Title: Variations of Fate: Prologue
Author: CrystalTokyoPrincess
Chapter Rating: PG

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A small fleet of ships penetrated the atmosphere of Chikyuu, descending into the darkness below and landing outside of a sprawling metropolitan area. The earth beneath them quaked, then stopped; metallic ramps dropped to the ground with a dull thump, glinting in the glare of a streetlight. All was quiet for a moment, save for the sounds of suburbia. Dogs barked in the distance, a car horn honked -- there were metallic clinks and clanks and the shrill sounds of car alarms. For suburbia, all seemed well.

Clink-Clomp -- the sharp ring of metal against metal, of heavy footsteps, echoed from ship to ship as an army of men descended from each ship. Yet, the streetlights -- there was no moon that night -- revealed they were not average men: many were tall, but all were frighteningly brawny. Massive, with rippling cords and masses of tendons and muscles, obviously and imposingly strong, they were like space barbarians. They were crude as many mercenaries tend to be: spitting, picking fights, and saying crude things. Although they could have passed as human, many of them had long furry, monkey-like tails.

A woman sitting on her back porch screamed. Instantly she was blasted away, burned to bits along with her house; the debris flew from the scene, crashing into other homes. It was midnight, and startled people woke from their sleep, dashing outside or to their window to see what was going on, while others rolled over. Those who were less sleep-dazed than the others ran for their lives, some of the more muddled stood there.

"Look at the weaklings run!" one of the soldiers shouted. He produced crude chuckling from his comrades.

"Look at those morons just standing there! Haha they must be stupid!"

"Enough of that!" One of the aliens barked out harshly. He was tall, his balding head glinted in the lamplight and he was obviously in charge. If the saying, 'brains over brawn,' might mean anything in that instance, it meant he might be exceptionally stupid and irrational, "Capture the idiots!"

The leering soldiers rushed forward.