Aurora Saga 2 Immortality for Life (15 page)

‘Ah! I see your point.’

Kalrea looked up at the white mono-pods travelling past, and then to a nearby raised green circle set into the pavement, which people used like a bus stop to request a vacant mono-pod.

‘It’s time we got to the Liyp building,’ she said and then moved inside the circle.

A passing mono-pod stopped and then its egg-shaped body lowered to the pavement in front of her. A door slid open and they entered.

‘Please state your destination?’ a female voice asked, from a panel at the front of the mono-pod, as it ascended back to the track above.

Kalrea said nothing.

‘Thank you. Estimated time to Liyp building is five minutes. For your safety, please ensure you are seated at all times.’

The mono-pod’s spacious interior had one seamless window all the way around its sides and four pairs of very conformable rainbow-patterned seats, two on either sides facing each other, and one at the front and one at the back again facing each other. Zoren sat in one of the two back seats which were forward facing and Kalrea sat opposite him.

He smiled at Kalrea, while admiring her bland dress.

‘Zoren, please don’t say anything. I know this dress is awful,’ she remarked.

‘So, what goes on in this Liyp building where we’re heading for?’ Zoren asked her.

‘It’s a rehabilitation prison,’ Kalrea replied. ‘It’s a place where those who offend have corrective treatment. They probe the mind to find the offending neural pathways that made the person commit the crime, and remove them.’

‘That sounds a bit drastic.’

‘Yes, and the Liyp building is also a place where they can perform the transfer of an Agonian soul into a Xangol.’

Zoren felt anxious.

‘Are you saying that we’re too late?’

‘They haven’t been here very long, probably less than two hours, so they’d have had to be very efficient to have started already.’

‘But you said your picture has been circulated to other planets, so they must know that we saved three of my people and will be looking for the others.’

‘If that’s the case, then we can’t afford to waste much time when we arrive at the Liyp building.’

Zoren nodded his head slowly, and felt even more worried about Sabri’s life and said, ‘I really miss Sabri. We’ve always been together, even when we were little. I don’t think I’d want to be without her.’

‘What do you mean, Zoren?’

‘If she dies, then it would break my hearts. My life would no longer have any purpose. Kalrea, have you ever loved anything… I mean anyone?’

‘What a strange question to ask me,’ Kalrea replied.

‘I’m just interested. You’re very old, so I assume you’ve met a lot of people and must have become very close to some of them.’

‘I have, yes,’ Kalrea replied, now staring at the floor.

Zoren could sense he had asked a difficult question. He was about to say it wasn’t important, when Kalrea replied.

‘I have loved someone, or at least become so close that I cared a lot about him.’

Kalrea paused for a moment. She had a solemn smile on her face.

‘Remember I said my first pilot was Lex?’

Zoren nodded.

‘Well, I love him. He means everything to me.’

Why is she talking in the present? He must have died years ago.

The mono-pod started to slow.

‘You have reached your destination,’ the female voice announced from within the mono-pod.

Zoren looked at the surrounding buildings. One stood out from the others. It was a building over two hundred metres tall, which looked like a square column of stone and had no windows.

‘You’re going to tell me it’s that building over there, aren’t you, Kalrea?’ Zoren said, pointing towards it.

‘Yes, it stands out, doesn’t it?’

He gazed at the entrance.

‘Is that the only way in, or is there a back door.’

‘Well, I’ve accessed the building’s computer system and downloaded a floor plan. That’s the only entrance. There are four guards inside the entrance.’

‘So how are going to get past them?’

‘Well, if I’d been here on my own, then I’d have had to kill those guards. But as you’re here with me and want to help, then you can act as a diversion for me.’

The mono-pod stopped at the nearest green circle to the Liyp building and then descended to the pavement. Zoren and Kalrea got out.

‘What do you want me to do?’ Zoren asked with some trepidation.

‘Do you think you can pretend to look terrified if you were stuck in a mono-pod that was on fire?’

‘What do you mean? Definitely, I would be terrified!’

‘Don’t worry, the telementor will protect you.’

‘So you’re serious! You want me to be in a burning mono-pod.’

‘Trust me! All I need is twenty-two seconds to get past those security guards and into one of transit tubes, which I’ll make sure is waiting for me.’

‘But what do I do once I’ve been… well rescued?’

‘Say thank you and then get the next mono-pod back to the Yigot landing zone. Remember it’s the Yigot landing zone. Go straight back to the shuttle and get onboard. It’s in bay 63MXB. Use the telementor to open the door by moving your hand near it. Once onboard you’ll be able to speak to me again.’

‘All right, I understand. When do we do this?’

‘Now would be a good time,’ Kalrea said, as she moved into the green circle to wait for the next free mono-pod.

Once one arrived and descended, Zoren nervously got onboard.

Just before the door closed, Kalrea asked, ‘Zoren, tell me where the shuttle is?’

‘The Yigot landing zone, bay… bay 63… MX... B.’

Kalrea smiled at him, before saying, ‘Good, I’ll see you soon.’

The mono-pod started along the track, passing twenty metres away, in front of the Liyp building.

