Worlds Without End: The Mission (Book 1)

by Shaun Messick

  “Well, I’m busy. I need to get my pilots battle ready …” Jake paused and wanted to say what was truly on his mind, but forced himself to stop.

  Celeste, being as perceptive as she was, noticed. “What?”

  Jake gave her the best puzzled look he could come up with. “What’s … what?”

  “Jake, I can read you like a book. You wanted to say something else, but stopped. Please, tell me.”

  With Celeste’s permission, Jake mustered up the courage to say what was truly on his mind. “Well … um … I was going to say that I was avoiding you because you seemed to be enjoying yourself with Colonel Jantear.”

  Celeste laughed again. As a result, Jake gave her an angry look. She noticed and placed her hand on his. Jake tried to pull away, but she held his hand in place. “Do I sense a bit of jealously?”

  “No, I just … I could just see that you seemed to enjoy yourself around him, and I didn’t want to get in the way, that’s all.”

  “Aromos and I were assigned to work together to plan your brother’s and sister’s rescue from Chast. That is it.”

  Jake wasn’t convinced and made eye contact with Celeste. She met his gaze. He wanted to turn away because he felt intimidated, but continued to keep his eyes on hers. “That’s not the impression I get from Aromos Jantear,” he said sarcastically. “Aromos seems to think that you two are an item.”

  “And why would I be interested in Colonel Aromos Jantear?”

  Jake shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe because he’s not intimidated around you or doesn’t seem to be.”

  “Finally,” Celeste said as she sighed.

  Jake was even more confused. “Finally … what?”

  Celeste met Jake’s eyes again. “Finally, the truth comes out.”

  “Truth … what truth?”

  “That is why you have been avoiding me. You are intimidated.”

  Jake tried to act surprised. “Wh … what are you talking about? I’m not intimidated.”

  Celeste didn’t answer. She continued to keep eye contact with him and inched a little closer. As a result, Jake caved in and finally decided to be totally honest with her.

  “Okay, okay, you’re right,” he said. “I am intimidated. I saw what you did at Base 1 when the Gnols attacked. I’ve seen you use your abilities or superpowers—”

  Celeste laughed and said, “Superpowers?”

  “Yeah, that’s not natural. Why wouldn’t you intimidate any human? You’re stronger than the average human, you can move objects just by thinking about it, and you can read minds. … Who wouldn’t be intimidated?”

  Celeste shook her head, and her smile disappeared. “You make me sound like some kind of monster.”

  For the first time, Jake noticed that he had said something that deeply impacted Celeste emotionally. He didn’t know if he had hurt her feelings or angered her. She moved away and Jake could see a small tear roll down her cheek.

  You idiot, he thought to himself. He sighed and said, “Celeste, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like you’re a monster. It’s just that I never would have imagined meeting someone like you … and since I have …” Jake stopped what he was going to say.

  Celeste wiped her eyes, sniffled, and looked back into Jake’s eyes. “And since you what?”

  “Um … since we first met, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. I think about you night and day. I long to be with you, but I don’t know if it’s possible. That’s why I avoid you.”

  Celeste let her smile come back. She gently placed both of her hands on his face. “Why is it not possible?” she asked.

  Jake shook his head. “I don’t know. You’re a Gnol, and I am a human.”

  Celeste continued to gaze into his eyes. As she did so, he began to feel something he had never felt for another woman before; a deep respect and love.

  “Jake,” Celeste said. “Remember when we first met?”

  Jake nodded.

  “And did you ever wonder why I asked you out?”

  Jake smiled shyly. “Yeah, I think about it a lot.”

  “When I first entered that room and saw you, I could read every emotion and thought in your mind. For some reason, I felt an instant connection.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes. Ever since that day, I have not been able to stop thinking about you either. I often wondered too … how can a Gnol and a human fall in love? But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it is possible.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes, Gnols laugh and cry like humans. We eat and drink …” she paused, moved closer to Jake, and looked deep into his eyes, “… We even fall in love.”

