Exoplanet Pioneers

Chapter Three

                                                      Evelyn Powers stared out of her guest room at the Royal Palace. She watches the early morning sun usher in the start of a new day on Eternia. Was Eternia the name of the planet itself or just this kingdom? Evelyn only saw one dark moon as it slowly became invisible in the dayglow. During the night she had observed three. She had to learn more about the moons, there cycles, there symbolic natures, everything. As a witch, the moon was a fulcrum for magick, it was essential that she learn more about each ones aspects. Though now was not the time, Evelyn thought to herself. There was a council meeting to spy on.

                                                     Already dressed in her gray and white spacesuit, Evelyn evaluates herself in the nearest mirror which was hung above the dresser beside the bed. The image of her former self disgusted Evelyn, it reminded her of her limitations, she had a new form that made her feel unrestricted. Though she had to hide her new self, her newfound beauty, inhibit her newfound sensuousness.  All to appear as normal and ugly as she used to be in front of Glenn. For Glenn was not only unaware of what Keldor truly was, his real name and likeness had to be kept from her. Though how long could she keep up this masquerade? What good was having all this unrealized potential, just to keep in bottled up?

                                                       Deciding to not think about her predicament any longer, Captain Powers as she would refer to herself moving forward left her guest room.

                                                         T.E. Scopes had already opened his door before Powers could knock on it.

                                                          "Put your suit on!" Powers scolded Scopes after seeing him in nothing save his underwear.

                                                            "We must find out where the council meeting is being held this morning."  Powers said as she entered, closing the door of Scopes room behind her.

                                                   As Scopes had just put both of his legs inside of his gray and white spacesuit, he stood up to properly zip it up.

                                                   "Have you seen anything that looks like a council chamber?" Powers asked Scopes.

                                                    "It is possible." Scopes says.

                                                    "Have a look now, so I can scry the room of which you speak." Powers commands.

                                                     Scopes goes to the window to look outside once again, when there is a knock at the front door.

                                                    "It's me Glenn!" The knocker announces.

                                                       "No." Powers says to herself in a low voice. "Get the door." She tells Scopes, before reminding him," though only answer to your former name...while referring to me as Captain Powers."

                                                          Upon opening the door Glenn also dressed in her gray and white spacesuit asks, "May I come inside?"

                                                           Scopes hesitates to move aside as if he is waiting for instruction from Powers.

                                                         "What can we do for you?" Powers asks Glenn in a way that would clue Scopes in on letting her past him.

                                                            "I first wanted to check on you but since you weren't in I came to Scopes room. How are you holding up?" Glenn also asked Scopes," Do they hurt?" Referring to the bandage around his supposedly injured eyes.

                                                                "No, they do not." Scopes answered when Powers came over to forcibly guide Scopes away so that Glenn could come inside the room.

                                                                  "How are you taking the damage to your eyes so well?" Glenn again asked Scopes.

                                                                 "You look tired." Powers said as a distraction to prevent Glenn from uncovering Scopes secret.

                                                                 Glenn admitted," I did not sleep well last night. We have to talk."

                                                                 This was an opportune time to pacify Glenn from prying to much thought Powers as she said," Of course my dear, let us talk."

                                                                  "Though before we do, why don't you sit by that table?" Powers said, feigning concern for Glenn.

                                                                   When Glenn sat down, Powers continued the discussion that they were having last night aboard the Lion Carrier," Keldor meant to trap us in some kind of mountain. As you can plainly see only me, and Scopes were able to escape. When we started to run away, Keldor fired a bolt of energy at us. Scopes was able to throw me to the ground, though as a result he was blinded from the flash. That when Beastman tackled Keldor as both fell over a cliffs edge. As I helped Scopes run back to the Rainbow Explorer, Keldor started to pursue us. We were lucky to evade another of his energy bolts as it came at us. I was so relieved when I saw you making contact with the Eternians! If it was not for them, none of us would be alive!"

