Methaphoras

2 A NEW ERA

On the bridge of the Makara the admiral quickly turned a quarter of a turn and with one armored claw he caught the beast before it could execute its plan. Triumphantly Varuna blared:

'Aha, rascal! Do you think you are fast enough to overwhelm an aging captain? Do not forget that I have eyes on my back!' His bright laugh bounced across the deck as he tickled the vahanoi between its silver scales. The domesticated monstrosity let itself be pet and pampered willingly, groaning with pleasure. Abruptly, Varuna changed tone and addressed the water dragon seriously:

'Makari, I have to travel for a while and you have to take care of my old bones. Listen only to the chief of materials when there is a threat.' The vahanoi licked its only superior while it entwined Varuna's claw with his trunk.

Varuna knew that, as long as Makari watched, his physical form would be protected and remain untouched. Even though the animal had no more than four clawed feet and a small stature, there was a lot of force hiding in his ripping teeth. If anything got between the double rows of teeth, the malignant beast would turn around its axis to expertly amputate the affected body part of the victim. He could watch out like no other, because even during sleeping his sensitive proboscis signaled the slightest atmospheric change to give a possible intruder a painful punishment.

The vahanoi, also the mascot of the Makara, nestled on the back of the admiral and together they looked forward to their next stop. They found the marked location and moored.

The mass of the small sun caused magnificent ripples in the gravitational field of the mantle shell. For those who could perceive it, the expanding gravitational waves were a true spectacle. Varuna suspected that the patterns were bound to continue endlessly, all the way around creation like telluric spectral lines, until they came out at the same point, if they could stay ahead the expansion of the mantle.

The boatmen anchored the barge under the watchful eye of Varuna and Makari because for the time being they would not return to Portus Excelcior where the rest of the fleet lay. Since they could not accompany Varuna during his special mission, they had to wait for him on the spot.

Here they were beyond the scorching zone, the area around the exalted city, that never enjoyed shade, also described by the townspeople as: Atala Camma, which meant giant-like drought. The hot, dry samoon wind blew unceasingly over the city and continuously sandblasted all buildings so they always looked like new.

Closer to the city, several moons turned so that the alternating solar eclipses caused a day and night cycle. Without such a circadian rhythm nothing could guarantee the viability of the plantings.

At the site of their encampment they had drinking water and a healthy local atmosphere while the ship was safe, far from the smoldering craters. They routed the waste materials from Marantium to the exterior at regular intervals, which resulted in even more spectacle. Not in the least because swarms of wild demolition dragons, shrieking loudly, transformed the remains into nutritious powder, which subsequently drifted away in colorful strands through the slow milling of the abyss.

The commander of the transport ship found Taruko's idea, with which he kept the city viable, a simple and adequate solution. He could appreciate the concept because unfortunately too often he saw the opposite. Most designs in the multiverse occurred to him as inability, wrapped in a complicated construction, to mask the inner concealed emptiness.

After having checked the settings of the vessel again, Varuna greeted his first mate. After the officer saluted him back by bringing his clenched right claw to his heart region, Varuna said:

'You're the captain now, Aran. You have my faith. The navigation stone is placed. Let the men party for the time being, for they have deserved it. Just make sure I find them back in one piece. After I have made a solemn entrance with Mito's ceremonial ship, you may return the parade ship.' Aran nodded and asked: