The man huddled near the fire seemed unaware death was silently gliding to a stop overhead until a dark shadow blotted out the sun. Looking up quickly to see what had caused the shadow, the man jumped to his feet, his hands grabbing for a knife-like object belted at his waist. Fifty feet above him, the dark gray hull of the 40 foot wide scout saucer, fully awash in the glowing, blurry light of its anti-gravity drive, filled the sky.
Shrilwat was pleased the human showed some bravery in the face of certain death. Humans continued to amaze him with their misguided heroism. He had watched older humans use their own bodies in attempts to shield young ones from the cutter and heat rays directed at them. Every single time the humans were slaughtered, and yet they still did the same thing time after time. Sheer insanity.
Poising his finger over the heat ray targeting swivel to aim it at the human, Weecm was just about to lock the bullseye sight on the man when movement caught his attention. Stepping out from their hiding places behind some rock outcroppings, more humans appeared. They were all dressed in camouflaged coveralls that blended quite effectively into the surrounding landscape. All of them except one were holding black pistols. The one exception was a bald headed human with a distinct scar on his left cheek. He had a long metal tube on his shoulder with a pistol grip handle. Shrilwat couldn't be sure from the angle on his view screen, but the tube appeared to be about 3 feet long and 4 to 5 inches in diameter with a black shiny object centered in the end of the tube. There was a sighting mechanism just behind the pistol grip and a short, silvery antenna rose about 3 inches out of the top of the tube near the sights. One of the other new arrivals raised a small device to his eye and pointed it at the Kerzilac.
No thought of fear or dread touched the mind of the Chrysallaman captain. He knew there was no weapon on planet HG-281 capable of harming a Chrysallaman ship cloaked in its protective anti-gravity drive field. In fact, once a gravity drive field was initiated, only a mother ship powered by its four fusion reactors could generate a cutter beam of sufficient power to harm a scout saucer. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes at the futility of human defiance to their masters, Weecm Shrilwat widened the heat ray targeting system to encompass all the humans. Targeting brackets locked onto each one of them.
***
Kneeling next to a campfire in a quarry acting as bait in a Chrysallaman trap wasn't how Doug Jenson had expected to be spending his weekend. It had taken Colonel Stoneman and him three days to travel to the FORCE base hidden south of Choachí, Colombia and another two days of strenuous hiking to reach the secluded valley nestled amongst tall, snow covered promontories in the Andes Mountains. The valley lay within the favored flight path of Chrik scout saucers moving from Brazil to Colombia. The Chriks had become so confident of their superiority over human defenders they no longer flew in groups of two or more. FORCE trackers had assured Stoneman and Jenson at least one saucer passed nearby every few days. Jenson had lit the campfire to increase the size of his heat signature in the hope he would draw an attack.
Four men from the Colombian FORCE unit had accompanied Stoneman and Jenson to the valley. All of them were activated and well trained in the use of their uniques. One of the Colombians carried a digital video camera which was going to be used to document any encounter with the aliens. Colonel Stoneman was armed with a MA Bazooka. They couldn't bring a heavier MA weapon with them because the absence of roads into the remote valley made it impossible. Both Heinbaum and McPherson had assured them anything larger than a bazooka was overkill, but a nice sized cannon would have provided a psychological feeling of greater safety.
Jenson had been poking his fire trying to get sparks to fly into the air when Stoneman's voice whispered in his K-wave earbud, "We got one! It's headed toward you from your 3 o'clock."
Replying softly, Jenson said, "Confirmed. Remain hidden until I give the go-ahead."
At that moment, a dark shadow slowly glided across his camp site, blotting out the sun. Jumping up as if he was startled, Jenson looked up at the saucer, amazed at how big it was. He had toured the Roswell saucer several times, but he had to admit an operating craft out in the open fully engulfed in its gravity drive envelope was intimidating.
Realizing he might be suddenly cut apart by a cutter ray, Jenson said quickly, "Ok, Jason. You and your men step into the open. Your appearance should distract them long enough for you to cut the bottom out of the engineering section right above the fusion reactor. Their power ought to be solely battery backup once you’re done."
