frequency, and the disruption they are causing is intensifying. At first our scientists were at a loss to explain the bombardment, they hypothesized everything. They now believe we have wandered into the remnants of a destroyed planet.
Her explanation solved a puzzle Jet hadn’t been thinking of; the waters on the planet had nothing to stop them circling the sphere and, built into high swells, but arriving this time the surface had seemed more confused than before. Jet realized she had finished speaking.
“That figures.” Said Jet. “Coming through the asteroids we noticed some instability.”
“Yes, that explains everything.” Added James. “Any large bodies passing would create instability.”
“No.” Selian said firmly. “Nothing we have observed backs the dead planet idea up. The scientists are only saying that because they don’t know.”
“Whatever it is a container full of grass is going to solve it?" said Chub in a slightly annoyed voice.
“No, but what I want to put in it will solve everything." Again she seemed to lose confidence. "The attack by the Mermen on our city was to take slaves; but it had another reason… Some time ago we saw things that led us to believe that the Swamp Monsters were evolving?”
Selian suddenly had Jets attention.
“And evolving in a dangerous way; at the research facility we tried to pass on those suspicions, but we had no hard proof and almost everyone we tried to tell didn’t take us seriously. There was only one option that we could see and that was to study them ourselves. Some time ago we brought a young monster here; as one of the earliest and longest watched it has only deepened our suspicions. In that time it has grown into an adult and has come to the point were interaction with it is impossible; the only way we can study it now is by observation. That’s when all our problems began...”
“Your problems began,” Jet said accusingly, “When you first brought it here?”
“Yes; but somebody had to begin to understand them.”
“What’s all this got to do with us and the crate?” Chub suddenly realized he already knew. “The containers for it; isn’t it?”
Selian nodded. “We realized some while ago that keeping it was becoming too dangerous so we were going to return it to its planet but then the Mermen began to get aggressive. We didn’t realize at the time but they knew what we believed and thought they could control its power; so they took it.”
"They took it?" said Jet not entirely sure why he should be concerned whether Mermaids or Mermen had it.
"Yes, now I need to get it back." She looked at the crate. "…In there."
Jet had begun to laugh. "Now let me just get this straight; you brought us here to raid the Mermens city, capture the monster; and somehow get it into that crate?"
She stared at him challengingly. "No jet; we won't need to attack the Mermen if we can just slip in and out, without them knowing?”
“We do this with a five meter tall, screaming mass of hate and vile that will be almost certainly making racket that will wake every Merman on the planet?”
“My medium of preference is water, but I don’t have the brain of a sea slug.” She said indignantly.
“I’m not trying to suggest anything of the sort; I’m just pointing out that without them knowing isn’t an option.”
“It’s going to be difficult I know that and I couldn’t tell you before; you wouldn’t have come."
"Yea, well you got that right," muttered Chub.
Selian's proposition was so absurd that Jet had begun to laugh. "I'm gunna have to assume you have a plan?"
"Kind of."
"And if we ignore everything in between; once we get the monster in the crate what do we do with it?"
"We take it back where it belongs."
"If we don’t ignore everything in between,” said James. “And we manage to somehow sneak into the Mermen's lair, locate and get the monster into the container; and get it home, and if we can do all that; what has it all got to do with what's happening up there," James pointed into the sky.
"The Swamp Monster is causing the meteors to fall; if its gone they will stop."
They were all looking at her in disbelief, buts she answered James.
"They are telepathic, and what we didn’t realize at the beginning when we first brought it here; but what we have come to suspect now, is that they are also telekinetic’s.”
All the crew had gone silent.
“It seems the Swamp Monster began using its power the day we brought it here on dust and grains. It can move something so small easily. Dust hits grains; grains nudge pebbles; they bumped into larger pebbles. Over time it has caused rocks and boulders to move: imperceptibly at first, but collision after collision can build until they could move mountains. What your seeing now the beginning; they'll be more and bigger. If we don’t stop then falling the ocean will become a cauldron of wild seas and maelstroms: a planet wide storm of such violence that will trap us below the surface; and even if there is no direct hit our cities domes are not designed to withstand the shockwave if a large meteor was to strike even close by. If we don’t get rid of the creature it will destroy our entire civilization," she looked at them pleadingly.
