Coming up from behind the priest and his guest, she turned swiftly to pass in front of them. At that exact moment, Mecurial shifted his weight. This placed the right side of his body into the path of the invisible woman.
There was no way for her to foresee this happening. The turn was so abrupt. Her right elbow brushed against Mecurial’s robe. She was sure it would startle him. Now she wished she had taken a wider path around them.
Keep on moving, she told herself.
Mecurial never really noticed. He turned and said goodbye to the priest. Then he boarded the ship.
Teron made it to the detainment room before the corrupt Matakeo had shut the door and programmed the lock. Upon entering the room, which looked more like a posh bedroom and not a cell, she noticed the witness praying. Darius was sitting on a bench with the back of his head against the wall. His eyes were fixed upon the ceiling.
For now, she felt it best to not let Darius be aware of the fact she was there until after the craft had been in flight for a while. So she sat down on the bench next to him and waited. This gave her time to play out some different scenarios in her mind, to be better prepared.
Mecurial watched the guards exit the craft single file. Peering out the spaceship, he wondered if the two Legion were going to show. At this point, he no longer cared. He was not going to wait any longer. Only one thing mattered at the moment. A hot shower and some rest.
Mecurial began to wonder why Malign had sent him for this task. Then he wondered if it was because of the ambassador from Earth. All it took was for the green-eyed monster of envy to rear its ugly head one time for jealousy to consume him.
Mecurial activated the controls to seal the cabin door. Once he settled into the pilot’s seat his eyes became heavy with sleep. Dialing in the coordinates, the ship raced towards Luminescence. He fought the optical heaviness for as long as he could. Shortly after making the jump into hyperspace, he passed out. Pictures unfolded in his subconscious. Like short clips from a movie, he dreamed of Malign. The deeper the dreams went, the more they turned into nightmares. In a foggy view, he saw her and a silhouetted image of a faceless man together. The scene was intimate.
12
The floor inside the exclusive hall was set with large tiles of Corbanium marble. Shattering streaks of orange and purple veins streamed through the white squares. A fresh coat of shine had been applied to give the arteries an eye popping appearance. Tanquim pillars, inlaid with Mallek turquoise, supported a balcony overlooking the main dance floor.
Guards stood at the bottom of the staircase to keep guests from using the balcony. Both were ceremonially dressed and equipped with blaster pistols.
Ten crystal chandeliers were suspended from the cathedral style ceiling. The individual castings had twenty-four curved arms that extended out from three center rings. The lower arms were longer in length than the ones directly above on the next tier. Each chandelier had seven-hundred lamps that sparkled like miniature stars. The combined weight of all ten was a hefty fifty tons of iron and crystal.
High above the ornate lighting, a painted collage spread a distance of two thousand square feet upon the ceiling. The colored art depicting the Lumi’s gods added a renaissance touch to the vaulting. Galazian, their most esteemed deity, was the center of the piece.
Near the south side of the dance floor were six long rows of dining tables. The tables were hand crafted from the Tenacious tree. These trees were prevalent on Farina. Hand carved on the edge of the tables was symbols of Lumi history and heritage. Each and every piece had been diligently painted by hand with precise detail.
The chairs were created from the same variety of wood as the tables. The figures represented on the individual seats were heroes and gods. Each one had been plated with gold. Diamonds were inlaid for their eyes.
The seating arrangements had been carefully planned out. The order placed a Lumi directly across from his or her human counterpart. This was originally persuaded by Earth’s government. So here they sat waiting and sampling the snacks placed before them. Bowls of exotic fruit, mostly from the current harvest on Luminescence, were placed before the guests. Servants busied themselves by refilling half-emptied glasses.
At the east end was one table. It was set to serve three comfortably. Two seats faced one another from north to south. These two were occupied by the high ranking officers from both worlds, Artisan Cusp III from Earth and Admiral Shay-Tok of the Lumi High Command.
The one seat that overlooked the entire audience was empty. All of the captains, logistics officers, strategists and council awaited the arrival of the one who would fill that vacancy. The evening’s events would commence upon her presence.
An officer entered the hall. He was the high ranking security official to the Banimpire. Attached to his right ear was a communication device. A small prop jutted forward from it. The end contained a microphone in to which he spoke.
“All rise before the Banimpire Malign.” His voice resonated throughout the hall.
Everyone in attendance arose and stood in honor to the Queen of Luminescence. Music commenced upon her entrance. The beautiful evening gown she was attired in was almost as intriguing as her. All guests, human and Lumi alike, looked upon her in awe. Her blooming character amazed even the dullest of personalities.
Malign purposely took her time as she walked past the attendees. Basking in the chorus of applause, she slowed her steps even more to allow the moment to linger. The crowd cheered. The clapping continued until she arrived at her seat. She motioned for them to cease.
“Everyone, please be seated.” She pleaded. Malign waited for them to settle back in. Then the servers came around to pour celebration drinks for all. The queen lifted her own goblet into the air.
