“It seems like such a short time ago that you came here with the Denarians freed by Semminex. Such strength you showed, even then.”
“High Elder – please!” Niterra cut him off. She had no time to waste by fondly looking back on old memories.
“What is it my dear? What did you see?”
Niterra took a deep breath and forced it out. “Nocterar.”
Acerus' eyes widened and he took a step back. “No!”
Shaking, Niterra managed a nod then collapsed.
Quinterus caught her from falling out of her chair and repositioned her so she could rest. Despite her body's exhaustion, she could still hear the two Elders speaking. “By the father of Valertus!”
“How could this happen?" Acerus asked. "Excelsior crushed him under a pile of rock. He could not have possibly survived that!”
“I am afraid we will have to believe he has survived, High Elder. This child was willing to risk her life to bring us this news.”
“Bring her to the healers immediately,” Acerus instructed. She could feel two guards helping her limp body out of the chair.
“Father Acerus, there must have been a reason Nocterar was given leadership of the Krunation Empire," Quinterus said. "It's possible that they knew he could survive his battles with Excelsior.”
“Do you know what this means? Danaak returning to life on Earth and Nocterar suddenly revived here?”
As the Denarian guards assisted Niterra, she opened her eyes and saw the High Elder instructing those around him. “Quinterus, wake the other Elders and tell your men to head to the Leap of Faith. We must contact Klierra immediately and tell her we need Excelsior NOW.”
* * *
Wilitar's heavy breathing threatened to cut through the silence as he nervously wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked up at the stars and took a deep breath of the cold night air of Denab IV. In the distance, two Krunation soldiers stood on opposite sides of the entrance to a large gray chamber. The youthful Denarian felt his heart racing as he looked ahead at the other four members of his team.
Radifen crouched beside Zorribis, who was holding a rifle in his hand and peering through a nightvision scope. “Do you see them?” he whispered. Zorribis nodded in response, a tight grip on his weapon.
Grannik stayed behind the rest of the group, his knees on the ground to appear as out-of-sight as possible, but positioned so that he could leap into action as quickly as possible. If he were standing up straight, the top of Wilitar's head would have only come up to just above his stomach.
Beside him crouched Karini, a young Denarian with unkempt blonde hair. His eyes darted back and forth between the two Denarians in front of them and Wilitar beside him.
Wilitar felt Karini’s reassuring hand on his shoulder as he whispered, “Shut your eyes and do the Elders’ breathing technique. You'll feel better.” The smallest of the five nodded in response. He shut his eyes and focused on his breathing, relaxing his heart rate and let go of the memory of being dragged by one foot back to his cell by Krunation guards, two ribs fractured and one ear ripped half off his skull from a vicious beating. Inhale. Exhale.
“Good,” said Radifen. “Keep breathing.” The recommended mental exercise did its job and for a moment, his anxiety gave way to excitement. He sat a very short distance away from the great Leap of Faith inter-planetary doorway and Acerus hand-picked him to operate the controls. He opened his eyes and allowed himself a soft smile as the Leap of Faith chamber beckoned.
“Do you have them ready?” Zorribis asked Radifen. Radifen reached into his holster and pulled out a small double-barreled pistol. He grabbed two small darts from his pocket and loaded them into each barrel.
“Ready,” Radifen whispered back.
“Then switch.” Zorribis and Radifen quickly swapped scope and pistol.
“Kid, are you sure you know what you're doing with that?” Radifen asked. “We only have one shot for each of them.”
“Just tell me when,” Zorribis grunted.
Wilitar bit his lip as Radifen peered through the night-vision scope, waiting until the two guards had their backs to each other.
“Now!” Radifen’s order cut the stillness.
Zorribis squeezed the trigger and fired the first dart. It hit the guard perfectly, right in the neck, and he dropped like a stone.
“Little bit to the right,” Radifen whispered urgently as the second guard turned sharply toward his fallen partner and pressed a device on his shoulder. Zorribis moved to the right and quickly fired.
