This is the Manifest! The voice spoke again.
Since the voice had been a tad stronger, Herimos looked around in irritation.
»What kind of a strange ship is this, what a peculiar artifact?« he said aloud into the room, which strangely enough, had a very low ambient background noise. His voice echoed from the shaft walls as he continued, »Where is the ship’s crew? Is there a crew?«
You are the only one who carries the true genetic information! Only you will be able to meet the librarian!
»I am ready! What are you waiting for?« he yelled into the room.
His robot escort froze a second while the surrounding changed again. The hangar or whatever it was, turned into a cave again while the robots transformed into statues.
»What is going on?« he shouted. »I don’t believe in magic tricks. Why are you manipulating my senses?«
It was a perfect illusion. If Herimos hadn’t known better, he would’ve sworn to be before a primeval shrine.
Faintly approaching footsteps caught his attention. His excellent hearing told him the direction the steps were coming from. He turned around and tried to see what was making the noise in the low light. Moments later, somebody or something appeared from a dark area of the cave.
The being was very small, not much taller than a juvenile Human, but very heavy set. The gnome was wearing a blue cloak, which hardly covered his fat body. The stranger had problems walking, trying to maintain its balance.
Herimos stared at the being with wide opened eyes.
I know you! He thought panic struck and quickly aimed his weapon, which the robots hadn’t confiscated when he entered the ship.
»Stay where you are! Not another step!« he screamed.
The bald head and round face of the stranger glistened. The stranger smiled, displaying a row of needle-sharp teeth.
Herimos shuddered. A being like this had held the Atlantika in his grip. He knew about the strong psychokinetic powers they were able to exert. Herimos’ thoughts were racing. He hastily glanced at the statues. He had to make a quick decision, if he would fight this being or not!
A nightly disturbance
A high pitched, battle cry sounded as Vasina and Tranos were attacked from three different directions. Their personal defense shields flared briefly until Tranos had activated a much stronger, spherical field.
The attackers seemed irritated about their victim’s steadfastness.
Vasina was angry.
»What did I say? They’re cowards, Tranos!« she yelled.
Tranos turned around and detected three faint scanner echoes, but he was able to locate them precisely where they were hiding. Pointing his shield, he released a strong, focused shockwave, which hit one of the attackers. With a loud, painful scream, the attacker was slammed against the stem of a sky-brush.
His disguise field exploded with a loud bang, revealing its bearer. The attacker lay motionless on the ground.
»Rexas!« Tranos cursed aloud and looked for the other attackers. »What’re they doing here?«
One of the Rexas materialized beside Vasina and aimed his weapon at her head at close range. This was too close for Tranos. Trained from a young age to protect his queen, he pulled his dagger and cut off the left arm of his adversary below the elbow. The weapon and the underarm fell to the ground, accompanied by yelp of pain from the Rexa. The wound, caused by the molecular-hardened Progonaut steel, wasn’t bleeding.
The Rexa gnarled and barred his needle-point teeth. He huffed and puffed, pulling a grenade from his suit with the other arm. He was trying to blow himself up, together with the two Progonauts.
Vasina realized at once what the Rexa had in mind, pulled her sword and with a swift move cut off his head. The Rexa sank to his knees and fell over to the side.
»The third one is fleeing!« Tranos shouted. »Do you want me to run after him?«
»Let him be!« Vasina commanded and looked at the dead Rexa at her feet. »He can tell his cohorts what happens when they ambush Progonauts!«
Suddenly, an animalistic scream sounded from the sky-brush where the first Rexa had been defeated by the shockwave.
Tranos swirled around. He jumped over to the Rexa who was still on the ground and disarmed the reptilian being.
The Rexa looked at him with hateful, ice-cold eyes.
»I know you can understand me!« Tranos shouted, pointing his dagger at the reptilian’s head.
»Kill me, now!« the Rexa demanded with a hissing voice, his split tongue, darting in and out of his mouth.
»What is your business here on Kug?« Tranos demanded.
