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Historian

When I was once a child, many decades ago, I longed to be a historian. I wanted to write books like the ones I grew up with. Writers like Steven Ambrose kept me interested in the past. Now I have started writing my own book through a history that I lived through, and I am finding it the hardest thing to do. The more I attempt to write, the more unsatisfied I become. I have written two manuscripts already, only to send them to fuel station to be burned.

Finally I have found the correct formula. Reaching back all those years ago to the books I have read, I am now following the style of Ambrose. I will tell you about the people I meet on the journey, the trials we faced, the triumphs and tragedies. I am hopping to have this done before I die, or the story will be lost with history. I am one of the last alive. One of the last humans who has walked on the Earth, who once called it home.

This is not just my story. It is the story of all who walked the Long March. Those who lived, and especially those who died.

But since most of this history has been lost in time, I will provide key dates.

2020 AD (calendar used before the standard calendar was adopted. About 145 years ago): The nations of the world are on the brink of war. The oil that keeps everyone alive and comfortable will run out soon. Global warming is tacking is toll, shirking the world while the population is rising. The great world summit is called. After much debate the Survival Pact is made.

The Survival Pact dictates that all great men and women, be they scientists or philosophers, are sent to Canada, one of the few countries that wasn’t completely overcrowded and still had some resources left. This country was to be a safe zone, tirelessly working to find alternative sources of fuel and other things so the human race could survive. If one country were to attack Canada, all were to rush to its defense. Also, all nuclear weapons were destroyed, as well as plans for their creation. In the coming conflict, it was likely they would be used, and the Earth would die.

2023: India, with over 5 billion citizens, has run out of space. They attack Pakistan, and WWIII starts. It's a global free for all, with countries continuously make alliances and backstabbing each other.

2030: The war ends with 10 billion dead. Engineered diseases, illegal Nukes, and lack of food and water has taken its toll, reducing the population to a mere 3 billion. Canada has come up with the key to salvation, and world domination. General Mike Graf staged a coup in early 2030 when the key to using the earth’s magnetic polls as energy had been discovered by Canadian Scientists. Wielding the dual threat of nukes as well as with-holding this vital technology, Canada was rapidly established as the world power. Fortunately, within a year Graf died of a heart attack, and a peaceful system was set up.

After the third world war: The sudden and enormous loss of human life, coupled with extreme weather due to global warming shaped human culture. Eventually two distinct ways of life were developed. In the city technology ruled. Clean methods of transportation, coupled with large parks and infrastructure led to the birth of super-cities. Though few in number, maybe over 3 dozen, they held nearly a fourth of humanity. Each with populations in the 10’s of millions they were a vibrant force of culture and politics. All production, scientific achievements, and most culture went on in the cities. The people there were the wealthy, with money flaunting being the primary show of prestige. The city “lords” looked down upon the “common people” as the rest of humanity was called.

The rest of humanity lived in small communities near natural resources. They experienced a sort of cultural recession, slipping back in to a feudal like system. While enjoying technology like solar or magnetic powered cars and crystal clear hi-def TV’s, they became more outdoors. Lumberjacks cut wood with ax’s again and miners mined with picks. Though they had technology for accidents, and could have utilized technology to make the job easier, they preferred the hard labor. They believed it was technology that had gotten the human race into the third world war. At the same time, old sports were being re-awakened. Fencing, horseback riding, and archery as well as gun tournaments were common. The farmers and miners provided the muscle of humanity.

The two groups maintained a generally friendly rivalry through politics. The outskirts had the numbers, but the city dwellers had the money.

2042: Three crucial events shape the human race, though only two are recognized for their importance. In January of that fateful year, an alien wreckage crashed onto the planet. Incredibly damaged, the only useful technology on board were subatomic engines. The only bio-sign was what was thought to be some sort of bio-fluid on the ship. The bio fluid soon disintegrated, confusing scientists for a long time. The moon was available for colonization, and plans were made for the first time.

The second came a month after the first, when scientists cracked the key to nuclear fission. With it came the plans to colonize future planets. The construction of 10 great ships was approved. They were scheduled to be complete and tested in 50 years. This caused the first shoots to be fired in what was later called the Earther Rebellion. A large number of radical extremists, believing the unknown alien ship and it’s technologies a threat to earth, began a terrorist campaign against the United World. For the first time in 12 years, soldiers were recruited, trained, and died. These rebellions continued even through the Great March.

The final important even was the launching of the great hyperspace probes. While most were failures, unable to find a habitable planet, one made a remarkable discovery. This discovery remained unknown for a while.

That probe went off line in the year 2089. That year it made an important discovery. That year it made first contact.

Leader

“The ability to make tough decisions and to persuade others to follow the choice of that decisions is what makes leaders.” Matriarch Razagal.

Protoss Recon Fleet Theta.

Executor Anasazi paced back and forth upon the bridge of the Carrier Golden Shield. A beautiful ship, and it was his. For the first time, he, Anasazi, was in command of a ship. And not just a ship, but an entire task force, one vital to keeping the Great Fleet going. One that allowed everyone to survive the Zerg swarm. He was very happy, an understatement if there ever was one.

He was also a little nervous. Now, anyone who died was his responsibility. Anasazi could almost feel the eyes probing him, looking for any mistake.

{We are coming near the solar system, Executor. Shall I have the observers sent out to scout the planets for useful resources?} That was Loknar, his second in command, and a good friend.

{Yes indeed. Send the observers out. Let’s see if there is any useful resources we can cultivate from this planet.}

Anasazi turned to the console near him, displaying the observers as they went out. With any luck, the swarm wouldn’t have reached here, as it had Auir and Shakuras. Both of which were gone now. Anasazi shuddered. He hadn’t been born on Auir, but he had seen the vids. Ancient history now, but the loss of his home world, as well as the dark templar’s planet, had cut deep into his race.

He looked down at the monitor, seeing the fleet he commanded. It wasn’t really a fleet, more of a flotilla. His carrier was in the lead, flack by two of his opposite number, two dark templar tempests. Eight void rays escorted the three, a blend of both templars’ abilities. Dozens of scouts, phoenixes, and corsairs flew around in their own little formations.

Suddenly one of the observers sent an alarm, declaring it had found an unknown object that was not natural.

{Bring the object up on screen and run a full scan.}

Data poured in on a side tab as the object appeared. It was half a sphere that had been cut off with an engine attached. Little things poked out of what Anasazi assumed to be a probe.

Anasazi began to look more at the data being pulled in. According to the observer, the engine was of a similar type used by his fleet. The observer was also reporting radio waves being sent out on all frequencies. Radio waves! Despite the high tech engine, the aliens who sent this probe used radio waves! The observer was busy decoding the looping message.

{What do you make of the fact that they are using radio waves instead of PSI transmitters?}

{Maybe they don’t have any PSI potential?}

{Perhaps.}

{Executor, you have to look at this.} A zealot was looking at his own moniter

{What is it?}

{We have decoded part of their transmition, which is some sort of digital sequence. Translator is standing by.}

Anasazi saw some sort of video feed appear on the screen. It was incredibly low def.

The picture was focusing on some sort of object. Decent sized animals surrounded the object, which was out of focus.

{We know other life forms are out there, for we have found one of your wreckages.} The video focused in on the object, and Anasazi gasped. The object was the Arbiter, a carrier lost long ago to the swarm. The wreckage had landed on this inhabited world. The other he immediately noticed was the Zerg creep covering part of the wreckage. It was dying, that much was obvious by its discoloration. But it was still there.

The video kept on speaking. {We have ****yzed your technology, and have reversed engineered it. Soon, we humans will join you in the stars.} The scene changed, showing massive starships being constructed.

{In a few years, these ships will be ready, and we will take root in the heavens above.} The message ended, then started playing again.

{Anything else of use on that probe?}

{Plenty. We have the location of their planet, multiple languages, basic history, basic biology, basic technology, and basic social structure. I’ll pull up their location on the star map now.}

Anasazi went over to the star chart. A small star that had never been explored was circled. It was in the third spiral arm of the galaxy, not to far from their position. Relatively speaking that was.

{They are far enough to have avoid detection by the Swarm, but I fear that with the creep upon the Arbiter has alerted the Overmind to their presence.}

{I agree. The species is probably wiped out, and even if they aren’t, we probably won’t get there before the Zerg.}

{None the less, the Survival Mandate is clear. We must go to investigate. If we are lucky, they have already completed their colony ships and are ready to escape. Maybe they already have and are wandering the stars now.}

Loknar looked like he was about to argue, but then thought better. He still brought up a good point when he said {What about our mission?}

{The void ray Dark Moon can stay behind and ****yze the data. Once finished, they can be massed recalled by the Shield of Auir.}

{Very well executor. Plot a new course, destination Earth.}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 human years later

They were less than a day away from the human planet. Only a few hours in fact. Observers sent ahead had reported no Zerg activity. They had arrived in time. {Does everyone have their translators on?}

{Yes sir.}

{Remember our goal is to get the humans to leave their planet. We are heading straight for their leader’s place: Union City.}

Suddenly alarms began to blare! {Executor, multiple Zerg organism’s closing in on our tail! By Adun, they’re right behind us, where our observers weren’t looking. We have to mass recall.} A zealot yelled.

{To late, they are on top of us. If we mass recall, they will be transported to the fleet. We can’t risk it.} Another yelled back.

Anasazi began to worry. {All power to engines. We have to distance ourselves from the Zerg.}

Anasazi heard the engines groan under the added strain. It was a testament to how fast they were going, normally one couldn’t even hear them.

{Scourges incoming. Take them down.}

The Golden Shield’s Weapons began firing at the swarm, but some got through. Every capital ship was struck.

{We’re hit. Maneuverability down to 35%. We’re going to crash land!}

{They are going to overtake us!}

{All power to engines, even life support! Put in any power you can. Prepare for a crash landing.}

Zealots began sending reports of other ships back to Anasazi, but he barely heard it. All he could think was {Did I command my entire force to a useless death?> If he hadn’t made the critical mistake of putting all of his observers ahead of the flotilla, ma}be he would have seen this coming and they could have escaped. The flotilla, all ships heavily damaged, plunged into the planet. The sheer force caused Anasazi and the rest of the Protoss to black out. The last thing he heard was the emergency thrusters firing.

Quaker

“Violence of any kind, for any reason, to any creature, hurts the soul.” Makan’s Father.

1 Year before the Great March

Wham! Makan’s fist connected with Derik’s head. That hurt, he had been aiming for the face, but the bastard had turned at the last moment. Now his hand hurt, instead of Derik’s face.

“What the hell are you doing!” Derik yelled, throwing a wild haymaker at Makan. Behind him, Alex, the nerd he had been beating, was crawling away. All around, teenagers were yelling “FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!” Someone was even yelling “BLOOD MAKES THE GRASS GROW GREEN!”

“Stopping you from bullying!” Makan yelled, dodging another haymaker.

“YOU WANT A PIEC--OMF!” Derik was cut off mid yell by Makan’s front snap kick to the solar plexus. Makan followed through with a low sweep with his left leg, toppling the already winded Derik.

