HOME | DD

Description
It was late in the evening when he arrived. The rain was pouring down, and visibility was the worst it had been for a long time. But the air was fresh and earthy, just how he liked it. He had come all the way from the mothership. His mission…

… To eradicate the humans…

He was human himself, of course. But his line had gone so far down the path of eugenics, that he and his kind were far more than just 'human'. Bigger than humans, stronger than humans and, some may disagree, more intelligent than humans, his kind were capable of much. But his kind were not just physically different… their minds were, too. Their very nature, in fact, was inhuman. Violent, bloodthirsty and fearsome, his kind were a fierce and unforgiving lot. Some even said that, actually, they were too human. One way or the other, they lived for the hunt...

Today was no different. Today he would be hunting. But today he would be hunting his favourite prey.

A long time had passed since the separation of his kind and of humanity. But soon that separation would no longer exist, for he and his kind were not just hunting humans for sport…

… They were hunting them to extinction…

The last of humanity was left scattered and torn apart after the eradication of Earth. Humanity had once stood proud amongst the galaxy, slowly paving its way to interstellar travel. But there were problems at home. Earth was still run by corrupt officials and slowed by bureaucracy; it could never be truly flushed out. The once mighty and powerful, the rich, had become greedy and controlling in their ways.

Earth continued to fall, continued to spiral out of control. The many wished for action to be taken by the few, action that would save the planet from self-destruction. But the few would not listen. They believed Earth was unworthy of saving. It was full of peasants, after all, and they had money that could buy tickets to Mars. They were off the hook. But the poor? They were doomed...

But the many knew of their fate. Soon it became clear that the last shuttles to leave Earth would not contain the common man. The many did not take kindly to this plot. The many decided to take action. They wanted to save the Earth and colonise the stars another day.

But there was one band of individuals who knew what must be done. They neither agreed with the few or the many. They had their own views. They believed that mother Earth must be saved, but that galactic colonisation was just as important. They knew that invaders from the stars could wipe humanity out of existence in the blink of an eye and that humanity must grow; it must expand. But, more importantly, they also knew that humanity had passed its prime. The rich cared only about themselves. The poor cared only about themselves. Humanity became selfish. It lacked conviction...

This problem, however, would soon be solved...

- End of Page One –

This band of ideologists were not just people. They were clever people. Doctors, scientists, you name it. And they believed that there was only one true 'cure' to humanity's problems. So they soon began work on it...

These ideologists were not just limited to brainpower, however; for some also had financial success, and it was these well-off few who helped fund the research necessary to realise their plan. Thanks to the rioting that soon took place globally, causing much chaos and disorder, the entire world was distracted whilst the ideologists worked silently in the shadows.

And soon, their work was finished...

After much rioting, the many soon started to fall ill. They assumed that they had simply worn themselves out, or that they had caught something from living in deteriorating conditions. They didn't know the half of it. The illness soon spread to other towns, other cities and eventually other countries. It was no longer a casual concern. It was now a pandemic. Even the rich, who thought they were safe in their fortresses and palaces, with their high, protective walls, started to fall ill.

Soon, the majority of the world’s population was infected. Only a handful of the few and the many actually remained well. Some were naturally immune to the illness, some were just careful. Most of the surviving rich had already left Earth by now in fear of catching the 'New Plague'. It was a good time to leave, too. The illness soon started to get far worse...

The first phase of the infection was now over. But the second phase of the infection had begun. After spreading the illness from coughing and sneezing, the victims of the infection started to experience intense swelling of the throat, organ failure, skin lesions and haemophilia. They either choked to death, rotted from the inside or bled to death from the endless rivers of blood pouring from gaps in their skin. It was truly a hellish scene, especially when the bodies began piling up on the streets for burning. The cities became mass graveyards.

Eventually, however, as time went on, the panic died down. The infected no longer existed and the people of the earth started to gather and rebuild. Billions had died, and the world was left in an empty, desolate state. Civilisation may have tried to survive, but it was unstable, it was fragile; it was vulnerable. The few left alive made small makeshift camps and communities; they knew they were stronger together. They needed to be strong. With collapsed governments, law and order was non-existent. There were raiders, looters and powerful criminal organisations. When they wanted something, it was theirs.

Apart from human problems, there were also other risks. Wild, rabid dogs, once domesticated and now ownerless, formed vicious packs that roamed freely looking for food…

… And humans were on the menu…

- End of Page Two -

Because of this, communities often had small, home-made palisade walls surrounding their camps. Those that didn't… often woke up to a face full of teeth as they were mauled in their sleep. Survival was not easy for anyone. And to make matters worse, the ideologists, completely unharmed by previous events, were ready for the next part of their plan…

One of their members, the leader in fact, was a clever and calculative one. He was also gifted at writing powerful speeches that could persuade almost anyone to fall under his spell, especially when he read them with his own hypnotic charm and charisma. This, some believed, is why the ideologists were so devoted to their cause. Not only did their leader have a scientific mind, but he was also a good motivator and powerful persuader; a true mastermind.

