Bubba growled and threw his newspaper to the ground. “Another peace initiative lost! This may never be resolved!” He saw the reader standing beside him and said, “I apologize for my outburst, but I am sick and tired of hearing of half-baked and half-hearted peace initiatives. Some believe peace is simply a period without war, but they overlook the plotting and hatred still brewing beneath the surface. Others think peace can only be accomplished when one side obliterates the opposition. Still, another group believes peace is a short-term solution to afford them time to reload before the next conflict. Here’s a story about …

The egg-shaped gray object orbited the yellow planet. Three brown continents separated by a lime-green ocean were identified. After four orbits, the vehicle skidded to a stop across the dusty plain of one brown continent. A silver creature almost two meters tall strode from the object and was immediately surrounded by thousands of red creatures perhaps only 7 centimeters tall.

The silver creature extended a universal translation device from one arm. After a few adjustments, the larger creature could understand the cries and screams of the smaller creatures.

“We need food! Help us! We are the Red Tarz!”

“Our enemies have destroyed our crops, and we are starving!”

“Save us from the Green Tarz! They want to take over the planet!”

“The Gray Tarz are supplying the Green Tarz with weapons that will destroy our ocean! You must stop them!”

Strange, low growls came from inside the larger creature. Then those sounds increased on the decibel scale. As the sound intensified, the sounds and movement from the small creatures ceased. Finally, a harsh, hissing sound modulated into the voice pattern of the Red Tarz below. “I am 8w4 … I am Sentinel … and you will all die,” it loudly bellowed. The Red Tarz scattered in every direction from the creature called 8w4 – all except two who stood their ground.

“I am Red Tarz 6, Council General of our land. Why have you come to destroy us?”

Circuits inside 8w4 connected and shifted as data files were consulted and cross-referenced. “I am 8w4 … I am Sentinel … and you will all die. I have been sent by the planet Xitaz to destroy all life on Ukna. Prepare to die.”

“This is not the planet you seek. This planet is Tarz, not Xitaz,” Red Tarz 6 replied.

“I am 8w4 … I am sentinel … I am …,“ it stopped speaking. Circuits opened and closed in 8w4’s computer brain. “This is not Xitaz. This is Tarz.”

“Yes, this is Tarz. I am Red Tarz 9,” the other small creature responded. 

“War has almost killed everyone and everything on our small planet. Our ocean which supplied us with food and energy is drying up due to the chemicals the three continents dumped into it,” Red Tarz 6 explained.

Red Tarz 9 added, “There are different people on each continent. We are the Red Tarz, but there are also the Green Tarz and the Gray Tarz. They both think they are superior to us. They have enslaved some of our people, but we fight for our freedom.”

The Sentinel assimilated this information and said, “You are of no threat to Xitaz. Therefore, Xitaz and I are no threat to you.”

“We would offer you food and shelter, but none of our buildings are large enough to protect you. Our food storage units are practically empty so we cannot feed you,” Red Tarz 6 said.

“I do not require shelter – my exterior is impervious to damage. I do not require sustenance – I ingest nothing.”

Red Tarz 9 said, “We will probably cease to exist in two orbits around our star.”

“Green Tarz and Gray Tarz await the same fate in approximately the same time frame,” Red Tarz 6 stated. “That may change soon. The ocean is becoming shallower, shorelines are growing, and the area between Green Tarz and Red Tarz firms up. We anticipate Green Tarz will sweep across the dried ocean floor to kill us and take what little food we have left.”

The Sentinel stood silent for two days, then spoke. Red Tarz 6 and Red Tarz 9 stood before him and listened. “I have learned from your historical records. Once long ago, all inhabitants of the Planet Tarz were the same color. Over the millennium, changes in your food sources also changed your color. I have determined what this planet desperately needs.”

“What have you done?”

“I have corrected the error,” the Sentinel replied. Your oceans will be replenished in one orbit. Your food sources will return in two orbits. Peace will return to Tarz.”

“Gray Tarz possesses vehicles that can move across the ocean. They will send armies to steal our food and enslave us once again,” Red Tarz 9 exclaimed.

“They may decide to just wipe us off the face of the planet! We are doomed!” Red Tarz 6 yelled.

“You have killed our planet! Go away before you do more harm!” the gathering crowd pleaded over and over.

