Trekachaw

by B R Flores

  Pax jumped in, “Perfect, I can ask the Quizans and I know of at least fifty crewmen who’d volunteer.”

  Questioning his decision, Victis walked away muttering, “Meet me in the in main lounge after you have the volunteers. This had better work.”

  Azha and Pax flashed into energy, opting for a short cut through the walls into the guest quarters. When they morphed back into body form, Pax posed to show off his new physique to inspire volunteers.

  “There’s Ryquats agog to become a Trekachaw like me. Who’s ready?”

  Roon raised his hand, “What’s agog?”

  Azha was just as baffled and waiting for an explanation along with the other Quizans.

  “Agog? You don’t know what it means? It’s a common word. You know, ready and willing. Being enthusiastic about something.”

  After a meeting of the minds, Roon, Choan, Duro, Atue, Vopar, and Vious agreed to the merge if they got to choose their Ryquat and that agog was not a common word. Azha instructed Pax to wait a couple of minutes before escorting the Quizans to the lounge. In the meantime, he’d brief the Ryquats and have them ready for selection.

  To speed things up, Victis announced ship-wide that all personnel interested in becoming a Trekachaw should respond immediately to the main lounge. Pax must have impressed the crew. It seemed as if everyone on board had tried to squeeze into the lounge. With the merges good to go, Azha flew in and morphed into body form, giving Victis a thumbs-up.

  Victis cleared his throat, “To begin, don’t ask any questions until I’m finished. It is imperative that you do exactly as I instruct. When the Quizans enter the lounge, stand perfectly still and don’t say anything. If you’re selected, a Quizan will float over your head. Once they’ve made their choice, everyone else leave the lounge quietly. Are my instructions clear?”

  A crewman shouted, “Captain, I heard Trekachaws can live five hundred years. Which sounds great to me, but I’ve also heard that Trekachaws are sterile?”

  Irritated by the crewman’s narcissism, Victis had second thoughts about continuing the merges.

  “Crewman, leave the room. You’re excused from the process. For the rest of you, pay close attention. If you merge, you will no longer exist as an individual. You will become a new species with memories from both past lives. Trekachaws can live to be five hundred years old and yes, your method of sex will completely change. I’ve heard their way is better. You will be the birth of a new species capable of doing unimaginable things. Look at what Azha and Pax can do. This is a rare opportunity if you choose to embrace it. We need to evolve if we’re going to win the war. If you have any doubts there’s the door, excuse yourself now.”

  More than half the crewmen quietly worked their way through the remaining crowd and exited the lounge. Azha had lost interest in the controversy and was focused on a group of female crewmen standing near the back of the room. When he motioned for them to come forward, Victis gave a subtle jab with his elbow and a ‘what’s up look?’ Azha leaned over, “May I select one of them to merge with Phera?”

  Overhearing the not-so-subtle request, they unanimously vowed their commitment to merge. Victis rolled his eyes and smirked.

  And so, it began, with six white lights drifting through the wall. They swarmed in sparkling circles searching above the Ryquat’s heads until they found their host. One lone light flickered above Victis’s head awaiting his transformation. Victis gazed up at the sparkling light, wishing he could accept the Quizans offer to become a powerful Trekachaw. Taking every ounce of self-control, he resisted temptation.

  “I am deeply honored by your gracious invitation, although I must decline. If I were to accept your offer, the Ryquat Counsel would rescind my position as Ship Commander. Perhaps someday I can join with another. Unfortunately, not with you today.”

  The light flickered red and circled above many heads before selecting another Ryquat.

  Disappointed crewmen trudged out of the lounge, protesting in a low grumble about the unfair selection process. Victis demanded silence, warning them of insubordination. Watching the drama play out, Azha laughed to himself at how much they reminded him of Humans. He waited until Victis closed the door after the last malcontent exited the lounge.

  “Shall we begin? When I point at you, tell me your name and ship assignment. You go first,” said Azha.

  “My name is Einstein, Chief Engineer.”

  “Victis, is this merge acceptable?”

  “Affirmative.” Victis gave a subtle nod.

  “Einstein, the Quizan floating above you is called Atue. Do you truly understand what you’re about to do?”