“Had enough?”

Makan then had to jump rather ungracefully backwards, as two of Derik’s “buddies” charged at him. The first tripped over Derik, but the second managed to tackle Makan, pinning him to the ground.

Makan brought his hands up in guard position to help prevent the rain of blows that was about to follow. Fortunately for Makan, Scott had arrived. A hammer-fist went straight into the temple of the thug, throwing him off Makan and knocking him senseless.

“Nice of you to join in.”

“You seemed to be doing fine until they showed up. Nice to see those lessons I have been giving to you have paid off.” Scott offered Makan a hand, and hoisted him up. They went to guard position, or Cat Stance, ready to fight with Derik and his lackeys, who were getting up for round two. And that was when the principle arrived. And that is how they ended up in the principals office five minutes later.

“So are you really going to join the military? I mean, are your parents going to let you?”

Scoot looked solemn. “They have to if they want to be able to afford college for me. I can’t pay those city snob’s tuition, and I am not going to that crappy community college in Moose Jaw. So yah, I am going into the military, and I am going to kick some Earther ass.”

“I wish I could join the military. But there is no way Mom will give permission. Written or otherwise.”

“Well, you did always like protecting people. But you mother is a Quaker, and so was your Father. There is no way they would ever let you into the military.”

“I hate that. They want me to be the perfect little Quaker. Well guess what? Sometimes the world is dangerous, and you have to be able to protect yourself, and protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

“See, you would be the perfect poster boy for the military.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Makan’s home

“I still can’t believe you got into another fight! This is how you honor your father’s memory?” His mom was saying sternly. Mom didn’t yell. No one did in his family. He kind of wished they would sometimes.

“I fought to protect the weak. That is something God should approve of, if he exists.” Makan got out of the door to the magnetic car, which drove itself into the garage.

“God would not want your soul maimed by violence! There are better ways. Always.”

Makan faced his mother. “OH REALLY! LIKE HOW DAD HANDLED IT?! HE DID SO WELL, GETTING HIMSELF AND MY SISTER SUSAN KILLED. BUT HE DIDN’T DO ANY VIOLENCE SO HE DID THE BEST HE COULD, RIGHT!?”

“How dare you insult your dead father like that. He was so much of a saint, they are considering granting him Saint hood into the church, something that hasn’t happened in hundreds of years. He help hundreds of people, and this is how you talk of him?”

Makan couldn’t take it anymore. None of this perfect father crap. He fled to his room, and into his memories. He witnessed everything that had happened that day.

He was eight years old, playing upstairs in the play-mobile room, when The Man came. Makan had never learned The Man’s name. He had known something was wrong when is sixteen year old sister, Susan, had yelled “Who the Hell are you?”

Makan remembered the terror as his sister screamed while The Man hissed “Ah yes. So young, so ripe. Makan ran for his hidden spot, something his father had created for him when he was younger. When he believed in monsters. It was a small trap door under his bed. He opened it up, and climbed under. His bedroom was over the family room, where the family would be after he went to bed. There was a small telescope installed so he could view the family without disturbing them. Also in his security room was his safety blanket, a small lamp, and a sleeping bag. Everything needed to fall asleep.

That day, he was only interested in the telescope. He threw his face into it, and watched as The Man bound his sister to the big chair. Then The Man asked “Where is your younger brother? I want to have my fun with him too.”

“You pervert, he is no here.” Makan remembered thinking how brave his sister had been. He still believed Susan was brave. The Man smacked her, and began searching around the house. But The Man never found him. Dad had built it well.

The Man returned to the family room. It was then that his dad arrived home. The Man didn’t notice, he was to intent upon his prey. Makan remembered his father standing in the doorway, looking at the scene for a full minute, with The Man’s back turned. In his right hand was a bottle of wine. Makan remembered thinking “Hit The Man with it, Dad.” Makan also saw his father look at the gun sticking out of the man’s back pocket.

Makan then watched his father take out his phone and push 0, the code for police to come immediately to assist. He then stepped into the room and said very distinctly, though not loudly “You shall not harm my daughter.”

The Man turned around. “Ah, I am so glad you are here to witness this. After all, you can’t lay a finger on me without violating your precious religion.”

“I can’t, but the police can.”

The Man looked angry for the first time. “You called the cops!” He pulled out the gun, and shot Dad twice in the stomach. Makan couldn’t process what had happened. His Dad couldn’t be dead, he was invincible. He was…his Dad. He wasn’t allowed to die, God wouldn’t let it. He couldn’t let it happen just like that.

The Man grabbed his sister up, and began dragging her to the door. Makan got out of his little safety room and ran towards the window, to see The Man drag his sister out of the doorway. Then the cops arrived, three cars.

“Halt right there. You are under arrest. Lay down your weapon and come quietly.”

The Man looked around. There was no way out. Then he grinned. “Like Hell.” The Man yelled pulling the trigger on the gun pointed at his sister’s brain. The cops opened fire, shooting out his legs. The Man Survived, the only one to do so. He was killed by firing squad two weeks later. Makan was the only one of his family who attended.

Makan remembered it all.

“Sometimes, you have to fight to protect. And sometimes you have to kill to protect. Dad, why couldn’t you have given up your code that one time, and hit him on the head with that wine bottle?”

One year later.

Makan’s feet pounded on the road, along with many others. The cross country team was out practicing. The Moose Jaw Hunter’s as they were called. He had attended the community college to get away from his mother. And in four years, he would follow Scott into the Military. Where he could protect people.

Right now he was with the cross country team, during the first week of school. Makan loved running. Right now they were doing Native American File. Five would line up. The guy in first would set the pace at how fast or slow he wanted it, and the guy in last place would have to pass him, and become the guy in first.

The team went down the hill, and turned into the intersection, and almost ran into the soldiers who were running in the same direction. Their leader was yelling “Move it grunts, move it.”

Makan’s coach, a beefy man named Carreti yelled “Are we going to let the soldier’s, weighted down by their guns and stuff, beat us?”

The team dutifully yelled “NO!”

The friendly race was on. Makan had been running near a group when he saw something that almost made him stop. “Scott!”

His friend turned and looked at him. “Nice to see you too, hero. I guess I ended up next the college anyway?”

The two ran together. Afterwards, Makan couldn’t remember what they had talked about. What happened next would be forever etched into his mind.

BOOM

The world exploded in front of him. Confusion and terror rained, as more mortar shells fell down.

Some one yelled “SHIT, EARTHERS! TAKE COVER!”

Someone else was screaming for his mother.

The Major in control of the force yelled “HEAD FOR THAT BUILDING! DOUBLE TIME! AND CALL FOR SOME DAMN SUPPORT!”

Everyone who could ran for the large abandoned Comcast Building. The place was scheduled for demolition, but it hadn’t happened yet. Everyone that could got into it. Makan saw some bodies lying on the road. Other’s still moved, but were quickly gunned down.

The Major yelled “Soldiers in the front of the building, civilians in back. Prepare for contact.

Guns began firing, and smoke began building. Makan caught brief clips of the chaos. “Help me, I’m hit.” Some one yelled in a disbelieving voice. Another person, a woman, yelled “Covering fire, they are charging from the woods!”

Makan stayed near Scott, and saw the Earthers charge out of the woods, screaming like banshees and firing all over the place. Behind them, others were firing RPG’s at the building. Rockets came screaming in, but fortunately most went high.

Scott fired back, his M-21 firing short bursts at the enemy. A few went down, but more kept coming. They were chanting, Makan realized. “LET US SAVE YOUR SOULS FROM THE EVIL ALIENS! LET US CLEANSE THEM!”

Then the soldiers finished setting up the machine gun. RAT-AT-TA-RAT. The gun created a terrible din, cutting down the charging Earthers like wheat before the scythe. Blood was everywhere.

“Ah shi-MEDIC! I’m HIT! OH GOD, THERE’S BLOOD EVERYWHERE!” Makan looked down at Scott, and saw a bullet had cut through his stomach. He was trying to hold it together, but in was a horizontal incision. Makan saw another Earther charging through, to close to building for the machine gun to reach him. He was charging straight at them.

Makan did the only thing he thought he could do. He picked up Scott’s fallen rifle, and took aim down the scope. He pulled the trigger, and grunted in surprise at the kick. A puff marked his miss. The guy was close, about to open fire. Makan flicked the switch to full auto, and pulled the trigger.

The kick was horrific, his shoulder was dislocated. The bullets caught the Earther in the chest. He went down, wheezing. He then sighed, and stopped breathing.

Makan felt sick. He leaned over, and barfed on the ground. He then turned back to Scott, who was being treated by a corpsman. The corpsman was shaking his head.

“Scott? No, you can’t die. I fought to protect you. I killed to protect you. You can’t just die like that. Not like my father, or my sister. No.”

“Sorry…Makan. Sorryyy.” Scott’s head slumped down. The corpsman checked for a pulse, and then shock his head vigorously.

“I lost him.”

Makan was on the verge of tears. The sound of battle was dying down. Makan saw tanks over the horizon, and realized they were friendly. They were helping to drive off the enemy. But they were late, too late.

The medic popped his shoulder back in place, and moved on to the next casualty.

A noise made Makan look up. What greeted his eyes made him forget about Scott for a second. Falling from the sky was a spaceship, one that looked like the Great Ship that was in the World Space Museum.

It was landing…no it was crashing. Makan heard someone saying “Sir, package has arrived.”, but he didn’t process the words. The great golden ship was smoking. In the sky Makan could see other ships tumbling towards the Earth. The ship fired thrusters, trying to halt its decent, but Earth’s gravity had a strong grip. The ship crashed down, sending up a wave of dirt.

It was a full minute before the dust cleared, to reveal an alien limping out of the wreckage.

The being turned to them, and said in a metallic voice “Flee you fools! The Zerg Swarms are coming. You must leave this planet!”

The creature then turned back to the wreckage and began to dig, opening a hole into the bridge. Another alien emerged, looked around, and then plunged back into the ship. The first alien followed.

“What the Hell?” Phrases like that were being shot all over the place.

The ground started spraying dirt again. More mortar shells were falling.

“Take cover, we have to protect the Aliens. The Earthers will kill them if they get the chance!” There was a rush towards the downed spacecraft.

A large blast caused Makan to turn behind him, only to see the building collapse. A menacing tank burst through the tree line, and engaged the Military’s tanks. Behind it a second emerged. Infantry raced along the side.

“Form up and take out the infantry. Heavies, take out those tanks. You, civies. Take out our entrenching gear and start digging us some holes. We need cover if we are to survive.” The Major was yelling.

Something about his voice make Makan obey. He grabbed a shovel and began digging. Luckily, the wreckage of the ship provided decent cover. The mortar shelling had stopped again, which was lucky. It had been causing many casualties.

The firefight continued for a while. Soon a real trench line was formed, and Makan was able to take cover. He picked up another M-21, he had dropped Scott’s rifle. The kick still hurt, and Makan was careful to keep it on three round bursts. Other college students were doing the same.

