by Leon Castle
‘First of all please, let me introduce our team,’ says Glen, sweeping his arm around to encompass them.
‘This is our team leader around here, she’s known as Ithmere. It was she who made the discovery of how staronium actually works. Then she, with your blueprints, went on to develop this enhancement tank,’ Glen indicates the young lady busy making final adjustments to the tank.
‘Thank you Sire.’ Ithmere says, acknowledging Croc Glen’s accolade with a nod then standing up and walking over, shaking hands with the First Croc and Queen Judok.
‘The second member of the team is Zodok, who is technical adviser and assistant to Ithmere.’
Following Ithmere over, Zodok introduces herself.
‘Last but not least, Dr Muzik’.
‘Good to see you again, lad.’ acknowledges the First Croc, shaking his hand vigorously.
‘Good to see all of you, sire. Ithmere has worked feverishly on the enhancement tank and reanimation Ark for such a long time, I’m happy just to have the privilege to work for these talented ladies. This technology is nothing short of amazing!’ Muzik enthuses.
‘So…how does this here contraption work?’ teases the First Croc, with a huge, mischievous grin.
‘Well, sire, as you should already know, it tears you into tiny bits then tries to put you back together, hopefully in one piece!’ Ithmere retorts with a smile.
‘She’s a feisty one, Glen.’
Glen smiles and nods, Ithmere can give as just as good as she gets and then some!
‘This way, sire,’ directs Ithmere, leading the First Croc into the small tank room.
‘I need to show you the communications implant that will link you to Nolack-1 & 2 and the other Crocs. This little device will be placed in your skull behind your right eye, it will be directly linked to your brain,’ Ithmere holds up a tiny golden device the size of a pea between her thumb and forefinger, her other hand cupped underneath as a safety net.
‘How does it work?’
‘Firstly if you wish to talk to Nolack-1 or 2 or any of the other Croc’s, you just think of their name. They will then respond and you can have a conversation with them in your head without saying a word out loud, this is the main feature of this system. Also you can be anywhere in Nolack-1 & 2’s grid which now includes contact with the other Croc’s, obviously a great security feature and data source. It will however take a little getting used to.’
‘Where is Nolack-1?’
‘She is our first bio supercomputer on board the Sobek, the two of them are linked, it is like having one massive bio supercomputer.’
‘Speaking of the Sobek, I should take Queen Judok for a tour of her when I get out of here, I believe they picked up our entire asteroid population outside the city and docked this morning?’
‘That is correct, my liege,’ confirmed Ithmere.
‘Sounds great, what do I need to do now?’
‘I need you to remove all your clothes and personal items, including jewelry, sire. Then I need you to stand on this little platform here,’ indicating a small slightly raised platform on the floor. ‘When you stand on the platform, raise you arms from your sides just a little as the platform rotates.’
‘Nolack-2 will do a three-dimensional scan of you and then project a hologram next to you. Then you can instruct Nolack-2 to adjust your new body to your liking, typically you guys go for bigger arms and smaller belly, but I’ll leave that up to you.’
‘Any changes you make will be transferred to the hologram so you can see what you’ll look like, and you can change it until you are happy with it. But there are limits, otherwise you would no longer be you, at least to look at. Once you are done, move to the tank and step in. It’s designed like a flotation tank you just lay there and float, Nolack-2 will do the rest. I’ll download our database to your implant to bring you up to speed with who’s who, and everything that’s happened since your first death. I’ll close the door for your privacy.’
With a lot of excitement and a just little trepidation, the First Croc begins to undress. A chill creeps down his spine. ‘She did say first death, didn’t she,’ he muses. How long will this life last before he has to die a second time, just like Mozaz said he would? Shrugging the thought off, he steps onto the platform to begin the sequence.
‘Grandmother, if you don’t mind can we start the festivities and get this party started while our First Croc is being enhanced? We are running a little close to schedule,’ Glen suggests, glancing at the wall clock.
