Bacon?
Xionide had done his job well. The hyper-drills had impacted the planet’s surface at half the speed of light. The resulting explosions created a tidal wave of earth and rock that buried everything around Zanna in more than a hundred foot of dirt. The force of the explosions was so great that Jason was knocked unconscious; Zanna covered his machine with hers and activated a force field that protected them. Xionide had done his job and she had done hers by making an artificial cave.
Zanna’s Motokin did not use an internal combustion engine nor did it utilize a reactor which could have dangerous side effects. Long ago her people had learned to use magnetic forces to produce energy and that is what powered their Motokin. The magnetic engines were small, lightweight and produced tremendous amounts of electrical energy, enough so that they could utilize plasma weapon systems.
She had her Motokin power up its lights and heating system to make the environment comfortable for when Jason woke up. Thankfully she had brought along a book that she had wanted to read because Jason had slept so long that she had already read half of it.
An irritating beeping noise woke him. One of his sensors was trying to tell him it was damaged. Without thinking he reached over and flipped it off. Reality smacked him in the forehead when he realized he was alive and he hit the front of the cockpit. The Haffaman had powered down and he could no longer see outside. Pulling himself upright he realized that his VT was facing downward. He bent his neck to the left trying to work out a kink in it while he started to get his bearings as to where the down ladder was placed.
Pushing a button the ladder made a zipping sound as it extended to the ground. Slowly he had begun to descend wondering what was going on. Was he dead? Was he alone? Why did he smell bacon?
Jason still had on his street clothes, he had not had the time or care to put on a flight suit. His body ached as he climbed down. He found he could see and it was warm. Again he smelled bacon cooking and eggs.
“Bacon?”
“Yes, bacon, eggs and toast and I even poured you a glass of orange juice.” The voice was the same as the woman who had talked to him just before everything went dark.
Jason looked up and found that the giant machine he had seen was hovered over his in a protective fashion. It was also producing light and heat. He was amazed.
Looking around Jason saw Zanna. She was relaxing in a lawn chair reading a book and glancing over to a portable grill. The light green of her skin did not distract from her raw beauty and her hair seemed to glisten in the artificial light. She wore a 2 piece bathing suit that showed her form, it excited him. She also had on a pair of flip flops and sunglasses.
He noted that there was an extra chair, a small table set with a plate and silverware and a small cooler.
“That smells like bacon but how can you have bacon?” Jason inquired.
“You’ll find that many worlds share a great many things. Only arrogance will make you believe that everything on your world is unique.” Zanna explained never looking up. “Sit, relax and have some breakfast.”
“How long was I out?”
“About ten of your hours or five galactic standard hours.”
“Wow” Jason responded. “So that is really Bacon?”
“Yes silly it is really bacon.”
Zanna could tell that he was hesitant primarily because he had not come any closer. She reached over to the grill and picked up a piece of bacon with her fork and begun eating. Between bites she said “Yup, it’s really bacon.”
Jason’s stomach rumbled as he watched her eat. He could not contain his hunger and quickly made his way to the grill. He found it full of food, just as she had said.
“Eat your fill.”
Those words were music to his ears as he begun to eat and eat. He ate for a solid twenty five minutes before he slowed down. It was bacon, it tasted like bacon, smelled like bacon, had bacon’s texture. The same was true for the eggs and toast, they tasted like the tastes he had known all of his life. The orange juice was the best he had ever tasted.
“So, like breakfast foods are the same all over the universe?”
“I don’t know about the universe but I know in the twelve galaxies that make up our galactic cluster they are pretty much the same. There a few differences here and there but not enough to make you think about them.” Zanna replied.
“That just blows my mind.” Jason said.
“You’ll really freak when you find out that McDonald has a space station in the center of the galactic cluster and a sign that reads ‘Over 7 Googolplex Served’ or that on most starships you can instant order from Burger King. Pizza Hut guarantees delivery in 3 nanoseconds or less.”
“You’re pulling my leg right?”
“If I am you can buy me a Big Mac.” Zanna said with a grin.
“Obviously there is a lot that I don’t know and obviously you are from a different planet. What is going on?”
“Obviously your right, Jason” Zanna smirked.
“Hey…How’d you know my name.”
“Don’t worry I am not a telepath. I’m more of a stalker. I have been watching you from deep orbit for a while now.” She could see the worry crossing his face.
“Don’t worry. I am not here to probe you or remove your brain or any of the other things your silly world has concocted about alien life forms.” Zanna said as she stood and stretched. After she was sure he had enough of an eyeful she put on a robe and sat down normal. Placing a bookmark in her book she closed and placed it by the grill.
“The Vampire’s Vampire” Jason said aloud as he read the title of the book.
“It’s actually not about vampires. The title let me down. It’s about how big corporations take over little ones and so forth.” Zanna replied before she understood that he had read the title.
“You can read our words?” She asked.
“I guess like bacon the universe shares a lot.”
“Hmpf!” She replied and turned her back to him.
“Why me?” Jason resumed his questions.
She turned back to him and removed her sunglasses. Her face became stern and her voice held a commanding undertone. “I’ll tell you why Jason. It was no accident that my scanners selected you. It was no coincidence that Clan Mersious wanted your planet. Your sun is going to super nova next week and when it does it will create gold and lots of it. Clan Mersious needs the gold in order to improve their Motokin. Motokin are a cool name for what you call a Vertical Tank or a mecha or a battlemech or an astromech. Motokin is more universal and easier for most races to say and remember.”
Jason’s eyes widen and he seemed to hang on every word she said. She positioned her body directly across from him and looked him square in the eyes.
Jason had no reason to doubt her words.
“I am going to tell you a story. This story has a very tragic end and it has an offer which you can take or leave.” Zanna began. She knew it would be a while.
“To begin with my name is Zanna. I have no last name. Selaxions only have first names, no middle name no last name. Also we have all been dead for the last twenty thousand years.”
“Dead…what do you mean dead?” Jason interrupted her.
“Stop interrupting and you’ll find out. When I say dead I mean dead as in non-existent and alive no more as in dead. My world was once arrogant like yours except we had the technology to back it up. Before I get into that there is something you need to know first. The galactic cluster Seka is made up of seven galaxies. Your world and mine are inside of that cluster. The Seka cluster is controlled by Motokin Clans. The weakest of these clans is the one that attacked your planet. There are only five clans left all of which are battling for control of the galactic cluster.” Zanna let out a long sigh. Jason’s eyes were full of wonder and the one thing she sought above all else: Hope.
“Twenty thousand years ago my home worlds, yes it is plural because Selaxia is a binary system. There are two life bearing planets in the same orbit. They are half an orbit away from each other. One planet is dedicated to science and technology while the other planet was dedicated to war.”
“Was?” Jason interrupted again.
“Yes it was. There is no life on that planet now. Mostly thanks to me. It was my arrogance that was our downfall as I had gotten so dependent on our technology to save us I ignored everything else. Selaxia Prime was impregnated with a plague that killed every life form on it. Selaxia minor developed a resurrection technique but had made the mistake of trying it their home world. They resurrected the plague and that world also became void of life.” A small tear formed at the corners of her eyes.
“So how are you here then?” Jason questioned sympathetically.
“We are here because of our technology. It took our computers twenty thousand years to be able to resurrect some of us. Between the two worlds it could only revive less than one thousand. Again we are infected with the plague. It was my arrogance that caused it and because of that we have no cure because we do not know where the genocide plague originated from. It is one thing to die it is a whole another thing to die more than once.”
