Story # 5.7: Britton vs. Jay

 

With clouds all around, blanketing the sky, the Argo J1, carrying the precious cargo of Jay's life, moved quickly along the trail, with Cals attacking from the sides. Despite the damage inflicted thus far, the vehicle was handling the blows well. 

"Jim, status report!" Dana yelled as Cal H1 attacked from her side of the vehicle.

A Cal H1 looks like a horse with a rider, but its legs are wheels, giving this machine a very mechanized look. One Cal H1 was to either side of the vehicle.

"The vehicle has sustained 35% damage, mostly cosmetic."

"How much longer can it take this?" Linda asked.

"I don't know."

After Dana said this, the Cal H1s both stopped and fell behind rapidly, as did all of the other vehicles and drones in pursuit. The Argo J1 continued on down the path through the wilderness.

"They stopped! They all stopped," Chad said, looking back.

"What's happening?" Linda asked.

Dana looked up in the sky in bewilderment. "That's what is happening!"

As Dana pointed up at the sky, Linda looked in the same direction. Her eyes widened as she saw the Fleece falling to the ground from above. As the craft collided with the ground, a huge dust cloud engulfed the region, reducing visibility to zero. Additionally, because the area around the Fleece was protected from the energy being released from the activation sequence or the remnant, that protection was now gone for Jezreel. Lightning began to infuse rapidly across the area.

"Oh great! As if the army we just faced wasn't bad enough," Allie said.

Jim alerted them, "Multiple lightning strikes in the area. Over 100 detected. Use caution."

"This is our chance," Linda said.

Dana looked at her.

"Get to the Fleece."

"How will we get in?"

"We'll find a way."

***********************************************************************************

Britton stood up in the chamber, but it was more surreal than usual. She knew she was dreaming, and it would only be a matter of time before she awakened.

Inside the real chamber, Jay's body was lying amidst damaged consoles and panels. Pat was also unconscious, for the moment. All power to the Fleece was shut down, but the computer was slowly coming back online. As the emergency lighting was activated, the chamber's main screen began rebooting.

"It's only a matter of time before the Fleece resets and can become airborne again. Release the angels," Rapha said, looking at the downed craft from his vessel. Angels, in this context, are drones that can take on any form needed. The angels will help reduce the issues caused by lightning, not by stopping it, but by removing individuals from the planet. Individuals who were loyal to the SIC will not be saved. One will be taken, another left. As the angels moved out away from the larger vessels hovering over Jezreel and the downed Fleece, the sky lit up like a giant swarm of robotic locusts. Millions, if not billions, of angels flew out in all directions around the world. Already, billions of people had died from the lightning strikes. The angels were simply trying to pick up the pieces. Fortunately, there weren't as many people loyal to the SIC as the SIC claimed.

"All other vessels, proceed back into orbit. This vessel will remain to assist here," Rapha ordered.

"Won't we need the help?" Jacob asked.

"We have Jay to help with that."

***********************************************************************************

Britton looked up at Jay, standing over her a few feet away. Jay stood there, defiantly. As an intense, angry stare came across Britton's face, she motioned with her arms, making a powerful thrust forward. Instantly, Jay shot backwards into the distant part of the room.

Britton began standing up, "I guess you forgot in a dream, Jay, anything can happen."

From a distance, out of sight, Jay responded, "Oh, I'm well aware, Britton. No need to worry about that."

Britton scanned the room, looking for Jay in the growing darkness. The lights were dimming, and a haze was filling the room, like smoke smoldering. Britton waded into the ever-growing fog.

"So, you think you can control this dream? You think you'll be able to control a dream in my head?" Britton said, defiantly.

Britton believed she was more powerful than Jay could ever be. Despite knowing Jay had been killed many years earlier, she was arrogant enough to perceive a greater ability than anyone could imagine. But Britton lacked the awareness to perceive what Jay was now capable of doing.

"You underestimate my powers. I've always wanted to say that," Jay replied with a chuckle.

"Come on out then, and show yourself, you star freak."

"With pleasure..."

Just then, a hand reached out and grabbed Britton's arm from behind. She was spun around one hundred eighty degrees to come face to face with a creature like no other. This beastly creation from Jay's mind had large fangs, big eyes, and a snout that pushed the fog aside as air escaped. A long tongue protruding from between the teeth. Once Britton saw the creature, she was startled, but it grabbed her by the head and chomped down with painful, unmerciful force.

Britton let out a blood-curdling scream as she could feel the teeth sink into your head and neck. With one final push down, the head severed from her body, jets of blood shooting out, as the rest of her body collapsed to the ground.

On the ground, Britton was still screaming, her head still attached to her body. She suddenly realized that she had not been decapitated. But within seconds after this realization, another creature lunged forward from the mist, with dagger-like claws stabbing into her torso. Britton instantly felt the pain as the two claws tore her torso wide open, revealing organs and blood. The tearing moved her body forward towards the creature as she looked it in the eye. Red glowing light began coming from the creature's eyes as it once again chomped down on Britton's head. As she felt the teeth dig in again, Britton screamed, only to hear the pulverizing gnashing of teeth tearing her skull and neck to pieces.

Britton awoke, screaming. Once she got her bearings, she realized she was back in the same spot she had been when she first saw Jay standing before her. None of it had happened, but it all felt so real.

"How does it feel getting a taste of your own medicine?" Jay's voice echoed through the chamber.

Britton stood up quickly and looked around, "Where are you?"

"Despite what happens here today, it pales in comparison to what awaits you in eternity, Britton."

"SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!"

"I have been, and always shall be your worst nightmare for you, for Rob, and for Pat."

"YOU CAN'T DEFEAT US! We're stronger than you. We always have been, and we always will be."

"You don't know the half of what you are saying, Britton. Because you killed me, you, Rob, and Pat, you created something much different than before. You say how I could control a dream in your head? This isn't a dream!"

Jay appeared as a shadowy figure behind Britton, who was still moving around in circular patterns in the room, looking for Jay.

"This is as real as your life will ever get."

Britton turned around the face, Jay.

"Come on then, boy. Show me what you can do, if you're so powerful."

"I know something you don't..."

An arm ripped through the floor beneath, Britton, grabbing her right leg. Another arm ripped through the floor and grabbed the back of your clothes, pulling Britton to the ground, landing on her back. As Britton lay there, more arms came up through the floor, grabbing all parts of her body, and began pulling her down into the depths below. 

Britton was pulled down into what could only be described as the pits of hell. There, she was surrounded by numerous dead people. Some were decaying like zombies. Some were on fire. Some were dripping in blood. Each one grabbed another piece of Britton's body, pulling and tugging ferociously. Jay walked up through the mayhem and stared at Britton.

Britton stopped screaming from the agony being inflicted to stare back at Jay.

"You call this fear? This is nothing," Britton said defiantly again.

Jay just stared back, no expression.

Two of the hands of the dead people surrounding Britton then grabbed both sides of Britton's mouth, reaching their fingers inside. They pulled hard and ripped Britton's head wide open, a gush of blood and fluids falling all around. The other dead people ripped her body limb from limb, leaving behind a pool of mass and mess. 

***********************************************************************************

Britton was enduring this torment, but at a cost. With each iteration, her hold on Jay's actual body weakened. In the true real world, where Jay's body lay undisturbed, Pat had finally awoken to see the damage in the room. The computer had restarted, and the Fleece was beginning to power back up. 

Pat walked over to the computer, assessing the situation. He had to go to the artifact room to make sure the central power supply of the orb was intact and not disabled in some way. From there, he could launch a retaliatory response. As he turned around, he saw Jay's body lying there and saw the body twitch.

Pat knew Jay was fighting Britton in his own mind. Pat knew this was a consequence of having Britton possess Jay's body. If Jay's spirit or essence ever returned, Britton might be powerless to fight him off. Pat knew Britton's time was limited and chose to leave her. Rapha was cunning and had tricks up his sleeve that even Pat never knew about. Pat left the control room and entered the adjacent elevator. As he turned back to see Jay's body twitch once more, all Pat said was, "Good-bye, Britton."

***********************************************************************************

Back in Jay's head, the battle continued. Now, no more demon and monster creations were involved. This time, the fight was between Jay and Britton.

Britton kicked Jay to the side of his left leg, causing it to buckle. She jumped up and punched downward on his face, pounding him into the floor below. Now that Jay lay there semi-conscious, she grabbed him by his private parts and threw him through the air over her head behind her as he came crashing down in another part of the room.

As Britton turned toward where she had just thrown Jay, she heard laughter. Jay stood up and started walking back toward her. 

"I love a girl full of energy," Jay said, while smiling.

This comment enraged Britton more, and she charged at Jay quickly.

Before she could reach him, though, Jay stopped her in her tracks with a thought. Britton was frozen in place.

"All physical stuff aside, it doesn't compare to a powerful mind," Jay said.

"LET ME GO!" Britton yelled.

"The fact that you can't break free on your own shows how weak your mind has become with this fight. I've worn you down. You have no power over me any longer."

A look of fear came across Britton's face as she realized Jay was right. In a dream like this, she should have total control, but had lost the connection to the body she was in. Jay's body.

Jay walked up to her and grabbed both sides of her head. Britton's arms fell to her sides, as he legs went limp also. She was now becoming disembodied. 

"Get out of my head!" Jay said, commanding Britton.

With that statement, Britton's body began to dissolve. She began changing form to her more robotic body, which she once had, many eons ago. That body had been destroyed by Rapha, and now her spirit was about to join it.

Finally, the final essence of Britton slipped through the fingers of Jay, and she vanished into oblivion. 

***********************************************************************************

Jay awoke in a light-filled room with debris around him. He sat up to see the chamber where the SIC once resided. He felt his chest, stomach, arms, and legs. He realized he was alive again.

