Revolution

By Jerome Kelly

It is the year 2062. Having been culturally uplifted by an extraterrestrial race, Earth is now a member of a galactic alliance of races. Unfortunately, the Human races short time among this peaceful group has been brought to an end by war. The Vulians, an aggressive and violent race, have successfully conquered each of the ten races of the Tolian alliance along with Earth too. Faced with overwhelming odds, the vast majority of the military forces of the once mighty races of the galaxy are now all but eliminated and only a few people remain capable of fighting back against the oppressors.

In the middle of the chaos, two young cadets, James Tavarez and Amario Richards, have begun to fight back against the Vulian empire and for almost two years, they have disrupted their operations enough to make themselves two of the galaxys most wanted men.

With the ruthless Vulian military closing in on them, James and Amario are forced to flee their home-world, Earth, and travel to the planet Tolis where they believe the military have prepared a safe place for them to hide. What they come to realise is that their part in events is merely beginning and they have been called to join a revolution against the Vulian empire... One that they hope will finally overthrow the Vulian occupiers and restore order to the galaxy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477226575

Jerome Kelly

Jerome Kelly, born 10th November, 1988, is a british science-fiction writer. He has wanted to become a writer from a very young age, writing the initial story-line for his series of books since he was 14 and then adapting it for several years before finally being published. He is currently a third year criminology and forensics student at the university of Hull and writes his books alongside his studies.

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© 2012 by Jerome Kelly. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/28/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-2658-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-2657-5 (e)

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Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter One

Memory Lane

Everything was just the same as he remembered it, yet somehow… it all seemed different. It felt strange being back again after so much time away, almost like he was a child once more. James Tavarez had lived his entire life in the small town of Shirley, a quiet and visibly attractive town in the south of London. Here he had enjoyed a very fulfilling childhood here alongside his lifelong friend Amario Richards. James was tall, just above six foot and of a fairly athletic build. He had short blondish-brown hair, bright blue eyes and slightly tanned skin. His friend Amario was a little shorter than he was, his hair darker and a few inches longer while his skin was a little paler. They were an odd pair but the trust they shared between them was unbreakable, a mutual trust that had developed over the course of their entire lives.

Everything had changed dramatically for them both in the last few years but this place was still just as James remembered it, unchanged and unspoiled as if nothing was different from the last time he had been here. It had been four years since James had last seen his hometown but he could remember every last detail. He could not help but be drawn to the first school he had attended in his childhood. It was still there, still open, just as it had been in his youth. He had been top of all his classes when he was attending, he had been one of his teacher’s favorite pupils and was always one of the most popular children in the town. Every day, he and his close friends used to run off down to play in the park, pretending they were off out in space with the newly formed systems fleet. They had all heard stories about the wonders that lay beyond the borders of the solar system, the great Lauann mountain ranges on the planet Naisus, the enormous exotic reefs under the warm, shallow oceans of the planet Juyoa, the diverse tropical paradises of the planet Churo. Most Humans had only seen pictures or heard stories of these places, very few had seen them up close but those who had would tell fantastic tales that could have enchanted anyone. James had always believed that one day he would get to see them too, it was all he had ever wanted, to leave this place and see it all for himself.

James also found himself drawn to the stiles behind the park where he used to sneak out to meet his childhood sweetheart Emily Drake, the first girl he had ever kissed. He would get into so much trouble coming home late after running off to spend time with her when his mother wasn’t looking. Apart from Amario, Emily was the one person he had always looked forward to seeing the most. For years they appeared to be the perfect couple, James’s father had even suggested the two of them would get married one day. Of course, as they had grown older they had eventually grown apart, James leaving for Greenwich space academy when he was seventeen while Emily had gone to Liverpool to study media. James’s last promise to her was that he would one day take her away from the confines of Earth and show her the wonders of the galaxy. That was a long time ago though, circumstances had changed since then and the memories of the past were little more than childish dreams he had been clinging onto.

Barely a year before James had left to begin his training at Greenwich academy, the Vulian conquest had taken place and Earth, along with the ten races of the Tolian alliance had been conquered and forced into a brutal surrender. The Vulians were a violent and aggressive race who believed in restoring the old empires of the galaxy through conquest. They had been trying for over a century to overthrow the old Tolian alliance, an alliance formed between themselves, the Tolians and Malorians over a hundred and fifty years ago. A short era of peace was ended when the Tolian race advanced several other races and then invited them to join the alliance. The Vulians became bitter and vengeful and proceeded to wage war on their former allies in an attempt to rule the galaxy themselves. It had ultimately ended with the Vulian empire now dominating the remains of the old alliance and the people of Earth had been left with little choice but to submit or face destruction.

While many people’s lives had changed little from the occupation, Earth’s major powers had lost much of their military forces and the systems fleet had been almost completely wiped out. While many politicians and officials attempted to keep things under control across the planet, it was clear that the Vulians were now the ones truly in control, their forces and officials occupying the planet and their politicians taking power. To keep things stable, the Vulians formed a joint government with the Human leaders called the BoHI or the Board of Human Interests. Despite containing both Human and Vulian members, it was clear that the Vulians who were the ones who held all the power in this organisation. At the head of this organisation was possibly the most hated man on the entire planet. His name, Ruiz Valdor.

