The Guardians of Gaia

Chapter Eight

"This is Titan," Lester said to Guy as they stepped out of the dome. Guy thought Titan looked like a giant dessert, all barren and sandy. In the distance Guy could see pregnant clouds rolling across the sky. The sun was a white hot pin prick far in the distance. Higher in the sky was Saturn itself, the crown jewel of the solar system adorned with thin rings. The planet this close was beautiful, Guy could make out the lines in the rings, the delicate yellow colour of the planet itself and the washed out blue at the poles.

"Why Titan?" Guy asked as he walked across the ground. The view was sublime. Guy could barely believe he was really on Titan but Saturn was a staunch reminder of his reality. "And how are we alive?"

"It's the Cosmic Essence. I told you it gives humans powers. Being able to survive this kind of terrain is one of them. You could survive on almost any planet. Aside from the Jovian planets or Venus, now that's just asking for trouble," Lester breezed. "You can teleport to almost anywhere in the galaxy, but only if you focus on it. Don't ever focus on the Jovian planets or you're going to die.

"I've always loved Titan. It's a moon of my favorite planet not to mention it's the only Moon in the solar system that's got an atmosphere," Lester paused for a moment and gazed at Saturn. "And it's fantastic view never ceases to amaze me."

"Did the first Astroman come and grab you out of your bed in the middle of the night?" Guy asked.

"Yeah," Lester laughed a little. "It's a tradition now. Come, let's go back to HQ."

"So what happened to the Guardians of Gaia?" Guy asked, trekking slowly towards the Dome with Lester at his side. Lester was a whole head taller than Guy. Lester may have been old enough to have fathered Guy's father but he was in considerably better shape than Lester. Who had been trying to get Guy in shape to absolutely no avail.

"You already know, don't you? I'm sure you heard all about the break up. How Strongman, Dream Walker, Commander Canada and all the others left me. How they went off and started up the Canadian Council of Heroes."

"Why though?" Guy asked.

"They didn't think I was strong enough for them anymore. Dream Walker was the head of the team, not me. So they left me, regrouped, made a new team and kept me out of it. And now look at them," Lester entered the pass code to enter the first of two sets of doors that would let them into the dome. "Just understand, you pass on the power when you've come to the end of your life. I've come to the end of mine, thanks to Beaster. I won't last a month."

Guy felt like his heart had stopped beating. He met eyes with Lester who swallowed nervously. Lester's eyes began to threaten tears but he willed himself not to cry in front of this boy. "The other Astroman had only trained me for a week before he passed away. Beaster again. It doesn't seem like you can do it, but you can."

"So after all of this where will you go?"

"Back to my life, to live out my days in whatever peace I can manage."

"Isn't there anything I can do? You can't just die, we can go somewhere, find someone-" Lester took Guy by the shoulders and steadied him.

"It's time for me to go, son. I'm sorry. You finish him off for me, okay, son?"

Guy rubbed his nose. His mother who had mentored him had already left his life, he didn't know if he could take losing Lester either. But it seemed fate was going to wrench him out of Guy's grasp. He could at least do Lester this one service, this honouring of a final wish. Hard determination glowed in the pools of Guy's eyes. "I promise."