Auria

Chapter 27 - Worries? Not Me

Sot and 238 chatted with Aelion while the rest left to inspect the facility.  The Gen-clone cautiously inspected the room as an interested ape asked questions.

“Why are there so many alien species here?” asked Sot.
“Because the Maker has deemed it necessary to protect those endangered by the Nine.”  Aelion approached the wall and waved a hand.  “The Nine are the separate races whom control this galaxy.”  A spiraling ring of tiny stars appeared in the center of the room between the two.  “They are highly advanced and have little regard for the planets they oversee.  They do not allow other, sentient species to develop.”  The sprawling stars became broken up into nine sections, each bearing a different color and a face to each color.  “They believe low-level sentients only destroy, disallowing evolution to further their worlds.  In other words...”

238 walked into the spiraling dots and waved, spinning around to play with millions of pretty stars.  The images moved as he opened hands and spun.  He cupped a handful of stars, grunted and threw them into Sot's face, then jumped with hands in the air.

“They ruin their own homes.” said Sot.  “Why didn't the Nine help everyone else to evolve?”
“Because they do not care as the Maker cares, for anyone else.”
“This Maker, is he the little one who brought us here?”
“No-one knows what the Maker looks like.” said Aelion.  “The one who brought you to this sanctuary works for the Maker, as I do.”
“Where do we go now?  I mean, is there somewhere we can rest?”
“There are facilities for each of you.”  The hologram shown small, white, domed-shaped homes in rows, each row differentiated by size.  “But, you no longer require rest.  The natural radiation of this place constantly regenerates cells, restoring natural beauty.  It even ensures sleep is no longer a necessity.”  The hologram revealed cells halting division, glowing in regenerative radiation.
“Damn.  I'll miss sleep.”  Sot turned and peeked to his reflection in the glass.  The monkey smiled several times, bearing brown teeth in the partial mirror.  “What about food?”
“There's no need to eat, here.”
“You have got to be s***ting me.”
“I assure you, I do not s***.”
“You wouldn't.” said Sot, glinting teeth once more into the reflective glass.  He breathed deeply, puffed out his chest and flexed non-existent muscles, causing them to burp and build in mass – via gulps of air.  Sot exhaled, shrinking muscles back to normal size and farting wildly through a red buttocks.  A snarl of relief rose to sheen narrow cheekbones.  His face flashed red, changing to reflect the one from Aelion across the room, fanning.

Gen followed Auria, both searching the roomfuls of flowers from ceiling to floor.  A hanging fruit caught Auria's eye.  She picked it and bit into an oozing pile of dust.

“Do you see?” said Gen.  “I can't stand it here.”
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“I don't care for beauty.  I need food... and, I want vengeance.”
“Why do you suddenly want to avenge anyone?”  She grabbed Gen's throat, pulling him closer, growling.  “You asked your clones to die for me.  Not cool.”
“I have no care for them, personally.  It's a matter of principal.”
“You care, or you wouldn't want vengeance.”
“Computer.  Do I care?”
The female voice answered after some hesitation.  “Historical references reveal Master Gen cares for no one, other than himself.  He lacks morality, generosity, love, understanding, reason...”
“Computer...” he shouted.
“No 'bleeps' were given by Master Gen.” said the female voice.
“How about, I go my way... and you go yours.” said Auria.
“Alright with me.  I'll see you... when I see you, I guess.”
“Fine.”  She lashed out across the room, Gen following.  “Where are you going?” she grunted.
“There's only one path from here.” he said, opening a hand to the doorway, demonstrating another double-meaning.

Auria continued to tour the glass building.  The different flowers each bore smells unlike anything she'd ever experienced.  Some grew upside down, some rose skyward and dripped flowers from long vines.  Some were entirely made of flowers which popped back inside when she neared them, puffing out a sick-smelling odor.  In a room she recognized from first entering, she noticed movement in the large, empty case.  Auria pecked on the shiny glass, remembering being tricked by the barking, telepathic plant.

“That was awesome.” said tiny Loof, laying atop a disheveled vine.  “Carnivorous plants are to die for.”  The baby monkey picked its gleaming gums with a long, white tooth draped in red and smiled, showing his own.  “Do I have anything in my teeth?”
“Master Gen can be so stubborn.” she said.  “Is there anything he care for in this life?”

Loof's eyes perked when talking about Gen.  It ran toward the glass and curled a claw, etching the hard substance and punching it out with a fist.  The glass fell, leaving an exit just large enough for itself.

