“From the beginning of their existence,” Novtia began her speech. “The human species has been drawn to violence and conflict.”
Her eyes glanced over in Freedom’s direction, looking for a reaction. It did not penetrate Sophia’s professional courtroom face as she continued.
“In fairness, their history is similar or almost identical to many here. But we are not here to judge the actions of their past. We’re here to judge their actions in the present and what it means to the future.”
The video projections switched to a lone assassin's attacks dressed in an identical attire to Freedom obliterating Dominion Council's diplomatic ships in various assaults.
“Three attacks on seven-star ships resulting in eight thousand four hundred and seventy-three deaths, including three diplomats. Colleagues, friends, and family members, known by many in this very hall …all tragically lost forever due to an unprovoked attack by the individual sitting over there at the table of the defense.”
Novtia made sure to point the finger at Sophia.
“Defender Oozaru, a highly respected Council Member, selected for this inquiry will have you believe that Sophia Dennison of Earth is not the assailant. That someone else was responsible for these horrific acts. But in these very halls, we believe in unwavering scientific facts and the truth.”
Novtia walked to the edge of the circle, making sure not to step out. Her eyes stayed locked onto Sophia, who made sure to keep eye contact with her.
“Through the recorders that we retrieved from wreckages of the vessels, and the scans taken of the accused physiology will prove that Sophia Dennison of Earth is without a doubt the only one guilty of these crimes. And the only one that must be held accountable and punished.”
She lingered for a while with her staring match with Sophia before strolling away back to her desk.
Oozaru took a moment to collect his thoughts before standing up on his disk seating. With two taps of his feet, the disk carried him to the circle's center to begin his opening statement.
Holographic video projections once again filled the hall of news reports and feeds of Sophia Dennison performing acts of heroism on Earth.
“Head Accuser Novtia speaks the truth; this Council does deal in facts.”
Oozaru began his opening statement fixated on Sophia.
“And the fact is that through several studies, an individual's habits determines their character eighty to ninety percent of the time. On her home planet, Sophia Dennison is defined as a superhero. One who uses her extraordinary physical abilities to aide and protect the lesser and weaker of her kind. She created an island and turned it into a sanctuary. It is a place of refuge for those under tyranny, a healing place for those ill or broken. Dr. Dennison has been on this path for almost a decade.”
Oozaru turned to make eye contact with Novtia.
“The facts are Dr. Dennison biologically is the strongest and most powerful of her species. She could have razed nations, toppled governments, and bent her world to her will by force. A repetitious tactic etched into many a Council Member’s histories to achieve the ultimate peace and unity amongst their species. A path that Dr. Dennison has chosen not to take; instead, she allows her lesser evolved kin to stumble and find their way on their own terms.
Through multiple studies, it has been proven that a sane individual’s habits are a marker for their character.
Dr. Dennison’s habits prove that she is not an assassin or a mass murderer.
That, along with the evidence that we shall submit, will prove that Dr. Dennison was not involved in these nefarious attacks, and as much as the Accused refuses to believe is most likely a pawn in something far more sinister.”
Oozaru humbly bowed before giving the disk a double-tap. It silently returned him to the desk.
“Impressive opening,” Sophia subtly whispered. “Wish I knew you during my first trial.”
“You may thank me when we have proven your innocence,” Oozaru whispered back. “Now, the true battle begins.”
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Several light-years away back on Earth, the clone children of Horus and Sekhmet were finally birthed.
Like Sekhmet’s awakening, all four clones awoke the second the amniotic fluid was drained from each of their chambers, and fresh air was pumped in.
Just like infants, each clone let out a brief cry of discomfort from the harshness of fresh air entering their lungs for the very first time.
As the pod doors opened, the enslaved staff went into action. They gently helped all four sit up to examine them while the loving parents stood off to the side with the faces of pride as Dr. Alexander stood next to them. Though physically and mentally drained, he was still slightly amazed at the additional clones' successful birth.
It was short-lived as the doctor jumped from screams coming from one of his staff members. Apparently, while using his light pen to examine one of the females, the smallest of the two. She curiously reached out, grasping his wrist. Not knowing her strength, she ended up crushing it. As he dropped the penlight, she released him, catching it during mid-fall. Everyone in her vicinity stepped back from her as she sat there examining the device.
A second after that, a male technician went flying savagely across the room, meeting his bone-crushing end against the wall on the other side.
“Away from me mortals! You can do nothing for me.”
The order came from the taller of the two male clones. His skin was an onyx color with oil colored brillo hair. His face and demeanor were his genetic father’s, while his blackhole eyes emitted a flickering cauldron red glow.
“Father.”
His words brought his siblings to their senses. Along with the pen-thief was her sister, who was an inch taller than her with a lighter complexion, and the same faint blue glow emitting from her matching eyes.
The last of them was their brother, who resembled the girls. He was smaller than his brother, wrapped in caramel skin with a short napped up afro. His hazel eyes produced a faint yellow glow.
