^{If American Midnight sounds interesting to you, I have included the first three chapters for you to peruse.  Take a look and see what you think.  Enjoy.}

^{If you would like to read the first three chapters of When the Sky Fell, just keep scrolling down.  You'll find it.}

^{American Midnight}

^by

^{Mike Lynch & Brandon Barr}

CHAPTER 1

^{WHEN THE SKY FELL}

^by

^{Mike Lynch}

^and

^{Brandon Barr}

^{And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and}

^{the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth . . .}

                                                   ^{-Revelation 6:12-13}

^PROLOGUE

^{S.F.S. CORONA}

^{0102 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME, AUGUST 30}

        ^{“I’m beginning to pick up multiple images on my monitor,” the RadAR technician cried out.}

      ^{Commander Yamane kept his place in the command chair, not moving.  The Deravans were out there; that he knew.  It was just a matter of time before they arrived.  He gave his uniform a tug.  “What’s their speed . . . and how long before they reach the Lexington?”}

      ^{The r-tech’s hands fumbled for the information on his console.  He turned back.  “1.01 stellar velocity, Commander.  Their ETA is fifteen minutes.”}

      ^{Yamane glanced at the display on his right.  To his horror, dozens of blips had already filled the screen.  He turned away, his mind reflexively avoiding what it did not want to acknowledge.  The confidence he had in his plan a few short hours before ebbed at the sight so many enemy warships.}

      ^{Another feeling, almost as powerful as the first, hit him with near flawless perfection.  Fear? Panic?  No.  Irony.  Yes, that was it.  How else could he describe the very best the enemy had to offer, pitted against a wreck of a ship?  He looked up at the main screen.  His former command, the Lexington, glistened in the distance.  Sorrow tugged at Yamane.  Images of abandoning ship came crashing into his mind.  Both he and his crew just managed to get to the escape pods before the Deravans closed in for the kill, all but blasting the stellar cruiser out of existence.  Now he had turned the tables on them and worked his ship’s demise into his advantage.  All the hope in the world, however, meant nothing if those power cells hidden in the Lexington’s bowels didn’t charge up at the precise moment required.  Otherwise, the fleet under his command would find itself in a very bad situation.  “Come on girl,” he said under his breath.  “Don’t let me down.”}

      ^{"The Deravans will be in range of the Lexington in ten minutes.”}

      ^{Yamane verified their position again.  The blips were there, but with even greater numbers than before.  "Have all sub-cruisers assume an attack posture.  Standby on my mark!"}

      ^{"Defensive computer protocols have been engaged," C-tech Landis said to Yamane.  "All targeting monitors are online.  Pulse cannons are at full power."}

      ^{The commander leaned back in his seat and surveyed the bridge.  He tried to gauge the status of his crew.  Will they remember their training when both sides meet in battle?  For that question, Yamane did not have an answer.  "Distance to enemy ships?" he asked after glancing at the main screen.}

      ^{Sitting to the left of the RadAR station, the nav-tech replied, "Sixteen thousand kilometers."}

      ^{"The Deravans are redeploying their fleet,” the r-tech yelled over the sounds of computer systems buzzing around him.}

      ^{Their overall formation, once a solid and unbroken mass of metal and machines, reorganized themselves into three lesser-sized squadrons in a matter of seconds.  The efficient manner by which the Deravans executed the maneuver chilled Yamane.  “Speed and heading?” he asked.}

      ^{“Unchanged,” the r-tech replied.  “They are maintaining their heading toward Mars."}

      ^{Yamane’s ship, the Corona, sat behind and a little above the Antaren dreadnoughts.  They were laid out in front of her like twelve breech-loaded shells, ready for use at a moment’s notice.  Located at the highest point of the stellar cruiser, sat the bridge.  And in the middle of the bridge Commander Yamane waited . . . and worried.  The overwhelming numbers at the Deravan’s disposal rattled him—and he had good reason to feel as he did.  If they tried to take on the enemy one ship at a time, the fighters, dreadnoughts, and destroyers under his command would be sitting ducks against the Deravan’s superior guns.  But he had learned from past mistakes.  They didn’t have the firepower to outfight them, but he hoped to outthink them.  On this presumption his whole plan rested.}

      ^{Optimism wrestled againstYamane’s fears.  Perhaps we can win this fight with little difficulty after all.  A nice sentiment, but it was a lie.  Who was he kidding?  A single fear had been haunting him from the beginning—the Deravans could alter their course at any moment and fly beyond the range of the Lexington.  And if they did, Yamane would be right back to where he started—taking them on from a position of weakness.  On the other hand, the Deravans might also hold their present heading, right into the trap he laid.  The odds were fifty-fifty, either way.}

      ^{Doubts crept in.  What if—?  Yamane could not finish so terrible a thought.  Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, he stared at their trajectory marked on the r-tech’s targeting grid.  The enemy armada held firm; they had not changed course.  He should have been pleased, but something deep within told him they were taking too much for granted.  “Time to intercept?”}

      ^{“Six minutes, twenty seconds.”}

      ^{Every tick of the clock forced his hand into a direction he didn’t want to go.  Placing his frontline ships in the line of fire was taking a terrible risk, but keeping the enemy fleet on course had to outweigh all other considerations.  Ruthless thinking to be sure, but with the survival of humanity at stake, he felt he had no other alternative.} 

      ^{"Signal Commander Moran," Yamane said to C-tech Landis.  "Tell him to prepare for an assault on the Deravan fleet.”}

      ^{Landis spun around.  “Sir?” he gasped, his eyes wide.  “You want him to do what?”}

      ^{“You heard me, Lieutenant,” the commander barked back.  “When the enemy armada flies within ten thousand kilometers of the sub-cruisers’ position, they will fire their thrusters and make their course right for them.  Then when Moran’s fleet is ten kilometers away from the Deravans, they will fire a five-second salvo before circling back, past the Lexington.  We must insure the enemy maintains it’s heading, even if it means risking some of our ships."}

      ^{Landis shook his head in a knowing way.  “Understood, Commander,” he smirked.  “I’ll send the message now.”}

^{S.F.S. DRUMMOND}

^{0115 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME, AUGUST 30}

      ^{In less than a millisecond, decoding algorithms incorporated into the Drummond’s transceiver unscrambled Yamane’s orders, flashing them across her communication console.  “Sir,” the c-tech called out, “I am receiving a transmission from the Corona.  Commander Yamane is giving us the go signal for a direct assault against the Deravan fleet.”}

      ^{Moran brought up his data pad and scrolled down the text.  “What are the two distances?”}

      ^{“Ten and ten.”}

      ^{“Tell him we’ll make ourselves big fat targets,” he said with a broad grin.}

      ^{The c-tech offered a weak smile in response and then sent Moran’s answer.}

       ^{Repositioning himself in the command chair, he assessed their tactical situation.  There, ahead of him, were hundreds of ships, all positioned equidistant from one another.  Moran leaned to his right.  “What is the distance between the two fleets?” he asked the r-tech.}

      ^{Beads of sweat glistened on the tech’s forehead.  “Twelve thousand kilometers, Commander.”}

      ^{“And their heading?”}

      ^{The r-tech inputted a set of commands into his console.  “Unchanged.  They are coming right at us, course—zero-zero-seven.”}

