Peter, the military general, walked into Ray Tech's laboratory, his footsteps echoing off the sleek, silver walls. The room was a marvel of modern technology, with rows of workstations and experimentation tables lining the perimeter. The air was thick with the hum of machinery and the faint scent of ozone.
As he entered, Peter's eyes were drawn to the center of the room, where a large, circular platform dominated the space. The platform was surrounded by a latticework of wires and tubes, pulsing with a soft blue light. Above it, a massive holographic display flickered with data streams and 3D models, casting an ethereal glow across the room.
To the left of the platform, a bank of cryogenic containers hummed softly, their frosty surfaces reflecting the lab's bright lights. Nearby, a workbench was cluttered with tools and spare parts, evidence of the lab's focus on reverse-engineering technology.
On the opposite side of the room, a row of sleek, silver cabinets stored various artifacts, each one carefully labeled and secured.
The lab was a testament to human ingenuity and curiosity, a place where scientists and engineers worked tirelessly to unlock the secrets of the universe.
As Peter approached Dr. Zane Morris, who stood in front of the alien spacecraft, his eyes beamed with excitement.
"Today's the day," he said to his team, pushing his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose. His teammates were a group of eager engineers and researchers. "We're going to crack the code on this ship's propulsion system."
The team cheered, and Dr. Morris began the experiment. He carefully attached sensors and probes to the ship's hull, then stepped back to observe.
As the data began to flow in and display on the hologram, Dr. Morris's eyes widened in amazement. "This is incredible!" he exclaimed. "The ship's energy signature is off the charts!"
The team gathered around, marveling at the readings. "Sir, we're detecting an unknown form of energy," said one of the engineers. "It's like nothing we've ever seen before."
Dr. Morris grinned. "That's what makes this so exciting! We're on the cusp of a major discovery here."
As the experiment continued, the team made breakthroughs. They discovered new forms of propulsion, advanced materials, and even hints of artificial intelligence.
Dr. Morris was ecstatic. "This ship is a goldmine of knowledge! We're going to change the course of human history with this technology."
The team cheered, and Dr. Morris shook hands with each of them, beaming with pride. "We did it, team! We actually did it! You all can feel at ease now," Dr. Morris said, walking to the alpha box he kept on the workbench. "Now, on to the goldmine," he said in a hushed tone, taking his seat at the bench.
"What's this?" Peter asked, his voice firm but curious, standing beside Dr. Morris, staring at the glowing box.
Dr. Morris looked up, a hint of nervousness in his eyes. "Oh, this? It's just a... a relic from the ship. Nothing special, really."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Nothing special? It looks like it's emitting some kind of energy field."
Dr. Morris chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Just a residual power source, General. Not useful for anything, really. We've already scanned it, and it's not worth further study."
Peter's gaze lingered on the box as it glowed with power. "Sure, a power source. Well, if you're sure it's not important..." Peter said, his voice trailing off.
Dr. Morris nodded emphatically. "Absolutely, General. Trust me, I've spent enough time on it. It's just a curiosity, nothing more."
"I'm heading to the control room; it's about time we track down that alien," Peter said, leaving the room.
Dr. Morris let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had no intention of sharing the secret of the alpha box with anyone, especially not the military. He had plans that could change the course of human history.
"I've spent twelve years researching on other planets, dreaming of having the alpha box in my grasp. Now I know it really exists and has the qualities I need.
Not even the military can take it from me now that I have it. With it, I can create beta energy and take our technology to greater heights. I'll be unstoppable, having the world in my palm," he mused with a smile on his face.
Dr. Morris turned to his assistant, "With the alpha box, I can transform alpha energy into other forms of energy. Like what I call 'Quantar,' an energy that can manipulate the size of matter, and also an energy I call 'Slimoh' that can manipulate the shape and texture of matter.
I already have these energies; I just needed an exterior energy source to solidify them and act as a power source.
With this, I can change the world, and you know what? The alpha box can also store energy and transfer it to any object, creating a reaction propelled by the transferred energy.
This work of mine can not only put my name in history forever, but also..."
"But aren't you the richest man in the world?" his assistant asked with a confused face, not understanding what Zane was blabbing about all this while, only capturing the phrase 'make me filthy rich!'
*****
Peter had walked into the control room, where soldiers sat watching surveillance footage.
"Give me footage from any street camera near the Arizona woods. I want to see what happened within the hours of the spaceship crash!" General Peter commanded, looking at the screen and awaiting feedback.
"General, we have a visual," said Captain John, his second-in-command. "It was some minutes after the crash. It's footage of someone pulling a man out of the woods where the crash is said to have occurred. He pulled him into his van and drove off."
"Good, zoom in, give me the plate number of the van," General Peter ordered. One of the soldiers punched a key on his system, zooming in on the plate number of the van.
"Track it," General Peter said. After a few minutes, General Peter could see a red dot on the screen, with many routes, which were obviously the roads in the city.
"General, our target seems to be still; he's not moving. He's located at Phoenix Street, near the abandoned building," John said.
General Peter's voice was firm, "Assemble a team and get ready; we're moving out. We need to capture that alien before it causes any harm."
The general and his team of heavily armed soldiers moved out of the control deck and headed for Phoenix Street.
*****
Lucas, Sam, and Steven sat in the van, devising a means to infiltrate Ray Tech and retrieve the alpha box.
"I've gathered information about Ray Tech's facilities and security. They are heavily guarded by the military. Our best way in is to disguise ourselves as delivery agents," Sam said.
"But more importantly, take this and keep it on you. It will enable me to gain access to Ray Tech's surveillance within the building. With that, I could hack into their system," Sam said, handing over a small device to Lucas, who in turn swallowed it.
"What the hell? Why did you swallow it?" Steven asked, almost screaming.
"It's the only way I can keep it on me, and besides, I think it'll work just fine," Lucas replied, with Sam nodding in agreement.
"And also, it's a tracker, Lucas," Sam added.
Just as they were still speaking, Steven noticed they were being approached by a bunch of military vehicles. "This is not good," Steven said, pointing through the window.
"Okay, new plan: Lucas, I think they are here for you, so you'll go out. Please don't put up a fight; just surrender. It's the fastest and easiest way to get there without any problems. We'll escape to a rooftop and follow as soon as they leave," Sam said as he and Victor exited through the back of the van.
The military vehicles came to a halt as soldiers poured from them, pointing their guns at Sam's van.
The doors to Sam's van swung open as Lucas stepped out with his hands raised above his head. "I surrender!" Lucas said.
"Get down on your knees!" one of the soldiers shouted, still pointing his gun at Lucas.
"I see you're humanoid, an intelligent alien at that," General Peter said after scanning Lucas with his special glasses. "It seems fishy that you surrendered without putting up a fight," Peter said.
"What's the need when I'm outnumbered and don't have a weapon to fight with? It would be good for me to cooperate," Lucas said.
"Good. How did you know we were here for you? And where's the man that rescued you?" General Peter asked. "I don't know his whereabouts, and I don't want to cause him any harm, so it would be nice if we just get on with this," Lucas replied.
"Take him in," General Peter ordered. The soldiers masked Lucas and cuffed him in special restraints, then led him to their vehicle and drove off.
"That should do the trick; we're up," Sam said, closing his laptop with a smile on his face.