I wasn't going to keep writing these, but due to a little encouragement from Sora I decided to continue.
Baelfael and Behemos' Tale PART 1: The Stalked
Have I lived it right? One thing about being immortal you have a good chance to reflect on things. Good I've done, bad I've tried to forget. Wouldn't say it evens out, not by a long shot. However, the one thing that even comes close to my retribution is Baelfael. That small pitiful creature found so many years ago. What made me feel sympathy for such a tiny infant when I had slaughtered so many before? Perhaps it was a sign from a higher power, maybe I was just tired of killing, or perhaps I saw something of myself in that dying child. Who knows. I have tried to raise him right, give him the things I never had. When the time comes when our creator judges me, I have no doubts. I will be damned. The bad I have done is far too great. But perhaps… Baelfael won't.
"Behemos? What are you doing?" Baelfael asked giving his friend an odd look.
"Just thinking," Behemos sighed.
"Well don't make that tiny head of your explode brother. Haha."
With a sigh Behemos turned around to face Baelfael and said, "You know I don't really like you calling me that. I'm not really your brother."
"I know that man, but you're like my brother!"
Behemos sighed again, "Father would be more accurate."
Baelfael gave Behemos an odd look, "What's the matter old man. You seem like something's bothering you."
"It's nothing," Behemos sighed. Baelfael wouldn't understand. Noone would.
"You sure? Because I – WOAH!" Baelfael cried out.
"What is it?" Behemos inquired, turning around to see what Baelfael was staring at.
Looking out the view port into the inky blackness of space only one thought occurred to him… Damn!
Ahead of their rather small ship floated, quite possibly, one of the largest vessels they had ever encountered. Built upon an asteroid, the space station jutted out to from the center of the rock upon large metal columns. The station itself was simply a ring around the rock supported by said columns. To say it was large would be an understatement.
The two Elemental Knight's ship, the Scorching Blizzard, lowered its propulsion down to a slight coasting speed.
"This station doesn't appear on the records," Baelfael said scanning a nearby console.
"Maybe it's new?" Behemos suggested.
"Highly unlikely. I've tried all the hailing frequencies, no response!"
"Think we should investigate?" Behemos asked.
"Aww man, I wanted to watch the news. I got a communiqué from Zoniha that she and Zhael are gonna be on it."
"Tape it," Behemos suggested.
"Yea Yea…" Baelfael grumbled.
* * *
The Encyclopedia Galactica has this to say about immortals:
Only .01% of the universes occupants are born with immortality, and those that are, know instantly how to cope with it. Those who are not however, usually end up hating those that do. .0000000000001% off the universes occupants are not born with immortality, but somehow, through unknown and unrepeatable circumstances, are granted immortality. Most of these creatures end up going insane and launch themselves into a sun or a black hole. However, being immortal, they do not die, but are simply tortured throughout eternity.
The term immortal is not exactly accurate however. Immortals can still die, but they cannot kill themselves however. They can only be killed by normal means from other beings.
(JUST AS A NOTE, BEHEMOS WAS NOT BORN WITH IMMORTALITY, BUT RATHER HAD IT THRUST UPON HIM IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A PARTICLE ACCELERATOR, A DEHYDRATED LUNCH, AND A PAIR OF RUBBER BANDS. THE PRECISE DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT ARE NOT IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOONE HAS EVER MANAGED TO DUPLICATE THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH IT HAPPENED. THOUGH MANY HAVE TRIED AND ENDED UP LOOKING VERY GROSS, DEAD, OR BOTH.)
* * *
"This doesn't make any sense! The power is running at optimal efficiency, and there seems to be no structural damage of any kind, yet there are no personnel aboard this station. It also doesn't appear on any spaciel records of any kind," Baelfael said as he read the computer console in the space station control room.
The control room was brightly lit and was simply a few computer and a bunch of rather large machines stacked upon each other. The dull Grey bulkheads glimmered lazily in the light.
Behemos looked over his shoulder and stared at the screen, "What is the purpose of this station?"
"I dunno. All data regarding the station itself is encrypted. We can't access it."
"Hmm, perhaps if we can't do anything here we should contact the authorities. They probably have slicers capable of cracking their codes," Behemos suggested.
"Yea, you're probably right. Let's go I guess. If we hurry I can still see the news report," Baelfael said getting up from the computer console.
As the duo headed out the door into a hallway, suddenly all the lights went out.
"What the hell?" Baelfael muttered as he pressed a switch on his helmet. The visor turned a deep red color. "Ah, night vision mode activated."
Behemos, with his visor glowing a bright blue quietly stated, "All the power seems to have gone off. And the back-up power doesn't seem to be functioning!"
"Or perhaps this station doesn't have it?"
"Illogical. A station of this size needs one. But this poses a major problem!"
"What?" The nieve Baelfael asked.
"If all the power had gone offline, so has life support. I estimate a half-hour before all oxygen on this station is gone," Behemos said calmly.
"Well let's get back to our ship then!" Baelfael said with slight panic.
The two walked down the pitch-black hallway and to the elevator door.
"Damn. The elevator won't work either! What do we do man?" Baelfael panicked.
Behemos patted Baelfael's shoulder affectionately and calmly said, "Don't worry Baelfael, we have plenty of time to get to the hangar."
Baelfael looked up into Behemos' crag-like face. He would never admit it, but Baelfael had an enormous amount of respect for Behemos; and not just because he took care of him. Baelfael wished he could be more like Behemos, calm and thoughtful, but powerful in battle.
Recovering from his short panic attack Baelfael said, "I'm alright. I guess we should take the stairs."
The duo began to approach the entrance to the stairwell, but of course the mechanical door wouldn't budge.
"Damn, can't anyone build a station that doesn't completely rely on computers?" Baelfael scoffed.
