She felt the urge to touch the ship again but shook her head, not wanting to get hurt again. She knew deep inside that she had to do it, that the urge was too strong to ignore. So, sighing, she cautiously reached up and placed her hand on it as she winced, anticipating the consequences. But, this time she felt a cool energy moving through her. The starship hummed on again, gently vibrating against her touch, as if in appreciation.
My Guild, this is weird.
A sharp sound of an air gush echoed through the cavern. A large hatch had opened just in front of the midsection of the ship. Then a soft clicking sound reverberated throughout the cavern. Eden jerked back, surprised, as stairs descended from the hatch to the ground.
She tilted her head and raised a brow. How very interesting. A smile curled on her face as she cracked her knuckles. An adventure was about to begin. She walked several minutes to reach the underbelly's hatch, placed a foot on the first step, then heard the voice in her head. It said, I am Swift of Star Guild. I am at your service.
The voice startled Eden, but then again, Thomas said a ship might tell me its name.
She nodded and replied out loud, “Okay...thank you, Swift.” But, in her mind, she added, you might have been a little more gentle leading me here, especially when I touched your hull!
The voice replied, “I'm sorry. Those who happen upon me and who aren't allowed inside, never touch my hull a third time. They aren't drawn to do so. You, however, followed your intuition even when it seemed illogical to do so. You followed your inner guidance when you heard my call. For those few whom I beckon, the test is to find and touch me three times, regardless of the pain or how absurd it may seem. Congratulations. You were courageous and intuitive. You passed the test.”
Stunned that Swift had heard her thoughts and then responded with an intriguing response, Eden nodded, took one last look around the cavern, then headed up the stairs. Inside the ship, the walls were emitting a golden light that illuminated the interior brightly in a soft glowing way that was soothing to her eyes.
Welcome home, Eden.
Eden gaped, startled that the voice—the starship—knew her name, but then she gave a nod and faked a confidence that she didn't have but desperately wanted to possess.
She gazed around the craft's oval interior that made her feel like she was standing inside of a gigantic egg. Then she looked up to see that the walls were tiered, consisting of twenty or so landings, each one high above the other. She could see that they acted like walkways leading to doors built into a massive wall separating the midsection from the rest of the ship. She dropped her eyes from the landings and peered at several doors directly in front of her that would logically lead to the midsection of the ship. They were no more than fifteen or so yards away and she didn't feel drawn to open any of them. She felt inspired to turn around and head toward Swift's bridge, guessing that it would be at the nose of the ship, so she started walking. Eventually, she looked up and suddenly stopped with a “Whoa!” From that angle, she could see thousands of crystal domes sporadically built into each landing. That, however, didn't wow her as much as the trees, extensive foliage, and gardens within each dome.
“Amazing. This place is huge!” she exclaimed.
Yes, replied Swift. My divinely inspired architects and engineers utilized the perfection of the Divine's genius.
Eden stopped gaping, thinking there was plenty of time to do that later, and moved to where she sensed the bridge of the ship should be. After awhile, she came upon another large wall with many closed doors at its base. Choosing one directly in the center, she stepped forward and it opened vertically, allowing her easy access to the bridge. At first glance, it looked much like Brigantia's main bridge, but this was built with a simpler, more artistic design.
The door shut behind her and she observed the quiet of the bridge, something she'd not experienced before. A ship's bridge was always busy, loud, and stuffy. This wasn't, not only because of the lack of people, but because of how spacious it was. Each station was as big as her living quarters back on Brigantia. She eyed a large view screen surrounding the bridge that was very similar to the one that Admiral Byrd had designed for the starships in Star Guild, but this one was much more elaborate and smoother. She thought whoever created it must have been a creative genius.
She moved around a large desk in the middle of the bridge. She stared at a device on it that resembled an HDC. She studied it for a moment, thinking about Star Guild back home and wondering if her friends were searching for her or if they all thought she was dead. She decided they probably assumed the latter.
