The Psychon High Command

The part of space that Alpha had journeyed to seemed busy. Ships of unknown design, that all looked alike, whizzed about without warning. All communication frequencies had been tried out but the ships didn't answer. This made John very suspicious and edgy. "John, one of those ships looks like it's coming in to land down here. What should I do?" Alan asked looking up his commander worriedly.

"Try to-" John was about to ask Sahn to contact these mysterious invaders but they were beaten to it. A hooded figure appeared on the screen, his face was unidentifiable.

"You are in our space, please leave now." the mysterious figure implored. Maya recognised the voice instantly but stayed silent.

"Who are you?" John asked breaking the heavy silence. Without warning or provocation the figure lifted and pushed back the hood to reveal a Psychon face. Almost everyone in Command Centre gasped, John could see the man was resisting the urge to burst out laughing at the reaction.

After some time the man, calm again, spoke. "I understand the reaction, but propaganda about us being extinct is not true. We know from scans that you have one our race on board your....base? Anyway, we request to speak with her privately." The man asked, the tone of his voice indicated that he knew her. John agreed.

"Hey Maya, you must be excited knowing someone you know is still alive." Tony held Maya's shoulders enthusiastically.

"Tony?"

"Yeah,"

"You know that I said we'd never have to worry about you meeting my family?" Maya asked. Tony nodded in affirmative. "Start worrying," Maya said as the Boarding Tube doors opened and several people came out. Tony was rather taken aback by Maya's last statement and two people that were in the group.

These two particular people reminded Tony of the French aristocracy he had once learnt about at school. One, a man, was carrying a sphere topped walking stick, had on his face, neck and hands a white foundation, a little hour-glass type shaped tattoo below his left eye, a roundish face and curly black hair (a little like a wig) in a ponytail. The man's clothes consisted of a dark purple cloak, a type of jump-suit of the same colour as well as flat soled boots (of the same colour). The other, a woman, had the same tattoo underneath her right eye. Her clothes were a little (or very much less) dynamic than the man's. She was wearing a long grey skirt and matching blouse with a floral pattern, an eternity bracelet, a silver bracelet on the opposite hand, hair longer than the man's and let down, and grey flat soled boots.

The two saw Maya and the man pronounced in a mild voice, "Ah, there's my little lamb! Come child let me look at you." Tony resisted the urge to snigger at Maya being called 'a little lamb' but just looked at her.

"Grandpa Tanod, this is Tony," Maya introduced Tony to her grandfather.

Tanod looked at Tony strangely and was confused at why this young man had a hand on his grand-daughter's shoulder, "mm, are you two knocking off?" Tanod asked, his frankness bringing laughter from the two other members of the group which had kept their distance while the old man became re-aquatinted with a relative he hadn't seen for a long time. Tony looked at Maya confusedly.

"Not as you put it Grandpa, no." Maya smiled.

It was now the woman's turn to inspect the poor girl, "dear, dear child. You have been dreadfully underfed. As your Grandmother I suggest you eat more."

"Yes Grandma Tosie," Maya said rolling her eyes.

The remaining two, both men, came over once their grand parents had moved away from Maya.

"Well, well, well. If isn't my muppet brother and Megs," Maya smiled her arms crossed. Megs instantly burst out laughing and fell to the floor in hysterics, Tosie and Tanod rolled their eyes and looked at eachother. Megs regained his composure, ran up to Maya, picked her up and twirled her around. Both started laughing, "damn I missed you cous!" Megs exclaimed, obviously Maya's cousin. Maya's brother simply just hugged her.

After some time the group of four met up with John and discussed what had happened in the past few months. They explained that a military group formed on Psychon took control of the fleets of ships. It was called the Psychon high command. The area of space that Alpha was in, was governed by the high command. The ships were patrolling while civilians went about their lives. A race called the Availonians was intent on destroying the Psychons, they thought them a threat. There were around eight hundred to a thousand Psychons left alive. Tosie and Tanod ran a kind of show/circus group called Selenasa which meant hopeful in English. Selenasa contained the very best acrobats, actors, comedians (Megs for example), singers and the maddest clowns you could find. All the people in it were mainly civilians.

