by B R Flores
VICTIS GUESSED IT HAD BEEN twenty minutes since Azha and the other two departed ship. By now they were probably ready to leave Palatu. If nothing else, he’d have company flying back. What he thought was going to be a last-minute farewell became another unforeseeable crisis. Landing dead center in the courtyard, he saw a huge, purple-striped Gystfin lying face down in the dirt and Roon cut to shreds leaning against a stump. Dozens of Quizan soldiers perched in the trees were looking down at him. At least this time they weren’t throwing rocks and spears. Obviously, something happened, but whatever it was seemed to be over. From across the village he heard a mournful sound that sent chills down his spine. Roon sat up and howled, joining the eerie cries of despair. For the first time, Victis was afraid of what he’d helped create.
“Help me,” asked Roon. “Azha and Choan are in Cavern Hall howling death calls.”
Victis grabbed Roon’s arm and pulled him up. Together they made their way to Cavern Hall. Azha looked dazed, and Choan was bright purple with rage. Roon limped over to the closest ledge inside the cave and sat down to rest.
“What happened? Say something,” asked Victis.
“Myosis killed Zith,” wailed Choan.
The old bastard merged with a Gystfin and killed his only living son.”
Victis was stunned. Roon gasped and began to howl. Belton moved ever so slightly. His eyelids fluttered, and his fingers flinched. Azha scrambled to his feet and ran to his friend.
Belton moaned, “Did we save Zith?”
Azha carefully rolled Belton’s disfigured body from his side over onto his back. “No. I am sorry.”
Belton had failed to protect their young King. Life was fading and soon he would join the others he so dearly missed. “Listen, before I die.”
“You’re not going to die. I won’t let you,” Azha said trying to keep his voice from shaking.
Azha carried his friend out of the dark cave to the top of a mesa, where he gently laid him down to soak up the glorious Targus Sun.
“Rest, then I’ll listen. Fight for me. Please don’t die.” Azha felt numb as he sat down next to Belton.
“Azha now, it’s important. King Myosis and the Leaders you rescued from Kismet Ebb tried to take back the realm from Zith. The soldiers and clan united, defending Zith’s position as King. Myosis and the Leaders left the village furious, threatening us with retaliation. We believed he was just an old Quizan showing his stripes and would later calm down. They foraged the forest searching for Gystfins to merge with, without sanction. A soldier who was tracking them saw Myosis and seven Leaders fly out of the trees in silver energy and disappear into the Gystfin’s heads. The tracker returned to the village to warn us, but it didn’t matter. We didn’t have a chance. They were big and powerful, fast like you.”
Belton’s throat felt like it was on fire, but he knew what he had to say was crucial.
“Azha… Azha, Myosis killed my wife and my quieys. I watched them die horribly. Myosis killed Freya…”
His voice cracked, and he began to weep.
“He bit her head off and made my quieys watch when he sucked out her grey energy. Thing is, Myosis couldn’t absorb her energy and spit her out. That made him crazy, so he screamed at the Leaders to chew my quieys heads off slowly. They took turns throwing them back and forth, catching them with their claws. I can hear their screams, begging me to save them. I can’t live without them.”
Heartbroken, Belton closed his eyes. “There’s more. They found Atue’s quiey hiding in the back of my cave and dragged him outside. They kicked him so hard I could hear his tiny bones snapping. He tried crawling away, but Myosis stomped his head over and over into the dirt until there was nothing left.”
Azha placed his hand on Belton’s shoulder, “There was nothing you could’ve done. None of this was your fault.”
Belton opened his eyes and his voice sounded urgent, “Tell Victis I overheard them talking about Leaders on his battleship. I think the Gystfins know your plans.”
“You did good, Belton. I must leave you to tell Victis what you said. While I’m gone don’t die on me. We need you.”
As Azha flew to Cavern Hall, he couldn’t shake seeing Zith’s head being bit off. Distracted, he nearly collided with an injured soldier who was entering the cavern at the same time. Intimidated by the angry Trekachaw, the soldier squeaked when he tried to speak.
“Not now soldier,” Azha snapped.
“Belton told me Myosis has Leaders on your battleship spying on us.”
