Chapter 20

Sam felt the portal open as he moved forward. He had an idea where the counsel was though he hadn’t been there yet.

As he moved through the tunnel, he was thinking hard as to how he could take down the counsel. He’d already decided that a direct attack was out of the question.

As he traveled further, he was so deep in thought that he almost passed by where he needed to exit. Upon exiting he could only nod at the massive amount of ships he saw surrounding the planet.

‘Hmmm,’ he thought, ‘this was obviously going to be more involved than he at first thought.’ Going as fast as he could, he landed several trillion miles away.

On the IP homeworld several hundred alarms were going off, then just as quickly were silent. The Lord doctor already angry, became more so at this new intrusion on his thoughts.

He then opened up several orbital stations, he went through them at an alarming speed. Something was at the extreme edge of the scanner and visual range.

The Lord Doctor shook his head he didn’t think the system was faulty, checking he nodded they were all at optimal efficiency.

He had started to turn away when a momentary flash caught his attention. Zooming in, then backing up the recording, he again caught a flash on the screen.

At maximum magnification, the doctor’s eyes went wide. He could swear that he’d seen a humanoid shape right before it seemed to vanish.

The doctor took a communicator from his belt. “This is an alert; we have possible hostiles just outside scanner range. All available ships investigate immediately.”

A thin smile crossed his lips as he saw more than a thousand ships depart. Within minutes the area outside of the scanner range was vastly crowded by a great number of ships.

Sam had just sat to think when he saw the approach of a multitude of IP ships. ‘Well hell,’ he thought, ‘so much for not being noticed.’

Sam sighed, leaning as fast as he could, though not a fan of the IP he didn’t want to kill them. Well, he thought, as the distance grew. He didn’t want to kill all of them, just a few.

The Lord Doctor actually released the breath that he’d been holding. Shivering, he was shocked to find that he was actually excited for the first time in centuries.

The lord Doctor’s eyes got larger as he was feeling something else. Was this anticipation, he hadn’t felt that emotion in an even longer time.

He started the recording again reviewing it over and over getting it as slow as he could. A thin smile again dominated his features, it had to be that damn Cliveastone. He kept seeing for the briefest moment the shape of the Sam creature.

He shook his head, the Cliveastone was gone that was for sure. For a moment he contemplated bringing the ships back, shaking his head no, it would provide all the lazy IP exercise.

He turned toward the terminal again entering data at a blinding fast speed. Sitting back, he just hoped that the A.I. brain of the computer could extrapolate a favorable answer. The last he’d gotten had him worried for the first time in four and a half centuries.

Less than twenty minutes later, there was a ding from the comp. letting him know it was finished. Gazing at the readout the doctor nodded, it was as he suspected. So the bastard was finally coming to meet them. Smiling again, the doctor started to call several commanders.

“It appears that the Cliveastone was within scanner range of this planet. This is unacceptable, if it happens again I would have to replace all of the homeworld command. Then again, I think that some punishment is in order.”

Here he turned toward the highest-ranking male. The male’s eyes got large as he started to float off the ground. Within seconds he was screaming louder and louder, ‘til his screams were shrieks. Even as the others watched blood started to pour from the male’s mouth, ears and his eyes quickly following.

The doctor looked at all the commanders nodding almost all of them were showing a sadistic glee. Turning back to the male the doctor closed his hand watching as the male’s body was ripped to pieces.

“Ah, there, I hope that another demonstration isn’t necessary?” Another smile came to the doctor’s lips as all the males snapped to attention saluting. “Good, now, DO NOT fail me!” With that he clicked off, ‘that was so satisfying. How he missed the old days when killing several each day was normal.’

Now he had to deal with those fools that were supposed to be of his people. Stopping a moment he thought about what Sam had said. There are eleven of the doctor’s people out there? He knew of the eight here, then there the was the one he’d been trying to groom, that was nine so, there were two more?

If there were two others, they had to be extremely weak or far stronger than him. A thrill went through him, could some of the elite have survived? He hoped that if they had, they came forward soon, as strong as Sam was they were going to need help.

Both Mellos and Drivas’s ships set down not far from where Queen Triada and Triann were. Mellos went to where the male that had been with her for years was still unconscious on the med bed. Checking the readings Mello’s mouth dropped open. Turning she went to the hatch then out.