Valdor was ruthless, cunning and calculated and as tyrants went, he was annoyingly smart and shrewd in hostile situations. It was his job to make sure the Human race was kept in line and under Vulian control and unfortunately for the Human race, he was very good at it. James remembered that it was Valdor who had pronounced both he and Amario as terrorists fifteen months ago and forced them to go into hiding. What had been a fairly normal day at Greenwich academy had turned into a nightmare when one of the few remaining rebel groups left in Britain had been tracked down and fallen under attack. The battle had come to the academy grounds and the students had found themselves unwittingly caught in the crossfire. The Vulians were ruthless though and they cared little of who was caught up in the battle, forcing some of the students to take up arms to defend themselves. As a result, a large number of Vulian soldiers were killed, several of them by James and Amario, both of whom had received adequate combat training in their days at the academy. Having been seen to have taken part in the fight, the two of them had little choice but to flee with the surviving rebels. Later that day, angry that his men had failed to finish the job, Valdor declared that both James and Amario were now fugitives and were to be hunted down with the rest of the rebels. According to his twisted views of things, the two of them were now terrorists and were to be treated like any ordinary criminals.

Despite having been forced into hiding and declared as outlaws, many people still went to great lengths to shelter them both and help them evade capture, seeing straight through the lies that Valdor told them. One man in particular, a high ranking military officer named colonel Michael Davidson. He had protected both them and the rebels who they had joined after the battle in Greenwich and worked with them to help them take the fight to the Vulian forces in England. His information allowed them to strike the Vulian forces without knowing who was behind it. It gave them some small measure of victory against the oppressors for a while.

James shook the memories from his mind and turned his attention back to the present. He was back in his hometown once more. He knew it was dangerous for him to be seen out in public but right now he didn’t care, Shirley was simply a small town with very little interest for the Vulians occupying the planet. It was highly unlikely they would have any presence in the area, they tended to stick to the major city centers. It would be safe for him to be here for a short time. There was something here he had to do while he was here, something very important to him. He would not be able to go through with what he was about to do without visiting her one more time.

In the house across the street from where James was sat in the drivers seat of his car was the house he had grown up in. He had moved there when he was just two years old having spent the first two years on his life in the city of Porto in Portugal. His mother, Maria, had been an overseas student at the university there when she had met James’s father, Jorge Tavarez in her first year. The two of them dated for a while but there was an unexpected twist when Maria became pregnant. She and Jorge decided to keep their baby though and to make things work, the two of them had moved back to London when James was two years old. Maria qualified as a teacher and took up a job at the local primary school while Jorge had been awarded a place in the systems fleet as an officer onboard one of their ships, the Minotaur. For years, it had seemed that they were the perfect family. If only they had known back then how utterly their worlds would be turned upside down. If only they had known it would eventually come to this.

You sure you want to do this James? came the voice of Amario Richards from the passengers seat of his car, breaking his line of thought, it may be best just to leave it be.

This is something I have to do, James said calmly, I can’t leave without seeing her one more time, I just can’t.

Nothing at all would dissuade him from doing this, not even the threat of the Vulians occupying his planet. It was something he knew he had to do. He needed to get some clearance before he left his home for good. It was unlikely he would ever see it again after today.

Stay with the car James said to his long time friend any sign of trouble, let me know.

Amario just nodded at him. Slowly, James made his way from the car and up to the gates of number sixteen. Passing the gate, he stepped up to the door and knocked three times. After a few seconds the door opened to a very bewildered face.

J-James?

Hi mum.

Maria Tavarez was just a few inches smaller than he was. She had aged well but she was looked tired, as if the stress on the family had really been getting to her. James had not seen his mother since before he went on the run. Now, here he was, on her doorstep, her face halfway between shock and fear at seeing him. Without warning she flung her arms around him, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

W-What are you doing here?

I’m sorry, said James, I didn’t mean to disturb you I just… If you want me to go I’ll…

No, please, she burst out, don’t go, just… come in, please.

He didn’t need persuading, he stepped inside the house and made his way into the living room, Maria quickly closing the door behind him and following him through, seemingly anxious for him not to be seen there.

What are you doing here? Maria asked, sitting herself next to him, you know they’re after you, they wont stop hunting you for anything.

I just wanted to come here and see you again, said James, you see, I needed to tell you that I’m leaving tonight.

Leaving! she exclaimed, what do you mean leaving?

Leaving Earth, James replied, colonel Davidson has organized a transport off world for us tonight, we were on our way to meet him

And where exactly will you go? Maria asked, her face growing more and more worried by the minute.

To Tolis, James replied, he says it’s a reward for the considerable amount of help that Amario and myself have given to him over the course of the year. It’s kind of like a final thank you, getting us away from Valdor and all his men.

I don’t like the sound of it James, Maria said angrily, it could be a trap. You know what the Vulians are like, they will try anything to catch you. Its too dangerous.

It’s Ok mum, James said calmly, I trust Davidson, he’s done so much for us these past months, this is kind of like his final act for us. He’s helping us escape the Vulians and he’s sending us somewhere we can be safe.

James, please, don’t go she begged, I can’t lose you too, not after I lost your father, please don’t go.

