Part Two
"Help her!" The voice echoed through the mist as Galen maneuvered. "I can't hold on much longer. You have to help her!"
"Where are you?" Galen shouted as he peered through the swirls of colors. "I can't see a thing!"
"Galen." The voice stopped Galen abruptly. "Galen, please you must help her." Slowly the mage turned and almost cried out. 'You have to find her and help her."
"Isa…" He quieted himself as he looked at the figure in front of him. "How can it be you?"
"How can it not be me, Love?" She smiled, her hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
"But you're gone, crossed." Galen closed his eyes then opening them again, unbelievingly.
"Stranger things have happened in your life Galen." She tilted her head slightly as her eyes twinkled. "You must find her and help her. She is in need. Mortal peril."
"Who, who is it I must find." Galen let his eyes wander over her figure, taking in every nuance of her image.
"Her name is Isadora." Isabelle spoke softly. "She hasn't much time left. He can't hold the ship together for much longer. You have to find her. You have to help her." Slowly the mist began to envelope her. "Hurry Galen. You must act quickly or she is lost."
"Don't go! Isabelle, please don't leave me again!" He started for her but found her imagine dissolved into the surrounding vapor as he touched her.
"She must not be lost Galen, you must help her." Her soft, sweet voice began to fade with her likeness.
"Isabelle." He fell to his knees and covered his face.
"Isabelle." Galen whispered as his eyes suddenly snapped open causing Doctor Chambers to gasp. "Sorry Doctor, but I have to leave." He quickly sat up and looked at the worried face hovering next to him. 'It's all right; I know what I must do now. I know what the problem has been. I just wasn't listening." He grinned and stood, gathering his cloak.
"Galen, I don't think you should be up just…"She followed him as he headed for the door.
"Shh." He stopped suddenly and turned to her and raised a finger to his lips. "It is all right. Just go back to things you need to accomplish. I will see myself out." He waited until she mechanically began to obey his instructions. "Sorry I had to do that Doctor. You will remember this conversation after I have left the ship. Do you understand that?" Doctor Chambers only nodded. "Good. I will be in contact soon." He watched her a few moments more then headed out and toward his waiting ship.
"Captain!" John Matheson spoke over his shoulder as he looked at the boards in front of him. "Galen's ship is leaving." He turned and looked at Gideon. "I didn't realize that Doctor Chambers had released him yet."
"Neither did I." Gideon watched as Galen's ship disappeared. "Doctor Chambers." He spoke into the comm.
"Captain, Galen has left the Medical Area." Her voice sounded raspy and sleepy. "I think he did something to me. I was working and when I turned around, Galen was gone."
"He left all right. I'm watching his ship disappear as we speak." He paused for a moment. "Did he say anything that you can remember before he left?"
"He said that everything was all right and that he knew what he had to do. He also said he would be in contact soon."
"Thank you Doctor." He turned off the comm. And stared at the now empty space.
Galen traveled for what seems hours, but in fact was less than three. He stared out into the vastness of space and thought about the dream once again.
"Foolishness!" He suddenly shouted and stood up. "Just a dream. A dream do you hear me? It proves nothing." He looked up and glared angrily. "This is futile. There is nothing out …" Suddenly his eye caught an image on the screen. There in front of him was a ship. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on. Every bit of the surface area seemed to be made of glowing crystals in all hues. "Oh my." Was all he could manage to say. Suddenly his console lit up. Long fingers played over various controls as a soft male voice seemed to whisper inside his mind. He looked at the ship and slowly sat.
"Are you the one that has come to save Isadora?" It was weak.
"I am." Galen spoke softly. "Who am I speaking too and how do I gain entrance to your ship."
"Release the control. I will guide you safely in." Galen was hesitant but a familiar scent made his mind up. 'Very good" The voice continued. " May I ask your name?"
"I am Galen, a Techno-Mage."
"Good. I know of your kind. Isadora will be in safe hands." Suddenly Galen felt what could only be a tractor beam pulling his ship inside a sudden opening. "Please once you are in and the hatch is close, exit your ship and follow the lighted corridors. They will lead you to Isadora." There was a pause and then a desperate plea. "You must hurry. I am almost spent." Galen watched as his smaller vessel was pulled into the larger one. Even on the inside, everything seemed to be a conglomeration of crystals, working and growing together. Finally he stopped and slowly exited. True to the voice's words, a corridor began to glow. "Quickly!"
The urgent command echoed through the mage's body. Galen found himself running, following the twists and turns until he came to what seemed to be a wall. Slowly the wall seemed to split in two and part. Galen walked in; the sound of his boot heels clicking on the floor reverberated in the room. His eyes adjusted to the dimness as he peered toward the center where a dais seemed to be. Carefully, as he approached, the noticed someone lying on its center, covered by a sheer metallic cloth.