Nonetheless, he made sure the survivors of Earth heard him, one community at a time, using radio and other communications, to encourage them to band together and form a new government. Most people liked the idea of returning to civilisation again, but some said it was the governments that ruined their world and their lives to begin with, so they refused and went their own ways. But most people joined him in his newly established town, pleased that they could live together in safety without the risk of any bandits or raiders terrorising them. So now, if they did actually come across any, their numbers were far more than capable of fighting them off and defending what was rightfully theirs.

Soon, more and more people joined the leader and his town, bringing with them weapons and supplies. He decided that now was the time to destroy the only true threat to his and their existence; the criminal organisations…

Overnight, the townsfolk launched their own raid; a massacre. They killed every last one of them. Revenge, hatred and fear motivated the townsfolk and drove them to their actions. Some had children, making a desire for safety very important. They were willing to fight for it. And although there were female fighters amongst them, it was mainly the men who went to fight for the town; just as planned. As expected in war, some did die. But as it was men making the bulk of the fighting force, it was mainly widows that they left behind. These widows were precious, fertile women, now without men to guard them from unwelcome advances...

The leader now reassured the people that without the criminal organisations, they were safe and would no longer need to carry their weapons inside the town walls. The people were disarmed. Either that or they were forced to leave; for this was a 'civilised' town now. The weapons were not destroyed, however. They were far too useful for that. They were simply locked up and hidden from the public, but available in emergency… or to those with correct authorisation…

And so, now came step three...

The criminals were dead, the people unarmed and all threats destroyed. Now he had the town in the palm of his hand. It was time to make use of it…

He and his ideologists wanted heirs. After all, they were geniuses, they were gods, and it was their right to populate the new Earth with their own blood. He gave orders for his members to begin seizing their rightful possessions. Individuals from the populace were selected by the ideologists and taken as prizes. Any resistance was crushed. The ideologists had guns, the ideologists had brains and now the ideologists had control. The chosen women were raped and kept as slaves. But there were female ideologists too, and they chose men from the population. Most of the men that were chosen, however, did not struggle. They were quite willing, in fact...

- End of Page Three –

Most ideologists had more than one trophy. Multiple women pregnant at a time would populate the world far quicker than just one. And so, in time, the population grew at a rapid pace. The desired traits were passed on to their children and they were the better for it. These new generations had two very important features. They were both intelligent and attractive; the world was their oyster. Their parents’ defects, if they had any, had been successfully bred out. The children inherited the intelligence from their ideologist parents and the good looks from their slave parents. This trait had been what saved the slaves from execution in the first place.

But the younglings born also had something else vital in this new world; …freedom… The ideologists did not want their own blood shackled and chained to serve them. So they were taught their free parent’s ideology instead, and kept away from their slave parents so as not to sympathise with them. Sympathy could lead to retaliation, or even release… something the ideologists really didn’t want…

The ideologists had believed that they were the only truly worthy people of existence, that they were the only life worthy of life on Earth. And they would make damn sure that the rest of humanity knew it; there was no room for mercy or sympathy here...

The new generations may have been clever like their parents, but due to their philosophy, they were also warriors. What started as a small town swallowing local communities, soon became a large city that conquered nations. They had plenty of numbers and the promise of taking their own trophies as a reward.

…To the victor go the spoils…

When they fought, they kept no prisoners other than slaves that could be used to reproduce and make even more younglings. Everyone else was exterminated. And soon, the entire world was rid of, what they called, humans. But there were still more in the skies. They had not forgotten. Those on Earth now yearned for space flight, even if only to sadistically hunt their foes. Through time and effort, they studied and learned what they could about spaceflight. Books left in libraries, colleges, universities and schools provided all they needed. They could learn anything when motivated enough. It took a while, and a few mislaunches. But eventually, they returned to the level that humanity had attained before they left Earth.

They were now ready to hunt...

Humans had left little resources on Earth, but now and again, new untapped deposits were found. It gave the new humans just enough to continue their mission. In time, hordes of ships, expensive and well equipped, were sent. First, the space stations were subdued. The space stations had let them in, thinking they were bringing fuel and supplies. But even if they didn’t let them in, the new humans would have blasted their way in; for some of these ships also had external weapons on them, able to launch missiles and even bombard planets from space. But the new earthlings wanted to take these stations, not destroy them. Capture of the stations and death of the humans inside… was their main goal…

One by one, all the stations in orbit were taken, sanitised of life, and then occupied by the new inhabitants. The ones that did not co-operate were blasted open and taken by force. They were then repaired accordingly.