She frowned and walked to the ship's helm where the captain and admiral chairs were set ten feet or so apart from each other. There weren't any HDCs there. How do they communicate or know how to guide the ship? She looked around to see many stations and desks, but there was only the one HDC in the middle of the bridge. She wouldn't know how to fly this thing. Strange, she thought.
Then she strolled toward the captain's chair to try it out, something she sometimes imagined might suit her some day. But, when she went to sit in it, she saw a necklace lying on the admiral's chair and she curiously walked over to it. She picked it up to see an etched scene of two knights riding a single horse, with each knight carrying a shield.
The hiss of air releasing into the room startled her. She turned around to see that a door had opened. Hooded figures wearing violet robes were entering the bridge.
Eden's heart took a jump. She started to apologize. “I'm so sorry...I was just looking around. I didn't tamper with anything...I'll leave right now and go—”
“You followed your heart, Eden. There's nothing to be sorry about. It was your intuition and Swift's pull that brought you here.” It was Thomas speaking as he walked through the doorway, his hood sliding off his head as he approached. His smile radiated a beauty that melted Eden's heart.
As that was going on, the robed figures spread out around the bridge, each taking a station. They stood with arms folded at the midriff, their long sleeves concealing their hands.
One of the hooded individuals walked in her direction and took a seat in the captain's chair, then gave Eden a nod.
Thomas said, “Welcome to Swift.” He walked over to Eden to place a hand on her shoulder. “This is your ship. We don't have ranks here. We're each members of the 8th Order of the Melchizedek.” Thomas gently took the necklace from Eden's hand, then asked her to lower her head. “This is yours to keep, forever and always. You are a part of our Order and destined by blood to navigate Swift.”
By blood? The 8Th Order of what?
Thomas placed the necklace around her neck and bowed to her. “Welcome to the Knights Templar, a group within the Order of the Melchizedek.” He extended his arms, gesturing to every robed figure in the room. “We're honored by your presence.”
Eden looked around the room filled with dozens of individuals, each removing their hoods. Then she froze in place and unconsciously covered her mouth. Many of them looked like her race with some type of inner glow emanating from them and they were all unusually attractive—both men and women. But that's not why she had covered her mouth. The other race was shocking, unlike anything she'd ever seen, not even in the old Knights Templar mythology books she used to read as a kid.
Thomas touched her arm. “Those that resemble us are the Fae. Those that don't look like us are Sirians.”
The Sirians were tall and ravishingly beautiful. They had strong, sleek physiques covered with fur. Some were gray with a bluish tint, some were a mixture of calico browns, and they all had the head and facial features of a human that were beautifully similar to the features of the panther Eden had seen a couple of days earlier. At first, they were strange to see and she wondered if they had tails hidden within their robes. Their eyes were yellow and catlike. They were shining with confidence, love and kindness that radiated a soft inner glow of light that conveyed a sense of peace.
Then the Sirians and the entire group nodded at her
, their faces earnest and sincere. Thomas broke the silence by saying, “We are all In Service to Others, Eden. Swift, your ship, has summoned you here and confirmed that your blood contains the energies of Light...the energies of the Melchizedek. We are In Service to the Light, Truth, and Love, and if need be, we will follow you into the depths of hell and back.”
Eden's eyes widened. His statement resonated with her more than anything she had ever heard. She didn't doubt Thomas' conviction for a moment, but why they would all place their lives and loyalties at her disposal was baffling. They'd never even met her, let alone flown with her. Yet, they would irrefutably devote themselves to her?
Someone touched the top of her hand and she turned to see a beautiful young woman whose hair was the color of corn silk. She was the hooded figure who had taken the captain's chair. She seemed about the same age as Eden, somewhere in her mid twenties. Her twinkling blue eyes drew Eden in and made her tingle all over, making her almost dismiss the strange scar that swept over the woman’s cheek.
“I'm Nyx,” said the young woman, her voice melodious.
“What a nice name,” replied Eden. “Are you human?”
