Title: The Journey Home

Chapter 6: Of War and Politics

Rated: R

***

"Okay, guys, get lost," Cassandra said grinning, though the smile didn't reach her eyes.

Everyone filed out of Command, Aeryn shared a brief kiss with John before leaving. The two
Humans stood alone, staring after their friends. "Okay," John said. "Let's get started.
Pilot, patch us through."

"Yes, John."

The image of Earth on the forward screen was replaced by a picture of a conference table, around
which ten Humans sat. For the Humans, the blank screen in front of them was replaced with the
image of two people, who looked like the missing astronauts, standing in a golden colored room,
both behind some sort of panel. They shared a glance before turning towards the screen expectantly.

DK glanced at the President who was still staring at the screen in silence. He looked back at
the screen, John and Cassandra were both beginning to frown. "Don't I know you guys from
somewhere," he said breaking the silence, smiling nervously.

John and Cassandra grinned. "Don't know what you're talking about. I would never associate with
someone of such obvious lesser intelligence," Cassandra said. DK and Umi were two of the few
people who laughed.

Cassandra glanced at John, her eyes saying what her words didn't not, "Tough crowd."

"Why don't you tell us what it is you wanted to tell us," one of the men said.

"Sure, Mr. ..."

"Thomas Clark, Secretary of Defense."

"Mr. Secretary. First off, when we disappeared, we didn't just vanish. We were sucked down a
wormhole," John said.

"A wormhole?" DK said astonished and then glanced contritely at Cassandra who smirked.

"Yes. Now, to explain what's going on up here..." John said.

"There are three major races at war right now. Their war is expanding to include everyone else,"
Cassandra began.

"The Scarrans, the Peacekeepers, and the Nebari."

"All three are very bad. At the moment the Peacekeepers and the Nebari have formed an alliance of
sorts. We all know it won't last, but we don't know who will come out on top."

"The Peacekeepers are made up of a race called Sebacean. They look very much like us," John
continued.

"Like us?" Umi asked astonished. "Just like us?"

John and Cassandra shared a glance. Cassandra tapped her com. "Aeryn, please come to Command."

A few microts later, Aeryn came into the room, alone. She walked over to the two Humans and then
glanced at the screen before turning her gaze on John and Cassandra. John looked at DK and said,
"Meet Aeryn, DK."

Aeryn looked around the table and found DK. "It is good to finally meet you," she said and
inclined her head slightly.

The Humans on Earth stared at Aeryn in awe. She looked Human but her language was full of odd
clicks and definitely not from Earth. DK swallowed. "Hi."

Aeryn smiled at his nervousness. Cassandra leaned over and whispered something to Aeryn, who
nodded and left. John raised a brow in question. "You'll see," was Cassandra's response.

A few microts later, Chiana walked into the room. She walked over to Cassandra and John and stared
curiously at the screen, her head tilted in the manner that was so uniquely Chiana. "The Nebari,"
Cassandra said grinning, "is one of the other races we told you about. This is Chiana."

"Can I stay?" Chiana asked, not taking her eyes from the screen.

"Why?" John asked curious.

"Cause he's kind of cute."

"Who?" Cassandra asked puzzled.

Chiana pointed straight at DK, and Cassandra began laughing. The Humans were confused. The alien had
spoken in a very guttural language and had pointed right at DK. "What did she say?" DK asked shifting
uncomfortably.

John grinned, "She thinks you're hot, man."

DK blushed and Chiana grinned. "So can I stay?"

"Nope. DK's hot bod isn't enough reason to stay, scat!" Cassandra said grinning.

"Aw..." Chiana said and left the room.

"Anyway, those are two of the races at war," John said trying to pull the conversation back on
track. "The Nebari are out to mind cleanse the Universe, and the Peacekeepers just want to
dominate the lesser races."

"The Scarrans just want to obliterate everyone."

"Everyone else is getting caught in the middle. At the moment, the Luxans are winning the fight to
remove the Peacekeepers from their home-world, but the Delvians and the Hynerians are loosing badly."

