The Last Days of Bivalvan

The Last Days of Bivalvan is a short story that takes place in Earth-1010. It was created for the Fall Fanon Con Normal Writing Contest 2017, in which it placed a close 2nd.

Plot
Farming is not a difficult life. In the Golden Reefs of the Qortzan System, one harvest will set me up for months. As an Orishan, I can stay underwater and catch fish for as long as I please. The hard part is selling it. Plenty of pirates around these parts. But if there’s one thing sturdier than Orishan biology, it’s Prypiatosian engineering. So for the most part selling it isn’t that hard either.

The Golden Reefs are well named. An abundance of gold here means that the coral is all lined with actual real gold. Too bad gold itself doesn’t hold much value around these parts. I could make a lot of money if I took it to the Sagittarius Galaxy, but I have some bad memories there so that’s not an option for me. Doesn’t matter. The fish here are rare and valuable, dead or alive. All I have to do is catch them.

A net launcher and a propulsion pack are all I need. Getting to the cave systems beneath the mountain island I call home takes just five minutes. Harvesting Argentum Pearls is a great way to pass the time waiting for some bigger game to show up, they don’t sell for much raw but artists like to buy them in bulk so they’re worth it in large quantities. My net launcher doesn’t just fire regular nets either, it fires specialised capture mechanisms that float to the surface once they’ve snared something. I can stay down here and capture wildlife for as long as I need.

When I’m done I just swim to the surface. I’ll get a boat later that I can use to track any of the packages that don’t drift ashore. But for now, it’s just a climb up a small cliff and…

...And who the hell are you?

The red armoured Orishan Bivalvan stands atop a grey rocky cliff, the waves crashing beneath him. A gentle rain falls around him accompanied by a cold, quiet breeze. Across from him, on the other side of a stone path leading to the docks, stands a wide ominous figure. A mechanical golem with dark blue metal skin and piercing cyan eyes. A torn grey cloak hangs around its neck over his left side.

Golem: “I’m looking for some people to fight in a war.”

Bivalvan: “So you’re recruiting?”

Golem: “Sort of.”

Bivalvan: “Who are you?”

Golem: “I’m the Timekiller.”

Bivalvan: “...What are you?”

Timekiller: “Unimportant. Will you join me?”

Bivalvan: “For an army? I’m no one’s soldier.”

Timekiller: “I can appreciate that, Bivalvan.”

Bivalvan: “How do you know my name?”

Timekiller: “I travel. A lot. And I noticed that you’ve been near someone that I have a great deal of interest in. On an unrelated note, tell me; what do you know of the Heaven Wars?”

Bivalvan: “The entire Sagittarius Galaxy at war with itself, a thousand worlds on fire. The war to end all wars.”

Timekiller: “Anything else?”

Bivalvan: “What would a farmer in the Messier Galaxy need to know anything more about the Heaven Wars for?”

Timekiller: “Okay, first of all: We call it the Andromeda Galaxy. Secondly, you really should brush up on your history. Otherwise you might not know what these are...”

The key upon Timekiller’s head begins to turn. With a blue flash, two purple clad humanoid aliens appear. One is a pink crystalloid with cracked skin, the other a tall green figure with tentacles protruding from his face and strange ribbed arms. A Petrosapien and Chimeran respectively. Bivalvan looks at them blankly, his crustacean face unable to portray his confusion.

Timekiller: “Time Breakers, before you ask. Here to help convince you to reconsider.”

Bivalvan places his left foot behind his right and feels for the edge of the cliff.

Timekiller: “I really think you should weigh your options here.”

Bivalvan: “Why me? What makes me more important to you than any other Orishan?”

Timekiller: “Like I said, you've been near someone that I have an interest in.”

Bivalvan: “Aggregor? He'd never fight for you.”

Timekiller: “Oh I have no interest in the Rooter experiment. Who I'm looking for is human.”

Bivalvan: “Ben?!”

Timekiller smiles.

Bivalvan: “You're in the wrong Galaxy. And besides, I doubt he'd want to help a being that goes around bullying farmers.”

Timekiller: “Ah-ha hahaha! I don't want his help! I want him dead!”

Bivalvan’s stance changes as he prepares to pounce, crossing his arms defensively in front of himself.

Bivalvan: “I'd never help you kill Ben Tennyson! I'd sooner die!”

Timekiller: “If it's any consolation, you're right.”

Bivalvan jumps backwards, pointing his arms straight down and propelling himself over the edge of the cliff with two jets of water before stopping dead. His torrents of water are frozen as he hovers in the air, unmoving. The key in Timekiller’s head is spinning gently again. He turns to his left to address the green figure.

Timekiller: “Chronal Point, bring him back.”

Chronal Point: “I obey.”

The Chimeran’s voice is grizzled, coarse and rough. He walks over to the frozen diorama that Bivalvan has become a part of. He stands in between the two frozen jets of water before his arms split instantly into more than a dozen long writhing tentacles. He flexes his new tentacles upwards, shattering the unmoving streams of water into thousands of razor-sharp droplets. The tendrils then stretch out over the edge of the cliff and wrap themselves around Bivalvan, pulling him back towards the trio. Timekiller steps aside, before allowing time to resume. Bivalvan struggles in the grasp of the Time Breaker, jets of water spraying out of his hands inertly. His arms held down, he is unable to move and his streams of water cease.

Timekiller: “You can stop struggling.”

Bivalvan: “Let me GO!”

Timekiller: “Now why would I do that?”

Bivalvan: “I will NEVER help you!”

Timekiller: “Your consent really isn’t a factor. You think these two wanted to fight for me? Do you even know who’s holding you right now? Vilgax the Conqueror. Single-handedly responsible for expanding the Chimeran empire over 10 star systems. And now he is totally subservient to me. The Chronal Point Time Breaker - Time Breaker Vilgax!”

Bivalvan: “And you’re going to turn me into one of them?”

Timekiller: “Yes. And if you’d complied sooner, I would’ve let you keep your free will too. Oh well.”

Timekiller turns to the motionless Petrosapien Time Breaker.

Timekiller: “Endless Pursuit. Put him to sleep.”

Bivalvan panics and struggles, trying to break free from the Chimeran’s grasp as the Petrosapien begins to move towards him. When the Petrosapien gets within a few feet, the Orishan stops struggling. He looks towards the Time Breaker in anticipation. The crystalloid pulls back before throwing his right fist towards Bivalvan’s face. Bivalvan attempts to close his grey shell mask over his face, but he is too slow and the Time Breaker strikes him anyway. Bivalvan collapses, falling limp but being held up by Vilgax’s tentacles.

Timekiller: “Excellent!”

Timekiller walks over to Bivalvan and kneels down in front of him.

Timekiller: “Any last remarks?”

Bivalvan groans.

Timekiller: “I thought not. Let’s go.”

Timekiller’s key spins up once more, generating a blue portal in front of the group. Timekiller steps through first, followed by Vilgax carrying Bivalvan, then the Petrosapien. The portal closes. It begins to rain harder. The waves continue to crash into the island, some bringing the trapped creatures from today’s hunt with them. Thunder can be heard distantly. The population of Qortzan is now zero.

Major Events

 * Bivalvan is captured, to be converted into a Time Breaker

Minor Events

 * It is revealed what Bivalvan has done with his life since being freed from Aggregor
 * It is revealed that Time Breakers have technical names

Characters

 * Bivalvan

Villains

 * Timekiller
 * Endless Pursuit
 * Chronal Point