“Okay,” Xiong said, nodding to zh’Rhun. “I think we’re ready to proceed, Commander.”
Zh’Rhun nodded before moving to a wall-mounted intercom set into a nearby bulkhead and activating the unit. “Zh’Rhun to bridge. Captain, are you monitoring?”
“ Affirmative, Commander,” replied the voice of the Lovell’s captain, Daniel Okagawa. “ Commander al-Khaled and Lieutenant Xiong can proceed at their discretion. We’ll leave this channel open.”
“Acknowledged,” zh’Rhun said before looking to al-Khaled and Xiong. “It’s your show, gentlemen.”
With a gesture to Davis, al-Khaled turned back to his workstation and began pressing several of the console’s multicolored buttons in a prearranged sequence.
“Activating the frequency rotation protocols,” al-Khaled said, “and transmitting the first hailing message. Let’s see what happens.”
We call to you.
Another signal, this one of greater force and possessing a new level of clarity, now reverberated through the crystalline lattice that formed the Wanderer’s prison. Amplified by the crystal itself as well as the energy fields surging within the enclosed environment, every syllable was a spear of pain driven through the Wanderer’s mind.
Free me.
She pushed the message through the cacophony enveloping her, feeling the resistance of the protective fields holding her hostage. Who called to her? Not the Progenitor, of that she was certain. This did not feel like him, with its odd, maladroit rhythms and lack of sophistication. No, she decided, it must be Telinaruulwho called to her.
The impudence. How dare they try to communicate with her as though considering themselves her equals.
We call to you. Do you understand?
That they had managed to effect a method of discourse that even resembled the high language of her people was an impressive feat, she conceded. It was not their apparent technical prowess that angered the Wanderer. Rather, it was their arrogance.
Free me. Free the Progenitor. Free us, and I may grant you continued existence.
She detected the shift in the energy fields surrounding her. What was happening? Something was having an effect on the crystal. A low drone was filling her mind, forcing aside her every thought as its intensity expanded.
We do not understand. Help us to understand.
Something else was happening to her. The Wanderer felt a renewed sense of strength welling up within her being. A vitality she had not felt since becoming a prisoner was beginning to pulse through her consciousness. Concentrating on the new sensations, she realized that the source of her returning vigor was somewhere beyond the confines of the crystal holding her. Whatever power was being used to drive the signals being directed at her was also disrupting the orb’s crystalline fabric. Already she could feel its structure beginning to fluctuate, and she at once set to searching for any new points of weakness. Even the energy field that acted as her guardian seemed to be changing, and the Wanderer perceived a loosening of its perpetual grip on her. As her strength increased with each passing instant, so too did her anger and sense of determination.
You will understand.
A status indicator on al-Khaled’s console changed from green to red, and Xiong pointed at it. “What’s that?”
“Power fluctuation,” the engineer replied, his fingers moving over the rows of buttons and other controls. “And sensors are picking up some kind of disturbance inside the crystal.”
The intercom on al-Khaled’s workstation whistled for attention, and was followed by the voice of Doctor Carol Marcus. “ Marcus to Xiong. What’s going on over there? We’re detecting all sorts of odd readings from the crystal.”
Reaching across the console to activate the intercom, Xiong replied, “We’re picking up irregularities from inside the crystal, Doctor. Commander al-Khaled is diagnosing the problem now.”
In front of him, al-Khaled leaned forward, and Xiong saw his friend’s eyes narrow. “There are microfissures forming within the latticework. Kurt, reduce power to the subspace relay.”
At his own workstation, Davis replied, “Aye, sir. Reducing power.”
“Won’t that affect the signal?” Xiong asked, casting a glance toward the isolation chamber.
Al-Khaled nodded. “Yes, but if we keep the power at its present level, it might make the microfissures worse.”
“Is the crystal stable?” asked Commander zh’Rhun.
“For the moment,” al-Khaled replied.
Damn it!Xiong shook his head, feeling his sense of apprehension beginning to rise. It was working!According to the computer, their initial message to the Shedai entity had been received and had been answered. The alien’s next response had been garbled by the power fluctuations, rendering it indecipherable, but Xiong could not help but hope that some form of real connection might finally have been made.
Davis said, “Something’s wrong.” He waited until Xiong and al-Khaled moved to stand behind him before pointing to a pair of status monitors. “See this? Energy levels inside the crystal are rising. It’s almost like …”
“… a buildup to detonation?” zh’Rhun asked, completing the thought.
“Exactly,” al-Khaled said, his voice low. He looked to Xiong, and both men shared a look of horrific understanding before the engineer moved back to his console and called up another status graphic. “The microfissures are increasing,” he said, then reached for his station’s intercom switch. “Al-Khaled to engineering. Cut all power to the subspace relay. Stand by to divert that power to the isolation chamber’s containment field.”
“ Mister al-Khaled,” said Captain Okagawa from the still-open channel to the bridge. “ What are you doing?”
“Trying to keep the artifact from shattering, sir,” al-Khaled said, his fingers almost a blur across his console as Xiong watched him work. “If we can’t do that, then we’ll have to eject the chamber.”
The statement made Xiong look up toward the cargo bay’s massive, reinforced hatch, the only thing separating the compartment from open space. If the crystal was unable to contain the Shedai entity it held, there would be no other option, and that likely would not be sufficient to protect them from attack if the creature broke free. Phaser strikes from the Lovellor Vanguard might work, but it was not an option Xiong was anxious to explore. “Can you halt the degradation?”
“I don’t know.” Al-Khaled said nothing else, so intent was he on his work, but Davis pointed to his own console.
“Power readings are spiking inside the crystal,” he said, his face a mask of confusion. “How is that even possible? We’ve cut off everything.”
Xiong knew the answer. “It’s the Shedai. It must have found a way to refocus the energy we were expending to penetrate the crystal with our signal.”
“The cracks are getting worse,” al-Khaled said, his words now laced with tension. “I don’t think there’s anything we can do to stop it.”
Over the intercom, Carol Marcus’s voice had grown louder and more anxious. “ Ming, you need to jettison the chamber. Now.”
“She’s right,” zh’Rhun said as she moved to the still-active intercom panel on the bulkhead to her left. “Captain, are you hearing this? Move us away from the station and have ship’s phasers on standby.”
• • •
“ Alert Vanguard that we’re preparing to eject the containment chamber.”
The voice of Commander zh’Rhun blared from the speakers around the Lovell’s bridge, and Daniel Okagawa wasted no time putting his first officer’s directions into motion. Pointing to his helm officer, Lieutenant Sasha Rodriguez, he snapped, “Do it. Evasive course away from the station, any heading. Take us to a distance of fifty thousand kilometers and bring us to a full stop.” Looking over his shoulder to the communications station, he added, “Pzial, notify Vanguard that we’re going hot.”