Ten Days Before Invasion Day
Commander Nancy Cooper steadied the controls of the space shuttle as her and her crew began their descent to the planetoid below them. She piloted the Astro, a one-of-a-kind space shuttle built by the civilian paramilitary science branch known as NASADA that specialized in extraterrestrial reconnaissance, exploration, and study. Nicknamed the Mega Shuttle, due to its size and payload, it was created by Dr. Katherine Manx, an engineer and physicist at NASADA who based the design on the previous Space Shuttle, Orbiter, with some obvious alterations. The Mega Shuttle, though strikingly similar in appearance, was wider than its predecessor, and sported a white and blue color scheme as opposed to the traditional white and black. More technically, it had broader, wider wings and was equipped with vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) technology so that the shuttle could take off without a launchpad as well as containing a plethora of specialized equipment constructed for one specific mission: to land on and study the mysterious roaming planetoid that scientists at NASADA had named the Nemesis.
Several years prior, astronomers at NASA first noticed the small ovular planetoid as it roamed through our solar system. The object was roughly a third the size of the Earth's moon and was not an asteroid or a comet due to its spherical appearance and size. The object rotated on its axis of approximately thirty-five degrees and moved freely through the solar system somehow undeterred by the gravitational forces of the other planets. Its exact composition was unknown but was perceived to be rocky with visible darkly colored striations separating yellow-orange plate-like land masses. So far, water had not been detected on the mass but it did seem to have a thin atmosphere which lent to the probability of moisture being possible, if not present.
As the object moved unhindered through the solar system, NASA hypothesized that it would pass close enough to Earth to be visible in the night sky with amateur telescopes but not so close to effectuate a Nibiru Cataclysm, an end of the world scenario akin to the extinction of the dinosaurs by an asteroid. When the object had travelled within a decade of reaching Earth's vicinity, NASADA was called in to oversee physical missions to the planet which would include satellites, probes, and unmanned rovers. NASA, however, was either incorrect in their calculations or an unforeseen force acted upon the planet and changed its hypothesized trajectory. While there was still no danger of collision, the rogue planet passed much closer than expected placing itself between the Earth and the moon. Here it became entangled in Earth's gravity and made itself a semi-permanent fixture. By this time NASADA had named the rogue planet the Nemesis and already made several successful unmanned trips to the planet's atmosphere and surface but now with the object being so close there was a scramble to engineer a craft to land astronauts on the ground. After months of planning and construction, the Astro was launched and was now making its final approach to the mysterious planetoid.
"Ten minutes to touchdown," Cooper said over the intercom. "You should have your suits on and be buckling in." Since she wasn't going on the spacewalk herself, her spacesuit consisted of much more streamlined attire and a smaller helmet to allow her more freedom of movement in piloting the shuttle. She navigated the craft with the precision of a seasoned pro despite her younger age. Grace Sterling said of her that she was the best aero-space pilot on the planet and she was definitely living up to that moniker today as she nimbly lowered the experimental space vessel toward the surface.
Grace Sterling, who had been seated next to Cooper in the cockpit, unbuckled and floated back to the cargo hold where the other astronauts were preparing for their voyage. She too was dressed in a smaller suit and as she approached the hold she removed her helmet to better converse with the crew. Grace was a mature woman with long silver hair and seasoned eyes. She was a woman of science and technology and had, with the help of an unnamed benefactor, created an impressive think tank called Prometheus that was constantly on the cutting edge of technology. It was because of this and her previous military background that she was approached with signing a joint venture between the military and the private sector to further NASA's physical presence in space. Thus, NASADA was created. She had already amassed the world's leading scientific minds at Prometheus and she used this pull to outfit NASADA with the same level of human excellence. She accompanied her finest colleagues on this trip not out of necessity but out of desire. This crew was comprised of the experts in their respective fields, her presence was not needed, but she had an alternate agenda for this mission. One that neither NASADA nor NASA was aware of. As she approached the cargo hold, she could hear the other astronauts talking.
Dr. Katherine Manx had already slipped into her space suit and was trying unsuccessfully to shove a wad of her curly brown hair into the head cap before putting on her space helmet. She was a petite woman, though you couldn't tell in the bulky space suit, and despite her young appearance she had already accomplished several master's degrees in engineering and doctorates in physics. She was, for all intents and purposes, a genius and one of NASADA's best and brightest, which is why she was put in charge of building the Astro Mega Shuttle in the first place and also why she was on this mission. Her role was to support the crew with any technical and equipment related duties. While she was struggling to get the curl under her cap Dr. Anton Mercer quipped grimly, "You do realize that if you trimmed that nap of hair on your head you wouldn't have such trouble getting in your space suit?" Mercer was a tall, clean cut, and very serious man. "Doesn't NASADA have hygiene regulations that you have to follow?"
