The Fire Crystal (6 page)

SP’s have the edge, but it's still a stalemate. Both sides have the power to destroy each other, but if either side can reach this energy source and charge their ship, then the game changes, as they
’ll have a massive advantage.”

Eagle Two continued the story. “If the Zaarks were to attack the SPs, mother ship
, and made them defend themselves this close in to Earth, then I fear the planet would be destroyed.”

“
That’s why we must hurry, and will need your help,” said Eagle One. “The Zaarks are showing their hand. That avalanche was no accident; they didn’t want you to reach us. We believe that they are planning an attack on this cave, to steal the crystal. Now please follow us, we must reach the inner cave and prepare, and will tell you the rest of the story when we get there.”

As they followed the eagles inwards along a narrow badly lit tunnel, Tom wondered how computer projections could move like this, but didn’t even ask – the eagles had hinted that they were special, and that was good enough for him.

They walked for some time, until suddenly the tunnel opened into a cavern.

Calvan rubbed his eyes. “I’ve never seen fire crystal, but I know this must be it,” he said. The whole cavern was made of it; a magnificent natural cathedral that radiated bright blue light, and a feeling of power.

Tom looked on in awe, and said, “I never really understood the meaning of magic before this.”

The crystal glowed with a bright beautiful inner fire - was it blue? Calvan found that he couldn’t put a name to the color; it was unlike anything he’d ever seen.

“An attack could be imminent,” Eagle One said. “Sorry that we haven’t got time to show you around, but we must get this moving.”

They walked to a small opening in the back of the cave. “Here is your craft,” Eagle Two said. Calvan knew that Tom would reply, so stood back.

“What craft?” Tom said. “Do you mean that metal tube? Where would we go in it; we’ve only just got here.”

Calvan was surprised too. “This is a converted rescue craft, it is safe – well almost,” Eagle One said.

“ Yes
, I saw one a long time ago in a museum,” Tom said drily.

“We need you to fly it and find the SP’s
ship,” Eagle Two said. “This craft is already loaded with fire crystal, and when it’s installed in the power-core of the SPs mother ship, then the games over. There will be enough energy to defeat the Zaark ship.”

“Or even a fleet of them,” Eagle One added.

Calvan asked. “Wouldn’t this thing have it’s own distress beacon, that the SP’s could home in on. That would save us two from flying in it.” I suffer from travel sickness, and anyway would like to live a bit longer.”

Tom had to smile and admit to himself - that kid is smart. “But if my people could find it, then so could the Zaarks I guess, and we can’t take that chance, we have to fly it ourselves unfortunately.” Tom had answered Calvan’s question himself.

Calvan thought for a moment, and then declared, “right let’s get started.” 

Five minutes later, and both boys were strapped into their narrow seats, and the hatch closed. They had been loaded into a long
transparent tube. Tom gave the thumbs up, and waved in a forward chopping motion. He must have watched some Earth movies Calvan thought.

“We are to be shot out of the mountain top, like a bullet from a gun,” Tom explained with relish.

Calvan shuddered. “Please spare me the details, I’d prefer to die in ignorance.”

“I’ll count down from five,” Tom said. “When I push this red button, pull back hard on that lever.”

With a final wave the Eagles sealed the loading tube. Then Tom saw the green light. “Three two one” - he hit the GO button, and Calvan pulled the lever down hard.

“So this is how I die,” he thought.

The boys waited. Nothing! The biggest nothing that Calvan had ever experienced. Suddenly there was an explosion, and both boys were pushed hard back against their seats. They cleared the mountaintop, and sped upwards leaving a shockwave behind them, as the sonic boom echoed back from the plain below. The guardians were down there somewhere.

Calvan glanced out of the small porthole
, and glimpsed a flash of sunlight through the red haze. Then the haze turned darker before his eyes, and it seemed that he couldn’t take much more. Tom was breathing deeply and deliberately, his eyes closed, calm, and resolute, fighting against the effects of acceleration.

