Escape to Earth 1: Running From Fate (30 page)

“That’s why they’ll never be Gold Stars. You can’t impose your will on others. You must persuade others to your point of view and force will never work.”

Jinks was silent for a moment and sighed, “I never really thought two years ago that my going out and making presentations would amount to anything. Who would have thought that so many colleges would accept our classes here as full credits. Teaching year round has made a huge difference in finding those we’re going to need.”

“What about the second class of Gold Stars?”

“Lukas, there are more than five thousand that are going through the finals. Keeping them under wraps until they could come to terms with the massive numbers of alien warships waiting to attack Earth was not easy. Everyone’s initial impulse is to run to their families and loved ones.”

“That’s why we leased another island with no lines of outside communication. They are bright, intelligent people but this is something that can overwhelm you. Incidentally, have any of them cracked and want out?”

“That’s the most surprising part of this. The psych tests our graduates take really work to separate those that can handle the stress from the others. All of them eventually arrive at the same conclusion; if Earth is invaded, the only ones preventing those they love from being killed is them.”

“When will they bond with their ships?”

“In about another eight weeks. They’re working on the simulators to learn how to fly them.” Jinks shook his head, “Lukas, that simulator you and Willow built is amazing. It really does feel like the real thing.”

“Willow ran the program through the headbands directly into the pilot’s neural synapses. They actually do feel the sensation of high G acceleration and braking. The program that teaches how to target the disruptors was more difficult.”

“We’ve gotten approval on the delivery of the first vehicles into the United States. The EPA agreed to allow our graduates to bring one back with them to test and run trials on how it operates. It was a stroke of genius that you got them to agree to seal the engine compartments to prevent industrial espionage. They checked the exhausts and determined they exceeded the lowest levels needed to pass EPA certification.”

“Jinks, doesn’t that seem odd.”

“What do you mean?”

“They were so hot on stopping whatever was happening here initially…”

“But now they’re turning their backs and ignoring what we’re doing.”

“Exactly.”

“Lukas, I think someone high up the totem pole has decided that whatever they’re doing to handle this crisis might not succeed. I think they are genuinely hoping we are developing something in the event they fail.”

“That doesn’t sound like their style.”

Jinks paused and looked at Lukas, “No, it doesn’t, does it? What else do you think they’re up to?”

“I thought they might try to take the vehicles the Gold Stars took with them; but that hasn’t happened.”

“That could be Sarah’s doing.”

“Oh?”

“The current head of the EPA owes her big time for saving his son from a drug cartel. If he’s telling the Military to back off, they would have to get Presidential approval to interrupt this study and you know how this President needs an environmental success in the worst possible way.”

“That makes more sense than them just turning their backs on us.”

“By the way, I hear the French is launching some supplies to the I.S.S.”

“Yes, that’s the report.”

“That should be interesting.”

“Come over and we’ll watch it on the portable while we’re on the beach.”

“Great idea. See you this weekend.”

• • •

The table was full of fresh fruit and snacks to celebrate another step forward by mankind. It had become a tradition to celebrate every space launch on the planet. Willow would send the signal to a fifty inch portable television and interpret what the announcers were saying. It was three in the afternoon on the island and the launch was scheduled for nine fifteen pm in France. Just forty five more minutes until the huge rocket lifted.”

The group were all gathered and feeling festive. Stoney and Jinks were catching up on what was going on at the secret classes for the new Gold Stars. Sarah, Amanda, and Trevor were talking about redoing their hair. The dark roots were starting to show. Salud sat in front of the TV with margaritas in one hand and holding each other’s free hand. Seven of the Gold Star instructors had free time to come and join them before going back to the training facility. The mood was light hearted and laughter filled the afternoon air.

Lukas held Salud’s hand and smiled, “We are making progress at getting ready for them.”

“We’re still a long way from having the forces to confront them.”

“I know, but we’re making progress.”

Salud turned back to the TV as Lukas stood to get an orange. She listened to the translation Willow was providing and heard one of them say, “The Swiss have a satellite going up on this payload and are making a special announcement once it’s in orbit.”

