The silvery spaceship emitted a soft light as it touched down on the lush grass in the White House's front lawn. Without any ado, an opening appeared in the side of the ship. A powerful, black-furred beast stepped out fearlessly, regarding the masses of armed federal agents and reporters with blazing yellow eyes. The predator laughed, a wickedly pleased growl vibrating its muscular neck; the nasty claws on all four paws and curving tailblade gave the military officers, aiming their guns at the alien creature, pause. The long jaws opened, and a husky voice articulated in perfect English, "Greetings, humans."





'be gentle with the earth'

Had that really been his last whisper in her ear, the words that graced his last breath? Or had she heard the universal soul speak through his body just as his spirit connected with the life that flowed through all things, even those things that were dying?

She almost didn't want to know, because then it might matter to her that he had died peacefully.

Peace in death didn't happen. One fought death as hard as they fought living enemies. It was the way she lived.

But it hadn't been the way he had lived.