by Ryan Conway
Beacon lights faintly appeared in the distance among the mountains, and the jet vectored between the peaks. Suddenly a large, rectangular opening became visible on the face of the mountain straight ahead; Spencer realized it was a huge cavern when he saw that the floor of the opening was lined with runway lights. The landing gear was lowered, the engine throttled back, and the wings adjusted so their resistance slowed the aircraft's approach. Spencer lay back in his seat and tightly gripped the ends of his armrests, more than a little shocked at what he was experiencing. Tom looked over at Spencer, smiling. "You weren't expecting that, were you?"
"I didn't think a jet could land on a runway inside a mountain," Spencer gasped.
"Hey, they land on aircraft carriers all the time."
The tires finally made contact with the pavement and decelerated as it continued rolling down the runway. Spencer relaxed his grip on the chair and exhaled in relief, just as the jet jerked slightly. "Tailhook," Tom explained. The jet finally rolled to a stop and began to taxi.
"Are you serious?" Spencer exclaimed. "There's really enough room for this inside a mountain?"
"Get low enough inside a mountain range, and there's enough room for anything—with the right equipment," Tom replied.
The jet halted near a large, brightly-lit archway. The other passengers unbuckled their seat belts and began gathering their belongings, which was the cue to Spencer that it was safe to stand up and move around the cabin once again. He grabbed his backpack and suitcase and followed Tom toward the hatch. By the time it opened, a mobile staircase had already been positioned outside, leading to the threshold of the archway. They de-boarded single file, headed straight towards the opening. It led them down a corridor and into a spacious domed hall of stone. Uniformed people were performing different activities throughout the hall, passing back and forth through the numerous passageways that debouched into it. Most appeared to be aviation technicians of one kind or other. Other personnel provided special services, such as serving in a food court located off a nearby corridor, which Sean explained was complete with restaurants, snack bars, and cafes. At the center of the round chamber stood a large sculpture shaped like a giant coin standing on edge. Inside the enormous disc were two smaller circles. The outer circle had open sides on the left and right; the inner was open at the top and bottom. The symbol was familiar to Spencer, because it resembled the jade pendant Master Xin wore around his neck.
Master Xin led the group toward another corridor on the other side of the hall. They followed him down a hallway lined with doors and lanterns until he reached the end of the corridor, then Master Xin pressed a few buttons on a keypad beside a closed metallic door. "Is this some kind of top secret facility?" Spencer asked.
"Not in the national security sense," Sean replied.
"Yes, I get that, but am I allowed to enter here?" Spencer asked, with slight concern.
"Privilege can often be attained by other than official means," Master Xin stated. "Please do not worry, you are cleared."
"Yeah, consider yourself privileged, Spence," Tom joked with a smirk.
The door parted left and right, opening into a hallway of green brick walls punctuated by wide doorways on both sides. As Master Xin lead them down the passageway, the portals on either side revealed large gymnasiums. On the left was a space for quiet practices such as meditation, yoga, and tai chi; the right side gymnasium, however, hosted a dojo alive with a variety of martial arts and gymnastic practices, complete with boxing rings and equipment for acrobatics such as parallel bars and rings. Four wide entry points opened up into the gymnasiums from the hallway.
Immediately to the right, two brawny martial artists were sparring on the dojo mat in padded gear. Spencer paused in one of the entrances to observe the match from afar. Their strikes were quick, direct, and powerful, but their blocks were quicker, circular, and practically impenetrable. Each short round began with the two opponents dancing around the mat, popping out swift kicks and punches. Eventually the men ended up flipping each other, grappling, and grabbing each other in various arm and leg locks. When one tapped out, the round finished. Finally they would recover, bow, and start a new round. "The style they're using is a Satyarakshatian form," Sean said, noticing that the hand-to-hand techniques had piqued Spencer's interest.
"Are the two men Satyarakshatians, then?" Spencer asked.