»I’m surprised to see two members of a distinct civilization. We wanted to catch you for our display of extinct species.«
Lightning fast, Tranos grabbed the Rexa by his goatee and hauled him off the ground into the air. The Rexa struggled squirming under Tranos’ firm grip.
»If a Progonaut shield bearer asks you a question, then you better answer him!«
The Rexa rolled his eyes from side to side and feverishly tried to gain a foothold on the ground.
»We are traders!« he replied whimpering. »We trade with the Kugos!«
»You’re damn pirate scum! I’ll give you one more chance to tell the truth. If you don’t answer, the shield bearer will cut out your tongue! Talk!« Vasina demanded.
»The master of the star station ordered us here. Our ships protect the inner planets of this solar system. We are scouts. Our ships will come soon and annihilate you. Say Good Bye to your miserable lives!« the Rexa mouthed off
Vasina laughed out loud. »Your ships were destroyed when they attacked us. Nobody will come.«
Tranos shook the lizard, who wasn’t very heavy, but tried to claw him. »This is you last chance, Lizzy!« he threatened.
»Uh what the heck, we know it already anyway. Your mission is no longer a secret,« she groped in the dark. »You’re supposed to report to Morgotradon when the Artifact reappears, right? That’s why you’re hanging around in Plast.«
The Rexa’s, round and red eyes widened with horror. He let out a loud, high pitch scream which could be heard throughout the small settlement, then his head sank lifeless down to his chest.
Tranos put the dead Rexa on the ground. The reptilian’s mouth foamed with a greenish liquid running from his thin lips.
»Suicide!« Tranos commented surprised. »He had a poison capsule hidden in his mouth, I didn’t notice it. I should’ve prevented it!«
»It was his choice,« Vasina commented coolly. »It shows us that we’re on the right track.«
Suddenly, lights illuminated the scene from high up.
»Who’s disturbing the night peace of the habitat?« a Kugo shouted with a deep voice.
More and more light beams from different directions were directed at Vasina and Tranos.
»We were attacked and had the right to defend ourselves!« Vasina shouted back.
Surprised voices came from the tops of surrounding sky-brushes in response. The Kugos seemed astonished to hear Vasina talking in their language.
»Wrecker sent us. We’re asking for a place to sleep for the night!«
A Kugo came out of the darkness into the light, his displayed his emotions clearly.
»One night! So be it! I’m Drekker. Wrecker is my brother!«
The last Kokradian
Klorian is a wonderful planet! Ever since we can remember we were presented with all kinds of technologies. They just rained from the heavens! This fact is very helpful to us hunters when we want to build our own ships, especially our first one. We are masters in amalgamating and combining strange technologies and ideas. It doesn’t matter which galactic civilization designed the technologies. Yes … we are recycling geniuses! Klori’Tar boasted inwardly.
He raised his arm to eye height and looked at his wrist instrument.
»The barrier field projector is outside!«
»Wow … how smart of them,« Maya mocked.
»I’m going outside to deactiv
ate it,« Klori’Tar said, blowing up his sacks. »My variable defense shield should be able to compensate the barrier field for a couple of seconds. Long enough for me to get through.«
»What tells you that your defense shield will withstand the barrier field?« Voit said.
»Because my technical gear is much more sophisticated and superior than yours, Voit!« Klori’Tar replied.
Outraged, Maya sighed.
»Our gear was devised by Nautilus, yours is coming from a galactic scrap yard!«
»Why do you say that?« Klori’Tar quipped. »Your stuff comes from only one source, mine from several different ones and …«
»… from several wrecks, you mean!« Maya interrupted. »Be realistic! If your technology is so superior, then why didn’t you get out already? We’ll find a way! There’s no need to risk your life.«
Klori’Tar hovered thirty centimeters above the ground.
»I’d suggest, you take cover over there,« he advised, pointing to a corner.
His defense shield began to glow.
Maya screamed, »Klori’Tar … for Heaven’s sake!«
She quickly pulled Masgur into a corner of the room while Klori’Tar burst into flames like a Human torch.
