Tarizon, The Liberator, Tarizon Trilogy Vol 1

  When Peter got back to his compartment after meeting Lorin and Jake about his future, depression set in with a vengeance. Lorin's contempt for him hurt, yet he could understand how she felt. He would have probably felt the same way had he been in her position. Who was responsible for this Prophecy anyway? How could anyone see into the future? To see into the future would mean that the future was predestined or time travel was possible. Neither seemed plausible to Peter, yet living on a planet millions of miles from Earth wouldn't have seemed that plausible either.

  As Peter sat on edge of his bed, he felt so alone. He missed Luci. She was his only real connection to this world and now she had been stolen away from him. How was he going to live up to everyone's unrealistic expectations? It seemed ridiculous to think that somehow he would make a difference in the struggle for control of this strange planet, yet how could he defy the Prophecy?

  Rhin jumped into his lap, distracting him momentarily from his troubled thoughts. He stroked her coarse coat and then rubbed her gently behind the ears like he used to do to his old collie, Sheila. She closed her eyes and wagged her tail briskly. This was the first time that Rhin had shown this much affection. Up until now she had only allowed Peter to pet her for brief periods. She must have sensed his depression and was trying to cheer him up. After a minute she jumped off his lap and looked up at him.

  "Thanks, girl," he said. "I love you too. . . . It's getting late and we've got a big day ahead tomorrow. We better hit the hay."

  Rhin just looked at Peter and when he started to take off his clothes, she walked over to her bed and settled in for the night. Sheila used to sleep at the foot of his bed, but Rhin so far had kept her distance at night. He wondered if that would change in time. "Lights!" Peter said in a commanding voice and the room became dark. If he said lights again the lights would come back on. That was one of the cool things about this world—everything was ultra hi tech. It had been a long day so it didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

  Sometime during the night Peter woke up abruptly. A strange and eerie sensation had come over him. It was dark, darker than it should have been. The control panel by each door normally illuminated the room enough to safely navigate it if a trip to the bathroom was necessary. Some light would also filter into the bedroom from the big window in the living room that overlooked the city. Yet with eyes wide open Peter couldn't see a single ray of light anywhere. Fear began to creep through him. He yelled, "Lights!" but the room remained black. Swallowing hard he looked over where Rhin should have been sleeping, looking for those bright green eyes that glowed brilliantly in the dark. Still he saw nothing but bold blackness.

  "Rhin, are you there?"

  In the distance he could hear barking. It was Rhin but she seemed a kylod away. What was going on? Was he dreaming? He wished it were so, but he could feel the bed beneath him and when he rubbed his arms he felt his own touch. This was no dream. Slipping off the bed, he started to walk slowly toward where he thought the door ought to be but almost immediately ran into the wall. That seemed impossible as the bed should have been six feet from the door. Following the wall he circled the bed and, much to his dismay, realized the walls had moved in on him and the door had disappeared!

  Panic quickly swept over him as he frantically searched for a way out. "Rhin! Where are you?" he yelled. She was barking but from behind the wall. Peter stood still trying to fathom what was happening. Suddenly he realized the wall was creeping toward him. It pressed against his legs until he was forced back onto the bed. A moment later he could hear the strain of the walls against the bed frame. Soon, he'd be crushed like a Chevy in a scrap yard, if he didn't figure a way out of the room. His pulse quickened fearing the end was near. Was his compartment, or what was left of it, to become his tomb? Was he to die here tonight—killed by four walls?

  Suddenly, the lights came on and the walls became still. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the light, but when they did he saw words on the wall before him. Words that were not written but molded into the crystal walls. Words that were not in Tari, but English, and meant for him to read and understand.

  Amongst the Earthchildren a Liberator shall come to free the Mutants, Seafolken, and Nanomites from bondage. This is your destiny, Peter. Delay not, as the future of Tarizon is your hands!

  Your servant,

  Allo of the Nanomites

  Suddenly the walls began a silent retreat, and before long the bedroom was almost back to normal. In time a door began to appear and, when it was completed, it popped open and Rhin came running into the bedroom barking. She quickly ran around the room sniffing and inspecting each corner and even crawled under the bed.

  A rush of adrenalin surged through Peter. It was clear the Nanomites could now be added to the list of those convinced he was the Liberator. Could they all be wrong? He didn’t feel any different than he had back on Earth, yet the message was clear. He was the Liberator in the Prophecy whether he liked it or not. As he gazed at the Nanomites’ message engraved on his wall, a surge of confidence came over him. He finally could imagine himself leading the enslaved masses to victory. He knew then his life would be important. He had been given the opportunity to alter the history of Tarizon by stopping Videl Lai. For some reason great power had been thrust upon him—the power of the people's trust and allegiance. He could feel that power now. It was swelling within him. Yes, now he felt for the first time the Prophecy might be true. Perhaps he was the Liberator after all!