ALTERNATE
TALES OF THE STAR FORCE
STAR BLAZERS---A STRANGE INTERLUDE…
Being the fifth part of THE
NEW COMET--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz
This Act is being completed with the Cooperation
and Assistance of Derek A.C. Wakefield (as usual)---Freddo
Advisory: This chapter contains some slightly mature content.
Just don’t say I didn’t warn you…. J
(includes some art by Angie Sczepkowski worth repeating now that the scene has occurred…thanks,
Angie)
ACT FIVE: DANCING WITH
FRIENDS AND ENEMIES…
I. ARRIVAL
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Planet Melezart
The
Tuesday, October 14,
2206
1120 Hours: Earthtime
The
After
the landing procedures were completed, Captain Venture spotted Nova waiting at
the rail on the space battleship’s main deck. A warm breeze was blowing through
Nova’s hair, and the skirt she had on with her gold and black uniform top was
blowing a little in the breeze above her bare legs. She also wore her gunbelt,
and shiny black open-toe pumps she had somehow acquired.
“I
see you out here keeping a vigil, Nova,” said Venture with a smile.
Nova
smiled back. “I’m waiting for noon,” she said in a soft voice. “You know what’s
supposed to happen at 1200, right?”
“Yes…the
Argo’s supposed to land then.”
“And
I haven’t seen Derek for four and a half months,” said Nova as she patted her
stomach. “It’s hard to believe what’s changed since then. Have any of the other
fleets arrived yet?”
Venture
said, “I was told the Rikashans are in orbit. Lord Cha’rif came with a hundred
space warships. He’ll be landing his flagship B’eorneraze in the bay later this afternoon. And the Gamilons are
supposed to arrive before sunset.”
Suddenly,
they noticed a speck on the horizon. “Something’s coming in, right over there,”
said Venture.
“Where?”
said Nova. “Oh…now I see it….and it’s got wings…and it’s coming in fast…coming
down towards the ocean…it’s blue-grey….and red!”
“They’re
half an hour early,” said Venture as he shaded his eyes as he made out the Argo. “Nova, you’d better get inside for
a bit…we’ll be firing a salute as they enter the bay to dock…”
Nova
smiled with glistening eyes. “As long as I can come outside again in a bit…”
“You
certainly can,” said Venture. “You and
“Thanks,”
said Nova.
On
the Argo, a few minutes later, after
landing, the crew was manning the rails at attention as the mighty space battleship
cruised in on the surface of the placid-looking bay near the coast of Sterlent
while the
“It’s
good to be home,” said Janlits as he stood beside Wildstar on top of the Argo’s Number One Gun Turret.
“It’s
good to be here,” said Wildstar as his ascot blew out of his long black peacoat
and waved in the breeze. His longish hair also blew under the Captain’s cap he
was wearing.
“I
didn’t expect it would look so nice,” said Astra of Iscandar as she stood
beside Wildstar with her long strawberry blond hair blowing in the breeze and
her purple gown blowing about her legs. “Mother didn’t tell me it would look a
bit like Iscandar.”
“I’m
flattered by the comparison,” laughed Janlits.
Beside
them stood a very taciturn Stovall, silent in his dress greens and helmet. He
stood there with a blaster rifle against his shoulder, and hateful feelings in
his heart. The others quickly came to ignore the silent, glaring Marine guard
as much as possible. He did not make good conversation.
In
the meantime, after the Arizona
finished firing her salutes, Nova, Captain Venture, Aliscea Rosstowski, and
Deke Wakefield all came back onto the main deck, watching as the Argo approached the dock next to them,
alone.
“Where’s
the rest of the Second Fleet?” asked Aliscea. Aliscea also was dressed in the
same way that Nova was, except for the fact that she wore her native Pellian
sandals instead of shoes.
“In
orbit above us,” said Venture. “They’re on high alert in case the Cometines
show up and try something funny.”
“Yes,
from the base we’ve established on the outskirts of the city,” said Nova. A
moment later, a squadron of twelve silvery dart-like planes flew overhead.
“Those are native Melezartian interceptors.”
Deke’s
ears perked up a moment later at a strange, rushing, whirring sound. He gritted
his teeth as he thought he recognized it. “And those?” he said.
Nova
looked up as the green interceptors blasted overhead. “Gamilon planes. They’re
from the other base that the Empire established.”
“That’s
the first time I’ve ever been that close to Gamilons,”
said Deke in a flat voice.
“They’re
not that bad…as long as you hold your peace among them…,” said Venture.
“Yessir,”
sighed
A
few minutes later, the Argo dropped
anchor near the pier that the
Then,
Nova’s smile faded as she began to consider the task she would be performing
soon. We are not to give up our
sovereignty to them, she thought. We
are to make a peace while preserving our territorial rights. I’ve been briefed
on the options. They break down to two things…two plans that we will be
offering the Cometines. One is a normal, honorable peace with the
Nova
then looked up at the Gamilon planes passing overhead, as she thought, The other is Desslok’s ‘nuclear option’.
That would also preserve our sovereignty, and solve a lot of problems, but I
don’t know what Invidia would think of that plan of Desslok’s. We’re not
supposed to raise it, but it is there as a second option. We do not necessarily
agree with it…but it would solve many problems. But…would the Cometines even
consider it? It is an elegant solution, but it would provide instant peace…at
one heck of a price…
Nova
then stood with her eyes closed for a moment as she heard a Melezartian band on
shore beginning to play the musical theme of the First Star Force. She then
looked over as the Argo’s gangplank
lowered.
“That’s
our signal,” whispered Venture. The others nodded. Venture then picked up a
microphone and said, “All hands, we are now leaving the
Venture
and the others left the
Nova’s
glistening eyes spoke volumes as they met Derek’s eyes. Derek himself was at
the head of the gangplank, and he returned Mark’s salute as the party came up.
Finally,
Venture, who looked very serious in his own peacoat and cap, looked at Wildstar
and said, “Commodore, sir, permission to come aboard?”
Derek
looked at his friend and said, “Permission granted!” Wildstar then shook
Venture’s hand. “It’s been a long time, Venture!”
“Yeah,
too long,” he chuckled as he noticed
Janlits
looked at Venture and his party next. “I am Concillor Pyle Janlits,” he said as
he shook hands with the party. “I’m pleased to meet you, Captain Venture.”
“Thank
you, sir,” said Mark.
He
then turned to Nova. “My lovely counterpart from Earth, about whom I’ve heard
so much…ironic that you were waiting for me here at our home…”
“No
problem,” said Nova as she shook hands with him and looked towards Derek again.
Derek smiled silently at her as she smiled back, trying to keep cool for the
sake of decorum.
