Abalim

Chapter Six

As the Galactic Serpent entered orbit around Qorath, Abalim flinched as the onslaught of psychic energy swamping through him. It took every ounce of energy he had to keep his shields up to keep a semblance of normal.

“You don’t have to say anything, but I can feel you struggling to keep the Xeltrians out of your mind.”

Saphira stood beside him in the middle of the ship”s bridge.

Above them, the ceiling arched into a translucent dome, giving a panoramic view of the planet below. The bridge was a marvel of extraterrestrial engineering, with a seamless blend of organic and synthetic design. The command panels in the oval room pulsated with a soothing rhythm that illuminated the space with a kaleidoscope of contrasting textures.

Abalim itched to see how the control stations that resembled ergonomic sculptures functioned as they floated above the floor like glassy, mineral growths.

When one of the crew members touched a portion of their station, it responded with a symphony of harmonious chimes.

His host focused her attention on the main video screen showcasing the planet Qorath.

Not that he blamed her.

The rotating planet was a beautiful sight, a breathtaking celestial sphere of wonder. The surface combined a mesmerizing blend of natural beauty and diverse landscapes—majestic mountain ranges with light-pink snow-capped peaks, sprawling valleys adorned with lush violet forests and the meandering rush of light-coral rivers. A single vast ocean of dark coral reflected the brilliant cream color of the sky as soft yellow clouds of various shapes drifted lazily across the horizon, occasionally gathering to create a whirl of spectacular storms on different continents.

“Here. I brought these for you.” Saphira held out her hand with an open palm. On it rested two round discs, hard to see at first. “These are called PsyShields. We developed them to block out most psychic energies that leak from others.” She gave him a small smirk. “We made them mostly to keep out the emotional psychic energy we encounter. Even though I suspect your psychic abilities far exceed ours, I’m sure these should help you when you’re around the Xeltrians. Just put them on your temples and let them absorb into your skin. No one will even know they’re there.”

Abalim picked up the dots she offered and held them in his palm. “JR15, please analyze and tell me what you think.”

His AI companion scuttled out from behind his neck and traveled down his arm to rest on his open hand. The little bot”s third eye opened in the middle of his forehead as a pale green beam highlighted the small round shapes. “They are as she says, Mister Abalim, sir. They should be compatible with your genetic makeup. I do not foresee any lasting harm they would cause.”

“How do I take them off?” He directed the question to Saphira.

She shrugged. “All you have to do is this.” She placed her forefinger on her temple and pushed twice. When she pulled her hand back, the small disc became clear on the tip of her finger. “I’m afraid though, once they are removed, they’re useless. You have to get a new set.” She tilted her head and studied him with narrowed, brilliant-green eyes. “You have a deep emotional connection to that human, don’t you?”

“I hardly see how that’s important.” He looked at JR15. “If, for some reason, I can’t take this off, would you be able to?”

“Oh, yes, Mister Abalim, sir.”He nodded his bulbous head. “I can definitely disrupt its signal if you ask me to.”

“I thank you,” Abalim said to Saphira as he put the discs into his vest pocket. “It’ll be handy to have if needed.”

JR15 became the focus of Saphira’s attention. “What your little droid can do is very interesting. We’ve been looking for a way to have these remotely disrupted.” She stepped closer to study his robotic companion. “I don’t suppose you consider selling it to us?”

“I can’t sell JR15. He’s my friend. Not someone I own.”

She stepped back and crossed her arms. “Pity. Maybe when this is over, we can come to some sort of trade agreement where my technicians can meet yours. That way, they can show us how to make our own.”

“You’d have to speak to my father, Captain Saphira, ma’am.” Ever the diplomat, JR15 scuttled up Abalim’s arm to rest on his shoulder. “He may be eager to see what you have to offer.”

“We’ll hold yer to dat,” Gilipthor announced, joining them in front of the main video screen.

Even though Abalim sensed when the little alien got close, it still startled him when the guy seemed to appear out of nowhere. No doubt his patchwork cloak, made of various alien textiles, gave him some type of camouflage abilities.

Giliphtor turned his wide orange-red eyes to Saphira. His horizontal slitted pupils expanded. “The Xeltrians are making contact. Ya wanna talk to ‘em?”

“Hang on.” Saphira faced Abalim. “I know you thought to use the PsyShield later, but I’d advise you to reconsider before we open communications.” She nodded in the direction of his vest pocket. “From our experience in dealing with them, they can take over your mind if you don’t have something to prevent them from doing so.” Reaching into an inside pocket on her jacket, she pulled out another set of PsyShield dots and replaced the last one she wore.

