Stranded on a Tiny Planet
Chapter 19: Fall

Later in the forest...

Seraysa and Verin ran through the trees. It was apparent to both of them that they were running out of energy and this second day of traveling felt far less productive than the first because of that. Seraysa was of course determined to press on but Verin had to stop.

“Seraysa! I can’t go anymore. I need a break!” Verin gasped, leaning against a tree.

The lavender female stopped for her brother, “We don’t have time to stop!”

Verin put his back to the tree, heaving, “I can’t. I can’t...”

It was then Verin felt a subtle vibration through the tree he was leaning on. His eyes opened and he stared behind him at the tree as if it had changed into something completely weird. Then he felt it again, very slight.

“Do you feel that?” he asked.

Seraysa moved closer giving him a puzzled look. He took her hand and touched it to the tree trunk.

She felt two separate vibrations and cried out, “That’s him! That’s him!”

Before Verin could react, his sister flew up higher and higher until she was over the tops of the trees. She strained, exhausted from the feat, but tried desperately to see if she could spot Merco. Finally, she couldn’t hold her hover anymore and had to land on the tallest branch to rest. Though she could feel the vibrations of Merco’s steps, they felt far away. She gripped the top part of the tree, scanning the horizons.

“See anything?” Verin shouted up to her.

Her eyes lit up with excitement when she saw the unmistakable silhouette off in the distance.

“MERCO!” she shouted as loudly as she could.

But he was too far to hear her.

“You see him?” Verin confirmed.

Closing her eyes and focusing, Seraysa floated back down to the ground, “Yes! He’s that way! Come on!”

She was already running and Verin looked skyward with a gasp of fatigue. But he followed.

...

Anashee Lake...

Coroc’s squadron had flown around the first and largest parts of Anashee Lake. They discovered the “campsite” quickly, but the giant alien was absent. They began following the enormous tracks and broken trees that pointed to where he had been.

It wasn’t until someone bolted across the sky shouting, “IT’S COMING! IT’S COMING! OVER THERE!”

Immediately, the word spread across the forces and they began to coalesce. Coroc flew into the air, sighting the tremendous form heading closer to the furthest end of the lake from the north side. He had hoped to catch the behemoth sleeping beside the lake. It would’ve been so much easier. Awake and alert...this was more challenging. The seasoned combatant knew if his plan were to succeed, everything would have to fall into place exactly. He studied the direction and turned to his gathered forces.

“It’s heading back to the lake. Squadron One you will take position on its right. Squadron Two to the left. My team will take the forward position. Put on your ventilators when you’re in position and ready your pouches. Do not attack until you see me. Aim for the face. He’s got to breath the powder for it to work.” he ordered. “Any questions?”

Hitalel spoke, “What do we do when it’s down?”

“Stay back and my Squadron will do the rest.” Coroc assured. “Don’t forget, we are doing this to free Anashee! We cannot fail!”

The gathered EFP saluted smartly, plumes up.

“Follow me and keep low! Fly out!” he gestured and led them across the lake.

...

Not long thereafter...

Being thirsty, the trek back to the lake felt excruciatingly long to Merco. But when he spotted the glistening water ahead, relief filled him. He picked up the pace a bit until he parted the trees and found the water. However, it was full of water plants and didn’t appear very deep, so he moved along the lakeside until he came to a deeper part that looked drinkable. He knelt down, cupped his hands together, and began to satisfy his thirst.

He’d downed about three handfuls before he felt the hair on the back of his neck tingle. He paused, eyes alert. A feeling in his gut was telling him something was amiss; an instinct that served him well in the war. It was the same feeling he got before the bombs started falling or the latest fire fight would spark up. Rarely was his gut instinct wrong.

Merco’s eyes slowly roved around him suspiciously. He didn’t see anything, nor did he hear anything. On Earth, silence in nature was a preemptive warning. However, on this planet, he was the “dangerous” presence that brought on the silence. Still...something felt off. Traynar seemed to notice his change in demeanor and made a sound of questioning. Slowly, Merco stood up, eyes still wary.

Then he heard the faint sound of a voice. His head perked, scanning across the trees. At first he thought he was hearing things; becoming overly attuned. But Traynar seemed to hear it too. They both listened. The voice called again but Merco still couldn’t hear what it was saying. Traynar however seemed to be able to hear it better.