  Sweat dripped down the side of Einstein’s face and he bit his lip before looking up at the sparkling light.

  “Amen… I’m ready.”

  Atue sparkled from white into pure silver energy as he ascended into the top of the Ryquat’s head. Einstein felt the alien’s energy all around him and stiffened to keep himself from running. Unable to get enough air, his breathing became fast and labored until he took his last breath and fear was all that remained. The silver light disappeared into the top of Einstein’s head, as life faded from his eyes and his rigid body turned into silver glitter consuming his flesh. Shining brighter and brighter he radiated into lightning bolts, forcing those watching to look away or close their burning eyes.

  The silver light faded into the darkness revealing the miracle lying upon floor. Neither Atue or Einstein existed any longer. Joined as one, they awoke to begin their life as a mighty Trekachaw. Mesmerized by what they had witnessed, a profound peace of mind embraced the beholders. Azha recognized the confusion on the new Trekachaw’s face and sat on the floor next to him.

  “Do you know what happened?” Azha asked.

  “No.” Atue rubbed his eyes and then struggled to sit up. “Just a little dizzy, give me a minute.”

  He grabbed a nearby chair by its leg and dragged it to his side. As Atue pulled himself up to sit in the chair, he pushed Azha’s hand away making it clear that he wanted to stand on his own accord. Within a couple of minutes, he had regained full function of his body and mind. Witnessing his recovery was incredible. The new Trekachaw smiled and stretched out his long arms, “I feel invincible.”

  Simon threw his hands up into the air and yelled, “Over here, I’m next in line.”

  Azha wasted no time, “Tell me about yourself.”

  “My name is Simon and I’m the Science Officer.”

  “Simon, the Quizan that chose you is called Roon. The rest of you listen up. Time grows short, so I want the remaining introductions completed before anyone else merges. Once that’s out of the way, you’ll all merge at the same time. Agreed?”

  The Quizans flickered and the crewmen consented with a ‘Roger that’. Next in line… Ryquat Washington assigned to Galaxy Security Ops. His merge with Duro, approved.

  Eric volunteered, “I’m also G.S.O.”

  Victis gave a yes nod, approving Vopar’s merge.

  Dillon shouted-out, “G.S.O.”

  Azha glanced over at Victis who was already nodding his head in approval.

  Until now, the introductions had gone off without a hitch, however the next one could be a quandary for the Ryquat.

  “Dillon… the Quizan that selected you is called Vious. You need to know that he’s unable to walk from a Gystfin attack. With that said, if you change your mind, I’ll understand.”

  Dillon looked up at the sparkling light, “Could our merge give Vious a chance to walk again?”

  “I don’t know,” Azha responded honestly. “But you must be sure about this, not only for yourself, but for his sake, too.”

  Dillon smiled, “It was just a question. If we can’t walk, then we’ll fly. Let’s do this.”

  Last, but not least, there was Bruce, Sergeant of the Galaxy Security Operations Unit. Years ago, upon Victis’s promotion to the elite status of Commander, he’d handpicked Bruce. There was no question about this merge; Bruce would stay loyal to him an
d the mission. Before continuing, Azha felt compelled to ask Victis about his decision to decline Choan’s offer.

  “Are you absolutely positive that you don’t want to merge? This might be your only chance, and you were his first choice.”

  Victis could not hide his disappointment, “Azha I can’t. As much as I would like to, I can’t.”

  “Okay, but I think you’re making a mistake. If you’re sure, we need to leave. We’ll be blinded by all the merges.”

  “I’m sure, let’s go,” replied Victis.

  Azha nudged Victis towards the door. They exited the lounge and shouted at the crewmen standing in the corridor to evacuate the area. The battleship exploded into silver, creating a blast of light so bright the Quizans and Gystfins on Palatu could see her shine in space.

  Far sooner than expected, the lounge door swung open and five magnificent Trekachaws stepped out into the corridor. They were beautiful and intimidating, with sleek muscular bodies adorned with bold colorful stripes. Envious crewmen in the hallway pressed themselves against the walls to allow a wide berth for the towering aliens to pass. All eyes were fixed, and heads turned as they walked to the end of the corridor to where Victis and Azha awaited. As a sign of respect, Choan knelt before Victis.

