by T. W. Embry
Turning slowly to face the messenger the Queen said, “How many?”
“Only one being, my Queen,” answered the cowering messenger.
“Bring it to me at the Temple of the Sun. Send word for all my children to join me there once it has been captured. Do not harm it and use my personal guard to subdue and capture it. For the sake of your nest-mates tell no one.”
“Yes my Queen,” the messenger replied, scurrying out the door of the Queen’s private chambers.
As the blackness lifted from my eyes, I could see a very large insectoid standing over me. I realized I was on a hard raised platform. As my vision cleared, I could see I was surrounded by several more of the large insectoids. They had a hard, shiny exoskeleton, a pair of bulbous eyes, two antennae, and four long arms. There were two smaller arms with some type of digits near the large mandibles of the mouth.
As my mind cleared, I began to make out that it was talking to me in a wispy version of Galactic standard. “I am the Queen of the Ones. Why are you here? Speak the truth. I have dealt with your species before and I can easily see deception.”
Taking a deep breath, I started my explanation of who I was and why I was here.
“Queen of the Ones, I am called Thomi King.”
The Queen held up one of the four long arms in a signal to stop. “You are a friend of Benji King are you not?” she whispered.
“I am his brother and I have come to rescue him.”
“Please, I must see your mind,” said the Queen as she leaned closer.
As she touched my head with her antenna, I knew about the Ones and she about me. “I see you are searching for your brother Benji. Devotion to one’s nest mates is an admirable thing. Yet you seek wealth by selling our planet to those who would destroy the Ones in their greed for our world. Who else knows of your location?” asked the Queen as she towered over my prone body. Again, she touched me and I could feel our minds lock together. I could not resist her. She knew I was alone and no one would come looking for me.
O.K. I have been in tough spots before. In my line of work they are an occupational hazard. This was different. I could not move and somehow the Queen knew my most private thoughts. Now I was scared because no one knew where I was except some robot clerk halfway across the galaxy and that would remain a secret until asked for. The rub was, no one would ever ask for it.
The queen moved towards the edge of my vision and then past it. Shifting my head, I could see into the valley below. It was filled with smaller versions of the queen, almost like children. She was moving her arms in rhythmic movements, she was telling the crowd about me, I surmised. An audible buzz erupted from the crowd of smaller ones as they scraped their abdomens on the ground.
“My children, a threat has come to our world,” said the Queen, “One that would destroy our world and enslave us. I have sampled the mind of these creatures and learned many things,” said the Queen. “These things we can use to defend ourselves from these invaders.
“I have learned how to build machines that fly in the sky, how to build weapons that would kill many Ones at the same time if used against us. Yet the Sun shines its favor on the Ones, for this invader is alone and none will follow him. But we must not be lulled into the false safety of being unknown to our enemies. We will use this knowledge to build ships and weapons to protect ourselves,” said the Queen. “We must attack and destroy our enemies before they attack us. We must do this for our nest mates and for our Promise of Life. Let no hour go wasted on pleasure. We must devote ourselves to defending ourselves and our future. Death to the enemy!!”
The Queen turned from the crowd and approached me. “I am sorry Thomi King, for shortening your life.”
As the two huge males dragged me toward a stone slab, I caught sight of Benji. He was tied up lying on the stone slab in front of the Queen, unable to speak. Our eyes locked just for an instant, his face grateful that I had come, mine sorry for not being able to save us both.
As I looked up, I saw the descending fang of the Queen. Then I felt a sharp pain as it pierced my skin and sank into my neck, then came the odd sensation of flying numbly through the air. I hardly noticed the impact as I bounced off the ground into a crowd of the Ones. Then blackness as they swarmed over my now dead body.
As I watched, the Queen impaled my brother Thomi King with her fang and threw him out into the crowd. He came for me after all. I felt both pride and anger at the same time.
“I cannot allow you to tell anyone about the Ones, Benji King,” said the Queen, as she turned to me.
