Secret of the Crystal - Omnibus Edition Books 1-3 (Time Travel Adventure)

by Larson, Brian K.

  Luanren bumped Ghaia, knocking her slightly off balance breaking her concentration at attempting to hypnotize Kate. Not so fast! She thought to Ghaia’s mind, you will not interfere… do I make myself perfectly clear? she said staring daggers.

  “Ok… ok…” Ghaia said backing away, “You win this time.”

  The next contraction came sudden and especially hard causing Kate to wince and bear down.

  “Caution…” the computer started, “Do not push at this stage…”

  Sam stepped over to his patient and examined and listened to her stomach the old fashioned way he was taught, “Sometimes this technology can get in the way of good ol’ country doctor’s ways of taking care of business.”

  He finished his examination and concluded that the baby was indeed breech and figured that the pain Kate was experiencing was from her bullet wound she had suffered.

  She reach up and grabbed Jhahnahkan’s arm and dug her nails into his skin as she tried to reduce the pain on her own, “Your sphere is not helping me any longer,” she cried, “Do something!” she begged.

  “My love,” he answered the calmest as he could with her nails digging into his arm, “You’re not helping my concentration…”

  “Not helping?!?” she shouted, “I’m trying to provoke an emotional response to help your concentration.”

  She squeezed harder and began to draw blood from his arm. Jhahnahkan gritted his teeth and focused his pain into the crystal making it deliver a white colored beam straight down into her abdomen.

  The contraction subsided and Kate relaxed her grip on his arm and looked up into her Lover’s eyes that were focused down on Kate; he looked as if he was in a trance.

  * * *

  Delta Scorpii Twelve

  Year: 1983

  The Vortex closed leaving Jhahnahkan still holding the crystal he had picked up from the box he found in the catacombs. His eyes were now tightly shut, not knowing what had just happened. He didn’t know what he would find if he opened his eyes. But at last, after a few painful moments of the unknown, he slowly opened his eyes and squinted from the sunlight shining into his eyes.

  As his eyes slowly focused, he was faced with a very strange looking alien. He couldn’t see him entirely, just his silhouette with the sun shining behind.

  The alien appeared to be blue-skinned with a protruding black colored spine. His eyes were situated on extendable stalks and he seemed to be mimicking Jhahnahkan by squeezing the eyes on the ends of the stocks which protruded from the alien’s head straight up. He bent one eye toward Jhahnahkan and peeked to see if he was being watched. The alien jumped slightly back and looked directly at Jhahnahkan with both eyes. He leaned his eye stocks forward and placed his hand on what would be his chin and stroked it slowly with his first finger and thumb.

  Placing his hands on his hips and cocking his head slightly he opened his mouth and spoke, “Na gloth mejline ruthsuton namincintal?”

  “I am afraid I do not understand…” Jhahnahkan answered.

  His timid looking creature rested his hand on his chin and looked up and to the right with his eye stocks as if thinking. He placed his hands on his hips again and leaned his eye stocks more forward at Jhahnahkan, “Ok, you speak English I see.”

  “Who are you?” Jhahnahkan asked as he continued to kneel.

  “My name is Drakes…” he said as he studied his subject with his eye stocks, moving them independently of the other. “And who might you be… and tell me more about the vortex you came out of.”

  “I am sorry,” Jhahnahkan said, “I am not sure how I got here.”

  “Then tell me where you were just now? Before this vortex deposited you?”

  “I was on Delta Scorpii Twelve…” he said looking around, “but it was an ancient city… abandoned for nearly a thousand years…”

  “Say no more…” Drakes said as he reached out and tugged on his cloak. “Stand up now and come with me… I need to take you to someone.”

  Jhahnahkan nearly dropped his crystal as the Scorpii alien tugged on him to hurry up.

  He scurried to his feet and followed the funny looking creature to the center of the city. He noticed that these were the same buildings he was investigating just a while ago, but the city was bustling with activity. These Scorpii were busy with their daily tasks. Drakes led Jhahnahkan though a market place where others were engaging in trade for food or other various staples. They stopped as he passed by and stared at him and then moved to the side allowing them to pass through.

