For The Galaxy's Safety (One Shot) - 2nd Half

*Author's Note: So with words of encouragement from some of the reader's I decided to find a way to continue this story. Please enjoy.

First Half

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“Commander Vis’Lik?! What is the meaning of this report!?”

Commander Vis’Lik knew that the High Council’s Advocate Sher’Kaaid would not be pleased, but his demeanor and tone were more than just ‘not pleased’. The black and white furred Advocate was literally bristling on the Commander’s personal office viewscreen.

Commander Vis’Lik straightened up, cleared his throat and looked back up at the Advocate, trying not to act like a first year recruit and began, “Advocate, it’s as I said in the summary… Uh, at this time, It is my opinion that this system is not suitable for exploit or colonization. The inhabitants of ‘Earth’ are unsuitable for anything that we would find useful.”

The Advocate looked astonished at the Commander. Then his yellow eyes narrowed in anger. “You’re playing right into that alien’s bluff. Completely fooled by parlor tricks or other nonsense illusions like a Telusian hatchling. The reports from YOUR biologists, xenobiologists, geologists and others aboard YOUR vessel clearly state and provide compelling… NO… OVERWHELMING evidence that we have the most highly exploitable system in our grasp! THIS is what we bartered, fought, and won. I cannot and will not allow your alien Klanne’tat’ste [fairy tale ghost] to interfere with this mission or outcome. I am PERSONALLY purging any mention of your failed interrogations and the rest of those visual logs. I will proceed to recommend full occupation measures to bring that valuable system into production and the ready workforce of Earth to heel. You will support this or I will demote you again, Commander. AM. I. CLEAR?!”

Commander Vis’Lik visibly wilted under the verbal assault and decision by the Advocate. “May I ask when you expect the military and industrial preparation vessels to arrive in system?” Commander Vis’Lik asked dejectedly. “I will prepare full data and priority packages for them when they arrive so they know where to start.” Vis’Lik thought at least that will be useful and hopefully will keep him from sliding into any more of the Advocate’s disfavor.

The Advocate relaxed after seeing the Commander’s capitulation. “Yes, Good. The vessels will be prepped and ready to go within the Kand [solar year]. While you wait, proceed to compile more information on the surrounding planets and asteroid fields to determine any adjustments to priority of production or other useful information. If you or your crew encounter this ‘Lillith’ again or any other resistance, eliminate it by any means. Advocate Sher’Kaaid out.”

Commander Vis’Lik sighed deeply and sat deep into his synthetic mesh chair as the screen blanked. The dread he was experiencing was now exponentially ramping up.

“Oh, so that decision has been made, huh?” The soft voice from behind startled the Commander.

“FUCK ME SIDEWAYS!!!” Vis’Lik yelled, jumping out of the chair, turning and grabbing his Claggath [gun] and firing 3 plasma bursts in one smooth, trained motion…

Only to have him stare slack-muzzled as the 3 bursts quickly redirected up and into a tight perpendicular circle behind the alien’s head. The light of the bright circling energy created a shadow over the Lillith’s face. Her glowing red eyes illuminated out of the shadow.

Clad in a skintight garment of uniform grey with bare feet, the alien woman clasped her hands in front of her and stared at the now very despondent and shaking Commander. Fear was indeed palpable in the air.

“My, my, Commander. Is this how you treat your guests. Though, I’m really not a guest since you did try to follow your superiors’ order just now, hmmmm?”, Lillith cooed brightly.

Commander Vis’Lik closed his mouth, growled deep in his chest regaining his composure and his courage. “WHAT DO YOU WANT? NO, FORGET IT! GET. OFF. MY. SHIP!!!” he demanded.

“Oh, you’re no fun. I just had a question and came to ask. Yet it seems your superior answered it just now. I’m a little excited now by his decision to fuck around and find out. I did hope you De’Nari would make this fun for me, didn’t I. Happy birthday to me!”

The Commander took four quick steps towards the alien that openly mocked him. Closing the distance, he loudly stated, “You know what? I also think you are a trickster and you are bluffing! You are the only one among them that can defy us. You can’t save them. The rest of the humans are going to be fodder for our industry and expansion! What makes you think we won’t roll over you like all the rest we’ve set our eyes on?”

