MegaBoys from Outer Space
Chapter 17, Returns

Burger checked into his Monopod first, surveyed the instrument panel with a quick glance, The arrival of Bendicts and Astars pods remained undetected. Had Burger tuned to the broadband scan, he might have noticed, but his attention was focused on the local communications. Yelid and Cory showed up, two green dots, in a remote location, just a half hours walk North West of Las Vegas. The area locator named the region Death Valley. How appropriate thought Burger, planning out his course of action. Before he locked his vehicle, there was one thing more he needed to do. He punched in the topic, “Poisons”, and read the list. The one labeled, “Sleeping Death” caught his eye. He reviewed the forensic charts, and synthesized a dose, in the form of a soluble pill. It would be tasteless and odorless, and could be dissolved in juice. Humming to himself, Burger punched in a few more buttons, and his machine produced a Likafruit drink in a glass, he slipped in the deadly addition. Slade had already locked his craft and was now checking his friend.

“What’s that you got?” Slade asked as Burger held the glass of pink liquid, and stepped to the port of the pod,

“Just a little something special for Punim.” He said.

“Oh yeah? What is it?” Burger grinned a nasty smile and explained,

“Just a precaution, Slade, my man,” Slade gave a blank look.

“In case Yelid is reluctant to cooperate, This will give us a bit of leverage.” Said Burger as he switched off his communication dock, and locked the craft.

“We will leave the pods here, and summon them when we are done.”

Punim was napping unaware of the plot that was being hatched against him. Diadra was also resting in her compartment on the strap. Ali was awake, and monitoring Burgers frequency on the communications dock. He was able to lock into Burgers search and blinked in revulsion at the search results. By jumping on the keys, He was able to punch in a few commands, and waited for the viewer to print out the results. An antidote for the poison Burger had downloaded. Jafar indicated that Burger had left his pod, and it would be seconds before they would come for Punim.

“We must get back to our hiding place on the babys strap, Quickly.” Ali punched the controls turning off the viewer. Both men made a dash for the resting giant. They scrambled up the napping boys arm, and climbed up to his shoulder. The port was being unlocked. They barely reached their hiding compartment on the strap, as the door to the Pod opened.

“Well Punim, rise and shine.” Burger said cheerfully, “Sorry you had to miss the fun, but I hope you were able to watch Og and I tear up the place.” He glanced at the view screen, it was turned off. Punim wiped his eyes, as he awoke.

“Just to show you there are no hard feelings, I brewed this special drink for you, Likafruit, just like home. Drink it up, we have a walk ahead of us.” Punim took the sweet tasting juice and drank it down, he rubbed his tummy. Burger figured that the poison would take effect in forty minutes. Punim would yawn, and drop into a deep sleep. One he would never wake up from.

The Generals voice on the earbud alerted Yelid and Cory of Burgers approach.

“Remember, just get the straps off and we will do the rest.” Yelid heard it, but shook his head. Cory stood by. The vast desert with it’s buttes glowing red in the slowly fading light, looked like a pretty offworld picture. Yelid was too tense to admire the natural beauty. He was however overjoyed as he spotted Punim with the approaching group.

“Punim, Over here!” He called. Punim was delighted to see his brother and Cory, He broke away from Burgers grip and ran to embrace his brother. Burger cursed under his breath. Yelid had tears in his eyes, seeing that his brother was ok.

“It’s all very touching,” Came Burgers voice, “But we have some important business to tend to, before we celebrate.” Yelid drew Punim behind him for protection, as he and Cory now faced Burger and Slade.

“We gave you something you want, and now it’s your turn to give me something I want.” Burger spoke.

“And what would that be?” Yelid asked.

“Oh, I think you know.” Burger replied, “A little something you found on your Monopod, something that belongs to me.” Yelid reached over to the compartment on his strap where the Diwrecker unit was stashed. Burger watched Yelids hand, and grinned.

“Give me my remote navigator, and we are even.”

