by Ma West
“You know, Mardoxx, there is quite a bit about this place that reminds me of your species’ dome. Do you guys have two? See those plants around the river there, very similar to some in your place. Tall spires, even the humidity and temperature are similar.” Hashmore felt the detective inside coming out as flashbacks of working perps ran through his mind. “So what’s up with the other birds? Are they flying like you guys, back home? This place feels more like a city. I can see transportation, housing, commerce, and dare I say, even some farming? So what? How come your place was so old and sad feeling, and this place feels more alive, more energetic? What the hell is wrong with you? What, my prayer not good enough for you? What? Am I not proving worthy of this so-called ark?”
Mardoxx had finally had enough. “Will you just knock it off, already! Your incessantness is driving me crazy. Can’t you just sit there until we arrive? Please, let Baronious answer your questions.”
“Ah, but, buddy, you just started to answer mine. Why don’t both of you tell me so I can get a clear picture? Baronious is who?”
Mardoxx let out a sigh. “Will you just let me fly in misery? I dread visiting the Dognosis habitat, much less His Great Ass-ship, the undisputed leader of the clan.”
Hashmore felt the thrill of the case building as his excitement grew about his new surroundings as well. “So not a personal friend, got that pretty clearly. Those guys are like you, and they don’t seem to mind it here.”
Mardoxx snapped more than expected “Don’t compare me to those mindless flockers. I am nobody’s prey.”
“I have not known you long, Mardoxx, but this place obviously bothers you. Your entire demeanor has changed since you arrived.”
“I really don’t feel like a history lesson right now. Can’t you just wait patiently? We shall arrive shortly.”
“How is that fair to me?” Hashmore started to feel that zone again, making him nostalgic for the days when Big M and he would shake some perp down and catch and fish. “Here I am, searching for some truth, trying not to jump to any conclusions, but if I don’t have all the information, how am I not going to do that?”
Mardoxx’s mental sigh was quite audible as the alien adjusted his hold on Hashmore. Hashmore was now in more of sitting position, thus far the most comfortable.
Mardoxx finally spoke. “We don’t have much time before we arrive, and I will not deviate for your lesson’s sake. Many centuries ago, two species were caught in an eternal struggle of hunter and prey. Each time the prey would develop new methods of protection, the hunters would develop new ways of killing. Prey initially finds safety in numbers, communications, tactics, and tools, and in this fashion, the two species were locked in a perpetual battle of survival and a race to escape, first to the other habitats and continents, and then even to the stars. Only after separation—not only of life from nature, but prey from predator—did the two find an uneasy truce.”
“Sounds pretty intense. How are things now? I know how hard race relations have been on my world. I couldn’t imagine interspecies relations, much less having one sentient species preying on another sentient species.”
Mardoxx let out another mental sigh. “Hence the non-sentient version you see flying here. These Tilotins are the great sacrifice of my kind. You see, as we fled to the stars, a grand bargain was struck. Hoping to prevent the Dognosis from perpetually following us, each Tilotin was given a test. If they passed, they fled with the group. If they failed, they stayed and became lunch.”
“No wonder the animosity is as thick as butter. How did you both end up on the ark? How did the Tilotins wind up in charge? How did—”
Mardoxx interrupted. “Those questions are best answered by His Ass-ship, Baronious, and as we have arrived at the front door, this is where I will be leaving you.”
“But where do I go? Who do I see?”
“This is not my domain. Ask your guardian, Aragnaught. They will contact me when you are finished, and I shall return then.” Mardoxx opened his wings and took flight.
Hashmore turned, and with impressive stealth, a large dog-like creature stood over him, running his eyes up and down his body.
Hashmore stood in the center of a great plaza. A slow river curled around it, rushing off just before finishing the encirclement. Aragnaught pounded his chest in the traditional Dognosis ceremony and then stood erect. When he spoke, it thundered. “I, Aragnaught, am sworn to and gladly protect the chosen. However, this is my domain, and you will not deviate from my commands here. Understood?”
