The History of Man's Future: A Space Epic

By Daniel Ontengco Jr.

There was once a man who wanted to be more than he was. Even though the man had a heartbroken soul, he hoped that one day he would again have a chance to prove himself. In time, the man got his chance when alien invaders attacked his homeland, Earth. In response, he went on an epic journey through space and his own mind and eventually discovered the secret to the origins of mankind. With his newfound knowledge and powers, the man learned that the meaning of life is to be as selfless as possible. In his quest to save the world, he was forced to overcome great hardships. Eventually, this man of the future became a true hero. Adversity did not build his character, it revealed it. This is his story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 27, 2008
• ISBN: 9781465325570

Daniel Ontengco Jr.

The author is a social worker who deals with cases of child abuse and neglect. His work in this field has exposed him to both the very worst and best of human nature. In regard to his education, the author has a masters of public administration degree from the University of South Florida. The original idea for this science fiction adventure based in the future actually came from the author’s own past when he was a child. It was completed, however, many years later for his two children, Matthew and Nicholas. This book is dedicated to them. This is the author’s fourth book after having published Portrait of a View, The Heresy of Hearsay, and The Land Of Green Eyes.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Man is a fragile beast that was created to evolve from something less into something much greater.

Man was all about self, until he learned to be selfless.

Man came upon his world after others, until it was his time to appear.

Man was cell, before man was man.

Man was ape, before man was man.

Man was all about survival, until he learned to survive.

Man became self-consumed, until he learned to let go.

Man became afraid, until he found courage.

Man became obsessed with trivial pursuits, until he found meaning.

Man became distracted by possessions, until he learned to give.

Man was selfish, until he learned to be selfless.

Man was judgmental, until he learned not to judge.

Man was greedy with his wealth, until he learned to bestow.

Man destroyed his land, until he learned to respect it.

Man ate animals, until man learned he need not.

Man became angry at his fellow man, until he found friendship.

Man fought himself, until he fought others.

Man waged war, until he waged peace.

Man felt great pain, until he was healed.

Man suffered, until he was cured.

Man gained much experience, until he knew what to do.

Man gathered information, until he knew how to do it.

Man explored, until man invented.

Man destroyed, until man created.

Man used technology to connect, until it formed space that did not exist.

Man became woman, until woman became man.

Man became complex, until he found wisdom in simplicity.

Man became predictable, until he became creative.

Man hated, until man loved.

Man became inconsiderate, until he became noble.

Man became careless, until he became careful.

Man became religious, until he became doubtful.

Man became scientific, until he became spiritual.

Man did not know true power, until he protected the weak.

Man did not know the answers, until he found the questions.

Man did not care, until man cared.

Man knew of evil, until he acted for the good.

Man was wrong, until he did what he thought was right.

Man knew failure, until he was willing to attempt the impossible.

Man knew the limit of his grasp, until it exceeded his reach.

Man searched for immortality, until he realized it was vanity.

Man feared death, until he found that he must step aside for son.

Man was not himself, until he was selfless.

Man is a fragile being that was created to evolve from something less into something much greater.

And if man can find love hidden beneath hate, then man can find the meaning and beauty of all things.

CHAPTER I

The Future’s History

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Start Memory Recording Playback in Chronological Order

I hope that I can be more than I am.

The moment that I remember so clearly now is the place where I am once again. With the present finally found, I must look past the future to know that forever is now.

As I sit here in my ship ready to launch, my heart is pounding. I can feel time slowing down. The moment is lingering. This is it. This is what it all comes down to. Will I survive, or will I die? When my time comes, will everything just fade to black, or will I live forever in that last second? What will happen? Will I have time to think about it? What will it feel like? Is the rumored tunnel of light just the final electrical charges of my brain firing off just as it shuts down, or is there more? Is there an afterlife? Is there a god? If there is a supreme being, have I pleased him, or have I been a disappointment? Is it too late for me? Have I done enough with my days? If life is a test, then is last-minute cramming worth a try? Have I done enough to earn the gift of existence that I have been given? Have I said all that I have wanted to? Have I loved? Have I said thank you enough to those who have helped me? Have I learned enough, or have I learned too much? Have I become wise? Have I said good-bye to all whom I care about? Have I done enough noble deeds? Have I acted with bravery? Have I led a good and just life? Have I made the right decision to be here right now? I have many questions, but very few answers. Most urgently, do I have the strength to face the end with courage and dignity? I hope that the answer is yes with all of my heart and soul.

