XERIS' POV

Barely three hundred hours... then it all begins.

Three hundred hours...

"Sire, you are required in the command area. Scouting team C has just arrived with their lot and B is en route." Jarvis, a young man similar in age to I spoke from the entryway.

I turned away from the viewing glass and walked out of my chambers. I took the shortest route to the command area and got there in no more than five minutes; in part, because of the path I chose and in part, because of my long strides. Jarvis barely managed to keep up with my pace and had to resort to jogging.

As soon as the doors slid open to the command area, every head lowered in a respectful bow. I walked up to the second in command, Santhi, who I would soon be handing over leadership of the craft to. He bowed again to me.

"Status report." I said to him.

He turned to the area beyond the waist high glass barrier that separated the rest of the command area from us. Below where dozens of people manning computers and going about their various tasks in this mission.

Santhi raised his gloved hands and after a series of flicks of his wrists, a projection with figures and a summary of details was before us.

I sighed inwardly. I had relinquished the commander's gloves a while ago to have Santhi get familiar with them. Seeing them on his hands, after having worn them for over five years myself, was disheartening.

"Your highness, scouting team C have returned with their lot and are preparing to head back to collect the last group. We have received word that Scouting Team A has completed their lot as well and are soon to make their return."

"What are the Earthians reporting?"

"They are reporting that a little over 16 000 000 girls have been abducted. Their numbers are off by a little over a hundred thousand. Mainly because they were unaware of the exact date of our arrival and commencement of the mission, they did not take into consideration the girls that were taken and not reported missing. They have no inkling of who is responsible and are no closer to figuring it out. Our scouters have been careful and successful in covering their tracks." He said with his chest puffed out in unmasked pride.

"Keep monitoring their reports. This is not the time to let our guard down. We must leave without them ever knowing we were here."

That deflated his chest a little and wiped the smile that threatened to split his face in half off.

The Earthians, still so backward in their technology. They are a long way off from reaching our level. All the more reason I have to make this mission is a success.

I turned back to the data projected.

"Show me the storage bay."

Santhi flicked his wrists again with less vigour than he had earlier and soon the storage bay was projected. An image of rows upon rows stacked high with pods each containing a human girl was projected. The girls of course were in a deep induced slumber. The pods they were in were filled with a fluid that kept them oxygenated, as well as nourished through their skin.

Santhi flicked his wrists again and the image changed to show how the lot that was just brought in was loaded into their individual pods.

Soon. Soon we shall reach our target.

Then the game begins.

After I was satisfied with what I had seen, I nodded at Santhi then turned, my braided hair swinging about my waist as I did, and walked out, Jarvis hot on my heels. He had been assigned to take care of my needs as we set out for Earth. That required him to follow me everywhere I went.

I headed for the assembly hall. As it was located in the farthest part of the ship from command, it took quite a while to get there, even for me. After about half an hour of brisk walking, I finally arrived at my destination. Today was the day all 19 999 999 men would be assigned their individual chambers; much better than having to share a room with several other guys. This would be the final speech I would have to give before the hardest part of this whole mission began.

I wasn't one to give long speeches. I tried to make them as short as possible while saying all that I needed to say. But as fate would have it, I was born into a family were public speaking was a requirement, the royal family of Thanzor, a planet thrice as large as Earth.

I am the second son born of Queen Nardi and King Joho. My elder brother is Elam, the crown prince of Thanzor.

I walked in and each man, aged between twenty and twenty-two, stopped what they were doing and bowed. The silence that followed would have been unnerving for any other person. I was bred for this. My destiny was to be a leader, whether I liked it or not.

I walked up to the stage and tapped the device at the base of my throat. This would project my voice to each corner of the hall. For a few seconds I did nothing but slowly sweep my gaze over the men. I walked the length of the stage and back. All eyes were trained on me.

I must lead by example. I must show them my strong will.

I must...

I must.

"We all volunteered to be here."

Pause

"Many more than are here volunteered for this mission."

Pause

"The fate of our people depends on this mission being a success. Our being here does not even count for half of the work. We have a long way yet to go. The hard work has not yet begun." I observed their reactions.

Every time I reached one end of the stage, I turned, my hair swinging a little.

"Each and every one of us was handpicked out of the millions that volunteered. Why? Because we are the best of what Thanzor has to offer. We hold the key to our future. We are Thanzor's last and only hope."

I could see the trepidation on their faces.

I had to encourage them.

"Five years."

" For five years we have trained."

"For five years we have studied."

"For five years we have prepared."

"It took us five years to get here."

"And now the time has come to use all we have learnt, all we have studied, for our people."

"Thanzor waits for our return."

"Thanzor waits for our victory!"

Good, the apprehension was now replaced with determination.

"For our future! For Thanzor!"

The thunderous applause following that had me thinking.

Can I really do this?

Can I really save Thanzor?