D'mok Revival 4: New Eden

by Michael Zummo

  “They claim we weren’t given the full story, said that Gravis was the one to start it all.”

  “I’m not risking any more of my guards over that base thug,” the warden said. “His own government didn’t want any information from him. He’s not of any use to us.”

  “I believe, healed, he could be of great service yet,” Rakus refuted.

  “I don’t honestly care what you believe. He’s not worth the risk. Let the inmates have the criminal.” He looked over at Mencari. “Get going on that walkabout. Make sure we don’t have any further breaches.”

  * * * * * *

  “He’ll show,” Mencari said as he and Narrik continued their walkabout.

  They passed the wall shared with the interrogation room holding Tal.

  “No screams,” Narrik said.

  “With the additional riot, and …” What was Dane’s alias? “… Ms. Lockhard’s infirmary trip, the warden has backed off a bit.”

  Mencari listened for the slightest of sounds, or the creek of metal latches opening. Longtime liked stealth, coming at them when they least expected it, or listening in like a ghost in the dark. But this time was different. He had Naijen, and an intent to escape the Hole. As complicated as he’d made this mission, Longtime proved himself a master strategist. Even before Kiyanna’s plan to betray Longtime played out, he took Naijen as a hostage. It also meant he knew Naijen was a part of the mission. The guards who warned them about Longtime were right. They might not have understood why Longtime was so dangerous, but they knew not to cross him. Who would have guessed Longtime’s control was so complete?

  “You’re quiet,” Narrik said.

  “Just thinking.”

  Mencari stopped and looked around. “Why don’t you just come out? You’ve got to be here.”

  A cackle echoed around them. “Ah, you’re learning? Good.”

  Just ahead of them, Longtime emerged from the darkness as though he were a part of it.

  “What are you?” Narrik asked.

  The old man tipped his head, curious. “Well isn’t that a common question these days. What are you?”

  Narrik had a penchant for stirring up trouble, but Mencari was grateful he stayed silent.

  “Just as I thought,” Longtime said, his rotten grin stretching wide. “We’ll suffice to say we’re all a bit special … if in our own way.”

  “What have you done with Naijen?” Mencari said.

  “Oh, he’s healing just fine. In fact, better than if he’d ended up back in the indoctrination chamber. And don’t worry, we’ll bring him along when we free Tal together. You’ll see him then.”

  A threat? Kiyanna had been worried about Tal being leverage over them. Naijen provided plenty of leverage for Longtime.

  “We need the second key off one of the guards,” Mencari said.

  “Creeb?” the old man said.

  He knew?

  “How did you …” Mencari began.

  “I have my ways. I know it takes two keys. The other one is protected within the guard station. Until we have a way to secure both, taking one off Creeb got us nothing. Though taking it will be an easy task.”

  Mencari opened his mouth, but Longtime cut him off with a slashing of his gnarled hand.

  “This is the plan. First, you will disable communications up to the surface. Next, you will secure the second key to the lift, then open the ramp from the prisoner common area to the indoctrination chambers. My men will riot, disable Creeb, and take his key. In tandem, I will meet you at the interrogation chamber holding Tal. We will defend you against the guards as you open his cell and free him. We’ll fight our way to the lift, and use the key to head to the surface.” His head jerked to the side, his expression suddenly dubious. “I assume you have transportation off-world arranged?”

  Mencari nodded.

  “Fine. You’re as smart as you look. Prove you are by making good with this. Otherwise …” His head teetered about, gashed with a sinister smile. “Well, I don’t need to tell such a smart alien as yourself.”

  “I understand. Watch for the sign.”

  With a giddy chuckle Longtime stepped back, merging into the darkness. Mencari tapped his communicator. “This is patrol. We’ve finished our walkabout. Heading back to the guard post now.”

  “Affirmative. We’ll watch for you,” Nikko said.

  “How’s Ms. Lockhard feeling?”

  “I believe she’s ready to return to duty.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  * * * * * *

  “You’re lookin’ better,” Dane said snidely.

