by Trevor Gregg
Joraq spoke immediately, “You have gained what you sought, and now have no reason to be here. Depart, and do it now.”
“Where’s Elarra?” Kyren demanded
“She shall remain here with me. It was her choice,” Joraq replied.
“Bullshit! Now where is she?”
“She shall remain here, I have spoken and it is so,” she said angrily.
The crowd shifted, and suddenly angry eyes were on them.
“Okay, no need to get testy,” Kyren said, spreading his arms and backing away. “You want us gone, let us call our ship. Don’t shoot her down, let her pick us up. If we have to leave the way we came in, we’ll have to deal with Arkanon. Please, give us that much, I beg.”
“Very well, I can grant that much. Call your ship, and I shall allow its passage,” Joraq assented.
“Awesome, thanks,” he lied. “Can we go search for a suitable landing location?”
“Fine,” Joraq said, turning to go.
Kyren waited until she was fully out of earshot before facing Alis and Benjam, “I’ve bought us some time, and some freedom of movement. I’ve already spotted a landing site. There’s a courtyard two buildings west of the bunker where we stayed, it should be big enough for Isa. Alis, radio her please.”
Alis extracted her comm and raised Isa. A brief conversation and Alis put away the comm unit.
“She’ll be here in approximately thirty-seven minutes,” Alis informed them.
“Alright, get back here before Isa reaches us and be ready to bail,” he instructed, then dashed back into the compound.
He had a good idea where she might be, he knew. There had been another cinder-block building they had passed. The signs had indicated it was a security facility of some sort. Security facilities had jail cells. That was the only place Elarra could be if she hadn’t been with them. He made his way through the facility to the security building.
Stalking closer, he spotted two guards outside. No other choice, he thought grimly as he unslung his rifle. Two quick bursts and the unsuspecting nar'raxi guards went down.
Kyren dashed inside the building, bringing his weapon to bear on another guard. The nar'raxi drew a club but Kyren cut him down. He sprinted down the hall to a bank of cells. Sure enough, there was Elarra in the third cell.
“Stand back,” he warned as he took aim on the primitive mechanical locking mechanism.
He fired and the streams of energy disintegrated the lock. He slid the bars back and beckoned.
“Kyren, this’ll never work. She’ll stop us,” Elarra warned.
“Doesn’t matter, we’ve got to try. Isa’s on her way.”
He led her back out, weapon at the ready, but they encountered no more guards. Sprinting through the campus, they made it back to the rendezvous point. And the plaza was filled with nar'raxi. And at the center, Joraq, standing with Alis, the short vibro-blade held menacingly above Alis’ head by a nar'raxi.
He stepped forward into the plaza, weapon pointed down at the ground. Every muscle was tensed. This was one fucked up situation. The crowd would be on him in moments if Joraq commanded. He’d fare no better than Utien. But what else could he do?
“Kyren, wait, don’t,” Elarra called from behind him. “Joraq, I will stay, do not harm my friends.”
Elarra strode past Kyren and up to Joraq, who grinned ruthlessly.
“Wait, Elarra, what are you doing?” he questioned, placing his hand on her shoulder as she passed.
“Kyren, I can’t leave. Not if you, Alis, and Benjam are going to. It is the only way,” she responded somberly.
“But what about our quest? What are we supposed to do? You’re the one who can see the future,” he pleaded.
This couldn’t be happening. What were they going to do? How could they find a way to stop the Kirugi without the one who could see it?
“You will have to figure the next part out on your own, I’m afraid. I don’t go with you, it would seem. I’m not in any of the future-past videos. This next trial is your own, Kyren. Just come back for me when you’re done, okay?” Elarra said somberly, striding away.
Joraq waved off the nar'raxi threatening Alis and motioned for her to join Kyren. Benjam came squirming through the crowd to join them, as well.
“What is going on?” Benjam squeaked, his small voice belying the terror he was obviously feeling.
