The first row panel is of the group looking at the aliens.
Chapter 12: Stories Among the Saturns
Harriet
You want us to help you activate the last tower?
Leader
Yes. Had we known that was always your goal, we might've tried working with you earlier…
Partner
We came to this decision after your battles at the tower in the lake.
Matt
But… someone we trust said he didn't want us to go to the last tower.
Leader
He is likely afraid of what might be beneath the chamber the towers are said to protect.
Partner
But if you agree to assist us, we will not only release our mind control on the one you call Winston, but
we will ensure that he remains in perfect condition.
Harriet
And why are you doing all of this? Why did you come to our world to try to get into that chamber?
Leader
That… is the purpose of our mission. And it is a lengthy story…
Harriet
Tell us.
Leader
… Isa'liolus, how long until we'd arrive at the next tower at top atmospheric speed?
Isa (on computer)
About ten of their minutes, Gerenthol.
Gary
Start the engines and I'll confirm the new coordinate.
Isa
Yes, sir.
A holographic map pops up in front of Gary, showing the world, but fading it out at the edges. Two dots are lit up, with one dimmer. Gary taps on it, lighting it up. Above the city, the ship suddenly comes into view, and its engines blast it off to the southwest. Back in the bridge, Matt and Harriet are staring at the map.
Harriet
Is that where the last tower is?
Gary
Yes. Right beyond these mountain ranges.
Matt
So… they form a triangle…
Harriet
With New Tazmily right in the center.
Leader
That is correct. Our mission is to enter the chamber at the location and finish our investigations.
Kumatora
You say you're just detectives.
Isa
That's correct. Our military and political leaders have much larger ships than this one. We are fairly
low on the chain of command.
Matt
What's your world like?
Gary
Not too unlike yours. That is, at least in appearance…
Kumatora
Before we get into a long conversation, let's get your names right. They're… uh, Isalouis and…
Grenthal or something, right?
Gary
Isa'liolus and Gerenthol. But you may call us Isa and Gary if you prefer.
Kumatora
Y-yeah… That's better for us simple humans.
Matt
Do you guys have mouths? How do you eat?
Gary opens his mouth.
Gary
Yes, we have mouths, although most of our nutrients are supplied directly to our bodies through
feeding tubes. We have little vocal cords to speak of, so we use telepathy to speak.
Isa
All we can really do is squeak. It's a little embarrassing, honestly.
Matt
And you said… you created PSI?
Gary
No. But we refined what we could do with it. Perhaps when your people's brains are more evolved, it
will come to more of you naturally.
Harriet
But why can some of us use it?
Gary
That is something I would like to theorize with you shortly…
Kumatora
Sorry about all the questions. You'd think that with aliens visiting us, we'd let you guys speak first…
Gary
It is understandable. As to why we are here… Allow me start off by telling you that some years ago, a
human traveling throughout the cosmos visited our world, and informed us of your planet, and divulged
the fate of a certain member of our people that was once considered only a legend…
We weren't aware of your world until this human told us of it. About a year later, we were sent out to
investigate the claims this young man had made. And here we are.
Kumatora
How would… a human even get to your world?
Gary
That made us wonder, as well. He lacked a proper quantum anchor. In other words, we could sense
that this era was neither his time or place. He did not originate in the same time as we lived. For that
reason, we believed that he was a time traveler.
Kumatora
A… time traveler? But still, where would he get a time machine…
Kumatora thinks of Porky.
Kumatora
(Wait… could that've been…)
Isa
Time travel is a highly destructive and restricted ability. If placed in the wrong hands… The entire
universe could easily be threatened.
Gary
But my partner and I agreed to this investigation in any case. When we arrived here, we stationed
ourselves on your moon, observed your planet, and tracked down a faint signal that matched our
target's known life aura.
A shot of Gary and Isa on the moon, with a kind of recon vehicle. The lunar landing site is nearby. Somewhere in the following dialogue, have a panel of Winston meeting the aliens for the first time in the park where they landed. He can't board yet though.
Isa
Everyone's is unique and is easy for us to detect.
