Part 19-
The sky had turned into a glorious riot of pinks, oranges, and purples, rivaled only in beauty by the abundance of colors decorating the courtyard. Neffa and Reenia stood together at the altar in the center of the courtyard. A large ceramic bowl had been placed in the center of the altar. Reenia added the contents of two vials she held in her hands. Neffa touched the combined surface of the vials contents with a lighted candle. A blue flame leaped from the bowl and continued to burn brightly.
"We are ready." Neffa said to a guard who stood to her left. He quickly signaled another guard who escorted Tourk from the tent where he had been waiting. He began a steady walk toward the altar. As he passed, each person present bowed and remained so. Upon reaching the altar, Tourk took his place beside Neffa and turned to his people.
"Rise, my people. Rise and face your future." Tourk announced to the crowd. "A future where we shall once again reign as the supreme leaders of those less worthy than ourselves." Tourk's declaration was met with loud cheering and tumultuous applause.
He then signaled to the guards at the tent where he had exited only minutes before. Two guards entered the tent. A few moments later they emerged, leading Beka. She was dressed in a long, flowing white gown. The material of the dress hugged her curves as if it had been made specifically for her. She looked like your typical beautiful bride except for the metal collar around her neck. The collar was attached to a short chain that was held by one of the guards. Beka had no choice but to follow the guard. As she made the short walk to the altar, she scanned her surroundings as best she could with the collar attached.
'I know you have to be out there somewhere Dylan.' She thought to herself. 'Please don't let this happen.'
Beka was led to the altar and forced to stand beside Reenia. The woman did nothing to hide a look of pure hatred as she turned to Beka.
"Place your hands above the flame in the bowl and do not move them during the ceremony."
When Beka did not immediately comply, Tourk took her hands in his and held them above the flames. Beka was expecting to feel the heat emanating from the bowl but instead the flame seemed to burn without any warmth.
Neffa began chanting words that were unintelligible to Beka. Just as Beka was giving up hope of a rescue, she spied two figures crouched at the edge of the line of pavilions at the back of the gardens. Allowing herself a small smile of relief, Beka waited to see what would happen next. She did not have to wait long.
The explosion shook the grounds in the garden. The statues in the courtyard rocked on their bases and toppled to the earth. Men and women were tossed through the air to land in heaps in the dirt. Confusion reigned as everyone tried to ascertain what was happening. Guards came running from the palace as the servants tried to extinguish the flames erupting from the tent that had held the wine for the celebration. The fire however had a mind of its own and quickly spread from one tent to the other.
Tourk stood at the altar unsure of what was happening. Neffa and Reenia both turned toward the explosions. The guard holding the chain around Beka's neck ran to help the other guards try and stop the spread of the flames. Beka used this opportunity to run. Seeing her leave, Reenia quickly turned and made a grab at the chain. Both she and Beka fell to the ground and began fighting for possession of the chain. The fight was short lived as Neffa came forward to assist her daughter. They were able to wrestle Beka back to the ground and pin her arms behind her. Tourk, hearing the sounds of the scuffle, turned toward the three women. He never saw the figure that had crept forward during the confusion. As soon as he turned, Tourk was tackled by Tyr and knocked to the ground. Dylan ran forward to pull the women off of Beka. He quickly grabbed Reenia and pushed her away from Beka. Beka managed to shove Neffa away. Dylan reached for her and pulled her to her feet. Before he was able to see if she was hurt or even speak to her, Tourk spoke.
"Stop now or your friend dies." Tourk yelled.
Beka and Dylan turned to see Tyr held suspended within a blue light. Tourk held the amulet in his hand while several guards held their weapons on Tyr.
"Drop your weapon now or I will tell them to slit his throat." Tourk said.
Dylan laid his forcelance on the ground. Reenia came forward and took it.
"You, sir, have interrupted a very important ceremony. Not to mention spoiling the fun I had planned for tonight. The least you could do is introduce yourself." Tourk spoke to Dylan.
"I am Dylan Hunt, Captain of the starship Andromeda Ascendant, and Beka is a member of my crew. You have no right to keep her here against her will." Dylan said angrily.
"You are on our planet, Captain Hunt. Our rights are what we make them. And you and your friend have the right to die."
