Epic of Aravinda 1: The Truth Beyond the Sky (15 page)

“I’m sorry, but look what I got.”

Zahn set the resonators onto the table.

“Aaravan sidearms? How did you get them?”

“I traded my photodisc for them. The man who saved me from the prowlers had a bunch. I thought we could use some.”

“Zahn,” Asha said. “You didn’t have to do that. Remember how Oon paid my father? Navika has some items of great value onboard. Why not just ask Kulik to come back here?”

“He was in a hurry, and I knew I wouldn’t get a second chance. It’s okay. I think these will prove much more valuable.”

“Zahn.” Oonak put his hand on Zahn’s shoulder. “You’ve done an honorable and generous act, and we will all benefit from this. Thank you.”

Oonak’s gaze was intense, yet comforting.

The remainder of the night was spent listening to the thunder and experimenting with the resonators in between bites of the evening meal Oonak had cooked for them. At first, adjusting the strength of the resonators was tricky. Above the handle was a dial that, when pushed forward, revealed different colored sections. After they’d dissolved a fair amount of pebbles, they eventually discovered which settings were the most powerful and which were merely disorienting.

After a few hours, Oonak reminded them that it would be best if they retired early since Vivienne would return in the morning and tomorrow was going to be especially important. Tomorrow, they were finally going to meet Vayuna, the Great Savant. Perhaps then, their questions would finally be answered.

CHAPTER
22

THE TEMPTATION OF TRUTH

The following day began with the gloomiest morning Zahn had seen yet. When he saw the view from his room’s window, he was surprised that silver clouds extended as far as he could see, and the ocean swirled in dark colors below.

Since Oonak had alluded that this would be their last day on Aarava, Zahn repacked his belongings into his backpack, with the addition of the flute and some soap cubes. He also put his Avani clothes back on and was pleased to discover that, now that they’d been washed by the Aaravans, they smelled vaguely sweet like the huge flowers he had seen when they first landed. While he did this, he heard a ringing in his left ear and did his best to ignore it.

When Zahn entered the meeting room, Oonak was just serving breakfast. He explained that he had received a message from Vivienne saying that she would arrive soon, so once they had finished, all three of them waited outside under the overhanging roof to stay out of the rain.

A chill breeze blew all around them and through them.

After a few minutes, they heard a low humming noise. It was so ubiquitous that even Oonak couldn’t discern its source, but when a bronze, disc-shaped craft emerged from the dark jungle, its source was unmistakable. The craft was quite similar to the vessel Zahn had seen the day before, only larger.

Once it had landed down by the beach, a ramp extended to the ground, and they walked down to it. When Zahn realized that it was Vivienne who was walking toward them, he let out a sigh of relief. At least he knew who they were dealing with. Except this time, Vivienne’s eyes had changed from a golden hue to a bitter yellow, and it made him uneasy.

“Vayuna has returned,” Vivienne said. “However, I cannot take you to her.”

“Why?” Zahn said. “We’ve waited patiently like you asked.”

“Zahn, let me handle this,” Oonak said. “Vivienne, surely Vayuna understands that this mission’s success could potentially save millions of lives, including the inhabitants of this world. If Zahn’s world is now under threat, all worlds in this region of the galaxy are. Doesn’t Vayuna understand this?”

“Vayuna does. However, I will not take you to her.”

“Why?” Asha said. “Why won’t you fulfill your promise?”

“Do you know how many visitors from the Confederation have come to Aarava during Vayuna’s reign?” Vivienne paused. “None. It has been many years since the Confederation has acknowledged us. Why then should we acknowledge the Confederation? Furthermore, you have purposefully trespassed near one of the barrier spires. You have proven yourselves unworthy to see Vayuna.”

“Vivienne,” Oonak began. “Aarava should have been contacted by a Confederation vanguard years ago. I do not know why a vanguard failed to contact this world, but this is further proof that something is unbalanced in this part of the galaxy. From the data I’ve gathered, the Vakragha are the most likely cause. Vivienne, you said before that you were the mouth and the ears of Aarava. Can Vayuna hear what you are saying now? Are these her wishes or yours?”

“Vayuna can no longer hear my thoughts,” Vivienne said coldly. “I have bifurcated. I have decided to be free… which is why I am stealing your ship.”

Vivienne lifted her arm, and the robe’s long sleeve fell back, revealing that she was pointing a resonator right at them.

Everyone held their breath.

“Vivienne,” Asha said. “If what you told us about Vayuna is true, then she’s very powerful. What makes you think she’ll let you leave?”