      ^{“Not long now,” Moran said, almost in the form of a prayer.  “Just a little bit more.”}

      ^{“Deravan ships are now eleven thousand kilometers away.”}

      ^{“Almost there,” he whispered.}

      ^{The distinctive sound of the proximity alarm went off.  “Ten thousand kilometers.”}

      ^{Moran stood upright.  "Now!" he yelled.  "Fire up the main engines."}

      ^{The c-tech signaled all seven ships waiting in line; their guns poised on those enemy vessels in the line of fire.  In an act of unanticipated choreography, the thrusters of every sub-cruiser ignited at the same instant.  A flash of brilliant white light demonstrated to the dreadnoughts and cargo barges behind them just how exact their timing had been.}

      ^{Moran’s vessel took the point.  Coming up about a thousand meters back, three ships on his starboard side and three on his port, the six other sub-cruisers fanned out like sharpened talons, readying themselves for a quick strike.}

      ^{The r-tech’s attention remained fixed and resolute.  Nothing existed for him, except the targeting display a few centimeters away.  He tracked the enemy’s movements, until the proximity alarm just to his left rang out a second time.  “We’ve reached the ten kilometer mark,” he said to the commander after turning back.}

      ^{Moran’s face became tight.  "All batteries . . . commence firing!"}

      ^{A blaze of red and blue plasma bursts shot across the bows of all seven sub-cruisers.  Multiple numbers of flashes registered in the distance several moments later, and then—nothing.}

      ^{"What is their course and speed?" Moran shouted out.}

      ^{The r-tech verified the results.  "Unchanged, sir.  Pulse blasts have had no effect."}

      ^{Moran glanced at the astro-clock.  They had just enough time.  "Give them a second volley."}

      ^{“I'm inputting the command now."}

      ^{Every gunner homed in on his prey, locked on, and then fired.  Dozens of energy bolts coursed through the cannon chambers, discharging a fraction of a second later.  In a mirror-like repeat of the first salvo, the lethal bursts slammed into the hulls of those ships ten kilometers away, detonating into dazzling fireballs.  When the massive bombardment dissipated, the truth became all too evident.  Deravan shields had absorbed the full fury of what the sub-cruisers could throw at them.  Without exception, every one of their vessels flew through the barrage, undeterred.}

      ^{"Hard about!” Moran ordered.  “One hundred and eighty degrees."}

      ^{After he entered the command codes into his console, the nav-tech grabbed a hold of two support struts and held on tight.  The sub-cruiser’s directional thrusters fired on cue.  Fighting the forces throwing her forward, the million-ton warship traveling at 0.35 stellar velocity began to buckle.  Bulkheads let out deep moans as they contorted under increasing pressure, while deck plates started to pop out of their holds.}

      ^{“Commander, we’re coming in too fast,” the navigator yelled.  “She’s not going to make it.”}

      ^{“Hang on!”  The Drummond suddenly lurched over.  Everyone on the bridge took hold of whatever was within reach when the sub-cruiser banked hard on her port side.}

      ^{“Come on, baby,” Moran whispered to himself, “don’t let me down.”}

      ^{Responding in an almost cognizant way, his ship swung around in a parabolic arc, back towards the Lexington.}

      ^{Moran clutched his data pad tight.  "Are the Deravans still pursuing us?"}

      ^{The r-tech wiped the perspiration from his forehead.  "Affirmative, sir.  They’re holding steady.  Course—zero-zero-seven."}

^{S.F.S. CORONA}

^{0119 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME, AUGUST 30}

      ^{Commander Yamane’s ship waited before the crimson disk of Mars.  Despite being outgunned by a factor of fifty, he knew they had to be the victors.  If not, the enemy armada would snuff out the human race without a second thought.  The Deravan’s unprovoked attack against Earth had been brutal, savage.  Their bombardment of death since that terrible day brought humanity to the brink of extermination.  “Twenty to one,” Yamane whispered to himself.  Too low.  More like a hundred to one.  He sighed deeply.}

      ^{“The Deravans will be in range of the Lexington in thirty seconds.”}

      ^{Yamane checked the r-tech’s monitor for a third time.  To his horror, enemy ships encompassed the left side of the display; shattered remnants of their once proud fleet dotted the right.  His attention remained fixed on those barely recognizable derelicts floating in the distance.  Would they be joining them?  He lifted his eyes.  We’ll all know soon enough.}

      ^{"The Deravans will be in range in twenty seconds.”}

      ^{Yamane swiveled around in his command chair.  His face became hard.  “Don’t press that button until I give the word,” he said to the r-tech, his voice deep.}

      ^{“Aye, sir,” he replied.  “Ten more seconds.”}

      ^{Every pair of eyes settled on the main screen.  “Five . . . four . . . three,” the crew mouthed in unison, “two . . . one . . . zero.”  High-pitched alarms rang out from every corner of the bridge.}

      ^{"The Deravans are now in range!"}

      ^{Yamane exhaled, paused for a second and then said, "Charge up the cells."}

      ^{Without even looking, the c-tech’s finger came down on that most important of buttons, the one sequencing the final command directive.  All three transceivers scrambled the compressed data streams before sending them to the omega band receivers on board the Lexington.}

      ^{A penetrating silence filled the bridge.}

      ^{"Power signal sent, Commander.  They should charge up right about now."}

      ^{The Deravan fleet, positioned at its closest proximity to the Lexington, flew past the stellar cruiser.  Every gauge and display tied into the power cells, however, remained at zero.  The electro-magnetic field had not formed.  Yamane waited for several moments.  A feeling of dread crept up on him.  Seconds passed, but still no change.  Something had gone wrong.}

      ^{"The signal isn’t going out,” Landis stammered.}

      ^{Now dread and fear gripped Yamane.  "Re-initiate the program and send out the signal again.”}

      ^{Landis inputted the sequence a second time.  He looked back, his face pale and glistening.  One second turned into two, then four, and then eight.  The c-tech’s eyes darted back and forth.  "I don't understand,” he said in a shaky voice.  “Power levels are still at zero."}

      ^{Yamane rushed over to the communication console and singled out the flashing red button amidst a sea of knobs and switches—the one signifying the difference between life and death.  Giving it a firm press with the heel of this hand, he forced his attention back up to the main screen, hopeful.  But only disaster met him there.  They had not stopped the Deravans.  Terrible images of what they would soon unleash against Earth flashed before his eyes.}

        ^{“I’ve tried everything,” Landis complained, “but the signal still isn’t reaching the cells.”}

      ^{"Try again!" Yamane snapped back with a distant, almost trancelike stare.}

      ^{Hesitation filled the c-tech’s eyes.  He started to speak, but inputted the directive instead.}

^{Shrill noises came from every speaker on the bridge, providing the dim answer.  "The transmitters are working perfectly, but something is blocking the outgoing signal."}

      ^{Walls, ceiling tiles, deck plates—they all pressed in on Yamane.  He responded with slow, deliberate steps away from the main screen.  In that one instant, everything seemed lost.  There was no backup plan for him or for Moran.  The Deravans would hit his ships first, and then attack the rest of the fleet without hesitation.  Confusion reigned in his mind.  He needed a solution, any solution.  None came.}

