For the first time since the departure from the Solar System, Takahashi had made use of his power of command … he didn’t tolerate any discussions.
Ruby repeated his orders and added, a bit unsettled, »I’ll follow your command, Sir!«
Seconds later, the comm-link was jammed and interrupted.
»Whoever is in this spaceship … they now know that we’re here,« said Art Ultimus and pointed to the sky.
From the low-hanging, still glowing, clouds an object descended whose shape was so strange and frightening that even Ultimus moaned, nearing panic.
Like tentacles of an octopus, poking through the clouds, moving, groping forward, thought Takahashi spellbound.
Seconds later, the entire object peeled out of the clouds and floated slowly down to the surface.
Sweeney turned white and quickly took some measurements with the holo-visor.
»That thing is three hundred meters long and significantly bigger than our cruisers. What is that? An animal?«
It really resembles a giant cephalopod, which swims with its tentacles through the water, Takahashi realized shivering.
»Whatever it is. Its long tentacles look like gripping tools,« Enola Peshewa exclaimed surprised.
»It’s coming toward us,« said Strovol casually.
»A giant squid,« Ultimus remarked. »If that’s a ship, then it has an organic structure.«
The eight tentacles of the squid stretched forward, snaking in the direction of flight. The torso had two small fins at the rear, which made wave-like movements. It looked as if the squid paddled through the planet’s atmosphere.
»He’s coming to get us!« Rak’Fler said aggressively, aiming his heavy weapon at the ship. His pugnacious barking startled Takahashi.
»Put the gun away … immediately!« Takahashi commanded sharply. »Don’t you realize, that there’s nothing to fight against? We have no chance!«
The squid-like spaceship hovered above the portal for a moment. Its shadow fell over the clearing, increasing the threatening feeling coming from the bizarre, alien ship.
Then the tentacles shot forward.
Sweeney held his breath when he realized what the squid’s intention was. The tentacles, certainly one hundred meters long, were clutching the Hawk, lifting the multipurpose spaceship effortlessly into the air.
»My goodness,« Ultimus whispered, staring upward.
The squid’s crew seemed to need a couple of seconds to make up their minds of what to do with the Hawk. Then they turned the Hawk upside-down, around and threw the small ship through the air with a powerful fling of the ship’s tentacles.
Speechless, Takahashi, and his team witnessed the Hawk tumbling through the air, crashing into the grove, which the jet beam hat left behind on its devastating path of destruction.
»Remain inside the circle!« Takahashi reminded the team while taking cover as a hot pressure wave raced toward them across the land and the portal, accompanied by debris.
Even before the devastating debris cloud could reach the portal, a bell-shaped protective field established, protecting the portal and the team members. The flying, giant grass stems and rocks burned up, were simply transformed or bounced off the energy shield.
Huge flames shot into the air around the portal; dust and smoke blocked the view.
»What have we done?« Enola Peshewa said in horror.
»We?« Sweeney asked with trembling voice. »Why don’t you ask that giant beast up there!«
»The portal’s protection mechanism saved us from the explosion,« Ultimus explained dryly. »How could Toiber Arkroid foresee that?«
»We deal with that later,« Takahashi said calmly and pointed upward. Several dark glowing slots became visible, which opened in the green-brown scaly body of the squid. These hangars immediately released countless objects which began raining down on the surface, determined to reach the portal. Takahashi didn’t bother to count the objects, there had to be hundreds.
»They look like small versions of the vessel,« said Sweeney and added nervously, »they’re like mini-squids.«
»Is that the crew or are they children of the big one?« Strovol asked excitedly and signaled by different color schemes of his body that he didn’t intend to fight.
»I have no idea,« said Takahashi as the first group of strange objects reached the portal, quickly encircling the landing party.
Art Ultimus carefully lifted both hands, signaling his willingness to talk. It wasn’t clear if the horizontally floating, almost two-meter long mini-squids were understanding his gesture. They showed no response. One of the extraterrestrials lifted a tentacle and launched a short burst of energy toward the HOT specialists, whose protective field burst with a bang. Art Ultimus trembled and fell to the ground.
