Part I: The Shooting Star of Space
"These cargo ships run like a tortoise. They're soooooooo slow," came a young woman at the age of 19 years. "I'm surprised the Shipping Company still uses these things."
"File a complaint. I'm used to it, anyway," answered a young man, at the same age of 19 years.
"Well, maybe I will. These things have been in operation since After Colony 198. Geez, I bet cars are even faster than this thing!"
"Now you're exaggerating. When will you stop bugging me about my job, Eliza? I don't bug you about your job."
Eliza Vierguard leaned back in her seat, kicking up her feet on the panel, looking to her boyfriend in the pilot's seat. "Well, what can I say, Kenny? I guess you can't make fun of mechanics. But you sure can joke about driving cargo ships!" She snickered as she lightly punched Kenneth Maxwell on his arm. "Come on, lighten up, you know I respect you."
Ken rose from the pilot's seat, letting go of the cargo ship controls. He took hold of Eliza's arm, and pulled her up from her seat. "Hey, I know a thing or two about mechanics. They like grease, they smell, and best of all.they like to get dirty."
Eliza felt a smile spread across her face. "Well, maybe I'll save you some for next time you bring me on a cargo run. She wrapped her arms around Ken's neck, as he wrapped his around her waist, and their lips moved together.
They shared a nice kiss, and Eliza savored every moment of it. She moved away, and planted her head on his right shoulder, and opened her eyes, staring out the window into the black gaze of space.
Then into the gaze of a glowing square-like eye.
"Kenny!" she screamed as she pushed herself away, pointing to the window. "Something's outside!"
Ken turned to face the object in the window, and gasped. He quickly bolted to the controls of the ship and plotted a new course away from the thing they saw, pushing the thruster control to maximum. Ken then ran and stared out the window along with Eliza as the cargo ship moved away. The object they saw remained still, and that's when they saw it. It was large, definitely armored, and held a humanoid structure. The glowing square was its eye. Ken shook his head. "What is that thing?!"
Eliza held a hand to her mouth as she leaned against Ken. "I.I don't know."
They both stared as they got farther and farther away from it, then watched as it moved up and out of sight.
Ken sighed. "It left, thank heavens."
"KENNY!"
Ken turned to face the opposite window where the armored, humanoid object stood, possessing a large gatling gun on its arm. Without any hesitation, it opened fire. The cargo ship's hull became mangled under the rapid bullet barrage, and in a matter of seconds the hull breached, and the cargo ship exploded in a sphere of flame, with fragments of what once was the ship clanging against the object. Activating its thrusters, it took off into the distance.
* * * * * * * * * * * * "Hey, check this out," said Scott Tapurn, a 25-year-old mechanic as he flipped on the TV.
"In more shocking news today, the cargo ship L2-747 exploded en route to Side 04 from Side 02 today. So far, we have been informed that there was a single crew member, however we have not been able to get a name yet. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, yet it happened near Side 03 airspace. Side 03's cameras caught a portion of the explosion, but no apparent clues to the destruction of the vessel was concluded from it."
"That's horrible," remarked Alyssa Krityn, who stared up at the video being played on the TV screen. "What could have done that?"
"Who knows," replied Scott. "Maybe that shooting star in the background."
"Shooting star?"
".This has been the third explosion in that area in the past four months, and investigators have been sent to the location for further study. We'll keep you up to date on any more details."
"Yeah, didn't you see that blue streak back there?"
"No," answered Alyssa.
"Here," said Scott. Using the digital TV's memory, he rewound the broadcast back to the point of the video. He paused it as the explosion died down, then pointed to the background. "See? It sorta moved back way in the distance. You have to look closely." Scott moved his finger across the screen outlining the barely apparent line.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, I do see it. Shooting star, eh? That's quite some vision."
"Well, one of the wonders of today's society is genetic enhancements. I was lucky enough to get surgery to correct my once horrible eyesight. I think the surgery did more than enough." Scott smiled as he switched back to the live newscast on the TV.
"What's this on TV? A meteor shower? I'm hearing talks of shooting stars." A red-haired woman around the age of 24 entered and leaned against the wall, joining the other mechanics: tall, dirty blonde-haired Scott and the normal height, light brown-haired Alyssa.
"Hey there, Karen," greeted Alyssa.