The moon came next. Space stations in the moon’s orbit and moon bases were broken into and captured in the blink of an eye. The mighty hordes of the new earthlings were becoming unstoppable. Then, finally, came Mars…

- End of Page Four -

Mars, however, was different. Mars was heavily guarded with very advanced and sophisticated technology. It would not be a sweeping massacre like their last missions. But they enjoyed the idea. Finally, they would have a challenge. This time they needed strategy. Like the space stations and moon bases, they wanted to capture Mars and not destroy it. The less intact it was after the fight, the more work would be required to repair it afterwards… and space operations were not cheap…

The on-board weapons their ships had were only really there as back up, or to destroy turrets and defences in preparation for an assault. They were to deploy on foot eventually, like all the other missions. But this siege would be far different. The journey itself was a very long one, and with their current technology, it took about a year, at least, to get there. If that wasn’t enough, the actual cost to make the original ships, let alone more of them, and stock them with a year’s supply of food and water, was enormous. However, because the new government on Earth officially owned it all, it became very easy to distribute resources in the right places. If the resources were there, they could use them. The illusion of money, bureaucracy and country resource ownership, was longer a problem. Therefore, it no longer delayed them.

Eventually, after a long and tiresome year, the ships had arrived in Mars' orbit. They scanned the surface, made digital maps and strategised, as planned. They were soon ready to launch the assault. Humanity had left Earth for Mars assuming that all those left behind would perish without them, and that the ‘New Plague’ would finish them off. They were unprepared for the planetary siege that awaited them.

The new humans, like their ideologist forefathers, always planned ahead. They would try to maximise enemy casualties whilst minimising their own. Their bio-weapons would have been perfect for this. But on Mars, the people lived in domes. These domes protected them from the harsh radiation of the sun whilst also protecting them from the extreme cold. But these domes also had another unforeseen use. If ever there were an outbreak of any illness, the contagion could be contained by keeping it inside the dome, eradicating it without any chance of contaminating the other domes and risking it spreading. Therefore, this was no longer a suitable strategy. The new humans realised this back on Earth, however, and came prepared for a planetary assault instead.

They scanned every dome on the planet, marking the coordinates for invasion, and after that... the real war began. Mars had detected unusual signals from orbit, but had no idea of what it could be. The humans were not expecting any visitors nor did they recognise the ships. They assumed some poor people had managed to create a ship to escape the plague back on Earth. The people of Mars panicked. They did not want their paradise to be ruined and stained by the poor, let alone infected ones. Mars had just the answer for peasants who dared to pollute their new home.

Storming down, the ships launched the attack, preparing to land and disembark on Mars. But as the first ship, the commander's ship, led the assault and prepared to land, a large missile from the surface was launched. The new humans were unphased, however. They also had tricks up their sleeve. The ships they flew in were armed and well equipped. They fired rail gun shells straight through the missiles and destroyed them before they got anywhere near their ships. They could have just destroyed the turrets from orbit instead, preventing this problem, but the new humans quite liked these turrets, and decided they would keep them instead.

- End of Page Five -

This was not the only problem the humans had, however. Mars had only detected one ship. When the commander scanned Mars, he gave away his own position, but the rest of his horde were there waiting patiently in the black. Then he gave the order. Mars was completely unprepared for an invasion of this scale. It had nowhere near enough missiles, let alone missile launchers, to destroy them all. The new humans continued to descend, the old humans continued to launch missiles and the new humans continued to shoot them down.

Soon, all of the new humans had landed but for the reserves. They remained in orbit and in space for backup and surveillance. The commander ordered his warriors onwards and one by one, the domes were breached. Within no time at all, the whole of Mars succumbed to their invasion. These humans, born and raised on Mars, were quite tall for humans. But their bones were long and thin, weaker than those of the Earthlings. The gravity on Earth was stronger than Mars, making a more solid and sturdy frame. The new humans had more muscle mass AND stronger bones, even though they were in space for a year. The new humans viewed the Martians as weak. They thought that they would make unworthy slaves. But they did not come for slaves. Every last Martian was shot dead or butchered, but only after the new humans had their fun…

And so, the new humans were victorious.

Now, with Mars in their hands, they looked up and researched the planets' history from the humans' database. What had the humans done since they'd been there? And, more importantly, did the humans discover anything interesting about the red planet?

The results surprised them all...

What they had discovered, would change the course of history forever. The humans, digging, drilling and mining for resources as they were, soon came across a strange discovery. They had unearthed, or unmarsed, what looked like ancient ruins. This discovery was undeniably of non-earthling construction. What was even more astounding is that they dug deeper and deeper, revealing more and more, until they found something else...

…An alien ship...