“We’re leaving Elarra behind,” Kyren said, the words choking in his throat.
Just then a low boom rolled over the jungle, and the sound of rocket engines began to rumble over them in waves. Tremendous wind kicked up as Isa’s form shadowed the plaza.
Nar’raxi ran in all directions, fleeing the landing ship. Kyren squinted his eyes against the tremendous wind. Moments later, Isa settled down with a thunk. The ramp extended from the side and the airlock sprang open.
“Go, get inside now,” he pushed Alis and Benjam toward Isa’s waiting portal.
He strode to Joraq and Elarra, “Joraq, this isn’t done. I’ll be back.”
“Indeed you will, boy,” Joraq replied. “And when you do, it’ll be your death.”
“Elarra, goodbye for now,” Kyren said bending and clasping her to him. He whispered in her ear, “I’ll be back for you, in force, okay?”
She smiled at him and nodded, “Go. Find the Traveler and the future-past.”
24
The Traveler
“Okay, so the starting point was a system called Viracaros,” Kyren recalled. “Bring it up, Isa, and I’ll see what I can recognize.”
He spent the next few minutes manipulating the starcharts to locate the path he had memorized, all the while Isa categorized each step.
“From there we should be able to pick up some sort of signal. An energy reading, or something, Joraq indicated,” he explained.
“The trip will take several days from where we are. Quite a few jumps, many hours of sub warp travel, and not many gates in between,” Isa informed them.
“So we just leave Elarra behind? Go find this Traveler and what? Pick her up later?” Benjam squeaked in consternation.
“Yes. Although I have no idea how we’ll manage it, we’ll free her. First we’ve got to find the Traveler. We have no other choice,” he said.
“So what the hell is this Traveler, anyway. You haven’t explained,” Alis complained.
“I have no idea, honestly. Not sure what to expect, I mean, beyond a being that can bridge time. Pretty bizarre, really, so let’s just get it over with. The sooner we do this the sooner we can get back to Elarra,” Kyren suggested.
“I agree,” Benjam piped.
“Isa, follow the course,” Kyren instructed, then went and fished out the data core. “Let’s finish the messages.”
He slotted the core in and queued up what appeared to be the final message. Video Kyren flickered to life.
“By now you know Elarra isn’t coming with you. You’ll have to figure out a way to get her after all of this, but for now concentrate on what is ahead. Time is going to pass, much time is going to pass.”
“Okay, well that wasn’t particularly helpful,” Alis remarked.
“I’m sorry what can I say? Well, let’s see if I redeem myself with the giant robot file,” Kyren answered.
He opened the file and there was single string of text. Letters and numbers, probably an access code.
“Alis, grab that code, I’m sure we’ll need it when we get the giant robot.”
He scanned the core but there didn’t appear to be anything else contained within. Or rather, nothing he could read, he couldn’t be certain it was entirely empty, being alien in design. Crestfallen, he extracted it and stowed it away.
The journey to the Trifid nebula’s star forming region was long and dreary. They ate and slept and went about their lives. The mood was somber, conversation negligible, until they reached the nebula.
“I’m detecting a region of newly formed stars ahead. We’re nearly at the center of the nebula now,” Isa inform
ed them.
“Okay Isa, just keep your sensors out, we’re looking for an energy signal or some sort of anomaly,” Kyren replied.
“Scanning now,” Isa acknowledged.
She scanned for many minutes before admitting, “Not picking anything up, you guys, very sorry.”
Kyren was despondent, he had no idea what to say or do, “I guess we just keep at it.”
“Let’s move deeper into the star cluster, perhaps there will be less interference from the nebula, the stellar winds from the young stars should have cleared the space between,” Tharox suggested.
It still surprised Kyren hearing Tharox’s voice. He continually forgot he was there, a disembodied voice like Isa.
“Let’s go then,” he concurred.
They spent more time moving deeper into the cluster, the stars burning bright in the viewscreen. Then he spotted it, one that was pulsing, thrumming at a constant rhythm.
