by Linda Mooney
“Jules, you said we were nearing an orange cavern?” Kyber reminded him.
“Yeah. We’ve been steadily moving closer to it.”
“If we manage to reach it, we can use the panel to transport away from this section of the planet. If everyone is ready, we need to continue onward.”
Everyone agreed. Kelen wasn’t surprised when Fullgrath once more took the lead. Glancing behind her, she saw how Gaveer and Kleesod took turns dragging Tojun’s body between them. Wiping her face on her sleeve, she took her place in line, and they resumed their crawl through the small labyrinth.
Chapter 24
Orange
They lost all track of time and distance. She had no idea how long it had been since they last ate or slept, but they couldn’t afford to stop to do either. Not with Hoov and company trying to get at them. To the aliens, they were an escaped food source, and therefore invaluable. After one more brief stop to pass along the water bags, Jules reassured them they were making progress, but couldn’t tell them how much farther they had to go.
Kelen’s legs and hands had gone numb from the pain. She knew the others were in similar straits but no one complained. No one spoke, other than to ask for the water. Kleesod, Gaveer, and Massapa took turns dragging Tojun’s remains along at the back of the line.
Everyone gave sighs of relief when they finally reached the disguised end of the tunnel. Fullgrath lifted his blaster before checking the corridor, and Kelen felt her stomach clench in fear. Their nerves remained on edge as the big weapons master carefully eased his head through the doorway. Almost immediately, he sat back. “It’s another one of those lit tunnels,” he informed them. “It looks clear, as far as I can tell, and I didn’t hear anything suspicious.”
“Then we have been traveling northward,” Kyber surmised. “Jules, do we go right or left?’
“Umm, left.”
Kelen snorted. “Umm? First time I’ve ever heard you sound uncertain.”
“Bite me, Kel.”
“Glad someone still has a sense of humor around here,” Sandow remarked.
“Awright. I’m heading out. Let’s go.” Fullgrath exited into the lit corridor. Kelen winced as she got to her feet, stretching her back to work out the kinks and stiffness. She noticed the others also had difficulty standing up after their long crawl.
Now on their feet, they were able to move more quickly through the interconnecting tunnel, and soon reached the end. A check of the dark corridor showed it was also empty.
They advanced through the blackness. Only Fullgrath in front and Massapa at the rear used tube lights to keep watch on what might approach them from the depths of the corridor. Now that they were in the wider and taller tunnel, the Seneecians continued carrying their dead comrade over their shoulders.
She moved closer to Kyber, who placed a hand at her back. “You wish to say something to me?” he whispered, lowering his head.
“When we reach the orange room, we’ll be able to reach the temple from the panel there. I’m assuming we’ll take Tojun out onto the outcropping to give him last rites like you did for Verin. But when we finish, we won’t be able to use the panel in the temple. We’ll have to descend back down to a chamber with a working panel if we want to leave this area of the planet. We do want to leave here, don’t we?”
Kyber stopped abruptly. The rest of the group also halted, having overheard Kelen’s remark. She turned to face him.
“We haven’t really discussed this, but we want to leave this area, don’t we?”
“Do we want to try reaching the other third we haven’t seen yet?” Mellori added.
Kyber glanced around, taking in everyone’s questioning expressions. “Personally, I want to risk going to the third temple, if there is one.”
“Why not go back to the first temple?” Gaveer inquired.
“Eye worms. Click bugs. Big hairy whatchamacallits. I seem to vaguely recall those things coming after us,” Fullgrath reminded them with more than a hint of irony in his voice.
“We have Hoov and its people after us here,” Kleesod said.
“That third part of this world could be just as dangerous,” Kyber remarked.
“This whole freaking planet is one giant nightmare. I agree with you, Kyber,” Mellori admitted. “I don’t think there’s any place where we could be completely safe. It’s pretty much a crap shoot, no matter what we decide.”
Kyber’s brows lowered, an expression Kelen recognized. “He means our chances of survival are low no matter which part of this planet we go to,” she explained.
