 
## The

# Plasma Master

by Brian Rushton

© 1997, published 2011

Smashwords Edition
**Smashwords Edition, License Notes**

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Contents

Prologue

<CRYSTAL>

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

<POWER>

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter Ф

Chapter ∩

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

<NEMESIS>

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 1Ф

Chapter 1∩

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

<VENOM>

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 2Ф

Chapter 2∩

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Afterword

### Prologue

A flash of lightning blasted away the darkness and momentarily illuminated the massive fortress that rose like a mountain out of the surrounding forest. Light shone from thousands of windows like a host of eyes glaring out at the universe. A man stood inside one of the fortress's many rooms, staring blankly out of one of these windows.

He shifted uneasily, the metal plating of his armor crunching softly as it shadowed his movement. The blaster he had relied on so often now hung useless at his belt. No weapon in the universe had the power to resolve this conflict for him. He was alone. The man looked down at the glowing object in his hand. So much power, he thought. How could I have come to be so desperate?

He turned from the window and sat down at his desk, his forehead resting on his hand. The Council had discussed the matter at length, and their decision had been the inevitable one. All of the powers would be given to Trelan. In theory, one person would be able to make full use of the powers and thereby serve the Empire better than several separate holders. Trelan was First Holder and had held his crystal longer than any of the other Masters had, so he was the obvious choice.

The intercom beeped. "Koral, it is time," said Trelan's calm voice.

"Yes," Koral acknowledged softly. He could not mask the sound of resignation in his voice, but it did not matter. Trelan knew his feelings on the subject. Sighing inwardly, Koral arose and walked to the door. It opened, and he glanced in both directions down the hall. It was empty. He strode quickly along the passageway until he reached the door to a lift pod. He entered and pressed a button on a wall panel and instructed the computer, "Shuttle bay eight." The lift began to move through the labyrinth of passageways that linked the many sections of the Imperial Fortress. Koral's heart was pounding. There was no telling what would happen to him when the Council found out what he had done, but he could see no alternative.

The lift door slid open, and Koral stepped out. He was in a large room filled with technical equipment and control consoles. A few workers glanced up at him as he strode to a large door at the far end of the room, but none said anything. They probably knew nothing about the meeting, and they had seen Koral use the shuttle bay hundreds of times. The doors opened, and Koral walked through an airlock and into the shuttle bay. A dozen ships stood lined up in the vacuous chamber. Koral started toward his transport ship. Again, the few workers on duty glanced at him without concern. The transport ship was a small vessel which he mainly used to get to and from orbiting starships, although it did have limited warp capabilities. When he reached the ship, Koral pressed a series of buttons on a panel attached to the sleeve of his armor. A hatch slid open on the ship's underside, and a ramp extended. He stepped unhurriedly up the ramp and through the door to the control room. Now that there was no one watching him, he began moving more quickly. He was not sure how much time it would take before all of the other Masters were assembled and realized that he was missing, but he wanted to be off of the planet and well on his way before that happened.

Koral initiated the launch sequence, and the huge shuttle bay door began to open. Responding to his controls, the transport ship lifted off the floor and flew into the turbulent night. The forest spreading away across the planet's surface, the distant mountains jutting above the horizon, and the mass of swirling storm clouds overhead made an impressive sight, but Koral had no time to notice such things. In seconds he was rising out of the planet's atmosphere and into the blackness of space.

From within the shuttle bay, an unseen pair of eyes watched him go.

Koral had nothing against Trelan. He was a wise leader and had proven his loyalty to the Empire countless times in countless ways. Even now it almost seemed as if Koral's decision had been foolish and dishonorable; he was stepping well out of his authority and attempting to prevent an action that the Council believed would bring about a momentous change in the Empire; with the Masters' powers combined and enhanced, it was doubtful that the Empire's enemies would be able to stand against it much longer. Yet Koral could not bring himself to comply with the Council's wishes. He had voiced his disagreement only once; the intensity of the rejection his ideas had received convinced him that if he were to prevent the Council from carrying out its designs, he would have to do so alone.

When he had voiced his opinion, some had condemned Koral for his lack of cooperation, suggesting that he was simply jealous of Trelan, that he was just attempting to maintain the power he had for his own personal gain. Perhaps they were right, in part at least. Koral was being asked to give up something that had become as much a part of him as his ability to think, and he had to admit that he was hesitant to let it go. But Koral's motives went far beyond that. There was just too much danger in placing that much power in the hands of one person, especially when so little was understood of how that power worked. All Koral knew about his own power was what he had learned through its repeated use, and he doubted that any of the others knew any more than he did. Even the source of the power was a mystery. There was no telling what would happen if one man suddenly found himself in control of something like that.

An urgent feeling in the back of Koral's mind snatched his attention. He glanced back toward the planet, and his eyes widened in alarm. Instantly he rose to his feet and extended his hand. The entire interior of his ship lit up with chaotic surges of glowing energy. They were trying to stop him.

The energy surges died down as he brought his full power to bear, blocking their attempt to board his ship. Scanning his control panel, Koral saw that several starships were approaching at high warp. His own ship was not nearly fast enough to outrun them; they would be there in minutes.

Koral ran his fingers over the controls. He would have preprogrammed this command sequence, but he had been afraid that someone might for some reason check his ship's computer and learn of his plan. As it was he had been over the process hundreds of times in his mind, so it took hardly any time at all. When he was finished, he took out the glowing object and looked it over. Had he not spent the last several months pondering his decision and scrutinizing over his plan, he certainly would have stopped right there. But now there was no hesitation in his mind; the sacrifices necessary were irrelevant. There was no other way.

The intercom beeped, and a voice began speaking. "This is Admiral Nelim. I have orders from the Imperial Council to place you under arrest. If you resist I am authorized to fire."

Koral rested his finger on one of the glowing buttons on the control panel. A sheen of sweat coated his face.

Again the feeling in his mind diverted his attention, but this time he resisted it only for a moment. He cast the object away from him as if it were on fire. Immediately he felt weak and incomplete, as if every muscle in his body had suddenly gone dead. Then the force reaching out for him took hold.

Admiral Nelim stared at the transport ship on his viewscreen. He had no idea what was going on, but the two figures standing on either side of him, just out of the camera's range, had looks on their faces that would freeze a supernova. "Now," one of them said, his voice a mixture of anger, fear, and anticipation. The two figures went suddenly tense, fists clenched, and their eyes narrowed to tiny slits. At the same instant a purple glow flashed out of the ship on the viewscreen and a yellow beam of energy arced toward it from the Admiral's ship. The yellow light struck, and the transport ship exploded in a billowing red ball of expanding gasses. The explosion and the purple glow seemed to mix violently, and space lit up in a white flash that lasted several seconds. When the light faded there was nothing left of the transport ship. The man on Nelim's right dropped to one knee, visibly struggling to catch his breath, his eyes tightly shut as if in deep concentration. The woman to his left eyed the man anxiously but remained silent. Finally the man's breathing slowed, and his eyes opened, but his gaze remained fixed in a blank stare as his lips trembled, reluctantly attempting to form words. Sensing what he was struggling to say, the woman took a step toward him, drawing his gaze.

"Did you..." she began, her voice a mix of concern and accusation.

The man turned away from her in shame. "No," he whispered. "It's gone."

##  <CRYSTAL>
### Chapter 1

Nedward Simmons awoke to the sound of birds chirping in the trees around his home. He lay in bed for a time, his mind still reeling from the emotions of some dream already forgotten, the demands of the day ahead not yet a relevant concern. Ned sat up, enjoying the sound, enjoying the fact that this morning it had not been necessary to wake up by his... Oh, he thought. He hadn't set his alarm because this was part of what was supposed to be a summer vacation. He had graduated, finally, from high school only a couple of days ago. His feelings on this fact were mixed. Of course, he was thrilled that he had completed such an important part of his life successfully. Still, the future lay before him, and the future was an ambiguous thing at best.

Ned rolled out of bed and began to get ready for whatever he was going to do with the day, which, he realized, did not really matter. He tried to put out of his mind the fact that he had no clear idea what he wanted the rest of his life to look like. This summer, of course, he would continue to work at the pizza place down the street, earning money for college in the fall. Ned had some desire to be an engineer; he had always enjoyed designing and building things, and he had done well in the related classes he had taken in school. Which was now over. Many of the friends he had made were now gone, as well. Strange.

Ironically, despite his intentions to sleep in, it was still early in the morning. Habit, perhaps, although Ned had been up late the past few nights, celebrating with his friends. He ate a quick breakfast and then decided to take a walk.

Ned lived in a suburban neighborhood, although the area was rather new and there was still a considerable amount of forest nearby. Ned liked the forest, partly because it was a great place to go paintballing, and partly because it was virtually impossible to know everything you wanted to about it. There was always something to discover there, and Ned had begun to feel like the parts of his life about which that could be said were growing fewer and fewer. That was ridiculous, of course. Despite his lack of an all-encompassing goal in his life, Ned was more than reasonably prepared for his future, especially his immediate future. There was no reason to believe eighteen years had yielded and seen passed the most exciting parts of his life. But still...

As Ned made his way through the trees, a faint humming sound off to his left prompted him to stop and listen. He supposed it could very well be an insect, or perhaps someone using an electric device, but he decided to start toward it: today's adventure.

The humming sound grew louder as Ned walked, and as it did it seemed to change slightly. It fluctuated in pitch and a deep throbbing began to accompany the hum. Then Ned walked around a tree and stopped. A few yards in front of him was a pulsating pillar of blue light.

The pillar was only about an inch thick, and it was so faint that at first Ned thought his eyes had played a trick on him. But, as he examined it, Ned saw that this strange light was the source of the sound he had been following. It extended upward into the sky as far as Ned's eyes could follow it and seemed to disappear into the ground. Abruptly, Ned realized that, although he was no longer moving closer to the light, the sound had continued to get louder. He noticed, too, that the light was growing brighter and brighter as the moments passed. A sense of warning crept over Ned; this was not at all something that belonged in the middle of the forest. What was this? This was crazy! He knew he should probably just leave. After all, what harm could come of that? Who knew what this was? For all he knew some toxic gasses were escaping from the fissure in the ground... Still, this light was rather fascinating, and there was really no reason to believe that it was dangerous. Out of curiosity, Ned picked up a stick and tossed it into the pillar of light. It snapped where the light touched it, and both fragments fell to the ground. Startled, Ned picked up one of the pieces. It was not burned; the stick seemed to have been simply snapped in two.

Ned could think of nothing else to do to learn anything of this strange light, so he decided to sit and wait. The pillar had not grown at all in thickness, at least not as far as Ned could tell, so he decided that there was no notable risk. He found a comfortable spot on the ground and watched, fascinated anew. Ned had wondered whether the light would eventually become too bright to look at directly; in such a case he might have left. Instead, however, beyond a certain point the light pillar seemed to grow in solidity rather than intensity. The sound, too, did not become unbearable. In fact, once it became impossible to see through the light, the sound seemed to quiet down again, and Ned's vigil was accompanied by a steady, low hum, although Ned would have described it as a "surge;" it seemed to him that there might be some energy transference taking place between something in the sky and the ground, or perhaps something under it. Whatever that means, he thought blankly. Ned was glancing upward in an effort to make out anything that might be the source of the light when he realized that it was ending. He could see the top of the pillar now, and at its top the light flared outward in a blue sphere, about a foot in diameter. Was it just dropping? The ball didn't seem to be falling as fast as it would if it had been dropped from, say, an airplane, but of course Ned had nothing by which to make a useful comparison of the speed. He thought suddenly that he should at least hide behind a tree so that he wouldn't get hit by anything when the ball hit the ground, but then he realized that it was slowing as if fell. As it passed through the tops of the trees, the ball was falling no faster than a leaf would. The glowing ball at the top of the pillar had shrunk to almost nothing, and Ned watched in awe as what appeared to be a blue gemstone alighted silently on the forest's damp earth.

Ned stared at the stone for long moments, not daring to move, not having even the faintest desire to leave. The stone gave off only a very faint light now, and Ned wondered if even that were not merely a reflection of the sunlight. It was partially transparent, and its surface was roughly spherical, although it had smooth edges all around it. It was only about an inch in diameter, just like the light pillar had been.

Finally Ned's curiosity got the best of him, and he stooped down and picked the stone up. It was neither heavy nor light for its size, and its surface was about the same temperature as a normal rock. Ned realized that he very well could have scalded his hand by touching something that had just fallen out of the sky and was more than a little relieved that he hadn't. He looked around the clearing again and, seeing nothing else out of the ordinary, put the stone in his pocket and started back home.

* * *

Hundreds of billions of people watched both in person and on viewscreens as the Emperor arose and addressed his subjects. His expression was calm but intense; he knew that those watching him had opinions of the current situation ranging from a desire to surrender to a mindless obsession to obtain victory regardless of the cost to anyone. If he was to lead them through this conflict, he would have to unite them all, and he would have to do it soon.

