The lost world, p.8
The Lost World, page 8
He glared at her. “Are you really real?”
She brushed back her thick blonde hair, causing her breasts to jiggle.
Riker loved that.
“Of course, I’m real. Why do you think I’ve been shouting for help?”
“Why were you shouting?” Riker asked. “How could you expect anyone to hear you, let alone understand what you were yelling?”
She nodded. “That is strange, isn’t it? Do you trust in premonitions?”
Riker just stared at her more. He could do it for days.
“I had a premonition a few minutes ago. I thought—Look. I’m Ensign Emily Freely of the Patrol Scout Cheng Ho.”
“The Cheng Ho made it through underspace to here?” Riker asked, amazed.
“If you mean the crazy zone after we must have bust through a wormhole or something, yes, that’s right.”
“Underspace with its crazy anomalies, many of them gravitational and magnetic?” Riker asked.
Sweet Emily nodded.
Riker frowned, hardly able to believe this was real. It simply didn’t seem logical or probable.
“Do we have to keep playing twenty questions?” Emily asked. “I’d really like to get out of this deadfall.”
That made sense. So, Riker set his blast rifle aside and lay prone, stretching out an arm. “Jump up and grab my hand.”
Emily shook her head. “My ankle might be broken.”
Riker scrambled up and went to a vine. He took out a big knife and sawed at the vine. It was tougher than it looked.
Finally, he returned to the pit with the vine. He made a loop and threw that end down. “Put this around you.”
Emily did so, stepping into it and sliding it up her marvelous body.
Riker hauled her up, listening to her soft cries as she bumped her bad foot against the deadfall wall.
She reached the edge, twisted around to sit, slipped off the loop, and smiled up at him. “Thank you very much, Sergeant. I owe you everything.”
Riker looked into Emily’s eyes, feeling a deep connection with her. It was as if every moment of his life had been leading to this encounter, to this woman. Logic told him to be cautious, to question everything about this seemingly impossible situation. But his heart was already lost.
“Can you walk?” he asked.
Emily nodded, putting a brave smile on her face despite the pain. “With your help, I think I can manage.”
Riker helped her up and they set off through the alien jungle, Riker supported Emily’s weight as she hobbled. He knew his life had changed forever. His mission paled in comparison to his instinct to protect Emily and unravel the mystery of her presence here.
Whatever forces had brought them together on this golden world, whatever dangers lurked in the shadows of this alien forest, Riker was certain of one thing: he would face them all for the chance to stay by Emily’s side.
-17-
Riker eased Emily down onto a fallen log, its surface covered in a soft, moss-like growth that glowed faintly in the fading golden light.
Riker couldn’t help but marvel at her beauty, even disheveled and injured as she was. The furs clung to her form, accentuating curves that made his pulse quicken. Her blonde hair, tangled with leaves and twigs, still managed to catch the dying light gleaming softly.
Riker was transfixed, noting every detail of her appearance: the way her breasts rose and fell with each breath, the slight tremor in her hands as she settled onto the log, and the depth of emotion in her startlingly blue eyes.
Riker struggled to focus. The reality of their situation—stranded on an alien world, surrounded by unknown dangers—demanded his full attention.
He removed his headgear and mask, the seals hissing as they disengaged. He took his first unfiltered breath of the alien world’s air, bracing for potential irritants.
To his surprise, the air was thick with unfamiliar scents, but not unpleasant. It carried hints of exotic flora, an underlying muskiness that spoke of teeming life, and something else—a crisp, almost electric quality that made his skin tingle.
Riker took deep breaths, analyzing each aroma and filing it away.
“I’m hungry,” Emily said. “Do you happen to have any extra food?”
“Of course I do,” he said, pulling out a ration pack. The foil wrapper crinkled as he pulled it off. “This isn’t gourmet, but it’ll keep you going.”
He smiled ruefully, aware of how inadequate the ration bar must seem in this alien paradise.
Emily accepted the food, her blue eyes never leaving Riker’s face. Her fingers brushed against his as she accepted the food.
As they ate in silence, Riker found himself studying her movements, the way she rationed each bite, and the alertness in her posture despite her fatigue.
As the last of the golden light faded from the sky, plunging the jungle into a twilight realm, Emily spoke.
“I suppose you’re wondering how I ended up here.”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” Riker said.
“Not so long ago, I was part of the crew of the Cheng Ho like I said. We were sent to investigate anomalous readings in this sector. We had no idea what we were getting into.”
Riker leaned forward, the last of his food forgotten.
“I forget how we entered this region of space,” Emily said. “Does that seem odd to you?”
“It must have been traumatic,” Riker said.
“That it was. I remember that everything went haywire. Our instruments failed and alarms blared. Then we were pulled into… this place.”
Emily gestured at the alien world around them.
“Several of us took the shuttle, crash-landing on the planet,” Emily said. “The others on the shuttle didn’t make it.” She swallowed hard, perhaps struggling with the memory. “I’ve been alone since then, surviving, trying to understand this place.”
Her voice faltered on the last word, and Riker reached out to comfort her. His hand found hers, and the touch sent electricity through him. She was warm, soft, and undeniably human. He could feel the full weight of her isolation, the toll of the months spent alone in this golden hell. He wanted to comfort her for as long as it took.