  Tal didn’t even look up. Maybe it was better that way.

  “We have some … unfinished business,” she said, turning her gaze toward the guards. “Don’t we, boys?”

  They laughed in mockery. She pulled the whip from her side and snapped it.

  “And I always finish my business,” she said, a sadistic cruelty permeating her words.

  She reared back, ready to snap the whip. The guards tittered with sadistic anticipation. Fools, she thought. A smirk crossed Tal’s face. Even with his head hung, he knew what she was about to do.

  “Let’s get going!” she yelled. With a quick squeeze of the grip, bolos on the end of her whip sprouted deadly spikes. Adrenaline surged through her body. She was going to save Tal now, and no one—nothing—was going to stop her.

  She snapped her wrist and sent the bolos careening. The stunned guards didn’t have time to react. The spikes raked across the eyes of the first before embedding in the neck of the second. She jerked the whip, ripping off a pulpy chunk, creating a fountain of blood.

  A shriek filled the air from the first guard as the second fell gurgling. For good measure, she lashed one more time at the first one, the bolos embedding in his skull. A quick snap of the wrist, and it was all over. Dane strapped the whip to her side and ran to Tal while the first guard rolled around, cursing and screaming.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, undoing his straps.

  With a slight nod he said, “You’ve become quite the actress.”

  She laughed as tears threatened. “We’re getting you out of here.”

  “Thank you,” he said, feebly placing a hand on hers.

  She wanted to kiss him, to hold him, but this wasn’t the time. “Let’s go,” she said, encouraging him to stand. Struggling, he tumbled forward, still too weak.

  The sound of gunfire rang from the corridor. A thunderous boom shook the compound causing Dane to wrap protective arms around Tal. Bits of the ceiling crumbled down on them. The chamber’s door blew open. Instinct drove Dane to her feet. With her hand extended, a radiant purple aura flared. She felt the deep well of power flood her, moments away from summoning a beast.

  A radiant golden glow flew into the room. “Dane!” Mencari yelled.

  She gripped her fist, maintaining her summoning power. “What’s going on?”

  The three bull brothers carried Naijen inside the chamber, followed by Longtime. Nikko and Kiyanna, both glowing with golden light, streaked into the room. Narrik was the last in, closing the door behind him.

  “Move out of the way,” Mencari said, his golden aura turning to a white flare. She grabbed Tal and nearly dragged him aside. With a roar, Mencari unleashed a massive beam of energy at the wall. Unlike his usual projectile attacks, he sustained the beam against the wall.

  “The warden has the place on lockdown,” Nikko explained.

  “Did you get the key from Creeb?” Dane asked.

  “He’s dead,” Kiyanna said, teeth gritted. “One of the bull brothers rammed him through, hit the key. The guard’s dead, and the lift key is destroyed. And we’re moments from the common chambers getting flooded with gas.”

  “Were you able to send a distress call?” Dane asked.

  “We couldn’t sync with Toriko’s device,” Nikko said.

  Typical. How many times had Kiyanna told her Toriko’s gizmos weren’t reliable? She looked back at the wall. The rock was t
urning white hot before dissolving away. It looked like he was burrowing straight through it. “Plan B?”

  “More like Plan J or K right now,” Kiyanna added. “We’re headed to the old lift. If we can punch through the caved-in section, we can use that to get out.”

  “This is taking too long,” Narrik said, standing beside Mencari.

  “If you help now, you’ll have less power for the next part,” Mencari said.

  “We have to get to the next part for that to matter,” Narrik said, sliding his feet into a base stance. He cupped his hands and pushed them forward. A tone rang through the room. The beam from Mencari rippled, then appeared to move in oscillating waves. Chunks of the wall blasted away, as other sections melted. In moments, he blasted a way open into the back corridors.

  “Move it!” Mencari yelled, sweat pouring from his brow and down his neck.

  The bull brothers were the first through, smacking Naijen’s head on the rock wall as they went.

  “How far is it?” Dane said, helping Tal through the hole.

  Mencari called ahead, “Not far. Just go!”