  Jake felt his face flush red and the lump that was in his throat came back. He let out a nervous laugh.

  Celeste moved in closer and met her lips with his. A flood of emotions swept through Jake as he kissed her back. As they kissed, Jake realized that this kiss was different from any other he had had before. It wasn’t a kiss of lust or desire. It was deeper than that. It was one of deep and abiding love.

  Jake reached up and pulled Celeste in closer. The kiss seemed to last for hours, and he did not want to let her go. Finally, they parted. Celeste looked passionately at him and said, “Now, if that does not convince you that it is possible for us to be together, then I don’t know what will.”

  Jake chuckled. “I guess you’re right, but …”

  “But, what?”

  “I still can’t help but think—”

  Celeste gently placed two fingers on Jake’s mouth to stop him. “Listen to me, Jake. You were there when Doc explained to you and Skip that the Gnols are human. His DNA tests upon me proved that our DNA is the same, with the exception of Doc’s so-called god-gene. The only difference is our strength and how we use our minds. And if Gnols are human, then that means you have the potential to do what I can do.”

  He gave Celeste a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

  Celeste slowly reached up behind her ears and pulled out her inhibitors. She then reached behind Jake’s and was about to pull his out when he reached up and stopped her. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  Celeste gave him that smile that made him melt and said, “Trust me.”

  Jake let go of her hands and allowed her to pull the inhibitors out of his head. She then placed her hands on each side of his face and looked into his eyes. All of a sudden, Jake’s entire body felt relaxed.

  “Close your eyes,” she said.

  Jake closed his eyes and was astonished with what he saw. He could see Celeste through her mind’s eye. He could read her thoughts and see her entire life in his mind. He now knew Celeste more intimately than any other person could know someone.

  Then he heard Celeste in his mind. Open your eyes.

  Jake opened his eyes and saw that Celeste still had her eyes closed. He heard her again. You see the lamp on my nightstand?

  Yes, Jake thought.

  Get a clear visual picture of it in your mind and then close your eyes again.

  Jake stared at the lamp for a few moments, memorizing every detail he could, and then closed his eyes. It was incredible. It was as if he had never closed his eyes. In his mind’s eye, he could see the lamp clearly. Every detail was there: the crystal glass, the silk lampshade, and the light bulb. He could even feel the coolness of the glass, the softness of the silk, and the heat radiating from the bulb. He had imagined before, but never had he had an experience like this.

  He heard Celeste again. Now, raise your hand and imagine lifting that lamp and holding it.

  Jake did as he was instructed and saw himself in his mind grab the lamp with his hands and lift it about two feet off of the table. He heard Celeste again. Now, open your eyes.

  He slowly opened his eyes and looked. To his astonishment, the lamp was there, hovering only about two inches above the nightstand. It was shaking violently and wasn’t two feet in the air like he imagined it to be. But that didn’t matter. It
was still hovering.

  Jake was so excited he lost focus. The lamp dropped back to the nightstand, tipped over, and fell, crashing to the floor.

  “Oh, now you need to get me a new lamp,” said Celeste.

  Jake turned around with excitement all over his face. “Wh … how?”

  “It was you, Jake. You did it. You see … it is possible for humans to do things you could only imagine. We are created in the image of God. Why wouldn’t we have the potential to do what He and His Son can do?” Celeste then leaned in and kissed him again.

  He kissed her back. And even though he had barely lifted the lamp with his mind, he felt invincible. After their lips separated, he grabbed Celeste and hugged her tighter than he had ever hugged anyone before.

  **********

  The wheezing and hacking cough of his older sister awakened Bantyr. He slowly opened his eyes and rolled off of the metal slab that was his bed. He rubbed his eyes and walked across the cell to the other metal slab on which his sister was lying. Reaching down, he felt her face. She was burning up, and her blue prison overalls – that the Gnols so generously gave them – were drenched. In a whisper, so the guards wouldn’t hear, he called to her. “Kylee …”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Kylee. You’re burning up. What did they do to you?”

