Jarzen Tadel - Echoes of Alchemy

Alchemy….

CHAPTER ONE

NOT AGAIN

Three and one half amazing, love filled, solar months had passed since Shara and Jarzen’s return home to Elapsis from the Ardmen-Dos Solar System. Over breakfast, Shara received a teleported, if however, strange message from Zalla and Jimm. A message, which contained no obvious message at all; only a voluminous cloud of an incredibly foul smelling purple smoke, which quickly spread to fill the entire room; when Shara opened the small decorative box in which it came; leaving only the worsening stench.

Jarzen had been standing next to Shara when she opened the overly ornate box. As the smoke vanished and the stink worsened; Jarzen Triple E attacked the horrible smell. He thought the thought to immediately eliminate the smell and the entire dining room of the Aza Beach residences erupted in a strange kind of silver purple kinetic electrical lightening, yet, it definitely was not power charged lightening….

As a result of Jarzen’s intervention; the purple cloud reappeared, and the foul smell intensified. Jarzen again Triple E tried to remove the overpowering, pungent, putrid, pong, however, his renewed effort only antagonizes the electrified, and now thoroughly contaminated atmosphere in the converted dining room. Deep in his mind Jarzen hears the urgent demand that he reach out into deep space to gather and store cosmic ion energy. As Jarzen’s mind expands, Rzen, his self-named subconscious mind identity exhorts urgency; then he imperiously takes over the initiated process of gathering and storing ion energy. And in an urgent onslaught of thoughts from his subconscious mind; Jarzen is urged to prepare an ion energy boosted mind shot to totally eliminate the now overwhelming, unbearable, yet still escalating and intensifying foul purple cloud stench.

Without comment or complaint Jarzen quickly complied. The resulting Triple E mind-shot crated an incredible explosive reaction. Only the personal Triple E force fields of Shara and Jarzen saved their lives. The entire Aza Beach residence was exploded into nothingness. No trace of the dwelling remained. Not even the in ground hot spring pool survived the blast. Shara and Jarzen now stood naked; in shock and in utter bewilderment; on the location of beachfront that had been their cherished beach side love-nest residence

Jarzen put his arm across Shara’s bare shoulder and she collapsed into his enfolding embrace. Shara stifled back a sob, and then she angrily said, What just happened?

Intensifying his hold on Shara; Jarzen, while shaking his head mumbled, I don’t Know. Standing up tall and erect, Jarzen said, But, I intend to find out. Jarzen surveying the vacant area their love nest had occupied; at length said, Are you certain that message was from Zalla?

Shara nodded in the affirmative, and then she said. Yes. I easily recognized her distinctive hand writing.

Movious, Transed in quickly followed by Ticious, Oreious, Shrah, and Atin; in the next few solar seconds Garious, Racho, Rilious, Bmom, and Q-Tan materialized forming a complete circle around Jarzen and Shara. Seemingly in the same instant, however, via the amnet, the powerful mental presence of QUANTES was to be heard echoing in everyone’s mind; Q was asking the same question; what had happened?

When no one answered; Q repeated his question, amneting again, what now seemed more like a demand: what has just happened? Then he added; he had just recorded a most unusual, yet incredibly powerful matter/anti-matter explosion at the Aza Beach location. Almost as an afterthought; in a noticeably softer thought emission, Q amneted, I trust Shara and Jarzen are unharmed.

Shara amneted for all to hear, yes, we are unharmed. The Aza Beach residence is, well it’s gone; totally and completely gone.

Q via the amnet asked for verification, the Aza Beach residence is gone? … Gone where?

Jarzen answered, yes Q, gone, blown into nothingness. I cannot explain it any better ….

There was an unusually long silent pause, then Q amneted; tell me everything. Go back to before the explosion and tell me everything.

Shara gave an incredibly detailed and accurate report with Jarzen only adding two minor factoids. When Shara had finished; Q said he would have to get back to them, as at this time he also was at a loss to explain what had happened. Via the amnet Q thought: stating the obvious; your message package from Zalla indisputably played a major part in this event.

* * *

Varian’s amnet filled the growing silence that had become the quiet void created by Q’s abrupt departure from their minds. Varian amneted that Jarzen’s master suite on board the Valarian was ready for his arrival, and then he trailed off offering, in as much as you are homeless….