  * * * * * *

  “We have to go through that?” Kiyanna said.

  Mencari had to admit, it looked bad. The entire corridor had collapsed, filled with dirt and sand.

  “We don’t have many other options,” he said, planting his feet and unleashing the same beam attack. Narrik stepped up, reached out, and started modulating Mencari’s beam with his sonic abilities.

  “The gas is coming,” Longtime said, shuffling as fast as he could toward them.

  “This is going to take too long,” Kiyanna said.

  Narrik looked over and snarled through a grunt. “You have to do better if we’re going to survive this!”

  Naijen groaned. “Wha’ … put me down.”

  “He’s actually awake?” Longtime said. “Thought the nurse dosed him good enough.”

  Naijen struggled to maintain balance, looking as if he’d had too much to drink. The bandage on his side appeared soaked with fresh blood.

  Her tone crass, Kiyanna said, “And what are you going to do?”

  He gasped in pain as he summoned his golden aura. Hands balled into fists, and he grunted as two beams of energy struck the place where Mencari and Narrik focused.

  “Let me help,” Tal said, his voice weak. A purple aura snaked around his body like wisps of smoke, slithered out from him, and ran across the floor toward Mencari. Once there, the purple haze clung to the lower fringes of Mencari’s glow. Golden threads of light shot through the purple, wrapping like newly spun web around Tal’s arms, illuminating his veins. “Such power,” he struggled to say. A golden radiance burst from his trembling hands. “I … can barely contain it.”

  “What are you doing?” Kiyanna said, angered. “Don’t drain his power!”

  “He’s only copying Mencari’s abilities,” Dane said. “It won’t hurt him.”

  “I … don’t know if I can control this,” Tal said, nervous.

  “We don’t have a choice—do it!” Dane yelled.

  Tal’s hands opened, and radiant beams of power leaped forth. He cried out as the force pushed him backward. His beams ran ragged across the floor and wall.

  “Don’t kill us in the process!” Kiyanna screamed.

  “Help him, Dane!” Mencari called back.

  He saw Dane grab Tal’s arms and help him steady himself. The beam merged into Mencari and Naijen’s. The complex shook around them as the combined attack bored its way through the collapsed section.

  Longtime cried out. “I can see the haze! The gas is nearly here!”

  “You have to do better if we’re going to survive this!” Narrik yelled.

  Mencari’s teeth gritted. He had to do something more. If that gas reached them, if they weren’t killed outright, they’d be captured. If they couldn’t escape this place together, they’d never find a way out after being split up into different cells.

  There was so much more to accomplish yet. The faces of Anaka and Rhyiel pushed into his mind. His family was still out there. He had to find them—rescue them. It was bad enough he didn’t protect them the first time.

  I’m going to find you, and nothing is going to stand in my way.

  The white flare around his body exploded with an angry red light. The new crimson beam blazed from his hands, twice as thick. The resulting modulation from Narrik’s abilities bored into the rock. Chunks of searing rock spewed as he penetrated into the collapsed section.

  Still not good enough!

  Desperation swallowed him. There had to be something, or someone. Everything important to him—to everyone—was about to be done for.

  A gleam from his wrist caught his eye. Lady Weun’s bracelet, charged with energies from Seigie before the final battle against the Nukari. Its warm light fed his aura.

  An intoxication washed over him. A tickle in his stomach preceded the feeling of being lifted out of his own body, accompanied by a keen awareness of the energies around him. Not just the blazing beams of power, but the very life-force throbbing in everyone around him. He felt exactly where everyone stood. When he looked around, bodily forms appeared as hazy shells and gleamed with colored light. The purple energies with Tal and Dane danced within them, same as the golden energies in Naijen, Kiyanna, and Nikko. A darkness swirled within Longtime. But more curious, a pure white light burned within his own body. The fringes splayed into a rainbow of colors, as if put through a prism.

  Cords of colored light rippled from his body, touching the others. Upon contact, their energies appeared to travel back through the cords into his. Cries of surprise and confusion echoed about, muffled as if underwater.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Something’s wrong!”

