Across a Sea of Stars

by Michael E. Gonzales

  The time lapse from Tarnus's question to Cris's answer was but a split second. "Tarnus, I can never leave her."

  "I thought not." Tarnus smiled. "Look at her, boy…a greater beauty you will not find, no matter how far you search."

  "Tarnus, I came a hundred and fifty thousand light years to find her, and I will not lose her now."

  A moment of quiet passed in which all that could be heard was the revelry below. Tarnus watched as the two gazed into one other's eyes.

  "You know," Tarnus droned, slowly glancing over his shoulder, "the Sorgina's Galla nava is in the southeast tower."

  "Is it?" Tattie responded without looking up.

  "Yes," Tarnus said. "Um, I have a young Geldneth male, Epney, working to free up the vessel's Automated Arithmetical Integrators."

  "Good for you," Cris murmured.

  "We are obligated to bring him with us when we leave."

  "That's nice," Tattie said.

  "Are you two aware I am even here?" Tarnus asked, his voice sounding more embarrassed than angry.

  Tattie and Cris turned to look at Tarnus, both were shocked to see black smoke billowing up behind him, Tarnus, seeing their expressions, turned to look, then casually turned back. "It's the chimney," he said, smiling. "Telling me all is now ready. Follow me." Down the steps, back into the tower, he descended.

  Tattie followed, and Cris was behind her. In the room below, Tarnus and Capek had gathered furniture and placed it about. Near the door was a table, replete with food, and against the wall stood a large bed with pillows and comforters. In the fireplace, a roaring blaze kept the cool night air at bay. Two small oil lamps hung from the walls on either side of the room.

  Tarnus cleared his throat. "Well—good night." He turned and reached for the door, paused, and over his shoulder, said, "There's a bolt on the door, just here." Then, he left.

  Cris and Tattie remained right where they were for several seconds, then Tattie looked over her shoulder at Cris and smiled. The warmth, this time, caused Cris to sweat. He walked over to the table to examine the bread, fruits, and wine left there.

  "Hungry?" he asked.

  She said nothing, just slowly shook her head.

  "Some wine?"

  "I promised you something once when we first met. I find I can no longer keep my word to you."

  "What?"

  "That you would never again see me be klided." Tattie began to slowly remove her clothing. Cris felt his brow grow warm, tunnel vision vexed him, and his heart began pounding in his chest. He poured a glass of the wine, and swallowed it quickly.

  Tattie was more beautiful than he had imagined. His glimpses of her had not done her justice. Tall, thin, her hair flowing out around her like smoke and flame…her large, green, seemingly glowing eyes beckoning to him... She was a vision. Cris felt something he had never felt with any woman with whom he had been. It felt—right.

  Tattie walked slowly toward him, the firelight illuminating her in its warm, orange glow. She placed her arms on his shoulders and spoke in that low voice of hers. "Do you remember I once told you I could help you, but first you had to achieve something you've never achieved before?"

  "Yes, I remember, we were in Capek's old ship. I asked you what it was, and you said I'd know it when it came."

  "Do you know it now?"

  Cris paused for a second. "Yes—something I've never achieved before, I'm in love."

  Tattie leaned in and kissed him.

  ○O○

  Their night of Amaday was the pinnacle of their mutual expression of love. Their passions were unleashed, and they loved each other with wild abandon.

  When at last Cris fell asleep in Tattie's arms, his dreams were of Tattie. He dreamed of her and of children; he dreamed of blue skies and green fields; he dreamed of the sea and of flying. He had not slept so soundly since he was a child.

  ○O○

  The next morning, sometime before dawn, Tarnus knocked softly on the door. "Awaken, you two. The rising of the sun is nigh."

  Cris's eyes popped open. It took him a moment to come to grips with where he was because he awoke warm, comfortable, rested, and for the first time in his memory, happy.

  Tattie slept in his arms, her head next to his, her left arm over his chest, her left leg over his thighs; he remained still and listened to her breathing—slow, deep, and rhythmic. He felt her breath on his neck. He looked into her face. She was so beautiful.

