In Search of the Alter Dom (2 page)

In the dim and distant Fourth Quadrant, the mysterious
Shi-Larriss
and the elusive willow-the-wisp
Jinnd ‘Shadow-casters’
knew the order of things in the Antares Cluster would now change – for the worse!

Ripples of the
Alter Dom’s
disappearance finally filtered into distant and Stellar space. Alienoids and humanoids like the paranoid
Iraa Bril;
the aquatic, gill-breathing
Jed
-
bela;
the thieving six fingered
Salas Panar
and the lightning quick, flat-snake heads
Serpentils
began to probe the Antares Cluster’s boundaries. Even the xenophobic
Galid-Ice
-
e
-
Kia
surfaced from their chilling glacial wasteland in the Hyperion Third Quadrant and sniffed the frozen air with growing interest. The Alter Dom’s disappearance now left weak planets Vulnerable.

However, there was a more immediate danger from within the Antares Cluster. The aggressive
Malis Afar
Cold
-
bloods and their bondsmen the feline
Na Idriss
– from the Aquilla Triangle in the Delphinus sector; now wished to return to the planet they first evolved on – Earth!! With Earth’s global warming, conditions were becoming perfect. Both these aggressive advanced space-travelling races also had a more sinister reason for returning to Earth: their survival depended on it.

(During the Earth’s Jurassic period vicious, intelligent, large-brained
Malisaraptors
became the dominating predators; these nine-foot tall reptilian biped raptors could speak; use tools and make weapons. Another dramatic physical difference that set Malisaraptors apart from other dinosaurs was the fact that – black hair sprouted from the crown of their heads. Malisaraptor society was unequal – females dominated. The rarer, larger and fiercer female Malisaraptors were surprisingly vain; constantly posing and preening their hair at the water’s edge and admiring their reflections. These narcissistic matriarchs favoured wearing coloured stone bracelets, bangles, girdles etc, on their scaly bodies. The intelligent Malisaraptors even buried their dead in secret locations: still to be discovered by man.

At the end of the Cretaceous,
Malisaraptors
began to evolve into the cold-blooded Malis Afar
;
finally developing into reptilian humanoids! By the beginning of the Oligocene period, when the vulnerable ancestors of humans were only three foot tall, the Malis Afar were already active and efficient space travellers!

However, even though all the advanced space travelling races armed their war-ships with Hydra cannon and used Arion torpedoes; they still carried swords, valuing and admiring the ancient art of swordsmanship. The Malis Afar were famed for their speed and skill with the blade; providing their cold-blood was at the correct working temperature. The reptilian cold-blooded Malis Afar had one weakness: temperatures below freezing.

They were forced to leave Earth before the great ice age: or perish.

Tormented Taarbs
were also becoming bold – rising from
Golgin Hade
, an underground world below, where the hot Earth’s core acted as a sun. Grunwalde Angharad’s three brutish, knuckle-walking
Tartarus Hobs
had witnessed the thin scrawny Taarbs
,
squeezing out from rocky crevices in the moonlight. Taarbs were hungry ebon beings – eaters of raw meat! The God fearing Blodwyn wondered if
Golgin Hade
was hell and Tormented Taarbs lost souls – for Taarbs no longer felt pain – only hunger!

Not that Blodwyn believed everything Grunwalde Angharad told her. She knew the sixteen-year-old Grunwalde could be a lying cow, when it suited. However, Blodwyn had seen for herself strange un-shod narrow elongated clawed footprints on the Riverbank!

Humans, known as
Terasils
to the Advanced Alien life forms of the
Antares Cluster
, were classed as Low Primitives; because Terasils had a short life span; single heart, massive populations, were destroying their own planet and worst of all – Terasils killed their own species!

Even the fierce, egg laying
Ida Jaade,
and the orb eyed,
Oga Koya
of
Goya Perilus,
considered this act the darkest sin – an act of Primitives! Terasils were also the butt of alien humour. The unintelligent Terasils believed they were the only life forms in the Antares Cluster. The many primitive Terasil space probes that looked like box-kites with sails and took years to travel short distances; have caused the crews of many an alien space craft to stop and laugh.

(The Antares Cluster comprises the Milky Way – Earth’s Galaxy – and its neighbour the Andromeda Galaxy.)

Even so, some of the advanced space-travelling races often admired and copied the varied and wonderful Terasil cultures.

