by Lee Watts
"Others know we're here," Jaiden reminded him.
"Ah, but you forget something," Crimson retorted. "See, anyone who comes looking for you will think you were on the Fortune, and that's bound to be a heap of twisted metal by now. There's no way anyone would survive a crash like that, and I don't seem to recall seeing one escape pods jettison before it went down either. So, when the searchers find that wreck, they'll turn around and leave. Oh, and I wouldn't bother thinking you can use this shuttle or your radios, see I'll be taking those with me. If you ever want to get off this planet, I suggest you start talking, all of you. What's he after?"
"This," Telza said.
Sosimo turned and saw the woman pull a small rope necklace out from her top covering with a disc-like crystal woven among the threads.
"I found it when I was scavenging through the ship," she divulged stepping toward Crimson and handing over the bauble. "You can have it; take whatever you want. Just get me off this godforsaken world."
Crimson rotated the disc looking at each side.
"…The eye of the deceiver," he noted pensively. Using his cybernetic eye, Crimson scanned the device. "This is no ordinary prism; this is a cut jewel."
His eyebrows rose as he put the pieces together.
"That's why you went to that museum isn't it?" he asked, but Sosimo didn't answer. "You know, you're lucky you found this little trinket. It's probably the only one outside of The Cloud. Now that I have this, I think I'll go find The Vault and get what's coming to me."
"It's rightfully mine, Crimson."
"You keep saying that, but really, what gives you any more right to it than me? It's a shame really. You and your little group have looked for The Vault for so long, and the day it's finally found, you'll all be here rotting in the jungle."
Eyes wide and heart sinking, Telza spoke to Crimson
"But… but you promised if we'd give you the prism you take us off of here."
"Naive idiot," Crimson spat with biological and cybernetic eyes still on the crystal disc.
Bursting in speed, Telza bolted at Crimson with a maddened shriek, tackling him.
Taken by surprise, Crimson's troops hesitated. Taking advantage of the distraction, Sosimo, Byron, and Jaiden rushed them in a struggle for control of the weapons. Falling prone, and with the wind knocked out of him, Crimson raised his arms in front of his face to defend against the crazed woman clawing wildly at him. Grabbing a fist-sized stone, Telza used it to hammer at the liar, shouting through burning tears all the while. Blasts of energy shot randomly into the air and brush as Crimson's men wrestled with Jaiden and the others. Sosimo grabbed his opponent's weapon with his artificial hand then, activating the bionic appendage, crushed the pistol.
Byron and his adversary strained against each other, neither able to gain an advantage. Having knocked his rival's weapon away, Jaiden lost his early advantage as the man got a firm grip on Jaiden's neck, squeezing the life out of him. Jaiden's face turned red, and the hue quickly deepened as the strangulation continued. Darkness closed in, giving him tunnel vision. With his last bit of strength, he kicked the man in the groin, gaining release. Jaiden collapsed to his knees, gulping in the precious air. Bent over, the injured man spotted his gun, reclaimed it, and straightened preparing to blast the kicker through the skull. Jaiden looked up at the man and fear crossed his face, but not because of the man. It was because of the beast standing on the roof of the shuttle behind him. The pirate noticed Jaiden focusing on something over his shoulder but considered it a trick until he heard a low growl. Spinning around he saw a long-armed, hairy animal that bared its teeth, revealing rows of razor-like jaws. With a howl, it launched from the roof toward the man. Raising his pistol, he got off two quick shots, hitting the animal square in the chest, killing it. Though dead, the momentum and weight of the dead creature slammed against the yelling man, knocking him to the ground.
