The ship hissed loudly as it touched down on the surface of the barren planet. Darkness was everywhere, the rocky landscape cast shadows as far as the eye could see. The landscape was devoid of life, it was just as Plex had described it, a dead planet. Jiri thought this. The ship came to a halt, the bump causing the crew to lurch forward.
Plex flipped switches as she spoke to Jiri, 'make sure you get the okay from the locals before we can take off again'.
Jiri raised his eyebrows, 'What makes you think there are people here?'.
Plex turned from her seat, 'this planet is a fortress, there are ani-ship batteries all over the place. They are well concealed, so I only saw them as we got really close. Have a look over there'. She pointed out the front windshield towards a nearby rock formation. Jiri focused on the location, and sure enough there was the an anti-ship battery buried within the landscape, the bolts, the smooth metal, the ground was even scarred from previous shots fired. They hand landed so close, there was no doubt it would have been a guaranteed hit if someone decided to fire at them from that range. Plex continued, 'If someone manning that thing saw us coming they could have shot us down very easily. I don't think I'll be comfortable leaving until we find out if someone has their finger on the trigger or not'. Jiri was slightly relieved to hear this, although he would never admit it, the possibility of Plex leaving without them was on his mind when she stated she was staying with the ship.
'Alright, we'll find out who, if anyone, is behind the turret and make sure they are okay with us leaving' Jiri said as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. Plex asked, 'hows the arm?'. Jiri rolled his shoulder in it's joint, it felt slightly stiff, but the arm was definitely usable again. Plex had quite the healing touch. 'Better, thanks' he replied. Plex stood up and pulled a pistol from her belt. She walked right up to Jiri, and put the weapon in his hand. He felt the grip of the pistol and the smooth metal, he couldn't help but notice one side of the pistol was warmer than the other, the side that had been against her body. She added, 'Take this just in case. You need a sidearm, that portable cannon is too cumbersome in close up fights'. Jiri looked at the gun in his hand, 'a gift?'. Plex shook her head, 'a loan, I expect it back'. Jiri felt relief at this, not only was he reassured that Plex wouldn't try to leave, but he was also reassured that she did actually care about him. Well at least she cared about him not dying at any rate. 'Thanks', Jiri added, then with concern in his voice, 'let's hope I don't need it'.
The ships walkway lowered as Jiri and Tyken stepped down towards the dead landscape. Jiri peered at his companion, he could tell that Tyken looked nervous, he was fidgeting and looking around a lot. His feeling of unease transferred towards Jiri. 'Everything alright man?' he asked, his voice genuine with concern. Tyken paused for a beat, '… I have an unsure feeling about something, but I am unable to ascertain what it is'. Jiri begun to look around, he wasn't sure what Tyken might be referring to. But the dangerous terrain they were surrounded by gave way to a certain paranoia. He begun to look around, all while attempting to hide his apprehension. He gripped his rifle tightly, ready to shoot at any moment.
Suddenly Tyken grabbed Jiri's shoulder, staring at a rock formation. Jiri brought his rifle to a firing position as he looked towards the rock formation. He couldn't see anything resembling a threat however, it was unsure what Tyken was hesitating for. Tyken called out, 'hello? Is someone there? Please, we do not mean any harm'.
A shadow begun to move from behind the rocks. As the shadow moved towards them it became a figure. A small figure, it was hunched over, hobbling towards them. As the distance became shorter, Jiri could see that it was a small alien in a purple robe. 'Greetings travelers' a voice from the figure, a clear crisp voice, almost like music. 'Why have you come to visit our humble planet? We do not often get visitors'.
'I…', Tyken's words trailed off, he was unsure how to answer the question. 'I am looking for answers'. The figure looked up, showing his alien face, although Jiri wasn't sure from what race he was, he had strange glowing eyes, but most of his other features were cloaked in blackness. The small alien responded, 'aah answers. We all are looking for answers in one form or another, we just need to ensure that we ask the correct questions, don't we?'.
