Dimension Lapse II: Return to Doomsday (Dimension Lapse Series Book 2)

by Nicholas Davis

  Lori was in distress when Carver told her what happened.

  "What about Jeff?" she asked, hysterical. "What happened? Where is he?"

  "The creatures dragged him off into the jungle," Carver answered. "I don't know where he is."

  "Not again!" Milgic cried. "Last time that happened to him, we didn't see them for weeks."

  "What do you mean, you don't know where he is?" Lori asked.

  "They took him in the jungle," Carver repeated.

  With the ship destroyed, Vega dead, and now Jeff missing, he felt he was losing command. He knew, however, that their survival was the focus and main objective. Now to the halfway point, and feeling a little safer, they decided to take a break. Carver sat down on a rock, and pulled out the second canteen.

  "If this heat keeps up, we'll all be dead by nighttime."

  "This structure we're going to, does it have a cooling system? " Lori asked.

  "If it does, it probably isn't intact anymore," Carver said. "But part of it is underground, and my guess is that if the Barok are still there, it's probably where they would be."

  "And it should be cooler underground?" Dormiton said.

  "Yes," Batar said. "But if we go down there without communicating with them, they may attack us, and then we'll be trapped."

  "Well," Carver said. "We'll need to get to the complex first. I just hope there is water nearby as well. It must be at least 120° out here."

  "And here it's only spring," Varloo jested. Lori looked at him with a disgusted look.

  "What are we going to do about Jeff?" The frantic Lori insisted on an answer.

  "Honey," Wilson said, and hugged her shoulders in comfort. She began to cry on Wilson's shoulder. "We're going to find him. Right now, though we have to think about us. If we're going to find him, we're going to need help, and these Barok are going to help us, right, Carver?"

  "That's right," he said, in an uncertain tone. Lori could tell they were trying to sugarcoat the situation, and they really didn't know if they would get help or not. Batar himself stated that his kind were cruel to the natives of this planet; and if they saw him, they were liable to attack without provocation.

  By the time they reached three quarters of the way there, it was late afternoon, and a storm had developed, unleashing powerful winds, and pounding rain. The party walked as fast as they could through the thick vines and brush. The ground was getting slippery from the torrential rains, and the Lingworts had the most trouble, and slipped several times, but in the end their webbed feet proved to be to their advantage.

  When they came to the top of a ravine, which was covered with foliage, they could see what was left of a complex at the bottom. It was a huge, round gray-white structure with no windows, at least a half mile around, with huge holes in it from the Garlician attack. There was debris scattered everywhere around it. They looked around, and didn't see any Barok or Vanatu anywhere. Carver started down first, and the others followed. As Wilson started in the rear, a large five feet bat-like creature flew down and grabbed her by the shoulders. It flew over their heads and carried Wilson, although it had trouble. She began to scream, Carver fired his laser at it, and hit it square in the back. It fell as it dropped her, and she began to roll down the hill, hitting several rocks and trees on the way down.

  The others rushed to her aide, being careful not to stumble themselves. The rain started to subside by now, and the wind became still because the storm had passed. Lori knelt down beside her, and examined her leg.

  "I think it's broken," she cried, and tried to block the unbearable pain, but it was tough.

  "We'll need a splint," Lori told Dormiton. He looked around until he found a three feet piece of bark.

  "Will this do?" he asked.

  "Perfect," Lori said.

  She grabbed the bark and placed it over the back of Wilson's leg, and tied it with some vines. Carver and Lori helped her to her feet. While she was doing so, Batar and the lingworts were examining the creature.

  "Ugly, isn't it?" Milgic stated.

  "Similar to an earthlike bat, only bigger," Batar said.

  "Earth bats don't have four eyes and claws like that," Carver stated.

  "I said similar, not exact," Batar responded.

  "Can't you block her pain, or something?" Lori asked. "You are telepathic aren't you?"

  "Yes," Batar answered. "But I don't have the ability to heal like that. The Barok do, however."

