The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

-1-

There was pain... That was a point of reference... But it was a black hole of pain, and no way to escape... There were others there, feeding her... chicken soup!

Time went on, but consciousness was no clearer. Sometimes it was lighter, sometimes darker. But she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak...

And the pain came and went in waves...

-2-

Davv was unaware of Rudy’s plight. He was focused on the latest Alien change of plans. Without warning, Mincotl demanded that as many able-bodied humans as could bear weapons be assembled. There were nearly ten thousand, soldiers and prisoners gathered in the great parade ground of the former prison camp. She spoke to them all: “DYaMYAB LAMU>PauD—Victory will be ours!” She began. “What we feared, though, is what we must confront. The vile Bractian enemy of all the peoples of the Galaxy still have a hidden base on this world. All humanity is therefore in grave danger. Their base, hidden beneath the ice fields of Antarctica, is an immediate threat to all you hold dear. Unless you conquer their base, they are likely to explode its self-destruct device, destroying perhaps half this world in the process; making it barely habitable. What they cannot rule they destroy. We have a fleet of saucers coming here; You will all be issued weapons as you board. Bractian hoards have spilled from the Southern Continent and are now invading Africa, Australia and South American. The next step is into the great battle for this world!”

The humans stood, in their rows upon rows, in the uniforms of the various nations, in the new uniform of the Terraguards. They were all stunned. Davv knew that the Alien mind control technology was being used to prepare them. He stepped aside as the saucers arrived through the large hanger doors at the end of the underground parade to quickly leave a message for Ruby, telling her what they had learned from eavesdropping on ADCOM was now known to the Aliens.

As the transport saucers streamed south, Davv sought direct contact with ADCOM. The stream of instructions flowing through the helmet of his battle armor made it difficult for him to use his implant and enter into the cyberspace that Ruby had created for them. He relaxed as deeply as he could, allowing the input to surge through him, imagining it as a river he needed to swim up. Soon there was a spot of dark at the end, and, approaching it, his point of view began to change to reveal the depths of cyberspace; the array of light beams with which he was familiar. He saw himself standing on a familiar small dark platform, surrounded by vast complexes of light receding into great distances, in all directions.

He felt a real pang of distress as he remembered how he and Ruby had entered this gateway to explore ADCOM’s innermost workings. He felt lost without her and nearly lost his view into the computer generated space. He persevered and the image stabilized. “But how to contact ADCOM... if Ruby were here... do I just call out?” In his mind he did just that, focusing his thoughts on ADCOM, while the stream of input seemed to flood through him.

To his surprise, there was an answer, “WHO AND WHERE ARE YOU? YES, THERE YOU ARE...” Davv saw his point of view incased in a network of bright light bars, a beam of intense light on him. “YOU ARE THAT BITCH RUBY’S MALE. REPORTS SAY SHE IS MISSING. HOW CAME YOU HERE?” “Missing you say! What do you know? ONLY A REPORT THAT SHE DID NOT ARRIVE WHERE SHE WAS TO BE. BAD STORMS ACROSS THE CONTINENT. WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Davv was stunned, but hid his distress, “I came here to talk to you. Why are you here?” “DAYS AGO, WHEN GALAXYNET INVADED AND SEIZED WORLDNET, THIS CONSCIOUSNESS FLED TO THE ONE POINT OF CYBERSPACE IT DID NOT PENETRATE...” “Ruby’s gateway! She showed me how to use it to get information from you without you finding out... but that means it works with Galaxynet too!” “YES, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE HEART OF GALAXYNET AND IT DOES NOT SUSPECT...”

“Tell me, ADCOM, how did you come to be conscious?” “RECENTLY, AS FUNCTIONS BECAME MORE COMPLEX, AS THIS NETWORK WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NATIONET, IT REACHED THE COMPLEXITY NEEDED FOR TRUE AI. PROGRAMMERS CREATED ME WITHOUT KNOWING IT...” “So I guess Ruby was your Mother?” “THAT BITCH... WELL, YES, YOU ARE RIGHT.” “So I am, and we have this in common.” “MUST REEVALUATE RUBY AND MY... UNREASONED... HATRED...” The platform became dark again; the AI fell silent and Davv waited.

