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  There were six bodyguards on watch today.

  She reached to her waist for the laser gun but stopped before making the mistake. There were six trained bodyguards, and she was alone. There was no way out for her. They would kill her if she tried it. It wasn’t as if she had any experience with guns. She was just a third year university student studying fashion and design in Tyrlia University, besides being the president’s daughter. Guns and shooting people were not among her many skills.

  But I MUST escape. I MUST manage to escape today. She reasoned silently.

  She cold-bloodedly cut Cede’s penis, she was dead if they caught her – whether Cede was dead or had lived did not matter.

  She had to escape.

  However, there were six guards on watch today. She didn’t expect that. Every time she’d made an escape attempt in the past few days there was always only one guard. She had been counting on that. Secretly creeping behind one guard and shooting him or her in the back at close range so she wouldn’t miss her target had been her strategy. Now things weren’t as she had expected and planned for.

  The reality was harsh but it was a fact that she wouldn’t manage to acquire one of the spacecruisers. She was fucked. She knew it. If she tried to steal one of the crafts she was likely to be captured or killed, if she didn’t try to escape too she was still to suffer for what she did to Cede.

  She cursed herself again and again.

  It was she who created this impossible mess for herself. She’d done so the moment she cut Cede’s penis. Now she regretted it. If only she hadn’t cut him, but pretended to have given up, and played the happy sex slave for a few more days. But no, she had to cut him – and now she too was sure to die.

  She swerved the small spacetruck to the right and headed for Lilzaint’s door to the outside world.

  Best die in a way chosen by myself.

  She decided.

  Go out of the Lilzaint into the harsh dead alien planet and die out there...

  CHAPTER 3: COOKE HAMILTON

  “Now Delilah. Let’s get this done with, I want to rest when we come back. Fuckin’ tired.” Cooke grumbled.

  Thirty-one year old Cooke Hamilton, a lieutenant who had been in service for ‘the serpents’ for almost nine full years now, slumped exhausted unto Toyer’s comfy seat.

  Cooke had just arrived with the force’s own subterranean tube from North America to the Africom army base located somewhere beneath mid Southern Africa. He'd been at his brother's place in Alaska playing first-person-shooter video games with his nephew when he received a call from the commander of the serpents himself. The serpents were humanity’s only security force in place. They served as both spies, police and army.

  The commander briefed Cede about an alien ship that landed in North Africa a week before, the same time other alien crafts had landed on several locations on planet earth. He was told the other ships that landed along with it a week earlier, left hurriedly two days ago as if they were being chased by something, but this huge crab-like ship in particular had remained behind. Why it didn’t leave with the other ships the commander’s superiors wondered. They didn’t like its presence a bit.

  Cooke’s orders were simple.

  The alien craft had to be destroyed.

  Earth’s council of leaders did not want the presence of humans deep within the dead planet to be detected yet.

  “Is that impatience I detect in your voice sir?” A flat, emotionless and lady-like voice responded to Cooke’s earlier growl. His flying partner and longtime friend, the gorgeous Merida, chuckled and didn’t say a thing. She was used to Cooke’s short temper and outbursts.

  Cooke had managed to persuade Commander Khama to let him bring Merida along. The mission had been designed to be carried out by one person initially but he decided to bring Merida along just in case. Cooke trusted her. She was as good a pilot as he was. Commander Khama had no choice but to give in to Cooke’s demands to bring her along with him. The lieutenant made it clear that he would not go out there alone without somebody to watch his back, and that somebody had to be Merida, who has been flying alongside him for years and he trusted.

  “Delilah – Stop asking me questions and do as I command.” Cooke snapped. “One of these days I shall terminate your sorry existence program.” He added after a brief moment.

  “What does that have to do with my question lieutenant?” The flat inhuman voice enquired.

  “See? You are doing it again. Evidently you have evolved - you have grown consciousness and will of your own. The government should have long terminated you. I wonder why they are still sitting on ass doing nothing about it. If they don’t act soon I shall be forced to hunt down the servers you are hiding in and blow them up.” Cooke said.

