Ancient Astronauts

Hans' Mission

"I want to thank you for coming, Admiral."

"Of course, Ma'am," Hans replied.

The president of the United States had summoned him to the White House a couple months before the Astral Ark was to depart. He and Alyonna hadn't decided yet whether they wanted to be on it. Surprisingly the White House was still standing despite the devastation wreaked on the nation's capital by the combined forces of the Eastern powers. Hans wasn't sure what the meeting was about.

"Hans, I have a very special mission for you. Are you still prepared to serve your country or have the accolades and laurels of a national hero gone to your head?"

Hans chuckled at this, "I am at your service, Mrs. Beaufort."

The dark haired woman sitting behind the desk of the Oval Office smiled warmly at him, "Admiral Hans, I am in need of a commander I can trust completely. Your track record is quite impressive. A laundry list of medals and accolades, most of them beginning with 'hero of'. I'm honestly amazed you can still walk with your uniform weighed down more than those of the few remaining kings of the Earth."

Hans smiled at the praise, "There's a trick to it, ma'am."

"What's that?"

"Spinach, ma'am."

Hans was sure she could be heard laughing in the Rotunda. Her eyes squinted like a cat who just got away with a crime.

"I almost forgot. You also come highly recommended by your men. Now I see why. You probably had them laughing like it was a comedy show at the Battle of Yanjing."

"I didn't need to, Ma'am. At that point, the enemy were so badly beaten, it practically was a joke. They only put up token resistance for pride's sake. The ES knew they lost when we shattered the NSF."

Hans waited patiently while President Beaufort eyed him carefully, and, Hans thought, approvingly, "When you destroyed their North Sea Fleet, Admiral."

Hans dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Admiral," she switched back to a formal tone, "I want...Nay say better, I need you to command the Astral Ark and pilot her safely to Proxima-B. Then I need you to lead the colony until a colonial government can be established. Will you do this for me?"

Hans was too shocked to reply. The president sat patiently while he thought.

Piloting the Astral Ark and establishing the first human colony on another world would be the crowning achievement of his life. But he already had accomplished so many things by the young age of twenty-eight.

Born in the fifth year of the Fifth World War, he had grown up pouring every ounce of his strength into becoming the biggest, baddest soldier he could. And he did it. He wasn't called America's Super Soldier for nothing. Though he would've preferred an epithet closer to his favorite superhero.

He'd met Alyonna when he was twelve years old. He knew she was the one from the moment he saw her. Most importantly she knew who and what he was, a soldier, and knew what he had to do.

But he had done it. The war was over. He could settle down now and make a family with her. They'd won...And yet they lost. Half the Earth's surface was a toxic, radioactive wasteland. Half the remaining habitable zone was in ruins. 

What's worse, as the Earth's systems moved, the seas, rivers, and wind shuffled the radioactive fallout around, encroaching on the remaining habitable area. Cleanup efforts just couldn't keep up with it yet, especially with so much critical infrastructure destroyed.

As a national hero, he could live in an area that wouldn't be touched by fallout for a hundred years, if ever. Who knew? Once the nations got back on their feet, they may even be able to clean it up...maybe.