Xero Chronicle

by Ross Buzzell

  “What did they say?”

  E’mellor asks as she attempts to peer through the portal as it closes. Xero gazes over at Ja. There was something about her that even after all this time he could not help but smile.

  “Pack your bags. Tomorrow night we are going on a trip to explore and if we are lucky to be diplomats to other cultures. I don’t know how long we will be gone but I am assuming they will give us a podded ship. Any questions?”

  E shakes her head before turning and exiting the building. The roar of her ship echoes throughout the structure as she flies off. Ja’Sanfur gently places her hand on the nape of Xero’s neck. The two lock eyes; Xero almost instantly gets lost in them.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  she asks. The prince could tell that she was excited for the chance to explore and prove herself to her people but at the same time there is a sense of worry in her voice, the same worry Xero had in his gut. What happens if there are more Titans out there and this team is not able to warn Boron in time? Xero puts the thought out of his mind. Should the worst happen, the three had killed a Titan before. There is no reason they could not do it again.

  “I could not be more sure Ja. I am excited to contribute to the betterment of our people, to go someplace no one has gone before. I might be a soldier, not an adventurer but there are some opportunities that we just can’t pass up and this is one of them.”

  Ja nods at his words as they grace her ears.

  “I agree, we really should get some rest for tomorrow. You want to go to that little alcove you found?”

  With a wave of his hand Xero opens a portal to a small cave overlooking the sunset. Within the cave are all the small amenities anyone would need for a short get away. A small stove to cook on, a soft bed for rest and even a make shift shower in case the hike to this hole in the cliff face ended up getting anyone dirty. The daytime sun had begun to set and its luminous pillars of light crest off distant mountains. The light warps as the sun goes down shifting from its brilliant blue into fiery licks of green. The light gingerly pours over the fields before them as the two enter the small alcove in the near sheer cliff face. Xero makes his way to the soft bed, the crisp, cool air blowing a gentle sweet breeze from the fields below. Sitting down at the head of the bed, he leans against the cold stone wall that acts as a head board. Gently patting the mattress, Ja slides in next to him. The prince places his arm around her as she nuzzles into his embrace. The two watch the peaceful and breathtaking sunset as it slowly dips beyond the edge of the planet.

  “Are you nervous for tomorrow?”

  her soft voice gingerly breaks the silence as she looks up at him with a look of concern on her face. Xero would never admit that he was, even if he were. But at that moment, the second her eyes meet his, any doubts, unrest or fears that had begun to creep into the recesses of his mind evaporate. Shaking his head Xero leans down and places a gentle kiss on Ja’Sanfur’s supple lips. As he pulls away her hot breath lingers near his mouth as if yearning for him not to leave. The prince pulls back just far enough for their eyes to lock; gently he runs his fingers through her silken hair.

  “Ja’Sanfur, with you by my side all fear has gone from me. I look forward to this adventure with you.”

  she smiles up at him before resting her head on his chest. Gently Xero strokes her hair as the daylight slowly gives way to the night time sunlight. Ja’Sanfur drifts to sleep almost immediately; Xero is not far behind. This night would not be one of rest for Xero; however, visions of dark smoke swirl in his head. A mask formed out of a skull emerges from the smoke as a distinct mark is carved on its forehead; a line resembling the waning crescent of a moon crossed in the center with a straight line less than half as long. The laugh that echoes in Xero’s mind is reminiscent of a psychopath before a bone chilling voice growls.

  “You’re mine!”

  With a violent lurch Xero jerks himself awake, his heart pounding and sweat beads on his brow. Breathing heavily he quickly looks around his little hidden paradise only to see that Ja’Sanfur had already gotten up and had started to prepare for the day. Slowly Xero moves to the edge of the bed as he gradually brings his heart rate under control. Placing his feet on the solid ground he shakes off the bad dream. He wipes his brow before making his way over to the shower and closing the door behind him. His armor retracts itself in a flowing sea of light just as the cleansing device begins to do its job and Xero calls out to Ja.

  “Did you sleep well?”

  “I did. You seemed to have some pretty intense dreams last night. Are you ok?”

  For a moment Xero pauses as his mind flashes back to the image of the skeletal mask laughing at him and the voice whose words were not a mere threat, but sounded like a promise. The shower slowly powers down and Xero re-asserts his armor. He opens the shower door and steps out as he runs his fingers through his soft bouncy hair.

  “I am, just nervous for today.”

  A light begins to blink on Xero’s wrist. Lifting his arm he presses it and a holographic image of his father appears before him.

  “Father, how may I be of service to you?”

  “Xero, the ship prepped and ready for a thirty cycle excursion. Liftoff can commence at any moment you see fit; all we need is you and your team, and launch will commence.”

  “Thank you father. We will come right away.”

  The hologram falls back into its emitter. Xero looks at Ja, who has been ready for a few hours now.