When Jarzen did not immediately answer; Varian went on the tell Jarzen et al that he had tried to make contact with the Little Wanderer; or W-Two as Jarzen had been referring to the smaller intergalactic ship. Jarzen had given W-two to Zalla and Jimm as a life-mate bonding gift. Varian added he was still trying unsuccessfully to make contact.

As it had turned out Zalla and Jimm did not get sole custody of the exact duplicate of Jarzen’s ship the Valarian, aptly named the Wanderer. As all of Jarzen’s children, who were still unaware of their ability to travel the universe on the own, by use of their Triple E abilities; wanted to make use of the amazing replica of the Valarian. This was a totally unexpected circumstance, which Jarzen quickly remedied by Triple E creating another new, yet smaller vessel. The Little Wanderer, A ship measuring ninety galactic feet in length, by forty feet in width, by forty eight feet in height on three decks. Two decks each with a ceiling twelve feet high; leaving the remaining twenty four feet for the shuttle bay and cargo deck. This intergalactic ship would serve Zalla and Jimm well as they traveled on their self-selected farm-aid mission throughout the universe.

Shara broke the silence, when she asked out loud, What do you mean you cannot reach Zalla and Jimm?

Varian, still via the amnet responded: just that. We are unable to make contact with the Little Wanderer. And all of our attempts to contact Zalla and Jimm personally; including our attempts to reach their AM-Us Alla or Trox; have also failed. I have sent two ships from the Crystal Fleet, the Pearl and the Diamond to Zalla’s last know location.

Jarzen had been listening, standing motionless, in silent thought; when suddenly they were all, once again, standing in the dining room of the Aza Beach Residence, which Jarzen had just restored in every detail but one. He had increased the size of the entire residence by fifty percent. Shara and Jarzen were now dressed in their Valarian combat uniforms and Jarzen said, We will board the Valarian within the solar hour. Make all preparation to get under way; and plan for an extended trip.

As expected all of the AM-Us immediately requested permission to come along, even Q-Tan. Holding up his hand for silence, Jarzen thanked Q-Tan and dismissed him to return to Q. To the remainder he said, "The following AM-Us, Movious, Ticious, Oreious, Shrah, Atin plus Garious, Rilious, Racho, and Bmom will be joining us on our search for Zalla and Jimm. Those of you with new permanent responsibilities; notify your command to immediately detach you for extended duty with Shara and me.

* * *

When Jarzen and Shara Transed on board the Valarian, their nine member private AM-U army was already onboard and busily assisting Varian with settling the twenty five galactic tons of supplies and equipment that Q had Transed on board the Valarian.

Jarzen addressed Varian, the captain of the Valarian, Are we ready to get underway?

Varian responded that the ship was indeed ready to depart but he was in need of a destination.

Jarzen replied that QUANTES had determined Zalla and Jimm’s last known location was the planet Siltor in the Belken Solar system; so they would start their search there.

Jarzen could just barely detect the Valarian’s forward movement when he experienced the anticipated life-blink. The loveliness of Elapsis, which had filled the floor to ceiling forward optical lens, had changed; an odd looking planet with very little water in evidence now filled his view.

Varian, announcing the obvious; stated that they were currently in orbit ten thousand galactic miles above the planet Siltor; continuing his report Varian informed all present that he was both calling for and scanning for any sign of Zalla, Jimm, Alla, Trox, or the Little Wanderer. Concluding his update, Varian answered the unspoken question, which was top of mind for everyone; no, the searches of the Crystal Pearl and the Crystal Diamond had not found any trace of Zalla’s group or the Little Wanderer?

Movious had been seated at the captain’s bridge command desk. Emerging first from the group’s collective silence, Movious instructed Varian to order the Diamond and the Pearl to uncouple and begin a new grid search based on the information he was forwarding. By separating the two conjoined quadrivessels; including the Valarian they would now have a total of nine ships to search for Zalla and the Little Wanderer.

Rilious and Bmon spoke up at the same time and then both politely invited the other to continue. As the politeness went into round three, Jarzen said, Bmon if you please.

