Part 9: Sam and Emma Defenders of Earth

Be sure to read parts 1-8

"I was born on this world. I and my parents, my brother and sister lived in a city by the sea. Maybe 2 million Tumel lived there."

The pad zoomed into the planed until Emma and Sam could see the tall buildings and streets of a modern city.

"The Tumel were a peaceful race. We had given up waring with ourselves and our neighbors centuries ago. Then the lizards came."

The hologram of the city darkened. The skies grew stormy and rained fire.

Pachra continued, "All over our world the beasts attacked and consumed the people. Even pets and livestock."

The holograms shifted. Each new scene a fresh disaster. Shadows belched fire and swooped down upon people in the streets and animals in the fields.


"Our people made weapons and trained armies, the Tumel held them at bay for a year, but we were running out of resources. My parents were killed. My siblings and I were carried away by a freighter with other refugees."

Pachra looked directly at Sam. " I was little, like you boy."

The hologram showed a great beast lying slain in the street with the Tumel cheering.

"My people began to defeat them; we had hope. Then Deep Nest came."

The clouds above the cheering people were pushed aside as a great ship came into view. It was dark and dirty. It had no real shape, like an asteroid. There were windows and doors across the surface; at every conceivable angle. A great beam of light hit the ground and swung towards the crowd. The hologram was washed with light and when it cleared Emma and Sam could see the whole world again. Now the world was dark and smoky. A dozen of the ships moved from city to city scorching the ground. The hologram faded away.


"They let the monsters at us until we were weak and the swooped in for the kill. those that escaped the burning of the cities, were hunted by mechanical tanks. Tanks with wight legs driven by spiders. No picture was ever taken, but when my grandson Jaryk told me about the aliens you met, my blood ran cold. I knew I had to come. Deep Nest took our world and mined it for everything of value. They took slaves. When they had what they wanted the vile creatures left."

Emma had been crying, now she began to sob. She took the old man's hand.

"I am so sorry." She said.

Pachra patted Emma's head.

"Young one, I cried all my tears long ago. It has been 150 years since they left. The Tumel are now nomads and in our travels we have seen other worlds that suffered the same fate. Our world was the last. Deep Nest has not shown itself in all that time, but I fear that time has past."

Sam smashed his little fist on the table.

"We can't let them do that again!"

Emma was startled. "What can we do? We can't fight. We don't even know where their home world is."

Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a stone. When Pachra saw the dragon in the store he set back from the table.

Sam said, "They gave us this. Now that I see how big they get, I'm glad I didn't plant it. Ambassador Sheee-Sheee said they were from a desert."

Pachra looked closer at the stone. "Is it an Egg?"

Sam set it on the table. "It's supposed to be a seed."

Pachra eyed the rock warily. "Be careful with that. In the mean time Jaryk and I will try to find out more about where this desert is."

Emma gave Pachra a hug. The alien did not seem to know what to do with a hug but he smiled for the first time since they had met.

Sam and Emma boarded the pod. Sam closed the dragon seed in a locker and got strapped in. Emma got her seat belt on. Just as Sam was about to hit the control to go home Emma stopped his hand.

"Let's go to the ship first." Emma said.
"Why?" Sam asked.
"I think the ship should make me some armor"

Stay tuned for more.