by Diane Rapp
Jarrack shook his head. “Fremont will never accept defeat. Compared to him, I was a mediocre enemy just interested in life and power. Fremont’s more dangerous because he seeks revenge.”
Fremont jumped up and paced the small room. Finally he turned on Jarrack. “You don’t deserve to go back to the Institute. You’ve gone native, spent too much time on Drako.”
“I must go back with you! If you lose the chance to exploit my talent, the Institute will demote you to a clerk in the records department. Don’t forget. I’m the only one in history who Transferred without a machine.”
Fremont ground his teeth but sat down and stared at his fingernails. He knew Jarrack was right but he wished he had a means of destroying the man with the rest of this planet. Surely he could find another person with the ability of mind control and run experiments to achieve the same results. When he discovered a way to implement the research, Jarrack would die a painful death.
*****
Donovan never hated the confines of a spacesuit so much. The suit smelled of sweat and the compressed air tasted stale. He’d treasured the sweet air and open spaces of Drako for too many years to die trapped in a cocoon. Gaskets and tubes nearly strangled him as he fought the stiff joints of the suit to move in speed time.
He felt lonely. Donovan couldn’t touch Krystal’s mind and he needed her confidence more than ever.
The light suit hardly weighed twenty pounds, but weight was not a consideration during a space walk. Mass, propulsion and volume were important factors. Donovan worked in speed time but felt he moved in slow motion while he twisted the wrench.
The plate came loose.
Donovan searched for the explosives without hesitation, knowing where to find them from the four other satellites he’d fixed. He loaded a mini rocket and shot it into space before he gave a “thumbs up” signal to Ryan.
He counted the seconds it took for Ryan to open the shuttle hatch. He floated into his seat and felt the familiar pressure of thrust as engines propelled the shuttle to the final satellite. Donovan refused to look at the timer, refused to believe that he wouldn’t make it in time.
*****
Pleased with her team’s progress, Krystal handed the last bundle of explosives to Andrew. They finished the work faster than expected and the lab was safe. As Andrew rode Tempest into the desert to dispose of his package, Krystal allowed herself the luxury of a slow walk through the lab. The equipment looked chaotic, a mass of bolts, missing faceplates, and protruding wires.
Krystal thought it looked beautiful. “We did it,” she whispered and wondered how Donovan was managing.
*****
Tessa and the wolves watched Fremont unravel. The man paced and ranted, cursed and pleaded with Trenton to release him. She felt his mind vibrate with tension, becoming irrational, and Tessa wondered how long they could keep him contained.
Kriegen said, Time’s running out. Fremont will fire his weapon if we push him harder.
Tessa nodded, I agree. We must make Trenton realize the danger.
He’s stubborn. Donovan gave him orders and he might forfeit his life to carry them out.
“Can I speak with you, Trenton?” Tessa asked.
He turned and nodded.
Fremont recognized Trenton’s distraction and knocked the man down. He gestured at Jarrack and the shuttle pilot. They raced to the shuttle, Fremont firing his laser at anything that moved.
Trenton stood clutching his side. “Get them!” he shouted but no one moved. “Don’t let them get away.”
The wolves blocked Trenton from reaching the exit.
“What’s the matter with you? He’s escaping.”
“Yes. It’s time to let him leave,” Tessa said.
“Donovan didn’t send his signal.”
Tessa stared at her feet. “Fremont was not lying. The ship’s captain will detonate the explosives as ordered. If the shuttle stays here, it might destroy the spaceport”
“But we can’t…” Trenton sat down and rubbed his forehead as the shuttle engines roared.
The dragons stayed along the ridge as the silver bird flew into the sky.
*****
“Ishtarek! You stupid Gronk!” Fremont screamed into the radio. “Answer me! This is Fremont calling, and I’m on my way to the ship. Forget my previous orders! Do not detonate the explosives. I repeat, do not detonate. It will endanger my life.”