He jumped up to his feet and made his way around the debris to the computer console. It showed a tactical display of the area surrounding the Fleece. The city of Jezreel could be seen, with objects approaching. A large mass of Cals was converging on the area. Directly outside the Fleece, however, was a small blip. Jay had the computer zoom in on this object and saw the reading for an Argo J18. 

"Linda!" Jay said.

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad had made it to the downed Fleece. But with the power returning to the ship, it was only a matter of time before the Fleece was airborne again. Jay asked the computer to locate any access points near the position of the Argo shown on screen. One access was directly in front of their location.

***********************************************************************************

"Ok, so how do we get in, before that huge arm closes in on us?" Dana asked.

Linda stood there facing the Fleece, praying a way would be shown.

Suddenly, the sounds of interlocked joints began, and soon a doorway opened in front of them, tilted to the side due to the Fleece's orientation to the ground.

Dana looked on in astonishment.

Linda looked back at her and smiled, "Ye of little faith."

Dana smirked, "I have faith. I do, really."

The four of them walked into the Fleece to join in the final battle.

Story # 5.6: Doomsday

Around the world, the ancient temples and relics of the planet were rising. Where the Great Pyramids were located, destruction ensued from the earth-shaking hydraulics of the pillars beneath. The ancient Sphinx crumbled into dust as the pyramids rose higher and higher into the sky.

The pyramids were raised nearly 2000 feet into the air, higher than the tallest buildings in the world. Many of the stones surrounding the pyramids had collapsed, leaving only the central pieces intact, with a skeletal remnant of the former structure. Light was building within the pyramid structures as the energy powering it was about to be released.

 Around the world, other structures rose higher and higher into the air, much the same. The structures were an apparatus for pure energy, the likes of which the world had never seen. At least not for the world of today. The Atlanteans knew all too well what the apparatus was and what it could be used for. Rapha knew that once the machines were activated, the end would come soon.

"So, this is the long-awaited ending?" Moses asked.

Rapha looked on as the screens displayed the apparatus's deployments around the world. Once all are in place, the energy release becomes critical and has to be distributed worldwide. However, the apparatus was always meant to have a channel for conducting energy to supply power. Unlimited power sources throughout the world, allowing cities to thrive for thousands, even millions of years. But the channel was not in place. In other words, when the energy goes critical, it will go to the nearest conductor it can find: carbon-based lifeforms.

"Yes," Rapha replied. "The energy will run its course, and millions, even billions, will die."

"And how will we rescue those you mentioned, Rapha?" Enoch said.

Rapha and Moses looked at him.

"You said those who are not deserving will be spared."

Rapha nodded in agreement. "Move the vessels into position."

The seven vessels moved from their orbital positions, with the diamond-shaped grid still surrounding the planet. Each vessel began going through the grid at different points around the planet to prepare for the rescue effort.

***********************************************************************************

"Their ships are moving into new positions around the planet. They must be trying to figure out how they can stop this process," Rob said.

"There is no stopping the process," Pat replied.

"Regardless, I'm going to take precautions. I'm going back to Washington."

"Columbia is doomed already, Rob. There's no point going back there. The destruction caused by the attack and the volcanic eruption will make that entire continent uninhabitable."

"All just the same, we may need some of the weapons there to assist with whatever they try to do next."

Pat laughed, "The weapons of this world are no use against them. You'll see, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead and go."

Rob scoffed at Pat's statement, then proceeded to a chamber to teleport to Washington.

"He's always been skittish," Britton said.

"It doesn't matter. Soon, we'll channel enough energy to destroy those vessels and much of the life on this planet. They can't stop the inevitable."

"We don't know exactly what those vessels are, Pat. I've never seen anything like them before."

"It's still made by them."

"So were we."

Pat looked at Britton. "Just wait and see."

***********************************************************************************

The towers were now in position, allowing the rumbling to stop. On the ground near the structures, people of all races, creeds, and religions stood nearby. They looked up at the gigantic towers and the ruins they left in their wake. Things were now peaceful again, for the moment. At the site of Teotihuacan, people stood in awe of the giant structure that rose from the planet, only to destroy the ancient relic. The city near the ruins was now in chaos with fires and smoke rising from different parts of it, after the shaking of the ground leveled some buildings and killed hundreds to thousands. That's when the hum began.

A low hum began coming from the tower, and electrical energy could be seen rising within the pillar structure. The tower began to glow with a white, radiant light as the hum grew louder. A ball of energy began to form at the top of the tower, growing in brightness. People nearby began shielding their eyes with their hands to reduce the light shining down. The hum turned into a buzz, then a screech. This prompted people to cover their ears now and, in some cases, to bring them to their knees.

Without a channel to coordinate the flow of energy rising from the planet's core, the energy produced had no regulation. The budding orb of now-white-hot energy was growing to critical mass and would soon unleash its fury. As one man looked up at the tower, his family close to him, the screeching subsided and the orb condensed. A silence fell for an instant. Then, as if a bomb went off, the orb expanded to a mile-wide perimeter. Anything within this mile zone was vaporized instantly. Then the orb began shooting out large lightning bolts in all directions. The lightning perturbations began generating cloud cover, providing a conduit for its fury. What was happening was that, because of the city's population distribution, the cloud was forming over the carbon-based channels below: the people. The lightning began striking people down in the streets as they ran for cover, finding none.

***********************************************************************************

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad were riding in an Argo J18 to Jezreel, where the Fleece orbited three thousand feet above the ground. The Argo was self-propelled, allowing the occupants to focus on each other while the vehicle took them to their destination. With headlights shining in the deeper darkness of the day, the vehicle moved forward.

"So, I do have a question," Dana began. "How exactly are we going to get into the Fleece once we get there?"

Linda looked over at her, "Jay will provide a way." 

Dana rolled her eyes and looked away, "Well, that's reassuring."

"Look, I can't explain it all, I just know we have to get there, as fast as possible. Can this thing go any faster?"

Dana looked down at the speedometer, "We're already traveling 200 kilometers per hour. I guess we could if you want to die on the way there."

Linda gave Dana a look, "Make it go faster."

"Ok, Jim," Dana asked the vehicle she nicknamed Jim.

"Yes, Dana, how can I be of assistance?" Jim responded.

"Can you increase the speed to 250 kilometers per hour?"

A red warning light came on as Jim spoke, "Dana, that speed exceeds safety limits for travel on land. We are currently at the maximum safe speed. Increasing speed is not recommended."

"I understand, but this is an emergency, Jim. We must go faster."

Another red light came on from the dashboard, illuminating the entire edge of the dashboard and the windshield. 

This display of lights caught Allie and Chad's attention as they looked up from their devices.

"What is that?" Chad asked.

"Weather Alert: A large storm is forming in the area, with severe lightning a strong possibility. Seek shelter immediately," Jim replied.

All of the passengers looked out the windows and through the top of the vehicle. The storm clouds seemed to come out of nowhere and looked intense.

"Mom!" Allie said.

"Stay calm, Allie. Take a storm pill if you need to."

Allie frantically looked through her bag next to her for one of the pills. Chad watched her do this and thought to himself, She still believes those are anti-storm pills? 

Just then, a huge bolt of lightning struck only one hundred feet from the vehicle, with a loud, roaring thunder clap. The rush of air momentarily nudged the vehicle, setting off all kinds of warning lights.

"Jim! Silence all alarms and increase speed to 250 kilometers per hour, NOW! Authorization Code: TAYSBAYB," Dana yelled out as Allie screamed, and the others held on.

Linda looked at Dana, "TAYSBAYB?"

"I really loved this boy band growing up. It's a long story."

The vehicle shot forward at greater speed, lightning striking all around. What they didn't know was that every time a lightning bolt struck, it vaporized a human being.

***********************************************************************************

Jay approached Rapha and the others on the vessel.

"Where are we now?"

"We're over one of the major cities, attempting to begin the rescue efforts from the remnants. They are unleashing pure energy everywhere on the planet."

Jay looked at the screen, watching the lightning bolts impacting every second in different locations. Rapha's vessel was currently over one city, trying to rescue survivors aboard.

Jay saw numbers appear in the upper-right corner. "What do those numbers mean?"

"Those numbers tell us the number of bolts per second, speed of the bolts, intensity, strength..."

"What about the bigger number, Rapha, that just keeps going up?"

"Those are deaths, Jay."

Jay looked at the number; it was now crossing 300 million human beings. All of these deaths had happened in only an hour, and were still going on.

"There's got to be something else we can do; this doesn't seem fast enough, Rapha."

"Agreed, we need to go to the source."

The vessel began moving away from the city. The dome of protection the vessel had been providing was left with it, and lightning bolts began tearing through the streets, killing hundreds and thousands within minutes.

"All vessels, this is Rapha, change coordinates to the following location. Rendezvous there."

Jay looked at the coordinates provided, "You're going to Jezreel."

"Yes, we have to confront them."

"Will that stop the energy from creating the storms?"

"As I've said, Jay, there is no way to stop it once it starts. Everyone on this planet will die soon, no matter what we do now. Our goal is to stop the SIC once and for all. That begins with you."

"My confrontation with Britton."

"Yes."

"How am I supposed to do that? She is in the Fleece, in my body."

"Yes, and we are going to incapacitate the Fleece and her so you can confront her."

"You mean in a dream."

"Yes. Get ready, it won't be long before we arrive."

Jay looked at the screen and saw the vessel streaking across the ocean, with landmasses coming into view and lightning storms all around. He knew Linda and his children were on their way to the same location. This may prove to be the only way to save them and anyone else. Jay hurried back to where he had been induced to sleep to meet with Linda. This time, however, he was going to face off with a woman he had long wanted to confront.

