by B R Flores
By the time Phera had docked, the Ukaru was sitting up on his own. Still groggy, he was rubbing his eyes and complaining that his head was throbbing. He looked out the port window to get his bearings.
“You tricked me. I would have rather died than this,” he said glaring at her.
“Forgive me Crozin for not having sympathy for you,” Phera replied dryly.
Victis was waiting outside the shuttle with Azha and Pify. As the door opened, she could hear Pify asking Victis to give his word not to kill the Ukaru. Whether Victis heard what Pify asked was anyone’s guess. He must have, because he allowed the Ukaru to walk past them. Victis followed them to a fortified holding cell near the bridge. No sooner had the door slammed shut, then Pify was summoned to the bridge for an urgent message from Vexy. The Ukaru would have to wait for now. Victis, Azha, and Pify ran to the bridge. Azha took a few steps and stopped, then looked back at Phera standing outside the cell. When she was late getting back, he was panic-stricken. Phera’s stripes were pale and her hands were trembling.
“Phera, the last thing I want is to disrespect Pify or make you uncomfortable. Just know, if there’s anything you ever need, I’m here for you. And don’t do such crazy things anymore, Okay?” Azha pleaded.
“Okay, I’ll try not to. I feel the same way about you. Let’s get out of here and find out what’s so important. Thank you for being understanding,” smiled Phera.
“You are welcome.”
PIFY AND VICTIS COULD SEE images of Vexy running alongside Ryquats screaming for her to move and take cover. Sounds of crashing debris muffled her cries, and clouds of dust and ashes filled the screen. Vexy spoke fast and she was out of breath. “Victis, can you hear me?”
“Affirmative,” Victis yelled.
“The Chancellor Towers are being incinerated on Zaurak. Most of the battleships protecting our airspace are destroyed. We are at the mercy of the Gors and Crozins. They’ve landed and are harvesting us for food, and taking younger women for slaves. We’re trying to find a way to the underground shuttle bay. My Special Ops. assigned to me is still alive. Rohan thinks he knows another way that will bypass the Gors. Please send help now. If I make it to the shuttle, mark coordinates 2-14. Victis, it’s in the asteroid belt. We’ll hide there. I have a spy on Smyth’s ship. Last transmission intercepted inferred that a Trekachaw has been captured. A Gystfin called Myosis is…” The transmission was lost, and the screen went black.
A BLAST OF HOT AIR slammed Vexy to the ground. The air was thick with smoke, making it impossible to breathe. She could hear Rohan calling her name. If she were to die, let it be now and not by the Gors ripping her to shreds. Everything went dark.
“Vexy, can you hear me?”
She could hear Rohan and knew he was running with her in his arms. Was he bleeding, or was it her? He stopped and laid her down to shoot behind them.
“Vexy, can you hear me? Wake up,” Rohan’s voice sounded desperate.
She felt him wiping her face and picking her up again. “Rohan I’m…” the pain was excruciating. Rohan stumbled, and they crashed to the ground. She watched Rohan scramble to his feet while firing his Neco behind him. Sounds of Gors were echoing off the walls. The scrapping of their claws on the pavement was unmistakable.
“Vexy get up, move!” his voice was strained.
She crawled onto her hands and knees. Rohan grabbed her around the waist and stood her up.
“Run Vexy, there’s too many of them.”
She could see enough to know they were in a familiar, underground garage. She must have fainted again, Rohan had carried her for over a mile. His face was blackened with smoke and he was limping badly. His clothes were soaked with blood down one side of his body, and he was breathing heavily.
“Rohan, I’m sorry I couldn’t run,” she cried.
“The shuttle’s on top of this building. Can you walk on your own? I don’t see any more Gors behind us.”
Rohan leaned Vexy against the wall and took a few steps forward.
“I don’t see any Gors ahead of us. We’ll have to go above ground to get to the shuttles. Ops hid them in case of an emergency. The Gors won’t know about them,” he whispered looking back again.
