Black Star

By Lynn Scott

THE BLACK STAR is the most recognizable symbol in the known universe, eliciting fanatical devotion in some and absolute terror in others. The Black Star is the symbol that represents a creature called The Unholy One who believes himself to be God of the universe. Any civilization who disagrees is destroyed, any survivors captured and used as foo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Vine Press
• Release date: Nov 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781951886028

Lynn Scott

Lynn Scott, it has always been her dream to write a great Sci-fi novel. Black Star is her first novel and the first in a trilogy. She loves The Sci-fi genre and finds ancient Egyptian culture fascinating. She also absolutely, adores animals, especially dogs. She is pictured here with her dog Flash.

Book preview

Black

Star

Lynn Scott

Copyright © 2019 by Lynn Scott.

ISBN Softcover 978-1-951886-00-4

Hardcover 978-1-951886-01-1

Ebook 978-1-951886-02-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Printed in the United States of America.

Book Vine Press

2516 Highland Dr.

Palatine, IL 60067

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my best friend Jen for all of her patience, love and support.

Most of my creature’s personality traits and physical appearances were inspired by all of the animals I have known and loved. The story came from my love of all things Sci-fi and my fascination with ancient Egyptian culture. I would like to add a very special thank you to Flash.

Acknowledgment

To Zack Muelle, thank you for bringing my original concept

illustrations to life.

Reunion

Apep has only one all-consuming purpose in life. It is the welfare of the one true true god, her greatest and most glorious master the Unholy One.

From the very first moment Apep saw him, she knew he was something special. Apep was captivated, infatuated, and totally mesmerized by his awesome good looks, charm, and commanding presence. On that day Apep swore her undying love, devotion, and allegiance, worshipping the Unholy One as a living god.

What the Unholy One wants is nothing less than to be a god. He thought he would start by becoming Pharaoh, the supreme ruler of planet Oneikki. The only thing standing in his way was the current ruling Pharaoh, his father Osiris. The Unholy One is ruthless, cunning, and ambitious. Lusting for fame and power, he snuck into his father’s private chambers one night and murdered him. What the Unholy One had not counted on was a witness to his gruesome crime. This is the reason he is now condemned to life imprisonment on planet Iceageddc. The Oneikkian people consider his crime so heinous that his real name is forbidden to be spoken. He is referred to now only in whispers as the Unholy One. It has taken Apep a year to plan her great master’s escape.

It is one year to the day. Alone and with single-minded determination Apep walks across a vast expanse of pristine white snow covering planet Iceageddc’s frozen surface. The snow crunches beneath her feet as the ice below creaks and cracks protesting loudly. The atmosphere is thin, and the average surface temperature hovers around forty degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Despite these extremely harsh conditions, Apep remains totally unaffected. She needs no protective clothing or special breathing apparatus.

Apep is a Llehnahtre, a legendary creature long believed to be extinct. She stands nine feet tall and has a strong, muscular body. Dark brown armored plates cover her back from the top of her head down to the tip of her tail. Embedded in the armor are short, bony black spikes. The rest of her face and body are covered with dark green extremely tough, reptilian-like skin. Two long black horns rise up from the top of her head. Powerful jaws lined with sharp, serrated teeth allow her to easily crush bone and tear flesh. Strong, muscular hind legs help support her immense size and enable her to leap great distances. Long, black claws help to grab and hold her prey securely. She can regulate her breathing and body temperature, allowing her to tolerate a wide range of environments. Apep has one more formidable feature. She can spit highly neurotoxic venom. Absorbed through the skin the venom works quickly. Within seconds of penetration, the victim suffers intense pain, difficulty in breathing, loss of consciousness, violent convulsions, and then death. Only Apep’s beloved great master, The Unholy One, knows the antidote to her deadly venom. Apep wears only a single item. It is a large, five-pointed black star suspended on a silver chain around her neck. The black star is the symbol of her great master. The Unholy One has chosen it to represent himself as supreme god of the universe.

