Children of Terra 10

Chapter 10

“Climax”

The world Sara was in utter turmoil. Businesses had closed and financial exchanges locked their doors. All the major news outlets, even the three official state-operated ones had eventually and perhaps reluctantly reported on the Oldest High priestess going virtually berserk in her private chambers. Talking heads were consulted and expert opinions repeated. Some called it a rare and strange form of violent dementia and explained it with the advanced age and the generally agreed fact that the average Saran brain simply didn’t want to live after the eighth or ninth cell rejuvenation procedure. The Oldest High Priestess, had twelve and even her real name Kalasiris was long forgotten by most, she was always called ′The Oldest ’.

Other experts of the religious and theological kind, however, considered her rage to be caused by fear of the coming goddess. Those theological experts of the extreme conservative side, and very much aligned with Tethebea, suggested evil spirits at work. Evil that saw its end coming and was now enraged.

Equally galvanizing and enticing to all were images of the blonde. Seeing her standing in the flyer arriving at the seat of eternal light.

Some say the entire population held its breath when she put on the mask of RA and did not wither away as any fake mere mortal would have, instead the muscular young companion dropped to his knees.

The ′Equality for All′ assassins were also in place, but not all of them so sure anymore. The Book of Gods was the oldest written document in Saran history, and according to legend from the time before the Ascent, before Sarans reached for the stars.

Yet it spoke about a world that had been forgotten in time and sacred to all the Children of Sara. The young woman came from a world that was forgotten and sacred to both Saran and Pan Saran.

She had put on the Holy Mask of RA, without being struck by death or withered away to dust, like so many before who had tried. To skeptics it was a cruel parlor trick of some kind, to believers who were convinced the mask was worn by their Goddess herself, so her face would not blind mere mortals.

Rabor, who had sworn allegiance to the cause, who was sick and tired of women supremacy; who had lost his job to a woman, just because she wanted it; was aiming his Snake caster at the entrance where she was to appear any minute now. He was certain Ichnogut his friend was hiding beneath the headdress of the huge likeness of Kuth, the god of healing, doing the same. The snake caste r was armed and the arm long projectile would hiss just like a venomous reptile when it bridged the distance and brought death to the fake goddess.

For how many years did he hope for a situation he could make a difference, and now it had represented itself?

He had seen his best friends die in withering blaster fire during the attack on Betrhira colony, much heavier defended than anticipated. He himself had lost both of his legs back then. Oh, they replaced the legs with donor's legs and they worked fine ... for the most part. Sometimes the grafted nerves seemed to listen to their old body and started twitching. It never lasted long but required him to use a walking stick, so as not to lose balance when it happened. They told him it would get better over time, but it didn’t it got worse. He had fought with the 567th ground assault regiment, saw female officers hide and flee while they sent men to fight other men of the same species who wanted nothing else but remain free from the oppressive yoke. He could still feel the burning sensation when his own legs were burned to ashes, could never forget the sight of his best friend’s face melting and cooking of the skull.

No the Saran rule of queens had to come to an end! It could not be allowed to be reinforced and strengthened by perhaps a real goddess.

Yet with all this bottled up anger and resolve to do what had to be done, there was a nagging voice in his mind. If she was RA, could she not restore his legs as they were? Could she not bring back Juthum his friend or maybe all of them? Was it not promised in the now forbidden passages of the Book of Gods that RA would restore the rule of man and place Pharaohs on Throne of the Divine Falcon ? If she was a god, the Snake caster would not kill or harm her, but anger the gods?

He wiped some sweat out of his eyes. He tried to counter the arguments of his inner voice with the words of reason ′Dauthermmon the wise ’ was teaching. Decrying the fact that an advanced species such as the Sarans was still so religious and superstitious.

--””--

Melissa had debarked and was walking towards an enormous double door, at least 20 meters tall and ten wide, made of what appeared to be black wood and golden panels. The panels depicted scenes of the Book of Gods.

