“You want me to place my sword in there?”
Shan nodded and Thun grunted.
Crystal unsheathed her sword and slowly slid it into the stone. She stepped back the moment the starship started to purr—its engines activated. Crystal looked at Shan and then Thun. “Soul's Eye really turns on the starship?”
Thun couldn't help but grin and he started to tear up. He coughed and looked away, doing his best to hide his emotions, then wiped his face with his thick sleeve before he turned around. He stared at Crystal with a hopeful expression, eyebrows held high, chin a little low.
There was a long pause as both Shan and Thun stared at her, waiting for something.
She finally blurted out, “What!?”
“We are wondering if you hear anything?” asked Shan.
Crystal bit her bottom lip, listening. “Just the engines, though they are extremely quiet.”
Thun rested his palm on the stone, next to the hilt of the sword. “That's not what I'm looking for. Now, what do you hear?”
Crystal looked left and right, concentrating. “Um...I hear you two breathing.”
“Just listen,” said Shan.
“Okay.” Crystal held her breath for a moment, trying to figure out what it is she was supposed to hear. When nothing unusual came to her ears, she dropped her shoulders in defeat.
“Keep listening,” requested Shan.
Again Crystal concentrated. Thun and Shan unintentionally leaned in.
Crystal slapped her hands against the side of her legs. “What!?”
Thun's shoulder's slumped. “According to our legend, the one who wields Soul's Eye and is in the bloodline of the gods and goddesses can hear Starship Tranquil speak.”
“Uh,” she pushed out her bottom lip. “You mean this starship talks? That's wild.”
“Yes,” replied Shan, matter-of-factly. It is part of the Knights Templar lore as well. Until now, I never questioned it.”
Am I the only sane one here? thought Crystal. Well, my definition of sane is changing by the day...
“Let's inspect the rest of the ship,” said Thun. “Then we can fly this thing.”
“Fly it today?” questioned Crystal.
“Today,” said Shan.
“How do we get this orb-looking ship out of here?” wondered Crystal, figuring they weren't going to simply punch through the mountain.
Thun walked toward the exit of the bridge. “According to legend, once this ship lifts off, the rock walls leading outside of the mountain will open up, then close once Tranquil has disembarked from the mountain.”
Crystal tightened her lips as she bit her cheek. “I don't know about trusting these legends.”
“Our legends say that the bloodline can lift Soul's Eye from the statue,” said Thun.
“It fell from the statue. I didn't lift it.”
“That's not what we Dwarves saw,” responded Thun.
“Regardless, Crystal, you are able to lift Soul's Eye while no one else can,” reminded Shan.
“Alright, but I'm not ready to fly today.” Crystal put her hands on the hilt of Soul's Eye and started pulling it out of the stone. The moment she did, she heard a voice echo in her mind. She immediately let go and the sword slid back in.
Tell them all to leave, said the voice.
“Are you okay, Crystal?” asked Shan, seeing the look on her face.
Thun marched over to Crystal. “You are not leaving this bridge until we fly!”
Tell them to leave, Crystal.
Crystal glancied at the sword, then lifted her eyes to Shan. “You must go and take Thun with you.”
“No,” barked Thun.
“We do as she bids,” Shan asserted.
Thun crossed his arms, not willing to budge. “She is lying.”
Get them to leave. We must speak alone.
“Guys. You gotta go,” muttered Crystal.
Thun shook his head, anger creasing his brows. “She will take Tranquil to free her friends on the other starship,” stated Thun.
Even though Crystal didn't have that exact thought at the moment, she nodded her head, agreeing with Thun, chiding herself a moment later for giving away her plan. “How do you know about my friends?”
“You see, Shan? She'll do it,” insisted Thun. His face was like a stone, unmoving and unflinching. “We aren't blind. Our tunnel systems are vast and reach the surface in many areas on Lumus. We also monitor any outside activity on the rock consoles you made fun of.”
“This is her ship, now. She can do with it as she pleases,” said Shan.
Crystal looked at Thun. “Why in the Guild didn't you help us then? We were, and probably still are, getting pounded out there. You all sit and do nothing? Our ship could have exploded by now.”
“If we knew how to use these flying orbs, then maybe we would have. Teach us to fly these with patience, and we will see what we can do for your friends,” replied Thun.
“What is this patience stuff? How do I teach patience?” She glanced at Shan, asking, “Does patience have the same meaning for human and dwarf?”
Shan spoke, “It does. Dwarves aren't made to fly and they know it. They are underground beings and the moment they lift off in one of those starfighters they become impatient and erratic. They need to learn your Star Guild calm during any situation, which was ingrained in you by your training.” He paused. “You have training, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, they want you to teach them how to pilot with calm and patience.”
Thun grunted in agreement. “I will leave you on the bridge if you promise not to leave the mountain in Starship Tranquil.”
“Guys, I don't even know how to fly this...thing...so getting out of here is the least of my concerns. My first concern is the voice in my head.”
Shan tilted his head. “So, you do hear it.”
Thun beamed and then bowed. “I can tell that you're not lying...What is the voice saying?”