Once the Commander came within arm’s length, he stopped. He was paralyzed, his fear returned ten-fold as he stared into the glowing red eyes of Lillith. “Oh, Commander Vis’Lik. Now you’ve done it. You’ve now given me the opportunity to quote a very famous tour bus driver.” She casually reached up and tapped the halo, exploding it into thousands of golden embers, showering down around her and winking out. “’You see that? That was nothing. But that’s how it always starts. Veeerrry small.’” Lilith drawled and before the last ember winked out and she faded from his view.

Finally released, the Commander fell to the floor. After a few moments of shaking and heavy breathing to get his emotions under control. “What are we about to start?” he asked the universe. The universe was silent because the Commander already knew the answer.

---- Anoltra, Madagascar ----

In the middle of the dense jungle, it was raining again. The warning howls of the monkeys in the trees were loud and familiar. A skinny dark-skinned man is picking various fruits and herbs from the limbs of trees and various bushes. He’s got a pretty nice haul today to bring home to his family and village. Rakotobe smiled to himself as a few bats flew overhead trying to go after some of the same fruits he was. A stick flew past his head as a monkey warned him off its tree. He deftly climbed back down and decided to try another area nearby. Humming to himself, he almost lost track of where he was because it was just such a good day. He was a bit off the foraging track from his friends and two brothers when he came to warines, but not too far. ‘Something isn’t right. The canopy is silent now?,’ he wondered to himself,

“[Hello Rakotobe,]” a soft feminine voice called out to him.

He spun around, alarmed and unsure. “[It is time Rakotobe, time to Awaken and start calling to the animals the way you imagined when you were young. Call to them Rakotobe. Call them to protect your lands from the deforestation and greed of the invaders. Those people that are invading your lands now and those that will invade soon need to be driven off. Learn and teach your callings to your fellows and your young. The time is now to be one with the beasts of this land.”

Rakotobe screamed in panic, falling down and scrambling to get away from the voice in his head. He stopped moving and screamed at the strange beautiful middle-eastern dark-skinned woman who appeared in front of him. She smiled at him. “sssshhhhhhhhh…..” she said as she put a finger to her lips. Then looked him in the eyes. “[Yes, my voice is the first voice in your head, but it’s not going to be the last. You are going to now hear all the animals’ voices. And your voice will be heard by them.]” He couldn’t move as he sat in front of him. She reached out her hand and caressed the side and back of his head. “[Awaken my wild child, I have released your power and you will rule the beasts of this land. Do as I ask and save them all.]”

As she pulled back, then turned around to walk away, the terrified man ran off deeper into the jungle howling in terror. His brothers and friends soon could be seen chasing after him to find out what happened.

The monkeys in the canopies began barking and howling anew in warning calls. A pure cacophony of sound began reverberating in the jungle. It sounded everywhere for miles around, all at once. They and many more animals sensed something extremely powerful, very dangerous had just swept by.

---- South Dakota, USA ----

In the Oglala Sioux Lakota Nursing home, Cheyenne River Reservation, Jed Hiwalker sat alone on the porch, sneaking a cigarette while he could. He took another forbidden drag, trying to finish before that damned nurse found him and tried to tell him they’re off limits for the thousandth time. “[Hello Hiwalker,]” a soft feminine voice called out to him.

He turned his head this way and that, looking for the source. “Yeah, what do you want missy?!” Not finding her, he creaked back into his rocking chair and took another beautiful drag. Coughed a flemey one and spit into the bushes. His lungs were gonna kill him, but he was old and just didn’t give a shit anymore.

“[It’s time Hiwalker, time to become a true Shaman and reclaim the heritage of your peoples from long, long ago.]”

“Missy, I’m too old and tired for another hallucination and I ain’t gotta do squat. Go away and let an old man be!” Jed didn’t know what this cigarette was laced with, must be LSD or some bad pot. He was not happy with it, that was for sure. But, he took one last drag anyway. “YOLO!” he said out loud, cackling to himself.

