Darkness reigned supreme over the eternal void-like realm known as the universe. In its formless embrace, was the most frigid environment. Only the insanely brave and fearless dared to traipse across the endless, star filled carpet. And, few ever discovered other civilizations beyond their own.It was into this existence that the ship had come; a dark shape mired in the featureless vacuum of space. Its design oblong and pinched at the end like the business end of a flat headed screwdriver. The hull, a silver chrome that reflected the darkness surrounding it, camouflaging the vessel as it made its way towards the other end of the Milky Way galaxy.
Within the vessel were a host of beings from a solar body never seen by man. Yet, these beings were more than aware of humanity. They knew that humans were similar to them in genetic makeup and intellect and held the key to their survival. Yet these beings, known as the Phoc Fei Xs, were millennia more advanced. And, ahead of their coming, they sent a cryptic "messenger" to prepare mankind for their arrival. It was in the form of an invisible pulse; a missile the likes of which none had seen before.
Ambassador Commander Fei Lyanna walked forward through the blue tinted light upon the vessel's bridge. She looked outward from the massive port that displayed a view of the ongoing galaxy. Twenty-two Phoc Fei Xsian years would have passed by the time of their arrival. However, the quantity of man's years would be considerably more; seven hundred and thirty nine to be exact. They had to send the pulse ahead of their fleet, lest man be their equal upon arrival.
She chuckled slightly to herself as she watched the stars strolling by the curved viewport encompassing the entire bridge; the blue tint barely able to hold back the slight tinges of orange and white that passed through the visibility spectrum of space looking for objects to illuminate.
Fei Lyanna was dressed in a long cloak of bioluminescent material that shifted its color spectrum, ever so slightly, under the blue tint fighting against the invading light that was trying to filter onto the bridge. The cloak would keep at bay any possible radiation traveling through the cosmos,though the radiation would still cause wrinkles upon her yellow-green skin tones. A thin crown of pearl adorned her head and stood out against her platinum blonde hair, which, in turn, covered her lobeless earholes.
A natural film coating covered her blue black eyes to prevent solar radiation from obscuring her eyesight permanently. That radiation had been filtering onto her kind's world for generations and was a major part of their reasoning for undertaking this expedition to a world so far away. Thousands died every solar cycle from the unhindered and invisible force.
She closed her eyes and listened to the soft echoing of solar wind against the ship hull and the gentle communications between her bridge officers. No one looked at her and, for this, she was glad. There was a focus to her thoughts she didn't want to lose, and a penetrating gaze she would feel with her innate extrasensory emotions. Focus was the one thing she could ill-afford to lose; she had to concentrate on what brought them here.
It's amazing, she thought, that other beings of sentient form really do exist outside of the confines of our solar system. We've spent eons looking for any indication of life outside of our two worlds. That was what had really encouraged them to look. There were not one but two worlds that supported life. And that search led to the discovery of the world inhabited by man.
Legend spoke of how, during the beginning, a massive spatial rift had sent the father world, that had birthed them all, into the nether regions of the deep abode. That, after the creation, he had left for his supreme destiny; to people the universe.
Though, no one really believed the legends, scientists had still searched and discovered part of the history of their solar system. However, there were still questions. And then, thirteen years ago, they saw the slight emanations of some lightwave far away on the other side of the galaxy. There had to be a sentient hand at work for it seemed designed in such a way as to communicate within their own solar system; whoever 'they' were. Then the beings received the images of the sentients as advanced as they had been so many millennia before.
Fei Lyanna felt her silver hair flowing down her shoulder onto her left breast and absently began stroking a strand between her long fingers. Still her eyes remained shut to the steady drone of absolute peace. Though, she recalled, it hadn't been peace when their sun erupted, sending out those massive radiation waves. Their worlds had been bombarded, silencing the war that had brewed for several decades between various factions. It was then that they had been united in a common goal: to survive.
