Aurora Saga 2 Immortality for Life

by Adrian Fulcher

  ‘What happened?’ Gulco asked.

  ‘I met Lady Sathodee. She looked so young and beautiful, but inside she was devious and cold hearted. That’s the most intimidated I’ve ever felt. She is also immortal.’

  ‘I suspected as much,’ Kalrea replied.

  ‘What did she want?’ Gulco asked.

  ‘She…’ Zoren hesitated and thought, What do I tell them? Sabri’s life is in danger, but I can’t lie to Kalrea. Without her we’re as good as dead anyway. He then decided to tell the true about what Lady Sathodee wanted and replied, ‘She made a deal with me.’

  ‘A deal!’ Gulco repeated in surprise.

  ‘Yes,’ Zoren said, with his head bowed towards the ground.

  ‘What sort of deal?’ Gulco asked him.

  ‘They want me, don’t they, Zoren?’ Kalrea said interrupting.

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘What else could you possibly bargain with?’

  ‘She threatened me, Kalrea. Sabri was going to die today.’ Zoren’s eyes glazed over. ‘Kalrea, I…’ He covered his face with his hands and started to cry.

  ‘Zoren, I can only imagine what it was like in there,’ Kalrea said with emotion in her voice.

  He could tell Kalrea felt for him, which made him even more emotional. As Zoren cried he spoke. ‘Lady Sathodee... She promised... She promised I’d see Sabri again. I... I had no choice.’ He stared at Gulco as tears streamed down his cheeks. ‘I’m sorry, so sorry. There are only twenty-one of our people still alive.’

  Gulco went pale; he looked drained of all life. He sat down in the other console seat and said, ‘No... No, that can’t be true,’ before hitting his fist against the console.

  ‘What does she want you to do, Zoren?’ Kalrea asked.

  Zoren was still crying, as he thought about what he had promised Lady Sathodee. ‘I betrayed you, Kalrea... She wants to kill you and take the Aurora. I promised her that when you will be back on the Aurora, I would ask you to meet her on an island called Weigo because she wants to bargain with you.’

  ‘Then, that’s what we’ll do.’

  Zoren was surprised. ‘But why?’

  ‘Why not? She must think that she can kill me. Then let her try. You didn’t tell her what I really am, did you Zoren?’ Kalrea sounded very serious.

  ‘No… No of course not. She thinks you’re a person.’

  ‘Good, then we have an opportunity. Lady Sathodee said you’ll see Sabri. If that’s true, then when they open a communication channel, I will be able to trace where she is.’

  ‘What if she has a way of killing you, Kalrea?’

  ‘Then I’ll die, won’t I?’ Kalrea seemed unmoved. ‘I don’t see how she could harm my drone, but she obviously believes she can. My transport is currently four days, three hours away from you. I suggest the Aurora travels towards my Antrolo transport to pick us up and comes back to Trafth, so that we can cut two days off of the flight time.

  ‘That’s still a long time, Kalrea,’ Zoren said.

  ‘I know. Too long, but that’s the quickest we can return to Trafth.’

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The Aurora sat motionless in space, while the Antrolo transport slowed its approach. The large cargo bay doors in the roof of the Aurora started to slide apart to receive the transport.

  Within the accommodation space, Asnica and Doine were getting restless. They knew that Supora and Kalrea were about to arrive back on the Aurora.

  ‘Can we go to the cargo bay yet?’ Asnica asked Zoren.

  ‘Three minutes! We need to give Kalrea three more minutes. She needs to land the transport and get the cargo bay doors closed before we can enter.’

  Gulco wandered over to Zoren.

  ‘I think they’ll be the two happiest girls onboard once that transport touches down,’ he remarked. ‘I’m glad Kalrea went back to Onliv and I apologise, Zoren, for being such an idiot. Every life is worth saving, every one of us.’

  Zoren was taken aback by Gulco’s admission and at first did not know what to say. He paused for a moment and then replied, ‘Er… It’s all right, Gulco. I understand why you felt that way. There was actually the risk of losing more of our people to save Supora.’

  Asnica tugged on Zoren’s arm. ‘Can we go now?’

  ‘I don’t think you’re going to get much peace until you take them to the cargo bay,’ Gulco remarked, with a cheeky grin.

  Zoren nodded back and then looking to Asnica said, ‘Ok, we’ll wait in the lift. Come on then.’

