Dream Planet. Book 1. Star Maze

Chapter 5. Onward

Krama, the next morning.

Marcius was awakened by the feeling of a foreign presence nearby. This person's energy was so heavy and scorching that he experienced something close to physical pain. Marcius lifted himself up, turned his head and was confronted by an old woman's gaze.

She sat in an armchair and embroidered a long red cloth with incomprehensible symbols. Her genie soared close by, hopping from shoulder to shoulder. She looked very focused, gently rocking back and forth, and didn't seem to notice that Marcius had awoken. The woman was very good at her craft - she clearly enjoyed what she was doing, but still it seemed somehow out of place. Why was she doing this sitting here in front of him?

Her appearance was very different from the Kramean image Marcius was familiar with, possibly due to her age. Her face was riddled with wrinkles, concealing the features of her youth. Dim pupils, halfway covered by the heavy lids, a sharp long nose, seemingly endless thick white brows along with long white hair - all this created an exotic image of a Kramean witch. The fabric wrapped around her frail body left not a single inch of skin exposed. Only parts of her face were visible, peering from behind thick locks of hair.

The old woman silently shifted her gaze in his direction and looked at him so intensely it seemed she was trying to get under his skin.   

Marcius felt an unpleasant cold sensation run through his whole body. Wanting to get away from the toxic stare, he pressed his back against the cold glass of the cone.

"Enough!" he yelled, "What do you need?"

"The same thing as you," he heard a voice say in his mind, "Good morning, Marcius. My name is Tatida. I'm the head psychic of this world, and I've come to have a talk with you."

She said the words without moving her lips. Her whole face remained completely still. The Tulonian phrases flowed so clearly and with ease that it chilled him to the bone, but strangest of all was that she spoke in his mother's voice - with just as much feeling and tenderness. Gathering up all his willpower, Marcius promised himself that despite any similarities, he will not trust the witch and will not give in to her requests

"There will be no requests. I'll only tell you what you need to hear," said the voice, "You've already understood, and you know why you're here. For a long time now, you've been searching for the mysterious world, but with no luck. Your problem is that you were born in the wrong world."  

He wanted to object, but all of a sudden was overtaken by a feeling of total numbness, unable to utter a single sound, as if invisible hands were squeezing his throat.  

"I don't like being interrupted," she continued, "Our civilization aims towards discovering the powers of the subconscious. Only the best of us get to access the higher knowledge, and your experience is a paradox. For many years now, we've lived awaiting for the prophecy to be fulfilled. You should have been born in our world, should have been one of us," said the old woman calmly and with confidence, "We've been waiting for you for so long!"

"But I'm not one of you, and never will be!" Marcius thought, knowing the Kramean will hear, "I'm nothing special - you must have mistaken me for someone else."

The old woman smiled.

"Mistaken?" she confirmed, "I've been watching you ever since the moment you first opened your eyes, and will continue watching you until the moment they last close! I know you better than anyone else, and there's been no mistake!"

Marcius was frightened by the unpleasant information. The Kramean was watching him, her hold on him unwavering. Moreover, she clearly expected to live longer than him.  

"My visions?" he asked, "Were you the one that them to me?"

Tatida was about to laugh, but stopped herself.

"On the contrary, I've been trying to track them down!" she admitted with a hint of blood-l**t.

Marcius heaved a deep sigh. This short phrase answered all his questions. He'd had the feeling all along that he was here due to his visions. Now all he had to do was come up with a way to use his gift to his advantage.

"That's right!" replied Tatida, reading his mind, "Your visions are what make you special. You see the world that we seek. The secret's out."

"Why do you seek it?" asked Marcius, curious.

"Our reasons are more serious than yours. It's no longer just a matter of curiosity, but a fight for survival. The Seven Worlds are fated to perish very soon, all without exception, and the world in your visions is our only chance of survival!"

Marcius looked at her in awe. The news of peril seemed like a fantasy, but the old woman wasn't joking - you could see it in her eyes. The cunning Krameans were always the first to know everything, which is precisely why they were so disliked.

"What makes you believe the Seven Worlds will perish? Will we destroy each other? What will happen?" Marcius asked suspiciously.

"The universe itself will erase us from the face of existence. It seems it wants to start a new life without us. Our gods say that it's a punishment for the sins of our ancestors. Something terrible has happened in antiquity, and we're the ones who will pay," said Tatida mysteriously.

Such an abstract explanation of the pending catastrophe left Marcius untouched. A lot was said, but no actual answer was given. The Kramean's words could not be trusted, but it was something to think about.  