      ^{Yamane closed his eyes tight.  He hoped it would shake him out of his stupor.  It didn’t work.  He opened them again.  The frantic scene of Landis yelling into his headset trailed off into a deep silence.  Turning the other way, Yamane became acutely aware that the characteristic noises put out by the ship’s instruments were also absent.  An undeniable feeling of timelessness seeped over him.}

      ^{Amidst the darkness and confusion, however, something began to show itself.  People and places long since passed became clearer as each moment trickled by.  Commander Yamane tried to fight the pull back in time, but his desire to return there grew in intensity.  Further back he went.  Further and further, before the arrival of the Deravans, before the losses they had suffered at Mars, and before the future of humanity hung in the balance.}

      ^{Then, like a flash of light overwhelming all of his senses, a new reality finally overtook him, too strong to resist . . .}

^{CHAPTER 1}

^{GAGARIN STAR FORCE BASE, TITAN}

^{2217, AUGUST 6}

^{1545 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME}

        ^{Lt. Commander Yamane hustled down the walkway, his pace brisk.  Major Stan Kershaw kept up with him, stride for stride.  They were running late . . . again.  As a person who prided himself on precision and timing in every area in his life, Yamane hated the idea someone else, even a close friend like Kershaw, could affect his duties in so profound a way.  But here he was, late for his third patrol in as many weeks.  If things didn’t change soon, he would put himself on report.}

      ^{Yamane caught himself.  Despite all his efforts otherwise, he was becoming too rigid, too by the book.  It bothered him when this happened.  It was just another patrol, one of a dozen scheduled to go up that day.  If he and Kershaw took off a little past their scheduled departure time, the heavens wouldn’t come crashing down on top of them.}

      ^{Needing a distraction, Yamane found himself staring at a beautiful, darkening amber sky.  A middle-aged yellow star hovered a little above the horizon, diminished in size and intensity, given the distance between itself and Titan.  The day had almost ended, and many other nighttime stars were already flickering in the distance.  Even when the Sun hung high in the mid-afternoon sky, the relative brightness was equivalent to an overcast day on Earth.  If it were not for hundreds of light-enhancing satellites ionizing the upper atmosphere, people living in the capitol city of Kalmedia would experience almost perpetual twilight.}

      ^{“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Frank,” Kershaw objected.}

      ^{The accusatory statement pulled Lt. Commander Yamane out of his refuge of drifting thoughts.  He stopped dead in his tracks.  “Uh,” was all he could get out, followed by a feeble: “I guess—”}

      ^{“No, you don’t guess,” Kershaw fired back.  His black, wavy hair fluttered back and forth in the wind.  "We have just as much right being here as anyone else.”  He rammed his index finger into Yamane’s shoulder patch to better emphasize his point.  “Think about it.  For over one hundred years, Star Force Command has maintained a consistent policy of outward expansion.  And the planets we’ve colonized have been nothing more than miserable heaps of dust and rock."}

      ^{Yamane took in the distant jagged mountains shooting up from the valley floor.  Up above them, a shiny object reflected the last little light from the waning Sun.  He couldn’t tell if the ship was coming or going.}

      ^{Trying a different tactic, Yamane approached their old argument from a new angle.  "That's not at all what I'm trying to say.  The right to colonize a planet isn't based on whether or not life exists there already.  My concern is with the question of Man having a right to be here in the first place.  Who are we that we should claim any planet for ourselves?"}

      ^{A confident grin broke Kershaw’s thoughtful gaze.  "But you aren’t asking a valid question,” he replied, as though a pawn had been moved in a game of chess.  "When you go back in history, many of our earliest tribes wondered what was beyond the next hill; and then went on over—often with a large contingent of hunters I might add.  If there happened to be another tribe on the other side, they resolved their differences, one way or the other.  Not many people along the way asked if it should be done.  Rather, they fought for what they believed was theirs."}

      ^{“Again, who’s to say either tribe could say this or that piece of land belonged to them.  Land is land.  It’s still going to be here long after we’re gone.”}

      ^{“I’ll give you that,” Kershaw agreed, “but think about what we’ve been through these past ten years.  You remember those planetary leaders who believed Kalmedia could have posed a threat to Earth’s security; given the right circumstances.  But those fears evaporated overnight when war broke out against the Antaren Empire.  After that, no one dared question a need for maintaining a first line of defense here on Titan.  Would you just say, ‘Hey, this moon belongs to everyone, so go ahead—take it for yourselves?’”}

        ^{Yamane looked up at the stars again.  A stiff breeze from the north had been blowing all day, making the sky particularly clear of dust and clouds.  He found the small blue orb circling the middle-aged sun just below the constellation of Cassiopeia.  He almost thought his hand could reach out and touch the planet he called home.  “That’s my point exactly.  You have two groups of people wanting the same thing—territory.  Does one side have the right to take it by force?”}

      ^{“History would say yes.  How many peoples and nations have been subjugated by others because they opted not to fight?  Again, I go back to Titan.  If this base were not here, we would all be speaking Antaren.”}

      ^{Yamane wasn’t so convinced.  He always believed their fleet of stellar cruisers patrolling the fringes of known space provided a far better defense than a stationary base just outside Kalmedia.  “We defeated the Antarens because of you and me, and millions of others who were committed to the fight; not real estate.  And now that the war is over, we’ve managed a peace of sorts between our two peoples.  An uneasy peace, to be sure, with suspicions running high on both sides, but they respect our borders, as we do theirs.  Your point of view is based on how history has sometimes worked out, not on—"}

      ^{The sounds of an A-96 Min fighter blasted by them.  Haunting in nature, the piercing shrill was unmistakable, rattling a person down to the bones.  Even after years of flying, most Star Force ground crews never really got used to the noise a ship’s engine could put out.}

      ^{The pilot angled his ship down, until all three wheels hit the runway hard, filling the air with a multitude of screeching sounds.}

      ^{“I guess we’ll have to settle this matter another day," Yamane concluded.  “Duty calls.”}

      ^{A look of disappointment crossed Kershaw’s face.  Yamane recognized that sulky expression, but winning a philosophical debate paled in comparison to being up there, with the stars.  His whole week had been planned around this patrol, and he wasn’t about to miss his chance just to appease his friend.  Rather than argue, Yamane just spun around and hurried off to the hangar bay.}

      ^{“Hey, wait up,” Kershaw surrendered, and then ran after him.}

      ^{Upon entering the hangar bay, Yamane noted all fourteen single-seat fighters, seven on one side and seven on the other, parked in their assigned stalls with military precision.  Near the front of the bay, Yamane’s ship waited for him.  His initial inclination had been to climb into the cockpit and roll right onto the tarmac, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, not yet.  A ritual needed attending to first, one he had observed since his earliest days in the academy.  He wasn’t certain if the informal ceremony had been followed out of superstition or habit.  Probably a little of both.  But he always made it a point of checking over his ship before departing.  The mechanics had certainly gone over it with a fine-tooth comb during pre-flight checks, but a trip into space didn’t have the same feel if he didn't work the flaps or inspect his fighter himself.}

      ^{Coming up from behind, Yamane stood before the tail section.  Every line and angle came together for him in a significant and profound way.  His attention ambled down somewhat.  A careful examination of both sets of small, blunted wings, directional thrusters, and the single engine capable of pushing his craft past stellar velocity gave him a sense of limitless freedom.  Any chance to go back up there did—every time.}