Access mono-pod systems. Apply emergency brakes. Full power to motors. Override safety controls.

As Kalrea walked casually over to the entrance of the building, she glanced up to the mono-pod and Zoren inside. Smoke was bellowing from the track above him as the mono-pod jerked forward. Then, there was a loud bang and the support above the mono-pod burst into flames.

Override fire suppression system. Open door.

Come on, be a bit more urgent, Zoren! What’s he doing?

This will wake him up! Switch power to secondary systems.

There was an explosion at the front of the mono-pod.

Zoren shouted from the door, ‘Help me!’

He really looks frightened now.

Kalrea moved towards the door to the Liyp building as soon as the guards were distracted by Zoren’s cries for help. They all rushed out over to where he was.

Activate defence shield.

Access building security system. Turn cameras off in section one, five and six. Open main entrance, code 345-542.

She quickly moved through the main doorway of the building and into a small lobby area, which had eighteen transit lift doors along one of its walls and a long black topped security desk opposite them, where the guards would normally be seated. There were a number of round tables, at waist height, but no chairs, so people could only stand at them.

Close main entrance.

Kalrea approached an open transit lift door, but at that moment another arrived and its door opened.

Close lift door three!

As someone was about to exit the transit lift, the doors closed on them almost trapping their leg. Kalrea could hear the person swearing at the door.

She entered the lift.

Close lift door eight.

The door closed.

Transit maintenance override.
Then thinking to the mono-pod.
Enable mono-pod fire suppression. Emergency decent.

Right, Zoren will be ok now. Time to locate the Agonians.

Kalrea accessed the many cameras within the building.

There! On floor 105, far corner. What are they doing? Damn, I’m too late! Floor 105.

Three seconds later the lift door opened. She accessed the floor plan of the building, before rushing out and into a long brightly lit corridor, which disappeared in both directions and had doors at regular intervals on both sides.

Turn off security cameras in section forty-one, forty-two and forty-five,
she thought, and then turned to her right.

She rushed along the corridor, but she could hear footsteps in the distance behind her.

‘Hay, you!’ a male voice called out from behind her.

Kalrea continued towards the room where the Agonians were.

She then heard him say, ‘Control, I have an intruder. I need a containment field in section 42G.’

An energised wall of light appeared directly in front of Kalrea blocking her path. As she turned, another energy field appeared behind her.

‘How did you get in here?’ the middle-aged guard asked, as he marched calmly up to the other side of the energy wall.

Kalrea approached the energy field and looked him in the eye.

‘I must have taken a wrong turn. Oh, and sorry for the headache.’

The guard looked puzzled.

Deactivate defence shield.

Kalrea swung her clenched fist through the energy wall, striking him on the chin. He fell backwards onto the floor.

Energy field off: Section 42G.

Kalrea knelt down and felt the man’s pulse.

You’ll be all right.

*****

The mono-pod was now safely on the pavement.

Zoren’s hearts were pounding as he was helped from the mono-pod by one of the guards, who asked,

‘I’ve never seen that happen before. Are you all right?’

‘It looks like you were very lucky,’ another one commented. ‘I don’t see a scratch on you.’

Zoren gave out a forced cough, which considering the practice he had back on Xim’gu, sounded very convincing.

‘I’m fine... I’m fine, really!’

‘Shouldn’t you wait for the medics?’ the guard said.

‘Look, I’d rather not make a fuss. Thank you for your assistance.’

Zoren quickly slipped away towards another raised green circle in the pavement.

He glanced to the entrance to the Liyp building, where the guards were returning to.

No sign of Kalrea. She must be inside.

He noticed two of the guards talking. One pointed to the burnt mono-pod and then over at Zoren. He turned away from them and waiting impatiently for a mono-pod thought,

Come on!

A few seconds later a mono-pod descended in front of him. He quickly boarded it and said instantly, ‘The Yigot docking port.’

The mono-pod started its ascent to the track.

‘Please state your destination?’ a female voice asked from a panel at the front of the pod.

I’ve already told you,
he thought and then repeated, ‘Yigot docking port!’

‘Thank you. Due to a failure of a unit ahead of us, we will be taking a diversion. Estimated time to Yigot docking port is seven minutes. For your safety, please ensure you are seated at all times.’

The mono-pod moved away.

Thank goodness that’s over,
he thought, glancing back to the Liyp building.
I hope Kalrea’s found them.

*****

Kalrea slowly pushed open a door and entered a long brightly lit room, which was similar to a hospital ward. Down the left-hand side of the ward were a number of beds on a slope of forty-five degrees, while on the opposite wall there were a line of portable tables. Each of the beds had a large up-side-down bowl-shaped device attached to their head, and some of them had screens to give privacy. Over the sound of a low-frequency humming noise, Kalrea heard some voices talking at the far end of the ward and began to walk towards them.

Standing beside the furthest bed, in which a male Xangol was lying, were two female Gullin doctors dressed in drab grey robes and a Frindul minder in his green feathery coat. One of the doctors lifted the bowl-shaped device away from the head of the Xangol. To their left was another bed in which an Agonian male was strapped into restraints. He was lying motionless and his head was covered by another bowl. Cables stretched from it down to a glowing spherical telekinetic exchanger in-between the two beds. The Xangol was waking up.