The amazing part was that the images embossed into the precious metal moved in repetitive cycles.

While she was no stranger to attention, as she knew about her looks, just like any woman did and of course being the daughter of a billionaire brought the attention of media, admirers, men and also haters and a fair amount of weirdos; she felt completely out of place walking down a blue carpet, apparently the focus of an entire planet. She only played along because she was certain this was more than just a reception for a bunch of teenagers of a backwater planet. For some reason, they saw something special in her and if she played her cards right, she might gain some sort of command authority. A position that might help her and her friends to escape and return to Earth.

--””--

Aaron who had been mesmerized by Melissa, and then felt very attracted to Aoife was certain now he had found the love of his life. Yoko was outright beautiful in a shy and demure way, very smart. She kept his hand and then his arm in hers and instead of shying away, leaning into him.

They had reached this mega bombastic palace and were herded in reception hall that was as impressive and enormous as the palace itself. The white floor polished to mirror shine, opulence and gold everywhere.

Aaron estimated the buffet to be at least a quarter of a mile long. It was piled with bowls and plates brimming with fruits and food items. There had to be an army of servants, slaves, soldiers, and armed guards. It also appeared that judging by the clothing and arrogant, aloft faces, everyone who was in any sort of official or social important position had also gathered. In other words, this place was busier than Times Square five seconds before the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve.

But strangely he did not feel too awkward being in a dress and a wig, the girl next to him with the cutest nose anyone could ever have and impressive slanted eyes obviously didn’t mind. Her hair cut quite similar like the majority of the local wigs, was actually real and much shinier in his opinion. She had told him only very little about her, but he knew she came from Okinawa and was a student in an all-girls school near Tokyo. Yoko kept silently talking to him, pointing out things and sights. She apparently didn’t mind too much being abducted. While Aaron missed his dad very much, much of his life had actually somewhat improved. Here he wasn’t a geek. His nerd knowledge actually was useful and had somewhat prepared him for all this. The Saran’s took him serious hinted that he would have a chance for a career in their space fleet. He suddenly was able to attract girls and had the courage to talk to them. The abduction deprived his father from seeing his son grow up, but it also opened doors to a life he could only have dreamed about.

He had listened to Yoko, as she pointed out enormous six legged, black pelted cat like beasts. Obviously irritated and quite unhappy being chained and collared. Aaron estimated the beasts at least as big as an African Rhino.

She said. “These animals are magnificent, but appear quite wild.”

“Oh yes, they look like very large black Tigers with one extra pair of legs.”

“And lots’e’ of sharp’e’ claws.”

Aaron simply adored the way she pronounced the words by adding an “e” to almost everything. This why he missed the angry comments of Wolfgang, who had discarded the wig somewhere and actually looked even more ridiculous than before. “I hope this is over soon. I have a good mind building a phaser rifle and disintegrate you and Manjieet.”

“You can’t put all the blame on her. We could have checked our bath rooms. It would have actually been quite logical.”

That infuriated Wolfgang even more. “I am the most logical person there is, but I never understood the need for these social gatherings, not on Earth and even less so here. You had an obligation to check the conditions and correct them.”

“Obligation? Why would I be obligated to you?”

“You are obviously much more experienced in the field of social interaction than I am. Seeing that you somehow used this obvious ridiculous and shameful getup to entice feelings of pity in that female friend you obtained.”

Yoko blinked. “Enticed feelings of pity? I have not been obtained ‘mista’. I find the Aaron boy very cute and he looks like funny trap from anime. He is brave to do that. I ‘lika’ brave.”

--””--

Sofia stood close to Aoife and also stared with wide eyes at the scenes of this enormous, apparently very important affair of state. That it was a star spanning empire became very clear, with the enormous space ships lined up in the distance, the futuristic war machines that had very little in terms of frills and simply looked dangerous and powerful. That this was an alien world was also evident in the fact that not all dignitaries and visitors were human. They noticed a pair of walking octopus, but instead of slick water wet skin they were covered in red fur. Aoife corrected herself, octo meant eight and these human sized tentacle monsters had many more than that. They saw more of the tall cat like beings carrying spears and being as blue as the central carpet.

