Terminus of Earth - 2nd rewrite

Finally trying to finish this Story - please read and comment

Terminus of Earth

Chapter One: Sight Unseen

40 years! It took that long before I could stand at the top of the valley and look over the project we had started so long ago. Reminiscing, Professor Rykin remembered the first time he had seen the facility, which was nothing more than a storage building built before the volcanic eruptions turned the skies dark. Now, the domed structure with its four smaller extensions emanating from the main building literally created the illusion of a tremendous foot. The evening dusk was just happening, and twilight was upon us. The lights down below surrounding the project blinked on as the evening shadow slithered across the enormous face of the foot, which held the ascending strand securely to mother earth.
The scope of the project was so encompassing that it filled the valley, creating its own semitransparent clouds floating around the massive white structure. That alone took your breath away while trying to take it all in. My eyes though, could not help but travel up the tapering foot of the building to where the top was terminated by a large tube-like pillar.

This structure, unbelievably, continued into the sky as my eyes scanned the heavens looking for what was the end of it. But no end was in sight as it progressed up and disappeared beyond the roof of the cloudy sky.
I turned to John, my driver. He had been looking at the project with the same wonderment in his eyes. This was the first time both of us had an opportunity to view everything from this vantage point. Professor Rykin exclaimed; "It's unbelievable that it took us this long before we had enough time just to look at it! You are right. Professor Rykin! I would never, in my wildest dreams, thought it would take this long before we would be standing here.
"Well, I guess enough sightseeing, still a lot to do before we celebrate the completion of the project."

With that, John gave a nod and escorted me to the back seat of the black limo, then swiftly moved to the drivers' seat, as he had been trained to do. Despite his ease of movement, his jacket flared open ever so slightly, revealing the 9mm pistol he was required to carry.
John was more than my driver. He had been assigned to me by the secret service as bodyguard and coordinator of all my activities to ensure my safety. His keen instincts had saved me several times from nut jobs, protestors or anyone else who thought they could get on the "fast track" by getting close to me. Because of this, every time he had come up for rotation, I begged the service to keep him on.
This went against Secret Service policy, but I didn't care and more importantly, I carried a big enough "stick" to get what I wanted. Sometimes I resented his babysitting, but mostly I was glad for his presence. "Back to Central Control, if you would John". John nodded, and off we sped.


Back at Central, much activity was happening. There were checks of systems, double checks and signatures required everywhere. The facility was so expansive that bicycles, electric carts and a few electric autos were seen whizzing continuously up and down sections of various departments. The facility was modern, as many of the various forms of transportation were automated, even bicycles!
We took one of the automated carts, told it our desired department and were whisked along at a brisk clip to our destination. On arrival, we barely had a chance to dismount from our vehicle when a project coordinator ran up to our side. John gave him a quick glance that implied immediate death if he did not approach at a more reasonable speed.
Slowing his pace, he recognized the danger of pouncing on us (John had in the past demonstrated the folly of doing so to many personnel). He certainly did not want to "invoke" an example of it.

I suppressed a small smile while I turned my attention to the project manager.
"Well, why are you in such a damn hurry?"
"Professor Rykin, they've been trying to reach you about a Congressional delegation from Washington, which arrived in the conference room and are now demanding to see you."
I turned to John; "You know anything about this?"
"No Sir. I need you to stay here Professor until I can validate who they are".
"Not a problem, let me know when we're ready".

Off John went, the project manager in tow, looking harassed and worried more than when we first arrived. A call from John came a few minutes later and I opened the door to the conference room. On entering I had to suppress another smile as I saw John had done his "usual" job of patting down the entire delegation. They were still putting on belts and shoes, with John asking for and checking identifications. John might have "rough handled" a few by their looks and attitude. There were moments when I really liked John, although I knew he would do the same to me if he had to.
"Professor Rykin! We will not tolerate being treated this way!" loudly protested one of the Congressmen.
"My apologies Sir, but when you come to this facility, without prior approval, John will ensure security is performed properly. A glance over at John was all they needed to see that rank had no privilege with him. A low-level growl from John also let them know it too.
With introductions passed around, we all sat down at the conference table and began the "dance" I knew was coming.
"Well, Bill" began one of the Congressmen.
I held my hand up and stopped him right there.
"Sir, I do not believe we are that informal here. I prefer to be addressed as Professor or Doctor Rykin, if you wish this conversation to continue." A hard look emanated from the Congressman, but a quick glance at John softened his expression. He was still reminiscing about the "pat down" John gave him.
"Well Doctor, we have several questions, financial questions to where and how our taxpayers' dollars are spent. This ungodly project of yours is costing quite a lot and as part of the steering committee funding this, we need answers right now!"

I thought to myself "Didn't they know how valuable my time was?" But they held the checkbook and more importantly, the authority to keep the project going. Underlying the claim, I knew this was some political ploy to gain power, or please some lobbyist that wanted to insure they were awarded a contract. I had neither the time nor desire to entertain them. At this, I motioned to John who leaned over and whispered in his ear. He straightened up, shot a hard look at the group, and walked out the door.
"Where is he going?" Demanded one of the Congressmen.
"My apologies Sirs, but we are celebrating tomorrow the completion of the project and there is precious little time to make sure everything is ready. But I will try to meet your needs. What do you want from me?"

"We have just been reviewing the reports to this committee and found numerous discrepancies. Before we assign further funds or authorize you to continue operations, we need to know not only what we read in our reports, but the real purpose behind this project! What are you constructing here?"
I closed my eyes for a brief second, thinking of all the "dog and pony" shows I've had to put on for over the last 40 years. Now here was another bunch of "diplomats" I had to perform a circus act for. But perform it I would, because I needed to buy some time. Standing up out of the chair and pushing it aside, I turned to the group and said:


"Well Sirs, let me explain."

Chapter Two: Throwdown

I started by addressing what I assumed was the leader of the group. During our discussions, not a single person laid claim to the title. It seemed the group preferred to keep me off balance, each member taking their turn at me. "Shooting from the hip" with their questions. I stopped the barrage of questions by holding up my hand.

"Sir, do you know how this project came about?" Pointing in the assumed leaders' direction.

"No Doctor, we are only concerned with expenditures at this point."

"Well, let's start with the why and how we built it"

During the start of the 21st century many conflicts were happening around the globe. The human race depleted many resources, metals, wood and oil due to the conflicts. Then the multitude of massive quakes hit. This drove most of our oil reserves further underground, making them almost impossible to retrieve. Volcanoes erupted, throwing massive amounts of ash into the atmosphere, allowing very little sunlight to hit the ground. We desperately needed to change our way of thinking, to come up with far better and more efficient means of energy.

As a young bio engineer, I discovered a way to make genetically altered bacteria consume a heavy mineral nutrient. They would then secrete an "elastic metal" compound. We combined this capability with Nanobots that would then shape the compound into any desired form before the material would set up permanently. We could "grow" then any component or form we needed! The alloy proved to be hundreds of times stronger than steel, able to withstand extreme temperatures and still retain some flexibility. The weight to strength ratio also proved to be outstanding! It gave us a pause as to the application for it, but when the Terminus project was drafted, it became clear this was ideal for it.

We always knew if a method could be devised to "tether" a space station to the ground we could have a virtual unlimited supply of electricity and water purification capabilities. More importantly, we could then "pump" sunlight into badly needed farm areas to grow crops. Along with this, the cost in energy and resources for any type of space exploitation would be far less. With a platform we could literally "take an elevator" into space and the Terminus project met and exceeded all those requirements. A congressman interjected "I understand the purpose of the project Doctor, but that's not why we are here", growled the assumed leader.

Feeling the need to end the dance, I was about to inquire what their real purpose was in threatening to put the project on hold. At that moment, the door to the conference room swung open with a violent shudder, slamming into its supporting wall. I looked up from the group and in full stride, General McAllister arrived with ten heavily armed Marines. Closely behind and at a rapid pace, filing into the room were all the Congressional aides and drivers. John pulled up the rear of this group and shut the door.

General McAllister slowly panned his sight over the delegation. He was about to speak when the assumed lead Congressman stood up, red in the face and bellowed at him.
"General, you better have a damn good reason for this takeover, for your career is going to be short lived from here!" General McAllister stared at the speaker once more, drilling his gaze into him.

"Sir, why are you here?"
"I think we should be asking the questions here, General!"
"I'll state the question again, Congressman. Why are you here?"
"We are here to determine where this funding is being misspent..."

"Exactly!" Roared the General, slamming his hand on the table. That is why this operation is now under the authority of the Military, for National Security reasons. We will then address these issues ourselves".

The General continued. "You are now on a military installation and need to receive your information directly from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At this time your group is required to vacate this facility until it is satisfied that National Security has not been compromised!"
With that, a nod from the General sent the Marines into action hustling the delegation off the premises. When all had vacated the room, I looked at the General intently.

"You know you are going to catch hell for this, General McAllister" I said.
"Not a problem Professor. When John told me you were in trouble, I covered my bases with the Chiefs and the President before coming here. Glad I could help."
The General and I had a long-standing relationship, and it was a good one. Over the years we came to understand each other's purpose for the project. After a few details were discussed, and updates on the status of the project exchanged, the General turned to leave. With his hand on the door while closing it, the General paused, looking over his shoulder with a grin on his face.
"By the way Professor, nice stall you did back there" and closed the door.

Professor Rykin sat quietly at the conference table after everyone had left. Sinking into the chair and looking exhausted, he mused about how it had been a busy life. He thought about how close, once again the project had come to being halted. The handling of the technical issues was hard enough but having to fend off all those who had a political motive, or desire to control the project, well, was too much! "Damn it, he thought, I'm a Bio Engineer and Scientist, not some politician!"
Professor Rykin sank further into the chair, inhaling his breath slowly, then releasing it along with the tension, as he had trained himself to do. The more relaxed he became, the more he consoled himself that these incidents were just part of the job. Still, it didn't make things easier. Thinking back, he pondered how on earth he ever came to be in this position.

