1997 Aliens Part #1: Confrontation By Derek J. Barbee
Any resemblance to actual characters are not coincidental. ; )
Joseph, Bahb, and all other independent creations of Joseph DeLaCroix are the copyrighted property of JoCo Inc. Commander Packbell, Bookshire Draftwood, and Sandra Nightweaver are the copyrighted property of David Pistone. Jakkon, Jerena, Colin, Chris, Andrew, Josh, Dakkon, Runa and Ashely are the copyrighted property of Derek J. Barbee. All rights reserved. Pause for bourgeois legalities: This story is copyright Š1997 by the author, who grants permission to reproduce and distribute it, so long as A) you don't screw around with it and leave the text as it is, and B) you don't try and make some cash off of it. If you're serious about the latter, drop me a line barbees@sonic.net and we'll discuss my cut. All the normal provisions of Title 17 (the U.S. Copyright Law) still apply. Based on characters and situations created by Sega Corporation, Archie Comics and/or DiC Productions. Bookshire Draftwood may appear in this story courtesy of David Pistone Talent Associates.
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Authoršs Note: I have been aching to write this story for soooooo long! Whenever I begin thinking around the lines of the unknown, demons, monsters and such (Which is quite often, I tell you!) I think of this writing and when I gonna write it. Well, Now I am!
Oh, and another thing! I am now going to be giving previews of stories that are coming! Cwuel?
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BIG WHOPPIN' MISTAKE: In Robotnik Returns, when everyone was talking to King Acorn and Bunnie Rabbot showed the King her roboticized parts, I made a booboo. I know what you're thinking, that Bunnie was supposed to be deroboticized, right? Well, she made a decision in a story that never made it out to keep her roboticized parts. She knew that she was useful around Knothole so she stayed that way. Sorry!
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Time Line: About three months after "Funkified".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sonic smiled as he gazed out at the glittering water of the Lake of Rings. Now normally, Sonic was not one who just liked to sit back and enjoy nature but this was an exception.
"Yep!" thought Sonic, leaning back, "Nothing like watching a beautiful girl going swimming to help cool your brain down!"
Sally smiled at the unwinding hedgehog. "Better not get to loose and relaxed there!" she called, leaping onto the banks next to Sonic and tickling him. "Or else you'd be easy prey for the occasional tickler!"
Sonic curled up into a ball, laughing. "Hey! Knock it off!"
Sally stopped and smiled. Sonic uncurled and looked over. He moved over closer to her.
They embraced, kissing, as the sun set off in the distance.
A small multicolored object watched from it's hiding place in the trees. It moved at a different angle, then flew off.
This was not anything from Mobius. This was not anything that anyone on Mobius even knew of.
It landed on the ground a ways away and began to morph. It was a strange sight, a body that was already twisting and twirling with colors to undergo a change that contorted it so that it was a completely different shape. The last shape had been like a long slug with wings. This body was like a tall, slender human, only it had no features on it's face whatsoever and it was an odd coloration. It was a rainbow of colors in one that never seemed to stop moving. It also had unearthly large feet and hands.
The creature stretched and spoke in a voice that sounded warped and rather muffled.
>Ahhh! It's good to be out of that form! The Morantis form always gives me cramps.< The creature looked around. >Jiksa? Where are you?<
Another identical creature appeared from behind a bush. >This is an interesting planet you look over, Tihiggn,< it said in a voice identical to the first.
Tihiggn bowed. >Thank you. You have to guard that odd place known as the Liquid Metal Dimension and I have to guard Mobius. We are brothers, yet we have never seen each other's protected lands.< He shook his head as if in shame. >Unexceptional!<
Jiksa's face wrinkled in a peculiar way that could have been a grin. >I have to remember to show you around the Liquid Metal Dimension some time. You'd like it there!<
Tihiggn nodded, then froze. >Oh no! I just remembered! I have to be at The Council at 600 furthoms! I must leave or I shall be late!<
Jiksa nodded. >I understand. They'll have you for dinner with horsensa if you don't get a move on!<
Tihiggn thanked him and waved his arms. He suddenly disappeared into a swirling mass of colors, which disappeared a few seconds later.
Jiksa sighed and did the same.
The clearing was empty.
But not so empty as it might seem.
A fox head slowly rose from a bush. A fox head with an eyepatch. It thought for a moment, grasping for the words that would describe this situation.
"Holy Cow!"
Jakkon ducked off to Knothole with a report to make.
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"So we have visitors . . . or protectants," mused Sally.
Jakkon nodded. "It appears so. And there is something oddly familiar about this. King Acorn was transported by something that called itself Lockbar Tihiggn. The name and the description fit."
"I wonder what horsensa is . . ." mumbled Colin.
