“Tulari? Meaning ‘balancer of space’?” Her eyes held steady on Asha. “That name is adequate. And where is the object now? Navika has been out of contact for some time.”
“It’s still on Navika,” Asha said, “but why are you telling us all of this? Have you come for it?”
Mira closed her eyes briefly before flashing them open once more, still focusing on Asha. “There is more to the Vakragha than you know. While they may have appeared unified in their attack efforts, the reality could not be further from the truth. The Vakragha are separated into a series of factions controlled by autarchs, each ruling a separate dominion. According to our latest reconnaissance operations, one of these autarchs has stopped his expansion and has instead focused his energy on finding the Kiss of Life.”
Yantrik’s expression fell, and the word, “No,” escaped his lips.
“Oh, yes.” Mira nodded.
“What is it, Dad?” Asha looked into her father’s downcast eyes. “What is the Kiss of Life?” Her gaze darted back up to Mira. “Tell us what the Kiss of Life is. It’s the least you can do if we’re going to help you.”
“Of course,” she said. “But you will need some context. You see, long ago the Confederation waged wars with the Vakragha that spanned entire galactic arms. Some say you can still observe trace radiation left by the battles.” Mira’s voice drifted off, but rapidly returned to sharp focus. “The Darkest was a Vakragha mastermind, and in those days we were close to losing all of the core worlds. But because of the selfless acts of thousands, the tide turned, and the Confederation claimed victory over the Vakragha Dominion. That war of tyranny ended, and for millennia afterward, we swept the galaxy clean of any stragglers. Most believed that they had been exterminated.”
“Wait,” Asha interrupted. “I think we know the story from there. The Vakragha returned even stronger than anyone ever imagined, right? Even the Confederation doesn’t seem to be able to slow them down anymore, which brings us right up to the present, doesn’t it?”
“Wrong,” Mira said. “We are close to locating their greatest weakness. But that is not your mission. Your mission concerns the Darkest.”
“The darkest what?” Vivek asked.
“The Darkest was the greatest mastermind the Vakragha ever produced. She was killed in battle millennia ago; yet with the Kiss of Life, an artifact of true elemental power, she could be brought back from oblivion to usher in a new era of the Vakragha Dominion. We have reason to believe that there is a plan to unite all of the factions, and with the Kiss of Life, the Darkest would be in the ideal position to do it.” Mira sighed. “If you think the Vakragha are fearsome now, you have no idea how much more powerful they could become if that happened.”
There was a brief silence while everyone considered this.
Asha rubbed the back of her neck. “So, this Kiss of Life can completely revive the dead? And you’re sure this artifact exists?”
“I have seen it.”
“Where?”
“In a vision,” Mira replied.
“Oh, great.” Asha rolled her eyes.
“Do not scorn what I see. There is much you have yet to learn. What is important now is that you have been charged with a task directly from the Confederation. That is, if you accept it.” Mira paused. “Yet you are the one who solved the council’s riddle, are you not? And have you continued in your practice?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then, Asha, I ask for your assistance in retrieving the artifact. My starship has been designed to be the most advanced reconnaissance vessel possible, capable of withstanding energetic abuse that Navika never could.”
“Why do you need me? Wouldn’t you be better off with a warrior or another captain?”
“Asha.” Mira sat down and gazed deeply into her eyes. “The Confederation is doing all that it can, but the old strategies are not working anymore, which is why I have been sent here. If we can retrieve the Kiss of Life, we can turn the tide. Not only can we stop the Darkest from being brought back, but we can restore the greatest hearts and minds on our side, as well. Do you know how many trained healers are left? You are not a mere physician. You balance life force itself, and I do not think I have to tell you that we are losing millions every day. Asha, based on everything we know about the Kiss of Life, we believe that only a born healer can wield it. We need you.”
Asha looked down and noticed that she was still holding her father’s hand tightly. She looked up, into his eyes. There was a sadness behind them, but something else was there, too.
She looked back up to Mira. “So, how do we find it?”
“The Chintamani is the way. I believe you called it the Tulari. Is that right? It will lead us to the Kiss of Life.”
“Zahn.”
“Indeed.” Mira’s eyes drifted to the view of the ocean beyond the window. “It is with him, on the ship.”
Darshana looked over to Asha. “The ship? What happened to Zahn? Where is he?”
“He took Navika.” Asha shook her head slowly. “He asked me if I would stay on the islands, and when I told him I wasn’t ready to live on Avani, he disappeared into the forest. Then I heard a rustling high up in the trees, and when I felt for the ship, it was gone. I think he’s going back to the outpost to try and seal up the wormhole the marauders are coming in from.” Asha massaged her temples. “I wanted to chase after him. I was about to, but something held me here. I’m not sure why, but every part of me told me that I needed to be here.”
Shock crept across all of their faces.
“Do you see, Asha?” Mira’s voice was crisp with conviction. “Your intuitive powers have grown strong. You sensed that this meeting would happen. And now, we will find him. Together.”
Darshana blinked. “I can’t believe he left.”
