*SONG* “We All Die Young” by Steel Dragon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-WqWaZxXSo
“Tread softly…Listen…The Eyes and Ears…
The bell tolls…and the trumpets…command it…
There are reasons…
In the songs are clues…
Why? What? Who for?
A gathering comes…Foretold in Legends
From family secrets…To genetic memory…
To long secrets held by Indian Nations…
A magic book…A secret cave…
A medicine man will announce it…
Many will want to go…
They will insist some…whine and attest
Others will cry…while others will deny…
Just know this…And I say it only once…
This is meant for only the right ones…
For the wrong that go…WILL DIE.”
Varence said with a calm unforgiving tone…
“Now…From this point on when I speak…
If its riddles you hear…Oh well…
It had to be said and will be.”
“Finally!” Rana exclaimed with relief. “He
Says it! Now we move on…”
The sisters all sat around…as I wrote…
Only Varence and Rana stood…Then Ceres,
With a warm and kind smile said… “Now
You finish the story of the Elvar, Bill.”
“I would enjoy that.” Vala hummed.
Varence stood politely in front of me, leaning…
His expression imposing; I swear this guy
Loved taunting: He smiled, rolled his eyes, “Stop
Saying that, I’m not mean…I’m always
Appropriately considerate.”
“I should slap you,” Rana smiled, “But for
Some reason all I want to do is LAUGH.”
He took command then, enjoying every second
Of it. “You write like I think,” he said,
“I like that.”
“Because you told me to.” I said
“Anyway, now…” Varence went on, “As
The rest of the story goes…Listen carefully…
I told you the story already…but you had to
Wait…Think…My words, Ceres words…
Eyes to the mind…The story goes…Tell
It this time…Let it flow…
Everything you know is about to change…”
Backward…From their view on the ship…
The commander had done as the Lord Apollo
Instructed and ordered his ship to the Northeast
Lush green islands…of rolling hills,
And lochs…of ancient forests that still
Grew old timbers…For Earth, it was an age
Of ruddy chiefs and barbarians…For the Elvar
It was simply an accidental unintentional
Visit…and exploration…
The tall blond, bearded man stood before the
Mirror adjusting his dark blue uniform…
Fussing…procrastinating. He groaned at his
Reflection… “If answers could only come from
Mirrors…” he said to himself…
Then his loving wife, a fair skinned blond woman…
With long curly hair stepped up behind him…
Smiling to his reflection. “Then you would
Hear only wise answers…Because you are a wise
Man…You know the answers…Stop doubting
Yourself.”
He shook his head. “Why are we here?” He
Turned to her. “You saw them…You saw them
Too, the specters…The spirits…The gods…
Whatever, whoever they were. Should I have
Been so foolish to have embraced his request
So fast?”
She nodded. “I saw them. It happened.”
Her voice was sincere, her eyes big blue and
Comforting. “El’Adan…They were here. I know.
Anyone would have done the same.”
“El’Lena,” he begged her, “Everyone keeps
Asking me why…I can not bring myself
To say the words…The Great Lord Apollo of
Earth. Earth? O’Pel of the Ministry would
Have me publicly chastised…O’Din and his
Mystics would revel in their myths and
Legends…There would be an uproar in the
People.”
“Say what you will when you feel it is right.”
She told him, gently grabbing his shoulders
To support him. “You are the Commander…
Forget them. They will find questions to
Anything…Let them talk…They will never
Be silent or satisfied…That is how things are.”
“We’ve been here a full cycle of the moon,” he
Told her as he moved to grab and put on
His blue dress coat; such formal attire…
Everywhere. “We have our fuel…The ship is
Fair to leave…I have no reason to tell them
For us to stay…For what? For a
Secret visitor Apollo to reappear?”
She smiled, lowered her brow…El’Lena looked
So sweet and strong…despite her delicate
Pink gown… “He asked for our help…
Obviously he knows you will make the
Right decisions without constant instructions.”
“A thousand questions I could ask…” The
Commander confessed…
“Then,” she suggested, “Give them something
To do…Busy hands have no time to doubt
With questions.”
He nodded with a victorious smile. “You are
A wise counsel. M’Jan would suffer insult
If he knew you gave such advice.”
She beamed, her smile so proud. “And if I
Were the commander, you would do the same…
We are two but one…” She hugged him tight.
“Now go…go to work…You’ll know exactly
What to do.”
He smiled, kissed her and then departed strongly
For the bridge. With each step his thoughts
Found reasons for the day ahead…
Stronger and more confident as he
Passed each crew member…each colonist
Along the way until he reached the
Main bridge…Then when he sat he was
Ready as commander; all doubts he put
Out of his mind…Though they were there
When he returned to his home quarters at
Night…
On the bridge…It was a large round room,
Found at the top of the ship…Every view
Had panels and seats…Lighted consoles
And view screens and keyboards with symbols,
Each with attentive workers in various shaded
Blue uniforms…
All bowed heads for the commander…
There was respect, pleasant smiles…
There was no small talk…
These were a focused people…calm, cool, collected…
ALWAYS…This was their nature without end.