The dart struck the second guard on his arm. He fired off one quick shot of his rifle, took a stumbling step and dropped.
Zorribis turned and looked at Radifen. “Don't call me kid.”
Karini tapped Wilitar on his shoulder. “They're down. We have to move now. You all right?”
Wilitar nodded, reluctant to leave his becalmed state.
The five Denarians made their way up the chamber toward the Leap of Faith. Karini shifted his heavy pack and asked, "Why didn't we just shoot these bastards? They haven't exactly been all that kind to us.”
Radifen looked over his shoulder at Karini as he answered. “We can’t afford to leave dead bodies behind. Don't worry. With the drug we put in the dart, they won't remember a thing about tonight and they’ll be out long enough to make sure that Wilitar can escape safely.”
Wilitar's heart rate increased all over again at Radifen's reminder that he would be responsible for getting back to the caverns alone.
“How long is long enough?” Grannik asked as they reached the entrance.
“Not long,” Radifen replied. “We have to move fast.”
The Denarians made their way past the unconscious guards and into the Leap of Faith chamber. As Zorribis passed the second guard, he noticed a blinking light on the device attached to his shoulder. “What's that?”
Radifen gave Zorribis a little shove. “Just keep moving.” He picked up his pace, passed the younger Denarian and pressed a large metal square to open the door. The door slid up with a loud whoosh that made them jump. Memories of similar doors on their prison cells made all of the men uneasy, none more than Wilitar who dug his hands under the straps of his pack so the others wouldn’t see them shaking. They stepped inside.
As sensors lit the chamber, the Denarians stood rooted in place and gazed on the Leap of Faith Inter-Planetary Doorway for the first time. A gleaming rectangular silver doorway stretched three stories up. It was wide enough to comfortably fit all five of them abreast and was framed in huge, flowing pipes embedded with flashing and blinking lights. Sleek metallic panels stood inches away from the wall. A matching silver panel covered the doorway as it lay dormant.
Karini looked over at his friend. Wilitar’s mouth turned in a half-smile, his dark eyes feasted on the massive object before them.
“Now that… is… beautiful.”
Zorribis dropped his pack on the floor. “You have a job to do, right?” he snapped at Wilitar.
Wilitar looked at him, then back to the Leap of Faith before walking over to a console. He examined the display before him then started tapping the console in various spots. A powerful light emitted from the panel, a blank white canvas waiting to be filled with the right coordinates.
“Ready?” Wilitar asked his comrades.
“Are you ready?” Grannik responded. “Do you have the collector?”
“Got it.” Wilitar reached into his pocket and pulled out a black rectangle that was three inches long, two inches wide and two inches thick. He plugged it into the main computer and pressed a series of buttons, rerouting data from the main computer to the collector. “Okay, we're ready,” he announced.
“Do you know how to operate this?” Karini asked.
“Of course. And Elder Acerus made sure to give me the exact coordinates.” As they waited, Wilitar placed his hand over the sphere and felt it begin to vibrate, feeding coordinates into the computer. The metallic cover over the doorway began to project a gorgeous
view of Sol III, the third planet in the solar system of an average yellow sun in the Milky Way galaxy.
“Pretty planet,” Wilitar observed. “Not as pretty as Denab IV, but it definitely has potential.”
“Can you do this?” Radifen asked, his silver hair falling over his eyes as he studied Wilitar’s face.
“I'll be fine,” Wilitar answered, still awed by the technology in front of him. “You have your equipment?”
Radifen gestured to Karini, who handed Radifen his pack. “Be careful with your cargo, Karini. That’s the only one of its kind. Get in position, men.” He then flashed a grin to Wilitar and gave the next order. “Activate the gateway.”
Wilitar brushed his hand quickly across a glowing panel and the gateway opened, generating a vacuum while maintaining the same image of Earth.
“Stay out of trouble, Wilitar,” shot Karini over his shoulder as he jumped. The first three Denarians' bodies instantly transformed into glowing balls of energy that shot across the fabric of space. Radifen braced himself to jump after them, but stopped and walked toward Wilitar. He reached into his holster and pulled out a gray and black laser pistol.