***********************************************************************************

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad were driving full tilt toward Jezreel. Once they passed one part of the countryside, they saw the Fleece come into view, hovering above the city.

"There it is!" Dana yelled while pointing.

But as the vehicle crested the hill, they saw something else on the ground and in the air before them. A large legion of Cals had the road blocked, and drones above were standing by. The robots' objective was clear: no one was to get close to Jezreel or the Fleece.

"Oh no!" Linda yelled.

"Guys, we can't keep going at them. They'll start firing on us, and this car won't last a minute against it."

"What do we do?" Linda asked Dana.

"Jim, stop the car now," Dana ordered.

"Registering all stop," Jim responded.

The vehicle was now sitting in the middle of the road, with the legion of Cals just miles ahead. For the moment, the vehicle had gone down into a lower part of the road where rolling hills obscured the view.

"Jim, are there any alternate routes we can take to enter Jezreel?"

Jim calculated, "Negative. All routes are currently closed. Would you prefer another destination?"

"What about off-road?" Linda asked.

"Off-road?" Dana asked back.

"Yes, is this one set up for that, Four Wheel Drive and all?"

"Jim, ready the off-road package."

"Off-road package engaging. Tire capacity has been adjusted for all terrain. Four Wheel Drive is set. Please note the following off-road routes available."

One route got them close to Jezreel, and that might be enough. It would be up to Jay to get them the rest.

"Jim, set the following selected course. Engage at maximum safe speed to pursue."

"Understood, Dana. Route is plotted, engaging at 75 kilometers per hour."

The vehicle turned right and began moving along the dirt trail through the wilderness, heading towards Jezreel. Linda looked back toward the direction of the Cals to see if any were pursuing. She couldn't tell from her angle.

"Do you think they saw us?" Linda asked Dana.

"I really hope not."

Just then, proximity alerts showed up on the dashboard."Another vehicle is closing in. Use caution on this terrain," Jim said.

Two Cal vehicles slammed into either side of the Argo J18, warping the metallic fenders and shattering glass on the sides. Everyone inside the J18 vehicle screamed during the collision. The three vehicles pressed on down the trail towards Jezreel, but behind them, multiple other Cal robots and drones were in pursuit. It was only a matter of time before they destroyed the vehicle and all of the occupants within.

Amid her children's and her friend Dana's screams, Linda looked up at the sky and saw the bright stars closing in on Jezreel. A sense of calm came over Linda as she saw the vessels approaching.

"Help us, Jay. Please!"

***********************************************************************************

On board the Fleece, Pat and Britton watched as the seven vessels approached from the west over the sea. 

Britton gave an order, "Ready all weapons, full strength. Prepare to attack the incoming vessels."

The computer chimed off coordinates to Britton, "All vessels are in firing range, Supreme Imperial Chancellor."

"You may commence your attack."

The Fleece's weapons roared to life quickly and began opening fire on the incoming vessels. The seven vessels were taking direct hits but sustaining no damage. It was not clear whether some form of shielding was assisting with this, or whether the vessels were simply impenetrable. But the Fleece was having no effect in slowing the vessels down.

"Nothing's happening, Pat!"

"You actually thought something would?" Pat said, smiling.

Then, from the seven vessels at once, a large blast emanated. Just one shot aimed directly at the Fleece. The blast knocked the Fleece off its axis, sending it spinning and crashing into the ground. Inside, Pat and Britton were thrown about like rag dolls. Upon the crash, both Pat and Britton were unconscious.

When Britton began to arouse, she reached up and touched her head. She knew she had hit it hard and expected a gash there from the side of the object she had hit. She also expected a lot of destruction around her from the damage to the Fleece. Amazingly, though, there was no damage. She also did not have a head gash. However, she looked at herself and noticed a change. Her body was no longer Jay's; she was in her old body, looking like the woman she had been before Rapha made her vanish. Her clothing was similar, but she was no longer in the reality she knew. As she looked around, confused, someone called out to her.

"Hello, there."

Britton looked up at the voice and saw a man standing before her. The man was Jay, the body she had been in just a few moments ago.

Jay smiled at her and said, "I bet you're really confused right now, aren't you, Britton?"

Story # 5.5: Activation Sequence

4 hours earlier, before the attack...

Chad and Allie looked on as the news reported the arrival of the visitor spacecraft hovering above the planet. Chad did not go to his rendezvous, as the whole world was thrown into chaos by not only what the SIC had stated, but also what the alien beings had spoken through the image in the sky.

As Chad, Dana, and Allie watched the other smaller objects moving into positions, Linda had left the room to go lie down. All of this was overwhelming her. She wished so much that Jay was there to help them. She needed a moment to take it all in. So, as she lay there, she began to doze. As she fell asleep, she began to dream.

***********************************************************************************

In the dream Linda was in, she awoke in the same chair Jay had once occupied before everything had happened at the Fleece. She was back inside the Fleece, in the Artifact Chamber, but was completely alone, as far as she could tell.

"Hello?"

Linda yelled as the sound reverberated around the chamber. She could still see the glowing orb in the center, surrounded by the artifacts, linked by the glowing cables on the ground. She stood up, looking around the room, but saw no one. With this utter sense of loneliness creeping in, even as Linda screamed for someone to answer her, she collapsed to her knees and began to weep. She looked down at the floor, begging for someone, anyone, to help her.

As she wept, a hand laid to rest on your upper back. It startled her at first, but then a sense of calm came over her. She took a deep breath and began breathing more easily. She closed her eyes and began to turn to face whoever had come to her aid.

When she opened her eyes again, she was face-to-face with a being that looked like Rapha. The image of the being standing there shifted in and out of reality, its form rotating like disconnected molecules, with no face. As the being leaned back up, a low voice spoke, "Hello, Linda."

Linda looked at the being with astonishment. The voice was unrecognizable, but something about the way they had spoken seemed soft and warm to her. Something familiar. Something she hadn't expected.

"Jay?"

"Yes, it's me."

Linda, even more astonished, stood up, her mouth agape. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The being, identifying as Jay, reached out his shifting hand to her and placed it on her face, caressing it softly. Linda closed her eyes as her head tilted in the direction of the hand, allowing it to hold her face within it. The hand did not feel like Jay's, but she could feel the warmth of his touch. A touch she was so familiar with. A tear ran down the hand holding her right cheek as Linda opened her eyes and ran to embrace them. Despite being semi-transparent in their shifting form, Linda was able to embrace the being, as they hugged her back.

But after a few moments of embracing, Linda's eyes opened again, and she began to back up away to look at their distorted face-like structure. That's when Linda had a terrifying realization.

"This isn't real, is it? It's only a dream."

"It is a dream, Linda, but I am here. I am real. Just as much as I was before."

"But you died, Jay. The Jay I knew has long since been dead."

"I did die, way back when. But they brought me back."

"Who did?"

"Rapha, and the others like him. The Atlanteans."

"The visitors? The ones in space?"

"Yes, those are our vessels, hovering in the sky."

"But the," Linda paused. "Oh my! Jay, something terrible has happened here."

"Yes, I know. We all know."

"They used your body, Jay!"

"Yes, I know that too."

"It's been Pat, manipulating everything. Him and his 'no deception' nonsense. He's always been a liar."

"That's why we have returned, Linda. But first, how are the children?"

Linda looked up at Jay again, a softer expression on her face now, "I'm sorry. Of course. They aren't children anymore, Jay."

"I know, but are they ok?"

"Yes, as much as can be expected in this world."

"That's good. I'm glad they've had you all this time until I could return."

"You said Pat is the reason you have returned?"

"Yes, and Britton, and Rob. We're here to stop them, once and for all."

"That's wonderful news! It's been awful living in this world with them ruling over everything. I'm glad you've come to save us."

"That's just it...," Jay paused.

Linda's smile left her face.

"We haven't come to save anything. We've come to ensure everything is destroyed."

"Destroyed? I don't understand."

"Linda, you have to listen clearly now. Soon, this world will end, but a new one will be born from its ashes. You have to trust Rapha and everyone with him. They are going to help, but it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. You, the children, and everyone you love need to go to a safe place. Somewhere beyond the reach of Pat, Britton, and Rob."

Linda looked down, "There is nowhere safe from them."

"There is one."

Linda looked back up, somewhat surprised.

"The Fleece, Linda. You have to go back to the Fleece."

"That's insane, Jay. How would we ever get there, or get into that place?"

"You will. We will see to that. But there isn't much time. You have to start moving now."

The room around them began to fade now, and a low rumbling began to start. The artifacts in the room began shaking, shuddering, and falling to the ground.

Then Jay grabbed both her arms and spoke one last time, "Right NOW!"

***********************************************************************************

Linda gasped awake, only to find Chad, Allie, and Dana all huddled over her as the entire building they were in was shaking violently.

Linda was wide awake and oriented now. "What's happening?"

"The extra-terrestrials are attacking!"

Linda had been asleep for four hours, waking up just after the destructive forces had been unleashed by the seven stars. At least, that was the narrative being broadcast on the news. The shaking finally subsided, and the news reports were filtering in. The power to the building was out, but the mobile devices still worked, showing that the smaller objects had fired on parts of the planet, releasing over two teratons of energy. A massive ash cloud could be seen in the distance hanging over the horizon in the United States of Columbia. The impact triggered a massive volcanic eruption, which blanketed the entire country in sulfur, ash, and smoke. It was only a matter of time before everyone in that region was dead from the disaster. In the far east, closer to home, there in Prussia, the plate tectonics of the planet were activated, causing a mammoth 9.9 earthquake in that region, obliterating whole cities and towns from the violent disaster. After shocks would continue for some time, but the news reported that the SIC was mobilizing troops to address concerns on the planet's surface and deploying spacecraft to make contact with the visitors and negotiate a settlement.

