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Chapter Four: The Oasis

"How long have we been in the desert?" Matthew said as he trudged through the desert; his fur was started to dry out and split; his skin underneath burning and peeling. He looked at Basil and it seemed to shark was even being to take the beating of the sun. Basil extended his wings over Matthew and his own head; Matthew took a breath of relief knew that if they could survive till the night they might find shelter somewhere.

"We've been here for twenty three days; four hours and sixteen minutes." Basil said as the sand shifted through his feet and he felt his powers slowly going away. Flapping his wings he tried to fan himself and Matthew. Sweat down his feet and make sure that they were going to make it over the next dune. Matthew's breath started to fluctuate and his throat seemed to be completely dry.

"Just get over this dune; we'll be safe there." Basil said as Matthew started to pass out; grabbing the King he realized they could do this for much longer. He grabbed Matthew and pulled him into his hands. Releasing them his wings spread out and Basil decided to act. He flew up into air and made his way into the sky.

The shark looked forward and knew that they needed to get somewhere. He trusted forward and he wasted no time flying forward at full speed with Matthew in his hands. He knew he needed to save Matthew; that was his mission in life and that was what he needed to accomplish. Yet as he flew through the desert, pushing himself to go as fast as he could.

The desert was bare and hot; Basil thought to realize that the desert might be empty. There was nothing here for either of them; there was nothing in the desert and nothing was ever going to come. The sun beat down on his body and he was pushed to the ground by the rays of sunlight.

Crashing into the ground he nearly let go of Matthew; he held on to the King. He wrapped his wings around Matthew and looking up into the sky. The sun stood in the middle of the sky taunting him and he knew that even with only two hours left until night fall he wouldn't survive. He looked at Matthew and wondered if he should risk the King's ego.

"Don't do it Basil, you can survive; you just need to have the king activate his glowy hands then you could fly for hours; you know just wake the King up and ask him for a little help." Basil said as his necklace glowed and his voices in his head spoke out to him. He tried to ignore them and make his own chose.

"You won't have much time left with the king if you don't act soon; it all depends on him and if he dies then we have nothing left." His other voice said arguing and Basil knew that he had to protect Matthew. It was for his safety and reaching down in his longcoat he pulled out a tiny badge. He clicked it and he looked down in shamed as he remembered what it did.

Tiny artifacts appeared around his body and he reached out; it wasn't the sun shining in his eyes. He closed his eyes and wrapped Matthew in his wings and made sure that he didn't see what would surely be his traitor-ish attitude. He looked back at his badge and he had gotten a green signal. The desert in front of him disappeared.

Basil let go and collapsed against the cold steel floor below him. Grand Asher Drake and what looked like a doctor appeared before him; Basil made a sour face and the Grand Asher rolled his eyes. Three guards were surrounding him and kept their guns pointed at him; however at Grand Asher Drake's signal they raised their weapons.

"Good thing you finally gave up; an hour or more in the desert and he would have been beyond repair." The doctor said as she pushed open Basil's wings and examined Matthew. She placed her hand against his head and looked shock. She grabbed him and pulled Matthew out of the Shark's grip. Benji felt defeated as he let Matthew disappear.

"Well then coming back here; you know the risk but first let's get some water in your system." Grand Asher Drake said as he was handed a glass from his assistant and got on his knees to hand it to Basil. Quickly he splashed it on Basil and the shark groaned as the games started. His peeled skin burned as the water was splashed on him; he licked up the water and knew it was time to move.

Putting his foot on the ground he was held up by the guard. Basil looked at Grand Asher Drake and wanted to smack the look of complete victory off his hand and onto the ground. Then he'd pick it up, slap it on to his face again and peel it off again. The guards placed a device on his wings and they were pulled together painfully; a perception filter activating again and causing his wings to disappear.

"Now then; Basil you lasted twenty five days. I congratulate you. Yet you failed; Terra Nova has failed. Her boarders have been breached and her capital walls teared down and now her best warrior and her king have given up; you are a failure to your solider class and to the king." Grand Asher Drake said as he let the two soldiers and Basil pass; he cringed at seeing the shark's horribly burnt wings.