"Relax, Anton," she cut back. "You might actually have some fun on this mission if you do. Ha!" She exclaimed as she finally managed to get her rogue tresses under control.
Just then Grace floated into the room. "I prefer a more relaxed environment for my scientists, Anton, besides, the messy hair hides her cat ears so no one knows she is actually an alien," Katherine shot her an evil look but Anton looked on unamused.
"If that was an attempt at humor then it was lost on me." Anton snorted.
"I think all humor is lost on you, Mercer." Grace chuckled. When he turned away Grace mouthed "Relax" at Katherine who just rolled her eyes.
Colonel Aoki Toshikazu spoke up in the silence that followed. He had a thick Japanese accent but spoke plainly, "I think it is time to be serious. We are about to make history as the first humans to set foot on a wandering planet." Aoki was the highest ranked among the team except for Grace. He had started his career years ago as a pilot in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and studied quantum physics. Upon retirement he was hired by NASA and eventually moved over to the NASADA branch shortly after its inception. This was to be his 10th and final space mission. "I suggest everyone buckle in."
Grace assisted the astronauts into their helmets and put on hers. As they seated themselves in their harnesses, she gave them a final pep talk. "Alright everyone, you know why we are here. The samples we have already collected show that the surface of this planet contains the same minerals as Earth. We need to know why. Was this thing a part of our solar system at some point or is the universe truly made up of the same stuff everywhere? Our readings say that there is a thin atmosphere which does contain oxygen but that doesn't mean you can do anything stupid like take off your helmets. This isn't a science fiction movie. I want all of you back on this ship so be careful and watch out for each other. Cooper and I will be on the communication channel in your helmets. Good luck." She waved to the crew and floated back to the cockpit where Cooper was making the final decent.
"Great timing," she said. "Now I suggest you buckle up too." Grace did so and the ship rumbled slightly as it broke through the atmosphere. A few adjustments and the ship was flying steadily over the alien terrain gradually descending toward the ground.
The landscape of the Nemesis was very Martian in appearance but with a yellowish hue rather than red. It seemed devoid of all life, flora and fauna, and appeared sandy between rocky outcroppings of various heights. Long but narrow fissures cut up the landscape seemingly encircling the globe in some places and many were so deep that their bottoms were eclipsed in shadow. "Careful," Grace warned Cooper as the craft continued to descend. "Data shows that some of these cracks emit hot steam from pressurized vents. We don't know how the shuttle will hand those."
As if on cue, a torrent of yellowish steam blasted from one of the crevices a few kilometers away. The column was large enough to have easily engulfed the Astro and it rocketed a thousand meters or more into the air. "What the heck is beneath the surface of this place?" Cooper asked in disbelief.
"Nothing hospitable," Grace said under her breath.
A few moments later and the Astro was circling the coordinates that were predetermined before they left. "Here we go everyone." Cooper said over the comm and extended the landing gear. The shuttle, using is V/STOL technology, slowly but steadily hovered to the ground stirring up quite a bit of yellow dust. Cooper cut the engines and while the dust settled, Grace had intended to go check on the landing party but once she unbuckled her seatbelt something unexpected happened.
In the cargo hold, the three astronauts braced unnecessarily for impact. Cooper was too good a pilot and the Astro touched down on the surface lighter than a soft kiss. Aoki gave the all clear and the three of them began to detach from their harnesses. Kat was the quickest and as she slid out of her confines first she was also the first one to notice what none of them expected when she fell out of her seat and onto the floor. "What the…" she exclaimed as she hit.
"How very peculiar," Mercer remarked as he slid to his feet. "This planet appears to have gravity in a much higher rate than we predicted."
"Ya think?" Kat snapped sarcastically from the floor.
"I thought cats always landed on their feet," chided Mercer with a smug look on his face.
"Did you just make a joke?" she responded in disbelief as Aoki helped her up then defended with, "The space suit is hindering my nimbleness."
"Ms. Sterling?" Aoki spoke over the comm. "Are you experiencing this phenomenon in the cockpit?"
"You mean the sudden and uncalculated amount of heavy gravity this planet apparently has?" she responded sarcastically. "Yes, we are also experiencing it. Anyone have any ideas how our intel could have been this far off?"
"The density of the planet must be far greater than we calculated," Anton offered. Most of our scans indicated that the core was hollow. It is possible that there is something down there that our equipment was unable to detect."
"Like an undiscovered element, perhaps?" Aoki asked.
"An undiscovered something," Kat said grimly.
