Chapter Fifteen
Mabraant, Mabra System, Fazaal Sector, Gaashox Quadrant
Grogaan opened the front door to the Klaret Diner, and was confronted by a six foot tall burly man with a receding hair line. “Hi Joraand. Too cold to stand outside is it?”
“Hi Grogaan,” he replied glaring at him with a deep set scowl, which was replaced by a big smile when Grogaan failed to react. “You’re looking happier than usual tonight, but you might not remain that way for much longer. The other three have been here for about an hour, and are getting restless. It’s not like you to be late.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
Joraand nodded. “Yeah, I suppose. They’re in the usual corner.”
“Thanks. See you later.” Grogaan slapped him gently on the shoulder, and went straight to the bar. “A Mabraleen Ale please Joss.”
“Coming right up. Haven’t seen you in here for a while. Been anywhere nice?”
“That depends on what you think of Drolees. We’ve just completed an escort mission for the MDF.”
“Sounds important,” said Joss placing a tankard of ale on the counter.
“Yeah, it was,” said Grogaan as he gazed round to see who was about, and caught sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She appeared to be of medium height with a shapely figure, and had long, silky auburn coloured hair, which cascaded down her back over a dark green dress very similar to the colour of his flight suit.
As far as Grogaan was concerned, and from what he was able to see, she appeared to be perfect in every way. As he gazed admiringly, his heart skipped a heat, making him shudder in exactly the same way when he first saw Miranda. He watched her pick up her glass, take a sip of her drink, and then laugh at something her friend said. He felt his pulse quicken, and he had to tear his gaze away from her when Joss spoke.
“Any trouble with raiders?”
“Yeah, two encounters, one near Drolees and the other just after we arrived back in our system.”
“Well, I’m pleased all four of you got back safely. You must be one lucky squadron.”
“That and the modification we did to our ships, which gave us quite an advantage.” Grogaan sipped his drink and turned his gaze back to the mysterious woman.
“That drink’s on Zaack,” said Joss, who then noticed Grogaan looking at the woman in the corner. “Ah! I see you’ve spotted, Ellarna, the eldest daughter of Senator Rayshon. She and her friends are from the Arlrent District over in Stellant City.”
“She is beautiful.”
Joss nodded. “She is that, but I doubt she’d look twice at the likes of us.”
Grogaan laughed. “Probably not.”
“It’s strange, but this is the first time she’s actually been here.”
“So how do you know her?”
“News feeds on the hypernet, and she introduced herself.”
“Lucky you, and thanks for this,” he said holding up his tankard. As he walked across the room to meet his friends, he glanced toward the young woman and felt a strange tingling sensation running through his body.
“It’s about time you arrived. We were beginning to wonder if you remembered we were meeting,” said Eldaan.
“Hi’ya guys. Yeah, sorry. I got a little sidetracked.” As he spoke, the sensation disappeared.
“Yeah, by that gorgeous woman on the far side of the bar,” said Doraant.
“I don’t think so. Grogaan hasn’t taken an interest any women, not even Collatin’s daughter. You remember her don’t you? I could easily fall in love with her,” said Eldaan.
“Any woman who can grab Grogaan’s attention like that must be special, and believe me, she is stunning,” said Zaack.
Grogaan took a long drink and gazed at the woman over the rim of his mug, captivated by her beauty. He had not seen a single female who matched the beauty of Miranda, not that he had taken much notice.
“You owe us a drink by the way,” said Doraant.
“Give him chance to finish the one he’s got first,” said Zaack.
“No, it’s alright. After all, I am late, and I did promise.” Leaving his unfinished drink on the table, Grogaan went to buy the next round. He glanced toward Ellarna again, unable to prevent himself looking at her. He was besotted, and yet he felt guilty for having desirous thoughts of another woman.
“Four ales please Joss.”
“It’s no good looking at her. She won’t take any notice of us.”