"Is this…" Galen reached out and touched the woman's cheek.
"Isadora." The voice came from behind him. Galen swung around and found himself staring in the haunted and pained eyes of a man, yet not a man. "Take her and go!" There was no mouth for the words to come from. All that remained recognizable were eyes and forehead. All the rest of the body had been blended with the ship. Crystal shards covered every limb. "Please, do not hesitate or all will be lost."
"Can I not help you?" Galen took a step back toward the woman.
"No, I am lost." The voice was sad and tired. "Please take her and leave now. Allow me to know that she is safe." Suddenly the ship lurched and almost knocked Galen off his feet. "I grow weak." Without hesitating, Galen picked up the small woman and threw her over his shoulder. As he began running back toward his ship, he noticed that the walls had begun to crack. "Hurry!" Galen could see his ship as the voice urged him on. Quickly he entered and placed the woman down. "Go! Now!" Galen felt the pressure to get out grow as he heard movements behind him. Quickly turning, he watched as the woman began to stir. "Tell her I did it for her." Galen guided the ship out into clear space. "Thank you Galen, Techno-Mage. Guard her well."
"I will. I swear." Galen whispered as he watched the ship begin to slowly splinter. He had never witnessed anything so beautiful and yet so frightening.
"No, no, no, no. No!" He turned at the soft, crying voice. Isadora was on her knees watching the ship fall apart. As she tried to reach for the control, Galen held her hands and arms tightly to her waist. "We have to go back! We have to get Tobias!" She struggled in Galen's embrace. "Please, we have to get him!"
"Isadora, it's too late." Galen cooed into her ear. Suddenly as they struggled, the darkness of space was filled with a brilliant flash as the crystal ship finally exploded. "He did it for you Isadora." The fight left her as she stared in horror. "He did it all for you." Galen repeated in a poignant whisper. Slowly he loosened his grip.
"No." She backed away and slowly found a corner to sit in. She shook her head over and over as she softly cried and clutched her knees close to her breast.
Feeling his own heart breaking, Galen set a course back to Excalibur and then carefully knelt next to the woman and looked into her tear stained face. With a shaky hand he reached up and touched a tear falling from her eye. As it dried on his finger, it slowly turned into a clear crystal. Examining her face, he noticed that wherever a tear had stopped, it too was becoming solid. He searched his memories for some correlation.
"Where are you taking me?" Isadora's voice was full of suspicion. "Who are you?"
"I am Galen. I am a Techno-mage." He sat back as he spoke, careful not to make any sudden or threatening movements toward her. . "Your Tobias called me from a very long distance to help you."
"I thought that techno-mages were only a myth." She had stopped crying and brushed her cheeks angrily, causing a number of small, newly formed crystals to fall to the ships floor with a musical sound.
"I assure you, we are real." Galen smiled and held out his hand. "Why don't you come and sit with me at the controls." Isadora hesitated only for a moment, then gently took Galen's hand and allowed him to lead her to a soft chair next to his. "We have some time before we reach our destination." He smiled as his fingers played over the console. 'Why don't you try to relax and just rest till we arrive. Then we will have plenty of time to talk."
"Where is our destination?" She asked as her eyes suspiciously moved over the console.
"A ship called Excalibur. There is a Doctor there that I would like to make sure you are all right." He watched her from the corner of his eye. "Why is it that a ship that size only had a crew of two on board?"
"There were many more of us." Isadora closed her eyes and let the chair swallow her. "Tobias and I were the only ones left." She lowered her head. "Now, only I live."
"I don't believe I have ever seen a ship like yours. What was she called?" Galen watched her as she looked up at him strangely.
"Called?" Isadora stared out and seemed to drift off into the very space that surrounded them. "That was our Heart."
"Your Heart?"
"Yes. Our Heart. We all survived because of our Heart." A small tear escaped and began to slide down her cheek. "Now it is gone, as are the others." Looking down for a moment she took a deep breath, the lifted her head to Galen. "What am I to do? I am the only one left."
"You do as your Tobias wanted. You go on." Galen's words were soft. He turned his eyes back to the space ahead of them. "He went through a lot to make sure that you were safe."
"Did you see him?" She implored Galen. "Were you able to talk to him before we left?" Galen nodded. "Show me!" Galen looked at her in alarm. "You said you were a techno-mage. Show me what you saw when you looked at Tobias." He hesitated. 'Please, I know it wasn't pleasant, but I have to see him. One more time." Slowly she watched as Galen opened his palm and an image began to form. "Tobias." She cried softly as she saw crystal and flesh merged. "I knew you were the true one. Only a true Harmonizer could…" She reached out and as she touched the floating image, it distorted. "I have seen enough." She leaned back and turned away from Galen who quickly closed his hand. "I will rest now as you suggested." She closed her eyes as Galen silently guided the ship toward Excalibur.