“And
you are?” said Janlits as he shook
“Lieutenant
Deke Wakefield of the Sun Tigers. I’ve been asked by Mrs. Wildstar to act as
her escort at the conference since the Commodore has been asked not to be
there.”
“What
do you think of that?”
“I
don’t think much of the enemy, sir,” said
“That
they have,” said Janlits softly. “That they have.”
Then,
Janlits turned to Aliscea. “I have heard much of you. I heard you did a great
part against the Rikashans and Technomugar in that conflict…”
“And
against the R’Khelleva in this one,” said Aliscea. “I cannot wait to see my
mother again tonight.”
“That
is a good thing,” said Janlits.
Next,
as per protocol, Astra turned to Venture. The Captain and Iscandarian shared a
very decorous embrace. “It’s been a long time, Captain Venture. It’s too bad
we’re not meeting on Iscandar,” she said as she patted Venture’s back. Then,
she turned to Nova and hugged her. “Oh, you poor thing! I’m glad to see that
you are doing well, though!”
“Thank
you,” said Nova as she moved back from Astra. “I miss your mother.”
“So
do I,” she said. “I also miss my sister,” she said as she looked hard at Deke
for a moment. “It would be so good if she could be here.”
Deke
shivered and kept his temper as he found himself, with full knowledge, face to
face with an Iscandarian for the first time in his life. “So, you are the
daughter of Queen Starsha?”
“I
am,” said Astra in a suddenly flat voice as she picked up something from Deke
she had not expected; anger. “Why is it that you are so angered?”
“I’ll
be blunt. Your mother could have done more for Earth…at least in my opinion!”
“Deke!”
snapped Nova in shock. “I know how you feel, but…”
“I
also know how you feel,” said Astra coldly. “It is not wise to blame me for
your feelings about the Queen of Iscandar. I was born after the events we speak
of. As was my sister and my brother.”
“Are
they as stuck-up as you?” said Deke.
Astra
chuckled at that. “My brother, perhaps. As for my sister…you will learn the
truth, and you will be quite surprised, and soon.”
Deke
didn’t know why, but as Astra turned her eyes away from his, an image of Sasha
came unbidden to his mind. A chill went down his back, a chill that he knew not
where it came from. He almost felt like blurting out, What do you know about Sasha and I, you hunk of bad space juj-ju? Luckily,
he thought better of it.
Deke
turned away as Aliscea and Astra had a warm greeting for each other.
Unexpectedly, he felt a heel pressing hard into his instep.
“Nova?”
“Deke,
you should be more careful with that mouth,”
she whispered. “I know how you feel, but…”
“Nova,
I couldn’t…”
“Don’t
say anything like that to Desslok if you meet him,” she whispered. “He has a
habit of shooting people who offend
him. I’ve seen it.”
“I’ll
try to keep out of his way, ma’am,” said Deke.
Next,
according to rank, Commodore Wildstar shook hands with Venture. “Again, it’s
been a long time,” he said.
“Yeah,
I know,” said Mark. “We need to catch up on a lot, Wildstar.”
The
two of them lightly punched each other on the arm and laughed.
Derek
then turned to Nova.
Everything
stopped for a moment as the long-sundered lovers just looked long and hard at
each other. Nova’s eyes began to fill with tears, and so did Derek’s. Finally,
Nova just gave up her reserve and ran with a sob into her husband’s arms. The
others applauded as Deke began to blush fiercely. He thought, Okay, you two, how much of PRP are you two
gonna violate in the next five minutes? And in public? But even he felt his
eyes misting up a little at that.
Derek
hugged Nova hard, and it was now in utter silence before they exchanged a kiss
as most of the others again applauded. Finally, Nova said, “Derek…we have even more to catch up on than you and Mark.”
“Damnit,
don’t I know it,” said Derek as he stroked Nova’s hair. “How are they doing?”
he whispered as he patted Nova’s stomach.
“They
want to get out of there,” laughed Nova through her tears. “I think they know
Daddy’s here.”
“I
bet Mommy can’t wait to get this over with,” said Derek back through his tears.
“Sure
can’t,” she said as she pecked her husband on the cheek. Then, she whispered
(as she slid out of one of her shoes and ran her toes up Derek’s ankle under
the cuff of his slacks) “I can’t wait to be alone with you, later, too…”
Derek
looked his wife up and down and said, “Same here…” while Stovall gave the young
couple a very nasty look. Then he
said, “Real sweet, ain’t we?”
“Comments
from the Peanut Gallery, Corporal, are NOT appreciated,” snapped Commodore
Wildstar as he straightened his cap.
Nova
blushed and slipped back into her shoe while glaring daggers at Stovall. Then,
Commodore Wildstar turned to Aliscea. “So much has happened since I saw you
last, Aliscea.”
Aliscea
smiled. “I trust you won’t want to shoot me again, Wildstar?”
“No,
and I trust you won’t want to set me on fire again?”
What is that about? Deke
thought as Wildstar turned to him. Then, he said, “You’ve got a tough job,
“Your
family?”
“My
wife and my children are there,” said Derek. “They’re the closest family I
have, thanks to the Gamilons. Don’t let a thing happen to any of them,” whispered Wildstar. “I do not trust Invidia and her
group…not one bit.”
“They’ll
get to Nova over my fallen body,” said
“Thanks,”
said Derek.
Finally,
Stovall turned to shake hands with Venture. “It’s an honor to meet’cha, sir.”
“Likewise,
Corporal,” said Venture as he pumped Stovall’s hand once and turned away to
talk more with Derek.
A
confused Stovall turned to Aliscea next. Aliscea felt a horrible sense of
revulsion and cold as she saw him, and she had no idea why.
“You’re
beautiful,” said Stovall.
“You’re
beautiful, ma’am,” snapped Aliscea.
“Do not forget that, Mister.”
“High
and mighty, ain’t we?” said Stovall.
“Corporal,
stop acting like a child,” snapped Nova as she stood before Stovall with her
hands on her hips.
“Oh? My favorite nurse don’t have a
handshake for me?”
“I
do not administer your sort of
medicine!” snapped Nova. “Especially not to your
sort!”
“Listen,
ma’am, you got rank, but that don’t give ya no leave to be no Goddamn
smartass!”
“Hey,
Dekesticks,” laughed Stovall. “Still play the drums, shithead?”
“I
could have you court-martialed just for that,” growled
“On
what charge?”
“Gross
disrespect to a superior officer,”
snapped
“Or
what?” smirked Stovall.
“ALLRIGHT,
YOU SHITHEAD!” roared Wakefield in his face in the same way that Stovall had
yelled at him and had humiliated him in public at the Academy a lifetime ago.
“Brace, shithead! BRACE!”