“A toast,” she proclaimed. The party stood to their feet once more. Two hundred and one raised their drinks in agreement.
“All of you have been placed accordingly, to those you have trained with. A few of you were allowed to travel between worlds. The majority of you trained in virtual links. I received nothing but good reports about every ones conduct and productivity. You can be proud of yourselves.”
The mass applauded her.
She waited for the clamor to die down before she continued. “So for most of you, this is the first time you have met your counterpart. Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we conquer.”
Again the crowd applauded. “We, united together, shall bring the Giefans to their knees!” She knew that this line would draw the Earthlings closer to following her leadership. The men from Earth were really excited by her words.
“Our victory shall be swift and precise. We shall reap the benefits of puritanium. What say we all?”
“Yes,” the crowd declared in unison.
“On this eve of our joint effort, my wish is for you to eat, drink and dance.” She smiled. “And whatever else the evening has to offer.” Malign placed the glass to her lips and swallowed the lucent beverage.
Everyone imitated her, completing the toast. Many humans requested refills of the drink. This was the first time in their lives they had the opportunity to taste such a rich and intoxicating quality.
The attendants busied themselves in a quick but orderly fashion. Dish after dish, five courses were served. Sixty-two gallons of fermented drink had been consumed before everyone had finished eating.
As the last morsels of food were being consumed, an entourage of consorts entered the hall. These Lumi females had trained since they had come of age. The companions were in high demand by every alien race, including humans. Their beauty was unmatched by any other female species in the galaxy.
The main lights for the dining area were dimmed. Strobe and colored lights activated to embellish an atmosphere for dancing. A seven piece band began to perform current hit songs from both Luminescence and Earth.
Earth men mingled with the Lumi females. None of the Lumi males familiarized themselves with the companions. Even though the Lumi had advanced enough in medicine to
keep their people free from venereal diseases, the males viewed them as nothing more than what they were: A tool.
Malign needed to be with Artisan Cusp. Not necessarily in a sexual way. All she wanted was an opportunity to manipulate him. She had been aware of his glances throughout the course of the meal. Deliberately, she batted her eyes in his direction.
Artisan waited briefly after the flirt before he stood up from his chair. Stepping around the table, he approached Malign. The swagger in his step personified his demeanor as strong and intelligent.
“On Earth, it is customary for the man to ask for a dance.” He nodded. “Shall we?”
“Yes,” she replied.
Artisan escorted her out onto the dance floor. He took her left hand in one while placing the other on the small of her back. She then placed her right arm around his waist. They drew close to each other as the music played on.
They were both professionals. Both were tactful. Neither one was awe struck by the others straight forwardness. The desire to explore one another was there and not strictly on a business level. Few words were exchanged during the first two songs. They continued to gaze into each others eyes in an attempt to gather information from the depths of the others soul. Both were strong willed.
By the third song, the tempo slowed. Feeling as if the moment were right, Artisan opened up and queried her.
“So, where is Mecurial tonight?”
“Unfortunately, he had to be away on business.”
“What a shame.” He spoke with an apologetic tone.
“No need to be sorry,” she grinned. “It could benefit you more than you think.”
His expression acknowledged he understood the proposition. There was no need for him to question. Pulling her closer in to his chest, they continued to dance and enjoyed the moment. Malign leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.
“I would appreciate it if you would come to my chambers.”
“Oh?” He pretended to sound surprised.
“Yes.” She up-righted her head and looked him in the eyes once again. Slowly, she placed both her arms around the top of his shoulders, while their hips progressed in a swaying motion to and fro.
“There would be some matters that we would need to discuss in private.”
Is that what she calls it? Artisan chuckled. “Okay.”
Malign took him by the hand. There was no reluctance on his part. She motioned to the guards at the bottom of the staircase. They allowed her and Artisan to climb up to the balcony. Admiral Shay-Tok saw them leave together. The right corner of his mouth jutted up. He was aware of his Banimpire’s intentions.
At the top and around a corner was a door that exited from the banquet. The hallway outside had been completely sealed off to everyone but guards. Down at the end of the corridor they turned right and came upon her chambers. Two Lumi sentries stood at attention on both sides of the entrance.
Artisan turned his head away as Malign entered the security code for the door to her room. Forthright, they went in.
One guard looked over at the other after the door had closed. They snickered quietly.
13
The craft in which Darius was a prisoner finally docked around three in the morning, Giefan time. He looked up at Telly. He was still praying. Is this the attitude we are all supposed to have? Feeling somewhat penitent, he quietly issued forth a small prayer.
Telly opened his eyes. A lack-of-sleep look blanketed his face. He closed his eyes.
Darius was amused. The train of thought was lost when he heard a female voice within his head. He raised his shackled wrists into the air. Using his right hand, he slapped it lightly against his right ear four times, as if he were attempting to knock something out the other side.
Telly looked up once again and scrutinized his champion.
“Darius, it is me.”
There it was again. The man knew he recently exerted a lot of physical strength but not to the point of being disenchanted.