Gary
We saw the towers from orbit and felt the strong PSI originating from them, spotted the chamber
entrance where the faint signal was originating, and made the connection. However, the sealed PSI
at the towers is so incompatible with our kind that going near them may kill us.
Isa
So we had to rely on the existence of a human with PSI to activate the towers for us.
Gary
And then we would assist and watch over them. That human turned out to be your sibling…
Isa
His PSI is so very concentrated, that we could detect him from orbit.
Gary
Yes. It was so strong, in fact, that it blocked out the same signals the two of you likely exuded when we
captured him. However, until his PSI—and yours was properly awakened, none of you would've been
able to board the ship without severe strain on your minds.
Kumatora
I see… Things are starting to make sense.
Harriet
Not completely. If your flying ship can enter space, why not just stay up there and command all of
this where we can't get to you?
Gary (sighs)
… There appears to be something unexplainable about your world. Once we entered it, all of the
ship's readouts briefly went dead. Everything. It was as if we had entered a plane of non-existence
that surrounds your planet. And now that we're here, our efforts to reenter orbit have failed.
Isa
Yes… We are trapped here, under an invisible ceiling.
Gary
Even though we may not be able to return home, we still seek to accomplish our mission.
Matt
I don't get it. What's wrong with our world?
Gary
You may not understand what I'm about to say, but… We believe your planet may be stuck in a phase
between existing and… not. Such a thing is at the edge of the realm of even the science my people
are aware of. I wish I could provide you with more answers, but I don't believe we can.
Kumatora
(So… maybe our world wasn't completely…)
What about the chamber? You said you could detect something… alive inside?
Gary
Yes.
Kumatora
Could something be slowly leaking out of the entrance?
Gary
That is a possibility.
Kumatora
Could that be what… what is driving the animals of this world and some people crazy?
Gary
Again, a possibility. The influence of whatever is leaking out of that chamber may be affecting the
minds of other living things.
Matt
So if we open it… that could spread…
Gary
It might. But of course, if it is already leaking, then it may only be a matter of time either way.
Kumatora
My friend originally wanted to open that chamber, but he changed his mind just recently. I think he's
scared of what's inside.
Sylvester
It sounds like an unknown to all of us. The unknown should always be feared.
Kumatora
Oh, Sylvester, I forgot you were there.
Sylvester
Sorry… Flying makes me nervous…
Kumatora
Flying? When have you ever been in a flying thing?
Sylvester
That's not important. Please don't worry about it. I'm fine now.
Matt
Why are you having Winston gather that special paint?
Gary
We only wished to analyze its properties. There was nothing else of necessity concerning it.
Matt
Then why did Winston just steal another batch of it?
Isa
He… what?
Harriet
He stole a whole bunch of it from Vega.
The aliens look at one another, and then back at the group.
Gary
Apologies. We have no answers. This action was not directed by us.
Kumatora
Is his mind control weakening then?
Gary
It might've just been a glitch… A garbled or repeated command that was supposed to removed might
be the culprit.
Harriet
And what about that ghost creature, with the stars for eyes? Was that something you guys brought
with you?
Gary
Do you speak of this?
Gary brings up a holographic image of starface.
Gary
No… This being appears to be acting on its own. Has it attacked you?
Matt
It completely destroyed a mountain valley trying to kill us…
Isa
Its powers are immeasurable. And it has also attacked us.
A panel of the aliens putting up shields against a beam bombardment from Starface on the top of their ship. Since this is only one panel, you could actually make it pretty epic.
Isa
Knowing that we share this experience… We might be able to say that it is trying to prevent us from activating the towers.
Harriet
And if we activate the final one… You'll give us back Winston?
Gary
We will release him of his bonds the moment the tower is activated, whether by his hands or yours.
Harriet
Fine… we have a deal.
Matt
Harriet, what about Lucas—
Harriet
I don't think it matters, Matty. That last tower is going to get activated at some point anyway.
Kumatora
Lucas has reason to worry. But I do have to agree with you. if something is leaking out of that chamber
even with it already locked up, we might have to open it just to deal with whatever is inside.
Gary
I appreciate this decision. I look forward to working with you in this endeavor.
They all look at one another for one more panel. Suddenly, the actual starface floats out from behind the holographic one. Everyone immediately turns and looks at it.