The hull began to glow a dull red. Luckily Calvan didn’t see this, he had blacked out. Then they cleared the atmosphere. Even Tom was uncertain now, as the craft continued to accelerate. At two hundred miles out the engines finally finished their burn. The peace was beautiful – but best of all there was no more crushing acceleration. Tom took a deep breath.

“Well that wasn’t too bad,” he said unconvincingly 

“Glad you think so, it nearly killed me,” Calvan
said drily.

They were weightless now, and Calvan couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was moving upwards at great speed. He looked out of the small window and caught his breath. The stars of the Milky Way were spread out before them, like he had never seen before.

“OK here’s the plan,” Tom said. “We do one orbit of Earth, and see what we can spot. If we draw a blank, I’ll switch the beacon on for a very short time – the SPs are waiting for a signal, so they’ll spot us, and pull us aboard.”

“How will they do that?” Calvan asked unconvinced.

“They’ll probably use standard rescue methods, and just beam us back in,” Tom said in a superior matter-of- fact manner.

Calvan looked puzzled. “But couldn’t the Zaarks do that too?”

“Of course they could, that’s the problem,” Tom said. “That’s why we are steering this tin can instead of a robot.” 

They completed an orbit
, and saw no sign of friend or foe. It was starting to feel cramped, and both boys were getting bored. “Right here goes,” Tom said. He set the transmitter to maximum power, and hit the send button. “Now everyone knows we’re here. Let’s hope that my people find us before the Zaarks.”

Two more orbits and still there was no reply to the signal. Tom didn’t speak, but knew that this was the very worst thing that could happen. If nobody found them, then they were stuck in orbit until re-entry and burnout. Then a strange thing happened. They both dropped into a dreamless sleep. Exhaustion had finally kicked in.

Sometime later Tom woke up. Had an hour gone by, or a day? He had no way of knowing. Calvan was still in a deep sleep. He switched on the viewer screen, hoping to find something maybe even a message from his own people, just to say that they were not alone in this huge
universe. He found this out in the worst way possible. There on screen was an image – the leering face of the enemy. The Zaark thing was laughing.

“Look outside, you have company,” the thing said. “Don’t be afraid, we want to be your friends. You have a present for us I believe. Once it is delivered
, we can all say goodbye,” he laughed.

Tom looked out of the window. They were being drawn toward a ship. It was massive, almost like a small moon. The Zaark
said. “You will have a reward – we will put you out of your misery fast.” He thought this was a great joke. The grotesque face on the screen laughed again.

“Yes look
scared, look very scared,” the Zaark said. “You are of course disposable, and will leave by an appropriate exit – the garbage chute. You don’t have to worry, as your cargo of fire crystal will be put to good use. Your people in the other mother ship will be joining you, in the afterlife – just after we vaporize their ship.”

He was in a fit of uncontrollable laughter now, and Tom recalled another of the Zaarks defining traits - cruelty. Tom played for time. There was another quality that these creatures had lots of - vanity, and this one obviously enjoyed the sound of his voice own voice.

“Once this is over we will rename your home planet. Two Stars will become Saarland, he said.” He was really enjoying this and continued, “But don’t worry your people back home won’t all be destroyed, we have plans for them. Your moon is an ideal place for work camps, and it will be their home.”

Tom was appalled now, and his fear had been replaced by anger. During periods of danger
he had learned that there were forces that could be tapped into – outside, and beyond every day things. He had learned how to awaken the power-within. Earth people called it magic.  He called it energy.

They were slowly drawn into the ship, and then were dropped hard on the floor of a huge hanger. Calvan woke suddenly, in time to see two huge doors closing behind them. The lighting within this space was almost blinding. Then out of the other windows they saw that a squad of Zaarks was approaching their craft.
Suited-up, in what looked like full body armor, and carrying weapons, they appeared ready for anything. Calvan just stared, as if this were a bad dream.