  A day earlier, the guards entered the cell by disabling the energy field that separated them from the prisoners and took Kylee and Sean while they were sleeping. Bantyr demanded to know why they were being taken, which was a mistake. Because of his insubordination and demands, he was severely beaten. He was still licking his wounds as a result. He was grateful, however, that Koroan Chast ordered that all political prisoners in the brig of the palace keep their inhibitors in place. Only he and his high priest were allowed to take prisoners’ inhibitors out and probe their minds for information.

  Bantyr shuddered at the thought of what the less experienced Gnol guards would do to him if he did not have his inhibitors in. Strangely enough, however, neither Koroan nor his high priest had probed his mind yet. He figured they must have gotten all of the information they needed from Sean.

  He called to his sister again. “Kylee …”

  Kylee slowly opened her eyes and turned her face toward Bantyr. “B …” She stopped as she coughed. “… Bantyr is … is that you?”

  Bantyr looked down at his sister. He couldn’t make out the details of her face because of the dim light in the cell, but he could tell from her fever and the shaking of her body that she was in pain. “I’m here,” he whispered as he grabbed her hand.

  “They … they did something to me.”

  Bantyr felt his eyes well up with tears. “I don’t understand,” he said. “You were fine before they took you.”

  Kylee nodded her head and tried to swallow. Bantyr could tell that she experienced a tremendous amount of pain as she did so. “Whe … where’s Sean?” she asked.

  Bantyr looked in the direction of Sean’s so-called bed. He couldn’t see because of the darkness, so he stepped over to it a few yards away and felt. Nothing. He made his way back to Kylee. “He’s not here. They must still have him.”

  Suddenly, the lights to the entire brig flickered on. Bantyr looked in the direction of the main entrance as he heard the doors slide open. Ten royal guards, all dressed in red, walked in. The last guard carried Sean. He looked terrible. Both of his eyes were bloodied and purple, and blood trickled from his nose. He was also going in and out of consciousness.

  After the guard stepped in, Koroan and his high priest, Vlamer Kreuk, entered as well. Koroan was dressed in a white robe and looked extremely angry. Vlamer was dressed in his usual religious regalia and sat in his hover chair. It was rumored throughout the brig that the reason Vlamer now had to move around with a hover chair was because he was paralyzed from the waist down, as a result of a plasma blast to his spine – delivered by none other than his own daughter. Bantyr could only hope that was true because the rebels would then have another powerful Gnol on their side.

  Bantyr heard the energy field that separated him and Kylee from the guards disengage. The guard carrying Sean threw him into the prison cell and into the back wall. Bantyr cringed as he heard Sean’s arm hit the wall and pop. He heard the energy field reengage, and the Gnols turn around to leave the brig. Before they did so, Bantyr summoned the courage he needed.

  He stood up and approached as close to the energy field as he could get before it shocked him and threw him backwards. “Hey!” he yelled.

  The guards, Koroan, and Vlamer all turned.

  “What did you do to my sister?” he asked.

  He heard the energy field disengage again. The same guard that threw Sean in rapidly approached and lifted him by the throat. “No prisoner speaks in the presence of the lord unless he is commanded to do so.”

  Bantyr kicked his feet and struggled for air. He then heard a bellowing command from Koroan himself. “That is enough, Captain! Let him go!”

  Bantyr fell to the cold metal floor and clutched his throat. He saw the guard turn around and bow. “Sorry, My Lord,” the captain said.

  As the guard scurried away, Bantyr saw Koroan approach. Koroan lifted his right hand and gently levitated Bantyr about five feet off the floor. He gave Bantyr an evil smile that caused shivers to run down his spine. “Ask your question again?”

  “What did you do to my sister?”

  Koroan didn’t respond right away. He looked Bantyr up and down with the same smile on his face. “Hmm,” he said. “Very brave for such a young boy. You must have gotten that strength from your father.”

  “More than you know,” Bantyr said with a glare.

