Battle for the Earth (32 page)

Security was no longer a problem. Three of the cruisers were on constant patrol in the skies over Earth. These were backed up by one hundred assault vessels, and numerous shuttle craft manned by Annunaki tactical-response warriors. Three other cruisers guarded the new construction work at Tana, and five more were placed strategically in deep space.

It was certainly looking as if Sutan was capable of achieving what had always evaded Tannacha: decisive strategy and effective logistics.

There was still some resistance around the planet, but it lacked organisation and as soon as a skirmish started it was crushed with brutal force from above and from warriors on the ground, transported by the shuttles.

**

The six shuttles docked at Sub Sea One, and a battle-weary bunch of resistance fighters disembarked and headed for the main complex. Mark and Finney set off to find Thourus and obtain any new intelligence that was available, especially regarding the Mars base.

Thourus was a difficult Android to track down, but eventually Mark and Finney caught up with him and the three of them sat down together.

‘What’s the news on the Mars base, Thourus?’

‘The base is fine, Mark. From what I understand, the Annunaki have already searched Mars and found nothing.’

Finney smiled at Thourus, not really knowing whether the smile was wasted or not.

‘Well, that’s the first bit of good news we’ve heard for a while. How are you fixed for assault craft, though?’

‘Not well at all. There are some that have just come out of the repair workshop, but that’s it.’

‘How many?’

‘Maybe ten at the most. All the other reserves have been used.’

‘Where’s Sacha got to, Mark?’

‘Don’t know. Last thing he said to me was, “I’m going scavenging. See you later.” Make of that what you will.’

‘Thourus, have you heard anything from London?’

‘No, London isn’t there any more. All the capital cities have been levelled world wide.’

Mark rubbed the side of his head, which was a sure sign of stress with him.

‘Shit! This fleet’s very different from the first one. They’ve got more done in a few days than the last fleet managed the whole time they were here.’

Finney stood up.

‘OK, so we’ve got no resources to speak of on Earth. That just leaves what we’ve got on Mars. Can we contact Mars?’

Thourus interrupted.

‘That’s not quite true, Finney. We do have a manufacturing facility now attached to Sub Sea One, and it’s nearly ready to go into production.’

‘What, assault craft? We can make assault craft?’

Mark butted in.

‘Can we make cruisers?’

Thourus shook his head.

‘No, we can’t make cruisers. We lost that ability when we lost the moon base, but once the plant get’s going we should be able to produce two assault ships a day.’

‘Well, that’s better than nothing. At least there’s some hope.’

Finney was determined to think positively. He couldn’t fail to notice Mark’s worrying body language. The last thing they needed now was a stressed-out second in command.

**

Sacha was having a great time. He had already found the repaired shuttles and now saw to his delight that there were another six waiting in the repair bay. Leading off from the repair bay was a corridor to the manufacturing plant; Sacha whistled when he saw the impressive size of the plant.

There were Androids everywhere. It was like the interior of an ant hill, full of scurrying activity, and the production line was already up and running with specialised Androids assembling components: one long production line as far as the eye could see.

Sacha wondered where the components were coming from. It looked very much as if everything was prefabricated for ease of assembly. It was certainly a clever operation.

He was right in this. Underneath Sub Sea One was a prefabricating plant for parts. It covered all components for assault craft and shuttles of every size - everything from body parts and electronics to engines.

These would formerly have been shipped to the moon base for final assembly, but now were being constructed in the makeshift assembly line attached to Sub Sea One. It wasn’t anywhere near as efficient as the moon base plant, but it was certainly better than nothing. At least now they would eventually be able to put up some kind of fight.

To Mark the next move was obvious. The three of them had to go to the Mars base and meet up with Jumouk and Lee. He knew Sacha would be fine, but Finney was a different story with his morbid fear of flying. He and Finney joined Sacha in the production plant.

‘We need to get to the Mars base, lads. We need a plan, so we have to talk to Jumouk and Lee. How about we take an assault vessel each and go for it?’

‘Fine by me. Just point me in the direction I need to go and show me the accelerator.’

Mark had forgotten Sacha hadn’t had any formal training on flying ESG craft.

‘I think we can do a bit better than that. I’ll show you the principles of how to fly an assault craft. Honestly, they almost fly themselves once you get used to them. Finney, you’ve gone very quiet. I know you’ve been trained to fly.’

‘Oh, I can fly all right. I just don’t like to.’

‘Come on, Finney, don’t give me a hard time. You know we need to go.’

‘I know. It’s not a problem. You just get Sacha sorted out. When do we go?’

‘Half an hour should do it.’

‘OK, I’ll go talk to Thourus and get three assault craft sorted out.’

‘Thanks, Finney. I mean it, thanks.’

Mark’s relief was obvious. The last thing he needed was trouble from Finney, even though, technically, Finney was the boss.

Mark and Sacha disappeared to find an assault craft for Sacha to practise the basics of flight, under Mark’s careful instruction.

**

The three assault craft traversed the ocean to Western Australia so as not to give away the position of Sub Sea One, and also to have a better chance of breaking Earth’s atmosphere without Annunaki intervention. They needn’t have worried. The Annunaki were thoroughly preoccupied with the new capital city they were building.

The assault craft broke through the waters off Western Australia unchallenged and sped vertically towards outer space and the Mars base.

The patrolling Annunaki assault ships seemed totally indifferent to the movements of such a small number of craft. This was because all the Annunaki vessels patrolling the skies of Earth and in deep space had the same remit: watch for battle cruisers and ignore everything else for the time being.

