Arelis Complex

The Arelis Complex

By: Louis Paul DeGrado

CHAPTER ONE

CONTACT

"Sir, I`m picking up a signal in quadrant five."

"Quadrant five? That`s a first. Plot its course."

"It`s heading straight for us, contact inevitable.

"Life forms?"

"It appears the device is primitive, no life forms aboard. Shall we take it out?"

"Not yet, wait until we`ve back plotted its course. That`s strange."

"What is it?"

"It`s transmitting a signal."

"Then we must destroy it immediately."

"No wait, I don`t think it`s aware that we are here. It`s just broadcasting into space at random. I hear music, and language. I believe it`s some type of message."

"Beg pardon, sir, but our orders are clear."

"Yes, you`re right. Back course plotted, destroy it."

"Positioning weapons satellite. Firing. It`s destroyed."

"That didn`t take long. Now, let`s get a precise location of its origination."

"That`s curious, I don`t see any inhabitable planets in that path."

"There is one."

"But, that`s impossible! Sir, where are you going?"

"I have to alert the defense fleet. I have to wake Drakh Norh."

***

Drakh Norh stared at the uniform in front of him. It was impressive with all the medals on it. He would wear it for the parade upon his return, but it was not the one he would be wear on the mission he would lead in ten days; it had been a long time since he`d worn that one. He wasn`t too sure he cared to wear it again.

Unlike his friend Tyrr Dunn, who eagerly awaited their new mission and looked forward to it as a way to break up the monotony, Drakh knew it meant time away from his family, and that he would have to undergo the task of space travel again. It also meant he would have to hire a gardener.

He had accepted the job as one of the planet`s defenders; a role he served in since the planet`s first war twenty-three hundred years ago. In fact, he was among the ten remaining defenders. The rest were disbanded or retired after the satellite defense network had been built. Arelis had not been threatened for thousands of years, and they had not recruited any more into the military ranks. Besides the ten pilots, only a few technicians existed to monitor and maintain the system.

Arelians no longer built long-range spacecraft. The ship Drakh crewed with Tyrr was over ten thousand years old and had the longest service record and the highest number of successful missions of any ever built. Now, once again, he and Tyrr were called upon to defend the planet.

One of the defense satellites had picked up the craft a week ago. It was a lifeless probe sent by another race light-years away. In a matter of days the defense team had confirmed its place of origin. They pointed their instruments in the vicinity, and sure enough, found life.

There was no debate. Any life force that managed to send out a probe this far would soon be a threat and therefore, must be dealt with accordingly. It was a strategy employed for over eight thousand years. This time the threat was different, and he knew it. Although it was not public information, as flight commander, Drakh had been given the location of the life-bearing planet, and this is what worried him. It was the "Blue Planet." This was a planet he had been warned about over two thousand years ago.

He sat down across from his uniform, and in a nervous motion ran his hands up and down the arms of the chair where he sat. Made of the finest material, the chair was a gift from the mayor upon his arrival into the small town where he made his home. Yes, the whole town was grateful that he decided to move there. Having the planet`s most famous hero was quite profitable for the township, and money had followed him to the location.