The Cartographer

by Craig Gaydas

  I revealed everything Kedge told me. After I finished, their collective looks of disbelief and rumblings of dissension caused my heart to sink. They didn't believe me. I was just some stupid human kid brought into their ranks as a matter of convenience more than necessity. I felt disappointment rising, but before I could say anything Hark-Kalech spoke.

  “Wait a minute,” he shouted above the roars of dissent. “Everyone calm down. We are at a crossroads right now and have a real chance to choose the path that leads to true peace.”

  “What are you saying Hark?” Kale asked incredulously. “Are you implying that we turn over our most important tool to the enemy and give him the chance to change the past and risk altering the future? What if saving one planet causes a ripple effect that destroys the universe?”

  “You are a fool if you believe the universe can be destroyed,” Calypso growled. “The universe is infinite. There is no power capable of destroying it. I agree with Hark and vote to allow Kedge to try to save his planet, but with conditions.”

  “What conditions are those?” Embeth barked.

  “I insist that a member of the Council goes along,” Calypso replied. “To keep an eye on him.”

  Everyone paused and exchanged glances. They seemed to weigh the merits of his suggestion.

  “That is an excellent suggestion,” Varooq eventually chimed in.

  Kale relented and slowly nodded. Even he couldn't deny the benefits of a member of the Council overseeing such activities. They seemed pleased with Calypso's suggestion but I still held personal reservations.

  “I'm not sure Kedge will go along with your suggestion,” I responded. “He still seems to hold a grudge towards the Consortium.”

  “I will volunteer,” Calypso said. “Perhaps he would be more at ease if a member of the Explorer's League goes? Since we are explorers more than warriors that may set his mind at ease.”

  The rest of the Council agreed. Despite my protests, the Council would not agree to Kedge's proposal without sending one of their own along for observation. They made it perfectly clear that altering the past was not something to be taken lightly and they insisted on their involvement. I just hoped Kedge agreed and didn't kill me on the spot for suggesting such a thing.

  The Council convened and I made my way back to the shuttle with downcast eyes. Kale decided to remain behind, reducing us to a party of two. I held onto my reservations like a child's blanket while Calypso remained silent during the return trip. I couldn't read his face, but perhaps he mulled over the impact of travelling back in time, or maybe he was just wondering what color underwear to pack.

  Kedge wanted me to steal the map and bring it to him, not blab his plans to the Council. He underestimated my powers of persuasion, though, and I thought I had forged a win-win situation for all. I wasn't sure if he would accept the Council's terms, but I prayed he would. I'm sure my life depended on it.

  We Meet Again

  A week had passed since my meeting with the council and the ship headed toward galaxy GX-750, home to the mysterious planet Xajax. Lianne's ship remained behind on one of the planet's moons to monitor activities on the planet. We discovered Kedge had established a base on the planet and the surviving Lumagom forces called it home. Other than the remaining Lumagom, indigenous wildlife, and strange flora, we discovered that the planet was uninhabited. A perfect planet to erect a base without any unnecessary distractions.

  The call came while I was in the shower. I must have been in there a long time because by the time the intercom went off, I looked down and noticed the raisins my fingers had become. Despite their shriveled condition, I wanted to remain under the hot water forever—to let the steam ebb away the tension that built as we approached Kedge's deadline.

  “Kedge is trying to make contact.” Calypso's voice sounded from the intercom. It was time and I would no longer be able to delay the inevitable.

  I dried myself and threw on my intergalactic space suit. When I first tried it on—before my first meeting with Kedge—it was like trying to slide pizza dough into a bottle, but now it slipped on effortlessly. I used to be thin, maybe not rail thin by Earthly standards, but rather underweight when compared to my peers back on Earth. However, with the deadline fast approaching, the anticipation and stress whittled away at whatever body fat I had accumulated during my hot dog and Coke days.

