"Welcome to Biddle,” read the sign announcing the name of the small town to which we had journeyed. Little could we know that such an almost humorously commonplace sounding name could be the scene of the incredible adventure we were about to experience on that fateful day.
Driving my specially-modified canary-yellow Edwardian roadster (affectionately known as “Lizzie”), I was clad in my usual finery; including a frilled poet shirt, purple velvet suit, jungle boots, sunspecs, panama hat, and one of my favourite opera capes.
My companion, Miss Millie Drake, is an exceptionally beautiful young lady; petite and perfect with lovely blue-violet eyes, luxurious chestnut-coloured hair, sun-kissed skin, and a sensuously-wide mouth. The tight, short, pink dress she wore only served to highlight the soft curves of her slender adolescent figure.
Also with us was Kit-10, our mobile personal computer that resembles nothing more or less than a small robotic cat.
“So this town is from where the mysterious signal was detected?” inquired Millie.
“Indeed so,” I affirmed, “according to our instruments back at HQ, it was emanating from near the town of Biddle here on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.”
“You said the signal was unlike anything from known Earth technology, but it didn’t seem to be alien. So what do you think it was?”
“We should not speculate too much before being in possession of more facts,” I admonished, “but there is one possibility that immediately comes to mind. There have always been rumours of lost civilisations around this area; indeed all along the east coast of the United States, hmmm?”
“You mean like Atlantis?” asked the girl.
“Yes, but not only that. Atlantis is by far the best known, but it is said that there were many advanced societies inhabiting the isles of the Atlantic over the aeons. That some vestige of them may have survived along the coasts is always a possibility. Are you picking up anything on your sensors, Kit-10?”
“Negative, s--,” replied the mechanical feline in her simulated yet pleasantly feminine voice. “All near by power grids are reading as modern Earth normal.”
(It should be noted here that Kit-10, in addition to her other catlike characteristics, is possessed of the complete and total inability to openly show respect to anyone. In point of fact, the closest she ever comes to it is by addressing me with a slight “s--” sound -- for “sir” -- and Millie Drake by “m--” -- for “ma’am”.)
“Of course,” I added, “any sufficiently advanced civilisation would keep their energies hidden. We only picked up that slight signal trace due to the exceedingly sophisticated equipment we have back at headquarters. Ah, here we are!”
We had now arrived at the shoreline near the outskirts of the town, and there we alighted from the vehicle. I took the transonic turnscrew, an highly advanced scientific instrument somewhat resembling in physical form a large writing pen, from the pocket of my jacket and utilised it to scan the area.
“Hmmm,” I pondered upon looking at the resultant readings before returning the device to my pocket, “the transonic is not showing any unusual readings either -- in fact, it is not showing anything!”
“What do you mean, Daniel?” queried Millie.
“I mean we must be quite close to where to the mysterious signal was emanating from,” I explained. “Whatever technology generated it is blocking any residuals from the near by town, including radio broadcasts and the like. If I am correct in my surmise that this has something to do with an hidden civilisation, they must indeed be quite advanced.”
“Detecting danger, s--,” suddenly interrupted Kit-10. “Detecting danger.”
Millie Drake and I then turned to see what had upset the computerised cat. Near by us, hovering a few metres from the ground, had appeared an image. It was like unto a broadcast image showing several humanoid figures clad in dark clothing to which seemed to be attached certain bizarre protuberances.
“Daniel, isn’t that a holographic transmission?” asked Millie Drake.
Then, before I could answer to the affirmative, the central of the three human figures spoke.
“We are the rulers of Baytopia,” he said, his voice emotionless and authoritative. “We have waited long and now have come forth to announce our ascendancy. No one on this planet can stand before us. We will now assume supreme power over all human societies.” …
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, along with his dangerously-seductive daughter, Anastasia, and his occult terrorist organisation, Spectral Paranormal; as well as from alien invasions, mad scientists, mutated monstrosities, power-crazed dictators, 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 professor of the impossible, the maestro of the miraculous, the purveyor of Pure Mystery, the saviour of the Cosmos, and the sword of justice from the planet Daemonia. I am the cosmic crusader. I am the stellar swashbuckler.
These are my memoirs. This is my story.
I am -- THE DAEMON-STAR!!! …
“Baytopia,” I said. “Of course. That is the ancient human civilisation said to exist in this region. It is old indeed, predating not only the European colonists but the indigenous peoples as well.”
