x
Buck and Nova didn't get very far.
As soon as he had changed from his Earth Directorate G-suit into the ragged remnants of what passed for human clothing, both he and the girl struck out through the scrub in the direction of the Forbidden Zone. The brush was quiet, almost tropical, with nothing but the occasional twitter of winged creatures indicating any form of activity. The sun still held the heavens, raining down an unremitting liquid sunshine. The glare was almost unbearably bright. Buck had to keep his eyes continually slitted. Nova seemed not to mind. Together, very cautiously, she and Buck worked a route through the trees and bushes.
They moved as fast as the terrain would allow.
Buck cautiously walked ahead, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Nova clung tightly to him, their bodies moving together as if they were one. Normally, this closeness would have been enjoyable, but not in this moment. Buck's mind was consumed by the terrifying thoughts of Ape City, leaving no room for anything else.
His consciousness, his mentality, was completely overwhelmed by an onslaught of surrealism. His mind became a chaotic canvas, flooded with vivid depictions and bizarre scenarios: apes engaging in articulate conversations, apes assuming the roles of medical professionals, and even apes proficiently unfurling and perusing intricate maps.
But he pushed on, the soldier in him still on duty. The habits of a lifetime are hard to break.
When the single rifle shot cracked out, he responded almost like an automaton. The air blazed with more gunfire and then he was vaguely aware of himself and the girl, up and running; breaking like startled rabbits for the nearest cover. He heard Nova cry out in fear. His mind was perforated with frenzy. He ran madly, pulling the girl, trying to see from which point the danger came. And then time and place overwhelmed him. And doom.
Gorillas were charging them from all points of the compass. Armed gorillas, brandishing truncheons, pointing rifles. Leather-jacketed troops of some insane sort of militia. They bounded in closer and Buck whirled to fight. His eyes bulged in terror. He could now smell the zoolike aura of their bodies, could almost see the fierce intelligence in their beady black eyes. Nova screamed again. Buck struck out wildly, burying his fist in a simian snot. But they closed in on him and the girl. A swarm of brute force. Helmeted, uniformed, and oddly silent and efficient. Buck went down under a weight of bodies. Coarse, leathery hands raked him. Gorilla claws plucked at his flesh. He tried to lash out, lock away, but he was borne to the soft earth, his nostrils filled with the singular stink of defeat. His mind clouded over. They were spread-eagling him on the ground, as helpless as any chicken with a wolf pack. A rough leather collar with a long, trailing leash was slung around his neck. Nova was being similarly manhandled. Gorilla-handled? Buck strove to laugh at the bitter irony of the whole situation. But he couldn't. His throat was like ashes. The gorilla smell and the gorilla might boxed in his senses like an awesome reversal of all the norms in any man's universe.
Low growls and snorts emanated from his captors. But no words. Which somehow only made it worse.
The militia of gorillas led Buck and Nova away, dragging them by the long leashes off through the scrub towards---what?
Buck didn't want to even speculate!
All he could remember and think of until it burned like a hot poker in his skull was Cornelius's warning: Never speak. If they catch you speaking, they will dissect you. And then they will kill you. In that order.
There was no danger of Nova speaking.
Buck only fully realized the extent of his predicament when he and Nova were literally hurled through the gates of a human pen and the barred doors swung shut. It took only one look to understand to what incredible degree the humans here had fallen and the Apes had risen.
For here, locked up in wooden cages, were dozens of humans. Emaciated to the point of starvation, filthy, festered with sores, some of them howling like wild dogs, some of them dying, some of them probably already dead. All in all, a thoroughly hopeless and helpless amalgam of savagery, stupidity and total ignorance of man's basic superiority to his ape jailers.
Nova shrank against Buck in one corner of the horrible cage, trembling. Buck tried to hang on to his nerve. It wasn't easy.
The horrible stench of the place, the terrible sight of the gorilla guards on duty beyond the barred walls, was enough to drive a sane man right out of his mind. What was left of it.
