by Paul Ormond
Dropping to one knee, TaeJun opened his pack and pulled out his torch. He twisted the nozzle and a flame shot out of the end.
“You know what you’re doing?” Mitch asked.
“I’ve used a welding torch before,” TaeJun said while the flame flickered near the metal. “She said it will cut through anything. Let’s give it a shot. You guys stand guard. Mitch watch my back and Kate keep an eye on the entrance. Gaelin look ahead.”
“Handing out orders now, are we?” Kate said in a huff.
“You do as you’re told, little lady,” TaeJun said as Kate crept away. “She likes it when I take charge.”
“I don’t wanna know,” Mitch said. “Cut this thing open. I can’t stand caves.”
“This stuff is top notch. We’ll be through this in no time,” TaeJun said as the flame cut into the metal with ease.
“Are we actually gonna pass through a cave without anything happening?” Mitch asked while watching TaeJun make the last cut in the square opening he had cut into the pipe.
“Don’t jinx it,” TaeJun said, keeping his hand steady as he approached his initial cut.
“Somethings coming,” Kate whispered while she crept back over the rocks.
“Get in,” TaeJun said after he pulled the metal slab out of the hole and shoved Mitch inside.
Fighting to keep his balance, Mitch came to a stop inside a tube large enough for him stand at a crouch. Kate slammed into him as TaeJun shoved her inside.
“Drone,” Kate whispered while the same red light they had seen earlier flashed over the nearby stones.
Gaelin fell through the opening before TaeJun dove into the tube without making a sound. Slotting the piece of metal back in place, he looked at his companions and held his finger to his mouth. A whirring sound filled their ears as the drone passed by the hole.
Pressed against the wall of the pipe, Mitch watched the red lights pass over the cut opening held in place by TaeJun.
“I thought we were done for sure,” Mitch said after the sound of the drone faded.
“You scare too easily,” Kate said. “We were fine. My man took care of everything. He’s the real hero.”
“That was close,” TaeJun said, eyeing the canister. “According to these markings, if I twist this nozzle in the opposite direction, I’ll be able to fuse the metal back together. Give me a second while I patch this thing up. Then the fun will really begin.”
“Yeah, I’m sure excited about the rest of our suicide mission,” Mitch said before TaeJun sealed up the hole he had cut.
CHAPTER FORTY
SOHEE COVERED HER eyes as the giant doors swung open and a searing light poured down the wide hall she and her companions had been herded into after exiting the transport.
The sound of a roaring crowd filled her ears while they were prodded forward by the guards escorting them toward the large opening at the end of the passageway.
Coughing after dust filled her lungs, SoHee felt her heart racing in her chest while they crossed the threshold and entered into an enormous stadium packed to the gills with cheering spectators.
SoHee stumbled forward over a dirt floor, blinded by the harsh sunlight pounding down from above as the crowd cheered. Gerald grabbed her by the elbow before she fell to the ground and helped her regain her balance.
“Hold it together,” he whispered in her ear. “We’re going to need you sharp for whatever comes next.”
“What the hell is going on here?” Davis asked over the noise. “I feel like I’m playing in the Super Bowl or something.”
“Might as well be. We’re obviously about to participate in some type of spectacle,” Gerald said as he was shoved in the back by one of the guards.
“Keep moving forward,” Captain Juvius said from behind. “We have plenty of thrilling events planned for today, but I am most excited to introduce you to the high priestess.”
“What did he say?” Babcock shouted while they approached a large dais ringed by stairs. A wide, black and white carpet formed a path down the middle of the stairs and connected with a large black circle at the base of the stairs.
Arriving at the edge of the circle, the guards arranged their captives around the carpet and backed away.
“Do not move during the ceremony,” Captain Juvius said. “Or I will be forced to do something drastic. The High Priestess does not appreciate interruptions, and any that violate this rule will feel the wrath of the gods.”
“You did not mention any of this before you brought us out here,” SoHee said after a hush came over the crowd.
“All you need to know is that you must be quiet,” Juvius said, backing away. “No outbursts or interruptions, or you will suffer the consequences.”
“Best to go along with it. We’re going to have to ride this out,” Gerald whispered to SoHee while keeping his eyes forward.
“As soon as they start talking about the gods, I start getting worried,” SoHee whispered back.
“I hear that,” Gerald said, but the sound of pounding drums filled the stadium causing the crowd of spectators to howl with approval.
At the opposite end of the open floor another enormous doorway burst open, and a stream of brightly dressed figures poured out of the opening and took flight over the crowd. Urged on by the spectators, the figures looped and soared in every direction as the drums pounded a steady rhythm.
The pace of the music quickened, and more performers joined with those looping through the air. Reaching a crescendo, the music quickened its pace before a chorus of horns joined in with the drums.
As a new song started the flying dancers arranged themselves into circular groups. In perfect unison, they formed a large circle haloing the floor of the arena. A heavy thud of drums flooded the stadium and the circular arrangement of dancers lurched into motion overhead. In an uncanny display of synchronization, they formed geometric shapes of dazzling intricacy in time with the music while the crowd cheered in amazement.
