The dragon’s eye closed.
“Are you well, Commander? Your vital signs have become erratic.”
“I’m fine.” She closed the floating screens. “Take us in. Land us near the city, but out of sight of the human vessel.”
“As you command.”
She handed control over to the computer and closed her eyes, reaching out to determine what the humans were doing.
***
Jack gazed at their surroundings. According to the shuttle’s readings, a magnetic anomaly encircled the perimeter of the buildings. It was nothing dangerous, not even strong enough to mess with their equipment. Jack thought it must have been a shield once, but he had no proof to back his theory.
The heavy air caused moisture to stick to their clothes. Insects the size of horse flies swarmed everywhere, but they left the humans alone. Jack eyed the bugs, wondering if, like horse flies, they could cause big painful welts, so he was glad to be left alone. Humans must not smell like food. Maybe that meant the world’s makeup wasn’t compatible with humans. Or maybe it just meant they were lucky.
Jack rubbed the back of his neck. His hackles prickled in a peculiar way. He looked over his shoulder, seeing only ancient buildings and twisty trees. Admittedly, he couldn’t see very far. If anything was watching, he was certain he would have sensed it.
This planet was strange, and this city even stranger. The city wasn’t in ruins at all, contrary to what they’d assumed. Some buildings were irregularly shaped, but it appeared to be deliberate. The walls were unbelievably smooth, aside from the cryptic markings at random places on various buildings. He took footage of the markings. He’d stream them to the university later; maybe a linguist back home could figure them out.
He’d never been one for ancient writings and archaeology. He was more interested in modern times and left history to others, but these were fascinating. Dragons featured on almost every building, although they looked odd. Maybe that was due to the culture, or just the way normal people perceived dragons, but something seemed off about them.
Maybe that was logical. The people who made these had probably never seen a dragon, and it might not matter if they had. The birds in hieroglyphics were recognizable, but they were just symbols. If the wings and tail were too large in the image, who was he to judge?
Jack shivered. An icy wind touched the back of his neck. Agitated, he spun around, but no one was there. He rubbed his neck, frowning. The closest person was Coraolis, and he was deep in conversation with Lieutenant Summers.
He walked over and waited for a lull in the conversation.
Summers was saying, “The scouts say this is literally a maze. None of the streets go through.” The lieutenant made a gesture. “Cormican and Tau climbed one of the taller buildings. They say there’s a big temple at the center.”
“Anything inside these buildings would be interesting,” Coraolis replied. “I wish we had more time to look around.”
“We can stop and explore at any time, Mike. It’s up to you how deep we go.” The lieutenant looked around, frowning. His gaze lit on Jack for a moment, then moved on to the trees behind the party. “We need to mark our path from here on out. I don’t want to get lost.”
“Agreed.” Coraolis looked at Jack and frowned when their eyes met. “Is everything okay?”
“Did either of you feel that?” Jack put his hand to his neck again. The sensation was gone, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t come back. It didn’t seem harmful, but what did he know?
“Feel what?” Summers asked.
Cor shook his head. “I haven’t sensed anything unusual since we landed. Why do you ask?”
“Maybe it’s nothing. I keep feeling something watching me, but when I turn around, it’s gone.”
Lieutenant Summers turned toward his team, raising his voice just enough to be heard. “Carey. Ruiz. Scout our back trail. We’ll set up a defensive position in this building until you get back. Mike thinks we’re being followed.”
The scouts nodded and jogged back toward the gate. Jack watched them disappear, then followed Summers into one of the buildings. The first floor was cavernous, a large chamber that resounded with the echoes of their footsteps. Jack chose a corner where he’d be out of the way while E.F. personnel explored.
Coraolis came with him. “I suppose you could use this for an adventure.”
“It’s a little less fun when we’re in the middle of it. That, and we’re magic users without a meat shield,” Jack joked.
Coraolis chuckled. “It feels strange, being out here just the two of us.”