"At that level of mastery, without a doubt. Go ahead; you can take a closer look if you want. We'll take a break in our tour so you can check out the gym."
As Spencer entered the gymnasium for a closer look at the sparring match, he heard the faint, intermittent sounds of rocket propulsion to the right. Another wide entryway from the gymnasium opened up into a dimmed room full of people wearing elbow and kneepads, strange gloves covering their forearms, and thick-bottomed boots. They carried thick boards with colorful, metallic designs, with aerodynamic fins protruding from the sides and cylindrical pipes fused into the bodies. Curious, Spencer began walking toward the entryway, and part of a large basin in the floor of the other room became more visible. Suddenly, to Spencer's astonishment, he saw one of the participants shoot up out of the basin about twelve feet, spinning in the midair. Then he gracefully dropped back down past the lip of the basin without losing control or balance.
On the other side of the gymnasium wall was a rink for training in extreme sports and testing new board designs and technologies. Spencer was instantly drawn to the ramps, inclines, half pipes, and cylindrical tunnels. There were about twelve people skating throughout the obstacle course. Instead of skateboards, they were cruising back and forth on strange, wheeled jet boards that occasionally flew. The skaters' gloves intrigued Spencer even more, because they apparently remotely controlled the mechanical features of their boards with control panels on their forearms. Spencer's jaw dropped as he watched the skaters performing multiple flips, spins, and spirals off the variety of ramps and inclines and through the tubular tunnels in the rink. Tom snuck up behind him, knowing that he was totally captivated by the jet boards. "I had a feeling you'd be instantly hooked."
"You've known about these boards and you never told me?" Spencer practically shouted in excitement at Tom. "I understand you couldn't tell me about this world, but you could've shown me one of these boards!"
"So, you like what you see?" Tom asked smugly, already knowing the answer.
"They're awesome. When can I try one?"
Master Xin laughed to see Spencer's enthusiasm. "In due time, Mr. Callaghan. Right now, there is another stop on our tour; but I am certain there will be an opportunity to play soon."
Tom grinned and leaned in toward Spencer. "What's really cool is that the wheels can retract and the boards can be used on dirt, rock, and snow."
"Seriously?" Spencer exclaimed.
"Absolutely. But let's finish our tour first. We'll come back."
As excited as Spencer was about the skate park and the jet boards, he turned to rejoin the rest of the group. Moving beyond the gymnasiums, they reached two more entry points for the locker rooms and saunas. They were arranged for males and females separately, and their walls were lined with smooth cobblestones. Steam from the showers and saunas drifted out into the hallway, and the air felt warm and moist.
At the end of the hallway, Master Xin finally halted the group at a golden elevator door that bore the same Golatatvamian emblem as the enormous sculpture and Master Xin's medallion. Upon stepping into the elevator, Spencer noticed the incredible number of buttons, most of which were located below the floor through which they had just passed. Eleven floors existed above their current level. Spencer turned to Sean with a look of astonishment, pointing to the lowest level button. "How far down are these floors?"
"Those levels are quite deep in the Earth," Sean responded.
"What's down there?"
"Wine cellar, maybe?" Tom joked.
"Our destination is not below," Master Xin said. "We are heading to the Research Center above." Master Xin selec
ted the eighth floor above their current level, and the elevator began its ascension, slowly and smoothly riding straight to the eighth floor without stopping for any other passengers. As they arrived, the doors opened up to a three-story cathedral of bookshelves stacked on multiple levels. Staircases, catwalks, and balconies made even the highest shelves accessible. In addition to the main floor of the library, multiple entrances led to categorically sectioned rooms full of specialized books and manuscripts. "Our grand library," Master Xin explained. "Here, one can find at least one copy of every known literary work, and a wide variety of unknown works."
They passed through a large entryway opposite the elevator and crossed a hallway to another door. Master Xin activated a key panel beside the door, and it slid open. By this time, Spencer realized that if he were not permitted to enter, Master Xin and the others would have denied him access long before. With that thought, he followed without further hesitation.
