Tamika stepped back, not wanting to feel the effects of the Rune again.
“Don’t worry, madam, we are completely safe here. This room is sealed by the same protection grid as the rest of the chamber, and we are at a safe distance,” Milanaka said with a reassuring tone.
“What was it that came over me?” Tamika asked as she gazed at the Rune.
“That, madam was the power of the Rune,” Milanaka said wringing his spindly hands together. “Not often have we seen anyone affected so strongly by its powerful attraction. Even when sealed in its container, you were totally drawn to it.”
“I, on the other hand, could have cared less,” Luanren interjected
“Yes, most interesting. Two opposites,” Milanaka answered.
“Tell us more of this Rune,” Tamika said in a commanding voice. “Where does this come from, and why does it have this effect?”
“I will answer all your questions shortly, but first, like I said, there is more you need to see.”
“Like what?” they asked in unison.
“Watch now. It’s almost time,” Milanaka smiled.
They all gazed at the Rune within its container. The Rune began to change slightly with each pulse as electric currents began to surge faster across its surface. The cylinder was connected at its base with three large conduits traveling out in each direction to large control panels. As the Rune increased in its activity, the conduits conducted the energy, which traveled down each channel making loud electrical discharge sounds. The lightning-like energy flowed into the three control units. After about five minutes, the Rune returned to its normal activity.
“There you have it,” Milanaka said. “We have figured out how to harness the Rune’s energy and recharge our ship’s reactor power.”
“How often does it do this?” Luanren asked.
“Every eight hours… or three times in a day. This Rune can power our ship for hundreds of years if not for thousands,” Milanaka arrogantly said.
“And you would give that power up over a few crystals?” Tamika said sarcastically.
“Okay, we have seen your light show. Now tell us about the Rune,” Luanren said, unimpressed with their host.
“Well,” Milanaka began, “the Rune is very old. We don’t even fully understand its antiquity. It’s always been there for as long as we have kept records on our world. This is but a small piece of the larger Rune. It has a very strange power over those who come in contact with it. Some have even been killed by its power as the early researchers found out. They were not so fortunate. They underestimated the effect of the Rune, and it caused them to go completely mad. Over a long period, we finally became accustomed to its forces on our people and we adapted. Sure, it can still overcome even the strongest of our kind if we are careless, and some, like you, Luanren, are totally immune to the effects. I assure you though, if you are in direct contact, even you and I could be taken by the Rune.”
“Are you saying you are immune too?” Tamika asked.
“Well, I suppose I am. That’s why I was selected for this mission,” he said proudly. “But the rest of the crew is not. But as long as it remains within the container, everyone will be all right.”
“So what exactly is your mission?” Luanren asked as she put her hands on her hips.
“We are going to Ackturra to trade. We heard about all the goods and minerals that are up for bid. We heard about the awesome power of the crystals.”
“You are not at war with us then?” Tamika asked.
“Not yet anyway. We’ve never been to Ackturra before now.”
“So you think we will trade crystals for the Rune?” Luanren asked.
“Heavens no,” Milanaka replied. “That’s our insurance, but if we don’t get the crystals, then we launch the Rune and corrupt them. Ackturrians will not want corrupted crystals, so at that point, they will be traded.”
“I think that your logic is flawed,” Tamika said, now with her hands on her hips.
“Oh come now,” Milanaka said as he closed the viewing screen. “We have much more to discuss. Since you are both representatives of Ackturra, I am confident that we can reach an agreement and not have to resort to using our ‘insurance policy,’ hmm?”
He reached over to the console and called his aide and ordered him to prepare an evening meal for him and his distinguished guests.
“I am sure you both are getting hungry by now. Come, I will take you to your quarters to freshen up. We shall dine in one hour.”
Milanaka led his guests to his first officer’s quarters, where they had arranged to stay during their voyage to Ackturra.