"Dear god men; get that shark some aloe and a glass of water!" The Grand Asher yelled down the hallway and shook as he saw Basil's condition. He turned his head and walked down the opposite way of the hallway. He was going to see the King; he was going to rub their defeat in and make him feel horrible.

...

"God you were on the brink of death; thank goodness that we were able to get to you in time King." The doctress said as she opened Matthew's eye and shook a tiny flashlight in his eye. She sighed seeing his pupil dilation and checked the IV she imputed into his arm. She checked his pulse and to another sigh of relief.

"Where am I?" Matthew said as he felt the IV in his arm and he reached over to remove it. The doctress glared at him and he pulled his hand back and realized she was a very intense care taker. "Did we make it to the next town?"

"Kind of honey; you're up in space; your back with the empire. Had you remained out there for any longer you would have died of dehydration; you and Basil could have only gotten so far and this is where your story ends." The doctress said as she placed her stethoscope up to his chest and scanned his heart beat.

"But my people we we're going to save my people; all of them." Matthew said as he leaned over to the left and saw the planet. He reached over and tried to grab the globe. Maybe if he could grab the globe than maybe he could wipe the USC off the map.

"You're people will be fine; you need to see the bigger perspective. Your father was trying to improve the technology, but stole some that is what started this war; but with President Asher under control of the planet he will modernize it, people won't have to worry about the water or heat or even electricity." The Doctress said as she grabbed the syringe from the table and tapped it.

She tapped it and clicked it as she examined the liquid inside of the syringe. Matt nearly pulled back his arm but she pressed a button on the side of the table and his right arm was locked into place. Matthew nearly screamed as the needle was injected into the side of arm.

"Don't be a baby; need to return some water back to your body. Through you might want to get some new clothes for the emperor." The doctress said as she looked at the plain and sand ridden caravan clothes. She laughed a bit and turned back at the counter. Pulling another syringe out she tapped it again and pushed it into Matthew's arm again.

"A little warning would be nice here!" Matthew said as he woke up completely and looked around. He realized that he was in the ship and looked out into the planet. It seemed the burn mark on the planet was healing and he didn't like that; he was supposed to heal that.

"The world is going to heal and one day it will forget you. The world will erase you and the Piecewise clan will be nothing but a legend told by parents to warn their children." The doctress said as she laughed at Matthew. Matthew tried to cover his face and looking out at the planet he realized that it was joined but it would be joined under him and his father's visions.

"You are Piecewise the Twenty-sixth, Matthew Piecewise the Twenty-Sixth under that the world was joined. You are the King who sacrificed his own honor in order to unify his planet. Congratulations you might be more famous than your own father." The Doctress said as she shoved a third needle into the King's arm.

"And why should I care; give it thirty days and I know that President Asher will place the plasma weapon on my head and pull the trigger." Matthew said as he rubbed his arm and felt the three holes in his arm. He shivered as he felt the pain of the fourth needle being prepared by the doctress.

"No you are far more valuable alive than dead; once Asher gains your trust then this will be a very different time the for our empire and once we reach this point well then this solar system will be unified under one empire." The Doctress said as she stabbed Matthew in the arm again and he shook. She pulled it out and placed the final needle against the table "Oh please don't be a baby; feel lucky that I don't give you all the booster shots that you missed out on your hillbilly planet."

"Ah and how is the patient doing?" Grand Asher Drake asked as he walked into the room and looked around. Even after being treated for the later part of fifteen minutes, he still looked far better than when he was in the desert. Matthew scoffed at him and the Grand Asher scoffed back at him.

"Ah Grand Asher Drake; I thought I could have smelled your stink on this ship when I woke up." Matthew yelled as he tried to point his arm but found both of them strapped to the table and his legs followed in a second. Matthew struggled to get up from the table as he tried to get away from the ship.