"There won't be any settlement," Linda said.

"What do you mean?" Dana asked.

Linda looked at her, "We have to get to the Fleece."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"It's our only hope, Dana. We have to get there now."

"Tell me why," as an aftershock rattled the building again.

"I spoke with Jay."

"Jay?"

"Dad?" Chad and Allie said together.

"Yes. He's with them in the sky. He's alive, and he told me we need to go to the Fleece now."

"He spoke to you in your dreams?"

Linda nodded.

"Well, that's good enough for me," said Chad. "After all you told me about dad's dreams, I'll do anything he says in one."

Linda laughed at Chad's statement and then looked back at Dana.

"Ok, let's go to the Fleece, I guess," Dana replied reluctantly.

Despite all Dana had seen, she was still cautious. But even she knew, like Chad, you heed the warning of dreams in this world.

***********************************************************************************

"Well, this seems like a great idea," Rob barked off as he leaned against the wall to prop himself up. Pat punched some buttons, and the Fleece roared to life, lifting off the ground surrounding it. The shaking finally subsided, and the three of them could maintain their balance again.

"You fired the kinetic devices. Why?" Britton asked Pat.

"Because it would have taken too long for the activation sequence to start. By then, Rapha and his minions would be on us. At least this way, they'll focus on addressing issues arising from the attack. Believe me, Rapha's bleeding heart will want to care for these creatures despite how useless they all are."

"What will the sequence accomplish for us?" Rob asked.

"Once we activate all the ancient structures, massive amounts of energy will start building around the planet. However, we will remove the safety limits on energy, making it totally free, unbound, and out of control. That energy will produce antimatter. Once the antimatter is established, it will begin wreaking havoc on the planet's surface. Ending this species once and for all," Pat said

"But won't Rapha try to stop this?" asked Britton.

"Yes, and when he does, he and all his people will be pulled in with the humans here. Two birds, one stone. Then the planet will be ours for good. No more humans. From there, we can make this world whatever we want it to be. It will finally be all ours," finished Pat.

***********************************************************************************

"He did exactly as you said he would, Rapha," said Samuel.

"Indeed."

"What happens next?"

"He believes he has an upper hand, but this plays right into our processes. Pat has no idea exactly what the activation sequence will do."

"What will it do?" asked Enoch.

"The energy produced by the structures will completely overwhelm the planet. It will be destabilized to its core. The planet's surface will melt, along with all life on it. Then the planet will destroy itself. But before any of that happens, we have to remove those who are not deserving of this fate and ensure those who are remain."

"They are sending a ship to approach ours, Rapha," said Jacob.

"With the grid around the planet now, we can begin to prepare to remove people. What we need now is to..."

Rapha was interrupted by Jay approaching, "I've got that plan in motion now."

Rapha looked back at Jay, "Good. So they are on their way to the Fleece?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Once they are there, we can end it once and for all. In the meantime, you need to prepare, Jay."

"Prepare?"

"Yes, for your confrontation with Britton."

Jay smirked, "I've been looking forward to seeing her again."

Rapha smiled, "I know you have. Make preparations."

Jay left again as Rapha turned his attention back to the image of the planet now engulfed in chaos.

"Let the activation sequence begin."

***********************************************************************************

Pat, Britton, and Rob started pressing buttons on the control console in the main chamber of the Fleece. The console connected them to the other sites around the globe. Ancient sites we know as Giza in Egypt, Easter Island, the Mayan civilization, the Great Wall of China, Teotihuacan, Gobekli Tepe, Petra in Jordan, Machu Picchu, the Colosseum in Italy, the Acropolis in Greece, Stone Henge in England, areas within the Grand Canyon, a pyramid in Antarctica and one in northern Siberia, Angkor Wat, and other ancient locations.

In the Saharan Savanna, where the Eye of the Sahara now rests, and covered in foliage, a structure began to emerge. The structure rose like a tower hundreds, and even thousands of feet in the air. On the site of the temple in what once was Jerusalem, a similar structure ripped through the temple rebuilt there, destroying the structure. These towers were made of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, graphene, and other rare-earth metals, as well as some unknown to the world on the surface. The structures had been residing deep in the ground for millions of years since the time of the Atlanteans. These structures were not meant to produce harm but to produce energy that everyone and everything could use. The natural processes of the world are coming together to provide humans with all the energy they will ever need. 

This was the big thing Pat wanted all for himself. The power to use that energy as he saw fit, with no rules or regulations. But Pat did not fully understand the purpose of these structures or what they could do to the planet. The free energy produced could be used, provided regulatory processes were in place to manage it, as Rapha wanted. Pat wanted to use that energy for conquest. He aspired not to stay on this lonely rock in space, but to use the energy to venture out and spread his ways of thinking and belief to all the corners of the universe. He wanted to conquer all. Everything, everywhere. He never admired Rapha's restraint. He didn't understand living a life of servitude. Not when the power to take all was right there in his grasp. That was the reason the Atlanteans had to go. Over the years, however, Pat kept having to deal with humans on the planet fighting back against him, making it nearly impossible to activate all the sites. Some would get buried and ruined, requiring rebuilding. In some cases, that rebuilding took millennia, for which the humans left behind after the Atlanteans were gone were unable to achieve the same longevity. Pat could keep a few alive, but most grew old and died, and Pat would have to start again.

Pat had seen enough of that and wanted all the humans gone for good. But he still needed them to locate the final sites and restore them, one last time. Those sites were just completed, and that meant Pat could rid the world of this nuisance for good.

As the sites rose to their positions and the sequence started to activate, a smile crept over Pat's face again. He was excited about the end of humanity. 

It was the end of the world for man. Humankind was facing its judgment day. This is it, at long last.

But then Pat noticed something in the sequence he hadn't anticipated. A code that he had missed or didn't know about. As he looked at it, he saw only the code's name. A name no one else knew in this world. Pat knew instantly it was from Rapha, and that meant Rapha was in control of the sequence. Now that the code had passed, there was nothing Pat could do. 

You see, the activation sequence can either provide energy or start a self-destruction mechanism. The code Rapha entered began the self-destruction sequence, and there was no turning back now. The code was: Alpha&Omega.

Story # 5.4: The Arrival

                                                   

Panic ensued as people around the world looked up at the seven lights in the sky. It wasn't clear what the ships were, but the powers that be at the time were creating a narrative that wasn't fostering calm.

High above the orbit of satellites and space stations, the seven vessels sat, serene and motionless. The ships were huge, but in the vastness of space, they seemed tiny. All sensors, detection systems, monitors, and any other device capable of tracking the vessels were now focused solely on them.

At the Fleece, Britton and Pat stood watching what was unfolding on a multi-screen monitor in the President's main chamber. They saw the carnage unfolding on earth. The vessels orbit motionless. News reporters were trying to discern what was happening and explaining things as best they could.

A smile came across Britton's face, the face of Jay. Pat was not smiling at all, stern-faced and focused.

"Chaos. Pure chaos, Pat."

Pat did not respond.

Britton looked at him, "What do you think they want to do?"

Pat did not answer.

Britton continued looking at Pat.

Pat finally answered after a long pause, "It's probably not going to be good."

"Not good? For whom?"

"For everyone, my dear. They've just spent millions of years getting back here, and whether they believe it or not, some vengeance will be on their minds for what happened here."

"Then I'll ask again. What will they do?"

Pat looked at Britton and smiled.

"Whatever they want."

Britton had a scowl on her face, Jay's face. She did not want to wait around for whatever happened next. Britton ordered one of her generals to mobilize the units. They took the orders, this robotic creature, and left the room quickly.

"Those things won't be enough against them, Britton."

"We can't stand here and do nothing, Pat."

"Yes, we can. We need to show the world who they really are and what they can do."

Britton looked at Pat, who had put his attention back to the screen. He then replied, "Whatever will be, let it be."

"And the people? Everywhere?"

"No consequence. Let them die if it comes to that."

"They'll turn on us if we don't act."

"Then let them turn."

"Have you lost all sense of reality, Pat?"

Pat turned fully toward Britton and approached her, "This isn't reality. We owe this world nothing. They were a means to an end. This is what we are here for now. To finish this, once and for all."

Britton looked back at Pat, a little more intimidated now, "You sound like they used to sound."

"We share similar values, the Atlanteans and I. The difference is I'm not bound by their beliefs. We will let them show what they are and then use it against them."

***********************************************************************************   "What do you think they are thinking?" Jay asked Rapha.

"They are plotting, not thinking. Pat, Britton, and Rob will do whatever they want. It's what they've been doing for years now."

Jay looked at Rapha, "We have to destroy them?"

Rapha looked at Jay, "It is a necessary process, Jay. We were abandoned by Pat. This world should have been our home, but now it's been home to other civilizations that have come and gone. Yours is the last one. There's no further recourse for the people of your world. This is the way it must be now."

Jay looked back at the image of the planet before them, "But there are so many innocent people down there who will die."

Rapha looked back at the image too, "No one is innocent. Not one. The reason civilizations have risen and fallen on this planet for so long is that they are not the ones that should have been allowed to flourish. They fight constantly for meaningless things. Selfish things. That's why they have subcombed so easily to Pat, Britton, and Rob. Those three give them what they want, not what they need. All they ever want is more."

Jay was saddened by Rapha's words. But he also knew his words were true. Throughout his life on this planet, he had witnessed humanity's capacity for both good and evil, and sometimes the evil outweighed the good. But he knew there were still those who were good, inherently good.

