Star Rider and Bonds of Love: A Sci-Fi Space Opera with a Touch of Fantasy

by Heidi Skarie

  As they moved toward Samrat Condor, the intense flames of the fire heated her face and bare arms. Inwardly the sorcerers attacked her in a deadly attempt to gain control over her. She focused on Michio and Baymond. Love filled her heart so no fear could enter. Sh knew fear was the only means by which the sorcerers could gain control of her.

  They stopped in front of Samrat Condor. Cadmus and Seetva knelt down and lowered their heads to the floor. Toemeka stood straight and faced the deity through her shroud.

  Two Samrat priests grabbed her and threw her to the floor. She thrust out her hands to break the worst of her fall, then stayed prostrate before Samrat Condor. The sorcerers increased their inner attack, but the Light around her remained impenetrable.

  After a few minutes Samrat Condor said, “You may rise.”

  Cadmus clasped her elbow and helped her stand.

  “Dance for Samrat Condor,” Seetva said. When she didn’t move, Seetva hissed. “I’ll order Amaretta to jump into the flames if you don’t. Do you understand?”

  Toemeka nodded. Then it hit her; this was her nightmare! Over and over she’d been on this stage with Samrat Condor and his priests, feeling the heat of the blazing fire on her skin.

  Seetva removed her veil and Toemeka began to move to the sound of the flute that played softly inwardly. As she listened more deeply, she could hear an entire orchestra. She danced to the inner music, making the dance an expression of her love for God. A smile spread across her face and she raised her hands upward.

  Samrat Condor hurled a bolt of psychic energy and she staggered from the blow. The other sorcerers joined the attack until she was reeling from the blows. No longer able to fight them off, she slipped free of her physical body and watched with detachment from the high hall ceiling. I am not my body, she thought. I will shed it like a garment when the time comes.

  ***

  Michio struggled to stay neutral so the priests wouldn’t detect his presence as he gazed at Toemeka. She wore a dress that looked like flames. As she twirled around, the dress flared out and her long black hair flowed around her head and shoulders. At first, she had smiled and raised her arms upward and he’d felt a stirring in the crowd around him. He knew other Initiates of Master Bakka were present in the hall. They’d realize she danced for the Eternal Life Force, not Samrat Condor, an agent of the negative force.

  Then Samrat Condor and the priests began attacking her more directly with psychic energy. He wanted to help her fight the attack, but didn’t dare. It would alert the priests to his presence.

  Benray whispered in his ear. “We can’t save her. I smuggled in a poison dart. Her death will be quick and nearly painless.”

  “Save your poison dart for our enemies!” Michio said under his breath.

  “Have you finally come up with a plan then?” Benray said, keeping his voice barely above a faint whisper.

  “I’ll fight Samrat Condor and his priests if I have to.”

  Benray shook his head. “That’s not a plan.

  17

  Desperate Measures

  From her position near the ceiling, Toemeka looked down at the firepit and citizens of Tismus. It wouldn’t be long before Condor compelled her to leap into the flames. She intended to separate from her body permanently before that happened. Peace filled her as she surrendered to her fate.

  A soft breeze touched her consciousness, bringing the familiar scent of sandalwood. Michio instantly came to mind. The energy in the room shifted and she felt Michio’s presence. Return to your body, he said telepathically. I’ve broken Condor’s hold on you and shielded you from the sorcerers.

  Surprised to hear his inner voice, she slipped back into her body and looked around for him. Where are you? She gasped as he materialized in front of her. She threw herself into his arms, terrified for both of them.

  Teleport to the rendezvous point where your spacecraft landed, he said.

  I don’t know how.

  Remember when I was trapped in a burning building and you helped me teleport to you at the Temple? You must now do the same thing for yourself. I’ll help you as you did me. Visualize the meadow in the Glendale Forest, releasing all anchor points holding you to this world and just be there. We have to get out of here—now!

  She closed her eyes and visualized the meadow where they landed, then felt a shift as the anchor points attaching her to this time and place were uprooted. Trusting Michio completely, she released all limitations and, in the next instant, was hurtling through time and space.