“Fear not, Darshana,” Mira said. “Asha and I will find Zahn and the Tulari; and together we will use the Tulari to recover the Kiss of Life. But we must move quickly. It is vitally important that we reach Zahn before the Vakragha do.”
Asha’s eyes widened. “You mean they’re after him?”
“It is possible, however difficult it may be to believe, that it was Razakh’s plan all along to continue to threaten systems with powerful wormholes until one of them would produce its natural counterpoint: the Tulari. Now that it has been used, I have no doubt that Razakh has made finding Zahn a top priority.”
“Is there anything we can do?” Vivek said.
“He’s acting like a child!” Yantrik wore a pained expression. “I’m coming with you, Mira. My ship is capable.”
“And damaged, according to my scans. No. There is not much you can do besides holding a positive intention for him. If any of you were to follow me, you would risk drawing their attention, rendering my covert approach useless. Each of you must await further orders.” Mira gazed into Darshana’s troubled eyes from across the table. “We will find your son.”
“How can you be sure?” she said.
“Dear,” Vivek turned to her, “when he left the first time, Oonak told me that Zahn would have the assistance of many positive entities, not all of which I could see. I’m not sure I believed him at the time, but in light of what Zahn has been able to accomplish, I believe it now.”
“And Oonak was right,” Mira said. “Despite this great war, those who serve others still outnumber those who serve only themselves. Remember this.” Mira stood up once more. “Time grows short. Asha, do you accept this mission?”
Silence hung in the air like a heavy burden, and Asha looked over to her father once more. He nodded.
Asha squeezed his hand and whispered. “All right. Let’s go.”
“Excellent. Together, we shall be of great service, Asha. Collect only what you need and meet me out front when you are prepared. We must be star-side as soon as possible.”
Mira bowed slightly, studied them again for a few seconds, and hurried out of the room.
CHAPTER 9
THE MEANING OF RELATIVITY
“Oonak, how am I going to find you now?”
Ahead, he noticed that they were now in high orbit above Outpost 33, and no sign of the five remaining marauders could be found. He scanned again to be sure, but there wasn’t even trace radiation. Had the Tulari taken care of them, as well? Perhaps if he could repair Navika, they could find them together.
His stomach growled. It was time for a well-deserved meal, but where would he find it? In the past, Oonak had only shown him places where little snacks were stored, but never a full meal.
In a spirit of exploration, he got up and made his way over to the central node.
When he thought of it, he had to admit to himself that he honestly had no idea where to start. Oonak had never shown him how the ship worked or where he got food. They had always met opportunities to eat outside of the ship. All Zahn knew was that the tetrahedral ship contained four smaller rooms besides the central node. Discounting the command bay and the engineering bay, that left two other possibilities.
He walked over to the door next to the engineering room and placed his hand on the panel beside it, bracing himself. Last time he had opened a door like this, a wave of white smoke had filled his nostrils. He had also thought he’d seen the Radiant Figure shining through the haze, offering a hand out to him. Had the Radiant Figure really pulled him to his feet, or had he hallucinated somehow?
These thoughts left Zahn’s mind once the door split into three pieces and pulled back, revealing lush rows of plants, growing in a stunning, yet rather chaotic, web of life. The ivory walls were radiant, and everywhere Zahn looked a thousand different colors of life stretched out and above him as they grew around a web-like, pyramidal mesh that provided a three dimensional canvas for life to thrive. The foliage ranged from yellow to green to blue in a remarkable tapestry.
Leading around several elevated platforms was a path that led under the mesh, and as Zahn wandered in stunned silence, he noticed small holographic projections beside each of the plants. He guessed that they were labels, and was not surprised to discover that they were written in a language he couldn’t understand. Oonak had never had a chance to teach him the universal writing they had found on Amithya.
“Someday,” he said to himself. “Someday we will meet again, my friend.”
He arrived at a corner of the pyramidal room, amidst a dizzying variety of bizarre fruits, roots, and what Zahn could only guess were vegetables growing out of the platforms. Just ahead was a small, abundant tree filled with fruit that he could have sworn were exactly the same as the rakta fruit he’d had for breakfast that morning.
“Is it possible?”
He reached out and picked a crimson fruit from the bush. It was identical to any other rakta fruit he had ever held; and without giving it another thought, Zahn took a bite of its juicy red flesh.
An explosion of bright flavor filled his tastebuds, and his sense of smell improved dramatically. The taste was at once sweet, savory, and tart, balanced in the most alluring and odd way. He felt as if he were tasting something vibrantly new, like seeing a color he’d never seen before. But no, that wasn’t quite it, either. The sensation was more in his nose now. He wasn’t sure if it was merely delectable or if his entire mouth was tingling, and it didn’t matter.
He felt as if he should sit down. It was the most profound taste he had ever experienced before, and he needed time to process it.
He set the fruit on the cabin floor, and looked down to it. Only a single bite was missing from its otherwise perfect form. Had he really only taken one bite? Whatever this fruit was, it wasn’t anything close to what he knew. If these had grown on Avani, he would have known about it.
