by Kip Hartzell
Rhe-A ran for the entrance, watching Apollo and Xen herded frightened Cousins to the shuttle. The water was now entering faster, letting the strain begin to overload the grid.
Pandor-A was blocking the entrance when Rhe-A arrived. In that eerie voice, she said, “Evacuate the area, I will retrieve John.” She chose to believe the Inquisitors, and watched the automaton run into the power point tunnel.
John started to back up toward the door, his pistol ready. The female former vampire’s coordination and complexion improved. He sensed someone behind him and glanced back to see Pandor-A standing in the doorway. Her blue eyes were throbbing from bright to dim as she moved alongside him.
“So, after all these ions, you finally show yourself, hiding in a primitive.”
“You state the obvious,” Pandor-A said, in her Inquisitor voice.
The creature made Alon’s facial features look angry.
Pandor-A looked at John and said, “We cannot win here.”
“You cannot win anywhere, we have assured our dominance.”
Pandor-A reached down her top and pulled out a necklace, John had literally never seen before. “You must go now, Captain.”
“Captain?” The Alon figure said, stepping forward. “You have made this experiment easy for us.”
“I can’t leave you, Pan.”
Her own voice broke through, “Yes, John, leave. I’ll be right behind you.” She went back into her trance, and then she raised her arms out to her side.
John slowly backed over to Anataka’s body, and scooped her up gently. He then moved quickly to the doorway, noticing water running down the steps.
Pandor-A’s eyes glowed bright white, as she swung her hands together in a loud clap, that action focused the agoam crystal in her necklace. The brilliant flash disturbed the Destroyers’ trans phasic cocoon. They wobbled and fell. Pandor-A glanced back at John. “Go!”
John took off up the steps and waited at the first landing.
He was about to go back for her, when she came out running up the stairs. He led the way out.
At the pyramid opening, Rhe-A saw them coming, she had lots of questions. She fell in to a jog alongside. John commanded, “We have to evacuate, now, I’ll explain later.”
“We’ve got all the Cousins, and friendly Centaurs on board, it’s very crowed. The Minotaur overlords, and a few of Alon’s minions are defending Alon’s shuttle. The force field could collapse at any moment. We need to leave, now.”
“Take Pan, and get out of here.”
“But-”
“Thestor will get us out.” John took off toward the Dragon, as the others raced for the shuttle.
“Captain, we don’t need the extra...weight,” Thestor said, looking at the bloody woman John carried.
“I’m not leaving her to be experimented on.” He leaped into the air and landed on Thestor’s back. “Time to leave.”
Thestor slogged through the mud and rising water. He quickly rose into the air flapping his wings as vigorously as possible. John watched the shuttle fly overhead as he held on tight to Anataka, and the harness. He concentrated his telekinesis on the Dragon to help give him lift. The force field generators began to overload and explode, one at a time, letting billions of cubic feet of water in.
Swirling water rose to catch its prey. Generators popped and sparked faster than Thestor could rise. Water began pouring in from all directions just below them. John could hear him grunt with every thrust of his wings, spiraling up to get more momentum. The watery mist was getting then wet now, as he spied the shuttle rise above sea level. With all his strength, and John’s concentration, the Dragon rose into a blue sky. A funnel of water reached out for one last grasp, and then it melted back into the ocean from which it came.
“Thank you, Thestor,” John said. Thestor only looked back and nodded. “Take us back to the coast that we just came from.” He again nodded in acknowledgement. “Rhe-A, follow us.”
“Understood,” she responded through the comm.
Mentally wiping away imaginary sweat, Jay was ready for this session to be over. “Take these people and resettle them a little further inland where it’s safer,” John explained, as the cool breeze of the ocean ruffled his unruly long hair. “Give them supplies to last as long as possible.” He looked at the dazed and confused bunch. They stumbled around the beach, trying to figure out what to do with their new freedom. “I will return to Chrysalis to give my report as soon as I’ve taken care of Anataka.”
