Star Guild: Episodes 4, 5 & 6 (Star Guild Saga) Read online

  He shrugged and went over to a drawer, opened it and pulled out a file full of small, thin infovids. He grabbed it, read the title Ebb Quarries, and slipped it into his pocket.

  Opening the door, he walked down the hall, seeing Nyx working busily at her desk. “Did you drop it off safely?” she asked without looking up.

  “I did.” He walked past her, heading toward the door.

  She reached out and touched his wrist. “Aren't you forgetting something?”

  “Our date.”

  She laughed. “I knew you'd play hard to get. You were going to just walk out and leave me high and dry?”

  He sat on the side of her desk. “Okay, I'm thinking that we go to—”

  A strange beep sounded from her desk's HDC. She put up a finger. “Hold that thought.” She pressed a button. “Yes, Prime Director Zim Nocki's office. How may I be of assistance?”

  “Hi, Nyx. This is Zim.”

  She looked at Chase for a moment, then back at the screen. “Someone of importance is here, Prime Director. Let me escort him out and then I can help you.”

  “Who is it?” responded Zim.

  Nyx smiled brightly. “It's my father. I'll just be a second.”

  Father? thought Chase. Why is she making things up?

  Nyx stood up, walked around her desk and grabbed Chase's hand. Chase suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach—flutters he hadn't felt in a long, long time. He took a deep breath as she pulled him gently along toward the door until she stopped and looked up at him. “My home com link will be waiting in your HDC messages at your office. Please give me a call.”

  Chase licked his lips, having the strangest, most desirable need to touch her, to give her a kiss. But why? He'd just met her. This feeling was abnormal. She let go of his hand and touched his chest, feeling the beat of his heart against her palm. A euphoric feeling washed through him, making him want to hold her even more, to feel her against him. She either had magic hands or the sensation was real. He couldn't care less, though. He was lost, swimming in ecstasy.

  She opened the door, dropping her hand from his chest. “I look forward to our date, Chase.”

  He smiled and dipped his head. “Me too.”

  He exited the building and walked down the sidewalk in the direction of the hovertrain, noticing that everything he looked at seemed to sing. Even the obscenities and angry man down the street was yelling seemed like poetry streaming from his mouth. He looked at a baby being held by a mother on a bench. They both seemed to glow with beauty.

  He took a deep breath and smiled. He'd jump up and down if he weren't in public. He slapped his hands together, wanting to skip all the way to the hovertrain station like a child. Then he felt the edge of the infovid in his pocket. He had to stay focused for his uncle. He had to be the political machine defending the people. He’d sworn an oath when he took office.

  But, the thought of Nyx entered his mind again. He grinned, taking in another deep breath, feeling the fresh air around him inflating his lungs. Had it always been this fresh on Matrona? He reached into his pocket to touch the file, just to make sure nothing was falling out. But, he felt a sudden flash of heat pierce his forearm, and then a sting run to his wrist.

  He wheeled around, not by his own will, but by the power of the sudden pain. He saw a flash of red blood streak in front of him. Where did that come from? He glanced at his arm. It was his blood. A thin bead of smoke was rising from his forearm while oozing blood. He tried to move it, but searing pain caused him to drop it by his side.

  Then another pain zapped his shoulder. It was the same burning, the same stinging sensation he had just felt seconds ago.

  A blue beam streaked in front of him, singeing a plant next to the sidewalk.

  He dropped to the ground. His leg had stopped working. He didn't know why until he looked at it. It had been hit as well. Looking around, he saw even more blood splattered on the sidewalk. He went to grab his leg, but was hit in the hip. He rolled to the side, cringing in pain.

  A terrible scream erupted all around, making him want to cover his ears, but any movement scorched pain through his body, immobilizing him.

  The scream erupted again, making him want to shout for it to stop. The horrible sound penetrated every cell in his body. He managed to move his head to find the source and saw Nyx running at him with a scream horn held to her mouth. Chase knew they were designed to non-violently disable an attacker, but they were usually used as college pranks or jokes at a party—an unwelcome joke.