      ^{Moving towards the front, Yamane stopped when he faced his ship head on.  Two additional fighters parked towards the rear of the hangar caught his eye.  Based on their disassembled appearances, they weren't going anywhere.  Someone had removed all six turbines from both ships, while parts and tools littered the floor in a haphazard fashion.}

      ^{"Are you two arguing again?" a mechanic joked after he came from behind a thruster nozzle.  Swipes of grease covered his coveralls from top to bottom.  “Only reason I know why you’d be this late for another patrol.”}

      ^{Yamane gave the starboard wing a good shake.  "I assume she's ready to go up?" he asked.}

      ^{Kershaw walked up from behind.  “Oh, don’t worry about him, Sergeant,” he said, sarcasm peppering each word.  “The lieutenant commander can’t wait to get out there and answer the secrets of the universe."}

      ^{The mechanic let out a restrained laugh before bringing his attention back to the half-repaired nozzle.  Finding himself drawn to the same cone-shaped apparatus, Kershaw started rolling up his sleeves, exposing two muscular forearms.  "Those crossover valves there need replacing,” he offered after a brief examination.  “Do you have a modifier wrench handy?"}

      ^{He had just gotten the housing assembly off when Yamane grabbed his collar and pulled from behind.  "You should leave the repairs to the professionals.  They know what they’re doing."}

      ^{Kershaw rose to his feet.  "But Frank, this will just take a minute.”}

      ^{"We're scheduled for the next patrol, not to put fighters back together."}

      ^{"I don't know why you always want me flying with you,” he replied with that same disappointed look as before.  "You know I'm a much better engineer than I am a pilot."}

      ^{"You don't have to tell me that," Yamane agreed, "but people should find ways of broadening their horizons so they aren't stuck in a rut."}

      ^{Kershaw placed his hands on his hips.  “Look who’s talking.  You’ve logged in more flying time in the last two months than half the squadron combined."}

      ^{“Maybe you’re right,” Yamane countered, "but this will all be a moot point if we don’t get out there in the next two minutes.  The control tower is waiting for us.”}

      ^{"Alright," the major conceded, "but if that fighter is here when we get back, she’s all mine."}

      ^{The mechanic just shook his head, and then resumed his work.}

^{MOFFETT TRACKING STATION, KORIDAN SECTOR}

^{0237 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME, AUGUST 17}

      ^{Monitor 1 came up negative again.  Monitor 2, negative.  Ten Seconds later, monitor 3 confirmed the results.  The tracking computer moved array number 7 to its next pre-programmed position.  Once scanned, a single column of numbers popped onto the screen.  Monitor 1 came up negative, again.  Monitor 2, negative.  Ten seconds later, monitor 3 confirmed the results.  And on and on the same mind-numbing activity had taken place throughout the night.}

      ^{Sergeant Morris stared at all nine screens across from him, a blank look on his face, trying his best to remain awake.  It had been his tenth double-duty shift in as many days, and he was exhausted.  A fact driven home with a realization that monitoring those same planets in the Rovina system for hours on end had long become a tiresome sight.  Most people would feel this way, he reasoned to himself, if they had to do the same monotonous activity for two weeks straight:  check an area of space, usually one with little strategic significance, and then move on.  The whole thing seemed pointless.}

      ^{Array number 7 moved over again.  Even though the targeted areas were light-years away, the transceiver relayed multiple streams of data in an instant.  Morris smiled.  In fact, he considered the operational system something of an amusing diversion.  Dr. Fredrick Henkle, who had developed the Radial Amplification Resonator fifty years before, created more confusion than anyone he knew.  He must have had a warped sense of humor, Morris thought.  Why else would he call his creation RadAR?  Confusing name or not, Henkle’s invention revolutionized space travel.  At just about any point in the galaxy, an operator could send and receive a signal in a matter of seconds, as though the distance between the two had melted away.  From then on, the business of space travel had become a much more practical endeavor.  For Morris, however, reaching out to the stars did not give him the personal freedom he thought would be a part of his work.  Instead, his duties in the military had become a kind of jail sentence—just him and his keepers, the machines.}

      ^{Resigned to a purgatory-like existence for the remainder of his shift, Morris picked up another cup of coffee.  He couldn’t remember if it was his fourth or fifth.  As he put in a third packet of sugar, a high-pitched chirp registered on the speaker.  He swiveled his chair around.  The small, angled display revealed what it had an hour before, a class-M star cluster.  Thinking he must be hearing things, Morris reached over and picked up the cream.  A beep sounded a second time.  He put the cream down and checked the screen again.  The same stars appeared, nothing else.}

      ^{“Those stupid birds are nesting at the arrays again.”  He picked up his data pad and typed in a memo, “Note to self:  Shoo birds away at end of shift.”}

      ^{A high-pitched chirp sounded a third time.  The mobile tracker stopped, indicating it had locked onto something.  He stared at the screen.  Nothing seemed to be different.  He rubbed his chin.  “Let’s see if this works,” Morris mumbled to himself.  He typed a series of commands into his console.  The booster array signal doubled in strength, increasing picture resolution by almost fifty percent.  There, ever so faintly, a hazy image appeared.}

      ^{“What are you doing all the way out there?” he said under his breath.  “Maybe if I tighten the bandwidth.”  Morris input the new directive into his tracking computer.  That star cluster, filling just about every square centimeter of the display, moved inward, as though it had collapsed upon itself.  Morris’ idea was working.  There, right before his eyes, the ghost changed itself into a small, fuzzy blip.  “Gotcha!” he declared in triumph.}

      ^{Two rows of analytical computers began to click and whirr, evidence they were processing a flurry of incoming data.  Morris scooted his chair over and studied the numbers.  Though broken in spots, the telemetry indicated the object was traveling in a linear direction.  “Must be a deep space patrol I forgot about,” he concluded.  But after accessing flight schedules for that region of space, he found nothing had been scheduled out there for the next two months.  Something's not right about this, he thought.  Maybe I should contact the duty officer.  Morris switched on the intercom.}

      ^{"This had better be good," a groggy-sounding voice replied after a lengthy delay.}

      ^{"Captain Gollanski, this is Sergeant Morris in tracking tower two.  I just picked up something unusual on my monitor.  I think you should come down here and double-check these findings."}

      ^{A heavy sigh came through the speaker.  "Can it wait until morning?"}

      ^{"I don't believe so, Captain.  Something tells me this might be important."}

      ^{“You don’t believe?  That’s not much of a—” Gollanski stopped.  “I’ll be there in a minute,” he sighed again.  And just as he promised, the duty officer arrived sixty seconds later, on the dot.  Draped in a blue flannel robe, he went right up to Morris.  "All right, Sergeant," the captain said in a conspicuously gruff manner, “what's so important that just couldn’t wait?"}

      ^{Morris swallowed hard.  “I’ve been tracking an unidentified object for the last ten minutes.  Telemetry indicates the unknown is coming from sector seven, but we don't have anything scheduled out there until October.  I was hoping you might know something about this."  The captain, in the midst of a yawn, just shrugged.  “Maybe if you see what I’m talking about.”  He switched the transmission from his console to one nearest the Captain.}

