Agathar Part 14Jansen froze to the spot, feeling tingling going up and down her entire body as she tried to grasp the overwhelming immensity and implications of exactly what she had observed below. One star shone very brightly at the center of the pulsating threads, Jansen had noticed. If focused too long on it she felt drawn. So strong was the yearning she thought she would be absorbed into its light. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head and finally came out of the trance. For just a second she remembered the impulse she had had to jump down the tunnel, which now had returned to the swirling fog, like the inside of a tornado.Jeji came to her side and guided her to a seat closer to the central platform and helped her to sit, then sat next to her with her hand on Jansen’s back. Jansen was speechless for the moment and could only bite on her right index finger, looking perplexedly at Jeji. Antana walked towards them followed shortly after by Dalina.
Antana approached and sat next to Jansen on the other side of the bench and said to her, "Everything will be as it is meant to be, and in time you will learn from Banitra, the Bright One. The Bright One speaks through Universe. You will feel the voice speaking and you will know what needs to be done."
But one point got through, and that was that it sounded very much like the people of this world looked to the central star, from what she could gather, as a central consciousness of the universal web. In other words, for lack of a better description, and to keep it brief, the central star was revered by the Agatharians as the equivalent of the Goddess of the Universe. Jansen wondered if this universe was the same one she had left or was it another one in another reality in the realm of quantum potentialities.
Finally Jansen cleared her throat and spoke, pointing towards the tunnel. "That was the great Goddess of Universe!” she squeaked, and cleared her throat once more, and repeated what she had said.
Both Antana and Dalina shook their heads vigorously in agreement and smiled and spoke simultaneously the word "Banitra!"
As they began to walk back to the stairs leading up to the platform they stopped and looked back once more at the swirling, churning cloud-like formation that completely swallowed up the walls of the tunnel. No sound came from the tempest in the tunnel, but one knew of its presence just by feeling the strong vibrating energy, like one would from a nearby tornado. Even from the distance they stood away from it, its ferocity could be felt.
Going back up the shaky and bumpy wooden frame elevator, Jansen held onto the railing tightly. Once topside again, the wooden gate opened and Jansen stepped out into the sunlight and sat on the first seat that became available to her. She needed to be in touch with reality again, even if just for a little while, for she knew that what she had seen thus far were only short previews of the main attractions to come.
The next morning after breakfast she and Jeji and a good many of the dragonfly-winged children were present, all sitting around the large long wooden dining room table which also served as a conference table.
Antana stood upon her chair. The room was silent. Crossing her arms she bowed slightly with her eyes closed, then straightened again and spoke: "The time that we have feared has come, my friends. Soon it will be time to use the plans that have been practiced for so long. We hoped that this time would never come. The outside beings are moving in the direction the quantum gate.”
Jansen raised her hand and asked, "Wait a minute! Are we talking about worm holes or star gates? Worm holes are a natural phenomenon, but most times I have heard about star gates they turned out to be artificial, constructed, not created."
Jansen sat down slowly, and said, “We have some big problems coming our way if they discover this world. The gate will be mapped into their star charts for future beings to find." Scratching her chin she stopped and said, "The tornado in the in the tunnel in the root system below us is somehow connected to the outside layers as well as the inner layers or dimensions of space and time."
"Yes," Antana said, then raised her hands and a mist materialized on the table before them. It began to swirl faster and faster until it formed into the shape of a miniature tornado, a replica of the one they had observed below in the root system tunnel.
“Look closely,” Antana said as the scene in the large sphere zoomed in closer to a certain star and stopped. "There," she pointed, to the left of a dark nebula. Then Jansen saw them. Many tiny dots moving against the bright background of clustered stars.
Antana continued: “Judging by our astral coordinates they are coming straight for the gate. They will arrive in about 22 days or planet spins.” Having finished, she stepped down and said, “I wish to see everyone here tonight present at sunrise, in this room.” She clapped her hands and the image of the dark sphere vanished.
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Agathar part 15
Jeji, who had been absent from the meeting, had just returned from a little visit with her people of the purple forest. As soon as Jansen was available she came up and stood at attention before her then made a salute and continued to stand at attention. She appeared to be a little anxious, Jansen thought, then nodded and said, “You don't have to do that.” "You are the captain and I am in your service," Jeji responded
“Jeji,” Jansen said to her, "You are my equal here on this world. As for captain, captain of what? Captain of a single-occupant space ship, or should I say captain of a time and space streamer? I'm just a rocket jockey as they would say at the academy back home. Although the QLPJ is large enough to contain an entire platoon if need be.”
