The Future

THE FUTURE

By C

This story contains graphic descriptions of death and nudity, and is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It is fantasy and intended to be viewed as such. All individuals were created in the writer’s imagination, and any similarity at actual persons is nothing but coincidence.

PART II

CHAPTER 23

                          

       The hour to start the second event arrived with women, throughout the world, experiencing almost unbelievable excitement, enthusiasm, and curiosity. The location was a large, indoor arena having a capacity of over twenty thousand, and, as on the day before, binoculars were provided to each spectator. Unlike the previous day, there would be no simultaneous activity in other cities, but it was being televised live throughout the world. Throngs of women crowded into movie theaters to take advantage of large screens. The remainder of the female population sat in groups or by themselves while being glued to television sets.

       The floor of the arena had been eagerly scanned at the first opportunity in hopes of gaining a clue as to the nature of what was about to occur, but there was not a great deal to be seen. The most prominent feature had been five, large, rectangular tables with a smaller table adjacent to each. But, all of these had been covered to conceal whatever the surfaces might contain. A monorail ran over each of the tables from which hung an electric hoist on a motorized trolley, and there were also a number of metal frames connected by parallel rows of steel rods resembling something from which clothing might be hung except for being far sturdier.

       The only other objects were a speaker's podium standing close to a long, rectangular table which was also covered, and, finally, a small table in the very center of the floor. This last table was the only one not covered, but it made little difference since its surface was empty. As in the previous day, the spectators had been mystified as to what significance such seemingly unimpressive surroundings could play in an event that had been advertised and promoted to such a heightened degree.

       A mummer of surprise passed through the audience when the Supreme Commander walked onto the floor. She was dressed in a short, dark pink, athletic type skirt and a soft, tight fitting, light pink sweater that not only molded around her breasts but jiggled with such freedom it was obvious she wore nothing underneath. On past occasions, whether appearing on television or in public, she had always worn conservative attire, and it was something of a shock to see her in such an outfit. It was almost as if she were trying to draw attention more to the fact of being a woman rather than the undisputed leader of the entire world. This had indeed been her intent, and it proved to be highly successful. Her shapely legs, curved hips, and full breasts clearly revealed that, undisputed world leader or not, there was nothing about her that was not clearly all female.

       As the Supreme Commander took her place behind the podium her face appeared calm and composed in a manner that successfully concealed the inner turmoil, apprehension, and pain surging within. In a clear and steady voice she began her address that was being heard by practically every member of the female population throughout the world - over two hundred and fifty million strong. She began by telling of the scientific failure to find a genetic cause for male violence and, as a result, any man released to society might prove to be a threat - regardless of how carefully they had been screened.

       She told of the large disparity between the size of the male and female populations and described how it would be impossible for them to continue holding a male population of such magnitude for an indefinite period of time. She made no attempt to hide grave concerns as to the serious dangers women would face from this seemingly unsolvable dilemma. She followed these remarks with a brief but emotional reminder of what had been disclosed during the televised campaign regarding the hardship, pain, and suffering that not only themselves, but women throughout history had been forced to endure from living in societies controlled by men.

       The Supreme Commander's remarks served to fan feelings of concern, fear, resentment, and hostility toward not just a segment, but the entire male population. Such had been her intent, but she was somewhat surprised at finding her verbal attack being more inflammatory than originally intended but, in so doing, being far more effective as she used words and thoughts that just seemed to spring from within. She made reference to the brutality of male violence and stated that the manner in which men have always acted made one wonder if there was not some type of flaw within them all that had been present since their earliest beginning.

       She found herself repeatedly using the words ‘violence’ and ‘war’ and gave an emotional description of what a future world could be like if only men could learn to live in harmony. "Such a world", she had stated, "would fulfill a dream that has existed in the heart of every woman." She then vented her frustration at males for apparently being blind to the beauty of what could be achieved and, instead, appeared obsessed with trying to find a means that would not only destroy themselves but all that was around them.

       "This time, they almost succeeded." She stated with venom. "But even now they will not have learned a lesson and, given time, would return once again to practicing their insane and bloody follies". She looked at the audience whose expressions of both anger and fear clearly revealed she was achieving the emotional state for which she strived. She could only hope it would be of sufficient magnitude to carry them through the impact of what was next to be revealed.

