~~THE AURORA SKY PROPHECY

BOOK 1 – Prodigy

CHAPTER 1 - Birth of A Hero

2211 - A.D.

All human civilization has been obliterated. I am the last surviving member of the human race. Remnants of its advancing technological prowis still course through my veins. Coming here, to this frozen, barren wasteland it is difficult to imagine the scope of its final, definitive devastation. Through the scorching wind and continuous torrents of hail it is at times possible from higher elevations to steal a glimpse of what was. These towering skeletal obelisks, twisted and grey are the only contrast in an endless, white oblivion.

 God I hate this place.

 My life, is complicated. There is much about my past which remains a mystery, but in my dreams I see things. More, I believe I have gone places! But I have managed to keep this hidden, even from my wife. Slowly, over these now ten years, a spiders web of disjointed imagery has managed to manifest.

 My saviors, the Ti, amazing and powerful. They were able to tap into my mechanized memory core and extract star chart info and a host of other details. My name, Jack. There is a woman, I have begun to see her more often now in my dreams and I have had to keep this a secret as well. And there is something else, something I have not yet been able to put my finger on. A feeling. An unsettledness deep in my gut, my past may be about to catch up with ME.

 I come here, to this frozen ball for answers and to pay my respects to a people I can scarcely remember. Visions and sounds of war, of men dying. Confusion, chaos. But somehow, SHE is there. It makes no scence logically. I feel as though I have been remembering two different lifetimes. And I see others just like me. There were many of us. I am running out of time. My enemies are powerful and they are looking for the same thing I am….and me. But I have buried a few of them here. Their technology is less effective in these harsh conditions, our encounters have been brief and sometimes bloody. You can beat a few Zarconians to a pulp on land if you are strong and sufficiently armed. In space, that's another story. From whatever hell they were cast from, they are very good…..and fast!

 So I bury my enemies…and I move on…

December 31, 2009

Lunar Research & Development Laboratory

Sub-Level 8 - MAIN CONTROL CENTER

For Doctor Rebecca Jordan, five years of isolation and hard science had come down to the push of a single button. The pressure herself and her team were under was immense. Money was beginning to become an issue, it always was, but the cost of wars and preventing war would forever out weigh the science and the simple idea that there are far better things to do than blow each other up. Success in stage two would guarantee the money would continue to flow.

Efforted internationally, the base was supplied with every conceivable detail necessary to facilitate the work, to say nothing of the computing power. Eight, five foot tall, million teraflop processor towers hummed melodicly around her. As she paced the floor, her team worked feverishly at their stations, making final preperations for the initiation process to begin. She was only here because of these people. These people were not coworkers, they were her family.

Choosing these seven had been a rigorous process of elimination from many of the top minds in all manner of fields. It had figured that now everyone wanted a piece of the action, when years earlier when herself and mentor and colligue Ivan Chandra had first released their work to the larger scientific community they were pointedly scoffed. However, with Ivan's connections grants led to other doors opening and before she knew it she was strapped to a tin can and the rest is history, or would be. It took her and her assistant Alden Drextler nearly five months to sort through the chaos and assemble the team.

Rebecca knew almost nothing about the base and there were always military guards to keep you from wondering too far off.

The base began construction on the dark side in the late seventies expanded upon ever since but several global superpowers. N.A.S.A. rolled out it's manned shuttle program which provided all the pomp and publicity to launch all the materials into space and simply lie about the distance the shuttles could travel and everything else. It facilitated the construction of a massive maze of subtereanean complex. But the quest for domination of space was not without consequence. Shuttle Challenger and Colombia had been loaded with an experimental slower burning fuel for travel to Mars.

"December thirty-first, thirteen-hundred hours. I have chosen cryo-tube eleven. We are proceeding with thaw procedure." Rebecca took two metal steps up to the curved, outward angled, observation window, overlooking hundreds and hundreds of sealed cryo-chambers. There were several rooms like this, three-hundred thousand in all. This was her extended family.

The red labeled containment case around tube eleven split apart and a mechanical claw decended and lifted the tube to a raised platform where it was secured in its vertical position next to a terminal. The surface of the tube its self was smooth, clear and shinny. The frozen material it contained gave the tube a milky brownish green color. She touched a button on a transparent wrist device and the lights dimmed momenteraly.

The color of the tank began to change. A milky substance had begun to creep through the solid brown yellow tone. Steadly, more of the ice material was pushed away in the whipping white vortex mixed with blues and reds and an increasing pulse of hot light. The lattes platform started to vibrate, the wheels of the terminal base turning slowly as the vibration continued to increase.

The plexy in front of Rebecca shuttered. She turned back to the team. " How we doing guys?"

"Cryo reduction sequence nearly complete doctor. Prepping for matrix power up and upload."

"Thank you Kyle. Life signs Bobby."

"Stablezing. Truly remarkable. He is ready doctor."

The vortex had subsided and the tank was now awash in sparkling lake blue and rainbow sparkles. Mechanical arms built inside the tube busily connected the clone to various ports.

Another team member spoke through Rebecca's ear piece, a woman's. "Connection interface is linked in. Shall I procede with the upload doctor?"

Rebecca took a deep breath. "Go ahead Shelly."

"Upload commencing. Twenty percent. Thirty. Wow, even faster than the simulation. Forety-five percent! Fifty!"

Then everything went to hell…and fast.

Rebecca's partner in this endeavor was a man approaching sixty, nearly twice her age, a gifted genious. The cylinder was his design. He was a family man and the oldest of four boys. He two had had to adapt to a life of perpetual solitude here amongst the stars, but Alden liked it, probably more than most. Because, at his core he was an explorer. He wanted to be that guy, to be the first to discover some other distant populated world. Wanted to know what those people would look like. Wanted to see what amazing things their science had taught him. It was a shame, the moon never went anywhere.

All this morning Alden had been in video conference with the vice president and the director of the C.I.A. He always dreaded these conversations because they were always usually about the same things. The people up stairs were not concerned with breakthroughs in simulation. The bio-tec industry is results driven. They wanted real results., rarely understand or even caring about the details. This was frustrating for Alden and was the very thing his isteemed colligue, friend and creator of the Prodigy Matrix, Ivan Chandra always warned him about. The reality that most politicians view bio tec research purely to gain the military edge and to find that ever illusive fountain of youth. If Alden did ever stumble upon it, he probably would keep it to himself. None of them got it, what Rebecca and himself were trying to accomplish here. These meetings were nothing more than begging sessions, for the minimul amount of funding and maybe a few more steaks in the next resupply. He was ready to get out of here. He felt old here. Old as the moon.

Alden glanced at his watch as he ran into the elevator, its doors already open. It was 9:10. The conference went late. More bickering. The upload was scedualed for 9. She would start without him, because that's how she was and he could hear it now. "Nine is nine. Not, nine ' o' five." He did all the dirty work while she had all the fun. But it didn't really matter. If it worked, they would all be insanely filthy rich and to exactly what Ivan did, buy a redicualouse amount of land build castle smack in the middle of it. Of course Ivan had two Pulitzers under his belt, so his house was well beyond the range of an even generously wealthy person. Money not withstanding, what really drove Alden were the possibilities. The possibility of an evolution in biology and science and technology in one foul swoop.

The living quarters made up the first floor of the lab and resembled the lobby of fairly decent hotel, to help in the adjusting to life on the moon. The hanger bay was one level up.

The elevator car jolted slightly and the lights flickered as it made its way down to the control room. Alden was already nervous about the day. At level six there was another jolt and what sounded like an explosion. Alden gripped the thin railing on the far wall of the cab and it shuttered again at seven. "Jesus, what the hell is going on down here!"

Finally, ground floor. The doors seemed to want to open slower than they should. There was a strange vibration all around him. Everything humming, it seemed even the air was alive. Then the floor shook suddenly and it pushed him through the doors before they had fully opened, it time to witness the processer towers closest to him on both sides of the control floor erupt into raging fountains of blue and pink sparks and explosions. There were power fluxuations causing the lights to snap on and off and everyone was yelling.

Alden sprinted to one end of the control center to a terminal. Nearly smacking into the wall he grabbed the small mic. "Authorization Alden k-k-Delta. Full shutdown! Repeat, full shutdown!"

Another tower blew its top in a shower of streaking metal and fire. The room was not venalating properly and the fans had cut off.

Alden barked more orders into the accursed machine. "Secondary emergency protocol! Time delay, thirty seconds!"He dropped the mic and ran to the floor. Around the angry spitting dragon tower the team were scrambling at their stations, attempting to save what data they could and yelling into the din. Then another tower exploded into a blinding yellow ball. Alden summoned all of his strength and grabbed his people two at a time by the shoulders and thrust them behind him toward the elevator. "Go! Leave it and get the hell out of here!"

Rebecca was still at the window. She hadn't moved.

"Rebecca! Rebecca for gods sake!" Alden grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her complietly around, shaking her from some now long distant reverie. She was trying to focus. There was a loud explosion and smoke beginning to fill the room. "Rebecca!"

They ran through the fray and into the elevator and the doors closed. Everyone was out of breath and at wits end, Shelly was crying into Bobbys lab coat. None were ever so glad to see the moc lobby. It was mundane, but now it was everything. A few sat right there, others went to their rooms.

The secondary protocol was foam. It was thick and it would fill the room twice over. It would be a couple days before the computer would allow them access to the level. All power was cut. The threat was over. They were also cut off from the clone. Sedated and connected to breathing apparatus he would be well enough for the time being, but not indefinatly.

Rebecca sat at the desk in her room and waited for her secure connection to Washington to establish. While she waited in front of a thin laptop, her mind began to wonder. Something had changed. There was a song inside her. It felt, like going home. And there was this voice, it echoed back to her from some faint, unknown place.

"Cold. Darkness!"

She felt a pain from an unknown place and it was making her increasingly uneasy. It could just be nerves. All these long hours, the stress and now this accident. No this was something else. She closed her eyes, suddenly very tired.

"Rebecca!"

She stiffened , eyes wide. It was the defense secretary, Trent Shepherd. He as seated as his own desk and wore a deep blue suit with white undershirt and a blue tie of similar shade. His hair was thick and fading from black to white. He had a soldiers eyes, narrow but all seeing and a braud clean chin. "Sorry to startle you doctor. How are things going up there? I understand you are attempting an upload this morning, have there been any issues?"

She swallowed hard. Could she lie to a man she'd known her whole life? Would he ever lie to her? "The upload was completed sir."

"Well that's just splendid Rebecca. I knew you could pull this off. You have done a great service to our country today."

"There was an explosion." She squinted. Here it came.

"What! How can there be an explosion! I thought you had everything under control! Do you have any idea how much money this department has invested in your little science project! You are on the moon, remember everything costs more up there." The secretary took a long breath. "Rebecca look, I'm sorry. I know we have been riding you people to death, but this is just not the best of times. I am issuing another round of temporary embassy closures this afternoon. I am afraid the cost of policing the world is a load this country can no longer bare. Science has to take a back seat in situations like these doctor and that means there are real limits on the amount of time you have left up there. For now though, you can stay. Shit, I would feel a whole hell of a lot safer myself if I was up there with you, but someone has to keep the vultures from circling the lawn, not just yet."

Rebecca managed a smile. Mr. Shepherd had a flare for the dramatic. Clearly a byproduct of his hot shot days in the Air Force.

"What about the clone? The upload, was it a success?"

"We don't know yet. The computer towers went berserk. Some kind of power surge, or feedback maybe. We had to use the foam. There just wasn't any time. I have my people looking at the limited readings we have, but until we can get in there, there isn't a whole lot I can say other than everyone is okay and we are waiting for the computer to clear the room. Alden says it could take a day."

"But you did fully thaw it. How long can it survive in the tube?"

"Not long sir, but we'll get to him in time I can assure you of that."

"Well see to it. I trust you Rebecca, that's why you're up there. I trusted your father as well, that's the other reason. I wish he was here, to see you now, the beautyful and brilliant woman you've become. You make us both very proud."

"Thank-you Mr. Secretary. I know the two of you were close."

"Please, call me Doc.

"Yes. Doc, sir."

2190 A.D. DEEP SPACE

With a colossal flash, a sun dies. The heavens crack and darkest fears are at once realized. A second, more powerful implosion and the star literally shatters in a brilliant cascade of cosmic radiance.

The heavens fall dark. The end is near. A wall of shimmering death hurtles outward, gaining velocity and strength as it expands. No planetary body can stand in its way, not a purple and grey volcanic orb, isolated and endangered. On Zarconia there would be no tomorrow. The wave passes. Once a home, now a memory. Not one speck remains.

Well advanced and aware of their impending doom, the Zarconians built massive city ships, cloaked them perfect transperacy and they streaked across the canvas of black speckeled white, in search of a new home. What world would ever challenge an entire race upon their skies? If what they needed was not given, they would take. Theirs is a harvester/scavenger race. Highly intelligent and advanced in biogenetics. They were looking for d.n.a.

Ten years prior to the destruction of their world, the Zarconians faced another possible global apacolyps. A geneticly engineered super virus had infected the larger population. Millions were dead in weeks. In one month, nearly half the population was gone. They were dying. While the ships were being built, the science of Zarconia was developing a synthetic gene. A hybrid. A bridge between themselves and variety of other species. To survive, they had to make themselves BETTER. And so they did. But the Zarconian quest for selfagrandizment cost them the very thing which made them who and what they were. There came things. Monsterous abominations.

And so the evolving Zaconians made their way across the endless vastness of the universe. Silent and invisible. They searched for fresh supply of suitable d.n.a., but as time went by that line was becoming increasingly blurred. They pushed the limits and made creatures, which eventually they could not control. All the blood that was shed to vanquish these beasts. The conquest of unsuspecting worlds to the relentless relentless furriosity of the Zarconian mind and what it is capable of. They took, leaving nothing behind.

But it was not enough. They needed more, and faster. Hundreds of weapon probes were launched in all directions. Even these self guiding machines were deadly. The Zarconian's energy absorbtian shield technology was more than capable to deflect any bombardment, even in smaller scale application. Giant eggs of death! Thousands and thousands more…

(2009 a.d. - 11:30 p.m. )

Rebecca found sleep. Fleeting as it was and restless. What had gone wrong? What would cause damage like that? What was this voice now whispering to her, from the corners of her mind. It said something. Words she could not remember. There persisted a faint wringing in her ears, but this was likely from the explosions and a migraine.

In front of the bathroom mirror Rebecca tied her long, deep aurbern hair into a tight bun and washed her face. She tried to smile. "Happy new year hunny."

^^Rebecca, it's Alden. Are you awake?^^

"I am. How is the team?"

^^Still restless, but I think the worst is behind us now. Computer cleared the level, we were just going to go down, but I thought you might like to join the party^^

"Thank-you Alden. I'll be right out." Going back home, having wasted five years of her life, was not going to happen. But it could. If the clone was damaged is some way, or killed. It's brain could be mush and the project would be certainly finished. This was her one chance. It was the moment Ivan always talked about, when you know you are standing on the doorstop of destiny and all you have to do is step through. That is how it works in the movies. She smoothed down her lab jacket, which she'd slept in and joined the group.

Rotten, stinking eggs was the smell which permeated the lift car as the doors opened. The control room was scorched black. Faint billows of smoke wofted from the towers. The deeper gold of the emergency lighting bathes the sceean in an erie glow.

Rebecca took off for the platform, while the others took to sifting through the mess of the station floor. Alden busied himself with the computer system. With any luck, something would remain.

Through the stuburn air tight door and up clanking steps under her boot steps, Rebecca found that the cryo tube was still completely in tact. The cpu, isolated from the main system, had been unaffected. "Thank god."

"What is god?"

A sensation moved throughout her. It was there for but a moment. She looked at the tank, the liquid cryo fluid shimmered in bright flashes, sloshing around with the consistency of mercery at room temperature. She touched the surface of the tank. It was warming. She went back to the computer. "Computer authorization Rebecca, 2-2-9-Alpha."

^^Voice print is accepted^^

"Sequence two."

All of the liquid was rushed to the top of the tank and escaped into storage. The clone was resting comfortably. Thin secure straps kept him situated to a slightly angled base. The beathing apparatus and cortical stimulator head piece were still firmly secured. He was very pale, from extended cryo. It was unclear how long the depigmentation would last. All of the clones were completely bald and would develop a mimium of arm and body hair. There were 100 in total. Fifty adams and fifty eves. He was perfect.

"What is perfect?"

The voice was still articulating in her brain, Alden was at the stairs behind her and startled her and she lost it.

"So how does he look?"

She spun around too fast and looked at him as tough there was something she needed to protect him from.

"Are you alright? You look, worried."

She looked again at the clone, then stepped closer. "I think he is okay. I feel like he is okay."

"Well the vitals look good anyway, we didn't boil the poor thing, or blow it up."

"Sequence 3."

The tube split apart at the raised center sceam and the platform was able to be extended outward and angled down, or if necessesary be balanced firmly hotizontal. Rebecca removed the breathing mask which encapsulated his nose and mouth. The breather was designed by Ivan spiciically to not only work in the his liquid cryo mix, but the be able to withstand the pressure and temp. of deep cryo. "I am deactivating the neral sequencer."

"Brain scans are right on the line. Better than human. Ivan you really are a genious. This might turn out to be a happy new year after all. Or, another five years of tests. My wife will divorce me."

Family. She had become all but numb to missing her own. The thought that there may in deed be a breakthrough here would be the ticket being able to put some distance between herself and her work. Her children were growing up video feeds and letters. A very busy husband hoping, longing for his lady to return. She was ready. "Not for me, I'm out. They can revoke my security clearance for good. There might even be a pilitzer in this for me. You just never know."

"What will you do with yourself Rebecca? You and Ivan have been at this close to ten years now. This is just the start! Bio-tech is all consuming work. Every step, is just that, a step."

Rebecca rolled her eyes. She removed the straps pulled the inhibiter shell off of the clones head. "You know I've heard that speech from him a hundred times. I'm just tired Alden. Tired of this place and these walls and the food and this burning eggs smell. Are the vents still not working?"

"Ryan is working on main power, but whatever caused this completely destroyed the mainframe. We can't even get all the parts for another three weeks from Atlantis, and we can thank our lucky stars for that because the next launch isn't for five months. But mainly the power issues are down here. The stations are trashed. I'm not getting anything from the cpu main."

"No power?"

"Oh there's power to the terminal, but the connections fried. Ryan is going up into the tunnel to see if he can find a short, but there are miles of cabling up there, I wished him luck."

"They don't know, about the money?"

"No. But these are very smart people, they will bounce back. This already looks good on a resume. Well, if everything is alright up here I'll get back to the data. I'm here Rebecca, of you need anything."

"Thank –you Alden, really. You saved the day."

( 2211 a.d.)

How far back can a man remember. How many lifetimes can he live. To find rest, I must never rest. Somewhere in this frozen realm, there is talesmen. Something, some clue a past. There is her. Of all the faces in my mind it is hers which now vexes me so. In my dreams I reach out to her and she is always just, just beyond my grasp. At times, she whispers to me, in the times when I am neither asleep nor awake. I can hear her now."Wake up! Wake up!"

 But was I dreaming when I knew her? Did my supercharged brain create this illusion? No, I do not believe that. She was there. She was always there. And then there death and destruction and the great black void of cryo. Then, she was there and I was comforted once more and I was home.

 As I searched, I observed the other visitors to this place, my Zarconion friends. Describing them is difficult because there are so many differences between some of them. All of them are bipedal, but their builds and skeletal structure is not consistant. The larger ones tend to carry the most weight in weapons and things. Although I would say they are humanoid, I am using the term very loosely. Some of them, are anything but human.

 Looks aside, these guys are smart as a whip, strong and adaptable. The larger "creatures" sometimes walk on the frozen serface free of protection. Their skin looks tuff and is a muddy greenish brown in color. They appear to have a spoken sort of language, but the computer cannot make heads or tails of the syntax. Even the Ti. don't understand it. Communication might help, but I need to know why they are here.

 I streak across the icescape. What am I looking for? Who is she? Questions in my mind pull me away from a protected, peaceful life. Then the violence explodes around me, and I know something has gone quite wrong. I have no memories of the Zarconions, they are as much a mystery to me as my own self. Some things are beginning to creep through my memory fog. Enough to get me here, and right into the mouth of the dragon. And I remember the cold…and the darkness…

(2009)

Rebecca freed the restraints and dressed the clone in white shorts and a white robe. Idealy, she would like him to walk down and out of the chamber of his own accord, but he could be weak-

-Jack grabbed her wrist as she brushed by. Not hard, enough to startle her and drop the mini-pad she was carrying. "All the waves in the ocean, none more glorious or elegant as you. Sweet Rebecca."

He started forward, too fast and became dizzy. Rebecca pressed him back. He winced and blinked long and slow, his eyes the richest glowing violet speckled crystal blue. If he were exposed to earth atmosphere long enough the color may fade, another side effect of extended deep cryo.

Then she froze. "You-you know my name. how is that-"

"Possible? How is any of this possible?"

Her mind was an open book to him. He was impossible to resist. His heart, was beating through her soul a song. As it played, she felt as though she were floating. No, she was. "What are you doing to me!"

"Trust me."

"What are you doing!"

There was a burst of light exploding all around and nodes of static electricity sparked on the both of them and all around. He was lifting her higher. He was in control of her mind. All was warmth and peace. In these moments, they built worlds…... and he gave her something…and she loved him.

"Enough." She collapsed to the grate floor.

"Wake up! Rebecca, wake up!"

It was Shelly. They were on the floor and she was being shaken. "I-I'm alright Shelly. Just help me up."

"Sure everything is alright? You look tired. We've all been through a lot today. Don't forget to sleep sometime."

Thank – you Shelly. Is Alden still down here?"

"Yes."

"Will you ask him to come up here and help me get the clone to the clean room."

"Sure thing doctor."

Shelly went back out and this gave Rebecca time to replay the clones nural diagnostic. What she saw was truly stunning. How long had she been gone? It was impossible. Too impossible to be even consievable. She stepped back in front of him. "You are awake."

He smiled and gave her a wink. This time, he spoke aloud, in a raspy, uneven tone. Like someone who has been asleep for a very long time. "I did not mean to frighten you, but I thought that at least you should know."

"What do I know?"

"That I am much more than the sum of my parts."

"Where-did we go? I mean – I'm not sure what I mean"

"Places my enemies can never find me Rebecca. Already they are gathering against me."

"Enemies. The only enemy here is politics. You don't have anything to worry about. I will protect you."

"It isn't me that I am worried about. They will use you Rebecca. They will come for me."

"No. No I won't let them. I will fight. You will be free!"

"I am always free!"

Alden arrived momentaerially and they assisted the clone off the platform and across the floor into the elevador. They took him up to level three which was the main lab and offered a good sized clean room with its own air supply. It was a simple plexyglass faced room with a bed and bathroom through a sliding door. He was given water and two red apples.

They spoke in the hall.

"Something is not right Alden. We can't report this."

"Are you kidding? He's fully responsive. A little slow, but that'll pass. We are damn lucky not to be dealing with an overgrown teenager. I thought you were going to play the part of the optimist? What it is Rebecca? I mean this is it! This is out ticket to…well…the moon." He laughed, but could see there was something troubling her. "What is it you're not telling me."

She could feel some of the color drain from her face. Fatigue mixed with nervous tension and a flurry of vision streaking across her subcontious horizon. She could see it all, yet the complietness of it was just beyond her. It beckoned her. She longed for it's awesome embrace. "I wish I knew, it's – it's something strange. He – the clone, is projecting."

"Projecting?"

"I'm seeing his thoughts Alden. I – I can hear his voice in my head. I've heard it before I think. I can't explain it and yes I know how crazy I sound, but it's the god damn truth. He, did something to me. Or, tried to, I'm not sure. Listen, I know you have to log a report. Give me twelve hours with him. We don't even know what we have! I think we could have something really special here."

"Take all the time you need Rebecca. It's going to take a few days to untangle the mess of data from what's left of the mainframe and there isn't much, but Ryan seems to think he can restore a good chunck through the redundant systems. Be careful. Don't push to hard."

(noon – next day)

"You have always wanted to be a doctor, even as a child."

Rebecca was leaning against the plexy wall of the clean room. All morning, Ryan had been feeding upload process data to her tablet. Some of the uplink telemetry was normal, but at some point everything just seemed to go berserk. There was no explaination yet, only adding to her frustration. She watched him as he lay. He was awake. His eyes were open. He was repeating to her the questions in her mind. It was effortless for him.

"A little girl in a red dress. She is running down a hill of golden wheat. Where is she running to."

 Rebecca laughed through a tear. "Home. How can you do this?"

 "You made me."

 "No. Not like this"

 "All that I am, or will ever be, is inside you.

 "This man. He was very special to you. He made you laugh."

 "My great-grandfather. His name was Jack."

Alden and the rest of the team were on level two, the commissary which loosely resembled a high school cafeteria. Ryan was in the process of delivering his analysis of the upload sequence. Nervous eyes fell upon Alden. What would he tell Washington? How much time would lying buy them? Ryan continued with his findings. "I still don't have any idea what caused the overload and it was an overload. There was no surge or wire failer that I can find. That power came from somewhere. That's all I can say abou that."

"What about the brain? Is the matrix active?" Alden asked.

"It's more than active. In my professional opinion this clones brain should have been blown to bits. But instead, the matrix has fuzed into the tissue at the sub-atomic level and the connections are growing stronger. We could be looking at the emergence of new species. Not just a walking, talking number cruncher. Something different. The readings are off the charts, it's a bit scairey, if I might say so I've never seen anything like it."

Shelly was seated across from him. "What about the program?