In two orbits, every Red Tarz lay dead on battlefields, in their homes, and at the edge of what had been the ocean. They were slaughtered by the combined armies and fleets of the Green Tarz and the Gray Tarz. In three orbits, the Green and Gray turned their weapons on each other in a war for food. Those that survived were dead by the fourth orbit.

The Sentinel had silently witnessed the carnage. His analysis determined that feeding the masses would have brought peace. He was wrong. He powered up his spacecraft and departed a decaying, rotting planet.

***

“General Andrews, this is Mawson Control at Luna Station 3. An object has appeared coming from behind Mars, with an anticipated path to Earth.”

“Is it an asteroid or a vehicle from the American base on the far side of Mars?” 

“It’s a vehicle of some sort. Long-range analysis suggests it is a combination of ETFE and glass-infused aluminum, Sir.”

“That’s impossible. No one on Earth has even been able to make that material. Recalibrate your equipment and get back to me.”

“We’ll have to do that quickly, Sir, because that object will be here in 36 hours. And before you ask, that calculates to almost 4 million miles per hour, Sir. Out.”

Andrews repeated in his mind, We’ve known about and used Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), the fluorine-based plastic for years, but no one on Earth has even been able to combine it with glass-infused aluminum. Perhaps the Chinese base on Mars’ moon Phobos built something before most of China became a smooth desert of radioactive sand during their war with Russia. Russia didn’t fare much better – Mother Russia is nothing but radioactive permafrost from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Moscow. That war was almost 47 years ago, and a Chinese ship has only now been launched. No, there must be another answer! The general sipped his tea, then froze as his eyebrows tilted. What if it is not Chinese; what if it is not human!?

“General Andrews, this is Mawson Control again. Recalibration completed, and estimates verified. It is a vehicle of some sort, and it is slowing down. A newly projected path would make landfall in Egypt at Geo URI 29.9795, 31.13419. That would be near the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.”

“Thank you for the update; keep me posted,” Andrews barked as he took another secure call from Washington, DC. “General Cumby, this is General Andrews.”

“Andy, it has been too long since we went fishing, but right now is not the time for fish stories,” General Osgood Cumby, Chief of the Joint Chiefs Staff of the United States, said. “What do you make of this?”

“Probably the same as your science boys and girls are telling you. The speed of this thing is incredible, but it is slowing some!”

“If it doesn’t slow down a helluva lot more, it will be like a hot knife slicing through butter! At its current speed, it will split our planet in two. Andy, that will be an extinction-level event!”

The object slowed to 10 meters per second and soft-landed on Earth within twenty meters of the Great Pyramid of Giza without making a sound. The black night sky glowed yellow around the object as it cooled from a brilliant amber to a dull gray in minutes. First responders arrived in less than thirty minutes expecting to fight a fire and rescue survivors of a plane crash. They were shocked to find the vehicle open and something standing beside it. It was a creature almost two meters tall, with a possible weight of 150 kilograms, with two arms and two legs. It appeared human.

Egyptian Special Forces, known as Black Cobra, were summoned. They took up defensive positions around the human-like creature and prepared to make a frontal and rear assault. The thing did not move when they did. By noon the following day, scientists from around the world were joined by military types from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and the United African Commonwealth. Men in dark suits were suspected of being Russian or Israeli.

Probes could not penetrate the exterior of the creature or its vehicle. Lasers, acetylene, and sonic also proved ineffective. Transmitters were attached to the creature and the vehicle by nightfall when friendship greetings in every modern and ancient language on Earth tried to establish communications. Sunrise illuminated a shocking sight … the vehicle was gone.

“The Chinese stole it! They were not here yesterday, but maybe they were plotting this all along!” Major Oman speculated.

“No, it must have been the Americans,” replied Major Hassan. They take everything.”

“I think it was the Russians,” countered Colonel Nasr.

But the creature, or whatever it was, had not moved.

Doctor Cassandra Underwood bounced her rented Jeep across the sand from the road to a stop within 50 meters of the creature. Every gun was pointed at her by the three squads of Black Cobra specialists. “Before I give the order to open fire on you, might I inquire who you are and why you have come?” ordered Commander Zhosar Abd-al-Fattah. 