This was the discovery of a lifetime. The humans had seized the opportunity to study it and learn what they could, when they were still around, even though they had absolutely no idea how it got there. It was deep beneath the ground, in a large tunnel complex, and in a strange room. Some believed that the roof of the room could open up, but that it had been so long since it was used that the top was covered in many meters of Martian sand. One way or the other, it could not be removed unless dismantled. So dismantle it they did. But where it ended up, the new earthlings could not find out. The records went cold.

They knew they had to find it. This discovery was crucial. It could unlock interstellar flight. But because they killed every last human on Mars, interrogation was no longer an option. So instead, they searched and scanned every last computer in every last location until they got something worthwhile. Eventually, something did turn up; a computer with some data on the subject. It turned out that it was no longer even on the planet...

- End of Page Six –

The humans had a new base. Mars may now have been their official home, but their new destination of exploration was now a moon of Jupiter. It was the latest human colonisation project, but also where the alien ship had been taken. This worried the new humans. Not only were there still humans in the solar system, but they also had possession of an alien craft. It could give the humans an advantage, an advantage the new humans could not allow. They had to find its location, and soon.

Once more, the ship had left Mars long ago, which meant the humans may have discovered something by now. It may even be too late. Finally, to make matters worse, the humans sent out a distress call to this moon, to warn them of the invasion taking place. The pressure was now on...

The commander of the Mars invasion signalled their findings back to Earth, to await the reply. On Earth, the council was the ruling body. Made up of the old and wise, both military and scientist, the council was a truly worthy authority. Unlike the old days, Earth was not run by those who bribed their way in, which gave only the rich, political opportunities. No, this council had real merit and real experience of appropriate situations.

They decided that, quite simply, this moon MUST be taken. They gave the go ahead to build more ships, both on Mars and on Earth, and that this Moon was their destination. The preparation for the invasion of Mars took many years, but that was when they had time on their side. This time, however, not only was the destination further away, requiring many more resources, but now the humans were aware of their existence. Apart from this, Earth’s resources truly were at an all-time low. The majority of ship building would now be taking place on Mars, especially since it was nearer to Jupiter than Earth was.

And so, the ship building began. There had been many unused stockpiles on Mars, ready for manufacturing. These would save the new earthlings much time indeed. Manufacturing took place immediately, and they even took design improvements from the old humans' Martian database. Their new ships were vastly superior. But the designs were still altered slightly to suit the new humans' military lifestyle.

Before, the new humans wished to conceal their existence. Therefore, any scouting parties that they sent risked their entire operation. But this time, the old humans would be aware of their presence, so it would be no surprise if they witnessed approaching space vessels. As such, the new humans sent out unmanned spy ships to this moon, to gain the upper hand. They knew very little of this moon, even with all the acquired information from Martian computers. This moon needed scanning...

One ship after another was turned out in the Martian factories, and soon, they had enough ships, including their old ones, for the conquest to commence. Eventually, they received intelligence back from their spy ships. It turned out that the old humans were not quite as ready as the new earthlings had thought. They were pleased with this knowledge. But even so, they always knew it was wise never to underestimate one's opponents...

In time, they unleashed hell...

- End of Page Seven -

It took a long time, and large stockpiles of food and water to get there, but they got there in the end. The humans were expecting them. But they still weren’t prepared enough. The invasion horde was too large for the humans to handle back on Mars, but this time it was even bigger. The new earthlings had entered the moon's orbit and, to their surprise, witnessed something new. The old humans had built new ships; new vessels capable of new tricks. These vessels took off from the planet with great speeds…

…then vanished into the black of space…

The commander was not pleased. He ordered his forces to quickly shoot down the escaping humans before they got away. Luckily, although most of them escaped, his ships did destroy some. The ones shot down went straight back to the moon's surface, due to its gravitational pull; to be salvaged later on...

Soon the battle was over and most of the humans had escaped. Once it was over, the new earthlings deployed strike teams to scout the moon's surface for evidence of where their enemies had gone. Little trace was left, and the alien ship they wanted certainly wasn't there. But they had one thing, at least. The human ships they'd shot down remained in pieces on the moon's surface. They hadn’t burned up in the atmosphere completely. These ships were undeniably built from the alien technology. The human research had gone well. But they left clues to this research in their debris, which the new humans would now salvage and reverse engineer.

Camps were set up on the moon and research teams deployed by the new earthlings for this very task. Although many usable pieces of the human ships were damaged from atmospheric burn, some were actually shot before even taking off, leaving almost perfect blueprints, as the commander had intended. These heaps of scrap metal would be the humans' undoing; for it gave the new earthlings everything they needed…

Soon, the new earthlings acquired the same level of technology as the old humans, making them ever more dangerous and ever more eager to pursue them. Although the new earthlings did not know where the humans had gone, they now had technology that would be able to hunt them down and search every planet in the galaxy...

The humans WILL meet their end… and now... the real hunt had begun...