Chapter Three: Time to Grow

It had taken almost 20 years just to perfect the initial strand that came spindling down from the first small launch pad. Trial and error, successes and failures were daily at that time. With each success came renewed faith and commitment. With each failure there were calls for shutdown and reviews. But with each year's passing, the skies grew darker, and food became more scarce, driving the need for the project forward. There were twelve such space stations being built around the globe. Each provided enough electricity and sunlight for the planet's dwindling population at their locations. Of course, because there were twelve such space stations, each was assigned a symbol from the zodiac table and corresponding name. Aries was chosen for our space station, and it seemed to fit nicely for our part of the world.


All, of course, could not be saved from the horrors that the earth had spewed forth. The population of earth did, however, stabilize at about half of what it had been before the massive earthquakes and volcanoes. It had been calculated that almost two hundred years would pass before the earth would see sun and clear skies once again. People regrouped into areas around the projects, forming small towns that had become self-sufficing. Gone though, were the large cities and outstretched communities. Only gangs or 'tribes', and the mentally deranged survived in cities that were now wastelands.
But survive we did. Technology allowed us to communicate among projects and to secure pockets of humanity, leading to a somewhat normal lifestyle. Police forces still existed, backed up by military and a small, but effective federal force. The government finally had been trimmed down, becoming more effective and reactive to the real needs of people. There were still those who desired complete power, which from now and time again someone would attempt to overthrow the Government. People in general though, had had enough of this type of reaction and would quell upstarts before they became serious. It was time to move on.

Ours was one of the last stations to be built. Only so many resources were available and could be allocated within the trade agreements at one time. A global "oversight" government was formed, but its sole purpose was control of resources to build the much-needed stations. It was agreed upon that if humanity were to survive, it would take all or none would make it.
The strand initially was grown with just the bacteria and nutrients to where it would support the weight of any forms made. When the strand finally had grown thick enough, the nanobots were introduced along with the bacteria and nutrients. Within the first five years you could see progress as the strand became thicker and forms started to appear. Then the formation of tubes appeared for transport of materials, and for those lucky enough to go beyond the clouded skies, were able to witness the immense space station's growth as well.
The first need of course was sunlight. Even with grow lamps and hydroponics, nothing really substituted for the everlasting warmth and radiance of sunlight. The skies above at this point only produced a bright glow during "daylight hours" and quickly darkened with the night. Those at or near the equator were more privileged with brighter daylight, but even that was a poor exchange for the once bright, sunlit days that seemed to go on forever.
The seasons disappeared as heat was trapped in our cage, allowing only slightly cooler days during our "winter" months. While this permitted us more construction time, the heat was oppressive and the air stagnant because of the lack of temperature differences to drive the wind. Fortunately, plants were hardy, and most did not require intense sunlight to propagate, leaving us with enough air to breathe at least.

It took a year to grow a tube, three years to form the fiber optics that transported sunlight to the surface. The fibers were grown first and were the largest part of the "foot" that anchored our tether. The sunlight was then directed to hydroponics for food production. Some of the sunlight was however, redirected to offices and "sunrooms", so people could enjoy the benefits of their labors. This was seen to be just as important as food, helping to lift the spirits of folks and faith in the project as well.
As more resources became available to our project, things happened quickly. After the fibers were grown, it was time to focus on transport tubes to bring materials up for the construction of the space station. Stop and service stations had to be added manually every so often along the 200-mile stretch into space. These were too difficult to "grow" and needed to be in place once the strand could support the weight.
I had been so entwined with project details; I hadn't the time to even look out a portal to see the wonders of the sun and sky. Colleagues had approached at times, with wonderment and wide-eyed expressions on how fantastic it was to stand at a portal on the edge of space. They would describe in detail the colors and hues, ever shifting in the atmosphere, then to stare into the black coldness of space, punctuated by the bright pinpricks of stars. Some had never seen a clear, blue sky growing up and could only relate by stories passed down from their parents. I sighed when I heard these descriptions, for even the space station was foreign to my sight. It seemed I was besieged by project engineers and staff at every stop. Professor Rykin reflected for a time on this and then turned his attention to the tasks at hand.

Chapter Four: Generals

General McAllister had barely reached his office when his secretary hurried in behind him.
"Sir, the President and Joint Chiefs have been trying to reach you all day!"
"I know, been trying to avoid them. More important issues right now" McAllister replied.


"More important than the President?" She looked with disbelief.
"Things are moving quickly now and need my entire attention, so I need you to run interference for a day or two, if you can" McAllister growled. "Ooookay, I'll see what I can do" as she turned on one heel and marched out the door.
As Jan closed the office door behind her, she knew something big was going down. She had been General McAllister secretary for many years now and knew when to argue. Now was not time. Not often was she requested to "cover" for him, but the tone in his voice and facial expressions said all she needed to know. Jan slipped quietly into her office chair and closed her eyes briefly, composing herself for the onslaught she felt coming. She opened her eyes, staring at what seemed to be angry, blinking lights of the multi-line telephone. Jan picked up the receiver; already knowing and dreading who was on the other end, and pushed the first button...
General McAllister, finally able to sit at his desk, now reached under the row of drawers on his right. Pressing several buttons on the hidden keypad a slight indentation relieved itself from the main desktop. Sliding further apart, an ultra-slim cellphone came into sight. McAllister quickly dialed a set of numbers on it and then waited for a familiar tone to sound. He dialed another set of numbers. A few seconds later, a voice responded.
"General McAllister, good to hear from you. I was wondering just yesterday if we were going to converse or not."
"My apologies General Du Ping, but circumstances dictated my presence elsewhere."
"What, may I ask, prevented you from our scheduled contact?" General Ping stiffly replied.
"This is why I'm calling now, General. We need to accelerate our final schedule."
General Ping grew silent on the other end. After what became an uncomfortable pause, he spoke. "I need details on why this must be done, General McAllister. If we move up our schedule, it will arouse suspicions and may undo all our accomplishments.
McAllister spoke softly; "That, is a risk we have to take. The Congress here has already grown suspicious and just attempted to take over the project. Contact the other Generals and apprise them of the changes, then I will get back to you within the next few hours with details and times." With that, McAllister flipped closed the cellphone and hastily returned it to the hidden place as before. General Ping and General McAllister had been the draftsmen for the plan to overtake the twelve projects, and along with them government control. During a conference many years before, they had met and privately discussed their feelings about the direction taken with the projects. While they felt the projects were a necessity, they also had grave concerns that too many resources had been allocated towards them, and it was a mistake to leave those in the cities abandoned. Mankind was dying before their very eyes! It was time to act for the survivability and good of all mankind.
General Ping replaced his cellphone back into its hidden confines. Pressing a button on his pager, the silent signal was responded quickly to by the appearance of his personal aide.
"I have informed General McAllister to proceed with his plan. I want you to monitor all the news to see if it has succeeded. If not, ensure our team is in place so there will be no failures" The General's aide assured him that all would be in place, and would await his orders. With that, he snapped a salute, rotated sharply on his heels and exited the room.
The group of five was now in place. Each had gone through the usual channels of getting hired, background checks and the like. They had gathered into one of the "sunrooms" to discuss details of the mission they had been assigned to by General McAllister. While chatting, one looked up at the TV, which was playing an old spy movie. The scene showed everyone dressed entirely in black, carrying large weapons, getting ready for an attack.
"That's gotta crack ya up!" said the one watching, jabbing his friend in the side at the same time.
"Bob, knock it off! We have some serious stuff to go over, not watch some cheesy spy show!"
"Yeah, I know, but doesn't it seem funny that's the way people think the spy business is run?"
"Would you just shut up and listen to the plan!?"
Bob squirmed in his seat, making some grunting noises to indicate his displeasure of being "dressed down" in front of the others. Nonetheless, he nodded as details and responsibilities were handed out.
Timetables were made when power was to be cut, and explosives were placed at the hundred-mile station to disable the strand. It was all supposed to look like a catastrophic failure in the systems. By the time the sabotage was discovered, the Generals would have enough time to take over the projects under military law. They could control then how resources were handled from then on "for the good of the common man".
General McAllister paced around his office rapidly, knocking over tables and books in his hurried travels. "Two days now!" The General muttered to himself. Professor Rykin's project was online! How could this have happened!? The General had been avoiding the President of the United States himself! He knew he could not hold off inquiries any longer, and he could not answer the questions of why he had the troops on alert when there was no crisis. He was positive that a court martial would ensue, and all their plans would be exposed and quenched. Jail was not an option he desired either! He would have to see Professor Rykin and find out what transpired. This would give him some additional time from the inquiries from the President. Maybe he could salvage the situation after all...

Professor Rykin knew he would receive a visit soon from General McAllister. Now he was informed the General was sitting in his office. As he walked into the office, the tension emanating from the General was immense, no matter how hard the General tried to subdue it. Professor Rykin smiled as he rounded the corner of the chair General McAllister resided. Looking up, he saw John peering from a corner in the background. With a quick glance from the Professor, John knew to slide back to the place he was hiding, still observing in case he was needed. "General, good to see you again so soon, but you weren't scheduled for some time for your next visit."
"Professor, I've had rumors that a terrorist attack was imminent. Have you heard of, or had any trouble recently?" "Well, now that you mention it, there was a problem a few days ago, right before we came online. It wasn't anything we could not handle, and I did not want to bother you with it. What!? You didn't call when there was a breach of security? You know I'm to be informed of ALL situations that arise. How else am I going to be able to protect you and the project?" General, have you ever noticed how few security people we need or require?
General McAllister sat there thinking what Professor Rykin was driving at.
Now that you mention it, I have tried to place more security around here and you personally have fought me every step of the way."
Professor Rykin turned the charm up a little higher. "General, the reason for it, is we don't need it. You see, since we use nanobots to provide automatic repair of any malfunctions, the nanobots basically "police" the tower anyway. Only a few top-ranking personnel know the codes that "turn off" the nanobots to allow for any types of repairs, or changes to be performed on the fibers and construction." What happened a few days ago, five individuals attempted to modify some of the power conduits without our knowledge and consequently triggered the repair mode of the nanobots. Unfortunately, the nanobots saw the personnel as a malfunction and "absorbed" them in the process of repair. I'm sad to say, but their deaths were most likely gruesome, so safety protocols are being reviewed at this time to help prevent a recurrence of incidents like this."
General McAllister sank into the chair at the news. Feeling trapped, he couldn't help but gasp for air, nausea hitting the pit of his stomach. After a few minutes went by, Professor Rykin was sitting quietly in his chair, waiting for the General's response. The General stared at the Professor, got up from the chair, straightened his uniform and then turned towards the office door, promptly walking out.
John had informed Professor Rykin of the terrorists the day they hired on, but the Professor decided to keep them on, so he could watch them. The Professor thought quietly to himself; "The old adage was right. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." General Du Ping was standing on a reviewing stand as troops marched by, in step and saluting him while passing by. An aide approached his right side, bending over from the top stairs to whisper into his ear. An amused smile briefly flickered on the General's lips, and then he turned to his companion. "I told you that General McAllister plans would fail. Those Americans, always thinking that all they have to do is "cowboy up", I think that's the saying and go in shooting big weapons. They believe in too many of their own spy movies. From now on, we will have to handle the problem ourselves and see to Dr. Rykin's demise.