"Do you have any proof?" he asked.

"You've already witnessed it yourself. Magnetic storms on Onyx is what caused the strange anomaly on Tulona. We were affected also, as well as all the other worlds, just not as much as you! Tulona relies on the magnetic field more than the others. Our star is dying," Tatida carried out the sentence with a fateful omniscience.

Marcius looked at her in horror. This explained a lot. Most likely this is exactly what Iza had reported in his message to Indro, and why he had said this information would alter everything.

"Even if that's the case, I still don't know the way to this world that I see. You've made a mistake on my account," said Marcius apologetically.  

"You do know the way!" the old woman exclaimed confidently.

Marcius shook his head in denial.

"Don't even argue! The human brain has an uncanny ability to attract what it desires, no matter how grandiose it may be! Think about it! What did you want most of all?" Tatida paused. "I'll put it simply. Fate brought you together with the untraceable old man that caught a signal from that world. Among the images received was a diagram of their system's approximate location in relation to the larger pulsars of our galaxy. If you take that and combine it with the night sky you saw in your vision, it's possible to calculate the route to the desired object. Of course, you won't be able to reproduce the view from memory, but it nonetheless exists as a trace in your consciousness, and we are the only ones with the ability to read it. You only need to let us do it, bringing up the information, imagining what you saw!"   

"So the old man has already sent you the recording from the signal? And you know that the world is located somewhere in our galaxy?"

Tatida laughed.

"Iza sold us the recording a couple of years back. We know the coordinates of the square where the signal originated. But the information is insufficient, and we've been waiting for you to complete the picture. You're the only one that knows it in its entirety. You've absorbed the map into yourself because you yourself are the map. You are the guide, and your duty is to lead us there."

"How exactly did I absorb it?" Marcius asked, not following.

"You see their night sky," said the old woman.

Marcius was chilled to the bone.

"She's right," he realized, "I see the sky so clearly, each single constellation. I see their sky from different vantage points. I'm the map, and only the Krameans can read it. How ironic!"

"You need to give it to us," said Tatida sternly.

"I don't owe the Krameans anything," he replied.

"Of course you do! And not only the Krameans," the psychic insisted.

"Crazy old woman," Marcius thought.

"Are you deliberately setting me up against Karii?"

"No, Karii really did betray you, and he really was our spy this whole time," said the old woman calmly.

"But---" he wanted to object, his breath catching in his throat.

"We only want you to know the truth: you have no friends on Tulona!" she interrupted him, "On Tulona, no one believes in you. There, you're a banished criminal, but here, we need you as much as the air we breathe!"

"You want me to be one of you?" asked Marcius.

"You're already one of us," said Tatida, "You're a great seer," she smiled, "You were born that way."

Marcius felt lightheaded, he wanted to tear the clothes off his chest. His breath came quickly and heavily, but he was still able to communicate his point:

"Maybe I really am a great seer, but a seer from Tulona! Maybe no one needs me there and I have no friends, but Tulona is my world and I love it! And I'll never be one of you!"

The old woman gave him a long arrogant look and was silent for a long time, having no reply.

Disappointment could be seen clearly on her face. Marcius, on the other hand, was reanimated, having clearly sorted out his priorities. An unprecedented clarity flooded his mind, but also some questions. He wanted to know more while the witch was still here.

"How much time is left for Onyx?"

"Best case scenario is three years," she said, "But the changes are already happening."

"You're looking for that world as an escape?"

"Yes!" Tatida replied.

"But what if those living there won't want that?" asked Marcius, not grasping the full depth of his question.

"It is foretold, and it's how it shall be. There is no other way! We will meet resistance with resistance."

"So you'll take the whole planet and fly over there all at once?" Marcius smirked, knowing that it's impossible.

"Obviously not. First we'll check everything out. For many years now we've been growing our fleet of spacecraft. The most reliable one, with a team of volunteers on board, will go off to explore, and only after that, having a clear map and information about its habitability, we will commence the relocation."

The old woman was possessed by the mysterious world no less than Marcius, which he liked. The main thing he learned from their conversation was the reason for his captivity. Now he knew what the Krameans wanted. He understood that having received what they wanted, they would immediately do away with him, so he was in no rush to give up the map. It was his only trump card, and the only thing he wanted to do now was to warn his own people of the danger. Deep in thought, he looked straight into the old woman's eyes.

"Having received the map, you will kill me! Then what's the point of me giving it to you?"

The old woman paused.

