by Jack Challis
‘Give Blaxon his sword,’ Karak orders in a bored tone. The Salas Panar is handed his sword. Blaxon knows the Cold-blood has an unfair advantage in the heat of Goya Perilus!’ The Malis Afar and the Salas Panar face each other like two gunfighters – swords still un-drawn. Blaxon Marr goes for his sword but before his six-fingered hand touches the hilt – Karak runs him through with incredible speed! Blaxon Marr doubles up and crumples to the ground. ‘An honorable death I think,’ adds Karak, wiping his blade on Blaxon’s tunic. Blodwyn felt sorry for the Salas Panar; he never had a chance against the super quick Karak!
Karak communicates with the battleship. ‘Stand by, as soon as the gold is loaded onto our frigate I will order all the prisoners into the Salas Panar vessel – blow it to pieces with a Proton torpedo!’
‘Sir!’ Lt Jibba exclaims, ‘Our ship has picked up three life forms approaching at high speed from the east!’ The Na Idriss with lasers look up and align their weapons east. ‘Identify,’ orders Karak.
‘Three unknowns Sir,’ came back the answer. ‘Could be the Jinnd sir – they adopt strange shapes in flight!’
‘We do not wish conflict with the Jinnd,’ says Karak, ‘but inform the ship to lock onto the unknowns, with their Proton cannons – but only fire when I give the order.’
Everyone looks to the east – three dots appear, one large and two small, flying in formation and with incredible speed. Without warning the largest of the three life forms dives; followed closely by the other two. The Na Idriss open fire – but the life forms are too fast to hit!
The largest of the three life forms swoops and clutches a Na Idriss warrior in its clawed hind legs and carries him aloft. The smaller two life forms fly straight through the bodies of two Na Idriss warriors who fall to the ground, dead. Narrisa, the giant hornet-like Namesian, climbs high into the burning red sky of Goya Perilus – clutching the screaming Na Idriss warrior. ‘Don’t fire yet!’ Karak orders the battleship. All eyes looked upwards. Narrisa stops high above the onlookers – she stings the Na Idriss warrior – then she lets him drop.
The falling Na Idriss screams till half way down: then falls silent: Narrisa’s venom was quick acting. ‘Fire!’ orders Karak. The Na Idriss battleship opened up a devastating cannon fire but still the attack continued. Like fighter planes, the two Lings and the giant hornet-like Narrisa regrouped and dive again. But the fire from the battleship is too devastating for the two Lings. Shrapnel hit the Mayling. Assisted by the Sisling, the Mayling just managed to fly over a ridge. But Narrisa pushed home her attack – another Na Idriss was snatched and carried high into the sky. ‘Fire!’ orders Karak. Narrisa had just enough time to sting the warrior and drop him before the battleship’s Proton cannon hits her. Narrisa is badly wounded!
She limps away like a damaged aircraft dripping fuel; only in this case the fuel was Narrisa’s blood! Narrisa disappeared into the distance in the same direction the Lings had taken.
Blodwyn had watched the unequal battle with admiration; which turned to sadness as she saw the Lings and the giant hornet hit; just managing to get over the ridge before falling – like pheasants on a shoot.
Karak is pleased. ‘Good shooting Captain Timasek, locate where our birds have dropped?’ ‘The strong gravitational pull is affecting our scanners,’ Timasek answers. ‘Organize a search party – I want their bodies recovered dead or alive – for our scientists to study.’
The group of Na Idriss warriors and the Salas Panar, return out of breath. ‘Has the gold been loaded – and where is Nargon?’ Karak asks.
‘Escaped Sir – he killed Lt Mussa – the gold was not near the surface – the Oga Koya lied – we had to go underground.’
‘Fools, I should kill you all.’ threatens the Malis Afar. ‘I should have known better sending the Na Idriss to guard a prisoner they were terrified of. I warned Lt Mussa to keep two arms’ length away from an Oga Koya.’
‘It happened so quick sir,’ replies the Na Idriss, ‘the Oga Koya turned and something with teeth came out from under its flap of skin and ripped out Lt Mussa’s throat!’ Blodwyn’s blood ran cold when she heard this. Karak turns to Magus the other Oga Koya. ‘Bind this one, tie the tail to its body to immobilize it – I will kill him myself once I have extracted information.’ Magus is trussed up with rope. Karak whispers to Lt Jibba… ‘Fetch the Sillian!’ Afraid of being too close to the Oga Koya, Blodwyn stands near the group of Salas Panar: the Salas Panar smile and look her over. “Probably wondering how much I’m worth on the open market,” thought Blodwyn.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A Web-Spinning Sillian
We are nemads-aracnids who worship dark solitude; It is both our joy
and our pride We are lords of the silken trap-door and borrow;
And a danger to all when we hide!
