11

Strange Clues

Dan felt his body floating, weightless. He finally opened his eyes feeling a surge of sharp stress pain shoot through his back, fearing what he'd see. His skin felt damp, sweaty. He was floating as if in a zero gravity environment. The pain of the light still hurt his eyes and he closed them again. Had he only been here for a few minutes? A few seconds? It didn't matter, he had to move. 

He made a motion like swimming with his arms and legs. The light seemed, even against the closed lids of his eyes, to fade. He breathed deeply and slowly, practicing the techniques Trillion taught him and his body flailing came under his control, panic subsiding. He thought about moving forward and slowly, he moved. The web of light and mists became fainter and then he saw something. He was still enveloped within a cocoon of light and mist but was now deep inside. He saw a portal and just beyond were two "doorways". One, to the right, was a massive vault and a metal door on one of its walls. There was a strange looking machine sitting in the middle of this vault. The other to the left was what looked like a wormhole into deep space. Above the vault door to the right was a strange symbol in metal of a planet with massively outsized rings. Or that's what it looked like to him. He couldn't possibly go to the left as he had no idea where it would take him or whether he would survive the trip and he shuttered to think what he would find at the end of it. To the right? maybe. But where was this place? He strained through the hazy and waving scene before him to suss out another clue as to what this room was and where it was located. Dan realized that he'd found something of utmost importance for his team. Things no human was ever meant to find or see.

Suddenly the vault door began to slowly open. A feeling of terror washed over Dan and he pushed himself back, so far back that he found himself pushed out of the wormhole portal and back into the boiler room. Mary was gone. What had happened to her? He remembered that someone was coming and she started screaming and he'd told her to run.

Where was she? He couldn't leave until he found her. He listened carefully for he thought he heard something. A woman's voice. A woman was screaming, Mary! perhaps his leap into the wormhole and what happened before had only occurred a few minutes ago and if that was so, he still had time to find Mary! He followed the sound. It sounded as if she was far away and drawing away even farther still. He stretched out with his feelings. He could feel her terror and even. . .anger? But she was no longer in the building. She must have been somewhere outside. 

The place was dark. he sensed that all of the matter that made up the space had re-shifted and energy was seeping all over and through it from different places and different life forms. He could feel it and his own perception growing more powerful in his fear and anger. Dan looked around desperately as Mary's screams grew more distant. Around the corner was a tank of gasoline and beyond was a room that looked like a small closet. He pushed open the door. It was full of tools and other odds and ends, and he saw several bottles of grain alcohol. Seething with rage he turned and gazed at the pulsing wormhole energy and then he snatched several bottles of alcohol from the shelf, picked up the can of gasoline and got to work.

. . .

In the middle of the night no one saw a tiny figure running from the burning building, now a bloom of red- orange waves of light and fury. Deep inside it seemed that an earthquake would erupt. Several figures came running out of the building while he watched behind an abandoned boxcar on the tracks. These were not human though they may have looked it. He could feel their alienness and see their red outlines as clearly as he could see the full moon. He discerned that this was a small hive of redshifter activity and some of them had taken Mary. Most were burning inside the inferno. The other figures screamed in agony, their cries as beastly and alien as them. Strangely he didn't care, nor did he feel afraid, not in the midst of his anger. But one figure had stopped and looked toward his hiding place as if it had sniffed him out, and pointed and screamed a horrible scream, piercing like a crow's screech and then it stumbled and fell, burning. Dan's heart was burning, swelling with emotion as he felt it's own dwindling rage and the fear of the death engulfing it. This was a battle and a mighty war would have to be waged. It wouldn't do to hesitate against them for they wouldn't hesitate against destroying humans. He remembered his ordeal with the thugs on the waterfront. From far off he heard sirens approaching. It was time to go. Dan crept away from the burning inferno and deep into the night to track Mary. He was responsible for bringing her out here. He had to find her.

And he had to warn the others of the important clues he'd found.

You Drop Stardust Scifi Romance Finished

You Drop Stardust is finished. I will be making an audio drama of it this summer and an ebooklet too. It was fun but now it's time to resume the blueshifters and I can't wait. Hope you enjoyed my little foray into sci-fi romance.