"Perhaps they should learn," Behemos quietly stated, "Stand back!"
Baelfael took a few steps back and pressed against the hallway bulkhead. Behemos lunged forward, slamming his massive girth against the metallic door. The door smashed inward and lay cambered upward.
Smirking, Baelfael chuckled out, "I guess being fat has its advantages!"
Behemos playfully knocked him on the helmet and replied, "It's all muscle baby! You just wish you had some!"
"Dang right I do," Baelfael laughed and lightly punched his arm.
Behemos looked at the smile upon Baelfael's face and for the first time in a long time truly felt happy. He had no idea that raising that little infant could turn his life around and give him so much joy. If only it could last forever.
Snapping back to reality Behemos said, "Alright Baelfael, let's go."
"Roger mien furor," Baelfael droned out in an obviously fake accent.
"What was that?" Behemos inquired as the duo began to descend the metallic staircase.
"Recently I have been studying languages from other planets. That was German, hailing from a small planet in the middle of nowhere called Earth."
"Earth? Never heard of it."
"Not suprising," Baelfael chuckled, "They are only a class 6 civilization. They haven't even made interplanetary contact yet. In fact, they are constantly harassed by "Teasers." The poor inhabitants don't even know what to make of it."
* * *
Teasers were usually the bratty children of rich parents. They liked to dress up in strange costumes, travel to backwater planets, abduct someone, and then return them, completely messing with the poor creatures mind. Many far off backwater planets are visited by these quite frequently.
Speaking of far off backwater planets, The Encyclopedia Galactica mentions Planet Earth. It's entries on planets cover anything from a few paragraphs to over 3000 pages, depending on the popularity of the planet in question. Earth was a rare exception. It's entry reads, "What's The Point?" I'm sure if the Earthlings ever found out that they would surely register a formal complaint against the Encyclopedias council, however, it is estimated that the hapless Earthling will not make communications with other species of life until the year 3029.
* * *
Behemos casually strode down the stairs at a quick pace, while Baelfael slid down the railings.
"Come on old timer, try and keep up," Baelfael called up from a few flight below Behemos.
"You youngsters should learn from your elders," Behemos grumbled.
"Ahh, the philosophies of an old fart," Baelfael laughed.
"Old has no concept to one such as I," Behemos replied without thinking.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Baelfael called up.
Thinking quickly Behemos responded, "It means whatever you want it to be young one. Contemplate it as a metaphor for life."
"Yeah whatever, just hurry up. I'm already at the door."
A few moments later Baelfael and Behemos were standing on one of the landings facing a large metallic door.
"So?" Behemos snorted.
"So what?" Baelfael asked.
"Go ahead. Knock it down," Behemos laughed.
"Shut up," Baelfael grumbled.
"Oh I'm sorry, that's right, you can't do it!" Behemos laughed loudly.
"Shut up!" Baelfael repeated.
Chuckling, Behemos rammed the door, causing it as well to fly inward.
"After you Mr. Power Muscles," Behemos laughed as he bowed to the pouting Baelfael.
Shooting Behemos an evil look they walked into the hangar, only to find it empty.
"WHAT THE HELL? WHERE'S OUR SHIP?" Baelfael screamed loudly in panic.
"Hold on Baelfael. Before we get to excited we should at least check if we can remote contact it," Behemos said calmly while flipping up a wrist communication device. He pressed a few buttons on it and looked back toward the anxious Baelfael. "The ship isn't responding."
"WHAT?" Baelfael yelled, his echo filled the huge empty room.
"Just calm down for a moment," Behemos pleaded.
"CALM DOWN? ARE YOU KIDDING? WHERE THE HELL IS THE SHIP? IT COULDN'T HAVE JUST VANISHED?"
"Settle down!" Behemos ordered, his voice booming throughout the huge empty room.
"I… I'm sorry," Baelfael said dropping his head.
"It's alright. Your reaction is understandable, but what we need to do now is analyze the situation. Panicking will not get us anywhere," Behemos gently said.
"I… your right," Baelfael sighed out.
"Alright then," Behemos said, "okay, we have about 25 minutes worth of atmosphere left aboard the station I would guess, all the power is offline, and our ship is missing. I see only one option here. We have to find the back-up power generator and activate it!"
"When the power first went off the back-up power didn't activate, so what makes you think there even is a back-up power?!" Baelfael asked, panic rising in his voice again.
"There has to be back-up power, otherwise, well, we die," Behemos flatly stated.
"WHAT? THAT"S YOUR PLAN?" Baelfael screamed out.
Behemos put his hand down on Baelfael's shoulder and said, "Listen! You have to relax! I need you now!"
Baelfael looked up into Behemos' eyes and knew that he meant it.
Drooping his head, Baelfael sighed out, "O… Okay."
Could I really mean that much to Behemos? What have I ever done? As far back as I remember he has been bailing me out of situations that I got myself into. He has saved me more times than I can remember. Why does he need me?
With a smile Behemos looked into Baelfael's eyes and said, "That's the Baelfael I know! Alright, now we need to locate the back-up power room, and fast."
"But where is it? This station is enormous!"
"Well we'll have to split up," Behemos said.
"Are you kidding? What if we get lost and can't find each other?"
Behemos chuckled, "What, you scared of being alone?"
"No I…" Baelfael choked back his sobs, "…I don't want to die alone. I… I don't think I could pass on without you by my side."
Behemos held back his emotions and flatly said, "We are not going to die here! We cant! Now we have to hurry! All this talking is taking away the precious time we have remaining!"
"I… okay."
"Okay good! We have to hurry! Use you communicator if you have a problem!" Behemos advised.
"Alright!"
"Good luck!" Behemos said.
"You to!"
The two Elemental Knights returned to the hallway in which they entered the hangar and ran in separate directions.