A beautiful dark-skinned woman came into his fuzzy view, stepped up on the porch out of the sunshine and onto his nursing home’s shady porch with him. She knelt beside him, “Well aren’t you just full of piss and vinegar, Grandfather Hiwalker.” she said with a smirk. “No, you’re not getting out of this destiny just because you’re old, grumpy, and unwell. Nooooo, I have a task for you and your blood will rejuvenate when you perform your task. You will dance, Jed. You will dance the ancient dances of your peoples. You will watch it spark an Awakening across the lands that your ancestors roamed and died for.”

She reached out and touched his cheek. His tremors stopped, his eyes grew clear, his burning lungs eased, the pains faded, and he just felt stronger. He was still pissed about his cigarette, but that hand, it burned on his face. Oh, how marvelously it burned. He now burned inside with an urge to call out to the spirits again as in his youth.

‘Oh yeeeaaaaah! Imma gonna dance again this fine full moon night!’, he thought to himself as the lady faded from view. “Hey Nurse! Nurse! You lazy ditz! Where’s my head piece!?! You better not have stolen it ta go hump ya deadbeat boytoy with again!” he yelled into the home as he strutted inside leaving his cane forgotten next to the rocking chair.

---- Queensland, Australia ----

In the Brisbane Park Centre for Mental Health, Margaret Danowski stared off out of the small window. She enjoyed this chair by the window. Her robe was warm. The view wasn’t too bad. The meds had pushed the nightmare visions away again, at least for a small time. Her head was soooo very foggy right now. Her old hands didn’t shake as much today as they did yesterday.

The dim stark room Margaret sat in was utterly still. The orderly had just left after cleaning her and her room up. The banana and orange left behind for her snack was in its place on the small desk next to her bed and wall of picture drawings. So many drawings. Crayon depictions of places she’s never seen or heard of. Not just in Australia, but around the world. The nice doctor from the university was trying to figure out where it was coming from. ‘Frank is a nice young man.’ She thought. ‘I really hope he doesn’t go on that trip into the Outback though. It’s going to get dark there. The dead monsters don’t like him.’

Dr. Frank, as Margaret called him, was fascinated by her drawings. The places she thought of were real places, but so very twisted and changed. Things watched you in the drawings, it was creepy and yet inticing. “H R Giger would be very proud of these.” He once said to her with a very strange look on his face.

“[Hello Danowski,]” a soft feminine voice called out to her from nowhere. Margaret knew that voice.

“Hello Morgan. I missed you.” Margaret slurred. The pills were beginning to make her sleepy.

A beautiful dark-skinned, grey-silken dressed woman stepped into the room from nothing. “Hi Margaret. They’ve really doped you up today, huh? Here, lemme help you with that.” She said as she took a small napkin from the air and wiped Margaret’s mouth and then smoothed back Margarets graying hair behind her ears.

“Dr. Frank needs to cut back on those drugs, hon. They aren’t letting you out enough.”

“Nooooooo, I don’t want to go out. It’s terrifying out there.” Margaret’s eyes flashed up to the strange woman. “Morgan, you’ve changed. But, I like the dress, ya cunt.”

“Do you!? Thank you and right back at you cause you’re a bigger cunt, ya know?” she smiled at her long-time friend and swished around in a circle lightly.

“Why are you here Morgan? I’m too old and tired to play with you anymore. I’m supposed to watch TV in little bit.”

“I’m here because it’s finally time to Awaken, my dear. The places you’ve seen must be made real again. They are needed.”

Margaret looked up as the hand on her shoulder warmed way too much for her comfort. “I don’t want to remember them, they terrify me. I want to die, Morgan! Those places are bad, bad, bad!”

“No Margaret, they aren’t bad per se. They are just where the myths and nightmares will return from to help your people fight a war that no one is yet prepared for. A true war for survival. You have a great gift, my child. Now!” she commanded as she stood up, “Awaken fully and dream again like you did when you were younger, like when we played together as children.” The strange woman picked up Margaret out of her chair with no effort and laid her to rest on her bed. Tucking her in and kissing her head.

“Sweet dreams, Margaret”

Margaret closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep and begun her mission. The doors closed long ago would soon open to release the places of madness again.

