A Medal For Mary by Rob Astor (best books to read for self improvement TXT) 📕

the window. “Marie, you must come and see this. It is so beautiful.” He turned back. “The New Zimlliaans are here.”
Mary stared at him a moment, then turned her attention back to the picture on the TV screen. The three space craft cast an immense dark shadow on green harbor waters. She walked toward her lover. “Who?” she asked.
“The New Zimlliaans,” Jeanclair said.
“New Zimlliaans?” she whispered.
“Oui,” Jeanclair confirmed dividing his gaze between the unimaginable sight of gigantic alien spaceships and his lover. “They made contact just a few days ago.”
“Contact?”
“They wish to come here.”
“What do you mean here?”
“To Earth. Are you feeling well?” Jeanclair asked.
“Yes.” She gazed blankly out the window. “We were in Paris. The New Zimlliaans hadn’t arrived yet. But, Nazis were planning war.”
Jeanclair smiled. “Ah, my dear, you had a nightmare.” He stole a glance at the three alien space ships sliding in over Manhattan Island. “That explains why you are so confused, non?”
Mary nodded. The gargantuan New Zimlliaan ships passed over the Empire State Building, casting their ominous shadows over a skyline of man made mountains. A rumbling rippled up through the floor. The glass window vibrated.
Below, Mary saw traffic had stopped. Above blaring horns, multitudes of screams arose. Droves of people filled the streets. Some pointed up at the alien vultures. Most ran.
They attack. I remember. They promise cooperation with Earth in exchange for using land to grow crops and some water. But, their real intention is to conquer. It starts with an invasion after a historic meeting with the United Nations.
One of the three ships cast its shadow across Mary’s suite. She gazed up at the metal underside as it slowly took position in the sky above. “There’s going to be a war,” Mary said.
Jeanclair studied Mary for long moments. “War?”
“Yes. I’m sure of it.” Her eyes never left the passing craft.
“Was this a part of your dream?” Jeanclair asked.
“No… Yes.” She sighed, shaking her head from side-to-side. Her weary eyes contacted Jeanclair’s. “We have to get out of New York.”
Shaking rattled the windows. The bed shifted against the wall. A lamp fell off the stand. Mary swayed backward. Jeanclair took her arms. Mary stared at the scene beyond their suite. Brick buildings crumbled. Huge slabs broke loose, slamming into the sidewalks and pavement, crushing people and vehicles.
Streets split open with deep drop fissures, swallowing vehicles and debris. The rumbling intensified. The television signal was scrambled. Lights flickered on and off. The whole building lazily rocked back and forth. Glass windows cracked. Some shattered, explosively blowing shards onto helpless victims below. A gas main down the street ruptured, belching a tall orange-red column of fire high above light and utility poles that sway in time to a crazed waltz.
Breaking thrusters aboard the alien ships fired, blasting out windows with sonic shock waves. Mary turned as the window crumbled, falling in a glittering rain of pellets. High overhead, thermal energy churned in the form of flames looping wildly around the space craft. They gradually lessened in ferocity, dissipating completely as the ships slowed. The ship almost directly over Mary and Jeanclair’s suite fell behind the other two. Its flanking pair, smaller than this one, headed toward mainland boroughs.
* * *
Jadyn watched the woman’s breathing quicken for a few seconds. Her eyelids fluttered and her arm twitched ever so slightly. “Commander.”
The senior New Zimlliaan walked briskly to the pyre. “What is it, Jadyn?”
“There are slight changes in her physical stasis, sir. Nothing major. Accelerated respiration, rapid eye movement, and a muscle spasm.”
“All symptoms characteristic of a dream state,” Javen said. “Take note of any other changes you observe. I must return to the ship and welcome a newcomer sent by Fleet Commander Amphisbaena.”
“Yes, sir.” Jadyn saluted.
* * *
Parked in near planetary orbit, the equilateral triangle of the New Zimlliaan ship was dotted with hundreds of greenish-gray lights. A second ship of the same dimension was not so elegant with a bland charcoal colored hull and minimal bridge lighting. The slave transport completed its docking, fired its thrusters, and pulled gracefully away from the command vessel. Gases spewed from the exhaust glowed faint blue in the icy vacuum.
Standing near the view port in his personal quarters, Javen surveyed a trio of battered Ufan satellites. A computerized chime sounded behind him. Javen turned to his control panel, activating the triangular holographic communications system display. The young features of a Communications Officer appeared. She addressed him quickly. “I apologize for disturbing you, Commander Javen. There’s an urgent message for you from Earth.”
Javen stared at the projection a moment, rubbing his chin. “Put it through.”
Scant seconds passed. The transparent fluid display flickered. A new face filled the imagery projector’s focusing dish, haunting. Disfigured. Her right was brown and very human in appearance. The left was slit vertically like a lizard, and green. She wore a stern expression, forehead covered with a silken cloth of cryptic letters. Her curly black hair faded away at the hologram’s edge.
“Fleet Commander Amphisbaena,” Javen said. “This is unexpected. I couldn’t fathom who would be contacting me from your position.”
