Planet Genocide I (Galaxies Collide Book 3) (2 page)

Admiral Shadian

Commander of the space station above Zaxon B, Alexion One, the admiral has served with his crew of approximately two thousand for over six years covertly monitoring Morgon communications and movement as the vast ship was deployed in orbit above the barren planet below. With the unannounced arrival of two Morgon Decimator Warships at the far side of the planet, he is now deeply concerned for the future safety of not only his crew and vessel but also the future ownership of the planet.

In his mid-forties, he is now struggling to engage several of the enemy at once including preserve his precious fighter strength against the Morgon pilots below.

Jozefina Kapralova

An operational manager at Heathrow, Jozefina had realised at an early stage of the air battle over England that the commercial aviation aspect of Heathrow’s business would be detrimentally, if not severely affected. Popular with security officers, she had received several texts and phone calls from perhaps naïve staff eager to join up, all of whom had been military reservists in the many nationalities that form some of the workforce at the airport. Finally convincing the Terminal Manager and then Chief Executive, the initially mistakenly formed Heathrow Battalion now has official status as designated reserve troops for the Trevakians.

Riaz

An Asian security officer at Heathrow, by chance, Riaz was one of the first staff members aboard the alien craft. Being initially chosen to model the Trevakian marine uniform to demonstrate to the new allies, he was involved in assisting the first wounded through the transporter portal, becoming stranded on the space station above Zaxon B. Mistakenly seen as a front line soldier because of his uniform, he was ordered by military command onto one of the transports to the planet’s surface, the craft chased by Morgon fighters to a remote outpost, Contax Base. Adapting to the surroundings, Riaz now has considerable experience with the Trevakian assault rifle issued to him.

Shino

Philippine by birth, Shino also shares the same fate as Riaz, having ended a frantic first space flight to Contax Base. Speaking some Russian and a keen computer games player with the nickname Pheonix, Shino has learnt early that the enemy is both ruthless and terrifying. Short in stature, but tall by nature, she is a determined and self-motivated individual, so named fondly by her father after his obsession with Japanese anime comics before her birth.

Sam

A black male security officer at Heathrow, Sam was designated to hold a sniper rifle by the Trevakian marines around him upon weapon selection. Having studied in his part-time for a degree, Sam has spent some considerable time considering and learning the weapon issued to him, horrified the rifle was without the common safety features of standard issue Trevakian weapons. He was positioned in one of the two small towers in the outpost, unfortunately the structure receiving a direct hit on the final Morgon advance as the defenders broke and fled.

Debra Hardie

An operational supervisor at the airport, Debra had accompanied Riaz, Shino and Sam onto the Trevakian vessel after it landed. Being chosen like the others to model the off-world armour and combat uniforms, she was also mistaken as a front line soldier and sent to the planet’s surface. With a natural mothering influence and feeling responsible for the three security officers in her charge, Debra is keen to protect them and reach safety.

Tregan

A private in the second Trevakian Marine Brigade, Tregan and his close colleague and friend, Mrin, were assigned to protect the four human earth civilians from Heathrow until their consistent stories of innocent incorrect selection could be established. His countryman brutally slaughtered in action whilst protecting them, Tregan now holds the safety of the humans as a high priority, feeling he owes this to his now deceased best friend.

Captain Dugachard

The Trevakian commander on the drop ship, Captain Dugachard was stranded with the humans, rapidly realising she was the senior commander at a disorganised outpost of Trevakian and allied volunteers. Coordinating the retrieval of personnel, she became disillusioned with the casualties and deteriorating military situation, eventually complicit in ordering a full retreat when the realisation that the defenders would be overwhelmed and slaughtered became apparent. She remains the commander of the survivors.

Admiral Karladen

Transported in a Trevakian Skorpion Class Battle Cruiser, Admiral Karladen was the chosen commander to make first contact with earth. His highly decorated career providing the perfect backdrop to open negotiations with an innocent world…a planet that would soon be drawing the attention of the destructive Morgon enemy. Unbeknown to him, the Morgons had followed the Trevakians through space, arriving in orbit above human earth shortly after initial communication was made. Upon first contact, the Admiral elected to remain on the ground with his media officer to negotiate with the humans. He is now in the Churchill bunkers with the British Prime Minister and in communication with other world leaders.

