In Search of the Alter Dom

by Jack Challis

  ‘Yes,’ answers the single Ora Pella, ‘he passed twice a long time ago.’ ‘Where was he going?’ Blodwyn asks.

  ‘To Earth – of course!’ answers the single Ora-Pella: melting back into a swirling mass of green gas; that probed the edge of the porthole with a fine point. Finding a weakness, the whole green mass disappeared; leaving behind two soaking wet dresses, discarded on the floor. Blodwyn was left stunned by what the Ora Pella had says. “Was she being too optimistic – was there another explanation for the Dom Maximus’s visit to Earth?”

  Back on the bridge, Karak was pleased with Blodwyn’s performance; she had defused a volatile situation. ‘What do you know of Grunwalde?’ Blodwyn asked Karak, testing his knowledge.

  ‘She is beautiful,’ answers the Cold-blood, ‘has a childlike disposition, is volatile, and I am told very willing to bite if provoked! She has terrible table manners, but she is not to be taken lightly, for she is a true changeling; and has great magical powers!’

  Blodwyn couldn’t have put it better herself; although Karak could have added: expert liar, greedy-guts – and full of wind.

  ‘Mind you,’ continues the Cold-blood, ‘I do not suggest you bite any of the diplomats at the coming banquet!’

  ‘Of course not,’ replies Blodwyn, ‘but I might threaten to!’

  Back in her quarters, Blodwyn ate her last pork pie, and then checked her rucksack. She was in a good mood after her experience with the Ora-Pellas. Then she thought of Goya Perilus – the next stop, and the Oga Koya that dwelled there. Blodwyn no longer felt cheerful.

  A long way behind Blodwyn, the two Lings had also begun their journey to Goya Perilus with the hope of rescuing Blodwyn. Nearing the Capalla Wormhole, they were caught up in a meteor storm and forced to seek shelter in a cave – on a Planet unknown to them. Meteors moving at high speed were dangerous and could kill or damage Lings!

  The bombardment of burning meteors illuminated the cave’s interior. Moving deeper the two Lings stopped; as the shadow of a large creature slowly rose onto its hind legs from the cave’s floor, at their approach.

  The creature’s shadow towered over them: Lings are not of a nervous disposition, and held their ground although they could not identify the creature by its shadow – but its smell was familiar! The two Lings sniffed the still air of the cave and moved forward to investigate.

  Two shadowy antennas arose from of the creature’s large head and tested the air. The Lings knew the creature was of insect origin – distant kin! The two Lings gave the accepted greeting of life forms of different insect origins.

  ‘Cocoon or chrysalis we be kin – let our three hearts beat in peace within.’ A low murmur: a gentle type of hum arose from a cavernous chest of the creature. And then without speaking the creature gave the two Lings the reply, via telepathy: ‘To harm our kind is darkest sin. I am Narrisa a Nemesian!’

  The Lings approached the giant – this creature was the same species as their first Queen, the fearsome Nemesis! The giant hornet-like Nemesian slowly sank back to the cave floor exhausted. The meteor storm had badly damaged her wings and outer keratin shell.

  The two Lings immediately began tending the Nemesian: as is their nature. Moss from the cave walls was gathered and soaked in a pool of water on the cave floor and squeezed into the heavily armed mouth of the Nemesian.

  The large green compound eyes and the body of the giant were then wiped down. A deep purring sound of contentment came from the giant hornet. Lings carry their own wing-mending kit internally; this substance mixed with their saliva, becomes stronger than any stainless steel; they repaired the Nemesian’s wings and outside keratin shell. The Nemesian began to revive. The Lings re-braided her course red hair. Then – a communication from the Nemesian.

  ‘I seek my sister Nemesis – she was taken away a long time ago by the Galla Qualls, from our home planet Nemesa in the distant Fourth Quadrant, do you have news of her?’

  ‘Nemesis was our Queen – she is dead. She died, because she broke cocoon early to take the Lings to Earth, from Venus!’ says the Mayling: without emotion. A single tear trickled from the large green compound eye of the Nemesian, and dripped off her powerful jaws. ‘Then my quest is over,’ communicates Narrisa. ‘Now I must return to my remaining sister – she will be lonely and will need tending and protection when in cocoon.’

  The two Lings explained the purpose of their journey to Goya Perilus. Narrisa listened without comment and rose to her feet. ‘Now I must hunt for prey,’ communicates the giant hornet-like creature. ‘Remain here and rest, and when I return, I will help you through the Cappalla Wormhole – in my wake.’ The meteor storm over, Narrisa crawled out of the cave; stood upright on her powerful clawed hind legs and took off into the night. Her senses told her the two Lings were not eaters of flesh – she will kill and eat alone this night!