"'Sup?" spoke Scott then continued to answer her question. "Actually, a cargo ship exploded off Side 03. They only know of a person dead so far, probably the pilot, which is normally the normal 'light' crew for a small cargo ship."
Karen nodded. "This isn't the first of them. This is so horrible, so unfortunate."
Alyssa held up her hand. "Shhh you guys. I think something just came in, the anchor just got something."
"Please excuse this break in the other news, but we have just received word on the identities of the victim of the cargo ship explosion that occurred just hours ago. According the records of the Davon Shipping Company of Colony L2, the pilot's name was Kenneth Maxwell, 19, a resident of L2 as well."
Karen gasped. "You never told me it was the Davon Shipping Company! That pilot was my sister's boyfriend, oh my god, she's gonna freak! I can't believe this, she just went over to meet him earlier too. God Almighty!"
Alyssa looked down to Karen. "Oh my heaven, Karen! Eliza's boyfriend was the pilot? That's so horrible! Do you think she knows?"
Karen took a deep breath, and stroked her hand through her hair. "I don't know. I don't know if she'll be able to take the news."
"Wait, this report also has information given to us by the Davon Shipping Company personally. There supposedly was a passenger aboard, a friend of the pilots. They say according to the check-in logs, her identity is Eliza Vierguard, age 19, also of the L2 colony. She seemed to have been."
Karen Vierguard froze. Her eyes watered, her breath came short, and her mind shot blank. Her mouth gaped open, yet her teeth wanted to clench themselves together in tension. Her hands became fists, and she dug her nails into her palm. Opening her mouth, she let out a light noise before sliding down the wall, tears streaming down her face. Alyssa got up and ran to her side, Scott jumping over the couch to join her as they quickly came to comfort their friend.
".Maxwell has no siblings, and lived with his grandfather on Side 02. Vierguard lived with her parents, Erin and Frank, as well as her older sister, Karen."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I don't know what to say, Aaron, it just came as a shock to me. This time something happened that affected somebody I know. It was really upsetting to me, and I can't imagine how she's feeling right now." Alyssa Krityn was talking to a tall, brown-haired man via a video phone; her boyfriend.
"So, is she okay now?"
"Yeah, probably as good as she's going to be for the time being. Scott and I spent the last two hours with her, and we just called her father, and Scott volunteered to drive her over. I decided to stay to watch over things here, and watching the news is just depressing. I figured the DEC wouldn't send you out on a run after what just happened today, so I took this chance to call you."
"No, Demeth canceled all cargo shipments, as well as recalled all of our ships. I'm guessing he didn't want to risk any of his ships being destroyed, God knows he'd have to pay for new ones."
"I doubt it would even dent his wallet."
"Yeah. But recently, ever since that first explosion, Demeth has been adamant about every single shipment being sent exactly on schedule, and he's been overworking us all."
"What do you think he's so stuck on?"
"How would I know, I'm really just a lower level worker. All I've heard is that he's working on a large manufacturing project. Well, anyway Alyssa, I probably won't be able to catch the Side 02 shuttle today because of what's going on. Because of the investigation, it seems all colony to colony transportation has been shut down."
"I understand. What do you think caused that explosion? This is the third one in four months."
"It could've been a malfunction in the engine or the ship's systems. Or, possibly it could be from Side 03."
"Side 03?"
"Yeah, each colony has beam weaponry built into its structure. It could've been used."
"I doubt that, there was no beam of any sort seen. Plus, those things haven't been used in over a century, they've probably rusted over."
"Well, whatever it is, let's just hope whatever happened is solved. I'd like you to give Karen my sympathy for her and her family. And I better be getting back to work, if any of the supervisors catch me going over my break, they'll have my job. Love you."
"I love you too, Aaron DeLanco. I'll be sure to tell her." The image of Aaron disappeared of the video screen as Alyssa hung up the receiver. She rolled against the wall and leaned against it with her arms crossed over her chest. Quietly she walked back into the break room and slumped herself against the back wall, and unconsciously stared into the television screen.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The dark blue eyes of the corporation CEO of the Demeth Electronics Corporation reflected off the finely finished desk as his finger reached over to a small, black button on the top of his desk. As it pressed into his desk, a buzzing noise sounded outside his office. "Vera, please step into my office."
