“Very well. Please remember to check— as you— ’part this— ’tion—”
Communications were breaking up: “No, I won’t forget to report in.” He now began to enter the very boundaries of Earth. As he approached the surface he saw the devastation that was brought to bear upon the planet’s face by the hand of man. Both of the earth’s polar regions had melted complete, catastrophically bringing the level of the oceans way up and over the coastal plains of all land masses, and in some cases, entire colonies of islands had vanished from view.
The monastery soon came into sight and the rippling heat wave paved the way for a magnificent mirage to take full effect. An entire lake seemed to pool itself around and half way up the walls of the historic building. He brought the craft in to land a short distance from the great doors so as not to expose his skin to the suns natural radiation for any great lapse of time.
He sweat heavily as he paced the hallway unopposed, towards the room where the monk would more than likely be. He opened the doors without knocking. The room was very dark – the usual flickering of candles were no more than a mass of wax that had hardened in contrast to stalactites. Humped in the chair to his front he saw the monk. “Doug McIlwraith. How are you?”
“Fine. Thank you.” ‘He seems different.’ Doug approached; refraining from paying the normal compliment of a slow walk and bowed head; he was here to take the monk by force if necessary.
“And to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Just passing, thought I’d drop in.”
“Is that so?”
Doug edged closer. “Tell me, how are things going with your work?”
“You came all of this way just to ask me that?”
“Not really, you know that.”
“Yes, I do. To answer your question, my work is done. I completed it three days ago. Quite remarkable how you happened in here just on my finishing the work. As though you knew.”
“It’s quite hot outside. Do you mind if I sit?”
“Not at all.”
Doug sat on the step to the throne, half turned, and looked at the monk, his eyes alive with zest. “Quite a coincidence, I assure you.” Or was it?
“Coincidences are for the faint hearted. You should know that.”
Doug paused for a second before continuing. “Do the Scrolls hold what you hoped for?”
“Indeed they do, and much more.”
“That’s great. I suppose you now spread salvation throughout the galaxy.”
“It will be a little harder than that. No good thing ever comes easily.”
“That’s what I preach to my kid. So what’s next?”
“Well, I guess I go with you.”
A grin came over Doug. “You mean that?”
“Can’t stay here and spread peace if there’s no one here to spread peace to.”
“What’s in the Scrolls?”
“That you’ll have to find out for yourself. You’ll have time to start reading them on your journey to Zudomm.”
“Zudomm?”
“Yes. That’s where you’re taking me.”
“Why Zudomm? Why not Equatia?”
“Zudomm is the place. Once there I can start my work. Once that is completed I’ll venture to Siest.”
“You won’t get in. They’re adamant on keeping everyone out.”
“Don’t you worry yourself over such pitiful matters, Doug.” He stood and stretched. He was different, in some strange way, for some strange reason. “Give me a hand to load the Scrolls onto your ship will you?”
“The Scrolls; that’ll take forever.”
“Oh, of course. I meant the printout of the deciphered message. I have it in several boxes. All eighty thousand pages of it.”
“Eighty thousand pages?’
“A small number compared with the original text, but yes. It’s a very good message Doug.”
They went about the task of loading the boxes of filed papers onto the small vessel. This took little more than three minutes. It would seem that Anthony had had them ready to go, just waiting there, to the inside of the front entrance.
They boarded the ship and took off, leaving the heat wave far below. “You’ll have to give me several minutes to punch in the new destination brother.”
“Please, call me Anthony.” Doug was utterly astounded by the transformation.
They continued with the steep climb and were soon shrouded by space. He made quick contact with Spacelab Nine as requested and went to work on the computers. The jump into parse towards the QEM-gate was going to take several minutes. Doug set about setting the destination variable when in a flash of light momentarily blinded him and the ship was violently knocked to the side. The atmosphere tanks on the outside of the craft had exploded; a chunk of space junk that had escaped the earth’s gravitational pull via collision with other scrap had flown straight through the reinforced metal like a piece of scalpel cutting through flesh.
The ship went into a cycle of slow twists. A heavy container on the shelf came down hard on Doug’s head, knocking him cold to the floor. Anthony crouched down and felt for Doug’s pulse. He placed his fingers on his neck for several seconds before dragging the body towards the escape pod. He cramped Doug’s limp form into this.
Anthony rammed the door closed as the moon came into view. He punched a pad on the console, which then ejected the pod into space.
The moon approached ever faster now until the ship finally smashed into the crater of Stevinus on the lunar surface. The ship exploded and Anthony’s body was thrown out. He turned over and over, gently and in slow motion, across the dust bowl as a thrown stone skips a body of water, finally coming to rest; dead. The last act of degradation befell him as a portion of the shattered ship finally floated down upon him, to become his final resting place and grave, no chance for the reprieve of a cremation in sight.
QUADRANT SEVEN.
NEGABBAN’S MOON.
