THE KEEPERS RISE

Chapter 13 - End of the Tunnel - Part 1

*Remember to click the play button to listen to the soundtrack as you read!*

Councilor Theyrel listened with eager interest as Will'ym and Velda recounted the events of the past few days. He asked plenty of questions, laughed in the right places, and appeared very impressed by their recent teamwork. As they finished, Velda began to think back on the conversation leading up to Trycho lashing out at her. "He told us that he was trying to take us back to Khar'tohan, but we decided it was better to do that ourselves after he got so prickly." She swallowed. "Do you think that was the right thing to do, Councilor?"

"Please, call me Dameon," he said, frowning. "And yes, I do. Trycho and his band of revolutionaries have been causing plenty of problems for the Light and Gray recently. Luckily, you were able to deal with him, and I applaud you for your efforts."

As he said this, Ivy called from a control panel, "Ozul? Could you look at this?"

The feluna jumped up from where he was watching Iyan and trotted to Ivy's side, examining the panel. After a pause, he scratched his head in confusion. "That's weird. Did you guys know that we're almost out of fuel?"

Will'ym furrowed his brow. "How much is left?" he asked nervously.

"Definitely not enough to get us to Khar'tohan," Ozul said, subdued.

"What could Trycho have been planning to do, then?" Velda asked nobody in particular. "He said that he was taking us straight back, right?"

Dameon said, "I hope you know that much of what Trycho told you should not be taken as fact. He's a power-hungry master of deception. That ship surely only runs on Dark fuel, and there aren't any spaceports that would stock much of it on this side of the Continuum." He sighed. "It's a miracle that we noticed you." Velda nodded.

The Councilor put a hand to his chin, clearly deep in thought. "For lack of a better alternative," he decided finally, "I recommend that you turn around and meet the Light Council's flagship just across the Border. We can refuel your ship and deal with its crew." The Dark officers had already begun to anxiously converse among themselves, but at this, they erupted with cries of indignation. Dameon glanced to them with a hard, silent stare. "Make sure to keep those officers around," he added. "You may need their assistance to control that Dark ship once you reach the Light."

"Well, that does sound doable," Will'ym said appreciatively, "But couldn't you come to meet us instead? We'll lose more time and fuel by turning to cross the Border."

"Apologies, Keepers, but the Light Council is busy with a legal matter in this system and we can't yet leave. I don't see any other options," Dameon sighed.

Velda and Will'ym glanced at each other and the other Keepers in reluctant agreement. "All right," Will'ym assented. "We'll turn around if you give us your location." He looked to Ivy, and she maneuvered through the ship's controls on the panel in front of her, canceling the current course. She watched the Councilor expectantly as he nodded and began listing a string of coordinate numbers.

Once he had finished, Dameon said carefully, "I don't mean to keep you any longer than necessary, of course, but gathering the materials and personnel to take care of your ship will likely take most of the night. I can find quarters for all of you in the meantime, and you'll be sent off by morning."

"We don't know how to thank you, Dameon," Velda smiled.

"Take your places as protectors like the vaya intend. That would be enough for me." He inclined his head to them formally, and the screen went dark.