It was beginning to grow dark.
At least the oppressive heat would subside.
Lesser insects were swarming on the corpses and the flesh was starting to bloat and stink
They would have to spend the night inside the ship,being out in the open like this was only inviting disaster.
Somehow he would have to get the girl back to Los Angeles,she had no business here and had certainly not chosen her lot.
It dawned on him that this was no accident:They seemed to have been brought here on purpose.
That pirate had called him Captain,knew about the time craft,that meant someone knew all about him.
The planet Nefarious itself was now a living vampire,it came out in waves,this psychic energy, hammering at your brain,sucking out your sanity.
"We shall have to spend the night inside the ship,"he told her "There's no telling what's lurking out there."
He had tried with no success to start the engines.The Helios was grounded.Neutronic energy resounded through out reality,and she was made of neutrinos.Then why on earth wouldn't she start?
Because the Universe itself was at a standstill.
Whatever had caused that dimension rift had frozen time as well.
To the best of his knowledge only one race was capable of manipulating time.
The Telemartian's.
A sudden noise coming from the direction of a small outcropping of rocks alerted him.
He grabbed the laser from Brail and pointed it in that direction.
"We are armed! Show yourself!"
Whoever was hiding had the advantage of rocks to hide behind.He and Brail were out in the wide open.They were sitting ducks
"Hold your fire!" a voice called out."I'm a police officer.I'm coming out."
A figure emerged from the gathering dark.
As it got closer they saw it was a dark haired man wearing the black leather of the Galactic Council.
"I see I got here to late,"he said,glancing at the carnage."I wanted them alive."
"They tried to rape me,"Brail hissed."I wanted them dead!"
"I tracked them across space,"the officer said."They were part of a bunch that wasted the Citadel.Everyone is dead."
The Citadel.Headquarters of the Galactic Council.
"That's impossible,"the Roman gasped."No one could penetrate her defenses."
"Yeah?Well,tell that to them.They're all dead."
"How can you be sure?"
"I was in radio contact while they were getting slaughtered.Someone got in there with an atomic cannon.Now there's just dead static on the other end."
If the might of the Galactic Council was diminished,space itself was at the mercy of evil.
"I'm Lance Morgan,"the agent told them,"last of the line.If anyone else is still alive I haven't heard from them."
That meant that they were alone against whatever was behind all of this.
Suddenly they heard Brail cursing somewhere in the dark and the sounds of struggle.
Now what-
Arms grabbed him from behind and before he knew it he was thrown to the ground.
The policeman tried to take aim but there was nothing to see.Suddenly he fell forward like a tree collapsing in the forest,struck from behind.
"Tie the pig up,"came a gutteral voice."I ain't taking no chances with a cop."
"What is the meaning of this,"the scientist inquired."Who are you?"
A shape materialized in front of him and he saw a lobster humanoid standing there.
Brail was still struggling with a couple of mirror faced Cyborgs who were no bigger than a ten year old child.
A monster cockroach was in the process of handcuffing Lance Morgan.
These newcomers were dressed in the same silver space suits as the earlier miscreants.
"You ain't nothing special,"the crustacean scoffed in derision."He told me to be on my guard but I took you down easy as pie.Why's he so afraid of you?"
"I presume you're referring to your boss,"Captain Space said."He probably won't be pleased if you kill us.He seems to want me for himself."
"You're in no danger,"the creature assured him."We only came for the cop.He's wanted back in the Port City.What the Boss has in store for you I don't know and I don't care.I'm just following orders."
"Who are you,and what is this about?"
"My name is Krustayshuss.My husband here is Insecesoid.These others don't merit a name.They're just mindless zombies.The guy we work for is more powerful than the Galactic Council ever was."
"And you destroyed them."
"No loss,"the monster laughed."We had to get them out of the way.They were a thorn in our side.The Universe is ours now."
Universal dominance.So that's what this was all about.
The cockroach hefted the unconscious Lance Morgan over his shoulder and vanished into the night.The cyborg men silently melted away as well.
"You're expected in the Port,"Krustayshuss told him."Don't keep him waiting."
He pushed a button on his belt and vanished.
So these criminals had teleporters as well as portable worm holes.Formidable technology.
"Come on,Miss Collingsworth,"he told the girl."Let's get inside the time ship.I've had enough surprises in the past few hours to last a lifetime."
-
In the morning he woke the girl up and gave her the bad news.
"Last night I scanned the area.Lance Morgan's rocket ship has been rendered useless.They must have anticipated our using it.So getting you off this wretched planet is out of the question for now.You'll be safe in here just as long as you keep the door locked.The ships replicater can get you anything you want.You can live in here for a lifetime if you have to."
