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> Adventures in Parodyverse - Saving the Future Part 27.1
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> The Z’Sox, being a clever sort of conquering race, had protocols in place in case one of the expeditions failed to report back home within a specified amount of time.
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> This particular expedition was to Earth, in order to salvage what was rumored to be a now empty planet.
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> A Z’Sox Battle Cruiser, along with the usual convoy of fighters and smaller cruisers, slipped out of hyperspace and landed in the Sol system only a short distance form Earth.  Their sensor scans told them of a large amount of scrap that used to be their ships, and chunks of what used to be a Dimensional Dreadnaught.
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> There was also very high levels of radiation.  Their sensors classified them as high-yield Earth based nuclear fission weapons.  Then images of Earth fed back from the long-range external cameras and radio receivers.  It showed lights coming from Earth cities, and satellites re-transmitting civilian broadcasts.
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> The Z’Sox transmitted their findings back home.
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> ---
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> Lara Night was nervous aboard the Heart of Light.  She watched the Z’Sox approach on the floor to ceiling hologram, and stop.  They waited for what seemed like an eternity, taking scans, and then they transmitted something.  Now they were sitting there, waiting for orders.
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> She had just left the Captain’s conference room, where she was watching historical video about the Alliance.  It was a symbol of trust from Shen Rae, that Lara was allowed to watch it.  Only their closest allies were aware of anything about them.
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> From watching, Lara learned that the Alliance was originally five races, three of which were from one planet.  They happened to discover space travel about the same time, and had equal technological prowess.  Both of them being fearful of each other, a war which would eclipse any of Earth’s history took place.
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> That war had two major effects.  The arms race leapfrogged both planets’ space based technology far beyond any of the other races they would encounter.  And it frightened the people of both of those planets into seeking a peaceful resolution.
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> Once they had discovered other aggressive races in the galaxy, the two planets formed the Trading Alliance.  Its purpose was twofold - to continue to develop their powerful technology to ensure superiority so that a war like the one they just fought would never occur again, and to pay for that technology through extensive trade with worlds on their way to becoming nearly as advanced.
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> “Translation complete.”  the Communications officer told Captain Shen Rae as Lara’s mind snapped back to reality after pondering what she had seen in the videos.
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> Shen Rae looked at a small viewscreen in front of her chair, and smiled.  “It seems our ruse is succeeding.”
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> “They haven’t left yet.”  Lara pointed out.  “They still might find something wrong with your fake transmissions.”
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> The Comms officer spoke up again.  “I bounced the signal off the Earth satellites so they can’t pinpoint us as the source.”
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> Lara didn’t really listen to that.  They were probably right, but her mind was still full of doubt.  She paced her corner of the bridge, along the guest chairs, so she wouldn’t interfere with the crew’s operations.
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> In spite of Lara’s doubts, the Z’Sox Battle Cruiser turned around slowly and started to leave.  The holographic display showed a color shift that apparently indicated it was about to disappear into hyperspace.
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> “What’s wrong, Lara?”  Shen Rae asked.
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> “Hmm?”  Lara was chewing on her fingernails, and hadn’t really processed the question.  She had too many of her own floating through her mind.  “Oh,”  she said when she finally snapped back to reality.  “I guess I’m worried this isn’t over yet.”
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> Shen Rae looked concerned.  “How so?”
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> Lara explained.  “It’s possible the Z’Sox saw the fragments of their ships, and won’t believe Earth could have destroyed them.  What if the Battle Cruiser only left because they guessed it’s something they can’t handle on their own?”
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> Shen Rae nodded, giving Lara a glimpse of her hidden red eyes.  “I understand.”  she said.  “I’ll stay here until we’re sure they won’t come back.  And if they do...I’ll make them regret it.”
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> The blonde super-hero wasn’t sure whether to be reassured by that, or a little frightened.  Shen Rae hadn’t done anything harmful, however, so she had to give the Captain the benefit of the doubt for now.
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> “No.”  a soft voice insisted on the bridge of the ship.
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> Shen Rae noted the woman with dark robes and silvery skin carefully.  She looked at her bridge crew and noticed that they were all frozen in time...with the exception of herself and Lara.  Not to be someone easily fazed, she simply smiled a greeting.
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> “You must leave now.”  the silver-haired woman insisted.
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> The Captain was ready to object, to try to reason with the woman, who she sensed was powerful.  To protest that the Z’Sox would take Earth if not for her presence.  But it seemed that Faite already knew.
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> Across the galaxy, the many conquered and established worlds of the Z’Sox went dark.  Their ships too, leaving them dead in space, their occupants trapped and stranded.  Their technology failed, they were left in chaos.  The problem was solved for now.
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> “The Chronicler isn’t going to be happy about this.”  Lara pointed out as she watched the chaos unfold on the bridge holograms.
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> Faite turned her head to look at Lara, and she frowned.  “Don’t presume to fully understand the workings of the Chronicler.  He is seldom specific...otherwise the Hooded Hood could not exist.”
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> “The Hooded Hood is back?”  Lara asked.
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> The cosmic being didn’t respond.  She looked away instead, and simply repeated, “You can’t be here.  None of you can, at the moment the proper course of reality is restored.  To do so would mean the end of your existence.”
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> As she finished speaking, she was gone, and the bridge became a hub of activity again.  The crew began to respond to the Z’Sox sudden crisis as if it had just occurred.
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> “Never mind that.”  Shen Rae called out over the rush of status reports.  “We need to leave this system immediately.  Launch an Anchor.”
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> “Captain?”  the First Officer asked.
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> Shen Rae looked at Lara, and smiled.  The two had an understanding of sorts now.  “You heard me.”  she said.
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> Jai Yoon nodded, and glanced at the Navigator, who launched the Anchor without hesitation.
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> “Kind of a long way to go to get home, eh?”  the Captain asked Lara with a smirk.
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> Lara smiled, and watched the view screen as they slipped through hyperspace, leaving Earth to disappear in the blackness of space.
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> TO BE CONTINUED?
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> -- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2008 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
> --    reprinted without permission.  
> -- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
> --  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
> --  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin
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