Through the Kisandra Prism (22 page)

‘Are you eaters of meat?’ asks the beautiful female Shimmering in a sweet nervous, delicate tone.

‘The Gols are vegetarians…my Ida Jaade are sea-weed eaters…and as you can see…we Galla Qualls don’t even posses a mouth.’ The female Shimmering giggles nervously. Blodwyn felt rather embarrassed; she was the only meat eater there and was presently in the process of digesting two pork pies. She quickly stepped behind an Ida Jaade warrior, just in case the two Calara Shimmerings could sense her carnivorous tastes!

This information seemed to calm the two gentle beings. Zander slowly touches the injured and still bleeding wing of the male Shimmering, which cringes in fear.

‘If your wing is not tended…you may not fly again,’ warns the Galla Quall. Zander gently feels the wing with his delicate tentacle.

‘A Yarbie bite carries infection… the bone is fractured…your wound needs to be cleansed and healed.’

Zander takes a small appliance from his robe; a blue light plays over the wound. The bleeding stops. ‘You must rest…the Gols will care for you…return to your home planet only at night using the light of stars to navigate by,’ advises Zander…, ‘Yarbies always roost at night.’

A Gol female brings a bowl of milk and honey for the Shimmerings. The frail female Shimmering sniffs the bowl first and then tests the contents with a delicate tongue.

‘Honey nice…milk nice…Yarbies bad,’ whispers the Shimmering and begins to feed her injured companion.

‘Now,’ we must leave you and continue our Quest,’ says Zander.

The male Calara Shimmering produces two, round exquisitely colored objects from its person and hands one each to the Quall and to the Gol female.

‘What beautiful precious stones,’ exclaims the Gol female.

Zander examines his closely, ‘these are far more valuable and rarer than precious stones…they are the seed pods of the rare Tarmirian Paradise tree…also mentioned in our ancient chronicles!’

‘But there are no eyes to these seeds and they are as hard as stone,’ says the Gol female.

‘The pod of this seed is as hard as telium,’ answers the Galla Quall, ‘it is impossible to open… without damaging the precious seed within.’

‘Then how do we get the Paradise tree to grow?’ the Elder asks the Calara Shimmerings. ‘With love…tender care…and patience,’ answers the male Shimmering.

‘Thank you,’ says Zander, ‘legend has it the seed of the Paradise tree takes a thousand Quilleian years to grow!’

‘Then seek out the Worm-eaters,’ answers the male Shimmering, ‘but seek them with great caution… for they are of one mind… one purpose and one need.’

‘Do you know where the Worm-eaters dwell?’ asks Zander.

‘Look to the planet Signusgragg in the neutral zone… beyond the Third Quadrent, past Quintus-three in the Mira-six region; that is where the Worm-eaters dwell.’

‘May angels’ wings guide and protect you,’ says the lovely female Shimmering.

Blodwyn felt this was a chance to also ask the Shimmerings a question.

‘Please tell me… when will the Alter Dom return?’

The beautiful, delicate female Shimmering looked at her and smiled.

‘The ‘Second Coming’ will happen… till then we must try to survive anarchy and death.’

The Galla Quall nods in agreement.

‘If your species are in danger you must seek out Quilla Prime,’ answers Zander…there you will find a prism gateway into True Arcadia…there are many beautiful and magical beings there who will accept your innocent presence … there you will find sanctuary till the ‘Second Coming.’

Blodwyn felt privileged, she had been in True Arcadia, the Calara Shimmerings would be welcomed by the beings that dwelt there. She then watches the Gols gently carrying the two exhausted Shimmerings back to their village; she knew they would be well cared for.

The Worm-Eaters of Signusgraag,

do not advertise their presence with fluttering pennant or waving flag;

but hide unseen in the tangled growth;

tending their bone yard… beneath the dark towering leafy towers… hanging, festooned with trailing bowers.

The Worm-Eaters are watchers and listeners who only observe; awaiting orders from an invisible master they never see;

but faithfully serve.

Back on the bridge of the Galla Quall Time-ship, Blodwyn watches and listens as Zander reports to Admiral Sebus – the wisest of the Galla Qualls, as he examines the beautiful seed.

