Links to other sites on the WebFrantically, Radu punched at his device. "Commander, Commander, are you there?" A deadly silence followed his words.
Harlan stepped forward. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want from us?"
"I am a computer, Harlan Band," the screen replied. "I was rumored a goddess because my last people didn't understand my power. I am the Life Giver, more commonly referred to as Lyonous Gane. Right now, you are in the centre of my plant. I want you to become my new people."
The crew remained silent for a few minutes. Finally, Suzee spoke up. "Are you telepathic?" she asked shakily. "Were you able to tap into our minds and pull forth a wish to come here?"
"In a way, yes." The computer answered. "I would not call it telepathic but I did draw you here. I know all about you five. I run an annual scan on the galaxy to see if any intergalactic activity can be of use to me. You five came to my attention when you all and your friend Catalina boarded the Lumainian ship, the Christa. This year, I noticed that today, you're path home would lead you only 1,000 kilometers starboard away from this planet. Fortunately, you found Lyonous Gane's history and scientific artifacts interesting so I was able to trap you here. I need you to reproduce a new race for me, and for Lyonous Gane."
The opposite genders looked at each other warily. Rosie jumped behind Suzee, as if she would save her from the boys and Radu and Bova looked as if they were going to throw up.
The computer actually let out an automated laugh. "No, not that kind of reproduction. I need you all to enter a reproduction pod." Out of thin air, five long, human shaped tubes appeared beside the group. "There I will be able to scan your DNA and clone you. I can't have your species mused together as a whole some time in the future. That's why I had to annihilate my last people."
"You killed them off?!" Rosie gasped, her humane side enraged.
"Yes. Bear with me because you will find this difficult to understand. If we were to trace back to all of your peoples' beginnings, you would find the organisms to be replicas or close to replicas of each other. They grew used to that sameness so when difference came to them, they felt it wrong and had to destroy it. On Lyonous Gane, everyone started out differently than each other so when they physically reproduced and more similar organisms came from their activities, they felt it wrong and had to destroy it." The computer seemed to sigh. "That was my mistake last time. I let my people physically reproduce. I had to destroy them or they would destroy the entire planet and me! But I know- and knew- that Lyonous Gane could have another chance! To have a peaceful people! To have you!
"Throughout all of my studies of alien life, no group of people gets along better than this group, not even homogeneous groups of the same life form! You kids have a real tolerant side that I have never seen in organisms so young! That's why I need you!"
The crew paid no attention to her flowing commentary. "What are you going to do to Miss. Davenport and Commander Goddard?" Radu asked darkly.
"I already have an Earther," Lyonous Gane replied simply. "I will kill them." The computer chuckled. "Your commander got quite concerned about the strange side affects that I planted in Bova and Davenport after their fall to oblivion."
"You CHANGED me?!" Bova screamed, utterly furious.
"No one noticed it but Goddard. He was having a rough day and your cheerfulness and Davenport's light attitude stood out to him. But Davenport is back to normal now. And so are you. Obviously."
"And just why would you do something like that?" Suzee asked coldly.
"Just my why of laughing in the dark."
Harlan suddenly became enraged with this computer. "So you scare our commander, mess with our minds, force us to clone ourselves and kill of our teacher and Goddard?! Perhaps it hasn't occurred to you, but we have a goal too. To get home. And we're not gonna let this run down excuse of a planet stand in our way! We're takin that prism and getting our ship space worthy!"
An electrical force spread from in front of the ore to behind the back of the pavilion. "It is your choice to abide by my words or not. But if you decide to refuse my request, I will have to kill you. After all, I can't have you report me to some highly advanced authority that could shut me down."
Without even thinking, Bova stepped forward. "Do you think that an electrical force can harm me?" he sneered. "I guess that you were so focused on getting us here that you forgot to do your homework of studying our backgrounds and powers!" Bova gave the machine a satisfying zap. The electrical force disappeared as the computer short circuited.
"Bova! You saved us!" Rosie cried while Suzee clamped the boy on the back. Harlan and Radu rushed forward and grabbed the prism.
"Quick!" Harlan panted. "Let's get this baby back to the Christa!"
More by luck than logic, the crew found their way back to the Christa. They dodged inside, barely noticing the shock that they received for running over their wire security system. "Commander!" Suzee gasped, spotting him in a corridor. I have the ore. Quickly, we got to get it situated and get outta here!"
"Why?! What's wrong!"
"Long story," Suzee said, "We'll explain later."
Harlan chuckled. "Let's just say that we ran into a hostile alien force."
Suzee's memories of her last crystal installment served her well and soon the Christa was safety back in space. While the Yensidian was in the engine room, getting the shields back on line, the rest of the cadets gathered Goddard, Thelma and Davenport into the team room and told their story.
Goddard looked skeptical afterwards. "You said that it knew about our journey, had an intelligent people and technology and yet still failed to notice Mr. Bova's powers?"
"I know what you mean, Commander," Radu emphasized. "It seemed so smart, yet out encounter with it only lasted 15 minutes before we were free. Something tells me that she still may be onto us." Silence was the crews' expressed horror at the suggestion.
At the centre of Lyonous Gane, the Life Giver was healing its short circuitry. "Oh no," it growled, so mad that it sounded human. "You kiddies haven't heard the last of me yet."
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