But Buck kept his lips closed, trying not to cry out, in the name of God and science, for help.
He remembered what Cornelius had told him.
He would have to wait.
And as he waited, the horrors mounted.
No more than an hour later, two horse-drawn cage wagons, each driven by a gorilla teamster, clattered up outside their filthy pen. Buck felt a ray of hope. For standing outside their cage was Cornelius! Cornelius in his long coat and trousers, busy with pad and pencil. With him was an armed gorilla guard. And unless he was hearing things, Cornelius was in the process of selecting humans for research! The regular guards were manhandling at least six of the wretched human tide into one of the carts, acting obviously on Cornelius's instructions. There was a great howling and resistance put up by the humans, but effective slashes of rubber truncheons and leather whips were making the fight pitifully short. Cornelius displayed on emotion at this. Buck grit his teeth, hanging onto Nova. There was so much he couldn't understand.
A sergeant rode up, his three strips glaring in the sunlight. The gorilla face was a mockery beneath billed cap. The sergeant barked at the guard with Cornelius: "Twenty required on Number Two Range for C Company target practice. Hop to it!"
Now more humans were thrust into the two cage-carts. Buck and Nova were manhandled out of the pen, pushed toward the first waiting cart. But suddenly Cornelius seemed to spot them and came forward, holding up a delaying paw. The guards holding Buck and the girl waited for his instructions.
"Stop a minute," Cornelius said coolly.
He approached Buck, his face without expression, and appraised the face before him. He jabbed his fingers into Buck's jawbone, explored his cranium. Buck strove to maintain a calm he didn't feel. Then Cornelius lifted Nova's eyelid, all the while murmuring some impressive medical gibberish. As if musing half aloud to himself.
"Brachycephalic---and prognathous----incipient glaucoma----hmmm." He raised his voice, for the guards' benefit. "We could do with these two." He signaled for Buck and Nova to be put aside for further examination and study.
The mounted sergeant spurred closer, his tone surly and insolent. And impatient. His right hand bore a menacing truncheon.
"Require for human target practice on Number Two Range," he repeated. "Captain Quintus's orders."
Cornelius stared up at him icily.
"Required for cranial research by order of Dr. Zaius, Minister of Science." With that, he turned to the guards and indicated the second wagon. "Load them up."
The sergeant snarled, but whipped his horse around angrily and trotted off. Buck and Nova now found themselves hustled into the second cage-cart. The door clanged shut behind them. Up front, the gorilla drive cracked his whip. The wagon rolled forward. Buck stared through the bars of the cage at Cornelius. But Cornelius had returned to his study and examination of the rest of the filthy pack remaining in the big human pen. Business as usual! Once more, Buck could only muffle his astonishment and anger. He was perplexed.
Nor did the wagon journey through the streets of Ape City lessen his aggravation. Through the bars, with the silent Nova ever just behind him, he witnessed even more of the spectacle of a world gone topsy-turvy. A universe insane. As they made for the outskirts of the complex, he could see many signs of some kind of military preparations: apes in close-order drill, apes taking courses in the use of the bayonet, apes stabbing dummies made up to resemble humans, apes going through the paces of rifle instruction. Ape City---if all the evidence was to be trusted---seemed to be making ready for some invasion or sortie. Was the city under siege? Had the humans here somehow gotten back to their former level and threatened the apes with total extinction? It was too much to hope for.
Buck sank wearily to the floor of the cart. His shoulder hurt again, his eyes were like two blazing balls of fried meat, his mind was coming apart. Nova huddled against him, her eyes wide open and oddly tranquil, despite their plight. Perhaps it was an old story to her, the only thing she had ever known---being pushed around by gorillas. For Buck, it would never be easy to take.
Still, what was there he could do about it?
Now, at least.
Yet there was something hopeful, something to think about, as his eyes watched the gorillas mounting artillery field pieces and grooming horses for combat. The view did not change one iota on all the long, harrowing trip towards the outskirts of Ape City.
