Stella’s cell phone rang again. She picked it up from the night stand, slid it open, and held it to her face.
“Yeah?”
“Stella? It’s Dynagirl.”
“Hey, Dina. Perry’s not here.”
“I know he’s not there. This is an EAS call. We have a situation. We’re being invaded.”
“From Canada or Mexico?”
“From space.”
“What, again?”
“Yes. Get ready and keep your phone with you. I’ll call again.”
Stella got out of bed and took a quick look out the window. A massive mother ship was moving into position over the city. She hopped into the shower. There was no way she was going to fight aliens without first washing her hair. After brushing her teeth and throwing on a little hair gel, she squeezed into a fresh All American Girl costume. A glance in the other bedroom told her that Linda was still not home—not the best time for Skygirl to go AWOL. Stepping out onto the balcony, Stella sat down in the patio chair and waited.
The gigantic ship stopped at a point where it was almost exactly centered over the Sears Tower, or Willis Tower as they were trying to get everyone to call it. Stella estimated it at five miles in diameter and about a quarter mile thick. Around it were buzzing dozens of small craft, more every minute, though it was unclear to her from what point on the great craft they were launching.
After several minutes, Stella went back inside and sat down in the living room, turning on the TV. Tanya Everson appeared on the screen.
“Word comes to us this morning from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory that the spaceships we see above us arrived on a trajectory that seems to indicate they are from 61 Cygni, a double star system that is approximately 11.4 light years from our sun. What else can you tell us, Bill?”
The picture changed to newsman Bill Drake standing in Lincoln Park. In the background, Stella could see that the statue of Johnny Liberty was back in place. He was still missing his cape.
“Viewers will remember that it was just three years ago when the Earth faced invasion from Epsilon Eridani. Ironically, scientists tell us that the two space fleets were actually flying through the vastness of interstellar vacuum for much of the same time…”
“That’s not ironic, Bill,” said Stella to the TV. “It’s just coincidental.”
“…also that the earlier invasion was only stopped at a great cost, including the loss of arguably Earth’s greatest hero, Skyman.”
Stella’s cell phone rang again.
“Linda?”
“No, it’s Dynagirl again. Do you know where Skygirl is?”
“No.”
“Well, if you find her, keep in contact. I’m on my way over.”
“Really?”
“Yes. There are no ships attacking Detroit.”
“I guess that’s one good thing about the population shift,” said Stella.
“I suppose so,” replied Dynagirl. “I’ll see you soon.”
“That’s enough waiting around,” said Stella, and with a leap flew out the balcony door and into the sky.
City of Amathar 