EP7:

Scene 55:

Some years have passed on earth since the young Cadet Subaro Hagen had graduated with flying colours. His groundbreaking studies into advanced weaponry earned him the respect of his peers, the attention of his superiors, and brought him into direct contact with Lt. Gen. Kyle.

Subaro was deep in his work when the door buzzer sounded. Moments later it opened, which surprised Hagen a little, as quite a bit of clearance was required to just walk into the advanced weapons research laboratory. He glanced up to see Lt. Gen. Kyle's benevolent face approaching him, a full beard and head of grey hair, now slowly showing signs of white. Strangely this only seemed to amplify his presence. Hagen snapped to attention,

"Lt. Gen. Kyle Sir!" he clicked.

"Now, now, easy Subaro", smoothed Kyle, "I'm not on business. I would like you to attend a special ceremony next week, can't say any more, but I would consider it a great honour if you would be there".

"Of course General" said an intrigued Subaro, "I'll be there, thank you sir".

Scene 56:

If there's one thing that military-esque ceremonies excel in, it's pomp and splendour. Brightly pressed uniforms abounded, trumpets played and figures of various officialdom seemed to inundate the place. Subaro had not seen such lengths gone to before. He had a prime seat at the front of the auditorium, he remembered from last time when he had graduated, but it hadn't been this ceremonious had it?

"All rise for General Miles", came over the tannoy.

The assembled crowds rose and the ancient General was all but wheeled out to the lectern.

"Ladies and gentlemen...", he almost guffawed, and his speech began.

Scene 57:

Subaro wondered why Lt. Gen. Kyle had been so insistent of his attendance, surely it could not have been for this? He had so much work still to do, and like the obsessive he was, he could not wait to get back to his lab. Suddenly his ears pricked up:

"...and so I feel it the right time to announce my retirement", said General Miles, to a mixture of gasps and relieved sighs.

"It gives me the greatest pleasure to announce my successor, with immediate effect, please welcome General Kyle!"

Suddenly Subaro was interested, if Kyle was in charge, his progressive views would surely allow much advancement in the scope of the various EDF projects, especially the Star Fleet ones, Subaro hoped. Spontaneous applause broke out before General Kyle could speak. He smiled and let the crowd have it's due. Eventually, he raised his hands and immediately silence descended. Such was the man's charisma.

"Thank you, esteemed colleagues and members of EDF and of course Star Fleet. It gives me great pleasure to accept the position of General from my revered and close friend Admiral Miles". The audience clapped again, it was with some relief to hear that Miles was to become an Admiral. In EDF terms it was akin to being put out to pasture!

"I hope to continue his good work and advance the scope of the Star Fleet projects and cast Earth's influence far beyond our humble planet. But first, I take great pleasure in announcing the following promotions".

Scene 58:

Subaro's mind began to wane again, his attention span was quite short where the subject was one which did not interest him. So, he almost missed his name being called. A colleague next to him nudged him. "Wha...?"

"Professor Subaro Hagen".

"Who, me?" he blurted.

The General fixed him with a kindly stare, yes it was him! He scrambled to his feet, to be presented on the stage with his professorship. Kyle warmly shook his hand, "We must talk, drinks in the admiral's bar afterwards", he whispered deftly.

"Yessir", burbled Hagen. The Admirals bar! You had to be someone to get in there!

Scene 59:

Subaro nervously waited outside the doors to the Admirals bar. The doorway was flanked by smartly dressed soldiers and he dare not try to walk past them. General Kyle knew where he would be waiting and came out to greet him.

Scene 60:

"Subaro, so glad you could come", and suddenly he was surrounded by opulence, and senior ranking officials. Tall smartly uniformed waitresses deftly delivered drinks on trays to the chattering groups seated at the tables. Kyle took Subaro to a private corner, discrete security men made sure they were out of earshot in an otherwise crowded place.

Scene 61:

"Subaro, I have a special assignment for you", said Kyle.

"I know this is a bit of a surprise, I did pull a few strings to speed along your professorship, but it was always in the offing you know my boy!" he patted Hagen, and took a sip of his drink. Subaro followed suit and tasted the finest spirit he had ever known. He gulped and the General noticed and said:

"It's good stuff isn't it, glad it wasn't all destroyed in that wretched war!"

Subaro nodded.

"Now, I am starting up a new project, it's on Mars. Advanced research, just your cup of tea. What do you say?"

"Why me sir?" The General smiled, "Thought you might ask. I've been watching you Subaro, I need men of your calibre to really take the Star Fleet projects and push them to the next stage".

"Thank you sir", Subaro paused, and Kyle could see he was poised to say something.

"Out with it man!"

"Well, er, I have a friend, I'd hate to lose touch... she has quite a brilliant mind".

"She eh?" Grinned Kyle, "Give me her name and I'll pull some strings, not a word though".

