This excerpt depicts what is happening to Earth. The Earing are hired by the Nobel with the task of reordering Earth for Ictol habitation. Please note that references to a person’s position and rank may be different. All ships have a Captain but not all Captains hold the full rank of Captain.
The Destruction of Earth
Earth Date May 10, 2020
After clearing the transfer portal and immediately throttling up to best speed, Commander Rakon, Captain of the massive science ship Environ, studied the fast-approaching Kupona solar system on the forward main viewer portal. He quickly adjusted his fleet Com-Link, “Attention fleet. This is Commander Rakon of the Environ. I have Fleet-wide Operations Control. Man your stations, set ship wide protocols to Condition One. Initiate IC Operations.”
Rakon sat alertly in the bridge command chair, switched his Com-Link to local bridge mode and spoke with authority, “Scanners on full… beacon status.”
Sensor Control Specialist, Shantana, focused as her fingers moved deftly over the bridge sensor control panel’s surface, “Beacons clear.”
“Target third planet; surface weather status,” Rakon spoke in a clear steady voice.
“Heavy cloud covering and precipitation…phase one optimal,” Shantana reported.
“Com Control, open Com ports; toggle status of surface evacuation signal codes.”
“Line is clear…codes set…Nobel Complex evacuation… complete.”
“Sensor Control, initiate deep scans…Nobel Complex status.”
“Power signature negative…no life signs,” Shantana responded.
Rakon switched his Com-Link to Environ ship-wide mode. On my voice command, initiate IC phase two operations.”
“Commence IC Ops, match engine speed to operation tasking protocols, engage comet containment beams, calculate comet trajectories… release IC1 as you go.” Rakon folded his arms and watched the first of the Environ’s three ice comets clear the Environ’s massive launcher bay.
Commander Rakon pushed himself up straight and waited. He toggled his Com-Link back to bridge mode, “Maximum main viewer portal resolution.” He watched as the ship’s sensors monitored the comet directed towards a small cloud covered planet.
Shantana detected a massive dispersion of photons as she observed a bright flash of light. “Direct hit, ice comet is breaking up inside target planet’s atmosphere.”
“Navigator, bring us in position for second pass…release IC2 as you go.”
Shantana continued to evaluate the feedback sensor transmissions, “North polar cap direct hit… effectiveness optimal, no out coming defense response.”
Commander Rakon focused on the main viewer, “Com Control, order the Sumit and Corton to stand by position. Navigator, calculate for third pass, release IC3 as you go.”
Seconds ticked away.
“Direct hit,” Shantana exclaimed, “No out coming defense response.”
“Sumit, Corton; Fleet Control here; start your runs…release your ICs as you go.”
The Environ crew waited.
With deft precision, Shantana’s fingers glided over the sensor controls. “Captain, sensors are now registering several large photon bursts and lightning discharges followed by thermal, gamma and x-ray activity streaming from the target planet.”
Staring at the main viewer portal, Rakon could already see the bright light emanating through different areas of the planet’s changing cloud cover. “What is it? Did we cause that?”
Shantana studied her instruments. “I don’t think so. The light is not relative to the comet impacts, and the discharges are emblematic of nuclear explosions.”
Suddenly startled, Shantana reset the sensor panel and verified the results, “Captain, our sensors are down…no readings from target planet.”
“Com Control, contact our ships,” Rakon ordered.
“Bridge, Com Control; Captain, our ships are not responding.”
Rakon stood up and moved toward Shantana, his voice rising as he went. “Sensor Control, switch to auxiliary local sensors.”
Shantana reached toward the sensor power panel and pushed a switch and waited, “Main Sensors offline, auxiliary local sensors now on line, Sir.”
“Bridge, Com Control; Captain… we’re receiving a faint com signal from the Sumit… Corton destroyed…Sumit badly damaged.”
Commander Rakon, his mouth firmly set, moved closer to the main viewer portal only to be pushed back as bright red light pulses streaked across the screen temporarily blinding him. “Navigator…take evasive action…Engineer…redirect comet containment beams to Sumit.”
The Environ rocked as several intensely bright laser-like red beams whisked very close to the ship, blotting out the main viewer portal.
Shantana tried to focus, “Taking damage…environmental controls on-line… air pressure and gravity stabilizing.”