John sat at the table across from Professor Rykin. It was a simple room with 4 chairs and a table, nothing else adorned the walls or floor. John had swept the room for video links and listening devices, even checking for drilled "peep" holes. Nothing was overlooked when he and the Professor sat down for their "conversations".
"Well John, what do you think about General McAllister?"
"I think he's in deep trouble with his superiors, Dr. Rykin."
"I assume you forwarded the information about the terrorists, and his link to General Du Ping who sponsored them?" As you requested professor, the President and Chiefs have all they need."
"Thank you, John, for being thorough as usual."

General Du Ping was talking to his superiors, when once again an aide appeared at his side. Bending over, the aide whispered in his ear a lengthy message. While his aide was delivering the message, Du Ping's face turned pale at the news. His superiors, having never seen the General react this way, inquired what was so grave. Gathering himself quickly, General Du Ping dismissed the news with a wave of his hand, moving onto another subject rapidly. Still, no one could deny the grave look on his face and the odd, quirky mannerism he posed afterward. General Du Ping thought about explaining why his odd reaction to the message he received, but then rationalized, "My superiors will find out about the bad news soon enough."
John had been sitting at the table with Dr. Rykin for some time. During his talk with the Professor, John briefly glanced at his watch, smiled and thought to himself.
"General Du Ping should be receiving his special courier package by now, the severed heads of the assassins sent to kill Dr. Rykin. That should discourage any more attempts for a time." Dr. Rykin would never know just how "thorough", John really was.

Chapter 5: Tribes

We Do Not Inherit the Earth from Our Ancestors; We Borrow It from Our Children

Indian Proverb

Grandfather stood by the windows, musing over the sky turning from a light gray into the darkness of the coming night. He stood here, hoping for the blue sky he knew as a boy and even enjoying the stars when they lit the sky with pinpoints of light. One could find their way, day or night and not feel alone. Now all he felt was confusion and fear that the Sun may never return to aid them in their quests.
His grandson approached and stood by him for a few minutes, then looked up at his weathered and weary face, feeling his dismay in the situation they were in. Grandpa? Why do we have to live here? Will the Sun you speak of ever return? Grandpa reflected on his questions, told him how they discovered the warehouse that had been abandoned and contained all the things they needed to survive. The Tribe decided it was to be named after the last Cherokee Chief, Tatanka. Tatanka was found wandering when the tribe accepted him, and with his wisdom had led them thru many dangers until they had found the place that was now their lodge. Grandpa told his grandson of this tale, for he felt it was important he understood how they came about, and it should not be forgotten over time. Then, sitting down with him, he explained what happened, what caused them to be here.

The first years were pure chaos. When the volcanoes erupted, earthquakes hit most of the seaboard cities, some sliding into the ocean as well. This changed weather patterns dramatically with some areas becoming deserts, other rain forest type conditions. It did not take long for neighbor to turn against neighbor, to kill in the name of survival and steal or even enslave hapless victims to work. Then the ash and debris hit. It made it hard to breathe, and facilities had started to give out. Water, electricity and sewers started to fail or function due to dirty air and derbies clogging passageways needed to drain buildups. As the sky grew darker, telecommunications broke down, leaving no reliable news to guide people, leaving only rumors or half tales, which usually were wrong and led people to their deaths or into traps.

A full year had passed by now when the sickness hit, killing off many who may have been able to help but were now gone. The only ones who were best at surviving were the Native American Indians, who had been left to suffer in poverty and with little medical treatment from the governments who ruled over them. But survive they did and had become resilient against most of the harsh environment that now plagued the earth. As people died off or abandoned places the tribes decided to take them over. With the absence of white people, or as called "younger brothers", the tribe leader(s) saw opportunity to take over the infrastructure left behind. Many of the young had gone to school and had become engineers and techs, trying to escape the devastating poverty their tribes were forced to endure. The Tribal leaders gathered months after the Great Fall and discussed what they should do. Gathered were many tribes, some great in number, others nothing more than a large family. Blackfoot, Apache, Cherokee, Dakota, Sioux, to name a few. The Lakota's spoke first...
We have come to a choice my brothers, man has suffered because he did not respect Mother Earth as the Indian has. Now the Indian has taken their place to once again give Mother Earth the respect she deserves. The question remains... Do we take over what has been left, to reclaim and help the land to heal? Or do we abandon these resources and seek new lands untouched by man? Mummers among the tribes were many, most wanting to stay, some having desire to seek new lands. The Sioux asked if it were to be one choice or another only. The Lakota tribe stated: After careful consideration, we recognize that dividing our community would threaten our collective survival. Days of talk ensued, and a gathering was finally called. The call came as one voice; They would stay in the cities and use resources, trying to rebuild the land without harming Mother Earth as others destroyed it. Assignments were handed out, the Lakota's would be Coordinators for projects, the Apache "Protectors and law enforcement", Cherokee would build. Any who had engineering or tech knowledge would be in a special group. With that said, the Great Tribe began their existence within the cities and grow strong
Now came the time of the gangs. Tor was a known criminal leader of a small, but effective biker gang that dealt with drugs, weapons, slaves, anything that would bring them profit or supply their needs. As a great organizer and having reliable information sources, Tor rose quickly to leadership and rewarded those that helped him along the path. But even Tor knew early on that to be a gang member was not enough. Turf wars, conflict among members, others switching gangs when things got tough, all they were doing was getting torn up from conflicts from within as well as from outside influences.
Of all things, Tor knew what he needed was loyalty. He needed some structure to deliver "chain of command" for they had grown to many, and a bunch of them hanging around and calling themselves a gang just wasn't working anymore.
A Tribe! That's what he needed! Everyone knew their role and what was expected of them. Elders would be appointed, giving Tor relief from some of the more mundane tasks. A way of traditions they would follow if they were part of the tribe. There would be a means to address grievances (although there are few), a way to advance for a better life, if you served the tribe's needs. But above all, they needed a purpose. One that would be almost a holy crusade for them, that would offer up reverence for what needed to be done. Thus, the tribe of Utz was formed, connecting its people.
Leath was a mix. Part Lakota and part white. He was the last one born before the Great Fall of Civilization. He was an outcast from both peoples, which forced him to be a loner until the Great Fall. But after the Great Fall, when Tor's gang came, they accepted him as one of their own because he did many things in like to survive. Leath quickly rose in rank with Tor as he always spoke the truth to him and earned his trust.

Tor approached Leath one day; said he had a job for him. Leath, you still remember the language of the Lakota? Leath got excited, Damm right I do! Still have to deal with them. They have a contract on me, 30 days food rations if I'm dead. I find that insulting! Killed more of them when they tried to cross me! Tor spoke; Well, I need to negotiate for some things, and I need you there. When do you want to go? When you say ready, Tor grated in a rough voice. But we leave at night. Done, was all Leath said.
Their trek, which should have only taken half a day, stretched into several days as Tor and Leath avoided encampments and people. Eventually, they reached the edge of Lakota Tribe territory, rested, and considered their next move. Tor turned to Leath. Got a plan? Well, we can't blast our way in, we'll be dead in 5 minutes, Leath grumbled. Tor, already having a plan (of sorts). We have about 4 MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) on us, so we'll use them to barter, kinda "whet their appetite". But you have to get us in. Maybe a hostage would do the trick.
Leath considered it for a while, and said a young one would be the best, Lakota's were very protective of kids. They knew they were the future of mankind's survival. Leath studied the campsite for a time and noted where the kids gathered and played. Two guards sat at the entrance of the building, but it was obvious they had become bored and had "let their guard down"
Leath told Tor he would casually walk up to them and speak greeting's to them, then take them out. He would kidnap a 5- or 6-year-old but let the others go to sound the alarm and that should draw out the Elders. Tor shook his head, really risky, think they would kill you on the spot.
He stumbled in the dark, looking for the tiny light that emitted from the bathroom. His eyes were unfocused from the hard sleep that night, causing him to grumble and curse as he made his way in to relive himself. Task done, the faucet on, the man threw water on his face which heightened awareness of his surroundings. Looking up into the mirror, the tiny light that led him here was just bright enough to illuminate the features outlining his face. Staring into the mirror, he could just discern the outline of the heavy tattoo of an ancient symbol that had been etched into his skin. The symbol had no meaning to him, with its curves and dots in various places. It resembled that of a Gordian Knot, but with extras thrown in. His reasoning was sound, however, as it threw off any face recognition software still operating in some parts of the city after the collapse of society in general. He still had need to go there to bargain for food, weapons, support and all the things required to survive. That was 40 years ago. The tribe of Utz had done well with resources, weapons and trained warriors to hold things in check. But Tor knew well they had grown too large to provide the promised things for the people under him. It was time to create an enemy. To focus the tribe's energy and at the same time obtain the badly needed resources to support their tribe. This part was easy because there was only one group that met every need: The Sky People. With spies and informants, he had learned of the farms within the structure they called Skyhook; how they had food to satisfy any hunger and robust trade for needed parts. But better yet, real sunlight! Sunlight provided more than warmth, it helped keep the people healthy, producing dealings in their bodies to fight infections or diseases. Tor knew this very well, having experienced plagues that wiped out half of his people or more during the time of sickness.
The cities had been surviving for some years now on discarded technologies of wind and hydroelectric, but these alone could not fulfil the needs of their people. With no real manufacturing or replacement parts, the infrastructures were dying, and so would they.
Dominique was Tor's answer. Statuesque, well-endowed and the face of an angel, she was something to behold. Tor thought back when she was but a child, fearful and living on the streets, hiding from gangs that would have used her and then sell her for whatever. When he spotted her, Tor offered food, but it took weeks of coaching before she would even touch it. He worked hard to convince her that she was safe with him, and he could offer a secure place to live. His keen eyes surmised though that this girl was just a child, but anyone who was that young and able to survive the viciousness of the streets for any period of time was, well, special.

