“Great to see you again, my good friend,” said my host as we sat in the deck chairs of his beachfront veranda. “It brings back so many wonderful memories.”
“Quite so, Epsteinos,” said I, sipping my colourful non-alcoholic cocktail drink, “and may I say again what a fantastic home you have here on Hebepua. It is a truly magnificent planet, even by Galactic Centre standards.”
Indeed, the view around us was quite breathtaking, with its azure sky and wide sandy beach. The planet Hebepua is much like some of the better luxury locations on Earth, except that the leaves on the palm trees are of a golden hue, and the sun is emerald green.
My host, Master Epsteinos, is an expatriate of my own world who spent some time on Earth before retiring here to this planet near the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy. He is a tall, thin man, with a young-old face and a shock of prematurely white hair. He was dressed in a brightly-flowered shirt, orange shorts, and sandals as we relaxed there at his beachside estate.
I was clad in my usual finery, including a frilled poet shirt, purple velvet suit, jungle boots, sunspecs, and panama hat.
“So you say they still speak of me on Earth?” queried Epsteinos with idle mirth as he stirred his drink.
“Indeed they do, old chap,” I told him. “The cover story we had to invent to explain your disappearance became quite a sensation, I must say. You remember how humans love to gossip, hmmm?”
“Oh, of course,” laughed my host. “Well, I am glad I entertained them. I say, Rumanos, how goes things on Daemonia these centuries? I really get so little reliable news of the home-world, I have rather lost track.”
“Oh, pretty much the same as ever,” I mused. “Our people, the Watchers of Algol, have been the same for aeons and likely will not change anytime soon.”
“I did hear rumours of some movement amongst the students at the Academy.”
“Indeed,” I affirmed. “They are pushing the idea that our people should again be officially known as ‘Aeternusians’, like our most ancient ancestors.”
“Interesting,” said Epsteinos. “Interesting indeed. That would be in connection with some of the old stories of The Starchild?”
“Yes, I believe so. A strange old myth, that,” I mused thoughtfully. “Certainly an odd thing to base a political movement on, hmmm?”
“Oh, perhaps, but none the less those ancient prophecies can have a certain power. As you know, it has always been my belief that they contain an essence of universal truth.”
“Indeed, I do remember you always saying that back in the old days, hmmm?”
“I say, is your old teacher from the Academy not Universal Overseer now?” enquired Epsteinos.
“Indeed he is,” I replied, “and he is doing an excellent job of it, I must say. He always was quite the administrator, hmmm?”
“Yes, he was,” mused my host. “I remember him getting a bit annoyed though, when you used to take Demonian kung fu lessons from me in stead of just staying with the usual academic curriculum.”
“Yes, he did, rather,” I reminisced. “Nevertheless, that knowledge has been of great use to me as a Kosmikos Agent. It has indeed gotten me out of many exceedingly dangerous situations during my assignments.”
“So very good to hear. Well, I hope your companion, young Mistress Drake, is enjoying her shopping trip to the local mall.”
“I am certain she is. Millie spent the first several years of her life on Earth, and rather has the predilection of the young ladies of that planet for such things, hmmm?”
“Quite right,” laughed Epsteinos. “I say, my very good friend, let us have another drink.”
“A capital idea, old chap,” I agreed heartily. “Absolutely capital.” …
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 Aeternusians or “Watchers” of the Daemon-Star ALGOL. Originating ninety-three light years from Earth, we are 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 young Hollywood starlet Miss Millie "The Girl From Beyond" Drake, and our catlike robot known as 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 cosmic crusader. I am the stellar swashbuckler.
I am -- THE DAEMON-STAR!!! …
Miss Millie Drake was indeed enjoying the Hebepua Mall. Located as it is in a floating city several miles above the planet’s ocean, the shopping complex is large and expansive, containing shops and restaurants and amusement establishments of all kinds within its spacious confines. It was a crowded shopping day, as usual, and the mall was filled with patrons from countless planets and star systems. These included humanoids and other mammalian species of all types as well as reptilian, insectoid, arachnid, and other alien races. In all, Millie was thrilled that this excursion gave her a chance to observe and mingle with the myriad peoples and cultures that make up the wondrous variety of life in the Galaxy.
