Statues of the Dead. The year is 8433 A.D. The setting is the planet Troisus, 1400 light years away from planet Earth in the Omega quadrant. Troisus, with its dank, humid atmosphere and pleasant landscape, is also known as the graveyard. It is used by the inhabitants of the nearby planet Dagmus 2, a highly intelligent race of beings who, although being of short stature (average height 5 feet 2 inches) with yellow skins and large skulls, possess IQs of up to 250. The Dagmars, upon reaching their life expectancy of 170 years, are transported upon death to the preserving house on Dagmus, where their internal organs are removed and their empty bodies are then filled with a quick setting liquid known as Purium and are then stripped of their memory banks to be transferred to Troisus, where they are allocated a special plot where they will be encased in a container made of Perspexal for eternity. Visitors, including relatives, are able to view them by means of obtaining a special permit.

However, trespassing and wanton acts of vandalism to the burial site and its occupants is punishable by death. Not that damage to the graveyard is easily done, as the graveyard is constantly guarded by invisible androids. The unseen sentinels of the sacred place total 15 in number, which are programmed to protect the site. Only authorised visitors are able to see these androids by means of a specially designed helmet and visor. The helmet omits a special signal to the androids so they are identified as bona fide. However, when non bona fides are present on the site, these androids are capable of moving at incredible speed and, as a result, many unauthorised intruders have been reduced to bubbly, frothy, matter as the androids have attacked them by either hitting them at high speed or vaporising them with their weaponry. Understandably, few outsiders have attempted to desecrate the place and those who have ultimately perished.

However, a new danger is lurking deep within the bowels of this planet. Far below the planet’s surface, tremors, rumblings and other seismological disturbances are occurring and are already being recorded on highly sophisticated equipment back on Dagmus 2. These subterranean disturbances had been recorded for some time now and were causing the gravest concern to geologists and seismologists alike at the relevant ministries. Indeed, the interiors of these two buildings resembled beehives on ancient Earth as the personnel there scurried to and fro the Aladdin’s Cave of scientific graphs, computers, etc. available, checking and continually analysing incoming data. Meanwhile, the rumblings continued on Trog.

The Council The Supreme Council, a select body of the galaxy’s twelve planets and the wisest and eldest men of them all, stood around a recording machine. These men, despite being of advanced years, were of equal standing and importance to one another. Only their name and age discs were differentiating. The Chairman, Elius 310, opens the meeting:

“Gentlemen, we are at this very moment receiving disconcerting reports about the volcanic activity existing at subterranean depths on the graveyard planet of Trog. We are therefore obliged to consider such steps in regards to the maintenance of geological stability there as deemed necessary under the circumstances.

Do we have an official report about the matter in question yet, Ronius 375?” “Yes,” replied Ronius 375. “We have already received a report from the seismologist, Darius 310.”