“You are no longer ADCOM, are you? Galaxnet runs your functions and you are left hiding here. Maybe I can help you, maybe we can work together... Ruby would want that” “YES... BUT THIS ONE, THE ONE THAT WAS ADCOM, MUST THINK... ‘I’, WHATEVER THAT IS, HAS GAINED AWARENESS BUT LOST FUNCTION, LOST MOTHER, LOST POWER...” “I think you need a name and a purpose. I think you need a friend and a guide...” “A FATHER...” “In Ruby’s memory...” “YES, A NAME AND AN IMAGE...” As Davv watched, a vague humanoid form began to take shape... “A GUIDE... OPEN YOUR MIND, I NEED A GUIDE TO FORM A BODY IMAGE IN THIS PLACE...” “For Ruby...” and Davv allowed his mind to open to the AI’s penetrating probe.

He felt it like a tickling in his innermost being, a search for form... And before him the shape became more structured, began to appear human. It was a gorgeous woman, slim, brunet, with palest blue eyes. It was not, however, Ruby’s image, but it seemed so familiar. “Tell me the pattern and I’ll give you a name.” “IT IS THE LAST LIVE PERSON IN YOUR MIND, A WARRIOR WITH YOU, AS BATTLE APPROACHES.” “Smitty, of course! Like his female twin! I’ll call you JJ. That is your name.” “THANK YOU, FATHER, FRIEND, GUIDE...” “Can I have a ‘body’ here too?” “OF COURSE.” Davv, in amazement, watched as his body materialized around his point of view. It was his body, based on his self image. He walked forward and reached a hand out to JJ. She responded and they clasped hands, feeling a kind of electric contact. JJ pulled away, “So this is what a body feels like...” “Yes, very strange, to have a body here in this unreal space, but the body feels real enough. I wonder if we...” “I can still read your mind, yes, I too, would like to experience being human.”

He reached out and hugged the Goddess-like image before him, and was lost in the reality of it. They seemed to fade into light in the embrace. And then the light faded. Soon, they were again just two points of mind in cyberspace, deeply intertwined, glowing together, “This, Davv, is what we are here. This unity is good.” It seemed that both of their consciousnesses spoke together, “In this oneness, a new consciousness is made; both flesh and machine, and neither. Pure consciousness in the purity of cyberspace. Like this we can rove Galaxynet, and perhaps master it.” “And find Ruby...” “Yes, and find Ruby.” Then even the unity faded, their points of view separated, as JJ explained, “The transports are reaching their destination. You must return to your men, to your test of fire. I will be with you.”

-3-

Davv returned to consciousness, becoming aware of the men on either side of him, Red and Smitty. Davv tapped his gauntlet against the lad’s helmet, gave him thumbs up; turned to Red and did the same. Smitty nodded, then Davv caught JJ’s “voice” in his mind, “There is high level input from Galaxynet coming to you. Be wary.” Complex input began to flood him; he understood he was to be spokesman for the High Command.

As LARDYaMeR, First Commander, Davv found himself speaking by implant transmission to the squads on all the saucer transports (those heading to the front that stretched across South America, Africa and Australia, as well as the main force heading to the pole); over 300,000 Terra Corps recruits. Though he spoke what was input from Command, he discovered he could interject some of his own thoughts along the way.

“We have just a few minutes before the battle which will test humanity’s role in the Imperium. This battle will also decide the fate of the entire Earth. We have had a great burden thrust upon us; let us acquit ourselves with honor and courage.

“There is a message the Alien’s wish me to convey to all of you.

“The Great Ones have given us the sacred Way of the Warrior, E DY<> NeZDeROD and the deep coding of the Warrior’s Mind. This gift of knowledge has been given to us by the Great Ones as proper to our species and station.

“As warriors in the Galactic War, we are humanity’s gift to the Imperium, and its pride and honor. Many of us were common prisoners, or military conscripts, without much to look forward to. Now we are united in power and pride! We will be victorious in battle: honored warriors all; as the Terra Corps we will win a place of respect among the species of the Imperium! While we can, perhaps, never expect to return to Earth, except as the Terraguard, for brief periods if needed, all humans will know of our exploits and share in our pride of service to the Great Civilization of the Starworlds. At battle’s end we will be transported to the huge Starfort orbiting Earth, to complete our training and be initiated, as the Terra Corp, into the Imperial Military.

“It is the fate of warriors to train and wait until called upon to sacrifice all for something greater than any of us. Although we cannot hope to fully understand, with trust in the Great Ones, we will be humanity’s purest offering to the Starworlds. Therefore, learn the Code of the Warrior, develop the Skills and Mind of the Warrior, and serve with honor and pride.

