Chapter 12

The Fire Habitat

            Thanks to some of the probes I ran into, I wouldn't have made it through to the fire environment.

            If I had not found the Varia suit, I would have been melted toast by now.

            I met up with Felicia again when I re-entered the plant habitat. She gave me a new weapon that would come in handy to get me through vines that were dying, which could only be found in the fire habitat.

            It was the weapon known as the beam saber.

            I ventured through the habitat with ease with the aid of the beam saber. I found many of the dying vines, but I had not seen any new sprouting vines taking their place.

            I suppose that this realm's temperatures were too hot for the vines to grow.

            I had found a probe within the fire realm and asked about the dying vines.

            The probe told me that the Mother Plant's vines travel to every habitat, seeking to find ways to gain more energy to grow.

            For about a year now, since the Terran Space Station project, the Mother Plant slowly began to die and oxygen has been depleting.

            No one knows why the Mother Plant has become this way.

            As the little crimson plated probe told me this, a thought struck me!

            Was there a connection between Kyan and the Mother Plant? As I thought, my mind went deeper.

            Why did General Marqeen want Kyan to have a look at the Mother Plant? Why did he also want Kyan to be taken down while he was unconscious?

            I blurted out to the probe, "Why was Kyan taken down to take a look at the Mother Plant?"

            The probe's lens blinked and it replied in a man's voice, "Well, I haven't been informed about that… My guess is that the Federation wanted him to use his energies to find a way to make the plant grow. Since Kyan's energy is very strong and positive, there's no doubt he'll give the Mother Plant enough energy to re-grow."

            I raised my eyebrow and asked, "But why would they take him down while he is unconscious?"

            The probe blinked in puzzlement and remained silent for a long moment. "Maybe so he wouldn't try to escape?" The little probe replied questionably.

            I narrowed my eyes, "Escape from the probes as they carry him down?"          

            The probe shrugged, "Find out about it. My data bank doesn't carry that information. There is a computer, which stores all the data of Terra in the Vault, but you can only get to it by cooling down the lava chamber.

            There is a switch in the hot springs area on the far left wall that will let the water into the lava chamber, but the lave needs cold water. The heat from the chamber heats up the springs, so you must return to the water habitat to activate the cold fro the hot springs. It will cause the whole water climate to turn to ice though, which causes the water flow to the plant habitat to stop.

            You have about thirty minutes before the lava becomes hot again. After it melts, the ice will melt and the habitats will return back to normal. If you go, I advise you to be careful."

            I smiled and nodded, "Thank you." I turned and headed back to the water habitat to find the switch to activate the cold.

*          *          *

            I watched as the steam stopped rising from the hot springs. I pulled down the lever and watched as the spring water slowly drain. I saw an elevator pad be revealed as the water vanished. I stepped onto the glowing elevator and it began to go down.

            My eyes grew wide in amazement! I was looking into space! I felt as though I was floating in its vast emptiness! But the thick glass that contained the elevator system, in which I was on, kept me from going into the surrounding darkness.

            Space vanished and was replaced by a warm glowing chamber. I hopped off the elevator and looked over the platform to see blackened lava with cracks scattering all over the cold surface. Glowing bright orange-red light penetrated through the small cracks. I turned and a saw a sealed door against the wall. I walked toward it, hoping it would open. The door slowly slid open to allow me into a darkly lit room. I walked passed the dark room and found myself in a giant glass tube, which space seemed to revolve around.

            I ran through the giant tube to the next room. I stepped into a faintly green glowing room. I looked up at the wall, which was covered by a giant black screen. My gaze slowly went down and fell upon a panel with a keyboard and several blinking buttons all over the panel.

            I slowly reached my hand up and pressed a key. The monitor lit up.

            A toneless voice spoke, "Welcome to Terra's data bank computer. Please tell me what information that you need."

            I gulped and slowly replied, "I want to know where Kyan is."

            "The one named Kyan is located in the main Mother Plant room."

            My heart began to beat a little faster as my hope grew. "What is happening to him?! Is he still alive?"

            The computer answered, "Kyan is alive, but is presently in a state of unconsciousness. The probe located in the main Mother Plant room is transferring its visual link to me. See for yourself."

            The screen brought up an image of an empty room, which only had one giant tree in the center. The ground was covered with roots and vines of all sizes. I watched as the thick trunk of the tree began to unfold and split into separate trunks, which looked like fingers unwiring themselves from the middle. I saw in the center of the finger like trunks to see a much thicker trunk than that of the others.

            The center trunk stood straight and as I looked closer, I could see a figure of something pale with strands of dark blue hair over the thing in the shape of a head.

            The object's elbows bent out as its arms were raised up in the air over the head of spiky hair. The hands of the arms disappeared into the trunk of the center tree.

            My gaze slowly lowered and I saw vines wrapped around the lower body, as if holding the object against the tree. I came closer to the screen to take a better look at the pale object. I pointed at the object and demanded nervously, "Zoom in on this object."

