“Explain how your child could be… Helen… our Grandmother?”
“Your Grandmother… but my child. A child I would have through my beloved wife and then Helen and Roth’stavous begot Qiaoshan who marries Luanren and begot you and Tamika, and my uncle through Ghaia.”
“I know the heritage, but how did this happen?”
“I never got to know my mother…” Uttarak said sadly.
“You continue to talk in riddles… out with it already.” Jhahnahkan said in exasperation.
“I will be taken and brought to the past… I was raised by another. I fell in love with a woman,” he reminisced, “Ma’laj was her name, and she was the most beautiful woman on Ackturra…” Uttarak snapped back and continued with a much shorter voice, “It has happened… it must happen … to you it has not occurred...” he paused, “but you must not stop it from happening.”
“I understand… a time paradox will occur, but didn’t one already happen just by all this occurring? What about the time fractures and returning things to the way they were?”
“Because this time fracture you speak of originally happened over twenty thousand years ago, and once it did happen, it has to play out or there will be a catastrophic time quake that will destroy the very essence of time itself.”
“How did this first begin?” Jhahnahkan asked knowing full well what the answer was going to be.
“It was you, father… you are the one who started this whole thing.”
“How could that be possible…? I haven’t done anything like this…”
Uttarak interrupted his father, “But you did father… it was you… a thousand years from now. Helen will task you with helping our cause here in this time… she sent you to find your grandfather and to plant the Leif Erikson on Earth. This ship would be used by you a thousand years ago on Earth… again… I tell you it has happened and it will happen again…” he said with urgency.
“Can you tell me when you will be taken? I need to prepare Katie.”
Once again Uttarak cut Jhahnahkan short, “You cannot say anything to Mother. If you do, she will prevent me from being taken… you must not stop this.” he said with tears forming around his eyes. “As much as it pains me not to ever know my mother… those things have already been done and must be done again.”
“I am beginning to understand my son.” Jhahnahkan said.
Jhahnahkan started to weaken, his knees began to buckle under him and the brightly colored sphere he was within began to dim as the vision he was in started to fade.
“Father!” Uttarak said rushing to his side. “You are still infected with the Rune in this time… there is a way to cure your infection… you already know how, it’s within those memories that I gave you… here is a little boost to help keep the Runic from controlling your mind…” he reached out and touched his father on the chest. A blue colored light emanated from Uttarak and traveled all the way down Jhahnahkan’s entire body.
“Yes…” Jhahnahkan said now gathering strength from his son’s touch, “I am seeing this now, it’s like someone telling me something that I never knew before… one moment I don’t have any recall and then, as if on cue, it comes to mind… Yes, I can see clearly again…” now standing on his own again, “Kate and I named you Uttarak for a special reason.”
“Yes father…” Uttarak said stepping back letting his father stand on his own. “Can you recall what that reason was father?”
“Yes…” Jhahnahkan said now feeling the effects of his son’s power that now fully dissipated from swirling around his body as it absorbed into him. “Savior…”
“Yes… that is correct father…”
“… From one of the oldest earthen languages in existence, Sanskrit… but how would I know…”
“Simple questions get simple answers my father.” Uttarak said with a smile, “You see, it’s hard to even comprehend this now… even for me… but you just learned it and I’m not born yet am I?”
“I learned my son’s name from my own son…” Jhahnahkan said stroking his chin, “You’re not a young man either… are you my son?”
“Quite right again father… I am three thousand years old… I have lived in Earth’s ancient past, where I met your future self… I’ve lived on Ackturra a thousand years where I met my mate and begot Helen… I’ve lived in the future Ackturra where I met my daughter, who in that time was my great grandmother… Helen taught me many things over the next thousand years before she sent me back. She taught me all of the things I can do without a crystal… I have tapped into that power and fully understand how it is used and what it is for.”
“…and you waited for the right moment in time to come and be our savior… so to speak.”
