Eternal Horizon: The Chronicle of Vincent Saturn (Eternal Horizon: A Star Saga Book 1) (13 page)

“I’m the last survivor of my royal family. I studied and achieved a prominent position on the Galactic Council, hiding my true heritage. I fought against injustice, but this corrupted system wouldn’t budge. Lies, intimidation, and bribery are keeping the galaxy imprisoned.” She took a deep breath and shrugged. “Thus, I decided to take things into my own hands and got myself into trouble.”

Vincent was amazed by her. At first, he thought that she was some royal maiden in distress, just as Spaide did, but now he was beginning to realize that she was more of the fighter he saw a few minutes earlier.

“What happened?” he asked.

“On a recent mission, my convoy and I were ambushed. They were trying to take me out of the picture to silence me. I wouldn’t be alive if the twins didn’t come to my rescue.”

“What was the mission?” He continued to bombard her with the questions.

“A diplomatic venture that could’ve saved an entire planet—planet Urtan,” she briefly stated, hesitating on discussing the operation. “Nevertheless, I managed to gather some information vital to our goal. I wanted to discuss this with Oryon and Duell, but now… well, you see what happened.”

She walked away again. After all, it was her fault that Galadan contacted Oryon. Although she had nothing to do with the situation on
Zazaban
, she did feel responsible for separating the two masters from the twins and Spaide.

Vincent leaned on the table. “Then I’m glad I found you guys,” he said.

“That’s right.” Her face lit up again. “In time, you will start to consider that it wasn’t a mere accident that brought you to us.”

“I’m sorry, but I have a hard time believing
that
,” he replied. He shook his head and looked away. “Do you know what I find funny?” he said after a long moment.

“What?”

“The fact that back home, my worries were so mundane—like getting stuck in traffic or deciding on a meal. And now that I see all of this… it makes my life seem so miserable and pointless.”

“Don’t say that,” she said with
a tone of encouragement
. “You seem to be taking this all very well, with patience and no fear. In time, you’ll find your home. And once the Republic crumbles, your world can be introduced to all of this. Imagine what we can accomplish together.”

She spoke so freely that it actually soothed him a bit. He began thinking of the future she described: flying cars, light-speed, Earth’s first contact.
Maybe all of our nations will finally stop fighting between each other once they realize we’re not alone.
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t realize that Gaia stepped closer to him.

“You look so much like us,” she said, a look of curiosity on her face. She scrutinized him and then stretched her hand out toward his long hair. “May I?”

“Sure,” he uncomfortably said.

“It feels just like our hair and is also brown,” she said, lightly brushing her fingers through his hair. Then, in a mere second, she realized what she was doing and snatched her hand away. Her facial expression changed from inquisitive to defensive.

Vincent felt awkward. “Did I scare you?”

“No, it’s my fault. I didn’t mean to look at you like you were some kind of animal.”

He smiled. “It’s all right. I’m already used to it. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a human, the dominant species of my planet, Earth.”

“And do all humans look like you?”

“Well, anatomically yes,” he explained. “But we differ physically. We come in shades lighter than that of mine to darker than Spaide’s, with eyes and hair of different colors.”

“Interesting… and do all of your people live in harmony?”

“In most parts of the world, yes,” Vincent said, loving the idea of finally having to explain something. “My world’s split up into over a hundred different countries, each made up of different people.” He paused and then asked, “What about Xenia?”

“Xenon,” she corrected. “Right now, it is a single planet split into different states, but there still tensions between our races. Xenians differ by the color of our hair. The
Krynnes
are
Sinkharian
, hence they have black hair;
Balteans
, such as I, have brown; and there also other races with blue and silver hair.”

“Wow,” he mused, but then pointed out, “How come Exander’s blonde then?”

“Oh, Exander. His case is very rare. It’s one in a billion. There are only a small number of Xenians in history to have blonde hair.”

Vincent nodded. “There are so many other different species I saw today,” he then said. “It was like I stepped into a fairytale.”

“In tens of thousands,” she replied. “There are races that are hominids or primates, like you and I, there are amphibians, reptiles, canines, and pretty much any organism you can think of.”

“I’d love to visit them all…” Vincent said, trying to fathom the existence of such worlds. “The planets, I mean.”

She smiled. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled, Vincent noticed. “Maybe you will one day,” she said.

Exander entered the cabin. “Princess,” he said, “we need to discuss your strategy.” He then looked over at Vincent and added, “Let the caveman mull over on his own.”

“We’ll talk later, Vincent,” she said and followed the Xenian.

Caveman
. The word fit him perfect. Vincent went up to the small window and stared out at the void of stars.

