Alien kidnapping, or was it Chapter 25

Alien kidnapping, or was it
Chapter 25
 
Sam was tired, that was certain. His fight with Triot had used up the last of his reserves. The sunlight he could feel was helping, though not fast enough, for him.
 
The power presence that he'd felt earlier was coming closer. Reaching out, he felt the barrier he'd put up. He was not the strongest he'd ever done, though he hoped it held.
 
A stirring beside him had him look at Thantas, a slight groan in her thoughts. I feel weaker than I did when I emerged from that tank. How much did you have to give me? Came her thoughts.
 
You used far too much of your energy for what you did. I thought that you were further along than you were. I'm sorry I wasn't able to prepare you better; I...I almost got you killed and returned Sam's thoughts.
 
Another groan came as Thantas tried to sit up. I have to remember not to do this again. Hmmm, I am recovering faster than before.
 
That is good; I have erected a barrier and hope it can repulse the seven. Sam's weary thoughts said.
 
Are they coming here? Thanatos looked around, spying on Triot lying nearby. Well, at least he is out of the picture.
 
Sam shook his head. Don't be too sure. Both of our races have unique healing properties. It also appears the Clive Stone race is much further along than here; Sam pointed to Triot, their race.
 
WHAT!? Do you mean to tell me that he might recover soon? I'm not quite ready to hit him like that again. Thantas's thoughts loudly stated.
 
Sam looked from Thantas to Triot and back. As I said, they can heal, though they are nowhere as fast as we can. Also, the fact that you severed his central nervous system, he is going to have a tough time recovering.
 
Sam could feel the relief spread through Thantas. Good, though I do feel bad, it's good to know that the bastard won't be hurting others for a while.
 
Sam nodded when he turned his head back skyward, feeling the seven councilors closing in.
 
What's wrong, Sam? Thantas inquired.
 
With a hard stare at the sky, Sam's thoughts returned; I was afraid that the barrier I placed might fail. The fight with Triot took quite a bit from me. I am recovering, though not as fast as I'd like.
 
I could...Thanks started,
 
No! You are still too weak to try, and I, Sam, slowly shook his head. I am more vulnerable than I thought. Sam suddenly stopped to stare at Thantas as she had a smirk on her face. What in the hell did you do?
 
That question was answered a moment later when a violent energy discharged across the sky.

Sam turned his attention to the sky and then back to Thantas. Shaking his head, he just hoped that what she'd added helped.
 
The seven councilors went into the edge of the moon's atmosphere at full speed. They had expected the male Clive Stone to be extremely weak. They were more than surprised when they bounced off, sending them back several hundred miles.
 
Lord Doctor, the male appears to have far more energy than we initially thought—the seven thought to the doctor. We will break through; he feels much weaker than he did the last time we fought.
 
The doctor was about to order them to return when a sadistic smile came to his arachnid face. No, they needed to learn. They wouldn't do this if he kept helping them. Unlike them, he remembered the Clive Stones.
 
The doctor started to laugh as he watched the council's second attempt. This time, they were swatted back with more force. Their grunts of pain filled the doctor with a childlike glee.
 
Anger-filled voices filled the doctor's mind. Could you tell us why you didn't tell us he was still this strong?
 
Would you have listened? The doctor returned. As with everything else, you are reckless to a fault.

I think a quick lesson on the Clive Stones would benefit you. A lesson that you still need to grasp completely.
 
There was silence for a few moments while the entity of seven minds contemplated the doctor's words.
 
We are starting to understand Lord Doctor; though he is weak, he appears to have hidden strength. The entity thought to the doctor.
 
The doctor nodded, so they weren't as foolish as he'd thought. They may be worth saving after all. It is good that you have taken this to heart. Now, with him and her as weak as they are, please search and find a way to destroy the piece of trash quickly before he recovers!
 
The entity nodded as it backed away to think about the situation.
 
On Queen Triada's planet, Sam's parents, Fino and Triann, were finally getting a hold of their powers. Not far from them, Mellos's parents, Tynco and Cyan, were finally gaining more control.
 
The biggest surprise, though, was that Tynco had power. All his life, he'd watched others with power even as he got slowly sicker each year. To be like all the others was a surprise, he'd never thought he'd see.
 