  "It seems like the Barok are our only hope, and our only chance of survival," Carver stated. "Let's hope they greet us peacefully."

  They entered the complex where the door had once been. Once inside, they didn't see one Barok. All they saw was destroyed machinery; broken computer panels, smashed lights, and green and blue liquid everywhere from the killed Zacharians' corpses. Carver noticed a red door in the middle of the structure, on a ten feet round cylindrical pillar that went up to what was left of the ceiling.

  "Batar," Carver said. "You and I will go down first."

  "You're going to leave us up here with all these beasts running around?" Lori screeched.

  "We have no choice," Carver said. "If we all go down, we may be killed as well."

  "I'm willing to take that chance," Wilson said. "If I stay up here, I'm as good as dead anyway."

  "Very well," Carver said. "Suit yourselves. Let's hope they still don't hold a grudge with Batar."

  "I hope not," he stated. "I'm the only one who can communicate with them."

  Carver pressed the green button to the right of the door, it opened, and revealed an elevator. The six of them entered with just enough room. The elevator activated, and they dropped quickly, deep within the ground, perhaps two hundred feet. When they reached the bottom, the door opened, and revealed a stone hallway which was lit with red lighting.

  They exited the elevator, and Carver turned to the group. "Now, stay here," Carver said, as he handed Lori a hand laser pistol. "Batar and I will be right back."

  The two of them went off in the darkness, and followed a tunnel that lay in front of them. The sound of loud clicks could be heard throughout the cavern, and Lori, Wilson, and the lingworts became nervous. They then heard laser fire, and Carver and Batar came out of the tunnel back towards them. "Get out!" Carver yelled, as they ran to the elevator, which didn't open.

  "We're trapped!" Lori yelled, as several blue eyes appeared out of the darkness. As Lori shined a glow stick at them, they backed up, and stared at it, then at each other. They were like the Vanatu, but were all red instead of green, and seven feet tall. They were obviously not accustomed to bright light.

  Batar tried to communicate, and slipped into deep thought. When they realized he was an Andronian, they backed away in fear. "Please do not be afraid," he thought to them. "We only want peace." A large member came to the front, as the others moved to each side, so he could get through. "Can you understand me?"

  "Yes," the large one thought. "I Understand you. Why are you here?"

  He approached Batar closer, and stared into his dark eyes.

  "To dissect us? To harm us?"

  "No," Batar said. "We need your help."

  "Help? We cannot help you. You kill us, and let Garlicians kill us."

  "That was the others. We're not like that." The leader still didn't trust him, and the other Barok moved closer to the group, ready to attack them. "Please, believe me. We can help you as well."

  "How can you help us?"

  "We can help you rebuild this place, and help you against the Vanatu."

  "There are too many Vanatu. We cannot beat them."

  "You can with our help."

  "How?" He backed up, and his group did as well, still apprehensive.

  "We have weapons. What happened here exactly anyway?"

  "Garlicians came and attacked. They worked with Vanatu to lure us out."

  "Wasn't this once a Republic base?"

  "Yes, but the Republic could not help us. They were too late."

  "Do you have any
communication system with them still?"

  "No, we are alone."

  "What about the ship, is that still intact?"

  "What do you know about our ship?" The leader came closer again, his mandibles open wide. He could easily chomp one of his fingers off if he wanted to.

  "I've heard you have a ship on the mesa. We could all leave in that ship."

  "We will not leave, our home is here!"

  "Will you help us leave?"

  "No!"

  "Try to understand." He turned to his friends to translate. "They say the Republic didn't help them against the Garlician attack. They won't let us use the ship. They're afraid of the Vanatu."

  "Did you tell them about Jeff?" Lori asked. "And Wilson's leg."

  Batar turned back to the leader.

  "We have a friend who was taken by the Vanatu," he said. "We were hoping you could help us get him back, and help our injured friend. She has a broken leg."

  "We will help heal your friend here, but will not go there."