He slightly leaned forward and accelerated. As he made contact with the barrier field, strong discharge flashes occurred, which arced with loud cracks into the adjacent walls. Some of the discharged energy was so big that they almost hit Maya and Voit. Paafnas, who was still on top of Ivanova’s shoulders, began shaking and almost slipped off. He grasped Ivanova’s neck tighter to maintain his hold.
It seemed for a moment as if Klori’Tar was stuck inside the barrier field, then the field changed color to a dark brown and seconds later, Klori’Tar was hurled through the field into the next room where he hit a console five meters away from the entrance. The console’s cover panels melted as they made contact with his defense shield. Something inside the console burst, releasing a gooey, greenish substance which caught fire immediately. Moments later, the console exploded with a bright flash and the barrier field disappeared. Immediately, the ship’s fire suppression system released a gas to extinguish the flames.
Maya and Voit reacted quickly and ran into the next room to attend to Klori’Tar. Their personal defense shields protected them from the gas which had filled the room.
Klori’Tar lay on the floor. He was dazed, his face pale. His cheek sacks looked limp; his red hair was singed at the tips. His chest was moving up and down slightly, but his eyes were closed.
Worried, Ivanova kneeled down and checked Klori’Tar for obvious wounds, although she knew that she wasn’t really able to help him much as she had no knowledge of Klorian anatomy.
»That was pretty gutsy, my dear hunter! Just don’t die on us now!«
Klori’Tar’s breathing stopped, his chest wasn’t moving.
Maya tried to feel his pulse, but only felt that the two hearts were beating out of synch.
»What can we do, Voit? Save him!« she pleaded.
Frowning, Masgur looked at Klori’Tar and shook his head.
»His aura tastes normal. He’s alive.«
Klori’Tar opened his eyes and stared at Maya Ivanova.
»Certainly, I’m alive, why would I be dead?« he said to Maya’s surprise.
Maya straightened and looked at him angrily. Then her face changed and she broke out in laughter.
»You break through the barrier, destroy the field generator by accident and free us without burning your ass. I tip my hat! This was like a well-planned circus performance!«
Masgur nodded in agreement.
»What’s a circus?« Klori’Tar asked as he struggled to get up.
»Wait until you visit my home-planet, then I’ll show you.«
Maya slapped him on the shoulder.
»We should look for a way out of here,« Masgur reminded. »We’re still inside the ship!«
Maya wiped a small tear from her face.
»Right, Voit, let’s follow the corridor over there or does anybody have a better idea?«
»What happens if we encounter these robots again?« Masgur asked.
»Well … if they don’t let us pass then we melt them down! They’re not getting us a second time!«
Her chances are slim. Spoken like a true warrior, but borderline stupid! Klori’Tar thought.
Suddenly, the surroundings changed. The parallel running walls of the corridor transformed into rock walls.
»Here we go again!« Maya yelled. »Follow me! Now or never!«
Klori’Tar ascended and flew passed her.
»I’ll clear the way and get us out of here!« he shouted.
Maya looked at Masgur.
»He’s crazy, but he might make it. Run!«
They ran after Klori’Tar. Maya lost her orientation after a couple of minutes. The flight didn’t seem to go through a highly advanced spaceship; it appeared more like running through an underground mine. She had to remind herself that this was not real, although the walls and the ground felt so realistic.
They arrived inside a great hall where Klori’Tar waited for them. Maya squeezed by him and saw the Manifest and the circle of guardians.
»Good work, Klori!« she chided. »We’re back where we started!«
»My name is Klori’Tar, not Klori!« he grumbled.
»Never mind, okay?« she sighed and rolled her eyes, then she saw Herimos!
He was facing away, his weapon pointed at an unknown opponent.
»Stay where you are! No further!« Herimos yelled into the hall.
She tried to locate the opponent in the back of the large room. Suddenly, she saw the gnome.
