CHAPTER SIX
While the lingworts and Zarcon had contemplated the rescue of their friend, a silent force followed them across the vastness of the galaxy. He sat behind his command post, overlooked the screen that lay in front of him, and turned towards a Belorion subordinate at the navigational panel.
“How long before we reach Zebula,” he asked, in a cold inhuman voice.
“Approximately ten hours, Sir,” the Belorion answered.
“Once we reach our destination, I only want two scout ships with me,” Riona said. “The rest will remain in a distant orbit to intercept the renegades. I don’t want them to escape from me again.”
He stared into the empty space of the viewing screen. ‘How dare they defy me,’ he thought. ‘Handful of traitors! At least they will be destroyed here before they can spread their beliefs across the universe!’
As Zebula lay in front of the dark gray Republic ships, even Riona’s time was growing short. The Tolarions already blamed the Republic for destroying Zeloria and their ground base on the lingwort’s planet, Ventros, and were preparing for an offensive attack. Preparations were being made to send attack ships to Belor and Sentros, the council’s home planet.
Riona was not worried; even without an army, his mental powers were a force to be reckoned with. Having the doomsday weapon, as he called it, was just icing on the cake. He felt that no one could stop him, not even this human named ‘Jeff Walker.’ Even at this distance, he could sense the human was injured, but he couldn’t discern any other information yet. Within four or five hours he’d be able to, and then he would have his apostates.
His powers enabled him to read minds as well as control them, move objects with relative ease without touching them, and create illusions to confuse his victims. His only wish was that no one ever discovered his weakness; for if that was to happen, it would spell disaster for him.
Zarcon, unfortunately for him, knew one of them-distraction. Riona knew that his arthropod adversary knew this as well, and was working on a way to overcome this problem. He wanted the meddler dead for some time, but he needed a reason to execute the diplomat, for the Republic wouldn’t condone his actions otherwise. Now, with the president of Belor out of his way, he could control the galaxy without interference. There was, however, the matter of the earthling which would be corrected soon.
On the scanners, Riona stared at the bluish-green aquatic world. In a trance, he was only receiving simple thought transmissions from the humanoid. They were thoughts of fear, pain and discomfort. As he probed deeper, he realized the human was surrounded by reptiles of some kind; hideous, blood-thirsty creatures. The darkness he empathized engulfed him like the emptiness of space itself.
As the hours passed, He tried to scan for Zarcon’s mind, and found himself unable to. “Prepare to land,” he told his second in command. Riona scanned for insect life, but only found traces of smaller specimens. “What game are you up to now, old friend?” Riona stared at the equatorial land masses on the planet below. “We’ll need to land at coordinates 9.6501. On that island below. Confirmation computer?”
“Confirmed,” the machine answered. “Coordinates set at 9.6501.”
The three hundred and fifty feet craft entered Zebula’s atmosphere, withstanding the furious heat against the shields. As the jet-like spaceship glided towards the equator, they switched to sub orbital speed. They approached the canyon on the small island where the Rigil Four was earlier. Riona saw the indentations of where it had landed, and then peered at the clearing where the wreckage was still smoking. “Land near there,” he commanded, pointing towards the clearing.
The ship edged into the cloud of smoke that lingered around the lake. The craft landed in the clearing, their commander opened the main hatch, and jumped out onto the soft soil. His subordinates closely followed his orders, and held their weapons firm. “Spread out,” he told them, as they immediately dispersed into the jungle. He walked over to some debris that was scattered about, bent over and picked up a piece with unfamiliar writing on it that was definitely not of Tolarion origin. He tried to fuse his mind to the object to determine its origin by holding it in his hand. He performed this type of mind-meld many times before with great success. It would take a little time to do it, and he couldn’t be distracted.