Immediately his first officer M’Jan, a tall
Orange haired, fit middle-aged, handsome
Looking man came to the commander’s side…
Followed quickly by O’Tel, his second officer,
Another very fit, good-looking, tall, amber
Colored hair, young looking man stood to his other side…
Both had the same straight shoulder
Length hair; they all did…aside from
Some who wore theirs to their waist, it
Was custom. His officers were his eyes, ears
And arms…Always eager for orders.
“Sir,” M’Jan said politely. “What are the
Instructions for the say? Are we to make
Our departure and resume course for the
Other colonies?”
“All coordinates are ready,” O’Tel added.
“No.” The commander calmly told them, almost
Appearing bored as he held his coat’s lapel.
“Gather senior officers in the meeting
Room…I would like to address them…on
Something of my mind…I will await
Them there.” He left then for the said room.
Within minutes…An assembly of twenty
Of all the highest ranked officers had gathered
In the great meeting room…
Seated around a long, oval, darkly polished
Table…In a sparse, brightly lit ivory-gray
Room with no windows…only view screens
On the surrounding walls…that occasionally
Flashed images of the woods and
Horizons; it was a beautiful planet.
The commander waited for their full
Rested attention, then spoke. “Listen everyone,”
He said with a kind authority. “I realize
Our mission is to join the colonies…But I believe
We have purpose here. I believe we have
Come here by no accident…and I wish to
See why…There is life here.”
“Savages,” M’Ren said fast. The leading
Science officer, a tall, fair, golden haired
Woman of strong character. “Primitives…
The animals are more interesting…we have
Viewed countless variety.”
“I would like to study this variety.”
The commander told them.
“All of them?” M’Jan asked. “The
Animals, planets…its people?”
“Yes,” the commander said… “This
World is rich in abundant variety. Why?”
“You are interested in the inhabitants
As well?” M’Rond, chief medical officer
Asked. He was another tall, blond man; all
Were fit, all possessed attractive features.
“Yes.” The commander answered. He
Paused…studied their faces…They were
Content with this…No one protested, if
Anything they were intrigued. “In eight days
I will have us meet back here for reports.
Please, note anything that strikes you…
Anything at all…Thank you.”
The crew did as they were told…Very soon
All departments were consumed with
Collecting data…And it wasn’t long before
Many discoveries were made…time
And time again…until many were
Constantly gasping…Then the questions
Came…and theories were rising…
The commander relaxed contently as the days
Passed, his crew enthralled by the discoveries
Of this blue planet they were visiting…
O’Pel of the ministry didn’t bother him. It
Only gave him more time to praise the Heavens
And encourage prayer among the people; they
Were extremely spiritual…though humble
Manner could easily become impatient…
Then at last the 8th day came…That
Morning the commander was nervous…There
Still had come no 2nd visit from the Great
Apollo…And though the crew was busy with
His instructive studies of the planet, he could
Not avoid a fear growing within him…why
Were they here? A nagging feeling grew
Within him…instinct. Should they, would they
Come to regret coming to this planet Earth?
That morning…
The weather was clear and bright…
It was the season of spring…
But there was a terrible fear in the commander…
Upon entering the great meeting room on the
Bridge…El’Adan found the
Room eagerly full of restless, talkative officers…
All held study tablets full of data which
They discussed with wide words amongst
Each other…When the commander entered
They rose to stand to greet him…by their
Faces he could tell it was going to be an
Interesting discussion…Every one of them
Appeared eager to be first to engage his
Attention…
“Greetings,” he smiled at them as he took his
Seat at the head of the table, “I see you
All have much to say…”
M’Jan looked back and forth between the
Brightly lit image of Earth filled the
Screen… “The planet we are on…” She pointed
In a circle… “This is no natural world.”
“How so?” the commander asked.
“Sir,” M’Ren responded, “We have all
Been comparing research…There is no
Nature here…not as we have ever known
It…Forgive my abrupt words…The information
Is overwhelming.”
“Debates have consumed everyone for
Days…” M’Jan told him… “To be honest
Since day one.”
“Why?” the commander was puzzled.
“The ecosystems of this planet…” M’Ren
Explained… “There are so many…Too many.
We simply do not see this variety…not
Under these conditions so fast…These were
Created.”
“Created?” the commander asked.
“Sir,” M’Jase, a tall red-haired woman
Interrupted; the leading geological officer,
“This planet has undergone quite a
Transformation…very quickly…”
“We believe…” M’Ren went on, “Some kind
Of cataclysm…of atomic causes.”