Tyken was taken aback, unsure what this cryptic reply might mean, or even if this alien was going to be able to help him or not. He pressed his inquiry onward, 'I am looking for information, I believe myself to be a test subject from a space station. It is named station Omega. It is located within - ', the alien raised it's hand, cutting him off, 'please say no more, I shall take you to our temple. I am unsure if it will provide you with your answer or simply more questions, but it is undoubtedly what has lead you to us'. Jiri felt that this was not the reason they were here. He approached the alien to speak his mind, 'look gramps, we are not here for sightseeing, we're here to find out what has happened to my friend here'. The figure looked Jiri in the face. He then started to approach Jiri, getting very close. Jiri though for a moment he might try to touch his face. The alien was repulsive, Jiri cold smell him, it smelt like burnt flesh. The alien studied Jiri's face, then suddenly the neutral expression on his face turned to one of surprise. The figure suddenly was filled with enthusiasm and disbelief 'It is you!'. Jiri was stunned by this sudden enthusiasm, was this simply more cryptic behavior? Or maybe this alien was insane?, 'umm… you know me? Look, you might have me confused with someone else'. The figure shook his head with vigor, 'no, it is you. You who will deliver us from evil! Who will make right the wrongs! You who are our salvation!'. Jiri looked at this small figure, this alien was clearly insane. Right? He looked at Tyken for an explanation of some kind, Tyken looked at Jiri and shrugged, apparently he was also at a loss to explain this strange behavior. The peculiar little alien begun to play host, enthusiastically imploring, 'Please, come to the temple, it would be an honor for us to accommodate the descendant of the chosen one and his companion!'. He took Jiri's hand and lead him forwards. Tyken followed closely behind. Jiri inquired, 'well, you got a name?'. The figure continued to walk as he replied, 'in the common tongue I am called Xhal, now please, let us continue'.
They traversed the rocky formations, into valleys and caves, turning and winding. Jiri wondered several times if they may be lost, but the hunched little guide did seem to know where he was going. After perhaps an hour they reached a giant cave inside of a mountain. 'This is your temple?' asked Jiri, disbelief evident in his voice. 'It is our sacred ground, where we pay our respects to the gods'. As Xhal spoke of gods, his voice was full of admiration and conviction. Jiri begun to wonder of the sanity of this small alien, were they really going to find any kind of answers here? They were led them into the cave. Jiri whispered to Tyken, 'you really think we are going to be able to find help here? He seems more interested in his beliefs than in us, and he's crazy to boot'. Tyken answered, 'he is most certainly pious, but that does not mean that he will not be able to assist us with what we are looking for'. Tyken apparently was willing to do whatever it took to find out the answers he was looking for. The whole situation put Jiri in a state of unease, he find himself gripping the pistol that Plex give him for comfort.
As they went deeper into the cave, the walls became illuminated with blue light. They were covered in carvings and markings. Some of them looked like planets, others depicted long necked aliens, large ships, complex writing. Jiri was looking all around the walls at these strange markings, as he did, more figures in robes appeared. All of their eyes seemed to be upon him and it created yet a greater feeling of unease. Jiri could hear them whispering among themselves, 'it's him', 'the prophet', 'our savior'. Jiri felt like the walls were closing in, he really didn't want to be in this apparent temple any longer. He decided to get an explanation from their new guide. 'Look' he begun as he spoke to Xhal, we appreciate what your trying to do for us, but we really need information about my friend, not about whatever passes for faith around these parts'. Xhal replied, 'Information will be given, through your ears and through your eyes. What you choose to do with the information is your prerogative'. Jiri felt his face scrunch up in frustration, apparently a straight answer was too much to ask for. But whatever this little game was, they were going to have to play it to make this trip worth it.
After taking them through various rooms and halls, Xhal led them into a vast chamber. 'This', the hooded alien said aloud, 'is our most holy shrine'. Jiri looked towards the center of the room, a strange device was there. It was very large, it had several chambers that looked like they housed people. The doors to these chambers were made of glass, they were currently empty. 'The gift of the gods', Xhal continued in admiration.
