The Adventures Of Miniator -- Chapter 13 Narea's Tale

Chapter 13) Narea's Tale

After Swing had introduced Narea to Miniator, and she repeated what she had told him, Miniator told her that he was from Toolia, although by his appearance he might not seem so. He then suggested she return with them to their spaceship, for surely after two days and nights out in the forest she must be tired and hungry... She accepted gratefully, and they made the long hike back.

On their return, Narea took a long vapour bath, and cleaned her clothes, then joined Swing and Miniator for dinner in the kitchen. Miniator, ever the perfect host, had queried the computer, about Mearian food. And had ordered several different typical Mearian dishes for the table.

Miniator began the conversation by explaining who he and Swing were, and where and how they had met, and the strange facts about his own life, which explained why he didn't fit the regular description of a Toolian. He told her how they had found the traps, and that was the reason they had begun gathering information on the Koosians

Narea then began her tale:

'I grew up on Mearian, a planet ten light years from Earth. We are members of the Intergalactic Federation. The Mearians are considered a Middle Civilisation, not as ancient or as advanced as the Toolians... Which she had always admired for their progressive peaceful stance, and for their scientific achievements. Many of which Mearian has gratefully received from Toolian scientists.

'Mearian is a small planet. But we have ten populated moons. Five have natural atmospheres, and on the other five we have built a multitude of atmospheric domes.

'I grew up in a scientific community and studied under many of the planet's best scientists in many different fields: Engineering, Computers, Robotics, and was also trained in unarmed combat, and as a Mentalist.'

'What is a Mentalist?' asked Miniator

'On Mearian it is categorized as an area of Psychology. It entails highly developing one's mental and intuitive abilities, to a degree where it can be used in the manipulation of minds... using psychological subliminal suggestion and misdirection. One also uses hypnosis, and the reading of body language and eye accessing. I also have a photographic memory, and can throw my voice.'

'You mean you can control and read minds?' asked Miniator.

'To a degree, yes. It depends on the situation, and the person.'

'I can vouch for that!' added Swing, 'I didn't know if I was coming or going!'

'Yes,' said Mearian, you were off your guard.'

'Sorry to interrupt your story,' said Miniator, 'please continue.'

'Well, Mearian is in the process of populating another planet in our solar system, Gree. The first settlement of around a hundred of our people – families with children – had already been established for one year. I was a part of a team sent to set up robotic support. The Hool is a large shipment craft which had been sent to deliver more settlers, supplies, including fifty of those flying-crafts; Jiks, you have seen. Which were designed to be used for moving heavy timber on Gree. The Hool has few crew members; ten including Captained Sobyan, but it is manned with a troop of robots for defence of the ship. She is a new vessel, equipped with a Photon Shield for Near Light Speed,, and numerous facilities for Space Sleep for the transportation of settlers And the newest Time-Shift capacity.

'As we reached Gree our computer connected with the settlement's computer for landing. But on landing, the leader of the settlement Heid Flod, immediately informed Captain Sobyan that the base had been taken-over by Koosian freebooters, who had set explosives on the landing platform, which they were threatening to detonate if the Hool attempted to take-off. And that they also threatened the lives of the settlers, if the Captain did not follow their orders.. Their demands were that all the robots be locked-down, and the computer code be turned over to them, giving them full control of the ship.

'The Captain had no alternative but to agree. A squadron of armed koosians came onboard, took the Captain and his crew, and us team members as prisoners. They checked that all the Robots, which included my own personal assistant robot, Nimi, had been properly locked-down. They then took possession of the computer code and command orders needed for authorization of the ship. The Leader of the freebooters then came onboard with the rest of his company. He gathered all of us prisoners together in the main hall. The leader introduced himself, Luden Lodo. He added that maybe we had heard of him, I'm sure none of us had. He is of large thick set, who struts rather than walks. He told us that he wouldn't tolerate any rebellion, that punishment would result in swift retribution, and emphasized his point by giving a sign to his band, who began firing their laser-guns over our heads.

'The next day those new settlers we had had onboard were taken off, and the Hool took-off. All us crew and team members were forced into Space Sleep.

'When we were awoken, we had arrived here on Earth in this Time Zone, and were soon put to work under heavy guard unloading the Jiks, for what purpose we, at first, did not know. But it soon became apparent when we were ordered to begin building those cages. The Koosians are spending a lot of time learning to pilot the Jiks, and building a slaughter house for the the animals they were planing to trap, butcher, and freeze onboard the Hool for transport to who knows where and when.

'I had been weighing-up the possibility of a mass rebellion, but we were so out numbered, and we were all kept separate most of the time. Only during meals could we communicate. At night most of us were kept in the brig. The officers were locked in their quarters with stationed guards. I knew it would be simple for me to escape, but then what...? I finally made that decision to escape and, with the idea of using sabotage to at least slow them down, and gradually work towards releasing more of the crew and team workers, and anyway I didn't want to spend my time helping the Koosians in their plans.

'While working on the Jiks, I feigned illness due to the hot sun,. One of the Koosians was ordered to take me back to the ship. It seems Koosians are extremely susceptible to hypnotism... As soon as we were out of sight of the others, I quickly had him under my control, and simply talked him into letting me walk away. For two days they sent out parties to look for me. I watched them walk round and round in circles in the hot sun. I'm trained not to be found unless I want to be.

'Then today I saw you both spying on the Koosians. I could sense that device for detecting life forms, you have in your suit, Miniator. So I kept my distance, but when you left, I decided to be found!'