Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

Kevin had had radiation blast him; he had exited Earth's solar system in a space ship; he had traveled through both time and space and at the speed of light. For the first time; he was shot through a worm-hole without any protection. The experience was a terrifying as it was wonderful.

He watched as Sillan and the piloting module faded out of view. They were pulled into the hangar of Lylan Afee's ship. He was sucked in alone; into the vacuum and mystery of the cosmos...not sure where he would land. He watched his own body transform into energy.

Sillan and the remains of space ship Ksenia disappeared. He looked back (behind his now non-physical body) and saw the gargantuan planet Enlo as it glowed vividly. There was no moon.

Space warped around him and he was spit into the mouth of the worm-hole. He was everywhere and nowhere now. Before he could worry about dying; before he could even draw a reasonable conclusion (about where he was going); he was spit back out into physical reality and into a deeply unknown location.

He went flying into the inner wall of an asteroid (and the mining facility that had been built within it). He saw the beautiful, dark blue, glowing flesh of the inside of the labyrinthian mine. He saw it's haunting, luminous, dark inner-shell as he hit the wall, fell on the ground and then threw up everywhere.

"What the Fen EL F#$$ S@##!" He yelled while still on the ground.

"Where the hell am I!?" He inquired anonymously to the empty space around him.

It took a while for Kevin to regain his composure and finally stand up. When he finally did; he had a better grasp of where he was. The abandoned machinery and the partially mined walls (glowing with new and exotic minerals never before seen by Earth-eyes) made it clear he was in a mining facility. He threw up again and then began to walk around.

"Sillan!" He yelled.

He clutched his "space command" jacket tightly to his body. Earth Hammer was still safely in his right, giant pocket. He pulled the weapon out and held it in his hand. It still looked fully functional and it's internal power-source still glowed a faint purple glow. He kept it clutched in his hand as he slowly walked around the cosmic labyrinth.

"Jack!?" He yelled out loud, trying to amuse himself.

"You never know..." He thought.

If Kevin had the same knowledge as Sillan; he would have known this asteroid have previously been mined (to its limits) by a team of Ishmaru and Enlo scientists some forty years ago. Sillan had set up the jump coordinates some four years prior; during his last visit to planet Enlo. The inner labyrinth of the asteroid was more massive than Kevin could imagine...or wanted to know.

He slowly ventured through it luminous, beautiful and disturbing twists and turns. He clutched his laser weapon close to his body; steadily fixed on its glowing power source.

He would yell out, from time to time, hoping to find someone or something that could help him. He did this for several hours until he, luckily, came upon the abandoned, residential section of the mine.

The stories of the lives of scientists and profiteers could still faintly be made out in the ruins (of this once thriving enterprise).

If Kevin had known more about The Ishmaru; he would know that they had mined this asteroid to almost the point of collapse, and had long since abandoned it. Some trillion credits were mined before the gravity locked and re-located asteroid had been mined (until virtually) nothing was left. All that remained was the muted, dark blue glow of its soul.

Kevin took refuge in the living facilities for an hour. He sat in an abandoned kitchen and stared at the remnants of a quickly abandoned meal. Only the dinning-ware remained; the organic matter having long since faded.

He noticed a safety poster on the wall; indicating (with different languages and illustrations of various aliens species) safety procedures and protocols.

He thought the one showing how a four-armed and five eyed-alien should immediately wash its eyes (should they become contaminated with mineral dust) was amusing. There was clearly no food left in this place.

This kind of thing was no longer scarry to Kevin. Something had changed.

He had been set free. Only the adventure was left. The danger was real...it was greater than ever. But fear of death and the unknown had been substituted by the freedom of a cosmic quest. No longer were the realms of the unknown as deadly as they were inviting. He looked at Earth Hammer again.

"I wonder if anyone back on Old Casadasius noticed I'm gone yet..."

Kevin walked around the heart of the asteroid's living facilities for a little while longer (until he was rudely interrupted by an uninvited guest). Kevin didn't know why exactly; but he knew who he was about to face.

The 'lava-lamp skin' was the first obvious sign. There was no disguise this time, nor was there need for one; from either of their perspectives.

The two lower kal-Vant looked surprised to see him in one piece. They both caught sight of him and immediately lurched their reptilian forms toward him. Kevin knew they were the same ones he had seen at Jack's fated party.

