(Part 4 - Finale)

"Yes, Colonel Blake. Those are the latest results from Project 'Golden Rainbow'... Go ahead? Yes. Of course."

'Hap' hung up his desk phone. He had his orders to proceed with the next and greatest test. To get to Alpha Centauri.

The nearest star to the Sun and Earth. About 4.5 Light Years away. Maybe just 4.5 hours away... For Mike Greenfield?

#-#-#

"Alright Hap. I'll take her to the limit. Or what I believe is the limit. Though I'm not sure there really is one?"

Mike replied, after his new orders had been approved. "Where No Man has gone... Before!" he then thought.

Yes: 'To reach the unreachable Stars!' Where had he heard or read that very line? Oh yes: 'Man of La Mancha'.

#-#-#

"Power... Full Spectrum!" "Ion Generators at Maximum!" "Gyros all Steady... Ready... Go!" said the engineers.

Hap and Kal watched in the Control Room... On the big, main monitor screen. The Ship blinked... then was gone!

"Are we still tracking him... Anything on the radio telescopes out at Goldstone and elsewhere? Where is he. Where?"

This from Kal. His words echoed in Hap's mind and thoughts. Did Mike make it... To the nearest Star... However far?

Slowly some type of resonance, reverberation effect slowly grew. And grew. The Control Room started shaking violently.

Then harder and harder, like a giant's hand had grabbed the building with heavy, humongous fingers. And the Sky, outside...

The Sky had been clear blue... A baby blue... But it now was a deep shade of purple. And still 5 hours until Twilight Time!

#-#-#

Several days, nearly a week later...

"I don't understand, Colonel. Where the Hell is the Base? Are we at the right coordinates? God damn... Where's the Base!"

This from a 3-star general, as he and Colonel Blake stared down from their helicopter at 3000 feet above the desert floor.

They saw some thin concentric rings in the soil. The smallest circle was centered where the Control Room once had been.

"General, do you want to land and get a closer inspection?" asked Blake. The General then nodded a silent 'Yes'.

Only the local mountain range and the small dirt road and some large rocky areas was all the remained of the secret base.

For a diameter of several miles not a single brick or building was left. Almost like a small nuke had obliterated the place.

The Colonel held a radiation detector: the latest 6th Generation model, only available to the Military and Top Scientists.

So far it did not register any strong radiation. Just the normal low background level, less than a microwave oven makes.

"Captain... Circle a few times, then land by that rocky outcropping just ahead" ordered the Colonel to the chopper pilot.

"Yes, Sir!" the pilot responded. They finally landed on the naked desert sands. They soon noticed some odd plants nearby.

The General was curious. He was no gardener, but those plants did remind him of something from his early school days.

"Colonel... Those plants... They're a bit like what I recall from an old textbook on ancient animals and plant life. So odd!"

The Colonel looked and noticed as well: "Yes, General... I see what you mean. How very unusual. Yes, quite odd indeed!"

Suddenly there was a loud roar... Like an African Lion. Up on top of the rocks was a great beast. The pilot immediately

drew his service pistol. An old classic .45 caliber '1911' remodel. He shot 3 rounds lightning fast, as the 'Lion' jumped.

The three men looked on in wide disbelief, at the now quiet wild cat. One of the most dangerous, largest cats ever!

"My God... That's no mountain lion. Is that what I think it is?" asked the General, dumbfounded and deeply stunned.

Colonel Blake spoke slowly, as if trying to convince himself: "If you are thinking what I'm thinking... Yes, General.

That looks exactly like the classic image... of the long gone, but here now... Saber Tooth Tiger! Oh, yes!"

#-#-#

Alpha Centauri was much like Earth's Sun. The Ship approached a green planet.

It was on automated control now. It soon landed near a lush forest, in a large clearing.

Crystal spires loomed nearby. A contingent of local inhabitants approached the craft. Suddenly its door opened.

"Khalmar... Please Welcome our Visitors and bring them to me. I wish to meet with them," said the local Magistrate.

After a short time... "My Lord... There was only one being on the ship. A young male it appears to be..."

Khalmar's lovely female assistant carried the fragile humanoid creature in her arms.

It was a baby. Blue eyes. The baby did not cry. He smiled... and then laughed!

(THE END... Or a new Beginning?)