Lovingly Apep caresses the black star. The thought of her impending reunion with her beloved great master compels her forward. Apep soon reaches her objective. A large crater surrounded on three sides by massive blue-green ice mountains. The crater is the entrance into Iceageddc’s underground prison. Looking down she finds a roughly carved, stone staircase. Apep immediately descends, her claws gripping tight onto the icy, winding staircase. Reaching the bottom, a glowing yellow light reveals an open doorway protected by a force field. Locating the control panel Apep taps in the deactivation code. She acquired this code as well as a few other useful items from an Oneikkian thief named Troopera. The force field disengages. As Apep steps through the open doorway, the force field automatically engages behind her. The temperature here is vastly different from the surface, hovering around ninety-eight degrees Fahrenheit. Tiny wisps of vapor rise from Apep’s body as the hot air collides with her cold skin. Slowly and with great stealth, Apep makes her way along a roughly carved, stone tunnel. She crouches so that her horns will not scrape against the ceiling alerting the guards to her presence. Hearing voices Apep finds herself standing just outside the entrance to the guard’s chambers. There is no force field here and the door stands open and unprotected. Feeling the prison impenetrable these guards have become lax in their duties. Apep risks a peek inside.

She sees a large, open, brightly lit room. The walls are unadorned; the room sparsely furnished. Only a small, wooden table and four plain, wooden chairs sit in the center of the room. A tunnel to the left protected by a guard and force field draws her attention. It must be the entrance to the prison cells. Apep counts a total of seven guards. She quickly dismisses them as typical Oneikkian guards, therefore, posing no threat to her.

The Oneikkians are a race of half-human, half-animal–like creatures. They stand upright on two legs and have fur and hair. One guard resembling a rat is standing near the entrance with his back to Apep. Three other guards resembling a wolf, otter, and cougar are seated around the table eating and drinking. Two antelope-like guards are standing on the far side of the chamber. Deep in conversation they are completely oblivious to the danger lurking just outside. A large warthog-like guard is protecting the entrance to the prison cells. The guards are dressed in traditional male Oneikkian attire. This consists of an idnahs, tan-colored sandals, and assorted jewelry.

An idnahs is white gauze-like fabric that covers the body from the waist to the knees. Every Oneikkian wear a wide, gold cuff bracelet around their wrists, ankles, and biceps. Each bracelet is decorated with colored stones representing their station in Oneikkian society. For example all Oneikkian scientists wear green stones, healers purple, diplomats pink, etc. All Oneikkian guards wear red-colored stones. Further identification is made by the particular shape of the stones. All Oneikkians wear a large, gold hoop earring that is a communication device. Within the last ten thousand years the Oneikkian race has developed telepathic abilities. The communicator helps to enhance their telepathic abilities aiding in long range communication. Every Oneikkian is given at birth a solid gold ankh suspended on a gold chain. The ankh is shaped like a cross with a loop at the top. It is the single most sacred religious symbol representing the Oneikkian god Ahmun Rah. Apon seeing the ankh hanging from the guards’ neck Apep looks away in disgust.

There is only one true god, my great and glorious master. Make peace with your false god Oneikkians, for you are all about to die, Apep snarls in anticipation of the kill. Taking a deep breath she readies herself for battle.

Leaping into the room Apep takes the guards completely by surprise. Landing on top of the rat guard Apep smashes him to the ground. Her immense weight crushes his spine. The three guards seated at the table scramble looking for weapons to defend themselves. Apep is faster. One slash of her claws across his throat severs the otter guard’s windpipe. His lifeless body crumples to the ground. Using her six-foot long tail like a whip Apep lashes out. It connects with the cougar guard. He falls back clutching his chest where several shattered ribs have punctured his heart. The wolf guard temporarily escapes. Apep turns her attention to the two antelope guards. Thrusting her head forward she opens her mouth wide spraying her deadly venom. Drenched the two guards fall to the ground. Rolling back and forth, they slap wildly at their face and body desperately trying to wipe it away. Their futile efforts only serve to further spread the vile venom. They quickly succumb to the deadly neurotoxins. Feeling a warm sensation on her back, Apep turns to face her attacker. The warthog guard is rapidly firing his barkon at her. A barkon is an Oneikkian weapon. It is a five-foot long metal staff with a /\ -shaped blade at the bottom. -The blade is used for hand to hand combat. A large, blue crescent-shaped tube sits at the top of the staff. When activated these fire a blue-colored electrical charge resembling lightning bolts.