There was no mercy in this battle. The Earthers believed everything here needed to be cleansed, and were trying their best to do it. The military was doing their best to stay alive.

The tanks were knocked out on both sides. While the Military’s drives were better, some of the enemy infantry managed to take them out from the rear. They were surrounded now.

After what felt like a year, Makan looked at his watch and was surprised to discover only 15 minutes had passed since the last time he had looked at the time. A noise at the back of the ship made Makan turn his head, to see about a couple hundred of the aliens leaving the ship. They looked around, as if unconcerned with the death happening around them. Then one said in a metallic voice “ENOUGH”

Electricity flew among the Earthers. A large portion went down. Others were cut in half, though by what Makan didn’t see. Then a large group ignited dual blades, one on each arm, and charged straight into the Earthers. Bullets bounced off shields as the blades cut through armor, guns, and flesh.

The Earthers began to run for it, some fleeing to the woods, others across the fields. The aliens regrouped at the back of the spaceship, were the first had emerged.

One spoke. “I am Executor Anasazi, and these fellow Protoss are under my command. You must flee to your colony ships and leave this world.”

The major stepped up. “I am Major Sajuuk, commander of the Second Commando Battalion. Why they Hell do we have to leave earth? Are you going to make us?!”

“No, the Zerg Swarms will. They will kill and infest all of you, just as they have done to us. They have driven us off our home worlds, added some many of our people to their ranks. They have chased us across the galaxy. The ship that crashed on your planet, was one of ours. They killed and infested everyone on that ship. They are here now, and they will not stop. See for yourself, for behold, they have arrived.”

Makan looked skyward again to see large purplish masses descending from the sky. They were living creatures! A pod landed near some of the fleeing Earthers. Small animals leapt out and began devouring the men.

More pods were landing in the area as larger creatures bore down.

The Major looked worried. “We can’t stay here, and the base is to far away.”

Coach Carreti stepped and said “The university isn’t far from here. We can rendezvous there. It has walls, towers, and its owns security force, plus tones of supplies. We can last there for a while. It’s just over two clicks--” A green glob of acid fell on him from a creature above. He began to scream, melting before their eyes.

“Fall back to the university. Go GO GOOO!”

It was a panic. Everyone was running down the road. Makan felt drained. He didn’t know how he managed to keep going. Every step felt like a kilometer, every footfall weighed down upon his soul. He was leaving someone he cared about behind again. Another person dead.

The short Zerg picked of stranglers while they were running. One almost got him, but a soldier managed to shoot it down in mid leap. Those things were fast, and acted like a pact. They reminded Makan of cheetahs hunting antelopes.

They reached the campus gate, the major in the front. “Open up right now in the name of UEM!”

“What eve--What The Hell are those?” The guard asked, cigarette dropping out of his mouth. He was to busy pointing at the Protoss to notice.

“Those are aliens, who seem to have come to protect us from other aliens. Now get this door open, and sound the alarm. We got worse than Earthers coming for us.”

“Yes sir!” The doors swung open, and the alarm blared. For once Makan was glad for the College security. He had figured that the Earthers would never target a college, and that the wall filled with turrets, guns, and men were unnecessary. Showed how much he knew.

Everyone was through the doors that could walk, and they swung shut behind him. Makan began to wander the halls of the school, oblivious to the firefight that was happening outside. All he could see was Scott dying, and the man he shot. He was about 24 years old, Makan would guess. He had brown hair and almond eyes. What was his name. Did he have any family? Anyone to mourn his name. What had been his last thoughts? Why was he there? Why had Makan killed that unknown man? Why did he have to be the one who pulled the trigger?

Makan wandered the halls oblivious to time. The rifle he had been carrying had been dropped a while back. Finally, Makan looked around at where he was, and found himself in the school Cathedral. He had never entered it before.

The pistol that he had picked up was growing heavy in his back pocket. He felt a terrible drain upon his entire being. He picked up the pistol, and studied it carefully. It had blood all over it. It’s previous owner had died messily.

“Is this what you meant, Dad? I tried to protect Scott, and I couldn’t. I ended a life for no purpose. And it seems like we’ll all die anyways, if these aliens are to be believed. What difference does it make if I join you a little earlier?”

Makan raised up the pistol, and heard another person walking in. He turned and saw the Major. Makan realized he couldn’t hear the sounds of fighting any more. The battle must have been won. Temporarily.

“What are doing?”

“Repaying for my sins.” Makan answered. He raised the gun to his head, touching the steal to his temple. The cold metal made him recoil, tilting his head back from the pistol, while moving his hand back. He heard the Major yell “NO!” and pulled the trigger.

Major

“Everyone is dying. It may take a hundred years, it may take five seconds. What is important is what you do with that time. Live as if you are dying, because we all are.” Sid Ziggler, Modern Philosopher.

Day of the crash landing.

Major Sajuuk Bentus was a dying man. You couldn’t tell it if you looked at him. On the contrary, he looked perfectly healthy. He was around two meters tall, about 137 Kg of muscle. He ate well, exercised regularly, and had an above average IQ. Yet he was dying, and had been since birth.

Sajuuk had an incredibly rare birth defect, one so rare it didn’t even have a name. He was the second diagnosed case. Sajuuk had no white blood cells, no normal defense systems against bacteria and other infections. However, his stem cells had an unusual property. They could literally take any infection and assimilate it into the body. Colds increased his breathing capacity. Tetanus strengthened his muscles. An eye infect increased his depth perception. For now, he was a superman.

But the human body only produced the necessary number of stem cells for about 21 years. Once the number decreased, any disease could then kill him. And he was 22.

Sajuuk could feel the days ticking by. He had done research on Aids, the only disease similar to what he would experience. It didn’t look good for him. There were some scientists who were trying to find a ways to both replicate his special stem cells, as well as find a way to have is body create more. They were having no success. Sajuuk had given up hope for a cure.

The decline of stem cell count had begun last month. They estimated he had about 6 months, then they would be gone, and the next infection would be his last.

Knowing he would die young had changed his entire outlook on life. At 18 he had joined the Military in the Officers Corps, hoping to make a difference before he died. He had risen fast through the ranks, showing remarkable skill in tactics and leadership. Now he was a major, in control of about 10,000 men, due for a promotion tomorrow to Colonel. He was in charge of the Second Commando Battalion.

He also had top clearance to some government secrets. People seemed to think that since he wouldn’t be around for much longer, it would be fine to tell him privileged information.

Aliens were coming, and given the images the probe sent, the same aliens who had lost their ship to Earth so long ago. The second Hubble Telescope had picked up what looked like a whole fleet crashing towards Earth. And other stuff. What looked like organic creatures fighting the great alien ships.

“Great, Earth will be a damn war zone in which we don’t even want to participate in.

The telescope had plotted the trajectory of the incoming ships, and they were going to land near his base. So it was his job to secure their locations and find out what was going on.

Sajuuk hopped that the Earthers wouldn’t get wind of this until it was too late. Otherwise, he would have real trouble on his hands.

“Second Commando Battalion, MOVE OUT!”

Sajuuk watched with pride as the men marched out to a meeting they knew nothing about. He had trained with them for three years, and was proud to serve with the Mighty Second as they called themselves.

Sajuuk’s aid Frank Harlan ran up. “Sir, Major McArthur has sent some tanks to rendezvous with us. They will meet us near the main ship’s expected landing zone.”

“Excellent, we may need the firepower.”

For a couple of hours the men marched down the roads, barley seeing a soul. Sajuuk tried to imagine the scene a hundred years ago, when over 13 billion souls lived upon the Earth. Sajuuk didn’t see how they could all fit. Then he remembered, they hadn’t.

At around 14:00 the battalion ran into some cross country runners from Moose Jaw College. “Come on men, are we going to let some lousy college students outrun the Mighty Second?”

“No sir!” They yelled back, and picked up the pace. Although his men were carrying full combat kits, they were in peak condition, and able to pull ahead of the runners a little. Then their coach egged them on, and a race began.

Sajuuk barely felt tired, although everyone else was breathing hard. It was hard to not appreciate the gifts of his…condition. He noticed some of his men falling out of line to talk with the cross country runners. Normally he would have yelled at them to fall back in line, or have the captains do it for him, but today was special. Their lives were going to be changed already. What did a little conversation matter.

They were near the first DZ when all hell broke loose.

Sajuuk heard the whine of the mortars before anyone else.

“GET YOUR ASSES DOWN, INCOMING!”

The mortars burst around and inside his men’s formation. Immediately men went down, screaming, dying.

Sajuuk looked around for cover and spotted what looked like a converted listening post from General Graf’s era. “ALL UNITS TAKE COVER IN THAT BUILDING! CIVIES, FOLLOW CLOSE!”

There was a mad dash for the building. Sajuuk saw some discipline starting to fail, as some men broke in other directions

“GET OVER HEAR, UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE!”

“BUT SIR-”

“MOVE IT SOLDIER! THAT’S AN ORDER!”

Those words had the right affect. Four years of military training made the men automatically obey him.

Sajuuk was lucky, the building was an old listen post, by the looks of it converted into a Comcast building. It was designed for the military, and thus easier to defend.

“Machine Gun crews: Second floor. “Snipers and AT teams, to the roof. People with SMG’s, first floor. Marksmen, third floor. Civies, head towards the center of the building.”

Sajuuk’s men hastened to comply, obeying the orders over the radio in their helmets. He then switched the radio to general military frequency. “Mayday Mayday, this is Major Sajuuk of the Second Commando Battalion. We are under attack by large force of Earthers and are pinned down near sector C-5 of Moose Jaw area in an abandoned building. Requesting immediate assistance!”

“This is Echo Two Niner of the Fourth Attack Squadron. No air support is available in your sector. We just got hit by some Earther Artillery, and are unable to take off until the debris have been cleared from the runway. This looks coordinated, you are on your own in terms of air support.”

“Damn it.” The Earthers had little in air support, because they had to keep moving. But they did have artillery, and tanks, and it seemed spies. Sajuuk tried a different frequency, looking for the tank corps.

“This is Commander Zeppelin of the 1st tank Corps. We’re in the neighboorhood with 13 tanks and are moving in to assist. ETA 23 minutes.”

Sajuuk breathed a sigh of relief. Those must be the tanks Major McArthur sent.

A war cry from outside the building made him switch back to battalion com. “What’s happening?”

“They are charging sir!” The computer prioritized messages, and the captains got dibs.

“Get those machine guns firing. NOW!”

“Yes sir!”

The familiar Rat-tat-tat of machine guns firing greeted his ears. Bullets flew around, grenades were thrown. Sajuuk moved men to different sides, to where ever the Earthers were pushing hardest.

Casualty lists flew up on his computer, filling his left eye with information. Over 200 hundred were dead, and another 300 some were wounded. Incredibly light casualties for the number of bullets flying. Some civilians were dying too, but not nearly as many as his men.

But the enemy was dying in droves. The death charge was a stupid tactic, the one of fanatics. It only got men killed.