‘… that’s it. Disconnecting the catuop,’ one of the woman doctors said.

‘Heart rate is steady,’ the other replied. ‘That’s another one done. Power down the telekinetic exchanger.’

The hum decreased in pitch and volume.

‘What time is the next Xangol due to arrive?’

‘We have at least an hour, so why don’t we get something to eat.’ And looking to the Frindul added, ‘Get rid of the Agonians, will you-’ She stopped abruptly upon seeing Kalrea approaching and addressing her asked, ‘How did you get in here?’

The Frindul minder pulled out his railgun and pointed it at Kalrea.

Activate defence shield.

Kalrea smiled at them, before saying, ‘Do you know who I am?’

One of the doctors glanced to her colleague and then nudged her on the arm. ‘She looks different, but that could be the same woman who killed those Frinduls on Xim’gu.’

They now both appeared nervous. The Frindul overheard them, and his hand, holding the railgun, was now shaking.

Do I kill them?

Kalrea changed her hair colour back to brunette and the tattoo of the claw appeared back on her face. She inched nearer to them.

‘It is her!’ one of the doctors said. ‘How can she change her hair and face like that?’

The Frindul lowered his weapon and raised his hands in the air, signalling he did not want to shoot her anymore.

They’re no threat. Maybe I should let them leave.

Kalrea was about to speak, when behind the bed in the corner of the room she noticed two discarded Agonian bodies. She carefully looked at their faces.

‘No! That’s Doc Korye and Zuki. They’ve been dumped there.’

She felt angry at herself.

I didn’t save them. How many are left?

With hate in her eyes, Kalrea glared at the doctors.

‘You’re doctors! You’re meant to save lives. Look what you’ve done!’ she said, pointing to the bodies, and then without hesitation moved her hand and pointed to the nearest doctor. ‘You don’t deserve a life.’

In an instant the doctor was dead and before the Frindul knew what had happened, he too was hit by a bolt of light.

The other doctor looked shocked and froze for a moment. She then reached for a railgun resting on a nearby table. Before she could even touch it, she hit the floor.

Kalrea rushed over to the beds and looked at the male Xangol, who was now feeling his head. He glanced up at her with an arrogant smile on his face.

‘I’ll take that disgusting look off your face.’

Kalrea pointed at him and his head fell backwards onto the pillow. She then looked down at the lifeless Agonian male in the next bed and carefully removed the bowl from his head.

That’s Valon!

Kalrea focused on a locked door nearby where she could hear crying. She opened the door. Within the dark room, she could just make out some movement.

*****

Zoren exited the mono-pod.

Where am I? It’s dropped me off in a different place. I’m not even at the landing zone.

The sound of loud engines in the distance indicated where he needed to head for, so he proceeded down a narrow street between two tall white buildings. At the end, he entered the landing area. A mass of stationary ships stood before him, which stretched into the distance to the left and right of him, while others were coming in to land and taking off.

I don’t recognise anything. Where the hell’s the shuttle?

There were brightly lit signs indicating the start of the rows of ships.

Kalrea said a number. Now what was the number? 36, no 63, that’s it. But there are only letters,
he thought, reading an “MEV” and “MEH”.

He wandered slowly along the end of the rows, peering far into the distance for any sign of the shuttle.

This is no good. I’m never going to find it like this.

He turned to a man who was passing and said, ‘Excuse me... Sir!’

The middle-aged man stopped.

‘I’m… Er… looking for my ship. I… Er… have a number… 63. Do you know where that would be?’

The man laughed. ‘It’s everywhere. All the rows have a number 63. If you’ve forgotten the row code, good luck! You’ll still be here in the morning.’

‘Oh,’ Zoren replied.

The man strode away, chuckling to himself.

‘Thank… Er… Thank you,’ Zoren said quietly. He put his hand to his forehead.

Think! What were the damn letters? I think she said, MX... V.

*****

Kalrea peered in through the doorway. Huddled together in a corner of the room were seven Agonians. As she entered they stared straight at her with frightened eyes.

Kalrea felt a deep sadness and looked at them with pity.

What do I say? Lex, what would you say?

‘I…’ Kalrea was finding it hard to find the right words. ‘I’m here to help you.’

‘Get away from us!’ one of the Agonian men shouted at her.

‘No, you don’t understand, I’m here to help you.’

Kalrea approached them.

Deactivate defence shield.

She held out her hand to one of the woman and said, ‘Please, let me help you up.’

Seeing Kalrea was unarmed one of the Agonian men grabbed hold of her. Another then tried to put his hands around her neck. Kalrea pushed them both away and took a step backwards. Suddenly she felt a whack on the back of her head.

Damn, that hurts!

Kalrea touched the back of her head and then checked her hand. It was cover in a blue liquid.

The person took another swipe, but this time Kalrea stopped a large bar with her other hand, taking hold of it.

She turned to the person, who looked terrified.