Stovall
then snapped to the plebe position of attention as the others watched.
“NOW
GET DOWN ON THAT GODDAMN DECK AND GIVE ME FIFTY, GODDAMNIT!” yelled
“Aye,
aye,” muttered Stovall.
“AYE,
AYE WHAT?” yelled
“Aye,
aye, SIR!” yelled Stovall.
“I
CAN’T HEAR YOU!” bellowed
“AYE,
AYE SIR!” yelled Stovall.
“Now,
PUSH!” yelled
At
that, Stovall did the wise thing. While growling to himself, he did pushups.
1320 Hours…
Later,
Nova found herself sitting down with a cup of coffee around a table in what had
been a very familiar place; the Captain’s quarters she had shared with Derek on
the Argo. This time, she smiled and
nodded as an enlisted steward brought her a sweet roll while Derek looked hard
at a roll of his own. Venture sat at the table on the other side, with
“This
place brings back memories, Derek,” said Venture as he looked around. “Remember
when Orion and I were up here for officers’ hours before Captain Avatar on the
way to Iscandar when I called him an idiot?” Venture laughed and said, “I miss
the old Captain and Orion more than ever now.”
“I
wonder what Captain Avatar would think of you as a Captain now, Mark?” said
Nova as she leaned her chin on her hands. “I can confide in you now that he was
considering you for that Deputy Captain’s post, too. He was even considering me
before he guessed it probably wasn’t gonna be a good idea.”
“Yeah,
and especially since IQ-9 couldn’t keep his hands out of your skirt,” laughed
Derek, who winced as Nova playfully punched him. “By the way, how is the
Tinwit?”
“Mellowing
with age, although he tried to look up my skirt this morning….”
“He
did?” said Deke. Nova nodded. “What did you do to him?”
“Clonked
him over the dome with a bamboo boken,
what do you think?” said Nova.
“I
wonder what the others are doing in Janlits’ quarters?” said Venture.
“They
were having a conference. I left when the air started getting too thick,” said
Nova. “Oh,
“General
Stone’s,” huffed Derek.
“Figures,”
said Nova. “Did you try to get it reversed?”
“I
appealed right to the Commander, but he said no way,” grunted Derek. “Even I can’t get all I want all the time,
even though I am the Boy Genius of the Fleet,” huffed Wildstar.
“I
thought that was the Cowboy of Outer Space,” said Venture.
“I
got promoted, Space Jockey!” laughed Derek.
“Hey!”
said a wounded Venture as Nova tried to keep from giggling. “I thought that
back at that battle we fought with the Gamilons over those space mines that you
promised never to call me a Space Jockey again!”
“That’s
right…I did…slowpoke,” said Derek with a wink.
Nova
then pulled the brim of her husband’s cap down over his eyes as
“Hey,
Nova! It’s not lights out yet!” laughed Derek.
“You
look silly with that thing on your head,” she said. She grabbed his hat and
looked at it. “Look at that gold braid on that thing. Next thing you know,
you’ll be carrying a swagger stick and hitting people with it when you do
inspections.”
“Tain’t
funny, ma’am,” said
“What
a shame,” said Nova. “You handled him very well, Deke. You’re a far better
spacer than that guy will ever be. You might even have your own squadron in the
next year. Cheer up!”
“Squadron?”
said Commodore Wildstar. “You’re moving up…”
“He’s
close to it now,” said Venture. “He’s got command of a whole flight, and
they’re a very well-oiled machine in combat. We lost a lot of pilots, but guys
like
“As
weird as ever,” said Derek.
“I
dread to see what he’ll be doing next,” said Nova.
“Great
pilot,” said Wildstar. “But as a person..?”
“That
man’s one true love is his vodka,” said
“He’s
doing great,” said Wildstar. “Weren’t you and he pretty tight at the Academy?”
“We
were,” said
“That
would make perfect sense,” said Derek.
A
few minutes later, after they talked some more,
Nova
closed the privacy screen in their cabin and turned down the lights a little.
Derek then knelt down and kissed her pregnant belly through her blouse.
“I’ve
been so worried about you,” he said softly as he took off his peacoat.
“I
know you’ve been,” said Nova as she unzipped her blouse and exposed her
stomach. She smiled and closed her eyes as Derek kissed her bare tummy, and
nuzzled it for a while. “It’s swelling a little but…“It’s not that big yet,”
said Nova as she ran her hands through Derek’s hair. “The doctor says it’ll
start showing more in the next few weeks. Sometimes you can sort of see them
kicking a little…I feel them in there…”
Derek
laughed as he felt her stomach jump. “I think I just felt a kick now…”
“Me
too.” Nova laughed at that, and she reached down to undo her skirt as Derek
continued to kiss her. We have a few
minutes, she thought passionately. We
can practice a little and catch up on lost time, she thought.
She
abruptly stopped when a tap came at the hatch.
“Oh,
great!” said Nova with a blush as she refastened her skirt and zipped her
blouse back up. “I wonder who it is…”
Art © 2007 by Angie Sczepkowski
“Come
in,” called Derek. To their surprise, Diane Henson came in, carrying a small
bag. “Nova?”
“Diane?”
said Nova. “Did you find it?”
Henson
nodded with a little grin. “If you’ll come down to my cabin, I think you can
slip into that little surprise..?”
“Nova?”
said a confused Derek.
“Don’t
worry,” said Nova as she got up and kissed her husband on the forehead. “Just a
little surprise we’re setting up for our boat trip to the island later.” Nova
smiled and said, “I think I’ll see you later on during lunch in the mess.”
“Okay,”
he said. Outside, he heard feminine giggles as they went down the stairs.
“You’re not actually getting me into that!” said Nova.
“I
most certainly am,” laughed Diane.
I
wonder what she and Henson are planning,” said Derek to himself.
About
twenty minutes later, Wildstar met up with Hardy, Hartcliffe, and
“Angie’s
been flyin’, too,” said Hartcliffe. “Even with that pregnancy scare we had a
few months back.”
“Pregnancy
scare?” said
“I
was like bloody scared she ‘ad a balloon growin’ inside o’ her, but it turned
out not to be true. Good thing, too. Don’t know what I’d do if she was preggers
and ‘ad to wear sacks all the time and crap.”
Wildstar
looked at Hartcliffe in disbelief. “Mister, let me get this straight. You’re
worried about Angie getting pregnant because you are afraid of what she’ll look
like?”
“Yeah,
I mean, she’ll be grody like a balloon and fat and weepy and weird and eating
ice cream and crap all the time. Who wants an unsexy preggers wife who’ll act
like a bloody fishwife and won’t wanna sleep with yer and all that?”
