Richard in Arda couldn’t contain his happiness… He felt
like a new person … He had never been happy since his
childhood! He could never recall a time when he was
happy but now he understood the feeling of the sheer joy
of being alive! He had his friends and soul mate who had
loved him throughout her life! He knew she had a crush on
him, but the love that she spoke about did not sound like a
passing crush… it was like a lifetime commitment! But he
did not feel the loss but felt exhilarated, just like anyone
who found his love! The very thought that some one cared
for him, gave him the intoxicating bliss that he felt!
The Reans and others who had met him remarked on the
radiance on his face and the cheerfulness that had been
missing till now!
Re, ‘Richard, you look great… If I had known connecting
with your people would bring you this much happiness,
we would have given top priority for communication!’
He smiled, ‘The waiting is worth though!’
Zo was happy for him, ‘ It is nice to see you with the
happy face ! Richard actually we came to tell you
something… I intercepted a strange signal… I would like
to go around the Arda , as we do not know the planet well.
We must map the entire planet, if we are planning to rule
this planet!’
Richard thought for a while, ‘ good idea.. but before you
go, I would like to speak to the queen. She knows
everything about the Arda! You will get some prior
knowledge of what to expect! What is that about the
signal!’
Zo replied, ‘ I am not sure … it could be anything … but
definitely it has crossed the atmosphere but now I am not
able to get the signal…’
Re said, ‘ I am worried and we have been very busy in
settling and not fortified our defence. But it could be done
in a short time…’
Richard, ‘Tonight we move the spacecraft to the bunker
near the palace and tomorrow we shift to the city…
Arrange for some unmanned drones to go around the
entire area …not just the city.…’
Re was glad that the King had thought of it! ,
‘ King
Richard, I am happy to serve you sir! I will take my leave
now’
Richard laughed and said, ‘you act like a character in a
period drama!' Re took off as an eagle…
Zo transformed into a bird and perched on his shoulder
and both went off to meet the queen…The queen knew
they were coming to meet her and one of her prop trunks
stopped them.
‘Hail King Richard! There is no need to walk all the way
to the centre seat of the queen. I am here … So what made
you come all these way?
Richard greeted her, ‘ Zo wants to map the planet and I
told him that we must meet you before he undertakes
something like that…’
The queen thought for a while, ‘Good decision … to map
the planet as well as meeting me before mapping… It is
unlike the Earth... there are no continents … just fifteen
percent are the land mass and the rest is water… The land
mass is seen only in the middle of the planet… what you
call on Earth …yes around the equator. Mostly
mountainous terrain… but the valleys are very fertile as it
has the accumulated minerals of the mountains!’
Zo, ‘so the seasons remain without much variations!’
‘
There are four seasons as the Arda tilts more than the
Earth, the variations are seen in the equator too! Now we
are in the last leg of the summer, later it would rain
incessantly but the water drains away easily into the
ocean! Winter is bearable as the water in the mountains
and half of the oceans freeze… This planet is the best! But
that is the reason we must worry!’
Richard was puzzled, ‘ but if this is the best place for
settlement… why should we worry?’
The queen snorted, ‘ It is the best place and naturally all
would think the same.. Of course it is lying defenceless for
anyone’s taKing… how did you find it? Exactly… others
will come and we must decide if we allow them or chase
them!’
Zo meekly said, ‘oh respected queen! We have someone I
think… I intercepted a signal today’
The queen, gently touched Zo with one of her branches! ,
‘
yes little one! I know of your power and intelligence …
We will support you whatever you decide! I have
confidence in King Richard here… he will decide after
seeing them but don’t make the first move… lie low and
wait….My trees have already gone in search of the strange
light that was seen… I will let you know!’
Zo felt really humble… what his super technology had
found it, but the queen knew about it!
Richard was alarmed and if he had to see them first he had
to go in search of them and he had only the orb given by
the Aatians… He thanked the queen and walked back to
the campsite!
Zo was unnaturally silent! He realised it after sometime
and asked him…
Zo , ‘ Richard , you should not go there as you are visible
but let us go and find them… we will give you a report of
what we see there and if necessary, you go in person.. You
are very important to us!’
Richard was really touched by the gesture and he
acknowledged the logic behind his plan…
‘
I think, it is a good idea! Let us see what Re tells!’ But
Re anticipated the move and sent a team with Ro to
search… So ten of them flew away to find the newcomers!
In Ro’s team only Ge was left as she was still recovering
from the rhizome attack!