                                                                Powers buried her head in the arms of Scopes who did not seem to know what to do. Glenn thought she heard Powers crying as she watched uncomfortably from her chair.

                                                              Then a knock came from the door.

                                                             "Is anyone in there?" Came a female voice.

                                                               "May we come inside?" A profound sense of relief washed over Glenn as soon as she heard the prince's voice.

                                                                  "Not just yet." Glenn answered. Though quickly explained as to not appear harsh," We were just discussing a very private personnel matter."

                                                                "Shall we come back?" Randor thoughtfully asked.

                                                               Glenn was at a loss, she so wanted to open the door, but the situation was so sensitive.

                                                              "Don't be rude to the prince!"  The female on the other side of the door warned.

                                                            A sniffling voice said," Perhaps you better go outside...Glenn." Powers continued, "I will be alright."

                                                              "Be right there!" Glenn shouted in relief, "Take care Evelyn." Glenn told Powers as she hurried out the room.

                                                                Powers cast a menacing stare at the door after it was closed behind Glenn as she pushed herself off Scopes!

                                                                    Outside the door Glenn saw her regal prince wearing a blue vest around his red shirt and tights.  

                                                                  Prince Randor introduced a woman beside him who was tall and lean, she wore a velvet hood over a pretty face despite her disposition. The women's hood was a once piece which fell from her chest down into a dress that covered her legs. A gold silk sash sinched her wasteland while her arms that poked out from her velvet sleeves were a more golden brown.

                                                          Randor referred to the woman as Drusilla and she was holding a long wooden intricately carved walking stick with the head in the shape of a bird's beak. Once again, Glenn noted more avion themed heraldry, though this time on a walking stick.

                                                           "I only barked at you like that because of my care for prince Randor. As his Royal Handmaid it is my responsibility to care for all of his personal needs." Drusilla explained.

                                                             "Though today is a special day for you Drusilla!" Randor exclaimed with too much enthusiasm," I am handing Drusilla over to you."

                                                              "I have our whole day planned my love." Drusilla started off before Randor had to stop her, "Not just yet Drusilla, I have to speak with you Glenn."

                                                               Glenn wanted nothing more than to help Randor who seemed hurried for an answer from her. Though of what she could not guess.

                                                              Randor came right out and asked," Do you have the name of that villain who attacked us last night? I am desperate for a name."

                                                                "Keldor." Glenn said in one word, "I just learned that this Keldor may have done something terrible to one of our fellow crewmen. Our Captain is grief stricken over it and is taking it to heart. Thats why we did not answer the door right away."

                                                            "Of course, that is most understandable." Randor said. "I also did want to invite you all to a morning breakfast. That will be hosted by me in the banquet hall. When you're ready of course."

                                                               "Your father won't be joining us at breakfast." Glenn asked.

                                                                "My father is about to hold a security meeting in the council chambers. That is why I needed the name of the one who attacked us last night. Now that I have it, I must relay the name to Duncan who will also be attending the security meeting."

                                                          "No need your majesty!" Duncan shouted from down the hall. When Duncan came up to Randor he asked, "I was informed late last night of the meeting. I should have gotten more information from all of you (referring to Glenns crew) about this..."

                                                          "Keldor." Glenn told him.

                                                            Duncan then continued," I wanted to give you time to recover from your ordeal."

                                                              "You also had to get us the heck out of there as well." Glenn pointed out.

                                                             The door then opened up slightly to show Powers with Scopes behind her.

                                                             "Good morning fellow crew members of LT Glenn. Will you be joining us for breakfast?" Asked Randor.

                                                              Powers answered for Scopes," I am afraid not this time. I am just too unsettled with the loss of our fellow crewman Beastman."

                                                            "I should stay with you two as well." Glenn offered.

                                                              "On the contrary dear LT Glenn, who better than to represent my crew than you? Please go on my behalf, we'll be waiting for you to tell us how it went. For research purposes of course."