"My friends," he began, "we face opposition on all sides. Even as our enemy threatens to overwhelm us, the power we have sought to bring to bear in our defense seems to have been thrown beyond our grasp by the ruthless betrayal of one of our most trusted comrades. Some of you may fear what will come of this situation, but as I look out on this great Empire this day there is no fear in my heart.

"I know from years of history and personal experience that the Anacron Empire has the courage to stand against any danger, the wisdom to face any dilemma, and the power to destroy any enemy. I have full confidence that all of you will stand in might and honor in the preservation of this Empire and of its ideals which we all hold so dear. I know our leaders, and there is no doubt in my mind that they possess the knowledge, skills, and experience to lead us to victory. I, myself, commit to no less.

"Despite our history of resounding victory after resounding victory and our present stature as the pinnacle of the galaxy in every respect, there may be some among you who yet doubt our chances against an enemy so vast and so well organized. It is true that we no longer have the ability to unite the ancient Plasma force, that the weapon we sought to thereby create is no longer a possibility. Nevertheless, three Plasma Masters still remain, and in my personal studies of the Plasma's power I have discovered a way in which we can stand against our enemies indefinitely, if necessary. By making full use of the powers still at our disposal, we plan to complete our preparations within the month, and then we shall let the universe know the consequences of challenging the greatest empire in the universe.

"My friends, the illusion of defeat is but temporary. The time is at hand when darkness shall fall over all who oppose us, when the venom of our unconquerable might shall burn through every foe until we stand alone in the galaxy as rulers of all. Like a great viper we shall strike at every last individual, army, and planet until all who oppose us have perished. My friends, doubt not that we will destroy them. We will destroy them all."

From the ovation he received when he finished, one would have thought the billions of Imperial subjects had been given a choice as to who would lead them.

* * *

It was only about a week after discovering the strange stone that Ned became convinced that it was not from Earth. Up until that time he had left it in a drawer in his room, not thinking about it much except to marvel at the circumstances under which he had found the strange object. He had not told anyone about it; he doubted that anyone would take the story seriously, and the fact that the stone still glowed faintly might arouse concern in his family and friends. Ned decided it was best to just keep it a secret. Apparently no one had seen the pillar of light that morning; Ned realized on reflection that it had been neither bright enough nor large enough to have been seen from very far away. Besides, there probably had not been many people even awake that early. It was beginning to look like the stone was destined to be an impressive trinket and nothing more. Maybe someday he would find a use for it.

Lately, however, Ned had begun contemplating a way to show the stone to someone without making it seem too strange. Perhaps he could just show it to one of his friends and see the reaction it got. People would probably make up their own reasonable-sounding explanations as to why the stone glowed; no one would assume it had some strange, unearthly power, as Ned was forced to. Ned had been especially preoccupied with the subject on this particular day when, late at night, he awoke suddenly from sleep. After lying in bed for a moment he realized what had startled him; there was a soft, yet distinctly audible humming emanating from the drawer where Ned kept the stone. At first a rush of fear came over him. Images of something emerging from the stone raced through his mind as he struggled to contemplate what he should do. After a few moments, though, the anxiety died down. The sound had not changed, and, besides, he had heard it before. Carefully, Ned crept from his bed toward the sound and opened the drawer.

The stone was emitting an unusually bright light that pulsated in time with the surges of noise. Remembering the stick he had thrown at the pillar of light before finding the stone, Ned tossed a coin from the drawer at the stone, half expecting it to melt or explode. To his quiet relief, though, it simply bounced off. Ned tried touching the stone with other objects as well, making sure it was safe, and then picked it up with his hand. Immediately a warm feeling spread up his arm, dissipating as it went. The light from the stone dimmed slightly and steadied, and the noise stopped altogether. Although the stone was clearly visible with its corona of blue light, it hardly illuminated surrounding objects at all.

Ned was wide awake by now, and he had no desire to either put the stone down or to sleep. Instead, he studied the stone for several moments, trying to find out what it might be for. He came no closer to any conclusions than he had previously, though, and soon he decided to go downstairs and eat something. Still clutching the stone, Ned started toward the doorway.

Ned walked face-first into the door he thought he had left open. Sharp surges of blue light flashed outward from his body where it met the door, accompanied by a noise that sounded like a heavy object being dropped onto a steel grate. Ned could feel the door making contact with his body, but he felt no pain, as he expected to. He heard movement elsewhere in the house as the noise from the impact disturbed his sleeping family, and Ned quickly jumped back into bed, hoping no one would awaken and come to see what had happened. In his hand, Ned still clutched the stone.

The next morning, Ned was surprised to see that his door had a few minor, almost indistinguishable dents in it.

"What's the matter?" his mother asked him at breakfast.

"Nothing. I just had trouble sleeping last night." The truth, if not the complete truth. No one mentioned the loud noise; Ned happily assumed that they had all slept through it after all. Still, he couldn't hide his preoccupation, and Jared, his fifteen-year-old brother, kept glancing at Ned curiously.

Ned and Jared got along well, better than any set of siblings either of them knew. Jared seemed to admire Ned and looked up to him as a sort of role model, although Jared himself was more interested in school sports than anything Ned considered interesting. Ned, in return, appreciated Jared's companionship, and the two talked freely about just about everything. Ned had considered telling his brother about the stone he had found, and now, after the previous night's experience, he was beginning to think it would be a good idea. Jared couldn't possibly have a worse reaction than Ned had had; if nothing else, Ned could be relatively sure his brother would be willing to keep the matter a secret. So, after breakfast, Ned had Jared follow him back into the nearby forest.

When they were reasonably well-secluded, Ned first checked to make sure no one else was close enough to overhear anything and then brought the glowing stone out of his pocket. Jared looked at it with curiosity, although he was less interested in the object itself than in why Ned found it so important as to drag him out here in secret to see it. "What is it?" he asked.

"I found it lying on the ground not far from here about a week ago," Ned began. He had thought out his wording before he came, still thinking it unwise to mention the fact that the stone had apparently dropped out of space. "It always glows like this. Last night, though, I woke up and heard it making a sort of humming sound, and when I opened the drawer where I keep it, it was even brighter than this. It dimmed again when I touched it, and I started to go downstairs." Jared was listening intently now, not knowing how to take this odd information. "I had left my door closed, though, and I ran into it. There was a blue light and a noise like, I don't know, as if I had walked into a force field – I know it sounds weird. I didn't feel any pain, either."

Seeing that Ned was not joking and knowing that he wouldn't lie, Jared asked him, "Are you sure you were awake?" He still could not quite bring himself to believe what he was hearing.

"I was awake," Ned replied confidently. "Besides, there are marks on my door.

"That's weird," was all Jared could manage.

"I know," Ned continued. He was anxious to find out what this stone was for, but he was not sure of the best way to go about finding out. He said nothing for a time, hoping his brother would volunteer something.

"So, what you're saying is that this thing absorbs pain?"

Ned was pleased that Jared had drawn the same conclusion he had. "Maybe. I was thinking that maybe I should try it out again – maybe hit myself on the arm or something." Jared just stared, apparently all out of ideas on how to make this situation seem logical and now simply waiting to see what his brother would do. Ned picked up a stick and, flinching slightly, struck it against his left forearm. There was a blue flash, just like the previous night. Again, he felt contact but no pain. Ned repeated this a few times, each time striking himself harder, and each time the light seemed to absorb any damage to his body. Eventually the stick snapped, but there was no mark of any kind on Ned's arm.

"That's weird," Jared said again. "Where do you think it came from?"

"I don't know... I wonder how strong this thing is. How much damage do you think it can absorb?"

"I don't know," Jared said, "but I don't think we need to find out. What was that light? How could a rock make that light?"

"I don't get it either, but it looked neat! It wasn't just a light; it was like little pieces of lightning shooting off of my arm!" Ned was getting excited, but he was also becoming afraid, as he was sure his brother was. Jared was right – there was no way a rock could do that. "Jared, there's something I left out. This was lying on the ground, but not at first. I was walking through the trees that day, and I heard a noise, like the one last night. I walked toward it, and I saw a thin line of blue light that stretched from the ground into the sky. After a while I saw a blue ball of light at the top of it, and it was falling. It slowed as it fell, and when it touched the ground it was hardly moving at all." Ned let his words sink in for a moment. "Jared, I think this rock fell from space."

Jared had listened with eyes wide, his own fear now stronger than his curiosity. "Ned, I don't think you should keep it. Give it to the police, or even just throw it down a sewer or something. It could be dangerous. Besides, if it is ... you know, from another planet ... whoever it belongs to might come looking for it someday."

"Yeah, maybe I will," Ned replied, and then lapsed into silence. Perhaps he would give the stone up eventually, but he wanted to find out more about it first. Whatever he did, though, it was becoming clear that it would be wise to do it alone. If Jared had this strong of a reaction to it, there was no telling what anyone else would think or do.

As if to confirm his musing, Jared commented, "Can you imagine what Mom and Dad would say if they heard about this?"

Ned chuckled, then realized from Jared's serious expression that he had not intended the comment as a joke. "They'd freak out," he agreed. "Remember what happened when I asked them if I could drive to Uncle Dave's for the weekend?" Jared nodded. The suggestion of a day-long trip with a stay at a motel with no adult supervision might as well have been an act of heresy. "I guess I'd better not mention this to them," he ventured, hoping Jared would reveal something of his thoughts by his answer.

Jared nodded and gave Ned a knowing look. "It's not what you'd say that would freak them out," he said. "It's what might happen if you keep using it. You really should get rid of it."

Ned looked down, hoping to look pensive but really just wanting to avoid betraying his thoughts through eye contact. "I'll think of a good way to get rid of it," he said truthfully. He would think of a hypothetical plan. But he had no intention of acting on it. Not yet, anyway. When Jared did not reply, Ned put the stone back into his pocket, and then the two turned and started back toward their house.

Ned said nothing more to his brother about the stone that day or the next, and he kept it tucked away in his closet where it would be difficult for anyone to find, even if someone – Jared, for example – came looking for it. He wrapped it up inside several old shirts, too, hoping that they would stifle any noise the stone decided to make, hoping even more that it would just remain silent. Ned was troubled to find that, when he did put the stone away, he felt suddenly drained, as if he had just sprinted around the block. He put the matter aside, assuming it was just a result of the anxiety he felt about the stone.

He let a few days pass without removing the stone from its hiding place. With luck, Jared would assume he had gotten rid of the stone and forget about it. The stone made no noises as far as Ned could tell, and those days passed as if it had never existed; even Jared acted normally toward Ned, probably more than a little anxious to put the matter behind him. This was what Ned wanted. He had put the stone away not to put it out of his life, but to reduce the risk of suspicion when he took it out again.

Eventually, Ned considered the situation to be under control enough to warrant another testing of the stone's powers. He took it into the forest again; he would have preferred a more enclosed location, but he could not think of anywhere else in the area where he could be that far from other people. When he reached a safe spot, he took out the stone again and examined it. When he had taken it from its wrappings in his closet, the stone had again sent a feeling of warmth up his arm, and Ned could not deny the possibility that it had bonded itself to him in some way. Still, he saw no immediate danger, and his desire to know what this stone was, or at least what it could do, had grown into little less than an obsession. In his previous encounter, Ned had been particularly interested by the strange light that had accompanied the stone's protection of him. He repeated the act of hitting himself with sticks, as well as rocks and other objects he could find, and in different parts of his body. Ned learned that the objects did not have to come into direct contact with his body; the stone also protected his clothing from damage, although he was able to tear the shirt he wore (he had made it a point to put on an old one) when he himself was in no danger of being harmed. He also learned that he did not have to see an object for the stone to protect him from it; he ran backwards in random directions until he hit trees or stumbled to prove this, and he also threw rocks into the air, closed his eyes, and let them fall onto his head. He took out a match and found that he could not be burned, a pocket knife and found he could not be cut. Always protection was accompanied by a visible blue light. Ned was beginning to feel that, while he held the stone, he was invincible to all physical damage.

The blue light particularly fascinated Ned. As he had noted before, it was not merely a glow, but it seemed to shoot outward from his body in a cascade of sparks and lines of light. When he was satisfied as to the stone's ability to protect him, Ned wondered if he could make the strange light without doing something that should be harmful to himself. He did not know what the light was or where it came from, but the stone obviously created it or called it forth from somewhere, and Ned decided to try to call it forth on command. He failed miserably. He tried to picture a ball of the strange light resting in his hand and then call it into reality, but nothing happened. He tried to imagine a harmful object flying toward his body, but nothing happened. He tried concentrating harder, picturing images more vividly, but nothing had any effect. Apparently, the light was a protection and nothing more.