When Dominique had finally come of age, (about 12 years old, records say) she was offered the chance to be a member of the Tribe, which few were ever privileged to become. Dominique took the oath, then a seal was placed on her body (I'm not telling where), and then assigned to the office of intelligence. Here Dominique was taught how to tell "who was who" (friend, enemy, agent, double agent, etc.) She also learned several languages, in particular street lingo, which she found most useful indeed! Fighting techniques, computer skills, chemistry (how to make explosives) and any other skills thought necessary were offered to her to be able to complete any assignment she was tasked with. Tor had picked well, because she was very quick to learn and more importantly, able to apply those skills as needed. It was here that Tor decided it was time to send in Dominique to the Sky people; to try and find a method that the Utz tribe could use to take over the facility and reap the benefits of food and Sun.
Tor approached Leath one day; said he had a job for him. Leath, you still remember the language of the Lakota? Leath got excited, Damm right I do! Still have to deal with them. They have a contract on me, 30 days food rations if I'm dead. I find that insulting! Killed more of them when they tried to cross me! Tor spoke; Well, I need to negotiate for some things, and I need you there. When do you want to go? When you say ready, Tor grated in a rough voice. But we leave at night. Done, was all Leath said. Their trek, which should have only taken half a day, stretched into several days as Tor and Leath avoided encampments and people. Eventually, they reached the edge of Lakota Tribe territory, rested, and considered their next move. Tor turned to Leath. Got a plan? Well, we can't blast our way in, we'll be dead in 5 minutes, Leath grumbled. Tor, already having a plan (of sorts). We have about 4 MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) on us, so we'll use them to barter, kinda "whet their appetite". But you have to get us in. Maybe a hostage would do the trick to lure the Elders out so we can talk about what we plan to do. Leath considered it for a while, and said a young one would be the best, Lakota's were very protective of their kids for they knew children were the crux of mankind's survival. Leath studied the campsite for a time and noted where the kids gathered and played. Two guards sat at the entrance of the building, but it was obvious they had become bored and had "let their guard down" Leath told Tor he would casually walk up to them and say greeting's to them, then take them out. He could then kidnap a 5- or 6-year-old but let the others go to sound the alarm and that should draw out the Elders. Tor shook his head. Really risky, I think they would kill you on the spot.
The guards stood there, staring at Leath and each other, nervous reactions at every sound or movement. Leath held hostage one of the children and had let the others go.

They, of course, alerted the Elders who he now heard coming. So far everything was going according to plan. Tor, guarding the rear leaned over to Leath's ear and whispered, "now what?" Leath just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Depends on the Elders now" The Elders arrived, moving slowly so no "misinterpreted" moves were made. There were three of them, which had a balance to them. One was in his late years, another middle-aged and last of the three obviously young, barely out of his teens. The eldest spoke first; "You come here to kidnap children? Why have you done this?" Tor spoke while Leath guarded his hostage. "We did this because it was the only way to get a meeting with you. We mean no harm to the child, but only if you agree to meet with us." Otherwise, we will take the child to ensure our safety to leave. The Elders looked at each other and murmured between them, then the youngest one spoke. "We will agree to meet with you and tell the Tribe not to cause harm to you. But should you threaten or harm the child, your death will be swift" Tor agreed, and they all sat in a circle around the fire. The guards started advancing around them, but one look from the eldest one backed them off quickly. "What is it you want? Said the eldest." Tor spoke but also had Leath interpret so no "mistakes" were made.

I am the Chief of the Tribe of Utz, stated Tor, Leath busily signing and speaking Tor's words in Lakota. We have done well for many years and have even helped the Lakota in early days to get rid of the diseased and crazy ones from your land. But now we see that we can no longer survive in this land, the food and water have become less and no longer can be replaced. Only the Sky People have food and clean water now, and do not wish to share for our needs. We have a way to break into and take over the Sky People, but it will take the Utz and Lakota's to accomplish this. We ask that you do this so we may both survive. The Elders gathered at a distance from Tor and Leath and murmured among each other for some time. The voices were quiet for a while, then loud and angry words were heard. Things settled to normal speech now, more discussions ensued, and the group broke up. The youngest of the Elders approached Tor now speaking in his own language, with Leath interpreting. "We know of you, Tor. What you have said is true and you have helped the Lakota in time of need. You are known among us as the "marked chief" and has earned a place among our tribe. We will help with your plan to take over the Sky people. Release the child and you may go in peace" With that, Tor motioned for Leath to release the child, then stood up and left. After a time, a figure appeared before the Elders, his face well known among them.
Well, it looked like the talk went well, said the figure before them. Yes, said the eldest. We made it look like we had disagreement among us, then said we would help them. But your tribe has always helped with food and things to survive and did not demand anything, only help for your time in needs. The Utz have always asked a high price for their help in food and slaves that they sold for themselves. The Utz have always planned to take over the Lakota's for what we have and kill us off to have what we have. The figure remained reserved for a moment then spoke. "Well, as a representative of the Sky People, I can assure you we will always support the Lakota's in everything you do. Let us eliminate this threat to you and the Sky People as well, so we both may live in peace and prosperity. With that, the figure returned to the dark, the plan now set in motion.

Before leaving the Lakota, Tor had been advised that there was something the Lakota's had that would be of help to him. "We have a device that was found when we moved into a lab area that would aid in your plans. I do not understand it, but our tech people do. It is a days travel, but I think it is worth it" The middle-aged Elder whispered to Tor as soon as they were out of earshot from the others. "We will send word that you are coming" Tor, taken aback at what the Elder had said, inquired about the device. "If this thing is so valuable, why would you bless us with it?" The Elder grew quiet, then barely spoke. "We believe this thing is extremely evil and was created to destroy us. Our people don't even go near it because they are afraid it would wake up and kill us all" Tor was amazed, he had heard of tech weapons so dangerous, but had never found any, until now. Ok, we will go there and see this thing that scares you so badly. Tor and Leath took off the next morning to find the Tech center as described by the Elder. The Elder was right, it took a full day to reach the center, then with caution appeared at the front entrance. A guard approached them warmly and escorted them into the center. "They said that the marked Chief would come and that we should welcome you" Tor smiled at the statement for he had never been to a facility where blood had to be spilled to gain entrance. Soon one of the Tech's appeared. Your name is Tor, I assume? Tor nodded in agreement, then the Tech said, "follow me then" They were led up to a room that was a pearlescent white with all manners of machines and electronics around the room. Before we begin, asked the Tech, do you understand what this thing is? Tor keenly eyed the Tech and said, "All I know is this thing really scares the hell out of your people, so what is it?" The Tech grinned and without another word pulled back a curtain that had been separating the room. There sat a dog. You could tell it was robotic but had the look of a real animal! The size was quite large, larger than a regular dog of it's breed but not out of proportion with it's size. Tor stared at it in amazement.
This is something! Tor exclaimed. What can it do? The Tech said "well, I can kinda summarize what it does" He went on to explain "this device we call it, can run up to 45 mph, can carry a full-grown person and has the strength of a full-size elephant. It carries two ACP 45's with up to 500 rounds for each gun. The internal energy source is atomic in nature and can run for months without refreshing the source. It can see a long distance, sense even the slightest movement, detect infrared or even x-ray. It does not, however, detect radiation since it runs an atomic battery, which I said it can carry a full-grown man, but I wouldn't ride it for long if you plan to have kids. Tor just sat in silence, trying to absorb what he heard. But the surprise was really shocking when he saw Leath was literally shaking with fear as the Tech described it's capabilities. Can you excuse us for a moment? He asked the Tech. Sure, I need to check things, then I'll be back. As soon as he walked away, Tor had Leath sit down. What's the matter? What can shake you up so badly? Leath took several deep breaths before he even could speak. "I have heard the rumors about these things that they were used to "police" the population before the Great Fall. There were thousands of them doing well, but when the volcanos went off, they scrambled their circuits and they recalled a hidden command that if a doomsday event happened, they were to eliminate the population as an "act of mercy" for those who survived. 100's of thousand people were killed by them. They only quit when telecommunications finally gave out and that convinced them their job was done. Tor couldn't speak after that bit of history. The Tech came back just as Leath finished his tale, so the question came up rather quickly. "Leath tells me that these things wiped out almost every person as a "Act of mercy", and you have this thing?! The Tech told Tor, "Yeah, but we reprogrammed from it's original purpose and to only fire weapons in self-defense" The Tech went on "the reason we want to give this to you is that our people are so afraid of it they would rather see it destroyed as it is pure evil in their sight" I would rather see it used to protect our people than destroyed, so you take it and help us gain control of the Sky people resources. Tor sat next to Leath "You want to take this on? It would help us succeed in our plan" Leath didn't say a word for a time but finally looked at Tor square in the eyes. "All I see is our death if we take this on" Tor sat quietly musing those words then said, "I'm willing to take that chance to make us succeed" Leath just sat there for a while then told Tor "I have pledged myself to you and our tribe. I will follow you to the gates of hell for you"

The Tech then asked "have you made a decision? Tor responded "Yeah, we will take it, but how can we be sure it won't turn against us?" We have programmed it that when you "bond" with it, it will only respond to you, no one else, the Tech assured him. He reached over and threw a couple of switches, the dog jumped into a standing position, eyes roaming the room taking in the surroundings. The Tech then handed a "dongle" to Tor gave him instructions on its use. Now, your going to say a phrase into the dongle to activate his learning mode.
Tor positioned the dongle in front of him. Now say this phrase "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" Tor stared at him. You gotta be kidding me! Nope, just say it, the Tech instructed. Tor repeated the phrase in the device, and you can tell things that were happening to the dog. Now say "your name is" and whatever you want to call him. But be careful, for that is the only name he will respond to. Tor thought for a second then spoke into the device. "Your name is Robo". The lights on the dog came on, whirrs from gears made noise, the dog sat down and went dim. After what seemed a long time, the dog lit up again and stood up. The Tech told Tor, he's permanently imprinted to you and will only respond to you. Tor and Leath thanked him then walked out the door with Robo close behind.

