Now, where was I? Ah, yes, the Quad had just left for its mission to the Sterilis Galaxy, 5000 years in the past.
I reached first, and soon after, Blemat, X-58 and Morfus arrived at the garden. We quickly donned our Invisibility Armours (I and Blemat did, X-58 and Morfus just let the light pass through their bodies, rendering themselves invisible) and took our posts on four of the doric pillars that lined the boundary of the garden. Queen Agriosa would be coming any minute now, and we had to maintain complete silence. We silently watched a dozen gardeners flitting around, pruning the bushes and handling the sprinklers with a delicacy that could come only from years of experience. 30 minutes later, when all the gardeners had left, the Queen walked into the courtyard.
An involuntary exclamation left my mouth, but I quickly stifled it. The kings of the day had been right, the Queen was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She was as fair as snow, and her three almond-shaped eyes were placed at equidistant intervals from each other. She had a nose that was all the right proportions, and blood-red full lips. Her face was heart-shaped, and her black lush hair flowed from her head till her waist, with a Yobrog diadem perfectly perched on her head. She moved with the grace of a dancer, not one superfluous step or effort. I saw her tapping a message on a pad, and realised this was her final communication- how to improve the technology of the Galaxy, before she died. I was gazing without blinking at her when suddenly, I felt a whack on my head.
"Snap out of it," Morfus whispered.
I smiled sheepishly at him, as I remembered what we were here for. I was again on my guard, when I saw a man walking in from the opposite corner of the garden. Funny, I hadn't noticed a door there.
"Shigran, Agriosa. I've waited too bloody long fer this," the man said, a yellowed tongue licking his lips as he smiled.
"Shigran," said Agriosa, her hands reaching for the panic button in her gown, "what is the purpose for this visit, my friend?"
"Don't ye speak like that to me!" he hissed angrily, "Y'know why I'm here. The throne's mine!"
She pressed the panic button, and amusedly replied, "And what makes you think you have any claim upon the throne, my dear man?"
"D'you remember yer Uncle Mamzos? He's my ***** father!" (His language is unfit to be printed, so I'm going to gloss over the things he said)
The Queen betrayed no surprise except for the mild dilation of her pupil, and she continued interrogating the man about his ancestry. Soon, all the details were out and they stood facing each other at a distance of 5 feet.
"Now!" I whispered.
X-58 sent his darkness creeping up to the man, and as it seeped into him, he began suffering severe convulsions and his face contorted with pain.
"Ye did this! Whatcha doin' to me, ye **** witch?!" he screamed in agony, and pulled his annihilator out, firing it thrice. As soon as he did that, X-58 growled and the man's entire body dissolved into a pile of black goo.
Before any of the others could react, I leaped down from my pillar and into the way of the three blasts. One hit me in the shoulder, another in my third arm and the third...
"It hit your abdomen!" the Queen screamed, and ran towards me, cradling my head in her lap. "By the Sun, we need help. Guards, someone take this man to the Healing Center, and fast!"
"Oh...."
She stroked my head gently, and whispered, "Don't worry, brave soldier. You're going to make it."
I smiled weakly at her face, beautiful even when it was frowning with worry. "I will be fine, Queen. I just-"
And then I blacked out, passing into blissful unconsciousness.
___________________________________________________________
This was not exactly part of the plan, Melsur.
Hello, Blemat. I'm alive, thanks for asking.
Yeah, I know you're alive. What I'm more interested in knowing is what you were thinking jumping in front of that woman and risking not only your life, but the space-time continuum too!
I guess... I wasn't really thinking. I just saw the guy pull his gun out, and I instinctively jumped.
You insufferable fool.... came the transmission from X-58.
You can speak telepathically? I asked, impressed.
Yes, came the brusque reply, and the transmission ended.
I got up, and felt a splitting pain in my abdomen.
"Ah, probably not a good idea," I said and winced, as I got back into my sleeping position.
"Rest, brave one," the Queen whispered from my bedside, "you've had a very close call with death."
My heart stopped. The Queen was here!
"What's this? Your heartbeat just spiked! What's happening? Are you in pain?" she worriedly asked.
I grinned, and replied, "No, Queen, that's just because of you."
She blinked multiple times, rapidly.
"Oh," she said in a small voice, "Well, I-"
She began laughing, and so did I. The laughing, however, activated the pain in my abdomen again and I grunted. She hurriedly got up.
"My presence here clearly isn't a good idea, so I will be taking your leave, Time Warrior....?"
I thought for a while. "Amadeo, Your HIghness."
"Time Warrior Amadeo, named after one of the greatest Time Warriors in history. You do justice to his name, my friend. Farewell!"
Saying so, she got up and left. The second she left, I pulled out my Medical Kit, and healed myself in an instant.
"Primitive doctors," I muttered disparagingly.
X-58, care to teleport me out? I transmitted.
Next thing I knew, I was sitting in my room at the Quentalorion again. As I got up from the bed, I realised that I had just flirted with a Queen, something that could have repercussions that could seriously affect the present. I had to admit, though, even to myself, that my experience with her wasn't exactly dissatisfying. Who knows, maybe I could go see her again someday...
I was lost in this pleasant reverie, when I noticed X-58 was looking at me, unblinking. I grinned at him, only to encounter a cold, unfeeling stare. I shook my head, confused. X-58 truly was the strangest person I'd ever met, but his enigma was one I was determined to solve. After all, he was a member of the Quad, and his secretive nature only hampered the smooth and efficient functioning of our entire group as a whole. I decided to enlist the help of an old friend to probe into his past, and figure him out.
If only I'd let it be, I wouldn't be in this situation today....
YOU ARE READING
When I Met Myself
Science Fiction"Time Travel's always been dangerous. That's what Prof. Victor said when he created the first time machine, ages ago. They didn't heed him then. They didn't heed him now. If only they had... this would never have happened. I would never have met mys...
