Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

The Vend's office building was considerably different from the buildings Kevin had seen on Denlent (so far). The architectural style of Denlent's buildings mostly consisted of pure, white buildings, that jutted up far into the skyline. The Vend's office looked like a misplaced object from a different solar system. It was completely black, and was shaped like a ziggurat; although it didn't look like any pyramids Kevin had seen form Earth's history.

Inside was a waiting room that was no different from any other waiting room. There were many aliens (of different races) casually standing, waiting and milling about. They all appeared to have different reasons for patronizing The Vend's Tarn headquarters.

Sillan was scanning all around the huge waiting room. He had become much more cautious (after hearing the information Kevin had just imparted). His hand was resting cautiously over his laser pistol.

"I was going to have you stay in the waiting room," Sillan said. "But based on present circumstances; you won't be leaving my side."

"Can I get a little more information?" Kevin asked, watching a Pollix argue with the clerk about something or other. Kevin suddenly realized they had been standing in line since they entered the building. It became apparent that the waiting lines on Tarn (or at least in Denlent) functioned diagonally, with large gaps between people.

"That's just mind blowing!" Kevin said out loud.

Everyone in the waiting room glanced at Kevin for an awkward moment and then quickly returned to their business.

Kevin followed Sillan as they both diagonally reached the clerk. Sillan said a long series of words. Kevin looked all around at the different alien species. There were at least three new ones he hadn't seen yet. One of them looked just like a human being, but with an eye in the middle of their forehead.

"Let's go Earth boy!" Sillan yelled to Kevin.

They took a long elevator ride to the floor Sillan was looking for. Sillan had a chance to think again. He looked at Kevin for a long time and Kevin started to get the impression Sillan was reading his mind. One of Sillan's tattoos rotated.

"Space is dangerous Kevin," Sillan said, as light flickered in and out of the fast moving elevator.

"I know you feel like you've been reborn into a whole new universe. Right now, it probably seems like it's just one fascinating thing after another; but let me tell you, the primary setting of the universe is danger. Frontier, unexpected, and merciless danger. It's been just one day for you. So don't get a false impression. Either out in the expanse of space, or down here on a planet; it's all just Galawan's trying to blow you up. I've been doing this for hundreds of years; so don't think I'm wrong."

"Can I have a laser pistol?"

"No."

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Kevin laughed to himself when he saw that the person (who's office they were now in) was dressed like his high-school guidance counselor. His name-tag explained his name was "Ded Helder." Kevin stood behind Sillan (while Sillan sat in a chair) as Sillan made a report and then issued a series of requests.

"I need an advance of 100,000 monetary units."

"They are called 'Galactic Credits' Sillan," Ded replied.

"I need 100,000 of them," Sillan said. "Or I simply won't be able to make it to the center of the galaxy."

Ded, clad in his tweed suit, leaned back into his chair, and then said something to his computer screen. A translucent green color reflected onto his face.

"It looks like we can only pay you in...Leafson Ableson Credits? What in the name of Tendallian?"

"Who is Leafson Ableson?" Kevin asked.

There were no other chairs in the Ded's office, so Kevin continued to just stand by the door.

"Is that someone's joke?!" Sillan asked. "People don't even use those for illegal activity anymore!"

Ded looked like he was trying to hold back a laugh. It was becoming apparent to Kevin, that most people had a general sense of respect and admiration for what Sillan was.

"It says it plain as Tendallian, right here," said Ded. "That you are only allowed to be paid in Leafson Ableson credits."

"Well that's incredibly stupid," said Sillan. "And I need more information about the nature of this mission!"

Ded looked into the glow of his screen again.

"I can see right here, Sillan--on the main file--that this is triple AAA security."

"Who requestioned the mission? What's the furthest back you can look?"

"There is nothing th-

"Just look again!" Sillan said. "Someone must have sent the file to your office. So check your personal records."

"Alright...," Ded replied. Starting to look agitated, but participating all the same.

He started to read out loud what the mission report said:

"This file was sent to Sillan Octavion's ship 'Spaceship Ksenia' by Jenen Trius and then immediately relayed to The Vend's branches throughout the galaxy."

"Correct..." Sillan said.

"The origin of the report is labeled 'Triple AAA--Source Redacted--"

"How soon was the report sent to me after it was on Jenen Trius' desk? How long was the report available before Jenen read it?"

"Never thought of that loophole...," said Ded.