As Asha said this, Zahn edged behind Oonak so that Vivienne could no longer see him directly.

“I have located my internal beacon,” Vivienne said. “Do you know what that means? It means they can no longer find me. I can go anywhere in the galaxy. Anywhere!”

“If escape is what you want, then we can help you,” Oonak said. “But Vayuna will scan my ship as it leaves. She will know that it is you.”

“A calculated risk. With a few hostages, this plan is logical for someone of my advanced skill.”

“I think you’ve got that backwards.” Zahn stepped out from behind Oonak. “Today, we’re stealing
your
ship.”

Oonak and Asha looked over and noticed that Zahn was pointing a resonator right at Vivienne’s face. Asha’s expression was a mixture of joy and disbelief, and in the midst of Vivienne’s surprise, Asha and Oonak took their resonators out.

“Here is what’s going to happen, Viv,” Zahn said, trying to prevent himself from shaking from the adrenaline. “You’re going to give us your weapon, and you’re going to fly us to Vayuna. If you try anything clever, you’re never even going to
walk
again, let alone leave this planet. Do you understand me?”

“You are being foolish. I still have far more experience with this weapon than you do. What do you expect to do? Blow it out of my hand?”

Zahn shot the ground at Vivienne’s feet, creating a pool of melted glass that quickly solidified.

“If that works, yes.”

Slowly, Vivienne backed away, up the ramp. They followed her, and when she was about halfway up, she turned, sprinted, and lunged toward the ship’s door. As she flew through the air, Oonak managed to hit her ankle with a blast, and when she landed, she nearly tumbled headfirst into the transparent hatch.

Now that she was down, Asha ran up and kicked the gun out of Vivienne’s hand, sending it tumbling down to the beach below. Vivienne barely moved and simply stared at the two resonators that were still pointed at her.

“Clearly, you were only trained in diplomacy. Get up and let us in,” Zahn said, gesturing toward the door with this resonator.

Vivienne pressed her hand to a pad beside the door and walked inside the transparent dome atop the disc. The interior of the craft was arranged in a circle with padded seats along the edge of the dome’s interior. In the center was a raised chair that appeared to be able to rotate.

As the ship ascended, Oonak and Asha kept their resonators trained on Vivienne as Zahn sat down and examined the interior of the ship.

“Now, take us to Vayuna.” Zahn aimed his resonator at Vivienne’s head. “Please.”

“Vayuna will kill you,” Vivienne said.

“That’s fine. Some of us have been dying for a while now. Take us to her.”

Reluctantly, Vivienne sat down and operated the controls.

The ramp retracted, and as effortlessly as a whale gliding through the ocean, the craft flew high above the massive treetops. Light rain sprinkled the dome but evaporated as soon as it touched the surface. How this was possible Zahn could only guess, and he wished that the airboat at home so elegantly dealt with the natural elements.

After passing over the jungle canopy for some time, they came to a ridge covered in ferns. Zahn expected them to fly around it and was surprised when they continued to head toward the fern-covered rock face.

Had this been Vivienne’s plan all along? To sacrifice herself to kill all of them? Zahn thought of grabbing the controls, but there wasn’t time. They were moving too fast, and he braced himself.

But an impact never came.

Instead, they quietly slipped through the hanging ferns and plunged into a dark tunnel leading deep into the ridge.

Inside, they could see very little. Soon, the darkness became complete as they distanced themselves from the entrance. Zahn looked over to Vivienne, and noticed that her face was faintly illuminated by the ship’s instruments.

Just as he was starting to wonder if Vayuna actually lived in a cavern within the ridge, they passed through another set of ferns and emerged back out into daylight. They were on the other side of the ridge now, and below he saw a lake tucked within the thick of the jungle. As they descended, he noticed that in the center of the lake was a tiny island and above it was a large object floating in midair. It reminded him of the floating octahedron they had found on the beach two days before.

Soon, they were above the island, and Vivienne landed the craft as a feather alighting upon a rock.

Zahn motioned with the resonator for Vivienne to open the door and exit first.

After they had walked down the ramp and set foot on solid ground again, Zahn realized his suspicions had been proven correct. He could now see that the floating object clearly had eight sides, and he wondered why that number seemed to be so significant here.

“Keep an eye on her,” Zahn said as he gazed up to the crystal above them.

He was almost mesmerized by the huge amber octahedron as it slowly rotated high above them. Its metallic surface was so smooth that it occasionally reflected his tiny face back down to him. The island itself was only a few dozen meters wide. All around it were towering crystals, all pointed toward the octahedron floating in the air, and just ahead of them was a depression in the rock that was shaped vaguely like a bench.