Lt Jibba arrives back with two Na Idriss carrying a cage with extra long handles, their arrival unnoticed by Magus the Oga Koya. Blodwyn noticed the interior of the cage was covered in sheet web; the type spiders use to conceal themselves!
Karak approaches the bound Oga Koya. ‘I will give you no information,’ says Magus defiantly. ‘Every race has a weakness,’ replies Karak, ‘my Na Idriss are afraid of water and the Oga Koya. We Malis Afar are afraid of the cold. What is the Oga Koya afraid of?’ Magus remains silent. ‘Well let me prick your memory,’ says the Cold-blood, giving the Oga Koya a jab with his sharp sword. ‘You once shared Goya Perilus with another species that nearly wiped out your tribe until the Jal Mar helped you – for gold. This species is not a spider but spins a web,’ continues Karak, ‘it can only eat putrid flesh – it moves through tunnels quicker than the Oga Koya, and its favourite prey is….’ Karak now has Magus’s full, undivided attention. ‘Bring the Sillian here,’ Karak orders. The Oga Koya begins to shake with fear and tries to escape its bonds. Blodwyn craned her neck to get a better view of the Sillian. Karak stood well away from the Sillian’s cage – and with his sword cuts away the thick strong web cocoon the Sillian is hiding behind. The Sillian was no taller than three foot. It cringes from the bright sunlight and hisses, showing jagged teeth. It had a face not unlike a vampire bat; a leaf-like snout, small eyes, long arms and four hooked appendages, indicating the creature was built for climbing and moving in tunnels.
The Sillian’s fur was black and glossy like a mole. But strangest of all, at the end of its raised abdomen protruded two large spinnerets just like a large bird-eating spider!
Immediately, the creature began to re-cover the cage with thick web from its spinnerets, ‘Stop!’ orders the Cold-blood.
Blodwyn is shocked when the Sillian answers in a strange tongue!
‘Leave me in peace,’ grunts the Sillian, ‘I crave only the solitude of cool darkness, in the depths where I can meditate and dream my dreams.’
‘How would you like to take an Oga Koya underground with you to feast on?’ The Cold-blood asks.
‘Oga Koya!’ repeats the Sillian, trancelike. ‘I have not tasted their flesh for centuries!’ The Sillian seemed to rearrange its body and stood upright – its nose twitching. ‘Look Magus’ teases Karak, ‘the Sillian has picked up your scent!’
The Oga Koya shook with terror as the Sillian, whose eyesight in daylight seemed poor, turned towards him.
‘After it has bitten you, and wraps you in web to turn black,’ threatens the Malis Afar, ‘I will take the Sillian to the entrance of your tunnel and let it go – to finish off the rest of your tribe!’
The terrified Magus, struggles in his bonds. ‘I will speak… what do you wish to know?’
‘Firstly,’ begins Karak…. but he is interrupted by Lt Jibba.
‘Sir, message from battleship – a Galla Quall armed frigate is approaching at patrol level and closing.’
Karak thinks quickly – he tells the battleship to remain cloaked and ambush the frigate, but only cripple it. He needs that Galla Quall craft intact. ‘Everyone stand still,’ orders Karak, ‘the Galla Qualls and the Ida Jaade will not open fire
indiscriminately.’
Blodwyn watches helplessly as the armed frigate approaches, unaware of the ambush! The battleship opens fire hitting the Galla Quall frigate in its thrusters; the craft goes out of control and plunges downwards!
The disabled Galla Quall craft seemed to be heading straight for the group in the ravine. Every one of the different alien races scatters.
Blodwyn finds herself alone – with the only two alienoids who could not escape – the Sillian and the Oga Koya!
She stood transfixed: gripped with panic, staring at the bound Oga Koya who struggled to free himself. Then to her horror, from inside the creature’s lip-flap a set of jaws with jagged teeth surrounded by a sucking disk shoots out as if retained by a spring. The Oga Koya’s teeth made short work of the rope – the Oga Koya was now free! Blodwyn’s paralysis quickly vanished; she had to get away from the horrid creature – this was her chance to escape – although she did not know to where?
Blodwyn ran: not only to escape the crashing spacecraft, but also to distance herself from the Oga Koya and the Sillian.
