“We need to offer you up and hope they take the bait.”
“You want me to get caught now; after all we’ve done to get in here?!”
“That’s right; Com. The difference now is that we are in control, whereas before, we weren’t.”
“Whatever you say, I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
Once they were all back together, the Harmonic Ones would assign them their destinations using the telepoint.
“We’re actually going to use it?”
Clom imagined that if Huey had been able to smile, he probably would be, about now.
“What about these new destinations? Where are we going then?”
“Leave the details to me.”
Clom remained cloaked and together they made their way through a stockpile of hardware just waiting for a full-scale attack, but clearly, someone forgot to tell the Femesumma that it had already started.
They strolled out onto a suspended walkway, although exactly how it defied gravity was anyone’s guess. From their elevated position, they looked out over an open space, which was bathed in a bronze coloured light that filtered through transparent sections in the dome of the structure, way above them.
The open space below was noticeably concave with a hole at its centre, but that was its only defining feature. The surface of this depression was highly polished and reflected the dome above, while the hole was black and reflected no light.
As they got a bit closer, Clom noticed that the reflected light became distorted around the edges of the black hole, making it appear as if light was being dragged into it. Like water down a plug hole.
It all looked a bit odd and Clom wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but this was no illusion and as they got closer they could see a steady flow of traffic coming and going, Femesumma and RDUs emerging from the black hole and disappearing into it.
Huey confirmed that this was the hub of the telepoint, which they had to enter to reach the teleportation chamber.
The telepoint was causing the strange visual anomalies they could see, which disrupted normal planetary gravity, while the hub acted as a kind of lens that not only stabilised gravity but also enabled the Femesumma to manipulate it to suit their requirements.
Did that also explain why everything that entered the hub was disappearing?
Clom was so caught up in it all and was quite surprised when Huey asked him to deactivate the cloaking function on the device he was wearing. To be convincing, Huey would take him into custody and make it look like he was his prisoner. Clom did as he was asked and then quite unexpectedly, Huey shot him, which left Clom with a small smoking hole in his shirt and within a few seconds, he was out cold.
Everything had gone to plan and Huey casually scoped Clom up off the floor and proceeded towards the centre of the complex.
As soon as Huey entered the black hole, the hole became a passageway; a seamless transition from planetary gravity to the telepoint’s modified gravity.
Huey hadn’t gone far when he was stopped and questioned by a couple of Femesumma about his prisoner and he dutifully told them that he was on his way to where the other humans were being processed. Huey received an escort, as no one had reason to question him. After all, he was just another RDU, doing its job.
Chapter Four
Worlds Collide
The sound crystal revealed that David was on his way, which was the good news. The bad news was that the Formless Ones would do anything to stop him reaching his goal and they had certainly pulled out all the stops in their efforts so far. This was hardly surprising and the Harmonic Ones were being just as resourceful and in the days that followed, Qwamma expected to see this battle escalate.
So much was happening and Qwamma had shifted his focus countless times and that was a good thing. It meant the Harmonic Ones were mixing it up and forcing the Formless Ones in more than one direction, keeping them fragmented so that their energies could not be focused in any one place for too long. This tactic was perhaps their best chance of defeating them, since they had grown into such a formidable force.
Keeping the Formless Ones thinly spread was one thing, finding out more about their plans for the humans was another and it was hard to say where the endgame would play out.
Mentally drained from having spent so much time inside the sound crystal, Qwamma withdrew and left the temple for a well-earned break.
Things progressed rather quickly after David made contact with the mystery woman. He found himself being led away from town on a footpath that took them to an exposed location with just a single, odd looking building. The building was very old, its purpose wasn’t obvious and it looked much like a playing piece from a chess board, abandoned out here in the middle of nowhere.
They both stood looking at the structure before them and David had the feeling that she was as mystified as he was.
She turned to him and smiled. “This is it, David.”
“You’re not coming with me?!”
“Your destination is clear. However, mine is a little uncertain.”
“So this is the portal that will take me to the strange planet?”
“Yes, David, the planet Shalasing.”
“Will I meet others like you on this planet?”
“You will be assisted, but I don’t have any details. Your journey is known only to a select few, to maximise your chances.”
David felt himself wanting to ask more, but the look on this woman’s face told him there wasn’t time and together they ran towards the building. They were still about fifty metres out when a sudden flash of lightning ignited the rolling storm clouds overhead. This heavy, suppressive storm had emerged from nowhere and right above the building was a dark seething mass.
They stopped running, halted by the sight of this phenomenon and the air around them crackled with electricity. They had to reach the portal but were rooted to the spot, not through fear, but an invisible barrier, which had been conjured up by the Formless Ones.
Miar knew she had to do something, but what could she do? Something was prompting her to reach out with her mind. Reach out to Lim and tell him it is time.
But he wasn’t even on the planet, was he?