"Say, Jakkon, do you suppose that these creatures mean us harm?"
"I don't think so. From what they said, they were protectors."
"Maybe some sort of seasoning . . ."
"I wonder how long this Tihiggn has been 'protecting' Mobius?"
"Beats me. I've never seen a creature like that. I don't know how long it lives."
"It sounded like a teenager to me!"
"Possibly a kitchen utensil like a fork . . ."
"Oh, come on! A teen age alien?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"It could be a garnish . . ."
"OH, WOULD YOU SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR HORSENSA!!" shouted Jakkon.
Colin shrugged. "I was just wondering."
"Well wonder quietly!" snapped Jakkon. "Eesh!"
Jakkon turned back to Sally. "Anyway, I was wondering if I could try to catch this thing."
Everyone jumped.
Jakkon, seeing their reactions, smiled. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I couldn't catch it."
"On the nose, mate!"
Jakkon spun around. "Who the heck are you?"
A skunk with a cocky, military air around him strolled into the room. "Name's Geoffery St. John." He jabbed a finger at Jakkon. "_Your_ worst nightmare, mate!"
Jakkon fumed. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Sally separated the two. "Jakkon! Geoffery! Cool it!" She turned to Geoffery. "And what exactly are you doing here?"
Geoffery never took his eyes from Jakkon. " Well, m'luv . . ."
"Drop the 'm'luv' and I'll listen!"
Geoffery put a surprised expression in her direction, then spoke. "Well, m' . . . _Sally_ I was just going around with my usual business . . ."
"His job of fumigating!" whispered Sonic.
Geoffery glared, then continued. "I heard that there were some newhot shots that fancied themselves Mercenaries. Their leader was Jakkon. They were supposed to be pretty good."
"I _must_ remember to pay all those wonderful creatures who run the rumor mill!" chuckled Colin.
"So," concluded Geoffery, "I was wondering if our good friend Jakkon here would care to contest with me in a simple game."
"What kind of game?" asked Jakkon haughtily.
"Have you ever heard of the Mercenaries duel?" said Geoffery, crossing his arms.
"Yes. I have." Jakkon laughed. "Think you can beat me?"
"No doubt about it, mate. Name a date and time."
"Now."
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"And in this corner, we have Snottyface! Commonly called Geoffery!" exclaimed Colin, snickering. "And in the other corner, we have Jakkon, our hero and Mercenary extraordinaire!"
"Give it a rest!" muttered Andrew.
Chris flew over and landed on Colin's shoulder. "He right. You been yammering away for past hours!"
"Chris, we haven't even been out here for hours."
True enough, were Colin's words. Right after the conversation with Geoffery and Jakkon, everyone had gone straight to the arena. This had originally been used for the Mobitropolis Games (Author's Note: It's sorta like the Mobian Olympics!) but most of the creatures gathered found it fitting.
The appropriate items were gathered, targeting rifles, handguns, staffs, swords and shields.
"The first event," annouced Rotor, "is Targeting. First the contestants shall shoot at targets with a targeting rifles, then with handguns.'
Jakkon cocked his handgun. "Think you're up to it?"
"I can handle anything that a flabby _fox_ can handle!" snorted Geoffery.
Wham!
Jakkon was at his throat in an instant, gun at the ready. "Care to repeat that little comment?"
Geoffery swallowed hard. "No."
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Tihiggn watched the proceedings with ultimate interest. How could these creatures fight each other? Was there actually still hate in this race? Odd.
Tails was watching as Jakkon and Geoffery both fired at similar targets. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something. A flash of different colors in the bushes.
He turned around. What _was_ that?
Tihiggn finding that he had been spotted, ducked down and out of sight.
Tails slowly walked over to where Tihiggn had been standing.
Tihiggn was stooped as low as possible to avoid being seen. But that stupid fox kept getting closer! An idea entered his head.
Tails looked around and took a few steps closer. He knew that that thing was here somewhere. He took one more step forward and there was a loud crackle of energy. Tails disappeared.
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When Tails came to, he was lying in a place where he had never been before. He lifted his head and looked around. Mist swirled around like wraiths, haunting his very dreams. The ground he lay upon was not ground at all, but a soft, foamy-like substance. His body felt like it had a thousand pins stuck in it.
With a considerable amount of efforrt, he forced himself to his feet. This was an unknown place, and how he got here was still being unfolded in his mind.
Then, it hit him.
That multicolored thing! It must have been the alien!
>Your thoughts are correct, young one.<
Tails jumped and looked around. "Who said that?"
A form materialized out of the mist. >I did, young one<
"Yeah. Who're you?" asked Tails. "And stop calling me young one!"
The creature bowed. >I am known as Lockbar Tihiggn. You may call me Tihiggn.<
"That's nice," said Tails nervously, "now could you answer some questions? For starters, where am I?"
