D'mok Revival 4: New Eden

by Michael Zummo

  “Don’t let your guard down,” Fia’ra warned. “Katen, Fio’tro—contain him now!”

  The three encircled the boy and, with open hands, reached toward him. A pyramid of pink energy formed over Jask, encasing him. He looked up, enraged, and pounded on the walls of light.

  To Katen’s amusement, a crack formed in the panel being struck.

  “Siana, we need your help!” Fia’ra said. “Reinforce the field.”

  “I’ve never done this before!” she said, panicked.

  “Just feel the energies here, and match it,” Fia’ra explained.

  “How?” she said with growing fear.

  “Just feel it. Trust me,” Fia’ra reassured her.

  Siana reached forward and concentrated. A blue pyramid of light washed over the pink, adding another layer of containment and sealing the crack.

  * * * * * *

  A disturbance in the corridor drew Mencari’s weary eyes. It sounded like a small army approached the medical bay. He heard Osuto say, “Take him in—carefully.”

  Did someone get hurt?

  Naijen entered, cradling someone in his arms. Mencari’s eyes traced over the strange black armor. It didn’t look like any of them. Who is … He caught his breath. Jask! It was Jask. But how? He looked at Anaka and worried for her safety. His golden aura flared as he leaped over the bed, putting himself between Anaka and Naijen. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s okay, he’s not conscious. He can’t hurt anyone right now,” Osuto said.

  “Stand down, pretty boy, and let me through,” Naijen said with a sneer. “I don’t wanna hold your boy all day.”

  Katen and Siana followed behind Naijen. Their intense gaze toward Jask unnerved him. What was happening? “How? How did you capture him?”

  Ignoring the question, Osuto told Naijen, “Put him in the other gurney.” He looked to the med-techs and asked, “What type of chemical suppressants can you administer?”

  “What effect do you need?” one asked.

  “We have to keep him sedated—totally out,” he responded emphatically. “Any physical restraints you have should also be applied.”

  “Is this the appropriate place for this patient?” the other med-tech asked, his expression one of grave concern.

  “Right now, this is the only place,” Osuto insisted. “Now, please—just do it.”

  “We’ll have to remove whatever he’s wearing,” the second med-tech said.

  Osuto nodded. “Of course.”

  Mencari’s mind reeled with questions as the med-techs looked over the suit. In moments they were working at undoing the grooved sections of armor. A small hand with tan skin was the first part exposed on the right. Then the arm section to the shoulder. They repeated the process on the other side.

  My … son?

  “There’s a latch on the back of the neck for the helmet,” Raitr said.

  “Raitr?” he said. Looking across the group, he saw more familiar faces. Jeyla and Siana were there too, the Aloan kids he met when he first encountered D’abar and Speru. “You’re all here?”

  “Rhysus, it’s good to see you again,” Jeyla said.

  Before Mencari could say another word Speru turned to him and said, “It’s a long story. We’ll explain everything. Let’s get your son situated.”

  My son.

  One of the med-techs reached behind Jask’s head, trying to find the helmet’s release.

  “I’ll get that,” he said, moving around the med-tech. His fingers found the latch, and jerked away as if shocked. He hesitated. His heart pounded. It had been years. Years! Through all his dreams—nightmares—all the trials to try to find him, his little boy lay before him. What would he look like? Certainly he recalled the chubby cheeks and sparkling eyes of the toddler he once called Rhyiel.

  But this is Jask. His eyes fell back to Anaka, glancing down at the scarred arms and wrist. Did his son suffer as well? Did he too bear scars?

  “Rhysus?” Osuto said.

  He forced his hands back around the helmet, and pressed the release. The clamp around the neck opened, and the helmet sectioned into two parts. With trembling hands he grasped the edges of the helmet and lifted.

  The boy had a strong chin and square jaw like his. The same nose too, and despite being closed, he noticed the boy’s almond-shaped eyes. A soothing ache filled his heart.

  He looks just like me.

