Chapter 3
The Ancient One went about the gruesome work of examining the
dead warriors. When he got done his friends rejoined him.
"Problem," Durga announced, "these guys have some
kind of shields up. I can't penetrate them. They've obviously got
crops and such growing under them. I could sense a difference
inside."
"I got through," The Ax Man commented. "They
seemed aware of me but totally ignored me. I smelled something,
not quite like rotten eggs, but something very unpleasant."
"Just as I feared!" The Ancient One put in.
"They're altering the very structure of this world, changing
its atmosphere. In examining the warriors I found that in each of
them two or three of their secondary hearts had died long before
the main one, and all their lungs were damaged. These people
might not be deliberately using chemical weapons, but what they
are doing here is destroying the viability of these people's
world. We've got to stop them! And, we've got to do it quickly!
If they change enough of the atmosphere and drop their shields,
they could make this world unlivable for the native population.
They would all die!"
The Ax Man looked at his huge companion. "They've got more
than one heart?" he asked.
"Yes," The Ancient One answered rather matter of
factly. "They've got one main heart and lungs that supply
most of their body but they're so big they have to have secondary
ones to supply blood and oxygen. Just like my people, they're
marvelously adapted for flight! They have extra eyes, extra ears
on strategic positions around their body, so they can see and
hear to navigate. They would never be able to do that from their
single main position at the bottom of their body where the
majority of their organs are congregated. Just like my species
they can remove hydrogen form the atmosphere and use it to fill
their buoyancy bladders, and make themselves lighter than air.
Marvelous adaptation!"
"I love these little trips!" The Ax Man commented.
"Really get to see some interesting things! But isn't this
Earth in this dimension? Shouldn't these people be like us?"
"Apparently," The Ancient One answered, "in this
dimension none of our people ever got here! The asteroids never
struck Earth. This species evolved from the very first life that
occurred here, totally different from anything that ever existed
on our world."
"Wow!" The Ax Man muttered. "How could something
like that happen?" "Just a minor shift in planetary
orbit," The Ancient One answered, "that put it a few
hundred yards out of harm's way. A tiny difference created a
whole different set of circumstances."
"Whoa!" The Ax Man muttered. "This could give you
a headache!"
"If you dwell on it too long," The Ancient One
answered. "Durga, they've got some good workshops here the
transdimensionals left. I want you to make me a whole batch of
anti grav lifters, simple ones, not too complicated, that we can
attach to bombs. But don't show any of these people how to make
them. You just put them together, and get 'em ready for use. I'll
see if I can come up with some gas masks or other breathing
apparatus. Ax Man, I want you to scout out their power stations,
see if you can get the frequency of their shields."
"Got ya!" The Ax Man snapped, "But leave a little
for us to do. I want some quality chopping time!"
"Don't worry," The Ancient One answered, "you'll
get plenty!"
Everybody went to work. In a few hours The Ax Man came back.
"Here are their main positions. Everything seems to be in
this one location and spread out from there. They've built six
gates and have them operating constantly. This stuff they seem to
be growing seems to have a high importance. They're harvesting it
as fast as they can and sending it back through the portal."
"It's probably their basic food stuff," The Ancient One
explained. "If my theory is right as to why they are here,
they probably desperately need it at home. It's too bad, but they
can't sacrifice another world and another people to sustain their
own existence. We've got to put a stop to it! Let's get to work!
As soon as possible those satellites have to be brought down,
then we have to make sure they don't put up any more. They
mustn't know our movements. Our greatest ally is surprise. When
we hit them I want it to be overwhelming and devastating."
"Don't worry," The Ax Man assured, "just as soon
as it gets dark and I can get up there their satellites are going
to have a very unfortunate union with my ax!"
The Ancient One nodded. "Well, you guys had a turn going in
there," he commented. "Now it's my turn. I've got to
have a sample of that atmosphere. If it's what I think it is, it
may be of tremendous benefit to us, if we can destroy it without
destroying the entire planet in the process. It all depends on
how much of it there is. Get busy! I'll be back."
Everybody nodded, and The Ancient One took flight. The Professor
came over to Durga. "I do not mean to be rude," he
remarked, "but is your leader always so cold, so
unemotional?"
Durga smiled. "You're seeing him at his best," she
commented. "he's been a little mellower than usual lately.
He can be a lot, lot colder, I guarantee you!"
"I pity his enemies!" the Professor remarked.
"EVERYBODY does that!" Durga replied, "Everybody
does that!"
"I have one other question," the Professor continued.
"Why does he not want us to know about these devices you are
making?"
Page 5