"Help her!" The voice echoed through the mist as Galen maneuvered. "I can't hold on much longer. You have to help her!"
"Where are you?" Galen shouted as he peered through the swirls of colors. "I can't see a thing!"
"Galen." The voice stopped Galen abruptly. "Galen, please you must help her." Slowly the mage turned and almost cried out. 'You have to find her and help her."
"Isa…" He quieted himself as he looked at the figure in front of him. "How can it be you?"
"How can it not be me, Love?" She smiled, her hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
"But you're gone, crossed." Galen closed his eyes then opening them again, unbelievingly.
"Stranger things have happened in your life Galen." She tilted her head slightly as her eyes twinkled. "You must find her and help her. She is in need. Mortal peril."
"Who, who is it I must find." Galen let his eyes wander over her figure, taking in every nuance of her image.
"Her name is Isadora." Isabelle spoke softly. "She hasn't much time left. He can't hold the ship together for much longer. You have to find her. You have to help her." Slowly the mist began to envelope her. "Hurry Galen. You must act quickly or she is lost."
"Don't go! Isabelle, please don't leave me again!" He started for her but found her imagine dissolved into the surrounding vapor as he touched her.
"She must not be lost Galen, you must help her." Her soft, sweet voice began to fade with her likeness.
"Isabelle." He fell to his knees and covered his face.
"Isabelle." Galen whispered as his eyes suddenly snapped open causing Doctor Chambers to gasp. "Sorry Doctor, but I have to leave." He quickly sat up and looked at the worried face hovering next to him. 'It's all right; I know what I must do now. I know what the problem has been. I just wasn't listening." He grinned and stood, gathering his cloak.
"Galen, I don't think you should be up just…"She followed him as he headed for the door.
"Shh." He stopped suddenly and turned to her and raised a finger to his lips. "It is all right. Just go back to things you need to accomplish. I will see myself out." He waited until she mechanically began to obey his instructions. "Sorry I had to do that Doctor. You will remember this conversation after I have left the ship. Do you understand that?" Doctor Chambers only nodded. "Good. I will be in contact soon." He watched her a few moments more then headed out and toward his waiting ship.
"Captain!" John Matheson spoke over his shoulder as he looked at the boards in front of him. "Galen's ship is leaving." He turned and looked at Gideon. "I didn't realize that Doctor Chambers had released him yet."
"Neither did I." Gideon watched as Galen's ship disappeared. "Doctor Chambers." He spoke into the comm.
"Captain, Galen has left the Medical Area." Her voice sounded raspy and sleepy. "I think he did something to me. I was working and when I turned around, Galen was gone."
"He left all right. I'm watching his ship disappear as we speak." He paused for a moment. "Did he say anything that you can remember before he left?"
"He said that everything was all right and that he knew what he had to do. He also said he would be in contact soon."
"Thank you Doctor." He turned off the comm. And stared at the now empty space.
Galen traveled for what seems hours, but in fact was less than three. He stared out into the vastness of space and thought about the dream once again.
"Foolishness!" He suddenly shouted and stood up. "Just a dream. A dream do you hear me? It proves nothing." He looked up and glared angrily. "This is futile. There is nothing out …" Suddenly his eye caught an image on the screen. There in front of him was a ship. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on. Every bit of the surface area seemed to be made of glowing crystals in all hues. "Oh my." Was all he could manage to say. Suddenly his console lit up. Long fingers played over various controls as a soft male voice seemed to whisper inside his mind. He looked at the ship and slowly sat.
"Are you the one that has come to save Isadora?" It was weak.
"I am." Galen spoke softly. "Who am I speaking too and how do I gain entrance to your ship."
"Release the control. I will guide you safely in." Galen was hesitant but a familiar scent made his mind up. 'Very good" The voice continued. " May I ask your name?"
"I am Galen, a Techno-Mage."
"Good. I know of your kind. Isadora will be in safe hands." Suddenly Galen felt what could only be a tractor beam pulling his ship inside a sudden opening. "Please once you are in and the hatch is close, exit your ship and follow the lighted corridors. They will lead you to Isadora." There was a pause and then a desperate plea. "You must hurry. I am almost spent." Galen watched as his smaller vessel was pulled into the larger one. Even on the inside, everything seemed to be a conglomeration of crystals, working and growing together. Finally he stopped and slowly exited. True to the voice's words, a corridor began to glow. "Quickly!"
The urgent command echoed through the mage's body. Galen found himself running, following the twists and turns until he came to what seemed to be a wall. Slowly the wall seemed to split in two and part. Galen walked in; the sound of his boot heels clicking on the floor reverberated in the room. His eyes adjusted to the dimness as he peered toward the center where a dais seemed to be. Carefully, as he approached, the noticed someone lying on its center, covered by a sheer metallic cloth.