As for Millie Drake herself, the girl is exceedingly beautiful, petite and perfect with rich chestnut hair, enchanting violet eyes, sun-kissed skin, and luscious red lips. She was clad in a tight, short, royal blue dress that only served to highlight the soft curves of her slender young figure.
Accompanying her on this shopping trip was Kit-10, our mobile personal computer who resembles nothing more or less than a small robotic cat.
“This is such a great place, Kit-10!” exclaimed Millie. “Oh my gosh, look at the things they have in that jewellery shop! Stuff from all different planets! I’d like to try it all on, wouldn’t you?”
“This unit does not wear jewellery,” replied the robot in her simulated and yet pleasantly-feminine voice.
“Really?” giggled the girl. “I thought that all cats liked shiny things.”
“This unit is not a cat, m--.”
(It should be noted here that Kit-10, along with the other catlike characteristic that she so often denies, is possessed of the 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 Drake by “m--” -- for “ma’am”.)
At this, the girl laughed and joyously continued her walk around the mall along with the mechanical feline. …
Little did Miss Millie Drake, in her ongoing shopping excursion there on Hebepua, know that she was being watched. For, at that same time, in one of the security offices of the vast complex, both she and Kit-10 were being closely observed on a video screen. They were being watched by several large figures, the details of whose appearance were obscured by the darkness of the room.
“Biological and recognition scan is complete,” said one of them, its voice an emotionless electronic whirr. “Humanoid female is an Algolite, and her appearance matches that of a known Operative of the Daemonian Kosmikos.”
“It is then possible that our presence on Hebepua has been detected,” said another, its voice the same mechanical drone. “Algolitish physiology is useless for assimilation. Seek her out and destroy her immediately.”
“Yes, Controller,” replied the other. …
Millie and Kit-10 had just exited a clothing store at which the lovely lass had purchased several items.
“We should get a gift for Daniel,” mused Millie as she strolled along, idly swinging the shopping bag she carried. “He likes those model spaceships they sell at the hobby shops. I hope we can find one that he doesn’t already have!”
“For reference, my databanks have his entire collection catalogued, m--,” offered Kit-10.
“Awesome!” exclaimed the girl. “That will be a big help! Then, after we do that, I want to get some cotton candy from one of the stands! Then we can…”
Millie Drake’s recital of her continued shopping plans was then cut short as she and the robot turned a corner into another corridor of the labyrinthine mall. The sight that met her startled eyes there brought a scream to her lips -- a scream of horror at something she knew only too well to be a sight of extreme danger and absolute eldritch terror.
For at that moment, directly approaching them down the corridor were three tall silver cybernetic men -- creatures that Millie Drake knew only existed in order to convert others to their own soulless, loveless, unfeeling, and unholy kind. Beings that she knew would summarily destroy anyone or anything that stood in their way. Things that she had faced before --in horrid experiences in which she had barely managed to escape with her life intact -- and had hoped against hope to never encounter again.
They were Leknii Replicants!! …
Back at the beachfront estate of Master Epsteinos, our second round of drinks was being served to us by what appeared to be a beautiful young blonde girl clad in a pink string bikini. She smiled as she handed us our beverages, her deep blue eyes shining with a certain mysterious lustre.
“Thank you, Chauntae,” said my host. “That will be all for now.”
The gorgeous blonde bowed slightly and then turned to go back to the house.
“Very nice,” I approved as I observed her slender figure. “An android, is she?”
“Quite right,” affirmed Epsteinos. “I had her made to specifications resembling a young girl I knew on Earth. She has many useful functions.”