The flashes of light that I can see from the ship’s windows seem to have their own distinct sound and rhythm. Their vibrations shake my bones to the core and rattle away my indifference. I am on the verge of something. Something I can’t explain. I don’t know what, but I have this feeling that I have never felt before. What does it mean? Where am I going? What am I supposed to do? I only know one thing for sure. Something is going to happen to me. Something very big.

My heart is beating faster. This is it. The signal will come soon. Before long, I will be out there. Soon I will be fighting for my life. Am I ready? But how can I stop thinking about everything so much? I must try to reign in my rambling thoughts. I must focus on the present. I must focus on this moment. There is no other place for me other than now. What is done is done. What will be is at this point unsure. I have only now. I must be ready for it. I have no choice. At least I can see it coming. At least I have a chance to make a difference. I know I can do it. There are some things that I can still change. Even though I feel as though I am completely alone, I must do everything in my power to succeed. Without anyone to comfort me, I accept the fact that there is nowhere that I can retreat to. There is nowhere to hide. I may be alone inside, but I will stand up with my friends on the outside. For we must not fail. We must rise to the challenge, and I must have the will to face my fears.

My mind is chasing. It is searching so hard for a way to stay alive. My hands are sweaty. My eyes are focused. My breathing is rapid. My thoughts are becoming clearer. This must be done. I must go out there when called to. There is no turning back, only turning front. I want to be in the presence of my own courage. I want to be strong. I will be. I want to make myself proud. I have to. I know that this may be the end, but I must not wilt. I must face it. I must endure it. I must make a leap of principle. But why do I still have to try so hard to convince myself?

It seems like just an instant ago when I was a boy, a child, and now I am here. Time seems so meaningless and elastic. One moment you’re a child playing in your parents’ yard, and the next you’re an adult fighting for your life. It’s like you’re living in the same moment. Sometimes it moves very quickly, and other times it barely moves, like now. I am the same person that I was when I was young. I just know more and have been around a little longer. I am further into my moment. I thought as a child that I would one day turn into something else at some point. I thought that I would transform into an adult, and the child would then disappear. I falsely thought that I would become a different being than I was. But I am still me. I am still the same person, just older and wiser.

Throughout my short life, I have attempted to convince myself that I have been through so much hardship within my own little world, but I was wrong. There is so much more to life than I ever realized existed. I wasted so much precious time on petty things, thinking that I would always have more time to return to the important ones. I spent my time worrying about the most insignificant of issues and problems. Now at the end, I can see how meaningless they all were. At the time I thought they were so important, and now they mean nothing to me. Why did I waste so much effort on them? Now as I sit waiting for what might be my last call, I am having serious trouble accepting my own mortality. I just do not feel like I have done enough. I want and need more time. Please, someone give me just a little more time. I am not a religious person, but I want to believe that there is a higher power out there somewhere. I must believe that there is a reason for all of this. I want the chance to prove myself to that higher power. I want to make a difference. I want to find my meaning. I want to make a positive impact. I am no one special at the moment, but I feel like I can be the one who can change the history of the future. But I must first face this challenge within myself. I must overcome being average if I can transcend my place and become extraordinary. I know who I am, and I know what I am capable of. My character is strong, but untested. I only hope for a chance to prove myself.

I hope I can be more than I am. At this moment I stand with humanity on the edge of a great struggle. I am sitting in a cockpit at the foothills of a vast mountainous unknown that is right before me. But what can I alone really do? I am just one person. I am not thought of as much more than average. I am for the most part considered medium. I am like anybody else. I am like the next guy. I am the next guy. I have never been tested like this before. None of us have. Can we prevail? What if we fail and mankind ceases to exist? Do we even have a chance? Can I help to make a difference before my time is up? I hope I can, but sometimes I can’t help but doubt it and myself. How can I have the confidence to know that I can succeed, if I never have before? I want so badly to be heroic and make a positive difference. But do I have it in me? A reluctant hero is not whom I represent. I will embrace the opportunity to sacrifice myself for others if only it presents itself.