- End of Introduction –

Chapter One coming soon…

Description
It was late in the evening when he arrived. The rain was pouring down, and visibility was the worst it had been for a long time. But the air was fresh and earthy, just how he liked it. He had come all the way from the mothership. His mission…

… To eradicate the humans…

He was human himself, of course. But his line had gone so far down the path of eugenics, that he and his kind were far more than just 'human'. Bigger than humans, stronger than humans and, some may disagree, more intelligent than humans, his kind were capable of much. But his kind were not just physically different… their minds were, too. Their very nature, in fact, was inhuman. Violent, bloodthirsty and fearsome, his kind were a fierce and unforgiving lot. Some even said that, actually, they were too human. One way or the other, they lived for the hunt...

Today was no different. Today he would be hunting. But today he would be hunting his favourite prey.

A long time had passed since the separation of his kind and of humanity. But soon that separation would no longer exist, for he and his kind were not just hunting humans for sport…

… They were hunting them to extinction…

The last of humanity was left scattered and torn apart after the eradication of Earth. Humanity had once stood proud amongst the galaxy, slowly paving its way to interstellar travel. But there were problems at home. Earth was still run by corrupt officials and slowed by bureaucracy; it could never be truly flushed out. The once mighty and powerful, the rich, had become greedy and controlling in their ways.

Earth continued to fall, continued to spiral out of control. The many wished for action to be taken by the few, action that would save the planet from self-destruction. But the few would not listen. They believed Earth was unworthy of saving. It was full of peasants, after all, and they had money that could buy tickets to Mars. They were off the hook. But the poor? They were doomed...

But the many knew of their fate. Soon it became clear that the last shuttles to leave Earth would not contain the common man. The many did not take kindly to this plot. The many decided to take action. They wanted to save the Earth and colonise the stars another day.

But there was one band of individuals who knew what must be done. They neither agreed with the few or the many. They had their own views. They believed that mother Earth must be saved, but that galactic colonisation was just as important. They knew that invaders from the stars could wipe humanity out of existence in the blink of an eye and that humanity must grow; it must expand. But, more importantly, they also knew that humanity had passed its prime. The rich cared only about themselves. The poor cared only about themselves. Humanity became selfish. It lacked conviction...

This problem, however, would soon be solved...

- End of Page One –

This band of ideologists were not just people. They were clever people. Doctors, scientists, you name it. And they believed that there was only one true 'cure' to humanity's problems. So they soon began work on it...

These ideologists were not just limited to brainpower, however; for some also had financial success, and it was these well-off few who helped fund the research necessary to realise their plan. Thanks to the rioting that soon took place globally, causing much chaos and disorder, the entire world was distracted whilst the ideologists worked silently in the shadows.

And soon, their work was finished...

After much rioting, the many soon started to fall ill. They assumed that they had simply worn themselves out, or that they had caught something from living in deteriorating conditions. They didn't know the half of it. The illness soon spread to other towns, other cities and eventually other countries. It was no longer a casual concern. It was now a pandemic. Even the rich, who thought they were safe in their fortresses and palaces, with their high, protective walls, started to fall ill.

Soon, the majority of the world’s population was infected. Only a handful of the few and the many actually remained well. Some were naturally immune to the illness, some were just careful. Most of the surviving rich had already left Earth by now in fear of catching the 'New Plague'. It was a good time to leave, too. The illness soon started to get far worse...

The first phase of the infection was now over. But the second phase of the infection had begun. After spreading the illness from coughing and sneezing, the victims of the infection started to experience intense swelling of the throat, organ failure, skin lesions and haemophilia. They either choked to death, rotted from the inside or bled to death from the endless rivers of blood pouring from gaps in their skin. It was truly a hellish scene, especially when the bodies began piling up on the streets for burning. The cities became mass graveyards.

Eventually, however, as time went on, the panic died down. The infected no longer existed and the people of the earth started to gather and rebuild. Billions had died, and the world was left in an empty, desolate state. Civilisation may have tried to survive, but it was unstable, it was fragile; it was vulnerable. The few left alive made small makeshift camps and communities; they knew they were stronger together. They needed to be strong. With collapsed governments, law and order was non-existent. There were raiders, looters and powerful criminal organisations. When they wanted something, it was theirs.

Apart from human problems, there were also other risks. Wild, rabid dogs, once domesticated and now ownerless, formed vicious packs that roamed freely looking for food…

… And humans were on the menu…

- End of Page Two -

Because of this, communities often had small, home-made palisade walls surrounding their camps. Those that didn't… often woke up to a face full of teeth as they were mauled in their sleep. Survival was not easy for anyone. And to make matters worse, the ideologists, completely unharmed by previous events, were ready for the next part of their plan…

One of their members, the leader in fact, was a clever and calculative one. He was also gifted at writing powerful speeches that could persuade almost anyone to fall under his spell, especially when he read them with his own hypnotic charm and charisma. This, some believed, is why the ideologists were so devoted to their cause. Not only did their leader have a scientific mind, but he was also a good motivator and powerful persuader; a true mastermind.