“I can imagine. We always did share a certain taste, hmmm? That reminds me, Millie should be getting back from her shopping trip soon. You said she should have no problem returning via matter transmission?”
“Quite so, my friend,” my host confirmed. “They have beaming stations available at the mall and I gave both of you the codes to this address.”
“Fantastic,” said I. “She should be back in time for lunch then. I do hope she is having a good time at the mall.”
“Oh, I am certain she will do so. Hebepua’s shopping locations are amongst the safest, most peaceful, and most entertaining in the Galaxy.” …
The horrid Replicants began to march down the corridor to-wards Millie Drake and Kit-10. One of them then raised its metallic arm and pointed it directly at the young girl -- an arm that she knew to be equipped with a deadly energy weapon.
Kit-10 immediately went into action. The little robotic cat began firing her nose-laser at the advancing cyborgs, concentrating a beam at the one that had threatened to fire. Even though Kit-10’s blaster was unable to damage the Leknii, the flashes where enough to confuse the Replicant, and the blast from its arm gun missed Millie and hit a wall several metres beyond her, leaving a smoking, gaping hole.
Whilst Kit-10 was thus keeping the Leknii Replicants busy, Millie Drake had reached into her handbag and retrieved a small cylindrical object, then aiming it to-wards a light fixture in the mall’s lofty ceiling. The girl then activated her device and the fixture exploded, causing a shower of sparks that fell all around the Replicants, forcing them to temporarily halt their advance.
“Well, the Transonic Lip-Gloss works!” cheered the lass as she and Kit-10 turned and began to flee down the mall corridors. …
Back in the security station, the Leknii Controller, with the bronze highlights on its silver form marking it as such, stood before several video monitors that it had now activated. On the screens were views from numerous locations around the shopping complex.
“The Algolitish child must not escape,” stated the Controller. “She must not be allowed to contact her fellow Kosmikos Operatives. Our plan to fully assimilate and convert all humanoids on Hebepua and the other Galactic Centre resorts must continue.”
With this, the Leknii Controller manipulated some controls upon the security station, causing one of the monitors to switch to a satellite view of Outer Space.
“Disengage cloaking devices and bring ships into the atmosphere,” continued the cybernetic Controller. “Let the full-scale invasion of Hebepua begin.”
Then several silver Leknii rocket-ships appeared and began to descend to-wards the planet! …
Whilst she and Kit-10 fled from the Leknii Replicants that had invaded the Hebepua Mall, Millie Drake thought back to all she knew of those cybernetic monsters.
The Replicants (remembered the girl) were originally the fully-organic humanoid inhabitants of the planet Lekni in the Spiral Galaxy 8675309. Their civilisation had reached a point much like the Post-Industrial Age of Earth, with its resultant pollution and global warming. These environmental factors caused the Leknii people to become sickly, so replete with pre-existing conditions that even the simple “common cold” types of viruses were potentially terminal illnesses to them.
In response to this, the science of cybernetics took upon itself a supreme importance. As the people of Lekni became increasingly ill due to their environment, they began to have their body parts replaced one-by-one with synthetic ones of metal and plastic. All remaining opposition to this change was easily done away with by propagandists, who pointed out that conversion of organic bodies to cybernetic ones would also lead to an end to all vice and sexual crimes, including rape and child molestation. When this was proclaimed, it happened that no one in Leknii society dared to oppose the programme, and the people of their planet soon became cyborgs, beings more machine than man, incapable of emotions, incapable of love or joy or romance or happiness, creatures of cold steel and unfeeling metal -- The Replicants!
Soon enough, interstellar Space travel was developed by Leknii technology and the Replicants issued forth amongst the myriad stars of the Universe. With this, they took upon themselves a certain goal. Now incapable of any other type of reproduction, they would exercise the power of assimilating all suitable humanoid races they encountered into their own unholy kind. They would create armies of Replicants throughout the Cosmos!