Jason Stoneman had been itching to try out the MA Bazooka. It was surprisingly lightweight, weighing perhaps 10 lbs. Stepping out in the open, he raised the bazooka to his right shoulder and focused through his red dot tactical laser sight. Holding his breath, he pulled the trigger.
Immediately, a 5 inch beam of white light filled with sparkles winking on and off and flowing in dazzling swirls blazed out of the black crystal at the end of the tube. The white beam hit the anti-gravity envelope surrounding the saucer and sliced through it. Guiding the white beam like a laser pointer, Stoneman sliced off the entire lower third of the saucer as fast as he moved the beam. The cut was practically instantaneous. As he sliced through the center line of the craft just above where the fusion reactor was housed, an enormous shower of electrical sparks cascaded out of the upper center of the saucer core like a great waterfall.
The moment the waterfall of sparks burst out, the saucer lost all propulsion and plunged to the ground with an ear-splitting, bell-like bang, bouncing and grinding against the stone floor of the valley until it slid to a stop just short of the brownish green pond.
In the ensuing silence, all the men of FORCE could hear was grating metal and the hiss of steam from several ruptured pipes in the ruined engineering section of the craft.
Thinking quickly, Jenson called to Stoneman, "Jason, slice off the antenna and part of the dome top. I don't want to take the chance they can still send out a distress call."
Another white energy beam cut through the domed top of the saucer, and the silvery spire of the antenna slipped off the top of the saucer and splashed into the pond.
"Let's get aboard and find all the Chriks. There should be four of them, and none can be left alive," Jenson said levelly.
***
"I'm going to enjoy this," Weecm Shrilwat thought to himself as his finger hovered over the heat ray activation button. "I believe a few short bursts to get their juices bubbling nicely, and then a final, long burn to char their bodies so even insects won't find them edible."
Suddenly, a beam of white light filled with sparkles and dazzling swirls blazed out the end of the long tube held on the shoulder of the bald headed human. Instantly, all power in the Kerzilac failed, and it fell from its 50 foot hovering height to the rocky floor of the valley with a thunderous bang, bouncing slightly before it slid to a grinding stop.
Shrilwat's head bounced against the overhead in the control room as his saucer lost its gravity drive, and the deck dropped from under his feet. Seconds later, his body slammed down against the deck as the saucer crashed on the hard valley floor. Staring around wildly in an attempt to get his bearings, the big lizard's mind felt numb and sluggish.
"Impossible!" he screamed mentally.
Emergency backup batteries began turning on lights in the control room, and the view screen flickered. Grasping the edge of his smashed master console and levering himself up to the point he could see the main view screen, Shrilwat saw the humans jumping up and down and pumping their fists into the air. His coal black eyes widened to the point they looked as if they might bulge out of his head. For the first time in recorded history, a Chrysallaman had come to the inescapable conclusion there just might be a race of beings who could kick ass.
Reaching up and activating the button on his combat vest for ship-to-ship communications, Shrilwat broadcast a telepathic alert, "To all Chrysallaman warships. Warning! Warning! I have just been attacked by humans with unknown weaponry. My ship is disabled! Th
eir weapon is so powerful it cut through my anti-gravity envelope as if it didn't exist! Warning! Warning!"
When he didn't immediately receive a reply to his message, the Chrysallaman tapped a query on his keyboard and was advised the ship's antenna had been destroyed. No message could be transmitted. Looking around his demolished control room, his face contorted in anger, and he clenched his fists in rage.
"I will crush these brazen humans with my bare hands! I will eat the entrails of their leader and present his severed head to General Hisspat Zeck!" he thought angrily as he made his way out of his sloping control room and toward the hatch to the outside.
Two of his crew met him in the companionway leading to the hatch. Guylrr Forxx and Ashrr Byrrz were weaponry specialists. They told Shrilwat the other crewman, Maintenance Supervisor Errto Rrezz had died in the crash, pinned by a falling structural beam. Relieved he had two soldiers to back him up, he ordered them to follow him and shoot anything that wasn't Chrysallaman.
