The group stood there and stared at the black screen, each trying to figure out what just happened. Was this the end? Was the frustration finally over to Man’s predicament, and to the good? Or, per chance, was this the end of Earth? Had the red Ion blast reached Earth or did the white or black reach us first? What was the effect on our world?
All the display screens remained completely black, so Captain Stewart called Kitt Peak and asked the obvious question. The reply was that they couldn’t tell either way because of the computer-generated image.
Captain Stewart became aggravated and said, “What do you mean computer-generated?”
“The brightness in the sky was so great, sir, that no one could physically look into the telescopes even with the sun filters on without injuring their eyes. So we fed the image to our computers to let them generate the display we have been watching. We don’t know what is happening out there physically because no one wants to risk going outside possibly becoming blind.”
Woods heard the conversation and yelled, “Tell them to take the black sun filter off so we can at least have the unfiltered computer image.”
Captain Stewart repeated Woods’ request and the response was that it would take a few minutes.
The entire group stood there looking at totally black display screens, wondering and waiting on what might be displayed when the filters were removed. Jeff said, “I don’t know what we just witnessed but it was really weird. I wonder what that tiny crystal dot was that created the whole damn thing. Maybe the Ions found some element they really liked and went on a blind date.”
“I don’t think that was from the Ions because, according to the General, it would have only fueled a bigger fiery red Ion blast,” Janet said. “That crystal dot was something new and I hate to think of what is going on outside. We’re either being turned into an Ion feast or God only knows what that white and black blast is doing to us now.”
“General, would we hear any noise if a reaction from the Ions was occurring outside?” Jeff said.
The General seemed still in a daze and said, “I don’t know.”
Captain Stewart remarked, “God, I’m such an idiot! We have a microphone up on the tower where our spotters were. All I have to do is turn it on and we can at least hear what is happening.”
As soon as the Captain walked over and hit the switch to open the microphone from the tower down to the speakerphone in the control room, a loud bang echoed through out the room.
Donemore yelled, “No, please don’t be the end of the beginning!”
A frightened voice spoke up from behind one of the computer screens, and it was one of the Captain’s men. “Sir, I’m sorry but I was looking at the black screens and tripped over one of the computer monitors plug. My foot pulled the monitor off the desk and it crashed to the floor.” Nerves were stretched to the limit, noise meant the world was being destroyed, time was at a standstill, a few minutes were turning into an eternity. But the eternity was shattered when the huge display screens flickered then displayed clearly a picture ever so familiar to all the human race—a clear, blue morning sky.
No one said a word as they pondered the meaning of the morning sky. Captain Stewart said, “Request for two volunteers to go outside and see what’s happening.”
Everyone in the room volunteered! Finally, the Captain pointed at two men and without an exchange of words, they were gone.
A few minutes later, the men called from the tower and the words echoed from the speakerphone around the room to everyone. “My God, sir. Respectfully request that you have to come up here and see this.”
The entire room raced toward the elevator that would take them up to the surface. Not a word was said as they all entered the elevator and hit the “G” button for ground level. Within a few minutes the elevator door opened and they ran down the hall that led to the outside. Woods reached the door first and pushed it open. A flood of light filled the hall and as each person stepped outside and realized it was the beautiful light from only our good old sun on a crystal clear morning. Everyone walked around with his or her arms stretched out as if to embrace the light and bask in its warmth. As they looked up they were given another treat, a clear blue sky, a deeper blue than usual, but blue nonetheless. Then Jeff and Janet, Woods and Donemore held hands and marveled at the beauty of a new day—and all the days to come.
A new day, an event that was taken for granted from the beginning of time. The past week they had fought desperately to make sure it would happen again—and now it was, for a long time to come. They had won.
They didn’t know what had happened in those last minutes before Earth’s impending doom and they probably never would. Woods, of course, had a theory. He speculated that whatever powered Mother must have finally been reached by the Ion wave, which caused some sort of reaction, further triggering an explosion so catastrophic that it vaporized everything in the sky. No one would ever know for certain—no human, that is.