“Where are we
?” he managed to ask.

“
Don’t even ask. Just act scared, like you’ve given up, and leave the rest to me,” Tom said.

“That won’t be a hard act,”
Calvan replied.

The door was hit hard, and opened inwards with a crash. Tom, ever the actor sat back smiling. “Why didn’t you just knock gently? I would have opened it,” he said in a friendly manner. This was cool thought Calvan
, knowing he couldn’t have said it.

Both boys were roughly dragged from the craft, and rushed across the hanger, so fast that only their toes touched the ground. A door opened in the side, and they were bundled into a vehicle. After a short drive, they were placed in a lift, and seemed to plunge down for miles before coming to rest. The door opened, and they were dragged into a huge room. In the center of the room, on a raised dais sat a huge Zaark.

It looked different from the others. Even more ugly, if that was possible. It’s bloated features were a mask of malice. Calvan imagined that this creature had always had its own way. There was something in its manner, as it held its head back in a twisted kind of aristocratic pride.

Calvin searched for a word to describe it, and uttered “Repulsive!”

They were hauled before this hideous creature, and flanked by a dozen guards. The alien leered down at them drooling. “I must tell you that I hate all of your kind,” he said laughing. “You are just so ugly. I wanted to thank you in person for bringing us all this lovely fire crystal, and want you to know that we will put it to good use. As my commander has told you, we’ll soon be blowing your friend’s ship out of space.”

“They’re following us in the same orbit. Once we have
the fire crystal loaded, our defense shields will be so strong that we won’t even get a scratch, when we engage them with a broadside.  That’s if there is even anything left of them to return fire.”

All the rest of the Zaarks were grinning and nodding. It was the stuff that nightmares are made
off.

Calvan glanced sideways at Tom, as if asking for help. Something about his friend had changed
. His expression was relaxed, confident, and somehow proud. It was a side of Tiberius that Calvan had never seen before. Tom stared directly at the alien.

“You pathetic creature,” he sneered with contempt now, “go back to your Zaark salt picking
, and fleas. You’ve played right into our hands.”

Calvan has to admire Tom’s last remark - he had nerve. The Zaarks faces twisted with rage. Then their leader began to laugh, a great grunting slobbering noise. All the other picked up on this
, and they were rolling around bumping into each other, with uncontrollable mirth. The leader stopped laughing abruptly, and held up a hand. The others stopped instantly, as if a switch had been thrown. Except for one dumb creature that continued to laugh.

“Enough! Guards, drag these two to waste chute and eject them into space,” he shouted, “and take him along for the trip
,” he added, pointing to the unfortunate Zaark,

Then suddenly all of the action had stopped. It was like an old
-time movie Calvan, thought. One when the projector stops on one frame, and there is a frozen image on the screen. Not one of the creatures moved a muscle. A strange blue light had surrounded Tom, and filled the room with a glow. A high-pitched vibration was making Calvan’s ears hurt. The Zaarks started to pant now, their tongues hanging out.

Tom had hit his stride. “Now feel my wrath,” he said, raising his hand and pointing the index finger at their leader. A bolt of energy shot across the space between them, and the Zaark leaped up. Smoke was beginning to leak from his filthy clothes. There was a smell of burnt meat
, and hair. He started to scream now and ran around in circles, knocking over anyone in his path.

“Quick let’s go, this won’t last” Tom said, pointing to the panting Zaarks. They ran to the elevator, and Tom punched the button. “Lets hope that I’ve picked the right direction.” he said

After a long climb they bumped to a stop, and the door opened. There across the hanger was their small craft. Even Tom hadn’t expected to get this lucky. “RUN!” he shouted. They had been spotted! Across the opposite side of the huge room, about the same distance from the craft as themselves, stood a group of Zaarks. Maybe part of the ship’s maintenance crew, they wore no armor, and didn’t carry weapons.