"Do not worry, Jay. We are not inhumane. We will save many, but it will worsen before it improves. Today is the last day of this world. We must start the process so the revelation can begin."

Rapha looked over to one of the people standing beside him and nodded. The person moved through the crowd gathered in front of the planet's image. The blue ball, which had many names throughout history, hung in the darkness surrounding it, with the moon nearby visible. Today would be the last day of the world. The revelation was about to come.

***********************************************************************************

"So, what are we waiting for now, Dad?" Rob said as he entered the chamber with Britton and Pat.

"That's what I asked him, too," replied Britton.

Pat kept focusing on the screen, unwavered by Rob's or Britton's comments.

Rob folded his arms and stared at Pat, then looked over at Britton. Britton shrugged, suggesting there was no recourse.

Rob looked back at Pat again, waiting patiently.

Pat was reflecting on memories he had of events that occurred throughout history. Everything he had ever done led to this moment. This showdown of sorts. The seven stars shine brightly in the sky, even during the day. Because there had been no response from the three leaders of this world, panic was beginning to ensue. The media was making their own presumptions about the arrival. In the wake of silence, chaos ensues. 

Pat finally spoke.

"Deploy."

"Really?" Rob asked.

Pat turned and looked at them both, "You heard me."

With that, Rob walked over to a console and pressed a button that allowed him access to speakers worldwide, enabling him to speak through a statue of Jay to the masses.

This statue was located where the Statue of Freedom once stood, which we knew as the Statue of Liberty. This statue was fully automated, featuring motion control and the ability to produce dazzling light-and-movement shows in the sky using drones. The news responded quickly, realizing the statue was beginning to move, as this had become a common task for the SIC to communicate across the planet's civilization.

That statue began to speak, "People of Terra. Do not be afraid. What you are seeing in the sky is unusual, but it is a phenomenon we can handle and have been preparing for for some time. Do you believe the SIC can protect you?"

In unison, people around the world, many of whom had stopped in their place, replied a resounding yes. The button Rob pressed allowed access to any devices with a speaker, anywhere a signal could be connected. So, people everywhere stopped whatever they were doing to listen to the statue tell them what was happening.

"Do you believe anyone or anything can harm the SIC?"

Again, in unison, everywhere, "No!"

"There are beings from another world in those stars you see before you. They have come here for reasons unknown. But we will be vigilant in our pursuits to communicate with these beings and provide you with their needs or desires. We are not alone in this world. We never have been. Now they will reveal to us that which we have pondered for so long."

After the statue said this, however, a much louder, booming voice emerged from thin air. This voice required no speakers, no devices, no statue. It was coming from the essence of the air itself. A voice from the stars.

"I am here for our world."

***********************************************************************************

"The planet is in the proper alignment with us now, Rapha," said the man Rapha had motioned toward earlier.

"Good. Prepare to broadcast."

"Rapha?"

"Yes, Jay."

"Is there any way I can contact my family?"

Rapha turned to face Jay, "Of course. However, keep in mind that we will not appear to them as they do to us. Because of our situation."

"Because we exist between dimensions."

"Correct. So, when you come face-to-face with your wife, you'll look more like I did when I first met you. Not as we do now. Until we complete this, none of us will appear human-like at all. Our price as a penance for an incredibly long journey, despite extended life, and yours because of death."

Jay looked back at the screen at his home, the blue-green planet before him. He nodded to indicate that he understood, then looked back at Rapha. "I'll go now, while you begin this mission."

"Very well, Jay."

Jay left the area where Rapha and the other people were gathered, as Rapha readied for the broadcast.

***********************************************************************************

An image appeared in the sky, well above the horizon, just as the figure Rapha had appeared at the Fleece many years ago. The human-like figure was shifting between realities in the sky. This image scared people all around the world. The statue stopped speaking as Rob, Pat, and Britton listened to what Rapha had to say.

"We are here because of a grave injustice."

People everywhere looked up at the figure in the sky as it spoke.

"We were removed from this world many years ago. The purpose being to rob from this world what it rightly deserves. A perfect civilization, where no one suffers. Where no one mourns. Where no one fights. Where no one dies. But one being took everything away from this world, leaving it a shell of what it should have become."

Britton was listening to the voice, as were Pat and Rob, and then she looked over at Pat, staring intently. Pat looked back at her, unfazed.

"So, today marks the beginning of the end for this being and their purpose. Like so many other civilizations that have come before it, this civilization will end. Not by choice, but by virtue. For I tell you the truth, this is our home...and...we have returned."

With that final statement, the image in the sky vanished, and only the stars could be seen. Suddenly, fainter objects emerged from the seven stars and began moving away from them. But as the faint objects moved out of sight, a massive earthquake ensued, shaking the very fabric of the planet. Because of this, the people began to run in a chaotic, screaming, gnashing-of-teeth mess.

***********************************************************************************

In space around the ships of Rapha, objects emerged that were vessels, piloted by other individuals from the fleet. These vessels were round, with three concentric rings, rotating around a central vessel and multiple camera-lens-like devices covering every square inch. These circular arms gave a full view in every direction possible for the pilot. Six of these vessels set out on a course to surround the planet. Two went to the north and south poles of the planet, while the other four aligned at the equator, all in orbit above. The four aligned at the equator orbited over land masses, with one over the larger ocean known to us as the Pacific Basin. Once the vessels were in position, light beams emerged from each one connecting to another ship along the orbit. Once all four ships were connected, the beams shot up towards the north pole vessel and also towards the south pole vessel. The beams encased the planet within the boundaries. 

From the beams, a dimming shield began to cover the planet, reducing the sunlight it was typically exposed to. During this process, no satellites from the homeworld or its governments were affected, leaving them fully operational. No harm was being committed to the planet, other than a reduction in sunlight for the moment. Because of the chaos unfolding on the ground, Pat saw this as the perfect time to act.

Pat went over to a console nearby where he, Rob, and Britton were standing.

"What are you doing?" Britton asked.

Pat pressed a button, "Ready the weapons."

Britton and Rob were looking at Pat now.

"Like I said, lady and gentleman, we let them show what they are, and now we'll use it against them."

In orbit, near two of the equatorial vessels, two satellite arrays were humming to life. The arrays reveal large devices with an orifice and a small collider built alongside it. From these arrays, a kinetic weapon was being deployed, but one far different from tungsten rods. This weapon was a gravitational beam weapon that generates a tiny black hole upon impact with the surface. The particles are accelerated to near the speed of light and collapse inward upon contact with the planet's surface, forming the black hole. Once a black hole impacts the surface, devastating effects can ensue in the surrounding area.

Pat saw that the weapons were now primed and ready to fire. He gave the order to pursue.

A beam shot out of the arrays, aimed at two landmasses: one in the northwestern United States of Columbia and the other in a region between the countries once known to us as India and China. The beams were aimed at highly volatile tectonic regions to allow the planet itself to assist in destroying the area and rattling the entire world. But one was focused on a site that would cause the most harm. The beam struck the Yellowstone Caldera, triggering not only a devastating earthquake but also an extinction-level event.

Story # 5.3: The Journey Home

 

1.7 light-years from home. To put that in perspective, the ships of Rapha were 10 trillion miles from the planet they call home. The ships were now within the Ort Cloud of the solar system, but had twelve years remaining on the journey. It had taken millions of years for the people of Atlantis to reach this point, and the journey was not an easy one.

When the people of Atlantis disappeared, they were essentially banished to the far reaches of the universe, without technology or any other capabilities to assist them. Pat had made sure they could never return. During the time of the Fall of Atlantis, a worldwide contaminant was infiltrating all aspects of the planet. The scientists of the time felt that evacuation from Atlantis, which was the original name of Earth at that time, would ensure their survival. So, people from all over the planet arrived at a central location to be teleported to a planet in the nearest star system until the contamination could be thwarted. This evacuation was not a massive ordeal for a Type III civilization such as Atlantis. It was the equivalent of tenting a home for pests for a few weeks in our world. The people of Atlantis would return in a few years, ready to resume their efforts.

People from Atlantis were essentially immortal. The population on the planet was not in the billions, but still, hundreds of millions were on the planet, with many billions spanning the galaxy on other worlds. The Atlanteans were the progenitor race of humans, and thrived in a utopia that allowed them to control aspects of the galaxy.

Enter Pat.

Pat had a plan for setting the Atlantean world on a new course, where humans and angels would work together. The cross-breeding of angels was condemned by the Atlantean people as a whole, but some saw potential in the union. Humans might live forever, but they have no capabilities that go beyond those of an average human. In joining with angels, humans would acquire more capabilities, something akin to superpowers. 

But the Atlanteans had rules to forbid this type of behavior, and they were enforced rigorously, much to Pat's dismay. Pat simply wanted humans and angels on the same level, but Rapha and others who led saw things differently. Formal discussions and negotiations between Pat and Rapha stalled continuously, prompting emotive responses from Pat that suggested anger and hate. This behavior was unusual for an angel, and therefore, Pat was to be sent from Atlantis to go for reconditioning on another planet in the galaxy. This planet was a rehabilitation location, but to some it was regarded as a prison. Pat became resentful of the decision and chose to plan an insurrection.

When you think of an insurrection, you might envision bloodshed, fighting, and chaos to some degree. But the insurrection didn't take long at all. After teleporting the inhabitants of the planet to a far distant corner of the universe, the link was severed. No one knew what Pat had done until it was all over. The only technology present on the planet was that used to teleport the population, which was destroyed soon after completion. Rapha and the Atlanteans were all manipulated as Pat gained control of the home world.

