by Trevor Gregg
Joraq’s memories, she realized, tasted awful, corrupted somehow. Tainted by whatever that Obregon thing was? She felt dread when her mind touched those memories. Whatever that thing was, it certainly seemed insidious.
However, she had a pressing problem, a more immediate and direct threat to them all. The Kirugi. And here she was, stuck in madness, waiting for her companions to return, so they could go face the Kirugi together. But what if they never returned? What if Joraq killed them on approach? Her vision of the end had changed each time they had influenced events. That meant that her vision was not of what would be, but what could be.
What a change from the certainty she had felt before she had died. Back then, she knew the outcome was predetermined because she had foreseen it. She may not have understood all the pieces, but she had known they would defeat Tharox.
But then she had come out of the other side of her Visikaji, and had been transformed. As if that uncertainty wasn’t bad enough, Joraq had just done something to her mind. C’mon Elarra, get yourself together, she thought furiously.
Opening the door, she stepped out into the street, eyes squinting against the bright midday sun. Mac stood in the middle of the street, seemingly to have been waiting for her.
“Hey man, glad to see you’re up. Her highness didn’t know how long you would be out, so she said, wait here man, for her to wake up man, then take her to her quarters, like right away.”
She nodded and he led on. A short time later they reached a scattering of small bungalows.
Mac gesticulated wildly at the nearest, “That’s yours man, just relax, you’re like home and stuff. The great lady said for you to rest, okay man?”
“Thanks,” was all she could manage.
Staggering into the bungalow, she spotted a low mattress against the far wall, and immediately made her way over to it. She collapsed in a heap and blacked out from exhaustion.
Consciousness returned in degrees, light slowly filtering in, brightening the room at a creeping pace. Soon, she couldn’t keep her eyes closed any longer and sat up, stretching. She stood and went to the door, peering out into a rising dawn light.
She spent her time exploring the compound and avoiding Joraq. She cringed every time Mac called out. Elarra dreaded being summoned, but thankfully Joraq seemed to be ignoring her. Days and days had passed, more than a week, she was sure. But with the burden of Joraq’s memories, her own had become hazy. She was wandering, trying to avoid thinking about the Obregon and failing, when she heard a voice call her name.
“Elarra, dude, like honored liadi lady, our guru commands you to come,” Mac called out from down the street, gesticulating absurdly.
What did Joraq want now? And why now? Why be so absent for days? What had she been up to? Mentally shrugging, she acquiesced and followed Mac.
She noted that the nar'raxi were quite active today, scurrying to and fro. And arming themselves? She looked on suspiciously as a nar'raxi with a cart full of spears was handing them out. Did that mean Kyren and the others were coming? Was this preparation for their rescue attempt? Her heart swelled at the possibility.
Then she remembered the ship and it’s energy weapons, still active, just waiting to blast any approaching craft. If they came in on Isa, they would stand no chance. If they were on the Ashari, maybe her shields would protect them. At least they would have some chance, she hoped.
Mac led her to the silo, the monumental pit containing the ancient battleship. Arrayed around the courtyard were dozens upon dozens, upon dozens of nar'raxi, armed and grim looking. The background was filled with murmuring and low, guttural speech. The nar'raxi were definitely agitated.
She was certain that Kyren and the others were coming. If Joraq had mobilized her warriors, that would mean they would make it to the ground. They must be coming in the Ashari, she thought, just as a sonic boom echoed over the grounds. There she was, that had to be the Ashari reentering the atmosphere.
Suddenly, from all over the compound, plumes of smoke erupted as what had to be hundreds of missiles launched from the ancient, weathered anti-aircraft batteries. If Alis was flying the Ashari, they might be able to survive the missiles. But they would still have to contend with the battleship’s guns.
Minutes went by and detonations were heard in the forest outside the compound. She hoped it wasn’t her companions that were detonating.
“Come here, child!” Joraq screeched at Elarra from the silo’s railing-less edge.
