"I've got to find a way to get back to Expel," Claude paced the ship's meeting room. He had fallen unconscious in the hospital room while the doctor was stitching his gash. When he woke up, Claude discovered that he was in some sort of meeting room. His cuts and sores were all repaired, and he found that he was wearing an outfit exactly like the one his father used to wear.
The drug had almost worn off, and Claude decided that he would cooperate, as he knew that he would be no match against any of his aunt's strategies.
But before, his aunt had asked him if he remembered her. Claude did not. He resolved to ask her about the past, and what had changed in the Earth Federation during his time on Expel, and why he was so vital to this plan he kept hearing about.
Just then, a door at the far end of the room opened, and four men and his aunt entered the room. The men were all wore the same outfit as Rachel.
The men all sat down at the long table in the middle of the room.
As Rachel seated herself at the head of the table, she motioned for Claude to take the seat beside her and said warmly, "Come sit down, Commander Kenni."
Claude walked over beside his aunt, and sat in the empty seat.
"It was fortunate that you awoke just before we came in," Rachel talked to Claude but smiled at the men. Then Rachel spoke to the men directly, "Commander Kenni was very tired when I found him, so I insisted that he take a nap before we had this meeting."
Claude did not object to his aunt's lie.
"Now, gentlemen," Rachel folded her hands in front of her, "Commander Kenni has not been informed yet of his position in the Earth Federation's strategies in the battle."
"There's a fight going on?" Claude interrupted.
The men glared at Claude.
Rachel tried to laugh. "Forgive Commander Kenni, gentlemen. In his absence from the Earth Federation, he has not become adjusted to his new duties and responsibilities of his position."
One of the men turned to Claude and smiled. "Commander Kenni I believe that it is I who is responsible to explain to you your importance in the Earth Federation's involvement in the conflict going at this time between Earth and the enemy forces."
Claude studied the man's appearance. He seemed to be older than his aunt, but had a glint in his eyes that showed he was still a playful youngster inside. The man smiled warmly at Claude, and Claude decided that this was the person that he had to become an acquaintance with in order to find a way to return to Rena.
"Please tell me your name, sir," Claude acted mature and also folded his hands in front of him.
"My name, Commander Kenni, is Russel Saunders, and I am second in Command on this ship, the Tolden. At this moment, I am in Commander Rachel's service. But there has been talk at the Earth Federation, that, because of your retrieval, I may be put into your command, sir. Though I may seem unable to uphold my work in the Federation, as my age continues to have a grasp on my health, I will achieve anything you desire to have completed, when I am put in your command."
"Thank you, Second Commander Saunders. I would be proud to have you on my staff. But at the moment, I am afraid that I have no idea what this fight is or I am to do in it." Claude cast a glance towards his aunt, then turned back to Russel.
"Well, Commander Kenni, it is quite the long story. Perhaps Agent Sinclare, here can explain what has happened so far in the fight," Russel turned to the young man, who was younger than Rachel but older than Claude, and asked him to explain the tale.
The young man stood up, and walked to the front of the room, where everyone could see him, and introduced himself. "I, Commander Kenni, am Agent Robert Sinclare, and am the reporter for another ship, the Calnus II, which will soon be in your command."
"The Calnus II," Claude silently repeated the name to himself, and began to think of his father. "Please, go on, Agent Sinclare," Claude urged the man.
"Yes, sir," Robert agreed. "Now, as we at the Earth Federation all know, almost three short years ago, we lost the dear and great man, Commander Ronixis J. Kenni, when his ship, the Calnus, was blown up by a mysterious force."
Claude shielded his eyes from the sights of his aunt and the men, so that they wouldn't see him if he started crying from his emotions over the loss of his father.
Agent Sinclare continued. "About a year ago, a satellite, called Maya XVIII, that was used by the Federation to transmit messages from ships already in deep space back to the Earth Federation Headquarters, sent back to headquarters a disturbing communication. I was present in headquarters when the message was received. It was a video message, that displayed a woman."
"A woman, huh?" Second Commander Saunders stroked his smooth chin.
"Yes, sir," Agent Sinclare confirmed it. "The message was not completely understood, we at the Earth Federation believed the woman to be suffering from the air on the planet she said she resided on."
"And what planet was that?" Claude inquired.
"It was the planet known as Milocinia, Commander Kenni," Agent Sinclare told him.
