The Forgotten Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 6)

Chapter 13.2

"Any luck?" Scotty asked.

Wilmik's head was buried in one of the control consoles behind the pilot's seat, but Scotty could feel the scowl he got in reply. "No more than the last time you asked."

"We still have several energy signatures left to try," Danask remarked. "This is going to take time, Lieutenant."

"I know," Scotty said.  "I just—"

"Hey," Sastarn said.

"What?" the other three snapped.

Sastarn grinned. "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might like to know I've picked up a signal."

"What kind of signal? Ow!" Wilmik rubbed his head where he'd hit it on the console while straightening up.

"Distress beacon, low frequency. It's a little off where we'd find a military beacon in hostile territory, but there's a distinct pattern to it. I think it's one of ours," Sastarn said.

"Where?" Ricar asked, striding into the cockpit.

"Hard to say. It's bouncing around a lot. More than just off all the debris in this system. I think someone's trying to get help without giving their position away."

Bendei stuck his head in. "Well, that's not very useful. How can we help them if we can't find them?"

"By letting them know we're friendlies," Ricar said. "Sastarn, send the standard reply on the same frequency they're using."

"Yes, sir," Sastarn replied. "Standard reply is sending."

There was silence for a moment, until Ricar said, "It's getting crowded in here, folks. Bendei, Danask, go stand by the docking controls in case we find them. Wilmik, get on the long-range scanner. And somebody tell Amoret her rest period's over."

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Ford jostled Sabrina awake. "It's back! Quick—remember what to do?"

"Yes." She grabbed his hand and concentrated hard, feeling the Crystal energy pouring into Ford and spilling over into their link. While he concentrated on the flow of power, she focused on the wall with the door, willing it to vanish. A rush of air and a strange metallic groan, followed by the sounds of sparking and an acrid burning smell, let her know they had succeeded.

"Go!" Ford urged, pushing her forward. The pulse of Crystal energy was abruptly cut off as they ran down the hallway, causing Ford to stumble; Sabrina caught him and pulled him forward until he regained his feet.

Skidding around a corner, they barely managed to keep from running headlong into a Kyan. Before they could turn, a bright flash blinded them, and they fell unconscious to the deck.

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"Got anything?"

"No, sir. It's still bouncing around," Sastarn said. "Either I was wrong, or whoever it is isn't the trusting sort."

"Nobody out here would be," Scotty replied. "There's a message coming in; do you want me to get it?"

"Thanks. I kind of have my hands full."

Scotty keyed on the com. "Huh. Not our guy—this is from home. It's prerecorded."

"Another royal communiqué?" Sastarn wondered.

"Um, as a matter of fact, yeah." Scotty keyed the internal com. "Ricar, I've got another message from Mara. How about you come up here so I only have to play it once?"

"Be right there," came the response.

Ricar arrived a moment later, followed by the rest of his team, who jostled for position in the doorway. Scotty set the message to play.

"Scotty," Mara's image said without preamble, "I have been able to sense Niavar briefly. It is as if someone is intermittently blocking the Crystal in that area, so I dare not come myself to talk to you about this. Be careful. I believe that this interference is technological, not another form of resonance. It feels very absolute; either not interfering at all, or interfering with all attempts at directing Crystal energy. There does not appear to be any transitional period." She frowned. "It is imperative that we locate whoever is doing this, since they obviously pose a dire threat to the defenses of Praxatillus. Also, there is one other thing that concerns me. I am not sure Niavar is acting on his own initiative. His access to and use of the Crystal is farther reaching and more deliberate than he has ever seemed capable of before. I also sense another presence involved. It feels like Sabrina, but I cannot believe she would dare to insert herself in Niavar's communications with the Crystal. Another entity may be controlling her, perhaps without Niavar's knowledge. When you find them, do not take them at face value." She paused. "In response to your last communication, I have examined Niavar's contacts with the Crystal, and I do not sense Malvarak's involvement, nor that of the material he used last time. This is something different. Be careful, and good hunting."

"Wow," Scotty said. "I liked that message even less than the last one!"

"So much for our Malvarak theory," Amoret sighed. "Back to speculating about unknowns."

Wilmik said, "If it's technological, we can find it and deactivate it. That's one good thing."

"Right," Ricar said. "So get back to finding it already."