Rhe-A put her hand on John’s forearm. “John, I’m sorry,” she sadly said, looking at Thestor, while he stood nearby cradling Anataka in one claw.
“It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault. It was mine. I’ll return as soon as I can.”
They all stood around, and watched him fly away.
Jay enjoyed the non-existent cool breeze, letting the silence of flying calm him. The startled tribe’s folk made a space for the Dragon to land. John climbed down with Anataka. Their children and grandchildren ran to them. He laid her down at their feet.
“She gave her life trying to save mine, and all of our lives. We should honor her.” The family began to wail, as the other tribe’s people approached. “Don’t be sad. She loved all of you, and you will see her again.” This consoled many of them, fore she had been the mid-wife to most of the them she didn’t give birth to. They loved her. “Prepare her earthly body.”
The women moved in, and gently moved her to a lean-to, where they went to work on her for her trip to the afterlife.
John turned to Thestor. “I’m really not in a hurry to get back to Chrysalis. When was the last time you saw the other side of the world?”
“It has been many thousands of years.”
“Would you like to know Chrysalis’ location? If you take me, I’ll show you.”
“Do you have food? Gold?”
“Of course, we still maintain all the technology to manufacture almost all the elements.”
“Then, yes, but, I must talk to Despin-A, she may want to come along.”
“That would be good, and thank you my friend.”
“We’ll be back before the, honoring.” He turned and bounded away with a few flaps of his wings, was out of sight.
John stood by the funeral pyre. Anataka had been bathed, her hair combed, and she was dressed in her favorite green turquoise, emerald stone dress. John thought she looked at peace. The family and friends began to gather as the sun slipped silently below the horizon.
Chanting and beating sticks together was the only noise, while sunlight faded into darkness. A procession of tribe’s people laid flowers, weapons, and hand created ornaments on the mound of wood. John’s family gathered around him.
“You are leaving us, too. Aren’t you?” his oldest son said, as he hugged them.
“Yes, I must return to fight the evil of this world. I don’t want any of you hurt because of me. But I will always be a part of you. Be kind and forgiving, be wise in your decisions as Chief, and you’ll be fine. I am proud of all of you, and I love you. I will always remember you.”
His words consoled them, since they understood that a God had other responsibilities, other than physically watching over them constantly. They understood, and fondly said their goodbyes.
The light breeze and soft impact tremors, let John know that Thestor and Despin-A had arrived. John stood at the feet of Anataka, he stepped back between the two Dragons, while the tribes people backed away.
“Thestor, if you would do the honor.”
Thestor leaned over the top of him and spit a fire line at the base of the wood pile. It ignited in a brilliant orange and blue flame that lit up the night sky. John watched for a little while as the flames grew. He slipped his hand over his handheld, making a 3-D image of Anataka appeared in the flames, her hair rustled in a make-believe wind. She floated out toward them, smiled and held up a hand. The image rose high into the sky, and streaked up into space, appearing to stop as a star.
John looked over at Thestor.
“It’s time to go.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, we have to make a stop, I’ll explain on the way.” John turned back to his family and friends, and determined, that leaving them might be the hardest thing he’s ever done. But, he had other friends and family, and with their help, maybe save everyone from what was coming.
The flash view from Jay’s point of view was abrupt and bird’s eye. Embers popped and sizzled when a log was thrown on the ever-growing fire. The vampires played strategy games and socialized. Others experimented, and invented things from their natural surroundings.
The flames suddenly burst higher, caused by the rush of air that suddenly grew with the flapping of wings. They all stood holding arms up to fend off the sparking embers. A Dragon dropped in their midst, and snarled at all of them. They backed away slowly, and then went for their spears. Thestor growled at the defiant little ones. He stomped closer, putting his neck over the fire, and with crushing green eyes, stared.
