Alien Mask (3) Alex rolls over in his bed and looks at his alarm clock. It displays 2:11 a.m. A few minutes later, Alex opens his eyes to look at the alarm clock. It is missing. Alex jumps up from his bed and wakes up the rest of the group, who are now sleeping in a place which is different from the cabin belonging to the on call rangers. According to a voice in Joshua's head, the group has been beamed up to an alien vessel. The group of rangers notice an insect holding a red-tipped rod and a dark silvery mass of jelly in the shape of a polyhedron [a Bug Guard and a Metallic Scientist] standing at the opposite side of the room near a wall of knight weaponry. To show their hospitality, the aliens will lead the humans, except for Joshua who the aliens want to talk to, on a tour of the spaceship. The two aliens and the human group are made invisible and then reappear in a corridor outside of the group's enclosed room to embark on the tour. [The Metallic Scientist uses a translator box to decode its unspoken language for the human visitors.] Before laying down again, Joshua looks around the quarters and can not see any visible exit. Joshua begins to lay down but is startled by the Voice. The Voice tells him to look towards the medieval armor wall. When the Metallic unblocks all memories related to the alien encounters, Joshua recalls the metallic polyhedron from his dreams. The Metallic tells Joshua that he is looking at the source of the voice which had been communicating with him on Earth. The alien then decides to try and calm Joshua's fears by letting him call it "Mercury," giving him the real reason of the aliens' presence, and showing him how Mercury saved him from suicide. Chapter XII Mon. - 2:34 a.m., June 13 Mercury's story begins: After fleeing their home planet because of their banishment by the Bug Council for attempting to overthrow the Council, the Metallics came to Earth for possible refuge since Earth's atmosphere would be the easiest to make livable for the Bugs and Metallics. The Metallics started studying the world's different cultures by invading people's minds, decoding their language, and understanding how people lived. But later most Metallics became convinced by Bug Officers to destroy Earth's inhabitants because they determined that the only way the Bug clan could survive on this planet was to remove the ozone layer. Removal of the ozone layer would eventually cause the demise of all humans, according to Metallic research, and then the Bugs and Metallics could finally call Earth their home. To rid Earth of its ozone layer, the aliens knew they would need the assistance of a human. After analyzing several thousand humans, Joshua was selected to scan the Rockies region and Mercury was assigned to be his communication liaison. While studying Joshua to determine if he was a viable helper, Mercury became exposed to Christianity and was affected so strongly by his friends' testimonies and Christ-like actions that it started to think about becoming a Christian. As for the suicide salvation, Mercury knew that if they were going to utilize Joshua to scan the Rockies, it had to 1) beam Joshua up to the ship, 2) create a bonding link between Mercury and Joshua to be able to have mind conversations and to transfer knowledge from Mercury to Joshua, 3) implant knowledge into Joshua for him to use in adding flying and scanning capabilities to his Express car and also implant a self-centered desire to complete the task at any cost, 4) create a duplicate gun with seven empty chambers, 5) remove this incident from Joshua's memory [removed during beam down], and 6) beam Joshua back to his cabin in the same position. Following the completion of the Metallic's story, Joshua asks the metallic alien about its symbol on the front and Mercury responds by saying that the symbols are unique signatures to designate each Metallic's area of expertise and the rank within the area. The areas include Leadership Officers, Communication Liaisons, and Technology Scientists. The Metallic which is in charge of all Metallic plan of operations is the General. A Metallic's area of expertise and rank will vary depending on what clan the Metallic is travelling with. Mercury concludes by telling Joshua that it currently ranks as a Leader of the Communication Liaison. Because of its growing concern for the safety of the kidnapped humans and being against the decision to annihilate all human lifeforms, Mercury is willing to disobey orders by helping the group escape and save Earth. Mercury creates a device from within its silvery jelly mass and gives it to Joshua without any