  CHAPTER TEN

  The Orb-eyed Oga Koya Of Goya Perilus

  Beyond Saturn’s spinning, blue moon dust bangle.

  Past the far off Andromeda’s starry amber spangle

  Beyond the distant Aquilla’s misty, purple triangle.

  Past the dim, blue, swirling wormholes secret gate.

  Past where two lovely, frivolous, Ora-Pellas wait

  The sand-swimming orb-eyed, Oga Koya dwell:

  In that scorching, barren hell of Goya Perilus!

  After two days travelling on the Na Idriss Night-Cat Battleship, they reach the Capalla Wormhole. Blodwyn was on the flight deck. ‘Now hear this,’ announces the Cold-blood Karak, ‘due to our delay caused by the Ora-Pellas, we are entering the wormhole at warp two!’

  A murmur of fear spread through the Na Idriss crew. ‘The ship might break up!’ Captain Timasek protests.

  ‘Not if the Na Idriss built this ship to Malis Afar specifications!’ answers the Cold-blood, ‘everyone be seated – fasten stabilizing belts.’

  Sometimes when Blodwyn was afraid and could not do anything about the situation she pretended she was someone else – all this was happening to another person; someone with nerves of steel – she became an observer! Nevertheless Blodwyn dreaded the moment of entry into the wormhole: gateway to the next Galaxy – Andromeda!

  A powerful surge, a hundred times stronger than an Energy Band, made Blodwyn feel she had left her stomach behind. Light and dark streaks flashed by with incredible speed. She felt the spaceship shudder under the strain of the wormhole’s pull. But in seconds the ordeal was over; they had travelled millions of miles in seconds through the Capalla Wormhole and were now in the Andromeda Galaxy – two point five light years from Earth, and into another time zone.

  After a few hours, Lt Jibba the Na Idriss announces. ‘Commander, we are reaching the strong gravity pull of Goya Perilus!’

  ‘Cut engines and cloak,’ orders Karak: studying a chart. The Na Idriss battleship disappears – under cloak! ‘Steer four degrees to port,’ orders the Cold-blood Karak, ‘hold this course on silent thrust – till over the site of the rendezvous between the Salas Panar and the Oga Koya. Lt Mussa, prepare an armed frigate and a twenty man landing party – Captain Timasek, you remain on board, be watchful – we are in Galla Quall patrolling range!’

  ‘Commander,’ announces Captain Timasek, ‘I have a Salas Panar trading vessel on our scanners – it is preparing to land in a deep ravine.’ Karak watches the scanner screen. ‘We are in perfect time – we will land the armed frigate in the next ravine.’

  ‘I would like to come,’ says Blodwyn, not wanting to be left onboard with the Na Idriss, yet dreading the visit to Goya Perilus – home of the Oga Koya! ‘If you wish,’ responds Karak.

  Blodwyn had come prepared, and had changed her footwear to light flats and wore a summer dress – she had not forgotten her rucksack and stout stick.

  As the shuttle silently glided down to the surface of Goya Perilus, Blodwyn looked at the barren, desolate, depressing landscape of rock and sand; beneath a scorching red sky; dominated by two burning suns. Not a single bird or blade of
green could she see!

  Having two suns opposite each other, the planet of Goya Perilus never saw the cooling shadows of night. If evil was a shade of colour – it was burnt sienna, and this shade was well used in this terrible landscape.

  The armed frigate gently and silently landed. Blodwyn was the last out. The oven-like atmosphere blasted her face and lungs – breathing became difficult!

  The high gravitation pull of Goya Perilus also made walking very exhausting. However, the Cold-blooded Karak did not seem affected by the stifling heat; in fact it seemed to give him vitality and extra speed of movement. Blodwyn hoped the two Lings were following – somehow somewhere!

  The group moved off silently. The Cold-blood hands a scout a telescope. ‘Use my nexus telescope but – remember there are two suns above – be careful of reflections – that will give our presence away!’ Two Na Idriss scouts stealthily climbed the ridge ahead and looked down cat-like, tilting their heads backwards so just their eyes appeared over the ridge.

