Above, they heard another rumble.
Asha braced herself for a cave-in, and felt flummoxed when an enormous, perfectly-round jellyfish with grey-purple tentacles flew down through the opening. Hot plasma shot out from the jelly, heading straight for Tiika.
Her body warped around the shots easily, and behind her they heard a rumble as a large dark craft, almost as big as Navika, arose from out of the open gate.
“What the blazes is that?” Zahn said over the comm.
Tiika turned around and jumped toward the strange, angular craft, which was so dark that light itself seemed to avoid it completely. As she soared through the air, the perfectly-round jelly fired again.
One of the pink plasma bolts made contact, and Tiika’s body shattered into hundreds of black, leech-like creatures which flew through the air like a dark storm. But despite their best efforts, most of the wormlike creatures fell onto the angular craft, which paused for only a fraction of a second before it bolted back down the open vortex once again.
Mira ran up to the gate controls and studied them.
“Varking vandals!” Mira yelled. “She’s gone, and to the same coordinates as the Kiss.”
The enormous jellyfish flew down behind Mira, its tentacles fading away into nothingness while its body transformed into a perfect ivory sphere. It wasn’t a jellyfish at all.
“Hey!” Zahn said. “Liila was the jellyfish?”
Liila’s voice came over the comm.
“Just because my cloak is unstable doesn’t mean I can’t have fun. Behold, Liila! Queen of the Jellies!”
“Heh,” Asha said, “you had me fooled, Liila. Now let’s go after her! We’ve got to stop her!”
Mira frowned. “Yes, and both of you must use Navika to follow me.”
“But Mira,” Zahn said, “isn’t Liila still damaged?”
“Irrelevant. Now get in the ship and follow me! We are running out of time.”
Liila was only floating a short distance above the ground, and Mira stepped up and inside.
Asha and Zahn ran back over to Navika. Even before they could sit down in the command bay, Navika lifted off and flew over to where Liila was hanging in the air over the open gate. From the command chair, Asha glanced down and watched as the light from the glowing lava was twisted around inside of the swirling vortex.
Asha glanced over to Zahn. “Strange sight, isn’t it?”
“These days, it’s all strange.”
Asha watched as Liila flew in first, her shape twisting around into the vortex, before following her inside.
A rushing noise filled the chamber as both ships were engulfed, and for what felt like only a moment, Navika and Liila hurtled through a corridor of pristine light.
The threads of light were somehow comforting to Asha, and in another instant, she found herself surrounded by the darkness of space once again.
Without warning, Asha watched in disbelief as a tiny ball of light flew out of her mouth, despite it being closed. A chill ran down her throat and into her lungs, and she coughed violently. The ball of light flew around the cabin and through the hull, disappearing in seconds.
Zahn watched, transfixed. “What was that?”
The violet star ahead was so bright that Navika had reduced the transparency of the walls to avoid harming their eyes. And when Asha noticed the churning surface of the violet star, her face filled with awe.
“I,” Asha paused. “I think it was something I picked up when I was set free. It flew into my mouth, and from that moment, I could breathe underwater. I guess it wanted to stay on Vaari. I’ll ask Navika.”
“Could it have been some remnant of a ghost?”
“That’s creepy, Zahn. Let me find out for sure.”
Just as she was about to ask the ship, it spoke to her through the mindcap.
“Never mind that entity. It would be best to focus on the task at hand. I am displaying Vakragha radiation traces now.”
Ahead, she saw faint paths heading off into the distance.
“Varking tripe!” Asha heard Mira yell over the comm. “Those are Vakragha signatures, Asha. The Kiss of Life is gone.”
The color drained out of Asha’s face. She blinked, and a feeling of shock sank into her, as if she had swallowed an ice cube that she could never melt.
Asha could find no words for the despair that was creeping into her, and Zahn walked up to her.
“It’ll be okay,” he said, putting his hand on her arm. “It’s not your fault.”