  "You can't hide from them forever. Sooner or later, they'll come down here."

  "They're afraid to come here. They believe it is evil."

  "Because of those like me?"

  "Yes. If you're friend is with them, he is dead."

  "I don't think so," Batar said. "I can sense his thought patterns."

  "How can you read minds like us?"

  "Only because I understand your language. The others wouldn't understand you, even if they could read minds."

  "I am Zator, leader of this place, son of Zorax."

  "I am Batar."

  "I like you. You're different from the others."

  "I'm not like the others."

  "I believe you. If we help you, what do we get?"

  "Freedom from the Vanatu, and restoration of your base. Once we get back, we'll send help to rebuild your society."

  "How do we defeat so many? As soon as we come up, they'll kill us."

  "We prepare. You have sulfur down here, I can smell it. We can build explosives, plus we have lasers."

  "We won't use lasers. Only minds, and arms."

  "Are your minds stronger than theirs?"

  "Yes, but there are too many of them to win."

  "Then you use explosives and lasers."

  "Yes," the large insect agreed, reluctantly.

  "So you'll help us find our friend?"

  "Yes, and allow you access to the ship."

  "Didn't you once have a translator device here as well?"

  "Yes, it was destroyed. The passageway down here leads to the ship." He pointed down another tunnel on the left. "The railway will take you to the ship."

  "Thank you." He turned to Carver. "You and I will go with them to get Jeff. The others need to get to the ship. The Zacharians will show you where it is."

  "What about Wilson's leg?" Lori asked again.

  "Our friend's leg?" Batar asked the arthropod.

  Zator reached down, and placed his hand upon Wilson's leg. Dormiton and Milgic had seen this ritual before, when Milgic's leg was grabbed by a primitive Talokian, on the planet Zebula. It was a type of pain transference used by the Belorions, which were Zacharian colonists. Jeff was missing then as well, on the same type of world, although quite not as hostile a place. In a matter of minutes, Wilson could move her leg with absolutely no pain.

  "That's amazing," she said, overjoyed that the pain was gone and the bones had healed. She removed the splint, and stood up.

  "All right," Batar said. "Go with them to the ship. They know how to run it, and will help you." He turned toward Zator again. "Is there a translator on board the ship?"

  "Yes," Zatar answered.

  "Go with them, they won't harm you," he told the women and lingworts. "Isn't that right?" Zatar nodded.

  "Be careful," Lori told Carver. "And bring him back in one piece."

  "You can count on it," he told her. He gave her a hug goodbye. "If we don't come back by tomorrow, leave here."

  "What about you?" Wilson asked.

  "Don't worry about us, just get out of here and get to Sentros. You'll be safe there. That's an order."

  "Yes, Sir," Wilson said, and gestured for the others to follow two of the Barok Zacharians to the railway. Carver watched as they departed into the darkness, and then turned to Zatar.

  "Show me where to locate some Sulfur, Potassium Nitrate, and coal, if possible." Carver said, and Batar relayed the message to Zatar. They followed the large insect down the long passageway.

  There were several Barok behind him who grabbed two of the three packs they had brought with them. The women took the other two with them in the direction of the ship. The network of tunnels they walked through traveled for miles underneath the jungle above them. They came upon an underground spring, where Carver filled the empty canteens, after he drank a little to see it was safe. On the other side of the walkway, which the spring flowed underneath and outward had a smelly odor to it, similar to rotten eggs. Zator pointed at the rocks next to it, and raised his claw. "Sulfur," he said to Batar. Carver pulled off his shirt, made a makeshift bag out of it, pulled out his hunting knife, and knocked several hand size pieces off into the bag.

  They walked a little further down the hallway, and came to a cavern. Next to the entrance, their was a large pile of petrified wood and rocks. "Coal," Zator said. Carver held the bag, while Batar grabbed some of it in with his eight fingers. A little further, they came to a small laboratory through a large doorway. "The Potassium Nitrate is in here. We use it on our food," Zator explained to Batar.

