It wasn't long after that Kimon also noticed that there seemed to be an endless supply of men. He and Onai started to fight closer to one of the ships. Looking in, he saw that there was a type of duplicating machine.
Kimon looked at Onai with a hidden look, then dashed inside. A few moments later, there was a smoking and popping as the flow of men stopped. Kimon came flying out as the inside of the ship exploded.
I just shook her head, "a little dramatic wasn't it," Onai said.
"Ah, but then what is life without a little drama," Kimon said. "After all, it does make life far more interesting, don't you agree?"
Again, Onai shook her head, "life is interesting enough without you adding to it. One would think that you are bored."
"Not as boring as wanting to get through all of this. We have delayed joining far too long. You deserve far better than you received from this one," Kimon replied.
Onai took another two down as she and Kimon fought closer to the other ships. "Go after the next one, I will keep them distracted."
Kimon nodded as he entered the second ship. Again, a moment later, there was thick smoke that poured from inside the ship. Kimon then appeared as the inside exploded.
They immediately moved to a third and fourth ship, disabling the cloning machines inside. Kimon and Onai nodded as most of the clones faded. There were still another five ships that they moved toward.
They had all but one ship down. Most of the actual people now unconscious. This time Kimon could see that the last ship was going to be the hardest.
"Stay here, Onai, this one is far different than the others. If I do not return, destroy the rest, this is far more important than my life. They could destroy most of the clans," Kimon said as he vanished before Onai could open her mouth to reply.
At first, Onai wasn't worried as Kimon entered the ship. She started to get worried as three minutes later Kimon still hadn't reappeared. When it hit six minutes, she got even more worried.
Drawing closer, she heard the intense sound of battle going on inside. Finally, at the doorway, she managed to take out five just inside. It was then that she noticed that those coming out were far more skilled than she at first thought.
Still, she tried to take a few more out as she barely stepped inside the door. The foes she was fighting were far more skilled than she thought they'd be. She barely caught sight of Kimon as he was striking the machine and multiple foes.
Kimon barely managed to look at her. With a small smile, he nodded, then went back to the fight. That was the last sight she had of him as she was forced back out the door. A moment later, the almost endless flow of the enemy stopped, though she couldn't reenter.
A redoubling of her efforts didn't make much difference as they were still keeping her from returning. Now extremely worried, she tried even harder to no avail.
She'd finally managed to put down all that she was facing, when she heard a hissing noise. Taking a glancing hit, she was knocked down, right before the whole ship exploded.
She was flung across the clearing well into the wooded area. Trying to rise, she felt that she had a few broken, though mostly bruised ribs. She also noticed that she also had a broken arm.
A look at the burning wreckage confirmed what she had been afraid of. She couldn't find Kimon's body anywhere. Again, she tried to rise, falling, punching a few places, then surrendering to the darkness.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Risen was checking everything before he even got close to the planet. After the treachery they had shown, he wasn't sure that he shouldn't kill them all.
He was about to descend when he saw that there was a definite build-up in the military near the capital. Another evil smile crossed his features as he aimed the weapons at the build-up. Laughing evilly, he started to destroy every soldier that he could see.
He ignored all the calls that started to come in, enjoying the wholesale destruction and death. He then saw that they were going to once again fire missiles at him, he climbed out of orbit. With another evil laugh, he started to destroy every missile that he saw.
An hour later, he looked at the destruction, many of the larger cities on fire. They had stopped trying to contact him. It was then that he decided that he would contact them.
"So" he started, "I think that I have proven that I could destroy this mud ball at my leisure. I am unsure whether this place even deserves to continue to exist. This is the last chance, you can't defeat me, so, live or die up to you. I have no problem turning this planet into a smoking cinder," Risen said, then clicked off.
Well, he thought, an hour to recharge and get everything up all the way. I highly doubt that they will accept the help, we'll see.
Risen had actually fallen asleep waiting for the full hour to pass. An alarm he had set awoke him to the hour having passed.
Strangely enough, it wasn't the Queen that contacted him. "To the partner, what promise do we have that you won't take back on your promise."
"Promise? I think the fact that as many are still alive is promise enough. All the planet knows I can destroy outside of orbit. So have you and the rest of this place decided or do I destroy all of you? I will not tolerate treachery," Risen said.
"All the planet has agreed that you are powerful, there will be no more treachery," the voice said.
"I mean what I said, I have more than enough power to lay waste to this place. I will descend soon, no military, no missiles, nothing," Risen threatened.
There was a deep sigh, then the voice said, "it will be as you said."
Risen clicked off, things were starting to go more his way, he needed all three races if this was to work. "Computer began descending procedures. I want all the sensors up, if they move against us, I want to know right away."
Now he thought we'd see if they are ready to go back to the stars or not.
Risen watched every sensor as his ship slowly descended to the planet. Finally, twenty minutes later, the ship touched down on the burned surface.
"Alright, I want you to access files apx113 - afx113. I want all that is contained there to be extracted, created and laid put in front of the ship. Estimated time to completion?" Risen asked.
"Estimated time: twelve hours, twenty-five minutes and thirty-three seconds," the ship's computer said.
"Hmmm," Risen said. "That ought to be enough time to set out some surprises."
"Awaiting orders," the computer said.
Risen had set up a great deal of explosives as well as a great other poisons and diseases. A shake of his head. Risen was indeed far happier with all he'd done.
A look back as he walked to the ship had him smiling largely. Yes, he thought, let them bring treachery now, he was far more than ready for them. It was almost time for them to appear to gather all the supplies he'd left for them.
He had been inside the ship for almost half an hour, finally he saw the approach of the tall gray aliens. Well, he thought, we'd soon know if they actually intend to honor their word.
"Computer I want all weapons charged to full, all shields to full. We will not be caught unaware again. I want continuous scanning on every being out there. I want instant response if they make an unacceptable move against us," Risen said.
"Compliance, all parameters set, all weapons to full. Shields at full all is ready," the computer replied.
Less than an hour later, a great crowd of Xetherans had appeared with machines to gather the supplies. Many wouldn't even look at the ship as they loaded up, then left.
A few moments later, the Queen contacted Risen, "it will be good to ascend to the stars again."
"Yes," Risen said as he watched the Xetherans moving off. "You should again become a space faring race again. Be well good hunting."
"You are not staying to witness the glory of our rise?" The Queen asked.
"No," Risen replied as the ship started to rise from the surface. "You have all you need to climb to the stars again. Goodbye!"
With that, Risen's little ship rose faster as it broke through the atmosphere. Breaking orbit, Risen thought of destroying another city, then thought against it.
Now Risen thought, I just have to be in place to take over the palace A.I. Hopefully the old program was buried deep within the A.I. still worked. His great - great-great-grandfather had put it there.