A priority message came through on the radio. “Sir, this building is a death trap. It is not that structurally sound. If a few more support pillars go, this place will collapse. We need to get out of here soon.”

“Roger, but we can’t move out either, they will massacre us if we break cover. Do what you can to shore up the supports. Take any civilians you need to make this building stand.”

“Yes sir!”

Sajuuk began to walk around to access the damage. A bullet cracked past his face, and he dived down to cover. Despite having a death sentence upon him, he wanted to live as long as possible.

While hugging the earth, he saw one of his men get hit. A civilian picked up his rifle and began to fire at a charging enemy. The guy was a poor shot, he missed by a good half meter. Sajuuk pulled out his own pistol and shot the man three times, just as the kid unleashed a whole clip of M-21. The guy seemed to think he had killed the Earther, and began puking over the ground.

Sajuuk’s radio crackled to life again. “This is the Calvary, here to save your guys asses. You all owe us some beers tonight.”

Sajuuk saw the tanks come over a hill and began to shell the enemy forces. “Agreed, if you guys can hold your liquor.”

“Oh its on!”

The tanks began to shell the Earthers, sending them scattering. They began to fall back. Victory was his.

Sajuuk felt elated. His first command, and he had won. He hadn’t done all that much, but still, he had won. He had made a difference. It was then that he heard the noise.

He looked up, and saw a spacecraft screeching from the sky. Not one, no, there was about ten large ones, and an assortment of smaller craft.

Sajuuk turned is radio to the secure channel he had been given. “This is Major Sajuuk. We are at sight of one of the packages and shall secure it. Unable to reach other’s due to Earther attack.”

“Acknowledged. We read the ships as damaged. Bring units to base for processing.”

“Yes sir.”

“Inform us of any changes, Major. We will keep in ssssssss.” The message turned to static.

“Damn it.”

The golden ship was trying to slow its decent with thrusters, but failed. The velocity was just to great. The ship crashed down, sending up a cloud of dust.

“All units hold fire. I repeat, do not fire until ordered to.”

Acknowledgements came from all sides. Sajuuk began to advance as the dust cleared. A figure was being revealed.

The computer relayed information to him in his HUD. The creature was about 2.2 M tall, and was estimated at around 200Kg, though some was from it’s armor. It was bipedal, with two eyes.

The alien had a device around its neck. It pulsed and spoke. “Flee you fools. The Zerg swarms are coming. You must leave this planet.”

With that the alien began digging. Another alien emerged. The two looked at each other for a few moments, then both entered the ship.

Questions flew around, most pertaining to what the alien was. Then the mortars started falling again. Sajuuk heard an ominous creak coming from the building.

“Shit. All units evac the building and head for the ship. We have to protect the alien’s from the Earthers.”

Sajuuk and his men fled from the building. He changed is radio setting to the tank commander.

“We have to protect the aliens, and the Earthers are making another push.”

“We’re on it. We’ll take care of them. Those aliens have nothing to worry about.”

Sajuuk and his men reached the wreckage. Mortars kept raining down upon them. The ship was huge, over 5 km long and three deep, compared to the 1 by 1.5 km building they had just been in. The landing had thrown debris everywhere, which made for useful cover against infantry. It was useless against the mortar fire. He needed foxholes and trenches.

“Attention everyone, get the civilians digging, we need some cover.” Captain began conscripting the civilians into the new engineer company, and they began digging.

The Earthers renewed their assault on Sajuuk’s makeshift Base of Operations. Enemy tanks burst through the tree line to the north, engaging Sajuuk’s tanks. Sajuuk ordered the AT forward to counteract the threat. They managed to take out the enemy tanks when a panicked message reached him.

“They are behind us, swarms of them, my tanks can’t deal with all of them, we are-OH GOD!” Sajuuk watched as the last of tanks “brewed up” Perfect “cigar rings” came out of their holes, marking the death of everyone inside from an internal explosion of the magazines.

More Earthers poured over the hill where the tanks had occupied. The fighting became pitched. The trenches were beginning to be completed. Men were making use of the cover, but they were still dying.

Sajuuk kept on trying to raise people outside of his area, but the communication grid seemed to be down.

Then the aliens emerged. The computer in his HUD tried to count them, but was having trouble. It estimated about 1000 aliens in total.

“ENOUGH!” an alien shouted, and death began to reign among the Earthers. Electricity darted among them, frying left and right. Most of the aliens charged ahead, igniting dual blades and cutting through the enemy. Some seem to be sliced in half by thin air.

The aliens, the sworn enemies of the Earthers, caused them to retreat. They fell back in a panicked flight.

“All units, cease fire.”

The firing died down, creating an eerie silence. That lack of noise…didn’t seem right.

One of the aliens strode forward. “I am Executor Anasazi, and these fellow Protoss are under my command. You must flee to your colony ships and leave this world.” The metallic voice rang in Sajuuk’s ears.

“I am Major Sajuuk, commander of the Second Commando Battalion. Why they Hell do we have to leave earth? Are you going to make us?!”

“No, the Zerg Swarms will. They will kill and infest all of you, just as they have done to us. They have driven us off our home worlds, added some many of our people to their ranks. They have chased us across the galaxy. The ship that crashed on your planet, was one of ours. They killed and infested everyone on that ship. They are here now, and they will not stop. See for yourself, for behold, they have arrived.”

Sajuuk looked up, and saw the apocalypse arrive at Earth. Living masses of tentacles spewed forth from the heavens and rained down upon the ground. Hellish creatures burst forth from sacs and began tearing apart fleeing Earthers. Other monstrosities flew through the air.

For the first time in years Sajuuk found himself praying to God.

Screams filling his radio brought him back to Earth. “WE HAVE TO FALL BACK TO A SECURE LOCATION, BUT THE BASE IS TO FAR!”

A civilian ran up. “The university isn’t far from here. We can rendezvous there. It has walls, towers, and its owns security force, plus tones of supplies. We can last there for a while. It’s just over two clicks--” He began to scream as some sort of acid fell on him from one of the hellish demons above.

“EVERYONE, BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY. DOUBLE TIME!” Sajuuk ran up to the aliens, who were not moving, but facing the approaching enemies.

“You’re coming with us.”

The leader, no executor, turned toward Sajuuk. “We must die in glorious combat. It is our duty as members of the fleet. Death before surrender!”

“Like Hell you are. I need you guys alive to tell me what the Hell we are fighting. So you are going to come with me, or I am going to knock you out one by one and carry you back to that university myself if I have to.”

Sajuuk would later swear a pained look entered the alien’s eyes.

“Very well, we shall come with you.”

The flight to Moose Jaw University was a terror. Packs of the smaller Zerg units trailed the retreating combatants continuously, picking off straying units. They were fast, small, and vicious. They reminded Sajuuk of lions picking of caribou.

Sajuuk began to push his way to the front of the column. Along the way one of the smaller creatures leaped at a civilian. Sajuuk shot the thing in its head, which seemed to work well.

Eventually Sajuuk pushed his way to the front. They were nearing the south checkpoint into Moose Jaw University.

“Open up right now in the name of UEM!”

“What eve--What The Hell are those?” The guard asked, cigarette dropping out of his mouth. He was to busy pointing at the Protoss to notice.

“Those are aliens, who seem to have come to protect us from other aliens. Now get this door open, and sound the alarm. We got worse than Earthers coming for us.”

“Yes sir!” The doors swung open, and the alarm blared. For once Makan was glad for the College security. He had figured that the Earthers would never target a college, and that the wall filled with turrets, guns, and men were unnecessary. Showed how much he knew.

Sajuuk grinned. The weight of the entire United Earth Military was to much for the poor rent-a-cop to handle.

“Switch your com links to channel 314 with the password “Guilty Spark”. Then you will follow my instructions to the letter, understood?”

“Y-yes sir.”

“Good man.”

Sajuuk noticed that the Zerg had stopped following. The rest of the column made it through the doors, which were then shut and barred.

The University was protected by an outer wall with turrets, almost like a medieval castle. Four doors, one on each compass direction, marked the only entrances in. This was all done to ensure the students safety from the Earthers.

Sajuuk had the men set up on the walls with the heavy guns loaded into the turrets. He then headed towards the…Protoss, wasn’t it? Yes Protoss

“What will you be doing with your men?”

“We shall be guarding the gates to prevent total overrunning of the center of learning should the Zerg breach the gatehouses.”

“Very well.”

Sajuuk walked up to the upper ramparts of the South Gate. There he had a commanding view of the area. He could see Zerg forces massing further down the road, though they were way out of range. It looked like a small sea.

With a roar issuing from many throats, they charged. A sea of flesh and blood collided with the walls. Smaller Zerg units jumped up and tried to scale the wall. Other shot spines out of their mouth, impaling men going through cement.

“Snipers, take out the ranged units. Everyone else, target the smaller ones, they are scaling the wall.”

Several larger Zerg units exploded in a cloud of blood. But the Zerg tide was advancing. The pack Zerg were literally walking up the wall, their claws digging into the cement. For every one shot, 3 more took its place.

The Zerg were getting through.

A new unit appeared. They were green sacks, rolling like rolly pollies towards the gate house.

“Machine gunners, take out those green ones.”

The gunners tried to comply, but it was too late. They ran straight into the door, detonating upon impact. Sajuuk watched in horror as the door melted.

“FOR ADUN!” The Protoss charged into the fray, swords held high. Electricity poured into the enemy ranks.

But the Zerg were getting through.

Then Sajuuk heard a sound worth celebrating.

“This is echo two niner, we have the airfield up and running, do you still need assistance?”

“Yes, by God I do. We are under heavy assault from unknown organisms at the south entrance to Moose Jaw University. Requesting immediate firebombing of outside area.”

“That’s a roger. We have four F-42’s coming in hot to your position.”

The Zerg were almost over the wall. Men were starting to be torn apart. Protoss blood was staining the battlefield.

The jets roared overhead, missiles firing from their belly into the enemy ranks. Zerg units were torn to shreds by the shrapnel. Others were incinerated by the heat.

The Zerg retreated.

“We did it, we drove them off!”

Celebratory gunfire went off, as men began hugging and congratulating each other.

Sajuuk suddenly felt tired. There was only one place for him to go now. He looked at his HUD one more time. 2139 men were dead. Only 158 injured people had made it to the relative safety of the University. Over a fifth of his men were casualties.

Sajuuk headed towards the cathedral, to pray before God and ask for forgiveness. For losing so many men.

Sajuuk entered the cathedral, and saw a civilian there. He recognized him as the boy who had tried to fire the M-21, and had missed, causing Sajuuk to shoot the Earther. In the boy’s hand was a pistol.

“What are you doing?”

He turned and faced Sajuuk, as sad look in his eyes.

“Repaying my sins.” He raised the gun to his temple.

Sajuuk saw something moving towards the civilian from the back, but there was no way to reach him in time. He shouted “NOO!” in vain, and watched him pull the trigger.

The creation of the colony ships was in Vancouver, which was actually the two cities of Seattle and Vancouver mixed.