Once inside the cabin, the two searched the room for any sign of monitoring being done by the Zelinite. Luanren scanned with her mind as hard as she could and felt no concern at the present time with their host; she was sure that all he wanted was to trade for crystals.
Tamika and her mother sat in the room and faced each other as close as they could so they could talk quietly.
“Tamika, we must keep you as far away from that Rune as we can. It is not safe for you.”
“Mother, I do not know what was happening to me. It was like I watched myself outside of my body. I was not in control. All I wanted was to touch the Rune. It almost reminded me of the effect my power crystal had over me. Come to think of it, Jhovahkan is being completely controlled by his master crystal. Jhahnahkan was right in thinking that there was something wrong with the crystals. ”
“I felt nothing at all. Milanaka said there are some immune to its effects. I will have to be the one to deal with the Rune. You will have to distract our host long enough for me to gain access to that chamber.”
“Something just is not adding up, Mother.”
“I know what you mean. No war? Never been to Ackturra before?”
“Right, how can that be?”
“I do not know, but I do not detect any deceit when he says that.”
“That only means that our recorded history is not accurate.”
“Or we have altered events by traveling back in time,” Luanren said.
“Either way,” Tamika began, “we have the advantage. He knows nothing about us traveling back.”
“He does sense something is wrong. With us just appearing from nowhere and with our ship having been damaged already, he does suspect something. He is playing his hand well too.”
“We have a great opportunity here to prevent the infection from ever reaching Ackturra. We must stop them at all cost,” Tamika added.
“Here is the plan,” Luanren said. “We will go to dine with our Zelinite friend. I will act like I’m sick and leave the dinner party early to retire. I can get the thought across to the guards down the corridor that I am on my way to our quarters. There are no guards at the Rune. They’re all too afraid to get close to it. I will get inside and launch the Rune at the nearest star. Hopefully that will destroy it. I hope.”
“Mother, how do you intend to gain access to the Rune chamber? It has a bio scanner as well as a passcode.”
“I have the passcode. I was able to read his mind for that. The bio scanners are another matter.”
“We must be very careful. We cannot fail,” Tamika said urgently. “Once you leave, I will pretend to strike up a trade deal with the Zelinites. I will try to delay them for as long as I can.”
“I will give you the high sign when I am about to leave. Just play along. You will know when the time is right,” Luanren said.
“How will I know when it is time to get out of here? We will also need to find our way to the shuttle bay. It will not be safe for either of us once they find out what we are up to.”
“I do not know, my sweetie. I guess we will just play it by ear.”
Suddenly, the door of their room opened, and standing at the entrance was Thakaro, the ship’s first officer. “Come with me. It’s time for edibles.”
“Do you people ever knock?” Luanren said sharply as they stood and approached Thakaro.
&
nbsp; “So what is on the menu?” Tamika asked inquisitively.
“Tarklotaz,” Thakaro said coldly.
“So what exactly is that?” Tamika asked.
“It’s a Zelinite delicacy. We are sure you will enjoy its ‘unique’ properties,” Thakaro again said coldly.
“Hmm, I cannot wait,” Luanren said cynically.
They entered the dining room that Milanaka had set up for the occasion. The room was dark and cold like the rest of the ship. Steam escaped intermittently from tubes that protruded from the walls, making the place feel like a sauna. Luanren and Tamika were noticeably uncomfortable in this humid environment as they took their seats at the table.
Milanaka sat at the head of the table. Thakaro sat on his right while Milanaka’s mate, Thmmeli, sat on his left. The small table was set with a serving dish that sat in front of each of them and was covered with a lid. There were two pitchers of what appeared to be water. Luanren and Tamika each had empty goblets placed in front of them. There were no utensils, something that neither Tamika nor Luanren were accustomed to.
The captain’s server proudly stepped over to Tamika and Luanren’s side of the table, grabbed one of the pitchers, and poured the water-like substance into each of their goblets. As he poured, a brown-colored liquid slopped and splashed in clumps that filled the container. They each bent forward at the same time and peered into the goblets and looked at the substance contained within. They looked at each other with a disgusted look on their faces.
