Chapter II
Gort. Great and terrible in it's design. Immense as it stood. This creation reacted to violence alone and at times it seemed that it was the closest thing Klaatu held for a companion. After the catastrophe it had cast upon Earth, along with Klaatu Gort had returned to it's home, reforming itself once they had arrived.
Mates. Of course these alien people took mates, but again there was no passion in a relationship. To ask Klaatu what passion was or what true love felt like would be fruitless. For he knew no such thing. No one here did. A mate was a companion to an extent, though roses and kisses were not on the chart. It was more of a partnership than anything, to raise offspring and keep the Colony well populated.
Klaatu had not taken a mate. For he had no time, though time really wouldn't be an issue since the females, unlike Earth women, required no dedication from the men folk. They needed no shoulder to cry on - why would they when there were no tears? They wished for no chocolates or to see a movie - what would a movie be to them?
Klaatu was a loner amongst his people. He kept mainly to himself unless requested to do otherwise by his superiors, and when his tasks were done he simply returned to his dwelling where he would remain until the following day. Only when it was quiet and empty would he venture out for a stroll.
~TTT~
"Here, here!" the mallet was pounded against the metal surface, echoing it's plunge throughout the coliseum. "Silence!" the voice followed the pounding, trying to settle the concerned whisperers back into their seats.
Klaatu was silent, sitting still and waiting for the Prime Minister to begin his speech.
"We are gathered here on the account of much needed reassurance. I am aware that many of you have great concerns now for the Colony housings. We all know why so many of us are being transported to Grunactagu, to keep our home planet from reaching it's limits of overpopulation. We are living here to preserve our home planet, to protect it and avoid overwhelming it with our race. For we shan't end up as the Earthlings did. Though fortunately, thanks to Klaatu and his ability to convince mankind to change, we have been able to give the humans another chance to respect our Earth. Klaatu has also been designing a machine that will help usexpand the size of Grunactagu and add more housing for our Colonists. Though unfortunately, the machine's completion has not been as soon as many of us had hoped." The Minister's voice was prim and formal, yet melancholy.
During the Prime Minister's speech, Klaatu glimpsed the Captain who sat and stared into him mockingly.
"Now, besides that dilemma there is another. We have received a threatening message from a our neighboring planet Yukilucten. It appears that the Yukilen people are rebelling against our plans to restore the planet to a more natural atmosphere. It is possible that we may have to destroy these people in order to do so."
Klaatu stood and the Prime Minister glanced him, waiting for him to speak.
"And you want me to go and warn them?" he questioned. The Minister nodded. "Then I will, but only if granted a request of my own."
Whispers filtered the air, whispers that questioned Klaatu and doubted him as a loyal. The Prime Minister was reluctant, but at last he said,
"And what request would this be, Klaatu?"
"A request to further research the human race."
Now the whispering grew louder and more abundant.
"The human race?" The Minister furrowed his grey temples doubtfully.
"These creatures need to be studied, Prime Minister. If we do not learn more about who they are as a people, their cultures, their beliefs and society, we may not be able to keep the Earth safe, not unless we can fully understand the mechanics behind the human mind and what makes it click."
"Learn of them? This is folly!" The Captain roared across the podium.
"Silence, Captain Huroc." The Minister growled. "Let Klaatu finish his words."
"It is not nonsense, I can assure you. During my stay, I witnessed extraordinary behavior between individuals - distinctive personality traits. Not to mention their ways of living, that are by far, fascinating."
"Klaatu, it does not please my ears to think that you find human culture fascinating in any way. These people are greedy, wasteful and destructive. You know this." the Minister said.
"But they can change. You've seen it happening through your distant watching of them. They aretrying." Klaatu argued.
"Yes Klaatu, but we had to nearly destroy the Earth to get them to adjust. They had to be forced against their natural will."
"The point is this; our scientists have enjoyed the dissection of the animal life brought back in the other spheres, and you've relished in the confirming of new conclusions they've made by examining these creatures. So why not allow me to revisit Earth so that I may do so among the humans?"
"Are you saying that you wish to dissect human beings? It's only been done by few species." the Captain reconciled.
"No." Klaatu corrected him. "I want to observe them."
"Why Klaatu? It is not your field to observe any life form, let alone something as a human. Of course the collection of animal life has been of great value to our studies, but humans are not of the same quality to us, they are not of the same importance." the Prime Minister informed.
"But like every living thing, they have a purpose. You cannot deny this." Klaatu argued.
"They destroy everything in their path. And even if they do change their ways for the sake of their own existence, it shall only last for a while. They will slip up again. Just wait and see." the Captain sneered
"Prime Minister, if you grant me this one request, I will not disappoint you or the Colonists and I will go to our neighboring planet and give whatever message you wish me to give. But you will have to grant me this."
The Prime Minister was apprehensive, even fearful of the results.
"And you promise to only study these humans, without any interaction whatsoever?"
"Yes."
"Very well."
"But Prime Minister, what of the machine? He has duties here that need to be tended." the Captain suggested bitterly.
"And he shall tend them on his return. Klaatu, I will grant you one month to return to Earth and do your research but you will go alone and you will take one of our shielded space pods. We cannot afford to be detected."
"Thank you."
And so it was decided.
~TTT~
Klaatu wandered the halls after the council, slipping in and out of the elevators and making his way to the laboratory; but in the corners of his shadows watched prying eyes that resented him.
"Curse you, Klaatu."
Resentment. The Captain was certainly capable of that.
To Be Continued…
A/N:My apologies for not posting this chapter as soon as I said I would. Something important came up disabling me from uploading it until today. Chapter three is in the works. Also, I hope I'm assuming correctly on the fact that Gort was built from the small, robotic insects. Alex Stark, I may need you to fill me in on Gort a bit more if ya could. lol. I'd appreciate it!
