“Garnak,” commented Mahhzee.
Garnak, keeper of Darkuj, was one of Jorh’s mentors. He wore a long magenta tunic, as all keepers did, which appeared to be floating around his body. The hovering throne he was standing on showed elaborate sculpting and carvings; lines like the ones they had already seen back at the Gate and inside the Martian cave.
The four Kahnus rejoined their elder quickly. Jorh spoke first.
“Garnak, we heard you. What is wrong?”
“My friends, what I have to tell you is tragic, even more than that, it’s unfathomable. I wish I had better news, but… The Ehoran will not rendezvous with Varih-Aru.”
“What? What do you mean? What happened?”
“I know this is hard to believe, but the Elders have taken the ship and left us to our fate.”
“That cannot be! Why would they do such a thing? You are mistaken,” interjected the alien named Serm, in disbelief.
“We’re doomed. Without the Ehoran, nothing can stop Varih-Aru.” Mahhzee was obviously distraught.
Garnak kept on. “Gihhez lied. He had no intention of saving Kahnu. The Elders left aboard the Ehoran and took twelve of the young ones with them. This is all true, I promise you. I wish it was a lie. They are gone. Without the Ehoran, there is nothing we can do to stop Varih-Aru now. It is only a matter of days before we feel the effects of the dark planet. Kahnu will not survive the destruction fate has placed in its path.”
“We need to tell everyone and-”
“What good would that do, Mahhzee?” he cut her off. “The end is unavoidable now. Let the people rejoice in these last hours. Only panic and agony will follow if they know. No, my friends, I’m afraid we must keep this somber future to ourselves.”
“I still can’t believe the Elders have left us. To go where?” asked the young Gahneo.
“Ahtona.”
“Ahtona!?” all four said almost at the same time.
“But, no one can go to Ahtona. It’s much too far! I don’t understand,” said Jorh.
“The Ehoran is a powerful ship. You should know, you created its Zarfha engine. You know how fast that vessel can travel. It is a long journey, but they can make it.”
“But, such a trek will take too long, even for the Ehoran!? No one has ever been kept in Time-Frost more than a few months! How can they hope to reach Ahtona?” asked the young Mahhzee in disbelief.
“I’m not sure, but I believe they can. After all, no one knows how long one can stay in Time-Frost. Regardless, the Ehoran is gone. But that’s not all...” Garnak paused, looking at the small group hesitantly.
“What is it...? Oh no! Kahalla!” said the young Jorh, who had just read Garnak’s thoughts before the others. He was in shock. They all were. Without Kahalla, the pool of life, no Kahnu could ever be born again, even if they managed to escape the planet’s destruction.
“Garnak, is it really true? Are you sure they took the pool of Kahalla?” asked Jorh, incredulous.
“I’m afraid so, my friend.”
“Then, we must go after them.”
“After the Elders? How?” asked his sister.
“This ship,” replied Jorh pointing at the white vessel floating next to them.
“But this Aruk isn’t fast enough to catch up to the Ehoran. It’s a Moon-Traveler. It’s not even capable of reaching interstellar space. No ship on Kahnu can catch up to the Ehoran,” said Serm.
“Yes, I know. At least not like this. That’s why we must leave immediately for Kesra.
“Kesra? Why Kesra?” asked Mahhzee.
“Your brother is right,” said Garnak.“ You need to get Kesra’s Gohhan and Kahjuna’s white light. With them, you will be able to catch up to the Ehoran. You must stop the Elders and bring back what was stolen from us, before they are out of reach! I have already made arrangements. To save time, Silargh will take another Aruk and go straight to Kahjuna. Once his group has retrieved the white light, they’ll come meet you on Kesra, where you’ll combine the two and go after the Elders. You cannot save Kahnu, but with Kahalla, you and those with you can survive. I know fifty individuals isn’t much to rebuild our civilization, but it will have to be enough.”