‘Of course, Glen, I’ll wait here. We’ll join you when he’s finished,’ nodding towards the enhancement chamber.’
‘Thank you. Enhancement should only take an hour, two tops.’ Glen, eager to get the party started, bows to Queen Judok and hurries off.
The First Croc lies in the tank, totally relaxed. Nolack-2 has explained to him how she will convert his carbon based molecular structure into microscopic slices to energy, then convert his energy lifeform to his new carbon based body specifications using his own cell structure. Nolack-2 has never attempted to convert a whole organism to an energy lifeform, but it is theoretically possible. There is no need for any artificial fillers or implants it’s all him, with the exception, of course, of the golden communications implant.
Chapter 16
The shuttle of death closes in on the city of Sky Jewel, making its final approach from 200 kilometers out, so far the evil plan of The Word is working flawlessly.
They will never suspect their own innocent looking shuttle is to be turned against them.
Chapter 17
The three prisoners look up from beneath the golden Crocs holding them captive, into the blinding white glare of daylight. A chill wind biting into their mauled flesh, cold, fresh air burns their lungs as the rising platform nears the end of its journey.
Their heads are now level with the surface of the stark rock landscape of Skull Place.
Chapter 18
Its party central on Sky Jewel, everyone from the asteroid belt is enjoying the festivities.
‘The First Croc has now entered the enhancement tank. We’ll catch up with him as soon as his enhancement is complete. In the meantime enjoy the feast!’ announces Croc Glen, his giant screen image raising his arms in welcome.
A thunderous cheer goes up from the crowd, the party has officially started!
Inside the enhancement tank there is total darkness. There is no sound, no touch, no smell, just total blackness and the feeling of floating free of gravity. The First Croc drifts into a very deep sleep.
Chapter 19
There are no scheduled flights into or out of Sky Jewel during the festivities, with the exception of the Ambassador’s shuttle. Manual flight control has been closed down. Everyone is at the festivities, which turns over flight control to Nolack-2. Now the Trade Ambassador’s shuttle approaches the unsuspecting asteroid city, shutting down its primary drive. At 10 kilometers out, the shuttle gives the secondary docking engines a quick burst of reverse to cut speed down as it rapidly approaches the opening shuttle bay door in the distance.
‘Dock 3, level 6’ instructs Nolack-2 to the shuttle’s on-board computer. Now at 3 kilometers out Transport Shuttle TS 82063 prepares to do exactly as instructed, it will enter through the now fully open shuttle bay door with its sinister payload.
Chapter 20
With a sickening jolt the huge platform completes its journey, locking into place on the surface, just outside the city on the west side. The rocky outcrop that is known as Skull Place is totally inaccessible, except for carrion birds that peck at the meat left on the skulls thrown over the wall once The Word has inspected them. This is the first time the platform has been raised to the surface for a public execution. The three prisoners look up at the sky as it becomes a giant screen that envelops the entire planet, with The Word’s evil, veiled face looking down at them from the heavens.
‘Children of God, witness his might as he smashes the children of the necromancer Nolack-2
and their supporters!’ The Word’s voice boom’s. ‘Look to the heavens and behold Azeebar’s vengeance!’
First he plays the film clip of the attack on the Great Southern Land.
‘Nooo! screams Bill and Sheona at the sight of their family happily enjoying a picnic by the river then being struck down stone dead, along with the entire population of the Great Southern Land.’
The Word rambles on for what seems like an eternity, the entire planet at a standstill, faces turned skyward, watching and listening to the spectacle.
