Short Stories: Quest and Destruction

Short Stories Quest and Destruction
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Quest

I woke up; I didn't know who I was, or where I was.  I woke to faces familiar yet foreign to me.  The last thing I remember was a bright light, then nothing.  But there were things I did know and those things scared me more, then the things I didn't.

            I stood up from the small cot I was laid on, I looked down at myself, and I knew I didn’t look like myself.  How I knew that I did not know but I knew that this body I was using was not mine.  I looked up and there was a two-way window taking up one whole wall.  “Hello?”  My voice cracked like I hadn’t spoken in a while.  My throat was sore and dry.  I cleared my throat and tried again.  “Hello?  Is anybody there?”  I waited for an answer but I did not get one.  I lay back down trying to remember, trying to figure out how I got here.  How I was in this body.

After about an hour a slot in the door open and some food was pushed in.  “Wait!”  I yelled.  But they closed the door.  I looked down at the food.  I recognized an apple and milk, but the rest was yuck looking.  I picked up the glass of milk and the apple and went back to my cot.  I needed to figure a way out of here.  I am sitting there sipping on the milk when I noticed whoever had me; messed up… they left me a knife.  I wasn’t actually sure why I knew that they messed up by giving me one, but I knew they had.  Because somehow I knew how to use it to escape, but how I knew this information and the other secrets locked in my head I did not know.

I waited until what I figured was early morning hours; during my waiting, I used the concrete floor to sharpen my knife.  My only weapon I had.  I took the knife, working fast, I used it to cut the two-way mirror, soon there was a whole large enough for me to crawl into, when I got through the whole, I saw what was on the other side.  It was a ship.  I knew the ship.  I built it.  And I built what was on it.  Oh my Goddess, that is why they had me.  They were studying my weapons.  All of a sudden it came back to me.

I was not from this world, I was passing by Earth.  I never meant to land here.  Or in my case crash here.  As soon as I had I took this form.  I was a weapons expert from my planet, seven million light years away.  The name of my planet is Harhholz.  We are far more advanced than Earth, which we find a blip on our radar.  In fact, we have a pool going on if some other race will even have a chance to try to destroy it, or will they destroy themselves?  I knew that if they figured out the weapon on my ship Earth would not last long enough to find out.

            I searched my ship and found my weapon still on board.  I also found a human scientist.  “I suggest you stop studying that,”  I stated drawing my knife.

“Who are you?”  He turned to ask. 

He didn’t ask how I escaped, but who I was, that to me seemed strange.  So I answered.  “You could not pronounce my true name.  You can call me Kalii.  Who are you?”  I was not going to attack unless he was.

“My name is Jack Johnston.  I am a nuclear physicist here at the plant.  Where are you from?”

Now came the big money questions.  “No, where you will ever be able to reach in your life time, now excuse me I must leave.  You don’t get to keep the weapon.”

“Take me with you.”

I was going to argue, but I did not have time.  I could hear the others coming.  And I knew I only had moments.  “Did they remove anything from this ship?”

“No.”

“Good.”  I walked back to the panel I couldn’t get to while I was crashing and within moments I fixed the problem.  I closed the doors and ran to the pilot’s seat and prepared for take off.  “I would hold on,”  I yelled back at my unwanted passenger.

I took off going through the ceiling.  I knew I had to escape.  Earth could not get their hands on my knowledge or the weapon I am carrying.  It would destroy this planet.  It is a planet full of promise, which already has too many weapons of mass destruction.  I would not allow this planet to suffer the same fate of many planets before them.  Thanks to my contribution to the universe.

Within just moments I was in the stars, and my unwanted guest was busy sticking his face out my windows.  I sighed and continued on.  I was dumping this weapon on a planet that my planet was at war with, but I was sick of the violence.  I knew about four million light years more away there was a neutral planet, which would accept me and my guest.  But first I would have to dump the weapon into a black hole.

I knew that by deserting my planet, I was leaving behind everything there.  But what did I have there anymore?  My husband had been killed in this war, my parents both gone, no siblings no children, so there was nothing to go ‘home’ too.  I kept steering the ship as Jack came up and stood next to me.

“Wow!  I can’t believe this!  How fast are we traveling?  How old are you?  Do you age differently?  Do you eat different foods?  Where are we going?  Where are you from?”  I sighed knowing that he had every reason to be excited; this was not something humans would have seen in his life time.

“Fast.  Five hundred years.  From Earthlings, yes.  Yes and No.  We are going to a black hole then to Tolerance.  I am from Harhholz.”  I answered giving very short answers without details.

He was shocked, shocked into quietness.  Giving me the chance to dump the bomb before he could try to stop me and then we headed off towards Tolerance.

“Why did you do that?”

“That bomb was full of hatred and intolerance and would have destroyed many lives.  I lost my husband in a war that has been going on for centuries.  I lost my family.  Tolerance will accept all creatures.  That is why I am going there.  I am sick of this war.”

“How has Earth not found out about this?’

“You are a baby planet; we choose to allow you to develop on your own first,”  I stated as I started setting the sleeping chambers and auto drive.  “Now in you go,”  I stated pushing him into a sleep chamber shutting it and putting him into a frozen sleep for the next dozen years, stopping his aging, allowing him the chance to see a new world.  I entered my own, hoping beyond hope, that when we landed, we would find peace.  True peace.  And I wasn’t disappointed.  When I awoke I stepped out of my ship.  Jack behind me.  And I could feel at once, I was truly at home.  At peace.  Finally accepted, finally free.  Finally home.

Destruction (Alternate Ending of Quest)

I woke up; I didn't know who I was, or where I was. I woke to faces familiar yet foreign to me. The last thing I remember was a bright light, then nothing. But there were things I did know and those things scared me more, then the things I didn't.