Her husband nodded. “I guessed that is what he meant. So what say you all? Do we return to the first temple? Or stay here? Or risk the third temple?”
“Third one,” a voice piped up.
Kelen grinned and raised a hand. “I vote with Dox. Third temple.”
“I dread to think what might be awaiting at the third temple,” Massapa confessed. “I vote we go back to the first temple. At least we know there is food there in the gardens, and it is warmer.”
“What about the eye worms?” Fullgrath queried.
“I would rather fight the smaller creatures than these big ones. The smaller ones move by instinct. Hoov’s people are intelligent, and therefore, in my opinion, much more dangerous.”
Fullgrath nodded. “You have a point, but I’d rather take my chances with door number three.”
The discussion ended with a quick vote. Mellori and Massapa chose to return to the first temple. Everyone else was willing to venture to the third one. Kleesod then broached the subject Kelen had initially brought up.
“After we send Tojun to the gods, will we be able to find our way to a chamber with a working transportation panel?”
“We have no other choice.”
“We could try to use a blaster to remove the ice from the panel in the temple,” Gaveer suggested.
Mellori was quick to object. “That’s a huge risk. We could melt the panel. Even if we did manage to remove the ice, the inner workings could be broken or non-responsive.”
A sound at the rear of the tunnel made them pivot around. “Move,” Kyber whispered. “Hurry.”
They rushed down the tunnel, trying to remain undetectable. Massapa kept his tube light off, leaving Fullgrath’s as their only source of illumination. It wasn’t difficult to tell they were gradually getting closer to the planet’s surface, as the temperature became colder.
Kelen paused. “It’s getting colder?”
Sandow nudged her to keep moving. She waved him away. “No. Listen. Think for a bit. Why is it getting colder?”
“We’re getting closer to the temple,” the physician explained.
“But we’re going into a cavern. It’s enclosed. It shouldn’t be getting this cold.”
“Heads up. Any moment, guys,” Jules breathily informed them. “We’re almost on top—”
“There it is,” Fullgrath said, pointing ahead.
The opening was barely visible. For a second, Kelen also wondered why the light wasn’t any brighter when she remembered the windows in the other orange room at the first temple. She sniffed and was certain she smelled the chill. “It must be nighttime.”
Sandow shushed them. “Let’s get out of this tunnel before whatever’s behind us catches up with us.”
Fullgrath continued forward, emerging first into the cavern. The man paused in the doorway, and his oath floated back to them.
“Holy smokes. What the hell happened in here?”
They moved to join him on the narrow slab of rock that marked the tunnel opening. Around her, Kelen heard the others’ gasps of surprise as they gathered together to gaze out into the room.
She had been correct when she’d guessed it was nighttime. But even when it was dark outside, the orange cavern at the first temple continued to be lit with a myriad of varied colored lights. There were no colored lights in this cavern. A handful of pale, washed-out globes barely emitted enough luminescence to enable them to see. And
what they saw was horrific.
“What hit this place?” Jules wondered aloud, shocked.
A bitter wind blew through the room, making them shudder. Kelen snuggled next to Kyber, using him as a shield against the gusts. Beside her, she heard Dox sigh loudly. “Ice,” the little man remarked as they continued to stare at the utter destruction inside the chamber.
Chapter 25
Abrupt
“Ice?” Massapa stepped closer to the edge of the rock ledge and pointed to the side of the cavern that was open to the abyss. Beneath where the wall should have been, debris covered the floor. Heaps of twisted metal and other material lay like miniature mountains, complete with snow-capped peaks.
Kelen turned her gaze to the cavern floor as the others climbed down the broken rock steps and spread out to inspect the machinery. “This place looks like it’s been abandoned for centuries.”
“Those ice quakes did some major damage,” Fullgrath remarked.
“Ice quakes, hell.” Mellori ran his hand over one cylinder, its exterior dented and scratched. “Not all of this mess was caused by natural forces. Someone or something came in here and demolished this place by hand.”
“How can you tell?” Kyber asked.
