Worlds Without End: The Mission (Book 1)

by Shaun Messick

  “Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

  “So, Captain Sartel, when Celeste is forced to marry me, who will become next in line to the throne? And, where will you be as my most trusted officer?”

  A wry smile spread across Sartel’s face. He nodded, grabbed the recorder, and scampered out of the bar.

  **********

  Salt Lake City, Utah, Earth …

  “Mr. Palmer.”

  “Yes,” Kevin said, as he worked on his computer in his office, which was located in the fifteen-story home office of Compu-Tech Super Computers, located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

  “You have an urgent message from Michael Konrad of NASA,” said Nancy, his secretary.

  Kevin was excited. It had been a week since he had seen the video footage of Mars II and NightHawk going through the wormhole. Was this it? Had Jake successfully returned from the wormhole with Adrian? “Patch me through.”

  The screen on Kevin’s computer changed from his work to Michael Konrad’s image. “Kevin. How are you doing?”

  “I’m okay, Mike. How are you?”

  “I’m doing great.”

  Kevin interpreted Mike’s response and body language as good news. “So, Mike, it’s been a week since I saw the ships go through the wormhole. Are they back?”

  Michael looked a little confused and said, “Yes … uh … I mean, we think so.”

  “What do you mean … you think so?”

  “Well, remember the probe that Mars II deployed just before it went into the wormhole?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Just a few hours ago it picked up some interesting video.”

  “What kind of video?” Kevin asked.

  “Here, let me show you the video footage.”

  Michael’s image disappeared, and the image of Mars appeared. To the right of the screen, Kevin noticed the frozen image of a ship. “What kind of ship is that?”

  “Well, we think it’s Mars II.”

  Kevin leaned in a little closer toward his computer screen in order to get a better look at the ship. It looked a little like Mars II. However, the ship was red and black, instead of silver and blue. It was also bigger and more streamlined in shape. Kevin noticed that in the wings were what looked like gun turrets, four of them, to be precise.

  The ship also had different insignias on it. Instead of the traditional NASA symbols and American flags, these symbols were diamond-shaped, but the background was white. The symbol in the center of the diamond was that of a woman in a light blue dress. She had her arms outstretched and looked to be descending from a light blue sky in the clouds. Kevin thought the symbol was a little strange.

  Kevin noticed another symbol on the tail of the ship. The symbol was that of a gray shield. In the center of the shield, there was a red sword and a black sword crossing at the blades. A man with long black hair and a goatee who was dressed in red military fatigues was holding the swords.

  After examining the ship, Kevin finally broke the silence. “I don’t think that this ship is Mars II.”

  “It may not be. But, Kevin, look at the design and structure. If you take away the size and other modifications, it could be Mars II,” said Mike.

  “Perhaps, but why would they need to modify it and how?”

  “Well, you know us. We have a theory for everything. Maybe this planet is technologically advanced. Maybe the original Mars II was disabled after it went through the wormhole, and this alien civilization helped fix and modify it.”

  “Why the different colors and insignias?” Kevin asked.

  “It could be that this civilization wanted to put their stamp on the ship.”

  “Yeah … maybe,” Kevin said with doubt.

  “We don’t know, Kevin, but I’ll tell you what. We should know within two days.”

  Kevin was stunned. “Two days?”

  “We weren’t able to establish communications with the ship, but based on our calculations, it will be in our orbit within the next two days.”

  Kevin sat straight up in his chair and shook his head. “That’s impossible. Mars II can’t travel that fast.”

  “No, but … here … watch the video, and you’ll see.”

  Kevin watched as the ship moved slowly with the probe following. But then, the ship took off like a beam of light. If Kevin had blinked, he would have missed it.

  Michael spoke after the ship disappeared. “Our mathematicians broke down the video and came up with an equation.” Michael paused as if waiting for a climax.

  “What kind of equation?” Kevin asked, getting frustrated.

  “Based on the equation, they calculated that this ship is traveling at or around twenty-eight million miles per hour!”

