In Search of the Alter Dom

by Jack Challis

  ‘Precisely, just enough time for the Lings to settle in,’ replies the Malis Afar. ‘The resulting explosion will kill all plant life and shatter the energy bands, leaving the Lings marooned – to slowly starve!’

  ‘We can then return to Earth – where we first evolved,’ says Capt Timasek. ‘Terasil females could solve the breeding problems for both of our species!’

  ‘Maybe,’ replies the Malis Afar. ‘With luck we will produce a race of hybrids, with a longer life span – they will be disposable! It’s ironic that Terasils need high levels of oxygen to live – yet oxygen damages their bodies prematurely.’

  ‘How do your species the Malis Afar breed, Sir?’ the Na Idriss Captain asks.

  ‘That is an insubordinate question Captain – you are forgetting your position Timasek – be careful!’

  ‘I am sorry Sir,’ answers the Na Idriss, ‘please forgive me – the curiosity of a cat Sir.’

  ‘Just remember Captain Timasek – we Malis Afar know of nine ways to skin a curious cat! Now prepare an armed frigate and a landing party. If it is the Queen of the Lings – we have our prize – if it is just an ordinary Terasil female – I still may have a use for her!’

  Back on Tarrea, Blodwyn fought the desire to sleep – she was exhausted; the warm humid afternoon was making her drowsy; a catnap would be lovely. But to sleep would be dangerous she knew – Blodwyn was right. Danger lay not far off: crouched and hidden from view, its large head tilted back so only its eyes were visible over the tall grass; the predator was only three hundred yards away – up-wind!

  The large old Saber-tooth was starving: he had not eaten for six days. Antelope were becoming too quick for him, but though famished – he was still cautious. He had never before seen such a strange hairless creature that walked upright and looked so vulnerable and defenseless. Like all dangerous big cats, it assumed the strange creature had the same keen sense of smell as the eaters of grass. He would have to stalk his victim down-wind: this meant a long detour.

  Blodwyn was unaware she was being stalked – singled out! Her mind wandered. “What did the Alter Dom really look like – what shape would he adopt if she met him – how would he react to her. Was this high being God or a kind of God – how would she address him?”

  She was not a Pious-Sarah, but believed in God. If humans did not have souls: they would be no different from animals! Blodwyn believed if you have a conscience – you possessed an eternal soul – they were the same thing! Otherwise it would all be pointless! There had to be a God: a creator, regardless of what he looked like! However, like all humans Blodwyn was always searching for the comfort of confirmation! Even though she knew that if God made himself known, it would defeat the object of faith!

  She then thought of Tarrbanabus, prince of Golgin Hade – was he Lucifer prince of darkness – or was her vivid imagination running away?

  Blodwyn’s thoughts then switched to Myfanwy Jenkins: once her best and trusted friend. Myfanwy had changed. She was now manipulative, vain, greedy and childish. But Blodwyn had to admit, Grunwalde Angharad was now really beautiful; despite her unusually long tongue!

  “Just wait you little cow,” thought Blodwyn, “I will give you a piece of my mind and pull your hair for tricking me into this quest – if I get back!”

  Blodwyn noticed through her small field binoculars, that some antelope and the herd of Quagga in the distance had stopped their grazing; and were looking in her direction. While some sniffed the breeze others gave out high-pitched alarm sneezes!

  Blodwyn’s heart pounded; the temptation of sleep quickly fading. Blodwyn was now fully alert. Had the antelope spotted her – or were they looking at some other danger near: behind her? She knew it was not a blind Tamasic; they only came out at night. She wished she still had her staff. The high-pitched voices of the Lings, cast off all her fears – her protectors were back: Lings were not afraid of any animal. Turning, Blodwyn was surprised to find herself being addressed by two large colourful parrots perched above; but her relief soon turned to dire disappointment.

  ‘Run Blodwyn run!’ the two brightly plumaged birds warned. ‘An Alliance patrol is coming – the Na Idriss have picked up your scent trail – they have a Cold-blood with them! You must run to the forest – hide, find shelter from the coming storm – and beware the blind Tamasic!’

  ‘You are not leaving me are you?’ she pleads – her stomach fluttering with anxiety and fear!

