“Sir, Ziton Base is being hit by the Northern Faction.”
“So much for the promise of cease fire,” Glenda said, helping Kate fit into her dress.
“Sir, they attacked the transport as they left the Leif Erikson with Jhovahkan.” The aid continued, “The report is that the transport crash landed on the surface of Ziton just three clicks from an emergency entrance.”
“Did they get Jhovahkan?” Qiaoshan asked with worry on his face.
“Our rescue ship landed at the crash site and the report there was no one on board.”
“Make sure they keep looking for the survivors… I know they are out there… those life suits only have six hours of support,” Qiaoshan said.
Kate stepped down from her pedestal, nearly tripping on the long flowing gown. “Qiaoshan… have we heard any word on Jhahnahkan? He’s been out in that jungle for hours.”
Qiaoshan turned to Kate. “No word from him… but he is a capable man… I know he is alright too.”
“If we are truly under attack by the North,” Kate began, “Ackturra needs their high council leader so we can put a stop to this senseless fighting.”
Luanren stepped over to Kate, interrupting her. “They choose to fight… a fight we shall give them… they feel empowered by breaking their former leader free. Now that Jhovahkan has escaped, it is likely that he will be plotting revenge soon.” Luanren paused for a moment as she thought, “We must make preparations to counter this attack.”
“No!” Kate shouted. “Jhahnahkan would not have wanted this civil war… we need to communicate to them to stop the fighting.”
“They will not listen to you. I am the high priestess now,” Luanren said with a pride in her voice that no one expected.
“No!” Kate said sternly. “I read up on Ackturrian law… the high priestess falls on the high council leader’s mate.”
The entire room stood still as they listened to Kate and her unusual authority.
“Since Qiaoshan is no longer the high council leader, and Jhahnahkan is… that makes me the high priestess since I am his mate,” Kate said, perching her hands high on her hips.
Qiaoshan and Luanren gave each other a stare of unbelief.
“She is right, you know,” the aid said.
“You stay out of this,” the pair said at the same time.
“I am taking command until Jhahnahkan returns!” Kate said again.
“There is no further denying the facts.” Qiaoshan said to Luanren. “We both know she is legally the high priestess; second in command of the high council only to the leader.”
“Then we have lost already,” Luanren said with defeat.
“Why do you say we have lost?” Kate asked. “We do not even know if Jhovahkan has been set free…” she paused, looking at the two. “For all we know, he did not escape and they are holding him at the Ziton Base.”
“She is right again, you know,” the aid confirmed. “The report never said he did in fact escape. An attempt on his release we know for sure, but until we have proof he is now in command of the North Faction, he should be considered missing.”
“Relay a direct order,” Kate said addressing the council aid, “do not fire on any Northern faction’s ship. They are to only defend themselves, but not to attack or pursue.”
“Yes, ma’am. Anything else, ma’am?”
“Yes…” she said looking at Qiaoshan. “Prepare a search party to look for Jhahnahkan… he has been gone too long with no contact in my opinion.”
The two stared at each other as Kate tested her new authority with the former leader.
“You heard her,” Qiaoshan said. “You are to follow her every order until Jhahnahkan has returned to the council.
“Yes, sir… I mean yes, ma’am,” the nervous aid said as he turned to deliver the orders.
“You know that this is what Jhahnahkan would want,” Kate said. “He believes in peace… I will up hold my mates values for as long as possible.”
“We will find him my daughter.”
“I will still seek your advice, Qiaoshan.”
“I know… as long as we celebrate peace.”
“At all cost.” Kate said continuing her authority.
“We should fortify the palace, ma’am,” Luanren addressed their new high priestess.
“Agreed,” Kate said. “Strengthen our every border on the palace grounds. Send as many guards as you can afford to patrol outside the gates. I also want reconnaissance of any approaching ground forces heading to the palace.”
“Yes ma’am,” Luanren said with the utmost respect as she turned to leave.
“Luanren,” Kate said causing her to stop and turn back to face her. “Nothing changes between us…” she said reassuringly. “You know this is the right thing to do… feel it in your heart and mind.” She said holding her hands up to her heart.
Luanren stared back at Kate with a tear forming in her eye. She thought, I do know, my dear.
Kate answered back with her own mind. I knew you did… I could feel it.
Luanren became motionless, You just spoke to my mind.
I know it… I felt I could now… I don’t know how or why, but I can control what I can hear with my mind… all of a sudden.
“It is the effect that we told you about,” Qiaoshan said. “You are able to use powers that are present in all of us… it is just the air on Ackturra that helps us to learn them.”
“The same presence that gives us renewed life.” Glenda added. “I feel like I could also select a thought to listen too.”
“You are all subject to these effects. We all should begin to train you to learn new skills.”
The time will come for us to train, Kate once again thought. For now we must focus on our immediate concern: stopping this civil war.
The crew all left to perform the tasks assigned while Glenda helped Kate out of her test fitting.