  Asnica and Doine ran into the Pojin lift. Zoren, Gulco and his wife, Cafeor, followed.

  ‘Cargo bay,’ Zoren said to the lift.

  The door closed and the Pojin lift moved to the cargo bay, but the doors remained closed.

  ‘Won’t be long now,’ Zoren said to Asnica.

  There was a muffled sound of the transport’s drive coming from behind the door. The noise increased, then in an instant there was silence.

  Asnica put her hands onto the door and tried to make it open by sliding her hands across its surface. Unexpectedly the door did open, making her jump.

  They all strolled out into the cargo bay. In the distance the Antrolo transport was now safely clamped to the floor. Supora appeared at the doorway.

  ‘Mummy! Mummy!’ Doine shouted loudly, before sprinting over to her, leaving the others at the exit of the lift. Doine held out her arms with the expectation of being lifted up by her mother, but Supora was in no condition to lift anything.

  ‘Mummy can’t pick you up today, darling,’ she said apologetically.

  Zoren glanced to Asnica, who was still standing alongside him and staring at Supora from a distance. She started to cry. He leant down and was about to comfort her, when she started to walk purposefully over to Supora, who had now sat on the steps of the transport and was embracing Doine.

  Supora took both Asnica and Doine in her arms. She was now crying too. Zoren had to wipe his eyes. He noticed Gulco doing the same and smiled to himself.

  Kalrea appeared at the doorway of the transport.

  Asnica peered up at her. ‘Thank you, Kalrea,’ she said, and then held out her arms. Kalrea bent down and gave Asnica a hug.

  ‘Well, as I said, Zoren. They are two very happy girls,’ Gulco said.

  ‘Yes, but they’ve lost their father,’ Zoren said sadly.

  ‘I know, Zoren...’

  As they talked, Kalrea and Supora were now being led away by Asnica and Doine. Zoren could hear them talking as they hurried past.

  ‘...We’ve called the young Glonvis, Duin and Fuin,’ Asnica said excitedly to Kalrea.

  ‘You’ve given them names,’ she replied surprised.

  ‘What’s a Glonvi?’ Supora said, with a puzzled look.

  ‘We’ve been looking after them for Kalrea,’ Doine said.

  ‘Have you now!’ Supora said, glancing at Kalrea with a smile on her face.

  They disappeared into the adjoining room where the Glonvis were kept. Zoren was listening to the children talking enthusiastically to Kalrea and Supora, when Gulco patted him on the shoulder and said,

  ‘Probably more of our children, like Asnica and Doine, will no longer have a mother or father by the end of this. Adults like Sabri and you will have to look after these I believe.’

  Zoren was taken aback. ‘I… I hadn’t thought about it like that.’

  ‘I’m afraid we’re all going to have to make sacrifices, all going to have to help each other in the days and years ahead.’

  ‘I really hope Sabri is safe,’ Zoren said. ‘I’m not sure I can stand living without her.’

  ‘What are you saying?’ Gulco said.

  ‘I miss her so much. I never thought we’d ever be apart. I’m not sure I want to live a life without her.’

  ‘Zoren, there’s every chance she’ll be fine. After all, why would they want to kill a pregnant mother?’

  ‘Do they know she’s pregnant? Do they care?’

  Gulco seemed lost for w
ords.

  ‘In my mind, I can still see her in the long red evening dress she wore the night when we went to visit Valon and Supora, the night everything changed,’ Zoren said sadly. ‘I remember her trying to help me, but my leg was trapped. She was shot and there was nothing I could do.’

  ‘Lucky for us you were trapped, if not they’d have taken you too,’ Gulco said.

  I wish I had been taken. At least then I’d have been with Sabri. But then, where would I be now? Where would we all be? Dead! Zoren thought, and then said,

  ‘Yes, I suppose I was lucky.’ He sighed.

  ‘Look, we’ll soon get back to Trafth,’ Gulco said. ‘Then we’ll have to pray that Kalrea can find out where the rest of our people are.’

  ‘We owe her so much. Without her we’d all be captives, waiting to die.’

  Gulco said, ‘I think it was very obvious to everyone that I was suspicious of Kalrea at first, but I know now that she will do everything she can to get Sabri and the others back.’

  ‘I also know she will,’ Zoren said.

  ‘Why did Kalrea save you from that Polnozoo?’ Gulco asked.