Captain Ishtarek stood on the bridge listening to the broadcast. His communications officer frowned. “Do we respond, Captain?”
“What were the last written orders from Fremont?” Ishtarek asked quietly.
“We were ordered to maintain radio silence until he returned to the ship.”
Ishtarek’s light green face looked placid. “We follow orders, maintain silence. If their shuttle arrives, we’ll accept new orders.”
A clocked ticked inside Ishtarek’s brain.
The satisfaction he felt surprised him. He seldom let emotions penetrate his military persona, but this situation made him feel almost giddy. Fremont brought Ishtarek along because Gronks followed orders precisely. Now he allowed himself the pleasure of letting the irksome Fremont destroy himself without concern. He followed written orders. He ignored the frantic radio message precisely because Fremont sent him a specific coded message, a copy of which was filed for the Institute’s review panel.
Ishtarek’s mouth twitched.
Members of his race might recognize his smile, but no one onboard could testify about his state of mind during the crisis. He watched the ship’s chronometer and pushed the button to detonate the explosives when the numbers reached the exact time specified by the order.
“Orders obeyed, sir,” he muttered. “Send a rescue team to find survivors, corporal. Start the search in this sector.” His claw pointed at the last coordinates where Donovan’s shuttle was recorded.
*****
A scout entered Salizar’s tent. He averted his gaze and reported, “A rider on a black stallion left the spaceport. He raced into the desert as if a devil chased him.”
Salizar grinned. “Andrew rides Tempest into my territory and will regret his decision.”
Why would Andrew ride alone into the desert time after time? Didn’t he understand the hatred that filled Salizar’s heart? He dressed quickly, leaving Tamarind alone in their tent, as he climbed into the saddle.
Tamarind followed him outside. She watched hooves kick sand and flapping red fabric disappear over a dune. She squinted against reflected light on swells of sand and saw a single rider on a black horse climb the largest dune. Tamarind shivered despite the heat and turned back to the solitude of her tent, feeling very much alone.
Salizar’s heart thudded to the rhythm of hoof beats. He shouted curses at the red-haired devil who stole his princess, his family’s future glory, but the wind swallowed the shouts. Gripping the hilt of his sword, he visualized the death of the enemy and grinned.
Andrew would soon die by his steel.
*****
Tempest’s hooves skimmed the churning sand, bent into the wind with his nostrils flared. Andrew curled over the powerful steed. He merged body and mind with the undulation of muscles that absorbed the shock of hooves landing then leaping through a cloud of sand. He enjoyed the ride so much that he nearly missed a subtle change in Tempest—the angry swish of tail and flair of nostrils—as the great horse scented intruders.
Tempest whinnied and tossed his mane, but he still maintained the pace.
Andrew saw Salizar cut a diagonal across the sand and knew the desert rider meant to intersect his path. Pulling on the reins stopped Tempest short. Furious, the stallion sidestepped as Andrew examined the terrain. He sliced the rope holding the dangerous bundle and watched it roll lazily down the slope into a funnel-shaped hole. Satisfied, Andrew tapped a heel against Tempest’s side, unleashing the devil horse again.
Tempest raced the intruder, determined to outrun the enemy.
Salizar watched the stallion kick
sand into a whirlwind. He cursed Andrew, cursed the horse, and cursed the gods as his mount plunged down the dune and strained to climb the steep bank. The other desert riders valiantly followed, whipping their horses to match the grueling pace, but fell farther behind with each stride.
The legendary horse flew over shifting sand like a phantom. The majestic stallion, born under the light of the red moon and sired by the wind, proved worthy of his name. Lightning flashed from his hooves, he snorted gusts of flame, and the sky split under his fury.
A gale-force wind suddenly ripped across the dunes, sand boiled and swallowed the puny mortals who challenged the spawn of the gods. The sky and the desert merged. Desert horses screamed with panic, and their riders begged the gods for mercy.
A massive wave of sand swallowed Salizar, and he remembered Lauryn’s vision. He sank into his grave as Tempest carried Andrew away from the explosion.