“I didn’t contact you to exchange pleasantries, Javen,” she said evenly. “I’m more interested in progress report regarding your experiments. How are they proceeding?”
“Much better than previously expected. The Psionic Dreamer is undergoing its final tests on a living host. At this point, all looks promising. If I may be so bold, your leaving me in charge was a wise idea, Kalyptra.”
“I prefer to say a stroke of genius,” she smiled. “I knew I could depend on you to carry out orders without delay, Javen. You were always supportive of me. You even risked you life to rescue me from Top Command’s plan to have me devoured by the Psionic Dreamer.”
“I must admit, Kalyptra, I’m honored by your praise. However, your conniving earned you this position you have, and your very own invasion task force,” Javen reminded her.
“All that aside, I’ve sent you a temporary recruit I think you’ll find useful,” Commander Amphisbaena said.
“Who?”
“A Sergeant named Leon. He’s an excellent soldier and excels in brutality.” Kalyptra’s voice became a hiss. “I want him terminated.”
Javen paused. “I don’t understand. If you value him, why do you want him dead?”
“His forceful attitude and a recent bungling of simple operations makes him a liability,” she said. “He’s failed me for the last time. I have no further use for him. I’ve sent him to you because I know you’ll organize something that won’t implicate yourself or me in a murder.” Her face softened slightly. Her tone was seductive, sultry, and convincing. “Javen, I would consider this a personal favor. I’ll repay you for your time.”
“Very well, Kalyptra. I will handle it.”
Commander Amphisbaena’s features hardened. She exhaled a quick breath. “Thank you. I will contact you soon. Transmission ends.” The projection dissolved. Javen stared at empty air for several seconds before turning back to his view port. As he watched the stars, he spotted the faint flicker of a ship exiting a hyper-warp wormhole. It was on a trajectory to his ship. Not much time to plot Leon’s disposal.
* * *
“Javen, we both know how Kalyptra is.” Leon grinned. Javen chuckled. The shorter, muscular black man walked beside the officer away from the docking bay. “She gets a crab up her ass and takes it out on everyone else. Mark my words. Someday, it’ll all catch up to her.”
“In the meantime, Sergeant Leon, I have an assignment for you,” Javen cut in.
“I hope it isn’t some damn boring office job,” Leon grumbled. “I’ve had enough of those to last my entire career.”
“No, it isn’t. But, it might be light work for you.”
“Great,” Leon sighed. “What is it?”
“I researched your piloting record. Very few blemishes,” Javen said.
“Most of those are from my academy days.” They turned down another corridor within the labyrinth that was the bowels of the Command Ship.
“True. You have some expertise I’ve been looking for.”
“What’s that?”
“I lack dirigible pilots to fly between trading centers on Ufa.”
“Oh no.” Leon’s head fell. He shook it slowly from side-to-side. “Not goddamn blimps, please, Javen.” His wide eyes fixed on Javen..
Javen’s head tilted slightly. “You got a good reason for so much contempt of that job?”
“Recent bad experience on Mars, is all,” Leon said.
“Sorry to hear that, Leon. I wasn’t aware of it. I have you scheduled to make a run in the morning. Most of my pilots are away in other cities. Those I have available are poor navigators when it comes to wind storms.”
Leon slowly nodded, swallowing. “I see the storms here are more frequent.”
“The planet’s axial tilt is forty-seven point two degrees,” Javen said. “It contributes to the weather, not to mention the hastily erected atmospheric conversion equipment.”
Leon snorted. “Kalyptra’s ego, right?”
Javen’s head dropped as he laughed. “You might say that.” He sobered and faced forward. “Much like Earth, there was continued resistance in the beginning; ongoing petty fighting.” Javen clasped his hands behind him. “Commander Amphisbaena grew tired of the long term power struggle with local governments.”
“I hate to see what happens on Earth,” Leon mumbled.
Javen’s head swung sideways. “Why? Are there problems?”
“Oh yeah,” the black New Zimlliaan nodded. “A helluva lot.” Leon faced his superior. “Piloting sandstorm wastelands isn’t my idea of fulfilling.” Javen smirked.

Chapter IV

The blazing red star Gonouf hung high in the sand blasted blue skies of Ufa. To the north of the agricultural complex, past the fields, were a series of huge bowl-shaped atmospheric converters built within a rocky continental shelf cliff.
The greenery of the crops and flowering buds were all that added color to the brown landscape. Arranged in parallel rows, each plant was spaced a few feet apart. Guard androids survey the slave workers. Hovering irrigators floated slowly along, watering the plants. A slight hum came from their repulsion lift systems. Klexi and Lynn’s clothing was permanently stained brown. Many of the yellow creatures near them chanted or sang unknown songs. Lynn packed dirt around the roots of a plant and brushed dirt from his jeans. Klexi glanced at his companion. “This is hell,” Lynn said, wiping sweat from his forehead, brushing red hair back. “It wouldn’t be so bad if it was something I liked to do.”
Standing, they stretched aching backs and cramped knees. Long drinks of water from canteens came next. The next tray of plants sat at the end of the row. Lynn blew out a breath and shook his head. He looked around. Nothing but desolation.
Lynn whispered so none of the androids would hear him. “Not that I mind toiling away and all, but, have you figured out our escape yet?”
“I need another day or two,”