But what makes me or any of us distinct or special? Everything that I have ever thought of has most likely been thought of before. It is a very frustrating thought to think that maybe I have never had an original thought. I don’t even know how to make the most basic things that I have or use. I am surrounded by technology that I didn’t invent or make. I only know how to use it. At times, I feel as though I am so insignificant to the whole process. I suppose that I am really very little on my own. Feelings of irrelevance have so often stolen my confidence in myself. Why should I try if everyone else has and failed? Feelings of hopelessness have filled my heart with bleakness and stones. I periodically walk around in my life going through the motions with little emotion. What’s the use if your best is still not good enough? A long time ago, I gave everything I had for nothing. Now, I sometimes feel like I am just a drone waiting to be disappointed again. I am the tool for others to use and discard. I am dependable but expendable. I can be easily tossed away when people are done with me. And now here I am getting ready to fight and probably die against an enemy that until recently was not even known to me or anyone. How did I get here? How did we get here?

While I wait for the all clear to take off, my thoughts turn to the history and the future.

We didn’t know it yesterday, but the soon-to-be-known universe was out of balance, and Earth was shortly to be under attack. Following many long centuries of fighting each other, a new outside threat has appeared, and the very fate of the human race is now in the balance. Soon, we will all be fighting for our very survival. I must fight as well, starting first with my self-pity. I don’t want to sit still. I don’t want to sit back. I don’t want to get killed for nothing. I want to do what I should. I want to stand up for myself. I have been knocked down many times before, but not this time. I want to fight. I want to be remembered. I want to do good. I want to rise above everything that I don’t understand. I want to be a righteous man. I want to be more than I am.

For thousands and thousands of years man walked the Earth. Man’s imagination grew and grew as he learned about the nature of his environment and planet. One day, man discovered that he had learned how to fly with the help of machines that he himself had built. In that same great century, man learned how to leave the Earth and even reach the Moon. Man was on his way.

After progressing so swiftly in the twentieth century, in terms of technology, the next thousand years went by with relatively little improvement. Sure there were occasional advances in genetics, medicines, computers, and space travel; but in the end they were a sharpening of technology that already existed. Vehicles relied on new inexhaustible forms of fuel, but they were still vehicles, delivering occupants from one point to another, albeit much faster, safer, and efficient. Food was genetically mastered but was still eaten. More efficient desalination plants solved the planet’s freshwater shortage, although it resulted in a larger percentage of the world’s population living near the coast. The ozone layer was no longer a problem after we were able to repair it. We learned how to protect the environment in which we lived.

Since such measurements were first recorded, the average temperature has raised seven degrees Fahrenheit throughout the planet, which has caused more deserts near the equator and the loss of some coastlines. But this has not been disastrous for most regions in terms of human loss of life as it has been a very slow progression. The planet has lost many mammal species but to our disappointment has also gained many new insect species.

Yes, the world since the advent of civilization and later space travel has changed but not that much. There are still no flying cars. We can make cars that fly, but the logistics of maintaining order and reducing accidents remains far too problematic. Nothing is perfect. There are still old buildings and dirty crime-ridden sections of town for example. The sterile vision of the future from the past has thus far been proven to be a nonsensical idea that has not yet been realized and may never be. We are still humans; and humans are imperfect animals who must eat, drink, excrete waste, breathe, love, mate, and care for our young. The mating part is now voluntary, the same way it is voluntary to get out of bed in the morning. Unless you are very lazy, or have a good excuse, you eventually need to get up. It makes things very easy or very complicated depending on how you look at it.

The cloning of humans is not permitted, but no one was successfully able to do it before it was banned anyways. It is a quite a mystery to scientists that every other creature on the planet can be cloned except humans. This fact has yet to be explained. It is very odd, really. But many, many things have been explained, and the world is better for it. All in all, the human race is doing fairly well as technology has been able to fix and correct most of the many problems and mistakes that we have made over the years.

After the beginning of the twenty-first century, wars were usually small and often reduced to small regions. Nuclear weapons were banned and destroyed by all nations after a rogue state used one to destroy a rival neighbor, eventually destroying itself in the process. The lesson had to be taught a second and third time, but it was finally learned. The world’s people are doing well in general, though. Life is good and very comfortable for the majority of the world’s citizens. Humans are healthier and living longer than ever before. The average lifespan for both men and women is now at eighty-seven. Life is being led to the fullest by many people.