Grabbing the edge of the open hatch, Weecm levered himself out of his crashed saucer and slid down its smooth hull to the rock strewn floor of the valley. Landing on his feet in a combat crouch, he looked around furtively and spied a rather tall human with black hair standing in front of five other humans. Hearing his backups land heavily on the ground behind him, the Chrysallaman captain pulled his cutter ray pistol from its holster and openly advanced toward the human creatures.
As he moved closer to them, he noted they didn't appear at all surprised by his alien visage. In fact, the tall leader of the group simply crossed his arms over his chest and stood facing Shrilwat as if he met a Chrysallaman every day of his life. Seething anger bubbled up inside Weecm Shrilwat as he considered the audacity of the animals. Gathering a withering telepathic blast he knew from experience would turn a human into a Chrysallaman puppet, he threw the specialized thought waves at the tall leader and ordered him to turn and gun down all his men.
Nothing happened. The human kept his arms folded across his chest and a half frown tugged downward on the right side of his mouth. The damn human even shook his head as if he was scolding Weecm. Angered beyond reasonable control, the Chrysallaman raised his cutter ray pistol to kill all the offensive beasts.
At that moment, an overwhelming telepathic imperative slammed into his brain. "Hold!"
The Chrysallaman had never in his life felt such a powerful mental command. The clarity of the thought wave was so crisp, it felt like icy water had been thrown across his brain.
A small rockfall from behind the humans caught his attention, and a human-like figure stepped out from behind a large boulder. The new human was strangely garbed. He wore a wide, rounded hat of tan leather with dark brown edges. A long, dark green coat effectively hid his body and his feet were covered by black boots. A wide belt with a cutter ray pistol prominently strapped at its center crossed the chest of the figure. As the figure drew closer, Weecm noticed a jeweled clasp at the creature's neck and suddenly realized it was a stylized Chrysallaman skull. Walking up to stand next to the apparent leader of the humans, the figure reached up and removed the wide hat, letting it hang off the back of his head by a cord around his neck.
A surge of bile erupted into Weecm Shrilwat's mouth, and he heard audible gasps from the crewmen standing behind him as they saw the unmistakable visage of a proud Chrysallaman standing before them.
Whatsit hadn't been in the presence of another Chrysallaman for over 65 years, but the evil thoughts emanating from the minds of the creatures standing before him were disgusting. Realizing his presence with the humans was startling to the evil lizards, Whatsit reached out his hand and placed it gently on Doug Jenson's shoulder. Doug recognized Whatsit was making a point to the Chriks, so he lifted his right hand and placed it on Whatsit's shoulder in an obviously friendly manner.
The incredulous stare from the captain of the saucer was very satisfying, and Doug couldn't help the broad smile that broke out across his face as the creature's large, black eyes bulged so much they threatened to pop right out of his head. Maintaining a tight mental control on the Chrysallamans, Jenson decided his next course of action.
Shrilwat couldn't voluntarily move a single muscle. For the first time in his life, he was completely under the telepathic control of a mind so powerful he was incapable of resistance. As if he was in a dream, Weecm turned toward his two crewmen and killed both of them with his cutter ray. Swiveling back toward the humans, he felt his fingers open and his ray pistol fell with a metallic clatter at his feet.
Sheer panic tugged at his heart as he watched the six humans and the Chrysallaman walk toward him.
Thoughts raced through the Chrysallaman's brain as he struggled to make sense out of what was happening, "He was their puppet. He had killed his own men. A Chrysallaman was openly working with them! Who were these devils!"
"Doesn't seem so tough to me, Colonel Jenson," one of the humans thought telepathically.
"Yeah, but they don't play nice," came the measured reply.
"What do you think, Whatsit? Should we keep this one alive or let him die with his busted ass saucer?" Doug Jenson asked.
"It's too risky to let him live. The Chrysallamans may have some method we aren't aware of to track their bodies. Best to leave him here with his fellows," Whatsit responded.
"I agree, but I've read this one's mind. He's a wicked bastard! A clean death by a cutter ray is too good for him," Jenson said pointedly.
"Oh, that won't be a problem," Colonel Stoneman replied.
Unable to move at all, Weecm Shrilwat watched as the human named Stoneman with the scar on his left cheek calmly walked over to a 300 lb boulder lying on the valley floor nearby. Bending over, the human picked up the boulder as if it weighed nothing and carried it with one hand back toward Shrilwat, absently tossing the heavy stone up and down in his hand.
