TEMPUS CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT
Quickness is the essence of the war.
Sun Tzu
“Raguel what do you know about the Gray?”
“I only have the rumours from the reports of abductees. I am sure some real some not. No way to know, which is, which. Big heads, big eyes Gray skin Some report friendly most not. There is only one way to find out for sure. One of us has to go.”
“I thought two of us in a small ship. Do you want to go for a look-see?”
“The leader of the planet should not be the one to go Cristian.”
“I don’t want to ask anyone else, even you but I am looking for a volunteer.”
“I will go with you.”
“I think I will leave Watcher behind.”
“There is no need to leave Watcher the M’s can serve the same function.”
“We should leave right away. I just have to say goodbye to Lorelei.”
“Alfred I am leaving on a trip If I am not back in seven days transfer control to Lorelei.”
“Understood.”
“Lorelei where are you, sweetie?”
“You have to ask?”
“Get someone to cover for you. I am leaving again I could use a few sandwiches and drinks.”
“I will meet you in the hangar.”
“Raguel I will be ready in a few minutes keep our trip quiet.”
“Cristian Raguel and Uriel have left in the Ascalon,” said Watcher.
“Fuck.”
“Nikola I need you to meet me in the hangar bay?”
“On my way Cristian.”
“Nikola I have a situation. Raguel and Uriel have left for the Gray’s planet with the scorcher?”
“No, they haven’t I have it in the workshop.”
“Why did they go?”
“To stop me from going.”
“How fast can you mount the scorcher on the Retribution?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Lucy, Alfred full loadout plus a combat trailer.”
“Sergeant Major I need your two best men full loadout hangar bay ten minutes.”
“Right away.”
“Callahan I need fresh re-breathers for the Retribution plus four small O2 tanks and masks, fast as you can.”
“Lorelei why are you in Battle Dress.”
“Because I know you are going to misbehave. I don’t want to miss the fun.”
“All right I know when not to argue.”
“Did you bring some grub?”
“Yes, and the ship has MRE’s water and med gear. Now standard loadout.”
“Where is the EVA suit?”
“In a locker in the ship?” said Lorelei.
“When you walk in you will see a new airlock separating the crew and the rear of the ship.”
“Whose idea was that?”
“Mine sweetie so you can go to the ISS and visit. I know you like going there.”
“What a good wife you are.”
“Did you see the cool stickers NASA sent back With Raguel?”
There was a big round Earth Defence Force logo and a NASA sticker on the sides of the ship.
“Was I asleep when all this was done?”
“Actually yes.”
“Nikola and Alfred were busy attaching the Scorcher to the hull of the ship.”
“ Watcher can you trigger the device.”
“Yes, Cristian.”
“Are you done Nikola?” asked Cristian.“Please have your tickets ready for boarding those that are carrying loaded weapons please load first.”
Callahan pushed the combat Trailer into the cargo area. Lucy rolled in then Lorelei and Cristian followed by two soldiers.
“I have your shotgun and your happy face sweetie?”
“Soldiers carry your masks.”
“Yes First Leader.”
“You will call me Sargent on this trip. Sergeant York.”
“Yes, Sargent.”
“If we are captured I don’t want them to know who I am.”
“Watcher patch me into the sound system.”
“This is your First Leader. We are heading out on a mission Albert and Stephen are in charge while we are gone. Alfred, you heard my orders.”
“Yes, Cristian.”
“Protect them. Watcher take us to Thu-ban.”
Soon as they were able Watcher used the singularity drive to transport them to the system.
“We are here Cristian.”
“What’s interesting out here Watcher.”
“There is a planet with billions of inhabitants ahead Cristian.”
“Can you detect the Ascalon Watcher?”
“I think radio silence may be prudent Cristian,” Watcher said using audio “I have shut down the engines and all interfaces. We are drifting, the imager has us looking like a small asteroid.”
“Good idea Watcher.”
“Any comm traffic?”
“Lots Cristian trying to learn the language now. This is the home of the Gray. I am going through video transmissions that I am recording. Cristian there is an invasion fleet around the other side of the planet It is completely comprised of Lizards ships. The Gray have no ships.”
