by N. W. Harris
“The citizens are unhappy with your position of absolute power over them,” Gentras bluntly replied.
“I have made every effort to include this council in the command of the citizens. However, it is what the law calls for,” Athos replied. “If an enemy gains a tactical advantage over the recruit ship and said ship is unable to contact the high council on Anu, martial law shall be declared until reinforcements arrive or communication with Anu has been reestablished.”
“Yes, that is what is written in the legal code,” Gentras replied. “However, you must see how this situation is different from anything the legislature who composed that law could have foreseen.”
“I’m sorry,” Athos sharply replied. “I don’t see your meaning. I think the literal interpretation of that law precisely describes our current situation.”
“Except,” Gentras firmly said, pausing for effect, “Anu has been destroyed. There is no chance of reinforcement, and the high council has been terminated. The citizens fear this situation could result in a permanent state of martial law.”
“I very much doubt the citizens have any thoughts on the subject,” Athos replied, growing tired of the exchange. “Everyone has been too busy trying to survive to worry about who’ll be in charge tomorrow.” Athos laid an accusatory glare upon each of them. He expected most of them to cower behind Gentras, but was surprised that Kilnasis hadn’t gone for his throat yet. When he looked at Vecan, the admiral was conveniently focused on refilling his water glass.
“It is our job to anticipate the concerns and needs of the citizens,” Gentras continued. “Because it appears the Pegasus may be the sole remnant of the Anunnaki people, the preservation of our way of life is an immediate concern. We cannot risk the degradation of the principles that made our empire great.”
“What you mean is you want to make sure you are not displaced from your seats of power,” Athos growled. “What makes you think I want to disrupt our way of life? Martial law cannot be a permanent solution. It is a temporary one. One which allows the commander of the armed forces to focus the full strength of our small populous and use it to ensure our survival. Once the enemy is defeated, the state of martial law is dissolved immediately.”
“We are glad to hear you say that,” Gentras replied. “But what if you are killed? Will the commander who takes your place feel the same about surrendering their power when the time comes to do so?”
“Of course they would,” Athos replied, insulted. “Any officer would gladly surrender authority to the council when required.”
“In this current situation, we cannot guarantee they would.” Gentras gestured around the room, drawing upon the authority of everyone there. “We have decided this council will take control of the military and will represent the wishes of the people in all military actions. Your commanders will answer to us and will follow our orders.”
“So you decided this coup is worth risking the extinction of the Anunnaki people?” Athos said angrily. “Or are you all so greedy for power that you must be in command, no matter the consequences?” He paused, realizing the expression of his anger would do little to remedy the delicate situation. He took a deep breath, seeking the clarity that always came to him in the heat of combat. What mattered now was the survival of the Anunnaki. He couldn’t let ego get in the way of that, the councils’ or his own.
“Very well,” Athos said. “I will clear all military operations with the council. Though I must warn, it will diminish our ability to carry out our mission.”
“It is good to hear you agree with the will of the people,” Gentras said. “Please forgive us, but we cannot risk the Anunnaki way of life. We must ask that you stay in the council building and act in an advisory role. You must tell your commanders they are to follow our orders without question.”
“Are you imprisoning me?” Athos was shocked. “You must’ve gone mad. What experience do you have that qualifies you to fight an enemy that is more powerful than any we have faced?”
“Although we do ask that you not leave this building, we are not imprisoning you,” Gentras said, his calmness on the subject only making Athos more perturbed. “And you will advise us, so your expertise will be instrumental in winning this war. We only intend to ensure the council is the governing body for the remaining Anunnaki people, that the citizens’ rights are protected. This arrangement is the only way we can be certain.”
“Damn your lust for power. It will kill us all,” Athos said, glaring around the room. His eyes came back to Gentras. His anger flaring beyond control, he struggled to make a rational decision.
“Will you comply with this council’s ruling?” Gentras’ eyes pleaded with Athos. He knew they were taking a huge risk by trying to displace the general. The marines outnumbered the citizens and the sailors, and with the assistance of the loyal humans, they could force the council into submission.
The general was wise enough to know such an action would not help them defeat the green entity.
“I will comply,” the general said, bowing his head. “Although I fear you have doomed us all.”
“Your concerns are duly noted,” Gentras replied.
Relieved chatter erupted among the council members, their attention shifting from Athos. He sensed with their relief was a giddiness about regaining their position as the ruling body. Athos predicted they’d be begging him to take charge before this war ended. He hoped by then it wouldn’t be too late.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Shane pushed the kids through the eternal night. Beginning training immediately after they left Granny’s, the kids grew tired after a few hours and could only focus on walking. He soon lost track of time, figuring they’d been going for at least ten hours. Some complained of blisters on their feet, and others stumbled constantly.
“We cannot stop,” Shane said to the kids around him, scooping a little boy off the ground and carrying him. “If we stop, we die.”
It wasn’t something that should be said to children, and he hated how insensitive he sounded, but that was the harsh reality of the situation. They needed to keep moving; he wouldn’t lose any more of them to Greenie.