  ‘Now.’ Karak address the Na Idriss. ‘The ears of the Salas Panar are finely tuned.’ ‘That’s because they are finely tuned thieves,’ Lt Mussa mutters. ‘Silence,’ orders Karak drawing his sword. ‘I will kill the next warrior that speaks.’ Blodwyn was pleased the Na Idriss feared the Cold-blood. The two scouts returned and reported. ‘A party of eight Salas Panar approaching – they have unloaded much equipment.’

  ‘We will split into three groups,’ orders Karak, ‘one group blocks each end of the ravine – my group will approach as close as possible from this flank, and I will make the first move – when the Oga Koya appear.’

  A Na Idriss picks up a handful of sand and lets it trickle through his clawed fingers. ‘Perfect Sir – not a breath of wind – the Oga Koya are keener of smell than we.’ Karak’s group begins the long climb, while the other two groups move off to their positions; blocking both ends of the ravine. Reaching the ridge Blodwyn was exhausted. Using a big rock as cover, Karak’s group, led by Na Idriss warriors on all fours, moved down and took up positions. Karak waits for the other two groups to reach their positions.

  The Salas Panar stopped below: as if afraid to go further. Blodwyn studies the six-fingered thieving Salas Panar – the rogues of the Antares Cluster, with her small field glasses. Apart from being six-fingered; having long pointed ears, like an African lynx (caracal) and sloe eyes, they were perfect, pixy looking humanoids; each wore their long dark blue hair in a topknot, all were dressed in neat tight fitting green uniforms, and armed only with swords. The roguish, thieving, six-fingered Salas Panar never carried conventional weapons; relying on the Betelgeux (pronounced: Beetle-juice) Mira agreement, for protection. “(No unarmed spacecraft was to be attacked).” However, the Salas Panar are brave and skilled swordsmen.

  A keen-eyed Na Idriss scout alerts the group to the arrival of the Oga Koya. Blodwyn had a morbid fascination to see what they looked like, but all she could see were two white laden donkeys. The animals were decked out in the finest livery she had ever seen; gold trimmings and hanging tassels. But where were the Oga-Koya? Who was leading the donkeys?

  Blodwyn moves her glasses to the donkeys’ reins – they led down to the sand. Looking closely she could see the sand near the donkey’s hooves moving; as if some creature was swimming or crawling, below – out of sight. So the Oga Koya were sand-swimmers! The donkeys stopped a few paces from the Salas Panar. Then the sight nightmares are made of appeared! Out from under the sand rose two of the most gruesome, revolting life forms Blodwyn had seen up to now – still clutching the donkey’s reins.

  The Oga-Koya made a great fuss of tending the two white donkeys: stroking them, with sinewy spindle arms.

  A Salas Panar greets the Oga Koya. ‘Greetings Nargon Koya.’

  ‘Greetings Blaxon Marr,’ answers the Oga Koya with a raspy voice, ‘we have little time for this transaction – the Galla Qualls patrol here – so let us be brief.’ The Oga Koya extends his sinewy arm, towards Blaxon.

  The Salas Panar Blaxon Marr took a quick step backwards, as if he did not trust physical contact with the Oga Koya! ‘Forgive me Nargon if I don’t take your hand; the Oga Koya always make me nervous – besides we are in the danger zone – as you say.’

  ‘Did you bring the specified weapons?’ Nargon the Oga Koya asks.

  ‘The best weapons available,’ answers Blaxon Marr, the Salis Panar, ‘all made by the Semmi Tal.’

  ‘Are these weapons as good as the Galla Qualls’ weapons?’ Nargon asks.

  ‘You know the Galla Qualls do not sell weapons,’ answers Blaxon Marr, ‘but next time you are attacked by the Malis Afar battle fleet – you can give the Cold-bloods a nasty surprise!’

  ‘Did you steal the weapons?’ asks Nargon suspiciously.

  ‘No,’ answers the Salas Panar, Blaxon Marr, ‘we are the vendors and take commission.’

  ‘So – the Semmi Tal trusts the Salas Panar to collect their money?’ says the Oga Koya suspiciously.

  ‘Of course – all two million gold Antares ducats as agreed,’ replies Blaxon Marr the Salas Panar.

  ‘Unload the gold,’ instructs Nargon, ‘treat our animals with care – we are very fond of them.’

  The Salas Panar begins to unload the moneybags off the donkeys.

  Suddenly the loud voice of Karak stops business. ‘Stand still – the first one to scratch himself will be killed.’ The Salas Panar and the Oga Koya are taken by surprise and look for an escape route – but find they are trapped!