"The Zeneitan Pirates have been nearly wiped out, and the Sheyangs and the Tavleks are barely holding
their own against the Scarrans... but that is more because the Scarrans are focused on the Peacekeepers
than anything they are doing," Cassandra continued.

"The Sebacean Royal Colonies are holding out, but it won't be much longer before their defenses fail.
When that happens, whoever conquers them first will gain another tactical advantage."

"The list goes on. The whole Universe is getting involved."

"Why would they becoming here? Are we a tactical advantage?" one of the Humans asked, slightly fearful.

"Depends on who gets here first," Cassandra replied.

"If the Peacekeepers get here, they are going to either wipe you out, adapt your DNA to help them,
conscript all the children, or use your scientists to help them develop new weapons," John explained.

"If the Scarrans get here first, they will either use you as breeding stock, kill you, or use you
to find out about wormhole technology," Cassandra continued.

"If the Nebari get here first, they will mind cleanse you all and be done with it," John finished.

"Are they looking for us?" DK asked quietly.

John and Cassandra glanced at each other before nodding. "The Nebari aren't actively looking, and the
Scarrans aren't putting much effort into it either. It's the Peacekeepers who are desperately
trying to find you."

"Why? What did you do?" the Secretary of Defense asked angrily.

"You think they needed a reason?" John asked astonished. "The microt they found out you existed
they began searching for you."

"They stepped up their efforts when the war began... and because of Scorpius's... untimely...
death," Cassandra added.

"Who is Scorpius, and how did he die?" one of the women asked.

"Peacekeeper scientist, half-Scarran, half-Sebacean, and all around bad guy," John replied.

"He was their leading scientist developing wormhole technology. When he died and all of his
work was destroyed, that left the Peacekeepers in a bad position."

"The Scarrans outnumber the Peacekeepers... uh, what was the latest number from the front?"
John asked turning to Cassandra.

"I think it was 15 to 1... of course the Nebari outnumber the Scarrans..."

"10 to 1."

"Right, not that it does them much good."

"Exactly."

"How did he die?" one of the men asked, noticing both had sidestepped the question.

John stared directly at the man who asked. "I killed him."

The table was silent in shock. DK's mouth was opening and closing but nothing was coming out.
Finally he managed to spit out one word, "Why?"

"There are many reasons... all of which I'm not discuss right now."

"Case closed. Next topic," Cassandra said before someone could ask another question about
Scorpius's death.

Umi shifted uncomfortably, "How did you get that scar?"

"Which scar?" Cassandra asked, then noticed Umi's gaze was on her face, "Oh, that scar." She ran
a finger along the length of it. "A Peacekeeper gave it to me."

"It's really dangerous out there isn't?" DK asked quietly.

"Kill or be killed," John replied softly.

For a short time, the Humans saw what it had been like for the lost astronauts reflected in their
faces. Scars were not always visible. The President shifted slightly. He hadn't spoken once,
he wanted to just watch and see what the supposed aliens would do. The two seemed to honestly be
the missing astronauts. "How do we know you are who you say you are?"

"What would it take to convince you, short of coming down to the planet?" Cassandra asked.

"Is there anything else?" the President countered.

"What about a Q&A session?" John asked.

"What would the questions be?" the President asked.

"Get people who knew us together. Have them come up with a list of questions that the answers
are only known to us and to them," John replied.

"Fine, we'll try that and see what happens. When can we expect your next call?"

"How long will it take it get the people together and come up with the questions?" Cassandra asked.

"Give us two days."

"Alright, at this time, two days," John said nodding.

"Oh, wait! Before we break communications. I'm assuming that you are probably going to get Laurie
to come help. Can I request that you tape it?"

"What?" Umi asked confused.

"You know, tape it! I want to see what she looked like when you told her we were still alive,"
Cassandra said chuckling evilly.

DK laughed. "Got it, tape Laurie going ballistic," DK said pretending to scribble a memo.

"That's not nice," John said grinning.

"Shut-up or I won't let you watch it."

"Lips are sealed."

Cassandra laughed. "Pilot, cut transmission."

"Yes, Cassandra... transmission cut."

***

TBC

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~Artemis Luna Diana~