Science Fiction Short Stories

Weird World

For more than 300 million years, Natar has searched the spiral arms of the galaxy, destroying life on planets that meet criteria to evolve into sapient species that may challenge, as some have evolved to challenge, Natar for rule of this galaxy. I, Captain Oescan, continue this mission to preserve our way of life. My ship, the Deathfall, is cruising the system we named, "Shining" when we first visited here 149 million years ago. The small yellow sun of Shining is on the outside of the third spiral. That meager sun warmed 10 planets. Now it has nine, some very small.

I've reviewed the records from the Deathbringer expedition 66 million years ago. The nine planets are still there. The outer planets are mostly frozen or gas giants. The ringed planet is quite lovely. The largest planet appears on the viewer, its blind red eye bright. Next, a belt of broken rocks, once a fertile planet,  rings the sun. We destroyed this planet on Natar's first expedition, 149 million years ago. Its dominant species was a brilliant flightless bird. It might have been interesting to see what became of those creatures, but they were too dangerous to let live.

Next is a small red planet. Still lifeless. On to the third planet from the sun, which should not be there. The Death Bringer destroyed this watery, blue ball 66 million years ago. I call my science officer to brief me on its status today. She is a Lesser Natari, one of the moist skinned, able to move between air and water. Useful servants.

Cari enters and crouches on the floor, showing proper submission, as the water born must to their scaly superiors. "Yes, Captain? I am here to serve you."

I give her permission to rise, and she stands, head bowed, not meeting any of my three eyes. One of my fangs releases a drop of poison and she flinches. I swallow the poison.

"You are not in trouble, Cari." She relaxes. "Yet." She shrinks, appropriately.

"The wet, blue planet, the one the Death Bringer destroyed. It is still whole. Our records show life was stopped, do they not? Yet the planet is whole."

"Your pardon, Captain. Let me check the current status."

She studies the screen, checks old records and new reports.

Her moist pink skin flushes red, a sign her kind feel threatened. Noxious slime glistens on her skin. Her pointed blue tongue flicks a few times. Anxiety.

"Everything alright, Cari? You look shocked."

"It's this small blue planet Captain, the one we're approaching. The readings I get are weird. And..."

"And..."

"Life has returned."

"Impossible," I roar. She falls on the floor. I am not allowed to kill her for the truth. At least, before I know the whole story. "Explain."

"Captain, my lord. May I summon the slave, Extor? He is knowledgeable about this spiral section."

"Summon him." Clever choice. I could kill him, but the telepathic people of Naureen are too valuable to destroy entirely. We enslaved their planet 100 years ago. Some of their descendants survive by serving us. Their telepathic powers are amazing.

Extor, a Naureen slave, crawls across the flight deck and lies face down on the floor, completely submissive. He wants to live, although he's plug-ugly. Light skin, free of scales, nearly hairless, but for a bunch on his large head. Small teeth. No poison, can only breathe air. They are born with down they shed, retaining a few hairs, mostly that fluff on the head. They survived extinction solely because we can use their telepathy. My slave Extor is one of the best. When we can acquire that ability from them, they will have no purpose.

"Extor, explain why this planet survives." He knows keeping his limbs unbroken depends on it.

"Master and lord, 160 million years the Great Natari searched this sol system and found the fourth planet nurtured a life form, calling themselves Zuna, after their planet, Zun. They were near evolving to beings able to challenge Natar's rule. Natar demolished the planet into rocks and dust. Some of the Zuna escaped to another system where they hid from the Natari."

"What!" I roared. Venom dripped from my fangs. "Impossible."

"My lord, I tell you the truth. The Zuna escaped and hid from the Master Natari through the ages. Sixty-six million years ago the Death Bringer found the third planet with life forms on the edge of evolving into beings that could challenge the Natari. Like the Great Natari, they were scaled, large-toothed, many species. They were on the cusp of evolving into sentient beings that could develop space travel and weapons that would exceed the Master Natari."

I nodded. I read the reports of the earlier destruction of this mudball.

"The Death Bringer knocked a massive rock from the debris of Zun, and directed it to the blue planet. It crashed into a shallow sea. The impact resulted in heat and burning of the blue planet for days, killing the dangerous beings. Animals and plants that could hide underground or in the waters survived the burning, and could eat sea plants and insects afterwards. New life exploded on that planet and took over, evolving into the present race. They are aggressive, defensive and truly dangerous to the Natari."

Extor scrolled the films across the screens. I saw their bustling world, their spaceships, weapons, air fleets. No other planet has evolved to this level, not even the Natari.

"We shall destroy the blue planet before they know we are here. Our attack forces will strike first. We will blast the planet into rocks, like Zun." I turned the battle alarms on. No sound. I started them again. Nothing.

"Maintenance!" I roared over the com. "To the flight deck."

"They can't hear you, Oescan."

He called me by name. A death sentence. Later, for I had more pressing duties. I yelled into the com. "Battle stations!"

"The com is disconnected. The weapons bay is inoperative, for we Naureen removed the sensors. The people of the blue planet knew you were coming shortly after you entered this system."

"Impossible." I lunged to bite and poison him. Cari ran between us and rubbed her hands on me, her noxious slime making me fall and writhe in pain.

"You're dead. Both of you. Guards!"

Another Zuna entered. "The crew is knocked out, Admiral Extor, but it won't last long. We need to leave immediately. Your escape ships and pods are waiting. The Terran armada waits for our departure to attack the Deathfall."

"How? How could they know we are here? And our purpose?" I force words out despite the agony of Cari's slime.

Extor bared his puny fangs at me. Zuna call it a smile. Supposed to be friendly, but this one could have dripped venom. "Telepathy, Oescan. I have been in communication with the descendants of Earth, neighbor to our lost home planet since we entered the orbit of. Of Neptun, they call it. Where we entered telepathic range. I will leave the view screens on so you can watch their welcome."

"Extor, we have no more time," said the second Zuna.

"We leave you to burn in hell with your murdering ancestors, Oescan," said Cari. "For my people hate you as much as the Zun."

The three left and I felt Deathfall shudder as the servants and slaves escaped. A minute later I saw their ships in the viewscreen, heading for that watery blue planet. The light reflecting off the vessels blinked out of sight as the first attack drones arrived. The plasma flash beams lit up and...