Can utopia exist? 

A united group of aliens purchased the fourth planet of the Ou system from the galactic government more than fifty years ago. They renamed it Pturllel, a world for peace and unity. The intergalactic community thought it was a joke, a foolish endeavor by radicals unable to cope with reality. Everyone believed it would fail, but the united group of aliens moved and settled on their new world regardless.

The experiment started off rough, but it grew into a truly independent system. They wanted nothing to do with the old ways of their previous civilizations, so they isolated themselves and became as self-sufficient as possible. What they had, they made it work and minimized waste. What they didn't have, they managed without. They grew to like their creation, and it worked.

But nothing can remain isolated.

The old ways still lingered amongst the stars and in the backgrounds of the individuals living on Pturllel. A few traders ventured to and from the world, and word of the experiment's success spread from one civilization to another. Isolation wasn't absolute, and it wouldn't remain ignored.

War continued in the galaxy. Alien civilizations would need more—want more—and conflicts would be born and grow. Hate spread, war came, and death followed. The conflicts left nothing untouched, and it eventually found its way to the Ou system, to the fourth planet, to Pturllel….

***

“We've arrived at Pturllel, sir,” said the Kelker helms officer.

“It's designated Ou-4 until it's properly named, lieutenant,” hissed the admiral as he rose from his chair. “We never recognized the invaders' claim on this planet, and it was ours from the beginning anyhow.”

“Yes, Admiral Szal,” said the helms officer, turning back to look out at the planet.

Admiral Szal came to stand directly behind the officer’s chair, looking out the forward viewport as the planet grew larger as the Kelker fleet approached it. The admiral's eyes scrutinized the small, green and blue ball floating in space with half of its surface lit by the system's star to the right. A few lights around the world came from ships landing or taking off from the surface with one or two ships lingering further out in the system. A handful of artificial satellites and small space stations orbited closer to the planet than its two moons.

“Look at it, everyone,” said Szal with a smile. He turned to look around the command deck to ensure everyone paid attention to his words. “That will soon be our new homeworld. No more will our proud race be forced to hop from one barely habitable planet to the next. We will begin again, and the universe will learn to fear the power of the Kelkers once more.”

The members of the crew nodded in agreement. They looked between the planet and their admiral, joy coming to their eyes as Szal paused and let his words sink in. Szal began to smile again, and he looked out the viewport once more to stare at the planet.

“This is a great day for our species, and all of you are leading the way in reestablishing our dreams,” continued  Szal. “We are living history like no one else.”

Szal then let silence reign on the command deck for several moments, the Kelker commander enjoying the feelings he felt. Szal then looked around at the others again and saw many happy faces sharing those same feelings.

A beep rose from the communications station to the left of the helm, and Szal turned toward that officer. The communications officer quickly began to flip switches and listened to her headset before she turned to look at Szal.

“Sir, an incoming message from the planet,” she said.

“What do they want?” demanded Szal, looking out the viewport once again with a grin creasing his features. “Are they surrendering already?”

Szal's words drew some snickers and chuckles from others, but the communications officer looked troubled.

“No, sir. They’re ordering us to turn our fleet around and leave the system as soon as possible.”

The officer’s words silenced all the laughs around the room before she continued.

“They are repeating that this is their independent system, and they'll do everything to defend their sovereignty if we don't leave immediately.”

Szal felt everyone's eyes fall on him, each crew member waiting to see what the admiral would do next.

At first, Szal was filled with rage. How could a planet with no known defense stop any kind of invasion and still have the gall to send such a threat? The warning surprised him. But such a threat from the planet's inhabitants insulted the Kelker's great species, and Szal would not allow the insult to be made without a severe response. Szal instinctively wanted to return the threat, but he was the commanding officer of this operation—an operation critical to the continued existence of the Kelker species—and he had to ensure he didn't take any unnecessary risks, regardless of what stings were thrown at the Kelker's pride.

“Let me hear it,” said Szal, signaling to hear the planet's communication over the command deck's speakers.

“—system immediately. I repeat: attention Kelker fleet. You have entered the sovereign space of the people of Pturllel, violating numerous treaties established by the majority of galactic civilizations, including your own. If you continue on your present course, we will defend our world by all means necessary. Remove yourselves from our system immediately. I repeat—”

“Shut it off,” said Szal, waving a dismissive hand in front of him before turning around and returning to sit in his command chair.