He held up Earth Hammer; sideways "gangster grip" style and fired a purple blast between them (as a warning), or more realistically, as a sign of spiritual growth. They both recoiled quickly and then pulled out their weapons.

"My consciousness remains intact!" Kevin yelled. "Along with my DNA! You failed!"

Both of the lower kal-Vant looked at each other in a menacing, intuitive fashion and then (wordlessly) back at Kevin.

"You are still subject to processing!" The female alien announced. "We have orders from The Federation for your arrest!"

"We will claim what must be rightfully claimed!" Said the male.

They both aimed their laser weapons (set to stun) and fired at Kevin. He was able to run towards a metal table and then sent himself lunging towards and somewhat behind it.

The table tipped over on it's side. He landed behind its protection as several bowls of dust went flying in various directions. They fired again; blasting and burning the metal table. Kevin tried to imagine what Sillan would do in this situation.

He rose up from the side behind the table (he thought would be the most unexpected). He fired at the two aliens, blasting one in the arm and sending the other flying sideways. The arm of the male lower kal-Vant exploded. Kevin stood up fully now; ready to face his attackers.

He was suddenly hit with a blinding force behind him. It sent him flying back over the table and on the ground. Kevin's vision was extremely blurry for a moment; until he fully regained consciousness.

A familiar looking boot came menacingly into Kevin's line of vision (as he laid on the ground). He saw the boot kick towards Earth Hammer; causing it to go flying across the floor. Kevin looked back up to see the face of Jenen Trius.

Kevin rubbed his head. He caught sight of two space-demons emerging near where the two lower kal-Vant were standing. They had come out of nowhere. They both rubbed their terrible, long fingers ominously. Jenen Trius put a boot on Kevin, forcing Kevin to roll onto his back. Kevin stared back up at Jenen.

"Where did you go bro!!!" Kevin insisted. "You warped away like a coward last time!"

"I don't have time for Old Casadasius humor," Jenen explained. "It's time to put an end to all this. We are taking you for DNA extraction!"

A man appeared from behind Jenen. He was wearing a black robe, a dark hood and a black mask. His face and body were completely covered.

He must have been waiting in the kitchen behind them (if he hadn't come out of nowhere entirely). He lifted his hand in authoritative fashion and then nodded at Jenen. Jenen looked back at Kevin.

The two space-demons rubbed their terrible claws together in dark and twisted anticipation; as if they fed on only the worst miseries.

"What the hell are those things!" Kevin insisted. "They are monsters!"

"They are souls who have seen this universe for far...far too long," explained the man in the black mask.

"That is what happens to all beings who exist long enough; the inevitability of entropy and destruction has registered them unable to burden themselves with the illusion of hope and prosperity."

Kevin felt incredibly empty and then looked back up at the man. The man looked back at Jenen.

"We are Sagittarius!" He said calmly to Jenen, as if the statement was a mantra or code.

"We are Sagittarius..." Jenen said as he gazed down at Kevin.

The space demons rubbed their hands together some more.

"I'm from Wisconsin," Kevin replied.

He tired to pick himself off the floor; but Jenen kicked him in the side, sending him back down to the ground.

"We will be needing that special DNA from you," Jenen stated.

"You can't have it!" Kevin replied, coughing up some blood that shot onto the cold metal of the kitchen.

"You don't even have the technology to do that!" Kevin insisted.

"He's right!" Said the man in the black hood.

"But we do have our methods..." Jenen continued.

"And then what!" Kevin yelled. "Then what will you do!"

"This universe must dissipate!" Said Jenen. "It's the only solution!"

"Yes..." Said the man in the black mask. "We are Sagittarius..."

Kevin was finally able to sit up on the floor.

"Very soon..." Said Jenen. "Planet Earth will cause a calamity for the rest of the universe; leaving us all in an unescapable nightmare...we have the power to stop that. You can join us Kevin!"

"Do the right thing..." Said the man in the black mask, holding up one black-gloved hand in a powerful fist.

Kevin thought about Sillan, Leafson Ableson and The UDF. He thought about telling them about the plan to save the universe with the Illawayan; but he knew it was a stupid idea.

"You really want the universe to vanish!" Kevin said. "What a terrible outcome!"

"It is the only way!" Jenen said. "If we wait too long...there will be no hope! NO TURNING BACK!!!"

"We are Sagittarius!" The man in the black mask said again.

"We only have a small window, to use your DNA..." Jenen continued.

The space demons rubbed their hands together in even deeper anticipation.