Something was up.
Something was up at the Research Complex, Dr. Zaius's own special kingdom, too. Zaius himself had invited General Ursus down to see what was going on. The gorilla, massive and impressive as always in his uniforms and medals, was walking around the compound inspecting the experimental cages and devices which formed the nucleus of Zaius's work. Zira was also on the scene. With a chimpanzee assistant at her elbow, she was accepting the newest delivery of cage-wagon humans sent from the city proper by her husband Cornelius. Zaius and Ursus, strolling the compound now for a chat, had just come into view when the gorilla driver delivered his wagonload of specimens which included Buck and Nova. The human cargo was as wretched as ever.
Zira, withholding her shock, approached Brent and Nova very casually. She had not expected to see them again so soon.
Buck held his ground. There was nothing else he could do.
Zira stared up at him.
"Male. Type E cranium. Very unusual." The chimpanzee at her elbow rapidly made some notes on her pad.
Zira reached up, tweaked Buck's ear, and gave him a deliberately deadpan wink that only he could see.
"Weak occipital development. Substandard lobes...." She turned her attention to Nova who was staring at her dumbly. "Female. Type...." She broke off, for now she could see Dr. Zaius and General Ursus walking towards her. The sight disturbed her. Zaius was saying, ".....so be it. You know that my scruples were dictated by caution----not by cowardice. When the day comes, I shall ride with you." Ursus was grunting a reply, but his piggish eyes were roving over Buck and Nova with undue interest. Zira quickened her routine survey, anxious to be gone. The guards were impatient, too.
"It's been a long time since we've been able to study specimens of such extraordinary clinical interest," Zira said too loudly. "Take them inside...."
"You can't have them," General Ursus suddenly spoke up behind her. Zira whirled.
General Ursus's ugly face was wreathed in what passed for a smile. A horsewhip was coiled in his huge right paw.
"They've been marked," he explained quietly, "for target practice." As he said this, he flicked the whip and it cut cruelly across Nova's lithe body. Buck flinched but held his silence. General Ursus had already turned away, leading Dr. Zaius off with him. Zira raged inwardly. The gorilla driver, now that his leader had spoken, needed no second urging; he was already pushing Buck and the girl towards his cage-wagon. The vehicle was empty now, its desperate occupants removed for further research. The door at the rear hung open. Zira helped the driver to force Buck and Nova into the van. Buck moved like a dead man. This last had been too much for him. All the fight had gone out of him. He was dead-tired and dead hopeless. As the driver went about his paces, Zira locked the cage door. Buck sat down on the floor of the wagon, his head in his hands. Nova began to weep. Softly and terribly. Buck was suddenly galvanized. He jumped to his feet, shaking the bars of the cage, his face furious. The cords in his neck stood out with the effort. Nova, with uncomprehending obedience, stopped crying and followed suit. Together they made a pitiful sight. Humans rattling the bars of their cage.
Buck wildly pointed to the lock of the cage door.
Zira nodded as the driver returned to the front seat of his wagon. Her cute chimpanzee face was almost kindly.
"These poor animals," she said so that the driver could hear her. "They think blind force is the answer to everything."
The driver grunted, and reached for his whip.
"Wait---I'll double-lock the door," Zira said.
Under cover of the clatter of the wagon rolling once more into motion, Zira took out her key and unlocked the door of the cage, but without opening it. Buck stared at her.
"Good luck," she whispered.
He kept on staring at her, dumbly, long after the driver's whip had spurred the horses into a steady trot, long after her simian figure in its outlandish skirt and jacket was a solitary speck in the dust of the roadway. The motionless figure of Zira was a sight that Buck would always remember. For whatever was left of his life.
He couldn't account for the lump of something in his throat, nor for the fact that his eyes had filled with tears.
Zira's milk of kindness had engulfed him.