“The collapse of a civilization,” M’Jase
Continued, “with atomic power…Possibly more
Advanced than that…Either by accident or
Deliberate…We’re not sure…”
“Deliberate?” the commander scowled…
“The people of this planet…” M’Ren tried
To find the words…. “The primitive savages…They…”
The faces of the officers shared a confused
Expression…The words to say it…
It was then that M’Rond, the leading
Medical officer joined words…He was
Tall, blond and handsome; they were all this way.
“Sir, their DNA is NOT normal…not
What it should be…not under these
Conditions…and certainly not in these
Environments.”
“How so?” the commander asked.
“There is much to say.” M’Jan nodded.
“What are you trying to say?” The
Commander asked the officers.
“These people,” M’Rond said slowly, “There is
No other way to say it…They have been
Experimented on.”
“Simply say it,” M’Ren said fast. “This
World is one great laboratory.”
“What?” the commander looked about them
In shock…
“For example,” M’Ren turned to the screen
And pointed to the wide ocean far west;
The Pacific. “This ocean here…The tectonic
Plates beneath it are extremely
Unstable…This ring…was impacted
In a distant past by a powerful explosion…
Shattering its crystal network…creating
A massive instability in the crust…it would
Have triggered quakes…volcanic eruptions…
Tidal waves…an entire polar shift…
An entire shift of the surface of the
Planet…”
“An extinction event.” M’Jase added. “Not
To mention the impact craters of meteors,
Asteroids…something else, at various other
Positions of the planet…And all occurred in
A VERY close period of time.”
“Something else?” the commander asked…
They only stared at one another…
“There are remnants of structures, cities
In our scans…buried far beneath the
Surface…And not just in one place,
Several.” M’Ren said nervously.
“The depths of the remains,” M’Jase
Shook her head, “The magnitude of the
Force to do this…I can only imagine…”
“And the life forms!” M’Ren told him.
“There were GIANT beasts that roamed
The planet…All gone…And even they…
Were INSANELY enormous…The size…The
Sheer amount of resources required to sustain
Populations of their kind…is ridiculous…”
“And they were eradicated FAST.” M’Jase
Explained. “They rose fast, covered the world
Fast…” She shook her head… “The size and
Variety…it was as if…something pushed their
Genetics to the limits to grow, twist and turn
Every which way…and then GONE.”
“Extinctions do occur.” The commander said.
“To be replaced by drastically different
Species?” M’Ren asked. “So fast. No.”
“There was a Beastly Age of Monsters.” M’Jase
Explained… “There was an advanced
Civilization here…cities…many, many cities…”
“And they were human.” M’Ren said, hesitating.
“WERE human?” the commander asked
“WERE?”
M’Rond stood then and went to the view screen.
All fell silent. He touched the screen and
The image of one of the local male natives
Appeared. He pointed. “This…is an example of
One of the current nearby natives…Notice
The features…Look past the animal skin
Garments…The grizzly beard…The worn features…
This is a…man…in part a human man.”
“In part?” The commander was confused.
“Sir,” M’Rond said carefully. “This…person, this
Thing…has been altered…His DNA is
Much like ours…but also has other factors
That ours do not…additives…modifiers…and
DNA that just should not be there.”
“What?” the commander asked.
“Sir,” M’Jase explained. “Something did
This to them. Something changed them. And
It was no accident. It was intentional.”
“And it is still happening.” M’Ren added.
The commander was speechless. A fear
Grew inside him…as he sensed what they
Were suggesting…would say…
M’Rond pointed to the subject on the screen, “We
Surmise that a fragment of the past
Civilization survived…a small number…Perhaps
An island…a cave underground…a ship…
And then by limited number…their genes
Were isolated…possibly some in-breeding occurred,
Causing cellular corruption, degeneration…
Corrosion…At which point foreign DNA
Was introduced…And by judging at the
Depth of fragments in the DNA…it
Was put there on purpose not by natural
Mating…thus causing new elements, new
Behaviors…”
“They became something else.” M’Jase said.
“Their hormone levels are insanely high,” M’Rond
Said, “Too high for this level of degeneration…
It would cause intense erratic emotions…
Incapable of being controlled…Without the
Ability to control these emotions it would lead to
Violent behavior…primitive behavior.”
“I don’t understand,” the commander said,
“You said foreign DNA? Primitives?”
“They have Sirian DNA,” M’Rond explained.
“Draconian DNA…in their base core…That
Could only be put there by science,
Not marriage…The compiled strands are
Causing these intense emotions…No humans
We know are like this…they don’t exist
But here…This level of emotional behavior
Would bring insanity…without control.”
“But,” M’Jase went on, “In a laboratory
Situation…with wide exposure to different
Stimulants…environments…weather…The
Results could be quite fascinating…in creating
A new form of human being…”
“Emotions…could, like this,” M’Rond told him,
“Prove to be a very useful source of fuel…
Food…and under the right conditions…
Vessels…to play with…fight with…or possibly
Even become a very powerful being.”
