The Simpleton QUEST

by Mark Wayne McGinnis

  “Just the opposite,” Calph said. “Some secrets should have stayed buried, remained back on Rahin, or Mahli, and not brought here. Although buried, they were still accessible to certain individuals with not the best intentions.”

  Calph studied each one within the group. “Do not venture off on your own. We will proceed forward now, into the Virtual Exhibition Hall. Remember…time is not on our side.” Calph proceeded them, leaving behind the open courtyard with its tall trees and overflowing planters. On entering into the Virtual Exhibition Hall, it took several moments for Cuddy’s eyes to adjust to the darkness. He felt Haffan take his hand.

  “Why is it so dark in here?” she asked.

  Suddenly, a cone of light emanated downward from high above them as they proceeded forward into the hall. Within the illuminated, approximately ten-foot-diameter area, was a circle holding an intricately carved symbol. Other cones of light then shone down from above. Soon, there were over ten distinct cones of light, beaming down from high above. Ten or so circles holding uniquely engraved symbols within them. Although Calph and Spilor moved past the circles, and through the hall at a good clip, Jackie strayed off to the side—stepping into a nearby cone of light. She screamed, then immediately stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her hands. Haffan ran into the circle and stood by her side. Her first reaction was nearly identical to Jackie’s own.

  Cuddy chose a different circle of light to step into. Startled, he didn’t expect to see what he was viewing. As if instantly transported to a different time and place, he stood cliff-side on a different planet. Hovering bright on the horizon was another world. One so large, it felt like he could reach out and touch it—a world that would drop into an azure ocean void of waves and motion, like an ultra-calm lake. Cuddy spun around and found a field of tall violet grasses. A gentle breeze moved the willowy stalks in unison. Cuddy was certain he had never seen anything quite so beautiful. Not sure how he knew, yet nevertheless he did: This world was Rahin—home world of the Howsh. Spinning around, taking in the 360-degree view again, he stepped out of the lit circle and back into the darkness of the Virtual Exhibition Hall. He watched some of the others excitedly move from one circle over to another.

  Jackie smiling, and out-of-breath, grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of a circle of light to his left. They moved into the cone of light together. This place was dark. Stars filled the heavens around them as they stood within a pasture. Silhouetted in starlight were grazing creatures. Rotund, the four-legged animals were closer in size to Earth’s elephants than to cattle—their hides bore large scales the size of dinner plates. Each shimmered with an opalescent rainbow of colors.

  “Can you believe how beautiful this place is?” Jackie asked.

  Staring down, he melted into her eyes. “Truly beautiful,” he said, and she caught his meaning.

  “Come on…we should go find Haffan.”

  They emerged into a far more dangerous situation than one of slow grazing beasts. The overhead cones of light were being extinguished, one by one—the hall loomed ever darker with each passing second.

  Kyle, standing next to them, glanced at Cuddy then gestured with his chin toward the periphery of the hall. Darkness was nearly absolute, except for tiny clusters of blinking lights. Numerous, odd-looking, shapes became outlined. “What are those things?” he asked.

  “Crawly-bots.”

  Haffan spoke, but Cuddy didn’t see her until he leaned over, looking past Kyle’s other side.

  “You know what those things are, Haffan?” Cuddy asked, amazed she could make anything out at all in the pervading dimness around them.

  “Yeah, they used to be all over Tripette City. Bugs with guns…police droids.”

  Cuddy saw there were far too many of the creatures to count. Lurking in the darkness, they quickly surrounded them.

  “Guess we should have kept up with Calph,” Kyle said. “What now?”

  “We slowly need to get out of here. Which way did Calph go?”

  “Over this way,” Tony said, a short distance away in the darkness.

  “Keep talking to us, Tony,” Cuddy said. “We’re headed your way. Let’s not make any sudden movements, everybody.”

  “Haffan?” Jackie asked.

  “I’m here with Brian.”

  “Okay…take his hand, then head toward Tony.”

  Tony continued to speak, “Here I am…walk this way.”

  It took a couple of minutes before they all stood together at the far end of the hall.

  “That’s the way they went…out that corridor,” Tony said.