A tall, elegant woman will light green eyes and sand colored hair stepped through the computerized doors of his office, holding a digital clipboard and pen at her hand. "Yes, Mr. Demeth?"
"Has the shipment been launched yet, Vera?" came the deep sounding voice of Dekran Demeth, leaning back against his chair. Dekran held a full head of jet black hair on the top of his excellently structured, tall, and built body.
"Yes sir, the shipment was just launched, equipped with the special armament that you designed that'll make it undetectable, just as you wanted."
Dekran let a grin come across his face. "Good, I don't want our spectre interrupting my shipments now do I?" A hearty laugh took over him as scanned his eyes up and down her body. "Was everything sent?"
Vera nodded. "The shipment was sent in full, everything you had written." "Yes, that makes me happy," he replied, while focusing between the buttons of Vera's suit. "Very happy."
Vera grasped her digital pen and clipboard, and cleared her throat. "Anything else, sir?"
Dekran forced his eyes off her chest, and stared at her face, raising an eyebrow. "How long until the shipment arrives at the location?"
Vera grabbed the clipboard with her other hand and used her pen to scroll through the information stored on it. Seconds later, she met Dekran's eyes once again. "Less than an hour sir. They are traveling at normal cargo speed."
"That's excellent, perfect timing for my list of events." He rose from his chair and moved over to his window viewing the colony city. He looked back to his secretary. "I wouldn't want my schedule to be thrown off, now would I?"
"Of course not, sir." Vera tucked her clipboard under her arm and headed for the door.
"Vera, wait." The secretary turned to face her boss as he continued to stare out the window. "I'm going to have a celebration later for the success of this latest project of mine. I'm holding it in the meeting room, and I would be pleased if you would join us."
"Um.uh.okay, sir, if you want," she said as she left.
Dekran moved over to his desk and after holding himself in a second of thought, accessed the files of the two explosion victims, as well as the others from the previous two explosions. Once again, his finger graced the small, black button.
"Vera, I would like you to send flowers with my expressed condolences to the families of today's victims."
"Yes sir," she responded.
"After all," finished Dekran as he let his hands off the button, "they did prove helpful in my latest test."
Looking to the clock, he waited. The time was soon to come.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Unit one, I want you to get me some samplings of that shuttle debris, and pack it away for examination in the lab."
"Copy, Squad Leader."
The Side 03 investigation crews and ships scattered across the debris field examining the site of the earlier explosion. Tara Shizo maneuvered her shuttle between the several colony-owned vessels, until it came upon the ship of the Squad Leader. Tapping a few controls on her computer board, she hailed the ship.
No response. Tara sighed and tried again, this time receiving an answer from an older male on her view screen.
"Is this important, Miss?"
Tara rolled her eyes at the warming greeting. "My name is Tara Shizo, and I'm the Chief of the Preventer organization. I am here to investigate the possibility in which today's attacks in addition to the previous two are actually of terrorist doing."
"Well, Miss Shizo, we are currently combing the area of all clues and evidence here for investigation. I suggest that you please allow me and my crew to take care of this part, and after everything is thoroughly examined, we can forward the data over to your headquarters."
"And tell me, how long will that take?"
"About two days, at least."
Tara shook her head as she leaned against her fist on her computer console. "With all due respect, that's just not good enough."
".Give us one moment, then."
The view screen cut out and Tara pushed herself off the console. Suddenly, her console started beeping. She was receiving a transmission. Tara opened up the channel. "This is Chief Shizo of the Preventers."
"Miss Shizo, this is Senator Veraz. Your presence is needed at the Earth Sphere United Nation Assembly meeting that is starting shortly at the government building. It is very important."
Damn., thought Tara. "This can't wait, Senator?"
"The Assembly doesn't plan its schedule around individual convenience. Please be here in ten minutes. Veraz out."
"Why does the assembly want me there? And why did they have him call me? Well, they'll probably have my job if I don't go. I just wish I could finish."
After thinking for a moment, she repositioned herself at the communications console and redialed another location.
"Preventer Rain to Preventer Snow, come in Snow." Tara waited for a second, before receiving a reply.
"This is Earth. What can I do for you, Chief?"
"Evan? Where's Zand? He's supposed to be on duty."