“Hartcliffe,
sohn, you are a pig,” said Hardy in a pissed-off voice as Derek clenched his
teeth. “You are full of weird assumptions, mistuh.”
“About
what?” said Hartcliffe.
“Pregnant
women,” said Derek. “I mean, Nova, she’s…”
Then, they
heard Nova’s voice over the din as she laughed with Henson. “Hey, guys!” she
said as she came up to the serving line and waved.
Wildstar’s
eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw what Nova was wearing…or rather,
what she was not wearing.
She
was no longer in her uniform. She had changed.
She
had changed into sandals and a bikini.
Both
in pink.
And,
she was obviously not terminally shy
about showing off her slightly pregnant stomach.
Nova
twirled on her toes and said, “As you’ve all heard, guys, I am expecting. Diane
decided to talk me into a swimsuit to go out with the Commodore today for a
boat ride. I’m just starting to show…and…”
The
crew laughed, clapped and applauded at that.
“She’s
nuts,” said Hartcliffe. “She’s bloody nutzoid!”
“HARTCLIFFE!”
said Wildstar in an angry voice.
“That
takes some guts,” said Hardy. “Looks good, though, huh?”
“Yeah,”
said
As
Nova came over, Hartcliffe called out, “Hey, Nova! You got a balloon under
there, or what?”
“Balloon?”
said Nova as she looked down at herself. “No, Bryan. I think what I have inside
me are called babies.”
“Oh,
is that what’s making yer act and look like some kinda water buffalo?” said
Hartcliffe as the room went silent.
“Water buffalo?” said Derek slowly and in
a low, dangerous voice. “Why, you dirty little son-of-a…”
“Derek,”
said Nova firmly. “I can take care of myself. Thanks. Bryan Hartcliffe, are you
aware of how misogynistic you sound?”
“Where’s
the kippered herring and ice cream, ma’am? Or are we just about to see gears
and springs comin’ out yer head because your brain’s going batty with the
‘ormones?”
Nova
smiled dangerously and said, “No. But we are about to see something else,” she
said as she got up and walked behind
“What?”
said Hartcliffe. Nova then reached to his tray and grabbed up a bowl of
buttered spaghetti he was eating.
“We
are about to see how you look wearing spaghetti on your head!” said Nova as she upended the spaghetti over Hartcliffe’s
head. Then, as the greasy pasta ran down his face she said, “With that ugly,
stringy greasy hair of yours, I think it is actually an improvement!”
The
crew then again laughed and applauded. Some people yelled, “Way to go, Nova!”
as Nova walked out of the room with her head held high and her nose up in the
air. “Nova!” called Derek. “Nova! You forgot your lunch! NOVA!”
“Excuse
me, guys,” said Wildstar as he picked up his wife’s lunch tray and ran after
her with it.
“I’m
proud of you,” said Hardy sarcastically.
“Proud
o’ me?” said Hartcliffe.
“Yeah, you just insulted a pregnant woman,” snapped
“Funny
yer so high and mighty. I heard you offed
a pregnant woman,
“Where
the hell did you hear that from?” yelled
“Yer
buddy Mick Stovall. We were shootin’ the breeze for a bit, Lieutenant…”
“I
won’t deny there was an accident years ago. It just didn’t happen the way that asshole Corporal said!” snapped
“Sir?”
“Get
out of here,” said Hardy in more distinct tones. “Do it before I am tempted to
kick your butt myself, Mitsuh!”
“Yessir,”
said Hartcliffe as he got up and angrily stalked away.
A
while later, Derek found Nova.
She
was up in his cabin, sitting in a chair with her face over the table, crying
her eyes out.
“Nova,”
said Derek.
“What,
are you here to make fun of my belly,
too?” snapped Nova. “If you are, Derek, then bug…”
“Nova,
I’m not here to do that at all,” cooed Derek. “I brought your lunch. You forgot
it.”
As
Nova put up her head to look at her lunch tray. Derek kissed her and wiped her
tears off her cheeks with the silk ascot he had thrown off before. “Don’t
listen to that jerk Hartcliffe,” said Derek. “Nova, I didn’t expect it, but you
look cute in that swimsuit.”
“I
do?” she said. “No, Derek, I look grotesque. I shouldn’t even be on this
mission…I should be home, knitting Goddamn booties in the house by myself and wearing
a sack! It’s because I have a balloon that you
stuck in there when we were screwing around!”
“Nova,
it happened, but I’m so happy for you. For us. For them,” he said as he patted
her tummy.
“It’s
still…your…no….it’s our fault…we wanted children…bad…” sniffed Nova as Derek
hugged his wife. “I….”
“I
love you, Nova….thought about what you’ve wanted to name them, yet?”
Nova
smiled a little at that, even though tears were still running down her cheeks.
“The girl, I’d like to name Ariel. You can name our boy…”
“I’ll
name our son Alex, after my brother,” said Derek. “Alex and Ariel. I like the
sound of that…”
“Me
too,” said Nova as Derek hugged her and kissed the nape of her neck. The privacy
curtain in Derek’s cabin was still closed as Derek ran his hands over his
wife’s shoulders. Nova turned a little in her chair to kiss her husband as he
ran his hands down over her collarbone, and then ran them slowly down to her
breasts. He could feel her nipples standing up slightly through the thin
material of the bikini top as he caressed her.
“May
I?” he whispered as he ran his hands down to the bow that closed the front of
her top after a few slow moments.
“Yes,”
said Nova. “But if you’re going to do that…please strip me…that isn’t the only
place where I want you to…touch me…”
Derek’s
heart began to race as he undid his wife’s top and let it fall to the deck. He
caressed her bare breasts, which felt a little bigger than he remembered them
as being, while he kissed her again and she kissed back. Soon, his hands went
over her stomach, and as she began to gasp a little, he undid the bows at
Nova’s hips and watched as her bikini bottom fell open.
As
Derek laid hands upon her womanhood, Nova trembled and gasped. She somehow
found enough energy to get up and she relieved herself of her sandals as she
was being touched. Then, to Derek’s sweet surprise, he felt his trousers and
underwear being pulled down by his naked wife in an almost desperate fashion.
It felt good for him as she touched him in his most sensitive spot, and he felt
like he was going to burst.
“Where
do you want to go?” whispered Derek as they kissed.
“Sit
right in the chair, Derek,” she whispered. “Then, I’ll sit down, and…”
Somehow,
Derek was pulled out of his trousers and boots and socks altogether by his
young wife in what felt a little like kids playing urgently in the backseat of
an aircar. Before he knew it, his shirt was gone, too, and a moment later, his
nakedness was clothed by his bride’s naked and eager body as she slid into his
lap and she allowed him to slide right up into her. Unlike what Hartcliffe
thought, Derek and Nova were discovering in a very sweet fashion that pregnancy
and physical passion were definitely not mutually exclusive!
