The Karillian ship turned course and approached the shuttle. They fired weapons at a few Zelinite fighters in pursuit and knocked them out fairly quickly.
“That was the last of the Zelinite fighters. As far as their cruiser, there is nothing much left of that either.”
“Secure from general quarters,” Lanatek ordered. “This Zelinite threat is over.”
“Standing down from battle stations... I have alerted the rest of the Karillian fleet as well.”
“Outstanding job, everyone,” Lanatek praised. “Bring that shuttle into our launch bay. I am sure that Tamika and her mother are on board.”
“A tenacious lot they are, sir,” the com officer added, “I just confirmed that it is them. However, Luanren is declaring a medical emergency.”
Lanatek barked orders to the medical department to have a complete emergency staff ready at the shuttle bay.
When the shuttle finally set down and the bay was pressurized, the medical team rushed in to assist.
Luanren raised the canopy on the shuttle and unbuckled the two of them. Tamika lay unconscious in the copilot seat. The medical team reached the shuttle and helped remove her limp body onto a gurney and wheeled her out of the bay and rushed to medical.
Lanatek met Luanren as she exited the bay, moving with the medical team; she wasn’t about to leave her daughter’s side, especially after Tamika had saved her from her half brother’s spell and now after they survived the ordeal with the Zelinites.
Lanatek put his hand on Luanren’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze.
“I am sure Tamika will be all right,” Lanatek said, trying to convince the distraught mother.
“You do not understand what it is that ails her,” Luanren said as tears welled up under her eyes.
“What happened over there anyway?” Lanatek asked.
“I am certain history has been changed,” she said reluctantly. “I can only hope for the better.”
“We had thought you two would have been killed by that Zelinite cruiser. So we made our way to Karillia, formed our alliance, and enlisted the help of one of their fleets to seek out that Zelinite. The bonus is we got you two back.”
Lanatek and Luanren looked on through the medical bay’s glass as the technicians worked on Tamika.
“What happened to Tamika?”
“She has been infected by what the Zelinites call the Rune.”
“She looks terrible but similar to the transformation Jhovahkan has begun to make.”
“Yes,” Luanren said with fear, “the Rune is what infected the crystals on Ackturra a thousand years ago, or to us it has not happened yet or it might be happening. It makes me crazy to think about what has happened.”
“You are referring to the time travel. We know. The Karillian’s do not know. We kept that silent. Once we landed at Karillia, it was obvious that there had been a shift in time.”
“Did you see the cylinder that was launched?” Luanren asked. “Did you destroy it?”
“No,” Lanatek said with hesitation, “it sped away out of range. It is heading for Ackturra.”
“Oh no!” Luanren said, facing Lanatek. “We have got to stop that from reaching Ackturra. That will infect the crystals, and our history will not be altered for the better.”
“I am afraid it is too late. We cannot catch it. It is traveling much too fast.”
“We must!”
“By the time we could intercept it, it will have already reached Ackturra.”
“Can we warn them it is coming?”
“I am afraid not. These communication arrays and this older technology, there is no way to send a warning. Even if it did reach Ackturra in time, they would not have enough time to react, even if they believed the message.”
“You are right,” Luanren said, lowering her head. “They do not even know who I am.”
“We need to focus on making Tamika better,” Lanatek said, once again turning to the viewing glass.
The medical officer left the medical bay and approached Luanren. “We cannot figure out why she is paralyzed. Maybe you can shed some light on her condition.”
“He is okay, ma’am,” Lanatek assured Luanren. “He is from the Crytore. He is one of us.”
“We must be very careful. No one from this timeline must know we are from the future.”
“Understood, ma’am,” Dr. Nangl said.
“This device,” Luanren said as she pulled out the Zelinite weapon, “is called a hypnotic controlling mesmerizer. We stole three of them from the Zelinites. You fire this at someone and they instantly are paralyzed. I am not even sure how long the effects last. They used it on us when we were captured.”
“That will explain the paralytic state she is in,” Dr. Nangl said with a puzzled look. “But what about the other effects—the yellow eyes, gray skin, and her hair?”
“All effects from the Rune. That is an evil thing. The Zelinites do not even fully understand what it is, but that is the same thing that has infected all of the crystals on Ackturra,” Luanren said, looking on at her daughter. “The Rune has some kind of power over those who come in contact with it. However, some are immune to its effects, like me and the Zelinite captain. I also get the feeling that it does not originate from Zelinite. Milanaka, their captain, could not tell us very much about it. My guess is it came from an asteroid that impacted Zelinite. It produces some kind of radioactivity, something we have never encountered before. This Rune is just a fraction of a larger Rune down on their home world. It took them hundreds of years to obtain any understanding, and it is also a power source.”
“I am sure we can find a cure for this infection,” the doctor said with confidence.
“In the meantime,” Lanatek said, “we need to keep a constant watch on her.”
“Agreed,” the doctor added. “I will take samples of her blood and run a full gambit of tests.”
“Luanren,” Lanatek said, “accompany me to the bridge. We are going to try and track that thing. At least we can try.”