The digging became easy for Pasnadinko’s workers with the aid of the laser rock cutter. Progress was only tuned down when they came close to a mineral that needed to be extracted in its purest form. The new definition of the nuclear bomb didn’t require any specific measure of refinement to be carried on the minerals for it to be manufactured, and any damage created by a laser could drastically affect their progress in producing such weaponry.
The teams of four worked around the clock on a rotation basis of digging for one period and resting for two. Three such locations of work here situated around the Ziggurat, in a triangle type formation, and some distance from the spaceship. Others manned the controls of the ship and monitored for approaching vessels so as to be able to have it cloaked prior to warning the digging parties on the lunar surface of any such intrusion.
With each of the groups, heavy equipment for the continuous production of oxygen was maintained, so little need for the ten-kilometre journey to the Ziggurat for replenishment was required. Most of the minerals were stockpiled during the excavation until a quantity of one tonne had been secured. These amounts were then compact to size, not by refinement, but by a specific bombardment of sound and vibration that condensed the mass into a more beneficial method for transportation. Although the size had been altered, weight and composition had not.
The drills that the miners used continued their cutting with little worry, the vibration of which carried itself deep into the depths of the crust of the moon and satellite of Negabba.
The pores of the beasts that lay under the surface had been picking up the vibrations for many months now and were becoming quite anxious as to its origin. Their bodily shape was formed in similarity to that of a mole, its outer structure encasing its muscle fibres and gristle, which dominated its very interior, no bones in existence. It was a timid creature of 20 metres in length and very protective of its offspring. Its skin was very coarse and it had no ears, eyes, nor nose. All sound, smell, and taste, came from the pores of the turtle shell slats of thick skin, and it absorbed through this its nouri
shment, the very core of that which Pasnadinko mined – the radioactive substances that were found in abundance.
The quakes to the far side of the moon, and far below the surface, were mostly ignored now by Pasnadinko’s men, as they occurred constantly. Unbeknown to them this was the moving, feeding mole, on a constant scavenge for nourishment. The men of the Ziggurat were oblivious to the existence of such a creature.
A single mole had arrived at his final conclusion and set out for the far side of his home and feeding ground, a beast that was head of his herd, a herd of 23 such sub-surface rulers. As it neared a mining sight, he picked up the very concept of what was happening. A small creature was devouring the food source that had been left to its own replenishment and growth, a creature he’d never sensed before; man. If this was permitted to continue then there would be no food for the coming future, and the natural method of a nomad’s existence of devouring an area of all food before continuing one to the next, allowing the radioactive substance the room for regrowth, would be endangered. This was how the herd worked, harbouring life and existence in one area until it was almost depleted of supplies, and then moving onto the next.
The mole clawed its way through the tunnels under the surface until the extent of the passage was reached, just several hundred metres from the mining operation. He now took to the surface, his approach hidden by the very rock formations that scarred and marked the teams digging area and boundary. It came around quickly, its pores picking up the human presence, its hatred growing by the minute for these beings that endangered his herd’s very existence.
A man looked up, moon dust rising on a direct approach towards him, ominous in size, and through the billowing clouds of dust came the outline of the beast, an opening to the front of his head showing a cavity large enough for two standing men. It was a muscle bound crevice normally used for the crushing of ore, prior to consumption through its pores. It opened wide and swallowed up man after man, crushing him of life before spitting him out again.
A message of alert was broadcast just in time, Pasnadinko and the others on board listening to the short description and echoing cries of his men as they died. He took immediate action and fled the surface of the moon.
QUADRANT ONE.
SPACE.
An Alza Ningh ten-man ship sped through the folds of space towards Earth on their patrol of the regions of space enveloping the planet system, when all of a sudden a one-man escape pod appeared on the screen. Their first thoughts were that another Verton ellat had been discovered, so all weapons were armed. Their approach was slowed slightly as they realised that the vessel was going nowhere and nowhere slowly. Its computer signature was monitored for any indication of an attempt to go into parsec.
The distance towards the vessel was closed and all aboard appeared dark and dead of life. It was finally confirmed as to what it was, a one man escape pod from the planet Equatia. The Alza Ningh ship drew up close and engaged their invisible traction beam in order to bring the vessel alongside.
A two-man team waved the external scanners over the pod, its sensors giving information as to the state, condition, and total mass of harboured goods. The findings were that of surprise. A man was inside, asleep and injured.
The temperature of the pod had been lowered considerably, evidently done before being sent into flight, placing the occupant into a condition of stabilised rest. After several hours, once permission had been given to enter the pod, hatches were aligned and locked into place. The door was opened. A haze of mist, pure condensation, erupted from the broken seal of the door and the body taken to a nearby table where it was brought back to a state of conditioning normal to an earthman’s existence.
The blood in all arteries began to flow more freely and an operation was carried out immediately to the head wound before damage was inflicted to the surrounding tissue and cells. It took time before an all clear could be given and the identity of the man finally sought. The Alza Ningh commander sifted through the man’s pockets and found the identification of a Mildratawa consultant and subject to Equatia and the Queen Druad Asti; it was Doug McIlwraith.