“Sir,” M’Jan told him solidly, “This is the
Signature work of the Dark Empire. The
Evidence is all over the planet. Its one of
Their slave planets. And the humans that
Once called it home…fell victim to them.”
The commander was stunned. He knew
This was near their region. And he
Recalled the Great Apollo’s words…
But this…
Just then an interruption came in over
The intercom. “Commander, we have
A situation in the infirmary. We request
Sir M’Rond and yourself there as
Soon as possible.”
The commander hesitated with concern, “Of
Course,” he answered and then rose to depart, “Please,”
He instructed for the science team, “Accompany us.”
The commander, M’Rond, M’Ren, M’Jase
And M’Jen then quickly left for the medical
Wing…continuing their discussion
Along the way…
“Please,” the commander instructed, “Tell
Me in short what you wish to say…You
Clearly have much to say…”
“Sir,” M’Jase said as they entered a lift to
Descend to the medical level. “This world,
This planet…isn’t just one giant
Laboratory…it is a zoo.”
“What?” the commander grimaced.
“A collection of life forms,” M’Ren explained,
“As diverse as the imagination can be…
From every known corner…From the birds, the
Insects, to the mammals…great horned and
Hooved animals…the reptilian species…wolves,
Rodents…felines…lions.”
“Lions?” the commander asked, his jaw
Hung wide as the lift descended. “Lions and
Reptiles on the same planet?”
“Yes!” M’Ren exclaimed.
“And the plant life,” M’Jase added, “There
Are no words…Species and sub-species from
EVERY known world…The conifers alone…”
“But all planets can be lush with life,” the
Commander said, “We know our
Ancient ancestors seeded the stars with
Meteors rich in seed-life…”
“Not this way,” M’Jase insisted, “No meteor
Life capsule disperses life this way…THIS
Was deliberately made…IT WAS BROUGHT
HERE.”
“Sir,” M’Ren added as the lift came to a rest,
“There are some species identical to our home
World…WHY? HOW?”
They exited the lift and walked swiftly
To the infirmary…”They have a
Hominid species…clearly created by
Splicing Draconian and Sirian DNA…
A Simian type creature…That range in
Size to enormous bipedal beasts to
Very small tailed creatures that leap about
The trees…” M’Jase gasped.
“But,” M’Rond interrupted, “It is the humanoids…
I can not even begin to say…”
“Try!” the commander said impatiently,
The information was making him nervous.
“Sir,” M’Rond tried to be rational, “Their
Nature…their hormone levels…The way
They reproduced…it’s as if they are
Programmed to mate constantly…1,2,3,6
Offspring…At their current population…
In a thousand years, they will number in
The hundreds of millions…in two or
Three thousand years…they will number in
The billions…BILLIONS!”
“Can you imagine such a number for
A planet of such size?” M’Ren insisted.
“Now factor in the advancing aspect of
The modifying genes…” M’Jase continued
As they neared medical. “The consequences…
The chance aberrations, the mutations…
The minute prodigies…”
“A civilization will rise fast,” M’Ren
Explained, “And growing that fast it will
Spread into space.”
“They have all the characteristics of a
Harvest species,” M’Jase said fearfully,
“A farm of humans.”
“Dear God, what for?” the commander asked.
“FOOD!” M’Jase said harshly, her manner
Impatient. “FUEL! SLAVES! What could
You do with them? Anything! Everything!
And if they were trained…or possessed
Atomic power…”
“Dear God!” The commander shook his
Head. “I pray this is just a theory.”
“But the shocking theory to this is,” M’Jan
Then told him by his side as they came
To a stop outside of the medical center… “Is
That…We believe…They…This world…was
Settled by the lost colony of our ancient
Homeworld…The lost children…That
Fled Leahndar millions of years ago.”
“That is mystic nonsense!” M’Rond
Logically persisted. “Save that for O’Din
And his panel of shamans…Gods and
Goddesses of the old world…The tall
Beautiful people of our creation…Legends
Have no place here…And what would you
Say next…of specters to appear to guide us?”
The commander froze…his eyes trembled
As he recalled quietly the visit from
The Lord Apollo and his Ceres…He
Could not speak…
“Some believe it.” M’Jan said.
Just then, the attending subordinate
Physician rushed up to them, another tall
Blond man of clean-shaven skin…He raced
Up to senior medical officer M’Rond… “Sir,
Please follow me…”
He led them into the medical center until
They reached the large observational window…
To a room that held a young, blond
Girl unconscious, on a medical bed, as
Nurses rushed around the room attending
Diagnostics…the sight was…frightening
To them…to say the least.
“What is this?” the commander asked in
Confusion. “What happened to her?”
“Sirs,” the attendant explained carefully…
“This is the daughter of Chief O’Sans
Of flight deck…She was attacked last
Night…in her sleep…”
“Attacked?” M’Rond became angry. “By who?”
