The Song of Eternity
Canto 4 : Earth
Verse 4
Finale
The end of the year grows nearer,
Starmore battles the forces of darkness,
As the watcher observes,
And stumbles upon the truth.
"December 28th, 2085, Veritas Project, T minus three days until deadline for this report, Earth Force Major Marcus Boyd reporting," Marcus spoke as he sat dejected in his room. "The findings of this report have been very discouraging. Over the last month or so, I have only had the chance to observe Starmore once, yesterday."
"There has been little or no progress over the last month. We have found no records of survivors from the World War 3 time period besides General Stumpf. This project was doomed from the start it seems and I am taking the time to formally complain about Colonel Hartnett's involvement in the situation," he said as he made excuses for his lack of findings.
"It is my belief that he knows the truth that this project is desperately seeking, but for unknown reasons is doing his best to conceal it. This comes after the interview with Stumpf where he obviously stopped the General from telling me some things as well as several items being changed to class 10 clearance after I requested them."
"As far as my findings go, the being battling above this base is probably Travis Starmore," he stated as he thought back to the live video feed he had watched yesterday. "His appearance, clad in black, and his power to emit energy blasts that match the blasts we had recorded from the war lead to my conclusion that he did not die in Africa. But as to where he has been for so long, there is no conclusion that can be made. He battled what appeared to be the last of Alpha's forces today according to satellite readouts, so I believe he will disappear again."
"All in all, this project was a wild goose chase, uncovering little more than half-truths that many suspected to begin with. Nothing more will be discovered until all level 10 clearance information is declassified and people like General Stumpf tell the whole truth. This is Major Marcus Boyd signing off, I am going to take this tape over to Colonel Hartnett now. This will be my last report, unless something major comes up," he finished as he clicked the recorder off and pocketed it.
He left his room in a disheartened mood after wasting the last month of his life on a dead end project. He walked silently to the Colonel's room and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he called out. "Colonel! Are you in there?" He had not seen the Colonel since before the battle yesterday and thought maybe he had hurt himself and was unable to get help. He placed his eye to the retina scan and spoke. "Door override, Major Marcus Boyd speaking, possible medical emergency." The door whirred and opened, allowing him to enter the Colonel's darkened room.
He felt for a light switch, but was stopped as a small light appeared at the other side of the room, briefly illuminating the Colonel as he lit up a cigarette. "Leave those lights off. There's a chair behind you, take a seat Major," the Colonel ordered as he sucked on the cigarette.
"Sorry for the intrusion sir, but I thought that you might have been injured," Marcus apologized.
"Injured…ha," the Colonel laughed as he sat there in the dark. "You brought the tape?"
"Yes, sir. This will be the final tape unless something else turns up," Marcus explained.
"Understood. Do you have any regrets about this project?"
"Excuse any insubordination here sir, but I feel like you have been trying to sabotage this project since day one for unknown reasons," Marcus said, glad to get it off his chest.
"I wouldn't say sabotage, more like slow down. I am sorry if it came across that way," Hartnett said without emotion. "You should find a tape on the table next to you, put it in your recorder and turn it on," the Colonel ordered as Marcus followed his instructions. "I know you looked into my past a bit as well. Now using all you have found out in the last month, figure out what is going on," Hartnett ordered as the sound of a gun's safety clicking off sounded through the room.
"Sir, there was very little to find about you. Only a name and a serial number really. There were no records of your past before coming here and assuming command under the direct orders of General Stumpf when the battles on the surface began. As far as I can tell, you did not exist before five years ago," he said as he wondered if the Colonel would shoot him.
"Excellent, continue," Hartnett ordered as he lit another cigarette.
"As far as I can tell, you were someone important, that was given a new name by the General. Why you were assigned here is beyond me," Marcus admitted.
"And what of Starmore's battles aboveground?"
"As far as I can tell he has no other agenda than to destroy the remnants of Alpha's forces and should not be considered a threat to Earth."
"Good, you have figured out many things. I will be leaving this post tonight, Major. I will now fill in several things that I know and that Earth Force will figure out in time. The things he was battling were coming out of a factory that Alpha buried under the ground in an old mine. There was a prototype WEAPON stored there, it came alive five years ago and began to attack and test this base. It finally came out itself, along with the rest of its forces yesterday and was destroyed by Starmore. The prototype was controlled by a nanovirus WEAPON from another dimension," Hartnett explained as if it was no big deal.
"Sir, how do you know all this?"
"There is a flashlight on the table next to you. There are several photographs as well. The first is of Starmore before he left Earth," Hartnett explained as Marcus turned the light on and examined the photo. "The second is of him as they held him at Nellis. These are the best photos of him we have," Hartnett explained as Marcus clicked the light off.
"Sir… I do not understand this… Why have you slowed down the project and tried to hide the truth?" Marcus asked him confusedly.
"Simple, how could I still be living here comfortably if the truth was out there? All the class 10 documents that you need to tell the whole truth of Starmore's imprisonment here on Earth while the planet was destroyed are on disk on that table as well. They are a gift to you to do with as you will, I do not care anymore. I just needed to slow down your report until Alpha's forces were destroyed."
"Sir, can I turn the lights on?"
"If you must," Hartnett gave in.
As Marcus's eyes adjusted to the light he looked over to where the Colonel sat lazily in a chair. He was covered in blood and dress in all black. The thing that Marcus recognized immediately was the metal arm. "Why the ruse? Why keep it a secret all this time?"
"I'm worshipped by people here. I'm just a man, I didn't want them to know it was me," Starmore explained as he got to his feet. "Tell the General I said goodbye."
"Where are you going?"
"I have ten more of those nanovirus WEAPONs to hunt down. They killed my family and took all I held dear. You have all you need to tell everyone the truth. The files on those disks will tell about how I could have saved so many lives, but the fools at Nellis kept me locked away while watching the world burn. I contacted Stumpf earlier today, he will tell you whatever you need to know. You can go on letting the populous believe whatever they wish, or you can give them the whole truth, the choice is yours. I do not care, I will not be here," he finished.
"What was this all about sir? Why did you come back? Just to stop the nanoWEAPON?" Marcus questioned him as Starmore made a portal appear out of thin air.
"Of course. I do not care about the people here in the slightest. I want my revenge and I will kill anyone who gets in my way," Starmore said darkly as he left Earth, never to return again to his barren homeland.