"Oh someone is pissed off today; but trust me in two years once we get all this modern technology built into your system; you'll be a very obedient man. Maybe you might even stand at President Asher's hologram table; you seem to be very good at judging me." Grand Asher Drake said as he turned the ring segment and a large circular window opened above them. Matthew looked down onto the planet from the window.

"This is Terraona Prime's planet now; all of that land even the USC's; all five planets of the system all united in holy unity; the five planets all under one fair rule." Grand Asher said as he looked at his new planet. "Play your cards right and you might even get to rule a section of this land one day; one day."

"I won't give up; you can't make me." Matthew said as he tried to reach out and grab a syringe from the table. The Grand Asher and Doctress laughed at him as she slapped away his hand from the table. He put his hand down and in that second he realized something. Terra Nova was always something to laugh at, someone that always would be made fun of or attacked and maybe just maybe her citizens were better off without him. Matthew closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overtake his body.

...

"Where are they taking the King!" Basil yelled as he pulled and failed his arms trying to get out of the guard's grips. Basil struggled in the guard's arms as they carried him though the hallway and presumably towards his cell. With his hands out and pretty close to the guards he tried to make some sort of energy blast to knock them back but it was more like an energy poof.

The guards stopped and threw him into a cell; his wings screaming in pain as he landed on them. Instead of the normal metal bars he got special treatment; a purple forcefield formed over the wall. Walking forward he tried to punch the wall but it only made his skin peel more.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Basil yelled to the guards as he pushed against the forcefield trying to push through it and wobble his way back out into the dangerous hallway. Yet when push comes to shove; he was pushed back into the cell.

"Don't worry you have a very special visitor coming to see you." One of the guards said as the ship seemed to move around them. Basil heard the sound of a television screen being lowered behind him; he might as well see if he could wear down his neck to a bloody pulp before the worst part of his day would literally start. Above him he heard the sound of a satellite dish opening and presumably the signal coming in.

"Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well. Look who's just decided to come crawling back. I'm Basil now; Please sir can I get some water; please sir we have already given up already." President Asher said mocking him as Basil was forced by the force field to turn around; sit down and face the President himself. Like with the Grand Asher he just wanted to smack that look of complete victory off his face.

"That's a lot of wells President Asher; now then tell me which one your brain got lost in so I can jump in and beat it to a bloody pulp!" Basil said as he stood up and raised his fist to the screen. He managed to evoke a laugh from President Asher; Basil sat down knowing that it was no use.

"Shame and you two were doing so good; there was only a town about a hundred or so kilometers away from you two; and to think the shark that I once trained to be the Desert Warrior; turned into my Dessert Warrior." President Asher said as he too managed to evoke a laugh from himself.

"Please you're talking to me; can these puns." Basil said as he rolled his eyes again. The President smiled and looked down on him; seemingly ready to laugh again. However, Basil got a different reaction one of worry and fear as he stood up and raised his hand. His hand was glowing purple; his energy felt reinvigorated.

"IL-205 where are you! Summon to protect 22-OVK. Security forces gather and stop BL-102!" President Asher said as he realized he had the first piece of intelligence in what could be the worst thing to happen on the ship. While they could hold Basil and keep him obeying; that was only so long as he was on their side. If Basil was free they didn't have a forcefield to match his energy.

...

Ingram laid back in his space ship as he pulled up the protective screen off his windshield. Adjusting the seat and pulling out a threefold mirror; he spread it out in his hands and put on a pair of sun glasses. The sun felt nice on his body and he would get an amazing tan from this. Ignoring the blinking red light on his pod; he kept his ship still.

...

Basil stood up; he felt reinvigorated and filed with energy. His hands pulsed with blue energy and as he stood up he felt him able to impart more energy than the forcefield. But first he didn't want to waste time with this clown any longer than he had to. He grabbed the projection wall and pulled it down. The screen snapped and the projection stopped. He smiled knowing that he stopped the fool.

"Ok, one thing down three more things to deal with." Basil said putting his hand forward and imparting an opposite energy on the forcefield it shattered like a simple sheet of glass. With most of his energy remaining he walked out and saw the two guards he dealt with earlier. He wasted no time firing a beam forward and striking them through the hearts, they fell to the ground.