They’d marched through the forest and found the freeway. Though it didn’t go due south, Shane took a chance and had them follow the road toward Atlanta. The going was much easier, as was keeping track of kids who weren’t weaving between the trees in the woods. He kept a wary eye out for any sign of the green glow that signaled another kid would be killed, planning to divert their path due south if he saw it.
The hours wore on, and Greenie didn’t attack. They passed the spot where Matt lost his leg, and the freeway merged with the one that led directly into the heart of Atlanta.
“Looks like the seventy-five will take us straight to the light,” Steve said, pointing down the road. “You think we should stay on it, or get off and try to take cover in the city?”
“Right now, I think we should try to stay on it,” Shane replied. “But that might have to change once we get down there.”
“Be nice if we had a clue as to what we were up against,” Tracy said.
“Wouldn’t it, though?” Maurice replied. “Don’t worry, I know this city inside and out.”
“This is good,” Petrov said. “I have no clue where we are.”
“We’ve been here before,” Steve said, sounding somber. “This is where we fought our way down and shut off the machine that killed the adults.”
“Lost a lot of good people,” Maurice said, his voice inflected with painful memory.
“Yes,” Anfisa replied. “But you didn’t have us then.” She smacked Maurice on the back. “Don’t worry—we Russians will keep you safe.”
“If you are scared,” Petrov joined in the jest, “hide behind us.”
They chuckled, the Russians’ exhausted attempt at humor refreshing.
“How much longer before this asshole gives us some light?” Jules snarled. “My arms are numb from these damn ropes.”
“How�
�s the shoulder?” Steve asked, sounding ashamed.
“Hurt for a bit,” she replied. “Feels better now, though I can’t tell for sure being all tied up.”
Her eyes were glued to Jones and his clones as she spoke, and Shane knew they couldn’t let her loose until Greenie turned off her desire to murder them.
“Look,” Steve said. “I think that may be your answer.”
The sky to the south began to glow, faint at first, but then increasing in brightness. Once it formed a bright spot in the darkness above them, the light shined down. It touched the ground a couple of miles down the road, in an area where the freeway climbed up a hill.
“We’re almost there, people,” Shane said, relieved.
Everyone perked up, raising their drooping heads and walking faster. Shane stepped ahead of his friends and came alongside Kelly.
“What happens when we get to the light?” Kelly asked.
“We get to rest,” Shane replied, smiling at her. “And you remember.”
“I remember all of you?” She looked at Nat, who’d stuck by her side all through the night. Kelly’s brow furrowed, like she felt bad for not remembering who this little girl who cared so much for her was.
“Yes,” Shane replied softly. “You’ll remember us.”
They marched on, and the light ahead increased in intensity until Shane couldn’t see the beacon shining down on Atlanta that had guided them this far.
“It’s so weird that the light can be so bright, but it’s contained to that spot,” Anfisa mused. “It seems like it would light up the surrounding area as well.”
“It is odd,” Steve agreed.
Shane diverted his gaze from the light they walked toward, noticing the area around them appeared even darker than before. He shrugged his shoulders, too tired to contemplate the advanced technology Greenie must be using. They came to the light, and the kids passed into it. Shane and Kelly approached, and he could see it was like a shimmering curtain hung down, holding in the light and keeping it from spilling into the darkness.
He took Kelly’s hand. She didn’t resist, though it felt like he was holding onto a stranger. It was their turn to enter the light. Shane looked over at her face as they passed from the dark into the sunlight. Her worried and confused expression transformed, memories and emotion washing over her. She stopped just inside, blinking to adjust her eyes.
Kelly turned to him, pulling him to her. She pressed her lips to his, a solitary tear rolling from her eye.
“It’s so hard,” she whispered, her lips near his. “Having everything stripped from me like that.”
“I know,” he replied. “I wish I could do something to stop it from happening.”
“I’m just glad you’re with me,” she replied. “I couldn’t survive this without you.”
“But if something happens to me,” Shane hesitantly said. “You must go on. You have Nat, and the rest of the kids need you too.”
“I know,” she whispered. “But don’t let anything happen to you, okay?”
“Don’t worry,” he said, smiling at her. “I’m a survivor. Apparently, we all are.”
“I guess it’s not something we would’ve learned about ourselves without this experience,” she said, stepping back from him and embracing Nat.
“Some silver lining,” he grimly replied.
“Do you remember?” Nat asked, her voice and manner timid.
“Yeah.” Kelly kissed her forehead. “I remember.”
“Shane,” Tracy called.
He looked across the sunny circle. The light illuminated the width of the freeway, and most of the kids were settling in the grassy median. They were on the peak of a hill, affording a view of Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Tracy stood at the southern edge of the light, staring out at the city.
“What’s the word?” Shane stepped next to Tracy. His eyes were immediately drawn to the distant column of light, the beacon that he expected marking their destination.
“You see it?” she asked.
“Yeah, wish I didn’t,” he replied.
“That’s the recruit ship that went down,” Tracy said. “Looks like Greenie has us on a collision course with the Anunnaki.”
“It’s what I’ve been saying all along,” Jules said. She’d joined them and was rubbing the feeling back into her arms after having the ropes removed.
