The Paladin Archives Book Two The Withering Falseblade

by Jason Psilopoulos

  “Everything checked out, and I got a few very detailed scans of the radiation wavelength. I locked the blade up and decided to make the call.” Sage looked down at his feet, leaning forward in his chair. Marcus could see the weight starting to sit on him.

  “You never called.” Sage nodded, staring in front of him at nothing.

  “It was like, something told me I should wait. I don’t follow instincts like that. But it was so strong. I kept the thing locked away, and I studied the scans. The more I learned, the more rational it became. The energy was viable. It could be siphoned.” Marcus started to pace, listening carefully to what Sage was explaining. He wasn’t a science major by any stretch. But he wasn’t listening to the theories involved. He was listening to Sage.

  “So you figured to put it to good use?’ Sage shook his head. “Then what?”

  “I got this idea when I looked at the siphon." Sage motioned to the large conduits beneath the catwalks behind him. "It was designed to catch and process energy from a large radioactive element encased in a specially cut crystal sphere. The crystal is a means by which the energy inside can be focused.

  “The core sphere, once installed, would then be spun at incredible speed, allowing the energy to be pulled outward from the center. The siphon needed only draw that energy away and convert it into electrical power. Pretty simple stuff really.” Marcus nodded, not looking at Sage.

  “Naturally,” he sighed. “What next?” Sage eased up a little more. Talking science seemed to soothe him a little. It was something he could handle.

  “The blade was putting off a lot of low intensity radiation. But it wasn’t terribly harmful . . . physically. So, I tested the possibilities and it looked promising. I worked the geometry and found a crystalline construct I figured would work.

  “You see, the sphere has to be circular. But with the object inside decidedly not, the rotational pattern needed to be such that the siphon would have a balanced draw on the core. That, coupled with the crystal lattice within the core would allow for rotational stability and even distribution of the energy siphoned. But if I didn’t get the rotational factors right, the vibrations caused would have shattered the sphere and damaged the ship.” Marcus bobbed his head a little. He understood it somewhat.

  “Kind of like overloading a washing machine,” he mumbled. Sage nodded.

  “Exactly. Get too much on one side of the machine, and it might make the whole machine dance.”

  “But you had problems,” Marcus said. Sage nodded.

  “You’d better believe it. First that blasted phantom hand had to go. It was throwing the weight and it was making work impossible.”

  “How did you separate them anyway?” Marcus asked.

  “It took some doing. I tried everything from prying to hammering. I even tried an acetylene torch. But nothing seemed to work. It was like the two were magnetically attracted. So, I rigged up a huge electromagnet and pried them apart the scientific way.” Sage paused, rubbing his neck. “I wasn’t expecting the thing to try to kill me.” Marcus could guess what had happened next. Once Sage had safely separated the two objects, the hand had acted on its own, grabbing Sage and trying to throttle the life out of him. Sage opened his collar and showed Marcus the scars. Five finger marks were embedded in his skin, with no sign of recovery. "I stepped into the EM field to get the thing loose. I had to have all my fillings replaced after that."

  “You put the blade inside the crystal and powered the thing up then?’ Marcus asked, not trying to hide his sarcastic tone. Sage shook his head.

  “After this,” he said, pointing to his neck. “I locked them both away. I was going to call you. But again, I hesitated.” Sage rubbed his face. “Something said to wait.” Sage was starting to sound exasperated with himself. “I went over the data again and again. Finally, I came to the conclusion that if I ran the core hard enough, tapping enough power, I could drain the blasted thing and give it to you inert.” Marcus hadn’t expected that.

  “It didn’t work,” he surmised. Sage shook his head.

  “We did the first engine trials as soon as the Triumphant was finished. It wasn't a speed trial. Just an energy distribution test. We were at station keeping, running the core at full power. We pushed that engine up to a factor of eighty-six thousand Measured Energy Units on the first go-round. That would put the Triumphant at a theoretical Mach nine. And that's with every system on the ship running at full capacity.” Sage voice faltered a little. “That flaming thing got stronger. The more we pulled, the more it gave. I had people praising me for my genius. They thought I had created an inexhaustible energy source. In the end, I scraped the idea of draining it. By that time, we were three days from the shakedown cruise. I couldn’t change out the core sphere without a good reason. And I couldn’t do it without letting anyone know about it. I figured we’d be making a stop in Littlefield anyway. I’d tell you then.” Marcus had stopped pacing at this point. He was leaning on the console near Sage, trying to decide next what to do. He wasn’t really angry anymore. Not for anger’s sake, anyway.