One of the Saran guides came up from behind and started to explain things to Sofia, but loud enough for Aoife to hear. “The beings with the red fur and eleven arms are Garbini, they are methane breathers but can hold their breath for many hours. Those two are the ambassadors of their species. The blue pelted ones are two members of the oldest slave species the Sarans have incorporated into their empire, the Ice Cats of Thala. These two are honor guards sent to the queen as present. They will die freely to save the queens life, they are very proud to be chosen as gifts.”

The woman pointed her slender finger at three towering beings stalking through the mingling masses. “Spindlars, able to extend their limbs and necks to three times their length. They too are ambassadors and their realm is very distant from here.”

Aoife asked. “Why they are all here? I mean this seems way out of proportion. Aren’t we just teenagers of an unimportant and primitive world? Rescued more or less by chance?”

“That was the general opinion until our beloved queen sent message for all Saran to rejoice. The queen considers the blonde that have been in your midst to be the Incarnation of RA our highest goddess. The prophecies of the great seer Rameseis, especially the passages of the Final Chapter in the Book of Gods apparently come true as we speak!”

Another Saran guide must have heard the last words as she turned her head and joined the conversation from a few feet away, standing behind the funny dressed boy from Germany. She said. “Behold RA has taken form in from of a woman of great beauty and her hair is like liquid gold, her hair is grown not made. She comes to the children of Sara from a world that has been forgotten in time and is sacred to all the Children of Sara!”

The one behind Aoife and Sofia nodded. “These words are known to all Sarans, as we learn them in Temple service.”

Aoife returned to her frown and forgot about her plan to warn the blonde. “Just because she’s a blonde doesn’t mean she is a God.” Then she sighed. “She is kind of pretty, but in an untouchable super model kind of way. But it could be blonde out of a bottle you know.”

Sofia shook her head. “I don’t like that blonde too much either. She is a typical American if you ask me. Always knowing everything and dominating everyone. However I am certain she is a natural blonde. With all the weird things that we are exposed too, who knows maybe she is some sort of Egyptian reincarnated something.”

Wolfgang, still angry and quite uncomfortable could not let the opportunity pass. “Like Linda Carter!”

Sofia asked. “Who?”

“Hawk Girl, from DC. She is a member of the Justice League.”

Aoife looked at Sofia and shrugged. “Must be something German. I have no idea what he is taking about.”

--””--

An old but regal looking woman stepped into Melissa’s way. She was taller than most of the Sarans she had met so far and about as tall as herself. She wore the same make up, but no wig. The woman was bald, wore huge earrings, in big ears and had a small mouth with pinched lips below a sharp hook shaped nose and above a pronounced chin. The woman wore a white gown and the fur skin of a striped animal was draped over one shoulder. She also had a necklace of black and golden brown feathers.

“I am Tethebea of Luxor, I have been a stout defender of the true faith. I have worshipped the true gods Isis, Bath and most exalted of all RA, the goddess of light, the Falcon of the Sky. The one who made all, brought forth all and will end all.”

Melissa was not sure what to respond to that so she just said. “HI, I am Melissa Rockford of Brownwood, Texas. I always have been a Lutheran, Missouri Synod. Nice to meet you, I guess. Anything I must or should do? I am certain there is some significance to the get-up you guys made me wear.”

Tethebea, looked a little bewildered but then continued. “Gods often speak in ways we do not understand and it is still the shell of your Earthly disguise that may influence you. The doors in the Ebony Wall have been opened for you, step through and pass through the Path of Worship and into the Chamber of the Gods, all will be clear then.”

--‴--

The Saran guide explained to Aoife and the others. “Your friend will now enter the Holiest of Holiest. If she is not what Tethebea or the Queen suggest she is, she will be exposed. If she is...”The guide paused and continued with an emotional tremor in her voice. “If she is, Saran history will be made and everything will change!”