  Kevin stood from his seat in shock. “How is that possible?”

  “We don’t know,” Mike said. “But, maybe this civilization has technology that we haven’t even dreamed of yet.”

  “I hope you’re right about this civilization, Mike.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe this is a hostile civilization that has discovered the wormhole?”

  “I don’t think so. Besides, where’s your faith? It has to be them.”

  “Maybe,” Kevin said, again with doubt in his voice.

  “I have to go, Kevin. I will notify you when we establish communications with them.”

  “Okay, Mike. I look forward to hearing from you. See you later.”

  “Okay. Bye.”

  The image on Kevin’s screen switched back to its original. Kevin sat back in his leather office chair, leaned his elbows on his desk, and cupped his face in his hands. I hope you’re right, Mike. For some reason, I don’t think that’s our ship, he thought.

  **********

  Celeste was grateful that the temple on the bottom floor of her father’s palace was empty, as it was nearing 12:45 in the morning. The bottom floor was dark except for the security lights that gave her just enough light to see.

  The temple was enormous, encompassing forty-thousand square feet of space. A gold statue representing the goddess of light rested against the back wall in direct line with the main entrance. The statue stood about thirty feet tall, and next to it stood the gold and bronze statue of her father. Her father’s statue stood only twenty feet in the air, but was magnificent, to say the least. He was adorned in a red military uniform and he was holding two swords above his head that crossed at the blades. In his right hand was a red sword, which represented Gnolom, and in his left hand was the black sword that represented Terrest. The crossing was symbolic of the joining of the two worlds of Gnolom and Terrest by the mighty Koroan, who, it was prophesied, would unite two worlds and two peoples.

  Celeste rolled her eyes as she looked at her father’s statue. She was becoming less and less faithful that her father was actually the one prophesied. She walked slowly down the red carpet that led from the temple entrance to the statues. Each side of the carpet contained gold tables adorned with ancient scriptures from Gnolom’s spiritual leaders and tributes to Koroan’s conquering of Terrest. She stopped just in front of the statue of the goddess of light, looked around, and pulled out a heavy black coat with a hood from its hiding place behind the statue. Celeste took off her white robe and placed it neatly in the hiding spot behind the statue. She put on the coat and was grateful she had hidden it for such a purpose just days ago.

  As she looked out the window, the cruelty of spring in this part of Terrest had just begun to throw down its mighty fist. Large, wet snowflakes began to fall, and she could tell from the slant of the snowfall that the wind was blowing ferociously.

  She zipped up her coat, made sure her dagger and plasma gun were secure, put on her hood, and walked toward the exit. As she was about to exit the sliding glass doors, she heard a noise from somewhere inside the temple. She looked around. Nothing.

  After exiting the temple, she walked over to the ten, two-man assault hover vehicles. Her father had given her one just after he had invented them. They were a speedy
and agile craft, traveling at nearly two hundred miles per hour and they could turn on a dime. The outside of the vehicle was designed for the least amount of air resistance possible. The tip of it was almost as sharp as her dagger. The nose of the vehicle was about three feet long. At the end of the nose, the vehicle had slanted wings that extended out five feet. In between the wings was the pilot and copilot’s seats and just behind that, the jet engine.

  As Celeste approached her metallic silver Chati, named after one of the fastest animals on her planet, she noticed that the vehicle reminded her of a mini jet airplane that Adrian had shown her in pictures of from his home world called Earth.

  Celeste reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a remote that opened the canopy to the cockpit. She climbed inside and fired the Chati up. She was grateful that they were quiet machines. She retracted the stands and hovered in the air for a few minutes.

  Gently pushing the control stick back, she backed out of the parking area and turned the Chati to face the guard post that exited the palace courtyard. She knew that she would have to tell the guard a good story as to why she was leaving so early in the morning.

  As she approached the guard post, she noticed the guard appear in her lights with his right hand extended, and his assault weapon tucked neatly under his left arm. She stopped as the guard walked to the left of the Chati. Celeste opened the canopy.

