Lunar: Black Star Rising
By Thomas Knapp
Chapter Fourteen
Toras wiped the sweat from his brow for the third time in as many seconds. He had not been expecting the cockpit to get a hot as it had as quick as it had. But then again, the craft was running through unprotected space, without any planetary body shielding it from the sun's powerful radiation.
It was at that point that Toras took a long look at his right forearm as he made one of a multitude of adjustments to the shuttle's course. Several red and angry blisters had risen on the skin, a clear sign of radiation poisoning.
"And it's only gonna get worse, so I better get my job done ASAP." Toras muttered to himself.
Then, from behind him, a familiar baritone quipped, "Indeed, time is of the essence." With a stunned whirl, Toras tried to process the fact that Mihall was standing at the rear portion of the cockpit.
The diety raised one of his eyebrows almost playfully, and responded to Toras's question before the scientist could ask it. "Let me assure you that I am no figment of your imagination. However, you will be but a memory in mere minutes if you do not come with me."
"Minutes?" Toras asked suspiciously. Even with the unexpected rate of radiation pouring in, it would be at least another hour before the levels become fatal.
"Yes. I happened to notice one of the seams in the door behind me was not up to snuff. It will split in short time, sending all the air into this cockpit into deep space, and you with it."
Toras cursed softly, "Then I have little time to make the corrections." With that, Toras's fingers flashed over the console controls at twice their previous speed.
Mihall stretched out his left arm, hand open, and reiterated, "Come with me now."
"But the corrections…"
"The shuttle will be taken care of. If you wish to live, you will come with me."
Toras frowned, then analyzed his situation one last time. If Mihall was correct about the seams (and there was no reason to think he wasn't), then it was very unlikely that Toras would be able to do what was needed in the time remaining.
"I see you understand the dilemma." Mihall commented wryly, "Now are you coming? You have but seconds to make up your mind."
Toras released his harness, and slowly floated away from the chair, finding that his vision was starting to blur. With due caution, Toras navigated the short distance between himself and the diety, finally grabbing Mihall's arm as he heard a cracking sound come from the rear door, and a hissing sound of air leaving the cockpit.
Less than a second later, Toras was enveloped in a pure white light, and when it died away, he recognized his new surroundings as Mihall's chamber on the Star Path. The diety in question leaned back in his ornate throne, and motioned to the side of the chamber, saying, "You can control the shuttle from there."
Toras complied, and noticed the raised object in the corner. Upon reaching it, it showed a magical display of the shuttle cockpit as well as a perfect replica of the control console he had been using.
As Toras began to tap on the console, he noted that the blisters on his arms had disappeared. This prompted Toras to turn his head ever so slightly, and ask Mihall one question, "Why?"
The third diety of the Blue Star sighed, then said, "Lucia managed to… remind me that I have a vested interest in the continued existance of humankind."
"How so?"
Mihall took a deep breath, and explained, "It has to do with when you and your friends left my hall the last time…
Mere days earlier…
"So… you aren't going to help us?" Lucia asked smugly.
"No." Mihall replied, "I will not interfere in the course of humankind. I will not make the same mistakes that my brethren did."
"What mistakes would that be?"
"Think about it. Althena tried to guide humanity… she's dead. Zophar tried to dominate them… he's dead. I frankly like my current existance, so I will interfere as little as possible."
"But you must not have greatly interfered before."
Mihall's eyes narrowed, and he accused, "Just what are you implying?"
Lucia laughed, and answered, "When I inherited Althena's power, I learned a great deal about what she could and could not do. There was no possible way that the history of Lunar, as you would have people believe, happened the way it did."
Mihall crossed his hands in his lap, and said, "Do continue…"
And Lucia did. "The fateful battle with Zophar all those thousands of years ago would have drained Althena almost completely. Now you would have us believe that Althena right afterwards breathed life into the then lifeless Silver Star. I know now that it could not have happened that way. She would have had no power to do so. Another power would have had to have done so on her behalf." At this point, Lucia's gaze became conspiratorial, "Only two beings could have possibly had that sort of power. Zophar no doubt was just as drained as Althena, and I also doubt that he would have done such a thing even if he wasn't. So… I wonder who could have managed such a feat on Althena's behalf, hmm?"
Mihall frowned, and he announced, "So… you have reached that conclusion. Well, I suppose you have me there. Althena gave me no end of pleas to save the people that she had gathered, and I… couldn't let those in her care suffer. It might as well have been Althena, however. It was her idea, I merely supplied the power."
"I know…" Lucia smirked triumphantly, "but it just goes to show that you HAVE interceded greatly in the course of humanity's development. To step in this time would require much less effort on your part."
"Yes… perhaps. I am aware of the plan that has been concocted. It will work… provided things go exactly right."
With that, Lucia smiled, and said, "All you need to do is make sure that everything goes exactly right, and let them take care of the rest."
Present day…
"That still doesn't explain why you didn't just seal the door, and let me go on my way." Toras commented.
Mihall sighed, and replied, "You have done everything that I could hope of you. What sense would it make to let you die when you would be so much more useful alive? Besides… the last thing I need is a lady like Jean trying to make my life difficult, which would no doubt happen if she knew that I could have spared you and then didn't."
Toras chuckled, remembering that new affection he felt, one that was being returned this time. "Yes, she would. I can't imagine the damage she did when she saw me take off."
Mihall laughed outright, a jovial bellow that seemed to shake the very ground with its power. "You probably don't want to know, young man. Let's just say that your lady friend took your departure with less than admirable restraint." He then added in a much gentler tone, "How much longer will you be?"
"In two hours, I will set the fusion reactor to explode, but I would like to stay until impact to ensure that everything went well."
Mihall shook his head. "I will make sure that the shuttle hits its mark. I've stepped in too deep just to watch this effort fail. Besides, I do wish to return as soon as possible before Jean works her aggressions out on another poor soul…"