Bullet 4 Part 2

The hours clicked

1200hr

The streets were still in chaos but the hotel still stands regal there. It has a squad of soldiers guarding it from any looters.

But it did not take the Cartel long to find me once Henry dropped me at the hotel. I saw the duo standing at the corner of the block, and there is another standing across the street. I alighted from the Land Rover and Henry passed me a small bag. Its a blue plastic shopping bag and it contained something heavy.

"Marius, for old times. It has a spare clip inside." I nodded my thanks and grabbed the bag.

I managed to come in and up to my room unharmed. All I need now is how to do the same getting out. I took out the SIG 226 and placed the spare clip into my shirt pocket. Its all I can managed for now. I went to the window and looked out. The guy across the road is missing and presumed on his way up. If they are predictable, they will be knocking soon. They did and it was the next room. I can hear them kicking at the door and swarming in.

I opened mine and walked out to the corridor. The shot came almost hit me on my shoulder. They staged the break-in and I fell for the trick. The guy who was kicking the door was standing at there to fire at me. The other guy was standing behind me was aiming but not shooting. Yet.

I jumped back to my room and am now in a crossfire from two assassin. So much for the trick of having two rooms on the same floor. Whoever they are, they know the same tricks as I do. I have less than five seconds before they come in with gun blazing. I grabbed the pillows and threw them out. That did the trick to divert their aims but not mine. I pecked the guy who kicked the door, but not the second. And the third. They had been reinforced since then.

But I have my unplanned reinforcement.

Henry came in blazing with the shotgun; they blast nasty holes in people at close range. He took them out from behind and splattered them to the wall.

"I had to come, Marius.Three against one is not right. So can you move now."

But our trouble did not end there.

The Land Rover was at the back of the hotel. I met Dion there, who is with Henry. Dion is Henry's current affair, and she is dressed in blouse and jean with jungle boots. Dion is also packing a belt with a SIGP226 9mm in her hips, and one in her shoulder holster on 15 rounds clips. I was told that Dion besides being a nursing expert is also a trained elite soldier. Her heavy power weapon is the AK47 slung over her shoulder; her army days leftover.

I was given guns to carry on me beside the SIG 226. I also have a S&W Model 36 with a five shots tucked into my boots. For my long range sniping works, Henry gave me on the of the best; Remington 700 with Night Vision Scope and chambered in the .308 for the works. The cartridges are the same as the AK47 7.62mm.

"Henry, what's the score here?" I am sure the rescue does not come free.

"Marius, do the frag mission. I can only protect you if you are on the job. You know Gavin could be the one who planned it and if you are back in, all are forgiven." Henry made sense and somehow I know when I am cornered. I nodded my approval.

I met the rest of the team in a nearby warehouse.

There are seven more of them, but their names are not important to me as they all sounded the same to me. I only concerned myself with one; the Sarge. He is ex-military Sargeant and is a demolition expert. He has no name but they all called him Sarge. He is a short but stout man due to his years of training, but he's packed with explosives now. The men all looked to him for directions and what he say goes well with them. I told Henry to lead them; I will be his soldier like the rest.

Our vehicle is the Land Rover Defender 110 and its packed with some essentials and one extra spare tire in the back for the times we may need it. We will travel in three Land Rovers over a route that us close to the border through the jungle to reach the manor where the King has hidden his daughter. According to the intel which we had, the airport is locked out, and so are the exit points by the border. Claudia best hope is upriver by boat from there and then trek over the jungle.

I knew Henry for twenty years and he is one loaded person when its come to self protection. He is armed like us but he carried onto the vehicle his trademark; a nasty looking FN Minimi Para complete with the shorter barrel that comes with the belt ammo clip. He removed the part of the windscreen in the front and stacked the gun's tripod on the bonnet. He had three boxes of his belt ammo on the back of the rover.

Henry Worth III; island born to a family of rich manors but by his time, it was only the family crest that was left to identify the family heirloom. Henry was the third in his family to carry the tradition of being name after the greater known grandfather. Like his predecessors, Henry served the military but he was sent packing on charges of insubordination. He called his commander, the colonel a pompous peacock among the eagles. But Henry served his expertise in the new conflicts around the world with credit of his heritage of a fine ,military strategist until his last stint; he bungled it with the commander's wife and was imprisoned for five years. Since then he walked with a limp on his right leg but he is still the feisty man he once was. He stands at six foot and a body frame that does not show his age of fifty five. His once mop of red hair is now down to strands but its covering his top distinctly well. Henry is not a rifleman but an indestructible mad man behind his FN MG. He boasts of firing non-stop for six hours on his FN when his drinks gets into his head. But no one dispute his claims as his fists are still quite a punch.

Dion; the nurse as I could lay my eyes on her, is a woman of her middle age but she has kept the body trim with workouts from the looks of the tautness in the muscles. She stands at just above five feet but she seem to be light on her foot telling me she may know how to kick high and hard. She keeps her hair short under her green beret and I noticed those eyes. They observed and records everything around her and her care. She is one careful bitch and she would not give you the time to bitch about it when she shoots you in the eye.

The seven men under the Sarge took the other two Land Rover. They also have a Browning 50 caliber mounted on the passenger side onto the bonnet.

We left at 1245hr by the rear gate along the river banks. We hit if off on the river banks slopes can be about steep but the rover held on for us. At about a hundred meters, we revved up onto the side road and was on our journey. We can hear the sounds of gunfire and explosion in the city but our trip will be skirting it on the outside.

But our journey may be cut short, as I see looming ahead is a road block by some men wearing army fatigues but they lack on thing; army personnels do not have a pickup with a .50 browning machine gun on the top. I swerved the Rover to the right and into the side road skirting some squalid huts with the others following me. Its about a fifty meters drive before we hit the main road. I came to stop at the junction to the road and looked to both my directions for option. The road leads to the right onto the main highway which I am trying to get on. It may not be the best options but that is the fastest. If I take to the left, I am backtracking but there is another five miles down which will take me the next intersection that can joined to the highway. Around us now are the huts which is the homes for the common folks as their occupants worked in the lavish cities establishments.

But my choice was made for me as the two pickup trucks I saw earlier came out in front of us on the left at about five hundred yards. The pickup truck has machine gun on it, and its armed with its gunner ready and three more men in the rear seats. Its coming towards us. I can see the second pickup truck following close behind and it also has a gunner with a machine gun on it.

"Henry?" I am asking for opinion.

"Take the right and I will take the gunner off the top."

New Pangaea comes to an End?

Hi All

I just completed the full posting of New Pangaea. I am sure many of you read the parts and please feedback on the tale...anything that I can improve or work on.

More to it, I just noticed one of my tale "Awakening my love" hit a 100th downloads since it was posted. I want to say thank you.

So let me know any feedback.

Cheers

Mary of Bingham

During the early part of the period, there was no real enforcement agency until 1829 when Metropolitan Police was founded. Prior to that period, only the knights or the Lords commanded law and order. This is a tale before then when the King had to intervene with personal aides assigned to do such tasks. This is one tale of that aide who happeneds to be a lady named Mary of Bingham. She is a 'detective' and a vixen too....

"Alas, I would be late." I pushed my legs to walked brisk as I held my head down from the stares of any who may had laid their eyes on me. Its dangerous times which we live in now as orders ruled by the the elites and rich while we the poor ones are subject to their chaos. Many had died in the last plaque but I survived as I was smart to avoid the sick and kept locked in the manor lest I be exposed to the sickness that prevail outside. I cried my sins to the Fathers' and plead for my redemption of the sin, but my life meant more to me than its would ever be now. Its not often that you get a beau to love you for not your flesh but also your soul, and its he whom I run to seek now. The little wrapping I carry with me would be his tool to free me of my misery and also his to be restored to his previous standing among the elites. He needs it to clear his name and his family crest be erected back on its pedestal in the great hall of the manor.

Its the tunnel under the bridge, I am seeking and what awaits there would be my purpose of such a risky journey. I hurried to the side of the bridge and slide down the thickets on the slope. It may dirty my dress but its does not stopped me from my quest. I am down on the small stream that runs beneath it.