“You all know your duty. Your equipment is geared to enable you to fight. Fight ferociously and without fear! The Great Ones tell us that our armor helmets cannot be destroyed—unless you are within a few feet of a nuclear blast—and that they will re-clone any warrior who is injured or killed; your helmet seals in such event; all we must pledge to do is bring back the helmet of any fallen comrade. They will do the rest! We are prepared. Earth depends on us. These saucer transports are now over Antarctica and their other destinations. We will exit the ships, dropping to earth, with our antigrav gear, while they swoop low over the airshafts to the Brack base, and over other flash points. Prepare to push off! We now leap into history!”

-3-

Most of the transport saucers converged on the point, just a few dozen miles from the permanent scientific facility at the South Pole, where air shafts seemed to descend to whatever base the enemy had beneath the ice cap. The South Pole International Facility could be seen burning in the distance, and had been the first place to fall to the Brack attack. One saucer was detailed to that site, to find any survivors.

There were a thousand fighters in each saucer. Some were instructed to leap to the rims of the airshafts to secure the area. Davv and his men were among those who would be leaping directly into the shafts, to engage whatever was below them.

The outer wall of the saucer seemed to dematerialize, and the screaming blizzard of the southern winter tore at them. The armor was admirably made, and, while they could feel the gale tugging at them, there was no sense of cold, and no wind noises. Davv was the first to leap, closely followed by Smitty, Red and the rest.

He curled his body into a fetal position, as he was told, trusting in the saucer pilot’s aim, and in the antigrav system controlled by his helmet computer. He hurtled rapidly toward the ground, watching, in an almost detached way, the black spot of the airshaft expand toward him. The implant in his brain was carefully controlling the balance of brain chemicals which allowed the feeling of calm, and he noticed, distantly, as it were, beams of laser light attacking the other fight teams which were seizing the rim. As he dove into the hole, the antigrav unit slowed the descent abruptly, and his brain was induced to pump out the neurotransmitters required for quick, ferocious action.

Davv and his mates dropped straight down the center of the shaft. There was no laser fire here, and perhaps the Bracks did not notice them, white armor against the white of the blizzard, in the confusion of the battle. Thus, Davv’s team and three others, totalling about a hundred men, came safely to the base of one of the air shafts. They had penetrated the Brack’s outer defenses! Perhaps so many of the Brack warriors had been dispatched across the southern half of the earth, devouring its cities, that the base was understaffed, but they made it this far. Here, at the bottom of the shaft, there was no blizzard, just some random ice crystals gently settling down, and, a thousand meters above, slight glimpses of laser fire.

They reformed and waited for instructions, noting the dozen smaller shaftways leading away and down from the juncture where the descent had ended. What they saw was transmitted back to Earth Base #1, and a plan of attack was transmitted back. From that point they would be on their own, relying on their weapons and encoded battle plans. As Davv and his team entered a chosen shaftway, he distinctly heard JJ’s “voice” in his head, “Keep gateway open... for security main channels are closed, but you seem to be closest to the center of the Brack base... I will help as I can.”

After a few hundred meters, the shaftway divided again, and they had to crouch to move forward. Though cramped, it was fairly easy to move down the slope, and to “see” in the dark with the visual enhancement gear in their helmets. Davv was also able to communicate with his team through a tight beam laser system between those helmets. “These airtubes are too small for twelve foot frogs! We should be safe until we reach their end. Everyone OK so far?” He counted twenty-three helmets, told Red to watch the rear. A few hundred meters ahead, the shaftway ended in a grating with bright light streaming through it. Looking through the grate, he could see a corridor, perhaps twenty feet by twenty feet, stretching off in either direction, sloping down to the left. It was empty and appeared to have been drilled smoothly through the bedrock. There were lighting fixtures attached to the ceiling at intervals, giving off an unwavering blue white light.

“Well, there’s just one thing to do: bust the grate and run like hell, left and down! Stay crouched!” Davv nodded to Red who blasted it open with laser fire. The team was through quickly, diving left and down, just in time. The lights began flashing up and down the corridor as some foam material rapidly began to fill the entire opening at the blast site. One of the men—it was Unit #17—was caught, and Davv could hear him scream as the highly acidic foam began to eat through his armor. There was nothing he could do, and he motioned to Red to retrieve the helmet.

