| Truth Bringers |
| By Frank Chandler |
| After the relative passage of 60,000,000 years they returned to the small blue planet. Their temporal scouts and genetic corps had found the planet infested with saurian life. That rather common scenario was easily dealt with by diverting a suitably sized asteroid to a strategically calculated impact point. The impact cleansed the planet and allowed the seeding of the appropriate species. The species evolved. No need to watch over the process, they had done this many times and the methodology was tried and true. So now their ships came by tens of thousands. Small and simple, large and elegant, they parked in geocentric orbits, carefully avoiding any obstruction of light and warmth from the blue planet�s yellow star. On the planet, the arrival created much excitement and celebration. The nations of the blue world and their wise men attempted to communicate in every conceivable way but there was only silence. Their electronic devices sensed that there was a form of resonant communication between the alien ships but cold silence was the only response to the blue planet�s cordial greetings. Blinking out of hyperspace a massive spherical ship, some ten kilometers in diameter, appeared among the host. The smaller ships resonated and altered their orbits in obvious deference to the new arrival. After a brief silence a message was sent forth from the mother ship, �Begin phase one�. A hundred tiny ships converged on the planet. In minutes their partical beam weapons had destroyed the planet�s single manned orbiting station and all of their primitive communication and science satellites. Then they entered the atmosphere and circled the planet like angry hornets, carrying out surgical strikes on infrastructure and major landmarks. Casualties among the species were deliberately light. The intent was to anger but not weaken. The planet lashed out. Thousands of missiles were launched as the laser ships slashed through the planets atmosphere. Resonance among the observing alien ships increased as two of the laser craft fell to multiple missile hits. In less than two solar hours the tiny ships shot upward out of the atmosphere and disappeared into the mother ship. �The planet will now attempt an offensive strike�, came a calm report to the observers. �They are launching fission missiles. Level 5 projection shields are recommended� The missiles ascended, targeting the central core of observers and the mother ship. The missiles impacted the alien shields at ten thousand kilometers with massive explosions that quickly dissipated with a tremendous backwash of energy and radiation toward the planet. �Begin phase two�, The mother ship ordered, �We don�t want the planet killed or wounded by it�s own weapons.� Out of the mother ship came ten ships, larger and slower than the laser ships, glowing and resonating with a stunning brilliance. Plunging into the atmosphere, they made a grand tour of the planet destroying exactly ten major population centers with fusion missiles. Obviously stunned by the failure of their own offensive strike, the planet offered little resistance. �The planet is attempting to surrender.� came a message from within the mother ship. �End phase two immediately and prepare to launch the Truth Bringer.� For two hours there was silence. The blue planet monitored the soft resonance among the host of alien ships. They wondered if their surrender had been heard and understood. Fearing not, they bravely mustered for a final defense. Many were already dying from the radiation backwash but they were a hardy species and many would survive. In anticipation of an alien occupation, the planet�s leaders began to plan for guerilla warfare. They were confident that the aliens would not enjoy their stay on the blue planet. Slowly and majestically from the mother ship emerged a great ship so beautiful and graceful it brought a long low-pitched resonance from the alien host. Those on the blue planet that saw the ship were also awed by the magnificent craft. If they had understood the resonance they would have heard the song of the Truth Bringer. Moving into the planets atmosphere, the ship moved slowly at first then circled the globe several times in moments. It soared at treetop level and almost brushed the tops of the buildings left standing. Climbing to a higher altitude it began a graceful series of loops and dives as if for the entertainment of the blue planet�s survivors as well as the aliens. Thousands of missiles and aircraft of every description rose from the blue planet and bore down on the great ship. The great ship darted artfully with no regard for laws of motion. The missiles fell harmlessly and the brave suicidal pilots collided only with each other. Soon there were no more missiles and no more brave pilots. Quiet again fell over the blue planet. For a long moment the great ship hovered, then accelerated vertically 5000 kilometers to a spot silhouetted against the golden yellow star. A small pinpoint of light emerged from the ship. Rather slowly it found its target, a landmass near the planet�s equator. For a moment nothing, then with incredible suddenness the atmosphere erupted into flame and spread with geometric speed. In less than five minutes the once blue planet became a brown lifeless cinder.With what could only be described as a flourish the great ship circled the wasted planet and disappeared into the mother ship. And the resonance sang �Truth Bringer�. Later the alien leaders gathered in good humor to discuss the day�s event. As customary in small social groups, they conversed verbally instead of by resonance. �I am genuinely pleased,� said the Archon. �Everything went off splendidly, the planet was at the perfect level of development and the truth came flawlessly. The fifth genetic corps will receive a commendation for this seeding. �Yes Archon,� replied a council member. �A total success and after the botched seeding by the twelfth corps, we deserved it.� The Archon growled, �Botched is an understatement, the energy cost was nothing compared to the loss of truth, only to wind up with an accelerated development species that had colonized half of the planets and moons in their system when we arrived. All we could do is greet them and sign trade agreements.� �Like We need more trading partners.� He mumbled. "No matter, this day was good sport with a damned brave planet. Let�s have a toast to the planet, it died well.� A murmur of approval went through the room and glasses were raised to the Archon and to the brave blue planet. Later in his chambers the Archon reflected on the teeming universe and his near perfect empire of near immortal beings. The moment of truth expressed in their art form with pre-sentient planets was all that they had to remind them of inevitability in a universe mastered and populated by their species. He thought again of the brave blue planet and of his own Imperial home world, a similar blue planet known throughout the universe in a resonance best translated as �fountain of all life�. He could not recall it�s ancient name; it was something like ERTH or ARTH. |