Abalim glanced at JR15 before giving in. Might as well see what happened. He pulled them out of his pocket, putting one on his forefinger. He studied it before placing it on his temple. Nothing happened. He glanced at Saphira, who nodded for him to continue with the other. With a grimace, he put the other one on his naked temple. The immediate, destabilizing effect almost brought him to his knees. The sense of his psychic talent ripped away was mind-boggling. Eyes shut, he rubbed the bottom of his palms over them. It was like he lost his eyesight and stumbled around, trying to remain steady.

“Take a deep breath.” Saphira’s warm voice pushed through his panic. “Give yourself a chance to adjust. Trust me, you’ll be just fine.”

Clenching his jaw, Abalim dropped his hands and concentrated on letting his mind go. He took her advice and drew in several deep breaths before opening his eyes. While his vision hadn’t changed, everything looked a little flat and out of sync. Like there were colors and textures missing he’d never noticed before. The disorientation made him stagger. He might have fallen if Saphira hadn’t caught his elbow. He straightened and waved her off.

“Better?” she asked as she let go.

With a dry gulp, he nodded. “Thank you. I’ll be fine.”

Giving him one last lingering look, Saphira turned to her crew behind them. “Yve, open communications so everyone can hear.”

Without a word, the other Crichian waved her hand over the console in front of her. The eerie multi-tone of a Xeltrian came through.

“Land your vehicle at the coordinates uploaded to your system. Do not deviate from this or we will take it as a sign of hostility.”

“And there’s the warm fuzzy welcome we always like to hear,” Kodyn quipped.

“All right, everyone. Let’s get this done.” Saphira’s voice was firm.

Abalim stayed on the bridge and watched Aera land the Galactic Serpent on the planet Qorath with ease. Just as when they took off from FiPan, the gravitational forces as well as the atmosphere didn’t feel any different from one moment to the next. But when the crew gathered at the airlock and Saphira activated the opening, the change in pressure caught him off guard. The gravitational pull was not as heavy as Earth.

As the elevator touched ground and the cylinder opened, he took a deep breath and noticed the air was thin. Even so, he enjoyed the fresh scent. He never said anything to his family, but transporting seven thousand years into Earth’s future had one nasty side effect. The air was full of pollutants that made it hard to breathe. Without him being in tight control of his senses, he doubted he’d been able to function there half as well as he did.

Glancing up at the night sky, he relished the exotic view.

Qorath had three moons, with two large spheres dominating the star-filled sky while its third satellite was off in the distance, like Earth’s moon.

He squinted and studied the larger moon with a slight ring circling it. If he wasn’t mistaken, there were lights on its surface as well, like it had been colonized. First chance he got, he’d ask Yve if he was right.

In front of them was a three-story building that blended into a rugged mountainside. It’s massive doors opened in invitation.

“Come on, people.” Saphira waved an elegant hand. “You know the drill.”

“The drill?” Abalim followed Saphira along with the rest of her crew.

“Yeah, keep your hands to yourself, your mouth shut, and let Saphira do all the talking.” Rodrock’s firm tone left no doubt he’d enforce that directive.

It didn’t take long to walk through the open threshold into the warm building. Once they were inside, the colossal doors once again reappeared, cutting them off from the outside.

Clasping his hands behind him, Abalim took in the immense room that had the look and feel of an auditorium. The walls were made of a reflective material that emanated a soft glow. Even with the PsyShields he wore, he could sense everything around him had its own psychic energy. As if it was partly sentient. Various three-dimensional objects were displayed on the walls that waved in and out of focus. Maybe the Xeltrians used them to project data or images. Might be some type of simulation.

Gliding toward them was the creature he’d met in the Dreamwalk, Rerqel.

He wore a one-piece suit surrounded by a cape, complete with a cowl.

Abalim narrowed his eyes and examined the alien to see if he carried any weapons. “JR15, can you sense if he’s carrying any kind of weapon on him?” he whispered in a low voice to his companion hiding at the nape of his neck.

A faint scratch from the bot”s tiny feet told him JR15 moved into position to better analyze everything around them.

“No, Mister Abalim, sir. There are no weapons here except the strange signatures of the pendant Captain Saphira has around her neck.”

He didn’t bother to reply.

Rerqel stopped in front of Abalim. “What have you done that prevents us from communicating without speaking?”

While the Xeltrian’s voice had no inflection, Abalim could tell the alien didn’t like being blocked.

“We thought it’d be best if we started out on equal footing and not let you have an unfair advantage by invading our minds,” Saphira answered with her arms crossed and her green eyes narrowed.

“Unacceptable.” Rerqel lifted one hand and wiggled his spindly three-knuckled fingers.