Nyx pointed to Thomas. “You and he are the only humans on the bridge.” Nyx turned her head, pushing her hair away from what looked like a normal human ear, except that it tapered to a point at the top. “I'm of the Fae, also sometimes known as the Faery Folk of Old.”
Eden nodded and said, “I grew up with fairy tales at nap time, but never thought you were real.”
A male voice interrupted by saying, “Where are you taking us?”
Eden turned around to look up at a very tall, bluish black Sirian who had been standing behind her. He bowed his head, his demeanor quite serious.
Eden's heart pounded hard in her chest, barely ready to see, much less speak with such a creature. But, gathering her courage, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“My companion, we haven't gathered together to stand about and chat,” he replied. “We're here to join you on your journey to the destination from your heart's intuition.”
“What?” Eden looked around, seeing that everyone was bowing to her. “Right this second?! We're going somewhere...now?!”
Thomas smiled because of Eden's confusion, and ever the teacher, explained, “Yes, now is the time. Please close your eyes, then ask your heart where we are most needed. Listen quietly and you will feel your heart's response, then you will see our destination in your mind. That is where you will take us.”
Dubiously, Eden followed his instructions and closed her eyes. Heart, please show me where we are most needed. She felt a little silly for asking, but when she felt an overwhelming urge to return home coupled with the image of Lumus, she smiled and said, “Home.”
Thomas barked an order, loud and clear. “Open cavern! We're going to planet Lumus!”
Eden could see the top of the cavern opening to the night sky directly above them through the vid screen.
What the...the hill is opening up? thought Eden.
“Lift!” shouted Thomas.
Swift moved, then slowly hovered upward until they were out of the cavern and slowly rising into the night sky.
Thomas said, “Eden, tell Swift the destination of your heart's desire.”
Eden looked surprised. “That's it? I just say 'where' and off we go?”
“Yes, and without any buttons. You'll be able to think of a destination and Swift will take you there.”
“Swift?” called Eden.
Swift! she heard in her mind. Destination?
“Planet Lumus.”
Swift replied, Please take your seat, Eden. Instruct everyone to brace themselves.
Eden sat in her seat. “Everyone—brace yourselves!” Because ladies and gentlemen, Eden's going home!
And with that, Eden felt her body being sucked into the cushion of her chair, then pulled into what felt like a vacuum with the sensation of everything rushing at her all at once—the wind, the stars, the universe.
When Swift finally slowed to a stop, Eden was released and a red planet hovered in space on the vid screen, Lumus. Scraps of broken enemy ships and those of her friends littered the immediate vicinity and she glowered, remembering the holocaust where she had been a participant no less than a week prior. She shifted in her seat, listening to the silence on the bridge, then drew a deep, heavy breath and held it. Now what?
∞
Prime Director Zim Nocki patted down his slick, black suit just before entering the capital building. His office was here, located in the middle of Sphere 8. It had been a long night of ordering his Matrona Guard around and he was tired, but it was still early. When he awoke this morning from a two hour slumber, splashing water on his face had done nothing to hide the shadows under his eyes or to wash the sleep from his exhausted body. He would have gotten at least three hours of sleep had he not been thinking about the woman he'd spotted earlier the night before, wearing sullied clothing with a Knights Templar pendant hanging from her neck. And there was only one thing he feared more than Lien-L, and that was the damned Knights Templar.
He rubbed his eyes and checked his watch, then grunted. It had been less than eight hours since he had seen her, whoever she was. Her pendant was unmistakable, even from a distance. He had zeroed in on it as if it was a little devil dangling from her neck, taunting him. The woman had somehow disappeared, slipping through his grasp—something Templars had the knack of doing.
He pushed the glass door open, something he always thought strange about the capital building. It hadn't been designed with automatic vertical sliding doors. Lien-L had the doors built to manually open to subconsciously ingrain hard work in the Prime Directors' minds. How stupid.
“Hello, Jeremy,” uttered Zim as he stepped into the foyer.