Hashmore was awestruck by the beauty of his surroundings, but his half-hearted, “Yeah, yeah,” was found to be insufficient to his guardian. Again Hashmore’s daydreaming was interrupted, by the sight of his guardian demanding a firmer answer.
Then Aragnaught began his introduction. “This is Coronation Square. Before we joined the ark, this was the launching pad for the great hunts.” The large dog-faced creature whipped its tail, cracking it with a burst of sound.
“Those ancient days of past are considered the golden age for our kind. Now we wallow in the shadow of our prey in the name of a Lord we have never met.”
Hashmore felt his brain firing as he continued on with the interrogation. “Have I not seen your covenant? Was I not in the holy place of your Lord?”
Aragnaught guffawed. “Baronious would claim that it is nothing more than a dusty piece of rock they keep in their so-called cathedral. Baronious would ask, what kind of Lord would only make a covenant for one of his children? What kind of Lord would sacrifice his most beloved for scum? No, he laughs at their petty notion of one all-powerful being. He scoffs at the belief that there is anything more than what science can understand someday. The prey, the prey is weak, always hoping for something to save them. That is why they seek out more powerful life-forms.”
Hashmore thought and started to respond, “Why do you say he,” but was interrupted by the shaking of the platform. Aragnaught grabbed Hashmore by the shoulder, placed him directly behind him, and then showed him how to walk. The two practiced for a few feet, and then they stopped to watch.
The display was quite impressive. Hundreds of Dognosis marched in unison, each one expertly wielding an electric-tipped staff. The vibrations made the ground, a hard rock-like material, bounce like a small trampoline. Column after column marched into formation in the square, each one more impressive than the last. After the troops had assembled, an unseen voice roared out a command, snapping each Dognosis into a new position of attention.
A sharply dressed Dognosis approached one edge of the center and, with the same voice as before, barked out a command, this time sending each Dognosis down to a knee, in a semi-bowing position. Unseen before, several of the Dognosis had moved, and a clear pathway now opened from one end to the other. A loud instrument blurted out in announcement, and a supremely large Dognosis slowly rose higher and higher as he neared the square and stood at its highest point. “Warriors of Atoll, welcome our undisputed leader. His Royal Ass-ship, Baronious!”
The great beast strutted casually across the square, examining others as he moved along. Behind him in a two-by-two formation were four elegantly dressed Dognosis, two males and two females, as far as Hashmore could tell. After crossing the square from the far side to near Hashmore, Baronious the beast turned around, sending the four to make a half circle in front of him. Then each held high a long stick with an elegant stone attached to it.
“To hunt is to live!” The beast bellowed. “Rise, warriors of Atoll, and let the universe tremble at our skill!”
Again the ground set about shaking as a deafening roar of the crowd burst out into cheers. Hashmore’s ears hurt despite his covering them with his hands.
“We remember the day, we remember the hour, and we remember the feeling when our prey returned from the dead.” The crowd erupted into a sorrowful howl until the leader quieted them down. “We are hunters, warriors, and protectors. We are not murderers!” Spiteful growls came in protest from the group. “When on
that day our prey could no longer be denied its place in the realm of life, we made a vow only to hunt nature’s bounty and protect the chosen.”
This time, the soldiers banged their chests in the traditional fashion and went to a knee. “This is our burden to bear, and it will be our children’s burden to bear, as well as their children’s.” The group in unison pounded their spears into the ground, making a rhythmic sound. “The sins of our forebears can never be forgotten, repaid, or undone. Yet as they harvested life to the grave, back it came with only one message.” The crowd hushed, bent down to both knees, and bowed. Baronious moved forward and turned to face the same direction as the soldiers. “You are forgiven.”
Hashmore tried to follow along as best he could, but he was awestruck by the Dognosis story and could feel his mind changing from detective mode to contemplative mode. A long, gentle hush filled the air, and echoes of nearly silent words built up slowly to a crescendo in his mind.