"Mary, bless be there for you are here. I was afraid you be forgotten and I was to leave." Its my friend and lover in this crime, Bruce of Lockshire. He is dressed in his uniform of the Royal Musketeer but due to his current standing he is a junior officer in the ranks. Brian was relieved of his inheritance as he is the bastard son of rich Lord but his mother is of the wrong descent.. His mother's country is now technically at war with England, making his life all the more difficult. So he was stripped of his rank and demoted to the lowest junior one. His only way to reclaim his rank and title was to prove his link to the father who was the Lord. But the old man has died and now the estate is under the rightful heir, Charles of Lockshire. It has been a bitter fight for the two as they journey to Court and demand justice be carried out.

I ran into his arms and he held me tight, while our lips were sealed in tight with the surge of passion that thrill down our spine. That moment of time, all of my concerns slipped away as I returned his passionate kisses on mine. He trails his kisses to my left cheeks and down my neck to nibble at my shoulder.. His tiny bites on my shoulder caused me to move my upper body to his caress as he trails his lips on below my jaw.

"Brian, we must stop....." but my words meant nothing to my heart as I longed for him to continue on his minstrel on my sensitive spots below my neck. His hands was not as rigid in their movements they tried to lower my bodice to maul my body further on. But my senses came to mind and I pushed him apart. "Brian, time is of importance. Here is what you needed. Do good with it and you may claimed me for yours. I must go as she may be awake soon."

"I am so sorry, Mary. My love for you has blinded me of my task on hand. I give you my solemn promise that upon the deliverance of these documents, I would be at your aside and claimed you for mine. Not in flesh but also in love as my wife." He was ever sweet in his choice of words but I know the throes of passion has to end for now. "I would be back as soon as I can."

I watched as the passionate man ran up the slope and mount his horse. He was riding on his stead while I adjust my clothes to look prim and proper. Then I took my own path back to the Manor and the dreaded life within its walls. But this time I came home not to a dreadful life but a more torturous one indeed.

"Mary of Bingham. I brought you here to live a life better than your previous ones, with food and shelter to provided on a needful and daily basis. The same needs which I gave you also saved you from the disease that ravage your family members. And this I am shown by your return of my hospitality; a treacherous steal of some of my personal effects and passing it to my half brother, Brian. You are a young fool to allowed him to liberty of you to do such foul acts. Tell me, do I speak the truth, Mary Of Bingham. And how may I tell the King of your treachery." The man who retorted me is Charles, the current rightful owner of this manor and estate. He is also the half brother of Brian whom he had acquired the other's share of the inheritance by acts of stealth and cheats.

I am who he said; a lady of a fine home raising until the plague claimed everyone leaving me an orphan. But his take on my inheritance was partially true. The family I was with is a fine home of a Lord that was close to the King. Upon my personal loss, I was to stay with the household of the King. As I have displayed my uncanny abilities in resolving many cases that confused the Kings' advisers, the King has given me this unique task to resolve. The King has admiration for the family and does not want the public bad of him when he judged on it. So he asked me to determine the truth of the matter. In order for me to perform the task, I was given refuge here in the manor as an orphan in need of love and family. But in my refuge I discovered more than the truth through my investigation as I find myself in love with the persons involved in the case. A sin which I have confessed at the booth every Sunday.

"Yes, what you said is correct. I did relief you of the documents to pass to your half brother, but its not what you may think. Brian is on the verge of taking over your estate with the emergence of the new will which you were not privy to. And my in depth and thorough investigation for the last year as the King's Special Investigator of the Court, I have perform treachery in this case. If you must know why, I would explain. I have failed to rebuke Brian's claim as there was none to disqualify the will. He is well defended by his birth mother who was your father's lover before. Its not a hidden but a known fact among the peers. Nevertheless, Brian needed that document which is in your care to consolidate his position, and I handed him that. A document you hold which tells of your father's association to the  French lady. That document boost his chance to be declared equal heir as his birth mother. But I have also a signed confession from the treacherous Baron Helmut which implicate your family in trying to overthrow the King. " I gazed into the man's eyes to see if he does understand me. Apparently he did not.

"A letter which would implicate me too; I am also his son. So by default, both Brian and myself are traitors. We would both hanged in the Tower of London." My master now pleads for his innocence.

"Yes, you impudent fool." I am annoyed at the poor reasoning thoughts of this man. "That document I gave him would be his final seal on this estate."

The lord, Charles of Lockshire who was clearly enraged now by my action. "You were supposed to stop this action as the Investigator. How can you let a job like this goes to waste after all the long planning we did."

"So my love, you still take me for a fool in this matter. I am not as you can see but a meticulous person of fine details. The King has been advised by another letter that you were not privy to the matter unlike your brother and his devious mother. They been manipulating your father without your knowledge. That cleared your name, and upon the death of both your parent, you are the rightful inheritor of the estate."

"A vixen indeed but I am glad you are mine. I could never had planned such a wide range of events and yet you did it yourself. I salute you as my wife, Mary of Bingham." He is now relieved and laugh his heart out.

"A skill which I hoped would be inherited by our future children. Maybe a fine detective could be born by then. Do you agreed with me, Charles Holmes of Lockshire?"

"With you as my wife, all I need to understand are the elementary parts. Mary of Bingham." The couple tossed a drink to the unwary lone rider who carried his own death warrant in the little wrapping.

New Pangaea Pg 321-323 ( Finale )

Week 50

Day 1

Suddenly I find myself back on the city yard. I been transported back here. I walked back towards the Dome and met Vickie holding Junior.

‘Scott, what happened? You went missing for a few days. All the New People has also disappeared in groups over these days.’

‘What about the cities?’

‘Its running fine. ALPHA wants to talk to you. Your comms was not working. You been gone for five days now. Is everything alright?

‘Commander. I have a message from Chronos.’The elderly man I saw earlier there on the screen.

‘Commander Bent. Your comments has been received by us and we have debated the points raised. We are not of the opinion to leave New Pangaea to your people with the cities intact. ALPHA will assist in managing your cities. We have programmed ALPHA to give you limited access to the current knowledge we possess in the system, but we will monitored ALPHA on your progress. We will gradually released information which we will deemed needed or can be handled by your current level of intelligence. I believed you named it as ‘ on the need to know basis’. There are times you will asked how such things can work and we will not provide the answers. Its up to your people to find out and hopefully find the answer.  There will no contact between us for this period, for whatever reasons. We are reverting to our original mission to learn from the species which we encountered on the worlds. And you are one of them now. Welcome to New Pangaea.’

The man on the screen disappeared.

‘ALPHA?’

‘Chronos has terminated the transmission and I can’t get him for you.’

‘Its okay, ALPHA. I just want to say thank you.’ I turned my back to see Vickie standing at the doorway.

‘The Atlantean’s has left us with New Pangaea.’

‘No, Scott. They did not leave it for you and me. They left it for Junior. He is the new Atlantean race. We are just the creator like the original Uranus and Gaia. Now we got to teach a new race of Atlantean’s on how to live correctly and treasured the objective of the Atlantean’s; study and respect other races.’

‘Do you think we can live to five hundred years?’

‘I doubt so, Scott. Junior won’t want you around that long. He may prefers his mother though. She is smarter.’ She hugged me and we looked at the empty screen.

‘How did you know what to said when you met the Elders?’

‘It came to me in the dream last night. Bless my grandmother and her descendants. I need to pass it on to Junior my dream-catcher.’

‘Its over his bed now. We are both sleeping on the floor from now.’

----------------------- 0 ------------------------

After thoughts......

When I first started on the tale of New Pangaea, I was intrigue by the adventures of people living in the days of the Dinosaurs. Its like a re-introduction to the Jurassic Period. It was to be a adventure fun ride of the future with the past. I loved to read about those past creatures; huge munching with large jaws and enormous sizes. Everyone loves a T-Rex, but the raptors are my favorites.

Then the story evolved with the concept of lost civilisatons. I considered many civilisations including Mayans, Egyptians, tribes of Native America and of course Atlantean’s. I even tried to linked them by a common factor. I finally selected Atlantis because its one of the mystery of the world. Many myths are written on it, but no one really knew what happened. I began exploring the concept of Atlantis just like I did with the Dinosaurs.