He leaned even further into his screen.

"This is interesting..."

"Yes?!" Kevin asked.

"Trace it back as far as you can!" Sillan said.

The circles on Sillan's cheeks rotated intensely.

"Well," said the man. "If I look back into the code....uh..."

Ded stared rubbing his head and then somehow leaned even further into his screen.

"It looks like this mission packet was sitting...dormant...for..."

Ded rubbed his head some more.

"Yes?!" Asked Kevin.

"According...to the code....this report sat dormant for...two...hundred...years...before finally coming to Jenen Trius' desk."

"FEN EL CREN!!!" Sillan exclaimed.

"How is that even possible?" Kevin asked.

Ded stared back at Sillan and Kevin with a perplexed look on his face. Sillan looked like he was thinking about a lot of things all at once. All of his facial tattoos went into effect at the same time.

"What's the exact date the file came into existence?" Sillan insisted.

"T.C. 12,022," Ded explained.

"Thanks!" Sillan said abruptly.

Sillan looked down at his laser pistol, at Kevin and then at the door.

"We will be leaving now," Sillan said suddenly. "Please transfer my 100,000 Leafson Ableson credits to my account. And have a great week!"

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Back outside, on the walkways of Denlent, Sillan continued to move quickly forward. Kevin struggled to keep up. He counted at least four new alien races. It now became obvious that Tarn had more moons than could be counted with a single glance. They all sat glowing high above.

"What the hell just happened?" Kevin asked Sillan. "How could the report be that old?"

Sillan didn't say anything for a long time. Kevin followed him as they moved from Denlent's major business district into the lower city. The contrast in the cities appearance there was dramatic.

"That was the year The Vend was created," Sillan said. "T.C. 12,022!"

"The mission report was created the same year The Vend came into existence?" Kevin asked.

"Yes," Sillan said. "This keeps getting stranger and stranger."

"What does that imply?" Kevin asked, as they finished ridding an old elevator that had all sorts of loose electronic parts.

They reached the lower city part of Denlent. The lower city looked very impoverished, but also completely fascinating. For the most part, lower Kal-Vant seemed to be running the show, which made Kevin very nervous. There were all sorts of open air merchants, interesting and unique figures, people wearing space-suits and a variety of questionable looking individuals.

"I don't know," said Sillan. "So change of plans!"

Kevin clutched his "Space Command" jacket tightly to his body. The air in Lower Denlent was much colder.

"What's the plan now?" Kevin asked.

"We are picking up our supplies and then heading directly to Jenen Trius to sort all of this out!"

"Who is Jenen Trius?" Kevin asked.

"He is my contact at The Vend, and he holds a relatively high up position in their ranks. He's third rank below the people who run the whole organization."

"Who runs The Vend?" Kevin asked.

"No one knows for sure anymore."

"You are still working for these people? Aren't you supposed to be an enlightened-cosmic-space-guy?"

"It's not like that."

"How do you know we are doing something good?"

"I don't anymore. Which is why we are going directly to Jenen. There is a lot about the universe that you don't understand yet Kevin."

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After finding their way through the labyrinth of lower Denlent; Sillan and Kevin reached their destination. It was a large underground club. The diversity of aliens there was even greater. Kevin counted even more new species. Many of them looked like they might be from different solar systems.

No one seemed to especially mind Kevin and Sillan's presence. They both moved quickly through the main part of the club, which was a dance floor. Kevin couldn't help but think about McGuiles' and his friends back on planet Earth. They reached the back of the club and walked into someone's office. Sillan didn't even knock as he entered.

This must have been the club owners office. He was indulging in some sort of outer-space drug. Sillan's quick entrance caused the man to immediately go flying out of his chair. This sent whatever substance he was using to go flying everywhere. The two, green colored, alien women he was with also jumped backwards. They must have been worried Kevin and Sillan were law enforcement. The club owner must have been the same race as the alien Kevin had seen (at The Vend's office), as he looked like an Earth human, except for an extra eye in the center of his forehead.

"They don't teach you how to knock on Luneris?!!!" The man yelled to Sillan, with a mixture of admiration and disdain.

"It's Sillan Octavion!" One of the beautiful alien women exclaimed. "He's back!"

"Yes, and we are all very excited," said Sillan.

The club owner started dusting himself off, trying to play off what he had just been doing.

"Greetings Kenn!" Sillan said. "I need to pick up a variety of supplies from you."