He began his trance, as the object took him back to a time when the worlds of Tolaria and Sentros didn’t exist. He surmised that the object was a least three billion years old, and questioned how this could even be possible. The metal itself didn’t appear that old. He could also approximate its origin, which was somewhere deep within the constellation of Orion in the human’s universe. It came from a world extremely technologically advanced; where both space and time were easily traveled, and where peace was the true meaning of life. ‘Sentimental fools,’ he thought. ‘Living for an idea that would never last.’ Dwelling further, he saw their planet was destroyed by a supernova, and were forced to leave for a new home. After that, he sensed nothing more about them.
After he realized the explosion was an elaborate hoax, he called for his men to return to the clearing. When they responded, he addressed them, and dropped the object from his hand. “I want the human found!” he roared. “Lieutenant Zaroz?” The lead Belorion in the crew saluted him. Most of his crew was Belorion, but there were other beings as well. “Take five guards and go over to that canyon,” Riona told him. “Find him, but don’t kill him. I want him alive.”
They followed his orders, venturing into the jungle. Riona stared at the debris, smiling. “So you are clever, Zarcon?” he sneered. “How clever will you be when I capture your human friend? You’ll feel every bit of the pain I will inflict upon him, and then you’ll surrender. And then the Republic will be mine.”
While Riona planned his diabolical plot, the human had just awakened from his mishap. Jeff felt the blood that ran from his face, arm, and legs in the darkness of a cavern. He couldn’t understand why these creatures didn’t harm him. He was only food, like so many other animals they dragged into their lair. They brought him here from the lake, but he was unaware how. It was apparent there wasn’t any intention on killing him; they didn’t injure him or show hostility towards him at all. When Jeff tried to break a light stick with his good arm, they threw rocks at it to put it out. He groped in the darkness, crawling on the cavern floor. His right leg was broken, and he could only drag himself across the sand. His left arm was broken as well, had a gash about an inch deep, and there was a superficial wound on his head.
He needed to make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, so he ripped the silky fabric of his spacesuit and tied it tight around his arm with his right hand, using the rest of the cloth to make a sling to reduce the unbearable pain. He could tell it was late afternoon due to the sunlight that came through the entrance of the cavern. Unfortunately, it seemed too high for him to reach in the condition he was in, but decided to at least give it a try.
He dragged his wounded body, as he heard the sounds of the reptiles awaking. They were quick to grab him, and held him as if to suggest him not to leave. “Why are you keeping me here,” he painfully asked. There was no answer, only a distinct growling sound, as they held his arms tight, and he screamed in agony.
He knew he couldn’t communicate with them, but he had to somehow. He felt for his laser, which for some reason they didn’t take away. When they let go of him, he fired in their direction at the ground and they jumped back in fear. He then fired at the rocks with his laser, spelling the word ‘peace.’ The letters glowed in red, and the reptiles pondered them. They never spoke English before, and they had seen humans before- but from where?
Zeloria was in the other universe, but Earth was in this one. Was it possible they saw humans from Mars or Earth before, or were the Tolarions involved somehow and brought Zelorions here? None of it made any sense to him. They were too primitive to create spaceships of their own, and even if they did, they would also have the problem of inter-dimensional travel, unless they crashed here
years ago and regressed evolutionally. According to what Zarcon had told him, there were no intelligent humans within this particular galaxy capable of such travel.
He also wondered how the human from Earth got to Tolaria in the first place to create their tyrannical race. The more he thought about the present, the more he missed the past. He recollected a time when Lori and he were on an expedition on the far side of one of Jupiter’s moons, Calissto. The two of them were sent on a scientific mission to collect rock samples from the moon using a planetary drone.
Jeff remembered how beautiful the giant gas planet was as they approached it. He was younger then, about twenty six years old. They gazed at one another, Lori’s blond hair flowing to her shoulders, and then at the moon Calissto.
“Pretty isn’t it?” she asked him.
“Yes it is,” he answered, smiling back into her blue eyes. He didn’t want to tell her just yet, but he had strong feelings for her at the time. Space was a very lonely place for him. There were other women at the base, but he always loved Lori, even when they were in the academy together. Other women had nothing in common with him; they were either too pushy or ignored him completely. She was the only one who could ever really understand him.