"Milocinia!?" Claude jumped up from his seat.
"Please sit down, Commander Kenni," Rachel politely said.
"Have you heard of Milocinia before, Commander Kenni?" Second Commander Saunders asked.
"Yes I have," Claude stood up and began pacing the room.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Agent Sinclare asked.
"No, Agent Sinclare," Claude sat down again. "Please, continue."
"Yes, sir," Agent Sinclare agreed. "We at the Earth Federation believed that she must have been suffering from the air there because a few months earlier, a surveying team was sent to Milocinia to engage in a scientific study. The team found traces of toxins in the air, which were the product of a spaceship which had crashed there. There was nothing in the crashed ship that would show the team why the toxin was coming from it, and because of the high content of the toxin in the air, the team was driven back, as they couldn't breathe. They left the planet, and didn't return, until we had received the message with the woman, then a different team was sent there to investigate the woman's reasons for being there."
"What exactly was the woman's message?" Claude questioned.
"Well, sir, it was quite strange, I must say. She proclaimed that the galaxy would soon come under her rule, as she had acquired the power of a planet called Nede. We had no idea what she was talking about, since there is no planet called Nede in the galaxy."
"Nede!" Claude gasped. "That's where Rena was from!"
"I beg your pardon, Commander Kenni?" Rachel demanded.
"Nothing of your concern, Commander Rachel," Claude waved her question away.
Rachel crossed her arms and pasted on a look of upset, but didn't argue.
"I'm sorry for interrupting, Agent Sinclare," Claude apologized. "Please, continue."
"The woman told us that if we did not find Commander Ronixis J. Kenni's son, Ensign Claude Kenni, and bring him to her, that she would destroy Earth."
"Did you find out why she wanted me?" Claude demanded and leaned forward in anticipation.
"No, sir," Agent Sinclare slowly shook his head. "She would tell us nothing more, so a team of the finest men from the Earth Federation were sent to Milocinia, to find the strange woman, and ask her some questions. I went with the team, to act as the reporter. The team went equipped with gas masks, so that they would not inhale the toxins in the air. But when they arrived on Milocinia, they found the air to be clean and free of the toxin. They searched the planet for the woman, then stumbled across a dome shaped structure. They found a way inside, and discovered the remains of the same crashed spaceship, from a few months ago, inside. As they studied their surroundings, they discovered a machine."
"A machine.........," Claude thought about that long time ago when he was on Milocinia, and the machine that transported him to Expel in the first place.
"The team analyzed the machine," Agent Sinclare continued, "and discovered that its make-up used a set of coordinates to transport solid beings to a certain planet. The coordinates that we discovered in it were a set that described where an underdeveloped planet was in the galaxy. Commander Rachel took on the mission to study this planet, and just by luck, she found you." Agent Sinclare swung his hand in Rachel's direction, and Rachel sat up proudly, and smiled.
"Yes," Claude agreed. "So what else did they find on Milocinia when they were looking for the mysterious woman?"
"We looked over the crashed spacecraft, and discovered a mineral inside."
"A mineral?" Second Commander Saunders asked. "What kind of mineral? Did the scientists analyze it?"
"No, sir, they couldn't. As the team recovered the mineral, a woman's voice that was singing was heard. The team turned to the direction from which the sound was coming from, and saw a young woman floating in the air above them. The woman was wearing a worn gown, that was red in colour, and over that, she wore a white robe. Her strawberry red hair was swirled in a mass of tangles and her feet were bare and had 5 cuts on each of them. She pointed at the scientist who was holding the mineral and said, 'Unhand my child!'. The head scientist, Albert Fisher, demanded to know who she was. The woman threw back her head and laughed. Then she said, 'I am Filia! I am the daughter of the man who created the dreadful Ten Wise men! Indalecio is coming again!'.
"Indalecio!" Claude gasped.