Her legs felt weak. She used the wall to steady herself to step over the half-eaten bodies lying across the steps and the landings.
“The smoke should give us cover. When we get to the top if I tell you to drop, get down and act dead. The Gors prefer to eat Ryquats when they’re alive.”
Twice they laid on the stairs listening to hordes of Gors running past them. On one of the landings, a double door had been propped open to a lobby. She opened her eyes and watched in horror as a group of Crozins lined up at least twenty young girls to inspect them. A Crozin walked to the end of the line and sniffed a girl up and down. For some reason, she did not pass the test. Two other Crozins picked her up and tossed her into a metal container used to store food. When full, the container would be shot into space where everyone inside would die of suffocation and freeze for later consumption. The next girl he sniffed passed the test. What he did next was unconscionable. The same two Crozins began ripping her clothes off her body. Another Crozin dragged the girl out of Vexy’s line of sight. The other girls in line were crying and holding hands waiting for their turn. Vexy played dead and watched one girl after the other learn her fate.
The last two girls were sisters. The older girl refused to let go of her younger sister’s hand. A Ruk Crozin grabbed the older sister by her hair and threw her down on the floor. The younger sister was screaming hysterically and begging the Ruk to stop all the while being forced to watch the entire, brutal assault. After raping the older sister, he cut her throat and walked away. Vexy laid perfectly still. Their cries for mercy and the gruesome images would forever haunt her.
Rohan reached out for Vexy’s hand. “We couldn’t save them. When I squeeze your hand, we’ll move again.”
Vexy turned her head to face him and blinked her wet eyes.
Falling buildings crashed all around them, making it difficult for her to hear Rohan. One thing was certain, it was time to move. He was squeezing her hand. She had regained some strength and was able to run slowly. Rohan pulled her along with one hand and in the other he had his Neco weapon ready to fire. So much blood was running down Rohan’s leg, she was afraid he’d pass out. Sunlight filtered through black smoke and dust as they climbed the stairs to the next landing.
Gors and Crozins were everywhere in the building. They were too busy eating babies and young children to care about Vexy and Rohan. Vexy saw several bodies fall from the floors above and glanced over the edge of the rail. On the ground, hordes of Gors were packing broken bodies into the food containers. On the next floor, fathers and mothers were fighting the Crozins in a last-ditch effort to protect their children. Vexy stopped looking and concentrated on the ground and the wall adjacent to where she was running. Rohan grabbed her around the waist to help her up the last set of stairs. Rohan opened a large steel door and they ran through it into darkness. She didn’t realize her ears were ringing until there was silence. Rohan leaned his back against the wall and slid down, holding his leg. He pushed on a gaping wound trying to stop the bleeding. Even in the dark she could see the concern on his face. Vexy removed her blouse and tore off one of the sleeves.
“Lift up your leg a little so I can wrap it. It’ll help slow down the bleeding.”
She tore off the other sleeve and wrapped a second bandage over the first. She picked up her tattered blouse and redressed herself. Her hands were shaking out of control, making it impossible to fasten the buttons. Rohan pushed against the wall and stood up.
“Here let me help you with your blouse. We gotta go. The shuttles are in a bay at the end of the hall.”
Vexy’s heart was pounding so hard as they ran in the dark; she wondered if Rohan could hear it. He opened another door into a lit hanger. They made it; four shuttles were unscathed waiting to save them from certain death. They
moved quickly to the first shuttle and boarded as quietly as possible. Rohan groaned when he sat down in the navigation seat. He adjusted his hurt leg, then rotated the chair to engage the systems. The shuttle was equipped with a minimal defense system against small arms. With any luck, there were no battleships directly above them.
The moment the hanger doors opened, Gors and Crozins fired a barrage of Neco lasers at their shuttle. Rohan mowed them down with the shuttle on his way out. Looking down on the city, Vexy saw the devastation. The Counsel Towers were gone. A hole in the ground was the only evidence they were ever there. Buildings were on fire and containers holding Ryquats were stacked in endless rows waiting for transport. She prayed for those on Zaurak, and then she prayed for herself that Victis could save her and Rohan in the asteroid belt.