  Another blue beam fired from somewhere, hitting Nyx on her side, flinging her from the sidewalk to the street. Chase went numb, losing all control. His head fell back. “No,” he whispered. “Help Nyx. Someone help...” His voice faded as he laid motionless, pain coursing through his body. He had never known such pain. His body was incapacitated and he just wanted it to be over. Please, just end me quickly. Please. He welcomed more phaser fire, hoping it would hit the mark to ease him ever so quickly out of his damaged body.

  His eyes were closing in a final farewell, but then he remembered Nyx. She had tried to save him. He forced his eyelids open, trying to do everything within his power to keep them open, to stay alive, to move over to Nyx and lay on top of her, shielding her against more phaser beams. He had to somehow make her safe. He had to get up. He could do it. It would be his last move, his last good deed.

  He screamed inside of his head, trying to will his body to move, but nothing happened. All he could do was stare at the glow of lights on this level of Sphere 8 shining down on him, until they started to fade, his vision weakening. He let go of his desire to get up, even his desire to help Nyx, as the darkness began to swallow him. Then all went black.

  ∞

  Thomas Berard, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, strolled along barefoot in the grass with his hands folded behind his back, deep in thought. Eden, walking by his side, wondered what this man was thinking. A screech from the palm trees in the distance pulled her attention to a large bird, white and round, that flew off in a hurry toward the long canyon.

  Everything around her was magical, although not as colorful and bright as the biosphere on Matrona, but very close. She had to remind herself that she was on a planet, not a biosphere, something that was previously inconceivable to her. Within her concept of reality, she could never have imagined a planet like this. She had only seen the desert of Lumus and had been told that most planets were plain, lifeless, and not to be explored.

  A snake slithered in front of them, large and green with a purple diamond-like design on its head. Eden stopped, a little startled, and watched it slide under a large fern. Thomas put his hand in front of her, gently waving it up and down, and then placed it behind his back again.

  Confused, Eden almost laughed. “Why did you do that?”

  “I dissipated the energy. Snakes can smell and taste fear,” he said. “So please, don't be afraid. There’s nothing here that will hurt you.” He gestured with his hand. “Continue to walk with me.”

  “I haven't seen many people here, at least not with their hoods down.”

  Thomas glanced at her, his blue eyes matching his smile. Although his face looked young, his voice and, more importantly, his mind were much older. He was wise and radiated a sense of peace about him that Eden had never before encountered. “May we sit?” he enquired.

  Eden nodded and watched as Thomas sat cross legged on the grass. She sat on the side of her hip, feeling the soft grass underneath.

  Thomas patted her thigh. “You must learn to sit like this.” He touched his own thighs. “It stretches and strengthens your core, thus strengthening your solar plexus.” He touched just above his stomach, indicating the location of the solar plexus.

  Eden had never heard of that term before, but remained silent, thinking that for the moment it didn’t matter what she knew or didn't know. She crossed her legs and gazed up at the sky, enjoying some yellow rays of sun glistening between the branches of palm trees.

  �
��To answer your question,” he cupped his hands in his lap, “there are many people on this planet, yet not as many as you're probably used to. Approximately nine hundred thousand people occupy your starbase. Aurora, my planet, houses nearly one hundred thousand humans–all of whom are initiates or members of the Eighth Order of the Melchizedek, an order of priests and priestesses who were the Magi of old, and known to you as the Knights Templar.”

  She gave a tentative smile and wistfully tilted her head to one side. “I can hardly believe that you exist, that the Knights Templar really exists!” She shook her head. “I’ve never heard of the Melchizedek or the Magi, but as kids, we used to act like you guys, pretending we were using magic and flying around in our imaginary space crafts.”

  Thomas swept his long chestnut brown hair behind his ears. “And, did you create any magic?”

  “Sure,” she replied. “Sometimes I'd act like I shot lasers out of my hands and at my friends, and they’d fall to the ground and fake like they were dead. That's about it.” She giggled. “But, I don't know if that's the kind of magic you're referring to.”

