Chapter Ten, Part One

"Wrong again!" Merlyn rapped his pipe against Dan's forehead. "Why can't you be more like your wife?"

Dan ground his teeth. These magic lessons would be the death of him. Twice a week, for five hours a day, the foul mouthed Wizard dumped information into their brains. All of it carried a very… woo woo tone. Commune with the universe this, draw in the cosmic powers that.

"Maybe I'd do a better job, if you stopped bruising my skull!" Dan abandoned his meditative pose. "I'm done for the day… tell May I'm going to go for a run when she wakes up."

"SHE'S NOT SLEEPING," Merlyn tossed a book after Dan's retreat. "She's listened and is connected to a greater power!"

"Great!" Dan shouted, already at the tree line. "Remember, tell her I went for a run!"

He turned his back to the irate Wizard, face filled with the wind. The past few weeks hadn't brought much, a lazy and laid back stretch. The ground below flew past, trees a blur as he wound through the evergreens. Crisp air and the touch of the sun.

I wonder how strong I am now…

It was time to head out again. Maybe he could poke around in the unknown regions, it was full of strange things that even he didn't know about. He'd had the itch to go for a while now, but one thing held up his plans.

"System, are you sure Venom isn't dead?" It had been almost a month since the symbiote had entered his body, and still nothing.

"The summoned servant: Venom (Marvel Comics) is still operational. He has entered a state of evolution, kryptonian genetics are far more complex than any he has encountered before."

"Yeah, you said that before," Dan sighed. "When will he wake up?"

"Unknown."

"Fine," Dan shrugged. "I'll stick to Ultron's suits for now…"

Mind decided, he shifted his angle, back toward the city. A leap carried his feet over a deep ravine, thoughts turned to the future. Besides the unknown regions, Dan had another stop to make. He fished his comlink from his belt.

"Ultron, get the ship ready, we're going to make a new friend."

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"So, this planet is alive?" May pressed her face to the glass. "I thought it would be a world turtle or something…"

"I didn't really know what to expect," Dan joined his wife at the viewport. "I only have a bit of info in my brain about this place."

Zonama Sekot. The original homeworld of the Yuuzhan Vong. It arrived in the galaxy a few hundred years ago, after a long, cold trip between the galaxies. The brown green planet below held a kind of technology not even krypton could provide.

"The scans reveal a substantial population," Ultron tapped his screen to expand the image. "Several cities, all with organic architecture, exist close to the small inland seas."

"It should be alright," Dan squinted. The cities were all moderately sized, with only a few hundred thousand beings each. "We'll set down at a small settlement and see if the locals are friendly."

The scout ship turned its nose and dove into the atmosphere. As they reached within a mile of their target, a wave of strange, organic ships rose to meet them. They varied in size, shape, and colour, nothing beyond the basic features of a spaceship shared between them. Dozens of fighter-size vessels swarmed around the kryptonian scout. Larger vessels arrayed themselves in a line.

"This is the Zonama Defence Force, hailing Unknown Vessel," Ultron activated the com speakers as the lead ship hailed them. "Please activate your transponder and reveal your intentions, or prepare to be fired upon!"

"This is the kryptonian scout ship…" Dan paused. What was this ship's name?

"Gladius!" May leaned in. Dan shrugged and continued.

"We're here on a trade mission, with hope to access some of your biotechnology." Dan looked at Ultron and addressed both him and the man on the com. "I don't think we have a transponder…"

Ultron shook his head. There was near silence from the com, the occasional scuff and buzz that matched a man's breath.

"Follow the larger vessels to the main space port, Gladius," An irritated grumble finally emerged. "There are automated transponders that signal landing zones… you should buy one while you're here."

The com cut off before Dan's laugh could annoy the pilot further. He turned to Ultron.

"Follow them in, and do what the man says." Dan leaned back, next to May. "We'll need to start upgrading the designs for the next generation of ship, this one can be the prototype we test ideas on."

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"This place smells like a garden…" May breathed deep. "It's like a thousand wildflowers on my tongue."

Lush vegetation, enough to bring claustrophobia, extended to the horizon. The coral-like buildings around them had a layer of thick, heady moss. Bright flower pods sprouted from the lome, while tall trees climbed above. Hanging vines divided the view into a thousand pieces, a broken vista that took Dan's breath.

"We should have built our city here," Dan flexed his toes, an urge to take off his boots and sink his feet into the soil.

"Sekot doesn't let just anyone build on her surface," A blue skinned woman pushed her way through the vines, golden eyes on Dan. "I'm told you've come to attempt a bond?"

"A bond?" Dan frowned.

"Yes…" She tilted her head. "They said that you came for a ship?"

"Kind of… we're here to take a look at the technology you've got," Dan gave in to his urge and stepped from his suit. Boots in hand he dug his toes deep. "I've also got business with Sekot, if she'll hear me out."

"I see…" The woman's brow furrowed. "I can show you how we form a ship, but speaking to Sekot is… dangerous."

"Dangerous how?" Dan raised an eyebrow. "I thought this planet was generally a pacifist?"

"She is," The woman nodded. "But she has a mighty temper, if she connects with you and doesn't like what she sees…"

Dan stood for a moment and reveled in the soil below. He wasn't perfect, but he doubted the planet would find him that repugnant.

"That's ok, I'll be fine!"