  “And you just what? Forgot to tell me?” Sage shrugged.

  “Things got weird around here.” Marcus grunted at that.

  “Things are always weird around here. Try again.” Sage took a breath and scowled.

  “Every time I had an opportunity, I had something else to fix. Tracy always needed help and I always obliged. At the Cotillion and in the Holodrome, it just never came out of my mouth. I swear I don't know why.” Sage shook his head slowly. “Tracy was drawing me away. She was pulling me in all directions. I’ll bet most of the problems aboard ship were her doing.” Marcus figured that was probably true.

  “Her name’s Aiko Maeda.” Sage looked up. Something occurred to him in that moment. He stood, a thought forming suddenly in his mind.

  “She took the blade. But she wasn’t the one I saw in my quarters.” Marcus’s brows knit together.

  “What happened in your quarters?” Sage rehearsed the attack in his quarters in as much detail as he could. Marcus figured they’d just grabbed the gauntlet when no one was looking. It hadn’t occurred to him that Sage had it under intensive lock and key.

  “The woman I saw in my quarters wasn’t Aiko Maeda.” Sage was pacing back and forth rather quickly now, his mind racing. “I met Aiko at the Cotillion. Ian introduced her to me after you and Rebekah bugged out.” Marcus blanched. He wasn’t sure bugging out was the proper definition. “Then I saw Aiko here in the Engine Room. I didn’t think about it until now.” Sage looked up at Marcus, a bit of panic on his face.

  “What?” Marcus asked. Sage started from the room, tossing his electronic pad to Ensign Prius.

  “Build it like it says here. No questions, understood?” Prius nodded and got to work. Sage tapped a button on his workstation. “Security. This is Chief Engineer Cortez. I want a ship wide search immediately.” The security officer sounded an affirmative.

  “Yes Sir. What are we looking for?” Sage frowned.

  “The body of Deck Officer Lesnin.” Sage turned and headed for the door. Marcus started after him. “Donavan mentioned something about Ian and the Samurai. They were going to be out of contact for a while. That was ten minutes ago.” Marcus picked up the pace as Sage grabbed a rifle from the storage lockers.

  “Then Ian’s gone to confront her about it. If she’s not the one that was here tonight . . ..” Marcus didn’t need to finish the thought. The two headed toward the aft section. They needed to get to the Samurai encampment and fast.

  Chapter 25

  Revelations

  Jack closed the door behind him and frowned. He didn’t like this. Nothing about this felt right. He didn’t like the assignment. He didn’t like the goal. He didn’t like any of it. He looked around the room at the faces that glanced up at him and tried not to scream.

  “All clear,” he said with a fidget in his voice. Mary scowled.

  “That’s like the fifth time in the last ten minutes.” Jack slouched
a little. He was nervous. He didn’t want anyone surprising them.

  “You must relax Jack,” Uther said, his eyes opening only long enough to see Jack’s demeanor. “All will be well.”

  “Easy for you to say. You know your future.” Uther didn’t respond to that, continuing to focus on the task Marcus had left with him. He was keeping his empathic abilities pointed outward, searching for the presence he had felt so much earlier. He was not about to be surprised with a Falseblade in his possession.

  "We're just supposed to watch it?" Mary asked again, absently turning pages in her book, even though she really wasn't reading. Jack paced past the table they'd set the Falseblade on in the Library and scowled. It wasn’t a tough job. Just watch a hunk of metal. But they'd all seen what was inside that same slab of ore. Jack didn't even want to share a postal code with the thing.