“We can't let this insult stand, admiral,” said the second officer from nearby the communications officer. “We must respond with force.”

“We will, Captain Ylix,” said Szal. “But we'll show them it's best that they rescind their words and submit to us immediately. I believe a show of force is necessary. Lieutenant Bvinel, have the fleet fan out. Let's see what the planet's inhabitants will think of thirty-three battleships filling the sky.”

“Yes, sir,” said the communications officer, and he turned to his station and quickly began to relay his captain's orders.

Szal smiled at Ylix for a moment, getting an equally wicked grin in return before they both turned to look out the forward viewport to watch their fleet deploy.

As the ships began to form the new formation, Szal watched with pride. For centuries, the Kelker race had been fighting for a new homeworld. Their homeworld, Kelkreth, was destroyed hundreds of years ago after the Birnsteins invaded, bringing disease and polluting everything. The Kelkers fled after failing to defend themselves, and the search for a new homeworld had been ongoing since. But now Admiral Szal's fleet would finish the search. It was physically within sight.

A bigger smile came to Szal's face from that thought as he looked around the command deck once more. He saw that they all held the same, deep feeling for being on the edge of victory to end the darkest part of the Kelker’s history, a history that forced their entire culture to change at a fundamental level in order to survive. Some crew members weren't even ashamed to let a tear or two streak down their cheeks as they watched their fleet close in around Ou-4. The fleet looked as if it was embracing the planet in a warm hug like one feeling deep joy and happiness when a long-lost loved one returns. Even Szal teared up for a moment...but only a moment.

“Admiral!” shouted the helms officer suddenly, shattering the joyful silence on the command deck. “Another fleet is entering the Ou system to starboard.”

“Who?!” demanded Szal, standing suddenly and walking toward the helm. “There weren't any other fleets of any kind in the area a few days ago. Is it Human? Birnstein?!”

“Birnstein, sir,” answered the communications officer first. “There’s lots of chirping between the ships. They've spotted us and are making their way to Ou-4 as well.”

“Keep the fleet moving,” ordered Szal. “The Birnsteins want our new home, but we won’t let them have it. Prepare for battle!”

“Yes, sir,” confirmed the communications officer before she quickly began to send the revised order to the other ships in the fleet.

***

“We’re exiting jump now, sir,” chirped the helms officer.

Admiral Worc stirred in his command seat. As he woke, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the light entering through the forward viewport as the ship exited jump. When his eyes focused, Worc saw a planet ahead of them. The Birnstein ship had returned to normal space with the system’s star to stern, permitting the admiral to clearly make out landmasses and bodies of water on the planet’s surface.

“Fleet status,” ordered Captain Ghim.

“All ships have exited jump and are maintaining formation,” reported the helm.

“Sir, nothing from the planet, but I’m picking up Kelker ships to port,” said the weapons officer.

“How many?” asked the captain.

“A larger fleet--around thirty ships.”

Ghim turned to Worc with fear and concern on his face, two things unbefitting for a captain’s features in the admiral's opinion.

Worc felt some discomfort suddenly.  He took his hand and dug into his other arm’s feathers, removing a clot of dirt.  The admiral inspected it for a moment and then flicked it onto the floor.

“Kelkers...such disgusting creatures,” said Worc.  “Nothing we need to fret over, wouldn’t you agree, captain?”

Ghim watched the flicked clot of dirt hit the floor. Like each station, a pool of feathers and filth surrounded the admiral’s chair. Some of the Birnstein crew members shook their feathers and fought to keep themselves comfortable in their seats as they waited for Ghim’s response.

“Of course, admiral,” said Ghim, “but thirty ships is a lot for our fleet.”

Worc waved a dismissive hand as he stood up.

“Don’t get your feathers in a bunch, captain. We’ve chased the Kelker trash out of every system we’ve met them in. They could attack our fleet with their entire collection of ancient and poorly maintained ships, and we’d easily return them to the fundamental particles that spawned them. I daresay they’d thank us for such a service, actually.”

As he looked around the command deck, Worc saw most officers keeping their composure, but a few tried and failed to suppress chuckles for the admiral's taunt. Worc allowed himself to smirk as he turned his gaze back to the captain.

Ghim rose from his perch next to the admiral’s chair and attempted to return as confident of a smile as he could.

“Of course they would, admiral,” sang the captain. “How do you prefer we approach this situation then?”

“All ships asking for orders, sirs,” spoke up the communications officer quickly.

