Distant Horizons/Chapter 14

Chapter 14 In the Temple.

Ghoel was dreaming. He was dreaming of something rather strange indeed. There was a weird place. Somewhere, he didn’t know where. He saw a sky which changed from day to night within seconds. The seasons changed with the time of day. There were no animals, only weird and wonderful plants. There were strange sculptures in the rock and crystalline frost covering the trees. Suddenly, the sky turned to night. He saw a large concrete surface and walls. A plaza or an arena even. There were beings in the centre, arguing. There were three jedi, a man with a beard, and a tall bald man with glowing eyes. Four of them human, one a young togruta. Then he saw another, younger man, maybe even a boy, crouched between two rocks. He did not see ghoel, but ghoel wasn’t there in reality anyway. He was trembling, his limbs shaking, hands shivering, crouching behind the rocks, hiding from the others. Then, suddenly, the jedi flew backwards. There were screams. The world went black around Ghoel. He saw the face of that teenage boy in the rocks. He saw the bearded man stab himself. He saw a raging flame. Incredible energy, unleashed. He saw the jedi kill the man with glowing eyes. He saw the power rage onward. Ghoel began to sweat internally. His long tongue felt bone dry. His eyes were sore, his skin burning... Then, deep in his mind, he realized something didn’t make sense. He laughed to himself. He was dreaming. At that moment he awoke. And not with a start, for he knew no shock. That dream had been frightening, a little, but not like anything he had seen before. Most importantly, none of what he saw made any sense to him. Ghoel turned his head towards Ghai, still asleep. He was gobsmacked with his appearance. Ghoel had not forgotten about how Ghai had been burned by the acid rain, but as he looked at him now, his eyes slowly getting used to the darkness, Ghai’s skin looked almost normal. He had a few white scars, and was a little grubby, but all in all, nobody could have guessed he had ever been burned. What in the... Suddenly, Ghoel made out a large jar next to Ghai’s body. Sweet smells filled the chamber they were in and Ghoel made out some oily liquid dripping from Ghai’s face. Ghoel stuck out his tongue, and smelled the air. The aromas were very strong indeed. Ghoel realized they were not alone here. That moment, he made out some small shapes the corner of the next chamber. They were perfectly still, yet Ghoel realized they were alive. Suddenly, the darted across the floor and through a hole into the jungle. Ghoel’s eyes narrowed. That was something he thought. He stretched his inner muscles and fibres and then relaxed. He looked around. Hay. Leaves. Old bits of who knows what. Great said Ghoel to himself, How do I get out of here now? I’m not even on the ceiling. Ghoel rolled over. The hay was rough, and there were other things in it. He stretched out and touched the wall. Then he sucked on it with his abdomen until he was firmly connected. Oh, how he loved that feeling. High and dry he called it, yes, high and dry. He started up the wall. A tall wall it was, and rough too. Eventually, however, Ghoel was on the ceiling. He stretched again. And he saw them again. Small, strange, and fast, running across the floor. Ghoel started. What was that? He turned his head. And there they were. Directly in front of him. Weirder than ever. They were monkeys, yellow monkeys with black patches and the faces of chipmunks. Ghoel was lost for words. They sat there, on the ridge, smiling at him. Three monkeys. And then they pounced. Ghoel stuck out his tongue, and waved it, wildly, as the monkeys grabbed him from all sides. They yanked him painfully off the wall. Ghoel struggled as he dropped down to the floor. About 20 or so yellow monkeys cam running through the door. They stepped over Ghai. He woke up. Luckily, Ghai had his earpiece. “Oy,” shouted Ghoel as he was dragged off. Ghai stared and ran after the monkeys, throwing them off as they leapt on him. Then he slipped on a fruit skin and toppled downwards through a hole in the floor and into a pool of water. Ghoel watched helplessly, as he was dragged off. The monkeys carried him into a room in the temple, where many other monkeys waited. It was lit by burning fires in magnificent hues of green and red. On a huge dais, sat one big fat monkey. The monkey king. The king rose from his seat and gestured for Ghoel to be carried off. He barked in a hoarse, dry voice. Ghoel saw a large bird cage up ahead. As he had expected, they threw him in. The monkeys came down from everywhere. They barked and chattered. Then they moved the cage towards the king. Ghoel quickly winched himself up to the roof of the bird cage, and then hung there. He gazed at the crowd confused. Then he realized he was straight in front of the king. Ghoel waited expectantly. The king sniggered in a chattering voice. He stuck his hand through the bars, still grinning. Ghoel scowled. He had two choices. Either ignore, like a sentient, or... Ghoel grinned, and then quick as a flash, he darted out. He bit the monkey as hard as he could. Then he stuck out his tongue and thrust it in the kings face. The king staggered back, rage on his face. Then he stepped forward and scowled straight at Ghoel. Ghoel smirked. The crowd was silent. The king clenched his fist and gestured, chirping. Then he opened the cage door and entered. Ghoel grinned again. The king then stood for moment, and then he leapt into the air. He grabbed Ghoel’s neck, but Ghoel slipped out of his grip. The king started backwards. He stepped back out of the cage. Then he grabbed a fruit from his dais. He hurled it at Ghoel, but Ghoel was too quick. Time to show off some skills he thought. He caught the fruit in his teeth, and started to eat. A calm grace it was. The monkeys stared. The king stood speechless. Then he cried out. He howled loud. He grabbed another fruit from his dais, hurled