Unlike his short-tempered brother, he used his hand to a shooing gesture causing the staff attending to him to quickly back away.
All four slid off their individual pods, gently getting to their feet. They each steadied themselves as their legs found their strength, allowing them to stand. All of them searched the room zeroing in on their waiting parents.
Like flies drawn to light, the quadruplets started with literal baby steps heading in their direction. Halfway to them, their strides became stronger.
With a foot of distance between them and their genetic parents, the siblings simultaneously took a knee, bowing their heads.
“Mother…father…we have returned to you.”
Horus walked over to one of his daughters, while Sekhmet made her way to the tallest male. They both placed a hand on their heads, caressingly running their fingers through their thick locks.
Their lips became flourishing ominous smiles as the loving parents turned to make eye contact with one another.
Sekhmet bit her bottom lip as Horus said the most romantic thing he ever spoke to her.
“Now, …the war begins.”
CHAPTER 16
The Hall of Elders, the main capital building of Atticala,
Laurence stood once again on the steps outside the main doors in full armor. As he watched his cousins Anubis and Bastet ascend the steps to approach him, his mind wandered back to his time at home before his departure.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Warmness filled his insides as he treasured the fleeting family time as he bathed, ate, and played with his children until they were tired of him. As he and Neith laid them to rest in their bed and crib, they departed to their own room to play with one another.
However, Laurence could not rest as he gazed up at the ceiling of his home while Neith lay on top of him, nuzzling her head
close to his chest.
“Lay thy troubled yoke upon me, my husband, so that I may carry it with you.”
He turned to her with a saddened smile laying a soft kiss upon her forehead.
“My thoughts go to the orchestration of recent events.”
“The Volorions dropping their shield letting you go?” Neith inquired.
“High Prime Vbzarma would have sacrificed his entire War Machine to have our heads on pikes,” Laurence grumbled. “What bothers me more is the complexity of the energy shielding. Volorions have always perfected offense weaponry …this shield was way beyond their capability.”
“So, if this technology is as advanced as you say, why go to Earth?”
Laurence made a face that made her sit up in bed. The look on the hardened female Annunaki warrior was one of fretful concern.
“You are not proposing that someone on Earth created this technology for the Volorions?”
“Within one short decade, the humans of Earth have made an evolutionary jump where people fly via their own propulsion and can lift objects with just a thought.”
“You know…what this means, Laurence …if what you are implying… If it is true…”
“I am implying nothing, my love,” Laurence said to her with a calming tone. “What I do know is my first home is the focal point. I pray that what I find, if I find anything, will lead me elsewhere. If not …I can get ahead of it.”
Neith placed a gentle hand on her husband’s chest.
“I pray to the elders; it is not so.”
“At times, that is all we can do, my love,” Laurence whispered.
He stayed in bed with her for an extra hour, discussing everything else aside from work, until they mustered up the strength to play again.
Their second rest session was shorter as Sol slithered into the room, reminding him that it was time to depart to Earth for his mission.
The face of reluctance was brief upon both of their visages as Neith sat up in the bed, covering herself in the bedsheets while Laurence slid out, getting to his feet.
She called forth the house servants to bring out her husband’s armor and dressed him herself as they watched while handing her each piece at a time.
Laurence then quietly entered his children’s room to give them each soft departing kiss as they slept.
Neith, followed by Butch, walked with him to the front of his home. She gave him his commands as she held his hand.
“Complete your mission, and then return to us, no matter who stands in your way.”
“As you wish,” Laurence agreed as he bowed his head.
Neith reached up, clasping his face with her hands to plant a deep kiss upon his lips. Laurence drunk in more as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her as close to him as physically possible.
The years had not lessened the sweetness.
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His focus quickly returned as his elder cousins stood before him.
“You depart for Earth now?” Anubis asked.
“I do,” Laurence nodded. “What will you be up to?”
Anubis gruffed with irritation before he answered.
“Unfortunately, nothing, mother has departed for Alvion Prime, she has been chosen to be one of the Tribunals in the inquiry of Sophia Dennison of Earth.”
“Which means as the next in line of the Head of the House of Set, you must remain here at home.”
Anubis nodded with fluttered eyes of disgust.
“Wretched laws and traditions.”
“What will you be up to, Bast?” Laurence inquired.
“My punishment,” Bastet muttered. “Mother has elected me to train new recruits on the art of becoming a proper Annunaki warrior.”
“She’s placed you in the lecture halls,” Laurence shook his head.
Bastet nodded with a snarled face.
“Knowing how much I detest public speaking.”
“Where will you begin with this investigation of yours?” Anubis asked.
“I shall begin with a discussion with the Regulators,” Laurence answered. “Confirm with their take on events that have passed on Earth, and corollate them with what I suspect.”
“The identity of this alleged puppet master,” Bastet answered.
“Hopefully, yes.” Laurence nodded.