When the two arrived at Calissto, they sent the probe to collect rock samples and to determine a future base site. Nothing unusual happened on their mission, and after that the two continued to be close friends. They did exchange a brief kiss, but she told him she wasn’t ready to make any commitments yet.
Those were the days before she was transferred to base control. He always thought her transfer was a direct result of their involvement with each other, even though his superior, John Carver said it was because of Jeff’s inability to follow orders. He would have followed them if he thought they were justified. The transfer ended up being a promotion for her.
Now, ten years later, he longed for any kind of interaction; even the inhabitants that were on Zeloria. It was apparent that their rival, Riona, despite being part human himself, despised humans.
As the glowing rocks faded to a low ember, he saw that his captors didn’t understand his message. He dragged himself towards the exit, only to be pushed back down again. Growing impatient, he fired his laser at another one of them, as it jumped in fear. They immediately surrounded him, and he slowly dragged himself across the cavern floor.
They were no longer afraid of the light intensity, and began to adjust to its effects. This was due to the fact they were beginning to live in daylight, and had begun the evolutionary process the computer spoke of. They grabbed the human and carried him into another tunnel which was away from the outside light. He lost his laser when one of them shook it from his hand, so he had no choice at the moment than to do want they wanted him to do.
He felt helpless as he was led to a larger section of the cavern, and sat down on a flat, stone table. The creatures fled the room afterwards, heading in the direction from which they had come, a door shutting the tunnel entrance behind them. The room brightened in an array of colored censored lights, all pointed in Jeff’s direction. He eyed the room for some sign of their operator, but saw nothing other than an immense computer, which was too advanced for such a primitive culture.
“Who are you?” he yelled, expecting no answer from the machine.
Much to his surprise, an amplified voice answered. “Welcome,” it said. “We are inhabitants of a long dead world called Talok.”
As the voice spoke, an image appeared on the wall unlike anything he had ever seen. It was that of a being that was half man and half reptile. He was slender and seemed extremely intelligent.
“If you have found this transmission,” he continued. “You will know that our world no longer exists, and that my words are true. Many eons ago, a supernova destroyed our planet. We were forced to flee across the universe in hopes of a new beginning, but our people became divided, and began to fight with one another. If you have found this world, you have probably found the survivors, if any, of our race. As I speak, it is most likely evident that an evolutionary process has began on them, as this installation contains the genetic properties to enable them to do so. If you are a human listening to this, there will be no change in your anatomical structure. If you are Talokian, however, you will be altered considerably. You may have traveled here somehow, maybe from a distant star. I wish you luck in your experiences with our race. By the time this transmission is completed, a new race of Talokians will begin. Farewell, Friend, and may peace be with you.”
Jeff chuckled at their farewell, knowing there could never be peace in his time. When he sat up on the table, he noticed his bones were no longer broken, and his wounds were completely healed. Feeling a little dazed, he jumped from the table, stumbled briefly, and the tunnel door opened. The Talokian descendants entered, the protégés now appearing much like their mentor on the cavern wall.
“Greetings,” the leader said. “My name is Jalok.”
“You spoke?” Jeff stated, amazed.
The leader gazed at him, smiling. His eyes were wide open, unlike the blindness they possessed earlier. “Of course I spoke,” he said. “We are no longer savages. The genetic process is completed, thanks to you, and we are true Talokians again. We apologize for the way you were treated upon your arrival, it was necessary to get you here. We were primitive creatures of the night when we attacked your ship.”
“My ship?” Jeff questioned. “What about it?”
“We attacked it, I’m afraid. Your friends left in it this morning.”
“Left?”
“Yes, is there a problem?”
“Something must have gone wrong.”
“I don’t know. They didn’t seem to be scared of us.”