“Have you learned their language?”
“Enough.”
“Any ideas why they are conquering Planets?”
“It seems to be resources just resources. They need water. They have no water Cristian, they have other needs as well.”
“Watcher do you know where we can pick up a stray Gray?”
“There is a sparsely populated area near the south pole.”
“Can we get in and out without detection?”
“I think so Cristian?”
“Let’s do it?”
“No one fire unless fired upon.”
“We need to capture one alive. Lucy do have sleepy grenades in stock?”
“Yes, Cristian.”
“M2 hand them out to everyone plus a re-breather.”
“Let’s take the ship down Watcher.”
“I just pushed us ahead to give us momentum. I will fire up the shields and engines before we hit the atmos.”
“Don’t forget the scorcher is on the outside.”
“I don’t forget, I am a machine” Watcher answered in his evil terminator Arne voice.
“Shields on, engines and interfaces back on.”
“Let’s make a grab and run. Upload the language to everyone” said Cristian.
“I have a single Gray in the small structure ahead.”
“Park us at the front door. Personal Shields on as soon as the ramp hits home.”
“M2 kick in the door.”
“Gas grenade. Re-breathers on. Take the Gray.”
The two soldiers entered first, shades on there was a single small being with a big head big eyes, slender arms and legs laying on the floor. M2 carefully picked the being up and carried it to the ship.
“Soldiers, Lorelei, look for anything of use food computers any technology anything that might help learn about these creatures.”
“I found something that looks like a comm device.”
“Bring it and Let’s bug out.”
“Watcher interface with the Ascalon.”
“I have it Cristian? Raguel and Uriel are on board. They are on a Lizard ship.”
“As prisoners?”
“No as guests. They are in the ship ready to leave.”
“Watcher use the back door we put in the operating system, take over the ship fly them out and fire all their weapons at the host ship right into their landing bay. Disconnect their interfaces from the ship.”
The Ascalon fired every bit of armament she had and straight into the landing bay that was still open.
“The Lizard ship has been destroyed Cristian.”
“Contact the Gray relay the message through the Ascalon.”
Tell them that the ship is armed with a device that will destroy their planet. Send them images of a scorched earth.”
“Complete surrender or complete annihilation it is up to them. They have five seconds to comply.”
“Cristian” Watcher paused “they have surrendered.”
“Contact the Lizards.”
“This is Cristian Wolf. The Gray have been defeated will you fight for me or die with them. There is another device outside your homeworld in the past. If I do not contact them within the hour you will cease to exist and all of your battles will never have happened you will die in shame. I will proclaim it to the all the known universes. In song and story.”
“IIIIEEEE. We will fight for you First Leader.”
“Watcher can their ships land on the planet?”
“Yes, Cristian.”
“Send two ships to the surface. Your lead ship and one other. I want to meet with you face to face. Take your ship to these coordinates. Take the other ships and all warriors off all other worlds and wait for me at your homeworld? Do it before I grow impatient.”
“Watcher have everyone meet us at the house where we took the Gray from. Send them the location.”
“Done Cristian. Cristian two ships have been sent to the surface. The rest of the Lizard ships have left the system.”
“First Leader I am never ever gonna play poker with you,” said Hutch.
“Holy shit Husband you just defeated two worlds with a threat.”
“Needed doing wife,” he said without pride or boast. “Bring the Ascalon closer. Open comms.”
“Thank you for giving us the opportunity to defeat the Gray Raguel and Uriel. The next question is do I open your door to space or do you surrender? I only want one word from you?
“Surrender.”
“Good Watcher fly their ship with us. When we land keep the hatch shut.
“Contact the Gray.”
“I have the Chancellor Cristian.”
“This is First Leader Wolf” I would like to meet you in person to discuss the terms of your surrender. I have taken your army they answer to me now. You will come alone and meet us at the coordinates we are about to send.”
“Cristian there is a small craft at the coordinates. He is alone?
“The Retribution landed on the planet close to where it was the first time. Two huge lizard ships were waiting close to the house on the flat desert ground. There were about 1400 Lizards standing in formation waiting for their new Leader.
“Lucy M2 Soldiers carefully put the Gray back into it’s house.”