  Gard waited for me at the door. He reminded me of a faithful hound dog, always prepared to be by my side—despite his quips and cold, emotionless eyes. Even though I knew he had been programmed to remain by my side, I wanted to believe he chose to be there for me. I yearned to have a friend to replace Sam, however depressing that may be.

  “Satou is prepared aboard the Navetta,” he stated. “He apologizes for not meeting you personally but there was a steering issue aboard the shuttle and he needed to attend to it prior to launch.”

  I followed him to the shuttle, boarded and buckled the safety harness. I peered out the window, ignoring Satou's sour face. He remained silent but I could feel his eyes on me and reluctantly turned toward him.

  “Is Wraith here?” I knew he could sneak up on me at any time, but I wanted no surprises for the journey.

  “No, why?” Satou responded.

  “I prefer to be alone for this. Can we please keep the surprises to a minimum?”

  “What about Gard?” he asked.

  “Gard should stay here,” I mumbled.

  Satou turned to the controls, set the autopilot and turned back to me. He appeared glum. “Are you sure that is wise?”

  “I'm not sure,” I muttered. “But I don't want any more people to die. This is my decision and I'm ready to accept Kedge's response to the proposal, whether good or bad. If there is going to be any casualty, let it be me.”

  “Do not talk like that!” He turned away from me and let out a sigh. “You are more courageous than I would have given you credit for, Nathan Chambers. I am sorry that it has come to this. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened had you remained behind on Earth to live a normal human life.”

  A tear weaved its way down my cheek and recalled my time on Earth: Sam, who always stuck by my side no matter how many times the other kids teased and bullied us. My father, who worked long, ungodly hours and was never home enough. My mother, who tried so hard to keep us together as a family—to be normal. The kids in my school, who were more concerned with their appearance, their friends and their Facebook status to ever concern me in the least bit. Yeah, if only I had lived a normal, human life.

  I wiped away the tear as the planet appeared in the distance. “You want to hear a funny story?”

  Satou cocked his head inquisitively. “Sure, we have time,” he chuckled.

  “My mother used to make us scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns every Sunday morning before we went on to do our own thing. The eggs were usually runny, the bacon was overcooked and the potatoes were god-awful and she knew it.”

  “Well, I am not entirely sure what eggs, bacon and potatoes are but it sounds like a big waste of time. Why bother?” Satou asked.

  I chuckled and rubbed my face. “One day I asked my father that very same question. He responded: Nathan, your mom wants us to be a family, even if it's only one day a week.”

  Satou didn't respond and he didn't need to. It was painfully obvious that I never had a normal human life. If I had remained behind I was positive I wouldn't have one either.

  Silence passed between us during the remainder of the trip until Satou settled the shuttle down in the same spot as our last encounter. He stood up and handed me a familiar object—one I had completely forgot about—the stun knuckles.

  “Place your glove over these so Kedge does not see them. They will be just as effective in case you need them.” Satou urged.

  I did as instructed. They fit like a glove, no pun intended. I was relieved to have a bit of added protection. Kedge's intent was for me to steal the map not tell the Council, and his reaction to the news could get ugly. If it cam
e to that I would need all the help I could get. I pulled the glove over the weapon.

  The ramp descended with a thud. The “death row” atmosphere returned as I descended the steps. Kedge waited for me—alone this time—at the bottom of the ramp. Each step I took became harder than the previous. By the time I reached the bottom, it was as if two anvils had been strapped to my ankles.

  “Good morning, Nathan,” Kedge beamed. His smile was as warm and bright as the alien sun, but it froze my heart nonetheless.

  I responded with a grunt or a cough—I couldn't remember because my mind had been racing since I left the shuttle. He led me toward the area of our prior meeting and I found myself focusing on his demeanor. He sat on an oversized rock and jammed his staff into the ground. My body went rigid, calculating how long it would take him to reach the weapon and whether I would be able to reach him in time. I inched closer but stopped before he became suspicious.

  “So do you have it?” he asked and leaned forward.