"Zand left to check out something, I volunteered to fill in for him on his normal shift. I'm here to help."
"Alright, I'm at the coordinates of the cargo ship explosion, alone. I need you to come around here and conduct a survey of the wreckage and see what you can deduct from this. It's happened too many times to just be an accident."
"I'm on my way. Where are you going to be?"
"I need to get to the ESUN Assembly meeting, it seems they need me there."
"Roger. Earth out."
Tara closed the transmission and plotted a course for the colony, and hit the thrusters.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Zand Diamund stood at the side door of his Preventer's vessel, just hooked up to the colony work corp Squad Leader's vessel. He waited as the doors between the two finally opened. The Squad Leader stepped through into the Preventer's vessel and greeted Zand.
"Mr. Diamund, welcome back. Listen, I don't know what that thing with your Chief was before and why you didn't want her to touch anything, but it seems she is gone and I've got everything for you."
"Yes, I took care of her presence here, but right now what I need all the records on this accident as well as the wreckage inventory. I believe you have been given them, being the one in charge here."
"I have everything right here. But a question, why couldn't I just give this to your boss?"
"It is none of your concern. Now, may I have the information? It is for the protection of Earth and the colonies."
"Okay, if you say so. Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Preventer?"
Zand took the data files and pocketed them in his uniform. "No, you've done quite enough." While Zand turned to go back to his seat, a beeping noise rang inside the Squad Leader's vessel. The squad leader ran back to his ship and grabbed the receiver of his phone, and after a couple of seconds, hung up.
"Mr. Preventer, it seems another Preventer ship has entered our range."
"What?! What is she doing back?" Zand ran to his seat and looked at his computer at his scanner information. "No, it's different, it's another."
A voice came through his comm system. "Snow? Is that you, Zand. This is Earth, me, Evan. What are you doing here, you said you were going to be checking something else out. How come the Chief didn't see you? Zand, are you there?"
Zand cursed. "Shit . She sent somebody else." He paused. "You."
The Squad Leader walked back onto Zand's ship. "Yes?"
"I need you to keep him preoccupied while I leave. Whatever you do, keep him here until I tell you it is alright."
The squad leader rubbed his beard. "What is it this time?"
"Let's just say I'm on a top secret mission that only the highest ranks in the government know about." Zand pushed the Squad leader back into his own ship and closed the connected doors, and then disconnected his ship. Blasting his thrusters, Zand's ship flew into the distance.
As soon as he had gained a good distance from the group, he placed the ship on auto-pilot and moved to his communications console.
"Zand to Shooting Star. I have a new target, I'm sending over the coordinates. Make sure they're included with the others."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After rushing to the government building, Tara Shizo had finally arrived, and taken a seat. The Assembly was gathering, and the meeting was to start shortly. After catching her breath, she took a look around, namely for Senator Veraz, who had summoned her here. Scanning over the room quickly, she could not find him among the numerous amounts of people there.
While she was looking around, she spotted the Assembly Protempore. Quickly jumping from her seat, she went and caught up with him.
"Mr. Protempore, sir!"
He turned around to see Tara. "Tara? What are you doing here?"
"I was told that I needed to be here, about an important issue or something."
The Protempore raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm not aware of this. Possibly whoever arranged for this was going to bring up something. Who was it?"
"Senator Veraz."
"Veraz? Why, he called in sick today. That's odd. Well, I guess you can stick around if you wish, I'll try and see if I can figure out what he was talking about, if you don't mind waiting."
Tara shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She quickly sprinted out of the government meeting house, and into the streets of the colony. Suddenly, her Preventer beeper rang. Hesitantly, she answered it.
"This is Rain."
"Chief, this is Earth. I'm at the coordinates, and when I arrived, I saw Zand's vessel. He took off rather abruptly, and now the colony crew that is here seem to be delaying me. Oh, sorry, did I call at the wrong time, are you at the assembly?"
Tara looked down at the image of Evan and shook her head. "Something strange is going on. I want you to get o.." The alarms in the background of Evan's ship went off. "Evan, what is it?"
"Chief, it seems something is heading straight our way. One second.it.they look like shooting stars. But, wait, something's been fired my way.oh no."
"Evan?" replied Tara, but his picture went static. "Evan?!" Tara dropped to the ground. "Shooting Stars."
