“John, are you alright?”
The children screamed with joy at seeing their father safe and sound, they jumped up from the bunks that they had been resting on and rushed to him, demanding some of his attention as they threw their arms around him.
“Yes Mary I am fine, I have even got a promise out of the Generalissimo for him to provide transport to take us back to the village.” Parsons said trying to sound cheerful for the children.
“Why not to New Eden, John?”
“Well we will see tomorrow dear, for it is getting dark now, and I am sure that he will not want to risk a vehicle on a strange planet by travelling the tracks of Orion at night. First though I am starved, I see that they have provided food for us, I must eat and then we can sleep, and tomorrow we can talk to the Generalissimo about our travel arrangements.”
Mary Parsons waited until the children had gone to sleep before speaking again to her husband.
“John, now that the children are asleep tell me what is wrong, and were you telling the whole truth when you said that we will be going back to the village, do you really believe that terrible monster truly wants to help us?” She asked fearfully.
“Maybe he will Mary, he said that all he wants is to go back to his planet, but I think that before that happens he will first want to visit New Eden, and he will not want us warning them of his presence before he gets there.” Parson said fearfully.
“If all he wants is to go home why would he delay John?” Mary asked quizzically.
“Because, Mary I let slip about the Time Machine.” Parsons eyes were pleading with Mary to understand his fear, for her and the children, had he not answered all of the Generalissimo`s questions. “And because he told me just before I was brought here to this room that he means to enslave the planet and ship off all the strongest people to serve his people as slaves, Oh but don`t worry I will be an overseer.” Parsons broke down now and sobbed in his wife`s arms.
“We have to get news to New Eden; we cannot allow that monster to enslave the people of Orion.” Parsons sobbed.
**********
On the Indefatigable, Captain Kruger was getting impatient for the repairs to his hyperspace engines to be completed.
“Karson how much longer until the hyperspace engines are back on line?”
The breathless first officer had just returned from engineering by way of the access ladder, as the lifts of the ship were still not in operation.
“They should be ready in one hour Captain, and then apart from a few minor repairs we will be fully operational.” Karson had spent much of the last forty eight hours assisting the engineering staff to repair the engines. Karson was in need of rest, as was the entire engineering department, but he was happy that they would be able to return to Orion and complete their mission. That hour wasn`t short enough.
“Captain, there is a starship exiting out of hyperspace!” Billings, the communications officer exclaimed.
**********
On the bridge of the heavy space cruiser Revenge, President Michaels sat looking up at the giant view screen. It showed the very blue planet of Orion, and in the midst of all this blue was a green continent, split down the middle by a long chain of snow topped mountains.
“The area seems clear Sir.” First Officer Osborne said after checking his instruments. Peter Osborne was young and a little inexperienced for the post of first officer on the flagship of Earth, having been in the fleet for only seven years, but then his was one of the many Presidential postings that occurred throughout the space fleet in recent years. President Michaels wanted to ensure that he had enough support at all the levels of his administration, should he ever need it.
“The ship carrying the space pirates has either left in anticipation of the arrival of a space cruiser from Earth, or was destroyed by the space storm that Bragg told us about.” President Michaels said. “Let me see New Eden on the view screen Captain, when your other duties permit that is.”
Captain Stalker was also quite young, being only thirty years of age, to be the captain of the flagship of the space fleet of Earth but his father, Admiral Stalker, had been a good friend of the President for a very long time now. His father back in the distant past had been a captain of a space cruiser and had fought in the war against the Lyre Federation, which had happened twenty years in the past. He had been instrumental in saving the life of a younger Colonel Michaels of the Space Marine Corps, who at that time had been on a secret mission to Lyre. That was before it had been brought under the control of Earth; Michaels had also acquired a mammoth amount of free publicity from the actions of the small team that he had led. This had helped the political ambitions of Michaels, for he had returned to Earth as a hero. Some, were jealous of Stalker`s son, of his fast promotion, they said it was in reward for past debts, other simply saw in Stalker an officer who would obey any and all orders that came to him from the President of Earth.
Stalker first ensured that no surprises awaited the huge warship, and only then did he order his helmsman to put New Eden up on the large view screen.
“All seems to be well Captain.” President Michaels said. “Contact Colonel Bragg and tell him that we are in orbit above Orion, but tell him to keep quiet about it. Then wait until the sun rises over New Eden, Captain, and contact Colonel Bragg officially to inform him once again that we have arrived. When you have done that please contact the Colony administrator… a Bishop Sinclair, and inform him of our presence, telling him that we have only just arrived and that a shuttle will be landing within the hour with myself aboard. I will retire to my cabin now and try to get some sleep, goodnight Captain.”
**********
On the bridge of the new flagship Vega, Trajo got up from her chair at the navigational computer and crossed over to Divilio.
“I must talk to you in private.” She said, but only loudly enough for him to hear, no one else.
“I have discovered something that you need to know now; it is of the utmost importance.”