“Guess you’re right about that, but who knows.”
“Miracles don’t happen on Mabraant.”
“Maybe they didn’t yesterday, but Kopaz Squadron has changed the rules. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it.” Grogaan was now beginning to believe it was possible to change the fortunes of his people, to even succeed in defeating the Krelathans and to make a difference that would be felt far and wide.
Joss laughed and shook his head. “You never know. Perhaps it’s time to start believing in miracles.”
Grogaan laughed and walked toward his friends carrying a tray of drinks. Every few steps he turned his head to gaze at Ellarna and sighed. He refused to let the memories of Miranda’s and his father’s deaths drag him into down the pit of despair any longer. It was time to put the past behind him and look forward.
“I’d never believe it if I hadn’t seen it myself,” admitted Eldaan, who was watching Grogaan with amusement.
“Believe what?” asked Doraant.
“Grogaan being captivated by another woman’s beauty.”
“Stranger things have happened, hey Grogaan?”
“What? Oh, yeah, I guess so,” he replied, Doraant having distracted him from his thoughts.
“Who is she anyway?” asked Eldaan.
“She’s Ellarna Rayshon, the daughter of Senator Blaith Rayshon from Stellant City,” said Grogaan.
“Well beyond us,” injected Zaack. “Probably wouldn’t even notice us, let alone take a second glance.”
“That’s exactly what Joss said,” said Grogaan laughing.”
While they drank their next round, the four men talked about the training session against the probes and the mission to Drolees. They shared their personal feelings about the dangers they faced engaging the Krelathans, what they had learnt as a result of their experiences, and of what the future now held in store for them.
The two engagements with the raiders had been very demanding, both physically and mentally, but they were surprised how easy it had been to destroy pilots who were more experienced in combat than themselves. They attributed it more to the capabilities of their starfighters than their piloting skills, although they were unable to deny their skills played a big part in it. The experience had been exciting, exhilarating, and it whetted their appetites for more encounters.
Doraant glanced across the bar lounge, and caught sight of a young man who had just walked into the diner. “Hey Grogaan, isn’t that Hobbes?”
Grogaan turned to see who Doraant was referring to. “Yes, it is,” he agreed and went to greet his old friend. “Hey Hobbes, it’s good to see you again.”
The young man’s face lit up when he saw his old friend. “Grogaan! Well I’ll be a Hodarhound. How long has it been?” he asked as the two friends greeted each other with a big manly hug.
“It must be at least four years. What happened to you?”
The newcomer’s expression became sullen. “Six actually. I had to move to the Farosh district when my father moved jobs. I hated it there so much I applied to join the Academy.”
“And there’s me thinking you weren’t interest in flying,” said Grogaan shaking his head. “I don’t believe it, Hobbes, a fighter pilot.”
“Well, you’d better believe it. So what about you? I didn’t think you’d still be hanging around this place.”
“I never had the motivation or incentive to leave, but things have changed a lot recently.” Grogaan turned to face the barman. “Hey Joss, another ale when you’re ready please.”
The barman acknowledged his request.
Grogaan turned back to face his friend. “Come over and meet the others. They’ll be anxious to see you again, and catch up on old times.”
“I’ve heard you four are becoming quite famous after your recent exploits. I know you haven’t been through the Academy, so I’m curious to know how you ended up being chosen to fly an escort mission for the MDF.”
“That’s a long story,” said Grogaan smiling.
“And one I’d like to hear.”
“It’ll be a pleasure to tell you.”
“You know there’s a lot of talk about you at MDF headquarters and among many of the pilots.”
“I get the impression this is something I might not want to know, not that I care what anyone else says.”
“That’s something about you that hasn’t changed,” said Hobbes. “I reckon the unkind comments and opinions are out of jealousy because they haven’t been successful like you. They don’t like the fact that you haven’t gone through the acceptable route into the MDF.”
“Well, considering my application was refused four times. . .”