As he attempted to control the light, however, his mind kept returning to the question of where it was coming from. As far as Ned could tell, it did not originate in the stone itself. The stone's glow brightened slightly when its power was used, but the protective light always came from Ned himself. Could it be that the feeling of warmth Ned had felt was the stone injecting his body with whatever caused the light? He wished, in a way, that Jared were there, so the two of them could share the experience and compare ideas. Then a new idea began to take shape in Ned's mind. He found a large stick, sat down, closed his eyes, and brought the stick down as hard as he could on his foot. He smiled. Ned repeated this several times, with several objects, and each time he became more certain of what he was feeling. Even with his eyes shut, Ned could feel the discharge of energy that protected him. He could feel not only its presence, but also its location. At the time of impact, Ned thought he could also sense the position of the stone. According to this strange sense, the stone and the light did not appear to be connected, nor did the light seem to be coming from Ned's body at all. It seemed as though it was simply created where it was needed and then vanished when it was not.

Ned knew, however, that this was not the case, since matter and energy could not be created nor destroyed. That meant that they were either re-arranged to form the light, or that the light had come from somewhere Ned could not detect, possibly – did this make any sense? – another "plane of existence?" Ned was inclined to believe the latter, since nothing surrounding the light seemed to change in order to create it. If the light had really come from somewhere Ned could not detect, then there was a possibility that it was already everywhere; after all, the light seemed to just come and go, not to come from anywhere. Perhaps it was already everywhere it was needed. If that were the case, Ned thought expectantly, then all he needed to do now was to bring it from wherever it was to where it could be seen.

Could he do that? Could the stone help him? He decided to try. Again, Ned closed his eyes and sat down. He pressed the knife up against his leg with his left hand, the action no longer uncomfortable, so strong was his trust in the stone's protection. He could feel the protective energy's presence where the knife met the fabric of his jeans. Then Ned brought the thumb and index finger of his right hand together and tried to recreate that feeling between them. At first it was difficult. In fact, it was long minutes before Ned believed that he had even begun to access whatever gate there was between where the light was and where he wanted it, between its "dimension," if that was what it was, and his. Eventually, though, he began to feel something, a sort of connection to whatever form of energy lay just beyond his grasp. He let the knife drop to the ground, focusing all of his attention on the rift he was attempting to create between his thumb and index finger. At last, Ned was satisfied, and he opened his eyes. Nothing was apparently changed, but he had not expected to see anything different – not yet. He could still feel the power sparking between his thumb and index finger, and now, slowly, he drew them apart. A blue tendril of light flowed between their tips.

Ned sat, staring at the energy ribbon for a long time, feeling its image in his mind, making it as familiar to him as if it were the smell of his favorite food. He was awed by the light's beauty as it danced from thumb to finger and back, twisting, sparkling, and swirling. It was much more dynamic than the pillar of light he had seen at his first encounter with the stone, and that was his intent. Ned valued this new power to command this strange light even more than his ability to withstand pain. The endless possibilities reeled through his mind.

Ned decided to experiment. He let the light die between his fingertips, but then extended his hand, palm upward, and brought the light back, this time in a glowing sphere which hovered just over his palm. At first the light was chaotic, but after a while he was able to bring the sparkling waves of energy under control, and the sphere before him took on a look of tranquility, its inner movements little more than ripples.

Then another idea jumped into Ned's mind. He let the sphere vanish, stood up, then quickly extended his arm outward with his palm angled downward and his fingers splayed. A lightning-like bolt of energy lanced off his hand, tendrils of light surging along its surface. The bolt hit a tree several yards away, having no effect; none had been intended. But the visual effect had been impressive, and Ned felt more than a little excited. That looked so cool! I just shot lightning!

Ned had been away long enough, he decided; the entire process had taken nearly an hour. He hurried home and went to put the stone away, but a strange compulsion to hold onto it came over him as he was about to put it down. He decided to put it down anyway and began to open his fingers, but again the compulsion came, this time in the form of a physical inability to let go of the stone. Shocked, Ned put it back into his pocket, and there his fingers let go easily. He thought of changing pants, but that would be admitting that he literally could not let go of this object. He chose instead to reason that it would be wise to hold onto it, just in case he needed it or a situation arose to practice more.

Ned created many such situations over the following weeks. He became adept in manipulating the light, creating various shapes and formations with the strange blue energy. After a while Ned decided that he should put the light to some use, however unproductive, and saved up several pop cans, destined for destruction. He lined up the cans along a log in the forest one day and proceeded to blast energy out of his hand at them. At first the light struck them with no effect, but with some effort Ned was able to re-create the effect that occurred when harmful objects touched his body; the cans fell backward off the log when the light struck them. Ever motivated to improvement, Ned eventually learned to make the cans explode in impressive balls of energy, complete with rippling "shock waves" that shot outward in a ring. The blue light was becoming Ned's favorite hobby.

In fact, his successes with this new power had become such an important part of his life that he deeply regretted the fact that no one else knew about them. He had learned a great deal about the stone, as well – at least he thought he had. As far as Ned could tell, the stone was created to channel this power from wherever it was into its holder. It inherently used that power to protect that person from physical harm, and Ned supposed that the blue pillar he had seen as the stone fell from the sky was the stone's exertion of power in protection of itself; it would have been vaporized if it had fallen that distance unhindered, so it sent a beam of energy downward to slow its fall. It had been this powerful, downward thrust that had snapped the stick Ned had thrown into it. In addition to this new understanding, Ned was growing in confidence that whoever created this stone had long since given up on it. If it had traveled the billions of light years from a distant star it would have taken ... well, it might have taken longer than the life of a star! This stone may have been floating through space for longer than the Sun had existed! That was a mind-bending concept, but, more importantly, it meant that there was virtually no chance that the stone belonged to any aliens. Although, Ned thought abruptly, if they had dropped it out of their space ship... He put the thought aside. There was no use in speculating on something he could not determine the answer to.

But, despite his new knowledge and understanding, along with his desire to share this new part of his life, Ned decided to keep it a secret, at least for the time being. Maybe someday he would think of a practical use for his new skill, but once he made it public, there would be no going back. He did not want to rush something like that. Anyway, it gave Ned a new sense of confidence that he had single-handedly mastered a power that was apparently new to the planet Earth. To Ned, the light had become more than a strange discovery, more than a mysterious power. It was his power.

### Chapter 2

There was no time for a council of war, no time for the media to cover the event, no time to carry out evacuations. From the time Earth's satellites detected the swarm of unidentified objects there was scarcely over a minute before they were in plain view. Thirty-four black starfighters streaked out of the upper atmosphere like starved vultures and immediately opened fire on everything in sight. No one could make out a pattern from their attacks, at least not at first. Groups of the alien craft would swoop down in one location, occasionally land for a short time, and then move on to the next.

On multiple occasions Earth military forces were able to engage the alien fighters. When the first Earth missile struck its target and exploded, it revealed a protective energy field surrounding the alien craft; the alien ship was thrown off course but not damaged. This shielding gave way after multiple hits, however, and, since the aliens were far outnumbered, Earth forces achieved notable success when they were able to force battle.

Unfortunately, opportunities for battle were not frequent. The aliens' superior craft allowed them to escape quickly when they wanted to; the Earth aircraft could not even come close to keeping up with them at top speed. So, despite their inferiority in numbers, the aliens continued their mysterious raids for several hours, leaving a wake of destruction wherever they went.

Ned did not learn of the attacks until news reports of the event flooded his television; none of them had yet come near his town. At first he, like most people on Earth, could not bring himself to believe what he was hearing. Was the news playing some sort of cruel joke? But somehow that seemed unlikely. News reports showed people leaving cities in huge numbers, although no one had left Ned's neighborhood yet. After all, there was probably nothing in that small town that any aliens could possibly be interested in. Anything except... Ned walked quickly up the stairs to his room and took the blue stone out of his pocket. He always kept it with him now, afraid that he would be unable to let it go if he really tried. The stone was pulsating brightly.

Thousands of miles away, the alien squadron had gathered nearly all of the materials it needed to complete repairs on its damaged ships and depart. The rich planet had provided an abundance of most of the natural resources they required, although it did not appear to have any useful technology. Then, suddenly, their sensors detected a faint subspace signature. It would have been indistinguishable and insignificant on any more advanced world, but this was the only such signature in the entire star system except for emissions from the star itself, and it meant a hope of something that might speed the repair process. Even with their notable success in obtaining materials, time was running out, and they jumped at this possibility of finding something that might be of use to them. The aliens sent seven fighters to investigate the subspace reading and left the remainder of their squadron to complete repairs.

Ned could not believe what was happening. What had he done? Was it possible that this attack was a result of his taking the stone? Had he caused this? He could not stand to sit and worry in ignorance like that, so he returned downstairs and watched the news report. As he entered the room he saw that Jared was staring at him.

The reporter was saying, "We have just received word that their number has been reduced to twenty-four. The aliens have still made no detectable attempt at communication. They were last reported to have landed in northern Canada, but a small group of them appears to be moving south toward..."

Toward Ned's home.

Suddenly the entire community went into a state of virtual shock. Families rushed to load their cars with whatever necessities they could carry and leave before the streets became impossibly crowded. The news reported that the ships would be there in a matter of minutes.

"Ned!" Jared shouted. "Get rid of it!"

Ned's parents stared at him, stunned, wondering what Jared was talking about. Slowly, Ned removed the glowing stone from his pocket. There was no time for any explanation. He said simply, "I've got to get this as far away from here as possible."

"Ned, what is ..." his father began, but Ned was already running out the door. Jared tried to keep his parents from following, but they broke past him at a run. Already the streets were too crowded to make driving a reasonable possibility, so Ned hurried back toward the trees. Maybe they would look there first, since that was where it had landed, and, besides, if he headed anywhere else there would be people everywhere, and that would slow him down. Jared and his parents were all faster runners than Ned, and they caught up with him before he had run a block. Jared had already explained to them in shorthand everything he knew about the stone.

"Nedward! Just throw it away!" his mother shouted at him after the three of them had stopped him.

Ned was breathing heavily, totally overwhelmed by the terror of what he had apparently done. "I can't!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, even though his family was standing right in front of him. "Just stay at the house, and I'll be back as soon as I can!"

Jared had given up reasoning with his brother; he grabbed at the stone in Ned's clutched fingers. A sharp bolt of energy knocked his hands away. "I can't let go of it! Just get away!" Ned yelled, then started to run again. His family tried to hold him back, but this time the blue light forced them away. They followed Ned for a time, but after a while their confusion and fear overrode their drive to pursue him. Realizing there was nothing they could do to stop Ned, they slowed to a stop and stared after him.

Ned ran through the trees as fast as he could. He tripped and fell several times, but, feeling no pain, he got up and bolted ahead again. He thought at first to go to the spot where he had found the stone, but then changed his mind. There was a relatively large clearing ahead, and that might be a better place. He could only hope the aliens would come to him and leave the town alone. Ned tried to go over in his mind what he should do. Should he just hold the stone up to them and hope they beamed it away somehow? Should he just run and try to draw them as far away from his family as possible? When Ned finally reached the clearing, he tried to throw the stone to the ground, but it clung to his hand even when he spread his fingers. He could not let it go. This was a nightmare. Ned's mind was still reeling from the apparent impossibility of this entire experience, at his stupidity in keeping an alien object, and at his total inability to take control of even himself. He was beginning to feel that there was nothing he could do.

His attention was snatched away by what he saw out of the corner of his eye. Several black spots in the sky were streaking toward him. He quickly identified them as the alien fighters he had seen on television. Momentarily he was impressed by their appearance; they looked like shiny, black jets but they were larger than most fighter jets he knew of and they were more detailed – less aerodynamic, but they were probably primarily space vehicles anyway, so it wouldn't matter... That impression took only a fraction of a second to die. Most of the fighters broke off to the left and right and flew out over the town, although none of them had fired any weapons yet. Three fighters were still left, and they were headed directly toward where Ned stood, and they were slowing. Ned wanted desperately to run, but he had already decided to stay there. So, he did the only other thing he could think of. Both hands raised and pointed toward the foremost of the three alien ships, his fists intertwined, the blue stone locked between them. Ned gathered the blue light around his hands in a sizzling ball of energy and then fired it at the fighter with all of his might.

The ship was close now, although it was moving no faster than a car would, and Ned watched as the energy blast hammered into the front of it. A greenish, transparent bubble became visible around the fighter – a shield? There was no apparent effect at all on the ship itself. Ned was just too weak to do any damage. Finally he let the energy beam die, his strength spent. As he gazed toward the approaching ship he saw a flash of red under one wing, and there was nothing he could do but stare in horror as the red ball of energy sped toward him and engulfed him in its fiery explosion.

Ned's family watched in silence as the enemy ship hovered over the forest and fired blast after blast into the trees. They had seen the blue light and could only assume it had come from the stone Ned carried, but none of them managed to say or do anything; this entire event was totally impossible to them, as well, and they stood there gripped in an assortment of shock, horror, and desperation. Strangely, none of the other ships had fired. As far as they knew, this was the first encounter with these aliens in which they had not destroyed everything in sight. Perhaps they really were looking for something and were afraid they might damage it if they attacked. It was all so overwhelming...

