2400 AD

“You failed!”

The hooded figure banged his fist on Sunderland’s table then spun around to face him. The room was bathed in a sharp light. Holographic figures sat in a circle around him, standing in the middle of the room.

One of three images spoke up. “Denizen has rescued our children across the globe. They’ve released their BHB Drones. They have the upper hand. All it takes is for Commander Gideon Kinsman to say the word and we’re all dead.”

Another one said, “This will be worse than the 4th Great War. We must ask ourselves if this is worth it.”

The hooded figure turned to Suiderland. “We fight. We cannot allow the world to be run by Denizen. We have Androids, we have firepower, we have the means to annihilate every Denizen facility. “

Suiderland interjected. “Even as we speak, Krakat is dealing with Commander Kinsman. We should have confirmation of his demise in a few minutes.”

“And how do you think that will augur with the citizens of the world?” The hooded figure asked.

“You mean, whatever is left of the world.”

“It will mean devastation!”

“Precisely.”

“I think not.” The hooded figure stood up and slowly removed the hood.

High cheekbones set against a lean, confident face as though life had been good and gracious to her. But, her brown eyes told another story. A sad story. Life had not been good and gracious at all.

Kendall.

“Gideon is my brother. We need him. Lillian is dead. The only person who can take her place is Gideon. We must secure him, otherwise there won’t be a world left for us to rule. You, Suiderland, ordered his death...”

Just as she said the word death, Gideon, Callum and Cleo burst into the room with a mass of children behind them. Gideon came to a sudden stop when he saw Kendall.

“You!”

“Who did you expect, Commander?”

“You’re the mole? Why? Why Ken?”

Kendall never hesitated to speak. She saw hesitation as a weakness. “Because Lillian is dead. And you are the only one who can replace her.”

Gideon now knew why he’d collapsed in the tunnel. Still, the news surprised him. He felt a knot in his heart but had to keep pretending. “Not happening.”

“You have made sure that no child will be allowed to take her place. There is no other alternative, Commander.”

“You’re wrong. There is. Lillian only controlled your world. Denizen doesn’t need a Lillian.”

“The world needs you, Gideon,” Suiderland chirped in.

“The world needs the truth. You’re so hell bent on control that you fail to see the big picture and for that you lose big time.”

“The truth,” Kendall said, grinning. “The truth is plain to see, Gideon. You’ve forgotten everything father taught you. How to be a man. How to find the truth in yourself. These children are capable of mass destruction, yet you choose to save them. Tell you what, take them. Take them all to Denizen. Soon you’ll understand how evil they can be.”

“Father? You speak about our father. He showed me how to stand up for what is good and right. Essentials. I don’t know how or when or why you turned, Ken. I’m asking you now to leave all this behind you. Come back to Denizen and begin again. Don’t be a fool.”

“Your BHB Drones are above us, call them back.”

“Don’t do it,” Callum tightened his grip on his laser.

Gideon had no idea the BHB Drones had been released. He played along. “Give up this insane notion of yours and I’ll consider it.”

“Every Xenocon facility is bound to the way of the Solarian. We can’t give that up,” Kendall said.

“That’s not what I mean. The children thing. Give it up.”

Kendall thought for a moment. Gideon knew she would never back down. She’d lose face. She’d lose her control.

She stepped back and turned away from him. Then just as quickly she whipped around, at the same time grabbing her laser and the moment she faced Gideon, she fired.

Twice.

Into his shoulder. Into his stomach.

Callum watched as the surprise covered Gideon’s face, as he fell to his knees gripping his stomach.

Cleo fired several lasers into Kendall. Then Suiderland and several Androids around them.

And then the children attacked. The rest of the Xenocon force in that room didn’t stand a chance.

Callum dropped to his knees, he had been in situations like this before in the Foreign Legion. Friends and fellow soldiers dying around him. He cradled Gideon in his arms and begged him not to die.

He wasn’t allowed to die.

There was still so much to do.

The children.

The world.

“You can’t die on me. I love you. I fucking love you!”

Gideon spoke in a calm whisper. “It’s okay. It’s okay Cal. Don’t let them take the children, promise me.”

Before Callum could say anything, Cleo pressed a communication button on Suiderland’s collar and shouted into it.

“Tumelo! Tumelo!”

A second later Tumelo answered.

“Get us the hell out of here. There’s four of us. Do it now!”

“No!” Callum grabbed the communication device.

“What are you doing?”

“Tumelo, wait! Get ready to move a lot more.” He turned to Cleo. “Where is Indranil?”

***

Callum could not believe what he was seeing.

