Pete(15)‘Intervention Plan’ (Young adult; adventure/sci-fi) — Peter S.Wall
March 9th 2008 23:07
TWELVE
'Dog- agent of Dax'
The three Borgz warriors flashed across Xen's peripheral vision. By the time they hit the pool of coal-wash with a loud ‘splash’ scrambling to their feet muttering curses, the Daxian had reached for his ship's com-link and punched the coordinates for immediate transport. "Comm: 31A Point 2214—Captain and modified-Earth animal." At that exact moment, Xen released Septo Zan.
Two rixars (kilometres) straight up, Xen’s starship hovered cloaked on autopilot. Seconds later in the transporter-bay of the ship two forms shimmered, then became solid. Xen wasted no time, quickly scooping the agent up in his arms. The animal was obviously sedated by some unknown Borgz chemical compound and surveying the limp form, Xen remembered something. That’s right, he’d developed a fondness for this particular one. It happened one night on Earth, when a dog showed an alien the stuff he was made of:
That brave display sealed Bluey's fate, Xen abducted him shortly thereafter—Daxian dog-agent 8d was formally inducted then subsequently enhanced.
Xen carried the animal into an area of the ship reserved for biological work. Two gleaming benches of a metal similar in molecular composition to chrome jutted from a wall festooned with an array of Daxian medical equipment. It was on the nearest bench, Xen gently laid the stricken agent.
Xen had added extras to this, his private craft. As well as the flight deck, engine room, and living-quarters, the ship had a meditation-field and simulation-area high-caste Daxians used for relaxation and sport. He also made the bio-area, an essential add-on for the Pixar28/0 Mission, part of the flight deck.
Xen reached for a scanner from the wall, a small control device that scans biological life forms, pinpoints any trauma or illness, then recommends a course of action. Xen ran the scanner along the length of the agent, studying the blue readout screen. "Ah, Borgz," he murmured, "another copy." The agent was under a powerful anaesthetic, not surprisingly of the same chemical compound, though much cruder, than the anaesthetic used by Daxian med-flight officers during the War. Daxian medical-technology was only used in the lower-caste settlements now. A high-caste's mind didn't allow its body to suffer injury or illness.
With a shake of his gleaming silver head, "is there nothing the devils won't copy," —already knowing the answer. He then gently shook his agent. "Earth animal. Agent 8d awake!"
Bluey lay on his left side, chest undulating in unconscious rhythm. He was running through the mist in a cold place…then suddenly, crashed back into reality as he opened his right eye…then started scrambling to his paws with a ‘yelp’. ‘What the hell!’ He tried to run. 'Where am I? Let me out of here!'
Xen gently laid his left hand on the top of Bluey's head, and said: "You have earned the right my little friend."
Suddenly, Bluey's mind burst-alive with data pouring in from the Daxian’s mind. It was a strange and unpleasant sensation. Familiar, for Bluey had felt it before, yet totally alien. In a matter of seconds, 20 gigabytes of information and data had flooded in.
Xen removed his hand a moment later and the transfer ceased. One had to be careful not to overload and fry an underdeveloped mind. "And how are you feeling now, 8d?" He asked.
Bluey shook his canine head; then his whole body. He felt great. "I feel great," he replied in fluent English. For communications sake, the area of Bluey's brain that controls speech had been enhanced. He jumped off the bench, looking around. "When can I go home?" He asked. For some reason, he missed his family very much.
"Soon, agent 8d. First, however, the problem of the Borgz must be dealt with. Their presence on 28/0 may explain why human governments are obsessed with building weapons that can destroy their planet. Then," he mused, "it may be humans are not as evolved as first thought. Anyway, one thing can be assured, the Borgz would not be this far from home without specific reason."
Mention of the Borgz refreshed the encounter Bluey had with one of the black devils, right before the laser-beam knocked him flat. Courtesy of the recent data transfer, he now had the history of the whole Borgz race from Daxian intervention to now, available for recall. In a second, he knew all there was to know about the most fearsome race ever to traverse the stars. "They are looking for something," he stated assuredly, after surveying the data in his mind.
"What makes you say that, my little friend?" Xen asked.
"I don't know, but why else would they be here," said Bluey, suddenly turning biting his rump repeatedly. 'Damn fleas.'
Xen frowned. "Hmmm, you may have a point. Come, I must alert the Emperor of these developments."
Bluey followed behind the towering Daxian in his flowing black robes. They passed through corridors alive with banks of coloured lights, past a humming, circular machine that grew from the floor to somewhere above and made the fur rise on Bluey's back. Then they were into the flight deck. "Man, look at that!" Bluey exclaimed, marvelling at the clouds swirling all around them.
The flight deck of a Daxian starship is made of a material known as plix, similar in composition to glass only a thousand times stronger. The flight-controls and communication-system occupied a space between a pair of seats in the front-centre of the deck. Here Xen seated himself in the pilot’s seat to the left, and immediately began pushing buttons on the flight-control panel.
Bluey followed suit, jumping up into the other seat. Looking about, he felt like a bird floating amongst the clouds. He no sooner stretched-out, ready to relax and enjoy the view, than the screen in the comm-panel came alive:
"Daxian dogs, prepare to meet your doom!"
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