Space Angels: find the Gift (complete)

●•·ƬӇЄ ЄD0Ɲ SƐƇƬ0Ʀ·•● ~ Chapter Twenty-nine

The Marbles

29 – a rock of significance      

On leaving the atmosphere of Malik's planet Borak had been relieved to find most of Vetala's Seraphim had gone, save for a couple orbiting the world aimlessly with vacant looks on their large faces. He guessed the others had shaken off their glamours when Vetala was judged, and had returned to their posts, but these two were more deeply enchanted. A simple Mind Correction would return them to their senses but he had little time for that. The pair were safe enough in their buffers. He would ask one of his young Seraphim to help them after he'd visited the rock.

Borak sped towards the Marbles until he picked up the mysterious indicator he'd noticed earlier. The distinctive cluster of huge grey boulders had shifted their orbit around Edon and now lumbered across his path. The signal was strong and unmistakeable, coming from a dusty ball in the centre of the throng. He flew through the huddle towards it and hovered at its equator. He deactivated his dark matter buffer. Now visible, he drifted closer to the rock's surface. If he was right it was a dangerous move, yet he landed safely on its dusty grey side and waited. After a pause, a voice entered his head:

"Who dares wake me?"

"I'm sure you know, rock. I am a Kaelestian." There was silence.

"What makes you think this rock cares which planet you come from, or even wishes to speak with you?"

"If you didn't want me to talk, you would not let me land on you, rock, you could have easily stopped me."

More silence.           

"Are you loyal to Stygien?"

"I serve the Bright One," Borak said, ignoring the insult.

"Stygien, the Bright One, they are two moons orbiting the same planet to this rock. If you are loyal to the one you say, the other has an advantage; his minions infest this sector. The galaxy guardian your Bright One sent to protect the system, is corrupt. Why is everyone so interested in this sector? The pretty planet could be destroyed easily if someone bounced some of these marbles together. This rock could do it."

"Why haven't you then?"

"Do you doubt this rock, Throne? This rock has done it before, this rock... just doesn't want to."

"Because it is pretty?"

"The Zelli are pretty."

The marbles were potentially dangerous to Edon it was true. There were comets weaving among them. A great power could engineer a series of collisions that would be devastating, scattering the pack until Edon's skies were black with incoming missiles, all life on the planet soon extinguished. Borak wondered why Stygien hadn't chosen that path. He'd destroyed planets before.

"I do not doubt the rock's power. It has identified me as a Throne and it knows I must carry out judgments. I have removed this sector's Virtue from his post. The minion who controlled him has been judged."

There was a pause. "That is impressive, Throne. But it will not be long before he is missed and then Stygien will send someone seek you out and reclaim him."

The rock was right – and they would cut him open to do it. He had three Edon days before Stygien contacted Malik again. When he realised his ruse was discovered Stygien would summon his forces to find Malik. "This is why I am here. I need a place where none could find him."

"You need a cell. Why should this rock help you?"

"I have a message from the Bright One only for the attention of rock such as thee."

"What is the message?"

"I need your word you will treat with honour."

"You have it. What is the message?"

"It only has two words: Giannus lives."

The rock began to shudder, the dust on its surface rippled beneath Borak's hovering body, before a circle of stones rose up, forming a cobbled ring. Borak navigated to its centre, pressing the flesh of his lowest wheel against its hub, forming a sticky seal within his buffer. A chamber opened beneath him. Borak retracted his buffer around the gap and dispatched Malik's sleeping form into the shaft. The stone closed. Borak disengaged and the cobbled ring faded from the surface.

"It is done," the rock said. "When you return, this rock wants to learn more of your message."

"Very well," Borak said, but he knew there was little else to tell. He would need to satisfy the rock to gain Malik's release. In the meantime, Edon's galaxy was vulnerable without Malik's watchful gaze.

The rock said nothing more. Borak disconnected and floated away, weaving his way through the Marbles, invisible. He took the chance to check some of the many transmissions his cadre had sent from their Lǽrans. He could not communicate with them while incognito but now that Malik was disabled, it was safe to view their latest data. He had little time to check every entry – he needed to return to Malik's dome and read those scrolls – but he flicked through the updates the Lǽrans had flagged as priorities.

The Seraphim complained of their landing zone's oppressive heat and how Sofiel's kindling had affected an Edon female's sight – for the better as it turned out. Their Lǽrans had apologised for missing her presence due to a barrier of volcanic rock. Borak sighed. No mission was perfect and at least an Edon had benefited from the cadre's presence. Fereshte had become friendly with an Edon boy, subsequently captured by a cruel Edon named Kaleb. Fereshte wanted to rescue him. Borak gave another sigh. She was stubborn that one. That's why I chose her. But she needs to know the difference between being stubborn for a good cause and being stubborn for herself or her ego.

To his surprise, Sofiel had already found a portion of the Gift. Her voice was excited as she described how she journeyed through a pile of rocks as a scarab beetle. Sofiel's weakness was her insecurity and her naivety – it was good she had been the one to find the first piece – and he looked forward to viewing her full report when he'd read Malik's scrolls. This triumph would help her develop her inner strength, and build a greater understanding and wisdom of the universe outside the Kaelestial Palace.

He flicked over to Cylvah's data. She had posted pretty glimmers of Edon's sun, descending over a row of buildings on the edge of a lush green field. "I think we should investigate this!" she'd insisted. Borak chuckled. Cylvah was a deep-thinking Cherub, the most balanced member of the cadre in his view, and her messages showed no hint of complaint about Jango's arrogant leadership methods. Borak wondered why she always wore her eagle face and white gloves to cover her skin; it hinted at an insecurity she felt within herself. At least she was enjoying her stay on the 'pretty planet', as the rock called it.

Jango's communications were few. He'd performed his cadre leader's duties well, ensuring he kept them informed of the mission's progress. The existence of the Gift Shrines was an exciting development Jango had gleaned from Ecad, with uncustomary patience. It was a secret not revealed by the chronica globe. Another of Jango's messages concerned Cherub hierarchies – mainly, how far he could go in giving orders to a Cherub of a higher rank. Jango's flaw was obvious: pride. Hopefully, this mission would smooth those kinks from his personality – he was already learning the vital trait of being able to listen to others. His last message was a request to identify an image of a strange-looking blade, carried by an Edon near Jango's landing zone. Borak's body went cold with the chill at seeing that steel once more. He closed down the data feeds and invoked his dark matter buffer. The red scrolls would have to wait.

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