DORULL STORIES - PRISONER OF THE AMULET
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“Pardon my interruption. May I ask
for a moment of your time?” Vagyr Zharn stepped into a lab,
adjacent to the Sanomis’.
“Certainly.” one of the scientists
answered promptly, despite not stopping with his work.
He was analyzing one of the
exuberant, lush flowers, with large, red petals.
“How can I help you?”
The table in front of him was full
of similar looking plants. Which were probably gathered quite recently,
considering their still obvious dewy state. Vagyr presumed this was the reason
for scientist’s overzealous, ceaseless work. And considering the sheer amount
of the flowers, he realized the researcher had no luxury to stop.
“Do you know Sanomis Ti’nullaim?”
Vagyr glanced across the room, noticing three more scientists.
Focused on analyzing their own
plants, it seemed they weren’t even aware of him. This was also
understandable, because they too had a similar amount of work in front of them.
Their trip to the surface of the planet was undoubtedly quite a fruitful one.
“I do.” the same scientist
answered, cutting away one of the petals “He's geologist. He works in the
adjacent lab.”
“Well that’s the problem, you see.
He’s not in his lab.” Vagyr said “Or in his chambers. He’s not even on the
ship.”
“Ah well, his work is particular,
you see. It entails geologists to spend more time outside, than in their
labs.`` the scientist answered, as he placed the petal in a small, clear case,
halfway filled with smooth, white liquid “If he’s not on the ship, he’s in one
of his caves.”
“Except he should’ve returned some
seven days ago.” Vagyr said.
“Did you hear that guys!” one of
the scientists, on the other side of the room, suddenly exclaimed “We’ve lost
another one down there.”
“What did you just say?!” Vagyr
turned towards him.
“Please don’t mind his imprudence.
He’s still young. Some would say dumb.” the scientist finally set his flower
down, as he faced the lieutenant “But if that’s the case, don’t mind me asking,
shouldn’t you also be off the ship? Looking for him.”
“I intend to be.” Vagyr retorted
“As soon as I finish checking the ship.
“Certainly.” scientist nodded “And
let me assure you, we’re all wishing for this to end well.”
“Certainly.” Vagyr returned the
courtesy “So long.”
He wasn’t waiting for the answer.
And even if it came, he wouldn’t have heard it. He was already a halfway across
the corridor, heading towards the central ring. The promenade. From there,
Vagyr could reach every part of the ship. In this case, the officer’s deck.
More precisely, the captain’s quarters.
The promenade was always busy.
Although far from it being crowded. Yet, it always attracted the ones, who were
coming here in search of some deserved rest and relaxation. It was no wonder
Vagyr decided to pass right through here. After a few weeks in caves, he
counted Sanomis would want to stop by some of these places. But just thirty or
so minutes later, the lieutenant figured out this was also a waste of time. No
one had seen a geologist in a long time.
Only thing left now was to submit
his report to the captain. Vagyr turned left of the promenade, in the direction
of the nearest transporting tube. A five meter tall cylinder, with a diameter
of two meters, suitable for even the largest specimens among them, the battle
vards. Specifically modified soldiers, adjusted, altered and tuned for all and
every way of combat.
The tubes were equipped with fixed
transporters. And were used for easier and faster movement through the ship.
With entrances and exits on almost every deck, they connected all of the
important departments. The transporters worked on the principle similar to
those of the PTDs. With the difference, they worked only within the limits of
the ship. And by using the cylinders as connectors to the selected destination.
“Captain’s quarters.” Vagyr issued
a vocal command, as soon as the cylinder shut behind him.
The device buzzed lightly, just so
it would give away a signal to confirm the command. But before it even
finished, the cylinder opened. He already arrived at his destination. Vagyr
stepped into a wide, twenty meters long hallway, at which end was the office of
Shteint’s captain, Vlaazh Niykav.
Dark blue walls, decorated with
golden-yellow trims, emitting subtle, warm lighting, making this corridor look
more suited to a civilian ship. Which wasn’t far from the truth, considering
that beside the captain’s, there were also offices for the supervisor of the
operations on the surface of the planet, his aide’s, and the one of the ship's
principal doctors. Some of them were surely responsible for the picking and
choosing of these colors. Vagyr knew that the captain wasn’t in the least
interested in that.
This to him was a somewhat amusing
situation, since it was obvious the captain was alone here for most of the
time. Other offices were almost always closed shut. As were they now. Vagyr
firstly glanced inside, before stepping through the doors, and into a spacious,
bright room. The captain was sitting at his desk, engrossed in one of the
several reports, he most likely received that very morning.
“Day.” Vlaazh said, as he set
aside his slim tablet on a table.
He then stood up, stretching his
stiff back.
“Good day, sir.” Vagyr retorted
“Do you have a minute?”
“I might.” Vlaazh answered,
checking his tablet once more. The list of fifteen or so, still unchecked
reports, told him that wasn’t the case “Problems?”
“Most likely.” Vagyr said “One of
the scientists hasn't yet returned from the field.”
“Fu…” Vlaazh sighed “How long has
he been out?”
“He should’ve returned some seven
days ago.” Vagyr answered.
