The Revenge of Excalibur (16 page)

Dark, menacing clouds began appearing around the planets of Calen, Eilsel, and Teth. Inhabitants living on the daylight side of these worlds went into full panic mode, screaming and running in terror. Everyone knew what they were. They were the Planet Destroyers. The Shalits. But they were only myths, tales to frighten young children. Weren't they?

These foreboding masses blanketed the planets, not allowing any space vessels to enter or leave. Space ships fortunate enough to have been off planet at the time, were unable to make contact with their home worlds. Attempts at communication between each planet failed. No one knew what happened to their sister worlds; they could've already been absorbed by the evil entities.

For one long day and night, the citizens huddled in their homes, scared, praying to their gods for salvation. None could figure out why the Shalits hadn't destroyed them yet. Why were they waiting?

On Eilsel, one woman was not afraid. She calmly entered a Calen ship, saying to the captain, “You must deliver me to the palace on Calen.”

The captain shook his head, waving his arms with agitation in the air. He recognized the female before him. She was Sheeta, the last surviving sister of the ruling family. “I am sorry, ma'am, but the Shalits will not allow us to leave the planet. We have tried, but each time they disable our ships with their bolts of silver lightning.”

She gave him a serene smile. “They will allow me to pass. Please, proceed as ordered.”

Peering around at his frightened crew, he shrugged, silently praying to his gods. “Proceed as ordered.” As the ship rose into the air and advanced toward the black, boiling clouds, he gripped the arms of his chair, waiting for the lightning to strike them dead. But nothing happened. With wide eyes, he watched in amazement, as the clouds parted, and then, the ship disappeared.

The ship reappeared on the landing field next to the palace. Gliding down the ramp, Sheeta was greeted with warm smiles by Panth, Tig, and Tobah. Even though they never met her, they greeted her as long-lost lovers, sharing intimate embraces and long, passionate kisses. They slowly walked up the steps, and into the palace; Sheeta's new home.

During the one day and night of Shalit controlled quarantines, preparations were being put into play at the Palace. A wedding was about to commence. One never seen before, and went against all the laws of Calen, Eilsel, and Teth. Excalibur's mental manipulations were working as planned.

Two hours later, three beautiful brides walked slowly down a long aisle. Local peasants and palace workers looked on, crammed for space in the throne room. In the front row, sat a few dignitaries who'd been on Calen for business, but once the Shalits arrived, they were stranded.

These noble men stared with contempt and fear at the huge, red-blue Tethian standing at the steps leading up to the thrones. They grumbled between themselves, fidgeting in their chairs, insulted at the audacity of a Tethian taking three wives not of his own race. But they were further outraged that this 'Panth' had declared himself King over all three planets. They couldn't wait to get home so they could put a stop to this madness.

Watching his lovely brides approaching, Panth wiped his sweaty palms on his golden robe. He'd never been this nervous before. It wasn't uncommon for a Tethian male to take more than one wife. With the harsh conditions of Teth, females outnumbered males. However, Tethians had never married outside of their race.
What am I getting myself into?

He was distracted by the mumbling and gesturing coming from the first row. Peering at their angry faces, he sighed. Though this was a joyous occasion for him, he knew he and his brides had a difficult time ahead of them. Their marriages could cause a revolt never seen before on Calen or Eilsel. His broad shoulders slumped, the welfare of his people falling heavily upon him like a weighted cloak.

Panth scratched his chin, the skin irritated from the unaccustomed removal of his facial hairs. Tig and Tobah requested, more like demanded, that he shave his face. He had to admit he enjoyed the feeling of smooth skin. He even shaved his family crest across his chest and down his arms. Once he became King, he would teach this grooming practice to his fellow Tethians.

Stopping in a semi-circle in front of Panth, his soon-to-be brides smiled nervously up at him. He grinned. Tig and Tobah still wore their guard uniforms, but they were adorned with garlands of pink and white flowers.

The Priest standing behind Panth began officiating the ceremony. In a deep, echoing voice, he intoned the vows of marriage. Panth said his vows with Sheeta, his fingers trembling as they exchanged necklaces made with the birthstones from their home planets. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

Calmer, he turned to Tobah, and they exchanged their vows and necklaces. Visions of the busty, curvy Tobah entwined in the act of love made Panth's breeding organ stir. He gave Tobah a lewd grin and a wink. Guessing what he was thinking, she winked back at him.

