There were still more than two hours left and the crew sat prepared in their shining armour, knowing little what to expect.
Sierra sat back with Lily and shared worried looks. She was about to speak when Lily placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and stepped her down, nodding with eyes closed that she shouldn't get agitated on the situation. "You need to chill. We will definitely handle it. Flee if it comes to it! Ha-ha! Meanwhile you need to calm yourself. This is going to be a very important encounter. I think we should consider ourselves lucky being able to come in person with beings of such power!" She smiled looking at Sierra's troubled face. She hoped to keep her eased as everybody knew what Sierra did when she was tensed or better to say- out of control. The reason was enough to get her out of the team but then again, nobody was as able as her for the job.
"Yeah sure. Rulers of the Multiverse are gonna come and I'll be chilling on my sofa. Cool."
Lily rolled her eyes and handed Sierra her flex-tech. "I've been listening to this album for a while. The ancient electronics have a calming feel to it. I'm sure it will help. Listen to this-" she played the track, and the both of them closed their eyes sinking into the music for a few minutes, letting the outside world fade into nothingness.
As it ended they slowly opened their eyes and yawned, "Aaah! That was really refreshing. If I survive, I will definitely check that album out!" Sierra giggled.
"Ha-ha! Sure Siri."
__________
"We are getting to that place in two hours, admiral. We will report back when we come across them. Our bots would record the whole encounter. I can't guarantee anything but the atmosphere is full of tension at the moment. The crew have taken preparations for anything wrong that may befall. The ship has been equipped with one of the better quality fuels that are there and it has been running smoothly. No complications there. Have faith in us admiral. We won't let you down on our first mission. Over and out."
Sir Sanduo clicked the side of S.O.H and the recording was sent out. The voicemail was without a trace of disquiet and he felt relieved to have finished sending it.
"It will have been received by him in a day, sir."
The farther they went, naturally, time took more for sending and receiving signals.
"Okay S.O.H. You may now return to your duties." He dismissed the robot and went to the airlock area to find his crew seated in rows.
He thought of cheering them up but then again the situation was too serious to give any comfort to. "Okay, cadets? Tell me. How are you all feeling?"
"Like shit. Isn't that obvious?" Markus replied coldly, not even looking at his captain.
"Do not speak to me in that condescending tone!" He couldn't help but shout. It shushed the other, but he felt bad that he did so. The situation was far too grave for any good replies except from the robots. What else could he have expected?
"The coordinates point to a planetoid. One without a star. About the size of Mercury. It's quite separated from any civilizations and the nearest living being would be at least a hundred light years away from it. I'm not speaking about us though. I mean in general. The temperatures are really extreme out there so whenever we meet 'them' we have to make them come inside."
Sierra snickered.
"Yes?"
She looked up, "It'd be nice to have a cup of tea with the Gods wouldn't it?" The group laughed at her remark. Sanduo smiled too. At least they had lightened up.
"I guess- yes, but I don't know if they are fine with tea or not. We don't even know what their forms would be like!"
The group crazily jumped through a range of mental gymnastics to figure what they'd look like. "Uh, let's leave that part out. Jayden?"
"Yes sir!" He stood up and saluted him.
"You are to explore the planetoid over a span of ten minutes accompanied by B.O.8. Droop would be our standby if anything serious occurs, Markus would go for any help that you require. B.O.8 can't do everything, can he?" He looked side to side, and was relieved to find that, B.O.8 was not anywhere nearby to hear his remark.
"Ok sir. I'll have his back." Markus gave a salute.
"Drio is our science guy so he would lead the conversation when they enter our ship."
Drio silently nodded.
"The rest of us are to remain indoors. They'll bring the Gods inside and we'll have our talk of the millennium. Oh! And Sharlotte?"
"Yes sir?" She faltered standing up in nervousness.
"You have to hide in the mean time."
She nodded.
"We need to make sure you're safe. There's no telling how they'll react to you. If we lose you, we fail the mission. And we can't let that happen in any way. We have to save you, the saviour of 78PF. And, we need to make 'them' understand that. It's not like we are selfish of our mission; we do care a lot about you. We really appreciate your heroism for your world. And we can't let you get the punishment you don't deserve."
Everyone nodded smilingly as he finished. It was their duty to ensure her safety.
__________
The Interstellar Traveller was now nearing to its destination. The stellar clouds passed by as puffs of smoke and the ship slowed down, the warping action fading away.
"Fifteen Minutes and counting." Zestor's voice boomed throughout the ship and was heard by everybody sitting in the airlock.
Sanduo got up. "Let's get ready."