  And he looked so peaceful. It was hard to imagine this was the same Nukari beast who taunted him when they first met.

  The med-techs removed the chest armor to reveal a simple beige shirt. The second tech said, “We should be able to begin administering the suppression medication.”

  Mencari moved out of the way, and sat gently on Anaka’s bed. He took her hand. He wanted to tell her they had Rhyiel back, that he would be safe now. But he knew she too was left in a deep-sleep state.

  Captivated, he could only stare as one med-tech removed more pieces of the alien armor. The second tech brought over a small medicine gun, and administered it directly into Jask’s neck.

  He felt Osuto’s frail hand on his shoulder. “We brought him home.”

  It seemed so unreal. After all this time here he was, just like Anaka. Just like Anaka? Both laid unconscious and victims of the Nukari’s plots. Worse still, he’d had nothing to do with saving either of them. “Tell me how.”

  “You were already dealing with a lot, Rhysus,” Osuto attempted to explain.

  So this was planned, not some happenstance? He looked to the others, who looked away and remained in an awkward silence. They all knew? Everyone except him. What type of a sick joke was this? If they knew where his son was, if they were going after him, they should have informed him!

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded.

  “Anaka needed you,” Osuto said.

  “And my son didn’t? Who are you to make that decision?”

  “Rhysus …” Osuto’s tone rang hesitant … and cautious. “We’ve already asked too much of you. We can see how you’re struggling. You have to allow us to help.”

  “You didn’t even give me the choice.”

  “You’re right—and that’s my fault,” Osuto said, his tone stronger. “Blame me for that. But for now, focus on Anaka and Rhyiel, here again—safe with you.”

  “And what should I tell them?” Mencari said, anger swelling. “That despite everything I did, despite all my good intentions, I had nothing to do with saving either of them!”

  How weak would he appear to the two people he loved most in the universe? He failed to prevent their loss, and was utterly useless in their rescue. This was too much—just … too much.

  A great exhaustion came over him. He braced against the bed.

  “You look like you need a rest,” Osuto said.

  “No, I’m … not going anywhere,” he protested. “I’m staying here, with my family.”

  With a stern tone Osuto said, “We’re all your family, and right now, I’m not giving you a choice.”

  “He can lie down on the other gurney,” one of the med-techs said, pointing.

  “Maybe … maybe just a little while,” he said, stumbled over and stretched out. He tried, but couldn’t keep his eyes open. He fought for a few moments more, then succumbed.

  * * * * * *

  D’abar inspected Mencari, and nodded. “He’s out.”

  Osuto looked back at Siana. “Did you do that?”

  She shyly bobbed her head. “I thought it would help.”

  “It did, brilliant thinking,” Osuto said while patting her on the shoulder.

  “You put quite the spin on Jask’s capture,” D’abar said. “We all felt it. This is a powerful and dangerous Nukari beast, not someone’s innocent child.”

  “One thing at a time,” Osuto said, overwhelmed.

  He noticed Allia looking with care at the sleeping monster. Perhaps it was easier for a child to have such compassion for another. “He seemed really nice for a few minutes, so he ca
n’t be all bad,” she said.

  “He’s not all bad,” Katen said, averting his gaze for the first time. “They’ve done quite a bit to his mind, in addition to his immersion in their culture at such a young age. There is a lot of work to undo here.”

  “Is your control getting easier?” Osuto asked.

  Katen nodded. “The chemical suppression is helping, but I can’t allow my focus to lax for too long. He’s quite powerful.”

  With an ominous tone, D’abar said, “With the son, just like the father.”

  CHAPTER 27

  Return to Aeun

  “How are they doing?” Speru asked as he entered the medical bay with a silent Naijen.

  Mencari couldn’t take his eyes off Anaka. He shook his head. “No change.”

  “Maybe you should take a break?”

  “I don’t want to leave them.”

  “We,” Speru began but stopped. Mencari looked up in time to see Naijen glare at Speru. “We’ll stay with them. Take all the time you need. If anything changes I’ll contact you.”