"Just then, a twister seemed to evolve in the area within the dome, and it swept the mineral into the air. The team clutched onto the only solid objects there, the rock, and watched as the mineral soared through the air and into Filia's waiting hand. Then with her free hand, Filia opened up her robe, and a great blue cloud, in the form of a thin man with long hair, emerged. The cloud hovered in the hurricane in front of Filia, and then it spoke, 'I am Indalecio! The new dawn of the Ten Wise men is coming!'. The woman then held the mineral out into the heart of the cloud, and said, 'This crest will be the death of the entire universe!', then she laughed horribly. Then Fisher bravely addressed the woman, 'Filia!' he said, 'Why will this happen?'. Then Filia screeched, 'The Ten Wise Men will deal with Ensign Claude Kenni because Claude is the person who killed the Ten Wise Men!'. Fisher, flustered, demanded, 'But I thought you said the Ten Wise Men were coming! They can't come if they are already dead!'. Filia then chuckled, 'Silly mortals! This stone, The Crest of Annihilation could not be destroyed by Ensign Claude Kenni! It became dormant and appeared to be destroyed when the Ten Wise Men were killed! When I, Filia, learned of their destruction, I was happy! But then I was ravaged by the souls of the Ten Wise Men! They possessed me! And now I am in their service! And I have their power!'. To prove that what she said was true, Filia then stretched out the hand with the Crest of Annihilation and raised her other hand in the air. In her hand in the air, a fireball began to form. When the fireball was as large as her head, Filia flung it towards Fisher. Fisher ducked, and the fireball seared the rock it landed on. Then Filia continued, 'I have much more power than that! Fear me, puny
Earthlings! Unless you bring to me the one called Ensign Claude Kenni, you will all perish!' Then the cloud that was hovering in front of Filia roared and soared through the air towards the team. The men all scrambled back out of the dome, but the cloud still pursued us. Filia also flew through the air with the cloud, and hurled many more fireballs towards us as we ran. It was a miracle that we made it back on the ship and came back to Earth safely." Agent Sinclare wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Then he went back and sat down in his chair.
"Thank you, Agent Sinclare," Second Commander Saunders acknowledged Agent Sinclare. "Now, I must tell Commander Kenni about the war."
"Why am I a Commander?" Claude asked.
"Please, sir, allow me to tell the story. It will answer your question," Saunders pleaded.
Claude eased back into the chair. "Yes, please, tell me."
"Yes, sir. The team that returned from Milocinia was badly shaken. About a week later, a distinct change in the warm weather outdoors occurred. As scientists were investigating the strange alteration in the temperature and climate, a huge hurricane formed on the horizon. It was bluish in colour, and was in the distinct shape of a thin man with long hair. Agent Sinclare, here, confirmed that it was the twister that had driven them away from Milocinia. As the cyclone twisted, it approached the Earth Federation Headquarters. The scientists all ducked inside the building, as the tornado came directly for the building. We at the Earth Federation prepared for the worst, but discovered that as the hurricane approached the headquarters, it slowly dispersed, until nothing was left. No other trouble occurred, and so we at headquarters just brushed the incident away. The next day, another reporter to the Federation, Agent Stark, was taking a walk just outside headquarters. As he walked through the greenhouse, her heard a woman's voice singing. He located where the singing was coming from, and found a woman sitting up in one of the trees. The woman was wearing a worn red dress, a white robe, and her bare feet had 5 cuts on each of them, and her strawberry red hair was all tangled up. It was the exact same woman on Milocinia that Agent Sinclare described. But Agent Stark hadn't heard of what had happened on Milocinia. Agent Stark was drawn to the woman's beauty, and when she asked him to sit with her in the tree, he climbed up beside her. The woman smiled at him, then continued singing. As she sang, ripples formed in the water in the pond below the tree, and splashed up against their dangling feet. Agent Stark noticed that as the water soaked the woman's feet, the cuts on them began to glow faintly. Agent Stark proceeded to ask the woman's name. In her heavenly voice, Agent Stark described, the woman chanted her title, which was Filia. Just at that moment, Agent Stark received orders on his communicator to get back to what he was working on. Saying farewell to Filia, he climbed out of the tree. Filia didn't say anything, she just stared out to the horizon. Agent Stark asked if she would meet him again, and she nodded her head. Agent Stark turned and began walking away. Then he turned back to feast his eyes on her beauty again. But Filia was no longer in the tree. All that Agent Stark noticed was the faint rippling of the pond water, and a beautiful voice singing in the breeze," here, Second Commander Saunders took a handkerchief from his pocket and whipped his brow. It looked as if he would start to cry.
"Is something wrong, Saunders?" Claude worriedly asked.
"No, sir. I'm so sorry I stopped," Saunders quickly stuffed the handkerchief back in his pocket.
"No need to apologize. Please, continue," Claude urged the old man.
