Continued ...
"I have a proposition for you." Balor said, sitting across from Koenig and Helena. He spoke reasonably with the couple, like a practiced negotiator. "I want Alpha and while I like a challenge I would rather take your moonbase with minimal defiance. I have noticed that your people have an independent streak but they also respect their Commander and will do whatever you tell them, Koenig. As long as you are alive and on this base my authority will be tested." His eyes met Koenig's, "I see three alternatives. One, I could kill you. Two, I can convince you to make your people bow to my will. Three, you can simply … go away."
"Go away?" Helena asked, apprehensive but curious.
Balor nodded, his eyes shifting to look at her, pleased by her curiosity. "The craft I utilized to come here is programmed to go to a habitable planet only a few short light years from Moonbase Alpha. It is stocked with provisions to keep two human life forms alive for the six month journey. I would be willing to give the craft to you, Commander. You and Dr. Russell could leave Alpha forever, go to the planet, live together, start a family … You could begin a new, wonderful life together. It would be nirvana."
Koenig blinked, untrusting. "And all we would have to do is leave Alpha to you."
"So you can destroy our people's lives." Helena added, frowning.
"Destroy? No. Enlighten, Doctor." Balor smiled, mockingly pleased with their limited understanding of the situation.
"And once you are finished with Alpha and its people what then?" Helena asked, "You will be stranded here, all alone, forever."
He nearly chuckled at her naiveté. "That will not be for some-time. Unlike you, I plan to allow your friends to breed thus insuring my followers for a long time to come."
"Alpha cannot support …" Helena began.
"With a few upgrades I will change that." Again he allowed a twisted smile, "You forget, Dr. Russell. I lived over a thousand years in nothing more than a hollowed-out rock. The expanse of Alpha and the companionship of its people is my nirvana … And we will eventually find others, as you have, who will want to communicate with us. They might even join us. More life forms to be taught the exquisite pleasure and complexity of torture and pain …"
The couple could only stare. If possible Balor was even more insane than he was during their earlier encounter.
"And one day." His expression brightened, strangely entertained. "I might find a way to your planet, seek out your descendants, and remind them of who their benefactor was." He closed his eyes thinking of that fine day, "It will be superb!"
Koenig, having heard enough, stood. He turned his back on Balor, appearing to seriously be thinking over the offer, as he slowly walked over to the compost. He spotted the insect on the wall, waiting patiently for her cue. "It's an interesting proposition, Balor. But one I think we may have to refuse."
The alien expected as much but Balor wanted to be certain he completely understood Koenig's rejection. "Which part?" Balor also stood and rounded the table, "There is always room for compromise."
He did not see the Commander's signal, a thumb subtly pointing, seen by Helena. He wanted her positioned close to their exit and was grateful when he saw, out of the corner of his eye, the woman slowly standing and moving indistinctly in the direction he indicated. "All of it." Koenig said. "I reject your entire scheme."
Deeply affronted, Balor bristled, "You do realize that by not making a simple selection you automatically choose death for yourself." He looked over at Helena who was standing, seemingly harmless, not far from them. "And an everlasting physical and mental torment for Dr. Russell." He refocused on the Commander, "She will suffer, Koenig, and her screams will haunt you in the land of the dead forever!"
Although chilled, Koenig did not react, merely stared. His countenance was unreadable although he was terrified and nearly ill at the thought of what this monster could do to Helena. He could and would not let him see fear. He thrived on it. They had to get rid of Balor. More than ever before Koenig knew what they had planned was justified.
The alien sighed, as if disappointed in an errant pupil. "It is my respect for both of you that allowed the offering in the first place." Balor now stood in front of Koenig, once again, with his back only a meter away from the wall where the insect was perched. "I can see that admiration is misplaced."
Balor lifted gloved hand, appearing ready to strike Koenig for his insolence.
Helena gasped, nearly moving forward to stop him in any way she could.
"There has been a new development." Koenig said, quickly. "We've made contact with your people and they have promised to help us fight you."