Then from the concept of the city, I began looking at the myth of the Greeks Gods. There was temptation to bring in super-beings as comics superheroes was one of my favorites, but I capped it there. Yes, the Trident was given to Scott Bent but it did not mean he was a superhero. He is just a normal man with the genes of Atlantean. The trident works with the Atlantean genes. The part on the Trident working for him is for the next book. So are many unanswered questions like per below:

1. What happened to the chimps now?

2. What about the city that we are yet to explore?

3. What did happened in the three hours Scott was missing?

4. What about Junior?

5. Who is really Mon, Advant and Advante?

6. Who is Scott’s descendant from Atlantean to leave such a strong traits of genetic?

7. Will the Atlantean’s return?

8. What happened to the city that Mon and his group build?

9. We only explored a section of New Pangaea

10. Is this the first or the continuation of a series?

Guess we will never know. We say an end to the Year One, and soon it will be Year Two perhaps or Three?

New Pangaea Pg 317-320

Week 49

Day 1

‘Commander, you are needed in Command Unit.’

I see on the large screen a fleet of mother ships; I counted eight of them. The Ophionites ship are unique in design. They looked like two large saucer disk jointed at the middle by a tubular axle connection. But this one flies in a vertical mode with the both saucer disk placed vertically.

‘Yes, Commander. They are really large mothership and they are capable of moving across the space in light years speed. Those mother ships are all here because they need the liquid crystal to power their light speed core. Those Ophionites’ cities are dying for this power source or they cannot move between systems. They will be floating derelicts in open space soon if they do not recovered the liquid crystals. They used their last source to get here. That’s why they need to find these cities as the liquid crystal are here. Its the few places where we stored them and this is one is the least known and protected. They are prepared to fight or lose it all. I suggest you prepare for a deciding battle.’ I looked at Mon who just added to my fear.

‘ALPHA, tell me what we can do to fight them?’

‘We can hit them with the vortex, but it takes time to recharge the vortex once used like the pillars. According to my assumptions, we can probably take five of the mother ships but not more than that. Then its up to us to fight them with the other weapons.’ I looked back at the screen and seeing what may be specks of debris flying off but they turned out to be shuttles transporting the Ophionites to battle us on the surface.

‘Commander, I estimate about five thousand of Ophionites warrior on those shuttles. They will be armed with their tridents and energy scepter. Beware its power, Commander. Those scepter are powerful too. But we got more than them to contend with; the chimps are on the way too. They are pushing everyone of their allies for this final battle. However we are joined by our warriors apes.’

‘And so shall the people of the cities fight with them. Commander Feeley, organized the columns to defend the cities. Mon, our lightnings pilots are ready?’

‘They are ready for you, Senior Commander Bent. They will fly to hell for you.’

‘So be it.’

A total of ninety five Lightnings took to the skies, commandeered by myself and Sargeant Nixon. The extra eighty Lightnings came from the other two cities hidden in their own hangers flow by the New People. Each cities hold forty units except for Poseidon; we only have left fifteen of them in the air, as Major Feeley’s still sits waiting for her pilot. The extra pilots were all from the New People. Mosy of the New People are raw pilots. They are led by Mon as their leader. We split the wing to three with Mon taking thirty five and Nixon the other thirty five. For myself I assigned the balance to my squad. All the seniors of Poseidon are to be part of Nixon’s group of thirty five Lightnings.

 ‘Commander, I counted two hundred and fifty Ophion crafts only. They may have launched part of their fleet on us. Their land force are on the ground.’ Commander Feeley has arrange the ATV2 and Bubbles at the yard to protect the cities alongside with her new command of over five hundred troops. They also got the thousand odd apes on the front line. It will be close but I hoped they make it.

‘Commander, Advant is hailing us.’

‘Put him on my vid-screen, ALPHA.’ I see before me the same man with the Serpent Helmet.

‘Commander Bent. You are outnumbered and we will win if we fight. So I am suggesting that you surrender the cities and the New People. We will just take what is sufficient for our side and then we will leave you to the cities. There is no need to go into battle.’

‘Frag it, Advant. We will fight and we will win.’

‘So be it, Commander Bent. You leave me no choice. Send out the order to commence attack now. Goodbye, Commander Bent.’ The view of the man with the ego has been replaced with that a number of beeps on the viewer as the enemies crafts proceeded towards us.

This is it, for the better or for worse.

Then I saw behind the eight mother ships are another fleet of twelve much larger mother ships of near similar in design but these are triple saucer disks size. Its hovering behind the earlier fleet.

‘Commander, I think we are saved. Those are the Atlantean’s Inner Council Fleet. They are more powerful than the previous fleet.’ I can see the enemies fighter crafts are retreating back to their mother ships. More to it, the ground forces are also retreating back to their crafts to be bound for the mothership.

‘Lightning squads. All squads to recall to the cities now. All ground forces also to hold all attacks unless provoked.’ I comms to all commanders on my side.

‘Commander Bent, you are invited to board the Chronos Ship for an audience with the Council Elder Chronos. Do not touch your console, they will fly your vessel on automatic.’ That was ALPHA and I get to meet the Council now.

‘Commander Bent, welcome to the Chronos.’ I stepped off the Lightning, and is still in a daze. This place is monstrous in design. As I was flying, I was treated to a scene unbelievable to mankind. The mothership on near looked like a city by itself, with numerous ports and airlocks. There are no weapons of any kind seen on the ship but I am sure they are concealed in times like these. The outer edge of saucer is a moving components which spins on a fixed inner twelve spokes wheel designs connection to the central axle. But in this mothership the inner wheel does not rotate at all. Its inert and that was my destination. I was met by an elderly statesman dressed in toga, who called himself Chronos aide. His name is Jupiter.

‘Elder Council Chronos awaits us at the Main Chamber. Please follow me.’ I took  sneak view of the hanger which I just landed. There are about two hundred ‘Lightning’s on display here with more of other designs which I think are Drop ships or Shuttles.

‘Commander Bent has arrived.’ Jupiter has announced my presence as we step into the Main Chamber. The Main Chamber is a large dome like unit with a raised platform where I can see the Council of Twelve sits on, including the elderly Chronos. I was led to to be seated onto my right and there I saw Mon sitting not five paces away. When I came to the spot of where I was to sit, a square box raised itself to a sitting height. I take I was to sit on it like Mon was doing.

I see across the unit was my ego friend, Advant still weaning his helmet and the other Advante which I met also earlier. They don’t look too pleased to be here.

‘Welcome, Commander Bent. I believed you know everyone here. Including my council members.’ Chronos was being polite and courteous. ‘This is not a trail nor a discussion. Advant and Advante has been judged to by us on many charges and we find that just punishment will be given. We,the Atlantean’s as you named us, has been around for centuries and we advocate studies and knowledge on all the worlds we have landed. The group we sent to Earth was also give the same task, but for some reason, there was a break of oath, and the group became our first mistake in the mission objectives. It was a mistake which we took too late to correct. But nevertheless, we gave them a second chance, but they rebel on with what they can grabbed on. Instead of moving on with the study, they decided to introduce the works on themselves, further deviating from the study. Therefore the Council of Twelve has decided to take on their role as guardians. All our people on New Pangaea and on the rebel’s fleet will be subjected to the confinement chamber until they are ready to be released. Their clones are to be destroyed as its the way of ours upon full transfer of the knowledge.’

‘I protest, Elder Council Chronos.’ I shouted my protest and the twelve councils looked to me as if I have disrupted their thinking.

‘Commander Bent, you have no grounds to protest as they have all agreed. You are brought here as we have another matter to discuss with you.....’ Chronos looked very agitated and was raising his voice,

‘Mass termination of clones is the same as murder. You cannot shut down a living creature even though its a clone. I do not agreed.’ I wanted to walk out but I can’t move from the seat.

‘Commander. Please do not fight the decision made. Its for all our good and we approved the method.’ I looked at Mon who just addressed me. I looked at Advant and he also nodded his head. This is absolutely madness in the making.

‘Chronos, I am also part of your genetic failure, as I have your people’s genes from the group that came to Earth. So do that make me also a subject to your confinement?

