“Computer,” Sam nonchalantly said, “the patient needs rest… put him to sleep…”
“Jhahnahkan … do something… do not let them…” his brother began to say as he drifted off.
“Sweet dreams, my brother,” Jhahnahkan said with a smile as he left for the bridge.
* * *
Leif Erikson Orbiting Karillia
Year: 2983
The Leif Erikson continued to orbit around Karillia as the crew continued to search for life on this once thriving world.
Jhahnahkan returned to the bridge where he took his seat at the command post relieving Lanatek.
“Glenda, report,” he ordered coldly.
“What is wrong my husband?” Kate asked as she turned to examine her lover.
“The situation is more grave than we first thought… I will inform you all of the situation in a moment… but for now, have we found any sign of life down on Karillia?”
Glenda turned to her commander and said, “No… nothing… it’s a dead planet.”
“Is that true?” Jhahnahkan said with dismay.
“It is true…” the computer chimed in. “My scanners can detect even the smallest microorganism and this planet has zero life.”
Jhahnahkan dropped his head low. “I was afraid of that,” he began with a much more somber voice, “My Sister has corrupted the timeline even more than we first imagined.”
“What does your brother have to do with this?” Kate asked.
“Tamika is the one who took my brother off the transport… She infected him so that he would assist her with infusing the Rune matter into the crystal fields of our ancestors… you see, when we first arrived, the timeline had changed… I didn’t understand why the crystals had more of an influence the first time it came to
Ackturra… it was because Tamika went back in time to infuse them, but it didn’t take, or something happened that interfered slightly… but I knew Ackturrians were more aggressive and capable of more evil… She went back with my brother the second time and they were successful… just look at the evidence… an entire civilization is gone because of this… Karillians are now an extinct race…Ackturrians have been infused by the Rune along with each of the crystals … the Northern faction ships and troops are the only ones that were allowed by Jhovahkan to obtain a crystal… those crystals became infused with the last time fracture… the southern fleet doesn’t have a chance against Rune infused power crystals…” he finally said holding back his sobbing.
“Sir,” Glenda reported, “I am receiving a transmission from the high council palace.”
“Go ahead… put it up.”
The view screen lit up with the face of Jhahnahkan’s most trusted aid. “I am the last survivor…The Northern faction has taken over the palace… they knocked out the shields with ease… every troop in place defending the palace has been killed… I am also conveying the report from the southern fleet… we have lost six of our twelve ships around Ackturra and Ziton Base… the Ziton base as well as the Ackturra platforms have all been taken over by the north… the remaining fleet has retreated to maintain control of the main jamming station at sector 523… I am sure that the north will assemble another armada and dispatch to take that station as well… the other stations on the net have already been taken by the north… this is the last line of the southern movement… we shall surely be defeated completely… I am held up in the crystal caverns… I will continue to move deeper into the caverns as I can, so as to not be detected…”
The message faded away as if he had to terminate the transmission in a hurry to make his escape.
“Well… that is it then…” Jhahnahkan said. “We must not wait another moment in time…” he said as he stood to his feet and crossed his arms.
The crew new what he was about to order and they made preparations for the anticipated command.
“Helm… leave orbit… barring three-five-seven mark two-seven… full power to sub-space engines… take us a safe distance from Karillia and make ready for slip stream.”
“Aye aye, sir!” Rex shouted as he commanded the Leif Erikson to life.
The Leif’s engines fired up and the ship departed orbit in the direction piloted by Rex. A few moments later the ship was approaching slip stream velocity as evidenced by the familiar blue and green aurora seen from the front screen.
“There is more…” Jhahnahkan said. “I need to release my brother and give him access to the bridge…”
Lanatek jumped up and argued, “No sir! We must not… he will manipulate you to get what he is after!”
“He really gives me no choice…He is the only one on board that has a crystal… it is infected with the Rune… I believe it is one of the first infused power crystals… I can’t use it or I risk becoming infected myself… it is risky to say the least… but I do feel that my brother’s heart is genuine in wanting to assist us… I ask for you to join me… what I ask is difficult… I have asked you for many things before… you have trusted me every step of the way… following me blindly for some of you that never knew me… you took a chance… take a chance now… trust me in trusting my brother.”
There was silence for a few uncomfortable minutes as the bridge crew digested what Jhahnahkan was asking them to do.
“He has offered to teleport the ship across the expanse to the outer rim… I need to find Roth’stavous and have my mind unlocked… I need to know what secrets were given to me… this is our only hope of restoring the timeline to the way it was.”
Kate was the first to stand showing her allegiance with her mate, followed by Rex and Glenda and then the rest of the bridge crew, including Lanatek.
Jhahnahkan gave a sigh of relief and returned a smile to his faithful crew.
“I thank you…” he replied, “I deeply thank you all… again.”
“Captain” the intercom broke in. It was Sam from the medical bay. “We have the prototypes in the medical bay… we are ready for you down here.”
“I’m on my way, Sam,” he answered. “Lanatek, you have the bridge… team… say calm and begin to focus your thoughts on my grandfather. We will all need to participate to traverse this great distance.”