Apep looks longingly at the entrance to the prison cells. As much as she desires to be reunited with her beloved great master his safety must come first. Imprisoned in a cell behind a force field is the safest place from all the fighting. Apep rises to her full, most intimidating height. Head held high she snaps her jaws together and growls a deep throaty growl. While the guard is looking at her face, Apep uses her tail to lift the dead rat guard off the ground. Quickly lowering her head she flings the body up and over her back. Hurtling across the room the body slams into the warthog guard. Knocking him back against the wall he drops his barkon. Even though he has fired his barkon continuously since her initial attack Apep remains unharmed. The air smells burnt and tingles with static electricity from all the barkon bolts.

Realizing the ineffectiveness of barkon bolts against Apep the wolf guard tries a different tactic. Snatching up a nearby barkon he charges at her using the blade end to stab and slice. The blade shatters against her tough armor and Apep remains unharmed. Pivoting back around Apep reaches out and snatches the barkon away. Instinctively the wolf guard leaps back startled by her speed. Amused Apep holds out the barkon, and with one hand, she snaps it in two, allowing the pieces to fall at his feet.

For the glory of Ahmun Rah! the warthog guard shouts, recovers, and races toward her. Grabbing him by the throat, Apep yanks him off his feet. The warthog guard pounds, bites and kicks in a desperate attempt to break free. Apep brings him in closer until his face is mere inches from hers. Her nostrils flare wide as she breathes in his scent.

Do you fear death Oneikkian? Apep asks the guard as the smell of his fear assaults her nose.

Apep longs for the scent of her beloved great master. He fears nothing. She must end this quickly now so that she can be reunited with her great and glorious master. Wrapping her tail around the warthog guard’s waist Apep squeezes the life out of him. His head falls forward as his entire body goes limp hanging lifeless from her tail. Shaking him violently, Apep checks for any signs of life.

Your plan to free your great master will fail wretched beast. I will stop you! Shouts the wolf guard defiantly.

Brave words from such an insignificant creature. There is no where to run, nowhere to hide. Release my great master now and I will make your death quick.

Never vile creature! That unholy thing you call your master is no god. He will never leave this place alive, the wolf guard shouts boldly.

Blasphemer! Apep screams, enraged.

Flinging the dead warthog guard aside Apep leaps at the wolf guard. Anticipating her reaction, he immediately drops to the ground rolling just out of her reach. Apep roars with frustration as her claws find only air. The wolf guard knows full well he is no match for Apep. In all probability he is only seconds away from certain death. Despite this he stands firm in his resolve. He cannot allow Apep to free The Unholy One. Grabbing up another barkon he aims and shoots Apep right between her eyes. Apep snorts from the smoke she inhaled then smiles. The barkon had no effect. Without warning Apep thrusts her head forward. Opening her mouth wide, she sprays her deadly venom. The wolf guard dives for cover beneath the table. It works. Her venom falls harmlessly across the tabletop. Tiny, glistening teardrops of the deadly venom hang from the table edge. Suspended on delicate, silk-like threads the deadly venom drops dangle dangerously close to the wolf guard’s face. Using the tip of the barkon the wolf guard wipes them away careful not to let a single drop touch him.

He scrambles out from beneath the table just in time as Apep’s fists come crashing through. Annoyed that her prey has eluded her grasp yet again, Apep kicks the broken pieces of the table aside. She growls opening her jaws wide, showing her mouth full of deadly teeth. The wolf guard quickly grabs a fallen chair and rams it hard into Apep’s gaping jaws. He knows it will not stop her but prays it will buy him a few precious seconds to formulate some kind of plan. As Apep chews the chair into splinters the wolf guard quickly makes his way over to the entrance to the prison cells.

You may be immune to barkon fire, unclean beast, but your unholy master is not! the wolf guard shouts, raising his barkon.

Apep lashes out with her tail. The wolf guard falls to the ground, clutching his broken legs.

Is that the best that you can do? he taunts her between clenched teeth. He knows that the next shift of Oneikkian guards is due to arrive anytime now. He prays to Ahmun Rah that they will arrive in time and find a way to defeat her. If Apep succeeds in her plan to free The Unholy One, all of planet Oneikki will suffer. That will only be the beginning.

Time to die Oneikkian, Apep whispers, looming over him.

The courageous wolf guard takes one more stab at Apep with the blade end of his barkon. Apep rips it from his hand then shoves it deep into his chest.

There can be no one left alive to threaten my great master, Apep says, kicking the dead wolf guard aside. She punches in the deactivation code and the force field disengages.