“If there's anything, I'd say it's his own pride.” said Loof.  “He won't be outdone and you can't make him do anything he doesn't want to do.”
“Why won't he listen to anyone else?”
“He will.  Just yell for help and see what happens.”
“Help?”
“He lives to prove himself.” said Loof, climbing down and allowing Auria to pick it up.  She pulled Loof against her bosom, high enough to hear the monkey while speaking softly.  “Master Gen never had a daughter.  It's a different feeling, I suppose.”
“You and your parent, Sot, have a strange relationship.  You're not even close.”
“I spent 35 years inside Sot.  We're so close, it hurts.  We need time now, to go our separate ways.  To become individuals again.”
“What if,” said Auria, “Gen spent all those years parenting clones and needs time to himself.  But, he should care for them, more than he does.”
“Gen is unpredictable.  Remember, he never asked to parent those clones.  Their Mother is the Pravan Empire, not a human female.”
“Makes sense.” said Auria, returning to the entrance carrying a snoozing Loof.  Sot noticed the baby in her arms and smiled, leaving his conversation with Aelion to wait.  “Question.” she said.  “Where's Gen?”

Master Gen marched through the streets.  Rows of curious onlookers began to follow him as he walked - a serious look in his eyes - a tainted demeanor to his gate.

“What's going on?” asked most of the alien bystanders amongst themselves.  No-one dared to question Gen, his motives nor intentions.  Finally, seeing a huge, concrete stage, he ran up the ramp and stopped to stare at the growing crowd of followers.  Hundreds of alien species grouped around the stage vying for the chance to hear Gen.

“My name is Gen'ichi Yamagata.” he began.  “If you haven't heard of me, well, that's your loss.”  He began to take notice of the larger beasts gathering in back.  Some were fifty times his size, some flew in and landed, some marched in on the backs of others.  “Maybe it's time we had a conversation about why we're here and where we're going.” he continued.  “I am at war with the Pravan Empire.”  The crowd gasped.  “They are currently looking for me and will stop at nothing to find me.”  The crowd gasped again.  “I've destroyed their ships and I've made them bleed.”  Several in the crowd huffed and laughed.  “I'm not finished.” he said.

“How could you... hurt them?” yelled a bystander.  “None of us could stop any of the Nine from taking our worlds.”  “They are Gods,” yelled another, “you can't hurt the Gods.”  “They're not Gods, they're demons.” yelled a third.  “You're an idiot if you think you can stop them.”

Gen held one arm in the air, closed eyes and meditated, slowing down his heart-rate amid the screaming and yelling he'd started among the crowd.  In a few seconds, he opened eyes, black as night and unceasingly distant.  Viewing the crowd through the dark flash of an awakened madness, he ran the ramp toward one of the naysayers and pulled an appendage skyward.  He grabbed another, doing the same, each one in the first line raising a right arm high in the air when he'd finished.

No-one knew what happened, none suspected or moved to stop Gen because it simply wasn't foreseen.  It was an impossibility, what he had done during his sudden burst of speed.  Gen felt the boom of a single heart-beat, and so, began his descent from a self-promoting grace.  He stood silent in front of the masses.  With his gift expired, he raised an arm and shouted.

“Who's with me?  Who will fight with me?”

The line of alien beings in the front row all began to look to one another, each with arms raised.  “How can this be?” asked one.  “What happened?” asked another.  “How did he move so fast?”

“I can do something about that.” said Gen.  “But, you're going to have to trust me.”
“We won't be taken by trickery.” said one.  “You will bring them to our paradise and they will destroy us all.” said another.
“What is paradise?” asked Gen.  “A man who isn't free to do as he likes is a prisoner.  You are all prisoners here.  Follow me, and I offer you freedom before death.  The choice is yours.”
“Death is more like it.” said a large beast in the rear, its loud, booming voice silencing the crowd.
“How many years have you contemplated revenge?” Gen continued.  “You can't deny it.  You want to taste revenge so badly, but you've grown accustomed to sitting on your asses and living like... slaves.”
“We've each lost everything.” yelled one.
“Then let's take it back... or die trying.”
“You talk a good talk, but how do we know this isn't a trick?” asked one.
“I'll prove my worth to you.  Get me off this hell-hole planet and I'll prove my worth... by destroying something they hold dear to them.”
“What could you possibly do?”
“Attack the Pravan home-world.” said Gen, scanning the audience.
“There is a way.” said one, walking toward the front.  “There is a being in the mountains who can do many things.”  Gen slid across the distance using the gift and re-appeared holding the alien by the throat.  The crowd gasped.  As Gen's time using his gift of death expired, black pupils gazed into the green-skinned, huge-eyed reptilian, causing an uneasy fear in itself and those standing close by.  “There is a way.” it whispered, Gen's hand slowly loosening hold of its neck.  “He can sail through the void and take you where it is you need to go.”

“Take me to him.” said Gen.

A blue portal sprang open atop the concrete stage.  Bob's ship appeared, floating out of the mesmerizing, blue mist and touched landing pads to solid ground.  The ramp opened, Bob standing at the end, slowly traversing the way to his perch atop the concrete stage.

Bob took two steps forward from his ramp and halted, held one hand outstretched and defiantly said the word.

“Nooooo!”