Quickly, humans in other parts of the galaxy learned of what occurred and mounted a counteroffensive against Pat and his followers. But their efforts were futile. Pat had them outmanned, outgunned, even outsmarted. Through violence and fear, the only humans left alive were allowed to stay on the home world, providing their undying allegiance to Pat and his people. The downfall of Atlantis took millions of years to rebound, as the humans on the home world were allowed to continue as a Type 2 civilization, but were never allowed to leave their own solar system again. All of the other worlds where humans had been throughout the galaxy fell into ruin, or new species rose up to take control, avoiding the human solar system altogether. The human solar system became known as a place to avoid for other species, simply because they saw the devastation brought on themselves. No one wanted to be like the humans.

On the far side of the universe, living forever now had a consequence. The Atlanteans had to learn to cultivate food again, after having many luxuries to assist them back on the home world. The people of Atlantis returned to their roots, guided by Rapha. Over the many centuries and eons that followed, they developed new spacefaring vessels and began to make their way back home. Finally, home was within their grasp, but the realization of what was coming had set in long ago.

"They really are amazing to see," said Jay.

"What's that?" asked Rapha.

"The rocky bodies of the Ort Cloud. The distant stars are so bright and amazing. The planet we have encountered out here at the limits of the solar system."

Rapha nodded in agreement.

Jay turned to look at Rapha, standing beside him, "Why do you call the planet home world?"

Rapha looked at Jay, "Because that is what it is. The home world of our people. Yours and mine."

"Why not a name, though? It's just always been home world?"

Rapha smirked, "The world was Atlantis to us. It's had many names since that time. The most prominent one being Earth."

"Earth? We call it Terra."

"Yes, the name Earth stuck for millions of years until your civilization arose. We're not sure why it changed then."

"I like Earth. That sounds more...homey."

Rapha did not react.

"So, what speed are we going at now?"

"We are currently traveling at 90 times the speed of light."

"Amazing. No one in my world could imagine this, except in movies.'

"We will be there soon, but a lot will have changed, Jay."

Jay looked down, "My kids will be grown now, won't they?"

"Yes, but they are both beautiful."

"My wife will be older."

"But still beautiful just the same."

"The world will be different, too."

"Yes, it will."

"Because of Pat?"

"Partly."

"Because of Rob. Who was a boy and is now a man."

"Partly."

"What else?"

"There's also Britton."

"She's gone."

"No, Jay. The form you knew, yes, but not her."

"She'll have a new form."

"She already does."

"As what, Rapha?"

Rapha motioned to the glass in front of them and showed a news clip from Terra. Jay watched as he saw the image of himself standing there in front of everyone. Jay couldn't believe what he was seeing, but at the same time, it all made sense to him instantly."

"After your death, Jay, Pat took your broken body and brought..."

"...her back to life...in me."

Rapha nodded in agreement.

"So, she's me now. Is she some sort of leader?"

"Far more than that, Jay. She's the leader."

Jay looked at Rapha, somewhat bewildered.

"The leader?" Jay replied.

Rapha nodded again.

Jay looked back at the screen, realizing immediately what Britton was, embodied in Jay.

"She's the beast. The beast of the sea."

"Yes, Jay, she is, but only for a short time."

"And then what?"

"You know what, Jay."

Jay looked back at Rapha again.

"She is the one who brings the world to the final crossroads. Where the story ends."

Jay looked back at the images going by of himself, being proclaimed as a savior. A champion. A ruler beyond all measure. Even one report saying, "King of Kings."

"I'm the final ruler of this world, through Britton in my body, and you're going to destroy them?" Jay asked.

"No, Jay. We're not going there just to destroy that person, or Pat, or Rob."

Jay stared at Rapha.

"We're going there to destroy the planet. Terra. Atlantis. Earth. Once and for all."

The ships moved quietly through the Ort Cloud, past the unknown large planet, heading for home...one last time.

Story # 5.2: Recovery

Her life was fading as she lay there, surrounded by the others trapped inside the Beast tank. Linda was buried with her children and Dana underneath the rubble where the Fleece once stood. The gaping hole left behind by the departure of the Fleece left the once giant mountain in ruins. Now, a smoldering pile of dust and rock was all that remained. But fortunately, the Beast had a homing device within it that had been activated upon the collapse of the mountain. It was a failsafe device installed in most artifacts that could carry one by the GASON group. 

The GASONs knew some of the Fleece's capabilities, one of which was teleporting objects to other locations. Just in case anything "accidentally" happened, the homing devices were installed. This beacon sounded the moment the tank was buried, alerting the GASONs to its presence.

A lone helicopter began descending toward the mountain's remains, a spotlight illuminating the frozen wasteland below. Triangulation equipment on board the helicopter pinpointed the exact location, allowing the recovery team to descend and rescue the Beast's inhabitants. Upon opening the hatch to the tank, all four occupants were unconscious but alive. After extracting the four survivors, the helicopter whisked away into the night, headed for an undisclosed location.

Linda began to awaken from her slumber. She could see faint objects around her, blurry and skewed, but quickly she was beginning to get her bearings. As the light rotated through the color spectrum, she finally began to see clearly, noticing a young woman standing over her. The woman's face was angelic-looking, soft and warm, comforting and caring. She was a nurse and acknowledged Linda.

"Mrs. Trent? I'm Abigail. Can you hear me?"

Linda was still somewhat woosy, but she could understand, "Yes...I can."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok. Where am I?"

"You're in a hospital."

"How long have I been here?"

"A few weeks now. Your injuries were somewhat severe. Do you remember what happened?"

"I remember...my children! Where are my children?"

"Your children are safe and fine, Mrs. Trent. So, is your companion."

"Companion," Linda thought for a minute. "Jay?"

"No, I'm sorry, ma'am. There was no one named Jay there. She said her name is Dana. Do you remember her?"

Somewhat disappointed, but also glad, "Yes. I remember her. Is she with my children?"

"Yes, she is. Would you like to see them?"

"Yes, I would."

"We'll let them in. Can you tell me your name and date of birth, ma'am, if you can remember?"

"Yes. Linda Trent. August 18, 1981."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll go get them."

When Linda's kids ran in to see her, her eyes filled with tears. She embraced them both, so happy to see them, giving them kisses all over their heads and squeezing them tightly. Dana came walking in with a cane, as part of the tank crushed her leg during the collapse. She was fortunate not to have been killed. Dana's eyes also filled with tears.

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Trent."

Linda spoke, while still embracing her children, "Call me Linda, Dana. You helped save my children and my life. I think that puts us on a first-name basis now."

Dana smiled.

Chad was in his mommy's arms and looked up at her, "Where's daddy, mommy?"

More tears began to flow as Linda looked down at her son. Dana also looked down at him, and tears began to flood.

Dana's reaction grabbed Linda's attention. She looked up at Dana, who was crying uncontrollably now.

"What did you see, Dana?"

Dana pulled herself together, knowing she had witnessed exactly what had happened to Jay.

"I'm so sorry, Linda."

Linda's lip began to quiver as she pulled on Chad and Allie even tighter. Chad and Allie began to cry now, as they all huddled together, crying in unison over the loss of Jay. Even the nurse, Abigail, joined the embrace, empathizing with them over the events that had taken place.

***********************************************************************************

In the months that followed, Linda, Chad, Allie, and Dana were held up in a facility near the former location of the Fleece, in what was once China in previous worlds. Now it was the Republic of Chin-Tai, a democracy presided over by a president who had brought great prosperity to this land. This president was loyal to the GASON group and offered any survivors of the Fleece Rising, which was only known to the inner circle. 

A man assisted Linda and Dana routinely as they both recovered from their injuries. His name was Alec. He was far younger than Dr. Kelley had been, but was a higher-ranking member of GASON. He made sure the four survivors had food, clothing, and resources to last as long as they needed. In a few passing glances, Dana had become smitten with Alec. The chemistry between them was palpable, as she always looked forward to his visits. Linda could see it, too, and encouraged her to pursue what she felt. 

Then one day, Alec came with a grim look on his face. Dana could see it immediately. Linda was playing with her children and helping them with a school lesson as Alec entered the room. 

"Good morning, Mrs. Trent."

"Good morning, Alec. What brings you here today?"

"Mrs. Trent, is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

"Yes, sure."

Dana guided the kids to another part of the living quarters, where a live-in maid assisted them. Then she rejoined Linda and Alec in the main living room in front of the television.

"Thanks for coming back, Dana," Alec smiled at her.

Dana smiled back, but remembered the look on his face from earlier, "Is everything ok, Alec?"

Alec's look turned grim. "I wish I could say so. I want you both to see something. The video I'm about to show you was recorded a few days ago. You'll recognize one person immediately."

The video came up on the screen, showing the recognizable image of Pat walking alongside a man whose face was obscured by the light, with the crowd around them. Then the other man came into full view. Linda's face turned pale as her eyes widened as she approached the screen. It was unmistakable who the man in the video was.

"Jay?"

Dana was astonished, too, as she had watched Jay die at the hands of the monster.

"I thought you said Jay had died, Dana?"

"He did. There was no doubt about it. He was burned beyond recognition," Dana thought for a minute. "It was Pat. He must have used the regeneration chambers in the Fleece to bring Jay back."

Alec nodded in agreement, "That was our assessment, too. There is also a third man with the two of them, who we believe is Rob."

Linda still looked shocked at Alec this time, "Rob? He was a boy!"

"Yes, to you he was, but whatever these beings are, they are not human. Except for the person who was formerly your husband."

"Formerly?" asked Linda.

"Analysts have suggested, based on Jay's prior behaviors compared to now, that he doesn't seem to be the same person. His motivations, work habits, and even basic movements seem indicative of a substantial change. He looks like Dr. Trent, but we can't be sure he is Dr. Trent."

"That's absurd! I've seen Pat revive other people, like Larry. Larry was still the same man we knew before."