* * *
Ackturrian Jungle
Year: 2983
The two Klendessa’s wrestled above Jhahnahkan and Helen. He tried with all his focus to open the vortex to teleport them back to the palace but he was not able. It seemed as if a tiny spark of a vortex began to open, but he wasn’t able to control it.
Helen, seeing that the vortex was not working, held her good arm out and put up a force shield above them. “I do not have much strength…” she said with a struggle. “I will hold this for as long as I can.”
“I need to keep concentrating on the vortex, Jhahnahkan said with exasperation.
“Keep trying…” Helen begged. “Do not give up.”
Jhahnahkan relaxed for a moment and took a deep breath and exhaled while focusing on the one very most important person in his life, Katie. He thought of the love he had for her. He tried to keep his mind away from the danger above them that was merely inches from being able to make them their dinner special.
The spark of the beginning of the vortex opened just above them and gradually increased in size. Just then, Helen let down her arm and terminated the shield.
One Klendessa knocked the other backward, which offset the one beast causing him to fall back into the raging river and was swept downstream.
The remaining Klendessa then turned its attention to the two below, and swung at them with a mighty swipe of its tri-claw.
The emotions were running very high already in Jhahnahkan, but now that Helen dropped her shield and the beast was mid-swing, he found the energy, through his adrenaline, to complete the teleportation. The two vanished collapsing the power energy and closing the vortex field, leaving the Klendessa empty handed.
* * *
Leif Erikson
Year: 2983
Acoth continued to fire on the Northern fleet from the bridge of the Leif Erikson. The fleet was nearly above the base doors as they completed rolling open, but there was just enough room between the ships and the Leif for them to launch. The ship slowly rose above ground and entered the fight making the battle almost even. The frigate joi
ned second behind the Leif and took the west position, and fired their weapons at the Northern ships. The other three southern ships entered the fight from the east. The southern fleet was now almost surrounding the northern ships. The Allegiance, Griffin, and Liberator covered the east. The turrets surrounded the entire base perimeter and all fired upon the northern ships in syncopation. The Leif stayed dead south while The Eastern remained on their west side. The northern ships, not able to compete with the new firepower that had arrived, turned and headed away from the Ziton base and out of weapons range.
The captain of the northern fleet gave the order to engage the crystal net causing the five cruisers to vanish from view and scanners.
Acoth gave the word over the com channel. “Cease fire!”
All the southern ships obeyed his command and all weapons fire stopped.
“They will be back,” Acoth said to his crew.
“At least we saved the base sir,” his first officer commented.
“Save nothing!” he barked back. “Now that the north faction has our base location, we can expect a larger fleet to arrive… unless we can convene the rest of our southern fleet to return to base, we may not survive another attack.”
“Anything on the scanners?” Poratar asked of the tactical crew.
“No northern ships are detected… there is no telling where they are now.”
“I guarantee they are still out there…” Acoth said in a gruff voice. “They’re just watching us to see how we react.”
“I just received a new report from the search team.”
“Go on,” Acoth said, turning to his tactician.
“They found Dammoru, Phash, and the others from the transport. They were within a half click from the emergency entrance when they were spotted… they are on their way back to the base now.”
“What about their prisoner?” Acoth asked.
“No, sir. They report Jhovahkan is not with them.”
“Then it is certain they got him back to the northern fleet,” Poratar said.
“We can all expect a very tough fight now they have their leader back,” Acoth said with a disgusting tone.
“We also just received new orders from the high command,” the com officer said turning to their captain.
“Report!” Poratar ordered.
“We are not to engage the northern fleet… uphold the cease fire… only fire weapons to defend, do not pursue.”
“Have they lost their minds?” Acoth said.
“Orders are orders…” Poratar countered.
“I do not follow orders blindly… that has a tendency to lose lives…” Acoth said with his arms crossed over his chest. “I need you to confirm that message originated from the High Command.”
“Yes, sir!” the com officer said as he busily pressed buttons and engaged the computer to verify the signal.
“In the meantime,” he continued. “We will do just that… defend this base and create a blockade. That will help to conserve our resources. Get them to bring the fight here where we have the home team advantage.”
“Sir,” the com officer interrupted, “I have a message from the high command on an open channel… they are broadcasting on all frequencies… this message is for both sides.”
“Put it on the main screen,” Poratar ordered.
The image came to life showing Kate in the full dress of the High Priestess in order to have the greatest effect on the message she was about to transmit.
“Fellow Ackturrians…” she began. “I have taken over responsibility as the new High Priestess of Ackturra. I am fulfilling the written Ackturrian law that gives me this right. I am mate of our leader Jhahnahkan and I carry his child as proof of our bond.”
Poratar began to comment on the impending doom he now felt when Acoth stopped him abruptly, “Quiet now! I want to hear what she has to say before we jump to any conclusions.”
“It is written… so shall it be done!” Kate shouted with resolve.
Qiaoshan and Luanren were standing behind Kate to show everyone they broadcast too, their support in what Kate was saying.
“My Fellow Ackturrians… I hereby order all ships, both north and south factions, to end all hostilities… We will meet with every department head on both sides and lay out a plan to continue in peace… Jhahnahkan, our new leader has vowed to uphold the peace agreement originally signed when he first took office.”
