Return to Earth

by Brad Stucki

  Javin felt the unvoiced question Nemesis was asking. “You have the combined power of 2 Articles of Power. You know how to use them, and now want to see if you can succeed where others failed?”

  “Yes,” Nemesis said. “I also have the advantage of not caring if I cause permanent damage.”

  It was then Javin started to feel a pressure build up on his skull, surrounding his brain, trying to access the deeper part of his mind. Nemesis wasn’t going to ask, or care about being gentle. Javin tried to relax, to open up completely as he’d done with the Sharing.

  The pressure continued to build, along with a pain. It seemed as if Nemesis were prying at the edges of his mind, finding the place where the memories were locked tight, trying to press, prying to find a seam, pushing and pulling, trying to force a crack in the shell to get it open.

  Javin hoped he would finally succeed . . . And quickly. The pain was getting unbearable. Javin would have screamed yet the pain was so intense his whole body was stiff with the strain. He couldn’t force his mouth open, couldn’t breathe.

  The pressure intensified. It felt as if his skull, his mind, was at the breaking point where it would implode or explode with each successive wave of force trying to pry his memories open.

  He was blacking out. This was going to kill him. Still, Nemesis pressed on. The pressure increased jolting back and forth with a roughness that whipped Javin’s mind back and forth as if being slammed against opposing walls with terrific force. His memories remained locked no matter the battering, no matter the force exerted.

  The pain! It was so intense Javin felt his life force leaking away, flowing outward as if being pushed from his body by the compression of his mind. There was nothing he could do . . . He couldn’t focus. Then he felt a slight draw, a place promising relief where his life force could go, could retreat from the pain. Javin let himself . . . His inner core be drawn away, down into darkness and . . . Relief!”

  Chapter 17

  “Ahrr!” Nemesis growled as he tried to hold Javin’s spirit within his body but wasn’t successful. It had fled. Javin was dead. He’d tried to be more careful than he’d been with the Chameleon-Man back a couple of worlds ago. That was the first time he’d drained a life force and he hadn’t realized how delicate life could be. This time he’d tried to balance it a bit more, holding on to Javin, keeping him right on the edge until he could break through the block, but it hadn’t worked.

  He hadn’t really wanted to kill Javin. He would have been useful. Especially if what he’d glimpsed in the memories had been true about the coming Dark. Nemesis had seen the Dark in one other’s memories. The one he’d drained before. So there might be something to it after all.

  Oh well. He couldn’t bring back the dead. Nemesis would think through that later. For now, he had to keep moving. He’d already been on this planet too long. He'd gotten what he came for. It would have been good to have Javin’s blocked memories too. There had to be something hidden there. It was lost now. No use crying over it.

  Nemesis started to move and stumbled. He hadn’t realized the exertion he’d made in trying to get through Javin’s block. Then he remembered where he was . . . And who was with him. The Aquarian King was staring at him. Nemesis felt out, trying to gauge what his reaction had been. There was a mixture of awe, fear and questions. Mostly questions tinged with a bit of . . . Suspicion.

  “My King,” Nemesis ‘thought,’ an idea forming in his mind based on the new information he'd received. “It is time you lead your people into a new era of fulfilling their purpose.” Nemesis felt the King attending carefully. Nemesis had sensed when he’d first come that the King was very proud of his role as King of a special people. Nemesis had learned from the Keeper, through subtle questions and also through subtle accessing of memories, that the amphibians’ role in their own histories was to be the “Protectors of the Gate”. Nemesis hadn’t realized what that meant until he’d received the knowledge from Sharing with Javin. Now with a quick thought, he was able to access that knowledge from the Archive and it made perfect sense.

  Now he could do what he needed to do, and use these people to get back to Earth, take control there and do some further investigation of the Great Dark. He could plan what to do next from there.

