I will make sure you will never interfere again.”
“You are endangering the lives of millions of thaons on both worlds,” Vausteau counters, “innocent thaons who had no part in this conflict!”
“A regrettable situation I admit. Yet, the greater number of thaons on Meiros and other worlds will follow my lead on learning that their hapless brothers on Thalos and Erandos gave their lives in the cause of freedom.”
“In the cause of freedom! What freedom?” Vausteau protests angrily. Then, a horrific thought enters his mind. “I should have known all along. You and Sergis conspired together to have Tarathian pirates carry out that attack. Over 3,000 dalkhans, thenesians and thaons died. You are playing Thalos and Erandos against each other in an attempt to weaken the Anatahn, all for your Rigis Coalition friends. Of course, all you want is that insidious weapon.”
Zahn becomes incensed. “I am afraid that you and I are the only ones cognizant of that fact, which I believe is one too many.”
“You will never get your blood-soaked hands on that weapon!”
“Spoken like the fool human you are! Die well, all of you. I, on the other hand, have a galaxy to rule.” Zahn commands his weapons officer to launch a low-yield tuon sphere. Without hesitation, the weapons officer acquires a target lock on the Patheran and fires.
Planet Thalos
Earth Year: 2260 A.D.
“This is an outrage!” Protarean Azaroth angrily protests. “Planets Men’tahk, Korahm and Tahurak are under Thalosian jurisdiction!”
Standing alongside two other Erandonian government high officials, Sorad Jo’as continues to read the decree. “By Anatahn law, the Erandonian government shall secure control of said planets. This is in accord with the laws set forth by the Xabean Council Edict on 21 Avenias 5783.”
“The Xabean Council edict,” Azaroth avows, “applies only to those planets within the third neutral zone between Anatahn and Rigilian space.
“Any deliberate interference by outside members,” Jok’neam continues as he deliberately ignores Azaroth, “shall be deemed as an attack on our rightful sovereignty, as well as act of willful aggression. Such aggression will be met by swift counterforce. This decree is effective immediately!”
Azaroth rises angrily from his seat and points his royal scepter at the three thenesian government officials. “Enough! Premier Sergis has gone too far! I will not allow him to gain control of these worlds as he did the others! When Premier Mersas was alive, he would have never allowed this situation to occur!”
“Protarean Azaroth, your conduct is unwarranted. These worlds—”
“…are under my dominion!” Azaroth interrupts with a scream. “If Premier Sergis dares to send just one ship to any of those planetary systems, then Erandos will face the full might of the Thalosian military!”
“So be it! You leave us with no other recourse,” Sorad warns. “We will immediately inform Premier Sergis of your blatant refusal to comply with Anatahn Law!”
“Get out!” Azaroth screams. “Get out before I have you all thrown into prison! If Premier Sergis wants war, then, by Aesaus, he will have it!”
The thenesian officials quickly turn away and leave. For the next few moments, there is a grim silence within the chamber room. All know that the storm has finally approached.
Author Bio
Eugene Allen Wilson is a graduate of Tidewater Technical Institute of Hampton. His fields of interest are computers, digital electronics, electronics repair, and computer graphics design. Along with astronomy and astrophysics, he enjoys researching Afrikan, European, and American history, and especially Bible history. He enjoys old school R&B/Soul, smooth jazz, and classical music by Russian composer Tchaikovsky.
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