I closed my eyes at the sight of the Queen’s fang. I imagined it would be such an odd sensation, flying over the crowd watching as my legs go in opposite directions, away from me. Gentle blackness please take me quickly, I begged silently.
Instead, I heard: “Benji King, I offer you a bargain for your life,” whispered the Queen. “Stay here among us willingly and teach us how to build ships and weapons to defend ourselves. In return, once your task is complete I will set you free, wealthy beyond your dreams. Refuse and I will release your life force to the Sun as I did your brother. Choose quickly for my patience is short.”
Stunned by the change in events, my mind scrambled to process a coherent picture of my situation. If the Queen touched me she would know if I was deceiving her or not in an instant. If I could just get free, I could get off world in my brother’s ship.
As she approached me, her fangs outstretched; “Yes,” I pleaded, “I will help you.” Anything to stay alive, the ship was not going anywhere. The Ones did not have a practical understanding of the technology needed to decode the defensive system much less fly the ship.
The Queen withdrew her fangs and answered, “I am glad you will help the Ones defend ourselves. Free him,” commanded the Queen. “Bring him food and water at once.”
I knew through my mind contact with the Queen that the large crystal in the Queen’s exoskeleton was affixed to her during birth. Powered by the sun, it was her source of power over the Ones. Hers was the largest of all the life crystals. Only the largest male warriors came close. The largest most ferocious males were her generals and her mates.
Through them, the Queen would spread the way of the Ones to every planet in the galaxy. Any who would not submit to the will of the sun would become food for the Queen’s rapidly expanding army. For the Queen believed the Sun was all-powerful. Non-believers could not be tolerated, and must be eliminated in the name of the all-powerful Sun, the giver of life to the Ones.
She had just recently dispatched her latest mate, one of her best Generals. Having just successfully spawned, the Queen thought I must pass on the good genes to my newly laid eggs. They are the future of the Ones. Our promise of life. However, the Queen’s good humor was clouded by the memory of a disturbing report. The number of life crystals being found was declining. Some of her nesting chambers lay empty for the first time in memory. Why must I be the last Queen, she who sees the demise of her own people? My destiny should lie in spreading the way of the Sun to those who would take our world, enslaving those who submit, feasting on those that do not.
For the life crystals were only found in one place on the Ones’ home planet. The magma chambers of the long extinct, sacred volcano that held the temple of the sun at its summit. If they were to spread the way of the Ones, another deposit must be found. Only then would the Queen be able to create all of the new hatchlings she needed for her grand army.
If a new deposit was not found, she would have to stop laying eggs. For the Queen laid one egg for each crystal. Only the most gifted in art or war had the largest crystals. Those who were especially ferocious would be Generals and soldiers. Those with lesser abilities were allowed to be workers.
All worked as one with fierce pride and purpose, to serve the Queen as she directed. For the Queen was chosen by the Sun to lead the Ones. Self does not matter, only the glory of service to the Queen and the Sun, the giver of life, mattered. The entire race of the Ones had but one p
urpose: enforce the will of the Queen and bring the way of the Sun to any sentient life they encountered. Or eliminate the non-believers as food.
~
It has been days since I have slept. I am not even sure how many. The Queen questions me constantly, always where are they, how many and what are their defenses. She had given the task of keeping me awake to one of her aides who took delight in poking me with his claw, drawing blood more than once if I dared nod off in front of the Queen. Not only do the Ones not sleep, they do not understand the need for it.
At last, when I could no longer stay awake, I was returned to my cell. Now I can get some rest and plan my escape. I could see Thomas’s ship from the window of the Queen’s Audience room. The workers had dragged it closer to the city. They have not tried to dismantle it yet that I could see.
The next daylight cycle, my chance finally came. I was alone with the Queen, as her aide had been sent on some errand. I think they are unconcerned about any danger I might pose to the Queen or else they would still have me under guard.