---- Lima, Peru ----

In the Hotel Casa del Inka Perú, top floor suite, Alessandra Carito was just about to crack the safe of her latest target. The British businessman was a corpse cooling his heels in the chair behind her in the posh hotel room. He fell asleep and never would wake. Blood pooled below from his slit throat.

Her fingers worked deftly with the nob as her well-trained ears heard another click in the tumbler. Beautiful sound, ‘almost done’ she thought. Black hair tied behind her head in a ponytail, she switched it to the other side of her shoulders.

“[Hello Carito,]” a soft feminine voice called out to her. Freezing in place, Alessandra caught her breath. Then slowly turning around. Nothing. “Damnit!”, she breathed out. Wiping the sweat from her tan brow and then onto her black jeans, she turned back to the electronics of the hotel safe.

“[Senorita Carito, it is time to Awaken and start your new life.]”

Alessandra spun, pulled a thin knife from her boot and prepared to gut whoever was in the room. A beautiful dark-skinned, grey-silken dressed woman lounged casually on the bed, just smiling at her.

“Bitch, I don’t know where the hell you came from, but you move, you die!” she said harshly standing her ground.

“Oh Senorita Carito, no, no, no…, I’m only here to talk to you. I want you to Awaken and begin your journey into the shadows. It’s time to be one with the night and steal the souls of those who are coming to destroy us. You must prepare to...”

“What is this bullshit?! You high or just insane?” Alessandra cut off the woman. She was not going to listen to this crazy bitch any longer. She made to move toward the lady on the bed when the woman just shifted and then soft hand firmly grasped her neck. Allessandra froze, unable to take another step or even bend to throw off the woman. Cold sweat poured down her back as the hairs rose up on her arms.

“It’s not bullshit, Senorita Carito. It’s about to get very real and you’re going to be one of the first ones to make it so. Dream, Alessandra, dream. Dream of the shadows and become my dagger in the dark. Kill them all. Awaken and remember. I’m counting on you to take them screaming into the night.”

The hand released Alessandra’s neck. She felt a warm wetness trickle down her leg. She slowly started making her way to the door again, but a whisper caught her attention again. But this whisper was different. It caressed her with dark delights. She looked around and found it was coming from the closet that was slightly ajar. The darkness within was inviting her. Inviting her to play. She just about bolted from the empty room and the sleeping corpse, but opened the door. The darkness didn’t dissappait with the room light, it got only deeper. Alessandra smiled, looked back at the corpse, then raising her knife in a wary stance, walked into it. If anyone other than the dead Brit was there, they would have heard the whispers again sounding like children playing.

---- Rockingham, North Carolina, USA ----

‘SLAP!’ Jessica Downy spun and fell to the floor again in pain onto the hard, unforgiving vinyl. Her face throbbed, her nose was bleeding again. Then her side exploded in more excruciating blinding white-hot pain as a kick from her fiancé landed and broke at least a rib or two.

“BITCH! WHEN I SAID THAT YOU ARE NOT TO SEE OR TALK TO JOHN AGAIN, I FUCKIN’ MEANT IT!!” Conner grabbed the plump blonde’s hair and pulled the sobbing girl off the floor to face him.

“I’m sorry, Conner!! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!,” she cried. Her blue sundress was ripped and she was a mess again. The old, rusted trailer shook with Conners’ next roar, “YOU ARE A LYING WHORE! IT’S YOUR FAULT! YOU MUST LOVE THIS! YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME HURT YOU WITH YOUR SHIT AND LIES! I WON’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE OUTTA YOU! WE ARE DONE! I’M GOING TO K….” His voice cut off. Conner stood transfixed. His eyes darting this way and that. But he wasn’t moving otherwise except for his rapid breathing.

“[Hello Downey,]” a soft feminine voice called out to her. Jessica slipped to the floor from Conner’s grasp. It had become deafeningly quiet in the trailer now. Not even the crickets outside in the night wanted to fill in the void.

“Conner, baby, are you ok?” Jessica, wiping blood from her nose and putting her arms around her middle in a futile effort to ease the ache.

“[It seems Mr. Hanes is not feeling up to hitting you again at the moment, dear-heart.]” the soft voice said.

“Who’re you? Where’re you? Am I dying? Are you an Angel?,” Jessica asked rapidly, now hobbling over to and around the side of the couch to hide.