Apep enters into the tunnel, finding it covered with ice and snow. She had no idea that the prison cells were kept bitter cold. Thick clouds of vapor swirl all around as the cold air in the tunnel mixes with the hot air in the guard’s chamber. Apep is worried. Oneikkians cannot stand to be cold and her beloved great master was born an Oneikkian. She calls out to him.

Great Master, it is Apep, your most faithful servant. I have come to rescue you. Tell me which of these cells imprisons you.

Looking around the tunnel she finds two nearly solid, metal doors on each side of the tunnel. In the center of each door is a thin slot used to shove food through. Two soft knocks come from behind the first door on her right. Apep charges over to it using her claws to slash at the door looking for a way in. She finds that the door has been welded shut and the lock melted. When her beloved great master was sentenced to life imprisonment on Iceageddc, they meant life imprisonment. Long, slender fingers covered with fine, reddish-brown fur slip through the open slot. Overcome with joy Apep gently reaches out and caresses them as tears of joy roll down her cheeks.

Great Master, your fingers, they are so cold. Step away from the door, my great master. I will free you, Apep shouts, outraged at his treatment.

Reluctantly Apep releases her hold on his fingers, allowing them to slip back inside. Anxious to steal a glimpse of her beloved great master, she tries to see into the cell through the slot. Disappointed, she sees only darkness. Standing up, Apep examines the door. Brushing away ice and snow, she exposes the edges of the door frame. Using her claws like ice picks Apep gouges out chunks of ice, snow, and rock. Creating a small hole, Apep inserts her fingers prying a corner free. Reaching in farther Apep gets a better grip. Pulling with all her tremendous strength, the frame reluctantly gives way coming free from the wall creating a large opening. Nothing in the known universe is going to keep her from reuniting with her beloved great master. Suddenly realizing that he will need protective clothing for the trip across the surface Apep hurries back into the guard’s chamber. She quickly gathers up their protective clothing and an air regulator to warm the air before it is breathed in. Quickly returning to the cell she places the items just inside the opening. Finally after a long, lonely year of selfless dedication, all her plans are about to come to fruition. Now her beloved great master, the one and only true god, the Unholy One himself, steps out of the darkness and into the light.

The Unholy One is completely covered from head to toe in layers of protective clothing. All of these items are black in color to absorb as much sunlight as possible while on the surface. Even the air regulator and protective eye goggles are black.

Apep gently sways back and forth hypnotized, absolutely in awe of his magnificence.

Come, my sweet. Let us leave this place.

Yes, Great Master! Apep shouts, bounding in front of him like an excited puppy.

Barely containing her enthusiasm, Apep keeps looking back reassuring herself that he is really there. She rushes out into the guards’ chamber most anxious to show her great master what she has done.

Look, Great Master.

The Unholy One steps out into the guard’s chamber. Looking around at all of the carnage and destruction, he smiles beneath layers of protective clothing. Seeing all of his former tormentors dead gives him a warm feeling inside. Bending down he pulls a gold ankh off one of the guards. Apep watches him intently as he examines it.

I am the only true god, The Unholy One states out loud.

Dropping the ankh, he crushes it beneath his boot.

Are you all right, Great Master?

I could not be better, my sweet. You have done exceedingly well. I am most pleased.

Elated by his praise, Apep happily leads him through the tunnel to the staircase to the surface. She disengages the force field then smashes the controls, leaving the prison exposed to the harsh elements. The Unholy One takes the lead. Apep stays close behind ready to assist if he should slip. She need not worry even after enduring a long, bitter cold year of isolation the Unholy One climbs steadily up the icy stairs. His motivation is revenge plain and simple. The Unholy One will accept nothing less than the total destruction of planet Oneikki and the annihilation of its people. That and, of course, the satisfaction of personally killing the current ruling Oneikkian Pharaoh, his younger brother Horus. Reaching the top step, they climb out onto Iceageddc’s frozen surface.

You came alone?

Yes, Great Master. I thought that a single shuttle would be less likely to be detected. I assure you that all of the Khepera and your other loyal followers anxiously await your triumphant return. In the past, we who live only to serve you have not been idle. You now have a magnificent spaceship to take you anywhere in the universe that you wish to go. As per your instructions, the Khepera have harvested the new virtually unlimited power source. New weapons capable of destruction on a scale never seen before have been installed on your ship. I discovered and had an Oneikkian thief named Troopera steal a prototype device that can turn any ship it is installed in invisible. You now have this device installed on your ship and a copy of the device on my shuttle.