Taken aback by the spectacle overhead, SoHee found herself watching the performance with her jaw agape. Glancing to her left, she spotted Gerald staring skyward in trance-like awe at the mesmerizing shapes transforming above him.
“I didn’t know you were such a sucker for a show,” SoHee said while she watched Captain Juvius discussing a heated matter with one of his subordinates. “Wonder what’s gotten into him? I hope it doesn’t have anything to do with Mitch.”
“No idea, but I’m worried that we haven’t heard any news of his mission,” Gerald said without looking at SoHee.
“Me too,” SoHee said before the whirling dancers formed a star pattern surrounding a bulbous center. “It’s only been a day or so, and I don’t think this Captain Juvius has any plans to keep us informed, but I get the feeling that this ceremony isn’t going to play out well for any of us.”
“Spectacles of this nature never bode well for the participants,” Gerald said as he watched a flushed Captain Juvius send his underling toward a side exit.
“Something’s clearly up,” SoHee said after Juvius pointed in their direction before making his way toward the exit.
“Keep quiet,” Gerald said while the guards approached.
“Gotcha,” SoHee said, looking skyward.
“You two having a nice conversation?” the guard said as he stepped close to Gerald. “Eyes forward and no chatting.”
“Yes, sir,” Gerald said before the soldier got in his face.
“You think this is funny,” the soldier said, readying his weapon. “The Priestess is about to enter and I wouldn’t want to spoil this holy ceremony with an act of violence.”
“I wouldn’t dream of insulting you,” Gerald said without making eye contact.
“You better not, or the tribute won’t be the only one getting sacrificed,” the guard said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the traitor get what’s coming to him. I would appreciate it if you don’t ruin the moment for me.”
“Of course not,” Gerald said, trying his best not to
antagonize the soldier.
“That’s right,” the guard said while he backed away. “You’re going to be on your best behavior for the priestess.”
As the guard joined his companions to the left of the stairs, the music changed pace, and the dancers soaring through the sky dropped into a rigid formation hovering a few feet above the floor of the arena.
The drums retreated to a soft roll before a single horn rang out over the hushed crowd. Shuffling their positions, the hovering dancers formed an intricate geometric shape surrounding a large stone door set in an ornate stone frame depicting dozens of figures reaching skyward.
The horn rang out again, and the doors swung open in time with a crash of cymbals. A dazzling pulse of light burst out of the door before several large lizard -like creatures shot into the air, pulling an intricately decorated chariot. At the helm of the vehicle stood a woman dressed in a long flowing robe that streamed behind her as she soared through the air.
The presence of the woman drove the crowd into a frenzy. SoHee could hear shrill cries and moans echoing out from the onlookers behind her. Circling past the audience several times, the chariot descended to the ground in a spiral while the dancers formed a procession behind the slow moving craft.
As it reached ground level, the woman guided the vessel toward the black circle at the base of the stairs. SoHee could feel the woman’s eyes boring into her as she approached. Her towering headdress sparkled under the hot rays of the sun, glinting jewels set in rich metals.
The high priestess pulled back on the reins and the creatures snorted in protest, but after a moment of shocked wonderment SoHee realized the creatures were merely a holographic illusion and the craft was powered by the same technology powering everything else on Chalthantar.
The chariot came to an abrupt stop abreast of the black carpet and several robed women rushed forward to help the priestess dismount as the dancers rearranged themselves into several neat rows above the dirt floor of the arena.
SoHee and the others were forced to the side as the Priestess stepped off of the chariot. Stepping onto the black carpet, the priestess strode toward the stairs with her dress trailing behind her. An immense tapestry of bejeweled images had been embroidered into the fabric and the images moved in rhythm with the Priestess.
As the Priestess mounted the stairs, the pounding drums echoed through the stadium again, and after a few beats the soaring horns joined in with the song. SoHee saw grown men and women in brightly colored gowns weeping at the sight of the priestess while howling out praise in her direction.
Reaching the dais, the priestess turned to face her audience, and a hush came over the crowd after the music came to an abrupt halt. Silence reigned over the arena while the Priestess stood with her arms at her side. In one slow movement, she raised her arms and her gown lifted behind her, revealing an underside as intricately decorated as the top. Extending her arms over her head, the material took on a life of its own. The tails of the gown streamed in the air and bristled as if blown by a gale force wind. With one swift flap, the material separated itself from her arms and hovered in the air before taking a short flight over the dais and landing with accuracy above a golden throne set on a carpeted riser.
While the tapestried gown cloaked the throne, the music returned, a soft drumming rhythm accompanied by a soothing horn.
“Oh, how much it pleases the gods to hear you sing their praises,” the Priestess said, her words echoing out over the stadium. “And the Gods, in turn, have blessed us, blessed us all, and blessed Chalthantar. We have made peace with our enemies, and a new sense of purpose has returned to this planet after so much suffering. Let us praise the Gods once more.”
The crowd roared in response, and the priestess raised her arms in the air before looking skyward.
