The Sword of Gabriel: Ten Days on Earth

by Tom Holloway

  Crumpled up at the plane’s firewall, several limbs fractured, bleeding from his head, horrified, Anthony screams, “Anna, for God’s sake, please save me. I am sorry…I was stupid…Please help me!”

  I laugh at him, looking him straight in the eye. One of the huge dog drones then attacks him, and he is screeching, horror in his eyes. The drone eats him alive, using just a little acid, burning him where the jaws hit, eating the smoking tissue. He is crunched up slowly and swallowed finally. He is screaming for a long time. It is absolutely dreadful!

  I have to look away. I feel remorse, as even Anthony did not deserve that. The laughing at him was not necessary. These last two days have been the worst of my life. I am totally freaked out!

  I turn back, terrified again, trying to remain calm, making eye contact with the alien, inquiring, “What happens to me?”

  The alien intently examines me, and then finally speaks. “Anna, my name is XTOX. I am admiral of this ship and head of our civilization. I am trying to use words or thoughts that make sense to you, yet they might not fit every meaning. Please bear with me. You know why we are here. We do not hold you responsible; however, Henry is our enemy. Of course I know he represents the Consortium, and you carry his son. We will be careful with you for a lot of reasons. I will warn you, however, to always follow my commands. You need to do what I tell you. You are my prisoner. Communicate with no one other than me. You will be treated well, and you have nothing to fear as long as you do not fight us. If you create a problem, you will be punished.”

  He continues, “Please follow me. I will lead you.”

  I step down out of the plane, and we enter into some kind of holding hangar. It is huge and has a terrible smell, like rotten fish or worse. I gag, then I look down, barely comprehending what I see: as I’m stepping on something and they are spread everywhere: small white broken bone splinters and scattered small fragments of clothing and lots of dried blood. I have seen these kind of bones before. My God, they’re human! I also see something else, truly nauseating. I am revolted; I can’t believe what I am seeing. Now comprehending what this is, I feel disgust and feel the bile in my throat as I start to vomit. I have realized there are also some really little white bones mixed in; they’re fragile, small tiny human bones--- the bones of children!

  XTOX reacts strongly as he sees what I am looking at, feels my revulsion. “Stand up straight, and do not move. You will not be allowed to see any more of this. Look at me. I am going to blind you, burning your eyes with lasers. Stare straight ahead. It will hurt. Don’t move, or it will be worse for you. You are not allowed to see the inside of our ship.”

  He grabs my arms tightly. My head is grabbed from behind, compressed in a vise grip, painful, not able to move, staring at a small flying drone, then a bright scorching light. I feel a burning pain in both eyes, like a hot torch, then a really bad migraine hits across my forehead. Just like that I am blind, can’t see anything. Nothing! I have been screaming the entire time.

  Finally I stop screaming. The pain is awful. I put my fingers to my face and feel the hot, burned flesh. No eyelids left. They have been seared off. I can feel the hot scar tissue. I can smell my burned flesh, and I am horrified as I feel no eyeballs, just burned, empty sockets.

  I wonder what else could happen. It hurts like hell. I moan; it really hurts badly, and then I think, my acting days are certainly over; blind is not good! My chances of living long are not seeming too good either, much less of going to the Academy Awards. Of course, much worse, I could end up living here the rest of my life.

  Lord, my eyes, my face! The pain! What a great finale to a great day. What a nightmare.

  I am now totally traumatized. No feelings are left, and all of my emotions have been used up. I don’t care about anything. I am now following the alien at his command; I can see him with my mind, like I’m in a fog, walking with him as he is leading me. I am blind as a bat. I feel myself being lifted into some kind of bedlike chamber, like a coffin. I am saying prayers for my baby, for my mother, and for my sister. I am saying prayers for Henry and for myself and I am thinking about John Jacobs and his wife. My mind swirls in horror and disbelief as I welcome the blackness and quiet serenity; I am grateful for it. I feel my self losing consciousness.

