First Contact

Chapter Six

                                                       Lt Glenn was preoccupying her time aboard the crash-landed Rainbow Explorer by checking the ships diagnostics. This meant that Glenn was watching the computer monitor of the dashboard as it displayed a checklist of all its findings. Internally it seemed that most everything on the ship was satisfactory. Glenn was overlay relieved that the checklist showed that the ships life support systems were 100% okay.

                                                           The main damage to the Rainbow Explorer lay in the ship's rear thrusters as well as its hull. The engines were damaged when they struck the large meteor as it passed in-between it. The damage to the rear thruster's damage was only increased when Glenn took the ship into the orbit of the planet. A planet that still had not been given a name. This planet that was supposed to be officially recorded in space upon the probe's launch outside of the Einstein Rosen Bridge. That was the mission, to find this planet, to properly make its existence official, then return home. A thing that they could be doing now, that she could be doing. After all, this planet was her new home. It needed to be called something for posterities sake.

                                                        As she thought about the planet as well as the mission, LT Glenn began wondering if she would ever see the rest of her crew again. Why were they so compelled to follow the stranger calling himself Keldor? Though more importantly why was she so forgotten about? It is possible that Captain Powers expected to return but she did not seem cogent at the time. It was if she was put under some kind of spell by this Keldor person. Glenn could only hope the other intelligent life on this planet was less ominous. Though was their other intelligent life here? Keldor claimed that he was an explorer as well or was he lying?

                                                   Glenn then placed a picture of her fiancée on the dashboard of the ships control panel. A tear ran down her cheek as she staired at the picture of her far-off lover.

                                                   A blip came from the control panel. It was the ships automated detection system which was wired in with the computer. Its function was to detect lifeforms if the ship was ever to land on a planet. In this instance, the blip held onto the possibility that Glenns crew was returning back to the Rainbow Explorer.

                                                    Glenn asked the computer as tears of relief washed down her face," Identify approaching targets as Captain Powers, Science Officer T.E. Scopes as well as Specialist Beastman."

                                                      The computerized voice came back in its monotone voice," Negative. Lifeforms Unknown. Appear to be Homosapien adjacent. Approximately four in total. They are riding what appears to be domesticated animals. which are Equine adjacent."

                                                  Glenn breaks down the computers feedback as says aloud in a disbelieving voice," Four humans riding horses."

                                                    The computerized voice corrects Glenn," Negative. The lifeforms are Homosapien... Equine adjacent."

                                                   Glenns retort to being corrected, "Oh. Shut up."

                                                     "Teric Elli Scopes!" This was the fifth time that his teacher Ms. Soldani called out to the non-responsive boy in English class. It was also the last time that Teric Elli Scope would have to attended Ms. Soldani's English class ever again. It was also the last time that T.E. Scope as he remembered it would be living with his parents Mathew and Audrey Scope. This was because it was recommended by a social worker to T. E's parents who were both very old that the public school system was incapable of meeting their son's needs.

                                                         On the last night with his parents, T.E. had prayer with them. In the prayer, T.E. called upon his favorite angel Ophanim to protect and guide him. The angle Orphanim was T. E's favorite angel because of its design which was an enormous wheel with thousands of eyes on it. To him it represented his favorite pastime, which was looking at space, either at the space museum where he begged his parents to take him almost every day or in his astronomy books. The thing that upset T.E the most was when he was after he learned at the new school, he would be unable to go to the space museum every Saturday. It was unfair to him, it upset him so much, he relived the trauma of having learned such a thing. They all lied to him, especially his parents! For days at the school, T.E. would talk to no one. That was until a man by the name of George Steinberg came into his room. He talked about all of the things that T.E. liked to hear about, which mostly had to with space, things like planets. stars and spaceships.  George Steinberg promised to take T.E to see the Huble telescope if he would cooperate with the instructors at the school.

                                          That day forward was fantastic for T.E., he remembered having so much freedom to do what he wanted. There were times when he became board with his teachings and simply wanted to go look at the stars. Though whenever he became too unmanageable for the rest of the staff, George Steinberg would come over and talk things over with him. T.E. really connected to George Steinberg as he seemed interested in all the things that he liked. Then over time T.E learned to manage his own behavior a little, to show more control, to learn to wait for things. It would all pay off anyway because it always did and the one thing that T.E. was waiting for was to see the Huble telescope. That would be his biggest reward.

                                               That day never cme. For ll of T,E.'s patience and restraint he never got to see the Hubble Telescope. On the day of the trip out to see the Hubble Telescope, George Steinberg had to inform him that the trip had been postponed. George told him that the funding wasn't there yet.  

                                                T.E was always big for his age, though never violent, though when he heard the bad news, he started to attack George Steinberg! He wailed away at his adult friend with so much rage! T.E. felt like the angel Ophanim!

