Alien Deception (28 page)

"What do you have in mind, Greg?" he asked, trying to feel out his motive.

Greg looked Leumas dead in his eyes and said, "I will give you the core if you agree to get off the Earth and not come back until you are explicitly invited."

"Is that all? It's that simple?" Leumas asked, smiling at the irony.

"Almost. You also have to assume Journo's appearance so that the mysterious disappearance of Mr. David Wright will be a mystery that will never be answered. This will take care of the influence problem and eliminate your identity all in one clean swoop."

"My…we've thought of everything, haven't we?" Leumas said, impressed, as he stared intently at them.

"More than you can imagine," Greg responded, looking at his watch. "You have about ten seconds to decide."

Leumas responded by quickly turning into Journo. It was a perfect replica, even down to the dark, fathomless eyes.

"Fair enough?" he asked, smoothing back his now dark shiny hair. "Now, give me the core, and I will be on my way."

"Perfect," Greg replied, extending the core to Leumas/Journo. He accepted quickly and turned to leave, but Greg grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He stared into Leumas’s eyes and said, "Now, remember, not until you are asked to return. Earth is to be left alone! Do you understand?"

Leumas/Journo saw the new look of confidence and power in Greg's eyes. This was certainly a change from the Greg he had met only a few months earlier. By the look on his face, he wondered briefly, as he glanced towards Sarah, if it was just the telepathic power that caused such a difference in Greg's attitude, or if there was more to it then that.

"Yes, I understand completely," he responded carefully.

Greg released his firm hold on Leumas’s shoulder, and watched as he quickly disappeared into the crowd. Sarah touched his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Where did all that come from?" she asked with a certain amount of admiration in her voice for the way he had handled Leumas.

Greg shrugged, liking the feel of her warmth on his shoulder. "It just seemed to flow into me spontaneously. Anyhow, it worked. Leumas is gone, and Earth is back on its own. No influence required." However, in his own thoughts, he had to admit that he had changed. He was no longer the simple and unmotivated person he had been. He felt like he had a purpose, and it felt so right to be here right now with Sarah and having just saved the world from whatever Leumas and his Council cronies had in mind.

The crowd had now reached them, and curious eyes searched about for the source of the flash of light that had claimed Journo's life. Questions were voiced, but were left unanswered. Sarah and Greg decided to blend into the crowd, and then they slowly drifted off in the opposite direction.

The ashen remains of Journo were scattered by the scuffle of the crowd's feet, and taken aloft by a gentle breeze. The site of those ashes made Greg feel sad, because he knew from Journo's mind that all he had wanted was to try and atone for all the sorrow he had caused while he lived in his sphere of anger and hate. He had traveled down the halls of Journo's mind, searching for the key to help unlock his buried feelings. He had been able to assure Journo that he would help him, and he would help this world. Journo had known that Copolla realized that he had fled, and his time on Earth and his life was short.

As the ashes blew around into the wind, Greg still felt a great surge of sorrow for Journo, but he also felt happiness for the alien. Journo was now released from all the pain and sorrow he had felt inside for so long.

Greg shared his thoughts with Sarah, and he saw her eyes fill with moisture, and then her lips broke into a beautiful smile. He had almost forgotten what a lovely smile she had. Maybe it was time he remembered.

* * * *

Everything that could possibly be done had been done, Leumas thought, as the
Blessed
now entered inside Planet Zire's communication range. Even though he relished the thought of what he was about to do, he was still worried. Sometimes one could not predict what a wild animal would do if it was backed into a corner, and that was exactly what he planned to do with Copolla—set a trap to snare him.

He had carefully and methodically reviewed the entire contents of the computer core and had recorded the information he would dangle in front of Copolla, with the rest to be stored for later. He took a deep breath and dialed up a secure communication channel. Moments later, Copolla's ominous visage appeared on the screen. His face was a mixture of surprise and disgust.

He scowled, and said, "Leumas! What do you want? You are in violation of the Council’s decision by being off the planet Earth!"

Leumas smiled, and said clearly and slowly, "I want to do something for you that you did not do for me, Copolla."

"And what might that be?" Copolla sneered.

Leumas still smiled and said simply, "I want to give you a chance to resign before you are disgraced in front of the entire Council."

Copolla's facial expression never changed. Instead, he just stared at Leumas, the same sneer still playing about his lips. Leumas never lost eye contact with him and was now ready to play his cards.

Leumas moved closer to the screen, and continued, "I have the archive records that show everything. It proves your mishandling of the entire Earth affair, from the very beginning." He paused for effect, wanting his words to sink in one by one. The silence hung in the air like a thunderstorm ready to burst wide open. The sneer had now left Copolla's face, and was replaced with a tight-lipped frown.

Leumas finally continued, "It clearly documents your positioning of agents on Earth after the Hitler catastrophe, and the violation of the rule of alien/human contact. Also, it proves all you have done to cover your tracks and mislead the Council all these years. And, it shows your attempts on the lives of the two Earth subjects', and your implication in the murder of Robise, Greta and several others."

Copolla's face turned a deep red. "You're lying, Leumas!" he yelled. "This is just some kind of bluff. What are you trying to pull? Those records were all destroyed!"

Leumas’s fingers danced over the keyboard. Images suddenly appeared in the lower portion of his screen; they appeared on Copolla's as well. Leumas sneered into the screen. "Look for yourself, Copolla. They seem to all be here."

The images verified everything Leumas had said. All the records and file reports that had been in the archives were stored on this computer core. Incriminating signed directives from Copolla flashed across the screen. After a few moments, the screen returned to its full view of each of them and the two adversaries faced each other. Copolla's eyes now carried a new expression that Leumas had never seen before—fear.

"I can make you a very powerful man, Leumas. I can give you anything you want. Yours for the asking," Copolla said in desperation as his entire empire was crumbling around him. Leumas had him trapped.