“Like I said before, it is saying for you two to leave the starship...entirely.”
Thun glared at Shan. “I don't understand. If we are to learn from her, then why are we being told to leave?”
“Right now we are a distraction to Crystal. Let's go and give space.” Shan bowed to Crystal, then to the bridge. He gestured for Thun to follow him, which Thun reluctantly did. Once they exited, the door to the bridge vertically slid shut, giving Crystal the privacy she needed.
“Okay,” she said, sitting on one of the command seats. She started picking at the seat's satin-like material. “Who the Guild would have put me on this odd path in life?”
Destiny, said Tranquil. You are of the bloodline, but not the temperament to fly me.
“That wasn't a question for you, but you say I don't have the temperament to fly?” Good, thought Crystal. Then I can get out of this nice and sweet.
Getting out of this nice and sweet isn't an option, replied Tranquil.
“Oh, of course. If I can hear your thoughts, you can hear mine.”
You are correct. In order for you to operate me to your absolute potential, you will have to learn that being right or wrong isn't the basis of life.
“And your meaning is...?”
You are challenged in life with the urge to always be right, which you are...a lot of the time, and that is because you have an aptitude for acute observation and an intellect for analyzing things quickly. But if someone has a differing opinion or a different way of doing things, it doesn't mean that they are wrong. They simply do it differently and in their own way. It is best to take other’s greatest assets and use them for the benefit of all, rather than looking at their faults, then teaching someone how to do everything your way. Do you follow?
“And how do you know this about me?” questioned Crystal.
I have an expansive consciousness. I see beyond what borders me and I send my consciousness through the soil, the roots, and into the air. I've been watching you on Lumus for a long time. That's why you have alwa
ys come near me and have been drawn to Mount Gabriel, my home. I've been calling you, watching you, and you have felt that pull.
It was true. For years, Crystal had been drawn to Mount Gabriel, or what she liked to call Forever Mountain. She had been pulled to this mountain more so than any other mountain on Lumus. She had a silent fascination with it and enjoyed exploring its tunnels while in her Mech.
I have also observed your inability to lead because of your righteous way of living. Proving you're right is only proving how big your ego is.
“I lead well. I've successfully led a Mech team here on Lumus for years. That's why I lead the way I do. I get things done efficiently and on time. I'm one of most efficient leaders here. My bosses love me.”
Your bosses don't love you. They tolerate you, just like your Mech team tolerates you. And if you led with an air of respect for others, then your team would respect you as well. You're not better than anyone else in life, which is something you haven't yet learned. What I have observed is that you lead through fear, not through love.
“Spare me the love talk.”
In order to be a good leader, you want those around you to follow you through the worst of situations, not because they are scared of what you'll do to them if they don't follow you, but because they love you beyond their own mortal life. The best leaders are those whose crew will do anything to protect them, and in that sense, the leader will do everything in their power to protect her crew. Great leaders do not put their own life above all else and this is precisely why their people tend to put a beloved leader above all else. It may not make sense but it is true. Do you know of anyone who will protect you no matter what?
Crystal thought for a moment, feeling the loneliness she always felt, not only when she was in charge, but all of her life. She never had friends, not true friends. “No. I don't know anyone who would. I don't even think my mother would lift a finger for me without weighing every consequence known to man.”
Thank you for your vulnerability. Time to lift off.
“Excuse me?”
The view screen turned on, showing Crystal the cavern she was in. The ebb wall in front of her was still open, showing the busy-ness of Dwarves moving from rock console to rock console.
“What are you doing?”
We are going for a test run. You not only need a lesson in leading, you also need a lesson in piloting me.
The starship shuddered, then pitched backwards and lifted off. Through the rear view screen Crystal could see a large piece of the mountain opening behind the ship. Tranquil then slowly turned itself around and faced the opening. With utmost precision it slipped through the mountain's opening. Crystal looked behind her and out the view screen, seeing that the opening in the mountain was already closed.
I can take off and land on my own. That is not something you need to worry about.
“What if you're unconscious or asleep?”
Good question. If I am unconscious, I'm dead. If I'm asleep, then the Universe as we know it has imploded on itself. Does that answer your questions?
“So, you're saying you don't sleep and aren't ever knocked out in any type of way.”
Correct.
Tranquil flew to the top of Mount Gabriel and hovered there. Crystal gazed out of the view screen. The day was beautiful and the sun was slightly above the horizon, indicating that it was still morning. The mountain glittered, reminding her of what had been hidden from her people for so long.
Those are crystals, magnified in beauty by the gold in the ebb of the mountain. When the sun hits it just right, it sparkles. Lumus isn't as dreary as you once thought. Do you agree?
Crystal shook her head, then pointed off in the distance. “Is that the canyon where Sirona is located?”
Yes. Shall we take a closer look?
The thought excited Crystal. She'd not only be good on her word with her mother, she'd also help her people off of the ship and avoid their imminent death...if “S” was right.
“Let's go.”
Tranquil moved forward, picking up speed and lifting higher in the air. In a matter of seconds Tranquil was above the few clouds that Lumus had.