“Ah, I’m Doctor Cassandra Underwood,” she stammered. “Is Doctor Gamal or Doctor Allard here yet? Am I here first?”

“Your papers, please, before you are shot, please,” Zhosar said threateningly.

Cassie noted a tiny smile on his face as she handed him her passport, NASA credentials, Texas Driver’s License, and a Houston library card. “I’m Doctor Cassie Underwood from NASA. I’m a metallurgic specialist researching how alloys change when subjected to long-term space radiation so we can build safer but lighter spacecraft to explore the stars, which means I am joining the team from the European Space Agency to identify the materials in this … a … whatever it is … and learn from it, so what are you army-types doing here – you plan to blow it up before it gets studied, or will you allow us to examine it thoroughly since it is not your country’s property and you can’t prevent us from investigating it … and this is my dog Brutus and he doesn’t have any papers except for the ones he uses for a bathroom.”

Zhosar stared at Cassie’s grey eyes for a couple of minutes and responded. “Two questions. First, was that just one sentence? And second, when do you take a breath?”

Before she could answer, the creature turned its head and gazed at Cassie as synapses opened in its aqueous central brain and A.I. circuits connected deep within its memory banks. A low, guttural sound emanated from the creature, followed by a high-pitched screech, like fingernails on a chalkboard. A new sound emerged, sounding like an old tape recorder at too fast a speed. Finally, a smooth baritone voice radiated in a calming tone announced, “I am 8w4 … and you will all …” and the transmission halted. The being repeated the message several times, stopping at the same point. Then, it closed all internal programming to prevent additional interactions.

Over the next two weeks, a Sikorsky CH-55 Titan helicopter was brought in to move the still-silent creature to a more secure area for study. The original weight assessment of 150 kg was perhaps off as much as 15000 kg. Cassie knew that meant the world of science was about to be bested by the world of the military. Except the CH-55 could not lift the creature, its maximum cargo load was 30,000 pounds. So, the Russians were invited to the party to join the scientific study if they would furnish their Mi-28 Heavy Lift helicopter with a lift capacity of 47,550 pounds.

As the creature was being secured, it moved. Its open circuits responded with a verbal command, “I am 8w4 … I am Sentinel … and you will all die,” as its memory stores came alive. It remembered its beginnings on Xitaz and its original mission to Ukna. The Sentinel’s memory files told the story as it reviewed its history.

FILE 3 OPEN

“We have created the ultimate warrior!” Xitza’s chief scientist exclaimed. “It cannot be destroyed! It cannot be defeated!”

“When can our military have it?” Emperor Zquxe of Xitaz asked, as he almost drooled with anticipation. 

“Now! We shall send it to Ukna!” cried the generals.

“Yes, it is time to destroy all our enemies on Ukna, perhaps even the entire planet!” yelled Emperor Zquxe.

The synthetic began to familiarize itself with cities, landmarks, and key targets during its four-day journey across space. Its launch vehicle crashed into Ukna’s capital facility, killing thousands. The being proclaimed, “I am 8w4 and you will all die!” The 2-meter-tall weapon proceeded to annihilate soldier after soldier with lasers, sonic projectiles, and heat rays as it moved to the planet’s central defense system. Then stopped in its path, and its weaponry went dormant.

Its audio receivers picked up sounds with which it was unfamiliar. Soft echoes and sounds of grief were detected as the being followed those noises to their first source. The sounds it had never heard before were the pleas and cries of the young Uknas begging for their parental units, who could no longer care for them. Its psycho-sensors were designed to detect the anger and hatred in an enemy but used them to learn of the pain of love and loss. The ultimate warrior was created on a planet called Xitaz as a weapon to destroy all life on a planet called Ukna. However, it now refused to do that job. It locked all its functions down and became inactive.

Xitaz believed Ukna had somehow destroyed the ultimate warrior and feared retaliation, perhaps the destruction of their own planet. Ukna sent envoys to Xitaz with terms for a mutually beneficial peace. Both planets laid down their arms and vowed never to engage in war again. Days of celebration and thanksgiving became days of recovery and returning to normal on both planets. The being was given the name ‘Sentinel’ by both planets with the hope it would stand guard and keep watch for peace.