Salud’s eyebrows came down when she saw the two Swiss scientists talking in the background behind the announcer. One was Joseph Kepler, who had become a naturalized Swiss citizen fifteen years earlier. He and Franz Kemp had won the Nobel Prize a year earlier for their work on black hole theory. She wondered what they were doing. Those two were two of the brightest minds on the planet.

The countdown finally arrived at the final ten seconds and everyone counted it down with the announcers. The rocket blast lit up the night sky and the giant lifted and started its journey into space. Salud looked at Lukas, “Joseph and Franz have a satellite going up with the shipment to the space station. They’re going to make a special announcement once it’s in orbit.”

Lukas stared at the TV screen and said, “Are they the two that won the Nobel Prize last year?”

“Yes.” Lukas’ eyes narrowed and Salud said, “What’s wrong?”

“I hope nothing.”

“Something has you spooked.”

Lukas shook his head, “Salud, the development of a stardrive requires the understanding of black hole mechanics. The void a stardrive enters is what is on the other side of a black hole. I read the paper they published and it hypothesized that a void exists inside a black hole.” Lukas looked at the screen. He began shaking his head and stood up, “Willow, can you scan that rocket?”

“Not without the Fellowship Probe detecting me. What’s going on?”

“Probably nothing, but the two Swiss Scientists who won the Nobel Prize have a satellite in the rocket’s payload.”

“You don’t think that they…”

“I really hope they haven’t but they uncovered the fundamental relationship between the void and gravity a year ago and they received enough funding with the prize to research further.”

The group on the beach gathered around Lukas and listened to what he was saying. “Please don’t let it be…”

The two Swiss Scientists appeared on the screen and Joseph said, “We have sent a satellite into space with this launch to conduct an experiment. We are currently orienting so that it is aimed above the plane of the solar system.”

Lukas started shaking his head as Franz said, “We are going to activate a circuit in a moment and we believe that our satellite will disappear from its orbit and reappear outside our solar system in less than two seconds.”

Lukas said, “Contact Stoney and tell him to get the Gold Stars on the simulators, NOW!” He turned to Jinks, “Send the alert to the first Gold Stars and have them power up their ships immediately. Get one of them over to Kathy’s home and pick her up. If they have to force her to come, do it!”

Salud looked at Lukas and shook her head. She heard another countdown in the back ground and looked up at the visual of the Swiss Satellite where it was hanging in space. She looked at Lukas, “Can’t we shoot it down?”

“If we do, the probe will see it and it will precipitate the invasion. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t.” Everyone looked at the TV as the countdown hit zero and the small satellite disappeared. Lukas said, “It’s happened too fast. A city, maybe more, is about to die.”

Jinks looked at the TV and shook his head, “The freaking Swiss! Who would have ever believed they would come up with it first?” He activated his wrist unit and said, “All Gold Star Pilots will report to the island immediately for arming. Do not delay but do not reveal yourselves. Island shutdown will be in place in ten minutes.” He turned the dial on his unit and said, “Julie, I need you to find Kathy and bring her here! Stun her if necessary but get her and her baby to the island pronto.”

“Will do.”

• • •

Julie arrived at Kathy’s apartment and found she wasn’t home. She said, “Can you get a fix on her cell signal?”

“Stand by a moment.” Julie waited and forced herself to be calm. The meditation classes helped her focus on her body and not allow her adrenaline to take control. “I have it. She’s in a park two miles from here.”

“Get us there. Go vertical if necessary.”

The sleek SUV roared down the hill and jumped an intersection as it continued at high speed toward the park. Several police units gave chase but were stopped by traffic when the SUV jumped over lanes of traffic. “She’s over near the pond.”

“Why didn’t you just go vertical the whole way?”

“The Fellowship Probe would have detected the gravity unit. Jumping over large numbers of cars masked the unit’s emissions.”

“That was good judgment. Julie saw the young woman ahead sitting in the grass with her young baby. The SUV slid up to her and Julie jumped out of the driver’s door. “Kathy!”