Divilio looked up at Trajo, she had been his woman now for a year. To have lasted that long was beyond every ones expectations, especially Divilio`s. However, she was a good officer and he would hate to lose her skills at navigation, anyway she was also the hottest thing he had ever seen and he still could not get enough of her.
“Ok Trajo let`s go to my Cabin.” They had been in Divilio`s cabin for one minute, and this minute had been enough to stagger and bewilder him.
“Are you sure Trajo, this seems impossible.”
“Yes my darling, somehow we have travelled forward in time, some fifty thousand years, and we have also travelled in space one hundred thousand light years. All that we knew is gone, all our families are dead, and we are all alone now.”
Divilio picked himself up from the floor, mentally, and switched on his intercom.
“Aswan, come to my cabin immediately.”
When Aswan arrived, Divilio had Trajo repeat her findings to an awed Aswan. His feelings of hate and contempt for Divilio almost overwhelmed him as he listened to the results of their disastrous attack on the Planet of the Light, not only were they across the other side of the galaxy, but they were fifty thousand years into its future. How could they take their revenge when in all probability the people of the Planet of the Light would no longer be in existence, or if they were they would be technologically so far in advance of them that they would be able to swat them like a fly. He silently swore on the graves of his ancestors to kill Divilio and erase all mention of him from the records of history.
“Aswan, go back to the navigational console with Trajo and rerun her findings, check and re-check everything, when you have done that report your findings to me.”
Trajo was standing behind Aswan, and she was looking a little miffed at Divilio for not accepting her findings as one hundred per cent correct, so Divilio spoke to her.
“It is not that I doubt your findings Trajo, you are the best navigational officer in the fleet, better than Aswan or me.
What you have discovered is just too awesome to believe, I need you both to re-check all your data before....”Here Divilio`s sentence trailed off.
“Yes of course Generalissimo.” Trajo and Aswan both replied. Aswan was still a little dazed by the information. However, his experience allowed him to immediately carry out his orders.
There was a question to which Divilio wanted an answer; could the Time Machine at the Earth colony travel back in time over such vast distances in time and space.
**********
From the woodland that surrounded the battered fleet Tyler and Caroline watched as darkness fell.
“The ship into which your friends were taken must be being used as a temporary prison, because those other villagers were also put in there.” The other villagers of course were the people of the golden hills whose leader had been murdered just a few hours before.
“It all seems quiet now, let us go aboard the vessel and free them.” Caroline boldly stated. “We have seen only a few soldiers enter the ship, and most of those left later to go aboard those larger ships.” Tyler looked at Caroline with amazement.
“You want us to just walk into the Lion’s den?”
“I don`t know what a Lion is Tyler, but if he is on that ship then yes, I do.” With that she left the cover provided by the broken space cruiser and headed towards the entry ramp of the second broken cruiser. Tyler looked after her in astonishment before hastily picking up his weapons and following after her.
“Oh well here I go to the rescue again.”
Tyler and Caroline slowly crept up the ramp and were soon lost within the starship`s labyrinth of corridors, which were only partially lit by the emergency lighting of the ship. They had been walking around the corridors for some time, with their footfalls echoing loudly, or so Tyler thought, and for all to hear. Just when they were about to give up the search, and make their way back, they heard voices from a corridor that led off from the one they were travelling along. Ahead of them the floor was broken open to show the ground just twelve feet below them, and across this chasm they heard alien voices drifting towards them. It took but moments to cross over the broken floor by way of the broken bulkheads that should have carried it. Tyler and Caroline stopped at a corner and carefully looked around it, and there sitting at a table were two troopers with their backs towards them, body armour lying against one wall, and their weapons lying casually discarded against another wall, five feet from the troopers hands. The corridor before them had many doors opening off of it, and from within one of the rooms they heard the voices of the Parsons complaining about being prisoners of such a monster as Divilio. Tyler and Caroline as of one mind stole silently forward, and when just inches away from the troopers they prodded the men with their spears causing the troopers to start in surprise, and then to try to stand up. Caroline, the more experienced warrior of the two, swung her spear around and hit the first trooper hard with the heavy metal ferrule that protected its end, knocking the trooper unconscious. The second trooper tried to stand but Tyler stabbed the point of the spear into the stomach of the trooper causing him to sit back down. Caroline seeing that Tyler had not hit the second trooper did so for him, much to Tyler`s consternation.
“Come Tyler, let us release our friends.” With this she went to the nearest door and opening it called to the villagers who were inside.
“Come people of the Golden Hills, the people of the village of the red plains have come to free you.” The colour of the plains was because of the large amount of iron oxide in this part of Orion.
“Caroline, what are you doing here, is our good friend Appolon also with you, for we the people of the Golden Hills want to thank you both for releasing us from our terrible imprisonment.” The six villagers inside exclaimed joyfully. Tyler then appeared at the door to the room.
“We can celebrate later, for now I think maybe it is time to leave.”
Caroline agreed and she then went to a door across the corridor and opening it said to the Parson family.
“Come my friends, you are free.” Once again Tyler intruded.
“All right guys, time to go. Come on we must be quick before someone comes along and tries to prevent us from leaving.”
