Twinks in Space: Fantastic Voyage - Part Two - 34. Chapter 34 - Nunta

“Bring me back to Mama goddess!” Nunta shrieked at her mother. The goutria blood had worn off, and the two women were alone in the Galaxy Surfer’s kitchen.

Alihte tried to take her daughter’s hand.

“Don’t touch me!” Nunta screamed. “Mama goddess banished you from the Entry of Ecstasy; I don’t want you contaminating me!”

“Nunta, please,” Alihte begged, but her daughter was incensed.

She slapped her mother’s hand. “No! You’ve fallen back to the third dimension, and I don’t want you dragging me down to your level! If Mama goddess doesn’t take me back, I’ll… I’ll… I’ll kill you! I hate you! I… hate… you…”

Lyoth and Stawren were on the bridge. They could hear Nunta shouting, but they could not make out her words.

“She doesn’t sound happy,” Stawren commented. Then she noticed something on the console. “Hey, the ship’s communicator has an alert.”

“It does?” Lyoth opened the prompt. “Oh, there are several!” He played them back.

The communicator stated, “First message,” and the sound of the voice that came out of the speakers next brought tears to Lyoth’s eyes. It was Phentrom.

“Lyoth, I’m on a Hope ship with Fonith, but Suoki is with Quigley and his family on the Burn Throne, and they’re under attack! I’m transmitting you their location, and I’ll see who else I can find who might be able to help.” The mandroid’s communication ended.

“Phentrom’s on a hospital ship with Fonith?!” Lyoth exclaimed in dismay.

“And Suoki’s under attack!” Stawren added. “Also, who’s Quigley?” but Lyoth made a face indicating that he did not know the name either, and the communicator continued.

“Second message.”

Neptithia’s voice spoke, but she was even briefer than Phentrom.

“Stawren and Lyoth, Suoki is on a ship that’s under attack, but I’ve sent someone else who might be able to get them out of there.”

“Third message.”

“Lyoth, it’s Suoki. What happened to you and Stawren? Are you still on Jitha? I don’t know if you heard about the attack, but Neptithia sent a friend to rescue us – a pair of friends actually. They let me borrow one of their ships, the Garnet Star, and I’ve just arrived above the eighth location. I’ll wait for you here.”

The communicator concluded, “End of messages.”

Lyoth and Stawren looked at each other. “I guess a lot has happened while we’ve been gone,” he commented.

“Who do you want to call back first?” Stawren asked.

Lyoth thought for a moment. “It doesn’t sound like anyone is in immediate danger. Why don’t we check in with Phentrom and Suoki, and then Neptithia?”

Stawren nodded and Lyoth initiated a call to Phentrom.

“Lyoth!” the mandroid cried out as he answered. He brought his hands to his mouth as a sob of joy choked his words.

“Phentrom,” Lyoth whispered to himself, and he asked, “where are you? Are you still with Fonith on the Hope ship?”

She leaned into view of the screen. “No,” Fonith groaned, “we’re on the Cometskipper, headed home.”

“Are you okay?” Stawren asked her.

“Yeah, the doctors checked me out and gave me some medicine to take for the next few days.”

Lyoth was relieved that Phentrom and Fonith were out of harm’s way. “I don’t know if you’ve heard from Suoki, but your call to Neptithia helped him get away from whatever attack was happening. I guess she sent someone.”

“Oh, thank the gods,” the mandroid replied in relief.

“Phentrom, do you want us to come get you?” Lyoth asked. “Stawren and I are meeting up with Suoki before we go after the final component for the scanning computer. I’ll fill you in on all the details later, but I want to call Suoki now to check in with him. Should we come get you from Boullia Bay?”

Phentrom turned to Fonith. “Would you like me to stay with you and look after you?”

Through the communicator’s screen, Lyoth and Stawren could see that Fonith was surprised by the mandroid’s offer.

“I don’t mind,” Phentrom added.

Stawren leaned toward Lyoth and whispered, “Maybe that’s a good idea, taking into account what we need to get next.” She cringed.

Lyoth nodded in agreement. “Fonith, that’s a good idea. Is it alright if Phentrom stays there with you?”

The mandroid took the bounty hunter’s hand. “Yes, Fonith, please allow me to care for you while you recover.”

She conceded and smiled weakly. “Thanks, Phentrom.”

Lyoth then spoke to the mandroid in a voice full of longing. “Phentrom, I love you. My heart is screaming at me to go pick you up, but there are things we need to do.” He nodded at Stawren. “You and I will be together again soon. I miss you.” He could not stop the tears from welling in his eyes again.

“Just come back to me safely, Lyoth,” Phentrom replied in a quavering voice. “Please be safe. I love you, too.”

Lyoth disconnected the call and looked at Stawren. “I’m sure there’s nothing safe about what we’re planning, but hopefully Neptithia has found some way that we can start collecting the godstroll blood. Let’s make sure the plans with Captain Suoki haven’t changed first.” He called the Garnet Star.

“Lyoth!” Captain Suoki cried out as he answered. “There you are! Erm… where are you? Still on Jitha?”

“Stawren and I are in orbit. We’ve picked up a mother and daughter who we need to take care of before meeting up with you.”

“Always the hero,” Captain Suoki commented with a chuckle.

Lyoth made an unsure face. “This situation is a little sticky,” he admitted, “but I think we’ve done the right thing.”

“You can tell me all about it later. Should I still meet you here at the eighth?”

A knocking sound behind Lyoth and Stawren caused them both to turn. Alihte was standing in the doorway to the bridge.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” tears were streaming down her cheeks. “Nunta is refusing to talk to me, and she won’t listen to reason! She’s locked herself in the room.”

Lyoth looked at the screen. “Suoki, wait at the eighth. We’ll call you back.” He disconnected.

“Please help me,” Alihte sobbed.

Lyoth and Stawren headed with her to the back of the Galaxy Surfer.

“Will you be able to unlock the door?” Alihte asked.

Lyoth brought his hand to her arm. “Yes, but I think we should let Nunta come out in her own time. Do you mind if I try talking to her?”

Alihte shook her head.

Lyoth stepped up and placed his palm on the door. “Nunta, can you hear me?”

The young woman’s muffled voice replied, “What do you want?”

“May I please come in by myself and talk to you?”

“No!” Nunta yelled. “Leave me alone!”

Lyoth tapped gently. “Please let me in. I want to understand Mama goddess.”

Stawren and Alihte both looked confused, but when Nunta did not reply, Lyoth nodded at the women standing beside him.

“Please,” he continued, “can you help me understand? Nunta, I know Mama goddess has something she needs to do for the universe, but I’m confused. Will you explain it to me? Also, I’d like to apologize.”

There was a silent moment in which nothing happened. Lyoth made eye contact with Stawren and Alihte, and he smiled when the lock to the door clicked.

“Just you,” Nunta hissed, and she cracked the door. Lyoth slipped into the room with her and she sealed it again behind him.