Concerning the origins of the drug known as cadebium there is much legend mixed with fact. The substance is said to have been presented as a gift from certain dark “deities” to the early inhabitants of the outer Solar System. That it was originally distilled from certain fungal plant life found on some of the dwarf planets of the Kuiper belt is scientifically proven, albeit the exact timeline of when the use of the narcotic developed is apparently lost to history.
Cadebium is ingested by either eating it or smoking it, and indeed an entire culture of how to thus partake of it has arisen amongst its users. The particular glass pipes preferred for its use by its more formal devotees have been made illegal in the systems belonging to the four outer planets. This has, of course, led to a thriving black market for such pipes and related paraphernalia with the accompanying high prices that addicts gladly pay in order to obtain their coveted utensils. Those who cannot regularly afford the prices turn to petty crime, and many of the muggings and pick-pocketings that are all-too-frequently seen in the shopping districts of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are attributed to this.
The effects of cadebium -- which is known to be highly addictive on both the psychological and physical levels -- cause a certain pleasurable lethargy upon the user that is known to open the person to being easily influenced by outside control. It has thus become popular not only as a recreational drug, but also as an horrid sacrament amongst some obscure cults. One of them, the “Titan Sect” (so called due to its centre of operations being Saturn’s moon of that name) even went so far as to commit mass suicide, with each of their members ingesting such a large amount of the substance as to cause their bodily function to permanently shut down. When they were found by the planetary police, each of the cultists was said to have had an absolutely horrid smile upon his or her face; a smile of sickening contentment caused by the effects of the grotesque narcotic.
My own experience in the fight against cadebium includes my assignment on Uranus, in which I discovered that a certain business conglomerate known as The Corporation was indeed using the drug in order to assure the cooperation of their employees -- this being part of their plan to eventually expand their powers to that of political control of the planet. At this The Corporation was exposed and shut down, but the revelation of their use of cadebium led to certain intelligence concerning the source of the drug’s distribution.
It was indeed determined by the Kosmikos that the hideously dangerous narcotic known as cadebium was being smuggled and distributed by the notorious Crime Syndicate of Pluto, a long-standing criminal enterprise headed by the crustacean-like beings of that dwarf planet. We managed to find out that the Plutonian mobsters intended to eventually push the drug throughout the Solar System, thus creating an Outer Space gangland empire that would possess power unlike anything else in the Galaxy.
It was this nefarious plot that I, now authorised to use any methods necessary, had to stop. …
My name is RUMANOS -- DOCTOR DANIEL RUMANOS, Extraterrestrial Espionage Agent and Intergalactic Man of Mystery. Even though I have the physical appearance of an human being, I am in fact several thousands of years old and do carry within my blood the vastly superior genes of the legendary Watchers of the Daemon-Star ALGOL -- the most intellectually-advanced race in all of the known galaxies, whose technology is so sophisticated it often appears to be “magic” and “miraculous” to lesser beings.
Whilst most Algolites tend to keep to themselves, preferring to live in elitist seclusion from the rest of the Universe and thus merely observing the goings-on of the myriad races of the vast reaches around them, I am an Operative for a secret organisation known as the KOSMIKOS or Cosmic Intervention Department, tasked with maintaining peace and order throughout the farthest reaches of Space and Time. You know, “plausible deniability”, and all of that sort of thing. It is our ongoing mission to defend the weak, the unfortunate, and the innocent from those who would harm or exploit them.
Currently assigned to Earth, I protect its people (both upon their own planet and across the eternal void) from the hideous manipulations of the arch-villain known as Magister Don Wingus and his occult terrorist organisation, Spectral Paranormal; as well as from alien invasions, mad scientists, and indeed all manner of menace. Assisted by my friends -- the beautiful Miss Millie "The Girl From Beyond" Drake and our catlike robot, Kit-10 -- I am the living icon of Algol on this world. I am a Knight of the Eternal Spires. I am the sword of justice from the planet Daemonia. I am the stellar swashbuckler.
I am -- THE DAEMON-STAR!!! …
We were on board the Trident, a ship belonging to the Neptunian Space Navy. The vessel was at cruising speed as it approached that particular planet, which appeared through the front viewport as a distant, bright blue disk.