  The King’s people had been seeded with sufficient technology from the Ancients to protect this and other specific portions of space. They had developed space travel, more advanced than Nemesis remembered was on Earth. Perhaps 150 years ahead. They had orbital and suborbital vehicles which were armed and armored with the tough materials that made up their domes. Their level of sophistication in computer science and electromagnetics was impressive. And they had warships which were capable of space and atmospheric flight that were to use to protect their world and any other part of the Great Matrix from threats of any kind.

  It was the perfect force to take back to Earth. They’d meet little resistance. And then Nemesis would be able to do the research he needed, would have a base from which to protect himself from his former masters, and figure out what to do next

  Nemesis hesitated a moment, accessing the Archive knowledge again. It was right here in this vicinity of space, surrounding this planet. A critical convergence of power would occur and open the Great Gateway that would spread to the rest of the inhabited portions of the galaxy in order to move it to another place entirely. It was also here, on this world, the controls to the Great Matrix were placed. That same Matrix, on a much smaller scale could be opened in space and transfer this Protection Fleet back to Earth.

  It was awesome what knowledge the Archive held. Each piece of the plan was right there to access as soon as one knew what to look for. It triggered the search and immediate accessibility of the information downloaded into one’s mind and understanding. It made Nemesis wonder what he was missing simply because he didn’t know to ask for it. Like the fact that Javin had received from him in the Sharing as well as giving all this knowledge. Perhaps it was good Javin was dead. There were things Nemesis didn’t want anyone to know. He’d have to be wary of Sharing with anyone else.

  “Come,” Nemesis continued to the King. While speaking he exerted just a touch of mental compulsion, something so slight no one would notice even with their heightened empathy, not even the King. “We must gather your army and your fleet. Not only is the Great Gate located here, but your world’s power flows to another location, and a people exist who are ignorant of their purpose. They have corrupted the sacred sites and don’t even know what they are for. We need to deliver those sacred sites so when the time comes the Great Gate will be able to function as it was intended and save all people in the galaxy.

  “And, my King, you and your people will be those who will be remembered as saviors because of your deliverance of my world. That is why I have come, and that is why these imposters came to try and stop me.”

  The King puffed slightly under the praise, the vision of destiny, and the slight mental push Nemesis had given him. Clearly, he knew he was the King of Destiny. The one to lead his people at such a critical time. The King nodded gravely and moved out of the room. He had much to do in gathering his fleet and prepare them for war.

  Nemesis smiled.

  Chapter 18

  Nemesis and the king strode down the short hallway and turned into the conference room where they had left the rest of the party. Nemesis wanted to see Sauros and the Aquarian Keeper before they left. He was surprised to find a commotion. The guards were huddled around two forms on the floor. They parted ways deferentially for the king and Nemesis. It was Sauros and the Keeper who had apparently collapsed.

  This is interesting, Nemesis thought. He concentrated and delved their bodies and minds using his Crystal and the two Articles of Power.

  They were alive. Their heartbeats strong. There was no indication of pain. They had just simply collapsed. They must have somehow been tied in with Javin and when he died, it did something to them.

  Well, he couldn’t be bothered with
this either. He looked up to see the king staring down at his daughter, concern written large upon his face. But the slight compulsion forbade him from interfering in any way with Nemesis and his examination of them.

  “She is okay,” Nemesis soothed the King. The King’s daughter had somehow become connected to Javin and Sauros.

  “She has the Gift as do I, and as do they. I’ve been shielded by my power. These two appear to be unharmed, merely in a deep sleep from which they will emerge presently. They will be okay.” Nemesis emphasized his words by sending a slight feeling of warmth and peace into the Aquarian king - and Nemesis wondered where he got that name from? Aquarian? Then he realized it had come from Javin. That’s what Javin had called them rather than their longer name Nemesis had also learned, People of Water and Sky.

  The concern on the King’s features slackened and he smiled with relief. He turned to Nemesis, nodded his head as if to say, “As you say.”