As
they kissed and made increasingly wild love, Derek was happy because his
prayers of the past few months had been answered.
:I’ve…I’ve..been
waiting…longing for…needing you,” gasped Nova. “I…”
“Don’t
talk,” said Derek as he kissed her again and their tongues met…”Don’t…”
A
few moments later, they shivered in each other’s arms as they reached climax
and it was over. Then, moved by the joy of their love, a physical love that
they now knew at last had produced children, the two lovers held each other and
wept.
“Yes…?”
said Derek as his wife kissed him tenderly and stroked his hair.
“Let’s
get dressed…get to that boat…get to our island….I’m putting a swimsuit on you,
that set of briefs I think you still have in the drawer…and…”
“And
what?”
“I
want to do this again,” said Nova as she held him tight. “And then I want you
again, and again, and…”
Derek
just kissed his trembling bride again. Then, she got up and guided him towards
the shower in his head.
The
boat ride to their temporary home on the small island was very sweet. The
lovers had packed a bag with their uniforms, but they wore only their swimwear
for the warm boat ride. They hadn’t even bothered to put shoes back on for
their trip; the boat was a small one, and they got wet from the spray in the
bay, so it felt good to go barefoot in the heat for them.
When
they reached the island, as soon as they got into the foyer of their borrowed
guest villa, they were soon undressed again and lying down in each other’s arms
on a soft rug right in the foyer with all of the naughtiness of lovers on a
second honeymoon. It didn’t take long for them to be with each other for a
second time. They were trying for a third time, but they got tired and ended up
taking a nap right in each other’s arms in bliss on the floor.
It
was the incessant, alien-sounding ringing of a phone that woke them up.
“Huh?”
said Derek.
“Go
and answer that,” yawned Nova as she kissed her husband. “I’ll clean up and try
to find some place to take a shower..or bath…or…”
Derek
laughed as he kissed Nova on the nose. He pulled on his briefs and ran to the
phone.
“Hello?
Wildstar residence,” said Derek, as he looked out and saw that the sun was just
beginning to go down in a fiery sunset. We
were here longer than I thought, Derek said to himself.
“Wildstar,
how was your journey?” said Desslok over the phone. “I’ve patched in to you
from my flagship.”
“We’re
fine…Desslok…fine. We just got here a while ago, and…”
“Did
I disturb you?” laughed Desslok. “If I am, then…I apologize. Is Nova available?”
“Uh…”
said Derek as he listened. He heard a shower running and heard his wife singing
in the shower. “She’s here, but she’s…indisposed…Desslok…”
“Very
well. Later on this evening, could you two get into a shuttle and meet me
aboard my flagship? I have something that I need to share with you about the
conference. I have explained it in some brief detail to Nova, but I need to
further elaborate. I know the two of you have the same security clearance now,
so we can safely discuss this. It will expand our options with our enemies…”
“Thank
you, Desslok,” said Derek. “We’ll…make our way up to your ship as soon as
possible,” he said as he realized their second honeymoon was being cut short.
Nova had been talking about going swimming together in the bay after they had
cleaned up; he didn’t know how he’d break the news to her.
But,
he knew he would have to as he exchanged pleasantries with Desslok and then
hung up.
Welcome to the real world, thought
Wildstar to himself.
II. FIGHTS AND
DIFFERENCES IN THINKING
Deep Space: 80,000
Lightyears Away From Earth
Planet Melezart
The
Tuesday, October 14,
2206
1755 Hours: Earthtime
Deke
“Son
of a bitch!” he yelled, pivoting and facing his unknown assailant with his
personal weapon named DJ in his hands. He had the safety off a moment later as
he found he was facing down Stovall.
“I
ain’t got no weapon,” said Stovall as he stood there grinning with one hand in
his pocket. “Drop yours,
“Get
your damn hand out of your pocket, Stovall! NOW!” barked
Stovall
grinned a sick grin and pulled his hand out of his pocket.
“What
do you have in there?” demanded Deke.
“Just
this,” said Stovall as he withdrew the Sphere. The baseball-sized crystal globe
glittered ominously in the dusk as he held it out. “It’s just a hunk of crystal
I found in
“Hell
no, I wouldn’t touch anything you’ve
touched!”
“Oh,
afraid I might give ya cooties?”
sneered Stovall as he put Ekogaru’s Sphere back in his pocket. Far away, in his
mind, he could hear the Dark Lord laughing at the scene. He liked the feeling
the Evil One’s laughter gave him.
“For
a Corporal, you’re acting pretty stupid,” snapped
“For
a Lieutenant, you had a weird life,” said Stovall. “Like to know some of what
your ex-fiancee’ told me when I got her drunk enough? Before I had her
screaming and crying for more of mah baloney pony, that is?”
“What?”
said
“Dawn
told me that you used to play with dolls,”
sneered Stovall. “She said you had this dollie named Starventura! A girlie
doll!”
“It
was an action figure,” hissed
“Screw
you! It was a dollie! The big badass pilot who is close to havin’ his own
squadron used to play with dolls. I
bet your squadron would love to hear that,
For
a moment, just a moment,
Deke
put the safety back on DJ and set her carefully on the ground. Then, he put up
his fists and said, “Wanna say anymore, Stovall?”
“Oooooo,
does Deeeeekkkkeeeee wanna fight? Deeeeekkkkkkeeeee being bad. Deeeekkkeeee
isn’t supposed to look at the girl dollies naked! Deeeekkkkeeee is a pervert!”
Then,
Stovall doomed himself by running over, tripping Deke, and then hitting him in
the back of the neck with a rabbit punch when he was down.
“Arrghhh!
You son-of-a…” yelled
“Deeekkkeee,”
hissed Stovall in his ear. “Admit you’re a faggot sissy or I’ll cut your
Goddamned motherf…”
He
never got to finish as
Then,
Stovall snarled, and he pumped two punches into
Stovall
then got DJ up off the ground, smiling at the bruises that were forming on
Deke’s neck. He said, “See what I got,
“Drop
dead, Stovall,” gasped Deke.
“I
got you in mah sights. What you gonna do about it?”
Finally,
Stovall
took notice.
“Man,”
sobbed Stovall. “That’s low. Even you wouldn’t Goddamn do that,
“Get
the hell out of my sight, and never mention our discussion to anyone, Corporal. If you do, I will
either get your ass court-martialed for starting this with that first sucker
punch or I will hunt you down like a varmint and murder you.”
“You’re
sick,” sobbed Stovall. “Dawn was right. You are
some kind of vengeful psycho!”
“You were going to cut my throat a minute
ago,” gasped
“Yessir,”
said Stovall.