  “Oh, Your Highness, I didn’t know that was you. Where are you going at a time like this and in this weather?”

  Celeste didn’t want to make small talk, so she got right to the point. “It is none of your concern, Major.”

  Major Dent looked disappointed. “Very well, Your Highness.”

  Celeste managed the best smile she could muster. “Thank you, Major. Oh, and do me a favor?”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  “Do not tell my father that I have left. He has retired for the evening and is very tired from his address to the city. I know that if you wake him, he will be very angry. I will not be long. I should return before sun up.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  “Good.”

  Celeste closed the canopy as Major Dent ran into his post and opened the thirty-foot Omutx metal gate. Celeste grabbed the stick and sped off into the snow-filled night.

  **********

  Captain Sartel was mad at himself. He needed to sober up fast, or he was going to slip up, which he had almost done by bumping into one of the displays that honored Koroan Chast. He could see Celeste from his position in the temple, but was grateful that he was about one hundred yards away so that she couldn’t see him. He supposed that she didn’t suspect that he was spying on her.

  Just fifteen minutes before, Sartel and Dorange had made their way back into the palace courtyard and managed to sneak back into the temple room without Celeste even noticing. Dorange didn’t want Celeste to suspect that he had suspected her being in the temple room at this hour, so he made his way up to his quarters via a secret passageway on the other side of the temple room that Sartel hadn’t even known was there.

  Sartel found a well-hidden spot underneath a display and began to record. He was proud of himself because he was able to get a clear recording of Celeste replacing her robe with a heavy coat, and hiding the robe behind the goddess of light statue. He continued to record her until she was out of view.

  When he couldn’t see her anymore, he crawled out from underneath the display and stood. That’s when he felt as if he was going to pass out. He stumbled and bumped into the display, caught himself on the small gold table, and caught the small gold statue of Koroan Chast before it crashed onto the marble floor.

  And now, Sartel stood at the large gold and glass doors waiting for the gate to shut as Celeste sped off. He shook his head. What a time for a mission like this, he thought.

  As soon as the gate closed, he exited the temple room and ran to his own black Chati.

  Once inside the craft, Sartel shook his head to try to get rid of the cobwebs from his night of drinking and maneuvered the Chati to the gate. He saw Major Dent step out of his guard post and hold his hand up. “Hurry up, you old fool,” he said under his breath.

  Sartel stopped and opened his canopy.

  “Captain Sartel. How was your meeting with General Gar?”

  “It went well, sir.”

  “Good,” Dent said as he stepped closer to the Chati. “As a superior officer, I am curious as to why you and General Gar would have an important meeting at this hour?”

  Sartel glared at Major Dent. “I am sorry, sir. That’s classified information. I can’t tell you.”

  Dent looked disappointed. Sartel knew that Dent was going to keep pushing for information because he felt out of the loop. The only reason he was a major was because of his age. “Sorry, sir. But, if you don’t mind opening the gate, I have a mission that I’ve got to do.”

  Dent now looked more upset, opened his mouth, shut it, shook his head, and walked to the guard post.

  Once the gate opened, Sartel took off at nearly full speed. He went in the direction he knew Celeste was going.

  After Sartel exited Chast’s city walls, he spotted the lights of Celeste’s Chati going over a hill, heading northwest toward Talead. Sartel quickly shut off his own lights, and pushed on the accelerator to narrow the gap.

  **********

  Sartel kept shaking his head. The trip was starting to get boring, and his eyes were beginning to get heavy. Dorange would probably have him put to death if he failed in his mission. The thought alerted him a little more.

  After traveling at a constant two hundred miles an hour for almost an hour and a half, he noticed that Celeste’s Chati slowed down. He looked down at his satellite read out. This isn’t where the entrance to the base is located, he thought to himself. There’s still another twenty miles left. Maybe there’s another secret entrance.

