Finally the repairs were completed. The Eagle's power cells were fully recharged by the means of a highly efficient solar panel that Charlie erected upon the roof of the beach house. The cable that connected the solar panel to the ship was very narrow and easily concealed under the sand, while the solar panel resembled a twentieth century hot water solar heater, and remained inconspicuous. After many weeks of repairs and little rest, they retired early and Ryan collapsed in the spare bed.
In the small hours of the morning while Charlie's snoring broke silence of the night, something haunted Ryan's sleep.
His subconscious was invaded by an old and mystical voice. It possessed an ancient tone with an expression that displayed great wisdom. It was a soothing sound that relaxed and calmed his subconscious. He felt no fear or harm from this mystical invader.
"Ryan!" Was all it said at first. Then again, "Ryan."
There was a pause, followed by an irresistible compulsion to go to the voice.
"Come." He was compelled to sit up and open his eyes. Ryan wasn't sure if he was awake or asleep. He saw the bedroom where he slept in a way he had never perceived before. The walls wavered and rippled like the disturbed surface of a pond. The floorboards felt like soft cotton balls under his bare feet. His body seemed to float across the room as he moved. Ryan had no control over his actions, but strangely he experienced no fear. Calmly he obeyed the peaceful attraction towards the unknown voice. Ryan followed the compulsion to the beach, and on to the edge of the breaking surf. The voice compelled him to activate the matter transporter to get to the Eagle. Ryan did as the voice commanded and moments later he was in the matter transporter aboard the ship.
The lights in the room had gone dim, and the main light source was coming from the lab at the far end. Ryan suddenly remembered the mysterious ivory box. In the commotion of the last few days he had forgotten all about it. He could clearly see that the light came from the box itself. It shone a bright blue slow pulsating light that was peacefully compelling. It called to him and he obeyed.
"Come!"
Ryan approached the box and placed both of his hands on either side, then withdrew.
The top surface of the box levitated up into the air while the surrounding surfaces folded out until they laid flat with the base. The blue light ceased instantly. On the base was an ivory surface that had twin depressions, and within the depressions were two ornately designed gold bracelets. The bracelets were more beautiful than anything he had seen before, but it wasn’t just its looks that amazed him. Emanating was an aura that was a pure as a mountain stream, and a calm that only majestic wisdom could conceive.
Ryan reached out with both of his index fingers and touched each bracelet. Both snapped open on invisible hinges and beckoned for Ryan's arms. He willingly dropped both of his arms down onto the gold objects that reactivated the hidden hinges and caused them to close again.
He lifted his arms off the base of the box and examined the bracelets. Each covered his forearms from his wrist to just short of his elbow. They shone of the purest gold he had ever seen. At either end were three carved grooves that covered the full circumference of the bracelets. Over the rest of the surface was carved mystic symbols that reflected brightly onto Ryan's face. He glanced back at the box as it quietly folded back together and the lid slowly dropped back on top to reform the original cube.
A mighty rush of energy struck his mind and body. Power of a vast magnitude generated into his thews that caused his muscles to shake and only his sharp sense of balance kept him on his feet. What was happening to him had no understanding, or control over. The bracelets burned bright to a point that was almost blinding. The ship's systems about him went crazy; he had to leave the Eagle before he short circuited the whole ship. At that very moment, his body raised off the floor and passed through the levels above. To his logical brain this was impossible, though he marvelled at the experience. He could see between each level as if the ship was cut in half with a giant knife and separated before him. He then passed through the water but he never felt any of the cold liquid, and finally stopped one hundred metres above the ocean.
Over his head the clouds rolled in at an unnatural rate and sent bolts of lightning down to the bracelets he wore. Ryan feared for his life but his body remained unscathed. He experienced strength and vitality at a level that overwhelmed him, he felt invincible. All his senses were increased tenfold. He could see, hear, smell and feel everyone and everything below and beyond the Earth's horizon. The phenomenon created a violent storm in the turbulent sky. He feared for the lives upon the planet surface and at that very instant, the lightening stopped and the wind ceased. The weather became calm like a normal cloudy night.
Somehow the weather obeyed his command. Ryan looked at the bracelets he wore and wondered at boundless limits of power they possessed.
Such might was at the level of gods.
Had he become a god? Was he now immortal?
WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO HIM? WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING? "WHY ME?!" He shouted to the world. His voice echoed across the surface of the planet and out to the far reaches of the universe.
"Because you are the chosen one!"
The voice was the same strange and mystical voice that had called him to the bracelets. It pierced through his mind like a keen cold blade; superior, dominant, and powerful.
"Chosen for what?" Ryan questioned, but only the voice could hear him this time.
"The Rings of Karn are yours to command...." Ryan looked at the bracelets again. ".... Hellion's evil power has been unleashed upon the universe and must be stopped. You are the chosen one to stop this evil."
Ryan thought for a moment. Hellion's evil power? No doubt power equal to his own......Zardon! All became clear to him now, Zardon must possess this mighty power. How else could he overcome such surmountable strength as the great Federation of Planets?