“Aye aye, sir!” Lanatek replied as he took command.
“Kate, Luanren,” he said addressing each of them, “you’re with me. Luanren, I especially need you since you appear to be immune to the infection. Kate, I want you by my side.”
The three left the command center of the Leif and headed to the medical bay where they would attempt to fit Jhovahkan with the Quasiinducer Collar.
They all walked down the corridor. It seemed as if they were moving in slow motion.
Time seemed to drag on and slow more the closer they got to their destination.
They stepped into the medical bay with Sam standing over the sleeping Jhovahkan and the Collars all nicely stacked in rows of four. Sam held the first collar and examined it by looking over each and every inch in fascination.
“Ah, there you are,” Sam said as he held the device.
“Are you ready?” Jhahnahkan asked.
“Yes, sir!” Sam said with glee. “I just love this.”
“Computer, awaken the patient,” Jhahnahkan ordered.
Jhovahkan stirred as best he could under the stasis field and blinked his eyes a few times making sure he was seeing who he thought he was seeing.
“Luanren?” Jhovahkan said.
“Yes, Jhovahkan. It is good to see you, too,” Luanren said sarcastically.
“Oh come now madam,” Jhovahkan said. “Is that any way to greet your knight in shining armor?”
Luanren crossed her arms and turned away from him not wanting to converse, “Get on with it, my son,” she said.
“Computer,” Jhahnahkan ordered, “remove the stasis field.”
The computer complied as the field surrounding Jhovahkan flashed and then terminated.
Jhovahkan slowly rose to his elbows and looked about the room, “Ah, finally!” he
exclaimed as he stretched his arms around himself and now was sitting upright, “Free at last,” he said with a big smile.
Sam stepped behind him and helped him to his feet. He turned him facing away from him so he could attach the Collar.
Once the collar was in place it automatically activated. The collar fit at the base of the neck and was held in place by the user’s shoulders. The beam was at the close approximation to the cerebellum to be the most effective.
“Ah… that’s better,” Jhovahkan said as he creaked his neck.
“You must wear this collar until we can remove the rest of the Rune infection,” Sam explained. “Thanks to you, we have a sample of the Rune substance that we can examine and learn from.”
“Anything I can do to be of assistance my good man,” Jhovahkan said bowing to the Doctor.
“We must not delay my brother.”
“Well then…” Jhovahkan said. “Let us get the party started then shall we?”
The group moved out into the corridor and began to make their way to the command center.
“The last time I walked these corridors,” he said looking about, “I was a prisoner… now I walk these halls in freedom… for that I am truly grateful.” He said placing his hand over his heart trying to look honest.
Jhahnahkan looked over at his brother with a puzzled look.
Jhovahkan peered over at this brother studying him and raised his arm and pointed in the air, “Yes, my dear brother… this is a genuine moment… an authentic event… I am actually sincere when I say these things… for the first time in my life, I am grateful… thank you for your trusting me.”
The group arrived back at the bridge of the Leif Erikson. Jhahnahkan once again relieved Lanatek from command.
“My, my brother…” Jhovahkan said, pacing around the command center admiring the control consoles. “I do have to say, this is quite a ship you have here… I am impressed.”
“Let’s get on with this Jhovahkan…” Jhahnahkan said showing irritation.
“Very well then…” Jhovahkan said as he raised his finger in the air, “but I do have one gleaming question that is just staring me in the face… would you be inclined to answer?”
“If you answer the one question I feel is gleaming in my face, Jhovahkan.”
“Very well, you go first.”
“Why did Tamika deposit you back in my brig?”
“She only needed my help in completing her task… she said I still needed to be held accountable for the crimes I have committed… crimes I never committed I might add.”
“The crimes Tamika is talking about did not happen in this timeline, but to her and the rest of this crew, it did. It seems to me, she does still have good in her or she would have just let you go back to command the northern faction.”
“Ok, my turn…” Jhovahkan replied trying to hold back his laughter. “How is it that this ship seems to come complete with every single instrument you needed at every turn? Surely you do not believe that it was the computer that, through some artificial intelligence, came up on its own all of the devices needed to remove the
Rune infection from my body… or at least a good portion of it?” he said pausing as he rested his index finger on his goatee, “… and the matter of this collar to keep my Rune infection from taking e over again… marvelous invention if I do not say so myself.” He finished pointing now at the device around his neck. “Truly it is a new fashion statement.”
“If you truly received the memory transference from Tamika, then you will know what I know about this ship and how we came to acquire it.”
“True… I have to say I do know… you believe this to be one of our ancient ancestors ships built and left behind on Terra Firma.”
“Yes… that is correct,” Jhahnahkan said with firmness.
“But I do not believe it… I am not so sure…” Jhovahkan said finally pulling out his power crystal from his cloak. “But I do believe it is time to move ahead… this is a subject perhaps for a debate another day… would you not agree now my dear brother?”
“Yes, let’s get on with this by all means.”
“Very well then…” Jhovahkan said now standing front and center of the command center. “Gather around everyone… we will all need to assist with this.”
