by Leon Castle
After a short 12 hour flight back to Thera, he arrives at Bill’s home. The Crocs have discreetly visited Bill since his return to Thera, he is, after all, their major trade partner. The Trade Ambassador frowns as he steps out of the shuttle, only the dogs greet him.
‘Bucket head you mangy old mutt, where is your master?’ the Trade Ambassador smiles, squatting down to pat the old dog happily wagging its tail in welcome.
The absence of Mazubans is very unnerving, ‘Where the blue blazes is everyone?’ the Trade Ambassador walks over to the house the silence is deafening he has never felt this alone, ever. With an increasing feeling of foreboding, he searches the entire property.
Finally, he finds a small camp in a forest clearing with vehicles parked nearby. His hopes rise. ‘They are just out on a camping trip, they must be down by the river,’ he thinks as he climbs down the embankment. The smell hits him first, nearly choking him. It’s the one smell you never want to experience, the smell of decaying Mazuban flesh.
They are all of them dead, with not a mark on them. It’s like they all had a massive heart attack or suffocated, all of them at once. It’s totally bizarre.
Bill and Sheona are not among the dead, so where are they? Maybe they were washed away by the river?
A very sick Trade Ambassador makes his way back to the house to find some clue of Bill and Sheona’s whereabouts. Finally, after leafing through some paperwork on Bill’s desk, the Trade Ambassador finds Bill’s appointment to become the nation’s Ambassador with an invitation to the City of Light.
The Trade Ambassador boards his shuttle and heads for the nation’s capital, Darwin. As the shuttle descends for landing, the Trade Ambassador looks out on a scene of total devastation. Buildings stand tall and untouched, animals wander free, trees and flowers sway in the gentle breeze. The devastation is total annihilation reserved for Mazubans only, bodies litter the streets. This is the work of only one possibility. the Hammer. Then the realization hits the Trade Ambassador like a slap in the face ‘The crazy little shriveled up psycho! Why? How? Only the Croc can activate the Hammer! Even then, the remaining devices were lost, disappearing under the flow of lava during the eruption!’ Leaving this land of the dead, he heads his shuttle for the City of Light searching for answers.
Now he has to find Bill and Sheona to let them know what’s happened. Arriving at the City of Light the Trade Ambassador lands his shuttle as directed by flight control on Palace landing pad 006. He is met by Web and two burly looking guards.
‘Trade Ambassador, Welcome to the City of Light,’ extending a hand in mock welcome.
‘Never mind that crap! Why did that psycho The Word wipe out the Great Southern Land, and where the blazes are Lord William and Lady Sheona?’ demands a very angry Trade Ambassador, his voice rising in pitch and volume.
‘Seize him!’ commands Web to the two guards, who promptly grab the Trade Ambassador.
‘You are now under arrest and will not only meet the prisoners, you will join them and share their fate!’ With that the Trade Ambassador is marched off to join Bill and Sheona.
Later, after being stripped of his clothes and belongings and dressed in nothing but the prison garment, he is thrown into Bill’s cell.
‘Bill, is that you?’ asks the Trade Ambassador not able to comprehend that the poor wretch in the cell is actually Bill. ‘What the devil have they done to you? Where is Sheona?’
‘Sheona is here, too, in that cell opposite. We’ve had our skin eaten off by tiny monster fish to expose the nerve ends, and then Web tortured us literally to death then revived us. We can’t touch anything without it sending blinding stabs of pain through us. All we have left is to die to stop this suffering. At least the kids don’t know what we’re going through, hopefully they are far enough away to escape any problems from this mob,’ rasps Bill, struggling to breath.
The Trade Ambassador goes to put his hand on Bill’s shoulder and stops. Bill’s skin, or what’s left of it, is now festering and weeping, his frills are torn and ragged. Just looking at it must hurt him! Great sadness engulfs the Trade Ambassador, how is he ever going to tell Bill what has happened to his family, and for that matter his entire country?
