Jason, too, wanted to get down to the cloud-port, but he needed to take care of some business first in his ready room. According to a high-priority interstellar memorandum from Jefferson Station, soon after the Minian’s departure, his father had taken the Assailant, along with a small armada, through an interchange wormhole, out to the Dacci system to confront the Sahhrain. What the hell was he thinking? From what Jason had learned, the Sahhrain were on a whole different level from other combatants, such as the Pharloms, or even the Craing for that matter. The truth was, the Sahhrain made Jason more than a little nervous. And now to make things even more worrisome, the admiral hadn’t reported in. Subsequently, two separate drones were dispatched through interchange wormholes over the last few hours and neither was heard from either. Jason reread the memorandum and something else occurred to him—did the Sahhrain now have access to interstellar wormhole travel? No … he remembered … even the slightest operational or crew type alteration detected by the Minian’s AI prompted immediate security safeguards—safeguards that had been put in place for just such a scenario. He let out a breath. Jesus, Dad … what the hell have you gotten yourself into?
Jason was being hailed. “Go for Captain … what’s up, Billy?”
“Captain, there’s a Leon Pike out here who wants to speak to you.”
“Who?”
“Remember … the prisoner that first made contact with us?”
“Yep … tell him to hold tight, I’m on my way.”
* * *
Jason and Ricket exited together from the Minian’s rearmost hatchway, via one of the five big ship’s airlocks. As they walked down the gangway, Jason took in the scene around and below him. Hundreds, if not thousands, of identical-looking tent structures, barracks, filled the long concourse lying beyond where the Minian was parked.
Dark smoke billowed into the air from scattered fragments of falling ship wreckage—some small, and some the size of a school bus. Jason caught Star Watch uniforms interspersed throughout the hordes of prisoners.
Ricket pointed toward a cluster of people, about one hundred yards away. “There, Captain.”
Jason leaned forward and squinted his eyes. How Ricket was able to see anything that far a distance out amazed him. In Ricket’s past, before regaining full-organic beingness, he’d been a cyborg—a state he’d endured for close to two hundred years and the consequence of an old Craing religious process, called the Transformation of Eternity. Ricket, potentially, could have lived for thousands of years. But just last year, new Caldurian MediPod technology made it possible for him to shed his mechanical aspects. But recently he’d begun to reintroduce certain internal technology into his physiology that went far beyond the standard nano-devices Jason, and select others on board the Minian, shared. Was Ricket, inadvertently, migrating back toward his earlier cyborg existence? Eyebrows raised, Jason gave Ricket an appraising look.
Ricket smiled. “Come, they wait for us, Captain.”
Together, they hurried down the gangway and entered into the throngs of people. Jason noticed a pen setup for Pharlom guards—now they were the prisoners. Rizzo was ushering two more Pharlom guards into the same pen at gunpoint. He gave Jason a quick wave and continued on with his duties.
By the time Jason reached the field medical station, he and Ricket had been stopped by dozens of prisoners. All had questions: Where should I go? How do I find my husband, my wife, my child? How do I get back home? Jason’s hatred toward the Pharloms grew in magnitude with each one’s desperate plea. At this point, he wanted to find Traveler’s hammer and pummel every last one of the Pharloms into dust.
Jason’s heart skipped a beat seeing Dira’s pretty face up ahead. She was directing other medics toward several Tromians lying on cots. They looked to have the most serious injuries—primarily burns. As they approached, Dira saw Jason, bringing a brief smile to her face. Then she was pulled over by a man to another patient … a young woman.
“Just as soon as the next MediPod becomes available, we’ll transport her and get her fixed up,” Dira said to the man.
“No … Now! She needs a MediPod, right now … can’t you see her suffering?”
The man had a grip on Dira’s upper arm and positioned his face mere inches from hers.
Jason stepped in and put his own hand around the man’s shoulder. “You need to back off, sir.”
The man turned toward Jason and jerked his shoulder away. “Look at her … look at the pain she’s in!”
Jason looked down where the man pointed and saw what once may have been a beautiful young woman. Her blond hair was matted with blood, and most of her face was charred black with second and third degree burns. Her eyes were closed but she was awake. Jason saw that her hands were tightly clenched with white knuckles.
“I’ll give her more pain meds,” Dira interjected. “As bad as she looks, she’s in no danger of dying. But others are.”
“What’s her name?” Jason asked.
“Hanna,” Leon said. “I don’t know her last name, or if she even has one.”
It was then Jason realized the man was human … human … and from Earth. And one more thing, he had internal nano-devices. “Who are you?” Jason asked.
“I’m Leon Pike … the one who called you guys.”
“Yes, you spoke with me, Mr. Pike,” Ricket said.
Leon looked down at Ricket, noticing him for the first time with recognition registering on his face. “Yes … thank you for helping—”
Jason cut him off, “You served aboard The Lilly?”
Leon, obviously taken aback by the question, held Jason’s stare. “How do you know that?”
“Because, until recently, she was my ship. There’s not too many people walking around wearing the kind of Caldurian nano-devices you’re equipped with.”