“Suppose I say no.” Yelid replied, realizing now that it was indeed Burger who crashed them on this planet.

“Well then,” Said Burger coolly, “I imagine that I would just have to take it.” Cory stepped up to Yelid’s side, with his hands making fists, upon hearing the threat.

“No need to resort to physical violence, eh Slade.” Burger said,

“After all, Slade and I have a lot to thank you for, We have had a great time on this tiny world you found, We have destroyed cities and crushed thousands, We have had more fun then we could ever have imagined, thanks to you.” Burger continued,

“Do you know how much fun it is wrecking their cities? How many can you crush under your feet?” Yelid stood listening,

“Why I bet I crushed at least two hundred, just in one step.” He continued proudly. “And this leads me up to my proposition, so listen carefully,” Burger paused, watching Yelid and Cory’s reaction.

“Slade and I would be pleased if you three would join us, I know your brother would like that, He’s a natural crusher, eh Punim? We would together be awesome G-d’s here, The earth people would bow down to you, they would worship you. I would let you choose whatever cities you wanted to destroy, American, Russian, it doesn’t matter, we would help, Whatever you want is here for the taking. We would work as a team and rule this pathetic tiny planet. Think of it! It would be a new era of peace for the little people, united in fear of us, granting our every wish. Our reign would last as long as we felt happy, doing whatever we like. Maybe in a hundred years or so, we would get tired of this place, and we could move on, and do whatever we want elsewhere, but right now, Yelid and Cory, I am asking you to join us, C’mon, we Bedem’s have to stick together.”

“Don’t listen to them,” General Holland coaxed, in Yelids earbud, “Get their straps off.” Yelid shut his eyes, Yes they would consider us G-ds he reflected, for a second his thoughts turned to the image of him and Cory trampling the city of New York underfoot. It’s majestic skyscrapers tumbling in smoke and flames. His foot bathed red in the blood of the helpless tiny ones. It excited and disturbed him at the same time.

“Don’t listen to them.” Cory replied. He stepped to the front and addressed Burger and Slade,

“Here is our offer to you, Get in your Monopods, and get out of here. If you do, we will forget about your Diwrecker, and you can do what you want, just leave us and this planet alone.” Slade shot Burger a knowing glance.

“Is that your offer?” Burger asked. Yelid and Cory stood firm. Burger checked his timepiece, and shook his head in mock sadness.

“No way.” He said, “ Now give me the Diwrecker or I’ll take it!”

“Just try me.” said Yelid with bravado. Punim who was standing behind his brother, felt a sharp pain in his forehead, he raised his hand to his forehead, swooned, and collapsed. This caught Cory and Yelids attention. Before Punim hit the ground, Slade attacked Cory with a boulder that he picked up and held firmly in his fist. Slade in one swift blow, struck Cory on the side of the head, Cory fell to the ground unconscious. It happened with such speed, that Yelid, who knelt by Punim, suddenly realized that it was now him alone against Slade and Burger, there was going to be a fight, and the odds were against him. Burger indicated that Slade back off, He would finish off Yelid by himself, they would kill the two, the little one was already as good as dead, and then they would rule the world. Yelid jumped up, and felt a rage, unlike any he had ever felt before, A rage on behalf of the little people who Burger and Slade killed with such impunity, A rage toward the two who had brought about this misshap, and had now attacked him and his friend. And mostly a rage at their having hurt Punim. He stood up his fists clenched,

“What did you do to Punim?” Burger smiled, “Your brother is dead, and now you will join him” Burger threw the first punch, Yelids nose was broken, and a stream of blood flowed from his nostril, Yelid in a rage, leaped at Burger, pushing him down,

“Grab his strap, get it off!” The General repeated in Yelids ear. Yelid jumped on the fallen aggressor, and started pummeling him with his fists, Slade came up from behind and grabbed Yelid with a choke hold, all the while rabbit punching Yelid in the ribs. Burger pushed Yelid off, and stood up, Yelid was on his knees. A well placed kick to Yelids solor plexis, felled the boy. Yelid lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Burger and Slade stood over the fallen three.