instructions. Lastly, Mercury reproduces a Bible for Joshua as a gift for his friendliness during this stressful situation, which Mercury is partly to blame. As Mercury senses the group's imminent return from the tour, Mercury disappears, but not before implanting knowledge, which details the operations of the Mercury-created device and the initial stages of the escape plan, into Joshua's mind. The group reappears in their sleeping quarters without the alien tour guides. Thirty minutes later, Joshua enacts Mercury's plan. He does not know what the Mercury-created device will do, and the rest of the rangers are unaware of the escape plan. Joshua attaches the device to the energy cable which feeds into the communication console and turns it on. The lights dim. The group becomes restless. Joshua punches a code into the communication console and starts to detach the device from the energy cable. As Joshua is removing the device, Bug Guards appear in the group quarters. [The Bugs were able to monitor where the disruption of energy flow occurred.] The Bug Guards confiscate the device and give Joshua a severe beating with their laser rods. During the beating, the Bug Guards' commander summons them to bring Joshua over to the communication console to receive a message from Joshua's commander on Earth. [While monitoring calls to the group's cabin on Earth, the Bug Officers decided to intercept the call because the commander had called several times in the early morning hours and did not want to raise unnecessary suspicions.] The Bug Guards drag Joshua to the communication console. [Mercury interprets for Joshua what the Bug Guards are telling Joshua so that the Guards do not become impatient due to miscommunication and begin killing humans.] The rescue team's commander orders Joshua to send his team to Switzerland to support an international rescue team to aid in the search of 1,000+ people who have been buried by an avalanche. [Alien droids had set off the avalanche accidentally while flying by at night.] Joshua calls the backup team and orders them to Switzerland and places emergency backup crew on call for any local rescue situations. Chapter XIII Mon. - 7:01 a.m., June 13 Later that morning, Mercury wakes Joshua up. Joshua then awakens the rest of the crewmembers. Mercury tells Joshua that he will have to type a command code on the communication console and have the rangers run through the armor wall immediately before the Bug Officers can close and lock the door. [The code will remove the energy field protecting the armor wall.] The rangers are hesitant at first because of having to run into a mace. After convincing the rangers that the plan is safe, Joshua types in the code, and they hurry through the door, but Joshua, who is last, gets his leg caught in the closing door. Ben and Alex are successful in pulling Joshua free. An alarm sounds after the Bug Officers detect the escape. Through corridors which the Bug Officers are unable to lock [Mercury knows which corridors will be unlocked from memorizing the ship's blueprints.], Mercury leads the rangers to the shuttle bay. Chapter XIV Mon. - 7:28 a.m., June 13 After the group enters the shuttle bay, camouflaged Bug Guards climb down from the ceiling which the group had just passed under and start firing their laser rods. The Guards have taken the shape of Earth insects, such as ants, beetles, scorpions and cockroaches. Alex is shot in the face. Hiding behind supply boxes, Mora, Ben, and Sara try to aid Alex, but his eyes turn flaming red and he dies. Mercury, who is positioned behind the group, zaps one of the camouflaged Bug Guards that is still attached to the ceiling, and Sara grabs its weapon. Using Joshua to translate its instructions, Mercury explains to the group how to operate the laser rod. The Bug Guard reinforcements arrive, and a Metallic Scientist appears to ensure that Mercury does not zap any more Bug Guards. A Bug Guard which is hiding on the bay ceiling shoots at Joshua. Joshua sees the Bug Guard at the last moment and uses his Bible to shield himself. Joshua yells, "Lord, help me!" The force of the shot propels Joshua into several stacked crates which tumble onto him and momentarily knocks him out. When Joshua returns to a conscious state, he notices that his face is covered by some sort of mask. After determining that he is wearing a suit of armor, Joshua also sees a sword on the ground. He picks it up with both hands. Then Bug Guards start to fire at him and, without thinking, Joshua deflects the shot, which fatally hits another Bug Guard, with his newly found sword. With his thumb, Joshua accidentally