  Slowly, her large, green eyes opened. She stared into him. Her gaze seemed to penetrate his mind where he welcomed her warmly. She smiled, and his body warmed—and as he could now feel, so did hers.

  "Bo drugad, Cristóbal," she whispered.

  "Good morning," Cris said.

  "How did you sleep?"

  "Great."

  "Did you dream?"

  "Yes, I dreamt of wonderful things."

  "I told you I could help you."

  "I may need a lot more help."

  "I will always be here for you, Am Eka."

  ○O○

  The spacecraft sat ready to go inside the tower, which hid the gantry and its associated equipment. Tarnus had been waiting far longer than he had thought necessary, and was already in the door of the spacecraft about to go, again, to get them.

  At last, he saw them approaching down the stone corridor, so he called out, "Capek is at the helm and ready whenever you two deem it time to extricate yourselves from your embraces and join us." This, he said with a broad grin on his face.

  Tattie entered first through the round hatchway. Cris followed, and he was carrying a metal sphere that Tarnus recognized. "Is that your really big bomb?"

  "Yes, remember Mom—I mean the Velka Mislay, told us to destroy Caval Du Mal's flag ship. This will do it. Where can I stow it?"

  "There, let me help you." Tarnus and Cris placed the sphere in a cabinet, cushioned it with discarded uniforms, and locked it. As they turned to start up into the ship, Tarnus caught Cris by his arm and, speaking under his breath, asked, "So—Cris—how did you sleep?"

  From above, Tattie's voice shouted, "Teaoh!"

  Cris smiled and moved off.

  "I just wanted to ensure you two are rested!" Tarnus called upward to her.

  Like Cris's shuttle flight from Earth, this ship was designed on the horizontal, but sat on the vertical awaiting launch. This craft, however, had platforms and ladders to aid the occupants in moving about. On the third platform, Cris found Tattie standing and looking to her left. Cris joined her on the small platform and, noticing the look on her face, asked, "What is it?"

  "Who is he?" Tattie asked, pointing to a chair with a figure reclined in it.

  Tarnus had just attained the same platform, but waited, clinging to the ladder, as there was no room for him. "That," he explained, "is Epney, the boy who will monitor the Automated Arithmetical Integrators for us. I told you about him last night, but your minds were otherwise occupied."

  "Teaoh, this trip will be very dangerous…is he aware of that?"

  "The boy had left the fort and joined the twelfth legion; he had already accepted the dangers of a soldier!"

  "Why do we need him again?" asked Cris.

  "Hey!" shouted Epney. "Let me explain; as a slave, I maintained all the Automated Arithmetical Integrators on board. I remember almost everything about them and have adjusted them to allow you to operate the ship, but feel I should go with you in case I may have overlooked something. I know this is dangerous, all revolts are dangerous. I don't know what you're going up there to face, but I want to help. I volunteer."

  Cris stepped forward, taking Tattie by her shoulders.

  "Epney, is it?"

  "Yes, Epney Togel."

  “First, just what is a … Automated Arithmetical Integrator?”

  Tattie turned her head so her lips just touched his ear. “You call them computers,” she whispered.

  "Oh,” Cris muttered, then swallowed hard. “Epney, we are headed out, all alone, to face down Caval Du Mal's comb
ined fleet. We plan to destroy him in his flagship. Still want to tag along?"

  Epney sat in stunned silence a moment studying everyone's face. "You're not kidding, are you?"

  "Nope," said Cris.

  "All right—I'll go, I know this ship, and I can fight.”

  "Kid, you are either very brave or very stupid," Cris concluded.

  "I am happy to be whichever you are," he replied, smiling.

  "Well said," Tattie admitted.

  "You're in, kid," Cris said, squinting. "Buckle up."

  This interesting spacecraft had but one pilot seat, no co-pilot, no navigator, no engineer. All secondary functions were controlled by one of the ship's many computers—Epney called them Automated Arithmetical Integrators, Cris called them AAIs. Even the pilot's job was automated and would have remained so, had it not been for Epney.

