Ark - Box Set #6, Part 1 of Ever After [an Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood novel]

by Robert Iannone

  “That’s a stupid plan.”

  “Have a better one?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact I do. I’ll stay and zap the little horror.”

  “Xara was right about one thing – you people need to stop trying to be heroes all the time. I’m Flying Girl and you . . . well, you’re not. Case closed.” Then she smiled. “But thank you anyway.”

  “Still don’t like it.”

  “Go back to the ship. I need to know how long I have to wait for the end of the world.”

  “They won’t like it either,” stated Serenity referring to the other sisters.

  Egg ignored that. “Also figure out how far away you need to be to keep the ship safe. Now go.”

  “But . . .”

  “Jax’x, beam Serenity to the ship and the girl faded away.

  *****

  “I calculate a little under one revolution. As for the ship, the best solution is for us to go behind one of those other moons.”

  “Why is that a good solution?”

  “You won’t have to travel very far to rejoin us.”

  “Oh. Good thinking. So go now.”

  “Why?”

  “On the very, very, very, very small chance that your calculations are wrong, I want to make sure you and the others are safe.”

  “I’m deeply offended.”

  “More like deeply offensive,” teased her sister. “Now go.”

  “We’ll go . . . but not behind the moon. At least, not until the last minute or two.”

  “Because?”

  “Because we would lose communications with you.”

  “Thanks but it doesn’t matter. You guys are NOT coming back here no matter what.”

  “You can’t stop us.”

  “I want your word.”

  “No.”

  “Your word.”

  Serenity hesitated. “Oh, alright.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Moving to a more interesting topic, do you know what a PhoG looks like?”

  “Um.”

  “Hang on; I’za will describe it to you.”

  “Don’t wake her.”

  “She’s up and very agitated after we told her your plans.”

  “Great. Another mother. Put her on.”

  “Egg?”

  “Yeah, I’za. How are you feeling?”

  “Please don’t do this.”

  “It’ll be fine. The others can explain about me being Flying Girl.”

  “What is that?”

  “They’ll tell you. Bottom line is I can fly off planet at a very high rate of speed. And while I’m flying, my suit protects me from injury. So, an exploding planet should not be a problem.”

  “Have you been close to an exploding planet before?”

  “Um, not really. It doesn’t matter. When we’re finished, talk to the others. Now, describe a PhoG to me.”

  “It is a grey cloud roughly in the shape of a humanoid.”

  “Okay. That should be easy enough to spot.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean no?”

  “It only takes that form before it attacks its victim. Otherwise, it looks like a grey shadow floating across the surface – moving in deathly silence.”

  “Got it. Anything else?”

  A few seconds ticked by. “Egg, this is Bree. I’za almost fell down from dizziness. She may have a concussion.”

  “Put her to bed. Serenity, you there?”

  “Yup.”

  “Take the ship out of orbit like we discussed.”

  “On it. Good luck.”

  “Piece of cake.”

  “Are you asking for cake? Are you hungry?”

  Despite the goose bumps that just resurfaced, Egg laughed. “Changed my mind. I’ll have some when this over”. It was easier than explaining the phrase.

  “You’re weird.”

  “I prefer the word quirky. Now go.”

  *****

  A revolution on the planetoid was only about an hour so Egg didn’t have long to wait. She flew around looking for a good spot to defend if and when she was attacked.

  Remembering a conversation she once had with Ezra, she decided to find a small hill and take the high ground. She located a spot that was as good as it would get and landed . . . and waited.

  *****

  “Everyone standby,” came Serenity’s pronouncement over the intercom. “The planet should be going boom within minutes.”

  The girl’s voice woke I’za who was lying in the infirmary with Bree and Bl’azzz standing watch. “I . . . I heard a voice,” said a groggy patient.

  Bree helped the alien to sit up. “That was Serenity. The planetoid is about to explode.”

  “And Egg? Where is Egg?”

  “She’s still down there waiting to see if the PhoG awakens before the explosion.”

  “Did I tell her about the sound?” I’za did have a small concussion and her memory wasn’t as crisp as it normally was.

  “What sound?”

  “The PhoG . . . the sound it makes before it attacks?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “It makes no noise until it is ready to strike.”

  “And then?”

  “The sound it produces can render you unconscious or at the very least, disoriented. Did I tell Egg? I can’t remember.”

  “I don’t think so. Bl’azzz, get Serenity on the line.”

  “Go ahead,” said the dragon.

  “Serenity, there’s a problem,” and she relayed the information.

  “That’s just dandy. We have to get her out of there.”

  “Is there time?”

  “Wait a second,” and the girl in the chair did some quick calculations. “NO” she screamed in frustration.

  “Dilute the sound.”

  “Say what?”

  I’za explained, “If the sound is blended with another, she may be able to withstand the effects.”

  “I can’t get her any equipment from where we are. We’re too far away.”

  “Then we have to risk the ship to get her out.”

  “No,” said Bl’azzz. “There’s a better way.”

