“Affirmative.”
“I want you to prolong this single blast by reducing its power, enough power to melt the ice but no more. Do you understand?
“Yes.”
Once again, a red grid appeared around him, and he focused on the widest crevice in the ice. A fraction of a second later, a bright beam of violet plasma illuminated the crevice, and Oonak kept his gaze on the spot until the crack began to widen slowly. Gradually, he moved the beam further down the crevice until other cracks branched off from it like dozens of spiderwebs forming at once. And then, unceremoniously, a large chunk of ice broke off and disappeared into a hollow space below.
Oonak smiled for the first time that day and guided the ship through the opening, soon finding himself in a massive underground cavern. The moment Navika realized the darkness of the space, he illuminated their path, revealing a series of passages which led deeper into the planet.
“I am detecting a faint energy signature farther down one of the caverns. However—”
“Place a waypoint on the source of the energy. If someone is hiding down here, I want to know who it is. Perhaps they know something about who attacked us.”
“Oonak, in our crippled state, I recommend that we wait until weapon systems are fully online before we continue.”
“We have impulse power. We can improvise. Place the waypoint.”
A red triangle appeared far off in the distance, about one klick from their current position, and soon they were gliding silently through tunnels of rock and ice that knew neither time nor the light of day. While they navigated the tunnels, Oonak’s mind drifted back to their attacker. How could anyone stay completely hidden in the midst of such firepower?
“Full self-diagnostic is complete. But I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”
“I am never afraid of the truth, Navika. Tell me.”
“The good news is: we won’t die. Life support systems will recover completely. However, the timespace drive and timespace comm are completely offline. Even worse, they are damaged beyond repair. Oonak, I regret to say that we have no way of continuing our mission or signaling for help. Unless we find that this planet’s technology is far more advanced than it appears, we will be stuck here, with no possibility of escape.”
Ahead, Navika illuminated the source of the faint energy that they had detected. It was a large ring-shaped structure between two columns set atop a rocky pedestal, and all of it was coated in a layer of ice, perfectly preserved.
It looked ancient.
“Perhaps you are right, Navika. Perhaps we shall never leave Avani.” Oonak stood up and observed the strange relic carefully. “Or perhaps we have been guided here, after all. Set us down near the structure. I’m going out.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading this prequel to “The Truth Beyond the Sky,” the first book in the Epic of Aravinda series. If you have enjoyed this prequel, I would be extremely grateful if you would take a few minutes to write an honest review of this story on Amazon.com.
As an independent author, I depend on you (Yes, you!) to continue the Epic of Aravinda series for the delight and benefit of all. Remember, only with your support will this unique series continue to reach the people it is meant to reach.
To continue the journey, simply search for “The Truth Beyond the Sky” or visit its Amazon page here.
with a galaxy of gratitude,
Andrew Crusoe
The Secret Beneath the Ice (The Epic of Aravinda) Page 2