“Yes… I was sent here to stop the civil war between the north and south factions; it was a war that would have destroyed all of Ackturra… then the time paradox would have ensued…”
“There is more you need to tell me.” Jhahnahkan said, “I feel you have left out some memories… there are still some gaps and it’s not because they haven’t all sorted out… I know you have held back.”
“There are things you cannot be told my father…” Uttarak said with sincerity, “It is better you do not know… but for now you must take what knowledge I did provide and stop the Runic from coming to Ackturra. You cannot change the timeline, you must accept this.”
“I’m sorry my son.” Jhahnahkan said as he began to shake himself trying to pull back to reality. “I may have your memories and I understand what you are trying to tell me, but I do not believe that we cannot restore our timeline… I cannot face the fact that Ackturrians were so evil that we will wipe out a race of creatures or that we did nothing to stop the elimination of the Karillians… this is wrong my son… and I will do whatever it takes to bring them back.”
Jhahnahkan used his newly found strength to terminate the colored sphere and this vision he was in and brought them back to the Destiny where they stood in the command center.
“Why did you forcibly end your vision of the sphere father?” Uttarak said stepping close to his father.
“We are wasting time… I do not agree with not being able to restore the timeline. However, we do need to take action to prevent the Rune from coming to Ackturra.”
“This we can agree upon. In the original timeline, this is something that did not happen before.”
“You see?” Jhahnahkan said raising his finger in the air, “Time can be altered. Time has changed already, and you are still here… perhaps you do not fully know what has transpired.”
“Oh, I do know,” Uttarak said, “I have your memories as well through our transference.”
“Then you will understand why I must restore the timeline.” Jhahnahkan said passionately.
“I know what you are telling me father… and I do not intend to disrespect my elder, but this is not the time for this discussion.” Uttarak said as he turned and looked out the front of Destiny. “Computer, open a channel to the palace… authorization Uttarak-Alpha-Seven.”
The computer complied and promptly introduced Uttarak as who was addressing them.
“My father and I have come to an agreement…” Uttarak began looking into the eyes of his father.
Jhahnahkan looked back with acknowledgment of what his son was going to say as Uttarak continued, “My father has accepted the fact that I am his son… his son that is about to be born of Madam Kate… We do not have the luxury of time in what we must do next… we must prepare for the onslaught of the Runic… as I speak, this very moment, the Rune on the Zelinite home world have begun to make preparations to depart for Ackturra… I know this by the memory transference between my father and I… his connection to the Runic through his sister has revealed this… the Runic will come to Ackturra and their arrival will be fatal to all life on this planet… as it will be for the Zelinite home world… the Rune will consume every living microbe on the planet so it can store enough energy in order to make their journey.”
/>
“We have been sending probes to Zelinite for some time now and have never had any reports of this on their planet.” Qiaoshan said from the palace com system, “We shall dispatch two scout ships to perform a reconnaissance around Zelinite.”
“Good idea father,” Jhahnahkan acknowledged. “Dispatch the Telenian from the southern fleet.”
Jhovahkan cut his brother off to make his offer, “The North shall send the Bane to accompany.”
“Agreed my brother,” Jhahnahkan said with new feeling of hope, “One cruiser from each side, equally matched and…”
“Yes my brother, let’s just say they will take care of each other…” Jhovahkan said with a devious voice.
“I propose,” Uttarak said taking control of the discussion, “that each ship captain trade places for this mission…”
“Explain!” Jhovahkan demanded.
“The captain of the Bane will command the Telenian, and the Telenian the Bane.” Uttarak explained, “You see, this way it ensures that each captain will take special care for their counterpart’s ship.”
“What about their weapons and shields?” Jhovahkan argued, “Your arrival here has rendered our weapons and defenses useless.”
“Once they depart and are outside the emitters, their ships will return to normal operation.” Uttarak again explained.
“You have to admit my brother,” Jhahnahkan said grinning back at his son, “it does make perfect sense.”