                                                                Drusilla abruptly handed over her walking stick to Powers, which was instead grabbed by Scopes.

                                                                Powers tried to play it off by helping Scopes with the walking stick. Duncan perceiving the fumble asks Powers in particular, "Since you were the ones escaping the threat of Keldor, can either you describe what he looked like?"

                                                             Duncan had hoped to lure Scopes into answering the question in order to scrutinize him further, but Powers answered instead," Keldor had long black hair as dark as yours with a mustache, goatee underneath a black hooded cape."

                                                           "He sounds very menacing."Randor admitted.

                                                            Duncan affirmed, "The events were close to the dark side of the valley when they took place. Anything else, that you would like to mention about him?"

                                                              Scopes blurted out, "He carried a stick like the one you gave me. It had a rams head on it."

                                                               "He seemed so sincere..." Powers began to say then she held her head with both her hands as if in distress.

                                                               "I have to go now." Powers said abruptly as Scopes closed the door of the room.

                                                             Duncan wanted to say something regarding what he thought of Captain Powers moodiness but dismissed it.

                                                          "I must take my leave as well, farewell everyone."

                                                           "Goodbye Duncan." Randor said to his friend, "Glenn, Drusilla, let us get ready for breakfast."

                                                            A catacomb of shaft's appeared, which were pouring out hot liquid magma. Skeletor along with Beastman watched the lava burst out of the crevasses, then down a stalagmite bank. The lava flowed unevenly down like tears along the course rock, until it coalesced into a coagulating river of burning blood. The heat keeping stored from the rock was stifling.

                                                            "How much farther master?" Beastman begged.

                                                              Skeletor pointed his rams head staff in the direction that they were already headed in. Which was diagonally up a narrow ridge that was formed a millennium ago in this underground grotto. The boiling furnace churned as Skeletor neared the top of the narrow ridge. The hole that was bored through by boiling lava had at some point cooled off leaving this tawdry pathway in its wake.  

                                                              A bubble of molten lava was about to burst in the river below. Beastan noticing it warned Skeletor,"Master we had better hurry! There is something down below that may explode onto us!"

                                                              "Hoist me up, I cannot make it up into the hole!" Skeletors reach was not long enough to carry him through the breach.

                                                               The ever-loyal Beastmn while frightened of the boiling bubble about to burst lifted his master up and through the hole.

                                                               "Master!" Beastman started, "Will you pull me up with your staff?"

                                                               The face of Beastman if not already colored white it would have surely been pale with freight at the sight of the expanding lava blister.  Fortunately, for him Skeletor lowered the end of his staff down then told Beastman,"Push off with your legs when I say now!"

                                                             Once Beastman grabbed the staff and readied his powerful legs to push off with, Skeletor screamed, "Now!"

                                                              The infernal bubble exploded as Beastman leapt in the air, where at the same time Skeletor pulled on his end of the staff! They had both narrowly avoided being covered by molten debris from the explosion! Even bullets of lava flung out of the hole below, which pelted the ceiling now above them.

                                                                "I am in your debt master!" Beastman said as he clutched onto Skeletoes right leg like a cast not letting go.

                                                                The overbearing gratitude was to much as Skeletor commanded," Release me fool!"

                                                                 The servile Beastman felt chastised for his behavior as he begged for forgiveness.

                                                                 Beastmans behavior was becoming miserable to Skeletor who was about to reprehend him again when he felt something drop onto his hood. It sounded like a droplet of rain.

                                                                 Skeletor then noticed steam rising around them. Which indicated, "Moister." Skeletor affirmed.

                                                                Beastman applauded his master," Yes! Yes! Yes!"

                                                                  Skeletor walked away from the raving Beastman, towards the pockets of steam. There were cracks in the bed rock where puffs of steam were expelled from. Skeletor went straight into the hot steam trying to not get oversaturated in the sauna. Beastman followed as best he could in the boiling chase as Skeletors path was uneven in order to avoid large swaths of the steam.