James remembered the day he heard the news. The Minotaur, the ship his father served on had been destroyed by the Vulian fleet in the battle of Tanchanis, the final battle in which the Tolian alliance had finally been defeated by the Vulian empire. It was like a blade had been driven through his heart when he was given the news, he had been utterly devastated. He and his mother had somehow carried on through it but nothing could ever stem the pain he felt at the loss of his father.

If I stay here, it’s only a matter of time before the Vulians catch up to me, James explained to her, Davidson knows what he’s doing, he has contacts over there. He wouldn’t let me go unless he was sure I would be safe when I arrive.

Maria didn’t seem to be listening though, she was crying again. James felt terrible for coming to her like this but he couldn’t let her think he was dead. Once he was gone, the chances were that there would be stories circulating saying that he had been killed and he could not let his mother think that. The thought alone would tear her apart. From the look on her face, there was also a resignation though, it seemed she knew that something like this would be forced to happen eventually.

So… she said finally, how exactly do you plan to do this?

I’m meeting Davidson later today, said James, it’s the FA cup final today so we’re meeting at Wembley stadium. It will be so crowded there that we should be able to blend into the crowd fairly easily and get around without being seen. After the match, he’s arranged private transport to take us to a nearby hangar. His men have acquired a Vulian shuttle which will take us to Tolis without drawing any suspicions. We simply board the shuttle and make our way off world to Tolis. Once there we should be safe for a while.

So not only do you get free passage off planet, you get to see one more cup final before you go?

Yes, said James, he knows how much I love football so it’s kind of a fitting tribute from him.

Makes sense I suppose, Maria muttered, acceptance of the situation seemingly settling into her now, you always were a huge fan. I remember how you used to beg us to take you to White Hart Lane every other weekend. You used to drag Emily along every chance you got too.

Those really were the good days. He was always heading into London to watch his favorite team, Tottenham Hotspur play. His parents were not the most well off people in the world but they made the effort to go whenever they could. He had managed to convert Emily to a football fan so she could go with him to the matches too. While she had pretended not to be too bothered, James could tell she loved the days out.

So who is it playing today, Maria asked, is it Spurs playing?

It’s Aston Villa against Everton, said James, I’m quite looking forward to it though, they’re two very good teams and it’s promising to be a great game.

Well I hope you have fun, Maria said with a smile, I just hope everything goes well for you after the game, I just couldn’t bear to lose you too.

You wont lose me mum, said James, I’ll be Ok, don’t worry.

Truth was, he had no idea how he would be once he reached Tolis, the planet was in just the same condition as Earth found itself in. Davidson had not told him any details of what he would do once he was there. It was best not to say anything like that around her though, he wasn’t going to risk upsetting her further.

Have you heard from Emily at all recently? His mother had mentioned her name and James was curious about what had become of his childhood sweetheart.

Oh, yes, I still keep in touch with her family, said Maria, you know she’s engaged now?

No, he replied, no, I had no idea.

So he never would get to fulfill his promise of taking her on a date to the stars beyond the solar system. It was all childhood fantasies though, he knew that they would never be more than what they were. It was the distant past from another life and it would do him no good to dwell on it, there were more important things for him to think about.

It’s a shame, said Maria, I always thought you two were made for each other. I suppose nothing ever turns out the way you think it will in the end though does it? We as a family should know that better than anyone.

Probably for the best, said James glumly, I would have brought her nothing but trouble.

It was still difficult to stomach the image of her in another mans arms. He missed that soft black hair, the deep blue eyes and her wonderful soft skin… but it was in the past, he shook it from his mind. Now was not the time to get caught up in such things, he needed a clear head before he could carry on with what he was doing.

How’s Amario doing? Maria asked, is he not here with you?

He’s just outside actually, James replied, he’s waiting with the car just incase any trouble shows up. Thought it would be best if I came in alone.

Yes… yes you’re right, said Maria, give him my regards anyway, he was always such a nice young man. I hope the last year hasn’t been too harsh on him, you two always deserved better than this.

He’s still the same old Amario, said James, he’s doing as well as we could hope for given what’s happened to us both over the past year.

Good, said Maria, that’s good to hear. Well I wouldn’t keep him waiting out there too long, you two have a cup final to get to don’t you.

It’s Ok mum, we aren’t in any rush, James said calmly, I want to know how you’ve been for the last year, I’ve not heard anything from you in ages.

Well… she began, . . . I don’t know what to say really, it’s never been the same since your father died and you left for the academy. It’s been so lonely here all all by myself, even more so once this whole mess began.

But you have friends, said James, you had loads of friends, we were the most popular family in the neighborhood once.

I do still have friends, Maria sighed, "but nothing can ever replace the hole in my life that your father left behind.

It was like my life was ripped in two the day he was taken from us. I always knew he was going into dangerous battle but I never came to terms with the fact that he may not come back."

Oh, said James, you know you could try dating again. Dad wouldn’t want you to live like this you know, he would want to see you happy.

I’m thirty-nine James, she replied, I’m too old for that now.

Never, said James, "people date well into their fifties, you’re still young enough, you still look young too. It may not seem ideal but if it will make you happy, you should do it.

I guess, Maria sighed, maybe, I’ll think about it.

How’s it going at the school? James asked, is everything still Ok there?