The room grew more intense in brightness, and his stomach felt upset. On the edge of his vision, he thought he saw warm and cool hues, and he felt confused. Could he have eaten something poisonous? But why would Oonak keep something poisonous in the garden bay? Or perhaps it wasn’t poisonous to Oonak, at all.
Above him, he saw small orbs floating high over the colorful fruits within the growth mesh, zipping from here to there. Where had they come from? He examined a towering yellow-green stalk across from him and watched as a small furry creature scampered up to the top of it and looked back down to him with raw, unblinking eyes. What was this? Was it even real?
Something turned his gaze down to the short hall which led to the door. As he watched, a glowing shape floated through the wall and walked toward him, and he recognized it as the Radiant Figure that had appeared to him when he had felt so close to death just a few days before. All of them owed so much to this strange entity, yet none of them had come any closer to finding out who it really was, or where it had come from.
Zahn sat transfixed as the Radiant Figure approached him. As before, its garment was woven of pure light, and he couldn’t discern its facial features at all.
“Oh, wanderer with such passion!” The figure’s voice resonated around the room as it approached. “Always seeking that which you already have.”
“Wha-what do you mean?” Zahn muttered as his vision blurred. “What’s happening to me? Am I dying?”
“Do you remember Oonak’s words? You must be vigilant.” The figure tilted its head. “Have you been vigilant, Zahn?”
“Y-yes.” Zahn felt around and tried to pull himself up using the elevated platform behind him.
“Yet you have taken his ship and eaten a sacred food without any preparation.”
The figure stopped approaching and studied him as he sat, twisted on the floor. Zahn felt as if he would vomit. How had he been so foolish? Oonak never would have wanted him to take the ship on his own. All at once, the recklessness of what he had done became clear, and a wave of guilt crashed against him.
“I was wrong,” he said, tears forming in his eyes. He looked up. “What should I do now? The Confederation will never let me fly Navika again will they? Navika won’t even speak to me, either. Although I think he was broken when I took him.” Zahn swallowed. “I’m sorry, Radiant One. I feel horrible. Will I die because of what I ate?”
“All physical entities must die, Zahn. What we learn is how not to be afraid.”
Zahn’s eyes went wide, and he thought of Asha. He couldn’t die without seeing her again, without apologizing for storming away and leaving her alone on the path. He felt horrible.
“Am I really going to die?” he whispered.
“Oh yes, but not from this, not today. You shall go to the Vaari system.”
Zahn blinked. “What’s there?”
“Vaari is your heritage. And your heritage calls out to you.”
“My heritage? What do you mean? My heritage is on Avani. Don’t you remember where I’m from?”
“Vaari will change you. The time has come for your people to learn the deepest meaning of ‘relativity’ — how the interrelated nature of the cosmos means that your world has a place alongside its galactic brothers and sisters.”
“You mean, Avani itself has a family? But Avani is a planet.”
“Zahn, the Confederation is family,” the figure continued. “We are all family, from a certain point of view.”
“A certain point of view. So Avani is like a small family, and the Confederation is like an extended one?”
“Your destination is now known to this vessel. And if your heart is pure, there may yet be a Great Reunion amongst your galactic family.”
“What about Oonak? How do I find him?”
“Remember your friend’s words and you will certainly see him again.” The figure pulled Zahn to his feet, its radiance almost blinding him now. “Do not fear the Vakragha, my child. Your fear will only make them stronger. Instead, recognize them for what they are.”
“What are they?” Zahn whispered, still in awe
of the radiance. It was so bright, he couldn’t discern its face at all.
“Souls who lost their way a long time ago. They were once a great civilization before they began the self-serving path.”
“Were they from the Vaari system?”
“No. But time is short. Even now, the Dark One searches for you in her mad sleep. Reach Vaari and you may turn the tide.”
When it finished speaking, the Radiant Figure turned around and disappeared behind a tangled mesh of fine green vines.
Zahn blinked, stunned at how quickly the figure had appeared, only to disappear again. He made his way over to the door, keeping his balance by holding onto the elevated platforms beside him. But when he reached the third platform, he could hold it no longer and vomited onto a small patch of violet berries, instantly feeling better, and strangely no longer hungry.
He made a mental note to clean it up later and walked back over to the command bay. The nausea had left him, and he triumphantly sat down in the command chair once more.
The Vaari system was already indicated on the star map, and he was surprised to see how near it was to the core. He was in for another long jump, and as he accelerated out of the system, he felt a fresh surge of excitement rush through him. Without the Radiant Figure, they never would have gotten the Tulari. And now, as Zahn prepared to jump to a world that was completely unknown to him, he realized that the figure hadn’t told him anything about where he was headed.
Or even if it was a planet, at all.
CHAPTER 10
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
Asha embraced her father tightly. A light rain fell, and the chill from the water percolated straight down into her bones. Just behind her, a circular opening hung in the air above the forest floor. Yet the idea of leaving filled Asha with apprehension. The last time she had said goodbye to Yantrik, it hadn’t been her choice. But now that the choice was hers, she somehow found it even more difficult.
The Island on the Edge of Forever (The Epic of Aravinda Book 2) Page 6