“And once there is no longer a mass for the runic conciseness, it evaporated into nothingness.” Jhahnahkan again surmised.
“Aren’t you a quick study,” Xucaleechee sarcastically said.
“But you are certain that this virus you created will work on this size.”
“Yes, of course,” Xucaleechee said darting his eyes about.
“Why do you hesitate?” Jhahnahkan asked placing his hands again on his hips.
The ships com system ignited with the words from Lanatek, “Captain to the bridge!”
Jhahnahkan pressed a button on the com panel, “This is Jhahnahkan, report.”
“Sir, the thing is gaining speed and will reach slipstream velocity in a few minutes.”
“I am on my way!” Jhahnahkan answered turning to Xucaleechee, “Bring the throw switch to the bridge when its ready.”
“Well,” Xucaleechee said, “It’s really more like a kill switch if you want to get technical. This switch will terminate the shield holding the container with the virus.”
“Just bring it to me when you are ready,” Jhahnahkan said shaking his head in disbelief. He wondered if all Zelinites were as pompous, all the ones he’s spoken with were.
He quickly made his way to the bridge only after ensuring his Zelinite guest fully understood his request.
The bridge doors opened and Jhahnahkan made his way to the command seat and looked around at every one of his bridge team. Their efficiency was enough to make him bring tears of pride to the surface. He was very impressed with everyone’s performance.
The Rune was beginning to disappear in the distance as it gained speed over the fleet. Jhahnahkan gave the command to make ready for slipstream drive and cautioned the Zeroditha crew to keep up as best they could.
“They will keep pace Jhahnahkan,” Portov said with a smile, “Remember, our ship has been fitted with advanced engines. In fact, we could run out ahead of the Telenian and give Ackturra a slightly more advance warning.”
“How much faster could you arrive?” Lanatek asked.
“We could get there a day ahead of the Rune instead of hours.” Portov said confidently.
“Glenda, open a channel to Milanaka.”
“Go.”
“Milanaka,” Jhahnahkan ordered, “Come to the bridge immediately. Do not ask questions!” he quickly added.
A few moments later a hesitant Milanaka entered the bridge from one of the entries, “What did I do?” he asked lowering his head slightly.
“You will accompany Portov and Kate to the Zeroditha,” He said coldly.
Kate jolted around with surprise at her husband, “Me?”
“Yes my love,” He said turning to Kate, “They may not take Portov at his word, if you and our ambassador are with him, they will listen.”
“But…”
“Kate, there is no time to debate this. Time is running out; they must be warned,” he said with urgency, “I cannot open the vortex to the Rune mass until we exit slipstream and if I am to teleport you to the Zeroditha, I will have to do it now before we lose track of it.”
“Vortex to the Rune mass?!” Kate exclaimed not sure of what she had heard, “You’re not going in there are you?”
The vortex opened displaying the Karillian’s bridge, “I will be alright my love. Trust me!”
Kate grew unwanted tears in her eyes and she felt she may never see her love again. She flung her arms around him and gave him a kiss to remember her by. More importantly, she was leaving an impression of her on his mind, hoping that her love would flood in his soul, giving him the extra drive needed to survive whatever ordeal he had planned.
He slowly pushed her away separating their lips from each other. Kate winked at the others, turned and disappeared to the bridge of the Karillian vessel with the others. The vortex closed as Kate turned and threw a kiss at Jhahnahkan.
The Karillian captain quickly engaged the Zeroditha engines. Portov ordered his helm to rock the ship back and forth as a farewell before they quickly vanished entering conventional slipstream velocity.
* * *
Chapter 14
Deliverance
Ackturra
Crystal Mountain Precipice
Year: 2984
“Phash to Jhovahkan, come in,” the expert pilot echoed into this headset. Phash was once again handpicked by the council staff to undergo this dangerous mission. If anyone could pull it off, Phash was the man just crazy enough to be able to do it.
“This is Jhovahkan; you had better get here soon!” Phash heard in his ear.