‘So it has come to pass,’ says Sebus, ‘as written in our chronicles. We have found what we came here for…but still do not understand the secrets of our findings… the key to our quest. Plot a course to the Third Quadrent of the neutral zone…we must locate Signusgraag… the Worm-eaters have the secret to our survival. We must then conduct our final Time-speed trials… before we dare enter the distant past!’

‘To your stations,’ orders Zander.’

Blodwyn returns to her quarters; she was hungry and felt rather guilty after eating a delicious home-made lamb pie in thick gravy. She then went to bed. The little Sisling was still in chrysalis.

The Galla Quall Time-ship sped back through the Kisandra Wormhole to the third Quadrent to seek the planet Signusgragg: home of the much feared Worm-eaters.

Blodwyn awoke with a start; she had only slept three weeks this time; again she checked her face in the mirror: just in case. Boochi the little Sisling was still in chrysalis – damn!

‘Fine bodyguard you turned out to be,’ says Blodwyn on her way to the bridge of the Time-ship. ‘I was nearly sucked dry by a giant horse-fly – and where were you?’

On the bridge she heard Zander the Galla Quall Commander announce.

‘Admiral… we have located Signusgragg, home of the Worm-eaters! The planet is completely covered in greenery except for one big lake. There is also a large area of devastated forest to the south.’

‘Analyze,’ orders Admiral Sebus.

‘Devastation caused by a bombardment of proton torpedoes… the type the Jal Mar use in their warships.’

‘Let us hope the bombardment has not destroyed what we are seeking,’ Admiral Sebus answers.

Blodwyn had changed into suitable attire and put on her rucksack filled with items she might need. The Admiral respected this practical and sensible young Terasil female; she had sabotaged, on her own initiative the Malis Afar’s plot to poison the lake – home of the Galla Qualls and Ida Jaade in Quilla Prime.

‘After we have found the Worm-eaters,’ says Sebus to Blodwyn, ‘we will conduct our last Time-speed trial. This is in order to test our thrusters at full warp…it is a dangerous period…we will leave you on the Tarus Tarm mountain range on Nexus nine… till we return…if we return.’

‘How will I get back to Earth?’ Blodwyn asks.

‘You will have a space-chariot…the Sisling should break cocoon by then…it will guide you back to Earth eventually.’

Before she could speak, Admiral Sebus began giving out his orders.

‘Commander Galus will accompany me …the Ida Jaade escort will only carry swords. Centurion Marcus will carry a concealed proton laser …in case we meet other dangers. Commander Zander will monitor our movements on visual and give us over head protection.

While the landing party made their preparations Blodwyn listens to the scanning information about the planet below.

‘The only movement on the ground is the gentle flow of sap in the vegetation and trees…not a single heart beat registers,’ reports Commander Zander. ‘The planet below,’ continues Zander, ‘has two suns…night never falls on Signusgragg…ideal for plant life… it is also rich in Xycon crystals.’

‘We should be cautious,’ says Commander Galus, ‘some force stops this planet from being exploited…Xycon is a very valuable commodity. We will conduct ourselves in the exact manner that we adopted when we first met the Jinnd.’

The landing party boards the un-armed frigate. Blodwyn was relived to know the powerful Time-ship would give them protection from above in any emergency.’

A Galla Quall frigate lands in a small, grassy glade. At first glance this planet seemed tranquil to Blodwyn: but that soon changed. Signusgragg was a planet of towering trees and thick creeper-bowers, interspersed with small overhung clearings. Blodwyn felt intimidated; it was as if all the plants were bending over…inspecting them! There was something scary about the shape and attitude of the towering trees and creepers: they had a foreboding presence. She felt as if she had entered someone’s property without an invitation. The usual natural earthy smell of a forest or wood was missing. A still silence prevailed.

The group begins to follow a well worn path, between the towering, vine covered trees. All the vines produced massive clusters of beautiful pink and carmine-red flowers, with strange large dark purple centers: these were not flowers! High in the canopy, what looked like large yellow stamens hung in bunches. Strangely not a single bird or insect could be heard or seen – not even the slightest breeze whispered or stirred the leaves; “how did pollination take place?” Blodwyn wonders. Something or someone had to perform that function.

A glittering lake could just be seen through the foliage. She noticed that narrow well-worn paths connected all the few small clearings between the massive trees; how could this be if the planet did not contain a single heart beat? What kind of beings used these paths: Could it be the Worm-eaters?