You have failed in the research of what your forefathers did carry out to do, to learn on other species and worlds. But in the last thousand of centuries or so, you learned more than the qualities; you got involved in it. Earth was one example, and it failed. So you cover it up with the destruction of the city called Atlantis. You moved the group out to avoid any conflicts with the others in the Universe. You placed natural disaster as the reason for leaving,. You’re no more the Atlantean’s of the origin. You been corrupted by the need for knowledge and you have diverted from it. You not only became selfish race in fulfilling your ambitions, you sacrificed clones to see those achievements.

The splinter group did the same but they went further by trying to infiltrate other species by cloning into them as sub-species. Like you, they are not only seeking knowledge but stealing them as well by disguise of species. You want to stopped them as its not allowed in the rules, but you are the creator of the need in the first place. You actually created the need when you crave the knowledge of Earthlings.; the missing qualities you did not have. ALPHA told me that. Some of those qualities are not learned but inside our genes. Your desire for knowledge perverted you to co-habit with the Earthlings to learn more. More to it we are the same physical structure but we did not have some of your ‘longevities’.

From knowledge seekers, you become the ‘desired master of life’ by lengthening yours in the expanse of others for more qualities learned and assimilation fro your race survival. Like what you are trying to do here on New Pangaea. It was no ‘cleansing’ of the genes, it was furthering your creation of another Earth. You created the creature species from their original cells and you want to subdue or evolved them to your desire. You almost succeeded if not for the splinter group who rebel for their own desire of knowledge. The conflict caused the same rift in the group here. The rift became a war similar to that on Earth, but this time the splinter group left before they can be stopped. Both of you left your experiments here. You could had eradicated the chimps but you let them evolved to study them. For once, you reverted to what your forefathers went out to do. But when we came, you thought we were the splinter group, and attacked us. Then you realized your mistake but the splinter group did come. Your people allied with the next available group to win us over. It was my mistake to let you in. But I had to considering I am also like you; wanting to learn from others. And also to ensure my own survival.

Both of you did the same; opened your world to mine when you realized I am more than an Earthling. I am part Atlantean too. When Mon opened up ALPHA locks he forgot something; to lock out an Atlantean’s code. Mine. I was accessing ALPHA and she gave me what I needed to know. But as I said, I have to survive, and to do that, I will even allied with the devil to win. I was desperate and I did what I had to do. Like you, your race has become desperate to the point of assimilating yourselves to other species in the pursuit of knowledge. You do not acquire but you also chose to steal. So tell me, Chronos; do you dispute my words as a fellow Atlantean.’

Chronos and his eleven elders kept their stare at me.

‘I do not want to be a part of this race. I asked to be removed from your confinement and be eradicated with the clones.’

Then I saw nothing and hear nothing, or even feel nothing. Its all emptiness. I am in a void.

5000th cometh up

I am about to hit the 5000th mark this weekend. My thoughts for all of you, is one Big Thank YOU.

Love and cheers, and keep on clicking.

Jimmy Loong.

New Pangaea Pg 314 -316

Week 48

Day 1

To be exact nine thousand eight hundred and five only of which five hundred are my replacements for military personnels plus another load of fifty scientist who were the first to step out of the shuttles. I had them placed in the city of Poseidon, and we still occupy only half the place. The extra personnels are transferred to my command and my rank has been promoted to Senior Commander. Major Feeley has been promoted to Commander, and so is the new Captain Bashir. There are seven new senior officers but they are still adapting to the new place.

More supplies came down but the city has sections now able to produce our daily needs now. But the crucial one are the ten Bubbles and ten ATV2 for our use. They did give us fifty twin mounted cannons but we kept that in the crates.

But my immediate task was not the new colonists which is assigned to Commander Feeley now, but my long delayed reconciliation with Vickie. Since reunited as a family, she has been on the sideline with the New People and then the conflict with Advant. She is occupying my unit but she sleeps with Junior while I take the floor.

That night, I walked up to her and she looked at me.

‘Scott, I need time to work out the feelings. Give me that. You have a more important task; find Pedro. He is your friend and out there alone.’

I nodded my understanding and left the discussion open.

Day 2

‘Senior Commander Bent, frag your rank. How can you leave for a solo mission now that I have a population to take care of?’ I looked at the new Commander and smiled. Then I took in the Bubble to look for my good friend, Pedro. ALPHA said she cannot track a single person but a group may be possible. So it up to me to track my good friend. And I think he will go back to one place we all would if lost.

The Plateau.

I saw him there at the previous Main Village.

‘Pedro, can we talk?’

I walked towards him upon landing at the yard. He is standing there by himself with his back towards me while holding the PH900 in his right hand. His uniform looked ragged and torn at some places. He turned to face and I see that man I know as a friend for many years again. His left cheek is scarred and part of his google is cracked. He has got bandages on his chest under the jacket. More to it, he is not smiling at me.

‘Commander Bent, you have betrayed your cause. You have joined forces with the enemies of the Empire. You do not deserved to be my Commander.’ He raised the PH900 to his waist and armed the rifle.

‘No, Pedro. Stand down. I order you to stand down. The war is over. The Empire and Federations has called it off. Earth is dying and they are working together to evacuate the people. I just got a load of nearly ten thousand colonist. Please don’t do this.’ I seen the look in that man for too many times. He is not convinced of my explanation.

‘Not only did you frag with the enemy, you invited her into your trust not once but twice. You are a traitor to the cause. The Federations killed my family and my friends for years, and you invited them in to our stronghold. You never thought of the number of times she has betrayed you. What about it that you did not understand. You are our fragging Commander. We live and fight with you and for you. But you left us to die for a woman.’ He pulled the trigger and shot the rifle but he missed me by purpose.

‘Commander Bent, as an officer of the Empire; I find you guilty of treason. I will now execute the trial. It will be a trial of combat. He who wins shall be the one to say the truth.’ Pedro unslung his rifle and threw it aside. He reached for his PH350 and threw that too. Next he reached for the K2 and held it firm in his right hand; hammer grip.

‘No, Pedro. We don’t have to do this. You can still go home. With me to the new city.’ But the man lunged at me with the blade. I had to stepped back to avoid his slash, and he did slashed me on the left arm. He swung his blade on me again and almost cut me on the chest.

‘Soldier! Stand down!’ but he came at me for another slash, but I blocked his arm with my left hand and I punched him with my right hand. He staggered back and lashed out his right leg at my chest. The boot of his caught me on my chin and I fell back on the ground. I crawled back on my back to get a clear distance. Pedro has overstepped his boundary and he has to be stopped. The K2 blade is a formidable weapon which can cut through any surface, so fighting him with  a stick or iron pole. So I got up and withdrew my K2 blade. I will fight him to stop his madness. I gripped mine like his as he was my mentor in this art. I went around him like in a circle. We did this many times before learning the art of using the blade. And most times, I ended up on the ground with a blade near my throat.

I shuffle my feet as I moved. He is watching my moves; he knows them form the previous bouts we had. But this time I cheated. I did not lunge at him, but I threw the stone I had in my other hand. It hit him on his jaw and he reacted to the pain by reaching for his jaw. It was then I kicked out with my leg at his blade hand, and causing him to drop the blade.

I moved in with the K2 hilt to knock on his head but he moved it faster than I thought. I got him on the upper back and he staggered down. But he also reach for my waist and pushed me back. We went tumbling down and he had his left hand on my right wrist. He has trapped my blade hand and trying to twist the blade off. I punched out with my left hand fist which he blocked with his right palm. Then he reached down for my throat with the right hand. I had to grip his right hand from choking me but his grip is strong.

 I am losing it. Again like in the practice bouts.

Then the shot came. It hit Pedro on the head. He fell down on the ground next to me, with his head wound  bleeding. He is dead, my one time good friend.

I looked up to see who could had done it. Who had followed me here.

Its Nixon.

‘I followed you. On orders of Commander Feeley. I had to shot or he would kill you.’ I looked back at the dead Corporal. Nixon did what any other soldier would had done.

‘You did well, Nix. Corporal Pedro was uncontrollable. It was him or me. And I guess I won.’

We both walked back to our transport. Nixon came in the Lightning.

New Pangaea Pg 301-313

‘Scott, if you watching this, then I am in the jungle with my men. We will not surrender to you or anyone from the Empire. Our fight goes on as the Federations. Our child is in me and I will raised him well. Love you.’