“Fifty? Restart our civilization? Garnak, I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
“What I am saying, Mahhzee, is that we cannot save Kahnu and its people. There is no time. But what you can do is save as many as two moon travelers can carry; twenty-six passengers each. I know it sounds tragically small, but with the pool of Kahalla, you will be able to survive, even if it’s on another world.”
“Two ships? I don’t understand. We must have at least a dozen more here alone,” said a confused Gahneo.
“I wish it was so, but the council had them all destroyed before they left. It’s obvious they didn’t want anyone to follow.”
“But why? Why would they do such a thing?” Mahhzee was truly getting upset and distraught.
“I believe they are following the words of Ferrhem, trying to fulfill the prophecy of Ehoran. Now I’m beginning to understand why they wanted the ship named after him. You all know the words as well as I do.”
“But that’s only a story, an old legend. How can the Elders be so merciless and leave fifty thousand of us to die for a tale? Gihhez has gone mad!”
“I agree with you on that, Mahhzee. Like you, most of us in this room do not believe in the legend, but I’m afraid some Elders have become blinded by their faith. You must reclaim the Ehoran and its precious cargo. Without it, saving fifty or fifty thousand won’t matter. I truly wish you could take everyone with you. But that’s impossible. And even if you had more ships, that would still not be enough to save but a fraction of our population. This Aruk and Silargh’s are the only ones left now. I know it’s not much, but they will have to do. There is no time to waste. You must leave tonight. Those who have been selected to join you are already on their way.”
“Garnak, my mother?” she asked.
“She is on the list. Most of your direct family relatives are.
Garnak quickly turned to Jorh.
“Listen, only the four of you can know about this. That is why I asked you to come down here to tell you. We cannot start a panic, or a mad mob may ensue. If anything happens to one of those ships, you know as well as I do, no one will survive. We cannot take that chance.”
“Jorh, this ship was never meant to travel such distances. Do you really think we can catch up to the Elders?” asked the young Gahneo.
“Yes. I believe Garnak is correct. But we need the lights. The Elders’ ship is fast, but it will not reach full speed for another few months, and they won’t expect anyone to follow, so with a bit of luck, we have a chance.”
“But you need to act quickly,” remarked the Keeper. “The survival of our species depends on it.”
Even if facial expressions on the aliens’ faces were not easily discernable for the human group, the gloomy feeling around the group was obvious.
“I know it feels hopeless right now, but you’ll have to find another world to call home. It will be your decision to make. But I would suggest Jashi-Da.” The human observers instantly knew he was speaking of Europa, Jupiter’s moon. “The facilities there will provide shelter and a place to regroup. The poles of Kahjuna would be a good choice as well, but there are many dangers on that wild planet. Either way, you must stop the Ehoran. It’s your first priority and only chance.”
“But…Garnak…”
“I know, Mahhzee. Trust me, I know. But if you don’t, everyone will perish. I wish there was more we could do here, but we are running out of time. If it’s only fifty that can be saved, then so be it. But even that will be in vain if you don’t get the Kahalla back.”
“Garnak is right. We have no choice.” Jorh turned his attention on Garnak. “So, where are the others?”
“They will be here soon. Most were chosen by the Guardians. You know many of them personally. Donjeh will join you too. I’m sure you’ll want to-” Garnak
paused a moment, as if distracted by a thought.
“Donjeh?” asked Jorh.
He was silent a bit longer, then turned to Mahhzee.
“Mahhzee, you are now the official pilot. Jeggah walked the cliffs of Garhnoj tonight. I was hoping he would not, but… I guess he was unable to face the Elders’ betrayal. He was the best pilot we had. You are the next logical choice. You have more experience flying this size ship than anyone else.”
“Me? But I…”
“You’ll be fine. Jorh will be able to assist you when needed. Jorh, I don’t think anyone will have any issue if I leave you in charge. Someone will need to guide them all, someone they can trust and look up to. I know you will be great at it.” He paused again and looked up as if distracted by a distant sound. “Good, Donjeh is on his way with the others. He knows the way to the cave on Kesra. I know you all have reservations about him, but I assure you, you can trust him. He may be eccentric and often obsessive about his work, but he knows more than any of us about the ‘Lights.’ And he was right about Gihhez and the council. He will be a great asset to your venture. Now, it is time to say goodbye, my friends.”
