by West, Shay
“We never changed our mind, Jon. Loving a child isn't something you can just turn off at a whim. At least, not for us. Once the girls arrived, it simply added to the joy we already felt at being your parents. And watching you with them has been nothing short of pure bliss for us. You are so good with them, so kind and patient.” Beth's hands were clenched in her lap. It took all of her strength to keep from reaching out to her only son. She knew that he was on the edge of a precipice. A wrong move from either of them could force him off the edge, and they would lose him forever.
“Son, you and the girls are everything to us….” Willam's voice caught and no more words would come.
“Jon?” Holly, with Fara and Niki in tow, walked timidly up to her brother.
Jon took one look at his terrified and confused sisters and lost his hold on the anger. It melted away as he grabbed the girls in a hug. He rocked back and forth, smoothing their hair, telling them not to worry, that everything was going to be fine. At this moment, he was their big brother. It didn't matter that he wasn't born to Willam and Beth. They loved him the same as the girls. He couldn't hide the truth from himself. His mind flooded with good memories of his childhood and of growing up safe, warm, and well-fed.
The anger did not completely leave him. It had shifted, from Willam and Beth to the evil man who had tried to turn Jon against his family and isolate him. Jon allowed it to smolder. He hoped he would be given another opportunity to face the man.
This time, he would not escape.
ASTRA
GEROK HAD THEM UP early, eager to get to the portal cave. Helplessness gnawed at his insides, making him short-tempered. He constantly harried the group, urging them to hurry.
“I don't see why you are so anxious to return. We are all grown men and women, capable of making our own decisions.” Sloan was tired of the man's whining.
“You do not understand. If the Masters can't figure out what to do, we are lost.” Gerok wished the Earth man could understand how important the prophecies were and how much they needed them.
“If they do not know what to do, we will make a decision,” Sloan stated. He moved his horse away, unable to stomach the incessant whining. At the sound of another horse approaching, he turned and smiled. He was not at all surprised to find Keera riding next to him, a red curl tucked between her teeth. It was a habit he was beginning to find quite adorable. As if aware of his scrutiny, she hurriedly took her hair from her mouth.
“Something on your mind?” Sloan knew the redhead only chewed her hair when she was thinking hard about something, or worried.
“There is so much, I hardly know where to start,” She sighed. “I mean, why are we bothering to go back to Gentra? More of us have died. I think that maybe we have failed and that we should all just return to our own planets.” The hair made its way back between her tiny white teeth.
“I guess it helps to have a destination, something to do. People lose hope if there isn't a way forward.”
“But it is pointless. Right?” She looked to him, blue eyes pleading, asking for some comfort.
“I don't know. Perhaps it is. Perhaps it isn't.”
Keera snorted. “Feeling cryptic I see.” She tossed her hair back over her shoulder. “I suppose going there is as good as staying here.”
Sloan tried not to grin. He was quite certain she would not take it the right way. “Maybe the Masters have some new information for us. It can't hurt anything to return. I just worry that everyone is hoping for a miracle. They should prepare for bad news.”
Keera glared. “My, we are just full of cheer today!” She rolled her eyes. “You are probably right of course. Probably.” She glanced at Sloan to make sure he had caught that last.
As the two rode, Sloan pondered at the girl's ability to make him laugh out loud. He had not wanted to laugh for so long. It felt good.
The Chosen and their Guardians were pleased to see people returning to their homes and their lives. Many wondered if the loss of their friends and comrades was worth helping these people regain control of their land and their farms. Though they tried to hide it, they rode a little taller in the saddle, knowing they were the reason the people felt safe enough to begin rebuilding their lives.
The red rocks of the Stroh Hills came into view, just barely visible on the horizon, growing larger the closer they got. Their appearance dampened the spirits of the group, and they spoke in hushed voices. They knew what awaited them: interminable pain, timeless travel in the formless void, emerging into the watery realm of Gentra. Most of the Chosen were ashamed. As if they were somehow to blame for the deaths of the others. Many wondered if perhaps rescuing Brok was been a mistake after all. The prophecy stated the importance of the Chosen. It said nothing of the survival of the Guardians. It was possible that by rescuing Brok, they might have caused the deaths of all they knew and loved.
Robert Marshall pondered these things as they rode closer to the portal. He had always thought he had a good grip on God and what He wanted of the people of Earth. Learning of the existence of other planets, other races of beings and what the prophecies stated made him question everything he thought he knew. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Robert was not sure he liked it at all. He had read the Bible several times, and nothing he had ever read mentioned other worlds or giant machines coming to destroy planets.
“Don't think too hard on things.”
Robert looked over and smiled at Mark. “Am I that transparent?”
“To those of us who know you, yes.” Mark smiled somberly. “With all that has happened, it is natural to question things. I have to admit, I have been confused ever since the General brought us to that damn cave.”
“You still call him the General?”
Mark shrugged. “He will always be Ted Smith to me.”