  ‘We must,’ replies Boodi, ‘they will fry us with their proton lasers, if we remain still – we will find you tomorrow in the forest – run Blodwyn run!’

  The urgency of the Lings’ voices stopped Blodwyn from arguing; the thought that aliens were following her scent trail, made the whole situation sinister, primeval – all the more terrifying.

  Picking up her rucksack, she ran towards the forest. As she reached the forest she looked up, the purple tinged sky was darkening. She followed a well-used game trail stopping only to replenish her dwindling water supply, from a clear sparkling spring-fed stream. Blodwyn turned around; and checked behind – no one was yet in sight. She took off her boots and walked along the steep bank, looking for a place to enter the stream; she suddenly stopped – something was not right! Three silvery lines were stretched across her path! This looked suspicious – they looked like trip wires – or worse: spider’s silk. Following the silken lines with her eyes, she noticed they disappeared in to the ground!

  “My God,” gasped Blodwyn, “a giant trap-door spider!” She carefully stepped backwards and walked around the silken lines. Little did Blodwyn know that the creature hiding behind the trap-door was far more hideous than any spider; although its intentions were just as deadly; for the creature waiting underground was a web-spinning Sillian, and like a spider from the tip of its abdomen protruded two large spinnerets! Unknown to Blodwyn she was destined to meet a Sillian close up very soon!

  After checking there was nothing nasty lurking in the shallow water of the stream she waded in. Blodwyn began walking along the stream-bed parallel to the trail. She noticed her ripples made small shoals of little colourful fish-like creatures, with bulbous eyes; flee to the shadows of the bank. She hoped the water would confuse her pursuers and hide her scent trail, knowing the Na Idriss were keen of nose. She knew she had to find shelter soon as it was now growing dark. Angry storm clouds were gathering over the distant purple tinged mountains, and a chill wind started to make the leaves of the trees on the stream bank nervously shiver – as if dreading the coming night!

  The hungry Saber-tooth had observed Blodwyn’s hurried departure and growled his displeasure. He was no lightweight sprinter, but he would follow the strange, frail creature – hunger demanded it!

  Blodwyn was still walking along the streambed, when she heard movement on the game trail some twelve foot away – her pulse quickened. The sound was not that of hard-footed animals like antelope – that could only mean soft-footed predators!

  Her stomach knotted: she was vulnerable in the open. Ducking down she quietly moved to the grassy bank without causing a splash or ripple and slowly looked over the bank – then froze!

  A pack of large dark, dog-like canines were trotting along the track, their eyes and noses pointing forward in a determined way – Dire wolves! These dark vicious hunters were bigger than the wolves on Earth, designed to pull down mega-fauna. The last of the Dire wolves to pass, suddenly stopped; tested the wind and then looked in her direction. Blodwyn did not move a muscle – not even daring to blink. However the disappearing pack stopped the inquisitive dire wolf from investigating this new smell of Terasil; it rushed forward to catch up with the pack; with only a last backward glance in her direction.

  A short while earlier and a hundred yards behind Blodwyn, the old saber-tooth cat was still on her trail, hunger knawing at his empty acid-filled stomach. The large cat stopped, it smelt danger – Dire wolves. The big cat quickly flattened itself on the ground! When he was young and agile, he could protect his rear and flanks
by spinning around when the dire wolves tried to hamstring or disembowel him! But now he was old and stiff, the old cat knew the wolves would finish him in the end – for that was the nature of things. Ahead, he saw the dire wolves join the game trail and waited till they were out of sight. Unlike the old saber tooth, the dire wolves were not driven by hunger. The pack had only one concern, to reach their deep rocky den before nightfall and escape the blind Tamasic.

  The old saber tooth hoped the pack would not find the strange helpless creature – before he did. Leaving the stream, Blodwyn moved away from the game-trail; it was dangerous! As the approaching storm drew closer, shelter was now a priority. The cold wind cut through her clothing making her shiver.

  Blodwyn saw a large creeper-like parasitic plant that climbed high into the trees ahead. Taking off her rucksack: she checked behind her, then after tying a rope to the rucksack began to climb – she felt vulnerable, until reaching a fork in the tree some ten-foot off the ground. She then pulled up her rucksack. Blodwyn quickly set about making herself comfortable. The chilly wind had turned icy cold, piercing the forest’s canopy.

