Shelby and Shauna Kitt and the Dimensional Holes. P. H. C. Marchesi

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СКАЧАТЬ of Miriax: Valmorax, Palanix, and Oceanux.”

      “I see,” said Marina, wondering if all of the names on Miriax ended in ‘x,’ and concluding that they did.

      “Well, now that we’re all here,” said the president, turning to Astrax once more, “I assume that we’re going to find out why you have decided to make contact with us? From what you’ve been telling me, it’s not something that can usually be done.”

      “That is correct,” said Astrax, gravely. “Our planet exists in a parallel dimension to yours. We cannot ordinarily come to your dimension, any more than you can come to ours. Energy, as you know, is the only thing that is able to travel between separate dimensions.”

      “I didn’t know that, actually,” confessed the president.

      “What that means,” continued Astrax, seemingly surprised by the president’s frank admission of ignorance, “is that planets from different dimensions can receive and absorb each other’s energy. Over a very long period of time, some planets have developed so as to rely on certain types of energy. Miriax, for example, relies entirely on the positive energy it absorbs from Earth, and Earth in turn benefits from the energy reflected back. If this delicate balance is disrupted, both planets suffer. That is why we came here.”

      “But didn’t you just say that energy is the only thing that can travel between different dimensions?” asked the president, looking thoroughly confused.

      “It used to be,” said Astrax, somewhat impatiently. “Unfortunately for both our planets, dimensional holes have opened between Earth and its parallel dimensions. As a result, both Earth and Miriax are in grave danger.”

      There was silence in the room. Astrax looked considerably pleased with the attention her words had evoked.

      “It seems as if several people here have already died as a result of these dimensional holes,” added Lendox.

      “I bet it’s those weird murders!” cried Marina.

      All eyes in the room looked at Marina, who reminded herself that she really ought to control her moments of brilliant insight.

      “You perceive things quickly,” Astrax said, scanning her with disdain. “Watch closely.”

      Marina now noticed that Astrax wore a glove similar to the one Lendox had worn at the observatory. The mirian consul opened her palm, and the same star chart Lendox had used began to occupy the room, much to the outrage of the three men in uniform, who had to move aside for Saturn and Jupiter to settle into their proper places. Marina immediately noticed that, in addition to Miriax, another planet now orbited the Earth. To her surprise, it was larger than Miriax, and its dark and gray surface was smudged with red streaks that looked eerily like bleeding veins.

      “Focus your attention on Earth,” said Astrax. “As you can see, both Miriax and Klodius exist within close proximity, though in different dimensions.”

      “As Marina correctly guessed,” added Lendox, gesturing to the gray and red planet, “klodians have been paying visits to Earth.”

      “So klodians also live in a parallel dimension?” asked Marina.

      “Yes,” he answered. “Their planet, Klodius, thrives on all the negative energy humans emit. Greed, violence, cruelty – Klodius is nourished by all of those, and reflects them back to Earth.”

      “They’re our enemies, then,” said the president, furrowing his forehead.

      “They are part of a very delicate balance,” replied Lendox. “Klodius, Earth, and Miriax have coexisted, though in separate dimensions, for thousands of years – until the dimensional holes opened.”

      “What caused these holes to open?” asked Marina.

      “We do not know,” replied Astrax.

      “Do you know how long they’ve been there?” insisted Marina.

      “We have been monitoring it for about 15 years now.”

      “And all this time, these klodians have been coming to Earth?” asked the president. “Why didn’t you intervene sooner?”

      “It did not seem wise to announce our existence, considering what we have gathered of your violent history,” said Astrax, disapprovingly. “We expected the dimensional holes to close on their own, but now we understand they will not. We must close them, or klodians will do considerable damage to both our planets. The more klodians land on Earth, the less positive energy there is for our planet to absorb.”

      “And their planet?” asked the president. “Does it get stronger every time they kill someone?”

      “Considerably more so,” said Astrax, coldly.

      “So they just pick random people and kill them?” asked Marina.

      “Not exactly,” said Lendox. “Klodians are naturally drawn to those who emit the most negative energy: those who are greedy, miserable, or desperate.”

      “And then?” asked the president, looking as if he dreaded the answer.

      “They do not have to do much,” replied Astrax. “A regular human heart begins to wither immediately upon close proximity to a klodian. It does not take long until the person is dead.”

      “Where do the dark marks around the face come from?” asked Marina.

      “From their nails,” said Lendox. “They release poison, and the dark circles are where the poison burns through the victim’s skin.”

      Marina stared at Lendox for a moment, frowning with disgust and shock. The president and his advisors, too, seemed stunned into speechlessness.

      “And we feared it was an unknown virus,” muttered the president, finally. “We were afraid it would spread and kill everyone.”

      “The klodians have no interest in killing everyone, or in destroying Earth, for that matter,” resumed Astrax. “They know very well that if they do either, Klodius cannot survive. What they do want, however, is to increase chaos, fear, and violence on Earth as much as they possibly can. By doing so, they can strengthen their planet, and weaken yours and mine.”

      The president and his three military advisors exchanged glances, and one of them gave the president a slight nod.

      “Clearly, these klodians are a common threat,” said the president, confidently. “We are willing to offer any military aid necessary to destroy them.”

      “We are thankful for the offer,” said the mirian consul, looking unimpressed, “but we have sent emissaries to all the governments of Earth requesting a different kind of help.”

      “Oh?” said the president, taken aback. “What kind of help are you referring to?”

      “We need the help of humans who have a high concentration of positive energy. Such humans can be trained to protect Earth from any incoming klodian visitors. Of these humans, we intend to select four to go to Miriax.”

      “To Miriax? What for?”

      “To be trained to seal СКАЧАТЬ