      ^{Gollanski rubbed his still tired eyes, then bent over and scrutinized the intermittent contact from a closer vantage point.  “Preliminary analysis indicates the unknown is traveling in a linear direction,” he mumbled to himself.  “Are you sure these readings are correct?”}

      ^{“No doubt about it.  I've checked them over three times.”}

      ^{“Sector seven is right at the edge of known space,” the captain affirmed.  “A transport would need a couple of weeks just to get out there.  Has the telemetry indicated what this could be?”}

      ^{“The object is still too far away.  Maybe in an hour or two we can get more accurate data.”}

      ^{“I don’t have a good feeling about this.”  He stood up and stared at the nine screens above.  “I think Star Force Command should be informed.  Make contact with them right away.”}

^{NEW ROANOKE COLONY, BETA CENTAURI}

^{2157 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME, AUGUST 10}

      ^{Tom Stafford sat on a nearby hill overlooking the desert setting of the Monfort Plains, which had in effect, became his new home.  There, down below, he observed twenty temporary shelters set up in two rows of ten, side-by-side.  Set inside the shelters, the RadAR shack stood near the middle of the compound.  Seven cargo bins placed around it formed a loose circle, and scattered about the camp, various all-terrain vehicles.  Except for his fellow settlers, he had not observed any evidence of life elsewhere on the planet, save a seeming infinite supply of scrub brush growing all over the northern continent.}

      ^{In his mind’s eye, however, their far-flung outpost had already become much more.  New Roanoke represented the dreams and aspirations of people who envisioned a better life for themselves and their children.  Though the colonists numbered just over a hundred now, not long, perhaps in a few short years, the outpost could be the site of a major metropolitan community, with fifty-story buildings lining downtown boulevards, hover ports dotting the landscape, and new cities popping up elsewhere on Beta Centauri.}  

      ^{The collection of shelters below didn’t quite measure up to the vision in his mind.  And while he would be the first to agree they had a long way to go, the “wild west” aspect of the New Frontier only bolstered his determination.  He believed that whatever goals Man sets for himself, he could fulfill every one, no matter the obstacles.}

      ^{A far off branch snapped in the distance.  Stafford froze.  His senses heightened.  Not far off, unseen rocks tumbled down the darkened embankment.  As his eyes darted about, he heard another snap.  He crouched down low and picked up his flashlight lying nearby and grasped it tight.  With his heart thumping, he turned on the light and pointed it into the darkness.  His fears subsided when the beam caught a large man with glasses and white beard approaching from below.  That description could only fit one person—Jerry Ashby.}

      ^{"I didn't…mean to…scare you," he gasped between each winded breath.  Feeling more at ease, Stafford set the flashlight by his feet again.  "I came to tell you the grid will be powered up in five minutes," Ashby said, still breathing hard from his one hundred meter trek up the steep grade.}

      ^{"I know," Stafford replied, distance shading his voice.  “I just needed a little time alone.”}

      ^{Ashby took in the colony.  "Sure is impressive, isn’t it?"}

      ^{Stafford nodded in agreement.  "I think New Roanoke is well named.  Just like the colony those English settlers established seven hundred years ago, a whole new future awaits us as well.”}

      ^{"After the Antares War, I never thought we would see any new settlements in my lifetime.  All the ones we had were lost, and no one was so eager to reach out into the unknown again."}

      ^{A cool stiff breeze brought a chill to them both.  The day had been unusually warm and they were likewise dressed for the weather.  But when the blue super giant twelve billion kilometers away crept below the horizon, temperatures dropped fast.}

      ^{“I think we should get indoors,” Stafford suggested.}

      ^{After feeling the goose bumps on his arms, Ashby quickly agreed.}

      ^{Because of the sheer drop, the loose, sun-baked clay and dirt made their trip a tricky one.  Stafford took a couple of hesitant steps, clomping as he did, and then slid a meter or two before catching his balance.  Ashby, slowed by his age and size, approached the downward ascent more cautiously.  He tried taking a smaller step before shifting his weight onto the other foot.}

      ^{Arriving in a cloud of dust and countless small boulders, both men congratulated themselves when they reached the bottom in one piece.  Javen Chang, whose turn it was to stand guard that night, powered up the protective grid the instant they stumbled past him.  A gentle buzzing noise went from power relay to power relay.}

      ^{“I’ve got the next shift in the RadAR shack,” Ashby waved.  “I’ll see you in a few hours.”}

      ^{The name ‘RadAR shack’ struck Stafford as ironic.  Shack was the last name he would give to a building that stretched twenty meters into the sky.  The reinforced structure, built out of concrete and steel, easily dwarfed both sets of temporary shelters on either side.  But the name somehow stuck, and no one referred to it otherwise.}

      ^{“Goodnight, Jerry,” he waved back and then stopped.  Stafford looked at the stars flickering above, and listened.  A strong breeze blew past him.  A couple of cast iron frying pans hanging on a wire strung between two poles brushed up against each another.  The semi-rhythmic dissonant notes drowned out the noise that had first caught his attention.  His suspicions eased.  Probably nothing, he thought, and then continued on his way.  Stafford stopped again after taking another half-dozen steps.  "Do you hear that?"}

      ^{Ashby, who had reached the shack doors, also stopped and listened.  He scanned the sky above.  "Hear what?" he asked after several moments passed.}

      ^{"Sounds like a low hum . . . coming from the north end of the canyon."}

      ^{Ashby looked around.  "You must be hearing those energy transformers by the grid.”}

      ^{"No . . . this sound is different . . . and it’s getting louder."}

      ^{"I'll go check the scopes inside.  Maybe they can tell us if something's out there."}

      ^{Just as he opened the door, a faroff explosion lit up the night sky.  A second or two later, sound waves created by the detonation flew past them, followed by a mild rumbling.}

      ^{Stafford took a hesitant step forward.  "What was that?" he demanded.}

      ^{Before Ashby could answer, another explosion hit closer to camp.  A brilliant yellow and orange plume transformed the night into day for a brief instant, and then faded into darkness.  Several families, woken by the noise, came out to see what had happened.  Acrid smoke and burning embers met them at their doors.  Seconds later, additional explosions detonated all over the compound.}

      ^{“Get back inside!”  Stafford screamed, waiving his arms back and forth to get their attention.}

      ^{A ship of unknown configuration flew overhead in a blink of an eye.  The unfamiliar craft targeted a cluster of cargo bins and then fired.  Stafford stepped back just as they erupted into crimson balls of light.  A blast of superheated air knocked him back a couple of steps.  When a second blast landed nearby, he turned and ran in the opposite direction.  Trying to keep low, Stafford searched for anything that might provide a minimum of cover.  He caught sight of a person staring at the sky.  The person just stood there, frozen.}

      ^{Three shuttle-sized vessels flew over them both, fired on a pair of temporary shelters, and then disappeared behind a nearby mountain ridge.  Stafford took advantage of the opportunity and dashed towards the person standing like a statue in the darkness.  "Ashby!” he shouted after recognizing him.  “We have to get a message out—before it's too late."}

      ^{Ashby didn’t respond.  He just just kept his attention fixed on the sky above.}

      ^{Stafford, realizing his pleas were useless, turned and ran for the RadAR shack.  Before he had gone a handful of steps, a powerful explosion went off behind him.  The force of the blast hurled his limp body twenty meters distance.  He struck the ground hard with a thud, knocking the wind out of him.}