As I watched, the queen slipped deeper into her meditation. My chance was here. I edged toward the door holding my breath, trying not to make a noise for fear of alerting the Queen. I shuddered at the possibly of being torn apart then eaten, in her anger at my ill-fated attempt to escape, all because I could not be quiet.
The days of no sleep had deteriorated my physical condition to the point that it was difficult to walk much less run. I had to try. I made it to the doorway unobserved. As I started to slip through it, the Queen shifted her position, causing my heart to jump into my throat as it raced.
Sweat ran into my eyes from the effort of standing perfectly still, half in half out of the doorway. Slowly she settled into a different position and I breathed a silent sigh of relief. I made my way into the tunnel that led toward the entrance nearest the ship. No Ones were in sight, so far so good, my shaky legs gaining strength from the exercise.
Only one more passageway and I will be at the east entrance to the city. Fortunately, it was also the least used. Bringing supplies into the city was its main use. That meant only a few guards, if any.
~
As I peeked around the last corner my heart sank, my knees going weak again. None other than the Queen’s personal guard stood watch over the entrance. They were easy to spot, as they had adorned themselves with pieces of the exoskeleton of those who dare oppose the Queen. In desperation, I spied an open chamber door off the main passageway. I was able to get to it without being seen by the guards. As I hoped, the chamber was empty and had a window to let in light from the sun. It was big enough for me to escape through.
After a quick glance out the window, I saw the ship. It was about 100 standard units from the window. Sneaking a second look, I saw the approaching column of the Queen’s personal guard’s relief. At this angle, the exiting column of troops would obstruct the incoming troop’s view of this window, providing me the opportunity to get to the ship unobserved.
In a burst of desperation, I jumped out the window and ran for the ship. I collapsed at the landing strut nearest the cargo hatch, unobserved and panting from the exertion, my legs trembling. I hoped the security system’s voice recognition was not damaged, or tampered with. Or else the ship would kill me.
My mouth was as dry as the dirt training ground I had just crossed. I croaked the entry password into the intercom and waited, desperately hoping. With an audible click, the door slid open and I stumbled forward into the air lock.
Making my way forward without even cycling the air lock I scanned the power readings as I strapped myself in. I grinned, realizing I would soon be free. I would return to this place and exterminate the insect problem, avenge my brother’s death and make my family rich and famous.
As I powered up the engines, something dripped on my sleeve. My arm erupted in pain. As I struggled to get out of the seat to confront whatever had burned me, I saw the Queen looming over me. I could feel the life leaving my body as she fixed her gaze on me, her feeding appendage extended. I watched as my arms began to vanish then a bright light and nothingness.
~
The queen, pleased with herself, preened her antennae. Thinking all the while I hope they all taste that good. For she now knew how to start the ship. Now her workers could begin the reverse engineering.
The Queen watched with pleasure as the spaceports and shipyards sprang up, almost overnight. Her people worked feverishly, following her every command. A new deposit of life crystals had been found. It was large enough to create and control an army of incredible size. As will my empire be, for I must bring the glory of the Sun to all places and to all people, thought the Queen. It is time to select my new mate and create my army. Then I will bring the glory of the Sun to all. Any who resist will be defeated then eaten.
PART FIVE
The Puzzle of the Map
Over the next several weeks, SSlice’s efforts began to bear fruit. Snarth called the team together in the briefing room to lay out his plan to steal the map from Sniggle.
“ssSSlice hasss located the plansss for ssSniggle’sss compound and the time hasss come to launch our raid,” hissed Snarth. “I must sssay if it wasss me I would be better prepared than ssSniggle isss,” he hissed. “I have heard that hisss organization was ssstruggling after hisss dealingsss with the Cult of Eli and the resssulting fallout of being assssociated with them. Azsss a resssult, mossst of ssSniggle’sss sssecurity forcesss have abandoned him.”