A stretch of both his arms had a throbbing, tingling feeling running through them. So, he thought, this is what the others feel.
 
Mellos and Raydy were closely monitoring all six of the Clive Stone adults. They both were also staying close to Drivas and Thallus. They both felt that the females were increasingly crucial to Sam and Thantas.
 
Both looked at the sky, as did the adults an hour after Sam and Thantas left. "Did you feel that?" Mellos asked Raydy.
 
"I was about to ask you about it. I haven't felt that much power before. You believe it was Sam and Thantas?" A worried-sounding Raydy asked.
 
Mellos was nodding. She'd felt power close to that; it had only been Sam. "It is so far away it's hard to tell who or what it was."
 
She could only hope that Sam was as brilliant as he appeared. After all, he'd bested her several times, a feat that hadn't happened once, let alone multiple times as it had with Sam.
 
A soft beeping drew Mellos out of her thoughts; looking up, she saw Triann. The female was running her small black box over Raydy and herself.
 
"So, it appears that you are the closest to being complete. Perhaps another hour should do it." Here, Triann turned to Raydy running the box over her. You also seem to be almost complete. A few more hours for you."
 
"Complete? What are you on about?" Mellos asked.
 
When Sam finally adjusted you to how your body and mind should be, he left it going. After Sam and Thantas, you are the closest to being a pure Clive Stone; Raydy is just a little behind. The rest of us, well, what he did later has accelerated us. Though we are only half at the most."
 
A groan from the covered area had all three of them racing inside.
 
Drivas was trying, unsuccessfully, to sit up. Thallus was watching her with an incredulous look on her face. "Commander, you should rest more; you appear too weak to get out of bed."
 
Drivas growled as she tried to rise again, a smirk on her face as she looked at Thallus. A smirk that didn't last too long as her legs started to wobble, she fell to the floor. Faster than she thought she could move, Mellos was behind Drivas, easing her to the floor.
 
Drivas looked at Mellos, then shook her head. "So, it appears you are finally realizing your power."
 
Mellos could only stare at Drivas. "What are you on about?"
 
"What? You can't see it? I damn sure can; several of the powers that you have, are starting to appear." Drivas said confidently.
 
A wide-open, mouthed Triann immediately ran her box over Drivas and Thallus. "I hadn't expected this to work on the both of you yet. I had thought that neither of you was more than seventy-five percent. That now I see was incorrect."
 
Drivas and Thallus could only stare at each other, not at Triann. "You mean to tell us that we are pure like Sam and Thantas?" Thallus asked.
 
"No, my dear, not sure yet, though the both of you are getting close. According to these readings? Drivas, you are just past ninety percent; Thallus, you are about eighty-nine percent. Not sure, though close enough that you can say you truly are Clive Stone." Triann stated, a broad smile on her face.
 
"So, you're saying that..." Drivas said, then noticed that she was slowly rising off the bed. Well, a few inches, and then she slowly floated back down.
 
"That will become easier in time; for now, the both of you need to rest. The conversion of both your bodies isn't complete, though I think that the both of you nearly dying has accelerated the process. As Sam said, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. The near-fatal encounter you both had with Triot pushed both your bodies to complete the transformation." Triann explained.
 
"You're saying that in an hour or so, I could help Sam?" Mellos asked.
 
"Hmmmm," Triann said as she thought a moment. "I'm not so sure you could help so soon. You'll have far more control than the rest of us, though the strength? That remains to be seen."
 
A slightly sad Mellos nodded as the gears in her mind started to turn. She'd repeatedly proven that she was nearly as strong as Sam. He'd even admitted that several of her hits hurt like hell.
 
Mellos was walking away when she finally made up her mind. She owed Sam far too much not to try and help. With a new determination, Mellos nodded. Ready or not, she was going!
 
Triann shook her head; she'd hated tricking Mellos like that. Neither was she about to let her know that she was ready. Her strength was indeed comparable to Sam's, slightly above Thantas's.
 
A sigh escaped her throat as she hoped that she hadn't killed Mellos in the long run. The mere thought of it shook Triann to her core, plus there was the secret they were holding back from Sam. She still wondered if it would unhinge Sam when he found out.
 