The stallion raced ahead of rolling waves of sand as Andrew clung to his neck. His glistening black coat turned grey as sand clung to sweat and his nose bled from snorting sand and air. He fled the miasma of boiling sand, racing to save the life of his beloved master.
Andrew gripped Tempest and loved the courageous horse. With newly awakened telepathy he touched Lauryn’s mind and shared their struggle with his beloved.
Lauryn gripped her dragon amulet and poured strength and courage into the man she’d learned to love, demanding that he return to her arms. Andrew spit sand, clawed it from his eyes, and gasped for breath. A light glimmered on the horizon, and he hoped Tempest could win the greatest race of his life.
*****
The blast knocked Donovan away from the satellite. A tingling sensation crept up his spine into his skull as he sent spurts of air from his jetpack to stop spinning. Soon the blackness of space intruded into his brain and he floated in a senseless void.
The shuttle exploded while Fremont screamed at Ishtarek and Jarrack cursed his own arrogant stupidity. Faced with death, the memory of hundreds of victims flashed through his brain. The shuttle formed an arc of flame and chunks of crystal showered Drako with sparkling debris. Telepaths heard the voice of death while dragons folded their wings and sat quietly watching.
Warnings clanged in the control room at Havenshire as an automatic message arrived from defense satellites. The shuttle tumbled through space but Ryan regained control and searched for Donovan. He called over the radio but heard nothing except static. Display lights blurred as tears spilled from his eyes.
The Renaissance entered Drako’s upper atmosphere with Captain Ishtarek in command.
“Ryan!” Catherine shouted from the control room at Havenshire.
Ryan’s voice crackled over the radio. “Can you detect anything on our monitors, Cat?”
She sighed and answered, “Our defense system went down and the spaceship breached level one. You’re directly in its path. What can we do?”
Ryan swallowed hard, his mind racing. “Help me locate Donovan. Can you see him?”
“There’s a weak blip off your bow at 35 degrees northwest. Do you copy?”
“Catherine, you’re fantastic!” Ryan shouted. “I copy! Pray it’s more than a chunk of wreckage.”
“Hurry, the ship’s closing on your location.”
Ryan ground his teeth with frustration. “I see Donovan!” He maneuvered the shuttle toward the silver spacesuit silhouetted against a black sky. “I’m switching controls to you, while I go get him.”
Catherine clutched her control stick as her display flashed green. “I haven’t done this before.”
“Hold her steady, my love. I’ll relay live video feed from the shuttle camera.”
Catherine cut the alarms and concentrated on a fuzzy picture. “I see you, Ryan.”
“Good! Now, hold the nose steady while I get outside.”
Catherine chewed her lip and watched Donovan float across the center of the screen. She blinked away tears and concentrated on the image. Ryan entered the picture, holding a safety line that snaked out behind his body. A blast from his jetpack propelled Ryan closer but it caused the nose of the shuttle to drift.
Catherine activated the shuttle’s side jet and watched two space suits fill the screen. Ryan clipped a tether onto Donovan’s suit but the picture drifted away as the ship’s nose moved too far in the opposite direction. Catherine punched the other side jet with a lighter touch and held her breath. Ryan and Donovan came into view but the safety line jerked out of Ryan’s hand.
As he tumbled away from the ship, Catherine whimpered and swiped tears off her cheek.
Ryan used his jetpack to stabilize the roll and maneuvered toward the shuttle, Donovan in tow. Catherine sighed when Ryan climbed inside. He said, “I made it, but I’m not so sure about Donovan. I got his helmet off but there’s blood all over. He’s breathing but unconscious.”
“I can’t help you, Ryan. I’m not a healer.”
“I am.” Chella’s calm voice startled Catherine.
“Hold on Ryan! Chella just arrived and she’ll take over.” Catherine’s fingers shook as she handed the microphone to Chella.