  They came to one rock carved home that was specially adorned with purple colored textiles covering the small arched entrance. Above the door were golden colored beads threaded twine and placed at each side and swathed down across the entrance.

  Another blue colored alien parted the cloth and beads and stepped through holding the entrance open with their arrival.

  Drakes motioned for him to enter the hut first. He stooped down and entered the small room and discovered this was one of the rooms he had investigated earlier. He recognized the purple colored cloth that he saw on the doorway and remembered none others were decorated.

  Drakes stepped into the room followed by the new alien and the doorway dimmed with the cloth being set back in place. Jhahnahkan’s eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room and saw a figure sitting at a table before him. His hands were resting palm down on the table and his eyes were closed as if he was meditating. He had a long white beard and his head was balding. He wore a tattered tan colored robe and was tied at the waist by a golden cord. Attached to the shoulders of his garment was the familiar looking cloak which flowed down his back and behind that Ackturrians were known for wearing.

  With his eyes remaining closed the man at the table began to speak, “What be your name young man?”

  Jhahnahkan bent down on one knee, held his cloak aside and extended his other arm before him and gave a rolling gesture as he continued to hold his crystal. “I am Jhahnahkan, son of Qiaoshan of the house of Sö’.”

  “That’s impossible…” the man scoffed, “the Qiaoshan I knew had no children…”

  “He is my father, you must believe me…”

  The man opened his eyes and looked upon Jhahnahkan and sized him up and down, “Get up foolish one… get over here and take a seat… let me study you closer.”

  Jhahnahkan stood and then walked over to the table and sat at the stone cut bench on the opposite side of the man.

  “Where did you get that?” the man said pointing a finger at the crystal in his hand.

  “It was in a box…” Jhahnahkan explained, “When I touched it, a vortex opened and pulled me through… and now I sit here before you.”

  “This is true master,” Drakes said, “I saw him come through a vortex.”

  The man reached below the table and pulled out a box and set it on the table before them.

  “That’s it!” Jhahnahkan exclaimed, “That’s the box that was down below in the catacombs… “That’s the box I opened and this crystal was inside.”

  “Hmmm…” the man wondered, “Let me see your crystal…”

  Jhahnahkan hesitantly held out the crystal for the man to take, “Do not be shy man.” he said as he snatched it from his grip.

  The man inspected the crystal with a monocular magnifier. Then he set it on the table and pulled out another crystal from within his cloak and inspected it in the same manner. He finished his analysis and set the second crystal next to the first.

  “They look identical…” Jhahnahkan began.

  “It is,” the man said as a matter of fact as he examined each of the crystals, “in every way. Question is… how did you get this?”

  “I must tell you,” Jhahnahkan appealed, “I am on a mission… I am looking for my grandfather.”

  The man’s face turned and he raised one of his eye brows as it appeared he suddenly became interested.

  “Helen sent me to find a man named Roth’stavous.”

  The man looked up into Jhahnahkan’
s eyes, “Mission accomplished.”

  * * *

  The Telenian

  Year: 2983.9

  Sagrit gave his order to halt the Telenian. The helm obeyed his command and dropped out of slipstream, turned the ship and faced their mysterious pursuers. Torvon, the Telenian’s first officer, ordered the tactical stations to arm all weapons and to bring its ram shields online and to full power.

  “They will be upon us in three minutes sir.” The tactical officer reported.

  “Man your stations… prepare for battle!” Sagrit commanded as he sat confidently in the captain’s chair.

  The crew worked together and put their differences aside and followed every instruction their new captain gave. They knew their very lives depended on giving Sagrit their full trust.

  The massive unknown ship that chased them dropped out of slipstream and closed in on the Telenian. The alien shields glistened in the darkness of space as lightning passed across the entire shielding. The crew members of the Telenian were taken back at the enormous ship; it was nearly as big as their own carriers. No one else in these parts had any other ships larger than the Ackturrian fleet.