  The main fuselage was shaped like a cigar, and at the stern were four engines in separate pods at equidistance from one another. Like the Meerlow, this craft was all black in color. There were no windows or portholes. Each person sat with their heads in individual domes, which were, in reality, monitors, providing them a wide view outside the ship. This was necessary, because each seat had controls that operated weapons mounted outside the vessel. Should the combat computers go down, the crew were the weapons’ back up. This was, indeed, a ship of war.

  "I am powering up the ship's systems now," Capek reported.

  "No, wait!" Epney suddenly released himself from his seat and rushed over to a panel on the wall. He wrenched it open and began to pull on wires and optical cables, then he tugged on a cylinder that was mounted to a rod, bending it outward. Once it was outside the panel, Epney retrieved a large, heavy tool from a nearby compartment and began to hit the cylinder repeatedly, until it was smashed beyond recognition. He then stood and turned to face the others. Wiping sweat from his brow, he explained, "I had forgotten, until your videkanica just spoke, this was a freeagroy. It would have activated the instant he powered the ship."

  "It's a what?" Cris asked.

  Tarnus made reply, "It is a radiant energy transmitter designed to allow the receiver to identify this craft and locate its position."

  "Oh. We call that a transponder."

  "A what?" Epney asked.

  Cris pointed at Tarnus, "What he said."

  With the freeagroy disabled and everyone strapped back into their seats, Capek powered up the ship's many systems. A multitude of arrays and indicators appeared before Capek as holographic projections, as did a three-dimensional depiction of the ship and its environs.

  Capek's voice was heard in the ears of all on board.

  "If everyone is secured and ready, I will simply go now unless there is an objection."

  "Let's go; do it!" Cris shouted. Instantly, everyone was jammed into their seats as the ship reached top speed almost instantly. Cris's monitor spun around from forward view to rearward view. The forward view saw the early morning blue sky become night again within seconds. To the rear, the ship left the fortress behind so quickly that Cris almost missed it. He could see the leading edge of one of the engine pods, and saw it heat up rosy red due to the friction with the atmosphere. Then the curve of the planet became visible. Off to his right, he saw Iuventa, Nazer's smaller moon, almost full.

  The ship did not go into orbit, but rocketed directly away from the planet. What power this thing must have to clear the planet's gravity well straight out, Cris thought as he remembered when he and his Eagle were stuck out here, slowly headed for a fiery re-entry.

  Moments later, Capek shut the engines down. They were now clear of the planet and in space. "I'm an astronaut again," Cris said aloud. As he did, a Tattie’s hand reached for his, and he took it. He closed his eyes, and enjoyed her warmth. When he opened his eyes, he no longer saw the interior of the ship as vertical, but perceived it as horizontal. The only up and down in space was individual pre-conceived perception.

  "Cris," Tarnus spoke, "what do you know of our moon, Natu?"

  "Not much. I know Nazer has two, and that Natu is the larger one."

  "True, though larger, it appears smaller from the surface of Nazer because it is farther away. It has a thin atmosphere that we Nazerians have trouble breathing. The thin atmosphere also prevents us from being outside on its surface without protection, so we must wear Natu suits that will provide us air and protect us from stellar winds. All Nazerians on the moon live in protective underground shelters. The native populations need none of it and are well adapted to the environment of Natu.

  "The native peoples of Natu are small, even smaller than Parenmerians," with his hands Tarnus indicated about one-and-a-quarter meter, "their eyes are small and double-lidded. Their skin is rough and thick to protect them from the radiation. They are covered in hair to help keep them warm. Should you see one, you might be somewhat shocked. Do not show it; such a display will upset them. Always remember, they are easily offended and quick to anger.

  "Thousands of generations ago, they reached a level of civilization that pleased them, and all progress stopped. If, in the past several centuries, any of them came up with a better way to do something, he kept it to himself.

  "They live in cities made of stones and mud so thick and hard only the larger meteorites are a threat. Regardless, thousands die from this cause every year, but they refuse to leave Natu, despite repeated offers to relocate them to Nazer.

