Chapter 22

“He is heading to Zatic, Grand leader.” Smith the tactical officer reported.

          “Call off all ships.” Jeremirer ordered forlorn, out of hope. Who thought it would take my only grand-daughter to bring down an empire? Jeremirer wondered to himself.

          “But sir, there is good news.” Smith offered.

          “And that is?”

          “70% of the galaxy is under your leadership.” 

          “Yeah Smith, that would be good news, maybe even great if my granddaughter wasn’t going to her doom.” Jeremirer said.

          “Then why don’t we go to help her?”

          “Why?” Jeremirer echoed. “We or the people I send, would be lost for all time.”

          “But you could be the first.”

          “Or I could be the latest in a very long line to fall on that planet.” Jeremirer said. “We have to leave it to the gods.”

          “Very well Grand leader.”

 

          “At our present speed we should reach Zatic at the same time as the girls.” Loki reported. Zardac nodded his blue head as a signal of his understanding. “Zardac, you have me worried, my friend.”

          “In what way?” Zardac asked, breaking his silence. His scary silence. A concerned silence. Fearful.

          “You look concerned, someone else might,” Loki paused, probing for the right word so that he could proceed, “confuse as being fearful. That is someone else.”

          “Loki don’t worry,” Zardac laughed nervously, “I’m not going to smite you for speaking your mind and being right.” Loki twiddled his thumbs idly, staring at the console of flashing warnings to turn back, in front of him.

          “Of course I’m worried.” Zardac stated staring out the view port. “I’m uncomfortable saying this, and I know it will humanize me to say this, but I don’t want to lose my friends and my family, and this planet could take us all. It holds the unknown. All beings fear the unknown such as, the things that go bump in the night, or that hide in the shadows, or in the corner of our vision.

          “But I always say fear is the great equaliser, because the most powerful man could freeze in fear, while a lesser man becomes motivated to survive by the fear.

          “Just because I’m scared does not mean that I can’t fight back. And I intend to. But Loki do you intend to fight?”

          Loki was scared. He was shaking. They hadn’t even reached Zatic and he had his metaphorical tail between his legs ready to run screaming and crying the other way.

          “I will try my best.” Loki squeaked. “That is all I ask of myself.”

          “That’s all anyone can ask.” Zardac said swallowing.

          “Coming out of light-speed.” Loki reported. “Let the fear come.”

 

 

          “Hope that planet is more dangerous than you can image!” Faith shouted. “Turn round. Leave orbit! Now!”

          “Mother, you seem scared, more so than Charity.” Hope said without emotion from the door of the holding cells.

          “I don’t do fear.” Faith growled. “I just know how dangerous that planet is.”

          “How?” Hope asked. Faith looked at her feet.

          “I’ve heard all the rumours.” Faith said turning her back on her daughter.

          “Mother I know you are not telling the truth,” Hope said, “the rate at which your heart is beating. I won’t leave until you tell me the truth.”

          “But Hope, I can’t,” Faith cried out desperately falling to her knees, her head in her hands, “if I tell you and it will begin and there would be no stopping it. I knew it the day I hatched.”

          “Mother what are you talking about?” Hope asked.

          “Hope you must trust me to tell you if you ever need to know.” Faith said. “For now please, just take my word. To land on that planet and you will start a chain of events that would destroy the universe as we know it.”

          No Faith tell the truth, the disembodied male voice said in her mind, you have daddy issues.

          No! Faith screamed in her head. No!

          Yes Faith, it has already began and you cannot stop me.

          “Mom!” Hope yelled, watching her mother curling up as if in pain. “Ok we’ll turn round, land on a different planet.”

          No! The voice screamed in Faith’s mind, I will not let you get away. Not when you are so close. You are mine; I shirred you for a purpose. You will fulfil it. No matter what!

 

 

Zardac and Loki both lurched in their seats as Zardac’s ship decelerated from light-speed into the orbit of the deep grey and red planet of Zatic.

          Zardac’s heart raced as he and Loki took in the view. Loki whimpered as he wished for an extra twelve pairs of underwear. He was bricking it.

          Through the view port the Zatic system was dominated by a black sun. The planet was orbited by dozens of blood red moons. On the sensor display the arrangement looked like a fiery bird. Above the planet Zardac saw Charity’s ship. He noticed it was pointing away from the forbidden planet. They were trying to leave but something was pulling them toward Zatic. It was placing the hull of Charity’s ship. Not good, Zardac thought. Then the ship disappeared into the planet’s atmosphere unwillingly as it snapped in two.

          “Follow it down!” Zardac bellowed, forgetting he had the helm.

          “Um, Zardac you’re in the pilot’s seat.” Loki pointed out.

          “Oh yeah.” Zardac said, beginning his descent to the surface of Zatic. His descent to hell. Now with plenty to lose. As they descended Zardac couldn’t help wondering who would survive if any of them did. Zardac shared a fearful glance with Loki.

          They were both bricking it now, and understood that there was no turning back now.

 

          It had begun.