I was clad in my usual finery, including a frilled poet shirt, purple velvet suit, military-style jungle boots, panama hat, and one of my favourite opera capes. Beside me, also viewing the planet as we stood on the bridge of the spaceship, was Millie Drake. The girl is exceedingly beautiful, petite-and-perfect with luxurious chestnut hair, enchanting blue-violet eyes, sun-kissed skin, and luscious, cherry-red lips. She was wearing a tight, short, cream-coloured dress that only served to accent the soft curves of her slender young figure.
Also with us was Kit-10, our mobile personal computer that resembles nothing more or less than a small mechanical cat.
The Trident was commanded by Captain Nis Lartheun, a quite capable officer with an iron-grey beard, handsome and strong of aspect despite his advancing years.
“We should be reaching Neptune in a couple of hours,” the captain informed us. “We don’t want to go to top speed and start any local rumours.”
“Quite understandable, Captain,” said I. “Our particular mission, in conjunction with Neptune Planetary Security, must remain undercover. Our very presence in your system is unknown to anyone outside of your crew and some personal advisors to your King Poseidon.”
Millie was still staring at the approaching planet, a look of wonder in her lovely eyes.
“I’ve never been to Neptune before,” she said. “I’ve heard so many stories about it. About how it was settled by people from ancient Atlantis who left Earth in a fleet of spaceships.”
“Quiet so, love,” I told her. “The Atlanteans had indeed developed Space travel and other advanced technologies, many thousands of years before the usually-recognised civilisations on Earth. The ones who came to Neptune had the wisdom to foresee the coming decadence and degeneracy that sadly preceded the end of the human civilisation of Atlantis. They came to Neptune and established a glorious planetary government that has endured ever since.”
“Hopefully our world will continue to endure,” added Captain Lartheun, thoughtfully fingering the lapels of his uniform. “Though with the effects of that drug filth and what it’s doing to our society, I’m starting to have doubts.”
“Yes, we have the reports of the many amongst your citizens who have become addicted to cadebium,” I sympathised. “It is a terrible menace, but the Kosmikos and NPS have acquired intelligence that the drug is indeed being shipped to your world by the Cuevas[*] Crime Family of Pluto. Hopefully with this information we can now do what is necessary to end that narcotic threat.”
[*“Q’vahzz” in the original Plutonian.]
“Tenaith,” said the captain, turning to his first officer, “see that our arrival estimate has been cleared by the planetary defence forces.”
“Right away, sir,” said Tenaith, a slim, dark man of rather youthful appearance who then hurried off to confer with the communications officer.
“So, Daniel,” said Millie Drake, “you’ve had to deal with these Plutonian gangsters before?”
“Indeed I have, love,” I answered. “The current Capo Cuevas is the third of that name, and both of his predecessors were involved in criminal operations that included attempts to end my life. In both cases, the plots backfired upon them. The first was on Saturn, and involved a supposedly-defecting citizen from that world’s then-communist government who was secretly employed by the Plutonian mob. The second was an attempt to establish a foothold upon Earth by the Cuevas Family.”
“But if both of those ended by the death of the gang leaders,” said the girl, “they really should have learned their lesson.”
“Criminal types always seem to find new aliases and other things to hide behind, despite their cowardly ways. Since that time, the gangs of Pluto have developed a particularly-dangerous form of this drug cadebium, and are using it to increase their influence in the Solar System. We managed to stop them on Uranus, but now they seem to have targeted Neptune as a possible connection they can utilise to spread their nefarious power.”
“Signals being received, s--,” suddenly said Kit-10 in her simulated yet pleasantly-feminine voice. “Numerous small craft approaching.”
(It should be noted here that Kit-10, along with her other catlike characteristics, is possessed of a singular inability to openly show respect to anyone. In fact, the closest she ever comes to it is by addressing me by a slight “s--” sound -- for “sir” -- and Millie by “m--” for ma’am”.)
“Captain!” then exclaimed the helmsman. “We have ships on visual, coming in fast!”
