Chapter 5: Good News/Bad News
Larry sat up from his unruly sprawled position on the ground. His black jacket and old World War II clothing appeared to be torn in several places and was very muddy. He was surprised that the Gou'ld transport ship had managed to break the edge of the lake. Standing up, he discovered — to his relief — that both his PDA and his lightsaber were sitting in his pockets.
Larry frowned at the lightsaber, remembering what had occurred behind the dais in the building on the lake. He had made the lightsaber hover, and that was impossible. Furthermore, he had called it to him and attacked that mercenary with it. He did not know how he did it, just that it seemed the right thing to do.
Looking around, Larry saw that the ship was still intact, except the entire stern section was missing. The UH-60 Blackhawk remained in place tied down in the back of the ship, although a section of the tail was sticking out of the hole. Tex and Biffy were still strapped into the chairs at the front of the craft, while Dabby, Assim, Turkey, and Fox were thrown into the foliage around him.
He ran over to Dabby, who had been injured in the fighting, and saw that the bullet wound was the least of his worries. Dabby was unconsciousness and had many lacerations that split his face and was bleeding badly from them. Still, he was breathing. Assim was sitting against the wall of the cargo ship, as though he had tried to rise, but could not, and slumped against the wall. Checking all of them, Larry saw that they were each injured. But none as bad as Dabby, who need serious help.
"You appear unharmed, Harrod, you should feel lucky," said a warm, friendly voice from the edge of the clearing that had been made by the cargo ship as it landed. "I must say, I did not believe that fighting between clans would break out on the Halos so quickly."
Whirling, with his lightsaber raised and activated, Larry spun to face a man standing in a blue jumpsuit, with no weapon in evidence. He had blonde hair and an angular face that seemed to be either smiling or grimacing depending on how one would look at it. Larry recognized him immediately. It was John Call, the creator of DreamLand.
John smiled, "That's not necessary, I have no wish to attack the first Ta'veran to enter DreamLand…and a Force-sensitive one at that!"
Larry frowned, staring at the multi-billionaire, "Ta'veran?"
"Of course, you would not know. This is your first or second trek into DreamLand, right? A Ta'veran is someone who was randomly selected by the programming of the DreamLand computer to twist fate and luck inside here. You also appear to be Force-sensitive, which is another rarity. That will make you a formidable foe and warrior, as well as a great negotiator between clans, should you choose a more peaceful path. You have discovered a lightsaber by trading with Fox," John Call nudged the Southern boy in the ribs with a boot. "You see, the odds work in your favor, in that you were able to come in touch with that."
"What does this mean for me?" Larry asked.
"It means that you are both lucky and have the ability to become a key player here in DreamLand. I have an offer to make for you. Few are left that can train Force-sensitive people. I can help train you — make you stronger. You can become my subordinate. What do you say?"
Larry thought for a moment, "What are the benefits?"
"You get administrative powers and the ability to police and investigate conflicts between people in the World of Dreams, and you get an increased amount of authority. Do not concern yourself with petty things like finding a base or capturing another clan's flag! You were destined to do more, though I intend to make this offer to every Ta'veran that enters the World of Dreams. If you turn me down, I understand. I would myself, just to have fun while I could."
Larry pondered it for a short time more. Then said, "My being Ta'veran affects chance and fate? Like in this crash here, I survived unscathed, when I should have died?"
John Call nodded, "Another example is how you — being a Force-sensitive person — managed to find the traditional weapon of Force users so quickly. You were not in DreamLand for more than one or two hours and you found your first lightsaber."
Larry nodded and leaned over Dabby, putting his hands over the bullet wound in his shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding, "I think I'll stay where I am, thank you. I think if I were to abandon them here they would die."
John smiled, "You are taking a path that reflects loyalty. A pity you did not choose to come with me. Very well, though I can help you before I must go."
Bending over the bloody body of Dabby, John pressed his hands onto the various wounds. When he pulled away, nothing except unbroken skin showed.
Then John turned to Larry, saying, "There are two things I must tell you. First, If you wish to learn the ways of the Force, go to the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 for a short time. You will learn faster than any student within DreamLand. Also, files concerning knowledge on how to do certain things can be downloaded directly into your mind."
"The other thing I have is to say is for your clan: The Halos are real. They can destroy the entirety of DreamLand and you must not let that happen. I would recommend going through the Library section of the Halo, where all of the information left by the Forerunner is stored.