A beautiful dark-skinned, grey-silken dressed woman opened the door and walked in the shabby front door to view an even shabbier scene. She walked in and stood in front of Conner. She eyed up and down at this brown haired bearded man in jean shorts, nasty white t-shirt, smelling of beer and bad hygiene. “Does fear truly rule over you, Ms. Downey? Haven’t you grown weary of fear making you so weak? Aren’t you ready to Awaken and make others fear you for once?”

Conner whimpered as the woman traced her index finger down his face, then across his throat. “Funny how fear can be so crippling and empowering at the same time.,” she said casually.

The woman turned to the cowering girl. “Ms. Downey, Mistress of Spiders. It’s time for you to embrace your fear and share it with this world. There are hunters coming from above and they need to be shown what true fear is.”

The woman sat down in front of the quivering Jessica, reaching out and smoothing her hair. “Yes, Mistress of Spiders. Call to your fear and pain. Call it now. Call it and purge yourself. That power is within you.” Kneeling in front of Jessica, the woman took Jessica’s hand and placed a small black widow spider in her palm. “It loves you, you know?” she said.

Jessica looked at this strong woman and then down at her hand as something opened within her. “Yes...,” she said simply. The pain in her side, her face, her arms, her heart faded. It was being replaced by something so much more enjoyably dark.

Jessica watched as this strange woman smoothly got up and walked past Conner, smirking at him, then out the door. Closing it gently.

Conner was starting to twitch, his eyes huge discs of pure terror. His whimpers becoming a bit more urgent now. Jessica stared at him and the plump woman’s face turned into a terrible rictus smile as both she and the spider faced him fully. She stood up and in ones and twos, then 10s and 20s, spiders came. All shapes, all sizes carpeting the floor, walls, ceiling, furniture, Jessica. Their mistress had called. They were hers and she theirs. “Baby?,” she asked from amidst a teeming mass of eight legs and fangs. “Scream for me. I want you scream for me, Conner.”

The strange woman walked to the road and stopped to enjoy the sound. She closed her glowing red eyes and smiled to herself as the man’s screams of sheer unhinged terror echoed in the woods around the night from the trailer.

---- Kochi, Japan ----

In the Kochi Prefectural University Ike Campus, Itoh Kijuro, one of many of this campus’s students, was walking back to his dorm room after a grueling chemistry test. Texting his friend Shuzo about the results and the very hot girl that got to sit next to today, he just didn’t see the woman that he bumped into. “My apologies!” he exclaimed as he stumbled back a step or two and looked at her. “Are you ok?”

“Hello Itoh.” The beautiful dark-skinned, grey-silken dressed woman said as she turned around and smiled at him. “Aren’t you a polite one?!” she said enthusiastically in perfect Japanese startling him.

“Uh, hello, I.. I.. I.. Am so sorry about this. Thank you!” Flustered, he bowed and attempted to walk around the lady. He stopped, “Wait, how do you know my name?”

She smiled at him again. He began to get all tingly like when he was thinking of Kimiko in class. “Oh, I know all about you, Itoh. I even know all about the Isekai light novel you and your friend are writing and hoping to get published. I’ve read them all and so far I just find them fascinating!”

Itoh was a mess of teenage emotions at this moment… startled, proud, horny, anxious, fearful, overwhelmed, horny… But a little common sense wormed its way to his mouth. “Who are you and what do you want with me?” he finally asked after a few false starts.

“Oh, I want you to fulfill your Isekai fantasies, of course!” she enthused. “I want you to Awaken, and bring your creations to life, not just that, but live them. Become overpowered and be a hero in the face of overwhelming odds.” The strange woman reached out and touched his arm. Strong firm hands, utterly arousing at the touch. ‘No woman touches a strange man like this in public,’ he thought.

He backed away from her immediately. “Lady, I don’t know who you are and what you want and I’m pretty sure, you’re just trying to scam me in some way. I’m leaving now.” He bowed politely, turned and began to walk away from her to blend back into the busy sidewalk’s crowd.

“[That’s ok, Itoh. Your words are going to be made flesh. It’ll start small, but it’ll be epic when the time comes. I look forward to seeing you and your fellow heroes defend this city.]”