They fitted their helmets and checked their suit status. Each of them responded, "All systems go," as their suits lit up one by one. They checked their ammunition and weapons and looked ahead towards the airlock.
I hate this. Checking that planet out would have been a far better choice. This girl is up to somethin'. Why meet the Gods and clear stuff up? They won't listen to anything. I know it. What I'm afraid about is what will happen next... We better handle this situation or else... I don't know or else what. I don't know shit! Markus cussed in his mind as the timer showed ten minutes.
He looked at Jayden on who's face, a permanent grin had been engraved since the time he had got his hands onto the metallic rod-like weapon. Oh Jayden. He tried not to think of anything negative but was too afraid and worried for his friend. The Gods. They were the Gods. Could they even get a scratch from that weapon of Jayden?
And of all of them, I would have to have his back!
But then he felt bad. He hung his head down. But now I'm being selfish. This whole situation is so goddamn wrong! Who accepts a mission like this for their maiden voyage? Markus kept speaking in his head but there was nothing he could do to change anything. The mission had been accepted and now only fate was of any judge. It all depended on what would commence in the next few minutes.
__________
The ship stopped at about a kilometre away from the cold rock. There was almost no light anywhere. It was a dark point of the endless void isolated from any living habitats or flourishing solar systems. The outside temperatures were just a few degrees above absolute zero and their suits needed to be specially prepared to fight off the deadly cold. A series of beeps indicated that the suits were ready to handle the harsh climate.
They prayed to their secondary Gods, as the Primary ones were whom they were going to speak to in a moment. By the notion- secondary Gods, it meant the alien beings who had either spread education on primitive planets or had done any genetic modifications in them that led to collective thinking and the rise of civilizations. They were the ones from whom, religions had first developed and the lesser beings worshipped them being overwhelmed by their superior powers and qualities. A common belief was that- worshipping the Gods prevented any mishap and helped maintain peace. They had started to perform rituals to please them and slowly but steadily, a complex system of customs had developed.
"Okay Jayden. Your time is up. Don't lose your patience after getting there. You need to handle everything as calmly as you can."
"Yes sir! I would be on my way. B.O.8? Lead the way."
An armoured hide of a robot came soon and opened the airlock. They closed it behind them and set off for the planetoid.
"I'll wait here and look for any thing that goes south." Markus crossed his hands and stood by.
Sanduo nodded and brought Droop. He had become a walking unit of artillery and filled the crews hearts with a frightening sensation. He looked ruthless.
"Wow", was all Sierra could manage to say. She got up and felt the metal plating on Droop by rubbing her delicate fingers on him. It tickled the big robot.
"Easy girl." Droop said with laughter.
"Oopsie!" She held her hands up. The smile on her face resonated through the hearts of the group which at first, soothed their troubled being but at the very next moment, they felt bad that someone so young as her was in a situation as grave as the one at present.
__________
Jayden thrust his way to the rock, his wrist display showing the coordinates and at the corner of his visor, he could see the point where he needed to land on to.
B.O.8 was infront of him. He looked with awe as he saw the expellants turn into solids within a span of some seconds. It was really cold outside. He could see droplets of helium. Need to avoid those.
Helium was a superfluid at these temperatures that moved with zero friction and could get into the intermolecular spaces of other substances meaning that if he were to come in contact with one such droplet, it would freeze his suit's internal mechanisms and he would freeze to death within nanoseconds.
He managed to avoid them as they were concentrated at a definite part and successfully landed on the planetoid. The gravity on it was feeble and almost next to zero.
"Okay we've landed," he informed the IMG as he took a look around him. "Man! This place is creepy."
"What did you expect? Party Balloons?" Markus laughed at the other end.
"Enough already Markus. The situation is serious."
"Yep. No doubt. It is," Lily responded. "Try to stay safe, okay?"
Her concern about him caused a smile to appear on his face. "I will, Lily."
He ventured forth and B.O.8 followed him beside. "This place looks deserted," the bot said looking around.
"I agree. It is. But where are they?" No one was on the coordinates except for them as far as Jayden could see. They are not playing pranks, are they?
Right then he felt something. He looked up. Vibrations rang throughout his body which indicated that the skies had roared and out of nowhere, beings with heights of about two average humans descended infront of him, warping the space behind him and spinning sceptres. He gulped.
Jayden backed a few spaces and in his mind, a single word rung loudly, Gods.
Facing him, B.O.8 said, "Sir, I'm detecting strange energy readings- the same as that of the Energy Burst we detected some hours ago- coming from the people infront of us and I don't think it's safe to be here for any longer. I suggest we head towards our ship... now!"
He didn't recieve a reply. "Sir?" He looked back to see Jayden witnessing terror as he looked into the eyes of a being double his size.
