“Sergi, we are approaching the outer rings. You won’t want to miss this,” La’Rue said over the communication speaker.
He looked up and slid the staff into the deep pocket of the coat he was wearing. He paused in mid-turn. Turning back, he picked up a small, round disk from the bench. He thoughtfully twiddled the device between his fingers before he added it to his pocket as well.
Turning toward the door again, he exited the closet into the larger area of the storage bay. Striding down the corridor, he thought about their mission. If it was true that a Legion officer had journeyed to Plateau, then there was a real possibility that Julia, if she was here and had survived, was a prisoner of the Legion. If that was the case, then the mission would change from search and recovery to search and extraction. Fortunately, he was well trained in both procedures.
He entered the cockpit of the Star Runner and slid into the seat beside La’Rue. Grasping the straps, he fastened his safety harness. A soft whistle of appreciation slipped from him when he caught his first sight of the planet.
“It looks as if the rings are rotating at different velocities,” he observed.
“The rings are tidal-locked to each other and with the planet,” La’Rue explained as the Star Runner neared the brilliant blue and white world that reminded Sergi a little of Earth.
“I never imagined anything like this before,” Sergi admitted, gazing at the varied patterns of the rings.
“Plateau is a very unusual planet,” La’Rue agreed.
Sergi nodded, fascinated as they moved through the dense clusters of rings. Each of the rings was composed of different materials and was multi-layered. The rings were varied in depth, width and distance between each other, much like the rings of Saturn were back home. He noticed that La’Rue merged into the different layers through the intermittent dark spaces that formed in between them.
He warily noticed a boulder the size of their freighter heading toward them. He sat back and gripped the armrest on the co-pilot’s seat. Unable to stop himself, he lifted a hand toward the front screen as if to fend off the approaching boulder.
“La’Rue, …dusha moya, there is a boulder coming at us. Perhaps a little evasive maneuvering would be conducive to our continued existence,” he suggested through gritted teeth.
“Not yet,” she replied with a grin.
Sergi’s head was shaking in disagreement. “No, love, I think now would be a very, very good time,” he muttered.
“I can’t until the next space becomes available,” she said.
“We do not have time,” Sergi retorted in a choked voice.
He released Russian curses that grew louder and more elaborate the closer the boulder came toward them. His eyes widened when the impact alarm echoed in the cockpit of the freighter. He knew his knuckles had to be white as his fingers gripped the armrest. He fought the urge to close his eyes when the massive rotating boulder got closer and closer until everything else was blocked out of the view-screen.
“La’Rue!” Sergi hissed in alarm when the freighter reached the asteroid. “What the…?”
Sergi’s voice faded as they continued on … and passed through it. The whole asteroid was composed of space dust whose particles were loosely attracted to each other to form a seemingly solid mass. The dust collected together again after they passed. He shot La’Rue a heated glare when she snorted with laughter.
“I wish you could have seen your face,” she commented with an amused grin, still chortling a bit.
Sergi shook his head at her. “Remind me to whip your ass later,” he said.
“Promises, promises,” she laughingly teased even as her body heated at the idea. She flashed him an amused look. “You aren’t going to have a meltdown like you did yesterday, are you?”
The ‘meltdown’ that La’Rue was referring to was caused by his numerous defeats on an alien first-person game called Battle Sands. The game pitted players against each other as they chose different teams of alien warriors and fought their way through a variety of scenarios on different worlds. Each character was based on a real species and had their traits and capabilities. If he’d had any doubt that the Turbintans and the Torrians were fierce opponents in battle, he only needed to watch them in action in the game.
La’Rue had suggested the game. She said it would give him a better understanding of the different planets, the species who inhabited the worlds, the strengths and weaknesses of each species and their capabilities and probable tactics during a fight. Plus, she added, it helped to break up the monotony of the long flight. He learned very quickly what moves to look out for, but the game proved he still had a lot to learn.
“I did not have a meltdown. The virtual Turbintan was dead and should not have been able to attack again, and the poison hurt like hell. Virtual games should not come with pain. I still think that the game cheated,” he retorted with an exaggerated outraged expression reminiscent of a young child.
“The game doesn’t cheat. The pain is to keep you motivated not to lose – at least that was what Slate and Crock always told me. You just need to learn all the aliens’ battle strategies. The Gailock have the ability to regenerate damaged tissue,” she explained, referring to the orange-and-black-striped lizard-like species in the game. “The only ways to kill a Gailock are to cut through the main artery in their upper left thigh, remove their head, or burn them to ash. The problem is their blood is poisonous, so the first two methods are dangerous for the attacker. If they splatter blood on you, it’ll eat through your skin and enter your bloodstream. If you are lucky, you’ll only absorb a little and feel sick. If you get enough blood on you – well, you’re dead,” she informed him with another flash of amusement.
“I still think the game was rigged. I didn’t get as much blood on me as the first time and I still died,” he retorted. His expression changed when he looked through the side window of the freighter and watched another of the boulders they had passed through reform. “This is just incredible.” He shook his head.