“It does.” Jack paused. “Does that mean you miss everyone?”
“I do. We have a good team.” Coraolis shrugged, then slid down to sit on the floor. “Have you heard from Barb?”
“She’s doing well. She likes her new boat. She says she’s got a good crew, but she misses us.” Jack looked down at Coraolis speculatively, then hunkered down next to him.
“I heard. I miss them too.”
“Does that include Dante?”
Coraolis didn’t speak at first. When Jack looked at him, he was staring at nothing, his brow creased like it did when he was thinking. Jack left him to it. He didn’t like that the answer required thought, but it was better than saying no immediately.
“I do. He’s not the one I think of when I’m going to sleep, but yes. He’s still my friend. I miss our game nights, and he’s a big part of those.”
“That might have been deliberate,” Jack admitted.
Coraolis snorted. “I know. We saw right through your devious scheme.”
“And it worked anyway?”
“In a way, yes. I was never anything but Dante’s friend. Our relationship would have been repaired either way, but it helped that you pushed us together.” Coraolis went on running his finger over the ground, making random shapes. “I think it helped Julia most. She was hurt by what happened. I don’t know if she ever told you.”
“She did. She said he’d gotten her twice, so it wasn’t just a betrayal, she felt like a fool.” Technically, Dante had only betrayed her once. The first time had been a dragon, but he still understood how she felt. “Does she still feel that way?”
“She decided to forgive him.”
“That’s good.”
Coraolis nodded. “We just needed a little time to forget, and some good memories to cover up the old ones.”
“I guess it was easier for me. Dante’s friendship was more important than what he did. I had to choose which one to hold onto, and I chose Dante,” Jack said. “Not that you guys were wrong. It’s just how I feel.”
“You’re a good man, Jack. I hope he appreciates it.” Coraolis brushed off his hands. “Let’s take a look at the Astral Plane, just in case.”
***
Jack opened his eyes, then squinted. He stood in a brightly lit room, the counterpart to the cave-like chamber in the physical world. Coraolis stood beside him, shading his eyes.
The walls were white and smooth as polished marble and felt solid under Jack’s hand. A section of wall sported more hieroglyphics, just like the ones he’d seen in the physical world. He traced them with his finger, wishing he could take a picture to compare them.
“What is this?” he asked.
“If you figure it out, let me know. Stick close.”
“You read my mind.”
Coraolis headed for the doorway, Jack following. They emerged into the street. Coraolis looked over his shoulder every few seconds. He didn’t want any surprises; this whole world was strange enough.
Normally, the Astral Plane and physical world were direct reflections of each other. The Empire State Building was a featureless tower in the Astral Plane, but it was the same size, and it had the same properties in both worlds. It didn’t change color. It didn’t glow.
“Have you ever seen anything like this before?” Jack asked.
“Once or twice. There are some substances that resonate differently in the Astral Plane.
This specific one is new to me, but the effect isn’t unheard of, just rare.” Coraolis froze.
Jack followed his gaze. Every building on the street was made of the same glowing substance. It was brighter than the middle of the day. Even stranger, there were no trees in the street as there had been in the physical world. Everything was as pristine as if it were built yesterday.
Jack rose into the air, his astral wings pulling him up. He didn’t need the wings, but he liked them. They were unique to him and reminded him of his close bond with his dragon. It was one more reason why the Astral Plane felt like his natural habitat.
“Do you sense your watcher now?” Coraolis interrupted his thought.
Jack shook his head and pointed. They were high enough that the entire city lay before them in a glowing circle, the streets laid out below them like a map. It wasn’t the glowing lines that interested him, though, but the dark spaces in between.
“Look at that,” Jack said.
The dark places made lines that twined between the glowing buildings, forming a long, almost snake-like body and a narrow head. Curved wings stretched to encircle the city in their embrace. It was almost a dragon, in the same way that the carvings mimicked a dragon without getting the image exactly right.