"Wait a minute,Mr. Piddy,are you trying to leave me behind?"
"Brail,see reason.I don't know what I'm walking into.It's likely that they will kill me once I get to the Port.I may not be able to protect you.You'll have to remain behind."
The girl's big black eyes flashed in anger.
"Fuck you,man!" she cried."I can take care of myself,you saw that! I'm not staying behind!"
Captain Space could only stare at her, speechless.
She was right.The girl was his only ally now that the police man was in the hands of the enemy.
"Very well.But if anything happens to you I will never forgive myself,"he told her in embarrassment.
Her eyes softened.Then she smiled.
"Oh,look at you! Afraid to admit that you might actually care about someone.You act like a stick in the mud but you're just a teddy bear!"
"Well, it's been a long time since I've had a friend..."
"You're the closest thing I ever had to a father,Mr.Mad Scientist,"she told him seriously."And to think I was gonna give you head back in the studio!"
"I'm afraid I don't understand,"he told her."My head is perfectly fine.It was a little sore after you hit me but I recovered."
"Oh,forget it,"she said hurriedly.
She reached to the side of the control box and came up with a pink parasol.
"Was this her's?"
He had to stare at it for a full minute before it registered in his memory.
"Why....yes.Where ever did you find it? It belonged to Holly.She must have left it behind when I dropped her off in Trafalgar Square a century ago."
"It was underneath the bed."
She leaned it against the wall and looked thoughtfully at the viewing screen.
"I had this strange dream last night,"she said."You were in it but it wasn't you,not really...you were a ball floating in blackness.You were sad about Holly.The way she suffered before she died...you hated someone....you were dead but...."
"Forget about it,Brail,"he cautioned."That voice coming from the planet has a way of reaching your subconscious.Try to ignore it.Otherwise it may drive you mad."
"It wants us dead,"she said."That's what it told me."
"I know.I can fix it so that it will only be an inaudible murmur.Small copper buttons clipped to the hair.You won't even notice it.And I'm afraid you'll have to leave your shoes behind.High heels won't last long in this desert terrain.I'll replicate a good pair of boots."
"So where are we headed?"
"I'm not sure,"he said."I don't recognize this place at all.It's like it's been changed on purpose just to spite me.We will just have to stay within a few miles of here.The Port was just a small community of scientists in the old days."
-
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,goes the old Chinese proverb.
They saw nothing but desert wasteland for hours.
Huge insects swarmed everywhere.
He had thoughtfully included insect repellent in his back pack among other useful gadgets.
The brilliant white light continued to burn into the sun from the mountain,so that's the way they headed.
Around two o'clock in the afternoon they stopped in the shade of a huge boulder and rested.
There was no room whatsoever for food or water in his kit so he had brought ration tablets instead.
"What is that?"
The American stared hard into the shimmering heat.
"I just saw something flashing."
The Roman followed her gaze.
"I don't see anything.It could be minerals in the sand reflecting the sun.Or it could be trouble."
He looked around and found a jagged stone with a knife edge.
"I should have made a weapon in the replicator,"he lamented."I didn't even think of it."
"I dropped that rifle when I was taking a pee last night,"she replied."So don't feel bad.I'm just as stupid as you."
"There's no more rocks,"he said."As a last resort,pick up a handful of sand and keep it cupped in your hand.It's a good way to blind someone when you throw it.Then run for it."
A shape suddenly came over the hill.
It was a beautiful woman riding a giant lizard.
Her hair was bleach blonde except for silver streaks.She was completely naked except for a sword strapped around her waist,which must have caused the flash Brail had seen.Her full round breasts gleamed with sweat.
And she was was pointing a laser pistol at them.
"Are you two brigands?"she asked softly, albeit with a deadly undertone.
"No, ma'am,we are traveling,"Captain Space said.
"Your destination?"
"The Port City."
"That place is full of outlaws."
"I assure you,we are not criminals.We are simply lost.My ship went down and we are looking for the Port.Can you lead us there?"
"Aye.But first drop that rock your holding,old man.As a show of faith."
Captain Space complied.
"You'll have to excuse my dad,"Brail told the woman."He suffered a brain injury and now he suspects everyone.He's actually harmless."
The female regarded Brail for a moment.
Then she put the pistol into a saddle holster and dismounted.
"I had to care for my father on Strelkor before he died," she said."I believe you."
"What's happened to this place?" the space traveler asked."And what is the purpose of that light coming up from the mountain?"
"Nefarious was altered about a year ago.It happened in the blink of an eye.One second it was Eden,the next it was desolation.And as for what transpires in that forbidden place I can't say.But the name of the mountain is Voltek's Peak.The Bird Folk took me there once."
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