  “A child's magic is very powerful. We call it ImagiNation—knowledge from the Magi nation mixed with creativity. It's fun, harmless, and limitless.”

  Distracted by movement in some palm leaves above, Eden missed the significance of Thomas’ play on words, instead choosing to watch two birds flapping and squawking at each other, jump, and take flight. Then she pulled her gaze back to Thomas. “All of our Prime Directors have told us that humans and animals can't live on planets, that through all of the galaxies that the first Star Guild aviators explored, they could never find a planet safe enough for us to inhabit.” She shook her head, staring at her hands. “It doesn't surprise me that they were wrong. I wish I would have followed my own instincts. I could’ve been exploring space and maybe found a place like this.” She sighed. “They said we'd lived on Starbase Matrona since the birth of our race.”

  Trying a different tact, Thomas nodded. “Do you believe that?”

  “I have my doubts. So do a lot of us.”

  “Why do you have your doubts?”

  Eden shrugged. “I just do. It's a feeling, I guess. It also doesn't make any sense. How can we just come into existence out of thin air—and on a starbase?”

  “Your history suggests the birth of your race was on Starbase Matrona a little over 800 years ago, correct?”

  Eden nodded. “Yes.”

  Thomas pointed to his chest. “I'm here, right now, on this planet—Aurora—and if the birth of the human race started on your starbase, then how is it that I exist?”

  Eden's thoughts froze as she ran her hands through her hair. After a pause, she said, “That's what I mean. I have my doubts.” She looked away. “What the myths say is that the Templars were born on Starbase Matrona, until they flew off and left us.”

  “Is there more to that myth?” asked Thomas.

  Eden took a deep breath, thinking, then tilted her head sideways. “No, not really, other than you used magic, were defenders of the galaxy, and ran away because of a difference of opinion with the Prime Director at that time. There really isn't much else, except children's stories about you guys and gals fighting bandits and evil space aliens, of course.”

  Thomas rendered a strange look, then rolled his eyes and tapped on her knee. “Can we put these stories to rest and deliver the truth?”

  She looked down at her knee to see a small crystal, orb shaped and dark blue in color. She touched it and looked at Thomas. “What's this for?”

  “It's for you. It's called a dragon's egg. It’s charged with what you call magic and helps one to think from a higher perspective. It tunes your natural antenna to receive inspiration and quickens thought receptivity. He leaned forward, running his hand along her hair, indicating that her hair was a sort of antenna. “In other words, wear this and you'll be able to think more clearly, understanding concepts much faster.”

  She grasped it in her hand. “Thank you.” It was warm and smooth to the touch. “But dragons are myths as well, aren’t they?”

  Thomas shook his head. “Dragons are real. These crystallized dragon eggs are thousands of years old and found on a planet called Drakonis. Very few possess them. Consider yourself blessed.”

  Eying the beautiful egg, Crystal ran her finger over its surface. There’s another planet out there and it’s called Drakonis! She slipped the crystal into her pocket and said, “I'll cherish this forever.”

  “That is my hope.” He took a deep breath, focusing on her hazel blue eyes. “And now, let’s talk about truth.”

  Eden nodded, feeling almost giddy because of the comfort she felt by being in his presence. He was almost like a grandfather, even though he looked her age, somewhere in his twenties, and he was more attractive than anyone she'd ever met. She would be surprised if most women didn't fall in love with him at first sight.

  “Starbase Matrona arrived in the Circinus Galaxy a little over 800 years ago, orbiting around planet Lumus. Matrona originated in a galaxy far away, on planet Gaia, as did its human occupants. The Magi, later called the Knights Templar, was the name for the members of the Great Brotherhood of Light on Gaia. The Knights Templar followed Matrona in an attempt to change its course back to Gaia.”

  Eden fidgeted with her arm, creasing her brow. “What?”

  He took a deep breath, eying Eden. “There’s a lot to explain, more so than I can do in one sitting. Just know that your race was high-jacked physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and then taken to Lumus for a specific purpose that was not to your benefit.”