“Riona,” Jeff surmised. He knew now their enemy was closing in on them. He figured he would be safe as long as he stayed with the Talokians. “There is an alien humanoid chasing us. He wants us for what he calls treason. He is a dictator, and has already destroyed one race of people.”
“It sounds as if he has not found peace within his own heart,” Jalok said. “Only then will he realize war is not the way. Our race was virtually eliminated due to such maliciousness towards one another, but we were sent into this galaxy to be reborn.”
“How long ago?”
“I cannot say for certain,” the reptile said. “As far as we know it was billions of years ago. No record was able to be kept, other than the transmission that you saw and heard, and the knowledge passed onto us by the regenerator through contact with you.”
“Why did you need a human?”
“We were once part human, as we are once again.”
“Have you ever seen a human here before?”
“No, you are our first. We visited humans millions of years ago, but not on Earth. It is more likely that Earth was populated as a colony from one of those distant planets.”
Jeff couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was this really possible? He began to believe anything was possible, having witnessed the improbability of the science he already saw. Even though he was fascinated, he had to get back to the matter at hand.
“Have the Tolarions been here?” he asked.
“What are the Tolarions?” Jalok asked.
“They are ape-like creatures with one eye, and have a nasty reputation for conquest.”
“They sound like this Riona that you speak of.”
“They are very similar.”
“No one has landed here before you.” Jeff could tell he was sincere by the way his eyes were fixed upon him.
“Is there any way to contact my friends-a transmitter, mind meld, or something?”
“I’m afraid not," Jalok said. “We just regained the knowledge of our forefathers. It will take some time to rebuild our civilization here, probably about a year of your time. ”
“Are you serious? That’s all it will take you is a year?”
“Yes, we have the technology to complete such a project and more. Your Riona probabl
y destroys a civilization in considerably less time, however.”
“Is there any way to get off this planet?”
“No. You are stranded here for the moment just as we are.”
“I thought you were capable of building an entire civilization from scratch?”
“We are, but we lack the materials to build you an adequate spacecraft right now. It will take a day or two. We also need you to remain here a day or two to finalize our evolutionary process. After that, you will be free to go.”
“I’ve heard that tune before, but now I feel I can trust you.”
“It is the least we can do for you. Why don’t you relax in the room you just left, until we can build our hub of the main complex. Perhaps the computer will have answers to questions you may have. Feel free to ask what you like.”
“Thank you,” Jeff said. “You are the only ones who have agreed to help us.”
They directed him back into the large computer room, and he sat down on the stone table. The tunnel door shut, and once again the lights focused on him. He peered at the great wall of machinery.
“I am Varmoth, the Talokian teacher,” a voice announced. “Ask me a question, Human.”
“Why was I needed to start the Talokian genetic process?”
“You were brought to this chamber because you were needed to activate my memory banks to start the process.”
“How is this process possible?”
“I am artificially engineered biological genetic system. I can create biological entities using DNA from various sources or alter those that already exist by blending DNA. I am able to see, hear, feel and think as you do. I was needed to change their structure, just as you were needed to change mine.”
“I still don’t quite understand, but there are a lot of things I don’t understand. How are human genes linked to reptile genes?”
“Many billions of years ago, on Talok we had dinosaurs as you know them. They did not die out, but adapted to their environment. As they grew up along side of humans, there was a merging of the two genes using biogenetics, and the result is what you see now.”
“Where am I in relation to my home planet, Mars?”
“Thirteen point five light years away. It would take 70,000 thousand years to reach by your current conventional Martian spacecrafts, and a few hundred using your current mode of travel.”
“Is there any way of reaching it sooner?”
“Yes, but you are not in access of such a device.”
“Could the Talokians build such a device?”
“Yes, but it would take at least two months, even by our standards.”
“Is there any other way?”
“Only through time travel or inter-dimensional travel.”
“How could I have gotten to another region of space without my knowledge?”
“I cannot answer that. Possibly through inter-dimensional travel.”