After a distance, Tor was still examining the dongle. It's amazing! Tor excitedly told Leath. I can see a thousand feet in all directions, hear what's going on and it even records all of it! It says it can give me status if it thinks there is a danger approaching. Just after Tor said this, an alarm went off on the dongle. The view on the screen rotated to the source and zoomed in. It was a creature of sort, one Tor had never seen. He turned to Leath and told him, "Time to test Robo" Tor whispered into the dongle "Robo, kill target and retrieve" He could see thru Robo sensors running while running, going thru the underbrush, then picking up the creature with his teeth, shaking it until Robo couldn't sense life-signs anymore, then it returned with the dead creature in its mouth. "Drop it, Tor commanded" Robo obeyed then assumed a sitting position to wait for the next command. Tor turned to Leath. "Feel better now about the dog?" Leath couldn't deny how well it responded to Tor.
Tor and Leath made way to the meeting point where several of his top aides were there. They discussed plans and timetables but more importantly, the signal to launch the attack. But the attack was not on the Sky people, but on the Lakota themselves.

Tor had long ago decided he could not overtake them but certainly could take the resources from them and stood a better chance at survival. Tor was finally in position to call the plan into play. He was close to the Lakota main camp for the takeover. Many would die but it was for a good cause in Tor's mind. He sent Leath to the other side of the Tribe's location, hoping for a quick takeover. He ordered Robo to canvas the area and kill anyone so no scouts could warn the Tribe of impending danger. Robo took off as ordered and Tor tracked its progress on the dongle. Tor heard the faint rustling behind him as robodog slipped up from behind. Something though, felt different. Maybe it was the pace of the dog, or it's abnormal crouch as it moved forward, but Tor knew something wasn't right and it wasn't good. Robo! Tor growled. What's wrong? The dog lowered itself into the ground, moving its head at Tor's every movement. Tor looked down at the dongle he carried that showed all the data and video Robo obtained. Everything appeared normal but the lower left corner kept flashing a warning sign despite the calmness of the scanned area surrounding them. Suddenly and without warning, the dog began to speak, soft and quiet, but clear enough for Tor to hear. "This is the Lakota elders. We have been watching and listening to what you have planned with Sky People, and you have broken your word with Lakota. We said what would happen if you betrayed us"
In the distance a familiar sound was heard, one that had not been around for many years. The shots were muffled, but distinct and those who heard knew death had been delivered once again. A minute passed and the dog known as Robo rose from its perch and began to search for one more prey, then to return home.

The old Indian stood once more looking at a window that appeared gray with just a hint of lighter gray areas appearing. Dawn had come again, although it wasn't very apparent. His grandson approached him from the rear until he stood beside him as he had done many times. "Grandpa, I heard the Elders talking and they said we were in danger. Does that mean we are going to die?" The Grandfather stared at his grandson for a minute, then said "We are always in danger and need to guard ourselves, but this danger is gone now, and we can keep helping Mother Earth grow strong again. They turned again towards the gray but now felt hope for another day.

Chapter Six: Hundred Mile Courtship

Many stations transversed the strand. Most were just mere bumps to allow passage to the outside for repairs or alignments as necessary. They contained an environmental suit or two, but nothing more. The space was confining, and the air was thin, causing for most who worked within these claustrophobic attacks.

But then there was the hundred-mile station. Entirely circling the strand, Terminus station was the official designation. The station sat at the very edge of what some would consider the boundary between atmosphere and space. Here the atmosphere was at its best with the break between air and no-air of the atmosphere, so control wings on the strand were no longer necessary or needed and the station provided the demark point. While everyone had some nickname or saying for it, one thing was certain; everyone wanted to visit it at least once in their lifetime. The station was large; enough to accommodate several dozen people comfortably, more if necessary. Just as important, the traveler could escape the confines of the transport capsules. With their jerks and oscillations, one would be bone weary after hours of occupation in one while traveling. Despite the reasons or applications for the station, everyone's desire was to travel there to admire and enjoy the breathtaking views. These were described in great detail by anyone fortunate enough for travel to this destination.

Viewing ports surrounded the hundred-mile station, including ports overhead that stared deep into the blackness of space with whole galaxies visible to the naked eye. Stars were shining so brightly; most people would put on sunglasses just to view them for any period of time. Then one's gaze would stray to the side portals, taking in the vistas of the curvature of the earth. When people thought they finally couldn't stand the grandeur of it all, they would then look to the floor and find most of it was transparent. You could see the clouds on the surface boiling/thrashing beneath their feet with the strand descending rapidly towards mother earth. Some would cry, some would stare for hours in disbelief, while others fell ill and ran back to the confines of the transport tubes for safety. Very few wandered on to the platform of the station without having a life changing effect, driving their emotions into high gear from the experience of unknown sights.
Gravity was another surprising effect of the station. While quite not in space, the effects on the "land bound", as people who worked the station called them, was weakening its grip by this time. Some would strut, run or bounce their way around the station. Six-foot strides were common, and acrobatics of all sorts were performed with zeal and laughter. But soon the novelty wore off, and most would settle down in viewing chairs to stare at the wonders of the unseen cosmos before them...

John was a busy guy. There were days he truly wished cloning practices were still in place, that the technology existed in the present day where more of him could be everywhere. His job was an arduous task and seemed to grow daily in scope and depth. Now a new requirement was being imposed by Dr. Rykin; coordinate with a Social Liaison, concierge, and spokesman...whatever you wanted to call it. John wrinkled his face just at the thought of having to deal with this new person and position, all he could see were more issues with security. John finally placated his thoughts and feelings about it by reassuring himself that the Professor had never been wrong about his appointments of position. He must have a good reason for bringing on an unknown this late in the game.
Dominique paced slowly in the hot hallway, waiting for her interview which should have started half an hour ago. Patience was not her strong suit, and she felt the heat of her body rising along with the temper she tried to suppress. Even if she wasn't offered the position, she would make sure whoever approached would have a dressing down for this offense. Dominique finally turned sharply on her heel and started to head for the door when the wall left of the door turned translucent, an image appearing in its place. "Miss, our head of security will see you now. Please follow the lighted green pathway to your destination. Your name will appear along with it as you make your way."
She followed the green arrows, which seemed to move at a rapid pace when it finally struck her; "My temper must be throwing my pace in high gear". As she slowed down, the arrows kept up with her, accordingly, matching her speed. "Well, I certainly do not want to appear anxious, that would be bad and look like I did not have control of the situation". Dominique smoothed her tight-fitting jacket and suit, designed exceptionally to "enhance" her already natural beauty. She had found this always worked in her favor, in particular with men. This had advanced her "through the ranks" much more than the 2 master's degrees or even the three languages she spoke fluently. Now she was going to be a representative for the biggest project on earth, and along with that, the influence in contracts and monies she could accumulate would be beyond her wildest dreams. Even so, she could not help but remember why she had taken this path from the first.
Her job/assignment was to gather some well-hidden information, rumored to exist and was the real reason that was driving the project. Next was to destroy the station, at any cost. The tribal leaders thought if they could destroy the project, then all the resources tied to it could then be used to improve the cities once again. While debating this action years ago of what course to take, they had found Dominique and discovered her talent for survival.

She had been abandoned by her birth mother in the slums of the now defunct city. When one of the tribal leaders had found her, he raised her as his daughter. Dominique, when she came to the age of acceptance, was indoctrinated as a member of the tribe. This was not always the case, for when some came of age, not all were extended this honor. So, it was a rare privilege to become an actual tribe member, with all the responsibilities and advantages that came with the title. With Dominique's coming of age, she was extended an offer to perform one dangerous task. It was promised by her tribal leaders that if she exceeded, she would be granted a high-ranking position within the tribe. But if her life was terminated in the process, they would instead look after her family; a family she knew lived in the slums of the now defunct city. Life was hard there, and she had been fortunate enough to be removed from it. Now the tribal leaders would extend that privilege to her family. A great honor indeed.

Dominique had been trained well by the tribal leaders on how to act when among the "sky" people. How they interacted, customs and what terms were popular like "skyhook", "ascend", "ride a tube" and so on. These would help convince anyone that she belonged. Now she stood amid the project, the culmination of all the years of hard work were now coming into play. She opened the door, finally meeting the man who would be key to all their hopes and plans. She sauntered over, putting her best strut into it and bent over the desk to shake the hand of John, the head of security. Dominique introduced herself and while doing so, her blouse flared open slightly, exposing cleavage and perhaps a little nipple as well. John sat there, observing all that was going on (and the all too apparent display in front of him). He smiled as Dominique introduced herself and John graciously did the same. Dominique sat in the nearest chair, "adjusting" blouse and skirt for the best possible look.
"Well, Miss err, how do you pronounce your last name?" John stuttered.
"Don't worry about it" Dominique dismissed with a wave of her hand. "I always go by first names, if you don't mind. May I just call you John?"
"Very well then!" John exclaimed. "I was never comfortable with last names either."
John continued. "So, has Dr. Rykin explained what this is all about or what he expects from your position?"
"No, not in a detailed sense, only that he is striving to create a better "kinship" between the upper levels and the mass of people working on the project." Dominique gently bit her lower lip while explaining this to John. She found this move made her more "vulnerable looking" and appealed to most men, giving her a slight advantage over the situation.
John just sat there, unmoving and stone-faced. Dominique was starting to feel uncomfortable. She thought "Did I give something away? Does he know of my true purpose? He is, after all, the head of security. How much does he know?"