Hobbes stopped and looked at Grogaan. “What? None of them in the Academy seem to have any sense, none at all. I bet they’ve now offered you a position.”
“No they haven’t, nor did they invite us to join the MDF, however, they have asked us to undertake the occasional mission.”
“Which I’m sure you’ll do. You continue to show ‘em how it’s done.”
“You bet we will,” said Doraant.
Ellarna Rayshon, and those who accompanied her, had eaten their meal in the restaurant on the upper floor before Grogaan arrived. They then decided to spend some time in the lower lounge to enjoy a couple of drinks before leaving for Herloan City’s central shopping precinct. Ellarna headed to the bar in order to thank the barman for his hospitality and kindness before rejoining her friends.
As she reached the door, Ellarna paused, sensing something strange. It felt similar to the sensation she experienced at home before going into the garden. This time, however, not only did she receive a prompting in her mind, but the air was filled with an electrostatic charge. She felt compelled to turn and look toward the far corner of the lounge. The five young men, who had been relatively quiet most of the evening, were now talking and laughing more boisterously. The one facing in her direction stood out above the rest.
Ellarna considered him handsome. Unfortunately, his eyes were averted so he did not notice her gazing intently at him. Although he appeared familiar, she was convinced she had never seen him before. As her gaze lingered, she sensed something strange about him and the aura he emitted, which seemed to suggest he was not all he appeared to be. The young woman shivered as the sensation became more acute, and then it disappeared as quickly as it had struck.
Ellarna walked out of the diner with a sense of disappointment. She had believed something was going to happen while at the Klaret Diner, but nothing had, except for the strange sensations she experienced when she saw that young man, who piqued her curiosity. Ellarna wondered if that was important and would lead to another encounter, but her thoughts were distracted by her friends.
Grogaan was disappointed when he saw Ellarna preparing to leave, and would be even more so had he known her gaze lingered on him long enough to have made eye contact. After Hobbes arrived, he had only managed to cast his gaze in her direction a few times.
Coincidence was something Grogaan had always believed in. Now, however, with his changing attitude and the events of the last two weeks, his beliefs were changing. Too much had happened, which could not be attributed to pure coincidence; it suggested those events were transpiring in a certain way, as if destiny was playing a leading role in guiding his life along a certain path.
He wondered if Ellarna’s surprise visit to the Klaret was one of those events. Either way, he had been hoping for an opportunity to meet her personally, but now it would have to wait, if she ever returned to the Klaret.
‘Chance will be a fine thing,’ he thought, shaking his head gently.
After his third drink, Grogaan noticed it was getting rather late. He yawned deeply. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve just about had it,” he said rubbing his hands over his head.
The others agreed.
After the young men separated to go their own way, Grogaan spent his time walking home thinking of Ellarna Rayshon. There was something different about her, and the effect she had upon him was intriguing. It felt as if there was some kind of spiritual union between them, similar and yet different to what he experienced with Miranda. “That’s impossible!” he mused. “I’ve only seen her once.” He shook his head in disbelief, tried to brush the motion aside, but found he was unable to stop thinking about her.
He felt guilty for having considered wanting to meet another woman on a personal level, which was something he had been reluctant to do. His love for Miranda remained as strong as it had been before she died; she was his soul-mate, his life, his everything. Grogaan always believed if he did begin to look at other women in a desirous manner, he would betray that love.
Now he knew differently. He could not continue holding onto the past, and believed Miranda would not want him to do so. Even so, he found it hard to let go of her, hard to stop loving her even though she had been dead for three years. He had already made a conscious effort to sort himself out, to focus on the future, and now he had to accept the fact she was gone from his life, but he would always have those precious memories of her and their times together.
He now had more important things than his own self-pity to consider. There were his friends who trusted in him and his ability to lead them, the fight against the Krelathans, and his vow of vengeance, which he had only just begun fulfilling.