      ^{Shaking off the effects of the explosion, Stafford eyed the shack just a stone’s throw away.  With a force of will almost beyond himself, he scampered to his feet again.  The sudden action, accompanied by a terrible ringing in his ears, almost caused him to lose consciousness.  No, I can’t be injured, he willed himself to believe, and then scurried to the other side of the compound.  A quick jerk on the outer doors revealed a dimly lit RadAR shack interior.  Once inside, Stafford took a split-second to orient himself, and then bolted down a long white corridor.  Flying into the control room with almost reckless abandon, he zeroed in on three operators hovering over a pair of consoles.  "Have you gotten a message out yet?”}

      ^{One of them threw down a cipher book in anger.  "Neither transmitter is working," he scowled, his voice sharp.}

      ^{Stafford shot a quick look at both stations.  "Not working—why not?"}

      ^{"The first hit took out our antennas.  We did transmit a partial message, but nothing more than detecting some ships on our scopes.  The signal went dead after that."}

      ^{A high-pitched whistle sounded above them.  Before Stafford could respond, a massive explosion rocked the RadAR shack.  Support beams from above came crashing down, knocking out all but a handful of lights.}

      ^{Dust and debris filled the control room, followed by an extended period of silence.  When he felt it safe enough, Stafford peered out from underneath the computer console he had ducked under.  His eyes caught sight of a multi-ton support beam resting on the workstation right above him.  The mangled piece of equipment groaned under a weight it had never been designed to support.  Thinking quickly, he moved his hand out like a probe, careful to avoid jagged pieces of glass and metal littering the floor.  When his index finger brushed past the bent leg of a nearby console, he wrapped his hand around it.  Stafford drew in a deep breath and then pulled himself out.  Under the flickering of emergency lights, he saw the RadAR console buried under tons of twisted debris.  His heart sank.  Now there was absolutely no way of getting a message out.}

      ^{Two more explosions detonated near the building.  A wall behind him collapsed into a heap of broken concrete and twisted rebar, filling the control room with even more dust and debris.  Stafford wanted to run, to get out while the chance was there, but he couldn’t just leave his friends behind.  He at least had to try and find them.}

      ^{When he took a couple of tentative steps forward, a violent coughing fit stopped him in his tracks.  Stafford put his sleeve to his mouth, using it to filter out a heavy layer of particulates floating in the air.  Then something caught his attention.  There, buried underneath tons of concrete and metal, were the men he had spoken with only moments before—all dead.  He ground his teeth together.  At least they had a quick end, he thought.}

      ^{Another hit brought down two smaller girders, slamming them into the concrete foundation below.  Stafford realized the RadAR shack was coming undone.  If he didn’t get out now, the next hit would most likely finish them both off at the same time.}

      ^{Those few surviving emergency lights guided him to a small hole near the south wall.  Stafford set his fears aside and scurried through a tangle of wreckage.  He found himself outside again.  The stars were out now, a pair of moons casting their shadows on the devastation around him.  Flames engulfed every building in the camp, both large and small, while thick columns of black smoke billowed up into the heavens.  The crackling of multiple fires burned in his ears.  He suddenly felt alone.}

      ^{Two more ships passed by overhead.  Stafford took note of their silhouettes against scores of raging fires licking the night sky.  He found himself drawn toward the polished, strangely shaped vehicles.  They formed a rounded triangle, with appendages flowing out from behind them.  It wasn’t so much their configuration, but an ominous quality each one possessed.  In fact, the very existence of those vessels exuded a frightening darkness—as though some kind of malevolent force was leading Stafford to the edge of an abyss.}

      ^{Through the fire, a lone figure appeared.  His gait remained slow and regulated, unconcerned about what was taking place all around him.  “Ashby,” Stafford called out.}

      ^{He stopped.  “Is that you, Tom?” he asked in an odd tone, before falling to his knees.  Stafford caught him just as he landed on the ground.  “Look’s like we were wrong.  This colony is going to end up like all the others.”}

      ^{Stafford cradled Ashby’s head in his arms, rocking him back and forth.  “Don’t say that . . . nothing is over until we say it is.  We can rebuild . . .”}

      ^{Ashby looked up at his friend, smiled, and then closed his eyes.  Stafford felt Ashby’s pulse slowing, the last beat dragging out to and standstill.  He was gone.}

      ^{Pain and anger exploded in Stafford.  He embraced his dead companion, and began to weep.  Another bolt came from the sky and landed near him, but he didn't care.  Nothing mattered.}

      ^{One last blast detonated a short distance away.  There was a flash of light and then darkness.}

^{CHAPTER 2}

^{GENERAL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, STAR FORCE COMMAND}

^{0836 PROXIMA MERIDIAN TIME, AUGUST 11}

      ^{"How long has it been since that ship’s last transmission?" Commodores Hayes asked; his voice amplified by two sets of speakers on both sides of the council chambers.}

      ^{"About fourteen hours ago, sir."}

      ^{"And what was the nature of this transmission?"}

      ^{"They relayed their speed and location,” Colonel Sterfer replied.}

      ^{"How much time has passed since we first detected the incoming ship?"}

      ^{"Four days.  Sergeant Morris at the Moffett tracking station was the one who sighted the vessel.  He informed his commanding officer, who then notified us."}

      ^{"And how long before it reaches the capitol city?"}

      ^{"Six days—if their velocity and heading remain unchanged."}

      ^{Seated behind Sterfer in the VIP gallery, a number of high-ranking officers and politicians stirred.  They turned towards each other and spoke in whispered voices.  About thirty additional junior officers sat behind them, their behavior much more obedient and subdued.}

      ^{"Have there been any other transmissions of significance?"}

      ^{"Significance?” Sterfer replied.  “I’m not sure how to respond.”}

      ^{“The question is straightforward enough,” Commodore Hayes stated.  “Is there anything else we need to know so a decision regarding the disposition of that ship can be rendered by this body?”  He sat back in his overstuffed leather chair behind the elongated, crescent-shaped table and studied the man sitting in front of him.  The colonel appeared to be in his fifties, judging by his thinning gray hair.  Deliberate in his actions, Sterfer preferred to keep his notes in front of him.}

      ^{The uneasy seconds ticked by, accompanied by a heavy silence.  Hayes could see indecision on Sterfer’s face.  He was holding back.  The commodore did empathize with him, given the circumstances.  The colonel sat alone, pitted against the highest-ranking members of Star Force Command.  On his left and right, rows of cameras diligently recorded every detail, both subtle and overt.  And sitting behind him in the two-story high, oak-paneled formal meeting room were scores of support personnel scrutinizing the hearings with equal interest.}

      ^{What weapons did Sterfer have in his arsenal to combat the glare of the spotlight?  From what Hayes could see, just two:  three rotating fans above, and a glass of water off on his right.  An image of David verses Goliath flashed in his mind.}

      ^{The silence was beginning to grow stale.  When a deliberate lack of a response had the potential to jeopardize the outcome of the proceedings, his sympathies were stretched about as far as they could go.  “We’re waiting, Colonel.”}

      ^{Sterfer frowned first before clearing his throat.  “That ship has been sent by a race called the Deravans,” he stated.  “They have come for the purpose of making contact with us."}

