Hero Falls Kingdom Rises

by Farhat Kidwai

  He needed time. He needed time away from everyone and everything. There was a lot he needed to come to terms with. Understanding the result of the reckless behavior of his species on their ecosystem brought him back to the conversation he had with Elliot. Humans seemed to be heading in the same direction and he had unintentionally been helping their cause. He didn’t want to be like his own species. Having the knowledge made him want to be better. He wasn’t bound to their mistakes and wasn’t obligated to follow in their footsteps.

  Chapter 4

  “Are you ok son?” Elliot asked Omega after he left the restricted area.

  “I am. I have a lot to process but I am ok. Thanks for pushing me to do this.”

  “I’m glad you are ok,” Elliot cocked his head just slightly, “You look a bit different.”

  “Yeah. Maybe a bit. That is a story for another day.” Omega didn’t want to get into the conversation about the other baby and why they both were sent to Earth.

  “Sure,” Elliot appreciated that Omega was probably feeling overwhelmed, “So what’s next for you?”

  “I need time away to figure everything out. A lot happened in there and I need to make sense of it all. I think there is more in common with what happened to my planet and what you told me is happening here. I think I need to see it for myself. I can’t go back and do anything about my planet but I definitely don’t want to play a role in the destruction of this one.” Omega disclosed a little bit about what he learned without going into too much detail.

  “That does make me happy. Also you are becoming an expert at changing the topic to avoid talking about your feelings. Probably not the healthiest thing to do,” Elliot replied.

  “Maybe it has to do with what I am or maybe it’s the way you guys raised me. A soldier that always needs a mission.”

  “I am really sorry. I had no say I how you were raised. I tried my best to be a parent to you under the circumstances.” Elliot had remorse in his voice.

  “I know dad. You are the only one who never tried to use me.”

  “No one has the power to use you anymore. Pick your own mission if you really need one.” Elliot explained

  “I don’t want Earth to end up like my planet. You can help me get started.”

  Elliot knew immediately where his son should begin. “I would see start by going out there and observing what we are doing to the rest of the species on the planet. See the impact of human overpopulation on the ecosystem. Maybe even spend time connecting with other species. They may surprise you.”

  “Sure. Any place you have in mind?” asked Omega.

  “Start in Africa. Check out the species that are at the brink of extinction because of us. Maybe look at the destruction of Amazon rainforests which are the lungs of this planet. India is another interesting place. Start with those and go from there.”

  “I can start in Africa. Kenya. I did a mission there for the UN so I have some contacts,” Omega remembered.

  “I remember. That is a good place to start. I will set up the rest of the trips for you.” Elliot informed Omega as they said their goodbyes. Omega didn’t want to wait too much longer to start this journey so soon after he headed off to Kenya.

  “Mr. Omega. Welcome back to Kenya,” Kenyan Foreign Minister greeted him. “What brings you back to our land?” Omega knew the Foreign Minister from the time he helped the Kenyan government stop the terrorist threats.

  “It is not an official trip. I want to learn about the endangered species and the conservation efforts. Can you help with that?”

  “Of course, Sir. Anything for you. We are forever in your debt. I will make some calls and set it up immediately.” The Foreign Minister was happy to get Omega involved because wherever he went so did the attention of international media. This could be good for the conservation efforts.

  Omega flew over to the Masai Mara National Reserve and met with a middle-aged man Baraka who ran the patrols for poachers in the area.

  “Welcome to Masai Mara!” Baraka greeted Omega with the hugest smile on his face.

  “Glad to be here,” Omega responded.

  “I was instructed to help you to learn more about endangered species and conservation efforts. That is right?” confirmed Baraka.

  “Yes. I would like to understand what you guys are doing to help protect the wildlife in this area and the challenges you are facing.”

  “Yes, Sir. I can help you with that. My team will be heading on patrol. If you would like to join us we can show you the area and some of the animals we are trying to protect.”

  “Looking forward to it,” responded Omega. Soon after they went out into the safari in their jeeps.

  “You see there. That is a cheetah. Fastest land animal. Maybe not faster than you Sir. But very fast.” Baraka pointed out. “It may be coming over here to jump on the jeep and look for prey. It won’t hurt us.”

  The cheetah jumped on the hood and then on the roof of the jeep. With confidence Baraka told Omega to “Just stay relaxed. It is not interested in us.”

  “I am. It’s fascinating to watch much simpler life forms on Earth.” Omega made eye contact with the cheetah. It was only for a second as they acknowledged each other and then the cheetah went on looking for prey at the top of the roof.

  Omega couldn’t resist gently touching the foot of the cheetah. It looked over at Omega as it pulled its feet away but didn’t feel threatened enough to jump off the jeep. Omega pulled his head above the jeep for a closer look. He looked out over the open grassland in the direction the cheetah was looking. As Omega looked around he spotted an antelope and instinctively used a light from his eyes to tag the prey similar to a laser pointer. It took the cheetah a second to realize what Omega was doing but as soon as it saw the light on the prey it jumped down and headed that way. After quietly getting close to the prey the cheetah went on a full sprint after the prey. The chase was on. The antelope tried its best to dodge the cheetah but was no match. Omega was intrigued by the simplicity of the life in the wild.