Over time, the Sentinel was transported to a remote section of Ukna away from the population, where garbage was deposited. The inactive being was forgotten by all – except a group of scientists and the leader of Ukna’s military. They grew concerned that the android might suddenly become active, remember its original programming, and destroy their civilization. Ukna built a spacecraft, loaded the Sentinel on board, and launched it deep into another solar system. It landed on the eastern hemisphere of a planet called Prfuv which was entrenched in a civil war with the western hemisphere. 

FILE 3 CLOSED

The Sentinel’s first record file ended at the same point every time Doctors Gamal, Allard, and Underwood listened to the creature and asked clarifying questions, but still did not fully understand why it was now on Earth. That first record file always ended when the creature was launched on a space vehicle and landed on Prfuy.

FILE 4 OPEN

The military of East Prfuy believed the being was a dangerous weapon of destruction sent by West Prfuy to destroy their civilization. The being’s internal systems became active, except for weaponry, as an inconsistency in its memory system made it move toward a population center. The scientists of the East tried incineration, acid, sonic disruptors, lasers, and nuclear fission, but the android could not be stopped or destroyed. The Sentinel stopped at the edge of the capital city of Pfrum to survey military targets, industrial targets, and key infrastructure. It began to transmit, “I am 8w4 … I am Sentinel … and you will all …” and the transmission halted. Once as on Ukna, the being closed all internal programming to prevent hostile actions and stood as a silent sentinel on a hill. The silence lasted for two generations.

Prfuy became one planet and one people as East and West agreed to a peace settlement, a peace both sides wanted and needed to last forever. Centuries later, fear wedged itself into that peace. The planet’s Supreme Council and the Council of Science began to argue within themselves that a party bent on the destruction of their peace might find a way to activate the Sentinel and use it for evil. To prevent either side or an unknown third party from unleashing the terrible weapon, former enemies agreed to jointly build a vehicle to launch the being into another solar system. After the launch, the Sentinel was forgotten.

FILE 4 CLOSED

General Cumby and General Andrews joined Doctors Gamal, Allard, and Underwood in a secure video conference. As the Sentinel’s second record file ended, Gamal activated the two record files again. Then, again. General Cumby shook his head as he expressed his frustration, “I still do not understand why this … thing … is now on Earth!”

“He was not wanted by either side in a conflict because they could not control him,” General Andrews piped in.

“Frankenstein.”

“Who said that?” Cumby asked through narrowing eyes.

“I did,” Doctor Underwood admitted. “Look, I may be the new kid on the block here and am only a specialist in the effects of space radiation on metals mined and refined from Earth’s resources, but I read more than all of you combined, so you might want to listen to me.”

You can also be long-winded,” Allard added with a sigh. “Get to the point.”

“I said ‘Frankenstein.’ That’s the book written in 1818.”

“Yes, we’ve all seen those ancient computer files.”

“Think about it for a moment. The book’s title is the name of the scientist, but most people equate the name to the monster the scientist created,” Underwood said.

Gamal crossed his arms and asked, “Where are you going with this, Cassie?”

“Doctor Victor Frankenstein created a living being from human body parts. He thought he was pursuing a scientific goal but, in the end, the monster was despised and feared by all, including Doctor Frankenstein himself.” She looked at each monitor to read the faces of the others. “The Sentinel, as it calls itself, was created for one use, but turned its back on its initial programming. It chose not to kill.”

“Could it be that simple – this creature developed a conscience, a set of morals?” Doctor Allard wondered aloud.

Before General Cumby could respond, alarms rang out. “Sorry, this conference is over! General Andrews, keep your connection open!” he yelled as he took several messages. “Andy, we are under attack from the Chinese!”

Chinese General Chang appeared on Cumby’s and Andrews’ video boards. “Gentlemen, you have two options. Destroy the alien creature or give it to us.”

“Chang, we don’t know how to destroy it!” Cumby announced. “We have tried every means possible, but nothing works! You and your advisors are welcome to come to see for yourself. If you have any suggestions, they would be appreciated.”

“I represent all of the Democratic Peoples Union of Eastern China. We are all that remains of most of Asia, and we will not be dictated to or conquered by the Imperialist dogs you act for. Nor will we be dismissed!”