I stood up from the small cot I was laid on, I looked down at myself, and I knew I didn’t look like myself. How I knew that I did not know but I knew that this body I was using was not mine. I looked up and there was a two-way window taking up one whole wall. “Hello?” My voice cracked like I hadn’t spoke in awhile. My throat was sore and dry. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Hello? Is anybody there?” I waited for an answer but I did not get one. I lay back down trying to remember trying to figure out how I got here. How I was in this body.

            After about an hour a slot in the door open and some food was pushed in. “Wait!” I yelled. But they closed the door. I looked down at the food. I recognized an apple and milk, but the rest was yuck looking. I picked up the glass of milk and the apple and went back to my cot. I needed to figure a way out of here. I am sitting there sipping on the milk when I noticed whoever had me; messed up… they left me a knife. I wasn’t actually sure why I knew that they messed up by giving me one, but I knew they had. Because somehow I knew how to use it to escape, but how I knew this information and the other secrets locked in my head I did not know.

            I waited until I figured was early morning hours, during my waiting I used the concrete floor to sharpen my knife. My only weapon I had. I took the knife, working fast, I used it to cut the two-way mirror, soon there was a whole large enough for me to crawl into, when I got through the whole, I saw what was on the other side. It was a ship. I knew the ship. I built it. And I built what was on it. Oh my Goddess that is why they had me. They were studying my weapons. All of a sudden it came back to me. 

I was not from this world, I was passing by Earth. I never meant to land here. Or in my case crash here. As soon as I had I took this form. I was a weapons expert from my plant, seven million light years away. The name of my plant is Harhholz. We are far more advanced than Earth, which we find a blip on our radar. In fact, we have a pool going on if some other race will even have a chance to try to destroy it, or will they destroy themselves? I knew that if they figured out the weapon on my ship Earth would not last long enough to find out.

I searched my ship and found my weapon still on board. I also found a human scientist. “I suggest you stop studying that,” I stated drawing my knife.

“Who are you?” He turned to ask. He didn’t ask how I escaped but who I was.

            “You could not pronounce my true name. You can call me Kalii. Who are you?” I was not going to attack unless he was.

            “My name is Jack Johnston. I am a nuclear physicist here at the plant. Where are you from?”

Now came the big money questions. “No where you will ever be able to reach in your life time, now excuse me I must leave. You don’t get to keep the weapon.”

“Take me with you.”

I was going to argue but I did not have time. I could hear the others coming. And I knew I only had moments. “Did they remove anything from this ship?”

“No.”

“Good.” I walked back to the panel I couldn’t get to while I was crashing and within moments I fixed the problem. I closed the doors and ran to the pilot’s seat and prepared for takeoff. “I would hold on,” I yelled back at my unwanted passenger.

I took off going through the ceiling. I knew I had to escape. Earth could not get their hands on my knowledge or the weapon I am carrying. It would destroy this plant. It is a plant full of promise, which already has too many weapons of mass destruction. I would not allow this planet to suffer the same fate of many planets before them. Thanks to my contribution to the universe.

Within just moments I was in the stars, and my unwanted guest was busy sticking his face out my windows. I sighed and continued on. I was dumping this weapon on a plant that my plant was at war with, but I was sick of the violence. I knew about four more million light years away there was a neutral plant, which would accept me and my guest. But first I would have to dump the weapon into a black hole.

I knew that by deserting my plant, I was leaving behind everything there. But what did I have there anymore? My husband had been killed in this war, my parents both gone, no siblings no children, so there was nothing to go ‘home’ too. I kept steering the ship as Jack came up and stood next to me.

“Wow! I can’t believe this! How fast are we traveling? How old are you? Do you age differently? Do you eat different foods? Where are we going? Where are you from?” I sighed knowing that he had every reason to be excited; this was not something humans would have seen in his life time.

“Fast. Five hundred years. From Earthlings, yes. Yes and No. We are going to a black hole then to Tolerance. I am from Harhholz.” I answered giving very short answers without details.

He was shocked, shocked into quietness, giving me the chance to dump the bomb before he could try to stop me and headed off towards Tolerance.

“Why did you do that?”

“That bomb was full of hatred and intolerance and would have destroyed many lives. I lost my husband in a war that has been going on for centuries. I lost my family. Tolerance will accept all creatures. That is why I am going there I am sick of this war.”

“How has Earth not found out about this?’

“You are a baby planet; we choose to allow you to develop on your own first,” I stated as I started setting the sleeping chambers and auto drive. “Now in you go,” I stated pushing him into a sleep chamber shutting it and putting him into a frozen sleep for the next dozen years, stopping his aging, allowing him the chance to see a new world. I entered my own, hoping beyond hope, that when we landed, we would find peace. True peace. But I would be disappointed.

When I awoke I found myself surrounded by my people. “Great, just great.” I said and pulled a detonation device from my back pocket. I may want peace, but I am not stupid and I prepared for war.

“Kalii, please give us the weapon. Come back to us. Don’t make me have them kill you.” The leader of our country stated.

“I will not allow you to destroy this universe any longer. I cannot allow it. I will die before I let this war continue.”

“Then die.” My former leader stated. He snapped his fingers and about a hundred guns pointed at me. But I pulled the detonation switch from behind my back.

I smirked. “I will…” I looked back at Jack, the Earthling that was still in the chamber frozen for the time. “But first…” I pushed a few buttons on my dash, which would send him to Tolerance, with a note to look after him. I watched my ship take off as the first rays of destruction hit my person. I pushed the button… and then there was my moment of silence… my final weapon…. Myself… was destroyed…and finally I had peace…