  "Great," Carver said. "Now we need something to make bombs."

  "I saw some Kiwi fruit on the way in," Batar suggested. "They'll make perfect grenades. But we'll have to go up there to get them."

  "Do these tunnels go near the Vanatu?" Batar asked the mammoth beast.

  "Yes, but we haven't been there in a long time," Zator answered.

  "I'll go up," Carver said. "I have a laser rifle if I'm attacked.

  "I better go as well," Batar said. "Zator, could you have your people mix these ingredients together? It will make an explosive." Carver handed him his shirt.

  "Yes, we will wait for you to come back," Zatar said. "Then we'll help your friend."

  "Thanks," Batar said. "We won't be long."

  The two of them went back the way they came and reached the elevator, which surprisingly opened, unlike before. They climbed in, and Carver charged up his laser rifle. When the door opened, it was almost night.

  "We'll have to work fast before the night creatures come," he said. Batar nodded, and they exited the complex. Several kiwis were on the ground, and they grabbed as many as they could and loaded them on the elevator. They grabbed about fifty before the sun went down, and then climbed back in the elevator.

  When they came back down, Zator and the other Barok mixed the compound together, and Carver began to cut a small hole in the middle of each kiwi where the seeds were. They then filled tubes with gunpowder, placed them inside each and used vines for fuses. They sealed the top with special tape they brought with them from the ship. Carver put his shirt in the spring to clean it off, twisted it and then threw it around his waist to dry out.

  "These exploding kiwis should pack a punch," Carver told Batar. "They'll never know what hit them!"

  "I just hope Major Walker is still alive," Batar said.

  "Me too," Carver said. "Me too."

  He filled the last kiwi, and loaded the packs. Two of the thirty Barok with them carried a large wood box, and they loaded thirty five of the fifty kiwis into it, and proceeded down the tunnel. The small brigade headed into the darkness of the labyrinth, unaware of what they would face when they got there, or if Jeff was even still alive. Jeff was missing and in danger; Carver felt it was time he repaid an old favor to him, and saved his life for a change.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The large yellow sun set upon the jungle, and the Vanatu pushed their prisoner into a cage next to the large wood
en structures made from kapok trees throughout the forest. His hands were tied behind his back, and it was hard to reach his pocket to pull out the translating headband. One of the large arthropods shut the door behind him and locked it with an iron lock. He turned to the crowd, who were gathered in a clearing, surrounded by torches. There was a large, unburned woodpile in the middle, and a large post that he surmised he would be burned or cooked on. Vega warned him that they liked human flesh, and hadn't eaten it for some time.

  He sat hopeless in the wooden cage, and wondered how the others were making out; if they reached the complex, and if they were able to obtain the ship. He remembered the last time he was on a tropical world and was kidnapped by the Talokians. They were primitive reptiles, until they were transformed by the biological computer on Zebula into highly intelligent reptilian-human hybrids. He was lucky that time, but now he felt he was going to end up becoming somebody's dinner. There was no computer to save him, and he didn't believe the others were coming anytime soon either.

  Carver wouldn't jeopardize the rest of their lives to come back to get him, and he didn't expect him to do it anyway. He was foolish again, and thought he could hold off something that couldn't be stopped, at least not by humans. Last time he was able to at least protect himself with a laser, and not have it lying out somewhere in the jungle instead.

  He tried to untie the knot behind his back, but they tied it so tight, he could barely move his hands. He wasn't an overly religious man, but he was praying for a miracle now. Jeff remembered what his friend Zarcon told him about some of the beliefs and customs of this strange world. He spoke of the Barok, the more advanced form of arthropods, who actually developed a small city made from marble and stone structures. They were obviously far from this city, as Zarcon stated the Republic outpost was built long before the city, and the city was built in a more suitable area twenty miles away. His older brother, Zatar was in charge of the Republic facility, and was also a representative of the Galactic Republic of Peaceful Civilizations; at least until they were attacked.