Even as he was watching, he saw Mellos’s ship open fire on Drivas and Thellus’s ship. ‘Damn it,’ he thought, ‘I haven’t enough strength yet! What the hell was her problem? First, she ran like a scared rabbit, now she’s hunting me.’
Sam was about to turn back when he ‘heard’ Drivas. [Keep going Sam, our shields are more than powerful enough. We also have a secret weapon of our own.]
Shrugging, Sam turned back toward the sun feeling his strength steadily increase. I have to get closer he thought. My strength isn’t going up fast enough. Problem is, can I break free if I get too close? Well, only one way to find out.
Doing his best to accelerate, Sam was finally starting to feel more like he’d been before this episode. That’s when he noticed that he was by far a hell of a lot closer than he’d ever been before. Surprisingly he didn’t feel that much heat at all.
A full ten minutes later, Sam smiled as his strength was actually a little more than he remembered it. Good, he was going to need all he had if he was going to beat these councilors. Turning back he saw that indeed Drivas had been right. Then he looked closer, he could swear there was mental energy mixed in with the regular shield energy.
Feeling a hell of a lot better, Sam streaked toward Mello’s ship. An angry look plastered to his face, he was hoping it scared Mellos off. As he drew closer he then saw that it wasn’t about to happen. He was suddenly between Mello’s and Drivas’s ships.
Even as the beam was hitting his chest, he saw Mello’s ship wind up, then vanish into a worm hole. Damn it! I’ve got to get her to tell me about the Cliveastones and Owt Los. Well, wasn’t going to happen today that was for sure, he thought, as he had to stop his self from following.
Turning toward Drivas’s ship, he phased through startling both females. “So, are you going to explain why I saw mental energy mixed with the shield energy? Or is this going to be a mystery I am going to hate?” Sam asked.
Drivas looked at the wall a moment, then nodded. Sam could feel the thought link though, he couldn’t hear what was being said.
Taking a big breath Drivas started to try and explain. “Thantas has been strengthening both Thellus and me. She said that you are the only one that we can tell. Both of us have been starting to have doubts. Thantas could see this making us stronger. I must admit it is painful, though we have withstood it to try and help.”
“Try and help? By being brain dead? I hardly see the merit in that. I…” Sam started.
“Being able to help right the many wrongs that we have seen, is more than worth the pain. We both are the strongest mentally, after you, then Thantas.” Drivas said.
Sam was nodding, he had to admit the both of them were stronger. They were nowhere near what he or Thantas were, though they were higher than any other.
Sam suddenly turned the opposite direction as he thought. [I thought it was you I felt earlier. Don’t kill them Thantas, if they are going to help, we will need the both of them alive.]
A shocked Thantas replied, [I forget just how much stronger than me you are. I was coming to work on them again. I am glad that you wish for them to help even though at present, their mental powers are still meager. I believe after this, they will be of a more respectable level. I just wish I could expand their minds faster.],
Sam looked at both of the females, then suddenly neither of them could ‘hear’ what the thoughts were. [I take it you haven’t told them?]
[Told them?] Thantas asked puzzled.
[I really hope that you don’t think I am stupid. I can tell their physiology is shifting, though to what I am unsure, though I have a sneaking suspicion.] Sam told Thantas.
[I will admit I am changing them, though I am not sure if they can completely change. Manipulating their DNA, RNA sequences to achieve what I am trying to, is far more difficult than I at first thought. A few is easy, the entire organism is a different matter altogether.] Thantas explained.
Sam nodded, though some of what she said was far beyond his knowledge. Then his eyes flew wide as he could swear that in a portion of his brain, a door opened. As the flood of knowledge hit him, he crumpled to the deck grasping his head.
____________________________________________________________
Mellos’s ship had just exited the worm hole, as she started to scan. Ah! There that goody, goody was. Damn! Why in the hell were his readings so low?