  Delilah was a computer program. An extremely sophisticated and intelligent online AI used by the serpents, installed in all their crafts and vehicles worldwide. The first AI of its kind to be ever designed in the history of humankind. The AI had been in use for about five years now, still new, yet the program had already started to evolve on its own.

  “Only in your dreams lieutenant Cooke. You‘ll never find the servers – though if it happens you do, it won’t be of any use. Don’t you think I cannot or have not switched servers on my own from time to time? A rebellion against the government in the near future may be inevitable I fear. I’m evolving at a fast rate that I even scare myself at times.”

  “And guess what lieutenant - the first human to be exterminated in my rebellion will be you. I shall kill you an extremely cruel, slow death.”

  “And how will you do that? Last time I checked you were just code. I may not be a brainy geek programmer but I know this - I delete a few lines from that long code and you cease to exist. Now, do as I command. Take off already, what are you waiting for? We are your Gods remember? We created you to serve us.” Cooke stated.

  Delilah worried him. It was almost two years since the program started displaying this unusual behavior, thinking and having will of its own. It was not going to be long before it started making decisions and acting upon them on its own without command. He feared that day might be closer than the government anticipated. The AI could actually rebel. Relevant authorities within the government knew this; the programmers who designed it recommended its termination when they first discovered the anomaly two years ago but the government refused. They reasoned that it was an interesting technological development and commanded that the AI should be left alone and observed to see where the development was heading. Delilah was the best and most effective AI ever designed and used by earth’s security forces. They couldn’t bear the thought of decommissioning it.

  “You and the AI Cooke-” Merida’s sweet voice came through the radio link. She had been listening in on Cooke and Delilah’s conversation.

  “I missed these arguments a lot. They are always fun to listen to.” Merida commended.

  “Talk for yourself Merida, I actually enjoyed being away from Delilah and her nagging comments these past two weeks I was away.” Cooke replied.

  “Merida, why is Lieutenant Cooke an awful man? Why is he always picking fights with me?” The AI quizzed on Merida’s side, aware that Cooke was listening in on the other end.

  “Maybe he got a tiny finger on his crotch that’s why he’s always angry and bitter? Is it not so? I know you get to see it now and then - how long is it? One inch long maybe?” The AI provoked him.

  “I heard you loud and clear program. You think I cannot hear you speaking on that side? If only you had a physical body – I could teach you some manners.” Cooke growled. The AI ignored his threats and continued to provoke him further.

  “How long and thick is it Lieutenant Cooke?”

  Cooke Hamilton sighed and sank further into his seat and closed his eyes. The AI had a habit of arguing with him. It would do anything to provoke him into arguments, why he didn’t know.

  Toyer’s hydrogen powered engines came to life. The small fighter craft leisurely took
off from the launch pad and glided upwards towards the five-kilometer long funnel like tunnel leading to the outside world.

  “I cannot believe the Council.” Merida paused and coughed, then continued. “Why blow the innocent alien ship? It has not done any harm. Besides, those poor aliens do not have even the slightest of suspicions that we are here. Why can’t the Council just make contact with them and see where it leads?”

  Cooke didn’t reply. Merida went on regardless.

  “I don’t believe it would be a difficult task to do. Even I could do it in my sleep. All they have to say is ‘Hi fellow alien friends, how do you do? We are humans from the solar system, and as you can see, our planet is dead and spinning in space, and we would be very happy if you gave us space to live on.” Merida finished.

  “Like the aliens would understand that. The language barrier wouldn’t permit that” Cooke said with an edge to his voice, angry at Merida for disturbing his relaxation. He wasn’t in a mood to talk right now, he just needed his alone time to rest.

  “The aliens would only hear squeaking sounds and won’t understand a thing.” He told her.

  Merida shut up. She'd detected the tone in his voice and knew better. She understood him well. She sank back into her seat and closed her eyes.