  By arranging some of the creepers, she created a kind of snug nest against the coming storm. Blodwyn wiggled into her sleeping bag – after securing it to the vines. At last she felt safe and warm. She was still unaware that the Saber-tooth was stalking her and had caught up just as she gained the safety of the tree; for he was following her by sight and not by smell. The heavy cat was not built to climb, but he was blessed with the feline patience of his kind – he would wait. The strange, frail looking, hairless, creature in the tree, would have to come down sometime

  In the distance, Blodwyn could see and hear the lightning and thunder heading towards the forest, from the distant purpled tinged backdrop of mountains. The storm sounded far more violent than any on Earth. She could also see the game trail from her safe perch. Many animals rushed along it. What were they afraid of – the coming storm or something else more sinister? She hoped the coming rain would wash away her scent trail!

  A movement below caught her eye, and looking down she met the intent gaze of the big tawny cat as it stared up at her, its long saber-like canines gleaming white, in the fading light.

  Blodwyn’s heart raced – she was trapped! The Saber-tooth snarled at her and flattened its ears – she couldn’t hold the cat’s intent stare, and was forced to look away. Blodwyn both heard and felt the big cat push itself into the creepers at the base of the tree to find shelter: and wait!

  At the edge of the forest the search party of Na Idriss led by the Malis Afar cold-blood reach Blodwyn’s abandoned hiding place in the sweet berry bushes. A Na Idriss scout on all fours follows Blodwyn’s scent trail.

  ‘Commander – the Terasil female hid here and moved away recently at our approach – or to shelter from the coming storm,’ reports the Na Idriss scout. ‘We are not the only ones following her….a Saber-tooth has also picked up her trail!’

  ‘Then we must hurry’ the Malis Afar Cold-blood orders. The Na Idriss warriors look enviously at the herds of herbivores in the distance.

  ‘Don’t even think about it,’ warns Commander Karak the Cold-blood, ‘Na Idriss with full stomachs – lose interest in the hunt – only wishing sleep. There will be no killing of game….until we have taken Quilla Prime.’

  A vivid flash of fork lightning stabs the now dark deep purple sky; heralding a continuous cannonade of volleying thunder.

  All the Na Idriss warriors apprehensively looked up at the approaching dark, heavy storm clouds.

  ‘We must find shelter before darkness Sir,’ announces Captain Timasek urgently, ‘a heavy rainstorm and darkness approaches.’

  ‘You are afraid of a storm and darkness?’ the Malis Afar asks. ‘You Na Idriss are nocturnal – we have all night to hunt the female Terasil.’

  ‘We are, nocturnal Sir,’ answers Captain Timasek, ‘but you know we hate getting wet – and dislike thunder and lightning – an inheritance from our distant feline ancestors!’

  ‘If we stop now we may only find a few bones of the female Terasil in the morning,’ snaps the Malis Afar, Cold-blood, ‘we continue the hunt.’ ‘Commander,’ answers Captain Timasek, ‘you should also know the temperature on Tarrea falls well below freezing during the nightly storms, you will need a fire Sir – we know of a cave.’

  This information seems to change the Cold-blood’s attitude to a night hunt during the storm. Capt Timasek continues. ‘Please Sir – my warriors need red meat. We are not cold-blooded like the Malis Afar – who can go without meat for a month!’

  ‘Don’t try my patience Captain,’ replies the Malis Afar coldly. ‘I want your men focused – full bellies make your species lethargic – another inheritance from your distant feline ancestors perhaps! We will continue the hunt tomorrow – give the men an extra ration of tarish tonight. The next man I hear talk of red meat – I will run through with my blade!’

  ‘Yes Sir –thank you,’ answers Captain Timasek the Na Idriss, humbly.

  Blodwyn smelt the Saber-tooth’s unpleasant, tom-cat odour rising up from below her perch. Opening the plastic bag she began to eat the small sweet berries she had gathered; she was hungry. Suddenly the storm hit her shelter! Driving rain, sheet and fork lightning; the like she had never seen before, lit up the blackness – like flashing strobe lighting. The large tree began to sway like a ship’s mast sailing around the Horn in a winter storm. Blodwyn was terrified. If the tree collapsed – she would be at the mercy of the large cat below!