"OK," Jeji said, then bowed slightly, in her people’s way of showing respect. "Captain, I just got news that your ship will be here in two days, 4 days ahead of schedule. Neelix also said to inform you he was lucky to find the replacement parts that were needed to do the complete repairs. He also said to tell you he even made a few improvements in the working systems of your ship.”
"The working systems?" Jansen asked a little apprehensively. What did he do to the ‘working systems?’" she said, a bit irritably.
"I don't know captain, he didn't specify." Jeji said, shrugging her shoulders.
"OK, I just hope he didn't mess with any part of the centrifugal system of the ship" Jansen responded and went on. “OK, that leaves us with about three days after my ship’s arrival before our invading friends arrive."
"How will you manage against all those ships they have with one single ship?" Jeji asked. Jansen heard a rustling over to her left and was instantly standing in battle position addressing a threat she judged to be in that direction. “Those lessons I learned at the Academy may come in useful before this is over,” she thought.
Antana came out from the bushes and flew to them in the open area of the village street at the base of the giant trees. Jansen stood up and relaxed and said with a slight bow, “Welcome, Antana. Please join us. As I was about to say, I am sincerely hoping that Neelix didn't ‘un-repair’ more things then he repaired.” “I know of no other ship made by humans or beings from any other worlds I know of that can do the maneuvers the QLPJ is capable of doing. Without weapons or any physical force, it has the capability to just disrupt the energy system in another's vehicle or compound, without harm to any living thing inside."
Jeji stood, her mouth agape, not fully understanding what Jansen had just told them about the QLPJ. She had a hard enough time just trying to understand why intelligent beings would like to travel all over the heavens in metal boxes.
Jansen just smiled and said, “Jeji, you know the gate, the tornado in the gate?” Jeji shook her head and said "Yes."
“Well the QLPJ takes its energy from the elements around it and concentrates it into a box about the size of one of the chairs in the dining room. Now imagine the tornado in the gate squeezed down to fit in that box.”
Jeji shook her head again and said, smiling, "Yes, I understand what you say, just hard to conceive in my mind how one can squeeze something that big and powerful into such a small box. But then, that's what powers the ship and also can throw back the outside part of the tornado.”
Jansen then turned to Antana who hovered close by to her left. Antana stood straight and saluted and said smiling, "Aye, Captain!"
"Oh, get out of here, you two, and that ‘captain stuff,’" Jansen said as she laughed, waving her right hand as though brushing a pesky insect away. "OK, I just wanted to make sure no one got sucked up my energy intakes when I get my ship back!" Then Jansen laughed again, followed by Jeji and Antana.
A tense moment evaporated away among what had become a strong friendship of three very different beings. Jansen had noticed the harmony these beings had with one another and with their world. “There certainly could be a lesson to be well learned from this world on ours,” she thought.
The QLPJ arrived on time. Neelix landed it in the same area where Jansen had crashed, in the sandy area not far from largest ocean that the natives of Agathar called “Nathine.”
Jansen considered the flight characteristics of Agathar. It was a fairly large planet about 1-1/2 the size of Earth yet its gravitational field was less than Earth’s, about 2/3 to be precise. This weaker gravitational pull this allowed for some larger avian species, not just Teddy and her kind, but other rather large species flew in the air of this world.
Neelix walked up to Jansen, saluted, and said, "All yours, Captain." “Thank you, Mr. Neelix,” Jansen said, bowing slightly, then asked, “Would you kindly show me where you did all the repairs and improvements?” She emphasized “improvements.”
After a tour of inspection of the QLPJ Neelix stopped. Holding his chin with his right index finger and thumb he said, "I know how this ship runs but where does it draw its energy from?"
Jansen was relieved. She knew by his question that he had not tampered with that part of the QLPJ.
Jansen responded, "You need not know that, Mr. Neelix."
"Oh, OK,” Neelix said, raising his hand and letting it drop to his side. “I see. Top Secret. I should have known it was an experimental product from Starfleet command…” He babbled on filling in his own blanks, then trailed off and said, “…OK, Captain, want to take it out for a spin?"
