Twinks in Space: Destination Unknown - Part One - 31. Chapter 31 - Wyrms

“What in the name of all the gods is that?” Lyoth yelled over the shrill ringing.

“I have no idea!” Stawren shouted back.

Phentrom looked worried.

Lyoth and Stawren went to the window. What they saw was alarming.

“Allthrin wyrms…” Stawren breathed.

The interior of the underground that made up Raxtack City was a vast hollow within the bedrock of the planet. It was a wide flat opening in the stone, and most of the city’s buildings were only a single story. From the second-floor window of the River Thieth Hotel, Lyoth and Stawren could see across much of the city.

Phentrom joined them at the window, and he gasped. “You know what those are?!”

A pair of gigantic monsters was ravaging a region on the far side of Raxtack City. Their scaly bodies were like enormous snakes, but they also possessed multiple legs with clawed feet. Instead of mouths with teeth set into jaws, massive crushing beaks like snapping turtles’ extended forward from their armored heads. Tiny beady eyes squinted in the filtered light that illuminated the underground.

“Why are giant wyrms so close to the surface?” Stawren asked.

“I thought they were extinct,” Lyoth stated.

“You also know what those are?” Phentrom asked him.

Lyoth looked at Stawren. “They’re mineral-eaters, right?”

“Yes,” she confirmed, “they absorb the same mineral that dzuwilla fish do, but Allthrin has a core of aggregate minerals that the wyrms have always consumed. There used to be scientists who studied the wyrms, but always at planetary depths; I’ve never heard of giant wyrms coming up this shallow.” Stawren looked up at the ceiling of the cave that made up Raxtack City. It was mere feet above the roof of the River Thieth Hotel. She looked back at the creatures. “We are so close to the surface, and their skin is hyper photosensitive. Something down below must be driving them up here, even though it’s not hospitable to them at this depth.”

An explosion caused both beasts to rear up and roar. They changed direction, and a moment later, they disappeared deeper underground again.

A huge portion of the far part of the city was on fire.

“What’s over there?” Lyoth asked.

Stawren cocked her head to one side. “I’m not familiar enough with Raxtack to know what’s in the different regions. On the trips I’ve taken to the planet over the past few years, I’ve only stayed with my aunt Thia in Bavport.”

Phentrom looked at Lyoth and Stawren. “Should we go over there and see if we can help?”

Stawren crossed her arms. “I don’t want to go anywhere near where those monsters might still be,” she declared. “And besides, Raxtack is not heavily populated. You saw how most of what we drove through was dilapidated. There might not be anyone or anything important over there. There are still huge swaths of the city that are uninhabited.”

Lyoth took Phentrom’s hands. “Let’s stick to our plans. We’ll go back to the ships we passed yesterday and see if any of the vessels will suit our needs.”

Phentrom nodded. “And once we have it, we can go get Captain Suoki and begin our search for the Ulaa-Lah.”

“Exactly,” Lyoth replied with a smile. He looked back out the window at the fire. “I wonder if this is the first time those giant wyrms have attacked the city, or if the monsters have been closer to the surface for a while now. Do you suppose the siren that woke us up has become a regular part of life in Raxtack?”

“Maybe the barkeep has some information,” Stawren said. “Let’s head down and grab ourselves some breakfast before going back to the spaceport.”

Once they had collected their things and returned to the foyer, they ordered themselves each a dzuwilla handpie. While they waited for their food, Stawren asked the man behind the counter, “Why are wyrms attacking the city, and when did it start?”

He looked very excited to reply. “The genocide of our people caused an imbalance with the planetary ecosystem. When there suddenly wasn’t enough Allarei people consuming dzuwilla, the fish population exploded. They absorb the same mineral that the wyrms need for their survival, but the fish have depleted those minerals deeper in Allthrin. The planet’s core continuously pumps new stores of fresh minerals into the lower levels of the planet, but the fish have taken over!”

Stawren was staring at him. “What?” she asked flatly.

Phentrom’s mouth was agape. “How in the universe do you have all this information?”

“And did you say genocide?” Lyoth added.

Stawren’s face scrunched up in confusion, and she asked the man in an incredulous tone, “What makes you believe any of what you just said is accurate?!”

He gave her a haughty look. “The scientist who’s been studying these facts is a regular customer here. She’s told me all about it. No one knows who perpetrated the genocide and no one knows how it happened yet, but someday we will! Oh, hang on a moment,” he added, “let me check on your handpies.” He headed into the back.

Stawren turned to Lyoth and Phentrom, and she hissed under her breath, “What in the name of all the gods was he blathering about?!”

“Do you suppose any of what he said is true?” Phentrom asked.

Lyoth was thinking.

The barkeep stepped out of the kitchen with plates in each hand and a third balanced on one wrist. “Get those in you,” he said. “They’ll give you the energy to start your day!”

“Thank you, sir,” Phentrom replied. The man headed back into the kitchen and the mandroid whispered, “Should we try and find this scientist? See if any of what he’s talking about makes sense?”

“And what if it’s all just speculation?” Lyoth replied, shaking his head. “Let’s stick to our plan and head out to the spaceport.”

Stawren nodded. “Yeah, I’m not interested in hearing about nonsensical theories.”

When their breakfast was gone and they had settled up with the owner of the hotel and tavern, the trio headed out to their hovercraft.

Stawren drove back down some of the same roads she had driven to get into town, but now the travelers could see more clearly what they had observed in the darkness the night before. The red sunlight from above was focused and filtered by the light-trappers in the ventilation shaft, and the underground was very bright. They knew much of what they passed was abandoned and derelict buildings, but in the morning light, the decade of neglect was much clearer. Many of the old stone structures were partially collapsed.