"Yessir!" Hagen beamed, trying to look all official.

"Good show! I'll look forward to dropping in on you. Anyway got to dash, must hobnob with the Admiral" and he winked at Subaro, and, well, that was that!

Scene 62:

It didn't seem like any time had passed at all, as he was standing on the sealed balcony, looking out onto the Red planet. Annalee approached.

"Gosh Subaro, it's amazing to think that we were chosen for such a special mission!" she said.

"Yes", said Hagen trying to hide the awkwardness from his voice. Clearly his friend had no idea of the strings he had had pulled to get her there.

"It is a great privilege and honour", he concluded, as they looked out onto the alien yet mystifyingly beautiful world at their feet.

Little did he know how much more mysterious it was going to become!

Scene 63:

Millitons away, a much less peaceful set of events was playing out. Midia was rudely awakened into a nightmare that was, if anything, more terrible than the one she last recalled having. She was strapped to a table, in some kind of insane operating theatre, where she surmised that patients seemed more likely to end up worse off than before they had received any treatment. She felt quit weak, yet different somehow. A hideous silver headed figure approached her, his right eye seemed to have been replaced with some kind of short telescopic device. He spoke in a low, self confident voice, and Midia was immediately confused as she could hear words in Esperianese, yet his lips were clearly mouthing another tongue.

"Welcome my dear, now please remember I am here to help you. We need some information, and I have been tasked with obtaining it from you. Now you can make this easy on us both, or as unpleasant for you yet enjoyable for me as you wish", he crooned.

"Where am I?" she wailed, her voice felt weak, and different. Her abrupt short outburst amused her captor somewhat.

"You have been given some, erm, assistance, in order to exist in our atmosphere", he explained with almost enjoyment. As he spoke, nanites roved through Midia's body, enhancing the atmospheric intake capabilities of her lungs. She immediately tried to call for help using her mind. He captor was expecting this and bought his hand across her pale fragile face with a sharp whack!

"Enough! You cannot contact your planet, do you think I would be so stupid as to let you do that?"

Clearly the silver-headed tyrant was unaware of the limitations of Midia's abilities, it was most likely that she did not have the skills, at least yet, to be able to perform such a long range mind link. But he was taking no chances and various energy fields and heavy metals encapsulated the chamber, in a bid to prevent any such thought waves from escaping back to Esper.

"I doubt that you have even been missed" he sneered. "Now, tell me what you know of your Seer's predictions! We know you harbour this information, don't make me force it from you", a big smile spread across his mouth as he said the word "force". Midia was beginning to go into a panic, she tried to call out, but there was no-one to hear her.

"Don't try my patience!"snapped the evil oppressor. "Tell me what you know!"

"Never!" she blurted out.

"Aha, resistance, I do love resistance", he chuckled.

Scene 64:

He swung a red shield over the top of Midia's head, and pointed the sinister-looking laser memory disssimilator at her cranium.

"This will help you to talk", he smiled and clicked a white claw-like key. A hum emanated from the device, and a large green sphere glowed in the corner of the room. A beam suddenly played onto the middle of the visor over Midia's forehead. It burned like no pain she had ever felt. It was like her head was peeling open and her thoughts were escaping, she couldn't stop them.

"Ahhh, now we are talking", her silver captor sneered.

Ever the tormentor, his finger moved towards a second talon-like key on the machine. Suddenly a voice was heard:

"Caliban! Do not damage the subject! I may need her again!"

Caliban's finger froze.

"By your divine guidance".

Scene 65:

In his newly built chamber in the recently commissioned fortress base, the Imperial Master watched the interrogation of the Esperian captive with greedy eyes. The information flowed forth so easily, almost too easily, onto his display screen. He pondered on the words of the Seer. Some of it he could have predicted himself, he knew that eventually he would have to face down a force of good, but was not so clear why such a force would need to be harboured on a far distant, and obviously primitive planet. He cursed that there was no apparent information on the whereabouts of this distant race, but he did have a clue. It had obviously been visited by the Athenians at some point. So planet Athena would be his next port of call. He paused as the rest of the Seer's predictions played onto his screen. Hmm, this was more interesting... "A great darkness, the messenger of the destruction of the galaxy. A saviour of evil "Makara", an angel of death!

Great news indeed the Master thought. The flow of information stopped, a blurred image of a wild banshee, sword wielding and redheaded fuzzed onto the screen. The Master did not give this any heed, at his own cost, and instructed Caliban to preserve the wretch for now.

Scene 66:

"I may have need of her again".

"By your divine guidance" came the slightly disappointed reply.

Caliban had been looking forward to some mutilation, but now he daren't disobey his Master. He shut off the interrogation ray and admitted a sedative to the girl. Her pale body lay still again.

The Imperial Master suddenly locked down his many pathways to his minions. This needed much thought.