                          "Liar! Liar!" T.E. shouted as he knocked the unsuspecting though much taller George Steinberg to the ground.    

                                      T.E. didn't remember being pulled off of George Steinberg but he was pulled off of hum by several staff members. It was a long time afterwards when T.E. would see George Steinberg again. By then T.E was much older and although he never acted out like he did that day he attacked his friend George Steinberg he never much spoke to anyone. T.E. would follow instructions, do what he was told but never expected much more than what he already had, nor did he require anything more. T.E would say very little to anyone else, he would reply back if spoken to but never say more than things like "I understand" or "not now". T.E would never thank anyone for anything.

                                      In a bitter twist, T.E got to eventually see the Hubble Telescope in person when he was invited to the NASA young astronauts club in his teens.

                                       It was when T.E was in the NASA young astronaut program that he began studying to become an astronomer. As a young astronaut he learned a lot about being an astronaut, very physical things such as diet and exercise. T.E. excelled at running and would always time himself to beat his last best time. He had become towering in size as he was in intellect. Then he got a scholarship to Cambridge University.

                                    "Is that you?" T.E. heard a women's voice from behind him while he is doing some leg stretches on the Cambridge campus near the library.

                                        Evelyn Morgan Powers a fellow student who got a military scholarship to attend Cambridge was calling to T.E from across the yard. Finally, T.E saw Evelyn calling to him and he came over to greet her. It was about the project that they were assigned to do together. A science project that involved putting together a world that was as habitable as Earth and what were all the necessary components of that. It was an intensive project that had to be submitted by the end of their semester.

                                        Evelyn was an outcast in the dating scene as no boy would talk to her let alone ask her out. T.E on the other hand had no interest in dating. The two would often spend hours together working on their science project. There project would be guaranteed to win first prize.

                                        "Meet me at the library when you are finished." Evelyn all but demanded, "I have some knew studies that might surprise you about soil erosion."

                                            A disinterested T.E replied," I will be there after my afternoon run."

                                              Evelyn almost in a repudiatory tone barked," Do you have to run three times a day? You run morning, noon and at night. Also, when you come don't forget to change and shower first. For someone so smart your hygiene is embarrassing."

                                              T.E failed to note the insult as he did all of them.

                                              T.E simply says, "I understand."

                                               "I know all of this is happening, but it feels rehearsed." Evelyn says to herself.

                                                "Your mother was a witch!" A group of popular girls start to harass Evelyn. The most popular of them is Megan Mayfare, a rich big haired blonde airhead with aspirations of becoming an actress. Some of the Megans other girlfriends chimed in, "Yeah an ugly black cat!"

                                                  Evelyn remembered this moment of ridicule all too well. Then on cue Megans boyfriend, steps in to put a halt to the name calling. It was Ted Holdings, the star athlete, who was also handsome and rich. Evelyn was not unattracted to Ted Holdings, in particular his broad shoulder and tanned body. Though from an early age her mother always told her that beauty was not her strong suit and that she would be best served to aspire for success rather than a boyfriend. Evelyns father never intervened in his wife's instructions to her. So, Evelyn always concentrated on her studies as well as in her spare time witchcraft. A pastime that she was intrigued in after she had learned that her great, great grandmother on her mother's side was a Salem witch. Those highbrow shrews just needed a reason to harass her after they discovered her making chicken shaped feet called a 'witches' foot' last winter in the snow.

                                                     Evelyn detested Megen along with her friends! So much so that sometimes she wished that she was a real witch so that she could put a hex on them all!

                                                  No, she told herself, as she clutched the black crystal around her necklace. I am better than them, Evelyn told herself. Though why am I reliving this nightmare? Though if I am I might as well have some fun with it she concluded.

                                                 Evelyn was a graduate of the air force, she was on a one-way track to become a NASA astronaut, who were these pretty little things to her?

                                                   Megan was arguing with Ted when Evelyn walked up to them.

                                                  "What do you want?" Megan said looking over the shoulder of her man.

                                                     A newfound confidence came over Evelyn as she claimed," None of you are as good as you think you are. We all have flaws. In fact, I think that your nose looks somewhat like a pig's snout."

                                                    Evelyn then imagined that her witch's heirloom, her necklace was actually a magic wand with an orb on it. Walla, in her hands was a wand just as she imagined it.

                                                  "As a reward for your piggish behavior I grant you Megan Mayfare a pig's snout!"

                                                   T.E. Scope had just come back to the library when he saw the scuffle between Evelyn and Megen's crew. He became paralyzed as he watched the confrontation escalating.

                                                      Megans friends were backing away from her in disgust as they showed no loyalty. One of them yelled out, "Ill, you look gross now!"

                                                       Megan shouted at Evelyn, "What have you done to me?"

                                                        All the girls attacked Evelyn, there were five of them including Megen.

                                                         Ted Holdings was telling the girls to get off when two of his friends held him back. One of them said, " Hey, don't stop the action yet. Let your girl blow off some steam. Besides its hot."