"These cargo ships run like a tortoise. They're soooooooo slow," came a young woman at the age of 19 years. "I'm surprised the Shipping Company still uses these things."
"File a complaint. I'm used to it, anyway," answered a young man, at the same age of 19 years.
"Well, maybe I will. These things have been in operation since After Colony 198. Geez, I bet cars are even faster than this thing!"
"Now you're exaggerating. When will you stop bugging me about my job, Eliza? I don't bug you about your job."
Eliza Vierguard leaned back in her seat, kicking up her feet on the panel, looking to her boyfriend in the pilot's seat. "Well, what can I say, Kenny? I guess you can't make fun of mechanics. But you sure can joke about driving cargo ships!" She snickered as she lightly punched Kenneth Maxwell on his arm. "Come on, lighten up, you know I respect you."
Ken rose from the pilot's seat, letting go of the cargo ship controls. He took hold of Eliza's arm, and pulled her up from her seat. "Hey, I know a thing or two about mechanics. They like grease, they smell, and best of all.they like to get dirty."
Eliza felt a smile spread across her face. "Well, maybe I'll save you some for next time you bring me on a cargo run. She wrapped her arms around Ken's neck, as he wrapped his around her waist, and their lips moved together.
They shared a nice kiss, and Eliza savored every moment of it. She moved away, and planted her head on his right shoulder, and opened her eyes, staring out the window into the black gaze of space.
Then into the gaze of a glowing square-like eye.
"Kenny!" she screamed as she pushed herself away, pointing to the window. "Something's outside!"
Ken turned to face the object in the window, and gasped. He quickly bolted to the controls of the ship and plotted a new course away from the thing they saw, pushing the thruster control to maximum. Ken then ran and stared out the window along with Eliza as the cargo ship moved away. The object they saw remained still, and that's when they saw it. It was large, definitely armored, and held a humanoid structure. The glowing square was its eye. Ken shook his head. "What is that thing?!"
Eliza held a hand to her mouth as she leaned against Ken. "I.I don't know."
They both stared as they got farther and farther away from it, then watched as it moved up and out of sight.
Ken sighed. "It left, thank heavens."
"KENNY!"
Ken turned to face the opposite window where the armored, humanoid object stood, possessing a large gatling gun on its arm. Without any hesitation, it opened fire. The cargo ship's hull became mangled under the rapid bullet barrage, and in a matter of seconds the hull breached, and the cargo ship exploded in a sphere of flame, with fragments of what once was the ship clanging against the object. Activating its thrusters, it took off into the distance.
* * * * * * * * * * * * "Hey, check this out," said Scott Tapurn, a 25-year-old mechanic as he flipped on the TV.
"In more shocking news today, the cargo ship L2-747 exploded en route to Side 04 from Side 02 today. So far, we have been informed that there was a single crew member, however we have not been able to get a name yet. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, yet it happened near Side 03 airspace. Side 03's cameras caught a portion of the explosion, but no apparent clues to the destruction of the vessel was concluded from it."
"That's horrible," remarked Alyssa Krityn, who stared up at the video being played on the TV screen. "What could have done that?"
"Who knows," replied Scott. "Maybe that shooting star in the background."
"Shooting star?"
".This has been the third explosion in that area in the past four months, and investigators have been sent to the location for further study. We'll keep you up to date on any more details."
"Yeah, didn't you see that blue streak back there?"
"No," answered Alyssa.
"Here," said Scott. Using the digital TV's memory, he rewound the broadcast back to the point of the video. He paused it as the explosion died down, then pointed to the background. "See? It sorta moved back way in the distance. You have to look closely." Scott moved his finger across the screen outlining the barely apparent line.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, I do see it. Shooting star, eh? That's quite some vision."
"Well, one of the wonders of today's society is genetic enhancements. I was lucky enough to get surgery to correct my once horrible eyesight. I think the surgery did more than enough." Scott smiled as he switched back to the live newscast on the TV.
"What's this on TV? A meteor shower? I'm hearing talks of shooting stars." A red-haired woman around the age of 24 entered and leaned against the wall, joining the other mechanics: tall, dirty blonde-haired Scott and the normal height, light brown-haired Alyssa.
"Hey there, Karen," greeted Alyssa.
