Dalian Crystals

by Barbara Robertson

  The High Priest stepped up and blessed the Novices, in the ancient language. Emperor P’Lau walked up and personally handed the Borgund Novices a solid gold belt buckle on a black leather belt, resting in the finest black silk, set inside a black box. The heavy buckle bore the Imperial seal, with an onyx stone prominently set in the center.

  Emperor P’Lau then ordered the new Shi’Lon Rangers to remove their left-hand gloves. He held the left hand of each Shi’Lon Novice, and placed their long gold and jewel-laden Confirmation Ring on their third finger, as a husband would do for his bride. Emperor P’Lau returned to his throne, levitated up two meters above them, and declared, “Our young Shi’Lon Novices are now our Beloved Daughters, and our Borgund Novices are our Faithful Sons. Congratulations to our brave protectors!” Everyone in the Main Court applauded and cheered again, and the ceremony was complete.

  The remainder of the day was spent with their proud families and friends in celebration. A lavish banquet was served to all the guests, with many treats from all four worlds of the Empire. Entertainment by professional dancers, musicians, and magicians made the evening very festive. The celebration was a wonderful gesture from the Emperor for his Novice Rangers, and their families.

  Novice Kayla was surprised by the appearance of her brother, First Commander Olm, when he came up to her and offered his congratulations. He said, “My Captain Mur sends his regards to his friend, the new Novice Kayla. My wife Tara and I are so proud of you, little Sister!” He started to hug her, and Kayla quickly put up her hand to stop him.

  “You came halfway across the solar system to honor me today, Olm. Let’s not have to call the medics to resuscitate you, dear Brother!” Kayla said, and they both laughed until tears came to their eyes. Olm kissed her cheek, and remarked how impressive she looked in her formal red uniform and cloak, and red high-heeled boots. Kayla called Dan’L and M.C. Javette over, and introduced them to her only living relatives, Olm, and his Space Cadre Commander wife, Tara. They all had a wonderful, memorable day.

  The next day, Novice Dan’L was called into a meeting with Commanders Superior G’Rosk, Vu’Duc, Bette, and his Mother, M.C. Javette. “We now have information about your kidnapping, Novice. We located the three mercenaries who abducted you outside the Rogue Wave Club. We also have their shuttle pilot. Their Client is the Traitor Duma Wat, half-brother of Emperor P’Lau, who has led the Rebellion for over two decades. But why he wanted you remains a mystery, Dan’L. A contract is still out for your live capture for 500,000 credits. The Emperor was shocked to hear of the bounty for your capture, Novice,” G’Rosk stated.

  C.S. Bette ordered, “Tell us everything you know about Master Commander K’Ser’s death, Novice Dan’L.” She tapped on her com tablet to record his answer. “What were you doing at the time?”

  Dan’L looked at his Mother, and she nodded ever so slightly. He recalled, “I was in the last month of Phase 3 training. Those of us who were left were anxious and determined to succeed. We were training even after dark, in secret with each other, and sleeping very little.”

  “That’s what’s supposed to happen,” Bette said dryly. “Continue.”

  “When Commander Bok pulled me out of Phase 3 Training to tell me of my Father’s death, I was in shock. I didn’t ask him how, or why, or even where Master Commander K’Ser was when he was killed. I asked if my Mother Javette was all right, and if I could go to her,” Dan’L said quietly. “Mother told me he was killed by Rebels and mercenaries on SB5, near the White Belt. She said K’Ser killed many Rebels before he was killed, and was honored by Emperor P’Lau as a Hero of the Empire.” Dan’L sat back and looked at his Mother.

  “Yes, it is all true, Novice. You will soon see Master Commander K’Ser’s picture enshrined in the Hall of Honor in the Royal Palace,” G’Rosk said. “K’Ser called you before he died. Did he send you anything? Did you receive anything from his final will?”

  “Everything was sent to Mother. He left me his Great-Grandfather’s ring, his Ranger belt buckle, and his bone-handled belt knife. Those were in his will. Oh – and the ES technical manual he sent me on the red memory crystals a week earlier. He wanted me to know my fighter before I entered Flight School,” Dan’L added.