The wagon rumbled along at a good clip, heading back to the city, and Buck waited for the right time to make his move. He had to pick a convenient moment. The terrain was alive with ape preparations for war. They passed a cavalry of gorillas maneuvering in an intricate pattern that brooked no good for any foe ever caught by it. So Buck waited, biding his time, comforting Nova, who in her eternal speechlessness was never more than a senseless receptacle for all the ill that came her way. Buck's heart had gone out to her almost from the beginning. Her appeal was enormous. Apart from her physical attributes, she was like some lost and forlorn child you wanted to hold in your arms to make her stop crying, stop being scared. God knew he was terrified himself. Scared virtually spitless, to put it badly, truthfully.
But a man had to fight to survive.
Something the apes should always have realized.
Their own loss if they hadn't.
So Buck waited until the proper moment should come.
It did.
The driver had led the wagon through a stretch of deserted terrain, asprinkle with trees and shrubs, and it was here that Buck found his spot for an escape plan.
With Nova silently waiting, he opened the cage door, swung out over the roadway and clambered atop the wagon's roof. The gorilla head of the driver, hunched over his reins, was visible just above the forward lip of the cage. Buck edged forward on his hands and knees, mindful of the jarring passage of the wagon along the bumpy roadway. His hands tightened about the long leather leash trailing from his dog collar. His eyes were not quite sane as he reached the driver. Then he jumped. Like a savage who knows that it is the victim's death or his own. The gorilla head jerked violently. Great paws came up, fighting the hands from behind that were garroting with the leather leash. Buck was remorseless. He put all his mad weight into his arms and twisted savagely until the gorilla slumped lifelessly against his body. Buck stepped down and kicked the driver's inert form out of the seat. When the body hit the roadway, disappearing in the wagon dust, Buck could have screamed in exaltation. Even killing felt fine and good in this godawful place!
Like getting some of your own back.
With the fever singing in his veins, he drew the horses to a halt. There was no time to lose. They couldn't run around this infernal country in an open wagon. Not one of their wagons, at any rate.
Buck cut the two horses loose with a knife he found on a rack in the driver's seat. Then he went back to see about Nova, but she had already jumped out of the cage to join him. Her eyes were excited but still frightened. He patted her hand, motioned to the horses, keeping a wary eye on their surroundings for any signs of the gorilla cavalry. They weren't out of the woods yet. It was far too early to send up any skyrockets or do victory jigs.
This land still belonged to the Almighty Ape.
Quickly the mounted the horses and galloped away. It might have been Buck's imagination but he would have sworn he could hear a great hullaballoo starting up behind them. As if their escape on horseback had been spotted, as if it was already known that two humans had outwitted their gorilla captor. Buck didn't dare turn around and look. He had enough of horror and fear in one day to last him a lifetime. Two lifetimes, one before he'd been frozen in space, one after he'd been awakened from his 504 years' sleep. Now he only wanted to go home---the sooner the better.
He kept galloping his horse until the terrain became extremely rocky, stacked with gigantic boulders that towered tall as buildings. Nova stayed as close behind him as possible. He was ever conscious of her long-haired figure just out of reach. Whatever she was, the girl was a skillful rider, having no difficulty at all keeping up with him. Buck was grateful for that, too. He needed somebody to hold his own hand, never mind his being the only shoulder to lean on.
The high rocks loomed before them.
The sun was setting, hiding behind a shelf of ledge that seemed to fill the world. Blood-red rays tinged the landscape.
Buck rode on.
So did Nova.
Turning and twisting their mounts, they sought to find a passage between the mighty rock upheaval spread before them. A forest of stone.
They were blocked no by what must have been a recent landslide of earth and rock. The horses shied, whinnying, fighting for a level flooring for their hooves. Dismayed, Buck ordered the girl to dismount, for they could navigate now only on foot. That was obvious. No horse could have found a path through this obstacle of rock and stone and earth. There was no definable trail.