      ^{The sounds of low murmurs filled the council chambers.}

      ^{Hayes leaned towards his microphone.  "You mean to tell me that that ship out there is coming here as a type of emissary?" he asked with a new understating of why Sterfer had been holding back.  If the council permitted the ship’s arrival, there were some obvious potential positives:  the introduction of new technologies, the eradication of incurable diseases, and the addition of vast repositories of knowledge.  If, however, the Deravans sent that ship as a ploy for making war against them, namely the annihilation of the human race, then the latter part of the equation no doubt scared Sterfer right to the bones.  And as the person responsible for the assessment of such information, all eyes were pointed right at him.}  

      ^{"Yes, sir, that's exactly what I'm saying."}

      ^{This time, those low murmurs turned into outright talking.}

      ^{Crack, crack, crack went the gavel in three short, explosive bursts.  "I will have order," Senator Garcia objected.  Through a direct cause and effect relationship, the discussions dropped down at incremental levels every time the sound of the small wooden hammer registered in the chambers.  He laid his gavel down in front of him.  "Please continue, Commodore Hayes."}

      ^{The springs underneath Hayes’ seat squeaked when he leaned back in his chair.  "Thank you, Senator,” he replied.  “Are we continuing to receive additional messages from the Deravan ship?"}

      ^{Sterfer shot a quick glance at his notes.  "Not at this time, sir.  For some unknown reason, they have ceased transmitting."}

      ^{"Colonel, what are your people doing in light of these unfolding events?"}

      ^{Sterfer held out his hand and tried to clear his throat.  “A moment please.”  He picked up the glass and gulped the water down greedily.}

      ^{The colonel’s actions made Hayes feel thirsty, too.  The warm, stale air didn’t make the situation much better.  The purpose of the closed-door hearings was to keep what they discussed from leaking to the press, but having a couple of hundred people cooped up in there all day made it quite hot, almost unbearable.  The fans above did help a bit, but the rotating blades only circulated the warm air instead of cool it.}

      ^{Sterfer finished off his glass of water, but the hot camera lights bearing down on him appeared to make his relief short-lived.  "When intelligence had been notified about the ship’s discovery, we set up a team of specialists so they could track and analyze it.  Before their initial transmission, we weren't even sure what we had out there."}

^{“If you weren’t certain it was a ship, then why were so many of your people taken off other assignments?  It could have ended up being nothing more than a rogue comet?"}

      ^{Sterfer bristled at the remark.  "Because this is standard procedure.  The ship came out of nowhere; in a place we barely have a foothold.  We had to be sure what we were dealing with."}

      ^{Hayes pressed the issue and leaned forward again.  "And do you have any idea what the point of origin for the Deravan vessel might be?"}

      ^{“If you trace the ship’s path back before we made contact, the trajectory takes it into an uncharted part of the galaxy.  So, there's no way to know for sure."}

      ^{“Excuse me,” Admiral Chesterfield interjected.  "I have a question.”  She brushed back a few strands of blond hair that had slipped down over her eyes.  “Can you explain how we can communicate with the Deravans?  The odds of them speaking the same language as us must be staggering."}

      ^{“Standard operating procedure also requires all intercepted messages be tied into the transcoms."}

      ^{"Transcoms?" Chesterfield asked after she took off her glasses, her tone serious.  "What are transcoms?"}

      ^{“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he smiled.  “People in my field work with them all the time.  I forget it’s like speaking Greek to those on the outside."  The harsh stare given by Chesterfield indicated she wanted an answer, not an explanation.  "That's short for translating computers,” he added after clearing his throat.  “All incoming messages go through the computers for decoding.  While most of this is standard traffic from base to base, we do intercept some classified transmissions from the Antarens on occasion.  They have this unusual habit of changing their ciphers about once a year.  So, as a means of keeping tabs on them, the transcoms were designed to break new codes with a minimum of information; thus, speeding up the process.  They’re quite remarkable."}

      ^{"And that's how you can understand the Deravan’s messages?"}

      ^{"Yes, ma’am, that's correct.  It took a couple of day’s worth of signals, but the transcoms finally cracked their language."}

      ^{"Do you believe the appearance of this ship has anything to do with the signal loss at New Roanoke?" she asked, a note of concern in her voice.}

      ^{"Not at this time,” Sterfer replied after a brief pause.  “As you know, the New Frontier is a good distance away.  The probe we sent won't reach Beta Centauri for another twenty hours."}

      ^{"Have your people pieced together what they think may have happened there?"}

      ^{Sterfer paused again.  "I’m afraid not.  The only thing we know for sure is that their long-range tracking picked up something approaching the planet.  There has been nothing from them since.  The colony may have only experienced simple transmitter problems.  But the Deravan ship could not have been responsible, if that’s what you’re inferring."}

      ^{"You sound certain of that," Garcia interrupted, condescension tainting every word.}

      ^{Sterfer held up his notes.  "If you consult this briefing material, you can plainly see the vessel could not have been involved.  Unless their technology enables them to be in two different sectors at the same time, what you're asking is physically impossible."}

      ^{“This is all well and good, but the one issue still before us is what should be done about the Deravan ship,” Fleet Admiral Davenport asked in a low tone.  “Every second we delay means less time to decide a course of action."}

      ^{“The way I see things,” Hayes interrupted, “is that we have one of two choices.  Either we do nothing and let that ship arrive, or we destroy it."}

      ^{"I think you’re oversimplifying the issue." Senator Garcia balked, both eyes narrowing.}

      ^{“I see no other alternative,” Commodore Hayes continued, his physical presence enhanced by the power of his voice.  "How do we know what their true intentions are?  Perhaps the Deravans are a benevolent race, offering us the hand of friendship.  But then again, they may have sent the ship as a precursor towards something bigger.  And by bigger, I mean they may have set their sights on the conquest of humanity."}

      ^{"I find it difficult to believe a race of intelligent beings coming from such a great distance could see us as a threat to them.”}

      ^{"I believed such notions once,” Hayes said with a faraway look, “but after the war against the Antarens, I don’t think I ever can again.  Even today, they are a ruthless enemy, ready to attack us the moment we drop our guard.  When a person experiences this . . . well, he doesn’t offer the hand of trust so openly again."}

      ^{The senator shook his head.  “This situation could not be more different.  Just because circumstances happened this way before doesn't mean they will again.  We have no evidence to suggest the Deravans intentions are not honorable.  We would be nothing more than criminals if we attacked a race of sentient beings without provocation.  I will not condone such an action."}

      ^{Hayes was about to object when something caught his attention.  A man came from the rear of the chambers, every facet of his being brimming with youthful self-confidence.  He had slicked back hair, polished shoes and manicured nails.  Hayes had seen him before.  When the proceedings started, he was back up against the wall, sitting on a brown wooden bench.  The unknown officer had appeared more or less disinterested in the proceedings, until Sterfer began his testimony.  The instant the colonel took his place in the hot seat, the man, for whatever reason, pulled out some papers from his briefcase and tracked the statements made by him.}

      ^{The young officer stopped just behind the table, extended his right hand as he bent over, and picked up the microphone.}

      ^{“Captain, what are you doing?” Sterfer asked, surprised by his sudden appearance.}