Starface
That action… I cannot allow.
Gary
Isa'liolus, it's that being again!
Gary and Isa float over on either side of it and use powerful containment PSI to cast a white translucent sphere around it, but starface easily breaks out, throwing the aliens against the hull.
Gary
Accursed phantom…
Gary grabs a ray gun attached to a gun rack and fires at starface, but the shots only go straight through its body.
Starface
This is as far as I will allow you to proceed. I will not allow you to threaten this continuity.
Starface spreads out its arms and creates a powerful blast of blue electricity that passes through the ship, causing sparks, smoke, and warning sirens to erupt. All the holo panels glow red. Starface then disappears in a puff of wisps.
Isa
Sir, the ship's been hit!
Gary rushes over and checks the control panels.
Gary
Our navigational systems have been badly damaged. I can't regain control.
Matt
Are… are we going to crash?
While Matt still keeps the shield up on Sylvester, Harriet comes over and puts her hands on his shoulders. Kumatora looks a little scared herself.
Kumatora
Um, can't you two with all your advanced mind powers and technology fix this?
Gary
Not in the air. And our altitude was so low… that we will crash land in moments…
Gary regains himself and issues a command.
Gary
Open the shutters.
The shutters on the bridge open, letting in light. Isa looks through them and pilots the ship.
Isa (at the manual control yoke)
I'll bring her down as softly as possible, sir.
Gary (looking outside)
There—aim for that valley.
Isa
Yes. We may yet survive…
A few more panels of the chaos before all goes dark. The human group then wake up to find themselves in futuristic reflective blankets. Matt notices Sylvester, at the window with a blanket around him, looking out at the early morning sun.
Matt
Sylvester… are… are you okay?
Sylvester
The engines appear to be off, so nothing seems to be ailing me.
Kumatora
Ugh… It's morning. We must've been out of it all night…
Harriet
Where are we?
Everyone notices a drop down ladder leading up to a top hatch. Harriet climbs up first. Cut to Sylvester climbing out onto the top of the bridge as the last one out. The aliens are already up here, watching over everything. The group looks around and we see that the valley is surrounded by mountains, and we also see the long trail of debris tailing the ship over its crash path. The group comes closer to aliens, who are overlooking the scene. Down below, dozens of mooks are working on the ship's hull with robotic helpers. A cluster of familiar pink creatures are watching from the ground, with their houses further in the background.
Kumatora
So… what happened to us?
Gary
That being disabled our A.I. maintaining our flight path. The damage isn't as bad as it looks. We should
be up and running in a few hours, with any luck.
Matt
What are those green things down there?
Isa
They work on the ship. Laborers. They are called mooks. Most of them are working on the interior of
the ship right now.
Harriet
I thought you said the ship was empty aside from you two.
Gary
Well, yes, however… Most of the time, we do not directly refer to these beings.
Sylvester (a little put of)
In other words, you don't consider them people.
Gary
Does that offend you? We saved their race from self annihilation thousands of years ago. They are
forever indebted to us.
Kumatora
I don't think slavery is quite what they had in mind…
Gary
Such harsh words. But call it what you will. They are happy to serve us, and we treat them well.
Sylvester
What about those other beings? The armless pink-hued ones.
Gary
Oh, those? Seems like they occupy your planet, as well.
Kumatora
What, the Mr. Saturns?
Gary
That is what they call themselves here, is it? How… whimsical. They are a rather odd life form that we
know little of, but they certainly occupy other planets. No one yet knows how they travel through
space, or how they even reproduce. But, yes, there they are, eking out a life of solitude as usual…
Matt (looking out at their houses)
It looks like we crash landed in their town…
Kumatora
If there's time to kill anyway, why don't we go say hello? They're friendly enough.
(And I was wondering what happened to all of them…)
Gary
Do as you wish. Once we know that proper progress is being made on the repairs, we will seek you
out and tell you about just who we were sent here to find.
Kumatora (going down the hatch again)
Thanks. See ya.
Cut to the group emerging from a side door and hopping down to the ground, near the uplifted mounds of dirt. They're quickly surrounded by the Saturns.