QUADRANT SIX.
SPACE.
Vetty’s ellat came out of the Dead Zone eight months after its entry into the unknown. He was alone, no other ellat around.
The journey had been long and hard, staying awake for as long a period as possible via the help of drugs so that the monitoring of the ship and surroundings could be maintained. It was an inconceivable practise to consider automation of a ship flying through space that did not fold under the grasp of gravitational pull. For this reason an accurate assimilation of information had to be fed direct to the computers by hand. This enabled safer travel.
The pills, which were eaten to sustain life, were nearly depleted and his conversion to cannibalism had given him his only chance for survival. He’d systematically eaten the other members of the Legion Millennium whom had worked under him. Firstly he’d commanded a toast be made to the Queen of Verton and by drugging the portions of drink that he delivered from one ship to the next he put to sleep all of the crewmembers only months after their initial entry of the Dead Zone. He then placed all bodies into the one ellat, turned off its power in order to freeze the flesh, and activated his tractor beam that was just strong enough to hold such a small ship in place. This second ship was ejected when the last portion of flesh had been consumed.
He’d aged greatly over the months and his eyes grew heavy. He rubbed them as he came out of parsec. He was now clear of the Dead Zone. He was safe; no probes of reconnaissance from the Mildratawa seemed to be in the area. The planet Siest lay not too far to his front, a small ball silhouetted against a black background and shrouded in white cloud. What could be under the cloud? What were the beings of that planet like? Would he be able to land undetected? He had to chance it sooner or later. He couldn’t bear to spend another minute in his ellat without a good morsel of food falling between his lips. He inconspicuously licked these in contemplation.
He checked the inventory of equipment help in the small bay to the rear of his ellat, he had an atmospheric probe, not much larger than his bald and cringing head; and a camera lens was attached to the front of the aerodynamic searcher. He would program it to take to the surface of Siest, encircling the planet once, monitoring for life and all sources of food.
He set the program in motion and sat back as he watched the probe take off towards the cloud-covered planet.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
PLANET BASBI TRIAD.
DARKSIDE.
The governing of Basbi Triad had come upon such a great change. The transformation of all political standards had boosted the morale of all being on the planet and exports had increased so dramatically that the demands for minerals, fuels, and gases from Basbi, had to have tariffs placed upon them. An even larger tariff was incurred due to a lack in the transport ships required for the task of shipping, a reshuffling to all transport having to be taken into hand, those being used for one purpose now being employed for another.
Decara had also formed a small force of two hundred, and Muutampai concurred; these were stationed on a space fortress that had been constructed between these two neighbouring planets of different quadrants. This reaction force was ready to spring at a moment’s notice to any reported sighting of Verton mercenary, Legion Millennium, or paid for killer from Quadrant Three, from within the borders of the Darkside Basbi Triad, which included the area of space above them. A few representatives from Alza Ningh were also assigned to this force, as their knowledge on all aspects of the Verton military was extremely favoured.
The introduction of this, and the change to so many other ideas and ways in life, put some degree of pressure upon the minds of all. The aid offered by Zirclon’s leader, Decara Simbati, forged certain tempts in fate to which was to befall his government. Other quadrants were amazed by the transformation. The tribes of Zirclon were also having trouble with the psychological aspects and values, an impact that
weighed heavily on other planets of both Quadrants One and Two. The planet was the centre of attention now.
The task force was put into effect a few short months after the signing of the treaty when it was discovered that a few small forces of legion were harbouring themselves up in caves within the Darkside. One such cave discovered was constructed from bricks of ice, rendering it undetectable by any scan. The mission had been a success in the capture of those legion and was heavily praised by all.
Muutampai’s small police force of 100 men had specific duties and wouldn’t be permitted to engage in conflict with an opposing force unless absolutely necessary. He had promised his people that the garrison would not be surrendered to the duties of an attack force. The effects of civil war had sickened them.
Now it occurred again. Forty Zirclons from this space fort were activated, advised to investigate something. They were aided in their approach to the region within the Darkside by Quakers reflection of light that bounded in from off one of its moons.
The area of concern wasn’t too far from the new House of Basbi and the reported movement was of an estimated ten beings. It was a reasonable estimation to suggest that they were a search party of some description, for another bodily form was picked up not too far from the first. The Parene that had picked up the movement reported it to the computer link back at the House and was immediately informed not to open fire.
The space bus head for a destination just 500 metres short of these two sightings, making approach towards a position where their line of interaction along the surface would bring them into contact with both at the same time.
The rock formations here were an analogy of the Darkside’s surface and the space bus would be well hidden on approach. No blizzard blew at the moment and visibility was excellent for up to 100 metres. The shadows formed by the rock formations prevented a full range view via the naked eye, but it wasn’t impossible to achieve a maximum range of 300 metres with the aid of the night vision glasses for which the reaction force was equipped.
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