Luanren gave him a smile as they made their way to the bridge. Lanatek gave the order to increase speed to maximum, and the helm plotted a course to Ackturra.
“We need to break away from the fleet. We could make better time that way. Give the order for the rest of the Karillian fleet to continue patrolling these sectors and watch for any Zelinites. Their orders are to intercept and prevent them from reaching Ackturra.”
The Doletitheus, the Karillian battleship, increased speed with the completion of their course change to Ackturra. Its engines blasted them to the ship’s maximum velocity nearing slipstream, but the thousand-year-old technology made it impossible to break that barrier. Their current speed would bring them into orbit around Ackturra in less than twelve hours.
Luanren talked with Lanatek and brought him up to speed on the events that had occurred since they separated to pass the time.
“Sir,” the helm said, “we are approaching Ackturra.”
“Maintain radio silence for the time being,” Lanatek ordered. “Do you have the Rune on your scanners?”
“Yes, sir, but we are still out of range. It just entered the atmosphere and is heading to the Crystal Caverns.”
The people of Ackturra looked up on the bright morning and saw an object racing across the red sky. The Rune descended, leaving a contrail behind, and then it impacted into the Crystal Caverns, causing a tremendous explosion followed by an earthquake that shook the ground, shaking the crystals inside the cavern.
The brightly colored crystals suddenly began to turn colors as the Rune infection spread throughout the cavern while others shattered and broke into thousands of pieces and then fell to the ground, covering the ground with its crystal remnants.
“Captain,” Dr. Nangl said over the intercom, “Tamika is gone!”
“What!” Lanatek and Luanren said almost at the same time.
“Sir,” his first officer exclaimed, “we have an unauthorized departure from the shuttle bay.”
“S
top that ship from leaving!” Lanatek shouted.
“Too late, Captain, it is already away.”
Tamika sat at the controls of the shuttle as she made her way into Ackturrian orbit. Her eyes were now colored yellowish red, and her skin continued to change to gray. She had an evil smile on her face as she flew her shuttle with an extreme sense of urgency.
“What is her present course?” Luanren asked in desperation.
“She is heading to the Crystal Caverns, ma’am.”
* * *
Chapter 13 – Together We Stand
Earth
Year: 1983
Jhahnahkan sat on the sand in the desert with his master crystal suspended out in front of him. He was communing with Roth’stavous, standing together within the sphere within his mind, searching for a clue for the direction he should pursue.
Helen entered the sphere with him and approached the two.
“There is something disturbing you, my grandson,” Helen said.
“Yes,” Jhahnahkan said, “something terrible has just occurred. I feel evil upon us and our quest.”
“Roth’stavous,” Helen asked, “what do you see?”
“The infection has occurred once again,” he slowly answered.
“We are too late, my grandmother,” Jhahnahkan said with fear in his voice. “I sense more trouble… it is my sister… Roth’stavous, what can you tell me of my sister? I feel she is in grave danger.”
“She is,” Roth’stavous answered. “Helen, the timeline has changed… you must be aware of this…”
“Yes…” Helen answered, “I do feel that the timeline has changed. The Zelinites are not at war with us. We are at war with them. Something has happened to change this. I do not know how this could be.”
“It is Tamika,” Roth’stavous answered. “There was an accident. They were sent back to this time, pulled to this time by you, Jhahnahkan. The crystals have been infected once again. But now Ackturra is the aggressor, not the Zelinite.”
“How do you know this Roth’stavous?”
“Your sister has entered the Crystal Caverns, and a crystal has chosen her. Since we are all of one mind, I know what she knows, but there is a perilous downside.”
“If she knows about us, so will your brother,” Helen stated.
“I have kept my brother’s mind from finding us and knowing our plans,” Jhahnahkan reassured.
“Yes, you have been successful by keeping your location secret from your brother through me,” Roth’stavous said. “But you were not aware that your sister has now once again claimed a power crystal. She has been infected. Your brother will soon know through her as this change ripples across the timeline and reaches his point.”
“I seek to know what I must do from you, Roth’stavous,” Jhahnahkan said. “Can the timeline be restored?”
“This is something that I cannot tell you. This is an unforeseen event. However, there is an ancient starship here on terra firma. I brought you here to assist you in preventing the Rune infection. This was the original plan,” Roth’stavous answered. “I will guide you and transport you there. It has been perfectly preserved. It was left behind by your ancestors when they left to find a new home in the event that those who were left behind would change their minds and rejoin as one race. Its existence has been forgotten over the many millennia.”
“How was Tamika able to teleport back in time without the use of a power crystal?” Jhahnahkan asked.
“Your sister and your mother have special abilities that allow them to perform many tasks that they normally would only be able to do with a crystal,” Roth’stavous cautiously answered. “Go now. Assemble your team. Prepare them for what lies ahead. You will know what to do.”
With that, the sphere vanished, and Jhahnahkan was left sitting in the sand with Helen standing over him. He reached out and took his crystal from before him and tucked it away inside his cloak.