“Get
up,” said Deke.
“Why?”
Stovall,
while holding his crotch, took
“We’ll
see, Corporal. Now get the hell out
of my sight! I do NOT want to see you again tonight, Marine!”
Stovall
gave
The
two men did not see each other again that night.
III. GHOSTS FROM THE
PAST
Deep Space: 80,000 Lightyears
Away From Earth
Planet Melezart
High Orbit
Wednesday, October 15,
2206
0022 Hours: Earthtime
In the
meantime, Derek and Nova, now back in their usual shipboard uniforms, were
flying in Derek’s Superstar fighter towards Desslok’s flagship, which, as they
had just learned in surprise, was no longer his usual command cruiser, the Gamilstadt, but was, instead, the larger
Gamilon battle carrier Farushar,
which had been heavily refitted and was now painted a bright scarlet color.
“Farushar, this is Commodore Wildstar
from Earth,” said Derek as his fighter flew towards the carrier at the head of
the Gamilon fleet; the ship was being tailed by a combined group of Gamilon and
Rikashan interceptors. Nova noticed the Rikashan fleet sitting off in the distance
beyond the Gamilon fleet; she also thought she could see some vessels of the
Second Fleet from Earth sitting in orbit near the Rikashan ships. “Request
permission to board.”
“Superstar
Zero-One, this is Gamilon Flight Control,” said a cold voice over their
headsets. “By Desslok’s orders, you are cleared for landing and number one in
the stack. Land on the port side of the Farushar’s
main flight deck. Please acknowledge our command, sir.”
“Acknowledged,”
said Derek to the unknown Gamilon officer. Wildstar watched as a green
guidelight flicked on up on the right side of the red carrier’s bow. Derek flew
the fighter to a quick landing, and the ship was soon stopped inside the
Gamilons’ main flight bay, where several Gamilon and Garuman soldiers in brown
and dark blue battle armor acknowledged their arrival with salutes.
General
Talan came up from the ranks and greeted the Terrans with a salute. “It’s been
a long time, Wildstar.” He glanced at Nova. “We were not aware that Mrs.
Wildstar was with child.”
“A
lot of people don’t know that, yet,” said Nova with a blush as she patted her
stomach in her one-piece Star Force jumpsuit in gold and black.
“I
wish we had more time for pleasantries,” said Talan. “The Lady Astrena is in
meditation over a disquieting presence she is picking up down there on
Melezart. She has no idea what it is. Leader Desslok is waiting.”
“Take
us to him, please,” said Commodore Wildstar.
“This
way,” said Talan with a wave of his hand.
Their
booted feet echoed loudly in a corridor as they walked towards a
strange-looking Gamilon lift.
Soon,
they found Desslok sitting alone at a table in a dark, shadowy briefing room of
his ship up somewhere in the command level; a viewport looked forward out over one
of the ship’s forward gun turrets. He rose for a moment to shake their hands,
with his full seven and a half-foot height towering over both of them for a
moment. They could hear in the background the strange ghostly moaning hum of
either the ventilation system or the engines (they were never sure which) that
seemed to be characteristic to all Gamilon space warships.
After
exchanging pleasantries (and after Desslok wished Nova and Derek good wishes on
their children), Desslok said, “I am sorry to disturb you, but I asked you to
come here to discuss a rather unpleasant subject.”
“And,
that is?” asked Commodore Wildstar as Nova held his hand.
“The
possible option I may have to exercise to end this war,” said Desslok. “Nova, I
already have an Empire. Taking control of a larger portion of an Empire of
unwilling subjects was not necessarily my wish, but I may have to consider
doing so to end this war.”
“What
does he mean?” asked Derek as he looked at Nova and saw her slowly nodding with
her eyes closed.
“Derek,
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you yet…Desslok recently found a hologram in the memory
banks of the Gamilstadt.”
“That
is one reason I think that the Cometines may have been concentrating on her
when they attacked my city,” said Desslok as he clenched his fists. “I have had
to switch my flag to this vessel because they destroyed my long-time flagship at her moorings when they attacked
Gamilon. Luckily, none of the Royal Family was aboard her when she was hit, and
unluckily for them, I had just duplicated this message. I will explain to you
both what I explained in brief to Nova the other day when the Earth President
patched my signal through to her cabin aboard the
“And,
it is?” said Derek.
Desslok
sighed. “When I was serving Zordar, it was my ambition to someday take the
throne of House Gatlantis for myself
after I had my revenge upon you and the Argo.
I then wished to use the resources of the Comet Empire to see if we could
rebuild Gamilon and re-establish my Empire. I nourished that plan in my heart for
a long time, and I eventually hoped to supplant Invidia as Zordar’s heir.
Indeed, it seems I was higher in Zordar’s esteem than Invidia for a while.
Invidia’s betrayal, my departure from the service of the Comet Empire, and my
decision to make peace with you and the Star Force and Earth drove those plans
from my mind, and then the fact that the Comet Empire went to war against me, as well as against you, made this
hope rather impractical; and the resurrection and expansion of my Empire after
the Rikasha Incident with Ekogaru and Cha’rif made it rather unnecessary. Why hope for an enemy Empire if I have an
Empire of my own, I thought. All I wanted for Invidia was death. That is
still all that I want.”
“But?”
said Derek. “Desslok, you’re not…”
“Derek,
hear him out!” pleaded Nova. “He has no plans to leave the
“The
“The
hologram you told me about?” said Nova.
Desslok
nodded. “I want you two to watch with me, and I want you to know all of our
options. I am confiding in you, as my friends. Please keep this secret unless
we have to use this against Invidia in the negotiations.”
Desslok
flicked a switch, and ominous organ music sounded in the room under an image of
the original White Comet taken from head-on.
“That
sounds creepy,” said Nova.
“They
called it White Comet, a battle hymn
of their House,” said Desslok with some disdain.
Despite
herself, Nova shivered as evil laughter was suddenly heard on the soundtrack
over the ominous organ music.
“I
recognize that voice,” said Derek as he also shivered as Nova held his hand.
“Prince
Zordar,” said Desslok with some disdain as a laughing image of the evil and
deceased Cometine despot of House Gatlantis appeared over the image of the
swirling Comet. “As you will see, this was a message for me.”
“A
message?” said Derek.
“Yes.
A message Invidia wanted destroyed.”
The
organ music faded to an almost sub-sonic growl of low notes as Zordar stopped
laughing. The holographic image of Zordar than said in his maniacal and echoing
deep voice, “Desslok. I intend this message for you. I left it aboard your
flagship for you. If you are now seeing this, you have your flagship left, and
I am sure you have succeeded in your quest in settling matters against the Star
Force, whether by violence, by guile, or by subtle diplomacy…I do not know, and
honestly, I do not care. I know you better than you know yourself. If you are
now seeing this, I am also now quite dead.