Suddenly a feeling she’d not felt in a very long time hit her. Worry and concern, she hoped that the massively handsome male was… Reaching out she slapped her face a few times reveling in the pain it caused. She was going to have to kill that ass, when she was more healed. Then she had to discover a way to turn off all these goody, goody feelings.
After her extended stay in her waste center, she was actually feeling a hell of a lot better than she had in a long time. Shaking her head, she grabbed a scanner going over every inch of her body. Almost all of her internal organs were at fifty percent or more. Hell some were completely healed.
It was a good twenty minutes later that she yelled to her male slave. “Follow Sam and the IP ship that was behind him. I need to fight him again, I am almost to the point I don’t need to drain the young ones like us. Problem is, I think he is starting to catch on. ” Sighing she decided, “I guess I am going to have to try and kill him. That ought to make him mad enough.”
Seeing Sam move away from the IP ship, Mellos smiled a wicked smile. Perhaps, if I kill the two IP bitches, he might hit me enough to finish the healing.
“Slave! Open fire on that damn ship! Blow that piece of junk out of existence.” Mellos was yelling, with a sadistic look on her face. Let him NOT fight me now she thought.
Ten minutes later the smile was gone, as well as the look. When had they upgraded their shields that much? Looking over the reading, she saw that there was mental energy mixed with the shield energy. Damn it! That was a little stronger than her cannons were.
Looking up, she saw that Sam was on his way back. Shit! He looked far madder than she’d seen him before. Still, she was hoping for a stray shot to get through, then Sam was blocking the blast. Nodding, she’d been ready, as she flipped a few switches, then the ship slipped into a worm hole.
Looking over the readings, she saw that Sam had gotten stronger mentally, how in the hell had he managed that? Letting out a breath of relief she saw that Sam wasn’t following. Well, she’d have to build on that.
_______________________________________________
Sam stopped before Drivas’s ship, [I need to go back to the planet. Something wasn’t right, I need to check it out.] He thought to Drivas and Thellus.
[Alright, we’ll be here when you are finished.] Drivas advised Sam.
Sam was nodding as he started back toward the planet. Sam didn’t notice that he was moving far faster than he had before. Almost to the atmosphere Sam stopped, looking back in the direction he’d just come from. They would still be there when he was done? Ok, now something with the two of them wasn’t adding up.
Sam shook his head as he started toward the planet surface. He had to get a handle on this situation before it drove him nuts. Landing as lightly as he could, he could see that a great many people were wandering around looking lost.
____________________________________________________
In the transport, the Doctor could feel consciousness slowly, very slowly starting to come to him. He’d seriously underestimated the Cliveastone, that was for sure. He wouldn’t do that again. His eyes flickering open, he immediately looked at the chronometer. Shaking his head to clear it, he could see that a good amount of time had passed. Flexing his mental energy he could feel that it was slightly heightened.
Finally able to sit up, he set the automatic controls for his home. He had to get stronger, if they were going to have any chance at all of defeating this Sam creature. The Doctor opened up his communication device as he contacted the councilors.
“This is the Lord Doctor, are you close to a resolution? I was in contact with the Cliveastone. He is far stronger than we all at first thought. I was barely able to resist his power. Might I suggest, that you seven decide quickly before he is too much for all of you combined.”
“Lord Doctor, you weren’t able to defeat him?” The first councilor asked.
“No, as I feared he is far more powerful than the female specimen we captured. As I said, the seven of you need to come to a decision quickly, before he is beyond all of us.” The Doctor replied.
There was a brief moment as the Doctor heard several gasps. “We will decide quickly, Lord Doctor.” The first councilor answered.
As soon as they disconnected, the Doctor shook his head. He could swear he was seeing the end of his race. As he thought before, how had some of the most unintelligent of all of them survived?
Seeing that he was finally at his domicile, he stepped out, surprised that his legs were wobbling as badly as they were. I’d better take nutrients to strengthen before I work on my mind, he thought.