Nonetheless, he made sure the survivors of Earth heard him, one community at a time, using radio and other communications, to encourage them to band together and form a new government. Most people liked the idea of returning to civilisation again, but some said it was the governments that ruined their world and their lives to begin with, so they refused and went their own ways. But most people joined him in his newly established town, pleased that they could live together in safety without the risk of any bandits or raiders terrorising them. So now, if they did actually come across any, their numbers were far more than capable of fighting them off and defending what was rightfully theirs.

Soon, more and more people joined the leader and his town, bringing with them weapons and supplies. He decided that now was the time to destroy the only true threat to his and their existence; the criminal organisations…

Overnight, the townsfolk launched their own raid; a massacre. They killed every last one of them. Revenge, hatred and fear motivated the townsfolk and drove them to their actions. Some had children, making a desire for safety very important. They were willing to fight for it. And although there were female fighters amongst them, it was mainly the men who went to fight for the town; just as planned. As expected in war, some did die. But as it was men making the bulk of the fighting force, it was mainly widows that they left behind. These widows were precious, fertile women, now without men to guard them from unwelcome advances...

The leader now reassured the people that without the criminal organisations, they were safe and would no longer need to carry their weapons inside the town walls. The people were disarmed. Either that or they were forced to leave; for this was a 'civilised' town now. The weapons were not destroyed, however. They were far too useful for that. They were simply locked up and hidden from the public, but available in emergency… or to those with correct authorisation…

And so, now came step three...

The criminals were dead, the people unarmed and all threats destroyed. Now he had the town in the palm of his hand. It was time to make use of it…

He and his ideologists wanted heirs. After all, they were geniuses, they were gods, and it was their right to populate the new Earth with their own blood. He gave orders for his members to begin seizing their rightful possessions. Individuals from the populace were selected by the ideologists and taken as prizes. Any resistance was crushed. The ideologists had guns, the ideologists had brains and now the ideologists had control. The chosen women were raped and kept as slaves. But there were female ideologists too, and they chose men from the population. Most of the men that were chosen, however, did not struggle. They were quite willing, in fact...

- End of Page Three –

Most ideologists had more than one trophy. Multiple women pregnant at a time would populate the world far quicker than just one. And so, in time, the population grew at a rapid pace. The desired traits were passed on to their children and they were the better for it. These new generations had two very important features. They were both intelligent and attractive; the world was their oyster. Their parents’ defects, if they had any, had been successfully bred out. The children inherited the intelligence from their ideologist parents and the good looks from their slave parents. This trait had been what saved the slaves from execution in the first place.

But the younglings born also had something else vital in this new world; …freedom… The ideologists did not want their own blood shackled and chained to serve them. So they were taught their free parent’s ideology instead, and kept away from their slave parents so as not to sympathise with them. Sympathy could lead to retaliation, or even release… something the ideologists really didn’t want…

The ideologists had believed that they were the only truly worthy people of existence, that they were the only life worthy of life on Earth. And they would make damn sure that the rest of humanity knew it; there was no room for mercy or sympathy here...

The new generations may have been clever like their parents, but due to their philosophy, they were also warriors. What started as a small town swallowing local communities, soon became a large city that conquered nations. They had plenty of numbers and the promise of taking their own trophies as a reward.

…To the victor go the spoils…

When they fought, they kept no prisoners other than slaves that could be used to reproduce and make even more younglings. Everyone else was exterminated. And soon, the entire world was rid of, what they called, humans. But there were still more in the skies. They had not forgotten. Those on Earth now yearned for space flight, even if only to sadistically hunt their foes. Through time and effort, they studied and learned what they could about spaceflight. Books left in libraries, colleges, universities and schools provided all they needed. They could learn anything when motivated enough. It took a while, and a few mislaunches. But eventually, they returned to the level that humanity had attained before they left Earth.

They were now ready to hunt...

Humans had left little resources on Earth, but now and again, new untapped deposits were found. It gave the new humans just enough to continue their mission. In time, hordes of ships, expensive and well equipped, were sent. First, the space stations were subdued. The space stations had let them in, thinking they were bringing fuel and supplies. But even if they didn’t let them in, the new humans would have blasted their way in; for some of these ships also had external weapons on them, able to launch missiles and even bombard planets from space. But the new earthlings wanted to take these stations, not destroy them. Capture of the stations and death of the humans inside… was their main goal…

One by one, all the stations in orbit were taken, sanitised of life, and then occupied by the new inhabitants. The ones that did not co-operate were blasted open and taken by force. They were then repaired accordingly.