Linda had turned her back to the television as she spoke and moved away to another part of the room. Alec followed slightly behind her.

"Yes, Larry was the same because Larry didn't completely die. He was near death, on the verge of death, but was brought back largely intact, his body not severely damaged. Dr. Trent, on the other hand, from the analysis of the video recovered, was burned over sixty percent of his body. Generally, that type of damage is not recoverable, even with the Fleece's advanced technology. We feel something else is in play here."

"Like what?" Linda turned to face Alec.

"We don't know."

A cold sensation ran through both Linda's and Dana's bodies in response to Alec's response.

Linda watched the video of her smiling husband speaking to the media and others around him. She listened to things being said, how he was now a tech guru, and bringing advances to society that no one had seen before. 

Linda walked back over to the television, watching Jay, "So that is not my husband?"

Alec responded, "We don't believe so."

Linda closed her eyes as tears welled up, running down her face. Not only had she lost her husband in death, but she had also lost her husband in life, now too.

***********************************************************************************

Months turned into years as Linda watched her children become teenagers, still living in Chin-Tai. Dana had married Alec and had a family of her own now, but they still resided close by. Linda had never remarried, still wearing the wedding band and diamond her husband had given her many years earlier. She was sitting in the living room watching the television as the news broadcast the latest political trends. Jay was always on the screen, now pushing his campaign forward to become the next Chancellor of the United States of Columbia.

Linda was in a deep state of depression, one her kids could see. Allie and Chad were now old enough to understand what was happening around them. They especially knew their mother was not in a good place and would frequently discuss the problems with Dana when they could.

Linda couldn't believe the man she loved was gone, and now acting in ways that disgusted her. She could tell by the mannerisms of the character on screen that this was, in fact, not her husband. He had feminine traits in his vocalizations and ways he even moved sometimes. She believed he was somehow a female now, but another part of her wanted to believe that was not true. But as Jay's political power grew, she could see a darkness rising up in the man she once knew. Something that had never been present in her former husband.

The maid approached Linda as she stared at the screen. She leaned in to ask Linda if she needed anything. Linda said no and thanked her for checking in.

Typically, the maid would walk away after this, but this time she felt compelled to stay.

"Are you okay, Mrs. Trent?"

"I don't know, Mildred."

Mildred, the maid, pulled up a chair beside Linda and sat down. They both looked on as the media conducted a recent interview with Jay. He, or it, was all smiles.

"These are difficult to watch for you?" Mildred asked.

A tear rolled down Linda's cheek. "Very much so."

As Jay spoke more, laying out his political plans, Linda looked down, sobbing. Mildred tried to comfort her, holding on to her shoulders in an embrace.

"I just don't understand. How could my husband be taken away from me like this, leaving me here with my children alone? Yet he's right there and has never once acted like my husband would have. Jay would have searched the world for us if he were alive. He would have never stopped looking. It just doesn't make any sense. Why did he have to die so that whatever this is can live? Why would God allow this?"

Mildred looked up at the screen, seeing the interview continuing, and then looked back at Linda.

"I believe, Mrs. Trent, it's all because of free will."

Linda looked up at her, curious about her statement, "What do you mean?"

"People here have free will, and we used that to sin against God. It brought evil into this world long ago. So, God doesn't allow it as much as we live in it, and we only know one side of the story. We're cut off from God's Kingdom. That's why we can't make judgments on what occurs all around us here in this world, dear. We have to have faith that everything in this world works for our own good and His glory. There are those called to His purposes under the heavens. We have no way of knowing exactly what those purposes may be, but in time, all will be revealed to us. But it is in His timing, not our own."

The tears stopped slowly on Linda's face, and she actually began to smile a little at the words Mildred had said. Linda found that response incredibly comforting. 

"Thank you, Mildred. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome."

***********************************************************************************

As the years rolled on, now eighteen in total, Linda's perspective of her former husband had shifted. A few years after Mildred's talk with her, there was an attack on the facility Linda and the kids were in, killing Mildred in the process. Dana also lost her family to the attack, leaving the four of them as they were the day the Fleece fled. The attack originated from an order from Supreme Imperial Chancellor (SIC) Britton Hister. The name disgusted Linda.

During those years after the talk with Mildred, the whole family began to build resentment toward the person who embodied Jay Trent. Chad hated him the most. At times, it saddened Linda to see her son, now twenty years old, lavishing hatred so easily on the man who was once his father. But the man Chad knew had been gone for a very long time. Chad was inciting a revolt against the SIC, using global networks to build a strong following. This network led to the attacks in the area where Linda and Dana lived, as they were now considered rebels to the established order.

After the attacks, Linda, Chad, Allie, and Dana fled to the Prussian area, where that government was putting up a strong fight against the COLA Regime. This was the colloquial name of the United States of Columbia Grand Regiment. When Pat ordered the deployment of the two hundred million Cals, and rising, one primary order among the thousands was to locate and terminate Linda, Chad, Allie, and Dana. Pat wanted the slate wiped clean of any remnant of Jay's life.

But just as the forces of Chad were beginning to mount and set their plans in motion to go after the SIC and the USofC, a glimmer of hope emerged in a way no one ever expected.

Linda was in her home in Prussia as she loaded weapons and began preparing gear. She was going to die trying to stop Britton, the woman who had stolen her husband's body. She didn't know how Britton had done it, and she didn't care, but she wasn't going to let her tarnish Jay's memory any longer. But as she was loading weapons, a breaking news story came on the television.

"Mom!"

"What, Chad?"

"Don't load it like that. That's how the bullets can get jammed. Don't jam it in so hard."

"I know what I'm doing, son."

"Do you? I'm not sure about that," Chad loved saying things like this to get a rise out of his mother.

"Are you saying I don't know how to handle a gun?"

"That's exactly what he's saying, Mom!"

The other voice came from behind them, from Linda's daughter, Allie. She was a twenty-one-year-old cutie, short in stature but as fiery as they come. 

"I wouldn't take it from him. I'd give him the treatment."

"Oh, that does sound like a great idea!"

Chad looked at his mom and sister, then began begging them not to. Both Allie and Linda attacked Chad, tickling him as he collapsed to the floor. He was incredibly ticklish, just like his father had been, and Linda and Allie loved making him succumb to their every want and whim by tickling him.

"STOP! STOP!!" Chad screamed.

"There, now you know I can handle a gun," Linda quipped.

"What does this really have to do with handling a gun?" Allie asked.

"I don't know, but it's fun!"

They started tickling Chad again, making him scream with laughter while he yelled for them to stop.

When they settled down, the television broke the momentary silence with a breaking news story. 

"Good evening. We are bringing you this late-breaking story as it develops: seven stars have taken a position in orbit around the planet. The stars appear to be in a geosynchronous orbit between the orbits of our closest satellites, Yoreh. Since we know stars typically do not act in this manner, and they are considerably smaller than any other stars known, only one conclusion can be made."

"Extra-terrestrials," Chad spoke up.

"You really think so, Chad?" Allie asked.

"What else could it be?"

Linda spoke up, "A sign."

Story # 5.1: Conquest

It is now 2030, nearly 20 years after "The Fleece Rising" and the events leading to Jay's death and resurrection. During that time, Pat, Rob, and Jay, now indwelled by Britton, had been hard at work reshaping the planet's landscape with their new ultimate power...The Fleece.

The Fleece easily destroyed the largest mountain on the planet, leaving a crater of debris in its wake. Upon its emergence, the Fleece secured a position on the far side of the moon while Pat and Rob revived Jay as Britton. There, they began to strategize ways to fulfill their ultimate plan: the conquest of the world. The primary goal of the plan was the Activation of the Remnants. The remnants referred to the scattered remains of the ancient Atlantean Civilization around the globe. When the Atlanteans disappeared, at Pat's doing, millions of years earlier, their technology and culture were left behind. Over the many years that followed, some remains of the civilization were buried or outright destroyed. Some have stood the test of time, like the Great Pyramids. But regardless of their positions on the planet, it would be essential to locate them with the help of people from all walks of life. This meant the plan also must entail sociopolitical means and influence. Rob did not agree, however. The immense power of the Fleece was more than enough to press down on humanity, and Rob wanted to decimate entire areas without warning. Conquer through brute strength and force, and destroy as much of humanity as possible.

Britton disagreed. Britton always believed it was necessary to make humanity submit to them, right from the start. Britton wanted humans not only to obey them, but also to treat them all as Gods. Pat agreed with Britton. In due time, humanity's fate would be sealed, and Pat knew this. The human race had reached the end. In a few millennia, humans would go extinct, no matter what Pat, Britton, and Rob decided to do, from the repercussions of climate change associated with the Sun's fuel consumption. There would be no way for humans to continue. Pat simply wanted to speed up this process over a few years.

They all agreed that it would then be necessary for one of them to gain power in this world. To be a leader of one of the more powerful countries on the planet. Since Britton was in human form in Jay's body, she had to become this new leader. Pat and Rob were not human and therefore needed to stay in the shadows, orchestrating from behind closed doors, much as Pat had when the Fleece was in hiding. But Rob questioned, "How would they enter the world's political arena?"

"That's easy, son. We'll give them something they could never achieve on their own. Some of the power of the Fleece."

Pat's move was to provide the leaders of the world with a revolutionary new fuel, the kind that powers the Fleece. Additionally, they would assist in advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence, or contrived intuition (CI), as it was sometimes called in this society. The Fleece's technology was millions of years more advanced than anything in this world. It would be easy to dazzle society into believing these three men had unlocked something important and new for the planet.