The admiral looked in the officer’s direction, then out the viewport, and then back to the captain.

“We proceed as planned, of course: we take the planet,” said Worc. “If the Kelker trash chooses to interfere, blow them out of space.  We have our orders. Let’s fulfill them.”

It was the captain’s turn to smirk, his confidence restored.

“Relay the orders!” declared Ghim.

“Yes, captain,” acknowledged the communications officer.

For his first major command as admiral, Worc was thrilled it wouldn’t be as mundane as his original orders had led him to believe. Soon, the Birnstein Empire would add another planet to its fold. Planets had a limited lifespan for the Birnstein race, so they were always in need of more. The Kelkers knew this first hand, and Worc would always take the time to remind the Kelkers of that history if they required it. Circumstances seemed to warrant the lesson once more.

Worc kept his attention on the viewport, looking down at a nearby tactical screen occasionally. He wanted to watch as the Birnsteins claimed their prize, but the Kelkers were an unexpected factor. Even as he talked dismissively of the Kelkers, he kept his attention on them. The moment they tried anything, Worc would order their destruction. This planet belonged to the Birnsteins now.

“Sirs, the Kelkers are accelerating toward the planet,” reported the weapons officer.

“Multiple ships inquiring on updated orders, sirs,” added the communications officer.

The admiral saw the Kelkers’ change in tactics moments before they were reported to him. Worc had expected the Kelkers to turn and intercept the Birnstein fleet, but now the filthy aliens planned to beat the Birnsteins to the planet and dig in. Take the Birnsteins’ planet? Not on Admiral Worc’s watch.

Even as his rage boiled, the admiral maintained his prior demeanor when Ghim looked at him.

“Like I said: destroy them,” stated Worc calmly.

Ghim quickly turned toward the weapons officer.

“Blast them,”  he ordered. The captain then looked at the communications officer. “Inform the rest of the fleet to eliminate the Kelkers. We’ll secure the planet afterwards.”

“Sir!” acknowledged both stations.

Worc watched as all stations sent, acknowledged, and executed his orders. Moments later, several proximity alarms drowned out all of the other noise from the command deck. Worc double checked his tactical screen, but they hadn’t gotten that close to the Kelker ships yet. The admiral’s eyes grew to their largest when he registered the threat.

“Report,” demanded Ghim.

“Another fleet has entered the system off our starboard side. I-It’s a Human fleet, captain.  Nearly forty ships.”

Dammit, thought Worc. This changes everything.

“Belay my orders,” declared Worc as he stood up and stepped in front of the captain.  “Fleet-wide hail, now!”

Worc glared at the communications officer to ensure his order was heard, and a second later, the officer gave a nod that the channel was open.

“This is Admiral Worc. The planet before us is ours. No invaders, whether they be on the planet or in ships around us, will take it. All ships: proceed to the planet immediately. Target the largest population centers and take them. The sooner we gain control, the sooner the planet is ours. If anything gets in your way, destroy it. Admiral Worc out.!”

“Helm, full ahead to the planet,” ordered Ghim.

“Sir!” he shouted.

“The Human fleet is hailing us, captain,” said the communications officer.

“Shut it off,” said Worc.  “You have your orders.”

“Sir,” responded the officer.

Worc returned to his seat and focused on his tactical screen. He enlarged both the Kelker and Human fleets to see their tactics. If the Birnstein ships moved fast enough, they’d gain a substantial lead over the Humans, and the Kelkers would easily be outran or outgunned in the planet’s atmosphere.

Like hell Admiral Worc was going to take a loss like this for the Birnstein Empire.

***

The moment the fleet exited jump, alarms sounded throughout the ship. Major Scola and his squad were getting ready in their quarters, expecting to head down to the armory to get equipped and receive detailed orders on claiming the illegally populated planet, Pturllel. Now, Scola worked faster to get ready and check in with the other squad members as soon as possible.

“All hands to battle stations. Enemy fleets in the system. All hands to battle stations. Enemy fleets in the system.”

The warning repeated itself a few times before going quiet, making Scola feel uncomfortable. Whatever fleets were outside the ship were unexpected, and the commanders must be scrabbling to get all the pieces in place. Until then, Scola would ensure his squad was ready.

“C’mon, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” shouted Scola as he exited his quarters and turned left. He banged on the door of each member of his squad, and Scola wasn’t surprised that his second officer opened her door the moment he finished banging on it.

