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From:lord_soldeed@yahoo.com(TimeWarrior)Subject:[4W]Sentry#1Newsgroups:rec.arts.comics.creativeDate:18Mar200203:41:15-0000Subject:[4W]Sentry#1Petronaxcouldfeelthemcoming.Hehadfoughtthemsolongthathealwaysknewwhentheywerearound.Thiswastheplacehewasmeanttogo,theplacewherethelastbattlehadtobegin.Therecouldbenorunning.PetronaxpoweredhisAlephTransmittertoitshighestsetting.Ifhefoughtinthissettingfortoolong,itmightkillhim.ButPetronaxwasdeterminedthatthesebeingsshouldnotreachEarth.Hecalledtomindthememoryofhisownworld,burnedanddeadatthehandsoftheAscendancy.Hewouldmakesurethatthisworldwouldnotsharethatfate.Andifhediedintheprocess,sowouldthey.RACCNon-ComicspresentsAFourWindsProductionSENTRYTalesoftheAleph-NullCorpsIssue1byAdrianJamesMcClureLydiaForwardlookedupatthestarsandwonderedwhethertheyhadhomeworkupthere,too.Hadthepeoplelivingoutthereevolvedbeyondtheneedformindlessdrudgery,orwasitauniversalconstant?Shedoubtedshe'devermeetanyactualaliens,notinIndiana.Butperhapstherereallywassomeplacefreeofsuchthingsashomeworkandwar.Shelookedoutthewindowofherroom,herfacedimlyreflectedagainsttheclearsmall-townsky.Itwasafacewithcharacter,framedbyauburnhairandsetwithintensegreeneyes.Itmighttechnicallybeconsideredattractive,evenstrikinglyattractive.Notmanypeoplefounditthatway,though.Shedidn'tcaremuch.Veryfewoftheboysinthistowninterestedher.Shealwaystriedtounderstandhowthepeopleinthistownthought,butcouldn't.Theyweremorealientoherthananythingthatmightcomefromthestars.Shesighed.Shewasinagloomymood.Sheneededtoclearherheadbeforeshecouldmusterenoughconcentrationtofinishherhomework.Soshewalkedoutofherroom,downthestairs,throughthelivingroomandintothenight.Itwasacold,clear,lovelynightwherethestarscouldbeseenbrighterthanever.Lydialookedacrossthesky,theconstellationsstaringoutatherlikeoldfriends.Atthatmoment,astreakoflightcutacrossthesky.Itwasameteor,sherealized.Shefeltatingleofexcitement,delightedthatsomethingforeignandstrangewasfinallycomingtoCenterville.Themeteorgrewlargerandlarger,farlargerthanmostmeteors.Itslightgrewalmostblindinglybrightasitfelltowardtheground.Lydiawasalittleafraidnow,butmoreexcitedthanever.Finally,withagreatflashoflight,themeteorlandedonSwannPark.Itdidnotmakeonebitofsound.Lydiaknewnowthatshehadtoseeit.Quietly,sheranofftowardtheparkwhereshehadplayedasachild.
 
Whenshereachedthere,shesawthattheplaygroundequipmentwasburnedandtwisted.Somethinglaygleaminginthecenteroftheplayground.Itwasnotameteorite.Itwasaspaceship.Adooropenedatthesideoftheroundsilverspaceship,andsomeonesteppedout.Itwasanimposingfigureinablackandgray,withdarkhairandpiercinggrayeyes.Itwasasuperhero.Analiensuperhero.Orwasitasupervillain?Lydia'sheartwaspoundingwithexcitement,fear,anddelight.Shefeltshehadtodosomething,yetfearedforherlifetodoanything.Themanstruggledoutoftheship.Eveninhispainedstaggering,hehaddignity.Inhishandheheldacrimsonwandlikedevice.Hetwistedthetopofit,anditbegantoglowabrilliantbluelight.Suddenly,theairseemedtoripapartaroundtheman.Somethingjumpedout,somethingthatalmostseemedtobemadeofdarkness.Themanstruckoutatthecreatureswithhisfists,farfasterthananymortalmancould.Afewpunchedfoundtheirtargets,andsomeofthecreaturesfadedaway.Yetmoreandmorekeptcoming.Suddenly,thecreaturesstopped.Lydiawasfilledwithforeboding.Theypaused,asifponderingwhatcoursetotake.Theyturnedaroundasifasone,andstartedshufflingtowardLydia.Withoutthinkingtwice,Lydiabrokeintoarunanddashedoffintotheneighborhood.Thecreaturesfollowedher.Theydidnotwalkasmuchasshiftthroughtheair,yettheymovedfarfasterthanLydiaevercould.Fortheveryfirsttimeinherlife,Lydiawasfacingherdeath.Avoicecriedout,"Catchthis!"Awandlikethatthemanhadusedcameflyingthroughtheair.Lydiacaughtit,itsmetalcoldtothetouch.Shetwistedthetopofitasshehadseenthemando.Atthatmoment,theworldchangedaroundher.Orperhapsitwasshewhohadchanged.Everythinglookedthesame,buttherewasanotheraspectthansightshecouldsee.Shecouldseeanintricatewebofconfusingconnectionsbetweenanythingandeverything.Thethingsattackingherwerenolongerphantasmsofdarkness.Theywerelikecancerousgrowthsonrealityitself.Thecreatureshadbeentakenabackforamoment,buttheysoonrecoveredandshiftedonward.Lydiasawthattheywereknotsoftwistedreality.Attheheartofthecreaturelungingatherwasarealitythreadthatseemedreadytosnap.Shecenteredhermind,tryingtorememberherkaratetraining.Herhandswungoutatthecreature'sweakspot,andhititstargetwithastrangetinglingsensationthatwasalmostbutnotquitepains.Thecreaturetwistedoutofexistencewithasilentscream.Sheconcentratedonhertargetsandstrucktheweakthreadsofthreemoreofthecreatures,andtheyfellaway.Atthatmoment,shefeltatendriloftwisteddarknessmakecontactwithherrightshoulderandshewasrackedwithpain.Ignoringthepain,sheturnedaroundandstruckatthecreature.Butherblowhadmissed,andthecreaturereachedoutanew.Sheleapedtothesideandsawthetendrilmakecontactwhereshehadbeenonlyasecondbefore.Thereweremorecreaturesshiftingtheirwaytowardher.Shestruckoutatthecreature,andthistimeshehit.Ittwistedintooblivion.Lydiawastirednow,moretiredeventthenshehadbeeningymclasswhenshe'dbeenforcedtorunthemile.Everymuscleinherbodyachedtostop,butsheknewshe
 
couldnot.Shelookedaroundandsawthattherewasatwistedholeofnothingnearby.Sheturnedintheotherdirectiononlybarelyintimetoavoidthecreatures'strikes.Shetriedtohitthem,butmissed.Fourcreaturesfloatedoutoftheholebehindher.Shewasnowsurroundedonallsides.Then,agreatswordoflightcameflashingtowardher,cuttingthroughthecreatures.Itwasinthehandsofthealienman.Heseemeddifferentnow,transfiguredbythelightofinnerstrengthInstinctively,sheheldoutherhand.Heseemtakenabackforamoment,butthentookit.Andatthatmoment,theirmindsbecameasone.Shecouldfeelthealien'sstrengthinher,andsheknewthathecouldseewithherperception.Petronax--thatwasthealien'sname--lookedaheadatthehole,andshelookedbehindandsawthethingsapproaching.Atthatmoment,shestartedtoberackedwithpain.Itwasnotthatshehadbeenattacked,butthatthemaneuverthattheyweretrying.Shetrainedallherconcentrationontheintricatewarpedrealityofthegate,andfeltoverwhelmedwithpainasaburstofPetronax'sstrengthcoursedthroughher.Shecouldseethehole,andallthecreaturesarounditunravel,andthentherewasnothing.***Lydiagroggilyshookherselfawake.Shewasinherownbedunderherowncovers.Shehadhalfexpectedthatshewouldstillbelyingonthefieldintheplayground.Sheimmediatelyrealizedwhathadhappened--thewholethinghadbeenaveryvividdream.Itwasn'tallthatuncommonforhertohavesuchdreams.Infact,thisdreamresembledpastdreamsshe'dhadinsomeways.She'doftensuddenlyglimpsedmysteriouswebsofconnection,orseenstrangecreaturesofdarknessatthecornerofhervision.Shedraggedherselfoutofbed,verygladtoseethatthewandshe'dbeengivenwasnowhereinsight.Shewentaboutthedailyritualofpreparingforherlivinghellatschool.Shebrushedherteeth,tookoffherpajamas,tookashower,driedoff,andputonherclothes.Whenshewalkedintothekitchen,however,sheknewsomethingwaswrong.Acloudseemedtohavedescendedoverherparentsandevenherbrother.Whenshepickedupthenewspaper,shesawwhy.MYSTERIOUSALIENOBJECTFOUNDINPARK,theheadlineblared.Lydia'sheartstartedpoundingfaster.Onthefrontpagewasapictureoftheverysamecrashedshipshe'dseeninherdream.Shereadon.Thearticledidnotmentionanyalienwarrior,oranytwistednightmarecreatures.Itwentonforquiteawhilewhilesayingverylittle.Whatitmentionedwasthatanalienobject,possiblyaship,hadlandedinSwannPark,thatithadhadnoinhabitants,andthatNEROtroopswouldbecomingforatownwidesearchforanyinhabitants.Theroomsetintoanawkwardsilence."Sowhatdoyouthink?"saidBradley,Lydia'syoungerbrother,aseventhgradepestofthefirstdegree.Trusthimtobreakanawkwardsilence,Lydiathought.Hecouldnevergoformorethanafewsecondswithouttalking."Idon'tknowwhattothink,"saidLydia'smotherhaltingly.
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