Trial by Ordeal

by Philip R Benge

Chapter Ten

  The Planet of the Light

  Day 162 Helionia Calendar

  The sun rose over the capital city of Helionia to proclaim that a new day had dawned for the people of Helionia. ‘Marot Pallas to be the next President of Helionia, he will lead our people to new heights of greatness’ was the headlines of the major newspapers of the planet. However, Ares Fortuna saw that history would proclaim this day, as one when the space fleet of Helionia travelled through the dark nebula to arrive before the Planet of the Light, a feat that even the magnificent fleet of the ancient Heliot nation had never accomplished, and that it revenged the genocide of the ancient peoples of Helionia.

  Ares Fortuna contacted Captain Ragusa on the flagship of the Helionian space fleet, the Dark Nebula, and asked him to bring him aboard using the Matter Transporter. Trajo had just entered the large sitting room when her father gave his request and demanded that he allow her to accompany him on his epic voyage.

  “The Planet of the Light may well be a ruin by now; you will need an archaeologist along to help you, if you decide to send a landing party down to the surface of the planet.” Trajo argued and won, for he was overjoyed to know that she wanted to be with him today of all days.

  “I will let Remick and Prion know where I am, so they don`t begin to worry when I don`t show up at the museum.” Trajo told her father when they were both standing upon the bridge of the starship Dark Nebula.

  “Ok Trajo, be quick though because I`m just about to contact the Vengeance and the Shield and tell them to get ready for a quick departure in ten minutes.” Fortuna said smiling at his daughter.

  Trajo phoned Prion. “Good Morning sweetheart, how are you today.” Trajo asked her lover.

  “I`m fine Trajo, when will I see you this morning?” Prion replied sleepily.

  “That is what I`m calling to tell you, I shall be away for a few days, I`m going on a little trip with daddy, to the Planet of the Light.” Trajo replied delightedly.

  “You are what! Take me with you Trajo.” Prion demanded.

  “Sorry sweetheart, but we are leaving in five minutes, so unless you want to beam up in your pyjama’s then you can`t come with us.” Trajo said to her lover and then burst into laughter at the very thought of Prion in his pyjama`s on the bridge.

  “But I`m dressed now, bring me aboard Trajo.” Prion protested.

  “Hang on Prion I`ll ask daddy if it is alright to bring you aboard.” Trajo said, happy to have Prion on a lead, Ares Fortuna agreed, but once again stressed the need for speed. Prion was brought aboard while Trajo sent a text message to Remick to take charge of the museum until she returned.

  The starship Dark Nebula moved out of orbit along with its two consorts, and headed for the nebula of which the starship had taken its name. When they arrived at the wispy outer edges of the nebula Ares Fortuna sent a message back to the fleet in orbit around Helionia.

  “Good morning to all the captains of the fleet who are still warriors? The Dark Nebula together with its two consorts is going to head through the forbidden nebula and seek out the Planet of the Light; did they want to come? By the way my daughter has just given me the coordinates of the planet, so we should be there in time for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

  Pandemonium followed his broadcast, and as Trajo had predicted, the captains of the starships that made up the space fleet of Helionia insisted that he wait this side of the dark nebula until they had joined him. They could journey through the nebula en masse, and seek out the planet that had committed such a massive genocidal attack upon their ancient empire.

  Dave Reynolds had also heard the message. He had seen the various starships leaving space dock to join their flagship. Therefore, he immediately contacted Tyler who asked Dave to beam the six of them back aboard the Freedom, for Data professed a wish to join them.

  “Something here might be of interest Tyler, I found it amongst the old Heliot records of the Freedom, and it gives the location of a binary system on the other side of the dark nebula, and refers to it as the Light System. Now that could be a quaint Heliot designation for a binary star system, or it could be the nearest the universal translator could get to the Planet of the Light, what do you think, shall we head over and take a look?” David Reynolds enquired.

  “Seems like a good idea Dave, let`s go.”

  The Helionian fleet also had a reasonable idea as to where to go, for they were all moving in the same direction.

  Day 163 Helionia Calendar

  As the Freedom approached the binary star system, it became evident to all that the civilisation on the Planet of the Light must have also suffered some cataclysmic event, for no energy sources of any kind were found to be emanating from it. The fleet of Helionia went into orbit about the planet, but it soon became very clear that the civilisation that remained was a stone-age one. Some remnants of a city remained, and Ares Fortuna had the Phasers of the Dark nebula fire a symbolic energy bolt down into this, his action was echoed by the other starships of the fleet.

  “Father, we must go down there and try to find evidence behind this event. The planet is still where we were when Helionia came out of its ice age.” Trajo said.

  “As the curator of the archaeological museum it is up to you what work is carried out by your teams, and I expect the new President will allow you sufficient funding to dig here, but for now we should return home and ponder what my next move is to be.” Fortuna said, he felt let down by those who ruled in heaven, being unable to find sufficient joy in looking down on the ruined civilisation of his peoples` enemy.

  “Helionia needs to be a united world father. Marot Pallas will decide to bury the past couple of weeks, as long as you toe the line in respect to his future decisions concerning Helionia.” Trajo predicted, and once again, she was proved correct, for Marot needed everyone behind his drive to find new sources of supply, sources that could now lie in so many new directions thanks to the commander of the fleet, Ares Fortuna.