First Contact

Chapter Five

                                                Keldor peers into the dark crystal from his skeletal throne he sees Biff Beastman disappear into nothingness. The other two astronauts beside Beastman on the Infinite Bridge are mortified. The opposite can be said of a gratified Keldor who simply smiles and says," Finally, Infinita has claimed one of them. The boorish Biff Beastman it seems. So soon has he been claimed by the Phantasmagoria. So soon. Let us find out just how servile enough to me that he is so that he can make his way back here. Or if I made a lasting impression on him, or enough of one so that he might survive the torment that is in store for him.

                                              Scopes without a care points out, "Beastman vanished just like that."

                                                "I'm taking command of this situation." Captain Powers sternly says.

                                                "Keldor!" Powers begins," If you can hear me then let us return to where you are. Immediately!"

                                                 Nothing. There is no reply from Keldor.

                                                   Scopes offers a suggestion to Powers, "Why don't we simply turn around? It shouldn't take long to head back to the start."

                                                   Captain Powers seeing no alternative, agreed with Scopes by taking the lead in the opposite direction.

                                                    "It will do you no good Captain." Keldor remarked as he saw the two astronauts walking in the opposite direction back to where they thought would be the entry point from which they came.

                                                  Biff Beastman still existed, in a memory inside of his mind. He found himself back in his father's mansion in upstate New York. To a time when his father was dealing with the police at his front door. The police wanted to question him about an incident that he had with a girl named Anna James in his car. Biff was reliving all the fear of being found out in that moment. The last thing that Biff heard his father say to the police before he convinced them of his innocence was that he was going to have a stern conversation with his son. Rex Beastman did have a long conversation with his son, one that Biff was again reliving. As his father chastised him again for not living up to his standards, he threatened to send him away again. Biffs father would always send him away, whenever he felt that he needed to be improved upon. First it was boarding school, then it was military school, then it was college and this time it was on a survivalist expedition far away in Africa. Though it did not matter how successful Beastman became, whether it be at sports or the military or hunting as when he was on the expedition in Africa. Biff's accomplishments were never good for his father.

                                                          After Biff's time in Africa, he became a notable celebrity on television, he was the host and participant of his own survivalist channel. Thats when Biffs father finally called him instead of the other way around and said," Stop playing around and find success already."

                                                          Biff again relived the moment after the call from his father, the moment of emptiness. After that moment Biff went on a tirade of self-destructiveness like never before. Biff was determined to prove his father right. As the days passed Biff would often smash television sets, storm off of interviews, no showed interviews, harass women, and get into physical altercations. Biff was finally arrested after he threatened his manager with a rifle. As Biff sat in his cell awaiting his trial his father came to visit him where not soon after he bailed him out. Not soon after Biff was bailed out of jail, he was given a stern talk from his father.  As he was reliving this hell, Biff noticed that as his father was verbally laying into him, his face shifted into the visage of Keldors  skull face. Rex Beastman roared, "I am sending you into space where you cannot disparage my name any longer. I don't care if you ever come back or if this space mission never even gets off the ground. After your psychological evaluation you are out of my life forever!"

                                               As his father shouted, his clenched jaws became a skeletal framework of ghoulish teeth, then his father's square head became a living skull, finally as he looked terrifyingly into his father's angry grey eyes those same eyes became hollowed out eye sockets. Until the only thing that Biff was looking at was an angry skull face, yelling at him.

                                           "I am not your son!" Biff Beastman roared back at his father.

                                               Rex Beastmans face then became that of his father once again as Biff Beastman grabbed him by his thick neck!

                                                His father tried to speak but Biffs enlarged red hands prevented him from doing so. The only thing that came out of Beastmans father's lips were gasps for his last breath! Biffs enlarged hairy hands only tightened further around his father's thick rubber neck! The more that his father gasped the more pressure was applied by his powerful grip! Biff had never felt as powerful as he did as he hoisted his father above his head in his stranglehold! Rex Beastman was not only losing air as his arms and legs flailed but his life was in Beastmans ape-like hands! Not Biff Beastman but simply Beastman now as he thought from one beast to another! The Beastmans son saw his father's beat red face balloon up like a big red apple. It was over.

                                             Beastman lowered his still father to the ground. Then he discarded his body like a bag of biological waste saying harshly, "I'm not going anywhere, father."

                                               Beastman could see the door of the room that he was in. The visage of Keldor's skull was seen again as the grim face hung in its entranceway. Beastman was compelled to go towards it.

                                            As Beastman entered through the door, he found himself back on the platform where his one true master Skeletor waited for him.

                                               "My have you changed." Keldor noted as he looked at the massive red furred ape-like savage before him.

                                                 Beastman, who's massive body was bursting from his gray and white space suit kneeled before Keldor.

                                               "What do you command of me Lord Skeletor?" Beastman asked while bowing so low that his head almost struck the floor.

                                                 Keldor spoke curtly, "Nothing, yet."

                                                 Keldor thought to himself before addressing the still bowing Beastman," You must not refer to me as Skeletor again until I announce it to your friends. For they do not know that my real name is Skeletor. I want to announce it to them upon their arrival. If they do arrive. Say that you understand."

                                                 "I understand Master." Beastman grovels.

                                                   Keldor promptly returns his attention to the crystal globe on the table before him. Where he sees the pair of astronauts Captain Powers and T.E. Scopes walking on the Infinite Bridge.

                                                   Scopes, from behind Captain Powers mentions," By my approximation we have been walking longer now then we had before. That can only mean that the portal is not this way."

                                                   The ever-persistent powers marched onward. Not uttering a word.

                                                  "Did you hear me?" Scopes pleads to his captain.

                                                   Again, there is no reply back from Powers.

                                                    In a harsh tone Powers answers Scopes without addressing him," We march forward."

                                                   Scopes stops in his tracks, saying in a low voice as he watches Powers become smaller in the distance," By Ophanim, show me the way."

                                                     Scopes watches as Powers soon disappears off in the distance before him. He wonders if she is simply out of his sight or if what happened to Beastman is happening to her as well. Scopes then decides the most logical thing to do is wait for her to return. She will eventually come to the determination that he was right and head back this way, Scopes thinks to himself. I think that I will pray for Powers to realize her mistake sooner rather than later. Though as Scopes begins to stare at his hands in order to begin his prayer for, he notices that he can see through them. As he began vanishing away just like Biff Beastmen had done prior.

                                          Keldor cackles in his chair after seeing the disappearances of both Captain Powers and T.E. Scopes," Soon my revelation will be at hand!"