28
Six months later…
A BLACK STRETCH LIMO LEFT THE CARLTON RITZ AND headed towards the new United World Center (UWC). Inside were two newly wed couples, Jeff and Janet Stabinski and Hunter and Susan Woods, nee Susan Donemore. They had flown in the day before from Orlando where they all now lived. This was not a honeymoon, that happy occasion took place soon after Mother was destroyed. They were here because an important meeting had been called in New York City at the newly renamed United Nations building, now called the United World Center. Leaders or representatives of every nation in the world were in attendance. The newly weds presence at this meeting was a must. A lot had happened in the past six months.
Soon after mankind was saved, NASA and key U. S. scientists analyzed the atmosphere and discovered that releasing pure oxygen into the air had the best results in restoring it, and massive efforts went into restoring the atmosphere as soon as possible. While special teams were set up to handle the number one priority, our air, the rest of the world went about the task of rebuilding and getting its priorities straight. The United World Organization (UWO) was now in full operation and special task forces were being organized to analyze how best to deal with threats to its security, such as that which had almost eliminated the human species.
Many new organizations and plans came out of these early meetings, three of which the newly weds were involved in directly. The first organization was high priority. It involved the employment of special, highly trained people who would establish investigating teams and re-open the Blue Book files and all UFO sightings from around the world. The task force recommended that this organization be established immediately because the world was now paranoid about another Mother popping up in the near future, let alone another visit from the same source from where Mother had originated. It was called the World Space Investigation Agency (WSIA), located in Orlando, Florida, and by special request, headed up by the newly wed couple, Mr. & Mrs. Hunter Woods. The FBI and equal agencies from around the world had agreed to give these new co-directors of WSIA unprecedented access to their records and unparalleled cooperation. Their mission was to monitor Earth and the vastness of near space for anything that might indicate an alien presence.
They further established investigative teams world wide to look into, analyze and feed information to the WSIA headquarters in Orlando. If there were any other aliens out there or if more Mother’s showed up, the world wanted to know.
Next was a research project pertaining to lightning. Because Mother’s Collectors dealt exclusively with lightning, it was felt a massive effort should be put in to better understanding exactly what caused lightning and if there was any possibility of harnessing its power for Earth space exploration. Jeff Stabinski was recommended for this job and won everyone’s approval on the first ballet. He was perfect for the job, between his meteorology background and desire for lightning chasing, it was a dream come true for him as well. He was given unlimited funding and complete access to the records of scientists around the world that were,
just now, slowly taking part in analyzing the many downed Collectors. His mission was to find everything he could on lightning and if there was any connection between it, the Collectors and Mother’s very capable light ray.
Establishing the UWO was top priority, and this was where the limousine was headed. As they rode along, Woods and Jeff were giving last minute advice and encouragement to Janet, but most of all trying calming measures on their good friend. As they arrived, Janet said, “I’m ready, but I’m still not sure how all this will end.”
Director Hunter Woods, never at a loss for words, leaned over and whispered in her ear, “They’ll be back. Make no mistake about it, Janet. They’ll be back.”
When the limousine stopped, the doors opened and the four were escorted inside and greeted by many people, the new President of the United States, leaders from England, Russia, China and Japan to name a few. But then two very familiar faces were seen in the distance and it was like an old homecoming. General Stormer and Captain Stewart greeted them all with hugs, congratulations and a few tears. This team of unknowns had defeated an enemy of such superiority that even they couldn’t believe what happened and it bonded them for life. They talked for a short while until the person introducing the new Chairperson of the United World Organization was just about to finish. Jeff gave Janet a quick kiss and everyone headed to assigned seats.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m proud to introduce to you the newly elected Chairperson, the Ambassador from the United States of America, Mrs. Janet Stabinski—”
Janet took a deep breath and walked to the podium. The standing ovation seemed to last forever and finally she got everyone’s attention. After everyone sat back down and stopped clapping, she began. “First of all, I would like to thank you for honoring me by electing me as your Chairperson.
