Relation Revelation

Posted by Victor on June 13, 2023.

Welcome to Defender Zik Episode 6: Apodian Ambush!

Our story opens in the infirmary aboard Bastion Space Station, with Doctors Taylor and Rundenfurt having called a little reunion to share some test results. Zik and Vera are already present as Trent and Amelia arrive, and are asked to have a seat.

Vera takes the floor to explain some very important news the new arrivals. She’s been a surrogate mother to both of them, taking care of them since they came to her from separate prison camps a year apart. Watching them as they grew, Vera was always struck by how similar they were at times. She asked Doctor Taylor to check, and her suspicions were totally confirmed – Trent and Amelia are half-siblings!

Amelia squeals in delight at the news and grabs Trent. She gives her stunned brother a huge squeeze and a big kiss on the cheek. Now she understands the way she’s always loved him! And for Trent, this explains his constant awkwardness around her – loving her deeply, but feeling strange about romance.

Our hero Zik inquires as to how this could have happened. Vera explains, and with that, let’s have a…

DEFENDER ZIK LORE BREAK!

In the beginning of the Zernabian prison camps, couples who produced children were split up from each other. You see, Queen Elcyra understood that the family is the foundational unit of civilization, so she kept families from forming. The evil monarch did everything she could to remove her prisoners’ will to rebel.

At first, Elcyra only kept the remaining Zernabians around as a source of genetic material in case her Clonoids failed. But shortly after Amelia and Trent were born, she came to the conclusion that her backup genetic stock was no longer needed. Sadistically, instead of freeing her slaves, she decided to sterilize them and work them to death.

Gift Shop

Posted by Victor on August 24, 2022.

Defender Zik and Mizhakwan quickly realize that the mysterious sound is just the opening of an old Earth song by The Tragically Hip. The Temerity has arrived and Trent’s idea to lure the crystals is working! They’re leaving the cave!

The stranded duo watch in amazement as the crystals start moving more quickly, reforming and combining together as they make their way out of the tunnel. Once the way clears, they make a break for it up the crevasse!

Finally back at the surface, Mizhakwan and Zik are startled by what they see!

And for those of you who’ve never heard Gift Shop by The Tragically Hip, here it is! Enjoy!

Lullabys

Posted by Victor on August 2, 2022.

Mizhakwan shows Defender Zik what she’s been up to in the cavern. Sitting in front of the thickest part of the crystals, she sings an Inuit lullaby. As she sings, a new crystal emerges from the mass and begins to grow towards her. An amazed Zik watches as it grows and glows in response to her song.

Once it is close enough to be uncomfortable, Mizhakwan ceases her song, giving it a playful tap. She explains that she’s managed to teach the crystal to avoid getting too close with this Pavlovian strategy of feeding it only until it has grown large enough.

Suddenly, their experiments are interrupted by a deep, overpowering sound broadcast into their helmets. All the crystals in the cavern begin pointing somewhere outside. What’s happening?!

DEFENDER ZIK LORE BREAK!

Mizhakwan speaks several languages, including a couple of Inuit languages. She’s singing a lullaby that also teaches the names of the fingers. Here’s the full song, with each line translated into English:

Kullu kullu kullu kullu naaniippi? (Thumb, thumb, thumb, thumb, where are you?)
Maanippunga maanippunga qaanuippilii? (Here I am! Here I am! How are you?)

Tiikiq tiikiq tiikiq tiikiq naaniippi? (Index finger, index finger, index finger, index finger, where are you?)
Maanippunga maanippunga qaanuippilii? (Here I am! Here I am! How are you?)

Qitirsiiq qitirsiiq naaniippi? (Middle finger, middle finger, where are you?)
Maanippunga maanippunga qaanuippilii? (Here I am! Here I am! How are you?)

Miikiliraq miikiliraq naaniippi? (Ring finger, ring finger, where are you?)
Maanippunga maanippunga qaanuippilii? (Here I am! Here I am! How are you?)

Iiqiquq iiqiquq naaniippi? (Pinky finger, pinky finger, where are you?)
Maanippunga maanippunga qaanuippilii? (Here I am! Here I am! How are you?)

Qaanuippisi? (How are all of you?)

Jumping At Shadows

Posted by Victor on April 20, 2022.

Further into the gorge, the away team encounters an area where the crystals have grown very tall, taller than Zik! Amelia asks if they can take some of the crystals with them, because they’re so beautiful, and it would be a shame to leave them on Hypnos where no one will ever see them again. Zik replies that while they can take a sample with them to study, it isn’t their way to take more than they need.

Just as Mizhakwan is about to elaborate on the importance of respecting a natural system’s integrity, Trent shouts out that he sees something moving up on the cliff above them!

They all pause silently to see what was moving, but all is still again.

A baffled Trent is certain he saw something move. Zik believes him, and asks everyone to keep an eye out, just in case!

Posts Tagged ‘amazement’

DEFENDER ZIK LORE BREAK!

DEFENDER ZIK LORE BREAK!