I first met Miss Millie Drake when I was asked to be a technical advisor on an independently-produced science fiction film in which she, then an aspiring actress, had been cast. I was immediately enchanted by the young lady’s profound beauty -- her luxurious chestnut-coloured hair, lovely violet eyes, sun-kissed skin, luscious cherry-red lips, and her petite-and-perfect figure. Nevertheless, there was much more to it than her physical attractions. There was something else about Millie Drake that intrigued me more than even the most good-looking female ever possibly could. There was an immediate rapport between us, and Millie soon joined me on some of my adventures.
The first of these was with the monster Pederosis, when that noble giant lizard aided us in defending the planet against the alien horror of King Wingosus. Following this, I accompanied Millie Drake on her journey to Las Vegas, where she had landed a starring role in a major film production. It is at that time that we had a series of further adventures in that city and its surrounding desert that remain untold.
As I got to know Millie better, I realised that there was indeed something quite unusual about her. You see, it seemed she had no real past. Though she resembled a young human girl of perhaps twelve or thirteen, she had no memory of ever having any parents or other family. It was as if she had just come into being shortly before we had met. I wondered, but did not question her too deeply concerning this. I had a feeling, forsooth an almost certainty, that the mystery would be revealed in time.
Following our time together in Vegas, Millie moved on to Hollywood, California, in order to continue her career. I went back to my headquarters, needing to catch up on my work in that always horror-haunted area. In the months that followed, Millie and I stayed in contact and I often pondered the continued intrigue of exactly who and what was this beautiful being I had come to know and -- I had to admit it to myself -- had also come to love.
It was when Millie Drake next visited me that the truth was revealed, for at the same time Earth was invaded by that horrid cybernetic race known as the Replicants of Leknii and, when all had seemed lost, Millie suddenly showed that she was in truth possessed of the powers of my own extraterrestrial race, the Watchers of Algol. Together, we were then able to defeat the Replicants and save the human race from being converted to their terrible kind.
The implications of what was revealed about Millie Drake were that she was descended from what is known in Algolitish history as the Twelve Lost Spies of Draconis, a group of secret agents that had been sent to infiltrate and destroy a terrorist network in the star-systems of Draco -- a group whose final fate, after the successful completion of their mission, had been lost to any verifiable records even maintained by our own interstellar espionage organisation, the Kosmikos.
Her very surname, Drake (derived from Draco), suggested the truth of this, as did factors found when she underwent a complete DNA analysis.
After her true nature had been revealed, Millie spent some time at the Academy on our own home planet of Daemonia, learning the history and traditions of our great and powerful race. After a time, it became obvious that she was going to join me as a permanent companion and junior operative of the Kosmikos, and so she remains to this day.
Together, Millie Drake and I -- together forever as the Daemon-Star and the Daemon-Starlet -- fight the forces of evil in all their myriad forms, both from our headquarters on Earth and in our combination Spaceship/Time-machine, the DiTraS (pronounced “DYE-tress” and standing for Dimensional Transport Sphere).
This is the story of one of our adventures.
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 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!!! …
In the midst of the lush, tropical rainforest setting a strange gasping, moaning sound was heard as an object resembling a Greco-Roman “Corinthian column” materialised into view. In the side of said object -- which is actually the DiTraS, that same incredible Spaceship/Time-machine built by the advanced technological genius of the Watchers -- appeared a porthole-type opening from which emerged three figures.
The first of these was me, Dr. Daniel Rumanos. I was dressed in my usual finery, including a frilled poet shirt, purple velvet suit, leathern boots, sunspecs, and panama hat.
The second was Millie Drake; with the tight, short, magenta-hued dress she wore only serving to highlight the soft curves of her slender adolescent figure.
The third was Kit-10, our mobile personal computer that resembles nothing more or less than a small mechanical cat.
“So you say the whole planet is a jungle?” enquired Millie, gazing around at the tall trees and the dense undergrowth surrounding us on all sides.
“Yes, indeed,” I affirmed. “According to the DiTraS databanks it is a planet known as Floraglia, discovered in the late Twenty-Third Century by explorers from Earth. Just a few years ago, actually, according to the temporal readouts.”
“So is there animal life here?” queried the girl. “I hear sounds like birds and things, but it’s hard to see anything through all this plant growth.”
“Let us find out,” I mused. “Kit-10, are your readings indicating the presence of fauna as well as flora?”
“Affirmative, s--,” replied the little robot in her simulated yet pleasantly-feminine voice. “Readings showing the presence of much animal life, ranging from insect to reptilian to mammal.”