“Jeji,” Jansen said to her, "You are my equal here on this world. As for captain, captain of what? Captain of a single-occupant space ship, or should I say captain of a time and space streamer? I'm just a rocket jockey as they would say at the academy back home. Although the QLPJ is large enough to contain an entire platoon if need be.”
"OK," Jeji said, then bowed slightly, in her people’s way of showing respect. "Captain, I just got news that your ship will be here in two days, 4 days ahead of schedule. Neelix also said to inform you he was lucky to find the replacement parts that were needed to do the complete repairs. He also said to tell you he even made a few improvements in the working systems of your ship.”
"The working systems?" Jansen asked a little apprehensively. What did he do to the ‘working systems?’" she said, a bit irritably.
"I don't know captain, he didn't specify." Jeji said, shrugging her shoulders.
"OK, I just hope he didn't mess with any part of the centrifugal system of the ship" Jansen responded and went on. “OK, that leaves us with about three days after my ship’s arrival before our invading friends arrive."
"How will you manage against all those ships they have with one single ship?" Jeji asked. Jansen heard a rustling over to her left and was instantly standing in battle position addressing a threat she judged to be in that direction. “Those lessons I learned at the Academy may come in useful before this is over,” she thought.
Antana came out from the bushes and flew to them in the open area of the village street at the base of the giant trees. Jansen stood up and relaxed and said with a slight bow, “Welcome, Antana. Please join us. As I was about to say, I am sincerely hoping that Neelix didn't ‘un-repair’ more things then he repaired.” “I know of no other ship made by humans or beings from any other worlds I know of that can do the maneuvers the QLPJ is capable of doing. Without weapons or any physical force, it has the capability to just disrupt the energy system in another's vehicle or compound, without harm to any living thing inside."
Jeji stood, her mouth agape, not fully understanding what Jansen had just told them about the QLPJ. She had a hard enough time just trying to understand why intelligent beings would like to travel all over the heavens in metal boxes.
“Well the QLPJ takes its energy from the elements around it and concentrates it into a box about the size of one of the chairs in the dining room. Now imagine the tornado in the gate squeezed down to fit in that box.”
Jeji shook her head again and said, smiling, "Yes, I understand what you say, just hard to conceive in my mind how one can squeeze something that big and powerful into such a small box. But then, that's what powers the ship and also can throw back the outside part of the tornado.”
"Oh, get out of here, you two, and that ‘captain stuff,’" Jansen said as she laughed, waving her right hand as though brushing a pesky insect away. "OK, I just wanted to make sure no one got sucked up my energy intakes when I get my ship back!" Then Jansen laughed again, followed by Jeji and Antana.
A tense moment evaporated away among what had become a strong friendship of three very different beings. Jansen had noticed the harmony these beings had with one another and with their world. “There certainly could be a lesson to be well learned from this world on ours,” she thought.
Jansen considered the flight characteristics of Agathar. It was a fairly large planet about 1-1/2 the size of Earth yet its gravitational field was less than Earth’s, about 2/3 to be precise. This weaker gravitational pull this allowed for some larger avian species, not just Teddy and her kind, but other rather large species flew in the air of this world.
Neelix walked up to Jansen, saluted, and said, "All yours, Captain." “Thank you, Mr. Neelix,” Jansen said, bowing slightly, then asked, “Would you kindly show me where you did all the repairs and improvements?” She emphasized “improvements.”
After a tour of inspection of the QLPJ Neelix stopped. Holding his chin with his right index finger and thumb he said, "I know how this ship runs but where does it draw its energy from?"
Jansen was relieved. She knew by his question that he had not tampered with that part of the QLPJ.
Jansen responded, "You need not know that, Mr. Neelix."
"Oh, OK,” Neelix said, raising his hand and letting it drop to his side. “I see. Top Secret. I should have known it was an experimental product from Starfleet command…” He babbled on filling in his own blanks, then trailed off and said, “…OK, Captain, want to take it out for a spin?"
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Agathar part 16
Jansen sat back into the foam-like seat and belted herself in, then pressed a button. There was a low hum below like that of over-head, high-voltage electrical lines. The humming soon increased in pitch to a high-pitched whine then vanished. The only indicator that the QLPJ was running was the slight vibrations that she could feel under the palms of her hands which rested on the arms of her seat. "OK, Mr. Neelix, I am relieved that the centrifugal core is still intact and in good working order," Jansen said turning to Neelix with a smile.