Aaron asked from a little distance, still holding on to Yoko’s hand. “What will change?”

“We will have a new queen! Not human ... but a true Goddess. She will unite the believers, destroy the blasphemers. Reunite all Saran and perhaps give Saran dominance over all the Universe!”

Nobody had seen where Wolfgang managed to get the plain beige cloak, he had now wrapped around him. “All this sounds very metaphysical and superstitious to me. How can a society so advanced still cling to all this religious mumbo jumbo?”

“The same way most of Earth’s population still clings to this stuff.” James, the usually quiet English boy remarked. He had obviously already sampled from the big buffet. He tried to swallow while he was talking and tried to hide the drum stick like meat pieces he was holding.

A skinny kid with an admirable tan and short black hair seemed offended. “The human spirit always seeks for god, because we are his children. We are often led astray and follow false gods and idols, but our soul is hungry for spirituality.”

--””--

As Mahmud saw the temple, he asked the still sniffing woman. “How do I get in?”

“The main entrance to the temple underneath the palace, this is where everyone is. We can see it already, it is not to be missed.”

“This lever is for acceleration and this joke steers the flyer?”

“Yes it is easy, the tronic does the rest. You can do it, everyone can. Please let me go.”

“You been helpful, but needed no more!”

Mahmud shot the woman at point blank range and simply heaved her over the sides of the flyer. While her body splashed somewhere beneath into the ocean, Mahmud, had to agree, flying the thing was easy. He slowed it down considerably, to make sure he made the right moves holding the joke shaped controls.

--””--

The Queen contacted the Commandant of the barge. “I will now leave the vessel and return to Sara, by the way of the Gods. Do not be alarmed if I am no longer found aboard your vessel.”

Before the commandant could respond she disconnected and turned to the black dressed woman. “I am ready.”

“Close your eyes, my queen and do not open them until we arrived. Your sanity, your life depends on it.”

Ammothep was now wearing her combat uniform. White with golden panels, her right hand inside a Horus beamer. Her face seemingly calm hiding the emotional turmoil inside. “My eyes are closed now.”

The Queen felt a sudden rushing sensation, smelt the stench of fire burning flesh and heard the screams of inhuman voices. Screams of utter pain and despair.

“Open your eyes, my queen. We are in your palace.”

--””--

Rabor, tried to put all doubts behind him. He was hiding right underneath the head scarf of Kuthum. If the Earth girl passed through the Path of Worship and into the Chamber of the Gods. She would emerge from behind the doors he was aiming at.

--””--

Melissa was not certain what to expect, but she walked past the golden doors in the enormous black wall before her and entered a long tunnel like corridor. The path she was walking on was made of an almost black stone, the walls were lined with statues of Egyptian style idols, each of them standing on a pedestal, each of them holding a weapon. Axes, spears and odd shaped swords for the most part. Each of the statues stood in an alcove like recess that was lid with red light, while the rest of the tunnel walls were as black as the floor.

Melissa noticed that the door had been closed behind her. Then she noticed one of the statues moved, it turned its alien animal head towards her and raised its sword as if to strike.

Now all the other statues moved as well. Melissa was more than afraid, but remembered the 44 magnum under her cloak.

“Not this way!” A voice seemed to say in her head. “Use your will!”

“Who are you? Where are you? Are you one of these statues?”

Melissa asked and slowly backed away. Not that she had much room. The doors were closed and too heavy for her to open by hand.

“Use your will, reach out with your mind, the guardians will obey! Reach out for the sword and take it with your mind!”

“Buster, I am not sure what your game is, but I...”

Strangely enough she could feel the statue somehow and was able to touch the sword. She felt the metal, its coolness and weight. Yet she was still at least ten meters away.