"All the more reason for caution," Grace said. "This could be a gravity well so don't rely on it to stay this rate. Expect the unexpected out there. Stay close to the ship and take the sonic probe. See if you can get a better reading on the composition of the core."
From the wall, Mercer grabbed a device that looked similar to a metal detector but with a sharp spike at the end instead of a ring. The sonic probe was a creation of Prometheus for this mission that generated primary, or P, waves that mimicked those of earthquakes and what scientists used to determine the structure of the Earth. The harmless, low frequency waves could be used to measure the composition of an object. Due to the small size of the Nemesis, the probe could potentially penetrate deep enough below the surface to gather enough information to estimate what the planetoid was comprised of.
Once the astronauts had all of their equipment, Aoki requested the exit ramp be deployed. With a slight shudder, a section of the floor near the back of the Astro began to lower forming a ramp to the surface. When is was completely extended, the crew began their descent with Colonel Toshikazu in the lead followed by Dr. Manx, and Dr. Mercer. As he stepped foot on the surface, Toshikazu made a brief speech. "The human race has journeyed beyond the confines of our planet, we have stepped foot on the surface of our moon, but today we shall stand on an object that has traversed the unknown universe beyond our solar system and made its way to us so that we may learn more about the cosmos."
"That was a very eloquent speech, Toshikazu," Grace commended.
On the ground the astronauts moved a few yards away from the shuttle and began their research. Mercer immediately started studying the ground and substrate. Since geology was one of his doctorates, his mission was to gather soil samples and study land composition. He depressed the sonic probe probe into the ground at various intervals as they explored the area around the Astro. The sound waves the probe emitted could be used to build a layout of the terrain and identify elements based on their sonic frequencies. Meanwhile Kat studied the atmosphere at ground level. She had with her a portable particle counter and a Geiger counter among other pieces of equipment and she was measuring the light composition, radiation levels, air composition, and a host of other things. "This place has an eerie sort of beauty to it," she observed aloud. "The atmosphere is thin enough that you can see the stars like it was night." The planet's sky had a very odd composition. Due to the lessened atmosphere, directly above was like looking at the night sky, black and dotted with stars, but faded to blue closer to the horizon. There were no discernable clouds just the haze of the atmospheric elements that seemed more concentrated at lower altitudes, which is what gave the sky at the horizon its blue-green tint.
"The magnetism of this planet is inconsistent with our data," Aoki postulated. "The magnetometer is giving increasingly erratic readings."
"Well, we thought the planet had a hollow core," Kat answered as she walked over to view Aoki's equipment. "Without a rotating core the planet shouldn't be able to generate a true magnetic field."
"And yet it is," Aoki said showing her the readings, "but now we know that there must be a core in order to generate this significant amount of gravity."
"Unless whatever is down there is giving off its own magnetic field," Mercer interjected joining the others.
"Is that possible?" Aoki asked.
"Anything is possible but whether or not it is probable, is the question." Anton continued. "Observe the readings that I have been getting from the sonic probe. There is something solid down there but it is not spherical as one would expect. From the readings I've gathered it looks more…serpentine."
"How could a planet form a serpentine core?" Aoki questioned.
"It couldn't," Kat interjected. "The planet was formed around the object. If it is giving off its own magnetic field then it's likely that it whatever is down there accumulated this substrate over time as it drifted through space instead of spinning to generating gravity and pulling things to it like a typical planet."
"So whatever is in the core is generating artificial gravity?" Aoki asked amazed.
"A warranted though outlandish theory. It would also seem that the planet has drifted through our solar system before." Anton continued. "All of the elements I have tested are terrestrial to Earth except for the core. The sonic frequency it's resonating doesn't match any metal on the periodic table."
"Too bad we can't get a sample of it," Aoki lamented.
"Perhaps we can." Anton corrected. "It appears that these fissures open directly down to the core."
"No one is going spelunking on this mission," Grace interrupted over the comm link. "Even if you did have rappelling equipment, those fissures are spewing steam hot enough to vaporize your space suits with you in them."
"No, I don't think even Dr. Manx is crazy enough to attempt that." Mercer quipped.
Dr. Kathrine Manx shot him an evil look.
"We won't have to perform any perilous feats." Mercer continued. "The structure actually winds close to the surface in multiple spots. The fissures appear to be cracks that lead to the lower most parts over hollow sections made by the winding structure of the core but it seems to nearly touch the surface near that rock formation there." Mercer pointed to a large rocky cliff about one hundred meters tall and two hundred meters from where they stood.
"I don't like it," Grace spoke over the comm. "There could be lethal radiation from an alien metal."
"Dr. Manx, are you reading any lethal amounts of radiation in the area?" Anton asked but Kat didn't respond. "Dr. Manx!" Anton said louder.