presses a cross symbol on the handle which causes a laser to shoot from the sword's tip and almost hits Ben. The group is able to hold their own while using the dead Bug Guards' laser rods and Joshua's weapon of knights. After learning about the Bug Commander's plan to destroy Earth, Mercury sends a message to Joshua concerning the rangers' retreat to the control room. Following Mercury's message, Joshua's armor disappears. Joshua thanks God and then gathers the group to lead them to the control room. [The group is able to leave several laser rods on auto-shoot to keep the Bug Guards occupied during their escape to the control room.] The Bug Guard for the control room is not at his normal station because it is currently aiding at the shuttle bay skirmish. With Mercury's assistance, Joshua scans the control room and sees a Bug Commander, a Bug Weapons Officer, a Bug Communications Officer, two Bug Pilots, and the Metallic General. While hiding in the control room, Joshua is able to understand the alien conversations through Mercury's interpretations. He hears the Bug Commander recalling the droid ship to help contain the humans. Chapter XV Mon. - 8:26 a.m., June 13 The Bug Officers start their plan in motion to destroy Earth. The Bug Pilots turn on the power generator for the laser cannon and flip switches on the ship's warp drive console to prepare for a warp speed exodus. Mercury sends a message to Joshua on how he might be able to save Earth. Without giving the group a reason for his sudden departure, Joshua crawls down a corridor which connects to the control room. Five minutes later, the Bug Commander shouts the order to fire the laser cannon. Joshua has not yet returned. The laser fires at Earth and a huge explosion occurs. Before the Bug Commander can give the warp speed order, Mora screams and is shot in the leg by the Bug Weapons Officer. [Joshua was returning from his mission and was still twenty feet away when he saw Mora shot.] Because Mercury can tell Mora is in trouble through Joshua's eyes, Mercury appears and zaps the Bug Weapons Officer dead, even though it could be zapped for being a traitor. As the Metallic General is about to zap Mercury [a Metallics color will change to a bright silver before discharging], Mora fires the dead Bug Weapons Officer's laser rod at the Metallic General which glances off the Metallic and hits the warp drive console, causing the warp drive system to become disabled. During the commotion, Mercury transports to the shuttle bay, and the group escapes from the control room, with a badly limping Mora taking up the rear, and run down the corridor which leads to the shuttle bay. Unfortunately, Mora was unable to kill the Metallic General. Because while she was limping toward the shuttle bay entrance, the Metallic General appears between her and the rest of the group. It zaps Mora before she has a chance to scream. Joshua senses Mercury charging for a zap and pushes Sara and Ben to the floor. Located beyond the group and near a shuttle, Mercury zaps the Metallic commander. Mercury recharges to zap three nearby Bug Guards. Meanwhile, an unmonitored screen displays that the recalled droid ship's blip has disappeared from the screen. [The Bug Communications Officer, who was in charge of monitoring the screen, had moved to the weapons console occupied by the Bug Weapons Officer, who was incinerated by Mercury.] Chapter XVI Mon. - 8:58 a.m., June 13 Joshua tries to convince Mercury to come to Earth, but Mercury reminds him that it cannot stay on Earth unless the ozone layer is removed. To help Mercury escape, Ben volunteers to pilot a shuttle carrying Mercury to an unknown destination. [The shuttles have been transformed into copies of Earth types and Ben had simulator training on them during an unsuccessful attempt to be a NASA shuttle pilot. Ben is able to operate the controls, even though each control's description is written in Bug symbols, because they are in the same position as the simulator.] Joshua will pilot the other shuttle. Mercury will embed instructions in Joshua's mind on to how to operate the controls and interpret the Bug symbols. After the knowledge is transferred, Mercury regretfully breaks the bond linkage between Joshua and itself. As the two crafts depart, several Bug Guards shoot lasers at them with little effect. The bay door begins to close and hits the back of Joshua's shuttle causing three of the four engines to shut down. Sara, Mora, and Joshua are able to escape safely, even though their spacecraft can only obtain cruising speed. [Mars is to the left of them.] Chapter XVII Mon. - 9:14 