A rather large fleet of ships that didn't match the design of the high command patrol ships came into view of Alpha's scanners. It was fully armed and ready to destroy anyone who got in it's way. The Psychons had picked up the ships long before Alpha had and evacuation plans on the planet were being made.

The whole base was abuzz with activity. People all over the place wearing black, soft leather and skin tight for the women, were working like mad. Some people were packing things away, some were erasing computer memory banks to prevent the Availonians from finding out where they were headed and others were issuing orders. Some Alphans and civilians had come down to help. Megs and Polta (Maya's brother) who worked in the high command had heard the news first and had left pretty sharpish were helping out. It had been estimated that the Availonians were due to arrive in just two hours leaving enough time to get out of there. Maya who had once worked in the command was erasing mission files on memory disks. Fear, frustration, panic and confusion hung in the air. Many of the Alphans were awe-struck at the technology they saw and found themselves distracted by it.

"Get moving!" yelled Admiral Natakla, head of the high command. He was one the people giving out orders even though the team was working at 110% efficiency. Natakla was known to be the grumpiest old git around but was also known not to be crossed you valued your life. He wasn't much older than John but was twice as stressed and twice as liable to lose his temper. He wore the same uniform as everyone else but with a cape. Natakla had started to yell at the Alphans for not working to his standards.

The ever closing fleet of Availonian ships was anxious to spill blood and destroy this troublesome race for good. The Psychons were sure to be killed. The Availonians had destroyed the Dorcons and were now the most powerful race in the universe. The Psychons, unknowingly, were the second most powerful race. This was due to their rate of evolution and the technology they had created. The Availonians were only the most powerful because of their population, life expectancy and military supremacy. There was only one hour left until the biggest battle ever was due to rage and break the very chain of command forever.

"Do you think we'll be ready in time? No? Why? Because you're too bloody slow! So, move it! Come on!" bellowed Natakla at a group of Alphans who were struggling with some heavy equipment. They could very well see why no one dared to cross him.

Maya had heard this and was rather mad to say what she did, "Admiral Natakla, forget to take your happy pills lately? Or is it that you like picking on aliens? Or is it the fact that you are a fat, pompous, bossy and grumpy bastard that prevents you from doing some work yourself?"

Maya's outburst made everyone fall silent. Natakla went red with rage, his cheeks were puffed up, his hands were clenched to very tight fists, his frame bent rigidly. After what seemed some time Natakla did what no one would expect him to do, "you are either very brave or very stupid girl! As you think I am incapable of working you can have my job! I hereby promote you to Admiral, you are in charge of the high command now. I'll take your old job!"

Natakla then stormed off leaving Maya with a very shocked expression on her face. Obviously her plan to make him apologise had backfired.

The long silence was broken by Megs running up to Maya and holding her arm in the air as if she had just won a boxing tournament, "if give you the Natakla killer!" Megs called out to everyone.

Applause followed and Maya issued some orders as the new commanding officer of the Psychon high command, "okay people. We won't get all of this stuff packed away in half an hour. Let's get some battle ships and cruisers up there as there is no that patrol ships will hold out long against a whole fleet of Availonian warships. Megs, contact Alpha and tell them not to interfere in the battle as they'll be destroyed for sure. Polta, set up defence shields around the civilian colonies to prevent them being killed if some ships escape us. This is going to be big and this is going to involve one hell of a lot of teamwork, we've worked well so far. You may well have not worked up to Natakla's unreachable standards but you have truly suppassed mine, well done." more applause followed and people carried on with their jobs.

Back on Alpha Tosie and Tanod were mingling with some people in Command Centre when Megs appeared on the screen. "Commander Koenig, our new commanding officer says that she doesn't want you to interfere in the battle as you'll be destroyed by the Availonians if you fire on them."