“ ... take the sword the spooky voice said.” She imagined taking the sword by enacting the move and sure enough the large blade flew out of the statues grip and hovered in midair, just as if an invisible person holding it, exactly the way Melissa was holding the imagined sword in her fists. “Ain’t that something?” She pantomimed an attack and decapitated the statue with the real sword.

The strange voice that had talked to her seemed to sigh as it said to her. “No need to destroy the guardians. You may freely pass into the Chamber of Gods”

“You show yourself this instant or I decapitate the whole lot!”

A female shape more like a ghost than a real person appeared. She could see right through her. There were no details, not a clear face, just as if a woman would look wearing several layers of a soft golden all covering veil. “Don’t do that. I am on your side. We will talk more.”

“And I like to get some answers now. I generally don’t trust folks with masks or veils.”

“You wear one.”

“They made me do that. I usually have no problem showing my kisser. Now what’s the deal with all this?”

“You are still holding the sword, it is very heavy don’t you feel tired?”

“I stick it into something where it hurts, miss if you guys keep playing with me. I was abducted, flown half across the universe by Egyptian aliens who treat guys like trash, everyone calls me goddess and I have no idea about anything. I hoped to gain access to a ship or something so we can go home!”

Melissa became angrier by the minute. “And I am not tired, wasn’t it you who told me to do it?”

“Melissa of Earth, please calm down. You have as it appears tremendous powers and you could hurt someone including yourself. There is so much going on right now, that I can’t give you all the answers right now. I am a friend and for now simply go with the flow. Think of me as a dream and drop the sword.”

Melissa’s eyes behind the mask blinked, she repeated the words. “ ... dream, drop the sword...”

The big metal weapon dropped with a metallic crash to the stone floor and Melissa walked on, the statues had all knelt down and remained in this position.

--””--

The queen opened her eyes and indeed she was in her throne hall. It was semi dark and no one was here, the immense Throne of the Divine Falcon, behind her, bathed in golden light. The Seth Shadow that brought her over a great distance was not seen, but she was certain she was near.

She mounted the throne. It was way more than a magnificent seat to showcase a queen. It was the very center of a star empire that existed for over 12,000 years, and a tool of power that could only be used by the rightful queen. She called up several screens to make herself a picture of the situation. The news reported the blonde already inside the Path of Worship, Ammothep doubted the girl survived the faith guardians, on her way to the Chamber of the Gods.

All Sara was in turmoil! There were angry crowds before the temple of RA demanding the heads of the priestesses. The palace military assembled before the Seat of Eternal light and there was Tethebea of Luxor, standing before the Ebony wall awaiting the arrival of the goddess.

She pulled the sword of the queen out of its recess and ran towards the statue of Beth, opened a secret door at the base of the statue and entered a small elevator. It would be her who emerged from behind the Ebony wall.

Her miraculous appearance would cement her god daughter status and thus the power to get rid of Tethebea of Luxor and Kalasiris of Thebes, strengthen her grip on the Empire like never before and purge it of all that dared to defy her.

Using this secret elevator she reached the Chamber of the Gods.

She instantly recognized the big round pool of water, the golden statues holding braziers with flickering fire and the immense statue of RA in all her splendor.

And there she saw a woman with a golden mask emerge from the path of worship. Statues bowed and knelt as she walked by. The person had a visible glowing aura of light.

The statues, so the queen was told were mechanoids of an age and technology long past and forgotten, so was the mask the young woman wore. However this path and the chamber were reminders of Saran’s mystical and not all explainable past. The ebony wall and the doors with the moving pictures in the gold itself had been there long before Sarans could achieve such a feat with memory metal. Also the fact remained that she had not only survived the path but evidently passed the test.

The queen said.” You are the young woman from Earth are you not?””

The girl spoke in a dazed and slurred way. “Yes, I am Melissa Rockford of Texas that is on Earth. Do you know what I am supposed to do next?”

“I am Ammothep, I am the Queen of all that is Saran. Follow me!”