When the server removed the lid on their dishes, they again looked down at what was being served to them in disbelief. On the platter sat an off-white cocoon nicely wrapped up in silk and were twelve inches long and eight inches around.
The server uncovered their host’s plates, which contained the same item. The Zelinites each leaned slightly forward and protruded a long pointed tonguelike organ from their mouths. It penetrated the sack and squirted a brown substance inside, and then they sat back, withdrew their tongue, and waited for a few moments. They smiled at their guests and folded their spindly arms across their chests.
“Aren’t you going to have some?” Thmmeli asked as she smiled at her guests and then looked over at her mate, Milanaka.
“First of all,” Luanren started, “we are not accustomed to such food. You will have to explain to us what it is and how we eat it.”
“And if it will kill us,” Tamika quickly added.
Their hosts all began to laugh at their statements as they looked at one another with their bellies giggling.
“How unthoughtful of me,” Milanaka said, poising his elbows on the table.
“Here,” Thmmeli offered, “since you don’t have the proper tools nor the enzyme required to prepare the Tarklotaz, we have provided you with the enzyme.” She stood and walked to Tamika’s place setting. She took her gangly index finger and poked a hole into the cocoon. She made the hole large enough for them to view its contents. Inside was a bug-like creature that had several legs and large body and wings. It was quite dead but perfectly preserved by its cocoon. Thmmeli took the goblet and emptied the brown substance inside each of their cocoons.
“You see,” she said, “we don’t ingest solid food. This enzyme will liquefy the Tarklotaz, and then we slurp it up.”
“It’s very good, my friends,” Milanaka added. “Be sure to wait about five minutes to ensure there are no more solids within.”
“No thanks,” Luanren said as she pushed her plate away from her. “I just lost my appetite.”
“Very well then,” Thmmeli said as she protruded her tongue into the liquid contents of Luanren’s serving and sucked it dry. “There is no point in wasting perfectly good Tarklotaz.” Then she returned to her seat by her mate and began to consume her own serving with the others.
“Well,” Tamika said, “I am all about trying new things.” She took ahold of the two ends of her cocoon and slowly began to raise it up to her lips.
Just as she began to tip it up to taste the liquefied Tarklotaz, the ship began to rock violently from side to side.
The ship’s intercom system came to life, and a voice squawked at the captain.
“Sir, we are under attack by the Karillians!” the voice exclaimed.
Luanren and Tamika both looked at each other and exclaimed, “Lanatek!”
Tamika sat her Tarklotaz on the plate while her mother grabbed the edge of the table and upended it at their hosts.
“Change of plans!” Luanren exclaimed. “Time for us to go; sorry we cannot stay for the dessert round!”
Tamika leaped at Thakaro, who was now lying on the ground. She snatched his hypnotic controlling mesmerizer that was attached to his belt. She aimed it at him and fired the debilitating burst. Thakaro immediately relaxed from trying to get to his feet.
“It works!” she said with a shout and then pointed it at Milanaka and Thmmeli, causing them to fall to the ground.
Luanren stared at the servant; he raised his hands high in the air and offered them any help they needed.
Tamika tossed the weapon to Luanren and grabbed the remaining stun guns from the others.
“Take us to the Rune chamber now!” Luanren ordered her captive.
Tamika lifted up Milanaka’s arm and sliced it off at his wrist with her dagger that she hid under her garment. “We will need this for the bio scanner.”
The server showed them the way as he said to them that taking his hand won’t be any real issue as he’ll just grow another one in a few weeks.
“Why are you so eager to help us anyway?” Tamika asked.
“You see,” Ekiipi said, “servants are really slaves to the rest of the Zelinites. We are treated rather poorly. Any chance I get to be free, I’ll gladly take.”
