What the moon left behind

WHAT THE

MOON

LEFT BEHIND

B. MITCHELL

Copyright © 2023

All rights reserved. No portion of the book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Earth- 2022, December 1st

Arron sighed and sipped his coffee. His assistant had called him and said he'd found something. As he looked at the printouts, it was most unusual. Some distant messages had been picked up and had slowed, according to the latest reports.

Some mistake thought Arron to himself. He looked at the report again as his assistant hovered over the computer. Well, Henry, has the data confirmed it was a mistake?

Henry remained silent for a moment then looked up. Umm, professor, you better check this out.

Arron got up from his chair and walked rather lazily to the monitor while his assistant looked at him in confusion. He looked at the monitor and gasped. Not only was the object slowing, but it had changed direction, and it was massive.

 Sir, I think we’ve found something.

Arron sighed, as he sipped his coffee.

Moments later, the door of his office opened and his assistant barged in, juggling a stack of paper. He dropped it on Arron’s desk and pulled one from the top. Arron took the paper. His eyes skimmed the words, as his assistant paced anxiously behind him.

"This must be a mistake," he thought.

He put his coffee down and called over his assistant.

Henry, he asked, Has the data confirmed it was a mistake?

Henry remained silent for a moment, before walking over to the monitor and pointing at the screen.

Professor, you better check this out.

Yawning, Arron got up from his chair and strolled over to the monitor. He looked at the object Henry was pointing at. He gasped.

The object was coming toward them, and it was massive.

2024, August 25th

Gary saw the flash of light coming toward him, but there was nothing he could do.

Instinctively, he covered his face, as the blast struck the tank. His radio fell and his computer rattled, as the tank shook. He prayed that the treads stayed up because if the tank stopped, they would all be sitting ducks.

He looked at his reflection in the window. His brown hair was dishevelled and his face was worn. So much of him had changed in such little time. Sometimes, he could barely recognize the man in the mirror.

When the invasion started, Earth's military companies quickly ran out of modern armour and had to rely on museum pieces like the tank he was currently commandeering. They retrofitted this World War Two relic with heavy turrets of thorium power and shield generators that had been reversed-engineered from the alien tech.

It worked well, but there were moments when the stolen alien shield dropped and he was left with only the good old-fashioned earth armour.

Once the tank stopped shaking, he leaned forward and peered into the scope.

Where had the shot come from? he whispered, as he searched the area.

Then he saw it. One hundred feet away, was a skimmer, hovering five feet above the ground. It was alien tech, shaped like a trapezium, with smooth, round turrets and a cannon at the front. The skimmer trembled, as it prepared its superheated matter for another attack.

Gary grabbed the radio from the ground.

Prepare fire, he shouted, as he banged on his computer, preparing his attack.

He felt the hair on his skin raise, as a charge flowed through the air.

Come on, he urged, watching the computer screen.

They were both preparing for their attack, it was now down to whose weapon would be ready first. Gary gripped his chair, as the tank shook. The tungsten bolt shot out of the barrel and shattered the alien's shield. He kept his attention affixed, as the remaining kinetic energy slammed into the hull of the craft and the skimmer's reactor exploded.

He breathed a sigh of relief before peering into the scope to search for other potential threats.

Contact left metal head! his machine gunner, Sam, shouted.

Gary saw the shadow making its way through the smoke of the explosion. It was an alien foot soldier. A seven-foot tall, grey-skinned beast on steroids. It had two arms with two fingers each on its left side, one on top of the other and where its right arm should have been was a grey cylinder. Gary had seen enough of them in battle to know that the creepy cylinder shot high-pressure acid.

They called this creature, a metal head, because a solid metal helmet covered its entire head, giving it the appearance of a metal ball.

Fire, Gary shouted, into his radio.

The tank’s machine gun hit the beast three times. It stumbled back, as the shield around it broke. It screamed, raising the cylinder. Five more shots hit the creature, piercing into its skin as red mist shot out from each strike. The beast howled, as it crashed to the ground.