“Sir!” said Corporal Allan.

“Let’s go,” repeated Scola, and he turned to start down the hall.

“You heard the major,” ordered Allan as the other four members of the squad stepped out of their quarters and saluted. “Let’s move! Fall in line.”

Scola continued to walk, but soon heard the others fall in step behind him. Allan walked a pace behind and to the side of Scola with the others walking in two rows behind her. After turning his head and acknowledging Allan and the others, Scola increased his pace and the others matched it.

The squad soon arrived in the ship’s hangar. Officers, soldiers, and pilots hurried around the room as the alarms signaled new orders were being issued. One order caught Scola’s attention, and he slowed his pace to hear it clearly.

“Attention all squads: report to your drop ships. I repeat, all squads report to your drop ships. Attention all fighters: report….”

“Come on!” shouted Scola, and then he and the others started through the hangar.

As they went, Scola dodged several fighter pilots as they hurried to their fighter crafts. Engineers worked quickly to finish prepping all the ships in the hangar. Scola and his squad soon reached their drop ship, the Navette.

“Major Scola!” shouted a voice from the left. Scola turned to see Major Dorsey and her squad running to the same shuttle.

Like Scola’s squad, each soldier wore heavy armor that was surprisingly light. The soldiers carried their primary auto-rifles in their hands but had a few varying size energy weapons on their belts, accompanied by energy blades and a variety of grenades. The helmets covered most of the soldiers’ heads with a transparent visor that served as a heads-up display. Slots on the sides hid additional protection depending on the environment the soldiers were dropped in.

Major Dorsey came to a stop at the base of the drop ship’s ramp and motioned her squad onto the ship.

“Move, move, move! You heard our orders. Let’s go!”

Her squad quickly boarded the ship and strapped into their seats. Scola stopped on the opposite side of the ramp and motioned his squad onto the ship.

“Corporal?” he asked as Allan went by.

“Yes, sir,” she acknowledged, knowing she would be verifying the squad’s status as they took their seats and prepared for deployment.

“Quite the situation to find ourselves in here, uh?” said Major Dorsey.

“Whatever the job calls for,” replied Scola. “I guess some species just can’t accept intergalactic law.”

“Not like their presence here is a surprise. Dirty birds….”

“Birnsteins?” asked Scola.

“And Kelkers,” added Dorsey. “We heard an officer say so as we entered the hangar.”

“You’re clear,” said an engineer who quickly exited the drop ship.

Scola and Dorsey nodded at each other and then walked into the ship.

Seats lined both sides of the interior with Dorsey’s squad on the left and Scola’s on the right.  A large arc separated the cockpit from the passengers, and Scola saw their pilot and co-pilot going through the start-up checklist as he and Dorsey took their seats outside the cockpit.

“All aboard,” said Dorsey as she finished strapping herself in.

“Sir!” said the co-pilot as he pushed a button on the console. Yellow and red warning lights flashed as the ramp rose, creating a vacuum seal as it closed.

“Attention all drop ships: report ‘ready’ once boarded and your checklist completed,” said the ship-wide operator from the cockpit console.

“Majors?” asked the pilot, looking back at Dorsey and Scola.

“Ready.”

“Ready.”

Both major’s answered quickly, and the pilot nodded to acknowledge.

“Pre-flight checklist complete,” said the co-pilot.

“Control, the Navette reports ready,” said the pilot into his headset.

“Acknowledged, Navette,” responded the Control officer. “Please stand-by for further orders.”

“Ten-four,” said the pilot.

Silence spread throughout the Navette.  Once the ramp had closed, all the sounds and alarms in the hanger disappeared. Both Scola’s and Dorsey’s squads sat quietly, each soldier mentally preparing for their mission. The pilots awaited further orders, looking out the viewport as the last drop ships and fighter crafts got boarded and engineers scurried out of the room.

A chime broke the Navette’s silence.

“Attention all drop ships, this is Lieutenant Lupo. Our mission has not changed, but we’ll face more resistance securing Ou-4 from enemy forces. We can only conclude that the Kelker and Birnstein fleets are here to claim the planet themselves, and we cannot let that happen. Our drop ships have been ordered to secure the city of Heiwa. Our fighters will provide cover to the target. Further orders will be transmitted as you near the target. Stand by for launch.”

“We’ll be landing on the eastern edge of Heiwa,” said the pilot, receiving the coordinates on his console.