“Merco.” Traynar said and pointed out to where he heard the voice.

Merco listened intently. After a moment he heard his name become faintly clear.

“Merco!” it called.

“Pixie?” he called back.

As he focused on the voice, Traynar suddenly shouted, “MERCO!”

He turned, saw a blur of maroon, and something hit him in the face. Dust clouded around him as he automatically shut his eyes and flinched. It didn’t hurt but he couldn’t see or breath very well. He coughed, wiping the dust from his face. It almost felt like someone hit him in the face with a small packet of flour.

“What...?” he coughed.

Then he felt a stinging sensation in his mouth.

“What is this?” he wondered.

His knees felt weak all of a sudden as he staggered. He almost felt drunk...or...drugged. Merco groaned, shook his head, and fell to his knees, feeling for the water to wash it off. When his hand splashed he feverishly began washing his face. He eventually opened his eyes, but everything was a haze. With both hands on the ground, the forest floor swirled and waved. He felt sick to his stomach. Somewhere close he could hear a voice, small and distorted calling his name. He collapsed, senses spinning like a top. The darkness was starting to close in on his vision, but he tried to fight it. He rolled onto his back, attempting to sit up again but the darkness won, closing its inky fingers around him until all was black.

...

Traynar watched Merco get his drink, hoping he’d hurry so they could get back to Pela Canyon. He sincerely hoped that Anu had convinced their leaders to meet with Merco, otherwise things were going to get very complicated...and dangerous. As the giant drank unfathomable amounts of water from his hands he abruptly stopped. His eyes took on an intensity that Traynar had never seen in him before as they roved slowly around. He acted as if something was wrong.

The combatant looked around too, “What? What is it?”

Distantly, Traynar heard someone yelling. He looked back and Merco stood. The giant alien didn’t seem to hear it at first but as the yelling got closer he seemed to recognize it too. It sounded like a female’s voice. Then it became clearer. A female was yelling Merco’s name. It didn’t sound like Anu...

After a couple more times Merco finally heard his name and called back, “Pixie?”

The second Traynar looked back at Merco he saw them. Almost twenty combat fliers broke from the trees on all sides and flew up toward Merco’s face.

“MERCO!” he yelled, but it was too late.

Each flier in unison let go of a pouch as they strafed Merco’s face in a veritable explosion of gray powder. Then they arced away. The giant alien stepped back, shaking his head, temporarily blinded by the dusty assault. At first Traynar had expected explosives or energy weapons but the powder perplexed him.

What did they hit him with?

"Merco? Are you all right?”

A thunderous cough boomed out as Merco tried to wipe the gray powder from his face. It wasn’t until the giant stumbled and seemed to sway with vertigo that Traynar understood what he’d been hit with.

Sleeping Spores.

Harvested from a fungus and refined while drying out in the sun, the powder was used by medics to numb pain with a tiny dose and used to knock out patients with a larger dose. Typically, a medic would air inject it into a patient, but it could be breathed too. And they had just delivered a massive dose right in Merco’s face.

Merco fell to his knees with a quake, blindly searching for the water of the lake. When he found it he quickly washed his face. Traynar flew over to look in his eyes and saw they were dilated, quivering, and unable to focus. He was succumbing to the spore’s effects.

“Merco! Easy big guy. You’re going to be ok, Merco.” Traynar tried to sooth the huge being.

But it was like yelling into a hurricane. Merco swayed again and collapsed on his side. The leaves on the trees jumped, the water rippled, and a gusting disturbance of air sent Traynar spinning away from the toppled giant. Merco groaned deeply and made an attempt to get up as he rolled onto his back, but his eyes closed. He was out.

“Oh no. No-no-no-no.” Traynar mumbled repetitively as he flew over the unconscious mountain.

“Merco!” the female voice sounded closer now.

Traynar looked to see the familiar face of the one Merco called “Pixie” come running up through the trees. She was wearing an EFP uniform and looked out of breath. When she saw the unconscious state of Merco her face became a mask of shock and panic.

...

Seraysa kept running, even though her body screamed for a rest. Merco was close and she had to warn him. She called his name as she ran, hoping he’d somehow hear her. It wasn’t until the seventh time she called that his huge voice rolled across the tops of the trees.

“Pixie?”

“Merco!” she called back, “They’re coming Merco! They’re coming to kill you!”