"No…I'm not reading any lethal radiation," she hesitantly said, "but that doesn't mean that it is safe. It could be giving off energy that we are unable to detect."
"I am going to investigate," Mercer said plainly. "The risk is calculable enough for me," and he started off in the direction he had indicated. Aoki followed.
A light flashed briefly inside Kat's helmet followed by Grace's voice. "Kat, I've put us on a private line," she said.
"What about Cooper?" Kat asked.
"I'm not in the cockpit," Grace replied. "I stormed out. Made a scene like I was pissed at Mercer."
"Aren't you though?"
"Yes," said Grace plainly, "but that is beside the point. You know what is at stake here. He doesn't. His hotheadedness may compromise the real reason we are here."
"I'll try to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Kat assured.
"Just stay close to him," said Grace.
Kat followed the other two to the cliff face.
The cliff was like any rocky structure found in any of the desert wastelands on Earth. It jutted vertically out of the ground like it had been pushed up from underneath and the sandy soil that made up the rest of the terrain gradually turned to rock at its foot. Smaller boulders littered the ground around it as well as rocks of various sizes. Aoki studied some of these smaller formations while Mercer used the probe to determine how far below them the core structure was.
"We didn't bring any shovels," Kat said, "so I don't know how you plan on doing any digging."
"I can at least ascertain how far below the surface this particular arm of the structure lies," Mercer replied without looking at her. "I am actually hoping for a breach."
While Mercer continued probing, Aoki took a moment to rest and leaned against a peculiarly cylindrical shaped boulder that rose about chest high out of the sand but once he had put his weight on it, the slab crumbled to dust beneath him. Both Kat and Anton heard his sudden grunt as he fell and turned to aid him. "I'm alright," Aoki scoffed as the others helped him up. "I wasn't prepared for the rocks on this planet to be so fragile.
"That would be because it was not a rock," Mercer said astounded. As the dust settled, the meaning became clearer. The object that Aoki had leaned against was encrusted in the dust and sand of the planet disguising it as a rock. As the dust fell away an odd, alien structure was left in its place. The object was a little more than a meter in height and perfectly cylindrical. It was crafted from an unfamiliar metal that was rusty in color but smooth. There was a rim around the top like the brim of a hat and a raised section in the center that held a reddish orb. The top was ornate with concentric circular sections and decorated with shapes like stars and crescent moons.
"Does anyone else think that looks like a dumpster?" Kat said to break the silence.
"A trashcan, in space?" Aoki remarked.
Mercer just stared at it. The red orb on the top had him transfixed for some reason unknown to him. As he stared, he swore he could see a small light flicker in the depths of the ball. The other astronauts continued their conversation, but their voices seemed further and further away replaced by a low humming that grew louder in Mercer's ears. When he could hear his colleagues no longer, a new voice sprang to life in his mind. A female voice. "Anton," the voice was quiet, a whisper at first. "Anton," it grew louder every time she spoke his name and increasingly alluring. A warmth swept over him and his vision began to darken, tunneling until all he could see was the faint flicker of red whenever he heard his name.
Anton
Anton
"ANTON!" It was Kat. She had apparently been screaming at him for some time without him noticing.
"Yes!" he replied startled from his trance. "What?" He was angered to be disturbed from whatever spell this thing had on him, but he didn't know why.
"You spaced out. Are you alright?" Kat asked.
"I'm fine." He barked.
"Good," Aoki said. "Then it is time we returned to the ship."
"What!" Anton was suddenly hysterical like he couldn't control his emotions. "Why?"
"We need more equipment to study this, Aoki explained. "It is obviously alien in nature."
"This is the find of a lifetime and you want to just leave it?" Anton said in disbelief. The words didn't feel like his own. Like they were being suggested to him.
"Not leave it; retrieve better equipment to study it."
"Or we could just open it now," Anton said.
"What do you mean open it?" Kat asked. "We don't know what this is let alone if it opens."
"You said it looked like a dumpster," Anton argued. "There is an obvious seam and a lid. I bet that flickering red orb on top opens it."
"Flickering?" Aoki asked confused. "I didn't see any light coming from it. Kat, did you?"
"No," she replied dryly.
"It doesn't matter," Mercer snapped.
"Let's say it does open," Kat hypothesized. "We could be unleashing some new virus or bacteria into the atmosphere. There is no telling what could be in there!"
Aoki turned to Kat in confusion. "Do you recognize this apparatus?"
"What? No!" Kat said almost too convincingly. "I'm just being precautious. I don't want to be the one who unleashes a plague on humanity."
"You are being dramatic," Mercer accused, "and taking this too seriously."