  Javette leaned forward and said, “There were no red memory crystals mentioned in K’Ser’s will, or any sent to me in his last remains, Dan’L. When did your Father send the crystals to you?” She looked closely at her Son.

  “It was right before our sulphur springs swimming final, Mother. I received them on Friday or Saturday by express delivery. He called me every other Friday after 10p.m., usually with you in the vid, too, Mother,” Dan’L said defensively.

  C.S. Vu’Duc demanded, “We need you to hand over those red memory crystals for testing, Novice Dan’L. There may be more to them than technical specs. Where are they now?”

  He reached into his pocket for his wallet, and took out the two red memory crystals. The Novice handed them to his Mother, placing them in her outstretched hand. She asked, “Have you played these crystals, Son?”

  “Yes, of course, Mother. I studied the schematics again last night. It’s just a tech manual,” he said. “I want to pass fighter training this year.”

  C.S. G’Rosk smiled at his Novice, and said, “I’m sure you will pass, if you work as hard in Flight School as you did in Phase 1, 2, and 3 Training. We will have these memory crystals analyzed, and then return them to you shortly, Dan’L. Thank you for your cooperation,” he closed, and dismissed his Novice.

  The small red memory crystals were analyzed and copied, with nothing out of the ordinary discovered on them. G’Rosk was ready to return them when he got a call from M.C. Javette, asking, “Did your techs analyze Dan’L’s crystals, Commander Superior G’Rosk?”

  “Yes, Javette, and nothing unusual was found. I was going to return them to Dan’L today,” he replied, “before we depart for K’Halon Prime.”

  “May we meet again before we leave Home World, with you and my Commander Superior Bette? I need to show you something, sir,” she asked. He agreed, and invited her to his office that afternoon. Shi’Lon Commander Superior Bette joined them.

  Javette entered G’Rosk’s office with Dan’L, carrying a small box with her. “These are the things I was sent from K’Ser.” She gently placed each article on G’Rosk’s large desk: a plain, gold partnership commitment band; a holographic photo of Javette, Dan’L, and daughter K’Rissa; and his wallet. Javette opened K’Ser’s wallet, showing them his Borgund Ranger chip card for expenses, several gold credit coins of various denominations, and a beautiful portrait of Javette, out of uniform, with her long black hair down. G’Rosk picked up the picture and looked at it closely.

  Dan’L unwrapped a bone-handled knife; a Borgund Ranger belt buckle with the Imperial seal; and a large, gold ring with a ruby gem set in it, and laid them down. He put the ring on, made a fist, and pointed the ring at the belt buckle. Instantly a fifth dimensional pattern emerged, half a meter wide and high.

  “What is that? How did you do that?” Bette demanded. “What does it mean?”

  Dan’L shook his head, and asked, “I do not know, Commander Superior Bette. May I see my crystals, Commander Superior G’Rosk?” Dan’L took the crystals and carefully stood them side by side. He pointed the ring at the crystals, and another fifth dimensional pattern emerged, much larger than the first one. Then he pointed the ring at his Father’s commitment band, and a holographic picture was projected, like a type of blueprint.

  “These are the remains of my Partner, K’Ser. After our meeting yesterday, I went through his things again. Then, I remembered: K’Ser’s ring from his Great-Grandfather had a bloodstone set in it, not this large ruby, or whatever the stone really is. I called Dan’L to come over, and – well, you see the results for yourselves. He thought the crystals would reveal something when the ring was pointed at them. We cannot decipher the fifth dimensional information, but I recognized part of the blueprints. They are from the Imperi
al Command Battle Cruiser Emperor P’Lau uses to travel throughout the Empire. I believe it is his stateroom, Commander Superior Bette,” Javette said, with urgency in her voice. “There appears to be some sort of anomaly inside the bedroom.”

  Bette sent an emergency signal to the Emperor. Within minutes, Emperor P’Lau entered the Borgund Ranger High Command office and was shown Javette’s new revelation. P’Lau stared at Novice Dan’L and his Mother Javette. He said, “Our scientists have only developed fifth dimensional storage pattern functionality very recently. Top-secret. We have no idea what properties these 5D storage crystals possess, besides their obvious data storage capabilities. Master Commander K’Ser sent one red crystal to us the first week he arrived on SB5, prior to the battle that took his life there. We are testing the 5D crystal for many purposes, including weaponry. Highly destructive weaponry,” P’Lau revealed.