Oh yes, the kids are great, Maria said, the first hint of a smile creeping onto her face. She had always loved working with children and had always been so good with them, I’m teaching year three now, seven and eight year olds. They’re quite a handful but they can be a delight sometimes, we get some really good kids coming through nowadays.

That’s good, said James, they don’t ever try to associate you with me at all do they? I know some parents may not like their children being taught by the mother of someone who is portrayed as a terrorist.

No, not at all, said Maria, everyone knows you were innocent James, everyone. It’s just that bastard Valdor trying to put a spin on everything as usual. You know I heard someone nearly got him once, took a shot at him but didn’t finish the job.

James knew about that incident. It had been he and Amario who had done it. Amario was skilled with a sniper rifle and had managed to get himself into a position to have a shot at Valdor. Unfortunately, he missed the shot, hit him in the shoulder causing only a minor injury. If only Valdor had died that day becuase things had become worse from that moment on, a lot worse. He ordered in more troops from Vulia and began a worldwide campaign against rebel groups and fighters. It was for that reason James knew it was time to leave. It really was only a matter of time before Valdor tore up the entire country looking for him.

Well… Maria said with a smile, I wont keep you any longer. You go back to your friend and get going, you have a long journey ahead of you.

Ok, said James, Im glad I got to see you before I go anyway.

I am too, said Maria, I’m glad you came, it’s lovely to see you. I just wish none of this had happened, the war, the occupation and everything that has followed. I just wish you weren’t heading into so much danger but I guess someone has to keep fighting the good fight though, right?

We’ll do our best out there, I promise you that much.

I know you will James, said Maria, and before you go I just want you to know that I am and always will be so proud of you. You’re the best son any mother could have.

He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t. He was trying so hard not let his eyes go watery.

Thank you, was all he could say as he stood up and made his way to the front door.

Good luck out there James, said Maria, please come back to me in one piece.

I will, said James, love you mum.

Love you too darling, Maria replied, giving him one final hug, goodbye.

She closed the door as he stepped out. James knew it was very unlikely he would ever see her again but if that was to be the case, at least he had made this effort to see her before he left. It was the very least he could do for her after what she had been through.

Did it go alright? Amario asked as James got back into the car, everything Ok?

It’s all good, said James, she’s fine, she’s just happy I visited her. I’m happy I did too, I couldn’t have gone ahead what we’re about to do without doing this.

That’s good, said Amario, I’m glad to hear it all went well.

You know there’s still time for you to see your family if you want to, said James, I’m sure they would love to see you again. They must have been worried sick about you for the last year.

No, said Amario, no I’m Ok, I don’t want to upset them any more than I already have done. All they need to know is that I’m alive and I’m unharmed.

Very well, said James, starting up the car, well we have a cup final to get to. I’m sure Davidson is waiting for us so I say we don’t keep him waiting anymore.

He began to drive away and within a few minutes they were outside of Shirley. James was wondering if he would ever get to see the place again. It held every happy memory he had in his life, memories he treasured, it was like the place was a part of him. The memories gave him the strength he needed to carry on, the reminded him of what he was truly fighting for. While some childish memories seemed little more than a distraction to him, it was important he did not forget who he was or where he had come from, he did not want to lose himself in the conflict. What was about to happen was likely to test him beyond anything he could ever have imagined in his youth.

So, I wonder what made Davidson stick his neck out so far for us like this, said Amario, I mean, it’s a little strange that he just did all this for us out of the blue don’t you think?

We have done a lot of work for him in the past, said James, he owes us as much as we owe him. But you’re right, this is a lot more than I would expect him to do for us.

You think there might be someone else behind this? Amario asked him, someone pulling the strings that we don’t know about? It could explain why he’s being so secretive.

If by that you mean, ‘is it a trap?’ then no, James replied, I know he’s trustworthy and I can’t imagine any of his men would do the same either, they’re some of the most loyal people we have left.

I know that, said Amario, but I get the feeling someone else is involved somehow. Maybe someone over on Tolis has taken an interest in us and wants to get hold of us somehow.

I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

The roads were getting steadily more busy as they got closer to the centre of London. The match traffic was heavy even though kick-off was still hours away. The Villa and Everton fans were obviously all coming down early to find parking and to avoid the worst of the congestion, London was busy at the best of times without ninety thousand brummies and scousers descending upon the place.

You think we’ll be Ok out here? Amario asked, I know we’ll be among some pretty large crowds but what happens if the Vulians show up at the match? They would recognise us on sight most of the time

The Vulians have little interest in football, said James, I doubt it even registers to them. Besides, they need to leave us with some kind of entertainment, they would be facing riots of angry people if they didn’t.

In reality, football was one of the only things people could be happy about nowadays. Even in the misery of being occupied by another race, no one could take away the British people’s love of sport. It was the one thing that united them in these dark times. Those times where people could come together in their tens of thousands and let every care in the world slip away were simply priceless.

It was almost impossible to move for the traffic in the streets of London. Waves of claret and sky blue of the Aston Villa fans and the blue of the Everton fans had blocked almost every road surrounding Wembley stadium. James simply suggested they leave the car in a side road as it would be unlikely that they would need it again after the match. Ensuring they both had their match tickets, they locked up and joined the chanting and singing masses around them.

