"Commander Riley. Commander Riley, please respond," Lieutenant Farlane's voice beckoned over the communication device clipped to the Commander's belt.

Riley placed the menu he had been glancing over on the table then casually unclipped the triangular communicator and placed it near his mouth. "What is it Lieutenant?" he discreetly asked.

"I think it would be best if you return to the Dytherium as soon as possible. There seems to be some trouble," the Lieutenant's voice reported.

Riley's eyes became slightly wider. "Trouble, how? I've only been on Tarisia for three days. I’m supposed to be on a well-deserved personal leave, remember. There isn’t supposed to be trouble," he mentioned in a way that would suggest that the Lieutenant's summoning of him should have been important.

"I assure you Commander, I wouldn't have contacted you if I didn't think this an important issue. The IUDC has not been able to make contact with Starbase Outpost J12 near Coronian space for quite awhile. They also haven't received word from any supply runners either," the Lieutenant added gravely.

"Maybe it's a malfunction in the communication array. I really don't think it's anything worse than that," he posed. "Besides, if you believe that the Coronians have attacked that starbase you're probably mistaken. They have better things to do than to attack heavily armed outposts and get themselves blown to pieces, but the supply freighters…maybe. But that would be very unwise on their part though and it’s not a concern of ours. Now if you don't mind Lieutenant, I would like to return to my dinner."

At that moment the restaurant attendant brought Riley the traditional Tarisian dish he had ordered earlier and placed it on the table. He momentarily broke his conversation with the Lieutenant Farlane to give the restaurant attendant his verbal appreciation and two Tarisian credits.

After resuming the conversation, the Lieutenant continued. "I believe it's something more serious than that, sir. Border patrol scanners have detected large anomalous objects within the sector near the starbase. The Alliance believes that the Coronians may be launching a full-scale attack against us. We are the closest military vessel within forty light years and I think you should investigate this issue further."

Riley seeing his vacation had come to an abrupt closure said, "You seem to have a point. I'll be right aboard after I check out of the inn. I should be back on the ship in three hours to have a look at those readings. I sure hope your right about this, Lieutenant. Riley out."

He grabbed his coat off the bench near him, and called to one of the attendants. He asked him to place his food in a sealed container for transportation to the inn. Momentarily, the attendant returned with a container roughly fourteen centimeters in size. Riley took it and managed to stuff it into his coat pocket.

He exited the traditional Hyla province restaurant and entered the town square where many Tarisians were buying, selling, and trading for the goods and services they desired. He noticed that the Tarisian sun was setting and the darkness of night would soon follow.

Along the way to the inn he passed a Hylan cathedral where the sounds of Tarisian folk music permeated the air. Riley didn't take much notice of the cathedral or the people gathered outside until a voice called out to him.

"You sir, are in need of something!" the head of the congregation yelled from his eminence at the pulpit. He then walked in Riley's direction. Riley half-looked at the man and tried to quicken his pace but it was to no avail; the minister caught up with him.

"What do you want?" Riley interrogated dryly.

"Why don't you come and learn with us. You can become enlightened like the others," the man returned.

"I'm really sorry fella, but I must be on my way. I have to be somewhere far more important than you. Maybe some other time," he said pretending to be polite but doing a poor job of it.

The man then grabbed Riley's hand. "I am a seer of the future! I will see your future... I see that you are of great importance to someone. I do see that. You must fulfill this future I see before..."

Riley, feeling uncomfortable pulled his hand away from the man. "O, really," he carped, "and I suppose you’re a real fortune teller and we're all living in a fantasy universe!" Riley poked his finger into the man's chest. "Listen buddy, whatever it is you want to sell me, just let me know now. If it’s a future crystal like the ones those Shiran monks were peddling in town, you can keep it!"

In a mild tone of voice the priest replied, "I do not wish to sell you anything. I wish to give you the gift of knowledge which you need desperately to choose the right spiritual path in life."

Riley saw that the man was not a salesman, but he had no interest in joining a religion. He ate his feelings of annoyance and stated his lack of interest rationally, "I see, well that's good for you but I have no time for your religion. I am a Commander in the Terran Defense Corps. I really must be going now. I just don’t have time to deal with this nonsense. Good bye," he said impatiently.

"My name is Midan. You will come back to me," the strange man said as Riley continued down the road toward the inn.

Riley concluded that the old man and the experience had been a little unusual, but he put that thought out of his mind and began summarizing the situation transpiring above in space. Were the Coronians launching a full attack on the Defense Corps, or is their attack a provocative bluff?

Riley soon arrived at the Hyla Province Inn that was shaded by giant seraphi trees. As he passed one of these gargantuan elms it burst forth an abundancy of black-winged birds who collectively mocked at Riley's presence. The inn was constructed of angled metal truces and polished stone. A brick walkway led to the front entrance that was crafted of ornate glasswork, metal beams, and granite pillars. It was one of the finest direct spaceport inns on Tarisia.

Riley opened the inner doors that led to the lobby. The lobby attendant politely asked, "May I help you sir?"

Riley responded, "Yes, I will be leaving now and I need my things from my room. Can you send someone to fetch them. Here's my keycard."

"Of course, Commander," the attendant said as he took the key from his hand. "Will there be anything else?"

"No, nothing else."

