and this one is LooLoo. They were stolen from their family by the Rodan, who wanted to use them in their vile experiments. By the grace of God, I was able to rescue them.”
“They harm children?”
“Yes.” I relived the horrible day when the Rodan attacked my town. I hit Oni hard with the screams of the dying, the blood and gore. I made my pain, my horror and rage hers. “To them we are either food or lab rats to be used in their quest to create the perfect soldier. They have no honor.”
Oni bared her fangs. “They must be stopped.”
“I agree. This planet is where they grow Eugleanophyta.” I sent her a mental image of the plant. “Once harvested, it will be used to turn our people into mindless puppets.”
LooLoo’s legs twitched. “Momma Jia?”
“I’m right here, sweetie.” I cuddled her against my face. “How do you feel?”
“Me kay,” LooLoo wiggled until she could look around. “Where here?”
“This is Sakkara, the city of the dead,” Oni announced proudly.
“No see dead.”
A light flared in the darkness, then another and another and another until I could see a walkway lined with towering lion-headed statues that led to an enormous six-tier stone pyramid.
Oni gestured toward the tomb. “The great ones reside within.”
LooLoo hopped up and down on my hand. “Wanna see.”
“Maybe later when LeeLee is feeling better.”
Chiara uncoiled from my neck to get a better look at the tomb. “Is it true Earth has pyramids?”
“We do. Most are in the Middle East and South America.”
Oni seemed fascinated by that fact. “Your people worship Karnak?”
Before I could answer her, LeeLee suddenly complained, “Me hungry.”
Utter relief flooded me. The twins were back to being hungry and inquisitive. “Once we get back to the ship, you can have all the mealie bugs you want, but now we must find my brother.”
Totally ignoring me, LeeLee stared at Oni. “Who she?”
“Her name is Oni. She guards the tomb of her ancestors,” I answered.
“Why?”
Oni said somberly, “It is my duty to keep the bodies from being desecrated and the treasure safe.”
“Where others?” LooLoo asked.
Sorrow filled Oni’s eyes. “They have joined their families in the afterlife.”
“I lost many nest mates to the Rodan. As soon as they are defeated, Mother Jia will hold a proper death ritual and you are welcome to attend and grieve for your people,” Chiara said with a quiet dignity.
I interjected, “Sister Sarah always told us the ones we love are never gone; they live within us. You’re welcome to join our family.”
“My duty is here.”
I studied the lack of footprints in the thick layer of dust. “How long have you been here?”
“I have spent a millennium in stasis.”
My jaw dropped. “Your people never came back for you?”
“We were at war with the Waziri. All communication was severed to hide the location of the tomb. I accepted my fate,” Oni said fiercely.
An eerie moaning, like a chorus of lost souls wailing a dirge filled the chamber. Every nerve in my body went on red alert. “That can’t be good.”
“Your enemies have gained access to Sakkara,” Oni advised.
“How many?”
A three-dimensional holograph appeared. Mallox, Giovanni, a dozen of their super soldiers and ten Rodan warriors prowled down a tunnel.
My gaze froze on eight creepy half-human, half-slug monstrosities with yellow puss oozing from their distended jaws. Odd protrusions dotted their bodies. I blew out a long breath. None of them were Adam.
Three grotesque, crocodile creatures with metal teeth and long scaly tails walked silently behind Giovanni.
Another monster came into view. Oh, dear God, it was Adam. He had the pale skin, metal teeth and claws of a Tai-Kok, but instead of red eyes, his were amber. Even more surprising, he still had most of his hair.
A note of disgust in her voice, Oni asked, “These are the ones you search for?”
“Yes.” Tears rolled down my cheeks. “I’m too late, they’ve been transformed.”
“The one with the black hair can be saved. The others cannot,” Oni stated.
“You can fix Adam?”
“I can repair his body, but not his mind.”
“Hopefully, Zarek can heal the mental damage.” I might be Askole now, but we were outnumbered and outgunned. The Rodan warriors were armed to the teeth. Me? I had a laser pistol and my energy balls. “We’re going to need help to defeat them.”
“I have released the Yak,” Oni said.
I was expecting mechanized robots or automatic weapons. What I got were a zillion multi-armed bug thingies scurrying down the tunnel. They swarmed over the Rodan soldiers and quickly reduced them to piles of bones.