Saphira and her crew disappeared.

Abalim dropped his hands and clenched them into fists. “What did you do to them?”

“They will not be harmed if you remove the blockage that prevents us from communicating.”

“I’m not doing anything until you tell me what you did with them.” He widened his stance.

The wall to his left shimmered until an image of Saphira and the other Crichians appeared back on the bridge of the Galactic Serpent. They were in their normal seats but unmoving, as if frozen.

“These creatures will remain on their vessel until you and the human woman finish the Quandary of Existence trial we have created for you to partake in.”

“Why do I get the impression that if we don’t complete this trial to your satisfaction, none of us will be leaving Qorath?”

Rerqel floated closer and brought the scent of ozone with him. “I assure you, if you do not remove the blocker and participate, your assertion will be correct.”

Abalim studied his adversary with a frown. “So, what you’re telling me is if I remove my blocker and participate, you’ll let us all go? And what about the threat the Krystalii brings? Will you assist in keeping them out of our dimension?”

Rerqel folded his thin fingers in front of him with a nod. “We are open to the possibility that it would be advantageous for us to become allies. That is, if we deem your species worthy.”

Not that he’d admit it, but having the PsySchield on was a handicap. Without another word, he reached up and tapped twice on his right temple and then did the same to the left. The rush of psychic energy enveloping him made him throw his hands down into fists as he struggled to catch his breath.

The glorious feel of his mental sense coming back was a rush. With it came the inescapable sensation of someone behind him. The feminine feel unmistakable. Now the rush turned physical. Steeling himself, it took everything he had to control his primal reaction to Lisa coming closer behind him.

Heart pounding, Lisa”s eyes snapped open. She stifled a sharp scream as she discovered a Xeltrian stood next to where she lay. The creepy hum of energy from it wormed through her mind.

She shivered, doing her best to block the images fluttering around her skill. Memories of the recent mind rape the Xeltrians put her through overwhelmed her. Mind rape. That’s what the damn things did when they invaded her mind. The violation of multiple minds burrowing through her, uncovering every little detail of her thoughts and experiences, left a slimy taste in her mouth.

Okay, missy. Take stock of where you are. Was she still in the round room with the aliens watching from above with an arrogant, detached air? Dragging her eyes from the silent alien, she glanced up and groaned. Damn, still on the stupid table. Didn’t look like any of the Xeltrians above her had moved one bit either. The only thing different was this one stared at her like she was a bug under a microscope. She licked dry lips with a parched tongue.

“We have decided to withdraw our examination of your mind to ensure permanent damage will not result.”

Wild guess this was the same alien as before since they all looked alike. Rerqel.

“Well, if I wanted your pity, I’d submit an application.” Lisa wiggled her fingers and toes to make sure they still worked. With a grunt, she pulled herself up on her elbows. Sweat broke out on her forehead. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to sit up. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and narrowed a glare at the annoying piece of crap next to her. She didn’t care what the dumbass promised about not hurting her. A physical examination couldn’t be half as bad as what she’d just gone through.

“What now, you rat bastard?” Ah, hell. That’s it… call the alien villain’s names. If she was half as smart as she liked to think she was, she’d just sit there and keep her big fat mouth shut. Maybe she’d get lucky and they’d forget all about her. Yep, just call her the delusional invisible woman.

“We have deemed you ready for the next step of your evaluation.”

Jeez, it was college prep all over again.

“You will follow me. The male of your species has arrived, and we can now begin the Quandary of Existence.” The gangly alien turned and appeared to float to an open exit.

The dais lowered and disappeared into the floor.

Which left her no choice but to hop off and hopefully not land on her ass. “A male? What male?” Now her heart sped up for a different reason. Had they kidnapped some guy from Earth? That couldn’t be right. Rerqel told her the only reason they took her from that pudgy little alien was because they couldn’t reach Earth to get a human themselves.

Of course, the snooty Xeltrian didn’t answer her. And no way would she try to read its mind. She’d rather freak herself out by guessing what was going on like any normal person would. She was led to another round, totally different room.

So different it took her breath away.

The large chamber was a masterpiece in both form and function. The walls were iridescent with mirrored material that pulsed with a soft, inner glow. No need for lamps or obvious lights. The room”s flowing, organic lines inside merged from one wall to the other, as if the auditorium was an extension of the planet”s natural beauty.

The furniture scattered around was designed for both comfort and versatility.

Chairs and tables appeared lightweight, but made with high-strength materials she suspected would adjust to the preferences of the occupants. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear when she walked by, several chairs reached for her, as if responding to her being there.