  *****

  About a half million miles away, Xara slowed her ship. She had come up with a plan to rid I’za’s wrecked craft of the unwanted guest. She beamed the whole mess into outer space a few hundred feet from her ship. Then she had the AI transport each piece back aboard . . . one at a time. What would be left floating out in the void would be the PhoG.

  It worked as planned.

  She smiled then resumed her course.

  What she didn’t realize was that the PhoG was still alive (technically). It had Xara’s scent and it began to follow her ship. It would only be a matter of time before it caught her.

  *****

  Even with all her concentration focused on the entity, she never saw the shadow. It had slithered up the hill and stopped not ten feet away. It studied its prey for a few seconds.

  Then it reverted to its ‘normal’ self. Like a mushroom growing out of the forest floor, it rose to its full height . . . about eight feet. As I’za said, it was grey and vaguely humanoid . . .

  . . . and it scared the heck out of Egg. Just the sight of the thing caused her heart to race from fear.

  Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Egg took the weapon and aimed.

  But before she could fire, the thing started to screech . . . a sound that pierced her ears, her heart and her soul.

  She couldn’t help herself . . . and she dropped the weapon. She tried putting her hands over her ears – but that did nothing to mute the horrible sound.

  The PhoG approached its victim. It didn’t rush; it felt neither elation nor remorse. It was simply doing what it had been created to do.

  And in just a few heartbeats, Flying Girl would become an unstoppable instrument of evil.

  The PhoG

  Book 2 of Ever After

  Another Novel of

  Egg and the Ham
eggattic Sisterhood

  ©Copyright 2016, by Robert Iannone

  All rights reserved (Book & Illustrations)

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 – Grim Fandango

  Chapter 2 – E.G.; Phone Home

  Chapter 3 – Even More Complicated

  Chapter 4 – Never Say Never

  Chapter 5 – Back to Work

  Chapter 6 – What a Girl Wants

  Chapter 7 – Slithering Sack of Silly

  Chapter 8 – Neme-sissed

  Chapter 9 – The Klat

  Chapter 10 – The A.I. Yi Yi

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1 – Grim Fandango

  “Fandango Sally,” yelled Bl’azzz.

  “What did she say?” asked Jax’x.

  But Serenity was a quick study and understood. “I’m on it,” she replied. She had no idea if this would work but she had to try something. Her hands went to the controls and danced around the screen as she found what she wanted. It took her only a few seconds to complete the task. “Keep your fingers crossed.”

  On the planetoid, Egg lay on the ground with her hands over her ears trying to keep out the deadly and debilitating sound emanating from the PhoG. It wasn’t working and the grey ghost was only a few steps away.

  Then she yelped. There was only one thing in the universe worse than the sound of a PhoG - the voices of seven silly sisters singing a Fandango Sally song . . .

  NO ONE, NO ONE . . .

  Messes with my sister, mister

  Hurt her . . . just you try . . .

  Then I’ll have to make YOU cry

  Treat her bad; make her sad….

  Think that’s fun? You’d better run.

  Cause she’s my . . .

  Sister, Mister. Sister, Mister

  And, NO ONE, NO ONE . . .

  I said NO ONE, NO ONE

  Messes with her.

  It was a duplicate recording of the same cruel but poetic gift they had given Mobius and Bl’uddd for their long voyage of exile.

  What do you get when a group of tone deaf girls sing a fairly obnoxious song? Usually a splitting headache.

  In this case, it was the cure for the sapping siren sound of a severely sinister spirit. “GEEZ,” quipped Egg at the awful caterwauling that was drowning out the PhoG. But her mind cleared and she was now able to refocus on the imminent threat that was about to consume her. She rolled to her right and away from the creature who didn’t seemed bothered by her movement. It just adjusted its direction and continued on towards its prey.

  Egg grabbed the weapon, and without trying to aim, just fired point-blank. A whoosh of energy burst forth and engulfed the PhoG. A moment later it simply melted into a grey puddle on the ground.

  Then another quake hit – so powerful that the ground began to groan and moan as the stress of gravity was beginning to split it asunder.

  “EGG”.

  “I’m alright. Thanks for the help.” She didn’t know why they had blasted that song at her but it was obviously the right thing to do.

  “Get out of there. NOW,” screamed Serenity.

  Flying Girl didn’t need to be told twice. She leapt skyward and concentrated on putting as much distance as she could between herself and the planetoid– as fast as she could.

  Seventeen seconds later, the girls on the Gracie screamed as they watched the miniature world explode into a million tiny fragments. The debris raced outward at an alarming speed that was both breathtaking . . . and deadly.

  “Bloody Bedlam,” cried Serenity, cursing of sorts in old English. She started to input orders into the navigation system.

  “What are you doing?” demanded Bree.

  “If we don’t get behind this moon – and fast – what’s left of that planetoid is going to blast the Gracie into oblivion.”

  “What about Egg?”

  Serenity hesitated for a heartbeat. “She’s Flying Girl. She’ll be fine.”

  “How can you know that?”

  “Bree, stop. Please.”

  “Oh. Sorry,” she apologized when she realized she wasn’t helping the situation.

