Worlds Without End: The Mission (Book 1)

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  A few moments later, after Celeste had taken her mother to her room, she entered the conference room. There, at the head of the enormous crystal conference table, sat her father in his black leather chair. On Koroan's left sat Dorange, and on his right sat General Thourad and General Ochalt. In front of her father was a computer terminal, which he immediately closed flat with the table the moment Celeste entered the room. Koroan and his three stooges stood. "Ah, there she is ? my beautiful princess. Come. Join us," said Koroan, as he motioned for Celeste to sit at the other end of the table. When she sat, Koroan's three cronies sat as well.

  Celeste was relieved a little. At least her father wasn't angry, yet. But one could never tell with Koroan Chast.

  Koroan placed his hands behind his back and walked toward Celeste. He stood behind her, placed both of his hands on her shoulders, and began massaging them.

  There was a time when Celeste would have enjoyed a little fatherly affection from Koroan, but not today, not anymore.

  Koroan leaned down and quietly whispered into her ear. "Celeste, my dear, we know."

  Celeste felt her whole body stiffen and shivers ran down her spine. She knew that her father felt it as well. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Know what?" she asked.

  Koroan laughed, and so did his stooges. "Ah, Celeste. Do you not know what I am referring to?" he asked as he resumed his seat at the other end of the table.

  Celeste glanced at Dorange, who still had a smug smile on his face. "No," she said.

  Dorange laughed as well as the other two generals, but Koroan cut them off. "Come now, my dear. You hold a high position in my government, and you have no idea why the generals and I are so happy?"

  Celeste was frustrated now. Why wouldn't her father just get to the point and call her out?

  "Honestly, Father, I have no idea what you know."

  Koroan threw his head back in laughter. Upon doing so, his three ducklings did too. Celeste almost laughed as well, but not because her father was laughing, but because whatever her father did, the other three followed.

  Her father's face grew serious again, and he focused his gaze on Celeste. "My, how I wish I could read your mind right now. I do not know if you are being honest with me or not. Or maybe you really do not know what I am speaking of?"

  No ? don't do it, thought Celeste.

  Koroan Chast had never had Mind Inhibitors inserted. For some reason, he had developed the ability to block any other Gnol from probing his mind or using their powers against him. Koroan was the first Gnol, at least that Celeste knew of, with the ability to do it.

  "Nevertheless," Koroan continued. "I will not demand you take out your inhibitors because you are my daughter, and I trust you." He paused and then looked directly into Celeste's eyes.

  Celeste wanted to look away, but she knew if she did, her father would know she was hiding something.

  "If you were one of my subordinates, I would demand that you take out your inhibitors," Koroan said. "But do not worry, my dear. I believe that you really do not know what I am talking about."

  Celeste cleared her throat and straightened herself in her seat. "Well, then, Father, why don't you enlighten me, so we can quit playing this game?"

  Koroan smiled and looked at his three generals. "You see, gentlemen; this is why she will succeed me as queen to our people."

  Dorange squirmed in his chair at the mention of Celeste as queen.

  Koroan continued. "She wants to get to the point. There are no mind games with her."

  If you only knew, Celeste thought.

  "She knows what she wants, and she gets it," said Koroan, smiling with pride at his daughter. "Well, she will get what she wants." He leaned on his elbows and placed his hands underneath his chin. "Celeste, we know where the rebel base is."

  Celeste tried not to show her surprise. In a way, she was relieved that he wasn't suspicious of her, yet she felt a deep sadness knowing that her father knew where her friends were located. She gained her composure and responded. "Really ? Father, I am so happy for you. You have been trying to find those wretched rebels for so long. I am curious, though. How did you find it?"

  Koroan just smiled at his daughter. He stood again and walked over to the refreshment table that was on Celeste's left, about ten feet away. On the table were various fruits and vegetables that Koroan and his generals enjoyed whenever there were important matters to discuss. There were also various wines and ales that were to Koroan's liking.

  Koroan grabbed two goblets that were located next to the wines. He poured one of the wines into the two glasses. Sipping from one glass, he looked at the portrait, which hung on the wall behind the refreshment table. It had been given to him by a faithful Gnol. The portrait portrayed Koroan riding down from the clouds in a chariot pulled by fiery horses with revenge in their eyes. Koroan was adorned in the very robe and cape he was wearing now. On the ground of the portrait were the Terrestrians, which were portrayed as devilish and deceitful. The Terrestrians were being destroyed by lightning bolts thrown by the so-called savior of the Gnols.