  The Na Idriss warriors led by Karak surround them; Blodwyn sticks close to the Cold-blood Malis Afar. She cannot take her eyes off the Oga Koya: they look disgusting!

  They reminded Blodwyn of something between a massive maggot and a giant lamprey! Two large shiny orb eyes; without pupils, sat high up on their foreheads; with two, much smaller eyes just below them, similar to spiders’ eyes, the nose comprised of two holes that opened and closed at intervals! But instead of a sucking disk armed with sharp teeth like a lamprey, the Oga Koya had a long upper lip, covered with course sensory whiskers that hung down, completely hiding the mouth. Their legless tapering bodies were covered in a thick, dry leathery skin, ending in stubby blunt tails.

  ‘Sir,’ says Lt Jibba, ‘we have captured two Oga Koya elders here; Nargon and Magus – I recognize them!’

  ‘Now that’s a surprise,’ replies Karak, ‘I thought we had killed all the elders.’ ‘And Sir,’ adds the Na Idriss scout, ‘I first saw eight in the Salas Panar group – two were not Salas Panar – now all are Salas Panar!’

  ‘Well,’ says Karak, ‘we have a mystery!’ The Malis Afar looked suspiciously at two of the Salas Panar who was standing apart.

  Moving towards them Karak uses his sword to trace their outline. He then prods each with the point of his blade. Immediately they turn into Semmi Tal! ‘Gentlemen we have two Shape-Shifters in our presence,’ announces Karak, ‘you were right Nargon – the Semmi Tal do not trust the Salas Panar to collect their money!’

  To Blodwyn, the Semmi Tal looked terribly thin; they wore saffron monk-like habits with hoods. All that could be seen of their faces were two very large, nervous looking, luminous eyes, that constantly blinked. ‘I am Talis-Sem,’ announces one of the Semmi Tal, ‘our race is at peace with the Malis Afar Cold-bloods.’

  ‘True,’ replies Karak, ‘that is why I require your help – and I will forget the fact you are selling arms to the Oga Koya.’

  The two Semmi Tal bow deeply to the Cold-blood. ‘Escort the Semmi Tal to our frigate, treat them well,’ orders Karak, ‘and take the gold with you.’

  Na Idriss warriors take the Semmi Tal and the gold away.

  Blodwyn picked up a very subtle sound coming from the Oga Koya. She noticed that with gentle movements of their tails; they were slowly sinking back into the sand preparing for escape. Karak was also quick to spot this movement and placed the point of his sword to Nargon’s throat.

  ‘Try to escape again and I’ll kill you – but before, you ca
n watch the Na Idriss eat your treasured pet donkeys alive!’ The Salas Panar and the Oga Koya look up at the sky questioningly.

  ‘Correct gentlemen,’ says Karak, ‘our battleship is overhead – under cloak covering your every move – escape is impossible.’

  ‘We will pay ransom for our lives,’ says Nargon the Oga Koya elder, ‘even though the Betelgeux Mira agreement forbids the killing of Advanced Primitives, by any of the Advanced Races.’

  ‘The Alter Dom is dead – so is the agreement!’ responds the Cold-blood.

  ‘The Malis Afar forced the Oga-Koya to defend ourselves from extinction,’ answers Nargon, ‘there are only nine Oga Koya left, and you killed Maag-Koya – our breeding Queen!’

  ‘My two cold hearts bleed,’ answers Karak sarcastically. ‘There is no room for primitive egg-laying species in the Antares Cluster! Remember the Oga Koya once nearly wiped out the Malis Afar with a virus carried in your bite!’

  ‘We are humble fungus eaters now,’ answers Nargon, ‘and can no longer stomach blood! I will give you twenty million gold Antares ducats,’ says Nargon, ‘to spare what remains of our tribe.’ Karak’s eyes narrow with greed. ‘The gold is near the surface,’ Nargon continues. ‘Magus and our last two pet donkeys will remain as hostages.’

  Karak agrees. ‘Lt Mussa,’ whispers the Cold-blood, ‘take ten men and five Salas Panar to help. After the gold is loaded into our frigate, bring everyone back – I want no witnesses to this transaction. Remember, keep two arms’ length distance from Nargon – only look at his small set of eyes – if Nargon attempts escape – kill him!’

  The group moves off. Blodwyn watches as Nargon uses a side winding motion of a snake to move across the loose sand.

  ‘I know the Malis Afar never keep their word,’ says Blaxon the Salas Panar, ‘I would rather die honorably by the blade – than be executed!’