Lost in Magadan: Extraterrestrials on Earth

Then he realized the truth. The Russians had not developed optical stealth; they had used a 1,000-year-old ploy. They had painted the Kremlin to look like a series of unimportant apartment buildings. The once elegant gold domes were painted brown to deceive German pilots looking down to drop their payload of destruction. The impressive brick walls of the Kremlin were painted to look like the sides of buildings with rows of nondescript windows. False shells of buildings were built up around the Kremlin, like a Hollywood movie set. Nox realized immediately why the Nazi pilots could not accurately target the Kremlin, they could not see it from the sky.

Those clever bastards.

Nox looked for the perfect place to set down the AG Fighter. Red Square was directly outside the walled Kremlin. Running along another side of the walled compound was a river. The walls came together into a triangular shape. If he landed in Red Square, then the people that mattered most would have to leave the walls of the Kremlin to meet him. That would be okay, but would make for an anticlimactic moment. Nox knew this was a time for diplomacy. He chose to set his craft down in Cathedral Square in front of the Assumption Cathedral. Cathedral Square is an open space that is centrally located within the complex and visible from many important buildings.

Nox sat in his cockpit for a few minutes, simply for effect. He knew exactly what he was going to say. Waiting to exit the fighter was for the human’s benefit, just like the blood sacrifices. Nox did not really like the taste of blood, nor did he derive any energy from killing certain people. He just knew that it solidified his control over them. Nox was certain Stalin and his top advisors would have already been gathered and discussing the situation. There was not a battalion of Russian soldiers in front of his craft. Instead, Joseph Stalin walked out from the Soviet Senate building with five soldiers and began to make his way towards Nox’s craft.

Both Nox and Stalin had played their roles perfectly. Nox had telegraphed his position of power. Stalin knew he was powerless against Nox’s superior technology; so, he chose not to embarrass himself by surrounding the ship with impotent guards.

This guy is a true leader, a vicious, murderous leader, but someone I can work with.

Stalin stopped about 30 feet from the disc-shaped craft that was resting on its landing gear. He was wearing his iconic long, gray trench coat, shiny black boots, and military cap. The five soldiers were standing a few feet behind him, with submachine guns ready at the hip position, but not aimed at the craft.

Nox walked down the ramp that had extended from the bottom of the craft. He was surprised at how little damage the Kremlin had sustained during the war, unlike Berlin, the Kremlin was in good shape. One could no longer see the sumptuous elegance of the Neo-Classical design through the façade of scaffolding and paint, but Nox was sure it would shine again soon.

“Welcome to the Soviet Union,” Stalin said. “My apologies for the barrage of anti-aircraft fire earlier.”

Stalin was a talented politician. One does not rise to that level of power without knowing when and how to use diplomacy. The fact that he was personally in the square, demonstrated to Nox that the leader of the Soviet Union was giving proper deference to the situation.

“I have come in peace. I do not wish to harm you or your people.” Nox made his first communication to the Soviet leader very simple and clear. He was aware that the demonstration of superior air power would cause the Soviets to be concerned.

“I am Joseph Stalin. I am the supreme leader of the Soviet Union. May I ask to whom I am speaking?”

“I am Nox Bellator. I am from the planet Botacoure, far from here. I have a proposal to make; one, I think will be mutually beneficial.”

“Would you like to come into the Senate Conference center to discuss your proposal?” The Soviet leader raised his hands, palms up, to signal peaceful intent.

“If you have your men lower their weapons, I would be happy to sit and discuss my concerns,” Nox said. He was not concerned that the soldiers could harm him. Five men armed with machine guns would be no match for his armor and particle beam incinerator.

With a hand motion from Stalin, the men lowered their weapons. “Please come this way,” he said.