  The offer was thoughtful, but he’d already spent too much time apart. He didn’t mind just sitting with his family.

  To the silence Speru added, “It’s important for you to have some space.”

  Mencari looked back to Anaka, then to his son. Barring a miracle, nothing would change with them for a while. He’d been with them for days already. Perhaps stretching his legs would be good. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, of course,” Speru said, encouraged.

  Naijen grunted in disgust.

  “Just a bit, then.” He squeezed Anaka’s hand and whispered, “I’ll be back soon,” then stood slowly, still unsure. If nothing else, he’d get a little exercise. Turning to leave he said, “I appreciate it, Speru, Naijen. Thank you.”

  He stopped only a few steps outside the medical bay and looked back. Another spiteful look telegraphed between Naijen to Speru. Noticing the exchange was caught, Speru waved and said, “It’s okay, go.”

  Knowing Naijen’s restless nature, something inside him said Speru would end up watching them alone. Even so, his family would be in good hands. With a nod he continued forward, forcing one step after another, putting distance between him and his family. A part of him urged his immediate return, but he resisted.

  Where should he go? The men’s bunkroom seemed a barren place now, a reminder of his nights during his fruitless search for his wife and son. The drama of the control room didn’t hold any appeal, only a reminder that soon enough, the greater universe would rear its ugly problems again. A gleam drew his gaze down to his wrist-guard. He remembered Lady Weun’s kindness in gifting it to him, then how her great-great-great-something-grandmother Seigie Weun imbued it with energy just before her death.

  Seigie’s crystal lab. After the Nukaris’ defeat, Nikko had tended to it for a while. They’d all been away for so long; what did it look like now?

  He made his way down to the small room. It should have been dark inside. Instead, beams of colored light flooded out as the door opened. Glowing strands of crystals sprawled from the pots that once were gelatinous baths. Seigie’s voice from the past echoed in his mind.

  Lend me your power. We will stop the Nukari together.

  Her final plea haunted him. They did, indeed, stop the Nukari invasion, but the cost—the cost was too great. Some leader he was. The only way the tide turned was for his own to sacrifice themselves. And the only way his family could be rescued was by someone else. If felt as if everything he did only succeeded because others were there. Maybe they didn’t need him?

  Glancing down at the glowing bangle on his wrist, he wondered if, perhaps, his saving of the group from Naldes was Seigie’s doing as well. She had charged the glowing stone before her death. Could she have gifted her ability to draw energy from others to him? His version of her ability seemed different, though. He’d pulled it off without dying in the attempt or, like Osuto, ending up deep-frying his abilities altogether. Whatever the case might be, she had some role in it, he just knew it.

  The thought caused him to take pause. He missed her insights and skills. She was the first person he found when the adventure with Osuto began. The shock of losing Anaka and Rhyiel was still fresh and raw then. But listening to Seigie’s stories of everything she had endured put his losses in perspective. There was a pragmatic way about her that helped him stay focused.

  He longed for the simplicity of those early days. The finality of his family’s death was crushing, but nothing compared to the agony of having them back and changed beyond recognition. He didn’t want to think about it, didn’t know if he could handle it. He needed a distraction.

  Looking back to the gleaming gems, he took a sampling from them and left the lab. Starting down the corridor, his intent was to show Osuto what Seigie’s lab had grown, but then he remembered the old fellow would be sleeping at this time of day. He spent most of his time sleeping as of late, in fact, another sign of decline. Osuto mentioned the med-techs had checked him out, but couldn’t do anything to help. It seemed odd, given the technical marvels New Eden had access to. Though, being a D’mok Warrior didn’t stop them all from being mortal. His initial idea of showing Osuto the gems gone, he needed a different distraction.

  The greenhouse—Allia’s Grotto! He had yet to visit there since his return. Memories of lying in the tall grasses played in his mind. It was the one place he always could relax.