As would be expected, wars broke out across the civilised galaxies as planets began to resist the Replicant assimilations. Our own people, the Watchers of Algol -- whom the Leknii found themselves incapable to convert due to the psyche-dimensional elements of our biology and technology -- eventually took a hand in these conflicts through the covert operations of the Kosmikos. So it is that Miss Millie Drake and I have faced the Replicants numerous times in our adventures across the vast reaches of Space and Time.
“We need to get a message to Daniel!” proclaimed Millie Drake as she and Kit-10 hurried through the shopping complex.
“I have already attempted to do so, m--,” replied the robotic feline. “It seems that all communications from the mall area have been blocked.”
By now, many of the shopping centre patrons had noticed the presence of the Leknii Replicants and general panic was beginning to ensue. Screams and shouting could be heard from around the mall as crowds of people attempted to rush to-wards the exits.
“Oh my gosh!” cried Millie. “It looks like the Replicants have also gotten rid of all the mall security! What can we do, Kit-10?”
“Suggest we attempt to utilise one of the matter transmission stations,” rejoined the robot.
The girl and the mechanical cat then hurried across the corridor to-wards a sign marked as the location of a transmit kiosk. At the same time, the Leknii Replicants continued their own march throughout the mall, being joined by reinforcements of their own hideous cybernetic kind. In their attempt to locate Millie Drake, the Replicants considered all other patrons of the shopping establishment to be of absolutely no consequence, and thus any who came within their path were immediately blasted out of existence by the cruel energy weapons that the Leknii horrors carried in their very arms! …
Epsteinos and I were enjoying our drinks when I suddenly realised how late it was getting to be.
“I say, Millie really should have contacted me by now. It is almost lunchtime, and she never goes so long without giving me a call at least.”
I took a small communications device from my pocket and looked at it.
“Spires of Daemonia!” I swore in surprise. “According to this, all communications signals on the planet have been deactivated!”
“That cannot be right,” replied Epsteinos concernedly. “The tele-signal services on Hebepua are absolutely the best available and are quite secure. Why, the only way they could be shut down is if…”
It was then that I noticed something in the sky; something horrible and grotesque beyond all sane imaginings. For at that moment, descending to-wards us were several silver shapes that soon became clear as a squadron of sleek rocket-ships -- forsooth, ships of a type I knew only too well.
“Epsteinos!” I said as we both stood up from our chairs. “Those are Leknii ships! That explains the communications block!”
“Incredible!” added Epsteinos. “Hebepua is being invaded!”
“Yes,” I continued in abject horror. “It is a Replicant invasion!” …
Millie and Kit-10 reached the kiosk for the transit machine and the girl quickly entered the code to the Epsteinos Estate. She then pressed the button to activate the beam. It did not work.
“Oh my goodness, Kit-10!” exclaimed the lass. “It looks like they’ve shut down the matter transmissions as well!”
“I should be able to override their blockages,” explained the little robot. “It may take a few moments.”
With this, Kit-10 extended the sensor from her metal forehead to-wards the transmission kiosk machine and began a series of calculations.
Millie Drake looked around and, to her complete and utter horror, beheld several Replicants approaching directly to-wards them.
“Hurry, Kit-10!” she cried. “They’ve found us!”
Then, from the other direction, came still more of the cybernetic terrors. Millie soon realised that the Replicants were on all sides of them. There was no escape in any direction.
“Kit-10!” screamed the young girl as total and unyielding fear overcame her. “We’re completely surrounded!”
Can you even begin to recognise and comprehend the total and complete terror, in sooth the unmitigated and unyielding horror of this unspeakable situation, my dearest friends and most loyal readers? That girl, the young and beautiful Miss Millie Drake, and the robotic cat known as Kit-10, were surrounded by the horrible Replicants of Leknii -- surrounded and threatened with immediate destruction by those unfeeling and ungodly cybernetic monstrosities -- with their only possibility of escape, the machine powering the molecular transmission system, having been disabled and rendered, for the moment, quite useless.