He turned toward Tig, his heart skittering in his chest at her breathtaking beauty. Out of the three women, Tig was his favorite. Panth counted himself lucky to be marrying a woman like her. As he promised to love and protect her for all time, he heard a small, mental voice. He glanced around.
What is that?
He heard it again. He mentally focused on Tig, eyes growing wide. She was carrying his seed, soon to be the mother of his first son. Tears filled his eyes as his heart swelled with joy. His proud, family line would go on.

Tig looked at him with questioning eyes. *We have an unanticipated guest,* he mentally told her. *One that will be much loved.* He had a huge grin on his clean-shaven face.

Tig's eyes grew larger, one hand flying to her mouth, the other to her belly. She focused, and yes, she faintly heard the voice of her unborn son. With a squeal, she jumped into Panth's arms, kissing him deeply and passionately. The other two newlyweds, hurried over, showing their congratulations with kisses and hugs.

The celibate Calen priest hurried through the remainder of the ceremony, naming them husband and wives, then scampered away. He didn't like being subjected to all those lustful thoughts and emotions.

The wedding guests stirred around, uncertain what to do. This was the most unorthodox wedding ceremony they'd ever witnessed. They slowly filed away, back to their homes or their work stations in the palace.

Panth and his newlyweds weren't aware of the ruckus they caused. They hurried from the throne room and up to their bedchamber. The only thought on Panth's mind was implanting his seed in his other two wives.

Once the marriage was official, the Shalits encircling the three planets sent out mental messages proclaiming the marriage of their Tethian King, Panth, to his three wives. The Shalits laughed among themselves at the protests and outcries they were hearing from Calen and Eilsel. The Calens were the loudest to protest their distaste of a Tethian King, and the abominations their unions would create. The Shalits just chuckled, for they knew Excalibur's plans.

At a mental signal from Excalibur, every Shalit ringing the planets started humming. Whether it was dayside or nightside, the loud, piercing humming brought the inhabitants of the planets outside, looking up at the dark, and menacing clouds with fear and panic.

Once all eyes were trained skyward, the Shalits said with one booming voice that shook the ground of the planets they surrounded, “Under the rule of King Panth from Teth, all three planets will now come under his jurisdiction. He is the ruler of the Shalits, and his Queens. The Queens were chosen based on the population and power structure of their home worlds. Queen Sheeta was chosen from Eilsel. Since Calen is the largest and most powerful of all three planets, Calen will be represented by two Queens, Tigget and Tobah.

“This marriage was formed to unite the different worlds. All laws and regulations will remain in effect. No more marriages of multiple wives will be permitted, except by the ruling family. The citizens have one day to either agree or disagree to this proposal. If you disagree, we Shalits shall destroy your planets.”

As the last of the booming declaration echoed away, the following silence was deafening. The Shalits watched with amusement as riots broke out on Calen and Eilsel. The people were fighting among themselves. The common workers were willing to accept a Tethian King, anything to save themselves and their families. The wealthy didn't want to give up their power and positions of authority. The people of Teth were a different matter. They were celebrating their new King, hoping and praying their hardships would finally come to an end.

As the end of the proclamation drew nearer, the unrest on Calen and Eilsel escalated. They were killing each other, setting their homes and business's on fire. The Shalits, as a collective, didn't see why these life forms were worth bothering with. After all, these same arrogant life forms had wrongfully imprisoned them for centuries. If they wanted to kill each other off, so be it.

Excalibur had explained their lust for power and control made the Calen and Eilsel's dangerous. They would never rest, knowing the Shalits existed. They would seek them out, possibly engineering new weapons that could destroy a Shalit, not just contain it. So, for the sake of their own kind, they needed to put Calen and Eilsel under the rule of a Tethian.

Since each planet rotated at a different speed, a day on Calen would be shorter or longer than on Teth or Eilsel. But, it didn't matter. Disgusted with Calen and Eilsel's inability to conform, Excalibur gave another mental command.

