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  “Collectors” by Foxfeather and Kelara/Anastasia   (for the email address see the author's page)
Part 4 written by:  Kelara/Anastasia
All persons mentioned here are property of their respective owners. Earth: Final Conflict © Tribune Entertainment Co., Lost Script Prod. Inc., Atlantis Films und VOX. Please don't publish this story without permission of the authors.
 

 

COLLECTORS

Chapter 4

 

The “Unity” was on her way to Zelar, a planet which had been badly influenced by the Taelon-Jaridian war.
Its black Jaridian and grey human parts were melted into a big ship formed like typical human ships with a narrow beginning and ending and in the middle-section a larger part. Curvy, round light-blue structures peeped out from time to time, able to fit into every form and on every place. The ship was small, there were only the bridge, the machine room and the sleep cabins for every passenger but also a kind of kitchen and a computer room with tables and couches to sit together or to play some games, not to forget a conference room where representatives of the hurt peoples and the crew could meet as well as the Taelon passengers could hold meetings with the Synod and there was a special room for Jaridians and Humans to practice their religions. The rooms itself were large so that everybody of the crew had enough private sphere if needed.
Since Sandoval had announced their arrival in a short period of time, Da'an had withdrawn himself in his cabin. Lili had followed him and now laid close beside him on the narrow bed. She simply held him in her arms so that Da'an could collect strength for the meeting with the Zelash people on Zelar. She tenderly stroked his back and did not notice Dru who watched them through the virtual glass which shut off the bed to a little chamber. Dru sighed yearningly. She thought of Zo'or, her favourite Taelon. She now was his protector, meant she was responsible for his life. And she would carefully watch over him, over her favourite Taelon. Dru gave a short laugh, that was the way her mother called him. He was the Taelon she liked most. Da'an and Qa'vra were nice as well but Zo'or was more like her. Not this calm and thought-out but impulsive and ready for every trick ( or quarrel ). What was he doing now? He certainly was in the navigation central. She stood up from her own bed and went to the bridge. Zo'or had insisted on a chair in the Taelon-typical bio-mimicry style. There he sat at the moment she arrived but disappointed, Dru noticed that he was strangely absent. His eyes were closed and his skin gleamed in a light blue. She did not know that Zo'or was mentally concentrated on Da'an. He watched every tiny change in mood of him. Da'an searched his comfort and Zo'or gave him as much as he could. He was the only one on this ship who really knew what Da'an as former commander had done to the Zelashiards. Qa'vra could imagine it but only knew the results as well. Zo'or as his pupil had experienced all actions of him towards the Zelash people. He felt Lili Marquette's presence with Da'an and was glad his parent had found such a strong hold in her.
Dru turned, ignoring Sandoval's odd gaze. She went to Qa'vra who welcomed her with a slight smile in her cabin. She was counsellor on the ship and Dru needed someone to get rid of her boredom and her frustration of this travel. There had simply nothing exciting happened until now. Her friends Jade, Jenn and Seven had terribly envied her but hitherto she couldn't find any trace of adventure and fun. She had imagined it so wonderful. Together with Zo'or on this space ship. Yes, he sometimes was a real beast and then she could scrape out his eyes what she verbally did. But another time he was so sweet that she had regretted not be able to look into his bright blue eyes anymore. He had become a real good friend for her even though ... she felt her cheeks getting hot ... her friends always teased her about having a crush or so but they just had no idea. Herself and a Taelon, as a pair of lovers, she couldn't even imagine this, okay sometimes she could ... when she laid awake in her bed at night ... perhaps ... or not ... But that wasn't the matter. She wanted to have fun and get to know something new. She sighed. She had only seen this ship until now and even Zo'or was kind of strange. Qa'vra smiled at her. “You seem to be bored, Dru.” - ” Hm”, Dru growled in approval. “Why don't you acquire knowledge when all the other passengers are busy? The database is full with information of many human, Taelon and Jaridian fields. You surely find something you do not know yet.” Dru followed this thought, the proposal wasn't bad. “Or you could familiarise with your skrill.” - “Yeah, thank you Qa'vra! You've brought up a good idea!” she grinned and hurried to a computer. “Taelon and Jaridian knowledge” she murmured to herself “Let's see what I will find about Zo'or!”
The engineers on board seemed to do not know boredom. Their loud laughter was to be heard in the whole ship. They thought about improvements for the “Unity” which they could make on their long travel. Augur and Do'pac had obviously the same humour and achieved that even Qu'ul couldn't suppress a slight smile.
However, Ter'kozz and his brother U'math were so stunned that they could only shake their heads. They had searched for Zelar in the databases of the ship. They found much, starting with the discovery of the planet by the Taelons till its almost total destruction by the Jaridians. It was not believable that nearly three-quarters of all Zelashiards had been used as canon fodder and even more unbelievable how sadistic Fa'loth as simple captain of the planet destructor “Tozar” had bombarded the planet and killed the Zelashiards. Fa'loth had wanted to destroy them so much that they could never ever be used as a help in war by the Taelons. An intention he had followed to its last consequence and that he had reached. Even Agent Sandoval startled when he got the first scanning results of the planet. Its surface seemed to consist of dust only and its atmosphere was yellowish muddy. On this planet lived ... Sandoval swallowed ... five million Zelashiards. An unimaginable low number for a whole planet. After the database it had been two milliards on the Taelons' arrival. So many killed by the Taelons, the Jaridians and by what else?