"Yes, of course. While tending to his assignment, Agent Stark told Agent Sinclare, here, about his meeting with the beautiful woman. When Agent Stark described her looks, praised her singing, and told him her name, Agent Sinclare knew that it was the same Filia. He warned Agent Stark, and told him about what happened on Milocinia. But Agent Stark refused to believe, and met again with Filia the next day in the garden. Filia begged Agent Stark to kiss her, and he did. Agent Sinclare, worried for his friend, was spying on the couple, and saw that as they kissed, a great wave formed in the pond, and twisted into the shape of an old man with long hair. Agent Sinclare saw that as the two released from the kiss, the water form lept into Agent Stark's mouth, and began to drown him. Agent Stark fell from the tree and into the pond below. Filia, laughing, flew from the tree and hovered in the air above the pond. The water raised Agent Stark's limp body into the air, and then a glowing halo surrounded it. As Filia sang her lovely song, the body twirled, and was entirely enveloped in the glowing halo. Agent Stark's body soon stopped spinning, and showed that he was wearing a red gown underneath a long white robe, and his hair was red in colour, and very long. Agent Sinclare also noticed that Agent Stark's feet were bare, and that one of them had a deep cut on it. Filia's feet were different now, as one foot had 5 cuts and the other only had 4. As Agent Stark opened his eyes, Agent Sinclare saw that they were glowing fiercely and were red. He stretched out his arms, and Filia was embraced by him. Then Filia laughed, 'Indalecio, my Lord, you now have a physical form to use your powers and to carry out your work.' Then Agent Stark laughed, 'Yes, Filia! This pitiful mortal's body is now in my control. We will need more of these humans for houses of the other nine Ten Wise Men.' Then the two of them were surrounded in the glowing halo, and disappeared. Agent Sinclare came quickly and told me, but I knew that Agent Stark could not be saved. He is now Indalecio," and with that, Second Commander Saunders broke down, and sobbed.
"There, there, Saunders," Agent Sinclare got up from his seat, walked over to where Second Commander Saunders sat, and gently patted him on the back, "we will get Agent Stark back."
"No!!" Saunders yelled. "He is dead! You said so yourself that he was drowned before Indalecio took over his body! My only son is dead!!"
"Agent Stark must have been Second Commander Saunders's son," Claude thought to himself. Then he suddenly stood straight up from the table, "Don't ever say that, Second Commander Saunders!!" Claude yelled.
Everyone at the table stared up at Claude, and Saunders stopped wailing.
"We will get your son back! Have faith! He is not dead, I know it! We will fight to bring him back!" Claude slammed his fist on the table to prove his point.
Saunders looked down at the floor, ashamed. Then he continued, "Soon afterwards, another message was received at headquarters, from Agent Stark. He called himself Indalecio, and demanded to see you, Commander Kenni. He ordered that we meet him in the garden with you the next day at sunset. We were still searching for you at that time, and so met him in the garden without you. Indalecio was furious, and with his powers, formed a huge tornado that ruined the headquarters' shipbuilding yard. He threatened that we had to bring you to him in the next month or he would fully destroy the Earth Federation, and then, Earth. The Federation set out to fight him where he was hiding, on Milocinia, and the war is still going on, with the luck in his favour. We have lost many lives, and now that we have found you, Commander Kenni, perhaps we can end all this bloodshed," Saunders scratched his head.
"But I still don't understand why I am a Commander," Claude looked around at the people at the table.
Commander Rachel then spoke up, "Commander Kenni, we at the Earth Federation have decided that it would be best if you would command your own spacecraft, rather than put up with the frustration of a different crew not following your orders. We therefore have granted you the title of Commander and built a ship especially for you, the Calnus II, which you will fly to Milocinia in. Other rockets have been assigned the mission of protecting the Calnus II from damage, so that you may be able to land on Milocinia safely and confront Indalecio. The rest, we feel, is up to you, as Indalecio has told us you've met before. We do not know what he will do, and so feel that the responsibility of taking him down would best be left to you, Commander Kenni."
"I understand, Commander Rachel," Claude stroked his chin. He now knew that he couldn't abandon the Federation when it was in need. The Earth Federation was in desperate need of his help, and he would have to play hero once more. But then his thoughts turned to his dear wife Rena. What had become of her? Was she okay? He would have to get the message to her somehow that he was alright. The Earth Federation, he knew, would refuse his request to return to Expel briefly and tell Rena of his task. Claude was worried for Rena. He didn't know if she would be able to cope with his time away. And he didn't know how much longer the war would last. His child would be born soon, if Rena was alright...........