“Goodbye? Garnak, you’re coming with us, aren’t you? You have to. We can’t leave without you,” said a frightened Mahhzee. They all joined her in protests of disapproval.
“That is kind of you my friends, but my place is here, among those who will need me most in these last hours. I am too old now to worry about saving myself. You don’t need me. I know you will make it. I can sense it. That is what is most important. And it gives me great joy to know that all will not be lost. Oh, one more thing before I go. Your ship contains the grand library of knowledge. Whatever happens, make sure it is preserved and kept with you, no matter where you go. It will be of great use to you and your descendants in the third world. This will also insure Kahnu and its great history will not be forgotten.”
His fingers interlocked, he gave them a quick goodbye, and his hovering throne disappeared down a passage behind him. Before any of them could say or do anything else, Donjeh, followed by a large number of individuals, appeared through another tunnel and approached the small Kahnu group in a hurry. The disproportionate size of their legs gave the strange illusion they were running in slow motion.
“Jorh! Gahneo, Serm, Mahhzee! Good to see you all here. I have brought everyone with me. We’re ready. We need to go now!” he added, and without waiting for a reply, Donjeh waved his hand over the side of the white Aruk, and a large corridor opened in front of him, its purple hue lighting the way inside. He rushed in, his followers right behind him, Serm included.
Jorh and Mahhzee’s mother rushed to them. “I can’t believe what is happening. It’s so terrible…” Gahneo and the three of them watched the last of the passengers float away and disappear down the ship’s entrance. The four were silent for a moment. The young Mahhzee looking up at the ceiling above, imagining the thousands playing, loving and living their last moments on the beautiful world she called home, unaware of the fate awaiting them. Knowing there was no turning back, Gahneo grabbed her arm and pulled her with him into the vessel, Jorh and his mother in tow.
A few minutes later, the ship was departing. Jorh was now in telepathic communication with Silargh, the other ship’s leader.
“We just took off. How much longer do you need?”
“Most of us are here. We’re just waiting on one more group. Garnak said they should be here any moment,” replied Silargh.
“Best of luck on your journey to Kahjuna. I hope Garnak knows what he’s doing.”
“Me too, Jorh. Have a safe trip to Kesra. See you when we get there.”
Rushing back out of Kahnu’s atmosphere, the observers and their hovering chairs suddenly found themselves racing through space once again, and soon reached the zooming Aruk. In an instant, they were all inside. It was the very same control room they were physically in now, but in a very distant past, and occupied by a dozen aliens. The younger Mahhzee was seated in the center of the group, flying the ship. She looked exhausted. The observers collectively realized some time had passed since the departure from Kahnu. Her purple eyes were so dark from fatigue they almost looked colorless. Yet, seemingly unaffected by her drained body, her twelve fingers, six on each hand, were working busily, weaving shapes in the air at the translucent Zarfha in front of her. A few minutes ago, a cloud of space debris bombarding the ship, had forced the small crew of twenty-six to manually change course and maneuver around the bulkier of the objects, sending the spaceship off track. She was now working on putting it back on course. Like her brother Jorh, she was a scientist, a rational being who rarely lost her temper or her calm, no matter what the situation might be. But after what they had all been through, staying focused and alert was becoming a challenge, even for her. She could feel her long thin arms trembling. Her thick legs were restless and her troubled head heavy, heavy not only from the lack of sleep, but also from doubt and worry as to their true chance of survival in the days to come. She was having a hard time concentrating, constantly thinking about the fate of their doomed planet, the absurdity of their efforts in trying to save a handful of people, when thousands were about to perish. And what if they couldn’t reclaim Kahalla? What if they couldn’t catch up to the Ehoran? A wave of fear suddenly ran through her body. Sadness started filling her heart again, as it had so many times in the last few days, and for a short moment, her fingers stopped moving. Trembling uncontrollably like a naked child in the cold snow, Mahhzee clinched her fists and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she made a conscious effort to release the unwelcome thoughts.