Buck and Nova found an opening between the boulders and the rocky obstacles. Stumbling and staggering, the horses behind them, they found their thorny path leading them to a shallow stream of running water. Around them on all sides the great rocks sprung like monolithic giants in a stony wilderness.
Not too far behind them, peering from the crust of the high rock shelf, a ring of silhouetted apes watched the man and the woman work their way along the stream beetween the boulders.
The gorilla militia looked down, their helmeted heads and hunched shoulders menacing and unreal in the half-light now darkening Anarchia. Their rifles and bayonets gleamed.
Buck and Nova had reached the border where Anarchia ended, and the Forbidden Zone began.
To Buck it was like walking into 504 years of time. He had to blink against the unreality of what he now saw. What Nova must be seeing, though the girl couldn't possibly have understood any of it. For Buck it was the single act of entering a long tunnel. He strained his eyes to see, to comprehend, but he couldn't. He had stepped into a tableau from which there was no withdrawing. He had stepped into Yesterday---and what was worse, he had also stepped into Today. The Today he was still struggling to make sense of.
He and Nova were in an underground subway station.
Slivers of gray daylight filtered feebly through dark upper gratings, dimly illuminating the long, corroded tracks stretching ahead between dam, glistening platforms. The stone and wood of the platforms were cracked and fissured with age.
Buck was too stunned to speak. Nova trailed along behind the barrier of his body. Buck could only stare all about him, trying to adjust to the shock of some indubitable truth struggling to make itself known to his intelligence.
He began to walk, like a somnambulist, conscious only of a drip, drip, drip, drip sound somewhere. Like water falling eternally on stone. The walls above the platforms, ancient, rotting, now revealed a pitiful sign of some kind. Buck ran his fingers along the wet, scummy wall, walking hypnotically, following the steady rhythm of drip, drip, drip. Nova followed him. Buck paused. The texture of the wall had subtly changed. Buck stared up at the wall, at the sign. It mocked his sanity and his reason:
QUEENSBOROUGH PLAZA
The drip, drip, drip sounded very near now. Buck craned his neck higher.
A glittering stalactite, dangling from the vaulted room of the subway cavern, looked as sharp as any sword. Buck shuddered, his eyes falling away. Until he saw another rust-eaten sign: NEW YORK IS A SUMMER FESTIVAL. And further on, another: KEEP YOUR SUBWAY CLEAN. Until, at floor level, he saw row upon row of menacing, cold stalagmites. Buck stared from the signs to the stalagmites, his courage dissolving. This wasn't a subway, it was a cave---a hall of a mountain king where you'd expect to find trolls and witches and warlocks---! His senses reeled.
"God Almighty!" his voice crackled hollowly in the empty, dead tunnel. "Why did we finally do it? Why?!"
His voice rang off the barren lifeless walls.
"Well, as they say----you can't go home again." He shook his head in disbelief as his own question echoed foolishly in his own ears. Then quietly, trying to absorb this incredible unreality, he turned to Nova, who could only stare back at him in confusion, not knowing what he was thinking or feeling.
"It was a damn nightmare when I came out of suspended animation!" Buck shouted at her, letting go. "And it's still a damn nightmare now!"
Nova, seeing his misery, timidly touched his face.
The long subterranean labyrinth echoed and re-echoed with his cries of frustration.
Meanwhile, aboard an Earth Directorate shuttlecraft, four individuals anxiously awaited the arrival on the Icarus II, unaware of Buck's desperate situation in the subterranean labyrinth.
"Inner City, this is Shuttlecraft Three," Zyrax radioed with the same crisp precision that he flew the shuttle single-handedly with. His voice echoed through the small cockpit, filled with a mix of determination and anticipation. The hum of the engines provided a steady background noise as he continued, "I estimate intercept time to Icarus spacecraft in five minutes."
As Zyrax's words hung in the air, his mind raced with a myriad of thoughts. The mission had been meticulously planned for months, every detail scrutinized, and every possible outcome considered. Now, as he neared his destination, a sense of both excitement and trepidation coursed through his veins.