The drug had almost worn off, and Claude decided that he would cooperate, as he knew that he would be no match against any of his aunt's strategies.
But before, his aunt had asked him if he remembered her. Claude did not. He resolved to ask her about the past, and what had changed in the Earth Federation during his time on Expel, and why he was so vital to this plan he kept hearing about.
Just then, a door at the far end of the room opened, and four men and his aunt entered the room. The men were all wore the same outfit as Rachel.
The men all sat down at the long table in the middle of the room.
As Rachel seated herself at the head of the table, she motioned for Claude to take the seat beside her and said warmly, "Come sit down, Commander Kenni."
Claude walked over beside his aunt, and sat in the empty seat.
"It was fortunate that you awoke just before we came in," Rachel talked to Claude but smiled at the men. Then Rachel spoke to the men directly, "Commander Kenni was very tired when I found him, so I insisted that he take a nap before we had this meeting."
Claude did not object to his aunt's lie.
"Now, gentlemen," Rachel folded her hands in front of her, "Commander Kenni has not been informed yet of his position in the Earth Federation's strategies in the battle."
"There's a fight going on?" Claude interrupted.
The men glared at Claude.
Rachel tried to laugh. "Forgive Commander Kenni, gentlemen. In his absence from the Earth Federation, he has not become adjusted to his new duties and responsibilities of his position."
One of the men turned to Claude and smiled. "Commander Kenni I believe that it is I who is responsible to explain to you your importance in the Earth Federation's involvement in the conflict going at this time between Earth and the enemy forces."
Claude studied the man's appearance. He seemed to be older than his aunt, but had a glint in his eyes that showed he was still a playful youngster inside. The man smiled warmly at Claude, and Claude decided that this was the person that he had to become an acquaintance with in order to find a way to return to Rena.
"Please tell me your name, sir," Claude acted mature and also folded his hands in front of him.
"My name, Commander Kenni, is Russel Saunders, and I am second in Command on this ship, the Tolden. At this moment, I am in Commander Rachel's service. But there has been talk at the Earth Federation, that, because of your retrieval, I may be put into your command, sir. Though I may seem unable to uphold my work in the Federation, as my age continues to have a grasp on my health, I will achieve anything you desire to have completed, when I am put in your command."
"Thank you, Second Commander Saunders. I would be proud to have you on my staff. But at the moment, I am afraid that I have no idea what this fight is or I am to do in it." Claude cast a glance towards his aunt, then turned back to Russel.
"Well, Commander Kenni, it is quite the long story. Perhaps Agent Sinclare, here can explain what has happened so far in the fight," Russel turned to the young man, who was younger than Rachel but older than Claude, and asked him to explain the tale.
The young man stood up, and walked to the front of the room, where everyone could see him, and introduced himself. "I, Commander Kenni, am Agent Robert Sinclare, and am the reporter for another ship, the Calnus II, which will soon be in your command."
"The Calnus II," Claude silently repeated the name to himself, and began to think of his father. "Please, go on, Agent Sinclare," Claude urged the man.
"Yes, sir," Robert agreed. "Now, as we at the Earth Federation all know, almost three short years ago, we lost the dear and great man, Commander Ronixis J. Kenni, when his ship, the Calnus, was blown up by a mysterious force."
Claude shielded his eyes from the sights of his aunt and the men, so that they wouldn't see him if he started crying from his emotions over the loss of his father.
Agent Sinclare continued. "About a year ago, a satellite, called Maya XVIII, that was used by the Federation to transmit messages from ships already in deep space back to the Earth Federation Headquarters, sent back to headquarters a disturbing communication. I was present in headquarters when the message was received. It was a video message, that displayed a woman."
"A woman, huh?" Second Commander Saunders stroked his smooth chin.
"Yes, sir," Agent Sinclare confirmed it. "The message was not completely understood, we at the Earth Federation believed the woman to be suffering from the air on the planet she said she resided on."
"And what planet was that?" Claude inquired.
"It was the planet known as Milocinia, Commander Kenni," Agent Sinclare told him.
"Milocinia!?" Claude jumped up from his seat.
"Please sit down, Commander Kenni," Rachel politely said.
"Have you heard of Milocinia before, Commander Kenni?" Second Commander Saunders asked.
