The Dark Between The Stars

FORTY-EIGHT
OSIRA’H

The astronomy team rushed Osira’h directly to Ildira from the turbulent star Wulfton. Because her other halfbreed siblings were connected with Gale’nh, she knew Rod’h, Tamo’l, and Muree’n had also sensed the crisis aboard the Kolpraxa.

The distant expeditionary ship had been swallowed in nothingness, a paralyzing shadow. The Ildirans aboard had cried out into the thism, despairing and drowning in cold, infinite blackness.

Though the rest of the Kolpraxa’s crew had fallen silent, her brother Gale’nh was still in there somewhere, alive but separate, immersed in a cold blindness that went to her marrow. She could sense him but could not comprehend the flood of his thoughts and emotions any more than she could understand the faeros. But she felt his urgency.

She raced back to join Rod’h and Muree’n in Mijistra; maybe together they would find a solution…

When she met him inside the Prism Palace, Rod’h wore a grim, lost expression that could not be softened even by the rainbows that shone through the crystal walls. “The entire Kolpraxa—it’s gone. I sensed fear throbbing from the crew. Gale’nh tried to challenge it, but he was overwhelmed.”

Osira’h nodded. “There was no explosion or attack that I could understand. We have to go see my father. He must have sensed something when the Kolpraxa vanished. All those Ildirans.”

Rod’h shook his head. “He failed to sense it the way we did. The other Ildirans were just… removed from the thism, as if taken out of the universe entirely.” He narrowed his eyes. “But there is more. Through the treelings, our mother received a message from the CDF flagship accompanying Adar Kori’nh on war exercises. They encountered an infestation of black robots at Dhula.”

Osira’h frowned. “I don’t believe black robots are responsible for what happened to Gale’nh.”

“Perhaps not,” Rod’h said, “but the robots escaped into some sort of dark nebula—exactly like what Gale’nh encountered. Adar Zan’nh just returned and is briefing the Mage-Imperator now.”

They hurried toward the skysphere audience chamber. Before they reached the tall entryway, Muree’n joined them. Their half-sister wore the scaled tunic and reinforced leggings of a warrior, and her every movement was filled with prowling grace. Muree’n’s telepathic ability was the least of Nira’s five halfbreed children, but the sibling bonds were strong, a connection forged through blood and breeding, as well as through thism. Osira’h knew that on distant Kuivahr, Tamo’l had felt the same thing.

And she could still feel Gale’nh. And the terror that engulfed him.

“We may have a fight on our hands,” Muree’n said. “Something attacked our brother—it was an act of war.” She spoke as if she fervently wished that it were so as the three made their way past the guard kithmen into the audience chamber.

Mage-Imperator Jora’h sat in his chrysalis chair with Nira beside him. Adar Zan’nh stood at the base of the dais, issuing his report. He had a harried, almost disheveled appearance as he described his recent fight. “Liege, the robot ships vanished into a dark nebula that was no mere dust cloud. It was alive. Our sensors began to fail, controls became confused.”

As three of her children entered, Nira straightened. Interrupting Adar Zan’nh, Rod’h stepped forward past the courtiers and audience members. “Something terrible happened to the Kolpraxa.”

Muree’n added, “They were attacked, possibly destroyed.”

“We think it was another shadow cloud,” Osira’h said. “Like the one the Adar encountered. But Gale’nh is still alive. We can all sense him. Our bond with him is strong.” Next to her, Muree’n and Rod’h nodded.

The Mage-Imperator raised his hands as if to grasp the invisible threads that wove through the air in front of him. “I thought that might have happened… several days ago. I sensed a tremor in the thism, but it was cut off, as if the threads to many of my people suddenly went numb.”

Adar Zan’nh spoke with gravity. “In our history, we have seen this before, Liege—I believe the Shana Rei have returned from the void.”

Palpable terror rippled through the audience. When Rod’h shot a glance at Osira’h, all the pieces fell into place for her. A shadow cloud had swallowed the robot ships. The Kolpraxa had vanished into cold, dark, blankness. The Shana Rei! It seemed impossible.

Osira’h faced Adar Kori’nh, and her voice was husky as she spoke. “I can guide you to where Gale’nh is. We may be able to save him. If so, perhaps he can give us answers.”

Rod’h lifted his chin. “Let me guide you to him—I can do it.”

Mage-Imperator Jora’h made his decision without even looking at Rod’h. “No, Osira’h is the strongest, let her show the way—if she can. Adar, take a septa immediately to search for the Kolpraxa.”

Rod’h looked disappointed, even annoyed, at being passed over for the important duty.

The Mage-Imperator stood up from the chrysalis chair. “If the Shana Rei from ancient history have indeed returned, we must know before the shadow spreads farther.”