  I averted my eyes and shuffled my feet nervously. “No,” I whispered.

  Even though I was about ten feet away, I felt him stiffen. “I'm sorry, what was that?”

  I had to rely on my inner strength because I no longer had the luxury of being the geeky, timid teenager who got picked on at school and worried about how to tackle the next raid boss in World of Warcraft. If fate would have me die here, alone, on this alien world light years from Earth, than I planned to do it on my terms.

  “No,” I repeated with conviction. “I didn't bring it, but I did bring you an alternative which I believe you will find interesting.”

  There was no anger in his eye (nor his monocle), only curiosity. “Well I would love to hear this.”

  I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Here it was, the moment of truth. “I don't need to steal the map, because the Council has agreed to give it to you.”

  Kedge placed his hands on his knees and clenched. “You told the Council?” he growled and several images flashed within his monocled eye while his good eye shifted to the staff. Suddenly the stun knuckles seemed like dead weight.

  “I couldn't become a traitor to the Consortium, but deep down I wanted to help you and trusted the Council would listen to your request and side with you. It seems my senses were correct.”

  Kedge let go of his knees and relaxed slightly. It was time for me to get to the counter proposal and hope he didn't strike me dead before I finished.

  “The Council even agreed to lend you assistance with one condition.”

  His face hardened. “Oh really? What assistance would they be willing to provide me?” he scoffed.

  “They will send one of the council members with you when you pass through the wormhole. They need assurance that you don't plan on screwing with the past to destroy our future.” I hesitated then added, “I need assurance too.”

  Kedge remained silent for several minutes and I hoped it meant he took interest in our counter-proposal rather than plotting my death. His smile caught me off guard.

  “It has been so long since I have interacted with another human being that I almost forgot what it was like to be one. Your insecurity is a weakness I haven't seen in a long time.”

  I wasn't sure if I should have been offended. He held up his hand before I could protest.

  “Listen, Nathan, everyone has their weaknesses. I may be more machine than human now, but I once had a weakness as well.”

  I sat down on a nearby rock and adjusted the glove on my right hand to make sure the stun knuckles were still in place, just in case I needed them. Or maybe I needed the comfort of knowing how powerful they were that gave me a jolt of confidence. Whatever it was I was able to stare Kedge directly in the eye without wavering.

  “Is that so?” I asked with minor annoyance.

  “Yes, Nathan it is so. Mine was addiction,” he continued. “Believe it or not, I had an addiction to alcohol.”

  “You have to be kidding me?” I asked incredulously. “Are you trying to tell being the leader of the Lumagom drove you to get hooked on Space Beer?”

  My statement came out much harsher than intended but Kedge seemed unperturbed and actually chuckled which surprised me. Perhaps he wasn't the dark, angry person he appeared to be.

  “Trust me, Nathan, alcohol was popular among the Lumagom. Especially when they celebrated their battles. While they drank to celebrate and gloat over their conquests, I drank to forget them. After years of watching Ales destroy worlds and murder countless people I would pick up a bottle of just about anything to shut out the images. I had to quiet the screams.”

  “And now you are one of them,” I said with a touch of contempt. “You continued their murderous ways long after Ales died.”

  Kedge became distant and stared past the horizon. It was as if the comparison never occurred to him before. Pain and sorrow engraved itself on his face and it seemed the realization hit him hard. After several awkward moments he focused his attention on me.

  “You are more clever than you look, Nathan,” he conceded. “A perfect Cartographer,” he added mysteriously.

  “I don't know about that,” I grumbled.

  “Unfortunately I cannot accept your proposal,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Although my quest for the wormhole on Earth remains a mystery to the Lumagom they would not agree to any alliance with the Consortium, no matter the terms. If I were to ally with them then my destruction would be assured, I'm afraid.”

  I frowned with disappointment. “So what now?”

