Chapter 12: No Peace
"Sam?!" Danny called out.
She wasn't at the announcement about his cousin being born, nor was she there after. It was upsetting as he walked around, finding no sign of her around.
He was joined by Tucker, who had a plate of his new favorite food with him as he ate them.
"No sign of her?" He asks with his mouth full.
"Nothing…" Danny said, sounding frustrated. "Where is she?"
"She probably just went off for a nature hike. Does it matter? We'll have to go without her." Tucker points out as he finishes his Lamb Fries.
Danny sighed.
"You're probably right…"
Elsewhere
Sam was led to the cavern from last night as she followed the Goblins.
"Okay, I like darkness as much as the next Goth, but not to this extent…" She muttered. "It was a lot easier last night, since Danny was with me and I wasn't alone with these little space creeps."
The Goblin in front of her stopped and moved its heads towards her in an aggressive manner.
"Grrrughk! Grrrrrugh-rughk!" It went, making Sam step back.
She quickly realized it heard her and felt insulted.
"Oh uh… sorry? I forgot you can understand me now." She said to it.
The Goblin snarled at her before facing forward once more.
"Grr-krrekuu." It said to a Goblin to its side.
"Prrurrrgh-praugkk." It responded.
Sam only blinked.
"And I thought I felt left out by my parents…" She said under her breath before her eyes went up. "At least I can talk with their boss…"
One Goblin behind her inched closer to another.
"Kreeko ononon?" It went as if asking a question.
"Kraa-pa-o-ha!" The other responded.
With that, the two made the same high-pitched hiss, annoying Sam.
"I really hate that sound…" She muttered.
Thankfully, she could see the end of the tunnel, and the light.
She smiled, hoping her idea will work.
The McKirk farm
Things were silent as Jack and Maddie waited outside the farm, waiting for the man from last night to keep his word.
Danny and Danielle stepped out of the farmhouse and reached the two.
"What are you guys looking for?" Danielle asks.
"The RV. That guy with the shades should have brought it back by now." Maddie said.
"He did say it'd be before we left. The reunion is over now, so we'll be leaving, as soon as we deal with those space cases." Jack said.
As they went to get ready, Danny thinks back to last night, recalling something.
"Uh… actually…" He said, getting their attention. "I should tell you guys something. I got another email last night."
"From that fake doctor?" Maddie asks.
"Not exactly… from John Doe."
With Sam
She entered the main room of the caves last night, where the cigar-shaped spaceship was.
Two Goblins were murmuring to each other as one of them left. The other turned to face Sam.
"Grunggrr. Litalewy Ma-Jinoh krughkurrugh. Braka!" It said.
Sam just stared, since she had no idea what it said. Making what seemed like a tired grunt the creature then pointed to where its ally went. Then it did a "walking" gesture with its hand as it slowly retracted its arm before pointing to Sam. Then it used its other hand and placed it on the top of its head, emulating the three protrusions on its leader's head.
"Your boss is coming?" Sam asks.
"Kruh kruh kruh." It said, bobbing its head left and right.
"I'm going to take that as a yes…" Sam responds, realizing its physical motions of agreement differ from humans.
For the next few seconds, she just stood there, waiting impatiently as her foot tapped.
Come on, what's taking so long? I'm trying to save these guys, after all… She thought.
That's when a buzzing sound was heard, alerting her to someone coming.
That someone was Ma-Jinoh, who was hovering off the ground as he approached.
"You are not the one called Danny Phantom." He said upon seeing her, eyes squinting in annoyance.
"No, but I am his girlfriend." Sam states.
"That term is literally alien towards us." Ma-Jinoh responds.
"Oh… uh… I'm someone he's romantically involved with him." She clarifies.
"Romantically? Are you his mate?" Ma-Jinoh asks.
Sam cringed at being asked that before clearing her throat.
"I… came because I need to tell you something."
Ma-Jinoh lands in front of her.
"Very well… what is it?" He questioned harshly.
"Be a little nicer." Sam warns. "After all, I'm here to help you…"
Back at the farm
"And that's what it said." Danny said.
Hearing that, Maddie pondered.
"Strange… how would this person know these things?" She asks.
"Do you think it's the same man who sent the first e-mails?" Jack asks.
"Maybe…" Maddie reasons.
"Well, I can ask Tucker to try. Soon as we…" He stopped upon realizing how long it's been, looking around and getting unsettled.
"What's wrong?" Danielle asks
"Sam is still missing..." Danny said, still concerned.
"I'm sure she's fine." Jack said as he kept an eye out for his RV,
"I don't think so. We had… kind of a fight." Danny admits.
"I see…" Maddie said, unsurprised.
"You don't seem that surprised we fought." Danny points out.
"All couples argue about something, Danny. Thinking that two people who love each other won't get upset is nonsense." Maddie states.
"Really? Sam herself seemed upset, saying I was acting less of a boyfriend and being just a friend." He said.
Maddie shook her head dismissively.
"That girl… what did you say exactly?" She asks.
