Chapter Three: Request

Earth 2141

Jacob jingled his car keys in his pocket. A year had passed and he was no closer to validating his father's theory than when he started. In a way, it made him feel reprehensible.
He opted against going into work. He turned and proceeded t his apartment. He would spend the day lucubrating the universe with his high powered telescope. It was his obligation to ascertain aliens for his father.
When Jacob entered his apartment, a man was sitting on his couch.
"How did you get in?!" Jacob demanded.
The man looked up from his hands. Jacob could see a resemblance to someone he previously knew but could not place whom.
The man rose to his feet. He seemed like an older man but had solid greasy onyx hair that hung over his shoulders. He wore a long black coat that swept against the floor as he stepped towards Jacob. He had grey eyes that seemed faded with age. His skin was ecru and the appearance was leathery.
"Jacob, my name is Ed Shuman. Your father was my brother's partner." He said. His voice was gruff but kind, like a grandfather's.
"Uh-hello. How did you--"
Ed Shuman held up his hand and looked away as if something Jacob said had pained him.
"My niece has gone missing." Ed Shuman told Jacob.
Jacob was perplexed.
Why is this strange man in my apartment looking for a niece that I have never had contact with?
"Well, I am sorry to hear that but I am not a police officer. You have come to the wrong place."
"My niece was aboard the space station and she suddenly disappeared last year. I found this out just recently. Her and her friend have been missing for a year! Jacob, it's not like they could have just run away together." Ed Shuman's voice was rising to a hysterical note.
"Based on what you have informed me of, it appears to be a tragic accident involving recklessness when venturing into space." Jacob observed calmly.
"Now I know you don't actually believe that."
It was sequestered for a few moments. Finally, Jacob spoke again.
"What happened to your niece was a truly terrible incident, but what you expect ME to do. I am hardly a professional."
Ed Shuman's smile was scant. It did not quite touch his eyes but it managed to wrinkle some of the surrounding skin.
"You are Adam Brennon's son, are you not? Please, my niece needs help."
Jacob sighed still not comprehending Ed Shuman's obscure request, but he finally did give in.
"I'll do this under one condition." Jacob said at last.
"And what's that?"
"You wait for me OUTSIDE my apartment from now on."

Chapter Two: Shuttle XRZ135

Space Station AX40 2140

Meredith eased into her bed for the night.
"Good night, Miss Shuman." said a robotic woman's voice.
"Thank you, Sharon. Dismissed." Meredith returned.
There was an inobtrusive clicking noise as Sharon shut down until seven AM the following morning.
Meredith sprung out of bed and promptly absconded to the living room, checking for her mother's stentorian snoring. When she detected it, she scampered over to the exit of the their boarding pod.
She saw Evan waiting for her and hurried to greet him. They hugged briefly.
"Oh, Evan! I missed you!" Meredith declared as they pulled away.
Evan kissed her forehead. "I did too, Merry. Come, I have a surprise for you."
Meredith eagerly followed him although having no idea where he was taking her. Evan halted abruptly in front of the astronaut exit.
"Evan..."
"Ssh, this is going to be amazing." he assured her.
Meredith could only hope her batty boyfriend was knowledgeable in what he was preconceiving.
"Do you believe in aliens?" he questioned her, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Her eyebrows arched in surprise.
"Aliens? That's what this is about?!" she demanded, still keeping her voice subdued.
"It's not that insane, Merry. Besides, I have proof." he said, opening the door.
She was about to refuse but he dragged her through the shaft. The door sealed behind them.
Evan began pulling on one of the available spacesuits.
"Evan! Are you insane?!" Meredith fulminated.
"Slightly, my love. Put one on. It's rather icy out tonight."
Meredith desired to contend but she knew Evan's stubbornness would not hearken her. She began tugging on a spacesuit, mindful of making certain she was doing everything according to training.
Evan slid his on part by part, rapidly as if he had done this several times before.
"Are you not ready yet?" he said surprised to see Meredith battling with a glove.
She delivered him a glare as she finally slipped the glove over her fingers.
A few minutes passed by time Meredith was finally safely dressed.
"You ready?" Evan asked, slipping on is helmet.
"Not really." Meredith replied truthfully.
Evan attached their oxygen cords and ropes to make it back to the station.
"What are we doing out here?" Meredith inquired once they leaped.
She fancied levitating as much as the next guy but Evans intentions were a bit frightening.
"Just wait. In a couple of seconds, you will have the experience of your life, Merry." he assured her.
They lingered patiently.Meredith hardly believed that she was going to be acquiring a life changing experience. Evan, however, was certain of Dr. Adam Brennon's theory.
Ten minutes went by sluggishly.
"Evan, I think we should leave. Nothing is out--"
"No, look!"
Meredith squinted at what he was pointing at and gulped. A ship three times the size of the space station was maneuvering towards them.
The ship was an annular disk, like the average sterotypical alien ship but it was almost lucid and appeared, shockingly, like a water droplet. The ship was incredible but Meredith suddenly tasted apprehension. If aliens really did exist then...
"EVAN!" she screamed.
He ignored her, too mesmerized by the ship. A part of him had not really reckoned on anything happening.
A sudden painful lurch fought at Evan and Meredith.
"A gravitational force field!" Meredith shrieked.
Evan wold have been impressed at her obvious attempt to read the alien literature he had lent her, but he was too distracted by experiencing it.
"What do we do?" she cried.
It was too late. They were now prisoners of Shuttle XRZ135- the enemy ship of the universe.