"Affirmative Shuttlecraft Three," Dr. Huer acknowledged, his voice filled with a mix of anticipation and concern. "You are from hereon in responsible for guiding the spacecraft in safely through the vast expanse of space. As we embark on this critical mission, I must emphasize the importance of maintaining utmost caution and precision."
He paused for a moment, contemplating the potential risks that lay ahead. The success of their mission hinged on the expertise and skill of Shuttlecraft Three's crew. Dr. Huer knew that their ability to navigate through uncharted territories would be paramount.
"I do not recommend keeping an active transmission signal open," he continued, his tone firm yet understanding. "The vastness of space is unpredictable, and we cannot afford to draw unnecessary attention or risk interception by unknown entities. Therefore, as soon as you've made contact with the crew, please file your last report and assume radio silence until your return."
"Understood," Zyrax nodded, his expression determined. "We can't afford to leave any stone unturned until we uncover the truth about what happened to Buck and his team."
Captain Zyrax, a seasoned space warrior, had always trusted his instincts. As he stood aboard his intergalactic vessel, he knew that his words had conveyed everything necessary. With a confident nod, he swiftly switched off the transmitter, silencing the static-filled airwaves.
Taking a moment to collect himself, Captain Zyrax's gaze shifted towards the scanner panel before him. The screen illuminated with an array of vibrant colors and intricate patterns, displaying the vast expanse of space surrounding him. Amidst this cosmic tapestry, a solitary blip burned bright red against the dark backdrop - a telltale sign of the Earth spacecraft's presence.
"Quill, Draxon," Captain Reynolds called out, his voice projecting over the hum of the engine. He turned his head to the two agents seated ten feet behind him in the passenger section.
"Yes, Captain," Draxon said as he slowly rose from his seat, his eyes filled with determination. The weight of responsibility settled upon his shoulders as he contemplated the task at hand. "But perhaps it would be prudent to not only double-check the systems in the Armored Terrestrial Roving Vehicle, but also conduct a thorough inspection of its structural integrity and ensure that all weaponry is in optimal condition."
Captain Zyrax nodded approvingly, acknowledging Draxon's astute suggestion. "You're absolutely right, Draxon," he replied, his voice resonating with authority. "We cannot afford any margin for error on this mission. The Armored Terrestrial Roving Vehicle is our lifeline out there in the treacherous unknown, and we must ensure it is prepared for any unforeseen challenges that may lie ahead."
Draxon trailed behind Quill as they hurriedly made their way into the small compartment, sealing the door tightly behind them. The dimly lit space was filled with a mixture of tension and excitement, but as soon as the door clicked shut, Quill couldn't help but let out a low chuckle.
The sound echoed through the confined room, breaking the silence that had settled between them. It was a momentary release of nervous energy, a brief respite from the weight of their mission. Quill's laughter seemed to reverberate off the metal walls, filling the air with a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
Draxon glanced at Quill, his eyes reflecting both curiosity and amusement. "What's so funny?" he asked, unable to suppress a smile himself.
"Don't bother making a detailed check," she said, her voice laced with urgency and a hint of intrigue. "Captain Zyrax wants a private talk with Elara. That's why he sent us back here." Her eyes darted around the dimly lit room, as if searching for any prying ears that might be lurking in the shadows.
"I sort of figured that," said the young, olive-skinned agent, his eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. He leaned in closer to his partner, their hushed conversation barely audible amidst the bustling crowd. "What would they not want us to overhear?" he pondered aloud, his voice laced with a hint of urgency. As he scanned the room, his gaze darted from one individual to another, searching for any signs of deception or hidden motives.