She nodded. “In this layer you can pass through the boulders. In the second ring, the one closest to the planet, you can’t. If you try to do so, you’ll end up with a real boulder inside your freighter with you,” she warned.
He nodded, focusing on the planet below. Wispy white clouds dotted an otherwise vivid blue world. There was no evidence of land yet. Darker swirls of blue mixed with lighter shades and highlighted the ocean’s variations of depths.
“Where do all the people live?” Sergi asked. Then, as they emerged through the clouds, he got his first look at the islands floating above the ocean with their cloud halos. He said in a soft, stunned voice, “This is… magical. How is this possible?”
La’Rue shrugged. “Crock told me the rocks are lighter than air, they capture the rising gas pockets underneath them, and use the updrafts of oxygen from the water. I didn’t understand most of it. Of course, I was like you, more awed by just seeing all of this,” she admitted.
Sergi couldn’t help but wish the other members of the Gliese 581 crew were here. He knew all of them would be as fascinated as he was by the magnificent alien world in front of him. He leaned forward, to get a better look at them as La’Rue expertly guided the freighter between the floating islands, steering clear of the bridges that connected them.
“Plateau, this is the Tesla Terran freighter Star Runner requesting permission to land,” La’Rue said into her comlink.
“Welcome, Star Runner. Please follow the landing path. May your visit be bountiful,” the soft, feminine voice on the other end responded.
Sergi raised an eyebrow when a series of white lights flashed from one island to the next. In the distance he could see a flashing red light. He turned his head and watched from the side window as they passed huge rocks draped in abundant dark green foliage. Children paused as they crossed the connecting bridges to wave at them overhead.
Along the lower elevations of the floating islands, he could see buildings and structures carved int
o the black and gray cliffs. Staircases snaked back and forth as they wound around the islands’ contours to the upper levels. From what he could tell as they flew by, the residents lived primarily along the lower portions of the islands. Their buildings for businesses, government activities, meeting places, and parks were located higher above the residences. The elaborate terraces for agriculture and manicured areas of forest were at even higher elevations.
Long, thick tubular green vegetation spiraled down over the islands’ shores to the oceans below. From above, numerous waterfalls fell from fresh water rivers fed by the green tubes which siphoned and filtered the sea water to them. Lush, green fields were interspersed between thick forests and rising mountains.
“I should warn you that Plateau is primarily ruled by women,” she said while she guided the freighter in for a landing.
Sergi turned to look at her in surprise. “It is a matriarchal society? Do the women look down on their men?” he asked, looking back at the floating cities with a wary expression.
La’Rue chuckled and shook her head. “No, they don’t. There are more women than men on this world, but obviously the majority doesn’t always rule. Personally, I think it is because they are a nurturing people, and the women tend to pick up the characteristics to which Plateauans aspire more readily than men do,” she replied. La’Rue expertly rotated the freighter and gently set the spaceship down on the landing pad. She reached up and shut down the engines. “I really think it would be best if you stayed here. The people here know me and will be more willing to talk with me,” she finally said, turning to look at him with a pleading expression. “A stranger will cause more gossip, Sergi. If we want to locate your friend quickly, I think it would be best if we didn’t cause a scene.”
“La’Rue…,” Sergi started to argue before he unwillingly bit off the protest and nodded. “I will wait here. If you discover any information….”
“I’ll let you know immediately – I promise,” she reassured him, releasing her seat harness and turning to look at him with a relieved smile. “It shouldn’t take me long to find out if there is a stranger here.”
Sergi reluctantly nodded. “I’ll wait for you,” he said, releasing the harness to his seat and rising when she did. He reached out and gripped her arm to stop her. “Be careful, La’Rue.”
“Always,” she said with a crooked smile.
Sergi brushed his hand down along her cheek before releasing her. He followed her down the passage. He noted that she had replaced her antiquated blaster with two sleek Torrian laser pistols, one holstered on each hip.
She walked with a confident stride. He followed her down to the end of the corridor where it opened near the ladder which led to the lower level hatch. She turned and grabbed the handrail on each side and stepped onto the top rung. He stood next to the ladder.
“I should be gone a couple of hours. I’ve programmed HL-9 to scan for any ship arrivals or departures. He’ll let you know if anything is coming or going,” she said, looking up at him.
Sergi leaned forward and brushed a kiss along her lips. His hand slid along the collar of her jacket, his fingers skimming the soft exposed skin of her nape. He felt his body tighten at her immediate response.
“I’ll monitor the video feed as well,” he said.
He released her and stepped back as she descended the ladder. He watched the platform under the ship as it lowered. A moment later, she was gone. Turning, he retraced his steps back to the cockpit.
“H, show me the video feed,” Sergi ordered as he stepped back into the cockpit.
From the cockpit, he could see across the landing area. With the windows shielded, he could see out but others could not see inside. He slid into the captain’s seat and watched La’Rue’s progress via the small camera she had attached to the front of her jacket.
“H, activate the tracking device as well,” Sergi added.