“Darius,” he heard the whisper again. “It is me, Teron.”
“Teron?” He said out loud. “Where are you?”
“Right here on your left side.”
“No kidding?” The astonished man pivoted on the bench. Using his tethered hands, he reached out and groped in the proximity the voice had come from.
“Watch where you are grabbing, Mister.”
The scene had Telly’s absolute attention now. The man across from him must be losing his marbles, he presumed. He recalled a similar incident from his past when the director of the group home began talking to an imaginary person. When Telly asked what was wrong, he had been told she had experienced stress. The next day a new lady sat behind the director’s desk.
Darius was aware of the concern that the other man was exhibiting. “It is Teron. She is right here,” he declared while pointing to nothing at the bench beside him.
Telly was convinced the tired man had cracked from being under too much pressure. He put his index finger and thumb on his forehead to form the letter L.
“Whatever you say.” Then he shook his head back and forth.
Darius brushed him off and picked up the conversation with Teron again. “So how are you invisible?”
“I took the cloaking device from off of the Legion you killed back at the clinic.”
“Good work.”
By this time, Teron was talking with normal volume to her voice. Telly was able to hear her now and was listening attentively. The look upon his face was one of puzzlement.
“I also have the device from the one you dropped in the alley. Do you want it?”
“No.”
“Are you crazy?” She was amazed by his answer. “We can get out of here.”
“What about my witness?”
Teron shrugged her shoulders. “Beats me?”
“Well, with only two of those gadgets would leave Telly without one.” He paused. “Besides, why are we being sent to the Lumi Empire?”
“That is a good question,” she answered. “What do you think is going on?”
Telly spoke out of turn. “They want us out of the way to do something bigger.”
Teron ignored him.
Darius frowned at Teron for the way she expressed herself toward the other captive. “Telly has a good point. Whatever is going on is not good. I will bet on that.”
Teron rubbed at her forehead. “What do you suggest we do?”
“You stay cloaked and hang on to the other device. Let us just go with the flow for a bit.”
“You interested in learning more, are you?”
“Yes.” Darius swallowed, trying to wet his dry throat. “I have a feeling if we are patient, something important will be revealed.”
“Sounds like a plan then.”
About that moment a squad of Lumi soldiers boarded the ship. The prisoners could hear their footsteps outside the room right before the door opened. Darius gave some final instructions.
“Teron, stay close and do not act unless I give the order. Okay?”
“I understand.”
“Hey, Telly. Keep doing what you have been doing since our incarceration.”
“Okay,” was all Telly had to say.
Twelve soldiers entered and escorted the captives from the craft. Their metallic blue helmets glistened within the dimly lit corridor of the space dock. Blue and silver-colored body armor covered the majority of their black uniforms. Each one had a black utility belt about the waist. Extra thermal clips for their weapons were fastened to them. Everyone in the detail carried snub-nosed blaster rifles except for the officer in charge. Gripped tightly in his right hand was a pistol. They neared an air bridge.
Darius could tell by the way the threshold was joined together they were boarding a second vehicle. “Going for another ride, are we?” One of the Lumi soldiers shoved him in the back.
“Neon head,” Darius smarted off.
Most of the soldiers remained standing and held grips fixed to the ceiling. The
other two sat on either side of the humans. Darius was not sure if Teron had made it aboard the tightly packed sardine can. It appeared there was not enough room for her to fit in. The door closed shut with a swooshing clamor. Then there was a slight jolting sensation as the ship disengaged from its moorings.
The pilot could be overheard. “Drop ship alpha-niner, descending to planet surface. Requesting landing pad at the science research facility? Security clearance seven, bravo-twenty-one.”
There was a short pause. Then a crackle of static came forth from an external speaker followed by an air traffic controller.
“Permission granted. I have a note here that reads as follows; Banimpire will meet you there and relieve you of the two men.”
“Affirmative,” the pilot replied.
Darius laughed as he watched the heads of the passengers jiggle around from the way the craft bucked as it entered the gravitational pull of Luminescence. He tried to get under their skin once more.
“I figured your race was advanced enough to prevent such a bumpy ride?” No one acknowledged him.
14
Luminescence: home world of Banimpire Malign. It is nestled within Gordian’s Knot and in orbit around a brown dwarf in the Lucid System. One of three planets in the cluster that support advanced life forms. It is twenty-seven thousand light years from Earth but only nine thousand light years from the Giefan Cluster.
Malign was comfortable with the fact her home was located within the largest populated city. Of course, this is where her ancestors built it centuries ago. She valued her privacy. Security in her palace was tight.
A large garden surrounded the royal residence. This kept onlookers a mile and a half away. The Banimpire was loved by her people even though most knew very little about her. She desired everything and anything. An appetite for complete control consumed her shortly after puberty. A thirst for the dark side of life saturated every pore of her soul. Once she had come into power she wanted more than Gordian’s Knot under her rule.
Matakeo: Echoes of the Future Page 8