Cumby and Andrews agreed with Chang. “It certainly was not and will not be our intention to dismiss the remains of the great Chinese nation. However, we will not acquiesce to demands from you. Instead, let us work together, General Chang.”

Chang was not expecting this tactic. “How do you suggest we proceed together?”

“Come work with us, analyze things with us – let us solve this … together.”

“I and my science delegates will arrive there in Egypt tonight. Please prepare our quarters.” The transmission ended abruptly.

“We just bought ourselves a little more time and a lot more resources,” Cumby said.

***

Doctors Gamal, Allard, and Underwood listened to the creature and asked clarifying questions, but they still did not fully understand why it was now on Earth.

Dr. Underwood politely asked the Sentinel to follow her to a huge hangar. She gently took its arm and said as they walked, “I have an idea and my friends have agreed to it. I have set up many monitors for you to review the history of this planet and its species. Once you have learned more about us, then you may be willing to discuss your next steps.”

“Thank you, Cassie,” it said.

A startled Dr. Underwood blurted, “How do you know my nickname?”

“I heard Gamal mention it once. Did I pronounce it incorrectly?”

“No, you said it right,” Cassie said with a half-smile and a half-thought of wonderment. “I will come back tomorrow when you have viewed everything.”

“I’ll be right here,” came the monotone response.

The hangar had over 100 monitors projecting different topics from the past and from the present, all at the same time because Cassie was unsure how quickly the visitor could understand the videos. The Sentinel’s visual sensors lept from one screen to the next, missing nothing and absorbing everything, completely without bias and maintaining neutrality. The hidden camera monitoring the Sentinel went black at 3:15 am.

Dr. Underwood stretched and yawned at 3:25 am when she answered the phone. “Yeah, what?!” She became wide awake in moments as she listened to the guard’s report. At 3:58 am, her Jeep skidded to a halt as it was once again surrounded by soldiers with weapons pointed at her. This time there were also Chinese soldiers in the mix. “Is there a party happening, and my invitation did not make it to me?” she nervously asked as she quieted her little Boston Terrier Brutus.

Allard ran up and got her cleared for admission. “We surrounded the hangar as you left yesterday, just as a precaution. When the surveillance camera went black at 3:15 am, we sent in a small robot to investigate. The monitors were all off and the Sentinel stood silent. We know you have made some kind of connection with it, and we hope you can give us a sitrep.”

“Be careful, Cassie,” Dr. Gamal added as she slowly walked into the hangar.

She placed her hand on the left arm of the Sentinel. “I see you finished faster than I expected.” She smiled and added, “You learn very quickly, my friend.”

The Sentinel’s eyes opened and stared down at Cassie. “I have learned more than you expected or hoped for me to learn?”

“Well, perhaps, Sentinel. Say, that is too formal a name. May I call you Gary? That was my father’s name.”

“Gar-eee-eee. Gary. Gary, it will be, friend Cassie. Thank you for the name.”

“My pleasure, Gary. Now, what have you figured out?”

“I have determined what this planet desperately needs.”

“Food? Health care? Happiness? What?”

“Peace,” Gary replied. 

“Well, the people of this planet have been trying to achieve peace for thousands of years and have failed.”

“You failed because you went about it the wrong way. I have corrected that error,” Gary responded as he mimicked Cassie’s smile, then looked at the dog and made unusual sounds in several tonalities. “I saw no mention of this human species in those files you arranged for me. They are smaller than humans but much larger than those on the planet Tarz.”

“That’s because it is a Boston Terrier dog, not a human. His name is Brutus.”

“He is quite illiterate for a human. Therefore, I assume it is the reason he did not respond when I spoke in several languages to him. Come, Brutus.” The dog jumped into Gary’s arms and quickly began licking the Sentinel’s arm. He placed Brutus back on the ground as he repeated, “Cassie, you and the generations before you failed because your peace initiative was incorrect. I have corrected that error,” Gary stood and returned to silent stoicism with the strange smile still on his face.

***

“They disrespected us!” the woman known as Queen Bee yelled. “They invaded our territory – a territory they agreed upon years ago with our gang. Now, we will take back our territory and take all of theirs as well. Drone, pass out the guns!”