I will have either died in combat against Earth, or against Trelaina, or
against some foe mightier than they, I do not know. This message was intended
to be activated only if the communication sync signals from both my base-ship
the Gatlantis or my Black Dreadnought
have ceased to function. I tied your ship’s systems to those signals as part of
your service to me and the Comet Empire. If both of those have ceased to
function, I am no more.”
Zordar
then paused as they looked on. “Desslok, this may surprise you, but I have
always admired you as if you were my own son. While I had to name Invidia as my
heir in the event of my passing, it was my wish to have a son to pass my title
and the command of House Gatlantis to. I have not even told Invidia and Dyre
this yet, but I have decided, after seeing how Invidia lied to me about you,
and how she led me into defeat against Trelaina, that perhaps the interests of
my Empire are not served by passing the throne and scepter to Invidia. You
would be the first to know, and I hoped we would meet again after the
resolution of affairs with Earth, but I have decided unilaterally to strip
Invidia of her inheritance and to, instead, leave the throne and scepter of
House Gatlantis to you, Desslok. In keeping with my wish, find attached to this
message computer files in my language that serve as a warrant of adoption of
you as my foster-son and heir and a warrant of succession naming you as Prince
and Lord of the House of Gatlantis over the objections of Dyre and the others.
If you live, and find I have died, it is my wish that you will claim your own,
the gift I was aware you wanted. The throne of House Gatlantis is now yours,
Desslok. I charge you with taking whatever action you see fit to depose
Invidia. If she is now ruler of our House, she is an usurper, an usurper I want
dead.”
Derek
and Nova looked at each other in surprise as Zordar said, “Take this action. I
know that you are a man who takes what he wants and knows how to gain it. Strip
Invidia, Dyre, and Gorse of their positions and take charge of that I have
given you and rule over it under the guidance of our Grand Emperor as your vast
domain, and carry on the work that I know you have always wished to carry on
with. Act well, Desslok. I am praying in the Name of Arishna that your efforts
will succeed, and that Arishna will bless you. If you need aid in this
endeavor, seek out General Radnar, a kinsman of mine and priest of Arishna that
I deposed after a quarrel. He has the same hatred for Invidia that you share
for her. Act well, Desslok. From the next life, I wish you glory, and success…”
At
that, Zordar’s image faded out.
“So
it’s all yours, Desslok,” said Commodore Wildstar in some shock and awe.
Desslok
nodded. “Yes, by right, although not yet in truth.”
“And
you have the power to stop this war!” said Nova.
“Yes,
by right, if not yet in actuality. As Invidia’s legal commander, I can have her
executed. And I can stop this. Why should I want to carry on in a war against
myself if I rule both thrones? Do not
your sacred Scriptures say “A House
Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand?”” chuckled Desslok. “And why should I
wish to do anything as dishonorable as fighting my sworn allies?” he said as he
looked at Derek and Nova. “I am not an oath-breaker and never will be. That is
why I pursued you with such zeal when we were enemies, since I had sworn to
avenge Gamilon. I likewise swore to end the war between us forever. In the
myths of my people, oath-breakers are condemned to an unspeakable torment for
all eternity.”
Derek
paused. Then, he said, “Desslok, if you take power, do you think the Cometines
will follow you?”
“I
know this. Invidia was not a popular woman in their ranks,” said Desslok. “She
was hated and feared, and I believe she still is. Many Cometines disdained me
as an upstart, but I was more popular in their ranks than Invidia, I believe. I
know many of the common men in the ranks respected me for my efforts and
because I was high in Zordar’s favor. If it came down to it, and we had to
exert this claim of mine, I believe that House Gatlantis would be happy to be
rid of Invidia. And, it is a gamble, but I believe many would aid me. I also
believe that Radnar might be an ally. I happen to know the party who pushed
hardest for his expulsion from favor was Invidia. Zordar finally gave in to her
demands when he decided to exile his kinsman and friend. I believe this message
indicates that Zordar reached a point when his patience with his daughter came
to an end. The records also indicate that copies of this warrant were left on
the Gatlantis and aboard Zordar’s
Dreadnought. And, last of all, Astrena scanned the past with her powers, and
she was aware that Zordar had played this hologram to Invidia, Dyre, and Gorse
aboard the Dreadnought while he was bombarding the Earth with his weapon. She
is sure that is part of what led to Invidia’s decision to turn against her
father and flee from the High Command. Being disinherited will do that to a
woman.”
“And
that would explain why Invidia is such a vicious and bitter enemy,” said Derek.
Desslok
again smiled. “If they do not agree to a truce and a bit of breathing space by
way of reason, they might accept, or be forced to accept by their officers, a
command of Zordar’s from beyond death itself. Zordar was truly respected by his
generals and officers. He was a madman, but he treated those under him fairly
well, and, in those regards at least, and only in those regards, he was an
honorable man. Certainly more honorable than his daughter. Unlike her, he at
least was possessed of some sanity and logic.”
“And
you’d use that to gain peace?” asked Nova.
Desslok
nodded. “We do not need this war. As much as I desire Invidia’s end, I did not
start this conflict; she did. A change in leadership may lead to many centuries
of peace between our galaxies. And it would also earn me the title of one of
Gamilon’s greatest statesmen ever. I do not shrink from fighting when I have
to, as you know, but I would prefer to die at an old age and leave a great
Empire and grand alliance in peace to my son Dellar, rather than an Empire and
alliance under siege. I am sure you also want your children to grow up in peace…”
“We
do, Desslok,” said Derek.
Desslok
snapped his fingers, and a female officer came forth with some wine. “Dergas,
dilute the libation with water for the Terran woman; she is pregnant. They are
more delicate than we, after all.”
“Of
course, Lord,” said the officer as she bowed and prepared three goblets of wine
and water mixed for Derek, Nova, and Desslok.
“Let
us drink, now, to a successful conference,” said Desslok as he held up his
strange wine glass. “And to peace…in our time…”
The
three comrades clinked goblets and drank.
What a schemer, thought
Wildstar as Desslok’s dark, burning eyes met his and he somehow had an uneasy
suspicion the Leader could somehow read his thoughts. I’m damn glad he’s on our side.
His
suspicions were not allayed when he saw Desslok smiling at him sardonically
before he went on. “Our strategy, at the conference, therefore, Wildstar,
should be this…”
Aboard the
Eritz Gatlantis, Invidia, Dyre and
Gorse stood on the mighty Comet Ship’s control bridge as an officer handed them
a plot. “It will be dangerous, Princess, but this warp course will take us to
within sight of Melezart when you give the command.”