“Did he say for how long?” Azha shook his head No.
Victis touched his wrist and sent a coded message, “Vitta Belli Sotto.”
“What does that mean?” Azha asked.
“Search the ship for intruders and prepare for battle. Choan, you and Roon stay on Palatu in case they return. Azha, we’ll fly back.”
TRAITOR MYOSIS AND HIS LEADERS wasted no time between Cavern Village and Victis’ battleship to continue their rampage. Many had died and countless more were injured before the crewmen realized the mutant Gystfins had invaded the battleship. Atue, Duro, Vopar, Pax, and Vious were unaware of the attack until they heard screams for help. A crewman claimed there were huge Gystfins killing everyone in their path.
The five Trekachaws ran through corridors searching for any sign of the Gystfins. What they found was a path of mutilated bodies and bloody crewmen pointing in the direction of the bridge.
“They’re taking over the ship.”
The Trekachaws flashed into red energy and streaked through the walls onto the bridge. The flight crew had been ripped into pieces and strewn across the deck. Traitor Myosis and three Leaders froze, and their eyes were locked on the Trekachaws. It appeared as if they had rolled in the crewmen’s blood with chunks of tissue stuck to their fur. In less than a heartbeat, Vopar and Vious grabbed the nearest Leader and broke his neck. Myosis and the other two Leaders vanished through the bulkhead, escaping into space. In a flash of red energy, the five Trekachaws followed in pursuit.
VICTIS EXPEDITED THE DOCKING PROTOCOL AND was securing the shuttle inside a lower hangar. Azha had already accessed the bridge. Despite transmitting a multitude of messages, Victis’s crewmen had not answered a single transmission. At that moment, he wished he had accepted Choan’s offer to merge. Fearing the worst, he sprinted towards the bridge, terrified at what he was going to find. Red emergency lights were blinking, and alarms were blaring alerts throughout the ship. The battleship floor dropped out from beneath him and he plummeted several feet. Grabbing onto the wall hand-rail, he pulled himself up and began to run again. The battleship repeatedly pitched forward out of control, making it difficult to keep his balance. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, and he grew increasingly nauseated at the carnage he witnessed while running through the bloody corridors. His fears had come true.
On the bridge, engineers were in a panic trying to stabilize the compromised circuits and damaged navigation flight controls. Azha was shouting at the traumatized Ryquats to remove bloody appendages from the instrument and flight control panels. Blood had seeped into the circuits and was causing them to short-out and catch on fire. The battleship was out of control, spinning headlong into the Targus Sun.
Victis was able to pull himself towards the bridge by hanging onto rails and taking one step at a time. At the doorway he waited until the ship pitched forward and let go. He slid across the floor towards the console and caught himself on the edge of a cabinet. Waiting a few seconds for the floor to level, he crawled over to the main terminal display-interface. Numerous relay terminals were cracked, with exposed and disconnected circuits. Victis screamed at Azha from across the bridge to help him remove a metal door beneath the main terminal. The massive ship began to spin so fast that everything not bolted down spun in the air, creating a tornado of thick debris. Unable to cross the bridge in body form, Azha turned into energy and flew through flying objects towards Victis. The moment he morphed into body form, a metal crate crashed into his shoul
der knocking one of his hands off the cabinet he was clinging to. Before he could duck, several smaller projectiles left their sting on the side of his head. Azha dragged himself under the console desk just in time to avoid being struck by a dead crewman spinning in the air. Akio spiraled out of reach, screaming at Azha to catch him the next time he circled. His suit was bloody and in shreds, but he’d survived the Gystfin attack. Akio disappeared in the thick spinning debris and never circled Azha a second time. Together, Azha and Victis pried the metal door open and watched it rip from its hinges and spiral upward, joining the circling debris. Victis pulled out several circuit boards and reconnected numerous loose wires from the terminal. The main display interface panel lit-up and the spiraling battleship gradually stabilized into a steady vibration. Coughing from the black smoke that filled his burning lungs, Victis called out the best he could, “If you can you hear me, say something.”
An Engineer yelled back, “Over here, Captain. We’re OK. But I think most of the navigation crew are dead. We’re from operations and engineering. What were those things?”