“I just hate questioning my faith. All my life I have known there is one true God and that his only son Jesus died for us on the cross so that we could spend eternity in Heaven. But nothing we have experienced recently supports the truth of the Holy Book. Or does it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, in Revelations, we learn of the end of days. Maybe God is sending the Mekans to do the deed?” Robert shook his head, as if the words did not quite fit.
“Who knows what is in the mind of God and what he does or does not intend for us,” Mark said.
“And what of these others?” Robert gestured to the other Chosen. “The Bible says nothing of other planets with life forms. Does God watch over them too? Were they created by their own God? If so, do the Gods talk to one another?”
Mark laughed. “You will drive yourself crazy thinking like this, my friend. Remember, men wrote the Bible. Who knows how they may have interpreted what the Lord said to them?”
Robert gave Mark a sidelong glance. “Since when did you become such a philosopher?”
“Since we got thrown into this mess,” Mark said simply.
The group arrived at the portal at dusk. Kaelin suggested setting up camp and traveling to Gentra first thing in the morning. She wanted to put off entering the portal as long as possible. Several others seconded the idea but were overruled by the adamant Gerok. He refused to let them postpone the journey.
“We have waited long enough. It is time you all remember that there is a bigger fight coming than what we have fought here. We should have never gone after Brok. Maybe we would not have lost more of the Chosen.” He blamed himself for being weak and allowing the others to convince him to rescue Brok.
Anxiety consumed him. He found it hard to draw breath around the constricting in his chest. Gerok wanted to believe that everything would work out as planned, but he could not seem to find any hope. The death of only one Chosen could be dealt with; the deaths of five were too much.
The Chosen and their Guardians took off their clothes and piled them neatly on the floor. The only ones that seemed perfectly at ease were the Volgons and Kromins. Gerok hurriedly touched the symbol for Gentra and did not look b
ack before stepping into the portal, bound for home.
EARTH
GEROK BURST THROUGH THE PORTAL. His first thought was that this trip seemed to take even longer than the usual eternity.
His second thought was that something did not feel right.
His last was wondering why he could hear his own voice gasping for air. He stood slowly, wondering why he had legs and arms. His brain was still foggy, but enough logic seeped through the edges, telling him that he was most definitely not on Gentra.
Then where am I?
Gerok moved away from the portal, noticing for the first time that his physical form on this planet was much like the one he had taken while on Astra.
Someone came through the portal, gasping and crying out in fear, looking about in confusion.
“Wha….?”
“I don't know. But something is very wrong.” Gerok looked about the cave, trying to gain control of his body. “Oh my God.”
“What?” Gerok barked.
“We are in the portal cave on Earth!” Sloan stood on wobbly legs, gazing about in bewilderment.
More of the Chosen emerged, in much the same state as the other two who had come before. Those from Earth were astounded that they had emerged on their home world rather than Gentra. They wondered if they had somehow touched the wrong symbol. But Gerok was certain he had touched the triangle with the circle inside. There is no way we all touched the wrong one.
It took some time for the Chosen and their Guardians to shake off the effects of this latest journey through the portal. Traveling through it had felt wrong somehow, although none of the Chosen considered themselves experts on the contraptions by any stretch of the imagination. They all shared the same terrifying thought: they had barely escaped the portal with their lives.
“What do we do?” Gwen asked. She was disappointed to find that she was still a dwarf on this planet. Her heart wrenched painfully when she gazed at her same twisted legs and arms. Gwen thought the first order of business was to try to find some clothes.
“I don't know. Nothing like this has ever happened before.” Forka brushed a hand over his face. How can I need to shave? I just got here.
“We must try again. Make sure we hit the right symbol.” Gerok insisted.
“We hit the correct one. Something happened to bring us here. To be honest with you, I am not sure I want to try again,” Robert said. His skin crawled as he looked at the portal.
Most of the others murmured their agreement. The thought of trying again terrified them.
“We can't stay here! We must reach the Masters,” Gerok snarled.
“The Kromins can tell them what has happened. Perhaps they will know why we're here. I would rather do that than try again. Who knows where we will end up?” Sloan suggested.
Gerok tried to argue but was silenced. The others were tired of his insistence that they return to Gentra. The Earth Chosen wanted to go to the Jhinn encampment. They hoped the people had fared well in their absence.
However long that might have been.
The Earth Chosen were well aware of the difference in time on the various planets. They knew the people might very well be gone, all dead, and turned to dust long ago.
--The Masters have never heard of anything like this. They seem unsure as to how to advise us.
The clones looked much the same on Earth as they did on Astra. They did not display any indication of whether they were male or female, they had no hair anywhere on their bodies, and their facial features were neither masculine nor feminine. The three remaining telepaths stood silently with the same placid expression on their faces as they had on Astra. Nothing seemed to rattle these stoic beings.
“Then we must make our own decisions. Everyone agrees that they activated the correct symbol, so we had to have been brought here for a reason,” Sloan said.