  The president thinks, It’s a new day all right. I thought the Consortium took care of these things. I am dealing with several aliens; really they are nothing but criminals. They are all sitting in my office staring at me. They are communicating with me using telepathy. They say they are transmitting through the cell-size drones I have in my brain that Captain Johnson left. Somehow Henry forgot to tell me about them. I think these big guys are as ugly as you could imagine, and they smell like shit, literally. I am helping them with everything they want from this planet. They have already killed thousands, including women and children, mostly the hostages they were supposed to release. Those who put up any resistance were also slaughtered. Their bodies were turned into soup, then sucked up into big dog drones, recycled into their starships. These assholes have been here for ten long days. Now they want to meet and talk.

  They love aluminum. They stopped at every aluminum smelter in the world and helped themselves. Of course every bit of uranium was taken from the power plants, and nuclear bombs were confiscated from every country. Everyone was warned by their governments to stay home, stay off the streets, and stay hidden. There was nothing else they could do. Every military organization was shut down, all their equipment no longer working, jammed from some energy-sucking device.

  God, please help us, and send Henry.

  All of a sudden these alien guys that were sitting here relaxed, like they own the place, they jump up. They are anxious, maybe fearful. Something is happening. They are chattering to one another too fast to follow. Maybe it was my prayer for Henry. That was fast.

  Maybe Henry is actually coming, finally!

  They announce they are leaving Earth right now and are saying good-bye. Even more weird, bizarre, they thank me for our hospitality, apologize for the grief they have caused, reassuring me, as don’t worry, they say, they will not be back, ever. They say it could have been much worse.

  More important, they want me to pass on a message to Captain Henry Johnson and the Consortium, who will be here soon. They say they have Anna, and they just found out Henry knows it. They know that I know who she is, and they tell me they need to head out because of her. They say Henry will be here soon, well prepared, with several Consortium fleets. They know about the beacon, too, know we turned it on to signal Henry. He will be asking about Anna when he gets here with his Consortium fleets. The aliens instruct me to tell Henry she will be treated well, not to worry. They will be willing to trade her and his unborn son, leaving a drone behind to negotiate the terms. They are all going in different directions, and he will not find Anna without their help. He needs to listen carefully to the drone they are leaving with me. Anna’s life and his son’s life depend on it.

  Poor Anna, the aliens have her. I feel so sorry.

  They practically run out the door. Within two hours all the ships just disappear, no more six moons orbiting Earth. The world will be partying tonight. We have become one race, the human race. It is amazing how close and kind to one another the countries have become since the aliens arrived. The human race might make it after all. It’s a shame it took something like this to happen. Now we need to clean up the mess that’s left.

  Chapter 39

  The Conclusion

  Three days later Henry enters into Earth’s solar system hard and fast. Two fleets are following him. There is one Titan, a city starship, several days behind him. It displaces a six-teen hundred square miles, massive even for the Consortium. It carries many thousands of troops. Then there are several hundred Eagles. They are like the Cyclone yet bigger, newer. Each carries two Tigers in its storage hangars. The Tigers are like his Saber.

  Except for the Titan, the rest are coming in with Henry. They are in formation, threadin
g in and out for several thousand miles, as a lot of starships. They are all trying to slow down to orbit Earth, spaced evenly around the planet. The orbit will be two thousand miles out; none will land for now. The Titan will orbit five thousand miles out due to its massive size. They will use the Titan as a base, spreading out to find the Seatisveres’ starships, soon to be destroyed or taken captive. Of course all now know about Anna, that one of the ships has her. They know she is carrying Henry’s son.

  The Cyclone comes in hovering over Washington, DC. Henry called ahead. The president told Henry all the events that occurred while he was gone. Henry knew most of it already. The president is delighted Henry is here, finally, his actual presence here at the White House. Henry is in the hallway coming from the front lobby, to meet the Secret Service who are all smiles as they lead him toward the Oval Office to meet the president and his staff. There are also a select group of reporters here, too, those that can be trusted.