  Eden furrowed her brow even more. “By who? I don't understand.”

  He lowered his head and picked at some grass. “I'm sorry. This is a lot, I know.” He gazed into her eyes. “In order to understand, you must first realize that there is a lot to question about your Prime Director. Prime Directors, in general, aren't on Matrona for your wellbeing. They are there for the benefit of their own race. My band of Knights tried to stop them 800 years ago. We weren't fully aware of our own origins within the intergalactic order called the Great Brotherhood of Light, and because of that we didn't understand the full range of subtle energies within the universes. We eventually made a costly mistake and lost thousands of Knights, almost wiping the Templars out of existence. That's when we fled and came here to Aurora—a stronghold of the Great Brotherhood of Light.”

  Eden scratched her jaw. “Um...wait. Back up. What do you mean their race?”

  Thomas stood up, extending his hand to help Eden to her feet. “Come. I have something to show you.”

  ∞

  Crystal edged around a boulder, doing her best to keep her Mech concealed. Daf's Mech was hiding just behind her and they were getting closer to Starship Sirona. The dark sky was bursting with glaring lights from firing ion cannons and flames shooting around Sirona, explosions battering both starship and enemy starfighters.

  “Sirona's getting the hell kicked out of her, Crystal!” yelled Daf over the com link.

  I know, dummy. “Just follow me. We're coming around the back of it.” Crystal and Daf were standing 100 feet or so above Starship Sirona on a rock plateau that extended in a straight line for miles. The ship was at the base of the plateau about a mile away.

  “Daf,” uttered Crystal. “You see how low the plateau drops behind the back of Sirona?”

  “Sort of. I don't know if I can see that far.”

  “Well, when we get there, we're going to jump down from the plateau and land behind Sirona. Got it?”

  “Uh... hell no!”

  “Trust me on this, Daf!”

  On the other end of the com link, Crystal knew Daf was shaking her head and cursing, maybe even flipping her the bird. Silence hung in the air until Daf's voice finally came over the com link. “Whatever you say, Chief.”

  A cough startled Crystal. She dropped her eyes to the doctor. “Hang in there. We'll get you into a Suficell Pod soon enough.”

&nb
sp; He was hanging onto the HDC console, much like Daf had done until she had gotten her own Mech. Jerrod smiled, giving her a thumbs up. “Just get us safely inside of Sirona so we can get out of here. Then I'll be happy.”

  Crystal smiled, hiding her displeasure about the whole thing. The attack, the frantic escape from what she ultimately assumed would be death, and then always carrying a passenger. The first two were simply hell, but being in charge of another person's life was even worse. She withheld a sigh and shifted her Mech around another boulder, pressing her Mech into a fast run. She glanced at her HDC. “How much time until we reach Starship Sirona?”

  4 minutes blinked on her HDC. We've got to pick up the pace.

  “Daf, you on my six?”

  “Am I on your what?”

  Crystal rolled her eyes, something she found herself doing a lot around Daf. “Are you right behind me?”

  “Yes, but look who—” Daf's com link fizzled out.

  That wasn't good. Crystal turned her Mech’s torso around expecting the worst, and when she saw Daf's Mech she froze. “Dammit!”

  Daf was being assaulted by several giant humanoids, still masked in their frightening green and gray suits, shooting laser fire from their spears that singed the armor of Daf's Mech, but the armor still held.

  Crystal moved her Mech faster than she'd ever pushed one before, eying her HDC’s heat sensor’s blinking red light. “Jump!” she ordered. The Mech lurched forward, pushing off with its legs and soaring into the sky to its maximum twenty-two foot jumping capacity. On the way down, Eden saw laser fire shooting up at her from two humanoids next to Daf. No matter, they were conveniently standing side by side so she squashed them both by landing feet first on the head of one and bringing both fists down on the head of the other. Great! She stepped off the lumpy bodies and her next thought was about Jerrod. He was still gripping the HDC, cringing from ankle pain.