Mana Pool Snippets - The Days After

Three

Why did Jaruka keep the satellites from them?

The news announced the attack on Langley once Jaruka had left the winery. As a journalism major, Katie was overwhelmed as she tried to keep up through her cellphone's web browser. The banter between Scott, Deryl and Mathews did not help her concentration. All the articles made the terran threat a whisper compared to what had happened.

The internet showed a quarter mile circle of forest gone, northwest of CIA headquarters. Gone, no life, just black soil. Security footage and cellphone video captured a column of red and yellow light from the sky and there were mentions of shockwaves and intense heat. The time of the attack coincided with Jaruka's arrest, and once the cuffs came off, the laser disappeared. Mathews said that it was coincidence, but Katie was sure that he was scared out of his pants.

NASA published intimidating photos as Katie, Scott, the totems, and Deryl were in the SUV driving toward Veil Lake with the small military squad following behind. A military satellite had captured pictures of the alien weapon in orbit over Virginia. The weapon was twice the height of the Eiffel Tower, wide at the top and slopped down to a narrow barrel, the hull was sleek metal, colored gold. A droplet hole showed the exposed power core, but Katie knew that shielding would protect it. Three more of the inverted cones were spotted by radar over Australia, United Kingdom, and North Korea.

Katie heard Mathews talking to NASA, confirming that the satellites were not there two days ago, but they were there now. They had to have arrived recently.

Why did Jaruka not tell the truth?

The terran couple wanted to know why the satellites had attacked, and needed to make sure that Mathews did not try to cuff Jaruka again in the event that the attack was linked. Mathews had wanted Katie and Scott to stay back at the winery, but another look from their glowing eyes told him otherwise.

Another perk for terrans: intimidation at its finest.

Deryl shared the couple the Galactic Council's conditions once Scott had asked him for the fifth time and the couple's words of the rules were not favorable.

*****

They were traveling on a dirt road with recently fresh tracks when Katie saw the military near the ship next to the lake. 

"Ah, shit," Mathews said. "Who the fuck told them to come?" He kept on driving closer until Katie could see the reason for his comment.

Cars, trucks and camper trailers were parked in front of the military, along with people who might have outnumbered the soldiers, but they kept their distance. Their base of operations was set up just as the SUV stopped and parked.

Maybe Jaruka was right about their mixed priorities, she thought. Maybe the president had made the order, or not; Mathews did not mention him, but his superiors must have. Maybe, they did not want to deal with what had happened to her and Scott and risk sparking another confrontation with the country's citizens.

Let me scope the area, Arana said in Katie's head.

Good idea. See if Jaruka arrived already.

Katie opened the car window and stuck out her left hand. Blue mana streams came from her skin, collected themselves, and then formed Arana mid-flight over the military presence.

"What was that?" Mathews beamed. "Better not be—" 

"That's my totem," she said. "She's just flying."

"More like spying."

"Now your tone is annoying," Deryl said in light of Katie's feelings. "It's bad enough your need to arrest him was proof enough."