She felt she was almost there when she literally leaped off the ground from a massive impact tremor.

Merco’s steps could shake the ground but that...that felt like he fell.

Alarm flew into her feet, speeding her on through the fatigue. Finally, she caught a glimpse of a mass of gray through the trees.

Merco’s shirt.

When she finally got close enough, Seraysa could see Merco’s prone form stretched out across the forest floor on his back. Panic tightened around her throat.

She...she was too late.

“MERCO NO!” she screamed, running to his side and hitting his shoulder

The young female tried desperately to rouse the unconscious alien, but he wasn’t responding. Completely unafraid, she climbed on top of his gloved hand and ran up his arm until she was standing on his shoulder. The tightness around her throat lessened when she saw and felt his wide chest steadily rising and falling.

Not dead.

All at once a maroon uniform flew in close to her. She was about to yell at him when she recognized his face.

“Traynar? What happened to Merco?”

The flier landed beside her, “They hit him with sleeping spores. What are you doing here?”

“I came to warn Merco that Coroc was coming with a squadron to kill him.”

Traynar’s plumage lifted, “Combatant Coroc is here?”

He had taken fighting drills with the famous and now infamous flying combatant. Coroc had retired shortly before Traynar had passed his combat flying training. But his skill was undeniable. However, in peaceful times, Coroc struggled to adapt; hence his notoriety.

“What are we going to do? How long is he going to be like this?” Seraysa fretted.

Traynar shook his head, “I don’t know. He got hit with more sleeping spore than I’ve ever seen but...he could be out for hours...or minutes? Who knows?”

“Did Coroc’s squadron do this?”

“Yes. And they’re going to be here any second. We-”

“You two! Why didn’t you wait for the signal to approach?” A stern voice stated from above.

Both Seraysa and Traynar turned to see Combatant Coroc and four other EFP members descending from the trees, energy weapons in hand.

Seraysa was confused, but Traynar realized Coroc thought they were part of his squadron and had defied an order. He gave Seraysa a look that said to keep quiet as he formally addressed the combatant with his plume alert.

“Apologies, Combatant Coroc. We were part of the scouting mission stationed out here. We’d been following the giant alien for some time. We didn’t anticipate your attack and didn’t get far enough away. The impact knocked us out of our position in the trees.”

Coroc landed lightly on Merco’s shoulder next to them, his four squadron members seemed nervous but followed his lead, landing behind him.

Coroc’s dark eyes were hard, “So you are not part of my squadron...you are scouts?

“Yes sir.”

The dark blue uniformed combatant scrutinized them for a moment but then said, “Though your eagerness to enter the fray is admirable, such rookie mistakes should be beneath someone of the EFP.”

“Yes sir. Of course.” Traynar replied.

Traynar couldn’t help but notice how calm Coroc seemed. The other four in his squadron seemed infinitely nervous, standing on the very alien they were here to kill like they were standing on a living landscape. Coroc simply walked away from them, across Merco’s shoulder, stepped over his collarbone and approached the giant alien’s exposed neck. Seraysa’s blue eyes went wide with fear but Traynar’s hand subtly touched her to stop her. Coroc observed Merco’s bearded chin and hair prickled neck a moment. He rested his hand against the side of Merco’s throat and ran his hand against the slope.

Traynar spoke, “What is your plan Combatant Coroc?”

“To free Anashee from this monster.” He replied simply.

“And...how will you do that?”

Coroc’s hand stopped and they could see his hand bouncing with Merco’s pulse. “By piercing this. Just open that and it bleeds out. No pain. It never wakes up.”

He twisted his energy weapon and it cycled into a green, crackling spear. Just as he reared the weapon back a scream and a body halted his thrust.

“NO!”

Seraysa flew forward and threw herself against the side of Merco’s throat. His pulse throbbed against her body.

“You can’t kill him! He’s not a monster!” she protested, crying.

A recognition sparked in Coroc’s eyes, “You’re that young one from Anashee. The stolen chrysalis.”

“Please! Please don’t kill him!”

He frowned, not relaxing his raised spear, “Step aside young one. You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“YOU don’t know what you’re doing! He’s never hurt anyone and he’s not going to destroy Anashee!” She shouted back.

“Move. Or I will have you removed.” He threatened.

