Read Parallel Connection Page 21

CHAPTER 7

  Thirty five miles north of Vendorra, in the Industrial Zone, the large three story metal building was dark and appeared to be unoccupied. It was half a block long with a paved area at one end, which normally stored containers of Solinium ore; but the invaders had taken it months ago. The other buildings nearby also were dark and still, as were the rest of them in the Zone, having been idled by the demands of the new rulers of Gavilon. They arrived six months ago unannounced and just took over, surrounding the planet with eight very large ships; only having to resort to violence a few times. Since then, ninety five percent of the population had become complacent slaves for the aliens for some inexplicable reason. The few that didn’t had either stayed in the shadows and did their best to survive, or joined with the others to form an underground resistance.

  Suddenly, the two large doors on the end of the building slid apart and the ship emerged from the dimly lit warehouse onto the pavement. The doors slid shut just as the ship began to rise into the air and speed off into the darkness. The pilot, Terand, was keenly aware of the danger he faced but he had made the trip five times before and had learned to anticipate the alien’s reactions, which were slow compared to his.

  The ship had cleared the atmosphere and now is the time to be careful. All eight of the massive ships had some kind of pulsar beam that they use for defensive purposes, and he had seen them destroy three of these clandestine supply ships in the past. He was glad that his brother had stayed behind in the underground bunker beneath the warehouse; the resistance needed every one that was available if they were to defeat the invaders and reclaim their planet.

  Terand saw the tell-tale flash from the pulsar cannon on the nearest ship, and immediately changed course and speed to cause it to miss. He had to do this three more times before he was out of range of the alien ship’s fire, then he sped off on course for Eos. These supply runs were imperative if the people on Gavilon’s largest moon were to survive.