Chapter 2
"I have been sent by the transdimensional alliance. Some
of their old associates are being attacked! They desperately need
assistance. They can do nothing to help. They thought you might
provide some assistance."
"Oh!" came another voice. The insect turned to find a
beautiful silver haired woman staring at him.
"Greetings, Sheba!" it remarked. "Your services
are also welcome.
The Ancient One grinned and his wife looked irritated.
"That's almost as bad as calling me Kali! It's Durga, if you
don't mind, but I'll let it pass. We can't go. He's been sick,
had to have an operation. Too much going on here."
"Now, wait a minute!" The Ancient One argued.
"I've been doing a lot better, and we've got plenty of
reserves right now that we can't even use. If these people are
really in trouble we should help if we can." He went over
and sat down. "Do you have any video?" he asked.
"The ones I have been loaned to," the insect answered,
"have very primitive recording equipment. But I did manage
to obtain some film one of their soldiers made and escaped with
before he was killed."
"Let's have a look!" The Ancient One ordered.
The insect turned and began projecting some pictures on a bare
wall. The Ancient One studied them carefully.
"Very interesting species!" he remarked. "They
appear to be living dirigibles, air ships! They propel themselves
about by fluttering this skirt around the back of their body. I
would wager that like my own people they can produce gaseous
hydrogen and use it for lift. The females appear to be about ten
to twelve feet, the males plus twenty. But look at these
diagrams! Despite their size their sexual organs are only about
as big as our own! Their enemy, on the other hand, these
invaders, seem to be humanoid, a little bit bigger than us,
perhaps nine feet.
I don't like the way these soldiers died. These things could be
using gas, or some other toxic agent. I really think we ought to
go take a look at this! I just don't like people like this! They
take over one Earth-like world, they might start looking for
another one in another dimension. Take on your spiritual form. Go
get The Axe Man. Tell him we're going to be away for
awhile."
"Hope he's in a better mood!" Durga remarked.
"Oh, I'm sure he is!" The Ancient One answered.
"This might be just the thing he needs to work off some
frustration. I've got to finish up some things here, before we
can leave. They need my full attention. Then, we'll split off and
get on our way."
Durga shimmered and seemed to separate. There were two of her,
one in shining armor. The one in shining armor walked through the
door without opening it, and leapt skyward. The insect watched
this with interest. "Phenomenal!" it muttered.
"Full use of ectoplasm travel with ease! Marvelous! Simply
marvelous!"
The Ancient One smiled. "Go tell your friends to warm up the
portal," he instructed. We'll be along in an hour or
so."
The insect fluttered around for a few moments then remarked,
"Your instructions have been carried out. The portal is
prepared. They will activate it on my signal."
"Good!" The Ancient One praised. "When you return
inform your masters I am greatly pleased with the service you
have provided."
"With joy!" the insect answered. It went over to The
Ancient One's computer. "This has no self awareness?"
it asked.
"No," The Ancient One answered. "It is a simple
machine, keeps records and does calculations, manual input."
The insect buzzed around. "How can you operate in such
primitive conditions?" it asked.
The Ancient One smiled. "You get used to it! Actually we're
glad the conditions are so primitive. These people are in a great
deal of danger because our technology is contained in their
subconscious. We have to be very careful they don't get anything
they're not ready for! Yet we have to see to it that if need be
they can defend themseleves. We walk a very narrow road, on a
very high place! One misstep could be disastrous!"
"A very difficult operation!" the insect remarked.
"And you must also deal with their primitive medical
procedures."
"Only when we can afford it," The Ancient One answered,
"and most of the time we can't afford it."
"Barbaric!" the insect answered, "Totally
barbaric!"
The Ancient One smiled. Durga returned, a man in armor with her.
"Living air ships?" the man remarked. "Apparently
so!" The Ancient One answered. "Let me transform and
we'll get going." He, too, shimmered and split apart. But
what came into being wasn't like the man the insect was talking
to. It was a six foot tall winged being, covered with plushy fur
except around his face and the palms of his hands. Again the
insect muttered "Marvelous!"
"Let's go!" the winged being snapped. "I want to
do this but I don't want to take too long about it. Get
going!" he told the insect, "Show us the way!"
"Yes!" the insect snapped, "Yes! Certainly!"
It buzzed out the door and the three individuals took flight
behind it.
"What a pain," the man in armor muttered. "Now
I'll worry that every mosquito that flutters around me is one of
these things!"
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