Day 4

I am down in the jungle near where they were last seen. Its my own mission to seek them out and reason with them on their decision. I am dressed as an officer of the Empire and carry my PH900. I left my Trident behind as this is my own battle. The HELI-PODs has flown back as per my instruction. Its good to be back here in the jungle like the weeks before; facing its dangers and yet enjoying its rich environment.

According to the reports, they should be over the rise. So I went on towards it and I looked over the rise. There is no signs of life here, but the place has been occupied recently. There are three fire places and the heat is till there. I looked at the tracks as taught to me by Pedro; I counted six of them. I checked the surrounding and discovered more of the group. Then I saw the favourite of this place; raptors. There are four of them and they are giving me a standing ovation now. I slowly unslung the PH900 and move it carefully to my arms. I cocked the rifle and make sure the projectile is slotted in. I move ever slower to face the four and smiled at them.

‘Lunch is served early.’ I shot the leading raptor in the head. It went down in a slow descent like a ballet dancer. The other three looked at their fallen comrade and then back at me. It was then I took the second raptor in the head too. It did not fell gracefully but just fell flat on its front. But this time the other two just took to their heels.

I got up to my feet and looked around in case any raptors did a detour on me. No more committee members around. I took off following the trail left by the Fed’s. They may not be able to travel far with a pregnant lady in tow. And was I wrong. I covered over two miles and they are still ahead of me. I came upon a jungle clearing and its looks good for an ambush. I crouched down and let my instinct run over the scene. If I am being followed where would I be to trap my follower. And I saw him.

He is on the tree branch to my right and holding a rifle; not a PH900 equivalent but a PH762. Okay, got one, so where is your backup. Cross fire are the Federations’ favourite, so I checked to my left. No one yet until I saw to the extreme left; over on the fallen tree trunk.

Here is what I will do. I back steps on my movement and went left. I moved ever slow so I can outflank the left shooter. He is on the ground level so I will catch him there. I climbed up the tree and move to the upper branches. I sighted my rifle on the ground shooter and then on the high tree shooter. Bad angle so I moved down on branch. Now I rest my rifle on the tree branch in front and checked the sights.

Immediately, I jumped off the branch and down the tree when the shot came through. The guy on the tree already had me in sight when I moved for position. The PH900 dropped next to me on the ground, and I grabbed it before rolling away. The shot by the ground shooter just barely missed me.

So Twiddle Twins are good too. Okay, now we play ‘chimp see chimp do’. I ran for the undergrowth and waited for them to move. They moved as I anticipated or just the one on the ground did anyway. He is now fifty paces in front and hiding behind a tree. He is waiting for his partner to cover the two hundred paces to back him up.. But I had Twiddle run lined up for my shot. He did not make it to the next base before I struck him out. So now Twiddle Twins become Twiddle One.

I rolled away and got up to run further to my left. Twiddle One shot at me three times but missed because of the thick jungle offers reasonable good covers if you know where to run. I slide down next to the undergrowth and raised my rifle to my shoulder.

‘C’mon, Twiddle.’ And he did turned up pacing himself parallel to me but he did not see me slide. But I saw him and I slide the projectile in to released it in a flash of a moment. I can visualize the projectile hitting him on the side of the ribs and rupturing his stomach to his kidney. He spun on his running feet and fell down.

‘Twiddle Down now.’

You let a lady cloud your mind, and your skills get rusted exponentially by the dimensions. I let that happened and now I am leaning behind the trunk of large tree caught in another crossfire. Or in this case, its a triple intersected fire; that means three shooters. These Feds loved to increased the odds for me. I tried to move the left and the tree loses some bark. Darned, this is what they call checkmate. And probably the fourth unfired shooter is General Seeker. She will be laying it low for me.

The only option is to rely on my remaining skill and that now are called high risk moves. I leaned the PH900 on the tree trunk and evaluate my options. To my right are undergrowths and to my left are more undergrowth. For some reason I have to find one tree trunk which is not surrounded by these lovely undergrowths; they are all ten or more paces away. So much for cover for the sniper. But the reckless did not earn their name sake by sitting on their butts. I threw the PH900 to my right and the shot came as expected. I threw my jacket next and the shot came again. This time I got up and ran like a crazed man and the sniper delayed his shot. That saved my life but he hid grazed my right leg on the back of the thigh. I jumped into the undergrowth and rolled further in avoiding one more shot to the last position I was in. For some more thoughts, I decided to grab the PH900 and ran for the nearest tree trunk, and it proved me Right, as three snipers must had discharged their power clips on the undergrowth. Its one sad looking toasted spot now. More to it, I saw them now; eeeny, minnie, and moore. I took my shot and brought down eeeny when he tried to pick another spot. Then I ran for a new cover; drawing their fire and I pinpointed their new position. There I took the next shot and missed the shooter.

Now we go to the next phase of ‘I dare you. I am behind a larger tree with bushes around me, so I can move to different spots. The duo are still in front of me, and I have not heard from the fourth shooter if there is any. More than that, the day is getting dark as the sun sets. So it could be a long wait or a camp fire fight. But the night brings predators of other kinds.

It didn’t take long for them to come when the smell of blood is in the air. The raptors were first to scavenge on the dead sniper, but they took to their heels when the T-Rex came. As it was munching the last of it, the Titanoaba sneak on it and took a bite on the left hind leg. The T-rex reacted by biting back the serpent and it was tussle of the two. This was when the sniper jumped off the tree to run for a new cover. He was down before he can take three paces.

Now we are down to one on one and a missing fourth shooter. I am sure the last one is out there and holding back for a good shot. But I have a new problem as the raptors which were shoo off their meal is now onto me through my bleeding leg. There are three of them and they eyeing me with interest. This time I have to shoot them all or they will take me down for sure. I raised the PH900 and they ran off in three directions. So they know the rifle and what it can do but they were not retreating. They were getting into position to attack me in their formation. The one my left came forth charging and I turned to fire it with the projectile on its chest. It fell as just the one in front of me hit me with it claw. I was lucky to stepped back to avoid a bigger wound but it hurts. The raptor got me on the left shoulder but it did not cut into bone. I crawled back on my hind watching the predator in front of me not four paces. Then the shot came and the raptor fell dead on its track.

The Fed’s sniper saved me. But which one.

I grabbed the PH900 and half run onto the nearest tree for cover. Nothing happened then except the scavengers on the dead raptors. Its going to be a long night.

Day 5

I waited for almost half a day and then I climbed out of the cover. I am sure they have left me for now. I walked around the trees to picked up their trail. But I found a new one, not of the Fed’s but of some one new. Someone is following me following them or the way around. I looked at the prints and figured it out. Its a familiar print I seen before; those are Pedro’s print, but the injured leg left a more deeper imprint. The thing that concerned me it that Pedro has moved on and probably on the trail of the Fed’s.

If he is following them, then I will follow him. His trail lead me for a long walk of over some distance. Then I heard the shots and I ran to the source of it. I took a detour to get a better vantage sight now that I am the hidden sniper. I saw the tree and I climbed it to see the scene better. I can see Pedro now; he is on ground at a tree trunk, and the dead sniper is hundred paces away next to a bush. But Pedro is sighting someone else or waiting for the next sniper. I scan the area ahead and I cannot see anyone.

Then I saw her on the far left edge. She is on the run and she is carrying a bundle. That could be what I think. I estimated she is nearer to me on the left so I ran to intercept her. I caught up on her at the edge of the ridge, and its like my dream.

‘Vickie, hold there.’ She is saw me and she grabbed hold of the bundle closer to her. ‘Vickie, its me. Scott. I can protect you and the kid.’ It was then I saw Pedro coming out to my back left holding his PH900. I stepped in between them so he cannot take a shot on her.

‘Vickie, come here. We can work it out.’ But she stepped back and unwrapped the bundle; its a baby in her hands.

‘Scott, don’t come near me. I will jump with him. He is your son.’ She stepped further back and looked at me.

‘Vickie, don’t do this. But how can our kid be born so fast?’ Then it occurred to me; the splinter group. ‘Did they accelerate it?’

She nodded and smiled; ‘he is beautiful. But he is more my son than yours. You will not have him.’

I motioned my hand to Pedro behind me to back off, but I don’t know whether he is watching me or not. I keep on staring at Vickie. She leaned down to kiss the baby and she smiled back at me. I know that look. Its the same as in my dream. I reached for my rifle and unslung it. I dropped it down and held out my hand. She just smiled like in the dream and she stepped back.