Bmon bowed to Jarzen then to Rilious as he asked if he could review the search results of the searches already conducted by the Diamond and the Pearl. Rilious spoke up stating that was his wish as well.

Movious gestured for them to take seats at stations five and six on the battle desk and begin their review.

Racho and Atin asked if they could help only to be told by Varian that there were still nineteen galactic tons of supplies to be inventoried and stored. Garious cheerfully called to Racho, Atin, and Shrah to assist him with the mundane but necessary task and securing their supplies.

Elapsist technology equipped space ships could conduct an amazingly thorough search of a vast expanse of space in a surprisingly short period of time. And so they did. The Belkin Solar system was of average size; about one million parsecs by one and one half million parsecs and three solar hours after they had started their second more in-depth nine ship search; the search was concluded with the same result: Zalla, Jimm, and the Little Wanderer were nowhere to be found.

Movious began to personally evaluate the search results of all nine Ships; when he was asked by Garious to put the search results up on the oversized main battle screen. The AM-Us could evaluate the search data scans at a rate of speed one hundred times faster than any human could. There were sixteen planets, twenty seven moons and two asteroid belts in the Belkin Solar system. All of the planets had been thoroughly scanned and Elapsist technology could not conceal a ship from another Elapsist vessel. Zalla and the little Wanderer were not in the Belkin System.

A relative calm had settled on the Valarian’s bridge as Shara, Jarzen, and Varian were discussing their options on what action to take next in light of the second failed search; when Garious let out and excited, stop, no, go back. No, stop there.

Everyone’s attention went from Garious to Movious, when he asked, Did you see something?

Garious answered, No. It is what I did not see. Garious scanned the expectant faces of everyone on the bridge, and then he said, This strange, cloud covered, yet fairly large planet, has provided no data.

Rilious said, Yes it did. It came back as a completely dead planet.

Bmom, quickly agreed with Rilious, That planet had no life readings; in point of fact, the planet had no readings of any kind.

Garious said, Don’t you see, that is not possible! These are Elapsist scanners; they would have detected all manner of things from a ‘dead planet’; instead we received no readings. None at all

Everyone was talking at the same time, until Movious, rising out of his chair, to his full height of seven galactic feet tall. Holding his hands up for silence, Movious said, Garious is correct. I cannot believe we all missed this. There should have been data, actually a massive amount of data. Someone or something is blocking our scans; and that is something I did not think possible. We need to investigate that so-called ‘dead planet’.

Shara and Jarzen quickly agreed; while everyone else was echoing there agreement; Varian could be heard verbally giving the order to get underway for the ‘dead planet’.

A still standing, somber Movious spoke again; We have become complacent. We made lazy assumptions based on easily acquired data, which has proven to be totally inaccurate. As of now we do not know what this search will uncover … I strongly suggest we all do some personal refocusing; we were sloppy and that just cannot happen … Lives may be at risk … including our own. Movious dropped precipitously back into his chair; he scanned the bridge making eye contact with everyone.

Jarzen ended the extended silence by asking no one in particular if there was a problem with the scanning sensors.

Movious quickly answered that he and V-Two were looking into the matter and would provide a detailed report as soon as their diagnostic investigations were complete.

Garious again captured everyone’s attention, when he said, Technology glitch or not; anyone or anything that can block an Elapsist sensor; is to be regarded as both very powerful and extremely dangerous. Movious is right, we must increase our vigilance. I have not been with you on your many past adventures; I have however, read of your exploits from your after mission reports. My surmise: You were often more lucky than effective through good planning. Being from the research and development world, and having spent many decades observing the Tar-Que’s greatest scientific minds, well, I am more inclined to do my research, created a plan of action, and then precisely execute that plan.

Jarzen stepped forward and addressed Garious, While I do not take you assessment personally; as the leader of most of the missions detailed in those reports; I find that I must agree with you. We did win through luck way too often. Believe it or not, when we could, we had a plan. And believe me when I tell you; it was always our intention to have a well thought out and well executed plan. I learned that while a plan on paper was great. I also learned; once the action began, the plan often became useless. You see, all too often our opponents had their own plan, and our adversaries plan, more often than not; did not align itself with our plan. In many cases our opponents presented us with a totally different, and all too often; a totally unanticipated set of circumstances to deal with. In those circumstances, we reacted to whatever confronted us and just did the best we could; Triple E ability notwithstanding.