"Yes I have," Claude stood up and began pacing the room.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Agent Sinclare asked.
"No, Agent Sinclare," Claude sat down again. "Please, continue."
"Yes, sir," Agent Sinclare agreed. "We at the Earth Federation believed that she must have been suffering from the air there because a few months earlier, a surveying team was sent to Milocinia to engage in a scientific study. The team found traces of toxins in the air, which were the product of a spaceship which had crashed there. There was nothing in the crashed ship that would show the team why the toxin was coming from it, and because of the high content of the toxin in the air, the team was driven back, as they couldn't breathe. They left the planet, and didn't return, until we had received the message with the woman, then a different team was sent there to investigate the woman's reasons for being there."
"What exactly was the woman's message?" Claude questioned.
"Well, sir, it was quite strange, I must say. She proclaimed that the galaxy would soon come under her rule, as she had acquired the power of a planet called Nede. We had no idea what she was talking about, since there is no planet called Nede in the galaxy."
"Nede!" Claude gasped. "That's where Rena was from!"
"I beg your pardon, Commander Kenni?" Rachel demanded.
"Nothing of your concern, Commander Rachel," Claude waved her question away.
Rachel crossed her arms and pasted on a look of upset, but didn't argue.
"I'm sorry for interrupting, Agent Sinclare," Claude apologized. "Please, continue."
"The woman told us that if we did not find Commander Ronixis J. Kenni's son, Ensign Claude Kenni, and bring him to her, that she would destroy Earth."
"Did you find out why she wanted me?" Claude demanded and leaned forward in anticipation.
"No, sir," Agent Sinclare slowly shook his head. "She would tell us nothing more, so a team of the finest men from the Earth Federation were sent to Milocinia, to find the strange woman, and ask her some questions. I went with the team, to act as the reporter. The team went equipped with gas masks, so that they would not inhale the toxins in the air. But when they arrived on Milocinia, they found the air to be clean and free of the toxin. They searched the planet for the woman, then stumbled across a dome shaped structure. They found a way inside, and discovered the remains of the same crashed spaceship, from a few months ago, inside. As they studied their surroundings, they discovered a machine."
"A machine.........," Claude thought about that long time ago when he was on Milocinia, and the machine that transported him to Expel in the first place.
"The team analyzed the machine," Agent Sinclare continued, "and discovered that its make-up used a set of coordinates to transport solid beings to a certain planet. The coordinates that we discovered in it were a set that described where an underdeveloped planet was in the galaxy. Commander Rachel took on the mission to study this planet, and just by luck, she found you." Agent Sinclare swung his hand in Rachel's direction, and Rachel sat up proudly, and smiled.
"Yes," Claude agreed. "So what else did they find on Milocinia when they were looking for the mysterious woman?"
"We looked over the crashed spacecraft, and discovered a mineral inside."
"A mineral?" Second Commander Saunders asked. "What kind of mineral? Did the scientists analyze it?"
"No, sir, they couldn't. As the team recovered the mineral, a woman's voice that was singing was heard. The team turned to the direction from which the sound was coming from, and saw a young woman floating in the air above them. The woman was wearing a worn gown, that was red in colour, and over that, she wore a white robe. Her strawberry red hair was swirled in a mass of tangles and her feet were bare and had 5 cuts on each of them. She pointed at the scientist who was holding the mineral and said, 'Unhand my child!'. The head scientist, Albert Fisher, demanded to know who she was. The woman threw back her head and laughed. Then she said, 'I am Filia! I am the daughter of the man who created the dreadful Ten Wise men! Indalecio is coming again!'.
"Indalecio!" Claude gasped.