Quill folded her arms, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and smiled knowingly. "Ah, yes. I can already picture it. The moment we set foot in Anarchia, there will be a stern warning waiting for us, reminding us not to play hero," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Rebellion seemed to have been an integral part of that woman's life, Quill thought to herself. It was evident in the way she carried herself, the fire that burned within her eyes. And if she wanted to play hero, well, that was fine with Quill too. She had no qualms about it whatsoever.
However, there was one condition that Quill silently hoped for - that she wouldn't be the one responsible for patching up any injuries this woman might sustain during her heroic endeavors.
But Zyrax had asked her to come on the mission for a reason, and that's what he said to Elara after Quill and Draxon had left the cabin.
Penny tucked a strand of her copper-red hair behind her ear. "You want me to redeem myself, don't you?" She looked at him with suspicion. "I'm grateful to be chosen for this mission. Finding Buck Rogers is a great honor, or so I've heard."
"Unfortunately, there's one small problem," Zyrax said.
Elara hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Finally, she took a breath and said cautiously, "Zy, I hate Earth. If you think working together will change my mind about staying here and marrying you, it won't. I have an opportunity for a deepspace assignment where I feel like I truly belong. The Inner City is just artificial."
Zyrax's gaze remained fixed ahead of him as he mused, "The future is unpredictable."
She conceded, "That's true. But there's an insurmountable divide between us, Zy. I can't alter who I am."
The sandy-haired captain interjected, "If this mission puts you in jeopardy, it might make you reconsider for once."
Elara seethed with anger towards Will for pressuring her into marriage. "Let's focus on the mission, Zy," she snapped. "We're heading into Anarchia, not the time to think about personal matters."
He nodded in agreement and checked the navigational grid. "Three minutes until we reach the Icarus II. Let's run a lifescan on them."
Elara pressed buttons, checking the readout.
"Zy," she frowned, "The crew is awake. They're moving around."
"Are you certain?" Zyrax raised an eyebrow.
"Positive."
"Hmmmm. That changes things. We need to reach out to them now." Captain Zyrax pressed the unicom button, opening transmission to all frequencies. "Attention spacecraft, this is Captain Zyrax of Earth Defense Directorate. If you can hear us, please respond. We come in peace."
There was silence.
"Do you think they're listening?" Elara asked.
"I can't tell," he replied, as they approached the spacecraft, its blinking lights becoming visible. "I might need to give them a visual signal first."
Startled by the blaring yellow alert siren, the three astronauts recognized the arrival of another Earth Directorate ship. "Another one of those ships I spotted earlier," Rollins remarked, silencing the siren. "Fowler, can you locate its position?"
"Coming from astern and fast," the navigator alerted. "About 200 feet long. No other readings until we see it." Brent and Rollins strained their eyes against the cockpit windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of the approaching spacecraft. Finally, after an agonizing minute, they spotted it just two miles away.
"That's a different ship," the commander said, "Clearly from a different classification."
"They're watching us," Brent said nervously. "See how they slowed down to match our speed."
Rollins looked at the rectangular craft and took a breath. "Fowler, activate all radio lines. Let's see if they're trying to communicate with us or Earth. But don't respond."
"All lines activated," Fowler nodded.
The astronauts heard a faint crackle of static, then perked up at the sound of Captain Zyrax's voice. "Attention spacecraft, this is Captain Zyrax from Earth Defense Directorate. Please acknowledge if you can hear me. We are friendly and pose no harm."
The three astronauts exchanged skeptical glances. "Should we trust him?"
Fowler's eyes widened, "What if they're Russians?"
Brent shrugged, dismissing the concern. "Does it really matter if they're Soviet, American, or Scotch-Irish? As far as we're concerned, they're just part of whatever Earth has become now. We have no choice but to trust them." He turned to Rollins, "This complicates things a bit..."
Rollins nodded, rubbing his chin. "We'll have to be honest with them," he said, walking over to his console. He flicked a few switches and picked up the microphone.
"Attention spacecraft, this is Colonel Philip Rollins, commander of the U.S.S. Icarus II. We acknowledge your message. Please state your intentions and mission."
