The Forbidden Spacemage

by Dan Oakley

  I couldn’t see anyone in the corridor, but there had to be someone there. Nerves prickled at my skin.

  “Who’s there?” I demanded to know.

  One of the maintenance bots wheeled through the doorway. “Greetings, I have a message for you.”

  Had there been a ship-wide announcement I’d missed while I’d been asleep? Why was this bot not secured? Was everyone else walking freely around the ship?

  “I thought we were all supposed to take our seats to prepare for the jump,” I said to the bot.

  “All androids and human crew are required to be in harnessed seats during the jump. Bots are already secured by the magnetic fasteners that power our movements. The bot gestured to its wide base. I couldn’t see any wheels, and it appeared to glide over the surface. We are always secured to the floor, so the jump protocol doesn’t apply to us.”

  “Oh, right. What message do you have for me?”

  “It’s a message from a private citizen on Terrano,” the bot announced. “Usually, satellite communications are only allowed during weekends, but the person calling said it was an emergency.”

  “Maureena?”

  “Do you accept the message?”

  I nodded.

  “Please lower your head to my eye level, and I shall scan your retinas.”

  I didn’t bother to ask why and just complied.

  When the bot had finished scanning my eyes, he rolled up the surface of his white torso revealing a screen. “Press the center of the touchscreen when you are ready to take the call.”

  I pressed the touchscreen harder than was necessary, making the bot wobble. “Sorry,” I said, my eyes fixed on the screen.

  The screen came on, but there was no one there. I was looking at a dark room.

  “Hello? Is anyone there?”

  There was a movement, a flash of grey hair and then Maureena appeared on the screen. Her face was smeared with a dark substance — soot from a fire?

  “Maureena? What’s wrong?”

  She put her face in her hands. “Tomas, I’m so glad this call made it through. I need to warn you not to come back to Terrano. I hope things are bearable there for you. Here, the villagers have turned on us. It’s not safe.”

  “What happened?”

  “They set my cabin on fire this evening. Thankfully, I was able to get out, make it to the stables and ride away on Bess. I’m in the next village and will be resuming my journey onward at dawn. I found a communications device in the town hall.” She gave an apologetic smile. “It was the only way I could get in touch. You know we don’t have satellite communications in many places in Terrano.”

  “How did you know how to contact me?”

  She smiled. “I’m a mage, Tomas. Locating you wasn’t so hard.”

  I nodded. “I dreamed Lucillia set fire to the cabin…”

  Maureena looked at me sharply, moving closer to the screen. “You dreamed that?”

  I nodded not sure what it all meant. “Yes, just now. I tried to call out a warning, but I couldn’t move or talk. It was horrible. I thought it was just a dream… but if it really happened…”

  Maureena nodded slowly. “I was woken by you calling my name. I thought it was a dream… but maybe not. Maybe somehow your magic was powerful enough to reach me...”

  I didn’t know how to respond. I wanted to confide in Maureena and tell her about all the mutations that Trella had found in my blood, but didn’t in case someone was listening in. For all I knew, the commander could review all satellite communications to and from the ship.

  “What will you do now?” I asked.

  “There are friends I can stay with. I’ll be fine, Tomas. Don’t worry about me.”

  “But what will you do for money?”

  She shrugged. “I’ll survive. I always do.”

  I looked at the bot. “Do I have any credits? Can I transfer them to Terrano?”

  “One moment, please, while I scan the records.”

  I waited, hoping I had something I could send to Maureena.

  “There was a deposit into your account from the Kingdoms yesterday. You have two thousand International Credits. Would you like to make a transfer?”

  I nodded and turned my attention back to Maureena. “I can send International Credits to your account.”

  Maureena had a trading account on Terrano but rarely used it. We tended to rely on exchanges and swaps, and what little money we had, we kept in cash.

  “You might need that money yourself, Tomas.”

  “I don’t need it right now. Do you remember your account number and pin?”