The crew formed a semicircle around
Jhovahkan and began to focus on the thoughts of their captain; the location of his grandfather,
Roth’stavous. Each member in turn rested their right hand on the shoulder of the one next and rose their free arm out before them to help focus on the teleportation.
Jhovahkan held out his crystal before him with both hands as it began to glow its brilliant orange glow.
“I have never seen an orange colored crystal before,” Helen stated.
“Never mind that now my grandmother,” Jhovahkan shouted to be heard over the noise of the sound of wind blowing through the command deck of the Leif.
The vortex opened before the Leif and they all traveled through the massive opening.
“Helm,” Jhovahkan ordered, “take us out of slip steam and reduce sub light to one quarter power…”
Rex knew he had to obey the command of this captain’s brother if he knew what was good for them.
“Yes sir!” Rex shouted, “Just putting on the brakes now… we don’t want to smash into anything on the other side of this vortex now.”
“That is a good man, Rex!” Jhovahkan shouted.
The Leif Erikson exited the vortex and returned from slip stream velocity slowing to a more desired speed. The vortex closed behind them leaving them in the part of the galaxy known as the outer rim.
The current star system they had teleported was called Delta Scorpii Beta and the planet Roth’stavous was living was known as Delta Scorpii Twelve. He was living among the Scorpii commoners, but they tended to rely on his guidance as a tribe leader since he seemed to be so wise.
The planet came into view and the Leif Erikson was moved into a standard orbit around the planet. It was as Jhahnahkan remembered from his last visit.
They were not as technologically advanced as the Ackturrians but Roth’stavous lived out a simple life with no stress. He loved these people and he referred to them as his family.
Jhahnahkan gave the order to ready his shuttle. He was going down alone and for now he would have to trust that his brother would behave himself.
“Lanatek,” he ordered, “you have the con.”
* * *
Chapter 8
Delta Scorpii Twelve
Delta Scorpii Twelve
Year: 2983
Jhovahkan remained on the bridge after the spectacle of the Leif passing through the vortex. The crew watched Jhahnahkan’s shuttle depart and head to the surface.
“My dear Katie,” he began, “in good faith, I will relinquish my power crystal to you.” He said as he presented his orange glowing crystal.
Kate backed up a couple of steps and demanded he put that thing away.
“You’re hoping I fall for that,” she said motioning with her arms to Tim and Chuck.
“Whatever do you mean, Katie?” Jhovahkan said as the Russell brothers quietly stepped over behind him.
Luanren not wanting to take any chances pulled out her Zelinite Mesmerizer, aimed quickly, and fired at Jhovahkan. He spun toward Luanren, smiled at her and then collapsed on the floor completely knocked out. His crystal landed on the floor a foot away from his hand and ceased glowing.
Luanren stood over Jhovahkan’s lifeless body, “I’ve waited a long time for this…” she said with a sheepish grin. “I was not going to stand by and see him try to infect you with this…this crystal,” she said staring at the crystal with a shudder.
Helen approached slowly with her crooked cane making a tapping sound on the bridge deck, “Take him back to the brig boys,” she said poking her cane on Jhovahkan to make sure he was truly out.
The brothers picked him off the ground and drug him back to the brig wh
ere they would secure him behind the force shield once again.
Lanatek turned from the fiasco and returned to the command chair, “Now that this scum is off my bridge, let us return to normal activity.”
Turning to Glenda he said, “Track Jhahnahkan’s shuttle, I want to ensure there is not anything that will get in his way.”
“I don’t think there will be any problem sir,” Glenda answered. “There isn’t any form of real technology on this planet. They’re not very advanced… I can also report there aren’t any ships in our entire solar system.”
Luanren stepped over to the crystal, being immune to the Rune effects, picked it up from the bridge deck and cradled it in the palms of her hands.
“Doctor, open the container,” she ordered.
Sam brought out a clear cylinder from behind one of the consoles. The canister came complete with a cipher lock on the side. He pressed his pass code on the key pad causing a sudden sound of a vapor lock releasing as the top of the canister slid open.
Luanren slid the now dark colored crystal into the canister making a clink sound as it reached the bottom. Sam pushed his code again which slid the case closed. Once the lid closed, the sound of a pump engaged sealing the container.
“I’ll take this to the lab and run some tests on it,” Sam said as he walked off the bridge.
Rex maintained a standard orbit around Delta Scorpii Twelve as he adjusted the ships position to keep his captain in view on the azimuth.
This star system contained fifteen planetary bodies. As ships approach planetary bodies in a solar system, the farthest planet from the system’s sun, planets are numbered as the lowest or first planet. This would mean that the twelfth planet is really three planets from the sun; usually an ideal distance from a sun for the optimum environment for life. However, Delta Scorpii Twelve had an elliptical orbit, which caused two very cold seasons and two very hot seasons. Still, the Scorpii loved their simple lives on this planet. They did have their work cut out for them during these very opposing seasons as temperatures can exceed negative one hundred thirty degrees and reach plus one hundred and fifty. Fortunately, the elliptical orbit only puts Delta Scorpii Twelve at these most extreme conditions for a couple of weeks at a time. Unfortunately, for Jhahnahkan, this happened to be the coldest period in the cycle.
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