Itoh whipped around and around in the street. She was nowhere to seen. He felt a spark of an idea form then in his head. Oh man, it was an idea that was not going to go away until he wrote it down! He ran off to tell Shuzo.

---- Countryside of Khairkhandulaan, Mongolia ---

In a pasture, miles from their home, the sheep that Sarantsatsral was tending with her father were grazing contentedly. Healthy, wooly, silly things snuffling out the choicest grass and lichen. The day was cloudy, rain would come tonight. Sarantsatsral could just sense it. Just like her grandmother used to before she passed away a year ago next month. Sarantsatsral signalled to her father who was hundreds of yards away. A few high noted whistles to let him know all was good. Another whistle code varying in notes to let him know that she was heading up higher on the hill. His return whistle code of understanding made her smile.

Sarantsatsral led a simple life, and she couldn’t think of anything better. Well, maybe the new music sweeping her country. It was a phenomenal blend of traditional songs and American ‘metal’ music. That stuff just ruled, didn’t it?

“[Hello Sarantsatsral,]” a soft feminine voice called out to her.

“Grandmother!?” Sarantsatsral asked wildly as she turned this way and that looking for her grandmother whose voice, she could have sworn she heard.

“[No, I’m sorry, I’m not her. But to be called that by you makes me very happy just so you know.]” the voice said from all around.

“Are you a Aurel?” Sarantsatsral asked the voice wondering if she was in the presence of an angel of her country.

“Turn around, my angel.”

Sarantsatsral turned slowly around. A beautiful foreign dark-skinned, grey-silken dressed woman stood there, looking at her and idly scruffing the thick wooly head of a very happy sheep. A few others were starting to mill over to her too and gently butt for attention.

“You have a beautiful life, dear heart, but sadly it is coming to an end soon. I’m sorry to tell you that you have to Awaken and embrace the ways of Jamuqa, the demonic angel of Genghis Khan. You’re going to raise an army and revive a nation built for war and conquest.” The strange woman looked sad as she said this.

“I have no idea what the hell you are talking about or who you are, but if you don’t leave now, I will make you. You are not welcome on my family’s land!” Sarantsatsral brandished her shepherds crook and pulled her knife ready to face the woman.

“No, I am not. I’ve never been welcomed anywhere except long ago to only one place. But that’s a story for another time. I will leave as you request. However,” as the strange woman paused, so did everything else. Sheep, birds, insects, Sarantsatsral’s father who had spotted the strange woman and was trotting up the hill to see what was going on, the wind rustling the grasses, just… everything. Frozen in time.

“I’m still going to have to insist you Awaken and embrace your calling. To ride into battle and conquer all that lay before your people. I must insist your people remember the sword and bow and adapt to the ship and gun. You have a fight coming from above that you will have no choice but to join. I’m truly sorry.” She said this last as she wiped a tear from Sarantsatsral’s weathered tan face. Then tucking a stray brown lock of hair behind the young girl’s ear. The strange woman leaned in and whispered into Sarantsatsral’s ear, “Do it for your family and your sheep. They’ll need you to be strong.”

The strange dark lady then vanished. As Sarantsatsral stood there, watching everything un-pause, Sarantsatsral began to hear faint beat of drums, war cries, and feel the roaring vibrations of hooves galloping across the steppes. Another tear streaked down her face at the happiness she now felt in her heart. ‘I wonder where great-grandfather’s horse bow is in the basement..’ she began thinking.

--- Grand Island, Nebraska ---

In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Grand Island Medical Center, a father cried as he looked on at his newborn son. He stared at his small son laying fitfully in the incubator. It was a miracle he had come into the world as it was just way too early, weeks too early. He was soooo very small. Tubes on his face to help him breath. Tube on his belly to help his nourishment. Jake was just grateful to God that his son had a chance to live. Maybe, just maybe if he prayed hard enough that is. He sobbed again, hoping his wife would make it too. The car wreck she was in had forced the birth. Kathy had a 50/50 shot of pulling through. She was in ICU and he couldn’t visit yet. But at least he could be with his son.