  ‘Well, she told me she needed a pilot and she feels the need to protect someone.’

  ‘So you can fly the Aurora?’ Gulco said.

  Zoren could see Gulco was surprised and in awe of the possibility he could fly such an impressive ship. He would have loved to have been able to say yes, but instead, he had to shake his head and replied,

  ‘No, I’ve never been given the opportunity. I’m only the pilot by title. I don’t even know if I could give Kalrea an order. In fact, she’s often telling me what to do.’

  ‘I’d like to see you give her an order,’ Gulco said cheerfully.

  ‘Er... I think I’ll pass on that one, Gulco. She seems quite capable of making her own decisions.’

  ‘Yes, Kalrea’s definitely the one in charge on this ship,’ Gulco replied.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The Aurora’s event horizon drives quietened, signalling they were now close to Trafth. Ships of all shapes and size were in orbit around the planet, some of which were at least five times the size of the Aurora. Some seemed to be deliberately keeping their distance, while others turned their weapons towards the approaching ship.

  On the bridge of the Aurora, Zoren and Gulco eyes were fixed on the monitor.

  ‘Look at all those ships!’ Zoren remarked. ‘Where did they all come from?’

  ‘Yes, a welcoming party,’ Kalrea replied. ‘Some of them are trying to scan us.’

  ‘Can they do that?’ Zoren asked.

  ‘Don’t worry. I’m blocking all their attempts.’

  ‘Are my people on any of those ships, Kalrea?’ Zoren asked her.

  ‘No they’re not and so far the only computer I’ve come close enough to has no indication of where they might be. They may be on the surface of Trafth.’

  ‘Are you going to use the shuttle?’ Gulco asked, ‘Because it doesn’t look very safe out there.’

  ‘You’re right, it doesn’t,’ Kalrea replied. ‘No, I’m going to take the Aurora straight to the island.’

  ‘But that means we could be vulnerable to attack,’ Zoren said.

  Gulco looked nervous and said, ‘Zoren’s right. There are a lot of heavily armed ships up here in orbit, so what happens if we have to fight our way out? What weapons does the Aurora have?’

  ‘Well, the Aurora was built as a science ship, so no weapons were needed.’

  Gulco looked amazed. ‘We don’t have anything to defend ourselves?’ he said.

  ‘I didn’t say that. I do have weapons, but I will not use them.’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ Zoren said. ‘You said the outer event horizon drives had been converted into weapons. Surely we have to utilise them.’

  ‘I won’t use them!’ Kalrea sounded very assertive.

  I haven’t heard Kalrea being this touchy in a long time.

  ‘Why not?’ Gulco questioned.

  ‘For the reason that they took the lives of over one thousand Uaths, that’s why!’ Kalrea seemed disturbed. She had the look of guilt on her face.

  One thousand! Zoren thought. What kind of weapon could do that?

  She continued, ‘Lex and I were defending the planet of Raspin from the Uaths. They had ten ships, all capable of great destruction had they been allowed to reach Raspin. Lex promised the Raskian people they would not reach their homeworld.’

  Kalrea paused to sit on the console seat. She took a deep breath, before continuing.

  ‘We intercepted their ships. Lex tried to reason with them, but in the end I had no choice but to use them. It was the first time, and the last time.’

  Kalrea’s eyes glazed over.

  ‘I’ve never seen such destructive power. Nothing in the universe could survive them. Lex vowed never to use them again and I agreed.’

  ‘What are these weapons, Kalrea?’ Zoren said.

  Kalrea didn’t answer his question, but said instead, ‘I remember hearing all those screams; all those people were helpless as their ships were consumed. There were women and children on those ships, Zoren, innocent women and children. I killed them, all of them. And why? Because people always want to fight each other, that’s why. When will it stop?’

  I don’t know what to say, Zoren thought and then said,

  ‘I… I’m sure you did the right thing, Kalrea.’

  ‘Did I? Well, now you know what I am and why I chose to stay on the second moon of Golm, where I was found by the people from the Polnozoo. I’m dangerous, Zoren. I leave death and destruction behind me, wherever I go.’

  ‘I think you’re a good person,’ Zoren said.

  Kalrea shook her head. ‘Maybe experiencing death will help me understand what they went through.’

  ‘What are you saying?’ Zoren asked.