Finney had surprised himself. He was actually quite enjoying the flight, even through space. He had come to the conclusion that his fear of flying must have been the result of other people flying him; now he was in control himself, he was more than comfortable with it.

Sacha was still getting used to the controls. He had found when you were actually flying they were very sensitive and keeping in a straight line while on manual control was nearly impossible. Still, he had to admit, it was good fun!

The three assault ships came to rest safely within the Mars base force field and the occupants set off to find Jumouk and Lee. They were met at the entrance to the turbo lifts by Fiona who had been monitoring their approach and landing on the Mars base complex. Sacha smiled warmly at Fiona. He liked her. He liked her a lot.

‘Fiona, it is so good to see you again. How are you?’

His Russian charm was evidently not lost on Fiona.

‘I’m good, Sacha, thanks. How are you?’

Finney yawned. It was involuntary, but he realised he couldn’t have timed it worse.

‘Oh my God! I’m so sorry, Fiona. It must be the last few days catching up with me.’

Mark smiled to himself. Wasn’t it ironic that even in such dire circumstances humanity could still be so laughably human?

‘Hi, Fiona. Look, can you get us to Jumouk and Lee? We’ve got a lot of information for them.’

‘Sure, Mark, just follow me.’

They entered one of the turbo-lifts and sped down into the bowels of the red planet.

**

52

Jumouk listened intently to Mark’s version of what had happened on Earth since the arrival of the new Annunaki battle group.

It was now plain to see that the Annunaki had a new agenda, as opposed to a little sport and robbing the planet of its gold supplies. They were now evidently intent on moving from Nibiru, colonising planet Earth, and setting up home there.

The building of Tana, the new city on the Dulles site, was visible evidence of their intentions, and by the look of it the human race was now a mere inconvenience or, at best, a dining option, to be exterminated as and when encountered. Once Earth had been colonised, the Annunaki wouldn’t tolerate a human presence on Mars for long.

The situation was indeed looking desperate, and Jumouk struggled to think how to save what Dropas and human population were left, either on Earth or eventually on Mars.

Lee sensed Jumouk’s despair, but felt unable to help. He had run out of practicable ideas himself. Perhaps some short-term stuff like more inventive ways of hit and run, but to be utterly frank, with the size of the fleet opposing them and only two battle cruisers and at most a hundred assault craft, what could they do in the long term?

**

Redemption was to come yet again from an unexpected quarter. Pausanias asked if Jumouk and Lee would be kind enough to join him for a tour of a part of the base they had not yet seen. To Jumouk and Lee this now offered itself as a welcome distraction. Besides, Pausanias seemed always to find ways of surprising them, so they accepted gratefully.

As they drove along corridor after corridor in the small transport, Lee could tell something was troubling Pausanias.

‘Is there something wrong, Pausanias? You seem troubled, if you don’t mind me saying.’

Jumouk looked quizzically at Lee, almost as if he felt he had somehow overstepped the mark. Pausanias seemed to pick up on Jumouk’s concern.

‘No, it’s fine, Jumouk. Lee’s quite right. I haven’t been entirely truthful with you both.’

This admission did not come as a great surprise to either of them. Pausanias and the Mars base had been a mystery ever since they had arrived, and trying to get elucidation from Pausanias was like asking questions of a small boy. Revelations had been few and far between. Still, now he had their full attention.

‘Unfortunately, circumstances have now overtaken us, and I cannot allow the current situation to continue.’

Lee looked at Jumouk. The tone of Pausanias’s voice had changed completely, and his bearing had taken on a totally different character.

Jumouk pursued the subject.

‘How do you mean, Pausanias? What situation?’

‘Quite simply, the Annunaki cannot be allowed to colonise Earth.’

‘Do you have some idea, then, how to stop them?’

The tone in Lee’s voice had gone up a note in anticipation.

‘We will now intervene and stop them. All will become clear in a moment.’

‘We, as in who?’

Lee had just got the question out when the little transport cart came to a halt.

‘Follow me, please.’

Pausanias gestured for them to follow him into a turbolift. He entered a code into the control panel and the turbolift sped off. Lee and Jumouk could both now feel the excitement rising in them as the lift came to a halt. As the doors opened, a cool breeze could be felt, almost as someone had just turned on the cold setting on the air-conditioning control.

The sight that met them when the doors were fully open made Lee glad of the cold blast of air for, hovering in what could only be described as a huge hangar, was a battle cruiser the like of which neither Lee or Jumouk had ever seen. It was vast, dwarfing any battle cruisers the ESG and Dropas had at their disposal.

Jumouk and Lee stood dumbstruck. After a moment Lee blurted out:

‘Where the hell did this come from?’

Pausanias said quietly:

‘You no doubt have some questions that will need answering, gentlemen.’

This was a massive understatement.

‘Does it work?’

It was a stupid question, as Lee realised straight away. Of course it worked!

‘Yes, it is in perfect working order, as are the other two on Mars, and the one patrolling under the seas on Earth.’

Lee stopped for a minute as if counting.

‘You mean there are four of these beauties?’

‘There are four battle cruisers and four hundred predators - what you would call “assault craft”.’

‘Who
are
you?’

Jumouk was blunt and to the point. The time for playing games was over.

‘We are those whom you would call, the people from Atlantis.’

‘But ... you’re extinct. The Annunaki wiped you out centuries ago.’