       In so doing, she did not hesitate in giving a description the impending crisis that loomed ahead because of a critical shortage of food. She held nothing back and made no attempt to soften the blow. She explained that the extent of the shortage was so acute that not only were they being confronted with massive starvation, but, even with a maximum effort and extreme good fortune, it would take at least five years to be able to produce a quantity needed to become self sufficient.

       She then told of what lay ahead if a solution could not be found. Men would revolt and gain their freedom when the means no longer existed for them to be fed and, when finding themselves in the midst of a world suffering the ravages of starvation, would act as men have always acted. She continued by giving a vivid description of how they would start preying upon each other when no other source of food could be found, and she made no attempt to soften the horrendous fate that would especially befall women at the hands of desperate, half-crazed, bands of men roaming the countryside who would first satisfy depraved sexual desires before savagely slaughtering their hapless victims.

       "The world would once again be plunged into violence, rape, and war." She had concluded. "And this time nothing could be done to stop it. It would be of a horror and madness far surpassing anything that has ever existed and for which there could be but one end - the extinction of what would have become the last remnants of the human race."

       The Supreme Commander paused at this point and looked around. There was stunned silence throughout the arena, and expressions of extreme shock and dismay displayed on faces gave clear evidenced of unquestioned acceptance of what she had said. She continued in a calm and confident manner that others would later marvel when considering the extraordinary circumstances. "Each of you is fully aware that this is not the first time we have found ourselves on the brink of starvation. It was exceedingly difficult, but we had no other choice but to start using the only source of nourishment that could be obtained - the flesh of men killed in battle."

       "In time, as is nature’s way, we found ourselves getting over the trauma and being able to accept what, at first, had been looked upon as being almost unthinkable. As a result, a point was reached where women, the world over, came to regard the body of a human male as being a routine source of food and, yes.., even one that was remarkably desired. But, as desirable as it proved to be, none of us ever regarded this action as something that would not cease the moment it no longer became a necessity, which is what happened when the war ended."

       The Supreme Commander again paused and looked at the women's faces. The expressions of shock and fear remained, and it was clear they failed to grasp the direction she was heading. But, that would not last for long. She continued, with her voice retaining the same calm and confident tone. "The food shortage that now confronts us is far more severe than anything we faced before. Regardless of the magnitude, however, we are not without hope. There is a way open that will prevent the suffering, chaos, atrocity, anarchy, and eventual human annihilation that I described from taking place and, in so doing, provide sufficient sustenance to enable us to survive."

       "In using the word "us" I mean exactly what it implies. I am referring to members of the female population. There is only one ample source of nourishment available, and it is no different now than it was before - the flesh of the human male. Once again we find ourselves faced with having no other choice but to turn to this source as our only means of survival. This time, however, there must be a profound difference in how it is obtained. This time, there is no longer a war raging around us to provide numerous bodies killed in the fighting. This time, it will be up to women to perform that which will be required to make this food available."

       Looks of confusion registered on the women's faces as their shocked and numbed minds tried to grapple with wondering if their leader truly meant to imply what they thought they had just heard. They were not long in finding the answer as the she continued. "You are aware of the recent Summit attended by myself and the women that are the elected leaders of each country in the world. During these proceedings, I introduced a resolution calling for approval of taking the only course of action open to prevent the horrors I described from becoming a reality. I can assure you that every possible alternative was considered before this resolution was presented. The members of the Summit were forced to make a painful and agonizing decision, but, in the end, they found there to be no alternative. It was for this reason that, without a single dissenting vote, they adopted the resolution as presented – a resolution that called for men to continue being held so that they may be slain and the bodies used for food."

       A gasp went through the audience, and the Supreme Commander waited for it to subside before continuing. "I know this comes as a profound shock but, as I have said, it is the only way. There is no longer a war to provide this means, and we must therefore rely on what has always been the method of obtaining food during peaceful times. It has to be ‘harvested’, and, although the ‘what’ and ‘how’ in this case will be far different than at any other time in history, the end result of providing sustenance for our tables will be the same. And, as to the ‘how’, no effort will be made to conceal anything that will be taking place. In fact, to the contrary, every aspect will be conducted openly to the point of even proving facilities to enable public viewing as well as being shown in televised broadcast. I know this strikes you as being somewhat questionable, but, for many reasons, making these features available is being done solely for your benefit which, in time, you will come to understand."

