Island of the Star Lords

by James L. Ferrell

  Taylor and Matt stood frozen, watching the men vanish into the darkness. Matt felt his hackles rise. He and Taylor turned to face each other.

  "I hesitate to ask," he said in a tight voice, "but exactly what did you see? I think my eyes are playing tricks on me."

  Taylor took a deep breath and blew it out. She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by Jake's voice.

  "Hey, you two!" he shouted. "Whatever this is, it's getting closer. You better get over here!"

  They both looked northward. The violet light had grown much larger. It appeared to be circular, spinning like a wheel. Light flashed from it in varied intensities, as though being emitted by strobes. The three of them stood together as the object approached. Matt thought about un-holstering his sidearm then thought better of it. The Beretta would be a puny weapon against one of the wands.

  The machine reached them and hovered fifty feet overhead. It emitted a soft throbbing sound, like a giant heartbeat. Its physical appearance was almost artistic. It was about twelve feet in diameter, thirty feet long, tapering toward enormous crystal disks on each end. As they rotated, the crystals emitted flashes of violet light from their facets.

  A wide beam of white light shot downward from the machine's underside, illuminating the area where they were standing. None of them moved; just stood waiting. After a full minute the machine began a slow descent and settled to the ground thirty feet away. The crystals slowed and stopped but continued to pulse with violet radiance. Frozen in place, they saw a thin line split the machine's side. There was a soft hiss as a panel slid aside, and a narrow ramp descended to the ground. A sight they would remember for the rest of their lives stood at the top of the ramp.

  A woman at least six feet tall looked out at them. Her garments appeared to be made of a pearl-colored shimmering material, glowing white in the light. It fell to a few inches above her knees. Form-fitting silver boots covered her calves and feet. For a few seconds she stood there staring at them, not moving. Then, in graceful motion, she descended the ramp and walked to within five feet of them. Her hair looked like fine silver thread, shoulder length, held back by a thin blue band. The forehead was high but not abnormally so. Her nose was straight, the lips wide and full. But the most striking of her features were the pale blue eyes that flickered across their faces. It was obvious that she was not completely human, or at least not one of the known races.

  She looked at Taylor and smiled. "Calentem sou abartal?" she asked in a musical, soprano voice.

  Taylor had brought a hand-held language translator with them but had not yet unpacked it. In any event, she doubted that it would have done them any good. The woman's language was a complete enigma. She had no notion of what she said, but her tone seemed friendly. For a long moment she stood staring, keenly aware that she was looking at an alien being. Finally, she returned the smile and said, "I'm sorry, but I do not speak your language."

  At that moment, two men similar in appearance to the woman appeared at the top of the ramp. Each of them had one of the anti-matter wands stuck in his belt. Matt, followed by Jake, stepped close to Taylor.

  "For some reason I'm not picking up any bad vibes," he said, "but I could be wrong. In any case, let's not make any quick movements." He saw that the woman was unarmed.

  "I agree," Taylor's voice was almost a whisper. "You know, we could be looking at someone from another world." The thought made her stomach tingle.

  The woman stood there, waiting. Matt was uncertain as to what to do but decided to try a long shot at communication. He gave the woman his best smile, pinched the material of his black jumpsuit at the chest, jerked it and said, "L-suit?"

  The name did not seem to have any effect. She just looked him in the eye and said, "Centee." She extended her arm toward the ramp, palm-up, an obvious invitation to enter the airship.

  "Do you think you hit a nerve with that?" Jake asked.

  Matt blew out a breath. "I don't know. It was the only thing I could think of, but I got the impression that she may have understood me." Looking at the woman, he swept his arm around the area, indicating their equipment.

  The woman turned to her companions and said, "Foral em teerle, non sall." She motioned with her arm for them to come. The men came down the ramp to where they were and began picking up the scattered boxes. Matt eyed the wands in their belts as they began moving the equipment into their ship.