  She expected to teleport almost instantaneously. Instead dark powers pulled at them, interrupting their journey. They began spinning out of control. Panicked, she clung to Michio. In the next instant, they smashed to the ground.

  Are you all right? Michio asked as he helped her up.

  I think so.

  Michio’s body was luminous, as was hers, and she realized they were in their light bodies.

  Where are we? she asked.

  He looked around at the swirling heavy darkness that surrounded them. In some dark region of the Inner Worlds.

  What went wrong?

  Samrat Condor interfered with our teleport.

  She was about to ask how to finish the teleport when Samrat Condor abruptly appeared before them and hurled a fireball at her.

  Michio shoved her out of the way, she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. The fireball hit the ground right where she’d been standing. Michio surrounded them both with a shield of Light, then shot a spear of light toward Samrat Condor.

  Samrat Condor threw another fireball; it hit the spear of light and exploded. In the next instant, the sorcerer’s body began to change into a huge black, scaly beast with enormous fangs and fiery red eyes. Naked, uncontrolled power pulsed as it rose to its hind legs and advanced toward Michio.

  “I am part of you,” it roared. “I am you.”

  Michio took a stumbling step backward, looked confused and shook his head. “No.”

  “I am what you truly are. You cannot deny it for we have met before. Fight me and you fight yourself for the power within me is you.”

  The beast’s claws tore through Michio’s Light shield, grabbed him and hurled him to the ground. Toemeka screamed, “Fight back, Michio!”

  Michio scrambled to his feet as the beast attacked again, but instead of defending himself, Toemeka felt him radiate pure love. She didn’t know what was wrong. Did Michio actually believe the creature was a part of him? It didn’t make sense. The creature would rip him to shreds. The beast wasn’t the dark side of Michio; it was a form Condor conjured up.

  The beast raised Michio into the air and smashed him to the ground again.

  “Don’t believe him. Fight him!” Toemeka yelled, feeling impotent.

  Michio seemed startled by her words, almost as if he heard her from a deep trance. He regained his feet. “I can’t. If I give him anything other than love, he’ll grow more powerful.”

  “He’s not you. It’s a lie. He’s evil.” Toemeka wondered if Samrat Condor was using black magic on Michio.

  “You don’t understand. This is the twelfth test at the School of Eagles. He’s the power in me.” The entity grew larger, then shot out dark energy that tore into Michio. He collapsed to the ground in agony.

  “Master Bakka, give me strength!” Toemeka cried. She felt a warm glow emanating as she surrounded herself with Light. Pulsing vibrations began to flow through her. She walked toward the monster, unafraid and trusting completely in Spirit. Love filled her and gave her strength.

  The beast stopped attacking Michio and hurled a fireball toward Toemeka. From where he lay, Michio shot out a beam of light, knocking the fireball offtrack. It fell harmless onto the ground, a few feet away from Toemeka. Michio stood and faced the creature. “I am not you. You are not the power within me. Toemeka sent only love and you tried to destroy her.”

  Michio blasted a beam of light at the beast and it went up in flames. Pulling Toemeka into his arms, he surrounded them b
oth with a protective Light shield as the beast changed back into Samrat Condor.

  “Give up!” Condor yelled. “You have no chance against me. I am a god with unlimited power. Someday I will control the whole galaxy, for it is a reflection of my unlimited power in the astral worlds. Bow down and worship me and you and the woman will live. If you refuse, you will both die and be eternally damned in the fiery pit of Avernus.”

  “We will never worship you,” Michio said. “We’re instruments for the one true, supreme God.”

  A large knife instantly appeared in Condor’s hand. “I will kill Toemeka first, so you can watch her die.” Blood appeared on the knife.

  Toemeka felt tension in Michio’s body and knew he was affected by Condor’s words. “Don’t listen to him!” she pleaded. “He can’t harm us unless we allow it. Trust in Spirit to protect us.” The energy around Michio shifted and became highly charged. She felt him rise above his emotions and become a pure channel for Spirit. “Whatever happens, I love you, Michio.” As she said it, her fears dissolved.

