Disclaimer: All rights reserved by AJ Marks copyrighted 2002
Disclaimer 2: One of my oldest stories, it was recently rewritten and will finally be posted in its entirety. One of my first original sci-fy stories, and the idea came to me after 9/11.
Legacy of the Guardians
by AJ Marks
Prolog
A barren planet slowly orbited around an ancient sun. The activity in the area had all but disappeared over a million years ago. No space faring race visited the planet recently, only finding a wasted surface. The water on the surface had long ago since vaporized and life had died off as the star underwent changes due to age.
On the surface of the planet there were ruins of some ancient race indicating there had been intelligent life. The ruins were run down, abandoned and left to the winds of change and gravity. Any excavations came up with no clues about who lived on the planet, or even what happened to them. It remained one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.
Some speculated that whoever lived there might one day return, or that they had gone beyond the galaxy centuries ago. They now were somewhere in the vast emptiness of space never to return again.
A large power fluctuation occurred, bending space. What emerged from the hidden realms of the fabric of time itself, a ship unlike any in the universe. Long, flat, oblong and completely smooth allowing the eye of an observer to slide off it. The very appearance would have made some races scares, while comforting other races. Younger races would have looked upon it with awe.
The skin of the ship, if one felt it, would have felt organic, almost living, a yellow-pink color. There appeared no obvious markings or openings that would allow anyone entrance to the ship. And with no other features, including a propulsion system but yet it moved towards the surface of the planet.
It slowly descended to the surface, a particular sport on the planet which had intrigued many scientists. A large building surrounding by several cone-shaped buildings which formed a semi-circle facing the larger building. The large building appeared to be in some form of an animal, but as no one ever knew what the animals of the planet looked like there was no telling. The overall form though, could be related to the Sphinx of Earth, if any alien scientist had been there yet.
The ship hovered just inches from the surface of the planet, not disturbing the dust layering the surface. A section of the hull melted away, as a small ramp formed showing an entrance to the ship. Several glowing beings hovered down t the planet’s surface, and headed towards the large building.
Standing near the front of the building a blast of energy short from the beings. A doorway appeared allowing them entrance.
Inside, technology millions of years more advanced than any other race filled the room. Energy freely pulsated from place to place, and the beings appeared unconcerned with it, even pausing to catch it before sending it back on its way. These were the computers they used, the scale and power unlike anything in the universe. The beings looked closely at the energy pulses, reading things only they would see.
It is time for us to completely leave, our replacements are ready, one said to the rest.
I’m not sure about that, let us wait a while longer to make sure they know they are the ones, a second one said.
We could help out? A third asked.
The other races no longer trust us, we have been gone for too long this time, the second one stated looking at some more information.
The darkness is coming, I can feel it growing stronger, the third one stated. We have to help out, it is our destiny.
Not anymore, it is time for the younger guardian to take our place. They must handle the darkness like we did. We had no help from the previous guardians, so they must not have our help either. They must learn their place, it is the only way, a fourth one stated.
The four beings looked at each other for a few seconds before anyone spoke again.
What if they lose? the third one said. We would have failed our job.
Then they will have lost, that is their failure, or success, the fourth one stated. There must be balance in life, if the darkness wins it might not next time. Darkness balances the light, as light balances the dark.
But we can help, the third one said.
No, our time has come and gone, there are too few of us anymore. It is time for us to join the stars, a fifth one stated.
The rest seemed to understand, though one stood disappointed by the decision, but would not disobey. They had been the guardians for a million years, keeping the darkness from conquering the universe. They had fought it hundreds of times, and won. For the last couple of thousand years the darkness had been quiet, knowing it could not defeat them, waiting for the change, for this day. With a decision made, the computer chirped one time, causing them to look, a single file finally unlocked for them to read. At last they understood the cycle of life. Confident in their decision they left the room.
The beings went back out aboard the ship and lifted off. Once in space the ship targeted the planet that had once been their homeworld. With an incredible amount of energy, a beam short forth, vaporizing the planet, wiping it from existence. The ancient sun was next, followed by any large planets in the system followed by the rest of the moons and anything else. By the time they were done, nothing remained of the system by some asteroids floating in an empty space.
The ship then briefly glowed brighter than a star, and vanished. With one last stop, the ancient guardians were gone.
Across the galaxy, another group of beings became aware of the event. All their planning had come to this. The past ten thousand years and they were ready. The guardians were gone, now they could rule the galaxy.
End prolog
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