"Okay." John complied, "what do you mean by your 'new commanding officer'?"

"Natakla had an argument with Maya. Instead of hitting, court marshalling her or decommissioning her he gave Maya his job. I think she trying to make him apologise for starting on a group of your lot because they weren't working fast enough,"

"What did she say exactly?"

"In her own words she said.." Megs paused to clear his throat and took a deep breath, "'Admiral Natakla, forget to take your happy pills lately? Or is it that you like to pick on aliens? Or is it the fact that you are a fat, pompous, bossy and grumpy bastard that prevents you from doing some work yourself?' heavy stuff eh?"

John was too shocked and surprised to say anything. Why did she never act that way to me when she was here? John thought to himself. No matter how he tried he couldn't figure it out. The whole of Alpha knew what Maya had said now and had given her a subconscious round of applause. Tony was proud of Maya even though he was surprised the most. John finally found his voice and replied in the affirmative. Megs had cut off as the Availonians were very close.

As if baying for blood the ships gave out their warning signals which sounded like a Terran air-raid siren. All battle stations had been armed long before. Shields and hopes of victory were raised. They came to a stop at the place which had been designated their boundary line.

Maya was on the lead battle cruiser, her two first officers sat in front of the Captain's chair forming a triangular shape. She didn't want to be there but there had to be a way to defend themselves. The Availonians had only a small idea of what they were up against. The high command had developed a weapon that could destroy more than ten ships with just one discharge. It originated from the ship and spread out like a net, it would catch up to any ship that ran away. It was like lightning and faster than light. It was very powerful and only targeted Availonian ships. The colour of it was yellow and all who knew it's power feared it if they were on the wrong side of it's creators. They spoke of as if it was alive, it wasn't though. It did seem very much like the weapon was alive when it was released because it hunted down enemies like a sniper and killed them.

"Ten minutes and this battle for life and freedom will begin. I can't guarantee that we'll win this. I can guarantee one thing though, we will not die in this battle or others. People will be injured severely and may die from those injuries but not because the Availonians destroy our ships. If the destruction of a ship is imminent the crew will transported off of it before hand. Many ships will be lost to us but in time they can be rebuilt. Fight well and good luck."

Maya's speech was heard over the intercoms on every deck. Communicators were secured to hands and all food stored away to avoid accident. Every officer on every ship was on duty and preparing. People exchanged hugs and kisses as they went to red alert. The red alert sirens were loud and monotonous but compulsory. The shields were up to full power and weapons were following. In two minutes the way of life and the history of the Psychons would be altered forever. It was either victory or destruction, everyone bet on victory despite their fears.

The battle raged on. Both sides had gained heavy losses in ships, the Availonians weren't winning this fight. The Psychons had sustained minimum casualties and so far no deaths. The Availonians hadn't had the same idea as the Psychons on transporting the crews of almost destroyed ships onto others. Deaths and casualties had been many for the Availonians and some were thinking of retreating. Their situation was ironic as they usually called on the help of the Dorcons if the Psychons became too much trouble, the Dorcons were all gone so the Availonians had to fight this one on their own. The new weapon had worked very well as the Availonians had had eighty per cent of their ships destroyed.

"Maya, transmission coming through. The Availonians surrender, they promise to leave us alone. They had their whole race fighting in this battle." The communications officer told her hopefully.

"Helm set a course and give them our answer, run them out of our space and tell them to never come back if they want if they want to keep everyone alive they have left alive." Maya answered. The course was set and the Availonians were running fast.

No one knows what happened to the high command after that. It seemed to just vanish into thin air. Maya, Megs and Polta were seen again of course, in the Psychon afterlife. People say that the Availonians tricked the Psychons and destroyed them once and for all in battle that nobody witnessed. Others say that Maya was so broken up that they had fought a war that no Psychon said they would fight one so the high command was decided 'closed'. One person knew why, who she was is a different story and so is the true reason why the high command disappeared.