  “That was very interesting,” Omega expressed to Baraka.

  “Yes. This is the life in the wild. The prey and hunting grounds are shrinking because villagers keep moving further and further out into their habitats. The poachers continue to try to kill these animals for their fur, teeth, and nails.” Baraka explained.

  “What do humans need that for?” Omega asked.

  “Well some people want it for decorations, status symbol and they will pay a lot to have them. Elephant tusks are high in demand for home decorations. Some people in Asian countries believe that Rhino horn has medicinal qualities and are willing to pay thousands to get their hands on it. Africa is poor. People here will risk their lives to illegally kill these animals for that kind of money. We are doing everything we can but we can’t be everywhere at all times.” Baraka felt a little dejected as he pondered that they were fighting a losing battle.

  “How do they get it out of Kenya?” Omega asked.

  “We have traffickers and terrorists that get it out of Africa. They are very organized with a lot of money. A lot more money than us. They first smuggle it out to neighboring countries with unstable governments overrun by terrorists. From there it is much easier to get it on a ship out to Asia, Europe, and America,” Baraka explained to Omega.

  Omega acknowledged the struggle, “That must be frustrating. As long as there is demand and there is a way to get it out to the buyers, it’s a losing battle for your team.”

  “It’s ok, Sir. It doesn’t stop us from fighting for these animals. Once you spend some time with these animals and bond with them you will understand that we can never give up on them.” Baraka was speaking from experience after rescuing and rehabbing several orphaned animals, especially the babies.

  “Look there is a herd of elephants. Elephants are at risk of extinction from poaching, loss of habitat, and recreational hunting. Their tusks are in very high demand,” Baraka explained.

  “Do they always stick together l
ike this in a group?” Omega inquired.

  “Yes. They always stick together. You will rarely ever see one by itself. All the young ones are kept in the middle to protect them. The entire herd helps raise and protect the babies. Elephants are way more affectionate than humans. They are constantly touching each other and showing affection. They always stay together right by each other. It is heartbreaking to see that humans want to wipe them out just so they can use their tusks for decorations. We have had to rescue scared babies clinging to their butchered families. Same thing happens to Rhinos. They kill the moms and leave their babies out to die. We have to bring them into the sanctuary and be their parents till they are ready to be on their own.” Baraka tried his best to hold back his emotions.

  “I didn’t know that the situation was this bad.” The gravity of the situation had started to sink in for Omega.

  Looking Omega right in his eyes, “We are hopeful now that you are here. Once we finish here I will take you to the sanctuary where we are raising some of these babies. They are adorable.” It impacted him even more because elephants had something he never did. A loving family. Taking that away from a baby for vanity reasons didn’t sit well with Omega.

  “I want to meet them but it will be bittersweet,” Omega replied as they went on touring the safari and seeing other animals.

  When they arrived at the Sanctuary a baby elephant ran up toward the gate in excitement. Right before he got there it stopped as it realized there was another big creature next to Baraka.

  “She is scared of you. Let me approach her first.” Baraka approached the baby elephant. He put his hand behind her ear and started petting her and she put her tiny trunk around his arm. “Don’t be scared of him. He is a friend.”

  A caregiver gave Omega a big bottle full of milk and said, “That is the best way to make friends with her. She loves her bottle.”

  Even though she was scared she started to approach because she wanted her milk. Baraka walked right beside her and helped Omega with how to properly feed her.

  “She is relaxed now. Soon she will be your best friend,” Baraka smiled encouragingly.

  “She is,” Omega paused for a second to think of the right word to describe her. “Beautiful… and pure.” Omega wasn’t used to this type of emotional response and didn’t quite know what to say.

  As they got done feeding she wanted to follow Omega around. With a full belly and getting comfortable with Omega her playful side came out. Omega felt joy but didn’t fully understand why. This was all very new to him.

  He also saw other caregivers helping baby rhinos and baby giraffes in the area before sunset. Since Omega didn’t need to sleep he spent the night observing and interacting with the baby animals at the sanctuary.

  Next morning at the break of dawn he flew off to survey the safari on his own. He could cover a lot more ground and see a lot more form the air than in the jeep.

  Omega saw a pride of lion from the air. It was something they couldn’t find yesterday so he was intrigued.

  He came down a bit to witness what they were up to. The adult male and female lion seemed like they were stalking a herd of gazelles to hunt. He also noticed four cubs at a distance. They must have not been old enough to join the hunt.

  The male lion noticed Omega looking at them and it took his attention away from the hunt and to the potential threat. As he turned his attention away from the hunt and toward Omega the gazelles noticed the actions and ran off. Omega had unintentionally spoiled the hunt. Omega backed up to indicate to the lion that there was no threat. The lions took notice and went back to looking for prey. Omega watched them all morning trying to find another prey. As the sun got higher in the sky they gave up on the hunt and went back to check on the cubs. There was no food for the lions or the cubs. Omega felt responsible for ruining the hunt and leaving the entire family hungry. After spending all last night around orphaned baby animals he had developed a soft spot of them. Omega left them alone as they took a nap and went back to meet up with Baraka.