Jaiden scrambled for a discarded pistol as more roars were heard. The pack of animals that took Sisk were back, and they were hungry. Noticing the hunters, Telza rolled off of Crimson and began running. One of the two-meter-high monsters began barreling after her; its long arms helping to propel it faster. Jaiden leveled his weapon at the beast and squeezed the trigger. Hit, but not killed, the creature stopped and turned toward the shooter, bellowing in anger. Enraged, it charged Jaiden with a deafening roar. Immediately, he sent three shots straight at the animal, killing it. A human scream came from his left; Jaiden looked and saw two of the pack with competing holds on one of Crimson's men and ripping apart the still living morsel. Energy bolts slammed into the animals, and they began dropping quickly. Realizing the cost of this prey was too high, the animals withdrew back into the jungle, howling as they ran.
With the beasts gone, the humans looked at each other. One of Crimson's men was dead, another severely injured and lying on the ground, but the remaining man, and Crimson himself were still standing and armed. Jaiden held a weapon, but Sosimo, Byron, and Telza stood with no means of defense. Two to one, Jaiden knew he couldn't win the contest so dropped his pistol. Wiping blood from the gashes on his face caused not by the beasts but by Telza, Crimson took a few steps forward. Bending over, he picked up the largest chunk of the prism disc that was trampled in the struggle. Crushed by one of the monsters, the crystal was now hopelessly shattered, and so useless. Crimson tossed it aside angrily then leveled his pistol at his nemesis.
"At least I get to kill you," he growled. "Say hello to Shen Lei for me."
Before another heartbeat, a powerful shockwave threw everyone meters from their place. The sun was blotted out, and a mighty rushing wind whipped at them. Shielding his eyes from the flying debris, Sosimo looked up and saw the smoke-stained hull of the Fortune hovering above them.
"MEI," he cried out joyously, even knowing she couldn't hear him.
Able to get the shields back on-line only seconds before reaching the surface, the plummeting craft's screens protected it from a near-fatal impact. With almost every relay in the ship blown during the fall from space, it took the crew a while to get the ship flying again. Knowing Crimson was heading for the captain, Mei had honed in on Sosimo's radio signal and rushed to his location as soon as possible. As she zoomed closer, she magnified the image on the screen noticing Crimson about to fire. With no time to use one of the ship's weapons, she had activated the navigation screens, which is what sent everyone on the surface sailing through the air.
A shuttle launched from the hovering cruiser, quickly making the short journey to the surface. Outmatched, Crimson and his men retreated into the cover of the thick jungle. With the engines of the Fortune still causing gale force winds, Sosimo and the others had to struggle against the gusts to board the little transport craft. Once everyone was aboard, the shuttle launched but swaggered while buffeted by the forceful winds. Entering the docking bay, the turbulence immediately stopped. As soon as the ship sat down, the shuttle's main hatch opened and Sosimo was first out, hastily making his way toward the bridge; Byron followed him. By the feel of the deck plates, everyone could tell they were quickly climbing back out of the atmosphere. Slowly, Telza made her way to the doorway of the shuttle, Jaiden behind her. Overcome with emotion, she pressed her hands together and raised them to her mouth. Closing her eyes, she wept. Tears flowed from joy, from sorrow, relief, and a thousand other emotions pent up for almost twenty years. Jaiden placed an arm around her shoulders to bolster her.
"It's over," she cried, burying her face in his shoulder. "It's finally over."
As Sosimo entered the bridge, Mei immediately rose from the command chair, a military protocol her father drilled into her.
"Well done, everyone. Mei, great timing as usual," Sosimo complimented while taking his seat. "But, this ain't over yet. Where's Crimson?"
"No sign of him," answered a crewman. "He hightailed it into the jungle when we showed up."
"What about the Fame?" Sosimo asked Mei.
"I'm reading it in geosynchronous orbit relat
ive to the shuttle's landing site," she answered.
"Have they spotted us," he asked, but before she could answer a pair of high-charged energy bolts whizzed past them, barely missing the ship.
"Guess that answers that," Sosimo groused. "Helm, give 'er all she's got. We've got to get back to the high ground, or we're not going to make it. Weapons, charge the main gun."
"Weapons systems are still off-line, Captain."
"Blast," Sosimo grumped. "What about the lightdrive?"
"It's gone too," came the answer.