The hallway they entered resembled the antique wooden halls of a classical and prestigious university. The dark, polished floor was uncarpeted, and the walls were interrupted at frequent intervals by equally spaced doors and thick, hazy glass windows that stretched the entire length of the hallway. Each door was labeled in a foreign or perhaps even alien script, printed vertically. "What's this writing?" Spencer inquired.
"Manuvimal," Sean responded.
"It is the language spoken throughout the Shanzenian civilization," Master Xin added. "You will learn it in time; it is part of your birthright. But first you must be initiated and inducted into our world.”
Master Xin led the group to one of the doors and beckoned them inside. The room was filled with tables, cabinets, electrical equipment, and a variety of laboratory instruments. A team of people in lab coats worked diligently on some sort of experiment with a transparent gem emitting purplish light. The gem was stabilized between ceramic rods, with light shining from one side and a vertically stabilized microscope on the other. One of the scientists peered through the scope while twiddling the dial. Another adjusted the light, thinning the beam to focus on the gem with greater accuracy. The third seemed to be reading instructions out loud in a foreign language from an ancient manuscript.
The woman reading the manuscript appeared to lead the trio. Despite her petite stature and youthful appearance, she exuded an aura of leadership and knowledge, to which her colleagues seemed to look for guidance; to Spencer, it appeared that she was highly respected among her peers. In addition to her lab coat, and scrubs, she wore an embroidered pink hijab clasped on the side with a jeweled broach.
Master Xin gathered the group of new arrivals on the opposite side of the experimenting table. "This is our laboratory team leader, Dr. Putri Damayanti of Indonesia," Master Xin told them. "She's also our field communique, and maintains contact with Golatatvamian specialists and Satyarakshatian team commanders on assignment at our other facilities around the world."
Putri looked up at the new visitors and quietly greeted them. "Good evening, everyone."
"Dr. Damayanti, are you allowed to explain your experiment for our guests?" Master Xin asked.
"Of course. This is an aral crystal. It's almost completely depleted, and we're basically using a plasmic laser to see how effectively and how quickly it can be recharged."
Spencer leaned in for a better look at the crystal. As he moved closer, the purple hue of the stone became iridescent, while maintaining its transparency. The external surface of the crystal emitted a shiny glare, while the core of the crystal appeared fluid, as if it contained some sort of plasma. Spencer had never witnessed anything like it. He glanced up at Putri and inquired, "Excuse me, Dr. Damayanti. What's an aral crystal?"
"Call me Putri," she corrected automatically. She seemed surprised that Spencer didn't already know what an aral crystal was. Then she looked at Master Xin as if she were waiting for an explanation. "Putri, this is Spencer Callaghan," the Master told her. "He was raised as a Nirmanian after his parents died, which occurred, sadly, well before his initiation. Today is essentially his first day to witness the many wonders we take for granted."
"Oh! I am pleased that you found your way home, Brother Callaghan." She turned back toward the experiment. "An aral crystal is a type of crystal that absorbs, contains, and emits energy. When it depletes, there are a number of ways for it to be recharged, so that it can be reused. We Shanzenians use them to power all kinds of devices—vehicles, lanterns, electronics, and other devices—much like Nirmanians use electricity. They are much more efficient, actually."
"Master Xin's private jet and my car run on this crystal technology," Sean added. "These crystals have been used since before the founding of the Shanzenian civilization, but the Tamisichians go to terrible lengths to conceal it from the Nirmanian world."
"The jet boards you saw downstairs also run on these crystals," Tom chimed in. "There're basically one crystal per every vehicle and device, and it never has to be replaced, only recharged."
"If these crystals became known to the rest of the world," Spencer said slowly, "That would mean the end of gas stations and oil companies, wouldn't it? You would never have to pay to keep your car running ever again."
"Ah, but they still must be recharged. It takes days or longer to recharge them in the sun," Putri noted. "So there would always be an energy infrastructure."