"As far as I can tell Prodigy has been a complete success. He can indeed learn forever. Alden, you can't tell them. You just can't They will come in here and drag us all out into the street kicking and screaming and we will be lucky to get work at the post office. We need serious time to look at this data and we need time with the clone."

Alden could feel the weight of the walls of the room pressing against the sides of his head. "Well look, sooner or later we have to report this. Rebecca seems to feel there is something different about him, but who knows. We will know a lot more in twenty-four hours. Ryan, keep on the data. Run simulations. We need to know of this was just a fluke thing, or if we have a more serious problem. It it's something in the math, we might need Ivan. God only knows where he is."

Ryan stood and pounded his fork into the table. "All they want to do is turn Prodigy into a weapon. I'll telling you, you can't tell them yet."

Alden lifted a hand. "I sympathise. And becides, you don't have any evidence the government wants to weaponise this project. Any ways, they would need at least one of us to comprehend the data. Only three people have the access code to the project mainframe and that's in Cambridge. Lets not get off track with paranoia. Rright now we need to focus on repairs to the control room. Rebecca and I will tend to the clone. Don't worry, you will all be in the loop. I haven't decided yet what I will tell the vice-president, but I won't lie and I will not put any of you risk. This is not about money. I think we all know what's at stake here."

"I found Rebecca passed out on the chamber platform. She looked, out of it."

This concerned Alden deeply. Now it was more than her emotional involvement in the project. He had to weigh. She was pushing hard. Too hard. It was her family, slipping away. Whatever her feelings concerning the clone, the timetable was swinging out of favor. "Here is what I suggest we do, today. Go about our tasks, look at the data. Trust your instincts. And above all, have faith."

"This is called a rosary. My grandmother gave me this, when I was a child. It's always kept me safe." She dangled the necklace out and dropped it in his hand. "I want to know how it is you knew my name."

They were seated across from each other at a small table inside the enclosure.

Rebecca wore a stylish red dress today. He was noting on the contrast to the drabness of lab white and flirting with her how the color was complementing her dark arburn hair. She smiled and sat closer to him and held his hand in hers. "Look at me. I need you to tell me where we were. What in the hell did you do to me Jack."

His eyes went wide. Now, the tables were turned.

"My grandfather." She started to back away from him, fought the urge, but she was scaired. She wanted to rip the door open and run. But she didn't. She stood slowly. "I didn't name you yet. Did you already know? She took a couple slow back steps toward the air tight seal. "Are you doing something to my mind?"

"Am I dangerous?"

The question caused her to stager stop. A coodl breeze splashed across her face with the smell of freash lilock. The breeze persisted, then she was enveloped in a whirlwind of light and color. Again she was waitless and suddenly the whirling abated and she dropped a foot onto solid earth. Into the middle of a field. It was a warm summers day and the wind was strong. She looked all around. The wind whipped at the edges of her long skirt and pushed her .

"Are you afraid of me?"

"I'm afraid of you being in my head! I can't control it! I can feel you! It's too much."

"I am not inside your head Rebecca. You, are inside mine."

All of the blue sky and hills in front of her turned to squares of imagery, revealing darkness. The squares settled horizontally under her. She fell forever. The falling ended and she was at once standing in a world of white light. Jack approached.

"Do you feel that?"

She was feeling, better…and different. "I feel, more relaxed. I'm not really here."

"Yes you are!"

The checkerboard floor vanished. Behind her rushed a mighty thundering waterfall and again she began to fall. She hit the water clean as a bullet, just smacking her head on the surface as she dropped into the rippling blue and white froth below. Another flash of light and she was standing on the outside of the containment room. She went to the window, wiping water soaked hair from her face. She looked around in shock. There was water all over the place, the walls and cealing lights were dripping and a good portion of the fool was wet as well.

"Oops I wasn't thinking about the water, only you."

"Ha!" She leaned against the glass, her back to him. Her heart still pounding. She could taste the salt in the water. A hologram. That's all it was. The best hologram. She couldn't turn around. His eyes were piercing her soul. She curled down into a ball.

"Mr. Vice President, I wish I had all the answers here in front of me, but I don't. The control room was in pieces. My people are working at organizing all of the data. The best we can ascertain so far is that there was not power blockage, that we've been able to detect. The upload however does appear to be a success. The clone is, responsive, but seems a bit, I don't know Mr. Vice President, distracted might be a good word."

"Distracted. How? You mean by the program. The visual algarythems. You see Doctor I've read all of this Prodigy mumbo jumbo and to be quite frank none of it makes a bit of damn sense to me. Just tell me this doctor. Does the damn thing work?"

^^Doctor Alden^^

Thank god, Alden thought. "Yes go ahead Shelly."

^^You should come to the lab. Better hurry.^^

The Vice President moved in closer on the screen, his broad chiseled features slightly distorting around the edges.

"Shelly, I'm just in a meeting right now"

^^You have to see this^^

Alden raced across the lobby and into the elevador. There was a tone in her voice he had never heard before. He stepped off into the hall. Shelly was right there and pulling him down the hall. "What in the hell has gotten in to you woman?"

"You are not ever going to believe this"

He entered the room and emediatly noticed that things were not as they should have been. Firstly, everything was soaking wet. The floor, the couch, the data station, the fake trees. And then there was the temperature. Not the cool comfort of climate control, it was humid and a bit sticky. Like he'd become lost exploring some distant rain forest and stumbled into a river. It smelt like a dirty river. Rebecca was leaning against the glass, drying her hair with a short towel. She was eying him narrowly. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"What did you tell the Vice President Alden?"

"Don't do this here Rebecca. I am on your side."

"What did you tell them?"

"I told him that the upload was a success and that we need more time with the subject to determine what if any damage may have occurred. I can't tell him anything else because I don't know what the bloody hell is going on here. Where did all this water come from? Was there a fire?"

She was looking past Alden at the group, but her thought began to wonder. And his voice was in her head. She turned and looked at him. "It something."

"It's something? I'm beginning to question your physical and phyological ware with all to perform under these cercumstances. I mean look at you, you've hardly slept in days. When was the last time you had a hot meal?"

 "We had dinner, in the garden."

Alden stiffened. He stepped back from Rebecca, but their eyes were lock.

We danced, below the rainbow sky."

Alden backed away again, but she steeped forward quickly and took his wrist. She pressed close and whispered. "You see, he can take your mind wherever he wants it to go. You cannot resist him. But there is something else. Something, that makes you long for connection. It's almost like a drug. You heard him.

"Yes. Like a whisper. Behind me somewhere. So what, so, he's telepathic somehow? That doesn't explain this room. And you, look at you!"

"I was physically inside his mind Alden! I know it sounds crazy, but look around you. There was this light and a vortex of somekind, everything moving really fast, but then it went away and I was in a field and I was running and I was a little girl. I wanted to stay there forever. Alden, I could. Then I was falling and there was water all around and I was here. I was on the outside of the container. It wasn't a dillusion, yes I can hear what the stinking hell you are thinking. You think I'm crazy?"

Alden removed her grip. "You want to know what I think Rebecca. I think that you are a very driven woman, but that you have allowed your emotions to cloud your better judgment. I think you need about three days sleep, but that is only one opinion. I want to believe you Rebecca, I really do, but you have to give me something I can use."

"That isn't enough?"

"What, that you were somehow magically transported into his matrix? All this water you were falling into, is this it?"

"You heard him."

"I don't know what I heard Rebecca. What I do know, is you are greatly stressed and not only as your colligue and superior, but also as a friend, I must insist you get some rest." He took her by the sopping shoulders. "Come at this freash. No one is going to take this away from you, and especially not now. But if we are going to fend the capitalists off I need you at your best. And I need you, dry. Everyone, shows over." He motioned the group to the door and there was a collective about face and they departed.

"You're right okay, I'm a little tired. But that, doesn't explain this!"

"No, but your fatgue may be making you more suseptable to his action. I'm ordering you twelve hours of off time, starting now. Take a breath Rebecca. Everything will still be here when you get back. Take a bath." He smiled and left the room.

( Area 51 hanger - Dusk )

The lucky pilot stood at the end of a long runway, dotted at the edges with pale white lights. He had jet black hair and the bluest of eyes. He was wearing a smooth, grey, formfitting flight suit. He watched an orange sun fall behind macabre purple clouds and surrounding mountain scape. It was a beautiful night to make history. He jogged back to the hanger.

His mission was fairly simple. He would fly a small crew to the moon and back. The craft was a sleeker, faster reimagining of the n.a.s.a. bulk fleet. This leaner model featured a completely redesigned cockpit cabin and more spacious, fully pressurized fuselage. And it could make high altitude without all the explosions and air pollution, but they may still draw a crowd one day. Though not tonight. This, never happened.

He'd been already briefed about the crew. Four men in beige suits, big guys with duffel bags. The man in charge was an older looking gentlemen, bald with piercing eyes. He was wearing a dark suit. Right now they were all being fitted with suits and being given oxygen. This was going to be a kick ass ride.

As he rounded the hangers edge a white sheet was being pulled away and the shuttle, with its oval 360 degree view control bridge and tight, fat wings. Its glossy waxed surface sparkled in the dusk light.

Tom was a bit nervous. He would be piloting alone, however it was repeatedly insisted to him that the computer would do 90% of the work and that all he really had to do was stay awake. So he knew he was in for a crazy ride. Then there was the part about making the trip in a little more than 10 hours! The payload of course classified, that alone was enough to get him to sign on the dotted line. Another bit of inside information was that the bald guy in the dark suit was c.i.a. and that this was part of some inter-agency agent exchange, or something. It was probably a lie anyway and he didn't much care about the details anyway. Anything was better than fishing off the deck of an carrier.

Soon, three army m.p.'s with rifles stomped into the hanger, followed immediately by the group. None of them looked very happy. There was a lot of confusion about the headpiece and the large men looked on the verge of bursting clean out of their bodysuits. The four of them started up the ladder and into the main part of the ship. The bald man stepped closer to Tom and glared into his confident eyes. "Are you ready to make history fly boy?"

"Yes I am."

"Well good. Now, let's get on with it shall we. And remember mister, we were never here."

The computer did most of the work. And thank god for that because the control board wrapped nearly completely around the edge of the flat bubble window, but he made it a good show and he learned a lot. In no time they were in high orbit, passing over the space station and angled toward the moon.

Tom switched on the inter-ship comm. "Alright gentlemen easy parts over, the ship flies. Now we get to see if she can take 30 damn Gs. Don't worry, we do have shields. However, I have no idea how they work so I can't answer any of your questions. All I can say is buckle up, hold on and pray. Everyone affix your face plates. We go in thirty seconds."

"What do you have for me doctor?"

Alden folded his resignation letter into thirds and slipped it into an envelope and set it aside. He could not lie, but what he could do is surrender and live to fight another day. He was going to make an enemy of Rebecca. "Mr. Vice President, when I started on this project I was tasked to find a way to fully bridge the gap between the alive and the not. Well, I think we have done a measure better that. Everything is functioning just as it should, better even but there is something else and I don't pretend to fully understand this myself, but this clone seems to possess the ability to project his thoughts into other people's minds, or his voice, but there was something else strange which I think needs more serious analysis, if we could just keep him-"

"That's going to be out of the question doctor. There are plenty of smart people here on earth who can do all of that, analysis. Please prep the clone for travel. I want the tube in the hanger when the shuttle arrives. When these people arrive Alden, don't give them any trouble. I know you have emotional investment in this, really I do, but it's nothing two weeks on the beach with your wife and kids won't fix. You get to be the hero. We can take it from here. There may even be a Pulitzer in it for you. We might have to, make something up. Anyways, that last part was a joke. You have Ten hours to ready your team for travel. Your country thanks you!"

The monitor blinked off and Alden slammed the cover down and pressed the sides of the laptop together as if to toss it, but he resisted.

Cold…

Darkness….

He winced. She had touched him. Now the clone was in his mind. "Please, god, get out of my head. There is only so much I can do! Look I've retired! Just-just leave me be. I see what you are doing to Rebecca. You should stop, you know that. Do you think this is some kind of game?"

Life is but a dream…..

"I will do what I can for you, Jack. I will plead your case. They cannot simply cut you into little pieces as you continue insisting and why do you show these knives carving into you, is this what you torture Rebecca with?"

Free…..

"Oh, you want to be free. Well so do I! I've been looking at you for five damn years. I am tired and you are property of the United States government. I'm not selling out Jack I'm, breaking even. I'll let Rebecca do all the yelling, for all the good it will do.

Alive….

"Yes you are." Alden tapped a thin button on his wrist device. "I need everyone in the lobby please."
"It seems, Jack, they are coming to take you away." She took his hand. "I wish, that there was something I could do. You know that right?"

He only nodded.

"I don't-I mean-I could not bear for them to hurt you!"

"They cannot hurt me. Because I have you."

"I wish I could stay with you, but I don't even know where they are taking you. They don't have to tell me, you know."

"I will find you."

And so the team said its goodbye to a new friend. Approximately ten hours after Jack had been frozen, the Gen2 shuttle was cleared for dock and the team and Jack were loaded aboard. Five, stayed behind.

Rebecca was steaming mad, but any resistance and she risked handing over her clearance and then the project would be completely out of her and Ivan's hands. God, if only here were here, things would have turned out differently. Only one of them could go to the moon.

As the moon faded and Earth came closer, she was struck with a tremendous sense of loss and sadness. She vowed one day she would make this right for Jack. She owed him that, but now was not that time. Now, it was time to begin picking up the pieces of a marriage strained to its limits. Maybe all she needed was a good nights sleep…

2: 2 - TURBULANCE & WAR

~~FIVE YEARS LATER

TURBULANCE and WAR

(August 28, 2015)

The Lufthansa double decker bullet jet flight from Sydney Australia to Washington D.C. was twenty-three hours. In the first class upper cabin there were marginally less seats, passengers instead were treated to curved lounge areas, where a day's business could be conducted, or one could fully relax in real comfort.

It was the height of hurricane season and the pacific ocean was reacting to a prolonged , hot summer.

Ivan Chandra was not a very accomplished flyer. Already, he could see the lightning in the dark horizon and the cabin was having a tendency to shutter. He'd brought books, but was in no mood to read. The chair was plush and comfortable. He tried to relax and think about Carol Ann, his wife of twenty years in two weeks. Ivan was 5'5. Not to short to be a genius. His hair was dusty brown mixed with gray, sort with a tinge of curl and thin rimmed specials. Even the slightest jostle of the plane raced his adrenalin causing him to instinctively grip the padded rests.

The cabin rocked again and the soft lights over head flickered. He closed his eyes, or tried to.

"Don't have a meltdown. Just relax. Breath. That's it, see you can do it. In through the nose, out through the mouth."

"Ivan Chandra!"

He stutter stepped forward looking up, trying to pretend to not look so paranoid. She was a lovely young woman, tall and thin with bright strawberry bland hair. She wore an elegant black dress and her hair was tied long thick ponytail and the greenest of eyes. "Yes child, have I made your acquaintance before?"

She paused, then almost stepped back, her confidence was beginning to wane. But she summoned one last nerve. "I-my name is Jessica Wild I'm - the Sec. Defenses secretary. I've read, all of your books." She shrugged, "Really, I'm your biggest fan!"

Ivan wanted to stand and great the young lady but the cabin rocked hard to the left and tossed back into his seat and Jessica was lucky to brace herself against the curve of his section. He looked out the window again, more lightning. The moon was full in the night sky and they had reached cruising altitude of 54,000 feet. They were well above the major weather activity, below, the tops of the clouds flashed and sparked. Lightning though would not be the main issue on this flight, but wind. Ivan regained himself and rose, taking her already outstretched hand. It seemed to make her day. Really, it made his too. "Well, why thank you young lady. I wasn't aware I really had fans."

" Your papers on the possibilities for the human brain and memory with the Prodigy Matrix are truly mind blowing. You truly believe that a person could live out an entire lifetime inside the mind of another conscious individual and that there would even be a connection between those two. It's pretty deep stuff doctor, even for a secretary."

Ivan was more than a little impressed. This Mrs. Wild really knew her stuff. And, she was close to the inside track in Washington, what a lucky coincidence. "So, you said you work for the Sec. Defense? That must keep you, pretty busy."

"It does, but I do a lot of reading. I, used to be a lawyer, but I gave it up, didn't care for the hours."

Ivan smiled.

The lights flickered and the plane dropped a foot or two in an abrupt shutter and the cabin vibrated for while. There was a collective groan.

"You've been in hiding doctor. What is bringing you to Washington? Or wait, let me guess, it's classified."

"Actually sweetheart I have no idea why. I was requested. Believe me I have a few ideas what it's about, but those are the details. Personally, I just wish they would leave me alone. But they do have something that I want, so I'm going to see if there is some negotiation which can be reached. Every time I try to retire, the politicians try to real me back in. I am afraid of my own creation Mrs. Wild. The politcians don't have any real clue what they have. All these years later, after they stole what was never theirs. Now they want my help. I know what they want."

"You don't trust them."

"I don't trust their motives. Science should never be used as a political tool, or a weapon. My work could be perverted into both. I never wanted to make a deal with Washington, but it was the only way to solve the real problem in my work, money. Believe it or not Mrs. Wild, you can be a genius and broke at the same time, remember that."

Jessica grinned, but she knew he was serious. There was a sharp confidence about him that really aspired something in her, she couldn't fully explain it. Was it hero worship? He did hold two Pulitzers. Was she attracted to him? Well….. "Well, doctor, not to sound prudish, but I've seen your house."

Ivan did manage a laugh. "Ah yes, of that excess I am guilty, but you must understand part of that is for my own privacy and for my wife as well. When you work on the cutting edge everyone wants a piece of you. You have to be careful about making the wrong friends and who you share information with. It has taken my months to assemble a team. You have to be sure. Sometimes you only get one chance. One shot.

Suddenly the plane banked nearly vertically to the left and came back down just as fast and rocked up and down. The cabin started to shake and this increased and the lights flickered again and again.

Jessica was on the floor and Ivan helped her up. The vibrations subsided. She have him a firm hug and pressed a hand to his shoulder. "Maybe – I should sit down."

"That's a good idea."

The flight was long and restless. At some point, Ivan found sleep. In his dreams he forgot the plane and he was with Carol Ann, the love of his life. They met at college and became lovers. A romance which continued as the two of them settled into government work. In those days, they hardly saw each other, there was not time even for a pet. They logged enough frequent flyer miles to last lifetimes and it was home with a house keeper. It was quiet place. It was here, standing beside a fireplace, that the idea first crept into his mind. Where did it come from? He still did not know, but it became a flicker of flame in his mind's eye and that flicker began to smoke and it began to flame. Then he had it.

 That was many years ago now, when he made his deal with the devil and things were revealed to him forever changing his perception of what was possible and impossible. It was as though they'd been waiting for him. The way to change everything. The rug has been pulled up from under Ivan and his team. He thought of Rebecca. Head strong. Passionate. She thought she could be as good as him….maybe.

The plane landed in the early afternoon at Kennedy and there was a cab waiting for Ivan when he came out into the pouring rain and thunder. More turbulence. The driver seemed to recognize him sourly by his black overcoat and hat which was turned down in an attempt to block the water.

"Yes, Doctor Ivan Chandra?"

The driver was a young man, American. He was dressed in black jeans and a black shirt and was well shaven. Ivan was momentarily suspicions whether or not this man as in deed really a cab driver. Something about his hair maybe. Was it too neat? Or it could be the onset of jet lag. He felt as though he was walking through invisible quick sand. The driver explained he was on loan to Washington for "special pickups", as he packed Ivan's bags in the trunk. He got in the back. Seats were nice, smelled clean enough. No plastic wall. Definitely not a normal cab. "So where to now Doctor?"

"Um, well, I have a meeting with the Vice-President tomorrow, so I will be needing a room."

"I think the Watergate will be good, it's inside the district. You can shuttle to the White House, or pretty much wherever else. Hey, are you the guy, about video games in the distant future?"

Ivan rolled his eyes. Oh god, here we go again.

He got a room and took a long hot shower. It felt good to just not think and forget about the flight from hell and the anger his team felt over the way they were separated from the project. It was not what he had wanted. They were all pawns to a certain degree, even Rebecca understood that, that there was a "chain of command". It was easy to become no longer of use in government, special projects was no acceptation. It is the price he was paying for being given the tools, technology and money to make his grand visions a reality. And he HAD, then the military and c.i.a. thought they could just swoop in and take it all away. Even HE had been denied access to the clone, but what he did have access to was the data. There was something truly astounding going on inside the clones brain, something perhaps beyond human understanding. The energy patterns were changing. The prodigy matrix match was lit.

Partly, he blamed Alden. But the man was tired and there was no way he could have known how quickly the powers that be would depend and how completely they would cut them off from the project, but Alden was out anyway. The others were working, that he knew of, he did not speak to them too often anymore, but with Rebecca he did correspond with.

There were issues with the clone. At the for front was whether or not this level of complex development was nothing but a fluke, a result of the explosion. Then, there was the potential danger of the uncertainty of his abilities. Rebecca's report read like something out of Alice in Wonderland, he didn't know what to think about that. If it DID in fact work and long term exposure to existing within the matrix had a negative effect on the individual, that would have to be addressed.

Ivan dressed in a black kakis and a white, collared, long sleeve shirt. He felt refreshed. He needed a drink.

In the lobby it was suggested to him by the bellmen that he try the tavern Belmont's, that it was a "more respectable establishment."

The tavern was spacious and smelled of sweet oak. Thick, octagon spires rose to elegantly carved arches which dipped smoothly in and out of a tapestry of greenery and vines covering ceiling in peaks and vallys, giving the illusion of an upside down forest. The lighting, a soft orange and olive glow created a cozy , woodsy atmosphere. Long shadows danced across the beige walls, adorned with framed pictures of local landmarks, past presidents and other important people. The center of the establishment featured a long oval bar with padded seats and a absolutely sparkling, brass foot rail. And she was there, seated at a curve in the bar. Her hair was down and seemed just as bright even in the soft tone of the bar

"It seems there is no escape from the poperotsi."

Jessica turned and her jaw dropped open

"I didn't mean to startle you. I didn't get a chance to thank you properly for you kindness.

She shook his hand again. "Doctor it is pleasure to make your acquaintance again. Where did they take you, The Watergate? It's overpriced."

He sat next to her. "What are you, um…"

"Oh that was a jack and coke. That was a ruff flight."

A young man appeared behind the bar.

"I'll have a Stolie and cranberry on the rocks with a lime, and another for the lady as well."

Jessica was trying not to blush. Her idol just bought her a drink, was this even happening. "Thank you. So, if you don't mind my asking, what happened to Prodigy?"

Ivan looked deep into his glass. He rolled its chilled surface slowly between his hands. "Prodigy is perfect. It is the seamless blending of technology and biology. You see, five years ago, there was an accident in one of my labs. We were experimenting on a human clone. Something happened. Now the whole project is on hold."

"Do you still have access?"

"I have my security clearance, but it's not the skeleton key it is on the movies. There are, some unexpected larger concerns, which I did theorize in my early notes, but which may have greatly exceeded all my possibilities. But no, I have been blocked at every turn. But out of the blue suddenly I am needed." He took the glass in his hand and downed it in one gulp and motioned for the young man.

"Is that why you moved to Australia? To get away.
"Yes, that's it exactly. I was drained. My wife was missing me and I was afraid I was letting the best years of my life slip away, while I sat in my lab and worked. In a way I was almost glad they pulled the plug."

"But they pulled your access as well. Why do you think they did that? Don't you know more than them? I would think they would at least keep YOU."

Ivan sipped his drink. "It was easy in the beginning. I was a kid in gods playground. All top secret, very, very top secret. After a few years, I was able to get a team together and my role became more as mentor than manager. That made my wife happy and we had children of course, but they are grown now and have their own." He finished his drink. "It's really quite amazing when you think about it."

"What is that?"

"Life, Mrs. Wild. Most people, even on the inside think we are trying to extend life. But the real "final frontier", is in here." Ivan tapped his forehead. Who needs outer space?"

"I have a confession to make doctor. I haven't been completely honest with you. She stood and turned toward him. She still looked lovely in that shapely black dress. She leaned in a little closer. "I knew you were going to be on that flight." She spoke in a sultry, mysterious whisper, which sent a quick chill down his spine.

He swallowed hard. "I thought as much. What exactly is it you do for the Vice-President?"

"You might call it a professional courtesy. The Vice-President didn't want you to feel quite so alone while you were here. She sat on the edge of her stool, still facing him. "He told me I should be nice to you and make you feel comfortable. How am I doing so far?"

The bartender had brought them another round and they talked for an hour or two about this and that. Ivan was very impressed with the research she had done on him, she knew pretty much everything there was to know, it was intimidating and he liked her.

"Well Mrs. Wild, I thank you again for the pleasure of your company. Perhaps we will bump into each other again somet—"

"Tomorrow morning! Breakfast. Then, I will drive you to your meeting. I do know the way."

"A woman with a plan. Like that."

"Please doctor, let me get you back to the hotel."

"Are you sure?"

"It's my pleasure."

"You can see the future! Tell me what you see!"

Ivan bolted up in bed. He was drenched in sweat and struggling to compose himself. Through the pale moon light creeping in between drapes, an image was fading before his eyes into the dusty glow. He could not remember where he was. But he knew where he had been, the moon. He looked around in the dark. He saw the digital display of the alarm clock to his right and even that helped calm him. He was in the hotel. He was in Washington. "Just a stupid dream. We've had worse." Ivan fell back into the bed. He cleared his head and took a deep breath.

"Cold! Darkness!"