“But Daniel,” said Millie, “why are they doing this? The hologram I mean.”
“It is probably as a way to show off their technology, hmmm?” I answered. “The broadcast will likely have been patched through all radio and television on the planet.”
“So they are actually planning to take over the world?”
“So it appears. According to legend, the Baytopians have always been content to remain in their own society underground. Something has happened to change that, I surmise, and now they have set out upon the path of conquest.”
“It’s a good thing we got a leak of their energies earlier, so we could be here to stop them.”
“Quite so, love, but we need to know what they have planned if we are going to be of any use in that regard. So little is actually known about the Baytopians.”
It was then that the holographic broadcast resumed, and the Baytopian speaker made a further announcement.
“People of the planet’s surface,” he said, “you will not be able to stand against us. We have weapons at our disposal that can ravage and blight your society. One of them we will now show to you as a warning against showing us any resistance. It is known as Bogreton.”
Then there was a shimmering light near by, reaching from the ground up to hundreds of feet into the air. When it cleared, we beheld an horror indeed; a monstrous being that stood between the town of Biddle and us. It was in form like unto a gigantic black swamp rat walking on its hind legs. As it lurched forward, it emitted an horrid screeching sound that echoed around the area.
“By the Stellar Trinity!” I swore. “It appeared here by matter transmission, hmmm? That is quite strange, since no known ancient human society ever developed that particular technology. Perhaps the Baytopians have been in contact with come alien civilisation, and that is what has so radically changed their demeanour, hmmm?”
“But what is that monster?” enquired Millie Drake.
“Hmmm,” I pondered. “Kit-10, what are you picking up about the monster apparently known as Bogreton?”
“Accessing biological scan results,” replied the little robot. “Creature appears to be a mutation of one of the common species of rodent. Radioactive exposure has been utilised to increase its size and to upgrade it to bipedal stature. Size may be fluid so creature can be kept in storage. There is also a wave of energy entering it from precisely below our current location.”
“So they are transmitting a beam of energy to control the thing then,” I said.
“Is there some way that we can block it?” asked Millie.
“In order to do that, we will have to go underground and enter their city, and…”
I was the again interrupted by the voice of the Baytopian.
“You will now witness our power,” he announced. “Bogreton shall now commence to utterly destroy the small city here of your surface civilisation.”
It was then that the horrid monstrosity known as Bogreton entered the town of Biddle and began to devastate it, stomping its very buildings into rubble. We heard the terrible screams of its citizens as they beheld the horror that was befalling them.
“All governments of the surface of Earth,” continued the Baytopian, “you will surrender to us immediately, or we will annihilate you all.”
“Daniel, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Millie Drake.
“Indeed so, love” I replied. “We need to call Pederosis!”
I took out the transonic turnscrew and walked over to Lizzie, then activating and pointing the device to some secret circuitry inside the car’s dashboard before returning it to my pocket.
“The signal will now go forth to the oceans of the world,” I said. “It shall summon Pederosis, the greatest of the Kaiju -- those legendary titans that ruled Earth long before any other forms of life appeared on the planet.”
“But how long will it take him to get here?” queried Millie. “The town of Biddle is being destroyed!”
“It is difficult to say, my dear,” I admitted. “To call Pederosis is an awesome responsibility. He has been generally beneficial to mankind, but can be rather unpredictable. Nevertheless, I do not think the human race is going to just sit by and accept the rule of Baytopia. Look!”
As the monster Bogreton continued to rampage through the town of Biddle, a United States Army tank was approaching it. At the same time, several Air Force fighter jets were fast approaching the thing from above.
The tank fired on Bogreton, hitting it squarely in the side. The monster was not seriously harmed by this, but screeched in a sort of horrific indignation, then turning to-wards the tank. Then the jet planes, in perfect formation, began to dive downwards, also firing upon the gigantic monstrosity.
“Unfortunately, I do not think they will be able to defeat Bogreton,” I admitted, “but they shall at least keep the thing occupied for a time.”
“So Daniel,” said Millie Drake, “didn’t you say there is a way we can go and try to shut off the power controlling the monster?”
“Perhaps so,” I said, again removing the transonic device from my jacket and activating a certain setting. “If I can catch hold of the residual energy from the matter transmission and reverse its polarity… Ah, hold on!”