Suddenly, green streaks of light shot downward from the sky and obliterated one alien ship after the other. They tried to fly off, but this new attack destroyed every one of them within thirty seconds. The entire town stared upward in amazement as something descended from the sky. When it came closer they all realized that it was another alien ship. It was much larger than the alien fighters – larger than an office building – and it was bulkier, not at all shaped like any Earthly aircraft. It hovered over the town for a moment, and then a hatch opened in the side of the ship's hull. A smaller craft emerged and slowly settled toward the ground. Jared and his parents watched it as it flew into the trees and landed, out of sight.

Captain Smardwurst Varlon stepped out of the shuttlecraft and into the clearing, followed by his companions, many of whom spread out to secure the area and put out the fires that were burning in the surrounding trees. The entire area had been scorched by the torpedo blasts, but a young man lay unconscious in the center, showing no visible sign of injury. His hand was clenched over something that was pulsating with a blue light.

Smardwurst walked over to the man. The medic checked him over and declared that he was alive and apparently unharmed, except that he had been in shock, which had caused him to lose consciousness. The medic said that there was nothing he could do, so Smardwurst simply stood there, waiting.

Slowly, Ned opened his eyes and almost screamed. The figure in front of him had to be one of the aliens. It was humanoid, but it was wearing a space suit, so Ned could not see any of its body. The suit, though, did not look like it was made on Earth, and the figure's features were all larger than those of anyone Ned had ever seen; the suit itself was well over seven feet tall. Ned soon calmed down, though. The people standing to the left and right of the figure looked like they were from Earth, and even if they weren't, they did not look hostile. In fact, they looked rather shocked. Ned was suddenly shocked that he was still alive. His attack had failed, and he had taken that to mean that his power over the strange light was insufficient to protect him. He felt completely well, though, and he rose to his feet without difficulty.

Then the figure in the suit stepped forward. "Hello," he said in a low, guttural voice. "I am Captain Smardwurst Varlon of the StarBlazer Alliance. We have destroyed the fleet of Yendarian fighters that attacked your planet. Are you all right?"

Ned smiled then. Apparently he was making first contact with an alien race! And this would explain why the fighters were gone; other aliens had arrived and destroyed them. He extended his hand, and, to his surprise, Captain Varlon grasped and shook it. "I am Nedward Simmons of Earth," Ned said, trying not to sound ceremonious. "Thank you. And yes, I'm all ri..." Ned's jaw dropped open. "You speak English."

"We, too, were rather shocked when we monitored transmissions from you planet in our language. I suppose there is much that we both must learn. I will contact the leaders of your governments before I leave, but I must speak with you first. We picked up a subspace signature that appears to have come from the object you now hold. It is the only one on your planet. If I may ask, where did you get it?"

Ned suddenly remembered his part in all of this. "I'm sorry. Here, you can have it back. I tried to get rid of it, but ..."

Smardwurst cut him off. "No, it is not ours. We simply wish to know how someone in a society that apparently does not have subspace technology has come to possess such an object. More specifically, we wish to know how you survived being struck by a round of Phantom torpedoes."

Captain Varlon, who asked to be called Smardwurst, sent Ned out along with some of his crew to pick up his family, and then he brought the four of them onto his ship to discuss the situation. Seated around a table in a small conference room along with Smardwurst and a few of his crewmembers, Ned recounted his whole experience with the stone in detail. He could have left out parts, but he was tired of carrying the burden of such a significant secret, and he told it all. When he was done, he felt much better, and his family was calming down, as well.

"That is a most interesting story," Smardwurst said when Ned had finished. Now, let me tell you at least some of what I know about this situation. I am a freighter captain and a member of the StarBlazer Alliance, as I mentioned. StarBlazer is, to put it simply, an organization that has broken free from the Anacron Empire, which holds most of the explored space in the galaxy. We are now fighting a war to protect our independence. Earlier this morning, which for you was late last night, we were fighting a battle against the Yendarians, who were working for the Anacron Empire. The Yendarian fighter you have just encountered came from that battle. Part way through the battle, those fighters disappeared without a trace. We feared that the Empire had developed a new transportation system, so I followed them, along with an escort of our own starfighters. What we discovered is this: there is some kind of spatial vortex that links this part of space to ours; we live on the other side of the galaxy from you, and no one from any civilization we know of has ever come this far into space. When we came out, we were still several hours from your planet, even at maximum warp. It had taken us a while to find the vortex's entrance, so the Yendarians had a significant lead on us. Apparently they were trying to make repairs on their ships so they would be able to escape us and return to the vortex before we overtook them. They failed in this; even as we met you, our starfighters destroyed the remaining Yendarian ships. We would have gone back immediately ourselves if it had not been for this strange incident. This stone you have, Nedward, is a curious thing. May I ask you, what is it that you plan to do with it?"

Ned thought a moment. "Well, before this attack I planned to keep it a secret. I didn't think it would be wise to let people know about such a strange thing. I'd give it to you, if I could. Maybe I can find a way now. But if not, I guess I'll just keep it a secret still, unless I find a practical use for it. I can't think of one." After saying it, Ned realized that maybe he was trying not to think of a useful purpose.

"I can certainly think of one," Smardwurst said. "That kind of power could prove to be extremely useful in battle, especially if it could be duplicated."

"Well, here," Ned offered. "Take it." Ned arose and walked over to Smardwurst, the stone resting in his outstretched hand.

Smardwurst rose as well. "Thank you," he said. "This will be a great aid to our Alliance, if ..." He reached toward the stone, but a blue energy field deflected his hand. Ned tried to set the stone down on the table, but, again, it clung to him. "We might try a few different methods of removing that stone," Smardwurst said, "but I doubt that we will be successful. If it can absorb the kind of energy it did today, I do not believe that anything we have will be able to take it from you. If this is the case, Mr. Simmons, I would like you to consider the option of returning with us. You do not need to decide now, but we must leave soon; there is no way of knowing how stable the vortex is, and we do not wish to risk being stranded here."

Ned was shocked. The thought of space travel had always been intriguing, but to leave his planet behind to risk his life in a distant war did not exactly seem like the ideal scenario. "How long are you talking about? I mean, I'd love to come for a while and see the rest of the galaxy, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be much use to you in a war, no matter how much protection this stone gives me. Besides, I'd be leaving my entire life behind."

"Nedward, again I assure you that if you come we will be able to find ample use for your power. I cannot promise you complete safety, but if the power we witnessed today is at all reliable, I doubt that much could possibly harm you. As to the duration of your stay, that is difficult to say. Of course, if you ever decided to return home, we would make every reasonable effort to return you. However, it is likely that the vortex through which we came is shrinking. In other words, this end is drawing farther and farther from Earth, and the far end is traveling farther and farther from our space. Without the vortex, the space in-between would be impossible to cross in less than a few decades – in Anacronian years, which are longer than yours. The time when a quick return becomes impossible may not come for decades, or it may be only a matter of hours."

Ned's father, who had remained silent for the entire conversation, suddenly spoke. "Ned, you can't just run off into space just because you have something that people in another solar system could use. You're needed here, and you'd be leaving behind everything you know, everything you love, and everything you understand. You ..."

"I think you're right," Ned interjected. Then, turning to Smardwurst, he added, "I suppose I should consider it for a while, though. Can you drop us off and come back tomorrow?"

"I will if you wish it," Smardwurst said, "but it would probably be safer for you to remain onboard. There were probably many people who saw you come up with us, and their reactions to your return may be unpredictable. However, if you like, I will send some of my people to watch over your home."

"Yes, we'd appreciate that," Ned said.

As the group returned to the shuttlecraft launch bay, Smardwurst said, "Ned, I understand that what I ask of you is no small thing, and I will understand fully if you refuse. But there is one other thing I would like you to consider. Dark Viper has been pushing the boundaries of his Empire ever since he came to power, regardless of who happens to live within those boundaries and how they feel about him. It may be centuries before the Empire stretches this far across the galaxy, but if we lose this war, the time may come. There is no way to tell, and the risk may be negligible, but in aiding us you might give immeasurable aid to your own planet, as well."

Smardwurst's shuttle then returned Ned and his family to their home, along with an escort of six of Smardwurst's security officers, all armed. No neighbors, reporters, or government agents attempted to contact them; either Smardwurst had sent some communication to keep them away, or else everyone was still too frightened to approach. Either way, the Simmons family was glad for the privacy. They had a lot to talk about.

From Ned's parents' perspective, the matter was actually quite simple.

"You aren't seriously considering going, are you?" His mother asked.

"It's insane," his father interjected, perhaps to himself.

"I don't know," Ned admitted frankly. He did not really want to discuss the matter, but he was tired of keeping his thoughts hidden. "These people did rescue me; if there's something I can do to help them without putting myself at risk, then it seems reasonable to do it."

"You have no idea what the risk would be," his father pointed out.

Ned could not argue with that, so instead he continued on his previous line of thinking. "If I do stay, governments are going to want to know what happened here. It's not like we can go back to the way things were before. They'll be asking me the same thing – to go on military assignments where other soldiers would otherwise have to risk their lives."

"At least you'd be fighting for our government, on our planet," Jared said, although their mother's scowl made it clear that she was not very pleased with that suggestion either.

"With an alien device," Ned said. And if someone finds a way to capture me and take the stone away?"

"No one knows about the stone!" Mr. Simmons was practically shouting. "You can hide it. Stop using it. People will ask questions for a while and then forget about it. We can move if we have to. But you are not a soldier. You don't know a thing about space travel. It's not even supposed to be possible! You cannot be manipulated into leaving your family over something like this."

I'll be leaving my family for college soon anyway, Ned thought, but he knew that was not really an argument. It was not that he wanted to leave; it was just that it was becoming harder and harder to imagine his life going back to the way it was now that he knew that there were aliens out there and that they wanted this strange object that he had been carrying around and could not let go of. But at the same time, what his family was saying made sense. Being worried and confused did not imply an obligation to leave.

"I think you're right," he said after a while, and everyone seemed to relax just a little. "At the very least, I need more time to think. They're the ones in a hurry, not me. Maybe if I go long enough without using the stone, it will let me give it up and they can go. If they really want it, they can wait."

It was not exactly the sentiment his family had been hoping for, but it was enough for the moment. Everyone was exhausted, and they hurried off to bed and whatever sleep they could get.

It was past midnight when Ned awoke to the sound of laser blasts. He shouted to wake up Jared and their parents, and all of them ran out into the hall, making sure they were all okay. Outside, the sounds of battle were growing louder. Everyone ran downstairs toward the basement, half wondering what was happening, half not caring and simply wishing this whole matter to be over. They had not even made their way down the stairs to the house's main level, though, when the front door splintered apart and a strange figure dashed through the opening. Like Smardwurst, the thing wore a suit that covered its entire body, but its limbs were long and spindly and its head was oblong; it was obviously not human, and it did not appear to be one of Smardwurst's crew. It carried no weapon, but it immediately dashed toward Jared, who was the farthest down the stairs.

"No!" shouted Ned, the power of the stone suddenly flaring within him. Acting more out of instinct than logic, he dashed forward and threw Jared behind him. As the alien figure reached out for him, Ned extended one arm and threw a bolt of energy into it. He was mildly surprised when the alien fell backward, but then it was up again and lunged at Ned, wrapping its strong arms around him. Ned stumbled backwards with the alien on top of him, its purple, reptilian face vaguely visible through its helmet visor. But then blue fire erupted all around Ned, burning into the alien's suit, protecting Ned from the crushing force of his attacker's body. A moment later the creature was up again. It leaped over Ned and ran at his family, who had retreated back into one of the upstairs rooms. Now anger burned through Ned's body like molten metal. He would not let this monster touch his family. He extended his arm once again and sent another blast of energy into the alien, throwing it against the wall. He fired again and again, the power of the blasts growing with each attack as his anger gave fuel to the light. The alien struggled to get up, but each time it arose another blast hammered it to the ground. Finally someone rushed in from the open door, calling out that he was here to help. He ran up the stairs until he could see the alien, then raised the blaster in his hand and fired a stream of red light at the creature. It fell once again and did not get up.

Ned did not appear to see the man. He was resting on one knee at the top of the stairs, panting heavily, staring at the fallen alien, his eyes mere slits below his brow. Surges of blue energy trailed all over his body like sidewinders. Moments later several more of Smardwurst's officers entered the home to bring the Simmons family to safety. They stepped carefully past Ned, not attempting to even touch him as his power continued to crawl visibly over his body.

After she calmed down, Ned's mother walked up to him, bent down, and whispered softly, "Ned. Ned, can you hear me?" He did not answer, or even look at her. She crouched there for several moments, not knowing what to do. She called his name several more times, but he did not respond.

Finally, Jared walked over to his brother, motioning for his mother to step away. "Ned!" he shouted. "It's me, Jared! Wake up!" Jared reached out then and took Ned by the shoulders. Suddenly Ned stood up, and a violent yell escaped his throat. Blue light erupted all around him, and Jared was thrown back several feet, the entire front of his body seared. Then Ned collapsed onto the ground, the light gone, his breathing normal. He was unconscious.