"Wait one moment and I will bring up your bill." The attendant then called a bellhop and brought up Riley's account which totaled in the amount of five-hundred and thirty-seven credits.

Riley paid the clerk and took his travel case from the bellhop. He walked down the exit corridor to the docking platform where the transports and shuttlecrafts were stationed. He continued toward his transport, opened the outer door, and stepped inside. After the airlock closed he proceeded to the cockpit where he activated the power cells and lifted off.

The inconspicuous platform diminished as the transport gained altitude. Soon it was overpowered by a blur of surrounding greenery. The suburb of Naytalidec paled in comparison to the great metropolis of Hyla that lay a few miles to the north. Soon land became a continent surrounded by the blue-green oceans of the planet Tarisia.

Riley was unsure of the strength and power of the Coronians as of lately. Their technology was rather a prevailing mystery to the humanoid races of the Interstellar Union. Seventy-six years ago the Treaty of Coros was enacted. It decreed that Coronians were confined to the region beyond the border of IU space. Many times in the past Coronian renegades would cross the border attacking freight carriers and plundering the cargo, but they were never brave or crazy enough to attack an entire starbase. Such blatant audacity would be expected from the Enibri but not the irresolute Coronians. Riley knew this as was puzzled by this possible attack of starbase J12.

Soon the transport arrived at his ship, the T.S.V. Dytherium, which was orbiting the blue-green planet beneath. The starship was named after the twenty-third century General Dytherium Montinaire, who spearheaded the campaign that aided in the conclusion the seemingly endless Earth-Alien Wars. It may not have been the finest vessel in the fleet, but it served his needs adequately being well equipped for confrontations between an enemy. It was given to Riley as an achievement of his career as a military officer.

The transport slowed as it approached the ship’s spacebay. The giant outer doors yawned open to let the small transport enter. As the doors closed behind, it locked onto the inner floor plating and the spacebay pressurized.

Riley stepped out of the transport and activated an intercom device on the nearby wall. "Lieutenant, I'm on the ship and will be with you shortly. Meet me at the conference hall and you can debrief me there," he declared.

"Affirmative, Commander: everything is in order," he responded.

Riley moved toward the ship's transportation lift which was toward the rear of the spacebay and was much like an elevator only more complicated mechanically with the ability to move laterally to various lift exits located within the ship. He activated the destination panel and depressed the "Conference Hall, Deck 8 Section A3" listing. A moment later the doors clanked open and the corridor leading to the conference hall appeared before him.

When Riley entered Lieutenant Farlane was standing near the interface terminal at the head of a long, black conferance table surrounded by twelve plastic chairs. He was a brave young officer and would always fight for the Corps, and this was why his military rank had increased so quickly. Lieutenant Michael Farlane reminded him of himself when he was his age.

"Please sit down, Commander; I have much to tell you," he said calmly.

As Riley sat down he asked, "So what are we dealing with? Is this supposed invasion fleet really the Coronians?"

"I believe we're in real trouble. Long range IUDC surveillance probes have detected debris in the sector where Starbase Outpost J12 was and an entire armada of Coronian design ships leaving the sector. These ships originated from some unknown location beyond the Union-Coronian border."

"Have they scurried like rats back to Coronis fearing retaliation? That is usually their game." Riley suggested.

The Lieutenant then activated the three-dimensional holoscreen above the interface console in the center of the table. He brought up the sensor probe logs and initiated a display of the paths of the Coronian ships. He pointed to a group of red squares in quadrant A. "As you can see the ships are not breaking off: they are continuing on headings toward Rigil, Vega, Epsilon A and B, Orion, Tarisia, The Centaurian Colonies," he paused, "and Earth."

"Have any Alliance battleships or carriers intercepted them yet?" Riley asked looking at the display in front of him then turning toward the Lieutenant.

No, they are still too far away to intercept, but we could attack before the others arrive. Being the Commander of the Dytherium, the only D-Class star vessel close enough for a preemptive attack, you should want to take the opportunity to be the one to receive the fame which your career deserves," he suggested. "This would solidify your approval by The General and boost your votes for becoming Admiral," he added.

"Of course, but I haven't seen a major war in twelve years, and that war was not much of a war by any means. The Alliance won hands down. I was a young Major then and had your spirit and admiration for the fight. My career is not as important to me as it used to be. Even if we are the first ones to claim victory for the Defense Corps, surely the heads of government will take the credit for themselves, especially the Tarisian Chancellor. Our bravery would be minimized and their own political prowess would be brought to the forefront."

"This is your chance, Riley, and it should not be passed up."

"I want to wait until the Corps gives me official orders. We should see what type of enemy we are dealing with before we attack. Besides, we may get a chance at them if they arrive in the Tarisian sector when reinforcements have arrived. In the meantime let's advise the Tarisian government to be on alert of the impending danger."

The Lieutenant slightly nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe your right Commander. That sounds like a good tactical position. I will notify the Tarisian government of the situation and your standings."

"Meanwhile, I will contact General Niriad and notify him of my position and await further orders. Go to the bridge and wait for me there. Frankly Lieutenant, It smells like a little war, a new little war," Riley added.

"Yes, sir. It just might be. I'll meet you on the bridge later."

The Lieutenant exited the conference hall and only Riley remained to ponder this situation. Why were the Coronians doing this? Somehow they gained a new ambition for war. They must have developed some new form of weaponry technology and are now using it against the Defense Corps.

