Chapter 3: A Plot Unfolds

Krayantixx Galaxy: Planet Auznath

A cloaked figure deftly avoided the security systems in a research facility located on the jungle planet of Auznath. Not that it was any challenge. The scientists there depended more on the natural dense jungle for protection than missiles or lasers. When the thief first got the call for this job, he thought that the client was joking. No one willingly went to Auznath. It was infested with all manner of creatures and had almost zero valuable resources. But bolts were bolts. No matter how crazy the client was.

Then again, he seemed pretty eager to get this whatever it is. He thought to himself. Perhaps the planet's pure repulsiveness was the perfect protection for whatever treasure lay hidden in the facility. He stretched his back before leaping up onto a ledge above him and scaling a tower-like structure inside a large, cavernous room. When he reached the top, he found two scrawny nerds absorbed by the screens in front of them. The cloaked thief dispatched them quickly by knocking them out, murder wasn't his style, at least when he wasn't getting paid to.

In between the two computer terminals was a display case that had been hooked up to several different scanners and recording devices. No doubt the scientists were still trying to figure out what it was. As he approached, the thief was surprised to see that his target was...a necklace. He wasn't sure what it was all about, but he knew not to underestimate small things. He carefully released it from the canister and stashed it in the briefcase his client gave him. As he stared at it, chills were sent down his back. Something about it didn't sit well with him. He shrugged off the feeling and decided that it was time to leave the base before any more security got wind of his heist.

Several hours later, the scientists came to and were alarmed when they saw that the Jewel of Fate was missing. One was a shorter alien with a bluish complexion, while the other was lankier with long yellow hair. The former helped his partner up before he spoke.

"Damn it all. I thought Neutron Inc. said that no one knew we were here," he said with a gruff.

"Well Gorin, what are we going to do, if that jewel gets in the wrong hands..." the taller one said.

"Well, it's not. You know just as well as I do that only one of the royal blood-line of Marukar can use it. And they're all dead now. The most damage that thing can do is be a small explosive. A rather expensive one anyway." he turned on his terminal to initiate a holo-link. "If I were you, I'd be more concerned about our jobs. Neutron had to pay that old windbag ex-politician through the nose to get him to give up that darn necklace. They're not going to be happy that their latest research project has been stolen." the one named Gorin explained. Even though he was concerned for his job, he was still excited at the thought of being able to leave the horrid planet. Five months they had been stuck there studying the gem's power signatures for any possible new breakthroughs in energy efficiency or output that Neutron Power Inc could then incorporate into its next line of products. And for all of those five months nothing happened.

"But, the legends, Gorin. All that stuff that the guy had warned about..." the taller, younger scientist said.

"Hal, quit being a superstitious idiot and remember the science. For five months that gem didn't do anything spectacular for us despite the barrage of tests that we ran on it every day. What the heck is some crazy yahoo going to use it for? It was probably stolen for its material value. Not any stupid legend."

Gorin reached a connection with their superior. He and his partner Hal were then faced with a very angry CEO who ordered them to go back to their HQ until further orders were given. Which, he hinted, might very well be the termination of their employment.

Planet Evukar

The tall figure took another glance at the controls and displays before him. All the readings were within their normal ranges. The many lights and buttons all giving off a comfortable glow. The man took a sigh of relief. His life's work was safe for now. He exited the cavernous room that held the central mainframe and walked down the hall to Her room. He was quite tall and spindly with a greyish tone to his skin. Two yellow eyes gleamed in his skull staring straight ahead as his four hands were clasped behind his back in thought. The figure wore a long robe that had once been the fashion of the day, but time had taken its toll as many of the adornments and decorative elements were missing or damaged. What was left of his hair draped down his back, and he wore a tailored hat to match the aging ensemble.

He stopped in front of an archway where a door once was, but now a bundle of coils and cords snaked into the space. The room looked to be a normal little girl's room...once upon a time. There were remnants of its past; a dollhouse forgotten in the corner, a sparse bookshelf with painted flowers, a table and chair set which might have once held a tea party, but now held lab equipment. Where a small girl's bed might have been, stood a tall cylinder chamber. Inside, a young woman floated in a blue liquid. She was a different alien than the robed figure, featuring pale pinkish skin, pointed ears, and a long thin tail. Her entire left arm and lower right leg had been amputated long ago and replaced with cybernetics. It seemed that she was under a state of suspended animation.