His mother was at the door as soon as he opened it and hugged him tightly. “Oh my dear son, I’m so relieved your back home safely. I was so worried about you and your friends.”
“You always worry about me.”
“I know, but it’s only because I care about you so much.”
Grogaan smiled.
“I’ve heard you flew superbly, saving several transports and shuttles from the Krelathans. So brave and skilful, just like your father. So how was it?”
“Exhilarating. It’s as if I was born to fly.” As soon as he had spoken, memories of the prophecy, and the meeting with the Jestungans came to mind, but his mother distracted him from them.
“I’m so proud of you son.” Kareana’s face was aglow. She knew words could not portray how she truly felt. Finally, after years of heartache, she knew her son had found his vocation, something to focus on and take his thoughts off his troubles. “Oh yes, I’ve got some good news for you. Your friend doesn’t have to worry about his problem anymore. That Senator I told you about has dealt with it.”
“That’s great! Zaack will be ever so grateful.” Grogaan gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Anyway, I’m off to bed. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Kareana sighed as she watching him walk wearily up the stairs.
Kareana knew her son possessed the same gift as his father, the unique family heritage passed down from generation to generation, having learnt the facts from her husband Ruebern. She wondered if she should tell him what she knew, and whether or not he would believe her if she did.
Ruebern had been able to perform some simple magical tricks, but it was his piloting ability that had been most affected by his gift, not that it prevented him from being killed. Now the gift was becoming evident in her son, she feared for his life. As far as she was concerned, the heritage was a plague upon her family. It had never brought them good fortune, nor had it helped any of her family achieve what many believed the gift could. With a heavy sigh, Kareana turned off the light and went upstairs to bed.
It was another restless and disturbed night for Grogaan.
He was unable to relax and shut off his mind, nor could he prevent his thoughts returning to
Ellarna. Her image seemed to haunt him continuously, popping into his head whenever he tried to think of something or someone else. He drifted in and out of sleep, disturbed by dark dreams that tormented him, memories of his father and brother, and of course Miranda, his one true love who had been so viciously torn from him.
After one particularly intense and disturbing dream, a name burst into his memory like a laser blast: Kregarast. He was the Krelathan who had led the attacks in which his father, brother and Miranda were killed. Kregarast was a notorious and ruthless individual, hated and despised by everyone in the Fazaal sector, but no one could deny he was an ace fighter pilot.
News of his death, which was reputed to have occurred about a year after Miranda was killed, spread rapidly causing much jubilation and relief across the sector. It was hoped the raids would end with his death, but they continued unabated.
Despite the news reports, Grogaan believed he was still alive. He felt it in his bones. He also had a strange notion that he would eventually meet him in combat, something he was hoping for more than anything else. However, he wondered if he would last long enough to see it happen.
Grogaan was also perplexed about the new factor in his life: The prophecy. Was he really part of it or not? Were his dreams linked to it? These were just two of the many questions to which he had no answers. His inability to stop thinking about them and the uncertainty of his future tormented him, and disturbed his sleep continually.
After all of the attempts to stop the raiders with no success, Kopaz Squadron had achieved what was becoming regarded as the impossible. They now outperformed even the most experienced pilots of the Defence Force, much to the anguish and jealousy of many of those pilots.
The four young men may have received no formal training, but Grogaan had spent considerable time with his father learning the fundamentals of combat flying. This experience he then used to hone his general flying skills in the mountains and canyons of the Potrodand Mountains. Then, when his three friends had access to ships, he spent an extensive amount of time teaching them all he had learnt, which had since proved to be sufficient, making them exceptional pilots.
This fact alone made them stand out as unique and naturally talented pilots, but they knew they would not have survived without the modifications they had carried out on their ships. What they were totally unaware of, was the fact that Zaack, Doraant and Eldaan were all being influenced by the astral realm, not because they possessed the gift of magic, but because of their unique bond with Grogaan.