Riley exited the conference hall in the same manner he arrived and by way of the lift entered the deck where his quarters were. The dull echo of his boots against the deck plating reverberated throughout the corridor. The entire ship was deserted except for Lieutenant Farlane and himself because the Dytherium was between routine crew changes or military transports.

Riley saw that his quarters were in the same condition as he had left them. Everything was in its neat military order. He briefly gazed at the small black table near his bed where the picture of his deceased wife, Candace, stood. He only knew her for a year or so before her untimely death in the disaster of the First Point Station explosion, but she became the only woman he would ever truly love. She felt that he was not a military man, and internally there were times when he felt similarly especially within the last few years.

He took the travel case he had sort of been carrying and placed it in a drawer then removed his coat and threw it on the bed. After changing into his IUDC uniform he entered a room adjacent to the previous that he used for private communications between military and governmental officials. He activated the terminal and initiated the coded communication sequence. He then made contact with general Niriad at military headquarters.

When his image appeared on screen The General was facing something out of view and swiveled to face the Commander. "Ah, yes, Commander Riley," his tone was directive yet whimsical.

"General, I am very glad I am having a chance to speak with you. You do know what is going on, I'm sure. I want to inform you that I will be staying at Tarisia to protect this star system from the Coronians," Riley said.

"I'm not planning for them to get that far, Commander. My team and I are creating a front directly in their path at the Nais Teyan sector and I want you and the Dytherium to be there. Hold on a moment, I will show you something those bastards did to us that we must avenge." The General began to initiate the recorded distress signal from Starbase Outpost J12.

Through a haze of static the Commander of Starbase J12 could be seen pleading for assistance of any kind. He and the command crew were in a state of frenzy and utter panic, and he was strongly indicating that the Coronians had attacked. After a moment or so his image completely dissolved.

When the distress signal discontinued, exterior images from the robotic cameras became visible. Surrounding the starbase were several Coronian-like battleships looming around it. Squadrons of IUDC strikers buzzed around the enemy ships, but all of their attacks were futile. Two of the enemy ships were projecting high-intensity matter disruption energy directly onto the starbase's hull. Sections of superheated metal shattered from its surface. Plasma mortars emanated from the starbase and the two IUDC military vessels that futilely attempted flanking the enemy’s position but they themselves became outflanked. When their barrage came in contact with the enemy ships, their return fire was absorbed as if their charcoal black hulls were a sponge. Riley noticed that the surface of their ships seemed to be fluidic but they were so dark it was difficult to make out the slight changes in surface texture. A cold chill ran down his back as he witnessed these destructive images.

After a few minutes the enemy mysteriously discontinued its attack. Simultaneously, each peculiar looking Coronian vessel turned toward the starbase and activated some sort of absorption beam, that didn’t seem to do any physical damage. After a minute or so a final energetic blast was fired upon the starbase that destroyed it.

After the images ceased the General returned. "I plan to crush them for good," he said sardonically. An absurd sort of smile came over his arrogant face as the thought of completely destroying the Coronians entered his mind. "Coronis will be a lifeless rock for this."

"Why do you suppose they are doing this?" Riley asked.

"They want to take control of the planetary governments of the IU by alleviating the Corps." The General paused, leaned forward, and gazed at Commander Riley through the telescreen. "What would you do if you had what you think is a superior weapon? You surely wouldn't be sitting your ass on it." He leaned back in his chair and curled his index finger over his chin then stroked his beard.

"Good point, but how do you suppose they gained control of this superior weapon in the first place. I mean, in all my years of service I have never seen anything that powerful."

The General snickered. "God only knows. We've been kicking the dogs off our grass since the Treaty of Coros. Now the dogs are biting back. The question is who holds the upper hand. I will tell you now that the Defense Corps does." As these words left the General’s mouth ironic statistical data regarding the casualties incurred at Starbase Outpost J12 scrolled across the bottom of the screen. 214,627 civilians died… 12,448 military personnel died… The T.S.V. Nepoleon was destroyed… The T.S.V. Titan was destroyed… 27 various registered and unregistered supply freighters were destroyed… 33 transports were destroyed both in their hangars and outside… 206 IUDC Strikers were destroyed… 0 enemy units destroyed…0 enemy units captured. 0 enemy materiel units destroyed… 0 enemy materiel units captured… A piteous clean sweep, Riley thought. He had never seen such a poor showing on the part of the Defense Corps.

"Are you sure we can win this one?" Riley asked unsure if the General knew the gravity of what he was getting into.

"Of course we will. We always win don't we? You remember twelve years ago, at the battle of Drek’ ente Seras. Sergeant Major Jonathan Riley became one of our best assets then. You were one of the individuals who won it for us by motivating Charlie brigade to get their asses into that Enibri fuel depot," the General recounted. "That took balls, and you had ‘em. The stakes are just a little higher this time. Rather than man to man combat they prefer ship verses ship, and if that’s the way they want to play it the we’ll damn kick their ass."

"True, but we don't really know what kind of enemy we are dealing with yet, do we? They wiped out that starbase in a brief period of time. How do you know they won't do the same with our warships?" Riley asked pointedly.

"Because we are more militarily organized than they are!" he grunted. "They don't have the experience of being in war that we have. Piracy has been the only action to which they excel at. The Corps will win. When they see us coming, their surrender will follow. I guarantee it."

