Earth's Last Angel (8 page)

‘My master, the shuttle is finally prepared, the door has been welded shut, the Ambassador is secured inside the shuttle. There is no way to stop the nukes now. We have secured 18 operational warheads in total, we are ready to launch on your command. My master, why do we not use the Hammer?'

‘They are immune to its power. You have done well! Once again you prove yourself faithful in much. You will stand at my right hand when I manifest my power over this diabolical heresy!'

The small shuttle lifts off in autopilot using its return home fail-safe mechanism. Slowly she rises up in to the clear spring sky, firing her primary propulsion engines as she lifts clear of Thera's atmosphere.

War rages on, resources are exploited with pollution choking the atmosphere. Political systems that have been tried, have failed. Now the struggle for total domination of the planet nears its climax as the big three tear at each other in the name of their creator, each claiming to be the true faith. It is during this time that the Sky Lion comes to be, and is sent on his first mission to give Thera one last chance to stop this madness.

The Sky Lion becomes Thera's Last Angel.

The Sky Lion confronts the young creator Azeebar, who had prematurely accelerated the development of the Mazuba. Their arrogance soon grew to the point of murdering their own that questioned them, writing their holy books to suit their own ambitions to control and suppress the masses, and to have total, absolute power.

The Sky Lion discerns that to achieve lasting peace and prosperity for all Mazubans he would have to appeal to The Word first. Now he would face the most arrogant violent Mazuban of them all. In his Mazuban form the Sky Lion is no different from other Mazubans, however only a tiny portion of his energy life force is tied to this organic body, which has to die for him to return to his energy lifeform. After heated discussion with The Word, even going to the point of revealing his true identity that he is the Sky Lion, he is dragged off in chains to be executed as a common criminal an imposter of God himself. He suffers the same torture as the other prisoners. All this happens two weeks before Bill and Sheona's arrest.

Three prisoners are dragged out of their cells barely conscious from the beating they have just endured, a parting gift from Web, keen to get the last blow in. They are brought to the chamber of the Crocs.

Panic grips all three as they are manacled naked by the hands, feet, and neck, and then stretched out as far as possible, one prisoner on each of the giant crocodiles. The Sky Lion is manacled to the center croc, with Bill on his right and Sheona on his left. Instead of feeling the heat of the laser, they feel the entire platform shift then lift, slowly moving upwards towards the growing light, upwards towards their impending doom…

The forlorn little shuttle closes in on the asteroid city of Sky Jewel.

People are having a great time celebrating the awakening of the first Croc, who is the last to rise. The party is in full swing no one is aware of the impending disaster about to be unleashed. Onwards through the silent darkness of space the little shuttle flies inexorably drawing closer…ever closer.

Emerging from the reanimation ark the First Croc is still a bit groggy as he sits down on the examination table, tucking his medical gown in under his legs. After a quick check over, a clean bill of health is soon issued.

‘So how's my bike, Doc, is she a right off?

‘Yes I'm afraid so, and so where both of you,' replies the stocky tall doctor.

‘What do you mean? I've just been in a coma for a little while haven't I?' growing concern creasing the Croc's brow.

‘How in the name of all that's holy do I explain this?' thinks Dr Muzik.

‘Well no, sire, you both died at the scene of the accident, you suffered massive head injuries.'

Color drains from the Croc's face, he feels nauseous his hands creep up feeling his head.

‘So…what's going on? Am I alive? Where the hell am I? Where is Judok?' he asks in a tiny voice fighting to stop the panic.

Now the excitement becomes too much to contain, Doctor Muzik blurts out.

‘You sire, are very much alive! You are now on Sky Jewel, the year is now 2689! Your designs worked! It has taken us a while to figure it all out and sort out the wrinkles, but here you are the last one of your family to be awakened from death!

‘Let me get this straight, one minute I'm blasting along quite happily on my bike until that stinking huge tree jumps out in front of me, then next thing I wake up here in a city called Sky Jewel…680 years later! Where the hell is Sky Jewel anyway?'