“Why? Why did we have to be brought here for a reason? It might have been nothing more than an accident,” Gerok said.
“An accident? Really? If we had shown up on some random planet, I might be forced to agree with you. But an accident that we came out of the portal on a planet that is home to Chosen? I think not.” Sloan's voice was thick with sarcasm. He believed they had been brought here for a purpose. He wondered if something had happened to the Jhinn.
“I have to agree with Sloan. There is a reason we are here. I say we go to the encampment. It is the nearest settlement,” Forka suggested. He could not explain it, but he felt as though something were very wrong. There were so many people in the cave, and it was barely light enough to see the faces around him. The cave walls closed in on him. “Can we maybe get a little light?” he asked.
Jon quickly used the power to light a pink sphere. Keera followed suit. She looked around the cave and smiled a little when she caught sight of Sloan. Then the reality of being completely nude hit her and she looked away, trying to use her hands to cover herself.
“Where are the others?” Brok's voice silenced the voices in the cave.
The silence was broken by horrified gasps and cries of “Where is Mark?” “Where is Kyron?” “Martha isn't here either!”
This can't possibly be happening. Brok wished someone would wake him from this unthinkable nightmare.
“Is it possible they didn't come through yet and are still on Astra?” Kaelin was willing to grasp at any hope, no matter how small.
--I do not sense any contact from those particular three.
Forka turned to Number 1. “What do you mean?”
--Their brain patterns are not detectable.
“Not detectable? You mean here? Or on Astra?” Robert asked, trying to keep a hold on his temper.
--If they were here, or on Astra, we would still be able to sense them. We have no contact. The clone merely stood with its arms at its sides, gazing placidly around the cave.
Somehow, the nonchalance with which the telepath delivered the blow made it all the more chilling. No one knew what to say.
“Do you still think we need to stay here and traipse off to some camp? We have lost three more of the Chosen.” Gerok could feel the presence of the Mekans coming closer and their weight was crushing him. Am I the only one that remembers our greater duty?
“Since we are already here, we may as well try to figure out why we were brought here. It is possible the encampment we protected could be in danger. Our friends and family live there. We can't simply leave without making sure they are all okay,” Robert said. His anxiety was growing. He was afraid that something horrible had happened at the encampment.
Brad and Sloan agreed vehemently. The two men were shaken at the disappearance of their comrades. Kaelin moved closer to Brad, wanting to offer the distraught man what comfort she could. She tried to imagine how she would feel if her friends had been lost to the void. What if it had been Saemus? Her brain shut down at the thought. She could not imagine life without her twin. Keera had moved closer to Sloan, not touching him, just standing quietly nearby.
“So are they just lost? Dear Spirits….” Bile rose in Gwen's throat. The thought of spending eternity in the horrific pain of the portal terrified her more than the coming Mekans.
“Could they be on some other world? I mean, we were brought here, and we activated the portal for Gentra. Maybe they are just on some other world,” Keera suggested, gazing hopefully at the Kromin standing next to her.
--That is unlikely.
“How unlikely?” Brok wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.
--Our telepathic range is substantial. There is a one in three quadrillion chance that the three exited a portal on some world that is far outside the known universe, or perhaps in another dimension all together.
“I have no idea what those numbers even mean!” Robert snarled, finally losing his hold on his temper. He had the urge to hit something. Hard.
“If they did exit a portal elsewhere, then they would be able to use it to come back to a familiar world, presumably Gentra, since that was the plan. So they may
be all right,” Sloan said, trying his best to sound hopeful.
--We will let you know if their contact reappears.
The group stood awkwardly, each lost in his or her own thoughts.
“It won't take long to check on the camp. If everything is fine, we can come back here and try to return to Gentra,” Forka said, breaking the silence.
The other Chosen did not want to go running off into possible danger, but they didn't want to go through the portal again either. The Astrans realized that their comrades from Earth had backed their plan to rescue Brok and to help destroy Fa’ Vel's hold on the people. They could do no less.
“I suppose we should have the Astrans make everyone invisible. We can get clothing at the encampment,” Robert said.
“We can't just go waltzing up to the encampment as if nothing had happened. We don't know how long we have been gone. How are we going to explain our absence?” Forka was the voice of reason. “We need to stay hidden until we assess the situation at the camp. Only then will we make any further decisions.”
The others were more than willing to let Forka take charge. The other Guardians thought it only fair that they defer to the Guardian of this planet. Forka led the others out of the cave after he and the others from Earth dressed in the clothes they had left behind.
Based on the position of the sun, Forka guessed the time to be about mid-morning. He set a quick pace, wishing to make the journey to the encampment as swiftly as possible. The fact that most of the others lacked shoes forced him to slow down, which made him grind his teeth in frustration.
Unlike on Astra, there was no need for silence to avoid suspicion. There were no people except for those living in the encampment. If they did come across anyone, they would more than likely be the enemy. And the extra noise might help to confuse the enemy and give the Chosen and their Guardians the advantage.