Time seemed to hang forever. Just when Dominique thought she should try to escape from the room, John finally spoke and smiled.
"Well, Miss Dominique, welcome aboard. We'll have to 'play by ear' your actual job duties after I talk with Dr. Rykin."
John continued "I've arranged with my secretary to provide you with all necessary badges and codes that you will require for your job, in particular historical records explaining how and why the project came about."
"You will also have a personal assistant assigned to you until you are familiar with the locations of various departments. I want you to take this first week and visit them."


Dominique let out a controlled breath of relief. "That was close! But I'm in now and I can get to work." She unconsciously felt the device she had in her pocket would break the encryption codes. Then she could access all the records and not leave a trace of her activities. She then needed to find their plant, deliver the data and insure they could get it to the tribal leaders. After that, she would devise a plan on how to disable or destroy the strand and possibly leave alive. Her death though was not to be ruled out, if that's what it took to accomplish her mission. Already, she had been formulating a plan to seduce John, making him give up security and deactivation codes for the nanobots. She had received intelligence about the gruesome deaths suffered by the previous spies attempting to destroy the 100-mile station. She would not be that careless!
Dominique spent the next week going from one department to the next. While it was exhausting, she enjoyed everything that was presented to her. The scope and size of it all was overwhelming! Fields that seemed to stretch beyond her sight. Processing centers for everything! Nothing was wasted. It was processed, stored or converted for another use. Distribution Centers made sure everyone there received a fair share for their labor. Dominique thought to herself, "This is as close to Utopia as one could get!" But then the darker side of her flared, "This also, is the reason I must complete my mission. How dare they take all the resources for themselves! We could do well in the city if we had but one tenth of this!" During the week, Dominique saw little of John, making her feel frustrated about the continuance of her plan. She would catch glimpses of him, but it always seemed he was leaving as she approached. The device she had so cleverly hidden (and I'm not saying where) while during the incoming security search, was doing the job it was designed for. Another day and she would have the codes needed to access and download anything she wanted!

The week ended and Dominique rushed to her room. There she removed the device hidden in the back of the access terminal and plugged it into her personal tablet. When the device blinked twice, she pressed a series of bumps on the device, causing the screen to blank and a blinking cursor to appear in the middle of it. Dominique typed in a code and then the screen filled with numbers, usernames and security levels it would access. She then proceeded to scan down the list, and Dr. Rykin's name appeared! "How wonderful!" She thought. No one would question the good Professor's access! She hurriedly typed in the password and many hidden folders appeared before her. Scanning down the list, Dominique found what she was looking for. There was a folder marked "Purpose", and it contained what was obviously plans for taking over the governments, destroying the cities which were considered "dangerous" and ruling by military might!
The plans described how the Generals would be the leaders of government, with a ruling council of Chief Scientists guiding their actions. All this was to be done "for the good of humanity." Shocked, she recognized some elements of the plan had already taken place! She must get these plans to the tribal leaders.

During her week long indoctrination, Dominique had many proposals for lunch, casual dining, etc. Even a few cheap lines were thrown her way, but she brushed them all off, all except one. A gentleman had approached her, saying the right words in the correct combination as agreed upon before they met. She shyly agreed to meet for dinner, which was going to be within the hour, so she needed to hurry. Dominique dressed in a flowing, long dress with a slit on the left side to expose her leg. The top of the gown had a plunging neckline, but only to expose her cleavage and hint at what else lay beneath. A wide belt accented her thin waist, which brought a smile to her face as she checked herself in the mirror. She thought; "They won't notice my sleight of hand when I slip the device to him if they are busy looking at me instead." One more quick check in the mirror and out the door she went.
They met at a local restaurant, Dominique making sure that she was facing the cameras when they were seated. She ensured the conversation stayed light and noncommittal. They talked about jobs, family and interests. After 30 minutes she switched up the conversation to more sexual in nature, getting more personal with questions of past loves and conquests. Moving closer to her companion with each inquiry, she started making physical contact. A brush of skin on the arm, a slight touch to his hands, then eventually leaning over so her breasts made contact on his arms and chest. Leaning over him she slipped her arm around him and drew him in for a kiss. While this was going on, she had palmed the device in her hand and placed it into a hidden pocket within the shirt, slightly below the armpit so it would not show an obvious bump. After making some small talk, Dominique made a promise of a rendezvous later during the week. She made it loud enough for the monitors to pick it up, that way those watching would suspect this was the time any actions were going to take place. Warm pleasantries were exchanged, another kiss offered and accepted, then each parted in different directions.

As they say, nothing goes as planned. Dominique was in a study hall where things could be researched and could display on a whole section of wall. A quiet voice would explain actions needed to take place for access to enlarge, find or even explain as in much detail should it be requested. The room was not monitored (or so it was said) but she felt confident enough it was not spied on heavily or occasionally enough, giving her time to obtain any information desired. While looking over locations of terminals, emergency stations, layouts of mechanicals for air, water and electricity, the young man she met last week entered the room. "May I join you?" Or are you busy so as not to be disturbed? Dominique recognized him as her informant and gestured to a seat next to her. She smiled at him and said it was nice to take a break from the tedium of memorizing locations she had no care for but knew was necessary for the job assigned. So, what brings you my way today? Her informant looked steadily in her eyes for a minute, asking if she thought it was safe to tell her confidential information. Looking confused, as this was not their scheduled meeting, she shook her head slowly to mean ok but be careful how he delivered it. Dominique, I am deeply sorry to tell you, but Tor has been killed by the Lakota. It was found out they have partnered with the sky people and planned to eliminate him.
She sat there at first with a half-smile, then started to blush a few seconds, then turned beet red with a face so distorted with anger that no living being should ever have to witness. She grabbed her informant with such a grip on his arm that he yelped in pain with the force being applied. She flung him against the wall hard enough that alarms were set off. Security guards came in seconds later and restrained both of them until Dominique calmed down enough to talk. "What's the problem here?" asked the one restraining her. She gained enough composure finally to say that her "friend" had touched her inappropriately and it had angered her greatly! The informant caught on quickly and screamed back at her that she had made the first move and he wasn't guilty of anything. The guards rushed them off to their assigned rooms and placed them under house arrest until things were sorted out.

She sat in her room now, tears rolling down her face in streams, eyes red from the emotions running thru her body of the anger and sadness she felt. Her body convulsed with each sob as she took a breath. Her protector, friend, had died but more important he was someone who believed in her! For hours she wept with uncontrolled emotions of Tor's death and what it meant to her and the plans for takeover of the Sky People's facilities. The room she occupied was special compared to other facilities within Skyhook. Private showers, food storage, communications and entertainment throughout. Special though was the wall across from the bed could simulate a dawning sun, either thru a window or standing outside in a prairie style field of grass. She woke up seemingly standing in the grass, a cool breeze blowing gently and could going by slowly in the sky. This stopped Dominique from sobbing as she gazed into the simulation, forgetting her troubles as she soaked in the experience. But amazement turned to anger now, her face contorted by the new thoughts and emotions that came upon her. "How dare they! The people here lived in luxury while these resources could have been used to provide food and shelter, medicine's for many who deserved the same treatments. Composed now, Dominique decided that the plan to disable the facility so Tor and crew could take over unguarded entrances during the confusion, that plan was dead. Filled with what she thought was righteous anger, she wasn't going to disable the facility but destroy the strand instead. If her people couldn't have it, no one can.
Dominique was pleased on how the plan was going. The first part was done! Now she knew that the other half would not be quite so easy. For while she had obtained passwords and records access, getting the well-guarded codes for the nanobots would be next to impossible. She needed to get close to John! While trying to create scenarios in her mind, a text message appeared on her terminal. Dr Rykin had a request that she meet John at one of the transport tubes early the next day. They were to go to the 100-mile station for training, where she would "acclimate" personnel for space station duty. According to Dr. Rykin's note, there had been too many episodes of people becoming unnerved once they arrived at the 100-mile station and would continue no further. Her services were needed immediately as the space station was extremely short of qualified workers. "Here's my chance!"thought Dominique. "John and I will be alone for hours in a transport tube, and I can make my move then." A brief smile passed across her face as she thought how she could finally accomplish her goal. She acknowledged the message, said she would be there at the designated time and then turned in for bed, anxious for tomorrow's activities.
Dominique rose early the next day to prepare for the activities. She put on her suit ensemble that she originally had worn when she first met John. Not that she thought this would be pleasing to John (although she had to admit, he looked pleased and interested in her when she had worn it). This suit was made of a special material that when excited by a certain microwave frequency, would then detonate as a high explosive! Otherwise, the suit even when passed through the scanners appeared as ordinary material. She made sure to pack her tablet, which contained the trigger mechanism (along with a change of clothes) and off she went, knowing she would never return to her room again.