  “Where were you all morning, Sir?” Baraka asked.

  “Just flew out to observe the safari. There was a family of lions. Male, female, and four cubs. I think I ruined their hunt this morning.”

  “Oh, so you met Roman, Kira, and their cubs? He is the main attraction of this safari. He is so majestic. It is our team’s priority to keep them safe from poachers. They will go out hunting again as the sun goes down. The food is scarce these days but Roman is a good hunter. He will find something good for the cubs.”

  As evening came around Omega couldn’t get the lions out of his head. He needed to know that they will be able to find some food tonight so he decided to fly back to the area. This time he observed from far away. He didn’t want to disrupt another hunt.

  He watched Roman and Kira try to find food all night but they didn’t have much luck. As morning approached Omega noticed that there was a little bit of panic in Kira’s behaviors. She was not able to find any food for her babies. Omega came closer to them. He didn’t really have a plan or a clear intention. Kira ran back to her cubs to protect them and Roman stood in between the cubs and Omega. Roman roared loudly as a warning. Omega didn’t want to stress them out any more so he backed up. He wanted to help but didn’t know how to interact with them. He flew up in the air looked around and flew down to another part of the Savannah. He flew right back up with something in is arms and came back down right in front of Roman. Roman back up a bit as Omega landed on the ground. He was holding an adult wildebeest in his hands by its legs. He broke the wildebeest’s legs and tossed him in between Roman and Kira who was still by her cubs. Kira jumped on the Wildebeest right away but Roman wasn’t quite ready to turn his back towards Omega. Omega took a couple of steps back to indicate that he is not interested in hurting them. Roman finally turned around and ran over to Kira to help her finish off the wildebeest. Omega walked over to a tree nearby and sat there watching the family enjoy the feast. Even though it was a gory event he felt relieved that the cubs had been fed. Roman kept an eye on Omega all throughout the meal. Finally they all relaxed after the meal and groomed each other and the cubs. It was a stark contrast to the orphans at the sanctuary who will never get to experience this again.

  Roman and Kira finally could lay down for a good nap. They didn’t have to worry about hungry cubs. The cubs had a lot more energy and wanted to run around and play instead. They wanted to approach Omega but Kira wasn’t having any of it. Omega pointed a light from his hand on the ground where the cubs were playing. They started chasing the light trying their best to catch it. Roman seemed ok with the cubs chasing the light. It gave him and Kira a break to rest up.

  After chasing the light for a while even the cubs were tired and went over to snuggle with Kira and take a nap. Something about their life was so primal, pure and unadulterated. It was not something Omega had ever witnessed. He never had parents. He was raised inside a lab with a bunch of scientists and orphans just like the babies at the sanctuary. Elliot did his best to be his family but he had to keep things a bit professional as Omega was still a treated as a subject and not a child. He and the other kids were trained to be warriors since they were little. Feelings and emotions was treated as a weakness.

  Omega’s thoughts were disrupted by some noise at a distance. Some things were approaching the lions. Within a couple of minutes Roman also noticed the sound of something moving in the distance and jumped up from his nap. Kira and Roman put the cubs between them to make sure they are safe from the intruders.

  Finally, as the intruders got closer it was clear that a pack of hyenas had smelled the fresh carcass and were here to steal the uneaten food from the lions. Normally Roman and Kira would have tried to fight them but that could put their cubs at risk. They roared and tried to fend of the hyena pack but protecting the cubs was bigger priority than the leftover food. Omega watched the hyenas drag the carcass away and didn’t know if he should intervene. The pack was not done. They started circling
the pride to try to get their cubs too. Roman and Kira fend off a few hyenas as they tried to get close. Roman knew that they were outnumbered and it was a matter of time before they got to the cubs. He looked at Omega and let out a grunt as if asking for help.

  It was all Omega needed as he was having a hard time holding back. He flew up but stayed low to the ground. As he flew towards Roman he picked up one of the hyenas with one hand and threw it towards another hyena. He kicked another hyena in the air and it fell several feet away. He wasn’t trying to kill them; just fend them off. Omega stood in between the hyenas and the pride. Another hyena tried to attack the pack but before it could get close to Kira, Omega grabbed it by its neck and lifted it in the air. Omega didn’t let go as it struggled to get free. Omega walked around the pride in a circle holding it high in the air by its neck while staring at the hyenas surrounding them. When he was finished the circle he squeezed the hyena’s neck until the hyena stopped moving. He dropped the limp body on the ground and the pack finally got the message. They took the carcass and ran back.

  Once all the hyenas were gone Roman slowly walked up to him and stood in front of him. Then he gently rubbed against Omega’s leg as if to say thanks. Kira and the cubs walked up to Omega as well and rubbed against his legs. Omega had proved himself as a friend and they were ready to accept him as part of the family. Omega walked back with them to their rest area this time. He sat down leaning up against the tree and the cubs came right up to him. They climbed all over him trying to figure him out. They tried to play wrestle his arms and legs but Omega was too strong for them. Omega was enjoying spending time with them. Roman and Kira were lying right next to him as it had been a long night for them. After playing for a while the cubs finally settled on his lap and next to him.