MILDRATAWA

by Nigel Clayton

  Queen Asti spoke once again on seeing all firing cease, the lights on the bridges to both enemy ships flickering to a dull glow. The earth continued spitting its fury into the heavens, the crack of devastation ceasing at 1,500 kilometres in length, 100 kilometres at its widest point. The new surface slowly boiled over and formed a higher ridge of mountain; no other incendiary effect was noticeable, no other devastation evident, even the billowing blast soon dissipated to form a thin cloud of dust that spread out to devour the planet. Vetty had fired an incredible overdose towards the earth.

  The Mildratawa maintained a listening watch and failed to fire a single shot; somehow their computers had been tampered with: another secret weapon for which Asti held and said little about.

  Queen Asti’s task was now complete. She had systematically sought out and destroyed every existing Verton ship in the known galaxy.

  THE END

  EARTH’S MOON.

  SURFACE.

  From the surface of the moon, Doug could see the surface of the earth. He ignored the devastation as it occurred. He knew full well that the devastation was really a new beginning; it was the very core of the earth itself that held the seeds for a new ozone; the regrowth of its tangible atmosphere.

  He leant over the body of Anthony and carried it to the small ship that he had taken to the moon’s surface and then went about collecting the boxes of text. He took his time as he went about his business, for there was certainly no rush.

  The text would be delivered to Equatia and looked after by the Protectors of the Scrolls; Queen Asti’s dreams had come true.

  As for Doug’s son, he was sent to planet Zudomm, to be taught more than he knew.

  El Pasadora was jailed for life on Nougstia, Vetty had his eyes replaced so that he could show consciousness and was killed by the infamous balai timit in Wuarra on Basbi Triad, and Newton was taken by the forces of Negabba as a peace negotiation; and tortured to death.

  It was six months later that Doug visited the planet Irshstup to see how his friend Nakatumi Jassat was getting along. He was certainly a new force amongst the people.

  THE MILKY WAY.

  Nakatumi Jassat had become good friends with Maldi Somcari, the most natural of leaders for planet Irshstup. The actual structure of the planet itself though, needed little governing of any description, due mainly to the weight of the law which came in the form of the most powerful robotic police ever witnessed before in galactic history.

  Robotics were indeed an expanding part of the growing galaxy, but nothing had ever been developed in the form which at present maintained law and order upon Irshstup. It was a logical make of robot, its Pulse-COMP brain running supreme to anything, ever invented, in the history of any race. So it wasn’t entirely a democratic society.

  Doug had made the effort to visit Irshstup as frequently as possible, to clue into the happenings of the political structure of the new planet. Although the curfew still existed, and interplanetary travel was scarce, the point of view to a more logical and peaceful existence was getting through to the beings of Irshstup.

  They were constantly kept up to date with events that unfolded in the galaxy, in particular with regards to the help that Quadrant Three gave willingly to Basbi Triad. One of the foremost reasons for this was the intergalactic peace treaty that both Basbi and Irshstup had maintained. Wasn’t it both of these planets that had maintained a constant peace with each other during hundreds of years of existence, and were they not both bound by the atrocities that were forced upon them by the planet Verton.

  Irshstup was also thanked for their efforts in controlling the Verton forces by allowing the robots of their planet to patrol the Verton space regions, and maintaining the much needed, constant foot patrol, on the surface of the planet as well. Only during the last minutes, prior to the expulsion of Verton, were the robots withdrawn from the surface in a mass plan of exfiltration.

  So it was brought about over a period of time that Quadrant Three was accepted as the most powerful quadrant within the Galaxy

  This six-month period, since the arrival of Nakatumi, was also renowned as a month to remember. It wasn’t only a period where Nakatumi was accepted into the government as a spokesperson, it was also a period where the officials of Basbi, Irshstup, and Equatia signed a three-way treaty. It was the time in history when the robots of Irshstup were leashed out upon the galaxy. From this point on they became a governing force for a new Mildratawa that was now run by Quadrant Three – home to the Scrolls of Prehistory.

  There was, at one stage, a time when Glaucuna became envious of Queen Asti and tried a final play for supremacy. They brought the diamonds and pearls from the grounds of their planet out into the markets in a hope of wagering for mercenary macebearer help in bringing down the very society that they had come to love. The Protectors of the Scrolls, and the Federate, were a most well paid, looked after, and sought position within the quadrant. The monarchy was also nothing to be sneered at. It was no surprise to see that Glaucuna was laughed at before being struck hard by heavy sanctions, succumbing to the demands of other quadrants in the galaxy. The following weeks saw all gems and valuable stones, of all description and monetary value, being declared obsolete – their value reduced to nothing, jewels and diamonds ending their days as sources of wealth, to be used as nothing more than spare parts for power generators on mining dreadnoughts.

  The Negabban’s were also watched carefully, it only took a few bad remnants of nastiness to start about the decline of peace that had only just started to make its mark. As for the weapon of great destruction that Anamada-gabba so secretly sought, that was held in secret custody, awaiting natural destruction – time.

  When Doug looked out on his past, he became somewhat pleased with himself. His son was now nearly nine and still on Zudomm, and he, he was about to take his last journey, the most important he could ever make.

  He was on a loan voyage to Earth to visit the abyss that he’d come to know so well in dreams, when his ship was brutally fired upon from behind and he was disintegrated, never to be seen by life again. The violators were unknown, but obviously treacherous and uncaring.

  His soul was immediately transported to the planet Siest, and here he was met by Amagrat Kune.