Cristian now alone approached the contingent of Lizard warriors standing in front of the two ships on the surface.
“Who is in charge here?” Asked Cristian.
“I am,” said one of the Lizards.
Cristian knew what he must do. It was a scene he had seen in so many bad b movies. He drew his Maker sword and cut the Lizard’s Head off and quartered his body before the head hit the ground.
“Who is in charge?”
The reply came from all the Lizards.
“You are First Leader.”
“Who is my second?” One very cautious Lizard approached.
“I am your second First Leader. I am Commander Eelt.”
“General Eelt. What is your custom to honour your fallen warriors?”
“We burn our warriors.”
“Take the warrior here on the ground and honour him back on your homeworld.”
“He fell in shame First Leader.”
“He fell challenging me for leadership. He is to be honoured. Do you understand” He said raising his voice?
“Yes First Leader.”
“Which hand do you fight with Eelt?”
“My right.”
“Stretch your right hand out?” The Lizard stretched his arm, Cristian drew his sword and brought it down stopping just short of cutting off his hand.
“Eelt do you swear to serve me above all others?”
“Yes First Leader.”
“Then you will become my right hand.”
“Yes First Leader. How did you know this was our custom?”
“I did not, it seemed the right thing.”
“It is true. You are the traveller.”
“Leave me the better of the two ships I will take it as my own. I need one of your warriors to accompany me. Do you have any with the knowledge of science?”
“We have one, a female on my ship.”
“Send her to me. Take all your warriors and wait for me at your homeworld. I will be there in 70 earth rotations to address the warriors.”
“As you have spoken First Leader.”
A female Lizard was brought down to the First Leader of the three known inhabited worlds.
“You will accompany me.”
“As your wife,” said the Lizard?
“No, I have a wife. As an adviser, I have much to learn about your race. Will you try to kill me?”
“No, you have earned the right to be our leader. I will serve you.”
“I have a question that will be asked by many. Have you ever eaten human flesh?”
“No First Leader I always found the practice revolting. Feeding on or killing sentient beings is something I do not do.”
“Good. It will still be difficult for you. You will be hated on my world.”
“I know First Leader. I am called Tuseer.”
“Tuseer I will need a tour of my ship.”
“Is there a landing bay?”
“Yes First Leader.”
“In private address me as Cristian Tuseer.”
“Cristian.”
“Tuseer Hold my watch for a moment.”
“Ouch.”
“Lucy ask the Chancellor to come aboard the ship and escort him.”
Lorelei, I am flying you and the crew into the landing bay on the ship.”
“What did you name her Cristian?”
“It is not rightfully ours Lorelei. Brace yourself, sweetie. I have a Lizard female that has become an adviser to me. Please don’t kill her. Restrain Raguel and Uriel.”
“I will do my best.”
“Tuseer open the landing bay so I can move my ships over to here.”
“It is done.”
Cristian thought the ships over and when the ramp was lowered.
“Watcher, can we fly this thing?”
“Give me a second Cristian. I have it I have interfaced with the ship. I can fly her Cristian.”
“Chancellor bring your ship into the landing bay.”
“First Leader Wolf. What is the Reticulan doing here?” asked the Gray.
“Chancellor she is my adviser, she has been given the order to kill you if you misbehave in any way.”
“Lorelei this is Tuseer she has told me that she has not killed or eaten any humans, try to get along.”
“Tuseer I trust my Husband enough to allow you to live, never give me a reason, I won’t end your life.”
“I understand.”
“Tuseer please give Lorelei a tour of the ship.”
“Watcher is there any way to identify this Gray as the Chancellor.”
“I have not found any way of Identifying them as yet Cristian. They seem to all be identical, almost cloned.”
“Audio on. Are you the leader of this planet and of your species?”
“Yes, I am Cristian Wolf. I am Chancellor K’ proule.”
“You speak my language.”
“Watcher any sign of Mind control kill him.”
“Chancellor we need to go to my planet.”
“I thought we might.”
“Load up and bug out.”
The ship was taken into the atmos above the Gray homeworld.
“Watcher full audio.”
“Contact his people when we when hit space.”