As she stepped out Mellos saw that the other ship had arrived, now to see if they believed Sam. Then to her utter amazement, not only Drivas and Thellus exited, so did the female that Sam had saved from her. She was about to walk up to Raydy then stopped short, might not be too good to push things yet. Though them accepting her as an everyday thing really shocked her, like it was an everyday thing.

When the four females approached where the queen and Sam’s mother were, more than a few weapons were heard powering up. The Queen immediately had all the guards lower their weapons.

“I welcome you, noble Cliveastones.” The Queen stated bowing to all four of them. All four of their mouths dropped open.

Drivas stepped forward, “I am sorry Queen Triada, Thellus and myself are only about sixty to sixty-five percent Cliveastone.” She then lowered her head slightly.

“You are more than half, I can feel much about you is Cliveastone, I would...” the queen started.

“I see that Sam discovered the DNA adjusting technique he has.” A barely clothed, tall, pale, black-haired female stated. She had a curious machine in her hands passing it over all four of the females. “I see he has awakened you to seventy-five percent, ah I see your parents are also active.” She said to Raydy.

Here she ran the machine over Mellos, “almost all your genetic anomalies have been corrected.” Running it pass Mellos’s head she nodded again. “Good, it appears that you are now almost pure Cliveastone.”

Triann stepped up to Drivas and Thellus, she ran the machine over the both of them a few times. “So, both of you agreed to what he was doing to you, good I wouldn’t want Sam to have been doing this against your will.” Turning a few dials on her machine both females felt a twinge of pain then it was gone. “There that should help.

Drivas’s eyes went large as both she and Thellus started to float off the ground. Triann looked at Mellos and Raydy both nodded lifting up, bringing both females back to the ground.

“Is there nothing you can do to help them?” Raydy asked.

Triann was quiet a moment then reached her hand out with the machine. Touching both Drivas and Thellus’s temples, both female’s mouths dropped open. Both looked at Triann with wide eyes promptly passing out.

She then readjusted the machine, Triann then ran it over Drivas and Thellus again. “They should be fine, I put a limiting factor on their powers. At least ‘til they are more in control. I just hope that moving them another five percent higher doesn’t hamper them. Now,” here she touched Raydy’s temple, as her eyes shone with clarity. “That should have you feeling like one of us soon.”

“I am sorry Mellos, I do not have the agility to finish your healing. That I am afraid only Sam can do. For now, that might be a while as I fear the mission he is on may keep him away for some time.” Triann said when she turned back toward Mellos, “I wish to thank you for allowing Sam to procure the equipment.”

Mellos was nodding to Triann then stopped. “I am sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, just who in the hell are you?

“Oh!” Triann stated as she dipped in a slight bow. “In all this I forgot none of you know who I am. I am Triann, Sam’s mother.”

Mellos and Raydy could only stare at her. “That’s impossible, Sam is as we are. He, as well as we, were all part of the project. That would mean you...” Mellos started startled

“You mean that I died when Owt Los exploded? You are correct, though as you can see, I have been resurrected. This was also part of the project.” Triann explained to Mellos and Raydy, both of whose mouths were hanging open.

“So you are the Triann? One of the greatest scientists of the Cliveastones?” A startled Raydy was saying.

“Unfortunately, I am the only Cliveastone scientist alive at the moment. It also is unfortunate that there are only four Cliveastones alive, well also two that are almost.” Triann explained. “Now, Mellos I hope that you have acquired more of the machines that Sam asked you to.”

When Mellos only nodded with a stunned look, Triann had to snap her fingers in Mellos face. Shaking her head to clear it, Mellos nodded then pressed a few commands on her wrist comp. A moment later two piles of material appeared between then.

With a smile, Triann started to move at first fast, then a few minutes later almost too fast for the others to follow.

Triot slowly awoke pain radiating through all of his body. Damn, breathing was painful, forget trying to move. Then he made the mistake of trying to move his hand, the pain that shot through him nearly made him lose consciousness.

What seemed like ages the throbbing pain subsided. That’s when he noticed that breathing no longer hurt. Moving his hand he had before didn’t hurt either. Barely able to reach the button, he felt the restraints release.