(It must be noted here that Kit-10, along with her other catlike characteristics, is possessed of the total and complete 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”.)
“This planet has an ordinary yellow star,” said I, looking up the what could be seen of the sky through the growth, “much like Earth’s own sun, so the animal life could be quite similar to Earth’s, hmmm? Though it could be expected to grow bigger and stronger, with so much room to expand.”
I took the transonic turnscrew, an highly-sophisticated scientific instrument somewhat resembling a writing-pen, from the pocket of my jacket and used it to scan the area.
“Typical Earth-like atmosphere,” I said. “Oxygen-rich and quite clean. No signs of any developed civilisation ever being on the planet, hmmm?”
“It sure is hot here!” added Millie Drake.
“Quite so,” I agreed, checking the readings on the transonic before returning it to my pocket. “It is currently about ninety-six degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. Rather humid as well. Still, we should have a look around. The DiTraS brought us here for some reason.”
“Do you think it’s a Kosmikos assignment?” asked the girl.
“Perhaps, or at least some fact-finding mission. Let us see if we can…”
My voice was suddenly cut off when Millie screamed and recoiled in abject horror at what was happening. For at that very moment something came down from the trees; something huge and horrid and dangerous beyond belief. It descended and fell upon me, quickly wrapping itself around my form. It was a gigantic snake, a creature like unto a boa constrictor or python, but even larger that those Earthborn serpents, and pitch black of colour. The thing fast surrounded me with its scaly coils and began to squeeze -- to squeeze me tightly in its unyielding reptilian grip.
Kit-10 immediately fired off several shots of her nose-laser at the thing, but it was to no avail. The gigantic snake was just too strong. Millie Drake screamed again and then swooned in horror upon the ground. I felt the serpent constrict further, cutting off my breath entirely. The horrible monstrosity was squeezing the very life from me!
Just as I was about to lose consciousness, I heard the sound of a laser rifle firing. It hit the snake’s head, killing the creature instantly. I struggled and soon forced myself out of the thing’s now loosened grip.
I looked and saw three men approaching us. Two of them were dressed in the uniform of Earth Space Fleet security guards, and held laser rifles of the type that had saved me from the giant snake. The third was an elderly gentleman with grey hair and a beard, dressed in a white short-sleeve shirt, matching short trousers, boots, and a big hat.
I helped Millie to her feet and made certain that she was recovering from the fright she had experienced from the sight of the huge serpentine horror and its attempt to kill me.
“Are you all right, love?” I enquired.
“I’m okay now, Daniel,” replied the girl sweetly. “That thing… I was afraid it would…”
“Never mind,” I assured her. “We are all right now, thanks to out new friends here.”
We turned back to the recent arrivals and I continued speaking.
“Greetings,“ I said. “I am Doctor Daniel Rumanos and this is Miss Millie Drake. Thank you so much for your assistance, hmmm?”
“I’m Professor Huberman from the University of Regulus 4,” said the old man. “I’m here on a research expedition they have funded in order to discover the possible existence of nutritional protein in certain fungal growths native to this planet. We had just gotten here by matter transmission beam from our ship, which is in orbit, when we heard the young lady’s screams.”
“Pleased to meet you, Professor,” I said, shaking his proffered hand. “My friend and I are on a sort of research junket of our own. We did not know that anyone else was on the planet.”
“Well, it’s great to meet another man of science, Doctor… Rumanos, was it?”
“Yes,” I affirmed. “Fungal proteins, you say? Fascinating!”
“S--. M--.” interrupted Kit-10. “Experiencing difficulties.”
“What is it, Kit-10?” I enquired concernedly.
“The extreme humidity of this planetary environment is adversely affecting my operating systems,” explained the mechanical pussycat. “It is advisable that I should retire from this location immediately.”
“Awww!” exclaimed Millie Drake. “Poor Kit-10!”
“Go back to the DiTraS,” I told the robot. “We shall join you there shortly.”
And with this, the computerised feline began her return to our ship.
“So, Professor,” I said, turning back to Huberman, “tell us more about these protein-rich fungi, hmmm?”
“We are hoping they can be exported in order to feed human colonists on some of the poorer planets,” explained Professor Huberman.
“A fine cause, my friend,” I approved.
As we spoke, I was vaguely aware of a far-off chattering sound approaching us, but thought little of it amongst the many sounds of the cries of strange tropical birds and the buzzing of myriad insects.
“Some of the fungus samples previously taken from Floraglia,” the professor continued, “show a concentration of protein higher than that found in any known meat foods. We just need to find enough of it to verify if it is completely edible and biologically safe for human consumption.”