Balor's eyes grew wide, his hand in mid strike. "What?" He shook his head, "What type of nonsense is this, Koenig?"
Helena tensed further, unsure if John was serious or if the claim was a complete fabrication. She soon understood as she watched an almost unperceivable spindle of light develop behind Balor, to his right. It turned into an alien Helena had never seen before but her origins were clear. She was as tall as Balor, having many of the same facial features, wearing a dark cloak. Yet, her hair was long and auburn and her voice was rich but laconic.
"Balor."
The call startled the evil alien and his focus left Koenig and rested on the newcomer. "Who are you?"
Koenig backed up and away, close to Helena by the door, and met her eyes very briefly. He did not need to tell her this was Maya in disguise.
"I am Councilor Barbna from Progron."
"I do not know you." Balor said, suspiciously.
"Of course you don't. It's been over a thousand years since your exile. We have grown and prospered as a people since your departure; have reached out to many planets. Until recently we thought you were still imprisoned in your walls of stone." She paused then said, "We mean to put you back there."
"You can try." Balor retorted.
It fascinated Helena that the alien was too caught up in the moment to question Barbna's sudden and unexplained appearance in the conference room. He did not even question her mortality, being far more absorbed in the potential struggle for power against a kinsman. His was an impractical mind, only seeing the sanity his consciousness could produce. While Helena did not feel sorry for him she could compare Balor to those poor men and women she had observed during psychological exercises during her days in university. How strange, she thought, that out here in deep space the indicators were still the same.
Maya had made the call, analyzing Balor's erratic behavior which was vividly displayed on the discs she had watched and listened to in Command Center. With her knowledge of the Progrons, as limited as it was, Maya made a convincing opponent.
But Balor had seen nothing yet.
"You have no authority here, Barbna." He charged.
"I have the authority that Commander Koenig has given to me." She spoke truthfully. Then, "And the backing of Progron, of course. We will not allow you to succeed in destroying these people."
Unseen, Koenig backed up even further and took Helena's hand in his own. He touched a button on his comlock.
"These people are nothing!" Balor shouted.
"No. They are a special something." The woman looked at and touched the compost. There was a grip-rail on this unit, as there was in the technical section in their Eagle hanger. They had been put there for reasons unknown, possibly an early safety issue during the building of Moonbase Alpha. A look at the base's schematic allowed for this fortunate discovery. Barbna, now with a gentle expression far more like Maya's, said: "They saved my life." The woman whispered. She was sorry, despite it all, to extinguish the last of any species of being.
Balor stared at her, confused for a moment but gradually catching on.
Koenig abruptly shouted, "NOW!" and opened the door, rushing he and Helena out of the conference room, shutting it behind them. He pushed another button as he ran with Helena through the corridors.
"John! What about Maya?" Helena cried as he pulled her along.
He did not answer her until they were safely inside a travel tube and even then they were jolted, falling to the floor together, as the conference rooms on the fourth floor blew-out into space. The two life forms of which Room C contained, were caught in the blast, one falling to the lunar surface.
[]
"You are not really from Progron, are you?" Just before the upsurge Balor was stupefied. Too late he realized he was dealing with a Metamorph. He had heard of them but had never actually seen one before. He had underestimated Koenig and his people and it would be for the last time. While Balor stood there, considering what he was going to do to the Alphans, especially to Koenig with whom he felt death to be a kindness, he grew astounded yet again.
Barbna had turned from the tall, wise, gentle councilor into a ghastly beast nearly nine feet tall, with sharp horns and a huge eye in the center of its forehead. It was a distant relation to the Laren, a creäture that lived on Psychon's moon. Unlike the Laren its outer skin was like armor; a head to toe outer shell that would protect it from the wrath of Balor and nearly any blast that came at it. The beast might be jarred, the Psychon underneath slightly injured by the explosion, but she would survive.
Anchored to the compost, Maya held firm, dazed by the eruption that left the conference room as nothing more than a deep alcove. The entire wall that shielded the area from the airless moon was now gone, disintegrated by their laser cannon. Like the Laren, this beast could live without air for an undetermined amount of time. For at least an hour, Maya thought, in her current form.