Long fingers gripped the microphone. “Look for your emergency aid kit bolted near the hatch.”
“I’ve got it.”
“Get the spray sealant and carefully check Donovan’s head for bleeding.”
“There’s a gash on the back of his skull and it’s bleeding a lot.”
“Calm down. Head wounds bleed profusely. Gently press the edges of the skin together with your fingers and use the spray sealant. Check for other bleeding and repeat the procedure.”
“The bleeding stopped. I think his nose bleed stopped before I got the helmet off. No other head wounds.” Ryan’s voice sounded shaky.
“You’re doing great. Now open his suit.” Chella instructed.
“His leg is bent and bleeding…” Ryan sounded shrill.
“Is the blood spurting, or flowing?”
“Spurting.”
Chella frowned. “Get the black tube out of the emergency kit.”
“Got it.”
“Cut the suit away from his wound but don’t pull. Wrap the tube around his leg above the wound and press the other end down.”
“The tube tightened around his leg and the blood stopped spurting.”
Chella sighed. “You’re doing great, Ryan. Do you see any other wounds?”
“He’s got a couple of cuts but nothing spurts. I’ll use the sealant.”
“Unfold the blue bag from the kit.”
“Okay.”
“Wrap it around Donovan’s body, keeping his face outside.”
“Done.”
“There’s a control at one end. Turn it to Emergency Suspension position and press the button.”
“It’s expanding and feels cold to the touch.”
“There’s nothing more you can do. Get him down to the spaceport as fast as possible, and I’ll radio Dr. Alexander to expect a patient.”
Catherine pointed at the screen showing the spaceship next to the shuttle.
“I’ve got a problem.” Ryan shouted, “The shuttle won’t move!”
Chella crossed herself and said, “The spaceship caught you in a tractor beam. We’ll try to raise them on the radio.”
Chella turned to Catherine. “Call the ship.”
“We’ve called but they never answer.”
“Explain that we have a medical emergency on that shuttle and to get a Transfer team ready.”
“I’ll try.”
Chella saw tears trickling down the girl’s cheeks. “Donovan’s tough. He’ll make it.”
*****
At the spaceport Krystal dropped to her knees while she shared death and pain. After the initial wave of telepathic energy, she gathered strength to soothe others and calmed down.
“Caston!” Krystal’s voice sounded firm. “Get on that radio and find out what happened to Donovan.”
Caston saw the fear in her eyes. “I’ll take care of it.”
Krystal’s smile flickered but an expression of panic filled her face. She ran toward the door. Caston rose to follow, but Krystal gestured at the radio. She needed him to do his job.
Krystal found Lauryn lying at the foot of the stairs. Filled with motherly concern, she cradled Lauryn’s head on her lap. “Lauryn, please wake. I’m here to help.”
The girl’s eyes flickered open. “What happened?”
“I found you unconscious,” Krystal said, stroking the hot forehead with trembling fingertips.
“Andrew!” Lauryn cried, “We must help him.”
“Where is he and how can we help?”
Lauryn’s eyes glazed and she gasped. “He can’t breathe. The sand is everywhere!”
Krystal shared the vision and shuddered. She pulled herself free and said, “You can’t help him if you lose control.”
Lauryn blinked and coughed. “The sand is dragging them down, killing them.”
“Andrew?”
“No. He got free of the sand but needs help to find us.” Tears streamed down her face. “Mother, I never wanted him dead!”
“Make sense. If you want us to help Andrew, give us good information.”
Lauryn pursed her lips. “The explosion caused a sandstorm. Andrew’s riding through on Tempest but he can’t see where to head. Shine bright lights to guide him back, please.”
Krystal grabbed Lauryn’s hand. “Ross and Julian are the best riders we’ve got. Can you direct them to find Andrew?”
“I’ll go with them!” Lauryn said and tried to stand.
“No. Stay and help guide them with your mind.”
The boys grabbed lanterns and ran to the stables, while Krystal settled Lauryn on a cot.