Listening to the woman plead Jet realized his fear of the Swamp Monsters abilities was insignificant when compared to what it could do.
"You have told your own people?" said Rosie somberly.
"Yes; and they don’t believe me."
Rosie stared at her. "Then if nobody is listening, why should we?"
Selian didn’t answer the question. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's not…” she hesitated, afraid to say what she was going to. “The Swamp Monster told me what it is going to do."
Rosie looked at the others.
“Please; I’m not crazy; I’m telling you the truth… you have to believe me.”
“Well you've got one thing right,” said Rosie. “We would not have come if you had told us… but," she looked up as several small meteors showered down. "But whatever the cause something is happening up there that wasn’t happening before, and it defies any explanation that I can come up with, so now we’re here maybe we should take a quick look."
Hovering above the ocean the entrance to the Mermens city was hidden in plain sight. A colossal whirlpool churned in the water below. It was well big enough for the Flyer, but to descend into it was nerve wracking for them all; especially after Selian pointed out that if under attack the Mermen could seal the drain of the vortex, causing it to collapse. Even fully open the smallest of misjudgments could have the Flyer touch the swirling sides and be swept into the vortex by the weight and speed of the water. Once consumed none of them had any hope of surfacing again.
Almost at the choke point an opening in the cliff face jutted out and offered sanctuary: of sorts. The cavern they followed was huge and obviously excavated out. They glided passed more turn offs; each with signs that only Selian could interpret.
Jet was concerned; they were obviously deep underground and far into the Mermens lair, but they hadn’t seen a single sign of life. Considering what they were about to attempt that was a good thing and his worries were unspoken as the spacecraft settled into an alcove. In front was a heavy steel doorway, flanked by flickering lights.
"We must stay hidden," Selian looked at Rosie. "This is an area forbidden to females; if we were found we would instantly place everyone in danger."
Jet nodded: "Where is everybody?"
"It is the celebration of the Bachanal; everybody will be wherever they have claimed as their ceremonial place."
"How many guards should we expect to meet?"
"None, it is everyone’s celebration time."
Jet was surprised. "No one is left to guard; what about security?"
"The Mermen fear no others; they are the alpha species. Guards are unnecessary: it is why I chose this very time."
Jet felt a certain amount of relief. "Then all we have to face is the Swamp Monster."
"That too will be n
o problem. It will be sedated; it will be meek and compliant. It has to be otherwise it will be impossible to coax it into the container."
Jets relief faded, it was just too easy, and he didn’t believe anything was too easy.
As Jet led Chub and James across to the door, James stepped by. “There may be no guards Jet but that doesn’t men they don’t have something guarding the door.” Jet and Chub stood back as James examined it closely. “If there is any alarm system then it’s on the other side,” he said at last.
Jet pulled down an oversized lever to the doors left. There was a faint rumble and the door slowly rolled to one side. Beyond was much the same as where they were and they strode forward. Following Selian’s instructions they found the tunnel and opened another door. In front of them, partitioning the room in two was the wall of a cage; behind was the swamp monster. Stood in the doorway their feet felt like lead; the creature was crouched down as if it was ready to pounce but it didn’t move a muscle: not even to blink an eye. It stared straight at them and slowly opened its jaw. It was to all intents as if it was taking a breath but it could equally have been salivating. Nervously they moved over to the control panel. They couldn’t read the Mermens script but there wasn’t any need; another lever was center to the panel; it was painted bright red and held down by a clip to ensue it was not accidentally knocked.
Jet looked at the others; Chub was holding his ray gun; Jet didn’t want remind him it had been useless before. James seemed less troubled and he unhooked the
Jet Black – Return to the Planet of the Merwomen #15 Page 4