‘And she’s pregnant…so why are you here?’ asks Bill, snapping the Trade Ambassador out of his mood.
‘To bring you and Sheona back to Sky Jewel for… the awakening!’
‘What do you mean, awakening?’
‘Bill you mustn’t have heard yet, our research and development team have done it! Using staronium in the reanimation ark Nolack-2 can now bring the dead back to life! The Crocs and their kin are soon to be the first to be awakened!
‘Good god! When does this happen?’
‘Six days from now.’
‘My god they’ve actually done it!’ Bill flashes a painful grin, suddenly there is a spark of hope in his eyes, even if it means that they have to die first, they can then be reanimated again at a later time.
Chapter 10
This conversation is listened in on by none other than The Word himself.
‘We must stop this abomination from ever happening! Who is this Necromancer, Nolack-2? She must be stopped! Web, assemble the entire old nuclear arsenal all that we can lay our hands and load up the Ambassador’s shuttle with them. I want the asteroid heretics reduced to dust!’ spits The Word.
‘What do you mean by Necromancer, my master? ‘Web enquires timidly.
‘Necromancers are vile Devil worshipers who claim to be able to raise the dead!’ snaps The Word. ‘They’re risen then walk the planet as soulless-mindless monsters!’
‘Who does she think she is? God Almighty himself?’ he roars the veins in his temples and frills pulsating wildly.
‘As you wish my master, she must be stopped!’ replies a submissive Web, bowing low to his master. ‘It will however take several days to collect and ready the nukes I will assign my best men to the task.’
‘You are a loyal servant of God, you speak wisely. Let’s be thorough and set this up carefully. This awakening is scheduled to start six days from now, so we strike on the day when they are too busy to notice one small shuttle returning. Set the timer for 30 seconds to initiate after docking. Oh, and I think having the Ambassador aboard the shuttle might be a nice touch for the occasion.’ A satanic smile crosses his evil face.
The Trade Ambassador is soon subject to the same torture as Bill and Sheona. As the day of execution nears, the Trade Ambassador experiences a new internal torture, he hasn’t told Bill what has happened to his family and the Great Southern Land. He doesn’t have the heart to tell him.
‘My master, the shuttle is finally prepared, the door has been welded shut, the Ambassador is secured inside the shuttle. There is no way to stop the nukes now. We have secured 18 operational warheads in total, we are ready to launch on your command. My master, why do we not use the Hammer?’
‘They are immune to its power. You have done well! Once again you prove yourself faithful in much. You will stand at my right hand when I manifest my power over this diabolical heresy!’
The small shuttle lifts off in autopilot using its return home fail-safe mechanism. Slowly she rises up in to the clear spring sky, firing her primary propulsion engines as she lifts clear of Thera’s atmosphere.
Chapter 11
War rages on, resources are exploited with pollution choking the atmosphere. Political systems that have been tried, have failed. Now the struggle for total domination of the planet nears its climax as the big three tear at each other in the name of their creator, each claiming to be the true faith. It is during this time that the Sky Lion comes to be, and is sent on his first mission to give Thera one last chance to stop this madness.
The Sky Lion becomes Thera’s Last Angel.
The Sky Lion confronts the young creator Azeebar, who had prematurely accelerated the development of the Mazuba. Their arrogance soon grew to the point of murdering their own that questioned them, writing their holy books to sui
t their own ambitions to control and suppress the masses, and to have total, absolute power.
The Sky Lion discerns that to achieve lasting peace and prosperity for all Mazubans he would have to appeal to The Word first. Now he would face the most arrogant violent Mazuban of them all. In his Mazuban form the Sky Lion is no different from other Mazubans, however only a tiny portion of his energy life force is tied to this organic body, which has to die for him to return to his energy lifeform. After heated discussion with The Word, even going to the point of revealing his true identity that he is the Sky Lion, he is dragged off in chains to be executed as a common criminal an imposter of God himself. He suffers the same torture as the other prisoners. All this happens two weeks before Bill and Sheona’s arrest.