The man known as Drone unlocked a large closet in their clubhouse (that Queen Bee called the Hive) stacked with guns of every description. Pistols, automatic weapons, and even two grenade launchers. He distributed the guns to Queen Bee’s workers. These were gang members of less than two years who had not proved themselves yet. Shareece Clements, aka Queen Bee, considered the Workers to be expendable – front-line fodder in turf wars.

All the Bees began to make buzzing sounds as they approached the disputed territory also known as Memorial Park. Queen Bee stayed safely in the background as she played a recording of bees when they were disturbed in their hive. She cranked the sound up to maximum and yelled, “Kill them all!”

The No-Name Gang jumped to their feet at the center of the park and formed a defensive circle with weapons drawn. Two Chinese QSZ-92G military pistols appeared from under someone’ jacket. Glocks, Colts, S&Ws, and others were drawn. The No-Name Gangs leader, Ace of Clubs, stood ready with a Russian PP-90M1 submachine gun with a 64-round magazine from his long overcoat.

The Bees charged from every direction, but as they neared the No Name Gang, the weapons of both gangs disappeared. Suddenly there were no guns, no knives, and no grenade launchers. The No-Name Gang laughed as they raised their weapons to fire, but the laughter vanished when their own weapons vanished. Everyone stood staring in disbelief at each other.

***

“If any of their troops cross our border, you are ordered to launch every missile we have on their capital city. I want it to glow in the night sky for years to come,” Generalissimo Yerorka Hernandez of Argentina commanded over the radio. Surveillance confirmed troops from Paraguay were massed along the Pilcomayo River between the two countries.

“I believe their target will be our hidden food storage bunkers in Chiriguanos,” Captain Comacho, Hernandez Intelligence Officer, reported. “Sir, if I may suggest, pull back our forces in La Represa and La Perforacion. This will draw their forces into a vice which we can close behind them and destroy them.”

“Excellent, Comacho! Do it immediately! Death to all invaders!” the Generalissimo screamed. The pincer maneuver worked perfectly as enemy soldiers crossed the river and rapidly moved forward into the trap. 

The stage was set for Paraguayan troops to be slaughtered by Argentine bombers and fighter jets, with ground forces to mop up the trap. Fighters and bombers dove on the Paraguayan troops who scrambled to find safety. Bomber doors opened, and bombardiers pushed the release buttons. Nothing happened. Fighter pilots picked strafing runs on Paraguayan supply lines. Triggers were pressed, but no ammunition or rockets were released. When bombers and fighters returned to base, no ammunition was found in any plane. 

Argentine tanks were deployed on both sides of the pincer formation. The order came to fire, but nothing happened. Suddenly, no tank had shells to fire. Soldiers discovered their rifles had no ammunition. Generalissimo Yerorka Hernandez of Argentina stood screaming and waving his arms in anger. Captain Comacho stood immobile in astonished silence.

***

Cary Huston listened to his stomach growl as he walked into the bank lobby. He had not eaten in four days, and neither had his girlfriend and her two kids. This robbery was a necessity … he had to find some way to get them food. He lost his job washing dishes at a diner, he got arrested for begging on the street, and this was his last attempt.

He walked up to the teller’s window and shakily displayed the Luger he stole from his father. “I don’t want to hurt you or anybody else,” he pleaded. His stomach growled loud enough for the teller to hear. He bent over in pain, but managed to say, “Please give me the money in your drawer. Please.” There were tears in his eyes.

“Hold it right there, mister,” Cary heard someone behind him. He turned to see the bank guard’s pistol pointed at him. “Drop the pistol and get on your knees. No one will get hurt.”

“Please, sir. I gotta have money to feed three starving people,” Cary begged. The pain hit him again and he was forced over. The guard thought Cary was going to shoot, so he fired. But nothing happened. He pulled the trigger again and still nothing. Cary collapsed to the floor in a fetal position, racked with pain. The guard grabbed Cary’s gun from the floor.

Thirty minutes later, EMTs placed Cary on a stretcher and took him to the ambulance outside while the bank guard was debriefed by a detective. “I can’t explain it, Detective. Maybe it was a miracle, but my pistol did not fire, and I pulled the trigger three or four times. It must have jammed.”

“There aren’t any bullets in your gun, sir,” the detective said as he examined the guard’s pistol.

“Then I’m lucky he didn’t have the strength to shoot me,” the guard said.