Entering his home, he set several sets of extremely complex lock and defensive systems. Sitting with a thud, he took several tubes out of a machine ingesting their contents. Laying back with a sigh, he could feel the nutrients starting to slowly course through the body.
Shaking his head, he knew that it would be a while before he could up, his mental power. As he told the Cliveastone, things would be different the next time they met.
To his surprise he felt that the body needed rest, an unusual situation for him. His mental energy usually kept it at peak performance. Lying down his eyes wide, he then nodded, the Cliveastone had obviously depleted him more than he at first thought. Yes, he thought as the exhaustion started to take him. The next time would be different.
_____________________________________________________
The seven councilors were shocked when they received the communication from the Lord Doctor. He had gone against the Cliveastone? Was the Lord trying to end their race? He was their only hope of ever rebuilding their race.
None of them were sure though, they felt that the Doctor had a plan. As they knew from the past five centuries, it would be a while before he revealed what it was.
Looking at each other they then launched into an extremely heated discussion. Though they were of the same race, none of them trusted the other. Five centuries and the trust was just as fragile now, as it had been then.
They were all thinking, that they needed to put more pressure on the female specimen. They all knew that the Cliveastone race had perfected a type of cloning procedure. Their procedure though, did not allow for the errors that the councilors race had encountered.
The first councilor was shocked when they all agreed upon this course of action. Opening up communication with sub-commander Triot, the first councilor’s fingers drummed impatiently.
Triot was still having all the damage repaired that the bitch Cliveastone had caused. A sudden beeping of his communicator made him grimace when he saw who it was.
Bowing low when the image cleared, Triot steeled himself up for what was coming. “Sirs, how may I best serve the council?” Triot asked when he saw the full council.
“The Lord Doctor has been working on a procedure that the Cliveastones seemed to have perfected centuries ago. The female specimen’s the last of their world from that time. We need you to extract that process with all haste.” The first councilor advised Triot.
“Ah! Then you do not care that it will cause her extreme pain?” Triot asked, to which all the councilors shook their heads. A sadistic smile crossed Triot’s as he replied. “Good, I’ve been wanting to pay that Cliveastone bitch back some of the pain she gave me.”
“I suggest,” The first councilor said rather forcefully, causing Triot to back up. “That you do your best to not harm her too far physically or mentally. I don’t think you would like the end results of that!” Triot had grasped his throat as he started to choke a bit then fell to the floor gasping. “You best remember who your betters are!”
On his knees for a moment, Triot took a deep breath then managed to get to his feet. “I can never forget that councilor, sir.” Triot said rubbing his throat.
As soon as they clicked off, Triot donned his special head covering. He needed to get stronger there was no doubt about it. He could feel that the councilors were about done with him this time. Sighing, he’d just have to hurry his plans.
He immediately started to direct all the techs on what to do. The extraction wasn’t a solid thing, though it got a lot more than mere torture. Besides he thought, the Cliveastone bitch seemed to be getting used to it. Hell, if he didn’t know better she seemed to act like she actually liked it!
A few moments passed as the machine started to hum. Then a low wailing started in from the speakers. “I told you that one day your refusal to part with your knowledge would lead to this.” Triot told her.
Even as Thantas started to whimper louder, an evil almost sadistic smile crossed Triot’s features. Though it wasn’t nearly as big as when Thantas started to scream in pain.
“Ah! That’s it! Scream like the Cliveastone bitch you are. Scream, ’til I have all your mind! You’re mine and you know it.” Triot said tauntingly, with a laugh at her pain.
Barely able to concentrate, Thantas reached out to Sam. She just hoped that he could help like he had before.
Sam had just started toward the gray people, who were walking around still looking lost, when he felt her. Rather he did, when he felt her mind crash into him. Then he felt the massive amount of pain she was experiencing.
Reaching out, he was at the station faster than ever before. Looking into the machine he saw what it was trying to do. This of course pissed him off to no end, as he snapped several connections. He felt Thantas sigh in relief, then he felt she was worried.
