“I don’t understand,” the Queen Rowen says. The boat carrying members of her security detail arrives below the porch of the cabin and she watches Maxx throw the rope ladder down, then as the five security officers climb up with their hands full of food and supplies. “These Daemon just appeared on Bludon one day? Are they Bludonian? Is it magic or technology gone wrong?”
“The Daemon are not of Bludon,” Maxx says. He carries some boxes and bags into the cabin, leading the Ointites in a line behind him. The guards are sturdy and they appear to be very strong, but Maxx is taller than the tallest by a foot. They all have bald, bulbous heads and they wear shorts and tank tops in lieu of their normal uniforms because of the temperature on Bludon.
“It’s not some esoteric Bludonian science?” the Queen asks. “Bludonians managed to create super beings who use an intoxicant and electromagnetism to fight on their behalf. You all didn’t create the Daemon by accident maybe?”
Maxx shakes his head. “I guess anything is possible, it just doesn’t make sense. The purpose of the lean is to heighten awareness and ease any pain from injuries. When a Guardian leans, it’s not exactly the same as when a normal blu does, or anyone else who does it. The lean allows me to see through things, to feel things without touching. If the Daemon were made of Bludonian science, I would have seen that long ago. The Daemon that haunts me is like a collection of spirits that take solid form. Or something like solid. It’s oily in the shape of an ugly growth that can swell. Not all Daemon are the same, but this one is Minyak, and he consumes blues to get bigger and he’s been around for a while. There’s no way for us to know the full extent of him either, he may surround this whole planet. But he doesn’t disturb exactly, he lurks, always preying in unsuspecting places.”
“And he killed Dexxx,” the Queen says. She sits in the large common area of the cabin that is connected to a kitchen where Maxx and the Ointite guards put things away and prepare a meal for the Queen. “And now Dexxx is part of Minyak?”
Maxx shakes his head and sits on the bar that separates the common space from the kitchen.
“I don’t know. Dexxx and eight other Guardians died in a confrontation with Minyak. They thought they were stopping a minor Daemon attack in a city in the Chain Islands, but when they got there, Minyak was waiting for them. He consumed all of them and I think he wanted the Super Consciousness. He’s been able to avoid us since it happened, so he must have learned something from consuming them.”
“What exactly happened to Dexxx and the others?”
Maxx looks down at the wooden floor and swings his bare feet quickly back and forth. He has humanoid toes, five like his fingers, and each toe has sharp claws.
“What was your relationship with Dexxx?” the Queen Rowen asks and she shifts to the edge of her seat. “I am here to help you Maxx. I know that all of this must be very hard for you to talk about, but it’s me. In the time we’ve spent together you’ve helped me stop a coup against my rule and you prevented a mass casualty event, and you were only on Oin for a short time before you came back here. I owe you so much and I want to be a friend to you. You can talk to me.”
Maxx sighs. It is easier to talk about while he leans, and purple veins begin to spider on his forehead, then down his temples, then down his neck into his shell. The Queen stands when she notices what is happening.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” she says softly.
Maxx holds up a hand as his vision of the world begins to spin like a record, and all of the colors streak around in a circle. He loses sight of the Queen Rowen, but he feels her completely. He feels the heat her body generates and he feels the source of her thoughts.
“Talking about my life is difficult,” Maxx admits to the Queen as the purple veins begin to subside. “It is less difficult when I see the world this way. Dexxx was the strongest of the 3Xs. He often went on assignments with 2Xs and I had the pleasure of fighting Daemon with him on more than one occasion. He was strong, I thought he was attractive. We spent a lot of time together and eventually we declared our love for one another. It is different for Guardians. We are not allowed to have children, many of us are sterile by design, so our homosexuality wasn’t scandalous, but romantic relationships are just rare on Bludon; there is no government sanctioned marriage here. Dexxx and I were always together, and then he got that call. I didn’t think much of it until the second alert and I was there in a flash. Dexxx was already down. He was in pieces. All of them were and Minyak was pulling the pieces apart as he consumed them. I tried to gather all of Dexx together, there were a lot of pieces of him, and I tried to hold them, but I couldn’t.”