  Koroan grabbed the other goblet he had filled, turned, and walked toward Celeste. He placed the goblet in front of her. Celeste shook her head. "You know, Father, that I do not drink anything that will inhibit my mind, which this alcohol does."

  Koroan laughed. "Oh yes, that is right. For some reason, someone has taught you this. I do not know who. Nevertheless, you know that this is the royal drink of our goddess mother." He then creased his dark eyebrows and glared at his daughter. "Let me ask you, Celeste." Koroan pointed to the portrait. "You see this portrait that a faithful Gnol has painted?"

  Celeste was now a little fearful. What was her father getting at? "Yes, I do," she said.

  "What does it represent?"

  Celeste tried to hide her anxiety. "Well, as you explained it, Father, it depicts you conquering this world and shows your power."

  "Yes, it does."

  Koroan took another sip from his goblet. "The portrait shows that I am a god." He gave Celeste a questioning look.

  Celeste figured she should answer. "Yes it does."

  "And wouldn't a god know everything?"

  "Yes, a god would know everything, Father."

  "Good," Koroan said as he levitated Celeste's goblet to Dorange with his telekinetic ability.

  Dorange grabbed the goblet in midair with his black-leather-gloved right hand, and drank sloppily. When he had finished the entire goblet, he wiped his goatee with his left arm and smiled at Celeste.

  Koroan seemed amused by Dorange's eagerness to drink the royal drink. He turned and looked at Celeste again. "Yes ? and I, as a god, strive to know everything." He paused again.

  What is he doing? Why is he taking so long to get to the point? Celeste thought.

  "Tell me, my dear, do you know a young Gnol in our military named Malk Vier? I believe he was assigned to your intelligence team, was he not?"

  Celeste looked down at her left hand. It was shaking. She grabbed it with her right hand and looked back up at her father. He seemed to notice her movement.

  "Y-yes," she said.

  "And your intelligence team was the team that was assigned to find the rebel base, was it not?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, then, my dear ?," Koroan moved behind Celeste again and placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in and spoke softly. Celeste glanced at the three stooges. They were leaning in, all with smiles on their faces, trying to hear Koroan, " ? why was Lieutenant Vier seen entering a hidden boulder ten miles west of Talead, which is not a boulder at all?"

  Celeste felt her muscles tighten again. Two days ago, she sent Lieutenant Vier, who was a sympathizer for the Terrestrians as well and Kylee's fianc?, to the rebel base to get a report on Skip and Jake. Adrian had told Celeste that Lieutenant Vier never arrived. Celeste soon found out that Malk had been captured and eventually tortured and killed by her father. She had feared that Malk might have revealed Celeste's
treason when her father read his mind. However, when Celeste asked about Malk's treachery, her father had told her that it was of the highest security, and something she did not need to know about.

  "I do not know, Father," she said.

  Koroan strolled slowly back to the head of the conference table. "Well, thanks to General Gar, who was following him, Lieutenant Vier was captured. And it was discovered that this fake boulder is actually a hologram designed to act as a boulder on all scans. There is actually a secret hatchway underneath the hologram boulder with a computer terminal. When Lieutenant Vier was captured, he was entering a secret code."

  Koroan stopped and glared at Celeste. Celeste felt her body slump in her chair. There was a long pause, and she began to feel the pressure from everyone staring at her. She managed, however, to regain her composure. She sat up and looked her father dead in the eye. "Father, I do not know what you are insinuating."

  "You do not?" Her father asked.

  "No."

  "Well, I find that interesting. Why would one of your subordinates know the location of the secret base without your knowledge?"

  "I do not know, Father, but it sounds like you have your spy."

  Koroan seemed to look harder into Celeste's eyes. She was fearful that he would demand she take out her inhibitors, but he didn't. However, if he did, she was somewhat confident that she could block some of his mind probe.

  "Maybe, we do have our spy. But you know what is interesting about this?"

  "No, Father, I do not."

  "When I was interrogating him, we took out his inhibitors. I probed his mind and found most of the information I needed." Koroan paused again.

  Celeste felt a bead of sweat drip down from her forehead. If her father had probed Malk's mind, then he knew that she was the spy. Unless ?

  "However," Koroan continued, "I was not able to get the most important detail."

  Celeste saw a flicker of light in the dark tunnel she was in. If her father wasn't able to get all of the information he wanted, then maybe the training she had secretly provided her three subordinates had paid off.