He rose again, slow this time, a cold chill rippled down his spine. He stood out of the bed and opened the blinds. Beyond the balcony stood the capital building, the dome of western democracy. The rain had stopped. He slid the window back and stepped out into a calm humid breeze. Off in the distance the sky still flashed purple and white. He turned suddenly, expecting to see someone. He was alone. It was just the wind.

After a while, Ivan went back to sleep.

( 10:00 a.m. )

Jessica was sitting at the bar in the dining area of the hotel. She was reading a newspaper and drinking coffee, regular and smoking a cigarette. She was wearing a medium length, navy blue skirt with matching shit top and shoes. Her hair was tied back in a tight bun with two long white sticks. She glanced up at the TV just as CNN broke into local news. "Oh dear god. The fools!"

Ivan stepped out into the hall wearing a black suit and tie. A good night's sleep and done his mind and body well. The jet lag had worn off and he was anxious for his meeting with the Vice-President. He was nearly down the long all and into the floor lobby when one of the elevator doors opened and Jessica came running out. Nearly running right over him. He held out a hand and she grabbed him by the shoulders.

"You have to come now! There's been an attack. It's all over the news."

"What has happened," he asked in a whisper.

"It's Israel."

"No."

"We have to get out of here. Come on!"

They were down in moments.

"Jessica just bring your car around. I have to call my wife. Give me a few minutes."

"Take all the time you need doctor. She was out the revolving door and down the street. Ivan made his way to the row of private call booths. Inside was a cushioned bench directly in front of a wall with a flat display screen showing the a t&t logo. Next to the screen was a card reader and pin pad. He swiped his card.

( Chandra residence – 20 miles outside Sidney )

Carol Ann had already seen enough. The news was bad and getting worse by the moment. Why must this have happened while Ivan was away? The sun had not yet breached the horizon. She placed outside on the smooth stoned, third floor balcony overlooking gardens and labyrinth. She waited for the sun.

^^Lady Chandra there is a call coming in from Doctor Ivan Chandra. Would you like me to connect you directly?^^

"Yes Sal please."

Space in front of her twinkled and there was a loud burst of static, then the projection cleared and she could see him. "Ivan, you picked a hell of a time to get involved again. What are you going to do? I wish you would just come home."

She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Smooth light skin, dark hair and the palest of eyes. She was his one and only entrantress. He'd promised her he would never be away again.

"You are outside. You are just beautiful. Listen to me, the airports are closed. I might be stuck here for at lest a couple of days, you know, until the dust settles. I still going to try and get this appointment with the Vice-President, but thing are suddenly so different. Even if his news is good, it might not make a difference now. I'm heading out the door to go to the White House now, so I will call you again today, later on and I will get on the first plane out of here. I love you sweetheart, so much."

"I love you too, by brilliant man." She reached out to him and he was gone. She began to cry.

( Washington D.C. )

Jessica drove them up to the private east entrance, in her green classic Beetle. The guard stepped out and dipped his head in.

"Morning miss Wild. Who do we have here?"

"This is Doctor Ivan Chandra."

"For the vp, right. Alright, I'll push the button. Wait for the gate to fully retract please." The guard went back to his booth. Momentarily, the black steel fence began retracting to the right. It was a slow heavy thing, like being stopped by a train which hardly wants to move. They soon passed and drove up the curved road to the rear parking lot. The White House actually sits upon a hill, not many people know that. There were soldiers clad in black with large weapons walking the grounds and he could see them on the roof as well. He felt nervous and safe all at once, slightly more nervous.

They walked along a thin brick path along the side of the white house. Right around the corner there was a ramp leading to a door.

"Alright doctor, the Vice-Presidents office is just through that door, down the hall and to the right. I'll be in i a few minutes."

"Very good." He nodded and preceded up to the door.

The walls were talking, vibrating with intensity. Phones were ringing from it seemed every direction the clamber of footfalls from just out in the hall and from above.

Ivan had been sitting in the waiting room for over a half hour before Jessica appeared from behind a door he didn't even know was there. It completely blended in to the rest of the wall. "That's quite an office door you have there.

"What-oh the door, right. We have those here, it's for security. I guess the novelty wears off after a while. You can come back now, I'll take you to the vp's office."

"Thank-you Jessica."

She went in behind him and escorted him down the hall. "Despite everything he has on his plate right now, Vice President Victor Chambers insists on speaking with you today, but you will excuse him if he seems a little, distracted. I think the coffee needs to kick in a little bit."

"Understandable."

Jessica pushed against the wall and another door opened from nowhere. Chambers was already seated at his dark, red oak desk. His skin was dark and he was wearing his usual deep blue suit. One hand was pealing though a folder of documents, the other feeing him liquid fuel. He glanced up and motioned for the two of them to come in. Farther in, Ivan noticed the two men in black against the wall at either side of the room, their arms behind their backs.

"Thank-you Jessica for delivering the good doctor safely to his destination. I apologize for the cloak and dagger bit Ivan, but we had to make sure you were alone. I trust ms. Wild has made your visit, more memorable."

"Something like that."

"That will be all Jessica, than-you. Please doctor, sit."

She touched Ivan's shoulder. "I'll see you later doc. The pleasure was all mine."

The Vice-President dropped the envelop and reclined back slightly in his chair. "You will forgive me doctor, but this is already the longest day of my life. Whatever actions this President takes, rest assured, he takes to insure the security and freedom of this country. There are people in our own cabinit screaming at me how this was all preventable. Perhaps it was at some point, but we are getting farther from that as we speak. We know who is responsible, but unfortunately there are no good options. Not ever, and especially not now.

Six months ago a member of my staff handed me a thick file and at the top of the first page were the words PRODIGY INISIATIVE – THREE STAGE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL. I've read this document. It's a fascinating read doctor, I don't believe half of it myself, but I guess I'm not the one who really needs convincing. Your research assistant, Rebecca Jordan, she was convinced of something wasn't she?"

"Yes. She was convinced we had tapped into some level of deeper consciousness, or that the subject, the clone, was somehow able to project his thoughts into others minds."

"I've read her report, I've read them all. It seems the good doctor Jordan filed a grievance for her termination from the project. Do you think she still harbors ill will? Do you think she could still be trusted?"

Ivan thought for a moment. What was he really asking? What the hell was going on here? "I'm not sure what you mean sir. Is Rebecca still trustworthy? I would say yes. But that doesn't mean she would come back. It was hard enough to convince her to go to the moon. After all she's been through, I think she just wants a normal life. So do I."

"Don't we all doctor, unfortunately you and I are not normal people. Prodigy, is fascinating to me." The Vice President leaned forward and interlaced his fingers. "The President is demanding options doctor. We are, running out of time. It is the feeling of this president that the time has come and gone for "peaceful diplomacy" and it is time to act. He wants options."

Here it came.

"To be quite frank with your Doctor Chandra, I think Prodigy could be our best chance! What we really need doctor, is a great distraction. Something, they won't see coming. You see doctor, there are things that even yourself have not been aware of while the U.S. government has been funding your little science project, there are not one-hundred clones. There are actually seven-hundred thousand. It appears, the prior administrations gamble paid off, and we have the right people for the job."

Ivan was trying to keep from sliding out of his chair and onto the floor. Oh, the humanity. "Sir I – I must say I am shocked. I was under the distinct impression that these experiments were to be conducted on a strictly limited basis."

"The Vice President pressed his thumbs against his teeth. He didn't like this anymore than Ivan. He could feel their already dicey relationship quickly deteriorating. "I'm sorry Ivan. I, could not tell you."

"Ivan snatched back his composure and stood matter of fatly. "So this was your plan all along" Twenty years, Victor. You want to take it away from me now for a weapon. Come on man, isn't it too much? Does the president know it is seven-hundred-thousand?"

"Yes, I believe he does. What you need to believe and understand Ivan is that Israel is gone. Unless we act and act with haste the world as you and I know it may soon cease to exist. Now, short of the nuclear option, your hybridization process, this ability to merge computer processing into an organic mind, well doc, I think it could win us this war!"

Ivan was biting his lip. He could not trust the man anymore for sure, but there seemed no way of getting out of what was to come. "What exactly is it you want me to do Victor?

"Simple, convince Rebecca to oversee the process of mass installation."

Ivan scoffed. "You want me to lie to her. Pretend I still have control. You know it killed her when you pulled her out, as much as she missed her family, Jesus we were close to something Victor! You know damn well as I do that this project is about much more than military application. Seven-hundred thousand!"

"The world has changed Ivan, or haven't you been paying attention. The clone in question, this Jack, Do you feel it is safe enough to revive him?"

"I suppose so sir, but without access I cannot – "

"Soon enough Doctor. Soon enough, you will get all the access you need. I am going to suggest to the president that project Prodigy be immediately re activated. It was hard for me to even believe such a project had even gone on and let alone on the moon."

( Iranian desert – daylight )

In the desert, all men are equal. Even the bravest and most battle weathered warrior would find his mind slowly slipping away amongst the rolling dunes. This is how the world had looked for millions of years, barren, with a vengeful sun.

Many secrets are buried in the sands of Earths time.

A lone Persian nomad travels on donkey back along the smooth edge of a massive sand glacier. The sun was on its way down, but was still his relentless companion. His journey had been long, but was nearing its end. It had been a perilous journey, but a successful one in his search for water to supply his village. But the journey had taken its toll, he was dying. His journal would likely tell his story and his notes lead the people to his markers. It would be up to his ass to get him there. She knew the way. His naturally dark brown skin, despite his wrapping had begun to turn burnt red.

At length, the nomad arrived at break in the dunes crest and he stepped ahead of his donkey to look out over the edge. Some twenty feet blow was a dry lake bed which stretched on for as far as the eye could see, it s cracked and creviced surface, a long distant reminder of what was. The nomad stood in awe of this sight, an endless, desolate beauty. But there was something else which caught the old man's attention. Something further out past the dune, a faint glint in the steadily setting sun. He carefully led the animal down the sloping side of the hill and preceded across the dusty, gray lakebed. Soon enough, he came upon the object that had caught his eye.

It could have been gold. The surface sheen was nearly too brilliant even to gaze upon. He stepped closer and gazed up into the immense curve of a mighty wing. He was standing directly in its shadow, it arced over him like a frozen wave of sparkling, glossy gold. The surface was unlike anything the old man had ever seen, or felt. He pulled way the sandy white wrap covering his face, revealing his bald wrinkled head and weather withered face. He ran his hand across the surface of the base of the exposure. It seemed to react to his touch with sparkling glimmer. There was a tinge of static, then a sudden tangle of electricity wrapped around the nomads wrist and flung him several feet backward into the air. He hit the ground with a dusty thud and was knocked out for a short time.

He awoke to the ground shaking violently beneath him. A resonating hum permeated the air around him, lifting bands of white sand around him. The darkening sky opened up with a strobe of crackling lightning and the roaring clap of thunder, but there were no clouds. The nomad became frightened. He struggled in retreat from the towering golden structure. It seemed to pull him back even as he ran, it called to him, sang to him.

( Tehran Consulate – emergence session )

The Iranian president slammed his fists down on the surface of the long, marble and onyx conference table. Beyond the tall curved windows of the council chamber high above the street lay stone and steel the capital city, beyond lay the desert, reddening in the falling sun. It's fading beam cast the shadows of giants across distant mountains. There was peace, at the moment, but something dark lay just beyond the horizon. Something which would not be stopped.

Curse these fool Americans, they believe lies! Now it would seem as though all reason has left them and they intend to come to us in force and occupy this land. But in this they shall fail. We have given them too much already. Bagdad ,Kabul ,Egypt even. When will this madness end! My friends, brothers. As I am speaking to you now my military advisors are working with our Russian allies and others and we will be ready for any ground incursion. We do not believe they will come at us from the north, rather attempt to secure the country from the south. We do not know the exact time of their rival, but one thing is certain, they are coming. The only question which remains is what do we do about it. What CAN we do, besides gather the troops and wait?"

"Strike now!"

"Yes, we must!"

"Strike! A hit to the heart of the beast, the great Satan! We must, while we can.

( 1 week later )

Chandra got his wish.

On a cool late summer afternoon, a proto-type, outer-earth shuttle was rolled out of the production tower at Kennedy Space Center. Smaller, sleeker and faster than the bulk carriers, the M.A.N.T.A. series offered future explores a new sense of comfort and a more streamlined user friendly approach to control. Everything about this ship was state-of-the-art and as always, the world was watching.

Thirty-nine year old Ulrich D. Justmen had logged nearly five-thousand hours in military and civilian aircraft. In the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was responsible for several incursions over Bagdad. Flying was in his blood, his father having flown with the British Royal Air nearly twenty years. Now officially semi-retired from active duty, Ulrich was more than happy to take the Gen2 through her paces. Strait to the moon and back.

But this was no ordinary full test flight. Civilian theoretical geneticist Ivan Chandra was along for the ride and with military escort. Ulrich was none too keen about the idea of weapons aboard ship, but they seemed so attached that he decided not to be pressing the issue.

Every exceptional pilot needs an equally talented co-pilot. Janice Larkin won her seat on a bet, but that was highly classified information. N.A.S.A. was her first and only choice after graduation and she'd been here now for seven years. This would be her first space flight, but this was a flight like no other.

When she'd first arrived, the manned space program was old and looking for new ideas and fresh blood to create a new vision. Today, hopefully, mankind would take that next giant leap. To the moon in eight hours. To Mars, a year maybe less. The goals were lofty, but the possibilities were endless. Even as the United States was embroiled in conflict, the capital still reeling from attack, the launch would go ahead as scheduled.

The Gen2 was her baby. Four years in development and another in simulation and finally, she was sitting in it. Eventually, if proven successful, dozens would be constructed and mankind would finally be able to explore the outer planets and beyond. She would oversee that mission from the ground. First things first, the bird had to fly.

Three years ago Mars rover Tranquility made a monumental discovery, ice. Frozen in the ice were multi -cellular microbes. Indisputable proof of live. The will of the people was to go to Mars and find whatever else there may be and it would prevail. After years of budget cuts, N.A.S.A. was once again in a position to fulfill its primary charter, exploration and discovery. To assist in this resurgence, architects and engineers from around the world were assembled for the boldest construction feet in human history.

After the assassination of John F. Kennedy there had been little political interest in large scale space exploration. Plans for a long range ship fleet had existed, but in the end what we got was a bulk shuttle fleet which facilitated construction of the moon base and the now three space stations in orbit. The space station served as a convenient cover for activities on the moon and further exploration of the galaxy was relegated to unmanned satellites and land rovers. Hardly Kennedys bold vision, but Washington needed a real reason to risk real lives in deep space. Mars, was giving them that reason.

Behind Justmen sat Russian controls specialist Rudolph Kriger, who's primary focus was systems management. The bulk of the flight would be computer controlled, making consistent accurate data flow critical. If a problem should arise hw would need to act decisively and he had to be right. A thousand hours sim training, one shot to get it right. A mathematician by trade, Rudolph spent his twenties and thirties cracking ciphers for the military. After the cold war had officially ended he found aeronautics welcome change and far more fulfilling use of his abilities.

While the crew tended to prelaunch activities Chandra had nothing to but sit in the passenger cabin, which resembled that of an airplane, however there were less seats and the walkway was wider. He was glad Rebecca was not here to see these guys and their guns. This character would have driven her crazy and he was no less uneasy about weapons in space. Why would the D.O.D feel it needed to send armed guards to a genetics research facility? Chandra smelled a rat. All the clones were in deep cryostasis and only one had been activated. There was no place for a soldier up there, the was on Earth. He was only slightly more comfortable with the rest of the team, thankfully they had been briefed only n their specific duties. Upon dock, Chandra was calling the shots. They would never see the clones.

Jack. The name still echoed in his mind. Those vexing violet eyes he'd seen in the photos seemed to peer into his very soul. A voice. A sullen whisper rippling through space and time, drawing him closer to his destiny, The words. A warning? A plea for help?

Cold. Darkness.

He remembered Rebecca saying that when Jack spoke to her in her own mind it was as if the words came from another place. But that was impossible. Jack was engineered right there in the lab just like the rest, there was nothing supernatural about it, but he knew Rebecca would never be convinced of that and with limited data available due to the power surge it would be difficult to assertion exactly what did happen. Something told him that even when confronted with scientific reality she would not be convinced, but he was determined to provide her the option, knowing Rebecca could be rational when she chose to.

Her time in space had been difficult and fraught with setbacks, disappointments and intolerable pressure. To go through all that, five years and then to be pulled from the project in the midst of a possible breakthrough and been a real blow. As a scientist, Rebecca's resolve was never stronger, but as human she'd need a break. She needed her life back, to be a wife again and a mother. These were very important things and the world did not revolve around a single clone with an electrically supercharged neural matrix. She had gotten too close. She made it personal and that was a mistake. Ivan was hopeful the truth would help her see that. See that she could finally let go. Wishful thinking anyway, but he had to try. He would solve the riddle of Jack and bring closure to a mystery which had kept them both up many a night. He would lie to these people to preserve the integrity of the project.

The sky was a flawless ocean of blue. Mission Control gave the final go ahead.

^^This is your captain speaking, tower has just cleared us for launch. Everyone please take your seats and secure your restraint belts. Two minutes to launch.^^

At his desk, properly disheveled with several stacks of books and a mêlée of magazines, newspaper clippings and scattered trinkets accumulated from a dozen far off places, reputed archeologist Christian Meijer watched as the Gen2 blasted skyward in a spectacular explosion of color and sound. There go the lucky ones, he thought. The sleek vessel completed its roll and pitched, hurtling deeper into the atmosphere until it was merely a white blur, then a speck, then it was gone.

All his life, Christian wanted to be an explorer. Now thirty-five, his boyhood dream had manifest into a fairly lucrative career. In addition to a full time history professorship here at Oxford, his expansive knowledge ancient history had afforded him the opportunity to ride shotgun on some of the most highly anticipated and well funded expedition in recent years. To places where there were no roads and the only maps in existence were drawn decades ago by men who barely made it back alive cavernous depths, or suffocating labyrinthine jungles. Sometimes Christian felt he were leading a dual life, but contrary to some of the characters in his favorite novels, he was generally free to speak openly about his adventures.

His most recent excursion had been with a small group of treasure hunters to the mysterious, remote piece of land stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island. Famous for its assortment of towering stone structures. Intriguing due in part to the absence of a written or pictorial record as to the identity of the builders, or the purpose for their construction. Christian believed the answers were there. You just don't take that kind of time and decide to leave nothing behind. Some believe that is exactly what happened and that this was done to protect some great secret, but what? They spent five days on the island and came back completely empty handed. No caves. No carved relief. No answers, but the experience was rewarding in its self.

Just before 3p.m., Christian was sifting through slides of photos he had taken on another recent trip to India when cell rang, muffled slightly by manila folder crammed with papers. "Dr. Meijer speaking."

"Chris, it's me."

"Clive? Why are you yelling?"

" I'm in Iran, on a small noisy plane. Listen I have something you need to see!"

A burst of static snapped across the line, intermixed with garbled Persian music. Christian swiveled around in his chair and pushed forward to another desk facing a large window overlooking the campus main courtyard. "Still there buddy?"

"Yeah I'm here. Where are you?"

"Oxford. I just got in actually. What's going on?"

"Check your e mail. You're going to love this, partner."

"You're in Iran? You've been out of touch for two weeks. You told me you had family business out of town and now you're in Iran? That's not like you Clive. This had better be good." Christian opened his laptop and turned it on. There were four files marked urgent. Christian opened the first one. It contained a color coded elevation map of the southern end of Iran. "You know we'll never get in there Clive, especially not now."

"Never mind the details just look at the photos."

He opened the images.

"Well?"

The photos were taken from the air over a dry lake bed, somewhere in the desert. Christian could scarcely believe what he was seeing. A protrusion , some fifty feet or more from the surface, twinkling in the sun and having an elegant curve at the top. There was no mistaking what it was, a massive golden wing. "This is the most incredible thing I have ever seen Clive. Where did you-how did you get hold of this?"

"I have an antiquities connection in the Iranian Council. He likes to give me a heads up on some things before the military gets wind and moves in. But this is unlike anything I have ever seen. Judging by the size of the protrusion I'd say that structure is at least one-hundred twenty feet tall. The discovery was made by nomadic native following a rumor of gold flowing up from the sand. The Iranian government has no knowledge of this find and hopefully it will stay that way for at least the time being. My connection has been able to provide some assistance in getting to the sight, but I really think you should be here Christian. I could use a second set of trained eyes on this one. I know you just got back, but there's isn't any time to spare. What do you think?"

"I think Sarah is going to kill us both."

"I told you not to marry a botanist."

CHEYENNE MOUNTIAN – UNDERGROUND MILITARY INSTALATION – COLORADO

(5:00 P.M.)

"So, Dr. Jordan, how does it feel to be back now that you've had a chance to settle in and have a look around your old stomping grounds? You've probably noticed not much has changed." Cornel Preston Scot led Rebecca, who had changed into fatigue pants, gray shirt and black military boots, to a steel door at the end of a long corridor with a high curved ceiling and multicolored pipes of different sizes which seemed to stretch into infinity. He slid his card through reader and the massive door unlocked and. He pushed it open and motioned for her to go in.

Cascades of pale blue florescence flooded the room as they stepped in. Here was a spacious diagnostics lab containing a vast assortment of chemistry and computer equipment, most of which covered in thick plastic and the air was stale and dry. In the center of the room were three glass tubes set in a triangle, also shrouded in foggy plastic. Rising from the tubes were thick , tightly woven bundles of multicolored cable leading up into the ceiling and back down to their respective tower terminals off to the left.

Preston nodded approvingly as Rebecca walked around the lab, lost in her own thoughts. "Home sweet home huh doctor?"

She smiled, running a hand over the cloaked surface of a tube. Thinking about it, she'd never realized just how much of a home this facility had become. She did have a life outside of this place, but as work demanded more and more of her time, sleeping and eating here had proved logical and convenient, if not isolating. There was stress at home. Five years on the moon and with little reprieve, here she was. Rebecca was not blind to her husband's sacrifice and his needs. She missed him and their children dearly, but this was where she needed to be right now. There was a puzzle which needed to be put together.

^^ATTENTION. THE FINAL SHUTTLE WILL BE LEAVING THE MOUNTIAN IN 2O MIN. THE NEXT SHUTTLE WILL ARRIVE AT 0 7 HOURS TOMORROW. THAT IS ALL^^

"Well doctor that would be my queue. It's always a circus around here before we close the doors. We'll catch up tomorrow. I'm looking forward to catching up with everything that has been going on with you."

"Then you know what happened."

"I know I want to hear it from you. I may be a military man Rebecca, but I am also still a human being if you catch my drift. It's good to have you back. Try and get some rest while you can. Your team will be arriving tomorrow afternoon."

Rebecca was shocked. "My team? I quit Colonel, remember? I thought this was a social call." She should have known better.

"There is a D.O.D. briefing at o 9 sharp in the conference room on this level. I trust you still know where it is." The cornel gave a quick two finger salute and stepped out. The door clicked behind him.

Something was not right. The D.O.D. wanted Prodigy to continue obviously. Ivan must have made an impression, but the haste with which things were proceeding left her strongly uneasy. She had neither requested to return to the moon, nor to have her team reassembled here. But maybe she could use all the help she could get and besides, Ivan was there, or would be shortly. Thank god for that! The only person who understood her emotional involvement with the project. The only person she could trust. Jack was more than an aberration and much more than the next phase of an experiment. He had touched her. Changed her perception of what was possible. Opened her mind in ways she could not fully understand and desperately wanted to. Maybe the answers were locked in the data, maybe they weren't. Ivan would know what to do. She hoped she would see him soon. It had been a long time. She took one last look around before sliding her access card through the reader and leaving the lab for the night.

WASHINGTON D.C. – 11:00 p.m

By the time Jessica reached the door to her third floor bungalow sweet, the will to move her feet had evaporated. She was too exhausted to notice the door was already unlocked. Too mentally distracted by the days chaotic events to articulate the shadowy figure entering the living room from the balcony, as she closed the door and sauntered down the hall and into the bathroom.

She ran a hot bath. Soon the air was filled with the elegant aroma of scented oils. No sooner had she immersed her aching body in steaming bubbling bliss did the phone ring. Not her cell. Only a hand full of people even had that number. "No rest for the weary."

Scantily clad in a thick white towel, her auburn hair hastily tied into a bun, Jessica made her way into the living room. The lights were dimmer than before, she thought and she stopped dead at the sight of a light wind playing at the end of drapes across the balcony door, clearly open. She hazarded a few cautious steps forward, leaving faint damp imprints in the plush beige carpet. There was no sound save the ticking of the wall clock in the kitchen off to her right and the increasing breeze which had turned her skin cold. She went to the coffee table next to her black leather couch, but hesitated to answer the call.

After a moment, she reached for the receiver. As she did, dark hands wrapped themselves tightly around her neck and she was immediately forced to her knees.

"You're a very smart woman Ms. Wild. Let's see just how smart you are."

Hardly able to breath, Jessica made no attempt to struggle. Her assailant was strong and spoke in a muffled tone being further distorted through some electronic device. He was squeezing the life out of her.

"Answer it!"

Her vision was beginning to cloud. He stood her up, one hand still securely around her throat. The phone was right there. All she had to do was reach down and pick it up. His breath was a noxious mix of gin and scotch. He had been here for a while, drinking while he waited. Divorcing himself from the emotion of what he planned to do. How drunk was he? Jessica lifted the cordless receiver from its cradle, extended the antenna just enough and snapped it violently over her left shoulder. It was a direct hit. The phone exploded across the man's left temple with a resounding crack and he at once removed his grip and staggered backward

"Ah! You crazy bitch!"