Maya, now that the lack of atmosphere had stabilized walked dazedly from the room, breathing only the air that she had stored in the creature's body, outside onto the moon. She watched as the orange suited Alphans, six in all, looked down at Balor as he lay unconscious on the face of the moon. He had been nearly blown apart – and that would make their job a little easier.
Alan produced a laser rifle, far more powerful and accurate than the cutting beam on their stun guns. "Let's get this over with." He told the others.
Tony looked up at the alien beast as it stared down at the nearly unrecognizable Balor then at their security chief. "Are you all right?" he asked. Then, at her nod, he said: "Maya, go back into Alpha. Make sure Mathias takes a good look at you." Then, he said, "You don't need to see what is going to happen next, honey."
The creature/Maya concurred and made its way to the airlock that was awaiting her.
Tony was right. She really did not want to witness the dissection of Balor.
[]
Koenig and Helena exited the travel tube and both immediately made their way to the airlock in Section C-3. They were just in time to see Maya, in the airlock, depressurize and return to her original form. When the door opened the Psychon appeared shaken but otherwise physically well.
The security guard manning the airlock told them they were watched during the whole exchange, in Command Center and in other areas, on their compost screens. "It's hard to believe it worked." he said, "But it was ingenious, Commander."
Koenig asked, "How long before the men on the surface finish?"
"Another twenty minutes." The guard replied, a little less jolly. "Balor heals quickly so they're moving as fast as possible."
Helena winced, more from pain than what she knew was happening on the moon's surface. When she and Koenig had fallen to the floor of the travel tube Helena had heard a snap and an intense pain to her right wrist but said nothing, merely holding it, waiting until she was certain Maya was well. She kept it a secret from John, his mind occupied with other matters at the moment, and only when Maya asked her if she was injured did he realize Helena had been hurt.
"I'll go to Medical Center in a minute." She assured both, "But you're sure the others are safe? Balor is under restraint?"
"He cannot be kept under restraints, Helena." Koenig said in a low voice, "But in an airless void he can't do much damage and less so by the time we ..." He trailed off, unhappy with what they were doing but knowing it was the only way to keep his people and others free from the alien's psychosis.
Maya concurred, understanding her Commander's struggle. "We are seeing to it that others through-out the galaxy will never be in peril from Balor again." She said this, remembering the people on the Dorzian the alien had murdered.
They accompanied Helena to Medical Center, Maya also needing an examination, explaining the basis of their unfortunate solution as they walked.
Koenig carefully place a hand on Helena's shoulder. Yes, all was done to save their lives, he knew, but he could not help thinking of his own personal motivation. He did it for his people, of course, and all those in the cosmos - but mostly Balor was meeting his end because of Helena. She would never again be accosted by the alien maniac, threatened or tortured. He had seen to it and that, Koenig considered without guilt, was something he could and always would be grateful for.
[]
"Balor lied about your transport." Alan Carter announced, walking into Command Center, and sitting in the chair next to his console. He brought the picture up on their Big Screen, the Dorzian craft now in their hanger, sitting impressively on a platform. It had been his privilege to bring the spaceship in. "It was programmed to go into deep space but you and Helena would have ended up in the middle of nowhere, John. You would have seen his lie the minute you were to take off and he knew it. I guess it was all a part of his game. Balor had no intention of letting you and Helena go free."
"Bastard." Verdeschi muttered under his breath as he sat in front of his console. He glanced at Maya. If their plan had gone wrong and she had been hurt or died he was not entirely sure what he would have done. Taking a breath he tried to brighten the mood. "Well, if nothing else we have a new craft to analyze, Alan. You and the techs should be entertained for quite some time."
"Yeah," Koenig agreed, also trying to look on the bright side. "You wanted to see inside it, Alan, and now you have all the time in the world."
Carter nodded, please.