Next, Master Xin turned to the woman who was using the microscope. "This is Sharvari Sanvadita, from India. She is actually the laboratory psychologist, but she also studies the paranormal and physical effects of the mind on various substances."
"Good evening," Dr. Sanvadita greeted the group with a reserved smile. "Welcome to our research center." She peered into the eyepiece of the microscope, then continued, "It's well known that some people can re-energize aral crystals just by holding them in their hands or focusing on them with great intensity. Besides analyzing the effect of this laser on the crystal, my primary reason for coordinating with Putri on this project is to measure the level at which human thought and psyche can influence the crystal's charging process."
Finally, Master Xin acknowledged the third member of the laboratory team. "And this is Vedant Amaiti from Singapore, the lab's chief engineer. He studies and reverse-engineers objects and artifacts that have served particular, and in some cases, previously unknown functions."
"Welcome," Vedant, a thin energetic man, greeted the group. "Yes, they brought me in to examine the crystal itself, and determine what physical, natural, and plasmic means can be used to recharge it."
"Since their areas often overlap, they work together on many projects." Master Xin summed up.
"Thank you for the demo and sharing your experiment with us," Sean said, bowing slightly.
"Our pleasure." Putri assured them.
Master Xin led the group through the laboratory, and they exited by another door into the hallway before returning to the elevators and continuing their ascent to the guest room level. The elevator doors opened up on a hallway that looked very much like a fancy hotel floor. In the next five minutes, Master Xin brought Spencer and Tom to their respective rooms, and gave them keys to their doors. He informed them about breakfast in the food court the next morning, and the time they all would meet, before bidding them each a good night.
Spencer's room had a comfortable, wide sleeping pod with a television, two nightstands, a dresser, and a large closet. He kept his clothes folded in his suitcase instead of using the dressers, since they'd be departing the next morning. He settled in by dropping off his belongings, checking out the guest room amenities, and briefly flipping through the channels on the television. Before leaving the room for the evening, he removed his medallion and placed it securely in one of the pouches of his suitcase. Finally, he left the room for a rendezvous with Tom.
As they had planned earlier, Spencer and Tom returned to the skate park; Spencer could barely contain his excitement, since he was eager to learn how to ride a jet board. But he was fully aware, from his adventu
res with regular skateboards and skates, that safety had to come first. Unless they included some kind of sophisticated airbag or anti-crash system (they didn't), the jet boards clearly had the potential for causing even more serious damage than regular boards if used inexpertly. Spencer and Tom had to get fitted for helmets, elbow and knee pads, jet board gauntlets, and boots. Then they received instruction and training on operating the jet board with the gauntlets, and securing the magnetic boots to the board, from one of the facility trainers.
They started slowly. Despite Spencer's mastery in other extreme sports, the jet board was a completely new frontier for him. Nonetheless, his experience skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing enabled him to advance rather quickly in his acquisition of jet boarding skills. Before long, he was performing at a near-expert level, like he was born to the board and gauntlets. Even though Tom had skated on jet boards before, he was still a novice, because he wasn't an avid skater like Spencer. Contrary to his usual mastery of various skills, at the end of the night, he was still an amateur—but he enjoyed the activity regardless. Afterward, they were exhausted and their legs were so sore they could barely walk. Nonetheless, Spencer found it exhilarating, and realized he'd discovered a new favorite pastime.
The next morning, after levering themselves stiffly out of bed and loosening up in their respective showers, Spencer and Tom joined Master Xin, Sean, and Shin Li in the food court for breakfast, exactly as Master Xin had planned the previous evening. They ate a hearty, full breakfast with their choices of French toast, waffles, pancakes, or rolls in addition to English muffins and croissants. As Sean doused a Southern-style biscuit in peppery cream gravy, Master Xin addressed the small group. "I must inform you that I am parting ways with you all at this point, but I shall meet up with you all again in the near future."
"Where are you going, Master Xin?" Spencer asked.