Keying the communication panel on his command chair, Sosimo called out, "Engineering, forget about the weapons, get those engines back on-line, fast!"
"We're working on it, Captain," responded the voice from the speaker.
Another blast grazed the ship, but a second one slammed square against the shields, causing everyone to grab something to keep from losing their footing.
"Work faster," Sosimo insisted.
"I'm an engineer, not a miracle worker," complained the voice as another bolt of orange energy splashed over the shields. "You've got to keep her steady, so we can realign the lightdrive inducer nodes."
"I'm working on it," Sosimo called back.
The ship shuddered under another hit.
"Work faster," the engineer quipped.
"Smart-aleck," Sosimo grumbled as he turned off the link to the engineer. "Alright, we've got to find somewhere to hide until till those engines get online. Helm, change course. Stay in the atmosphere and head for the far side of the planet. We'll use what's here for cover."
"How could we possibly do that?" Mei asked.
"Don't worry," Sosimo said while raising a finger. "I have… a plan."
CHAPTER 35
"And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts…" – Isaiah 48:21
(1,000 years ago)
Nearly forty of the vicious, two-legged Rhia lizards nipped and barked in the excitement of their soon release into the dunes. The blood beneath their scaly, tan skin burned with the thrill of the hunt. Usually, the three-meter-high killers were allowed to run free when hunting, but the Dridmor needed to recapture the missing stones, not have them devoured or lost in the expansive desert. Because of this, all of the ravenous lizards had an immortal rider who was clothed in a long, hooded cloak for shielding against the sun. Each Dridmor was equipped with an air filter mask, battlestaff, and lengthy energy pike.
Almost able to smell the tension and bloodthirsty instincts of the Rhia, Koraden drank in the pleasure of the moment. Soon the Elderites would be dead, the dark legions would pour through the portal, and the Guardian Shania would be his prisoner again. He would savor this hunt and relish the game. Shortly past its apex, the scorching sun hung high - the desert floor taking the full brunt of its formidable heat. As the large door of the Citadel opened, Koraden spurred his animal forward. Shouting, each unholy immortal charged into the sea of sand, their animals sprinting as fast as their muscular legs could propel them.
In the deep desert, the fleeing Elderites kept under cover of their bone constructed lean-to as they had done each of the past seven days to avoid the heat and searching airships. While most of the group slept, Shania turned on her radio, setting the volume for low and listened for a message from Merrick.
"Why don't you just use your radio to call your friend?" Seer Rew asked softly so as not to wake the others.
"I don't dare," Shania answered. "The minute I send a signal the Ramillie can trace our exact position. No, Merrick will call when he arrives. When he does, I'll let him know where we are. We should be far enough across the desert that Merrick will be able to get to us before the Ramillie ships do."
Shania stopped abruptly, listening intently.
"What is it, Guardian?" Rew asked.
"The ships," she noted. "Now that I mention it, I don't remember hearing one for an hour or two. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
"They have been looking for a full week with no success. Maybe they gave up."
Shania didn't entertain that notion for a second.
"Unlikely," she replied. "No, the Dridmor are relentless. Koraden won't stop until we're found. He must be trying something else." She trailed off wondering what he was up to.
"Maybe they've sent the Rhia," Rew suggested.
Shania considered it a moment.
"I don't think so," she said, but her voice indicated she wasn't entirely convinced of that.
"Why not?" Rew asked. "They will be able to pick up our trail where the Ramillie ships couldn't. I've heard some of the natives talking. They say the Rhia can cover three to four times as much ground in one day as a human. At that rate, they'll be on us in a few days after they start."
Shania thought about it a moment, but it was too much speculation. Looking for insight, she asked Rew what he saw.
Rew wasn't all-knowing but was granted glimpses of things to come. Closing his eyes, he silently prayed to the Elder for a vision, which was given.
"Talons with shadows," he whispered. "A wave of sand and… ring of fire."
"Fire," Shania repeated questioningly. "What could the fire possibly be? There's nothing to burn out here."