He stood and faced his grandmother. Tears had begun to stream down his cheeks as he sobbed for his sister. Helen wrapped her arms around her grandson and comforted him as he continued to feel the shock of what Roth’stavous had told them. He couldn’t bear the thought of his little sister falling for this evil, worse yet that she could be the cause of what had happened to the timeline. There has to be more to it than this. There has to be a way to fix what has happened, to reverse this corruption, and hopefully cure the crystal infection, he thought to himself.
“You should guard your thoughts, my grandson,” Helen said to him. “You think very loudly when you are distressed. You must be mindful of the power you have obtained through your master crystal.”
He released Helen from her hold and held her out before him with his hands on her shoulders and answered back, “It is too easy to communicate this way. Tamika showed me how. I was able to do this even before I had a crystal, but now this same corrupt power that I felt with her crystal back on Ackturra, the same power that I tried to warn her about that something was not right, has taken her.” Jhahnahkan continued to project to Helen with his mind as he held back more tears. “I know my sister. She did not intend to do evil. I know it.”
“Yes, Jhahnahkan,” Helen projected with her mind, “I know. She is not evil. Your brother is not evil. Remember, it is not them that are evil. It is the infected crystals in the cavern that have turned them to this evil. They are the root cause.”
“No, my grandmother, the crystals are not evil. The Rune is evil. That is what has made the crystals corrupt.”
“You will find the answer, my grandson. I know you will. You are the chosen one.”
Jhahnahkan and Helen walked back to where the others had been sleeping; it was morning now. Rex and Glenda were cuddled by the dying fire. Helen poked them with her cane to wake them while Jhahnahkan went inside the shack to awaken Kate.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” he said as he stroked her forehead with the back of his hand. He brushed her hair away from her eyes, and she opened them, looked up, and gave him a big smile.
“Jhahnahkan,” she said in a groggy voice, “how long have you been up? What time is it?”
“I have been up for hours,” he said in a soft voice. “You slept for hours. It is after eight. You needed the sleep. You have been through a lot. Your body is still healing from your wounds.”
“I… I will be fine. I did need the sleep, and I do feel much better today,” she said as she rose up to give him a hug and a kiss.
Jhahnahkan hesitated for a moment and then returned the affection.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “What is troubling you? Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not at all,” he answered, again holding back tears.
“Then tell me what it is.”
“Something terrible has happened. The Crystal Caverns have been corrupted. We missed our mark and did not prevent the infection. Now the timeline has been altered, and my sister has been infected by something that Roth’stavous calls the Rune.”
“Oh no!” she exclaimed. She reached up and took a hold of him by his face and looked deep inside his eyes. “Share with me your pain. I can take it away.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know why or how. Maybe it’s because I have been exposed to the crystal, or maybe it’s because we shared something special last night, but I can. I know I can.”
She continued to peer inside his eyes and reached down deep within. She could feel the pain that had welled up. She could feel the transfer of his knowledge that Roth’stavous had shared with him. She took the pain and absorbed it from him, and he relaxed and sat motionless for a few moments.
Kate let go of her hold and fell back on the bed; tears poured down her face as she bore the dreadful pain that Jhahnahkan held on to since the beginning of his journey. After a few moments, the pain that she took from him left, and she sat up with a big smile on her face once again.
She poked Jhahnahkan in the ribs. “Hey, don’t you feel all better now?”
He opened
his eyes and took in a deep sigh of relief. “Yes, I do feel much better now. How about you?”
“No ill effects. Seems I can take painful emotions away.”
“Like empathy.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Come on, let us join the rest of the team. I have a plan,”
“See, you are thinking much better now that you have given me your pain.”
“Yes, it would seem so.”
The two got up from the bed and walked out to meet with the others. Helen had made breakfast for them consisting of rice and eggs. The five of them sat together and shared the morning meal. Kate informed the others that Jhahnahkan had a plan and would share it with them shortly.
Jhahnahkan stood after they finished their morning meal. He had a look of direction and purpose on his face as he faced his friends.
“It is time for us to depart,” he began. “This will be a time of great uncertainty. Therefore, I must again warn each of you that there may be peril in what we are to do. If any of you feel you do not wish to continue, that would be all right. I will understand completely.”
Rex was the first one to step forward. “Are you kiddin’ me? You can’t get rid of us that easy, mister.”
“That’s right,” Glenda said, joining Rex. “I’m in!”
Helen and Kate stood together, joined hands, and also stepped forward. “We are all with you, Jhahnahkan,” Kate said. “United we stand.”
“I may be a foolish old woman, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve as well,” Helen said, tapping her cane on the ground.
“Very well then,” Jhahnahkan said with an affirming resolve. “Roth’stavous has shown me that there was a starship left behind by my ancestors. We shall use this to reach Ackturrian space and then to evaluate the situation.”
“How long will that journey take?” Glenda asked.
“With the use of the master crystal, we shall be able to transport within minutes.”
“Oh, this is going to be so exciting,” Glenda added.
“Just remember this is going to be a very difficult journey. I still do not know what we shall find or what exactly to do once we do get there.”
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