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Monday 31 December 1990

The Valkyrie Chronicles - The Theophilus War Chapter 3

Mina Dones lay in her bed on Gamma-Omacron IV. Her condition had not changed. Garlic had been placed all around her room, but mainly on her door and her window.
    As the night came, she began to get restless. She began to roll all over her bed, as if she was having a bad dream. Then, she lay on her back, and began to gasp for breath. It was then that her father entered the room. He rushed over to the bed.
    “What is it, Mina?” he asked. “What’s wrong?”
    “The air.” she gasped. “I can’t breath! Please, open the window”
    Dones walked over to the window, but then paused. He remembered what Magus had told him.
    “Please, Father!” Mina pleaded. “I can’t breath!”
    The torment got too much for Dones. He removed the garlic from the window frame, and opened the window. But his daughter was still not happy.
    “The garlic.” she said. “Please take it away.”
    “It’s for your own good.” said Dones.
    “I can’t stand it!” she pleaded. “Please, I beg you, take it away!”
    Reluctantly, Dones removed the remaining garlic from the room. He took it out of the room, and returned a minute later. Mina had now perked up slightly.
    “Thank you, Father.” she said.
    Dones kissed his daughter in the cheek, and then left the room, closing the door behind him. When her father had gone, Mina got out of the bed. She walked over to the window, and peered out to the ground below. Below she could see a tall man standing in the gardens. The man was Count Dracula.
    Mina smiled at what she saw. Slowly, she opened the window. She motioned for Dracula to enter her room. Dracula began to float in mid-air, and he rose, until he came level with the window. He then stepped through into the bedroom. Mina undid the buttons on her night gown, and exposed her neck. The two puncture marks were now visible. Dracula walked over to her, and took her in his arms. Slowly, he moved his head toward her neck, and then he sunk his teeth into her neck, and began to feast on her blood, her life nourishment. A smile appeared on Mina’s face. It seemed that Dracula had found another bride.

    Lt. Sutek sat at one of the science stations on the bridge of the Valkyrie. He was checking on unusual readings that had been recorded by not only the sensors on the Valkyrie, but also from the Starbase. As he carried out his search, Watt approached him.
    “Any luck, Lieutenant?” he asked.
    “None, sir.” Sutek replied. “All readings from the Valkyrie and the Starbase appear normal. No sub-space fluctuations or anomalies.”
    “What about the Lohengrin?” asked Watt. “Is she still in this sector?”
    “I’m still awaiting transmission from them.” Sutek replied. “They may have better results, because our sensors are still undergoing repair.”
    “Let me know as soon as they get in touch.” said Watt. “I’ll be in my ready room if you need me.”
    About ten minutes later, a transmission came in from the Lohengrin. It was not just the information, but a message to Watt. Watt took the message in his ready room.
    “Do you have any strange readings, Captain McCloud?” Watt asked.
    “Only one.” McCloud replied. “There is a strange trail of ionized particles, heading toward Gamma-Omacron IV. It’s as if they knew where they were going.”
    “What sort of trail?” asked Watt.
    “Look at this.” said McCloud.
    The image of McCloud vanished, and a diagram appeared on the screen.
    “Interesting.” said Watt. “This is a similar pattern to the old Klingon ships of the last century.”
    McCloud re-appeared on the screen.
    “That’s what I though.” he said. “But there’s one major difference. The ion particles are mixed with those you would get from a Federation warp engine, of a Galaxy class starship.”
    “Then this ship has recent warp engines, but a century old cloaking device.” said Watt. “I didn’t know such a thing could work!”
    “It does.” said McCloud. “It looks like we’ve found our old enemy.”
    A couple of minutes later, Watt entered the bridge and approached Sutek.
    “Do you have the information from the Lohengrin?” he asked.
    “Yes, Captain.” said Sutek. “And if the information is correct, that ship should soon be in orbit around the colony!”
    “Inform the Admiral.” ordered Watt.
    Then, a message came in from the surface. It was Bob Dones.
    “Jim!” he said. “It’s Mina! She’s gone!”
   
    Count Dracula carried the limp body of Mina Dones to his rented house in the northern continent. This house had been empty for many years. It was the perfect hideaway for Dracula.
    He entered the house, and placed Mina on the couch. The room was very dimly lighted, but it was perfect for him. He then walked to the cellar of the house, which was cold and damp. He first saw his own coffin, the coffin in which he lay at night. He then walked over to the corner of the cellar. Slowly, he dragged out another coffin, and lay it beside his own. He opened the lid.
    “Ah.” he said. “Soon you will be at rest, my bride!”
    Dracula began to stroke the velvet lining of the casket. He then stood up, and took a small communication device from his jacket pocket.
    “I have her.” he said. “I have my bride!”
    A few seconds later, two men beamed down to the cellar. One had blond hair, the other red skin. It was none other than Armand Theophilus and his cohort, Celsius.
    “Have you finished on this planet?” sneered Theophilus.
    “My work is complete.” said Dracula. “I am now in your capable hands.”
    Theophilus then activated his communicator.
    “Beam us up to the cargo bay at once!” he ordered.
    Seconds later, Theophilus, Celsius, Dracula, Mina Dones and the caskets were aboard the now orbit ship. Seconds later, the door of the old house was barged down, A security team from the Valkyrie, led my Amarus and Magus, entered the old house.
    “Blast!” cursed Magus. “We’re too late!”
    Aboard the spaceship now commanded by Theophilus, he, Celsius and Dracula sat on the bridge. The crew was a motley assortment of aliens.
    “Now, count, you have your wish. You must now fulfil ours.”
    The vampire smiled.
    “Of course, gentlemen. Set a course for The Time of Legends.”
    A search for the ship proved fruitless. Magus remained on the planet for a few weeks longer but no one else died. Soon he rejoined the Valkyrie.
    “I do not think we have heard the last of this matter yet.” he said grimly

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