  “Stand up Bruce, I’m not a King and you are not a Quizan,” ordered Victis.

  Azha noticed that Vious was missing, “Choan get up, where’s Vious?”

  The expression on Choan’s face said it all, but he needed to hear it. “Answer my question.”

  “Vious did not recover. He asked to be alone,” replied Choan.

  “And so, you just left him? What do you mean, he didn’t recover?”

  Azha sprinted down the corridor towards the lounge.

  The door was locked, and the window blinds were closed, making it impossible to see in. Azha banged on the door fearing the worst. “Vious unlock the door, or I’ll fly in.”

  From within, a dismal voice replied. “Wait, give me a minute.”

  Azha heard Vious dragging himself across the floor and the doorknob being unlocked. After a few moments, Azha heard him scooting away from the door. Then there was silence. It seemed like a life-time before Vious spoke again.

  “You can come in now. Lock the door behind you, I don’t want anyone else in here.”

  Azha cracked the door open and peeked inside, dreading what he was about to see.

  Vious was sitting on the floor punching both his legs over and over with his fists.

  “I can feel them tingling when I do this.”

  “Stop hitting yourself. Have you tried to walk yet?” Azha asked.

  Vious winced, admitting he had not because he was afraid to fall. Azha bent down and wrapped his arms around Vious’s chest to lift him off the floor into a chair.

  “You’ll be fine, it’s just going to take you a little longer.”

  They talked for a while about how strange it felt to be a Trekachaw, but mostly it gave Vious a chance to recover. Not asking for permission, Azha pulled Vious out of the chair, forcing him to stand. At first, he was shocked, then irritated, and then came a big smile that swept across his face. Vious caught his balance and steadied himself on Azha’s arm. He was standing on his own for the first time in a nearly a decade. Excited to test his new legs, he asked Azha to let go of him. One baby step in front of the other he eased across the lounge to the other side. The young Trekachaw worked his way around the lounge until he no longer stumbled.

  “Look at me Azha, can you believe it? Look at what a Ryquat did for me,” he smiled.

  Vious walked over to the door and paused, ‘Thank you Dillon, I can never repay you.’

  Ready to begin his new life, Vious unlocked the door.

  eleven

  EX TEMPORE

  “THEY SAY… FOR EVERY BEGINNING, THERE’S AN END.”

  IT was difficult for Azha to explain, even to himself, but now that he wasn’t the only Trekachaw, he felt an enormous burden had been lifted. With less than an hour remaining, he asked Roon, Choan, and Victis to join him in a quick trip to Palatu. Even though Victis wanted to join them, he opted to rendezvous after briefing the officers and crew personnel.

  Flying alongside his kindred Trekachaws, Azha felt empowered, for they were his equals and worthy of his sacrifice. It was a shame that Victis missed their first trip to Palatu; he should have been with them. Within seconds, Cavern Village was visible beneath them, revealing carnage and pandemonium. Quizan soldiers were chucking rocks and throwing spears at three hideous Gystfins moving incredibly fast. The Beasts were like Gystfins yet different, unusually large with well-defined bold purple stripes across their backs. Wishing there was more time to prepare Roon and Choan, Azha gave them some last-minute advice.

  “You have the strength to easily kill a Gystfin. Do not hesitate and show no mercy, for they won’t.”

  Azha roared, trumpeting their attack, and the three dove into the center of the melee. Roon had no Ryquat combat training and was hesitant despite Azha’s warning; that cost him. A Gystfin slammed him into a tree, burying his fangs deep into his arm. On the contrary, Choan was swift and landed on top of a Gystfin’s head, knocking him flat to the ground. He showed no hesitation or mercy for the vile Beast. Trying to free himself, the Gystfin flipped over screeching in pain and stood up with Choan coiled around his head. The crazed Beast ran across the courtyard ramming his head full force into a boulder. Choan flashed into energy and watched as the Gystfin fell to ground then scramble to his feet as if he didn’t feel anything. Choan morphed back into body form, coiled around the Gystfin’s head, and jammed his thumbs into its black eyes.