"Yes, you understand." The voice said.
"Who are you?"
"I am your servant." Ryan was lifted up through the clouds to stand upon the top of the white blanket. "I am Lord Valour, ruler of the great kingdom of Karn, loyal paladin to the Creator, and the spirit that you command." An apparition developed before him. It was in a humanoid form and its skin sparkled in the moonlight like a sheet with diamonds woven through the material. The creature was not formed of flesh and blood, but of golden crystals. The menagerie of reflected colours was a sight to behold. From its head came two horns that curved inward like a bull's and its eyes were made of two magnificent rubies.
"Where is Karn, I have not heard of it."
"Karn existed in another dimension. A place that your race calls Heaven."
"The clouds obeyed my thought. What have the Rings done to me? Am I as great as a god?"
"No. The Rings of Karn are mighty but not that of the Creator. Though they are more powerful than any weapon created before the dawn of time. They are two of the four segments that make up the Great Talisman. The Talisman was the crafted by the almighty Creator and the very key that unlocked creation. Every force and spark of energy the universe contains is yours to command, and only the evil power of Venal can defeat you...."
Ryan gazed upon the Bracelets in awe.
"....The beast you call Zardon is compelled by Hellion, and wants the Rings of Karn to reform the Great Talisman. With the Talisman at his disposal he can rule over creation. It is said that the Great Talisman possesses such power that the wielder could even endanger the Creator himself. Be warned the limits to Hellion's evil are unknown and he will stop at nothing to appease his lust. Be pure in all your actions. If you falter, the many inhabitants of the cosmos will be at Zardon's mercy."
"I am only one man! How can you possibly think that I could perform such an incredible task?"
"Your flesh is weak, but your mind is strong and your heart is brave and true."
"What of the great army he commands? Despite my new powers I'm still only one man."
"Your powers can be defied only by Zardon's
will, otherwise you could wreak destruction upon his army like he did yours. The demise of his mislead force is purely up to you....." Lord Valour began to fade into the night air then momentarily returned. "..... Oh, there is one other thing you must know."
He waved his crystal hand before Ryan and immediately the scene he perceived became blurred and deformed as strange mists obscured his sight.
********************
His mind travelled over the vast distance of time and space to a point more than a millennium in years into the future. He clearly perceived a large dimly lit room with a single occupant at the far side. The occupant was seated in a strangely shaped structure and concealed by the darkness. From a door came a figure cloaked in formidable black armour. It presented itself to the other occupant by bowing from its waist and thrusting the right arm horizontally against its hard chest.
"Warlord Zen, where is the freighter I commanded you to bring me?" Zardon questioned anxiously.
Zen could tell that the Emperor was on the verge of annihilating him. Whatever it was in that ship he wanted, Zen could only guess. One thing was for sure, he wanted it at any cost. "The freighter flew into a black hole and the Viper was unable to pursue."
"IT WHAT?!!"
Zen flinched at Zardon's anger. "It flew into a black hole, but it followed an unusual flight path."
"What are you getting at?"
"The occupant may have discovered some means to use the black hole as an escape route."
"You feel that the ship survived the black hole?"
"I have my suspicions." Answered Zen.
"Was the flight path recorded?"
"Yes my lord." Zen was feeling more at ease; it looks as if this ploy may save his tough hide. "The readings we recorded are on your monitor."
Ryan perceived the scene before him with unusual clarity and was able to understand everything that was said. He was afraid that the fighters may have recorded his entry path.
Zardon examined the screen. "Yes there is a peculiar flight path and the speed of the ship is unusual as well. It could be the secret to travelling through a black hole."
"Also I have discovered from the general records computer on Carillia, that a scientist was performing experiments in this field. Unfortunately it had no details on these experiments."
Ryan was partly relieved; John recorded all his discoveries on his personal computer and thanks to the Warrian bombers, it now lay under a mountain of rubble. The gravity modulator was still a concern. The design was on the general records computer as it was created by another scientist. The chances of them finding those records and relating them to his father's experiment were rather remote. Besides, part of the standard procedure for evacuation was to remove all vital information from all computers, so the gravity modulator plans were probably erased. But the information they really needed was in their scaly hands, and that was a cause for great concern. The Warrians were a resourceful race and would soon discover how to apply it. The only thing they did not have was the specially modified force field. It was only a simple modification and Ryan was sure they would solve that problem after a few easy experiments.
"The Rings of Karn must be retrieved at all costs." Hellion advised his Liege. "You must follow the small creature through the black hole."
"Get on it, Warlord. I want access to that black hole as soon as possible."
"Yes my lord." Zen bowed then hastily left the chamber.
Zardon spoke his thoughts, "You thought you could get away little man, don't be so sure!"
Ryan mentally manoeuvred his view to the monitor to check if the records of his flight path were correct. He looked closely at the screen and became filled with fear. He recognised all the vital flight path values that he had hoped would never fall into these despicable hands.
