Thursday, April 29, 2004

VI
“…I totally don’t believe this…” Simon muttered. He really didn’t; already he was theorizing that he’d gotten hit on the head somewhere along in his day and was hallucinating furiously. Maybe if he were lucky, that grade he’d gotten on his math test would be a hallucination, too.

“I assure you, this is real,” the female alien said authoritatively. She had the tone of one that was used to being obeyed. “It is very important that you cooperate.”

“Please?” the short male alien added. He had the tone of one used to receiving orders. It was an interesting dynamic.

“No, see, this is all in my head. I’m high or something. I didn’t think I was the type to use drugs, but apparently I was, ‘cuz here we are…me and my hallucinations…”

The female alien snorted in disgusted and backhanded Simon across the head. “Are you awake now?”

“Ack! What the hell was that for? ET would never do that!”

“I told you, we don’t have time to waste! Now come with us!”

“No way! First, you tell me who you are and what you want! Then you tell me everything you know about this!” He gestured to his metallic right forearm.

“First, let’s…” the male alien began, but the female cut him off with a gesture.

“No, he’s right. He deserves to understand the situation before becoming involved any further.”

Simon nodded. “That’s the first thing you’ve said that makes sense. Start from the beginning. Who are you?”

“I am Mistress Rena of the Ichnet Clan,” she said, somewhat haughtily. “This is my pilot and ship’s mechanic, Von Drazil.”

“Hi,” the alien now known as Von said meekly.

“We were shot down over your planet by a pursuing warrior,” Rena continued. “His name is Tybalt. He is the son of a rogue warlord known as Natas. Natas has amassed a very respectful empire; however, he is a cruel, maniacal creature who has violated galactic peace laws without remorse, waging war on peaceful planets in violation of previous charters. He is currently the single most hostile force in the galaxy.”

“Wait, Natas is the most hostile, or his son?” Simon asked, confused.

“Natas. Tybalt simply follows orders.”

“Why was he after you?”

“Because I stole something he wanted. The ‘Sol’ system, a cybernetic enhancement device of unknown origin. I stole it, and he wants it, so he sent his son after us. We were shot down, but we were able to track the system. We tracked it to you.”

Simon blinked, then blinked again. This was a lot of information to digest. “Wait…you mean I…”

Von nodded. “Yeah, sorry, but the system’s bonded to your organic system. It can’t come off unless you…die…”

“What?! So that’s what’s been happening to me? This thing’s been ‘enhancing’ me?!”

“Yes. Now you must come with us,” Rena said again. “We’ll need your help in dealing with Tybalt.”

“No!” Simon backed away. He was terrified for the third time that evening. “You freaks stay away from me! This is so unreal! Good God, how am I even understanding you? You’re freaking aliens!”

“Like all intelligent species, we’ve been outfitted with translator chips in our throat,” Rena said, still maddeningly calm and haughty. “Now come with us. Although I hate to admit it, we need your help. You are a native of this planet, and our ship was almost destroyed. We need your help while we’re here.”

“No! I don’t want any part of this! I just want this piece of crap off of me!”

“We told you, we can’t do that. It bonds for life.”

Not waiting to hear anymore, Simon simply turned and ran from the park. He didn’t turn or stop.

“Uhh, should we follow him?” Von asked.

“No. He’s unstable and incompetent,” Rena said, snorting again in disgust. “We’ll go into the town and find help elsewhere.”

After a few minutes of wandering in the streets, deserted due to the late night darkness, the two foreigners began to feel a little less confident. Not that Rena would ever show it, of course.

“Maybe we should find him,” Von suggested. “We still have the tracker…”

“We don’t need to use the tracker!” Rena snapped. “We certainly don’t need the help of that cowardly Sol-being!”

A small, circular canister landed in front of her feet, releasing a yellow gas into the air. “Wha-“ Rena began before the gas hit her nostrils. The world span in front of her. “What’s going on…”

“If you have a device capable of tracking the Sol system,” a voice said out of nowhere. “Please hand it over. I don’t want to kill you if it can be avoided.”

Von and Rena turned to the source of the intrusion. It was a tall male humanoid, dressed from head to foot in stark, elegant black. He had red eyes that pierced the darkness.

“Tyb…Tybalt?” Von stammered.

“Of course. Don’t try to fight, Mistress Rena,” Tybalt continued in a slow, monotone voice. “That gas canister was specifically built to match your species, sex and build. You are far to disoriented to walk forward, let alone fight me. Von, give me the tracking device.”

“Von,” Rena hissed, staggering. “Don’t let him have it, no matter what!”

“But…”

“Don’t.” Rena looked into Von’s eyes with a pleading look, and he knew he wouldn’t give the tracker to Tybalt. He wouldn’t betray Rena like that.

“Well, I’m afraid I’ll have to take it by force, then.” Tybalt closed his eyes, and his features began to morph. Unlike Rena and Von, whose change in appearance had been caused by holographic technology, Tybalt possessed a shape shifting ability that allowed him to mimic a bipedal being of similar build. He revealed his true form.

His skin was black. It wasn’t black in the sense that humans think of a person of African descent, it was completely black, a slick, oily black akin to a snake. His eyes were two slit that seemed to glow red. He had sharp, pointy teeth and no hair or scales. From his back, hidden under his shirt, two small, red wings sprouted. They were too small to allow total flight, but were just large enough to allow simple gliding. Finally, he had a slim, simple tail that ended in a triangular point.

All in all, he had the appearance of a demon, but he held the air of being a respectable demon at least.

“Now, please don’t struggle,” he said as he attacked.
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