“Chancellor, tell your people we will return you home safely in a few days our time.”
He spoke to his people and they left for Earth.
“First Leader Wolf did you have a device that could do what was shown in the images you sent.”
“Yes, Chancellor.”
“Would you have used it?”
“Only If I thought there was no other choice. Give me no other choice I will use it now.”
“Ah it’s true, we were told you were a fair and formidable Warrior.”
“Spies on the Planet?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me why did Raguel and Uriel betray us?”
“They did not know, they were being controlled. There is a masked device inside them that has been there all along. We sent them to your planet.”
“Why would you do that?”
“To create you, Cristian Wolf.”
“Now you are just fucking with me.”
“No Cristian we are a dying race. We needed your help.”
“Everything he is saying Cristian is reading true?”
“What about the Lizards and what they were doing on the planet?”
“The Reticulans are very hard to manage. They are a very fierce warrior race that I am afraid we created. We could not contain them, their thirst for blood was due to mistakes we made manipulating DNA when we first started the practice. We are responsible for what they did.
They took all of our ships and refused to let us fly. Even your ship was one of ours, although I can see you have improved upon it.
They believed the conquering of worlds was something that was beneath us and should only be done by them. We were afraid of them. If we showed any sign of weakness we would have lost the hold we had on them completely and they would have taken the Universe. We created a plague. We handed you the plague to deal with.”
“How do you know you haven’t created another with me, Chancellor?”
“You did not destroy us when you had the chance Cristian.”
“What about the abductions on Earth. We heard so many stories.”
“There were only two abductions done by us and they were returned safely, we needed DNA samples. The others were probably the Reticulans. I assure you we were very delicate with the subjects. They felt no pain or trauma.”
“Why do we have images of what you really look like?”
We did have a crash it was not at Roswell. 1897 Texas we had a crash the sketches were made of a body retrieved. All the Other crashes were disinformation hoaxes.”
“Cristian Wolf we are the Elders, not the Reticulans. They used any means they could and very haphazardly I must say, to control your world. They were never created to be smart. They were created to be our physical workers. As you can see we are not built for this task. There is more. There is another group you should be aware of. On your planet the Lizards as you call them, themselves have been manipulated by humans who have another goal. They could not have come up with the schemes to control your world by themselves.”
“Do you know who they are?”
“No, not yet.”
“They will surface to back your replacement in the upcoming elections. They were behind the push for you to become the First Leader.”
“I thought that was a little too easy.”
“Do you know what their agenda is Chancellor?”
“What every evil wants. To enslave and control. To better themselves at the expense of others. The Lizards were not capable of creating the diseases, or methods of enslaving and destroying your people. Those were created by humans.”
“Fuck and I played right into their hands. Now they have a way to take over the planet, and worse maybe your planet. How do we fight them?”
“Win the election and expose them.”
“What about your people? How do we keep the peace between our people.”
“My suggestion First Leader is that we join your Federation.”
“Sure and we call it the United Federation of Planets. Gene and Majel would have been proud.”
“Then we join the Alliance. I have something for you, Cristian Wolf. Our knowledge, all of it. Use it to defeat your enemies.”
“The Lizards are answering to me right now. I have them.”
“They will tire of you when they see there is nothing to fight or conquer or kill there is no other way for them. They must kill. There is an enemy far more dangerous than the Reticulans.”
“Who is this enemy? Chancellor, is there anything else you are hiding from us?”
“You will soon learn of them. No, Cristian Wolf, we wish to live as a peaceful race. We have made many mistakes and we would like you to help correct them.”
“Do you think the human race should have access to all of this technology?”
“I don’t think you have the choice, Cristian Wolf. Without it, the human race will be eliminated.”
“How did you do with all that knowledge Chancellor?”
“I am not sure how to answer.”
“I will answer for you. Your technology is responsible for the destruction of many worlds and many beings. It seems to me that your people couldn’t handle it. I am not sure my people could handle it either. Maybe that is your goal to give us the tools to destroy ourselves.”
“No, we do not want that. We want to peaceably Co-exist with your planet.”
“Watcher erase any reference to the gift of technology from the Gray from all recordings.”