  Doug looked out around him. All of the colours and shapes, flowers and trees, shrubs and other plant life; it was all so alive. Amagrat Kune just stood there and smiled as Doug looked around, turning slowly so as to take it all in. the last thing he remembered was— what?

  He tilted his head skywards, not a cloud to be seen and no blinding light to force closed his eyes. The sky was so magically blue and full of bird life; all manner of feathered friend chirping, squawking, crowing and laughing; none pecking, fighting or bombarding each other with a flurry of wings.

  He walked ever so slowly down what appeared to be a garden path, and paraded on both sides were all the colours of the rainbow; flowers galore, and grasses of all varieties. Their fragrances were quite intoxicating.

  “Good morning, Doug. How are you feeling?”

  Doug smiled at Amagrat. “Overwhelmed. I never dreamed death would be like this. This is Siest, isn’t it?”

  “This is the dimension of eternal life, the highest form of which self can attain; your inner consciousness, your inner soul. When you have learnt all you can, and you have treated all those around in the manner that befits all living creatures; then yes, you come to Siest. This is it.”

  “It’s very much alive.”

  “There is no bad karma here.”

  Doug looked even deeper into Amagrat’s eyes. “Does everyone come here?”

  “Only those who reach the highest level of self; only those who reach a peaceful understanding of all things. Some are reborn a hundred times.”

  “The abyss.”

  “Let me extract a quote from the Scroll Master.”

  “I know that name,” his old master.

  Amagrat smiled. “Let me quote; ‘this is the doorway to lif
e and pure existence; the birth of a new system; the overcoming of defeat’.” That was the abyss. “Siest is the Scrolls.”

  “I never completed their reading.”

  “They’ll be read in time, but not before everlasting peace has been achieved.”

  “We’re close though.”

  “You don’t judge nature harsh enough.”

  “Then in time we’ll find eternal peace.”

  “If you look close enough, Doug, you’ll see it all before you. But look beyond that. Not just at all of the good.”

  “The Moraks. They were the ones that killed me.”

  “Yes. A new tempt in the galaxy. Another greed to be dealt with. A race of alien beings from a planet not colonised by Earth.”

  “Will it ever end?”

  “You are here for eternity; you can answer that for yourself, given time.”

  Doug sat with Amagrat. “At least I now know the meaning behind the Scrolls.” And he remembered the dolphins entering the light at the abyss’ end, and too their intelligence. They were spirits, and the light was a door between two worlds.

  “That, my friend, has always been known. The Scrolls, Siest, and the Dolphins.”

  And as the Morak ship sped through the debris that remained of Doug’s vessel, the last five seconds of oxygenated blood in his brain was spent. The final dream of the real world, that flowed through his unconscious form, now dropped from existence – or was that life in general, being nothing more than a simple dream?

  GLOSSARY

  Alza Ningh

  Democratic; Australian

  Ozrammoz Abachazdom

  Alrim Motop. (Leader)

  Arambay

  Uninhabited

  Basbi Triad

  Communist; Russian

  Muat Shrinpooh. (Equerry to House of Suudeem)

  Muutampai. (Head of House Suudeem)

  Muamsimpa. (Scientist-spy for El Pasadora)

  Earth

  Republic.

  General Carramar Good. (Leader-military)

  Basaclon. (Darkside)

  Doug McIlwraith, Jools de Cane, Bob Neil

  El Pasadora, Pasnadinko. (Nicaragua)

  Maritime-grunts: John Younge, Brad Smith, Julius Moda, Nakatumi Jassat

  Tiny Ballow. (Equatia)

  Equatia

  Monarchy; Russian Royalty and bodyguards

  Mimbar Stu. (Parliamentarian)

  King Salama

  Queen Druad Asti. (Leader)

  Mintou Ati. (Military Commander)

  Equotor

  Anarchy; African

  Ku-otor Sta. (Leader)

  Erulstina

  Chinese; Socialism

  Heron Duwa. (Leader)

  Glaucuna

  Socialism; Japanese

  Bahan Tumick. (Leader)

  Irshstup

  Socialism by democratic vote; Norway, Sweden, Finland

  Mialdi Somcari. (Leader)

  Jatarma

  Republic; Nations of South America

  Numerous heads of state

  Negabba (Inpuloid)

  Communist; Iranian

  Anamada-gabba. (Leader)

  Binumana. (Head of police)

  Nougstia

  Anarchy; African

  Tara Timu. (Leader)

  Mistachept

  Democratic; Asian-Indian

  Dr.Alkoyster. (Leader)

  Mitusa

  Republic; Chines, Japanese, Korean

  Numerous heads of state

  Palmier

  Uninhabited

  Pinton

  Swaitor Reccoin. (Leader)

  Fundamentalism; Asian American

  Siest

  Not colonised by man

  Amagrat Kune. (Planet representative)

  Stia

  Anarchy; African

  Tam-Bie Tar. (Leader)

  Verton

  Monarchy; German

  Muriphure Vetty. (Military leader)

  Empress Sualimani Natashafuna Dimala the 4th. (leader)

  Tuai, Kaur, Rimai, Marrth. (Cactus-stem)

  Niras, Gennilamis, Zaei, Huwaina. (With El Pasadora- frigate)

  Dorani, Cinvatti. (Darkside-caves)

  Empyrean: Muetvit, Bouham, Daisilani, Natuipha

  Warlord: Luitmat, Newtwon, Benai, General Nort

  Vudd

  Communist; Saudi Arabia

  Crabach Zimoilly. (Leader)

  Zirclon

  Chinese; Democratic

  Decara Simbati. (Leader)

  Zudomm

  Budhist; Peruvian

  Yambi Zudommi. (Leader)