The spacious auditorium occupied the entire top floor of the airship. Today, it is brimming with people for the first day of the WAC symposium.
With a seat capacity of thousands, it is enough for the vast student population in Cyrus.
It offered a 360 degrees sky view through the glass panels that circumvents it like a glass igloo. Sunlight flared all around seamlessly, filtered through tinted anti-ultraviolet glass panels.
Up front is a large stage. On its backdrop is a billboard-size monitor and Phil, Alec and Sanders recognized it to be belonging to the World Government's Communication Network - the Centralink. They were surprised to find it in this civilian activity. The WAC being outfitted with the sophisticated official government commlink technology only goes to show the prestigious support the World Government accords to this academic event.
They wondered who would appear there. They d
General Dunreft was called away from the WAC symposium to view a highly important and urgent transmission by the enemy, the first and only.Waiting for him in his spacious, round shape office are two of his commanding officers, Simon Rutledge and Ben Kaine, middle-aged men of stature."For the first time in the history of this war, sir," Commander Rutledge immediately reported as Dunreft stepped in the double doorway. "Addressed specifically to you, Sir," Rutledge mentioned what everyone already knew."After a decade of intentionally blocking communication signals " added Kaine.Dunreft went straight behind his desk, sat down with one of his elbows propped up on the desk and his chin resting on his curled forefinger in contemplation. A decade of war and yet these invaders remained as strangers for reasons known only to them. Is today really the day they are going to break their silence once and for all?"Okay, put it on," instructed Dunreft.Kaine signalled one of his men in the backg
For a few seconds with her eyes closed Ava felt like she was trapped inside her skull.There was but the disconcerting sensation and the drowning silence. Her head fell low and her temple furrowed. If she were facing a mirror, she would have seen a diamond-like mark flared on her temple for a fleeting moment...the Atlantii symbol...a quick display of light...The VIPs had removed themselves from the stage. Everyone fell in a throng as they hustled out of the auditorium; the seats emptying out, the aisles in a crowded jam, and the 4 exit doorways spread across the large hall slowly became a bottleneck of bodies."What the heck is going on?" Alec muttered. He took out his mobile and started dialing Sybil. He was halfway in doing so when he and everyone else heard it. A chorus of necks arched up towards the glass dome above.'Is this for real?' Alec exclaimed in his head. He saw an all-too familiar scen
The air space around the large floating fortress, against the deep blue sea below and bright daylight, was pictured like a swarm of flies littered with mini explosions here and there. A figure in a dark cloak in a dark room stood over the large holographic aerial screen projection. He could see a number of casualties on their side, as always. Earth has always proven themselves better skilled at space combat, not that it matters. They are not here to subdue Earth."My lord, we have succeeded. The key is now in our hands," came a voice report."Bring her at once and retreat," spoke the cloaked figure in its language. His intense voice echoing in the empty confines of the dark room. "And make sure to destroy their floating fortress.""Yes, my lord."'What a pitiful planet,' the cloaked figure thought. 'Now you will be paying for your impertinence."****What was that?Private Alfred Garrison had seen the tube
Ava Kinski adjusted her blurry eyes until the closed doors of the elevator shaft and the flickering lights became evident in her sight. She felt something cold running down one side of her face and she flinched slightly as she became aware of the sharp pain on her head. Her eyes fell low and saw the trail of red on her shoulder and chest. She pulled her head up slowly, hissing at the pain.The last thing she could remember was being thrown off her feet and then scurrying on the floor with the rush of adrenaline to the lift she knew existed at the back of the stage before collapsing into unconsciousness."The airship is in a state of catastrophe. Please calmly proceed to the escape pods at the base level..."That recorded instruction occupied the sound space. She could hear it from the close confines of the elevator shaft. She jolted up, remembering what had transpired in the auditorium. The battleship that crashed in wasn't the WDF's..."Please proceed to
In the cloudy haze of his mind, Alec could see the dazzling ripples of light above him, as the depths of the sea slowly pulled him down, swallowing him - a pressure so strong against his motionless body.In his half-dead state, he saw her appeared against that light, her face before him. Her unperturbed eyes looked at his; her red-hair swaying up in the water. She extended her hand and took him by his arm. He could feel her strong grip as she pulled...***Alec woke up and felt the bunk and bed sheets he was lying on. Despite his still blurry vision, the interiors told him that he's inside a big tent. There were nine more beds lined up beside his, each with an occupant, men with bandages on different parts of their body. Boxes with Red Cross symbols are stacked up all around. A recovery tent."Ah, Private Alec Archer, you're awake. How are you feeling?" A man in a white medical gown with a stethoscope coiled around his neck came up to his bedside.
The once glorious Cyrus was now unrecognizable as a scorched wreck. The part where it dug head first on the ground was reduced to rubble and as for half of its body parts, only its burnt skeletal framework that feebly stood can be deduced; the ground where it rested blackened by soot and ash.Fortunately, this remote shoreline of the gulf is devoid of civilians and communities and no one on the ground was caught in the crash.The ship, or what remained of it, had already cooled down after the last 24 hours thanks to the September rain.Alec had been treading his way into the once grandiose lobby; now a wet, gloomy ruined interior where sunlight could barely penetrate. He didn't know why he's come here or what he expected to find.'We're just asking the same questions,' his mind kept repeating. 'Just the same damn questions,'He closed his eyes, tightened his fist, and thought of
The teleportation had been as swift as an eye blink. Ava quickly gained her senses and found herself upright inside what seem to be a tube walled by a solid screen of light. From beyond the confines of her prison tube, she could see the control station of the ship manned by three person crews, their backs facing her. The ship's interior was dark if not for the ship's wide cockpit window, stretching from corner to corner, which afforded her an exterior view as they traversed through Earth's landscape, passing by mountains and dirt plains in great speed.Something glistened in the corner of her eye as she stared out. On the far side of the space shone another tube of light that's slightly narrower - a glowing, round crystal, the size of a fist, floating in teh air within it.'Is that... could it be -' her thoughts beckoned.Even without the long arm of the Trident that used to hold it, she could recognise it. Her head tilted slightly to its side as she gaped at it
All four materialized; half their bodies submerged in a murky forest swamp. But as the crashing alien spacecraft they've just been on hurtled above their heads with a booming sound and in great speed, their first attention was towards it, their necks arching up in quick motion. They looked through the foliage of trees, the midday sun glaring through it, and out into a clearing as the alien ship careened out of control, crashing against the height of a mountain. The explosion looked like a tiny speck from where they stood, the blast inaudible."Wow!" Sanders broke the quiet spectacle. "That was really cool!" he exclaimed in utter relish...at the transportal experience, that is, reverting everyone to his attention....and then to the marshy waters and greeneries - mainly of bamboo trees - surrounding them, much to their surprise."What the! Of all places!" Phil blabbered."Still better than being on that exploding ship!" pointed out Sanders gaily."I can't b