The Magical World of Tarakmi

Chapter 17

In castle Kadoc Janette had been made comfortable in her own quarters, a separate building with a circular shaped corridor made of a transparent material connecting it to the main palace and Prince Carvenic. Janette was using her knowledge that she had been studying on Earth interplanetary study. There were two young ladies working under her, all of them got on extremely well. Gladisium wished to be known as Glad, Dianita as Dian. Janette's elf like ears had grown back beautifully from the day she and Robin returned to Tarakmi.

One evening just before the two moons were to take their place in the sky and the sun to have its well-earned rest, Janette was walking through one of the court yards when she saw what she thought was one of the many gardeners. He was lowering a small tree into the ground with the aid of a rather old fashion pulley. Thinking that the man had no magic Janette suggested that she could help him lift...

"Can I lift that while you put the soil around its roots?" The Man turned, it was the Prince.

"Hello Janette... thank you for your kind offer. If magic is used in the planting of this particular tree, this tree will not live."

"Oh, I'm sorry Prince Carvenic... I thought you were one of the gardeners."

"Well, I am at times... I like doing things with my hands. Now as we are to be working in such close contact as from now, I would like it if you would call me Venic... it is the name my Father called me."

"If that is your wish then of course, but don't you think it is rather personal?" Janette replied now rather flushed.

"Not at all... as I said, that is when we are in close contact. In public that is different." The Prince told Janette.

As Janette help putting the soil around the tree the Prince held it up in his strong arms then lowered it slowly. When they had finished both of them stood back and admired their work.

"That will now grow into a beautiful tree." The Prince commented as he put his arm around Janette's waist and squeezed her, as he did Janette told him...

"Venic, I can feel your mirror of water vibrating in your pocket."

Putting his hand down withdrawing his mirror of water and looking into it found Nealon had left a message...

"I have some important information from Robin and his team... can you come with Janette soon as I think it needs to be addressed... Nealon."

The Prince showed the message to Janette...

"Could we go now?" Janette asked looking quite excited.

"Yes, we can go now... I will just inform my minister that I will be away from the palace.

They arrived at Nealon's house and found him already sitting around the fire in the grand hall with Robin, Paul and Roy, the other scientists with papers and books on the tables around them. Janette went over and kissed Robin gently on his cheek then sat down in the chair next to him, the Prince sat next to Nealon.

"So, what is this all about my old friend?" The Prince asked as he picked up a drink that was on the table next to him.

"The findings reported to me by Robin and his team... They have discovered something really astonishing... I will let Robin continue." Nealon replied as he got out his pipe and lit it up.

"First we encountered such difficulty trying to get through a metal door... on examination Paul found that the door was not only made from a material that is not found on Porterium at this time."

At that point Paul spoke...

"The metal was found on Porterium thousands of years ago, but can't be found today. The door was made with great precision and could not be opened by the use of our magic... even when the three of us combined our magic the door just vibrated very slightly."

"I gather they did get the door to open with the use of a high frequency sound wave... once in they found this." Nealon then displayed on a huge holographic picture hovering above the fire place.

"As you can see the walls, floor and ceiling are as smooth as silk. These images were taken as they entered. Here as you can see what looks like a mass of hieroglyphic writing. I have been able to decipher some of it... what tells me that whoever wrote it was here many thousands of years ago and yet the stone and carved writing are as if it was written yesterday." Nealon informed them.

"The writing Nealon, is it a type of ancient script by people of Tarakmi?" The Prince asked.

"No, it is not, this writing does not match anything that I have ever seen before... it is my belief that whoever did it were extremely intelligent, and did not come from this planet." Nealon stated.

"Extra-terrestrial?" Janette questioned.

"Yes..." Nealon nodded as he puffed on his pipe.

"Please continue Robin... what else did you find?" The Prince asked sitting on the edge of his seat completely bemused.

"There is a stream of the clearest, purist cool water. We could not detect where its origin was or just where it was going as it appeared to go down a small waterfall further into the ground. We levitated over the stream which in itself was very, very deep into another tunnel which branched off into several other tunnels." Robin then had a long drink of Muttaling.

"Robin also sent me some drawings that he found etched into these extremely smooth walls... now see what you can make of these."

Nealon then smiled as he projected onto the screen images of what could be humanoid. Short people possibly about four feet maybe four foot six. They had rather large heads compared to the people of Earth or Tarakmi. The eyes were small and slightly oriental. One of the drawings depicted the figure with five fingers and a thumb.

"At this point things started to get very scary." Roy started to comment.

"Why was that Roy?" Janette asked pulling her chair closer towards her brother.

"We all heard sounds, voices talking in whispers. Robin recorded them for Nealon to decipher."

Roy then played back the strange voice recordings. It rather resembled a voice with several other sounds within it, squeaks, hisses and then another sound like tearing paper very quickly.

"So, what did you make of that Nealon?" The Prince asked also now sitting forward in his seat listening intensely at the strange recordings.

"The sound are voices of a language that I have never heard. When I played the recording back very fast it just sounded like, well nothing, but when I slowed it down and increased the volume, I hear this..."

"It was a voice, a very deep guttural as you may hear from a very large man. But not in a language that I have ever heard before. Until now I have not been able to decipher any of it. But what was interesting is that several of the drawings the people were holding what could have been some type of weapon. Too thin to be a traditional gun... maybe some type of laser or possibly something we have never encountered..." Nealon concluded.

"From all that we have seen and heard this night what is your feeling Nealon?" The Prince asked now sitting more comfortable in his chair.

"Obviously Tarakmi or this moon Porterium has been visited at some time. It is possible that the people of Porterium are their descendants, the other frightening thought is that the people could be hostile. They have come from another world and are still here on Porterium... now that is worrying..." Nealon looking at the Prince as he stroked his beard.

Very well... what I intend to do is one; ask Robin, Roy and Paul if they would be willing to continue their investigations of the area below the academy. Then two; hold a meeting with the military officers informing of what we know and to seek their advice."

"We will continue won't we lads?" Robin asked looking at his team who nodded with approval.