Harriet (petting one)
Wow, they're so soft!
Saturn
Hello. How you are?
Saturn
Welcome! Yes, home is welcome!
Saturn
Boing! Visitors! Tell all of visitors! Party!
Matt
And they talk…
Harriet
What funny creatures.
Sylvester
One could write a thousand poems about these fellows…
Now we have a two row or so montage of the gang hanging out with the Mr. Saturns, and Harriet can be taking pictures sometimes during it. Sylvester writes poetry. The last panel of the montage shows Harriet performing tricks with her twirler, impressing the Saturns.
Saturn
Oh, oh! Spin ribbon! We have pretty spin ribbon! Come, zoom!
Harriet
Huh?
With Sylvester still scribbling down poetry in a note book, they go to a Saturn house. One goes in, and then comes back out with a red ribbon drooping on its nose.
Saturn
You put ribbon of spin on, yes! Much better!
Harriet takes the ribbon, looks at it for a moment, and then replaces the old ribbon on her twirler with the new red one. She gives it a twirl, and a ghostly trail follows the ribbon, along with sparkles.
Saturn
See? Yes, pretty! Magic!
Matt
The Mr. Saturn ribbons… they're magical, or something.
Voice
H-hey! That was my ribbon!
Matt
Who said that?
Voice
Down here.
They all look down to see rope snake.
Rope Snake
That's my ribbon you have there! When I wear it, I attract all the ladies!
Harriet
It's… a talking snake?!
Kumatora
Oh, this is Rope Snake. He used to travel with us. Duster knew how to use him.
Rope Snake
I'm afraid my "using" days are over, Ms. Kumatora. But how nice it is to see you again.
Kumatora
Do you want your ribbon back?
Saturn
She more needing of it, boing. You let borrow. To fight the bad with.
Rope Snake (sigh)
Well, I suppose she can use it for a little while.
Saturn
Yes, yes! Mind choice is good.
Rope Snake
Hey, have you guys met the other humans about in this valley yet?
Sylvester
Other humans?
Rope Snake
Oh, yes! They've been here for years. I'm sure they'd like to see some fellow mammals for once. I can't
believe the Saturns haven't even mentioned them…
Saturn
Busy, boing!
Saturn
Not wanting to be bothered.
Rope Snake
I'm sure they can take a few minutes to say hi. Maybe Ms. Kumatora knows them. Follow me!
Rope Snake slithers and leads the way. They pass by a frog family living in a pond along the way.
Rope Snake
The Saturns are odd folk, but if I lived anywhere else, most humans would probably be scared of me!
Kumatora
How did you end up here? I was wondering what happened to you. I'm sure Duster misses you, too.
Rope Snake
Duster was a good master. I liked working with him. But I am retired now. I woke up in this place after
the… you know. Haven't left since.
Kumatora
Would you like to come with us on one last adventure?
Rope Snake
That is tempting. Maybe I will think about it. Ah, here we are.
They are now at the central meeting place of the valley, with more houses than usual. In the middle is a large phase distorter device that looks more advanced than the last one. Working on it are dozens of Saturns, and very old Leder.
Kumatora
Leder? No way…
Leder turns around and adjusts his glasses.
Matt
Harriet… he's so tall.
Leder
My goodness… Princess Kumatora, is that you?
Harriet
What? Princess?
Kumatora
A very old title of mine. Don't worry about it. It hasn't been active for quite awhile now. Leder, how are
you? I don't think most of the people in Tazmilly even know you're still alive…
Leder
Nope. Still kicking, dear.
Kumatora
What are you doing way out here? And what is that thing you're working on?
Leder
Oh, I rather just like here. I enjoy the company of the Saturns. And this? Just a little project I've been
working on. I saw your flying ship crash. It was quite chance that you happened to land in this valley.
I believe that you're the first visitors this place has ever had.
Voice
Who are you talking with, Leder?
Leder
Oh, just some visitors.
Dr. Andonuts, now also quite old and having to use a cane, comes over.
Dr. Andonuts
Well, well… Lady Kumatora. I never thought I'd see you again.
Kumatora
Hello… Dr. Andonuts.
Harriet
Who is he?