  Nemesis then turned to the guards, “Make these two comfortable in a room. There is a body in the next room down the hall. Bring that body and place it with these two. They will know what to do with the body.” Nemesis wasn’t sure they would know what to do, but he couldn’t worry about that right now. He needed to get the King to gather his fleet so they could be away. Nemesis realized he now knew how to activate the Great Matrix to transport the fleet to Earth, to take control there and to establish a fortress of sorts from where he could consolidate his power and decide what to do next.

  He knew from what he had plumbed from the Archive through Javin, piecing it together from what he’d also taken, subtly, from this world’s Keeper, the Kings’ daughter. She’d had the information on how to operate their Matrix system. And now Nemesis had it.

  This world was the source, sending out a directional beam to all other inhabited worlds — or more correctly, all the other worlds' pyramids, causing the Great Matrix to function. He realized the primary beam was sent first to Earth, and from there refracted from Earth’s many pyramids to other inhabited worlds, and certain points in space to form the ‘Great Gateway’.

  That’s why there were so many pyramids spread across the surface of the earth, all from different cultures and different time periods, but all of the same basic design. And now Nemesis realized they had a been built for the same function and purpose.

  To reach Earth would be a simple matter of opening up a large spacial Gate above this world through which they would simply fly . . . And arrive above the Earth in near space. All Nemesis had to do was touch certain crystals in a pedestal tray while ‘thinking’ of what he wanted to do, and the Great Matrix would respond. He had the Gift - a Crystal embedded in his breast and could control the primary operations. Though he surmised he would need all three Articles of Power to fully power the final opening of the Great Gate. And . . . Nemesis suppressed a shudder. There had to be a sacrifice. He saw in his mind’s eye the vision Sauros had in which he literally had to assist Javin to sacrifice himself, his life’s essence to the powering and controlling of the Great Matrix from inside! That is what was required for one to move such a vast portion of the galaxy and save it from the coming Dark.

  Well, that wouldn’t happen now, since Javin was dead. And Nemesis certainly wasn’t going to take his place - twin or no. Looks like the Ancient’s plan was over anyway. Whether the Ancients were telling the truth or not was now a moot point. Even more reason why Nemesis needed to consolidate his own power and form a base for protection.

  If there was a Great Dark coming, Nemesis hoped it would be far enough away it wouldn’t bother him during his lifetime, at least. Well, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

  The guards had started removing the Keeper and Sauros. The King had them pause for a bit to kneel and to caress the face of his daughter, as if saying goodbye. Then he stood.

  “Come King, let us gather your fleet and we’ll be off to save the galaxy and fulfill your people’s role. Again, the king nodded stiffly and Nemesis sensed a tinge of confusion and a little bit of… resistance. This king was strong. No matter. Nemesis was stronger.

  Chapter 19

  Sauros stirred to wakefulness. He shook his head, trying to come back to his senses and discover where he was, why he had been unconscious. Then it slowly came to him. Javin! He tried to rise but fell back. He was on the floor in a different room than where he’d been held captive. Sensing out, he discerned the shielding was no longer active. Nemesis must be gone!

  Sauros’ eyes started to clear and he saw the guards hovering close about him . . . no . . . around the Keeper. She was next to him on the floor. She had been bound with him during the Sharing and subsequent . . . killing of Javin.

  He needed to get to Javin! There was a remote possibility he could be revived. But he had to get to him first.

  Sauros struggled to rise. One of the guards noticed and helped him sit up. And then to stand. He could see the Keeper was conscious as well. She turned to look at him and Sauros sensed she was thinking the same thing.

  Of course! She had been joined with he and Javin and understood. Realized the urgency of getting to Javin now!

  It was then he noticed Javin was laying just a short distance away, close to the wall. Sauros moved to his side and knelt. He quickly pulled to his mind the experience Chahzuu had passed on in his dying. He had gone through this very thing, had been killed by Nemesis, but had thrust a kernel of himself, his essence, into the Crystal before being completely stripped of his life-force. Then the Crystal had ‘given’ it back once Nemesis had left.