There was a moment of silence, anticipation hanging in the air. Soon enough, a response came from the ship.
"Colonel, thank you for responding. Our mission is peaceful; we only wish to ensure your safe landing on Earth," the voice said.
Fowler turned to the skipper with a worried expression. "Skipper, things just got even more awkward," he muttered.
"Yeah," the commander nodded. "Talking to aliens is already challenging, but how do we even begin to communicate with our future generations?"
He spoke into the microphone once more, "Captain Zyrax, we acknowledge and appreciate your message. However, we regretfully cannot act as official emissaries at this time. Our current mission is complex and has transported us from Earth's ancient history. We have limited time to complete our task and return to that era."
Elara's unease grew as she absorbed the details of the Icarus II crew and their mission. Memories of her rigorous four-year training as a spacecraft mechanic flooded her mind, reminding her of the vast knowledge she had acquired in various scientific disciplines. She desperately tried to recall a specific piece of information she had read in a physics textbook, knowing it could be crucial to their mission's success.
In the interim, back on the Earth's surface, Wilma Deering was on the verge of exhaustion after tirelessly roaming through meadows and woodlands for countless hours. The soldier in her, however, remained adamant about her decision to keep going.
She had lost all sense of direction during the dark hours and wandered aimlessly between fields and forests, ensuring there were no Ape patrols nearby.
Wilma suddenly halted.
What caused her to do so? Was it because she spotted apes?
Wilma raised her hand to protect her eyes from the bright light and peered ahead across the vast field.
And there, she witnessed something astonishing—their starfighters!
Wilma expressed her gratitude sarcastically, rolling her eyes upwards.
She proceeded to walk towards the spaceships, only to be hit with a wave of disappointment upon discovering that they had been maliciously damaged.
Frustrated, she questioned what had occurred, expressing her distress.
Wilma sighed as she examined the cockpit of her starfighter, speculating that some of their fellow humans had become curious and tampered with the circuits.
After realizing that she was unable to reach out to the Inner City, what other options did she have for her next move?
Aerrum, the man from Planet Oa, possessed extraordinary abilities that allowed him to move through Ape City undetected. His advanced technology granted him the power of invisibility, rendering him invisible to the keen eyes of the chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas that inhabited the city. As he traversed the bustling streets and towering buildings of Ape City, Aerrum observed the distinct characteristics of each ape species.
The chimpanzees, with their keen intellect and mischievous nature, fascinated Aerrum. He marveled at their intelligence as they engaged in various activities such as buying food or engaging in intellectual conversations. Their expressive faces and agile bodies captivated his attention, making it easier for him to blend into their surroundings without raising suspicion. If only they weren't so instinctually docile, they could be great leaders.
The orangutans, on the other hand, exuded a sense of wisdom and tranquility. Aerrum couldn't help but feel a deep connection with these majestic creatures, as if they held the secrets of the universe within their gentle gaze.
As he observed the Gorillas from a safe distance, it became increasingly evident to him just how bothersome their warlike tendencies were. Their constant aggression and thirst for power seemed to be deeply ingrained in them.
What troubled him even more was their surprising proficiency with firearms and horseback riding. The Gorillas had managed to adapt to these human technologies and skills, further enhancing their ability to wage war. It was a disconcerting sight to witness these massive creatures expertly handling weapons and maneuvering on horseback with ease.
Realizing the potential threat that the Gorillas posed not only to themselves but also to other peaceful beings in the galaxy, he knew he had a responsibility to inform the Earth Directorate about his findings.
However, he understood that simply sending a report might not be enough to convey the urgency of the situation. With his mini-comm in hand, Aerrum activated its advanced communication features. The mini-comm was equipped with cutting-edge technology that allowed him to transmit not only audio but also visual data directly to specific recipients. This would enable Dr. Huer, who held significant influence within the Earth Directorate, to experience firsthand what Aerrum had witnessed.
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