“I can feel the energy of the universe flowing through Chalthantar refreshed and renewed. This can only mean that the gods favor us and favor this planet we all call home. Let us thank our wonderful provider for all that she has offered us. Everything that we need to live and thrive is given to us by Chalthantar, and the only thing she wants in return is for us to live peacefully in her bosom. For, if we thrive as a people and live in harmony with nature, we bring a great joy to her heart, this we know because it is from her womb, her very being that we are wrought, so of course our well being is all that she wants and hopes for. We must praise Chalthantar for all the great and immense gifts she has provided.”
“Praise for Chalthantar,” the crowd echoed as the priestess raised her arms in prayer.
“Yes, praise for Chalthantar and praise for peace. We have passed through a time of darkness, brothers and sisters. A time of darkness brought about by greed and madness. But the faithful, by that I mean you and I, who never stopped praying to the Gods and never stopped praising Chalthantar, knew the real source of our suffering: Disharmony; disharmony with nature and disharmony with the will of the Gods. Before the Masters came to this planet, we fought amongst each other like savage animals battling over the carcass of some fallen creature. And upon their arrival we immediately turned our gaze away from our Chalthantarian enemies and aimed them at our new enemies. This was the way of Chalthantar, of old Chalthantar I should say. And this was why we all suffered, because of a lack of harmony brought about by greed and envy. But the faithful saw the light and the righteous among us rose to the challenge. By founding the United Alliance of Free Chalthantar, we were able to break away from our old shackles and forge peace with our perceived enemies. And look what that peace has brought us all: prosperity and hope. For that we should be thankful. Let us praise the Gods for our good fortune.”
“Praise the Gods,” the crowd responded in reverence.
“But there are those that still cling to the old ways of Chalthantar. Those that believe we should return to our barbaric past. These Revolutionary Guards have deluded themselves into believing there was some value in maintaining a way of life that only brought us suffering. One of them was so bold he believed he could wander into the multi-verse and destroy the network that provides us all with the bountiful life we now possess. After failing in his attempt, this fool thought he could return here, to Chalthantar, and we would praise him as some kind of conquering hero. But that is not how we handle terrorists. Let us bring out this terrorist, this traitor who would like to see us all return to our suffering because of his ideals. Together we shall decide his fate, and I am certain the Gods will favor our choice. Let us praise the Gods once more and ask them to bless us with the wisdom necessary to see justice done.”
“Bless us with vision,” the crowd echoed.
“Bless us, indeed. But before we go on, we have several guests among us. These guests accompanied the traitor through the wormhole from Jarkadu. And we all know what happened on Jarkadu. It was a terrible tragedy perpetrated by others who share the same views as the Revolutionary Guard. Together we shall decide what to do with our guests, but first let us bring out the traitor.”
“Bring out the traitor,” the crowed responded.
“Captain Juvius,” the Priestess said, her voice echoing over the crowd. “It is time for Drakon Trendago to join us.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
“IS EVERYTHING IN?” Ramon shouted after one of the workers latched the door on the back of the rusted Soviet container.
“I double checked everything,” Christine said, putting on her backpack. “But are we sure this is the right move? It all seems a little rushed.”
“Artim said he would let us know when it was time to go,” Ramon said while he grabbed his bag. “Someone is definitely after us, and it looks like they managed to find us again. We’ve come too far to sit around and get caught now. We’re packed and loaded. It’s time to go.”
“If you think so,” Christine said.
“I can’t wait to get out of this cave,” Sanchez said, doing up the zipper on his suit. “I can’t remember the last time I saw daylight.”
“I’m sure you’ll get ple
nty of opportunity to work on your tan after we out run whoever is chasing us,” Ramon said.
“So we’re just running away again?” XiaoFan asked, crossing her arms. “Where are we running to now?”
“It’s not exactly running away,” Ramon said. “Well, yes, we’re running away, but we can’t just sit around and let them come.”
“But don’t you have some master plan?”
“We do, and we are sticking to it. There is no reason for us to stay here any longer, and we’ve already set up the distribution network for these units. It’s bad timing that we’ve been discovered, but it doesn’t change anything. Artim is going to handle whoever is coming while we make our escape.”
“It seems a little too easy and convenient, don’t you think?”
“What seems easy?”
“This whole setup. How were they able to track us this far, and how did they know about your operation in the first place? And just as we wrap up production, they suddenly show up?”
“Are you saying we shouldn’t trust Artim?”
“I’m saying we should be careful.”
“It’s ‘we’ now, is it?”
“It became ‘we’ the moment you kidnapped me. And now I’m roped into this, no matter what I do. I’m not about to wind up in even more trouble because you failed to recognize some obvious facts.”
“What obvious facts are you talking about?”
“The fact that all of this seems like a trap.”
“I know that you’re a little overwhelmed by everything right now, and I understand why you feel like you can’t trust anyone, but we don’t have much of a choice right now. We’ve got to keep pushing forward.”
“But you might be pushing us right into the mouth of the lion.”
“Ok, I got the message. We need to be careful. But no matter what, it’s time to go,” Ramon said as he heard a crackle over the radio attached to his shoulder.
“Artim, is that you?” Ramon said into a speaker.