Mira’s voice filled the command bay. “Zahn is right. You had no idea she was going to throw it into the gate. I am the ranking officer on this mission, and I shall take responsibility for its outcome. Do not fear. If what the Kiss of Life said is true, hope is not lost.”
“How can you say that, Mira? They’ve got the Kiss of Life or Death or whatever you want to call it.” Asha’s sadness turned into anger. “They’re probably light-years away by now! The Darkest is going to be revived, and there’s nothing we can do about it!” She stopped herself, furrowing her eyebrows. “Wait a second. The Kiss of Life said? You met it in timespace, too?”
“Yes,” Mira continued. “I was behind you. I heard everything, and right now the Confederation is reflecting on this new data. I have created a detailed energetic profile to locate the artifact, and with that data, I am able to establish a trace on the craft that intercepted it.”
Zahn’s eyes widened. “You’re going after it? Liila’s cloak is basically gone, Mira!”
“You forget, Zahn. Liila’s weaponry may not be as precise as Navika’s, but she is nonetheless much more advanced. Her cloak has been regenerating this entire time. When I reach the armada, I will be no more visible than a Vaarian water beetle.”
“We’ll stay behind you,” Asha said. “I’m going to help you stop them, Mira. I can’t help but feel that this is my fault.”
“It isn’t, Asha. The responsibility rests on all of us, and your assistance will be unnecessary. However you should know that with the Kiss of Life in their hands, we have a difficult path ahead of us. Sumanas already has reinforcements en route.” Mira paused. “Interesting. The Confederation says they have a different mission for you two.”
Zahn and Asha looked at each other in confusion.
“Stand by to receive your orders. Mira, out.”
The cabin once again fell silent.
“What do you think she was talking about?” Zahn said.
“I don’t know. I can’t believe she was there in timespace with me, and I didn’t sense her.”
“Don’t worry, Asha. Timespace is a completely different experience. You did great. After all, you healed her completely.”
“No, Zahn. I didn’t do great. I gave the Kiss of Life to a psychopath! Do you know what’s going to happen now? They’re going to revive the Darkest. We may have just lost this war!”
“Asha!” Zahn said. “Don’t give into fear. You of all people should know that. Didn’t you say you talked to the Kiss of Life? You seemed so happy after the healing, like it gave you a new perspective. What did it say?”
Asha sighed. “In timespace, I was filled with peace, like when I meditated with Lakshmi, but so much more. It said that we were safe, secure, and centered, at all times. When I heard that, I felt its truth.”
“Then focus on that. The Chintamani stones are a lot wiser than us, anyway.”
She looked up to him with wet eyes. “But how do I reconcile that, Zahn? How do I hold onto that truth if I put the entire galaxy in even more danger? What if, because of our mistake, millions more die?”
Still holding onto the side of the command chair, Zahn turned to her. “We are not responsible for the actions of murderers, Asha. We did what we could. Maybe the Kiss of Life was speaking in grander terms. I mean, yes, your body is fragile and will someday die, but you are not your body. You are so much more; so am I. Perhaps that part of us is always safe, secure, and centered. Could that be what it meant?”
“Maybe.”
Asha looked back down. “I just feel so drained, Zahn. We did all this. All to fail. Why? Why even come here?”
“To do what we could. I believe the Radiant Figure led me here for a reason. Maybe that reason isn’t known yet, but if what Tiika said was true, with the Kiss of Life gone, the Vaari people will be able to move on now.”
“You mean the ghosts? Yeah, what Tiika told us does line up with what we experienced.”
“Do you really think those ghosts could have been there for thousands of years? Reinforcing their memories so much that the thoughts became physical, like Tiika said?”
“Or tens of thousands of years. Or longer! But, you’re right. They’re free, Zahn. The Kiss of Life was holding them in that place, and now they can move on.”
He studied her warm, brown eyes, and she gazed back into his. “Asha, I want you to know that I thought about you every day we were apart. I felt so sorry for running off like that. You are so dear to me, and I’m never going to storm off again. I want you to know that I am here for you, Asha, no matter what.”