Three prisoners are dragged out of their cells barely conscious from the beating they have just endured, a parting gift from Web, keen to get the last blow in. They are brought to the chamber of the Crocs.
Panic grips all three as they are manacled naked by the hands, feet, and neck, and then stretched out as far as possible, one prisoner on each of the giant crocodiles. The Sky Lion is manacled to the center croc, with Bill on his right and Sheona on his left. Instead of feeling the heat of the laser, they feel the entire platform shift then lift, slowly moving upwards towards the growing light, upwards towards their impending doom…
Chapter 12
The forlorn little shuttle closes in on the asteroid city of Sky Jewel.
People are having a great time celebrating the awakening of the first Croc, who is the last to rise. The party is in full swing no one is aware of the impending disaster about to be unleashed. Onwards through the silent darkness of space the little shuttle flies inexorably drawing closer…ever closer.
Chapter 13
Emerging from the reanimation ark the First Croc is still a bit groggy as he sits down on the examination table, tucking his medical gown in under his legs. After a quick check over, a clean bill of health is soon issued.
‘So how’s my bike, Doc, is she a right off?
‘Yes I’m afraid so, and so where both of you,’ replies the stocky tall doctor.
‘What do you mean? I’ve just been in a coma for a little while haven’t I?’ growing concern creasing the Croc’s brow.
‘How in the name of all that’s holy do I explain this?’ thinks Dr Muzik.
‘Well no, sire, you both died at the scene of the accident, you suffered massive head injuries.’
Color drains from the Croc’s face, he feels nauseous his hands creep up feeling his head.
‘So…what’s going on? Am I alive? Where the hell am I? Where is Judok?’ he asks in a tiny voice fighting to stop the panic.
Now the excitement becomes too much to contain, Doctor Muzik blurts out.
‘You sire, are very much alive! You are now on Sky Jewel, the year is now 2689! Your designs worked! It has taken us a while to figure it all out and sort out the wrinkles, but here you are the last one of your family to be awakened from death!
‘Let me get this straight, one minute I’m blasting along quite happily on my bike until that stinking huge tree jumps out in front of me, then next thing I wake up here in a city called Sky Jewel…680 years later! Where the hell is Sky Jewel anyway?’
‘Sire you are now on the asteroid belt, Sky Jewel is our capital city.’
‘Holy-crap! So if I’m the last one to rise, who else have you guys brought back?’
‘Your entire family sire! Queen Judok is especially anxious to see you, everyone is here to meet you,’ smiled the young doctor.
The First Croc is now dressed in a long pure white tunic, stitched in gold across his chest the royal golden pyramid with the Golden Halo arching over it, two Crocs facing each other with the pyramid between them. He, steps out of the large tent housing the ark. The tent has been erected in a large park area on the shores of the great lake. He stops, smiling up at the masses of cheering waving people. He raises his hand in acknowledgment, setting off a loud roar from the adoring crowd.
Everyone has come in from the outer reaches of the asteroid belt for this momentous occasion.
‘Where’s my wee Goddess?’
‘I’m right here, naughty.’ comes the cheeky giggly reply.
Spinning around to his right hand side, The First Croc spots his sweetheart at the front of the smaller crowd of family surging forward to meet him. She now steps up to him, kissing him on the lips, prompting another roar of approval from the crowd. The reanimation ark has worked beyond all expectations, now the awakening of the Crocs is complete. All of the Croc’s family is here, all 22 generations of them. Now the long process of introductions starts. After this formality is complete it’s time to celebrate, and celebrate they do, well into the night.
The following morning the two now very alive lovers are enjoying a morning stroll along the top observation deck, taking in the vista below and above them.
‘Darling, did you really believe our sons could do all of this?’ waving his hand around to encompass the massive hollowed out asteroid that is now the city of Star Jewel with all of her wonders from the crystal clear lake at the base surrounded by beautiful open parks. Gardens that hang from the balconies of each floor encircling the inner shell creating a curtain of living color right around the entire wall. The golden glass pyramid the family trademark, thrusting seven floors up into space above the city. His heart fills with pride and awe.