"We can use the code in your DNA and Old Casadasius to turn all of existence into dust," Jenen said. "If we miss the window...it will be too late and the universe will break! It will exist forever as an unimaginable hellscape!"

Kevin stared to feel the terrible and perplexing sensation that these individuals might have a point. He looked at the horrible space-demons again.

"No!" He thought. "The UDF! Sillan! There is still hope!"

"I guess that means nacho fries won't be coming back to Taco Bell!" Kevin joked as he stood up all the way.

Everyone else (including the space-demons) stared back at him blankly.

"What the hell is Sagittarius!" Kevin insisted.

"Old Casadasius is truly a place of ignorance!" Said the man in the black mask.

"We are all of Sagittarius..." Jenen explained. "We come from a small galaxy that has always been victimized by this predatory Milky Way."

"As your galaxy slowly swallows us, over thousands of years; we have been able to see the truth..." Jenen continued.

"Your galaxy is a vicious predator, that destroys everything in its wake. For thousands of years we have been slowly swallowed by you. The Milky Way is a place of senselessness and destruction; look at what calamity Earth will bring to the rest of existence!"

"Think clearly!" Said the man in the black mask. "There is only a short window Kevin! Do you know what it will mean for the universe to break! We can only use our imaginations to grasp the horror; but once it is done there will be no reversing it!"

"Then let's stop Voltson Jepps before it can happen!" Kevin insisted.

"Voltson Jepps!" Said the man in the black mask. "He is involved!?"

Jenen Trius looked nervous.

"You don't know that...?" Kevin said.

Jenen looked back at the man in the black mask. Kevin was standing up fully now, with some blood still dripping from his mouth. He looked over at Earth hammer again. It was near the space-demons.

"Think rationally Kevin!" Said the man in the black mask. "Surrender your DNA voluntarily and we can make the procedure as painless as possible! Don't be fooled by that stupid Sillan Octavion! He has lived too long and has grown arrogant, racist and selfish."

"That can't be true..." Kevin thought.

"It's been only a short time since you left your ignorant little planet," the man in the black mask continued. "You don't understand how the universe truly works Kevin! Do you really think Sillan is some sort of hero?!"

Kevin started to calculate how he could get Earth Hammer back in his hands. The man in the black mask watched him closely.

"Don't try it Kevin!" He insisted. "That move is impossible!"

"We of Sagittarius know the truth!" Said Jenen. "This universe has existed for far too long...and no longer has the right to exist! Only ignorance of the universes laws are what propel all living beings forwards now. They deserve only dust...and we must be noble enough to accept that!"

Kevin really didn't know what to say to that. The two lower kal-Vant had rejoined the confrontation. The male one was tending to his now severed right arm. Kevin thought for another moment before deciding to take drastic action.

He thew himself towards Earth Hammer. He rolled across the ground, almost colliding with the space demons. He managed to snatch up the laser-weapon under his body. He rolled over fully onto his back and then fired at Jenen. The man in the black mask suddenly and instantaneously warped in front of Jenen. He immediately blocked the purple laser blast with the palm of his right hand.

"Shit!" Kevin yelled.

He fired again at Jenen and the man in the black mask. The female lower kal-Vant attempted to tackle him. Kevin could feel the space-demons reaching out towards him.

The female lower kal-Vant held him down as the space-demons crept forwards. Kevin could feel them eating his soul again. The man in the black mask confidently and slowly walked towards Kevin. He gestured at the space-demons.

"They could have been great men once!" He began to explain. "You can see the truth plainly; this is what happens when one exits long enough!"

He gestured at them with a broad gesture from his black gloved right hand.

"NOW YOU CAN SEE THE TRUTH OF ENTROPY!!!"

The space-demons both glowered at Kevin; looking like they were ready to feed on the parts of him that mattered most. The man in the black mask continued to talk.

"We of the Sagittarius Galaxy can see things clearly!" He continued. "The Milky Way and it's deadly mouth have always prayed on us! Always consumed us! We are it's victims....and as victims we can see the truth of the universe. There is only death now!"

"Begin the extraction!" Jenen commanded.

The man in the black mask looked back at Jenen.

"Yes!" The man in the black mask said, gesturing at the two lower kal-Vant.

The two reptilian aliens began to move in on Kevin. The female one held the same device Kevin had seen at Jack's party.

"That's not going to work!" Kevin insisted.