“Large stretches of the city still seem to be uninhabited,” Lyoth stated, “and it’ll likely be years before some of these areas are habitable again.”

Eventually the trio arrived back at the spaceport, and Stawren pulled the vehicle to a stop at a rusty metal-link fence that surrounded the cracking tarmac.

“One moment,” Lyoth said, hopping out of the passenger seat and stepping up to the chain that held the gate secure. He pulled out a blade, stuck it into one of the corroded links that was connected to the lock, and he wrenched the handle. The link cracked and the lock and chain dropped to the dusty concrete. Lyoth kicked the gates open and climbed back into the vehicle.

Stawren drove onto the old runways.

Lyoth pointed in one direction toward several enormous starships. “Besides the Homecruisers you mentioned, there are several Starcities and a fleet of smaller Planet Voyagers. Any of them would serve the purpose of replacing the Ulaa-Lah, but on that far runway,” Lyoth added, and he sounded almost giddy, “there are several Sunships!”

“How did you even notice them?” Stawren asked, squinting where he was indicating.

Lyoth spoke in a wistful tone. “Years ago, I was on a mission, and we traveled in a Sunship. I’ve always hoped to get another chance to fly one.”

Phentrom perked up, “Lyoth, would it be better to replace the Ulaa-Lah immediately, or should we take one of those Sunships instead? Do they have enough room for the three of us and Captain Suoki?”

“They can accommodate up to seven people,” Lyoth stated.

“Then maybe one of those vehicles is what we should use to search for the Ulaa-Lah.”

Lyoth looked like he did not need to be convinced, and Stawren turned the hovercraft in the direction of the far runway. It was also surrounded by a fence, but it was much sturdier and in better condition than the flimsy one surrounding the rest of the spaceport. Stawren parked at the locked gate.

“You can tell this used to be a private airstrip,” Lyoth informed Stawren and Phentrom. “Look, those Sunships have all been customized. Oooh, and see how each one has its own locking mechanism to secure it to the runway? Only the people with the code were able to release it.”

“Are we going to be able to?” Phentrom asked.

Lyoth gave him a sly smirk and climbed out of the vehicle again. He stepped around to the back of the hovercraft, pulled out a blaster, and he approached the gate’s lock. He pulled the trigger and the lock exploded. The fence released and Lyoth slid it open. Instead of climbing back in the vehicle, he walked onto the formerly private airstrip. Just like Stawren had done in the garage full of ownerless hovercrafts, Lyoth now inspected the ships to see which of their custom upgrades would be most beneficial. He stopped when he realized one of them had a secondary cavitation engine.

“I think we’ve found a winner!” he informed the others. “I would bet this ship can push 20 light speed.”

Phentrom and Stawren removed their bags and possessions from the hovercraft as Lyoth worked on disengaging the ship’s anchor.

“How do you know how to break into stuff so easily?” Stawren asked him.

“It’s a gift,” he grunted as he yanked an exterior panel off the anchor’s mechanics. Stawren and Phentrom stepped up behind him, as he removed one component after another, tossing them without a thought over his shoulder where they clanged on the ground behind him. “Done!” he informed the other two, and he stood. “Now we just need to open the ship.”

He stepped up to the outside of the airlock and pulled the manual emergency release handle. The exterior door opened and Lyoth climbed inside. He drew another knife and finagled the control panel to release. The ship-wide systems blinked and the computer’s voice began, “Hello Capt…” but the systems clicked off and back on again. Lyoth pushed a button and the ship remained on active.

The computer’s voice returned. “Hello, Captain Gogora. Welcome aboard.”

“Computer, open internal airlock,” Lyoth commanded, and the ship beeped as the hatch released. He stepped out and helped Phentrom and Stawren move their things onto the ship.

Once inside, Lyoth looked around with a sense of awe. He was like a kid in a candy store. The ship possessed ultra-clear digital displays and holographic projectors. Its hyperspace communication capabilities exceeded even what Fonith had on the Cometskipper. The Sunship’s light speed gauge limit was a whopping 25 light speed. There was advanced space-ranged weaponry, and also the two cavitation engines.

On top of everything that the ship had to offer, there was an entire kitchen fully stocked with non-perishable food items from before the plague.

“The fuel pods are fully charged,” Lyoth said. “Computer, disengage landing lock anchor.”

The system dinged again and the ship began to rise above the planet.

Lyoth looked at Stawren. “How do we get out of the underground? Where are the tunnels that we’re supposed to fly through?”

“Hmm… even the most basic starships have always required preset flight paths. There must be programmed exits and entrances mapped out in the navigation system. Let’s see if we can find them.” She opened the menu and right where she thought the flight path would be in the computer’s database, it was. “Computer, autopilot exit Allthrin,” she ordered.

The computer chimed a third time and the Sunship began to speed off through the underground until suddenly it was traveling in a secret tunnel.

The ship exited into the red light of the planet’s sun and Stawren activated the ship’s light filtration. The exterior windows shimmered, and the light took on a soft white glow.

Phentrom furrowed his brow. “Lyoth, how are we supposed to find the Ulaa-Lah?”

“We don’t have that answer yet, but for starters, we will reconnect with Fonith and pick up Captain Suoki.”

“And I’ll call my aunt Thia to see if she’s learned anything new.”

The ship moved beyond Allthrin’s atmosphere, and Stawren headed over to the communication consul. Lyoth activated the dual cavitation engines, and the Sunship rocketed into hyperspace.