Uninvited Guests

"This is it, sir," the officer said as he stared out into deep space. "After all this time we're finally going home."

        Commander Tennant held his silence a moment longer before forcing a smile, "That we are. Let's only hope we learn from history this time."

        His mind was instantly overtaken by horrible visions of death and ruin. The sounds in his head echoed. Terrible blood chilling screams, children crying. Men and women howling in pain as eyes rolled back into skulls and skin fell from bodies. 

        They called it the "Revelation Virus" and rightfully so as it had almost been successful in ushering a true end of days. All would have been lost if not the thousands of star ships waiting to give the human race a chance of escape. It took several million casualties to finally end the war and once every corner of the globe had become witness to the sheer brutality of the man made epidemic the nations had finally ceased hostility and gained enough sense to flee the scene entirely. Hands were quickly shook, engines were fired and the remaining populace took their last steps on Earth soil and disappeared into the vast reaches of space.

        The first days abroad were an emotional battle. Commander Tennant had felt it himself that day. He could see it in every pair of eyes among him. Was it harder to watch your loved ones die or to watch the very planet that their bodies lay broken disappear into the distance. How can you hold onto a dying memory when it's a universe away? As of today it no longer seemed to matter. After thirty-two long years they had finally received the all-clear from the United Science Division.The message was simple. "Let's go home."

        "I don't think i can even call it home, sir," the young officer said.

        Commander Tennant managed a nod. He never thought about it before now. How strange it must be to see your home planet for the first time. So many had been born and raised on one of these ships. To think that a clear blue sky would be alien to them was almost too much for him to wrap his head around.

        "It's as much your home as it is mine," Commander Tennant as he braced himself for the jump out of warp, "Perhaps even more so. You had nothing to do with it's devastation."

        He thought of the last time he had seen the Earth. The once bright planet saturated with life. A glowing spectacle of the human spirit that had been transformed into a cancerous rock in space. Some had cursed the sun for shining on such a sight as if it had done so to show the universe what we had wrought. Tennant remembered it vividly and could swear he could taste the foul sour flavor of disease.

        "They say that the Earth's atmosphere should be as beautiful as ever now that the virus has had time to die off. Since the whole population had been evacuated there was no way for it to spread."

        Commander Tennant admired the officers youthful optimism. And hated it bitterly as well. If only you were familiar with the sins we have committed you would not be so sure. He thought to himself.

        A loud voice boomed over the ships intercom, "Disengaging warp drives in ten seconds!"

        Commander Tennant cursed himself. This was to be a joyous moment at the end of humanity's biggest mistake and yet he remained doubtful.

Pessimism from a bitter old man. Nothing more.

"Disengaging warp drives in five seconds!"

Dammit! Why are you suddenly scared of the Earth? Afraid it's still decaying? Commander Tennant's mind began to race with grim possibilities, Perhaps it's gone entirely! Fallen into the sun! Cloven in two! He shut his eyes and forced himself to focus on his duties. Why is this taking so long? Show me the Earth! 

"Three! Two One!"

        And suddenly there it was. A distant blue and green against an endless black canvas. Commander Tennant exhaled with relief. His racing heart soon began to slow it's nervous pace. Home. Just as we left it. Better than we left it.

      There was endless applause thundering above the cheering of every person on board. Tennant imagined it sounded very much the same on every ship around them as humanity's fleet fell out of warp speed by the dozens and floated in the tranquility around Earth. The silence of a lonely planet.

         The celebration was so loud it was almost impossible to hear the sharp blip from one of the radars. But Commander Tennant heard it. He heard it as though it was sitting inside his head, ringing his ears.

Blip

He turned to listen more closely, ignoring the laughter and praising around him.

Blip

He stood from his chair and began to zero in on it's precise location.

Blip

He approached the console and increased the volume.

Blip!

          Suddenly the celebration around him began to fade as more and more people began to hear it. The officer approached Commander Tennant and peered over his shoulder, "What does that mean?" he asked with a nervous smile. His fear was evident.

      Tennant turned his head and stared with emotionless eyes at the young man's face, "Incoming message."

         The urge to ignore the message entirely was overwhelming and judging by the look on everyone's face, that's exactly what they wanted him to do. The impossibility of the situation could only be written off as an equipment malfunction. At least that was what Tennant told himself as he reached forward and pressed the button marked "Receive".

         There was a moment of silence before the speakers were overtaken by a thick, monstrous voice. The tongue was obviously struggling to sound out the unfamiliar words, "TURN... BACK."