Riley realized that the General was underestimating the enemy, one of the first errors of a tactician, and that the odds were not leaning in the Defense Corps' favor as he had indicated. Haughty pride clouded his rational judgment, but Riley could not let his personal disbelief in the General’s capacity for decisive judgment show through his own patriotic facade. "General, you are correct. The Alliance should win this war. I wish all of us the best of luck. I will rondevu at 0900 hours," he lied unsurely.

"See you at the Nais Teyan theatre, Commander Riley!" His image vanished from the telescreen.

"No you won't," Riley muttered to himself. He began to compile his alternatives.

He rationalized that going to Nais Teyan would be a suicide mission, but he also felt that deserting was not the appropriate answer. Never in his tenure did he ever see such a massacre, and the General was lining up the entire fleet for complete annihilation even though he knows that the Corps will lose. He could not just let billions of innocent civilians be destroyed or enslaved by the enemy just because the General’s deluded notion of his omnipotent superiority needed another victory to further bolster his waning fame. This was a pressing dilemma that Riley’s rationality and his conscience divided upon.

He stood up from the chair and walked out of the room into his quarters. There was nothing that he needed there so Riley exited and proceeded to the bridge.

When the doors clanked open, the bridge appeared before him. It was spacious enough for a bridge crew of thirteen. At the front a long control center stretched eight meters across from the left wall to the right wall beneath a great inclined, transparent space window. Five meters behind was the commanding officer's chair which Riley almost never sat in because, even on auto-control the bridge controls needed to be manned by two individuals. Towards the rear were the weapons control and regulatory maintenance consoles with the large intercommunicational telescreen located between them. Lieutenant Michael Farlane was sitting at a tactical display on the control center. Riley wondered what he would tell him.

Lieutenant Farlane turned toward Riley. "Commander, so what's the word from General Niriad?" he asked.

Riley took a position at the frontal bridge control station next to the Lieutenant. "He says we are to go to the Nais Teyan sector. He's set up a front there."

Okay, then I will begin prep---" his hand is pulled away from the console by Riley.

"We're not going to Nais Teyan, Lieutenant," Riley broke in. "I saw what happened to that starbase and I do not want to be part of a suicide mission that the General is amassing. That enemy has a weapon which I have not seen the likes of before."

The Lieutenant pulled his hand back then looked at it then Riley. "What happened to the starbase Riley?" he asked. "According to the scans I picked up it seemed pretty grim," he added.

"It was overtaken in nearly an hour with not a scratch of damage on the Coronians. Every attack of ours was met by a stronger counter attack by them. Our weapons did nothing. When the Titan and the Nepoleon were finished the enemy projected some type of absorption beam, and destroyed the starbase."

"I don't think the General's plan is suicide. Maybe he has something special planned. Niriad is a brilliant tactician. He knows things we could only dream of. I did contact the Tarisian government and evacuation of the heavily populated areas is already commencing; the IUDC is already sending medical support. Tarisia will be sufficiently defended by their Collateral Militia. Several strike teams are being assembled on the third moon. The Corps will need your commanding skills at Nais Teyan sir, wouldn’t you agree."

"I believe today will be known as an eve of destruction for our little fragile Interstellar Union and the Defense Corps. The revitalized Coronians, if that’s what they were, god damn I don’t know what the hell it was that trashed our Starbase, are going to crush our ships like a child's toy." A departed look came in Riley's eyes. "No human will be able to accept the reality of the situation before it’s too damn late."

"Are we going to fight, sir?" the Lieutenant inquired.

Riley shook his head. "I don't know. Should we commit suicide by fighting in an insane battle, which we will lose, while in the meantime leaving the Interstellar Union rather defenseless? For what, the possibility that we might live, then be taken prisoner anyway."

The Lieutenant’s eyes widened. "What will you tell the fleet?" he posed. "Your deserting will not help them in any way. If, as you say, they are powerful now, then I'd rather go down fighting for mankind."

"I suppose I want to fight, I have to, but somehow I feel that this is not how my life should end. I’m coming close to my retirement, if I should so want it. I feel that I have greater importance that goes beyond the Union and the Corps." Riley momentarily reminded himself of the experience he had endured with the minister, Midan, earlier that day.

"Are you willing to let so many of our men be lost because of your lack of action?" the Lieutenant demanded.

"Okay Junior Lieutenant, what am I to do then. You seem to know." Riley glared at him.

"You must fight for you, for your race, and the Corps. It's the only choice. I should not have to remind you of this, Commander Riley."

"I disagree! There are always alternatives," he insisted.

"That is the way it is to be, Riley!" the Lieutenant shouted back.

"For honor and self pride; what's it worth, certainly not one's life!" Riley delivered a direct blow to the arm of the chair.

"It's worth everything!" the Lieutenant countered.

"It's senseless!"

"You’re a gutless bastard, Riley. Our job is to face danger and growl back. It's not even worth it to be in your presence! To think, you were once a great Commander. It is a shame."

"Fine! I don't need you anyway! You want to transfer and be slaughtered with General Niriad and the rest of those fools, go right ahead. No one's stopping you."