  A movement on the game trail attracted Blodwyn’s attention; she strained her eyes – until continuous sheet lightning lit up the scene.

  An apparition of horror slowly and meticulously moved along the track – a chill ran through Blodwyn’s entire body! She saw a tall pale transparent creature with large opaque eyes that lacked pupils; she could clearly see the creature’s internal organs functioning – its small brain pulsing – its heart pumping dark surges of blood through the being’s clear see-through arteries.

  The creature looked something like a giant preying Mantis – two powerful spiked arms were closely held to the Tamasic’s chest.

  She had once seen a preying mantis’ arms shoot out and grab a cricket and immediately the predator began eating the cricket alive – starting at the head! “A blind Tamasic” – it had to be, Blodwyn knew. She began to physically shake as the horror slowly drew nearer. She knew shaking meant movement; movement meant discovery! Taking several quick deep breaths, she steadied her body. The Tamasic’s two large opaque eyes stared blankly ahead, while long double feelers probed from left to right – like a blind man feeling his way with two sticks.

  This transparent, subterranean horror was at least ten foot tall, for its large head was level with her perch. However, what Blodwyn did not notice was the Tamasic’s two thin delicate sensory antenna that probed every bush and tree – searching for life!

  Blodwyn could now clearly see its throbbing arteries; feeding the small pulsing brain and heart. The Tamasic’s mouth looked gruesome – comprising large serrated mandibles, which constantly opened and closed – dripping viscous slime!

  Blodwyn, not a girl easily frightened – was now mortified as this hideous creature drew nearer! The Tamasic’s blindness, its need to feel its way, and its transparent body indicated that it lived in the bowels of the earth in total darkness. “Was the Tamasic totally blind?” Blodwyn wondered.

  Terrified, yet mesmerized, she failed to notice two long sensitive antennas from the Tamasic’s head arch towards her position – until it touched her sleeping bag. Blodwyn remembered the Lings’ advice.

  “Don’t move – hold your breath.” She guessed correctly that the Tamasic’s antenna was seeking movement, warmth – body and heart-beat. She also knew the sensory antennas were trying to detect exhaled carbon dioxide: just like leaches. Blodwyn took a deep breath and froze – just in time.

  The thin fragile antenna explored her sleeping bag with dainty-dabs. H
er legs and hips were in the sleeping bag – she could feel the subtle; almost delicate touch of the sensory antenna on her knee! The Tamasic’s antenna stopped: as if unsure!

  “Can it feel my pulse?” Blodwyn wonders: her heart galloped. “I can’t hold my breath any longer!” Her lungs were ready to burst – she had to breathe out! Desperate, Blodwyn had an idea that may save her life! Slowly she lifted the plastic bag containing the berries to her nose – making sure not to move her knee – on which the antenna still rested!

  Slowly she exhaled her carbon monoxide into the plastic bag – and then slowly filled her starved lungs with fresh air. This slight movement caused the antenna to grip her knee with surprising power – as if feeling for a pulse! Blodwyn then saw the Tamasic’s other antenna moving towards her face as if to confirm life. Blodwyn knew she had been discovered – this was the end! Blodwyn also had to exhale again!

  The blind Tamasic moved closer to Blodwyn’s position within grabbing range, and in doing so one of its six legs touched the climbing creepers in which the saber tooth sheltered. The big cat growled and moved. Immediately the Tamasic’s antenna left Blodwyn’s knee, and quickly moved downwards towards the large tawny cat.

  At last Blodwyn could release the air in her lungs, and breathe again. Great roars and growls rose from the big cat, accompanied by awful hisses from the Tamasic, heralded the ensuing battle. She could not see below her, for her pebble spectacles had misted over; cleaning them would attract deadly attention!

  Blodwyn could certainly hear and feel the violent battle though the creepers. The undergrowth below was being thrashed. Finally silence, except for the laboured breathing of the Tamasic.

  “My god,” thought Blodwyn, “would the Tamasic remember where I am now, or can its small brain only deal with one thing at a time?” Awful silence – suddenly broken by the sound of tearing flesh and the splintering of bones – the Tamasic was feeding!