"It's nowhere near the greatness of the Illawayan!" Said the man in the black mask. "But all we really need is the right amount of code to reach Earth's computer core! It shouldn't be too hard to dissipate the universe from there..."

"There is a better way!" Kevin insisted.

"Hmm..." Said Jenen. "Looks like he knows more than he is telling us!"

"Is there some sort of PLAN in the works!?" The man in the black mask insisted.

Kevin was still lying with his back on the ground and both lower kal-Vant were restraining him.

"It's bound to fail!" Said the man in the black mask. "Who do you think you are...Leafson Ableson!?"

Kevin could have thought and felt a million different things at this moment. He could have felt horror and hopelessness. He could have lashed out and fought blindly. He could have given in and surrendered. He thought about the universe just turning to dust forever.

Anything that he had ever loved would be gone; beyond the trace of all memory. It would be like nothing had ever happened in existence at all. Were these people truly right? Kevin began to wonder. What if they were?

If he and Sillan failed their mission; would there be any other options or hope for the people of the galaxy? Was there really only one chance to stop the impending cosmic nightmare. Before Kevin could draw a definitive conclusion; a new party boldly and suddenly entered the story. She came in through the ceiling.

Concrete and the organic matter of the asteroid mine rained down as an exceptionally tall android woman landed on the floor. Everyone was caught off guard by her sudden appearance.

No one had time to ask questions as she fired a series of lasers (out of a weapon that had suddenly replaced her hand). This sent the two lower kal-Vant flying away in a laser explosion. The two space-demons were annihilated in the process.

Kevin gazed up from the floor in amazement as she began to exchange blows with the man in the black mask. Jenen Trius recoiled in complete surprise, ending up with his back against the wall.

"Where the hell is my boyfriend!" She exclaimed. "Where is Sillan Octavion!?"

"Sillan Octavion!" Jenen replied.

The tall android and the man in the black mask appeared (from Kevin's perspective) to be equally matched in combat skill. Whatever technologies they were in possession of (seemed to be equal for a moment).

The arm that had appeared to be a gun suddenly and amazingly turned into a blade. It shone with blue lightning that crackled around it. Every time she landed a blow (on the man in the black mask) a shield composed of yellow energy would automatically materialize around his body.

"What the hell is this!" She yelled as she tried to land another blow.

She continued to thrash at him, but to no avail. He was completely protected. The man in the black mask began to just stand there with his arms triumphantly crossed.

The android let out a couple more attacks before she backed away; looking somewhat exhausted. The man in the black mask continued to stand without being affected.

"Where is Sillan!" She insisted.

Jenen Trius looked back at the man in the black mask.

"Well...this was unexpected!" Said Jenen Trius.

Kevin began to stand up all the way. The man in the black mask stretched out one black gloved hand. A blast of energy emerged from his palm and sent the android flying past Kevin and into the opposite wall of the kitchen.

Kevin clutched Earth Hammer in both hands, assumed a balanced stance and then began firing rapidly at Jenen and the man in the black mask. He got off five shots before they both warped away to an unknown location.

Kevin started to catch his breath as he looked over at the android. She began to stand up as well (and then looked at Kevin in confusion). He suddenly realized how beautiful this woman was.

She stood about seven feet tall and had luminous blue hair that flowed down to her waist. Some of her body looked technological and the other parts looked organic. She looked both very feminine and very deadly. She looked at Kevin again.

"Where is Sillan Octavion!" She insisted.

"He's...not here..." Kevin replied.

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It was now Sillans' third day in the brig of Lylan's ship. His life had slowly assumed a monotonous daily routine. It consisted of waking, eating, talking to the other prisoners, eating again, pacing around, trying to come up with a new plan and then, finally, going to sleep. He began to call this routine "normal operations."

His main concern was figuring out how to leverage himself out of this situation. Contacting Luneris had gone poorly; as he had estimated that warning Mus Vendall about Voltson Jepps was more important than his own survival.

He considered waiting until someone from Alpha-Central came up with a brilliant way to help him...but who knew how many space-months that would take. His current, best, and only option was to utilize an attorney provided to him by The Federation. This would enable him to have a fair trial and speak honestly about what happened on Earth.

Sillan knew, however, that someone had already decided what was going to happen to him. The trial might already be a lie with the outcome decided.

This led Sillan to conclude, that, because the odds were against him, it might be time for a more radical course of action. No doubt, the galaxy itself was going rouge. So it was time for him to do the same.