Holographic displays on the walls wavered in and out of focus. No telling what the Xeltrians used them for. It took her a moment before it dawned on her the room possessed a degree of sentience, responding to her thoughts and intentions. It reached out to her as if to adjust the lighting, temperature, and acoustics to make sure she had the ideal atmosphere.

In the center was a large, translucent, three-dimensional display hovering in the center. It pulsated with intricate patterns and symbols.

A whispered mental comment came to her, letting her know it was the Xeltrians’ way of conveying complex information. It was their central hub, where they shared their scientific findings and engaged in telepathic communication with others of their species throughout the planet.

Great. She was going to go viral on Qorath. Yay her.

A movement out of the corner of her eye made her stop. Was that… no, wait. It couldn’t be. Her heart skipped a beat. Was that… Abalim? The man she’d dreamed of? Hard to tell with his back to her. But who else had such long, ebony dreadlocks that cascaded down his strong back like a waterfall of midnight silk? His skin, a deep rich shade of warm mahogany.

Lisa put her fingers over her lips when he turned around. His dark gaze speared her. His deep-brown, almost-black eyes drew her in like a moth to a flame.

Here was a man who embodied controlled strength and power. His well-built, muscular frame was subtly outlined by the timeless tan leather outfit he wore, with knee-high boots that added an air of rugged elegance.

Time stood still as she and Abalim locked in a moment of destiny that wove them together.

“Lisa.”

His smoky, panties-melting voice made her believe in dreams.

“Abalim.” Lisa whispered. Damn. Way to dazzle the man with her verbal skills or with a sultry glance standing there with her mouth and eyes wide open like a kid in a candy store.

“Excellent.”

Lisa blinked. Rerqel’s voice broke the spell between her and the breathtaking man in front of her.

“We are gratified our selection of the two of you appears to be the appropriate choice.”

Her eyebrows popped up. What did it mean they put the two of them together? She glanced at Abalim. His blank stare was on the alien.

Lisa? His voice whispered in her mind. Can you hear me?

She jumped. Abalim? Darn it. Here was the proof the Xeltrians had crumbled the mental wall she’d built for herself. She took a quick peek at the alien. I wouldn’t bother talking in my mind, they can hear us.

Because of the Dreamwalks we shared, I’ve created a private path between us. No matter how powerful these aliens think their psychic abilities are, I can work around them. Especially since they don’t have a thorough understanding of how our minds work.

Lisa bit her bottom lip. Those dreams were real? Looking at him, she’d never know he spoke to her in such an intimate manner. His stance and face were emotionless, never glancing her way. Heat rose, making her face and neck burn as her heart raced.

“To better understand you emotional creatures, we have created the Quandary of Existence,” Rerqel continued. “You will interact with a species called the Lumarians from the planet Nexoros.” The Xeltrian waved his spindly fingers toward a wall behind them.

The surface blurred until a picture of another world cleared.

As if they were watching a movie, the scene panned over an alien village nestled in a canopy of colossal trees. The trees towered over structures of organic and metallic materials. Their branches formed intricate networks of connections between them. Dotted among the trees were shimmering leaves topped with delicate woven branches, a glowing backdrop to the sky in a soothing violet gray. Fluffy yellow clouds floated by without a care in the world.

When she looked closer, Lisa noticed the branches housed several dwellings, resembling elegant nests, hanging from the trees like organic lanterns.

The entire village was held together by translucent bridges and walkways made from the same glowing, organic material. On the ground were two-story structures made of the same material. In the central grove was an amphitheater with backless wooden seats in front of a massive tree twice as big as those surrounding it. The foliage scattered on the ground had a variety of mismatched leaves.

The dark ones reminded her of solar panels that absorbed energy from the sun.

Other odd-shaped leaves flittered around on the trees in different colors. The massive tree had a spiraling trunk that created a luminescent canopy, as if protecting the nests within.

Lisa frowned when she noticed some of the leaves in the huge tree had drooping black and gray branches, as if they were dying.

Movement in the village caught her attention. She gasped at the sight of the humanoids in the small village.

They had a striking appearance, with smooth skin like a dolphin’s. Their clothes were simple tunics that rippled in a multitude of colors as they moved. They all had large, expressive eyes of a single bright color and no visible pupils.

Their eyes reminded her of an anime character. Cute as hell and hard to resist.

The aliens walked on two legs and had two arms. Each one portrayed a graceful dance of motion whenever they moved.

“For thousands of generations in the village of Aroonshire, the Lumarians have created a tradition to sacrifice one of their own to their god, Echovara. The sacrifice was given the title of Ritual of Renewal. They believe it is necessary to maintain the balance of their world in order to ensure the prosperity of the entire community.”