Leumas said with disgust, "You have nothing I want, Copolla, except your resignation from the Council. My terms are simple. I won't expose the data if you go away quietly. Make up any story you like. I don't care. Just go away from Zire, forever."

Copolla screamed, his face turning into a contortion of rage. "I will have you killed!"

Leumas smiled wanly. "You may, but that won't stop the Council from getting this information. I have secured copies with certain contacts on several planets for safekeeping. If I die or disappear suddenly or mysteriously, they release the information to the Council. Plain and simple."

Copolla stared blankly at Leumas, then said almost dejectedly, "You seem to have covered yourself pretty well, Leumas. I admire such thoroughness." His face showed dullness that Leumas regarded as an acceptance of defeat. But there was something else in Copolla's eyes that Leumas just couldn't put his finger on.

Leumas snorted in pure disgust. "I don't want your admiration, Copolla. Like I've already said, I just want your resignation from the Council, and your absence."

Copolla was silent for several seconds, which felt like hours to Leumas, who wanted to end this whole thing quickly and get on with his life back on Zire.

Copolla's eyes had suddenly regained their evil light, and he said menacingly, "You have won this skirmish, Leumas, but I am not going to crawl out of this office in shame. It has taken too much time, money and effort to get where I am. I will not allow scum such as you and the other Council members to dictate terms to me."

Leumas saw something in Copolla's eyes that caused chills to run up and down his spine. Madness maybe?

"I never have been a very good loser, Leumas," he chuckled evilly. "So, you want the Council, do you? Well, you'll have to go out and get your own. That is, after you finish explaining how the first ones were all killed because of your rash presumptions." His chuckles turned into hysterical laughter.

"You wouldn't," Leumas said, his breath catching in his throat. "Not kill the entire Council. Not even you can be that sick, Copolla. Think about all the worlds that are represented and the importance of the diplomacy—"

Copolla screamed, "Who cares about that lump of useless alien flesh? You? Yes, I guess you would." He began to laugh, and then said, "Well, too bad, you cocky piece of alien trash! Just remember, whatever happens will be on your head." He turned his head to do something out of Leumas’ view, but he turned back to look at the screen as if he had forgotten something. He had a child-like smile on his face, the madness now making itself clear. "One more thing, Leumas. After spending so much time on the sniveling planet Earth, you must have become familiar with their literature. There is a rhyme that I have come across. Would you like to hear it?"

Leumas continued to stare at Copolla, realizing that he had finally gone over the edge. "Have you lost your mind, Copolla?"

Copolla's lips slowly spread into a tight smile. He shrugged, and said amusedly, "Maybe so. But it doesn't really matter any more, does it? Now, where was I? Such foolish human things, these rhymes, yet they have some truth in them." He seemed to think for a moment, and continued, "I can think of one that fits this situation just perfectly. Well, with some minor modifications. Shall I recite it for you?"

Leumas realized that whatever strands were left of Copolla's mental stability were quickly snapping. He said carefully, "Now listen to me, Copolla. Just step aside quietly. We can get you some help."

Copolla screamed, "It's too late for that now." His face then changed back into his little child look. He continued smiling. "Just humor me for a few more seconds."

He began to chant in a singsong voice:

"The great Council sat on the wall,

the great Council had a great fall,

all the aliens in the galaxy

couldn't put the Council back together again."

He laughed hysterically at the little rhetoric he had so joyfully brought forth. He then moved away from the screen, which shortly winked out.

Leumas stared at the blank screen in pure fear. He had no idea what to think about Copolla's mad performance, and he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. He did not know what Copolla might do next, and that scared him more than anything else.

Leumas quickly checked his navigational display for the distance to Zire. As he read the illuminated numbers on the screen, he slammed his fist on the console. He was still too far away to do anything. His attention was then drawn to the ship's planetary monitor that had just registered a very large seismic explosion on Zire.

"Damn it, Copolla! What have you done?" he cried, as he watched the intensity monitor continue to grow. The monitor showed that the center of the explosion was exactly where the Council hall was located. The register finally leveled off and began to drop. The high point on the scale glowed where the measurement had peaked.

Leumas continued to stare at the screen in horror, his stomach beginning to churn dangerously. He knew that an explosion of this size would take out the entire Northern continent, along with its three million inhabitants. "No!" he cried, as he continued to pound the console, tears streaming down his face. Finally, exhausted, he collapsed on the floor and he wept for the innocent victims of Copolla's madness.

"You bastard!" he cried. "You bastard!"

Chapter Nineteen

THE PLAN

As Leumas neared Zire, the readings from his computer displays showed him that Copolla had been very thorough. The entire continent that had been the site of the Hall of the UCDW for centuries, along with its three million inhabitants, was gone. Checking the computer-scheduling screen, he was appalled to discover that the full Council had been in session at the time of the explosion. With the exception of a few members who were absent for illness or who had to attend to more serious business, the entire Council, plus at least three million inhabitants, had all been killed. He was sickened by the thought that one person could be so evil, so vindictive, as to cause the deaths of so many innocent life forms.

He landed at an alternate spaceport on the southern continent and made his way to his old quarters, a small compartment he rarely used anymore but had never disposed of. He needed time to think. The Council must be reorganized as soon as possible before a total breakdown occurred in the galaxy. He did not want a reoccurrence of past history, when a communication breakdown caused more damage than actual fighting did. It was a sad fact that history had a way of repeating itself, no matter of how severe the consequences.

Through the use of his personal communicator, he linked with the central communication control and contacted many of the other worlds that were members of the UCDW. Word travels fast, he learned, even when light years separated the planets, for most already knew what had happened and were hesitant to reform the Council.
How deep had Copolla's influence gone,
he wondered.