report was altered?! I’m leading the invasion of an alien
planet and you’re withholding information?! Mr. President?!”
But it’s too late. The meeting room is again
empty, all holograms gone, the ship’s computer informing him of the
obvious: “Connection lost. Trying to reestablish.”. But nothing
happens.
The Admiral just stands there, in the empty
room, thinking, trying to find some meaning to the rapid escalation
of the events he just witnessed, unaware of what is happening back
on Earth. But after only a few moments, the computer breaks his
concentration: “Transferring… File transfer complete.”
He starts walking to the console next to the
door to see what transfer the computer was mentioning. But just
before reaching it, the hologram reactivates and the council room
reappears. Sterrow turns around: this time it’s only the President,
alone, right next to where the Admiral was previously standing,
focused, his head slightly tilted down, his eyes locked on Sterrow,
his hands by his side, slowly moving from the heavy breathing:
“Admiral. You are authorized to begin the invasion effective
immediately! Your orders have been dispatched to your ship’s
computer.”. And with a low, deep voice, almost like an aggressive
animal snarling, communicates the final order through his gritted
teeth: “Get it done, Admiral!”. The hologram shuts down just as the
President is turning and walking away.
Sterrow takes a deep breath and closes his
eyes for a moment, instinctively accepting his order; but he
immediately remembers about the file received and with one hand he
checks the console. It seems to be a holographic recording called
“The Ashan Report”.
Determined to find out what was happening, he
starts playing the recording.
Final note from the author
Thank
you for reading the first part of the Humanity series. If you
enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave me a review at your
favorite retailer. And if you’d like to tell me what you loved,
what you hated, or simply say “Hi” – check out my author page on
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/gabriel.dica
Thanks! Gabriel Dica
p.s.: Keep reading, you’ll find a short
fragment from the next book.
The Ashan Report. File #1. Year 2221
“Gazing through the window at the world
outside. Wondering, will mother Earth survive? Hoping that mankind
will stop abusing her, sometime.” … The music fades away as the
increasingly louder alarms come into focus - Captain Ayala Herut is
slowly coming back to reality after she briefly fainted, again,
from the huge forces her ship is experiencing. The cockpit is
shaking violently, the frame is twisting and growling like a
wounded animal desperately clinging to life; the ship is racing
towards the ground in an uncontrollable spin, despite the Captain’s
best efforts. Her whole body is constantly being pushed to right,
forcing her painfully into the side of her chair. Her vision is
coming back, but all she can see is a continuous trail of red
lights from the panels in front of her. With all her strength she
struggles to reach the controls, but it’s almost like the ship is
fighting back; the lateral forces are too high, beyond the ship’s
breaking point, she can’t move a single muscle; she’s pinned in her
chair, a passive spectator to the unfolding of her imminent death.
The ground is getting closer and closer. In total contrast to the
Captain’s state of mind, the ship’s computer is very calmingly
announcing the inevitable: “Warning. Altitude loss. Ten kilometers.
Warning. Altitude loss. Eight kilometers.”. The ship’s tail breaks
apart and the sudden difference in pressure causes the Captain to
be brutally thrown forward in her chair, only to immediately come
to a sudden stop because of her safety restraints. “Warning.
Altitude loss. Six kilometers. Warning. Altitude loss.
Four-thousand meters. Altitude loss critical. Impact imminent.
Eject! Eject!” But the Captain can’t do anything,
planet and you’re withholding information?! Mr. President?!”
But it’s too late. The meeting room is again
empty, all holograms gone, the ship’s computer informing him of the
obvious: “Connection lost. Trying to reestablish.”. But nothing
happens.
The Admiral just stands there, in the empty
room, thinking, trying to find some meaning to the rapid escalation
of the events he just witnessed, unaware of what is happening back
on Earth. But after only a few moments, the computer breaks his
concentration: “Transferring… File transfer complete.”
He starts walking to the console next to the
door to see what transfer the computer was mentioning. But just
before reaching it, the hologram reactivates and the council room
reappears. Sterrow turns around: this time it’s only the President,
alone, right next to where the Admiral was previously standing,
focused, his head slightly tilted down, his eyes locked on Sterrow,
his hands by his side, slowly moving from the heavy breathing:
“Admiral. You are authorized to begin the invasion effective
immediately! Your orders have been dispatched to your ship’s
computer.”. And with a low, deep voice, almost like an aggressive
animal snarling, communicates the final order through his gritted
teeth: “Get it done, Admiral!”. The hologram shuts down just as the
President is turning and walking away.
Sterrow takes a deep breath and closes his
eyes for a moment, instinctively accepting his order; but he
immediately remembers about the file received and with one hand he
checks the console. It seems to be a holographic recording called
“The Ashan Report”.
Determined to find out what was happening, he
starts playing the recording.
Final note from the author
Thank
you for reading the first part of the Humanity series. If you
enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave me a review at your
favorite retailer. And if you’d like to tell me what you loved,
what you hated, or simply say “Hi” – check out my author page on
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/gabriel.dica
Thanks! Gabriel Dica
p.s.: Keep reading, you’ll find a short
fragment from the next book.
The Ashan Report. File #1. Year 2221
“Gazing through the window at the world
outside. Wondering, will mother Earth survive? Hoping that mankind
will stop abusing her, sometime.” … The music fades away as the
increasingly louder alarms come into focus - Captain Ayala Herut is
slowly coming back to reality after she briefly fainted, again,
from the huge forces her ship is experiencing. The cockpit is
shaking violently, the frame is twisting and growling like a
wounded animal desperately clinging to life; the ship is racing
towards the ground in an uncontrollable spin, despite the Captain’s
best efforts. Her whole body is constantly being pushed to right,
forcing her painfully into the side of her chair. Her vision is
coming back, but all she can see is a continuous trail of red
lights from the panels in front of her. With all her strength she
struggles to reach the controls, but it’s almost like the ship is
fighting back; the lateral forces are too high, beyond the ship’s
breaking point, she can’t move a single muscle; she’s pinned in her
chair, a passive spectator to the unfolding of her imminent death.
The ground is getting closer and closer. In total contrast to the
Captain’s state of mind, the ship’s computer is very calmingly
announcing the inevitable: “Warning. Altitude loss. Ten kilometers.
Warning. Altitude loss. Eight kilometers.”. The ship’s tail breaks
apart and the sudden difference in pressure causes the Captain to
be brutally thrown forward in her chair, only to immediately come
to a sudden stop because of her safety restraints. “Warning.
Altitude loss. Six kilometers. Warning. Altitude loss.
Four-thousand meters. Altitude loss critical. Impact imminent.
Eject! Eject!” But the Captain can’t do anything,
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