An Ida Jaade scout sniffs the path.

‘I can not detect any life-form or animal scent-trail Admiral… yet the path is well used by some kind of active life-form.’

Signusgraag, home of the Worm-eaters, was never visited by those who knew of its existence and reputation. Only the unwary, the curious the mercenary and the opportune landed here to exploit – possibly out of ignorant impulse. They never left! This planet hid a dark and terrifying secret. Landing parties and those who came to look for them did not return to their mother ships. Even the treacherous, bold, wandering Bat-winged Yarbies had good reason to keep away. These scavengers knew the dangers from past experience, when they roosted in the vine-covered trees in their hundreds – few survived!

Still none of the survivors could describe the appearance of a Worm-eater. The Worm-eaters always remained hidden despite many efforts to coax and tempt them into the open.

Blodwyn found the still air fragrant; however she could feel a sense of apprehension hanging heavily like some invisible drape. The atmosphere was extremely humid; in a short while she had already drained her bottle of water. Sebus was cautious, he stops.

‘We will show our friendly intentions…I am positive we are being observed in some way.’

To Blodwyn’s surprise, similar to the squids of Earth, the pigment in

the pale blue skins of the two delicate Galla Qualls begin to flash shades of blue; a sign of friendship. Blodwyn maneuvered herself directly behind the two Qualls flanked by Ida Jaade warriors; this was the safest position.

Suddenly the whole group stops. Faint sounds of distant, excited chatter from the undergrowth! The sharp-eared Qualls remained calm, trying to detect the source of the sounds while the red crests of the excitable Ida Jaade stood fully erect.

While the two Galla Qualls stopped to scan their surroundings, Blodwyn reached out to smell one of the large beautiful flowers: its sudden, quick reaction shocked her. The large flower pulled away from her hand. For one fleeting second it turned into something frightening with teeth and snapped at her out stretched fingers, like some nasty dog. Blodwyn quickly moved back in the middle of the group; her heart pounding!

Soon they passed the beautiful tranquil lake; exotic, colored lilies gracefully rode the gentle ripples; even though no breeze blew. Were the lilies following their movements, watching them? Despite the danger, Blodwyn’s throat was parched and she had to drink something. Thirst is far more powerful than hunger.

Blodwyn knew that lilies, not only filtered water, but grew in safe drinkable water. She quickly began to fill her bottle, checking behind before bending down. The water looked clear, it sparkled like Champagne. A stealthy movement to her left made her jump; turning, she noticed a large root-like object quickly withdrew from the lake and slide back into the undergrowth.

She decided not to drink the water or even to use it on her skin to cool herself after her last scary experience: it was just as well! She was about to pour the water back into the lake when the group moved on; she had no intention of being left behind again. Sucking a barley sugar helped her thirst.

‘Admiral!’ exclaims Galus, studying his scanner, ‘we are being followed by three different kinds of life-forms… one life-form is moving towards us above ground… the other two life-forms are surrounding us below ground.’ The Ida Jaade warriors draw their swords.

‘Be calm… orders Admiral Sebus, ‘do not show alarm… sheath your swords.’

‘Most disturbing,’ says Galus watching his scanner, ‘the sap flow in all the trees and creepers has dramatically increased to almost an animated state…one could say a state of extreme excitement… there can only be one reason – our arrival!’

‘I sense we are in the presence of beings of higher intelligence,’ adds Sebus, ‘an intelligence that has welcomed… is overjoyed that we are here… but with sinister intentions… these life-form have hidden motives. There is also something most unusual… there is no leaf-litter on the ground…despite the myriads of trees and creepers! It could mean no plant ever dies naturally on Signusgraag.’

Blodwyn looked down on the ground; the Galla Quall was right; no leaf litter could be seen, not even a single small twig or a single dead leaf littered the ground.

‘Is it possible there are creatures that eat or clean up the fallen debris Admiral?’ Galus asks.

‘That is unlikely… I believe there maybe another reason,’ answers the Admiral, ‘I will try to communicate first… relay our friendship and honorable intentions,’ and holding out his thin, weak tentacle arms he attempts to show the watchers he carried no weapons.

‘We are friendly Galla Qualls and Ida Jaade from Quilla Prime… with us is a Terasil female,’ announces Sebus, ‘we visit your planet in friendship and seek your wise council …we have no other hidden intentions.’