Rak’Fler barked threateningly. His strong hands opened and closed in a fast rhythm. The GCC specialist was ready to fight. He would die for the team, if necessary.
Fine pearls of sweat appeared on Takahashi’s forehead when he looked concerned at Art Ultimus.
He is still alive! I can taste his aura.
»Stay cool,« Takahashi whispered to Rak’Fler quickly. Then he sensed the life energy of the mini-squids. Each of them had some life energy, but it was relatively weak.
»We’re probably dealing with a special type of biomechanical robots. I don’t think that they’re the builders of this ship.«
»Somebody built this thing?« Sweeney whispered intimidated and looked around nervously. »This is not a ship. It’s a nightmare!«
As if the words of the navigator had been a signal, the tentacles of two mini-squids shot forward and embraced the Irish. Sweeney groaned helplessly while his body was picked up and transported to the big ship.
»Don’t fight it!« Takahashi worriedly yelled after him. »Have faith in Arkroid’s message!«
»That’s easy for you to say!« Sweeney shouted back panic struck and obviously in pain. The mini-squids didn’t care much about the rough treatment.
The rest of the landing party was surrounded by hundreds of mini-squids, but the team wasn’t bothered by them for the time being.
»On no, Sweeney,« Enola Peshewa whispered horrified.
»We remain calm until the aliens have released Sweeney again,« Takahashi said mutedly. He carefully knelt down beside Ultimus. He placed his hands on Ultimos’ forehead and tried to sense his life aura.
The energy weapon of the organic robot has put his nervous system into a shock, he thought and administered his healing powers to stabilize Ultimus’ vital functions.
»I admire your optimism,« Rak’Fler barked excitedly. »But, have you thought about the possibility that we might never see our navigator again and that he’s going to be digested somewhere inside the ship?«
»I hope that we’re dealing with an intelligence that values and respects the lives of other beings. If not, then we’ll have to respond accordingly.«
Takahashi closed his eyes and checked the life energies of the mini-squids as well as the mother ship’s energy.
They all have the same taste, Takahashi thought tensely and was ready to collapse the auras if necessary.
Guardian of the continuum
Sweeney was dragged into the interior of the squid, passing through a red glowing opening.
He was shocked as if hit by an electrical jolt and lost consciousness briefly. When he opened his eyes, he felt disoriented and could not immediately determine where he was. Although he suspected that he had been brought into the alien ship by the mini-squids, what he saw, however, didn’t look like a spaceship. Laboriously, he turned his head to the side, the only body part, he was still able to move.
Sweeney’s eyes opened wide in disbelief. To him, the room seemed gleaming hot. Although the equipment, the entire space, looked as if made of hot lava, various blocks of machinery seemed to be just before the melting point, he didn’t feel any heat. Even the massive pedestal on which Sweeney laid paralyzed was of the same glowing and highly heated mate
rial as everything else in the room. Nevertheless, his skin and clothing weren’t scorched.
»Where am I?« he shouted into the room and tried in vain to shake off the paralysis that affected his body. As much as he tried, he couldn’t move his arms and legs. »What is this terrible place?«
Sweeney was breathing faster. He felt helpless and vulnerable.
»I don’t like it when I’m tied up!« he yelled with a trembling voice, expecting no answer. The more he was stunned, when beside him, a familiar voice suddenly sounded.
»Would you like it more when I tied you up?«
Sweeney turned his head. Unexpectedly, a naked woman had appeared beside him, eyeing him curiously.
»You would let this happen and enjoy it. Right? I can read it in your mind.«
Sweeney gasped.
»Enola! What’re you doing here? My goodness! How did we get to this place and why are you naked?«
»Don’t you like what you see?« the young woman wanted to know and pushed up her full breasts to make them look even bigger.
»Yes, yes!« Sweeney assured quickly with big eyes. Then, he looked down on himself.