"Every person always has a choice, just as you do now. I can see how much you hate us and how little you believe our words, and I'll admit you have your reasons for that. I mourn the death of your parents, it was a tragedy! I've only just realized how attached you are to your homeland. Reveal your visions now and we'll bring you back to Ari, and you'll be able to warn your people of the impending catastrophe."

Marcius wasn't bothered by his criminal status on Tulona. The main thing was to give Indro the coordinates, and after that, be what may.

"Will you give me the map to take with me?"

"Of course," Tatida smiled.

Marcius looked at her with disappointment and didn't believe her. "The Krameans would sooner perish themselves than help their enemies," he thought, "They'll kill me as soon as they get what they want, and Tulona will never find anything out."

"You're too valuable to kill!" Tatida interrupted his train of thought.

"Enough!" Marcius cut her off, "My value consists wholly in my knowledge of that map. I'm nothing without it. And I won't be giving it up just like that!"

Tatida gave him a tense look. She already knew what he was about to suggest.

"Okay, I'll show you my visions, but you'll take me with you on the expedition. I'll get a Tulonian beam, a private cabin with provisions and won't be bothered until the end of the trip," said Marcius.

Tatida pretended to think it over.

"Alright, I'll make the necessary arrangements. Shall we begin?" she said majestically, getting ready to extract the visions.

"No, that's not all!" replied Marcius sharply, "We will go out into space and I'll make sure that my conditions have been met. Only then will I give you the map. And most importantly - my conditions also demand an impulsator which I will use to transmit the message to Tulona!"

"But we don't have any Tulonian transmitters here!" said Tatida.

"Yes you do!" Marcius snapped at her, knowing perfectly well that Kramean spies are equipped with every model of interplanetary technology.

Tatida smiled. The young man turned out to be a lot more brave and clever than she anticipated, and in the depth of her soul this made her very happy. She felt comfortable sending off her pupil out into the unknown with him by her side. The old woman didn't argue or resist. Whatever this boy had in mind, his path was already laid out for him. She had no desire to stand in his way, knowing how many difficulties still lay before him.

"So be it!" she exclaimed loudly. She clapped her hands and disappeared.   

Marcius was left in solitude once again.

He knew how much the Krameans feared Tulonian weapons, and greatly valued the deadly beam. It was the only thing that made him feel protected. Food and water had to be secured ahead of time - after receiving the map, they could simply refuse to give him any, or might slip some poison into it. He could transmit the coordinates to Tulona with the help of the impulsator - this was a matter of honor. He wanted to make sure the Tulonians could find this world themselves in case he doesn't succeed.

The risk was great, but he had no desire to stop. Something about the old woman's story didn't quite fit, and Marcius couldn't decide if the part about catastrophe was true or if it was just a ploy to get him moving. It seemed unlikely for everything to just disappear all at once and without a trace. All of history, all the wars, the disagreements, the life that only recently seemed so significant all of a sudden turned into an inconsequential microscopic episode in the history of the universe, so easily erased and forever forgotten.  

Like any self-respecting Tulonian, Marcius found the idea of perishing the same day as the Krameans, Murians and all the other degenerates altogether unappealing. His heart refused to believe what was said, and his mind stubbornly clung on to any chance of error. On the other hand, the old woman knew everything - about the visions, Iza and the signal.  

"It seems as if they really have been watching me my whole entire life, waiting for the moment I'd be able to bring them salvation," Marcius thought, "In my world I was crazy, but here I'm considered gifted, although that's not what draws me in. My whole life I've dreamt of reaching that world, have begged the general for a ship, was ready to fly off without any guidance, and now fate has brought me such an opportunity: a spaceship as well as a map that's been inside my head this whole entire time. I can't let it pass me by; I'll do everything I can to get there!"   

Having returned his mind, soul and emotions to a harmonious balance, Marcius patiently awaited the Krameans' return. Several times he was tempted to change his mind during the many hours of monotonous silence, but every time he returned to his original decision. To be sure, he knew perfectly well what he was coming up against. Out of all the scoundrels in the world, the Krameans were the last to be trusted, but the mad power of curiosity and an appetite for adventure outweighed all other motives.  

At dawn

They left early in the morning. The interstellar crystal was just as elaborate as Marcius had imagined. The stone was of very high quality, without a single defect - no cracks or air bubbles, only a smooth, uniform structure and surprising clarity. The Krameans had grown their best crystal spaceship for this mission. The crystal was faceted and round in layout. It narrowed into a cone towards the bottom, touching the podium at a single point only, almost as if hanging in midair.   