"Just then, a twister seemed to evolve in the area within the dome, and it swept the mineral into the air. The team clutched onto the only solid objects there, the rock, and watched as the mineral soared through the air and into Filia's waiting hand. Then with her free hand, Filia opened up her robe, and a great blue cloud, in the form of a thin man with long hair, emerged. The cloud hovered in the hurricane in front of Filia, and then it spoke, 'I am Indalecio! The new dawn of the Ten Wise men is coming!'. The woman then held the mineral out into the heart of the cloud, and said, 'This crest will be the death of the entire universe!', then she laughed horribly. Then Fisher bravely addressed the woman, 'Filia!' he said, 'Why will this happen?'. Then Filia screeched, 'The Ten Wise Men will deal with Ensign Claude Kenni because Claude is the person who killed the Ten Wise Men!'. Fisher, flustered, demanded, 'But I thought you said the Ten Wise Men were coming! They can't come if they are already dead!'. Filia then chuckled, 'Silly mortals! This stone, The Crest of Annihilation could not be destroyed by Ensign Claude Kenni! It became dormant and appeared to be destroyed when the Ten Wise Men were killed! When I, Filia, learned of their destruction, I was happy! But then I was ravaged by the souls of the Ten Wise Men! They possessed me! And now I am in their service! And I have their power!'. To prove that what she said was true, Filia then stretched out the hand with the Crest of Annihilation and raised her other hand in the air. In her hand in the air, a fireball began to form. When the fireball was as large as her head, Filia flung it towards Fisher. Fisher ducked, and the fireball seared the rock it landed on. Then Filia continued, 'I have much more power than that! Fear me, puny
Earthlings! Unless you bring to me the one called Ensign Claude Kenni, you will all perish!' Then the cloud that was hovering in front of Filia roared and soared through the air towards the team. The men all scrambled back out of the dome, but the cloud still pursued us. Filia also flew through the air with the cloud, and hurled many more fireballs towards us as we ran. It was a miracle that we made it back on the ship and came back to Earth safely." Agent Sinclare wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Then he went back and sat down in his chair.
"Thank you, Agent Sinclare," Second Commander Saunders acknowledged Agent Sinclare. "Now, I must tell Commander Kenni about the war."
"Why am I a Commander?" Claude asked.
"Please, sir, allow me to tell the story. It will answer your question," Saunders pleaded.
Claude eased back into the chair. "Yes, please, tell me."
"Yes, sir. The team that returned from Milocinia was badly shaken. About a week later, a distinct change in the warm weather outdoors occurred. As scientists were investigating the strange alteration in the temperature and climate, a huge hurricane formed on the horizon. It was bluish in colour, and was in the distinct shape of a thin man with long hair. Agent Sinclare, here, confirmed that it was the twister that had driven them away from Milocinia. As the cyclone twisted, it approached the Earth Federation Headquarters. The scientists all ducked inside the building, as the tornado came directly for the building. We at the Earth Federation prepared for the worst, but discovered that as the hurricane approached the headquarters, it slowly dispersed, until nothing was left. No other trouble occurred, and so we at headquarters just brushed the incident away. The next day, another reporter to the Federation, Agent Stark, was taking a walk just outside headquarters. As he walked through the greenhouse, her heard a woman's voice singing. He located where the singing was coming from, and found a woman sitting up in one of the trees. The woman was wearing a worn red dress, a white robe, and her bare feet had 5 cuts on each of them, and her strawberry red hair was all tangled up. It was the exact same woman on Milocinia that Agent Sinclare described. But Agent Stark hadn't heard of what had happened on Milocinia. Agent Stark was drawn to the woman's beauty, and when she asked him to sit with her in the tree, he climbed up beside her. The woman smiled at him, then continued singing. As she sang, ripples formed in the water in the pond below the tree, and splashed up against their dangling feet. Agent Stark noticed that as the water soaked the woman's feet, the cuts on them began to glow faintly. Agent Stark proceeded to ask the woman's name. In her heavenly voice, Agent Stark described, the woman chanted her title, which was Filia. Just at that moment, Agent Stark received orders on his communicator to get back to what he was working on. Saying farewell to Filia, he climbed out of the tree. Filia didn't say anything, she just stared out to the horizon. Agent Stark asked if she would meet him again, and she nodded her head. Agent Stark turned and began walking away. Then he turned back to feast his eyes on her beauty again. But Filia was no longer in the tree. All that Agent Stark noticed was the faint rippling of the pond water, and a beautiful voice singing in the breeze," here, Second Commander Saunders took a handkerchief from his pocket and whipped his brow. It looked as if he would start to cry.
"Is something wrong, Saunders?" Claude worriedly asked.
"No, sir. I'm so sorry I stopped," Saunders quickly stuffed the handkerchief back in his pocket.
"No need to apologize. Please, continue," Claude urged the old man.