"'Sup?" spoke Scott then continued to answer her question. "Actually, a cargo ship exploded off Side 03. They only know of a person dead so far, probably the pilot, which is normally the normal 'light' crew for a small cargo ship."
Karen nodded. "This isn't the first of them. This is so horrible, so unfortunate."
Alyssa held up her hand. "Shhh you guys. I think something just came in, the anchor just got something."
"Please excuse this break in the other news, but we have just received word on the identities of the victim of the cargo ship explosion that occurred just hours ago. According the records of the Davon Shipping Company of Colony L2, the pilot's name was Kenneth Maxwell, 19, a resident of L2 as well."
Karen gasped. "You never told me it was the Davon Shipping Company! That pilot was my sister's boyfriend, oh my god, she's gonna freak! I can't believe this, she just went over to meet him earlier too. God Almighty!"
Alyssa looked down to Karen. "Oh my heaven, Karen! Eliza's boyfriend was the pilot? That's so horrible! Do you think she knows?"
Karen took a deep breath, and stroked her hand through her hair. "I don't know. I don't know if she'll be able to take the news."
"Wait, this report also has information given to us by the Davon Shipping Company personally. There supposedly was a passenger aboard, a friend of the pilots. They say according to the check-in logs, her identity is Eliza Vierguard, age 19, also of the L2 colony. She seemed to have been."
Karen Vierguard froze. Her eyes watered, her breath came short, and her mind shot blank. Her mouth gaped open, yet her teeth wanted to clench themselves together in tension. Her hands became fists, and she dug her nails into her palm. Opening her mouth, she let out a light noise before sliding down the wall, tears streaming down her face. Alyssa got up and ran to her side, Scott jumping over the couch to join her as they quickly came to comfort their friend.
".Maxwell has no siblings, and lived with his grandfather on Side 02. Vierguard lived with her parents, Erin and Frank, as well as her older sister, Karen."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I don't know what to say, Aaron, it just came as a shock to me. This time something happened that affected somebody I know. It was really upsetting to me, and I can't imagine how she's feeling right now." Alyssa Krityn was talking to a tall, brown-haired man via a video phone; her boyfriend.
"So, is she okay now?"
"Yeah, probably as good as she's going to be for the time being. Scott and I spent the last two hours with her, and we just called her father, and Scott volunteered to drive her over. I decided to stay to watch over things here, and watching the news is just depressing. I figured the DEC wouldn't send you out on a run after what just happened today, so I took this chance to call you."
"No, Demeth canceled all cargo shipments, as well as recalled all of our ships. I'm guessing he didn't want to risk any of his ships being destroyed, God knows he'd have to pay for new ones."
"I doubt it would even dent his wallet."
"Yeah. But recently, ever since that first explosion, Demeth has been adamant about every single shipment being sent exactly on schedule, and he's been overworking us all."
"What do you think he's so stuck on?"
"How would I know, I'm really just a lower level worker. All I've heard is that he's working on a large manufacturing project. Well, anyway Alyssa, I probably won't be able to catch the Side 02 shuttle today because of what's going on. Because of the investigation, it seems all colony to colony transportation has been shut down."
"I understand. What do you think caused that explosion? This is the third one in four months."
"It could've been a malfunction in the engine or the ship's systems. Or, possibly it could be from Side 03."
"Side 03?"
"Yeah, each colony has beam weaponry built into its structure. It could've been used."
"I doubt that, there was no beam of any sort seen. Plus, those things haven't been used in over a century, they've probably rusted over."
"Well, whatever it is, let's just hope whatever happened is solved. I'd like you to give Karen my sympathy for her and her family. And I better be getting back to work, if any of the supervisors catch me going over my break, they'll have my job. Love you."
"I love you too, Aaron DeLanco. I'll be sure to tell her." The image of Aaron disappeared of the video screen as Alyssa hung up the receiver. She rolled against the wall and leaned against it with her arms crossed over her chest. Quietly she walked back into the break room and slumped herself against the back wall, and unconsciously stared into the television screen.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The dark blue eyes of the corporation CEO of the Demeth Electronics Corporation reflected off the finely finished desk as his finger reached over to a small, black button on the top of his desk. As it pressed into his desk, a buzzing noise sounded outside his office. "Vera, please step into my office."