The boffins said the troops were genetically engineered soldiers that were thrown into the fray again and again. He’d faced them time and time again, during his two years of battle. The first time was in the battle of Warsaw, where they fought the retreat down through Lviv and into Bucharest. Now, he was in Kazakhstan, fighting alongside the remains of Eastern European and Russian troops.

As he peered into the scope again, he wondered about his home, Great Britain. He hoped they were holding out.

When the aliens arrived, they’d knocked out most of the satellites, so communication was difficult.

Cheers erupted on the radio.

He aimed the scope at the new rocket heading to the newly established Mars colony. It was carrying essential supplies, and more importantly, refugees. He smiled to himself as he thought about her.

She was quite a girl.

Cute and brave, his Russian comrade was off this rock, heading to a place that he and the others hoped would be the new future of humanity.

An explosion brought him out of his daydream. He refocused his scope once again, seeking out the next target.

2224

She studied the infogram once more, Alapra Three- a planet which was colonized by the Advanced Control System two hundred cycles ago. The native species of this planet once called it Earth.

The Advanced Control System had taken charge of the deep space colony ship after the reactor malfunctioned and forced her ancestors to seek refuge in the digital world, as their bodies died due to the heavy radiation exposure that swept the ship. It took decades to get the ship functioning again, after which, most information from their past was lost. All that was known about their home planet was that it was found in a solar system that had a high possibility of habitable planets. So, when her ancestors needed to flee from an unknown enemy, they launched the generational colony ship towards the planet.

She was a child of the machine. Her mother and father were digital thoughts that had long forgotten their physical bodies. 

But today, she needed to do something she never thought she would. Hacking into the database files for the planet, she tricked the Advanced Control System into giving her a physical form. This was something that was a privilege only reserved for those older and more advanced than herself, who used it to guide the remaining natives on the planet. 

Turning on the data nets, she watched as the main portal to Alapra Three glowed. When her turn came, she felt her digital essence being broken up and sent across time and space. Once she arrived at Alapra Three's data net, a native city was assigned to her and an overwhelming amount of information was passed to her digital essence. At that moment, she could access everything anyone could want to learn about humans.

They were a short-lived, violent species in their organic form that would eventually be the reason for their own extinction. The Advanced Control System captured and trained them to prevent this, hoping to use their resources and rebuild their society. 

The information just kept coming. 

She learnt about their history, culture, and most importantly, she learnt how their bodies and minds worked. This was important for her to know, before assuming her new role. 

Since the planet was conquered, the humans were placed into various city states and controlled by an ACS with a volunteer as the human face of the ACS, given the role of ruling a city. To make sure the rather violent humans knew she was in charge, the body she would have would contain advanced telekinesis and an amazing ability to heal itself. She had seen this ability turn an attempted revolt into a massacre. She chose a settlement in the smaller western continent, a small, new town of one thousand people, set up to recycle remnants of the old human metropolis close by. She logged on to the main body computer and set about building her new form. She chose a nice frame with pale skin, adding green eyes and short, dark purple hair that made her look rather efficient. Then it translated her current name into a more human one. She looked at it and smiled; she liked it. Sylvia. It was a good name for her new life. She confirmed all the settings, and then it all went white. 

Sylvia groaned as she opened her eyes. Touching her head, she winced. It ached as she struggled to process the new information coming in. She raised her hands and wiggled her fingers, gazing at her pale delicate skin. When the lights from the cloning machine turned off, Sylvia stood up and gingerly took her first few steps as she got familiar with her new form.

The room she was in was plain. It had grey, stone walls and heavy piping. She turned toward the door and listened as footsteps approached. Moments later, the door swung open and five ACS generated soldiers, created for combat, entered. As part of Sylvia’s augmentation, she didn’t need to talk because she could understand and communicate with them, using her thoughts. 

They wanted her to follow them, so that’s exactly what she did. As they led the way down a dimly lit passageway lined with automatic security doors, Sylvia walked behind, taking in everything. 