Most people avoided the shady glade Blodwyn was making for. Modern day Pagans who still followed the old religion; like Peter the Goat the shepherd and Moses the Druid, knew the glade was the haunt of alien Star worshiping Changelings!

Lings, and there are several types, are ageless invertebrates of insect ancestry; needing to return to chrysalis periodically to regenerate, or when injured. Lings are no dainty flower-hopping fairies!

Aggressive aliens like the
Oga Koya,
the mandrill faced
Dandy
-
Indra
, the
Jalmar, Kar-sarr
and the
Malis Afar
feared conflict with true Changeling “three hearts” for Lings possess a venomous bite –
Sislings
could also sting when provoked, or at war – there is no antidote!

True Changelings needed three hearts to withstand the strain of the rearrangement and adjustments of their molecules, when changing structure. While Changelings become an exact replica of the creature they had changed into – even to the touch – Shape-shifters change only in appearance, not in substance.

Other aliens of the Antares Cluster included the kindly, intelligent
Galla Qualls
and their imprinted
Ida Jaade
warriors of Quilla Prime; the timid Shape-shifting
Semmi Tal
and the misshapen, degenerate, web spinning
Sillians!
Fortunately for everyone Sillians were solitary beings who hated sunlight; preferring to remain hidden in their deep silken burrows with their own secret thoughts; waiting by their trapdoors when hunger demanded!

The Lings are classed as ‘
Advanced Primitives
,’ because they shun technology: relying on their own magical powers. Lings use Energy bands that connect all planets, for space travel. (Energy bands are a type of invisible rainbow. Coloured rainbows we see are false visible energy bands that never leave Earth – but are still used by the Lings as highways.)

The Cold-bloods; not wishing war with venomous Changelings, planned to capture the Queen of Lings; thus forcing her subjects to relocate to Pyxis minor, a small green Earth like planet in the far-off Nexus quadrant. Pyxis minor was a planet with a short lifespan!

Blodwyn and Myfanwy developed their acting skills together from an early age, in front of a long mirror. They became accomplished actresses. Every pouty pose, huff-puff and withering look was practiced to perfection. They could even manage to squeeze out a single theatrical tear after much straining and colour changes. Suddenly fainting was another ploy practiced by the two young girls to get them out of tiresome tasks: or tricky situations. Blodwyn only tried ‘fainting’ on one occasion at the age of eight; when asked to weed the carrot bed. Although Blodwyn’s worried Dad was taken in and about to call Dr Tudor Ellis; her astute Mother however quickly solved the situation with the garden hose – full on! Myfanwy on the other hand often fainted at home with regular impunity. One particular day with a dental appointment imminent, Myfanwy fainted every time her parents reminded her of the time. Once when unable to answer a difficult question at school Myfanwy conveniently fainted – slowly and safely sliding to the floor. Myfanwy’s performance convinced all – except Blodwyn who was quick to revive her best friend with a bucket of cold water from the fire hydrant.

Blodwyn’s acting abilities were to stand her in good stead, in her coming adventures – often saving her life when dealing with certain aliens, unfamiliar with human female theatricals.

Blodwyn missed her best friend: a
Silky Changeling
had now taken Myfanwy’s place in the Jenkins home; unknown to her parents! At first Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins were dismayed at Myfanwy’s new found affinity with water; her urge to enter deep pools and swim far out to sea. Then there was their once finicky daughter’s sudden appetite for sushi. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins put Myfanwy’s new quirky behaviour down to the rising hormones of a sixteen year old soon approaching seventeen.

She often noticed the lovely
Silky
who masqueraded as Myfanwy, sadly gazing out to Cardigan Bay, yearning to return to the cold green sea. (The Silky Changeling, an exact replica of Myfanwy, would serve her adopted parents well; until their deaths. The Silky would cry at her surrogate parent’s funeral; but that very night the Silky would leave the Jenkins home forever and walk towards the sea shore. After undressing the Silky would enter the cold sea and swim back to far off Sulky bay: to rejoin her kin – her duty done.)

Blodwyn did not fully realize how much Myfanwy’s personality had changed since becoming Queen of the Lings.

A stocky figure stepped onto the path blocking Blodwyn’s way! It was the bull-necked bully Caddoc Morgan. Blodwyn felt her stomach knot with fear! But she resolved to keep her composure and dignity knowing a bully’s courage feeds on fear.