>You are in the nether void.<
"And where is that?"
>It is a gateway through dimensions.<
Tails eyed Tihiggn. "So are you the alien that has been causing this big ruckus at Knothole?"
Tihiggn nodded. >Ruckus is a rough term, but it describes it.<
Tails was getting frenetic now. "But why? Why are you doing this? Why did you take me and put me here? Why are you doing all these things in Knothole and Earth?"
Tihiggn sighed and looked away. >Therein lies a story.<
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Tihiggn's race was known as the race of Dorns. They had evolved in a dimension far from the dimension that Mobius existed in. They had evolved faster than most races, acheiving space travel whil others still struggled with the concept of the bronze age. When other races reached space travel, the Dorns had eradicated all signs of war and famine.
Later, the Dorns decided to make a pact. They started an organization where individuals could be given the means of transportation to different dimensions where they would protect other planets and races from outside aggressors.
The Dorns were an asexual race; they produced young ones without means of sex. Each was neither male nor female, but a combination of both. And thus they survived this way for thousands of years.
They were the oldest race existing. They survived while other races fell. But not many understood them and their ways. Many thought that they were the attackers and tried to destroy them. Some escaped, some did not.
The surviving Dorns tried to communicate with others, preferrably with young ones because they understood. They would not be as disbelieving.
Now, there were fewer than 1400 Dorns left.
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"So, that is what you're doing with me?" asked Tails.
Tihiggn nodded. >Yes. You seemed to be neglected by some of your familiars, so I chose you.<
"But why did you bring back King Acorn?" questioned Tails, still not understanding.
Tihiggn shrugged. >The one you call Sally felt great pain whenever she thought of her father. And her father, too, felt great pain.<
"So you brought them back together."
>Yes.<
"What about that thing with Jakkon and that human named Derek? Why did you do that?"
>Jakkon needed some toning down, so I gave him a gift of knowledge,< stated Tihiggn.
Tails snorted. "Gift of knowledge, my foot! He almost didn't get back!"
Tihiggn shrugged as if the matter didn't concern it. >He is a great warrior, but a bit headstrong.<
Tails sighed. "So what's this all leading up to? What are you going to do with me?"
>I will put you back on Mobius . . .<
Tails sighed in relief.
>. . . With a bit of knowledge.<
Tails jerked up. "Knowledge? The same way you gave Jakkon knowledge? I don't think so!"
Tails was backing away now. He didn't want to have anything to do with this alien, much less be taught by it!
But to no avail.
Tihiggn waved a hand and Tails felt a pain in his head. Tihiggn rose to his feet, his hand still raised. Tails fell to the ground, his head pounding. Sounds, shapes, letters . . . all roared into his head. He knew more. More than he dreamed possible.
He saw the first spaceship ever sent into space by the Dorns on its maiden voyage. He saw it shot down by an enemy race. He saw Dorn being killed by creatures he did not know of, and some he did know of. A creature with a shell and crab claws raised a heavily armored claw over it's head and brought it down hard onto a dying Dorn. He saw foxes, hedgehogs, and many other creatures firing guns at fleeing Dorns.
Then it was over. Tails slumped down and fell unconscious.
Tihiggn looked down at the small creature at its feet. He slowly brought his hand down and relaxed. It was done.
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"Hey, how ya doin' little bud?"
Tails opened his eyes. Sonic sat on the bed next to him with a hand on Tails' forehead. He looked concerned.
"I'm fine," said Tails, finally managing to speak.
Doctor Quack walked into the room, holding the usual equipment: a clipboard and a sucker. He was followed by Sally. "Never the less, we'd like a few questions answered."
"And they are?" groaned Tails.
Sally smiled reassuringly. "We'd just like to know what happened. One moment you were with us, then you walked off and disappeared. When we finally found you, you were lying on the ground in the forest, not far from the arena."
Tails looked out the window, trying to remember. "The arena . . ."
Then it came to him. Lockbar Tihiggn! The talk he had with him! he had wandered off becaus he saw Tihiggn! Tihiggn had given him knowledge!
"Well, I wandered off because I thought I saw something," started Tail.
"What was that?"
"It was the alien."
Everyone in the hut couldn't have got a more surprised expression if their lives depended on it.
"Tihiggn?" asked Sally, her eyes wide. "the one who transported my father back?"
Tails nodded meekly. "He transported me to this weird place and talked to me. He gave me knowledge. He's from a race called Dorns. A bunch of them were assigned to guard different dimensions. Tihiggn was assigned to guard the dimension Mobius is in. "Apparently, most of his kind are dead, killed by us and other races that thought that the Dorns were attacking, not guarding! Even us, we killed some of theirs!"