"Strange words coming from you Mr. Serious," Kat defended.
"Everyone calm down," Aoki said softly holding up his hands to diffuse the situation. "There is no need for us to be fighting. Now," he continued and stepped toward the alien dumpster, "let's just open the vessel and then return to the ship…" Aoki paused and put his hand up to his space helmet, a gesture like one holding his head. "Why did I just say that?" He questioned aloud and confused.
Kat had heard enough. She leapt between the men and the alien object and produced a strange piece of equipment that she brandished at her fellow astronauts like it was a weapon. It was an odd device with a handle grip and a small square on the top that served as the controller. From the bottom was a large oval plate that covered her forearm. There was a protrusion toward the top and below it was a circle that contained a powerful flashlight. The script 'S.P.D.' was printed vertically in bold, black letters down the remaining part of the plate. She held the device in her right hand with her fist pointing upward and her forearm and the plate pointed at the men. She used her left hand to support her other elbow. "Grace!" She spoke over the comm link. "The men have been compromised. We have a situation."
"What is that?" Mercer asked amused.
"It has many functions," Kat explained, "but right now it is a gun and I will use it if either one of you come any closer to me or this thing behind me. "
"Let's all just calm down," Grace said over the link. "There is no need to lose our cool."
"A gun?" Mercer chided. "It looks like a toy."
In response Kat used her thumb to toggle one of the inputs on the square apparatus. Then she pointed the device at a rock to her left and squeezed the trigger mechanism. A laser beam shot out from the protrusion on the top of the plate and reduced the mass to rubble in a small explosion. "Satisfied?" She smirked.
"Deftly," said Mercer dryly.
Aoki wobbled forward and back for a moment, like he was unsure if he wanted to take a step, or possibly fighting the urge to walk. After another moment he seemed to decide, or give up struggling, held up his hands and slowly walked toward Kat. "Dr. Manx," he said coolly, "There is no need for violence."
"Colonel," Kat warned, aiming the blaster at him. "Please don't make me shoot you."
"There will be no need for that," he said but still walked forward. "We can all just go back to the ship and…" but he didn't finish his sentence. He leapt at Kat attempting to grab her but she was quicker than he perceived her to be. In an instant she flicked the toggle with her thumb and fired the device. This time however, instead of the laser, a blue static lightening discharged from the gun and engulfed Colonel Toshikazu. He stiffened then crumpled to the ground, stunned but unharmed.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of it. In the second that it took to stun Colonel Toshikazu, Mercer had also rushed Kat. She did not have time to fend them both off and as she turned the gun to Anton, he grabbed her arm and wrest it from her grip. He then flung the weapon several yards away and pushed Kat to the ground. "Mercer, stop!" She pleaded. "You don't know what is in there."
"Oh, but I do," he said in a voice that was not entirely his own. "She calls to me." Anton Mercer reached for the now definitively glowing red orb. Small, crimson lightening bolts flickered out to greet his hand and pulled him forward with a jerk, sealing his fingers to the ball. Then the little flicks of red electricity licked out from the sphere and his hand as the very ground shook. The lid atop the cylinder began to rotate counter-clockwise as dust and debris fell from the seam. Then everything stopped. The container didn't open and the ground ceased its rumbling. Dr. Manx stood and slowly backed away from Anton and the object. For a moment all was quiet, then suddenly Mercer was catapulted backwards by an electrical explosion. The container shuttered and slowly sank into the ground. A few meters behind them the cliff face rumbled and a portion of the rock wall crumbled away revealing a large metal panel made of the same material as the space dumpster. The wall then shifted and receded slightly before sliding open revealing a dark passageway.
Anton got to his feet and stumbled toward the opening almost zombie like. Kat sprinted to retrieve her SPD blaster. "Grace?" She shouted frantically.
"I'm seeing all of it," she reassured her. "We are monitoring Anton's vitals through his suit as well. His readings are all over the place."
"What the Hell is going on?" came Cooper's voice from the background. She had removed her helmet and was peering through the shuttle's windshield.
"What do I do Grace?" Kat asked as she started after Mercer.
"Stun him." Came the reply. Kat leveled the blaster and fired a shot at Mercer but he didn't fall like Aoki did. The blast only stopped him for a second then he stumbled forward and continued his stroll like he was being involuntarily pulled forward. Kat fired again but it had the same result, so she fired a third time yet still he trudged on.
"Cease fire," Grace commanded. "We are just going to fry his nervous system this way. I don't think he has control over his body or even his mind at this point."
Kat rushed forward and tried to physically stop Mercer from walking but to no avail. He seemed stronger than normal and pushed Kat aside like she was nothing. She grabbed his arm and planted her feet but he just dragged her on. As they reached the mouth of the passage a loud whir and a strong gale blew suddenly and angrily from the dark depths. It had no affect on Anton, but it threw Manx from him back outside.