Their people did NOT do such things…at all,
EVER.
“Not who,” the attendant answered. “WHAT.”
“Excuse me?” Doctor M’Rond inquired.
The attendant pointed to a nearby wall panel,
Then brought up an encrypted security
System…the ship automatically recorded
Any intruders the moment sensors
Detected non-Elvarian life forms.
They watched as the recorded video displayed a
Shadowy, gruesome creature emerge from
The shadows of her room…to assault the
Adolescent girl…The screaming, the entire
Act made them gasp in horror…
“What is that?” the commander shouted.
“Some kind of Draconian entity!” M’Jan
Said nervously, “The size, the eyes…The
Way it moves…chameleon type qualities…”
“How could it get in?” the commander
Asked. “Where did it come from!?”
“What happened to her?” M’Jase only
Demanded.
“The trauma of the assault,” the attendant
Explained…”It seemed to…feed off
Of her…fear…Then sexually assaulted
Her…Her psychological responses shut
Down…”
“But she’s awake!” M’Rond noted.
“A trance, a conscious coma?” M’Ren asked.
The attendant further explained, “There
Are abrasions, slashes…bruises…fractures…
Bile…bacteria traces…saliva…semen…”
“Can you help her?” M’Ren asked, her voice
Nervous.
“I have to examine this extensively.” M’Rond
Said as he left them to enter her room.
“Where is the creature now?” M’Jan demanded.
The attendant only shook his head. “I do not
Know. Not on the ship.”
“I want full scans now.” The commander
Said. “I want a full scan of the ship.
I want to know how to keep this
Creature out, and anymore from coming in!”
“We need to know what it is.” M’Jase said.
“I want it out!” The commander demanded.
“I want a defense system established…
And I want it today!” He pointed hard
To his first officer. “GO NOW!”
“Yes sir.” M’Jan immediately left to
Begin the process of scans and shielding.
“Do we leave now?” M’Jase questioned…
“I can not imagine…”
The commander fought his thoughts…The
Data, the details…What his eyes and
Instinct told him…and then of the Lord
Apollo’s request… “Are we here by accident?
Can we help these people?”
“Should we?” M’Ren reasoned.
“They are being experimented on…” The
Commander appealed to their human
Nature… “Is that a just cause?”
“What do we do?” M’Ren asked.
“Could some sort of means be devised to help
Them?” The commander suggested… “Some
Sort of salvation to spare their genetic
Tampering?”
“Some sort of retro virus?” M’Jase
Replied…”Something to halt the foreign
DNA’s rampant antics? Their emotions,
Their behavior is established…Such a
Thing would require a constant
Observation, maintenance?”
“Let alone intensive genetic encoding, re-coding!”
M’Ren said. “What, are we to do, start abducting
The natives? While they sleep, to experiment
And test them? Or abuse them like this
Creature?”
“No of course not,” the commander
Sighed, “That would be barbaric.
That would be as diabolic as those who
Did this to them.”
“I admire your consideration, Commander,”
M’Jase explained, “But I must remind
You of our own obligations…and safety. Are
We raise our expectations to saviors
Now?”
“All I am saying is,” the commander
Simply and sincerely said, “Is that we
Are here for a reason…We need to
Consider everything going on…with them,
With us…That is the future there…”
Apart…Watching from their own view screen
And vessel…
Apollo held his chin as he sat in the
Captain’s chair… “Something has to
Happen now…”
“Are you proud of yourself now?” Ceres
Asked as she watched the screen.
“Have some hope please.” Apollo said.
Ceres groaned at the chances…
The hope of change…Promise?
Miracles? She sighed and turned to
Him, of his serious expression. “Will
You put some pants on please?!”
Returning to the perspective…Time’s record…
The commander sat in his chair, his private
Office contemplating…over and over…the history…
What he knew…and the crew did not…
This world…its inhabitants…the revealing details…
The attack on that poor girl…What to do?
Expectations…reason…fear…doubt…and the haunting
Visit of the mysterious…Apollo.
The bells to his office tolled…He granted entrance, the
Doors slid open and his first officer M’Jan
Entered… “Sir…” His first office told him he had news…
This became a daily routine…as the studies
Of the people and the planet continued…
The days became weeks…the weeks, months…
With M’Jan entering to sit in the chair before
His desk informing him of updates…
First the genetic results…M’Jan reported, “Our
Field teams have gathered constant samples
From the natives…”
He spoke of how stories spread among the natives
Around their campfires…of the FAIR FOLK
That lured young men deep into the woods to
Seduce them…
‘The lurid fantasies of imagination…” The
Commander would laugh…
His people would isolate young hunters, a female
Officer gently approaching them…tranquilizing
Them to take harmless blood samples for study…
But the lustful minds of the fantasy filled
Men always embellished the tales; haven’t they
Always.