Baronious stood and faced the crowd. “And on that fateful day, our prey, risen from its grave, took of its flesh and said, ‘Take and eat of my brethren. They are given with forgiveness for you to nourish and support, but eat not of your brethren, for the Father loves all his children.’” The soldiers stood and pounded their staffs in unison.
Baronious raised his hands. “We are here today to receive that nourishment so that we may fulfill our directive. A directive we hold dear, a directive we hold proud.” The pounding of the staffs grew in intensity. “A directive we honor with our lives!” The soldiers in unison pounded their chests and then howled. “And till our last breaths, we hold true, we fight strong, and we defend the universe!” Another round of howling rang out.
“Warriors of Atoll. I now deem you guardians of the galaxy!” Great bursts of electric energy exploded like lightning up from the ground, an outburst of energy and emotion from the soldiers. The power of the square was palpable, and Hashmore thanked the Lord these guys weren’t going to kill him—at least he didn’t think so.
For a while, the atmosphere was so full of noise it was suffocating. Then, right as the crowd began to settle down, the sky started falling. Hundreds upon hundreds of Tilotins dropped from the sky, and the crowd of soldiers broke out into an orgy of gluttony.
Aragnaught finished off two Tilotins before ushering Hashmore down a stairwell, heading toward the river and underneath the great square. Hashmore took one last look at his surroundings and remarked on how natural the landscape looked despite the obvious infrastructure. The river flowed gracefully yet swiftly, and the green vegetation gave way to a bloom of flowers.
A strange, wonderful mix of hickory, lavender, and pine opened his nostrils and strained his memory. An odd feeling ran through Hashmore’s body, numbing his thoughts and lowering his speed of motion. Fatigue started to set in, and Hashmore now had to concentrate just to take each step.
The stairs led down to a guarded and heavily shielded door a few meters above the stream. Aragnaught completed a series of identity-confirmation processes before allowing him to pass. The guard then ordered Hashmore to come forward, yet the harder he tried to move, the more difficult it became. Aragnaught returned to escort Hashmore by the underarm, nearly carrying the entirety of his weight. They stopped for the guard to administer an eye test, but after a second of red light, Hashmore was blinded and no longer felt in control of his own body. Vague, blurry images followed, but Hashmore could make no sense of anything, as if he had lost the ability to think at all. The last thing he could identify was a second arm now holding him under the other armpit, allowing him to completely black out.
Dear Lord, what is happening? Why don’t I understand what you want from me? Dear Lord, I’m so confused and lost in this new life. Why? Why? Why do I have so little knowledge and still so few questions? Why can’t I just go home, Lord? All I want to do is crawl in bed, to feel safe, to know your comfort. I can’t do this, Lord, whatever it is you are asking of me. No, I can’t do it.
No, Lord, I won’t do it. What will you do, have a giant whale come and eat me? I think not! Will you exile me to a land of heathens? Will you strike me down in wrath? I have seen enough of your universe, Lord, to know your wrath will not come. Lest you forget, Lord, I was your bringer of wrath! No, Lord, I have seen enough of your universe to know that it will be the less fortunate who will suffer your wrath. Those who need not suffer, yet they do. Those who struggle are left without. Godless and hopeless, they suffer the worst you can give them, and yet they persist. What kind of wrath is that? Cruelty! Damn it, Lord! Why do you have to be so cruel?
How can so many suffer terrible fates, with so few opportunities? Opportunities to grow, develop, and even give. Opportunities to give, to help, to care. Why are these so damn hard, Lord? Why am I to be given this fate? Why do I have to be called to suffer this fate? Can you not just give me a dose of wrath, Lord? Punish me so that I can be relieved of my responsibilities. I cannot carry your cross. I cannot proclaim your victory. I am scared, Lord! Please just punish me so that I can move on from your assigned responsibilities. Please show me mercy, Lord! I can’t, I simply can’t do it.
My Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth, in this universe, as it is in heaven. Give me this day my daily bread. And forgive me for my transgressions. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.3
Chapter 41
March to Victory
The words were not directed at Hashmore, yet they came across very clearly. “A flower, this pathetic creature was nearly destroyed by a simple flower. Now, Great Mother, this is too much. How can we protect a species so fragile?”
A familiar and calming voice replied. “Fragility is not a matter of concern, only relevance to the situation and the future, and this species is of the utmost importance. I have no idea why the Lord has chosen this race, but that is not for me to know, only to obey.”
“WAAAAA, there you go again with that spiritual nonsense. Your religion is nothing but a runaway imagination based on ancient translation errors. If we are to risk our lives, is there not more you can give me than this malarkey?”
“Your Royal Ass-ship, the decision has been made. The results will speak for themselves. Now time is of the essence. The Wilde will arrive imminently. The empire is already invading the planet, and we are behind the ball. Now do you see the new class of Imperial spacecraft? It appears to have gone adrift, and there are now support vehicles approaching. What is your tactical assessment of this development?”
Hashmore tilted his head and found himself in a large command center. Story-high display screens towered overhead, and consoles were scattered about like desks in a classroom. He was currently in a far corner, and as he tipped his head, he saw a Dognosis in strange apparel interacting with a screen while he sat in a chair.
The conversation between Baronious and the Great Mother was being broadcast on the largest of the screens, and the conversation must have been piped throughout the room. “At first glance, I would say that the empire’s new toy has broken down, but as I examine the approaching support craft, I am pondering another scenario.” An image of an alien craft now appeared on the other large monitors. “That is a troop transport craft. Highly suspicious that they would divert that many soldiers away from a planetary invasion and their assault on the human habitat.” Baronious paused as he stared in deep concentration. “Perhaps, Great Mother, they have lost control of their new ship and are now engaging in recovery operations.”
A noticeable smile overcame the Great Mother. “Your Royal Ass-ship, that is a most exciting prospect, and I believe we should pursue it. Has the human recovered enough to join the decision-making process?”
Immediately the strangely clad Dognosis was above Hashmore, lifting him up like a sleeping doll and placing him upright next to Baronious. Not a moment had passed for Hashmore to clear away any cobwebs, nor allow fear to resurface, when
he was faced with two imposing aliens looking at him for the answer to an unasked question.
Hashmore shook his head and blinked as the two aliens continued to stare.
“Perhaps this creature’s brainpower only matches its physical powers. Then we are surely doomed.”
“Then we are doomed together. I declare the human unfit for decision-making duties, Your Royal Ass-ship. Under my authority, I ask you to attack and claim that disabled Imperial starship. I also ask you to send a small detachment to assist the humans in their habitat as they fight for their lives.”
The mighty beast Baronious pounded his chest in the traditional fashion and then ended the transmission to Great Mother. He manipulated the controls, and an image of a Dognosis now replaced that of the Great Mother. The Dognosis stood at a position of attention and remained motionless despite the Tilotin blood dripping down from above his eye. Baronious spoke without much formality. “Archimius, you and your squad, get down here, orders.” The Dognosis began the chest pound, but the image transferred to the square, where it appeared the gluttony had wound down. Baronious howled loudly, bringing in a chorus from every Dognosis assembled.
Baronious turned, picked up Hashmore like a cat with its own kitten, and placed Hashmore beside him. “Now, my pathetic friend, you shall feel the power and glory of those of us who use our power for righteousness.”
Baronious walked to the center of the room, his image being recast above on the ceiling, and called for an electric attack stick. He flung the stick high into the air like a baton and then unleashed an impressive display of showmanship and skill as he wielded the object with great precision. Last, he slammed the electric tip down onto the floor, sending a forceful charge through Hashmore’s body, raising the hair on his arms, legs, and neck.