Triann turned back to Drivas and Thallus; she then started to go over the readings she had gotten previously. She still found it astounding that both females were as close as they were. Sam most definitely had some abilities that she'd never seen before.
 
A small smile came to her lips as she thought that perhaps, with the help of her son, the universe would be safer. A moment later, Fino seemed to almost float in the doorway. Looking at Triann, then to her patients, he thought they were far closer.
 
Yes, mate, the time our son spent in that primitive world had the desired effect, returned Triann's thoughts.
 
After a few moments, Fino continued that I must decide alone as the only present council member. We will need to find the others if we will have any chance to rebuild after the reassembly.
 
Sam is powerful; his power is higher than I have ever seen. I wonder if he has that much power. At our present internal growth rate, I would like to know if we can find them. The simple fact is that there are six of us. It's impressive enough. Triann's thoughts answered.
 
Starting with Fino's thoughts, we can convince Sam, Thantas, and Mellos to help.
 
I'm not sure, my mate; I only hope that when Sam discovers the truth, he doesn't hate and abandon us. As I said, he has abilities I have never seen anyone have. Came Triann's worried thoughts.
 
Yes, my mate Fino answered, it would be a significant problem if he did.
 
Sam could feel what Thantas had added to his barrier. Though nowhere as much as he'd done, it had markedly increased the barrier another quarter of what it was.
 
He could see that the entity had backed off after unsuccessfully trying to breach it. Sam felt his strength was returning, though; this small trickle he was feeling was more than annoying.
 
Thantas had far more recovered while she was unconscious than he had. He had to remain that way in case the entity tried something else.
 
With a nod, he tried to reach deeper within himself. A grunt of disgust rose from his lips when he found almost all his reserves depleted.
 
Thantas looked at Sam with concern when she heard him grunt. Are you alright? I listened and can feel your frustration. Is there anything I can do? Came Thatas's thoughts.
 
I'm afraid that we need more energy to finish this. I am seriously depleted, as are you. We can hold them off a few time units at best, though I hope most of my energy returns by then.
 
A shocked look appeared on Thantas's face. You depleted? You have the most giant pool of energy within I have ever felt. Thantas's thoughts replied.
 
That may be true, though; I used most of it against Triot. Then I laid the barrier, which used most of the little I had left. So no, I don't have much left.
 
The entity had been observing the barrier and the moon briefly. All around the moon, the barrier seemed equally solid and impenetrable.
 
Still, they kept a vigil, watching the barrier's energy everywhere. Lord Doctor, the barrier the Clive Stone erected appears to have no weak point. This seems impossible, the entity's thoughts stated.
 
The doctor turned his attention to the barrier that the entity spoke of. His eyes grew wide when he also, in fact, discovered the same thing.
 
He'd just completed his second pass when he nodded. The female Clive Stone appears to be aiding the male; I... suddenly, the doctor's thoughts stopped. WHAT!? Were they already here?
 
A genuinely evil smile curled on the arachnid face of the doctor. Well, he thought, this was about to be over, that was certain.
 
If he had his way, ALL the Clive Stones would be his slaves quickly! With all the fluids he could gather from them, his race could live for thousands of more solar time units.
 
His attention snapping back to the entity, he stated, return, the elites are here.
 
Lord doctor? Shouldn't we keep up the barrage to keep him weak? The entity returned.
 
No, the elites will make short work of them. I feel more than two survived than I initially thought. Again, he thought very soon, a truly evil smile graced the doctor's face.
 
Sam was still struggling to stay conscious when his head snapped up skyward. What in the hell was going on? He not only felt the entity withdrawing, but he also felt the presence he'd felt before entering this system.
 
We have to go now. They have left, though I feel those that you labeled elites entering the system. If I can't recover, they will easily defeat me. Sam's thoughts started as he grabbed Triot, then started to lift off the moon.
 
Thantas was beside him, then gasped as she watched Sam fall after only getting airborne a few feet. Landing with an ummah, Sam started to curse. I know I am weak, though not this weak.
 
I'll take him, get us away from here, Thantas told him. Nodding his head, Sam watched as Thantas lifted Triot after kicking him in the face.
 
