Galaxy Pirates

Chapter 43: A Sorrowful Tale of the Twin Brothers

At night, the preparations for the departure had already been made. The friends bade Garberbax, Jobakh, and the other Bakhals goodbye. Garberbax tightly embraced the Hawthorne family and said they were always welcome on Planet Bewbew whenever they wished to pay a visit. He then gave Arubah the Bew-Bombs (explosive stones from Planet Bewbew that could very well serve as bombs) he often supplied him with for the Golden Dragon cannons of his Shark Tooth ship, and the pirates departed. To help them make it as fast as possible to the Raden Universe, Garberbax contacted his friend Bookhes – the oldest planetary elephant alive – and this latter shot the ship through his trunk right into the portal of the Central Universal Intersection.

Once more the Shark Tooth underwent a heavy ride, now to penetrate back in Raden. The Bakhassa Form was turned off and the ship regained its initial blue-sailed shape. The Cyber Sammy flags were hoisted again – the Crimson Diamond Shark Tooth was back in the game. Arubah stood on the prow of the vessel and gazed at the infinite horizons from under his slouch hat, his eyes glittering like two ardent embers:

"Now, let's settle the Herminese royal matters once and for all!"

***

Captain Sinbad was headed to Planet Retti to put an end to his brother's tyranny. After Captain Lady Uzma Zuzzas' lamentations, he understood he could delay it no longer. He never wanted to bother Maluma over these affairs, though. He believed it was his twin brother hence his responsibility. He knew that Maluma, even though not effortlessly, but would still manage to kill Koriel if given a chance, while he would remain alive. He didn't want it to happen. After losing Maluma – his only true love – for eternity, he knew there was nothing more for him to live for, other than supporting her and her new family. What would be a better help than disposing of all the obstacles that could possibly stand in her only son's way? So far, Arubah was the strongest being in all the Seven Universes, possessing the royal blood of the Herminoids, the Crimson Ardour of the Daluma, and not so long ago even having learned to manipulate the Black Matter. When he mastered the Yamidahlia technique in later years, even Maluma would no longer stand a chance against him... but she would never oppose her only son, to begin with. She was determined to support him in every endeavour of his. Hence, the only possible obstacles that remained on Arubah's path were his brother Koriel and he – the Herminoid princes of pure blood. Yes, he too, because he was a dark Herminoid just like Koriel, so he never knew when he might turn against his loved ones as Koriel did. The best way to rid Arubah of these two obstacles was their deathly showdown. If he did not bother Arubah and Maluma and sorted it out on his own, he'd help the child a great deal.

Thus decided, he moved forward without a second thought. Even though his crewmates counted his idea crazy, they dared not disobey – they knew the captain was a godly being and, furthermore, his first-mate too supported him:

"Captain's orders cannot be denied. You know the laws of our fleet".

The ship moved steadily towards Retti, probably already detected on the Reptiloids' radars. Lady Diyuma acted cold when around the crew, but once she finished giving orders and put Jasheen in charge, she neighed once with a sunken heart and accessed the captain's cabin, to find Captain Sinbad on a sofa smoking the divine elmor dust as usual. Realising he wished to end his days on his own at such a young age (30 000 Earthly years was indeed young for the 100 000-year lifespan of the Herminoids), the first meeting of theirs came into her mind as a distant yet nostalgic flashback:

Planet Hermin, back then still blazing in all its magnificence, with luminescent forests and blooming fields... She was on a visit with her family, still a young foal with no wings grown and her horn too tiny. The pegacorns – her race – were much respected in the society of the Herminoids since all of their creations were gentle races, while the Herminoids' creations – mainly the Radenoids – had long begun to devastate the Raden Universe and had even ventured far into the other universes. Hence, her family were welcome guests as the ancient royal clan of Planet Nhuhm – the base planet of the pegacorns in the Uma Universe.