In regards to the two teams they were about to watch, Aston Villa had won the title this year but had not won an FA cup in decades. They had an exciting young team and one of the worlds best wingers in the czech, Radim Tulinger, who had been terrorizing defenses all year. They also had the prolific Belgian striker Walter Verachtert who had topped the goalscoring charts with twenty-eight goals in the league standings. It had been he who had scored two goals to put James’s team, Tottenham, out in the semi final. Everton, on the other hand, had won two FA cups in the last five years and pushed Villa very close to the title this season, along with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. They had their big money signing Lopes Monteiro on form and one of the most solid midfields in the league. It seemed fitting that two of the oldest and most famous clubs in the history of the sport in Britain would be fighting this one out.

Who are you supporting today then? James asked as they fell in line with a group of blue clad Evertonians on their way up to the stadium.

Everton I think, said Amario, I would kind of like to see Villa lose after putting Tottenham out of the cup in the semi-finals, they did get lucky in that game.

Well I suppose, said James, but at least if Villa win then we can say the Spurs went out to the team that won the competition and there isn’t that much shame in it.

If you say so, said Amario, guess we’re going for opposite sides again?

You’re on, James said excitedly, I’m looking forward to this one already.

The journey to the stadium was taking them longer than they thought, they hadn’t estimated the distance so well. They had been sure to check thoroughly for any sign of Vulian soldiers in the area as they had been out in the open for a fair amount of time. Of course, they had been pleasantly surprised to see it was clear and there was not a single Vulian soldier or vehicle in the vicinity. They had never really bothered to police major events, they usually left it up to the local security forces to do the job. It was not unusual to have no Vulian presence in the region at all during sporting events.

Finally, they made their way up the famous Wembley way and reached the shining silver stadium, the famous Wembley arch gleaming above them in the May sunshine. Neither James nor Amario had ever been to the stadium before so it was a first, and probably last, for both of them. The guards on the turnstiles had no trouble letting them in on the sight of their tickets. James knew that even if they did recognize him, they would not turn him in. People there hated the Vulians so much that anyone who stood up to them and fought them was near enough a hero to the common folk. They would be more likely to help him than hinder him.

After several flights of stairs through the superstructure of the stadium, they finally reached the executive level. It seemed Davidson had not only got them tickets, he had got them an executive box. On reaching the box, James recognized a familiar face standing in front of him.

Chapter Two

Final Escape

Ah, our guests have arrived! boomed colonel Davidson, come on in lads, come on in!

Colonel Michael Davidson was in his mid thirties. He was fairly tall and broad with dark hair and eyes. He was a confident man, usually very calm and collected but something seemed a little off with him today, he appeared nervous.

It’s good to see you again colonel, said James, shaking his hand, thanks for inviting us today, we’re grateful for the chance to be here.

It’s my pleasure, said Davidson, I know you’re both avid football fans and I couldn’t let you leave without rewarding you for everything you have done for us. Can I assume you made it here without any kind of incident?

Everything was fine, said James, no sign of any Vulians in the area, we managed to make it through without any trouble at all.

Excellent, said Davidson, the whole operation is set up and as soon as the match is over, I will take you down to the shuttle and you will be able to leave for Tolis. If everything goes to plan, we should have you out of here without any sort of trouble.

It’s appreciated colonel, said Amario, but I have to say, you’re doing an awful lot for us here. Is there something we should know?

Yes there is Richards, Davidson replied, but we can talk about it after the match. For now I want you two to enjoy yourselves and to know that everything is set and ready. My men and I will be in the next box along so if anything comes up we’ll be right here.

Davidson handed them each a copy of the match-day program and began to walk towards the door.

I’ll come back for you both after the trophy presentation, he said again, until then, enjoy the match, I hope it’s a good one for you.

And with that, he left them to it. They were alone there once more.

Is it me or does something not feel right? said Amario, he doesn’t seem himself today.

It’s not like him at all, James stated, normally you can’t keep him quiet. You don’t think something’s gone wrong with the operation do you?

We wouldn’t be here if it had, Amario stated, maybe he’s just worried that he may have to face some sort of backlash if he gets found out.

I did think it was a lot for him to do, James said, but lets try not to think about it for now. We came here to enjoy the match, we should try and do just that while we can.

James dropped himself into his seat, hoping he could finally relax here for a short while. Even though the stadium was still relatively empty, it would not be easy for them to be discovered here, a Vulian soldier would struggle to locate them in a crowd like this. Looking below onto the pitch, the two sets of players had come out of the dressing rooms to begin their warm ups. It was the first time either of them had been at a match in a ridiculously long time. While it was easy enough to follow the events that took place in the football leagues, they had not seen many of these players in action in person before. It was hard to get tickets for these matches when you have no assets other than your life and a gun.

It was the Aston Villa team that had come to warm up in front of James and Amario. James instantly recognized the figure of Radim Tulinger. James had seen him play once before, when he was a seventeen year old who had just broken into the first team. Villa were a club in trouble back then and James had gone to the match thinking his team, Tottenham would walk over them. After a routine first half in which Tottenham were comfortably one goal to the good, Tulinger had come on in the second half and produced the most breathtaking individual display he had ever seen at a match in which he scored a hat-trick. Despite his team losing, it was probably one of the most memorable matches James had ever seen, he would never forget it as long as he lived. A similar display from him today would make for an interesting spectacle, unless you were an Everton fan of course, they would be hoping he would have a quiet day.