‘Sire you are now on the asteroid belt, Sky Jewel is our capital city.'

‘Holy-crap! So if I'm the last one to rise, who else have you guys brought back?'

‘Your entire family sire! Queen Judok is especially anxious to see you, everyone is here to meet you,' smiled the young doctor.

The First Croc is now dressed in a long pure white tunic, stitched in gold across his chest the royal golden pyramid with the Golden Halo arching over it, two Crocs facing each other with the pyramid between them. He, steps out of the large tent housing the ark. The tent has been erected in a large park area on the shores of the great lake. He stops, smiling up at the masses of cheering waving people. He raises his hand in acknowledgment, setting off a loud roar from the adoring crowd.

Everyone has come in from the outer reaches of the asteroid belt for this momentous occasion.

‘Where's my wee Goddess?'

‘I'm right here, naughty.' comes the cheeky giggly reply.

Spinning around to his right hand side, The First Croc spots his sweetheart at the front of the smaller crowd of family surging forward to meet him. She now steps up to him, kissing him on the lips, prompting another roar of approval from the crowd. The reanimation ark has worked beyond all expectations, now the awakening of the Crocs is complete. All of the Croc's family is here, all 22 generations of them. Now the long process of introductions starts. After this formality is complete it's time to celebrate, and celebrate they do, well into the night.

The following morning the two now very alive lovers are enjoying a morning stroll along the top observation deck, taking in the vista below and above them.

‘Darling, did you really believe our sons could do all of this?' waving his hand around to encompass the massive hollowed out asteroid that is now the city of Star Jewel with all of her wonders from the crystal clear lake at the base surrounded by beautiful open parks. Gardens that hang from the balconies of each floor encircling the inner shell creating a curtain of living color right around the entire wall. The golden glass pyramid the family trademark, thrusting seven floors up into space above the city. His heart fills with pride and awe.

‘To be honest not all of it, sometimes I thought you were a bit of a dreamer.'

‘Excuse me, mother, father may I speak with you for a moment?'

‘Of course son, speak.'

‘Now that you have finally been reanimated along with the rest of us, who among us do you think should become the Grand Croc as leader over us?'

‘I believe the present Croc should stay in power until we prepare a mandate, then we should conduct a conclave to discuss and resolve any concerns that come up regarding leadership.'

‘Son, while you're here, I'm keen to tour the research and development facilities and meet the people who made all of this happen, can you organize that for me? Oh and I want to see the staronium isotope for myself.'

‘Father, I can actually do better than that, I can organize an enhancement session for you, Nolack-2 can give you a direct link implant while she's at it. You can talk to her anywhere, any time, and it also links you up so you can call any of us lions at anytime. Staronium is in the vault at the great hall.'

‘What do mean us?'

‘All Crocs since Nolack-1's creation have been given a direct link implant to her, so now we have our own private communications network through Nolack-1 and now Nolack-2.

‘Fantastic! I'll be in that. Call me this afternoon, your mother and I still have some catching up to do,' smiling tenderly at his now enhanced, young, and still pretty wife. Both now dressed in comfortable light jumpsuits with soft leather boots, The Croc tours around Sky-Jewel on foot, taking in the sights and sound of this busy asteroid city with his little goddess by his side.

Mid-morning they enter the great hall, admiring the display of artifacts that line the walls documenting the history of the United Kingdom of Sobektar.

‘This is totally amazing! Check this out they even have a scale model of our first golden pyramid where it all began. Look at this, there's even a miniature of Nolack running around with the kids!'

Judok looked down at the miniatures, a tear slips out the corner of her eye remembering the happy times she'd had with Nolack, her faithful little dog.

A quiet dignified voice softly whispers ‘I am honored to be named after her.'

‘Who said that?' a now somber Judok softly asks, wiping the tear away.

Spotting a small bench near the curtained end of the hall, the First Croc gently guides Judok towards it. Their path is intercepted by a proud young man wearing the Royal tunic.

‘Who are you? Why are you here?' he demands.