Now they were both seeing stars. Knowing she'd afforded herself mere moments she gathered one deep painful breath and ran across the living room to the half-circle mini bar. He would be on her again in a second. Stolie or schnapps? One in each hand she spun around just as he was closing their distance, but he was still dazed. She let him charge an instant further then let loose with a fifth over the head. The full bottle shattered, soaking his mask. He lunged forward, arms flailing wildly and caught a second bottle across his chin as he fell. The blow sent him reeling backward, bloodied with shards of glass embedded in his face. The man pin wheeled, staggered back again and crashed through the glass surface of the coffee table. He groaned, then it was over.

Jessica dropped the remnants of the bottles, struggling to catch her breath. Call the cops! Where is your cell? Bathroom! Go! Bolting around the corner Jessica collided with another man. He was tall, wearing a black suit and the same mask and black gloves as the other. He took her by the shoulders in mid stride and threw her to the floor, hard. He removed a nine millimeter from his back and screwed a silencer onto it. He bent over her, pressing the smooth metal against her forehead. Even through the mask Jessica was sure she knew this man. He spoke in that same distorted tone. Cold. Mad. Evil.

"That was a very mean thing you did just now. All he wanted you to do was answer the phone, now I have an even bigger mess to clean up and time is not on my side. As for you Ms. Wild, the ice you tread is thinning rapidly. Here is what I want you to do. I want to play a game with you. The name of the game is how good are you at telling the truth. The better you are, the longer I don't have to shoot you and I do want to shoot you Jessica. So, shall we begin?"

Jessica managed a nod. She'd closed her eyes, unable to look into his glaring sadistic eyes.

"Everything dies Jessica, even nosy, over paid secretaries doubling as media informants. This time though, you have crossed the line. But let's take things one step at a time shall we? Let's start with something simple. A week ago you had a meeting with a very important person. I want you to tell me everything you know about Doctor Ivan Chandra."

There was no getting out of this. He knew about her, probably everything. She'd accepted the risk in learning about the project. This was about making good on her word. "I've never met anyone by that name."

"Liar!" The masked suit gripped the fold of the towel across Jessica's bosom and yanked it away. It was longer than he may have anticipated and for a moment the gun was away from her head. She scooted forward and kicked at the gun through the towel sending it over his head. He lunged downward, but that was a mistake. Two heels to the face. One square in the right eye and the other sending nasal cartilage into the man's brain. Blood flowed freely from the limp fold of flesh. The man hadn't time even to utter protest. He was dead before he hit the floor, the body twitched momentarily, but he was gone.

Jessica retrieved the towel and secured it again around her before retrieving her cell. Now, help was on the way. Less help than clean-up. Two against one. Not bad for a second degree black belt. Apparently, they didn't know everything. Shaking and cold she made her way back into the living room, thug one still resting peacefully in the frame of the table. She could tell he was still breathing, but he was bleeding badly. Down a second hall past the mini-bar to her bedroom. She threw on a pair of jeans and blue shirt and retrieved a wooden bat from behind the night stand just for good measure.

Back in the living room, Jessica knelt carefully over the dying man laying in what remained of a very expensive table. She lifted his mask. Blood and glass ran down his clean shaven face. She took a good look and did not know him. The other man was certainly dead. She lifted his mask. All the blood began to drain from her face, a tinge of recognition. She could not place him, but this was a face she knew.

( the moon )

Through the window of his quarters Ulrich could see earth, slightly larger than a half-dollar, floating serenely along the dusty lunar horizon. Far off in the distance stood an American flag, the symbol of mans early determination to stretch its self beyond its means. That dream was alive today, more so that most people realized. Even as man struggled with his own intolerances and lacking understanding and seemed on the brink of self annihilation, up here everything was different. There was peace. If only everyone could see what he was seeing now, maybe things would be different, but maybe not.

On the twin bed behind him sat three metal cases with electronic locks. Ulrich unzipped the front of his aluminum allow jumpsuit and retrieved a thin clear card with a series of barcode strips on it. He slid the card through the first cases reader and it immediately popped open revealing two metallic tranquilizer guns firmly imbedded in dark molded foam, eight darts each.

The second case contained his streamlined Dell notebook, which he lifted open and activated. At the desktop screen he touched a stylus to an icon of a red cross with a black hammer in a V shape. The screen went dark and the blue and white U.N. symbol appeared. While the connection was established, Ulrich removed a red square box from the case along with a pair of collapsible high quality head phones. Something to pass the time while the good Doctor Chandra prodded around the alcoves of this subterranean lab.

It was chilly and damp. The climate control system had been running on minimal power since the team here had been disbanded. It would take some time to equalize and it felt as though the searing vacuum of space was sleeping in. This was not the life for him. Finally, the emblem vanished and a ten digit security prompt blinked up. He entered the code. The numbers were replaced by an inferred scan box.

^^PLEASE PRESS YOUR RIGHT THUMB FIRMLY INSIDE THE BOX AND HOLD-FAILER TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DESTRUCION OF UNIT^^

Aghast, Ulrich crammed his thumb onto the screen. " Cautions bastards. How did they get this on my computer? Burn my hard drive huh." A sudden burst of electrostatic raced through his hand. "Man!"

A moment later, Secretary of Defense Wisner appeared on the screen a tall man in his late forties with a stoic chiseled portraiture and graying jet black hair. He wore a black suit and a blue tie. He had the look of a man who had not slept in days. "Good evening Caption Justmen, how was the flight?"

"The Gen2 is a dream come true sir, I am honored at the opportunity to be the first to fly her, but I can only take so much credit, this Russian A.I. system is really something else. A few more years and we won't even need pilots, we'll all be out of a job. It's was a smooth ride, more so than I was anticipating. One would hardly know he was in a ship at all. Very impressive."

"And as for the station its self, any anomalies?"

"Anomalies? None sir. The automated docking system worked just fine. The station is nominal, but it's going to take some time to warm up, probably about the time we're ready to leave."

"Well enough. What about the good doctor, what is he up to?"

"Control room was his first stop I believe. He wanted to do a full systems check. He seems to know his way around this place. I must say sir I am quite impressed with this facility, it's as remote as one can get I'd say. Suppose there's little point in asking what's going on up here."

"Sorry captain. Have you opened the other two cases"

"I see the tranquilizer guns. If I may say so sir, it seems we have an awful lot of weapons for an abandoned science station, I mean with the guard and all. Are we expecting trouble?"

((2211 a.d.))

I have been places no man may ever see. Explored the heights and depths of times long disbarred. Buried here, fifty feet beneath the ice sheet is an immaculately well preserved concrete and marble structure. It sits at the center of what was once a thriving metropolis. This is the place I have been searching for. A place of knowledge and wisdom. A place where truth and fiction coalesce. Everything a man would need to gain an astute understanding of the world in which he lived was contained in these frozen walls. What I need is here. Answers. Resolution at last. I must work fast. All of Zirconium searches for me. No matter where I go, somehow they always know. There is still a chance to set things right. I can only go back one more time. There is a way. There must be!"

As the crimson sun faded below the sparkling crystallized horizon a shimmering mass of colossal size rippled through the air several feet above the hostel surface of the Earth. Frequently, beams of bluish red light emitted from the slinking wall of translucence, penetrating the ice at varying depths each strike reverberating through the ice. The lights hummed as the penetrated further and deeper. The hunt was on.

Jack pulled on the green metal face mask of his form fitting climate suit. The only thing protecting him from the lifeless figidity surrounding him. A wiz of pressure escaped as the face shield slid up He took in a tentative breath of minus fifteen degree air and expelled a thick ghostly waft. The moon was full and rising to the east. It would soon be dark, but that would not protect him. He replaced his face cover.

He crouched down and swung his legs down into the hole he'd cut in the ice moments ago and attached a wire to the front of his waist belt. The wire was attached to a simple pulley system he could control remotely. Early moon light cast an eerie glow down into the darkness as he began his decent. Shorty, he found a solid floor.

He stood at the top of a wide winding staircase, descending to a marble tile floor. The stairs seemed stable enough, however the structure creaked and groaned under his heavy boots. At the foot of the stairs Jack deployed a dozen golf ball sized light balls which flew all around the room, bathing everything in a metallic yellow hue. Many of the tiles had been destroyed from falling ice and decay of the structure. Soon, there would be nothing left. Bits of stone crumbled in his wake as he made his way down a long hall lined with long forgotten text, one of dozens in this forgotten ancient place.

Time permitting, Jack would have rescued and preserved these volumes. This was all that remained of humanity. This and of course himself. Would this reality be enough to convince the right people to change course before it was too late. Maybe this was just the way it was supposed to be. Can people change? Could one man change the world? Alter history? He'd done it before, but preventing one death was nothing compared to resurrecting this shattered, frozen sphere.

At the end of the hall stood a row of ten pulpit shaped structures about chest high, the tops of which set led flat display screens. All were destroyed from a partial collapse of the wall behind them, save one. It would take far too long to look over all the data in the mainframe now. The screen was damaged on one side, raked out as from some rabid beasts claws.

Jack knelt down and removed a panel from the front of the terminal. Behind a mass of wires and components he was able to locate a polymer metal sphere. More finagling and the data core was in his grip.

^^WARNING-PROXIMITY ALERT-ION TRAIL APROACHING^^

"Go silent."

^^EXECUTED^^

There was no time for further exploration. He would have to leave orbit to avoid detection and limit the risk of this sight being discovered and subsequently destroyed. Quickly down the hall and up to the stairs to the wire, dangling in the shifting wind.

Conditions on the surface had begun to deteriorate. Through the reticule over his right eye, Jack was viewing the digital enhancement of a violent ice storm coming in fast a striking variety of colors laden together to form a loosely woven vortex five miles across and growing stronger my the moment. In the distance he could see the sheer curved wall of the arctic cyclone. The wind beat at his back. A forty mile an hour clip pushing him closer to white death as he trudged through powdery drafts, struggling to maintain balance. Slowly, he approached a metal rod with a pulsating cyan strobe on top. "Janise it's me. Open the door and prepare for immediate dust off, we're getting off this rock."

The marker retracted to a palm sized cylinder which he retrieved and clipped to his belt, as the empty space before him to reveal the entrance ramp and doorway to his ship. Once inside, the entrance faded into the snowy expanse.

"Did you get it?"

E.v. suit removed, Jack fell into the padded pilot seat as the ship lifted off and accelerated into the impossible blizzard. It was already a bumpy ride. "Dampers to max. Thrusters at full. We can use the outer edge of the storm to cover our trail, but it's not going to be very much fun. I got it. There was only one unit left intact. It's going to take some time for the computer to analyze the data"

Janise called out their altitude. They were crossing thirty-thousand feet and were well above the melee, cloaked, but still in danger. "Radiation levels are still too high in this area. You shouldn't have removed your face shield Jack. Crossing forty-thousand."

"Just wanted to have a real look for a change, not that there's anything to see."

"Sixty-thousand. Damn. I have two Zarconion vessels. They are approaching the sight, but won't be hanging out long looks like, that storm is really picking up speed."

Now in the stillness of space, Jack took a deep breath and relaxed the restraints across his chest. That was close one.

"You really believe you can save this world. These people who froze you and launched you into oblivion all those years ago. They did this Jack, not you."

"Why are you speaking to me in this way? You know I want answers. I need to know what the hell happened here and what, if anything, I had to do with it. It's a big risk, but it's one I'm prepared to take."

"Because, I love you Jack. I don't want to watch you spend the rest of your life bending holes in space time trying to undo something that may simply have been meant to be. Every time you press that button you leave a piece of yourself behind. What do you think happens to that piece Jack? It dies."

Jack closed his eyes for a moment. This was far from the first time he'd had this conversation and she was probably right, but it made no difference. "I can hear them Janise. Every sound, every hour, every day. They call to me, haunt my dreams. This is not the way it is supposed to be. I can fix this! You know I have to try."

Janise stood. She hugged him tightly, her silky, perfect beige skin pressed firmly against his pail completion. He could smell her perfume. Her warmth calmed his soul, the essence of times long gone. "At what cost? This vendetta consumes you so. Will you allow these memories to destroy you? You might not like what you find Jack."

Before Jack was able to reply the cockpit was bathed in yellow.

^^WARNING-ION SURGE APPROACHING-LOW ORBIT^^

He grabbed her shoulder as she was stepping away. "Strap in we've got to move now!"

"Oh my god! Zarconion frigate decoking one- thousand meters behind us. Punch it Jack!"

3: 3 - REVOLUTION

~~( 3 days later )

REVOLUTION

(September 20, 2015 – 3:30 p.m.)

Christian pulled down the white handkerchief tied across his nose and mouth, just long enough to yell across the cabin of the Russian dual prop military transport helicopter Clive had procured. It was a dreadfully noisy machine and the ride thus far had been nothing short of erratic. Clive had obviously gotten a great deal. "Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"

Six feet across from Christian, Clive was carefully examining a map scrawled out on a tattered length of beige cloth, his thin rimmed glasses uselessly blanked with sand hung loosely across the bridge of his nose. He showed it to the old man seated to his right, his skin quite noticeably reddened from his earlier experience. The nomad pointed to a flat area amongst the dunes. They were close now.

Clive was thirty-seven and ex MI-6. Now, five years retired, he'd settled into civilian life well enough, but found it rather boring and was increasing need for adventure. He'd met Christian outside a small café in Tibet nearing the end of his last mission. A strong and lucrative friendship soon formed and the pair would embark on many an expedition into the unknown. Now, instead of using his connections to locate dissidence marked for death, Clive congealed his assets to secure their passage into areas of the world few even knew existed. It was still a risky business, several times in the past they had been shot at.

Clive fumbled around with his headset which had become hopelessly tangled in the tail of his blond hair. " My contact translated the nomad as best he could. He is very old. God only knows what the hell he was even doing this far out. The topography of this region is ever changing. What was a lake bed yesterday could be sand dune tomorrow. We need a little luck Chris that's all."

"Why would anyone carve out a temple of this size out on the middle of nowhere?"

"The old man said Allah reached out and touched him, spoke to him directly. He was badly burned and near death."

"From exposure! The old bastards damn lucky he made it back at all. Honestly, I don't know how he did it. In any case, I brought a magnetometer." Christian leaned out the door, struggling to catch a fainting glimpse of treasure through the whipping bands of sand. Suddenly, over a towering, steeply sloping dune, the lake bed. "There it is! And look, more has been exposed. My god, it could be one-hundred feet tall!"

As they circled, Christian began snapping photos. The pilot set the aircraft down thirty feet away from the opulent sculpture.

It was astonishingly hot. In beige boots and a loose fitting white shirt, the men were already dripping with sweat. How quickly one could succumb to these conditions. Somehow, that old man made it out here and back. Against all odds, all logic even. The nomad stayed in the chopper as the others exited and hurried toward the towering winged protrusion. It bowed over them like a frozen waterfall of gold. For the longest time they just looked up, transfixed by the unmatched beauty of the sculpture.

"It's huge Christian! So much larger than it looks in the photos. I've never seen anything remotely like this. Clive stepped closer to the wing. It's surface was perfectly smooth with mirror quality reflectivity making it increasingly difficult to look directly at in the relentless desert sun. "The structure looks sound, brand new even. This is a pristine piece of work Chris, sheer genius. It's the next great wonder of the world!"

Christian stepped closer to the wings shimmering surface. He felt drawn to it, hypnotized by its unrelenting beauty. He reached out to touch it and an unseen force seized him by the wrist and pushed him back a foot or two. Every hair on his body was on edge. A strange vibration had coursed through his body and for a moment he was unable even to move.

" What the hell was that?" Clive ran a hand just over the wings glinting face. "Some kind of electromagnetic charge. I can feel it all over. Chris, this is unbelievable! "Lets walk around it and see if there's any way in."

Christian was still a bit shaken. Curiosity was giving way to concern. "In? No you go ahead. I'll stay here."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just hurry."

Clive began his trek. The base of the exposed portion of the wing was at least thirty feet around and the wind had had begun to really pick up. It would take him a minute or two to complete the circuit.

"Don't get lost!"

Clive laughed as he disappeared into the sandy fog.

Christian held out the hand held magnetometer. The needle began to twitch wildly and he could feel an energy flowing thorough him again, but it was stronger this time. It pulled him closer to the wing. He tried to fight it, but the draw was too great. It had him. It knew everything about him. Something was wrong. Noooooooo!

Clive made his way around the structure. It was completely smooth and there were no openings. Wild patterns of color and light danced through the shining gold, it seemed alive. He had an eye on the chopper as he rounded back to Christian, but he was not there. In his place, were his cloths, boots, hat, watch, sunglasses and the magnetometer. Clive whipped around, looking in all directions, bewildered.

Just then the co pilot came running up. He didn't speak English, but the swirling of his finger and the pointing skyward told the story. The storm. The wind had really picked up. Christians belongings had already been partially covered. There was no time. Clive snatched up the items, the Iranian pulling his arm as he desperately surveyed the lake bed. "Damn it Christian!"

New York - 6 hours later

"This is a Fox News alert. Iranian President Machmoud Ahmadinejad, in defiance of what he is calling the west's blatant and sickeningly false claims of Iran's involvement in the attack on Israel is vowing to rid the world of the west's infidels and false prophets. The White House is expected to release a statement shortly in response to his statements.

In Iraq this morning the so called Alliance of Twelve has announced the signing of a final draft resolution Iran, stating that there is now the highest of probabilities of armed conflict, but did not give any details as to how or when exactly such an event would take place. U.N. Sec. Gen William Jefferson Clinton had this to say after this morning's emergency session."

-"There are very few options left to this body. The nation of Iraq is unified and her people are strong and willing to fight to protect their sacred land. There continues to exist and axis of evil determined undermine our progress toward long term global peace and stability. With this latest escalation a line has been crossed and now we will act. But, first, we must ascertain exactly who was behind this. When we know and when we act, we will act as one."-

( Washington D.C. – 3:30 p.m. )

President Morgan Harvey Wallace found himself a man with no recourse. The destiny of the entire world rested in the palm of his hand and the world was poised.

It was quiet. The city was virtually deserted. The congressional emergency session had passed and members had returned to their districts, to their families.

The first lady was aboard AirForce2 to some undisclosed location and the Joint Chiefs had been shuffled off deep into n.o.r.a.d. All wheels were spinning.

He thought of Kennedy, and what the young man might have done in this situation. What good could any president do today. The enemy was omnipresent, yet visible only in the instant of its strike. After 9/11 the global mission was gravely clear, but even with more recent advancements in drone technology and enhanced information crosschecking, bad things were still happening. But now there was no going back.

Victor was seated directly across from him, his legs were crossed. He was looking right at The President. "I don't think Doctor is going to go along with our little plan."

The President squinted his eyes tightly, then net the v.p.s stare. "we're going to have to proceed with phase two. We'll lie, we'll say the shuttle malfunctioned somehow. We can shoot a missile from the station, blow it up in the atmosphere and that will be that."

"Preparations are already under way. I told him to keep it neat."

"What about this Rebecca? We probably can't trust her either huh, especially after her mentor dies in freak accident on the way back from the moon."

"You know the Defense Secretary has her full and complete confidence. He served with father in the navy."

"I do. I had her summoned to the mountain for a briefing. She's not going to like it. He is going to convince her it is for the good of all mankind. I hope it is. I just want the one."

"The men I sent are the best there is. There's nothing to worry about. The plan WILL work. They will never see it coming and it will be the greatest military victory in recorded human history. We are, however, taking a bit of a risk in letting him tag along."

The President stood and moved to the window. He looked out into the empty street and secret service out on the lawn. "There is still the issue of access to the mainframe. We need him to open the door for us Victor. Then, we can pour on those bastards a beast they have never known before. Just get the mutant down here in one piece, all other concerns are secondary."

"He doesn't trust me now."

"Soon that won't matter."

The President returned to his desk, sat and pilfered through a stack of files. "Jessica is a fighter." He flipped through some glossy photos of her shambles apartment. "Do we know these thugs?"

"F.B.I. is working it. I'll keep on them."

"She spent some time with Ivan while the country was on lockdown."

"Dinner twice, and a movie."

"She likes him. He probably told her everything. The good doctor is a bit of a drinker."

Victor finally managed a smile. "All the great ones are. Jessica is a very likeable woman, that's why I hired her. I have a guy on her. She doesn't like it."

"Let's just make sure it doesn't get this close again."

"Yes Mr. President."

Morgan swiveled back and forth in his chair. He turned toward the window. The tall crimson drapes were open halfway. In the Oval Office the president did not control the drapes. It was always amazing to him that the leader of the free world could not even open a window in his own office without express permission.

The lights went out.

Both men were lifted into the air and hurled violently away from the curved front facing wall. Silence, for a moment, then an abrupt pulse of blinding white light exploded outward from the street, carrying with it a wave of energy which lifted the White House from its foundation with an astounding roar then crashed it to the ground with a concussive, tectonic crash. Now, the whole lawn was ablaze. All of the fencing was down, the building was bent at odd angles, sunken into the ground and burning.

"Victor!" Morgan coughed again and again. He was covered in wood and other debris. There was light from above, it was strange through the thick smoke and he could see fire close by, but his eyes stung badly and refused to focus. He tried to sit up. Pain strained through him. "Ahhhhh! Victor!"

The White House was wrapped in a fiery blaze. Men were running through the fire and dragging the bodies of their fallen and they were burning.

The right side of the building erupted in fire and explosions of glass and screams. Debris littered the grounds and peppered the street in dust and chunks of hot cement and twisted smoldering metal fencing. Alarms were going off, but there was still no relief in sight. The smoke rose and covered the sun

The President pulled himself through the rubble on his left knee. His right leg was broken and he could feel the blood leaving his body. He groped around in the smoky blackness. There were explosions all around and yelling. "Victor!"

"Mr. President."

The voice was scratchy and faint."

"I'm coming buddy!"

Darkness….all around

Slowly, gradually, groggily, Christian began to regain consciousness. He was bathed in inky blackness. A cold prickle crawled down his spine. There was a taste in his mouth both foreign and revolting.

The floor was ice cold and very smooth. Icy trembling arched throughout his naked frame. His slightest movement seemed to echo all around and reverberate through him, taking a first tentative crawling steps forward. Then a few more. Then standing, a momentary task. He was completely disoriented and weak and bald.

"What is this!"

~ what is this~ A voice both his and yet not boomed its immediate reply. The floor offered a shutter and Alan was nearly toppled.

"Clive!"

Another resounding shutter . Less talking, more walking.

How long had it been? Alan stopped.

" Hello!"

More walking. Now and then he would change direction. There would be a wall, or a door, or a drop off. More searching happened to chance a wall. As smooth as the floor and every drop as cold. Every step seemed in its self to make him colder. His heart beat oscillated through his fingers as he felt along this new found companion in the emptiness.

A sharp pain in the brain. Christian clutched his head with both hands, but that was no defense. "Two many! Too many fucking voices! No!"

Then it was over and his racing heart started to settle.

"What is this place?"

More walking and feeling around the abyss, shivering…and scared.

Markings on the wall, like lines cut into the surface. More markings. A door! Well that's a quick two out of three. Some strange mechanism was fastened horizontally across the frame of the depression in the wall. Even after a through handling he could still hardly even imagine its design. It was exotic and rock solid. The center section, he found, did allow for some movement, so he continued to tinker until at long last the center area gave way and the wall split in two.

A flicker of flame. No, something stronger. Christian's heart had begun to race again. A way out! A few more cautious steps forward. Surely not a flame, more a circle of light. It was enough to cut the emptiness surrounding him a small measure. There was a strange symbolism carved into the wall carved into the walls of this narrow passage. Now the adventure in him was beginning to come back. Trepidation was replaced by astonishment. "Who has ever seen this before?"

The glow was still a mystery needing to be solved, so Alan continued on. Approaching the source, it's true power began to reveal its self and it started to snow as ice crystals flaked off his body in the intensifying, warming glow. Then suddenly all was white and there was a stiff suffocating silence seemingly an unseen force pressing against his chest. He was now nether cold nor hot. Indeed he was, considering, perfectly content. This was the strangest thing of all.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's wrong."

Christian spun around. The strange, had dipped head long into the unbelievable. "You-you can't be…."

"Alive? Well I certainly hope to all shit not because if I'm still breathing than WE have a very serious problem. I think we already do. Why are you naked and bald?"

Christian was aghast and at the same time untrusting of this manifestation of his younger brother. He wanted to cry and scream in the same breath and curse this lie and what force brought it to be. "I watched you die, Kevin." How truly unfair this was. "Mom s-she cried-

"For six months, I know. I'm sorry for that Chris. I know I hurt you too man, that's not what I wanted."

"Stop this! You're not my brother!" Who was he trying to convince?

"I can't explain this Chris, believe me I wish I could. It's like I'm here, but somewhere else. It's not clear. I remember what I did, that day. The awful mess I made. Too many times have a been there. Too many to count. I think this is hell."

Christian continued to pound into his brain that this white robed figure before him was not his brother, despite his quite accurate stating of the nature of his death. It had taken five years of therapy to compartmentalize the gruesome images from that time. "Why Kevin?"

"Why did I pull the trigger? Fuck Chris I don't know! Maybe I was, depressed. Maybe, I was just plain old fucking bored. How about that huh! You want answers from the dead guy. Maybe I was just looking for a way out. For me that was a very long time ago."

"Am I dead?"

"Are you breathing?"

Low and behold, he was. "Kevin what is this place? Do you know how to get out?" Drops of water danced on his naked scalp. He looked up to be lost in a thunderously roaring rush of water, which seemed to push him down, forward and every which way. He took in gasping, frothy breaths, continuing to fall. Falling and falling forever…

2 days later….