Jansen gave another thought command and they left the ground like a bullet exiting a gun. The light turned to darkness as the sky turned black. Jansen pulled a lever to the right and directed the QLPJ towards Agathar's sun then gave another thought command. The next was something like a flash of very bright white light then all fell dark again. Neelix turned to her and said, “That was one of the modifications.”
Antana waited anxiously at ground level as Jansen and Neelix were lowered to the ground by a lift mechanism in the lower part of the ship. Antana flew up to Jansen excitedly, nearly colliding with her, and said, “They will be here within the day.”
Agathar part 16
Jansen sat back into the foam-like seat and belted herself in, then pressed a button. There was a low hum below like that of over-head, high-voltage electrical lines. The humming soon increased in pitch to a high-pitched whine then vanished. The only indicator that the QLPJ was running was the slight vibrations that she could feel under the palms of her hands which rested on the arms of her seat. "OK, Mr. Neelix, I am relieved that the centrifugal core is still intact and in good working order," Jansen said turning to Neelix with a smile.
She pressed three more buttons in succession and flipped a switch in an overhead control panel, pressed another button and a panel opened revealing a helmet that looked just the same as a regular motorcycle helmet with wires attached to it. She placed the helmet over her head and gave a thought command. The wall facing here lit up like midday followed by wavering and shimmering splotches of color which soon focused themselves to reveal the landscape that lay just outside the QLPJ. There were leaves and other debris flying around in a small cloud about the outer perimeter of the QLPJ, not disturbed or blown by outside combustion but rather from opposing gravitational fields. Turning again to Neelix she asked, "Ready?" Neelix nodded yes.
Jansen gave another thought command and they left the ground like a bullet exiting a gun. The light turned to darkness as the sky turned black. Jansen pulled a lever to the right and directed the QLPJ towards Agathar's sun then gave another thought command. The next was something like a flash of very bright white light then all fell dark again. Neelix turned to her and said, “That was one of the modifications.”
"Where are we?" Jansen asked.
"Look behind you," Neelix replied, nodding his head and urging her to look back.
The sun was behind them and very much diminished from before they left.
“We went through the sun?” Jansen asked?
"Not directly. It is more like for those few seconds it took for us to get to this point from Agathar, we weren't existing in this time and space plane.”
"Another dimension?" Jansen queried.
"One could say that" Neelix answered.
Jansen, with Neelix’s help, recalibrated the settings on the turbo accelerators to the centrifugal core. At a rate of a little under one light speed they journeyed back home at normal space time.
Jansen had designed the QLPJ to travel between folds in space and time, “dimension hopping.” She scratched her head and pondered how a person who appeared as simple as Mr. Neelix, one who reminded her very much of a used car salesman, could have such a working understanding of something as complex as the QLPJ.
He had shown her his modifications where he had devised a simple change in the relay system to the conductor cores which actually reversed the gravitational fields and as a result actually altered time. The effect would be much like dematerializing in one place in space and reappearing in another place millions of light years apart in the span of an eye blinking. Result: ship and passengers transforming into energy.
Jansen landed back on the same spot she had left, in a clearing at the base of some large trees where it could not easily be seen from a distance above. She didn't have to worry about the ship being detected by radar as it was made of a composite that was somewhere between Kevlar and metal, heavy yet weightless when the antigravity centrifugal engines were running full speed.
Antana waited anxiously at ground level as Jansen and Neelix were lowered to the ground by a lift mechanism in the lower part of the ship. Antana flew up to Jansen excitedly, nearly colliding with her, and said, “They will be here within the day.”
"My friend, I think we may have a little surprise for them when they arrive at the point where the Agatharian time space portal converges with universal time space," Jansen announced.
Jansen, Neelix, Antana, Jeji and Dalena rode the rickety wooden frame elevator up top by way of the tree’s hollow center on their way to the meeting chamber. Jandy, a psychic fellow, awaited them at the doorway to the meeting hall. He bowed slightly then straightened and smiled, saying to Antana, “All is prepared, my lady.”
When Jansen looked into his eyes she was froze to the spot where she stood. He was the most beautiful...elf, she supposed he would be called. He had no wings like the other children but his stunning handsomeness had nearly swept her off her feet. He waved for us to enter. As she walked by she noticed he was taller than the children, closer to five feet tall she reckoned.
Antana noticed her particular attention upon Jandy and spoke. "He's my cousin from Zanoolee, on the west side of this continent,” she explained.
