Space was big.

Star Sentinel could fly to any point on Earth in a matter of moments, but flying to Jupiter with a pit stop at the sun was taking an entire week. The worst part of the trip was trying to hold onto all that energy he picked up from the sun. Containing that much raw power reminded him of urgently needing to pee.

Ananke wasn’t one of Jupiter’s more spectacular moons. Maybe that’s why the Grays chose it as the staging area for their invasion fleet. Star Sentinel would always be haunted by what had to be done to get this information from their Gray captives, but war always required its hellish elements.

The moon was gray and barren against the brilliant backdrop of Jupiter. Star Sentinel orbited the tiny sphere and the Gray base came into view. He was excited. All this nonsense with these alien assholes was about to come to an end, and he got to be the one to end it. He felt honored even though there was a dearth of candidates for the job. Of the living superhumans of his power level, he was the only one who could traverse the solar system with such ease.

Energy beams erupted from the surface toward Star Sentinel. It was a desperate defense that could do little more than slow him down. He didn’t even try to evade them, preferring to allow the beams to bounce off his chest, although he probably should have. If so, he may have avoided the massive energy torpedo that knocked him miles away from Ananke.

He managed to keep his excess power contained, but just barely. How stupid it would it have been to come all this way just to blow it. Star Sentinel changed tactics and returned to Ananke by way of loops and barrel rolls that the Gray weaponry couldn’t track.

He paused for just a moment when he was in position above the base. It sprawled for miles and soon would be nothing but ruin. He took a deep breath and expelled his power in one godly blast. A wave of destruction crawled across Ananke’s surface. The blast was powerful enough to change the moon’s orbit. Within a minute the base was destroyed.

Giddy with victory, Star Sentinel flew about the surface inspecting his work. There wasn’t much to see, the devastation was so complete. Even if the Gray’s had another such base in the solar system, which was doubtful, this would still be a major blow to their invasion plans.

“Colonel Davis.”

Star Sentinel looked around for the voice calling his name.

“Colonel Davis.”

The voice was telepathic, but it still betrayed a sense of direction. Star Sentinel expected an ambush, but he flew toward the ruined structure that beckoned him. There, in a failing life support field, he found a lone alien.

“You’re the one who called me?”

“Yes,” the alien replied. He was in a bad way with numerous burns and contusions. “Do you remember me?”

“No, you all look the same.”

“That is true, I confess, but a truly sentient being would be able to distinguish us as individuals by judging our manner.”

“No, that doesn’t help any. You’re all the same brand of asshole.”

At first Star Sentinel thought the alien laughed at that, but he was really just spitting up blood.

“I am your creator,” the alien said. “I am the one who gave the order to send you into the sun.”

“Yeah? Well, thanks for that. I appreciate it.”

“I’m sure you do, but my superiors feel differently. I’ve suffered their punishment time and again since then, ending with the sacrifice I make here today.”

“Getting your ass kicked isn’t a sacrifice. For this to be a sacrifice you would have had to…”

“Exactly, we knew you were coming.”

“Liar.”

“I speak the truth.”

“Damn it!” Star Sentinel scanned the ruins and tried to determine exactly what it was he destroyed.

“You will find no destroyed spacecraft and no being, living or otherwise, except for me. This facility was evacuated days ago.”

“How did you find out I was coming? Who tipped you off?”

“No one. There was no need. This was all part of the plan.”

Star Sentinel turned and looked to the sky toward Earth.

“Even with your enhanced senses, I doubt you can see your planet. If you could, I assure you, you would see exactly that which you fear.”

“You bug eyed sons of bitches played me.”

“Yes, and it was an easy task. As godlings go, you are a miserable disappointment.”

Star Sentinel blasted the alien’s life support generator leaving him gasping for air. Star Sentinel launched himself into the void, but he was not fast enough to escape the alien’s final thought.

“You are much too late, Colonel Davis. The invasion of Earth has begun.”