Several started to attack, but one vampire stood out, his demeanor was very controlled. “Cease!” They slowly complied. He stepped up and advanced toward Thestor. “What do you want, Dragon? Our mother has tried to explain who you are, but we find it difficult to understand.” He bravely moved closer to the monster, and slowly held up his hand to touch the creature that leaned down to stare at this brave little soul. He reached up and touched the Dragon. “I do feel a connection to you, I understand you are part of us, a brother, perhaps?”
Thestor stared down at him, and gritted a laugh. “Very good, children. There may be hope for you, yet. But you are more of a child than a brother.”
“Thestor-Hermes, what is the meaning of this,” Maya said, from the cave entrance. “We have a non-aggression pact in place.”
Thestor’s humor was immediately lost. “I wanted to come here and see you, so I could kill you.” The group, and Maya, tensed. “But, alas, the Captain says, there may be hope for you, also.”
She felt him before she saw him. “John?”
“Yes, maybe some hope after all,” John said, as he shimmered into existence.
“John, this is a bad joke, what’s the meaning of this breach of agreement.”
“It was meant to be a test.” John walked over to the vampire that stayed in control. “And your children passed.”
Jay felt as if he were sitting on a rock, entranced by the Dragons. Thestor had spent most of the evening telling the children stories. They held onto every word. Despin-A would correct him at certain points, an argument would ensue with Thestor relenting. The couple’s actions didn’t seem to detour the group from their interest. The interaction became more of a bonding, as the parents acted like they had just acquired more children. John could’ve sworn they were enjoying themselves. They told of honor, bravery, perseverance, and all the influentially positive things they could think of, while John conversed with Maya over her impending tribunal.
At one point during their three day stay, Maya retrieved some old Atlantean tech that she had kept hidden, John gave her a wry look, but she just shrugged her shoulders. He handed it to Thestor to put in a carry pouch they had quickly put together, but he had different plans. He, and Despin-A, took the worthless equipment and showed their artistic Atlantean side and molded, though intense fire and pressure from jaws and claws, to press together a medallion for each of the twenty-one infatuated followers.
Thestor handed the vampire that stood up to him a finely detailed amulet on a necklace, and said, “Little one, we are of one, I proclaim your name to be Dracul, son of Dragon. Lead your people well.”
Maya handed Dracul thin bark scrolls of rules of civilized conduct. They were to abide by them. She said her goodbyes, as they cried. Maya felt true emotion for the first time in eons. She turned and went to Thestor and climbed aboard. She sat behind John and put her arms around his waist.
“One last time, you know I have no guarantees on how the Council will react.”
“I know, I just need a chance.”
“You’re going to need more than that,” Despin-A said, and then, they bound down the hillside, with Thestor close behind, and were airborne in seconds.
The breeze was warm after the long high altitude flight over the ocean. Maya wasn’t snuggled so close to John now that the sun was going down. Her face was gray and ashy from the ultraviolet rays, but her recovery was quick. Her hair fluttered in the wind, her pale face had a smile from the freedom she felt. Thestor and Despin-A descended, and soft landed in an unoccupied valley. Maya and John hopped down and let Thestor curl up and rest. Despin-A wandered into the forest for something to eat.
“Their stamina is amazing, two solid days of flying,” John said looking back at him.
Maya put her arms around his neck and gazed at him. Her eyes were mostly normal since John let her feed on him the day before. “I remember someone else having a lot of stamina.” She moved closer for a kiss.
John gently unwrapped her arms, and stood back. “Maya, I don’t want a relationship that might taint my testimony.”
She knew immediately that she wasn’t going to get anywhere. “Oh, alright,” she chided, and started walking into the woods.
“Where are, you going?”
“To the bathroom.”
“Be careful.”
“I’m a vampire, I’m the one, things have to be careful from,” she said, as her voice faded in the distance.
John had some food cooking over an open fire, when Maya came back and sat down. He looked up at her, making a motion with his hand across his face. “You have a little something on your chin.”