  “The same corridor that’s congested with all those bug things?” Brian asked.

  “Crawly-bots,” Haffan corrected.

  “Whatever.”

  Cuddy caught movement in the nearby darkness. Crab-like, the bot moved sideways on six spindly legs.

  “The exit is completely blocked. Must be fifty of the things right there in front,” Tony told them, the first to attempt to move toward the corridor.

  “Let me by! Move, Kyle!” Brian ordered, pushing past Kyle then Tony. “Watch the sides and behind, Cuddy…let’s move.”

  A scraping sound was heard, like multiple claws being pushed, or dragged across rock. Brian was using his TK power to plow the bots out of the way.

  “Let’s just hope there’s not a repeat of what happened up above,” Cuddy said. Then, glancing around, “Hey…anyone see Marzon?”

  “He’s gone…I think he made it out of here with Calph and Spilor,” Tony said.

  Making slow, but steady progress forward, they moved all together out of the hall. The crawly-bots still scurried around them, but primarily stayed back in the shadows.

  The next hall was nearly as large as the first, though more illuminated and full of ancient artifacts. Each item was artistically spotlighted, maintaining its own hovering text description. Included were three full-sized Howsh warriors, running with spears; a mock village, made of stone blocks; and a large pond in the middle of the hall, depicting furry Howsh nomads aboard a big wooden boat made of reeds, or something similar. Apparently, this hall contained Howsh historical material. Although something wasn’t ringing quite true about the Howsh depictions, Cuddy was too preoccupied mentally with crawly-bots to worry about it. Fortunately, the bots mostly remained where it was dark, back in the Virtual Exhibition Hall.

  The next hall was dedicated to the Pashier. Like the previous hall, there were numerous full-sized, life-like, depictions of everyday life of the ancient aliens. There was even a full-sized heritage pod, situated toward the back of the room. Someone had painted a big X over the surface—graffiti, obviously.

  Cuddy realized next that nearly all the Pashier lifelike depictions had been vandalized, one way or another. Heads lopped off models; models placed in inappropriate sexual positions; even a Howsh figure—brought in from the other hall. Standing upright, its foot was suspended over the head of a prone Pashier male. Cuddy heard Haffan’s voice ahead, asking Jackie questions. Undoubtedly, she wanted to know why anyone would want to desecrate the scenes, like these had been.

  The next hall held advanced technology. Model representations of space vehicles, against a backdrop of planets and stars, were both beautiful and impressive. Mahli and Rahin, as well as Darriall, were all depicted with incredible life-like realism.

  Bringing up the rear, Cuddy kept up with the group. They moved through the planetary system, holding almost too much to take in. Spaceships of every size and shape—some planets—also several space stations, Cuddy was unaware even existed.

  A scream broke the silence. If Cuddy wasn’t mistaken, it came from Tony.

  Chapter 30

  Tony, over the months, had become a close friend—like family. So hearing his screams evoked a strong protective response in Cuddy. What in the world had happened? His mind raced—throwing a few dire possibilities up for grabs. Had the crawly-bots attacked up ahead? Had he suffered some kind of accident? Perhaps fallen? He’d la
gged behind, bringing up the rear, but now, his fists clenched, Cuddy came around the corner at a dead run, prepared to handle whatever emergency presented itself ahead.

  But he wasn’t prepared for what he discovered next—not even close.

  Eight Howsh soldiers, each was holding a raised energy rifle—their muzzles pointed in his direction. Lorgue Sub Eminence Langer was there too. It took several beats for Cuddy to process the scene around him. It was uncanny. They looked almost identical. He’d seen the Howsh leader’s brother once before, via the Evermore’s viewscape display, but that was over a month ago.

  Spilor was splayed out on the rocky ground. Both his spindly legs twitched like a sleeping dog in the midst of a dream.

  Tony—suspended in the air by Langer by a fistful of hair—hung several feet off the ground, an arm’s length out. No longer conscious, it was a small blessing, Cuddy figured, considering the amount of pain he must have already withstood. Kyle and Brian had their arms raised high. Jackie, with Haffan in her arms, wore an expression of either hate or contempt. Perhaps both.

