--Archaeus-- To the Ground Below [i]Chapter 5 -[/i] The Tide Changes \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ The remainder of my squad and myself traveled back to the airfield after our little incident at the ship. As soon as we arrived, General Mavis was waiting at the front gate, ready to speak to us. We stopped in front of him and saluted him. "At ease, soldiers. At ease." "Sir, I have some very important information for you about the Alphas and the Betas." I spoke in a rather impatient voice. "Alright, Sergeant, what've you got." "Well, sir, once we arrived at the ship, we noticed that most of the Alphas were either dead or trapped within debris. I decided to risk it and try to free some of them in hopes they would maybe realize we are friendly to them. To our advantage, they didn't attack us. In fact, once the Betas dropped in, they actually helped us! Even after the Betas were killed, they never attacked us! Another Alpha who seemed to be of high rank jumped out of the ship, gave a gesture towards me, then left with the other Alpha." "Interesting. Maybe he was thanking you for the assistance you provided." "Hopefully. I'd rather us ally with them and destroy the Betas before they destroy both, the Alphas AND us." "How about those Betas? You said you saw them? What are we dealing with?" We began walking inside of a hanger while I explained further. "They are truly a force to be reckoned with. They were huge, nine hundred pound beasts that stood over eight feet tall. They're skin is practically bullet proof to small arms, and they have superior strength. They will probably become a huge problem when dealing with their ground forces in combat." "I see. We'll deal with them when the time comes. Right now, it would seem as though we have a possible alliance opportunity available to make with the Alphas, and I'd rather us take it. For now though, get some rest, Sergeant. Great work out there." "And sir, there's something else...Michael and Jiffy didn't make it..." "I'm sorry, Sergeant. They were brilliant men...But what has happened to them must not cloud our emotions or vision. We've just entered a war with two alien races, who are much more advanced than us. We need to worry about that first. We will properly honor the dead after this thing is over with." -Two weeks later- It'a been two weeks since our first up-close-encounter with these aliens, and things have been completely silent since. Not even fighters have been spotted traveling or battling in the sky. It was too quiet. I think that the Betas took out the Alpha capital ship that was controlling my sector, and now they have moved on to the last one. But that doesn't explain where those Alphas we saved went. We even traveled back out to the crash site to look for them, but nothing was found. It was a late Thursday night and most of everybody was sleeping, a few guards watching the perimeter of the airfield. Everything was all quiet and still in the barracks. But we were all abruptly awoken by the sounds of the base guards screaming for us to get outside quick. I shot up from my bed, and bursted out of the barracks only to see one of the most beautiful sights ever. The sky, it was majestic in appearance. On that late, Thursday night, all of us witnessed the sky as the colors of blue, and purple, and green, and yellow, were all racing through sky in a swirl of fantasy. We've never seen anything like it before. It most certainly wasn't the auroras. The airfield was located near the ruins of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so we were too far down to see those lights. We all stayed up for about an hour or two simply watching the sky, gazing at the lights and the stars. We took advantage of that moment of peace and clarity. Who knows when we'll have another opportunity like this, if any at all. After the lights diminished and faded, we all went back inside the barracks to get some rest. We were awoken in the morning by the sounds of the guards screaming yet again, but this time, there seemed to be a sense of fear in their voices. Once again, we all rushed outside and over to the front gate where the screams were coming from. When we arrived, what we saw brought me both, fear and hope. There they were, standing perfectly still and in perfect order, hundreds of Alphas lined back as far as the road could go. Like tinseled soldiers, standing before the walls of their enemies, ready to crack their surfaces and break their wills. But it was not us that was their enemy. No, they came for another purpose. Once the gate opened for myself and General Mavis to walk out, the same Alpha who wore the glistening white armor and elegant, glorious blue cape came forward and greeted us using the same gesture as before. I told General Mavis to do the same, as I believe it is a symbol for pact, or strength maybe. Afterwards, this Alpha looked back to his soldiers and said a few words in his language. A different Alpha walked up with an odd looking machine, almost resembling a microphone. The leader, which is what we assumed this Alpha to be, took the microphone and slowly put it to his mouth. He said a few more things into this device but only static was heard from the mic. He then put it to my mouth, and made a gesture with his other hand, like he wished for me to talk into it. "Hello, off worlders." I spoke into it. He then began messing with the device for a minute, then talked into it again, shortly after. "Greetings, creature." The voice came in monotone and static-like, but was still understandable. I was astounded! These beings actually made a device to translate our languages, and they haven't even been here for very long; nor have they even made contact with us to my knowledge! I was completely shocked! It was truly an exciting day! He then put the device to my mouth. "You made this device then? So you can translate our languages?" "Yes, creature. It was devised by my master engineer." I was still in complete shock from this incident. General Mavis decided to take over for a few moments. "Hello, off worlders. I am the leader of this group of humans you see here before you. Is it appropriate to ask for the nature of your arrival to our planet, and the digging of its surface?" "Greetings, creature leader. We come here because the enemy we fight is threatening our existence. We come to your planet, with reason, in search of our war machines we left under this surface so that we may combat better these beasts. I stand before you to make a temporary alliance until the enemy that I face, and that now you face, does not live to exterminate both of our peoples. I see the creature who has helped us before stands here with you." He spoke the last sentence while pointing at me. I grabbed the microphone. "Yes, I see you remember me! Glad I could help you!" "We are glad as well, creature. We could not properly thank you then, as now we can, but we are appreciative. My soldiers you see standing behind me, are all that remains of the GUL Oyx ship, which my enemy has destroyed. In destroying the ship that almost ended us, one of our enemy, you allowed me to save all of these trapped soldiers. You have their gratitude. They would surely have died, myself included, without your intervention." General Mavis grabbed the device. "So, you say it is a temporary alliance you wish?" "Yes, creature leader. It is that, or death for all of us by the hands of these brutes...I choose life." I grabbed the device afterwards. "And it is life that we choose!" "Thank you, creature. If this is what you choose, then we have much to discuss. Is there a place we may do so, away from the pure open such as this? I fear that moving a large quantity of troops as I have done, could have brought unwanted attention to us. It is better to be safe." "Yes. Come with me, please." I still had so many more questions for them. Why did they bury these machines here, and when did it happen? Are there any more alien races out there? Who are the aliens that we both now fight? So many questions, yet so little time. And as a friend once told me, time is something we have little of.