“Do you have it in position?” Phash asked, “I’m ready to take this thing and shove it down the throat of a star and see how it likes that!”
“We are waiting and ready for you to clamp on!” Jhovahkan replied.
“I will be there a couple of minutes,” Phash said calmly, “Reducing velocity and lowering the boom to prepare for clamping.”
“Acknowledged!” Jhovahkan shouted over the noise of rock and dirt that quaked and rumbled around them.
Phash maneuvered the specially fitted transport over the tallest mountain and descended down on top of the team that were on the side of the ledge where the Rune was placed. It appeared that they were ready for him to pluck it from its ledge.
He aligned the craft perpendicular to the Rune in order to get a better look at the size of the thing he was about to grab onto with the vice clamp which was being extended out in front of the ship.
“Phash, turn your claw 90 degrees now and come down 50 more feet,” Jhovahkan instructed, “I will guide you in.”
“Affirmative,” Phash said into his head set. He looked out the side of the cockpit and had a good view of Jhovahkan and team trying to keep their footing with every quake. Jhovahkan was motioning him slowing down and guided him until the claw was in the precise position.
“Now!” Jhovahkan shouted, “Grab it and go before another quake!”
But Jhovahkan spoke too soon as the ground swelled and jumped up a few feet, rocking the chamber under the transport. The mountain swell caused the Rune chamber to hit the boom on the shuttle a bit hard. Phash took evasive action and raised the nose up 10 feet vertical to prevent the arm from being sheared off by the ground surge. It had been hard enough getting this device mounted for this mission, and any unusual stress on the extended boom would spell disaster.
There was no more time to wait, that Phash was sure. He repositioned himself with the Rune after the quake ended and quickly lowered the craft within reach. Phash didn’t wait for any orders or confirmation that he was on the mark. He quickly closed the clamping jaw on the boom and began to raise the Rune from its current resting place.
The ground began to quake again but Phash was ready this time. He lifted the object off the ground transferring the energy from the mountain side to the transport boom and then up around the craft itself.
Phash steadied the controls and held his ship the best he could between the peaks as he retracted the arm. He maneuvered his ship horizontally and turned the Chamber 90 degrees parallel to the bottom of his ship bringing it as close to the hull as possible. He needed to reduce the drag the Rune chamber would have as he established orbit.
The ground under the surface team’s feet quieted as the assault from the Rune stopped when it was removed from the mountain. The quakes were the result of the Rune that had been inflicting them as it tried to break through the chamber’s shielding.
Phash saluted the leader’s brother and blew Tamika a kiss, just for luck. Tamika blushed at the site of this man’s sense of humor.
“Tamika!” Jhovahkan exclaimed as he returned a huge grin at his sister, “I did not know.”
Tamika returned his glance and only said they were friends.
“Oh come now my dear sister,” Jhovahkan laughed, “It is perfectly alright if you have a fancy for this courageous pilot.”
“There is nothing to it,” Tamika said trying to convince herself.
“But I wil
l bet you wish there was,” Jhovahkan mused.
Tamika swatted at her brother reprimanding him for his uncalled for remarks. They looked up at the transport under Phash’s control of the Rune chamber. His ship was shaking violently as they watched him turn toward the lowest peak and fire its thrusters.
“Phash,” Jhovahkan said as he gave the pilot his final orders, “Take her into orbit and wait for my signal to launch it for the Sun.”
“Aye sir,” Phash answered, “I am having some trouble with my rear stabilizer… trying to gain speed to soften the ride.”
Phash masterfully rode the ship through the severe turbulence. As he accelerated his ship, he barely cleared the shortest peak of the crystal mountain range. The ship shook and shimmied as he sped into the upper atmosphere. The ride began to smooth out enough to allow him to call to the ground crew to assure them he’s on course and would make orbit in a few minutes.
“Whew,” he said under his breath, “that was a close call.”