Many of the social problems that have plagued the world for years have now been solved through tolerance. We have realized that differences among people and cultures are virtues and are not hindrances to progress and unity. Problems involving hunger, unemployment, economic inequality, homelessness, and lack of medical care have all been successfully addressed by the world’s governing bodies. The planet’s people and children are being nurtured by their governments, not neglected by them. The Earth and its inhabitants are not perfect, but many strides have been made. There is still evil in the world, but we are improving. The advances made in the treatment of mental illness and addictions have really made a huge impact in the quality of people’s lives and that of their families. People charged with crimes are provided fair trials and given appropriate sentences and rehabilitation opportunities. Poverty and most of the world’s deadliest diseases have been eradicated. Business organizations are regulated to protect both their workers and the environment. The United Nations International Government, which is of course the centralized governmental body of Earth, operates as a democracy as does the nation states within it. The voice of the people is being heard throughout the world. Even the majority of the states that are not a part of this body including the colonies are also democratic. Despite differences in their affiliations, all of the world’s governments have signed a treaty recognizing basic human rights for all, including the interconnected principals of freedom and justice. Liberty is protected in the world. Discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation, economic status, language, gender, or age is of course no longer permitted. The fact that it took so long for this type of foolishness to end is still very embarrassing, though. But many strides in the world have been made, and many more continue. Tolerance among all of the world’s peoples and cultures has been the key driving force of this forward movement toward a better society.

In regard to space, we have progressed to the point where space travel has become affordable, safe, and fast. Advancement first began in the twentieth century through the competition of two superpowers. It was later improved upon further by their cooperation, but it really took off because of the competition of businesses. The breakthrough came when a sophisticated engine was developed that enabled humans to travel great distances in space both quickly and efficiently. According to designers of this greatly superior engine who had been working on the problem for years, the invention was surprisingly simple. I would disagree, however, as I have no idea how it works despite studying the basics in college. It is comforting to imagine, however, that some of the most complicated problems often have the simplest answers. The advanced space engine is a great example of this. In addition to many other advances in space living and travel, our space-based weapons have also greatly improved. Several asteroids that were considered to be possible threats to Earth have even been destroyed by these new weapons, thus preserving our world and expanding our egos.

The trip to the Moon has been reduced to four hours and Mars to five days. At first there were only permanent mining and research facilities established on the Moon and then on Mars, which has always been a fascination to us. New highly flexible skintight space suits were key additions to this movement as they made life in the colonies less uncomfortable. Large colonies eventually developed on the Moon and later on Mars, where frozen water was found underground near both poles. The population movement was strikingly similar to what occurred on Earth when North America was first discovered by Europeans.

Larger and larger cities were eventually developed on the Moon and then on Mars in particular. Cities there progressed more quickly than thought due in part to the large frozen ice reserves found in certain areas underground near the poles as mentioned. Many people moved to the colonies for opportunity and profit and then stayed. People who moved there also felt that they could begin anew. The five-day trip there resembled a festive cruise. Regular flights to the cities on the Moon as well as Mars left nearly every hour, day or night. These trips have become as routine as taking a plane, train, or boat would have been to past generations. The entire solar system has become our home and domain. Human civilization is spreading and thriving.

Eventually, the colonies felt it necessary to establish their own identity outside that of Earth’s. It was very similar to what occurred on Earth in its eighteenth century. Many of the people from the colonies had been born there and had never even been to Earth. Naturally, the people there wanted their independence from Earth and their own identity. Fortunately, war did not occur in full scale due to this tension, but an arms race did. Over the course of fifty years, the Earth and its colonies had acquired a large and capable space fleet to face each other if such a situation arose. The Moon Colonies allied themselves with the Mars Colonies in addition to several of the rogue nations of the Earth. Together, they established a considerable threat to the United Nations International Government, the centralized governmental body of Earth. Individual nations remained sovereign to a degree similar to the old European Union of the twenty-first century, but the UNGI maintained federal and military control. It was a partnership that some, such as the colonies, rejected.

