Linda, Tony, and Markell chatted for hours. Although Tony and Linda could not speak the native language of Topaz, Linda was a great English translator. The people on this planet were about 99 percent genetically compatible with the people on Earth. What was left of their plants and fruits was very similar to where they came from.
Just then, Kion came into Markell’s quarters. He was excited. He wanted him to come outside.
There, many people had gathered to look at the sky.
Linda and Tony ran outside after the others.
“Hey. It’s Maurice and the rest of them. Tony, Maurice did it.” She was happy, but Tony wasn’t.
The magic carpet, Merek, descended with its occupants.
Before they could hit the ground, Dena jumped off to greet Markell.
“Hey, Uncle, I made some friends,” she ran to hug him. He hugged her back. Joseph followed her, followed by Maurice and the rest.
Maurice wanted to greet them but held back a little until a few introductions could be exchanged. Markell was surprised to hear Dena’s strange language.
As he knelt a little to better understand Dena; Joseph touched his forehead, instantly giving him the ability to understand each other. Then Joseph went through the crowd, spreading his magic of spoken communication so they could understand each other. Maurice went directly to Markell and shook his hand.
“Greetings, my name is Markell, and I’m the leader of the Kai people,” surprised to hear himself talk in another tongue.
Maurice responded, “Hi, my name is Maurice Bennett Diamond. I’m the captain of my people.”
Just then, Linda and Tony made it through the crowd. Maurice saw Linda. They ran to each other and kissed. Tony gave him a hug. This time, he was happy to see Maurice.
“I see you got Tasha. Where’s everybody else and why is Joseph here? He’s supposed to be watching Steve and the ship.”
“Slow down,” Maurice cut in. “Brian, Natalie, and Terri are still prisoners in the Omen City, but as you can see, I rescued Tasha.”
Tony interrupted, “That’s not good enough. Where’s everybody else! And why did you let this sissy leave his post?” He got right in Brian’s face.
Maurice knew Tony was about to attack Joseph. This time, he didn’t want to stop it. Maurice pushed everybody away and decided to let it happen. Tasha and Robert wanted to stop it.
“Get back!” Maurice commanded. Everyone gave them a fighting room.
Tony lost it then and socked Joseph in the jaw. He fell to the ground. He bounced back and flew into Tony, then knocked him over. Tony was a little shocked. Joseph hesitated, then Tony kicked him in the stomach, and Tony got three really good punches in. Suddenly something snapped in Joseph. He grabbed Tony and picked him up on the ground and body slammed him. Both had the wind knocked out of them. Tony had more grit. He lunged into Joseph and put him in a headlock and socked him in the face twice. Maurice stepped in and broke them. Then he slammed both their heads together.
“How’s that for tough love? This fight’s over!”
Tony tried to get up.
“Do you want to fight me again?” Maurice said.
“Okay, okay, I was just working off some steam.”
Maurice helped both of them up and dusted them off.
“Incidentally, Tony and I sent Kimberley back to Starcutter. Her and Steve are safe and sound.”
Tony felt stupid. Maurice knew how to cheer him up.
“Now that the fighting is over, what say we plan our strategy? I know you want some action, Tony,” Maurice said. He turned to Markell, “Markell, I’m sorry you had to see that. Us earth people don’t always get along.”
He replied, “Neither do we. That’s what makes us human. Now I want all you outworlders to come to my quarters. We have to prepare for the hour.”
“The hour?” said Maurice.
“Yes, the hour. You see, for the last three years we have always attacked the city of Omens right before The Devil’s Comet strikes. We think that’s when Queen Cassi’s the most vulnerable. We have to take our city back and return our people to science. We can’t live like this. I used to work at that laboratory city as the head of their security. When another super collider exploded on the other side of the planet, the majority of the surface of this world became contaminated.
“The Omens hated us and our science and forced us out into the wild. Then we found this land, which is the only fertile land on the planet. We cultivated it, and now they want it back. We want our city back. Neither sides is exchanging.”
“I understand. If you are going to attack Omen City, we’ll help,” said Maurice. “We have weapons. All I’ve seen from the Omens are pistols. Do they have any heavy firepower?”
“Yes, they have large cannons, but no rifles. We have a few,” said Markell. “We can build them from scratch, but it is difficult. However, they can not. They do, however, have primitive aircraft. That is why we’ve never made it to the city during our attacks. We’re forced to retreat.”
“Well, we have a few rifles and we have heavy firepower, except I want minimum bloodshed. Remember, our primary goal is to stop Cassi and The Devil’s Comet, not unnecessary casualties.”
“Okay, we’ll kill as few as possible if you help us.”
“Agreed.”
* * *
Back in Omen, Cassi was assembling all the forces she could muster. There was an airfield with several jeep-like vehicles and several hundred armed troops.
“Citizens of Omen,” she spoke. “Today we shall rid the planet of the people of Kai. In a few hours, I shall save your planet again. The hour is here. I alone shall save you from The Devil’s Comet! Are you ready to protect me and preserve your magic lifestyle?”
The crowd chanted, “Cassi, Cassi, Hail, Queen Cassi!”
She really had the crowd going. She stepped off the balcony overlooking the airfield. In the background, one could hear the planes taking off.
Omar spoke of what he and Vizir were both thinking, “Cassi, if the planes bomb and incinerate Kai, won’t that wipe out the remaining natural food on this planet?”