Running uphill in the soft sand was like walking the wrong way on a spongy escalator. Her feet sank into the deep sand and so did her stout stick, which she eventually lost – her only defense gone!
Blodwyn stopped to look back; no one was in sight, only the Sillian shaking its cage in rage. Just then, the spacecraft hit the bottom of the ravine and skidded along the sandy floor. Blodwyn made for some rocky ground in the distance in the centre of which stood a group of very tall rocks. The two burning suns of Goya Perilus smiled down on her. The rucksack on her back got heavier. The gravitational pull made it difficult just to lift her feet. Blodwyn was near exhaustion – she needed water and shade.
Reaching the tall rocks, she found they formed a shady alcove. She was too tired to realize – there was only one way out! She had walked into a trap. To her however, this was an ideal place to rest and plot her next move. Dropping her rucksack, she sat on it and listened. Apart from her gasping lungs and pounding heart, there was total silence.
She was grateful she had filled the water bottle at every chance, and took small mouthfuls – dehydration meant death. “Was Goya Perilus the right place to escape on – were the two Lings dead?” Calmer now, Blodwyn took stock: she had to be optimistic. If the two Lings were alive they would find her with their keen sense of smell – she just had to wait. Maybe escape wasn’t such a bad idea at that. Her heartbeat returned to normal, but not for long. Suddenly a faint noise: almost subtle like sandpaper being rubbed gently together. What could it be? Her heart jumped a beat when she saw her tracks in the sand plainly visible – then her heart pounded, when she recognized the sound – she had heard it before. A heavy body was slithering across sand – Oga Koya! It was only then she realized her mistake – but too late – she was trapped!
As Blodwyn considered making a dash for it, a long shadow fell across the entrance to her hideout. The shadow was quickly followed by the narrow orb-eyed head and torso of an Oga Koya – it was Nargon the killer of Lt Mussa! Blodwyn was immediately drawn to the enormous shiny black orb-like pupil-less eyes of the creature; they glinted in the shadows; like those of a large house spider that stops moving when you spot it and watches you!
Blodwyn remembered Karaks words. “Do not look at the large orb eyes, and keep two arms’ length distance; concentrate on the small eyes below.” But this proved to be very difficult as the large shiny orbs were mesmerizing; she could see her own terrified reflection.
The Oga Koya slithered towards her. ‘Stop!’ she orders. The Oga Koya obeys, but she noticed it continues to slyly inch towards her like a snake crawling on its ribs, when moving in a straight line. A thin wiry arm reached out towards Blodwyn as if to touch her. ‘Stop – I say you, you…., overgrown tapeworm,’ she shouts in her most assertive voice. (She had no personal experience with tapeworms, but had a greedy, over thin cousin in Cardiff who always seemed to harbour one).
‘Do not be afraid Terasil,’ says the Oga Koya, Nargon. ‘I will not harm you – trust me.’ Blodwyn never trusted anyone who says, “Trust me.”
To her, “Trust me “meant” screw-you!” ‘We have something in common that binds us,’ says the Oga Koya.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Blodwyn asks.
‘Both our species originated on Earth!’ says Nargon.
‘So did leaches,’ answers Blodwyn, ‘but I wouldn’t touch one with a twenty foot scaffold pole!’ Undeterred Nargon continued. ‘We can both escape the Malis Afar Cold-blood and the Na Idriss underground together and be safe. You will be cool – very cool underground.’ The Oga Koya’s voice was gentle, deep – husky and persuasive.
Blodwyn wanted to be cool. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. ‘Tell that to the Marines you – you…. Lamprey,’ shouts Blodwyn.
(Blodwyn had a terror of lampreys. They entered the enchanted pool near her home in Gwynedd, where Blodwyn and her friends frolicked on warm summer afternoons. The warning cry of “Lamprey – boys,” from a skinny child; keeping dutiful watch on the bank would cause panic among the youngsters. Many a youngster learnt to swim in the wild dash for the safety of the bank.) The Oga Koya, like lampreys kept their teeth hidden. “Were the two species related?”
‘Come Terasil – do not believe the Malis Afar – they lie about the Oga Koya.’
‘You just want to suck me dry – just like a lamprey does to a salmon – leaving only wrinkled skin!’ she accuses. The Oga Koya looked hurt at this insult. ‘Anyway what do you eat?’ Blodwyn asks, curiously.