Relatively small battles had occurred over the course of the thirty-third century, but eventually a fragile peace was initiated, as both sides needed raw materials from the other. Despite this peace, many nations of the Earth rejected the international government and wished to preserve their own national and cultural identities completely removed from the international interworlds community. This resulted in sporadic tension not too much unlike most times since the world wars of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Still, in general, all is now fairly well for the human race. A tense but very real peace has been forged.

This constant threat of war has served to harden the militaries of both the Earth and the colonies, but it has also created a balance that is in effect preventing war. This was similar to what is referred to as the Cold War of the twentieth century, where two superpowers built up their weapons to the point where they could destroy each other many times over. This stalemate helped to prevent a full attack by one or the other as rational minds in control knew that one would seal their own fate if they attacked the other.

Now during modern times in the thirty-fourth century, human civilization is fairly stabilized for the first time in its history. Our house is finally in order. Human civilization has reached its zenith. Despite the new peace with the colonies, however, the human race has now unknowingly encroached on another’s consciousness and has awakened a potential menace.

Ever since the advent of space travel, advancements have made it possible to travel exceedingly faster within the solar system. Using these advances as an impetus, we have reached farther and farther into space establishing small bases and settlements even on several of the moons outside of the closer inner planets. We have done so as far as the distant Pluto. Life was even discovered on a very minimal microscopic level outside of Earth on the moon Eureka. Many unmanned vessels have been sent outside of the solar system as well to relatively nearby solar systems. However, despite our vast searches, intelligent life had never been found until yesterday. As it turns out, we never found them; instead, they were the ones that found us.

I understand that the above would be considered old news and boring history to most of the members of my squad, so I won’t get into it with them. However, I know as their leader that it is very important for me to understand how we got to our current state of affairs in order to more purposely pursue victory. I have found this exercise to be very beneficial to me as I try to focus on the mission. If we do not win this struggle, there may not be a history to tell, as the future to us will be nonexistent. I am a warrior, but I also hate war. However, I know that sometimes there is just reason to fight. Sometimes one must defend one’s home and family. That is a noble reason to take arms against another. If these aliens destroy humanity and the Earth, they will have destroyed everything that we have ever achieved in our entire history. They will erase what we have done as a people. All will be lost if there is no one left to remember it. However, I know that there is much more to life than the future. Sometimes you have to look past the future to better see the present. I hope that I can continue to be part of the history, the present, and the future of mankind. I hope that I can help our cause at least in some small way. I wish I could talk to myself in the future, though. Yes, if only I could talk to the future commander Nick Matthews of the United Earth Outer Fleet. I would tell him exactly what he needed to do. Maybe, I just need to be patient. Hopefully, I will have a chance to explain everything to myself in time.

Time is an interesting concept. An insightful but complicated theory is that both space and time have no end and no beginning. They have always been and always will be. It is difficult to explain the universe, and it is even harder to understand it. But it does make sense in a way, although nothingness is a difficult concept for the human brain to grasp. Could humans ever totally comprehend complete emptiness? How can there be something after complete nothingness? How did the universe first come to be? The old big bang theory still had something in the beginning. What existed before the supposed explosion? No matter how hard one tries, it is difficult to contemplate the meaning of nonexistence. In many of the theories of science and creation, there is still something in the beginning. But why does there have to be a beginning or an end, though, when space and time that span forever are elastic and bend?

Well, even if there is no such thing as time, I hope that I can have some more of it.

As I sit here on this ship before what may be the end of my life, I feel that it is not my time yet. I feel that I can be great. I just have not yet been given the chance to prove myself. Please, someone give me a chance. If only I have the opportunity to demonstrate my goodness of heart, I feel that I can make a difference. Like many people, I have been waiting my whole life for the moment of truth. The moment that will define who I am. I want that moment badly. I want to grab that moment and hold onto it as tight as I can. I want to wrestle that moment to the ground and own it. I have already had many moments of untruth. Now is the time for me to find the truth about myself. There can be no more waiting. My character will be revealed by whatever adversity I face. When I leave this hangar, my whole existence will be in danger and before me. I must not look ahead as there may not be one. Once I blast off, I must only concentrate on the here and now.