Shane eyed Jules, worried she still had aggressive tendencies even with the lights on.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Jules said. “I’m in control now. But I’ve known ever since Greenie showed up and freed me that they want us to kill the Anunnaki. That’s why they’ve been pushing us down toward Atlanta this entire time. If we don’t fight, they’ll kill us.”
“There’s something else, Shane,” Kelly solemnly said, joining them.
“I’m not liking your tone,” Tracy replied, a worried frown on her face.
“What is it, Kelly?” Shane asked.
“I think Greenie put a message in my mind.” She paused, sounding like she felt violated by their intrusion. “It said this would be our last stop.”
“Last stop before what?” Steve wondered, only sounding a little worried.
“I think I got the same message,” Jules replied. “Greenie is not going to give us another break.”
“And it won’t be over until we destroy the remaining Anunnaki,” Kelly finished, a sick expression on her face.
“How long do we have?” Shane asked, wanting to make the best use of the time.
“You know they ain’t that generous,” Jules replied. “They didn’t say.”
He looked at Kelly.
“Sorry, they didn’t tell me either,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
“What do you want us to do?” Steve asked.
His friend was ready for action; he just needed to be pointed in the right direction. Shane checked the kids behind them. They’d settled in on the grass in the median and alongside the freeway. Some were eating, but several had already fallen asleep. His stomach twisted at the thought of the smaller kids being hurt or killed. They planned to keep them surrounded with older kids to protect them, but he knew once the battle started, that strategy could easily fall apart.
“At least most of them are teenagers,” Tracy said, picking up on Shane’s concern.
Shane returned his attention to the darkness and the shadowy city that lay between them and the recruit ship. “We’ve got to hit them fast and hard,” he said. “We’re stronger and have better endurance. We need to use these to our advantage.”
“We’re attacking the Anunnaki?” Steve asked.
“We’ll head toward them,” Shane replied. “I don’t think Greenie will allow us to go anywhere else. We won’t attack unless we have to.”
“Oh, we’ll have to,” Jules said, an ominous tone to her voice.
“For now,” Shane continued, knowing they had to focus on the present, “everyone needs to get rested. We’ll be useless if we don’t get some sleep.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Pelros had never been so tired in his life. All the hiking in Earth’s intense gravity left every muscle in his body aching. He hurt from his feet to the top of his head—it even seemed like his hair was sore. It felt like the gash in his side was healing, but it still ached every step of the way.
He could see the humans, Jones, and the clones were all wasted as well. It made him feel better about his condition, knowing they were worn out. The humans settled on the grass alongside the road and fell asleep. Jones’ illegal clones did the same. Pelros lay on his side, pretending to go to sleep.
Exhaustion persuaded him into slumber. He resisted, focusing on the dull pain from his injury to keep alert. He meditated over the wound, telling himself he wouldn’t allow it to inhibit his ability to fight. Even if the sutures ruptured and his guts spilled out, he wouldn’t stop until the Anunnaki regained control of the humans and Jones and his rebel clones were dead.
He kept his eyes closed an
d lay still, listening to Jones and one of his clones talking in hushed voices nearby. He’d seen the Pegasus. Her apex reached toward the heavens and was bathed in the beam of light that had marked her location since the constant darkness settled upon the rest of the world. They were so close now. If he could slip away, he could make it to the ship on his own. Then he could warn his people about the humans and Jones. He could give them time to prepare and minimize casualties among his people.
Better yet, they could set an ambush and slaughter these humans. If they captured Jones, they could give him the trial and the public execution he deserved. Pelros would be on that firing squad—that was for sure.
He’d played his role as the estranged son who might want to rekindle a relationship with his father to perfection. Jones was no fool, but Pelros had made him drop his guard significantly since he was first taken captive. When it was dark and they were on the move, Jones had removed Pelros’ restraints and trusted him to stay with the group. It seemed the rebel was more concerned about the crazed human Jules attacking them than about his prisoner escaping.
At this stop, with the Pegasus in sight, Jones had ordered Pelros’ hands to be bound. The clone who’d tied the rope around his wrists hadn’t cinched it very tight, even apologizing when he’d tied him. Pelros grinned, impressed with his performance during his captivity. Now all his efforts would pay off.
Opening his eyes to slits, he saw Jones lay down on the grass. Moments later, the rebel’s heavy breathing told him he was asleep. The clone he’d left to stand guard sat nearby, his head sinking and his eyes half closed with exhaustion.
Listening to the final sounds of humans settling in behind him, the Shock Troop soldier waited for at least another Earth hour. Warm sunlight bathing him, he lay motionless. He kept his eyes closed, fighting sleep the entire time. The camp grew quiet, disturbed only by the sounds of deep breathing and a few snores. When he was certain he’d pass out if he lay still for a moment longer, Pelros slowly opened his eyes.
His guard’s head dropped, then jerked up, sleep trying to make him fail at his duty. Pelros pulled his legs in quietly and rolled to his feet. He glanced around the ring of warm yellow light. Everyone was laying down, save for a human standing guard on the other side of the camp and the clone sitting up nearby.