»Well, at least, one of us still has his clothes on,« he whispered relieved.
»This has been arranged just for you, so relax,« Enola breathed to him while moving toward the head end of the pedestal, which suddenly rose up, elevating Sweeney’s head. Affectionately, Enola began to massage Sweeney’s temples. »Does that feel good?«
»I can’t say for the moment,« replied Sweeney and closed his eyes for a second. His breathing became shallow. He tried to relax. »You’d have to do it a bit longer.«
The young woman laughed.
»Do you still remember, how you came on board this ship?«
Enola’s voice had a lascivious undertone. She purred like a cat and ran her long fingers through his hair.
»Aaah, that’s … good,« Sweeney murmured and squinted discretely. »I can’t remember everything, but I think, I was abducted by two of these mini-squids and taken to the ship.«
»Mini-squids? What’s that?« Enola asked, running her hands gently over Sweeney’s forehead.
»Well, these tentacle-armed, flying squids. You saw them yourself,« wondered Sweeney.
»Now, I understand,« whispered Enola. »You’re talking about the executors. They’re artificial creatures, programmed to serve. They have no free will.«
»How do you know all this?« Sweeney wondered about Enola’s peculiar behavior.
»I just know,« she smiled provocatively and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gave him a wet kiss on the cheek and then licked his earlobe shortly afterward. »Do you like that?«
Sweeney’s face turned red, his freckles seemed even more numerous.
»I can’t deny that I haven’t dreamed of such a moment.«
He suddenly opened his eyes.
»Stop! That’s the explanation! I must be dreaming. This strange place, it can’t exist! Everything is made of liquid metal!«
»Don’t worry,« she calmed him. »That’s due to your limited perception. Your Human senses play a trick on you. You can’t see the surroundings the way they really are. You just see a distorted image. Your brain has certain limitations. Just accept it.«
»And how is it with you?« Sweeney asked, suddenly becoming suspicious. »And … you see this here through different eyes? No restrictions?«
»What are you thinking?« Enola smiled slyly. »I’m a woman!« Her eyes sparkled as she asked, »Tell me, my little admirer, where is the Earth, about I’ve read so much from your mind?«
Sweeney froze. He squinted and then focused on Enola.
»You read my thoughts? Who are you?«
As if a spell had been broken by these words, Enola suddenly caught fire and began to melt away, just like a plastic doll, deformed by a hot flame. Her lovely face turned ugly while the arms and legs were burning brightly, mutating into claws and tentacles.
Sweeney jerked his head around and screamed horrified, »Enola!«
The delicate hands, which had just been massaging his scalp, clasped his head, pulling his hair. Sweeney screamed in pain.
Enola’s friendly voice now sounded like the angry growl of a bear.
»You are primitive creatures, unworthy to see the wonders of the cosmos. Your underdeveloped brain is full of primitive animal instincts. If you’d be left without supervision on an uninhabited planet, you’d be jumping each other, just like you wanted to jump that bitch.«
»One moment!« Sweeney yelled but was drowned out immediately by the alien’s angry voice.
»Your people don’t even remotely understand what you’ve done to the universe! You’re playing with forces you cannot control, ruining entire worlds. I’ll make you accountable for this!«
Sweeney tried to shake off the paralysis to escape the harsh treatment, but he was at the mercy of the unknown being. He was totally helpless.
»I have no idea what you’re talking about!« Sweeney shouted with a distorted voice. »What are you accusing us off? If we landed on this planet against your will, then we’ll gladly leave.«
The answer was so loud that Sweeney’s ears ached.
»This planet and this system don’t interest me! Let them perish in the stream of time and, one day, turn into ice! Where is your home system, Navigator? I want to know! Tell me, or I take this information from your brain!«
»Why do you want to know that!« Sweeney asked horrified while razor-sharp claws cut his forehead and the skin over his temples.
»You give me the information voluntarily, or you give it to me in pain,« threatened the alien.
»Whatever caused your anger against us, we can talk about it! You got the wrong people. We just happened to be stranded in this space sector,« Sweeney assured desperately.
