Chapter 29

Solar time unit = year planetary time unit = day

Both Sam and Mellos could feel when the seven melded Tetricon council smashed against the shield. Sam turned to look at Mellos as they both held fast.

A moment later, Sam felt a small nudge. (Sam, how can this be of help to you? We will do as you ask, though for now, we are confused, ) came the thoughts of the male elite.

(If I have this calculated right, you’ll see what I am trying to do, ) returned Sam’s thoughts.

Sam could feel that both of the elites thought he was crazy. (Sam, I don’t think that there is much chance of success with this plan, ) the male’s thought came back. (I also see no way that the both of us can survive without suspicion.)

(I have been over this several times... ) Sam started. Then both he and Mellos were grunting as the seven and the two elites were firing full force at the shield he and Mellos had created.

With a look to Mellos, Sam could see that she was starting to lose her grip on it.

“Just hold on, Mellos, it should be any time now,” Sam told a sweating and panting Mellos, who tried to nod her head.

“Damnit! I am trying, Sam. Didn’t think they would bring this much power, though. How in the hell are you doing it?” Mellos asked.

“I’ve had a little more practice than you. Shouldn’t be too long now, hold on!” Sam said as he felt the power start to surge.

A large smile started to creep onto his features. Looking again at Mellos, he could see that she was starting to struggle a bit. Come on, Mellos, just a little more.

Suddenly, Sam’s head snapped up to look skyward. His smile got larger as he felt what he’d been waiting for start to develop.

In orbit, the seven were pouring on as much power as they could. They had felt the two Cliverstones falter a bit. Damnit! They needed more power. (We need to go to full power, all of us, ) the council’s thoughts shouted to the two elites.

Both elites slightly altered their power as they began to increase the amount they were using. The elites smiled; it seemed everything that Sam had planned was coming to fruition. Their part in it was just as important as they kept increasing.

Sam was following closely, observing the pattern that was starting to develop. Almost there, he thought, especially now that the elites had shifted energy.

Sam was starting to feel the drain as well. He also felt Mellos start to falter. They had just reached the point when Mellos’s arms dropped as she staggered, then fell to her knees.

Concerned, Sam poured all he had into the shield. There was a moment as the shield flared, with the elites and council keeping up their attack.

Just as suddenly, there was what could be described as feedback. This seemed to encompass the entire shield, then shot outward up the beams that the council were firing. There was a moment as the flare touched the council when nothing happened.

The elites were shocked when the council’s beams seemed to turn on them. There was what could only be described as a wailing scream, then a small explosion as the melded council was blown backward.

On Queen Triada’s world, Fino was trying to scan all of the planet. As of yet, he hadn’t located the, as he called them, thought warrior.

Fino was a little worried. Even with the leadership medallion he had recreated, he didn’t feel he was strong enough. Still, it was a chance he had no recourse but to take.

He was almost finished with it when he first felt a twinge, then almost a slap. This was followed by an almost raging scream. (I know not who this is, though I suggest that you cease your scan.)

(So, ) returned Fino’s thoughts, (one of you survived, though how I am unsure.)

(You should not be... ) the other voice started. Fino could feel the other hesitate. (Lord Tetrarch, sir. I had no idea any of the high government were still with us.)

(I know that you are on the planet with us. I also know that any problems you might have suffered with Sam have cleared, ) Fino replied.

(If you know this, sir, then you know I am therefore no longer a threat, ) the concerned thoughts returned.

(I wish to believe this is so, though ‘til such time as I can actually scan you, I will not know. If you are truly as you say you are, then I wish you to aid Sam, ) Fino stated.

(I have no wish to harm him. He is, after all, the one who has given some hope to our people. It is unfortunate at the moment that though he has repaired much in me, I still can only use part of the power, ) the thought warrior said.

(I understand this. I only wish you to render aid as you can. As with the rest of us, I am sure that you are trying to get used to being corporeal again, ) Fino thought.

(Yes, though I am adjusting far faster than I thought I would. Sir, I will do all I can, ) the thought warrior replied.

Just as suddenly, the planet seemed to be clear of any of the energy of the thought warrior. Damnit, Fino thought, he should feel some residual energy. Obviously, the healing Sam had done had healed far more than he thought.

The Lord Doctor had been moving in far more equipment and armament than he’d ever had before. Looking at the two elite young, he chuckled inside, then his thoughts went to their capture.

In many ways, for beings as powerful as the elites were, this had been quite easy. The Doctor knew that his own power had increased, though he thought not this much.

No, something was nagging at the back of his mind. Though it was there, the Doctor couldn’t get a handle on whatever it was.