Via the amnet Rzen’s mental outburst rocked everyone. Nonsense, we are a Triple E. We never trusted to luck. We relied instead on Triple E ability---never---on luck. As quickly as Rzen’s incredibly powerful mental presence arrived in everyone’s conscious mind; his departure was even quicker, which left everyone a little queasy and unsettled.

Jarzen was offering a soft apology for Rzen’s unbridled pride in being a Triple E when Movious returned to the bridge. Jarzen asked, Movious do you have news?

Movious announced he had the results of the investigation V-Two and he had conducted. He paused, then began, The sensors are working perfectly and as designed. When the sensors encountered the blocked scan scenario, something, which should not have happened, happened. The sensors became confused and defaulted to the dead planet reading. V-Two and I searched our entire archive and we could not find another circumstance where this had ever happened. As Garious so aptly pointed out; for an Elapsist sensor to get no data, is impossible. V-Two and I have concluded that we have encountered an extremely powerful, yet contrived sensor block. Again, I must tell you; this is something I did not think possible. Whoever or whatever is blocking our scan in extremely powerful.

Varian, announced, We are about to find out who or what it is. We are twenty five thousand galactic miles above the planet and ready to enter the dark purple cloud and solve this mystery.

Shara, Jarzen, Movious, and Garious all shouted no at the same time; Jarzen continued. Hold your present position.

Jarzen crossed the room, and said, We don’t have nearly enough information to enter that purple cloud at this time.

Movious and Garious both started to speak and Garious nodded his head to Movious who, looking at Jarzen, said, I want to orbit the planet and I want to send in six probes. The cloud expanse is fifty seven thousand miles in circumstance. Launch a probe every ninety five hundred galactic miles as we circumnavigate the planet.

Jarzen agreed, then thinking of Garious’ mild reproach on past battle methodologies, he added, Try to get the sensors to overcome whatever is blocking them. We need a lot more information before we can proceed.

Bmon said, I’d like to prepare a shuttle craft for a planet-side landing. I strongly believe we need to keep the Valarian safely our here in orbit. At least until we definitely know what we are up against.

Shara agreed, but she felt they should prepare two shuttle craft. She added that once they penetrated the dark purple cloud; then she cracked a weak smile and continued; stating two ships could conduct a quicker search. Then she added as a further safety precaution; one shuttle could land on the planet while the other covered it from above.

They had little enough time to discuss Shara’s plan. They had traveled two thirds of the way around the planet and had just launched the fourth sensor probe. The data was coming in; probe one when dark shortly after entering the purple cloud. Probe two also went dark as it was repelled by the purple cloud. Probe three exploded on impact as it encountered the outer edge of the purple cloud as did probe four.

Movious cancelled the remaining two probes. He turned to Jarzen, and said. It would appear we will be going in blind. I don’t like it but I am now convinced Zalla and Jimm are down there and they need our help.

Shara said, I agree. I too firmly believe we must go into that purple cloud to find Zalla, but let us not forget, Zalla is a Triple E; and she is no longer afraid to use her Triple E ability. If she is in trouble … I can’t even imagine what we will find on that mysterious cloaked dark planet.

Garious offered allowed, Let us also be mindful of the failed attempts of our probes to breach the purple cloud.

Jarzen said, Yes, let’s.

* * *

Probes and full spectrum scanning had provided no additional information. There was a planet below them, enveloped in a dark purple cloud, with a circumstance of fifty seven thousand galactic miles. Was the planet’s surface one hundred feet or ten thousand miles into the cloud? They did not know. All they knew for certain was that Elapsist sensors had found no trace of Zalla and Jimm and this mysterious heavenly body was the only place in the Belkin Solar System they had not been able to search. So physically search it they would. Preparations for an in person search of the planet were completed.