  "Good work, Matt," Taylor said, attracting his attention. She gave his upper arm a squeeze and arched her eyebrows. "You really have a way with women," she joked.

  "Thanks." He grinned at her, a sheepish look on his face. "I think I did okay with you."

  "We'd better strike the tent ourselves," Jake said. "I doubt they know what it is."

  "You're right. You and Taylor do that while I bring down the balloon." He cast a glance back to the summit's edge where he and Taylor had seen the men fleeing down the mountainside. They had to have been mistaken in what they saw. It was impossible. He shrugged it off and started the motor that retracted the balloon.

  Fifteen minutes later, after they had finished loading the equipment into the airship, he walked over to where Taylor was attempting to speak with the woman.

  "Having any luck?" he asked.

  "Not in the verbal sense, but I think we're starting to communicate on a fundamental level through noun identification," she replied. "For example, they call this aircraft a vreel, and her name is Ctaane."

  Matt looked at Ctaane in wonderment. He was still in a state of disbelief that he was standing face-to-face with an alien being. The woman glanced at him. A gentle smile lit her face and eyes.

  "Close it," Taylor said in an amused tone.

  "What? What did you say?"

  "Your mouth. It was hanging open."

  Before he could reply, one of the alien men appeared at the top of the ramp and spoke to Ctaane. She started toward the ship and motioned for them to come.

  They gave each other apprehensive glances and followed her into the unknown.

  Chapter 12

  The Aliens

  His plans having been interrupted by the arrival of the airship, Kasdan was in a red rage. To compound matters, the four of them had barely escaped complications after Renga had accidentally struck his sword on Sreng's shield while fleeing down the mountainside. He could not resist stopping a hundred yards down the slope and turning to see if they had been discovered. Leahy and Taylor Griffin were standing on the edge of the summit staring directly at him. At that distance he could not be certain if they recognized him in the darkness, but the possibility existed. If they had, it would obfuscate matters a hundred-fold. Leahy's entire team would now be on alert.

  He and the three Fir Bolg warriors lay concealed in a gully a quarter-mile from the mountain. When he stuck his head above the gully's rim, he could just see the mountaintop. He watched the airship liftoff, hover momentarily then speed away toward the north. Having failed to reach the summit and observe what had happened there, he was ignorant of the physical appearance of the ship's occupants. Without that critical information, he was uncertain about guessing their origins. The aircraft itself was obviously extraterrestrial and superior to anything known to human technology. To his knowledge, neither the U.S. military, nor any other government, possessed a craft that could lift off without the use of jets or propellers of some kind; not to mention the complete lack of engine noise as it flew away.

  But for the moment, he dismissed the aliens and thought about his current position. There was only one option: He would have to ascertain the location of their base and proceed to that location. Since Leahy was now in their custody, it was critical that he develop some intelligence about them. Sreng had participated in two major battles against them and would undoubtedly know where they were located.

  He blew out a breath and gained control over his rage against Renga. There would be ample opportunity to punish the clumsy fool at a later time. For now, he needed to place his personal feelings in abeyance a
nd consider the bigger picture. He looked at the three men, a blank expression on his face. Throughout his adult life he had practiced, and brought to perfection, what many people referred to as a 'poker face.' Such an expression could unnerve an opponent, providing an advantage to the one who wore it.

  The three warriors sat silent, returning his stare. A light wind picked up and stirred the tall grass around the gully. At last, Kasdan looked at Renga and said in a tone to match his expression, "You, Renga, are responsible for our having been detected by the wizards before we could make good our escape." He cocked his head to one side. "You know this, don't you?"

  Renga licked dry lips and glanced at Sreng for support. The champion said nothing. Turning back to Kasdan, he answered, "Yes, lord. But you know it was an accident. We were stumbling in the dark, and I did not see Sreng's shield until it was too late."