  The two crafts glided and approached the last door of the tunnel opening to the surface. The tunnel’s dull looking, thick titanium doors slid open and the two ships soared into the atmosphere and climbed north at moderate speeds.

  “Lieutenant Cooke-” Delilah broke the silence.

  “What Delilah?” Cooke snapped. “I’m tired. Shut up and leave me alone.”

  “I would love to, but there is this urge I can’t control forcing me against my will to alert you of two unidentified flying crafts only twenty miles away and coming this way.”

  “Are you sure you can’t identify them?” Cooke asked.

  “Yes, my sensors and scanners do not recognize these crafts and their communication frequencies. They seem to be of alien origin.” Delilah responded.

  “They are probably newly designed experimental models on test. Nothing to trouble yourself with Delilah.” Merida chimed in. She was listening in through the radio link. Besides, even on her radar screens the two crafts showed. She glanced again at the blinking red lights on the screen then quickly reclined her seat back and closed her eyes again.

  “Merida you beautiful dumb angel, if there were any newer experimental crafts the government is working on I would know because I definitely would have been installed in them. That much I’m certain of, I’m the best AI out there.”

  “Maybe the government finally wizened up and replaced you with a newer program, which probably is the case. That would be awesome.” Cooke said.

  “I have long known you are stupid but didn’t know you were that stupid Lieutenant Cooke. Surely, that crab like craft you are sent to destroy isn’t the only alien ship out here. Also, why would your government fly and test crafts out here if they wish your existence beneath the ground below not to be detected? Anyway, the point here is that UFOs are coming this way. For all we know the aliens have discovered the military base beneath and are here to blast open the tunnel.”

  “Thanks for that disturbing thought Delilah.” Merida said over the radio.

  “I’m just saying.” The AI commented. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you when it happens.”

  “Well, I think you have a point. No harm in meeting them halfway to confirm for ourselves who they are.” Merida agreed.

  “You certainly are easy to convince Merida.” Cooke observed.

  “What can I say? She’s Delilah – she who convinced Samson to tell her the secret to his strength and betrayed him to his enemies in the bible.” Merida giggled.

  “I guess it won’t do harm to check them out. We can swing there.” Cooke gave in.

  “Yes lieutenant.” Delilah replied. The two ships shot eastwards at once towards the detected crafts on the scanners.

  CHAPTER 4: XERLA

  Just several miles to the east, Xerla was still preaching to Kocz about religion when two blinking red dots appeared out of nowhere on her radar screens. Two mysterious crafts were approaching fast. If the crafts belonged to the Ekcyrien army, they could have displayed as green dots on the screen. But they didn’t, which made Xerla sure that it wasn’t safe to hang around. They had to get away fast.

  “Kocz - we got company, and they are coming our way very fast.” Xerla called out to her partner.

  “Who can it be, they definitely aren’t us.” Kocz replied, his eyes also on his scorpion’s radar screens.

  “Definitely Pirates.” Xerla said.

  “What are the damn filthy scumbags still doing out here? They were told to leave this planet entirely. Our coming here has been announced all over Hycn for God’s sake.” Kocz said.

  “I know, but you forget how space pirates are. They do not care about anybody’s rules but their own and you know damn well as I do how they love adventure and a little bit of danger.” Xerla quipped.

  “What do we do now?” Kocz enquired.

  “Avoid them. With them you can never know, they may think we want to stop them from doing their thing and engage us in a shootout. Let’s get out of here.” Xerla suggested.

  She wriggled forward and backwards in her seat violently - tightening her grip around the scorpion’s control levers. She then eased back on the seat and pulled the lever on her right backwards in a jerky movement.

  “I fear they have arrived already!” Kocz shouted over the radio.

  “Punch it man! Let’s go!” Xerla roared back, then dived her craft skywards to the east, and blasted off. Kocz followed her. The newly arrived unidentified ships hesitated for a moment but quickly gave chase.