‘The Oga Koya are fungus eaters,’ answers Nargon, ‘we grow beautiful white sweet juicy fungi underground – Terasils love it – come with me underground – in the cool, dark, peaceful shade.’
‘Get lost – you creeping parasite,’ answers Blodwyn.
‘We Oga Koya,’ replies Nargon ‘will give you gold – we are alchemists, we have the secret – the Malis Afar want this secret. The Malis Afar will kill you Terasil – they killed our breeding Queen – we will soon be extinct!’
‘Well don’t look at me – I can’t lay eggs!’ answers Blodwyn indignantly.
The Oga Koya’s large orb eyes drilled into Blodwyn’s brain: paralyzing her thoughts! To her amazement and horror she was actually beginning to feel sympathy for the loathsome creature standing on its tail before her! The Oga Koya could be telling the truth – it would be cooler underground; and all that gold she could have! Blodwyn’s brain was becoming numb – her body weakening, as if some kind of paralyzing mental poison was spreading through her – she was being hypnotized by those shiny black orb eyes! All this time the Oga Koya Nargon, was stealthily creeping towards her on his ribs, snake like – all seemed lost – she had gazed into the Oga Koya’s dark orbs just a little too long!
To give in to the inevitable seemed so inviting! But giving up was not in Blodwyn’s nature – she had to stop looking into its eyes to break the spell before her brain became too numb to even think!
This proved impossible: their eyes were locked. She had to make the Oga Koya look away from her – before it was too late! It was her last and only chance – thinking was becoming so difficult. “Any problem can be solved if given enough thought.”
The answer came to her in a flash! ‘Sillian – a Sillian!’ Blodwyn cries out. Nargon the Oga Koya spins around and looks behind him. As soon as his orb eyes left Blodwyn’s, her mind cleared instantly and strength returned to her body.
‘A Sillian! Did you say – a Sillian?’ Nargon asks in a shocked tone. ‘Where did you hear that terrible name?’
‘The Malis Afar have one – they intend to send it underground.’
The Oga Koya looked shocked! ‘A curse on the Jal Mar – they have broken their word and kept a few Sillians alive,’ mutters Nargon to himself. ‘Are you valuable to the Malis Afar?’ the Oga Koya asks.
‘Very,’ answers Blodwyn, ‘they would be very angry if you hurt me!’ ‘Well then – I will take you host
age whether you are willing, or not.’ Nargon quickly slithered back to the entrance of the alcove and had a quick look around to see if the coast was clear. Bending down, she picked up her rucksack with one hand and a handful of sand in the other. The Oga Koya’s eyes looked vulnerable – they were large and lidless – a perfect target! The Oga Koya slithered back to Blodwyn. ‘Our way is clear – come with me,’ he orders. Blodwyn throws the sand straight at Nargon’s eyes: bang on target! But she was bitterly disappointed; she watched the grains of sand slip off the shiny orbs; like water off a duck’s back.
Angry, the Oga Koya rushed at Blodwyn. She was ready and used her rucksack as a shield – only just in time! From below the long hanging lip shot out a circular sucker surrounded by a ring of triangular serrated teeth! The sucker clamped onto Blodwyn’s rucksack – she could feel the teeth shredding the canvas!
She pulled her rucksack away and gave the Oga Koya a mighty kick. Nargon fell: he was just rising when another shadow appeared at the entrance – it was Magus the other Oga Koya! There seemed no escape now for Blodwyn.
‘They have a Sillian!’ Magus cries out; his breathing holes opening and closing rapidly. ‘I have seen it with my own four eyes – we must warn the others and block our tunnels – stop the Sillian entering. We must hurry Nargon!’ ‘We need this Terasil female underground with us, as hostage,’ says Nargon: Both Oga Koya close in on Blodwyn!
Then the unmistakable sound of unshod hooves on stony ground came floating on the heavy stifling air. All eyes turned and watched the entrance. “Not another Oga Koya!” Blodwyn prays.
A Galla Quall appeared leading a donkey – the Quall seemed to be floating. Behind it was a large dark reptilian humanoid, holding an umbrella over the Galla Quall’s head; like some Nubian slave.
A gentle soft voice breaks the deadly silence. ‘Oga Koya…. I return your donkey…. you should be more careful…. there are hungry Na Idriss about!’ Blodwyn noticed the two Oga Koyas act like two guilty schoolboys caught with their fingers in a pie. Nargon and Magus bow deeply towards the Galla Quall; then ignoring Blodwyn, focus their attention on their donkey. With thin sinewy arms they lovingly stroked and checked the donkey over.