### Chapter 3

Ned Simmons awoke from a dreamless sleep in a room he did not recognize. He felt well, but his memory of the events immediately preceding his period of unconsciousness was only beginning to return. He raised himself onto his elbows and looked around. He was lying on one of several beds in a large room filled with equipment that he guessed was medical; the room had the feel of a hospital. "He's awake," Ned heard someone say, and then his family came into view through an open doorway near one end of the room. Suddenly Ned was bombarded by exclamations from his concerned family. They wanted to know how he felt and what he knew about what had happened, but it was all too overwhelming, and Ned just sat there, trying to figure things out. He remembered now; he had tried to use his power to protect his family, but it had not been enough at first, so he had called forth the power again and again until the exertion of it became all he could think about. When the alien had finally fallen, Ned had ceased his attack, but the power had still dominated every part of his conscious mind. Then he had felt something touch him, something he had not recognized, and he had ... Jared! Ned leaped out of bed, startling everyone with his sudden movement. But then he saw Jared sitting on an empty bed nearby. There were no visible injuries. Ned sighed with relief.

"Ned, are you okay?" his father asked again. Ned began to respond, but he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps from behind him. He turned and saw Smardwurst Varlon, still wearing his protective suit. Ned found himself wondering why. Was this atmosphere harmful to him? Was it possible that this was not a suit at all, but that Smardwurst was a robot? In any case Ned did not think it would be wise to ask, at least not now.

Cheerfully, Smardwurst said, "Well, I see you're all right, Nedward. Good. Now, let's all eat, and then we will attempt to determine what has happened, and what we should do about it."

"I'm all right," Ned assured his family as they walked to the dining room or mess hall or whatever these aliens called it. During the meal, which appeared to be Earth food, Ned wanted desperately to say something, to understand and to have everyone else understand what was going on, but no one else said anything, so Ned was obliged to remain silent as well. When they were done and someone came and carried their dishes away, Smardwurst spoke.

"Only a day has passed, and we are again faced with a set of rather strange events. Again, I believe I can clear a few things up, and then, Mr. Simmons," indicating Ned with a nod, "I believe you can, as well.

"As far as we have been able to determine, this is what happened: Some of the Yendarians ejected from their craft before they were destroyed and tracked our shuttle to your home. Perhaps they planned to steal your stone, or perhaps they merely wanted to cause more destruction before being captured, which they surely would have been eventually. I had stationed several guards around your home, but had I suspected that there were surviving Yendarians on this planet I would not have even returned you to the surface. They are trained in battle from their early childhood, and my guards were barely able to keep them from doing more damage than they did. As you know, one eventually did make it to your house, although one of my people had already destroyed its weapon, which is extremely fortunate. My people contacted me as soon as the fighting started and it took only a few minutes for me to get close enough to be of any help, and by then it was all over. From what I have heard, the story is probably more interesting from your side. Nedward?"

"I suppose it is," Ned said. When I saw that alien, I panicked, and all I could think about was protecting my family. I knew that the stone's power had some use as a weapon; I told you about how I destroyed small objects with it. I used it on the alien, but it wasn't enough, so I just kept using it, each time trying to call forth more power. After a short time it was all I could think about, and the exertion of the power became the only important thing to me. Then the alien stopped moving and there was nothing to attack, but I still couldn't let the power go. It was like asking myself to quit breathing. So I just sat there, the power surging through me but not doing anything, but I wanted it to, and then I felt something touch me and I let it go ..." Ned trailed off, and his eyes dropped to the table in front of him. He did not want to meet anyone's gaze. "I didn't realize until I woke up that it was you, Jared. I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Jared said reassuringly. "These guys fixed me up, and I feel fine."

"Let's just go home and forget about this whole thing," prompted Ned's mother. "Mr. Varlon can make sure there aren't any more of those aliens and we can go back to our normal lives."

Ned had noticed that his whole family had avoided talking to the aliens as much as they could. "Back to our normal lives..." They must still think that's possible, Ned thought. "I need to think for a moment."

"About what?" asked his father.

"He is right," Smardwurst said, starting to leave and motioning for the others to follow him. He has been through quite a bit – more than any of us realize. We should leave him alone for a while."

Ned's family reluctantly followed Smardwurst after wishing Ned luck. Ned could tell by the looks on their faces that they were afraid. He did not blame them. "Smardwurst," Ned suddenly called out, "can you come here a moment?" Smardwurst turned, hesitated, and walked over to where Ned was sitting. They heard the door close as Ned's family left the room; Ned did not even want to consider what they were thinking about his request for Smardwurst to stay but for them to leave. Smardwurst sat down in the chair next to Ned, and Ned looked up into the other's opaque helmet visor. He could see his own tense face reflected in it. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and then began.

"First of all, I'd like to thank you for everything you've done for us. There's no telling what would have happened if you hadn't been here. I've thought a lot about what you said yesterday, but I'd like to ask you a few questions first." Smardwurst nodded, and Ned continued. "First of all – please don't take offense at this – why do you wear that space suit everywhere? I mean, no one else on this ship does. Is our air toxic to you?"

Smardwurst was silent for a moment, and Ned wished he could see his face. "That is a good question, one which I would have had to answer soon, anyway, but I am glad you asked. No, your air is not toxic. In fact, it would be considered ideal on nearly every world I have been to or heard of that has intelligent life. It is difficult to know how to explain this without frightening you... Nedward Simmons, as I am sure you can imagine, there are many different forms of life in the galaxy, even among sentient races. Most look like you, but not all. I am one of the latter." Ned continued to fix his gaze at Smardwurst's visor, but his eyes widened as Smardwurst spoke, and his heart rate quickened. This was not entirely unexpected, but Ned could not hold back his feelings of excitement and fear. What did Smardwurst look like? Would Ned be able to live in close contact with him? How should Ned react if this alien was so hideously ugly that even looking at him was impossible? "I kept this suit on in your presence so that I would not frighten you, but if you are to make an educated decision as to whether or not you should follow me into space that is totally unknown to you, I suppose you should see what I look like. Do you agree?" Ned nodded.

Smardwurst tapped a panel at his right wrist and then pulled the glove off of that hand, then removed his other glove in the same way. Ned could not help staring. He had tentatively assumed that Smardwurst's features looked larger because of the width of his suit, but apparently this was not the case; his hands were half again as large as any Ned had seen. But this was not what shocked Ned. Smardwurst's hands were colored a dark shade of green, and they had a bumpy, leathery texture, much like Ned imagined a dinosaur's skin would have been like. Other than that, though, they seemed rather normal, and Ned's shock lasted only a moment. At least they were not dripping with slime or covered with spikes. Ned looked back up into Smardwurst's visor, but still could not think of anything appropriate to say. Smardwurst tapped another panel on his arm and then reached up to his helmet. Slowly, he lifted it off.

Despite the fact that Smardwurst's face looked totally alien to him, Ned smiled. Smardwurst's face had the same color and texture as his hands, and he had the same basic facial features familiar to Earth, but similarity stopped there. Smardwurst's enormous eyes protruded from the top of his head like those of a frog. His mouth stuck forward in a bulge that occupied most of his face, and rows of sharp teeth smiled out at Ned. Smardwurst's nostrils were mere holes in his face; no nose was visible. His ears also lacked external organs beyond holes on the sides of his head.

"Well, you appear to still be conscious," Smardwurst said pleasantly. Perhaps Ned had seen so many movie special effects that this experience did not seem as unusual to him as it might have, but he was not at all intimidated by Smardwurst's unusual appearance. Despite his strange face, Ned could easily make out familiar expressions as Smardwurst spoke. Smardwurst's bulging eyes blinked back at Ned with all of the friendliness and compassion that had been previously conveyed by his voice alone. Ned arose from his chair and extended his hand.

"Again, it's nice to meet you, Smardwurst," he said. Smardwurst also rose and grasped Ned's hand. His green skin was warm and his grip was strong. He was a full foot taller than Ned, but notwithstanding the unfathomable differences between the two, Ned felt oddly comfortable around him.

Ned looked away, realizing that he was going to have to make a decision soon. His heart raced and his palms tingled a bit as the weight of the decision he was making settled on him. In the end, he supposed that his decision was already made; it was just figuring out how to tell everyone that was the trouble. "There's an alien power inside me," he said solemnly, still looking away. "I don't understand it, and apparently I can barely control it. It can protect me, but already it has drawn the attention of two armies, and it has hurt my family. I can't leave it here where it can do more damage. Ned looked up into Smardwurst's big, frog-like eyes. "I hope you've been thinking up some good uses for this stone. It looks like you're going to be able to be able to use them after all."

"What is he doing in there?" Mrs. Simmons asked.

"I don't know," her husband said, "but I'm worried."

"Do you think he's going to go?" said Jared.

"Certainly not!" his mother replied. She did not want to even entertain the idea of her son flying off into space.

Several minutes passed in silence as the three tried unsuccessfully to contemplate the situation in a way that made it emotionally manageable. First the alien attack, then Ned's bizarre blue light, then this business of him leaving, and then another attack, and now he had asked his family to leave the room while he discussed who-knew-what with a stranger. An alien! Ned's family more than wanted the situation to be resolved and forgotten as much as possible. They needed it.

The door hissed open suddenly, and the tall figure of Smardwurst Varlon stepped through, the door closing behind him. He was again wearing his full suit; neither he nor Ned felt it wise to give Ned's family any more to worry about than was necessary. "Ned wants a few more minutes," he said, "and then he wants you to go in." Smardwurst then strode down the corridor, out of sight.

Ned was deep in concentration, his eyes fixed on what was happening in front of him. A blue coil of light wrapped around a thick tube of the same light, and the two forms became one and formed into a pyramid. Balls of energy flew out of the corners of the room and struck it. The pyramid exploded into a sphere which was then ripped apart by first one and then another, faster wave of sizzling blue light. Then a blast of lightning ripped downward from the ceiling and wiped out all of the remaining debris. Ned let out a breath. He had been through exercises like this countless times, practicing his use of the blue light. Now, like before, he had felt that he was in complete control of the light and that, as far as formation was concerned, his ability to manipulate it was limited only by his imagination, although he had noticed that it was physically draining to use the light for very long. The point, though, was that he had not lost control. Ned had been running through this exercise in an attempt to determine exactly what had happened. He now believed that he would not be able to do that unless and until it happened again. If it did, though, Ned was fully determined to make sure it did not happen around his family.

Ned fired a bolt of energy across the room and hit the panel that operated the door. It opened, and his family stepped through, still bewildered and frankly terrified. Before any of them could speak, Ned began to explain himself. "I have been over this again and again, and I still can't figure out what happened last night. I can apologize all I want, but the fact remains that I don't know as much about this power or have as much control over it as I thought. We already know that it's useless for me to try to give up the stone. If I stay, there's a good chance that I'll lose control of myself again, and next time there won't be an alien doctor around to help. I can't take that risk. I have to go."

It did not take long for Ned's words to sink in. "No!" everyone was suddenly shouting at him.

"You don't have to!"

"It will be all right!"

"Just come home!"

Ned looked at them, wanting to believe them, suddenly wishing along with them that he had never found that cursed rock. He suddenly broke down in tears and fell into their arms. "Come home, Ned," his mother whispered into his ear.

Then Ned regained control of himself, stood up, and looked her in the eye. "I will," he said. "But not until I have mastered this power and I'm sure I'll never lose control like that again. It might take a week, or it might take the rest of my life. But I'd be leaving soon, anyway – you know that. College starts in less than two months, and after that who knows where I'd go? And you don't have to worry about me. You heard Smardwurst, and you saw those torpedo blasts. Nothing can hurt me! And who wouldn't want to go into space and see alien civilizations? Besides, there are billions of people out there whose lives are being destroyed by an interstellar war, and there just might be something I can do about it. I'll be okay. And I'll come back when I'm done."

There was nothing anyone could say to contradict him. He had made up his mind to leave, and his reasoning was flawless. That was the hardest day in any of Ned's family members' lives, including his, up to that point, but now at least the course ahead seemed clearer.

Ned's family finally conceded, and Smardwurst dropped them off at home while he made contact with various world leaders and informed them in vague terms of what had happened. He refused the many petitions to at least leave behind some of his technology for Earth to use and learn about; he felt that, since Earth was still divided among so many nations and since so many of its people still harbored such strong hatred toward one another, new technology would be detrimental if not destructive. Besides, he reasoned, if the wrong side prevailed and StarBlazer someday made contact again, it might be devastating if Earth had developed into even more of a threat than Anacron was. This all took only the rest of the day. In the evening, Captain Varlon returned in his shuttle, alone this time, to pick up his new passenger.

"I'll be back!" Ned called to his family as he stepped onto the shuttle.

"We love you!" They shouted back at him. "I love you, too," he whispered as he watched his house grow smaller and smaller through the viewport. The window, Ned! he thought. It's still okay to call it a window!

Ned was unpacking some of his things in the room Smardwurst had assigned him. Smardwurst had told him that he wouldn't be staying aboard that ship for long – Green Scorpion, it was called – but Ned still wanted to make himself as comfortable as possible. The door beeped, and Ned called for whoever it was to come in.

