In the Name of Earth

Chapter 24: Pact is Rock

The flash of the pirate ship’s destruction had been imprinted deep into Marvin’s eyes. The frozen frame of the moment the orbital strike obliterated the black cruiser forever stamped on his brain. Each detail, each piece of debris, each cloud in the sky, each rock on the floor, carved deep into his soul.

Moments like that, when a man realizes his powerlessness before the universal forces, never leave those who experience them. Moments when hope slips through one’s fingers. The moment of dreadful realization that you are only human. Moments that, even years later, will be there when you close your eyes hard enough.

Moments that changed everything.

Marvin’s moment just kept looping over itself. The deafening blast echoing over the static blinding light of the detonation.

And then it was gone.

Just like that.

Replaced by the warmth of a comfy bed and sunlight seeping through the window.

Marvin sat up in a jump. What on Earth?

He was not Exile’s med-bay, that was for damn sure. He was no longer in his jumpsuit either, but in a loose robe. Plus, he was not half as sore as he should have been after the shockwave hit he had experienced. In fact, he was not sore at all.

A quick glance around the room confirmed he was alone. There was a television on the opposite wall to the bed, a small dining table and a fridge. One of the walls was entirely glass, and what he saw beyond was mesmerizing. Marvin slid out of the sheets and edged towards the window, resting a hand over the cold glass.

On the other side, a whole metropolis opened before his eyes, an urban dream that made New York pale in comparison. Thousands of cars transited in the air, skyscrapers bathed in the golden sunrise, suspended gardens and manors calmly hovering above the buildings. The architecture, crawling with arches and sharp edges was a blend of granite and wood, with almost no metal at all.

For a moment, that sight alone made Marvin forget about everything else. All the fear, uncertainty and grief. It was a dream. A feeble fleeting dream. But if that was a dream…

Marvin squeezed his eyelids shut and the image of the destroyed pirate ship came rushing back.

He opened his eyes with a sigh.

The ship was gone, and he was once more looking at the utopic skyscrapers. Judging by the view, he was in a skyscraper himself, but that was all he could say from within the room. It was time to explore.

The strange room’s door opened as soon as Marvin approached it, sliding into the wall to reveal a gorgeous garden under open golden skies. Flowers of all colors sprinkled the green bushes and a tiny lake waved as birds bathed in it. The garden was still mostly shaded by the walls surrounding it, but would be properly bathed by the sun later in the day.

Adding to the soft shades of the garden, Nikals of various colors diligently watered the plants, rooted out the weed and collected fruits from the orchards and flowers from the bushes. One of the flowers, Marvin realized, was oddly similar to the orchids his mother used to grow back on Earth. In fact, all the flowers were surprisingly familiar, and the trees were undoubtedly bearing apples and oranges.

The centerpiece of the scene, however, was the gazebo in the middle of the lake, where a lonely pink Nikal sat cross-legged.

Musing at the gardens around him, Marvin approached the Gazebo, and on his path over the wooden bridge he could not help but notice the fishes in the pond. Sure, fishes looked the same everywhere, but those were surprisingly boring. Surprisingly… human?

“Chief-Ambassador!” the pink Nikal in the gazebo spoke softly, his back to Marvin. “You’re finally awake. Cookies? Coffee?”

Marvin approached the man. On the floor in front of the alien, a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a jug of steaming coffee awaited. The Nikal had already gotten himself a mug.

“Where am I?” Marvin asked. “Who are you?”

“I am Master Pact-Sealer Qui’Puk. On behalf of the Nikal people, I welcome you to Muchikak, the capital of our proud nation. Please sit!” the Nikal gestured a pillow on the wooden floor across from him.

Marvin sat down, legs crossed, and took a hesitant bite of a cookie.

“Hum… these are perfect!” Marvin took another bite. “Just like my mom make them.”

“It is your mother’s recipe. Gift from your father. We worked hard to master it,” Qui’Puk said. “Initially for benefit of human visitors, but I grew quite fond of them. Alas, you are our first human visitor.”

“Your garden. All Earth plants, aren’t they?”

“We built this tower for you. Humans. We do so for all friends. We hoped your father would be guest one day.”

“My father…” Marvin stopped filling his coffee mug. “We need to talk about what happened on that beach.”

“Indeed, we do. After detonation, we healed you and female. She is well. What were you doing there?”

“We were tracking the pirates. They had my father and three of my friends, including a Nikal.”

“I am aware…” Qui’Puk looked away. “My son. Qui’Mal. I was there to negotiate release.”

“That was not at all what it looked like.”

“The pirates had Pact with us. They failed to fulfill their end. Said Qui’Malwas no longer onboard.”

“So you killed them?” Marvin was starting to lose his cool. “They could be lying! Qui’Mal could still be on board! As could my father and countless other prisoners!”