Little did I know that, at the same time, a pair of dark eyes was watching us from the shrubbery -- dark eyes that were part of a bestial countenance filled with lust and unholy desire upon its sight of young Miss Millie Drake. As the girl listened to my conversation with the old scientist, she did not notice the black, hairy hand that reached out for her…
“You see, Doctor Rumanos,” continued Huberman, “the fungi could be well cultivated in proper laboratory conditions if we could just export enough samples from this planet.”
“Interesting indeed,” I mused. “I suppose the substance could be altered by cross-pollination if there is any resistance to it by the human digestive system.”
“Yes, we believe it could,” agreed the Professor. “In fact, we already have labs ready for just that sort of experimentation on several planets, including…”
The old man’s words were then drowned out by the screams of Millie Drake. I whirled around to see what had so upset the girl and beheld her in the grasp of an horror. It was an ape-like hominid of a type much like the prehistoric australopithecines of Earth, but much larger. He was bigger than most modern men, his skin and thick coarse hair of ebony black. His horrible simian visage chattered and snarled at us showing two rows of huge teeth, as his animalistic eyes narrowed in challenge.
Millie struggled in vain with the brute, who soon turned and, with one mighty leap, took to the trees and disappeared into the jungle!
It had all just happened far too quickly. The ape-man had abducted Millie Drake before I or either of the security men could do anything to prevent it.
“Good heavens, Doctor Rumanos,” said Professor Huberman. “A primitive subhuman primate! We had no idea that evolution on this planet had gone so far; and so much like that found on prehistoric Earth!”
“Yes, and that thing has abducted Millie,” I retorted, attempting to bring the old man’s scientific musings back to the terrible reality that we were facing.
“I suppose it has seen her as a potential mate and decided to… oh my!” said the scientist, suddenly realising the true import of what had just occurred.
“Exactly,” I said. “I need to go after them as quickly as possible.”
“We will have to bring reinforcements and equipment from the ship,” said one of the guards. “Then we can track down where that creature has taken the young lady.”
“No time for that,” said I, scanning the trees with the transonic turnscrew. “If I can find the thing’s spoor I can follow them through the jungle.”
“You have the training to do that?” queried the security man.
“Yes,” I assured him. “You can follow from below just in case I have need of your laser weapon.”
None the less, it was right then that a further vicissitude happened to us. For at that moment, as I spoke to Professor Huberman and the two guards, a giant beast suddenly broke forth from the brush. It was like I unto an huge black lion with an enormous yellow mane. It roared and charged and, within a split second, had leaped upon the two security men. The one furthest from me it took down immediately, its horrid fangs ripping out the man’s throat and killing him instantly. The other guard, the one to which I had just been speaking, was caught by a glancing blow of one of the beast’s paws and fell down to the side, dropping his laser-gun.
“Stand back, Professor,” I warned. “Stay well away from it, and I shall handle this.”
I approached the lion and it turned towards me, it mighty jaws dripping crimson with the gore of the dead man. I looked deeply into the beast’s eyes, asserting my dominance. There were then several seconds of extreme tension before the big cat then suddenly turned and ran off into the jungle.
By now the other security man had recovered and, picking up his rifle, examined the body of his fallen colleague.
“No chance,” he said. “The man’s dead.”
“I am sorry about that,” I consoled him. “It was quick, so at least he experienced little pain.”
“Yes, he died in the line of his honourable duty,” said the guard.
“Good heavens, Doctor Rumanos,” again aid Professor Huberman. “What did you do to the lion?”
“Just an old trick I know,” I explained. “Law of the Jungle and all that, hmmm? Excuse me now, gentlemen.”
With this, I immediately leaped upwards and took to the trees. The trail of the primitive hominid was easy to find, where he had torn through the branches whilst carrying Millie. I followed it quickly along and noticed that it continued upwards. Eventually, I burst forth from the uppermost layer of growth into an area far from the ground, and found myself in the bright, harsh sunlight above the very tops of the trees.
So thick was the growth that it was indeed quite easy to walk here, though I had to be wary of the occasional gaps in the tree tops -- gaps that, if one were to fall into one, could lead to a precipitous fall to the ground so very far below. As I continued along, I noticed that the area was well-nigh covered with a green sort of strangely growing fungi that seemed to thrive in the sunlight.
I soon saw the simian creature several metres in front of me, still carrying the unconscious Millie Drake over his shoulder. I quickly closed the gap between us whilst, noticing my approach, the subhuman put Millie down on the fungus surface and then turned to me with a chattering bellow of challenge.
