An Untitled Novel

“I still believe it is a bad idea” ACE told Basil, concluding his thoughts on why Basil should not be present when they took their fight to the Lizard King. “You knew you couldn’t change my mind going in, didn’t you? I’m the only one who can control the technology, and it will only be a few seconds before I open the wormhole.” Basil replied, pausing momentarily and adding the real reason for going. “Besides, how long do I have left anyway? All the treatments failed, and I might as well see another Elthrice planet before I die.” ACE remained quiet and Basil returned to taking inventory, both to assure himself everything would go as planned and to distract himself from his last statement. A handful of guns, check. Boatload of ammo, check. Several forms of redundant power, check. Wormhole device, check.

Basil’s internal monologue was interrupted by another internal monologue as he saw Grey beginning to approach. While Basil had gotten some sleep, ACE had analyzed Grey’s genome, prompting as many questions as it provided answers. According to ACE, Orbital DNA looked very artificial, as if designed from the ground up to be some sort of super soldier. Between the artificiality and Grey’s supposed mixed parentage they were no closer to finding concrete information on the Elthrice’s gene pool. Still, it certainly said something in itself about their capabilities. It also certainly said something about Grey if she was a genetically modified soldier who refused to fight.

“Are you really that concerned the craft’s power will fail?” Grey asked Basil, breaking the awkwardly long silence. “Better safe than sorry” Basil said, tying everything down and setting an extensive first aid kit next to the batteries. “I’m glad you’re coming,” he continued, breaking the silence again and getting a silent nod from Grey. The previous night she had asked about Basil’s plan to head out alone to open the wormhole, and asked to come along. She said she’d sworn not to participate in violence, but Basil was happy to have somebody who knew Elthrice technology coming along as well. While Basil was busy thinking about the previous night’s conversations, Spiro startled him from behind.

“Basil, Cicero and I were talking; if it’s okay we and Casio would like to accompany you as well.” Basil nodded. “Of course. Although you won’t miss much, from our perspective the wormhole will probably be open within seconds of us arriving.” Spiro shrugged. “Well, just in case anything goes wrong or you need our help before you open it, we would like to be there to have your back. Just the five of us on an Elthrice ship, for old times sake.” Basil smiled. “Thanks, well, we’re about ready to head out. Grab anything you guys need and meet me back in five.”

Five minutes passed, and the three were already on the ship. Basil was busy loading his now repaired rifle with a shotgun sitting next to him. He had acquired similar rifles for Spiro and Cicero, which they now sported, but Cicero had said that Casio would prefer to wield his own ginormous blade. After saying their goodbyes, the door closed, and ACE offered a play-by-play. “We’re now taking off” followed by a “We’ve now cleared the atmosphere” and last, followed by an “I hope to speak to you very soon from your perspective.” The craft made its journey, though none of its passengers felt any passage of time or movement. “You are now on an Elthrice planet, descending” ACE said, followed by the craft’s door opening and “I’ve now opened the wormhole.”

The crew stared at the device, and after an uneasy moment Basil spoke up in a concerned tone. “It’s not open.” The cabin fell quiet again. “Hold on” ACE said, presumably trying to figure out what was happening. Spiro and Cicero took up positions guarding the now open door to the craft, though there was no movement outside, and Basil verified that the device was receiving power and properly turned on. Grey suddenly had a very concerned look on her face. “We’re on an Elthrice planet” she said, causing everybody to look at her. “Of course we are. Does that matter?” Basil asked. Grey seemed to compose herself as if working out how to explain herself in the language they knew. Everybody in the cabin waited nervously.

“Not me Elthrice, Elthrice leader Elthrice” Grey said, looking at Basil to see if he understood what she was saying. “Like former Elthrice government facility or military base?” Basil asked, still unsure why that mattered. “And your wormhole device is not an Orbital’s, so it does not work here. This means that planetary defenses are still online, and the only reason why we were not shot down was because of your Orbital’s device.” A thought popped into Basil’s mind. “The Lizard King is dead, isn’t he?” Grey almost looked surprised, then agreed with the assessment. “Yes, he would have no knowledge of the danger present at this location, so if he arrived, he likely did not land in one piece.”