                                                                 Then the steam lessened, little by little until it was no more.

                                                                 After the steam bath was had, a cavern was found, where an enormous pool of water was held inside of it.

                                                                 Beastman found relief as his soaked fur was cooled by the air of the cavern.

                                                                Skeletor's blood or lack thereof was immune to the temperature changes altogether.

                                                                "This underground pool is significant." Skeletor states.

                                                                The pools green water filled the cavern with its ambiance. Illuminating the ceiling of the cavern in a flowing green glow.

                                                                Skeletor proceeds to walk down towards the pool.

                                                                Beastman's wanted a refreshing drink from the pool's waters.

                                                               The pools water is crystal clear, where miniscule fish are seen swimming inside it.

                                                               Skeletor sticks his shafts end of the rams head staff into the water. As if probing the waters for something, Skeletor begins to stir the drink. As Skeletor stirs a small vortex begins to form inside the pool.

                                                                 Beastman watches in awe as his master concentrates makes the vortex grow.

                                                               A blast of bubbles is scene inside of the pool!

                                                               The whirring of the whirlpool is ceased as  Skeletor recoils from the pools edge!

                                                                Beastman beside his master sees a green urchin like head appear above the erratic motion of the pools water inside it.

                                                               The round dish shaped eyes of the marine head focus in on Skeletor and Beastman above the pool.

                                                              "You are trespassing in my lair." The creature says exposing two rows of razor-sharp teeth.

                                                               "My name is Skeletor, I along with my henchmen Beastman were exploring the grottos underneath the mountain above. I travelled in the direction of the ocean, away from the fire. In order to explore my surroundings." Skeletor recounted.

                                                               "Don't play coy!", The creature spat," You mean to tell me that you don't know of Snake Mountain or the Ocean of Gnarl?"

                                                                 "I am unfamiliar to this world as is my henchman." Skeletor confessed.

                                                                  "I am Mer-Man, a proprietor of great undersea wealth. I have lived a long time under the waves of the oceans of Eternos. My depth of knowledge is as deep as the ocean floors. The only reason that I am even conversing with you in the moment is that I am intrigued. Which has been lacking for quite some time. Your ability to contact me impresses me. Now tell me why you have disturbed me. Otherwise, you can go back from wherever you came from."

                                                                 "Excellent." Skeletor shrewdly states," My power is great, I just need to point it in the right direction. I need a layout of this world. The places of seated power that I can subvert. I have two spies that are helping me subvert a seat of power as we speak. I just need to know if it is a significant seat of power."

                                                           Mer Man laughed, "If it is not the Kingdom of Eternia then it doesn't matter."

                                                          Skeletor reasoned with Mer-Man," Give me a moment while I contact one of my spies."

                                                             Mer-Man raised the prongs of a trident through the water, ready to use their sharp spikes if he was played a fool.

                                                            Skeletor remains motionless for a time until he speaks again," My spies offer me three names that might impress you. The name of the kingdom that they have already started to subvert is the Eternian Kingdom ruled by King Miro, the last name is the Royal Palace where they are staying at."

                                                              "I don't believe it!" Mer Man scoffs, "Though if you are telling the truth then you have great talents.  I will still need more proof though."

                                                               "I was also told by my spy after they pried in on a council meeting that the King is sending out a patrol tomorrow to investigate the Borderland Valley." Says Skeletor.

                                                                "No one ever goes to the Borderland Valley. If I see them there tomorrow, then we can work something out. If not, then I don't ever want to see you again. " Mer-Man chillingly warns.

                                                          "How do I contact you Skeletor?" Mer-Man asks.

                                                          "No need." Skeletor says, "I will be here waiting."

                                                             Mer-Man re-iterates his warning as he submerges his head into the pool once more. Where another blast of bubbles torpedo's Mer-Man underneath and away from the cavern.