M’Jan, and sometimes office M’Jase would
Inform the commander of the progress
With the experimental retro-virus…They
Had been able to isolate more ideal human
DNA to discourage the more aggressive
Sirian and Draconian DNA from corrupting
Their behavior…in time…over generations
Their situation should improve…
“They should display more human characteristics,”
M’Jase told him hopefully, “In time…
They will grow taller, fairer…hopefully control
Their emotions…become more artistic and less
Violent to maintain this…However the hormones
And sex drive were harder to manage…They
Were wonton breeders…” She told him. “However
Over time their life spans should improve
Over time gradually…The cellular
Degeneration from inbreeding and the intense
Stress of such high hormone levels drastically
Hurt their longevity.”
Still the studies continued. Eventually a
More progressive and successful virus was created
And the commander ordered it to be spread
Into the population as best possible…
Teams were dispersed in scout vessels to inoculate
Select natives in other regions of the planet…
Asia…Africa…The Americas…
Where further research could be done on
What happened in the planet’s history…
Folklore and fantasies spread of the STAR
PEOPLE…While they meagerly attempted to
Help the natives…
M’Jan informed the commander of lost
Ruins and monuments…The remnants of
A lion temple in North Africa…Ancient
Pyramid structures…
“And sir,” M’Jan told him with wonder, “Our
Science teams have also discovered other
Aspects in this system…Lost satellites eroding
In the orbits of other planets…Similar monuments
On the Great Red Planet…Pyramids…Monoliths…
In patterns of a mapped configuration…There must
Have been survivors that lived on outposts there…
That fled into space…We found encrypted warnings…
Warnings…BEWARE THE DESTROYERS…THE
DARK ONES, THE SERPENT…but they were so
Vague…”
“Could any have survived?” The commander
Asked hopefully; his hands seemed forever
Glued, folded beneath his chin in thought.
“Sir, we just don’t know.” M’Jan would answer.
“We have found suspicious readings…of various
Deep underground caverns around the planet
Giving off…strange readings…”
“Underground?” the commander asked. “In
Hollows of the planet, lost survivors?”
“We can not be sure without exploring at those
Depths,” M’Jan said, “But honestly we
Don’t have the equipment or resources for such
Precise investigations geologically…with the
Science teams spread so thin on the genetics
Projects.”
The commander nodded…There was only so much
They could do after all…
Then…months later…The day came when
M’Jan entered his office with the heaviest
Expression…He fought to tell the commander…
“Sir, there is something I must tell you…
It’s about your daughter…”
The commander listened as M’Jan informed
Him of hidden activities of his daughter
El’Miren…of how she and a few of her
Friends had taken steeds out for riding months
Ago…encountered a gory battlefield of bodies and
Retrieved a dying native man…only to nurse
Him back to health…Secretly…El’Miren had
Cleaned him, shaved him, dressed him like
Their own and even begun teaching him their
Ways…
People had begun to notice…talk…
“His name is Togarth,” M’Jan explained; “He’s
Become somewhat popular among the young people…
Being so…different…They play games of sport
Together…He’s even demonstrated some remarkable
Artistic skills…She’s truly civilized him…
She is a very lovely girl…” He explained…
El’Miren had long been promised to his
Own son M’Jon to unite their families…
“Somewhat of a Beauty and Beast story.”
M’Jan laughed.
The commander laughed. “Really?”
M’Jan hesitated…”But sir,” he was afraid to
Say more, “You need to look into the matter
Yourself...as soon as possible…and if I may
Insist…Now.”
“Oh?” He was intrigued.
There was a very serious look on M’Jan’s face…
At that the commander sensed there was a
Problem…He immediately summoned his
Daughter to his office to question her…
His beautiful, young, golden-haired daughter came
To her father’s office carefully. She sat before her
Noble and protective father wearily…
“I hear you have been busy with one of the
Natives in your company?” He told her what
M’Jan had said…but only received short
Secretive answers…
“Father you don’t understand,” El’Miren
Desperately explained to him; as though it
Were direly important. “He can learn. He’s
Not some primitive animal. I’ve taught him
Our language…He’s learned to read…I’ve
Given him books…The ministry explained to
Him about God, of our religious history…
And he started praying…He prays now!
And he cares…I showed him how to care
For the animals…And then he showed us
The animals in his woods…The rabbits, the
Squirrels, the deer…He saved a baby bird
From a fallen nest…He showed some of us
The trails his people travel to hunt…The
Land…how they scout, his people, and watch
The weather, prepare for the seasons…He told
Us how his people fight to survive…The local
Tribes fight for hunting lands…He told us about
Their spiritual beliefs…They believe in a Creator
Too! Togarth even drew my picture.”
“Togarth?” Her father repeated; he spoke
Now as both her loving father and commander
As well. “You speak of him very passionately.”