“What’s there?” he asked, pointing.
“Variable star? No, it was blinking. Neutron star? No, too slow. Something else then? A galactic beacon?” Benjam asked, seeming intrigued.
“Setting course now,” Isa informed them, then they warped.
His head cleared and he stared at the screen. There was a massive space station before them, a tremendous ring surrounding a massive crystal. It was refracting the light of the star behind it and causing the lighthouse effect as it rotated.
“What is that?” Alis asked in wonder.
It looked almost organic, like roots growing around a pipe, all of the conduit and raceway adorning the outer shell.
“Well looks like there’s an airlock,” Tharox rumbled, the screen illuminating a circle around the feature.
“Great, let’s get this over with,” Kyren proposed.
Isa made for the airlock, and in short order they were linked up.
“Grab your stuff you guys, we don’t know how long this’ll take,” Kyren said, hoisting his duffel bag.
“Isa, if we’re not back soon, then goodbye for now,” Alis said.
“Goodbye Alis,” Tharox and Isa both replied in unison, then chuckled.
“I wish I could hug you,” Benjam said sadly.
“It’s alright Benjam, I know how you feel, and I feel the same,” Isa said, blinking her lights for effect.
They spent a few more moments on goodbyes, then made their way to the airlock.
“Atmosphere reads breathable, no toxins or foreign microbial agents detected,” Alis reported at the airlock control panel.
“Follow me,” he said, not quite as sure of himself as he sounded.
The airlock door slid open and they entered the station. The first thing he noted was the scent of flowers. They advanced down a nondescript corridor, toward a hatch at the end. The hatch sprung open with a hiss as they approached, light flickering on just beyond.
They entered the station, Kyren stepping through first, rifle at the ready. The pristine white corridors were empty, devoid of all, including sound. He motioned and the others came through behind.
“Where to now?” squeaked Benjam.
“Not sure,” he replied, just before he spotted it, a small flutter of color.
There, a flitting shape, marigold yellow, it appeared to be a butterfly. But as it drew closer, he could see the elongated, shimmering body. It wasn’t a butterfly, it was a serkin. It flitted past and continued on down the hall.
“I think that’s the way,” he said, pointing after it.
They followed the serkin for some ways, twisting and turning, Kyren keeping mental note on the return route. They came out into a large atrium, vaulted dome ceiling revealing the nebula and bright new stars in all their glory. As the serkin flew toward the foliage at the center he saw it erupt into color as hundreds upon hundreds of serkins fluttered and then settled back down.
As he approached they took flight, a swirling tornado of color. Before his eyes they began to flow into a shape, forming the semblance of a face.
“Welcome, Kyren. You will come to know me, in another form, as I have known you,” the face spoke, a rich female voice forming out of nowhere.
“Um, hi,” he replied cautiously.
“Greetings Alis and Benjam, welcome to my vessel. I can help you reach your destination, I can help you travel, for I am the Traveler,” the voice continued.
“So where will you help us go?” Kyren asked.
“You have many light years to traverse, and many millennia to journey through. I require something in return from you, Kyren,” the Traveler spoke somberly.
“What do you need?” Kyren asked tentatively.
Dammit, what was this gonna cost? He had so little left, he didn’t know what a creature like this could want.
“I require a memory. Not just any memory, but memory of a loved one, of one who was dear to you,” it replied.
“Okay, what memory?” he asked.
“The memory of your brother, Kyren. I shall consume it and it will be no more.”
“What?! I can’t… that’s not… but, I… no!” he responded, flabbergasted.
How could he give up Athar’s memory? Was it worth it?
“And there’s no other way?” he queried, dreading the answer.
“None,” the Traveler affirmed.
How could he do it? His memory was all he had. He remembered them rough-housing as small boys, earning the ire of their mother. That was before she had fallen ill and died. After, Athar had been his caretaker, providing for him, teaching him, raising him.
