Chapter 18: AK07 The Time Has Come

The AK07 leader stood on a raised platform, his eyes sweeping over the sea of faces that looked up at him with admiration and anticipation. He felt a surge of emotion as he realized that this was the moment he had been working towards for years. He cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone, his voice echoing across the vast hall.

"My friends, today is the day we have been waiting for. Today is the day we make history. Today is the day we take back what is rightfully ours." He paused, letting his words sink in. The crowd erupted into applause, their enthusiasm contagious. The leader smiled, feeling a sense of confidence and satisfaction.

"For too long, we have suffered on this dying planet, struggling to survive in a hostile environment. For too long, we have watched our resources dwindle, our population decline, our hopes fade. For too long, we have dreamed of a better world, a world where we can live in peace and prosperity. A world where we can thrive and flourish. A world called AK07."

He raised his fist in the air, and the crowd followed suit.

"AK07 is our birthright, our destiny, our salvation. And it is within our reach. We have built a portal that will allow us to travel across the vastness of space and time, and reach Earth before they even know we exist. We have prepared for this moment, and we are ready to claim our new home."

He lowered his fist, and the crowd fell silent.

"But we must not underestimate our enemy. They are clever, they are powerful, and they will not surrender easily. We must be strong, we must be courageous, and we must be united in our cause."

He looked at his right hand man, who nodded and stepped forward.

"Group A," he called out. "You are the vanguard of our invasion. You are our finest warriors, and I trust you with my life."

The members of Group A saluted, their faces determined and resolute.

"Your mission is to launch the surprise attack and secure the portal site. You will face resistance, but you will overcome it. You will show no mercy, but you will show honor. You will make us proud."

He stepped back and gestured to the leader.

"Go now," the leader said. "And may the stars guide you."

The members of Group A saluted, their faces grim and determined. They knew they were embarking on a perilous mission, but they also knew it was their only hope of saving their dying planet. They had trained for months, preparing for this moment, and they were ready to face whatever awaited them on the other side of the portal.

With a fierce cry, the members of Group A ran towards the portal, their bodies tense with anticipation. They had been waiting for this moment for a long time, eager to see the legendary planet that was rumored to be a paradise. They had heard stories of its abundant resources, its diverse flora and fauna, its hospitable climate. They had seen images of its stunning beauty, its azure skies, its emerald forests, its crystal waters. They had dreamed of making it their own, of starting a new life there.

The leader watched them go, feeling a mix of pride and anxiety. He hoped they would succeed in capturing AK07, the lush and fertile planet that could be their new home. He also hoped they would return alive and unharmed.

He turned to his second-in-command, who was monitoring the portal's status on a holographic screen.

"Any problems?" he asked.

"None so far," the second-in-command replied. "The portal is stable and functioning as expected. The energy levels are within the optimal range."

"Good. Keep me updated on their progress."

"Yes, sir."

The leader walked over to a nearby window, gazing at the bleak and barren landscape that surrounded them. He sighed, remembering how their planet used to be green and vibrant, before the cataclysmic event that had rendered it uninhabitable. He wondered if they would ever see it restored to its former glory.

He shook his head, banishing the nostalgic thoughts. He had to focus on the present, on the mission that could determine the fate of his people. He prayed that Group A would make it to AK07 safely and secure it for their colonization.

He didn't know that his prayers would soon turn into curses.

The members of Group A were caught off guard as their bodies were crushed by the portal's immense power. They felt an excruciating pain as their bones shattered, their organs ruptured, their blood boiled. They screamed in agony as they were torn apart by the portal's force.

On the other side of the portal, a stream of blood flooded through, a gruesome reminder of the dangers that lay ahead.

The others who ran toward the portal saw their fellow warriors die and they stopped the attack. They stared in horror at the bloody scene, unable to comprehend what had happened.

The leader was shocked to see what had happened and he realized somehow the portal was not completed fully. He asked his team to step back and he acted furious about the death of his fellow warriors. He asked his team to analyze what was going on and why the portal still hadn't finished.

"Stop!" The leader yelled, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Everyone, stop! Something is wrong with the portal."

The remaining members of Group A skidded to a halt, their eyes wide with shock as they saw the carnage before them.

"What happened?" one of them cried out. "What's going on?"

The leader shook his head, his face pale with shock. "I don't know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But we have to find out. We can't let this happen again."

He turned to his team, his eyes blazing with determination. "We need to figure out what went wrong," he said. "We need to analyze every piece of data, every calculation, every variable. We can't let this happen again."

The team nodded, their faces grim with resolve. They knew that they had a monumental task ahead of them, but they were determined to uncover the truth and prevent any further loss of life.

As they set to work, the leader couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt wash over him. He had been so focused on victory that he had overlooked the potential dangers of the portal. But he knew that there was no time for regret or self-pity. He had to focus on finding a solution and preventing any further tragedy.

"Let's get to work," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "We have a lot to do."

Thomas was working on his laptop, trying to find a way to improve the VR25's performance, when he heard a loud siren go off. He looked up and saw a red light flashing on the monitor that displayed the activity of VR25, the planet he had visited through the portal. He felt a surge of adrenaline as he realized that something was wrong.

He quickly got up and ran towards the monitor, where he saw a horrifying sight. On the other side of the portal, a stream of thick brown blood was gushing out, staining the ground and the walls. The blood belonged to the AK07 beings, who had tried to enter the portal, thinking that it was ready for their invasion. However, they had been crushed by the immense pressure and force of space.

Thomas felt a mix of emotions as he witnessed the gruesome scene. He felt pity for the beings who had met such a terrible fate, but he also felt relief that they had failed to reach Earth. He knew that they were planning to capture his planet and enslave its inhabitants, and he was glad that they had been stopped, at least for now.

He also felt a pang of guilt, wondering if he was partly responsible for their deaths. He had created the Nexusgate, after all, and he had opened the portal to their world. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He reminded himself that he had only acted out of scientific curiosity and discovery, and that he had no malicious intentions towards anyone.

He looked around and saw that his teammates had gathered around him, staring at the monitor with shock and horror. They were all part of "Operation AK07".

"Thomas, what's going on?" one of his teammates asked, breaking the silence.

Thomas took a deep breath and explained what had happened. "It's been 70 days since we started the Nexusgate, and the AK07 beings thought that the portal should have been finished by now. They tried to enter it, but they were crushed by space."

His teammates gasped in disbelief. They couldn't believe that such a thing could happen.

"What do we do now?" one of the teammates asked.

"We need to be more careful from now on," Thomas said. "The AK07 beings should have realized by now that something went wrong with their plan, and they might try again soon. They might also try to find out more about what's happening"

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"We also need to inform others about this threat as soon as possible. We can't keep this a secret any longer. We need to warn the people of Earth and prepare them for a possible invasion."

His teammates nodded in agreement. They knew that Thomas was right. They couldn't afford to keep this information hidden any longer. They had to share it with others and hope that they would believe them and take action.

They also knew that this would not be an easy task. They knew that many people would be skeptical or dismissive of their claims, or even hostile or fearful of them. They knew that they would face many challenges and obstacles along the way.

But they also knew that they had no choice. They knew that this was their duty as scientists and as human beings. They knew that they had to do everything in their power to protect their planet and their people from harm.

They looked at each other with determination in their eyes. They were ready to face whatever came their way.

They were ready to save Earth from AK07.