“By the gods!” swore Captain Lartheun as he turned and saw what was speeding to-wards us through Space. “Those look like…”
I beheld the squadron of perhaps two dozens ships approaching. They were small craft shaped like fighter jets and bristling with turrets that I knew were dangerous energy weapons. They had no insignia, but I recognised the design immediately.
“Plutonians,” I said, completing the captain’s thought. “Those are Plutonian fighters. We are under attack!”
“But how?” queried Millie.’ “Daniel, who could have told them we were here?”
Then, before any further action could be taken, the approaching fighter ships began firing upon us. There were flashes of light in the darkness of Space, and the Trident began to shake and shudder as the energy beams started to pummel its outer hull!
“Evasive manoeuvres!” ordered the captain. “Return fire!”
Within a second, a spray of light beams came out of the front of the ship. They blasted through the eldritch dark of Space to-wards the attacking fighters. None the less, despite the obvious power and sophistication of this defence, only one of the enemy ships was hit by it.
“That type of weaponry is just not meant for this kind of attack, hmmm?” said I. “Those small ships can too easily scatter and avoid it.”
“The Trident is indeed a warship,” explained the captain, “but we carry limited armaments during peacetime. We don’t even have the usual torpedoes.”
“Surely there must be some other defence,” I pondered. “Something that can more precisely target such small craft.”
“We have battlements on the starboard and port sides of the ship. I can man one of them personally -- I had some experience during the Centaurian Conflict --but we have no other trained gunners on board.”
“Perhaps I can help, Captain,” I offered. “You shall find that my Algolitish reflexes may be beneficial to utilising such weaponry.”
“I was hoping you would volunteer, Doctor! Follow me. The turrets are accessed by way of service ladders.”
As we were speaking, the ship was still being continuously fired upon by the enemy. There was suddenly a shower of sparks from some machinery on one side.
“Captain!” called the helmsman. “Slight hull breach to forward! Automatic repairs underway.”
Then I heard Millie Drake shout.
“Kit-10!” she said. “Oh no! The sparks hit her!”
I ran over to our robotic cat. She was motionless and not apparently functioning, but had no visible damage.
“It is just a systems overload caused by the shock,” I explained. “She has shut down to perform a reboot.”
“Will she be all right, Daniel?” enquired Millie.
“She will be fine, love,” I assured the concerned lass, “but it will take some time for her to fully self-restore her functions.”
“Doctor,” interrupted Captain Lartheun as the ship continue to rock and shake from the enemy fire, “we need to get to the turrets.”
“Right away, Captain,” I agreed.
“Tenaith, take the bridge until I get back,” order Lartheun.
“Yes sir,” said the first officer.
“Daniel,” cried Millie, “be careful.”
I kissed the girl quickly and then hurried after the captain to the gun turrets. He took the starboard one whilst I climbed the ladder to the port gun. It was a standard laser cannon mounted on a swivelling mechanism underneath a window with a view of Space. It included a small computer screen with a targeting machine along with ammunition readings.
I heard Captain Lartheun from the other turret.
“Be ready, Doctor,” he said. “Enemy incoming!”
Indeed, at that very moment, six of the attacking fighter ships began to speed directly to-wards me. Then, before I could even react, they all fired at once!
I quickly reached for the trigger and fired the laser cannon. The blast went out and met those coming from the enemy fighters. When the energy collided, the opposing forces caused them all to dissipate harmlessly in the void of Space.
Some the blasts from the attacking ships were still rocking the Trident, and I concentrated in order to target and aim at the fighters, attempting for the moment to put all else from my mind in my endeavour to defend the Trident from attack. Several of the ships were within my range, and I fired upon one of them. It was a direct hit, and I beheld the craft explode into fragments.
The other fighters near to me then began to swerve evasively, darting in and out and around each other whilst continuing intermittent volleys of blaster fire upon our ship’s hull. I fired again and missed a couple of times, before once more scoring a hit against any of the enemy craft.