“What was that Phash?” Jhovahkan said in his earpiece.
“Nothing sir,” Phash exclaimed, “I have gained control as the inertial dampening field finally compensated.”
“Acknowledged!” Jhovahkan said.
Tamika gathered her crew and debriefed them of their next mission; to seal up the fissure.
Jhovahkan came back and stood by his sister and congratulated the extraction team on a job well done.
“My sister, we must head back to the palace.”
“I will contact the approach control to dispatch the recovery team for Phash.”
“Affirmative” Jhovahkan acknowledged.
The two made their way back to the palace while the ground team began the laborious task of sealing the fissure.
Phash entered standard orbit and signaled Jhovahkan that he was setting up to launch to the sun.
“Very well Phash,” Jhovahkan acknowledged, “Extraction team is now dispatched. Eject in five minutes.”
“Affirmative!” Phash set the ships course and locked it onto the sun, secured his life suit environmental settings and lowered his helmet. A swoosh of air and a thunk was heard inside the suit as he became sealed from the cockpit air. He trimmed the control stick and then blew the hatch off the transport, fully exposing him to the elements of the vacuum of space.
At the five minute mark, Phash fired full thrusters and launched out of orbit steering the craft on a collision course to the sun. He then pulled the ejection lever shooting him out of the cockpit. The inertia caused him to spin and tumble out of control. He could see his vessel continue on its preset course. Firing his seat jets, he was able to stop the spinning and stabilized himself as the recovery ship zeroed in on his location.
Firing his jets a few more times, he quickly aligned himself with the approaching recovery vessel. The ship slowed and came to a stop fifteen feet from Phash. They opened the airlock, exposing Phash to the entrance where he unbuckled his restraints from the transports ejected seat and floated over to the door of the air lock and pulled himself inside. He gave the pilot the clearance to seal the outer door and it quickly and silently rolled closed. Immediately, air rushed into the chamber and he removed his helmet and waited for the crew to open the inner door.
Phash entered the cockpit with the other pilot and took a seat and shook the pilots hand as he was being congratulated for a very heroic flight.
“That was some great flying there Phash,” the pilot of the rescue craft said, “You are a hero! Are you ready for a hero’s welcome home?”
“I did not agree to do this for fame,” Phash answered, “but if they want to call me a hero, then that is alright too.”
“Well get used to it,” The pilot replied, “this little slice of history will not be forgotten for a long while.”
Jhovahkan signaled the extraction ship to head to the council palace for a debriefing and the pilot smiled at Phash as he turned his ship back toward the planet, “Here we go.”
“Yep,” Phash replied, “guess we are on our way to my big moment now.”
“And in six hours, that ship will burn up taking the Rune with it,” The pilot again smiled.
The rescue craft came to a gentle landing at the Ackturrian palace, the airlock doors opened and Phash stepped out on the flight deck and was greeted by Tamika.
She slowly came over to him and put her arms around his neck and gave him a huge kiss on the lips.
Phash reciprocated the warm gesture letting her know his feelings for her were the same as she had for him. She held Phash at a slight distance and beamed a smile with her eyes into his.
“Lady Tamika,” Phash began, “Would you accompany me to the council?”
“Why I surely will,” Tamika said in a playful voice.
The two strode down the deck and came to the palace entrance where Jhovahkan stood waiting. “Now you two cool it down. Phash, head to the debriefing room. We will join you in a moment.”
Phash stood at attention and confirmed with a quick, “Aye Sir.”
“Now Tamika, my dear sister,” Jhovahkan started.
“Do not lecture me on who I wish to see,” Tamika said before her brother could say another word, “I am lady Tamika of the House of Sö’ and if I wish to date the most popular pilot in the fleet, then I shall.” She said folding her arms across her chest.
Jhovahkan bowed slightly to his sister and simply replied, “Very well my dear. Just know that I tried to warn you.”
“Warn me about what?”
“About Phash of course”
“What about Phash?