Lisa gasped. “OMG! They murder one of their own in front of everyone?” Never in her wildest imagination when writing her stories would she have someone sacrificed like that. Visions of a Mayan priest ripping out their victim’s still-beating heart made her dizzy. She hated violence. That’s why she wrote love stores with happy endings.

“The sacrifice is not a gruesome act, but is instead a solemn and emotional event. The elder is treated with the utmost respect and awe. Almost like a god themselves.”

Lisa crossed her arms. She didn’t care. No one should die because of some stupid, antiquated belief.

“Your task is to interact with the Lumarians and observe this ritual, and then bring back your recommendations to us.”

“Recommendations for what?” Abalim stood with his feet apart and clasped his hands behind his back. His voice was smooth as he faced Rerqel.

“I don’t need to observe anything.” Lisa mirrored his stance, gripping her hands into fists. “We’d never let an innocent person die because some old farts think that’s what they need to do to keep them in power.”

“Interesting.” Rerqel twined his gangly fingers together in front of him and didn’t say anything else.

“Lisa.” Abalim”s quiet tone was firm. “I’m sure there’s more to the story than what the Xeltrians are showing us.”

“Humph.” She glared at the alien.

“Quite right.” Rerqel gave a brief nod as an opposite wall dissolved open.

Lisa’s eyes popped wide at the weird sight.

In came two of the Xeltrians with a strange creature between them.

It looked like a walking malachite crystal on steroids. While it resembled a man with two legs, two arms, and a head like any other humanoid creature, the resemblance to an organic being was nowhere in sight. The clear deep-green color of his body had swirling ribbons of black and light green, opaque in nature, twining inside it.

The silent creature’s roaming eyes reminded her of a crystal ball a psychic would use. Except in emerald green.

Over his body, the crystals or mirrors reflected rainbow prisms around the room, and the varied smooth panels covering him were in myriad shades of seafoam green.

Lisa was so shocked, she didn’t notice Abalim brushed up behind her until her shivering body was wrapped in his welcoming heat. Without thinking, she leaned into his chest.

His large hands wrapped around her upper arms as he sucked in a breath and whispered a strange word. “Krystalii.”

She started to turn around to look at him, but Rerqel’s next words stopped her.

“Good. We are pleased you recognize this species.”

YOU WILL ALL DIE AN INGLORIOUS DEATH!

Lisa slammed her hands over her ears with her eyes closed, trying to block the scream in her mind. The gentle touch of Abalim’s fingers on her temple eased the pain. The instant relief brought tears to her eyes as she opened them.

“I will stay in your mind and protect you.”

Abalim’s whisper was a balm to the muffled sound in her ears. “Yes, please.” She gripped his muscular forearm for support. “What was that?” She glanced at the unmoving crystal man.

He was frozen in mid scream.

“This creature is called a Krystalii.” Rerqel replied. “Our apologies. We were not aware when he spoke in your mind it would cause you distress. Considering your delicate sensibilities, we put a block on his mental capabilities to limit his communications.”

The massive hold on her mind evaporated. Her knees almost gave out. Good thing Abalim held her in his powerful hands. She tilted her head to look back at him. “You know about them?”

“Yes.” He gave her a slight nod. “I’ve unfortunately met one of them who calls himself Lord Baelon. He claimed they were from another dimension and plan to conquer ours by genetically purging every organic species in the galaxy.” He chuckled. “One of the ways they want to do that is to experiment with human women to accelerate their spawning ability.”

“What… how…?”

“This creature claims what you say is an oversimplification of their intent, but agrees with the underlying analysis.” The multiple tones in Rerqel’s tone hardened.

Abalim wrapped a strong arm around Lisa’s waist and pulled her close. “Oh, and did he say why he came to you?”

Lisa got the impression the man holding her continued to hear what the creepy crystal alien said, but asked out loud for her.

“He brought forth a proposal to us, seeking an alignment. Not to help them, but to refrain from interfering. If we are agreeable, they will not only let us live unimpeded in this dimension, they would encourage any endeavor we wish to pursue.”

Lisa’s heart dropped. She might not know much about the Xeltrians, but if they decided to align themselves with these crystal people, it couldn’t be good for everyone else in the galaxy. Especially Earth.

“May I ask what you have decided?” Abalim could be talking about the weather for all the calm, soft tone he used.

“We have informed this Krystalii that the decision entirely rests on how you both interact with the Lumarians.”

If Lisa didn’t know any better, she’d swear the towering alien had a smirk on his angular face.

“But do not be overly concerned,” the Xeltrian continued. “We are assured the fate of the galaxy will be victorious in your capable hands.”