“Hold out your hand,” the senior Denarian instructed. Wilitar nodded and held out his right hand. Radifen placed the pistol in the young man's open hand as the vacuum caused his silver mane to dance around his shoulders.
“During the first battle led by Semminex as Excelsior, he grabbed this pistol out of the hands of a Krunation soldier stupid enough to try and use it on us. If you see any of them, see how many you can kill with it.” Wilitar stared speechlessly at the gun in his hand as Radifen gave him a quick embrace before turning back toward the Leap of Faith. He ran three steps, then jumped. He sped toward Earth as a bright ball of energy.
“Wow.” Wilitar's eyes were focused on the pistol, so much that he didn't watch Radifen leave. He suddenly realized that they had left him all alone in the chamber. He looked around, then muttered to the computer, “All right, time to go back to sleep.” Wilitar slipped his gift into his waistband and began closing down the Leap of Faith. When the doorway returned to its initial metallic state, he unplugged the collector and tucked it into his pocket.
He spoke into a device on his wrist. “They’re on their way to Klierra.”
“Excellent work, Wilitar,” responded the voice of the Highest Elder. “Make sure the collector is destroyed, then make your way back to the caverns. Do not allow yourself to be seen.”
“Yes, Elder Acerus.” Wilitar took one last, lingering look toward the Leap of Faith and walked to the chamber entrance. As he got closer, the hairs on his arms prickled and there was a hissing sound he remembered all too well. He flattened his body against the wall. The darts should have put the Krunation guards out of commission for a longer period of time than this, he thought. They were specifically formulated so there would be time for him to do his job and get away without a trace.
Wilitar crept closer to the entrance; yes, he definitely heard voices. He ducked behind the nearest console. With a loud whoosh, the door opened and four Krunation guards entered the chamber.
“Check the computer. If the Denarians used the Leap of Faith, we can track and retrieve them.”
A guard walked to the computer. He activated a panel and the screen showed a listing of coordinates. “I can't understand it. The data is loaded into the system after a journey is made. There's no data of any journey, so where could they be?”
“It's obvious, isn't it?” From outside the chamber, a feminine voice that boomed with authority echoed into the room. Wilitar felt his stomach turn to ice. He watched as all four guards snapped to attention, as the voice entered the chamber. Tall and sinuously slender, General Hodera’s pitch black eyes scanned her surroundings. Wilitar remembered the black shiny boots and a sleeveless overcoat that revealed scale-covered arms. He couldn’t breathe and was thankful for it – even the slightest gasp would attract her attention.
“Whoever was at the computer is still here somewhere,” Hodera declared. “Someone had to stay behind to erase evidence.”
The guards started searching behind the consoles. Wilitar flattened himself against the floor and crept forward on his elbows, staying just beyond their search area. His breathing grew ragged from the effort and the tension. He saw Hodera standing in front of the door, blocking any exit. How many other guards were outside the chamber? he wondered.
Wilitar fought back the acid rising in his throat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver plastic case then wiped away beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. Placing the collector on the floor, Wilitar opened the silver case and dumped its contents directly onto the collector.
Fortunately for him, the black liquid didn't create any noise as it quickly corroded the collector into a useless slab. Wilitar took a precious moment to exhale; but as he inhaled, he immediately detected a stench emanating from the mess.
Hodera held up her arm to silence the guards, who froze and looked at her for instructions. She slowly lowered her arm and raised her reptilian nostrils, then shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “Kartellian sludge,” she noted. “Something was just destroyed and it's coming from...” The Krunation general paused and then pointed toward the source of the odor.
Wilitar heard the guards move in his direction. Memories of being pulled from his prison cell swept through his mind. He looked around; no place to hide. He saw the feet of two guards on the other side of his hiding place. Suddenly, one of them sniffed the air, turned sharply and jammed the end of his rifle into the space behind the console. It struck Wilitar in his scarred ear and he whimpered involuntarily.
“Here!” the guard yelled.