They were here now, in this vessel, flying through space at more than 400,000 kilometers an hour, on their way to Kesra, the closest planet to theirs. They were among those who had been lucky enough to escape the destruction of their home world. Nothing more could be done but move on. The survival of her species depended on the next few days.
Although quite familiar with the navigation system, having designed most of it himself, Jorh was not the one navigating them out of danger. That task had been given to Mahhzee, his sister, who had managed to steer them clear of the rogue boulders earlier, but not without great effort. Of course, she was the most qualified to pilot a ship this size, the only Guild Elected in fact. Garnak had appointed her as the official pilot. Every member of the crew was capable of flying a Vok, a compact sky vehicle. Those were as common on Kahnu as cars were on Earth in the twenty-first century, but flying this ship in the vacuum of space was as foreign to any of them as it would have been to fly a commercial airliner on Earth for the average person. Mahhzee, having flown several Vakkehs, commercial Kahnu ships, across the vast lakes of Darkuj in her early years as a cargo pilot, had unanimously inherited the position of senior navigator when the assigned pilot had ended his life a few days earlier.
Frantically entering a series of instructions for the ship's artificial brain to follow, using a new landing course she had recalculated four times, "just to make sure,” Mahhzee finished the command and switched her attention to the view on her left, showing the distance that separated them from their destination. The image of a small reddish planet in the background was easily recognizable. She was more than ever determined to get everyone safely to Kesra, the planet humans would later call Mars. She would also need to land the ship once they reached Kesra. They all had great hopes their destination would bring them some comfort. They needed to re-establish some sort of sense and cohesion in everyone's recently shattered spirit. Being confined to this ship was taking its toll on all of them. She could feel a great deal of telepathic distress and confusion on board. None of them would ever see their home planet again, and the vessel was one of only two that had managed to leave Kahnu in time. Of the thousands that populated their planet, only fifty-two Kahnus had escaped. Twenty-six on each ship. Of course, there were also the elders and those they had taken with them on the Ehoran, but once Kahalla was back in their possession, Jorh and his people had no i
ntension of following the Elders anymore. They would regroup and rebuild their lost world on their own terms. For now, Kesra was their first destination.
Their vessel was about one hundred meters in length at its longest point, and about half that distance at its widest. More or less oval in shape, it resembled a giant egg, with several protuberances of similar rounded shapes all around its hull. Most of them a few meters in diameter or smaller, they appeared in random places on the outside shell of the ship, making for a deformed and odd-looking potato-like vessel. There were no antennas or other attachments, no markings of any kind on the outside, and nothing comparable to wings or jets. Its only distinguishable feature was a solid plasma ring that intercepted the ship at a horizontal plane. Piercing through its hull in four places, two at the front and two at the back, it formed a semi-circle on each side, centered a third of the way down the back of the ship. The glowing halo, no more than ten meters in breadth and less than half that in height, formed a stretched ellipse about a hundred meters in diameter. Inside the ring itself, glowing and pulsing in waves of purple and blue lights, the flowing plasma, running along the length of the loop, was casting random shadows on the hull, accentuating the messy randomness of its curves.
Traveling in total silence through the vacuum of space, the alien ship was on its maiden voyage to another world. It would also be its last. The moon traveler had only gone to Kahnu’s moons and never ventured into deep space before.
Mahhzee turned around in her seat and directing her thoughts to Jorh only, said without a word, “Jorh, I think it's started. I can see something on the aft viewer."
“Thanks, Mahhzee,” he replied, switching his attention to the view outside. He could see that the brightness of the object at the center of the window had increased since they had last checked. The bright space body in the far distance was Kahnu, their home planet.
Kahnu (The Guardians of Tomorrow Book 1) Page 29