       "Instead of trying to describe any of this, it will be far more effective for you to witness it taking place. For this reason, you are going to be given a demonstration that will not only serve as an introduction but will, in fact, be the first of what will be an almost infinite number of "harvesting" the primary source of food upon which we must rely for the next five years. Before commencing, however, I must tell you that you will find yourselves being surprised and questioning the purpose for much of what you will see. I assure you that everything which will take place was the result of careful planning aimed at achieving a specific objective."

       "This objective has but one purpose - to do everything within our power that will best serve your welfare. Much of this will not be readily apparent at first, but I beg you to accept there being valid reasons and, thereby, accept all that will be taking place. Every feature not only has my strong endorsement but that of every one of your elected leaders. In order to show the full extent of this unified support, we will all take an active part in conducting this demonstration."

       "I again stress that you will find yourselves being shocked at first, but please do not let it overwhelm you to the extent that it prevents making an effort to accept it being done for your benefit. It will be impossible for you not to soon find yourself experiencing a wide range of emotions, but how you react to these emotions can be controlled by no one but you. I ask you to remember all you have learned recently in the televised broadcasts about the immense value that comes from allowing inner feelings break free. I implore you to allow such feelings to be released in their entirety and to openly accept each and every one - regardless of the nature or how shocking it might be. If you can do this you will find yourselves beginning to receive some of the benefits of which I speak and, in so doing, start to understand the purpose for why it is being done."

       "But, as important as this is, there one thing you must keep in mind above all else. You must never loose sight of the fact it was not women who created the profound crisis that confronts us and forces taking such drastic action - it was the ruthless and insane actions of males. It is males, and males alone, that are the sole cause, and it is they, not ourselves, who must bear the full blame for what we are being forced to do." With this remark the Supreme Commander stepped from the podium and walked to the covered rectangular table.

       For a few minutes nothing happened other than a mummer going through the audience as they wondered what they were about to see. Many had begun to guess the purpose the motorized hoists and large tables would serve as well as to what would soon be hanging from the rows of steel rods. But, beyond this, they were unsure exactly what to expect. Their leader had strongly implied they were going to see men being killed, but there was nothing on the floor giving any evidence of how this would be done. They looked around expecting to see some type of apparatus being brought out, but all they saw was their leader standing calmly in a manner that appeared to be almost nonchalant.

      Inwardly, the Supreme Commander was anything but calm or nonchalant, and it had taken an increasing effort on her part to maintain this appearance. She had been strengthened in some strange manner by whatever it was that had subconsciously influenced much of the manner in which she had delivered her speech, but it was not enough to offset the apprehension beginning to build now that the crucial moment was at hand. The entire future of the world might well hinge on how the women in the audience and the two hundred and fifty million watching on television would react to what they were about to see.

       She felt confident that she had succeeded in emotionally and mentally preparing them as well as could be expected - but, had it been enough? And, even if it had, would she be able to convincingly perform the difficult task that lay ahead when the slightest sign of hesitation or reluctance could spell disaster. The feeling of confidence started to fade, and she began to feel self-doubt. She desperately wanted to close her eyes and try to collect herself but could not risk doing even this. All she could do was try to appear indifferent while gazing into a passage that led from beneath the stands.

       The interior of the passage was visible only at floor level and could not be observed from the stands. The doors at the far end opened, and, once again, the Supreme Commander saw Tom - but in a far different manner than he had been earlier in the day. His chest and legs were bare, and a white towel was warped around his waste. His hands were tied behind his back, and he was between two large women that were each forcefully holding an arm. A third woman followed behind. The Supreme Commander only briefly noted Tom's sparse attire before her attention was drawn to his familiar face - a face for which she had come to feel a great amount of admiration and compassion. The immense joy and happiness she had last seen it display was gone and had been replaced by a look of total confusion and bewilderment.

       She felt her woman's heart go out to him, and her eyes began to moisten along with a tightening in her throat. She immediately realized it had been a mistake to look at his face and, fighting desperation, looked toward the audience in an attempt to divert her thoughts. The makeup, as had been the day before, was comprised almost entirely of women that were very young, but it was not this fact caught her attention - it was in failing to see a single face that did not register a look of extreme grief and anxiety.

       The expressions of distress had an immediate and sobering effect. It was for these women and the millions upon millions like them that was the sole purpose for her even being here. Their welfare mattered far more than either Tom or her. It would be for them for which she would be taking his life, and it would be for them for which she would bear the sadness and pain it would bring afterward. The gaining of this awareness caused a strange phenomenon to occur. Her feelings of anxiety remained, but something within that had an almost dreamlike quality seemed to take control.