it at Ghoel. Ghoel caught it with his tongue and hurled it at the king. The king ducked, but Ghoel simply laughed. He spat the half-eaten fruit straight in the King’s face. The king was now even more yellow than before. The crowd of monkeys burst into laughter. The king chirped and danced around, protesting, but the crowd kept on laughing. Eventually, the king turned to Ghoel, and sighed an exaggerated sigh. He hesitated for a moment, and then let Ghoel out. The crowd cheered as the burly monkey king carried Ghoel out of the cage and dumped him on the throne. Ghoel grinned. A large hand appeared clinging to the edge of a hole in the floor, and Ghai dragged himself up. The monkeys cheered again and the herglic waved. Then the monkeys disbanded. Some climbed away to the left, other to the right. Still others went up behind the dais. Even the king ran off. Eventually, only Ghai and Ghoel remained in the chamber. Ghai frowned. “What the hell was that?” he exclaimed loudly, so loudly that some monkeys still prying on the two scarpered. “That,” sighed Ghoel, “was weird. I don’t even get a proper coronation around here.” Ghai laughed, then said “I warn you, bra, they have got a sense of humour.” “Yeah, sure,” sighed Ghoel, “so what we do now” Suddenly, they heard a chirping. Ghoel turned his head. The throne/dais/whatever he was sitting on was uncomfortable, especially for him, and he struggled to get clear view. And then he saw a remarkable sight. It was the plump monkey king, very different from before. No longer the loud, arrogant and bossy creature but humble, humiliated and shy. The large yellow patched monkey came towards Ghoel. He tiptoed towards the throne with shy eyes, but a somewhat sly smile on his face, and knelt, still gazing at Ghoel, never loosing eye contact. Ghoel’s body began to fill with emotions, a little pity and even guilt. “Taking the throne from such as... charismatic leader,” Ghoel muttered through his earpiece to Ghai, “seems wrong.” “Sorry I didn’t quite catch that,” replied Ghai. Ghoel did not reply. He knew the communication system was probably nearly done by now, and soon it would be dead. After it was, he would never be able to speak another word. Not one. He would be isolated. No more than a decoration. Like a pet, perhaps, an animal. An animal An animal went through Ghoel’s mind once more. To be treated like an animal. He remembered Jabba the Hutt, his palace. Beings of all shape and size. All species, colours, voices. And he could see through his own eyes half of them were treated as animals despite their sentience. And he had been one of them. Left hanging on a sticky ceiling, Jabba smoking, blocking his view. But all the while, he had not been the only one. He and others with his misfortune were left as pets and pests. There was bubo the frog-dog, and salacious crumb. All left to survive. Nobody noticed him if he slid up to the bar, nobody even cared if he was in the room when they had a shower, or had sex, or went to the toilet. But of course, when he was in the cash vault, nobody cared. When he was in the spice cellar, nobody cared. Hmmm, maybe being treated as an animal is not so bad after all. A curious chirp brought him out of his thoughts. The yellow-patched creature was still knelt, but was growing impatient. Ghoel turned his head to Ghai desperately. “Tell him to rise!” Ghoel said through the comm. “Rise?” Ghai asked hesitantly. Ghoel nodded frantically and the King let out another chirp. “The lord says to rise,” Ghai boomed sarcastically, and then sniggered. Immediately, the critter understood. It stood up straight, and then, from behind his neck pulled out a large piece of metal, and inserted it into his mouth. And then he spoke. “Myy Loord” he stuttered. He spoke in a high pitch, almost comically shrill annoying tone. “Welcome to the core of the Multiverse.” “WHAT?” roared Ghai, “oh you freakin’asshole man, a think we overstayed our welcome in this hole, this, shithole, you know. Is there any way out of here, or are we just gonna stay here forever. “Oh no! Sorry, lord, there here is monstrous thing.” “Hey, you messin with me?” “Ghai! Ask him if theres another speech aid. I wanna talk to this guy seeming as you can’t. Ghai sighed. He cleared his throat. Then he spoke. “Have you got another of those things you have in your mouth?” Ghoel sniggered. You mean the same thing yo mama takes in her mouth. The yellow creature looked embarrassed. Then he spoke again. “We have many, for king, but they still miine.” “I’m sorry bro, he needs one, yo need pay some tribute to your leader.” “What? Whyyyy?!” Then the creature began to whimper and cry. And then he screamed loud, began to run around in circles. Ghoel had had enough. He could not speak, but he would try. With all his might, he pulled. He tried to pull in the air. He pulled it into his stomach. Then he blasted it out. The effect was phenomenal. A loud scream came from his stomach. The creature stopped in his tracks. Startled. Ghoel glowered at him, stuck out his tongue. The ex-king took a step back, his eyes on the brink of tears. Then, slowly, carefully, He reached out into his fur, into the pockets of fur and flab, and pulled out a shiny metal plate. The creature stepped towards Ghoel, shivering, and quivering, shaking with fear and loss, embarrassment and humiliation. “Here” he whispered. Ghoel slowly stretched out his long, muscular tongue, carefully avoiding dripping spittle on the poor yellow monkey. He curled his tongue around the shiny device and gently pulled it from the creature’s grasp. The king of the monkeys flinched a little, then quietly stepped back. Ghoel tensed. He brought the device to his mouth and put it in. Then he formed his magnetic field. A humming sounded. Almost like a song. It felt as though it was coming from his own gullet. He felt almost as if he had a voice. A true voice. He smiled. And then, he spoke. “Thank you, my lord.” “My... Loord?” “Yeah whatever”