Moose Jaw was an actually city dating back from pre WWIII times. After the war, the entire city became a University for the surrounding areas, though it was really for the poor. The only MegaCity next to it was Alberta, which was a mixture of Edmonton and Calgary.

The battle at the Carrier involved some 25,000 humans. 10,000 were under the command of Sajuuk, about 500 were cross country runners, and the rest were Earthers. It is estimated that over 8,000 died in the battle. The protoss had had origonally 3750 men on the Golden shield. About 1250 survived the crash, and only about 1125 survived the subsequent battles.

The protoss had origonally been sent on a scout mission. As a result, they had little in war machines, just a few hundred sentries and less than fifty observers.

After WWIII, the Earth was left with many abadoned buildings. They dotted the landscape, and there wasn't enough manpower to remove or loot them.

We were lucky in our weapons development. If we had had lasers like the protoss, we would have been unable to damage the zerg, due to their development of anit-protoss weapon hides. Their resistance to energy made them realitivly brittle, allowing our bullets to penatrate.

His dads an idiot, nuff said. I don't care how much he believes in his religion, I would've done anything to protect my kin but good, love the concept of how children act as if someones invincible.

“The hardest thing to do in this world is to live.” Buffy

Day of the Crash Landing

Anasazi felt dizzy. Everything was loud inside of his head. By the Kala it hurt, …wait. Those noises, they weren’t inside of his head.

He took a moment to look around. It was the bridge of his ship. That’s right, it was his ship now. Its name was…he was having trouble remembering. And that pounding noise wasn’t helping. All those booms, they rang in his ears.

The Golden Shield! That was it.

Something moaned next to him. Anasazi turned, and saw Loknar stirring. The image brought memories back. They had crash-landed! He had failed to put up a proper observer screen.

Observers…they had found something…humans! He had crash landed on the human planet of Earth!

There was a hole in the side of the bridge. Anasazi climbed out, and looked around. Some sort of particle was clogging his sight, and, and the ground felt so good on his feet. So natural. Anasazi looked around. He realized the particles that had been obscuring his vision were settling down, and that they had been kicked up by his ship.

His dead ship, gutted by the Zerg.

At least the booming had stopped. Anasazi heard voices calling to each other from one direction. He turned. The translator device was working at least, he was receiving PSI inputs from the device that were translated fragments of what it picked up.

The particles finally settled, revealing a large group of humans. The ones he had come to save. The ones who his crew had died for, ON HIS ORDERS!

He had to warn them, then he could die in glorious combat, and be acquitted of his failure. In his pride he thought he could save this species. He was to late. But he decided to make one last effort.

{“Flee you fools. The Zerg swarms are coming. You must leave this planet.”}

The translator spoke for him. It sounded wrong in his ears, just like the human speech did.

Loknar emerged from the wreckage.

{Executor, we must look for survivors.}

{Yes, yes of course!} Anasazi stood for a moment longer, and sniffed. He had never smelled anything like the air here before. It almost seemed worth it, losing everything, for just one milicycle on this planet. The dark and stale confines of ships just couldn’t compare. Then he plunged back into the Golden Shield.

Bodies were everywhere, the failure of his command. Every dead eye seemed to be staring at him. Every face asking him {why?}. He had lead them to their deaths, for in his arrogance he had thought he would achieve what even the great Adun had not…leading a new race to the Great Fleet. Saving another species. Adun may have saved their own by forcing the two templar sides to work together, and had them build the Great Fleet, where every Protoss now lived. But he had done it with the help of Matriarch Razagal, and he had never found another species.

And now his men were dead. All brave souls, all extinguished. Well, not all.

He and Loknar were picking through the ship, finding survivors here and there.

Anasazi barely paid attention when they found survivors. When they asked what was to be done, he replied mechanically {Find the other survivors.}

The booming had stated soon after entering the ship, an ever continuing racket of noise. The others ignored it, but it kept interrupting his thoughts. He had told the humans what to do, and they would do it if they were smart. So it was time to lead his command in one last glorious charge when the Zerg arrived. The final boast to the engines had only given them so much time.

Finally all survivors were gathered, they were in the bridge once again. {My fellow Protoss, I have failed you. I hopped to lead you to a new species, one that we could save. Instead all I have lead you to is death. But let us die gloriously, slaying as many as the horrible Zerg as we can. En Taro Adun!}

The men cheered back at him, and Anasazi was surprised. He had admitted that he had failed, and they cheered! Perhaps, they like he were hopping death would absolve them of their failures. But the failure was his and his alone.

Anasazi left the bridge, and was stunned by the sight that greeted his eyes. The land outside his ship had changed dramatically. Human crouched in holes and pointed metal things at others further down. Large green things obscured some of the humans. Anasazi saw some humans go down, one screaming. Others lay dead.

Suddenly Anasazi recognized the items in their hands as guns. They were fighting each other! The transmitter was overworking with all the noise. One of the things it picked up made Anasazi laugh. {They are protecting aliens! Kill them, and purge the Earth clean of their taint!} They thought these humans that were fighting back were protecting him. He didn’t need protection from their flimsy weapons.

{Forward men, let’s destroy these pitiful humans who would dare stand against us. Attack!}

Suddenly some projectiles hit his shields. One got through, hit his armor, and shattered, sending fragments into his leg. They did minimal damage, but they hurt.

{“Enough”}!

His men charged forward, cutting through the enemy like colossi through zerglings. He concentrated hard, and sent a PSI storm through their ranks, frying them alive. Other high templar were doing the same, decimating the enemy. Dark Templar were in and among the humans, slicing them in half with their scythes while zealots charged forward. Soon the large green objects were soaked in blood.

The final remnants of the hostile force disengaged, fleeing the battlefield like cowards.

The firing died down, and the booming stopped. Anasazi saw a human step forward, presumably their leader. His forces assembled behind him. Anasazi decided to warn them one last time. They had earned that right in blood, even if it had been unnecessary.

{“I am Executor Anasazi, and these fellow Protoss are under my command. You must flee to your colony ships and leave this world.”}

“I am Major Sajuuk, commander of the Second Commando Battalion. Why they Hell do we have to leave earth? Are you going to make us?!”

Anasazi smiled. These humans though he would drive them off their planet? Oh the irony. No, that cause was above. With his senses, Anasazi could already see the Zerg fliers entering the planet.

{“No, the Zerg Swarms will. They will kill and infest all of you, just as they have done to us. They have driven us off our home worlds, added some many of our people to their ranks. They have chased us across the galaxy. The ship that crashed on your planet, was one of ours. They killed and infested everyone on that ship. They are here now, and they will not stop. See for yourself, for behold, they have arrived.”}

The human looked up, and took a step back in horror. Anasazi remembered the first time he had seen the aliens himself, when they had infested Auir. He remembered the footage of the swarm descending upon their cities, infesting their people. After 200 megacycles, those images still haunted him.
He turned toward the approaching enemy. His men turned with him. {Initiate Final Measure Protocol. The Zerg may claim our lives today, but they will not claim our bodies.}

The human was speaking to him again. “You are coming with us.” The tone in his voice was a command, not a question or request. It was something even Anasazi could tell.

{“We must die in glorious combat. It is our duty as members of the fleet. Death before infestation!”}

The human did not give up. “Like Hell you are. I need you guys alive to tell me what the Hell we are fighting. So you are going to come with me, or I am going to knock you out one by one and carry you back to that university myself if I have to.”

Need. That special word, that one that changed so much. People still needed him. He could not die today, he could not so easily find peace with himself.

{Executor?}

{We go with the humans.} Once again the tone was final.

{“Very well, we shall come with you.”}

The human executor took the lead. He knew where he was going, so right now he was in command. Anasazi fell in close behind, jogging leisurely at the pace the humans were going. Jogging! These humans were incredibly slow. That, and this planet had a nice, light gravity.

Anasazi tried to take in all of the marvels of a live planet around him. They had plant areas back on the Great Fleet, but nothing like this. Nothing so…alive.

It was a hard thing to do, with zerglings packs chasing after them. Dark templar guarded the outskirts, and managed to intercept a few. Other humans shoot some. Anasazi was amazed that their primitive weapons were able to harm the Zerg.

Finally they reached their destination, what the humans called a “university”. It was protected by a low wall, one that zerglings could easily scale, and one that a single Ultralisk could bust through.

The human executor argued for a movement with the other one at the gate. The executor won the exchange.

The humans began setting up defenses while the Executor came towards them.

“My men will be guarding the walls. Where shall you be?”

{“We shall be guarding the gates to prevent total overrunning of the center of learning should the Zerg breach the gatehouses.”}

Privately Anasazi believed there would be no chance that the humans could prevent the swarm from breaching. Perhaps they were to die here, rather than in that field.

The humans started firing again. The noise still assaulted Anasazi’s ears, but it didn’t hurt as much. He was getting used to it.

Over the din of the firing, Anasazi heard the Zerg scream as they charged. Claws battered the door, which creaked on its hinges. Yet it held.

Suddenly the claws stopped hitting. Anasazi knew what was coming next. {Ready yourselves, here come the banelings!}

The door melted down in a wave of green acid. Zerglings poured through the door.

{FOR AUIR AND SHAKURAS!} The Protoss charged forward, slicing through the Zerg. But it couldn’t last. Some shields were already failing, and brave men died, returning to the Void.

A whine in the air caused Anasazi to look upwards, in time to see human aircraft attack the Zerg. Metal things flew from their belly into the Zerg, killing a surprisingly large number. The rest retreated! They had won.

{Executor, we have done it. We may actually get off this planet!}

Anasazi knew better than to hope for that.

{Loknar, you are in command till I get back. I have to set up the beacon}

{Yes, executor.}

Anasazi walked behind a human building, a tall one. It had a kind of rough beauty to it. The building was nothing like the smooth hulls of the Great Fleet, yet that some how made it more appealing. Anasazi took out the beacon and placed it behind the building.

A pulse was sent out, a single brief pisionic call. Any other Protoss alive would feel it and know its direction. Every centicycle the beacon would pulse, bringing more men. He would need them.

Anasazi turned around and saw the human executor enter the building. He saw another entrance right next to him, and went through it.

The first think Anasazi saw was the human executor looking at another human, who had a small gun in his hands.

“What are you doing?” The human executor asked.

The other raised the gun to his head. Anasazi realized his intention in an instant. It was the same intention he had had such a short time ago. And he knew that this human could not die, just like he could not. He began to race forward.

“Repaying my sins.” The other human said. He flinched as the gun touched his skin. Anasazi felt an extreme burst of speed, much like when he had been a lowly zealot. He charged forward, and put his hand on the gun as it fired.

At that range, the shield had no chance of activating. He flinched as pain he hadn’t ever felt coursed through his hand. The metal slug exited on the other side, then fell to the floor.

“…We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender…” Winston Churchill


President

Day of first contact

Presidential house, Union City

This wasn’t how Ambrose Eisenhower had planed on spending his years as president. He didn’t even plan on being president. He had been the vice president when Frank Smith had died during an Earther raid three months ago. And now this had been thrown into his lap.