  ‘Well, you are leading me into a trap. They want me dead because they can see what I really am. They know I’ll never stop until I find your people. Whatever happens on the surface of Trafth, promise me you’ll not be afraid. This Lady Sathodee has to believe that you betrayed me.’

  Zoren shook his head in acknowledgement. ‘I understand, Kalrea. What about Sabri, she promised me I’d see her.’

  Kalrea got up and placed her hand on Zoren’s shoulder.

  ‘I doubt your wife will be there, but hopefully they’ll open up a communication link. I’ll track it to the source. Then we will get her and your people.’

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The Aurora descended into the atmosphere of Trafth. The yellow oceans dominated the surface, with very little sign of any land. Kalrea headed for the island of Weigo.

  ‘Who would live down there?’ Zoren asked. ‘There’s hardly any land.’

  ‘No one lives here anymore, not since the ice caps melted. It’s now a holiday retreat for the rich. You can rent an island for any amount of time you want,’ Kalrea informed him.

  Scanning island, Kalrea thought.

  One ship located, the De’fego, with thirty-four crew onboard.

  Three buildings with one floor and six life signs, all Xangols.

  The Aurora landed gracefully alongside the De’fego.

  Searching for access points in range.

  None detected.

  Interesting! They’ve turned off all the computer systems on the island; the De’fego’s has also been powered down.

  Kalrea turned to Zoren.

  He seems very nervous, she thought and then asked him, ‘Are you going to be all right?’

  ‘Yes, I’ll be fine. I’m just not looking forward to this.’

  ‘Well, neither am I,’ Kalrea replied.

  Zoren seemed surprised.

  ‘Remember, you’ve betrayed me,’ Kalrea said. ‘So expect the unexpected.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Do I tell him, I may have to try to kill him. No better not.

  ‘You’ll see.’

  Zoren and Kalrea entered the Pojin lift.<
br />
  Surface.

  He’s a brave person. He has no idea what’s going to happen out there. They could try to kill him as well.

  Outside, on the island, it was extremely warm and humid with only a slight breeze to give any rest-bite from the intensity of the star-light. Hifmo was already there waiting for them. He was wearing a cream combat jacket and trousers, and very visible under his arms were two railguns loosely held within purpose made holsters, which looked like they were deliberately on show to give Kalrea a message.

  ‘I see you’re still in one piece,’ Kalrea said and then added, ‘Pity!’

  ‘Yes, and it’s good to see you again too, Kalrea,’ he said, not looking at all pleased with Kalrea’s flippant comment.

  ‘I’m sure the pleasure’s all yours. It’s definitely not mine,’ Kalrea replied.

  Hifmo seems very relaxed. Too relaxed! I don’t like this.

  Activate defence shield.

  She stopped and glanced around at her surroundings.

  Light-blue sand blanketed the ground and there were many groups of tall blue trees, which were there to give some needed shade to visitors. Some of the trees were planted directly in the calm yellow water surrounding the island. Within a larger group of trees about one hundred metres away was a white crescent-shaped building, with two smaller out-buildings on either side.

  ‘Follow me,’ Hifmo said, while indicating with his hand towards the crescent-shaped building. ‘Lady Sathodee is looking forward to meeting you.’

  I bet she is!

  As they walked, Kalrea scanned the interior of the building.

  I’m detecting four Xangols: one in the main room, two at the doorway, and another one in a room to the left. Interesting! What’s he doing in there with all that equipment? Lady Sathodee must be in the main room.

  Zoren’s very quiet.

  Hifmo led Kalrea and Zoren into the main room of the building where they were met by Lady Sathodee.

  The room occupied the central section of the crescent building and had two curved walls, one in front and one in the back, and two straight side walls. It was very extravagant, with crystal pictures hanging from a high ceiling and a mirrored floor. Running down the entire surface of one of the two straight walls was a curtain of water, which flowed into a long plunge pool with luxurious padded mats floating on its surface. The opposite wall was fully covered by a holographic image of the exact same room, which made the room appear much larger. Set into an archway in the smaller curved wall, near to the door, was an ornate plasma-cooler that was giving out an electric blue glow, and created a cool and inviting atmosphere. There were three very welcoming sofas in the centre of the room and a large metal container, the size of a blanket chest, against the holographic wall. Fruit and drinks were available from trolleys scattered around the room. The longest wall was a tinted curved window that looked out onto an open beach, which had a number of small jet-subs lined up at the edge of the water.