[Liz]

The invasion began.

A nearby explosion shook the control room. Thin curtains of accumulated dust rained down from overhead beams. A tense silence filled the room as everyone froze.

"Focus! Stay on task." Jack barked out the order using a commanding voice borrowed from his military days.

I called out. "Jack, what are they targeting?"

He answered as he looked over the shoulder of an operator at a display, not turning my way. "Infrastructure, communications, and transportation. There will be casualties, but it appears they are not specifically targeting the population."

"Thank God, at least for that."

Gan stepped into the room, shaking the dirt off of his clothes. I stood to meet him. With narrowed eyes and pinched lips, this was not the face of the man I knew. It would usually take a lot to get him off of his normal easy-going style. He caught my eyes. "Not good, Liz."

A trickle of blood rolled from his scalp and down his cheek. I tapped my head at the corresponding position. Gan put a hand to his cheek, then examined the blood on his fingers. Frowning, he pressed a bandana to the wound.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Have you heard from Mora?"

Gan blew an audible breath out of his mouth and relaxed his face. "She and the girls are fine. There are no signs of the aliens near the research station."

Our conversation was interrupted as all the display monitors blinked off, casting the room into near darkness. Jagged blue lines of electricity hissed as they jumped from the computers to anything that was grounded. The operators pushed back from their stations, some yelping. The emergency lights came on to relight the room. About half of the monitors came back on, but these displayed only static.

Jack turned to me with a sullen expression on his face. "EMP. Not unexpected."

I cast my gaze across the room. All eyes looked back at me. The blank expressions pressed on me. I used as calm a voice as I could muster. "Jack, Gan, let's gather in the conference room. Bring whoever else you need."

Brinne was already seated when we walked in. Her eyes glared at me but she said nothing.

I sat down and leaned back in the chair, folding my hands in front of me. "Where do we stand?"

Gan stood up, placing his bloody bandana on the table. "The fusion power plant and the fabrication shops were completely destroyed. Most of the larger solar arrays were also heavily damaged. The transportation barn was targeted, but we lost only a few vehicles. Per protocol, they were taken out of the barn and spread out."

Most buildings and residences had their own independent solar arrays and batteries. They would not be affected. But the loss of the fabricators and the fusion reactors that powered them was a big blow.

I asked, "What about water and sewer systems?"

"Unaffected. They did not go after them at all. Nor for that matter, the spaceport or space elevators."

Jack spoke up. "Their strategy seems to be to aimed only at reducing our ability to mount a coordinated resistance."

I said, "I suspect they want our Paradise for themselves. They are leaving systems intact that they might want to use, such as the port and water utilities."

Brinne narrowed her eyes. She spat her words. "What about the people? Will they have a use for us too?"

I did not have an answer. Instead, I turned toward Jack. "What kind of ordinance are they using?"

"It appears to be kinetic only. No signs of radiation or chemical traces. Larger targets were taken out by orbital bombardment. The smaller targets were targeted from the atmospheric ships, possibly with a hypersonic railgun."

"What about that EMP?"

"Most of our electronics are shielded, so the damage is likely localized. It may take a few days to get the control center back up. Our hardwire communication systems might also have been damaged with the electrical surge."

"Gan, check the wires and make any repairs that may be needed." I turned back to Jack. "Fall back to short wave radios and couriers as needed." I paused to take a breath. "What do we know about the settlements?"

Jack pointed to one of his assistants, a young woman in blue overalls. "Governor, there is only limited engagement in Zion and Westfield, mainly targeting solar arrays and comm hubs. But Freehold is getting pounded. The aliens are even targeting residential areas."

I dropped my head. "Damn. I was afraid of that. Were some of our people shooting at the alien ships?"

Brinne bristled, standing up and leaning forward on the table. "They have a right to defend themselves!"

I shook my head. "I don't disagree with you, Brinne. But it doesn't do any good. It only seems to have triggered an overwhelming response."

"There can't be very many of the aliens. We outnumber them!"

I stood up and glared at Brinne. "But their capacity for harm is far greater! Do you not remember the lesson of high ground? And even if we could turn these aliens back, I am sure many more are coming. What then?" I sat down and took a more conciliatory tone. "What of your family?"

"Most had evacuated and they are safe for the moment, but others stayed." She bowed her head. "I do not know of them."

"Then go, Brinne. Do what you need to do to keep your family and all the people safe. They will need your leadership."

A member of Jack's security team burst into the conference room, huffing to catch his breath. He pulled off his hat. "Governor, three ships just landed in the plaza."

I took a deep breath. "I think it is time I met these aliens face-to-face. Jack, will you come with me?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Two burly armed guards accompanied us, but at my insistence, they held back by the trees that lined the plaza. This was an open-air grassy area used for all sorts of functions, although none ever of this historical significance. The openness and location near the spaceport ground terminal made it an ideal landing site for alien invaders.

Three shiny oval-shaped spaceships sat in a straight line, each on three legs and each with an open side door. Although imposing close-up, they were small by spaceship standards, most likely shuttles or landing craft. There were perhaps two-dozen aliens surrounding the ships. Just like the earlier images from the spaceport, they were blue-green, tall, and lanky. All wore the same black uniforms. Most wore menacing dark helmets and carried the lance weapons. Soldiers.

One stood out with a gold sash across its chest. It did not wear a helmet or carry a lance. A leader perhaps? I pointed it out to Jack.

With mutual nods, we approached the presumed leader, holding our hands up in clear view. Only when we came within a few paces did it seem to notice us. A series of tones, chirps, and warbles came out of slits on the side of its thick neck. Perhaps this was their language.

It occurred to me that I did not know what to say for this occasion. Maybe a simple introduction. I spoke slowly. "I am Governor Liz Quay of Paradise." I almost said 'welcome to Paradise', but they certainly were not.

The leader regarded us with its large dark eyes then turned away. Two of the helmeted soldiers shoved us away. I would have tumbled to the ground had Jack not caught me. I lifted a hand to our guards in the distance, imploring them to stand down. The leader and most of the aliens marched away, leaving a few soldiers to watch the ships.

Jack shook his head slowly. "Well, that was... disappointing."

I gazed at the aliens as they disappeared through the trees. "This is bad, Jack. Very bad. I had hoped to open up some sort of communications with them. With a technologically superior but hostile alien race, our only realistic hope was some sort of negotiated settlement. They treated us like indigenous animals."

"At least they didn't kill us."

"Yes, for now." I turned to catch his eyes. "What we desperately need is someone who can talk to them."