Interstellar Survival: Invasion

The monsters in the hologram looked slightly different from the ones we had encountered at the black mountain.
Apart from the sheer number they had, each worm also had eight thick and solid sickle-like limbs.

Nommo and everyone hastily mustered up a defense, but they became helpless when more and more worms crawled out of the ground and climbed all over their bodies.
One after another, they fell.

Nommo ’s guards tried their best to protect him.
That was especially true for the ox-headed warrior.
With a massive axe in his hand, the warrior cleaved countless worms to death.
Eventually, the giant worms also started attacking.
With a single swing of their sickle-like limbs, a ship would be destroyed in a loud explosion.

One ship after another exploded, and before long, only Nommo ’s ship was left.
As for the warriors, only a few more than ten were left.
We could see the valiant ox-headed warrior was already ridden with wounds.

The ox-headed warrior and the others fought back with all their strength, finally managing to escort Nommo and the long-nosed individual closer to the ship.
At this time, a powerful giant worm was also approaching the ship.

After nodding at Nommo, the ox-headed warrior pushed Nommo, who was in his hover chair, and the long-nosed individual into the ship.
He shut the door and turned, preparing for a final battle with the approaching giant worm.

The scene then changed, showing Nommo inside the ship.
He was looking at his many guards fighting valiantly to their deaths, his tears flowing with self-reproach.
The long-nosed individual activated the spaceship, and they started ascending.
By that point, all of Nommo ’s guards had perished in the battle.

When the ox-headed warrior saw that the ship had safely departed, he used his final strength to cut a worm down.
He then finally collapsed weakly onto the ground.
A sickle-like limb swept past, cleaving his head into two.

”Adoka! ” Nommo howled with grief. 

’So this brave warrior is called Adoka.
What a valiant alien, ’ I thought to myself.

The ship left the planet ’s surface and was about to continue ascending when, suddenly, a massive worm suddenly leaped toward them from afar.
Its body rose high into the sky, and it caught the ship ’s hull with its sickle-like limbs.

”This is bad, a monster is invading our hull! ” said the long-nosed individual.

”Accelerate.
Throw it off with speed, ” said Nommo.

The ship immediately accelerated.
The massive speed and the friction with the atmosphere ignited the worm ’s body.
Even with six of its limbs burning, it was still able to forcefully pry open the hull before charging inside.

The seriously injured worm flailed about violently in the ship in an attempt to alleviate its pain.
The burning wound was so painful that the worm eventually fainted.
A white pearl rolled out of its mouth. 

Pushing Nommo on his floating chair, the long-nosed individual carefully entered the room with the worm inside.
Nommo picked up the white pearl on the floor.

”This is an energy ball.
This pearl seems to contain three different types of powerful energy.
I wonder if this is related to the three fixed stars we saw, ” Nommo muttered.

”Elder, should we eject this monster? ” asked the long-nosed person.

”Yes, Xanks.
Expel the monster with air pressure, ” said Nommo.

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’So this long-nosed alien is called Xanks, ’ I thought.

”Yes, ” Xanks replied.

Just as the two were about to return to the cockpit, the unconscious worm suddenly woke up.
Its six crippled limbs were causing it great pain, causing it to wail in suffering.
Nommo and Xanks rushed back into the cockpit when they heard the worm ’s voice.
The worm suddenly raised its head and inhaled with all its strength.
Its body enlarged, and its stomach swelled as though it was undergoing some sort of physical transformation.

”Go to the pressure control room and open the pressure door to expel the monster, ” Nommo commanded.

Xanks moved the moment the command was given.
Instantly, the swelling worm roared, unleashing countless smaller worms from its mouth.
The swarm filled every corner of the ship.
It turned out that the swelling transformation the giant worm did earlier was actually for the sake of mono-gender propagation.

The worms filled the spaceship, controlling all passages inside the ship.
Indirectly, that action protected the giant worm.
After all, Xanks could no longer reach the pressure control room.

”If we stay in the cockpit, it will only be a matter of time before those monsters reach us.
We need to send news about this back as soon as possible, ” said Nommo.

”Without our wormhole, we need 15 lightyears to reach Sirius B.
Even when flying at our top speed, we need 15 years to return, ” said Xanks.

”I want to give this thing a try.
See if we can create a new wormhole with it, ” said Nommo as he lifted the thing in his hand.
The object was none other than the white pearl that had rolled out of the giant worm when it was unconscious.

Nommo acted on his plan immediately.
He placed the energy ball into an installation.
Immediately, a shining flow appeared around the ship.
Soon, the flow turned into a transparent light beam, shooting over a hundred kilometers away from the ship.
Then, a transparent sphere appeared a hundred kilometers away.
A wormhole was successfully created.