You know I can’t remember the last time we ever came to a match, said Amario, it’s been that long.

Almost three years, said James, I think it was against Blackburn Rovers, it was two all game.

Oh yes, I remember, said Amario, wasn’t that when Rafael D’Amico scored twice in the last five minutes to draw the game? Damn that guy was a player and a half, what ever happened to him?

Went off to Spain last year for a ridiculous fee, said James, shame, he was the best striker we had in years.

He had been one of James’s favorite ever players to pull on the Tottenham shirt. He even had a D’Amico shirt at home somewhere, at least that was the home he used to live in, it had been years since James had a real home to go to. As he was reminiscing, he felt his eyes drawn to a slight disturbance on the other side of the ground, a couple of the stewards had moved to arrest a few Everton fans. James had not seen anything untoward happening, it was quite unusual to see the security at the match act like that.

Probably a few people who’ve had a drink too many, Amario suggested, although the people who were being removed didn’t look too inebriated, at least from this distance anyway. James could still do with an afternoon without trouble though, at least in an executive box they wouldn’t have to worry about over-zealous security. It was a place usually reserved for corporate sponsors and club officials, the likes of James and Amario would never normally be allowed in such seats without the influence of Davidson on their side. At least the few members of the military who remained possessed enough influence to make this all happen.

Half an hour passed them by and it was finally time for the teams to emerge from the tunnel onto the pitch to get the game underway. The stadium announcer was now on full blast over the noise of the crowd.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WECOME YOUR TEAMS, EVERTON AND ASTON VILLA!!!

The two teams came out onto the pitch, mascots at their side, to the roars of both sets of fans. There were countless flags waving, streamers and confetti being thrown, one fan in the Everton end had even brought a flare in and was having to be restrained by the stewards who again, were having no nonsense whatsoever. The two sets of players lined up before the TV cameras, ready for the national anthem.

No matter how dark the days were that they lived in, nothing would stop the English fans from standing and singing their hearts out to the anthem of their country. The entire crowd to the last man, woman and child, James and Amario included, stood and sang their heart out. It was a moving scene, almost a message to the Vulian occupiers that the spirit of the people was still there and they still had pride in their nation regardless of who was really in charge.

The two teams broke away and moved towards their ends of the pitch. After the usual pleasantries and formalities, it was time to begin. Aston Villa captain Mattias Hassanpour and Everton captain Julien Splinter shook hands before heading back to their positions. The Villa striker Walter Verachtert and their spanish forward Alvaro Catalan were ready to get the game underway.

Come on James, who’s your money on for this one? Amario asked, I reckon Everton two goals to one.

Extra time to decide this one I think, said James, I think it will be close but maybe Villa to pinch it at the end.

As neutrals at games, they nearly always chose to go against each other. It was a kind of friendly rivalry they had between them, it had existed almost as long as they had known each other and still continued to this day.

A blast on the referee’s whistle and they were underway, the game instantly flying at a hundred miles an hour. Both teams were fired up for the occasion and while the passion was there, the quality was a little lacking. It took a couple of minutes before anything of note happened, Everton’s teenage brazilian winger Thiago Pereira bringing the ball down and running thirty yards before putting a shot well over the bar.

The stadium would not have heard noise like this in many years, the racket being made by both sets of supporters was only being fired up by the commitment of both teams to the cause, every tackle was being cheered by the respective end as it went in. The game was still being played in a good spirit despite the aggression, at least until Villa midfielder Daniel Gonzalez went in a little too strongly on Everton forward Hakim Lopes Monteiro. No booking was forthcoming though.

James took the opportunity of the break in play to scan the stadium for anything unusual. Davidson was still sat there in the box next-door, just visible but he was busy focusing on the game. He looked around the place, there was no sign of any of the grey uniforms of the Vulian military, they seemed to have no presence at the game but the stewards looked to be rattled by something. A small group of them were sweeping though a section of the south stand, clearly looking for someone. He had never seen them behave like this before but as unusual as it was, he turned his attention back to the game which was underway once more.

The first fifteen minutes of the game were disappointing, very little was happening, too many stray passes and stoppages. The closest the ball came to either goal was an overhit Villa corner from Andy Clarkson.

I was hoping for better than this, sighed James as yet another pass want astray, this time from everton midfielder Witkowski, surely it has to get better soon.

It’s a cup final, stated Amario, both teams are just trying not to concede an early goal, they…

He stopped there, Villa right back Mondakan had a pass intercepted by Splinter in the midfield and he was charging forward again.

Come on you blues! Amario called out, get it forward!

Splinter managed to ride two tackles before getting the pass away. It was now a race between Monteiro and villa centre back Jose Medina for the ball… and Medina just got a foot in to divert it behind for a corner, the Villa fans standing to applaud his efforts. He had saved a certain goal there.

Villa were not so lucky next time, this time it was Everton forward Dominic Nicholls who took the ball down and again set Monteiro though and this time Medina was not fast enough. Monteiro rounded the keeper and rolled a shot into the unguarded net. The Everton crowd went into raptures as the Argentine striker wheeled away in celebration and was mobbed by his team mates. The Villa side of the ground, understandably, was more muted.

Thats how you do it! Shouted Amario come on the blues!