It all like in the dream; she falling and I trying to reach for her. I jumped in with my hands reached out. Its a long jump and I yelled as I fall. I can see her and our baby now falling separately into the river below. It may not be enough to break their fall. It was split second thoughts, and I can see the water rising up to form a bed of water for them. Next I know I was with her and the baby on the sea of water which is lowering us down gracefully.

It was then the projectile came past me towards Vickie.

‘Pedro!’

Day 6

Pedro did not returned back since last night. I have the baby with Doctor Bashir and attended with Major Feeley.  I am wanted to talk to him not shoot him or maybe not in the same order. Vickie got shot at her left shoulder but she will survive. I left the Infirmary knowing both my lover and son are okay.

I had to asked ALPHA for the event which happened yesterday.

‘I cannot explain it, but you could be possessing the abilities of Poseidon as you are suitably named now. But the act is beyond scientific assumptions. So if you allowed me time, I will figured it out.’ I left ALPHA for the Command Unit.

But nothing the rest of the week made me understand what happened that day. Unlike previous days, I also don’t get updates on the development by the doctors. Its seem that everyone is holding their reports for their own version of glorification.

Week 47

Day 1

‘ALPHA, can you patch me to Advant? I need to speak to .....him, please.’ The Mothership is still in orbit and I need to speak to Advant.

ALPHA said it may take some time to get any answers.

‘The Atlantean’s does not possess super power in them. You were rescued by the TITANS or ‘The Intelligent Androids Nanites Series’. Those Nano-bots we left behind to protect you as you are unique to us. They only react when your life is really threatened and no, your leg wound does not account for it. The TITANS knows  you were in no real danger. They had already calculated the velocity and trajectory. But when you jumped, they moved to rescue you and your offspring. The genes resides in him too. He is now our care too. You are really unique.’

‘Advant, you removed those TITANS or I will removed myself permanently as an unique to your race. And I am not pulling any fins of your heads. So do it.’

There was silence and then Advant spoke. “Okay. I will recalled the TITANS.’

‘And also for my son.’ But there was no reply.

Vickie still refused to see me, but I allowed her to keep the baby with her. I read Doctor Moshe and Tanaki’s report on my son.

Special Report from Doctor Moshe and Doctor Tanaki.

Day 1 Week 47

1602hr

Scott Junior as we named him is a healthy baby with no signs of any abnormalities. We done the needed tests and checked for any abnormalities with Doctor Bashir, we cannot determined how the baby could had grow that fast. But if its, the symptoms are not showing now as he is growing at a rate consistent with any babies.

We do not discount the possibility that Scott Junior could be subjected to some unknown medical treatment but the mother of the child is refusing to disclose. As to our level of expertise and knowledge, we can conclude that its possible for something could had been done as we know Atlantean’s are very advance in human evolution and more they have perfected cloning. As for the Earth’s knowledge on that can be considered as extensive but now pale in comparison. We have been experimenting with biomedical research to an extend it has expanded at an exponential pace. From that field, we have developed more specialization for biomedical fields to explore everything practically relevant in a very narrow domain, with to the extent of overlapping disciplinary boundaries. We made advancement in molecular structures and functions, such as mutations or protein-protein interactions. But what we perceived as breakthroughs are now minor advancement as we study the works done by the Atlantean’s.

But we used Atlantean’s equipment and knowledge to check on Scott Junior with the guidance of ALPHA; the results we had was the same. So in all contention, we can conclude Scott Junior is well and alive.

‘Vickie, what happened then?’ I looked at the lady who is the mother to a child which I am responsible for too. Her left shoulder is bandaged up and she looked tired. She looked at me and just smiled weakly.

‘All I can say is that the New People came to us and aid us after your last attack on the HELI-PODs. We discussed and agreed to work together to destroy this city. Scott, you do not understand the Atlantean’s. You think you do but you don’t really. The New People showed us proof that convinced us to fight with them. Their people are been taken away as prisoners to be executed. You do not think so because you hear differently. But did you speak to the New People? You did not.’

‘No, Vickie. Do not confuse me more. The New People you said are not our allies. They are the Serpent Heads. It was the Atlantean’s who later came and help to saved us. They gave us access to the cities and knowledge. We are now more advanced than we were. The Atlantean’s used  their technology to protect you and Junior when you jumped.’

‘I jumped with our baby so that we can die without having to be subjected to the Atlantean’s as you called them. You are mistaken, Scott Bent. You are too selfish to open your mind. You believe in what you think is only right. I seen more than you. The Atlantean you met are not the real ones. They are furthering their experiment on you and your people. Just like the way they did on Earth and here on New Pangaea. They are what you called the Splinter group. The New People did want to destroy the cities so that it will not fall to the wrong people. They felt that this can end the war between them and the splinter group. They hid the city from the splinter group when the main group left. They built this city and they will see it destroyed again by the Splinter group again like on Earth. You stopped the wrong people.’

‘No, I did not. It your Organization that destroyed Earth. I heard it from the Earth Council. They told me of the nukes to destroy Earth. You are mistaken, Vickie.’

‘You believed that. The Organization did not destroy Earth. We were working to make it good again. Do you know how many people work within the Organization so that we can save the world from both ends. We initially thought that the discovery of Atlantis will helped us know more to save Earth. We fought you when we took over your City. But we surrendered it back to you as you are the only one who can save it. You took my people prisoner and they were murdered by the City. I know how the Organization people died. They were poisoned by the same water you took from the City source. They were poisoned to shut them out. No one could had produced that poison that fast. Not here anyway. Think, Scott.’

This is wrong. Something is wrong.

‘You never asked me how we know. ALPHA does not only communicate with his own master. We also can tap into ALPHA though the New People.  ALPHA was instructed to poisoned the water that was channel to the holding unit. Don’t looked surprised. I know about ALPHA from the New People. It was the New People who managed to override ALPHA to sneak in to destroy the Core but you stopped them. Since Advant came, ALPHA has locks us out with new protocols.’

I am disbelieving this all.

‘Scott, not all the New People were captured; they are still here but hidden. Advant is capturing them to eradicate them. You are the one who is a fool. Ask ALPHA to play you the Memory 23412. Advant has not locked that out.’

I walked to the vid-console and told ALPHA to pay the Memory 23412. I watched it play for an hour and its showed Advant’s face in most of the clip. I cannot believe my own eyes on what I am seeing there.

‘No... Vickie. This is madness. When your people surrendered to me, I relocated them to the new city to live.’

‘Did you really know my people or the New People? We all looked alike.’

Then the alert went off.

‘Commander, this is ALPHA. The City of Zeus has been locked out of my system. They are now independent of my control. I need to contact my masters’.’

‘No, ALPHA. Cancel that request’; I shouted to ALPHA to follow my order.

‘Negative. Command cannot be override. I have to send the transmission to my master, Advant. I am sorry.’

I looked back at Vickie who is holding Junior tight despite her wound.

‘I hope you are right, Vickie.’

‘I am right, Scott and so is your son. He is special.’

Day 2

‘ALPHA, status please.’

But I got was silence. The rest of the team tells me that ALPHA is not responding to them too. The access to the City system are also blocked on all the consoles. Nothing works now in Poseidon City, I got the people all to the Dome and we re-armed ourselves.

I went over to see Vickie again.

‘Assuming you are right, then how do we beat the so called Atlantean’s.’

‘Scott, you are not as smart as I thought. To your question, I do not know. I stayed back in the jungle to try to contact back with Earth and also to work with the New People out there. We took a risk to surrender here as we are not sure whether what would happened. But your good kind nature, gave them the opportunity. I anticipated that, and which is why I love you. When you chose to hunt me, I set it up so that you will get wounded and go back but in that area you are better than my men. I had you twice in my sight but I held back. We withdrew because we saw Pedro backing you later, as we are then on equal strength; two against two. Or should I say two and the half. We decide to withdraw but Pedro followed on, and the rest you know.’