  “You ready?”

  she nods excitedly. Xero accesses his electron displacer and opens up another portal. This time on the far side, there are three large oval shaped pods pointing upward. Each has a smooth pearly surface, formed in a triangular pattern. All three are connected by arms that join together in the center of ships. Xero recognized this location; it was a massive launch pad on the outskirts of the city. The sight of ancient launches during the great spacial expansion. Ja’Sanfur pushes past Xero. Her excitement now turns to impatience as she enters the portal and comes out on the far side; Xero quickly follows suit.

  As the two exit the wormhole it is closed behind them. Standing before them is the High King, Ro Lorian and E’mellor who is in the same armor she had donned the last time Xero had seen her. Only this time it was white. Xero approaches his father and gives him a hug followed by his brother. He then shakes E’mellor’s hand firmly and with a confident smile.

  “If the sight is ready father. I believe we are too. Is there anything we need to know before we embark?”

  Ro steps up, pulling up the same map that Xero had poured over dozens of times.

  “Scans show that the first planet you are going to be visiting has no sentient life on it; largely, it is just to get a feel for how your ships work. Now, due to interference, we still cannot teleport you into where the cloud even was so we will place you right on the edge. Your electron displacers will not work while inside the zone but scanners are now available so use them liberally. We have not been able to get accurate scans on the other planets in the system that farinto the field and our feedback gets scrambled. After thirty cycles return home and if you make first contact with any other species try to convince them to send a delegation back with you. Other than that you are free to conduct your mission as you see fit… and Xero… good luck.”

  Xero gives a happy nod to his brother before making his way to his ship. He stops just as E and Ja are about to branch off and enter their own personal ships.

  “No matter what happens out there you two just know that I am proud of you both and it is an honor to serve by your side… I’ll see you in space.”

  With that the side of the ship just seems to slide open allowing Xero to enter. Slowly he looks around the surprisingly spacious craft; it had sleeping quarters, a kitchen, a small lab, a full bathroom, cockpit and living area that doubles as a training area. The warrior prince could not help but notice that every surface was white and smooth to an almost annoying extent. Slowly he makes his way to
the cockpit which has no glass, only a projected heads up display showing the brilliant void like sky above them. Xero looks through the dashboard before him. Switches and knobs scatter the smooth surface but all lights are green.

  “Caelum I am green for take-off.”

  Xero calls out over the open communication system. Almost immediately he hears the voices of both Ja and E mimicking him stating that they were clear for launch as well. The crowds that had gathered to celebrate quickly disperse to get to a minimum safe distance as a countdown begins. Once the clock hits zero the ships begin to rumble. Xero feels the structure around him vibrating as pressure begins to be pushed against his body while lifting off. The pressure slowly mounts as the ship speeds up; a secondary countdown had begun with a twenty second timer that the prince catches out of the corner of his eye. A mix between the training that every Boronian goes through while growing up and the levels of advancements that had been made for their automated space technology, no real training was needed. Being a Cryptea and parts of the Off World Squad, any gaps that would otherwise be standing had been filled.

  Through the corner of his eye Xero sees the secondary counter drop to zero. As that happens blue sparks ripple across the nose of the ship, being clearly visible through the HUD from within. The sparks grow brighter until in a flash of light the rumbling of the ship as it fights against gravity, is replaced by a serene silence. Xero unstraps himself from the hovering white chair as artificial gravity kicks in and he stands up. Leaning against the control panel he looks over the flashing lights and touch screen showing all three pods of the ship. He gently presses the communications buttons and an audible ‘click’ echoes through his vessel allowing him to hear both E and Ja breathing heavily from the G-forces they had just endured.

  “This is Xero checking in. How is my crew?”

  “E’mellor reporting in, woozy but good to go.”

  “Ja’Sanfur reporting in, nauseous but good to go.”

  Xero looks out the HUD, in the distance he sees the hellish Dark World. The smog that had covered it seemed to be thinner and hints of color that were not black or orange seemed to peer through. Xero presses the scanners button and a hologram of the planet appears before him with emblems under it indicating a projected time-lapse of months then years into the future. As the time-lapse ends the once poisoned planet appears green and lush with massive oceans covering over ninety percent of the planet.

  “Glad to hear; scans show that the Dark World is stabilizing since our last visit. No record of terraforming being deployed. Any suggestions?”

  E’mellor’s voice comes over the communications array.

  “I went over some of the initial scans of that artifact that you found. It seems to be giving off some form of energy that seems to infect anything it touches, like a virus.”

  Ja’Sanfur chimes in.

  “And looking at the scans you are sharing with us, it looks like once we removed it the planet will gradually return to its natural state.”

  A blue light flashes from the console that Xero is looking at. The beam hits him right in the eyes causing him to cover them and stagger back with a grunt of discomfort.

  “Ahh, what was that?”

  he calls out as his vision is compromised due to the light, seeing only a blue beam anytime he blinked.

  “Sorry about that. I should have warned you about the scan. You had come in contact with the object, I just wanted to make sure it had not compromised you.”