“Great.” Vlaazh said more to
himself, as he returned to his chair.
At the same time, he swiped across
the surface of his desk, with the palm of his right hand, activating the
external unit. For a moment, the desk brightened up in soft, light-blue shade,
revealing over hundred of projected keys. At the same time, on the edge of the
desk, appeared a slot of a holographic screen.
“Do you have a name and the assignment?” Vlaazh asked, once he was sure that the system was fully
operational “Do you know who reported the disappearance?”
“Sanomis Ti’nullaim. Geologist.”
Vagyr answered “I am the one reporting it.”
“Is he a friend?” Vlaazh asked,
while he was entering the information.
“He is.” Vagyr nodded “Although we
met not so long ago, when he received the transfer from Khoro.”
“So tell me, in that short amount
of time, did you get an impression that the geologist is, how should I put it,
prone to making mistakes?” Vlaazh asked, while he was hastily reading through
the documentation they had on Sanomis “Perhaps he simply forgot the date of his
return. Incidentally or on purpose. It wouldn’t be the first time that some of
these scientists decide to extend the limits of their visitations to the
surface.”
“Not at all, sir.” Vagyr answered
“Sanomis is exceptionally accurate and above all meticulous. If I could make an
observation, I think he isn’t even able to make a mistake.”
“And I’m starting to think that
you are correct.” Vlaazh retorted, not hiding his admiration “Look at this.
Unbelievable. He was never late. Not even with his reports.”
“Something must’ve happened.”
Vagyr said.
“That is possible.” Vlaazh
muttered, as he scrolled over to the last entry “I presume you’d wish to lead
the squad?”
“If that’s not a big of an ask?” Vagyr
was hopeful.
“When can you prepare yourselves?”
Vlaazh asked instead.
“A few minutes.” Vagyr retorted.
“The geologist seemingly wished to
catch a few rays of sun.” Vlaazh said, after reading the first few lines of the
document “He went to Kial-Raah.”
“In the desert?” Vagyr frowned a
bit “Is it eastern or the western part, sir?”
“Western.” Vlaazh answered a few
seconds later “Why?”
“Because of the sand, sir.” Vagyr
was honest “There’s less of it towards the west.”
“Fair enough.” Vlaazh smiled “Off
you go then.”
“Yes, sir.” Vagyr answered.
“ And make sure everyone’s in full
gear.” Vlaazh added “Just to be sure.”
“Certainly, sir.” Vagyr saluted.
“I don’t have to remind you, it
would be for the best that you actually went unnoticed.” Vlaazh said more to
himself.
“Of course.” Vagyr immediately
turned around, marching out of the office.
Vlaazh waited for the lieutenant
to enter the transport tube, before he stood up to shut the doors to his
office. After which he hastily returned to his desk. He sighed, before opening
a small, up until then concealed compartment, just to the right from the
keyboard. The space was some twenty centimeters deep and about the same wide.
And was hiding a smooth, brilliant hemisphere, made out of special, smart metal
alloy. Four identical, shallow slots, surrounded the object, forming a ring
shaped pattern.
The slots were a perfect fit to
Vlaazh's thumbs. Fine tuned so they could only recognize his prints, heart
beat, and his DNA. Set in a way, only he could activate this device. They were secretly made for only a handful of vards. For those
who were the true masterminds behind this expedition.
The hemisphere was a communicator.
It activated as soon as Vlaazh placed his thumbs into the slots. Almost
immediately, he received the notification, it connected with the similar
device. The one that belonged to the admiral Naarbul Sariyk. Far above,
orbiting the planet, was vard’s mothership, Ganiwarthal. The hub of their entire
operation.
Ganiwarthal belonged to the
intergalactic class of ships. And as such, it was one of the largest ships in
their entire fleet. With over six thousand meters in length and its basic
capacity for over thirty thousands units, it looked more like a city. With
additional four surface ships, that capacity could’ve easily doubled.
Originally intended for mining operations, Ganiwarthal was heavily modified for
the sake of this mission. Mainly the decks made for cargo space. Instead of the
ores and similar other goods, they were adjusted for the transport of the
living beings. The slaves.
Admiral just about finished his
conversation with Avena Cinev, the captain of the surface ship Khoro. When he
received another one. This one was from the Shteint. Naarbul for a moment
thought to ignore the signal. To let Vlaazh record his report. Not just because
he spent the last half an hour listening to Avena’s endless complaints. But in the
fact, he postponed his massage twice already.
“Yes, captain.” Naarbul answered
the call, just because he knew the masseuse wouldn’t return for ten more
minutes.
“Good day, admiral.” Vlaazh said
“I hope I’m not interrupting?”
“I have a few minutes to spare.”
Naarbul said “Problems?”
“I think so.” Vlaazh answered “I
think we lost a scientist.”
“Which one?” Naarbul asked “The
geologist?”
“Yes, sir.” Vlaazh retorted
“Sanomis Ti’nullaim.”
“Shit!” Naarbul hissed, as he
jumped from his chair “Could it be because of us?”
“I don’t think so.” Vlaazh
answered, “He wasn't showing, he knew we’re monitoring him.”
“In any case, I don’t believe in
coincidences.” Naarbul retorted.
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