The Khepera are a race of half-human, half-insect–like creatures. They consist of seven different clans, each one a different type of insect. The Khepera number over one million strong and growing, giving The Unholy One his invincible army. The Khepera home world, Eca, is one of the moons that orbit planet Oneikki. The Khepera worship their great and glorious master, The Unholy One, as their god.

Apep and The Unholy One walk in silence the rest of the way back to her shuttle. She allows her great master to climb the steps up into the shuttle first. Apep follows, closing the outer hatch securely behind her. Once seated safely in the control center Apep engages the engines. Her craft lift’s off accompanied by a blizzard of snow and ice. Free from its camouflage Apep’s craft is revealed.

It is one of a kind, designed and built specifically for her by the Khepera. The basic body design of the shuttle is oval and pained black. The front of the shuttle is split into two fang-like projections. These are painted red to give the illusion of a bloodstained mouth. The main body has yellow-orange painted flames running down the length of it. The paint effects were done to elicit fear in all who see it. Apep’s shuttle soars through Iceageddc’s thin atmosphere and out into space. The Unholy One leans back to relax, allowing his incarceration on planet Iceageddc to be nothing more than a fading memory.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Alarm bells sound loudly as red warning lights flash on the shuttle’s control console.

An Oneikkian prison guard ship is approaching fast. It must be the replacement guards for the prison. They have arrived earlier than I had anticipated, Apep explains.

Boom! A large explosion immediately followed by an intense blue light rocks the port side of the shuttle.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! The Unholy One pulls his protective gear off and pushes the hood back revealing his face.

The Unholy One is a half-human, half-camel–like creature. He stands six feet, three inches tall. His face and body are covered with fine, dark, reddish-brown fur. He has brown eyes and tall donkey like ears. The top of both of his ears are cut flat across due to an early childhood accident. Long, luxurious, brown hair hangs down just below his shoulders.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Three more explosions immediately followed by intense blue flashes of light come very close to the starboard side of Apep’s shuttle this time.

The Unholy One’s ears have been lying flat under the protective hood. They now stand fully erect, twitching and turning at the loudness of Apep’s shuttle’s alarms and the nearby explosions.

Apep, silence those alarms.

At once, Great Master.

Ah, that is so much better, do you not agree, my sweet?

Yes, great master.

Boom! The close proximity of this explosion violently rocks Apep’s shuttle.

The accompanying flash of blue light is so intense this time that The Unholy One shields his eyes momentarily.

Apep, my sweet, I understand that all Oneikki refers to me now as The Unholy One. Is this true?

Yes, Great Master, it is true.

Well then, my sweet, I think that it is about time these Oneikkians learn just how truly unholy I can be. I am correct in assuming this shuttle of yours has vastly superior weapons? he asks, smiling, already knowing the answer.

Yes, Great Master. I have activated the invisibility shield and all weapons are on line.

Apep immediately drops her shuttle one hundred feet straight down then holds their position.

"A surprise attack, Great Master. They will never suspect we are hiding directly beneath them. After they pass overhead, we will sneak up from behind then bam!" Apep shouts, slamming her fist down on the control console.

A very good plan, my sweet. I am pleased that you remember so well all that I have taught you. I will take over weapons control.

Playfully The Unholy One rubs a hand down Apep’s snout. Apep can feel the heat flush through her face. Her heart is racing, palms sweaty. She shakes her head trying to snap out of it.

Not now. My great master needs me. We are vulnerable without any backup, Apep silently argues with herself as she tries concentrating on the control console in front of her.

Totally confused as to how Apep’s shuttle could have eluded them so quickly, the Oneikkian guard ship begins to search. They start by heading straight for her last known coordinates.

How predictably boring, The Unholy One says, yawning.

Apep watches the approaching Oneikkian guard ship blunder into their trap.

The sounds of its engines are becoming increasingly louder. Apep glances over at her great master. She loves how his ears twitch at the sound of the Oneikkian guard ship’s engines directly overhead. Flicking his ears forward, he follows the sounds of its engines as the Oneikkian guard ship slowly moves off. The invisibility shield works. They were not detected. Engaging her shuttles engines, Apep slowly glides it up and behind the unsuspecting Oneikkian guard ship. The Unholy One adjusts the targeting of the shuttles weapons. All around Apep’s shuttle claw-like cylinders emerge. These are the shuttle’s weapons. The Unholy One trains them all on the Oneikkian guard ship’s engines. A rush of adrenaline surges through Apep. Between the thrill of freeing her beloved great master and the impending kill, Apep can hardly contain her emotions. She gazes longingly over at her great master sitting there so calm, in complete control.