  “Start your run,” Sagrit ordered the helmsman, “Full speed ahead… aim this ship right down her throat.” He almost whispered yet was very firm.

  “Aye, sir.”

  “Sir, we will not penetrate that ship.” The tactical cautioned, “Those shields appear impenetrable.”

  “I am aware of that mister, man your post.” He answered with confidence, “I know what I am doing.”

  The Telenian gained speed and further closed the gap on the mysterious ship. The two ships rocketed closer, both on a collision course.

  “Steady now…” Sagrit commanded, “Wait for my signal… then change course, one-five-nine, zenith two-two-three.”

  The crew’s confidence elevated as they now understood the plans of their captain. His intention was to deflect off of the other ship’s shields and fire all weapons as they passed by. They focused on each of their consoles to ensure their orders were carried out to the best of their abilities, they knew this one shot may be all they had.

  The massive ship continued to approach the Telenian with no hesitation. It seemed he knew this game of chicken and was not about to be the first one to deviate. The captain of the mystery vessel was very confident that their shields were superior as well as their armor plating and stayed his course.

  “Thirty seconds sir,” tactical reported.

  “Brace for impact, in case we miss our mark.” The captain added.

  “Fifteen seconds…”

  “Wait for the last possible second…”

  “Ten… nine… eight…” tactical chimed.

  “Now!” Sagrit shouted.

  The Telenian veered to the altered course and fired all weapons at the ship connected with the alien shields.

  Both ships rocked and shook violently and they scrapped by each other, their shields arcing and sparking with the two forces sliding down each other. The pursuing ship began to turn its massive hull around to continue its pursuit as the Telenian swung away and aimed its rear weapons at the ship still in its turn. They fired everything they had at the alien vessel, but the other ship absorbed every volley and it didn’t seem to be weakened in the slightest.

  “Damage report!” Sagrit ordered as explosions accompanied his words.

  “Sir, our shields are failing and our starboard engine has been knocked out.”

  “That’s it then.” The captain said with resolve, “We have no choice… turn us back and ram the hell out of them!”

  The helm responded and turned the Telenian toward their pursuers, now facing dead ahead. Sagrit, now with only one engine in operation and partial shields, could only hope that they might injure the other ship enough for them to stop their pursuits.

  The massive ship fired a solid ball of plasma energy at the Telenian. The weapon reached Sagrit’s ship faster than the Telenian could reach their new enemy and detonated causing the Telenian to power down as all of its systems shorted.

  The crew of the Telenian slowly recovered from the blast that not only took out all of their instrumentation, computer systems and all power, but caused a neurological momentary loss of consciousness.

  Their ship had come to a full stop and facing directly in front of them was their massive pursuer looking down on them as if prey.

  “Activate the self-destruct sequence.” Sagrit ordered as he stared down nose to nose with his adversary.

  “There is no power to any systems.” The tactical officer said.

  “Well, there is power to some systems or artificial gravity would have quit.” Torvon added.

  “Precisely!” Sagrit answered, “Find an active panel and reroute power to the self-destruct systems.”

  The Telenian crew searched the dark cabin and various decks for an active panel in order to detonate the ship and take out this oppressor with them. The enigmatic vessel launched several smaller drones which attached themselves around the hull of the Telenian.

  The crew heard the clunking of these drones as they attached to the hull. They began moving the Telenian closer to the massive ship as they could detect movement beneath their feet.

  “Looks like they are taking us in.” the first officer said.

  “Keep looking for a way to detonate her… but let us wait until we are inside, shall we?”

  “Kind of like a welcome package?” Torvon laughed.

  “Yeah, something like that… yes indeed.” Sagrit agreed, “Helm, can you give them a little resistance at all?”

  “Negative sir,” his helmsman replied, “still no power to the helm.”

  “Can we get any readings on that ship?”