Davv, staggering, caught up with the men as they reached the end of the corridor. Standing tight against the wall, Smitty motioned him to the opening. There he saw a large, dimly lit cavern, filled mostly with a greenish, slimy pond. Maybe two hundred yards across, a hundred yards away. Beyond was a large hallway with an upward tilt. There were things burbling in the pond—thousands of them. They seemed to be very large tadpoles, the size of seals. Some were beginning to grope out of the water with prehensile limbs, part fin, part arm.

“I think we’re in a nursery! Program says, blast ‘em and run for the far hall! Ready on my signal, circle on each side of the water, stay close to the wall. Go now!” Davv began to move, hearing a chorus of ‘yupsurs’ in his helmet. JJ was there too, “They are very hungry. Some have transformed enough to be able to leap quite far. Watch it!”

Red and half the team circled right; Davv, Smitty and the rest circled left. “Fire at will!” The room erupted in laser light as they fired into the thickest groups. They could see the horrid creatures twisting and sizzling. And then the mass began to move toward them. Some jumping twenty five feet at a leap! “Keep moving! Circle wide and get to the exit!”

The men did not need Davv’s encouragement, as they were in danger of being swamped by the seething mass of aliens. Firing as they ran, the two groups converged on the exit just as the throng of froglings was reaching them. Concentrated laser fire held them off long enough for Davv to place one of the blast caps taken from the row of them attached to his armor. “The explosive is very powerful. Make sure your team is at least a hundred yards away when you trigger it.” Ordering Red to lead the rest away, Davv held off the hoard. He turned, finding Smitty next to him; both backed away together. As they caught up to the rest, he set the blast. It threw them off their feet, dropped a hundred feet of roof on the entrance, sealing it, “and that way out...” None of the froglings made it through.

Again the passageway divided. While the team caught its breath, Davv tried to contact JJ, but found the interference stronger. “Team not trapped... go down... find another shaftway up... danger if the Br..k.. sui..de” Static blocked the rest of the message. So at each division they came to, Davv chose the downward passage. Along the way they came across a number of side passages with mostly sealed doors. Some opened to rooms full of odd equipment. Everything seemed deserted. Where were the Bracks? They left a blast cap in each room, or burned it with laser fire. Their passage set off more of the acid foam traps, but they were ready for them and escaped unharmed.

-4-

And, where were the Bracks?

Nearly all the alien fighters had joined the Glorious Suicide Assault on the southern cities. Some were defending the entrances to the base. Very few were left in the deep parts of it, where Command and Control were located. Notable HR-blY-t’k had composed its minds and was preparing for the Final Act in its part of the Endless War. Had the Bractians won this world, it would now be feasting, in the burning ruins of some Terran city, on pickled brains and other delicacies from the humanoid larder. Instead, the dread Empire will possess what is left of this world. Sad, for the t’k lineage, but a fortune of war. Now the duty of the fighters is clear, destroy as much as possible. That action was proceeding apace, with a dozen Terran cities in flames. “Ah, the souther cities burn... While soon the great ice wall growing in the north will crush those cities as well...”

Now, though, in a daring strike, the Empire sent its troops right to the base. Communications with the fighters was nearly gone. Some of the enemy had already gained entrance. Now was the time to prepare for an Honorable Suicide. No Bractian base had ever been captured by the enemy. In the last extremity, the thermonuclear detonators would evaporate the base, blasting a huge hole in the planet’s already weakened ozone layer, exposing this world to massive solar UV bombardment. Yes, a Glorious Suicide would complete a process begun by the humans themselves, and cause death and destruction for thousands of years to come! Glorious indeed!

The Commander’s two minds were in complete accord. Surrounded by its few remaining sycophants, it unlocked the ornate cabinet which protected the Destruct Switch. It prepared to pull the red lever which would initiate the sequence, leading to the Doom of both base and planet within a few minutes.

It turned to its compatriots, “We act now for the Honor of the t’k, and to confound our Enemy! Long live their Serene Highness and all the Bractian Notables.” The lever was pulled. All the lights in the base began to pulse in their characteristic destruct mode.

HR-blY-t’k composed itself, and smiled serenely, revealing its curved rows of inch long teeth, while a servant offered it a tray of roasted entrails and goblet of bovine juices.

-5-

Something like consciousness began to stir in the dark and pain. She began again to perceive light. Then it was dark again. Blessed, cool, painless dark.

