Chapter 6
The Ancient One returned with his companions. The Professor
was there. The Ancient One's look told him more than words.
"Why are they so unreasonable?" he asked.
"Some people," The Ancient One answered, "are very
centered on themselves. They don't see anything BUT themselves.
They are the perfect beings, the only thing that matters. All
else exists only to serve their needs. To them your people are
expendable to save theirs. They think they are powerful,
unstoppable. They have no conception of what they're up
against."
"By my Great Father!" The Ax Man muttered, "THAT'S
a profound truth! We've got just about everything ready. These
guys are having a little trouble figuring out how to use the
breathers, but we'll get them there."
"They're getting ready to expand their bubble," The
Ancient One explained. "They'll have all their portals
operating and once the process begins won't be able to shut them
down. That will be the perfect moment for us to attack!" He
called over to the Professor. "Your people must drop their
bombs on these positions. It's their main generating station. If
they go down they're not going to be able to control the flow.
When we begin collapsing the shields and pushing the gas through,
they'll be helpless to stop it. At the last moment I'll go
through and destroy their portals on the other side. I'll leave
just one functioning."
"Why?" Durga asked.
"Maybe," The Ancient One explained, "if they know
their primary plan isn't going to work they might get rational
and accept a reasonable solution. It's a long shot. We can always
handle them if they try to cause more trouble, but leaving them
one portal gives us alternatives."
"Agreeable," the Professor snapped. Everybody got to
work. It took them another two days to get everything ready. The
Ancient One noticed Durga seemed to be extremely amused about
something. Finally he asked "What?"
"The Ax Man's found the females are more than
compatible!" she remarked.
"Again?" The Ancient One moaned. "Oh, well! Can't
do any harm. I don't think we're genetically compatible."
"Have you got any idea," Durga asked, "what kind
of creature these people evolved from? It's really got my
curiosity."
"I know EXACTLY what they evolved from," The Ancient
One answered, "the species that was dominant on Earth before
the first meteorite struck. They're descended from cuttlefish!
They evolved into a form that could come out of the water and
live on the land, or, float above it, anyway! Nature's variety
always amazes me. Give it enough time and it will find a species
to fill a world!"
"Cuttlefish?" Durga muttered, "I'd have never
thought!"
They returned to their work. Finally the scouts reported the
invaders were expanding their shields. "Now's the time to
get nasty!" The Ancient One told his friends. He turned to
the Professor. "Do your people have an extremely hot place
where evil people go," he asked, "to be punished for
their wrongs?"
"Oh, no!" the Professor answered. "In our
philosophy those who transgress The Sacred Way go to an endless
void, where they suffer the pangs of ages of prolonged
loneliness, cut off from all else that exists, floating forever
by yourself in empty nothingness."
"OW!" The Ancient One muttered. "Then our battle
cry of 'Give them hell!' wouldn't be appropriate. How about 'Send
them to The Nothingness!'?"
"We've never had anything like that, but if it is your
people's custom, we will certainly abide by it. Might we add
'Avenge our brothers! Send them to The Nothingness!'?"
"Hey!" The Ancient One replied, "You're getting
the idea, Professor! I LIKE that! It'll give your people
something to concentrate on and lessen their fear."
"Having you with us," the Professor answered,
"will lessen their fear more than anything else."
"Let's get into position," The Ancient One suggested,
"and remember, don't attack until you see we've taken out
most of their defensive batteries."
"We understand!" the Professor answered.
Dusk was quickly falling and under the cover of darkness they
moved into position. With The Ancient One's signal his companions
took off and all hell broke loose!
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