»Do you understand my words?« he asked with a grumpy voice.
»We are in a miserable situation and glad to …«
»… I take you in because of tradition and because Wrecker said so,« he rudely interrupted her. »I don’t care about your situation. You star-farers are constantly interrupting our way of life. You land on our world, take what you want and now … you’re already murdering people in our streets and disturb our night’s peace!«
Tranos stiffened. He didn’t like it if somebody was talking like that to his queen. Vasina noticed his reaction and laid a hand on his arm before he could enforce respect.
»You made your point, we accept. I promise, we won’t be a burden to you,« she replied peacefully. »We will cooperate in the investigation of the event in front of your house, although, we acted in self-defense.«
»There won’t be an investigation! The dead lizards will be hauled to the spaceport and that’s it. We won’t get involved in your problems.«
»These Rexas, as we call them, are no traders. Be warned, they’re pirates! There’s a reason why they’re here on Kug …,« Tranos explained.
»... and what are you doing here?« Drekker interrupted again. »Why should we trust you more than the lizards?«
Vasina frowned.
»I’m the Mayor of Plast. I’m responsible for the peace in this village. You’ll leave tomorrow and go to the port! That’s final!«
He stomped his right foot on the floor to emphasize his words.
»There’s something we need to talk about, something you as mayor need to know. The safety of Plast depends on it,« Vasina stressed.
Drekker was about to leave the room, but turned around. He raised his thin arms and sighed, »What can you tell us that we don’t already know about our world?«
»Your world has changed! The chance to reverse this change is rather slim,« Vasina threw the bait at him.
Drekker squinted at her.
»You mean the fires in the sky, which occurred at daylight? That’s no longer important. The phenomenon has passed. It was probably caused by star-farers. You think you can influence us with displays like that? The times are long gone when we still believed in signs from the heavens.«
Vasina sized up Drekker.
»It is still important, more than you think. The next ship that tries to land here will explode in a massive anti-matter reaction, destroying this village and the surroundings. You need to establish a beacon, with which you warn visitors not to land on your world. You need to tell this important message to all mayors and people of power to prevent a catastrophe.«
»I don’t understand what you mean, stranger. Do you want to isolate us from the rest of the planet and our world from the star ocean? This won’t work!«
He turned around and left the room.
»Remember: One night only!« he said before the door closed behind him.
Vasina shook her head. She had expected more. She walked to one of the windows and looked down onto the dimly lit street. The dead Rexas were no longer there.
»The Rexas picked up their dead companions, I can’t see that the Kugos did the job for them.«
Tranos nodded.
»We’re not safe here, my queen. The pirates will come back and want their revenge. They probably know by now with whom they’re dealing. They will be more cautious the next time around. You should rest. I’ll watch over you!«
»Keep an eye on Drekker. Something’s wrong with that guy!«
»He seems ill and aged, compared to his twin,« Tranos agreed. »Do you think, he could become dangerous?«
»You never know.«
She stretched out on a mat on the floor.
»I’ll take the second half of the watch; we both need to be rested and ready. We’ll see, tomorrow, what develops.«
Tranos took position by the window shield raised and ready.
Reverse conditioning
»Boiltos,« Maya whispered, »a Kokradian?«
The gnome, who had monitored Maya’s mind, spread his arms and said, »I came with the Library into this galaxy a long time ago to unite the civilizations and organize the resistance. I was the envoy to herald the coming catastrophe. I hosted three civilizations in this ship, which then co-signed the Manifest, promising to prevent the Great Tremor, which had devastated my home-galaxy.«
Maya was irritated by the changes between mental and verbal conversation.
»I can’t believe that you’re more than a million years old. Your plan failed, because the Dark Brotherhood had counter-acted it. Currently, the galaxy stands before its demise. Even this planet is now compromised.«
Boiltos smiled at her in the same way parents smile at their children who don’t yet understand the world.
»According to your perspective, I’m as old as the story I’m telling you. Time is a variable and not a constant.« He slanted his round head forward slightly and continued, »I have to ask you for forgiveness for the treatment. The security of the Library has the highest priority. The enemy had always tried to enter my ship. If this Library falls into the hands of our enemy, then the galaxy is doomed! Fate had brought you to me this time and not an enemy. Protectors of the Galaxy! I knew this day would come. All is now well.«
Boiltos smiled, in his horrible way,
»Every long term plan has glitches. These variants need to be considered and woven into the plan. You Humans are such a variant, evolved from the pure gene pools of the first guardian people. Two new branches developed, which will determine the fate of this galaxy in the future.«
»Are these the results of our examinations?«
»An in-depth analysis of your DNA revealed these interesting aspects as well as a glance into the future.«
»You can look into the future?« Herimos asked. »That’s impossible! The future does not yet exist!«
»Certainly it does, my Human friend,« Boiltos rebutted friendly. »There’re many ways to see the future.«
»Before we venture into highly speculative terrain … I’d like to ask you to free our friends,« Maya demanded kindly. »They don’t need to be locked up like prisoners.«
Boiltos descended a bit and turned his entire body, as if sitting on a turn-table, toward Maya Ivanova.