“Good,”
said Invidia. “I have learned, Dyre, that our enemies are gathering fleets
there.”
“They
probably trust you no more than you trust them,” said Dyre. “What I fear is
this; do you think Desslok knows about that message of Zordar’s?”
“He
can’t. We destroyed his old flagship for exactly that reason,” snorted Invidia.
“Even if he knows of it, what good will it do? I do not recognize any claims of
his. And, is it not true that Father was going mad when he told me he had
disinherited me in favor of that damned upstart?”
“I
am wondering if His Highness was truly mad,” said Gorse. “Maybe he could see
the future before he died.”
“At
any rate, I left him to deal with Trelaina. And what is Trelaina now? She is
nothing. She is dead. Dead…dead and gone. And in Hell, I would bet,” laughed
Invidia. “After all, she was a mass-murderer when she wiped out Telezart in her
puerile emotional rage with her power, yes? And she had the blood of my mad
father on her hands,” said Invidia as a desolate planet came up on their
scopes.
“Conquered World MJ-235. Used for nothing but
mining years before,” said an officer over the PA. “Abandoned because it was useless. Zordar sent prisoners there to die,
but it even outlived its usefulness as a penal colony as its star began to turn
to a white dwarf. Now, it is useless to us.”
“Nothing,”
sneered Invidia. “Like Desslok…like Trelaina. A great deal of nothing! Let us crush it to test our
engines!”
“A
fine idea,” said Dyre. “Helm, change course by twenty…”
“Sir!”
yelled an officer. “An image is appearing over the planet!”
“What?”
said Dyre.
“We are
picking up a plume of anti-matter,” said another officer. “And there is a
transmission coming in over the speakers…switching to speaker circuit
forty-eight and changing to enhanced view of Planet MJ-235.”
The
others looked on as the phantom of a human figure took shape over the planet.
It looked like a spectral, naked woman with her hands folded as if in prayer.
Finally, the image cleared, and Invidia hissed like an angry cat at the face
she recognized.
“…Trelaina…,”
she snarled. “It cannot be her! The
dead do not return! It is some trick! Do not the accursed Rikashans have
strange mental powers? That Cha’rif fiend must be playing games!”
“They
do not have the secret of antimatter,” said Gorse. “No one did, but…her…”
“You are correct, General Gorse,” said
Trelaina’s soft but mighty voice over the speakers. “In the spirit of grace, I have briefly returned from my long home to
warn you so that further lives will not be lost, Princess Invidia.”
“You
are going to warn me of vhat?” hissed Invidia as her alien
accent came out so strongly that it slurred her words. “You have no power to
influence anythink from beyond the grave. Apparently you ghosts don’t even have
clothes!”
“I have antimatter,” said Trelaina. “I have powers you cannot even guess at now,
Invidia. And there are great powers in the Cosmos, and beyond it, that would
make even you bow your arrogant knee in awe if you would be face to face with
them. And one of the Greatest of these is an Earthling. I understand depths of
love and forebearance that you would not even guess at. That is why I intend to
let you live today, Invidia.”
“Do
you?” snapped Invidia.
“I do,” said Trelaina with fire in her
eyes. “I destroyed your father, you will
remember. I can simply destroy you with even less effort now, if I chose to do
so. But I do not choose to do so. Not
yet.”
“Then
why are you letting us live?” snapped Dyre.
“So you can repent of your evil before it is
too late for you. Listen to the Earthlings and Desslok,” said Trelaina. “Desslok can change your power, Invidia. He
may even give you a chance at peace and further life if you honor him. He is a
wiser man than he once was. Even he changed and grew. You also have that
power…all of you. Change your power and your evil to good, before the Universe
and its powers and guiding Spirit are forced to change it for you.”
“Are
you going to appeal to us next in the Name of Arishna?” laughed Invidia.
“I do not joke, unlike you, you petty
and feeble-minded schemer,” said Trelaina. “Change your ways…before you are forced to have your power
changed….before you are forced to return to the Cosmos…”
At
that, the phantom of Trelaina faded away.
“Perhaps
we should change?’ said Dyre as he began to sweat.
“Nonsense!”
snapped Invidia. “It was a trick caused by hidden transmitters! If that is how
the
“With
pleasure, your Highness,” snapped the officer in charge. “Output level up! Comet field increase intensity by
twenty points! Increase vortex gravity well!”
The
New Comet glowed brighter and it gained speed and power as it bore down on
Planet MJ-235 and, in about twenty minutes, it crushed it into asteroids and
consumed it for fuel.
Invidia
laughed as it happened. “Analyse the debris, Major Tavnatz! Tell me where that
transmitter was!” At that, she left.
Later,
Invidia was relaxing in her royal apartments in a sumptuous silken robe with
her hair undone after a luxurious and decadent bath and a forced seduction of a
prisoner, that, in the fashion of a black widow spider, she stabbed to death
after she mated with him. Then, she bathed again and put on a fresh robe. The
barefoot Princess lay in her bed eating candy plundered from another world of
her House as part of its right as part of the Empire when her phone buzzed. She
picked it up and said, “Who is dis? I am resting.”
“Dyre,
Princess.”
“Dear
Dyre,” she crooned. “Do you want to come up to my boudoir tonight? You are
welcome. Or, if you don’t want to, find me a female prisoner to play games
with. I had a boy tonight. I don’t mind sharing the other side of the bed with
another female plaything to wipe out after we are done.”
“Princess,
we analyzed the remains of Planet MJ-235 as it was being torn to atoms.”
“And?”
“There
was no transmitter, and the antimatter field immediately dissipated as soon as
Trelaina’s shade vanished. That was no trick, Princess. We also matched up
voice anagram pattern prints from our old records. It was Trelaina we saw tonight. Maybe we should consider her words.”
“Never!”
roared Invidia. “Don’t come up tonight after all, Dyre! And send me that
prisoner!”
“To
what end?”
“To
her end. I feel like torturing someone to death tonight, Dyre. For Trelaina’s
impudence, the woman will suffer!”
“Of
course, Princess.”
Invidia
then got a dagger and filled part of it with some clear fluid as she waited.
“You poor thing, whoever you are. You will soon experience the poison I made
up…for Desslok. Let us see how long you suffer before it kills you, and see how
it will work on Desslok.”
IV. MORNING
Space Battleship
Planet Melezart
Wednesday, October 15,
2206
0511 Hours: Earthtime
Jere
“Brew” Marrable had wondered where the heck Deke was when he had gone to sleep
earlier in their cabin at 0100.
Brew
was dreaming a pleasant dream about a beautiful Nubian Princess of his in a
brief thong bikini when a banging noise in his cabin woke him up.
“What the…?” he yelped as he saw t