  “If you had the disk I would kill you and take it,” he admitted. He turned away from me and formed a V with his hands. The signal meant I was about to lose my chance to forge peace between the Consortium and the Lumagom. I acted before I even thought about what I was doing.

  I swung at the back of his head with my right hand, the same hand that held the stun knuckles. It connected solidly with the base of his skull and my hand crackled with power. My arm went numb all the way to the elbow and he lurched forward violently, but did not fall. He turned toward me with an expression of rage outlining his face. It started as a wrinkle in his cheek and morphed into a mask of fury. The staff came up quickly and the snake's eyes met mine. I suddenly had an out of body experience and I watched the action from the sidelines, like a cheerleader: Rah-Rah, sis boom bah, Kedge is about to kill yah. The eyes of the staff glowed a dark crimson—the color of blood—and I knew I was about to count my lifespan in seconds instead of years.

  That was when all hell broke loose. A bright flash of red and yellow nearly blinded me, causing me to fall backwards and missing a sharp rock by inches. I was unable to move and thought I was dead but soon realized that dead people didn't realize they were dead so I mentally slapped myself back to reality and propped myself on my elbows. The scene around me made no sense. A lump formed on my forehead and I caught sight of Kedge's staff next to me. Ahead of me, Kedge lay face down with a fishing net outlined by silver metal balls covering him like a blanket. Despite his struggles, he could not free himself from the entanglement. I frantically looked around at the source of our attackers and found a familiar face.

  Lianne approached the prone form of Kedge and pointed a hand cannon at the top of his head.

  “I would stop struggling if I were you,” she ordered.

  He managed to flip himself over and shoot daggers from his eyes. “Do you think I came alone? My soldiers will be here soon and I assure you they will make your life…unpleasant.”

  She roared with laughter, and he threw her a murderous look. “My life is already unpleasant. I have to clean up scum like you,” she replied.

  He tried to prop himself up and Lianne shoved her foot in his chest, knocking him flat. He fell with a grunt and looked up at the sky in frustration.

  “Oh, about your soldiers,” she purred. “I don't think they will be much help.”

  She cocked her thumb over her shoulder. The soldiers that Kedge had been with earlier approached somberly, their hands bound behind them
. They were escorted by Caelumite soldiers, adorned in golden armor from top to toe, with their helmets forged in such a way that made their faces appear like that of a jaguar. The links in the armor were flawless, as if they had just been forged inside their ship before stepping onto the battlefield. As they pushed their captives forward, I noticed the prisoners' hands were tied with the same disembodied tentacles that bound my hands during my first encounter. I rubbed my wrists subconsciously, recalling, with revulsion how they felt around my own limbs.

  Lianne watched the soldiers escort the prisoners into a grove of trees opposite the shuttle. When they were out of sight, she turned her attention toward me.

  “Are you OK,” she said, motioning toward the knot on my head.

  I reached up and touched it, flinching as a needle of pain stabbed my skull. “Yeah I'll live. Which is more than I can say if you hadn't shown up.”

  She reached into a pack strapped to her waist and produced a thick, square piece of cloth that looked like a sponge. She placed it on my head and the pain vanished, replaced by a cool, numbing sensation. When she removed it, I touched the spot on my head and the lump was no longer there.

  “Wow, thanks,” I marveled.

  “Sorry for the surprise attack, but we never expected you to do what you did.” A smile played at the corner of her lips.

  “Well, he said he would have killed me if I had the map,” I grumbled. “I expected the knuckles to do more damage than they did, though.”

  “You're a fool, Nathan,” interrupted Kedge. “I misjudged you and should have killed you the first time we met.”

  “Shut up!” Lianne roared. “Don't make me knock you upside your head.”

  Kedge's eyes flared with anger. “Take this contraption off me, and we'll see how good you really are,” he sneered.

  Lianne's finger hovered over the trigger. I grabbed her arm.

  “No, he may provide valuable information on our enemies,” I pleaded.

  “I will provide nothing to the Consortium,” he spat. “Especially to you, traitor!”