The sky had turned into a glorious riot of pinks, oranges, and purples, rivaled only in beauty by the abundance of colors decorating the courtyard. Neffa and Reenia stood together at the altar in the center of the courtyard. A large ceramic bowl had been placed in the center of the altar. Reenia added the contents of two vials she held in her hands. Neffa touched the combined surface of the vials contents with a lighted candle. A blue flame leaped from the bowl and continued to burn brightly.
"We are ready." Neffa said to a guard who stood to her left. He quickly signaled another guard who escorted Tourk from the tent where he had been waiting. He began a steady walk toward the altar. As he passed, each person present bowed and remained so. Upon reaching the altar, Tourk took his place beside Neffa and turned to his people.
"Rise, my people. Rise and face your future." Tourk announced to the crowd. "A future where we shall once again reign as the supreme leaders of those less worthy than ourselves." Tourk's declaration was met with loud cheering and tumultuous applause.
He then signaled to the guards at the tent where he had exited only minutes before. Two guards entered the tent. A few moments later they emerged, leading Beka. She was dressed in a long, flowing white gown. The material of the dress hugged her curves as if it had been made specifically for her. She looked like your typical beautiful bride except for the metal collar around her neck. The collar was attached to a short chain that was held by one of the guards. Beka had no choice but to follow the guard. As she made the short walk to the altar, she scanned her surroundings as best she could with the collar attached.
'I know you have to be out there somewhere Dylan.' She thought to herself. 'Please don't let this happen.'
Beka was led to the altar and forced to stand beside Reenia. The woman did nothing to hide a look of pure hatred as she turned to Beka.
"Place your hands above the flame in the bowl and do not move them during the ceremony."
When Beka did not immediately comply, Tourk took her hands in his and held them above the flames. Beka was expecting to feel the heat emanating from the bowl but instead the flame seemed to burn without any warmth.
Neffa began chanting words that were unintelligible to Beka. Just as Beka was giving up hope of a rescue, she spied two figures crouched at the edge of the line of pavilions at the back of the gardens. Allowing herself a small smile of relief, Beka waited to see what would happen next. She did not have to wait long.
The explosion shook the grounds in the garden. The statues in the courtyard rocked on their bases and toppled to the earth. Men and women were tossed through the air to land in heaps in the dirt. Confusion reigned as everyone tried to ascertain what was happening. Guards came running from the palace as the servants tried to extinguish the flames erupting from the tent that had held the wine for the celebration. The fire however had a mind of its own and quickly spread from one tent to the other.
Tourk stood at the altar unsure of what was happening. Neffa and Reenia both turned toward the explosions. The guard holding the chain around Beka's neck ran to help the other guards try and stop the spread of the flames. Beka used this opportunity to run. Seeing her leave, Reenia quickly turned and made a grab at the chain. Both she and Beka fell to the ground and began fighting for possession of the chain. The fight was short lived as Neffa came forward to assist her daughter. They were able to wrestle Beka back to the ground and pin her arms behind her. Tourk, hearing the sounds of the scuffle, turned toward the three women. He never saw the figure that had crept forward during the confusion. As soon as he turned, Tourk was tackled by Tyr and knocked to the ground. Dylan ran forward to pull the women off of Beka. He quickly grabbed Reenia and pushed her away from Beka. Beka managed to shove Neffa away. Dylan reached for her and pulled her to her feet. Before he was able to see if she was hurt or even speak to her, Tourk spoke.
"Stop now or your friend dies." Tourk yelled.
Beka and Dylan turned to see Tyr held suspended within a blue light. Tourk held the amulet in his hand while several guards held their weapons on Tyr.
"Drop your weapon now or I will tell them to slit his throat." Tourk said.
Dylan laid his forcelance on the ground. Reenia came forward and took it.
"You, sir, have interrupted a very important ceremony. Not to mention spoiling the fun I had planned for tonight. The least you could do is introduce yourself." Tourk spoke to Dylan.
"I am Dylan Hunt, Captain of the starship Andromeda Ascendant, and Beka is a member of my crew. You have no right to keep her here against her will." Dylan said angrily.
"You are on our planet, Captain Hunt. Our rights are what we make them. And you and your friend have the right to die."