That little device had not been a planned addition. He had suspicioned that La’Rue would insist on going alone despite his objections. He understood her reasoning and couldn’t deny her logic, but that didn’t mean he liked the idea or wanted to accept it. In the end, he had remained behind because he didn’t want to draw dangerous attention to La’Rue.
He could admit to himself now that he was in love with her. He’d never felt it before, but the signs were clear to him. The past few weeks alone with her had only increased his attraction and commitment to her. He reacted to her on an almost primitive level. There was an overwhelming need to protect her. His body responded to her nearness with a mind of its own, often leaving him hard and aching. He wanted to see her, touch her, hear her voice, and he craved her touch in return.
He enjoyed her sense of humor, intelligence, and sarcastic wit, but at times he felt an irrational fear, as if he might wake and she would be gone. He enjoyed the sound of her voice. The smooth, accented tones sent a wave of calmness through him, just as her laughter sent a wave of heat. He felt calm, balanced, in control when she was near.
“Now that I realize what I am feeling, H, how should I tell her of my sentiments?” Sergi mused, looking over at HL-9. “This is not something I have ever told a woman before.”
The little robot didn’t respond to his question. Sergi chuckled and shook his head. It would appear he was on his own in this matter. Refocusing his attention on the video screen, he watched the woman, who had broken through the walls encasing his heart, walk across an alien bridge straight out of a fantasy artist’s painting.
He sat forward, his eyes suddenly glued to the unfinished carving in the side of the massive black cathedral that came into view. Sculptors were still working on the statue of a woman standing next to the rectangular box. The upper portion of the female figure was standing tall and looking upward toward the stars, one hand raised as if pointing to where she had come from while her other hand rested on the faithfully carved statue of the Gliese 581 emergency pod.
“Julia,” Sergi murmured, his eyes transfixed on Julia’s serene carved face.
Chapter Nineteen
La’Rue drew in a deep breath as she watched the historians carve the new representations into the exterior of the Cathedral of History. She had been enthralled by the beauty of the structure the first time she had seen it. How the people of Plateau knew so much about what was going on elsewhere while they lived so remotely was beyond her. She imagined that much of their knowledge came from visitors like herself, but still, some of the carvings reflected events that she was pretty sure that she hadn’t even heard of yet.
She paused to ensure that Sergi could see what she was seeing. Her first impulse was to contact him, but she decided she needed more information first. Swallowing, she started down the path that led up to the front entrance. She climbed the stairs, and crossed the polished landing to the Cathedral’s massive doors that always stood open.
La’Rue stepped inside. She swore she could feel a surreal energy flowing through the building. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just one that spoke of things in the galaxy that she didn’t understand.
This was the first time she had ever actually stepped into the sacred site. She slowly walked down the center aisle of the nave. Everything inside was made of the same black stone that had formed the islands. The walls, pillars and floors were highly polished and contained swirls of gold, diamonds, emeralds, and other precious gems. She looked up as she passed under one of the massive arches that supported the upper levels.
She turned in a circle and carefully studied the ceiling. A colorful mural was painted in panels along it. It had scenes so life-like, she wished she could touch the panels to make sure they were really paintings. She studied the paintings for several seconds before she realized that Sergi wouldn’t be able to see what she was looking at. Sliding her hand up she unbuttoned her jacket and she tilted the camera so he could observe along with her as well.
“Sergi, are you getting this?” she murmured, her mind trying to process what she was seeing. “It’s the his
tory of the Ancient Knights.”
“I see it,” he replied.
She walked backwards, studying the stars painted above. She recognized them and the planet in the first panel – Jeslean. On the right side one panel appeared to be a star map while on the left side many panels showed scenes depicting the histories of the Ancient Knights. They looked different than she’d expected. They were tall, slender, and ethereal in stature. There were dozens of them in the paintings.
“You wish to know of the Ancient Knights?” a calm voice asked behind her.
La’Rue turned so fast that she became dizzy. Releasing her jacket, she lifted her hand to her head. It took a moment for her to realize who the woman standing in front of her actually was – Roanna, the matriarchal leader of Plateau. Unsure of what she should do, she bowed her head in greeting.
“The images are breathtaking. Greetings, Lady Roanna,” La’Rue added with an inner wince, realizing she should probably have said that first.
“You returned sooner than we expected, La’Rue. I cannot help but wonder what cargo you have – or hope to take back with you,” Roanna said.
La’Rue looked up at Lady Roanna when she heard the slight sound of amusement in the other woman’s voice. A rueful smile curved her lips. “Can you read minds?” La’Rue asked impulsively.
Roanna smiled and motioned with her hand for La’Rue to walk with her. The lack of a response made La’Rue a little uneasy. She wondered if it were possible to make her mind go completely blank or if she should start counting or use some other method just in case. Those ideas faded when Roanna began to speak.
“The Ancient Knights came to this world to observe and share their knowledge. They were great explorers and fierce warriors. But, most important of all, they were a people of science,” Lady Roanna shared.