Maya wiped away blood from her latest kill. John knew it wasn’t human, there weren’t any in the surrounding area. “Why don’t you put up the portable?” she asked, after she seductively licked the blood from her finger.”
John just shook his head. “Because, Thestor says they only need a couple more hours of rest.” They sat quietly for a few minutes as John stoked the fire. “Maya, is there anything you can remember about the key, or the tracker skulls?”
“All I know is what I told you, but, I think Alon promised immortality to the ones chosen to keep the tracker skulls hidden. I would venture to guess they are vampire Cousins by now. Why don’t you spend your time tracking down Alon, and torture it out of him?”
“I can’t, he’s dead.”
“What?” She smiled, then quickly wiped it away. “That will add a whole new degree of difficulty in finding the key. What happened?”
“We met, we fought. It’ll all be in my report. The trouble is, something even more evil took his place. So, finding the key is now an even higher priority. He laid back on the grass and stared up at the stars. “Get some rest, we have another day’s flight ahead.”
The area was hardly recognizable to Jay as it passed under him-or them. “I recognize this area, it’s where Athene-A had her base of operations. Where most of you stayed for years after Atlantis left.”
John turned around and straddled Thestor’s backbone, facing Maya, he said, “That’s why I have to keep Chrysalis secret. This injection,” he said, holding up the injector, “will only knock you out for a short time, please take it, or I will have to drop you off here.”
She hesitated, and then snatched it out of his hand and injected her neck. “There, how long until it takes effe-” Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she slumped over into his arms.
“Thestor, over the next mountain range, land at the foot of the tallest mountain.”
“Understood, Captain.”
John, and the Dragons, walked partially up the mountainside to a large natural looking ledge. He shifted Maya to his other shoulder, and then waved his hand over an inconspicuous jutting rock. The hangar doors split apart and swung open to reveal a cavernous tunnel. Jay’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness. He could sense the Dragon’s apprehension of a trap, as the doors closed behind them, leaving not a trace of their existence. Loud clicking noises echoed down the tunnel after
every claw touched the shiny floor. They passed by the shuttles, getting startled gazes from maintenance workers and researchers. Stepping into an even bigger cave, Despin-A lifted her head and sniffed.
“Do you know what that smell is, Thestor?”
“Machinery?”
“No, civilization.” She smiled.
The group was met by Rhe-A, Apollo, and Pandor-A, as the new arrivals moved further into the room. “Well,” Rhe-A sarcastically said, “you finally killed her.”
“Not, yet,” he snorted. “You remember Thestor-Hermes, and his wife Despin-A. They have accepted our invitation to stay with us. How are the accommodations coming along?”
“Their quarters should be complete tomorrow. Now, about TSD entrance, we’re still working on the enlargement. Shouldn’t be long.” She looked up at the two giants and said, “Welcome to Chrysalis. It’s not as big as Atlantis, but its secure. Make yourselves at home. The food court is down that hallway, and to your right. Ask anyone if you need assistance.”
“Food, yes,” was all Thestor said.
“We will. Thank you. Before, Thestor shows anymore of his ill manners.” She nudged him in the direction previously instructed. She could be heard telling him, “You are highly educated, try to show a little of it sometime.”
“Yes, Dear,” he responded, as they clattered away.
“Rhe-A, is there a place I can put Maya, she’s getting heavy.”
“Yes, down one of the magma thermal energy shafts would be fine.”
“Rhe-A, tolerance, forgiveness.”
“Right,” she continued her sarcasm, while waving over a couple of assistance, who took Maya from John, and strolled away.
“She’ll be in my lab, under quarantine.”
John started to protest, but acquiesced. “Where’s Athene-A?”
An object made a loud noise in the distance, and a short scream. People moved down the hallway, trying not to look panicked.
“Food court, I imagine.”
John and his group, moved in that direction. When they got there, they saw Athene-A picking up her dishes as both the Dragons, and her, were apologizing to each other. John stopped to admire her for a few seconds.