  Maureena recited the numbers, and I ordered the bot to make the transfer.

  “Transfer completed,” the bot said. “Jump is due to initiate in two minutes, and as protocol demands, I must now end this communication.”

  Maureena thanked me, and we hurriedly said goodbye before the bot terminated the call. When the screen went blank, I closed my eyes and realized I was shaking with anger. How could the villagers torment an old woman like that? They were evil. One day they would pay for this.

  The bot left me, and when the jump finally initiated, I was alone.

  It wasn’t as bad as I’d expected. The lights dimmed and flickered a few times, and there was a rumbling noise from somewhere on the ship, but other than that, it was a very smooth jump.

  A voice announced through the speakers that the jump was complete and we could leave our jump seats.

  I checked the time. I only had an hour before we were due to meet on the jump deck for the mission to Tor.

  I unfastened the buckles, folded the seat back into the wall and pulled my bed down. I set the alarm on my console so I wouldn’t oversleep and then lay on the bed, closed my eyes and tried to relax.

  My mind wouldn’t settle, but I needed to focus. The mission ahead of me would be the most dangerous thing I’d ever faced.

  Chapter 17

  The shrill beep of my alarm woke me half an hour later. The power nap hadn’t done much for my energy levels. It had only made me feel groggy.

  I took a quick shower, dressed in a clean uniform and then used my console to call a bot.

  Less than a minute later, the door to my room slid open, and I saw one of the small stubby cleaning bots in front of me.

  It tilted its white molded face to me, the black holes that were fashioned to look like eyes scanned my retinas.

  “Greetings, Tomas, what can I do for you today.”

  “Could you show me the way to the jump deck, please? I’m not sure where it is, and I’m due to be there at eighteen hundred hours.”

  “Of course,” the bot said and reversed backward out of the doorway. I followed after taking a last look at my dorm room. I had an odd sense that I wouldn’t see it again.

  I followed the bot as it wheeled its way along the corridor. I still found the maze of corridors confusing so unlike the world where I’d grown up. In Terrano, there were always things that stood out that I could use as landmarks to find my way. Here everything looked the same.

  It only took us a few minutes to get to the jump deck, so I was early.

  I stood beside the door and positioned my head in front of the small, rectangular scanner. It beeped once, and then the door slid open.

  “Thank you,” I said, turning to the bot, who was already wheeling away.

  I looked around the jump deck room and realized it was the same room Trella had transported us to when I’d first arrived on the K.S. Morellic. I felt a bit silly for not realizing I’d already been on the jump deck.

  The room looked much the same as it had the last time I’d seen it, apart from a line of heavy boots and armored uniforms and helmets.

  As there was no one else in the room, I walked up to inspect the kit. I suspected this was what we’d be wearing on Tor. There were no viewing screens on this deck so I couldn’t even see the planet. I walked circuits around the jump room, trying to burn off nervous energy before the rest of the crew got here.r />
  Trella was next to arrive. Her eyes grew guarded as she saw me standing by the uniforms.

  “Hi,” I said. “I guess this stuff is for the mission,” I said gesturing to the armor.

  “It will take a few hits, but it’s not strong enough for my liking.” Her face twisted in disapproval as she inspected the kit. “I suppose the analysts have determined agility is more important than heavy armor on this mission. Just keep your eyes open at all times. Those freaking lizards can be sneaky. They’re good ambush predators.”

  Her voice was emotionless, but her words made me shiver. I didn’t much like the idea of being prey.

  Trella checked the time on her wrist device. “The others should be here soon, Tomas. We may as well get you set up first.”

  She handed me a comms device to attach to my wrist and then pointed out which armor I should wear. I looked over towards a cabinet on the far wall jam-packed with weapons.

  Trella nodded. “You should only need a hand ElectroLaser.” She frowned. “Maybe the defense squad members will be kitted out with the heavy stuff... Make sure you set your weapon to stun.”

  “Why stun and not kill?” I asked, confused.