Kate continued to relay in her message that they will begin talks in one hour and will broadcast any additional news on the talks as they become available. She also indicated that after a full peace agreement has been made, their next move was to send a peace convoy to Karillia, their closest planet in this system. There, they will begin talks on rebuilding their relationship. She expressed the concern that those talks would be difficult, but not impossible to achieve if done in the right manner.
The channel soon faded as Kate signed off with her last words of encouragement that this civil war would soon be a thing of the past as we begin to forge ahead in a new direction that would ensure success.
Kate stepped down from the podium and gave both Qiaoshan and Luanren a hug.
“Thank you for supporting me,” Kate said.
“The only way we can end the fighting, is by standing together and to show both sides that we are genuine in wanting to resolve this,” Qiaoshan said.
Kate could hardly finish her sentence when the door burst open followed by Jhahnahkan carrying Helen as he rushed into the room.
He laid her down on the floor and called for some help. Kate and the rest ran over to their aid. Glenda grabbed a pillow from the chair next to her and placed it under Helen’s head. She was barely conscious and mumbling something about kill and wretched woman over and over.
“She apparently fell off a cliff with Ghaia into the raging river,” Jhahnahkan began, “she has a broken wrist… that is all I know.”
“You invoked a vortex?” Luanren asked with a start.
“Yes… with the help of Helen here…”
“What do you mean? What happened?” Kate asked.
“Nothing too major… We just ran into a couple of tri-claw Klendessa’s.”
“A tri-claw what?” Glenda asked.
“They are the Klendessa and live in the jungle,” Qiaoshan said. “They can range from ten to fifteen feet tall. They are meat eaters…many have fallen prey to them.”
Kate only could give a blank stare at Jhahnahkan in disbelief, and then turned her attention to Helen and her wrist. She reached out and took her hand and placed her other hand on her wrist. A white glow came from Kate’s hands and traveled into Helen. She continued to hold her for several minutes with her eyes closed. Then without notice, she released her arm.
Helen sat upright and asked where she was as she rubbed her wrist.
“You healed her wrist?!” Glenda exclaimed.
“It feels fine to me too…” Helen stated as she picked herself off the ground. “Good as new honey… much appreciated.”
Kate looked at her hands and shook her head, “This is incredible,” she began. “I just felt as if I knew how to heal and take her pain away.”
Jhahnahkan sized Kate up and down looking at the high priestess dress, “Did I miss much?” he said, looking into his love’s eyes.
Kate raised her index finger in the air as if counting events. “Just a little civil war, Jhovahkan escaping and an all-out firefight at the Ziton Base, a transport chased by fighters and then crashing on the Ziton surface, and the subsequent rescue of the crash survivors… other than that, it’s been pretty quiet.”
Kate continued to explain to Jhahnahkan all of the details so he would be fully prepared for the conference as the delegates all had been gathered and were waiting for their leader to enter the room.
He opened the door of the conference and entered the room with confidence. Kate was close behind and slightly leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “Did I mention that Acoth took your ship out for a quick spin?”<
br />
“Well, he had better not have scratched it,” he whispered back with a smile. “I’m sure that he had good reason to fly her… We shall get a full report after this conference.”
Jhahnahkan had prearranged to have each flag ship captain patched in for the conference. R'ihia, the first officer and acting captain on the Kalentun represented by the North and Acoth, the commander of the Ziton Base, represented the South.
“Let this meeting come to order,” Jhahnahkan began.
He was dressed in full white military dress. His metals hung on his chest with pride. The golden colored chevrons that were fixed to his shoulders held in place his black flowing cloak. The look created the illusion of making their leader’s presence stand out among the rest that were seated in the room.
“I will first open by addressing the North leadership,” Jhahnahkan began, “reveal the location of Jhovahkan… he is wanted by the high council for attempted murder.” R'ihia broke the silence over the intercom. “We do not have our leader… release him to us immediately!”
“We do not have him either,” Jhahnahkan said with disbelief. “We did not recover him from the transport crash site… the report from the commanding officer in charge of the transport mission verifies that he was teleported off the crashed transport.”
“We do not have him!” R'ihia said coldly. “None of our captains received any training on the vortex… we did not take him.”
“We will take you at your word, R’ihia,” Jhahnahkan offered. “Stop the hostilities between factions. Honor your agreement for a ceasefire… peace is the only way we can overcome our differences… I have ordered all southern factions to only defend themselves if attacked but not to pursue any northern ships.”
“We cannot settle our differences with peace!” R’ihia said. “Only when the south surrenders to our demands will we stop the hostilities.”
“I do not listen to threats, R’ihia!” Jhahnahkan replied. “You must give us a good faith promise to honor the agreement… only then will I listen to any of your demands.”
“The north faction is strong! You will not overcome… We will rule the galaxy… Then you will have your peace.”
Secret of the Crystal - Omnibus Edition Books 1-3 (Time Travel Adventure) Page 33
