SECTOR 10 (The CLOUD 2)

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 15

The swarm of daily commuters flying under the transparent shield of Pangaea bursts into clear view when the Nemesis soars beneath thick clouds in Earth's lower atmosphere. Poised to make its first strike on the Yhemlen city, the Nemesis cloaks its outer shell in a field of quantum deflectors that make it invisible to radar and sensors. The Yhemlen have another way to detect intruders, however, using an invisible net of quantum disablers. Defense drones surround the outside of the transparent shield, constantly surveying the area outside Pangaea's bounds.

Venture far enough, and field workers of Yhemlen's labor class can be seen riding on the saddleback of dinosaurs, among other animals they have managed to domesticize at least for a short time. Many are merely herbivores that do not eat other reptiles—Riojasaurus, Sauropelta, and some select flying creatures work best.

When the starship Nemesis comes too close, a Riojasaurus shrills, startled by a faint gust of wind. Its cry is brash, but not threatening. A tired Yhemlen sits up in the saddle, pulling his mount to an abrupt stop. He and his dinosaur companion look up at a faint glow in the sky. An electromagnetic field pulsates vividly upon the outer rim of the shield. Many more Yhemlen stop to watch as the starship Nemesis's quantum field breaks down in incremental steps, pulling at the bubble, the shield, to penetrate it, but it isn't exploding that easy. The Heinemann are at the edge of space right atop the Earth's atmosphere and enter and reenter many times to gain momentum and heat.

"I think we need to deactivate the Q-thrusters and initiate regular fuel for propulsion to save energy," Jasper says. His father Gereon—sits motionless in the Captain's seat.

Heavy thoughts about how to conquer the Yhemlen are slowing their reaction time. Ria hasn't moved from the back lodging, and while Jasper stares out of the window, cracks are forming at the outer edge of the quantum field deflectors. Their translucent glow sparkles in watery waves of blue.

"It's going to give!" Jasper shouts in his pinched voice.

Leaning his body to his right, Gereon's slender arm is covered by a sleeve that latches onto a few buttons aimlessly before it reaches an appropriate nozzle on the Nemesis control panel. Gereon's finger is smooth all around, and the wrinkles where his nail should be throb when he presses the switch for thermonuclear propulsion. The sunny day returns to a clear view, along with the curvature of the horizon in the distance. They'll have to lower altitude if they want to avoid the danger of Yhemlen defenses firing at them.

Fortunately for the Yhemlen, they have already spotted The Concord starship's belly protruding through the clouds. Yet, the Yhemlen are not attacking them. Captain Gereon is well prepared for this offensive, and it soothes the worries of Jasper and Ria who've joined him in this fight.

"Now that we're hovering, I can let you take over the duties of commanding the ship. I'm proud of you, son." Captain Gereon's reflection in his son's eyes distorts his body even more. The pitch-black balls surrounded by almond rings change the color of his eyes to a lighter shade when dilated under darkness. Gereon knows that when he steps out of the starship Nemesis, his eyes will be seething with a vengeance, and black, closed off from the sun's rays once the pupils shrink back in once more. There is more to this than what they can see, and it's what's lurking in dark crevices of the domed city of Pangaea that they must watch out for.

Ria finally stands up straight, puzzled by Gereon's haste. "Shouldn't we wait for reinforcements?" she asks. This is an argument that continues to resurface.

"Precisely, but I'm too old for waiting. Take care of the ship," he says.

"Father, where are you going? Do not do this."