 The next chapter, 11, in the blueshifters is ready and I'll be working and posting more this week and next month! Look for lots of episodes coming in June!
Also, I'm working on a space opera called the Mission series. Check out my new book cover over on Pencil + Word and check out the Mission series. The first book, Flight to Mars, is free. It's also free on iTunes, B&N and Smashwords!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. . . .

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Stardate: April 1, 3999 - Magdalene's Journal

Entry #507 -

This craziness on the station has calmed somewhat now that Ralph is back home. I was so happy to see him I wept. This universe is a perilous place but I can face anything when my love is nearby. he is here and there is no greater happiness than being wrapped in his strong arms - except the thought of a child that will be coming. Life is sweet even when traveling the dark roads, the sharp turns and  obstacles in the path, when pointed to the right way by the Spirit and walking that road with one you love, there is no greater thing.

Our enemy has been dealt with. He thought to hide himself but I knew where he was hiding and Ralph search him out and challenged him to a duel. He lost, and with that, his life. Who knows what other dark hands Kristoff may send against us again? for we know now that we fight a spiritual battle against him. But we have triumphed for now.

Ralph has revealed some of his travels with his men on his journey to find the Starry Lathe, some things epic, some things dark, somethings heart-rending, some things sublime, and he has told me some of the powerful mysteries from the Mysterious One of the woods of Cathendau, and it makes me think of gratitude in all of this. he and his courageous band of knights can traverse the pathways of space, indeed all humans can, and we live in these great space stations and cathedrals of space because others who came before us slept and lived in primitive ships and dusty and dangerous outposts.

I have learned that to know the Divine is to know and express love in all its forms. To start on the path means to prepare your heart and to do that starts with humility. for the fear of Him is the beginning of Wisdom. Thus, we shall together begin our search again for the Starry Lathe of Heaven with humility before the Divine One, and with the enduring love we have in our hearts for each other. My lion, Ralph has come to an end of his journey. But one day, we shall begin another, for he was chosen by the Divine to search, as the monk said so, and he is one of the last true knights in the universe.

Amen, blessed.

Let The Light Shine

Stardate: March 1, 3999

Dearest Magdalene,

It is the middle of the night as I write this last letter to you, 02:00 AM. Though all I see is The Great Night of space about me, day and night. I did as you bid. I went to Cathendau Forest and felt my soul enlighened and fed with such nourishment that only saints are privileged to have. The Mysterious One had many things to tell me, things I can tell you and things, Most Holy that because of my knighthood I must keep silent on. But there is so much more to tell you from what I have seen and experienced on this great journey. Secrets abound in me, Magdalene! It will be three more days and I will be back at the stationa nd you in my arms. I always benefit when I listen to you.

As for our villain, I have not forgotten his trespass and his wickedness. My honor and yours which he has blatantly violated requires a response. In the clear light of reason tonight, I have made a decision to deal with him. not in passion but in righteousness. I have been urged to do what is right. Do not dismiss my anger as mere revenge. He is part of a larger evil that must be confronted boldly and courageously and sometimes that requires a fight to the death.Sometimes evil must be confronted spiritually and sometimes through blood and fire. Do not tell him I am coming. I will be a thief in the night when I come upon him.

As for the overall hjourney, I have earned much abotu myslef af my on strenghts and weaknesses than I ever imagined and in that beginbs the knowledge of wisdom and myself. That I thing begins the Great Work. My journey to know myself completely so that the next time I take on such an epic journey it will be with both a physical sword and shield, as well as a strong spiritual one. I wasn't ready perhaps. perhas there are mroe stes to divine knowledge must walk befoe one can begin to see where and how to sinf the Starry lathe of heaven. But until then I am content to learn while I begin my life with you. And my dreams have been comforting and beautiful of late. I see you with our child. I have seen it. The dark dreams have been kept at bay for now.The light in our lives is growing. Light of the Spirit, Light of the family, the Light of love. I am coming home, my love.

Let the light shine.

Love,
R. Vaughn