The Hand On Taros-5

As I came to open my eyes upon the fleshy-orange interior of the planet-sized meteorite which lingered mere miles above Taros’ surface, I looked onward to see two hands, constructed from the same mass of a blobby-substance like scolding muscle, two hands reached outward from the right and left sections of the spherical chamber; branching out to hold an orb of light which floated between them, defiant of all gravity. This bizarre ship, which had warped upon the surface of my planet mere minutes ago, was a cradle to a small star contained within the living tissue of this massive space-rock. I could stroll around the interior vessel and even feel the power that the star between the branched hands which, in a menacing sense, had fingers that came to the point of claw-like ends that curled around the floating light. It was almost as if the ship was alive; its inner-glow and pulsing-rich interior gave off a sense of awareness that I no doubt was felt by the onlookers of Taros.

Those outside who gazed up at the rock and speculated as to its origin and design. Wonder which world it had come from and its purpose here. Wondering how I, a star-traveler myself, could find the courage to climb aboard such a thing and venture within. I lingered for a time, wishing not to press forward and up to the ball of light until I had somehow confirmed for myself that I wouldn’t be vaporized upon approaching it. I took a step back. It was then that a great mighty voice, almost sounding pre-recorded belched out from the spherical walls around me. And what it told me chilled me to the bone. Before it spoke a fleshy pillar rose before me. Onto of it sat a small glass bottle filled with a green bubbly liquid. I noticed the entrance to the ship behind me close and cover as if it was never there at all. As both these events unfolded, the voice spoke.

“I cannot lie. Tarosian. You have been chosen by THE HAND to receive redemption and become either the savior or martyr of your world. Witness the vial before you. Within in is a toxic liquid that painlessly kills the drinker mere seconds after consumption. Witness the ship in which you now stand. I am THE HAND. You have been chosen to decide the fate of your world, and as you are wondering now, no, the occurrence of my purpose for being here cannot be negated or cancelled. Your planet made the choice to continue waging war over scientific and religious dogma, and so, I am here to retort their decision. In exactly ten hours I will detonate, destroying your entire planet. If you drink the poison in the glass vial in front of you I will cease this operation and leave your people be. However, you do have a second option. You might be fully aware that no one besides the two of us know your world’s destruction may or may not be imminent.

Nonetheless, you may choose to instead enter into the ball of light you see before you. This light will safely transport you to another world where you can thrive and live just as you had here. Your planet will then be destroyed, yet, no one will ever know you made this choice. Except I, and I will never tell another soul. So now it is up to you. Drink the toxic poison and pass peacefully away, or leave your world to my devices and go on living. As I stated before, you have ten hours to make your decision. If you choose neither, I shall detonate regardless. Fear not for me, for I shall reform in the darkness of space and continually seek out other troubled worlds. This is my purpose. From the dawn of time I have been. Till the end of time I always will be. In whatever path you choose, this is our first and last meeting, and I bid you a fond farewell.”

And like that it was all over. It was me or them. I couldn’t believe it. I still cant. Well, as I’m sure you might have guessed, I took my pride and walked into the light. A cowardly b*****d is what I am, I know. At the time it all happened so fast. And at the very instant I walked through that light I regretted my decision and turned back to re-enter The Hand… but the light was gone. The portal had closed and my world was but one dead star amidst a cosmos of indifference. This world is nice, though. I’ve adapted well. The people are civilized; and I can tell I’m no longer in the same galaxy. No one here speaks of Taros, or has heard about it for that matter. So, I guess, I’m to walk alone, guilt-stricken till my deserving death. Living as one of many chosen victims of the interstellar phenomenon known as The Hand.