It’s not over yet James reminded him Villa have plenty of time to recover from this.

And Everton have plenty of time to finish them off, Amario reminded him in turn, they get another goal and they can just defend the lead for the rest of the game.

Not even Radim Tulinger, the Villa talisman could seemingly get them back into the game. He did manage to get away from his full back close to the half time break but his shot from the edge of the penalty area came back off the Everton crossbar. It did give the claret and blue side some hope and spurred them on but the Everton keeper Gavin Stuart held firm despite testing shots from Walter Verachtert and Alvaro Catalan. The half time whistle was greeted by moans from the Villa side of the ground but fairly loud cheers from the blue clad Evertonians.

Not the best half of football I’ve ever seen, stated Amario, anyway, I think I could use a bite to eat, how much money have we got left?

Just a twenty, said James, we wont need it after today anyway, might as well use it up.

One advantage of having an executive box was that they didn’t have to join the ridiculous queues in the concourse below the main sections of the stadium. It was fairly easy for them to pick themselves up up a burger and a drink each. The prices at the stadium were still extortionate though, they could only just cover the cost.

You would think they would have learned there are more important things than money you know, said Amario, surely we could have realised this after seeing how well the other races in the galaxy have done without worrying about wealth.

Some things just never change, sighed James, if only the Voronian people could have just done that little bit extra when they were here, we might have become better as a race.

James had not been born at the time but he knew this was not the first time Earth had been occupied by another race. The last time was different though, it was nothing like this. In the year 2016, a small group of ships from the planet Voronia had made contact with Earth. While a few of the major races in the galaxy disapproved, a deal was struck a year later for Voronia to take temporary control of Earth so that they could share their technology with the Human race and advance them as a culture. The occupation did a huge amount of good for the planet while it lasted but the Human race eventually demanded their independence back once more. It was twenty years before the occupation ended and Earth was accepted into the Tolian alliance.

James noticed Davidson had left his box for refreshments too but he made no effort to engage them in conversation, he simply nodded to them as he made eye contact. It almost seemed as if he was trying to avoid them for some reason.

He does seem a little distant, James stated, you think he suspects somethings wrong?

There’s no evidence anything is wrong, said Amario, at least nothing wrong that we can see anyway. Just try not to think about it until we get to the next part of the plan.

Surely if there was a problem then Davidson would have them moved straight away. It was probably just nerves, he was just anxious about what may happen to him if they were found out. He had sacrificed a massive amount to set this up so it was quite understandable he might be tense. His entire military career hung in the balance.

True, said Amario, as long as he isn’t…

He stopped there. James heard it too, there was an unbelievable commotion coming from outside, it sounded like a large number of the fans had gone into an uproar.

Have the teams come back for the second half yet? James asked quickly.

Can’t be, it’s only been ten minutes, said Amario, sounds like something else is up.

The two of them raced back out into their box to see exactly what was going on out there. It looked like a huge fight had broken out in the Aston Villa end, stewards were racing to sort it out. It looked like two youths had been arrested and carried away by the security at the match and the fans surrounding them had gone into an uproar. James wondered exactly what had cause so many people be incensed to by two people simply being arrested.

Idiots were probably drunk, said Amario, shame, they wont get to see the rest of the game now, must have cost the a fortune for tickets too.

You know I’ve never seen the stewards act like this before, James pointed out, they’re arresting a lot of people and I don’t think I’ve seen one incident yet. You think somethings up?

No, just being thorough, said Amario, I guess they’re just trying to keep the crowd from getting out of hand, it’ll settle down.

The trouble seemed to have died down by the time the two teams made their way back out onto the pitch. James put his concerns aside and turned his attention back to the game although he was sure to keep an eye on what the stewards were up to. The teams had switched ends now, it was Everton who were down below them while the Villa side were on the opposite side of the ground. There was one change at half time, Villa were going for more of an attack minded approach taking off ineffective winger Andy Clarkson and bringing on the young German striker Christopher Sidka.

The ref blew his whistle to set them underway in the second half and Everton launched straight into an attack. They looked keen to extend their lead straight away but Pereira again missed the target.

It looked as if the Villa team had been subject to a few strong half time words and they were a lot sharper now. They were getting the ball down and passing with more intent, attacking with more speed and they had Everton pinned back. It was actually the blues who should have extended their lead when Monteiro got a lucky break and his fierce shot was well parried by the Villa keeper Vaughan. From that chance, Villa launched straight into a counter attack and the ball came to Radim Tulinger who could finally run at the Everton defense. James always looked forward to seeing what this guy could do on the ball and he was not about to disappoint. The czech winger cut inside the Everton left back too easily before slipping past the centre back Rossato. It looked as if he had nowhere to go but he somehow, from twenty yards out, squeezed a curling, left footed shot through the Everton defense and it found a gap just between the post and the despairing dive of Gavin Stuart. It was a goal of the highest quality from a player of the highest quality.

Now we have a game on our hands, said James as he watched Tulinger get the ball down the right again and go on a mazy run which took three Everton players to stop him. It wasn’t the only thing he was watching though, more and more security was making its way into the stadium and causing a little unrest at the Everton end of the ground. Another man had been arrested and carried off, again, it looked as if no offense had been committed that James could see.