Millions had died of exposure before the shelters had been built and the consequential discovery that this foreign life held the key to their survival. However, these sentients couldn't be allowed to overcome them. The lightwaves had indicated a serious advancement in the sentient life. This meant they had shorter lifespans than they did. This was a problem. A lifeform with a shorter lifespan tended to advance faster. They had to slow that process down to allow time to go there and cultivate that which they so badly needed. She hoped that this 'mankind', as the lightwave transmissions had spoken of, wouldn't pose too large a threat.
Of course, Fei Lyanna had volunteered for the mission. She was a commander in the Supreme Army of the Chosen One. They had conquered Elcida Ney, the second world that harbored life. That had been for the better, for the sentient life on that world was barbaric and savage and roamed around in herds following strange animals. They had to be brought into the Chosen One's light. And brought into that light, the savages had been.
She smiled ruefully at the thought. Soon another race would join their collective and save them from eminent doom. It was their celestial right as the Chosen One's gods. Her eyes reopened and stared forward toward her kind's destiny. Fei Lyanna prayed the pulse would do its job with lethal efficiency.
* * * * * Earth
1348 A.D.Michel Tamboline raced down the dirt path praying he wasn't too late. The lights had begun appearing in the sky days ago. There had to be hundreds of them. He didn't know what it meant.
This must be a message from God! This disease is tearing through people like a blade through a soft satchel, he thought. It was as if the lord were displeased with his subjects. This seeming displeasure caused a measure of panic amongst the people.
His wife and children were still within the town down the river and he was intent on taking them away from this horrible place. The town felt like it was forever and a day away and Michel was so relieved when he finally saw its outline beyond the forested path. However, he came to a sudden, skidding stop when he approached the limits of the town and saw the legion of glowing balls up in the sky. It was a bright, sunny day and those ungodly apparitions were there as well.
Michel hastened to his family's dwelling. His wife's parents lived there and were a subject of his family's visitations that day. He had been traveling from the next town over by horse, when he was waylaid by a group of panicked villagers fleeing the sight. They stole his horse and wares and left him somewhat frazzled by the side of the path.
Fortunately, it didn't take Michel long to find his family. They were in the house down the street and too frightened to try and leave town. He burst through the front door and found them upstairs in a small room.
"Michel!" Elizabeth, his wife, cried out and embraced him.
"Come, we must leave this place! The lights are getting larger!" Michel shouted, herding his family towards the doorway.
"No! God is angry with us! We must make penance!" his father in law exclaimed and tried to prevent them from leaving.
Michel brushed him aside and his wife gasped. She tried to struggle against his grip, but he held her arm tight. They had to get out of town immediately.
"Elizabeth! There is no time for this!"
"Michel, what if father is right?" she begged.
"I do not believe it! There is something else there! It is not God! Hurry!" Michel pressed, ushering his family down the streets.
It's for the best, they'll only slow us down. Michel thought as Elizabeth's parents screamed their disapproval and refused to leave with them. They rushed past other families on their knees pleading for mercy from God and worshiping the lights in the sky. It didn't feel right to Michel, though he was tempted to plead as well. Yet, the edge of town was near and they made a final dash towards the town limits.
Once outside of town, Michel looked up towards the sky and saw streams of light pouring forth from the glowing balls. They almost seemed to be attacking one another, but it was difficult to tell when all one saw was a bunch of balls and streaming lights. Elizabeth held on to Michel as they watched this deadly dance of ungodly might. Then Michel saw something else that made his blood freeze. Another stream of near invisible light slid through the sky and ignited in a massive explosion of force. Whatever pulse was behind it, sent them sprawling to the ground.
Several moments of deadly silence passed. Michel sat up and looked at his wife. She was covered in a heavy sweat but still seemed well. He looked up to the sky and no longer saw the balls of light. However, the town had been turned to smoldering ash and unusual lumps of something lay smoldering amidst the ruins. Michel stood and felt a strange sensation and saw smoke pour lazily into the darkened, yet clear skies.
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