      ^{“Don’t worry, Colonel,” he reassured him.  “Everything’s under control.”  He then tapped the microphone with his index finger three times—plink, plink, plink—and said,  "Please excuse the interruption ladies and gentlemen, but I think there's a third option we have not yet discussed."}

      ^{“The council recognizes . . .” Garcia’s voice trailed off, bemused.  He didn’t seem to actually know who the person was.  “And you are?"}

      ^{"My name is Captain Reeves," he replied.  “I am Colonel Sterfer's assistant."}

      ^{Garcia gave him a good looking over first.  "I assume you have something to add to these proceedings . . . uh, Captain?"}

      ^{Reeves held the microphone close.  “That vessel is coming whether we like it or not.  I suggest we send out a squadron of fighters on an intercept course.  After making contact, they can assess the situation up close before taking any action.  If the Deravan’s intentions are peaceful, we welcome them with open arms.  If they are not, then our ships can dispose of the matter—quickly and efficiently."}

      ^{“Of course,” Hayes gasped.  The answer had been right in front of him all along.}

      ^{Garcia swiveled his chair around.  He and Hayes spoke.  The senator then went to his right and discussed the matter with Admiral Chesterfield.  When he had finished, Garcia repositioned himself in his seat and pulled the microphone towards him.  "What do you think of the suggestion, Commodore?"}

      ^{"I think it’s an idea worth recommending.  I can have a team ready to go by 0600 hours."}

      ^{“I agree,” the senator nodded.  “As the head of this council, I am authorizing you to oversee operations personally.  Use whatever resources and agencies you may need.  Does anyone else have anything they wish to add?"  A welcomed silence fell over the room.  "Then if there are no objections, this hearing is closed."  The crack of his gavel echoing off the walls signified the end of the proceedings.}

      ^{A couple of ideas were already going around in Hayes’ head.  Sterfer and his associates would continue to monitor the Deravan ship, and analyze any new incoming data.  He figured the most strategic location to run such an operation was the Gagarin Star Force located at Titan.  But that left the most crucial area remaining.  Who will be the lucky one to make first contact with the Deravans?  A name immediately came to mind—Lt. Commander Frank Yamane.  His years of experience made him, in Hayes’ estimation, the perfect choice.  He glanced at the astro-clock set above a pair of double-doors.  Time was already running short.}

      ^{Hayes grabbed his briefcase and hurried out of the council chambers.  Intending to return to his office, he ran into a mob of media cameras trying to work their way inside.  A pair of frenzied soldiers barely held the crews back, their sheer numbers making it a daunting task at best.  But when Hayes stepped into view, they dashed over to him.  With his every means of escape blocked off, he soon became overwhelmed by the several dozen reporters shoving microphones into his face and yelling out questions.}

      ^{Both guards, realizing the commodore’s predicament, managed to step in and push the reporters back.  Unfazed, the media continued to dog Hayes every step down the hallway.  Giving the appearance he had been answering their questions, he fired off a flurry of "no comments" every few meters, hoping they might give up and leave.  His strategy, however, had the opposite effect.  His obvious stonewalling made the news crews that much more determined.  They smelled a big story brewing and were determined to stay until they got something out of him, anything.}

      ^{Despite being dogged at every step by the news crews hovering around him, the commodore had somehow traversed the narrow corridor and reached the elevator doors.  After pressing the button, he stood there, biding his time.  The lighted numbers counted down to the lobby with a profound slowness.}

      ^{For the most part, he managed to ignore the barrage of questions thrown at him.  Then, even with the noise filling the lobby, one of their queries did manage to get through.  "We've had unconfirmed reports at least one ship of unknown origin, maybe more, is heading right for Saturn.  Can you comment on this?"}

      ^{Hayes tried to figure out who asked the question, but that would have required a miracle.  The reporters were still pressing around him jabbering away, while at the same time, waiting for a reply.}

      ^{Two sets of doors slid open after a bell announced the elevator’s arrival.  Feeling like a man harried by an unrelenting enemy, he stepped inside; grateful he had been rescued from the chaos.}

      ^{“Are they a threat to us?” another reporter shouted out.  Pause.  Hayes did not respond.}

      ^{Even before the doors banged close, the entire press corps made a hasty retreat back to the council chambers.  He suspected they were desperate to get some usable quotes for their editors who, if he knew his manager types, would not be satisfied with anything less.}

      ^{Hayes turned around and faced the front of the elevator.  The interior was dingy.  Not run down, but well worn.  Probably from decades of use, he surmised.}

      ^{Looking up, he found the lighted numbers above.  He wondered why people did that when they came onto an elevator.  The reason didn’t matter.  The commodore appreciated the fact he had been given a quiet, uninterrupted moment.  He had no idea when he would enjoy one again.}

^{ANTARA, HOME PLANET OF THE ANTAREN EMPIRE}

^{DAIETH TIME MINUS THREE}

      ^{Kel Sen-Ry stepped onto the terrace overlooking the city, his thoughts troubled.  Staring down into the valley, he studied the familiar sight.  There were thousands of small multi-colored lights dotting the skyline.  Many of them were white, while others were blue, joined by reds, greens, yellows, and on and on.  Almost every color combination imaginable showed itself, revealing unique hues of radiance and light, and then, as if by magic, replaced by others even more beautiful than before.}

       ^{Kel Sen-Ry didn't sleep well during the hot summer months.  Just like the night before, and the one before that, he stood in his usual place and watched the capitol sleep.  A warm breeze blew past him.  A series of chimes placed throughout his garden rang out, rich and melodious.  He enjoyed the song while it lasted, but as soon as the breeze died down, he felt even more alone than before.  And still far from being tired.  Kel Sen-Ry, minister of the Second Order, official designate of the scribe guild, and confessor of the Martor Province had tried all the usual tricks he could think of to beckon slumber, but his efforts were futile at this point.  Nothing would work.}

      ^{He lifted his eyes.  The familiar constellations overhead always soothed him whenever he felt restless.  Their very presence proved order existed in the universe.  But tonight he was anxious, and the stars failed to comfort him.  He shouldn't have felt this way since he knew of the changes destined to come, but his irrational fears were with him, nonetheless.  Kel Sen-Ry figured his feelings stemmed from a need for having the world around him remain unchanged, but reality, as he knew it, would never be the same again.  Many of the priests in his order tried to explain away the appearance of certain signs since the Terrans withdrew from Antara, but what the Prophets foretold made ignoring the truth all but impossible.}

      ^{Brushing his thoughts aside, he eyed a pair of galaxy clusters looming near the horizon.  The mathematics of how they were created ran through his head, but even they did not provide the solace he needed.  The evening sky appeared different somehow.  Rather than being a welcome respite, the stars above had become cold . . . distant.}

      ^{Kel Sen-Ry turned to go back inside, when a lone star far from the others caught his attention.  A powerful sensation pulsed through his body, holding him in place.  He couldn’t take his eyes off the flickering light above.  It almost felt like some other presence had joined him.  Strange thoughts filled his head, foremost of which imparted to him an intuitive understanding.  "It has begun," he whispered to himself with an undeniable finality.}

      ^{He felt alone again, alone and afraid.}

      ^{Looking about, but seeing nothing, a sense of sadness came over Kel Sen-Ry.  He returned to the terrace and stared at the city below.  What will happen to them, he wondered.}

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