  Koroan’s smile disappeared and his face flushed red with anger. With a twist of his hand, Bantyr flew through the air; his face stopping within inches of Koroan’s. “Do not ever disrespect me again!”

  Bantyr didn’t respond. He knew that if he said anything else; Koroan would probably kill him right then and there. Koroan dropped him to the floor and walked over to Kylee. Bantyr wanted to get up and stop him, but he knew better. Koroan knelt down beside Kylee and rubbed the back of his right hand along her clammy face. All the while, Kylee watched him in horror.

  “Such a pretty face,” said Koroan, as he continued to stroke her cheek. “It is too bad she is nothing more than a despicable human. With her courage and stamina, she would make a valiant Gnol.”

  Bantyr felt the anger surge from within. He wanted so badly to pull Koroan away from his sister, and break his neck, but he knew that wasn’t possible. He gritted his teeth and shook as he spoke. “What did you do to her?” he demanded.

  Koroan slowly stood as he continued to look at Kylee. He turned around and met Bantyr’s eyes. “She has been used for the cause.”

  Bantyr held Koroan’s gaze. “Cause?”

  Koroan smiled again and walked slowly toward him. Bantyr backed away, but Koroan clutched his left arm, causing him to wince in pain. For a long moment, Koroan stared at him. Finally, he said, “Meaning, she was chosen as the test subject for new biological weapons that we plan to use to wipe out your father’s renegade force.”

  Bantyr glared at Koroan. “You forget, Your Highness, my father has an advantage you don’t.”

  Koroan furrowed his eyebrows and spit as he responded. “And what is that?”

  “Your daughter.”

  With that comment, Koroan gritted his teeth and squeezed Bantyr’s arm even harder. Bantyr screamed in pain as Koroan continued to squeeze until he felt his bone snap. He fell to the floor, writhing in pain.

  Koroan smiled again and turned to one of his guards. “Commander!”

  The guard approached Koroan, knelt down, and bowed his head. “What would you have me do, My Lord?”

  “These two male humans are of no further use to me. At dawn, have the two males in this cell sent to a slave camp. I do not care which one. Leave the female here. She is to be continually tested upon until she dies.”

 
With Koroan’s final orders, Bantyr forgot about his pain, jumped up, and lunged for him. Koroan turned around, lifted his right palm, and telekinetically sent Bantyr flying through the air to the back of the cell. Bantyr felt the bone crushing impact. He dropped to the floor and tried to look up. His vision went blurry and then there was darkness.

  CHAPTER 16: HONOR AND STRENGTH

  Rebel Base 2 on Terrest …

  Adrian stood upon the platform fifty-feet above the hangar floor and looked out to the rag-tag group of rebels he had led for fifteen years. Behind him and beyond a gigantic pane of glass were the large number of computer terminals, radar tracking systems, and rebel military personnel that would monitor the battle that was about to take place.

  Adrian took a deep breath and wiped away the tear that rolled down his cheek. He looked over the men and women he would lead and felt sorrow. He knew that he was about to lead them on a suicide mission. He turned around and looked into the window. He met his wife’s eyes. She gave him a warm, loving smile and nodded, giving him the encouragement he needed. Standing next to Anyta was Peter Sanchez. Together, Petey and Anyta were going to coordinate and lead the attack.

  Adrian glanced at Petey. Petey gave him that smile he always liked and a thumbs-up. Adrian returned his smile and nodded. He slowly turned around and again looked out onto the fearful faces of his troops. He licked his lips and opened his mouth. “All of you are here today of your own freewill and accord …” He paused as he scanned the hangar. Some of his troops were nodding, some looked eager to fight, but the majority looked like scared children, knowing full well they were about to walk to their deaths.

  He took another breath and continued. “That is why we are all here. We are fighting for our free agency. Many of you know the horror of not being able to control your own mind. Many of you have told me your personal story of being enslaved in a Gnol slave camp. You have told me your stories of what it feels like when your mind is under the control of a Gnol. You have said that it is as if you are watching yourself from afar. Doing things you never would have imagined yourself doing …”