It was perfectly fitted for the expedition. In its bottom part, a small laboratory could be seen through the glass. It contained tools for the collection of soil and natural resources, excavators and all-purpose vehicles. The crystal was equipped with liquid hydrogen bullets to protect itself in the case of an attack. Its whole body was riddled with round cabins and long corridors spiraling up from the base towards the top. At the very top was the navigation panel, alongside a spare ship for emergency evacuation.   

The Krameans lined themselves up on the platform beside the spaceship. Today they looked completely different from yesterday. They wore practical clothing - tight shiny bodysuits, dark crimson in color. Their hair was braided into tight little braids and carefully pinned back into massive buns. Their jewelry was minimal - only Atla wore a diadem, and the others sufficed with barely noticeable gold headbands. Marcius was left wearing his Tulonian gear, for which he was thankful.  

The Krameans were of different ages and complexions. There were old men as well as almost children. Behind their shoulders each person carried a multifunctional shield - a popular tool on Krama, an all-time favourite. They used it in all walks of life: as a weapon, a carrier of information, a mirror, a table, a container and many other things. The disks were made out of special glass and were reminiscent of giant optical lenses. Their names were inscribed on the inside with wire made of precious metals, enabling Marcius to call each one by name if he had to. The Krameans left behind their genies, since they would not have survived the trip. This made Marcius very happy - he greatly disliked them, finding the tiny creatures pesky and hypocritical.

The head shaman was seeing them off, along with a whole committee of priests and psychics. Volunteers' relatives were also present, and also that strange dog - the chimera from the planet Murie that was always by Atla's side. Marcius stood last, beside Atla. Neither Lan nor Tatida as much as glanced in his direction today. They were still bitter about yesterday.   

He watched how tenderly the shaman hugged his daughter, followed by an equally heartfelt hug from Tatida. It was difficult for them to let Atla go. They were visibly worried, and it almost seemed like they were holding back tears. These eminent Krameans loved their girl dearly, and Marcius had a hard time understanding why they were letting her fly off with him on such a long voyage.   

The shaman conversed with his daughter wordlessly, in his mind. Tatida, on the other hand, wanted her farewell to be heard by all, and spoke with Atla loudly, using her voice.  

"You are going very far - know that the journey won't be an easy one," she took her face in her hands, touching her forehead to hers, "Whatever happens, no matter how hard it is, under no circumstance are you to turn back. Everything depends on this! No matter what, you must find that world and return to us with the coordinates. No matter what!" she repeated.   

           Hypnotized, Atla nodded, and tightly hugged Tatida once more.

"Take care of her," the psychic told Marcius sternly.

The Tulonian lowered his eyes. This was too much! He never signed up for this. Why is the witch turning to him of all people with this request?

"Look at me, promise me!" Tatida implored.

"I can't promise that. I'll be thinking of myself and of the interests of my world," he replied earnestly.

Tatida looked at him with disapproval. Marcius felt regret, but didn't show it.

Atla was not at all surprised by his words. She expected nothing less. She silently hugged her dog by the neck and held him for a long time. The animal whimpered, anticipating her departure.

"I'm asking you again, let me take him with me!" she begged Tatida, ruffling the dogs ear with her hand.

"No," said the psychic decisively.

The girl kissed the chimera and stood up.

One by one they loaded themselves onto the ship. Marcius was led to his cabin, checking for his beam and impulsator as soon as he entered the room. The Krameans weren't lying - they were both there in the center of the room, on a round stand hanging from the ceiling. The only thing was that the charge in the impulsator was only good for a single message. Marcius gritted his teeth, although that was all he really needed.   

His cabin was fairly cozy and spacious. It was shaped like a polyhedron, and like many others on this vessel, was made of polished glass. There were even pieces of furniture, such as a table and a bed, all Kramean in style. The most alluring part of his cabin was the enormous porthole stretching across an entire wall. Across from it stood a chair woven out of glass fiber.     He'd be able to watch the scenery of open space.

The Krameans kept their word in terms of provisions as well. Food and water were packed into retractable drawers in the wall. The minimal information provided by Iza was enough to calculate the approximate duration of the trip and stock up on provisions. The ship was equipped with a greenhouse, which allowed them to grow their own food. They packed a surplus of water and came up with a method to replenish it, mining it from meteors. Thanks to the old man, the Krameans knew for sure that the planet they were searching for was located in their galaxy in the sleeve of Orion. They knew the approximate direction, but it wasn't enough. Everyone awaited the final coordinates from Marcius.