Jarzen was surprised to amazement when he assigned himself as shuttle commander of shuttle one and Shara as shuttle commander on shuttle two without comment or complaint from anyone. Jarzen had taken on as crew, Ticious and Oreious, Garious and Bmon. He had given Shara Movious, Shrah, Atin, Rilious, and Rachio. Jarzen, though to himself, he really wanted to lead the ground search. He surprised Shara when he asked if she wanted to lead the ground search or fly air support. It was Jarzen’s turn to be surprised when Shara answered she would fly air cover as Jarzen actually had the most first contact experience.

First contact; Jarzen had totally overlooked the possibility of a friendly first contact situation. He had focused solely on an unknown powerful enemy and a desperate battle to rescue Zalla and Jimm. He smiled. He still visualized Zalla and Jimm alive and on this planet.

* * *

Both teams were immediately ready and eager to depart for the unknown planet. However, it was three solar hours later; when Movious finally announced; they were as ready as they were going to be to breach the dark purple cloud; and begin the Search for Zalla and Jimm.

Assembled on the Valarian’s hangar deck; Jarzen felt like he should say something, but he did not want it to be a pep-talk. He drew himself up about to speak; then he loudly expelled the air from his lungs, and said, I must apologize but there is one more thing we must do before we can begin our search of the planet. Jarzen called Shara and Movious to him and conducted them to the vacant area between the two shuttles.

Jarzen explained that he wanted one more check of the shuttles shields. In addition to the always active defensive shield, he wanted the active battle shield activated when they launched. Additionally he wanted to add a powerful new shield; a repelling shield, which would fend off any and all types or kinds of known energy. He was about to Triple E equip both shuttles with such a shield. He went into his gathering and store trance. Shara and Movious looked at each other but said nothing for they knew it would do no good. Plus, Shara thought to herself, the new shield seemed like a good idea and an additional precaution could only be a good thing.

At length there was a barely perceptible energy ripple that tickled every inch of Shara skin. Jarzen smiled, and said, Let’s check the shields. The shields’ testing for both shuttles took an additional solar hour. Jarzen had used every hand held weapon available from the hangar deck’s armory, plus he had Movious use his white ion laser on both shuttles: the shield, all three shields, worked perfectly. Jarzen apologized again to everyone for the delay. With a huge smile growing on his face he wished them all good luck; then he invited everyone to board their assigned shuttle and he called for an immediate launch.

* * *

A still disgruntled Varian was monitoring the shuttles flight as they approached the ominous dark purple cloud. Varian had very much wanted to make the planet-side landing. Varian knew Jarzen had not exaggerated or embellished when he told him how important it was to have his experience and his expertise backstopping them from the bridge of the Valarian. Jarzen indicated it was almost certain this mission would develop a scenario with the prospect of having a huge an undetermined disaster and Jarzen needed to know Varian would be there to handle it.

Movious had taken the helm of shuttle two and Bmon had seated himself at the helm on shuttle one. The shuttles were five hundred yards apart when they came to a complete stop fifty galactic miles from what the sensors identified as the leading edge of the impenetrable purple curtain. Movious contacted Jarzen with the question: would they be going in at the same time; or would Jarzen’s shuttle be following Movious in.

After the briefest of pauses, Jarzen answered, We will go in at the same time. Then Jarzen contacted Varian instructing him for the third time to track both of the shuttles and to keep the communication link operational throughout the entire mission. Then Jarzen gave the command to enter the purple cloud at docking approach speed – approximately fifty galactic miles per hour – and both shuttles entered the cloud.

CHAPTER TWO

LORIDA

Varian was extremely exercised. No sooner than the shuttles encountered the leading edge of the purple cloud, and they vanished from his sensors. Varian tried to make contact with both shuttles but to no avail. For all practical purposes both shuttles were gone. On entering the purple cloud; both shuttles may have even been instantly vaporized; although as Varian thought about that possibility he rather doubted it. The shuttles were made of refined Lapsis Metal; the strongest metal currently known in the universe. Additionally they had the two most powerful shields known to exist in the entire universe; Elapsist technology shielding. And Jarzen had just added some new form of Triple E shield with the ability to repel all forms of energy. Yet what had happened to the shuttles? Varian set his crew to work using every method available to him including sending in two more probes. He verbally pledged would redouble his efforts to make contact with Jarzen and Shara.