That was the moment when it all really started for me. It’s a moment that I remember so well. What I was thinking and feeling then is so very clear to me now because this is the moment that I am now once again in. But much has happened within my moment.

If I can only look past the future, forever is now.

CHAPTER II

The Saurs

The ship easily cut through the vastness of open space like a drill through water before it hits rock. There was nothing in our way for the moment, except emptiness and time.

As a pilot and soldier stationed aboard the USF Elevation, which was part of the United Earth Outer Space Fleet, I had many responsibilities. First and foremost, I had to follow orders without question and set a positive example for my troops. That task was especially important when the greatest of odds were against you like it had been since the Saurs arrived. I had to be focused and aware of my surroundings at all times if I was to do my duty effectively. Whatever battle plan was enacted, I had to be sure that I knew it inside and out so that I could prepare my troops to implement it successfully. As a leader, I had to be able to react quickly and appropriately without having to think about it first. I also had to be ready at a moment’s notice to strike against an enemy and follow through with any such plan provided to me. As the commander of a squadron of fighter ships aboard the carrier, it was my solemn responsibility to lead them into battle and possibly their deaths. With a world of training behind me, I really felt like I was prepared to do this. I was ready to complete whatever mission that was given to me or die trying. I had never killed a living creature in my life before, but I was prepared to do so in defense of my homeland. I knew that I would be able to do my duty when the time came. I also understood going in that my commitment to my duty was all encompassing and potentially life threatening. I signed up knowing full well the possible consequences of such an enlistment. As I waited there in my cockpit prepared to fight, I had no choice but to accept my decision and predicament. If necessary, I was more than prepared to give my life in order to save my men and accomplish the mission.

Traumatic events in my personal life had led to my enlistment in the space military several years ago, but I knew all along that it was the right choice for me. I started out as an ammunitions technician and slowly worked my way up to copilot and later lead pilot. After a few years in the military, I was able to slowly move up the chain of command until I was able to become the commander of the squadron that I flew in. I felt that I was a pretty good pilot, but I recognized that I was probably promoted through the ranks more so because I had been around the longest. It was somewhat difficult to admit this possibility to myself however, but I did. It was definitely an honor for me nonetheless, though. I was very proud to have obtained my rank regardless of circumstance. I was also proud to be my squad’s leader. I hoped that when the time came that I would be able lead them well despite the unforeseen dilemma that was thrust upon us. I clearly remembered how shocked everyone was when heard what had happened.

On an otherwise ordinary day, incredible news arrived to us as we remained docked with a space station orbiting Saturn. Several thousand unidentified alien spacecraft of unknown origin had entered the solar system. It was amazing news.

I remember well how shocked and confused I personally felt at that moment when our captain made the announcement. Soon after, in discussing the situation with many of my fellow crewmen, there was a sense of excitement and hope that these beings were in fact peaceful. There was an electrifying feeling in the air that the human race was about to enter into an age of enlightenment the likes of which had never been imagined before. However, that positive thinking was very short-lived.

The closest humans to the alien armada immediately attempted to make audio and data contact with them. The human ship picked to make first contact with our new visitors was from the Mars Colonies. A very rapidly negotiated agreement was reached between the leaders of both Earth and colonial militaries, where the ship was representing all of mankind. Both the Earth and the colonies were to be kept informed of the situation as it developed. Regrettably, no return messages were sent by the aliens in response to our attempts at contacting them. Then, very unexpectedly, the aliens proved to be hostile. As soon as our small first responder vessel from Mars reached the tip of the spear of the alien fleet, it was quickly destroyed. All fifty-seven crew members perished instantly. The ship was from a station near Pluto that was operated by the Mars Colony and which represented the farthest outpost of humans in the solar system.

After the destruction of the scout ship, a vicious battle ensued we were later to discover when the aliens attacked Pluto. The colonial base there was completely destroyed along with all of its companion ships and occupants. A nearby station was also destroyed, but not before they could transmit a few disturbing images of their own destruction. The bases were completely surprised by the unprovoked attack and did not have any chance to respond in their own defense.