VICTIS SCREAMED, “Get her back, get her back now.”
Panicked crewmen waved their hands over controls and reset emergency keys. Zaurak was off the grid. Phera and Azha walked onto the bridge as the screen reset, revealing clusters of stars in space. No one moved, and no one spoke. The crew was in shock, fixated on the screen that had unveiled the horrors on Zaurak.
Pify shouted, “Victis, Vexy tough survive. Contact Kiki’s, imperative.”
“Captain Pify, I have Captain Smyth on com requesting to speak with you,” advised Akio.
“Open com,” shouted Victis.
Smyth came into view on the screen sitting next to a Crozin. “Do you have Ukaru Narthex aboard your ship?”
“Smyth know Narthex? Indeed, a Ukaru. Quid-pro-quo, Choan?” Pify asked.
“Yes. Return Narthex, or I’ll kill Choan,” demanded Smyth.
“Threats empty, Narthex alive. Kill Choan? Narthex, Choan fate same,” Pify warned.
Pify gave hand signals to his crewmen to send five Umdul Battleships to surround Smyth’s and the Crozin ship. Smyth’s expression changed, “Call your ships back or I’ll kill him now.”
“Kill Choan, kill yourself. Umdul ships faster, escape not. Think, options Umdul bad to test.”
Pify cut the transmission to speak with the Mikado of the Kikis.
“Ah, good Umduls join, Thude Kiki Pashas. Zaurak infested Crozins and Gors ugly it is,” said Pify.
“Glad to see your still in one piece, old friend. I don’t get out much since elevated to Mikado status. Wouldn’t mind joining you one last time. We have four hundred battleships and Zaurak is in monitor view. My Pasha’s are the best in the fleet. Better hurry or we’ll conquer the nasty pests without you. No… I take back what I said, there are thousands of Gor and Crozin battleships,” said Thude worried.
“Kiki pause, together fight,” said Pify.
“We may not have that luxury…” The transmission ended.
Pify jumped down from his chair, “Trekachaws convene battleships. Five Umdul ships beleaguer Smyth and Crozin battleship. Escape attempt, destroy. Add five, Umdul birds sixty-one, two, three, four, five, shield Palatu. Align formation, hikari Zaurak engage.”
White laser strikes, and beams of blue, lighting bolts flashed across the dark space above Zaurak.
The war had begun…
THE END
The saga continues…
TREKACHAW
The
CROZIN WAR
Trekachaw Glossary
Earth, our home. Not long-ago, astronomers believed she was flat and that the stars circled around us. We are far from those dark ages. But understanding and exploring vast space with all its wonders and secrets is a journey yet to unfold. Now is the apex of an evolution. The next generation of seekers who dare to take chances. Those who dream of what could be and are willing to explore the impossible. This is the story of a man who sacrificed his soul to another willing to risk everything. New worlds and those who have been protecting us will be revealed. This is a journey into our past and future. We are not alone.
QUIZAN SPECIES:
Quizans are one of the original two-hundred and forty-three species to occupy the fifty-eight documented universes within the Vastuscaelus. They explored the universes millions of years before Ryquats or Humans were capable of building fires. Originally, Quizans were indigenous to a planet called Pala located within another universe. Billions of years ago, Quizans were not as physically evolved. Like Humans, they required food, water, and shelter. They were an advanced, compassionate species who engineered spaceships to rescue endangered life on compromised planets.
Planet Pala orbited a pair of White Dwarf Suns, providing the perfect environment for the Quizans. Tragically, a sudden shift in gravity pulled the two suns together, triggering the birth of a Supernova. Disintegration of the planet was imminent, allowing very little time for the Quizans to escape. Eventually, the ships rendezvoused in search of a new habitable planet. Perseverance prevailed. A new planet was discovered, providing the Quizans a new beginning. Our ancestors named this planet “Palaone.” Today, Palaone is called Earth, your Earth.