“Luck had nothing to do with it. This is the weirdest bank robbery I’ve ever investigated. There were no bullets in your gun and there were no bullets in the robber’s gun!”

***

In six hours, all guns and weapons around the planet were rendered unusable. The artillery of every nation was turned into carousels and swing sets. Naval aircraft carriers became floating cities with vegetable gardens and floating cities for the homeless. Destroyers, cruisers, and submarines were sunk to become new coral reefs. Military airplanes became giant kites for children to fly. Guns and rifles became plows for tilling the soil or digging trenches to transport water into the desert. Military uniforms were turned into colorful and happy clothing. Knives became spoons and forks to feed the downtrodden. Not one life was lost in the transition.

Doctors Gamal and Allard joined Generals Cumby and Andrews in the hangar. Dr. Allard asked, “Sentinel, why did you do this?”

Gary did not respond.

General Cumby pounded his fist on the Sentinel’s chest. “Answer me! Why?”

Gary continued to remain silent.

Chinese General Chang and his entourage were escorted into the hangar. “I know he did this because you Imperialist dogs ordered him to! He is a lackey for your nationalist interests!”

“You don’t know that for a fact, General Chang,” came a voice from the front of the hangar as President Harland Strong walked in. “I heard you were here in Egypt, Chang, so I thought I would join the party. Perhaps we should ask Gary why he did it, instead of assuming the reasons. Gary, can you please explain? It would help us better understand the new situation.”

Gary emitted a strange sound that morphed into a mechanical laugh. “I did it for no one nation. I did it for all people. Is that not fair?”

The veins on General Chang’s neck bulged as he screamed, “How dare you! We demand control of our own destiny!”

“We work hard to bring peace to every nation on this planet,” President Strong explained.

“Whose peace are you talking about?” Chang interrupted. “It is not my peace. Is it Mexican peace? Is it Australian peace? No! It is your idea of American peace!”

“We continue to do what we can,” Strong added.

Gary interrupted the argument. “And how is that working for your planet? This planet has tried for over 5,000 years to achieve peace, but you have not succeeded.” Chang and Strong both fell silent and grimaced. “You failed because your concept of peace was incorrect, therefore your action plan was incorrect. I corrected that error,” Gary continued.

Cassie put her hand on Gary’s and slowly said, “Please return the situation to where it was. Humans strive to meet challenges, and achieving peace is perhaps our greatest challenge. It is a goal we must take in small steps to reach the heights of a successful peace. Sometimes we misstep and fall back, but we learn from those mistakes and keep trying. Can you understand this, Gary?”

“I have failed in what I perceived as my duty on this planet,” Gary said as he closed his eyes, and then his protective visor. When he opened them again, he said, “I have returned all controls to humankind.” He pointed at the setting Moon as he explained, “I am recalling my vessel. I am no longer needed here.”

***

Gary stowed a box in his ship before noon, and he was ready to depart. As Brutus jumped into the vehicle, Gary picked him up. “Sorry, my little friend. This is a trip you cannot take,” he said as he gently put the dog on the ground.

General Chang and President Strong both shook Gary’s hand. Chang warned him, “Do not return. It could be fatal for you.” Chang scowled at Gary and walked away.

Strong uttered, “Forget what he threatened, but it’s for the best that you do not return, Gary.”

“Yes, but for whom?” Gary said with remorse. He knelt down to pet Brutus. “I think I will miss you more than the others.”

“Except for me, Gary,” Cassie struggled to say.

“Roger that,” he replied with a strange look on his face. “I never did learn how to smile,” he uttered as he tried to chuckle.

“I’ll help,” Cassie said as she turned the corners of his mouth into a smile reminiscent of a clown’s. She immediately teared up.

Gary reached her face with his finger, wiped away a tear, and placed it on his own face. “I never learned to do that either. I will take it and learn from it. Farewell.”

In three minutes, Gary was gone, blazing a green phosphorescent trail across the sky. The crowd dispersed and was gone shortly thereafter, except for Cassie, who stood staring at an empty sky with an empty heart. “There must be peace for you out there somewhere, Gary. I hope you find it,” she whispered.

She picked up Brutus and snuggled until the dog fell asleep in her arms. She reflected on her last words to Gary as she added, “But what does this say about our species and our way of life?”