»Oh no! Not that!«
Without hesitation Voit Masgur pushed Maya to the side and ran toward Herimos, ignoring her attempts at pulling him back. Masgur was very excited and tried to catch Herimos’ attention.
»No, Herimos!« he yelled from the top of his lungs. Don’t shoot! Lay down your weapon!«
Herimos froze when he heard the voice from the back. He took the finger from the trigger and shouted without moving his head, »Voit! Run as long as you still can! Don’t get in my way or we’re doomed! Don’t you see who’s the boss of this ship?«
Voit arrived huffing and puffing at Herimos’ location and pushed his weapon down.
»Please, don’t,« he whispered, gasping for air. »You’re making a mistake, this is a misunderstanding, believe me!«
»There’s so much anger in you,« the gnome said with a calm voice. »On the other hand, you can distinguish between evil and good. It’s almost a miracle that you found me.«
»This was pure coincidence,« Maya said aloud with pulled weapon.
»There’re no coincidences in the universe,« the gnome said. »Everything that’s happening has a meaning. Events lead to a destination, subjected to a higher plan – according to cosmic laws.«
»I know the evil inside of you! Don’t try to deceive us,« Maya shouted back. »Who are you?«
»He’s not evil, Maya,« Voit replied firmly. »Although, he belongs to the same species as the one on the Atlantika, his aura is pure! I can taste it. He’s not infected with degraded technology. He’s clean.«
Herimos still hesitated, but slowly lowered his weapon.
»Who or what are you?« he asked.
The gnome sat down and crossed his legs. Now, he looked like a fat Buddha! Suddenly, he began to hover. It was not clear to the team if he was assisted by antigravity technology or if he levitated himself by means of psychokinetic abilities.
»You are on board the Library. I am the Librarian and I welcome you.«
»The Librarian? The Genorantan Prophet mentioned a Librarian, who was supposed to tell Humanity about their fate. This being, however, never came to us. Are you who the prophet was talking about? He must have meant somebody else because the Chiropter didn’t recognize your ship,« she said.
The gnome smiled, displaying two rows of sharp shark-like teeth, which made Herimos a
lso display his teeth with a deep gnarling sound. Herimos was offended for a moment.
»Facts become stories over time, several thousand years later they become legends at the end we all have myths,« the gnome explained. »It is important to distinguish between truth and myth!«
The stranger was talking in riddles, Maya didn’t understand.
»We know your people and have encountered one of them – it wasn’t very pleasant, to say the least.«
»My people became extinct many eons ago. I’m the last one!« the gnome explained and slowly began hovering toward the group.
»That can’t be true, since we fought against one of you recently,« Herimos growled.
»You’re wrong, Protectors, « the gnome rebutted and seemed happy about the surprised faces. »The being, I can see the picture in your minds, no longer belongs to my people. All, who are like him, are doomed!«
» What do you call your people, Librarian?« Paafnas, still on Ivanova’s shoulders, asked respectfully.
The gnome smiled broadly, which, however, came across as a horrible grimace.
It was difficult for Maya Ivanova to trust such a horrible looking being, that’s why she still had her weapon pointed at him.
A face like that makes a corpse look good, she thought uneasily.
»I am Boiltos, the Galactic Brotherhood Librarian, Guardian of the Manifest and the last Kokradian!«
One night only
It wasn’t difficult for Vasina and Tranos to climb up the sky-brush. A narrow stair led to the top ending at a terrace of the large tree house. The house was fastened to the strong, outreaching branches, by means of rubber-like glue. The builder had cut out grooves, supporting the frame of the house platform. The brush itself produced a sap which closed the cuts and encased the trestles at their connection points. This made for a very stable construction, which could withstand the weather. Vasina was impressed by the construction method.
A disgruntled looking Kugo led them silently into the, several story high, abode.
Although, Drekker was younger than Wrecker, he looked much older. His skin was wrinkled and pale, his eyes sunken into their sockets. Suspiciously, he observed the visitors.
NEBULAR Collection 5 - Panic in the Galaxy: Episodes 22 - 26 Page 35