He is absolutely magnificent, truly a god, whispers Apep in awe.

Watch now, my sweet, with this one shot I will officially begin my reign as The Unholy One, he states, smiling, showing all of his perfect white teeth.

The Unholy One fires taking the Oneikkian guard ship completely by surprise. Its engines explode blowing a huge hole out the back of the ship. Before they can react, he sends another volley their way. This time he staggers the bolts spreading them across the entire length of the starboard side. Wherever one hits the hull, it explodes, creating great burning rifts. Even though the Oneikkian guard ship is three times the size of Apep’s shuttle and well armed it proves no match. Apep’s shuttle has vastly superior fire power, speed, and maneuverability. Thick, gray smoke and geysers of orange-yellow flames flare out into space through large, gaping holes. A series of small explosions rumble deep within the bowels of the ship. It begins to collapse in on itself. Soon dozens of small escape craft flee the burning, twisted wreckage. The Unholy One fires a third volley. What’s left of the Oneikkian guard ship explodes, sending shrapnel out in all directions. Some of it collides with a few of the fleeing escape craft obliterating them. Secretly Apep breathes a sigh of relief now that the threat to her great master is over.

Forgive me, my great master. I should have done a much better job of ensuring your safety. I was just so anxious to get you back. I failed you.

Failed me? You have not failed me, my sweet, on the contrary. Not only did you free me from imprisonment, but you have provided me with much-needed entertainment. Now to continue my fun, the Unholy One says cheerfully.

Zeroing in on one of the individual escape craft he aims and fires. A soft boom sound followed by a small burst of light assures The Unholy One that he has not lost his touch. One by one he destroys each and every one of the fleeing escape craft.

That was most enjoyable, my sweet, but now I must get down to business. I wish to return to planet Oneikki as soon as possible. I have a planet to level and a population to decimate. After all as The Unholy One, I do have a reputation to uphold, he states, smiling over at Apep.

At once, my great master! Apep exclaims enthusiastically, happy to be doing his bidding once again.

Apep immediately sets course to rendezvous with the Khepera army and the rest of his loyal followers waiting just outside the Oneikkian solar system.

The Oneikkian Home World

Planet Oneikki is the sole planet in the Oneikkian solar system. Viewed from space Oneikki glows like a shimmering ball of bright, golden light with a large blue ring around its center. This light effect is created by the golden rays of its sun Ahmun Rah reflecting off Oneikki’s pure white, mosly sandy surface. The blue ring is really an enormous freshwater river that flows north to south around the exact center of the planet. Oneikki has a mostly desert-like environment. A warm, gentle breeze continuously blows keeping the overall landscape fairly flat. The average daytime temperature hovers around one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime brings the temperature down to a balmy eighty degrees Fahrenheit. An Oneikkian day lasts thirty-six hours. Twenty-seven of them are daylight, another nine are night.

Planet Oneikki is the center of culture and commerce for all the surrounding solar systems. Every Oneikkian city has a large, central, open-air market. On almost every corner stands a small temple devoted solely to the worship of their sun god, Ahmun Rah. These temples are made out of white, stone blocks. The insides are unadorned with the exception of a single white, stone block altar placed in the exact center of the temple. Standing on the altar is a large, solid gold ankh. As the faithful enter, the temple priests place a straw mat on the floor to kneel on in prayer. The temples have retractable roofs. This allows the golden rays of Ahmun Rah to shine down blessing the faithful.

Oneikkian cities are made up of thousands of densely packed two-story buildings. These are made from the same white stone blocks as the temples. They have no glass windows, only rough cut openings in the stone. The openings have wooden shutters that can be closed in bad weather. Outside above these openings, brightly colored, cloth awnings flutter in the warm Oneikkian breeze. Most of the buildings have rooftop gardens filled with an endless variety of small trees, flowers, and vegetables.

The Oneikkian people for the most part are decent, hardworking, and deeply spiritual. They have exceptionally long life spans most living well past a thousand years.

Planet Oneikki is surrounded by nine moons. The moon Lirpa is closest to the sun and is volcanic in nature. Its entire surface is dotted with enormous volcanic islands surrounded