Kathy saw the SUV slide to a stop six feet from her and she grabbed her baby and pulled him into her arms. She saw Julie jump out and say, “Kathy!” She nodded and the woman said, “Lukas has asked me to come and pick you and your baby up.” Kathy’s face showed her shock and Julie said, “He told me to bring you by force if necessary but I don’t want to do that. He also told me to deliver a message.”

“What is that?” Kathy said in a trembling voice.

“He said that he saved you from your attackers and he needs you to come with me to save you from some new ones.”

Kathy stared at Julie clutching her baby who was starting to cry as he felt his mother’s fear. “My car is across the park.”

“Trust me on this, Kathy; you won’t be needing that car.” Kathy stood up, ran around the car, and jumped in the passenger’s seat, “Where’s the seatbelt?”

“There isn’t one. Where is the baby’s father? I should pick him up as well.”

“There is no father.” Julie stared at Kathy and she looked out the windshield, “He left me six months after Christopher was born. He just couldn’t accept he wasn’t…”

“Hold on, we’re making a run for the harbor.”

Kathy felt the seat wrap around her and mold to her shape. Suddenly, the dashboard began changing shape and she saw a large display appear in the center. She saw numerous red dots moving on it, “What are those?”

“That’s the local gendarmes trying to give me about a hundred driving citations.” Julie looked at Kathy, “They aren’t for excellence in driving.”

Kathy watched Julie jump four lanes of traffic and turn a corner at an impossible speed, “You should be recognized for still being in one piece.” Julie made a sharp turn and Kathy saw a boat ramp directly ahead of them. “Uhhh, you need to slow down!”

“Kathy, if you haven’t figured out by now that this isn’t a normal automobile, you’re going to know for sure in two seconds.” The SUV went into the boat ramp at more than a hundred miles an hour and jumped over two boats being pulled up on their trailers. It hit the water with a huge splash and disappeared.

Kathy watched as the SUV changed shape. The windshield lost its upright position and curved around the front of the new shape. The speed it began moving through the water was impossible. She looked at the display and saw more than a hundred green lines moving in the same direction. She looked at Julie, “Are they like you?”

“They are.”

“Where are you going?”

“We’re going to where Lukas is waiting to give us our orders.” Julie looked at Kathy, “Earth is about to be invaded by a species from another place in our galaxy. They’ll be launching nuclear missiles shortly and Lukas didn’t want to see you die if Boston were to be hit.”

“Why would they hit Boston?”

“That’s where he originally hid.”

“He’s not from here, is he?” Julie stared at her control panel and shook her head. Kathy looked straight ahead and sighed, “I’ve always known he was something different.”

Julie said, “Go to maximum speed!” The teardrop shaped craft accelerated at a blinding speed and Julie said, “Lukas is something else.” Kathy saw the numbers of green lines on the center display was growing by the second. She held Chris and felt his heartbeat; it was slow and steady. She leaned back and saw him smiling. She knew that her son had somehow figured out he was going home.

• • •

Every Fellowship Starship heard the distinctive alarm go off announcing the use of a stardrive inside the primitive planet’s star system. They all activated their skip drives and armed their weapons. The Sensor Commander on the Welken Flagship yelled, “The Johan have launched a huge missile that went into the void immediately!”

“Get us moving! Go to full speed!” The vast gathering of warships entered the void but saw the single bright dot moving far ahead of them. The unmanned missile could fly at four times the speed of a manned warship through the void without being concerned at killing the crew with particle destruction. The Johan missile increased its lead and every Fellowship Warship chasing it knew that it would arrive at the planet first. The Myot and Welken Fleet Leaders were furious that they hadn’t thought of using an unmanned missile to land the first hit. The huge gathering of warships broke into normal space and saw that it was too late. A city on the planet’s surface was glowing brightly from the nuclear explosion that vaporized it. They all heard the Sentinel announce, “The Johan have fulfilled the covenant and are now the rightful possessors of this planet. All other Fellowship civilizations will leave and not enter this system for three years.”