Leon let out a slow, long breath, keeping his eyes on Hanna. He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and then looked back at Jason. “You’re one of the admiral’s sons … I’d heard him talk about you … both you and Brian. At that time you were still back on Earth and had no idea your father was even alive.”
“So what happened?” Jason asked.
“A mission … the destroyer I was on was attacked by a Craing cruiser. Three plasma blasts and the ship was done for … we had to ditch onto the nearest planet. Long story short, the ship was toast and I was the only survivor. It was over a year before I was rescued. Considering the Allied forces never took the time to look for me, I decided I’d forgo my obligation to return to military duty. In their eyes I was dead anyway.”
“But you’re not dead, and now I have to figure out what the hell to do with you.”
Hanna moaned. Her eyes opened and, in that instant, Jason realized he’d seen those same eyes before.
Suddenly, the world beneath their feet didn’t just shake, it dropped out from under them. Screams came from all directions. Anyone standing before was now either scrambling for something to hold on to, or was already on the ground.
“What the hell was that?” Jason asked, looking out at the sea of people who, like himself, were thrown down onto the hard surface of the concourse.
Chapter 21
Sol System
The Minian, Zoo Habitat 7
_________________
They were seated on thick blankets, back in the same subterranean ruins—in the same room as before. Candles were lit and flames flickered, causing shadows to dance on the stone walls and ornate columns. There was a faint sound of wind blowing above—off in the distance.
“Drink this,” Briar said.
“What is it? It looks gross.”
“Just drink it, Boomer … the less you think about it the better.”
Boomer held the steaming cup up to her nose. “It smells rank.”
Briar nodded. “As much as you can … come on, be a big girl.”
Boomer knew she should have told her father … spoken to him about the nomads and who Briar really was. And now she wanted her to drink this—whatever
it was … tea concoction. “Will the changes to me be reversimle …?”
“You mean reversible?”
“Yeah. Can I reverse things if I don’t like what it does to me?”
“No.”
“Maybe I should think about this … talk to my father first.”
Briar leaned back and stared at Boomer for several seconds. “As a Kahill Callan master, one, in time, learns to make potions. The Blues have many different potions for many different things. The liquid you’re holding in your hands … that mixture of herbs, minerals, and alien organic compounds, is called Jahhlorine … a transformation potion, which came from various planets, all around the galaxy. It took many lifetimes to accumulate and very little of it remains. You could not put a dollar amount on its value, especially since so many have died—not only to procure this potion, but in keeping it safe for over a thousand years. This is your one chance, your one opportunity, Boomer. You have been chosen, but you must make the ultimate choice whether or not to continue on yourself. I know it’s not an easy decision. And I won’t lie … things will never be the same for you.”
Boomer stared into the cup’s liquid and felt its hot, swirling mist on her cheeks. She put the cup to her lips and hesitated. Her eyes looked over the upper lip of the cup, holding Briar’s own. She slowly went ahead, drinking up its smelly contents, till not a drop remained.
She gasped. “That was really, really gross. I think I might hurl.”
Briar took the cup from her. “Don’t throw up, Boomer … think about something else. About your training.” Briar looked into the now empty cup.
“Did you have to drink this stuff, too?”
“Yes … I was older than you and I wasn’t able to swallow more than a few sips. I’m not sure anyone’s ever consumed a whole cup before … yuck, it’s disgusting.”
Boomer laughed and put a hand on her stomach. “I really feel like I’m going to be sick.”
Prince Aahil Aqeel entered the room without making the slightest noise. Boomer watched him approach, as if he were gliding. Perhaps it was the potion … maybe she was hallucinating? She placed the palm of her hand on her forehead and closed her eyes. “I feel funny.”
She opened her eyes again to see that the prince was now seated next to Briar. Both were smiling.
“Do you feel better?” Aahil asked.
“I think so. What happens now?”
Aahil did not reply right away. His smile was gone, replaced by a worried expression. “Boomer, your training is now more important than ever. And it must be expedited … quickened.”
“Why?”
“The Sahhrain are why. They are advancing again. And something else: They have taken your grandfather.”
“You mean my grandfather, the admiral?”
Aahil nodded.
“I need to tell my father … he’ll rescue him,” Boomer said, starting to get up.
“In the end, we believe only you can stop the Sahhrain. And only after more training.”
“Me? That’s crazy … I’m just a little kid. No! My father will do it.”
“Captain Reynolds will need your help. Boomer, the Sahhrain have great powers … powers beyond technology. Only one with Kahill Callan training can accomplish what will be necessary.”
“You are a master of Kahill Callan, right?” Boomer asked.
“Yes, I am a Tahli warrior.”
“And Briar, are you a Tally warrior, too?”
“It’s pronounced Tah-lee. And yes, just recently … but my training is still not complete; I still have much to learn from the prince here,” she replied, glancing at Aahil.
“Then why do you need me? I don’t understand,” Boomer said.