  "For some reason, Lieutenant Vier was able to block some of my ability to probe his mind. Now, I do not know about you, but there are only four Gnols that I know of with the ability to block another Gnol's mind probe naturally ? myself, Vlamer Kreuk, your late sister, and of course ? you."

  The three generals shot Celeste a look. They looked like hungry wolves after they had cornered their prey. Celeste, though, had managed to find strength in the fact that if Malk was able to block a portion of her father's mind probe, then maybe she, being more experienced, would be able to block more if her father so chose to probe her mind. She continued to hold her father's cool gaze. "With all due respect, Your Eminence, I do not know what you are insinuating, but I had no knowledge of Lieutenant Vier's treason. If I had, I would have been the first to inform you."

  Her father took a breath and smiled at her. He looked at Dorange. "There you see, Dorange. I told you my daughter would not lie to me. Now, do you feel better knowing that she is on our side?"

  Dorange looked disappointed and said, "Yes, Your Highness." Dorange then glared at Celeste. She found pleasure in the fact that he had been humiliated in his accusation of her, even if it was true.

  Koroan now moved and stood with authority behind his seat. "Ah yes, I need to inform you, Celeste, that you will be assigned a new recruit to replace Lieutenant Vier."

  Celeste hid her emotion well. It was hard for her because Lieutenant Vier had been a good Gnol with a lot of potential. He had also had a warm heart. "Father, if you do not need me for anything else, I would like to retire to my quarters. It has been a long day," she said as she shot a deadly look at Dorange.

  Dorange glared back.

  "Before you go, my dear, there is something else you and the generals should know," Koroan said. "I have planned an attack on the rebel base and the capture of their arrogant leader, Adrian Palmer. The attack will commence at dawn two days from now."

  Celeste stopped herself from saying "no." Two days from today. I have to get to the base tonight and warn them, she thought.

  "I have placed General Dorange Gar in charge of the operation," said Koroan.

  General Thourad spoke immediately. "But Your High-"

  Koroan darted a look at Thourad. His face flushed hot red. "You dare interrupt me when I am speaking!"

  Thourad immediately ducked his head. "Please forgive me, My Lord."

  Koroan abruptly changed his mood again and smiled. "You are forgiven. Now, you may speak."

  "Thank you, My Lord," said Thourad, like some school age child who had just been scolded by his teacher. "With all due respect, Your Eminence, ? I am the superior officer of ground forces. May I ask why the superior officer of air and space forces is in charge of this mission?"

  Dorange looked fiercely at Thourad. It was obvious to Celeste that General Thourad and General Gar didn't like each other.

  "That is a fair question, General Thourad," Koroan said. "I have placed Dorange in charge of the mission because he surveyed the ground above which the base lies and knows the precise location. I also feel that he is the better leader for the attack."

  Thourad looked questioningly at Koroan. "I do not understand, Your Highness. What leadership abilities does General Gar possess that I do not po-"

  Koroan switched personalities again and raised his right hand from behind his back where it was resting with his other hand. Using his telekinetic ability, Koroan levitated Thourad out of his chair, startling General Ochalt who pushed his chair back from the table, and fell flat on his back.

  There, above the conference table, Thourad levitated with terror in his eyes. Koroan spoke not loudly but with authority. "General Thourad, how many times must you be warned? Do not challenge my authority or decisions." And then with a flick of his wrist, Koroan threw Thourad from his midair position above the table into the refreshment table ten feet away.

  Thourad's body crashed into the wooden table holding the refreshments and drinks. He lay there like a limp, unconscious animal drenched in fruits, vegetables, and wines.

  Koroan then turned his attention to General Ochalt. "General Ochalt!"

  Ochalt jumped up to attention from where he was laying on the floor. "Your Em . . . inence?"

  "Take General Thourad to the brig. Maybe a few days in solitary confinement will help him see where his loyalties lie."

  "Yes, Your Highness," said Ochalt, bowing his head. He walked over to Thourad's unconscious body. He reached down, picked up Thourad, and placed him over his shoulders.

  Celeste was amazed that the short, pudgy Ochalt could lift and carry Thourad. But she remembered that the average Gnol was five times stronger than the humans with whom she was spending most of her time.

  Ochalt left the room and Koroan turned to face his daughter. "Celeste, please return to your quarters while I speak with Dorange. I will speak with you later. "

  "Yes, Father," Celeste said as she walked out of the room, relieved that her father didn't know.