Gracie’s Touch

Chapter 3-1

Chapter Three

Gracie moved into the pilot’s seat and strapped herself in. She could feel the vibrations from explosions, but ignored them as she set the supply ship’s course for the mother ship. She opened the front view screen panel so she could watch what was happening as she left the Earth’s atmosphere. The supply ship lifted off smoothly and moved rapidly upward following Gracie’s pre-programmed coordinates.

Gracie looked in dismay at all the destruction to New York. She could see the fighters in the northwest highlighted against the fires burning from their attack. She prayed everyone was able to evacuate in time. In moments, she was thrust back against the seat as the supply ship went through the Earth’s atmosphere.

As the blackness of space engulfed the small ship, Gracie got her first look at the mother ship. She stared at it in a combination of awe and despair as she saw how enormous it was. It had to cover at least the size of Manhattan alone!

Gracie knew if larger ships were coming, the Earth would never stand a chance. She needed to destroy this one. If she could take down the mother ship, it would not send for additional ones.

From what she was able to learn from the files she had accessed, these ships traveled great distances alone, one mother ship and its “offspring”—meaning the fighters, supply ships, and ground forces. If a planet was found to contain an abundant amount of resources, then the mother ship would send for more. If not, it would use what it needed before destroying the planet and moving on to the next one. Gracie needed to destroy it before it decided on either option.