Koenig heard the Command Center doors hum behind him and swiveled in his chair to see Helena enter. Her arm was casted and slung and somehow, with her warm smile, she made her injury seem effortless. Still, the bruises on her neck and jaw-line, somewhat faded from the day before, still lingered and he could not help gazing at them as she stood beside him. "When do you return to work, Doctor?" he asked, casually.
"Tomorrow. Seven AM." She reported and added amiably, "Sir."
He chuckled. "Good. I get off at five tonight. We need to spend some time together."
"My place at six then?" She asked then, at his nod added, "I'll have supper waiting."
"Good."
She was about to turn around and leave him to his work when Koenig stood and lifted a hand to hold her arm.
He leaned in and whispered. "Bring salve. I'll apply it to all your hurts."
Helena tried to a hide a chuckle, looking about to see if anyone had heard. "I'm sure you have a few contusions of your own, Commander." She murmured, "I can attend to them as well."
"Oh, I'm fine." He teased.
"Well then, I'll just have to examine you very closely to make absolutely sure."
With that, she turned on her heel and exited, leaving him serenely smiling.
"Commander," Sandra called, "The first three packages have been jettisoned into quadrant G."
Koenig's smile faded. "Has the message been affixed to each?"
"Yes, sir. Quadrant H will be next."
"Is that Dorzian space?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. And we will deliver the assigned package to that area, per your command." she affirmed. Sandra then turned to look at her Commander.
Koenig met her eyes, "Very good, Sahn."
Balor, never a mentally whole being to begin with, would live the rest of his life apart from his body – never to harm another again.
The others did not notice their Commander glancing at the closed doors to Command Center, then to those under his command, the Alphans that worked so hard to keep their moonbase functioning and thriving.
They were good people and worthy of life – and deserving of a home somewhere in the vast universe.
"One day." He whispered, under his breath.
Indeed. One day the Alphans would find their home
[]
Conclusion:
A head without a body floated in an airtight package in what might have been the center of the galaxy. It could not really tell. There were no windows in the container it was forced to live in. It was tighter even than the stone prison its own people had sealed it into.
It was warm but comfortable in this new home. Odd, it thought, to be out in the coldness of space yet feel warmth.
"Koenig," it thought, "You are such a fool. "My body is nothing compared to my glorious brain. You should have destroyed my brain, cut it separately with your primitive devices. As long as my brain lives I will go on forever."
Balor guffawed, listening to the looped message in Koenig's voice repeating over and over how the alien in this box was lethal. It went on to say how he had murdered thousands and should not be trusted. It was like music to its ears.
The warmth about his face was becoming a little less comfortable but Balor did not truly mind it. He would need to get used to it. It might float about the galaxy for hundreds of years before being found. It was not really certain how much time had passed since its divorce from Alpha.
One day, the head vowed, it would find a progressive people who would build it a new body and it would find Moonbase Alpha again. Or, if not Alpha, it would find where the moon people's descendants had finally colonized. It would go to them and reap a harvest of blood, death, and destruction.
Oh, but it did hope Koenig was still alive. Balor could just picture itself destroying all he loved; the moon, moonbase, people … Such splendid chaos! It would wait to destroy Dr. Russell next to last. That way it could force Koenig to observe her agony. Then Balor would watch him suffer all the more. It would be magnificent!
Balor found the warmth of its confined space becoming even harder to endure.
This was a man-made device, it thought. Surely, with its superlative intelligence and the natural gifts it was born with it could break free from the housing and float unrestricted. Balor's mind squeezed and it thought it felt a click move through the device.
"The lock is melting under my mind power." It thought. "Alpha," It pondered, "If I just think of the deception of those people and how I will obliterate them!"
Sweat popped out on Balor's brow as it squeezed again. It sighed in pleasure as the lock gave away.
"I am free!"
And this was the last thought that went through Balor's mind, five hundred years after Alpha propelled his head in the destination of a people he had wronged greatly.
His head, and Balor's immortal brain, melted into nothing as it entered into the Dorzian sun.
Justice: Served.
[]
THE END
Originally written as Alien Return: 1980,
Revised: April 1987.
Rewritten: May of 2013.