       She again turned her attention to Tom but, this time, kept her eyes from his face and looked at his bare chest instead. She first noticed that the hair was unusually thick for one so young, and it was only natural that the next objects of her attention were the dark, areola, of his small nipples. She had no outward awareness of it at the time, but her anxiety began subconsciously to subside as her eyes instinctively started to wander over his body.

       Her tension continued to diminish as she began taking in details of his appealing and impressive physique. She became so focused that she was not even aware of something beginning to stir within as she admired his broad shoulders and muscular ripples merging into the flatness of his abdomen. Her gaze continued downward to the white towel, and a sudden tingle surged through her upon seeing a distinctive bulge in the center that was made even more noticeable by the fact that it constantly jiggled with a freedom making it obvious he wore nothing underneath.

       The sight had been so captivating that she unconsciously found herself unable to take her eyes from the tantalizing movement that became more defined as Tom drew nearer and left little doubt of the cause being quite impressive. The thin fabric seemed to become transparent, and the tingling sensation and awakening emotions within her continued to build as her mind visualized the activity taking place.

       A loud mummer went through the audience when a scantly clad and bewildered young man being physically escorted by three women emerged from a passage that entered the floor of the arena. The shock of seeing thousands of women looking at his brief attire caused him to stop and try to pull back. But the women on each side held firm, and the third came up and pushed from behind. Their combined strength quickly overcame his resistance, and he could do nothing but stumble forward with his face turning red while registering a look of profound embarrassment. He was brought to a halt a short distance in front of the Supreme Commander, and the woman that had followed knelt and quickly tied his feet. She and the other two then turned and departed leaving him standing helpless and unable to do anything but look about in wild confusion.

       The emotions within the Supreme Commander continued to build as she watched Tom approach, and by the time he had been brought to a halt she was almost trembling with excitement. She became so caught up that she was not even aware of a dramatic and unexpected change having taken place within her. She looked into his embarrassed and bewildered face but, this time, instead of being overcome by sadness, found her excitement continuing to increase. It was not that she had lost any of the compassion she felt toward him, but it was as though it had been overshadowed by something of far greater value. The emotions surging within her, however, had reached such magnitude that she gave no thought to this seeming conflict as she stepped forward.

       It was only when she was directly in front of Tom that his bewildered state enabled him to realize who she was, and a look of relief flooded across his face as recognition set in. It was obvious he took her presence to mean that she was about to intercede on his behalf and correct whatever dreadful mistake had been made. "Ma’am..! Thank God you're here!" He stammered.

       Instead of responding with words of encouragement, however, she smiled mischievously, reached down, grasped the top of the towel, and, with a swift jerk, yanked it away. His look of relief evaporated into one of stunned, disbelief and left him standing speechless - and naked. His confused face turned even redder as it registered acute embarrassment.

       The women in the audience had been caught off guard by the unexpected suddenness of the Supreme Commander's action and, after an initial gasp, sat in stunned silence for several minutes. It did not take long for them to recover, however, and the air was soon filled with the sounds of feminine laughter and giggles. The Supreme Commander stepped back, and her eyes wandered briefly over Tom's body before her gaze settled on what hung from a thick patch of pubic hair. Her initial impression had proven to be correct - the sight was indeed impressive. His penis was long even in its flaccid state - the limp shaft thick and heavy. The cone shaped head stood out with prominence as did the twin bulges in his scrotum.

       It would have been impossible for the Supreme Commander to have envisioned herself capable of reacting in the manner in which she found herself doing. It was as though something totally beyond her power had taken control and turned her into a different person. And, the excitement building within her had been so refreshing and exhilarating she could not have stopped even if desired.

       She stared intently at the intriguing display hanging between Tom's legs and knew that thousands of binoculars were being focused in the same direction as were cameras transmitting a close-up image to countless movie screens and millions upon millions of television sets. The realization that it was she who had exposed his nakedness to be viewed by practically every woman in the world caused even greater excitement to surge through her.

       It was almost with reluctance that she took her eyes away, but when she looked up she could not help but laugh at the expression of dumfounded disbelief and extreme embarrassment being registered on Tom's glowing face. The direction of her gaze had been quite obvious, and he was finding it inconceivable that the compassionate woman he had come to hold in high esteem could have not only stripped him before a large audience of women but had then stepped back to stare at what had been revealed with unashamed boldness.