  “Because I said so.” Trella sighed. “We don’t have time to get into it now. Besides, if you accidentally hit one of the team, you’ll be glad it was set to stun and not kill.”

  As I began to get ready, I asked, “Are you planning to stay on this ship for the rest of your career?”

  Trella shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “I’d like to get back to Terrano as soon as possible. Maureena has had some trouble with the villagers and has had to leave our cabin.”

  Trella stopped rifling through the uniforms to look up at me. “I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s concentrate on getting through this mission then we’ll think about a way to get you home.”

  Before I could reply, the door slid open again, and Bobby and Zarak entered.

  Bobby gave me a wide smile. “Hi Tomas, are you ready to annihilate some overgrown lizards? I call first dibs!”

  Before I could say anything, Trella answered for me. “Tomas is going to be busy keeping himself alive. As are you. You are not to go looking for trouble. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, sorry,” Bobby muttered sheepishly walking over to the uniforms. “Are these for us?”

  Trella nodded. “Yes, you’ve got five minutes to get kitted out.”

  Zarak strolled confidently over to the weapons cabinet, his eyes fixed on me. “I can’t believe they’re letting you go on a mission. You’re going to put all of our lives into danger.”

  I glared at him. He really had a problem with me. He didn’t even have a good point. I was already a better fighter than him, and I’d hardly had any training yet. “Maybe you’re the one who’s going to put us at risk. After all, I’m pretty sure I whipped your ass in combat training this afternoon.”

  Zarak clenched his teeth. I shouldn’t have responded. I knew better than that.

  Trella snapped, “Enough. Both of you. Zarak put your armor on.”

  “Are you in charge of this mission?” Zarak asked sulkily.

  “No,” Trella said. “A mage can’t control a mission. It’s against the Seven Kingdoms’ protocol. Ensign Borrack will be in charge.”

  I frowned. Ensign Borrack? An ensign wasn’t a particularly high rank, and I wondered why we didn’t have at least a lieutenant leading the party. Worry niggled away at the back of my mind. Was it because they didn’t want to sacrifice anyone of a higher rank?

  Ensign Borrack was next to enter the room, followed by the other men I recognized from the defense squad training session, Draylan, Marteen, Bayliss and Cartwright.

  Ensign Borrack nodded at us all and instructed the rest of the men to get kitted out.

  I pulled on the armor and was surprised it wasn’t as uncomfortable as it looked. It felt a bit bulky compared to the skintight uniform I’d been wearing since I’d been on the ship, but I figured I’d soon get used to it.

  The helmet, on the other hand, weighed a ton. I tested it in my hand.

  “Do we have to wear this all the time we’re on the planet?”

  “The headset has filters to remove radiation as well as a compressed gas supply to provide the optimum amount of oxygen. It is theoretically possible to live and function on Tor without any special breathing apparatus. You’d get tired faster, and things would take more effort because oxygen is slightly lower than optimal, but it’s not life-threatening. The helmet is mainly to offer protection against attack and also so we can communicate with one another while we are on terra firma,” Trella explained.

  “And you’ll keep the headset on until I tell you otherwise,” Ensign Borrack ordered. “Now listen carefully. This is our preliminary plan. Things could change according to intelligence once we get onto the planet, but our aim is to jump near to the original mining colony storage facility. From there, we will locate the exact spot that the science team jumped to and look for any evidence to prove they were there. We may find remains so be prepared for that. If we believe some of the expedition team are still alive, then we’ll track them.” He turned so he could address all of us. “You will all follow my orders, and you will not question anything. Does everybody understand?”

  Trella nodded curtly, and everybody else said, “Yes, sir.”

  He nodded. “Right, headsets on and raise your hand when you are ready.” He turned to Trella. “When everyone’s hands are raised, prepare to initiate the jump.”

  I pulled the helmet over my head and immediately everything seemed muffled and strange. The visor was slightly tinted, highlighting everything with a yellow hue. But if anything, my vision seemed sharper. It smelled artificial, like glue and plastic.