Caddoc had a large jam stain on his T-shirt, just above a printed rude word. His jeans were hanging at half-mast – like some overweight builder. A pair of fat-flaccid love handles hung over his belt; peering at the outside world like curious, obese hamsters. ‘I am going to punch you in the guts and twist your arm – see!’ says Caddoc, his fat fists clenched and small hog-like eyes glinting. ‘Your big staring eyes remind me of Bryn Jones the dirty bloody tramp – when he’s pissed.’ Caddoc’s bullying did not stop when his victims were safe in their homes – he loved sending threatening texts.

Caddoc Moran’s thick skull was wasted protecting such a small, mean brain. His bull neck supported an over-large melon shaped head; basin-cut, pug nose and a small, but very capable goby-like mouth, that could somehow stretch over the biggest burger. All the above physicalities were perched on a squat body; held up by solid powerful legs. These physical attributes made Caddoc strong for his age. Caddoc was an only child; a younger sibling would not have survived – for there was cuckoo in Caddoc’s blood. Moreover, like a cuckoo he was bigger than both his diminutive parents – nor did he bear any resemblance to either of them – a point his father ‘Morgan the Milk’ often pondered.

Caddoc could never extract enough sweets from his victims to satisfy his insatiable craving. Blodwyn once heard Morgan the Milk say: “Giving Caddoc sweets – is like feeding buns to an elephant.”

‘You touch me and my dad will know about it,’ answers Blodwyn.

‘I will take your Dad to court for assault, see!’ Caddoc threatens.

Anger began to match Blodwyn’s fear. ‘You hurt me and I will scratch your little piggy eyes out – you will look lovely at college tomorrow!’

Caddoc took a threatening step forward – then stopped in his tracks looking over Blodwyn’s shoulder. The rough voice of Bryn Jones the local wino rang out. ‘Caddoc – you little fat, snot-gobbling sod – I will break your bloody neck – you stole a trout out of my trap.’

Caddoc Morgan took immediate flight; he knew Bryn Jones did not give a damn about the law that protected young delinquents.

Blodwyn reached the enchanted glade. She still felt angry and shaken by her nasty experience. “Something will have to be done about Caddoc,” she vowed – perhaps Grunwalde could help – she was above the law!

A smell of wild woodbine: a Ling pheromone, hung suspended on the still, warm June air; the glade looked deserted and rather frightening!

A pale pastel curtain of light hung in front of her – a ‘
Prism Window
.’ Blodwyn hesitated: Prism Windows are dangerous to enter – you never knew where you would end up – or if you could ever get back! Blodwyn stood perfectly still before the Prism Window. She was not a girl to make rash decisions. Suddenly two small Sislings appeared like giant colorful, angry hornets investigating an intruder near their nest. The Sislings, smallest of the Lings
,
hovered close in front of Blodwyn’s face, their small antenna twitching; their keen noses sniffing. Recognizing Blodwyn’s smell, they greeted her with cheeky grins and raised eyebrows above black button eyes: showing razor sharp pointed teeth!

(The distant ancestors of Sislings were giant wasps that once lived on Venus before the planet died. They were the only Lings who could also sting as well as bite! The more bug-like Sisling were not as beautiful as Maylings, whose ancestors were beautiful giant butterflies, or the lovely water-loving Narlings; who evolved from dragonflies.)

Reassured Blodwyn stepped through the Prism Window safely. She deliberately ignored three powerful chimp size male
Tartarus Hobs
squatting on a rock. Their physical demeanor; foul damp doggie smell, nakedness, their grunts and cackles offended all her keen senses. These muscular, dew-clawed armed Hobs were no grinning fairytale goblins, with funny hats. They were black, beady bullet eyed, bristling brutes, with jutting jaws – armed with strong yellow teeth – that could bite through any car tyre! A Tartarus Hob resembled a cross between a hyena, rottweiler, and male chimp! Being lowly males, Tartarus Hobs were bottom of the Ling pecking order. The three Hobs softly cackled, grunting as if sharing some private rude joke at Blodwyn’s expense. They leered at her as she passed. Blodwyn gave the three Hobs her most withering look and walked on.

She noticed many large russet brown cocoons hanging half hidden in the leafy shadows; freckled by dancing sunbeams.

“My God,” something was alive – moving, struggling to get out, within the nearest cocoon – as if aware and resentful of her presence! This was strange: Lings returned to chrysalis – not cocoons! These cocoons looked much bigger than the Ling chrysalis. “What on Earth were metamorphosing within?” Another thing – some of the oaks and mountain ash trees stood stripped of leaves, as if struck by a plague of locusts – Lings were not leaf eaters.