»The belief in coincidences is an idea nourished by primitive life forms that are not able to comprehend the true processes and laws of causality. There are no negotiations! You had already selected your demise when you denied the contact with the Guardian Xenion. Instead, you destroyed his guardianship! Remember the following words well: Guardian Zerbion has descended from the continuum to punish the Humans in the name of Nebular for their crimes!«
Sweeney felt the sharp claws digging into his flesh. A painful pulse, similar to a strong electric shock, made his muscles convulse. His chest heaved and his mouth opened in a silent scream. Then Sweeney fell back powerless. »We never had contact with an emissary of your people. What do you want from us?« he moaned in extreme pain
Again, Sweeney’s body trembled. His face turned blue. With difficulty, he screamed, »Stop … please, stop! You’re killing me!«
»We gave you the opportunity to start a dialogue and undo your fatal mistake, but your only response was death. Now, you will learn what it means to see your people suffer!«
Sweeney could barely control his voice. Pain paralyzed his body. His words sounded like a babbling baby.
»You ... are making a mistake … we are ... not … those who you’re looking for ...«
With a quick movement, the sharp claws withdrew from his scalp. Blood streamed from the open wounds and ran down on Sweeney’s temples. The fine trickle of blood wetted his lips and a salty taste spread through his mouth. Sweeney gathered all his strength and whispered, »Nebular! You mentioned the name … our ship also carries this name! We are peaceful people and want no confrontation!«
The alien being shouted so loud that Sweeney feared for his eardrums.
»You taint the sacred name of the Guardian! What presumptuous blasphemy. But what could I expect? Such behavior is typical of your kind! I have decided that you won’t die today. I don’t want a quick death for you and your shipmates. Instead, you shall view, with alert senses, how your civilization will perish!«
Sweeney swallowed hard. Before he could say a word, he was grabbed by powerful tentacles and forcefully picked up. He lost consciousness and didn’t see how he was transported out of the ship and thr
own on the dusty ground, right before the feet of his team members.
Enola Peshewa was immediately at Sweeney’s side and attended his head wounds.
»What have you done to him!« she shouted at the floating squids that were still surrounding the landing team.
Startled, from her angry outburst, Sweeney briefly opened his eyes. When he saw her face above him, he shrieked panic struck and tried to escape Enola’s helping hands.
Sweeney’s hands and feet dug into the dusty, white ash soil. He tried to avoid her like a mad man by crawling backward.
»What’s going on with him?« Enola shouted worriedly.
Faster than anyone could have expected, Takahashi, jumped over to Sweeney, knelt down and put his hands on the sweat covered and bloodstained face.
»Sweeney, calm down,« he whispered softly and strengthened the regeneration of his life aura.
Art Ultimus stood protectively next to his commander and the rest of the team. The HOT specialist needed only a fraction of a second to select the squid auras. His eyes looked into empty space it seemed, but he was, at all times, ready to strike and implode the auras of these creatures. In the meantime, Rak’Fler had pulled his heavy plasma gun.
»No! Ultimus!« Takahashi hissed tensely. »Don’t do it! Rak’Fler! Put your gun away! Think about Arkroid’s message! Let’s let it happen and not defend ourselves.«
The landing party was still surrounded by the squids. Takahashi could taste the Krolakan’s tension. His body aura blazed brightly. The warrior was ready to go into battle.
It’s a war of nerves, Takahashi thought quietly. But today, nobody dies, neither Sweeney nor Rak’Fler … nobody!
Takahashi reflected his thoughts and was surprised how he could trust a dubious message while facing such a threat.
I can’t explain, but there’s something inside of me that tells me to follow Arkroid’s advice.
Moments later, dozens of squids lifted off the ground and ascended. They were heading for the alien ship and disappeared behind the glowing hull openings.
»They’re retreating,« rejoiced Strovol. »We’re saved!«
NEBULAR Collection 7 - Guardians of the Continuum: Episodes 31 - 34 Page 11