  Sartel looked up and noticed that Celeste’s Chati had come to a complete stop. He stopped his own about fifty yards away and turned off the engine.

  Because of the snowstorm, Sartel could barely see the Chati in front of him. However, Celeste had left the lights on as she exited the vehicle and walked to a small wooded area on her left.

  “What is she doing?” Sartel said to himself.

  Sartel watched until Celeste had disappeared into the woods and then he exited his own vehicle.

  As he entered the woods, he pulled out his weapon and set it for stun. Just ten yards in front, he saw the shadowy figure of Celeste pass by. He froze.

  Celeste continued to walk deeper into the trees. Sartel allowed her to get some distance before moving so that she wouldn’t hear his footsteps in the snow. He was thankful, however, that the wind was howling to mask any noise he did make.

  He continued to follow as Celeste walked around a large tree surrounded by smaller ones. He stopped and waited for her to come out, but she didn’t. Maybe that’s where the other secret entrance is located, he thought.

  Sartel slowly walked to the large tree with his weapon pointed forward. Once at the tree, he slowly peered around to where Celeste had disappeared. Nothing.

  He walked into the small four foot by three foot clearing and kicked at the snow. Where did she go?

  “Captain Sartel.”

  Sartel jumped at the sound of Celeste’s voice and turned around. He tried to raise his weapon, but Celeste quickly hit his hand with the gun in her hand, causing it to fly out.

  Celeste grabbed Sartel by the coat collar and pointed her gun upwards into the bottom of his chin. “I should have known that Gar would send one of his stooges to follow me.”

  “Wha … how did you know?”

  Celeste turned her face from the stench of his breath. “Maybe you were too drunk to notice, but you left your satellite tracking system on, you idiot.”

  Sartel cursed.

  “I could see that someone was following me the moment I left Chast. So tell me, Sartel. Why is Dorange so desperate to accuse me of being the
rebel spy?”

  Sartel glared at Celeste and didn’t answer.

  Celeste shoved Sartel against the large tree and pushed her gun deeper into his chin. Sartel grimaced in pain.

  “Answer me!”

  “I don’t have to answer to you. I’m just doing as I’m told.”

  Celeste gritted her teeth and quickly shot her right knee up into Sartel’s groin.

  Sartel screeched in pain and his knees buckled, but Celeste, as strong as she was, held him in place.

  “You had better answer me, Captain, or you are going to be feeling worse than that in a few moments.”

  Sartel began to laugh.

  Celeste backhanded him with her gun. Blood began to trickle from Sartel’s right eye.

  “Take out your inhibitors!” Celeste demanded as she pointed her gun in between Sartel’s eyes.

  Sartel wiped the grin from his face and looked startled. “Wha … Why?”

  Celeste smiled. “I know your telepathic abilities aren’t any match for mine. So, if you are not going to tell me, I might as well probe your mind to get the information I need, and while I am at it … inflict a little pain.”

  “Okay … Okay. I’ll tell.”

  “Good. Now, see what happens when you cooperate with me. But before you tell me, let’s take a little walk back to my Chati.”

  **********

  When they reached Celeste’s parked Chati, Celeste turned Sartel around and shoved him into the vehicle. His back hit the wing, causing him to grimace in pain. “Now, talk,” she said.

  Sartel rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine,” he said. “Dorange is convinced that you are the spy because you are always leaving at strange times and sometimes you won’t come back for days.”

  Celeste shoved her gun into Sartel’s rib cage. “Tell me something I do not know.”

  Sartel winced as Celeste pushed harder.

  “You want to know something you don’t know, huh?” questioned Sartel.

  “Yes, you fool. What else does Dorange have up his sleeve?”

  Sartel smiled and laughed.

  “What is so funny?”

  “Oh, Dorange has it in his mind that if he can convince your father that you are the spy, your father won’t kill you. Rather … he will force you to marry Dorange. That way he gets the two things that he lusts after the most, you and to be heir to the Gnol throne.”