»All necessary examinations are completed, my skeptical Human woman. I found out, however, that the enemy is amongst yourselves!«
»She’s our prisoner,« Maya said quickly. »We evacuated her from the destroyed star base, which Morgotradon had established on the innermost planet of this system.«
»Morgotradon, eh?« Boiltos repeated the name slowly. »I know this name!«
Suddenly, the surroundings changed again and turned into a high-tech environment. They were standing at the entrance airlock section, surrounded by robots.
»How does that work?« Paafnas wondered aloud.
»The gift of Mental Forming is powerful,« Boiltos replied. »Your friends will be with you shortly. The asymmetrical conditioning of the replication was reversed by tachyon transmission. She won’t harm you anymore. The destructive crystal-components were removed from her brain.«
Maya squinted at the gnome.
»You healed her?«
»Well ... you could say that, but she’s not the only one; the Klorian is also free!«
Klori’Tar blew up his sacks and croaked surprised while his face turned purple.
»I … I didn’t feel anything!« he sounded astonished.
»Would you’ve preferred to feel pain? Think about it … parts of your brain were replaced with organic matter.«
»Uh … hmm … I’m good no need for pain!« Klori’Tar rushed to answer.
»Two of our friends are still on the planet’s surface,« Herimos pointed out. »Vasina of Atlantika and Tranos, her shield bearer! They were caught by surprise when the Library’s transferred. We need to help them. Can we transfer back to rescue them?«
»Vasina and her shield bearer, eh?« Boiltos smiled again, sending shivers down Ivanova’s spine.
»All in due time …«
They won’t get far
Vasina couldn’t sleep and watched Tranos who was at the window.
»Tranos …,« she whispered.
He turned around and looked at her.
»You should try to sleep, Your Majesty.«
»Do you believe in fate?«
»No, my Queen. I never consulted the Atlantika astrologists, regardless how difficult my life was at times. Everything that happens has a reason to happen.«
»Since I met Toiber Arkroid and his people, I found out astonishing things about them. Some say, that the path of each individual is pre-determined, at the end, all of them will meet their fate.«
»I think that’s plain superstition,« he replied.
»Well, you received scientific training and you look at the universe from a rational angle, but what if there’s a purpose for our presence at this place at this time? Why were we, from all the others, separated and had to confront the Rexas, our arch-enemies?«
»We volunteered to make contact with the Kugos. If Herimos and Arkroid had contacted them instead, then they would now be in our place.«
Vasina groped for the three Jamal-Combs in her pocket.
»What about these combs? Why is it that we collect them, one by one?«
»You’re trying to find deeper meaning, where there’s none. It happened as it happened. It is the result of your courage. None of the combs grew on trees, ready to be picked.«
»I think there’s something wrong with Drekker,« Vasina changed the subject.
»Hmm … I also thought about him. Either he is very ill, which makes his life miserable …«
»... or?«
»…or he’s behaving like that because he’s got something to hide. Either way, we’re very vulnerable up here in the tree. We need to be very ...«
A shot vaporized the window blinds and hit Tranos on the chest. He was thrown by the impact across the room into the wall. Although, his personal defense shield had protected him from the searing heat, the kinetic energy was strong enough to take him out for a couple of seconds. While Vasina pulled her weapon, Tranos struggled back on his feet.
The door burst open and Drekker jumped into the room with a raised weapon. He looked for Vasina and didn’t hesitate. He shot at her from a short distance. Vasina was hit at the hip and tried to roll out of the way.
»Damn, miserable Progonauts!« Drekker cursed, his face grimacing. »She’s got the combs! Take them and then kill these two bastards!«
Two Rexas broke through the wall from the outside and opened fire. They must have been wearing antigravity-suits. Large holes were burnt into the walls, which immediately caught fire.
Tranos swirled around his shield. He outgrew himself, fearing for Vasina’s life. With his sword and shield he fought like an ancient warrior, throwing Drekker to the ground with the edge of his shield.
Drekker cursed and shot around aimlessly. Parts of the ceiling caught fire and collapsed. Drekker was able to land another hit on Tranos whose defense field began crackling while the Rexas entered the room, also equipped with personal defense fields. They fired at the two Progonauts without great effect.
Drekker laughed out loud as he saw Vasina and Tranos use their swords.
Tranos wielded his sword and cut off Drekker’s right arm, just above the elbow.
Drekker was surprised by Tranos’ move and stared at his arm on the floor, the hand still grabbing the weapon.
»Kill them!« he yelled hysterically.
Tranos no longer felt respect for the host, directed his shield upward and produced such a shock wave that the upper floors of the tree house where blown apart upward, raining down on the street.
»Who’s disturbing the night peace now, Drekker?« Vasina shouted while fighting the Rexas.
Tranos and Vasina changed positions.
Drekker tried to reach his weapon with his good arm, but Vasina kicked him so hard in the groin that he fell backward though the no longer existing door, slipping over the edge of the house platform. He managed, however, to quickly turn around and grab the edge to hold on to it. Screaming and gasping for air, he dangled above the street.
Tranos overloaded one of the Rexas defense field. With a high-pitched scream, the Rexa vaporized. The other Rexa realized that he could not win and fled the scene.