"Then, there is the Index. It is what will activate the Ring and will destroy all life in this and any other close galaxy. Some might escape that kind of devastation, but I doubt it. Good Luck."
Larry watched as John Call turned and, somehow, the foliage turned with him, until he simply vanished.
Turkey coughed, and Dabby began to stir. Tex and Biffy were beginning to un-strap themselves from their chairs.
"Everyone alright?" Tex asked.
"No…" groaned Fox from the floor.
"You're not dead. Are you?" asked Assim, as he rose from the wall.
"No…" groaned Fox again.
"Well, then you are fine. Now get up."
Turkey scanned the room. Then a ball of flame hovered over his palm, illuminating the dimly-lit area inside of the wrecked cargo ship.
"Lot of help you were," muttered Fox to the black mage. "What kind of name is 'Turkey' anyway?"
The black mage ignored him, then froze as he saw all of Dabby's blood covering the back of the hole. He crossed his eyes over to Larry in a glare as he saw no wound on the now moaning Dabby.
"I'll explain later," Larry said, as the mage's gaze fell on the uninjured CH member.
Tex got up and strode across to the Blackhawk, which was still strapped down. "Will this still fly?" she asked Biffy.
The young boy quickly scrambled into the cockpit of the large transport helicopter and began flipping switches. "It'll fly, and the radio still works. We should call in to the Pride and let them know of our situation. They need to know about this other clan that is on its way here."
Tex nodded, "Do it."
The boy flipped a switch and a speaker blared out a massive explosion of static and voices, as it washed out over the battered group of CH members.
"Taking heavy fire…."
"They just came up behind. Cut… from… reinforcements!"
"…Multiple contacts! They are NOT human. Repeat…."
Then a very loud voice overrode every single one of them. A very loud, female voice with ultimate command: "To all CH members, here are your orders. Report to these coordinates, if possible. 58' up-spin by 34' planet bound. The structure is in the middle of the Ring's major ocean. Repeat. All CH members…"
Tex reached over and flipped off the radio, as the rest of the order dissolved into static and panicked screams.
"Turkey, can you get this helicopter out of here? If it still flies, then we need to leave immediately. We need to rendezvous with the rest of the clan as soon as possible. I do not know what is going on out there, but it seems we have an increased amount of problems that need our immediate attention."
"Just hold on there, sister," said Capt. Assim from the corner he was leaning on. "What about Mr. 'Hi-I'm-a-Jedi' over here?"
It was then that absolute realization dawned on the faces of those who surrounded him. Out from under their brows and their soot blackened and weary faces, came looks of fascination and wonder.
"Well, I don't reckon that ya knew that ya were able to use the Force, or else ya'd have said so," Fox drawled, as he began wiping mud and grit off of the Springfield with the front of his shirt. "Though I must say, you are looking mighty fine, considering the rest of us are bruised and stuff."
"Ma'am, Sir. If I could, I would like to explain my actions and what I have just discovered while en-route to the rendezvous point. I would not like to remain here. This whole place is not hospitable to strangers."
The group agreed and quickly got the helicopter up and off of the ground, scavenging whatever control crystals and other equipment they could afford to carry. Once they were in the air Larry explained exactly what had occurred. He told how his mind had come out to grasp the lightsaber to sever Outlaw's weapon. He revealed what had just occurred between him and the creator of DreamLand, John Call. He explained that he was both Force-sensitive and a Ta'veran. While at first they had shown him blank looks, they brightened with this news.
Assim glared, "And that is the truth, huh? Well, I don't know you, but I suspect that there is something you are hiding. You sure you told us everything?"
"I would not lie, Sir. It's my first time in DreamLand."
"We'll see about that."
Assim stalked over to where Biffy was sitting in the pilot's seat and glared at the altimeter.
Turkey leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry about him, he's just frustrated that he got captured by that Outlaw character so easily."
Larry grinned and leaned back as the UH-60 Blackhawk continued to toward the rendezvous point.
John Call stepped out from the foliage that was on Installation 05 directly into his office.
Very odd, that one, thought the multi-billionaire. I offered him a job and he chose to save the profiles of those men he served with.
He does not matter. Though he may be Ta'veran, he is still a player in the system. But a Ta'veran and a Jedi…
John stepped over to where his desk was in DreamLand. He would need to meditate on this for some time. But he would continue to watch every single movement of this so-called "Harrod the Barbarian." And, if the Clan Hunters did not at least secure their choice for base with a Ta'veran with them, then they would deserve what came to them.
