MENTAL ESSENCE
PAGE 132
   "I am afraid your itinerary requires an alteration," said Trent throwing the lifeless body of the Celder to the side.
   The rest of the Celder immediately tried to pounce on Trent.
   They became evermore agitated as they found themselves sliding off his shielding.  After a few minutes they had worked themselves into a lathered state of exhaustion and retreated twenty or so feet away.
   "Can't you just stop their hearts?" thought Pace.
   "They do not have hearts.  Their vascular system has an inner lining of cilia that pushes the blood along.  Their brain is separated into three separate locations, and they can apparently withstand intense radiation.  Plus, I would not be surprised if they can survive in open space for several minutes as well.  If it is not too inconvenient, could you take the body of the Celder back to the cargo ship for a more detailed autopsy?" OM stated.
   Trent loaded the body into Ship and it was on its way.  Handy made a quick job of the autopsy, and Ship returned to the planet surface.  Trent and pace were once again surrounded by the Celder.
   "That did not take long," Trent commented.
   "Handy is handy," replied OM.
   "What did ya learn?" Pace asked.
   "I am still analyzing," thought OM.
   "Notice they seem not to notice or not to care about Ships return," OM thought.
   "Stands to reason in as they got here from another planet and exchanged nukes in open space fighting," thought Pace.
   "They must be genetically engineered to be fighters," Trent said watching them walk around Pace and himself.
   "That would be a safe bet," Pace thought.
   "They are releasing a pheromone.  I will assume it is to notify their friends they require assistance as there are many moving this way," stated OM.
   "Have you devised a way to shut them down?" Pace asked OM.
   "Ship can use the geo-laser.  You can electrify your shielding and expand it, shoot them projectile weapons, or snap their necks.  hit them with a rock," OM answered.
   "Maybe hit them with a rock!  That would be an attempt at humor," Pace thought.
   "Here comes back-up," Trent said watching several dozen Celder approaching at a dead run.
   "Should I zap them with the geo-laser?" Ship asked.
   "I will subdue one for questioning, then deploy the laser," Trent ordered.
   Ship rose to five hundred feet and zapped all but three of the Celder.
   "Three entered dwelling about a thousand yards to the east.  There are several more attacking a small settlement to the north at about five thousand yards," stated OM.
   "If you would like, I can terminate the three Celder in question," Handy thought.
   "How would you do that?" asked Pace.
   "I have several components which can be quite lethal," Handy stated.
   "Ship, collect Handy and let him use his components on the three in the dwelling.  Pace and I will aid the settlement," Trent ordered.
   "What's wrong with this?" Pace asked holding up her particle rifle.
   "It is certainly a capable weapon, but what do they have in that dwelling?" Trent asked.
   "We have been is firefights before as you well remember," Pace stated.
   "I was also a small link set at the time.  Until I am comfortable with your shielding there will be prudence practiced," thought Trent with an overtone of firmness.
   "Well I guess the settlement will due for starts," Pace said walking to the right.
   "Shall the take the Trent express?" Trent thought scooping up Pace and running to the settlement in a few seconds.
   "Yaoow, a bit bumpy, but your economical," Pace said.
   They were standing a few feet from in front of the gate receiving the most attention from the Celder.
   "You mine," screamed a Celder in front of Pace after talking a step back from her sudden appearance, then lunging at her with wooden club.
   Pace cut him in half with the particle rifle.  Several other Celder knocked her to the ground before she could use her weapon.
   "Fast critters are they not," said Trent as he began grabbing the Celder by the necks and flinging them into the air.
   Pace was soon on her feet and slicing the Celder in swaths.  Seeing they were outmatched, the Celder retreated, and the Hoyla came running thought the gate.
   "You!  You!  Who are you?" shouted a tall thin being with a spire and a smile running toward them.
   "I am Pace and this is Trent.  We were just passing by and thought you could use a hand," said Pace holding out her hand.
The man said his name was Himm, and after an awkward explanation of shaking hands he began naming those around him.  The crowd ecstatic with the defeat of the Celder, however brief it would prove to be.
   "Come, come in.  We must know more of you.  We must celebrate your arrival," Himm said.
   They went to a building that the Hoyla had turned into a common area for meals and war strategy meetings.
   "Here, here sit," said a female being with waist long white hair.
   Himm stood on a chair and asked everyone to curtail the myriad of questions being asked all at once, and let their guests enjoy a cup of aum.
   "Aum is our traditional drink of greetings.  It also calms the nerves," Himm stated.
   Pace took a sip of the aum, through her head back then shock it side to side and made a loud lip-smacking noise.
   "It's mostly alcohol with a nutty taste," Pace said to Trent.
   Trent drank his to be polite, and Pace asked for another.
   "So, please tell us of your army," Himm asked.
   "No army, just us," Trent stated.
   The room went silent.
   "Pace and I are more sufficient to eradicate the Celder," said Trent
   Trent went on to explain Ship and Handy's present activities.
   "Are you aware that there could be over two hundred thousand Celder out there?" the woman with the long white hair asked.
   "It could take a few hours, but Ship and Handy are up to the task." Pace injected while trying to focus with both eyes.
   "Good stuff?" Trent asked.