by Jenn Nixon
Before anyone argued the matter, the trees and ground around them burst into flames. The group ran inside the facility and Tiva stood in awe at the new vessel. The ship resembled a mixture of the alien craft that landed on Abennelp and an elongated hovercraft with wings. It was as tall and wide as two homes side by side. Adorning the hull of the craft, a crescent moon—the symbol of her people.
“Our time is short, we must decide now!” Kevler reiterated.
They all looked at one another, then to the craft, and silently nodded.
“It is done. Grab everything out of the storage units and get onto the craft.”
Tiva and the others ran to gather provisions as the explosions outside grew louder and more powerful. The building shook. Scientists and engineers rushed about making sure everything worked properly. Running into the craft behind her mother, she heard the roof of the building creak open. She placed the items on the nearest platform, and ran back out. Grabbing the last of the blasters, she saw her brother and sister carrying food and water. She gave them a weak smile. Mirta appeared with Jenon and Kenon, Zenid their shadow, pushed them through the crowd.
Another charge pummeled the building. The roof opened fully. A detonator soared inside. The blast knocked everyone over. Rancid smoke filled the air. Several bodies went still, and the front of the facility began to crumble.
“Everyone inside!” Darlew’s voice echoed though the building. Tiva jumped up and ran to the ship. Having no choice but to leave the fallen men and woman, she helped Jenon inside, while Zenid held onto Mirta. Darlew moved to the gangway and paused to look around. “Are we ready?”
“We do not seem to have another option,” she said.
The last of the guardians entered and Kevler hit the control panel to close the door. The smooth metal secured itself against the ship. Darlew, Zenid, and her father rushed down the corridor. Tiva followed. Feeling the slight sensation of lifting off the ground was less noticeable than inside the hovers. It seemed almost as if they were not moving.
Charging through the group of family members and friends, she kept close to Zenid, and at the end of the corridor, climbed up a ladder to find the control center.
Scientist and engineers were at stations, working the controls for the vessel. Looking out the front window, Tiva saw the last of the trees vanish before her eyes. Rising up high into the air, she glanced over the shoulder of a scientist to see a view of the facility’s ceiling closing. Astounded at the sight, Tiva watched it grow smaller and smaller as they gained height. Everything above them grew darker; the vessel shook slightly as it continued rising. She glanced at her father, and Darlew. Harer seemed entranced with something on another console.
“What protection do we have on this craft?” she asked.
“We are well protected; much like the particle weapons, only a larger form,” Darlew said. “Chak, are we safe now?”
“I can orbit around the planet for the time being, Guardian Finto. We can remain in contact with the surface. Nothing the Rebels have can reach this far,” the engineer sitting at the ship’s controls said.
“Very well,” he said. “Harer?”
“Yes, yes. We must meet…” He glanced at the console again. “Amazing…” He stepped away and led the elite through a side corridor and down a set of metal stairs. “The scientist used the design from the alien craft. It is crude, but efficient. Assign everyone quarters so they may rest and wash up. Each room has a terminal to access the layout of the ship. I know not how long we will remain up here, but we have enough supplies and power for quite some time.
“There is little we can do now but wait to hear from Wirto and the communications array is giving the scientists a problem. Go rest and be with your families, I will call for you later.”
Tiva bandaged her wounds, and changed her clothing. She lay back on the lumpy bed, and willed herself to sleep. Nightmares plagued her, so she stayed awake and glanced out the window of her room. The stars seemed brighter and closer. Abennelp looked small and peaceful, but she knew that was only a façade. If her heart was not full of sadness, she might have enjoyed the view.
Someone knocked on the door and she beckoned them in. She hung her head seeing her father’s eyes and cried. He crossed the room and took her in his arms. She held him tight, sobbing on his shoulder. All the death she had seen haunted her. Every time she closed her eyes, the face of each person she had killed lingered in her mind. The smiles of her lost friends and family refused to let her go.
“We are safe now, Tiva.”
“But what of the others?”
“We will do all we can to help them, but we must find new strength first,” Kevler said, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Mother wishes us to eat together, come to our room.”
Together they found Remock, Bintu, and D’laja gathered in her parent’s room, numbly sitting around a small metal and wood table. The family ate in silence, the weight of the situation heavy on everyone’s spirit. After the meal, D’laja took Remock and Bintu back to their room to sleep, and Tiva walked the ship with her father. She reached to her side, out of habit, and realized she didn’t have her sword, thought back, she didn’t recall it being in her room. She sighed and hung her head; she lost it in the research facility. At least she had her Timbur and dagger.
Each of the six decks on the ship held members of her family. They crossed paths with Rae and Rux, who aimlessly paced the halls still in shock at the loss of their father. Tiva hugged her cousins, and allowed them to continue.
Tiva walked every inch of the ship with her father locating all the significant sections: the power room, the armory, meeting area, and supply room were all full of people working. Mostly engineers, but also some of the guardians who were interested in learning, were helping. When they reached their starting point, Kevler ordered Tiva to try to rest. She retired to her room, and for the remainder of what she only guessed was night, sat at the window and watched as the ship circled around her planet.
