The humanoid set at the vehicle's controls and pressed the power icon. The vehicle turning away from the starship, shot forward with the telltale low whirring sound coming from its engine, as the vehicle raced across the vast plain. While captain Maguire set relaxing in the back seat watching the Bydanian landscape rush past to right and to the left.
He could see the starship far receding into the distance as the vehicle raced towards the city which seemed to rise out of the ground as they approached.
Once again it struck him they had not come across another living being. At first captain Maguire put it down to the isolation of the space port. It seemed logical that apart from the port personal, there would be no reason for anyone else to be present.
The vehicle entered the city and they drove past city blocks deserted save for vehicles parked along the city blocks. It struck captain Maguire as being odd that they had not encountered any other vehicles on the roads. The observation making once again arousing his suspicions. The humanoid caught a glimpse of the expression on captain Maguire's face in the rear view mirror and guessed what had brought on the suspicious expression.
"We are observing a Bydanian festivity. You know how Bydanians are about their sacred days", the humanoid remarked in the way of an explanation. "Ooh", remarked captain Maguire as though understanding was dawning on him, but he was deep in thought as he set back. The humanoid had an interesting choice of words, he had their, and not our. To his knowledge Bydanians never made that error. They never missed the opportunity to identify themselves with anything proudly Bydanian.
What this one Bydanian had said, if was a Bydanian at all had was contrary to the most basic characteristic about Bydanians.
Stealing a glance at the starship captain, the humanoid was not convinced that the he had accepted the explanation and kept throwing him furtive glances through the rear view mirror. While quietly increasing speed.
Apart from that explanation from the humanoid, there were no other utterances from the humanoid's and they drove on in silence. Everywhere the scenario was the same without a soul in sight.As they drove past deserted parks and termini, captain Maguire seemed to lose interest in the scenery. The humanoid finally seemed convinced that he had been satisfied by the explanation and stopped sneaking glances at captain Maguire.
They passed the outer limits of the city and drove for a while through open country, finally arriving at the palace. The humanoid brought the vehicle to a stop outside the palace main entrance. Another humanoid was waiting between two armed guard standing on either side of the open door. Captain Maguire alighted from the vehicle and approached.
"Welcome captain Maguire, the humanoid who was similarly attired as the one who had driven him from the space port, greeted. "Please come with me", he invited. His tone was friendly enough but his face wore a stoney expression which did not convey the same warmth.
Captain Maguire followed the humanoid through the open door. The humanoid led him along a broad passage. They stopped outside a couple of double doors where the humanoid entered a code into a wall panel and the doors slid open. He found himself starring upon a scene that could have made his heart stop. He was walking into a room full of Earth's deadliest enemies. The shock was enough to numb him, he would have run out of there but his legs would not respond, even his mind was too dumbfounded to let him react.
"Captain", the humanoid spoke calmly bringing him out of the temporary shock, and gestured to him to approach the long dinner table at one end of the spacious room . Princess Elantra set at the head of the table, she was flanked on either of the table end by an ancient enemy, chaldarians.
Captain Maguire confidenly walked forward towards the table realising that he was walking into a very high stakes gamble, where the house was staked against him and he stood to pay with his life. At the very least he would taken prisoner to the chaldarians home world.
He was feeling apprehensive but still there was something else greater eating at him on the inside. It was a deep gnawing curiosity that wanted to understand what these chaldarians were doing in the palace.
It was only as he was standing at one end of the table that he realised us the princess was looking different, as though the life had been drained from her. She looked up as he approached and and there was sadness plainly visible on her eyes. He wanted to go to her and comfort her, but it was neither the place or the occasion, surrounded by enemies as they were.
"Princess?", captain Maguire greeted her.
"I 'm afraid the princess unit is feeling under the weather", one of the chaldarians sitting on princess Elantra's immediate right remarked.
"I am gorvenor Gomalux of the chaldarian order", the chaldarian introduced himself."You honour us with your presence".
"Chaldarian honour does not interest me", returned captain Maguire.
"Ok captain since you insist, let's ge right down to us. You will surrender your ship to us. You and your crew will be taken prisoner", said Gomalux.
"Tell me what have you done to princess Elantra", captain Maguire asked.
"Very well, your precious princess is under our control, as are all her people", Gomalux explained. We have her life switch in our possession, oh these mechanicals why do you even care about them. You have put your own live at risk just for this mechanicals.They are just machines".
"That's where you are wrong, they are more alive than a night crawler", captain Maguire shot back.
"Enough!", Gomalux screamed at him, "contact your ship and tell your crew to get out. My people will immediately take over the ship. Do it or the princess dies", Gomalux threatened holding a glowing object in his hand. I will not hesitate to her life switch".
"Ok, relax", captain Maguire urged Gomalux.
"I am relaxed", replied Gomalux sarcastically. "It is you who is fast running out of time. My grip on the princess', life switch is tightening", said Gomalux and will soon break it".