As I continued to concentrate on defending our position, I had no way of knowing the grotesque and unspeakably vile treachery, in sooth the repugnant act of treason that was even then being enacted at the very command centre of the Trident. …
Back on the bridge, Millie Drake was clinging closely to the still not functioning Kit-10. Near by, First Officer Tenaith eyed her strangely, then reaching into the side pocket of his belt and extracting a small blaster gun. He began to inch closer to the unsuspecting young girl. …
I went on firing on the attacking Plutonian fighter ships, as Captain Lartheun valiantly did the same from the other gun turret. We had managed to destroy several of the enemy, but they continued to speed around us, firing blasts upon our ship and the quickly moving away in attempts to avoid our return fire.
“Keep at it, Doctor!” I heard the captain calling from the other gun-bay. “That type of small fighters have a limited fuel supply. If we keep them moving, the others will have to retreat even if we don’t manage to blow them all away!”
“Understood, Captain!” I replied.
Then turning back to my gun, I fired again upon the attackers. I succeeded in destroying two of them in fast succession, and a third was damaged by colliding with the resultant fragments. It started to spin in to-wards us, threatening to smash into the Trident’s hull. A mere moment before this would have happened, I managed to hit it with a laser blast and the craft then exploded in the darkness of Outer Space.
The Trident was still suffering hits from time to time, but the enemy fighters were by now concentrating more deeply on avoiding the laser fire from Captain Lartheun and me. We succeeded in destroying several more of them before the few remaining then suddenly turned and sped away into the void.
“We’ve done it!” I heard the captain shout. “They’re in retreat! Let’s get back to the bridge!”
I quickly climbed down the ladder to the turret and met Captain Lartheun.
“Good work, Doctor,” he said, exultantly clapping me on the shoulder as we turned back to the command centre. “We showed those Plutonian swamp-dwellers they can’t mess with the Neptunian Space Navy -- or our allies!”
By now, we had gotten back to the bridge, and the scene that met us there fast annihilated any feeling of joy we were experiencing from our victory. Several portions of the deck had now been damaged by the enemy fire, and parts of machinery hung loosely from the walls and ceiling in numerous places. Nevertheless, things were much worse than this. Much worse, indeed. For, standing before us as the rest of the crew looked on helplessly, was First Officer Tenaith. He was holding Millie Drake cruelly with one hand around her throat -- whilst the other hand held a laser gun to her head!
“By the gods, Tenaith!” swore the captain. “What in Hades are you doing?!”
At this, Tenaith snarled a look of utter disdain and disrespect at Captain Lartheun, then tightening his grip on the poor girl and pressing the gun against her temple.
“You will order this ship turned around,” he said. “Your mission against the Syndicate of Pluto is over, or I swear I will kill this girl!”
“Of course,” I said, controlling my anger. “You are the informant. The one who gave our location and mission information to the Plutonians.”
“Tenaith, you traitorous dog!” shouted Captain Lartheun. “Let that young lady go immediately or I will have your worthless backside thrown out into Space!”
“You’ll do nothing but exactly what I say,” replied Tenaith, “or I’ll blow this little girl’s brains out all over your command chair. Your mission is over. The Plutonians will not let you stop the distribution of our wonderful cadebium.”
“Captain, he cannot be reasoned with,” said I. “He is an addict; no doubt one of many the Pluto gang have employed within your government and military, as spies and saboteurs.”
“That’s correct, Algolite,” returned Tenaith. “We are everywhere. We will help the Plutonians in spreading the ecstasy of cadebium throughout the Solar System. We will then know its wonderful effects forever.”
As he spoke, I noticed the burly security officer standing near by. He was readied, but dared not attempt to apprehend Tenaith as yet due to the danger to Millie.
“The Plutonians do not care about you or your drug addiction, Tenaith,” I rejoined, playing for time though I knew that any attempt at logical reasoning with the addict was hopeless. “The are only concerned with building their criminal empire.”
“They will bring us cadebium and that’s all that matters,” answered Tenaith, “but you are right about one thing, Watcher of Algol. The Plutonian Syndicate will do whatever it can to rule the planets of this system, even making deals with individuals and groups that will be able to oppose the interference of the Kosmikos. Yes, we have allies of our own, Algolite!”
Whilst Tenaith was speaking, I noticed a particular part of the damaged bulkhead that was hanging precariously a bit over a metre behind him. Just then, a piece of it broke away and crashed loudly to the floor.