  Azha threw a rock at the Gystfin holding Roon to distract him and then snatched a spear off the ground. As Azha ran towards Choan, he knew his choice could cost Roon his life. Before the Beast could free himself of Choan, Azha stabbed him in the chest, pushing the shaft downward until the spear penetrated out its lower back. A normal Gystfin should’ve died, but this one continued to fight.

  Showing no signs of slowing down, the Gystfin curled into a bizarre ball and reached over its shoulder to grab Choan. Azha yanked the spear out and stabbed the Beast relentlessly, over and over as fast as he could. Shrieking in pain, the Gystfin shuddered and slumped to his knees.

  Roon screamed for help. Azha and Choan glanced away for an instant and when they looked back, the Gystfin was gone. They caught a glimpse of his red-light streaking into the forest.

  The largest Gystfin had Roon’s arms pinned back, while another had its fangs buried deep in Roon’s upper thigh. Realizing that he was going to die, Roon began to fight back. Unable to move his arms, he wrapped his legs around the Gystfin’s head and squeezed with all his might. The Beast growled, spitting frothy blood and clamped down even harder. When Roon cried out in pain, the Gystfin went into a frenzy shaking his head to rip Roon’s thigh into shreds. Choan flashed purple and slammed into the Gystfin holding Roon’s arms, sending them both tumbling across the dusty courtyard. The Beast screeched and clawed the ground in a feeble attempt to free himself from the Trekachaw’s grip. Perhaps this aberrant Beast was not capable of turning into energy like the other one, or fear clouded his mind causing him to forget. Either way, the unmistakable loud snap was heard when Choan yanked the Beast’s head backwards and stomped on his lower spine. Its black bulgy eyes rolled upwards to solid white and its muscles convulsed as it flopped on the ground thrashing back and forth in the red dirt until his body wrapped freakishly around the base of a tree.

  Azha thought he had choked the life out of the third Gystfin, but the Beast flashed into pure energy and disappeared into the forest. Shocked by what happened, they looked at each other in silence. If they hadn’t seen them with their own eyes, they would have never believed it… Gystfins freakishly strong and capable of turning into energy.

  Roon survived the attack. He was riddled with deep puncture wounds and slashes from the Gystfin’s razor-sharp claws. As a Quizan his training consisted of rocks and
spears, whereas his Ryquat-half was a science officer. Being forced to fight left his spirit as shredded as his body. Nonetheless, the tough new Trekachaw was determined get up and walk. One step and his leg collapsed beneath him and the world grew dark. When he awoke, Azha was yelling at him to stay down and Quizan soldiers were dropping from the trees screaming frantically for Azha to help Belton and Zith. They were last seen running into Cavern Hall along with several soldiers who were fighting an enormous Gystfin. Choan and Azha streaked into the cavern and almost morphed on top of a mutilated body sprawled across the floor. Azha looked twice before he recognized the body to be Belton. Above, countless spirits of grey-death energy circled the ceiling, giving testimony to brave soldiers who had died trying to protect their young King.

  Lurking in the shadows of the cavern a grotesque, mutant Gystfin grunted to get their attention. He stepped out from the shadows and tightened his grip on Zith’s neck to prevent him from speaking. Azha moved forward and the Beast violently shook the small body as if he were a rag doll. Azha stepped back slowly shifting his eyes towards Choan, “Stay here, I’ll circle around behind him.”

  Slow and steady Azha circled the Beast, keeping enough distance between them not to provoke an attack on Zith, yet close enough to distract him.

  The Gystfin snarled displaying fangs and hissed, “See what you have done. I am King Myosis.”

  Azha froze in disbelief. Then the unthinkable happened. Myosis shoved his son’s head into his drooling mouth and bit down severing his head, then flung what was left of Zith’s body across the cavern.

  Choan and Azha streaked towards Myosis, but they were too late. The monster spit out Zith’s head and disappeared through the rock wall. The noble, young King’s grey-death energy rose from his body and floated over to his severed head. Azha fell to his knees and cried out that he was sorry. Zith slowly circled him to show a final act of loyalty and then faded away forever.