The rest had already gone to settle and Re had advised
them to select the houses nearer to the palace and two of
them could stay in one house. But it was allowed, if one
wanted to stay alone… So all the thirty two Reans had
wanted to stay alone and occupied one house each from
the inner circle of houses near the palace.
It was not a surprise to Richard as Re had told that they
were not ready to start a family. Their life span was ten
thousand years and most of them were below two
thousand years old…that was still in adolescent stage…
There were many houses left in the outer circle and many
Aatians wanted to stay there and Re was in brisk business
as he was giving them off for rental! Even the Cynig
rented a house but Re generously gave him for free and
allowed him to decorate to his taste. His house stood out
because, it was painted with some different reflector so it
shone with green and red hue…
Re and Richard went around the campsite to see if
anything was left… Except for the spacecraft everything
had been shifted. Richard’s orb was parked and the trees
that he planted were grown so well that they started
moving as their roots were strong… He could see them
hopping on the other side of the lake… Wherever they had
gone, they would come back in the evening as it was their
birth place. The proud mother was watching them without
moving much!
There was a sudden noise from down near the beach and
Richard ran to see… Re flew down and before he could go
,
Re came back and stopped him… , ‘ Don’t go Richard…
I saw a huge tree falling down and it could not have
happened by itself … Go hide and watch!’
Re became invisible.
Richard shivered as he knew something was wrong! The
small flowering plants hopped on to the opposite side and
few trees were moving fast from the beach… Then the
bubbles came up and docked and two Aatians got down
and inspected the fallen tree. It was a nightmare to watch
afterwards!
The two Aatians were engulfed by some kind of tentacles.
He couldn’t make out the entire body but a flash of
reflection showed the eye at the centre of a conical shaped
head… It resembled a huge octopus, but it had only four
tentacles, head and thorax were clearly seen! In the upper
half, below the conical head had two tentacles and the
thorax tapered into another two tentacles… the creatures
1
used the lower tentacles to stand erect! Really weird
looKing creature…
Richard did not see another creature getting up from the
fallen tree! It pulled the branches off the tree and stacked
them…
The second one carried all the wood, the other pulled the
two Aatians and they started walking along the beach…
Richard knew if he did not act now, he might lose the
respect he had gained! He had his gun and the cleaver….
He surprised himself when he shouted at the top of his
voice and ran towards the creatures! The trees and plants
stopped their flight and watched from a distance!
Richard was never frightened as much as he was
frightened now! But he had to act or all the peace treaty
might collapse…
The two creatures turned towards him, their single eye
looked at him. The second creature dropped the wood that
it had piled in the upper tentacles and one of the tentacles
sneaked towards him and Richard shot the tentacle…
The creature howled in pain and fell down and the other
one left the Aatians and ran in a peculiar manner using the
lower tentacles and checked if the creature was alright.
The single eye bulged out of fear or concern. The tip of
the tentacle was shattered and green colour fluid was
oozing from the wound!
The trees came nearer and watched them! To everyone’s
utter surprise, it started howling and tears were falling
from the single eye!
The Aatians actually laughed but Richard silenced them.
But in a second an Aatian was caught and he was about to
be thrashed on the ground, Richard caught him before he
could be killed!
Richard lost his temper, ‘who are you? How dare you
people disturb the peace here? Who are you?’
The creature looked around and now the number of trees
had increased and they were surrounded by the tress.
The creature’s head was knocked by an invisible hand and
Richard knew it was Re…
The creature was bewildered, it looked here and there and
again it got smacked in the face.
Richard said, ‘let us imprison them and then find how
many more have come…’
The trees used some kind of roots and creepers to tie both.
He asked, ‘ Re, stop the fluid that leaking… and I don’t
want them to die ..’
Re still in the invisible form tied the wound with some
leaves and stopped the fluid.
Once they were tied properly, he asked the Aatians to
place them in the underwater room . They agreed happily
and Richard insisted that no harm should come to them
and he would personally come and see…
They placed them in the bubble and took off. The trees
cheered but Richard cautioned them and told them to go
find how many more of these creatures were wandering
and what kind of a spaceship they used!
Re could be seen now… ‘ Richard, they are not as weak as
they make us believe… Something is not ok… They came
here without any protection! When you shot, I was
watching the first one and it showed such aggression but
immediately it became meek. I will go and check it
myself…. Some more will follow me! But where will you
be?’
Richard had already decided, ‘The spacecraft Ave is still
in the campsite… It is already very late, soon it would be
dark. I want you to move to the bunker as soon as it gets
dark.. Until then I will be here in the campsite…Go and
come back'
As usual Re was amazed at his logical thinking and
agreed.
*
****