The plan began with the introduction of a fully self-propelled automobile, complete with a CI uplink to allow the vehicle to operate without a passenger, and run on the fuel cell created from the Fleece. The company producing this new vehicle was known as Argonaut. The vehicles called Argo J18s became an instant hit on the world markets within 5 years of the Fleece Rising. By that time, Britton had become a trillionaire with this new technology and commanded the respect and admiration of people around the world. As Britton's power grew, so did her connections to political figures, celebrities, resources, and clout. No one knew that Britton was not what she seemed. She corrupted and shattered Jay's body, engaging in debauchery of all kinds. Britton used her name, but took on the last name of Hister. Britton Hister was a player, an actor, a deceiver of many. Whether indulging in romantic interludes with various women or same sex relations, Britton was twisting the wills of others over to her diabolical scheme. The goal was always conquest and destruction, never coexistence. 

By the year 2022, Britton was a formidable political figure, growing in popularity among the citizens of the United States of Columbia. Columbia was the most powerful country on the planet. It only made sense for Britton to take control from there. By this year, Britton had become a senator in the government and was starting to push for a campaign run as the next Chancellor in the 2024 election. The parties, as they were, had become destabilized, some of this stemming from Pat and Rob's behind-the-scenes activities. Pat and Rob were good at stirring up trouble. Protests had become more commonplace. Citizens in a very prosperous country began to turn on one another over opinions and beliefs. At one point, Pat instigated the release of a biological weapon preserved from the previous civilization loop. The Sars-CoV-2 had never been released on the planet in the previous loop. Instead, the SARS-CoV-3 virus was released and was far more devastating to that civilization. Pat secured COVID for a later date, such as now. He also enhanced the virus's virulence, making it much more potent and deadly. When COVID hit this society, the effects were much more severe, but nothing like the Anderson Loop had been. COVID killed 243 million people and infected over 2 billion people around the world in the year 2024. The controversy over lockdowns and preventive measures stirred emotions worldwide, making Britton's entry into the election campaign later that year easy.

The one thing Britton offered, if elected, was salvation. She would be the redeemer the world had been hoping for over the ages past. Her plan was the unite the people against this plague on humanity. Britton brought a cure for COVID, since the virus had been engineered by Pat. This hope of salvation from an ever-spreading disease allowed Britton to win in a landslide victory in the Columbia election. As the new Chancellor starting at the beginning of 2025, the virus was completely eradicated. This led some to believe, with the creations and inventions Britton had become known for around the world, that she was, in fact, the long-awaited Protector, or what we refer to as the Messiah. 

Britton went so far as to unite the Central Eastern World, known to them as the Sumer Region. There, she brought peace and prosperity to a region long mired in conflict. As the warring people of the world met with her, she announced her identity as non-binary, essentially allowing herself to be called a man or woman if she pleased, and encouraged many others to follow suit. This indiscretion was meant solely to see how people would respond, with no real basis. Society erupted again, with more protests, as peace talks eventually transitioned into negotiations with world leaders on a new government. A system where one leader would oversee the rest, allowing the planet to be divided into regions under one governmental model. It was known as Unisecularism but was colloquially referred to as The Hister Empire. This one-world government began to flex its muscles against those who did not obey. Eventually, Pat and Rob deployed the latest in Bot CI technology, including automated drones and soldiers known as Argo Calvary. They were sleek, metallic, and lethal when needed. These automatons replaced human security and police forces around the world, providing a 24/7 infantry to oversee humans. In all, the Cals had over 200 million deployments worldwide by 2027. 

Pat, Rob, and Britton had an army. They had control. People obeyed them. Rob was now the ruler of Columbia, seizing the country's capital for himself. Britton and Pat had set up their ruling location in the Central Eastern World, near a place called Jezreel. To us, this place was called Megiddo. An entire city was being 3D-printed at this location, creating a grand site for the world's imperial ruler. But Pat felt it was necessary to make the world understand something. Pat wanted to be sure that, in the midst of all this new power, the original plan was not lost and ensure that not only would humans obey, but they would yield their complete devotion to all three of them.

For this reason, Pat unleashed the Fleece's power. From Jezreel, the Fleece rose into the air high above the created city, to the astonishment of people around the world. Videos reporting on the event showed images that amazed and terrified people at the same time. But in the blink of an eye, the Fleece darted toward the largest city in the world. What we referred to as Paris was a much larger, sprawling metropolis in this world. Known as New Rene, this city was 3 times the size of Paris and housed many of the world's financial, political, and technological resources. Although New Rene was thriving, assistance from Columbia had enabled this, as many of the surrounding countries were in near-poverty. But on this day, there would be no New Rene any longer. The Fleece unleashed a blast on the city that wiped it off the face of the planet, turning parts of the land into glass. 

People from around the world were horrified as Britton, the Supreme Imperial Chancellor, addressed the world, letting them know that, from this time forward, all financial, political, and technological means will flow through Jezreel and the Supreme Imperial Chancellor. They would all accept this rule or suffer the same fate as New Rene. Finally, by the beginning of 2028, the suspension of elections was mandated. Britton would continue as Supreme Imperial Chancellor for life, and she would assign whom she wanted to lead the other regions. All persons would now be mandated to use the same currency, or they would be refused any services. The currency became known as J18. With the Cals worldwide, the Fleece became the command ship controlling them all, continuing to grow in number through mass production. This world had become tyrannical, allowing for a totalitarian regime to completely dominate everyone in existence. It was all for one purpose: the complete extermination of the human race.

Now, in 2030, Britton, Pat, and Rob were preparing for the Activation of the Remnants, which would help finish off humanity once and for all. For years, scientists had been assisting with SIC-funded site excavations to locate all the remnants. Almost all of the remains of the Atlantean civilization had been found. It was now only a matter of time before the activation sequence could commence, and once it did, the genocide of humanity would begin.

"Do you think they'll ever truly understand how worthless they really are?" Rob asked Pat.

"They served a purpose to some degree, son. But their usefulness has certainly run its course."

Rob was communicating virtually from his office in Washington, D.A., to the Fleece, where Pat was stationed with Britton. Britton was being tended to by both men and women concubines, all of whom were completely unclothed, basking in the debauchery her rule had become known for. Britton placed on a robe to cover herself, pushing away the concubines to approach the screen where Pat was talking with Rob. She motioned for all the concubines to leave.

"He's right, you know, Rob. Without humans, especially me, we wouldn't have achieved as much as we have to this point. They were needed."

"Yeah, maybe to make you feel special," Rob retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Are you feeling slighted in some way, Rob?" Pat asked.

"No, it's just that our almighty ruler of late seems more interested in the latest concubine than actually accomplishing goals for our plans."

"I am focused on the plan, Rob. Pardon me if I like to indulge."

"You indulge quite a bit, Britton."

"And you don't? Wait, wasn't it you that had a harem not long ago, of women you basically molested?"

"And then burned. You forgot that part. They don't please me like they do you and the body you are in."

"Yes, be that as it may, you sure seemed to enjoy what you were doing, as I recall, prior to burning them."

"Enough, you two. We have to remember who our true adversaries are, and it's not the three of us," interrupted Pat.

Rob looked down as Britton looked away momentarily. 

"Humans have been and always shall be our enemy. Once all of this is settled, we will have a new world we can call our own with creatures we see fit to deposit here," Pat concluded.

"I can't wait for that day, Dad," Rob replied.

"In the meantime, Rob, make sure the forces in the western part of the Columbia are tightening things up. That governor out there thinks he can do and say what he wants sometimes. I think it might be time to liquidate him."

"It would be my pleasure, Pat. I'll check into that now. Keep me posted on any further round-ups in Continentals near the area of New Rene."

"We will, Rob. And I did not mean to antagonize," said Britton.

"Nor did I. Rob out."

The screen went dark for a moment, and then it displayed a painting of Paradise Lost.

Pat turned to face Britton, with no smile, no expression of any kind. Britton took notice of this.

"What?"

"These melodramas aren't necessary, Britton."

"I've told you before, Pat, I want them at their knees before we give them up. These creatures need to understand who is over them."

"Yes, but the indulgences are no different than what many people in times before wanted as well. You must still be cautious, even in this elevated state."

"Cautious of what, Pat? You were the reason those civilizations ended, as I recall. You tried all you could to wipe them out, time after time. Failing, might I add."

"It wasn't failure, it was intervention."

"Intervention from what? A group of people on the far side of the universe? You banished them for all eternity. The best they could do was to infiltrate dreams and send holographic images that didn't resemble humans. They are done for."

"Don't underestimate them, Britton. They are more powerful than you know."

"Spare me, Pat. They are as weak as these humans who have remained for millions of years. So fragile and corruptible."

"They can still create great things."

"Only to tear them apart with poor judgment and bad habits. As they have done for eons."

"Your arrogance is abundant."

"As is your belief in some so-called return. Do you really believe any of the Atlanteans will ever come back?"

"Yes, I do. Sooner than you think."

"It has been over 3 million years; surely they would have returned by now, Pat."

A man dressed in black entered the doors of the sanctuary, as it was known.

"My lord, there is something you need to see," the man in black said.

"You were not summoned," Britton replied.

"This was urgent."

The man brought up the display, removed the artwork, and showed a news broadcast. The person on the broadcast was talking about an extraordinary event taking place in the sky above. The camera filming showed seven glowing stars on the display in the sky; however, these stars were in a geosynchronous orbit with the planet, in the space between the moon and the home world.

Britton was spellbound, staring at the screen. The man in black looked at her as Pat approached her from the side.

"What is that?" Britton asked.

A smile crossed Pat's face. "That, my dear Britton, is them."

Britton, in the form of Jay, turned her head to look at Pat, as Pat slowly turned his head to face her face-to-face.

"The Atlanteans have returned."