“Which meansss ssSniggle will be relying on sssecurity mechsss and electronic sssensssorsss inssstead,” Snarth hissed. “We will ussse a tried and true plan of attack jussst like we did on ssShorty. Human Tom and the feline massster will paraglide from the ssshuttle to the planet sssurface. Once there, they will disssable the mechsss and sssensssorsss, allowing the rest of usss to land unopposssed.”
“I would prefer that ssSniggle did not know that I ssstole hisss map. We have learned that ssSniggle will be away on busssinessss for ssseveral daysss in seven light cycles,” hissed Snarth. “ssSSlice will make a replica to replace the map with. The replica will direct whoever isss able to transsslate it in the opposssite direction from where we are going.”
“And where might that be?” asked Rowl.
“To the home world of the Ones,” answered SSlice. “I have located a planet that has purposely been left off all official navigation charts since the Great War. Even its name is classified.”
“How did you find it if it has been excluded from the navigational maps for the past 500 years?” I asked.
“I came across a reference to an unclaimed life world that had been found by an explorer named King just before the Ones began their war of conquest. It is just a contract from one brother to another that I found in the archives of a long abandoned space station. Its coordinates are the same as those for the mystery planet that I have known about for some time.”
“And what sector is this mystery planet located in?” growled Rowl.
“It isss in the Orion clussster,” hissed Snarth softly.
“That entire area is quarantined,” growled Rowl.
“And now we know why,” hissed Snarth. “My friendsss, you didn’t expect thisss to be an easssy thing did you? If it wasss, the treasssure would have been dissscovered long ago. We have to get the map firssst then we will worry about the quarantine. We leave for ssSniggle’sss compound at 0400,” hissed Snarth, ending the briefing.
After a successfully unobserved paraglide, the feline master and I had landed about one click from Sniggle’s estate. It too was located on a small moon orbiting a populated and busy planet, just like Snarth’s estate. However, Sniggle did not own the entire planet so the only terraformed property was located under an electromagnetic shield to hold in breathable atmosphere and provide security.
As I scanned the terrain, I could see only a barren, rocky and lifeless expanse leading up to the edge of the energy field. It was difficult to see beyond the energy field’s distortion
but I could vaguely make out what must be lush green gardens.
Following the feline master’s lead we slowly made our way closer to a blind spot in the energy field. Whoever had installed this field must have been lazy or underpaid, as they did not clear away the large boulders, choosing to run the energy field over the top of them rather than move them.
It would be an easy insertion with the equipment we had brought with us. We had a device that would redirect the energy field up from the ground enough so the feline master and I could slip underneath undetected. When we reached that particularly large boulder that is exactly what we did.
I signaled Snarth from my wrist pad that insertion was complete and we were attempting to disable the alarms. Then the feline master and I unslung the personal anti-grav sleds we carried and glided above the laser beams and pressure sensors that we knew to be there.
I was getting nervous; there was no sign of any security mechs, which meant they were cloaked and very difficult to spot. What about those motion sensors? Sensing my anxiety, the feline master signaled. “We need not worry about motion sensors as Sniggle lets his pets fly around inside the energy shield. That is why I chose the anti-grav sleds.”
“What if SSlice’s information is wrong? What if they are waiting to ambush us?” I signaled.
“Patience, Human Tom, all of Sniggle’s security personnel abandoned him some time ago because he couldn’t pay them. They may have taken the mechs with them.” Still I was nervous, remembering my encounter with cloaked security mechs and the death of my friend, the old master.
~
I need not have worried about cloaked security mechs; it seems Sniggle had a couple of special surprises for us. His “pets” guarded his estate. The first attack would have come from the air in the form of several very large and angry “birds”. They looked like something from the dinosaur age on Earth.
~
However, the feline master and I were cloaked and the birds hunted primarily by sight. Still we endured several close flybys, one close enough to nearly knock me off my anti-grav sled.