  Samrat Condor sprang at them and Michio cried, “Finish the teleport!”

  Toemeka focused on the meadow where they’d landed their spacecraft. Unbearable pain seared through her as she was ripped from the astral world and felt herself being thrown into a dark void of nothingness. She was merely a unit of awareness with no body, alone in the vast emptiness of the universe.

  What happened to Michio? She was cut off from him and everything else she loved.

  Michio! Where are you! a spark within her cried out. She began to chant HU and soon felt love and Light begin to surround her. Focusing deeply, she felt Michio’s energy and moved toward it, letting the bond of love between them serve as a rope to lead her to him.

  She finally succeeded in entering her physical body, but found it completely lifeless. She couldn’t even feel her heart beating. Gradually her life force flowed back into her. She opened her eyes. It was night, but bright moonlight made it easy to see Michio’s drawn face, gazing down at her. He sat on the ground and she was in his lap, wrapped in the robe he’d been wearing. Her arms felt strangely heavy as she put them around Michio.

  “Toemeka!” Michio clasped her tightly and some of the color returned to his face. “My beloved, you’ve returned to me.”

  “Something went wrong,” she said. “I got torn away from you and ended up in a void.”

  “Samrat Condor attacked us as we teleported. I was afraid I’d lost you.”

  “I felt your energy and followed it back to you.” She leaned against his shoulder. “I feel so disorientated.”

  “Put down anchor points and you’ll feel better.”

  She visualized putting down anchor points until she felt more stable. “That’s better,” she said weakly. She touched his face. “My love, I thought I’d never see you again. I thought my dream was prophetic, warning me that my fate was to be sacrificed.”

  “It wasn’t time for you to die.” He tenderly pushed a lock of hair off her cheek. “We’re safe for the moment. I’ve blocked Samrat Condor and his sorcerers from detecting our presence.

  My love, I flew to planet Alandra as soon as I found your note. But you’d left in the morning and I didn’t find it until I returned that evening.”

  “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you about the mission. I should’ve said good-bye.”

  “You should’ve stayed home instead of coming here.”

  She heard the agitation in his voice and didn’t blame him for being upset with her. They’d both almost been killed. She began to tremble with emotion. “I knew you’d feel that way, but I had to come. I couldn’t let Erling’s family die.”

  “You have your own family to consider now.”

  “I know and it tore me in two to leave you and Baymond.” She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I love you, Michio.”

  “And I love you more than words can express.” He kissed her mouth, ear, cheek and the top of her breasts as his hand slipped under the sheer fabric of her ceremonial gown and up her thigh. He lowered her onto the ground and made love to her with desperate urgency, a reaffirmation of life. She responded with every part of her being as the world and all its dangers fell away. A splendid feeling of being loved swept over Toemeka. She clung to him as her body shuddered with passion and he crested with her. For a sacred moment, it was just the two of them.

  Michio continued to hold her as she regained control of her body, basking in the pleasure of being completely in tune with him. He gazed into her eyes, deepening their connection, kissing her already love-swollen lips. “That was beautiful,” he said, “but reckless. We’re still in danger.” He moved away from her and adjusted his pants. “We need to get out of here.”

  She sat up and pushed down her gown. “Where’s the Viper?”

  “Commander Rochambeau’s men blew up the Viper and Erling’s ship.”

  Her chest tightened. “Oh, God. Are Erling and his family all right?”

  “As far as I know.. Jake and Erling are leading them to the Resistance base camp.”

  She rose. “We have to warn them. Cadmus let Erling’s family go so his men could follow them to the camp and kill the Resistance soldiers.” The air felt chilly now that she wasn’t in the heat of passion. She rubbed her bare arms for warmth.

  “Jake is a smart leader. He’s kept the Resistance alive all this time. I’m sure he won’t lead Samrat Condor’s men to his camp.”