“Are you sure that the probe is not malfunctioning?”

“Dead sure, Mr. President. This probe is transmitting the data at the speed of light. These are in fact alien ships of the same design as the one that crashed on Earth. They were in the Gama System, which is about 3 years from here. That probe shouldn’t even be there, but we didn’t know about the black hole until it swung around it and flew in that direction.”

“And they are heading here?”

“There is no doubt. Final velocity was in our direction, save for the one that stayed behind.”

“Thank you, Mr. Schresch. Ok people, you have heard it yourself. In under three years, these aliens will arrive. We do not know their intentions. We do not know their weapon capabilities. In short, we know almost nothing. Now I want suggestions.”

Powell Winters, commander of the UNM, stood up. “Mr. President, we don’t know why these aliens are coming. It could be pure curiosity. But at some point, we will run into hostile aliens. It could be the ones coming towards us now. It could be ones we run into a thousand years in the future. But no matter what happens, if we are not prepared we will be annihilated by the hostiles. So once again, I argue for the Valhalla project.”

Eisenhower had heard of the project before. An ambitious plan by the military to create war space ships, capable of nuclear missile strikes, housing fighters for quick strikes, and heavy turrets. A plan he had rejected due to its enormous costs, its use of nukes, and its lack of value. Now…
“How soon can you get working on it?”

“In the hour sir.”

“I am giving you a blank check. Do whatever it is you have to do to get those ready.”

“Yes sir.”

Another person stood up, Karen Saaket, head of security and counter terrorism efforts. “We have to keep a lid on this. If the Earthers find out, they’re ranks will swell from xenophobia. They will work as hard as possible to bring us down. We don’t want any more fuel thrown onto this fire.”

“I had already considered the matter, and have declared this subject confidential. Anyone who breaks the silence without my orders will be shot for treason. Anything else?”

Silence reigned in the room. “Mr. President, what do we do when they arrive?”

“I have no idea.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three years later:

“Monitoring stations have picked up the alien fleet. They are right on time. Unfortunately, Mr. President, we are not. We except that the completion of the colonization fleet, as well as its escorts, won’t be complete for another 3 weeks, maybe longer.”

Eisenhower was tired. He had been trying to keep the lid on this, so far with success. It was about to blow up in his face, no matter what happened. “Conscript workers if you have to, but speed up production. Now are you sure Major Sajuuk can be trusted with this information.”

“Very sure, sir. He is a tactical genius with a short lifespan who is very loyal. You saw what he did during the Vancouver Raid. He will keep the Earthers off our back.”

“Excellent. See to it that-”

An aide ran into the room. “Sir, the alien fleet is under attack. Bringing up the Hubble telescope feed now!”

“Show me!”

The monitor switched to the feed. Eisenhower and his staff were greeted by a fleet of golden ships. They looked beautiful, and they were under attack. Small organisms were flying straight at the majestic ships, who tried to intercept them with lasers. Some burned, but others managed to crash into the ships. Explosions rocked the ships, staggering some.

“How close to real time is this?”

“About 8 second delay at this range. They have just passed the Pluto belt.”

“Give me Hubble command, and tell them to focus on the organisms behind the ship.”

The aide handed him a comn, but the camera was already adjusting. A sight of thousands, no millions, no even more organisms filled the screen.

“My god, that’s an invasion force. It has to be.”

Eisenhower looked around. He was thinking the same thing. “What of the ships?”

Another aide ran in. “Sir, the ships have taken damage, and are accelerating towards Earth. ETA, 5 hours, tops. We are plotting impact courses now. It appears they are going to land in Canada, near Alberta City.”

“That’s where Sajuuk is stationed.” Powell said.

Eisenhower knew the time that would test his leadership had come. “Commander, have Sajuuk secure the LZ. Send him to secure the area, but don’t tell him why. Sent his some reinforcements. Karen, have all the outlying areas evacuate to the MegaCites, and then have them evacuated. Military comes first. Have everyone head to Vancouver Island where the ships are being constructed, and start building defenses. I may be completely overreacting, but if we are right in our fears, we will need those ships.”

People gasped around the table. “Mr. President, are you authorizing the Ark contingency?”

“Yes I am. The very fate of our race may be decided in the coming month, and I will not be responsible for the extinction of our species. God speed. Carry out your duties.”

It was done. The dye was cast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 hours later.

“Mr. President, the second group of aliens has landed. We can confirm some attacks, but that is it. Sajuuk has made contact with the first, but beyond that we know nothing. All MegaCities are under attack.”

“How many have made it out?”

“Most of the military has made it out. A few bases were overrun before they could evacuate. But the civilians sir, the civilians didn’t get out. We estimate about 1.5 billion are still trapped in the MegaCities or in the surrounding countrysides. And before you ask, we can’t that many out. The enemy air power is much superior to ours right now, although they don’t spot us that fast. But every time we have engaged in equal numbers are helicopters have gone down fast. They just don’t have the speed. Our jet-planes are fast enough, and can do decent against the enemy, but they don’t have the space to evacuate, and anything that lands is quickly shot down. Only over the Americas do we have any kind of superiority, and that is only west of the Rockies.”

“So you are saying no-one east of the Rockies or west of the Pacific can be rescued?”

“Yes sir.”

“Damn it!”

This wasn’t the kind of information Eisenhower wanted, but it was what he needed. Humanity was truly at stake in this war. These kind of facts weighted down upon him, and now was when he was to deliver a speech encouraging humanity to fight on. Fight on for what? Most were dead, they just didn’t know it.

But he had to try. He wasn’t ready to give up just yet. Maybe a miracle would happen.

Five minutes later he was inside the conference building. For once the reporters weren’t trying to swarm him, it seemed even the press grasped the gravity of the situation.

He stood up at the stand, cleared his throat, and spoke.

“My fellow humans, we find ourselves at war again. This is a new kind of war, one where are enemies are not each other, but aliens, beings from the great beyond. Less than an hour ago, humanity made first contact. And now we are fighting for our survival.

The enemy is alien, incomprehensible. What it wants appears to be the total destruction of our race. Why? We don’t know. What we do know is this:

We shall fight them. We shall fight them with tanks and planes. When we run out of tanks and planes we shall fight with guns and rockets. When we run of bullets we shall fight with clubs, knives, and our bare hands. We shall not surrender, we shall not give ground.

We WILL survive the long twilight struggle. We shall continue on as a race, as a species. We shall overcome this trial.

Our petty differences matter no longer. Color of skin, religion, they are dust on the cosmic winds. All that matters is that we are human. All human life is scared now, and must be treated so. For the last 50 years, we have been at war with each other. The Earthers vs. the United Nations Military. Well, I say, that war is over. We can’t fight it anymore. So to all Earthers, I offer this. Join us, and all shall be forgiven. We can’t turn our backs on you anymore, and neither can you do the same to us.

It is time to make a stand. For humanity, for our families, and for the future. It is time to fight. Anyone still alive who gets this message, I beg of you: flee. Flee. Flee to Vancouver Island, so we may evacuate.

Humanity’s fate no longer rests in the hands of the leaders, but the people. We are, I am, counting on you all. Thank you, and fight on!”

The reporters all got up and clapped hard. Eisenhower bowed a little, then got out into his car.

He had just arrived at the safe house in Vancouver when an aide came up. “Sir, you better see this.”

He turned on the screen, and the face of John Sawyer filled the screen. The number one wanted man.

“You all know me. I am John Sawyer, leader of the Earthers, defender of our sacred planet from the alien invaders and their sympathizers. You have been lied too.

You were told we know nothing of the aliens. That is not true, we know why the came here. Why we are suffering and dying at their hands. Another group of aliens landed before them, aliens who made the ship that crashed here so long ago. These “invaders” have come for those aliens, who your beloved president is sheltering. And now he wishes to flee with them. Flee aboard his ships created from their technology. Well, we won’t allow it.

President Eisenhower has sold his soul to the demon invaders, and plans on selling humanities soul as well. We will save it, and humanity itself. We will defend Mother Earth as God intended us to. We will fight until the aliens are dead and peace reigns, and the people rule again. We will fight, and not run like cowards.

For Mother Earth.”

The transmition ended.

“Damn. So much for a peaceful reconciliation.”

“A resource is scarce when there is higher demand than supply.” Economic Dictionary

Cathedral in Moose Jaw University

Makan heard the roar of the gun, followed by a very primal, yet metallic roar behind him.

And he was alive.

He turned, and saw an alien behind him, clutching a hand bleeding blue blood. “What the Hell…ow! HEY, give that back!” The major had torn the gun from his hand. Makan reached for it, and Makan smacked him, hard.

“Don’t you dare do that. You are a scarce resource right now. Every human is. You may die in the next day but you sure as Hell are not killing yourself. Now move to the auditorium, and assemble anyone in this university to that auditorium. I will be with you shortly.”

The major than turned to confer with the alien. Makan turned, and walked out. He was alive. He wanted to die, but saw to way to do it. With nothing else to do, he headed towards the President’s Office.

While walking, he heard a pop and looked up. Bursting above him was a red and yellow flare. Makan recognized it from all those videos drilled into his head. “Red and Gold, all civilians head there and due as told.” Stupid rhymes memorized by people to help protect themselves in case of an Earther attack. Yah right, that had worked so well.

He reached the door, and found that it was locked. He took of his shoe, and smashed the window open. It wasn’t like the president would care. He put the shoe back on, and climbed through. The PA system was located on the desk at the entrance. He pushed the button, and picked up the mike.

“Attention, attention! This is Makan, speaking on the authority of Major Sajuuk, who is now in charge of this University. All non-guard civilians are to report to the auditorium immediately to be spoken to by the Major himself. This is not a joke, or prank. This is reality. Moose Jaw University is now under Marshall Law, by the power invested in Major Sajuuk, and by the authority of the United Nations Military. Repeat, all non-guard civilians are to report to the auditorium immediately. Makan out.”

The major hadn’t actually declared Marshall Law, but it felt sooo good to say it. He laughed a little, and then stopped. “Why the Hell am I laughing? Scott is dead, Hell, half the damn human race is probably dead, the rest just not quite knowing it yet? So why am I laughing?” Yet he could not stop chuckling for a while.

Eventually he reached the auditorium. Students and profs were already entering. Above, another flare was going off. Makan wondered how many could see it, and how many would reach the relative safety of the walls.

He found a seat near the front. People were yawning and complaining. Despite the gunfire that had happened less than 15 minutes ago, most seemed unconcerned. It was around 7:00 pm, when most people would be eating. Makan couldn’t believe that less then 3 hours ago he had been running cross country, without a care in the world.

It seemed like another lifetime, and should have been another life.

Some subconscious part of Makan’s brain removed that though. He realized with a pang that he could no longer bring himself to commit suicide. The longing was gone.

The major stepped out from behind the curtains, and went up to the microphone. “Ladies and Gentlemen, human beings. I am sorry to drag you out here now, but humanity is now in its worse crisis ever. It is not my duty to tell you what has happened in the past hours, but the President’s. He is about to give a speech now.

