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Universe War (Mission Activated) In pursuit of lost secrets.
General Okto-Bar had been a man of battle, but had found his true calling at Alpha Station. He had found a fascination and an odd sort of peace in managing the goings-on of the vast station, and he had done so ably for the last four years. He had grown fond of the aliens who, like him, called this place "home," and had made friendships among their number that would last a lifetime. The thought of peril to them, to his fellow humans, to this station that for centuries had stood as a beacon of harmonious interaction and interspecies goodwill and cooperation—it was unacceptable.He had anticipated, with good reason, that if he continued to smoothly manage the day-to-day troubles of so enormous a collection of beings, he would be rewarded with a promotion to commander of the place he loved. But Commander Arun Filitt had always been a more immediately arresting figure, and when it was time for Filitt's superiors to give him something to do, Filitt had been given the command of Alpha Statio
Universe War (Mission Activated) Prologue
The stars were not eternal, but they were ancient, nearly beyond reckoning. Much had their judgeless gazes witnessed in the system ruled by Sol, especially the activity clustered around the third planet from that star. By that world’s calendar, in the year 1975, something momentous occurred above it. From separate places on this planet, known to its inhabitants as "Earth," a pair of nations had launched what would later be deemed "primitive" space vessels. For the first time in Earth's history, two ships would be joined together, and the inhabitants could move freely between them.The momentous "handshake in space," both a literal one and a figurative one, occurred between astronaut Brigadier General Thomas Stafford of the Apollo and Alexey Leonov of the Soyuz. There were smiles and joy and a sense of connection, and the two men became and stayed steadfast friends through the decades that unfurled.What happened in 1998 at Alpha Space Station in orbit around the blue-green world was n
Universe War (Mission Activated) A Peaceful Dawn Shattered: The Invasion of Lïho-Minaa's World
The living light above her waved its glowing filaments gently; in this, it was like all things in the world, in tune with the stars, seasons, sun, and sea. She responded to the gradually increasing illumination by opening her impossibly blue eyes, blinking peacefully, slowly awake, welcoming the new day with the same tranquility with which she had welcomed slumber the evening before.Her soft, still-drowsy gaze took in the warm pink and coral hues of her bedchamber. Light spilled down the curving staircase, and the shiny surfaces of the enormous shell's walls and ceiling picked up the gleam and suffused the room with rosy brightness.Her skin caught the light, too; a white that was so much more than a stark, single color. It was decorated with images that changed shape as her moods did: art of the spirit.Pale and celestial-seeming as moonlight, her smooth, soft skin held every color of the rainbow blended into a pearlescent, ever-shifting, subtle glow.She was Lïho-Minaa, and she was
Universe War (Mission Activated) The Tragedy on Mül
The village was a layered collection of shells, their graceful, sloping forms clustered companionably together around spiral steps and open plaza areas. The royal palace, home to Emperor Haban-Limaï and his family, was a collection of shells adorned with exquisite carvings and metalwork. It sat in a place of honor, at the highest point of the village, overlooking the shore and the ocean. In front of it was the largest plaza in the village. Once, it had been the site of performances, both oratory and musical; it had showcased dancing and art, and had been a place for pleasant gatherings.Now, it was crowded with frightened people, their eyes gazing skyward, round and terror-filled, as pieces of something that had once been huge and was now broken and alien and dangerous slammed down everywhere they looked. The emperor was a calm individual, who had led his people wisely and with care. All eyes turned to him, hoping against hope that he would somehow be able to stop whatever was happeni
Universe War (Mission Activated) The Last Wave