"Ah, Andromeda," he said, greeting the owner of the room. "You are as lovely as ever. I take it today went well?" he said though he didn't wait for her to answer. "I've come to tuck you in dear. Shall I read your favorite book?" and with that he grabbed one of the books from the shelf and read a children's fairy tale about far-off lands where a beautiful princess awakes to the kiss of a brave knight. Once he finished, he checked the readings on the chamber, kissed the glass close to her head, and walked back to the control room where he laid on a cot and closed his eyes.

His dreams took him to a time before the Incident. He, his wife, and Andromeda. All happy and healthy. Their home had once been of gleaming halls filled with the brightest minds in the galaxy. Filled with elegance and enlightenment, their lives almost matched the ones from Andromeda's story books. If only he hadn't been so foolish, so naïve, then maybe, just maybe, his family wouldn't have been broken. But his mind couldn't dwell on the past, only the now. Now it was imperative that Andromeda was kept alive, and kept hidden.

Now, Former Prime Minister Erus of Imperial Evukar had to live out the rest of his lonely life in darkness. He had been relegated to history; forgotten. And for his plans, it was probably for the best. But oh, what he wouldn't give if just to do things over, to not make the fatal mistake of underestimating his colleague. To prevent the literal and metaphorical fire that consumed his wife, and almost his precious daughter as well. Though, that will all soon come to an end as the other factors were falling into place. Yes, it was almost time for her to wake up, secure the artifact, and then Erus would be able to pass on and join his wife once more.

But there was still one last piece of his plan that needed to fall into place, one last sticky web to weave to ensnare his rival after all these years. Similar to the robed alien, Erus' nemesis had also gone into hiding, no doubt to regroup and secretly grow his power once more. Erus had The Gem, he had Andromeda, but he didn't have him. His sacrifices all these years would amount to nothing if he didn't meet his fate. He stalked the halls of his once-grand home, racking his mind for a solution when a beeping from his communicator notified that he had a new message from Neutron Power Inc. Finally

Erus later sat in his office. The room was also covered with dust being that the last time he had been there was when he had signed his family's fate. The large heavy desk stood foreboding in the middle. Tall windows covered the expanse of the outward facing wall. It was late at night, and a storm was brewing. Erus pulled the shades, turned on his desk lamp, and called the Neutron representative back. The small, bug-eyed alien nervously informed Erus that an intruder had broken into their facility and stolen the artifact that he had loaned them. Erus hid the small smile that formed on his face, and thanked the representative for their assurances that those responsible for the lapse in security would be dealt with appropriately before he ended the call. He knew this would happen, planned on it even.

After tapping a few keys on his keyboard, Erus was able to see the face of the thief from the perspective of the gem. He ran the individual's photo through his database and received an answer on who it was that his adversary had hired to do his dirty work. Satisfied with his research, Erus killed the connection between the gem and his systems. He didn't want him to seek Erus or his daughter out just yet. But that still left the fact that Erus knew it would happen eventually, probably as soon as this gem was delivered. He needed to figure out a way to track down his nemesis while throwing him off to his own trail as well. He started to think deeply about what he needed to do. There was only one thing that he knew would guarantee his adversary to tip his hand. But the chances of Erus finding such bait in this galaxy where next to none. So close, and yet so far away...

"Far…away..." he mumbled to himself. "Yes..." Perhaps an old friend from a far-off galaxy could help. Erus briefly felt a small pang of guilt, realizing that this meant sentencing his friend to a cruel death. But he shook off the feeling as he reminded himself that it was necessary. His eyes squinted in steely determination as he made up his mind. He would have to call his friend Max back to the Krayantixx galaxy in order to lure him out. But of course, he couldn't just come out and say that he needed Max as live bait. No, he'd have to come up with a ruse, another web. Something that would pique Max's interest…

Of course, the project. Erus thought as he started up his hologram recorder. Asking Max for his help once more on a project that he knew he could not ignore would be the perfect cover. Erus cleared his throat, and started his message, "This message is for Max Apogee of the Centurion Apogees. Max...the years have not been kind to me...but it is Erus. I hope that your brilliant mind has served you well in Polaris. But I must ask you to come back. Our project...has run into a problem. I need to replace my entire energy grid or else our efforts all those years ago will have been for naught. Please respond quickly." with that, he sent the message to the last known address of Max Apogee, his Space Station.