[So, I finally have you right where I want you!] Came Triot’s thoughts. [No Cliveastone in history has ever been able to escape the mind bender trap. When it’s through with you, I’ll have both your body and mind!] Sam smiled as he started to retreat, then was met with what seemed to be a closed door.
Sam could hear Triot laughing as more and more doors closed all around him. Pissed, Sam tested the door the way he’d come in. Then another smile came to him.
[You really are an idiot Triot. I guess you forgot to measure my power before you sprang this trap? No, more like a joke.] Sam laughed as he touched the door, watching as it crumbled to nothing. Then the next ten as he retreated back out the way he’d come in.
[Impossible! You aren’t that strong, no Cliveastone has ever been that strong!] Triot was rapidly adjusting the power of the trap doors. Growling in frustration as Sam finally broke free.
[I’m coming for you, you sadistic piece of filth. I usually don’t like to kill stupid THINGS. Though in your case I can make a well-deserved exception.] Sam told a startled Triot.
[Ha!] Triot retorted. [I am, too well protected for you to ever reach me. I do welcome the challenge though.] Triot laughed as he replied.
Sam smiled again as he formulated his answer. [A challenge, huh? No, I think not. Though when I do kill you, I do believe that the universe will be a much better place. Oh, a parting gift for you?]
Sam’s mind flew back to the space station, smashing into the machine that was holding Thantas. Triot realized almost too late, as he’d already had the shield lowering when Sam hit.
Again Sam could feel Thantas sigh, then he felt her slip into her body. A smile coming to her face she mouthed, thank you, as the shield slid home blocking Sam out
Triot was screaming at all the techs, even as they started to die right before him. Reaching over he hit several overrides as almost all the techs were dead. A scream from the speakers, as Thantas’s mind slipped from her body caused Triot to again smile.
Shaking his head, it was then that he noticed a small trickle of blood oozing from underneath his head covering. So he thought, that damn Cliveastone male had gotten to him without him even noticing it. Damn, if this male wasn’t far more dangerous than the female had been.
Finally getting everything locked down, he had several people remove what was left of the bodies. Damn it, they were going to run out of techs at the rate they were going.
____________________________________________________________
Sam snapped back to his body far faster than he expected to. ‘What in the hell,’ he thought. ‘When did I get that fast?’
Looking around he swore, that he’d only been gone a short time, though from what he was seeing it had been longer.
Sam stood as he heard a commotion not far from where he was. A few moments later a group of older looking gray beings came into view.
All of them stopped not far from him, as one took a few tentative steps toward him away from the others.
“You,” the elder started shaking a bit, then couldn’t seem to go on. Sam sat, as he felt that his towering over the gray people didn’t help. A small sigh of relief came from the elder as he slightly nodded.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to start again. “You seem to be the only other one left here, that is not of our planet. You also seem to not be of the ones that were our overlords. I have a memory of when I was very young. Stories that were handed down, about a race of mighty beings. Are you sir? One of them? Are you a…” here the elder looked around, then whispered, “a Cliveastone?”
A shocked look came to his face, then Sam very slowly nodded his assent. Still not speaking, as he thought his voice might scare away those here.
“Are…are you here to kill all of us?” The elder asked trembling almost uncontrollably.
With a look of horror and again shock, Sam slowly shook his head no. This seemed to relax the elder more, just before he drew out a gas gun firing it at Sam.
With a sigh Sam just sat there as the gas floated all around him, then started to dissipate.
The elder nodded, “so you aren’t a Cliveastone. Just what are you, that you scared the IP as you did?
Speaking for the first time, Sam still made no move as he started to explain. “Oh, I am a Cliveastone, I am just far different than those that have been written about. Also, could you please not do that again it is rather irritating.”
[I would listen to what he has to say.] Came the thoughts of Queen Triada. [He has after all restored two of the Triads. He and I were hoping that yours would be the third.]
There were several gasps as a great many of the elders were whispering Queen Triada.