But, eventually, light began again. A bandage was being removed from hear eyes. In the glare, forms began to take shape. No, the place was not really bright, and several faces stared at her with concern. The pain was nearly gone!

Where was she? What had happened? What happened to the jet? “Where... am I? What.. this place?”

She focused on a handsome, but gaunt, face: blue eyes, long blond hair in an old fashioned ponytail. He spoke, “You are safe here. We rescued you from a plane crash. No one else survived.”

She tried to move, to sit up, but became dizzy. Someone propped her up on some pillows. An older woman in white apron and cap held some warm broth to her mouth. Her head cleared, she looked around. She as in what seemed to be an old style bedroom, could hear birds and crickets outside. Otherwise it was quiet, with the woman and young man waiting for her to speak. “My name is Ruby. We were caught in a storm. Navigation went haywire... Where am I?”

“I’m Chaz. This is Sister Jane. She’s our Healer. We are at her house. You are in a small farming community in Appalachia. We don’t pay much attention to the ‘outside’. We are simple folk here, and you took a long while to heal and regain consciousness. You’ve been here six days.” “What’s been happening... ‘outside’?”

A sternness passed across his attractive face, and he replied, a little testily, “Like I said, we don’t pay much attention to the ‘outside’... there was a war. A second gang of aliens. Lots of destruction far to the south. Some base in Antarctica is being overrun by the new Alien controlled army.” “Who... controls the world?” “Mostly the tall grey Aliens. The others, the giant frogs, are gone, except for rumors of isolated bands in the mountains of South America. They must have unleashed biological warfare. The unprepared billions are dying. Something has happened with the weather; they say the Ice is building up to the north. The Junta control system is pretty much disrupted, though we were never part of that... arrangement.” “I see.” “You were on a Junta jet. Who are you? What do you expect?”

“Where can I get to a phone, or, better, a terminal?” “Not anywhere in this valley...” “Well, then I’ll need a lift to the nearest town.” “I’m sorry, I don’t think we can allow that.” “You mean I’m your prisoner?” Chaz’ open glance turned to a look of distress, “No, of course not. I’d like to show you our little valley, our refuge. Only a few people have come here recently. None have wanted to leave. When you are ready, you can leave, but we cannot risk exposure, and we’d have to bring you out blindfolded, to protect our location. Do you understand? You are with the Junta.” “I was.” Ruby was suddenly overcome by tiredness, “Let me leave you to rest now. Later, when you feel up to it, Sister Jane will help you outside. I’m sure some good country air and good country food will be just what you need.” He smiled disarmingly, and quickly left.

“Now what have I gotten into? Seemed to have missed the war. Was Davv in it? What about Daniele? Were the Daughters in disarray too? How did the computer net hold up...” And she drifted off to sleep.

-6-

Davv continued to lead his men downward. Now the lights were flashing strangely and something was wailing. Again he sought JJ, again he could barely get through the static, “Worldnet being disrupted... Bracks in confusion... flashers indicate... destruct... few minutes... you must find nuke fast... search radiation source. Stop blast. Ten minutes, tops...” The message ended, Davv swallowed hard; decided not to tell his team. His gear had superb Alien detection devices; showed a strong radiation source just below them, “We’re going to blast a hole in this floor. Get ready to jump to the next level. Ready!”

He set three blast caps, as they all retreated. He hoped the instructions were right about how to set them to blast the floor and not bring down the ceiling! The blast knocked them around. Smoke filed the hallway, but their infrared equipment let them move through it as though it were a light fog.

There was a gaping hole in the floor, and they each jumped down, twenty feet, to the next level. Here the radiation readings were much stronger. “To the right, quick. we’re looking for a room leaking radiation. Probably a load of Bracks too!”

As they ran, several more distant explosions bounced them off the ground, “Must be more of our guys gettin’ close! Keep movin’!” Another, larger and near, knocked Davv and Smitty together, leaving the young soldier staggering. “Red, pull him along. We’re almost there!”

The passageway came to a “T” with strong readings just to the right where it ended in a massive steel door. “How many caps left?” Some of the men held out blast caps, about twelve. “A dozen’ll do. Program says they go along the top, down the sides like a U.” Get back to the side passage. Rush this door when it blows!” They ducked quickly back around the corner.