Last night I did the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I had to call my best friend's wife and tell her he may be lost forever. She was not pleased and blamed me as usual or the misfortune which has befallen her beloved. She says that every time Christian follows me on one of my crusades HE ends up paying the larger price. But she wasn't there. What's worse is she cannot accept my story and in my guilt I must say I cannot rectify all the details of the event even myself. Chris just vanished. Wherever he went, he didn't take his cloths, or his camera, or his watch. It was as if he had simply vanished into thin air. Guilt for having to leave so suddenly.

The storm, a slow mover, was now abating and a proper search could begin. There was still time. Christian was strong. At sunrise Clive was back in the chopper with military guard escort. He hated having to blow the find of a lifetime, but time was against Alan and he needed help to cover more area.

Luckily, his antiquities dealer had a connection high in the Iranian Guard and arrangements had been made to run the search and the analysis of the structure in full secret. Payment would be based on the overall value of the find, depending on what it would turn out to be. An empty tomb is not nearly as valuable as one with something in it.

Every moment in the desert is different. The landscape is an endless canvass of motion. The old man said his people believed the desert to be a great living being and that it spoke to the people. It even told them where to find water. The conscious voice, the wind of the desert was said to confuse the minds of men that one might believe he's seen a vision of himself from the past. Clive remembered expressing a touch sarcastic frown as he'd listened to this dusty, sun withered old man explain to him the complex relationship between his people and the earth, or something. But now Chris was gone and he needed a miracle. He was praying the elders heart would withstand the chopper ride

Before long, the chopper pilot called back something in heavy Arabic and the co-pilot pointed out ahead. The convoy chopper dipped lower and Clive got his first really good look at what had been buried in the sand for god knows how many years. The megalithic entrance display to a finely sculpted temple. However, this was unlike any ancient temple anyone had ever seen on earth before, for the entire exterior of this amazing, glinting work of craftsmanship appeared to have been pristinely fashioned from polished gold, in addition to other elements. The color of the bodies of the two winged beings standing guard was a sharp contrast to their epic arched wings of liquid gold. The bodies seemed held together as a tightly packed kaleidoscope of faded rainbow colors in sea of sculpted milky ivory. These hulking beasts were four legged and had menacing black claws and sharp tallond teeth which sparkled wildly in the rising sun.

The sand storm had saved Clive a ton of labor. The lake bed was completely gone. The entire area had been scooped up and carried away just like that

The temple less than half buried set eerily esque in the whirling sand. Only the top end of what was truly a grand entranceway protruded. The pilot set down about where he had before, although the plateau he'd set atop was now level plane. From ground level the curve of the beasts wings blocked the sun and in the shade as Seth, the team and the old man unstrapped themselves and stepped out onto the sand there was a cool refreshing breeze which encompassed them. It was unexpected.

"Why don't you show us where you last saw your friend." Prompted the leader of the two guard detachment, a stern looking career military man with dark skin and all the grit he could muster. "If he's still out here my men will find him."

Clive hadn't taken his eyes off the temple yet. It took him a moment to reply. "Well you see that's just the thing, most of this wasn't here the last time. The chopper can cover more ground. Can you tell the pilot to make a few wide passed. Circle the area. The old man can stick with me just have your men fan out. I want to have a look around.

"Sounds good. Men!" He then walked back to the chopper and within moments the twin blades were wising and churning up the sand and then it was gone. "I sincerely hope I did not just send that chopper away so you can continue making people disappear Mr. antiquities dealer. You know the Guard would sooner blow this sight to kingdom come than ever allow the western world access to it."

"It could be nothing. There are temples of this size in other parts of the world."

They began to walk the circumference of the exposure. The commander pulled a thin cigar from a beast pocket and gave it a light. He drew several long hits, occasionally looking directly up to take in just the sheer awe inspiring size of the construction. "That much is true, but not so much like this. I have served for thirty-five years and traveled all over the world and never have I seen build such as this. Look at all of this color! How does it seem to flow in just such this way throughout the sculpture. These beasts, they are as menacing as the day they were formed. How can this be?

Clive made his way to the high point, where the sand hilled over the exposed portion of the temple entrance. Even from behind, the beastly sculptures were the most amazing thing he had ever seen. They seemed on the verge of flight. He got down on his stomach and slid over the side of the embankment to have a look inside. With a better footing he was able to slide almost his whole body through the opening. "Chris! Chris! Buddy where are you!" He switched on a flashlight and to his surprise the sand slopped downward a little further in and descended beyond the lights range. Could Christian have gone down there? Perhaps to wait out the rest of the storm. Unlikely. He would first have had to survive the rapid excavation process, then have the presence of mind to locate the temple and climb up inside. Was he THAT strong?

"Anything?" called the commander. "This area is entirely unstable, I wouldn't go in too far without a guide wire and extra light."

Clive poked his upper body out. His brown kakis and short sleeve beige shirt blended well with the sand. Archeology was a dirty job and this was life and death. " It'll take too much time to set up a rig, time my partner doesn't have. Give me your flashlight if you don't mind."

Reluctantly, the officer surrendered his sturdy, black mag." You have until sunset. Don't think for a moment I won't leave your fool hearty ass here over night, with or without my flashlight."

"I understand. Just set me a line right here with say sixty feet of slack. Just to be on the safe side. I have to be sure commander, he's my best friend."

Off in the distance there was yelling in Arabic. Then automatic weapons fire and more yelling. The commander sprinted up and over the rise leaving Clive unsure suddenly what to do. Why were the soldiers firing?

The commander ran down the hill to where one of his men was crouched low next to one of the lesser exposed wings. He had a strait view of the outlying desert for miles. "Lieutenant what are you firing at!"

"It was Lieutenant Adsval Sir, he just started yelling and he was shooting at something. He ran that way sir. Now I don't see anything."

"What about the hermet?"

"Behind us. Around the hill, hiding sir."

"Good. Give me your walkie. This is Commander Balshreed to chopper pilot, do you read me!"

"Yes, we are reading you. We are finishing our outer circle now and there is nothing to report. Eta, five minutes."

"Copy that. Over and out. Lieutenant open that pack quick and hand me the rope, pulley and hammer if you wouldn't mind. We might have to leave adventure boy to his own devises. Did Adsval have his radio?"

"I think so sir. He exchanged the radio for the materials. I will try him." He adjusted the frequency. "Adsval this is Serfen, do you copy? Adsval, please respond."

"Keep trying. The chopper will be here shortly and then we'll find him."

The commander made his way back up to Clive and proceeded to erect the pulley arm. "It's already too hot out here. You need to find your friend before we run out of water. There was no sign of him from the air. Now one of my men is missing. He was shooting at something, or someone. I'm going up for a good look when the chopper returns. Just do me one favor and don't get yourself lost down there. You have one – hundred feet here. It has to be enough."

"I'll be back commander, don't leave without me."

"Search fast."

Rope secured, Clive proceeded downward across the sand. Within moments he was out of sight. And the commander returned to his man who was still searching the desert scape through his scope. The was with him, his dust weathered hermits robe seemed alive in the endless desert wind. The wind brought with it the distant hum of the chopper.

"Secure your weapon soldier we're going up for a better look. Now we have two missing men and it will be a hundred and twenty degrees out here in an hour and I'm getting pissed!"

"Where has Clive gone?" the old man quipped.

"Underground to look for his friend. Can't condone it much myself, but whatever gets me out of this god forsaken desert a bit sooner."

"You mean he's gone into the temple? Commander you must go get him! You must!"

"I'm sorry, who is in charge of this operation? Thank-you! Now if Clive wants to go crawling around in the dirt for a while that's his prerogative. Do you see that chopper there, we're going for a ride. One of my men has decided to take an unpaid leave and I intend on finding him so I can personally kick his ass. Don't you tell me what I do and do not have to do!"

The elder was mostly unfazed by the commanders posturing. "There is a power here far beyond your comprehension. You can feel it, can't you. It IS here, all around. There is a message, but I cannot make it out. Too faint, fainter than a whisper." He closed his eyes and began to speak softly to himself.

The commander had heard enough. The chopper was landing left of their position. "Lieutenant will you lead the man along we have to keep moving or this sun will eat us alive!"

"Sir!"

Forty feet into Clive's decent the sand dropped off and he was forced to pocket the flashlight and continue down in darkness. He reached the bottom with not an inch of rope to spare. Retrieving both lights, Clive got his first glimpse at the inside of this lost temple. Smooth circular pillars lined the walls, five to a side leading to an open area with a hole in the floor and a wide door behind it secured with some mechanism he could not yet make out. The pillars were covered my some form of symbolism he had never seen before. Lines and circles and some other symbols. It looked to be a combination of several different styles. The floor was also completely smooth and had a polished look. In fact it looked pristine.

At the hole, he knelt and stuck the flashlight down as far as he could reach, but could see nothing. There was however a distinct smell. Sulfur. Who would build something this colossal over a volcano? At the door Seth was confronted with a real puzzle. An ancient door lock it looked to be. It was designed as two snakes entwined together with a cross between them and some object surrounding the snakes in a circle. It two contained a variety of symbolism. He was able to rotate this circle and adjust the wound bodies of the snakes. Also, the cross could be removed and placed at different angles within the snakes. This would take time. If Christian did make it down here he would likely have fallen and never made it to this door. There was no sign he'd been here, but Clive pressed on and began to try and open the door.

Perseverance and a lot of luck paid off. The cross clicked into place, the snakes heads reared back the door split open with a crack and a rush of stale air which pushed him back. Now there was sulfur in the air. The next room was as large as the entrance way and was noticeably warmer. The walls were lined with paintings, of people and not just any people.

"This is impossible." Neapolitan, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, The Queen of England, President Kennedy and others. What was even more unbelievable even than the quality of the work was the condition of it. All the paintings looked as though they'd just been finished. Every color vibrant, every line sharp and defined. "I don't understand this."

In the center of the far wall hung a single painting which was covered by a thick white cloth, begging to be removed. Clive pulled the cover aside and it drifted to the floor. He stood aghast. The image in the painting was his own and he was not alone. Chris was with him, but it was not the man he knew. Something was different in the face. Something almost evil in his eyes. Clive shuttered and stepped back. They were standing together as if they'd been posed, but no such work was ever done. There was something in HIS eyes as well, something which made his blood boil, something sinister. He began to feel dizzy and sick. The sulfur had filled his lungs and it was all he could taste of the musty air. "Chris! Goddamn what is this!

In the air, the commander had but one thought on his mind. He hung out the side as the barren desert floor started to streak by.

"This is the devils place. We will all die here."

"Less talking and more looking!"

"Perhaps you should pray to your god we find our man, old man," Serfen posited, "because if we don't, maybe we just leave you out here." He laughed and the commander shared his banter. Then, something caught the commanders eye. A glint in the sand ahead and the red shoulder cuff of a guard uniform.

"There! There, set us down now!"

The group exited quickly with the commander in the lead. Red and beige and the barrel of a rifle. They came upon the missing man to find him nearly buried, weapon and all. A frantic dig ensued. When pulled up, the man's face was in an obvious state of distress. His mouth was open wide and packed solid with sand. His eyes wide in unfathomable terror. The commander knelt and rested the dead soldiers head in his hand. The others had taken steps back. "This was no accident. This man saw something. This was murder. Now you've stirred up a nest of terror. The guard will find you and burn you into the ground! Lieutenant get that man back in the chopper this operation is over!"

"Sir!"

The ground began to shake. A fine crack appeared in the sand below the body of the soldier and continued past the men as they made their way back to the chopper. This crack passed quickly under their feet and past the chopper. The quaking continued. The commander watched the fissure grow and devourer the body and continue its course.

"Commander do you see this?"

"It must be an earthquake. Today is just our lucky day Lieutenant.

"I remember that day."

The slightest tinge of horror made manifest at the base of Clive's spine. It eased its self ever slowly with the hideous grinding of a rusted steel rake on a blackboard. It tempted him to turn to the voice. It taunted him. Dared him.

"But-of course- you don't-because…. it hasn't happened yet."

In the painting, both men were wearing black suits. Now , here was Chris, dapper as could be, dressed to the hilt, shoes with a polished shine. "You should not be here Clive. You knew you would not find me down here, but still you came." Clive stepped closer, strangely calm in comparison to the unabated amazement covering Clive's face. Terror, mixed with anxiety. "I know what you are thinking Clive. You are thinking you want to kill me. Do you know what I am thinking?"

Clive spoke in a hush whisper. It was all he was able. "You are daring me to try." Chris was suddenly upon him. He lifted Seth at the waist and through him up and into the painting exploding it to pieces and raining rocky dust and debris upon him as he crashed to the floor.

"No! I am challenging you to dare!" Chris snarled wickedly through the smoke. His face was beginning to contort and fester, he seemed to struggle to maintain. "You get up Clive. Can you feel that? That is real power!."

The room was rattling. Clive did his best to stand with the help of the wall. He looked up and did not see Chris. The ceiling was crumbling down on him, it was time to climb. He took one last glance at Kennedy, then hastened his assent. In short order, daylight was at hand. He crawled over the rise and staggered and crawled to the level desert floor, completely out of breath and in pain just as the chopper was coming into view. As it set down the commander leaned out and motioned for Clive and he ran forward. "Commander there is something down there you're not going to believe—"

"I don't give a blasted rats ass what you found in that hole I have a dead man on my hands and we are out of here! Now where is your friend?"

Clive cast a desperate glance at the temple. He could feel the ground trembling beneath his feet. The whole thing would be gone by the next time, if there ever were. "No. No I didn't find him."

"Then get yourself strapped in this operation is terminated. We were never here Mr!"

(1:30 a.m.)

Back in his hotel room Clive took himself a long hot shower. His entire back was blue and black and his entire body creaked and cracked. Afterward, a chilled brandy on the balcony overlooking the city of lights. What was he going to tell Lynn. She already thought he was crazy. Tonight he would pack and get the first flight stateside. It would be next to impossible to get another team together and the trip would be too dangerous without escort. Christian, his friend, might just be lost.

The news was a blitz of breaking announcements. Promises of targeted and definitive retaliation from the acting president, defense secretary. Well hidden no doubt and with his finger on the button, waiting for a target.

Back to Cambridge. Normal life, what was left of it.

"Find your way back my friend. You are out there somewhere. I can feel it. Don't make me tell this crazy story to your wife, you know she'll have my head." A few more sips from the glass. "Jesus Christian. What have I gotten us into this time. I shouldn't have promised no photography."

((48 hours later))

(NORAD UNDERGROUND COMMAND CENTRE

WHITE PLAINS, NEVADA)

The jeep ride through White Plains was long and quiet. A narrow stretch of pavement cut through the dusty white desert.

Rebecca had never seen cactus, or even the desert for that matter, but here it was in all its pale glory. And there was something beautiful about its emptiness. Some power there, scratching at the surface. Mostly, it was hot. Even in the morning, as much as she was dreading her meeting with the Secretary, she could not wait to get out of the sun. She was promised respect and asked to respect the understand that she was going to be told things and exposed to realities which are totally and unequivocally classified. Also, that her cooperation was mandatory and any appeal she should wish to file would be handled in due course. Something bad was about to happen, even the driver had a rifle.

Up ahead a dirt path cut to the right, strait into the desert. Rebecca's long dark hair wrestled in the dusty wind and the jeep bumped along the uneven terrain until suddenly the came to a halt. When the sand abated She saw the soldiers already at work removing a manhole cover with chains. She got out and walked to them. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Orders ma'am. This is the only way in or out right now. You'll be okay just take your time. It's seventy feet to the floor, then there's an elevator and that will take you the rest of the way. Come on, come on let's go!"

"Shit. What about my bag?"

"It's you or the bag ma'am please."

Rebecca relented. "I suppose I'm just lucky I wore jeans today." She got down and shimmied into the hole and started down.

"We'll get your bag to you ma'am, there's a light at the bottom, we're locking the hatch now."

And he wasn't kidding. The bulky lid raddled into place with a loud echo and Rebecca was left to her own devices. One foot in front of the other. Down, down and down some more. She could see a soft red glow not far below and in another minuet she was at the bottom of the shaft and summoning her ride.

Three full minutes passed before the light dinged off and the doors pulled back. Another soldier clad in green up to his helmet, another rifle. Wow this was serious. "Just this way ma'am."

Rebecca stutter stepped forward. "Sorry it's just-"

"First time in an elevator?"

"A soldier with a sense of humor? Well now I think I've seen everything."

"No ma'am, not yet." He smiled and touched a button on the wall pad. "It's a long way down, you can try and hold your breath."

"Hilarious. So how far down is this place really?"

"Ordinarily that information is classified, but since I can see you are a woman of class and clearly a civilian and if I may say so, quite pretty, we are descending to two-hundred seventy feet. I've got to warn you it can get a little warm. They run the coolers a few times a day so it's not so bad. So, if you don't mind my asking, are you the clone doctor?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "No I'm the clone doctors assistant. Ivan Chandra, Prodigy is his. Or at least it was. It's looking more and more like a government takeover of the project. I knew something like this would happen. The instant we have a breakthrough they swoop in take it all. But this time will be different I think. This time they don't know what they really have, but I do."

"And that's why you're here? To tell the sec. defense what it's all about."

"Honestly hot shot, I don't have the slightest clue." The door chimed open just in time for her to whisper in his face, "and I am never going to bed with you. Now will you please take me to the secretary."

"Right this way, and by the way he's not the secretary of defense anymore. He was just promoted." "Just in there is the command center, but the Chief is waiting for you in his office. It's just down this hall. If you're planning on staying here long I recommend the gym and the hot tub."

"Thank-you I don't plan on staying long I have a lot of work to do. I am a scientist, you know."

"Yeah, I get that about you. Here we are." The soldier produced a data card and inserted it into a slot next to the door they'd stopped at and knob turned its self. The door pulled back and the pair walked in. The secretary was seated at a dark walnut colored desk covered with piles of documents and folders. The Office was sparse accept for a book shelf against the left wall full of volumes and a picture of an aircraft carrier next to it. The walls were white and the room was lit from a ceiling fan spinning idly. There was one chair. Rebecca presumed to take it.

"Yes please, Dr. Jordan please sit down. Thank-you Alex you can wait outside."

"Yes sir."

The former secretary took a long deep breath and smoothed his glossy blue tie, stained with blood. He touched the smears deliberately to show her. "This is the blood of the president. Well, not anymore."

"The President-"

"I am the President. I know I can't replace him, but I can do the job. I can make the tuff decisions. It's what I've done my whole life. Very rarely am I surprised anymore in this business doctor, I've been from one side of the globe to the other, I've watched men burn alive and be blown to bits. I have tasted the blood of half a dozen enemies and you know what, they just keep coming. Until, sooner or later, you get to old to fight and you have to find someone to take your place. You know they won't ever be as good as you, but you hope someday they might be better. Rebecca I have a problem. You see, I know all about Prodigy now and I know all about your colleague Doctor Chandra and I know all about your clone culture. You are truly a revolution in your field, it's a true shame your work will never be made available to the public."

"Mr. President with all due respect-"

"With all due respect doctor your friend Ivan Chandra is dead. Here, see for yourself." He removed a series of color photos from a manila envelope. He turned them to face her. "This is the good doctor on the floor of the incubation chamber. He looks to have been the victim of some head trauma, from all the blood. This next image was taken from the main hanger."

"It's a cryo-tube."

"One cryo-tube being loaded onto the shuttle. The shuttle I sent up there to secure that station and prepare those clones for transport. Now I've lost contact with my team and by the looks of it there is an act of treason in the process of being committed and all the while I keep hearing your report on that explosion in the control room during the initial synapse upload on your first test subject. You should have blown is brains to timbucktwo, but instead something truly extraordinary happened. What exactly doctor? What would make this one clone so god damned important and how do we get it back?"

Her eyes were transfixed on Ivan. She wanted to burst into tears, but her anger kept them away. Prodigy was his life's work, he gave his all for what he believed was possible. "Every clone has a security chip locking out access to higher brain functions. It would be useless without the proper knowledge and equipment. They could kill him trying to get him out of the tube, it's a pressurized cryo mixture."

"Yes doctor, I've read over the basic function of the chambers. My question for you is how do we go about locating it. Well each clone is tagged individually as you know, but in stasis the beacon does not function, so the only thing I can do is try and locate the tube, assuming it hasn't been disabled."

"Very well, you will have access to the database in your quarters. Stick your business, no snooping around in other files or I'll have you in the command center with an armed guard over your shoulder. Am I clear on that?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now I have other questions if you don't mind. First off, did you or Dr. Chandra have any enemies, or any competition? You aren't the only two geniuses out there you know? We have a very big leak doctor and I intend on plugging it. Think. Were there ever any threats? Someone with a grudge against you or your work?"

"No Mr. President. Ivan and I were always very open about what we were trying to do. We had a lot of disbelievers, but no real detractors. There was no competition to speak of. Honestly, that would have been something. Maybe then I would have gotten all the money I really needed and it would have been worth it having to leave my family to work on the moon for five years. You say you were making preparations to transport the clones. Where exactly?"

"Your lab in Colorado actually, but obviously the situation has changed. We are in full war mode now, I am going to have to start issuing night curfews to the major cities and doing all sorts of other things the antichrist does. I am due to deliver a speech to the U.N. in six hours at which time I will formerly announce Iran as the principle villain in this atrocity and that, well, we're going to blow them back into the prehistoric age. I can't put it in quite that way, but you get the idea."

"So Mr. President, what do you want from me other than to locate the clone?"

"I know what this project means to you Rebecca. I know it is not always easy to deal with bureaucracy. There is something else I need to tell you. The Chinese have agreed to supply us a significant detachment of ground forces and we are coordinating with other countries as well, but I want to give us the best chance we have. You have two-hundred thousand clones on the moon. I have another five-hundred thousand, right here. All they need is the Prodigy chip and a little electricity."

Rebecca gasped, louder than she'd wanted to. Another secret. She gritted her teeth as she leaned forward. Lie! Say anything! "No no you don't understand, it can take weeks for the implantation procedure to take effect, it's not like turning on a light. How were you planning on implanting all these bodies? you would need dozens of surgeons."

"I can assure you doctor I have planned for this contingency. Now my question to you is this, how long will it take you to get my people up to speed on your procedure?"

"Mr. President please, you can't do this. This is a perversion of everything we worked to create. Please Shepherd."

"I am truly sorry kiddo. I didn't want to have to drag you into this, least of all you, but all of our backs are against the wall now. Don't make me order you to help me Rebecca. The guard out there can help you with finding your room and anything you might be needing. Probably some more suitable cloths. You should know that I have ordered the immediate transport of all the clones on the moon, here. Preparations are already underway."

"Are you sure that is such a good idea, what if your mole decides to show up again? Did you question the rest of that team you sent? Did no one see or hear anything?"

"Unfortunately, the whole team is missing, along with the shuttle. I've sent marines this time. I know I'm taking a risk in moving them now, but it's one I must take. It's now, or maybe never. 700,000 clones will give the coalition won blazing hell of a good start and that's all we need. Drones can distract the aerial assault if there is one. We should have dealt with this a long damn time ago. Now we are past the point of no return, but with Prodigy I know we will prevail. That's why I need you Rebecca. I need you to make sure we do this right. I can't have these guys short circuiting in the sun or going haywire and shooting each other. They have to be good enough to buy us the time we need and they have to understand that time is of the essence. Can you program snipers?"

"I need to see my team."

(U.N. New York)

"Thank-you madam chairmen, honored representatives, distinguished guests. What I have to say tonight, I say to the world. Never in our history have we bore witness to the scale of evil perpetrated upon this planet in recent days. We have all lost now, friends, partners, allies. President McMasterson was my closest confident. His death at the hands of these cowards has left a cold mark on my person, a void which no measure of time can ever fill. I have lost my best friend. Many of you in this chamber tonight have lost as well and many listening to my voice. I come before you tonight to offer my deepest sympathies and sincerest regrets. We have gathered here to stand as one. To declare in one voice that atrocities will not go unpunished!"

The resounding smattering of applause gave President- time to take a drink of water and catch his breath.

After several days of intense, decisive analysis, the intelligence community is in agreement that the Iranian regime was indeed responsible for these attacks, although no formal declaration of responsibility has been made, the trail is clear. What we do here and now will determine the course of our way of life. At stake is our very freedom. Freedom terror, from radical ideologies which threaten to destroy the very fabric of our society, to undermine god given right to live in peace. I know there are individuals listening to my voice right now who would give anything for the world to fall asunder into chaos, but I can assure them and all of you that as long as there is air in my lungs I will do everything and anything within my power to destroy such people."

Another round of applause. - looked down at his wife in the front row. She gave him a curt thumps up and he smiled. He needed that. That told him he was doing the right thing.

"President Lincoln often spoke of the constant struggle against the ideal of a peace. War can be a very lucrative business. War can also be used as political weapon, where even the threat of an attack can have an impact. Words matter. I believe a person should be held accountable for what that do and say. What I want most is for the future generations to look back on this horrible episode in our history and know that when the time to act, to make a tuff decision, we did not falter. We stood up with one voice and declared that we will not go quietly into the night! We will not finish without a fight! And if we are to head off into the night, let it be known through history that our coalition gave it everything they had and that if we do go down we will down kicking and screaming and blowing fire!"

The thunderous roar of hands reverberated throughout the General Assembly theater.

