Chapter 19: Chapter 19

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.

*

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