He remembered fondly their days together, Athar teaching him how to fight. Athar teaching him why to fight. Lazy days swimming in the canal or stealing kebabs from Morke the meat vendor, they had spent the years growing up together, learning to survive the mean streets of Magar City. Always together.
In the end he knew Athar would be proud of him, would be proud of how he stood up for his friends, stood up for innocents. He knew he would approve, and Kyren knew it would be okay. His guilt for his brother’s death evaporated like steam. He realized he made some foolish mistakes but his brother would have let him off the hook, so he realized he should do the same for himself.
“Yes, keep going,” the Traveler crooned, as Kyren felt a strange sensation.
He felt as if his head were underwater, gently sloshing back and forth. Sound became muffled as Alis and Benjam looked on in concern. Then it passed and he shook his head, reorienting himself.
“Kyren, are you okay,” Alis said.
He realized he was leaning against her.
Getting his feet underneath him, he replied “yeah, I’m okay now. What happened?”
“Your memory, that thing was going to take your memory.”
“What memory?”
“Your brother’s memory,” she replied.
“Brother, I don’t have a brother,” he replied, puzzled.
He’d never mentioned a brother to Alis, why did she think he had one?
“I shall open the portal now,” the Traveler spoke ominously. “You shall journey seventeen-thousand years, two-hundred-sixty-seven days into the past.
The air shimmered before them and the lights dimmed. A rift in space opened and tore into a jagged portal. The scene beyond showed a long, broad beach lit by moonlight, waves lapping gently up the shore. Kyren instantly recognized it as the beach in the vision Joraq had shown him.
“C’mon, let’s get through before something happens,” Kyren suggested, moving for the portal.
He stepped through, squinting, expecting something to happen, expecting to at least feel something. But nothing, no sensation, one second he was aboard the pristine station, the next he was just standing on the beach in the moonlight. Alis and Benjam followed hesitantly.
He glanced back to ask the Traveler a question, but the portal was already gone.
25
Azoria
Three pale moons hung in the sky in various phases, illuminating the beach they stood upon. The sand stretched dozens of
yards in either direction, so gently sloping it was nearly flat. The water from a wave was propelled up the sand, ceasing forward motion and rolling back to the sea inches from Kyren’s feet. It was exactly as Joraq had shown him.
“Where do you think we are, Kyren?” Alis asked.
Before he could respond he heard a warning cry and several barked orders in an alien tongue. Galloping onto the beach were several riders on the backs of large horse-like creatures. The beasts were septupedal, long equine face ending in a prehensile trunk. They thundered towards them, the riders coming into view as well.
The riders were tall and slender, broad shoulders and arched backs. They had dark blue skin, bald heads, and oblong eyes with small mouths and nostrils. They wore simple clothing in muted natural colors. Kyren’s instinct was to draw his gun and start blasting. Their aggressive approach raised his hackles. But he held firm, there was no sense making an enemy their first few seconds here. Wherever here was.
“Hold, don’t react, just hold,” Kyren commanded.
As the riders drew near, he saw them reach for something, drawing out what appeared to be a tangle of cords. No, wait, a net? The lead rider came within throwing distance and release what he now realized was a net. It expanded and sailed toward him, but he didn’t attempt to dodge, he just let it envelop him. He knew this was happening as in the vision Joraq had shown him.
The weight of the net took him from his feet. The alien dismounted in an acrobatic leap and landed upon him, driving the air from his lungs. He spotted the other two riders leaping onto their targets as well. He heard Benjam squeak and Alis grunt and curse.
He was roughly lifted and slung over the back end of the mount, rider leaping on again and spurring the creature into motion. He spotted Alis and Benjam hanging off the backs of the other two mounts.
Keeping silent but aware, he watched as they rode on, up the gently sloping hillside just beyond the beach. After a couple minutes of riding, the grassy terrain gave way to stone pavers. He spotted stone buildings, massive columns and wide causeways as they rode through this new moonlit city.