“I’ve come to care about him,” she tried
To tell him with all her heart, “He’s not
Stupid or reckless. He can learn, he cares…
It’s just no one ever showed him how…
His people know different ways…”
He studied her face…She was speaking
Sincerely, but… “Do you have something to
Tell me?” A knot grew in his stomach.
“I’m pregnant.” She told him quietly.
His eyes exploded…His mind boiled quickly,
Thoughts raced, reason fled…While fear
And anger took over. “What?”
“We’ve been together…as a couple,” she said
“I was hoping you would understand and—“
“STOP!” He shouted. “Do you have any idea
WHAT he is! What this planet is?” Her father
And the commander merged into a blind
Enraged tyrant. “Come with me.” He led her
Down to the medical center where the
Science teams had been working on
The retro-virus…and showed her everything
He had instructed them to do over the
Past several months…
He showed her the scans, the data…The
Manipulated DNA details in the pictures, words
And endless pages of information. “This is
WHAT your Togarth is. He is the product
Of a world transformed by the Dark Empire.
His world is a laboratory of species of vast
Variety…His people have been degenerated,
Malformed and reshaped into a human
Aberration! He is a THING! Not a man!”
She began to cry…Her feeling crashed inside
With wars of reason against love…reality
Piercing hope with the logistics of science…
The Togarth she loved…was suddenly a
Subject torn apart by science…All she could
Do was cry…and shake…and cry…
“How pregnant are you?” He demanded.
“Nearly to full term,” she told him
With a shaky voice as she held her large
Stomach; which had been carefully hidden
With a large, flowing dress and robe.
The commander summoned M’Jan and
O’Tel with a thundering insistence. He left
No moment of doubt. Upon their arrival, his
Words were sharp and ruthless. “I want
This Togarth off my ship NOW.” He glared
At them. “NOW. DO IT!”
El’Miren cried desperately. “Father, please…”
He grabbed his daughter by the arm firmly
And pulled her into the medical center.
“M’Rond!” He shouted, ORDERED. “Come
To me NOW!”
The physician appeared curiously at once.
“Sir?”
“Listen to me,” the commander said
In s voice they did not know, “My daughter,
Is in a situation…Follow my instructions
Without a word…She is with child…by
No natural means…Force it from her now
And free her of this burden…She is in
No frame of mind to see clearly.”
“Father NO!” she screamed.
M’Rond was shocked. “SIR PLEASE.”
“DO AS I SAY.” The commander instructed.
“Sir, what?” M’Rond asked. “Why?”
“It’s one of theirs.” He said. “She was with
One of the natives…NOW DO AS I SAY…TELL
NO ONE OF THIS!”
She was too hysterical to protest…overwhelmed
By everything he had said…Then it happened so
Fast…The doctor sedated her and induced
Labor…A successful birth came…And with
M’Rond’s stealth and wise care the baby
Lived…While the commander then took
His daughter…and locked her in her
Quarters under guard with no visitors…
The commander ordered an immediate
Meeting of all science officers…He then
Had the fullest intention to leave the planet
Right then…
When M’Rond inquired about the baby…
The commander ordered him to get IT
Off the ship right away…to leave it with the
Natives…NO OBJECTIONS…and no one
Fought him…they had never seen him so
Angry…
Then…minutes later the staff had assembled
For the meeting…M’Ren, M’Jase…O’Sara,
M’Jan, M’Rond…O’Tel…even O’Pel
Of the ministry was there…
The commander began his address with,
“I believe the time has come for us to leave
This world and resume our course to the
Colonies…”
Just then…as faces about the great table
Queried in doubt confusion…
Magical guests appeared…
As they watched, suddenly to the right of
The commander two figures shimmered
From light into solid form…
A tall, fair-skinned, chiseled man
Draped in robes and the most flawlessly
Beautiful sunny-haired woman in a
Red dress and of ferocious expression
Stood like titans…
The room went silent…There were gasps…
Eyes bulged…No one blinked…
The commander froze…slowly turned to
Face them…
“You,” the woman said pointing to the
Commander… “You call yourselves an
Advanced race…Forgive me…I have never
Had the graces of being in the audience
Of a superior race…” Her icy eyes of fire…
Her voice paralyzed them all…
“Yet you commit the greatest crime…
By act of Rage and Pride…because
Your precious daughter lay with what you
Call an animal? HA! You are superior…
Superior in acts of stupidity!
This grand position you make for
Yourselves…Pilgrims of the stars…
Consider better values…
Ah,” she said by shock of their faces…
“I see he hasn’t told you of what he did…
Of his daughter’s baby with the local
Savage…The inhuman experiment Togarth…”
She allowed a moment for fear and
Thoughts to grow…
“THIS, a message I send to ALL above
And beyond that consider themselves
Higher Beings…Life is not something
You toy with…Especially a child’s life…
No advanced race pardons themselves
Beyond others…
They teach others…
So that others can learn and also follow.