‘Pedro does not like me ever since that day, when he saw me with you. Pedro is in infatuated with you. You are too blind to see it. You never did until I came into your life. But I did shoot you to wound you as Pedro saw that day. He could had betrayed me but he did not. I guess he wanted to see you love a woman who tried to kill you. But he could take it as I was with our child. He would had shot Junior but I jumped. I was watching him and not you.’

Pedro... with me. Its unthinkable.

‘I do not know what the New People has done to your city, but I think they did not shut down ALPHA. Its not that ALPHA is not talking to you; she has been shut down. The whole city will soon do so. Advant has planted the program to override ALPHA. He is taking over the city. I would suggest you do some knocking on the system to get it going. Or talk to the New People in the other city. If you can;t, I could.’

I hate this woman but I love the lady inside her.

I walked with her to the yard outside to see the HELI-PODs landing. From the craft came six persons dressed like Fed’s. One of them walked up to us.

‘Hello Mon. This is Commander Bent.’ I am looking at a lanky tall guy with a army cap on his head and he is carrying a duffle bag on his shoulder.

‘Commander, we got less than an hour to work. Can I come in to attend to ALPHA as you know it?’ I don’t know why and what but I approved it.

The six members team rushed in with us in tow. They proceeded to the unit which I first discovered ALPHA. They took our more equipments from their bags and went to work, by plugging in sockets and connections to the console. I stood there to see them work with Vickie still holding Junior. Its like watching a group of doctors operating in a tense environment.

And then it works.

‘Hello everybody. My name is ALPHA. And hello to you, Mon.’

‘Thank you, Commander, Now we have the cities back to the proper hands. I am Mon, of the New People or you know us better as Atlantean’s. We got a lot to talk about and we have little time. Advant will be back soon. He has got the transmission from ALPHA before we shut her down and reboot her system. We have removed her locks and she is now independent again.’

‘Her?’ I am becoming to looked more stupid.

‘ALPHA is a female gender in the humanoid terms, and her name is actually Alica, and her designation was Protocol Handling Administrator, before she transferred her mental built up to the system. She resides inside as ALPHA. Looks we have to talk a bit more. Coffee anyone?’

I told Mon of what I know of the Atlantean’s from Advant.

‘Advant did not lie. What he told you was mostly true except the part on splinter group. We are not the splinter group but the true bred. It was the splinter group which Advant belong to. We built these cities together here on the command of the council when we came here from Earth. It was then we discovered that the mixed group has not turned over to the main program to evolved but they chose to remain as the splinter group. They want to resumed their old ways, and since they were exposed, they were asked to leave or abandon their ways again by the Council. They chose the former and left for the outer boundary to built another city of their own while we stayed back to continue our evolution here in New Pangaea. When we completed our mission, we were instructed to leave for the main race. We were also asked to destroy the city to safeguard our technology and knowledge.

But some of us offered to keep guard over the city in case we were to return here again. We did not want to destroy what we built over so many years. Unlike the one on Earth, this city is by itself and it housed our memories and technology. We equipped it to defend itself and also us. We pleaded with the Council and they relented but on one condition. If the city is taken over, we are to destroy it. So we hid the city as we do not need to be here as we are few. We built our own shelter in a small mountain some distance away. When we were alerted to the city being discovered, and realized it was not our people coming back, we had to destroy it. We cannot allow the city to fall into the wrong hands. But you beat us to it. That group you killed were our clone warriors with the host. We will missed him much. But in his mission, he gave us more insight into your people and we realized that you are from Earth. And we discovered you. Your retrieval of the Trident was the doing of ALPHA but its because you have our genes. But Advant beat us to you first. He convince you of our ‘self righteous’ and ‘evil’. We could not fight Advant’s ship as we are without the weapons to do so. You took away our main weapon, the pyramids. So we flee back to the jungle and met up with your so called enemies. We introduced ourselves and we showed the proof of our people. There are some intelligent people among them who can understand us. We cannot do this alone anymore. We are too few to do that much. So Vickie came up with the idea to use us to joined her people and surrendered. It was a risk that you will not kill them and us. If you did, Vickie and her men are to hunt you down. It was that simple. But you played right into her hands. And we are here now.’

Mon turned to look at Junior and then me. ‘Advant was right; you are special but more so, your son.’

I looked at Junior laying in his mum’s hands, gurgling away.

‘Scott Junior is special as he has yours and Vickie. You may not know this but Vickie has also Atlantean’s genes. That’s why your son is more special. He is more Atlantean than the both of you. We will protect him with our life if the need arise.’ Mon moved over to the console and key in some codes.

‘From On the splinter group?’

‘Yes, they were banished to their land, but they also have knowledge of technology like us. They built their own city and ships, but they lack the liquid crystals to continue forever. So many of them left on ships to find the liquid crystal, leaving a handful like us back here. We lived separately and do not mixed.’

‘Mon, on the chimps and the apes, can you explain how did that come to play here?’

‘The chimps were breed by the splinter group as servants to help in domestic chores. They are quite agile and fast compared to the apes. The apes are our nominated city guards as you seen them defending this place from the chimps. But when the main splinter group left, they took these chimps to the far boundary with them as servants while we kept the apes. But little did we know, they let them evolve to be like humanoids which was to await their return. The chimps built the cites for their masters to live in and learn to imitate us but they lack the skill to replicate the technology. They learned to speak from their masters before, and they learned to be like us. They learn from the apes on how to wield the Trident but they could not replicate it. So they did the next best thing; a long spear. They were told to await their masters and killed anyone who is not. You were not their master, so they fought you as they had on some occasions fought us but we evaded their pursuit with our technology. They lived on their own in their cities and on occasions comes over to check on us. And to find the lost city. The apes thwarted many of their excursions to here. We owe them much for their loyalty to the cities.’

Mon proceeded to punch in some more codes and ALPHA starts to speak again.

‘Thank you, Mon. Now I may speak freely with no constraints. Yes, what Mon told you was right. The earlier versions I spoke of was filtered by the commands left by Advant. Now that Mon has released the locks on my programs I can speak more. Advant mentioned to you of the different clones of the different species. He was right as they been experimenting with the different species to further their testing on evolution. We the true Atlantean’s only focused on the homo sapiens, as they are closely related to us. Advant is the splinter group using the cloning process to assimilate to other species. If you are to know, we are not the only species on the worlds doing cloning of our species, but unlike the splinter group, they extend it to other species. That is forbidden by the Universal rules.

We intend to stop them as you said re-evolving them to be true Atlantean’s and dropped these monstrous objectives of theirs. The splinter group came here when you uncovered the city, but they left you here to continue in their works for them using your own knowledge. They been monitoring your progress and also databases. You may be surprised that we are indeed advanced in some areas but we lack in some which you have made advancement. So in a way, we compliment each other. That was also why we built a city in your world. We been fascinated with your people; similar in physical structure but your people display more qualities than us. We are still studying it as I speak. We would had stayed on longer if not for the disaster with the core then. Why didn’t we go back? The council forbids us to do so as they ruled that we had overexposed our presence and left traces of our existence. More to it, the Core explosion contaminate the air which we can lived in. It took them a few thousand years to dispel the contamination. Which is also why we wanted to destroy the Core here so no Atlantean’ can come for the next few thousand years.’

‘And Commander, Earth is dying but not because of the Organization. The nukes were the works of Advant agents sent to force the migration to here and other colonies. They want to takeover these colonies later like here. But why not saved Earth as its uncontaminated by now; you may questioned? It could not be saved as your scientists has concluded; its a dying planet even before your nukes took it nearer. But for now, we are to prepare to fight off the Advant’s ship approaching here in twenty four hours your time.’

‘Scott, don’t you get tired of saving the world?’ I looked at Vickie who asked me that question. I do actually but the description comes with the job.

But now I am saving it for Junior.

Day 4

‘ALPHA’

There was the nine of us from the earlier council set and now includes the delegates of the New People. The hologram of a lady in toga appeared before me this time. Vickie nudged me and said; ‘expecting Lady Venus perhaps? But she is acceptable in beauty’. I looked back at the lady who shares my bed as she mocks me with her sensuality at this hour.

‘I am not Lady Venus but I can be project her image if you want. But some modesty may be required in view of the stares I will be getting.’ We all broke in laughter at the comment made by ALPHA.

‘Okay, please be as you are. We are now keen to know the status of Advant.’