“Yes… I suppose it does.” Jhovahkan said finally relenting, seeing he was not going to get anywhere.
“Then it is agreed,” Uttarak said, “We will return to the palace and begin planning our defense as well as finding a solution to prevent the Rune from leaving Zelinite.”
Uttarak spoke to the Destiny’s computer quietly giving his ship instructions while he was away. Once finished, he turned back to his father and instructed him to open the vortex, but insisted on him doing it without the crystal’s help.
Jhahnahkan took a stance and positioned his arms out before him and concentrated on Kate and her baby that was about to be born, anytime now actually, he thought. But nothing happened at first. He thought about his sister and her being saved from the Rune, and nothing happened this time either. He then turned his thoughts at the Runic and what they stood for and made himself angry… the heavy price Rex had paid only to discover it will be even more difficult than thought. He couldn’t bear the thought of Rex’s death being in vein.
Uttarak watched his father’s emotion build up within and saw a couple of sparks appear and then a small opening began to form. A small vortex had started to open but he wasn’t able to complete it on his own.
Uttarak, seeing his accomplishment, came over and rested his hand on his father’s shoulder from behind. His hand turned light blue as it sent an energy burst down his arm and into his father.
Jhahnahkan’s eyes turned blue and glowed softly. The vortex had now opened fully and the palace was in full view. He saw his wife Kate smiling and his brother standing behind grinning down on her as Luanren and Glenda sneered at Jhovahkan and his mother Ghaia.
Milanaka, the doctor, and the Scorpii all stepped back out of the vortex’s way as they observed it open at their end.
“Come on father,” Uttarak said softly, “Let’s go…”
The two stepped through the vortex and transported to the palace command center.
Everyone jumped up at the sight of their leader opening a vortex without his crystal. The doctor couldn’t contain himself and shouted a loud “Whoo Hooo”.
“Ah my dear brother,” Jhovahkan said walking up to him, “You see… you did not have to mistrust me,” he half grinned, “I have behaved myself.”
“We have many differences to overcome my brother,” Jhahnahkan said, “but we need to set those things aside for another day… divided we shall fall, together we can overcome this new threat.”
“Yes, my dear brother. I totally agree with you.” Jhovahkan said looking around the room. He inspected everyone’s face and tried to probe each one as he made contact. The ones he really wanted to read were successfully blocked, as he expected.
“Kate,” Jhahnahkan said looking at his beautiful wife, “this is our son.”
“Yes…” Kate said rather hesitantly, “I know… he is… uh… pleased… to meet you… I think…” she said stretching out her hand.
Uttarak was unable to hold back and rushed his mother and embraced her. He held her tight for several moments, trying to soak up the ages he had lived without her in his life; trying to make this very first hug with his mother, count for all those many years.
“It’s good to see you too… son…” Kate said pulling away uncomfortably.
“I know this is hard for everyone to accept,” Uttarak said addressing everyone, “thank you all for receiving my words.”
“We are not blindly following a complete stranger,” Tamika said entering the fray, “We are only following our leader’s instructions, right brother?”
“Yes, there is a lot to sort out.” Jhahnahkan said, “and we have a lot of planning to do… so let’s get started, shall we?”
“What does our fearless leader propose we do?” Jhovahkan managed to say as civilly as he could.
“First off,” Jhahnahkan said looking over at Milanaka giving a small grin, “We need an ambassador.”
Milanaka poked a finger at his own chest and looked back in surprise, “Me?”
“Yes you… you are the only Zelinite in the room… you are now Ambassador to Ackturra.”
Poking his finger again at his chest, “I am?”
“… and you will bring an Ackturrian diplomatic entourage back to Zelinite…” Jhahnahkan added.
“I will? I mean, I will!” Milanaka answered with pride.
“The Leif is months from being space worthy…” Jhahnahkan added.
“We will take the Destiny,” Uttarak said.