"How are you?" Smardwurst asked as he entered the room.

"All right, I guess. There's a lot to think about."

Smardwurst nodded understandingly. "Come with me for a moment. We've reached orbit, and we're about ready to leave."

Ned followed Smardwurst down a short series of light-grey corridors to a room with a large window. From it Ned could see the squadron of starfighters that had accompanied Smardwurst, and behind them the large ball of the Earth suspended in space.

Smardwurst smiled and said, "I remember when I first saw my homeworld from space – Zalorus, it is called. I was only ..."

"I can feel it," Ned said, not listening to Smardwurst at all. He was staring at Earth with wide eyes. "The whole planet is pulsating with power – tremendous power. I guess I couldn't feel it down there because the power around me was pulsating with it. But now..." Ned trailed off for a moment, then continued. "People worry about the ozone layer deteriorating, rainforests being cut down, nuclear war. They worry that humans will destroy the Earth. But that won't happen. I've never imagined such power. Nothing I've ever seen or heard of could ever destroy that planet."

Smardwurst listened as Ned spoke, curious but not understanding at all. When Ned finished, though, Smardwurst turned his head so Ned would not see his expression. "Nothing I've ever seen or heard of..." But Smardwurst knew of things that defied Ned's imagination, let alone his knowledge.

After a while Ned turned to Smardwurst. "Let's go," he said.

Smardwurst spoke into the communicator on his wrist. "Varlon here. Take us back to the vortex." Whoever was on the other end acknowledged, and Ned watched as Earth moved farther away until it looked no larger than a marble. Then, he guessed, the warp drive kicked in. There was a bright flash, Earth disappeared, and Ned began to be able to detect the movement of the stars in relation to Smardwurst's ship and the accompanying starfighters, although of course the parallax movement was slow due to their huge distance. Then he turned again to Smardwurst. "Now, I believe there are a few things I need to learn."

Smardwurst smiled. "Yes, I suppose there are. The first is that in space you can't rely on light and dark to tell you when to sleep. I think our discussion can wait for about eight hours."

### Chapter 4

As Smardwurst lay in bed that night – it was called "night" even though Green Scorpion was nowhere near a star – he reflected on the past few days and quickly came to the conclusion that he was glad he had pursued the Yendarians into the vortex. His new shipmate seemed to be taking well to the drastic change in environment; Smardwurst guessed that, in a way, this trip across the galaxy was a dream come true for Nedward. Then there was the matter of the crystal. Even if Nedward did not develop remarkable skills in combat, his power could certainly be used for something that would aid the Alliance. It was going to be a pleasure, Smardwurst thought, to introduce Nedward to this vast new society. It would be almost unreasonably easier than it would be if Nedward had been from anywhere else in the galaxy. That was almost as much as a mystery as the matter of the glowing stone – how could Earth speak the same language as the entire region of explored space even though it was nowhere near it and had had no contact with it? Well, at least not any recent contact. Smardwurst reasoned that there must be some connection with Earth and Anacron. In fact, it was rather likely that...

Smardwurst's thoughts trailed off. General Marnax would undoubtedly know much more on the subject, and the question would probably be answered soon enough.

This recent experience had even deeper significance to Smardwurst, however. From the time he had officially joined StarBlazer he had been convinced that he was justified in the decision to do so, even though it meant defying the government under which even his homeworld was still ruled; the idea of one person governing billions without their consent or influence, no matter how well he did so, was fundamentally wrong. But, although he never questioned StarBlazer's motives, he had recently begun to question its chances. The Alliance had won several major victories early on, mostly due to the fact that much of the Anacronian military had broken away and joined the Alliance, taking a great deal of advanced technology with it, and due to the fact that those early battles were fought on the fringes of explored space, where the Empire had been hesitant to launch a full-scale attack, believing that the revolts were inconsequential and would go away rather than escalate. But now that the conflict had escalated to a full war, The Anacron Empire had brought its full strength to bear, and StarBlazer victories had become less frequent and less complete than in the past.

And then there was the matter of the strange power that the Emperor held, as did, according to rumor and disputed history, some of his servants. So far, that power had been absent from Anacronian attacks. Apparently, the Emperor was content to let his unmatched military forces crush the rebellion that he must consider his last obstacle in the way of conquering every known inhabited world. Smardwurst had the feeling that, even if StarBlazer began to prevail militarily, it would ultimately fail unless it could come up with a way to stand against the Emperor's power; certainly that had been the downfall of the previous enemy to the Empire, although somewhat indirectly. This thought had begun to gnaw at Smardwurst recently, and an increasingly large part of him was beginning to lose hope in this cause that was already considered by some to be lost. But maybe, if the Alliance acted quickly and wisely enough, the power of this stone could stand against the Emperor's might. Maybe Nedward Simmons of Earth was what StarBlazer needed to survive. If that turned out to be the case, then Smardwurst would have to do a good job of preparing him for the task. Stone or not, there were things both known and unknown that Nedward would not be able to face by himself, and he might have to face them soon.

This train of thought was keeping Smardwurst awake, and he allowed his mind to drift off to other things. He would be through the vortex soon, and then he would introduce Nedward to General Marnax. Plans beyond that would have to wait.

Smardwurst awoke early the next morning so that his guest would not have to wait for him. Nedward would surely be desperately anxious to learn about the places to which he would be traveling. Smardwurst went to the ship's kitchen and brought out some of a supply of Earth food which he had brought with him, just in case Nedward had difficulty adapting to the new menu, and brought it into his guest's room. Ned was still asleep, and Smardwurst shook him gently. Ned opened his eyes, feeling refreshed after his sleep. The sight of Smardwurst brought back the feelings of anxiety and excitement he had been feeling toward the days ahead. Smardwurst was now dressed in the bluish-grey fabric uniform that Ned had noticed on everyone on Green Scorpion, and Ned guessed that the five-pointed star with the circle in the center, which was the shape of the metal pendant on the left shirt front of everyone onboard, was the symbol of the StarBlazer Alliance. He wondered momentarily why it was called that, but other things quickly pushed that thought aside. The sight of Smardwurst dressed normally, as opposed to his bulky, metallic space suit, was somehow comforting.

"Good morning, Nedward," Smardwurst said as he set the tray of food down on a small, nearby table. "Go ahead; I've already eaten."

"Good morning – and thank you," Ned replied.

As he ate, Smardwurst began. "We will meet the starship Galactron later on today, and there I will introduce you to General Gerran Marnax, the leader of the StarBlazer Alliance. He will help us to decide how your power can best be put to use. Now, I believe you have waited long enough to learn about the region of space that will be your home for the next while."

Ned smiled. "That might be helpful. I'd especially like to know why we speak the same language. You hardly even have an accent..."

"I will do my best to explain things, but you might have to wait until we speak with General Marnax for some of the answers. He was a member of the Imperial Council before he broke away, and he knows more about what I am about to tell you about than I do." Ned nodded. "First of all, let me tell you the history of the Anacron Empire as well as I know it.

"Some time ago – about a hundred Anacronian years I believe, although I have never heard for certain – a spaceship of unknown origin crashlanded on a world that was rather technologically primitive. The space craft was a small one and only a few people knew about it at first. No bodies were found, or if they were then knowledge of them has been lost. This group of people who originally became aware of the ship eventually learned to use some of its basic functions and decided to attempt to convince others to recreate the technology. Their early attempts at duplication were unsuccessful, though, and a conflict nearly broke out over who should have possession of the technology, so the group decided to move its find away and study it privately. Only a few were allowed to join them, and most of those were specifically sought out by the group. Among those who studied the wrecked space ship were some extremely bright minds, and they eventually learned the basic concepts behind its construction. Within not many years they had constructed another ship like it and achieved space travel. With this new knowledge they again prepared to bring their discovery before the world, but before they could do so a great war broke out. Members of both sides were present in this group of people, and it was extremely difficult to determine which side, if either, was justified in its cause. The group decided to withhold the knowledge awhile longer with the hope that a more appropriate time would present itself soon.

"That time did not come. One of the warring sides received knowledge that there was a group of people who had been developing amazingly advanced technology in secret, and it began to organize an attempt to seize it. Learning of this, the group members felt that their lives were at stake and that to allow either of the warring sides to gain control of their technology would have a devastating effect on their world. They decided that the best course of action would be to leave. They hoped to return soon, but they had never found any inhabitable worlds in their limited search of space, so it turned out that they were required to travel far before they were able to settle. No one is sure how far or for how long they traveled; for some reason, the original records of the journey have been lost. Eventually, though, they did find a place to settle. It had environmental conditions remarkably similar to their homeworld, and it was uninhabited by intelligent life, although the people later did find evidence of a previous civilization. They named the planet Anacron, for they considered themselves to be an anachronism in their world's scheme – people whose knowledge came before its time, and who as a result had lost their place in their own history.

"The early Anacronians prospered in their new home. They used their newfound technology along with what they could find of remaining technology that had been left by the planet's previous inhabitants to build up the world that they had meant to make out of the home they had left. They had only begun to prosper, though, when they were attacked. The Anacronians fought back valiantly, and they defeated the new threat again and again. With each victory they acquired even more knowledge, which they then used to their advantage. They were attacked repeatedly, and again and again they prevailed. Eventually their attackers left them alone and moved on to other worlds, but those worlds had heard of the fame of Anacron and flocked to it for help. Anacron formed alliances with many of the surrounding civilizations, and it successfully protected them from invaders. Eventually those worlds called their benefactor what translated into the Anacronian tongue as an "empire," and Anacron adopted the title. The Anacron Empire was governed by a council, not a single emperor, and citizens of other worlds were permitted to sit on that council. But members were appointed by the existing council, not by the citizens themselves. Still, the Empire was a just and merciful organization, as well as a powerful one, and previously independent worlds pled to be admitted into it. Throughout it all, enemies assailed the newly-born empire, but always it prevailed, sustained by superior might, ingenuity, and motives.

"Then, not twenty years ago, a new enemy threatened to destroy the Empire and gain control of all of the known galaxy. Anacron fought back with all its might, but this new enemy steadily gained ground, and it began to seem that the Empire might lose. No one seemed to know what to do; all of the Empire was employing every available resource to protect itself, but it was not enough. Still the enemy pressed forward. Then Trelan Thendrak, a member of the Imperial Council, announced that he had discovered a strange, new power. A few other councilmembers subsequently professed to have mastered other divisions of this power, and they commenced a study as to how the power could be put to use. Trelan, who was recognized as the most proficient in the use of the power, discovered a way that he believed that it could be used against the encroaching enemy. The Imperial Council jumped at this news and pledged its support in whatever Trelan advised it to do. Little is known by the public concerning the specifics of this plan, but one of the councilmembers who had learned the use of this power betrayed Trelan and prevented him from executing his plan.

"Then, just as it looked like the Empire was going to fall to its enemy, Trelan announced that he had come up with a way to allow the Empire to stand against any enemy for any length of time, even without the power that had been lost, although this new method would take a great deal of work and coordination. Immediately the goal of the entire Empire was to enable Trelan to accomplish his designs. The Council appointed him sovereign Emperor so that the plan would work more quickly and efficiently, and he became known as Dark Viper by his people – a name that symbolized power rather than evil, although those of us who now oppose the Emperor find it ironic that the people would choose the viper as their symbol of honor.

"Dark Viper delivered on his promise of protection, though. I am not sure if anyone knows how, but, with the aid of the other holders of the strange power, Viper constructed around one of the Empire's stars a spherical shell with the radius as wide as a planet's orbit. The inhabited part has the thickness of a planet's diameter, and the rest is thinner so as to avoid offsetting the habitation sector's gravity."

"A Dyson sphere," Ned cut in. His eyes were wide with amazement.

"You have heard of such a thing?" Smardwurst replied, amazed that the idea was not new to Ned.

"I don't know where the idea came from, but I assume someone named Dyson hypothesized about it. I guess you were supposed to line the inside of it with solar panels, and they'd power the entire society inside, which could be huge, since the surface area of a planet would be just a speck on the inside of the sphere."

"Solar panels?" Smardwurst asked, but Ned did not understand the question.

"Yeah – they take in energy from the sun and ..."

"Oh, yes. I just do not recognize the word 'solar.' I suppose it is to be expected that we would not have all the same words – but I am getting ahead of myself.

"Yes. The inside of the structure was covered with panels that converted stellar energy into power for the planet-sized civilization inside. Supplies were moved into this structure – Venom, it is called – and there the Empire fortified against its attackers. If it had been necessary, the Empire's people could have lived there indefinitely, but at the same time that Venom was being constructed, the Empire's army was continuing to fight back against the enemy. And even in the early stages of its construction, Venom's power cells and the production facilities they powered were providing the Empire with a rich supply of resources. The enemy soon felt it necessary to make an all-out assault on Venom before it was completed. This was a fatal mistake. When the main body of the enemy fleet was well within range, literally millions of laser cannons ripped through the enemy ships and crushed the entire invasion force in a matter of seconds. The war was over, the Empire had won, and Dark Viper was the most loved man in the galaxy.