Chapter One: Dispute

Earth 2140

It had been eight years since the enigmatic accident at the lab and since Jacob's father had died.
No, Jacob thought with thick bitterness. Died is too cordial a word for it.
Jacob was dressed in a lab coat, his hands shoved deeply into his pockets. He was getting quite chagrined of digesting Dr. Leigh's drone about lab safety. While Dr. Leigh was an alluring woman, she contained no knowledge of how to teach without putting the class into an abysmal sleep.
"Mr. Brennon, would you care to inform me of the first precaution in lab safety?"
Jacob contravened the urge to roll his eyes.
"Always know where each safety consultant is." he answered in a monotone voice to prevent his sarcasm from seeping through the syllables.
Dr. Leigh commended him for the correct response before continuing her lecture.
Shouldn't twenty-one year olds already know the correct safety rules? Jacob thought glancing around the lab at his fellow classmates, none of which seemed dim witted until he noticed a boy with his finger shoved up his nose.
Guess not.
There were seven girls, all of which were quite attractive and there were seventeen boys, each one standing as near a girl as possible. Jacob felt the urge to laugh at the absurdity of one of the girls falling for these lab rats. They were here on strictly business just like everyone else SHOULD have been.
Jacob tuned in when he suddenly heard his father's name.
"Dr. Adam Brennon was one of the greatest scientists of all time and look what happened to him, class. Obviously, he was being careless thus leading to a lab explosion." Dr. Leigh said as if this were a pure factual observation.
Jacob felt the scorching anger boil in the pit of his stomach. The class began murmuring to each other about the incident, some casting glances in Jacob's direction.
"That's a lie!" he shouted.
The class became halcyon. All eyes were now on Jacob.
"Is it, Mr. Brennon?" Dr. Leigh asked, amused.
Jacob wished he had not spoken. Everyone already thought his family was flaky; there was no need to shame them more.
"Yes." he said, this time with less confidence.
"Tell us your theory then. After all, you were his son."
Dr. Leigh only desired to disconcert him. She was one of the scientists who reported on the news the "official" story. She called his father careless and frighteningly mad for his theory of aliens.
"It's not a theory, Dr. Leigh. You and I both know that." Jacob answered, nonchalantly.
"Do we now? I do not recall trusting in any of your father's rubbish."
"You are in denial, just like the rest of the world! Do you honestly lack that many brain cells to think that the most renowned scientist the world has ever seen would really be that heedless?" He was no longer speaking to just Dr. Leigh. "Use your brains people."
"So, based on no factual evidence, you wish the entire world to believe in something that no one has ever seen?" Dr. Leigh argued.
"People HAVE seen them! They just refuse to believe! The evidence is all there, Doctor. It's just that the entire world refuses to believe it!"
"You think you are so wise, don't you Mr. Brennon?"
"Maybe, but I know my father wasn't a crackpot!"
Dr. Leigh chuckled which only fueled the fire within Jacob.
"Oh, Jacob. You are far too intelligent to believe that garbage. I am afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave, now."
Jacob ripped off his lab coat and slung it on the ground as he stormed out, without glancing behind him.

Prologue: Massacre

Earth 2132

Dr. Brennon scratched his stubble covered chin thoughtfully upon gazing at the specimen. He inhaled a deep breath before speaking.
"I think we have a bit more than we can handle, Dr. Shuman." he said, tapping the glass.
"Nonsense! We could not possibly pass this on! We discovered it so we should study it!" Dr. Shuman exclaimed in response, rubbing his hands together like a child.
Brennon shook his head at Shuman's immaturity. He bent down and studied the bizarre reptile-like creature briefly. It was an unnatural shade of green-the color of pea soup if left out for a week. Its body was almost snake-like except it had imperceptible feet, more than four at that. Its skin was scaly and glinted different pigments of color depending on where one was standing. It didn't have any eyes nor a mouth-only two slits on the top of its head, most likely nostrils. It very well could have been an unclassifiable species or an Earthly reptile. Or it could be...
Brennon shook his head at the absurd thought.
"Shuman, I don't think this is hardly our profession. This isn't a typical reptile...I'm not sure--"
"Stop being so talismanic and look at what we have discovered! A new species, Brennon!" Shuman interrupted.
Brennon sighed heavily. Shuman was beginning to test his patience.
"All I am suggesting is that we need to get a second opinion." Brennon attempted to reason.
Shuman chortled and withdrew his glasses. He placed them gently into his front coat pocket before speaking.
"You always have been scrupulous, Brennon. But come, we should leave for the night. We can discuss this in the morning." he said, meandering toward the door.
Brennon exhaled and started to follow his partner but the specimen began to slither. It suddenly swelled two times its size. Brennon ogled in shock as the creature continued to double in size. Soon, it was too large to be contained in the bullet proof cage. The glass began to fissure and quaver as the creature continued its growth.
"Come on, Brennon. What are you--"
Shuman turned just in time to see the creature explode from the cage, skyrocketing glass. Shuman and Brennon watched as it opened its midsection to reveal circular layers upon layers of acrid teeth. The creature vociferated, flinging spittle all over the lab.
The two scientists screamed and began to flee but the creature was much quicker. It opened its massive jaws even wider and clamped it over Dr. Brennon and Dr. Shuman.
They wailed as the teeth sliced through their bodies, casting blood everywhere on the inside of the creature. The creature threw itself backwards revealing the two lifeless scientists with several teeth piercing through many locations on their bodies.
It closed its mouth and shot through the ceiling, shrinking as it did so. It descended to the ground and began to tunnel underground, all the way to the Earth's core not be divulged again for many years.