“Ok,” the Queen Rowen says. “I see it clearly now.” Her head seems to glow white and her eyes are closed. “Minyak is a Daemon? If all Daemon are like Minyak, then they all must be Fonlanders.”
“Fonlanders? On Bludon? There’s never been Fonlanders on Bludon.”
“There is something about this thing, Maxx,” the Queen says and she opens her eyes as the white of her head begins to darken to gray. “I can only discern so much from your memories, but you are right, they are not originally of Bludon. Maybe I will help you fight some so that I can learn more about them.”
“It is dangerous,” Maxx says.
“And I am the Queen Rowen.”
“Why do you think Minyak is an Fonlander?”
“Because I have encountered many beings of this universe and when something is so unfamiliar, I always assume the Fonlands.”
***
The Guardians’ Campus is located on the Fumarole Archipelago. All Guardians, with the exception of Maxx, live on Fumarole, on an island in close proximity to the island where Guardians are designed, engineered, and incubated.
“This is a gloomy place,” the Queen Rowen says as the large speed boat her security detail charters enters Fumarole proper.
“Would you expect anything less for the birthplace of the Superguardian?” Maxx asks with a laugh.
“I guess it makes sense strategically. All of this fog makes it impossible to see from overhead. Is this the center of the Bludonian military?”
Maxx nods. “The House of Ministers trust all defense of Bludon to the Guardians and they govern the entire planet.”
“But not for long?” the Queen Rowen asks, already sure of the answer.
“I don’t want to end all of Bludonian society,” Maxx says. He stands next to the Ointite navigating the speed boat and he points into the foggy distance to help him navigate. “I just don’t want the Guardians to be slaves to the culture anymore.”
“Slave is a strong word,” the Queen says.
“Strong words for a strong boy,” Maxx quips. “You think this fancy campus justifies the cloistered lives of the Guardians?” As he says this, the boat moves through fog and they can see the island they approach more clearly. It is covered in green foliage with a lip of yellow sand all around that tapers into the blue water that is darkened by the clouds of steam and smoke lingering overhead. There are large, three-story stone buildings arranged in concentric rectangles along the contours of the island and there are many paved roads around the campus. The buildings are tan, tinted orange and the stone exteriors are so simple that they feel as though they have settled there naturally.
“Are Guardians considered citizens of Bludon?” the Queen Rowen asks. “I mean, if you are made by the state, presumably funded by resources taxed from other citizens…”
“Definitely,” Maxx interjects.
“…then are you the property of the state? Or do they recognize your sentience and you are considered employees paid with room and board and access to literally anything on the planet because who would deny you all?”
“We are the military of Bludon. We’re not property, we have rights as Bludonians, but we are dangerous and they keep an eye on us here. Because we interface directly with technology, they can send direct commands to us that are very hard to ignore. They say they’re not capable, but I know they have a kill switch for any Guardian that gets out of line. We are heroes to the people, the best of Bludon, but privately, the ministers think of us as their property.”
Maxx directs the Ointite to slow the boat as they reach the dock and Maxx helps the Queen off the boat as they make their way to the campus on foot.
“Do you fear for your life, Maxx?” the Queen Rowen asks as she looks around at the tropical scenery.
He laughs out loud. “I said I know they have a kill switch. Mine and Dexxx’s were disabled when I confirmed it and they can’t send me commands. We are…I am the only Guardian who is truly free.”
“The Superguardian,” the Queen says and smiles at him.
“The Superguardian only to the blues who embrace me and the universe at large. An annoying, thuggish Guardian to the establishment. The ministers pretended to mourn Dexxx, but they were happy when he died. They hate the Daemon, but they hated us more. They know that I am aware of their kill switches but I haven’t made it known that I am aware of them. And I haven’t told the other Guardians, only Dexxx knew.”
“Why haven’t you told them?”
“Because the 1Xs are dangerous and they will bring fire down on the ministers that will destroy Bludon as we know it. The 1X models were designed to be weapons of mass destruction. They are the oldest of the Superguardians and they convinced me and the others that the ministers were our biggest fans. They will feel the most betrayed and they don’t care about civilians because they never interact with blues.”