a.m., June 13 Bug Officers monitor the shuttles escaping but do not destroy them with lasers. When Mercury's shuttle flies behind Uranus, the Bug Commander orders the Bug Communication Officer to charge up the laser cannon and shoot Uranus. The laser destroys Uranus and Mercury's shuttle. Another blip appears on the unmonitored tracking screen. The trio become sullen when they see the laser being shot towards Ben and Mercury's shuttle and Sara sees their blip disappear on the shuttle's short range tracking monitor. The Bugs recharge the laser cannon and aim it at Joshua's creeping craft when the Bug ship is rocked by a laser blast of an unknown source. The Bug Communication Officer moves to the tracking monitor and notices a new blip by Jupiter. It displays information on the screen which describes what kind of vessel is shooting at them. The vessel is a Bug Patrol Armada Warship. [The Bug Council had ordered the death penalty for all the Bugs which were involved in the overthrow attempt, but before the sentence could be carried out, the Bug prisoners escaped aboard the spaceship (set on auto-pilot) carrying the banished Metallics. The warship was sent to track down the evasive Bugs and annihilate them.] Before the Bugs can react, the warship fires a missile at the ships engines which causes a chain reaction of deadly consequences. The Bug ship is destroyed. Due to the explosion's shockwaves, Joshua's shuttle hurls toward the sun and finally reaches a resting position at the dark side of the Earth's moon. Chapter XVIII Mon. - 10:05 a.m., June 13 When the ship becomes still, Joshua checks the condition of Mora. She is very weak. Using the last bit of her strength, Mora whispers into Joshua's ear, "Persevere the hardships and finish the race that Jesus has marked out for us. And...I love you." After realizing what God has done in his Christian friends' lives and that God will love him no matter how often he fails, Joshua looks up into the heavens to recommit his life to God. When he returns his attention to Mora, Joshua finds that Mora has died. Joshua sulkily places the Mercury-created Bible on her chest and lays her hand on top. Meanwhile, Sara, who did not notice that Mora had just died, yells with excitement on seeing the edge of Earth come into view. Joshua tells Sara about Mora's death and she becomes sad, too. Chapter XIX Mon. - 11:17 a.m., June 13 Soon after the space shuttle clears the moon, a voice from Earth hails them and asks for identification. The voice sounds foreign to Sara because, according to the information stored in Joshua's brain, this ship, which had been in the process of being converted into a droid ship, has a bi-translator installed so that the droids could communicate with human personnel. [A bi-translator will convert English transmissions to Bug and Bug transmissions to English.] When Sara answers them, they can not understand her language. From knowledge implanted into Joshua's mind by Mercury, Joshua is able to bypass the bi-translator module. Sara replies again to the Communications Officer . [Otherwise, they would have been shot down if there was no English response.] She explains to the officer that they are returning to Earth after being kidnapped by unknown assailants, and the unknown assailants are dead now. The officer asks them if they have any information regarding the unexpected space station explosion. After remembering seeing the space station on the monitor screen before the Bugs shot their laser at Earth, Sara understands what actually caused the explosion but lies to the officer by telling him that she does not know. [Following months of researching the incident, NASA reports that it was a reactor malfunction, which several engineers were investigating when the station exploded.] Even though he is sad about his best friend's death, Joshua realizes that she is with Jesus now and becomes happy again. Joshua then looks out at the stars and wonders what has happened to Mercury. [Joshua senses that Mercury is still alive somewhere.] Chapter XX Mercury is pulled in by Neptune's gravity, while the other Metallics which were on the escaping Bug ship when it exploded are either floating in empty space forever, floating in the asteroid belt, landing on the polar cap of Mars, being pulled into Jupiter's Red Eye, or fizzling during entry into Earth's atmosphere. While trapped on Neptune, Mercury ponders about Christianity and tries to use rationale thinking to decide if it needs salvation. [Will you accept God's free gift of salvation today?] Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Copyright © 2002 John Barnovsky |