Vasina slowly walked toward the platform’s edge, securing her sides. She bent her knees and looked over the edge where Drekker was still dangling with on one arm.
Her golden eyes spewed fire as she said, »You’re not the true Drekker, you’re an agitator! I knew it right away when we met! We Progonauts have killed many of you in the past, did Morgotradon not tell you?«
»I hate you!« Drekker hissed, foaming at his mouth. »He’ll be victorious in the end and you‘ll be his slave. You’ll beg for mercy on your hands and knees!«
»What’s your mission? Why did he send you to the Kugos? Is it because of the artifact? Are you supposed to report when it re-appears?«
Drekker struggled holding on to the edge.
»What do you know about the artifact?« he hissed at her.
Vasina grinned.
»You’re no longer connected with your master after we destroyed the star base. No more messages from him – absolute silence in your head, huh?« she mocked.
»He’ll come and avenge me! I’m his creation!«
Seconds later, Drekker lost his grip and fell to the ground without a scream where he rested motionless.
Tranos stepped outside on the platform and pulled Vasina back into the smoldering house.
»Step back! You’re too much of a target out there, if the Rexas return then …«
»I think they have enough for now.«
Convinced, Vasina put her sword back into the sheath.
»You fought well, Tranos!«
A faint smile went over Tranos’ face, and then he turned around and secured the surroundings.
»I think they retreated, although, their disguise shield can fool my shield sensors some times.«
Vasina nodded.
»They’re just following orders. The agitator is dead!«
Vasina looked down the tree house onto the street where Kugos began to gather. As they saw the dead agitator whom they regarded as Drekker, they began to sing some sort of a hymn for the dead.
Moments later, soldiers arrived at the scene, Wrecker among them.
»We need to explain the situation to him,« Vasina whispered. At the same time a spaceship ascended on a fiery stream from the spaceport into the night.
»The Rexas are leaving!« Tranos commented dryly. »They won’t get far. They’ll have a nice surprise waiting for them.«
Vasina nodded.
»Let’s go! We need to talk to Wrecker.«
A clear mission
Arkroid watched Boiltos hovering above the ground, turning around his axis. Boiltos seemed amused as he looked at the group from an elevated position.
Kuster~Laap was very excited and constantly whirled his ears. This was a very important and deeply emotional encounter for him. The ZyClonians didn’t seem impressed at all. They were just standing there, flanking the Prophet and possibly sharing Kuster~Laap’s turmoil inwardly with their constant mental contact.
Lai Pi looked at the Manifest. Fascinated, he glanced at the different symbols, engraved on the tabletop. He looked at them closer and stopped from time to time. Deep in thought, he slowly walked around the table, running his hand over his bald head with the impressive snake tattoo.
»The Manifest of the three civilizations,« Boiltos commented as he noticed Pi’s curiosity. »It’s more than a mere manifestation of an alliance. It’s the key for saving your galaxy!«
»The Great Tremor! How can we stop it? Tell us before it’s too late,« Arkroid inquired.
Boiltos descended and made eye contact with Arkroid. His eyes were sparkling, »Do you think that it requires a huge fleet, Protectors like you, flying against the enemy? What would remai
n of the galaxy, if the Protectors are waiting out the Great Tremor behind their Dimensional Shield and launch an intergalactic war, lasting hundreds of years, causing death and destruction all over?«
Arkroid straightened and squinted. His thoughts were racing, he gasped for air.
»The Protector Fleet … was never to be built!« he concluded.
Boiltos broke out in a squeaking laughter and held his fat belly; his entire body was trembling for joy.
»Do you believe that a Dimensional Mirror suffices to repel a hostile dwarf galaxy? An artificial object which solely relies on the energy potential of just one sun? Meant to expel a galaxy, consisting of millions of star masses?«
»The mirror can do it!« Kuster~Laap interjected. »We proved it, as the Dimensional Tunnel of the invaders was sealed and their attack was warded off. We just need more time to complete the mirror!«
»Limit your dangerous voice, self-proclaimed Genorantan Prophet and teller of ancient tales and myths. Your words are hurting me!« Boiltos scolded.
Kuster~Laap panted and didn’t say a word.
Maya Ivanova was mesmerized by Boiltos words and twitched as she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, a touch which went through and through. She turned her head and looked into the eyes of the replication. It seemed to her as if she was looking into a mirror of herself – her inner self!
»You are me and I am you,« the replication whispered, softly moving aside a strand of hair in Maya’s face.
Ivanova perceived this soft gesture almost like a jolt of current and had difficulties maintaining her self-control.
»You don’t know what you’re talking about!« she said too harshly.
She shook off the replication’s hand and turned around, facing Boiltos who continued, this time via mental contact, The completion of the Dimensional Mirror is no longer necessary. It already accomplished what it was designed for.
Pi wiped his eyes.
»It was not designed to ward off the dwarf galaxy?« he asked perplexed.
Boiltos opened his arms and attentively followed Pi’s movements as he walked around the table.
NEBULAR Collection 5 - Panic in the Galaxy: Episodes 22 - 26 Page 36