"Now I will speak briefly as to the nature and timetable of our response. First off, it will be a military response. China, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Africa, The Netherlands, Poland, Iraq, Turkey, Hungry, Great Britain, and others. These nations and more, will be supplying troops, weapons, supplies and equipment. This will be the largest retaliatory military incursion in the history of the planet and we have just one shot to get it right. We will strike soon and with such a sudden force, even though they know we are coming they will not know how or from where. When we come, we will keep on coming until every square centimeter of Iran has been picked clean of weapons and combatants. We will be swift, decisive and utterly unrelenting and the enemy will find no safe haven. There is no border we will not cross to find you, mark my words.

What we know right now is that Iranian nukeular facilities continue to operate and it is only a matter of time before they are able to deploy a second device. It is a very dangerous and labor intensive task to fashion a nukeular weapon, whether they are one day or one week away from a second weapon makes no difference.

My message to the Iranian people is this. The United Nations is forever committed you. We know there are many people in Iran tonight that just want to live in peace. Something you have not been able to do for quite some time. You have lived under a self serving dictator ship for decades. For most it is all you have ever known. A government that censors speech, information. A regime thriving on its ability to control the populous.

My message to the Iranian people is this. Get out, while you can. If you cannot leave the country, the best advice I can give to you is to take what you can and leave any major cities and if you know where the plants are, get as far from these facilities as you can.

As I am speaking, safe zones are being set up along Iran's Western border. Everyone is welcome, but each and every individual attempting to enter will be thoroughly searched. No weapons of any kind will be allowed. I cannot say exactly how long you have. What I can say is that if you want to leave, leave now. Our coalition is committed to the protection of innocent civilian life wherever possible, but I can make no promises or guarantees. It is my hope that families who are able will take what they can and head west.

My message to the Iranian regime is simple. Here we come. You will feel us. We will stop you. Peace will prevail. And if in your cowardice you choose to shield yourselves behind the innocent, we will show no mercy."

The assembly was again awash with emotion.

The President was overcome. He spoke through the roar. "May god be with us!"

(2211a.d.)

Was it god who made the stars? Could every star be but a glint in gods eye?

Never could I have imagined I would ever have found cause to return to this awful, baron place. To come face to face with my own past and a chance to reclaim what has been stolen from me. My memories. My life.

Modified with Zarconian technology and with a number of my own modifications I stand a chance of remaining under their screens, but I have to keep moving. Their quantum displacement drive design is self cooling, but the unit cannot be disabled or removed in space. For that I would need to dry dock and that would be suicide. When left idle for extended the driver creates a shell of energy particles I have been thus far unable to neutralize.

This game of cat and mouse has been going on for longer than I can remember. They want me dead for things I haven't even done yet. Now, for the first time I think I have the upper hand. The library data mainframe filled in a lot of gaps. Massive clone army. That was what they wanted to do. But something happened. There was nothing in the media archive speaking directly to what went wrong. Another dead end. Any substantive information would be classified. More searching.

It is fitting that Earths first encounter with extraterrestrial life would be the one leading to its demise. A people so obsessed with mystery and exploration. Ignorant to what cold and ruthless place the universe really is. There are intelligent species all over and they come in any and all shapes and sizes. Intelligence, however, is no excuse for brains and common sense. Intelligence breeds innovation, but fancy ships and weapons do not solve a planets problems, it only multiplies and amplifies them. There seems to be no real rule of law in space. Communication is a tricky game. Some shoot first.

I woke one day on an outlying planet called Tetris. My memory was full of holes. They told me they found me in an abandoned cargo shuttle, frozen solid.

The people of Tetris where an ancient culture. They were highly skilled and had embraced the arts and peace. There is a bond among the Ti, as they call themselves, that transcends all human experience. They live as individuals, but there is another level to these peoples consciousness which I am only beginning to comprehend and I have lived among these people for many years.

The Ti are a people of many talents. Total mastery of D.N.A. structure has allowed them to cleans themselves entirely of sickness. Generations of gene modification has led to the irradiation of all sickness. When a Ti reaches the age of "purification", they are given an injection of some agent which attaches its self to the D.N.A. helix and coats it in a sort of jell. This substance continuously re generates the strand, giving the Ti life spans rivaling those I read in a book some time long ago, somewhere I cannot remember.

Over the generations the Ti did do some branching out. They now thrived on four worlds in the system.

I could have stayed here with these people for the rest of my life. I had taken the injection. I had fallen in love. I had anything any man could ever want. Then a very big piece of the mystery puzzle that was my life, fell into place. An encrypted cipher, buried in the recesses of my artificial neural matrix. A message from the past and a warning that came too late. At the end of the day, I was property and still of value. Not anymore to the ghosts of humanity, but to the Zarconians as well The message was a video. The woman had fare brown skin and dark hair. She was very pretty, but looked very tired. Her expression was one of worry and regret. As she spoke, she kept looking up from the camera in urgency. I knew this woman. I saw her face in ripples in my mind while I slept. She called me Jack.

I wish that there was something I could say, or something I could do to keep people from wanting to hurt you. You see, you are not the one to blame Jack. I want you to know that. I didn't do enough to protect you and Ivan, god rest his soul, was right. It is happening exactly as he said it would. What they sent you all out there to do was wrong. However this has happened, please know that no matter what is said no matter what they try and force you to believe, you did nothing wrong. I am to relinquish you to military authorities now. Ivan Chandra was murdered. He gave his life to protect you Jack because he believed in you just as much as I do. You have a gift and because of it someone will always want to harm you. But don't worry…..I have a plan. ~~~

(2211)

So then I was the last… an aberration, now a relic. What did all of Zarconia even want with me? This is a question I continue to ask myself. They came all this way, surely not just for me. For earth its self. The fleet did not vaporize the plant, instead leaving it a desolate ocean of ice. They are still in the region. The Zarconians travel completely in stealth. They have managed to perfect the cloak, they are very good. But why have they stayed? Knowledge of the future aside, there must be something specific. The military database might hold the answers. I will have to leave earth for a while though. Hopefully the fleet will move on. There is something still of value there. Or maybe the Zarconions are waiting around for their future to catch up with them. In any event, for me it is time to go home.

(10 YEARS AGO – 2110 A.D.)

Cold…Darkness…

** STATUS UPDATE –

CRYO-STAYSIS FIELD INTERGITY 100%

ANOMOLIES – 0

LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM CHECK – FULL FUNCTION

NOMINAL RESPONSE – SUBJECT ACTIVE

DURRATION – 90 YEARS **

((note to reader-alien dialogue written out in English for narrative movement. Both races do have knowledge of the language to a degree, but never speak it))

The Ti are a tall, slender yet strong and robust culture of biped, with ancient writings tens of thousands of years old. There is a bloody, sordid past to these people, but they were able to rise above these challenges generations ago and were now focused souly on the expansion of knowledge and the development of peaceful technological advancement.

In some ways the Ti were very much human. Intelligent, emotional, driven to explore and grow. One major difference being brain size, nearly double. This affords the Ti a greatly expanded view and understanding of the universe. It allowed them to advance quickly into space and beyond and even to give them virtually endless life if one so chooses. But with great power does come great responsibility and the Ti paid dearly for that, nearly to the point of the destruction of their world. That was a long time ago.

"This is Raider One calling Tetris Station Trillion, do you copy?"

^^ Raider One we have you locked in, please reply^^

"Station I am just past outer marker twenty-five. I am picking something up just now on short range scan. Classification unknown. Structure unidentified. I am proceeding to intercept. Over."

^^Acknowledged Raider One please advise us of your status after contact. Station out.^^

The color of rushing water and of sleek and exotic design, the Raider recon shuttle streaked ahead. Piloted by twenty year veteran Olek Ti-ell. A decorated officer, rising to prominence from Tetris Three. Nothing more than interesting than a week long sector beacon check. Olek was looking forward to the return trip and seeing his family and returning to normal duty. Then, a sensor blip. Too faint and small to be a rogue vessel, but caution is the greater part of valor and Olek had brought his Raider to bear, bathing the cockpit in rich red glow. In great contrast to the milti-colors of the touch control pads and holographic displays surrounding himself and his right side co-pilot, Uval Ti-val. Uval was younger, in his second term at pilots academy at the top of his class.

"I have the object general. Full scan. A metalloid of some kind sir. Looks to be part of a larger vessel. There is heavy corrosion and residue from a composite chemical blast, but the computer is having trouble nailing it. I've never seen anything like it. Now entering visual range."

Uval made a slow pass of the hulking metal box. Obviously, it was a container of some sort. One end was completely sealed. The other was sealed as well, but the door was obscured by the shell of a second container which had once been connected to it. The ends of the burned skeletal frame bent wildly in all directions. A design of some kind could be discerned under the space ice and the scorching of the intact container after the explosion. A single character. U. "Looks like she suffered a massive explosion. There's not much left. That, or this cargo was abandoned for one reason or another. Up for a closer look?"

"Yes sir! I'm looking forward to stretching my legs some."

"Yes me too. Trillion Station this is Raider One. We've made scans of the object. It appears to be a cargo container. There is evidence of massive explosion and possible deliberate abandonment. There's a lot of ice on the hull and massive scorching damage. We are detecting no sign of power or life, but I'd like to have a look inside just the same."

^^Understood Raider One, proceed with caution. We will keep the channel open for you^^

"Raider one confirms. Ready Uval?"

Inside, Olek activated several robotic lights which hovered away from each other, illuminating the cargo hold in yellowish glow. The Ti stood side by side in skin tight atmosphere suits. Their head shields were transparent all around, extenuating their broad, elongated skulls and curved, penetrating brow. Holographic displays danced across shields fine surface.

The hold was largely empty, but it did contain one very interesting item. A clear tube, clasped securely in a bulk vice. It lay horizontally and length wise. To its left there stood some manner of electronic devise. A tall rectangular box with all manner of operational controls and what could be a data display screen. There were characters on the display, but held no meaning for the Ti.

Uval made his way closer to the cylinder. The whole apparatus was covered in a thick layer of frost. He brushed a long hand over the curve. The inside was full of some solid substance. "Deep cryo sir. Like sleep forever."

"Any ascertaining how long it's been out here?"

"It's difficult for the computer to give an result because these materials do not currently exist in the archive, which is quite fascinating in its self. Fifty-years, give or take 20. At any rate, this thing has been floating around for quite some time."

Uval moved to the control tower. "This unit is inactive. Scanning circuit structure. Permission to push the power button sir?"

"Sure, why not."

The tower churned to life. The data screen went blank, then was replaced with a series of diagnostic scans and other options. The inside of the tube lit up, a pale blueish glow. Uval was very pleased with himself, shocked as well at what the display was telling him. "General you are not going to believe this. We have a life form here."

Olek stepped behind the cadet. "What is its condition?"

"Nominal sir. It is alive."

"What an extraordinary find this is! Uval, see what you can do about getting this tube case detached from the floor. Use the cutter if u have to, but don't disconnect the computer. There are gravity bots in the storage hold as well."

"I'm on it general!"

"Trillion Station are you still reading me?"

^^We still read you, however there does appear to be some interference, but it's negligible. What have you found?^^

"Something truly amazing. What appears to be a cryo-stasis tube attached to some kind of data processer. The read outs seem to suggest active life readings. Station did you copy that?"

^^We read you General Olek. We concur with the nature of the find. Any ideas how long it has been out in space?^^

"Fifty years, perhaps more. This container was part of a larger vessel, there's some heavy damage to the exterior structure, but this compartment appears stable. I have a hunch this may have been dumped deliberately, but it's hard to say for sure and it will take time to translate this data. Perhaps that would provide us the answers we seek."

^^Risk analysis. You are convinced of the presence of life. Are you able to scan the body directly?^^

"We have. Skeletal composition differs from ours, but it's basically the same. Looks to be bi-symmetric bi-pedal. Approximate height, six feet. Weight, two-hundred pounds. Smaller in stature to ourselves, but cranial analysis indicates strong possibility of intelligence. There is definitely brain activity."

^^Understood. Under Article Three you are authorized to proceed with procurement. We will be expecting you Raider One. Trillion Station out^^

Tetris Major, a Jupiter size m class world with three moons, with an average surface temperature of 78 degrees. The topography of the planet is as varied as the species inhabiting it, a world of wonder and inescapable beauty. Climate control and the abolishment of airborne pollutants had given the atmosphere a glossy, shimmering hue which twinkled and sparkled in its starlight. Around their world the Ti had constructed an elaborate city in space, at the center of which were a series of umbrella like solar generators, absorbing light and energy and delivering it to the planet whenever and wherever there was need. The Tetrin sun would burn for another nine billion years and by then they would have long gone.

" Raider One on approach, I'm at the city limits."

The " city limits" was a simulated holographic electromagnastatic nebula cloud stretching out to great distances. This dramatic illusion allowed the Ti much greater security to the home worlds and if some unwanted visitor should dare explore the crackling expanse, the nebula did have some less holographic features associated with it.

^^Approach control confirms. Raider one clear for dock in hanger 6. Welcome home general.^^

"Raider one confirms and thank you, it's great to be back. Engaging auto-pilot."

"Automated approach guidance systems nominal. A little adventure at the end of an uneventful trip general."

"Yes indeed. I am looking very much forward to seeing inside that tube."

Unfortunately for Olek and his young apprentice, there access to the cryo tube and the computer was fleeting. The instant they were in dry dock senior representatives from the high council were there and with armed guard. In a surprise move, the men were led away.

In the hours and days to follow all trace of knowledge of the events surrounding the discovery were eliminated. In council there was great debate. In the end it was decided the life form was to remain in stasis for the foreseeable future. This ruling, however, did not last very long.

(2011 – 12:p.m.)

^^The package is secure sir.^^

"You know what to do." President Shepherd hung up the phone. His lap top displayed security camera views of three labs where surgeons were busily implanting Prodigies matrix into the cortex of each clone. There it would grow and evolve, but there would always be control. He thought of the greater good these beings would be serving and how much higher the cost would be if it were not for these people and their work. They were gods now and perhaps they realized it. What was next? What would be the next frontier to conqure? This needed to be all worth it. The mass paratroop drop was a one off. The clones needed to do a good enough job so the first round of good guys could make it to the ground and there were going be more men and women in the air in the history of war.

He thought about Rebecca. Could she be trusted? No. In eight days it wouldn't matter. The clones would be in place and the incursion would begin. She would never know.

Main lab

Rebecca had nothing to do but watch. Watch as her life's work was pressed into service. The briefing was pretty strait forward. It was not a terribly complicated procedure. Each station was fashioned with a holographic, 3d rendered guide for comparison. She was impressed. When the government REALLY wanted to get something done there were really limitless possibilities.

She feared for Jack. He really was worth killing for. More important than even her herself could understand. "Where are you."

"Always with you. Actually, I'm just down the hall. I've been placed on cold steel surface. They think I'm still sleeping. And, you should not know I am here."

Rebecca crossed her arms and cast a slow, cruel, narrow eye up into a camera, some feet away. Ultimate betrayal. More lies. They want to kill you all. It is the only plan they have.

 No. not the only one, but what an awful waste of things They have something else planed for me.

"It's what we do Jack. We make big messes. What do you want me to do?"

 Make it right.

Just then a double doors on the nearer left end of the lab swooped forward and an MP rolled in a clone and she watched as one of the attending confirmed its tag and soldier stepped away. One of the young men wheeled the pale body to her.

"I thought you should see everything doctor. This one just came in, but there was a special set of instructions attached to it and there's a red clearance sticker on it. It shouldn't have even been dropped off here."

Rebecca touched her assistance shoulder. "Thank-you Simon I'll have a look."

Each clone, having been removed from their chambers, were being kept in coma with neural inhibitors implanted in the brain at the time of their birth. They were being wheeled in and out of doors behind her, amidst the din of the well passed surgical operation. The clone was covered from head to toe in a white sheet. She uncovered its head. Pale and bald, just like all the rest. She dare not deactivate its neural blockers. She did. Almost immediately, she could hear him in her mind. She wanted to cry.

He asked her not too.

"Jack you have to listen to me now because there isn't much time!" She held up her data pad and hurriedly recorded a message she would have to code quickly and there was something else she would have to do quickly as well. I am going to make it right

And so the time was set. It took 72 hours to complete the procedure. The Prodigy Matrix was already resequencing the clones D. N. A. Analyzing, evolving, growing stronger. What the human brain can stand under expertly perfect conditions. Brains, no longer fully human.

Sub programs detailed in varieties of combat techniques and advanced weapons handling and sniper training were being hurriedly encoded into each clones 20 teraflop virtual memory drive and needed time cultivate and solidify their essence. No anxiety at the point of combat. It was a very simple idea. Run – run and keep running and see how far you can get. Shoot the weapon in your hands.

Rebecca was sick to her stomach. She sat in her quarters. Watching the minuets tick by. Sleep had been impossible. She was glad Ivan was not here to witness this. Curled in a ball she could still hear his voice inside her head. "I just can't let them do it Jack."

"All my brothers and sisters. Rebecca. I hear them all. I have the coordinates."

"They will wipe your memory."

"It's happening now."

"Jack I am so sorry!"

SOTHERN IRAN - DAWN

THE WAR began with drones. All drones, all manner of shape, size and armament, littering the sky machanized flocks of sensory and metal they wafted across the desert two and fro, stinging with the venom of a dozen locusts they went out in all directions in an endless wave. Could you conquer a nation with not one drop of bloodshed? The world was changing in these moments, faster than even the most concerned citizen really knew. Drones covered the Iranian sky in all directions from one end to the other, wanting resistance.

Behind the drones came the largest tank drop in military history, tanks controlled remotely from bases around the world. They churned the dunes and drug behind them a tsunami cloud of black and dust which only continued to grow as line of steel beasts was added too and made its steady way toward the door steps of the capital. The drone rush was being very successful in disrupting the integrity of the Iranian armies frontline and had managed to disable eighty-five percent of its air force with its planes still on the ground.

Victory for Iran would have to come on land.

Rows upon rows of men. Knelt in the sand, awaiting death. R.p.g.s at ready. Men were firing pistols into the air and balls of fiery death exploded into the sand from time to time and the earth under them began to vibrate and tremble. It would not stop. It increased again and again and at length it enveloped them in deafening roar. At the horizon, black death was coming. Now, the sand trail was rising, covering the bluing, early morning sky, sharply contrasting with the blacker cloud being created from the mass output of the line. It was black death.

The line approached. Rockets found their mark. The tanks kept coming.

Iran had tanks too and they were ready. Smaller than the Abrams and somewhat more maneuverable they were fanned out south in all directions with personal aboard and drone support. It would not meet the coalition completely head on, yet deal with it in pieces as drones rained hell fire upon the sandscape. All oil refineries had been abandoned and were destroyed or in the process of being. The mighty drone force descended in shimmering cloaked waves upon the larger population of Iran. Many had stayed, despite the Presidents warning. The regiments pilots were best and the brightest of us. If they encountered a gun, the order was to fire. Safe zones would be established as the incursion stressed across the centerline of the country.

From the balcony of the Consulate, the Iranian president could see the wall of black mixed with grey and now some red, closer to the ground. It seemed to stretch off forever in both directions. The guard was fully deployed. The infidels refused to scorch the desert. But, they had come to take it all. The wind brought the roar. The wall, now over the horizon, would not be stopped.

The President, had one more trick up his sleeve.

Behind the tanks, came the clones. They fell from the sky from cargo planes, row upon row, filled to the brim. The drone shield was lowered thirty feet, insuring one not become entangled in the fabric of a shoot. The desert filled with men and women. Long formations were assembled and trotted off in the clearing wake of the Abrams.

Rebecca was separate from him now, again. Each clone had a micro e.m.p. burst emitter imbedded in its memories virtual core. Each clones energy signature is unique, so a mass emitter would not work. Triggering the e.m.p. reset was a manual process.

The new President was a convincing liar, but she had gotten lucky. But was it enough time? Would he remember anything? Would there be anything left of his mysterious mind. The feelings of strange familiarity that awash through her when he reached out. Could they really have lived a dozen lives together. Or was this the future she saw through his mind? The bond caused so many questions. When he was gone, it was like a dream and the details faded through her fingers like fine grains in an hour glass. They wanted him to lead the slaughter. They didn't know what they had. She waited for it to be over.

Each clone was equipped with full body armor and armed with Strykers, 9mm's and grenades. They lined in rows of twenty wide and deep and they marched.

He marched along with him. They had no use for him after all, just another aberration.

2211 A.D.

The dreams fuel my quest for answers. Answers about this frozen place in my head. The Ti did not discover the Milky Way until long after this world was smitten, but they said the Zarconians were already in the galaxy and interested particularly in the suns third closest body. Even fifty years ago, the planet was ice and snow. But in all that time these retched abominations still had not found what they were looking for. Something tells me, it could be me.

I must know this woman who haunts my mind. My mind, which is both my own and yet not. She says a name, which I can only assume is mine. And there is something else. More than a tinge of recognition. She was trying to tell him something.

The question of the Ti was how the Zarconians ever found the Milky Way in the first place. They seemed to bring nothing but death and distraction in their wake, their colony ships seemed to dwarf even planets. Just one was sufficient to control a system. Now, there were five. Periodically they would shimmer and fade into nothing and remain hidden for a time. The cloak was perfect. If you were close enough to detect it, it was too late. Clearly, they possessed the capability of destroying the planet and yet for all these years they remained.

The fear of the Ti was that one day they would have to face them. Although confident enough of success the Ti had no way of knowing the size of its advisories army or even the extent of its understanding of militarization. Drone recon revealed the Zarconion desire for genetic material, for use and harvesting. For this, the Ti High Council decided to delay any encounter for as long as possible. Hoping, of course, that they would get bored and just go away. But this has not been the case.

In my swiss cheese memory I see things. Men dying around me and a beautiful woman with a message I just cannot make out. When I first awoke, fifteen years ago, the Ti were a frightening sight, tall, broad and foreboding. I was nude and lying face up on a low table with a curved upward edge. I was given covering when requested and something god offal to eat.

The Ti are telepathic as well. It did not take very long to experience this. I could hear them, all five of them, hovering over me like some unexplained foreign body. I was. The world I left behind long gone, The Ti were my only recourse. My brain simply amazed them. Then I saw what they could do to D.N.A. I was already the oldest living human, what would another few thousand years matter.

I learned from them. I visited the most amazing wonders of their world. These people had every reason to keep to themselves, but every moment I am among them now I feel brings them closer to war.

Mind of a Zarconian –

I have been searching for a man for a very, very long time. He, you could say, haunts me. I have chased him round and round, I have chased him across all of time. I have looked him in the eye and tasted his breath on my face, but still be alludes my grasp. This, mind seer! This, time traveler vigilante.

Zaxdon, my Queen, orders that we shall seek out and destroy this Jack. To bring him before her only in pieces. It is the thing I most wish to do. It is all that I am now, a warrior, a serveant. The Eternal Zaxdon has reviled to us a prophecy, that a man with pale skin and deep eyes will come and that he will strike at our line. And that this one shall be ruthlessly crushed, his D.N.A. sucked through him and his bones scattered. He must be found! All other concerns are secondary.

He awoke, knowing nothing of who he was. The sea, released him up from its icy grasp and at long last he knelt in the frothing sand. Where had he been? His mind spun with images and he struggled to catch his breath.

The incoming tide whipped up around him. His hair a and beard were long and he was strangely dressed in brown animal skin. He staggered to his feet, the waves helping push him along up the shoreline and onto dry white sand, still hot in the steadily setting sun. He looked around in all directions.

He set on a thick log, in the shade of a tall tree and watched the waves as they crashed into the water. How long had he been out there?

Then it hit him.

"Clive!"

He sprinted back to the water's edge. Nothing made any sense. Strange voices echoed in his mind. A singular vision crept across his mind's eye and he was struck to his knees. A place like no other. He reached out, straining to maintain control.

"Nooooooooooooo!"

For another time, Christian found himself wrapped in darkness. It suffocated him on all sides. He was paralyzed, but all at once he was released again and found himself in another equally peculear place. His back rested against a cold smooth slab of stone. He stood and looked up. "Oh my god." He was looking at the sculpted back of a seated man. He was inside some sort of structure, but could tell that the sun was setting and there were lights to illuminate the front of the stature which had come on. He still was dressed in the strangest of attire. He stepped around and into the glow of the spot light. "Lincoln. What the hell is going on!"

EPOLOG

(2211 a.d.)

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What would be keeping the Zarconians here when there were surely more appealing targets. Something they needed? Something they lost?

 The more time the Ti had with the data module I found, the more information they were able to reconstruct. But there was nothing about me. Nothing yet that would explain how I ended up it seems abandoned to time. I wasn't just lucky, although even the Ti have a word for that. My stowaway container had been programmed specifically on a deep space trajectory.

One disturbing fact which has been uncovered, the Zarconians have been here before. Earth had not been spared their wrath, but there was nothing specifically about them. What are they? What are their weakness.?How ever did they find this isolated galaxy? This was not the homecoming I had hoped for.

^^ Jack. I have something.^^

He sat up in his bunk. He felt tired. "Sorry Sal, I must have dozed off. Is everything alright?"

^^Sorry to disturb you sir, but I believe I have found what you are looking for.^^

The Ti cruiser was shaped like a 6. It was sleek, intuitively maneuverable and fully automated. The Ti liked their computers to do the flying, But Jack liked to fly. He streaked his craft low across the frozen white surface of the Earth. Every moment he lingered was another moment for the Zarconians to find him. "There."

^^I have a structure. It is unstable, but remarkably a portion of it appears to have remained at the surface. The data archive refers to this place as the Pentagon.^^

"What was this place?"

^^Geopolitical arm of this nation of states broad based military industrial complex. A great many secrets were contained within these walls.^^

"Then it stands to reason there could be information here that would not have been included in the main archive. Sal, take us in nice and slow, continues scan."