  G’Rosk asked, “Sire, where are the red crystals from? They look like regular colored memory crystals. K’Ser never reported to me his discovery of these red crystals.”

  Emperor P’Lau picked up one of the red memory crystals and answered, “I can only say that they are not found within our solar system. And the ruby stone in this ring, you see? It is a dodecahedron, twelve-faceted. Twelve is the universal number, very important in astrology, celestial calculations, religious teachings; those sorts of things.” He stared at the ring, turning it so that the daylight reflected from it. “Amazing.”

  Javette and Dan’L showed the holographic blueprints to the Emperor, and he was astonished. He ordered them to bring everything and come with him at once. C.S. G’Rosk ordered Novice Dan’L’s personal effects moved out of the K’Halon Prime Novice dormitory immediately, and sent to an executive suite in the top-security area of the Royal Palace, usually reserved for Commander Borgund Rangers. His Novice had been swept into a web of intrigue far deeper and darker than anyone imagined. C.S. Bette assigned apartments to Javette in the First Echelon wings of the Home World and K’Halon Prime Royal Palaces, also top-security areas, and placed her on “Special Assignment” for an indefinite time, all per Emperor P’Lau’s orders.

  “K’Ser must have uncovered this information from the androids he encountered. There are many more questions now, G’Rosk. First and foremost is, why did your Ranger not report these discoveries to us, and send them to his family, jeopardizing his son’s life? Who is on K’Halon Prime that K’Ser did not trust with this ground-breaking science? Why did the Emperor not inform us of this red crystal discovery? And, what on the red memory crystals was worth K’Ser’s life, and a 500,000-credit bounty from Duma Wat for K’Ser’s son, Novice Dan’L?” Bette asked G’Rosk. She studied his face intensely.

  “We must find out, and soon,” G’Rosk answered, then stopped and looked at Bette. “Master Commander K’Ser was killed by a plasma disrupter arc in a battle against Rebels, on SB5. How did his wallet, ring, Ranger belt buckle, and a damned holographic picture survive a plasma disrupter arc? Nothing should have survived, not even ash!”

  The eldest Commander Superior offered, “Obviously, his remains were planted. But by whom? What if they were not truly the remains of Master Commander K’Ser at all? What if he is still alive? Could it be possible?”

  IX

  Scientists inside the top-secret research lab were understandably nervous with Emperor P’Lau, two Rangers, and twelve Imperial Guards in their lab. It was a hidden facility deep underground, several floors below the Capital City Space Base. When Dan’L and Javette laid out the remains of K’Ser and demonstrated their newly-discovered secrets, each scientist was thrilled, and afraid.

  They looked intensely at the fifth dimensional holograph emanating between the two red crystals and Dan’L’s ruby ring. The lead scientist, Dr. D’Vre, moved the red crystals farther apart, then turned them in towards each other. He asked Dan’L for his ruby ring, and set it in between the two red crystals. Suddenly, an immense, fifth dimensional red holograph projected up to the ceiling, spreading out the full length of the very large lab.

  Seven scientists walked within the holograph, excitedly talking with each other in highly technical terms Dan’L did not understand. He watched them move within the hologram, talking and pointing. Then he saw an object appear; a long box appeared near the top. The box top lifted off and stacked box upon box atop itself.

  “Mother, look!” He cried. When he pointed his arm out to show her, Dan’L’s body flew up to the top. The young man was surprised, but elated to fly within the hologram. All talking stopped in the room. Dan’L touched one of the long boxes in the stack, and his Father’s voice spoke, “Highly advanced android technology here. Cannot send to K’Halon Prime without the Rebels discovering it, too. A blank red crystal was sent to the Emperor on Home World. The fifth dimension is the space between matter; the world in between worlds. It is time, within time. Endless space and time. The green crystal could have ultimate power. Use extreme caution. Total control. All time, all here and now.”

  Dan’L touched each box one by one, and listened to the messages within them. Then, he flew around the hologram seeking more messages and boxes from his Father, but found no others. Then Emperor P’Lau ordered Dan’L to come down. P’Lau said, “We have unlocked a power and realm unknown to us. Its wonders boggle the mind, amaze us, and fill us with awe. But K’Ser’s message also contains a warning for us. Let us take care. Maximum care.”