“Sensor Control, calculate weapon’s fire source,” Rakon shouted at his Com-Link. “Navigator…recalculate evasion as you go.”
“Captain, firing has stopped… no foreign ships on sensors. Sumit is floundering … environment reinitializing…intact.” Shantana leaned back in her seat, relieved to be alive.
Rakon returned to his command seat, “Sensor Control… target planet status?”
“Captain, clouds thickening… heavy planet-wide precipitation, fallout radiation spreading,”
Rakon sat staring at the empty viewer portal. For a brief moment, he felt life was more than just following orders. He wondered why his ship had been spared; he would not temp fate. He pressed his Com-Link. “Attention crew; Set Condition Two. Navigator…keep the containment beam on Sumit… abandon mission, set course for Earing transfer portal…best speed. Damage Control…prepare a damage and medical team transfer for the Sumit. Wait for my command.”
“Bridge, Damage Control; Aye…preparations are underway.”
Rakon continued to command, “Sensor Control; report, local space status.”
“Local space remains clear,” Shantana responded. “Long range sensors offline.”
“Damage Control, Bridge; Execute medical team transfer; Com Control, let me know when Sumit’s survivors are safe. We’re going home.”
The Sealed Envelope
We finally meet Dave in person in the middle of Book One. In this excerpt, Dave starts his long journey that carries him to the stars. We will meet him again in Book Two when he continues his adventure in underground Cannan.
March 02, 2018 Earth
With supplementary data supplied by the Advocate, I, Darla Mark, will now reveal the story of my twin brother, David Mark. This is what Dave is seeing and thinking as I transcribe his DTRIS file. I will start as Dave contemplates initializing his new implant. The Davidson Company did not invent the so-called Davidson Thought Recorder Implant System ‘DTRIS Mark I’. It is an alien device procured from outside our galaxy. But Dave doesn’t know this and the Davidson Company only has suspicions. Henceforth I will sign my name as D. Mark and endeavor to keep myself outside the story as much as possible. -D. Mark.
Dave re-read a letter from his sister Darla, then after setting it on the night stand, fell asleep listening to the rain. He began to dream.
I heard a beeping sound and looked up to see a TV-13 logo appear on my TV. A message scrolled under the logo, “Standby, live TV-13 report and video from Alaska, coordinates and event timing supplied by NOAA weather satellite tracking.” Moments later a forest scene appeared and then the camera lens zoomed in on the sky revealing a dark cloud cover. I could not understand the reporter’s excited voice. A section of the clouds began to grow brighter. Then a large bright object burst through the clouds and exploded. The screen went black.
Next, I saw a giant hole, surrounded by tree trunks that were stripped bare, flattened to the ground. The reporter began screaming, something about a comet. The screen went blank and then returned, “Standby, live TV-5 report from Washington….” Then the house electricity went out and I sat in the dark.
Dave awoke and sat straight up staring into a dark room while replaying his dream. Sweat beaded on his brow, his heart pounded. After a moment he realized he was in his bedroom. He slid out of bed, went to the window and opened the blinds.
“Rerun…!” He watched the rain splash on the deck. “They used to only show reruns in the summer…most were just a half hour. My father said that.”
It was early morning. A creek, 100 feet from his house, had overflowed its banks, flooding half of his backyard and ruining years of landscape work. He remembered how it was with his father, who spent his entire life making everyone else comfortable by fixing, building and repairing anything and everything, only in late years, to end up confined to a bedroom with comforts he couldn’t take advantage of. His thoughts faded. The aroma of coffee filled the air.
Dave was glad he remembered to set the coffee maker. His nightmare started to return and then faded away; he went directly to the kitchen. While pouring the coffee, he tried to remember his dream, but it was gone. The glimpse of his desk in the next room forced him to move toward it and retrieve a special sealed envelope. Just the touch of the envelope put his mind in anxiety overload. He stared at his carefully printed name and tried to comprehend his motive for spending $40,000.00 on a procedure even he considered a luxury. The doctors said they were happy with the result; he merely had to follow their written instructions to complete the work.