"Is this…" Galen reached out and touched the woman's cheek.
"Isadora." The voice came from behind him. Galen swung around and found himself staring in the haunted and pained eyes of a man, yet not a man. "Take her and go!" There was no mouth for the words to come from. All that remained recognizable were eyes and forehead. All the rest of the body had been blended with the ship. Crystal shards covered every limb. "Please, do not hesitate or all will be lost."
"Can I not help you?" Galen took a step back toward the woman.
"No, I am lost." The voice was sad and tired. "Please take her and leave now. Allow me to know that she is safe." Suddenly the ship lurched and almost knocked Galen off his feet. "I grow weak." Without hesitating, Galen picked up the small woman and threw her over his shoulder. As he began running back toward his ship, he noticed that the walls had begun to crack. "Hurry!" Galen could see his ship as the voice urged him on. Quickly he entered and placed the woman down. "Go! Now!" Galen felt the pressure to get out grow as he heard movements behind him. Quickly turning, he watched as the woman began to stir. "Tell her I did it for her." Galen guided the ship out into clear space. "Thank you Galen, Techno-Mage. Guard her well."
"I will. I swear." Galen whispered as he watched the ship begin to slowly splinter. He had never witnessed anything so beautiful and yet so frightening.
"No, no, no, no. No!" He turned at the soft, crying voice. Isadora was on her knees watching the ship fall apart. As she tried to reach for the control, Galen held her hands and arms tightly to her waist. "We have to go back! We have to get Tobias!" She struggled in Galen's embrace. "Please, we have to get him!"
"Isadora, it's too late." Galen cooed into her ear. Suddenly as they struggled, the darkness of space was filled with a brilliant flash as the crystal ship finally exploded. "He did it for you Isadora." The fight left her as she stared in horror. "He did it all for you." Galen repeated in a poignant whisper. Slowly he loosened his grip.
"No." She backed away and slowly found a corner to sit in. She shook her head over and over as she softly cried and clutched her knees close to her breast.
Feeling his own heart breaking, Galen set a course back to Excalibur and then carefully knelt next to the woman and looked into her tear stained face. With a shaky hand he reached up and touched a tear falling from her eye. As it dried on his finger, it slowly turned into a clear crystal. Examining her face, he noticed that wherever a tear had stopped, it too was becoming solid. He searched his memories for some correlation.
"Where are you taking me?" Isadora's voice was full of suspicion. "Who are you?"
"I am Galen. I am a Techno-mage." He sat back as he spoke, careful not to make any sudden or threatening movements toward her. . "Your Tobias called me from a very long distance to help you."
"I thought that techno-mages were only a myth." She had stopped crying and brushed her cheeks angrily, causing a number of small, newly formed crystals to fall to the ships floor with a musical sound.
"I assure you, we are real." Galen smiled and held out his hand. "Why don't you come and sit with me at the controls." Isadora hesitated only for a moment, then gently took Galen's hand and allowed him to lead her to a soft chair next to his. "We have some time before we reach our destination." He smiled as his fingers played over the console. 'Why don't you try to relax and just rest till we arrive. Then we will have plenty of time to talk."
"Where is our destination?" She asked as her eyes suspiciously moved over the console.
"A ship called Excalibur. There is a Doctor there that I would like to make sure you are all right." He watched her from the corner of his eye. "Why is it that a ship that size only had a crew of two on board?"
"There were many more of us." Isadora closed her eyes and let the chair swallow her. "Tobias and I were the only ones left." She lowered her head. "Now, only I live."
"I don't believe I have ever seen a ship like yours. What was she called?" Galen watched her as she looked up at him strangely.
"Called?" Isadora stared out and seemed to drift off into the very space that surrounded them. "That was our Heart."
"Your Heart?"
"Yes. Our Heart. We all survived because of our Heart." A small tear escaped and began to slide down her cheek. "Now it is gone, as are the others." Looking down for a moment she took a deep breath, the lifted her head to Galen. "What am I to do? I am the only one left."
"You do as your Tobias wanted. You go on." Galen's words were soft. He turned his eyes back to the space ahead of them. "He went through a lot to make sure that you were safe."
"Did you see him?" She implored Galen. "Were you able to talk to him before we left?" Galen nodded. "Show me!" Galen looked at her in alarm. "You said you were a techno-mage. Show me what you saw when you looked at Tobias." He hesitated. 'Please, I know it wasn't pleasant, but I have to see him. One more time." Slowly she watched as Galen opened his palm and an image began to form. "Tobias." She cried softly as she saw crystal and flesh merged. "I knew you were the true one. Only a true Harmonizer could…" She reached out and as she touched the floating image, it distorted. "I have seen enough." She leaned back and turned away from Galen who quickly closed his hand. "I will rest now as you suggested." She closed her eyes as Galen silently guided the ship toward Excalibur.