"Ok, Matthew was injured so he'd be sent to the infirmary." Basil said in a low voice to himself, trying to work out where they would have sent his king. Turning his head to the right he saw a set of signs attached to the wall; seeing the words infirmary and the arrow pointing forward pushed him to continue on down that pathway.

Blasting another set of guards he wasted no time working through the guards and making a real bloody mess of the place. Even as they orbited over the beautiful brown planet below them; he only blocked that view by managing to splatter blood on the windows. And as he came into the infirmary block of the ring; he quickly realized this was where Matthew was.

Looking down and seeing the glass roof open; he knew that the Grand Asher would surely be showing Matthew his failure in some sort of attempt to gain satisfaction. He summoned his sword; grabbing the front shark module and holding it in his hands. He showed it off and made the sword glow with his energy.

The doctors and doctresses ran out of the medical ward in fear as the shark showed off his sword and he allowed them to pass; most of them seemed to be well adjusted, innocent citizens that didn't know the truth of the empire. He walked forward; looking through the hallway on the upside down pathway.

Basil stood silent, wanting to surprise the Grand Asher as he walked into the medbay; he looked and saw the drake standing there with contempt; smiling and twirling his fingers. Basil walked forward and he decided to waste no time; he put his hand on Basil's back and tapped his shoulder.

"Ah yes doctor what do you need?" Grand Asher Drake said as he turned around and saw Basil's face. In a half second his face changed from confusion to anger but before he could react; say by calling guards or punching, Basil grabbed his face and threw him back. The Grand Asher was thrown and ragged dolled over the floor.

"I won't hurt you, move out of the way and you won't be forcefully thrown." Basil said to the doctress as he raised his hand and made it glow with energy. She looked at his hand and decided to abandon ship; she ran out of the medbay like the doctors before her not even stopping to check on the Grand Asher.

"Wait, Basil what's going on?" Matthew asked as he looked up and saw the shark, he looked intense. Basil chopped down his hand and broke the metal restrainers holding back the King. Matthew seemed a bit drowsy as he slumped over the table and landed on the floor.

"Well the third escape attempt in a month; so you know the usual." Basil said as he grabbed Matthew and helped him up. Matthew wobbled on the floor as he walked out of the medbay but as he regained his compass he let go of Basil and started on his own path. Matthew stopped and looked up.

"What's wrong are you okay?" Basil said as he reached out in front of Matthew trying to make sure that he wasn't going to fall over. Matthew did and instead looked through the massive glass ceiling. Basil looked up and was amazed at the appearance of the large desert planet below them.

"Should we leave; I mean everyone is saying that this world will be better with Terraona Prime's technology; water and protection for every one and I ask what is wrong with that?" Matthew said as he asked the important question; Basil stopped in his place and looked back at the planet; they were over around where they were captured.

"I'll show you what I saw; what inspired me to turn away from the empire and what will inspire you to free your people." Basil said as he grabbed Matthew and pulled him along; looking around he found another docking port. As usual the dock opened and allowed them through. The Grand Asher groaned as he woke up and the two looked out.

"We don't need to do this Basil; we should just give up everybody will be happier if we just give up." Matthew said as he sat down. "We can just find a nice town to hide in and keep ourselves hidden; will you follow me?"

"No, we're going to down to the surface and you will change when you have seen what I have seen when you have seen the fires that I have hidden in my mind and when you see everything that I know; well then we will be back on track." Basil said as he left the station, "accidentally" hitting a few of the solar panels. He activated the auto pilot and imputed a few coordinates into the computer.

The ship pointed downwards and rockets on the top of the ship activated. Basil called then normal thrusters and as they stayed in silence they re-entered the atmosphere. Matthew looked at the fire on the windshield before them and was awed at the fire blasting on the glass; even during his third time re-entering he was amazed.