 
* * *
 

In the center of the space watch station of Zelar reigned turmoil. Princess Quazil and her brother Vanon inspected the indications again and again. Finally Quazil's voice was to be heard. “I had thought they would leave us alone!” The proud figure of the princess scanned the ship again. “They have changed. I'm sure they have stolen not only the freedom but also the technique from another species. The ship even seems to be Jaridian in a way.”
Vanon looked quietly at his sister. He understood the disdain in her voice. His own one would not sound different if he spoke now. Her five tentacles twitched restlessly through the air and her body had taken a violet-green colour, anger and fear were united in her. She would not find calm until the Taelons had left this sector.
They still shared responsibility for their people but tomorrow Quazil would be crowned to the Queen of Zelar. Their mother Slivar had died some weeks ago. Her death had been foreseeable. A sandstorm some hundred kilometres away in the “desert of death” had brought particles of poisoned dust to the new capital of Zelar. Many Zelashiards had died and even the Queen had inhaled the dust. The dust was contaminated. It radiated because of the laser shots of the Jaridians. It radiated so strongly that one single grain was enough to cause a viscous slime which covered the inner body so that ill people died in a short period after inhaling.
The “desert of death” had been the most populated area of Zelar, had been the Zelash capital. Actually, the whole planet radiated but its impact depended on the strength of radiation. The stronger the bombardment had been, the higher was the present danger of an area.
Their doctors had no possibilities to help ill people. Since the Jaridians' attack there was hardly any vegetation on the planet and so there were nearly no animals still living. All edible plants were needed for the Zelashiards. They had laid out plantations which were irrigated with water from hundreds of metres in the depth. Actually, all inhabitants suffered hunger and the royal family built no exception. They had more than others but gave so much that htey themselves did not really get satisfied. Without flora and fauna there was almost no medicine but they tried to get everything possible out of this endless desert.
“What about the coronation?” asked Vanon who meanwhile had become red. His sister thought about it for a moment. “We will carry it out. Zelar needs ONE representative of its interests. You understand, Vanon?” - “Of course! Besides, it does not matter for me if you get crowned tomorrow or later. The decision its done and I stand behind you with all my support and loyalty.” Quazil smiled gratefully at him and her tentacles softly touched his ones.
The computer gave a new report. There were less pikiruas harvested than one year ago and already then it had not been enough. It were some kind of bacteria. They procreated very fast and loved a hot and wet climate. But without warmth and water the pikirua-plants could not grow. So the engineers had laid out little fields and between them biological barriers. If one field was seized, it was abandoned and the bacteria could not get over the hot, dusty way to the next fenced field. Because of unexplainable reasons it happened sometimes.
Quazil gave a short, bitter laugh. What irony! They had highly efficient computers and enough energy to use them because of the hot, intense radiation of their sun but there was a lack of food and place to live.
“Vanon! Activate our defence!” Her brother nodded confirmingly. “And we will not answer, at least not before the coronation has passed.” She saw the agreement in her brother's eyes.

 
* * *
 

Conference on the “Unity”. Sandoval started to evaluate the scanning results. “At the moment there are about five million Zelashiards living on Zelar. They concentrate on one quarter of the planet's surface. The rest seems to be poisonous for the Zelash inhabitants.”
“And what about our crew?” Dru asked concerned. “We don't know this because we can only notice a strong radiation and because our crew consists of many different species.” Okay, that was stored. Dru wouldn't let Zo'or step on to those areas, no matter what would happen.
“What radiation is it?” U'math asked suspiciously. Sandoval showed him the scanning results. U'math caught his breath, his brother Ter'kozz beat his fist onto the table, his shaquarava glowed. “Fa'loth has used the planet as an experiment.” U'math stayed silent. Both Jaridians felt the glances of the others on themselves. U'math explained “In the past our race had developed a new weapon. She worked with high pressure to smash structures like houses and with extremely concentrated energy in form of Berellion-radiation. We did not know to this time about the consequences of this radiation but there were wide-spread experiments with it. When we recognised the effects on our own race this weapon got prohibited and was never used again after it.”
Da'an looked unbelievingly at U'math. “The Jaridians used Berellion-radiation?” he faltered and his voice was shaking when he asked “Since when?” - “The first experiments started short before the war's outbreak.”
“Before the war”, Da'an whispered. “On Taelons as well?” U'math stuttered unsteady. “I ... I don't know.”
Qa'vra had lost her facade and seemed to lose her balance.
“Da'an, why do you ask this?” did Zo'or demanded to know. But his parent could not speak and only shook his head.
After a while of total silence Da'an said “War is over now. We should continue with the evaluation. Agent Sandoval.” He gave his present protector a sign with his head.
Sandoval cleared his throat. “Besides I noticed that the Zelash population assembles on one point. There are some kinds of mountains and a wide plateau. Has anyone a suspicion why they are doing so?” All eyes went to Da'an. His features stayed controlled and emotionless. “I do not have any, Agent Sandoval.”
“There are large areas which are planted but this place lays in the contrary direction to those plantations.” Sandoval said helplessly. Everything was quiet.
“Additonally, we are sending greetings to the planet for hours now. They seem to be received but nobody answers.” - „The Zelash technique is far enough developed for that, Agent Sandoval.” Zo'or established factually.
“Continue sending on all frequencies, Agent. We will stay in the orbit of Zelar. And inform the crew as soon as something is changing.” Sandoval looked at the others. No one replied. “Yes, Sir.”
Everybody stood up from his chair. Da'an, Qa'vra, Qu'ul and Ter'kozz and U'math stayed on their places. The Taelons absent and motionless, crying loudly in their mind, so loud that Zo'or jerked. The Jaridians depressed and with a feeling of guilt.
The Berellion-radiation had become the disaster of both races.

 

 

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