Inside the world of Lord Rachnid. Z1 becomes Zonie. Here cum the Marines.
Lord Rachnid's primary residence was the deepest, darkest cavern on the planet Morbid. Morbid circled Dark Star, an extremely dense, neutron star which emitted such intense gamma radiation, that all life on Morbid lived miles below the lead alloy crust. It protected the dying planet's life from the unrelenting and inhospitable forces of the ancient collapsing star.
It hadn't always been this way. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, Dark Star was still a vibrant, shining ball of stellar gas exciting life all across the surface of Morbid. As it exhausted its nuclear fuel, it fell into the natural course of a star's evolution. Scientific development on Morbid had progressed to the extent that a forewarning gave the inhabitants time to build vast underground cities. When Dark Star collapsed into the brooding aged neutron stage, life was well established below ground.
It was a hard life for all of Morbid's survivors. When it was discovered that two seemingly separate universes had collided, and the point of contact was within the planet Morbid, everything changed. The contact point in the other universe was a planet that still enjoyed surface life with a stable midlife star. That planet was Earth.
Rachnid crawled across the shiny obsidian ceiling of his throne room until he came to the entrance that led to The Great One's core domain. It was referred to as The Great One, the energetic body of Morbid itself, and of course The Great One existed everywhere on the planet. It was the conscious life force of Morbid much like Gaia was on Earth. Rachnid preferred to have his audience with The Great One at the planet core. The Great One's conscious energy was the strongest at the core.
He slipped inside the tunnel that led to the core and entered the vast empty cavern situated at the exact center of Morbid. It was a massive hole left by a bubble of gas five billion years ago.
"Rachnid," The Great One exhaled. It wasn't really words, but Lord Rachnid's personal power and advanced psychic abilities allowed him to translate Morbid's spiritual energy into conversation.
"My master, my life, my essence," Rachnid said and bowed respectfully on his eight long legs.
"You know you need not come to me and bow. We already and always are of one essence, spider. You know we are dying. I know you foolishly try and save yourself. Poor little spider."
"Master, we must try. We've come so far. Your life force is intrinsically tied to Dark Star's fate, but we have found an opening; a way into another universe."
The Great One started laughing uncontrollably. Rachnid waited impatiently until the master calmed down. When he started in again, The Great One cut him off.
"You think it's only I whose fate is tied to Dark Star? Rachnid, I assure you, you will never leave this dying body."
Rachnid stifled his anger, but he couldn't hide it from The Great One. Deep down inside, he knew his master could be right.
"So tell me of your plans, Lord Rachnid. I will advice you even if I know it is an ill-fated adventure fueled by your arrogance and vanity." The Great One, of course, knew all about the plans, but it was blessed with infinite patience and took delight in watching Rachnid burn off his vain and cruel energy. Unlike Lord Rachnid and the human inhabitants of Morbid, The Great One remembered how it was before the darkening. It remembered that once, life was filled with beauty, love and best of all, glorious light.
"Once I breach the other universe," Rachnid explained, "and take all my energy and life force through, you'll be there too because we are one. You can have your way with the one they call Gaia, and I'll rule on your behalf."
Rachnid's petty machinations bored the Great One and it turned its attention else where. It was several moments before Rachnid realized he was along. He grunted in resentment and stormed away.
**********
Lynn and Animal stood on the porch of The Springs bed and breakfast looking at the parked van in the morning sunlight. Their hands were interlaced.
"So you're really back to your old self?" Lynn asked.
"I feel like my old self, big, dumb and horny," said Animal with a smirk. Lynn bumped her hip against the fire Elemental and squeezed her hand.
"What happened, smart ass?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure. It was like we were loaded on shrooms or LSD. Witchy picked up this golden orb thingy, blew it into my chest and I felt like a tornado whipped through me." Animal turned and faced the love of her life. "I started bawling like a baby."
"Oh, honey. You are my baby," said Lynn and put her arms around Animal. Her face rested against Animal's breasts, and the big biker placed her hand on Lynn's head and held her tight.
"What about them?" Lynn asked and pointed at the van. "So Donna and Mike are sleeping?"
"That'd be my guess," Animal replied. "And if the van starts rockin', don't bother knockin'." Lynn gave her a playful slap.
"Well I missed you so much," Lynn said, "if you don't get me upstairs and get me rockin', I'm going kick your butt." Animal laughed, scooped her up in her arms and carried through the door.
"Okay everybody," Animal shouted as she climbed the stairs with Lynn in her arms. "If you here Lynnie screamin', it ain't cause she's dreamin'." Lynn giggled and started kicking her legs.
"Help, I'm going to be ravished," she did scream, and Animal silenced her sealing her lips over Lynn's mouth.
Out in the van, Mike turned and snuggled into his pillow. When he opened his eyes, he saw that his pillow was a soft denim thigh. He turned onto his back and looked up. Donna was still asleep and laying sideways on a big pillow. A button on her blouse had popped open during the night exposing just a hint of creamy, pale skin. As she breathed, her breasts swelled against the white linen fabric. He inhaled deeply.
Damn she smells good
. He reluctantly sat up, and Donna opened her eyes.
"Hi," she said and sat upright wiping the corners of her eyes. "Don't look at me. I probably look like I've been asleep in a van all night." Mike smiled.
"You look beautiful."
She fussed with her hair, sat up on her knees and tried to catch a glimpse of herself in the rear view mirror.
"Oh God," she exhaled. "I'm a mess." Suddenly Ana whispered in the back of her head.
"Don't get out of this van without mating with him."
"You've got to be kidding," she said out loud, still not used to Ana being an exclusive voice in her head and not Mike.