They were running out of time, so she focused her mind and called out to him. Her first attempt didn’t work. It felt kind of weak and perhaps the Formless Ones were doing what they could to block her. Yes, they were drawing her life-force, but Miar was determined and she called out once more. This time, her voice cut through the Formless Ones mindless chatter and Miar instantly felt his presence. She touched his spirit and through the love they shared, a strong connection was established and Lim materialised in his glowing spirit form.
“Lim,” said Miar, hardly believing her eyes.
Lim turned to briefly acknowledge her, before focusing his attention on the dark mass.
Drawing energy from the Earth, his glowing form ignited and an unrelenting force chased the storm clouds away. Severely weakened, the Formless Ones dissolved and the path to the portal was clear.
David couldn't believe what he’d just witnessed and Miar didn’t have time to explain it to him and knowing that the Formless Ones would return, she grabbed David’s arm.
“Quickly, David.”
They were running again and a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, which lifted the shadows and illuminated the building with its golden light.
It was now possible to see a doorway at the base of the structure and Miar finally released David and he was on his own.
A rush of energy scooped him up and he could do nothing to stop himself from being pulled into the building’s dark interior. David held his nerve and the darkness quickly lifted, replaced by an intense light.
An incredibly hot and arid wind hit him squarely in the face, which was comparable to the sort of thing one experiences when leaving the air conditioning of an aircraft for the hot tarmac of somewhere exotic. Only a lot more extreme.
He could have quite
easily stepped into a furnace because his body felt ready to ignite. Even breathing was difficult and he imaged he’d died and been sent straight to hell.
The ground shifted under his feet and unable to keep his balance, he came down on his knees.
He was suddenly aware that the ground had turned to sand. Its heat burnt his bare skin and by the time he was back on his feet, his knees had a rosy glow to them. Still having trouble with his balance, David forced his eyes open against the glare and quickly realised he wasn’t at the beach. He was actually standing in the middle of a desert. Surely this had to be some kind of mistake?
David’s eyes were streaming from the abrupt change of temperature and extreme brightness and he looked around, desperately seeking some shade. Then he remembered the cheap sunglasses he’d purchased and quickly put them on.
It was soon pretty clear that there was no one here to meet him. He was the stranger in a strange land and that alone could make for an isolating experience at the best of times and here he was in the middle of a desert. You couldn’t get much more remote than that.
To look at this place, he could have been in a desert on Earth, but he knew otherwise and that was assuming everything had gone to plan.
This strange planet looked pretty normal, but a desert on any planet was a hostile environment and he knew he wouldn’t last very long out here. Apart from the heat, he was feeling a bit weird and found himself willing his legs to move.
David was experiencing Shalasing’s greater atmospheric density, only he didn’t know that and he eventually took a few shuffling steps forward.
What the hell was wrong with him? It felt like he’d had a stroke.
David had intended on heading up the nearest dune to get a better view and that was still his intention if he could get his body to cooperate.
He arrived at the top of the dune, totally out of breath. His eyes stung with sweat and through blurred vision, he surveyed the surrounding area. What he saw, were hundreds of similar dunes, in every direction, as far as the eye could see and there was certainly no sign of these Hidden Ones or their village.
Hidden Ones! He knew they were going to be a problem, so did they want this message or not?!
The heat was making it hard to think, but there was no point in just standing there because he would be cooking in his own juices if he didn’t find some shade soon.
He still had his original clothes with him in a plastic bag, so he slipped his shirt over his shoulders for added protection. The flip-flops weren’t exactly ideal and yet neither were his shoes, but trying to walk on the burning sand barefoot was out of the question. What a sight he must have looked and every step was a real effort.
He wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt and glanced at his watch. Was that the time already? A half-smile cracked his dry lips, which he took painfully into his mouth. God that hurt.
David guessed he’d probably been walking for a couple of hours, although it felt a lot longer. The bottle of water he’d picked up in town was almost empty and the thought of running out made him anxious since he knew he wouldn’t last long without it.
He stopped and scanned the horizon for the hundredth time, still hoping for a sign or a least some shade. He continued, one shuffling step after another and noticed his shadow getting longer.
The idea that he had survived the day, seemed unlikely, but the sun was going down, which was proof that he had. It was still damn hot and he wondered about stopping for a rest. The problem with doing so was that he’d probably not get up again, but he was losing the battle and felt his legs buckle under him.
He must have fallen over because he was lying on his back and could feel the heat from the sand burning through his clothes. It was only his discomfort that forced him to move and squirming like a dying animal, his mind searched for a reason.
David blacked out or maybe he’d died, just another carcass, flesh returning to the earth, except that he was way too uncomfortable to be dead. He could feel movement, a rocking that he couldn’t explain and with his eyes still closed, he tried to remember how he’d got here. His painful sunburn brought back the memory of his trek in the desert and while trying to find a comfortable position, he became aware of a really bad smell. At first, he thought it was his own body odour but even if he hadn’t washed for a few weeks, he wouldn’t have smelt that bad.