‘His ship is in orbit but he has stayed his action for now. He’s been trying to access my system, but since Mon has locked his access; its now possible now. He has also send some programs to disrupt the cities workings but its being counter measured by my defenses. Advant fears what he does not know about our defenses.’

Its true as in the last twenty four hours, with the help of Mon, we have discovered more of the cities defenses and its effective against a fleet of ships.

‘Commander, Advant is trying to contact you. Shall I put him through?’ I nodded my approval.

‘Commander Bent, good day to you. I can see you have allied yourself with the New People.’ Advant appeared to me in his uniform and wearing a Serpent Headed Helmet.  ‘Its sad to see this happening now as we are the true Atlantean’s although they called us mixed or splinter group. But I shall not plea or grovel at your feet for your cooperation as we are the superior being of all Atlantean s. We worship Ophion, the creator of the Universe like Ptah in your ancient Egypt mytholodogy. Ophion ruled the universe including Mount Olympus when Zeus was still a babe. So that makes us older than even the Atlantean s that Mon claims to be. The Serpent is our symbol of power and strength.’ The hologram of the man we know as Advant now all dressed in armor is more like his true nature. He holds in his right hand the scepter with the serpent’s curled around an egg on its top.

‘Advant, your true self surfaced as I can see from here.’

‘Truly the Earthlings has not changed over the fifteen thousand years of evolution. Your kind are still the same as before; ever questioning and relentless in pursuant of reasoning. We work on logic and self survival;not like our brethren who share the same floor as you. We are the true race of this Universe and our conquest shows our prowess to it. We were once Atlantean s’ but now we are Ophionite’s, master fo the Universe.’

‘You meek son’s of Atlantean s study Earth for its primitive then but we may not hold the same now in judgment. We study advanced planets as we learned more than the primitive. For that we had to cloned ourselves into many forms to feed into the population. Earth and its people were lucky we been busy elsewhere for centuries but you woke us to the fact of your coming into our new sector. It was against my decision, the council wants to test your curio against our technology. But what you have pale in comparison to what I have seen in some other planets. But the Inner Council decides to give you a view into our technology so that you can be monitored. I had to agreed to it reluctantly for limited access, and that alone is already a lifetime work for your people. We would had to bear with it as your people fumbling and ignorance gave us opportunity to understand some qualities which we do not have. But that has to end now when you side with the New People...... ‘

‘Advant, I had not my second of coffee, so can we cut the crap and tell me one thing. What happened to the New People you took on board?’

‘We jettisoned them off on our way out of your orbit the last time. We lied on the re-emerging; we do not with tainted clans. ALPHA can show you the images we downloaded to you.’ The large screen showed over a thousand of humanoids in the open space. They are dressed as the New People. ’Weep not, Commander. Their bodies will not perish in the emptiness of space. And more to it, most of them are clones.’

‘Advant....’ It was Mon who was shouting the name of the murderer.

‘Mon, your true self has given you emotions. That is very sad; we eradicate that from us centuries ago. People of New Pangaea, I give you sixteen hours to surrender or prepare to die. And ALPHA, I like your new image.’

Sixteen hours will give us early evening. But why the extra day?

‘ALPHA, talk to me. Why the extra day? Advant has been here since yesterday.’

There was silence.

Then the answer.

‘EDS Discovery and Spectrum is on route ETA 0600hr. They are carrying a load of ten thousand Earthlings for New Pangaea. Mon just released the command to allowed me to scan the system now.’

‘Mon, we have to talk more. But before that, comm me to EDS Discovery. I have to talk to them.’

Day 5

‘Advant, its time for your deadline, and our answer is the same as always like the Athens’s. We yield to no others. We know you have two mother ships in orbit, with over eighty fighter crafts as we called them. We will give one hour to leave or we will be force to take action.’ I loved lines like these; it gives me the thrill up my spine to my brains.

‘Commander, you are a fool to think I will fall for such a ruse. Destroy the oncoming ships. Show them their foolish move on us.’ Just as Advant may had told his ship to fire on the two EDS, I also activated my counter measures.

‘Advant, remember Hera!’

The city named Hera which a subterranean structure slowly comes to life; its water whirl in the main pool over the sinkhole and a series of six pillars rise up from the pool. From within it, a surgent of strong vortex emerged and soared upwards to the skies. For Hera is the twin of Zeus and also his wife. She like her twin brother, may possess powers which others cannot foresee to hold but her feminine and motherly nature holds her use of such emotions. As said if she does released it, behold the fury its unleashed.

From the large screen, I can see the vortex rise up to the ships in orbit; or one particular one of the two. Its ensnared it in its grip and ship was ripped to pieces in seconds. There was just nothing to explode from or within; just a void of space with some remnants of debris. The other ship took off immediately for the deeper space.

“Hail! The mother of Love; Hera. We love you.’

All of us in the Unit cheered her powers.

The six pillars lowered down to the pool and the city of Hera rest again.

‘New Pangaea, please acknowledge. This is EDS Discovery. What did happened?’

‘EDS Discovery. You just missed my mother in law. Come on in. She has cleaned your unit for you.’ That drew the laughter in the Unit except for Vickie who was looking not amused at my joke.

Day 6

‘Commander, I know you are still confused. One moment, there is Advant and then there are us. I have decided to let ALPHA showed you who and what we really are as it will be spoken by the Twelve Council.’ Mon motioned to the large screen.

An image of twelve elderly persons was seen sitting on a high chair on a raised podium. They all looked very glum like as most old people are. Then the image focus on the one at the center; which he then spoke up. 

‘Commander Scott Bent. My name is Chronos. Among us here are the twelve members of the Council. Our names are adapted from the Protogenoi; the ones before the Titans and Olympians. We are the first beings that come into existence who will form the very fabric of the universe and as such we are all immortal. Many Gods descends from them. Our adopted names are Chaos, Ananke, Chronos, Eros, Gaia, Uranus, Pontus, Tartarus, Aether, Hemera, Erebus, and Nyx. Ophion.was our thirteen member, but he left the council so we are only twelve. Mind you, we are not Gods, but we chose their names to sit in the Council. When we get too old to serve, we will step down and another takes over us from the selected poll of Atlantean’s and the person will adopt the name of the predecessor. As for me, I am the fifty fifth one to step in as Chronos. That showed how long this council has been presiding.’

‘We are the leader of the people you called as Atlantean s’. We are space explorers as your terms put people like us. We been doing it for centuries; studying and learning from other species to be better. In that pursuit of knowledge, we extended our life cycle with the genetic manipulations but we did not foresee accidents that could affect our physical self. So we developed ‘clones’ as you named it too to replaced our parts. Its unethical as you out it, but its the way of life for us. We learned and perfected that in the last few centuries so that we can be replaced with the parts needed. Eventually, we extend it to add in replacements for us in dangerous situations or sometimes to speed up the process of work. The clones shared the same psychic link when alive to the host and they think alike. The simple rationale is that our race is dying, as in when we lengthen our life cycle, we also stopped populating the numbers. Soon the later become limited and we are small in actual numbers. Our oath forbid us to create a new species of humanoids and within the pure breeds we are reproducing the numbers albeit its slow. The splinter group overruled on that oath and decided to create a new entities using clones and transplantation. That soon contaminate the mind and eventually, we had to stopped them doing it.’

‘It was when we found Earth; your people resembled us so we really wanted to see if you can be assimilated but it failed as seen in the conflict. We abandon Earth but the group has to be cleansed as in your words. We cannot afford them to come back contaminated. So they came to New Pangaea. But the splinter group went onto their next second resort with the chimps on the trail of evolution but the homo sapiens were never linked to the chimps. The chimps are a different species with close similarity to homo sapiens but they are not homo-sapiens descent.’

‘Its not a question of morality, Commander. Its an issue of extinction. Or survival. If we let them come back directly, they would had destroyed whats’ left of us. In fact they did returned, but not as our people. But as enemies to annihilate the whole race. They wanted the knowledge and technology but not the survival of their other brethren. Commander, we are warring among ourselves for the mistakes we made centuries ago. But the discovery of you tells that its possible for Atlantean’s to lived on in others. Maybe the Earth’s mission was not a total failure. We could assimilate with earthlings. That is why you are unique. You could be our link to a new sub-species.’