The news presented mixed emotions to the group. It meant they had no army to back them up, but there was also no army to fight them. It meant their enemy was dead, but it also meant there would be nobody to negotiate with to call off the army set to level the Redcap’s capital. They began to step out of the ship and realized they were standing on a large metal platform. Nearby on the platform were huge circular doors resembling camera shutters, but Basil began to understand what they were. “So what are those? We have some ICBSs. Er, um ISBMs?” Everybody looked at Basil like he said some sort of magic chant, so he clarified. “Big flying unmanned explosive rockets?” Grey looked at Basil with amusement. “No, they are weapons that can propel projectiles using the same components that fly crafts, and what shot down the one who calls himself a Lizard.”

“There’s ships over there” Basil said, pointing in their direction. “Must have been from the collapse” Grey replied confidently, but Basil was confused. “That sounds like a long time for very valuable ships to sit; how could that be?” Grey answered, seeming to either take pride in what she said or be quoting somebody who took pride in what they relayed to her. “Those in places like this died the worst deaths. Anyone here could not leave, as all Orbital ships were disabled; but nobody could come in with supplies, as all non-Orbital ships would be destroyed if they attempted to enter.” Basil felt hesitant to ask his next question, the weight of the previous revelations on his mind. “So you are certain nobody else is alive here?”

“Yes, unless Orbitals arrived or the one who calls himself a Lizard somehow got his hands on an Orbital’s (object). Unless…” Grey’s voice began to trail off. “Unless what?” Basil asked, getting nervous. “Unless he somehow got his hands on the (object) from the stabilizing machine here. But no, he would have caused a sterilization if he took it and left, and the defenses would have killed him before he arrived unless he somehow survived the bombardment.” Basil felt even more worried now. “How does this machine’s (poorly pronounced Elthrice word for ‘object’) work?” Grey appeared somewhat impressed at Basil’s lackluster pronunciation and seemed to understand what he had meant.

“That one is stronger than a standard Orbital’s (object). He would likely be almost impossible to kill, but by possessing an Orbital’s device, it could be taken from him. Basil, if you were to touch him or the (object) and will yourself to transfer it to you, it could render him helpless if he has taken it.” Basil just seemed confused. “How the hell do I will the (object) to be under my control?” Grey shook her head. “I do not know; I have never even met an Orbital with an Orbital’s (object) or device. You are perhaps the closest being to holding an Orbital’s title that I have met, missing an (object) but still with an Orbital’s device.” Basil thought things over for a second. “Well, I’ll be right back, I’m going to run to the craft. If I can’t master inner peace I’ll at least have a Mossberg with depleted uranium slugs.”

As Basil returned to the craft Grey ran to catch up. “If you believe you will be involved in a fight I cannot come with you. I’m sorry.” Basil shook his head. “It’s okay.” He wanted to say more, but was unsure what to say beyond that, so he left it at that. As he went to leave the craft, however, Grey spoke cautiously. “Basil, if you do find anybody who possesses an (object), be very careful. It is very powerful, and very dangerous to one without an Orbital’s device.” Basil felt a chill run down his spine. “Why is that?”

“I have been told an (object) is an atmosphereless vacuum of great power, but a great danger to one’s mind. An Orbital’s device is a craft which allows the holder to traverse it without touching it. The one we came here for would not possess an Orbital’s device, nor would the descendants of those who lived here long ago. There are legends of those imbued with such powers directly, and it has been said they cut gashes across entire galaxies.”

“So, four guys against an apocalyptic force, should be a cakewalk, right?” Grey very clearly did not appreciate Basil’s sarcasm, though after a few moments her expression softened. “Be careful.” Basil nodded silently, racking the shotgun and setting off for the other three and the abandoned crafts that lay ahead.