Sajuuk stepped aside, and a projector went down. The president filled the screen, and Makan realized that it wasn’t his normal speech spot.

He stood up at the stand, cleared his throat, and spoke.

“My fellow humans, we find ourselves at war again. This is a new kind of war, one where are enemies are not each other, but aliens, beings from the great beyond. Less than an hour ago, humanity made first contact. And now we are fighting for our survival.

The enemy is alien, incomprehensible. What it wants appears to be the total destruction of our race. Why? We don’t know. What we do know is this:

We shall fight them. We shall fight them with tanks and planes. When we run out of tanks and planes we shall fight with guns and rockets. When we run of bullets we shall fight with clubs, knives, and our bare hands. We shall not surrender, we shall not give ground.

We WILL survive the long twilight struggle. We shall continue on as a race, as a species. We shall overcome this trial.

Our petty differences matter no longer. Color of skin, religion, they are dust on the cosmic winds. All that matters is that we are human. All human life is scared now, and must be treated so. For the last 50 years, we have been at war with each other. The Earthers vs. the United Nations Military. Well, I say, that war is over. We can’t fight it anymore. So to all Earthers, I offer this. Join us, and all shall be forgiven. We can’t turn our backs on you anymore, and neither can you do the same to us.

It is time to make a stand. For humanity, for our families, and for the future. It is time to fight. Anyone still alive who gets this message, I beg of you: flee. Flee. Flee to Vancouver Island, so we may evacuate.

Humanity’s fate no longer rests in the hands of the leaders, but the people. We are, I am, counting on you all. Thank you, and fight on!”

Makan and the other’s managed to clap a little, but only a little. They were too stunned. The President was calling for the evacuation of the entire planet? It was truly that bad?

Makan heard murmuring all around…and a tapping noise. He turned to his left and saw a kid tapping the keyboard on his I-pad. Makan realized he was writing down the President’s speech.

Before Makan could ask what the kid was doing, another face filled the screen. Makan gasped, along with everyone else. Filling the screen was the face of John Sawyer.

“You all know me. I am John Sawyer, leader of the Earthers, defender of our sacred planet from the alien invaders and their sympathizers. You have been lied too.

You were told we know nothing of the aliens. That is not true, we know why the came here. Why we are suffering and dying at their hands. Another group of aliens landed before them, aliens who made the ship that crashed here so long ago. These “invaders” have come for those aliens, who your beloved president is sheltering. And now he wishes to flee with them. Flee aboard his ships created from their technology. Well, we won’t allow it.

President Eisenhower has sold his soul to the demon invaders, and plans on selling humanities soul as well. We will save it, and humanity itself. We will defend Mother Earth as God intended us to. We will fight until the aliens are dead and peace reigns, and the people rule again. We will fight, and not run like cowards.

For Mother Earth.”

The screen turned off, the projector rolled up.

The major stepped forward. “Mr. Sawyer was right about one thing. There are other aliens here. But they are not the cause of this invasion. They came here to warn us, to help us evacuate. Citizens of the Earth, I give you Executor Anasazi, Leader of Protoss Fleet Zeta.

The alien floated out, and then floated back.

“I know all of you have questions. I am afraid they will have to wait. The enemy is at our doorstep, and we must prepare to defend ourselves. All must do their part if we are to survive. Thus I am creating the Civilian Corps. You are under the command of me, and me alone. Your first assignment is to find anything of use for our great journey to Vancouver Island. We will have to travel, probably on foot or horseback, to the city, and we will need supplies. The priority is: Water, Food, Backpacks and other items that can carry supplies, Medical Equipment, Camping supplies. Anything else is un-necessary. All animals that can be eaten are to be moved to the common ground, along with all the supplies you find. All vehicles of transpiration that do not require power should also be brought.

You have your assignment, carry it out. I will be in the president‘s office if there is an emergency that needs to be brought to my attention.”

There was much muttering as people began to get up. There was a sort of stunned compliance, no one argued or objected. They moved like robots, unable to process what had happened.

Makan got together with Frank Oliver and Skylar Smith, two fellow cross country runners. “Were do you guys want to search?”

“Let’s try the machine shop, there are sure to be bikes there that we can use.” Skylar replied.

“Your talking about the ones with pedals, right?” Skylar stared at Frank. “I knew it.”

“Come on, let’s just go.”

The three headed towards the machine shop, an oppressive silence hanging over them. It was due to this that they heard the man talking in the machine shop.

“I am sorry sir, I didn’t hear about the tanks until it was too late!”

“Silence! Those tanks cost us our victory over the UNM. Without the knowledge, our tankers were destroyed. Had we known, we could have defeated them and killed the aliens and stopped this damn invasion.

Now it is to dangerous. We are pulling you out, you have outlived your usefulness. With the invasion causing chaos, we have hacked into the spy satellite network, which for some odd reason the aliens have left alone. We will use it to track enemy movement. Wear a red turban and a white shirt, and head for Saskatoon Hill. You will be greeted to by two men in and a gas powered truck. Say “silence is golden” and you will be allowed in. This truck will be there in 10 days at 3:00 pm. Be there. That is your only ticket out.”

“Yes master.”

Makan made a banging motion with his hands, and the others nodded.

They heard the man get up and walked to the door. He opened it, stepped outside, and was tackled from three different directions.

He barely managed a “What the…” before being completely pummeled and overwhelmed. Makan heard the snap of bones being broken.

“Stop, we need him alive. We will bring him before the Major.”

“Are you sure. I would like to keep on kicking the SOB, he sic the Earthers on us!” Skylar had a vicious streak to her.

“I would like to, but he is more use alive. Come on, let’s drag him to the Major.”

It was hard work, even with the three of them. Two would pull while one would take a break. Eventually they reached the Presidents house. Two soldiers stood outside.

“Halt. What do you…what have you done to Sajuuk’s aide?” One of the guards asked.

“He was a traitor. We caught him sending a radio message to the Earthers. He’s the one who told them where the aliens were going to land so they could kill us and them. We are bringing him to the Major.”

The two guards looked at each other. “Very well, pass on through.”

The three of them dragged the aide to the conference room. He was beginning to regain focus. “What…noooo.” It was a moan that seemed to have trouble escaping his lips.

Makan entered the room, to find the Major talking to the head alien, and that kid with the I-pad. He was busy typing something up, and paused as they entered.

“What have you done to Harlan?”

“What needed to be done. This man is a traitor. We caught him sending out a radio transmition to the Earthers. He was a spy, and gave them the information on the aliens. Where they were going to crash land. He sent the Earthers after us. He didn’t tell them about the tanks, because he learned of them too late.”

Sajuuk turned toward his aide. “Is this true?”

“Yes, I am an Earther. We are the only defenders of this planet. Give up Earth. I would rather die than see that happen. We will drive the aliens from our planet. We will protect it from all evils, human or other.”

Sajuuk sighed. A great weight seemed to fall on him. Then he turned to the kid.

“Alex Fuog, you wanted to witness something? Then witness this. The first trial after first contact. The first court-marshal. Witness, and record.” He paused, and turned toward Harlan. “Harlan, you are found by this court to be guilty of treason.” With that, he pulled out his pistol and shot Harlan in the head, killing instantly.

“A harsh but necessary thing to do.” The Protoss said.

Alex paused, and then resumed typing with great gusto. Makan felt sick again.

“Historians shape the future by interpreting the past. How they see is how we come to see it, and base our actions upon past events.” Steven Ambrose

Historian

Alex Fuog, Graduated Senior and TA, was asleep. He was busy dreaming about signing his first book of, a book on a history only he could write about, having been there. It was the sudden amount of gunfire and the wailing of alarms that woke him up.

He looked at the clock and yawned. “So much for my nap.” Then it hit him.

The university was under attack.

Alex quickly dressed, and grabbed his I-pad. He then raced towards the sound of gunfire.
He was quite proud of the I-pad. It was one of the few modified to have its own solar panels to run. Most just used solar powered batteries, but this baby could run a whole week in darkness, and forever in sunlight. Just what an inspiring war correspondent would need.

And this opportunity was perfect. An assault on the university by the Earthers? If he recorded this moment properly, he could finally land that military correspondent job he had always wanted.

Alex was soon winded by his efforts. The solar panel made the I-pad 13 much larger than a regular I-pad, and heavier to. He began to wish that he had brought his backpack, it was much more suitable for lugging the thing around.

The gunfire was much louder. This must be an incredibly large assault. Alex turned on his I-pad, and activated the camera. There were sure to be some footage he would be able to get from the video that this baby would record. He rounded the corner, and stopped dead.

In front of him aliens were fighting other aliens. Real live aliens! He must record this moment for the future when humanity would want to see it. He brought up his I-pad, and began to film.

He saw the blue aliens charge the…organic aliens. Energy swords sliced through fleshy creatures. He saw men on the walls fire down at more organic aliens. He recorded it all in high definition.

And then the body fell in front of him. It was female, about a meter and a half tall. The face was bloody, and eye was missing. There was a large bite mark on her neck, and others on her legs. She had a death grip on a great serrated knife, which dripped green blood. Blood was still slowly leaking out of the holes in her body. She had a sling on her back, one that had probably been used to carry her rifle. Her brown hair still shined in the sunset.

Alex felt disgusted with himself. He had come here for his own personal gain, and people were dying. He looked down, and noticed her dog tag was showing. “Martha Hilbert. I shall mark your name, and the name of all those who died here today. I shall witness and record.”

He then set out. Out to find the names of the fallen, and record them. He created a new document in the I-Pad: Names of the Fallen. Martha Hilbert was the first name added. He set out for more.

The whine above him caused him to turn, and he saw the jet fighters release their deadly cargo. Missiles streaked into the enemy, destroying them. Alex wondered who would be recording their names.

With the retreat of the enemy, a strange silence fell upon the survivors. Alex began to wander aimlessly, looking for more names to record. The list began to grow. He began to memorize the list, from top to bottom. Always starting with Martha Hilbert, followed by Arthur Hope. Then came John Smith. Then Mary Freeman. The list began to grow.

Alex had recorded 23 names when he heard the gunshot. A solitary noise, piercing the mourning silence of the survivors. He rushed towards it, and was stunned by how few even reacted. He peered into the Cathedral. A strange sight greeted him: One of the figures was alien, clutching his hand. A human was looking stunned, and another was clutching a smoking pistol.

There was something about the way the man who held the pistol stood. It gave him an aura of command, while the alien seemed to be suffering an ailment of the soul. This was something Alex had found he could do. He could read others he knew nothing about. As long as that remained the same, he was fooled. Once he got to know them…it became complicated.

The first human was sent out by the other, who holstered the pistol. He then turned to the alien, and started conversing. Alex paused for a moment, and then walked inside.

The pair turned at his arrival. Alex suddenly felt nervous. He steeled himself, and walked up.

“You are in charge of the force here?”