There were a few things that didn’t add up and the most worrying was that he couldn’t seem to make his body work. The first thing he needed to do was get his eyes open because they felt like they’d been baked shut. It took some effort, but he eventually managed to open them and after a minute or two, he realised he was looking up at the night sky. David couldn’t remember ever seeing quite so many stars and they shone with such clarity.
There was something heavy lying across his chest and he didn’t have the strength to move it. One of his arms was also pinned down and that smell, there was no way it was coming from him and he turned his head to one side in an attempt to escape it, but it was everywhere.
David’s right arm was free and he brought this up to touch his face, to kind of confirm to himself that he was actually here. Confident that he was, but still unable to see very much, he turned his attention to the weight on his chest. His hand made contact with the object that was resting there, which turned out to be cold and hairy and he recoiled in horror and disgust.
David could feel himself beginning to freak out and he did his best to bring his anxiety under control because it wasn’t going to help the situation. Maybe if he could get his other arm free, it would help. He shifted his weight, using his shoulders to manoeuvre himself and this seemed to work and he eased his arm out.
His arm was free, but it felt as dead as the thing lying on top of him and there followed a severe bout of pins and needles.
David waited until most of the pain had ebbed away and his arm felt almost normal again. He was now able to push the dead weight off his chest and take in a full breath. His eyes had also fully adjusted to the dark and he could see that he was in a wooden cart, which was being pulled along by something. From this angle, it looked like a horse, but he could have been mistaken as it didn’t really move like a horse and if his eyes weren’t deceiving him, it only had two legs.
Badly dehydrated and confused, his mind searched for answers, but he wasn’t going to get them just lying here. Committed to shedding light on the situation, he moved onto his side and as he did so, he caught sight of what he was sharing the cart with.
Death was all around him, which was why he had been unable to escape the bad smell. He was in some kind of meat wagon, so what was going on here? David was desperate for an explanation and hoped this was all some unfortunate mix-up.
David cleared his throat. “Hello. Anyone?”
There was no answer, so he tried again, louder this time. “Is anyone there?”
A low growl came back in response and the cart shuddered, which confirmed to him that this was no horse. So what the hell was it? This was getting a bit too real and he knew he had to get out of there and since the cart wasn’t moving very fast, he fancied his chances. The sand would make for a soft landing and he couldn’t see any reason not to try. David shivered from the cool night air, mixed in with a good helping of fear and trying not to think of what might happen if he messed up, he leapt out of the cart.
Upon hitting the sand, David executed a near perfect forward roll and was up on his feet. A manoeuvre that surprised him, due to his lack of athleticism.
He hesitated briefly, giving himself time to look back and see a whole line of similar carts, stretching off into the night. A scene that could have easily been cut from an old western.
His exit from the cart hadn’t gone unnoticed and there was a deep growl, followed by a spine tingling roar. Something was coming after him and the heavy thump, thump, thump of its stride, confirmed to David that whatever this thing was, it was big.
David stopped hesitating and took off, moving across the sand wi
th the speed and grace of a tortoise, until something hit him hard in the middle of his back and sent him hurtling forward. For a brief moment, he was airborne, then back on the sand with a thump and unable to regain his balance, he tumbled out of control. He was shaken, but otherwise okay, so he got up, although his escape to freedom was short lived and a blow to the head made sure of it.
A muscular arm scooped David’s limp body off the sand and deposited it back in the cart and they were moving again.
By daybreak, they would arrive at the entrance of a waterhole and after replenishing their supply, wait for darkness again. This harsh environment was no place for an animal covered in thick fur, better to travel in the cool night-time temperature.
The creation of the Squalvolvans was once thought to have been an accident, blamed on the Shamozolts inexperience at playing god, but in truth, the scheming Formless Ones had intentionally planted the seed.
The seed grew rapidly, soon becoming unmanageable and then escaping their Shamozolt charges. The Squalvolvans were here for a reason, even if they didn’t know it themselves. After their escape, they had become nomadic in an attempt to put as many miles between themselves and the Shamozolts, without even realising that this was all part of their programming.
The creation method of the Squalvolvan should have rendered them infertile; however, their numbers continue to grow, so clearly they found a way, or a way was found for them.
After being pursued across much of the south globe, the Squalvolvans were seen entering the forbidden zone and believing this to be their undoing; the Shamozolts gave up the chase.
Left to their own devices, the Squalvolvans multiplied and the next stage of their development was reached and an army of soulless warriors was sent on the mission for which they had been created. The Squalvolvans were here in the north to do the job the Shamozolts failed at and the Formless Ones instructions were clear and simple, round up the humans and those that resisted, would help feed their army.
Alliance Page 13