“This is beautiful.” Jack couldn’t tear his eyes away. “How rare did you say this stuff was?”
“It must be more common on this planet. That or this civilization knew how to manufacture it.” Coraolis spun in a slow circle, looking at the image from all angles. “I could stare at it all day, but we’ve probably been out for at least an hour. If you don’t sense your watcher we should head back.”
Jack agreed. He took one last look, memorizing the view, before turning back.
***
The scouts called in not long after the Mystics returned to their bodies. They were going to check in with the pilot, then do another sweep on their way back. So far, they hadn’t found any threats.
Jack saw the look on Summers’ face and pretended he needed to tie his boot when the officer turned their way. It seemed better to avoid eye contact when Summers looked that irritated.
“Nothing back there but trees and bugs,” Summers said to Coraolis. “I don’t suppose you’re ready to go back?”
Jack glanced at Cor from where he knelt over his boot. At the suggestion of returning, his instincts screamed ‘move on.’ That was his dragon talking, combined with his own curiosity. Jack wanted to continue. He had to.
Coraolis faced Summers. “Lieutenant, I think I can confidently say that no human has ever seen anything like this before. We’ve never encountered an entire abandoned city on an unsettled planet. We need to know more before we can leave.”
It sounded like he’d prepared that speech. Jack was impressed. He stood, deciding to brave the lieutenant’s ire. “Besides, what if we can’t come back? When they send an archaeology team, I doubt you’ll be on it. Don’t you want to see what’s out here?”
Summers shrugged, though his expression softened. Jack was sure he could see the curiosity gleaming in the lieutenant’s eyes. He had yet to meet an E.F. officer who wasn’t an explorer at heart, who wanted to be the first to discover a new planet or find a lost secret.
“Let me call in. If the captain doesn’t order us back, we’ll press on.”
Jack grinned. “That’s good enough for me.”
The call to Charon confirmed it; Captain Wells was just as curious, and they were ordered to do a preliminary exploration. He had already disclosed their find to Earth Fleet. The more detailed the report when the landing team returned, the better.
They cleared some ground and cut an arrow into the dirt to show the direction they were taking. Lieutenant Summers and half the team marched in front of the Mystics with a scout taking point. Four crewmen marched behind, one of the rear guard so far back Jack couldn’t see him.
Jack wished they could look into the Astral Plane. He didn’t feel watched anymore, but the city was too quiet. It was easy to imagine silent watchers in the buildings, looking down from above as the squad of humans explored the remains of their civilization. It felt like he was trekking through an expansive graveyard, daring ghosts to rise and grab him.
He knew it was silly. Whatever had lived here was long gone; still, he found himself rubbing his arms to ward off goosebumps whenever he was surprised by a stray breeze. He tried to shake it off, but there was no escaping the feeling they weren’t alone. He just hoped it was his too-vivid imagination.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Coraolis and Jack walked alone at the center of the group. The crewmen had become more relaxed as time went on, looking outward at the strange city instead of inward at those in their charge.
There were no animal tracks and no birdsong here. The only signs of life were the singing of insects in the trees.
Cor didn’t relax so easily. The sight of the Astral Plane on this planet unnerved him. Its strangeness alerted him to all the ways the physical world was off. The doorways were too tall and narrow. The blades of ‘grass’ growing in the cracks were such a dark shade of green they were almost black. The sight of the trees nagged at him until he figured out the problem; they didn’t move in the wind. Even the leaves could have been carved from stone.
In short, it was an alien planet. It was no stranger than he should have expected. Knowing that, however, didn’t help him shake the uncanny feeling.
He should have been satisfied with taking samples and heading back. A Mystic didn’t have to explore new worlds in person. He’d negotiated with the dragon. He’d surveyed the planet. It was up to scientists and colonists to handle the rest. Yet, his dragon pushed back every time he thought of returning to the ship. There was something here it was seeking, something it wanted Coraolis to see or do. Jack agreed he’d had the same impulse, so they were going with it.