"Shortly afterward, though, some of the members of the Imperial Council felt that Dark Viper had too much power. One of them was Gerran Marnax, and he will explain this in greater detail, but eventually the conflict got so severe that Marnax and a small group of followers left the Empire, and they were later followed by many more. That was the beginning of the StarBlazer Alliance. StarBlazer did not claim any of the Empire's territory; it moved to the very fringe of explored space and its people founded civilizations there, but Dark Viper would not tolerate his rival's actions, which he called rebellious. He immediately claimed all explored territory in the name of the Empire and demanded that StarBlazer disband and submit itself to Anacron. It did not, and now a war has resulted.

"Nedward, Venom still exists. We do not know why Viper has not created a huge army of warships the same way he created that huge superstructure. We assume he cannot; perhaps he expended too much of his power in the creation of Venom. Nevertheless, the enemy StarBlazer fights is a mighty one. Since its founding, the Anacron Empire has never been defeated in any major conflict, and now here we are, fighting against it... I am digressing again – I will leave the rest of the history lesson to the General.

"As to the question of language: The Anacronians have always required those who joined them to learn and speak their language, and even idioms are preserved well from generation to generation in the Empire. There is no way that the same language could develop on two totally isolated worlds. I am convinced that the planet from which the Anacronian settlers originated is the planet you call Earth."

Ned had come to the same conclusion as he had listened to Smardwurst's story, and he was fascinated by the idea. "So the language hasn't changed at all? In all that time?" Ned's curiosity in the subject was growing. "Is it still phonetically corrupt like it is on Earth?"

"The Anacronian language is perfectly phonetic," Smardwurst replied.

"How many letters are in it?" Ned asked. He had often wished that English made more sense, and now it seemed he was living in a world where it did. He realized, though, that it would be necessary to adapt to the new symbols that had undoubtedly been added to the alphabet.

"There are sixteen vowels and rilteen consonants, Smardwurst said.

"Rilteen?" asked Ned. "What kind of a number system do you use? We only have a base ten system."

"We use a base ten system as well. Perhaps the names of our numbers are different."

"Count to ten," Ned prompted.

Smardwurst began: "Zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, zeld, ril, ten."

Ned was rather confused. "On Earth, ten comes after nine. Why do you have two extra numbers? This means I've misinterpreted every number you've mentioned to me!"

"You only have zeld numerals?" asked Smardwurst. "But then your decimals must be quite awkward. For us, one-half is point six, one-third is point four, one-fourth is point three... For you they must be awful!"

"That's true," Ned admitted. "Ten – our ten – isn't divisible by as many numbers as our twelve – twoteen? – is. But really, that changes everything, doesn't it? I mean, ninety plus ten is now zeldty, not a hundred, and nine hundred plus one hundred is now zeld hundred, not a thousand. How am I ever supposed to adapt to that?"

"Perhaps you won't have to," Smardwurst suggested. "We will provide you with a portable data unit and program it with a number conversion function."

"That would be nice," Ned said gratefully. "I should also learn your alphabet before too long. Is one divided by zeld called 'one-zeldth?'" he asked, still shocked by the magnitude of the difference between this new number system and his old one.

"Yes."

"Weird."

"This must be rather overwhelming," said Smardwurst. "We still have a few hours before we reach the vortex. Incidentally, it does not seem to have moved very far from where it was two days ago. That might be good news for you." Ned nodded. "I suppose I could tell you a few things about our basic lives, but I imagine you will discover most of it yourself. Perhaps what we should do now is tour the ship. It will be important for you to find your way around starships; it is likely that you will spend much of your time on them, and I will not be able to be with you all of the time."

"I would like to see the ship," Ned said, "but I've been wondering – what do you people do for recreation. Humans play sports, video games, board games – do you have anything like that?"

Smardwurst looked puzzled. "By 'humans,' are you referring exclusively to Earth humans?"

Ned was puzzled by the question. "What do you mean? That's what a human is – someone from Earth..."

"Actually, the word 'human' refers to the entire species. Separate races are designated by planet name. I suppose you would be called Earthans or Earthians, although I suppose that sounds awkward."

"What do you mean the entire species? You mean the Anacronians, don't you? Apparently they're hu- Earthlings, or whatever."

"The entire species," Smardwurst attempted to clarify. "Actually, nearly all forms of intelligent life belong to the same species."

"What do you mean they're all the same species?" This concept was even more mind-boggling than the number system.

"The same species," Smardwurst repeated. "Genetically compatible." He was now beginning to realize how difficult it was going to be for Ned to assimilate into this new culture. Language alone was not enough to make the transition easy. Smardwurst wondered momentarily what would have happened if the stone had fallen into the hands of an Earthling, as Nedward put it, who spoke another language entirely. Then another thought struck him so strongly that he abandoned the previous conversation. "Nedward, why did that stone fall so near your home? Three-fourths of your planet is covered by water, and most of the land is not inhabited, and, as I gathered from my brief experience, most of your planet does not speak English. It is almost as if the stone sought out someone who would be able to use it and communicate with us."

"I thought about that," said Ned, "but I just figured that it was by chance, as small as that chance was. It's not impossible, obviously. I don't know, though. I don't even know where the stone came from."

Smardwurst nodded, unsatisfied but deciding that the question would have to go unanswered, at least for the moment. "Now, what was I saying? Oh, yes. We are all of the same species. Technically, beings are of the same species if their offspring can have offspring."

"And that's true of most of the people you've encountered?"

"Yes. I know – that seems rather unlikely, and we are not sure why it is, either." Smardwurst chuckled. "In fact, it must seem about as unlikely as our languages being the same. But as to your question of recreation, there are too many forms to generalize. There are hundreds of sports played in the Empire and the Alliance, many games that involve moving pieces – chess is an ancient Anacronian one; perhaps it came from Earth."

"As a matter of fact, it did," remarked Ned, "but I wouldn't be surprised if the rules of that have changed, too."

"I am not sure what you mean by 'video' games," the other continued.

Ned was not sure how to articulate it. "Video games are where you control what happens on a screen, like guys going around and fighting bad guys and finding stuff. You know?"

"Oh, yes, we have those, as well. We also have ASI simulations – that stands for 'Artificial Sensory Input.' They are less common for entertainment, however. They are expensive, difficult to design well, and many people find them too realistic and too complicated for entertainment purposes. At least, that is true of many of the people I know. I think you will find that real life is exciting and dangerous enough without risking it in simulated worlds as well. We do not have such a game system onboard, but we do have a flight simulator, and I expect that you will be given piloting lessons soon. Galactron has more in that area. To be honest, the only form of recreation I do on a regular basis is read. I am too busy to involve myself in any form of entertainment that requires much practice; the only things I practice these days relate to the war... which brings up an interesting point. I am sure you realize that the life you have agreed to live for the next while is drastically different from the one you left, but you have no idea how different. In the upcoming days you will be asked to learn and do things that will probably be extremely difficult, and it may seem overwhelming at times. I hope the friendliness and hospitality I have tried to show you here have not caused you to let down your guard on life. I will try to make you as comfortable as possible for as long as you are with me, but in everything you do you must remember that the entire known galaxy is at war, and you are a part of it. From the moment you set foot on Galactron, Nedward, you will be first and foremost a warrior."

That statement took Ned off guard. He had realized its truth from the moment Smardwurst asked him to come with him, but until now he had not been forced to come face to face with the grim reality of what he was agreeing to do in coming here. What exactly would the Alliance have him do? Surely it would be more than to walk in front of them and block enemy shots. What would he do if he were required to shoot enemies himself? Ned caught his mistake immediately – the question was not if; it was when.

Smardwurst spent the next hour or so showing Ned around the ship. He showed him how to use the door control panels on non-automatic doors to "call" and ask whoever was in a room for permission to enter, how to respond to such calls, how to read directional signs in the corridors, and where various parts of the ship were. Ned was especially interested in the ship's method of propulsion, and Smardwurst attempted a simple explanation. He sat down with Ned at a table that reacted to his touch as if he were writing on paper and began.

"The space in which we normally exist is known as phase space, or warp zero. Distances between stars in phase space are, of course, incredibly large. It takes light decades to get between inhabited star systems, and nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. Space is not one-dimensional, but I will use a line to represent all of the space between two planets." Smardwurst drew two dots on the screen connected by a line. "Now, just as space has more than one dimension, it also has more than one 'phase,' which I will try to explain as we go. What our warp engines do is create a warp field around our ship, which, in effect, increases the phase at which we exist. At warp one we exist within a higher phase, and distances become smaller. This line represents the same space at warp one. It is not to scale, of course." He drew another, shorter line centered above the first. "As our warp level increases, relative distances decrease. We therefore do not have to travel for as long in order to get between two points in space, even though our speed, relative to our phase, is no different. The higher the warp level, the smaller the distances, and so the effect is that you get places faster." He drew several more lines above the second, each smaller than the previous one, so that the lines formed a sort of funnel-shape opening downward.

"Space with a positive warp level is called 'hyperspace.' There are also negative warp levels, called subspace, where distance is greater. This, of course, would be a ridiculous way to travel, but it can be used for storage. A negative warp field can be generated around an object, and distances become larger. In this way, several large objects can be stored in the subspace phase of a small normal space area. There is more to it than that, but it is not really important. The warp fields must be kept up constantly, and that method of storage is used only rarely."

Ned was following along well, but he had a few questions. "So, when we go to warp, do planets and other things in normal space just get smaller for us? I mean, If I can still see the stars outside, then wouldn't people at warp zero see us too, only larger?"

"Those are good questions, Nedward. The reason we can still see stars is because the power created inside them has what is called a hyperspace signature. What we see is not really the light from the stars, but what is essentially a warped version of light. Objects in warp do not exist in the same phase as objects in normal space, so they cannot be seen. However, we can detect hyperspace and subspace signatures while we are in normal space, so we can detect approaching ships. In fact, that is how we detected your stone. I said that subspace is not generally used for storage, but there are other uses for subspace fields, and they are common on inhabited planets. In your star system, though, the only subspace signatures were your sun and the stone you carry. That is why your stone attracted both our attention and that of the Yendarians. Which reminds me – what is the name of your star? It would be interesting to see whether the Anacronians ever named the star they left, and whether it is the same as your name for it."

"Well, we just call it the sun," Ned replied. "I guess it's technically called Sol, and that's why we call star systems 'solar systems.'"

"Oh! So that is what you meant by 'solar' panels." Smardwurst said. "Well, there may be mention of a Solar system in our records. We probably have it on file here if there is, but I think it can wait until we are on Galactron and with the others, who will need to know anyway."

They decided to take a break then, and Smardwurst took Ned to the ship's dining room. There, along with some of Smardwurst's officers, Ned had his first alien meal. He watched with trepidation as the cook brought out the food, and he breathed an inadequately-concealed sigh of relief when he saw that it was no longer alive. In fact, it looked normal, for the most part. It consisted of a meat with a strange but pleasing taste, along with a reddish form of pasta topped with a yellow sauce with little chunks of something. Ned did not ask what they were. They drank a clear liquid that, judging from the taste, was probably some sort of fruit juice. For dessert, they had chocolate ice cream; Ned could discern no difference between it and the version he had eaten at home. At least, not until he heard mention that the beast from which it came was personally hunted and prepared by one of Smardwurst's men. When they were finished, Ned thanked the man who had prepared the meal, and then the Green Scorpion's crewmembers took some time to finish up their conversations before leaving Ned and Smardwurst alone.

"I am pleased that you found our food palatable." Smardwurst said. "In a way I assumed you would; you have fit in rather well with just about every part of our culture you have learned about. We are nearly to the vortex. Is there anything else you would like to know before we meet Galactron?"

"I think I sort of understand your warp drive now, but I would like to hear how your normal engines work."

Smardwurst smiled, trying to think of the best way to explain it. He was rather surprised that Nedward was so interested in the way things worked; Smardwurst had expected that his guest would be concerned primarily with simply what things did. "Our thrusters operate on the principle of the internal graviton vortex." He was amused to see Ned grin at the long, but as yet meaningless, phrase. "Do you have octopuses on Earth? Good. Our thrusters use pockets of warped space to push us along much the same way octopuses use water. The engines use a hyperspace 'vortex' to create a sort of low-pressure area in spime – the combination of space and time – in the direction we wish to travel, and the ship slides into it. I'm sorry – I just cannot think of another way of putting it without a deeper lesson. The process of creating the vortex puts off some exhaust, which we can vent through the glowing parts on the backs, and sometimes other parts, of most of the ships you will see. If we wish, though, we can store the exhaust within our ship and dump it later. That way we do not leave anything behind for anyone to follow."