Elarra held her head high and strode across the plaza. Standing before Joraq, she could see the madness in her eyes. She was already gone, there would be no reasoning with her. Elarra realized, with horror, that she might actually have to kill Joraq in the end.
Attempting to push down the grim thoughts, she focused on what she knew was coming, Kyren and the others, hopefully.
“Yes, they are indeed coming. And they will die! You will stay here until my body fades, then you will finish the preparations for the Obregon,” Joraq screeched.
“I’m not doing anything for you, Joraq. You’re mad, plain mad,” Elarra responded.
“You won’t be doing it for me, you’ll be doing it because you want to. Just you wait.”
A knot of anxiety churned in Elarra’s stomach, but her thoughts were interrupted by a cacophony of gunfire erupting from all over the compound. Nar'raxi began to bolt, pouring down alleyways and along the main thoroughfare. They scrambled about, looking like ants scurrying around the anthill after it had been kicked.
At nearly the same time, a sonic boom rolled over the compound again, and Elarra looked up to see the Ashari streaking through the sky, bearing down on them.
No! Wait! She thought frantically, trying to find some way to warn them. But there was none. The weapons fired and she watched the shields blasted into oblivion by the first pulses, then watched on in horror as the remaining beams punched into the aft of the ship.
The Ashari spun wildly out of control, trailing a huge plume of black smoke. She passed overhead and continued on into a nearby plaza where a tremendous crash was heard. But at least no explosion. Maybe they were okay.
“Nar’raxi, kill them. Every single intruder, kill them,” Joraq bellowed maniacally.
79
Blast Radius
The decimation was massive, the scene beyond grisly. There must’ve been fifty or more nar'raxi, all were now meat. The carnage spread out from the building in a semi circle, gore and bodies scattered like leaves, the pavement thick with blood.
“Boss!” Kyren heard someone cry, somewhere from down the street.
He turned and saw several of Arkanon’s thugs running toward them.
“Let’s go find that little bitch, shall we boys?” Arkanon said enthusiastically, swinging his machete and casually pointing to a group of nar'raxi that had just emerged on the scene.
Spears flew and arrows whistled by, but none found their mark. The return volley from the mercs’ automatic weapons cut the nar'raxi down. Arkanon bellowed a cry and charged down the alley after some fleeing warriors. His mercs followed.
“Let’s go this way,” Kyren said, pointing the other direction. “We need to go to the silo, that is the next logical place Joraq would be. She likes the dramatic backdrop.”
He and Alis crept toward the silo, moving cautiously. Several warriors challenged them, but Kyren lit off a burst at their feet, and they quickly backpedaled. A short time later, they reached the plaza bordering the silo. The plaza was full of armed nar'raxi, but they seemed to be waiting. They made no aggressive moves toward Kyren and Alis, they practically ignored them.
“What the f…” Alis began, but stopped short. “Why aren’t they attacking?”
“That,” Kyren said, pointing to the edge.
Elarra sat cross legged, Joraq stood above her. She held a syringe with wicked looking needle to Elarra’s neck.
Joraq cackled and said, “Yes, weapons down children, weapons down or your friend’s blood boils.”
J
ust then chaos erupted around them. Kyren dove on Alis and tried to cover her as rounds tore through the air all around them. He saw Arkanon and his men massacring the remaining nar'raxi, and the crossfire was sending rounds all over the plaza.
Arkanon seemed to have no concern for his safety and strode through the plaza straight at Joraq.
“You!” he boomed, pointing the gore-soaked machete at her. “You’ve thwarted me for the last time.”
As Arkanon wound up with the machete, Joraq shoved Elarra to the ground and brought the needle to bear. The machete descended, a blur of steel death arcing straight for Joraq. And then she simply dodged, faster than Kyren would have thought possible.
She drove the needle into Arkanon’s foot and depressed the plunger. The poison must’ve been strong indeed, because Arkanon went rigid before he completed his next step. He staggered forward and fell heavily, machete sliding away. He pulled himself along, dragging his paralyzed lower body, scraping his armor across the concrete floor of the plaza, heading for the edge as if it were some refuge.