The dark clouds encircling the planets began to lower toward the ground, flashes of silver lightning lashing all around. Closer and closer they dropped, splitting the air with lightning bolts, thunder rumbling across the lands. The people on the ground cowered, pleading for mercy. Some fled into their homes, barricading their doors. Just when the people thought they were going to be consumed by the Shalits, the clouds stopped, one hundred feet above the ground, still sending out silver bolts.

Some Calens and Eilsels were foolish enough to fire at them with Ultilears. The Shalits scoffed, burning them to ashes with silver death. Their voices boomed out again, “Your time is up. You must decide. Live, or die.”

The frightened masses clung to each other. No one wanted to die at the hands of a Shalit. They'd heard stories all their lives about the excruciating pain people went through before being absorbed. And, this King Panth had an army of them at his command. How could they possibly fight against such odds?

One-by-one, the people of Calen and Eilsel emerged from their homes, or wherever they thought they could hide, and stood with bowed heads under the boiling, flashing, dark clouds. The supporters of the new regime even carried banners saying, 'Long Live King Panth.'

After a time, when nothing happened, the citizens looked up. The clouds were still there, but they were no longer sending out their death bolts. What was going on? Why hadn't they attacked? Why were the Shalits still here?

With a collective sigh of relief, they realized they were spared, their new King showing them leniency. They scurried off to restore order to their towns and homes. But, all the time, they knew they were still under the watchful eye of the Shalits.

After 3.2 days on Eilsel, which equated to two days on Calen and one day on Teth, the Shalits began changing. The clouds lowered onto the ground, shifting into the different shapes of Calen, Eilsel, or Tethian people. The citizens who witnessed these transformations stared with wonder and fear. The Shalits looked just like them. How would they know one from themselves? The Shalits grinned at them, then took off, to mingle and disappear among the masses in the cities and towns.

* * *

In their snug cave on Lear, Excalibur snuggled up behind Pam, a contented smile on his face. He gently caressed her hip, causing Pam's skin to shiver. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of feeling her body nestled up to his. The years trapped in that cursed sword were worth the future he now shared with his Pamela. Thinking about the Calen and Eilsels made Excalibur chuckle.

Pam turned on her back, staring up at the Shalit-man she loved. “What's got you so amused?”

Excalibur flopped on his back so Pam could lay her head on his shoulder. “Don't be mad with me, little one, but I never shared my whole plan with you.”

Pam jerked her head up, staring into his mesmerizing silver eyes. “Why not? Didn't you trust me?”

“No, it wasn't that. I wasn't quite sure how Calen and Eilsel would respond to my ultimatum. Now that they have acquiesced, I will tell you the rest. By now, all the people of Calen and Eilsel realize the Shalits have taken their shapes, and are living among them. They will never know who they are working side-by-side with, or sharing drink and food with. This will prevent any further unrest and talk of rebellion. What they don't know is the Shalits have only agreed to stay on their assigned planets for a one-year cycle. They must go back home. They have been away too long from their own kind.” The corner of his mouth turned up into a smirk. “Not to be critical, but your species have not been conducive to our kind.”

Pam's brow creased with worry. “And you? What about you? Do you feel compelled to return to your universe, to seek out your own kind?”

“My little one, my Queen, you are my kind. I will never leave your side. Ever.”

His eyes were so intense, staring right into her soul, warming her heart. She looked away, needing to ask the question she'd been avoiding for too long. She fidgeted with some of his chest hairs. “Are you only saying that because of our blood bond?”

With a gentle finger, Excalibur lifted her chin until their eyes met. “Never. Your blood set me free, but it did not bond me to you. It was you,” he placed his hand over her heart, “that possessed my soul. I felt this connection with you while still in the sword. When you fainted and ended up in my arms, I knew that was where you belonged.” He bent and gave her a tender, loving kiss.

Pam's heart melted as she sighed with contentment. “I guess I can forgive you for not telling me your whole plan.” She laid her head back on his shoulder, trailing her fingertips across his nipples, until they hardened under her touch. She noticed his 'breeding organ' responding as well. She stilled, a thought crossing her mind. “What happens when the Calens and Eilsels figure out there are no more Shalits on their planets?”