Cosmics: Leaving

One year ago...

"Youa leavin'? Mama mia!" The round, moustached Italian man known as Milo Vignoni held up his large, fat hands in despair. He then turned around and shouted into the back.

"Hey, Moni! You hearin' this? Ricky says he's leavin'", the owner of Milo's diner called out. "Says he's got anuther job".

Rick Roe liked the man known as Milo Vignoni. He was very flamboyant and anything different or unusual was interesting to Rick. And the man was very kind hearted. He'd given Rick a job and provided a roof over his head even though he didn't know him. Still, Rick wasn't going to tell the man everything about his job. Nor that the company he'd be joining was the Cosmic Knights.

"Milo. I am sorry", Rick apologised, smiling. "Only I think this new job will take up a lot of my time". He actually didn't know how much time he'd have to spend working as a Knight but Rick guessed that the job did not keep normal hours.

Milo turned to face Rick.

"What was this new job again, Ricky?" the Italian man asked, his left eye narrowing causing his bushy black eyebrow to almost touch his extravagant moustache.

Rick paused for only a moment and then answered. "It is in... security, Milo", he answered. "The money is good and they are providing temporary accommodation...". Milo's brow furrowed at this so Rick added, "...a place to stay. But I would still like to stay in the apartment you have rented me. I will continue to pay, I assure you".

Milo slapped his forehead and turned around shouting into the back again.

"Moni, now he say he's got anuther place to stay. But he wantsa keep our room!"

There was a muttered reply from the back, but Rick couldn't quite make out the response.

"Milo, if I can help out here, I will", Rick tried to explain. "And if you really need me, I can help. I am very grateful to you for helping me out when I arrived here in Millenia. For everything that you did".

He stressed the 'everything'. As well as providing a job and a room, Milo had also put him in contact with someone who apparently knew somebody else who provided "official" identification papers. The ones Rick had procured when he'd first arrived were somewhat suspect whereas this new identity as Richard Roe, plus the accompanying documentation, was much more secure. Almost legitimate, apparently.

Milo looked at Rick for a while, his pudgey hands twirling his moustache in thought. Then the big man smiled and clapped Rick on the shoulder.

"Ah, thatsa okay, my friend!" he exclaimed. "Your goin' inta security, eh? You always were a strong, tough one. I hope its not the wrong sort of security, eh? Not part of the Family". Milo winked at Rick.

Rick didn't know what the man meant but was sure that the Knights were not the "wrong sort". Rick convinced the chef and businessman that his job was a good one and he would be helping a lot of people.

"Thatsa good", smiled Milo. "And if you're still staying in the apartment, we'll still see you around, yes?"

"Yes, Milo", agreed Rick. He'd decided that he's freedom might be somewhat compromised if he always lived at the Cosmic Knights Complex. Having to undergo security scans and dodge the reporters camped outside would only make things difficult. It was better to leave things open. Just in case.

It wasn't as if Rick had a great need for two places to live. In his current apartment all he had was a bed, a few books (reading for pleasure was something new to Rick), a TV (Rick liked to watch anything and everything), and a radio (music was something the Qysians had neglected to discover). He had travelled light and still continued that practice.

"I hope to still see you sometimes", added Rick, returning the clap on the shoulder.

"Good, good", beamed Milo, gesturing into the back. "Nowa, come and taste this canneloni I'm making. Itsa squisito!"

"Maybe later, Milo", Rick replied, although he was sure the pasta and meat dish was delicious. "I have to get ready..."

"You have a date? Some girl we know? Hey, Moni..." Milo began shouting into the back again.

"No, No. Nothing like that. I have to get ready for the job", explained Rick. In fact, he wanted to get a good look at the Complex before the official ceremony tomorrow and see what was going on there. But he wanted to do it incognito, as it were.

"Aah, I bet you do", beamed Milo. "Still I don't know why a handsome guy like you hasn't got himself a wife yet. Someone like my Monica, eh?"

Rick looked confused. "I am not interested in your Monica, Milo", he replied. "She is your spouse".

"No, no", Milo said, shaking his head. "I don't actually mean my Moni, just someone like her, si? Aah, Ricky. Sometimes I wonder about you. Now go on and get ready".

Milo waved Rick Roe away whilst Rick wondered what that last part of the discussion was all about. He shrugged and headed out.

Cosmics: Elastic Man

Pretty much everyone missed the small shooting star that zipped across Florida's night sky on 5th November 2003. No one knew that this was the start of an alien invasion from the distant planet of Qys.

Qysian scout ships were sent to each of the major continents of Earth to assess the technology levels and abilities of the dominant species. Ryyk was in one of those ships. This was his first scouting mission and, due to a slight navigational error, the small ship crash-landed just outside the city of Millenia. Thankfully, its arrival was kept hidden by the ship's stealth facilities. Disentangling himself from the wreckage of the ship, Ryyk made his way into the city and took on a human form. He then began his job to personally study the people of Earth.

He was supposed to salvage communication equipment from his ship and report back his findings. He was supposed to investigate the continent's defences and determine the best method of attack. He was also supposed to get biological, psychological and social information on the people inhabiting the continent and discover any natural weaknesses. He was supposed to help prepare the way for the invasion.

Ryyk did none of these things.

From orbit, he had been studying the creatures known as humans for almost 8 years. Now living amongst them, it confirmed what he'd discovered from the electronic communications he'd intercepted. His people had no right to invade and destroy these intelligent, proud, noble and fascinating creatures. He was young for a member of the Qys and easily swayed by the various human entertainments. It had taken a little time but now he rejected his home world’s barbaric lifestyle and decided not to report back to his superiors.

So he decided to call himself Richard Roe and become one of them.

His fascination with humans grew and grew. So did his interest in cosmics, the select few who appeared to be more than human. Compared to regular humans, Ryyk had 'powers' like these cosmic humans. And those with powers tended to use them either for evil, robbing stores and destroying property, or good, protecting others who did not have powers. Ryyk decided to become one of the good guys.

Ryyk has now been living amongst the humans - as Rick Roe - for some time. As a scout for the Qys, his training prepared him to blend in with the populace and become a human. So he easily fits in. He's even managed to get a good job helping out at a local diner. And, during his time off, he uses his shapeshifting powers and his military training to fight crime as Millenia's brightly coloured hero, Elastic Man.

But each day, he looks up in the sky, hoping that his lack of reports will put off his people from invading. In his heart he expects that, any day now, one of his fellow Qysians from the other continents will investigate his disappearance. Or, worse yet, a fleet of Qysian warships will appear in the sky above this shining city.