^^We are within visual range now.^^

The white colored face of the multi-windowed building blended seamlessly into mighty drift of frozen cold. The snowy wind whipped hail stones in and out of dark, long shattered windows. Sal took the craft on a long slow pass over the top. The inner most portion of the building was open and completely filled with snow and ice, but a significant portion of the structure was indeed intact.

^^I am detecting a large underground complex consisting of nine levels. A most impressive facility. The complex is heavily reinforced and independently powered by a nuclear reactor built beneath the entire facility.^^

"Are you detecting any life readings of any kind?"

^^Negative, however I am receiving interference from the reactor. It is impossible to rule out the possibility a life form might exist.^^

Jack took his time suiting into his climate gear. This was the dangerous time, out in the elements, exposed. He would have to move quickly. "Okay Sal I am in the bay. I have activated my suit. The virtual display is functioning. Open the back door."

Jack stepped out into the desolate ocean of white, his crimson body armor suit contrasting richly in blowing snow. In his left hand was a long, slender, lightweight rifle. He made his way to one of the windows nearer to where the building began to be covered and knelt down, leaning in for a scan. A room with a door leading to a hall. "Structure seems quite well preserved, all things considered. Proceeding inside."

^^I am detecting a large number of data storage units on level five of the underground facility. I am uploading a map to your display now Jack. The power had been cut off, although the reactor seems to be undamaged and is being kept cool under its own power, but there may be the beginnings of a breach in progress. It is nothing to be concerned about at this moment.^^

The Ti designed the suit Jack wore specifically for him, down to his exact height and weight. This was one of three different designs they created for him. This was the simplest design. All encompassing , aerodynamic and solid enough to stand just about anything. It even came with a flash light in the palm of the right hand.

"I'm at the elevator. The doors are open and the car is gone. What do you think about these cables?"

^^I do not like it.^^

Jack hazarded a grin. "Someone forgot to pay the electrical bill."

Luckily, the car had been frozen at the very bottom of the shaft, allowing Jack to slide all the way down with relative ease. The doors to the floor needed to be forced, but that being done he was able to locate the database terminal. "I'm going to have to tear this thing part to get at the core."

^^Work quickly.^^

After a time, Jack had the module in his hand. He placed it into a padded container attached to his waist and proceeded to climb back up the shaft. In no time he was back outside and in the relative safety of the Ti craft. Jack returned to the ovular cockpit and sat in the left seat. "Sal get is the hell out of here!"

^^Agreed.^^

It took The Ti nine hours to analyze the Pentagon data. At long last Jack was able to give a name to the face of the woman who'd haunted his dreams in these past years. Rebecca. He read about Prodigy and the vision that Ivan Chandra had for the future of the mind. He read of how his breakthroughs were perverted and misused for political gains. He read of a massive clone army and of some kind of revolt within its ranks.

Jack struggled to make sense of these revelations. In a way, he was still just as lost, although more pieces of the puzzle were beginning to trickle through. This Rebecca woman, she knew he was different somehow. He was a clone, but there was something else, something that set him apart from all those other thousands. He felt the desperate need to care for this mysterious woman, as he felt she had for him. But these thoughts, these emotions were many decades removed. None of it mattered anymore, at least not that part. Whatever their relationship had been, she was nothing but a faded memory.

In the files pertaining specifically to Prodigy, Jack learned more about his mind and its potential and be better understood now the Tis' interest and why they used to sometimes refer to him as the living machine. It frightened him, this expanse of just open virtual space. There was no time there.

He read about the events which followed the botched clone invasion. His blood turned to ice water.

"They sent us all out there to die!"

Now Jack was angry, however useless the emotion now. But something had gone wrong.

"What did you do woman?

He read on. The data came to him in snippets.

"Wait Sal. Go back. There. These are the minutes for the operation. She did it! Ha ha!

^^ I do not understand. What would cause the clones to turn on their own people?^^

"Sabotage, Sal. Sabotage.

Rebecca and her team were directly blamed for the malfunction and their security clearances were at once terminated. But, somehow, she was able to save him. She must have felt it was his only chance.

He wished to thank her for her courage.

"Alright Sal. What do you have for me on the Zarconians?"

^^ 2050 a.d.. First contact with Zarconian deep space probe. Devastating results. Many orbiting buildings destroyed. Millions dead. Eventually, the probe was disabled and relinquished its secrets.

"They can bend space."

He read about the aftermath of the attack and the decision to construct a space station around the whole of the Earth. What a sight that must have been.

"Project Aurora Sky. What was that?"

^^ They built a ship, reverse engineered from the probe. Two were chosen to intercept a much larger object. Likely a mother ship.^^

"Two hero's' who never made it home. Damn."

^^ I have something else sir, something I am having difficulty accepting. The Zarconians have a quantum displacement technology.^^

"They have a time machine!"

^^ A very powerful and dangerous one. It is highly unlikely the Zarconians have tested this device on a grand scale.^^

"They haven't gotten quite that desperate yet. But I am just that desperate right now. Time to home world?"

^^ 7 hours, 29 minutes.^^

4: PART 2 - CHAPTER 1 - ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD

~~The Aurora Sky Prophecy

Part 2
**

        Chapter 1
                          All the Time In the World

(2220 a.d.)

 When one walks amongst the Ti long enough he begins to lose the isolation of sense of individual spirit and can connect to a broader plain where ideas and emotions run free and you can never be alone. The Ti have an on/off switch for this, but the genius of these people was able to construct what they call for me a celestial matrix inhibitor. Even Prodigy would have a huge problem with what is going on here. Even the Ti themselves do not fully understand these things and that is one of the things that can be distressing to me at times, but they have always been good to me. I have seen only kindness from them.
 I was here for five years before I met my wife, Slena’. There is a beauty about here that words do not exist in any language. We met in a bar. It’s a pretty funny story.
 We would take these walks along the sandy shoreline of vast ocean. She taught me things. Things I never imagined possible and I have imagined a lot. Prodigy is forever a part of me, the light I can never turn off.
 But there is a part of my mind she cannot access and I wish to high hell she could.
 After the clone revolt, those that remained were subjected to memory wipe and remained completely classified. Most were dispatched in continued military operations and the bloodshed continued as it seems to always have on this world I was escaped from.
 Rebecca. My angle. My salvation. But there was very much more than that. I believe we may have had some kind of relationship. These flashes that I have; of a warm place, and of a peace. What did happen between them? I put her in harm’s way. Something I did. It is guilt which compels me to find these answers. My wife considers my quest a fool’s errand. But, she did not wake up in a can.
 But at last I have something, perhaps everything. A devastating first contact, with a technology every ounce as savage and brutal as the Zarconians themselves. They are a strange and frightening genetic mix. They have gone too far. It is impossible to know how much of who they were actually exists. Which parts really belong. Some seem human enough, but they are all monsters. Large crimson spheres as eyes. Teeth a gnarled mess of odd angled switch blades.
 My preference has always been to stay away from them. The cold on Earth was hampering their efforts to find the thing I believe I now have and I can blast all of Zarconia back to wherever the hell it came from, and spare Earth!
 And what about Earth. Why not blow it up, secrets and all. Maybe the Zarconians are not as all powerful as they look in their elongated building ships. Because this isn’t about Earth anymore. But I don’t think I can do alone what needs to be done. I will be hard pressed to convince the Ti council to dispatch me warriors to go traipsing through the foreboding corridors of a Zarconian mother ship. They have nothing to gain and I  know that. But I need to try. I need to do all that I can to stop these creatures, or at least slow them down. God only knows what they will be in the future. Selena’ will not be pleased either. She has been patient with me to a point, with my stealthing to and from a barren, white world. She will be afraid that if I go, I may make unintended changes. I think about too.

Council of the Ti.

 The entrance to the Ti council chamber rose to a high center arc, which jutted out in an elegant inward curve. The doors were heavy and fashioned in two towering pieces, of a deep, rich red wood. The whole of the structure was an elaborate circular labyrinth and set atop a strong plateau overlooking sprawling citizenry of the Ti.
 Jack made the trip up on foot. It was a way he showed his respect and thanks for all the people had done for him and continued to do. Now he had to ask something more of them. He had to ask them to help him save his world from an evil.
 He had been to the council chamber several times in the past, more in the years immediately following his discovery. They were still as curious about him as he was of them and every day was filled with promise. Was I throwing it all away? How much does ones past matter? All of this happened long after I was out in space anyways. There is no reason for him to think he would not still be found floating out in space. he might not be able to stop that probe. But maybe, just maybe he can do something about the ship they send. Or, at least slow it down, give Earth more time.
 With the Ti, Jack felt as though he had all the time in the world. The longer the Zarconians linger here the more dangerous things become for everyone. So far, the Ti have managed to remain hidden and the creatures are themselves preoccupied with Earth.
 The wide stepped path to the consulate building were cut in a wide curve up the sloping side of the mountain, close to a thousand feet. Near the top, Jack stopped to look out at the stunning beauty of the outlying mountain range. Everything about this world seemed to him much larger than it should be. Even after all the years, the awe of this place had not left him.
 To either side of the main door was a foreboding bulk armored guard. They were largely red and black and each held fast to a long thick grey rod. The rods were crossed in front of the door as he approached. Jack used to wonder who the Ti were even expecting seeing the need for this level of security. The Zarconians changed his view of things. Now Jack thought, “I need you two! Ha!”
 “I wish to speak with the council! It is a matter of the utmost importance!”
 A hollow voice boomed back to him from everywhere and nowhere. “Council is in session and cannot be interrupted. You may speak with vice-visory Mal’-Vo. Do you wish to speak?”
 He shrugged. “Yeah, whatever opens the door.”
 The voice boomed through him again, darker and louder. “Yes, or no.”
 “Yes!”
 The robo guards tipped away, raising their lances and the tall doors turned slowly inwards. The outer grounds was an open air garden paradise with exquisite solid carvings, lush greenery of many colors and a host of masterful topiary sculpture. Odd insects and other small creatures visited this place. More so than the flowers and ponds, smaller creatures were attracted to the lower vibrational tones produced by the Ti council’s autonomic, meditative rhythm generator. These pulses would echo through and against the mountains and in turn through the people.
 As Jack walked the main path leading to the first inner sanctum, the rhythms of their melodic chanting vibrated against his body and through his skin, through to his very soul.
 The first inner sanctum was a massive shimmering silver sphere, lined with tall thick green trees and solid white door. It slid upward as Jack approached and he saw the vice-visory standing stoutly in the center of a very large room, lined with carved pillars and lit from a transparent dome top which allowed for just enough light to fill the crystal floor and cause It to sparkle.
 The vice-visory was dressed from head to toe in a deep purple and red robe . Only his long, regal face and wide hands showed. He was quite tall, even for a Ti and very strait postured, imposing. Jack stepped cautiously into the room and closer to Mal’-Vo.
 “Well Jack, now this is an unexpected surprise. What can we do today for the man from the frozen place?”
 “The council is aware that for some time now I have been in search for answers to my origin. Well I now have the answers I have been seeking and more. I have vital information regarding the Zarconian fleet and what they might be still doing here.”
 “Please, continue Jack.”
 “They possess a technology which allows them to travel great distances in relatively short time. Earth, in the year 2050, had an encounter with one of their deep space probes.”
 “Not likely a pleasant one I imagine. Were your people able to glean anything from the probe? Surely that encounter was not sufficient to have caused its condition today.”
 “No. There is nothing yet on that. Your people are very good, but the data is fragile. But there are two important details that have emerged; I was hoping to address the council directly.”
 Suddenly, the whole floor began to descend.
 Mal’-Vo was solid as a rock, completely unfazed by the abruptness of the motion. “The man with the endless mind suffers motion sickness. Ha!”
 “Yeah don’t tell anyone that.”
 The platform came to a thundering rest at the bottom of the long oval tunnel. All was dark except for a curve arched hallway which seemed to float freely in the dark and was lined with candles on both sides. Its floor was a rich red carpet and the walls were white.
 “The council will be in session for the remainder of the day, but you may speak with the Vicory. All you must do is open the door at the end of the hall.”
 Jack gave the Ti a long measured look. “Thank-you.”

 The Ti had secrets to match their strength and knowledge.  They were living proof that the universe was not a completely cold and hostile place, but they knew the dangers better than Jack did. He knew that tangling with the Zarconians  would be pretty low on their list of priorities, but he just had to try. He had to do it for Rebecca. She was there for him those many years ago. She saved his life.
 Another set of doors folded back and he stepped into a tall domed room made from smooth stone, browns mixed with gray and with a vibrant shine. Three tall, elegantly draped windows cast a shimmering glow across the room, which was ever changing.  Closer the far end, Visory Elin – Kav –El’ sat a long desk. At her right, several holographic panels streamed all manner of information. The left end of the strong, polished white table was covered with a pile of tightly rolled scrolls, bound with black straps. One such scroll was partly opened in front of the visory and he was busy in its contents.
 Jack stepped forward, his boot steps echoing throughout. Closer to the desk, he stopped.
 Visory  Ket’- Val, even by Ti standards, was ancient. He had held his esteemed position as chief representative of the people longer than anyone could remember. Now, he was an old man, gene therapy notwithstanding. Soon now, he would pass his knowledge and experiences on to another. All that he was, was contained in these scrolls. Lifetimes worth of work and sacrifice. He wore rich green colored robe of the senior leadership, it was lined on the edges with gold and silver flake. He had a long broad face and deep dark eyes, which narrowed as he looked up. “Ah, my pale skinned brother. So, what brings you here to these sacred hallow chambers. Some news of your home world no doubt.”
 Even with the inhibitor, the Ti knew. They were just that good.
 “That is absolutely correct Visory Ket’- Val. I do have news. It would appear that our friends the Zarconians, have been here before.”
 Ket’-Val rolled the scroll over into its shell and placed it atop the pile. He interlaced his large boney fingers . “I was alive when this place was constructed, that’s how long I have been here. My people, we once traveled the stars. There are things and places rivaling all you have seen on our worlds. But we found nothing out there better for us than what we could do for ourselves. The first thing we did was incase our sun in a regenerative quantum magnetic field. We gave the sun a whole new life, one which can begin and begin again. Then, we fabricated the nebula”
 “You did encounter dangerous beings before?”
 “Oh yes. Some look very much like yourself, humanoid. But there are other types of creatures, hairy beasts and other oddities. What more we have discovered is there seems to be no rule of law in space. We have made some positive connections, but It has been hundreds of years since our fleet has been out of the solar system. When were they here?
 “ The invasion took place in 2060. Ten years prior, one of their deep space probes found its way into this system and it must have honed in on Earth and all the goings on in orbit. They built an entire new world. It seems they attracted the very attention your people wish to avoid. The probe, for reasons I do not fully understand, self-destructed and Earth was well in the way. It was a crippling blow, but not all hope was lost. They learned things from scans of the probe. They decided to fight back.”
 “Then you come from a very brave people. What I have seen of the Zarconians, mostly from your recordings of these savage abominations of life, is that they are a most retched and vile creation. I am endlessly stunned to know there are actually functioning brains inside those things. There is a question you are just dying to ask Jack. It is on the tip of your tongue. What did your people learn from the probe?”
 “That the Zarconians are very much smarter than I thought.”
 “And more dangerous.”
 “Yes Visory. What I have uncovered is that they have the ability to travel great distances in very short time frames. But there is something else Visory, something I feel needs special consideration. The Zarconians have a time displacement technology. My fear is that-“
 Ket’- Val stood as he spoke, his boot steps echoed in all directions. He came around to face Jack. “You do have fear Jack, but fear is not your primary motivation.”
 Jack stiffened. He hesitated to step back. He felt the weight of all Ti upon him. “There is a chance Visory Ket, that I may be able to save my world. Or at least, give them a fighting chance. And maybe slow the Zarconians down as well.”
 “You wish to mount an incursion. A very dangerous proposal.” Ket paused and removed from his cloak a shiny gold colored key. “The Ti have abolished war three millennia ago, you know this. Do you know what an armed conflict could do my people? Do you know how bad I want to rid this system of the shadow of what remains of Zarconia? I have held this key forever. It was given to me by the man I succeeded. Below this chamber is a secret room. You will need this key to access it. You should find what you are looking for.”
 Jack took the key from the viceroys’ outstretched hand. It was heavier than it looked and quite large for what it was, but everything here was. “My most humble thanks, visory. My goal is to get in and get out without them ever knowing we were there.”
 The visory stepped in a bit closer, ever taller. “The devise its self is likely to be heavily guarded. If you can only get data, that will just have to do. Take no unnecessary risks Jack.”
 Jack swallowed hard, lost in the Ti’s deep, dark, piercing eyes. “No worries. I’ve been sneaking around Zarconians for years. They are smarter than they look, but I’m smarter. Do you want one?”
 “Ha! Now here we have Jack the great, savior of his frozen world. I understand this is personal for you. I must however insist you restrict your bloodshed. The device is not worth all-out war!”
 “How soon can I go?”
 “Return with the key in twelve hours. A ship will be ready. You will fill it with the hopes and dreams of your people.”

    
(unknown time)

 Rebecca opened her eyes slowly. There he was, resting peacefully next to her as always. Everything was perfect. She was happy. He’d grown his hair out. It was dark and beautiful.
 They were standing in a field. The wind was blowing wildly, the reeds twisted all around them. She looked at him and through him and past him. The sky was a strange greyish, brownish, yellow. A sun which was there and yet not. She took his wrist. “Where are we?”
 He took her close, whispered something in her ear. She tried to push him away. “How long have we been here Jack!” She pounded his chest, but he would not speak.

 Again, she found peace. All was as it should be. They were together and finally no one could ever find them. It was completely perfect.
 Some mornings, she would leave his side and step out into the yard to watch the sun, to bathe in its warm glow. The grass was thick between her toes and damp. Her long red hair danced freely in a calm breeze which nipped at the edges of her silk robe.
 Suddenly there it was. The darkness was pierced. Rebecca closed her eyes. The warmth pierced her soul.
 Some mornings, he would wake as she left. He would follow quietly behind her as she moved through the house and then outside. Each morning she was more beautiful. Everyday more of his control was lost. Now it was too late. It was the ripples in her robe. No, it was her hair and a thousand other things. She loved the sunrise, so he gave it to her. She wanted space. He gave her all the time in the world. She was happy. Happier than he’d ever known her to be. This time it was perfect. Nothing ever truly was.
 One morning she turned suddenly to face him.

 (2220)

 When you know how much time you have left with the people you love, it changes you. It forces you to confront your own demons, when there is nowhere to hide.
I knew my wife, my love, would be less than pleased with my decision. 
In all the years I had been with the Ti, I’d seen little of their military. In fact, I have never seen an outward sign of defense. I could only imagine what secrets the key would unlock.

When Jack returned, tall candles burned in the garden and around the massive sphere, as the giant Ti sun had begun its decent. He was greeted at the entrance by an old friend, Olek’, one of the Ti who’d found him.
“Olek’! I did not know you were on the council. It’s been a while. How have you been my friend?”
“I am doing very well Jack. I trust you and your lovely bride still do well. That was quite a reception as I remember.”
“I got married?”
They shared a laugh. It felt good. But matters were serious.
“Are you sure you want to do this Jack? Why not just forget what is in the past and live the rest of your days here! If it weren’t for these blasted Zarconians.”
“Olek’, I can’t get these visions out of my head. I am haunted. If there is a chance in hell of un doing what has happened to my world, I have to take it.”
“You are risking war. No cloak is perfect. If we are detected on approach there will be little time for pleasantries. Personally, I think this is a really bad idea, but the information you have provided is compelling, to the council, but not to me.
“You’re coming with me?”
“Someone has to make sure you don’t get yourself captured, or killed.”
“For someone who is against the mission, you seem pretty eager to have my back old friend. You don’t have to do this you know, I do have the army.”
Olek’ let out a deep laugh. “Without me, your army would scarcely be able to function. The key you hold, merely opens the door. There are many of us Jack, who feel it is because of you that we face this threat. This sortie is strictly recognizance. If they know we are there-“
“Parties over. Olek’, I’ve got it.

Again inside the sphere and down. This time, the decent was longer. The insides of Jacks ears began to tingle. He glared at Olek’.
All at once the floor came to a rest in a room well lit with wall candles and three tall, deep red colored doors with elaborate contraptions across them horizontally. The Ti were nothing of not precautious.
“The key will open one of these three doors. Behind each stands a garrison, ready and able.”
 Jack chose the center door. He carefully fitted the large key into its home, gave it a push and a hard clockwise turn. The key began to rattle. It emitted a bright flash. He released it hurriedly. “Shit!” The key dissolved into a fine powder. The ancient door creaked slowly inward, groaning at every inch echoing loudly in the domed chamber.
The doors halted, revealing a long corridor. Jack stepped forward. He took in a long breath and blew it out hard. “Great. Robots.” He looked at Olek’. “Robots?”
“The best robots!”
“How many?”
“Twenty-four. Pray we don’t need a one.”
“That’s not going to happen Olek. We get the device, or whatever information we can and then we’re out.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5: 2 - THE BEST OF US

~~CHAPTER 2
                         

The Best of Us – Part 1   

 

The Ti were masters of space while man was running into caves to hide from the dinosaurs. Their intellect is matched only by their technological and design prowess. Their vessels tended for greater emphasis on the overall visual esthetic of the design, wide, sweeping curves, twists and elongated curvatures in the hull. They are working primarily with two materials in the construction of their massive, elegant fleet; a shimmering, highly reflective metalloid of truly stunning strength when hardened and a thick, beige colored substance which they mold to suit their needs.
 The Ti have an unlimited power source. This is the reason for the nebula and also for the creation of a planetary cloak, which would not be fully completed for another two years. It is pretty safe to say the Zarconians don’t have one.
 I am not a big fan of the council’s decision to supply me with a detachment of mecanoids to secure my infiltration a Zarconian mother ship, but it is better than nothing and I have Olek. He seems quite confident in the machines, I was hoping for a little more flesh and bone.

“Alpha control this Delta 2-9 we are locked and ready to disembark.” Olek’ slid his left hand into a semi- enclosed, grip control mechanism, His right, busied about the control panel holo-HUD display. Real-time, 3D visual tracking. “Nav. vectors confirmed. Auto-realign engaged.”
^^Control confirms Delta 2-9. Iris sealed. Tether has retracted. Best of luck^^
Jack was seated in the co-pilots chair, to the right and slightly below his friend. His only job was to stay strapped in and keep his eyes on the ships power levels while they crossed light speed a fast and potentially bumpy ride through the vortex of space-time, much can happen in the twinkling of an eye. This was something he had been looking forward to for a long time, not, perhaps, under these circumstances. He gripped the taught, gray X strap, holding him relatively in place. The interior of the hanger whisked behind and they were scoring through open space.
Soon they reached the inner wall of the distortion nebula, real and yet not.
Olek’ tapped his ear piece. “We will be in the nebula for approximately twenty minutes. Let’s try and maintain this speed. Watch the field absorption rate. I’m already getting fluctuations in the matrix. Steady. Steady.”
As it came fuller into view, Jack was able to see for the first time its true beauty. A methodical, twisting, sparkling cloud of pinks and grays and blues it seemed to stretch out into oblivion. Everything about it was designed to wreak havoc with control and sensors. The Ti, in their genius, had created a true astronomical monster and it was becoming increasingly efficient at its job.
Closer in, the colors fused together in inky wafts with brilliant, crackling streaks of white and green. The cockpit quivered slightly, enough to cause Olek’ pause to look up. Jack caught the reaction. Was he nervous? The Ti naturally had adapted their shields to compensate for the nebula but all of his trips through, mostly in small shuttles where he strapped in back and could not see the potential danger, at some point the lights would go red and there would be some issue. “My god Olek’, this thing is just amazing.”
“And completely out of our control.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, we should have destroyed this thing a very long time ago.”
“Do you think this could threaten the planet?”
“It continues to grow. Evolve. If were ever to lose the power to stop it.
They were now deep within the turbulent beast. Streaks of electricity danced across the transports shields, prisiming colors across its smooth, glossy hull; and there was debris. Although highly maneuverable, sub-light through the dense nebula was suicide. It was always a risk.
This was Jacks first full view of it. He’d spent his previous ventures to Earth via bulk transport, his personal shuttle deployed well within the system, but still out of Zarconian range. He then would simply have to wait for the next transport to swoop him up.
The cockpit began to tremble, then it shook violently one side to the other and there was a loud bang and the transport was rocked again, from behind. “I’m extending the shields! Max power!”
“Give me all thrusters!” Olek’ struggled to maintain control. Nearer the center of the nebula, conditions were becoming increasingly unstable.
The transport blasted forward, through the apex of the cloud. Here, the situation was calmer, brighter. Jack gathered himself. “Well that was fun.”
“Long range scan is offline. Keep an eye on that debris trail. Approaching inner boundary.”
Again, the transport vanished.
They were clear and well in deep space. Next, the light jump.
Jack looked up at his friend. “Too late to back out now.” He took a deep breath. “Oh shit.”
“Light barrier, ninety seconds.”
The hull creaked. There was an echoing bowing sound. The vibrations persisted.
“Light barrier, sixty seconds.”
The edges of the long, curved main window began to twinkle. The vibrations continued in intensity, but more so in depth. A frequency more within than without. Jack was feeling the pressure. It pressed his head harder against the support. Streaks of white light danced across the window, tricking even his euniquely styleized eyes into many extraneous blinks. Now he was nauseous and the fun was over. “Step on it buddy!”
“Light barrier, thirty seconds!”
Seconds stretched into minutes. The curve of the cockpit began to elongate forward, now a brilliant scattering of streaking light covered the whole of the window. Warning lights flashed all around and with a sudden jolt a klaxon. Jack struggled against the bombardment. This was worse than the nebula!
“ Twenty seconds!”
In a flash, they were gone.