"What do we do?" Kat asked.
"Stay with him but keep your distance," Grace replied. "I'm going to make a call."
"Do you want me to establish a connection with ground at NASADA?" Cooper asked Grace.
"No," Grace replied. "I'm going to call someone with a little more knowledge of what we are dealing with." She placed her hand on the bare surface on a black section of the control panel in front of her. Immediately it lit up like it was scanning her and somehow did so through the glove of her spacesuit.
"Greetings, Dr. Sterling," came a disembodied, female voice. "I ascertain that by activating my external systems that there is an urgent situation. Would you like to establish a communication link to the Command Center?"
"Yes, DECA." Grace acknowledged.
"Seriously," Nancy Cooper asked uneasily, "what the Hell is going on?"
"You are about to be privy to highly classified information in Prometheus, Ms. Cooper." Grace explained calmly. "I will debrief you later. For now, welcome to the Resistance."
In the Depths of the Serpent
Kat crept back to the entrance of the tunnel but was not greeted by any defenses this time. She stepped inside and noticed that it was not as dark as it had been before. Recessed lighting on the walls ran down either side of the tunnel like racing stripes giving the hallway an eerie yellowish glow. She placed her hand on the wall, noting the metal was not of Earth, and saw that it was made of interlocking metal plates, like the scales of a giant reptile. She made her way down the corridor after Mercer taking care to stay roughly ten or more paces behind him and she kept her blaster at the ready. As the tunnel twisted and wound its way through what she knew was an alien craft she began to notice something strange about the hallway. It seemed to be one continuous tunnel with no doors or windows or even branching corridors, however, when they would turn a bend on the path she would notice that the walls suddenly looked faintly different. The scales would be a different size than before or the color would change suddenly to a different shade of dark green. It was puzzling and intriguing at the same time.
A few moments later the hallway ended abruptly in a partly closed door that slid apart from the middle. Beyond the opening she could make out a dimly lit room with several large tubes standing vertical in the center. The cylinders were transparent and emitted a green, glowing light. Mercer hobbled into the room without stopping but Kat hung back and hid behind the partially closed door, peaking carefully around to spy into the chamber.
The room was large and circular with several control terminals lining the walls. The rest of the room was filled with the tubes she had seen before, arranged in clusters of fours with the glass doors facing out; some empty or broken. Had Mercer been in his right mind he probably would not have known what he was looking at, but Kat did; these were cryotubes for long periods of stasis. Anton made his way past the first set of containers deeper into the collection until he was in the center of the room standing before three tubes that were different than the others. Kat made her way forward taking care to keep hidden as she did. The cells that Mercer stopped in front of were slightly larger and roomier than their counterparts and were marked with gold inlays. This set also had an independent terminal and what appeared to be a monitor that sprang to life as Mercer touched the panel. The screen showed an alien language that could be reasonably assumed was vital signs and Kat realized to her horror that the things in these tubes were still alive.
Mercer tapped a sequence on the terminal and what sounded like a motor whirred to life amidst the cluster of cylinders and the tube in the center shook as it cracked open with a hiss of escaping gas. Green smoke billowed from inside and fell to the floor swirling like a low fog. From the glow and smoke emerged a woman, human in appearance, but with small yet distinct alien features and unearthly attire. She wore dark brown boots with gold trim and a long dress that stopped at her ankles and was also trimmed in gold and flaked with green. On her midsection was what appeared to be an armored corset and her forearms were covered with gold trimmed, emerald gauntlets. Her shoulders were also armored, and the collar of her dress rose up and away from her head detailed with spikes around its rim. Her hair was presumably very long and was fashioned above her head, braided in the shape of two horns. It was the color of purest white and wrapped through the braids were strips of brown leather. She had a medium frame and her posture was that of royalty. Her eyes burned red and her face, though mostly human, had slight ridges on her brow, around her cheeks and on the side of her face that were tinged with a golden color. The rest of her skin was a pale grey, almost white like her hair. She was beautiful yet somehow horrible all at the same time. As she gathered herself her thin lips curled in an evil smile that seemed too wide for her face and partially revealed a mouth full of pointed teeth. When she spoke her voice was shrill and somewhat raspy and came in a language that Mercer had never heard before but one that Kat Manx was vaguely familiar with. After 10,000 years, I'm free, she squealed as she stepped out of the cryotube.