A tall, elegant woman will light green eyes and sand colored hair stepped through the computerized doors of his office, holding a digital clipboard and pen at her hand. "Yes, Mr. Demeth?"
"Has the shipment been launched yet, Vera?" came the deep sounding voice of Dekran Demeth, leaning back against his chair. Dekran held a full head of jet black hair on the top of his excellently structured, tall, and built body.
"Yes sir, the shipment was just launched, equipped with the special armament that you designed that'll make it undetectable, just as you wanted."
Dekran let a grin come across his face. "Good, I don't want our spectre interrupting my shipments now do I?" A hearty laugh took over him as scanned his eyes up and down her body. "Was everything sent?"
Vera nodded. "The shipment was sent in full, everything you had written." "Yes, that makes me happy," he replied, while focusing between the buttons of Vera's suit. "Very happy."
Vera grasped her digital pen and clipboard, and cleared her throat. "Anything else, sir?"
Dekran forced his eyes off her chest, and stared at her face, raising an eyebrow. "How long until the shipment arrives at the location?"
Vera grabbed the clipboard with her other hand and used her pen to scroll through the information stored on it. Seconds later, she met Dekran's eyes once again. "Less than an hour sir. They are traveling at normal cargo speed."
"That's excellent, perfect timing for my list of events." He rose from his chair and moved over to his window viewing the colony city. He looked back to his secretary. "I wouldn't want my schedule to be thrown off, now would I?"
"Of course not, sir." Vera tucked her clipboard under her arm and headed for the door.
"Vera, wait." The secretary turned to face her boss as he continued to stare out the window. "I'm going to have a celebration later for the success of this latest project of mine. I'm holding it in the meeting room, and I would be pleased if you would join us."
"Um.uh.okay, sir, if you want," she said as she left.
Dekran moved over to his desk and after holding himself in a second of thought, accessed the files of the two explosion victims, as well as the others from the previous two explosions. Once again, his finger graced the small, black button.
"Vera, I would like you to send flowers with my expressed condolences to the families of today's victims."
"Yes sir," she responded.
"After all," finished Dekran as he let his hands off the button, "they did prove helpful in my latest test."
Looking to the clock, he waited. The time was soon to come.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Unit one, I want you to get me some samplings of that shuttle debris, and pack it away for examination in the lab."
"Copy, Squad Leader."
The Side 03 investigation crews and ships scattered across the debris field examining the site of the earlier explosion. Tara Shizo maneuvered her shuttle between the several colony-owned vessels, until it came upon the ship of the Squad Leader. Tapping a few controls on her computer board, she hailed the ship.
No response. Tara sighed and tried again, this time receiving an answer from an older male on her view screen.
"Is this important, Miss?"
Tara rolled her eyes at the warming greeting. "My name is Tara Shizo, and I'm the Chief of the Preventer organization. I am here to investigate the possibility in which today's attacks in addition to the previous two are actually of terrorist doing."
"Well, Miss Shizo, we are currently combing the area of all clues and evidence here for investigation. I suggest that you please allow me and my crew to take care of this part, and after everything is thoroughly examined, we can forward the data over to your headquarters."
"And tell me, how long will that take?"
"About two days, at least."
Tara shook her head as she leaned against her fist on her computer console. "With all due respect, that's just not good enough."
".Give us one moment, then."
The view screen cut out and Tara pushed herself off the console. Suddenly, her console started beeping. She was receiving a transmission. Tara opened up the channel. "This is Chief Shizo of the Preventers."
"Miss Shizo, this is Senator Veraz. Your presence is needed at the Earth Sphere United Nation Assembly meeting that is starting shortly at the government building. It is very important."
Damn., thought Tara. "This can't wait, Senator?"
"The Assembly doesn't plan its schedule around individual convenience. Please be here in ten minutes. Veraz out."
"Why does the assembly want me there? And why did they have him call me? Well, they'll probably have my job if I don't go. I just wish I could finish."
After thinking for a moment, she repositioned herself at the communications console and redialed another location.
"Preventer Rain to Preventer Snow, come in Snow." Tara waited for a second, before receiving a reply.
"This is Earth. What can I do for you, Chief?"
"Evan? Where's Zand? He's supposed to be on duty."