  “I can’t believe he trusted us with this,” Ellis said from his usual place in the back of the room. “I mean, it’s like alive or something, right?” Mary shook her head, looking at the blade sitting on the table between them. The Falseblade sat there, inanimate and cold, a soft, bluish black aura pulsing around its edges. Every so often, the fingers of the phantom Gauntlet would readjust their grip, making a sickening metal crunch against the Library’s silence.

  “I don’t know. The books all said it had a wraith inside. But until today, it was just another fact to me.” A part of her wanted to touch it, to reach out and feel if it was cold. There was something alluring and curious about the blade. It was fascinating. No longer was it a fact in a book. It was real and right before her. The pull of it was real. She shivered inside. "What we saw was real? We didn't imagine it?"

  "All of us imagining the same thing?" Ellis asked quietly. Jack shook his head as he paced.

  “You didn’t have to carry it Mary. Believe me. What I felt from this . . . this thing is all too real. And that wraith was no joke either.” Uther sighed slowly and opened his eyes. His meditations weren’t easing his nerves any. He pulled himself into a chair and allowed his fur to bristle a bit.

  “You need not bear it to feel what it is,” he said finally. “It is wholly evil. The creature within it is a cold, heartless, foul thing. I cannot abide being in the same room with it.” Uther’s fur rippled again. Mary smirked a little. Uther was definitely showing signs of discomfort.

  “But why did Sir Kasidyne stick us with it?” Ellis asked. “We’re amateurs.” Jack almost took that personally. But now wasn’t the time to debate his standing among the paladins. “Aren’t we?”

  “He said he trusted us,” Mary offered. Jack agreed with that immediately. But Uther shook his head.

  “We know what it is. We have seen its darkness firsthand. We would not approach it even if it meant our lives. We rightly fear what it can do to us, because we have seen it in its reality. As such, it has very little sway on us.” That hung in the air for a moment. No one said anything as they processed that. They had all seen the wraith.

  "Can we change the subject please?" Mary asked quietly, her voice very small. No one seemed to have a problem with that. The room grew silent, and no one said a word for several moments. Ellis looked out the window, trying to gather his thoughts. Uther closed his eyes and tried to concentrate.

  "Can I ask you two something?" Jack said as he found himself a chair in the far corner of the room. Ellis and Uther looked up.

  "Certainly," Uther nodded. Jack rubbed his hands together slowly, mostly out of habit. It was something he did when he couldn't think of what to say.

  "That day in the Quad," Ellis lowered his eyes, not wanting to answer any questions about that day. Jack put up a stilling hand. "I'm not asking for particulars. I just want to know why you two're being so hushed about it." The room was quiet for a moment. Jack waited patiently as Uther and Ellis exchanged wordless looks. In the end, Ellis cleared his throat.

  "Uther reminded me of something. Something incredibly personal." Jack looked a little confused, turning toward Uther.

  "Without meaning to, I uncovered a memory that Ellis did not recall. The reason for his anger. I had attempted to find a calming influence in his mind. What I found was not what I had expected." Mary was listening, though she hadn't been there. Jack glanced at her. He couldn't read her face.

  "Is that why you asked for your mother?" Jack asked, trying not to press. Ellis nodded slowly.

  "I'm sorry Jack," Ellis said all of the sudden. "I've been meaning to say I was sorry for a while now. I shouldn't have taken a swing at you." Jack gave him a dismissive wave.

  "It's fine. People have taken shots at me before. Not like you actually hit me or anything." Ellis shook his head.

  "It's still wrong." Ellis paused, trying to think of what to say. "I've done so much wrong over the last year. I've believed in what we're training for since I was little. But I've been so mad lately. I couldn't see how to choose right and wrong. But I wasn't mad at you or Sir Kasidyne or anyone. I was mad at me. Because I know I'm better than this, and I wasn't getting any better. I kept getting worse."

  "It happens to us all Ellis," Uther said calmly. Jack seconded the statement.

  "We all do it. I was a grade A plus plus jerk before I met you guys. I was in it for myself. But all that changed when I changed myself. Now I’m just an A plus jerk.” Mary smirked at that. “It's faith that makes the difference, right?" Ellis looked back out the window and was quiet for a long moment. The entire room was still as he watched the rain beating on the glass.