  With anticipation in each step, he headed to the upper level, stopping before two large metal doors. An engraving of a mighty tree sprawled across them. Under the thick, protective canopy floated the D’mar emblem—the letter “D,” broken at the middle, with tiny planets on three sides, along with a tipped over T-shape inside. There’s something I haven’t seen in a while.

  Still, he would never forget what to do next. He waved his hand before the tree, and its branches pulsed with light. A loud clunk echoed before the heavy doors opened. Light flooded into the dark corridor, along with a breeze that smelled like a bouquet of flowers. His heart danced at the sight before him. Majestic trees stood among tall brush and grasses, which gave way only to patches of exotic flowers. A sudden movement in the brush alarmed him.

  “Rhysus!” Allia called out, peeking through a patch of grass. “Can you believe this? It’s so beautiful!”

  “It’s something,” he said, following the trail left by her in the grasses. “Maybe a little overgrown?”

  She chuckled. “Minea said she maintained it while we were away. I guess that didn’t include trimming anything— Oh wait!” She disappeared into the grasses. Only the bending of the reeds allowed him to see where she was going. In moments she returned to his side, hands overflowing. “Do you remember these?”

  He looked at the flowers in her hands. A dense plume of deep purple petals sat atop eight thorny vines that looked like octopus arms. He nodded. “You brought those back from our mission to Luon, right?”

  “Yes, and look over there,” she said, pointing. “There’s a whole field of them now! They’re so beautiful!”

  A huge swath of the purple flowers danced gently in the circulated air. He agreed; they were beautiful.

  “Do you think Anaka would like them? I could pick some and bring them to her.”

  Her selflessness amazed him. They’d all been through so much, and somehow, she’d retained her childlike innocence.

  “Her favorite color is purple,” Mencari said. “I’m sure she’d love them.”

  “Really? Then I’ll bring her these!” She raised her full fists. “I’ll be back later!” Before he could say another word she ran out of her grotto.

  He chuckled at her youthful heart. Allia was a good kid. From the way she fought in missions, sometimes he forgot her age. What was her age? He had to think. Something around twelve or thirteen years old? For being so young, she’d already accomplished and seen more than most Osuto’s age.

  His hand ran over the tall grasses. Perhaps it was a bit overgrown, b
ut it probably felt great to lie in. With a smile he sat back, allowing the grasses to cushion his descent. Reclining on a cloud must feel like this. The warm rays of starlight filtering through the hexagonal glass tiles danced across his body. A gentle breeze, created by the station’s environmental systems, carried the sweet smell of the flowers. Tension drained from his shoulders and neck. His clenched jaw relaxed. This place was healing. Not even his mind echoed with the cries of those he failed.

  He marveled. No regrets chastised him, no banter pushed him onward. Just blissful silence. His burdened eyes closed. Exhaustion bubbled up from the repressed depths of his soul. He felt his mind let go and slip into the dreamworld.

  * * * * * *

  “Rhysus?”

  Mencari’s eyes fluttered open. He sat up and looked about.

  “Rhysus?” Minea said again, her voice demanding this time. She appeared in a flurry of holographic cherry blossoms above him. “Are you awake?”

  With a heavy sigh he said, “I am now.”

  “I’m sorry for waking you, but I have something important for you.”

  “It’s okay. What is it?”

  “A few hours ago we received a transmission.”

  “Hours? How long was I out?”

  “Looks like six hours according to the last time the door to the Grotto opened.”

  “Six!” Speru. Was he still watching Anaka and Rhyiel?

  “You must have needed it,” she said.

  “Is Speru still with Anaka and Rhyiel?”

  “Ujaku covered for him briefly, but he’s back now.”

  “Oh wow. Okay. Sorry, continue.”

  Her fox head bobbed. “I have a transmission from Lady Weun on the planet Aeun. I think you should see it. She seemed in trouble.”

  His mind spun as he sat up too fast. Pushing through the vertigo he said, “Gather the team and meet me in the conference room. I have to check Anaka and my son first.”

  “Understood.”

  * * * * * *