  They are all standing and sitting in the president’s office. Henry sees a lot of people, as many as can squeeze into the room. They are awestruck by Henry, trying to see him, the women smiling at him, the men offering to shake hands.

  He is here officially as Captain Henry Johnson, looking quite regal, as he has come formally dressed in his Consortium uniform, built not of any cloth anyone on Earth has ever seen or touched. It is thin yet strong, with a lot of dull-colored threads mixed with light gold and silver threads with tiny sparkling dark pin-lights changing colors constantly, internalized in the material. The material can change colors to match a background like a chameleon in camouflage mode. The uniform also perfectly conforms to his muscled body yet always allows space for free movement.

  The look is astounding, pure magic. The external workings are astonishing. There are thin dull-silver and brass-like metallic straps matching up with all of his larger muscles, traveling together and working in unison with the muscles. Then his shoulders are draped with some kind of short, lightweight, dark, flowing cape, extending down his arms, with some kind of darker markings. They are probably some alien language. He has a dark-brown belt that might be some kind of leather, holding some small leather cases, and one leather strap crossing his chest with different emblems attached, like small flags. A holstered weapon of some kind is attached to the shoulder harness under his arm. He has on some kind of protective boots that are almost knee high, looking like leather, tight to his legs, yet looking soft and comfortable. It is hard to identify the color, yet close to dark-gray-brown leather. His tight gloves are dark leather. There is a halo circling him about three feet above and in orbit around his head. There are also small firefly drones everywhere, moving here and there.

  The president shakes his hand, smiling, welcoming him back. He is thinking, Wow! Yes, Henry is impressive, and it’s not easy trying to figure him out: he’s mysterious, sensitive, yet strong and looks great in his amazing uniform. Henry really is the universal hero: a good guy in a fantastic uniform, movie-star looks, and totally charming, smart, and empathetic, too. No wonder Anna fell for him. Everyone here loves him, too; yet they are all shy and nervous. I guess trying to impress him.

  No question, he is also intimidating, and everyone is mesmerized, they can’t take their eyes off of him. Of course this is history in the making, something to tell their grandkids. I wish my wife and kids were here.

  Henry smiles at everyone. “Mr. President, I appreciate your meeting with me along with your staff. I know a lot has happened in the last couple of months, and now September is almost over. I apologize for not being here earlier. Believe me, I tried. I have been briefed on the events and the tragedy of the alien attack. I cannot express how sorry I am, and I speak for the Consortium also. We will avenge your loss; those responsible will be found and punished.”

  He continues, “Good news, however, as Earth has been accepted into the Consortium of Civilizations. Congratulations! We will set up communications; we will notify the rest of the world. We will keep you up to date on all we do. The transition plan has already started. There will be daily broadcasts to teach everyone about the new way. The changes will be alarming, yet they are common-sense concepts, nothing harmful or threatening. Local government continues; nations stay the same; leadership will remain the same or get better. Elections will take place where needed. Freedom and free will are still the goals as is responsibility for one’s actions. Of course criminals will be rehabilitated, as you will have access to new behavioral technology. You will end up with no prisons or prisoners, or very few.

  “Our Titan city starship will be here in several days. It will orbit five thousand miles out. All critical people on Earth will be trained either here or on board the Titan. It is a thousand miles in diameter. It has classrooms as needed for the technology that will be given to you, and you will also be given the training to use it. You will be given several small starships for exploring your own solar system, a gift from the Consortium.

  Each country will utilize the United Nations as a platform to politically deal with the Consortium. We will have one appointed representative, and Earth will have three, thus composing a four-man board of directors to act as oversight of the governments of Earth. The United Nations will elect the three representatives for representing Earth on the board.

  “I also have two military fleets here. They are orbiting Earth right now. We will make sure your alien friends who visited you a few days ago are punished. There is no question they all will be caught. We will also scan the planet, do a census of populations and make an evaluation of the planet’s health. You have nothing to fear again. The Titan will be here a long time, and it is a virtual fortress, capable of defending this entire solar system and much of this galaxy.”