“Well, my friend Antana, I do pray that we will get an opportunity to meet again after this is meeting is over. And of course all of your people whom I have come to grow quite fond of, even the Cadosee in their cloud-scraping homes. I have come to feel like your people are just as much my people as the folks back home.”
There was only the six of them sitting at the meeting table that evening. Everyone else in the tree compound had been dismissed for the day.
Antana sat at the head of the table and Jansen and Jeji sat on the right side while Dalina and Jandy sat on the left and Neelix sat at the opposite end of the table from Antana. After several cups of what passed as coffee on Agathar were consumed the meeting finally adjourned and all began to stir to in readiness to leave when Antana addressed them once more. All heads turned back toward her.
“Everyone meet back here at the break of day to rehearse the duties that we will be performing aboard Captain Jansen's magnificent ship. Bring all you will need with you, for we will be departing from here directly.” Everyone stood up and bowed slightly in respect then after Antana left the room the group broke up and each went their own way.
Composed and writen by Cynthia ©
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At daybreak they all met in the dining hall to review the roles they would be playing on this..."Just a venture," Jansen said, crossing the fingers of her right hand, "like a drill," she repeated, attempting to convince herself more than anyone else. "Everyone knows their stations and their duties," Jansen said, then got up and walked for the entrance way.
She thought, " l now have a crew of 4." She heard a voice behind her. "Nope! You now have five!" Jensen suddenly stopped and looked back to see Antana hovering just a short distance behind her. Jansen stood a little confused and said. "I thought, I mean... well, does not Agathar need its leader... or what would pass to us as the leader of its people to be at their side. So I had never expected you to join us to begin with. That was a mutual understanding. "
"As your people would say, someone is filling in for me. We are not locked into one position if another is required to accomplish certain tasks. It was decided, actually unanimously decided that as leader I am also the defender of my world and if my wish is to go out and fight for its freedom, then it is my choice to make, and my choice was honored by all." Antana informed Jansen. Her only weapon, a hollow reed, she proudly held before her.
"What manner of weapon is that?" Jansen asked pointing.
Antana raised her left hand and pointed at the reed and simply said, "Sleeper," then smiled.
OK then, Antana, your position will be the gunner at the back of the QLPJ. Don't worry, there's not really a gun there, it's just an observatory. Please scan the skies around us for intruders.”
Seated belted and ready to go, Jansen pushed a few buttons in an apparently random fashion and flipped some switches on the overhead console and a low whining sound issued from within the QLPJ, vibrating the entire hull. The low whining soon crested at an ear- splitting sound followed by a silence. Then there was like a loud ping sound and Jansen felt herself being pressed to her seat suddenly. This was followed just as suddenly by weightlessness.
Jansen looked back through the cockpit glass at Agathar quickly dwindling to the size of a dot, then to nothing. In what seemed like only a few seconds Jansen regained consciousness and sat bolt upright, her head turning in all directions around her. A thought went through her mind: “This certainly isn't Kansas any more, Toto.”
She looked through the monitoring array on the console before her and saw no ships in sight and hoped it would remain so. If they weren't deliberately navigating for the wormhole there was a good possibility they would miss it. Then Antana's excited voice broke through on the intercom.
“Ships, Captain, ten degrees off starboard quarter!” Jansens fingers flew over the keyboard to change the coordinates on the monitoring array to pinpoint the area Antana had given her.
And there they were, still dots on the monitor but moving very fast. Unfortunately this meant that the area of the wormhole had been calculated and charted which meant that if the chart leaked out to any other source Agathar would never again know peace.
Jansen looked over to Neelix. She had chosen Neelix as second in command because of his experience at flying many different types of ships as part of his job as recycler of abandoned spacecraft. She needed someone to fly with her and he was the closest one available to fill the bill as first officer of the QLPJ.
Neelix nodded and Jansen clicked a few buttons in succession then flipped only one switch on the overhead console. The QLPJ shot forward in sharp, short vibrations as Jansen looked outside, her finger paused on the second switch. She could see blue rings all around the hull pulsating concurrently into spiraling rings which faded into the blackness of space behind her.
The next switch had been modified to work on automatic. A subatomic second surge through space brought them alongside the lead ship of the formation that Antana had spotted. That had the affect she had hoped it would: A ship appearing right alongside of them out of nowhere, close enough they could have shaken hands through the port holes! That brought a cacophony of all of their excited voices trying to all talk at the same time on the QLPJ's intercom system.