John could see Dominique approach in the distance. "Here we go" John thought to himself. He knew something big was going to happen, just not how it was to be played out. He mentally upped his radar, almost to the point he felt like he was walking on needles. Dominique was in hearing distance now as John waved to her. "Over here!" Good mornings were exchanged and John escorted Dominique to the tube entryway.
"Well, hope you're ready for a 3-hour bumpy ride. But, once you get used to it, it's not that bad. It's like getting used to the gait of a horse." John looked down at the small suitcase she was carrying, and a puzzled look emanated from his face. "What's in the suitcase? I realize we are going to be all day, but we should make it back down in time for dinner" Dominique replied "Oh, you must not know much about women, we always carry a change of clothes and accessories like makeup or implements for taking care of hair, a toothbrush or feminine hygiene." She blushed slightly as she mentioned the last item of the list.
John's face quickly changed to a warm smile and understanding look. "Of course, how foolish of me." Dominique looked shyly and with a little girl's voice, "It's not a problem, is it? If need be, I can leave it here" John shot back, "no, no problem as long as you are with me." Dominique had been counting on that very thing, so no one would question what she was carrying.
It was as John predicted. The capsule itself was almost egg shaped, large enough to seat four people in comfort, eight people elbow to elbow. But for now, it was just Dominique and John inside the capsule. The bench style seat circled the entire interior, including a section attached to the door. With the exception of a display mounted slightly above their heads for entertainment/news or communication, nothing else adorned the walls. The capsule slowly picked up speed as they ascended, with an indicator displaying their speed and distance. At first one mile per hour, then suddenly five mph. They hit twenty mph, and the display seemed to settle for that. Five miles up the egg started to vibrate and jerk. John turned to Dominique saying "This is where the control wings start to take effect, the strand is now thinner from here on and needs to be stabilized. The ride gets rough from here." While they waited for the capsule to reach speed, John turned to Dominique and asked, "I heard you had a little trouble the other day, anything I should be concerned about, or you need help with?" Dominique stared at John a few seconds before she answered, "No, I've had this problem before with men making inappropriate comments or touch. I'm sure my "reaction" will guarantee it will not happen again" John was satisfied with her answer and reassured her that he would handle it should the situation arise again.

Dominique decided it was time to make her move. She unbuckled her harness, making the excuse she needed to get closer to John for conversation. She had mentally timed the oscillations so when she released her harness, the jerking motion sent her flying right into John's seat. Dominique managed to bury John's face directly into her cleavage, leaving it there as she struggled to find the seat next to him. When the egg had settled for a more linear path, she slowly stood up in front of John, apologizing as she removed her ample bosom from his face. She, however, did not sit down in the seat next to him, but slowly lowered her face to his. When they were close to each other's lips, Dominique brushed hers against Johns. She then kissed him gently at first, then more aggressively. John reciprocated as well, not denying the passion presented to him. He then drew her close onto his lap, and they remained embraced like this for some time. Dominique went back to a lighter brushing of the lips, parting her mouth open ever so slightly to allow her tongue to touch his. When she did, however, she quickly backed away with an inquiring look on her face. John, aware of her reaction, gave her a puzzled look, then a smile appeared on his face. "I should have told you; I eat a special diet that leaves an odd taste." Dominique's face expressed an "aha" moment, then went back to caressing and kissing John. But it was obvious the tongue touching was over with. Things progressed as they do in these situations, John and Dominique finding themselves stripped of all clothing and making love on the floor of the egg. After a few (ahem) hours, a bell chimed, alerting them that the destination arrival was within ten minutes. Quickly dressing, Dominique removed her change of clothing from the carry on bag she had, stuffing her original outfit back into the bag. Shooting a quick look at John, she saw his inquiring look; "You wouldn't want me to appear in wrinkled clothes, do you?" John shook his head no. Both brushed and groomed each other to make sure when they stepped out, they would appear as if nothing happened. John turned to Dominique just before the doors opened. "We won't mention this to anyone, will we?" She patted his cheek gently and said "Don't worry, my love. We will appear as the professionals we are." With that, the bell chimed three times to indicate their arrival, and the doors swung open.

Dominique had mentally prepared herself for this moment, but all she could do was stand there, mesmerized while looking out the portals. She had never seen a sunny day, or even stars. It was midday now and the station was flooded with the sun's rays. Even with shades to dampen the sunlight, the brightness was like none she had ever seen before! Yes, the sunrooms were quite exhilarating when she first discovered them, but nothing like this! John helped her out of the transport and onto the middle of the deck. Her knees weakened and she fell to the floor even with John holding her tightly. Dominique was now looking through the transparent floor to the boiling clouds below. The immensity of it all caused her to go into a mild shock and nearly half an hour went by before she could even speak again! John finally broke the silence. "You see now, why we must have someone here to help with the transition to the space station." Dominique just nodded her head in agreement, still trying to find her voice. "Shake it off, you have a job to do." she thought to herself. "Don't be fooled by what they say.". Dominique stood up, smoothed her clothes and composed herself. "You're right John, there is work to be done and little time for it." Escorting her around, John explained the wonders and capabilities of the 100-mile station.
There were no others around, except for one maintenance/server person. John had made sure there was minimum personnel so there were no distractions to their training exercises. During this time, Dominique finally turned to John, with a pleading look. "John, I've heard of the disaster of the nanobots and people getting killed. Is there a way to disable them in case of an emergency?" John replied, "Why yes there is, but it's only to be used by selective and approved personnel." Dominique stared into John's eyes with a pleading look. "Don't you think I'm one of those? What if I'm here and we need to escape? You wouldn't want to see me hurt or anyone else, would you?" John's expression softened, "you're right, let me contact Dr. Rykin and see what I can do." Dominique had not counted on this, but the game was already in motion. John returned after a few minutes, looking pleased. "Dr. Rykin has given his approval after I explained the circumstances you described. He's assigned you a special code only for you and can only be used for emergencies. John handed the paper to Dominique with the codes, in which she leaned over and gave John a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, John, now I must attend to the ladies' room, if you don't mind." John told her it was not a problem, and they should meet back at the same point in fifteen minutes to continue training. With a wave of his hand, John departed for another part of the station.


Dominique hurried with her bag to the ladies' room. She knew she didn't have much time to accomplish her task. A contact had told her earlier that the restrooms were close to the outer walls of the strand. An explosion here would rip a hole into space, and the decompression would do the rest to destroy the strand. She hoped she might hop into a cargo tube and be able to zip fast enough back down to escape. It was a hell of a gamble, but the only one she knew that might work, however slim the chance was. Once in the restroom, Dominique drew out her tablet, this time punching in the codes to deactivate the nanobots. She also knew she wouldn't be able to make the hole she needed if she could not deactivate them. They would repair it before she was able to implement her plan. The hole was necessary to focus the charge blast with enough energy to make the hole to the outside. After a few seconds, she took a plastic knife that was hidden in her shoe and started cutting the wall nearest the outside. Waiting a few more seconds to see if the nanobots did not repair it, Dominique was confident the nanobots had been deactivated. She dug furiously with the knife to create a deep enough hole, then she stuffed her suit clothes into it.
She removed the microwave device from the tablet, encoded it for a ten-minute delay, this would give her enough time to start travel down the tube. Hopefully it would take another 15 minutes before the strand would start its collapse, and she could race to the bottom by then. The device was now planted, and Dominique started to withdraw her hand from the hole, but it wouldn't budge! She struggled with it for a few seconds, then realized she was stuck. It was then she noticed the hole was starting to fill in rapidly and she felt the pain shooting up her arm while she watched in horror as her flesh melted away.

Dr. Rykin and John watched the scene on the monitors from the hidden room they were standing in. Dr. Rykin had arrived earlier to see if Dominique would change her mind after seeing what they had accomplished. But alas, it was not so, and Dr. Rykin hung his head in sadness as he and John watched the gruesome scene unfold. "John, it was my greatest hope that Dominique would change her mind about her plans to destroy the station. If she even had hesitated on what she was doing, I would have saved her." John could only nod his head in agreement. "I know Professor Rykin. I was almost going to tell her that it takes two sets of codes to deactivate the nanobots permanently and that the first set only deactivates for 30 seconds. The other set of codes must be entered before then." After the screams were subdued, Dr. Rykin and John departed the room and descended to earth once more. There would be a news release, and a funeral planned with honors for Dominique's heroic performance to stop a dangerous leak at the 100-mile station. Dr. Rykin turned to John during the descent. "John, I hope you're right and this discourages any more attempts. We are so close to completing our real mission. By the way, did you ensure the courier with the false information escaped and made his way back to the tribal leaders?" John once again nodded in agreement. The tribal leaders would now be chasing after General McAllister to satisfy their blood lust to revenge Dominique's death.

Chapter Seven: Terminus

For security reasons, everyone important to the project had been moved to the space station. Dr. Rykin had insisted on it since the escalation of attacks on the project had become more severe and frequent. It took almost three days to move personnel from the ground posts into the sky above. Most came willingly; others had progressed to the halfway point and went into shock after seeing the brilliance of millions of star lights in the deepest black ever known. Some could not even fathom the brightness of the sun they had never seen and only heard about. Sure, there were pictures and videos, but to actually see the sun with their own eyes was, well, overwhelming. Advisers had been sent to the 100-mile station, to help "acclimate" those continuing to the space station.


General McAllister had managed to "stow away" on board one of the cargo shipments. He ensured that he took enough oxygen along because the tubes carrying such stuff didn't have an air supply provided. He also knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant ride either. In order to move cargo fast enough, they would be pulling 2 g's for several hours and the cold of space would permeate the shell. The transport tubes were grown towards the outside of the strand because they were not meant to carry people, only inert materials. Radiation was another concern, but he was willing to take that risk. The General had nothing to lose at this point, as he was already deemed a fugitive, a criminal in the eyes of the law. Now, he recently learned he was also targeted for assassination by the tribal leaders. Somehow, they had the notion that he was responsible for their spy's death. Maybe, by some slim chance he could convince the good doctor to change his mind about his activities and come around to his point of view. If not, then there was always force, gun play, if necessary, to bring about what he deemed relevant to the safety and security of mankind. It also wouldn't hurt if he and the other Generals just happened to be in control of everything at the same time. The cargo tube finally reached its destination, with General McAllister slowly stepping out of it, nearly frozen to death. He thought he could find a safe spot to hide until warmth flowed into his body again, but he took all of three steps and out from behind a crate came John. Waving a pistol at the General, John insisted that he lay on the ground, until his "usual" search was done. John quickly removed the pistol and cell-phone McAllister was carrying, including the "bugs" John had placed on the good general without his knowledge. After handcuffing the general, John helped the half-frozen man to his feet and swiftly, but gently (as Dr. Rykin had instructed him) escorting him to the main control room. As they entered the control room, Dr. Rykin could be seen shouting and pointing in various directions, causing people to gallop at full pace, trying to achieve the demands placed on them. John cleared his throat, letting the doctor know they were there.
Professor Rykin turned swiftly, almost knocking both he and the general to the floor.
"Good! both of you are here. John, escort the general to a seat and make sure he does not "wander" from it" General McAllister started to spout some vulgar words, but before he could even express his thought, John had already whisked him away to a waiting chair. Using another pair of handcuffs, John secured the general to the chair which was firmly bolted to the bulkhead. "Be a good boy and no harm will come to you; if you don't behave then I will personally throw you out of the nearest airlock" Growled John.
With that, John turned sharply on his heel and took off for other matters.