  “Who is on the other side of this new realm watching us make this discovery?” Dan’L asked aloud, looking inside the hologram again. “Dr. D’Vre, could my Father be trapped inside the fifth dimension? How can we find out? And, who are the androids he talked about? Where are they from?”

  The doctor answered, “We do not know, young Ranger. I’m sorry. But we will endeavor to find out, if we may keep these things for study.”

  M.C. Javette said, “You have my permission to study my property, but do not break or destroy anything. They are all that remains of Master Commander K’Ser, my Partner, and Dan’L’s Father.”

  Dan’L agreed to the same arrangement for his red crystals and ruby ring. He handed his Father’s knife to Dr. D’Vre and asked, “Is this knife just a knife?” After several minutes of testing and many various scans, D’Vre smiled and gave the knife back to him.

  “It is just a knife, or so it appears on our equipment,” he said. “The metal in the blade has been folded over three hundred times, however. Highly tempered, very strong, and worth thousands of credits, to be sure.” Dan’L put the knife back in its sheath, and gave it to his Mother. Only when he was promoted to full Ranger could he wear a knife on his belt. They followed Emperor P’Lau and the Imperial Guards out of the research lab, and then shuttled to the Royal Palace in silence.

  In a few days, Emperor P’Lau flew in the Imperial Command Battle Cruiser to K’Halon Prime, in secret. Accompanying him were Commanders Superior G’Rosk and Bette, M.C. Javette, Novices Dan’L and Kayla, and many Imperial Guards. Conversation was kept to routine and mundane topics. Something was happening on K’Halon Prime which caused the late K’Ser to be very suspicious – and his Emperor, as well. Emperor P’Lau ordered a General Inspection of his Imperial Battle Cruiser, now in position above K’Halon Prime.

  There was a feeling of foreboding and distrust in the air aboard the Imperial Command Battle Cruiser. Emperor P’Lau was consumed with worry over potential traitors within his midst, especially within the walls of the Royal Palace of K’Halon Prime. Throughout the twenty years of the Rebellion, several attacks had taken place in various locations within the solar system, but none in the last nineteen years had even come close to the Emperor. Many of his trusted courtiers both in Home World and K’Halon Prime Palaces thought the Emperor was becoming paranoid, and his worries were without merit.

  Com tablets from unknown sources were unpacked from sealed crates, and delivered into the master bedroom of the Emperor. He ordered the Cruiser to fly at half standard speed, instead of its usual full standard speed, extending th
e trip intentionally. Home World was very close in its orbit to K’Halon Prime this time of year. The trip should have taken only two days, eighteen hours. The Emperor spent the entire trip alone in his private suite, ate his meals in private, and refused to see any visitors, even the concubines traveling with him. He was continuously surrounded by Imperial Guards, and slept with them protecting his bedroom doors. The Cruiser was escorted by two full squadrons of Space Cadre fighters for the duration of the trip. The senior Rangers were unsettled, knowing this was not at all the typical excursion for Emperor P’Lau.

  K’Halon Prime

  The small Royal Court was the private court for Emperor P’Lau. It was his favorite court. The Royal Palace on K’Halon Prime was only two hundred years old and, although it was roughly the same size as the main Royal Palace on Home World, it was much nicer. It was decorated with light, brighter colors, with many trim touches the Home World Royal Palace designers never considered 800 years ago. It was beautiful as well as functional inside, and featured technologically superior controls for the Emperor. The small Royal Court was also very ornamental, with lapis lazuli trim around the high columns, bordered in gold, and with gold-trimmed dark blue drapery covering its many windows. The deep blue colors were a harmonious compliment to the green forest planet of K’Halon Prime.

  No courtiers or aristocrats milled about in this Royal Court; it was private, only for the Emperor and his invited guests. Novice Dan’L and M.C. Javette were summoned to appear before the Emperor that afternoon in his Royal Court. Several senior Borgund and Shi’Lon Rangers were already inside, waiting for them to arrive. Javette and Dan’L quickly walked up to the gold line between the two marble pillars in front of the steps leading to the throne, knelt before Emperor P’Lau, and saluted him.