“On nothing, I just do not want you to be hurt is all.”
“Phash is a wonderful man and would not do anything to hurt me.”
“Ok, but just know that I did warn you.”
Tamika jabbed her brother in the ribs and smiled, “Just never you mind now.”
The two entered the debriefing room where the media had already gathered to display their new hero all across every communication channel there was.
“Yes ladies and gentlemen,” one reporter said, “Phash is a genuine hero. He single handedly grabbed the Rune from the Crystal Mountains and removed this threat from our planet… and in just three hours, will be completely consumed by the energy of the Sun!”
Jhovahkan and his security team quickly ushered out the media frenzy just before the com system came to life with approach control with an urgent message for Jhovahkan.
“What is the meaning of this interruption?” Jhovahkan snapped.
“Sir, there is an incoming ship,” The approach control officer reported.
“What is so special about this arrival that you must interrupt our debriefing?”
“The ship is Karillian in origin.”
The comptroller listened to static for a few moments as he waited for the leader’s response.
“Please repeat…” Jhovahkan said, “I thought you said Karillian origin.”
“Yes sir. He claims to be Portov of Karillia, and he claims to have Kate and Milanaka onboard with an urgent message.”
“Patch him through,” Jhovahkan said. “This should be interesting.”
“This is Portov of Karillia, flying the flag ship Zeroditha.”
“We read you Zeroditha, go ahead.”
“We are on an urgent mission from Jhahnahkan to get you to stop with sending your Rune fragment into the Sun.”
“Are you crazy?” Jhovahkan replied, “You do not want us to destroy the thing?”
“We discovered that the energy from the Sun will only make it stronger.”
Jhovahkan’s face turned pale at Portov’s words, “Can you confirm this? Put Kate on to verify.”
“Jhovahkan, this is Kate. You must not launch the Rune into the Sun.” Kate said with panic in her voice, “I repeat, do not launch!”
Jhovahkan looked over at his sister who was concentrating on Kate, trying to use her crystal power to detect any deceit in their request. “They are telling the truth.”
Jhovahkan interrupted Milanaka before he could begin, “I do not care Milanaka. As far as I am concerned, you are not any ambassador, you are merely a Zelinite parasite that should have been extinguished and should have never been allowed to set foot on Ackturrian soil.”
“Sir!” Milanaka said with an unusual authority, “I am the Zelinite ambassador and you will listen to what I have to say!”
Jhovahkan stood speechless at the words of this creature and couldn’t think of anything to say in reply and simply stood by reluctantly and listened to his message. “Very well, continue.”
“The Rune on our home world has launched and is on its way to Ackturra. The mass of this thing will threaten all life on your home world if it is allowed to enter the planet. The effect will result in a hole so large that it will begin to vent the atmosphere, causing all life to end on your planet such as it did with Zelinite!” Milanaka said with sadness as he remembered the fate of his own planet. “You must assemble your entire fleet and put up a protective front. The Rune will arrive in a day or so, we have little time to prepare!”
“Kate, is this true?” Jhovahkan asked.
“Yes Jhovahkan.” Kate wasted no time in answering. “What Milanaka says is true.”
Jhovahkan stood there staring at his sister in disbelief. “We launched the Rune over three hours ago; it will impact with the Sun in just over two.”
“Jhovahkan!” Kate shouted through the com channel, “You must stop this!”
Jhovahkan looked over at Phash, “Is it possible?”
Phash hesitated before responding, “I do not know. The transport is locked on its course. Once I ejected, it is impossible to change its course.”
Tamika leaned over to Phash, “Can you intercept it in time?”
“Yes, can you catch the transport and destroy it before it gets too close to the sun?” Jhovahkan asked with a new sense of urgency.
Again, Phash paused before speaking as he carefully thought of his answer; he was sure not to misinform Jhovahkan, “If I had anything faster than a transport or fighter, yes. Something with a slipstream drive. I could jump in fairly close and blow it up and try to recover the chamber.”
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