‘I am The First Croc of the United Kingdom of Sobektar, I am here to see my sword Mulicator and the staronium isotope.'

‘Please forgive me, sire. My birth name is Glen, also of the United Kingdom of Sobektar I am the Croc of this great city. Please allow me to escort you to the treasury, where we keep Mulicator and the staronium isotope. I thought you were a visitor, they are very keen to see the great hall and sometimes try to sneak a peek at the throne. Your jumpsuits had me fooled. So sire, you are the very First Croc?'

‘First up let's drop the sire you can call me grandfather, and yes, I am the First Croc.'

‘Forgive me for asking, so how did you become the First Croc?' a now inquisitive Glen asks.

‘That son is a story best told around a camp fire with glowing coals and an ice cold beer in hand, with the starry heavens looking down on us. We should take some time out soon and go do just that, it'll give us a chance to get to know each other. I'll take you back to where I used to take my boy's gold prospecting in the Western desert region.'

Glen smiles at The First Croc. ‘Grandfather, the western region copped the big wet several hundred years ago. It rained for nearly five years straight without a break, now all the deserts you speak of are under a massive inland sea. It's now known as the Great Southern Land with its capital in Darwin. The other 73 cities are built in the Eyre Sea, as it's now called.'

‘How did they build them in the sea?'

‘They built huge sea walls first, then pumped out the sea water to leave dry seabed to build the city on,' Glen replied.

‘Bugger! You doze off for five minutes and the whole damn planet changes!' laughed the older Croc, shaking his head.

‘I have an idea. Why don't I take you both to Lord William's estate. We can find a pleasant place to set up camp, I'm sure he would be honored,' Glen offered.

‘Who is this Lord William?'

‘Lord William and his wife Lady Sheona are the couple that fulfilled your Prophecy.'

‘You mean they are the ones who found staronium?' the Croc's skin going goose flesh.

‘Yes! sire…I mean Grandfather,' smiled Glen.

‘Then I must meet Lord William and Lady Sheona, were they suitably rewarded?'

‘Just as you set out in the Croc's Chronicles, so it was done.'

‘Excellent. My faith in my sons is justified. Now my young Mazuban, time to show this old timer how well you've kept my baby.'

‘This way Grandfather, I must confess you had us guessing for ages that Mulicator is much more than just a sword. ‘Taker and Giver of Life,' that was the key, excuse the pun.'

‘See I told you so, our kids are pretty smart they must take after their mum,' teases the old Croc.

‘I'll deal with you later, stinker!' Queen Judok whispers in the old Croc's ear as she playfully squeezes his arm.

Glen leads them to the large, heavy, royal blue curtain with the royal golden pyramid emblem dead center. The curtain spans the full width of the hall, covering ceiling to floor. At their approach Glen asks Nolack-2 to open it, and the curtain parts at the center, allowing them to pass through, closing again once they are clear. Now Judok understands who belongs to the voice.

‘You are welcome,' she smiled whispering barely loud enough to hear.

‘You were saying?' asks the First Croc turning to face Queen Judok.

‘It's just a girl thing, it's OK,' she shook her head smiling.

Directly in front of them is a large table shaped like a giant keyhole, large enough to sit the high council of 11 people including the Croc. It is round at the top with two joining parallel tables at the bottom. Although it is one huge table, it has a gap running up the center to allow access for those who would address the high council. At the center top of the circle sits the throne, it appears to be exactly the same as the other chairs, its high back with plush upholstery. The only real difference is its covered back, royal blue with the royal emblem the golden pyramid with the twin Crocs embossed in solid gold at its top. ‘They still have my chair,' grin's the old Croc.

‘Through here to the vault,' Glen says, leading the way down a narrow corridor and stopping at a large door.

‘Nolack-2, can you please open the vault. I have my great grandparents with me. We need access to Mulicator, the Prophecy, and also the staronium isotope.'

‘As you wish, Croc Glen, full access is granted to you and I can also authorize the First Croc full access,'

‘That would be excellent, Nolack-2, thank you.'