"Who are you, ship that appeared from nowhere?" crackled the ship-to-ship communicator.
“OK, that confirms one thing, they're not from Earth as this person's voice was being translated by the ships translation computer,” Jansen concluded. But still, she had ill feelings about those ominous black ships. There was no light emanating from them. Even if there were port holes the light from inside of them didn't penetrate through the cloak of darkness. Their invisibility shield was working, alright, but they could not avoid detection by way of the doorway, a special doorway (the wormhole) which now was in jeopardy of discovery. And on the other end of the doorway was the dragonfly-wing children in the interconnected tree root system.
Jansen considered the possibilities. “This entire planet could be taken over to be used as a transportation point between stars and possibly bringing with it even more warriors of evil beings, even more so than what we have at the present time. That would mean the death of these beautiful beings who live here, who live at peace, innocence and in harmony in themselves and all of nature and the planet. Their way of life would cease to exist which would mean their will to live would cease as well.”
"You have entered a restricted area. Please turn around and go back where you came from immediately!" Jansen spoke loudly and firmly into the communicator.
The reply was immediate, sarcastic laughter.
Jansen made the brace yourselves sign with her right hand just seconds before there was a bone rattling crash on the hull next to where Jandi's head was. He released himself from his seat belt and floated down the aisle towards the back, laid down in the medic cot and belted himself in.
Jansen hit the switch and they were gone, only to reappear again leaving a trail of blue energy rings to vibrate towards the dark ship. The entire dark ship lit up in a blue halo then the halo faded and the ship just sat there silent.
Jansen again hit the switch and "Ping!" they were gone then "Ping!" they were back starboard of the next ship. Jansen didn't wait. She just pressed the switch and again blue rings of energy vibrated towards the ship, then lit it up in a blue halo just like the first one that was hit.
Soon they had all twelve ships disabled and Jansen went back to the first ship and asked." I believe you are the lead ship? and what is your name and title?"
"Yes, yes." was the response.
"OK ,yes, yes, I believe you are going to need a tow job. I have the man to do the job for a price. Or would you wish to just be left here?” “Maybe the Glogelians will be of better assistance,” Jansen teased. She then related the legend of the fat worm that flies through space and thrives on eating stranded space ships. She had to bite her tongue to hold back a chuckle as she talked. “Well after this trip if she ever makes it back home she will be able to tale tales of other creatures that would make the Glogelian look like a lady bug in comparison,” she thought.
They were on their way home and Neelix had a job on his hands to keep him busy for a while. Jansen had the coordinates for the gate back. She had wiped their computer of any trace of it and downloaded it into her own computer where she hoped it would remain safe.
Back home Antana asked Jansen if she would like to stay a little longer. “You may leave now, if you wish, now that Agathar is in no immediate danger,” she told her.
"Me? Would I want to stay a little longer? But of course I will, my gracious lady, as long as you wish me to. I don't seem to have any special missions ahead that I am aware of.”
The break of dawn the next day found Jeji and Jansen running to see who would get to Teddy first. The first one there got to steer and Jansen wanted that job.
Feeling the beat of Teddy's wings and the surge forward at each beat, the wind on her face, and Teddy's heart beating synchronously with her own, Jansen closed her eyes and spread her arms to either side, and for a few moment she was Teddy and Teddy was her. They were one entity. She could feel the air lifting her wings as they glided over the purple Agatharian mountains.
Agathar 17
At daybreak they all met in the dining hall to review the roles they would be playing on this..."Just a venture," Jansen said, crossing the fingers of her right hand, "like a drill," she repeated, attempting to convince herself more than anyone else. "Everyone knows their stations and their duties," Jansen said, then got up and walked for the entrance way."As your people would say, someone is filling in for me. We are not locked into one position if another is required to accomplish certain tasks. It was decided, actually unanimously decided that as leader I am also the defender of my world and if my wish is to go out and fight for its freedom, then it is my choice to make, and my choice was honored by all." Antana informed Jansen. Her only weapon, a hollow reed, she proudly held before her.
Antana raised her left hand and pointed at the reed and simply said, "Sleeper," then smiled.
OK then, Antana, your position will be the gunner at the back of the QLPJ. Don't worry, there's not really a gun there, it's just an observatory. Please scan the skies around us for intruders.”