They stopped at a thin lift and moved aside, waiting for Sylvia to step in. Once she did, they entered and pressed the button that ascended the lift, for what seemed like forever. 

The base must’ve been deep underground, Sylvia thought. 

Once it stopped, the guards opened the door and led the way down a now brightly lit hallway. At the end of the hallway was a large steel door. One of the guards entered the code and it swung open. A human female with short blonde hair, wearing a simple shirt and skirt, was kneeling on the floor and holding up a package. 

Sylvia walked over to her and looked down at the package, it was a simple white dress with a bra and a pair of underwear. 

For you, my lady, the young girl said. 

Sylvia looked down confused before her eyes fell on the image in the mirror across from her. Unlike everyone else in the room, Sylvia was naked. She took the package from the kneeling girl and slipped on the clothes while gazing at her reflection. It was a simple white, long dress with a long V-shaped collar. As she turned from side to side, the two slits on either side of the dress revealed her shapely legs. 

The girl appeared beside her, holding out a pair of white high-heeled shoes and ornate gold jewellery. She helped clasped the gold necklace around Sylvia's neck while she pulled on the bracelets. Once she was fully dressed, Sylvia admired her reflection before turning to the girl beside her.

What is your name?

Rena, my lady, the girl replied, as she hesitated before continuing, The city is ready for you.

Sylvia nodded and followed Rena out the door and down the same hallway. This time, they continued down until they stopped at a large wooden door. Rena struggled to push it open, but as soon as she did, the sunlight flooded into the hallway. She held the door open as Sylia stepped forward. They were standing on a balcony that overlooked the human settlement about ten thousand feet below. 

Rena led her to a high, stone chair. 

My throne, she mused. 

There were humans gathered before her throne and a couple of ACS soldiers standing on the balcony, amongst them. 

Odd, she thought, Surely the guards are too much for a world that has been pacified.

Once seated on the throne, Rena moved and stood by her side. Sylvia felt the emotions of the humans standing before her. It was a mixture of fear and awe. 

Rena took a step forward and addressed the humans. 

You may stand.

The humans stood up without any words. Sylia used her powers to light the torches, as the crowd gasped. 

This is our new leader, Rena continued, as the audience fell silent, Respect her and worship her, as the goddess she is.

Hail our protector, hail our goddess, the crowd chanted, as they prostrated on the ground. 

Sylia stood up and walked to the edge of the balcony, closing her eyes as the feeling of power washed over her. These were her subjects now. 

She turned to Rena.

Take me to my quarters.

Rena nodded and led her through another corridor and stopped at a door that was guarded by one ACS soldier. She opened the door and moved aside. Sylvia entered and looked around. The room was made of stone. There was a communication and control desk at its centre, which was made of shiny metal. On one side, was a large ornate bed and on the other was a set of wooden doors.

This door leads to your closet filled with clothes and shoes and your bathroom, my lady, Rena explained, as she pointed to the doors. 

Sylvia nodded and walked over to the desk. Sitting on the plush leather chair, she turned on the communication system.

Fetch me a glass of water and close the door behind you, she instructed. 

Rena nodded, leaving the room swiftly. 

Once the door was closed, Sylvia opened the reports and started reading. 

Their settlement was on the edge of one of the major cities in one of the major nations. It was a place that the humans once referred to as Chicago. Her job was simple; recycle the remains of this city so ACS could use its resources. She skimmed through the other page. 

ACS also wanted to build a soldier cloning centre here, that’s odd, she thought, Why would they need more soldiers? Surely there was enough to handle a mere one thousand humans.

There was a knock at the door. 

Enter, she said, as she closed off the reports. 

Rena walked in carrying a tray with a clear jug filled with water and a glass flute. She stopped at the table and placed the tray gently on the table. 

Do you need anything else, my lady?