“How high are we?”
Altitude 46,000 feet.
Crystal sat down. “Just like that?”
Just like that. Another important aspect about me is the ability that I have to create anti-gravity outside of my exterior. I do this by creating a flux field around me, which looks like the sacred Torus shapes you may have seen. This allows travel at remarkable speeds without any of my inhabitants feeling the impact of gravity forces inside, because inside and directly outside of me, gravity has no impact thanks to the flux field.
If Crystal was a scientist she would find this extremely important, but she wasn't, so she gave it two blinks then asked, “Well, if you can fly on your own, then why do you need me?”
Because I'm not all-seeing, even though I do see a lot. We will help each other maneuver through the air. Your aptitudes with piloting and observation are extremely beneficial with our partnership.
“Okay, so what are your aptitudes?”
My IQ, my quick maneuvering reflexes, and my ability to make a decision in less than a split second—for starters. But my love for my inhabitants is my greatest strength. However, I'm not infallible. You must understand this. That is why two heads are better than one and a crew working together is the ultimate crew... Status report now: we are over our target.
“Sirona?”
A portion of the view screen changed from clouds and a blue sky to a zoomed-in view of Starship Sirona, looking a bit beat up. The window armor was drawn all around the ship, as it should be, with black spots from lasers and who-knows-what that had been thrown at it for days. Chunks of the starship were blown off completely and littered the ground, but it wasn't so damaged that they couldn't fly away if the thrusters and engines were operational.
“They were working on the engines before I left. Is there a way to check the progress?”
Tranquil zoomed in even more, focusing on the mid-section where the main batteries and engines were located. The image showed blue signatures coming from the area.
“What do the blue colors mean?”
That the engines are fully operational but are currently turned off. They don't appear to have ever been damaged or offline from faulty synapses.
Crystal shook her head. “What do you mean, they have never been damaged?”
Nothing is wrong with the Starship Sirona's flying abilities.
“No. That doesn't make sense. If that were true, then they could have lifted off this place the moment I walked onto the starship.”
Correct.
“What's correct?”
They could have flown wherever they wanted, assuming the fuel tanks aren't empty.
“Please check.”
Tranquil zoomed in to the left of the engines, clearly showing that the tanks were more than half full.
Tanks are online and there aren't issues with the pumps. Once off the ground, the diagnostics tell me that fuel pumps turn off and ion propulsion takes over. An efficient design. I don't see any problems, other than a few abrasions on the exterior of the craft.
“But—my mom would have told me this. Why didn't she just take Sirona out of here?” Crystal’s eyebrows creased for a moment and then she shrugged it off, reasoning that Tranquil is not infallible, as he had said.
In this circumstance, my diagnostics are correct.
Something obviously wasn't right; either it was Tranquil or her mom. “Perhaps my mom was misinformed. She isn't that foolish to sit on Lumus and take a pounding while putting her people in jeopardy.”
I can't confirm that.
“Well, dammit! I...” Crystal pursed her lips in thought. “Something doesn't add up.”
An alarm suddenly sounded on the bridge and Crystal was swept off her feet and onto her back, knocking the wind out of her.
I apologize, said Tranquil. We've just been fired upon.
I'm taking evasive actions. Buckle up and help be my eyes. I'm going to draw them far away from Starship Sirona.
Clumsily getting back up, doing her best to take a breath, Crystal slumped into the command chair. The buckle straps instantly wrapped around her and buckled up.
“What the hell?” said Crystal, touching the buckles. A pitch to the right brought her to the action at hand and she scanned the view screen. She could see several starfighters attacking, shooting laser impulses at Tranquil, but the starship moved with precision and all attempts to hit the starship failed.
“Do you think Sirona monitored us?”
No.
Crystal put her hands out. “How could they miss what just happened right above them?”
Tranquil banked left, then dipped, twisting in the air. It fired, easily downing a starfighter.
Their security systems and HDC monitors are turned off. A loop feed is present.
“A loop feed? You mean to tell me that someone has hijacked the system?”
Yes.
Tranquil arched high, shooting another starfighter into a ball of fire, then fired again, blasting a third starfighter into an burst of flames.
“Who is sabotaging Starship Sirona?”
You're not doing well being my eyes.
“You don't need my eyes. You're doing fine without—”
The ship shuddered from a direct hit and red lights flashed on and off.
What were you saying?
“Are we hit badly?”
No. I've already repaired the damage.
“Uh-oh,” said Crystal, pointing at the view screen. “We have incoming.”
Tranquil didn't seem to care as it continued its trajectory right toward the starfighters, counting twenty-two.
“You going to dodge them any time soon?”
I'm taking their attention away from the real danger.
Crystal scanned the sky, but could see no other ships other than the starfighters.
Suddenly, one of the starfighters at the rear of the pack exploded, then another. The confident formation of advancing vessels erupted in chaos, flying erratically and defensively.
Swift has entered the fray.
“Who?” asked Crystal, looking frantically for Swift—whoever that was.
Star Guild Episodes 10 - 18 (Star Guild Saga) Page 11