  That tiny spark of Javin's essence had been what Sauros had clung to as he had felt Javin’s life-force leaking away under the onslaught of Nemesis’ prying at his blocked memories. Nemesis hadn’t been successful – as far as Sauros could tell – in getting Javin’s blocked memories, but it had killed Javin in the process. Sauros only hoped he’d captured enough of Javin’s essence and stored it in his own Crystal to bring Javin back. Only one way to find out.

  Sauros concentrated, using the Shared memories of Chahzuu to guide him. Sauros focused on that part of him he’d caught as it was flittering away and taken into himself, to store, to hold for just this time.

  The Crystal in Sauros’ breast began to warm. He could feel its hot glow start to burn and access that part he was seeking. Sauros didn’t know how it worked, just knew it ‘had’ to work.

  Sauros continued to focus on gathering that portion which was Javin’s and holding it, preparing it to transfer back. His breast continued to gather heat as the Crystal continued building energy, then Sauros knew it was time. It had all been gathered and was ready to be returned.

  He felt a strange tingling in his breast, spreading upward to his shoulders, down his arms and into his hands. Sauros opened his eyes he’d closed to help his concentration. His hands were glowing now, and Sauros knew what he had to do.

  Reaching down, Sauros gently touched the crown of Javin’s head with both glowing hands. There was an arc of energy and an audible ‘pop.’

  Javin’s body convulsed and he gasped in a breath. Sauros could tell the spark he’d held had immediately re-joined its original host. Was it enough? Had Sauros captured enough to make a difference. What if it wasn’t enough? There were too many question. Best to just wait and see.

  Sauros was joined on the floor by the Keeper, touching his arm as if to offer her support and strength as she watched Javin closely.

  Javin was now breathing slowly. He seemed . . . peaceful. That was the best way to describe it. Should they try and wake him? Or did Javin need time to re-assimilate that spark of himself back into his body before he could return to consciousness?

  That decision was taken from them.

  As Sauros watched, Javin’s whole body began to glow! Sauros had seen this twice before. It had happened to Chahzuu. It had happened to his betrothed after she had sacrificed herself to shield Javin from a bolt of energy fired from the hands of Nemesis. This wasn’t good! Those bodies had disappeared, never t
o be seen again!

  Sauros reached out to try and grasp hold of Javin, to somehow keep him with them. Was he truly dead and that’s why he was fading? But he’d been breathing! The others who’d disappeared in this way had been truly dead, no spark of life at all. His hand closed on Javin’s arm, but it felt strange, like it was there then not there, fading in and out of being real, and the feeling was getting worse until there was no feeling at all. Javin was gone!

  Chapter 20

  Javin came back from a deep pit. He was striving for the pinpoint of light he saw above him, surrounded with darkness. He reached for it, climbed for it. The light and the source of warmth and peace emanating from it increased, grew and finally he got close enough it surrounded him, warmed him and infused him with a calm, peace and comfort.

  He basked in that warmth, that calm serenity he hadn’t felt in . . . so long. He was so tired. Javin was still for a time. He didn’t know how long. Then he began to wonder what had happened. Why was he here? And where was here? His eyes were still closed. Then he realized he had eyes. He felt out more, becoming cognizant of his body, his arms, legs, hands, neck, head . . .

  A memory came back to him. It was strange that he had to work so hard to find a memory. Something about lost memories being unlocked. Then pain! The memory was horrible. Javin took deep breaths, telling himself it was a memory, that he wasn’t actually feeling the pressure, the pain any longer. That realization helped. His breathing slowed and the memory, that anchor memory slowly expanded, and he remembered falling into dark, but a feeling of being caught, having a place to fall and be safe. Then it clicked.

  Sauros!

  All the other memories flooded back, slid into place and he knew who he was and everything else . . . He checked for a moment, searching for his blocked memories . . . They were still blocked!