Emily took a deep breath. Her fingers were intertwined with Riker’s as if drawing strength from the contact.
“I’m not totally alone here,” she said quietly, thoughtfully. “There are the Saurians. They’re intelligent, organized, and they hate outsiders. They’ve hunted me, tried to kill me. I’ve only survived by staying on the move, learning their patterns.”
“I saw them,” he said. “They were hunting an elephant-sized creature. They were efficient if brutal in killing it.”
Emily nodded. “The Saurians are dangerous. More than you can imagine. But they’re not the real threat.” She leaned in closer. “They’re pawns in a much larger game.”
“What do you mean?” Riker asked.
“The Saurians, this planet, even the pocket universe we’re trapped in—they’re all connected to the Shardkin.”
Riker started, realizing the reaction was caused by the crystal in his vest pocket.
“Who or what are the Shardkin?” he asked.
“They’re ancient crystal entities of immense power,” Emily said. “From what I’ve pieced together, the Saurians once served them, enslaved by Shardkin’s mental powers. The crystal spires and ruins you’ve no doubt seen were constructed by the Shardkin, with the Saurians as their slaves.”
“That sounds weird,” Riker said.
“But something went wrong—the Shardkin went mad. Or maybe they were always mad, and it just took the Saurians millennia to realize it.”
Emily shuddered at the idea.
“As far as I can tell,” she whispered, “there was a revolt. The Saurians destroyed key structures, severing the Shardkin’s control. Some of the crystal entities fled this region.”
“Wait a minute,” Riker said, shaking his head. “How did this place end up in a pocket universe? Are you saying the planet was always here?”
“I don’t know,” Emily said, hesitating.
“What?” Riker asked. “You know something you’re not saying.”
Emily hesitated, biting her lip. “There are whispers among the Saurians. Legends of beings so ancient and terrible that the Shardkin themselves were mere constructs of theirs. I’m talking about ancient, monstrous beings known as Yon Soths.”
Riker shivered. He should have known it would be something like that.
“The Yon Soths may have banished the Shardkin to this pocket universe,” Emily said.
“So… this might be a prison, or quarantine,” Riker said.
“Yes.”
“If that’s true… what do we do next?” Riker asked.
“We survive,” Emily said, pressing against him. “We find a way out of this prison universe, and if we can, we warn humanity about what’s out here, or in here.”
The alien night closed in around them. Strange cries echoed through the jungle, and dark shadows seemed to move with a life of their own.
They were lost, trapped in a pocket universe beyond the reach of all they knew. But they were together.
That, Riker decided, was the only thing that mattered.
-18-
The golden light of the alien world had faded to a deep twilight, casting long shadows across the clearing where Riker and Emily huddled together. The air was thick, their bodies drawn together by an irresistible pull. The jungle around them had come alive.
Chirps, whistles, and low, resonant hums surrounded them.
Riker paid no attention to the sounds. He brushed a strand of Emily’s hair away from her face. His fingertips lingered on her cheek. Their eyes were drawn to each other in the dim light.
“I know we’ve only just met, but I feel—” Riker said, his voice low and husky with emotion.
A spine-chilling screech cut him short. Then five Saurian warriors burst through the undergrowth, their scaled bodies glistening in the dim light.
Their eyes were vertical slits of amber, burning with intelligence and hatred.
“Run!” Riker shouted.
He grabbed Emily’s hand, yanking her to her feet with more force than he intended. Her ankle wasn’t broken, but it was badly sprained.
She ran with him, making pained gasps as she struggled to keep up.
The air whistled as spears flew.
Riker ducked as one passed overhead.
There was a sickening thud, followed by a gasp that Riker knew would haunt his nightmares.
Emily’s grip on his hand loosened.
Riker turned, feeling as though time had slowed. A spear protruded from Emily’s back. Her beautiful blue eyes were wide with shock and pain, her lips parted in a silent scream.
“No!” The scream tore from Riker’s throat, a primal sound of rage and despair.
Emily crumpled to the ground, her life bleeding out onto the alien soil.
Something snapped inside Riker. With a roar, he leveled the MX-700 Blast Rifle. He didn’t consider its fluctuating cell.
Had his desperation somehow boosted the power cell? Whatever the case, the power cell hummed, energy building as the rifle released a clot of energy. The weapon recoiled at each discharge.
Two Saurians fell, their bodies smoking. The smell of burned scales and flesh was acrid and alien.
The other three warriors screeched in alarm. They began a hasty retreat, melting back into the jungle.
Riker got a good look at the leader—a muscular specimen with a blue armband contrasting against its green scales. Their eyes met for a hate-filled moment. Riker saw cunning intelligence and a clear threat of future conflict.
The Saurian gazed at fallen Emily, then Riker, a look of cruel satisfaction crossing its reptilian features. Then it disappeared into the jungle.
Horns blared behind the screen of jungle.
Some kind of sanity returned to Riker. He recognized the horns as a signal, no doubt calling for reinforcements. He couldn’t stay here, no matter how much it tore at him to leave Emily’s body.