  “Why me then?” Ellis asked finally. “I have faith. I believe. My beliefs aren't weak anymore." Mary looked up from her book with a frown.

  "I'm sorry Ellis. That was mean of me," she admitted. Ellis didn't respond.

  "The Wraith said that I would do. What did it mean?” No one said anything. No one knew what to say. “I mean, am I evil or something. Is it drawn to me because I don’t have strong enough faith or something?” Still the room was silent. Ellis’s face was a little shaky.

  “We don’t know why Ellis,” Mary said softly. Ellis’s bottom lip began to quiver as he tried to figure it out.

  “Am I so bad? What did I do that was so wrong?” Tears began pouring down Ellis’s cheeks, his fear overriding his need to be in control. He wiped his eyes and sucked back a long breath. “I’ve been good. Ever since Uther touched me. Ever since I remembered my mother. I’ve tried so hard. And I know I’m close.” Mary stood slowly, walking over and putting a reassuring hand on Ellis’s shoulder. He glanced up into her big blue eyes, trying to smile.

  “You are.” Ellis shook his head.

  “But what if I’m not? What if I did something so terrible, I can’t come back?” Ellis started to cry again. Mary felt the tears in her eyes too as he started to shudder and shake. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close, her tears streaming onto his head.

  “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” he sobbed. "I don't wanna be evil! Don't let me please!" Uther and Jack both came over. Jack clapped Ellis on the shoulder, giving him as much support as he could. Ellis knew it wasn’t in Jack’s nature to hug. The gesture was heartfelt enough. Uther put his hands upon Ellis and Mary and gave them a calming reassurance. They all stood there together for a long moment, crying and consoling.

  “We’ll pull you through Ellis. We will,” Jack said. Ellis looked up into his face and forced himself to smile. He could tell by Jack’s face that he meant it. And Ellis believed him.

  Ian didn't say a word as he walked into the encampment of the Samurai, which was situated only a few yards from the outer border of Littlefield. Donavan had offered to find them a ride of some kind, but Ian had refused, insistent on walking the whole way. It didn't take much for the Captain to see that Ian was trying to work off his agitation.

  The Samurai Conservatory wasn't too dissimilar from a circled wagon train. The outer area was an ovular grouping of tents, each housing a barracks and a dozen low-ranking Erikan Samurai. Inside the tented oval were the officer's quarters and th
e administration tent. To the north, tucked away from them all however, was the tent for the women. It was a different color, not awash in the jade of the other tents. Instead, it was a brilliant shade of blue.

  "You know where you're going?" Donavan asked as Ian muscled past a few Erikans. They looked a little confused, seeing Ian and Donavan in their camp. Ian nodded his head.

  "If Aiko kept quarters here, she would be in with the women." Ian's voice was biting of anger. Donavan readied himself to restrain the boy if the need arose. Not that he thought he could do so realistically. Ian was already a great deal stronger than he had been a year ago. But Donavan figured he could make enough of a showing to quell him.

  As Ian marched forward, Donavan could see two very imposing figures standing in front of the sapphire tent. Ian wasn't paying any attention to them, until both crossed blades in front of his face. Ian didn't look startled. Rather, he seemed annoyed.

  "No admittance," the taller of the two grunted. Ian glowered up at the oversized samurai, his intent undeterred.

  "I am here to see Aiko Maeda. Is she here?" The other samurai shook his head, wrinkling his nose.

  "If you are not a husband or a family member to one of these women, then this tent is off limits, no matter if she is here or not." The samurai pressed the blunted edge of his sword against Ian's chest, ready to brush the young boy aside. "And you are no husband in the Maeda family." Ian looked down at the blade, then back up at the man.

  "Maybe you didn't hear me. I'm here to see Aiko Maeda. Family or no, I'm going in there." The samurai flashed a toothy grin.

  "Not without a visitor's pass and not without my permission." Donavan didn't have time to react. Ian grabbed the blades in front of him and snapped them in two. Both Samurai were dumbstruck, their weapons shattered before them with one hand. Ian didn't waste any time, flattening them both with his fists before they could recover their senses. The two crumpled where they stood, unconscious before they could hit the floor.