The Lieutenant stood quickly, snickered, and whacked the seat causing it to swivel a few times. He shook his fist at Riley and irritably declared, "That's what I'll do! And I'll tell the General, Riley's turned yellow. I hope he comes here personally and court marshals you! He'll probably confiscate the Dytherium and leave your traitor ass in a Tarisian prison to rot while the rest of us men fight a battle!"

Clenching his teeth, Riley growled, "Get off my bridge!"

"Yes, fucking sir!" he coarsely returned.

Lieutenant Michael Farlane stormed into the lift swearing. Riley moved to follow then hesitated because he knew nothing would change the young Lieutenant's mind. He was filled with idealistic hopes and the indoctrination of the military.

Ever since he had met that strange man, Midan, on Tarisia, Riley felt differently about present circumstances. He was not prepared to die, and the future was the key to understanding his reason for continuing on and choosing the right path. What was this great importance he had talked of? Riley did not feel that the importance he spoke of was toward the Corps, in some unfruitful battle. Somehow he felt positive that the man who had accosted him was not selling future crystals.

Riley's mental unrest brought him to the conclusion that confronting him again may clear his mind. After agreeing himself to his plan, he set the ship to automatically destroy anyone who tried to override his command codes. This would probably deter the Lieutenant from returning to the Dytherium to the fleet. The General wouldn't have the time or the resources to confiscate Riley's wayward starship.

He exited the bridge and shortly arrived in spacebay-two where he powered up the remaining transport and proceeded to Tarisia. He could only hope that Midan was still there to answer his questions.

The Dytherium became a distant speck amongst the stars of the universe as the transport came upon the planet's atmosphere. Riley input the coordinates of the general area where he saw the cathedral. A virtual topographical landscape appeared on the interface screen. The approximate location he indicated was shown. When he reached land he initiated the touchdown sequence. The transport finally landed and powered down.

He had landed in the outskirts of Neytalidec within maybe half a kilometer from the cathedral. Immediately, he recognized landmarks and structures around him. He quickly discovered the road he had traveled just hours before. The crowds in the streets were gaining in numbers. News of the Coronians was spreading.

He ran through the street pushing people out of his way and adding to the chaos of the situation. When he finally reached the cathedral, in a small winded fury he pounded on its carved wooden doors.

"Open this god damn door!" he yelled. He felt the vibration of hands on a door handle from the other side.

The minister, Midan, opened the door a ways and said calmly, "God did not damn the door, it is you who have. What brings you to disturb the services, strange friend?"

"You told me I would be of great importance. Who will I be of great importance to?"

"I told you, you would return. That is what I said, is it not? You will fulfill what was told to me by you."

"I don't understand. Is it the Defense Corps? I want to know!" Riley demanded.

"I have people here who have come here to seek refuge from the danger that awaits. I must help them. You are not a true believer." Midan begins to close the door but Riley stops it and reopens it.

Riley looked inside at families who were gathered. There is a silence in the hall. They are looking at him and Midan. He turns to Midan and asks, "I really must know. What about my future is of great importance?"

"You are persistent, that is good. I suppose I will talk with you some more." He addressed the crowd and stated that he will be stepping out for a moment. One of the other priests began speaking.

After Midan closed the door and they were alone, Riley continued, "How did you acquire the ability to see into peoples' futures?"

"A boy I was when touched my father I did and saw that he was going to have a terrible accident and die. By this I saved his life. The ability I have had ever since. The gift of the Gareb-Socar it was. Each person’s spirit, a window that reveals their own destiny. Eyes open, I see all that will be."

"Listen," Riley said, "I believe you are not a fake. I must know the future---my future. It is very important to me that I know. It could mean your life as well as many others."

Midan looked at him and asked, "May I see your hand?"

Riley viewed his hand and motioned it to Midan. "Sure, but what are you going to see different from the last time you did this?"

"I am unsure. When I encountered you before your mind was not open and the window through which I was looking was cloudy. I sensed that you were very important in some way. An important destiny you seemed to have."

Midan held Riley's hand as if he were going to shake it. Riley felt the same sensation as before. He felt slightly dizzy with queasiness pervading his stomach. Midan seemed to hesitate for awhile then began speaking. "The great ship…Dytherium. It is destroyed, but you live somehow." Vagueness came into his speech. "It is I." He paused. "A woman, some woman. Unimaginable power. Evil, You will be more powerful than anyone could imagine. Gareb-Socar arises! Of all greatness let it be so!" he stopped speaking and released Riley's hand.

Riley impatiently asks, "Well, what's going to happen to me? Is it bad? It sounds really bad."

"I must go with you. I must go wherever you are going," The old man stares into his eyes like an infatuated child. "Who are you sir?"

"I am Commander Jonathan Riley of the IUDC, but being a teller of the future shouldn't you know that. Anyway, let me get this straight, it sounds like my ship is wasted and I come out okay; am I correct? What about those other things you said: the woman, power, and evil? What role do they hold?"

"Those are to be revealed to you by yourself. I am only a guide to you. Your spaceship will be destroyed, you will survive. The Interstellar Union will not survive. That I know."

"Is my ship going to be destroyed at a place called Nais Teyan?" Riley asks.

Midan simply states, "I am not sure. Images blurred concerning that issue, but I feel that it was not entirely in your future."

"Then I suppose going there would be a bad idea. If you want to know where I am going, I've decided on staying at Tarisia to defend it. I would rather defend many peo---"

"No you mustn't!" Midan interjects. "Your future depends upon you leaving this place. I sense that there will be great destruction here. You will not make any difference if you stay. You are very important to those whom you have not yet seen. As well, I must go with you."