Due to an Ice Age on Earth, the Quizan’s were forced to search for another habitable planet. During the Quizans’ long trek, a Quizan bio-chemist and a physician continued to work on a theory discovered while on Palaone. They perfected a process to bind, or merging, using an extinct Phosphorus-Urodela Amphibian’s DNA and a Quizan’s DNA. These flying colorful amphibians we called Phobias could change their body stripes into brilliant colors and absorb the sun’s energy for nutrition. The merge was instant, and the results were amazing, making it possible to leave their ships and absorb solar energy. Without these advantages, the Quizans would never have survived the long brutal journey to the new world, Palatu, and the ability to create the Trekachaw.
Planet:
Palatu.
Sun:
Targus.
Life span:
300 years.
King/Leader:
Rulers of Palatu.
Fathers/Mothers:
Papay/Manany.
Marriage:
Owari Bond.
Quiey:
Quizan babies or children.
Ayak:
Palatu bird.
Grut:
Rat-like creature.
House:
Caverns at Cavern Village.
Cupola Pod/Odeum Pod at Kismet Ebb.
Bodo:
Gas bubbles released from the bottom of Quizans’ feet when they absorb to much energy.
Vox Populi:
Unanimous Vote.
Ola:
Three feet.
Pavo:
One hundred.
Aeon Devotio:
Life after death/Grey-Death Energy (Latin).
Atmosphere:
Combination of Carbon dioxide/Sulfur dioxide/Carbon Monoxide/Helium/H20.
Phosphorus-Urodela:
Extinct Earth lizard DNA used for creation of Quizan hybrid.
Sopatree:
Palatu tree.
Jacko tree:
Palatu tree.
Villages
Cavern Village, Kismet Ebb Village, Silwat Village
QUIZANS
Zith:
Palatu prince. Son of Myosis.
Rodia:
Azha’s Quizan Wife. From Cavern Village.
Quizan/Ryquat Merges
Zygo/Victis:
Ryquat Battleship Captain.
He merged with Zygo from Cavern Village.
Phera/Tara
Azha’s first love. From Kismet Ebb.
She merged with Special Ops. Tara.
Roon/Simon:
Friend of Azha. From Kismet Ebb.
He merged with Science Ofc. Simon.
Atue/Einstein:
Friend of Azha. From Kismet Ebb.
He merged with Engineering Ofc. Einstein.
Pax/Jacet:
Saved by Victis. From Kismet Ebb.
He merged with Battleships’ M.D. Jacet.
Choan/Bruce:
From Silwat Village.
He merged with Sgt. of Special Ops Bruce
Vopar/Eri
c:
From Cavern Village. Brother to Vious.
He merged with Special Ops. Eric.
Vious/Dillon:
From Cavern Village. Brother to Vopar.
He merged with Special Ops. Dillon.
Duro/Washington:
From Silwat Village.
He merged with Special Ops. Washington.
Belton/Larry:
Friend of Azha from Cavern Village.
He merged with Special Ops. Larry.
Deneb/Darcy:
From Cavern Village.
She merged with Special Ops. Darcy.
Quizan/Human Merges
Azha/Cole:
Azha traveled to Earth.
First Trekachaw hybrid with a Human.
Quetzal/Ginger:
Cole’s human wife Ginger merged with Quetzal.
Renamed themselves, Ginzal.
Zeta/Beverly:
Cole’s Human mother (Beverly) merged with Zeta.
Human Duroc:
Veteran from earth/Quizan merge.
Human parents were pig farmers.
Human Ajax:
Veteran from earth/Quizan merge.
Human parents were computer specialist from California.
Human Clyde:
Veteran from Earth/Quizan merge.
Human Nikki:
Veteran from Earth/Quizan merge.
Human Cody:
Veteran from Earth/Quizan merge.
Human Takeda:
Veteran from Earth/Quizan merge.