"That I wasn't sure if Ma-Jinoh would want to make peace and she refuses to compromise because she doesn't want to take a life." He explained.
"And yet she wants them to compromise instead…" Maddie said, shaking her head more.
"Well… she did come from a family of super obnoxious people who hate compromising with people… no surprise it's rubbed off on her, whether she wants to see it or not." Jack reasons.
"Where could she have gone?" Maddie asks.
Danny tried to think. He then recalled her walking away and recalled where they were when it happened.
"I remember that she went that way..." He said as he pointed to one direction.
"Hey… isn't that the direction we went last night?" Danielle asks.
"It is?" Danny asks.
"Yeah, the mines are that way." She points out.
Upon realizing she's right, Danny's eyes widened when a thought came to him.
"She wouldn't have gone to the mine...would she?" He asked in a panic.
"She's your girlfriend." Danielle points out.
Danny took a deep breath.
"Yeah… she would…"
Danny wasted no time and changed into his ghost form.
He quickly took off in that direction.
Maddie looked disapprovingly.
"I somehow knew that girl is too stubborn for her own good…" Maddie remarks.
"Yeah… she sure is." Jack said, still more interested in his RV arriving.
"Danielle, you should go with your brother and help him." Maddie ordered.
"On it!" Danielle said as she changed forms and flew off.
Once she was gone, Jack and Maddie nodded to each other.
"We should borrow someone's truck to follow." She said.
"Right!" He looked back to the road. "No time like-wait!"
"What?" Maddie asks.
"Look." Jack said, pointing at it.
About several yards down the road, it was their RV.
Running towards it, they got a good look at it. It looked almost brand new. No scratch, dirt or any indication something happened to it. Jack and Maddie both shared a serious look as they opened the door. Even the interior looked spotless, freshly shampooed and dried with an air freshener.
"Uh… how did the RV get here so fast without us seeing or hearing it, exactly?" Maddie asks.
"Hey, there's a note!" Jack said as he pointed at a paper on the dashboard. "I can tell because it has the word "note" on it."
Maddie took the paper, which indeed read "note". She opened it.
"It would seem a choice is made. Try to deal with it…" She read out loud.
Both of them shrugged and decided it didn't matter. Their son and daughter needed their help.
In the underground cavern
"So, this is why you have come here?" Ma-Jinoh asked.
"Exactly..." Sam explained, hoping to help him see reason.
"Why exactly are you here behind his back?" Ma-Jinoh asks.
"Because I don't want anyone to get killed. I love nature and all things alive. I get you guys wanna go home, but Danny's parents are willing to try and snuff you if you try anything funny, even willing to burn down poor defenseless trees. But if you guys promise to not cause trouble or hurt anyone, then it won't have to come to that..." She pleaded.
There was a long silence as the aliens just stared at each other. To her disappointment, the lead alien didn't look so accepting. In fact, his reaction remained unchanged.
"And why should we care?" He asked in an unaffected tone.
Sam was stunned by his tone and clarified.
"Because I love nature. Hasn't all these years being here on Earth...here in the beautiful Kentucky landscape away from civilization, made you appreciate how beautiful nature is?" She asked.
To her dismay, Ma-Jinoh just scoffed.
"You think we have any fondness for the vegetation or non-sapient lifeforms in this area?" He questioned.
Before she could demand an explanation, one of the goblins let out another high pitched hiss. Then another made the same sound. Soon, all but Ma-Jinoh did.
His response was only a silent glare as they kept making the hissing at her.
Sam covered her ears, already hating that sound.
"I so hate hearing that! What are they even saying?!" She asks.
"They are not saying anything." Ma-Jinoh answered.
"Then why are they making that sound?" She asks.
"It is difficult to describe in your words, but if I may use the closest approximation… They are laughing at you."
Hearing that angered Sam further.
"Laughing? They're laughing at me?! Why?!" She questioned.
"Do you wanna know why we care not about this planet and the so-called life that walks it? It is because we are creatures who pilfer what we need..." He said. "We were born and bred through science. Our kind experiment on humans and other such animals, leaving cadavers of failed research behind..."He said before hovering upward.
"Wait… the stuff I hear about those innocent cows… that was you? Your race specifically?" Sam questioned.
"I have explained that our kind have secretly caused many of your kind to either disappear or cease living and yet you care only for animals bred for consumption? What stupidity. Although, the only thing of greater stupidity is coming here, alone, with no means to defend herself. Detain her!" He ordered.
As the Goblins started approaching, Sam tried to maintain her ground.
"I'm trying to do some good! Maybe if you compromised, you'd-"
"You speak to me on compromise… and yet you refused the idea of taking our lives? Betraying your allies due to your own stubbornness? You are not one to criticize! Clearly, you will not be missed."
Sam stepped back as the realization that these things really aren't interested in peace and that she had just betrayed her friends for nothing.
"I'm such an idiot..." She said as she was realizing she had no way out.
"At last, you have said something agreeable." Ma-Jinoh commented as he pointed at her.