As they flew over the familiar sand dunes of Terraona Prime; a cloak activated and the ship turned invisible. Matthew couldn't see his hands or most of the interior either; Basil seemed to trust that the ship would lead them. Two enemy ships flew by the not knowing that they were right in front of them and they continued on their path.

They stayed silent and a large town appeared before them. It was about as big as the town that they landed in but seemed to be more advance. Machinery was laid out by the town and quite amazingly a large lake had somehow gathered outside the town. Nicely grown palm trees swayed from side to side in the wind and the sand seemed friendlier.

The pod landed and so did the enemy pods; no doubt did the Grand Asher quickly send down another set of pods to track them. The pods landed more so near the lake; nervously Matthew looked over to Basil.

"Don't worry; just stay near me, my perception filter will keep us hidden for now. Just stay with in a general range of me and don't do anything stupid." Basil said as he stood up and walked backwards; stepping out of the seat he appeared and as Matthew stepped up his hands reappeared again.

Basil took a straight path and walked out the presumably open ramp and onto the sand again. Basil looked better; his skin wasn't peeled and his wings seemed better. Matthew felt good as the sand touched his feet and he was back on the planet again.

Matthew walked forward glad to finally have been in some sort of town; he didn't have any idea how close to Basil he would have to stay but he kept close and didn't walk off for once. Looking up in the sky; it seemed that the sun was lower in the eastern sky; so they were ahead maybe a hundred or so miles. He didn't have much on how far one would have to walk in order to defy the sun.

Matthew was handed a pair of sunglasses by Basil and putting them on he felt better to not have to take in all the rays of the sun. Feeling the glasses in his hand, he felt the material that made it up; if was hard and glossy. It had to be some sort of technology Terraona Prime had placed in the pod for its agents of darkness.

Basil wasted no time walking towards the two pods; nonchalantly he passed by the lake a large fence placed between the town and the lake. And covering it were signs that told the citizens not to pass. Maybe the water was poisoned by the sand or maybe the USC was trying to protect the citizens. In the center there was a device.

"This lake used to be one of the few above ground water sources and it was populated greatly; now however the USC and Terraona Prime empires are draining the lake and the spring underneath are draining the lake of water and only giving the people rations." Basil said with his own pair of sunglasses on his face; Matthew turned his head and tried to figure why they would do that.

"They are one affecting the business of this town; twelve years ago this used to be a massive trading town where people would come to get water and just to see water. That platform drains the water; they detect the flow from the spring and the volume of the lake; if anyone takes a drink they will know." Basil said as he walked parallel to the fence.

"How do you know all this information?" Matthew asked; Basil seemed to have just a bit more information than he would normally know. Basil turned back at him and did a bit more of groan than he usually did. He turned to Matthew and smiled.

"One would be inclined to know about their hometown." Basil said as Matthew looked shocked. This was where Basil grew up; this is where he came from. This was his origin; maybe they knew his real name. Basil's wings appeared for a second as Matthew failed to catch up; they were still locked together.

"You're wings they're stuck together, some sort of glue for your wings." Matthew said as he reached up and realized that Basil's wings while healed were know kept together. Matthew rubbed their tips and tried to see if he could detach them but they seemed firmly locked together.

"Keep back they're coming out of their pods; make sure to go for the confused child look." Basil warned him as they approached the Primetroopers. They looked around through the group; the two Primetroopers presented themselves to the ground and they smiled as they put their hands behind them.

"Now then you sad clod; it seems we've had a breach of containment, two horrible criminals are around you; now we're looking for a shark and a wolf anyone see them?" The Primetroopers said as he caused the village to looked around and everyone to look at each other. Basil and Matthew blended into the crowd as they approached.

"What is the meaning of this invasion; haven't you done enough taking our water, our tourists and our pride!"

Someone stepped up; Matthew couldn't see but he suddenly felt Basil's wings go crazy; he was mad as hell and seemed to be in the mood to fight. Matthew held onto Basil and tried to hold him back. The shark was angry and Matthew didn't want them to be noticed; he guessed he did care.