  Cuddy ignored the fact that Marzon too was pointing his weapon at him. It was hard to read the big Howsh’s expression. But seeing Calph, now the end of his staff extended forward in Cuddy’s direction, everything suddenly was brought home. The vessel supposedly pursuing them—the Dubon—had not been pursuing them after all. Their meeting, instead, was pre-arranged. Calph and Langer were not enemies, just the opposite. Cuddy’s face suddenly felt flushed. He knew right then the reason he shouldn’t be leading the group. He didn’t have enough life experience to know when not to trust others. When not to place his life, and those he cared about, in the hands of someone with an ulterior motive. He had been duped—it was as simple as that.

  “Do not, even for a moment, consider using your telekinetic powers, Cuddy Perkins, to protect your friends…your brother.” Calph pivoted his staff toward Brian. “Same goes for you, Brian Horowitz. Every one of you is only a trigger-pull away from being terminated.”

  “What is this all about? Why go to all this trouble?” Cuddy asked.

  Langer answered this time, still holding Tony; his arm unwavering under the weight. Suddenly he relaxed. Opening his clenched claw, Tony dropped hard to the ground. Langer then walked over to Jackie, towering over her, and stared down. Not at Jackie, but at Haffan.

  “The sprout. She is the most important living creature in the galaxy. Everything revolves around her.” Langer’s eyes stayed locked on the child as he spoke. “Powerful, this one.”

  “She’s only a child! What are you talking about…powerful? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jackie fumed, turning herself and Haffan away from the imposing Howsh commander.

  Bemused, Langer turned to Cuddy. “These vaults…are virtually impossible to breach. Even with our most advanced energy weaponry. And there are so many vaults. I do believe the elders may have anticipated this precise moment in time. Did everything they could to avert what I…we…are intending to accomplish here today.”

  For the first time, Cuddy looked past Langer and Calph, and all the armed soldiers, now standing within an enclosure made of solid rock. Reaching high over their heads, the area spanned—tunnel-like—deep into the planet’s surface. If there was an actual end point to the tunnel, Cuddy couldn’t make it out. And there were ginormous metal doors, not so different from those used by banks back on Earth to keep would-be thieves out. There were hundreds of such doors—the vaults of Calirah. It occurred to Cuddy that somewhere within them were the ancient writings, giving the location of the Prophesy of Harkstrong.

  Calph said, “I never hid the fact that the child would be our only key to opening the one vault that contains the ancient writings we seek.”

  “You also said no one would be harmed. And that you were no longer aligned with the Howsh…obviously that too was a lie,” Cuddy scornfully responded.

  “No, I told no lies. I am not in alignment with the Howsh. As I expressed, I detest politics. I simply failed to mention a certain partnership I have with my one-time protégé, Lorgue Sub Eminence Langer. I am not in favor of his use of violence, but then I no longer hold command over him like I once did.”

  “Tell us the truth,” Brian interjected. “Why do you really need to find this…uh…Prophesy?”

  Langer smiled at his question and, in that moment, looked truly evil. “Only by knowing the future, can one possibly alter it. The ancient elders precisely foresaw the current timespan. Prophesized about this moment in time, when events would begin to unravel for the Howsh—the beginning of the end, so to speak. Eight thousand years ago, the historic time we are now in was carved in stone—the inevitability of our species’ sudden demise.”

  Brian questioned, “Wait…where’s the logic there? I think you’re missing the damn point. I mean…why does knowing what the prophecy foretells help you to change it? Isn’t a prophesy something that happens, like it or not, and you’re stuck with the outcome?” Then, visibly shrugging, he looked at Calph and asked, “Tell me you’re not basing all your actions on this guy’s bullshit rationale.”

  Lorgue Sub Eminence Langer seethed, obviously not used to being second-guessed, especially by a lowly human. Through a clenched jaw, he said, “And that is why we need the sprout. Enough talk! We owe you no further explanation, human. Give her to me…now!”

  “Go fuck yourself,” Jackie said—her voice full of contempt. She tightened her hold around Haffan and took a step away from the towering Howsh.

  With surprising speed, Langer reached a long powerful arm out and plucked the Pashier child from Jackie’s grasp. It all happened so fast Cuddy had no time to react.