Akio yelled from across the bridge, “Captain, one other navigation crewman made it. The Trekachaws showed up just in time, or we’d be dead.”
“Good to hear your voice, Akio. Do you need a medic?”
“Yes, both of us do.”
Victis didn’t answer the Engineer’s question. He thought it best to let things calm down. Right now, he needed to check the ships’ calibration, geomagnetic latitude, and the condition of the solar intake systems.
PAX STREAKED PAST PALATU ON his way back to the battleship. Somewhere deep in space, he remembered the ship had one physician, and that physician was him. For Atue, Duro, Vopar, and Vious, nothing in the Universe could deter them from the pursuit.
Directly ahead were the dense hostile gases of the vast Helix Nebula. If desperate enough, Traitor Myosis might find cover there to escape. Being somewhat faster, Vious and Duro sped off leaving Vopar and Atue behind in a last-ditch effort to catch the aberrant Gystfins and put an end to their bloodshed.
BACK ON THE SHIP, VICTIS was regretting the merge of his Chief Engineer and Atue. More than half of his engineers were reassigned to replace the dead bridge navigators. None of the engineers had enough experience to supervise the flight deck technicians, and the battleship was in dire need of extensive repairs. In addition, the weapon systems were at a minimum and the main terminal was fried. At best, to get the ship up to speed would take precious pivotal days. Myosis made a difficult situation into an impossible one, and the cargo ship orbiting Europa was no longer a viable option. After evaluating his limited options, Victis decided to contact the Umduls for assistance. With any luck, one of their ships would be within a couple of light years of Palatu.
… The Umduls were prominent members of the Fidus Achates Territory and close Ryquat allies. Throughout the galaxy, they had a reputation of being formidable warriors and respected spacecraft engineers. For thousands of years, the Ryquats provided avian-nautical blue prints and raw materials to the Umduls. In return, the Umduls provided the Ryquats with reliable high-tech battleships, cargo ships, transports, and shuttles.
Since there was nothing else Azha could do and the ship was stabilized for the time being, now was a good time to search for Phera and check on Belton’s recovery. Victis agreed and requested that he and Roon swap places as soon as possible. But of course, nothing was ever that simple. Victis shoved a couple of syringe pens in Azha’s hand, along with a verbal to-do list.
“Find out if Roon and Choan can understand Gystfins. If they can’t, inject them with a linguistic chip. I’m assuming theirs fell out during the merge,” said Victis.
Azha held the syringes in his hand as if they were a couple of hot potatoes.
“You know what this means, I’ll be forced to fly in body form to Palatu. It’ll take me forever to get there. Anyway, why ask me? I don’t know how to inject a linguistic chip,” replied Azha.
Exasperated Victis snatched one of the pens out of Azha’s hand then placed the tip against his forearm.
“It’s not that difficult Azha. Push down on the top just like an ink pen on Earth.”
Fair enough, it was simple. Eager to find Phera, Azha accepted the task and flew as fast he could to Palatu in body form.
IT FELT GOOD TO BE home. Belton was basking on a mesa, appearing much better, and from across the village he noticed Choan and Roon towering over a group of soldiers. Azha waved to get their attention and walked towards them.
“It’s good to be back. Belton looks much better. Have you seen Phera?”
Roon stared down at his feet, “We’ve been searching for her and Deneb ever since the Gystfins’ left. A soldier said he saw them fly into the forest during the attack.”
“So why aren’t you looking for them? They could be hurt. Damn it Roon, what’s wrong with you?”
“We have been looking, everywhere,” Roon snapped.
Azha was worried sick that Phera was dead and taking his frustrations out on Roon.
“Sorry, I’m sure you have. Has anyone searched Kismet Ebb yet?” Azha asked.
“No, I’m sorry, it’s haunted and burned.”
With Roon, a returned apology could snow ball. It was best to leave that temptation alone and get on with the chip task Victis wanted. Azha opened his hand revealing the linguistic pens.
“These things inject what’s called linguistic chips. If you can’t understand Gystfins, Victis told me to inject one into your arm. Who’s first? Stick out your arm.”
Choan stepped back, “No, I’m not sticking out my arm.”