A shimmering light then surrounded Millie Drake, Kit-10, and me, and we quickly vanished from the area. …
An instant later, we found ourselves elsewhere. We were in what appeared to be a series of darksome corridors, lit only by a sort of controlled phosphorescence.
“Where are we?” questioned Millie.
“We should be near the central control area of Baytopia,” I informed her. “We need to find it and from there we may be able to lend some assistance against that monster, hmmm? Come along Mills, Kit-10 -- and let us stay close together.”
As we explored the tunnels, we encountered numerous Baytopians, humanoid as the ones we had seen on the hologram. They all were going about their own tasks, and seemed to not even notice our presence.
“Daniel, what is wrong with them?” whispered Millie. “Why are they not even trying to stop us?”
“Notice those strange protuberances that are attached to them,” I pointed out. “It is some kind of psychic augmentation remote connective device to a sort of collective consciousness. They do not even take notice of us unless and until we are specifically perceived to be a threat.”
“So are they like cyborgs?”
“Not precisely, as the augmentations appear to be fully organic. Do you notice how they quite resemble insect parts? I believe that is the key to this mystery, hmmm?”
We were by now approaching what appeared to be the central control area. Along the walls were numerous video-type screens, tuned to the action outside -- the fight between the US military and the monster Bogreton!
“Look, Daniel,” said Millie Drake. “They seem to have hurt him some, but he’s attacking them back.” …
Outside, this was indeed the case. As the jet fighters continued to dive down upon the monster, it raised it rat-like claws and swatted at them, sending two of them crashing to the ground. Then Bogreton turned to face the tank.
Another blast of flame erupted from the tank and hit Bogreton square in the chest. The monster backed up a few paces, screeching in anger. Then the horrifying thing strode forwards and, with a sudden jump, landed its bulk on the tank, smashing it into a twisted mass of wreckage!
A second wave of fighter planes then appeared, approaching the monster at high speed. They began a barrage of firing upon it; an attack which, even though it did not seem to be able to completely subdue the horrid creature known as Bogreton, did keep it from any further destruction to-wards the town or its people.
None the less, it was then that something of further terror, in truth of further eldritch horror occurred. For at that moment there was another shimmer of the enormous matter transmission device and there then came into view another monstrosity. It was as large as Bogreton, and resembled a gigantic insect, six-legged and standing erect upon the back two. Its head had a pair of constantly moving antennae, and its large buggy eyes glowed with an horrid effulgence. …
In the underground world of Baytopia, we beheld this and recognised the second monster -- forsooth, we recognised it as an horror that we had previously encountered in one of the most frightfully dangerous adventures of our storied career.
We heard the voice of the Baytopian, again broadcasting their warnings to the world that they planned to conquer.
“Our allies of the DS-719 Erebus Cascade have granted aid to us,” he stated, “in the form of the creature known as Nyjo.”
“Nyjo!” repeated Millie. “It really is Nyjo! So the Baytopians have been in contact with the aliens that control it!”
“That explains a lot,” I pondered. “As you know, the aliens from the DS-719 Erebus Cascade are insectoid, and they have apparently augmented the Baytopians with an adaptation of their own hive mind.” …
On the surface, the Air Force planes confronted the monsters Bogreton and Nyjo. The squadron hit them hard, but found the firepower to have little effect, just annoying the two colossal creatures. Then, the alien Nyjo raised its huge insect head to-wards them and suddenly shot two rays of light from its eyes. The rays hit several of the aeroplanes and immediately burned them out of existence, alerting the remainder of the squadron to retreat from the scene.
The two horrors then returned to their devastation of the town of Biddle.
Then, in the near by waters there was an humongous spray of surf as something began to break through the surface; something huge and heavy. He came forth from the bay with a mighty roar, forsooth an awesome being like unto a bipedal lizard forty storeys tall, scaly and green of colour, massively muscled, and with three rows of serrated spikes down his back and tail. His subtly slanted eyes bespoke of a keen intelligence.
It was PEDEROSIS, King of the Kaiju!!!
Nyjo and Bogreton turned to face the newcomer as he charged forward to meet them in battle. …
Underground, we watched all of this happening on the Baytopian video screens.
“Pederosis will be able to defeat the monsters, won’t he?” asked Millie Drake.
“We should only hope,” I replied. “We still need to see to blocking the Baytopians’ control of the things, so our giant lizard friend can have a better chance. Ah, this seems to be the central control room.”
