House Quinn

CHAPTER NINE

As night descended on Malakai, stars gradually took over the skies above. The city of silver and gold took on a different appearance. Under the dark sky and stars, the skyscrapers, houses, businesses, seemed to become gigantic natural  obelisk structures. Cool wind blew through the city, the sound a quiet howl.
   Kalock Quinn and Eclise Juno walked in their simple burgandy tunics and black breeches, their Xioalin blades at their waist. They walked side by side to the spaceport exit that would take them to the dock to board one of the gigantic transports. Kalock thinking about his new mission, and how he would do his best to solve it efficiently. Beside him Eclise, certainly was not. He was thinking about how he was getting a chance to leave Malakai again. Off on another great adventure that he would tell his son about once he returned.
   They board the galactic transport, Lydia and her guards waiting for them at the entrance.
   "Welcome. I'm captain Preda. I'm the head guard for the Queen."
  Captain Preda a red skinned man with a scar over his right eye. He wore a red tunic and black pants and  a utility belt with pouches, a knife, and a 9-21  blaster on his waist.
   "Nice to meet you both."
   "Nice to meet you as well, captain." Kalock said.
   "When will the ship be ready for takeoff?" Eclise added.
    "We were waiting for you two. The ship is prepped and ready for launch," Captain Preda said. "My men have already completed a thorough inspection of the ship. She's clean."
   "Excellent. Let's go, Lydia is our main priority."

    *   *   *

The great city of The Annunaki was soft in appearance, with few towering skyscrapers, and elevated walkways. The buildings here were made out of an alien material. A metal that eclise or Kalock had never seen before. Machines of all sorts were everywhere, crawling up the sides of buildings to reach the windows to clean, operating the street carts selling food and sweets, even driving vehicles lugging passengers around to their destinations.
   "There's so much to see, kalock." Eclise said.
Between the both of them, they have visited hundreds of worlds, but seeing a place as technological as the Annunaki city only reminded them that there were thousands more to see.
  At last the Ship was put down at the designated landing pad. The landing ramp was deployed, the passengers aboard began to walk down the ramp. Lydia's guards went down first, then Lydia with her two Xioalin escorts, following them were servants lugging all of her bags and keepsakes.
  Then a door to the landing pad opened up, and came out was a brilliant white light, then they saw a man clad in armor from head to toe walk out accompiened by other men in the same armor.
  "Welcome to Niburi. I am king Of the Annunaki, Kessel." The man introduced himself, slightly bowing to Lydia. The men that came with him bowed as well. "Welcome to my planet, Queen of Dadoo. Come, it is late so I shall show you to your quarters."
   "Thank you, but we should have our meeting first dont you think?" Lydia said.
   "Nonense. First you all rest after your Long journey. There will be enough time to talk in the morning, Queen of Dadoo."
Kessel and his men were taller then everyone in attendance on the landing pad. Their skin were tough and colored bronze, with graceful tattoo markings that covered their entire body. The Annunaki were kind, but packed an intimidating and powerful presence. They were known for their technological breakthroughs, the annunaki were geniuses with machines and warfare.
   "I suppose that shall work."
  Lydia and her party were escorted to their living quarters. Captain Preda situated his men properly, overseeing a fine protective perimeter around and inside the building. Eclise let out a breath of relief knowing that Preda was making his job alittle easier.
  But Eclise could not relax, the assassin could not be underestimated. He gave a nod to the captain, then walked a circuit through the halls of the compound making himself familiar with the exits and entrances. Once he was satisfied he walked back to the entrance to Lydia's room.     Kalock was meditating in front of the door, he reached for his blade at his waist but hesitated once he sensed it was Eclise.
   "Captain Preda has alot of men," Eclise said. "There is no way an assassin will be able to get through from downstairs. Are you bored yet?"
  "I haven't been this bored since, master Yosa would take us to the rivers of tide for meditation practice when we were kids." Kalock replied.
   "Yeah. Dealing with the chills after wasn't a good time neither." Eclise said, joining Kalock on the floor in a cross-legged position. "If the assassin is here, how do you think he will strike?"
   "There are many ways to kill. I don't know which one the assassin will employ, but we must be ready for anything.
   "I wish Osca was here. He would come up with a plan, a bad one, but a plan. Plus, i could use a good laugh."
   "He's on earth you know. His wife had another baby."
   "That's amazing! That adds to the idea that we are the parents now." Eclise laughed. "The only one left is you Kalock. When are you going to have a kid of your own?"
   Kalock could not deny the look of intrigue that crossed his face. "Maybe one day. For now I'm okay being the best uncle I can," he admitted.
   Eclise smiled and nodded, "When we return to Malakai we should hangout in the city. Take John with us."
   "I would like that. We just have to survive this mission first."
   "I mean it's an assassin. There isn't anything in this universe that can kill a Xioalin."
   "That's what most of the universe believe. They think Xioalin are immortal." Kalock said. "However the truth is the opposite."

Just then kalock an Eclise eyes widen and focused in on the door to Lydia's chamber.
   "You sensed that?"
   "All to well," kalock said. He unsheathed his blade pushing open the door to the chamber. Both Xioalin burst into the room their blades at the ready.
  Lydia awoke out of her bed as a being in armor grabbed her from the bed. Lydia shrieked through the choke hold that the being had her in.
   "Let her go!" Eclise said. "You're surrounded. There is no where for you to go assassin."
   Clad in grey armor that was battered, with bolt holes burned into it, but still effective, the assassin stood easily on the ledge with Lydia in his arms. His face was covered by a metal helmet. The assassin reached to his hip and pulled out a bolt rifle, casually lifting, leveling. The assassin fired off a series of shots, and explosions ignited all round the Xioalin.
   All of the assassins shots were defleted into the walls and floor of the room, by the Xioalin. Kalock could hear many footsteps coming from a hall behind him. He figured captain Preda and his men must of heard the shots.
   "Block this," the assassin said. Grabbing from his belt a Metallic ball, then throwing it into the room. The assassin then leapt from the window, a hovercraft waiting for him in midair.
  Eclise thought quickly and before the metallic ball could explode, he protected kalock and the men behind him with a green barrier of energy. The flames along with the air pressure was held back from reaching anyone. The room was not so fortunate, it was completely destroyed by fire.
  Kalock didn't let the fire stop him, he rushed past the scorching flames, looking out the window at the escaping mercenary. He gave chase, jumping from the ledge, while in midair creating a floating disk of light. It was now for Eclise to show his skill, and he gave chase, jumping from the ledge, following Kalock.
   On the other side of the ledge, Kalock caught the falling Eclise and pulled him onto the disk as it began to move at an amazing speed.