Wilitar raised his wrist communicator to his mouth and gave up any ruse of secrecy. “They're here! General Hodera is here!”
A scaly hand grabbed his wrist and squeezed. Wilitar shrieked as the bones in his wrist cracked under the pressure. He wished for a moment to be as sturdy as the still intact communicator.
“And who are you calling, if I may ask?” the guard hissed. With his other hand, he grabbed Wilitar by the throat and pulled him from his hiding place. “I have him!” he yelled.
“Let me see him.”
The guard dragged Wilitar by his crushed wrist before Hodera. This felt all too horribly familiar. He struggled to get oxygen through his pain and fear.
“Wilitar,” Hodera hissed as she smiled, showing off a full set of gleaming white, razor sharp teeth. “So good to see you again, my favorite little pet. I will never forget our special time together, just the two of us alone in my chambers. I see that your healers reattached your ear.” She ran one clawed hand sheathed in leather over his ear and ran her forked tongue over her glossy black lips. “If you don't tell me where your friends are, we'll just have to revisit those old times.”
Wilitar squeezed his eyes shut and forced a long deep breath into his shuddering body. As he drew a second breath, he tried to remember the faces of his parents and little brother. How long ago was he dragged away to the Krunation prison while they were beaten and shot? Then a new face leapt into his mind, a young face with pale blue eyes and a fierce grin, standing in the doorway of his cell, offering him a hand to freedom. Semminex. He clenched his teeth and forced himself to look into Hodera's empty eyes. How many men had the privilege of being part of Excelsior’s return not once, but twice? He felt the fear melt away from his spine and he straightened.
“This one will be easy to persuade, General,” said the guard holding him. “I could do it for you easily.” He grinned into Wilitar’s face. Holding the reptilian gaze, Wilitar slowly felt with his good hand for the pistol that pressed against his back. He nestled it in his palm and waited until the guard turned to Hodera for a response.
Now.
Wilitar brought the barrel up to the guard’s temple and fired. The guard dropped to the floor, lifeless.
“Oh, Wilitar, It looks like we will have our special time together after all,”
Hodera hissed. She took a step forward. “I have a surprise waiting just for you.”
“I have one for you, too,” said Wilitar as he raised his gun and fired. The shot missed and struck the guard at Hodera’s side. The third one ricocheted off the wall and struck a guard in the foot.
Wilitar paused for the briefest moment of astonishment at his marksmanship then ran toward the door. He raised his gun toward Hodera, who stepped aside.
“Such a waste. You were an excellent repairman,” she said softly.
Wilitar dashed down the stairs. He was looking over his shoulder for guards when he was jerked off his feet by a massive scaly hand. He felt himself lifted toward a pair of glowing yellow eyes, all he could see beneath a black, hooded cape.
Wilitar heard a hissing sound and inhaled the smell of burning flesh. He bit back a scream as a drop of clear goo from long and sharp fingernails seared his forearm. He raised his wrist and spoke into his communicator.
“It's Nocterar.”
* * *
Jason studied Katherine's face as she took a long sip of tea from the white teacup with blue lilies and placed it back on the saucer. “Mr. Peters, did you hear what I said? According to my instruments, your nephew is the current host of the lifeforce of Denab IV's savior, Excelsior.”
He tried to look into her eyes but was unable to get past the large glasses. "You actually believe that, don't you? I don't know if Matt told you, but I've been a reporter on the police desk for almost a dozen years."
"Mr. Peters, I assure you that I'm being honest."
"I don't doubt that, Professor. That's what worries me. The liars and con men always have a ‘tell.’ But the people who believe their delusions are the ones who really scare me, and lady, you scare me.”
Katherine turned to Matthew, who had been silently sprawled in a chintz-covered club chair the entire time. Avoiding her gaze, he stood and headed up the stairs.
Jason barely noticed Matthew’s silence; he was too busy tucking in his shirt and smoothing his hair to notice that his nephew had barely grunted out her name when he introduced her to him. For all Jason knew, Matthew had just brought home a bad report card.
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