  Henry coughs, pauses, and, with serious sad eyes, slowly says in a lower voice, “Of course we will find Anna and return her too. I am heading out to find her. I assure you she will be back here within a short time. I know she is enthusiastic about being here for the Academy Awards.” Everyone laughs, although nervously.

  Finally finishing, Henry says, “I am leaving immediately. By the way, the transition starts tomorrow without me. You will have lots of good guidance, and it will be easy. It will be fun, really; enjoy it.”

  I found the Seatisveres’ main ship within seven days, after pushing the Cyclone hard and covering trillions of miles, partnered with ten Eagles. I know Anna is there, her locket slips signaling me by using the communications systems of the Seatisveres’ ship. She did not know they were there to prevent her from giving them away. Her not knowing protected the hundreds of slips she carried in the locket, as stored there in hibernation, only activated with internal energy resources, triggered upon arrival on the Seatisveres’ starship. Meaning they opened the locket by themselves, then immediately spread throughout the huge starship. They have infiltrated all their processing centers and most of the minds of the commanding officers on the Seatisveres’starship; meaning it will be mine to control and the defense grids will be shut down when I approach.

  I also realize the starship crew is not quite yet in my control and they know nothing about my slips being there, waiting for me, there on board with them. The Seatisveres’ admiral and crew will never know I am there until I board, then it will be too late to do much to stop me. If the admiral does anything to Anna or my unborn son, he will die a thousand deaths, not bluffing this time.

  Tomorrow I will see Anna again; my heart is pounding, and the anxiety is tough. We are only one day apart. I am still afraid, though, as too many things could go wrong. I pray our destinies will fall in together; I have certainly moved heaven and hell to get here. I laugh as I hear the Cyclone. Of course, I know the Cyclone did all the work.

  They are in a strange galaxy, too, called the Antennae Galaxies, using Earth terms. I have not been here before, although the Cyclone is familiar with it. I am getting a download from the Cyclone, receiving all the data on the area available in these galaxies. There are not many beings here; it has been going
through some violent changes, as they are merging galaxies. Unfortunately I am trillions of miles from Earth.

  XTOX is trying to awaken Anna. She has been in hibernation for nineteen days, fed intravenously. She is not waking up, and he is anxious, knows his severe peril if anything happens to her. The massive starship has an onboard hospital, yet they know little about humans. Each room has a chamber and Anna has been in one, in a forced coma. They scan her daily as she heals. A few molecule drones left in her body do the repair needed. The slips in her brain work; she is fine, as is her baby. Her eyes even heal, repaired by Henry’s medical drones, back to full vision again. She has been bathed, moved about, yet she is still is not awakening. The sleep should have done her well, been good for her, as she was highly traumatized.

  He pulls her up to a sitting position, legs over the side of the movable floating bed, next to the room chamber. Two medical nurse drones help him. Her vitals are good. Why is she not responding? She is trying to open her eyes. He has to hold her head up, and she looks sick. He asks her to focus.

  Then, just as he is starting to unnerve, she is awake fully, eyes open, coughing, then jerking forward, vomiting some fluids on the floor, finally trying to talk. He holds her, mentally reassures her, and tells her to use thoughts not words. She is trying to pull herself together, still dazed, weak.

  He holds her up so Anna is sitting, her legs still hanging over the bed, although she is having a hard time. She is looking wild-eyed at him.

  She asks, mentally projecting uncontrolled fear with her thoughts, Please tell me. Is my baby fine? Healthy? I am so weak! How long have I been under? I’m not blind? I can see you! What did you do to me? My head is throbbing! This is awful!

  She gasps as she remembers her burned eye sockets. Her hands fly to her face, feeling for her eyes. Her eyelids are also back on her face, and she feels no scars. What a relief; thank you, Lord.