Skies over Heradonn

The planet’s atmosphere was full of clouds composed of smoke and dust particles with visible patches of its reddish-brown surface scattered amidst. Millions of lights—some so bright that their rays pierced through the fabric of smog—were rampant throughout most of the landmass, showing signs of yet another advanced civilization. A blue sun appeared in the distance, creeping up on this gloomy world.

Spaide navigated the
Serpent
through the wall of smoke, gradually descending into one of the cities. Vast traffic made up of thousands of vessels materialized around them: ships swimming through the clouds, slowly passing by before disappearing again.

Every single advanced thing Vincent had witnessed in the past hours was nothing compared to this showcase of technology. Aside from the multitude of smaller vessels that he saw on Sebalon, some these ships were more massive than the largest of our
supercarriers
, resembling naval destroyers full of gun turrets, bay ports for smaller fighter jets and superstructures at their stern in the shape of a pyramid.

“Imperial carriers,” Gaia said.

“How big are those things?” Vincent asked as they passed under one of the monstrosities. It was the biggest piece of machinery he’d ever seen. A cold feeling coursed through him as he awed at its magnificence.

“Nearly a mile long.” Before Gaia could open her mouth, Spaide jumped into the conversation
due to the fact that the subject
was about ships. “And we’re headed for the biggest one of ’em all.”

“It’s not the biggest one,” Damocles argued.

“You’re gonna tell me about that, muscle head?” Spaide snapped. “Don’t you think I
oughtta
know better?”

“
Eternity’s
the largest ship,” the big man said calmly.

Spaide paused for a second. “I knew that,” he then responded, “I meant the biggest one on the planet as of now.”

“Whatever.” Damocles chuckled, and then added, “I saw you hesitate.”

Spaide turned around. “Me hesitate? Why you—”

“
Will you two shut up?
” Exander yelled out and slammed his fist on the control panel, creating a huge dent.

“Damn it, boy, you’ve lost your damn mind!” Spaide cried out hysterically.

The big man leaned forward and placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Ex, calm down—we’re just joking around.”

“You’re not taking anything seriously!” Exander roughly pushed his brother’s hand away. “Duell’s captured, grandfather’s missing, maybe even dead, and you frivolously joke around!”

“Don’t you dare say that!” the big man shouted.

“Well, you’re the one who believes the human! You’re the one who was shocked when he said he saw lights, Damocles,
lights!
Don’t you know what happens to someone like
us
when we die?”

The laconic giant boiled with rage. “
Shut up!
” The thick veins on his neck and arms filled with blood as he formed a fist.

“Save it for them.” Exander calmed down, pointing at the enemy ship. “We have to get Duell first, and then the truth will reveal itself,” he added, feeling guilty for upsetting his ever-tranquil brother.

“As I said, I found him unconscious.” Spaide bobbed his head in Vincent’s direction. “Perhaps Oryon still remains on his homeplanet?”

“Then why’s he here? Why would Oryon send a stranger here without any messages or answers?”

“Perhaps the vessel was lost and ended up on my planet?” Vincent decided to speak for himself.

“Or perhaps your people have him confined and sent you instead?” Exander turned around in his seat, pointing his finger in Vincent’s face. “And how do we know the Republic’s not aware of our arrival?”

“Okay, enough!” Spaide raised his voice. “When I finally decide to shut up, you guys start! We all know Vincent’s story. There’s no point
arguin
’ any longer. Let’s just do what we came here for, step by step.” And then he added to Exander, “And you're gonna fix the panel once we get back to Tetraxenes.”

Exander turned away and remained quiet, deep in his thoughts. Indeed, they were only there to rescue Duell. But where was Oryon? He tried to subside himself by assuring that Duell will provide them with an answer, but he was also afraid of what that answer may be… it may very well be the thing that was on his mind when he first saw this stranger…
Patience,
he told himself.
I know it’s
hard, but I must be patient…

The view was clearer once the ship got past the polluted layer of the atmosphere. The city looked like a gigantic factory: power plants, derricks, deep mines, and oil rigs made up much of the environment. Lines of cooling towers disappeared far into the horizon, exhausting smoke that blackened the sky. The light from the burning hot metal and the numerous lava pits mixed in with the smoky clouds, giving the planet an eerie orange hue despite for the ascending blue sun’s attempt to brighten it. The lifelessness of machinery reached such extent that there was not a single body of water or a piece of greenery in sight.

“Planet Heradonn,” Gaia said as they looked down at the planet’s twisted façade. “The energy haven on this side of the galaxy and a victim of constant traffic as ships either refuel or alter their cores.”

“That’s a lot of fuel,” Vincent said, gesturing at the factories.

“The pride of the Republic, providing the rich with energy while the poor die,” she explained. “The natives were primitive, barely reaching the Stone Age when they were enslaved. It was a beautiful planet once, until the Imperials began building the factories and forcing the indigenous population into slavery…” She sighed and quietly muttered, “The glory of the Republic… and a destruction of a planet in mere thirty years…” She then straightened and continued, “Over the past few decades, nearly every living thing died on this planet, as well as most of the
Heradonnians
. No one will remember them. They never had a chance.”