“How do we contact Vayuna?”

“Sit on the carved bench and speak openly,” Vivienne said. “Remember, Vayuna will not tolerate deception.”

“Good. Neither do I,” Zahn said. “Thank you, Vivienne. You may wait here while we speak with her.”

Vivienne took a few steps away, but then turned around and lunged toward Zahn, trying to grab his resonator. Oonak fired back, and when the narrow sonic beam hit her, they heard a fizzing noise as her expression froze. A fraction of a second later, she collapsed onto the ground. Oonak rushed over to feel for a pulse, but there was none.

“That’s strange,” Oonak said. “I only had it on a low setting. It shouldn’t have killed a healthy person.”

Asha removed part of Vivienne’s robe and exposed where she’d been shot. The blast had sliced her skin open, but inside were metal filaments and fragments of shattered particles. There was no blood at all.

“I don’t think she
was
a person, at least not like us,” Asha said.

“An artificial life form?” Zahn said.

“Best guess. And if so, the closest replication of biological life that I’ve ever seen.”

“Indeed. Whoever built her was a master,” Oonak said. “It also explains her stilted behavior during our meeting. She must have been communicating with her superiors and computing diplomatic responses to our questions at the same time.”

“Which explains why she contradicted herself about the gates,” Zahn said.

“Indeed.”

Once they had sat down at the stone bench, Oonak looked up and spoke to the floating crystal above them.

“Great Savant, we have heard of your great truths and great wisdom, and we are honored that you would welcome we, who are visitors to your world, into your presence.”

The voice that replied was cold, yet diplomatic.

“Oonak of the Confederation, the Great Vayuna welcomes all who have the courage and the curiosity to honestly pursue knowledge. Vayuna is a servant of Aarava and the Mind of the Visionaries. What do you request of Vayuna, weary traveller?”

“Aren’t you angry that we killed your servant?” Zahn said.

“Far from it,” Vayuna replied. “For many cycles, Vayuna knew that Vivienne had been plotting to escape. However, she could not see how plain her actions were to Vayuna. By being here, you simply gave her the opportunity to act. Had it not been you, it would have been another. No apology is necessary.”

“Oh. Then you’re welcome, I suppose.”

“Vayuna,” Oonak began. “As we stated when we met the two ships who escorted us to your world, we are on a mission to deliver a message to the Confederation Council. Because of the damage to my ship, this situation forces us to use the ancient gate network which is why we need your help.”

“Vayuna is aware of all knowledge imparted to Vivienne. Please state your query.”

“I ask that you share what you know about the galactic gate network with us so that we may safely proceed to the galactic core as quickly as possible. Will you do this?”

There was silence for some time.

“Vayuna will do this with one stipulation.”

“What is it, Great Savant?”

“You will explain, with complete honesty, why you did not state this purpose when you first encountered the ships that escorted you here. Behold, your words from that contact.”

The sound of Oonak’s voice reverberated all around them, as if the crystals that surrounded the island were projecting the sound.

“I am Oonak of the Confederation of Unity. We are on a mission to deliver a message to the Confederation Council. However, our journey has been difficult and we seek safe harbor for a few days. We are happy to trade for these amenities.”

“No mention of a query or your true intentions. Why do you seek to deceive Vayuna and her children?”

Oonak’s face hardened, and he closed his eyes for a moment.

“I did not mean any offense, Vayuna. I did not want to ask anything of your people until I knew more about the conditions on this world. Confederation procedure recommends—”

“Vayuna
does not
want to know,” she interrupted, “what Confederation procedure recommends. Vayuna wants to know what your motives are.”

“If I have offended you, I am regretful and would ask that you accept my deepest apology. My motives are pure. I would not have come thousands of light-years using unpredictable gate technology if they were not, but the situation demands it. If you remember my words to Vivienne, then you will also remember why this mission is so important.” Oonak’s voice became hushed. “Vayuna, the Undying Vandals are spreading, and the longer it takes me to reach the Confederation, the more time they have to move unchecked.”

There was a brief silence.

“Very well. Vayuna will allow you to enter the cerebral lattice to receive knowledge of the gate network.”

“Thank you, Great Savant.”

“—with one further request: that you will also share all that you know of the gate network.”

Oonak tensed his muscles and was silent for a few moments.

“Why does the gate network interest you?”

“You are not the only person who seeks to explore the galaxy. Vayuna’s knowledge of the gates is also incomplete.”

Oonak considered this for a moment.

“All right, but only if you swear an oath not to interfere with any hatchling civilizations. You must uphold Spacefarer Code.”