  “When you want to speak to the rest of the team, be direct and to the point. Keep communication to a minimum. No joking around.” Ensign Borrack’s voice was loud inside the helmet.

  “Let’s take turns and check everyone’s comms are working,” Ensign Borrack said.

  We did as he asked, confirming everything was working as it should be, then we raised our hands, and Trella started the jump.

  As before my vision seemed to spin, and I experienced an odd feeling of weightlessness. The feeling didn’t last long, and as soon as I felt solid ground beneath my feet, my vision cleared. This jump had been far more relaxed than my first experience.

  But before I got too comfortable, I noticed steam clouding the front of my visor, obscuring my vision. My pulse spiked. Was the flaming thing malfunctioning? The last thing I wanted was to face those monster-sized lizards with less than perfect vision.

  But as I tapped a few buttons on my wrist device to get to the troubleshooting section, the foggy condensation began to clear automatically.

  Now that I could see properly, I looked around. All members of the team stood close by. To my right, there was an old single-story building that had fallen into disrepair. The area of forest around us had been cleared, but the plants were encroaching despite the fact a solid stone platform surrounded the building.

  The air was full of the sound of chirping insects. A large brown creepy crawly, the size of a cricket, jumped onto Zarak’s helmet and he freaked out, trying to wipe it off.

  Ensign Borrack’s voice came through the system. “Calm down, Zarak, it’s just a bug. Now, is everyone ready?”

  Rather than reply, I nodded and then looked at Trella. She wasn’t paying attention to us. Instead, she was scanning the outskirts of the thick forest. I did the same. The area under the trees was dark and the foliage dense. Anything could be hiding out there.

  “Right, let’s walk on,” Ensign Borrack ordered. “Those at the back, keep your internal optics on at all times to keep your 360-degree view. The headset can be controlled by your wrist comms device and by the external panel on the headset itself.”

  I looked down at the device on my wrist, and with a few taps on the screen, I saw how I could toggle between camera on
and camera off. I switched it on, and it gave me a good view of the forest behind me. That was very handy. Like having eyes in the back of my head.

  I paired up with Trella, and we walked behind Ensign Borrack. Zarak and Bobby were behind us, and the other defense squad soldiers, carrying larger ElectroLaser weapons took the rear guard position. We set off towards the decrepit, single-story building.

  A climbing plant that had small, shiny red leaves and creamy white flowers had forced its way through cracks in the brick and stonework. It was as though the jungle was destroying the building inch by inch.

  “Check for signs of human life,” Ensign Borrack said, turning to Draylan, who accessed a detection program on his wrist device.

  We waited in silence for his verdict.

  Draylan grimaced and shook his head. “Nothing. No one is in there. No one alive anyway.”

  “We still need to check the building,” Ensign Borrack said, leading the way. He punched a code into a silver security pad beside the door, but nothing happened. It looked like the system had failed. When he pushed the door, it slid open smoothly. I wondered why and when the security system had failed. There were large solar panels on the roof, which I guessed powered the systems inside. Had they malfunctioned?

  We stepped inside, scanning our surroundings carefully as we moved forward. I jumped and turned my ElectroLaser gun towards something that scuttled across the floor. I exhaled a relieved breath when I realized it was a rodent of some sort.

  I caught Trella watching me and gave her a wry smile.

  She squeezed my arm.

  We walked on and entered what looked like the control room. There were monitors at the workstations and touchscreens in the center of the room.

  It was a huge room, and much larger than I’d expected. I wondered how large the original colony was. There were workstations here for at least fifty people.

  “I think I’ve found something,” Bobby said. “There’s somebody here!”

  We all made our way towards Bobby.

  I quickly saw why he had called us over. Sitting with their back to us was a human figure dressed in a very similar uniform to ours. The figure wore a helmet and silver-colored armor. They were facing a monitor with their gloved hands on a keypad.