Sam slowly rose, followed closely by Thantas. Sam shook his head, knowing this was dangerous, this close to a celestial body. She had no choice as he opened a portal; taking a quick look back, he saw the moon start disintegrating.
 
Thankfully, there was no life on it, though; it was sure to screw up the night sky.
 
The doctor smiled at the IP home world when he felt Sam slip into the warp tunnel. Run, he thought it would make defeating you that much more delicious. He could feel the elites drawing nearer and nearer, his excitement growing.
 
A moment later, a loud voice sounded in the doctor's mind. To the strong Tetricon mind that contacted us, we have arrived as was ordered. We thought our race was destroyed when we felt the home world explode.
 
Again, the doctor felt his excitement grow. I am the Lord doctor to the elites approaching, one of the last ten or eleven of our race. We have a significant problem: a few pure Clive Stones are still alive. After five hundred solar time units, we had thought them extinct except for the one captured by the elite.
 
We see; tell us where they are located so that we may dispatch them. The voice returned. The doctor gave the coordinates, excited that the enemy was finally about to be extinct. We will return when we are finished, the voice said, and then it was gone.
 
Sam, Thantas, and an unconscious Triot emerged ten minutes later. Looking around, Sam could 'see' they were only halfway to Queen Triada's planet. They were barely within the last triad that Sam had helped to establish.
 
I have to get closer to the sun, though. Sam stopped a moment, trying to gather in more energy. That trip through the portal has seriously drained me.
 
I will help all I can, Sam; I don't have much myself, Thantas thought as she linked arms with Sam, and they started to fly faster toward the sun in the system.
 
They were still a few million miles away when Sam felt a now familiar presence speeding their way. Shaking his head, he tried to increase their speed to no avail.
 
Sam could feel his strength increasing slowly; he needed to get closer if they could survive. I am going to have to do something dangerous, Thantas. Hang on 'til you are uncomfortable, then let go; do not try to get closer!
 
I am supposed to be helping, not watching you do something insane. Rethink this, Sam, if you die, we all die; think of that a moment, Thantas's thoughts said.
 
If I don't do this, then we are sitting ducks. Sorry, it's an earth term. We will be easy targets; I don't have even half the energy to stop them. I have done something like this before, though not in this desperate a situation.
 
Thantas could only shake her head, then looked at Sam, and slowly, she nodded.
 
Sam smiled at her momentarily, and then her mouth dropped open as she felt Sam's power climb. NO! He was using his life force!
 
A moment later, they moved many times faster than they had except when they were in the portal. Within a few minutes, she could feel the heat of the sun. The strange thing, though? The closer they got, the better she started to feel.
 
Finally, she released Sam as he continued toward the sun. Thantas could feel her power growing; it passed where it had been when she hit Triot.
 
A moment later, she felt a strong presence behind her. So, it is true. There are pure Clive Stones alive. Thantas turned to see four giant, black-bodied, eight-legged beings. Their multiple eyes were shining as they stared at Thantas. You are very powerful, nearly as strong as us. The being in front pointed an appendage behind her; that one was far more powerful.
 
Thantas turned back behind her to see Sam, fully powered, practically glowing. Turning back, she nodded to the apparent leader.
 
So, there are Tetricon elite still alive, Thantas thoughts spit out. I thought that your entire pathetic group was extinguished!
 
You are the last Clive Stone that was captured! Yes, we can see that you are far more robust than we believed.
 
Thantas let a growl escape from her mind as she started to power up. Sam, placing a hand on her arm, was the only thing that stopped her from lashing out.
 
Wait, Sam thought. Turning back toward the four arachnids, he thought. So, you are here; I supposed to finish what those deceased of your planet tried to do?
 
The group's apparent leader looked at the other three, then back toward Sam with a confused look. Finish?
 
This time, Sam had a confused look on his face; yes, the destruction of our race.
 
Ah! I see; that is why we are here, though, at the moment, we have different reasons. Different than the orders we received.
 
Sam's eyes narrowed as he stared at the arachnid being before him. He could usually read, to a certain extent, most beings. Shaking his head, he wasn't getting anything from any of these.
 
 
 
 
To be continued