Prologue and Chapter One

Prologue

The Chernobl Empire was a little big for their britches. They had consumed all the habitable planets in this galaxy, save one, designated, 10532X. The inhabitants of 10532X called it Earth, such a strange name, it was after all, on 26% land.

“Commodore!” Second Lieutenant 120 burst onto the bridge.

Commodore 73 turned in his chair, “What is it Lieutenant?” The panting lieutenant gasped for breath, “New orders, sir! Set course for 10532X.”

Their ship, Lord, was the only remaining ship equipped with terraformers, a last relic of the Expansion Ages. Commodore 73 blinked, 10532X was something of a myth, and no ships were allowed within 2 parsecs of it.

“10532B?” 10532B was a recreation planet.

“No sir, 10532X,” insisted Lieutenant 120. 73 sat back in his chair.

“Well, you heard the man, Helmsman, set course for 10532X. Helmsman 5545 slid his nimble fingers across the panel, swiveling the flagship about on a direct course to sector 9Z.  

120 handed the commodore a data pad before returning to his duty station. The commodore tapped on the “Mission Description” icon, at the head of the flowchart with events and responses. Another flow chart appeared, with “Approach” at its head. Commodore 73 retired to his ready room to read the description.

Chapter 1 

There's only 6 billion humans

I hopped off my bike, pulling out a lock, and strapping it to a stop sign. I stood up, flicking the last number to a 3.  I was parked in the library parking lot, it was a sunny day, and the sunlight reflected off the library's pride and joy, a massive skylight bank, which not only lessens the cost of electricity, it makes the brick-and-mortar library more modern looking. Or that's what the web site says, at least. Personally, the beams kind of block most of the light, and the tables are mostly positioned under such shadows.

I pulled open the front door, pulling out a copy of C++ for Dummies. The book wasn't very helpful, and the sight of it got me called a nerd way to many times too many. 

"Terrawipers aimed and ready, sir," came Scientist 89's voice over the intercom.

"Copy, that 89, let me get formal orders," Commodore 73 tapped on his keyboard, making and sending a request to Command for formal authorization to wipe 10532X.

Wandering in, I dropped the book in a return slot. Waving at the librarian on the way in, I made my way toward a desk not blocked from the sun by a support beam. I sat down, and began to doodle. A few minutes later, a sheepish-looking librarian came over.

"We need some help with the computers?" she said it like a question. I brushed eraser shavings of my doodle and followed her to the info desk computer.

"What's the problem?" I asked,

"It won't access the library database." A man in a dark suit was standing, waiting to be assisted, presumably by the database. I sat down, and began clicking.

"Scientist 89?" Commodore pressed the intercom button, opening a channel to the terrawipe room.

"Sir?" asked 89.

"Authorization received. Engage."

***

Scientist 89 took of his headset, leaning toward the control panel, he inserted his key alongside Specialist 89, his best friend, and they turned the key.

I crawled under the table to see if any wires were messed up. I saw the man's feet walk away, impatient with the service. I pulled on a couple of wires, all were plugged in. Then I noticed a frayed wire. I turned around, I didn't see the librarian. 

"Sir, the humans have been retrieved to stasis," Scientist 1523 reported to Scientist 89.

"Copy, that 1524."

"1523, sir."

I stood out from under the desk, looking around, the entire library was deserted. There was a high pitched squeal, and the skylights flashed bright blue.

"Sir, the terrawipers have been fired," came Scientist 89's voice over the intercom.

"Message received, 89, keep firing." Commodore closed the channel, and continued turning over the data pad in his hands. My father would have been so proud, he thought. His father had been a leader in pioneering terrawiping, but the new technology had never been used before his fathers death at the hands of the terrorist gang The Orions. 

The was a massive boom, and a thunderous crash shook the building

Please note, there have been some minor changes to the prologue, including the erasure of a reference.