As Scola turned to hear the pilot, he looked through the forward viewport and saw the hangar doors opening. The moisture in the air froze and got whisked out into space with the rest of the atmosphere.  Soon, the Navette’s engines increased their humming.

“We’re third to launch after the fighter squadrons,” relayed the pilot.

“Copy that,” said Major Dorsey.

The pilots watched the other ships depart in sequence, and when they received clearance, the Navette took off.

“Here we go,” said the pilot, increasing the output of the engines.

Scola had lost count of how many times he’d taken off in the drop ships, but he always felt slightly queasy when the ship first rose from the hangar floor. He knew he wasn’t alone as he saw one of Major Dorsey’s soldiers spin his head.

A moment later, the Navette cleared the hangar and started toward the atmosphere of Ou-4.

***

When the sun rose on Pturllel, no one expected what the day would bring. Some expected the same routine. Others were inspired by a new start. A few expected great news. All would receive a change.

In the capital city of Aitupo, the morning commute was in full force when the first warnings were made. Sirens sounded, and every news agency on the planet reported the arrival of the invading fleets.

For many, confusion came first. What did these fleets want? Then the planet’s government started issuing warnings for public safety. The confusion turned to panic. Those at home stayed in. Those at work debated heading out. Those still commuting desperately got into contact with their families.

Above Pturllel, fighters from all three fleets spewed out into space. They flew in groups, squadrons in formations and executing attack patterns. They let loose their weapons at enemy fighters, firing volleys of energy blasts through empty space at their targets. The dogfights soon turned deadly.

Kelker fighters attacked in small groups, teaming up to systematically eliminate one enemy fighter at a time. With quick communication, the fighters targeted a squadron of Human fighter crafts, maneuvering around their attacks before destroying them all in several minutes.

The Birnsteins flew into the fray to strike quickly and mercilessly. They charged at a Kelker fighter group at full throttle in a tight formation. The Birnsteins let their weapons light up space, and the Kelkers reacted poorly. The Birnstein fire tore through the hulls of the Kelker fighters, exposing their insides to the vacuum of space and ending their threat. But instead of moving on to the next target, the Birnsteins came back. They let their fire run uninterrupted, vaporizing chunks of the Kelker fighters until the fuel cells exploded. The Birnsteins flew through the debris clouds, the largest particles left of the Kelker fighters knocked aside by their ships’ shields. The Birnsteins then proceeded to the next enemy group to repeat their high-speed strategy.

Human capital ships moved closer to the planet and executed maneuvers designed to divide Kelker and Birnstein fighter formations before Human squadrons hunted down the separated ships. A Human squadron flew quickly at the high-speed Birnsten fighters and let loose their firepower. The Humans were not deterred by the Birnsteins’ tactics and welcomed the game of chicken. These Birnsteins flinched and broke formation, flying out in three different directions to avoid collisions.

Two more Human squadrons following in the shadow of the first took after the smaller Birnstein groups and opened fire. The Birnstein fighters succumbed to the enemy fire, exploding in flashes of light as the Human fighter crafts flew around them. The three Human squadrons then regrouped and finished off the last of the Birnstein fighters before dividing to target a capital ship of the Kelker fleet.

As the capital ships got closer to one another, they added their heavy firepower to the battle. Fighter ships were annihilated by a single shot from these large cruisers, regardless of  their shield levels. Any fighter craft that got too close to one of these discharges would lose their shields at least, leaving themselves open to enemy fighter attacks. But soon the capital ships focused on each other, launching volley after volley to hammer the enemy’s shields. One Kelker freighter was cut to pieces after its shields failed. Whole sections fell off, debris and beings flushed out into space to become hazards for any fighter crafts that got too close.

All of these exchanges occurred with one goal in mind: reach the planet’s surface first. Each species’ goal became more apparent as they began to race each other toward Pturllel while also maneuvering to slow the enemy down. The dogfights and ship volleys slowly grew less intense as the new priority was acknowledged by all three fleets.

When the capital ships got close enough, they launched their drop ships. Hundreds of these transport vessels began to descend toward Pturllel. Fighter crafts broke off their engagements to escort the drop ships. After piercing the atmosphere, all ships began to move as fast as they could to get on the ground.

Groups of drop ships broke from each other as they headed toward their designated targets all around the planet’s surface. Humans, Kelkers, and Birnsteins all targeted the same cities, and their drop ships came closer and closer to each other. The escorting fighter crafts broke from their duties to target enemy fighter crafts and drop ships. The sky exploded into a cacophony of discharges, impacts, and fire, resulting in debris falling to the planet’s surface in wide swaths.