       She remembered his extreme modesty and wondered what his reaction would be if aware that, in addition to the thousands of women in the stands, every intimate detail was, at that very moment, being viewed by over two hundred and fifty million others. A mischievous smile came on her face, and her eyes danced with mirth as she looked into his stupefied face and laughingly said, "I'll say this for you Tom my boy - you're damn well hung". His face turned and even deeper shade of red and his mouth dropped open in such stunned disbelief that she again was unable to keep from laughing.

       She continued to look with amusement at Tom standing naked, embarrassed, and bewildered before her and appeared to take no notice as two women assistants came forward and removed the cover from the table beside her. The same could not be said, however, for the members of the audience, and they let out a loud gasp when they saw what was revealed. Up to this point, the pleasing and enjoyable sight of the young man's naked body and the amusement of observing his extreme embarrassment had managed, at least partially, to take their minds from the shocking and numbing impact at learning the enormity of the impending crisis and being told the only way it could be avoided.

       When the Supreme Commander had finished her remarks, they had expected to see some type of menacing apparatus being brought out upon which men would be slain. They had waited with growing dread and apprehension, but, instead of deadly apparatus, they were greeted with the unexpected sight of a scantily clad young man being forcefully led onto the arena floor. They remembered being told to expect seeing things that would be unusual, and, after an initial reaction of surprise, most assumed this was some type of amusing interlude to help break the tension and give them time to gather their composure before seeing men that would surely be much older being brought out to be killed.

       This assumption had been reinforced by the playfully manner in which the Supreme Commander yanked away the towel, and the impressive size of what had been revealed gave the impression that the young man had been brought out simply to be viewed. The women had seen nothing indicating anything ominous awaiting him, and they had begun to relax and found themselves enjoying the pleasing and exciting details of his nakedness while, at the same time, being amused at the extent of his bewilderment and embarrassment - a reaction that was further encouraged when, somewhat to their surprised, they saw that their highly respected leader openly doing the same.

       In fact, when The Supreme Commander begun laughing in a manner that was obviously genuine, many in the audience began to wonder if they might have possibly misinterpreted her earlier remarks as to what was about to occur. Maybe they weren't going to observe men actually being killed. Maybe they were going to see bodies that had been slain elsewhere being brought out to be butchered on the tables.

       This possibility seemed to make sense except that it would hardly be anything approaching the dramatic proportions that had been implied. After all, they had been cutting up men's naked bodies for years to the point of having become almost commonplace. But then, in thinking about it, they had never sat in a large audience of fellow women in a spectator-like atmosphere to watch such activity being done before them, and they had to admit there was something intriguing in contemplating this prospect.

       An increasing number found themselves coming to this conclusion and, in any event, there didn't appear to be any impending threat to the young man below - or so they thought until two women walked out and lifted the cover from the table revealing five large hunting bows and a long row of arrows with gleaming, razor sharp, points.

       The women sat in stunned silence after their initial reaction of shock. They watched in disbelief as the Supreme Commander, in an almost casual manner, picked up a bow and an arrow, turned sideways to the young man standing before her, inserted the notch of the arrow into the bow string, drew it back to its full extension, and aimed it at his left breast.

       The emotions and excitement that had been surging within the Supreme Commander swelled to a fever pitch as she performed this task and, with the arrow pointing at Tom's bare chest, felt a strong urge to see what his reaction had been. She glanced at his face and saw him staring, transfixed, at the gleaming point. His once red face had grown pale in registering a new expression - extreme fear - extreme fear being caused by her.

       In years of combat he had performed many acts requiring almost unbelievable courage and bravery, but now, because of her, he appeared to be on the verge of panic. The realization caused her excitement to surge even higher while, at the same time, triggering a remembrance of the night she had visualized her husband standing naked before her in the same manner.

       Recollections of that vision and the intense emotions it had brought forth flooded through her, and she realized it was being duplicated in a way that was almost unreal. Everything she had envisioned that night and the excitement she had felt were being repeated in a manner that was almost exactly the same - the charged atmosphere of the brightly lit arena - the emotions building within - in fact, all that was taking place. But, this was not something occurring in her imagination. This was real. And the exhilaration surging through her was real.

       Practically everything was the same - the only difference being that it was Tom and not her husband standing naked, embarrassed, and bewildered before her. Yet, even here, there was remarkable similarity. Like her husband, Tom was someone for whom she had come to feel a great amount of compassion and tenderness. And, like her husband, she had gained a deep insight into his very nature. She knew of his shyness, his inner emotions, his courage, his extreme modesty, his almost childlike innocence, his compassion, his strong character, his outstanding qualities, - even the depth of love he held for a young woman.