Kumatora
Another old friend. What have you been up to?
Dr. Andonuts
Eh… Just working on this here machine with the Saturns and my friend here… Hoping that it could
finally bring me home.
Kumatora
Oh. Well, I hope you make it…
Dr. Andonuts
What brings you all the way out here?
Kumatora
Do you know anything about the towers? We're going out to activate the final one.
Dr. Andonuts (sitting)
Oh yes, I think I've seen this tower. It's not too far from here. But it floats on a cloud and seems to in no
way touch the ground… I've been wanting to visit it myself.
Matt
Where's your home you want to return to?
Dr. Andonuts
It's very far from here. Further away than you could imagine, young man… But my wishes to see my
son again, even at this late age… have kept me working and hoping.
Rope Snake
He's a genius, he is.
Sylvester
Such a touching tale of parent and child. Bonds that transcend all.
Kumatora
Oh, Leder, Lucas wants everyone back in Tazmilly for some reason. I wanted to ask you to return, but
I'm not sure how you would…
Leder
It's been so long… But I'm sure I could find some way of getting there.
Dr. Andonuts
I could bring you there as soon as my device is completed, my friend.
Leder
Oh, thank you. I had forgotten that it would be able to freely navigate space as well…
Harriet
As well?
Dr. Andonuts
This is a time machine, dear. I come from the distant past, you see.
Matt (intrigued)
Really? How'd you get here?
Dr. Andonuts
That… is a most lengthy tale, young man. Perhaps I will share it if there is time in the future.
Harriet
Right. You must be very busy. So we'll just leave you alone for now.
Dr. Andonuts
Safe journeys now.
The group turns to leave, but the aliens are already standing in front of them.
Gary
Now is the time we talk. The ship should be repaired shortly now that the Saturns are working on it.
A couple panels of the Mr. Saturns happily working inside the ship.
Isa
Please follow us.
The group follows the aliens to a Saturn house with one waiting outside.
Saturn
All ready. All ready for long private story. Inside now you go.
Gary
Thank you, pink sponge creature.
Gary holds the door open as everyone goes inside the strange house, which is full of couches and chairs, some nailed to the walls, and nothing else except for a single lamp. Gary closes the door and everyone sits. Parts of this part should be told through stylized, well drawn sketches similar to Porky's story in Harmony.
Gary
We've told you the reason we're on your planet. But we haven't told you about just who we're after.
We are of an advanced people, capable of living for centuries, though we are few in number. As in, we
rarely have children. Our planet is a peaceful place, and while we are not warlike, we do exist in separate nations and thus we must try to maintain both dominance through our powerful weapons and peace at the same time, which leads to competition, in turn leading to accelerated technological advances. Our efforts to explore the galaxy, however, are under a national unity.
Matt
Nations? What's that?
Gary
That's right. Your world… as it is now… does not have countries. Your cities have leaders, but there is
no one above those people. And yet, through a form of blissful ignorance we cannot yet explain, your
people live peacefully with one another. Yes, you have personal squabbles, but you always learn
from them, and you always accept each other eventually. You fully share your resources, and never compete. Until recently, your people have likely known little of blight, anger, and crime. You likely don't even think about these things, as if they have no reason to exist in your minds. That is what we have
observed.
But as you can see as of late… Such emotions do still exist in the minds of your people. Only now some
external, unknown force is bringing them out again, and not you yourselves. Anyway… Just over a
thousand of your years ago, one of our nations had broken off from our treaties and caused our people
to reach the brink of war. It was a powerful country, and the most scientifically advanced of all.
Our people use PSI on a daily basis for anything and everything. But few are especially adept at it
enough to be considered soldiers of psychokinetic warfare. But ways to turn PSI into a super weapon
have always been researched on our world. Fortunately, however, war never erupted, and the
mentioned country returned to unity with the others.
But during those years of raised tensions… they had manufactured a being of our race through the use
of machinery and genetic manipulation… Such a thing had long been illegal for every nation on our
world, but it had been done before in our darker ages through cloning to build entire armies overnight.
Matt
Your people… can create children with machines?