  His eyes swept over her. “Your gown is too thin to be warm.” He picked up the robe from where it lay crumpled on the ground and slid it over her head. The hem draped on the ground in a pool around her feet.

  “Thank you, but this robe is huge. I don’t know how I’ll walk in it without tripping.”

  Michio pulled out his knife and cut off the bottom of the robe at her ankles.

  They heard a noise and Michio pulled out his blaster. “Shh. Stay here.”

  He moved silently into the woods. Toemeka listened for further sounds, but only heard the wind blowing through the trees. Michio reappeared shortly with Benray who pulled her into a bear hug, his thick arms holding her close. “I didn’t think you’d survive. The situation seemed hopeless.”

  She trembled, remembering the heat of the fire. “I thought I was going to die.” She looked up at him. “Were you there?”

  “He procured our robes and brought me to the temple,” Michio said.

  Toemeka embraced Benray tighter, ignoring the strong smell of his unwashed body. “I wouldn’t have escaped without your help.”

  He released her and hunched his shoulders. “I can’t claim to have been much help. All I had to offer was a poison dart so you’d die quickly and wouldn’t suffer when you jumped into the fire.”

  She swallowed and clasped Michio’s hand for reassurance. “If things had gone that way, I would’ve been grateful for a quick death.” She felt Michio stiffen beside her. Her close brush with death was still too recent for him to be detached about it.

  Alert to danger, Benray glanced around. “We need to leave before Commander Rochambeau’s men find us. I’ve got some supplies hidden near here.”

  Benray headed into the woods and Michio clasped Toemeka’s hand and followed. As they walked, Toemeka said, “Benray, Cadmus let Erling’s family go so they’d lead them to the Resistance camp.”

  “I’m sure Jake’s smart enough to figure that out, but I’ll let him know.” Before long they reached a small cave and went inside. Benray pulled out a communicator and called Jake.

  “We’re at the cave and heading to camp.” He listened to Jake’s response, then said, “Miraculously, Michio saved her.” He shared her warning about Cadmus trailing them before clipping the communicator back on his belt.

  “Jake’s relieved to hear Toemeka’s safe and thanked me for the warning. He has scouts out, watching for soldiers. They haven’t made it to camp yet, but should be there in a few hours.”

  He handed them each a backpack and swung one onto his
shoulders.

  Toemeka put hers on and tightened the straps. It was heavy and she hoped they wouldn’t be traveling far as she was exhausted. She’d been on the move ever since arriving on Alandra.

  Benray gave them both flashlights and blasters, then started off at a fast clip. Michio fell into step behind him. Toemeka turned on the flashlight before following. A sharp rock sliced through her slippers and she winced in pain, wishing for hiking boots.

  The men kept a fast pace through the dense woods and Toemeka had trouble keeping up. Michio glanced back at her. “You’re getting too far behind. I’d better take the rear position.” He stopped and let her move ahead of him.

  “I’m sorry I can’t go any faster. This pack is heavy.”

  “You’re doing fine.”

  After a couple hours, Toemeka needed to rest and sat on a log. She slid off her backpack and rubbed her aching shoulders. “How much further is it, Benray?” she asked.

  He was standing guard, his eyes on the woods. “We’ll be walking most of the night.”

  “Heavenly stars. I can’t carry this much weight all night.”

  Michio unzipped her backpack. “Transfer some of your supplies to my pack.”

  “I can take some, too,” Benray said. The men divided some of the heavier items between them. Then they ate some meat jerky and nuts and washed it down with water before continuing the hike.

  Toemeka found it easier with a lighter load, but her slippers were wearing through in places and her feet hurt. Before long they left the forest and started climbing up a rocky, mountainous trail. The trees were sparse and she was glad it was night. If Cadmus sent aircraft looking for them, they’d be hard to spot in the dark.

  Later that night, while resting at a mountain stream, Toemeka filled up her water containers. Then she took off her slippers and soaked her bruised, bleeding feet in the cold water.

  Michio sat down beside her and looked at her slippers. “These are completely worn through in places. How are your feet?”