"Yes, of course. While tending to his assignment, Agent Stark told Agent Sinclare, here, about his meeting with the beautiful woman. When Agent Stark described her looks, praised her singing, and told him her name, Agent Sinclare knew that it was the same Filia. He warned Agent Stark, and told him about what happened on Milocinia. But Agent Stark refused to believe, and met again with Filia the next day in the garden. Filia begged Agent Stark to kiss her, and he did. Agent Sinclare, worried for his friend, was spying on the couple, and saw that as they kissed, a great wave formed in the pond, and twisted into the shape of an old man with long hair. Agent Sinclare saw that as the two released from the kiss, the water form lept into Agent Stark's mouth, and began to drown him. Agent Stark fell from the tree and into the pond below. Filia, laughing, flew from the tree and hovered in the air above the pond. The water raised Agent Stark's limp body into the air, and then a glowing halo surrounded it. As Filia sang her lovely song, the body twirled, and was entirely enveloped in the glowing halo. Agent Stark's body soon stopped spinning, and showed that he was wearing a red gown underneath a long white robe, and his hair was red in colour, and very long. Agent Sinclare also noticed that Agent Stark's feet were bare, and that one of them had a deep cut on it. Filia's feet were different now, as one foot had 5 cuts and the other only had 4. As Agent Stark opened his eyes, Agent Sinclare saw that they were glowing fiercely and were red. He stretched out his arms, and Filia was embraced by him. Then Filia laughed, 'Indalecio, my Lord, you now have a physical form to use your powers and to carry out your work.' Then Agent Stark laughed, 'Yes, Filia! This pitiful mortal's body is now in my control. We will need more of these humans for houses of the other nine Ten Wise Men.' Then the two of them were surrounded in the glowing halo, and disappeared. Agent Sinclare came quickly and told me, but I knew that Agent Stark could not be saved. He is now Indalecio," and with that, Second Commander Saunders broke down, and sobbed.
"There, there, Saunders," Agent Sinclare got up from his seat, walked over to where Second Commander Saunders sat, and gently patted him on the back, "we will get Agent Stark back."
"No!!" Saunders yelled. "He is dead! You said so yourself that he was drowned before Indalecio took over his body! My only son is dead!!"
"Agent Stark must have been Second Commander Saunders's son," Claude thought to himself. Then he suddenly stood straight up from the table, "Don't ever say that, Second Commander Saunders!!" Claude yelled.
Everyone at the table stared up at Claude, and Saunders stopped wailing.
"We will get your son back! Have faith! He is not dead, I know it! We will fight to bring him back!" Claude slammed his fist on the table to prove his point.
Saunders looked down at the floor, ashamed. Then he continued, "Soon afterwards, another message was received at headquarters, from Agent Stark. He called himself Indalecio, and demanded to see you, Commander Kenni. He ordered that we meet him in the garden with you the next day at sunset. We were still searching for you at that time, and so met him in the garden without you. Indalecio was furious, and with his powers, formed a huge tornado that ruined the headquarters' shipbuilding yard. He threatened that we had to bring you to him in the next month or he would fully destroy the Earth Federation, and then, Earth. The Federation set out to fight him where he was hiding, on Milocinia, and the war is still going on, with the luck in his favour. We have lost many lives, and now that we have found you, Commander Kenni, perhaps we can end all this bloodshed," Saunders scratched his head.
"But I still don't understand why I am a Commander," Claude looked around at the people at the table.
Commander Rachel then spoke up, "Commander Kenni, we at the Earth Federation have decided that it would be best if you would command your own spacecraft, rather than put up with the frustration of a different crew not following your orders. We therefore have granted you the title of Commander and built a ship especially for you, the Calnus II, which you will fly to Milocinia in. Other rockets have been assigned the mission of protecting the Calnus II from damage, so that you may be able to land on Milocinia safely and confront Indalecio. The rest, we feel, is up to you, as Indalecio has told us you've met before. We do not know what he will do, and so feel that the responsibility of taking him down would best be left to you, Commander Kenni."
"I understand, Commander Rachel," Claude stroked his chin. He now knew that he couldn't abandon the Federation when it was in need. The Earth Federation was in desperate need of his help, and he would have to play hero once more. But then his thoughts turned to his dear wife Rena. What had become of her? Was she okay? He would have to get the message to her somehow that he was alright. The Earth Federation, he knew, would refuse his request to return to Expel briefly and tell Rena of his task. Claude was worried for Rena. He didn't know if she would be able to cope with his time away. And he didn't know how much longer the war would last. His child would be born soon, if Rena was alright...........