Gary
Indeed we can. But those that are born this way are never considered actual people of our race. We
see them as things of repulsion; a tainted, false life form. Most clones, when we created them, were
banished from our world for the cold depths of space. But even knowing the repercussions of their
acts, this country created a living being. But this was no ordinary imitation of life. It was later discovered
that they had invested vast amounts of money and time to create a single being… One child. One very
special, unique child.
Harriet
What was so special about it?
Gary
For one, its psychic powers were… immense. They were so incredibly great and his mind so powerful,
it was thought that his powers would reach a level of instability and collapse in on themselves once
the child reached maturity. But they gave this child a purpose. A special… purpose.
Kumatora
And what was it?
Gary hesitates for a moment. Make the panel for this next line bigger than usual to emphasis this line's importance.
Gary
The child's name was Giegue. And he had the ability to pass on the genetic key that fully unlocks the
powers of PSI to others.
Giegue was something those outside the country saw as little more than a weapon. But the nation that
created him claimed that he was only designed for peaceful means. To enlighten other civilizations.
Other nations agreed. Others did not. The creation of this child nearly sparked a global civil war,
possibly creating a conflict that would've much greater than the one just previous. And then, suddenly,
the child disappeared. Some believe that someone wishing to avert global war placed the child on a
spaceship and sent him off into the cosmos. Others believed that the child was so very gifted in its
intellect, that it managed to leave our planet on its own even after just having been born. It is also
rumored that he took with him an invader class warship filled with enough weaponry and soldier
mooks to take over an entire planet with…
Giegue eventually fell into legend, and not everyone believes he ever existed. However… there are a
few of your people that can use PSI. At your primitive stage in evolution, it is unlikely that PSI would
find you. It is more possible that your ancestors came into contact with Giegue and were taught PSI.
Matt
What eventually happened to Giegue?
Gary
That… is the mystery. The two of us were skeptics of his existence until we were assigned this mission
and given the ancient record of Giegue's genetic makeup so that we could detect his presence, if it still
existed in any tangible way. And that presence… is what is leaking from that chamber. But the makeup
has an anomaly… A second life form seems to be intertwined with it.
Kumatora
Whatever's left of Giegue has… merged with someone else?
Gary
That is a possibility. When we discovered that such a dangerous being still existed, we had to know
for sure just how it still could after so long. It is vital. And that is why we've done all we have so far…
But you have our word. Once that last tower is activated, we will return Winston to you, and you can go
home. We will enter the chamber ourselves and take care of whatever may be inside. We put you all
through enough dangers already.
Starface suddenly appears in the middle of the room.
Starface
Once again, I must advise you that your actions will only lead to my continued attacks on your groups.
Harriet (angry)
What are you and what do you want?
Matt
Can't you just leave us alone?
Starface
It is my duty to eradicate anyone who threatens the stability of the universe.
Kumatora
And how, exactly, are we doing that?
Starface
You humans will always and inevitably attempt to destroy something in order to alleviate your problems. However, you will not be able to destroy the force which you are fighting. You will only make it far stronger.
Kumatora
Yeah? What do you know? We're not even sure what we're fighting yet.
Matt
Just what are you?
Starface
I am a cosmic guardian, as old as the universe. I exist in many times and places at once. All intelligent
life can easily destroy the universe at some point. It is my task to prevent that.
Sylvester
So that means you get to kill whomever you want? Or even destroy entire worlds?
Starface
I try to keep the unneeded casualties to a minimum. And destroying a world outright is most often only
a last effort when all other options are exhausted. I have… other means of avoiding the extinction of
a civilization.
Harriet takes out the twirler.
Harriet
Yeah? Well, you're still trying to kill us for something we haven't even done yet. So excuse us if we
don't just lie down and let you do that.
Starface
… Your aggressions are misplaced. I am not an enemy. I only serve a purpose. And I will not fight you
here. I must recover, and this area is occupied by too many innocents.
Gary
One wonders if you ever have ever visited my people…
Harriet
If we're such a threat, why haven't you gone after Winston? He's probably at the tower already by now.
Starface
I cannot attack the one called Winston.
Matt
Why not?
Starface (starts to disappear)
Because…
Starface is almost gone.
Starface
He is a savior…
Starface disappears completely.