“I think that we could make that a go.” Jhovahkan said glancing at Kate.
Kate stood up and addressed the room as if being on cue, “As the High Priestess of Ackturra, I propose that my husband, Jhahnahkan of the house of Sö’, leader of Ackturra, lead the charge to be the first to extend a hand in friendship to our neighbors, the Zelinite, and to form a mutual cooperation to rid them of this Rune that has infected them for so many years.”
Kate had the attention of the entire room. She continued to look around to absorb the wonderful feeling she just experienced with being someone that demanded their full attention.
She proudly smiled and then continued, “Further, I recommend that Jhovahkan stay behind and run the council, in good faith, until Jhahnahkan and I return. He shall have full power of decision during our absence.”
“Kate!” Glenda said nudging her slightly, “are you sure you know what you are doing?”
“Silence!” Kate snapped back. “It is written… so shall it be done!” she said in a commanding tone.
“I will only agree with this because it is the only logical solution,” Jhahnahkan said looking at Kate with puzzle, “Luanren and Qiaoshan will stay behind to keep my brother in check.”
Luanren smiled at Jhovahkan as she could see his smile fade away knowing that his plans would not be so easy to carry out.
Ghaia peered around her son and sneered back at Luanren, “Oh this is going to be fun.”
“My dear Ghaia,” Luanren said almost chuckling, “I am so looking forward to spending more time with you too sweetie.”
“That’s enough, both of you.” Jhahnahkan said returning a cross look, “Work must also begin on repairing the Leif Erikson as well as an expedition to the location where the Rune has moved. How close to the Forge has it become? We shall leave for Zelinite as soon these preparations are underway.”
Jhovahkan almost rubbed his hands together as he began to see his plans unfold right before his eyes.
Kate began to rub her stomach and began breathing heavy. She winced at the pain as she cried o
ut, “It is time!”
* * *
Chapter 2
Ruins
Outer Rim
Year: 3989
Jhahnahkan had traveled nearly six years to reach the star system on the very edge of his galaxy near the great Delta of solar systems that ends with Delta Scorpii. This solar system was named due to the scorpion like tail which is at the tip of the longest arm in the spiral galaxy. This solar system is home of the Scorpii.
He sat in his lonely command chair reminiscing of his grandmother who had, six years ago, arrived at his palace chamber with a strange message. A message that changed the course of his life; he never dreamed he would ever visit outside his solar system again. But here he was, heading to a distant location, the very farthest point from his home searching for the mysterious man named Roth’stavous, Helen’s mate nearly two thousand years ago.
He could see his grandmother, in his mind, standing in the moon’s light on his palace grounds faintly telling him, “Yes my grandson… it is I.” His fondest memories of his grandmother were those times where she trained him in using the power without the need of a crystal. Jhahnahkan had six years in solitude, studying and learning more abilities. Now, looking back, he thought it would have been better if he had been able to convince Helen in coming along. He missed her so much, but he knew there wasn’t anything that could have been done differently.
Since Helen’s mind transference on his patio he knew what had to be done. He had an unending desire to find Roth’stavous. This is the only thing that kept him going, he had to ensure success. His desire to carry out his grandmother’s wishes was drive enough, but the thought that in this time fracture, he would have a wife and a son... something he would never stop from occurring… his loneliness and solitude spoke loudly in his heart. He understood the paradox that was about to occur, there was no denying that much, but he was helpless to stop this path.
The closer he came to the Delta, the more anticipation rose within him. He knew the sooner he would meet this Roth’stavous the quicker he could get on with his next objective; finding this place called earth of the Sol system and planting this ship at the polar ice cap. But in order to find Earth, he needed to find his grandfather. That’s why he chose to remain awake instead of stasis, this way he could constantly tune his ship’s engines to get the maximum velocity through slipstream and cut his travel time as much as possible.
Secret of the Crystal - Omnibus Edition Books 1-3 (Time Travel Adventure) Page 52