I clashed with the prehistoric ape-man and began to wrestle him. He was incredibly strong; in sooth, the very strength of animalistic desire and jungle passions in what was (in actual truth!) a struggle for the right to mate with a fertile female -- perhaps the earliest type of conflict known to man. It was a conflict, forsooth, of the type that had been known since the most primitive times upon Earth and so many other worlds; a conflict of the type for which wars had been fought and for which myriad kingdoms and empires had fallen; a conflict to which even the most advanced and supposedly logical societies are in actual fact quite rarely immune; a conflict without which, perhaps, civilisation as we know it may never have come into existence.
As our fight continued, my superior skills in certain types of jujitsu and related arts aided me in finding a superiority over the creature’s brute strength, but his long, apelike arms and pure primitive musculature proved difficult when he made a kind of desperate lunge at me -- a lunge that locked us together and then sent us hurtling through one of the gaps in the tree growth to-wards the ground so very far below!
As we fell, I desperately reached out an arm and grabbed a tree-branch in my attempt to stop it. The sudden halt seemed to knock the wind out of the ape-man just enough that I was able to somewhat shake myself free of him, then to deliver a blow to his prognathous jaw with my free fist -- a blow that sent him plummeting onwards with a chattering shriek to-wards his death on the ground so far below!
After quickly catching my breath, I then climbed back up and ran over to Millie Drake. She was just awakening form her swoon.
“Oh my gosh, Daniel!” cried the lass, trembling as I helped her up. “I’m so glad you’re here! When that ape thing took me, I was so afraid he would… !”
“It is all right now, my love,” I assured the wonderful young girl as I held her in my arms. “It is all right now. Oh, my Mills. My sweet, beautiful little Mills. I promise, now and forever, that no one will ever take you from me. No one.”
After briefly filling Millie in on what had happened and how I had found her, I again looked at the fungal growths around us. Before we left the tops of the trees, I grabbed an handful of this and stuffed it in my pocket.
I climbed down through the growth with Millie, down through the layers of trees and plant growth in that densely thick jungle, and alighted on the ground. Professor Huberman and the security guard were just arriving.
“Doctor Rumanos, what happened?” enquired the old man breathlessly. “I see you managed to rescue the young lady, thankfully.”
“Yes, that ape-man is no more,” I announced, “and have a look a this.”
I took the fungus from my pocket and showed it to the old scientist.
“Good heavens,” he exclaimed. “That’s it! It’s part of the protein-rich fungus that we were searching for!”
I briefly scanned the fungi with the transonic turnscrew and checked the resultant readings for information that would be of interest to Professor Huberman.
“I think you shall find that this is indeed quite edible to humans, and indeed quite rich in protein and other valuable nutrients” I told the scientist. “Oddly for a fungus, it seems to thrive in the direct sunshine. The fungus grows quite profusely on the very summit of the tree growth that covers the entire planet. Due to its colouration, it is barely noticeable except from quite close-up. It should grow quickly and healthily in the light, real or simulated, of the type produced by a yellow star.”
“That is a excellent to hear, Doctor Rumanos!” said Huberman. “This discovery will solve the hunger problem amongst human colonist communities across the Galaxy!”
“Daniel,” whispered Millie, “do you think this is why the Kosmikos sent us here?”
“More than likely,” I told her. “An humanitarian mission indeed. Not the kind of thing the Watchers like to openly admit to, hmmm?”
“Doctor Rumanos,” said Huberman, “we owe you a lot. To be honest, it would have taken us some time to ascertain whether that growth on tops of the trees was the fungus for which we were seeking. You happening to find it, along with the findings of your obviously superior instrumentation, have sped up a process that will definitely save many lives. I will make sure you and your young friend here are mentioned in the reports to the academic journals.”
“Oh, that will not be necessary, Professor,” I assured him. “Just be certain that any further expeditions to Floraglia remain safe from the fauna here, hmmm?”
“We will be sure of it,” chimed in the security man. “All future expeditions to the surface of this planet will be accompanied by a well-armed bodyguard force. But tell me, how did you ever learn such excellent jungle-craft?”
“Oh, from an old friend of mine on Earth,” I explained, “many years ago.”
“What was this friend of yours, Doctor Rumanos?” asked the old professor. “Was he a savage of some sort? Some kind of wild-man?”
“Actually,” said I, “he was an English viscount.”
***** DANIEL RUMANOS AND MILLIE DRAKE SHALL RETURN