“That would explain a lot of things,” Jeff replied. “Do you think that I was brought to another universe somehow?”
“Affirmative.”
“Explain the inter-dimensional process to me.”
“Dimensional transporting is a process in which a device converts exotic matter, dark energy or antimatter into energy by using the density of a star, binary star or a black hole. This energy created forms what you call a wormhole or singularity. The wormhole generating device allows an opening of space and time, permitting one to either go forward in time, travel to a parallel universe, or to another location within the same universe.”
“Could you explain what happened to the Talokians, and why they were able to survive so long?”
“The Talokians were a highly advanced race from Talok, a planet deep within the constellation of Orion. They existed long before your planet Mars was formed, and traveled the universe seeking others who were as peaceful as they were. They achieved a universal understanding, and invented several serums to diseases that may have killed your people in the past. About three billion years ago, their sun exploded, and destroyed their world. Those who managed to escape traveled throughout the universe in search of a new home. Their peace did not last, as they became corrupted on their journey, and fought with each other. Those who survived knew they had to preserve what knowledge they possessed for future civilizations. That is why they came here. They built this complex which has survived the bonds of time itself.”
“How old is this place?”
“2.4334 billion years old.”
“How is that possible?”
“This world knows no time. It has remained the same since the Talokians’ arrival.”
“Nothing can stay the same for that long a time. Every world must change somehow.”
“Not this one.”
“What about when your sun dies?”
“Then, and only then, will we parish as well.”
“Wouldn’t the atmosphere have deteriorated long ago?”
“I provide the atmosphere, as I provide the vegetation, the water, and the mountains.”
“You can control a planet?”
“Yes. I provide the life sustaining properties, and the world itself does the rest. Without me, it would eventually die.”
Jeff contemplated a plan. “Can you create an ion storm?” he asked, knowing it would cause Riona’s ship to be disabled. He then would have enough time to destroy his ship and end his evil plan here.
“Of course,” the computer replied, as its panel lit up erratically, and within moments, it completed the task. “Ion storm will start in approximately three hours. The main hub of the complex must be completed first.”
The storm would last several hours and totally disable their spacecraft for days, enabling the Talokians enough time to complete their task and for them to construct a ship so Jeff could escape. Since Riona had already landed, time was of the essence. Even if Jeff destroyed his ship, he’d still have to deal with the humanoid, and find a way to kill him.
The tunnel door opened hours later, and revealed the complex they had constructed in the canyon cavern. Jeff left the canyon cavern, marveling the structure, as he walked across a constructed wooden suspension bridge towards the object, which was over the waterfall. By now he was sure that Riona saw it as well, but maybe not since the storm had begun, and the visibility was deteriorating. The only other place he saw structures like these were on Belor, and once again he felt primitive and inferior compared to them. How could such a superior race possibly need his help?
The complex was immense, perhaps the size of modern day aircraft carrier. They built it within the gigantic ravine; taking advantage of its elusiveness, and it was only visible from above the canyon and from the south end of the lake. It was made of marble and stone, and indestructible to the elements. Jeff was bewildered at how they made such an advanced structure in three hours. It apparently used some form of power to run it, but what? Its shape was spherical, which made it even more perplexing, and there were no windows, and only one entrance he could see, which was at the end of the bridge he was on. It had writing on it next to the door, and a hand print drawing, which was most likely their own genetic code of entering.
The storm affected the atmosphere, and caused high winds and lightning. He knew Riona would be looking for him, and he needed to find shelter. He placed his hand on the drawing, and the complex door opened, and revealed a large long corridor. Jeff entered as he looked behind him to make sure he wasn’t followed.
When the human entered, he saw the tunnel was extremely well lit and quiet. He was amazed at the fact that just a handful of beings could construct such a massive complex in just a matter of hours. It wasn’t possible by the laws of the universe or physics. Then again, the more he thought about everything he had seen up to this point was against the laws of physics. At the end of the corridor, he was greeted by Jalok and a couple of his subordinates.