‘To be honest not all of it, sometimes I thought you were a bit of a dreamer.’
‘Excuse me, mother, father may I speak with you for a moment?’
‘Of course son, speak.’
‘Now that you have finally been reanimated along with the rest of us, who among us do you think should become the Grand Croc as leader over us?’
‘I believe the present Croc should stay in power until we prepare a mandate, then we should conduct a conclave to discuss and resolve any concerns that come up regarding leadership.’
‘Son, while you’re here, I’m keen to tour the research and development facilities and meet the people who made all of this happen, can you organize that for me? Oh and I want to see the staronium isotope for myself.’
‘Father, I can actually do better than that, I can organize an enhancement session for you, Nolack-2 can give you a direct link implant while she’s at it. You can talk to her anywhere, any time, and it also links you up so you can call any of us lions at anytime. Staronium is in the vault at the great hall.’
‘What do mean us?’
‘All Crocs since Nolack-1’s creation have been given a direct link implant to her, so now we have our own private communications network through Nolack-1 and now Nolack-2.
‘Fantastic! I’ll be in that. Call me this afternoon, your mother and I still have some catching up to do,’ smiling tenderly at his now enhanced, young, and still pretty wife. Both now dressed in comfortable light jumpsuits with soft leather boots, The Croc tours around Sky-Jewel on foot, taking in the sights and sound of this busy asteroid city with his little goddess by his side.
Mid-morning they enter the great hall, admiring the display of artifacts that line the walls documenting the history of the United Kingdom of Sobektar.
‘This is totally amazing! Check this out they even have a scale model of our first golden pyramid where it all began. Look at this, there’s even a miniature of Nolack running around with the kids!’
Judok looked down at the miniatures, a tear slips out the corner of her eye remembering the happy times she’d had with Nolack, her faithful little dog.
A quiet dignified voice softly whispers ‘I am honored to be named after her.’
‘Who said that?’ a now somber Judok softly asks, wiping the tear away.
Spotting a small bench near the curtained end of the hall, the First Croc gently guides Judok towards it. Their path is intercepted by a proud young man wearing the Royal tunic.
‘Who are you? Why are you here?’ he demands.
‘I am The
First Croc of the United Kingdom of Sobektar, I am here to see my sword Mulicator and the staronium isotope.’
‘Please forgive me, sire. My birth name is Glen, also of the United Kingdom of Sobektar I am the Croc of this great city. Please allow me to escort you to the treasury, where we keep Mulicator and the staronium isotope. I thought you were a visitor, they are very keen to see the great hall and sometimes try to sneak a peek at the throne. Your jumpsuits had me fooled. So sire, you are the very First Croc?’
‘First up let’s drop the sire you can call me grandfather, and yes, I am the First Croc.’
‘Forgive me for asking, so how did you become the First Croc?’ a now inquisitive Glen asks.
‘That son is a story best told around a camp fire with glowing coals and an ice cold beer in hand, with the starry heavens looking down on us. We should take some time out soon and go do just that, it’ll give us a chance to get to know each other. I’ll take you back to where I used to take my boy’s gold prospecting in the Western desert region.’
Glen smiles at The First Croc. ‘Grandfather, the western region copped the big wet several hundred years ago. It rained for nearly five years straight without a break, now all the deserts you speak of are under a massive inland sea. It’s now known as the Great Southern Land with its capital in Darwin. The other 73 cities are built in the Eyre Sea, as it’s now called.’
‘How did they build them in the sea?’
‘They built huge sea walls first, then pumped out the sea water to leave dry seabed to build the city on,’ Glen replied.
‘Bugger! You doze off for five minutes and the whole damn planet changes!’ laughed the older Croc, shaking his head.
‘I have an idea. Why don’t I take you both to Lord William’s estate. We can find a pleasant place to set up camp, I’m sure he would be honored,’ Glen offered.
‘Who is this Lord William?’