            The screen brought up a much closer view of the object. I saw a muscled chest and a twelve pack on a stomach. Then I realized who the object was... Kyan!

            My eyes flew wide open and I slowly stepped away from the panel. My heart raced like never before! I could hardly breath! My hairs stood on end and a cold chill ran over my body! My legs began to shake, slowly becoming uncontrollable to stand. My muscles gave way and I fell onto my knees and pressed my hand on the floor to try and keep myself from falling on my visor. I gasped heavily and my head spun! My mind swam in circles and made me dizzy! I couldn't believe it! Kyan was attached to the tree!

            My voice became raspy as I softly spoke, "What.. What is the tree doing to him?!"

            The computer's toneless voice answered, "It appears it is sucking away Kyan's energy, or simply absorbing the energy he is giving off. It will not kill him until his aura energy is all gone, then absorbs his magical power, then eventually his life support energy, and last of all, his very life."

            I opened my mouth to let out a gasp. "H-how long will that take?"

            "I cannot calculate exactly, but it will be a few years before Kyan is completely drained. At this rate though, in which the tree is draining large quantities of his energy... It will take less than a year. But since Kyan wasn't at full energy level when he came here, and used some energy to help with the advanced technology to improve Terra, the time is limited to a month."

            I raised my eyebrow and thought, What a complicated computer. It should have just told the last part in the first place.

            "Only a month?" I asked.

            "That is correct. You only have thirty days before he is completely drained. The only trouble is, he is going through pain."

            I suddenly got to my feet and demanded, "What kind of pain?!"

            "Some of the tree's vines somehow got into his organs. The tree isn't only absorbing his energy, but also his blood."

            My eyes became wide!

            The computer continued, "The vines are connected to the very core of his body. The very essential in keeping a being alive… The heart."

            This is madness! There was no possible way for two completely different life forms to grow into each other!

            "How long will it take before he dies from the tree sucking up his blood? Why is the tree absorbing his blood?!"

            The computer remained silent for a moment and finally spoke, "Three days… I'm afraid I do not have that answer listed in my memory bank. You may have to find such information elsewhere."

            I narrowed my eyes and bit my lip. So it all came down to three days to rescue Kyan. But why was the Mother Plant taking away his energy and blood? Did it have a mind of its own? Does it have the intelligence of a human? Perhaps, intelligence beyond that of a human?

            Suddenly, an image came into my mind. An image of a single X-parasite. The next image that came into my mind was the time when I grabbed Stellbak's uniform collar and heard my shouting echo in my thoughts, "You idiots! Do you realize what kind of threat the X parasites pose to the people on this station?!"

            "Where are the X parasites located? Tell me where they are!" I shouted.

            The computer was silent again. "The X parasites are in the Containment Chamber that is in the room beyond the Solar Window Walkway, but the chamber is tightly sealed. I cannot open it to an unauthorized civilian."

            I slammed my fist on the panel and glared at the monitor screen, trying to show the computer my anger. "Open it!"

            "I'm sorry, but I cannot. I must have the access code for you to be able to gain entry."

            I raised my beam cannon to the computer screen and demanded, "How's this for an access code?! Open now or say good bye to your data bank!"

            "I'm sorry, but you won't be able to open the sealed door that way." The toneless voice responded.

            I lowered my right arm and stepped forward to slam my fist on the keyboard. "Gah! Damn you! Open the fucking door!" I screamed irritably.

            "There is no need to shout." The computer spoke.

            "Fuck off! I can shout if I want! Do you realize who you're dealing with?! If you don't open that damn door in three seconds, I'll blast it open myself!" I felt my face grow hot and my blood boiling.

            The compute replied, "You won't be able to do that either. The door is impenetrable to any of your weapons."

            This computer was really getting on my nerves and wasting my time!

            I shot up my beam cannon and switched to super missile mode and let the computer screen have it.

*          *          *

            I walked into the next room and found myself in another glass-contained walkway, circling in space. I walked slowly to the other side, my stare fixed on the door at the far end.

            I came to a stop under the door's camera. The door unlatched and slowly slid open. I went in the faintly lit room.

            My eyes widened and I gasped in shock! Large thick glass containers lined the walls, containing free-floating X-parasites!

            My mouth opened and I let out a heavy sigh. I turned my head and saw a small creature in one of the tanks. I approached it and placed my hand on the glass.

            The small creature opened its mouth and jumped up to try and bite my hand. I pulled my hand away and let it fall to my side. I bent closer to examine the creature.

            It only had hind legs and a long scaly tail. Its skin was a yellow-green. The creature resembled that of a lizard, but its eyes were much larger and bright red, and I glared up at me with a hint for hunger.

            I looked down toward the ground to find a hole large enough for my ball form to fit in. I rolled into the hole and went down at a slant, rolling around in a circular stairway. I came out of the hole and got to my feet.

            Time seemed to have stopped. I couldn't feel my heart beat and my lungs froze. My eyes were wide in wonder! It was my old power suit in one complete piece!