“Then be off with you boy, the faster you bear fruit, the quicker my sentence shall end, and I can kill something or someone.”
“Safe travels, cousin,” Anubis said while extending his arm.
Laurence extended his hand, grasping him by his forearm as Anubis did the same. They connected their third eyes as a sign of affection and respect amongst warriors.
They released each other for Laurence to do the same with Bastet; she stayed with her forehead pressed longer to him than Anubis before releasing him.
“Sol.”
From the housing in the back of his armor, Sol activated a portal. Laurence walked through returning to his first homeworld.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
The Grand Canyon National Park, Colorado, the Project EVOlution base,
Graves and Alexander stood off to the side, watching powerless at the final assembly of universal powers that would change everything on Earth as they knew it forever.
Horus, Sekhmet, and their Heralds stood once again, speaking to five of the most powerful warlords of the universe.
High Prime Vbzarma once again sat with passive irritation written on his face as his sons Volker and Nofarrzo flanked either side of his throne. On another screen sat a stoned faced Grand Kan Fatra Kumzi next to his daughter, Mefita Kumzi. She attempted to mimic her father’s demeanor, only to fail as the memories of the last meeting cracked her mettle. On the third screen sat the Regent Maleen on her throne without her daughter Syrtria or her slave. On the fourth screen sat the Imperial Lord Hoovii Omni without his council, in a room fashioned to look like a Presidential Oval office.
The last person on the final screen was the newly crowned Grand Emperor Togar. Unlike the other rulers, Togar humbly bowed on one knee, showing respect and fidelity to his new gods that placed him upon the throne.
“Father Horus and Mother Sekhmet, your humble servant is blessed to be before your presence once again.”
Horus turned to his wife, waiting for her to command her new pet.
“Rise my child and take your rightful place upon your throne.”
Togar did as commanded, sitting upon his throne with a face of obedience, while the earthly mortal gods turned their attention to the other warlords. Horus stepped forward to begin the meeting.
“Lords and Ladies, it is truly wonderful to see that you all returned for this second meeting.”
He noticed that their eyes were not entirely focused upon him but the new elephants in the room.
The newly resurrected clone children of Horus and Sekhmet created a new ranking system. It sent the Heralds one step back as they proudly stood at ferocious attention behind their mother and father.
Although they were biological quadruplets, each wore a different demeanor, revealing that they each possessed their own unique personality.
“But before we begin, allow me to introduce you to our children.” Horus gestured.
A confident, subtle smirk formed on the god of sky’s lips as he watched the warlords’ organ or organs that pumped blood or bodily fluid through each of their veins plummet to the darkest crevice of their guts, never to return.
It was bad enough that the self-proclaimed gods of Earth were handing out ultimatums to them and possessed immense physical or supernatural power to back it up that none of the rulers had ever seen before.
Now they had offspring, powerful and loyal offspring.
“From left to right is our son Apedemak.”
The male clone with near midnight skin with blue tints and red lips glared at the screen with unrivaled hatred and disgust at
those he deemed lesser than him. The red pulsating glow from his domino eyes reflected the unbridled power slowly growing within him and matched the metallic red piping and material added to his black bodysuit and bracers. The only other color was the golden image of a lion laser-etched into the suit from his left shoulder down to his left breast.
His hair was no longer a short curly afro. Instead, his head was shaven save for a long-stranded braided ponytail similar to Egyptian males of ancient times.
“Our lovely daughter, Mekhit.”
Horus motioned to the tallest of the two females. Like her brother, her hazel eyes pulsated a steady deep-sea blue glow. Her black bodysuit was similar to her brother’s, except with gold piping. The only other color was bright white laser etching that created the lioness image from her right shoulder to her right breast.
Unlike her brother, her demeanor was less anger and hatred, more disgust and irritation.
Mekhit chose to shave half of her head while braiding the other half into thick braids.
“Our other son, Montu.”
Opposite his brother and sister, the smaller male clone wore a sly smile upon his lips. Coupled with his eyes, which pulsated a sky green energy hue, was a mixture of tactical sadistic deviousness.
His outfit consisted of an ice blue and black color scheme. A bright silver etching of a perched hawk began at his left hip to his right breast. His hairstyle of choice was a modern low-cut Caesar, with a finely trimmed hairline and a thinly braided ponytail position at his neck's base.
“And last but never least, our other lovely daughter, Nekhbet.”
The smallest of the two girls with caramel skin wore all of her auburn hair shoulder length and curly.
The color scheme of her outfit was black and purple. A copper-red symbol of a vulture was laser etched on the suit, starting from her right hip to her left breast.
She, too, bore a smile upon her face. However, unlike her siblings, there was truly little focus. The answer lay in her eyes, which pulsate a bright blue star color with flickers of white.
In her eyes was unhinged madness and insanity barely under control.
“Aren’t they just lovely?” Horus innocently inquired.
War of Mortal Gods Page 21