Seraysa shook her head adamantly, clinging to her spot on Merco’s neck. Coroc made a gesture to his four squadron members and two of them stepped forward to remove her. Suddenly, in a blur of movement, Traynar grabbed one of them by the plume, tripped him, and took his energy weapon. With a fast, aggressive spin he knocked down a second EFP fighter, sweeping her feet out from under her. Then with a quick [ZAP!] he set the metal rod to stun and knocked both of them out. Before the other two could respond, Traynar flew across the gap and positioned himself on the center point between Merco’s collarbones, menacing Coroc with a raised weapon.

“I won’t let you Coroc,” he stated strongly, plumage high and flared, “She’s right. Merco is no monster. He’s saved many of us and we won’t let you kill him.”

Coroc’s eyes hardened, “But you don’t know that. You may replace him peaceful today; perhaps even rotations from now. But will he always be? If he got it in his head to conquer us there would be little we could do to stop him. I won’t take that chance. Anashee will be free of this threat.”

“Did Elder Felreh condone such actions?” Traynar challenged.

“Commander Madala has given me her confidence to see this done. I don’t intend to let her down.” He replied.

Traynar cycled his weapon to a glaive style energy blade, “Then you’ll have to go through me to do it.”

Coroc responded in kind by cycling his weapon to a similar format. A long, tense moment hung in the air until the two fighters met, energy blades crackling. Almost in a choreographed stance, the two combatants circled each other, striking and meeting, retreating, and then returning to strike again. In an instant they were both airborne, taking the fight to the sky as only EFP combatants could achieve. They swooped and arced at one another, clashing and retreating, then maneuvering to strike. Neither would give an inch.

Below, the two squadron members watched the aerial battle, neither wanting to interfere unless it was perfectly necessary. But then they seemed to remember they had a mission and began moving toward Merco’s neck. Seraysa could only watch helplessly as Traynar fought and then as the two EFP fighters moved toward her.

She held up a hand, “No! You don’t have to do this!”

When they were close, Seraysa and the EFP fighters suddenly jumped with a start when Merco groaned, sending a jarring vibration through them. The EFP fighters froze, eyes wide, unsure if they should fly away or not.

Was Merco actually waking up already? Sleeping spores were effective on Ansheetans and apparently on Merco as well, but how effective? Perhaps he was too big for the dosage they hit him with? It didn’t matter. Seraysa knew she had to try to rouse Merco somehow. Seizing the moment, she floated up and landed on the high part of Merco’s cheek. Then she knelt down and slapped at his eyelid.

“Come on Merco! You’ve got to wake up!”

At first, her hitting didn’t elicit a response. But after a moment the large gray-green eyes slit open; though awareness didn’t seem in full gear.

“Merco! Merco! Wake up!” Seraysa waved her hand in front on his eye to see if he could track it.

Very slow and not focusing. He was trying to wake, but the after-effects of the drug clung to his senses. He groaned again and shifted his head and shoulder which made the two EFP members scatter and fly into the trees. Seraysa flattened herself to his cheek to keep from falling. His eye opened a bit wider, his dark pupil trying to focus. Seraysa waved a hand in front of his eye again and this time it seemed to track better.

“Merco?”

Then the large eye directed at her, the pupil focusing.

The muscles of his face moved beneath her as he whispered, “Pixie?”

“Merco! Come on! You’ve got to get up.” She insisted.

He smiled again not understanding her, “Pixie. It’s you.”

This time she hit his skin to enunciate the urgency, “Merco! Get up!”

...

Traynar could feel his recently sealed wound complain sharply with his every move. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold off Coroc. The seasoned combatant was very skilled and Traynar couldn’t lose focus when fighting him. The poles of their weapons crossed again as they pushed against each other in the air. Coroc kicked against Traynar’s leg and then slid his pole down fast. The energy blade sliced open Traynar’s uniform at the shoulder, just missing his skin. With a strategic retreat, Traynar dove down and back. He shot up and slashed at Coroc, but the flier parried the strike.

Again, and again they continued the combative dance in the air. At one point, Traynar was almost above the trees and looked down to see Merco stirring and attempting to sit up.

That was fast.

Coroc noticed it too and swore.

With a sharp whistle he shouted, “SQUADRON! ATTACK FORMATION NOW!”

Traynar watched as more than a dozen EFP combatants appeared out of the surrounding trees and flew straight at Merco with crackling energy spears.