“Even before you took the potion, Boomer, you had amazing powers of your own. Perhaps from the events that transpired during your time realm ordeal last year … I do not know. But the potion will only enhance what was already preexisting within you. You, Boomer, are the one we have been looking for … you are our one last hope to alter what has been foreseen as the end of all that is good … the end of temperance throughout the universe. You too will become a Tahli warrior; you will make a stand against the evil one, called Lord Vikor Shakrim.”
“Even his name sounds scary,” Boomer said, looking apprehensive.
“Even he is unaware of his own true powers … his potential, and his profound influence on things to come within the galaxy.”
“How do you know all this … like about what happened to me with the time realms and what’s going to happen in the future?”
Briar said, “In time, you too will possess this ability, Boomer, as your training progresses. But it’s the Council of One that guides us and provides prophesies to us. They led us to you, Boomer. Again … you are our true one hope.”
“What if you’ve made a mistake? I don’t feel comfortable with everything you said,” Boomer said, feeling overwhelmed. She wanted to leave now; get away from this place … these people. She wanted her father.
Aahil held something up for her to see. “This is an enhancement shield. It is the weapon of a Tahli warrior. The Sahhrain have a very similar device.” Aahil flipped the small, curved triangular shaped, hubcap-sized object over, showing Boomer its underside. He slid his left forearm into two straps there, so the shield would stay securely on his arm. Briar reached behind herself and came up with another shield. She also fitted two straps onto her left forearm. They stood, removed their sandals, and walked to the middle open section of the room. They bowed their heads at each other and quickly took up a fighting stance.
They now had Boomer’s complete attention and she no longer wanted to leave.
Briar was the first to strike. She swung a kick out with her right foot, towards Aahil’s head—a roundhouse kick, like Boomer was familiar with. Aahil easily stepped away from it and countered with his own sidekick, which connected with Briar’s exposed right-side torso. So forceful was the blow, Briar was elevated several feet off the ground. Boomer caught Briar grimace as she sailed through the air. But she didn’t fall. She used the shield … got it pointed beneath her and somehow propelled herself up into the air, where she flipped back around, landing lightly on her feet.
“What?!” Boomer yelled, excitement now clearly evident on her face.
Briar was on the move again; this time, she used her shield to attack. With both hands behind the shield she pointed it directly at Aahil’s head, and punched it forward. In that instant, the shield produced a violet, wave-like, distortion—one that shot toward Aahil, but was deflected by his own shield at the very last moment.
Aahil countered with a shield blast of his own, directed toward Briar’s feet. She fell toward the ground, but again, at the very last second, she propelled herself upward, regained her footing, and attacked. Now both warriors were strictly using their shields—firing distortion blasts, one after another. Sparks flew as distortion waves were intersecting in front of them.
Boomer noticed while Briar was getting winded, her auburn hair wet and matted to her forehead, Aahil looked as fresh as when he first started out. Much of the time he wasn’t even looking at his opponent, he was looking over at Boomer.
“You, too, will learn the fighting ways of a Tahli warrior, Boomer,” Aahil said. “You then will be a master of Kahill Callan in your own right.” Still looking at Boomer, Aahil deflected several more distortion blasts from Briar, then used his shield to propel himself upward, into a backward flip, and landed on the back side of Briar. She was taken by surprise and it cost her. He used his shield—not only to elevate her several feet into the air—but to also restrict her movements. She looked paralyzed. Only her eyes moved and she blinked in succession several times until Aahil released her. She fell to the floor, hard, landing on her backside.
“Ouch, that hurt, Aahil!” she exclaimed, getting to her feet and rubbing her rear end.
Aahil continued, “Tomorrow your training begins, Boomer. By then, the potion will have altered your body’s physiolog
y enough so you can start working out with an enhancement shield.”
“I get one of those?” Boomer asked, pointing to the enhancement shield on Briar’s arm.
“Yes, we have one for you. Boomer … tonight you will notice certain things … changes. Do not be alarmed. Briar will be able to answer all of your questions. She will be your Kahill Callan instructor.”
“You won’t be teaching me?” Boomer asked.
“No. You will face-off with me only when Briar has taught you all that she can. And only when you can defeat her in battle. And that may take quite some time.”
Chapter 22
Alchieves System
Planet Trom, Cloud-Port E5926
_________________
The ground dropped beneath them again, this time even farther than the last time.
“Captain, I believe at least one, perhaps several, anti-gravity generators on this cloud-port have become disabled … perhaps from falling debris,” Ricket said, already back on his feet. “I need to get to those generators … perhaps they can be repaired.”
Jason stood. His main concern was with those in the field medical station. Dira was at Hanna’s side, along with Hanna’s deserter companion, Leon. The ground rumbled again and everyone stood braced, apprehensive.
“Hey, Captain …”
Jason turned to see Billy, jogging in his direction, accompanied by a Tromian. Both were stumbling every few steps due to the increasingly turbulent shaking.
“What is it, Billy?”
“This is Security Commander Larkbadder; in addition to being kept a prisoner here, he’s in charge of security, here and on other cloud-ports. He says one of the anti-gravity generators is giving out.”
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