“Tiva report to the meeting area.” Her eyes opened hearing the comm. She rose from the chair she’d fallen asleep in and stretched her sore muscles. She walked through the ship, entered the meeting room. The remaining elite lined the walls.
“We have to break from the planet.” Harer got right to the point. “Chak intercepted a message on the surface from a Rebel camp near the palace; their alien friends are coming to drop off supplies.”
“Where will we go?” Darlew said.
“There is a small star map in our database, and the scientists have been scanning space since we’ve been up here. We can use the moon for cover. It will take half the day to get there; this craft isn’t as fast as we first thought.”
“Then we must go now,” Kevler said to the king.
“I agree, inform the others, gently.”
Tiva took the lower decks and alerted her cousins, Aunt Jinka, Lilla, and Zizi what was happening, and told a few other members of the Ispek and Finto families who were helping the engineers. She returned to the meeting room to find the king staring out into space. He was full of raw emotions and they were strong and overpowering. She wished not to disturb him and turned to leave.
“Do not go…” he said.
“Sire?”
“I am sorry this burden is upon you, Tiva.” He turned. “It was not my intention for such a travesty to happen.”
“Speak what you mean.”
“I lacked the strength to keep you safe, I have failed.”
“This was not your doing, Harer,” she said. “Your reign was just and peaceful. Whoever is controlling the Rebels is to blame.”
“But if the king cannot keep the peace, he should no longer remain in power.”
“That is not true!”
“So you would follow me, even if it meant your death? What of the people on Abennelp?”
“My duty is to you.”
“Mine is to the people.”
They stood in silence; she knew not what to say. The king was no longer in c
ontrol, but would there be peace on Abennelp with the Rebels in power? It was unlikely. Though their cause remained unknown, they seemed fixed on overthrowing the king, and had succeeded. What was next?
“What news from the surface?” she said, breaking the silence.
“Wirto has yet to be found, but we were able to contact a guardian in Hentor who escaped the attack. Hito Becha has begun gathering the parliament and province guardsmen. With a blessing from the spirits he will find strength among the people before our return.”
“Then all hope is not lost.”
Harer smiled and took her hand. The entire ship shook violently; an alarm rang through the ship. Tiva and Harer ran out of the room, down the hall, and climbed up to the control center. Chak and his men rushed about from console to console.
“Report!” Harer said.
“One of the alien ships has found us.”
“Bring up the defenses!”
“They are online and ready, sire.” Chak bashed a dozen keys on his console. The ship jolted again. Darlew, Kevler, and Yark appeared. Everyone gasped. An alien craft flew past the window faster than anything Tiva had ever seen before. A blast shook the back of the vessel, and one of the consoles in the control center burst into flames.
“Fire the weapons,” Harer said.
“We can’t hold them off,” Chak said. “They have some type of shielding around their ship.”
“Move us away!”
Chak nodded and pressed a few times on the panel. Tiva glanced at her father, his markings bright, and lips tight. The vessel jerked sharply again, and all went still for a moment. Then two large cracks echoed beneath her feet.
“They destroyed our propulsion system. We cannot move!” another said.
“Activate the escape modules,” Chak said and turned to the king. “The ship will be destroyed, sire, the modules will take everyone back to the surface, just select a landing sight.”
Harer glanced at Kevler and Darlew. A shiver ran down her spine. Her father stroked his chin and Darlew grunted.
“The Lost Island,” Kevler said. “Either that or Hentor where the strength of those loyal are, we have no other options.”
“Indeed.” Harer turned to Chak. “The Lost Island. There is a chance fewer Rebels are there.”
Chak nodded again, and entered the coordinates. “They will be ready shortly.”
“Get everyone into the modules and ready to launch,” Harer ordered.
Tiva followed her father down and helped to gather everyone in the meeting area. Without delaying, Kevler explained the situation, and gave everyone instructions on operating the modules. Many began to scatter when he was through, but Tiva and her family remained. She hugged her brother and sister, cousins and aunts, and finally her mother.
“Keep safe, precious one,” she said, holding back tears. “I will see you shortly on the surface.”
“Yes, Mother,” Tiva choked. She watched them go, and heard Chak’s voice in the corridor. The modules were ready. She turned to her father and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her forehead, and looked deep into her eyes. “Father...”
“I love you, my dearest one.”
The vessel bucked and shook, a fire broke out in the corridor. Darlew and Yark rushed passed calling for them to come. Kevler and Tiva ran behind, and reached the end of the deck. Several of the modules were gone already. Harer stood at the end of the corridor. He met her eyes.
Go, now. You must remain safe.
What of you, sire?
I am the past you are the future.
She glanced at her father. He moved over and opened a door. “Father, get Harer to a module.”
“I will.” He pushed her inside.
She secured herself in the small seat, and activated the coordinates as ordered earlier. “I am ready.” She looked at him. “I will see you shortly, Father.”