The moon came next. Space stations in the moon’s orbit and moon bases were broken into and captured in the blink of an eye. The mighty hordes of the new earthlings were becoming unstoppable. Then, finally, came Mars…

- End of Page Four -

Mars, however, was different. Mars was heavily guarded with very advanced and sophisticated technology. It would not be a sweeping massacre like their last missions. But they enjoyed the idea. Finally, they would have a challenge. This time they needed strategy. Like the space stations and moon bases, they wanted to capture Mars and not destroy it. The less intact it was after the fight, the more work would be required to repair it afterwards… and space operations were not cheap…

The on-board weapons their ships had were only really there as back up, or to destroy turrets and defences in preparation for an assault. They were to deploy on foot eventually, like all the other missions. But this siege would be far different. The journey itself was a very long one, and with their current technology, it took about a year, at least, to get there. If that wasn’t enough, the actual cost to make the original ships, let alone more of them, and stock them with a year’s supply of food and water, was enormous. However, because the new government on Earth officially owned it all, it became very easy to distribute resources in the right places. If the resources were there, they could use them. The illusion of money, bureaucracy and country resource ownership, was longer a problem. Therefore, it no longer delayed them.

Eventually, after a long and tiresome year, the ships had arrived in Mars' orbit. They scanned the surface, made digital maps and strategised, as planned. They were soon ready to launch the assault. Humanity had left Earth for Mars assuming that all those left behind would perish without them, and that the ‘New Plague’ would finish them off. They were unprepared for the planetary siege that awaited them.

The new humans, like their ideologist forefathers, always planned ahead. They would try to maximise enemy casualties whilst minimising their own. Their bio-weapons would have been perfect for this. But on Mars, the people lived in domes. These domes protected them from the harsh radiation of the sun whilst also protecting them from the extreme cold. But these domes also had another unforeseen use. If ever there were an outbreak of any illness, the contagion could be contained by keeping it inside the dome, eradicating it without any chance of contaminating the other domes and risking it spreading. Therefore, this was no longer a suitable strategy. The new humans realised this back on Earth, however, and came prepared for a planetary assault instead.

They scanned every dome on the planet, marking the coordinates for invasion, and after that... the real war began. Mars had detected unusual signals from orbit, but had no idea of what it could be. The humans were not expecting any visitors nor did they recognise the ships. They assumed some poor people had managed to create a ship to escape the plague back on Earth. The people of Mars panicked. They did not want their paradise to be ruined and stained by the poor, let alone infected ones. Mars had just the answer for peasants who dared to pollute their new home.

Storming down, the ships launched the attack, preparing to land and disembark on Mars. But as the first ship, the commander's ship, led the assault and prepared to land, a large missile from the surface was launched. The new humans were unphased, however. They also had tricks up their sleeve. The ships they flew in were armed and well equipped. They fired rail gun shells straight through the missiles and destroyed them before they got anywhere near their ships. They could have just destroyed the turrets from orbit instead, preventing this problem, but the new humans quite liked these turrets, and decided they would keep them instead.

- End of Page Five -

This was not the only problem the humans had, however. Mars had only detected one ship. When the commander scanned Mars, he gave away his own position, but the rest of his horde were there waiting patiently in the black. Then he gave the order. Mars was completely unprepared for an invasion of this scale. It had nowhere near enough missiles, let alone missile launchers, to destroy them all. The new humans continued to descend, the old humans continued to launch missiles and the new humans continued to shoot them down.

Soon, all of the new humans had landed but for the reserves. They remained in orbit and in space for backup and surveillance. The commander ordered his warriors onwards and one by one, the domes were breached. Within no time at all, the whole of Mars succumbed to their invasion. These humans, born and raised on Mars, were quite tall for humans. But their bones were long and thin, weaker than those of the Earthlings. The gravity on Earth was stronger than Mars, making a more solid and sturdy frame. The new humans had more muscle mass AND stronger bones, even though they were in space for a year. The new humans viewed the Martians as weak. They thought that they would make unworthy slaves. But they did not come for slaves. Every last Martian was shot dead or butchered, but only after the new humans had their fun…

And so, the new humans were victorious.

Now, with Mars in their hands, they looked up and researched the planets' history from the humans' database. What had the humans done since they'd been there? And, more importantly, did the humans discover anything interesting about the red planet?

The results surprised them all...

What they had discovered, would change the course of history forever. The humans, digging, drilling and mining for resources as they were, soon came across a strange discovery. They had unearthed, or unmarsed, what looked like ancient ruins. This discovery was undeniably of non-earthling construction. What was even more astounding is that they dug deeper and deeper, revealing more and more, until they found something else...

…An alien ship...