Sylvia waved her away and reopened the report when the door closed. Her stomach dropped as she kept reading. The report became increasingly disturbing with each page. There were reports of strange attacks and signals originating from uncontrolled regions, but every time ACS sent an expedition, it returned with only pictures of ruined human cities or simply vanished only for the next expedition to be sent and return with nothing.

Another report showed that five Alapra solar years ago, a smaller city-state had revolted and was destroyed by ACS.

This is worrying, she thought, ACS is having more issues than it cared to admit when controlling Alapra Three.

She delved further down the rabbit hole of the reports. 

Was there another force guiding the humans?

She grabbed the water and took a sip. Sylvia spent the next three hours reading the reports until her eyes grew heavy. Being tired was the downside of being in a human body. Shutting down the computers she walked over to the closet and took off her heels. As she stripped off her clothes, she walked over to the stone bathtub and turned on the faucet. She spent the next hour in the water until she was relaxed and ready for bed.

Now dressed in blue silk pyjamas, she pulled back the sheets and got into bed. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the strange feeling of being a human as she drifted off to sleep.

*****

To say that Arstarte enjoyed his job was an understatement. He watched over his domain from the tall, stone ziggurat in the middle of what the humans called ‘Arstarte’s Domain’. It was his city of ten thousand humans all under his control in the name of ACS. 

He'd been the ruler of his city for the past hundred years and had chosen a male human form with a lean body and chiselled face. He looked like what the humans referred to as an ancient god.

He stood by the balcony of his castle, which overlooked the smaller two and three-story stone buildings that the human lived in. Past the human's habitat was a massive grey stone wall that circled his city.

What should I do tonight? he thought, as he paced his balcony. 

At that moment, he felt a psychic ping and sighed. At this time of the night, the message must be important, which means that his plans for tonight were ruined. Arstarte walked into his room and toward the command centre in the middle of his room. He sat down and turned on the console. 

There were no reports of an attempted rebellion but there was a message concerning the nearest human settlement that was just eight kilometres away. 

ACS had found someone to rule the settlement, hoping to turn it into a forward outpost. He clicked on her profile and rocked back into his seat as he took it in. The girl they placed in charge of the city was quite young. 

And quite beautiful, he thought. 

Maybe he should pay her a visit and show her the ropes. Grinning to himself, he began the dictation process. 

*****

Sylvia fixed her lilac silk dress and looked at the ruins of Chicago. She sat in an open litter that was carried by four humans, while her assistant Rena followed fatefully behind.

They passed a gang of humans that were tearing down some of their old building switch primitive hammers and chisels while ACS soldiers stood over them with watchful eyes. For the tougher buildings, ACS workers tore those downs by modifying their bodies to grow extra arms and use super strength. 

Her past week on Alapra Three consisted of reading reports and monitoring the construction and destruction of the city. On the third day, she got a rather charming message from Arstarte, the ruler of a larger city-state. He was coming to visit her city in a week's time, and she was looking forward to it.

Now bored of her tour around the city, she turned back and called her assistant Rena. 

Enough, let’s head back.

Rena nodded and led them down the path, and to the new colony. 

Here, there were heavily guarded gates with fields of corn and wheat growing beyond. ACS soldiers guarded the crops and looked over the humans who grew and harvested them. Food was important in the development of humans, and starving humans were no good to them because officially, they were there to save the humans from themselves. Most modern human technology was banned so agriculture was hard work. And ACS knew that controlling the food meant controlling the humans.

As they moved past the fields, Sylvia saw the humans tending to the crops and as they got closer to the main gate, she saw the small market stall and human caravans with animal-drawn wagons. Other than walking, caravans were a legal way for the humans to travel.

Sylvia signalled for the litter to stop and waited as they gently lowered her to the floor. Once the litter was on the ground, she stood up and stepped out of it, walking toward the stalls. She examined the wares and foods on display. One stall even sold hand-created trinkets from the old city-states. Every item was checked by ACS before it could be sold, and anything that required electricity was banned.

While she took her time, enjoying her shopping spree as she browsed through their jewellery and