  “My handheld is functioning sir,” the com officer said, “but my scanner is not strong enough to scan past those shields. It appears that those shields are made up of some sort of cold plasma that is generated by an electromagnetic field from a wire mesh suspended some distance from the spacecraft… a technology we are not familiar with.”

  “Keep scanning… maybe hook a few of those together and try focusing your scan on any vulnerability in that shield… they must have an Achilles heel.”

  Massive doors began to open on the mystery vessel on the front lower section. There was a large enough bay to contain the entire Telenian and then some.

  “We are going in…” Torvon reported.

  “Everyone, keep a level head.” Sagrit said addressing his men, “You can bet the next thing they will do is try to board… I want every crewman to check their weapons and collect the security teams together… put a plan together for the best locations for defense… were going to hold our ground here as long as possible.”

  “Aye sir,” Torvon acknowledged, “We shall hold her for as long as possible.”

  The entire bridge crew confirmed their allegiance with their new captain by standing and giving him the formal salute. Sagrit returned their gesture and thanked his crew for their service as the captain began to feel impending doom.

  The Telenian was brought completely inside the other ship and remained stationary as the lower bay doors closed on them, sealing them within for an uncertain fate. The mystery crew set stabilizers against the Telenian to hold the ship in place within the enormous docking bay.

  The captain was about to give his final orders to his crew when the com station’s panel came to life.

  Sagrit motioned to his com officer to route power to the self-destruct systems when a voice came over the com system. “Attention Ackturrian vessel.”

  “This is Sagrit, captain of the Telenian of the Ackturrian fleet… what is the meaning of this seizure!”

  “I am Portov, Captain of the Flag Ship Zeroditha of the Karillian Alliance.”

  * * *

  Ackturrian Palace Medical Bay

  Year: 2983.9

  Jhahnahkan continued to concentrate on Kate and his baby. The group looked on him as he seemed to be in a trance.
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br />   “Come on darling,” Ghaia said, “continue with your breathing now.”

  “She will breathe when she wants to breathe,” Luanren snapped.

  “Obviously, I am the more experienced at these things,” Ghaia said trying to arouse Kate, “You just listen to me now, ok?”

  “You step away you, you strumpet.” Luanren shot at Ghaia.

  Ghaia stopped and looked at Luanren, “I beg your pardon?”

  “That is right Ghaia, you are nothing but an adulterator.” Luanren said taking Ghaia by the arm.

  She pulled her arm back and snapped at Luanren, “You keep your greedy little paws off of me.”

  The two stepped aside grabbing at each other’s arms and hair trying to take the other out.

  “Ladies, ladies” Sam said trying to break them up.

  The two began to wrestle and knock into instruments as they fought around the room.

  “Ok, that’s it.” Sam said reaching for his hypodermic spray.

  He caught Ghaia and sprayed her in the neck making her loose her grip on Luanren. He then reached over and gave Luanren the same dose and nonchalantly stepped back to examine Kate, who also had appeared to be in a trance like state.

  “What was that?” Luanren said on her way to the ground.

  Sam looked at the two women sleeping soundly on the floor on the side of the room.

  “There,” he said, “Isn’t that better now?”

  But Jhahnahkan and Kate seemed oblivious to Sam’s actions.

  Jhahnahkan and Kate found themselves within a silver colored sphere. Sam and the others presence had vanished.

  The silver colored sphere glistened with power and shooting electricity which enveloped and arched over both of them.

  Jhahnahkan reached his hands down and as if she was transparent, he could see his child in her womb. He placed his hands around their child and he began to turn the baby, instinctually, in the correct presentation. But he seemed to be lacking enough strength to flip the baby on his own. He thought to himself, If only Roth’stavous was here, he could help.

  Kate seemed to be asleep and was not aware of her surroundings, but at least he could tell she was not in pain. He didn’t want Kate to suffer, child birth is already a very long and painful experience, but with her recent wound a few months ago on Earth, he wasn’t sure if Kate would be able to complete the birthing task.