The human looked surprised. “Yah, I’m in charge here. I am Major Sajuuk. And you are…”

“I am Alex Fuog, and I was wondering if you had the names of those who have fallen this day?”

The major looked surprised. “Why the Hell do you want the names of those who I lost?”

Alex to a step back involuntarily. “To record the names of the fallen. They must be remembered.”

The alien looked intrigued. “You truly wish to take up this burden?” Alex nodded. “You should released the names. The dead must be honored. Without the dead, the living wouldn’t exist.”

His, no, its voice was harshly metallic. The major looked around, as if expecting someone to contradict him. “Very well, if it means that much to you guys.” He grabbed Alex’s I-pad, pulled out a cord, and plugged it into his helmet and the I-pad. After a few seconds he said “Done. Now scram.”

Alex turned to leave. “Wait.” The alien said. “Go find my second in command, Loknar. Ask him for the names of our fallen, and record them. Tell him that I, Anasazi, Executor of Theta Fleet, sent you. En taro Adun.”

Alex nodded, and muttered a little, then left the cathedral.

The rest of the aliens were standing, or floating in some cases, near by the front gate, where he had first see them. He swallowed air, and began to walk forward.

“I am looking for a Loknar, any of you a Loknar, one Executor Anasazi sent me. Hello, any of you Loknar.” Alex was feeling extremely foolish until an alien floated up in front of him. It was kind of disturbing how his shadow seemed to follow a second behind, leaving a ghost image.

“I am Loknar, what does the Executor want?” Alex noticed he had the same kind of metallic voice.

“He want’s me to get the names of your fallen, so I may record them here by the names of the human fallen.”

The alien was silent for a moment, then “How old are you in Earth years?”

“I’m 22. I am a man according to our society.”

“Still far to young to be a name bearer. You should be past your zenith before doing this. Yet if the Executor commands it, I shall do it.”

With that, the alien began reciting names. Alex kept on having to ask him for spelling, so it was a long time before he was done. It seemed Protoss, as he learned they were called, didn’t translate easily into the human alphabet.

Eventually over 2000 names were added to the list. Alex knew that it would grow much more before this was over. He began reciting the list again, reading downwards. “Martha Hilbert…”

The PA shattered his new formed ritual. “Attention, attention! This is Makan, speaking on the authority of Major Sajuuk, who is now in charge of this University. All non-guard civilians are to report to the auditorium immediately to be spoken to by the Major himself. This is not a joke, or prank. This is reality. Moose Jaw University is now under Marshall Law, by the power invested in Major Sajuuk, and by the authority of the United Nations Military. Repeat, all non-guard civilians are to report to the auditorium immediately. Makan out.”

Alex sighed, and headed toward the auditorium. A massive building, it seated over a million people. It was at the heart of the University, a massive stage for all kinds of performances. This was probably the last thing that would happen upon it’s withered wood.

As Alex sat down, he realized he was next to the other man he had seen in the Cathedral. He looked sullen and resentful. Alex wondered what had happened to him to make his so cranky.

Alex pulled out his I-pad, and started typing up his narrative. He wanted everything to be written down while it was fresh in his mind.

The major steeped out from behind the curtains and began to speak.

Ladies and Gentlemen, human beings. I am sorry to drag you out here now, but humanity is now in its worse crisis ever. It is not my duty to tell you what has happened in the past hours, but the President’s. He is about to give a speech now.

Sajuuk stepped aside, and a projector went down. The president filled the screen, and Makan realized that it wasn’t his normal speech spot.

He stood up at the stand, cleared his throat, and spoke.

“My fellow humans, we find ourselves at war again. This is a new kind of war, one where are enemies are not each other, but aliens, beings from the great beyond. Less than an hour ago, humanity made first contact. And now we are fighting for our survival.

The enemy is alien, incomprehensible. What it wants appears to be the total destruction of our race. Why? We don’t know. What we do know is this:

We shall fight them. We shall fight them with tanks and planes. When we run out of tanks and planes we shall fight with guns and rockets. When we run of bullets we shall fight with clubs, knives, and our bare hands. We shall not surrender, we shall not give ground.

We WILL survive the long twilight struggle. We shall continue on as a race, as a species. We shall overcome this trial.

Our petty differences matter no longer. Color of skin, religion, they are dust on the cosmic winds. All that matters is that we are human. All human life is scared now, and must be treated so. For the last 50 years, we have been at war with each other. The Earthers vs. the United Nations Military. Well, I say, that war is over. We can’t fight it anymore. So to all Earthers, I offer this. Join us, and all shall be forgiven. We can’t turn our backs on you anymore, and neither can you do the same to us.

It is time to make a stand. For humanity, for our families, and for the future. It is time to fight. Anyone still alive who gets this message, I beg of you: flee. Flee. Flee to Vancouver Island, so we may evacuate.

Humanity’s fate no longer rests in the hands of the leaders, but the people. We are, I am, counting on you all. Thank you, and fight on!”

Alex was glad he had his I-pad on him. That was a great speech, and should be recorded for all of history. He looked back up, and gasped.

“You all know me. I am John Sawyer, leader of the Earthers, defender of our sacred planet from the alien invaders and their sympathizers. You have been lied too.

You were told we know nothing of the aliens. That is not true, we know why the came here. Why we are suffering and dying at their hands. Another group of aliens landed before them, aliens who made the ship that crashed here so long ago. These “invaders” have come for those aliens, who your beloved president is sheltering. And now he wishes to flee with them. Flee aboard his ships created from their technology. Well, we won’t allow it.

President Eisenhower has sold his soul to the demon invaders, and plans on selling humanities soul as well. We will save it, and humanity itself. We will defend Mother Earth as God intended us to. We will fight until the aliens are dead and peace reigns, and the people rule again. We will fight, and not run like cowards.

For Mother Earth.”

The screen turned off, the projector rolled up.

The major stepped forward. “Mr. Sawyer was right about one thing. There are other aliens here. But they are not the cause of this invasion. They came here to warn us, to help us evacuate. Citizens of the Earth, I give you Executor Anasazi, Leader of Protoss Fleet Zeta.

The alien floated out, and then floated back.

“I know all of you have questions. I am afraid they will have to wait. The enemy is at our doorstep, and we must prepare to defend ourselves. All must do their part if we are to survive. Thus I am creating the Civilian Corps. You are under the command of me, and me alone. Your first assignment is to find anything of use for our great journey to Vancouver Island. We will have to travel, probably on foot or horseback, to the city, and we will need supplies. The priority is: Water, Food, Backpacks and other items that can carry supplies, Medical Equipment, Camping supplies. Anything else is un-necessary. All animals that can be eaten are to be moved to the common ground, along with all the supplies you find. All vehicles of transpiration that do not require power should also be brought.

You have your assignment, carry it out. I will be in the president‘s office if there is an emergency that needs to be brought to my attention.”

Alex thought the whole thing with Anasazi floating out was so poorly planned it wasn’t worth mentioning. Ah well, that was what editing was for.

He didn’t want to take stock of useful items. He wanted to be there, with Anasazi and Sajuuk. Where history was being made, and must be recorded.

Alex got up, and walked after the two. Sajuuk must of heard him, for he turned around, and asked “What the Hell are you doing here?”

“Writing up history in the making. I got the list of names for you, Executor.”

The alien paused for a moment. “Let him come. Some things must be recorded. This may be your species final hours. All must preserved. We lost our Preservers. You must protect yours.”

Sajuuk suddenly looked very old. “I am already in my final hours. All right kid, if you want to come then come.”

The three marched, Major and Executor talking. They discussed tactics, the various units of the Zerg, necessary equipment, and the likes. They eventually reached the conference room.

Finally they reached the topic of leaders. More importantly, who should be in command. It had been clear for a while that they were both trying to avoid the subject.

“I think each of us should control our own forces.” Sajuuk was saying.

“Agreed, but I think you should be the supreme commander.” Anasazi replied.

“Me?” The surprise was unmistakable. “I know nothing about the enemy. You know their tactics, their forces, their units. You would make a much better commander.”

“I know the enemy, but I don’t know you and your forces. You will be needing to take care of your own, we can take care of ourselves. You know which direction to head in. And I think your people and mine will accept you more readily. We Protoss are used to…change. Its been forced upon us to many times.”

“Very well, if you are sure…”

“I am.”

Alex recorded it all. His hands, and especially his wrists were starting to cramp.

Three kids entered the room, dragging a half conscious body. Alex recognized the same kid again. “Circles upon circles.” he mumbled to himself.

What have you done to Harlan?” Sajuuk asked.

“What needed to be done. This man is a traitor. We caught him sending out a radio transmition to the Earthers. He was a spy, and gave them the information on the aliens. Where they were going to crash land. He sent the Earthers after us. He didn’t tell them about the tanks, because he learned of them too late.”

Sajuuk turned toward his aide. “Is this true?”

“Yes, I am an Earther. We are the only defenders of this planet. Give up Earth. I would rather die than see that happen. We will drive the aliens from our planet. We will protect it from all evils, human or other.”

Sajuuk sighed. A great weight seemed to fall on him. Then he turned to the kid.

“Alex Fuog, you wanted to witness something? Then witness this. The first trial after first contact. The first court-marshal. Witness, and record.” He paused, and turned toward Harlan. “Harlan, you are found by this court to be guilty of treason.” With that, he pulled out his pistol and shot Harlan in the head, killing instantly.

“A harsh but necessary thing to do.” Anasazi said.

Alex paused, and then resumed typing with great gusto. The first courtmarshall, and hopefully the last. He created a new list. Traitors. Harlan Bakouban was the first name.
“Martha Hilbert…” He began reciting the names again. It was a long time before he finished mumbling, while the I-pad recorded all of it.

The protoss have a system of keeping track of time that is just as confusing to us as ours is to them.
One Megacycle: 2.48 Earth Years
One Cycle: 3.21 Earth Months
One CentiCycle: 2.6 hours
Onc MiliCycle: about 15 minutes.

The ark protocol was a plan deviced to insure the survial of the human race in an Earth threatening event. The protocal was created after the near miss of Starburst Commet, which almost impacted with Earth, missing by less than 10,000 Km. If it had impacted, the Earth's life would have been wiped out, much in the same way of what happened to the dinasorces. In the plan, the military would be evacutated first to protect the sight from Earther attacks, who almost certinally would respond with force against any move to leave the planet. Then civilians who could still work would be evacuated, and finally the old and the disabled.

The protoss were forced to evacute their planets when the zerg invaded. The invasion, timed with protoss leaders on both the high templar and dark templar sides who wanted peace, allowed the protoss to come together as one species, at the cost of their planets. The Protoss managed to evacutate a large part of their species, and now roam the stars in their Great Fleet, looking for new worlds to colonize.

The Earther Rebellions were much like the Vietnam war. The Earthers tended to stick towards raids, terrorist attacks, and ambushes. Whenever they engaged in open combat, the supiror men and equipment of the UNM generally won out.

The zerg left our satalities intact for two reasons: There were no bio-signs on them, and they did not attack the zerg swarms. We were fortunate for this oversight.