  But Brian did. Cuddy instantly knew what Brian was about to do. Raising both hands the way he did; the set expression of total concentration on his face. The raw energy that emanated out from Brian’s TK thrust was enough to shove Cuddy, along with the others, awkwardly off-balance. In that exact moment, Haffan was freed of Langer’s clutches and, seemingly weightless in the charged air, headed back toward Jackie’s still open arms.

  But three others in the cavern were not caught off-guard by Brian’s defiant actions. Three armed Howsh soldiers pulled their respective triggers nearly simultaneously. Brian was struck down by their combined weaponry fire—receiving two blasts in the chest, approximately in the heart area; and one in the head—smack in the middle of his forehead. Brian dropped to the jagged rock floor, but Cuddy knew he wouldn’t feel the impact—wouldn’t feel anything again. He was already dead.

  Chapter 31

  As concerned as Cuddy was for Brian, his attention was focused on Haffan only. Haffan was alive. Haffan was in peril. Brian was neither of those things. Using his TK ability to draw the child to him, Cuddy whisked her through the air and into his own arms. It was a huge risk. One glance down at Brian’s lifeless body told him that, but he’d reacted on impulse; on instinct.

  “Stop!” Lorgue Supreme Eminence Calph’s deep gravelly voice filled the cavern. Fury was evident in his tone—the way he struggled to breathe. He moved his staff back and forth between the soldiers, and said, “The next one to fire his weapon will die where he stands.” Then, looking over to Langer, added, “Do not try my patience, Prime Eminence. Have you forgotten the terms of our arrangement? Or shall I take this action to mean you were disingenuous?”

  “Hold your fire!” Langer ordered. With only mild conviction in his tone, he said, “I apologize, Supreme Eminence Calph. I will let you convince the human to release the child. Know, though…without her…”

  Calph cut him off. “I am well aware of the situation.”

  Cuddy wondered what kind of arrangement the two Howsh leaders had made. As he held Haffan—her face buried into his shoulder—Calph scrutinized him. Kyle then moved in front of him, shielding Haffan with his own body. Jackie, transfixed, stared down at Brian’s body and soon began to weep uncontrollably.

  “Listen to me, Cuddy Perkins. There is no need for further violence here.
I promised you the sprout would not be harmed. I mean to honor that promise. What we require of her is most simple. She will provide us access to the right vault. At that point, she will open the vault. Please, do not make this situation cost more lives here.”

  Through her sobs, Jackie asked, “What makes you think she can do what you ask? Why would she have any idea what you’re even talking about?”

  Cuddy felt Haffan stir in his arms. She lifted her head and stared over her shoulder at Calph. “I will do what he wants. Let me down.”

  All eyes went to the Pashier child.

  “Haffan?” Jackie questioned.

  She struggled against Cuddy’s hold until he let her slide down so her feet could touch the ground. Although his attention should be fully on Haffan as she moved toward Calph, and the perilous situation at hand, something was nagging him…something important…. something immensely important. But all he could pull out from deep within was a bright red X. Over and over the symbol kept forming in his mind. And then he had it: Oh my God!

  Cuddy turned to Kyle, then to Jackie. “Go with Haffan. She goes nowhere unless you all go too. Do you understand me?”

  They nodded in unison though it was clear they didn’t understand. “Why just us? Why don’t you go with her too?”

  But Cuddy was already on the move. In two long strides he reached Brian. Kneeling, he slid his arms beneath his body and lifted him up, cradling him in his outstretched arms. Glancing down, he saw that Tony was just now starting to come around.

  Jackie asked, “Where are you going? He’s already dead, Cuddy. Haffan’s the one who needs you….” Her words trailed off. It was as if a light bulb had gone on over her head. She got it. “Oh my God…Run, Cuddy, run!”

  But Cuddy was already gone, midway through the Hall of Advanced Technology, and running for its opposite entrance. Though he knew the odds of what he was about to attempt were stacked against him, he still had to try.

  He hurried past the stars and planets exhibits of the hall and sprinted into the Pashier Historical Hall. Glancing down at Brian’s face, his open, lifeless eyes seemed to be staring up at him.