Seated belted and ready to go, Jansen pushed a few buttons in an apparently random fashion and flipped some switches on the overhead console and a low whining sound issued from within the QLPJ, vibrating the entire hull. The low whining soon crested at an ear- splitting sound followed by a silence. Then there was like a loud ping sound and Jansen felt herself being pressed to her seat suddenly. This was followed just as suddenly by weightlessness.
She looked through the monitoring array on the console before her and saw no ships in sight and hoped it would remain so. If they weren't deliberately navigating for the wormhole there was a good possibility they would miss it. Then Antana's excited voice broke through on the intercom.
“Ships, Captain, ten degrees off starboard quarter!” Jansens fingers flew over the keyboard to change the coordinates on the monitoring array to pinpoint the area Antana had given her.
And there they were, still dots on the monitor but moving very fast. Unfortunately this meant that the area of the wormhole had been calculated and charted which meant that if the chart leaked out to any other source Agathar would never again know peace.
The next switch had been modified to work on automatic. A subatomic second surge through space brought them alongside the lead ship of the formation that Antana had spotted. That had the affect she had hoped it would: A ship appearing right alongside of them out of nowhere, close enough they could have shaken hands through the port holes! That brought a cacophony of all of their excited voices trying to all talk at the same time on the QLPJ's intercom system.
“OK, that confirms one thing, they're not from Earth as this person's voice was being translated by the ships translation computer,” Jansen concluded. But still, she had ill feelings about those ominous black ships. There was no light emanating from them. Even if there were port holes the light from inside of them didn't penetrate through the cloak of darkness. Their invisibility shield was working, alright, but they could not avoid detection by way of the doorway, a special doorway (the wormhole) which now was in jeopardy of discovery. And on the other end of the doorway was the dragonfly-wing children in the interconnected tree root system.
Jansen considered the possibilities. “This entire planet could be taken over to be used as a transportation point between stars and possibly bringing with it even more warriors of evil beings, even more so than what we have at the present time. That would mean the death of these beautiful beings who live here, who live at peace, innocence and in harmony in themselves and all of nature and the planet. Their way of life would cease to exist which would mean their will to live would cease as well.”
The reply was immediate, sarcastic laughter.
Jansen made the brace yourselves sign with her right hand just seconds before there was a bone rattling crash on the hull next to where Jandi's head was. He released himself from his seat belt and floated down the aisle towards the back, laid down in the medic cot and belted himself in.
Jansen hit the switch and they were gone, only to reappear again leaving a trail of blue energy rings to vibrate towards the dark ship. The entire dark ship lit up in a blue halo then the halo faded and the ship just sat there silent.
Jansen again hit the switch and "Ping!" they were gone then "Ping!" they were back starboard of the next ship. Jansen didn't wait. She just pressed the switch and again blue rings of energy vibrated towards the ship, then lit it up in a blue halo just like the first one that was hit.
Soon they had all twelve ships disabled and Jansen went back to the first ship and asked." I believe you are the lead ship? and what is your name and title?"
"Yes, yes." was the response.
"OK ,yes, yes, I believe you are going to need a tow job. I have the man to do the job for a price. Or would you wish to just be left here?” “Maybe the Glogelians will be of better assistance,” Jansen teased. She then related the legend of the fat worm that flies through space and thrives on eating stranded space ships. She had to bite her tongue to hold back a chuckle as she talked. “Well after this trip if she ever makes it back home she will be able to tale tales of other creatures that would make the Glogelian look like a lady bug in comparison,” she thought.
Back home Antana asked Jansen if she would like to stay a little longer. “You may leave now, if you wish, now that Agathar is in no immediate danger,” she told her.
"Me? Would I want to stay a little longer? But of course I will, my gracious lady, as long as you wish me to. I don't seem to have any special missions ahead that I am aware of.”
The break of dawn the next day found Jeji and Jansen running to see who would get to Teddy first. The first one there got to steer and Jansen wanted that job.
As for Jandi, he was recovering from his concussion really well and Janson was making sure of that.
By Cynthia. ©
The end of this saga but certainly not the end of the story.
Thank you for reading and thank you for your comments.
With love from the Fairy Lady
Agathar part 1, Agathar part 10, Agathar part 11, same page
Agathar part 2, Agathar 3 Agathar 4, Agathar 5 Agathar 6, Agathar 7, Agathar 8, Agathar 9 Agathar, same page
Agathar 12, Agathar 13 same page
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