“Is the air breathable?” he asked, noticing the people outside wearing some sort of headgear.

“Yes, but only for short periods of time. It’s essential we wear a lung filter.”

“A lung filter?”

“Well…” She paused, in loss of words. “It’s a device… you’ll see.”

“You sure he’ll be there?” Exander asked Spaide. “This… Servillas character?”

“He should already be there,” the Dirsalian replied and then muttered, “He
better
be there.”

“I noticed the blue star,” Vincent said, gazing at the emerging sun.

“The super-massive stars,” Gaia responded. “They’re thousands of times as powerful as normal yellow ones. That is why Heradonn is the nineteenth planet from it.”

“Incredible,” he said. “I remember reading about those, but I never thought I’d actually see one...”

As they passed the oil plants, the spaceport spread out before them. Even more ships were teeming here, flying in every direction without any order, as if they were thousands of metal bees upon a monstrous hive. There was not a landing spot on the ground due to the constant traffic, and just like in Sebalon, the roofs of the buildings were jam-packed with jets.

“There are so many of them,” Damocles said, looking at the Imperial carriers that passed by them, one more awful than the other.

“The brunt of the Solizar Fleet,” Exander said. “They travel with the
Nomad
…”

They were in the den of the beast. But they had no choice; they had to rescue Duell.

Spaide pointed ahead. “There it is.”

An enormous ship was docked some distance in front of them. It was pretty much designed like regular carriers, only at a much bigger scale with a triple-layered pyramid atop its stern. It was the ship they had studied on the hologram, but its presence in the real world, towering over the rest of the city, was a whole different sight.

They approached the carrier from behind, passing by its giant engines. Dozens of smaller vessels patrolled its perimeter, and countless machines carried containers to and from the docking bays located in its lower portions.

“Don’t get too close,” Exander cautioned.

The shadow of the dreadnought engulfed the
Star Serpent
as they passed by its structure. The entire crew fell silent as they observed the sheer might of the Republic, the only sound being the beeping noise from the robot.

Vincent felt a lump form in his throat as he was instilled with fear.

“The
Nomad
?” he whispered to Gaia.

She simply nodded in return.

Vincent looked up at the ship’s pyramid that grazed the clouds, trying to imagine the power that behemoth must require.

Spaide began to steer away.

“Dock it facing east.” Exander pointed at one of the buildings not too far away from their destination. It was a twenty-story round edifice located on the outskirts of the spaceport, its roof big enough to fit two of their vessels.

“Let’s go,” Exander said, hasting out of his chair as Spaide maneuvered the
Serpent
to land. He then turned to the rest of the crew and warned, “Put on your hoods. We definitely don’t want to be recognized here. Unlike Sebalon, this place is swarming with Imperials and mercenaries who might get smart ideas.”

Once the ship safely landed, they followed Exander.

Damocles and Gaia assisted Vincent on how to put on the so-called “lung filter”—a small device with an extended tube that was forked for the insertion into the vestibules of the nose.

“It purifies the contaminated air,” Gaia explained as Vincent studied the peculiar object, “separating oxygen from carbon dioxide. It works for several hours, but we don’t plan on being here any longer than that.”

Vincent attached the device to his belt and inserted the tubes into his nose. He then threw on the hooded jacket, retained his glasses, and joined the group at the back of the cabin.

Damocles carried a bag, seemingly filled with weapons. This time, he wore a hooded poncho over his broad shoulders. Exander covered his hair in a bandanna and lowered his hood, concealing his face and his unique blonde features. Gaia shrouded herself in a coat, and Spaide was empty-handed with the exception of the revolvers that clanged under his long leather jacket.

“Here we go.” Spaide hit a switch, and the gate opened, lowering the ramp onto the rooftop where a strange-looking robed creature awaited them.

The creature was a reptilian humanoid with squamous crimson skin. He had a flat nose which nearly blended with his face, his nostrils being just two slits above his upper lip. Instead of hair, he had long, golden spikes extending from the top of his head and neatly cut over his yellow eyes with the pupils in the shape of diamonds. He slightly hunched, and the back of his robes bulged out, indicating that he had a tail.

“We
mussst
hurry,” the creature said with a sibilant voice. His teeth were razor-sharp and his tongue was like that of a snake.

“Are we late?” Spaide asked, passing by the creature.

“They leave in half an hour,” the reptilian replied, disregarding the rest of the group and walking alongside the Dirsalian. “They are nearly complete with the refueling
processs
. The electric
maintenanccce
team was scheduled to be there twenty
minutesss
ago!”