As they listen to her words, the crowd is spellbound by the stunning images of the newly-built Earth cities, followed by alien cities—intricate structures rising high through the clouds or crisscrossing the bottom of immense oceans. The Rom-Ghenshars, it is plain to see, can build and live anywhere, on any planet, and in any environment.
The all-surround sound of the stirring, fast-paced, haunting music puts everyone into a feverish state of triumph and joy.
“Sheban lai!” Kuzhma-Or repeats, throwing both fists into the air and electrifying the crowd even further. Wherever he focuses his eyes, all faces align in that direction, followed by their awestruck applause and cheers. The supreme commander revels in his total supremacy over the humans as he casts his dominant glare across the ecstatic crowd.
The ARA’s North and South Generals haven’t moved from their positions throughout the whole spectacle. General Bowden has given up attracting General Sheik’s attention, as the latter is utterly mesmerised with the show while occasionally reading the prepared welcome message and the questions he is hoping to ask.
The rousing beat of a bellowing drumming tune reverberates through the speakers and comes to a sudden stop as the images of Kuzhma-Or and Shaillah fill the screens once again. An exasperated murmur from the crowd reminds the ARA generals that this is their opportunity to speak.
South Region General Ali Sheik moves closer to his microphone to read his message. “Supreme Commander Kuzhma-Or, Lady Shaillah, we want to express our profound gratitude for all you have done after one of the most devastating disasters in our planet’s history. Without you, humanity could have been extinct by now. We profoundly thank you, from every human still standing today, may you receive our warmest welcome and wholehearted gratefulness.”
Kuzhma-Or and Shaillah nod at the same time, acknowledging the general’s deep-felt proclamation.
“Earth is a precious planet. Let’s celebrate its revival,” Shaillah responds to the cheers and cries of “thank you” from the crowd.
“We would like to ask some questions, Great Kuzhma-Or,” General Ali Sheik eagerly speaks into the microphone. “And our first question is: what is the meaning of life?”
A subtle smile ripples through Kuzhma-Or’s thin lips as his eyes sparkle in a bright green flash, his face beaming with an overpowering glare. “Life’s purpose is to exist against all odds, to thrive, to adapt, and to conquer all environments,” Kuzhma-Or booms. “That is the goal, that is its meaning—to reach a superior state of intelligence in order to prevail over non-sentient non-living matter. It is to develop a superior form of mind energy, able to transform our constantly evolving universe, and eventually being able to recreate it … at our will.”
At the central processor, Rothwen stands next to Kuzhma-Or as the supreme commander speaks to the humans while checking on the systematic destruction of Earth’s high-orbit satellites. But Rothwen is solely focused on setting the range and power of the destroyer-crafts’ plasma rays.
As soon as Kuzhma-Or finishes speaking, Rothwen transmits the command to blast the rays onto the Earth’s magnetic field, forming an intense tidal current of charged particles.
Suddenly, the city’s sky is ablaze with bright, colourful flashes of fast-moving, wispy light pillars. They flow across the sky in irregular, fanciful shapes as if painted by thick fluorescent crayons.
The onset of the beautiful bright aurora covering the entire sky and outshining the morning sun surprises and astounds the spectators. At once, everyone takes his or her eyes off the stage, beholding the random fast-changing light dance, wholly overwhelmed by the hypnotic experience.
“Let the celebration begin,” Shaillah gleefully announces as hers and Kuzhma-Or’s images slowly start to dissipate until they disappear entirely.
“Don’t go away yet,” General Ali Sheik protests. He grudgingly looks at his long list of questions he never got the chance to ask.Perhaps next time, he thinks to himself.
As General Sheik looks back at the cheering carefree crowd, sharing their drinks and food, chanting in rapturous hordes, and enjoying a splendid sky spectacle, he feels comforted in the thought that the worst must surely be over.
“A new bright future awaits!” Sheik enthusiastically says.
But General Bowden twists his lips into a grimace while gloomily shaking his head. “Well, according to the latest report, which I happened to receive while you were all celebrating, after repeated attempts, we can’t contact any of our interplanetary missions, and none of our satellite communication systems responds to any of our commands. It seems the aliens’ takeover of our whole solar system is complete.”
CHAPTER 34
PREMONITION
Once it gets hold of you, it never lets go.
The fine wet sand sticks to Shaillah’s face as she wakes up and turns over on her private lake’s shore. She lays on her back beside a seemingly dormant Rothwen. As she attempts to wipe her mouth, Rothwen holds her hand and avidly licks on her lips. Her giggles mix with the splattering thud of their bodies hitting the slushy silt as they rustle and roll. They move further into the water, their half-submerged bodies, covered in frothy bubbles, sparkle under the evening’s suns. As they gradually sink, the undulating surface fizzles and splatters all around them.
Under the water, they feel free. Inside their oxygenated orb, they can forget about everything and everyone. They surrender to their addictive passion, hardly noticing the playful lyshars and colourful luminescent creatures swimming nearby. As they make love, the entire submarine world disappears from their senses.
Time passes by, but for Shaillah, it feels like a fleeting moment. She runs her long tender kisses up and down Rothwen’s naked chest as he lies motionless on her lap, his eyes closed. He wishes she would never stop. It’s such an uplifting sensation, the kind he had never experienced. It makes him feel different, elated, desired.This drug might not be a bad thing, afterall, he thinks.
“It’s not a drug, Rothwen,” she says as she continues kissing him up and down his gleaming chest.
“What is it then? It makes me want it, but at the same it makes me try to escape from it.”
“It’s called love, Rothwen, falling in love …” she gently replies while he caresses her hair.
“Space travellers don’t fall in love, Shaillah.” Rothwen sits up and holds her cheeks with both hands. Looking deeply into her eyes, his lips part as if he is about to say something. But instead, he pulls her towards him and into a long, breathless kiss, as if this would be his very last one.
“Love … How long does it last? Does it go away as quickly as it turns up?” he asks.