Millie, Kit-10, and I had by now entered a large circular area in which were numerous controls and switches adorning strange machinery.
“Now,” I continued, “if we can just isolate the proper circuitry and…”
The sound of the Baytopian announcer’s voice then suddenly interrupted me.
“Intruder alert,” he said. “Intruder alert. Intruders detected in the monitor chamber.”
“Oh my gosh!” cried Millie. “They’ve noticed us! Look!”
It was then that numerous Baytopians began to surround us and then to move directly to-wards us, their hands stretch out threateningly!!
Is it even at all possible, my dear friends and most appreciated readers, that you can begin to realise and comprehend the extreme abominable horror of this situation? Whilst the heroic monster known as Pederosis continued his fight against the invaders Bogreton and Nyjo, my two companions and I were trapped in the macabre city of the Baytopians as they surrounded us and threatened to kill us as intruders! ...
Back on the surface, the battle of the monsters was well underway. Pederosis had guided them somewhat away from the town, and Bogreton and Nyjo were now concentrating on double teaming the fight against him, with the gigantic rodent slashing at Pederosis with its claws whilst Nyjo hit the heroic giant lizard with volleys of its burning rays of awful light.
Pederosis responded with numerous blows to the evil duo. He managed to hold them off, but for now the battle raged on with no sure sign of a victor. …
Below, the threatening Baytopians were approaching closer and closer to us.
“Kit-10!” I called. “Stun them!”
The robotic cat then sent forth several blasts from her nose laser at the Baytopians. Each one that was hit fell unconscious to the floor.
“Good shooting, Kit-10!” Millie Drake cheered. “But there are so many of them!”
“The distraction should give us just enough time,” said I, again retrieving the transonic from my pocket.
I did a quick series of calibrations on the device and then aimed it to several portions of the surrounding machinery.
“That should do it, hmmm?” I mused. “Hold on!”
My companions and I were then surrounded once more by the shimmering glow of the matter transmission technology, and we disappeared from the Baytopian city. …
We reappeared above on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, near by to where the monster fight was still raging on.
“So Daniel,” said Millie, “what did you do?”
“I managed to invade their systems with the transonic turnscrew,” I explained whilst returning the device to my jacket. “I blocked their control of Bogreton and Nyjo, and then I accessed the matter transmission tech to bring us back here.”
We then heard the sound of an explosion and a quake lasting several seconds rocked the area.
“What was that?” queried Millie Drake.
“Oh well,” I rejoined, “I also set their system to overload and self destruct, obliterating their city. The Baytopians will no longer be any threat to planet Earth.”
“Look!” cried Millie. “Pederosis is defeating the monsters!”
Indeed, seeing Nyjo and Bogreton now obviously diminished in power, the great lizard was easily dominating the battle.
Pederosis sent a blast of his radioactive breath directly at Nyjo. The fire-like radiation surrounded the thing and, within a few seconds, the horrid gigantic insect fell to the ground, now just a lifeless mass of charred matter. Its remains quivered for a few moments before lying still in death.
Then Pederosis turned to face Bogreton. The giant rat let out a screech just before Pederosis began a run to-wards it -- a run that the giant lizard turned into a flying drop-kick that sent Bogreton hurtling to the ground -- now just a crushed and lifeless corpse.
As we watched, the remains of Bogreton began to diminish in size, until they became only the mangled corpse of any ordinary-sized rodent.
“That is it,” I said. “Without the influence of the Baytopian technology, Bogreton has returned in death to what it originally was.”
Then Pederosis let out a roar. It was a roar of challenge and of warning; forsooth, a warning to any other being that would dare to attempt to harm the planet Earth that he was dedicated to protecting.
“Bogreton has been destroyed,” I said. “Earth is now safe from the threat of the Baytopians!”
“He’s done it!” cheered Millie. “Pederosis has done it!”
Pederosis walked back into the Chesapeake Bay and waded onwards until most of his enormous bulk was underwater.
“Where we he go?” asked Millie Drake as she waved goodbye to the heroic kaiju.
“He will return to his ages-long sleep beneath the sea,” I said, “until the day that he is once again needed.”
And, after lifting his head for one final roar of triumph, the mighty lizard known as Pederosis began to swim back to-wards the ocean.
***** DANIEL RUMANOS AND MILLIE DRAKE SHALL RETURN