He leaned in, kissed her cheek, and closed the door. He placed his hands on the glass, and she activated the release. The module disengaged from the ship and with a small thrust of power propelled into space. Using the tracking terminal, she engaged the propulsion system and it began to move.
From the small window, she saw the alien craft circling around the ship still firing on it. It was half the size of the king’s ship and glowed like a demon spirit. Her module moved further away. She glanced at the terminal. Something was wrong, it wasn’t moving toward Abennelp, but away. She deactivated the terminal, and tried to input the correct coordinates again. Had she done something wrong?
Another flash of fire from the aliens struck the king’s ship, and the left wing broke off. Several more modules detached, and she watched, praying everyone got out safely. She sensed the king and her father still together on the ship, and felt the anxiety rising within her.
Get off the ship!
The front of the alien craft opened, and a small silver orb shot out, heading for the ship. She furiously attempted to contact the control center, via the terminal’s communications, but nothing went through.
“Father!” she said, trying the PCD as a last resort. Nothing.
She unfastened herself from the seat, kicked the terminal, and input Abennelp’s coordinates again. The escape module still moved in the wrong direction. It wasn’t responding to anything she tried, technically or physically.
Opening her mind, she tried once more to speak to her father.
You must get off the ship!
The silver orb hovered over the king’s craft, and while her eyes were fixed upon it, a bright blue flash blinded her. She shielded herself, and when the light subsided, each escape module began to explode.
“No!” She slammed her fist on the small port window.
The cascading effect annihilated every module in rapid succession. The life of everyone she knew and loved vanished from existence, paralyzing her. The death tore through her like blunt spikes digging into her skin.
The last two escape modules shattered into several large pieces and struck the king’s ship. The contact rippled through the metal, and it began spinning out of control. The alien vessel fired one last shot and then, in a flash of light, vanished.
The second wing tore from the king’s ship. Horror filled her. The scene unfolded as the module pulled her further away. She screamed, yet no sound came from her throat. Striking the window, as if trying to break out, Tiva watched the vessel carrying the king and her father explode.
The shockwave slammed against Tiva’s module, but it mattered not, she was ready to die. She crashed against the opposite side of the small craft, but felt nothing except the blood running down her face and arm. Falling to the ground, she stared at the ceiling and awaited her fate. Unable to move or speak, she lay there as the images replayed themselves in her mind. The face of every person on the ship flashed before her. She saw Remock and Bintu, her cousins and aunts. Mother.
Her father’s hand on the glass…the king.
Destroyed.
She grew cold. Having no means to keep warm, she would die soon. It was all a matter of time. She’d join her family in the Eternal Lands, and be free. Everyone she ever loved waited for her, and as the darkness began to take her, a smile formed on her lips. Spirits grant me passage and take me to the Eternal Lands.
Tiva closed her eyes and whispered before losing consciousness, “I’m coming, Father.”
Chapter Twenty One
The escape module plummeted to the ground and the crash jolted her awake. Weak but alive, Tiva pulled on the exit hatch. Using the last of her strength, she opened it for some fresh air. Thought was beyond her, instinct controlled her movements. Gasping for breath, she pushed the door open and fell out of the module.
She was not dead.
Somehow, she survived.
A soft rustling caught her attention, but in her current state, she was unable to see clearly let alone defend herself.
“Milip hocha!” the voice said.
Straining to focus, she looked up to see a group of strange look
ing men surrounding her. Their skin color was like nothing she’d ever seen, and they spoke in a tongue she didn’t understand. Each held an odd-looking triangular weapon, and all were dressed the same, dark green uniforms, symbols of some organization on their shoulders. She reached up weakly, a small groan escaping her lips then she collapsed against the ground again.
“Milip hocha!” the apparent leader spat again.
Another man approached and tapped the leader on the shoulder. Through her blurred vision, she saw him pull out a small silver device and activated it.
“Let us see how this technology works.”
“It was fully tested by our scientists, Major Raku, I am sure it will work.”
She glanced up and met the eyes of the leader.
He smiled at his underling, and attached the device to his clothing repeating his first question. “Identify yourself!”
Tiva reached out her hand. “Please help…”
*
“Miss, wake up,” a soft, friendly voice said.
The vivid colors from her dream began to disappear; yet, she saw bloodstains on her hands.
Again, the voice spoke. “Miss, wake up.”
Tiva opened her eyes and gasped. The fuzzy shadow moved closer, and her reflexes kicked in. She leapt off the sleep couch and landed behind the individual. She reached out grabbing the first thing available to cause damage and held it in front of herself while attempting to stand. She slipped on the floor, but kept the pointed object tight in her hand.
“I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Harai Raku. My father, Major Tal Raku, found your escape pod…you asked for his help.” The young girl stepped back raising her hands to show she had no weapons.
“Yes…” Tiva said, bracing against the nearby table surprised she understood the alien female.
The surroundings were odd and unfamiliar, and the girl was in direct line of the only exit. Harai smiled again. The girl projected a friendly vibe; she seemed to be no threat. Tiva slowly released the makeshift weapon, which upon further inspection was a large utensil, then slouched down against the wall.