“You see, we gave you a chance, you should have listened.” Said Burger, wiping a stream of blood, from his cracked lip.

“Now you are all going to die, with no one to save you.” Burger was puffed up from his adrenalin, He reached to Yelids strap, and grabbed the Diwrecker unit. Then he stood up looking at the three on the ground, “Lets kill them now, while we can, and then We rule. Who’s gonna save you now, you wimps?” He and Slade were unaware that coming up behind them, at a running pace, was Bendict and Astar.

“You will leave them alone, and raise your hands up in the air.” Bendict commanded. Burger and Slade were surprised, but were not ready to quit, this just meant two more to beat.

“You take the girl, I’ll settle with Bendict” Burger said to Slade. Cory and Punim were out, but Yelid was regaining consciousness, and was standing up to finish his business. He was seeing double from the punch he took to his head, but he could still fight, till the end.

“What did you do to Punim?” Yelid managed to say. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” Burger responded sticking his chest out. Now it was Slade and Burger facing off against Astar, Yelid and Bendict. Slade got behind the girl, and put her in an arm lock,

“Not so much of a fighter are you little girl.” Slade whispered in her ear seductively. Burger kicked at Bendict who dodged, Yelid lept forward, and once more knocked Burger down.

“Undo his strap now.” The General ordered. Yelid shook his head, “I am so sorry General,” He replied, “I will not have you responsible for the death of a Bedem.” The General shook with frustration, this was the chance to disarm and dispatch the killer, and the boy was not going along. It was a standoff, Astar stood helpless in Slades armlock, Yelid wanted to check on his brother, now lying on the ground, in a deep sleep, his skin pale. Bendict leaned over the young boy he brought his ear to the boys mouth to hear if the boy was breathing, he swore he heard a voice, but it was coming from Punims strap.

“Yelid, over here,” He cried, “I’ll take care of Burger, They switched positions, Burger was still on the ground, but was getting his energy back to stand up and fight some more. Bendict jumped onto Burger, and held him down.

Yelid heard the voice as soon as he got close to Punim, It was a girls voice,

“Your brother is in great danger, Haman poisoned him, but we have the formula for the antidote, you need to synthesize this and administer it immediately.” Yelid could not believe his ears, He looked and saw the tiny girl exiting from a storage compartment on Punims strap.

“Your little brother helped us, and protected us, my name is Diadra and my friends here have the formula that can help Punim, but it must be administered within fifteen minutes or the poor boy will die in his sleep.”

Yelid looked to Slade who was holding Astar tightly in his grip.

“Summon your Monopod here, now!’ Yelid commanded,

“Don’t do it.” Burger said. “No way!” Slade repeated.

“If you don’t do it, I will kill Burger, here and now.” Said Bendict with an unfound fury. He leaned over Burger and placed his forearm over the boys windpipe. Burgers face turned red.

“Ok, Ok!” Said Slade, tapping a control on his strap, while still holding Astar helpless. “They are on the way.” Now it would just be a matter of time. Slade moving like a cat, threw Astar to the ground, and put his foot on her throat.

“Ok Bendict, back off of my friend, or I will kill the girl, Crush her windpipe I will, back off Right now!.” Reluctantly Bendict stood up, and moved away as Burger got up brushing himself off.

“You’re doing this for these pathetic tiny people?” Burger asked, “What are they to you?” He spat in contempt. Overhead, the sky at dusk, started to glow with an unearthly green color.It was noticed around the world, as was the distinct dim humming sound, originating from above the clouds. Yelid could hear the perplexed General speaking in his ear,

“Yelid, whats happening?” Yelid was having trouble catching his breath, and was crying, fearing for his brothers condition. He looked up, at the emerald sky, shut his eyes, and tears started to flow with the realization of the awesome event that was transpiring. Cory moaned on the ground, and came to. He put his hand to his head, his hair was damp and sticky where he had been hit. He sat on the ground dazed.