The debris reached Aitupo before any fighter crafts or drop ships did. Buildings began to be bombarded by pieces of destroyed ships, the fiery pieces crashing into buildings’ roofs. As the pieces burned through the floors, they cut weight-bearing beams and supports. Windows shattered as one building’s structural integrity failed. Smoke rose into the sky from the damage, and debris from the buildings rained down onto the streets below.

The Aitupo citizens rushed to get to safety from the destruction. Upper floors of all buildings began to be evacuated at an increased rate, and the streets became more congested as every being hurried to get away. Everyone could see and hear the dangers approaching.

Soon, drop ships and fighters entered the skies above the city. Fighter crafts pursued each other, their weapons’ fire now vaporizing the city. Beings in the streets panicked and sought cover as stray fire bombarded the roads. One vehicle on the streets took a hit that sent it flipping trunk-over-hood a few times before it came to rest on its top. Cries nearly drowned out the exchange of fire as the dog fights continued.

Near Aitupo’s capitol building, two Human drop ships approached, flanked by multiple squadrons of fighter craft. The fighters broke off to the north as the drop ships landed on either side of the capitol’s main entrance. The ramps soon opened up for armored soldiers to emerge, their weapons up and ready for danger.

The Pturllel beings trying to flee the building quickly changed directions to avoid the soldiers, and most were ignored. One anxious soldier soon spotted a few Pturllel civilian Birnsteins looking at the soldiers and moving away, and without warning, the soldier opened fire. All three Birnsteins dropped instantly.

“Move! Move! Move! Defensive formations. Go!” shouted one of the Human soldiers, and soon all the Humans were in motion.

The soldiers started up the capitol stairs, every direction covered by each others’ weapons to protect their approach.

As the Humans neared the capitol’s doors, a few squadrons of Birnstein fighter crafts came flying between nearby buildings and targeted the Humans and their drop ships. One of the drop ships fired a couple shots that missed the incoming threats, but the Birnstein fighters didn’t miss their targets. The Human drop ships exploded following heavy weapon barrages. The explosions sent debris flying all over the place, knocking over and killing several Human soldiers and a few other beings still in the area.  The Birnstein fighters then focused their fire on the capitol’s entrance, mowing down the remaining Human soldiers and whatever they tried to take cover behind.

On the third pass, the Birnstein fighters opened fire on the capitol building. The walls cracked and buckled under the weight of the rest of the building, and although collapse was imminent, the Birnsteins continued their deadly volleys, circling the capitol as they went. Soon, the building was covered in scorch marks from the foundation to the top of the flagpole.

With loud creaks, the capitol building collapsed onto itself. Everything soon became drowned out by the crashing building. It soon disappeared in a cloud of smoke. After flying over the destroyed building once more, barrel rolling in celebration as they went, the Birnstein fighters took off, immediately opening fire on other nearby buildings and any movement they saw in the streets as they went.

An odd silence soon fell over the area as the fighters moved away. The smoke slowly began to dissipate, rising up into the sky to reveal the destruction underneath. Debris was all over the place, and fires burned scattered about whichever direction one looked. A few beings who’d survived the destruction emerged from their hiding spots, verified the area was relatively clear, and took off running toward what they hoped was a safer location.

As the fighting moved out of the area, the odd silence spread. However, one sound became louder and louder. It started off as simple background noise, but slowly grew into a whisper, and then a shout.

In the middle of a street leading toward the capitol building, a Human baby cried, his wails echoing off what was left of the surrounding buildings. He looked up into the sky as he cried, brown hair covered in dirt and his clothes torn and scorched. He held on tightly to a blanket as he wailed.

Another sound caused the baby’s cries to slowly grow quieter. The approaching footsteps signaled potential aid, and the steps came at a brisk pace. The baby turned his head to look up at a Laurel alien dressed in now torn and dirty religious garments.

“Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay,” said the being as she gently picked the baby up off the ground. “It’s passed for now. It’s passed for now. There, there, there.”

The Laurel remained standing there with the Human in her arms as she slowly comforted him. But surrounding them was death and destruction, horrors of a galaxy the planet of Pturllel had hoped to flee. But those dangers had found their way to utopia.

Pturllel had fallen.

Chapter 2: Life on Ou-4 

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