Hang on, where’s Davidson gone?

James looked at the box next door and he too noticed that the colonel was indeed no longer there although two of his men remained in their seats. It was a very inappropriate time for him to wander off if indeed he had wandered off.

Stay here, I’ll go and have a look, James said, quickly jumping up from his seat.

Amario wanted to protest but James wanted to know what was going on. He made his way out of the box and into the executive area. Most people had made their way back to their seats now but a few corporates had remained inside, some of them clearly here only on business and had little interest in the game itself. He ignored the looks they gave him and scanned the length of the area. It wasn’t like him to disappear at times like this, there was definitely something not right.

James! What are you doing?

He spun around to see his man finally returning up the stairs behind the executive area.

What’s going on colonel? James asked him, I can tell something is up, what are you not telling us?

I’ve told you everything you need to know James, Davidson said sternly, stop worrying so much and go and enjoy the game. We’ll get to the details later.

Davidson swept past him and returned to his own box, indicating for him to do the same. James grudgingly returned to take his seat alongside Amario once more. He stepped back out as there was an almighty howl from the Villa end once more. James looked to see if there was any more trouble afoot but it seemed the moans were the result of Walter Verachtert having a goal disallowed for offside.

He’s not telling us something, James stated once more, I don’t understand why he can’t just be honest about what’s going on here.

Just stop panicking, said Amario, he’ll tell us what we need to know when the time comes. He wont bail on us, not after going to all this effort to set it up.

James sat down once more but Amario was quick to jump up as Everton surged forward. Thiago Pereira robbed the ball off Catalan’s toes and hit it forward for Monteiro to chase. The Argentine striker was away down the left and the Villa defense was out of place. He crossed the ball for the onrushing Nicholls who couldn’t miss…

Well actually… he could…

NO WAY! Cried Amario Did that actually just happen!?

No one in the crowd could quite believe it, Dominic Nicholls had somehow managed to scoop the ball over from five yards with the goal at his mercy and while Jose Medina was doing his best to put him off, it was about the best goalscoring chance you would be likely to get.

He’ll regret that, said James, you miss those and you’re asking to be punished.

Everton almost rued that miss as Hassanpour put another dangerous cross into the Everton box which had Kevin Drew scrambling to get the ball away with Catalan inches away from getting a touch that would have been an almost certain goal.

The trouble at the ground looked to have died down once more. The stewards had seemingly stopped sweeping the place and had gone back to their business, no more arrests were being made. James looked around for any signs of activity but it looked like nothing was forthcoming. He was able to focus on the game once more and just in time for the action too.

Everton substitute Miguel Portela carelessly gave the ball away in midfield and allowed John Clancy to surge forward for Villa. Splinter managed to get a foot in but the ball bounced into the path of Catalan. The spaniard lifted the ball over the Everton defense to Walter Verachtert and while he had his back to goal and was unable to shoot, he laid the ball off to Christopher Sidka who willingly struck the ball high into the roof of the Everton net and send the Villa faithful into wild celebrations once more. It was against the run of play but that didn’t matter, the scoreboard said Everton… one, Aston Villa… two and just fifteen minutes left for play. The game had been turned well and truly on its head now.

Don’t believe it, gasped Amario how are Villa winning this game?

They took their chances, said James, Everton had an opportunity and they blew it, they should have taken their chances too.

There was a big moment coming up in the game. The great Danish striker Morten Gorsvig was about to come on for Everton after his return from injury. Gorsvig was the wrong side of thirty now but he had been a fantastic player over the years and had played for Tottenham when James had been going to see them eight years ago. He scored possibly one of the most memorable goals James had ever seen live, an overhead kick to win the Europa cup final in the second minute of injury time at the end of the game. James would never forget that feeling and even though he was backing Villa for this game, he stood to applaud the great man as he came onto the pitch, the Villa fans also clapped him onto the pitch.

James was settled and was really into the game now, it was a shame there were just five minutes left to go, provided there were no more goals. An Everton equalizer would give them another thirty minutes and they were pushing hard for it. One final long ball was hit into the Villa box, Gorsvig jumped for it and won the header, he flicked it on to Morteiro but he could not get a shot away, it deflected of Villa defender Jordan Downes and up in to the air. James expected the players to challenge for the ball but the game had gone into a state of confusion. Unbelievably, the referee was pointing at the penalty spot.

What the hell was that for? James yelled, aghast at the decision, there was nothing doing there.

But a replay gave him the answer he needed. The ball, when deflecting off Downes, had hit his arm and the referee had seen it as intentional. It was Morten Gorsvig who had taken up the ball and placed it on the spot. James knew he had never missed one in his career and he would not disappoint here, he sent Vaughan the wrong way and the Everton fans into wild celebration once more. They had their thirty minutes of extra time.

I think that’s justice, said Amario, they were the better team over game, they deserve that.

That’s not justice, James disagreed, it was a poor decision and no game should be decided by an official, least of all a cup final.

I know but Everton were better over ninety minutes Amario replied they deserve to take it into extra time. Whoever is better over the next half hour will deserve this game.

James was eager to see how this would now play out. The first half did not add up to much but the second had been a great spectacle, despite his five minutes out looking for Davidson. The match would certainly give the fans of both clubs plenty to talk about in the pubs after the game finished.

The