  E’s voice is matter of fact but had a hint of amusement to it.

  “Well did you get what you needed?”

  Xero is frustrated mildly at the discomfort caused by the light as he slowly blinks his vision back to normal.

  “Yep, your scans are good, none of that ‘dark infection’.”

  “Good, initiate pod unification, then set course to the next nearest world. I want to be boots on ground as soon as possible.”

  “Affirmative.”

  both women speak in unison. Xero slides his hand over the pod display and all three pods begin to pull together. As they meet in the center, massive doors on either side slide open creating one large ship with free range access to the other two pods. Xero sits back down as the stars before them begin to shift to blue while the ship begins to speed up. As it enters the disruptive nebula, the blue lights form a blue cone before them. After a few moments the ship begins to slow down. The cone shifts back to the bluish stars, before they turn back to their normal colors, and a massive green world grows larger before them until it takes up most of their display. The ship comes to a complete stop. Xero stands up as E and Ja enter his portion of the ship, one standing on either side of him.

  “We will take my section and leave the other two in orbit over the planet while we conduct our survey.”

  “We do not know if this part of space is habited by space faring beings. What happens if one comes by our ship? What will stop them from taking it?”

  E asks slightly concerned.

  “These crafts have built in Structural Coloration Generators so they will be invisible to the eye should anyone get close enough. As far as scanners go, I overheard Ro speaking to the High King once about retrofitting all exploration craft with energy absorbers, similar to what our cells do. Meaning any means of finding our ship without a Boronian scanner will prove fruitless.”

  Xero places the ship in camouflage mode. Sliding the dials the ship closes its doors to the other two pods before pushing off and beginning a smooth and gradual descent to the planet’s surface. As the ship enters the planet’s atmosphere Ja and E both climb into two more seats that seem to form out of the floor. Instinctively Ja begins to scan the planet and habitat itself while E scans the globe for life. Keeping focused like a laser, Xero does not speak and almost completely tunes out the other two as they call out readings. With blue orbs formed around each hand he controls the ship with every slight movement of either wrist. As the ship breaks cloud cover the three stop for a moment, taken aback in awe. The planet they were surveying is unlike any they had ever seen. Slowly Xero brings the ship to the ground and lands it. Ja’Sanfur gets on the hatch controls and begins the unlocking procedure.

  “Scans show a rich atmosphere, unlike anything we have encountered before. It seems to be perfectly attuned for living beings to breathe with just enough diversity that even those who do not breathe oxygen or nitrogen would thrive.”

  The back of the ship slides open. Air pours into the ship and Xero takes a deep breath. The air was sweet, almost holding the scent of fruit. No planet he had been on had such a pure, clean feel to the air. Xero slowly stands up as E scans all three of them to make sure vitals are steady.

  “Vitals holding… wow, scans are showing zero waists on radiation we absorb, usually there is a thirty to forty percent deficit that we do not take in. But it appears this environment is allowing our bodies to reach their maximum potential and we have not even left the ship yet.”

  Xero begins to walk toward the outside world, a smile on his face as a yellow star gently warms his skin. As he takes the first step on this alien world, the ground gives way slightly beneath him. It is a soft ground with lush green grass that stands just under waist high. As his eyes adjust to the new sunlight, his vision takes in a scene that he thought he could only dream about. A boundless field lays before them with grass gently waving in the wind. Xero reaches out and gently touches the gramineae that feels like silk against his skin. In awe of the sight before him he turns and looks at the two.

  “Is there life on this world?”

  his voice is tentative, brimming with excitement as his heart races faster than he had thought possible. Joy overtakes him to a level he has never known. A curiosity grips his soul. He wanted to know everything about the planet.

  “There is life, yes, but none that would be considered intelligent. Animals and insects mostly but I have to say the echo system here is balanced perfectly, I have never seen anything like it. It is solid, not fragile like m
ost… we need to get some samples.”

  A high pitched ping echoes throughout the ship as the three slowly begin to make their way onto the planet that is as close to paradise as any of them had previously seen.

  “I am getting a strange reading; it is familiar but fuzzy. I will try to extrapolate.”

  Ja’Sanfur continues to work on clearing up her scans; E’mellor takes samples of bug life and patches of grass as well. Xero moves ahead of the group a bit, adoring the beauty that is beheld to them. Pillars of light pierce the white cloud cover as the sweetly scented air is warmed by the nearby star to the perfect temperature. Xero closes his eyes and lets his head lay back as a complete feeling of peace washes over him. It had not been long since his mission with the Cryptea but ever since he had touched the figurine he had felt something gnawing at his subconscious, something he could not explain. All he knew is that it was dark; but here, on this paradise, that scratching at the back of his skull seemed to be quelled by the purity of the planet. He truly could stay here forever but his people come first. If he did not leave immediately there is a real risk of that happening as Ja and E would both support any decision he would make as their leader.