Tears formed in Asha’s eyes.
“Then hold me,” she said, and began to cry. “We failed, Zahn. What are we going to do?”
He walked around to the front of the command chair and hugged her, kissing her neck. “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to find a way through this.”
Zahn held Asha in a tight embrace, and for the first time in years, she felt cherished. Even the starscape itself was wrapped around them snugly like a blanket.
“I’m so happy that you’re in my life, Asha,” he whispered.
“So am I, Zahn. You make me feel so safe.” Asha inhaled deeply. “To be happy with,” she whispered. “Did you know that, to the Vaari, that’s all love is?”
He brushed her hair back and studied her face.
“What do you mean?”
“Lakshmi told me that to love is to be happy with, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I think it’s beautiful.”
“Funny way to think about it, but yes, that is beautiful.”
Asha smiled. “And I am very happy with you, Zahn.”
Zahn chuckled. “That’s a relief, because I feel the same way.”
As he admired her ivory smile, her expression transformed into one of surprise.
“Zahn,” she whispered, “the mindcap is showing me our orders. They just came in.”
“What does it say?” he said, backing away to give her space.
“They must really trust us,” she whispered, her gaze drifting over to the stars ahead. “The Confederation is sending us after the Breath of Life, the third Chintamani stone.”
“No problem,” Zahn said. “Mira can get the Kiss of Life and we’ll get the other one. What’s astounding about that?”
“The Breath of Life is different, Zahn,” she said, her eyes still undoubtedly sifting through the information the mindcap was showing her. “The Kiss of Life told me it would let us see far beyond anything we could ever imagine. We could locate the hidden Vakragha autarchs, destroy them.”
Zahn brightened. “Wonderful! So, where are we going?”
“According to the message, our destination is…”
Asha’s expression twisted into bewilderment.
“No way,” she whispered. “That’s impossible.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Our mission is to go to Tavisi, Zahn.” She looked up to him, her eyes swirling with a mixture of emotions. “Tavisi was my home. My first home, I mean. I thought the Vakragha destroyed it when I was small, but it’s still there.” Her gaze darted back to the data the mindcap was showing her. “It’s remarkable, Zahn. There were survivors. They’re thriving.” Her eyes filled with confusion and sadness. “My father never told me that. Why didn’t he tell me?”
Zahn swallowed. “Well, maybe it’s not a good place, anymore. Maybe it’s really dangerous.”
“Maybe,” she said coldly, “or maybe not. According to this report from a recent reconnaissance mission, there are billions of people on Tavisi. Yet they didn’t send surface photos. Everything else is here. It’s strange.”
“No photos? I don’t see the Confederation overlooking that. They tend to think these things through.”
She looked back to him, her gaze softening. “Navika is urging us to get going, but he says we have time for a little surprise on the way out.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Just keep an eye out.” Asha whipped the ship around, and after a few minutes a small bluish dot was ahead.
As they accelerated, the bluish dot caught her attention. This dot moved faster than the background of stars, sliding by on her left. This time, there were no cyclones ravaging its surface. Instead, groups of puffy clouds hovered over its calm waters. And in silence, she reflected on the watery dot nestled within the starscape. Asha thought of the Island of Forever and realized that, for the first time in millennia, the island had no villagers at all. In that moment, she considered giving it a new name, but changed her mind. Its name was perfect.
The Island of Forever would always have a place in her heart, like a dream she’d never wanted to wake up from.
And as they zoomed toward the swirling vortex ahead, Asha felt abundant gratitude for her time there. She had become a true healer on that world, and now she would use what she had learned for the highest good of all.
Just before they entered the radiant realm, a look of determination filled her face. She was more than a healer now. She was a guardian of peace, a warrior in a galactic war, and she would do everything in her power to win.
The galaxy itself was depending on her.