Chapter 21
The shuttle has only one person onboard, the Ambassador! Where are Lord William and Lady Sheona? This makes no sense to Nolack-2. She scans again there is still nothing. Where are they? The shuttle is now only 200 meters away. She switches to earth link to discover the global sky screen has been activated and The Word is in full flight with his speech condemning the three heretics, Lord William, Lady Sheona, and the Sky Lion. They are to be publicly impaled by the lance! The Asteroid heretics with their Devil worshiping Necromancer Nolack-2 have a surprise on the way, guaranteed to help the party go off with a bang! Nolack-2 uses the earth link to spike The Word’s database, downloading its entire contents, including video log of the Great Southern Land attack, with Lord William and Lady Sheona’s visit to the city including their arrest and torture. The Word’s database is then wiped clean.
Next she scans the shuttle as it settles into its dock. A bright flash bursts from under the shuttle. It has been rigged to weld itself onto the steel landing dock on contact.
‘Welcome home, Trade Ambassador,’ the male voice of the auto responder chimes.
Inside the shuttle a small red panel activates and lights up. On the display panel, numbers appear: 0030-0029-0028-then…
Nolack-2’s scan reveals high levels of weapons grade plutonium in 18 separate concentrations, meaning only one thing. Total annihilation!
Chapter 22
Sky Jewel is party central! It’s going off! The music is loud, everyone is up dancing and having a great time. The feast is superb, there is plenty for all. The triple screen gives them three views. First, one floor level right in the middle of the party. Second, a view from the observation deck looking down on the whole party, and the final view a close asteroid cam for the fireworks display.
No one is paying any attention to the small shuttle that has just landed in shuttle dock 3 level 6.
That is, no one except Nolack-2.
Chapter 23
Now The Word winds up his speech as he stands high above the prisoners on the execution platform protruding from the top of the west wall. He stands looking down on the three prisoners like a repugnant, ravenous vulture, his head bobbing up and down as a smug, evil sneer crosses his face. His frills are now fully erect and quivering, pulsing black and scarlet red.
The Word raises his arms skywards, screaming in a high pitch hellish voice:
‘Impale the false angel and the children of the necromancer filth! Impale them! Impale them!’
Web had been steadily increasing the power of the spring tension of the lances. Now at his master’s command he slams his fist onto the large red button, unleashing the full power of each lance. The prisoners are pierced through, their bodies jerk skywards as the lances shoot up to full extension. They dangle 10 meters off the ground, their limbs convulsing as their screams are cut off by the lance protruding from their mouths. A thunderous, roaring cheer explodes from the crowd of onlookers.
The Word now gazes heavenwards, expectantly waiting for his master stroke, the annihilation of the Necromancer Nolack-2 and the entire heretic population of Star Jewel.
‘Your Holiness, we have piggybacked onto the close asteroid cams of the heretics,’ informs Web.
‘Excellent! Feed the link through to the global sky screen for all of God’s children to see.’
Chapter 24
Nolack-2 quickly downloads the shocking execution and then downloads the entire database of The Word. She now uploads the entire data package to Lord William’s communications station back on Thera, and overrides the Word’s sky screen. She now plays its entire content, exposing the torture, murder, oppression, genocide, lust for power, blood and flesh, and every other hideous filthy thing these so called children of god are involved in, including owning the factories that produce the weapons of mass destruction, drugs, and gambling with every other unsavory illegal activity. They profit from it all!
She simultaneously uploads the entire history of the Croc’s family, the development of the technology needed to go to the asteroid belt and mine it, right up until this moment in time, into the First Croc’s implant.
Fading in and out of consciousness, the First Croc starts to remember small scraps of memory, the massive upload is almost too much for his brain to handle.
Slowly a distant memory starts to take shape. He is with his son and two grandsons, the place is desolate desert country where it is hot, dry, and dusty.
As the memory finally starts to gel, a faint smile appears on the Croc’s semi-conscious face.
Chapter 25
A wedge tail eagle soars overhead through a cloudless sky. As the 4x4 off road vehicle covered in red dust bumps over the dusty desert track, rocks bounce off the vehicle as it winds its way along this remote track. Perok is now 800 hundred kilometers distant to the south. It’s now late afternoon. Kangaroos are plentiful out here, so it’s with a sense of relief that we arrive at our destination, which is not far from the small desert town of Wildok in the northern goldfields. This, is a very isolated stretch of the western desert.