* * *

It was a good thing everyone was strapped into their landing couches. As soon as they entered the dark cloud the ships were tossed about like a Tar-Que speed ball at a professional level game. Again the refined, single piece, molded Lapsis Metal hull came into play, because of it, the shuttles would not, could not, shake apart. Movious and Bmon were both amazing pilots with similar piloting skill sets. While trying to steady their ship’s they could barely hold onto the steering helms the shuttles were being so aggressively tossed around, side to side, and end over end. However, neither AM-U pilot, using all of their AM-U strength and ability, was able to bring their ship back under control. Both pilots realized at the same time that their ship’s had no propulsion power. The only power they had was charged power cell lighting at that was fading at an accelerated rate of speed. Movious and Bmon did the only thing they could do; they put their ships into a power dive heading straight for the planet.

Jarzen tried to reach Shara on shuttle two, while at the same time Shara was trying to make contact with Jarzen on shuttle one. Both were having no success. Jarzen tried the amnet with no better results.

Realizing what was happening Shara called out to Movious, I have tried using my Triple E ability. I can’t. I cannot gather and store energy nor can I contact my subconscious mind. Our fate is in your hands.

Jarzen had been having a similar conversation with Bmom. Both AM-Us were desperately trying to decrease the angle of descent of their crafts. The bad news was; the shuttles were not designed for powerless flight. Without power the shuttles flew like a large heavy cabit stone. If Bmon and Movious could not gain some control; the shuttles would auger in and without their Triple E abilities; at the speed they were diving; it was a good bet that even the AM-Us could be destroyed.

A million things were going through everyone’s mind and most of the thoughts were the same. How high up had they entered the planet’s atmosphere? How close to the ground were they? Could the ship, could they; survive the impending crash impact? Was this what had happened to Zalla and Jimm? Her ship at ninety galactic feet long was bigger and more powerful than the thirty foot long shuttles; and Zalla’s ship was designed to fly both in space and within a planet’s atmosphere.

Movious called out what everyone had noticed, the shuttles nose was coming up and their descent was slowing. However, now the shuttle was now completely enveloped in flames. Their abrupt entry into the planet’s atmosphere caused an intense friction, which burned the air. The good news, the Lapsis Metal was designed to immediately dissipate any volume of heat or fire. The occupants of the shuttle would not be consumed in flames.

Movious and Bmon were able to continue to raise the nose of their ships and were now coming in; flat bottom of the shuttle’s first.

The occupants of the shuttles were suddenly bathed in brilliant sun light and the anticipated ground rushing up to meet them became a reality. Jarzen was trying for all he was worth to use his Triple E ability, any aspect of his ability, to no avail. He sat helplessly strapped to his landing couch, which he now thought of as his crash landing couch. He pulled out his writing implement and stabbed his forearm. The pen broke the skin and blood spurted out. He had stabbed himself too hard; but he had his answer. He was once again a vulnerable human being; who would certainly die on crash impact.

* * *

It had only been four solar hours since Jarzen and Shara’s shuttles had entered the purple veil and Varian was totally out of options, with one exception; so he put in a call to QUANTES.

Q answered almost immediately and he listened without interruption to Varian’s detailed report. When Varian finished he advised Q that he intended to take the Valarian in after Jarzen.

Q sternly said, Under no circumstances will you take the Valarian into the purple cloud; nor will you send in any additional shuttles or probes without my express permission. Have I made myself perfectly clear?

Varian was not happy and he said so. He began to make the case that he did not answer to Q when Q cut him off.

I created the AM-U class of being and if you check you deep core central process you will discover that in the absence of Jarzen and Shara, I am next in command, even out ranking all of Jarzen’s children. And in as much as I am presently in command I have given you an order. Will you follow it?

Varian ran a quick deep archive check then he reluctantly agreed, but he quickly asked; What are we, what are you going to do?

Q was slow to answer. He informed Varian that he had reviewed every scintilla of data, so far collected on the Belkin System and on the dark purple cloud as well. Q informed Varian that at this time the only course of action he could recommend was to let this adventure play. Let us see what Jarzen and Shara will come up with."

Varian was outraged, "Your plan is to do nothing? Your plan is to wait and see?’