Qui’Puk sighed, then stood up and paced to the room Marvin had awaken on.

“Follow. My love for son is great, but responsibility with people is greater. Look,” Qui’Puk gestured the window beyond which the glorious city stood. “Nikal among greatest civilizations in galaxy. Prosperous, powerful, proud. A3 in Sentience. All because of Pact. If pirates escape, Master Pact-Sealer breaks Pact. Nikal soldiers spread word. Pact no longer sacred and foundation of Nikal society crumbles. All you see before eyes, built on sand. Pact is rock!”

“So…” Marvin muttered. “You don’t believe failing a Pact will doom your spirit?”

“It will doom Nikal spirit. All spirit. It is source of trust,” he turned to the garners next. “Pact root out liars and incompetent like gardeners root weed. If Qui’Mal was onboard, I will forever regret, but Nikal people will endure. Choice between family and nation is never easy, but men like us must always make. You must make choice now: find your father or save your planet?”

Marvin sighed. “I think it might be too late for both.”

“It is never too late,” the Nikal rested a hand on Marvin’s shoulder. “Pirate said escape pod left pirate ship. Entire Nikal fleet is looking for them. Your father and my son may live!”

Marvin chewed on his lips, eyes lost in the busy city before him, the raised his head and looked deep into the Nikal’s eye.

“I propose a Pact!” the human proclaimed. “You have influence on the Court of Moderator in Sauculs, yes?”

“The Nikal people are very politically influential. Yes.”

“I was tracking the pirates. If Qui’Mal escaped in a pod he will be somewhere along the pirate route. I can retrace their steps and find them.”

“And in exchange?” Qui’Puk’s fur waved in anticipation.

“You do everything in your power to stop maintain humanity’s claim to Earth,” Marvin said.

“My son for your world…” Qui’Puk ruminated, then grabbed Marvin’s hands. “This Pact is hereby and forevermore Sealed, between Master Pact-Sealer Qui’Puk and Chief-Ambassador Marvin Grant of Earth. May we be prosperous!”

“It is an honor! But there is one more thing…” Marvin paused. “I’ll need a crew. My crew.”

***

Jade’s breath slowed down, and the world around her did too. Two Nikals with two ceremonial blades each charged at her, one from two o’clock, the other from ten.

She took off running to the run coming from the right. The alien spun and brought both arms slashing down the human with crushing force, but she seamlessly parried the first blade with her elbow and grabbed the other with her bare hand. The other Nikal was approaching, so she leapt over the first, twisting the blade out of his grip and positioning him as a shield.

The confused alien tried striking with his free weapon, but Jade yanked the blade she held from his hand and used it to block the other. Letting go of the weapon, Jade grabbed the alien’s brown fur with her left hand and used the right to land three sound punches the hairy temples. She finalized by letting the man go pushing an open palm against his chest.

The alien, despite being several time heavier than Jade, flew across the arena with a blue blast.

The second Nikal resumed his charge, but Jade simply slid under his legs, hooked her right hand to his foot and pulled it up, sending the massive being spinning into the air until he crashed face first on the ground. Jade scurried to her feet on the other side.

Seeing the fallen opponents on the sparring arena, she cracked her neck and fingers. Or at least the fingers on her left hand. The ones on the right were too well oiled for that.

“Holy crap, how did you do that?” Marvin asked from behind her.

“Oh, hey sleepy head!” she winked at him and lifted her right arm. The forearm and hand had been replaced by a dark metal alloy with blue neon-like veils. “Little gift from the Nikal. I can be even more badass with this beauty!”

“Is that a glove or…” Marvin resisted the urge to touch the metal hand.

“Nope. When I feel from the rocks back on the beach… They couldn’t save it,” Jade’s gaze faltered for a moment, but that was soon surprised by a smile. “Anyhow, I was way too hard on these guys. Their tech is awesome! When I move fast my fist builds energy and BAM!”

“Pretty sure that’s how regular punching works.”

“Tell that to the guy I tossed across the room! Anyhoo, any news?”

“I’ll tell after we get Reel, but there may still be hope for Earth,” Marvin gestured to the exit.

“Speaking of Reel, nobody would tell me where he was,” Jade followed Marvin, wiping sweat from her forehead. “Got any clue.”

“Turns out our little friend used to smuggle Crazy-Corn into Nikal space,” Marvin snorted. “They got him back on the island.”

“Wait… is he… in jail?” Jade’s voice faltered. “Nikal jail?”

Marvin had thought the same thing. He hated to imagine what prison would be like for a people who killed others over broken promises. All the more reason for him to have done what he did.

“Yes, he’s in jail,” Marvin whispered. “But we’re getting him out!”