Vice Admiral Chergui

A Trevakian Battleship commander with the Seventh Fleet, his ship and escorts were diverted on their way to relieve Zaxon B to attend a distress beacon placed on earth at Admiral Karladen’s order. Uncloaking and successfully engaging the Morgon vessel in orbit above the planet, Chergui has now been instructed to provide whatever defence he can against any hostile action, with earth’s fighter forces now weakened considerably.

Dryden

Aboard the Trevakian Skorpion Class Battle Cruiser when it landed on earth, Dryden was placed in charge of showing the first few earth visitors around the vessel for public relation reasons. Innocently causing the misunderstandings with uniforms, he is still aboard the ship currently cloaked in Osterley Park in West London. The Trevakian is currently assisting with the many severely wounded that have ventured for safety through the transporter connected to the space station above Zaxon B, stranded on earth due to military action.

Sky Commander (First Officer) Petaski

Placed in charge of the Trevakian Skorpion Class Battle Cruiser after the departure of Admiral Karladen to negotiate with the UK Government and world leaders, the young officer has played host to a senior airport manager, army major and the Heathrow Duty Police Chief Inspector. Moving the vessel to Osterley Park for safety, Petaski has remained in contact with Admiral Karladen covertly and without human knowledge, attempting to maintain a public relations front with the accompanying managers.

Duty Manager David Bland

The Duty Manager in charge of Terminal 3 on the day of the Trevakian landing, David Bland is a manager that cares for his staff and was appalled when he learnt that three security officers and a supervisor had mistakenly been sent to the planet’s surface. Attempting to retrieve these staff members safely against instructions, the drop ship he commandeered was chased by Morgon fighters, becoming deliberately crippled by the enemy and causing it continue to fly into deep space. David and the pilot have now passed into the next galaxy, the Pastarian System and in the confusion of war will likely be pronounced MIA.

Sonar Technician Officer Jon McInnen glanced across the radar and sonar screens in the bridge of the USS John Warner, the Virginia Class nuclear submarine. Five days out of Pearl Harbour-Hickam naval base, the patrol had been anything but eventful, the US Navy cautiously deploying all its ships to sea after the attack from enemy craft several days earlier.

The Pacific Ocean was relatively quiet, the few fishing vessels that had been brave enough to venture into the vast expanse of sea had fished well, their holds full as they now sailed at full speed back towards Hawaii and the surrounding islands.

Checking the headings of the many small vessels, the Sonar Officer grinned as he noticed the other large US Virginia class submarine on his sloped screen, the underwater vessel following an identical course to the north west across the massive ocean. Radio and even e-mail contact was maintained with the Japanese and Chinese ships far further to the west, previous squabbles and disagreements now pushed onto the ‘back burner’ as the threat to earth superseded national disagreements.

He jumped, startled as the watch commander slapped his shoulder playfully, depositing a coffee on the edge of his workstation, a smile on his superior’s face, ‘So what have you got…anything?’ The officer had relaxed his usual formalities, allowing the men under his command to become more informal, the long hours of high alert taxing their nerves and adrenalin. He smiled briefly, seeing the sailors crumpled and marked uniform, the alertness levels taxing the crew with long shifts, the men doubled up on observation duties thus reducing any downtime.

Jon glanced upwards, rubbing his eyes with tiredness, his short black hair glistening in sweat from the humid atmosphere on the command deck. He nodded, indicating to the screen, ‘Nothing spectacular Sir…mostly fishing vessels and a few cargoes…the world keeps turning, and money has to be made for survival…’

First officer Shohara grinned thoughtfully, his eyes sparkling as McInnen swigged greedily on the hot liquid, ‘All quiet on the western front then Jon…’ The Polynesian commander’s brown eyes flashed as he leant forward, studying the screen, his light grey uniform still neatly pressed if damp with perspiration from the nine hours of a twelve-hour shift. Pointing at the dots glimmering as the thin light pulsed across them he indicated to a larger one, ‘Heavy cargo?’

Jon nodded in acknowledgement, ‘Yes Sir, a South Korean transport heading for San Diego…probably loaded with electronics and equipment for the navy there…I can check the signals and manifest with Hawaii if you wish?’