The alien armada then set its sights directly on the portion of the Mars Colony fleet, which had been sent to assist the Pluto Base in response to the alien’s appearance there. Their mission was to further investigate what could have caused the aliens to destroy the base and its inhabitants. Once the two sides met, the Mars Fleet was able to verify that the aliens were not peaceful in the least. Before they could even attempt to send a transmission to the aliens, smaller ships of the alien armada attacked and wiped out several Martian scout ships. After that debacle, everything went very fast.

The Mars Fleet decided to attack the alien fleet and quickly began to engage the then known to be enemy in far range. The results were deadly. The admiral of the Mars Fleet was lost in the first fifteen minutes of the battle along with his flagship. The captains of the remaining vessels displayed remarkable courage and intensity in launching successful counterattacks following the destruction of their flagship. They showed us that the alien ships could be destroyed by our weapons. They fought bravely and were actually able to slow down the alien fleet and distract them for a time. It was hoped that their efforts would help the ability of my nearby fleet to successfully engage the enemy by buying us more time to prepare. With the enemy exposed as not being completely invincible, we felt that we would have more of a fighting chance against them. We did not want to slow them down though; we wanted to destroy them. Due to the actions of the Mars Fleet, we all felt that we had a little bit of an idea about what we’re getting ourselves into. Despite their best efforts, the Mars Fleet was soon defeated by the aliens.

That initial battle between the Mars Fleet and the Saurs fleet near Pluto was very destructive. Twelve-thousand of the twenty-thousand soldiers and crewmen of the Mars Fleet were lost during the battle as well as many ships. However, they were able to destroy a meaningful number of alien vessels, thus ending any thought on both sides that the aliens were somehow invincible or too advanced to be affected by our attacks.

After the battle, the enemy regrouped near Pluto, where they established a space beachhead of sorts. It was speculated that they must have incurred many casualties in the skirmish. The intense fighting may have also required repairs to several of their ships. As I was briefed on the events of the battle, I wondered if they were very surprised by the technology and resistance shown them by the human fleet. Or maybe that was just my foolish pride in the human race, and they simply were following through on a well-conceived plan. We would have to wait and see.

The surviving ships of the Mars Fleet retreated back to the enormous Space Station Windjammer orbiting Saturn for damage assessments and repairs. They also had to return in order to secure increased medical treatment for the injured. The station itself actually occupied several of the larger bodies and moons surrounding the planet and was not a single station although the central and largest complex was the orbiting Windjammer I.

As mentioned before, the retreating Mars Fleet was able to somewhat slow down the enemy. This was to my fleet’s advantage, I thought. As the aliens regrouped near Pluto, they completely halted their anticipated advance to the inner planets of the solar system. At this point, everyone assumed that was their heading. The area of inner planets was of course the location of Earth, as well as the rest of our heavily populated colonies. It was felt that this inner portion of the solar system was the alien’s ultimate target. The human population centers were to be in increased danger as the aliens moved further and further into our solar system. Hopeful speculation by military commanders on Earth and Mars was that the aliens may have been unprepared for the fierce resistance they encountered. Maybe we had scared them off, it was thought. We could have surprised them just as much as they surprised us by their attack. Fortunately, because of the constant arms race and skirmishes that had occurred over the years between the Earth and the colonies, humans were in fact better prepared to fight. It was also possible that the aliens were unprepared for the courage and advanced weapon technology of the human race. We had a lot of hope, but was it misplaced?

As the brief pause in the identified war for the solar system continued, the Mars Fleet reached Space Station Windjammer to recharge and regroup. The enemy meanwhile lay quiet. What were they waiting for?

Amazingly, during the battle, a thirty-second transmission was intercepted from the alien fleet. Shortly after this brief message was intercepted, the aliens discovered the breach and changed their transmission frequencies. No other contact has been made since, nor have we been able to intercept any more of their transmissions. However, several interesting things were learned of the aliens from their short transmission.

According to intelligence reports dispersed to the crew, the human race was not the only intelligent life-forms in the galaxy looking for others. We just weren’t as committed or desperate enough apparently to succeed as others were.