       She gazed at Tom and, as had happened toward her husband in her vision, found herself becoming acutely aware that, in moments, all of these things within him, and so much more, would cease to exist - completely vanish in a single instant. In moments, his young, muscular, and vibrant body would be laying sprawled before her - unable to ever again experience human thought, feelings, or emotions - unable to ever again see, hear, touch, or make the slightest movement. In moments, he would be dead - and it would be because of her.

       As had happened in her vision, the awareness that she was about to witness the devastating enormity of violent human death caused an eerie feeling of fascination came over her, and she found herself wondering what the experience of seeing it take place would actually be like. Yet, as had also happened in her vision, her heightened excitement, her exhilaration, her fascination, did not keep her from knowing that the life about to come to a violent end was one for which she cared a great deal.

       She had come to feel deep compassion for this young man - quite possibly, even approaching that which she would have given a son. Nothing that had taken place within her had lessened this feeling of caring, and she knew it would remain afterward.

       Once again, as had happened in her vision, she realized it would not be the one about to die that would pay the greatest price. For Tom, the ability to have feelings or awareness of anything, in moments, would be over. For her, they would continue and the pain and sadness must be lived with. She was about to perform an unselfish act and, in so doing, offer a deep, personal, sacrifice so that a far greater need of others could be fulfilled. As had happened in her vision, she found her heart surging with a feeling of immense humility and pride in being given this opportunity to serve a cause that was truly noble - and the moment was at hand.

       The Supreme Commander bent her head sideways, looked down the arrow, and steadied her aim. A strange calm came over her and, in spite of the intense emotions surging within, found herself concentrating on the instructions she had been given. Her calm and deliberate manner clearly indicated to Tom that action was imminent and brought him out of his trance. She heard his quivering voice uttering a panicked plea. "Ma’am..! What have I done..? You said I was going to be set free!"

       "You are", was her soft reply. She did not look up as she spoke but continued to sight down the shaft of the arrow, centered the gleaming point on the brown circle of his left nipple, took a deep breath, slowly let it out, took another, and let it out halfway. Holding her partially expelled breath, she brought the point inward and downward until it was pointing at the spot she knew to be directly over the center of his heart. Her concentration had become so intense that she pictured in her mind the numerous times she had practiced this same thing using a life size picture of a man's chest as a target. It was only at the last moment that reality came and realization flooded through her that her target this time was no longer a paper image but was flesh and blood.

       This was no longer practice - this was the real thing. A tingling sensation of exhilarating excitement and suspense flooded through her as her fingers slipped smoothly off the taut string. She felt her unrestrained breasts quiver from jarring force of the unleashed power, heard the brief swish of the arrow in flight, heard the thud of its impact that was softer from those in practice, and then heard a slicing sound that was new - the last coinciding with a startled cry uttered by Tom that was abruptly cut short and became a gurgling sound which faded into an audible sigh of breath being expelled - then, there was silence.

       She had expected Tom to cry out far louder in brief but intense anguish, his face grimacing in pain, and fall almost immediately. This had been the reaction of her husband in her vision, but, to her surprise, Tom remained standing as though nothing had happened - the remembered sounds of the arrow plunging through his chest and his almost mild utterances of distress being the only indication of any trauma having occurred. Only a few inches of the feathered end protruded from his left breast, making it obvious that the shaft had completely penetrated his chest, yet, he gave the appearance of it having had no more effect than if it had been something merely stuck on.

       She was bewildered, and her mind frantically searched for an answer. Was it possibly that Tom was someone whose heart was in a different location and therefore been missed - leaving him still alive with the numbing effect of his wound coming with such suddenness he had not yet felt pain? She searched his face and saw that it, at least, had undergone a significant change. The look of near panic was gone, and his expression had relaxed into one of stunned surprise. His mouth remained partially open but his lips no longer trembled. His eyes were also open but no longer quivered with fear - in fact, there was no movement to them at all. They were looking in her direction, yet, were not focused on her - giving the appearance of gazing through her as though unaware of her presence.

       The Supreme Commander had seen this vacant look in the eyes of far too many victims in the past for her not to immediately recognize it for what it was. There could be no doubt - Tom was clearly dead with his life ending with such suddenness that his nervous system had not yet had time to react. Her aim had been true, and she had achieved the desired result - death had indeed been instantaneous.