Xhal continued his proclamation, 'the gods were great beings, they held a great power, perhaps the greatest power in the galaxy, the power to create life'. Jiri looked at the walls in the chamber. The long necked aliens… he had read about aliens like this before. These aliens were from the planet Kimino… cloners. 'The gods would use their power to assist others in their endeavors, a great amount of good was done through their great gifts. But there those of great evil who would ask gifts from the gods for the purposes of evil. They asked of the gods a gift that could be used for the purposes of war'. Jiri felt the hair stand on the back of his neck, he knew what he was talking about, 'your taking about the clone wars'. The alien nodded. 'The clone wars are what the galaxy calls the events that were set in motion by the gods creation. They used their great gift to create a legion of men, men that were to be used for the good and protection of everyone. But evil was able to deceive the galaxy. The warring armies were but puppets, the purpose of which was to consolidate power. The gods gift was successful in their purpose, all opposition they faced was eliminated and power consolidated. At the head of that power however, evil rested, evil that realized that the only threat left to challenge them were the gods themselves'. Jiri moved to a section of wall that depicted large ships over a planet. The ships were firing down upon the planet. 'A planetary bombardment was set upon the planet Kimino. They set their great starships upon the planet'. Jiri ran his fingers along the wall where giant ships were blasting the planet with laser fire. 'It took time' continued the alien, 'but in the end the gods were destroyed by the very flame they had created'. The alien hung his head, it was evidently a somber moment to reflect on.
The alien lifted his head and continued, 'Some of the gods were able to escape the doom of their planet however, they scattered across the galaxy to different parts. Some were even able to escape with holy relics, such as the one in the center of this room'. Jiri looked towards the device, 'this is a cloner?'. The alien replied, 'it is part of a whole, this part is the book. Other parts are the arm, the sword, there are perhaps other parts. The fact is that we cannot understand the will of the gods, nor do we fully understand the relics and their true power'.
Tyken approached Xhal, his aggressive posture communicated his frustration, 'None of this explains what was done to me. We mentioned to you that we have come seeking answers, I need to understand what was being done to me, why I was being experimented on and tortured'. Xhal's head hung low. 'I am afraid I cannot provide you with the answers you seek'. He looked at Tyken directly in the eye, 'all I can tell you is that you are a marked man, you reek of death. If you live, you will kill everyone you ever cared about'. Tyken's jaw dropped, then fury took over, 'you little weasel! I came here for answers and all you provide me with is ridicule and nonsense! I will not stand here and listen to you any longer'. He turned and stormed out of the room, pulling his cloak over his head. Jiri turned to Xhal, unsure of how to react. 'You must follow him', the alien implored. 'You who are our savior, you have hardships ahead of you, but you must prevail for the good of everyone. Deliver us from evil'. The alien turned and walked away into the shadows, leaving Jiri completely confused. He looked at Tyken leaving down the long corridor of the cave. He took to running after his companion.
By the time Jiri reached Tyken they were out of the cave. Jiri was catching his breath as Tyken fumed, 'a complete waste of time, religious gibberish, nonsense and empty banter', he was pacing in fury as he spoke. Jiri couldn't help but try to lighten the situation, 'so you didn't find what you were after then I take it?'. Tyken shot Jiri an angry look, after a few moments he couldn't help but give a feint smile. 'Let us return to the spacecraft, hopefully our new friends are still waiting', Jiri added, 'yeah, here's hoping'. They begun the long trek back to the ship. After a little while Tyken asked, 'are you sure we are going the right direction?'. Jiri replied, 'yeah man, I'm a tracker remember? This is what I do'. Suddenly a ship came down from the skies. It was moving incredibly fast, and it seemed to be heading right for where Jiri and Tyken were. It pulled up very close to them and landed on a flat area of the rocky surface. The walkway came down and it's occupant emerged. The figure was tall, wearing a hooded robe… and a mask. Jiri felt his anger rise to the surface. The figures sharp metallic voice sounded unmistakably thought the air, 'hello my wayward experiment. It's taken me a while to find you…'.