They made their way to the upper deck where the Rune was located while the ship was once again rocked by more weapon volleys. The hull began to groan and creak under the barrage of the attacking fleet.
They could hear more commands coming from the bridge over the loudspeaker to launch all fighters and to man the weapons stations to defend their ship. Luanren fired her mesmerizer at any Zelinite crew member they encountered on their way to the Rune chamber.
Once they arrived at the Rune Chamber entrance, Tamika opened up the control console and placed Milanaka’s hand on the bio scanner. The scanner successfully scanned his severed appendage, and Luanren punched in the five-digit code. The door unlocked and rolled open, exposing the Rune chamber.
“That is as far as you go, honey,” Luanren ordered her daughter. “You need to take her to the shuttle bay so we can make our escape.” She then turned her back away from Tamika as she addressed Ekiipi.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said in compliance, turning to Tamika, who was no longer standing at their side.
Tamika was already at the inside control panel, pressing buttons and programming the Rune container for launch. Her skin again turned pale gray, her eyes glowing the unnatural yellowish glow, and her hair now turning silver gray. Dark circles formed around her eye sockets by the time Luanren reached Tamika.
Instead of inputting launch codes, Tamika had unlocked the containment field. They turned toward the cylinder and saw the liquid-looking shield had lowered, exposing them directly with the effects of the Rune.
More impacts on the Zelinite ship caused Luanren to stumble to the ground as Tamika slowly walked closer to the now exposed Rune. Ekiipi, now at Tamika’s side and under the complete power of the Rune, touched the exposed surface.
His entire bug-like body began to shutter as the electricity surged through and surrounded him. He had a big smile on his face with ultimate joy and pleasure, and then he fell to the ground unconscious.
Luanren pointed her weapon at Tamika. “Oh no you don’t,” she exclaimed.
Just before Tamika touched the surface, she fired the mesmerizer, causing Tamika to go limp and fall to the ground.
Luanren picked herself off the ground, and as the ship rocked again several more times, she mad
e it to the control panel. Not knowing if Tamika had reprogrammed the targeting correctly and with no time left, she punched the launch button. A timing sequence began to announce a thirty-second countdown. She ran over to her now lifeless daughter, picked her up, and slung her over her shoulder.
She glanced over at Ekiipi. “Sorry, friend, I can only carry one,” she apologized.
The countdown timer announced ten seconds as she exited the Rune chamber, which sealed behind them.
The ship began to shake and rock, but this time from the launch sequence and the firing engines on the Rune container now no longer secured by its shielding.
The top of the ship opened, letting the Rune container fly out, which then began to make its way to its target.
Luanren carried Tamika as they made their way to the shuttle bay. No one seemed to care about them any longer as they all were busy with saving their ship form the Karillian attack, which seemed as if they were losing.
On the bridge of the Karillian battleship, Lanatek stood in command of the fleet and barked orders to fire another volley at the Zelinite vessel. The Zelinite ship now began to show signs of weakening as pieces crumbled off into space at their onslaught.
“Sir,” the Karillian tactical officer said, “I just detected a rather large cylindrical object that was jettisoned out of the ship.”
“Can you get a lock on that object?” Lanatek asked.
“No, sir, it sped out of range rather fast.”
“What was its course?
“Close as I can calculate, it was on a heading straight for Ackturra.”
As the Zelinite ship completely separated in its middle after the last attack, they noticed a small shuttle craft exit the Zelinite shuttle bay. The Zelinite ship then exploded as they continued their relentless attack on their enemy.
“Direct hit on their core, sir. That last one has done them in.”
“Nice job, everyone,” Lanatek said proudly with his hands on his hips.
“Sir, that shuttle has an Ackturrian energy signature.”
“Scan that vessel,” Lanatek ordered. “Make way to intercept.”
“Yes, sir.”
Secret of the Crystal - Omnibus Edition Books 1-3 (Time Travel Adventure) Page 20