They came to a large square with more streets branching off left and right. A warped statue stood sentinel at the center, towering over them.
Cor was drawn to a huge building on the north side of the square. Massive steps led up to open archways twice as tall as a man. A frieze stretched above the doorways, covering most of the building’s facade. He couldn’t read the words, but he was fascinated by the serpentine dragon that dominated the image, a planetary orb in its claws. From one angle, it was cradling the sphere gently. From another, it could have been clutching it in its talons. Looking at it too long made Cor’s head ache.
“Where are you going?” Summers asked.
Coraolis paused on the first step. Jack was there beside him, his eyes intent on the dragon image.
“I’m going to explore this building,” Coraolis said.
“I’ll send in a team to clear it. We’ll need a place to set up camp, anyway; there’s only an hour until sunset.”
“That won’t work. We need to be the ones to clear it.”
Coraolis glanced at Jack, who shrugged.
The lieutenant frowned. “I’m not sending you in there without an escort.”
“Tanks,” Jack mouthed, a smirk playing across his face.
Coraolis lifted his eyebrows. The gaming reference wasn’t lost on him, and the crewmen certainly counted as warriors.
“We’ll take two, if you insist. We’ll try to move quickly,” Cor told Summers.
“Have it your way. Call if you find trouble, we’ll come running.”
He nodded. That was easy enough. He and Jack waited for the crewmen, then climbed the steps with their ‘tank’ escorts in tow.
The doorways led to a massive square chamber. The walls were bare, except for a few hieroglyphics that looked almost decorative. A triad of dragons was carved into the ceiling in an intricate dance.
Santiago and Lowe looked around from behind the Mystics, acting a bit fidgety. They didn’t like the instructions to let the Mystics lead the way. They were security officers, they were supposed to provide security, but Coraolis stood firm. On this day, in this place, they were a safety net and noth
ing more.
He strode across the chamber with his companions close behind. A baritone hum filled his ears, or it might have been his mind. The tone became richer as he approached the center of the room, shifting to come at him from every side. It felt like sitting on a speaker on high volume, without the pain in his ears.
“Do you hear that?” he asked.
“Hear what?” Santiago asked.
“I feel something in here.” Jack pressed his hand to his chest. “What is this?”
Coraolis shook his head. He didn’t know. He took one more step. The phantom vibrations intensified. He moved again and they faded slightly. He stepped back to find the place where the feeling was strongest. It tugged at the heart of him, pulling him in a familiar direction.
“Stay here,” he told the others. “I’m going to check the Astral Plane.”
He didn’t wait for acknowledgement but sat on the floor, hands on his knees. He’d hardly closed his eyes before his astral body stood in a brightly-lit chamber.
He looked up, his eye drawn by motion. The serpentine dragons carved into stone in the physical plane were undulating across the ceiling. He stared as they swam in a slow circle. They weren’t alive, but for a moment he hadn’t been sure.
When he was certain he wasn’t in danger from above, he peered down. He locked into the instincts that had sent him into this plane and held out his hands at its urging.
A sphere the size of a cantaloupe appeared between his cupped palms, pale and smooth like a giant pearl. This globe was divided into sections by thin blue lines, a single glyph carved into each segment. He turned his hands and the sphere turned with it, letting him examine the different markings.
He separated his hands and the sphere vanished. It reappeared when he cupped his hands again.
“Curious,” he murmured. He spread his fingers, trying to put one over a glyph. It glowed blue as his finger drew near. He dropped his hands, making the ball vanish again.
His hands shook. This was different than just a strange material in the Astral Plane. It looked like technology, and he wanted to know what it did. It seemed foolish to push a button on an alien artifact on the Astral Plane, but his curiosity would surely kill him if he did nothing at all.
Dragon Wave Page 7