And grow with less pain than they suffer…
That is how it should be…
Now I tell you this…
Teach them of this world…
Your knowledge…So they too can grow.
And you make sure that baby has a
GOOD life…for he is of your blood…
And you have that responsibility now…
If you fail to do this…
I will make sure that you NEVER
Leave this world EVER…”
She smiled viciously…”DARE ME…
Challenge the commander…
Just know we’re watching…”
Then they were gone…
The audience fell to awe, heavy eyes on
The commander…Who then confessed
What he knew of WHO they were…
In fear, at once they commenced to
Follow commandments…They tried to
Find the baby…But apparently
The local tribe of Togarth’s people…
Had also been visited by the specters…
In fear they hid the baby with
Another tribe and refused to reveal
His whereabouts for they did not
Trust the Elvar then…
The trickery of the Elves were born
Then…tales of hope and deception…
The fair and the magical…
Legends were born…
But, the Elvar did attempt to
Rectify what the commander had
Done by sharing knowledge and
Teachings…To protect the baby they
Thus had to help aid ALL the locals…
They did attempt to scan for the
Infant with their sciences…but
They could not find him…
Months passed…progress was made…
As Togarth had learned…so did his
People…And a civilized nature grew…
But, despite the breakthroughs…
A broken hearted El’Miren
Held to her room…lost and
Confused…A shell of what she was…
Alarms sounded one day…The commander
Was informed…They had lost contact
With the other colonies…They had fallen
Under attacks…The Dark Empire had
Descended in a great round ship…
Then communications fell silent…
Panic spread across the ship…
They had to leave…to return home
To the Seven Sisters to tell them…
In the desperate confusion and race
To leave…M’Jon…son of M’Jan
El’Miren’s promised once future husband,
A handsome golden-haired youth…
Sought out his best friend…
He knew what had happened…
But was forbidden to see her. So he went
To her…worried, afraid for her
More than himself…
He sat with his broken best friend,
“I’ve missed you. You’ve been through
So much.”
She could barely look at him. “You must
Hate me.”
“Hate you?” He shook his head. “Of
Course not. You’re like my sister, my best
Friend more than anything…I know your
Heart.”
“After what I’ve done?” El’Miren asked.
“What?” M’Jon asked…calmly, his voice
And manner soothing. “Look at me…Please?”
She did as he asked, meekly in shame…
Misery…
“Do you know me at all?” M’Jon said kindly.
“Please. I’m your friend, listen to me…
Don’t torture yourself anymore…
I won’t have it.”
“What?” She was confused.
“Your father, our parents,” M’Jon
Said shaking his head, “There is a time
To listen and not to…They don’t know
Everything…They don’t. At times like
This we have to see…We have to be better
Than our parents…They get to a certain
Age and see blindly…Now you listen to
Me…”
She started to cry, but looked into his eyes
Which were kind and strong; she had
Never noticed it before…
“These things you did…”M’Jon said, “Do
You think he is an animal?”
“No,” she shook her head.
“Do you think, do you FEEL he is
Some sort of experiment?” M’Jon asked.
“No.”
“You had this secret affair,” M’Jon
Said, “You never looked so alive as when
You were with him…I saw you together…
I was never jealous…I admired it.”
“You did?” she asked.
He nodded true. “Now I’m asking you…
As your friend…Don’t be afraid…Forget
What everyone is saying…Forget the rules…
Do you care about him?”
She wiped her face. “Yes.”
“Do you love him?” M’Jon asked.
“Yes.” She confessed for the first time out loud.
“So let’s go get him.” M’Jon said taking
Her hand. “The ship is leaving…We’ll
Figure something out.”
“But our baby,” she cried.
“We will figure it out.” M’Jon told her.
“Trust me…We will…We’ll come
Back…somehow…We’ll find him.”
She laughed and cried and smiled.
“How did you get to be like this?”
“I am the Great M’Jon,” he smiled,
“This is what it took for you to see?” He
Laughed. “Now come on…Let’s go get him
And take him with us…This is what
True friends do you know.”
And so M’Jon took El’Miren to get
Togarth…They brought him back to the
Ship and they took him with them…
M’Jon adopted him as a brother into the
House of M…and they worked it out…
And when they can…They…Their
Descendants come back…to look for
Their lost star seed…and they visit…
But they do come…and will continue
To come until that magic moment comes…
“Now,” Varence smiled… “You need
To rest with writing…A few more
Things to tell of course…But that’s
Enough for now…
An interesting time ahead…
And timing…ball games…
The stars…
Hollywood…The X’s…
All those little details adding up…
With the right story
At the right time…
That’s magic…”
Vala hummed, “And there is magic
To come…”
Valiant
My Artwork: Earth Angel, Star Princess