“Done.”
“Chancellor hold this. Now we can have a private conversation.”
“You will not mention the gift of technology to the planet Earth ever again. I think this is more dangerous than anything the Lizards could do. To give a race that is just reaching for space, advanced technology would destroy them. We need to mature as a species and find our own way.”
“Your reasoning is sound Cristian.”
“Chancellor I return the ownership of the ship to its rightful owner.”
“I understand First Leader Wolf. The people of Thu-Ban present this ship as a gift to Lorelei Wolf to use as she sees fit.”
“Good you understand. If I lose the election I would lose the ship” he said privately.
“Yes.”
“I have two men here that have overheard the conversation about the technology. Any suggestions on how I handle that?”
“I can erase the memory of our conversations. If you would allow.”
“If they would allow. This must never be done without permission. No more devices are to be implanted into any sentient beings again.”
“I understand.”
“Soldiers the conversations here must not be known to the rest of the world.”
“Yes First Leader.”
“I need permission from both of you to erase the last five minutes of the conversation from your memories. It will only be done if you allow.”
“We both trust you First Leader.”
“Good, thank you, have done this universe a service.”
The Gray Alien did exactly what he said he would. The two soldiers were not harmed.
“Just to summarize for the readers you created bad Aliens by mistake then you created another Alien so he, he being me, could clean up your mess.”
“Yes clean up mess. Yes, that is what you are here for.”
“Cristian Wolf Janitor. Chancellor, you have a big hole in your story. If you could time travel you could have changed the past and averted all this.”
“Cristian we can’t time travel.”
“The Ascalon and my ships can why is that?”
“I have no immediate answer, that is interesting.”
“Something doesn’t smell right here. I will find it out,” said Cristian knowing there was something wrong with this story.
“Lorelei, you are back?”
“Yes Cristian I didn’t want to miss all the conversation, Tuseer is with Lucy. She is alright for a Lizard Cristian.”
“Lorelei I have returned the ownership of the ship back to the Elders.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Let me finish wife. They have presented the ship to you as a gift.”
“Better than a station wagon. I’ll take it. Now it is a private ship.”
“Yes Captain Lorelei Wolf,” said Cristian.“Okay here is the billion-dollar question Elder. Who is the real donor of our DNA?”
“You are 90 percent Human as you are Lorelei. The other ten percent of your DNA sequence is from another.”
“Watcher, did you know anything about this?”
“No Cristian it seems my programming has been altered to hide the truth.
“Your DNA sequences were altered to make you better thinkers and better Warriors. You are GMODS, genetically modified humans. You are the true Makers Cristian and Lorelei.”
“Raguel and Uriel are the two abductees aren’t they?”
“Yes, Cristian you are clever.”
“Two fucking funny, our two Aliens are humans who think they are Aliens.”
“I told you we didn’t hurt them. They were given advanced knowledge.”
“The devices in Raguel and Uriel must be neutralized.”
“I will comply.”
“Why couldn’t we reproduce with other humans?”
“You never will be able to, your DNA sequence makes that impossible. You can only reproduce with another GMOD. It is possible that your daughter, however, may be able to reproduce with a human.”
“How many female GMOD’s are there?”
“Only a few, Lorelei and few others, one you saved from a ship that was sinking, who fell in love and married a normal human being and never had children.”
“Gracie?”
“Yes, Gracie.”
“The love we feel for each other is that programmed as well?”
“The attraction for each other is genuine it is not a trick of DNA re-sequencing. You love each other because you do.”
“Well, I guess divorce is out of the question.”
“Cristian Wolf” Lorelei huffed a little then smiled.“Did you say, daughter?”
“Yes you will have a girl Lorelei and Cristian”
“Lorelei remind me to take a holiday when we get home.”
“I could use one too.”
“So where do we go from here Elder? All I ever wanted was to raise a family.”
“With a hot redhead that loves to make pie.”
“Right what she said.”
“The rest of the story has yet to be written about Cristian Wolf. The human hybrid that united his planet and saved them many times from themselves and others, and of you Lorelei the woman who stood beside her Husband and carries the daughter that may yet save your world many more times.”