Dr. Rykin was busy barking orders when John returned.
"Everything secured? "The professor inquired.
"Everything is as you ordered, professor" John shot back to him.
"Good, then I think it's time to announce our intentions."
With that Professor Rykin asked John to assemble the crew and to ensure the General was within earshot as well. Dr Rykin went up the steps of the main floor to a platform just barely above the heads of the gathering crew.
"I would like to start off by saying, and you are aware of, this is a very important day for the Terminus project. While most of you may have guessed or speculated our purpose of the project over these many years, no one except a select few knew all the details."
"This space station is indeed, a fully functioning spaceship, designed to carry us into the nether reaches of space. We, the brotherhood of scientists, have known through extensive studies that we are not native to this planet, that instead we had been planted here by races similar to ourselves. To what purpose and what end we can only guess, but we know that we have been left technology by them to escape our fate and continue to our destiny." "Our earth is dying. We told those in power that the earth would recover in two hundred years. This in fact was a lie. The earth, by our calculations, will not recover or at all, in the next two thousand years. By that point, mankind will be dead."
"You have been carefully chosen among the rest to take this journey, along with the other eleven stations that are now taking off from their various countries." "We will, however, be leaving behind the solar panels and strand, so the remaining population will have a fighting chance at least for a time. But the time will come, without a doubt, that it will not be enough to sustain life on earth."

"You have a choice, stay or return, but you must make that choice within the next thirty minutes." With that, the Professor turned to the crowd of engineers and managers behind him, urging them to get underway. When the last of the crew had settled in with those who chose to stay, Professor Rykin ordered the explosive bolts be fired. The station floated slowly away from the strand and as it did, panels were flipped to reveal other instruments suited for space travel, finally removing the last of any disguise or concealment of their true mission. After a comfortable distance from the strand, the ION engines were fired, and the ship distanced itself quickly from the earth it had been attached to. Once again John approached the doctor from behind while clearing his throat, letting him know he was there.

"Professor Rykin, would now be a good time to deal with the General?" John inquired. Oh sh**, you're right. Almost forgot about him" Professor Rykin's face almost went pale, realizing the expression he had just uttered. John quickly went to fetch the general from his perch, returning with McAllister, still handcuffed. "Please John, I think the time has come where those are not needed" Professor Rykin begged. John complied with the Professor's wish, but he kept a wary eye on the General anyway.
"General McAllister, do you know why you are here?" Inquired the professor while looking intently at him.
"Tell you the truth, I was wondering why I'm not floating out of an airlock right now, especially since I've tried to take over this project several times during our time together" General McAllister replied.
"Well sir, you see if it wasn't for you, none of this would have been possible" Professor Rykin said with a smirk growing on his face.
"Whhat do you mean, without me?" stammered McAllister.
"Well sir, remember when the delegation of Congressmen came looking for answers? They were right. We knew they would eventually show up since we really were "cooking the books" to hide the expenses it took to build this ship. You were the right person to muck up the works and redirect their attention away from us"
The Professor continued; "We knew of your collaboration with the other Generals and the plot to take over the projects."
"So, we used that and sent information about you and the others to the President and Staff, so they would think you were the one causing the fund siphoning and kept them busy chasing you instead of delving into what we were doing. To add to that, it also kept the tribal leaders in the city off balance when we fed them misinformation, that you were the primary person responsible for Dominique's death."
"And you were an excellent choice. You met and exceeded our expectations"

The General could do nothing but stare at the Professor, letting his statements sink in. After all he went through, he realized he had been played! Minutes went by before he could speak again.
"So, Professor Rykin, what happens to me now? What are your plans now that I have served my purpose?" The General held his breath, nervous for what the Professor was going to say. He thought surely his death was in sight.
Professor Rykin walked over to McAllister, put his arm around him and looked straight into his eyes. "Without you, none of this would have been possible. You are a most welcomed addition to this crew, if you desire it"
General McAllister's knees buckled beneath him as he fell to the floor, relief washing over his face. "You really mean that, Professor?"

For the first time in many years, they had worked together, Professor Rykin used the General's first name. "Yes Tom, I really mean it. While you tried to subvert the project, you were absolute in your desire and concerns for the good of mankind. Now help us achieve the goal this ship was designed to do." General McAllister sobbed heavily as he thought about how he tried to destroy the very thing that was going to save mankind. Professor Rykin had turned his attention now to the panels of instruments, verifying their flight path and system status. All was going well, and it could be seen Professor Rykin was pleased. John approached Dr. Rykin now, looking somber and tired at the same time.

"Dr. Rykin, do you think now is the time for me to be retired?"
The professor's expression grew slack and pale. "I knew this time would come but did not imagine it until now. I was hoping it would never happen and was too busy to give it a second thought, but here we are, and I know it must be done."
John answered, his face emoting and reflecting on what the Professor was feeling.
"I too, had not given a second thought to it, but now my body is informing me this must be done." Dr. Rykin slowly shook his head in agreement. "If we want to preserve you, and we most surely will need you when we arrive at our destination, then it must be done."


General McAllister, overhearing the conversation, looked intently at Dr. Rykin.
"What is John trying to say? Are you putting him in suspended animation?"
Dr. Rykin drew a blank expression on his face, then donned a look of understanding.
"Why my dear General, had it ever occurred to you why we so good at hiding the spaceship and its mission?" General McAllister shook his head no while stating, "You know, I personally had been over every construction detail, plan and implementation of all the systems aboard. Not once did I see any indication of space travel, even though, of course, there has always been rumors."
Dr. Rykin smiled slightly, and in a humorous, almost laughing tone explained how things happened.
"The old saying is that if you want to truly hide something, then do it in plain sight. It's obvious that this was a spaceship, although we kept insisting it was a space station, incapable of flight."
"Numerous inspections by congressional leaders and other politicians kept them reassured our intent was clear on having a space station, not even the enormous amount of software required to operate in such a mode was found."
"That's where John comes in."
General McAllister stared wide-eyed at Dr. Rykin "What do you mean? Did John manage to smuggle the software aboard?" "Where's the mainframe to run it?" Dr Rykin's smile broadened further. "My dear General, the software and mainframe computer is John. For he is an android" General McAllister sat abruptly in his chair. After a time thinking, the General replied, "Hell of a risk making him your head of security, don't you think?" Dr Rykin just stood there looking amused. "What better place to put him, but in plain sight? Who would question him? He could always get around scanners and control any alarms that his metal body would sound. You must admit also, he made one hell of a security guard also"

John turned slowly towards the chamber that had been outfitted for him. His body, which had only been designed to last half the time he had worked on the project, was now saying it was time to shut down so the necessary repairs could be made. After all, an android needs his beauty rest also! Only the nanobots which had been specifically designed to repair him had kept John going for all these years. Now they needed his systems to shut down to complete the deeper repairs, and John was fully aware of this. While John walked with the Professor towards the chamber, Dr. Rykin turned slightly to look at him. "John, you will be sorely missed, but there is one thing I must ask. In all the years I have known you, I've never known your last name. What is it?" John stopped, looking stunned, then growing a slight smile he looked the Professor straight in the eye. "Why Smith, of course" then proceeded again to the chamber. With that, the android known as John Smith entered the chamber and closed his eyes. The necessary wires and fibers ascended from above him, weaving themselves over his body and head, penetrating hidden points throughout. John's face became immobile, and his body became like a statue, while the chamber sealed itself for the duration of the journey. John was now part of the ship, which seemed to brighten and move with new life and purpose.

General McAllister had regained some of his composure by now and wanted to know more.
"Professor Rykin, may I ask just were it is we're going?"
"Thought you'd never ask!" Replied Professor Rykin. "I can spare some time now to explain"

"You see, General, many scientists had worked on the San-script writings and Hebrew scrolls, who made the determination that not only one, but twelve different alien races had come to earth looking for refuge from their own planets. They had created us to help in their endeavors to populate the earth with their species but found the planet unsuitable for them. So, they went back to each of their own worlds, hoping to reform them again to live upon. "That's why we have the twelve Zodiac signs, denoting the twelve different races that arrived here. Based on information within the writings, we estimated the directions each has taken back to their home worlds and that is why we have the Zodiac symbols on each of the ships. We hope that will be enough for them to recognize who we are."
The General sat there stunned, trying to absorb it all and the enormous task at hand. "Professor Rykin, do you really think this is all possible? I mean, isn't this all just speculation? Hell of a gamble if you ask me"
Professor Rykin looked surprised. "Well, you see General, it's more than mere speculation. If it was just speculation, we would head for other planets. As it is, our journey will most likely take forty to fifty years as it is. There were much closer candidates then the ones we chose."

Professor Rykin sat down at a row of dials, adjusting and confirming readings as he went. After a minute or two, he turned his attention to the General. "So, to continue, we discovered among the writings an actual star map, depicting the way to the twelve planets. It was at that moment; we decided to build spaceships to travel to them. Whoever arrives and can find help, will know where the other spaceships are so they may return with help for earth, if possible"

Professor Rykin again turned his attention to the row of dials. General McAllister sat silent while the Professor took his readings. "How do you know they would even help us?" Inquired McAllister. Professor Rykin turned slowly towards McAllister, and for the first time in many years the General knew him, he saw a big smile on the face of the Professor.

"My dear General, have you not figured it out yet?"

"We're going home"