Earth's Last Days: The Invasion

Drell and his men paced their cells in agitation. Some of them were angry, others fearful. They didn't know why they were in the cells yet. Each wore the customary prisoner clothing: A thin shirt and pants. A guard stood in front of their cells as they waited for Council Leader Niki to speak with them.

The corridor door slid open, and Council Leader Niki, Fleet Commander Lerian, and a medic walked in. Stopping at Drell's cell, Niki stared at him. "You didn't tell us that this planet wasn't yours. You didn't tell us that you invaded this planet because you depleted the resources of your own. You told us nothing," she told him angrily.

Drell folded his arms, ignoring her questions. He was clearly angry about being placed in the cells. "Why am I in a cell? We did nothing wrong?" he spat out. Anger flowed through him like water.

"You made us believe this planet was yours. I'm willing to work with you, only for the fact that there are innocent children involved. I will build a dome around the governing city. Only a dome. You will have to live in the dwellings in the city. I will even give your replicator back. What I am attempting to determine is if I should bring all ten thousand of your people to the city. According to our scans, most of them are already in the city. The leaders wanted them to see the execution. There are very few outside of it," Niki told him evenly.

Drell narrowed his eyes at Council Leader Niki; he wanted the whole planet and not just one city. "The planet is ours!" he yelled.

Council Leader Niki smiled. "You are twenty-three percent of the population. Two percent are offspring between the two races. Seventy-five percent of the population is the race to which the planet belongs. Truth serum was used on someone in your group. The serum doesn't lie. That's the point of truth serum. Since you don't have a true planet any longer, we will make a safe city on this one. You did choose it, after all." Her tone showed that she was laughing at him. She had all the information he had kept from her.

Drell paced the cell. His brother was in the one directly across from him. He was listening to the conversation. He stayed quiet as he watched his brother face off with the female council leader.

Breaking the face-off between the two, Gaf walked up to the barrier, being careful not to touch it. "How long will it take to build a dome over the city?" he asked quietly.

Council Leader Niki turned to Gaf. "Three days."

"Will it protect us from the masters? Will they be able to come into it?" Gaf asked. Worry crossed his features.

"The plasma dome is controlled on the inside. It has blast shields as well as a plasma dome. If the planet is attacked or the need for a stronger shield arises, you can close the blast shields," Council Leader Niki explained. "We will have to keep the city sedated during its construction. We are also watching the perimeter for anyone coming toward it. If they are of your kind, they will be allowed to pass. If not, they will be sedated and then moved out of range. We are also keeping the planet's communications down so none of the cities can communicate."

"We will be stuck in the dome?" Gaf asked. His tone was quiet. He was fearful of being confined.

"It is a protective barrier. You can come and go as you please. It keeps those out who you wish to stay out. If you want them to come in, then you can let them in," Council Leader Niki explained. "We are making panels as we speak. We will bring them down once we have enough and place them as quickly as we can. You will need to find all the tunnel systems of the city and make sure they're guarded or closed. We are willing to build the dome, but nothing more."

Gaf nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly. From what he heard of their conversation, they were willing to make sure that they were all safe. He was grateful.

Council Leader Niki turned toward Drell. "You will remain in the cells until the dome is built. When the dome is finished, you and your group will be taken to the surface and placed in the dome. We have already started training on how to operate the dome with one of your people. They can teach you once you're all inside. The dome keeps others out but does not prevent anyone from leaving. It will be a safe place for you and your people."

Without saying anything more, she turned and left. The guards and the medic followed behind her.

Once out of sight, Gaf looked at his brother. "At least we're given protection," he stated quietly.

Drell frowned. "I wanted the planet!" he hissed quietly, not wanting to be heard by their guards.

"The female leader is correct. It isn't truly our planet. We left ours because we had no choice. We thought we could take someone else's. We failed. They made us slaves for trying to take it. Perhaps once we have the dome, we will live in peace, away from those who try to harm us," Gaf whispered. "I want peace. I don't want to be a slave. This dome will protect us from being that."

*** *** ***

Aleigha stood near them, listening to their conversation. She had a personal cloaking device on, so they didn't see her come in. She wanted to know if they were going to try anything when they were sent to the dome. Aleigha felt that Gaf was the voice of reason. Drell was not thinking straight, and his younger brother was doing his best to talk him down.

"I wanted the planet!" Drell hissed quietly. "I don't want to hide in a dome. I want the planet!"

One of his men, several cells down, spoke. "The female leader is correct. It's not our planet. She is trying to make a safe place for us since we no longer have a planet that is ours. The dome they propose protects us, but does not contain us. We can come and go as we wish. We will no longer live in fear as we sleep."

Drell paced the cell in agitation while his brother Gaf watched. Suddenly, Drell punched the wall of the cell. The sound of breaking bones echoed through the cell. The impact of his fist hitting the wall had broken several bones in his hand.

Drell stared at his fist, seeing the blood drip through the broken skin of his knuckles. A plan formed in his mind. He grinned widely.

"What are you grinning for, brother?" Gaf asked quietly. "You injured yourself because of your anger."

"When the medic arrives to treat my injuries, we can get out of here," Drell said, grinning.

Unseen, Aleigha smiled at that because, as far as she knew, the Ramesians didn't treat prisoners.

Gaf paced his own cell. He was worried about his brother. He was going to get himself killed because of his anger. "I will not help you," he said, stopping to look at Drell. His eyes were narrowed as he watched his brother.

"Nor will I," another voice called from two cells down. "You will get us all killed. They are treating us well for not telling them the truth. They are helping us have a safe place on this planet. I will not help you mess that up."

Aleigha quietly watched them. It was clear Drell was on his own. None of the others were willing to help him.

Drell suddenly yelled, ignoring his people's protests. "Medic!"

Sighing, Aleigha rushed down the hall toward the entrance. When the door opened, she grabbed the medic's sleeve and yanked him backward, preventing him from entering the hallway into the cells.

When the door slid closed, Aleigha revealed herself. Looking at the medic, she blocked the door to the cells. "Drell punched the wall and injured his hand. He plans on trying to escape. None of the others seems to be willing to help him. Let him bleed. He did it to himself."

The medic nodded. "I will not treat him. I am required to make sure that no one has died. I will look at him, but will not go through the barrier. He is a prisoner. We do not help prisoners."

Aleigha nodded, stepping back for the medic to enter the cells. Aleigha walked behind him. She was visible and without the cloaking shield.

The medic stopped at Drell's cell. "You called for a medic. There are very few reasons for me to treat you. Prisoners do not get treatment unless it is called for by the Council Leader. What is the reason you called?" the medic asked Drell.

Aleigha watched the medic's eyes go to the wall. One narrow black brow raised. A smirk formed on his lips. There was a spatter of blood still wet from where Drell hit the wall. Aleigha smiled inwardly. There was proof of what he had done.

Drell held his hand up for the medic to see. His knuckles appeared shattered as the blood flowed, dripping from the broken skin on his hand.

The medic smiled widely. "That looks like it hurts. Your hand looks broken." He said sarcastically. His eyes went to the wall, then back to Drell. "I do not believe you will hit the wall again," he said, pointing to the still-wet spatter of blood. "If you do, it may not heal properly."

Drell looked at the medic. "You're not going to treat it?" he asked evenly.

The medic laughed. "We don't treat prisoners. You did that to yourself. That indicates you are trying to use an injury to break free. We will not allow it."

The medic turned and walked back down the hall, laughing as he went. When the door opened, he stepped through, paying no more attention to any of the prisoners.

Drell watched him leave in disbelief. He really thought they would treat his hand. He was wrong.