One thing struck me as I walked to the computer. Ca'Zak had not been startled by my appearance. He was more afraid of the possibility that I was a bounty hunter. Maybe he was just being polite, but maybe, just maybe, there was another one of me, and Ca'Zak had met this other one. Though that was really far fetched. I mean: why would the Creators create two?
Anyway I arrived at the computer but there was no keyboard. Then I noticed the microphone sticking out of it. It wasn't a stretch to figure it out. I leaned in and said "Defender" almost immediately it said
"1069 matches found. Please narrow your terms."
"Hmm..." I thought. Finally I said "Defense"
"19,563 matches found. Please narrow your terms."
"Defender Project."
"1 match found. Open match?"
"Yes." one of the spheres lowered from the ceiling and rested in front of me. The technology was amazing. Years ahead of Earth... though I could see it there. We are building robots.
The vid sphere opened up revealing a small screen inside. It started to play. A Ba'Don appeared on the screen. This one was radically different from Ca'Zak, but I'm not going into specifics. He started o speak
"Builder's log 1/20/01. The Defender project is coming along nicely. As you can see we have finished the robot body and are running through a checklist before we start him up." Behind him was the Defender. I recognized it's expression, turned off. Which is how I like it.
The Ba'Don started talking again. "Look, here comes General Za'Pon. Probably to check on his weapon... er... defense device. General, are you sure this is right? Your designs you gave us, have to many weapons for a defense." the camera turns to show me a grumpy looking, old, Ba'Don. He was one of those old generals that kind of rambled. Then he replied
"As it should be Doctor... whatever your name is. The best defense is a good offense. Now spare us your boring logs and FIRE THIS PUPPY UP!!!"
He was clearly excited. Someone in the back flipped a switch, and the Defender sprang to life. The General looked like he was crying. Then suddenly the Defender flew straight up into the air, smashing through the ceiling, and leaving.
"What just happened?" said the General. Then out of nowhere flames sprang out of the floor, engulfing everyone... the screams still haunt me.
"Doctor what's happening?" someone yelled.
"He's pulling the metal out of our planets core! He's destroying the planet!" then a piece of debris hit the camera and everything stopped.
I sat there, shocked at what I had just saw. Finally, after a forever of silence I said
"Computer, why is this the only entry for the Defender project?"
"All the others were destroyed with the planet."
"Where am I?"
"On the second Ba'Don homeworld." that alone proved my theory of Ca'Zak being off-world when the planet was destroyed. I walked away and went to find him.
Eventually I found him.
"Hey you..." he said "Look I have the solution to your problem. This is a cyberbomb..." he continued gesturing, toward a machine. "I have all the pieces for it but one. A power source. There is one called the Energy Harvester, it will do."
"Where is it?"
"Powering a Colm weapon factory. They stole during the Great War."
"What?"
"Oh you didn't know? Well simply put the Great War was between the Ba'Dons and Colms, with the rest of the universe picking sides. For ages the Ba'Dons had shared the technology we created with the rest of the universe, but the Colms felt like we were holding out on them. The Colms are a brutish, war driven race. So naturally they picked a fight and the rest of universe chose sides. It was because of them the Defender was created... and destroyed..."
"Do not worry. I will get the power source and the Defender can not hurt anyone again."
"Thank you.' he said quietly, and just like that I was flying toward the Colm homeworld.
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