Then he noticed the very last digit of the angle of incidence and the vortex angle; they were as little as one hundredth of a second out. Also his speed of penetration was under by one kilometre an hour. All the data was incorrect, but how? How could scanners as advanced as those on a Warbird give an incorrect reading? Even a minute one!
The black hole! Its massive gravitational field must have interfered with the scanners and falsified the readings. But what does the minor variation in values mean? There was no time to waste, he must find out what difference it could make, if any.
"My Liege, I sense the eyes of a spy upon us." Hissed Hellion.
Zardon examined the ether about him and felt the same sensation. He spun around on his chair and glanced around the room looking for the invisible intruder. "Who's there, I can feel your presence. Show yourself!" He stood up and continued to search the chamber but could see no one.
Ryan was startled by Zardon's reaction and immediately retreated from the dark and gloomy room. Back, back he sent his mind, back to Earth.
********************
His vision blurred again as his mind travelled over the vast distance of time and space. Soon the view of Earth he perceived previously returned to his sense of vision. The soft blanket of clouds extended in all directions as far as the mortal eye could see, but the ghostly apparition had disappeared. Ryan's mind was no longer on Lord Valour and the Bracelets. His full concentration was on the prospect of the invading Warrians.
His mind cultivated a single thought - go to the Eagle. The bracelets obeyed his command. He floated back down through the water, through the ship's outer hull and upper levels to the general quarters level. He had no idea how to turn off the Rings of Karn, but as he developed the thought the bracelets disappeared off his arms. Ryan was startled by their instant lack of presence and rubbed his forearms to feel if they were invisible. He could put nothing past the abilities of these magical bracelets; he found no trace of them.
Ryan was more concerned about his current dilemma and he redirected his thoughts away from the Rings of Karn. He went over to the computer terminal in the lab and spoke to the machine. "D Jump Time Co-ordinate Program please?"
D jumping was what John called the process of travelling instantaneously from one time-space co-ordinate to another through a black hole.
Lucy did as Ryan commanded and presented him with a prompt on the screen and stated the question it asked. "Please enter flight path entry data." He conveyed the information, then waited for a reply.
The data Ryan received from his first D Jump was all that was necessary to create a constant that completed the formula for the Space-Time Co-ordinate Program. Now, with the details of the flight path entry, he could determine the point in the space-time continuum that the traveller would arrive at. Ryan knew where they would arrive because the black hole determined the location, but the entry path determined the time, and this was the crucial factor.
"The time co-ordinate is the tenth second of the fiftieth minute of the eleventh hour. Day twelve, in the fourth month of the year one thousand, nine hundred and ninety five."
"Ten years!" Ryan thought for a moment then proceeded to announce his thoughts out aloud. "That isn't much time."
He had a plan, and time was of the essence.
********************
When Ryan beamed back to the beach, he found Charlie waiting for him. The expression on Charlie’s face was a mixture of fear and anger. In his hands was the shotgun. "What the hell is going on? A branch crashed through my bedroom window and just about impaled me. I looked out the window to see why and saw the mother of all storms coming this way. Then in a matter of seconds it disappeared. I've seen many strange things in my time, but storms just don't do that. I'll bet my bottom dollar you had something to do with it!" At that moment, Charlie noticed the strange expression on Ryan's face. He looked drained, lost and overwhelmed; as if a mighty burden of insurmountable magnitude had befallen his strong youthful shoulders. A burden fit for one of much greater age and wisdom. Charlie's anger turned to concern. "What's wrong?"
"In ten years Earth will be attacked by a force mightier than any since the beginning of time, greater than any y
ou could possibly imagine in your wildest dreams.......and we have to stop it." He paused to take a deep breath. "Earth will be attacked by the Warrians!"
********************
"It's my fault. I should have realised the possible consequences of travelling through the black hole."
"Don't blame yourself. It was the right decision at the time, you could never have known what the future would hold."
Ryan had explained to Charlie the events of the past few hours as best as he could. Most of the story about the Rings of Karn was well beyond Charlie's comprehension. He sat opposite Ryan in his favourite lounge chair contemplating the future of Earth and the human race. And he thought retirement was going to be relaxing!
"Why don't you go back to the future, before the war begins and prevent it from starting?"
"My Father had the same idea but I don't think it would work. I've been reading up on the laws of time according to the great theorist, Professor Hindrich from my century. He theorised that if someone went back in time and changed history, two possible futures would be created. Then when he went back to his original time, he could either end up in the original future or his newly created future. I know I can travel to the existing future but I don't have the technology to travel to the alternate. Some unknown parameter has to be changed when entering the black hole. Besides, the existing future narrates the Warrians coming back in time to find me. If I'm not here, they will surely destroy the Earth, my ancestors and ultimately me! The repercussions are incomprehensible, the whole fabric of time could be torn apart! No, we must intersect them here, in this time frame."
Charlie was now, completely out of his depth. He rubbed his temples trying to comprehend what Ryan had said but it only made his headache worse. "Okay, so now what do we do?"
Intersect Page 7