  Kasdan's expression did not change. He pulled the big hunting knife from his belt and pressed the point against his thumb, drawing a small drop of blood. "You also know what I said I would do to anyone who caused us to be detected before we could strike?"

  By this time the quarter-moon had risen enough for them to see each other in its pale light. From the corner of his eye he saw Sreng slowly move his hand to the hilt of his sword. He smiled inwardly at the potential threat. These three men had no idea as to the extent of his physical capabilities. Like all time-operatives, he had been well schooled in martial arts, not to mention his superior size and strength. Had he so desired, he could dispatch all three of them before they could even begin to defend themselves. In reality, he had no intention of killing Renga. He only wanted to make him think that his life was forfeit. His death would only weaken his small force, and at this point he needed all of them. Accordingly, he decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to instill a sense of loyalty in the young warrior by being merciful after he had committed such a clumsy indiscretion.

  In answer to Kasdan's question, Renga nodded and said in a small voice, "Yes, lord."

  Kasdan put the knife back in its sheath. "In thinking about it, I believe it was an unavoidable accident that could have happened to any of us." His voice carried a conciliatory tone. "Just make certain that there are no future accidents."

  Renga let out the breath he had been holding. He nodded vigorously and put a boyish grin on his face. "I will, lord!"

  Sreng patted Renga on the shoulder and let his hand slip away from his sword. "What do we do now?" he asked Kasdan.

  Kasdan stood up and looked northward. "You saw the ship for yourself. I assume it was a Danann chariot. Do you know the location of their fort?" he asked.

  They all stood as Sreng answered, "I would say about fifteen miles northeast of here."

  "Good," Kasdan replied. "We will gather our supplies and break camp. We should be able to cover at least ten miles before we stop for the night." He looked at Renga and said, "Renga, go back to the mountaintop and see if anyone is there. We will wait for you at the campsite." Without answering, Renga jumped to his feet and took off toward the mountain.

  "What do you plan to do?" Sreng asked, a puzzled look on his face.

  Kasdan looked at him in astonishment. "Why, I intend to kill those three people," he replied in a tone of complete simplicity.

  Sreng shook his head. "I did not mean exactly that," he said. "I mean, how do you plan on doing it? You understand that you can't just walk into the Danann fort, find them and kill them. They will destroy all four of us before we can even get close."

  Kasdan turned to face him and said, "Unless circumstances dictate otherwise after we get there, we will not attempt to enter the fort. I only wish to see it. We will then return to your people, and I will explain to Eochaid what must be done."

  Sreng felt relief wash over him. He jerked his head toward the forest where their camp lay and said to the other two Fir Bolg, "Get moving."

  Kasdan clamped his teeth together and flexed the muscles in his back. As he walked behind the other men, he began to plan how the events of the next few days would play out. He had no doubt that those events would soon become legend.

  As Matt and the others entered the ship, he noted that the interior was illuminated by the same violet radiance as its crystal bow and stern. He was puzzled by the fact that it did not emanate from any visible source. There were no lights, it just glowed. Like the exterior, the inside was tubular, roughly ten feet in diameter. Except for the viewports, its sides and top were sheathed in a soft, padded material similar to closed-cell foam. He touched it with a fingertip. It left an indention that slowly disappeared, returning to a smooth surface within a few seconds.

  Bright silver benches, fastened to the metal floor by struts, ran along both sides of the fuselage. Forward, or at least what could be considered forward, was a cockpit equipped with various levers and instruments. The pilot's seat was in the center, within easy reach of the levers. A long, horizontal foot pedal was attached to the floor in front of the seat. Matt was thrilled beyond belief to find himself inside an extraterrestrial ship.

  He was amazed at everything, but the most astonishing features were the viewports. From outside, the vessel appeared to be solid, devoid of windows or ports. When it had first approached their position and settled to the ground, he did not see even the faintest line in the hull to indicate the presence of an opening. Now, from the inside, he could look through portals that were as clear as glass. It was almost as if you could stick your hand through to the outside without touching anything. They measured at least six feet high by ten feet long and provided a clear view of the mountaintop from almost any angle.

