The end of the beginning - Revision #2 - May 9, 2008 10:47:32 AM UTC

The ground split. Crumbling cacophonies mixed with piercing shrieks as another hrudkor cable lashed the horizon. What was the worst thing, was that there was no warning. Of course, the general council had made plans for many types of emergency, but being human, they could not imagine the true worst case scenario. Or, could not bring themselves to admit it.

Another hrudkor tore at the eardrums of the free people of Sel. Its supersonic speed was beyond the imagination of any of them, before that day. Around the hrudkor the people were dead, or in chaos, and far from the scene the same people just looked; still, quiet.

A period of silence indicated that the last hrudkor had driven its way through the planet’s crust, anchoring the battle cruisers high above. The ships blocked all light. Their size was difficult to compare to anything the people had known before.

How one people could be so different. Some moving towards the hrudkor, some away. It did not matter. The cables of 10 spans each could not be broken, and the people could not be saved.

--

Paul made quick turns in agitation. The cold, thin air snapped at his arms. ‘What can we do?!’ said Paul, again. His colleagues had faith in him. The small gravel of the floor yielded to Paul’s footsteps and crunched in a way that was ordinarily soothing. ‘Paul, we must evacuate the southern hemisphere’ said Drukal, the advisor. ‘It’s too late!’ exclaimed Paul, although it was really a question asked of himself. Walls echoed. ‘Those bort’juts have gone too far’. Paul’s close advisors knew he swore like this, knew he had fear, but the people must not know. Furniture rumbled. ‘Deploy countermeausre’. It was already too late, but advisors darted with the greatest speed ever seen in this cave at hearing Paul’s order. ‘Create a broadcast to all the people, give instructions on emergency procedures’. Paul’s words were sputtered rapidly and in low tones. A vase clanged onto the floor. Paul intended to leave the people, Drukal recognised. He had known Paul too long for his tones to go un-interpreted. ‘We’re leaving for safe-hold Theta’. Drukal was pleased; at least Paul had stopped underestimating their enemy. They would now go to the most secure area on the whole of Sel, higher in the mountains than they were even now. It was the most extreme of decisions, but the most extreme of days.

--

Around the hrudkor, objects began to sing, move, heat, break. The people did not know about this weapon. Could not know. All metal objects succumbed to the pulses of the hrudkor inductors. Attacking the planet Sel. Lavishing fear and destruction on it.