He reached the edge and leaned over, whispering his last words, “My ship.”
Elarra was reacting too, although slowly. She reached out for Joraq and grabbed her leg, toppling her to the ground. They began to struggle, a mass of robes and blue dress, tiny limbs flailing.
Joraq came out on top and began to batter Elarra’s face.
“Now how do you feel!?!” Joraq screamed, her eyes unfocused. “Feel it, the pain, the terror, feel it!”
Elarra bucked and sent Joraq toppling. Kyren started to dash over but Alis held him back.
“This is hers, and hers alone. She left me, so she’s on her own here,” Alis told him coldly.
“But we can’t just let…”
“If all her destiny shit is right, then she’ll make it.”
“No, I can’t do that,” Kyren said and ignited his energy blade and broke into a run.
But as he approached, Elarra had regained her feet. She delivered a short, sharp punch to Joraq’s throat, staggering her backward. She grasped at her neck and staggered to the edge, teetering.
Elarra advanced as Joraq croaked, “Open up to the Obregon, Elarra, it will welcome you.”
“No,” Elarra said. “I’m ending you.”
And she shoved Joraq backward. Joraq staggered for a step before her foot found empty air and she toppled over the edge, disappearing from view.
She shrieked as she fell, “Ooooobreeeegoooon.”
There was a final sounding crash below, and Elarra dropped to her knees. Kyren ran to her and scooped her up.
“It’s been so long,” he said. “I’m sorry it took us so long.”
“What? It’s been a little over two weeks,” Elarra replied as she let Kyren help her to her feet.
The deadly crossfire in the plaza had ceased, as most of the mercs had either been overwhelmed while reloading or had fled. The nar'raxi seemed to be paying Kyren and his companions no mind, none were advancing, no weapons came their way.
“Let’s get back to the ship, then we’ll figure out what to do,” Kyren instructed.
As they returned to the ship, the nar'raxi paid them no heed. It was as if they were invisible, completely ignored as they made their way through the streets. Reaching the Ashari they dashed inside.
“Benjam, what can you tell me?” Alis demanded as they entered the bridge.
“It seems that the engines have been damaged. The port side one to be precise. From my diagnostics, I would say the hadronic manipulator is damaged. Perhaps some cowling and thruster tube as well. Repairable, but we’ll need some parts,” Benjam squeaked while squiggling out of the control console.
“I think I know where to find the parts we need,” Elarra said, entering the bridge behind them.
“Where?” Alis asked.
Kyren noted her discomfort. Was she feeling bad for abandoning Elarra? Or was it something else? Either way, he didn’t think it would be prudent to stoke the fire at this point.
Instead, he opted for conciliatory, “The ship, right Elarra?”
“Yes, correct Kyren. It was operational enough to shoot the Ashari down. I’m sure there are parts we can scavenge. We just need to get through the nar'raxi. But I have a feeling without Joraq’s influence, they may just ignore us.”
Kyren ran escort while Benjam and Alis explored the ship. They found a terminal from which they were able to access schematics, to locate the parts they needed to affect repairs on the Ashari. Alis and Benjam worked into the night stripping the required components from the aging warship and retrofitting them to work on the Ashari.
Kyren had fallen asleep at one of the consoles, when Alis shook him awake.
“Wha…? My gun, where’s my… oh, what’s up Alis?” Kyren shook his head in attempt to disperse the grogginess.
“We’re ready to try firing her up now,” she informed him.
He perked up and waited, the anticipation in the room palpable. Alis began tapping commands while Benjam manipulated the status readings.
“Looking good so far… wait! Increase the baryon stream, generate more quark-gluon plasma! There! You’ve got it Alis!” Benjam cried enthusiastically as Alis worked the controls.
Suddenly, there was a rumbling and then the engines sprang to life. Kyren couldn’t help himself and let out a victorious whoop. They would be on their way to pick up the bot and would hopefully meet Geri at Earth, for the final confrontation.