“I think we are being rescued, but there is something more.” Yelid managed to say. He had never seen them, but had heard stories about them, this was not the rescue pods of his planet, it was something much greater, “It’s the Watchers!”

The enormous object entered the solar system, It was observed by all the planets observatories, but went un announced as the battle in the dessert took precedence. Now it hovered, half again as large as the planet below. This was not just a giant ship, it was the Watchers home world. They were here to pronounce Judgment. The entire sky over the hemisphere was illuminated with a green glow, Earths electric grid was shut down, but emergency power to planes in flight, and hospitals, was granted. Worldwide a singular voice was heard, A voice that had not been heard for millennia. Not since Sinai.

“People of my beloved planet Earth, and my prized youth from Bedem. I have come to extend Justice.” Yelid, Stood up, he could see Burgers Monopods approaching, He had to synthesize the Antidote with just minutes to spare, He took the two tiny humans from Punims strap, and making sure that he had the formula, entered Burgers Craft, It was as if the Watchers were waiting for Yelid to take care of his business before the message continued. Burger and Slade looked at the Glowing lights in the sky, and trembled, Burger thought to himself,

“Now I’m in for it, they are going to blame everything on me,” Yelid jumped out of Burgers Monopod with a glass of clear liquid in his hand, he ran over and lifted up his brothers head, and tried to direct the liquid down his sleeping brothers throat. Punim gave a cough and slowly opened his eyes. The sky was now full of lightning,

’Actions lead to reactions.” The voice boomed, “An ancient portal had been breached, Events not meant to take place, did. And the great Maker found events occurring contrary to the flow of the Universe. It is time to set time back in it’s place. People of Earth, You are not ready to establish Peace for yourselves, much less to be introduced to your galactic brethren. Strive for Peace, Love your fellow humans, That is the path. I the master of time, will return you in your time, back before the boys discovered your world.”

Dr Baxter closed his eyes in silent prayer, “Oh Lord, please protect the people of San Iglessia, they will die in a terrible Tsunami.” He felt suddenly comforted as the word, “Granted!” filled his spirit.

“The boys of Bedem will replace themselves at K164, ready to begin their class assignments, All the death and all the destruction that followed, will not have happened. The Earth cities destroyed, will continue to exist, There will be no memory of the Boys visit. Buddy King, You and your family will reconcile, you will have dreams of your experience with Yelid, and will write for your son, a fabulously popular fiction about giant boys from space, When the time is right, people of the Earth, you will discover that you are not alone in the galaxy. I the Master have declared what is Just. The jump back in time will be Galactic. Everyone on the planet and in the galaxy will black out now, and when all awake, time will continue where it was; And you will be where you were one second before the event horizon occurred. You will discover a missing second on your atomic clock, and it will be a mystery to you. If you solve it, you will remember everything. Be at Peace, Shalom my beautiful planet. The time of our next meeting is sooner then you think.” Then everything went dark.

Burger stepping out of the shady interior of the black market shop, cradled the Diwrecker unit in it’s paper bag, He was approaching Slade, when two armed guards walked over to him,

“Whatcha got in the bag, young man?” Asked the first Guard, Burger clutched the bag closer to him. The second guard snatched the bag away from him,

“We’ll take that, You know this stuff could be dangerous,” He glanced into the bag and shook his head, “You shouldn’t be fooling around with contraband, we have to report you to your class leader.” Burger cursed, he had spent a fortune on that piece of junk, and now they confiscated it.

Dr Baxter looked out as the sun rose in the Pacific, it was going to be a beautiful day on the Island of San Iglesia, He took a deep breath of the sea air, with an unexpected but welcome feeling that all was well in the world.

Buddy set the needle on the spinning 45, the joyfull refrain of, “You Can’t Hurry Love” graced New York’s airwaves, Buddy exhaled, reflected for a moment, something jumped into his mind, and then out just as fast. His Cell rang, It was a call from Gabe, his son who loved giants.

The End.