The vision fading, Rew opened his eyes and answered her.
"I don't know, Guardian, but I saw a ring of fire, and it was… well… tightening."
Shania pondered what vision meant but quickly came back to the more urgent matter Rew spoke of - talons and riders.
"I think you must be right about the Rhia coming, but they're not alone. I'm guessing the shadows with the talons are Dridmor riders. We've got to get moving. Our only hope is to make it to the other side of the desert before they catch us."
"But you said you guessed it would take days at our pace to finish the journey."
"Yes, so we're going to have to quicken our pace. The ships are gone, and I don't think they're coming back. We'll start traveling in the late afternoon when there is still light, and we'll keep going until late morning. We've got to put as much distance as we can between us and those Rhia."
"Even doing that," Rew mentioned with concern, "I think they'll still catch us before we're across."
"Then we'll have to pray that Merrick makes it to us before they do. There's no time to lose; help me wake the others."
Shania drove the group hard the remainder of the day, throughout the night, and well into the following morning. They at last set up their tent as the sun rose higher, and the wanderers settled in to rest.
"We can't keep up this pace," Seer Rew told the Guardian.
Looking at the weary group, Shania knew he was right.
"I say we divide up," sneered Lamar.
The other two regarded him distrustfully.
"Come on," the non-believer coaxed. "At least a third of us are in pretty good condition. We have a chance to make it to the other side, but the rest of you are holding us back."
"We're not leaving people behind," Shania declared.
"It's better that at least some of us make it; you're taking away our chance. I say you give me the water bottle, and us healthy ones can take off. Besides, who said you're in charge anyway?"
Shania's eyes narrowed then flashed brilliantly with light for a split second.
Turning away, Lamar stepped back while shielding his eyes and blinking but only seeing spots.
"WHOA," he shouted. "What was that?"
"A warning," Shania answered. "We stay together."
Everyone settled into sleep during the heat of the day. Late that afternoon Shania awoke to Pipaluk gently shaking her.
"Wha…" Shania muttered groggily. "What is it, Little One?"
"The bottle, it's- it's gone," Pipaluk told her.
Sitting up, Shania looked for Lamar, but he and two others were absent. She considered going after them, but not wanting to leave the group completely defenseless, discounted the idea.
From outside the ramshackle tent came an ominous, low growl. A second growl joined it and was quickl
y followed by a third. Startled, everyone awoke. Recognizing the sound, they immediately knew what was happening; the Rhia had found them.
CHAPTER 36
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.." – Matthew 7:15
After transporting King Lyons, and the senior members of the Realm delegation to the capital world of the Entauri Cluster, Entauri Major, the Realm warships began leaving the system. This was so their presence wouldn't draw unwanted attention. Unimpressed with what passed for shopping and diversion on the planet, Vivica was less than thrilled at the idea of spending a few days on what she considered a backwater world. She decided to accompany the final ship returning to Theera-Enty. Aulani remained to serve as a translator for the many foreign powers who would hopefully attend the conference.
"And this is Aulani Suchet, my chief translator," Alexander mentioned to Ritriov Ilan, President of the Entauri Cluster of worlds.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. President," Aulani said in perfect Entauran, though Ritiriov also understood Theeran.
Ritiriov looked at her with raised brows.
"I'm impressed," he complimented and nodded in respect of her ability.
"King Lyons mentioned you were exceptionally talented, but you speak Entauran without even the slightest accent."
"Thank you, Mr. President, but before you're too impressed, you should know that my homeworld was Entauri Major."
"King Lyons, you have an Entauran on your staff," Ritriov marveled. "I didn't realize one of our citizens held such a high-profile position in the Realm." Looking back to Aulani he asked, "How did you come to work for the King of Theera-Enty?"
Aulani smiled and exchanged quick glances with Alexander.
"It's a long story," she chuckled.
"I hope to hear it someday. I noticed you mentioned your homeworld was Entauri Major. You left us?"