Riley sighed. "Well then, that doesn't give me many options does it? If I stay here, I will not make a difference. If I go to Nais Teyan the Dytherium will be destroyed and the IU will be non-existent. I'm returning to my ship if you have nothing else to say." He turns to start walking away.

"Wait! I need to go with you Riley. I will help you."

"Why?" he asked. "Your congregation probably needs you."

"Your future depends upon me. I will guide you in the right direction, but only if you take me with you."

Riley stood there silent for a handful of tense seconds. Riley sighed, "okay then, if it is that important to you, you may travel with me to wherever the hell I am going. Maybe I can use you for something."

Midan turned to enter the cathedral and tell his congregation that he would be leaving permanently.

Riley was suspicious of Midan because if he knew his world was to be destroyed then an opportunity to leave would be most appealing, and leading Riley on to reach that goal could be a possibility. Just a moment ago he was so adamant about staying with his congregation. Now he has totally reversed his himself. What was it that he saw in him? Even though it didn’t bother him to bring the priest along, Riley would remain wary of this elderly man.

"Hurry up, I'm leaving soon," Riley voiced.

Riley could decern Midan's voice from the side of the door he was on. He was telling the people that he was going on an important mission. From what he could hear they did not like the idea.

After a moment Midan returned. "The people disliked my leaving to go with you. I made Talis the head instructor."

"C'mon, there's no time to lose," Riley stated hurriedly.

Riley and Midan ran through the street. The hem of Midan's robe dragged along the ground collecting small debris. They entered the field where the transport was and hurried toward it. Riley was amazed that the old man could keep up with him.

When they reached the transport Riley opened the airlock and brought Midan inside. After telling him to sit down and not touch anything he activated the power cells and lifted off in the normal fashion. As the transport increased in altitude Midan was stunned by the utter beauty of his home world from high in the sky. He had never been in space before.

Soon the transport re-accompanied the Dytherium. The spacebay doors opened and it entered. When the doors closed, Riley and Midan, left the transport and went to the bridge by way of the lift.

"So this is the Dytherium. It is a fine machine to travel the stars." Midan's voice had a sense of childish awe to it.

Riley gave a short affected laugh. "I've never heard it put that way, but yes, it does accommodate my needs sufficiently. Centuries ago we now pompous humans did not have the abilities that we now possess." Riley gestured his hands. "We were lucky enough to reach our own moon without blowing to ashes, back then. Today star systems are just a superlight-speed trip away. Well, anyway, getting to a point; you can sit over there with me at the control center." He motioned him to the chair. "Just don't touch anything until I tell you to, okay," he told him firmly.

When they sat down Riley said, looking at Midan seriously, "You didn't want to come with me just because of my destiny did you? I mean, if I had the opportunity I would want to get out of there too."

"What?" Midan frowned. "That is not what I do at all. You may never understand, but I must do this. It is the most important thing I would ever have to do in my life."

"You're right," Riley confirmed. "I don't understand."

"You will, someday," Midan replied.

This man puzzled Riley. He seemed like an unsolvable enigma, and his overall vagueness increased Riley's bewilderment. He just couldn't get a fix on his motives. Why did he leave the people he seemed so comfortable with to join a complete stranger on a nowhere quest. Riley did not wholeheartedly feel that he was a threat and believed that he could tell the future. His strange power seemed to leave a residual trace on Riley and he knew somehow that staying behind or going to Nais Teyan would be wrong.

"Okay," Riley paused, "The only thing left is to prep the light-speed drive and set the coordinates." Riley sighed. "That's just it, where the hell am I going to go? My main goal should probably be to get out of harms way, so to speak." Riley again paused and began to think deeply. "You know," he leaned over and pressed at a console near Midan, "the Coronians are located here."

"I see that, yes." Midan stated agreeably not actually knowing what he was agreeing to.

"On the border and in their own space there is not a single ship, patrol, or scout. Perhaps all of their resources are devoted to this attack. Maybe if we were to slip along the border at a high speed we would not be noticed and could take our chances in the uncharted space beyond their territory." He looked at Midan expecting an answer.

"That is good."

"Once we're far enough away from Coronian space we can begin searching for life sustaining worlds. We could pass the duration of time between systems in the hibernation tubes." A gleam came into his eye. "I think its going to work. What would your wisdom tell you to do?"

"It would tell me to follow that which my heart and mind speaks. They will never fail you in important situations. This I do know," he stares directly into Riley’s eyes,"out there," Midan points at the stars, "lies your destiny, not here."

"It's done then. This does seem like a better choice than dying purposelessly at the hands of an enemy, although, it would have set far better with me if Tarisia could have been saved due to my actions. Realistically though, my attempts would be probably be futile. With no crew and everything on automation the Dytherium would have been no match for them. Perhaps I will find a way to strike back out there."

"I'm sorry that this pains you such." Midan said putting his hand on Riley's shoulder. "I wish this evil force did not exist as well. My home would be safe, and your home would be safe. I will tell you this. You are important Riley. Things will happen to you that you never thought would happen. Candace would have understood."

"What do you know about her?" Riley asked.

"I know that she loved you as you did her, and you will love again Riley. The love you shared will always be with you, and will remanifest itself in new and wonderful ways with another."