"This dudes name is Ken?" Kevin asked.

"Who's the boy?" The other alien woman asked.

"I'm twenty three!" Kevin said.

"Can I get you guys to put some clothes on?" Sillan asked.

The two alien women looked annoyed and disappointed.

"Don't tell us what to wear," said one of them.

"He looks like he is from Old Casadasius," said the other alien woman. "How's that possible?!"

"How'd you know that?" Sillan asked.

"From where?" Kevin asked.

"Ladies," said Kenn. "Can we have the room please?"

The two alien women both looked at Kevin like he was interesting and then left the room.

"Goodbye Sillan Octavion!" Said the other alien woman.

"Have a great week," said Sillan

Kenn tried cleaning up the mess from the space-drugs, gave up, and then sat down in his office chair.

"Who were those women?" Kevin asked. "They were so beautiful."

"Those are his wives," Sillan explained. "He loves them."

"Uh, no...we all got divorced," Kenn explained. "But we still hang out."

"I need the usual supplies..." Sillan said.

"Hi, Sillan, how are you?" Kenn replied. "Doing well? How's The Radnarand?"

"I'm flying Spaceship Ksenia now," Sillan explained. "Don't ask me about The Radnarand."

"The what?" Kevin said.

"Fair enough," Kenn replied. "But I must know, why the sudden and urgent visit?"

"The Earth citizen accidentally jettisoned most of my supplies into the vacuum of space."

"First day in the greater galaxy?" Kenn asked.

"First day in the greater galaxy," Kevin replied.

"What an extremely, incredibly rare occurrence," Kenn said. "How is he doing?"

"He's at about a B minus so far," Sillan explained.

"Not too bad..." Kevin said, clutching his space command jacket.

"Interesting coat you have there," said Kenn.

Kenn was exceptionally tall, like the other alien (Kevin had seen at The Vend's office). He looked like he was over seven feet. He was dressed in what must have been the latest fashion trend on Tarn. His pants looked similar to "Knickerbocker" pants from 1920's Earth. Everything in his office looked very expensive. His chair had all sorts of electronic parts and was hovering several feet in the air on it's own.

"Remind me what the usual set-up is again Sillan," Kenn asked.

"I need food rations, back up food rations, emergency food rations, five tubes of computerized nano-carbon, one Genazian launchable energy net...nice work Kevin...six canisters of Alentian rocket fuel, non-synthesized, uh...and whatever the latest A.I. software you have, one hundred gallons of water and some bread."

"We are out of bread," said Kenn.

"Skip the bread then," said Kevin.

"I can make the rest of that available," Kenn said. "I could never say no to my Lunerian friend; you are such a unique individual Sillan. I have to ask however; what kind of circumstances allowed you to pull someone off of Old Casadasius?"

"It's Triple AAA security," Sillan replied.

"Ahh...that, so you don't know anything?"

"I don't know anything at all."

"Besides abductions...and scientific experiments...by those silly grey-aliens from Zeta Reticuli," said Kenn. "I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing."

"Things are becoming very strange in the galaxy," said Sillan.

"It's The Ishmaru you should really be worried about," said Kenn.

"Maybe," said Sillan, looking down at his laser pistol.

"Did you get that from the gods too?" Kenn asked, gesturing towards Sillan's weapon.

"I did."

"There are gods?" Kevin asked.

Sillan and Kenn both started laughing at Kevin. It wasn't exactly mockery, but it wasn't light-hearted either.

"Anyway," Kenn continued. "Please land Spaceship Ksenia in the lower hangar near the club. I'll have my employees outfit your ship with everything you need. It should take two space-hours."

"That's fine," said Sillan. "I have one more thing to do."

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Sillan's "one more thing to do" involved slipping even deeper into the heart of Lower Denlent. The aliens that lived and worked there consisted strictly of Lower kal-Vant. There was a lot of steam (everywhere) that seemed to be coming out of an elaborate, labyrinthian network of pipes that lived deep underground.

"What is Old Casadasius?" Kevin asked. "Is that what people call Earth in the greater galaxy?"

"You are catching on quick," Sillan said. "Planets as isolated as yours have their own local names the people on them use. It's different when a planet is more advanced and connected to the elaborate network of the greater galaxy."

"Where is New Casadasius?"

"It exploded tens of thousands of years ago."

"How did expl-

"No!"

The lowest part of Denlent was a fascinating and profound maze of wires, steam pipes and ancient looking technology.