“Simple,” the engineer answered and pointed to the wrecked side of the cavern. “Seismic activity, the kind an ice quake or similar natural phenomenon causes, will rip stuff apart. Split walls and floors. See? Like these fissures here. Falling ice or snow would come in and pile up, crushing whatever’s beneath it. But this…” He threw a thumb back at the row of cylinders. “These are too far away from that wall to have been damaged by incoming ice. And they’re too high up off the floor. Something dented those pods. Look at ‘em.” He pointed to the ceiling. “Plus, the laws of physics tell us rocks falling from the roof aren’t able to travel sideways.”
“Hey, Mellori!” Fullgrath yelled at his fellow crew member. “Have you taken a gander outside recently? Have you realized the fact that this whole frecking planet is one giant exception to the laws of physics?”
Kyber broke in. “The damage here is unimportant. We need to find the transportation panel. Let us keep that as our main priority.” He glanced at Kelen, who continued to study the room. “Is there something that interests you?”
“No. Not interests. It’s confusing.”
“What’s confusing?” Sandow lifted an eyebrow in her direction.
“At the other temple, we determined the orange chamber was where the food was processed before it went to the apartments. We saw food in the purple rooms, but it couldn’t have come from here. This place looks like it hasn’t manufactured anything for…years.”
“Give the woman a cookie!” a voice declared from across the cavern.
Jules glanced up from his tablet. “Cooter!”
Kelen echoed his happy cry. “Cooter!” She hurried down the steps as the others rushed over to join the security officer.
Cooter clapped his hands as he laughed. “’Bout damn time you guys showed up! Hey, Dox! My rifle’s about empty. I need a recharge.”
“You have impeccable timing,” Sandow told him as the ex-head of security handed his weapon over to the young man. “First where Hoov’s people tried to ambush us, then at the red room.”
“Red room, huh? Is that what you’re calling that house of horrors where those giant insects were gnoshing on your friend over there?” The man suddenly grew serious. “Sorry I wasn’t able to get there sooner to help save him.”
Gaveer looked down at where he’d laid Tojun’s body. “You did what you could to try and save him. Although you were not successful, you were able to save us. For that, we are grateful.”
“How were you able to find us?” Massapa questioned.
Fullgrath gave a bark of laughter. “Cooter here is renowned on our world as a first class survivor, not to mention hunter and tracker. This guy could track a drop of rain in an ocean.”
Cooter brushed off the compliment. “Actually, I followed your heat signatures.” He held up a small device he pulled from his pocket. Kyber took it from him to examine.
“This is how you have been able to keep us in sight all this time?”
The security officer nodded with a grin. “Yeah.”
“Why have you not told us you had this with you?”
“Didn’t see why I should. Besides, Dox knew I had it. He threw it together for me at the last minute.”
They swiveled around to look at the little man, but Dox’s attention was focused on a piece of equipment he’d taken from the stockpile.
“Can you track Hoov and its people?” Sandow inquired.
Cooter frowned. “Nope. Those devils don’t throw out any kind of heat sig. But at least they make enough noise to forewarn me when I get too close.”
Kyber motioned over to where Jules was scanning the room with his tablet, apparently looking for the panel. “We were able to pinpoint Hoov using the wavelengths coming from its translation necklace, but we cannot account for the others.”
“Hey, Jules!” Sandow called out. “Any luck yet finding that panel?”
Jules answered with a shake of his head. “It’s in here somewhere.”
“Let’s just hope it hasn’t been sabotaged like these cylinders,” Kelen murmured.
“Have you seen it, Cooter?” the physician asked point-blank.
“Sorry. I’ve been too busy trying to keep up with you guys. I ran across this place a few hours ago, but I haven’t had the chance to explore it.” He pulled out his water bag from inside his uniform. After a couple of swallows, he emptied it. “We need to find something to sustain us, and quickly.”
“That may be easier said than done,” Fullgrath remarked.
Kelen peered around them. “So you’re pretty sure this orange room wouldn’t contain any food or water, Mellori?”