Yes Varian; that is our plan. If you are unwilling to comply, I can relieve you of your command and return you to the waiting warehouse until such time as Jarzen returns…. Q pressed his point; are you going to remain in command of the Valarian or do I need to relieve you?

Varian made hard eye-contact with Q, and said, "For now I will remain in command of my ship. For now I will follow your orders, but I do not have to like it.

Q responded, I do not require your approval; only your compliance and your obedience. Varian, do not force my hand. For now, let us both focus all of our efforts on solving this mystery and contacting Jarzen; Q out.

* * *

Knowing the answer, before he even asked the question; Varian asked V-Two if he had monitored his communication with QUANTES. Receiving a positive answer, Varian asked if V-Two had any ideas as to how they should proceed. Before V-Two could respond; Varian stated that he had already tried everything he could think of; then he made mention of the fact that he had tried many of his ideas more than once.

V-Two again indicated that he had closely monitored everything that had been tried. After a thoughtful pause, V-Two said, I am very curious as to what happens once the purple cloud in penetrated.

Varian said, As am I but all of our efforts to find out have also failed.

V-Two said, It is time, as Shara would say, to think outside of the box. I have just such a crazy idea.

Varian pounced like a hungry carnivore, Share your idea with me.

Two solar hours later everything was ready. Varian himself was at the helm of shuttle number three. He was maintaining a stationary orbit forty galactic feet from the leading edge of the purple cloud. The shuttle bay doors were opened, which posed no problem for Varian as it was not necessary for an AM-U to breathe air to survive; although to simulate life they were programed to do so whenever they were in the presence of other beings. An Eletorian Guardsmen emerged from the ship, then another holding his hand; then another, and another, and another. V-Two had suggested that in addition to the Eletorian Guardsmen holding hands that they be cabled together so that a loss of consciousness or a loss of power would not break this chain of guardsmen. When the sixth guardsmen left the ship the first guardsmen had penetrated the shield.

Varian ordered out the seventh and the eight. V-Two announced that they had lost all contact with guardsmen one and now guardsmen two.

Varian had fifteen guardsmen on board and he sent them all out. V-Two verified that they had lost contact with one through five. He added that he could not even be sure they were still there. V-Two excitedly announced that guardsmen number six, whose left arm, only up to his shoulder was in the purple cloud; was losing power at an accelerated rate; he would be totally drained of all his power, in a few more solar minutes.

It had been twenty solar minutes since Varian had sent out the first guardsmen; he gave the order for them to be reeled in. One by one the guardsmen pulled themselves back into the shuttle bay. Guardsmen, six through one could be seen floating in space; they appeared to be totally inactive: dead. As soon as they were all back on the shuttle; Varian closed the shuttle bay doors and returned to the Valarian.

There to meet them in the hangar bay were twelve of the Valarian’s twenty four medical AM-Us. The five non-functioning Eletorian Guardsmen were immediately checked as they came off the shuttle and then taken directly to the medical deck. Eletorian guardsmen number six was incredibly weak; he was however, recharging. He too was sent to the medical bay.

A thorough checkup revealed that Eletorian Guardsmen one through five had every scintilla of power drained from their bodies; even their heavily shielded emergency reserve power cell had been drained.

V-Two said after reviewing the medical report; We have learned three things: The purple cloud is power hungry and has the ability to drain any power source it encounters. It is possible to leave the purple cloud if you have the power to do so. And third, with their totally drained power cells replaced; the inactive guardsmen were one hundred percent operational; with no sign or lingering ill effects from their total power drain. Guardsmen number six, now fully recharged, had also returned to duty.

Varian asked, What does that portend for Jarzen and Shara? If the shuttles were drained of power upon entering the purple cloud … well we both know the shuttle is no glider. Without power the shuttle will drop like a stone.

V-To agreed, then he wondered aloud, What about Jarzen’s Triple E ability?

Varian shook his head, and said, Yes; what about their Triple E Ability? Zalla is a Triple E, yet she has gone missing. As we both know without a reliable power source there is no Triple E ability. That being said, based on what we now know; I fear the worst for Shara, Jarzen and their entire mission.

V-Two agreed, "Yes, the AM-Us will parish as well.