  Securing the ship and its passengers was obviously Serenity’s first obligation . . . despite the overwhelming urge to save her friend. “She’ll be okay.”

  “Of course she will,” was the half-hearted reply

  *****

  Back on Earth

  “More coffee, dear?”

  Grammy and Ezra were sitting in the breakfast nook watching the morning news and sipping their first cups of coffee – a routine that had become almost sacred to the aging couple.

  “Actually, if you don’t mind, I’ll think I’ll go back to bed for a bit.” Ezra’s coffee cup sat by his hands, the contents hardly touched.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Just a bit tired. Guess I didn’t sleep well.”

  Grammy got up and walked over to her man and pressed her lips to his forehead. “No fever, but you do feel a bit clammy.”

  “I’ll be fine. In fact I’ll just go sit on the recliner and we can finish watching the news.”

  “Do you really want to listen to those candidates this early in the morning? They would make anyone sick.”

  Ezra smiled. “I try to pretend it’s a sitcom. Makes much more sense if you believe they are all comedians.”

  “More like clowns. Come on, let me help you over to the chair,” and she offered her hand.

  Ezra took it out of respect. He pushed himself up, looked at his wife and smiled.

  Then he collapsed.

  *****

  The initial and most deadly wave of debris flew past the moon that was protecting the Gracie. “Okay, our shields should protect us from the rest of that mess,” said Serenity. She took the ship from its hiding place and headed in the direction of the exploded planet.

  “How are we going to find her?” asked Bl’azzz.

  “I want you on the comm link and keep hailing her. Wait a few seconds between hails – her response may be very faint. Go.”

  “What else?” asked Bree.

  “Go to the engineering station. I’ll program your viewer to start a search pattern. Keep the magnification on high.”

  “On it,” and Bree hurried over to her designated terminal.

  “Tee, you watch this main viewer.”

  “Okay.”

  “Jax’x, use the scanner – see if you can pick up her life signs.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Let me help,” offered I’za.

  Serenity didn’t hesitate. “I want you to sit here and monitor our flight plan. If we veer off this pre-set course, let me know. I’m going to send out some probes to search the debris field.”

  I’za slid into the command chair and did as she was told.

  “Serenity,” called Bree.

  “You have something?” came the hopeful reply.

  “No. I . . .I . . . never mind. Sorry.”

  “Keep the faith, sister. We all know how lucky she is.”

  *****

  Four hours later and nothing . . . nary a sign of Egg.

  Serenity was, by default, in charge of all things technical such as the search. But now it was time for Bree to take charge. She fully expected the chorus of complaints when she announced, “Everyone, we need to take a break.”

  She let it go on for a minute before she stood. “We’re not helping Egg if we get so tired and loopy that we make mistakes. Serenity, keep the automated searches going and route them all through the main control panel. You can take the first two hour shift to monitor them if you’re up to it.”

  “Of course I’m up for it.”

  “Good. I’ll take the next shift, then Jax’x, Tee, Bl’azzz and I’za – if you’re willing?”

  “I will do all that I can.”

  “Thank you and I’m sorry. This isn’t how we treat guests; you know, by making them work before we even get a chance to know them.”

  “Your sister is reckless but incr
edibly brave. You have saved my life and it’s the least I can do to repay my debt.”

  “Well, thank you”. To the room she said, “If you’re off-duty, get some food and rest. I’za, I’ll show you how to use the replicator and then I’ll take you to a guest cabin.”

  Before anyone could move, Tee said, “I’m scared.”

  Bree turned to her sister. “Of what, Tee?”

  “I’m scared for Egg. She needs us and we’re not there for her.”

  After seconds of silence, and without another word, everyone went back to their stations and resumed their portion of the search. Bree hung her head and exhaled. It would be useless to argue with them.

  I’za touched the winged girl on the shoulder. “Show me the replicator. I will bring everyone some food and drink.”

  Bree smiled. “Thank you. We may be at this for a while.”

  *****

  The flying suit was an amazing piece of forgotten technology. Created over a thousand years ago, the science had been lost when Mobius became ruler of Aerianna. Besides allowing Egg to fly, it protected her from injury – be that from an inadvertent crash while flying or entering a hostile environment such as deep space.

  But it had its limits.

  Protecting the girl from an exploding planet was not something the scientists had envisioned. Nor had they considered prolonged exposure to the vacuum of space.

  She had tried to hide from the debris by landing on the far side of a particularly large piece of the planet. It was a very clever plan – poorly executed. She had significantly misjudged its speed and crashed with a mighty thwack . . . kind of like a fly might feel when hit with a swatter. Only the suit kept the results from being the same.

  Having been rendered unconscious, Egg couldn’t know that things were quickly getting serious as the hours ticked by.

  Actually, serious was a bit of an understatement.

  Egg needed to wake and return to the ship in short order.

  Or she would die.

  *****

  Back on Earth

  The paramedics had arrived within minutes of being called. They had placed Ezra on a gurney, connected him to various monitoring devices and sent his vitals to the local hospital. They were now ready to put him in the ambulance.

  “I’m going with you.”