All was white.
Then, to Jacks shock, they were still and in an open expanse of space. He took a few deep breaths, looking around, gathering himself. Everything was still were it was supposed to be. He glanced up at Olek, who seemed too busy to be affected by the unusually turbulent jump. “Are we still in one piece?”
“As opposed to several, yes I would say we handled that pretty well. We’ve lost a shield on the dorsal thruster, but I can compensate. No hull damage detected, but we are way off course. It happens.”
“Are we close enough to detect the fleet?”
“No, but I am detecting low level vibrations in the gamma band. They are out there, thinking how clever they are to mask their communications. We’ve entered your  system. Engaging cloak. Stand-by.”
Jack could see Earth clearly now. A bright white ball, larger and brighter still. “Nothing on sensors. It’s quiet.”
“Indeed.”
“They’ve cloaked Olek. Shouldn’t we - - “
“Steady.”
“ - - slow down captain.”
“You’re sure there’s nothing out there.”
“The board is green, but it means nothing if we crash into one of them.”
“I want deep orbit. All power to shields. Continuous sweep. Cutting speed to half. Full maneuvering thruster power engaged. Entering lunar gravity field. We’ll approach from the dark side of the moon and come in real low, see what we can see.”
“Sounds like a plan. Usually at least one of the smaller frigates are out. The mother ship, the big one, I’ve seen just  couple of times. God only knows what’s inside of that thing. It could slice right through this moon.”
Just then, something caught Jacks eye. A most peculiar long rang surface scan return. “Olek.”
“What is it Jack?”
“There’s something on the moon. I’m not one-hundred percent sure yet. It could be ship or a large structure of some kind.”
“Zarconian?”
“Unknown.”
“Continue scan. Arming weapons systems.”

The cruiser approached the ominous, dark circle of the shadow moon, shrouded in a twinkling all around. Its approach was high and center on the northern pole, strait across the top.
“Confirmed Olek. Son-of-a-bitch. Would you look at that.”
Well buried in shadow, but visible to the naked eye in this closer proximity, the dome entrance to long forgotten place.
“I know you want to have a look around Jack, but we can’t be out here forever. Let’s deal with first things first.”
Jack watched the cracked dome go by. There was  lot of structure here. He’d never thought all that much about the moon. Too preoccupied with Earth and hiding from Zarconians.
Earth was now in full view, beautiful and frozen.
Olek’ straitened in his chair. “I have a vessel. Southern quadrant.”
“It’s one of the smaller craft.”
“Reducing thrust. Cutting main power, now.”
The cockpit went black for a moment, then all was bathed in deep red, shadows were darker and had minds of their own, but Earth shown bright as they passed below its perfect glowing curve.
Soon enough, the frigate was within visual range. Long, tuff and menacing, dazzling reflections reflected across the smooth, inky blackness of it outer hull. It seemed literally to swallow stars as it slowly glided.
Olek’ was standing now. He’d moved to a station nearer the main view, which was quickly filling with black death. “Emergency reverse thrust, on my mark.”
Jack held his breath.
“Mark!”
The thrust pulse engaged. They were way too close.
Jack was behind his friend at another station, scanning for a way in that did not involve cutting, or blasting. “I’ve never seen a waste dump, or an exhaust port, or even a hanger door open.”  They kept pace along the long edge of the lumbering giant, yet a baby, compared to his mother. It’s angles were sharp and purposeful and there were no plate lines. It was as if the whole thing had been hewn from one solid piece of material, whatever that was.
“We have twenty-four hours of emergency power and then we are dead. Thrusters will delineate from that of course. Let’s find a way in this beast.”
“I just can’t get over how huge these things are!” Jack exclaimed.
“Yes, but the Zarconians are the exception, not the rule. They travel as a race, making them far more deadly, their genetic disposition notwithstanding.
Eventually, the computer located a possible entry point.
Jack spun around. “A co2 vent. Now we know one thing they don’t like.”
“It’s going to be a tight fit. But I think we can make it.”
They pressed on, deep into the belly of the beast. The cramped tunnel opened into a vast labyrinth of sparking, yellowish black circuitry panel structuring and a myriad connecting passages. Waves of snapping energy cascaded along the inner walls. Pale arms crackled out randomly in all directions.
“Tell me Jack, is it everything you expected?”
“I’d like to know where the Zarconians are getting all this power from. What do you think about a partial power up? Maybe get a quick scan, find us a way out of this death maze?”
Olek’ busied himself about the terminal before him for a moment. “We’ll need to position ourselves closer to the structure.”
“Not too close.”
“Hold steady. Raising power. Attenuating sensor matrix. Incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it before. We must be cautious Jack. These Zarconians are more dangerous than I could have possibly imagined.”
“There’s more bad news. They are breathing oxygen, that explains the Co2, but it’s mixed with something. The computer is having fits.”
Olek’ pounded his mighty fists into the smooth curve of the flat faced terminal. “We need to get out of this energy grid! One of these surges is sure to hit us and then we’re either blown apart or at the very least the fleet knows something is wrong.”
Jack went to the captains  side. “We’re not going to cover any ground hiding on the field line. I say we punch it! It’s a big ship Olek’.”
“Is it in your human nature to rush on to certain death? I bet one finds it in your history. I am, however, forced to agree!”
Along the bottom then discharges were smaller and less frequent. In a burst, they were off.
“Do you really think you can save this world Jack?”
“It’s more than that Olek’. There is a woman in my mind. She haunts me now and will not let me go. They erased my memory, but I think she saved me. I owe her everything, but it is something more than that. She touched me in some way, or we had an experience. I really can’t explain it.”
The Ti’s round, bold ears twitched and he arched his back. “You do this, for a woman.”
“I’m doing this to put an end to Zarconia!”

Deep within the bowels of the Zarconian frigate they searched for an opening. Occasionally, dark, spherical orbs flew overhead, alone and in groups. If they were discovered now, it would be over.
“How much did you tell her.”
Jack took a long breath. Forcing himself not to think, about anything, was difficult. Really it was impossible. He glanced at Olek’. “I told her, I’d be right back.”
“It is better that she thinks you will return.”
“What about yours?”
“I am a soldier first Jack, but I did not volunteer for this. But it is fitting I suppose. I did rescue you from  icy oblivion. There! Reverse thrust.”
They came to a slow glide before a rectanganal tunnel, now they were just below it. The coast looked clear, but deeper in all was dark.
Jack went behind Olek’ to an adjoining station. “Thermal, inferred, x-ray, nothing in the immediate vicinity.”
“Taking us up.”
The adjoining tunnel was an endless hypnotizing, spiral cylinder. Its surface glowed strangely orange and became better lit as they ascended. They were in an enormous open space, the curved wall stretched steeply down below them as the occasional pulse of some neon green light source very far down the tunnel was ejected and spread across its curve.
“What do you make of this Olek’?”
“Directed energy. Lots of power. Too much power I would say for one race of being, but we know what the Zarconians are, or what they are becoming.”
Jack gave the captain a stern look. “It’s too late for them.  They are just out of control now. Who knows what other damage they’ve done. The one I fought was just an animal, but they are strong and clearly there is intelligence among them.”
“If they have a leader, then we could have an easier time of this, of course we have no way of knowing the condition of this peoples hyerkical  structure, or whether there is any real structure at all.”
Jack continued to watch the short range scan data as it filtered in. “I don’t see any immediate activity. It’s a big ship, where is everybody? I say we start on, head for the front.”
The Ti vessel jutted forward, deeper still into the unknown. There was structure extruding from the surface of the tunnel and openings of one shape and size or another. Movement could be seen, but there were no ships. They continued on.
“Bad news on the air in here,” Jack announced, “We’re going to need suits.”
“Absolutely perfect.”
They continued down the long open cylinder. Its end was flat and there were two octagonal doors barbra-pulled black red.
“Suppose we just knock.” Jack quipped.
“Over there, far right. It’s a ventilation shaft. Deeper inside, we’ll need to power on. We can’t just walk around blind.” Olek’ rested his left hand in the control module. Two short bursts. Now they were close. “Stand-by emergency breaking.”
“I’m on it.”
Deeper still through an endlessly stretching passage. But now luck was on their side. One of the few times it might be. They were in and safe enough now to raise power and conduct more detailed scans of the frigates internal structure.
The men watched cautiously, hastily. The ship continued down the shaft, gliding through beams of shallow light emanating from all directions. Finally, there came a split. Three choices; up, down, left.
Olek’ studied the readings intently, his wide dark eyes deeply focused. “The internal layout is pretty basic. Some three-hundred fifty floors. Many rooms, it will take the computer sometime to make scense of this. I am detecting what looks to be primary and secondary power cores, one in the center, another closer the rear.”
“The cores will be guarded. What we need is a terminal.”
“Agreed. Direct interface is the only way of getting the information we need. I’ve identified an access point into the main structure of the ship. We’re going to set down just over there, in that trench. Secure us Jack, I’m going to wake our reinforcements.”
Jack shot the captain a nervous grin.

Outside the Ti’ ship, the group was bathed in an ominous, hollow echo which permeated the corridor. The walls were long, slanted and had a dark, metallic blue color. There was light at either end and although seemed far down, the tunnel was well enough lit.
Jack pressed against the metallic breast plate of his sleek, custom suit. Its head cover, clear with holographic display. In his right hand, he gripped his custom phase pistol. Over his left shoulder, an energy pulse rifle specifically designed by the Ti’ for him. He never missed. He took lead just ahead of Olek’ and 6 of the dozen, giant lobster looking battle drones he had but the smallest amount of confidence in. At least they were armed, it was something. He continued on, cautiously, scanning for access to the next level. He stepped off to the right a little, allowing the drones to move past. He looked all around. Strait up, all the way to the roof  of the shaft. Nothing. “I don’t like this Okek’. I feel like, we should have been captured by now.”
“Ships scans are unable to sufficiently penetrate into the inner levels. A lot of interference from these cores. Our people will be very interested in these readings. Let’s go Jack, remember we are on a tight timeline here!”

On and on they marched. Farther away from relative safety. The internal support structure of the Zarconian fleet was sound and staggering. Could a race in the midst of some kind of genetic mutation, really be responsible stewards of vessels of these sizes. It is entirely possible their minds were still at whole with their true nature, but things were going terribly wrong.
At long length, a long stretch of grated panel.
One of the drones was affixed with a laser cutter which was fast and quiet. With the panel aside, Jack relinquished his rifle to the captain and slipped down inside.
“Be careful Jack. Just secure an area. We need to get some idea of what we’re dealing with.”
Jack fumbled around in the dark, crawling toward some light source. “I’ll just take a peak.” He reached the edge of the dark space.”
Olek’ Stepped just away from the opening and touched the right shoulder of the lead drone. Its smooth black face gave a fine yellow glow. “Report Jack. We’re sitting ducks out here.” The line crackled feedback in his ear. He pounded on his breastplate. “Come on. Jack!”

The walls of the corridor Jack lowered himself down into were a bizarre intertwingeling of a firm, black and brown web-like arcastructure.  The walls looked alive and in places to go in inward forever. Light shown at odd angles and random intensities. Shadow and light danced together at his every turn. His decent and had been from about half the height of the ceiling here, which was closer to 80 feet at the apex of its outward curve.
The floor was a webbed conglomerate as well, however the twining was thicker and there were less gaps. There was a yellowish-grey haze about, noticeable higher up in a brighter glow emanating from somewhere above.
Jack tapped his left ear. “Captain it’s Jack, are you reading me?” His earpiece hissed. “It’s this structure. It’s distorting the shortwave signal. Computer, all power to comm. I need to get through this mess and give me internal scan. We need information and we need to know where the bad guys are.”
<<Signal strength to full. Connection restored>>
<<Scanning area…>>
“Captain are you reading me now?”
“Just barely, commander. Have you encountered any resistance?”
Jack was running at full speed down the corridor.
<<Turn right>>
<<Must access door at the end of this corridor>>
“Negative sir. I’ve located a door with touch interface. We don’t have time for this. Looks like we need one of the big guys after all. You should be able to cut through. I’m not sure what this material is. It’s about 40 feet to the floor.”
“The drones are equipped with tether. I’m prepping the sonic cutter. Stand by. Any idea what’s behind that door?”
“Scanning. It’s the secondary power core, I think. There could be a way to access the ships data archive. It’s a place to start.”
“Agreed.”
Back down the corridor a wide spot of yellowish white light whirled in a churning spray of gas and shards of debris. It was too loud.
“Bad news captain, I think we just wrang the doorbell.”
Olek’ rose from his knelt position next to the wench. He scanned down the tunnel, one way than the other. “Nothing out of the ordinary that I can see.” He touched a control on his right wrist. “I’m deploying tracers. Maybe we can get a better idea of the construction of this thing, find a real weakness. Something we can use.”
Jack had not blinked in at least two minutes. Even as the first of the armor bots hit the floor, he remained laser focused on the door. The second one touched down. He gripped his pistil tightly in his left hand.
<Status commander>
“Nervous, sir.”
The third droid planted its curved feet on the seemingly solid web floor. Jack turned and as he did the door retreated into the floor. He was grabbed by his right shoulder and pushed strait forward against the nearest wall and then thrown immediately back and into the far one. He slid down along the wall, raising his weapon as he fell, but another shot came overhead from a rousing discharge. It struck the zarconian square in its bare, muscular, greenish brown chest sending it way back from its initial step and the tentacles protruding from its barely humanoid rested over it in a crumpled heap as crashed to the floor and came within an inch of sliding over the edge of the vertical core chamber housing structure.
The lead automaton thundered forward with cohorts two, three and four in tow. Jack had to struggle against the wall just to get out of their way. They didn’t even ask him if he was okay. “Captain we have initiated contact. One down. I don’t think he had a chance to do anything stupid. But we have a big problem now.”
“I’m sending two more guards. The rest will return to the ship. I’ll be down. See if you can make heads or tails of their computer. The droids are equipped with our latest codex synthesis technology.”
Jack stepped into the core chamber. Was a wide, hexagonal space, with one continuous walkway. The walls were lined with a peculiar spattering of technology. The core its self sat in the in the center. A slowly rotating, cloudy mass of oranges and greens and crackling veins of deep violet. The mixture was contained in a clear cylinder which seemed to stretch forever in both directions. The whole room hummed with power. The Zarconians had been at it for a longtime. “Captain you need to see this.”
Olek’ was just making his way down. He found the bottom and disconnected from the tether and followed  the last two droids into the chamber, where the others were already busy  in analysis. He stepped to the edge, next to Jack and looked down. “Incredible.”
“It gets better.” Jack moved to the wall. Look at this. These are different technologies! Who are these people?”
“Look at them. At this point, it’s more like what.”
“They couldn’t have wanted this.”
Olek’ activated his heavy rifle and rested it over his broad right shoulder.
<Data scan status report.  Proximity warning!>
The men ran over to one of the robots. It was at a terminal.
<Zarconian mother ship decoking>
Jack took a step back. “Oh my god. We have to abort this Olek’.
“No. It’s too late. We will let them take us. Number One, can you assess information pertaining to the zarconian temporal displacement technology. We need to know where the device is.”
The face of the robot, an elongated, black triangle of an eye, glowed a strong candles orangish yellow, revealing some elaborate interior mechanism. 
<It is possible to download the information, however the device itself is not onboard this vessel, but in the mother ship, but it would appear as though luck is on your side today, Commander Jack>
Jack glared at the automaton. “Sure it’s luck?”
Indeed, the great leviathan began to rear its immense head. The whole of the Earth was blacked out as a mammoth darkness shuttered into existence. Nothing could escape it.
The chamber shuttered. It was fairly well lit, from some unseen source high above, where the chamber opened wider.
There was another shutter, more of a jolt. The light flickered and there was loud metallic clap, which echoed throughout the room and reverberated through the men.
 Jack readied his rifle in his right hand. He looked right at Olek’, who had moved closer to the door. He was trying to figure out how to close it. Fast! “Captain.”
“Not now Jack. Number One and number Two, at the door!”
<Comply>
“Close this door!”
<Comply>
Olek’ stepped around to Jack. “It looks like we might have to shoot our way out of here after all.”
<Vessel has dry docked. Mother ship has cloaked and is no longer detectable>
“This taking too long. Forget the door! Number one can you locate the displacement device inside the mother ship?”
<Working>
Jack smiled and patted the robot on shoulder. He moved passed the captain and started back down the corridor. The only other door he could see was some thirty feet ahead, but he could tell by the shadows in the web structure that there were other paths. The chamber creaked again and the corridor shuttered. “What are they even doing?”
“Oh just making sure we can’t  go anywhere at all.”
<The device is located in this area of the ship. A large spherical chamber. Completely air tight and sterile. The sphere its self appears to be entirely separate from the whole of the ship. It is suspended in some manner and shielded in a form of energy unknown composition>
Jack nodded. “ Great. More bad news.”
“You wanted to be a hero. A hero for your people. You have the location of the device. Go now Jack. Take two guards. I’ll keep the channel open and try to access the data from here.  Stay as long as I can.”
“Understood captain.”

The door at the other end of the hall had begun to open even before Jack had reached it at a full sprint. He fired a rapid orange spread from the rifle and continued to fire through the explosions and smoke. Three haggard looking zarconian staggered forward weapons drawn, but too disoriented even to fire. He was past them in a moment and was able to continue unabated down another long stretch of webbed corridor, which curved suddenly to the right, where an elevator of sorts awaited ingress. Jack stepped in.
There were dozens of buttons all around him with cryptic symbols.
“Damn. Captain we have a problem. The computer is having trouble translating the zarconian language. We may have to go about this in a  - - -
A concussive explosion rocked Jack hard against the left side of the tube. The robots clanged together and back against opposite walls, but remained operable. There was intense laser fire and the corridor was quickly filling with smoke and debris.
Jack peered cautiously around the smooth corner. Through the wafts he could see shadows of zarconians dropping down. They had found the hole and made it bigger. “Captain!”
“Go Jack!”
“Translation status!”
^^Translation matrix has been established. Working.^^
Through the smoke and burning debris, Jack continued to fire. There were zarconians at the end of the corridor, firing blindly.
“I need one damn button!”
Several zarconians moved his way.
“ Five, stand ready.” Jack stepped out firing, just ahead of the guardian. It took fire. He kept shooting. “Rockets!”
Five let loose the fires of hell. The walls of the corridor smashed apart and zarconians flailed about and were blown to bits. Out of the corner of his eye Jack saw the door of the elevator close. Flashes of weapons fire sparked. “Captain!”
Jack curled behind the droid and barked orders at 6. The two, lumbered down the corridor. 6, in better repair, want strait away for Olek’. 5 raised his fat arms toward the now massive charred hole. He crouched next to it for a brief moment. “Anything tries to get down here you keep firing and don’t stop.”
In the adjoining room, he found Olek’. He was on his side, struggling to sit up, even with the lumbering assistance of a staggering and now slightly smoking 5. The other droids were strune in tatters from zarconina weapons fire. Jack pulled the droids arms away. He lifted his friend. Olek’s protective shielding was badly damaged. Greys and blacks crackled all around his elongated, regal head. Random data flashed across the screen in eerie glowing yellow, as if he were fading physically into nothing.  The smoke was beginning to settle. It rested around them.
Olek’ summoned his last ounce of strength. He gripped the top edge of Jacks breast plate and pulled him close. Olek’ was bleeding a deep violet from both nostrils and he coughed as he spoke. His words grimaced out. “Jack. You have to listen to me now.”
“Okay.”
Olek’ closed his eyes for a brief moment. He took another deep breath. “The nebula Jack. It’s collapsing. Even the high council doesn’t know.” His head shield was failing.  “They’ll find usssssssssss-                       They’ll find herrrrrrrrrrrrrr- You have to go back Jack! You have to go baaaaaaaackkkk…….”
His friend was gone.
^^Captain I am detecting additional waves of zarconian advancing on your position. The cloak has proven effective thus far.^^
“Sal. Set for auto destruct. Thirty minutes from my mark. Authorization Alpha, Solis, Theta, 3, 3.”
^^Authorization confirmed. Zarconian language matrix 33%. I can now----
“Save it Sal.” He rested Olek’ to the floor and removed his insignia card. There was no time. “I’ll see you again my friend.”
No sooner had Jack stood, there was another barrage of weapons fire. He brought his rifle around and stepped cautiously to the exit. The guards had repositioned closer to the elevator. 5's visual display was non functional, it was taking heavier damage now. 6 on the other hand was still in pretty fair shape. It cleared the last of that group away and they all went in to the shaft together............................

 

INTERLUDE
MOMENTS FROM ETERNITY
**

I can feel the ripples in the water patting against the roof and the soft rhythms of her warm heart. She is seeping, but often I do not. There is a quiet perfection about here, of which I have fallen all and forever in love with. Rebecca has a most extraordinary mind. All that I am I owe her.
My thoughts wander to our evening together. We prepared a nice meal, sat out on the deck, overlooking the woods and the river farther off. She spoke of her work and how excited she was to be on the cutting edge again. She feels that it is better that they remain hidden. Now, they would surely kill him. Take his brain apart piece by piece to figure out what went wrong. I can never get her to explain it all in detail.

In sub-light, my senses are heightened. My mind is more alive. I see her so much more clearly now. It is as if she is next to me. We have been here for a very long time. I am tightly strapped in. The dampening field is flashing bright and there are many white streaks. Something is created in this accelerated vortex and the whole view changes. Now it is as though I am riding on barrages of coronal mass ejection from some giant sun and I can see stars which appear still, despite the unimaginable speed I am traveling. The arms begin to spiral together. Now the arms are braiding and have closed around me forming a tunnel of copper gold glow. Faster still.
Unexpectedly, she opens her eyes and I am startled.
"What were you thinking about?"
What can I say to her. I kiss her. It is the  most real thing I have ever experienced. I hate myself. I tell her I was thinking about her. She calls me a liar. She can always tell when I'm trying to hide something.
"Tell me you love me Jack."
"I have always loved you."
"They may still come for you."
I kiss her again. "They will never keep us apart. "

As tempting as it is to go back and find her, I cannot. My life has been undone again. Only this time I am not locked in cold darkness. I cannot go home, but there are other places I can.
The Zarconian probe was devastating. But if the people of earth had known what was really coming, if they had been better prepared, maybe it would make some difference.
My mission is to intercept the Aurora Sky, as close to its first contact with the ship as possible. Perhaps, with luck, it won't be the mother ship, but  before I can act, I have to have some idea what happened. I have to know why those men never made it back. Surely it was not a suicide mission. The mother ship is still eleven years away when Aurora Sky blasts off. No, something went wrong.

After a light breakfast, we made plans for the day. It was Sunday and neither of us have any engagements. The storms had  moved on. The trees sparkled as the sun made its way from behind clouds.
Out on the deck, we laugh and hold each other. Her soft beige skin is very smooth and it glints in the sunlight and there is a glow about her, but that was always there. Here now in the light, she is ever more radiant and I am unable to help myself.
This is more than another vision. I'm trembling. She knows it.
"What's wrong Jack?"
What can I say.

The warping effect of the wormhole continues its elongating effect. I feel as though I'm lying fully on my back. The spiraling wall of the tunnel is all consuming and there is no sound.

I hear her voice. She calls to me. Faint at first, then she is with me. I've met her in the garden. Something weighs on me here. There is something I need to tell her. Something, long overdue, but I don't know what it is. She takes me in her arms and we kiss for a long time. We are enveloped in light and color. Fading............fading.........................away...........

 

The Best of Us
Part 2
(2025 a.d.)

The scars of war would never truly heal.

William and Alex were the best of friends. They grew up in a brave new world. A world fully wrung of violence and evil. The toll would never be greater.­ World governments would come together, but the conspiracy theorists would get it wrong and there was peace. There came truth and higher accountability and responsibility.......for everyone...
They would be the last generation to view a natural and open sky, for as greater attention was now focused on longer range space exploration, the need for a kind of "death star" protective barrier across at least large portions of the planet, was supposed to be popular enough on principle to gain the will of the global populists. Why not let government just seal us all in!. The idea its self did not run well in open media. But they went ahead and started building it anyway.
The talking heads continue to remind the people of all of the potential benefits of being able to effectively regulate the climate of the globe, from the outside in, using the sun as its power source and in the longer term providing alternative living, recreational and of course scientific and government operations and everything else. They talked about how much "cleaner" they could "make" the air we breathe and hunger would be at an end in less than a generation. The world would be forever changed. They talked about future threats to the safety of the world and said that is our duty to insure the protection and existence of the human race as we stretch our hand a bit farther in to the vast infinite space. Asteroids, comets,  space aliens. Who did the powers that be think we might be up against, that suddenly we needed to cocoon ourselves in and "lock phasers".
Line by line, the layers of framework structure spilled out, some distance above the outer atmosphere. During the day the most that was visible was a gradual darkening in different portions of the sky. At night, the real show was just beginning, as even from the ground the sparks of construction could be seen and stars sparkled extra, glinting through the crisscrossing web. They were building, and fast.   
The boys remained close through high school and had made the decision to enlist in the Global Air Defense Force. Shortly after graduation they did so and both passed. They would train hard and leave the academy with top honors.
That is where the men would part ways. Alex was destined to fly, whereas William would involve himself in design and construction. Very quickly William was off and up to DreamLand Station.
"Goodbye my brother."
Alex stayed behind. He was in love and Jessica did not want to live on a space station.
William was given special instructions to arrive at Kennedy space center where a special shuttle would be taking him on the ride of his life....

Alex enlisted in the Global Air Defense Fleet. He married Jessica and they bought a very large house on the east coast. They settled down into a largely normal life. Almost normal.