He knelt over her, feeling for a pulse on her neck. There was none. Just like that, she was gone.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I’ll make them pay for this. I swear.”
The promise felt hollow, but Riker clung to it nonetheless.
Horns blared once more. Distant ones sounded in reply, answering the call to arms against the human.
Riker forced himself to his feet and plunged into the alien jungle in the opposite direction from where the Saurians had gone.
It was time to find the shuttle and get the hell off this hateful world.
As he ran, dodging twisted roots and phosphorescent vines, Riker’s mind raced. He tried to consider the Yon Soths, the Shardkin and the enslaved Saurians. Instead, in his mind’s eye, he saw the face of the blue-banded Saurian leader.
He wanted to choke the life out of that one. He wanted the leader to suffer for years, if that was possible.
A thought crept into Riker’s mind. It was soft and promising.
There was a way to harm that Saurian in particular and the others like him.
Riker nodded. He wanted that, desperately so.
That was good, very good. To complete his vengeance, he needed to find the Shardkin leader and insert the crystal from his vest into an aperture. Everything would fall into place after that.
Riker’s eyes widened, and a dark grin spread across his face. That was the ticket. That was what he needed to do all right. That would show the murderers of sweet Emily Freely of the Patrol Scout Cheng Ho.
Riker’s hands tightened on his blast rifle as he ran. The weapon represented not just his means of survival, but the promise of future retribution.
With each step, each ragged breath, Riker felt his resolve harden. It was time to push through the jungle and reach the crystal ruins where the Shardkin leader resided. There, Riker knew, he would find all the power he needed for revenge against these lizard killers.
-19-
Back aboard the Kit Carson, Valerie awoke first.
She and Keith had both agreed that with Riker leaving and landing on the planet, it was time for them to get some much-needed sleep. Each had retired to their cabin. The Kit Carson was rather spacious as far as scouts went, with individual wardrooms. Valerie’s was the best.
After a good seven hours of sleep, Valerie awoke. She dressed and went to the galley, eating a breakfast of eggs and toast when Keith arrived.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“As well as can be expected,” she said. “Our situation is rather dire… and Riker.” Valerie shook her head.
Keith poured himself some coffee. “Would you like more?” he asked.
She nodded.
He brought the pot, filled her cup, and handed her some creamers. After returning the pot, he sat down across from her and began to eat.
Valerie finished her breakfast and thoughtfully sipped her third cup of coffee.
“I’ve been wondering if I should have brought Riker along.”
“Oh?” Keith said, shoveling his last bite of eggs into his mouth.
Too noisily for her liking, Valerie thought.
“I wonder if Riker brought some of Maddox’s bad luck with him,” she said, “but Riker doesn’t have Maddox’s ability to jiu-jitsu a situation, turning it in our favor. Meaning that whatever took hold of Riker’s mind is likely running him around down there. We can’t see or contact him, meaning we’re blind concerning Riker. It’s also a mistake to believe he’s going to bring anything up that can help us leave this place.”
“So we leave him? We strand him?” Keith asked.
“We can hardly leave him,” Valerie said, “as it’s unlikely we can leave through underspace and hope to survive the journey. My thought is different. If we’re going to escape this realm, we have to do it through our own efforts, not trust in Riker’s dubious abilities.”
“We made it through underspace to reach here,” Keith said. “Why don’t you think we can do it again to return to normal space?”
“As a last resort we need to try,” Valerie said. “Before that, we need something to help us navigate underspace.”
Keith sipped his coffee. “That was a confusing time. It’s hard to remember what happened.”
“Could Riker have been involved in more than we thought?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think something controlled Riker?”
Keith snorted. “The sergeant’s no analyst but look what he all discovered. Even with the AI helping him, he hardly knows how to scan a thing. He’s a ground pounder. Sure, he is an Intelligence asset, I suppose, but that’s usually under Maddox’s guidance. What has Riker ever accomplished on his own?”
“Plenty,” Valerie said. “Don’t you read the reports after the missions?”
“What? Are you kidding me?” Keith said. “No, I’m just glad to be home and take it easy for a while. Do some water skiing or snow skiing.”
“I didn’t know you skied,” Valerie said.
“We went on a ski trip together once, don’t you remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” Valerie said. “How could I forget?”
“We had a fantastic time,” Keith said with a leer.
“Don’t,” Valerie said, raising a finger. “This isn’t the time for that.”
“Oh, come on, Val. This could be it. We don’t have Maddox to do everything for us this time. How do you—?”
Valerie stood and pointed at him. “None of that, mister. I thought you were the optimistic one who always said you could do anything, the best pilot in the fleet.”
Keith stared up at her, finished his coffee and set down the cup. “Don’t throw that in my face.”
“Well, aren’t you the best?” Valerie asked.
Keith pushed away from the table, crossed his arms, and put on a grumpy expression.
“What?” Valerie said. “You’re always saying that. That’s your signature line.”
“Yeah, I know,” Keith said. “But I’m not as fast as I used to be. I’m still as good,” he said quickly, “but my reflexes are slowing down just a little.” He made a small gesture with his index finger and thumb, barely apart.