  He felt fingers touch his arm. Thinking it was Taylor, he turned and looked into Ctaane's face. Her touch made him shutter just a little; not from fear but from excitement at the thought of personal contact with an alien. The girl removed her hand and gestured him to move further into the ship. He had not realized that he had been blocking the doorway. He moved inside, followed by Taylor and Jake. He was not alone in his wonder of the ship's interior. Taylor was equally astonished at the size and transparency of the viewports.

  Jake, who was about four inches taller than any of the aliens, walked forward to the cockpit and began studying its controls. He turned to Matt and said, "This is the simplest design I've ever seen in an aircraft. And look at those big windows! They're so transparent that they look like a force field instead of something solid."

  One of the men, whose name they later learned was Fremm, said, "Vor tanssl." He indicated for them to sit down on the starboard bench. After they were seated, Ctaane and the other man, Jvar, took seats on the opposite side. Fremm sat down in the pilot's seat, placed one foot on the pedal and grasped the two levers.

  There was a faint hum as the ship lifted a few feet off the ground and rotated a hundred and eighty degrees, pointing northward. During the turn, the viewport swept across the mountaintop. Matt saw the valley and forest come into view. It was too dark to see anything in detail, but he now knew that an unknown number of people were probably concealed inside the tree line. The three of them had been so entranced by the alien presence, that they had not been able to discuss the men fleeing down the mountainside.

  The vreel gained altitude and speed, leaving their campsite behind. The interior darkened, creating greater outside visibility. Fascinated, they watched the landscape as it raced by. After a couple of minutes, Taylor turned from the viewport and glanced at Ctaane.

  "Where are we going?" she asked with words, followed by hand signals. She turned her hands palms up, held them out and put a puzzled expression on her face.

  The girl smiled and stood up. She moved across the ship and sat beside Taylor. She pointed toward the front of the ship and said, "Sar Vryan." She then swept her arm around the interior, indicating everyone inside and repeated, "Sar Vryan."

  "That must be the name of their encampment," Matt offered. "Or at least I hope that's where we're going."

  "Stands to reason," Jake responded.


  Taylor turned to the girl and held her hands chest high. She slowly parted them about two feet and said, "How far is Sar Vryan?" She pointed to the front of the ship.

  Ctaane glanced at Taylor's hands. For a few seconds she just sat there, a puzzled look on her face; then she grinned, put her palms together and opened them about three inches. "Sar Vryan em sofi," she said, pointing forward.

  Taylor looked at Matt and winked. "Another communication accomplished. Sofi must mean 'close' or 'near.'"

  Taylor's interpretation of the word was accurate. Within ten minutes the vreel began to slow its forward motion and descend. They all watched the ground rise to meet them. When they were down to fifty feet, two narrow beams of blue light shot up from the surface and struck the ship's forward crystal. The beams and ship began to move in unison.

  "Must be some sort of tractor beams intended to guide us to our landing site," Jake suggested.

  Another ten seconds passed, bringing a clear view of the Danann city. Unable to sit still, they all stood and stared out the viewport at the most unearthly sight they had ever seen. Hundreds of huge, silver domes sitting on what appeared to be purple concrete dotted the landscape as far as they could see. Matt remembered the hazy photos from DeLong's camera that resembled golf ball halves. So this is what they really were, he thought.

  The domes glowed with a pale radiance that bore a striking resemblance to natural daylight, illuminating the wide avenues between them. Moreover, there were no light poles, no bulbs, and no wires to indicate from where the light emanated. But most amazing of all, was that none of it escaped into the sky; all of it was somehow directed onto the purple surface, creating an environment with few shadows. The stars above the domes were just as bright as they would have been in a dark countryside sky. In the distance, the violet crystals of other airborne vreels could be seen coming and going on various missions.