The Parsons` family were a little disorientated by this sudden rescue, and also with Tyler`s appearance, for although he was obviously from Earth, he was not only a stranger to them, but his English was strange and his clothes different. This and many things had to wait though until after they were all safely away. They quickly moved along the half lit corridor, stopping before the break in the floor. The warriors amongst the villagers quickly dropped through the opening and down to the ground to ensure that it was safe for the rest of them to follow. Then Caroline and Tyler went down through the broken hull of the space cruiser, and with the other villagers, helped the Parsons` family down on to the ground.
Tyler and his enlarged group moved stealthily away from the wrecked space cruiser towards the safety of the nearby undergrowth, but then a challenge rang out from behind them. Two Heliot troopers had their Phasers lined up on the group and were moving towards them. What they were saying Tyler could only guess at, as it was in the troopers own language. Obviously they wanted them to stand where they were, drop their weapons and submit once more to captivity. The troopers had just got within arm`s length of Tyler when they all heard and saw a disturbance in the undergrowth; this disturbance distracted the two troopers enough for them to take their eyes of their captives. Immediately Tyler, Caroline and two of the villagers rushed in and knocked the two troopers to the ground. From the undergrowth the disturbance appeared, and with ease brought the metal sleeves of their spears crashing down upon the heads of the fallen troopers.
The disturbance was Appolon and Tryon followed by Argo and Cimon and two more of the warriors of the village, come to aid them in their adventure. The trooper`s helmet helped to lessen the blow, but Tyler being from the twenty first century suspected this, and so he didn`t leave things there.
“Appolon help me drag these two men into the undergrowth so that they are not seen, also we need to tie and gag them to stop them from calling for help.”
To ask Appolon was to see a thing done, the two stunned troopers were hastily dragged into the surrounding trees. Once there Tyler tied both of their hands behind their backs with their own belts, and then cutting material from the trooper`s tunics with the knife that Caroline had given to him, he first gagged them with it and then bound their legs with a longer piece of the material.
“Quick Tyler we must be away before any more of these off world warriors appear.” Appolon said, and the now quite large group of friends quickly disappeared into the nearby trees, and was soon far away from the Heliot ships. Moments later they met Masters who had waited further back from the starships along with two more of Appolon`s warriors.
“When you didn`t return by the time Argo had returned, I decided that we should move off and find you all.” Masters said. “We finally met up with Appolon when we had almost reached this spot here.”
“Yes Tyler, for I too was worried, especially when I came across the dead Magi bird; I thought that fighting it may have given you away to the alien warriors.” Appolon said.
“Tyler dispatched the Magi, Appolon.” Caroline said and then adding sheepishly, “I allowed myself to be distracted, and if Tyler hadn`t rushed in, well who knows what may have happened to me.”
“So Tyler, you have my gratitude once again.” Appolon said.
“You more than made up for it by distracting those two soldiers back there.” Tyler replied. “And anyway you told me to bring Caroline back in one piece.” Appolon smiled at his new friend by way of reply.
“Now we must be on our way to New Eden, Tyler, while we still can.” Masters demanded. Parsons also had a demand that he now voiced.
“Then I must come with you. I must see the Bishop and tell him what that monster wants to do with the people of Orion.” Then turning to Appolon he asked.
; “But can some of your warriors take my wife and children back to your village, for it must be nearer than New Eden.”
“What does that monster want to do with the people of Orion?” Tyler asked. Parsons then told him everything that Divilio had promised for the people of Orion.”
“Oh!” said Tyler and Appolon together.
“We need to get to New Eden and tell them the bad news, Tyler.” Appolon said.
After just a moment`s discussion it was decided that the four newly arrived warriors would guide Mary Parsons and the children back to their village. The villagers of the golden hills would travel with Tyler`s group as far as their own village, which was situated in the foothills of the mountains, through which Tyler`s group would have to travel.
In the bright moonlight of Orion`s single small moon it was a tearstained farewell for the Parsons` family, but one that had to be made, for Parsons knew that his duty was to go to New Eden and inform the Bishop of all that had happened.
The villagers of the golden hills led the way, as they knew of many trails that would be concealed from any search party that the Heliot`s might send out after them. Tyler and Appolon followed on behind them with Caroline, Masters, Parsons, Tryon, Argo and Cimon making up the band. It wasn`t long before they were resting up in the village of the golden hills, so named because in spring time the hills came to life with the golden blossom of one of its small trees. They had decided to sleep in late the next morning so that they could all get enough rest for the long trek to New Eden.
Chapter Thirteen
June 25th the Year 2494
The Journey to New Eden
Tyler and his band of brave warriors were finally on their way when the sun was well overhead, its light blazing down upon the valley below. Luckily for Tyler and Masters there was also a fair amount of cloud about, and this would shade them from the full heat of the day. The women of the village supplied them with food and water for their trip, and a young warrior from the village named Tocra, led them along the mountain slopes, along little trod ways that meandered through the foothills of the vast mountains above them. He stated in a very serious voice that it would be far safer on the slopes of the mountain than walking in plain sight through the more open valley below.