--””--

The smaller exit doors opened and two women emerged from behind the Ebony wall.

All Saran recognized the Queen and next to her the goddess, she had passed the test!

Rabor could not kill her, there was also the Queen, and it was all true! He aimed at the other statue, to prevent the other assassin to carry out the deed and fired.

Rabor’s missile impacted into the head of the statue, killing the other assassin just as he fired his weapon.

Melissa saw Rabor just before he fired, his movement and repositioning had revealed his position to her. More out of instinct she pushed the queen out of the way, pulled the Smith & Wesson she still had strapped to her hip, underneath the cloak and fired the big revolver with the confident ease of someone being around firearms all her life. It was an expert shot, aimed from a hip draw hitting a target over thirty meters away. Rabor, the Saran underground rebel, would be assassin and last second hero died with a Terran bullet punching a hole into his forehead and splattering most of his brain against the cheeks of the god statue.

--””--

Mohamud steered the flyer past the lined up troops and right up the access ramp and right through the tall entrance. He yelled on the top of his lungs. “Allu Akbar! Death to Non-believers! Allu Akbar!”

He aimed the flyer at the largest concentration of people, fired his gun into the crowds, mowing down quite a few people to his delight.

--””--

Aoife saw him first, and she knew instantly what was going to happen, she yelled.” Everyone hit the floor! She lunged forward, taking Sofia of her feet as bullets hacked into the floor and into Janosh from Hungary and Andrei from Poland. Several Sarans got hit as well.

--””--

Melissa saw him reload and fired her gun again. Muhammad was hit but he had enough life left in him to trigger the suicide vest. Mahmud’s flyer exploded! The suicide vest rained, ball bearings, nails and debris showering the crowd, many got killed instantly.

Three of the big black beasts tore loose and created an instant path of gore and death. Sigurd, evaded one of the big black beasts as it came barreling straight for him, but Paulo, the small framed guy from Brazil was not so quick and fell victim to the raging beast.

Sigurd, with no weapons at all, screamed on the top of his lungs and punched the beast in the side, distracting him from the mauled body of Paulo and the rest of the panicked teens.

He jumped back evading a claw sweep by a fraction of an inch. The monster had the size of a rhino, but was agile as a panther and Sigurd managed to get its attention. Without anything to defend himself, he would fall victim to the alien predator.

Sofia, reached out to the second beast and lifted it just like she did with her cat. The beast was much heavier and she could feel its weight was heavier than anything she lifted before. “Help me, Aoife!” She pleaded with a strained tone in her voice.

Aoife not really knowing what to do reached out and held Sofia’s hand.

Whatever she did Sofia felt the weight and drain drastically reduced, raised the confused black beast all the way to the distant ceiling and then released her invisible grip. The monster impacted with a sickening wet sounding crunch into the gleaming marble surface of the floor.

--””--

Manjieet, held tight to Wolfgang and closed her eyes, the next thing he knew he was back in the luxurious hotel. She opened her eyes and sighed exhausted. “It worked!” Then she passed out.

--””--

Sigurd jolted backwards, evading another paw sweep, but stumbled over a fallen body of a Saran and landing between the messes of the partially collapsed food buffet. He grabbed a big and heavy golden food platter and hurled it like a big Frisbee against the head of the approaching beast. That dazed the black cat like monster long enough for him to scramble further away, sending another platter with force and accuracy against the beasts head. His eyes fell onto a large carving knife, his hand closed around the grip an eye blink later, this time he did not back up, but lunged forward, side stepped the beast snapping maws plunging the carving knife deep into the left eye of the cat, killing it.

The repeated thundering roar of a 44 magnum, spelled doom for the third beast, it collapsed less than a meter before Melissa, shielding the queen with her own body, while holding the still smoking heavy gun with both hands.

Guards and troops had now reached the scene and moments later the first emergency responders arrived as well.

Almost everyone on the planet had seen what unfolded, the media drones had not stopped recording it all.

Chapter 11 »