“Ah, Human,” he said. “We were expecting that you would return.”
“Call me Jeff. My name is J
eff Walker.” Jeff scratched his dirty, unkempt hair and beard.
“Of course, Mr. Walker. We have been working on your ship, but we still cannot find some of the essential elements needed to build it within this vicinity.”
“That’s okay,” Jeff said. “I feel safer here than outside right now, even if I am stranded. Is there anything that I can eat, a place to rest, maybe a shower or a bath?”
“You will find everything that you need within your quarters,” Jalok said. “Barva will show you the way.” He placed his hand on the shoulder of his companion to the right.
Jeff followed the large reptile-human hybrid down several corridors until they came to various chambers on both sides of the hall. They all contained the same handprints he saw on the main entrance.
“This will be your quarters,” he said, as he placed his hand on the design. The door opened, and revealed an enormous room with very elegant furniture.
“We’ve done some research on your culture. I’m sure you will find it to your liking.”
He did indeed find it to his liking as he felt the soft blue fabric of the sofa, and the softness of the silk sheets on the bed. He didn’t have anything so comfortable since he was back on Mars. As he eyed the bathroom, it felt good to also finally be able to have a good hot shower and shave. The Talokian followed him as he walked to the kitchen area, which even had fruit and some vegetables for him to snack on. There was a little cooked fish with some rice on the table as well. “There is a small bar over there if you become thirsty,” Barva said. “I’m afraid we only have our type of alcoholic beverages, however.”
He pressed a button on the wall, which opened a door to a compartment. Behind it were various colored beverages. He decided to go with the red fluid, and poured himself a drink. He tasted the sweet beverage which had a slight kick to it, as he coughed. “Not bad,” Jeff said in approval. “You don’t know how long it’s been since I had any of this stuff.”
“Do you wish for something to read, or watch on our viewing screen?” Barva asked.
“Do you receive signals from other worlds?” the human asked, as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. Jeff was surprised they actually had such a concept.
“We don’t,” Barva explained. “Everything that you see on the screen is artifacts of your past and present, manufactured to your liking.”
“From your Talokian teacher, no doubt.”
“Exactly. It knows every thought you possess, even the unpleasant ones. Is there anything you would like to recollect on? The computer can take you back to experience your own past.”
“Yes, come to think of it, there are some memories I would like to relive.”
“Place your hand on the panel,” Barva said, and directed him to the wall panel. Jeff placed his hand on the print of it, and another door opened, which revealed a twenty feet wide by twenty feet high screen.
“Now place this upon your head.” He handed him a brass ring which fit snug around his head. He pressed a button marked ‘mind probe,’ and the human began to see images on the screen of exactly what he was thinking.
“Now,” Barva said. “Relax your mind, thinking of only the thoughts that you want to.”
He saw his close friend Lori on the screen. Her curly, golden hair glistened in the sunlight of the Martian artificial forest. She smiled at him, and laughed at a joke he told. They were on a small picnic, and he just opened a bottle of champagne he brought with them. They were celebrating her promotion to the main control center, and they toasted their glasses together.
“To best friends,” Jeff smiled.
“To best friends,” she answered, sipping her champagne.
“Does this mean I have to call you Maam now?”
“Only if you want to. Just call me Commander when we’re around brass. At least when we’re alone you don’t have to be totally formal.”
“Only half formal. Commander it is,” Jeff said, as he peered at the man-made lake that was just twenty feet away. “Would you like to go for a swim?”
“Sure,” she answered, as the two walked towards the water.
As the human saw a slice of his past, he missed home again. The screen changed as quickly as his mind and he saw images of his childhood, about the time he was five.
“Dad?” Jeff asked his father. “How long does it take to get to take to get to Earth?” His father put his hand on his shoulder.
“Why do you want to know that?” he asked him.
“I was just wondering, that’s all,” Jeff said. “I want to be a flight commander someday just like you.”