"Come on," said Kevin. "Just throw me one more explanation. I need it!"

"New Casadasius was destroyed...well, the events that led up to it's destruction were very elaborate, and still a mystery to many; a superficial summary, was that it was caused by a very reckless group of intergalactic beings, called The Anunnaki."

"They're real?! People on Earth talk about them"!

"They are. And they are incredibly reckless."

"Where are we going?" Kevin asked.

Kevin didn't really have a frame of reference for what Denlent looked like now. It was something like an ancient burial ground for cast off technologies.

"We're not going anywhere," Sillan explained. "Someone...or something...has been following us since we left The Vend's office. I'm trying to draw them out."

"Are we in danger?" Kevin asked.

"Of course we are!" Sillan replied.

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They reached a wide open area. It looked like it had once been something like a basketball court; except the basketball hoops were giant triangles.

The concrete (or whatever the court was made of) was ancient and cracked everywhere. Alien trees were growing out of it. Even the trees themselves looked ancient. There was only the slightest sliver of sky. A fragment of Tendallian could be seen reflecting from Tarn's many moons. Kevin walked to the center of the court and then looked up into the night sky. He looked down at his "space command" jacket again.

He walked over to one of the giant triangles on the other side of the court.

"Shouldn't we be landing Spaceship Ksenia in Ken's landing pad?" Kevin asked Sillan.

"The A.I. is already taking care of that as we speak," Sillan explained.

One of the tattoos on Sillan's cheek rotated. He must have been interfacing with the ships A.I.

Kevin started reaching out towards the giant triangle.

"What kind of-

"Space demon!!!" Sillan suddenly yelled.

In a flash, Sillan jumped backwards on to the court, landed on his side, and shot a blast from his laser pistol. There was a very dense (and very quick) green glow from the weapon. By the time Kevin managed to turn around, one of the space demons had already been reduced to particles. The assailant had materialized in the court out of nowhere.

"FEN EL!" Sillan yelled from the ground. "They are coming from a different dimension! Fen EL EL!"

Kevin watched in horror as three more of them began to warp in from a different space. They were moving from a different dimension into the physical realm the two of them were in.

"What do I do!" Kevin yelled.

"Just stand still!" Sillan said as he quickly stood up.

The three space demons only seemed interested in Kevin. They began ominously moving towards him. That terrible sinking feeling from McGuiles was back.

"What the hell is this!" Kevin protested.

"DON'T MOVE!!!" Sillan yelled.

Three more green blasts (from Sillan's pistol) happened at an incredible rate. Kevin watched as the three assailants quickly vanished from existence.

"They are just going to keep coming!" Sillan yelled. "Hide behind the giant triangle Kevin!"

Sillan kept firing all around at the same rate the space demons were merging into their dimension. They kept coming at Kevin rapidly. They started appearing more rapidly than Sillan could shoot them. Every single one of Sillan's facial tattoos went into effect.

One of the space demons formed right in front of Kevin. Kevin gazed at this horrible creature, looking directly into it's eyes. He began to feel the most crippling and terrible emptiness. The creature began to talk.

"This universe will end," it said. "All will return to dust."

"What the f#$%!" Kevin yelled.

One moment later, and another green, glowing burst signaled the end of the space demons existence. Kevin was sent flying sideways, away from the laser blast.

"What the hell do we do Sillan!" Kevin yelled from the ground.

At least a dozen of the space demons began to exit into the physical space of the ancient athletic court.

"Fen EL EL EL!!!" Sillan yelled, gazing at the side of his laser pistol.

"I am not having a great week!" Kevin yelled. "Not at all man!"

Four more of the creatures began to materialize all around Kevin. He gazed on in terror. Time seemed to stop. Kevin could hear Sillan yelling frantically, but his voice was slowly becoming muffled beyond comprehension.

Just when all hope seemed lost, a sudden, golden, powerful glow enveloped the entire area. Kevin looked up at Tendallian. It looked completely different now. It was as if it became a different version of itself. It's colors had become inverted (like a photo negative). He couldn't help but think he was in a different dimension now.

"You horrible creatures should not exist!" Said a voice that seemed to have no fixed location.

The voice was powerful and blasted all around them. For some reason, Kevin couldn't stop thinking of the mysterious and beautiful woman (in aviator sunglasses) he had seen that life changing night at Jack' party.