Feeling his body begin to move involuntarily, the Chrysallaman lay down on the hard soil of the valley floor and looked up just as the rock slammed down on his head, crushing it like an eggshell.
His final thought as he saw the rock dropping toward him was, "WHO ARE THESE HUMANS!"
***
Gazing at the ruined saucer and the dead Chrysallamans, Jenson said, "All right. We need to leave. Get rid of any evidence we've been here. I don't want even a dusty footprint left anywhere."
Working feverishly, the men quickly cleaned up the crash site, dumping the campfire residue into the pond and scrubbing the whole area with leafy branches from the scrub bushes dotting the small valley.
"How did the video turn out?" Jenson asked.
"Perfect, Sir. I captured the whole thing, right down to the rock that accidentally fell on the Chrik's head," a Colombian soldier grinned.
Moving his team back from the crash scene as far as he could and still have a line-of-sight view of the engineering section housing the fusion reactor, Jenson asked, "Whatsit, do you have any thoughts about the best way to make the fusion reactor explode?"
"The coolant system is critical to the reactor's stability. See the pipe entering near the top of the reactor housing? If the pipe just happened to spring a leak, the heat buildup would be most unfortunate," Whatsit replied.
Looking over at Stoneman, Jenson said, "See if you can't clip off a small section of the piping as close to the top of the reactor as you can. Try to make it appear there was a small failure in the containment system that caused a massive explosion."
Stoneman lifted the MA Bazooka to his shoulder and carefully locked his laser sight on the section of the fusion reactor where a pipe entered its radiation shield housing. A white beam of destruction lanced into the pipe coupling and instantly a tremendous explosion shook the entire mountain. The shock wave from the blast was so powerful it started a rockslide on the highest peak towering over the little valley. Rubble from the slide tumbled down the mountain face, filling at least half the pond.
"Let's go home," Jenson said as the dust began to settle. "Our work here is done."
<
br /> ***
"What do you mean you lost a saucer?" Hisspat Zeck screamed.
The bulkheads in the Commander's Ready Room on the VrrSilliac Xur seemed to be contracting, and VunnRer Slizzt fought against his claustrophobia as he endured the intense anger of the Fleet General.
"Remember what I said before we began the assault on the planet? If any one of you suffered the loss of a saucer, your life functions would be terminated with extreme pain and anguish! You do recall my words, don't you?"
"Sir," Slizzt stammered defensively when there was a two second gap in the tirade, "The Kerzilac was captained by a hothead named Weecm Shrilwat. He ignored his last power system inspection with the excuse he was engaged in an important cleansing of dense populations in the Southern Hemisphere of HG-281. My engineers advise me the coolant piping to his fusion reactor must have failed causing a catastrophic explosion."
Relieved his partial explanation seemed to mollify the General, Slizzt continued, "The explosion destroying the saucer happened in an isolated mountain valley. All crew members are dead. I have issued a Fleet-wide alert for all sub-commanders to require regular maintenance on all equipment to prevent another similar occurrence."
"Oh, there won't be a similar occurrence," Hisspat Zeck replied levelly. With those words, he drew his cutter ray pistol and sliced off VunnRer Slizzt's left arm above the elbow.
Reveling in the mental screams of agony as Slizzt slumped to the deck and grasped the stump of his severed arm, Hisspat Zeck's large, black eyes narrowed as he considered the underlying reasons the idiotic, dead saucer captain hadn't complied with the maintenance schedule. The task of flying from one kill zone to another over long periods of time without a break in the routine was mind-numbing. The General had to admit he experienced a kind of cabin fever from being cooped up in the confines of his mother ship for weeks on end. Perhaps the time had come to get some well-deserved R&R.
Seating himself before his control console imbedded in the conference room tabletop, Zeck pressed the glowing stud activating ship-to-ship communications and announced, "All sub-commanders, you are hereby authorized to begin ground assaults. Maintain one-third of the remaining population of human animals as breeding stock for our food supplies. Destroy the rest."
The Origin of F.O.R.C.E. Page 30