Jeremy Cumming's pointy nose was perched on a thin face that twisted into a smile. He wasn't the most attractive of humans, but he was obedient and that was all Zim really needed from an assistant.
Jeremy hesitated for a moment, then stood and bowed. “Welcome, Prime Director.”
Zim noticed that Jeremy looked paler than usual, plus there was an air of trepidation about his manner. Zim could swear it was seeping through the pores of his forehead—if that was even possible.
He stopped in front of Jeremy's desk and looked down at him. He was tall for a human assistant, although he was a foot and a half shorter than Zim who sniffed with annoyance, as if his day would now be ruined because he had to stop and speak to Jeremy. “Why are you perspiring?”
Jeremy looked over his shoulder and down the hallway to Zim's office door, labeled Prime Director. Jeremy nervously glanced back at Zim, then opted to stare at his desk.
Zim removed his eyes from the door and looked back down at his seated assistant. “What's going on, Jeremy?” But, before Jeremy could reply, Zim gritted his teeth and stormed down the hallway, thinking that he'd slam his fist into the door, hopefully scaring whoever it was inside. Instead, he gently opened it and peeked around until he saw someone sitting at his desk, and in his chair.
He walked in, closed the door behind himself, then stood with folded arms. “What are you doing, Shanraing?”
Shanraing's back was to him and a cup of tea was sitting on his desk. Zim wanted to turn around and slaughter Jeremy for giving it to her. Jeremy was his assistant, not hers.
She turned around, giving Zim a polite nod with a smile. “I'm doing nothing and everything.”
Zim scowled. “And how is it possible to do nothing and everything at the same time?”
She cleared her throat. “Clearing one's mind and thinking of nothing opens a path for an answer to any question you might have. The universe will dance at your feet when your mind is still. You should try it sometime.” She twisted the chair around, facing Zim's large frame that was smaller than her own.
Zim shook his head, sighing irritably before muttering, “Riddles.” He walked over to a pitcher of mead and poured himself a glass. He took a sip
, swishing the contents in his mouth before swallowing, and then gave an audible “ahh” of delight. “Riddles are always washed down better with mead, Shanraing. Drink enough of this and you'll see more than just the universe dancing at your feet.”
Shanraing laughed. “I once heard an old friend by the name of Chuko K'ung-ming say, 'A wise person purifies his heart and disciplines his body, making a sincere effort to cultivate virtue. Unless you are free of attachments and personal desires, your aspirations will never be clear, and unless you are quiet and calm, your thoughts will never range far.'” Then Shanraing stood, walked over to the pitcher, picked it up, brought it to her nose and sniffed. She gave a sickened look. “Like I suspected, your thoughts don't range far. You should give this to your population. Just put this in the water and they'll all be dead by evening.” She set down the pitcher and crossed her arms, leaning her hip against the table.
“How is it that a genealogist and a bio-technician, such as yourself, can hasten repairs on the water and filtration systems?” Zim asked suspiciously. “Or, does Lien-L have you here for another purpose? Perhaps to spy on me, as well?”
Shanraing looked down, scuffing the ebb flooring with her foot. “I have a high IQ, Zim. That's why I'm here. Finding a solution to any problem is one of my specialties. I'm not a genealogist because I'm an idiot.” She shot him an austere look, then looked off, as if in thought. “And I've always wondered what it feels like to be a killer? It must weigh upon you...from time to time.”
Zim stood firm, peering up into Shanraing's eyes. “I do what I'm told. Lien-L gives me orders and I deliver.”
“I'm not talking about you, Zim. I'm talking about Lien-L.”
“Are you calling him a killer?”
“Is there another word for him? Should I call him a human slayer? How about mass murdering coward, instead? Do you like that one?” She went back to Zim's desk and sat, crossing one leg over the other.
Zim snorted and said, “You'd be executed if he heard you say that.” He made a movement toward her, but thought better of it. “And get out of my chair!”
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