CHAPTER 38
BLOOD RED EYES
Like a madman, the creature Razakh heaved in the sickly air of the command deck. Ahead, he could see a wealth of stars through the wide series of displays that ran along the front wall. Swooping consoles ran below the entire length of the displays, and when he heard the sound of a door open to his left, his eyes widened in expectation.
A dozen of his minions were pushing a bubbling mess onto the deck, and he gasped when he saw the full shape of the long, seething platform.
He stood up from the obsidian command chair and ran down to them with unrestrained excitement, the lime green light of the chamber glinting off of his thick black carapace.
“Sky God,” Zura said softly as he surveyed the platform, “the plan worked as you expected. Our larger vessels were hidden from their sensors during the jump, and cloak readings remain flawless for the scouts. We are now safely ensconced within a nearby nebula, and the entire fleet has been accounted for.”
Razakh retracted his claws, put his hand on Zura’s shoulder in an almost comforting gesture, and nodded.
“Yes, Zura. And look at what we have.” His voice trailed off as he got lost in observing the bubbling platform, covered in a thick layer of slime.
He wiped some of the slime off of the pod casing, revealing the face of a magnificently terrible Vakragha female.
“Durazha,” Razakh whispered, gazing onto her shriveled face. Her carapace had long been removed, leaving her nothing more than a desiccated brown and green mess of skin and muscle. She appeared to have been long dead.
“Despite her appearance,” Zura said, “she has been well preserved. Our scans show all of her internal organs intact, and the preservative has prevented any bacterial colonization. If this artifact does what you say it can do—”
Razakh whipped around and grabbed Zura by the neck.
“If?!” He shouted into her face. “When! When this artifact does what I say it does, her soul will be rejoined to her body, and she will live once more!” He released Zura, and she let out a small yelp.
She bowed down to him. “I am sorry. I did not mean to question your judgment. Please forgive me, Sky God. I endeavor to serve at your pleasure.”
The autarch’s gaze returned to the bubbling platform before him, and he barked to several of the smaller Vakragha minions to remove the prot
ective covering. As they did, a terrible, putrid smell engulfed the cabin, but Razakh didn’t react at all, instead admiring the naked, mummified body of his future ally.
“Has the Informant been retrieved yet?” he barked.
“Yes, Sky God. She is being brought up now.”
“Sublime.” Razakh walked over to one of the sharp, swooping metal consoles that ran along the front wall and watched the lift indicator as it moved up one of the shafts. And when he turned around, a tanned woman with dark, soiled hair was being held by two of the smaller Vakragha minions. Over her shoulder was a blackened sash lined with filthy grey feathers, and in her hands was an orb that glowed in a soft bluish light.
“Lalantika,” Razakh said, savoring the word. “What a delicious name, and appropriate. Such a pleasure to have you here, at last. And I see you brought what I asked for.” A wide grin smeared across Razakh’s mouth. “Come over here.”
Tiika smirked and walked over, yet she couldn’t completely hide her sense of apprehension. Perhaps Lakshmi had been right. Perhaps she was dealing with forces far beyond her understanding. No matter. It was the only way to finally get what she deserved.
As she approached, Razakh’s crimson eyes grew wider.
“Give it to me!” he shouted.
“Wait!” Tiika said. “What about your side of the deal? How do I know you’ll give me my own ship and my own—”
The autarch flexed his fingers in the air between them, causing Tiika’s mouth to snap shut without even touching her. Razakh shook his head. “Oh, my little diva. Diva, diva, diva, diva.” He made a sharp, flinging gesture toward the ground, and Tiika tumbled to her knees, barely managing to hold onto the Kiss of Life. “What do you think I am?” He knelt down and plucked the artifact from her hands. “A liar?” He let out a chill laugh. “Rest assured that you will get what is coming to you.”
As he peered into its pearlescent surface, he made another gesture and several of his minions held her tight. She wanted to change shape, but whenever she tried, their claws secreted a dark slime that burned, dissolving the little black slugs in moments.
The Island on the Edge of Forever (The Epic of Aravinda Book 2) Page 24