"Basil, who is that?" Matthew asked as like a small child; he tugged on the shark's arm trying to get his attention and turn him away from doing anything majorly stupid or derailing. Basil's hand glowed and shoved him away; with one swift motion he flew up into the air and they were both noticed. Matthew saw the shift eyes of the Primetroopers take notice of him and they worked.

"Father, duck!" Basil screamed as he threw a ball of energy forward; the voice quickly jumped out of the way and an explosion engulfed the vehicles. The Primetroopers quickly fired a cascade of bullets and Basil wasted no time setting up a shield around them. He flew forward and they looked at him.

"Ah how nice of you to land here; you know this place and you know what happened here; so give up and maybe just Grand Asher Drake would spare this place." The Primetroopers yelled as Benji made the density of the bubble thicker and blocked their voices. He was about to clinch his fist down; but as the voice put its hand on his shoulder he stopped.

"Do with them what you must; but this town is now under my protection. Anyone who attacks this place, they must face the wrath of Terra Nova and me." Basil said through the bubble as he pulled the bubble out of the ground, shrinking it and pulling the two along. "But first."

Basil quickly turned around and fired a blast; it went over the crowd. Matthew watched as it ripped the fence open and exploded in the middle of the lake; engulfing the draining equipment it vaporized it and returned the lake back to his town.

"Now then your king; follow me and we'll have fun." Basil said as Matthew walked forward and both of them followed the mayor. Matthew looked back at crowd as they booked at the Primetroopers. He wondered why they were booing their own forces; they must have been tired of being threated horribly.

"Basil who is that?" Matthew asked as they walked into a building; it looked like an office and there were a set of cages in the back. Basil put down the bubble in their cell and someone else came and took their weapons. Basil turned towards Matthew and smiled; looking happy. There were photos set up; all along the wall.

"This is my father; Sheriff of this happy little place and also my father." Basil said as he smiled, looking to be the happiest he had been looking in a while. Matthew realized this was Basil's hometown. He looked the sheriff and it was only a shark; no horns or no wings.

"Hello Sheriff; I don't think I have to introduce myself." Matthew said as he extended his hand and the sheriff wasted no time reaching out his hand and shaking. Matthew was surprised at the Sheriff's openness. "If you don't mind asking what is Basil's real name?"

"Oh well he has no name; and either way I don't think you remember your names anymore. I think we'll be all fine calling him Basil." The Sheriff said simply being overenthusiastic with joy. "Now we've heard you've been coming this way; raising a revolution; the USC has been nice but we'd rather be in Terra Nova."

"I know; Terraona Prime shouldn't bother you any longer; re-open the springs raise this town back up to the image I had in my head." Basil said as he walked past the sheriff and walked to the wall covered in pictures. Leaning his hand against the wall; Basil looked nostalgic.

"I now you're going to be moving on in the morning and I know you need to get to Acropolis; it's maybe a ten day walk from here. Just stay the night and we'll promise to give you everything you three will need to survive." The Sheriff said as he looked back at the picture as well and looked over at Basil as well. The sheriff didn't look that tall and leaning against the wall Matthew wondered where Basil got his height from.

Matthew looked out the window and saw the citizens celebrating by the lake; he felt good that he freed them from control of the USC. But now was the hard part; he had to do the same with the capital and all he had was one very excellent warrior. He wondered if he could manage a massive full scale attack; but he believed that he could gather warriors.

"So Basil which one is you?" Matthew asked as Basil grabbed a picture and pointed to himself; a picture of a tiny shark standing next to a tiny dragon. Both looked so happy and Matthew wondered where did Basil's friends go? The sheriff looked sad but happy at the same time, sad but beautiful.

"Dad you don't mind if I take this picture? I think President Asher will like to know what exactly he did." Basil asked as his father nodded yes and the shark removed the picture from the frame and Matthew got a look at it. It was some sort of newspaper clipping; Basil put it in his pocket and smiled at his father.

...

All was good for the next ten days; they made their way towards Acropolis. And then they saw the pillars. Standing on the sand dune above the city as they looked down at the city split by the wall; they knew they finally made it.