Azha bragged, “I did it. Your Ryquat-half should remember these things. Look, mine is barely noticeable. The chip makes it possible to understand and communicate with aliens. When you merged with Bruce your chip probably fell out. Roon, you go first. Victis wants you back on the ship immediately.”
Mulling it over, the chip did seem vaguely familiar. Besides, they figured any advantage regarding the Gystfins was worth a little pain. They stretched their arms out and closed their eyes anticipating the stick.
“You can put your arms down now. Geez, what a couple of quieys,” mocked Azha.
For a fleeting moment, Roon considered disobeying the Captain’s order. He preferred to stay on Palatu. But his Ryquat-half refused to entertain insubordination. Not only was Simon the Chief Science Officer, he was devoted to the Captain and their mission. So be it, the Ryquat won. Off to the battleship he streaked without a second thought.
twelve
EARTH
IN her heart, Judy always knew Frank had a thing for Ginger. Judy’s desperate attempt to fix Ginger up with Andrew had backfired horribly. He was a huge disappointment. For Ginger, he was a good excuse to give-up dating all together. On the flip side, Frank couldn’t pass up the opportunity to follow his heart now that Ginger was a widow. For him, marriage with Judy was agonizing. It didn’t take long before Frank and Judy found themselves routinely arguing over Ginger. The bickering dragged on for months until Frank made it painfully clear that he wanted out. His betrayal confirmed Judy’s suspicions and justified her bitterness. In the end, she grew tired of being angry and agreed to a divorce. Frank gladly gave up the house, the new car, and his ten-year marriage. In return, he was free to pursue Ginger.
After a year of courtship and another year of living together, Ginger finally accepted his proposal. On the surface, their marriage appeared happy. But in truth, Ginger worked hard at pretending to be happy, especially around friends, family, and Cole Jr. If not in love, she was content, and he was an excellent father to her son.
Her precious memories of Cole were beginning to fade and there were days when she could no longer see his face in her mind. As soon as she could sneak away to the bedroom, she’d remove the second shoe box stacked on the top shelf inside the closet and open it ever so slowly to smell what was left of Cole’s scent. Inside, one of his shirts was folded neatly with the last photo taken of him. Fi
ghting back tears, she’d quietly place his photo back into the box and return her memories to the closet.
One joy in her life was watching her little boy grow into a perfect mini Cole. He had the same smile, the same walk, and his eyes were the same as the eyes she missed so much. She found herself taking solace in looking forward to special days such as birthdays, holidays, and those moments when she could accept the here and now. Today was going to be one of those days.
Waking up early, she jumped out of bed to begin the preparations for Cole Jr.’s birthday party. If everything went according to plan, the party would begin at noon. Last minute, she saw Frank helping Cole Jr. stick five, twisted, blue candles into his racecar cake. They were inseparable. Wherever Frank was you were sure to find his little shadow. One thing for certain, Frank never forgot or missed anything when it came to Cole Jr. Today was no exception. He’d make sure Cole Jr.’s birthday party was a grand-slam. The doorbell rang, and Grandma Beverly greeted the first of many little friends at the front door. For hours, the house was filled with laughter, games, giggles, and tummies full of cake. By the end of the day, sleepy eyes were ready to go home.
For some reason that night seemed especially difficult. Ginger had learned how to cleverly mask her depression from Frank. She didn’t want to hurt him. He was a devoted, kind husband who lived to please her. But no matter how much she tried to fight it, she often laid awake at night wishing Cole was next to her. At times, her pain was so devastating she’d quietly sneak out of bed and find herself yet again in front of the kitchen window. On the inside, she was angry and screaming that life had cheated her. On the outside, she sat motionless with tears streaming down her face.
thirteen
VAE VICTIS
… Ryquats despised Crozins; they considered them a vile, ugly species. Likewise, and for good reasons, that same sentiment was felt by most Galaxy inhabitants. Crozins walk upright on three-toed hooves, but often run slumped over using their forearms to gain speed. Their faces are long and narrow with a split nose that can separate. Even from a distance they were easy to recognize by an oversized skull that hung freakishly disproportioned between their shoulder blades. But despite their appearance, the Crozins were intelligent and feared as ruthless warriors.