Shohara shook his head, ‘No need…’ He pointed to the small single aircraft heading across the screen to the north of them, ‘…they will have completed the checks and will go for a visual…’ His voice trailed off as an excited voice spread across the deck, his head spinning round.

The Operations Specialist officer at the other side of the small command deck looked up, her eyes widening, ‘Movement in the water Sir! We have no signal, but there is considerable disturbance…’

Shohara straightened up, stiffening as his eyes narrowed, ‘Dolphins or whales?’ He glanced across at the ensign as the woman shrugged, his voice rising, ‘Light us up…let’s see what is out there!’

The female junior officer stared frantically at the equipment before her, her eyes darting across the screens, ‘Cameras are blind Sir! We have nothing!’

The first officer stared around him, the adrenalin pouring through his frame, his tone strained, ‘Go to full alert! Comms to Hawaii immediately as per protocol…there is something…’

A loud metallic clank against the hull, the officer glancing round cautiously as Shohara’s eyes looked upwards. The female ensign’s voice shaking, ‘Distress call from the USS Illinois…comms seem to be breaking down Sir…what…’

All the screens suddenly went blank, McInnen rising from his workstation in rising alarm and concern, ‘Sir, we are blinded…all our systems are jammed! The enemy must be near…we are under attack!’

Shohara glanced round in alarm as more clanks hit the hull, his voice exasperated, ‘What enemy…these aliens? Where the hell have they come from?’ He lunged forward, slamming his fist on the alarm button, the shrill sound of a shrieking pulse filling the submarine as crew members desperately struggled from sleep, jumping and stumbling from their bunks.

McInnen reached for his holstered pistol, the pulses of adrenalin surging up his spine as muffled thumps echoed around them. Inhuman shrieks filling the submarine, the distant screams of the crew surging through the narrow passageways…then broken gunfire, the shouted words caught in his throat as his voice rose to shrill scream, ‘How? They are now inside!’

The dawn light streamed through the long high windows, the four assembled senior officers blinking against the glare as the middle aged man behind the desk clicked a key on the laptop before him, his voice firm as his frustration rose, ‘It seems the network is slow again…the screen is stuck…again.’ He grimaced, leaning back in his chair, ‘So gentlemen, we have a conference call in thirty minutes with the British Prime Minister and Russian Premier, is there anything else to add?’

The Chief of Defence shook his head, ‘No Sir…we have full patrols out in all coastal waters and the fleets report earlier this morning have revealed no suspicious movements. Satellite images show no cause for concern and we are following up on the many ‘strange’ sightings that have been reported…’ He smiled confidently, ‘Probably the usual ‘nuts’ and ‘white extremists’ hoping for publicity…’ Four mobile phones started to ring then cut off simultaneously, the figures startled in response, raising their devices to stare at them in exasperation.

The main, highly polished white double doors burst open, several suited figures sweeping into the room, four lunging to either side of the wide desk as an exhausted intelligence officer stepped behind, his eyes wide with shock, ‘My apologies, Mr President…’ Glancing in embarrassment at the staring senior officers, he bowed his head in subordination, gasping heavily, ‘I have to report…we have lost contact with the Pacific and Atlantic fleets…there is no radio or electronic traffic, the oceans are in complete communication darkness now.’ The uniformed officer dropped to his knees on the deep pile carpet, staring in disbelief at the seal of the President of the United States emblazoned across its surface as he sighed deeply, ‘We believe the enemy is still here Sir…and now could be virtually on our coastline!’

The middle aged immaculately suited man stiffened, glancing round in disbelief and near terror for the future, ‘Wh…?’

The muscled suited man next to him grabbed his arm forcefully, raising his finger to his earpiece, then dropping his hand despondently, ‘Mr President…we need to move from the Whitehouse now! We are taking you to a secure location…we have no idea where the enemy is! Full jamming of all our communications has just commenced!’

The President of the United States turned as he was forced to his feet, his expression defiant and voice rising as the security personnel dragged him from the room, ‘All military on full alert, call up all remaining National Guard…we are moving from Defcon Four to Defcon One with immediate effect! Get me communication with the British through the Atlantic cable…I want to know anything and everything that’s happening!’