“That is a real predicament,” the Queen says. Her complexion moves in waves of white and gray, as though the gentle wind over the island moves her pigmentation, but this means that her interest has peaked and her mind is racing through Maxx’s situation.
“My instinct is that you must unburden yourself of this as soon as possible,” the Queen says. “Tell the 2 and 3Xs…”
“What about the 4Xs?”
“How many are there?”
Maxx thinks for a moment. “There are 4 classes each of the X, R, Q and T models, but there are more X model Guardians than any other.”
“I think that telling whomever you think can handle it would be good for you. Can we disable everyone’s kill switch?”
“They enhanced security after I discovered it.”
The Queen Rowen flashes a bright smile and her complexion darkens.
“Then you give me the information I need to infiltrate while you spread the word.”
“We’re here to talk and to familiarize you with the campus. You won’t have to rely on my memories if you see it for yourself. And no way you’re doing it alone. I know some Guardians who can help us.”
The Queen shakes her head. “You can’t even hint that the other Guardians know about their kill switch. If the powers that be are smart, they will start flipping the switches of anyone who looks suspicious. Just point me in the direction and the switches will be disabled.
“I can’t let you…” Maxx starts, but the Queen is already waving and walking away with her security in tow.
“I’ll manage. Just see to the Guardians.”
***
Maxx enters the Guardians’ training gymnasium that is adorned with pillars along the front entrance like all of the campus buildings. The gymnasium is as tall as the other buildings and when he enters, he looks up at the second and third floors that are visible from the ground floor. As he is distracted tracking the activity in the gym, a voice barks at him.
“Only Guardians allowed!” He turns to see Brenttt approaching him. Brenttt is almost as tall as Maxx, and he seems to be as muscular. His skin is a lighter color than Maxx’s, and his shell is almost twice the size. Maxx’s shell contours to his chest and shows muscle, and the shell on his back doesn’t arch as much as the average blu, but despite the smaller size of the 2X shell design, he’s able fit the entirety of his body in his shell. The large shell of Brenttt seems to make him much slower than Maxx.
“Last I checked, that’s me,” Maxx says. He is annoyed by Brenttt and the two often clash when they meet.
“Last I checked, you’re the only self-centered blu calling themselves the Superguardian.”
“I know you’re slow, triple T, but the word Guardian is the majority of the word Superguardian.”
Brenttt crosses his arms over his chest and smirks. “You think you’re the baddest blu on the planet, but you won’t be so smug after the ministers’ visit today. I was disappointed to hear they were coming today because I didn’t expect you, but now that you’re here, maybe someone will finally show you discipline and stop treating you like a spoiled brat.”
“Or like the hero that everyone seems to know I am, except for you, of course.” Maxx says and turns to walk away. He hides his concern at the news that the ministers’ are visiting. The Queen Rowen will be in danger trying to destroy the kill switches with the ministers on Fumarole. Maxx heads for the weight training rooms on the first floor, hoping to speak with other Xs before the ministers arrive.
“You’re such a coward,” Brenttt says, following behind Maxx. “You think that because you travel the universe and use the word super that no one sees how scared you are. But I see it. You’re afraid to be a Guardian. Minyak did a number on you. He took your weak boyfriend….”
Maxx’s view of the world begins to spin in an instant. He feels himself pummeling Brenttt’s face with both his fist, he feels the weight of Brenttt as he grabs him by the shell and tosses him into a wall, and he feels the presence of other Guardians standing between them before his vision returns to normal. There is a crowd of Guardians gathered; some have looks of shock, others anger, but they are all quiet. A couple of Guardians help Brenttt to his feet because he cannot stand on his own and his face is bruised beyond recognition.
“Fucking coward!” Brenttt yells as he is dragged away. “He is not one of us!”
“Ignore that fool,” Coxx says as he stands before Maxx. “But the ministers just arrived. We don’t need this drama.”
Maxx lets Coxx lead him away, but he makes eye contact with Brenttt one last time.
“I will gut you if you ever say his name again,” Maxx yells at him and he feels a hard jerk on his arm from Coxx. “The fuck, Coxx, calm down…”
He stops when he turns and sees a full delegation of Ministers staring at him with fear in their eyes.
PRL Serials 