From the intercepted visual and audio transmission, we could see an image of the aliens for the first time. They were not robots and were definitely intelligent creatures, albeit destructive. According to intense analysis, they appeared to be organic-based reptilian creatures standing approximately seven to eight feet tall. Scientists on Earth closely examined the image of the alien warrior from the message. Curiously, he strongly resembled a small upright dinosaur from Earth’s ancient history. On Earth, dinosaurs became extinct before they could evolve into more intelligent beings. There was growing speculation that if not for their extinction, it might have been possible for some of the dinosaurs in Earth’s prehistory to evolve into an advanced state as these aliens did. However, due in part to a huge asteroid impact causing their extinction, dinosaurs on Earth were never able to evolve in such a way. The enormous impact crater from the impact was actually found where the Gulf of Mexico sits today. Some did survive to evolve into birds however. It appeared that on the planet that these aliens came from they were able to evolve without such a catastrophic disruption. Their ancestors were able to evolve as birds did, and they too can fly, albeit in machines of their own creation as we do. Make no mistake though, these creatures were not dinosaurs. They were something entirely different and sinister. The Earth’s military and scientists could not translate the evil aliens’ language but due to their appearance appropriately named them the Saurs because of their striking resemblance to upright dinosaurs of Earth’s past.

Speculation was that the Saurs must not have an adequate life-sustaining planet of their own any longer, so they are traveling the galaxy to find a replacement. Somehow they have discovered the existence of our world and want it for themselves. Given their initial unprovoked attack of our ships and outposts, it was also suspected that they were not willing to negotiate any mutually beneficial agreement. This, of course, was not a very pleasant theory to consider. But the big question was how did they find us?

It was very possible that on one fateful moment far way from their home planet, the Saurs Fleet encountered one of the Earth’s old unmanned explorer spacecrafts. After careful analysis, the craft’s origin and location could have been determined. It was also possible that the Saurs picked up some of our transmissions, and those led them to us as well. Whatever the case, they had found us.

If they did discover one of our old spacecraft and used it to find Earth, they may have underestimated our power and technology. If that was the case, they probably felt as though we were not as technologically advanced as they were and that therefore they could easily conquer our planet. That kind of overconfidence could be used to our advantage, it was thought. If the initial encounter with them was any indication however, they appear to be respectful of our level of technology. They did not hold anything during the initial battle, it seemed, and they also did not pursue the retreating Mars Fleet. What was their strategy? What was their impression of us? Surprisingly, the military technology of both planets did not appear to be as disparate as one would imagine. It seemed that the human race’s preoccupation with wars over the centuries had spurred us to advancement in that category more rapidly than all others. Our preoccupation with war could be a great equalizer for us. That notion of course was a very sad commentary on the merits of human civilization, but it did look to be something that could actually prove to help us in our struggle with the aliens.

Regardless of how they found us, the Saurs had indeed learned the location of the Earth and in response had sent an entire space fleet into our solar system. Hopefully, their appearance would not prove to be catastrophic for the human race. We would have to wait and see what the result of their contact would be. Luckily, it was believed that it was doubtful that the aliens would want to destroy the very planet that they hypothetically wished to relocate to. This concept assumed that the Saurs needed Earth and were not out just to make another conquest. It was quite an assumption. Even if the Saurs did make it to Earth, it was hoped that maybe our natural resources and environment would be sparred. Maybe a more conventional war would be waged as a result of their needs. It would give us a fighting chance if that was the case, everyone agreed. Unfortunately, the Saurs must have analyzed our overpopulated planet and determined that they had neither the time nor the patience to attempt to cooperate with us. They wanted what we had and were not willing to ask for a piece of it.

It was doubtful that the resources of the Earth could support both advanced species and their great population numbers. Given the amount of ships the Saurs had, it was felt that they had massive amounts of life-forms with them. Earth, in comparison, was already overpopulated with humans. In the opinion of Earth and most likely the Saurs as well, there was just not enough room on the planet to support the two entire advanced races. It was probably that kind of all-or-nothing mentality though that was driving their destructive motives. To deal only in absolutes is very dangerous. Whatever the case, I believed that it was safe to assume that the Earth and its colonies were not prepared for the coming storm that appeared to be approaching. Neither was I.

The reaction of the people of the Earth was stunning. When news of what happened finally got to the general public, there was mass confusion and fear. The people of the world and the media became obsessed with the subject and wanted every possible detail reported. Many questions were asked. Who were those who attacked us? Where did they come from? What are their intentions? Are they going to attack the Earth? Can