                                                            Evelyn was pinned to the floor with Megen on top of her yelling, "Turn me back you witch!"

                                                          "Into what?" Evelyn joked as all four of her limbs were racked with pain from the pressure of the girls holding her down.

                                                            Megan screamed into Evelyns face, "My nose!"

                                                          "What about it?" Evelyn joked again.

                                                            Then the clawing and scratching started as the girls holding her arms bit into them while Megan scratched her stomach and chest.

                                                            Evelyn was blacking out from the pain she was in! So much so that she felt that she would lose hold of her wand. She would not let these pretty things win again. Not this time!

                                                              The orb atop Evelyns wand began to give off a hazel glow of energy.

                                                      "From daylight to dark night!" Evelyn shouted.

                                                       Suddenly on Evelyns command, the sky had shifted from a bright afternoon to a dark stary night outside on the Cambridge University Campus.

                                                         "Now let go of me you wretches!" Evelyn demanded of the girls pinning her.

                                                        Evelyns body had also shifted dramatically as the hour. Her body was now more feminine shaped than before while her skin was colored in an ethereal yellow hue. Her now beautiful face showed off her intense hazel eyes as they radiated with an entrancing stare!  

                                                         Megen along with her friends got off of Evelyn as if not under their own power.

                                                        For they were not under their own power, they were under Evelyn Morgan Powers control now!

                                                        "Now dance for me fools! Dance the night away! As your legs eventually give out on you as they expire during the night!"

                                                            Evelyn laughs in her victory until she spies Megen's boyfriend along with his friends. The boys who were watching are quickly subdued by the power of Evelyns aura.

                                                        Evelyn walks up to Ted Holdings and forces a powerful kiss onto his lips!  Evelyn almost sucking the life out of him with her passionate kiss suddenly unlocks her lips from his!

                                                         She then exclaims to the night itself," I am Evil-Lyn (purposely mispronouncing her name by emphasizing the first part as Evil) the paramour to virtue!"

                                                            Evil-Lyn then begins to start conjuring something with her left hand as she holds her wand. She is oblivious to T.E. Scopes who is still paralyzed from the violence that took place.

                                                           In T.E.'s mind he sees the planet that he discovered. Then he sees the angel Ophanim come to life! The large wheel with its millions of eyes burning the nights sky!

                                                            "I see you both the planet and the angel aloft in the heavenly nights sky. Take me with you Ophanim."

                                                             T.E. sees his angel Ophanim draw nearer as the large planet behind the Einstein Rosen Bridge becomes larger. T.E, Scopes watches both angel and planet as they begin to draw closer together until they merge into one. Then the planetoid angle grows to an enormous size at it draws itself as close to the Earth as one can possibly imagine. Until Evil-Lyn finally notices T.E, Scopes as he begins to disappear.

                                                       "What was T.E, staring at? I must follow..."

                                                       Instinctively, Evil-Lyn uses her wand to illuminate what T.E, beholds. Only then does she see the planet expanding in magnitude. Evil-Lyn focuses her orb on it until she vanishes along with Scopes.

                                                        Evil-Lynis returns to the platform where Keldor resides just a second behind Scopes.

                                                        Now all three astronauts of the Rainbow Explorer have returned from where they all started from.

                                                       "T.E.", Evil-Lyn calls out to him from behind his broad back still in his spacesuit as she is as well.

                                                         Without turning, Scopes answers, "My you have changed. Your skin is now yellow."

                                                         Keldor calls out enthusiastically from his throne, "Why don't you all take a moment to get reacquainted."

                                                          Beastman boasts to his teammates upon returning," I am Beastman, a primal force of savagery! Whose loyalty is first and foremost to Keldor! So, stay on your best behavior before him!"

                                                         Evil-Lyn slyly comments back, "Your form quite suits you as does mine. While you revel in your savagery, I revel in my exquisite shall I say evil. I will say evil because I prefer the title of Evil-Lyn!"

                                                            The last to introduce himself is T.E. Scopes who still faces in the direction of Keldor.

                                                            "You have both kept some part of your name whereas I have not. I am the Hunter."

                                                               Then as the Hunter turns to face his teammates, it is finally seen that the Hunter has no eyes to behold.

                                                            Evil-Lyn asks in astonishment," How do you see with no eyes?"

                                                           The Hunter answers, "I just see."

                                                         "Now turn your collective attention back to me!" Keldor now standing above his throne commands!

                                                          "Only Beastman knows my true name because I confided it to him first! Now you will all see my true form!"

                                                             This time to Beastmans realization, Keldor unveils not only his skull face once again beneath his hood he also reveals his true flesh. A blue toned muscular frame that tightens into a taught ghoulish body like unto a reanimated corpse.

                                                       "My title is Skeletor, Lord of Destruction!"