Excerpt

Guy said to Cheryl, I just got an invitation from the kingpin, now we are getting somewhere. Come on, he stepped ahead of her into the pitch black darkness.

The voice spoke again in a disapproving manner. There is a female with you!

She goes where I go, Guy thought-said firmly, then lied, She is my mate.

A longer than normal silence ensued, Very well, bring her. She will be blinded to our presence.

Without hesitation, Guy stepped forward, pulling Cheryl along with him by her hand. The voice in my head says its okay to bring you but you will not be able to see him or me. He squeezed her arm to give her the assurance of his presence. Ahead of them, he could see a bright patch of light shining in the blackness. Then without warning they were inside a large circular chamber, its wall dimly defined by a pale purple fluorescence. Along the perimeters, huge glass bottles stood in upright positions, and inside each bottle was a human being encased in a tight fitting cocoon of transparent material. The bottles were filled to the brim with a clear liquid. Flexible tubing ran into and out of the bottles. Guy felt Cheryl falter in her step. A muffled gasp evaded her attempt to stifle it. Guy fought down his own revulsion and strode on, pulled by an instinct that told him the light he could see shining further on would give him some answers.

They left the purple lit chamber and came to stand before a raised platform that seemed lighted to a dazzling brilliance from hidden sources. Then to Guys eyes there magically materialized a human appearing manlike figure on the dais.

He was handsome, tall, straight, with the physique of an athlete. His hair curled about his head like a crown. Guy got the instant impression he could have modeled for Michael Angelos sculpture of David in the Louvre of Paris. Except for the fact that he appeared to have no male genitalia. Its jet black skin shone with smooth sleekness over the ripple of its masculine-like muscles as it raised both arms in a salute of silent greeting. It was devoid of any apparel, robes, belts, medallions or jewelry of any kind. It was plain it did not need adornment. Except for a longer than usual stub-like projection on the end of its spine above its beautifully formed derriere. It gave Guy a flash-like thought that it resembled the stem of a picked fruit or vegetable. But then it occurred to Guy in the same fleeting moment that it may be the healed umbilical of whatever kind of creature this was. Its physique and ebony black flawless epidermis was herald enough to announce its inherent regality.

In his mind, Guy heard the words, Welcome worthy equal. I await your pleasure.

Guys heart skipped a beat at the word equal but it gave him the final structure to an idea hovering in the back of his mind until now. He catered to the formality of the greeting by concentrating his thoughts toward his greeter. Thank you, I am Guy Myll, and with me is my soon-to-be wife, Her Royal Highness, issue of the Vann lineage. His thoughts went on from there to form rapid questions. Who are you? Why have you attacked this world? Why have you not come in peace?

Words came back to him. I am Xenon, Master of this pod. We drift the currents of space and settle where we will. Experience has taught us that life, such as is on this world, does not willingly make available to us the item we seek. Its eyes settled on Cheryl standing dazedly before it. A very beautiful woman despite her lack of skin pigment. Masters are entitled to the very best, why did you not pick your own kind?

She is my kind and the best. Her lineage line possesses a superior pigment that when combined with mine will produce a super race of Masters. Can you not discern the fair skin, blue eyes and yellow hair? Our children shall rule the universe.

I see, the thought came back. Yet you do not speak of your own superior lineage?

Mine! The thought was an exclamation, one that had slipped past Guys control before he had a chance to stop it. All his thoughts, so far, had been simply double talk in an attempt to find out all he could about the figure in front of him.

Your deoxyribonucleic. Its as plain to me as mine must be to you, the pod Masters thought came.

For a moment, Guys brain failed to supply him with cognition, then it came to him in a rush. Hes referring to my DNA! Guy strained to neutralize the directional control over his thoughts, not wanting the pod Master to have the knowledge that he was treading in an area of science in which he knew zilch. Without more than a blink of an eye to show his nanosecond confusion, Guy thought-sent. Thats personal and private. With that, he purposely dropped the subject thought lines, not sure how much longer his mind would allow him to present these less than half-truths as fact.You mentioned the seeking of a hard to obtain item. What item do you look for?

The answer pounded into Guys startled brain. Cheryl beside him, silent till this time, sensed his shock. She clutched his arm, frightened with the unseen. What is it? What is happening? her words high in pitch, as if on the verge of a hysteria.

Guy spoke aloud, choosing his words for the sake of keeping the creature in front of them incognizant of the truth. There is a human-like figure standing on a dias in front of us. It has told me why they have come to this earth.

Why cant I see it? Why cant I see you, Guy? Why has my sight been denied me again?

Guy felt Cheryls nails dig into the flesh on his arm. Try to be calm. You were warned that youd be blinded in the presence of the Master.