Sam tried to make a break for it but they already blocked her path
"Gruhh-kuhh-kaa!" One of them snarled at her, ready to use its claws.
"Oh boy…" She muttered in horror.
Before they could reach her, a leg roundhouse kicked it in the head, sending it into the wall.
"Get away from her!" Danny said as he fired at the goblins.
"Danny..." Sam said in relief as Danny turned his head towards and sent a glare. Realizing he's mad at her, Sam flinched. "Uh… so, you're probably wondering why I'm here…" She said nervously.
"Save it." He said, very upset with seeing her here.
That's when he became aware of the Goblins surrounding them, with Ma-Jinoh watching.
"So, you have chosen not to aid us?" He asks.
Danny rolled his eyes at Sam, realizing she's revealed their plan.
"Uh… well…" Sam then tried to act defiant. "This wouldn't have happened if you'd have agreed with-" Danny's glare did not leave as Sam realizes she's not getting out of this. "No? Okay…" She said, dropping her tone and attitude.
It was then one Goblin jumped up and wrapped its arms around Sam's neck.
"Sam!" Danny called out.
"Stop or you will require a new mate..." Ma-Jinoh ordered as he pointed to the Goblin that kept Sam from getting away..
Danny reluctantly stopped while the alien leader glared at him.
"Look, I don't want to finish any of your off, but you've attacked a lot of people." Danny points out.
"And that is why you are meant to fail. For our research shows adolescent terrans like yourself lack the means to exterminate." Ma-Jinoh went.
"Gongruk!" One Goblin went before doing the high-pitched hiss that the rest followed.
Sam groaned loudly.
"I am so sick of that laugh…" She muttered.
"Laugh? They've been laughing at us?" Danny asks.
"They have every right to mock your race. The creatures of this planet have proven to be inferior. Especially this female, who prioritizes vegetation and lower lifeforms meant to be bred for consumption. And, as you might expect, we do indeed wish to return. Not for the sake of invasion, but to resume our intended goal." Ma-Jinoh said.
"I doubt you guys came for burritos, so what is it?" Danny asks.
"The reason we came to this pitiful world in the first place was to make experiments and study the life on this world to be suitable for the sake of learning how to subjugate and to weaponize an entire race." Ma-Jinoh further explained.
"What?!" Sam exclaimed in horror.
"Yes, but most of the experiments were a failure and those filthy animals just ended up being mutilated due to being too stupid and primitive to use. However, those pathetic humans had a higher percentage, but not too high. Still, it wasn't too much trouble to simply continue examining the bovine and equine studying, leaving the remains when finished." He said coldly, with no sign of remorse.
Sam and Danny were horrified to hear this, though Sam herself was also furious.
"You ended the lives of innocent animals? How could you hurt such wonderful beauties of nature?!" Sam demanded.
Ma-Jinoh scoffed and only directed his attention to Danny.
"Clearly, you are in need of a better mate." He says.
Danny glared at him.
"Just because I'm mad at her, that doesn't mean-" He was then ignored.
"We are an advanced race that uses our technology to grow, expand and advance while ensuring no other race tries to defy us by ensuring they remain as they are. Humans are lower life forms and must be kept in place… resume your actions as being simple-minded primitives for us to use as we see fit, whether to satiate our curiosity or to use as weaponry." He said as he sent a mocking look to the goth. "That is why you are the most inferior of such an inferior race, showing so much...compassion... for a collection of weak, non-sentient life forms...I would laugh if I were biologically capable of it..." He said cruelly.
Sam glared hatefully while Danny came to a conclusion.
He's not going to surrender peacefully, is he? He thought as he knew what he had to do.
Looks like he has no choice but to make him.
"So… you won't go down peacefully?" Danny asks.
"Not at all…" Ma-Jinoh responds.
Danny saw the pleading look on Sam's face and took a breath.
"Then I'll have to make you agree to a compromise." He said.
"You are in no position to make demands, especially with this moronic female you have for a mate as our prisoner." Ma-Jinoh said.
"Hey! Don't you-" Sam wanted to shout, but the Goblin holding onto her around her neck tightened its grip, making her stop.
"Grrr... gghguk!" It went, hissing in a threatening manner.
"There will be no peace… only agreement to our terms. What say you, Danny Phantom?" Ma-Jinoh questioned.
Special thanks to Flower princess11 for help on this chapter.
We are past the midway for the story.
Because now we know these aliens mean business, and have no interest in peaceful compromises.
Stay tuned, as more is on the way.
RonaldM40196867: No idea on the taste. Yes it will.
Luiz4200: Most likely.
Invader Johnny: Clearly, the Goblins are more stubborn than she is. They won't, and now she's put her own life in danger.
LockAndKey989: Thanks.
SuperiorBatman1: I had no room for Clockwork in this story.
Tiamat Dragoness: As we see, they have no peaceful reasons to come to Earth, nor do they care for peaceful compromises. And yeah, Sam put herself in danger.
nightmaster000: It's only a matter of time before her stubbornness almost gets her killed.