Riley looked blankly at Midan, again confused, especially by this remark. "I have learned much about what I didn't know before, but even still there are questions I have. For one, why you want to be involved with me, of all people? I'm just a human being. I'm not even religious."

"Ah, but you are. The answers will be given to you, but not by me. They will be answered only by you. I am only a guide."

"I suppose I understand what you are trying to say. The things you say are so deeply shrouded in mystery I have the damnedest time making sense of it."

"I am who I am. You are who you are. We are one in the same yet different."

Midan's mystic double talk skirted logical coherence in Riley mind. He tried to make meaning of his words, but it was just not there. "Well, I can say we are different, but I don't know how we are the same." Riley paused. "Anyway, enough talking. We had better get moving. Just stay put while I prep the light-speed drive and plot our course, which is going to be away from here."

He stood up and stepped to the engineering console along the control center. "Breaking away from planetary orbit now," he reflexively voiced to an absent crew. He set the course and the computer made proper calculations for light speed. Colliding with a planet or a star would be catastrophic for the Dytherium and its occupants; thus the computer’s calculations must always be accurate.

When he brought the light speed drive online the external drive section of the Dytherium yielded a yellow-orange glow where there was once an indiscernible shadow. The light-speed anti-matter radiation core began to fuse heavy gravitons. On the bridge Riley completed the preparatory sequences and was readying for light speed initialization.

"Okay, this is it," Riley commanded. "Anyone wanting to stay here had better get off now."

"I must go with you, Riley."

"Very well then," he said as with a single well-practiced handstroke upon the console he activated the light-speed drive.

After a bright flash the stars wiggled and then began to flicker as the Dytherium reached and surpassed light-speed. This was all made possible by the invention of radiative-gravitational displacement which allowed space-fairing vessels to exceed the light barrier.

Meanwhile directly in the path of the approaching enemy at the Nais Teyan theatre the General's fleet began collecting together for the upcoming battle. First the General's ship, The Kiran, decelerated and entered the sector followed by the Atlantic, Sancta, Greenway, Destructor, Kilmore, who were joined by the Westeria, Halifax, Washington, Dumar, and Tiberian, but no Dytherium. Each ship took its position and was poised for the enemy's attack. Strikers poured from the hangers and took formation.

"Well, Midan, we're on our way. Our heading is away from Union space."

"It's so beautiful," Midan says staring out the space window at the stars phasing and changing colors with a serene iridescence.

"What?" Riley asks. "Oh That. You get used to it after a few trips in space. Don't stare at it or you’ll become nauseous. Whatever you ate will be on the floor, and I don’t want to be cleaning that up." Riley walked over to the console in front of Midan. "Now, I want you to monitor this tactical display while I attempt to listen to communication channels whether they be Coronian or Union. We don't want anybody sneaking up on our tail. An enemy ship will look like red diamond. All star systems, borders, and space territories are shown. If you get bored just access the computer and find sensory information about the star systems. Its pretty self explanatory even for technological moron like yourself."

"Thank you, Riley."

"Well, It's the best I can do," he said. "The Dytherium is equipped with code breaking equipment which I plan to use to decipher Coronian communication codes and find out just what the hell is going on." Riley went to a console at the back of the bridge. Riley activated the communication receiver and set it for a broad-spectrum communication array scan. Whether they were Coronian, Interstellar Union, or otherwise, the communication relay beacons just transfer signals from one place to the next without discrimination.

After several minutes he found nothing surprising, except for personal communication between IU worlds which were of no importance. The IU macronet was jammed with holovids. Strangely, there were no Coronian signals. No personal communications, no coded information transfers, nothing but static came up from Coronian space. Even stranger was the fact that baseline Coronian communication array bandwidths that originate from the homeworld were not there. It was as if the entire Coronian communication array had been shut down. This would be seriously disruptive to the actions of Coronian transports, starbases, outposts, or mining colonies. Even their ships would not be to coordinate the kind of attack they were involved in without using the communication array.

At Nais Teyan the diabolical Coronian ships decelerated out of light-speed and enguaged the General’s fleet. The IUDC fired first with a barrage of plasmic attacks which were mysteriously absorbed by the enemy. Each ship fired its best weaponry. The enemy countered with a high intensity disruptive beam, which caused instantaneous damage. Hundreds of close range strikers flowed from the bays of their respective hosts while scatter-burst missiles discharged. The Kiran, with its new intra-phasic pulses fired at several enemy ships at one time, but it was to no avail. One by one, the Defense Corps' ships fell to incredible power of the enemy.

After all of the IUDC ships had been beaten, their hulls compromised and filled with many dead, the enemy starships started absorbing the souls of the remaining living and dead, as well as the force and power contained within the biomolecular essence. The ships left behind a sector of debris with twisted and charred metal the only reminder of the horror that transpired. As the newly defined nemesis accelerated away toward the heavily populated star systems of the Interstellar Union, the ships transfigured into the form and shape of the IUDC ships that had previously defended humanity so valiantly.

After an hour and a half of probing for information Riley gave up. "It's like they just disappeared," he grumbled to himself. Riley pounded the console once, stood up, and straightened his uniform. "Midan," he said as he approached him at the control center, "there is something strange going on. I can't figure it out. There’s absolutely nothing coming out of Coronis. Have you seen anything on sensors."