"You will be stricken from existence!" The powerful voice continued.

That was it. Another moment went by, and the space demons were completely gone. The alien athletic court looked serene, beautiful and peaceful now. Kevin felt very calm.

"What the f#$%!" Kevin yelled.

Sillan looked completely amazed. He was staring up at Tendallian with his jaw agape. Kevin heard a voice in his mind.

"Always trust a Lunerian...," the voice said.

Sillan kept gazing up at the night time sky.

"What...just...happened?" Kevin asked Sillan.

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Sillan remained silent the entire walk back to Kenn's club and the loading dock. He looked completely amazed. His facial tattoos would move subtly from time to time, as if he was locked in a philosophical trance. Kenn's alien employees finished loading Spaceship Ksenia. Kenn came out to see them off personally (on the landing pad) when the work was done.

"Something on your mind Sillan?" Kenn asked.

The loading dock was situated adjacent to and underneath the club. The stars were fading out of view, and Tendallian was beginning to glow brightly.

"A variety of pressing concerns are occupying my mind at the moment..." Sillan said.

"Fair enough..." said Kenn.

Kenn looked like he was thinking hard about something.

"You are lucky I believe in Lunerians," Kenn said. "I'm never going to be able to spend these Leafson Ableson credits."

"Correct," Sillan said.

Kenn stared at Kevin with his three eyes for an intense moment. He looked like he had just had an epiphany.

"I think your friend from Old Casadasius would be better off with a laser-weapon," Kenn stated.

"Do it," Sillan said.

"I'll be right back," Kenn said.

"What's happening?" Kevin asked Sillan.

"You've graduated to the next level!" Sillan said.

It didn't take long for Kenn to find what he was looking for in his club. He walked back up to the loading dock with something hanging loosely (and comfortably) in his right hand. He walked up to Kevin and winked at him with the eye in the center of his forehand.

From the perspective of someone form Earth, the laser-weapon looked like it might be from the old west, except the material it was made from didn't look like any kind of metal (Kevin had ever seen). Kevin stared at it for a long time. He felt the dual weight of both excitement and danger. He saw his own reflection for a brief moment in the metal of the weapon. He was amazed at how different he already looked since leaving Earth.

"Take it," said Kenn.

Kevin took the gun from Kenn's hand. He looked at it again as he held it. It had a very long barrel, with layers of metallic plating on it. Just above the long handle was (what Kevin guessed) the power source that allowed it to fire lasers. It had a faint purple glow emitting from it.

"That thing is ancient...relatively," Sillan said.

"Ancient to the people of Tarn or just ancient in the sense of the greater galaxy?" Kevin asked Sillan.

"That's enough of that," Sillan said.

"He's still thinking like that?" Kenn asked.

Kevin looked at the weapon a third time. The handle looked like it might have been made of wood from the trees of Tarn's jungles.

"Does this gun have a special history?" Kevin asked.

"Maybe...," Kenn said. "As far as I know, it's been in this building longer than I have."

"It came with the building?" Kevin asked.

Kevin looked down at the gun again. Last week he was cleaning human excrement out of a sink, and now he was on a different planet, holding a laser-pistol. He lifted the gun high up to the sky and pointed it at Tendallian. It was almost morning now and the dyson-sphere and star were starting to glow. Kevin pulled the trigger and quickly lit up the remaining darkness with a purple blast.

"WOAH!!!" Kenn suddenly yelled, throwing his arms in the air at Kevin.

Sillan fell over laughing.

"What?! WHAT!?" Kevin asked.

"It's a sin on all seventeen planets of the Undellian System to shoot at Tendallian," Sillan explained.

Sillan stood up and kept laughing.

"What the hell!!" Said Kenn.

Kevin looked really embarrassed and then put the laser-pistol in the huge right pocket of his leather jacket.

"Can I give it a name?" Kevin asked.

"Go for it," Sillan said. "Just be sure to come up with something cool. With some Fen ELLL cYloo."

"Think of what the gun represents to you," Kenn said.

"That's too complicated," Sillan said. "Just pick a cool name."

Kevin thought long and hard about the planet he was from and the galactic quest he had been thrust into.

"I'm going to call it 'Kevin's Ass Exploder," Kevin stated.

"That name is ridiculous," said Kenn.

"You can do better," said Sillan.

"I'm going to call it...."

Kevin stared at the weapon for a long time, trying to think of a name.

"Earth Hammer."