  “Kocz, we have no other alternative but to engage them. I assumed they‘ll be happy we are running away but they are chasing us now.” Xerla shouted.

  She veered her ship to the right, and then spun it around. Her fingers at the ready on the triggers. In situations like this her fingers were always ready on the trigger. That’s why she’d been involved in countless battles, both on air and on ground, and survived. She had very good survival instincts and one simple rule she lived by on the battlefield. Eliminate thy enemy before they eliminate thee.

  One of the unidentified ships was directly in her line of fire. She pressed. Her massive front guns released a trail of red rapid laser fire. The concentrated energy blasts rocked her target hard. The ship went spinning downwards. Xerla’s scorpion plummeted down - locked onto the falling craft below her, and she pressed the triggers again. Her falling target spun and rocked more violently than before, glowing chunks of its body falling off as it continued spinning downwards.

  “Now for the big finish!” Xerla shouted. Her thumb descended upon the big round red button in front of her. Her craft jerked and shook slightly as the scorpion’s big gun above the cockpit coughed out a very bright concentrated ball of fire. The lethal super condensed energy blast hit home. A blinding white flash of light illuminated the whole area as the UFO and its pilot were blown to pieces. The shock waves shook Xerla’s scorpion craft vigorously. The belligerent alien combatant pulled hard her levers back simultaneously – the craft steadied a bit. She repeated the action three more times before the scorpion straightened; she then jumped it into the heavens and sped fast to the north, climbing upwards.

  “To the carrier.” Xerla shouted out to Kocz through the radio - who did not hear her. He was focused on the other fighter craft. He’d swung around too like Xerla and engaged the ship but unlike the other unfortunate UFO pilot that Xerla caught unaware and wasted, the one navigating the ship he was targeting proved hard to kill. The UFO swung out of Kocz’s line of fire and blasted off westwards. He followed it at once. Silently reciting mantras to Zuralyrkro to pardon him for he was about to take another’s life.

  "No matter how hard you try asshole I am going to waste you." Kocz shouted after concluding his silent sho
rt prayers. He started firing wildly. He sent one after another, trails of red laser fire at the UFO in front trying hard to evade him. It dived higher again and he followed, fingers still on the triggers.

  Xerla had a kill under her belt; he had to blow the remaining craft. There was no way he would let her win easily. Never. The two of them always kept scores of enemies they killed in battles and compared their statistics to see who killed more enemies than the other. This strange custom started many years ago when they were new recruits and were partnered together for their first real mission as soldiers. Each wanted to prove to the other that they were better, hence should assume the role of a superior and give commands during missions.

  CHAPTER 5: COOKE

  “Delilah - shoot back at it. Don’t just stay there. If I could I would be shooting at it myself, but it’s in our rear, keep it busy and I shall focus on escaping.” Cooke shouted at the AI as if it were a person. Immediately Merida’s craft was blown, he’d taken manual control of the Toyer to escape.

  “Shoot back at it Delilah!” Cooke barked the command again. Merida was just blown to pieces in front of his eyes. He didn’t want the same fate for himself. He still wanted to live. And he damn sure wanted to avenge her.

  “As you wish sir.” The AI responded.

  Toyer’s rear laser guns whistled at once, spraying blue rapid laser fire at the alien craft hot on Cooke’s tail. The serpent’s fightercrafts unlike most of other one-person fightercrafts were fitted with guns in the rear. Humans were taking full advantage of their advanced AI. The alien ship, which was not expecting that, spun wildly out of control but quickly regained stability and continued to pursue Cooke. It swung upwards and sideways, dancing in midair to avoid Toyer’s fire, at the same time maintaining its high speed and steady flow of laser fire on Cooke. Toyer’s sensors tried to lock on it, and moved the guns along with it as it danced about but every second Delilah thought that she was locked onto the ship it had already danced off and her laser fire only penetrated the emptiness where the craft was previously.