Alis pushed the Ashari’s throttle and maneuvered the thrusters, lifting the ship off and hovering in the air. She hit the engines, and the ship rocketed for orbit and the galaxy beyond.
80
Procyon
“Benjam, what’s our timeline?” Alis asked, knowing he would have a precise estimate.
She wasn’t eager to face the Kirugi, but she was desperate to be reunited with her mom.
“It took us six hours to reach Rendikar. Repairs cost us another twelve. Procyon is a good distance away, but by using the dormant Azorian gates, we can make it in another fifteen hours,” Benjam responded, thankfully rounding off to the hour.
“I suggest we all get some rest,” Kyren remarked.
They were all tired from working through the night on the Ashari’s repairs, Alis knew. But she was needed to fly the ship, so she would likely only get short bursts of sleep in between gates and jumps. She would just have to make due, she thought.
“Thank you,” Elarra said, placing her hand on Kyren’s arm and looking at Benjam, then to her. “I do not know what you went through, but thank you for coming back for me.”
“Of course, Elarra,” Kyren said, placing his hand over hers.
“So what happened with Joraq?” Alis inquired.
“Much happened with her, but I’m afraid very little of it is relevant to our current threat. She was entirely mad.”
“But what did she want with you?” Alis wondered.
“I think she wanted me to follow in her footsteps, to join her in madness, I guess. Now what about you all? Any success?”
“Yeah, we managed to get to the past,” Kyren began.
Then he launched into their tale, relaying how they had learned the Kirugi’s destination. They had secured the giant robot. They had prepared to capture Tharox’s mind, and left themselves all the messages instructing them on what to do. He barely mentioned Leicara, to Alis’ relief.
“Yeah, and we hibernated in stasis for seventeen thousand years,” Alis interjected.
She saw the look of discomfort on Benjam’s face, so she said, “Yeah, and my mom is going to get Consortium help.”
“Good. I believe we will have raxi when we need them too. But their method of arrival I’ve not foreseen, only that they are there,” Elarra stated.
“Have you had any new visions?” Kyren asked tentatively.
“No, I’m afraid not,” Elarra responded, sounding shaken, which surprised Alis.
“First gate coming up,” Alis warned.
With that, everyone went to their quarters, leaving Alis alone on the bridge. She wondered what her mom was up to, whether or not she had secured help. Guiding the Ashari through the warp portal, she began the first of many gates that would bounce them around the galaxy until they reached Procyon. From there they could warp to their ultimate destination, Earth.
Procyon was nearby, an easy jump to make from the Ashari. Her concern was whether or not the Gaidan was fully functional. It seemed to have been pretty badly damaged during the battles Kyren had fought with it already. She wondered how it would fare in another battle, especially with another Kirugi.
Alis slept some, but spent most of the time worrying and wondering about things she couldn’t know the answer to. Lots of things would just have to wait and see, and she hated that.
Many more jumps and several naps later, everyone had reassembled on the bridge.
“Final jump, we’re about to go to Procyon and see how the Gaidan has held up,” Alis informed them.
She readied herself and activated the jump. Several dizzying moments later, she was banking the Ashari, turning toward the tidally locked first planet orbiting the larger of the system’s two stars. The far side of the planet was shielded from the intense radiation from the star, but was extremely cold. She was concerned the Gaidan might not start in such a frigid environment.
They came around the star, heading for the planet. Many tense minutes later, they were circling around to the night side.
“Benjam, are we picking up any signals, anything on sensors?” Alis questioned.
“Indeed, there is a low grade power source emission coming from the surface,” Benjam squeaked happily.
“Great, see if you can pick up a communications channel and interface the Ashari’s computer, I’m going to help Kyren set up the controls.”
She worked with Kyren for some time before she had managed to rewire the basic components. The neural feedback system was intact, meaning the direct interface was usable, as well as basic programming.