“A long time, Son. About four months.”
“Do you sleep on the way?”
“Part of the time, yes.”
Reliving his childhood at eight years old, he remembered his parents’ accident as well. He was surprised the mind probe enabled him to see other people’s past as clear as his own. Even though he was with his Uncle Clark at the time, he saw what happened to them during their flight. They were onboard an interstellar spacecraft which was sent to the Earth’s space station Edronomis for a three hundred passenger pickup to return to Mars. The warning light came on and one of the fuel tanks exploded. The craft lost altitude, and plummeted through the atmosphere towards the ocean helplessly. Jeff could hear, see, and feel their fear and agony as he placed his arms against the screen. His mother grabbed his father’s arm, and buried her head against his shoulder in fear. They both cried, until the crash broke Jeff’s concentration from the mind probe. He violently threw the headband to the floor is disgust. Sweat poured from his body, as he fell to the floor and wept. Barva placed his hand upon the man’s shoulder, trying to console him.
“Take care, Friend,” he said. “You must learn to accept what is, and concentrate on your inner happiness. Otherwise your future will be as grim as your past.”
“But I should have been there with them?” he cried.
“You couldn’t have been,” the reptilian creature said. “You were just a child. You had no way of knowing that would happen, just as you had no way of knowing that Balta would attack Lingwort.”
“How do you know about that?” Jeff asked. “Can you read minds too?”
“In a sense. The teacher teaches us everything it knows, and it senses your thoughts as if they were our own. We are connected through the teacher as it is connected through you.”
“That is definitely one awesome computer,” Jeff stated. “Your people have saved my life. I wish there was something I could do for you.”
“If it wasn’t for us, your life probably wouldn’t have been in danger. There is one thing you can do. Continue to spread our word of peace throughout your travels.”
“That might be a little difficult, even if I do escape here. You see I’m dealing with two tyrannical societies and we’re kind of right in the middle of their war with each other.”
“Then, as unfortunate as it may sound, you have to somehow diffuse the two societies’ conflict. You have our support.”
“I thought you were peaceful?”
“Peaceful, yes, but not vulnerable. We realize that force is sometimes necessary to maintain peace within the universes.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell my friends,” Jeff explained. “They believe in absolute peace to the point of refusing to protect themselves!”
“They are a primitive race, however, and you cannot expect them to understand. They have found peace within themselves and their brothers. They haven’t even really learned what good and evil is yet.”
“Are you saying that I made a mistake by bringing them?”
“Varmoth believes so, but I personally do not. You saved them from an almost certain death. There is no guarantee that the rest of their race will remain unchanged. The Tolarions, as you call them, will probably return to destroy them.”
Jeff believed they were truthful and compassionate beings, despite their frightening appearance.
“Is there any way of stopping them?”
&nbs
p; “Yes, if it’s not too late.”
“I really could use your help. I’m afraid I don’t know where my friends have gone.”
“We will be glad to assist you in any way we can.”
“Thank you. I’m a little tired still, do you mind if I rest for a while?”
“No, not at all. Your ship will be ready in a day or two as promised. A small fleet of our own ships will accompany you in about four weeks.”
“Can you really build them that fast?”
“Yes,” Barva explained. “They will all be built simultaneously. We’ll need the location of the Tolarion planet, and the other nemesis that plagues you.”
“I’m afraid I won’t be much help in that department,” Jeff stated. “Zarcon is from the Republic, and has that information as well as the ship’s computer banks.”
“We’ll have to find him then. Where do you think he might have gone?”
“He did mention something about a council, but I don’t know where their headquarters are. “I’ll try my best,” Jeff replied. “At least now I don’t feel totally alone.”
“You’re never alone," the Talokian philosophized. “If you find peace within yourself and within your heart.”
He left the human staring at the empty mind probe screen. He realized even without human companionship, there was perhaps some truth to that prospect-maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought after all.