  He felt shoved back into his body, his vision restored, but in a hazy, dream-like state. The very air seemed to quiver in fear. Someone screamed as flashes of red, white, purple, and gold enveloped him. An instant of frigid cold gave way to searing heat. The ground dissolved at his feet and he shot upward, accelerated to an unnatural speed. Crushing G-forces gripped his body like a vise as the ground parted before him.

  The sound of a planet ripping open roared in his ears. Gazing down, all he could see was a tunnel of white-hot rock and radiant orbs of gold, purple, and black that followed yards behind. He felt the presence of the others inside the light.

  A plume of sand burst with him into the open air. The sun’s light was brilliant, yet he felt none of its heat. He sailed higher, and higher, unable to slow his momentum. His body no longer felt his own.

  The weightlessness of space eased the incredible pressures on his body. He sensed a ship nearby filled with energies of his other allies. The dreamlike state imploded, and reality crashed upon him. His raw senses seared with pain and he crumpled forward in agony. Spinning. Everything was spinning. A shriek rose in his throat. A hand touched his shoulder, and everything went black.

  CHAPTER 20

  Fallout

  “Can you go faster?” Speru said, looking at Una’s console.

  “Unless you can fold space, tunnel travel is it,” Una replied, pushing him an arm’s distance away. “We’ll be there in less than a minute.”

  “The retrieval team has them,” Allia said. “They have wounded.” Speru saw fear in her eyes. Even her morphing companion Ichini nuzzled her leg.

  “Who?” Speru said, filled with angst.

  Allia waved him off. Her dismissal magnified his fears. “Who!” he demanded.

  “Can you do something to calm him down?” Minea said to Katen, who smiled.

  “I’m fine, just tell me who’s hurt.”

  Sit, before I make you, Katen said telepathically.

  The command angered him. He had a right to be concerned about his teammates. If there was just a minute to go, there was no need for him to sit between Katen and his pet Decreta. Defiant, he thought in return, I’m fine standing. He heard Naijen’s strength resonate in his voice. Was N
aijen okay? Not knowing was driving him crazy. But this was nothing new. There always seemed to be some sort of chaos in every mission, and he hated it.

  “Response teams are seconds behind us,” Minea said, still reviewing multiplying holographic displays before her. “They’ll head directly to the planet’s surface while we rendezvous with the retrieval team.”

  He could feel it. Something was wrong. Naijen had to be among those hurt. He shouldn’t have stayed behind—should’ve found some way to go. Memories of him rebuffing Naijen in favor of time with D’abar filled his mind, and along with them a growing mortification and guilt. D’abar was doing better; nothing should have kept him from being there for Naijen.

  “Exiting in normal space in 3 … 2 …1 … exiting,” Una said. The ship rocked gently as it transitioned out of tunnel travel.

  A flurry of holographic beetles swarmed beside Minea. Bob emerged from them and said, “The retrieval team is on an approach vector with us.”

  Minea added, “Response teams have entered normal space, and are proceeding to Naldes.”

  Speru said, “Once we dock with the retrieval ship, help any wounded back to the ship. Those not hurt will help out.”

  * * * * * *

  “Attention: incoming transmission,” Bob chirped. Osuto, D’abar, and Eyani sat at the command table inside New Eden. A projection of Kiyanna appeared before them. Before she spoke a word, Osuto tensed at her worried expression. Something went very wrong.

  “Kiyanna?” Eyani said, alarmed. “Where’s Rhysus?”

  “He’s unconscious,” she said, annoyed.

  “What’s the status of your mission?” Eyani asked with bated breath.

  “Successful. We have secured Tal, but …” An angry din of voices drowned out Kiyanna’s. She turned and yelled to those out of view, “Will you shut it! That’s an order.” The din died, the echo of her command the only sound remaining. She looked back, aggravated and mortified. “I apologize for my outburst.” She shook her head. “We ran into a problem. Tal is in bad shape from his incarceration. Naijen has a deep gash in his side, and then there’s Mencari …”