This was the discovery of a lifetime. The humans had seized the opportunity to study it and learn what they could, when they were still around, even though they had absolutely no idea how it got there. It was deep beneath the ground, in a large tunnel complex, and in a strange room. Some believed that the roof of the room could open up, but that it had been so long since it was used that the top was covered in many meters of Martian sand. One way or the other, it could not be removed unless dismantled. So dismantle it they did. But where it ended up, the new earthlings could not find out. The records went cold.

They knew they had to find it. This discovery was crucial. It could unlock interstellar flight. But because they killed every last human on Mars, interrogation was no longer an option. So instead, they searched and scanned every last computer in every last location until they got something worthwhile. Eventually, something did turn up; a computer with some data on the subject. It turned out that it was no longer even on the planet...

- End of Page Six –

The humans had a new base. Mars may now have been their official home, but their new destination of exploration was now a moon of Jupiter. It was the latest human colonisation project, but also where the alien ship had been taken. This worried the new humans. Not only were there still humans in the solar system, but they also had possession of an alien craft. It could give the humans an advantage, an advantage the new humans could not allow. They had to find its location, and soon.

Once more, the ship had left Mars long ago, which meant the humans may have discovered something by now. It may even be too late. Finally, to make matters worse, the humans sent out a distress call to this moon, to warn them of the invasion taking place. The pressure was now on...

The commander of the Mars invasion signalled their findings back to Earth, to await the reply. On Earth, the council was the ruling body. Made up of the old and wise, both military and scientist, the council was a truly worthy authority. Unlike the old days, Earth was not run by those who bribed their way in, which gave only the rich, political opportunities. No, this council had real merit and real experience of appropriate situations.

They decided that, quite simply, this moon MUST be taken. They gave the go ahead to build more ships, both on Mars and on Earth, and that this Moon was their destination. The preparation for the invasion of Mars took many years, but that was when they had time on their side. This time, however, not only was the destination further away, requiring many more resources, but now the humans were aware of their existence. Apart from this, Earth’s resources truly were at an all-time low. The majority of ship building would now be taking place on Mars, especially since it was nearer to Jupiter than Earth was.

And so, the ship building began. There had been many unused stockpiles on Mars, ready for manufacturing. These would save the new earthlings much time indeed. Manufacturing took place immediately, and they even took design improvements from the old humans' Martian database. Their new ships were vastly superior. But the designs were still altered slightly to suit the new humans' military lifestyle.

Before, the new humans wished to conceal their existence. Therefore, any scouting parties that they sent risked their entire operation. But this time, the old humans would be aware of their presence, so it would be no surprise if they witnessed approaching space vessels. As such, the new humans sent out unmanned spy ships to this moon, to gain the upper hand. They knew very little of this moon, even with all the acquired information from Martian computers. This moon needed scanning...

One ship after another was turned out in the Martian factories, and soon, they had enough ships, including their old ones, for the conquest to commence. Eventually, they received intelligence back from their spy ships. It turned out that the old humans were not quite as ready as the new earthlings had thought. They were pleased with this knowledge. But even so, they always knew it was wise never to underestimate one's opponents...

In time, they unleashed hell...

- End of Page Seven -

It took a long time, and large stockpiles of food and water to get there, but they got there in the end. The humans were expecting them. But they still weren’t prepared enough. The invasion horde was too large for the humans to handle back on Mars, but this time it was even bigger. The new earthlings had entered the moon's orbit and, to their surprise, witnessed something new. The old humans had built new ships; new vessels capable of new tricks. These vessels took off from the planet with great speeds…

…then vanished into the black of space…

The commander was not pleased. He ordered his forces to quickly shoot down the escaping humans before they got away. Luckily, although most of them escaped, his ships did destroy some. The ones shot down went straight back to the moon's surface, due to its gravitational pull; to be salvaged later on...

Soon the battle was over and most of the humans had escaped. Once it was over, the new earthlings deployed strike teams to scout the moon's surface for evidence of where their enemies had gone. Little trace was left, and the alien ship they wanted certainly wasn't there. But they had one thing, at least. The human ships they'd shot down remained in pieces on the moon's surface. They hadn’t burned up in the atmosphere completely. These ships were undeniably built from the alien technology. The human research had gone well. But they left clues to this research in their debris, which the new humans would now salvage and reverse engineer.

Camps were set up on the moon and research teams deployed by the new earthlings for this very task. Although many usable pieces of the human ships were damaged from atmospheric burn, some were actually shot before even taking off, leaving almost perfect blueprints, as the commander had intended. These heaps of scrap metal would be the humans' undoing; for it gave the new earthlings everything they needed…

Soon, the new earthlings acquired the same level of technology as the old humans, making them ever more dangerous and ever more eager to pursue them. Although the new earthlings did not know where the humans had gone, they now had technology that would be able to hunt them down and search every planet in the galaxy...

The humans WILL meet their end… and now... the real hunt had begun...

- End of Introduction –

Chapter One coming soon…