"Ye- yeah! Back up! BACK UP!!" saying that he tried to reverse his direction, only to feel an otherworldly presence at his back who had not been there a moment ago. He faced him, shivering. The being spoke in a language he had never heard of but astonishingly, he understood every word. Wh-what is happening?
"Uh-uh-uh, stay right there," he placed his staff threateningly close to Jayden as he continued, "I am Valal, Ruler of the Multiverse!"
"H-h-hello, sir? How do you do?"
"For the time being, quite bad actually," he looked into Jayden's eyes horrifically. He froze in his place.
"W-we can talk about that..."
"SHUT UP!!!" He urged his staff to the ground which made the two unlucky members of the IMG fly a good eight metres until they finally crashed onto the ground.
Jayden groaned and B.O.8 searched for any broken parts, relieved to see only his back was dented.
"I came here after venturing two 'verses and you speak to me in that disrespectful tone! I am Valal! I can execute you in an instant!" He teleported right infront them and continued, "But that's not what I'm here for." He deactivated his sceptre by rubbing it with one finger of the hand which he was holding it with and put it down. The shine faded and he inched closer to Jayden. B.O.8 tried to protect him by shooting a few projectiles but before he could do anything, Valal placed a hand in his direction which again caused him to fly away but land at a distance quite farther away than last time.
"I know you have her. Sharlotte. The one who broke my laws. The multiversal criminal."
__________
"This is getting serious!" Sanduo shrieked in panic. "Droop and Markus won't do enough; we all need to get there!" He took a quick glance at the terrified group and said, "Pick up the weapons and come with me!"
This was their Plan B, for which they had suited up and prepared their weapons. I had a feeling it was going to come to this. Urgh! He gritted his teeth and picked up his ionised cannon. Oh! He placed a hand on his chest and held on to the communication button, "Sharlotte? We are going there. Stay hidden."
"Y-yes sir."
He quickly sent a message through S.O.H, "Admiral, we are going to speak to them. The conversation will be sent to you when we return. Over and out."
__________
The rest of the IMG, after preparing were about to go when the airlock smashed open. Dear God...
But calling the secondary Gods could do nothing now. They flew out of the ship and saw its lights flickering to darkness as the systems failed and it became dead. The other Gods, who were presumably the guards took them to the place where Valal stood and everyone watched in horror as they saw Sharlotte being dragged out of their ship by another. She had wore the suit in time though she wasn't instructed to do so. But the important thing was- she wasn't dead. But on the negative side- The IMG was now captured.
__________
The robots were there too and Zestor said, displeased, "Sirs, this is not a very calm way of introducing yourselves."
His complaint stung the ears of the nearby God guards and they shouted to him in telepathy which they had done earlier as well as there is no air in space to transmit sound, "We can destroy you in femtoseconds tin can! So zip your metal lips up!!" the rough voice silenced the now frightened driver. The systems of the robots were intentionally fried so that they couldn't attack them in any way and they just stood by and watched.
They were all moved closer to Valal as he smiled. "I seek judgement for the criminal in my view."
Now the 'Judgement Day' was actually upon them. Sierra couldn't be any sadder than what she was now for her words to have come true.
Sharlotte started sobbing and her visor glistened with the added water, "Let me go, please, please! Everything I did was for my home planet and my people'a good, and see! No crazy reaction had happened and both the 'verses are alright! So why! WHY NOW!!!" she shouted in silence. She hung her head down like Christ on the crucifix.
Valal inched closer and said in her head with an understanding tone, "Listen dear, you broke the law and drove two 'verses into danger for which zillions could have died! You can't be selfish for your own kind."
"But nothing happened!"
"True, but you broke the laws nonetheless, so taste your fate or it would be the death of your kind as you know what we did to show our power. The slight blow to your home world. You don't want a major one do you?" He left her and backed up. "Fellow Gods, execute all of them."
Sanduo looked fearfully and shouted in a trembling voice, "What! Wh-why us too?"
"Because you helped a criminal and that's a crime too. So B-bye!"
Valal waved his spear and a blue wave of light struck them all. They all fell to the ground.
__________
Valal advanced to the mechanical items and said, "You tin cans could be used again so we'll destroy your memory drives and would hand your bodies over to the Galactic Patrol."
Some unknown energy popped all of their heads' back and vanished the memory drives. They lost all power.
The Gods teleported to the Galactic Patrol headquarters and handed the robot bodies over and when they were asked for formalities, they disappeared before saying one last thing, "Never dare to venture another 'where' or else, you shall be nowhere!"
After they left, the admiral gave an awkward glance at everyone around him and said, "What the hell did just happen?"
They all shrugged.