Without another word she stretched out her left hand to her side and a golden staff materialized in it. The staff was topped with a spiked, crescent moon shape that held a circular, glowing green gem in its center. Rita gazed at Dr. Mercer who was still standing transfixed in a daze. My newly-acquired servant, she said in her alien tongue. So full of loss and hurting. You were so easy to gain control of. The gem in Rita's staff flashed green and so did Mercer's eyes signifying that he was completely under her spell. But what manner of creature are you? You look human, but surely humans haven't settled in this remote section of the galaxy. She pondered aloud. With a wave of her staff, Mercer was lifted off his feet and his space suit shattered into thousands of pieces like it was made of glass, exploding away from him. A moment later he was gasping for air in the oxygen deficient atmosphere of the ship. He clutched at his throat and fell to his knees as she dropped him back to the floor. Rita reached out a clawed hand and grasped his forehead. It was pale grey, like her face, and the veins that sprawled down to her fingers were tinted gold. Mercer's eyes immediately rolled back into his head at her touch and he stopped breathing all together. Her staff lit up green again and she closed her eyes for a moment of concentration. She was reading his mind. You are human, she said to herself, amused. It seems that backwater cesspool of a planet managed to attract or evolve some intelligent life since I've been entombed. She laughed to herself. Well whatever you are, you are useless to me if you suffocate so easily. Let's transform you into something more durable. She released his forehead and lifted her hand upwards like she was lifting an invisible object. In response, Mercer was snatched off his feet like something had grabbed him by the chest and pulled him straight up into the air. He hung there, feet dangling inches from the floor, his head was bent backwards, mouth open, and his arms lay loose by his side. The witch chanted something indiscernible and raised her staff with a now brightly glowing green disk. Then in one motion she closed her fist and slammed the tip of the staff on the ground. Green sparks and licks of green flame shot out from where it struck and raced in a line to Mercer. The flames leapt up and engulfed him in a tongue of emerald fire. He let out a blood-curdling scream and grabbed his face in pain then fell limply to the floor in a fetal position. The flames smoldered themselves out and he lay there twitching.
Rita leaned over the corpse-like Mercer and babbled to him. I once, long ago, had a loyal and powerful servant named Mesogog. He was quite cruel and demonic and served me well until the day he failed me, and to fail me means death. But I could not bear to destroy such a strong warrior outright when I knew he could still be of use. So instead I vaporized his body and imprisoned his essence until a time that I would find redemption for him. She rose and cackled at her own ingenious maliciousness then pointed her staff at the body and hoisted it up and into a nearby vacant cryotube. Now, I have infused him into you, human. He will transform your body into his image, imbibe you with his strength and wickedness. Then you shall be worthy of being my servant. She cackled again and turned away as the tube door lowered and clicked closed with a hiss. Turning her attention to the control panel that Mercer used to release her, she pressed a series of buttons. The two tubes that were on either side of hers depressurized and creaked open. From the larger tube on her right emerged what looked like a knight in golden armor. He was enormous, with broad shoulders, approaching seven feet in height and his boots and gauntlets were clawed. His helm sported a ridge and was without a face mask revealing not the face of a man but the black fur and skin of an ape-like creature with long incisors and red eyes.
From the second tube came a creature quite the opposite of the golden clad warrior. He was short, maybe five feet tall, and wore plain, baggy tan and blue clothing. He had a light blue apron with various sculpting tools stuffed in the pouches and it hung down almost to the tops of his curly toed shoes. His body was covered with short white fur except for the hair on his head which was longer and bound almost like dreadlocks but pulled away from his face and held back by a blue bandana he wore just above his forehead. His nose and mouth formed a snout that was covered with longer white fur that resembled a beard and mustache. This, with the presence of coal black eyes, gave him the appearance of an anthropomorphic West Highland Terrier, minus the black nose, wearing round rimmed glasses hooked over tall, pointed ears.
Both creatures took a moment to acclimate from their long cryosleep but once they had and saw Rita standing before them they immediately bowed in the manner of their people. Goldar, the warrior, dropped to one knee bowing his head low. "My Empress," he growled in a deep gravelly voice, "I am pleased to see you awake."
The other creature, Finster, was a craftsman and not a warrior. His people were skilled artists who made beautiful and intricate things with their hands. In his people's tradition he clicked his heels together, folded his arms in front of him, and bowed low at the waist. "My Empress," he said in a higher, squeakier voice.
"We have been asleep for 10,000 years," Rita jeered at her minions, "thanks to that fool Zordon. Now I will make the Council and this whole galaxy pay the price for my suffering," but she suddenly stopped her posturing. By this time, Kat had seen enough and was skulking her way back to the corridor but as she made her way down the hallway she noticed again the changes in the walls. As she rounded the next curve she was surprised to see that she was back in front of the door to the cryo-room. Quickly she turned around and headed back only to see the walls change again and come right back to the same door. In horror, she suddenly realized what was happening. She had seen this technology before when she was an SPD cadet on planet Sirius before it fell. Unlike traditional buildings, the layout of the rooms on this craft were fluid, meaning that instead of moving from one room to an adjacent one, a person could be instantly transmitted to another part of the ship. This technology allowed large ships and bases to be easily traversed without the need of elevators, moving platforms, or indoor vehicles and usually applied little to no stress on the traveler. The technology was fascinating and by no means widespread but here and now it was terrifying to Kat because it meant that someone knew she was here and had no intention of letting her escape.
"Grace?" Kat spoke softly in her helmet. "If you can still hear me get out of here. Rita has escaped. Mercer is dead and she knows I'm here so likely I will be too soon. We can't risk letting her get off this planet. It was a pleasure working w…" Her voice cut off like someone had grabbed her by the throat. She then felt herself being lifted off the floor and snapped backwards as if she was attached to some sort of elastic band. She flew back through the doorway and was spun around halting suddenly in midair barely a foot away from Rita's outstretched hand. Rita closed her fist like she was strangling Katherine and she could feel invisible fingers clutching her neck. Did you think I didn't notice you spying? Rita cackled. Katherine clutched at her throat and kicked her legs, but Rita's magical grasp was too strong. Don't struggle, she said aggravated, it's pointless.
Rita waved her staff and Katherine's spacesuit shattered like Mercer's did. Then she dropped her arm and Kat fell to the floor gasping for air. Her long curls tangled around her face and she spit at Rita's feet. "Witch!" she cried out.
I prefer Bandora, Rita sneered and with a flick of her wrist Kat was knocked over onto her back. "How very interesting," Rita spoke in English now, having absorbed the knowledge from Anton. "You don't seem to have as much trouble breathing as your colleague here." Rita outstretched her hand and Katherine was pulled by her face towards her. Rita caught her by the forehead and read her mind like she did with Mercer. "Oh I see," Rita sneered, "you're a Manx! Yet the other one thinks you are a human. Why such a ruse?" She flicked her wrist and the tangled curls on Katherine's head swept backward revealing her ears. They were not human but longer and more cat looking, and they were higher up on her head than should be. Rita continued to pry into Kathrine's mind. "Oh I see, these humans think they are alone in the universe. How primitive," she sneered. "I must show them how wrong they are."
Then Rita's face contorted and she violently threw Katherine across the room. "No!" Anger filled her face at what she saw in the Manx's mind and her drab skin blushed red with hatred. "How is Zordon still alive?" she screamed and green lightning bolts arced from her staff. "That annoying old sage just refuses to die! Goldar!" she screamed.
The golden warrior stood to his feet and approached the space witch. "Yes, my Empress?" he snarled.
"There is a man lying stunned outside of the forward port exit. I believe he has vital Information about the military capabilities of the planet Zordon is hiding on. Go and fetch him."
"Yes, my Empress," Goldar sneered. He rose to his feet and with two long strides he darted past Rita before unfurling two giant black wings. With one down sweep, he rocketed down the hallway to retrieve Colonel Aoki Toshikazu.
"Finster!" Rita continued.
"Yes, my Empress?" the craftsman squeaked and rose to his feet.
"I need monsters, lots of monsters, and foot soldiers. As soon as possible," she demanded.
Finster pondered, "I should be able to produce six or more generals in a couple days time if you are wanting quantity over quality but I must warn you they would not be at full strength."
"That's fine," she growled. "I merely want to test this planet's defenses."
"There are also several of your generals that were imprisoned with us. I took the liberty of placing them in cryostasis once I had you stabilized after that last battle."
Rita shot Finster a scowl to which he receded from then cut her eyes to the other pods. "Good," she said and Finster sighed in relief. "I will peruse the inventory." Finster made a few keystrokes on the terminal as Rita began walking the pods. The names of the entombed flashed on the displays. "This one," she said stopping in front of one of the larger tubes. "Sphinx will prove ideal for this first assault. Make him five generals and a legion of Putties," she said to Finster.
"Right away my Empress," he said with a bow followed by, "I take it we are preparing to destroy Zordon outright?" Finster asked but Rita did not respond immediately.
One of the cryotubes had transfixed her attention; the one directly behind hers in the cluster. She placed her hand on the glass and peered longingly at the blurry silhouette on the other side. Glittering liquid welled up in her eyes and a single gilded tear ran down her cheek but the sorrow on her face soon contorted into one of scorn. "No," Rita seethed, "not immediately. I want him to suffer for as long as possible. First we will destroy something he cares about deeply. It's time to conquer Earth."