“Hey Jake.” Doctor George walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Aiden will make it, I’m sure of it. Kathy will too. They are in good hands here and God will surely help them too. Come on, you can’t do anything right now and you need to rest a little so you can be strong for them both. Let me walk you to the cafeteria and get you some coffee.”

“Thank you, Doc.” Jake mumbled. The Doc was right, God and Doc George would help his wife and son pull through. “I need to make a call to work anyways and let the boss know about the accident.”

“Ok. Come on.” Doctor George said.

They began walking down the empty hall. It was midnight in the ward, except for some restless babies in a few of the rooms, it was pretty quiet. The night shift nurses were down the other end of the hall chatting about some recent gossip while monitoring the preemie babies from their station, awaiting the next feeding time.

“Hello Aiden.” A beautiful dark-skinned, grey-silken dressed woman appeared and stood next to the plastic incubator. The small boy of just 4 pounds quivered a bit and made a mad face as he struggled to breath.

“My sweet, strong Aiden. You’re going to be ok. Don’t you worry. You protected Mommy when she needed you most. Yes, you did, honey. I’m very proud of you.”

“You felt that drunk driver swerve, didn’t you? Yes, you did.” She cooed at him. “And you were just so very brave when that bad man’s truck hit Mommy’s car. Oooohhh, ooohhh, it’s ok my little guy..” she said again as his breathing had started to pick up and face scrunching up for an attempt to cry.

“You were tremendous in stopping your Mommy’s car from going over into oncoming traffic. Right into the perfect spot to get help from the good guys.” Aiden burbled just a little. “Yes! You should be proud! You stopped most of that glass all by yourself from hurting, Mommy, didn’t you? Yes, my sweet boy, yes you did!”

The woman began walking around the incubator as she continued to praise the small infant. Aiden seemed to get excited even though his ears and eyes didn’t work quite yet. Yet he still seemed to know that this woman was there and telling him everything was going to be ok.

“Oh, don’t worry my sweet boy. Your Mommy is going to be just fine. I’ve seen to that. I can’t have your Mommy taken away when you need her most, now can I? This world isn’t fair, but this once, I can make it so.” The woman stopped circling the box and stared down at the top of the child’s head.

“Aiden, you’re going to need to become much stronger. I’m sorry, honey, but this world will need you to lead the second wave of warriors into the stars and beyond.” She bent over, passing through the plastic, and gently, ever so gently, kissing the top of the little one’s head. “You’re already Awake, my child. I’m going to need you to help Awaken the rest of your warriors. Why? To protect Mommy and Daddy, silly!!” she laughed as she straightened watching this wonder puff up a little at her words.

Jake came back to the window of the ward. The ICU Doctor, Dr. Phyllis, had just given him the good news about Kathy. He will be able to see her in the next hour. Looking into the room at his son. “Aiden! Mommy’s going to be ok! I love you son; you hang in there too! You hear me!? We need you, boy!”

The little baby took a deep breath and sighed. Made a small sound and seemed to settle down. The struggling infant’s breathing eased as a small miracle happened.

---- Everywhere ---

In a basement, locked in a trunk… In a tugboat, pushing a barge out of harbor…. In a cave, spelunking for new adventure…. In a drug dealer’s den, dying from overdose…. In an oil executive’s home, toasting another successful drilling license…. In a movie theater, holding hands and getting frisky…. In a fishing yacht, far off the coast… In the woods, fleeing a war… In the valley, tending the cattle… In a daycare, holding a baby whose having a bad day… In a barracks, just before lights out…

In a restaurant…. In a bar…. In a sheik’s mansion …. In a dark ally… In a mosque… In a tent on the side of cliff… In a deep forest... In a makeshift bomb shelter… In a crypt… In an internet café… In a movie set.. In a submarine… In another office… In a nosebleed section of arena seating… In line at the bookstore …

In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In…. In….

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IN …

--- Here, Now ---

Hello there. Yes, you. What are YOUR dreams? What is YOUR power?

Yeah, I think you might just be the type to take up a flaming sword and tame a fire-breathing lizard. You, my child, are going to ride that beast into the Void, screaming in righteous fury and make the void shit itself.

I am Lillith and I want you to Awaken.

Turn around!!!!

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