The Last Hope

Chapter 2

The floor on the halls were white, made with a rock only found on my planet. A rock that can be found similar to Earth's cobble stone. The ceiling was high above my head, made of a mixture of glass and carbon fiber, allowing for a perfect view of our planet's skyline. The walls were tall and long with murals of the heroes from my history. The murals had all the greats; it had all the way from the founder of our nation to my great grandfather- General Gendar. The plaque below his mural read "the last hero." There were no chandeliers or lights along the walls. Instead, we had invented a chemical that is plunged on the floor like it was water, but after it dried, it would light up only at night and light up brighter than any lamp.

I walked through the longest hall way that had a huge hexagon shaped room at the end of it. The room had the same type of rock as the hallways, but the walls had streaks of gold going down the sides. This time, instead of murals, there were marble statues of the most famous heroes. If there were twenty murals, then there almost ten statues. The room had golden lamps, but they weren't for lighting. The purpose was only for decoration. At the center of the room there was a long golden table with candle sticks. I stood in the center of the Great Room, awaiting for our ruler to show up. Earlier today I had gotten a message telling me to meet him here as fast as possible; he had a new mission for me.

"You're here! Haha, I thought for sure you were not going to show up." His voice appeared out of no where, almost shocking me.

"Well I can't really reject a straight order from our Great Leader," I replied with a tone of mockery on my voice, making him let out a chuckle.

"We didn't get off on the right foot last time, you know with you committing distortion." His reply was cold; almost like if he was saying that with someone holding a knife to my back. "You're welcome by the way. If it was anyone else in charge you would be locked up in the darkest corner of the universe. Call me crazy, but I've always had a sort of liking to you."

"That's new. Not everyday that our GREAT Leader admits to favoring one of his soldiers."

"Soldier? No, no. We all know that we can't trust you with a gun. But put you behind enemy lines and you single handedly destroy an entire army." He let out a crooked smile. It was the kind of smile that makes any laughing man turn serious.

"Cut to the chase Kenard." The sound of hearing someone of a lower class than him call him by his first name made his expression change in a blink of an eye from a smile to a stern face.

"I will have you speak to me with respect." He tried lowering his voice to prevent showing his anger towards me, but even with a lower voice, he was unable to hide anything. "I've called you here today because I have a mission for you," as he spoke, he pointed his hand towards the nearest wall and an image of a planet appeared. "This is Earth, located in the Milkey Way System with a population of approximately 7.065 billion, located thirty-two hundred light years away from us."

"Let me guess, you want me to go full out rage mode on a total planet?" My response seemed to humor him. "You really think I can kill 7.065 BILLION people? I'm what they call crazy , but I'm not suicidal."

"Your mission is NOT to kill the people living there. Your mission is to obtain Intel that could be beneficial for us. You see," he lowered his tone a bit. "We will attack this planet, but without sending billions of our troops. We grew weary of barbarian attacks because we are much more civilized. You are to know exactly where to attack, when to attack, and how to attack." He spoke, but never seemed to look at me when speaking for more than a couple of seconds.

"I really don't have a choice do I?" I said the words, but didn't mean them. I was dying to get back into action. Getting a planet for my people will give me a hero's reward and finally earn a spot next to my great grandfather. I just wanted to hear Kenard say he needed me, that I was his only choice.

"You already know the answer. Imagine it; returning home a hero, people calling you the catcher of worlds, and a life of luxury." As he was speaking, he was walking around me, almost examining me as to make sure that his offer sounded good.

"I accept."

He smirked at me. "Haha good, you leave tomorrow at break of dawn. You will find all the weapons and resources you will need for your mission."

"Wait, if take off is already scheduled for tomorrow, what would have happen if I would've said no?" He let out a chuckle like before, but this one was different. For once, it was a sort of humorous laugh.

"Oh I knew all along that you were gonna say yes. Maybe not at the spot, but by night fall you would've come back saying yes to the mission."

His response didn't shock me; what did was the way he said it. Almost like if he was ready to go to any means necessary to make me say yes. I didn't stay to ask more questions. It was my last night home. I left the room not looking back a single second. Tomorrow I was to leave, not knowing if I was going to come back. There were a couple of people that I wanted to see and places to go before I left.