’Creating a wormhole with only one of these white balls.
This thing seems to contain a large amount of energy, ’ I thought.

Xanks navigated the ship into the wormhole.
The scene in the hologram shifted again.
It returned to Sirius B from 150,000 years ago.
Nommo had returned with the wormhole.
At this time, the giant worm and the other smaller worms were in the process of assaulting the cockpit.
The situation was becoming urgent.

”Xanks, we need to split up to ensure that we can bring the news back, ” said Nommo.

”We have lost our entire army.
This loss is massive.
The enemy had actually discovered our plan and had even used us to discover a new energy source, ” replied Xanks.

”Yes, and it ’s my fault for believing the wrong person, resulting in this great loss.
The only thing we can do now is bring the news back and let those from the future end this for us, ” said Nommo.

”How should we do it? ” Xanks asked.

Nommo went to the massive control panel in the cockpit and took out two hexagonal cases, one big and one small.

”Aren ’t those the prophecy cases we found? ” said Zhang Bao ’er when he saw what Nommo took out.

I gestured at him to not speak.
This was the critical moment where the puzzle would be solved.

”This is the ship ’s recording system.
Everything that happened in the last battle is recorded here.
Only Plum can unlock the recording, ” said Nommo.

I saw Plum tremble slightly upon hearing Nommo mention his name.

”Plum? He ’s still alive? ” Xanks asked.

”Yes, he ’s still alive.
He is carrying out an extremely important mission, ” said Nommo.

”But I heard that Crystal left because of his death.
Even after so many years, we haven ’t heard from her, ” said Xanks.

”Crystal, ” Nommo hesitated to say something.
It seemed like there was a big secret related to Crystal, one that he found hard to talk about.

I saw an expectant look on Plum ’s face, but Nommo quickly shifted the topic.
The little fellow that had been asleep for over a hundred thousand years had disappointment written all over his face.
The knocking sounds on the door grew louder and louder.
The situation was growing urgent by the minute.

”Xanks, my talent has allowed me to sense that in the future, a group of warriors will come to finish our unfinished undertaking.
What we need to do now is protect the secret, leave clues behind, and await their arrival, ” said Nommo.

”When will they arrive? How should we send them the information? ” asked Xanks.

”Perhaps it will take a very long time.
The clues have been carved onto the two prophesy cases.
As for the information, they are preserved in the cases.
Take the smaller case and leave with the escape pod, ” said Nommo.

”You can come with me.
The escape pod is big enough for two of us, ” said Xanks.

”I can ’t leave.
My life is nearing its end, ” said Nommo.
”This giant paw monster might be strong, but without the energy ball, I reckon I can control it with my will. ”

”Will control? ” Xanks said in astonishment.

”Yes, and I promised Plum before that I would return with clues.
However, we can ’t allow this monster to leave and expose Sirius B.
We also don ’t have the ability to clear all of them, ” said Nommo.

”Are you going to use your will to control them and have them kill each other? ” Xanks asked.

”No.
I ’ll bring them back to Sirius B and control the giant paw monster.
Their strength will help protect the ship and this secret, ” said Nommo.

”Are you really not leaving with me? We can take the cases with us and detonate the ship.
That is enough to kill these monsters, ” said Xanks, still hoping that Nommo would leave with him.

”The two cases can ’t appear at the same time.
Otherwise, it might result in a calamity for the Brightlings and the others of the alliance.
This army of giant paw worms comes from a source of vastly powerful energy.
The person who obtains control over such a powerful energy source will be able to control a powerful army and slaughter the universe.
Its location must be kept secret, ” said Nommo.

”But— ” Xanks kept trying.

”Enough.
My life span is at its end.
Xanks, you must leave immediately with this case.
Protect and pass on the secret.
The Darklings had only obtained a tiny portion from the edge of the energy cloud, but they were already powerful enough to destroy our civilization.
This massive energy source hides even more secrets that can topple the universe ’s natural order.
We must bring this information back, ” said Nommo.
He then opened the door of the escape pod.

Xanks no longer hesitated.
He followed Nommo ’s command and entered the escape pod with the prophecy case.
After seeing Xanks leave safely, Nommo set a coordinate for the spaceship ’s flight before sitting down.
From the hologram, it was as though his eyes were looking straight at us.
His gaze even landed on me, causing my heart to skip a beat.

”Warriors of the future.
The remnants of the interstellar rebels require your guidance and leadership.
The equality of life in the universe will be yours to maintain, ” said Nommo, his gaze fixed on me.

Then, a massive black nebula appeared on the hologram.
From outside, the nebula looked like a stallion raising its head proudly.
Then, with a click, the trip back to the past ended.

”Horsehead Nebula of the Orion Constellation, ” Dodo said.