  "Our problem is that as a result of Caval Du Mal's promise to leave them to themselves, a promise he has thus far kept, about half the population of Natu are collaborators. This from a fear that, should they side with any who oppose him, they would be targeted, and indeed, they would."

  Cris glanced at all their faces. "So, we won't be landing there, right?" he asked.

  "No, we shan't. We'll use the moon for concealment and wait for Caval Du Mal's fleet to come to us."

  "Where is this fleet now?"

  "I would presume they are about to head to Nazer. From the current position of the planet Kalob. The fleet will have to fly right past Natu in order to reach Nazer. We will be waiting in ambush."

  "But we don't know when they will pass?"

  "No."

  "So—it could be next week, today or perhaps they have already passed the moon and we're headed straight for them."

  "No, sir," Capek responded, "they would be within range of our sensors if that were true."

  "Okay, we know where they are not, but not where they are."

  "Correct, I'm afraid," Capek replied.

  "Oh, this ain't good. Hey, Epney, is there a communications device on this ship?"

  "Only short range, the long-range device was part of the freeagroy I destroyed."

  "Tarnus, we have got to have some better intel, this guy could be coming from anywhere at any time."

  "Cris," Capek said, "I have managed to link with the orbital traffic control satellites for this quadrant, there is no traffic at all except for an orbital cargo ship, and a couple of small privateers, both loudly broadcasting Caval Du Mal's letters of marque. Beyond Natu toward Kalob, the satellites detect no traffic out to the extent of their range which is one hundred sixty-one million meters."

  "The Mind said there was a location on Natu where we could make contact. I think we need to do that," Cris offered.

  All agreed, and several hours later, Capek put them into orbit around the moon Natu and contacted the Nazerian outpost requesting landing instructions. Two hours more, and Capek landed expertly on the outpost's landing pad. The pad was an elevator that lowered them into the interior of the base.

  As they waited to exit the ship, Cris asked Epney if he could devise a time delay detonator for the bomb. "If you leave me your videkanica I have no doubt we can figure something out," he responded.

  "Excuse me, Epney Togle, but my name is Capek."

  "You've been named?" He glanced at Tattie and Cris who did not react. "Well, uh, will you assist me, Capek, with devising and constructing a delay triggering device fo
r Cris's bomb?"

  "I am happy to be of help," Capek responded.

  As the hatch opened, Cris turned to Capek and said, "Listen partner, you keep an eye on those long-range satellites and let us know if anything shows up."

  ○O○

  The instant Cris, Tarnus, and Tattie entered the Nazerian base, they were beset with questions. What had happened on Nazer? What had become of the Sorgina? Who was in charge now?

  Cris held up his hand and shouted "Hold it! Who is in charge here?"

  A man standing near Cris spoke up. "That would be councilman Dodak."

  "Where do I find him?"

  "I would imagine in his office in the Council chamber."

  "Take us there."

  An elevator took them several stories down into the facility. One of the first things Cris noticed about this place was that everything was small and compact. Tarnus was just able to stand, but had to duck to pass through doorways. The hallways were narrow and every room they had been in so far was quite small. At last, they entered a circular hall way, like a doughnut. The offices seemed to be in the middle. They stopped before a nondescript door and their guide pressed a button.

  "Yes?" a voice from within responded.

  "The travelers are here to see you."

  "Are they with you now?"

  "Yes."

  There was a pause before the door slid open. Inside was a small office designed for a receptionist, but none was present. The door that led into the next office slid open and a rather corpulent Portigalweg man exited to join them in this outer office.

  Without a nod toward any formalities, he asked, "Are you sent here by the Sorgina or by Gerunaku?"

  "Geruna, who?" Cris asked.

  "The coward means the Velka Mislay," Tarnus said.

  "Coward?" the councilman protested.

  "That is what I called you. Only those who do not wish to offend Bruckna refer to the Velka Mislay as Gerunaku."

  "Please, you must understand, in recent months her hold here as gotten progressively stronger. Several dozen members of the population have become her Ahs Dormis, and they report our every movement to the Sorgina. The Naturans have become aware of this and threaten to end their support of the base. Food…water…we are very dependent upon them."