Was there time, even now? It would be but the work of a few seconds—But her death, the death of the world, was approaching with vicious speed. A gargantuan fireball was on his daughter’s heels, a cruel yellow-orange wave of incineration. If he opened the hatch now—if he let her in, saved her life—he would put everyone else inside at risk if he could not get the door closed in time. The fireball would scamper greedily through the faintest crack, and then everyone on board would join the burned, motionless shapes of the vessel’s original crew.She saw it in his eyes, and hers flew open wider. She struck the portal window with her small fists. All he could do was look with profound grief at her, his first-born, the embodiment of all the goodness he saw daily in the world.After a few seconds, the pounding slowed, stopped. Tears poured down her face, but there was no longer terror in her expression. Only understanding, and sorrow.Oh, my little girl…Shaking, she pressed her forehead to
Universe War (Mission Activated) Galaxy-Hopping Bad Boy
Eliza took advantage of his distressed state to link one long, lovely, and deceptively strong leg around his waist, used Jasper's own weight against him, and to his surprise flipped him as neatly as he had her a few moments ago. Smirking slightly, she relieved him of the cool beverage. He gazed up at her as she took a sip, not at all unhappy with the moment. Eliza was at once both completely dependable and highly mercurial—a neat trick, one he'd never seen anyone other than her master. They had worked together for two years, and in that time, she had blown all his previous partners out of the water. There was quite literally nothing he didn't admire or respect about her. Even as he had the thought, he amended it; Eliza appeared to be completely immune to Jasper's charms, which were considerable, even if he did say so himself.But for the present moment, all was well in his world. Eliza made no move to change her position, continuing to sip her drink and peruse him with blue eyes brigh
Universe War (Mission Activated) Playlist problems and personal history
"Alex can we see the playlist?" dozens of images flashed up on one of the many screens pictures of attractive humanoid females one after another. Slightly panicked Jasper stared at the images as if the women were about to attack him. One attractive woman who was standing right in front of him just might. Eliza advanced past him her jaw set. Jasper felt his face grow hot. How the hell had she known about this?"Hey!" he protested. "Most of them are coworkers that's it!" It was true. Well mostly. Eliza turned arching a brow. "Really? Coworkers?"He nodded."Well in that case where's my picture?" Jasper had no answer for that and so simply stared at her like a woodland creature in a beam of bright light."Yeah," she said, and it seemed to him that there was genuine emotion in her words, "that's what I thought." Jasper grasped her arm. "Eliza those girls mean nothing to me. Okay, I admit it, I took a few detours when I was younger, but so what?"The sergeant pointed to one of the pictures
Universe War (Mission Activated) Arrival on Kirian
A flurry of diagrams appeared on the monitor, flashing past in rapid succession. Though they were incomprehensible to Jasper, Alex absorbed the information at lightning speed."See anything abnormal?" Jasper asked, shifting slightly in his seat. He was more worried than he had thought."Your cerebral activity is a little more intense than usual," Alex confirmed, adding almost blandly, "You received external waves."What the hell was that?"Explain.""These waves don't come from your memory. Somebody is sending you the images."Jasper went a little cold inside. "Do you know who? And where they came from?""Negative," Alex replied, her voice holding regret. She wasn't a person, but she had a personality, and she disliked being unable to answer any question the agents threw at her. "They could come from the present or the past, and from anywhere in the universe.""Leaving exospace," Eliza called over to Jasper. The young major did not respond. He was too busy pondering Alex's unsettling
Latest Chapter
- Universe War (Mission Activated) In pursuit of lost secrets.
- Universe War (Mission Activated) Chasing Shadows: The Search for Jasper in Enemy Territory
- Universe War (Mission Activated) The Chase: Pursuing Commander Filitt's Ship
- Universe War (Mission Activated) The Chase Begins
- Universe War (Mission Activated) The Attack of the Pearls: A Major's Battle for Survival
- Universe War (Mission Activated) The Doghan Daguis' Intel and the Intruders
- Universe War (Mission Activated) Security Council Meeting: The Commander's Address and Questions from Alien Dignitaries
- Universe War (Mission Activated) The Interrogation and a Dream Come True
- Universe War (Mission Activated) The Red Zone: A Deadly Threat to Alpha Station