We pull up near some straggly gum trees by a dry creek.
My son Alex gets out, stretches, then looks at me over the bonnet of the vehicle.
‘Looks like a great place to start,’ he comments.
I smile and nod.
My 19 year old grandson, who has protested his boredom for the last couple of hours, reluctantly climbs down from his seat, looking around first, then looks at his father.
‘Dad, I could think of better places for a camping trip. Are you sure about this?’
A crow calls out and a small flock of finches scatter from a nearby shrub.
‘It’s perfect,’ replies Alex, glancing back at me with a smile.
Maxxy spots the exchange. ‘There’s something going on with Dad and Granddad,’ he states.
For a 12 year old, Maxxy is very perceptive, more so than his older brother.
‘What are you rattling on about?’
Ignoring his older brother, he turns to me. ‘There is, isn’t there?’
‘All will be revealed when we’ve setup camp,’ I reply.
‘Gawd, I left my girlfriend behind for this?’ Dave mutters, as he surveys the desert landscape.
Maxxy start’s ratting through the food ice box. Alex stops him with a hand on his shoulder.
‘Set up the table and chairs first, then we can set up the barbecue and get some food cooked for tea.’
‘But dad, I’m starving,’ Maxxy moans.
Dave gives him a shove. ‘You’re always starving.’
While the boys are busy setting up the camp, I use the opportunity to prepare my surprise.
‘When are we going to start prospecting Granddad?’ asks Maxxy, who suddenly appears behind me.
I back out of the passenger side of the vehicle, turning my head to face him, leaving the briefcase in front of me.
‘Tomorrow morning first thing, bright and early,’ I tell him.
He stares past me at the briefcase. ‘How come you’ve brought a briefcase with you on a camping trip?’
I pause to consider how much I should tell him. ‘Your dad and I have a long held family secret to tell you and Dave. I was going to surprise you with it after tea.’
Maxxy looks skeptical. ‘Is this one of those campfire stories? I gotta to tell you, Granddad, I’ve heard them all at Scouts.’
I laugh. ‘I’m sure you have, but no, this is a blood secret handed dow
n from father to son. I’ll tell you more once we’ve eaten.’
Maxxy grins ‘I told Dave something was going on.’
‘Now, Maxxy, don’t go winding Dave up,’ I warn ‘I won’t be telling you pair this secret if you get mouthy with Dave.’
Maxxy’s disappointment is evident as he slumps against the door. ‘Aw, Granddad that’s not fair, finally I get know something he doesn’t.’
I barely control the smile threatening to break loose. ‘This is important, top secret Maxxy, do you understand?’
Maxxy brightens. ‘OK Granddad!’
‘You are going to be just as surprised, Maxxy, I was thinking as he scarpers off to help with tea.
After a good meal we clean up, tossing the scraps into the fire, not wanting to invite every ant in the district to our campsite. The flames crackle and pop, sending a golden glow into the surrounding bush.
Alex cracks three beers, handing one to me and one to Dave.
‘Not for you this trip, mate, as soon as you’re legal age I’ll shout you your first brew,’ I say to Maxxy, who is eyeing off the stubby in my hand.
Maxxy screws up his face and grabs a soft drink.
‘Dave, could you please grab my briefcase from the 4x4?’ I ask, adding ‘be careful it’s heavy.’
‘Geez Grandfather,’ he wheezes as he lugs the case over to the table. ‘You must have a ton of lead in here!’
Carefully, Dave places the case on the table. Its light alloy legs struggle to support the weight of the case.
Now both lads are watching curiously as I snap open the locks on the case, spinning it around to face them. Inside is a large jarrah wood box. Maxxy leans forward to get a closer look. Dave looks to his father for answers, waiting for him to explain.
‘Dave, you brought me the case, so you can open the box,’ I say.