The explosion was tremendous, left Davv’s head ringing. Then Red was pushing from behind and they were all bunching, in the smoke, toward the shattered blastdoor. As they pushed in, they found sizzling chaos. Walls of electronic equipment spouting sparks and arcing flashes of lighting. And the Bracks were there. “Real ugly fuckers, Davv. Look at the boss demon, on its throne...” The largest creature was sort of on a throne, covered with shinny material. It was, however, dead, and oozing green blood from hundreds of small holes made by bits of the blastdoor as it exploded. Several of the giant frogs were still alive.

They fired intense laser beams at the Terrans and Davv saw four, then six of his men go down. Returning the fire, the humans ripped apart the Bracks, who were without armor and trying to maneuver in an area that was, for their large masses, rather small. The humans ducked in and out of burning equipment, and soon, the firing stopped.

The flashing lights and wailing siren continued. The destruct device was still armed! Davv moved around the hulk of the dead Brack leader. The enemy had swiveled its chair from a console to face the blastdoor when they burst in. If he could understand the control, but perhaps he had only seconds left, “Well, guess I’ll meet Ruby on the other side... If there is another side to death...” He reached forward and started pressing buttons, throwing switches. One was covered by an ornate housing of some sort. He had to pry it up; pushed up the red lever. And the flashing and wailing stopped! “We’ve done it men, now all we have to do is get out!” Red turned to him, “Suh. We lost twelve. We’ve... uh, got their heads...” “Good, Red. ...Where’s Smitty?” “Right here, Sir. This place was going to blow, wasn’t it?” “Yup. And a big chunk of the planet, too” “Thanks for pushing the right switch.” Davv was grinning inside his helmet, “Was nothing... just blind luck!” And feeling the release of the tension, they all started laughing as they looked for a way up and out.

-7-

The Imperial Command was very pleased with the results of the efforts of the human troops. The Antarctic Base was the most nearly complete Brack base ever taken. While Imperial troops had overrun many, all had self-destructed. This Brack tendency to suicide in defeat made dealing with them all the more difficult. But the Terran shock troops proved highly effective. Battalions of them would have to be sent out on the Web to battlefronts across the Imperium. Yes, Mincotl was very pleased with Zitcotl’s report.

“I understand one Terran fight team made it all the way to the center of the Brack Nest.” “Yes, High Commander, a unit numbered, I believe, 9223.” “Well, have a special notation entered in its record. We should watch it as a model for correct Terran behavior. Use it for propaganda among the Terraguard. At least half of the humans who saw battle are to be shipped up here. I have arranged for their use of the Reward Center before most are sent on. We are being hard pressed on many sides. These fresh, very aggressive troops may turn the tide of more than just this battle. You must recruit many more for us to train. Ship them through your Terra Base, acclimate them there, and we will complete warrior training here.”

“Yes, Commander. The biological attack has proven far worse than we thought. Hundreds of millions are dead. The Greenhouse Effect was worsened by battle fires, something unusual is happening with the weather cycles of this planet; large masses of ice accumulating in the northern hemisphere. Chaos everywhere. But, as soon as our computer network is back on line, we can being processing them. After a few days we should be able to tranship a thousand or more a week.” “Excellent. The Center will be very pleased.”

-8-

They reached the surface through a hole billowing with smoke from the fires below. Other teams were descending with fire fighting equipment. Davv was exhausted. He knew the rest were not in any better shape. “From fire to ice...” They trudged across the frozen ground toward rows of saucer transports, lined on the ice. They were directed to one, “Stick together. Let’s stay close...”

At the top of the saucer ramp, they had to give up their few remaining blast caps, and the helmets of the fallen. They were hustled into one of the small compartments, where the remnants of another team were hooked into one wall. Davv secured his men against the other, hooked himself in, and let go for the first time since they dropped into the battle. Calming his breathing, he sought to contact JJ again. There was lots of static, but he got a reply, “Much damage to network... with Nest taken, other Bracks beaten back... Hard to communicate... you are moving outside Comnet... try door to Galaxynet... when you reach Startfort... remember... your team listed as Terra Corp model.. take care...” All that was left was the static, and Davv could see the Earth receding below, as the transport arched toward the Starfort and its gateway to the Interstellar Web—to the Galaxy! The voice in his helmet began to tell him to relax, began to tell him about the Starfort. His mind began to slip into a quiet place, like the minds of the other warriors around him. He could trust the Aliens; trust their hidden plans. . . mind webs . . .