Hundreds of pods lined the walls. Coffins, all of them. Cleo pointed to a room at the far end of the chamber. Inside, people rushed about preparing to evacuate.

A door slid open and Androids rushed in, surrounding them on all sides.

“This is it.” Cleo said.

“Is it?”

“We can’t fight so many.”

“Who says we’re going to fight? Tumelo, on my count, transfer this entire room.”

“Impossible, Callum.”

“Do it.”

“There’s not enough power. The system won’t stand a chance.”

“Make it happen. We’ll deal with these Androids on the other side.”

“I can transfer...wait. Jacob, what the hell are you doing in here.”

Callum heard Jacob’s words. “First get rid of the Androids. They hear at a low frequency. I can manipulate the frequency to interfere with their wiring.”

Do it, Jacob. Now!” Callum ordered.

Callum and Cleo didn’t hear a thing. One by one, the Androids clutched their heads and fell.

“Perfect. Good one Jacob.”

“I can try to teleport each one of these people. I must warn you they won’t be the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“Teleportation damages the internal atomic network of the human body. In the process they will die because those atoms become irregular. They virtually fall apart and rebuild themselves at the point of destination.”

“Christ! Just do it.”

***

The medics rushed Gideon and Kendall to the infirmary where doctors prepped them for immediate surgery.

Callum couldn’t be called upon to do anything. He was in a perpetual state of emotional flux. But he was alive. That was the main thing.

“How am I doing?”

A doctor leaned over him and checked his heart rate. “The transferal didn’t affect you at all. Some of those whom Jacob teleported didn’t make it. You are lucky.”

“Indranil. Did he make it? Cleo?”

“Yes. They’re fine. We’ve stabilized them.”

“Thank you. Can I see them?”

“In a moment. Like yourself, they are still in a state of flux. Give them a couple of hours.”

***

The entire Eagle team waited with him as hour after hour passed.

“There are still about 300 kids in that facility,” Cleo told Tumelo in the anti-simulation chamber. “Can you get them out.”

“Done.”

“Where’s the rest of the high command?”

“Waiting for a situation report. They’re in the War Room. Want me to go with you?”

“You get those kids. Once they’re out wait for the command to employ the BHB Drones.”

***

In the War Room, everyone waited expectantly. The situation across the world was dire. One consolation was that all the children, everywhere, had been pulled to safety. There were no children in the Xenocon facilities.

“Employ the BHB Drones,” Nkoni instructed.

Cleo spoke into her bracelet. “Tumelo. We have a go on the BHB Drones. Deploy.”

They watched via holographic images as the drones rose above the city skylines, then hovered for a few seconds while they prepared themselves. The blast mechanisms below their bellies opened and aimed and without a sound they attacked.

Buildings had no chance.

They collapsed in on themselves from the top down.

Golden streams of magnificent color rose into the sky and parted thick, permanent clouds of volcanic ash, allowing a quick glimpse of the lost blue sky. Colors swirled and spread vertically into the atmosphere and horizontally along the skyline, changing into vermilion sunsets and cyan sunrises.

Within minutes, nothing was left of the Xenocon outposts.

Three hours later, the world began to count the cost.

Four hours later, Kings and Queens, Prime Ministers and Presidents of every nation that had supported Xenocon, capitulated.

The Mzansi Broadcasting Association presented a special broadcast from the new President of the African United Nations based in Mzansi.

Solarians.

Denizens.

All citizens of Earth.

Our world has been liberated from the corruption of Xenocon.

All leaders who gave this institution their full or partial support, have been rounded up and incarcerated.

We must learn to live without Xenocon. We must learn to live together in peace in order to rebuild that which we have lost.

I implore all citizens of every surviving nation to work together to bring about peace and harmony.

Denizens and Solarians are urged to regroup and rebuild. In time, all this will be a thing of the past.

Only through Ubuntu can we survive. Only through peace, love, compromise and a willingness to renew, can we, as Mankind, ever hope to achieve the glory we once had.

Let’s shake hands and deliver.

***

Indranil opened his eyes and smiled. “It is good indeed to see you, Foreign Legion.”

Callum took his hand and held it tight. “I never thought I would see you again.”

“I am like a wall paper, I stick to those I love.”

“You love me?”

“You are like a brother to me, of-course I love you.”

“It’s all over, Indranil. You are safe now.”

“That’s all I ever wanted.”

“Indranil.”

“Yes, Foreign Legion.”

“It will be an honor to have you as a brother.”

“I know this. I am the best. Now please I need a glass of very cold water. Make sure they put ice in it.”