"Zand left to check out something, I volunteered to fill in for him on his normal shift. I'm here to help."
"Alright, I'm at the coordinates of the cargo ship explosion, alone. I need you to come around here and conduct a survey of the wreckage and see what you can deduct from this. It's happened too many times to just be an accident."
"I'm on my way. Where are you going to be?"
"I need to get to the ESUN Assembly meeting, it seems they need me there."
"Roger. Earth out."
Tara closed the transmission and plotted a course for the colony, and hit the thrusters.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Zand Diamund stood at the side door of his Preventer's vessel, just hooked up to the colony work corp Squad Leader's vessel. He waited as the doors between the two finally opened. The Squad Leader stepped through into the Preventer's vessel and greeted Zand.
"Mr. Diamund, welcome back. Listen, I don't know what that thing with your Chief was before and why you didn't want her to touch anything, but it seems she is gone and I've got everything for you."
"Yes, I took care of her presence here, but right now what I need all the records on this accident as well as the wreckage inventory. I believe you have been given them, being the one in charge here."
"I have everything right here. But a question, why couldn't I just give this to your boss?"
"It is none of your concern. Now, may I have the information? It is for the protection of Earth and the colonies."
"Okay, if you say so. Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Preventer?"
Zand took the data files and pocketed them in his uniform. "No, you've done quite enough." While Zand turned to go back to his seat, a beeping noise rang inside the Squad Leader's vessel. The squad leader ran back to his ship and grabbed the receiver of his phone, and after a couple of seconds, hung up.
"Mr. Preventer, it seems another Preventer ship has entered our range."
"What?! What is she doing back?" Zand ran to his seat and looked at his computer at his scanner information. "No, it's different, it's another."
A voice came through his comm system. "Snow? Is that you, Zand. This is Earth, me, Evan. What are you doing here, you said you were going to be checking something else out. How come the Chief didn't see you? Zand, are you there?"
Zand cursed. "Shit . She sent somebody else." He paused. "You."
The Squad Leader walked back onto Zand's ship. "Yes?"
"I need you to keep him preoccupied while I leave. Whatever you do, keep him here until I tell you it is alright."
The squad leader rubbed his beard. "What is it this time?"
"Let's just say I'm on a top secret mission that only the highest ranks in the government know about." Zand pushed the Squad leader back into his own ship and closed the connected doors, and then disconnected his ship. Blasting his thrusters, Zand's ship flew into the distance.
As soon as he had gained a good distance from the group, he placed the ship on auto-pilot and moved to his communications console.
"Zand to Shooting Star. I have a new target, I'm sending over the coordinates. Make sure they're included with the others."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After rushing to the government building, Tara Shizo had finally arrived, and taken a seat. The Assembly was gathering, and the meeting was to start shortly. After catching her breath, she took a look around, namely for Senator Veraz, who had summoned her here. Scanning over the room quickly, she could not find him among the numerous amounts of people there.
While she was looking around, she spotted the Assembly Protempore. Quickly jumping from her seat, she went and caught up with him.
"Mr. Protempore, sir!"
He turned around to see Tara. "Tara? What are you doing here?"
"I was told that I needed to be here, about an important issue or something."
The Protempore raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm not aware of this. Possibly whoever arranged for this was going to bring up something. Who was it?"
"Senator Veraz."
"Veraz? Why, he called in sick today. That's odd. Well, I guess you can stick around if you wish, I'll try and see if I can figure out what he was talking about, if you don't mind waiting."
Tara shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She quickly sprinted out of the government meeting house, and into the streets of the colony. Suddenly, her Preventer beeper rang. Hesitantly, she answered it.
"This is Rain."
"Chief, this is Earth. I'm at the coordinates, and when I arrived, I saw Zand's vessel. He took off rather abruptly, and now the colony crew that is here seem to be delaying me. Oh, sorry, did I call at the wrong time, are you at the assembly?"
Tara looked down at the image of Evan and shook her head. "Something strange is going on. I want you to get o.." The alarms in the background of Evan's ship went off. "Evan, what is it?"
"Chief, it seems something is heading straight our way. One second.it.they look like shooting stars. But, wait, something's been fired my way.oh no."
"Evan?" replied Tara, but his picture went static. "Evan?!" Tara dropped to the ground. "Shooting Stars."