And Tails proceeded to tell them of the events that had occured when Lockbar Tihiggn had transported him the the gateway throught dimensions and talked to him.
When he had finished, Sally's face was grim. "Was there anything else he told you?"
Tails thought for a moment. "Yes. When he gave me knowledge, he told me that when I fell asleep, I would know more."
"Great!" said Sonic sarcastically. "An ongoing knowledge download! Wonderful!"
"Then we'll just have to stay here while you sleep in case you wake up with more information," said Sally.
"Hey, Sal," said Sonic. "Why are you so eager to know more about this dude? I'm not sure I do!"
"Because he might be a threat," stated Sally. "And because he abducted a member of our village."
"Ah."
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That night, Tails had a dream. He dreamed that Tihignn spoke to him again.
Tihiggn looked almost scared. >Listen, young one, and listen quickly. Another of my race comes to Mobius. He is the guardian of the dimension that the Zone of Silence is in! I transported a creature from his dimension and put it mine! And he is not happy about this! I saved your king, but only succeeded in getting myself in trouble.<
"But what am I supposed to do?" asked Tails.
>Bring someone! Bring Sonic, bring Sally! Bring Jakkon and the Mercenaries! They can fight!<
"But where do I bring them to?"
>Bring them to the clearing by the arena.< said Tihiggn, fading from view.
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Tails sat straight up in bed. "He spoke to me!"
Sonic jerked at the sudden awakening and fell out of the chair he was sitting in. Sally rushed over to Tails' bed. "What did he tell you?"
"He told me to go to the clearing by the arena and to bring you two and Jakkon and the Mercenaries! Another Dorn is coming!"
Tails was already out of the hut, running, with Sonic and Sally hot on his heels.
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"Just what is this bally thinggummy want?" asked Jakkon crankily.
Tails dodged through the underbrush, setting a speedy pace. "It said that another Dorn was coming! The keeper of the dimension the Zone of Silence is in! And he's pissed that Tihiggn nabbed King Acorn and put him here! He wants him back!"
They finally reached the clearing with Tails leading the way. Lockbar Tihiggn stood in the center of the clearing, staring up at the stars.
The procession screeched to a halt. "There it is," murmered Colin.
"What do we do now?"
"Confront it, you ninny! What else?"
As they stepped into the clearing Tihiggn pointed up into the sky. >Look.<
Everyone, feeling tather foolish, looked up. High up in the night sky was a ball of fire, it's size increasing as it got closer.
"What is it?" gaped Sally.
Tihiggn breathed but one word. >Solang.<
The fireball hurtled down and hit the ground with an earsplitting crash, then deteriorated, revealing a second Dorn. It looked almost identical to Tihign, only it stood a good three feet taller than everyone in the clearing.
>TIHIGGN!!!< it roared, stalking it's way over to the reclining Dorn.
>Yes?< asked Tihiggn innocently.
Solang thrust a finger the size of Jakkon's arm into Tihiggn's face. >YOU STOLE A CRATURE FROM MY DIMENSION! WHY?<
Tihiggn gestured towards Sally. >The fox was this young one's father. They were both heartbroken because her father was taken from her. I merely put them back together again.<
>AND IN DOING SO, YOU STOLE FROM MY DIMENSION!!!< bellowed Solang.
>I am sorry, but my intentions were just . . .<
>INTENTIONS BE DAMNED!!!< Soland thundered. It turned to the small group huddled at the edge of the clearing. >HOW ABOUT A FAIR TRADE, FOOL?< It raised its hand and a beam of light shot from it, striking Sonic and Sally as Tails dove into the bushes. Sonic and Sally disappeared, leaving only a trace of smoke to show that they had ever been.
Solang laughed and fired a different ray from the other hand, making Jakkon and the Mercenaries disappear. Solang faced Tihiggn, satisfied.
>THERE! NOW THAT HEDGEHOG AND YOUR PRECIOUS SQUIRREL ARE IN THE WORLD OF LEGENDS AND THOSE OTHER FOUR ARE LOST IN TIME!!!<
The fire began to raise around Solang and he laughed again. >THINK WELL BEFORE YOU CROSS ME AGAIN, TIHIGGN!!!<
With that, the fireball shot up into the sky, leaving a slightly bewildered Tihiggn and a very frightened Tails.
Tails walked over to Tihiggn. "Sonic . . . Sally . . . and the rest of them . . . gone."
Tihiggn shook his head. >The World of Legends I dare not enter, but I may be able to find the four that were lost in time. I shall be back.<
Tihiggn disappeared in a flash of multicolored light, leaving Tails sobbing in the clearing.
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Far off on two completely different dimensions, six voices echoed the same thought.
"Where are we?"
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END OF PART ONE.
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