Matt
Winston is… a "savior?"
Harriet
What'd it mean by that?
Suddenly, there's a ringing sound. Isa takes out a cell phone from his pouch and answers it. Alien gobble speak comes from the other side, but Isa understands it.
Isa
Yes. Understood.
Isa puts the cell phone away. Everyone just stares.
Isa
The mooks… have yet to master basic telepathy.
Gary
What'd they say?
Isa
The ship's repairs have been completed, and they've started to warm up the engines.
Gary
Well, then. It appears that we'll be departing shortly. We should go outside. There are a few gifts I can
supply you with.
Outside, at the clearing near the ship, everyone has gathered.
Gary
Matthew, Harriet… I believe I can pass down a few simple PSI techniques that might aid you. Let me
see your psychic auras so that I can know what you're capable of…
Gary passes his hand over Harriet's head.
Gary
Hm… yes. I believe that I can teach you Magnet…
Harriet
What's that?
Gary
If your PSI is ever exhausted, you can use Magnet to steal some away from the enemy and give to your
group.
Harriet
Sounds useful enough… So how do you teach me it?
Gary
Easily done. Close your eyes.
Harriet does so, and Gary places two hands on either side of her pretty head and then returns them to his sides.
Gary
You now know how to use Magnet. Now for Matthew…
Gary checks him out first, then does the same thing.
Gary
I've given you Scramble. It overloads the minds of machines, and perhaps those dimensional creature
that phantasm has unleashed, as well.
Matt
Um, thanks, I guess.
Gary
It should be useful. Winston is commanding an entire platoon of our starmen, and they will likely
attack any one of us. But I've also given you something else…
Matt
What?
Gary
A crude version of teleportation… It should allow you to return to any place you have visited. However,
you're going to need some running room to pull it off…
Harriet
You… taught him how to teleport?
Kumatora
Heh, not bad, alien guys.
Matt
That… that sounds amazing! Can I try?
Gary
If you must. But return immediately.
Matt
Right.
Matt takes a sprinter's position, and then dashes off into the valley. He gains incredible speed, glows, and then disappears in a flash of light. He appears back at Kumatora's cabin.
Matt
A-amazing…
Matt looks out at Burgundyville.
Matt
Too bad I don't have time to visit home right now…
Back at the valley, Matt returns, looking quite thrilled.
Matt
That is just so cool.
The ship's engines fire up with a dull rumble.
Gary
One last tool before we depart…
He takes out a small, high-tech device and hands it to Sylvester.
Sylvester
Um, why me?
Gary
No reason in particular. I just thought you wouldn't want to be left out.
Sylvester (pockets it)
So… what's it do?
Gary
It's a nullailzer. It destroys enemy shields instantly.
Kumatora
Ah, that sounds useful.
Gary
I would teach you some PSI, but it seems that you've already mastered your abilities.
Kumatora
Oh, well, you know, mastered is such a strong word. But yeah, I guess it fits.
Harriet
She's so humble…
Gary
Now then. Off to the tower of the sky, where your most difficult trial yet awaits… But I believe in all of you. I know you can both help solve this mystery and help us return home.
Harriet
We'll… we'll try, Gary.
Voice
H-hey! You're not leaving without me, right?
They all look down to see Rope Snake.
Rope Snake
I'm feeling lucky, baby! Come on, take me on one last adventure!
Kumatora smiles and picks up rope snake.
Kumatora
All right, all right. Just don't drop us if we need you to hang onto something.
Rope Snake
Not a chance! This jaw's made of steel!
Cut to everyone waving goodbye to the Saturns, Leder, and Dr. Andonuts from the bridge window. The ship then lifts up from the ground, and then takes off to the southwest. Suddenly, on the last row, we're back at Tazmilly, with Lucas looking up at the sky near the chamber entrance. Duster comes up.
Duster
Hey, Lucas. You… feeling okay?
Lucas
Something… is about to happen, Duster.
Duster
Is that door gonna open?
Lucas
Probably…
Duster takes out the hummingbird egg and shows it to Lucas. It has more cracks.
Duster
Lucas… what do you make of what's happening to the egg?
Lucas takes the egg and looks at it passively.