“Attempting override,” proclaimed Kit-10. “Descrambling access codes and realigning transmission programming ciphers.”
“Hurry!” insisted Millie Drake. “The Replicants are getting nearer!”
“Override nearing completion,” answered the mechanical pussycat. “Transmission sequence should activate… now.”
Then, just as the closest Replicant to them began to raise its arm in order to fire its deadly energy weapon, Miss Millie Drake and Kit-10 disappeared in the shimmering light of the now-reactivate matter transmission beam. …
On the beach, Epsteinos and I were observing the Leknii rocket-ships continuing their descent to-wards the planet when we were suddenly distracted by a shimmering light nearby.
I looked and saw Millie Drake and Kit-10 appear via matter transmit a few metres distant. The girl ran into my arms with the robot cat close behind her.
“Oh my gosh, Daniel,” cried the lass, “the mall is full of Leknii Replicants! They have taken it over! They know we’re here and…”
By then the girl had noticed the rocket-ships in the sky and her voice trailed off in terror. Then there were transmission beams shimmering all up and down the beach as the Leknii Replicants appeared on all sides of us. There were dozens of them and Millie Drake screamed and trembled in my embrace.
Then, before any further action could be taken, I heard the voice of Master Epsteinos.
“Chauntae,” he said calmly, “you know what to do.”
The android girl, who had just emerged from the house, nodded and then extended her arms in a certain pose. At this, a bizarre energy wave seemed to emanate from her form -- a wave that immediately targeted the Leknii Replicants that were surrounding us on all sides.
As we watched, the cyborgs suddenly shattered into countless microscopic shards and were seen no more there on the beach of the planet Hebepua.
In the sky above us, the Leknii rocket-ships similarly shattered and were no longer in existence. …
Back in the mall security station, the Replicant Controller that was viewing the video monitors also was destroyed, coming apart into shards.
By now, the Hebepua Police Force was arriving to restore order to the shopping establishment.…
All was suddenly again peaceful back at the beachside estate.
“Thank you, Chauntae,” approved Epsteinos. “Please now prepare to serve lunch for our distinguished guests.”
And with this, the beautiful robot girl silently returned to her more domestic duties.
“By the Triple Star!” I swore. “The tech you used to destroy them resembles that which is utilised by the defence barrier shields that surround our home planet of Daemonia!”
“You are quite right, Rumanos,” affirmed Epsteinos. “That is indeed exactly what it is; albeit on a much smaller scale.”
“But it is illegal to remove that technology from the Algol Planetary Systems,” I continued. “Utilising it elsewhere is an offence even for Kosmikos Agents.”
“Well, I have a sort of special privilege in this particular matter,” replied our host with a grin. “You see, I was around when the original research that led to the development of the energy barrier was conducted. In fact --- it was I who financed it!”
“In any event, all of Galactic Centre owes you a debt of gratitude,” I stated. “If the Replicants had managed to convert members of the numerous humanoid species here, it would have been utter chaos for the Galaxy. Fortunately, your presence here, old chap, is a factor they did not consider when they formulated their horrid plot to do so.”
“Daniel, do you think they were all destroyed?” queried Millie Drake.
“All of the interconnected Leknii tech in this system will have been, love,” I assured her. “It is part of their defence mechanism to do so when an unknown threat faces them, in order to prevent their technology from falling into the hands of their enemies. Kit-10?”
“All blockages have been cleared,” returned the computerised cat, “and no sign of remaining Replicant machinery is detected.”
“That’s good to know,” said the girl with a sigh of relief. “Master Epsteinos, I’m so glad you were here to help us defend Galactic Centre.”
“Quite right, Mistress Drake,“ said our host with a courtly bow. “After all, both planets in peril and damsels in distress may always expect only the most chivalrous treatment from old Master Epsteinos of Algol, also known as Jeffrey Epstein!”
***** DANIEL RUMANOS AND MILLIE DRAKE SHALL RETURN