"No, but there is a small something, that seems to appear for a very brief period of time then disappear. It has been happening for nearly an hour. I didn't know what it was, but the spaceship did not say that it was dangerous."

Riley stood over the display and examined the situation. "What does it look like?" he asked.

"I do not know exactly. It just appears then disappears."

"It could be a sensor glitch," Riley told him as he began to scan the electromagnetic spectrum in the region where Midan saw the anomalous reading.

"What the hell!" Riley exclaimed. "There is something there. According to these readings it's phasing in and out of the universe." He did not know what it was but it seemed threatening. "It's pursuing us. Whatever it is, it is traveling at a speed far greater than ours. It could be on top of us in any minute. We had better decelerate or it could easily wreck us while where fusing gravs," he said nervously as he began disengaging the light-speed drive. Momentarily after the Dytherium decelerated it was joined by another space vessel poorly resembling Coronian design.

"We have company!" Riley adamantly pointed out. He then raised the ion shield and closed the blast shutters. A large pair of metal doors closed over the bridge space window. The outside view was replaced by an external image holoscreen.

The Dytherium and the enemy ship fired upon each other simultaneously. Riley's attack was completely absorbed, but the enemy's counter attack damaged the Dytherium's communication array system, navigational systems, and damaged the hull from decks nine to six. A second barrage tore through a region of the light-speed drive releasing a large piece of white hot metal into space.

The bridge quaked violently as inertial stabilization began giving out. "We're doomed! The ship is going to be destroyed!"

"Death is upon us!" Midan yelled as a console near him exploded and he crumpled to the ground.

Riley ran from one console to the next trying right the situation. He quickly realized that his efforts were in vain. Riley feared what had to be done, only one thing could save anyone now. "Midan!" he yelled, "the ship is going to blow apart with us inside if we don’t get off!" He then grabbed Midan's arm and stood him up. "But there is one last thing we can do to possibly destroy that enemy outside and save ourselves."

"What is that?" he asked tensely.

Riley could see the terror in Midan's eyes. "Self-destruct," he adamantly proclaimed several times. He knew that when the intense shockwave of the superheated core hit the enemy it would take him out instantly. "We can escape on the observer!" He ran to a working computer terminal, and activated the ship’s self-destruct protocol. After several interrogatives and code recitations the five-minute countdown began. A problem arose that caused him to instantly become cold. In the last ten seconds someone had to manually initiate the final sequence and Riley had forgotten this. It was the Corps’ way of testing an officer's mettle in a crisis situation. Riley decided that he would do it.

"Midan," he said. "I want you to get out of here! I have set the self-destruct and someone must stay behind to activate the final countdown. I will do it. You can escape on the Observer in spacebay one. I’ll prep it for you."

"No!" he growled. "I will stay behind! You must live on!"

"God dammit! You’re getting the hell out of here right now! I should have died at Nais Teyan anyway! Apparently you can’t fight destiny."

"I will not leave! I must sacrifice myself so that you will live."

"I don't give a shit about some religious duties you have! I want you out of here now! Time is wasting!"

Calmly Midan stated, "I will not leave. I must do this. You had better get going Riley, you only have a short time."

"You!" he pierced. "You don't understand! I should be dead!"

"You are not dead, but you will be if you do not get going," Midan said.

Riley scowled at him clenching his teeth together, "Fine!" he pronounced as he ran down a corridor towards the rear of the bridge. He had become a tied up knot of emotions torn between self-preservation and duty.

He ran down flights of stairs, underneath fallen bulkheads, through fires, and detoured around depressurized corridors that were sealed off by pressure doors. Several alarms were blaring at once, and brilliant yellow alert lights were flashing. When he made it to spacebay-one his heart was pounding like a jackhammer. He ran toward the Secondary Military Observer, which was normally used for a troop transport and training vessel.

After closing the airlock he traveled down a hallway toward the pilot's bridge. There he brought the Observer online. It took awhile to activate the core and Riley knew that every second could be his last. When the computer powered up a display indicated the Dytherium's status. According to it there was a mere nineteen seconds until total self-destruction. Riley activated the spacebay doors, and they opened erratically.

Outside, stars were panning across the opening due to the Dytherium's loss of attitude control, and the jarring vibration of crumpling metal was reverberating throughout the Observer. Luckily, the enemy was firing on the opposite side of the ship.

Riley watched as the count reached ten, stayed that way for a few seconds, and then resumed. He visualized Midan fumbling with the console. He had to wait until the count reached about three so that the enemy would not come after him and be too far away from the implosion of that baseball sized anti-matter sun that the Dytherium was riding on.

On the bridge Midan knelt down and entered a state of meditation and prayer. He had done the right thing. He had sent the fledgling Gareb-Socar on the path that he was destined to travel and carried out the universe’s divine initiative. Ironically, in his life he could see everyone else’s future but his own and as death faced him he now realized that what he helped others to avoid was in actuality a part of the universe’s cycle of thought. Now he would be able to pass into the next realm with a sense of honor and completion.

When the countdown reached three Riley fired up the engines and on full burn blasted out of the spacebay. Distance between the Dytherium and the Observer increased rapidly. In the corner of his eyes Riley saw a bright flash and knew that it was over. Ionized particles pelted the hull of the Observer as it traveled into the great black expanse of space.