Again, the Lord Doctor looked over the two offspring of the elite warriors. There was something, something that he was missing, though for the life of him it was avoiding him.

It seemed that somewhere in the annals of his planet, there had been a somewhat similar incident that mirrored this one. No matter how hard he thought of it, though, he couldn’t dredge up that piece of information.

The Doctor was almost finished moving everything in when he felt and heard the massive explosion.

With a scan to the sky, the Doctor’s eyes went wide when he passed over where the melded council was. Hurrying to the council chambers, he saw the six councilors’ bodies convulsing.

Looking around, he saw that the other six were also experiencing somewhat fewer convulsions. The idiots! They were powerful, yes, though Sam was as strong as four of them. Then again, the Doctor thought, looking at the readings, it was obvious that this Sam had increased more.

With a shake of his arachnid head, the Doctor could see that he himself was going to have to get involved. A feeling of dread that he hadn’t felt in a very, very long time started to creep into his mind and body.

A sudden beeping, then a solid, unbroken tone snapped his attention to the sixth councilor. Again, the feeling of dread washed over him, causing him to tremble with fear—a feeling he hadn’t felt in even longer.

He saw a small army of dead-looking techs race to the sixth councilor.

(You need to return to the chamber, ) the Doctor told the six councilors. (That is, if you wish to be alive after this. I had warned all of you to care for the humanoid encapsulations. Yours has failed. Return, there isn’t much time.)

Sam felt the melded council floating not far away. He also felt what seemed like a desperate message to it. Though not sure, Sam thought this might be the break that he’d been waiting for.

Reaching out, Sam put what energy he had into a massive energy attack on the melded being. There were substantial screams as the burst of destructive energy hit the being.

Smiling, Sam again tried to hit the being as it had turned, trying to move away. Though weaker, the being was still able to deflect some, though not all, of the energy away. Still, it screamed as the energy made it even weaker.

NO! Sam’s thoughts almost screamed as he put the last of what energy he had into one last blast. Watching it gain on the being, Sam smiled as the screams were far louder this time, then he fell face-first to the ground.

As weak as she was, Mellos had tried to catch Sam, finding that she was almost as weak as he was. Pulling a reflective lens from her pocket, she focused it on Sam. She felt Sam’s body give a jump, then she felt his energy start to rise somewhat faster.

The Doctor started to curse when all the bodies started to convulse again a second time. They needed to return, or they were going to lose one of their numbers. Finally, a moment later, the Doctor managed to stabilize all of them.

The stabilization he’d just achieved was short-lived as all of them started to convulse a third time. This time, though, was by far the worst as blood was slowly seeping from their mouths.

The Doctor cursed as he watched the life sign readings of them all start to dive toward negative. Finally, he could feel them returning, though he wasn’t sure if they were going to make it.

Working as fast as he could, he saw that one of the councilors was rapidly slipping into a danger zone.

The melded being had just made it to the outer planets of the IP home system when one of the beings felt its anchor start to fade. The other six tried to sustain it, though it seemed to be too late. With an agonizing scream, that part suddenly blinked out and then was gone.

A mere minute later, all of the other six slammed into their bodies as their life forces were starting to wane.

The Doctor watched with anger as one through four, then six and seven, awoke. Looking at the body of the fifth, they all watched as blood poured from the body, then it was still.

“All of you took too long to return. You should have after the first blast. We are but seven now. With the betrayal of the elite, I fear that our end is at hand. I suggest that we activate the last of the shell crackers. We may disappear, though we need to take those bastard Cliverstones with us,” the Lord Doctor stated.

“It will be done,” the first councilor said as he tried to rise, only to fall on the floor.

Sam awoke with a start. The female face that was staring at him appeared to be familiar. Racking his brain, he tried to remember. God, he thought, he was tired.

A small moan escaped his lips as the female’s head snapped up to stare at him harder. “Sam?” the female said. “SAM!” She yelled as she pulled him in for a tight hug. “I thought you were done for.”

“Uh, no,” Sam said as his memory started to slowly return. “I am trying to heal myself now.” Grabbing the lens, Sam looked at the female with confusion.

“I know that we can recharge with the sunlight. With these, I focused the light into a concentrated spot. It seemed to work as you awoke a lot faster than I thought you would,” the female said.

Sam nodded as only about half of what she’d said made sense. He almost had her name, though it was still eluding him.

Taking a deep breath, Sam said, “I am sorry. I am still weak, though I am recovering. I hate to say this, but for the moment I can’t recall your name.”

A small smirk came to her lips. “I’m not surprised, as I felt you use the last vestige of your power. You should know better than to put ALL your life force into a blast. You warned me not to, then you do it using almost everything you had.”