“The events of six months ago have brought the need for this organization and the meeting we are having here today. The world is recovering from the scars left behind from the alien moon’s attempt to take over our planet after eliminating our species. The rebuilding of what E-1’s light rays vaporized, including many of the world’s most important buildings and bases, is well underway.
“The buildings and bases can be replaced, the people the aliens killed can never be replaced. That’s why we are here today. For as long as I can remember, scientists have debated whether life exists away from our own planet Earth. Some thought we would find other life forms in below the ice fields on Mars, or some other living cells on other planets within our solar system beyond Mars’ orbit.
“Still others feel we were not alone and thought there must be life of greater intelligence then ours of some type on the billions of planets orbiting distant stars in our universe.
“Some even felt that Man was alone in the universe. That was all answered six months ago. We are not alone and intelligent life forms beyond our imagination do exist, and contrary to the belief of many, higher intelligence does not mean higher understanding and compassion for other life forms.
“E-1’s intentions were to destroy us and make our planet suitable for colonization of their life form. This goes against everything we ever believed in and forces us to realize that the human race must change the way it feels about our own species. We can no longer think that we are the superior specie and have to accept the fact that far more superior species exist, and not all of them friendly!
“Wherever Mother came from, there is still a life form that has technology beyond our imagination, certainly beyond our capability. They will know what happened and they might seek revenge and we might not be as lucky next time. This is why we are here today. Mankind, the human race, must prepare for any retaliation or additional threats to life on our world. Therefore the United World Organization was formed. We will have additional speakers in the next few days explaining in detail what we have planned, but let me describe some of the highlights.
“First, the leaders of the super powers of the world have all agreed to stop any and all research, development, and construction of destructive weapons designed to kill our fellow man.
“All monies will now go toward research and development of weapons aimed at protecting and defending planet Earth. Every nation on Earth will help finance and support this effort—like it or not, each in its own way, each according to its ability to pay. Of course, while the superpowers have agreed to stop building weapons of mass destruction, they cannot put all their resources into protecting our species while other nations continue to develop weapons that could be used against them.
“Therefore a United World Intelligence Task Force (UWITF) will be developed to monitor any unlawful building of mass destruction weapons. If any nation breaks the law, the punishment will be severe. How severe? You don’t want to know the answer. Administering tribunals from super power representatives will administer any such violations. Your nation will be isolated from doing trade with the rest of the nations of the world, and if after thirty days you are still found to be developing outlawed weapons, your nation will be eliminated and divided amongst your adjacent neighbors.
“Mankind will no longer tolerate fighting or potential fighting between our own species. That has come to an end.
“The acknowledgment of alien life forms must be accepted regardless of how you as a leader of your nation or your people feel either religiously, morally or any other way. There are other life forms in the universe and we must do whatever is necessary to protect our ongoing existence. Research teams will be set up around the world to investigate the downed alien Collectors to look for clues that will help us develop far beyond our present means.
“We will not interfere with how you as a leader run your country, but every nation, country or kingdom will receive grants from the UWO that we expect will be used toward advancing education on how to preserve our human race. We will build massive space stations, then move to our moon and Mars to explore, learn and develop new ways to advance mankind and how to protect it.
“At the same time, every effort will be expended to look for and analyze life forms that may exist on both our moon and Mars. We will not crush any forms of life found. We will not be a raiding life form, but a friendly one. At the same time, a massive effort will be put into contacting friendly life forms in our universe, however difficult that may prove to be.
“Hopefully our efforts will be swift and fruitful, because we need an ally. Wherever E-1’s home planet or asteroid body, they know by now that we earthlings destroyed a massive colonization effort.
“Look to the heavens fellow citizens of Earth and make no mistake about it—they will be back. We must be prepared to meet that challenge, together, as a collective whole, representing all of mankind, every nation, religion and creed.
“Thank you all, and may God continue to bless planet Earth.”
BAD RAIN: A SCI-FICTION THRILLER Page 30