“Hasn’t in our lifetimes, no. I’m willing to bet on it.”
“Our survival is paramount,” Kyber intervened. “While finding the panel is our top priority, so is water. Sandow, can we drink the water if we melt the snow?”
“Already tested it. Yes. Both the ice and the snow are drinkable.”
Kelen adjusted the setting on her blaster. “Potable water coming up.” Pulling out her water bag, she checked around her. “Wish I had something bigger to hold it so we could fill all our bags. Guess for now I’ll have to refill ‘em one at a time. Everybody, turn over your water bags.”
Gaveer tossed his at her feet. “Can I help?”
“Grab a gun. Put it at its lowest setting so we can melt this ice.”
The Seneecian left to get a weapon. Pocketing hers, Kelen went over to the opening in the cavern wall to retrieve what she hoped would be the least tainted chunks of ice to melt. She paused to gaze out at the open expanse that defied description. At the sheer drop through the core of the planet and beyond into space. Holding onto one crumbling edifice, she leaned over to get a better view.
There was nothing but the darkness of the universe and its multitude of tiny lights coming from the stars and planets in this part of the galaxy. As far down as she could tell, all she could see was the sheer face of this world. If I was able to fall all the way down, would I end up back at the first temple? Are we sitting on opposite poles? For that matter, where could the third temple be located? What kind of view would I find there?
A whoop of joy rang out behind her. “I found it, guys! Over here!”
Kelen turned, searching for where Jules was located on the opposite side of the cavern. Several meters away, Gaveer strode toward her, his hands full of water bags.
The ground heaved. The cavern shuddered. She grabbed for something to steady herself, but footing was slippery on the ice-covered rocks and debris. A rolling roar of another landslide approached like a monster galloping toward them. Kelen tried to twist her body to land on the cavern floor, when the ground cracked. A fissure beneath her feet that had been barely a few centimeters wide suddenly shifted, split, and she fou
nd herself tumbling into a meter-wide crack.
Kelen scrabbled for a handhold. Panic and fear nearly overwhelmed her as she found herself sliding inexorably downward. Her fingers caught a small piece of rock jutting out of the wall and she clung to it. She heard Kyber scream her name. A moment later, he was on his belly, reaching for her. Anguish painted his face and his eyes were wide with terror.
“Kelen! Grab my hand! Grab my hand!”
She tried, but he was too far away. She scraped the walls with her boots, searching blindly for a toehold. Her feet dangled over open air and she was too frightened to look down. She had no idea what was directly beneath her, or how far she could fall. A mental image of herself plummeting into the vast emptiness of space froze her blood.
“Kyber!”
He scooted forward, trying to reach her. “Grab my hand!” Behind him, Massapa and Kleesod held his legs as he crawled over the edge.
“Hold on! Let me try this! Kelen!” Cooter rolled over and shoved his rifle down the narrow slit. “Grab the gun!”
Taking a deep breath, she swung an arm up, but like Kyber’s arm, the weapon was just beyond reach. Cooter bent over at the waist, pushing the rifle further. Kelen managed to wrap her fingers around the end of the barrel, but she couldn’t keep her grip. Frantic, she pressed her fingers into the rock.
“I can’t!” she gasped. “I can’t hold on!”
“Kelen!” Kyber threw himself deeper into the crack. “Kelen, reach for me! Reach up, my one!”
Her strength was gone. Fear and adrenaline were all that prevented her from falling.
She stared up at Kyber, who was shaking from the exertion. Above him, Fullgrath had joined the others to stop him from sliding headfirst down with her.
“Kelen!”
She cried out and threw a hand toward him. Their fingers brushed, then her palm slapped the wall. She began sliding downward.
Desperate, Kyber extended his talons and hooked them into the back of her hand. Kelen shrieked as his claws pierced through her flesh and tendons, but it stopped her slow slide backwards. Hot blood flowed down her arm, and pain exploded through her arm as Kyber tried to draw her up far enough to where he could grasp her other hand or uniform.