The sudden noise distracted Tenaith just enough for me to spring forward and kick the gun from his hand, at the same time pulling Millie Drake safely away from him. Captain Lartheun rushed to-wards him as well, and gave Tenaith a fierce blow to the jaw with his fist, sending the traitorous officer to his knees.
The security guard picked up Tenaith and quickly manacled his hands behind his back.
“Throw him in the brig!” ordered the captain. “He has a court martial to face when we get back to Neptune!”
I stood holding the trembling girl in my arms.
“It is over now, my love,” I assured her. “You are safe.”
Captain Lartheun had now walked back over to us whilst security escorted Tenaith to his cell.
“Is she all right, Doctor?” enquired Lartheun.
“She will be, Captain,” I told him.
“I... I’m okay now,” said Millie.
“Good to hear,” said the captain. “I’m an old Space sailor, and I wouldn’t want to hear that a lady had ever come to any harm on my ship!” …
The next morning, Millie Drake and I sat at breakfast in our suite at the New Atlantis Hotel in the capital city of Neptune, located as it is within the cloud layer of that giant planet. Our meal consisted of a kind of flatbread and the thick, tasty yogurt for which the planet’s cuisine is so justly famous.
“This is good, Daniel,” said the girl, “and I’m glad that Kit-10 is okay.”
“Quite right, love,” said I, then turning to our catlike computer who stood near by. “I say, Kit-10, would you care for some yogurt?”
“This unit does not consume edibles, s--,” returned the robotic puss.
Millie giggled. “I guess she really is back to normal!”
“There is also other important news,” I added, consulting a small communications device I had on the table beside my breakfast plate. “In exchange for the promise of a more lenient sentence, Tenaith has given up the names of several others within the Neptunian government and military who were secretly employed by the Plutonian Syndicate.”
“Then it’s over, isn’t it?” said Millie. “The Plutonians are finished on Neptune, aren’t they?”
“For a while they are, love,” I answered. “Remember, however, that the Plutonians are a powerful criminal enterprise, and also that the addictive qualities of that terrible drug will make its popularity continue. The Pluto mob will try again if we do not find a way to stop them entirely!” …
Little did we know that, at that same time, an event was taking place that would make our necessary work of breaking the alien gangsters much more difficult than we could even realise. On the dwarf planet known as Pluto, in a municipality known as Yuggoth, founded in the horrible ice swamps of that darksome world, a kind of council meeting was taking place in a dimly-lit chamber. Around the central table of this strangely-shaped room sat several Plutonian crustaceans, all of them gazing with obvious obeisance at the one seated at the head of the table.
“The attack on the Neptunian ship has failed,” announced the leader of the human-sized, crayfish-like gangsters with a gurgle of outrage. “The military forces of that planet are being aided by that Kosmikos Agent.”
“Capo Cuevas,” said one of the other Plutonians, “the new associate has arrived for the meeting with you.”
“Excellent,” replied the hideous alien crime boss. “Send him in.”
A silent signal was made amongst the crustaceans and a man then walked into the chamber with a stride of arrogant authority. He was dressed in a sort of elegant tunic topped by a long-flowing cape -- both ebon black of colour. His countenance was like unto a man of middle years, indeed still showing signs of distinction despite being marred with the effects of seeming lifetimes of extreme profligate wickedness. His hair was long and dark, and his face was decorated with a thin moustache and goatee. Most of all, his eyes shone with an absolutely hypnotic gaze.
“Greetings, Capo Cuevas,” he said, his voice a drone of haughty conceit, “I have come, as per our agreement, to aid in protection of your distribution of the substance known as cadebium.”
“You will also work with us to destroy the one known as Daniel Rumanos?” queried the Plutonian gangster. “He is of your own Algolitish race.”
“Oh yes,” replied the black-clad man with a dark chuckle. “I can assure you that I will take great pleasure in helping you to destroy that crusading white knight Rumanos.”
And with this, the obscene intergalactic villain known as Don Wingus then smiled a smile of complete and utter evil.
***** DANIEL RUMANOS AND MILLIE DRAKE SHALL RETURN