He fidgeted with the envelope, tore it open and began reading. Suddenly, after reading two lines, he dropped the letter on the desk and sat down. He was in no mood to decipher instructions. Recent events clouded his focus. He was tired of the human rat race, media intimidation, political correctness and an atmosphere that stifles dissent and eliminates incentive. He was tired of the rain. Smelling the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, he instinctively reached for his mug and tested its contents, sipping at first. Real or imagined, he started to focus.
“If only there was someone to talk to.” He thought about his recent relocation to Bellingham, Washington from Syracuse, New York. He started going to church in hopes of finding a close trusting friend. But as yet, there wasn’t anyone. Besides, close friends required time and resources, both of which he didn’t have. That’s not to say, he never had a close friend, but things change and time goes by. He decided to maintain his current status until he couldn’t stand it anymore.
Dave blinked his eyes, trying to bring himself back to the task at hand. He took another sip of coffee. “If ever there was a need for such a device, this was the time,” he reminded himself. “Recording one’s own thoughts and dreams is an amazing ability, especially now… now that he had decided to escape Earth.” The self-inflicted pep talk seemed to do the trick. He retrieved the letter.
Ictol Fleet Command Ship Xelhart
In this excerpt, the Ictol, in dire need of a new home world, have just completed a rather long voyage. They are here to do a full hands-on investigation and set up a colony. Previous sensor reports established the planet to be uninhabited and viable for their needs. This was not the case.
In an Ictol re-con vessel operating without authorization, Vizier Lamor makes his escape heading for a transfer portal to rendezvous with Taman. In the mean time, on the Ictol heavy warship Xelhart, Fleet Commander, Admiral Persides is monitoring the situation and getting ready for a full scale attack on the planet Lesus.
“Admiral, sir, Sensor Control detecting new profile opening on the planet’s surface; we’re picking up heavy energy discharge; flash signal coming from the Scout Cruiser Trinity.”
“Focus on the field,” Admiral Persides watched a new image resolve onto the forward main space viewer.
“Sir, our forward re-con vessel is out of position…heading for the planet surface.”
“Call Lamor back,” Persides replied.
“No response, sir.”
“Resolve the Trinity flash, send to my station.”
Admiral Persides read the flash from the Trinity. A cold stare gripped his eyes. It was time for a decision. With the first signs of perspiration spreading across his forehead, Persides spoke confidently into his Com link, “Sensor Control, is Lamor’s re-con ship in range of our guns?”
“No, sir,” Sensor Control replied.
“Are any of our ships in range?”
“Sir, the heavy cruiser Colkan is nearing target weapons range.”
“Com Control, upload the vicinity detector grid to the fleet. Signal the Colkan to destroy our re-con ship. Navigation, bring us to planet firing rage, best speed. Com Control, signal the fleet, follow us in, standby for firing instructions.”
“Bridge, Navigation Control, we’re in planet firing range, Admiral.”
“Bridge, Com Control, Dawson destroyed, no life signs, Vizier Lamore’s ship… off sensor grid, Trinity lifting off planet surface… intact.”
Admiral Persides stood with his hands behind his back. He watched the main viewer. “Com Control, upload Trinity flash to fleet, standby to fire on said coordinates.”
“Bridge, Com Control; enemy space platforms are uncloaking from high planet orbit, fleet under heavy fire.”
The bridge shook like a house in a twister. Fleet Admiral Persides stood bracing himself next to the bridge command seat, strapping his arm to it with a piece of his leather shoulder harness. He looked over his frantic crew. Smoke drifted across the overhead, backup emergency lighting flickered. He held his emotions in check, his steady voice rang out…gripping the crew as if in a spell, forcing them to focus. “Com Control, flash the fleet, Weapons Control, bring all guns to bare, commence fire, fire at will, fire for effect, destroy planet cloaking fields and surface structures.”
Admiral Persides waited in silence, waiting for results. His eyes unblinking, staring at the main viewer port, moments seemed like hours.
“Bridge, Sensor Control; cloaking fields destroyed, receiving heavy enemy fire from space.”
“Sensor Control, Bridge; feed orbiting enemy weapon platforms coordinates to Fire Control.”
Persides looked around the bridge, proud that his crew was still in the game. “Com Control, execute fleet-wide flash, send new weapons fire coordinates, standby to execute fire and maneuvering orders on my mark…mark, all ships commence fire….evasive maneuvers, fire as you go; take down those weapons platforms.”