Ned asked about a few of the other pieces of technology he had seen during his tour of the ship, and Smardwurst did his best to explain them. After programming a handheld computer with a number conversion formula and giving it to Ned, Smardwurst also explained about the standard laser cannons and torpedoes that were the common weapons of the time, along with the energy shields that protected starships by absorbing damage. He told Ned that he would learn about personal equipment as he was trained to use it, and that he would be trained soon. It was not long before a voice over the ship's intercom informed Smardwurst that they were approaching the vortex. With Ned in tow, he strode quickly down the corridor to the ship's primary command center, or "pricom."

The room was hexagonal in shape, with viewscreens taking up the front three walls and computer terminals lining the back three. There were a few more computer stations in the center of the room, among which was Captain Varlon's command chair. As Ned entered the pricom from the door in the center of the backmost wall he was dazzled by the level of activity in the room. About a dozen people sat at the consoles, looking at images on the screen whose significance Ned could only guess at. The forward viewscreen showed what was in front of the ship, although the pricom was itself near the ship's center, well away from the more vulnerable outer hull. At the moment the screen showed only an endless array of stars. The bright pricks of light were stationary; apparently the ship had dropped out of warp for its passage through the vortex. Everyone seemed busy with something, and there was no time for Smardwurst to make introductions, although Ned recognized a few people from his brief travels around Green Scorpion.

"We will enter it in less than a minute, Captain," said a man as he rose from his chair to address Smardwurst. "There is slight evidence that it may have receded farther from where it was when we last traveled through it, but it appears to drift back and forth slightly at irregular intervals, so we cannot be sure."

Smardwurst nodded, and the man reseated himself. Smardwurst walked over to his command chair, and Ned followed behind him, feeling out of place. Smardwurst glanced down at a readout on one of the arms of his command chair and said to no one in particular, "Here we go..." Abruptly the forward viewscreen showed a purple light building steadily, and in moments the ship was engulfed in it. Ned was reminded of his own light; lines of something Ned could not identify streamed through the vortex in chaotic patterns, and bright flashes from the screen occasionally lit the room in a purple aura. It lasted only a few moments, though, and soon the blackness of space returned, along with the countless pricks of stellar light.

"We're through," came the report. "All starfighters are through, as well."

"Good," said Smardwurst. "Set course for Orina Four, warp ten." Then, turning to Ned, "It will be good to see the General again."

"Captain!" someone shouted, but Smardwurst was already acting. He had been afraid this might happen. Apparently, the Yendarians he had been fighting before entering the vortex had returned to the site of the battle to search for their lost comrades. They had surely not missed the fact that there were StarBlazer forces unaccounted for, as well. Now Smardwurst's sensor readout indicated six Yendarian warships approaching at warp. Smardwurst realized with dismay that they had probably been lurking in the general vicinity of the vortex since the battle had ended, waiting to intercept anyone else who returned to search the area. He thought momentarily of heading back through, but there was a chance that the Empire did not yet know the vortex was there – the Yendarians would not have told them voluntarily – and Smardwurst wanted to keep it that way.

There was no time to run. Even with a longer head start, the Yendarian warships would have been able to catch up with him in a few minutes, and Galactron was not even expecting them to regroup for another four days, so it would not be looking for them. Smardwurst ordered a distress signal sent, but even as he did so he realized that it would arrive too late. There were six flashes of light in space as the Yendarians dropped out of warp and launched their fighters: twelve – or for them ten – for each warship.

Smardwurst activated the intership communicator to address his starfighter escort. "All fighters: attack!"

The StarBlazer forces went into action immediately. They had been outnumbered in their previous battle, though not as badly, and it had not been two days since they had defeated the Yendarian fleet on Earth without a single StarBlazer casualty. The Yendarians were skilled pilots, but the StarBlazer force commanded by Smardwurst Varlon was more skilled still. The fighters split into four groups of three and attacked the Yendarian fleet, hoping to catch it off guard before it was fully prepared. The helmsman on Green Scorpion followed the group of fighters that was most badly outnumbered against the enemies it attacked and backed it up with the freighter's stronger weapons.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Ned was there, and that was just as well with him; he would have left the room if he had not feared getting in someone's way. His eyes were glued to the three viewscreens in front of him, which showed the battle from various angles, although the many work stations around the pricom offered the people there individually-controlled views and readouts. At first the battle was nothing more than a mad mixture of lights and ships to Ned, the silver and green StarBlazer fighters dodging in and out of the swarm of black Yendarian ships, all of them lit by their glowing engine exhaust ports. It was not long, though, before violent explosions lit the screen, and it was then that Ned fully realized what was happening. This was, indeed, war, and not all of the fighters that were now fighting to protect him, among others, would return. Ned felt sick. He stared, horrified, at the viewscreen a moment longer, and then lowered his head into his hands and tried to wonder whether the explosive sound he heard occasionally as Green Scorpion's shields were hit by enemy fire was a direct result of the damage or whether it was simulated. He found, though, that he just did not care.

Smardwurst did not have the luxury of hanging his head in his hands. He was busy fighting a battle that was not going well at all. His fighters had now destroyed over half of the Yendarian fighters, but the StarBlazer force had taken casualties as well, and it could not afford them as much as the Yendarians could. In addition, only two of the six enemy warships were critically damaged. The distress signal had gotten out in time, but shortly afterward the Yendarians had shielded the battle area against hyperspace transmissions, so there would be no further communication until the battle was over. Smardwurst ordered his ship away from the Yendarian warship he had been attacking. His shields were almost gone, and when they failed the ship would not last long against enemy weapons. Then, suddenly, all of the Yendarian fighters returned to their ships, and Smardwurst ordered his ships to back off, as well. He held his breath in expectation. Were the Yendarians leaving?

A blinding flash pierced through the blackness of space as a massive starship dropped out of warp forty. It was twenty times the size of Green Scorpion, and its surface was brisling with weapons. It had no sooner entered normal space than the bright, red lines of the ship's lasers hammered with devastating force into the Yendarians, who had not been quick enough in their retreat. Blue torpedo launchers flashed viciously as the guided projectiles ripped into the enemies' engines and blew them apart. A few of the Yendarian fighter pilots who had not had time to rejoin their ships signaled surrender, but the rest of the attack force was blown apart in less than a minute.

His face streaked with sweat and even a few tears, Nedward Simmons looked up at the forward viewscreen as the black image of space was replaced by that of a room similar to the one he was now in, only larger and apparently more complicated. A man dressed in a uniform that Ned recognized as StarBlazer stood in the center of it. He was tall, with dark hair and dark eyes, and his bearded face had the hard look of someone who had been through more dangers than Ned dared to imagine. His piercing eyes had the look of authority; even though he had not yet spoken, Ned got the feeling that anything he said would be obeyed.

"Greetings, Smardwurst," the man said in a voice that to Ned was surprisingly pleasant, and as he did so he smiled. "I hope you are glad to see us."

Smardwurst's face revealed his undisguised surprise. "General Marnax! How did you reach us?"

"When we didn't hear from you after the battle three days ago, we decided to come and check the situation out. We had just discovered the spatial anomaly, called in a science team, and were headed out when we picked up your distress call. I see that our mad dash through warp space was not at all too soon. Are you all right?"

Smardwurst looked down at his computer readout. "Everyone who's alive is well," he said solemnly. "We lost eight fighters, and my ship will need repairs."

Eight! Ned thought. He had never met any of them, but he wondered painfully what this would have been like if he had. He was overcome suddenly by an intense gratitude for his own life, and he exhaled deeply. The action drew Smardwurst's attention.

"General!" Smardwurst said to the image on the screen. "We must speak immediately. The anomaly you found is some sort of tunnel that connects us with another part of the galaxy, although we are not sure how stable it is. This young man here is from a planet on the other side. It would be well for you to meet with him soon." Smardwurst wanted to tell his whole story right then and there; he was growing weary of explaining things.

General Marnax nodded. "We will take the starfighters aboard for the trip back to Orina. You can bring your guest over on a shuttlecraft, if you wish."

"Thank you, General," Smardwurst said.

"I'll see you then." Marnax nodded, and the viewscreen again showed the vast starfield, as well as the huge bulk of the starship Galactron.

### Chapter 5

The image of what Ned correctly assumed was StarBlazer's flagship had been impressive on the screen, but now, as he looked out of the shuttlecraft at the massive ship, the impression was simply staggering. The ship's main section was basically a long octagonal prism. A faceted ball protruded from the front end, connected by a short, tube-like section. A massive weapons tower rose from the top of the ship just behind where the forward section connected to the main hull. Behind it a shorter structure protruded from the top of the ship: one of Galactron's shuttle bays. A similar one was attached to the bottom of the ship. There were two more shuttle bays on each side of the main section, and another, larger one was located in the lower forward section. Protruding from either side of the ship and attached like the forward ball section were two huge, plate-like structures. Their flat sides were parallel to each other and angled inward toward the ship along the top and bottom. Ned later learned that they served, among other things, to block the vital parts of the ship that lay between them from enemy fire and to provide cover for launching starfighters. Ned identified the many glowing circular sections on the back of the ship to be its warp drive system and thruster output ducts. The aspect of Galactron that impressed Ned most, though, besides its size, was the seemingly endless array of laser cannons and torpedo launchers that studded the ship's outer hull, especially on the weapons tower. They were so numerous and widely-spaced that Ned guessed that a ship positioned anywhere around Galactron could be fired at by at least fifteen gun ports at once. It was no wonder the Yendarians had been in such a hurry to flee.

The shuttlecraft that now carried Ned, Smardwurst, and a few members of Green Scorpion's crew circled the ship once at Smardwurst's request in order to give Ned a good view of it, and then headed toward a shuttle bay on Galactron's port side. It was difficult for Ned to determine the size of the huge ship with nothing in space to compare it to, but it seemed a very long time from when he could see the entire ship out of the shuttlecraft's viewport to when they finally docked inside the great shuttle bay, which was itself large enough to admit several starfighters at once. At the moment, though, the shuttle bay was empty. As the shuttlecraft set down, the huge bay doors closed and the room was quickly filled with air. The shuttlecraft door opened, and Smardwurst and his companions stepped out onto the ground. A door across the shuttle bay slid open, and a man Ned immediately recognized as General Marnax approached them, smiling broadly. Several people followed him, all dressed in StarBlazer uniforms. The general exchanged greetings with his guests and then beckoned for them to follow him to his conference room.

Rather than walking, the group rode one of the ship's intraship transport pods. The walls of the ship were connected by a vast maze of tunnels designed for these small transportation devices; it would be unreasonable for anyone to attempt to walk from one end of this ship to the other for any reason other than exercise. As they rode, General Marnax spoke to Smardwurst about matters that Ned did not understand at all. When the lift finally stopped and everyone stepped out, Marnax dismissed the few people who had remained with him and instructed them to take Smardwurst's companions to their rooms, except for Ned. The remaining three men were then left alone in a large, circular chamber. Several passageways led outward from it, and sets of closed doors marked the walls in-between. Marnax led his companions over to one of the doors, and it slid open with a soft hum. Ned stepped thorough, followed by Smardwurst and General Marnax, and the door closed behind them.

When Marnax had mentioned his conference "room," Ned had assumed that he meant one of his many conference rooms. The appearance of the room in which they now stood confirmed this assumption. It was not large at all, and the only furniture consisted of a small, circular table surrounded by a few chairs. The room was well-lit and some exotic-looking plants hung from pots attached to the walls, but Ned was certain that in a ship this size there would be many rooms for any one purpose, and certainly conference rooms larger than this one. He wondered suddenly why that thought had come to him, and decided that he was still in awe of the size of this ship. Ned guessed that his entire town back home could easily move into it and have plenty of room to spare.

They all took seats around the table, with Smardwurst sitting next to Ned and General Marnax across from him. "I've confined this meeting to just the three of us at Mr. Varlon's request," the General informed Ned. He then turned to Smardwurst. "Well, it looks like you have quite a story to tell me." Smardwurst sighed slightly and then began. Gerran Marnax listened with growing interest as Smardwurst described his battle with the Yendarians, the trip through the vortex, and finally his victory over the Yendarians on the distant planet called Earth. The General's eyes opened wide with wonder, though, as Smardwurst described how Ned had survived being fired at repeatedly by the enemy starfighter, and how the Earthling had described his own experiences in finding the stone and developing its strange power. He looked at Ned in awe as Smardwurst explained his companion's decision to leave his home and attempt to help StarBlazer in its war against the Anacron Empire.

"That is, indeed, quite a story," Marnax declared when Smardwurst had finished speaking, ending with his conclusions as to the reason for the lack of language difference across so great a distance. "It does seem that you have discovered the ancient Anacronian homeworld. And this stone – if what you say is true, then it may prove to be a greater aid to us than we can imagine right now. Still, I am having trouble grasping this. Nedward, I hope you don't take offense, but, would you mind showing me the power of your stone?"

Ned nodded. He could certainly understand the General's desire to see proof of what he had just heard. He rose to his feet and extended his hand. Blue light gathered around it and danced among his fingers, then shot toward the center of the table and collected there. After a moment the light began to take shape, forming a rotating, foot-wide circle, floating in the air. As Ned concentrated, the circle's edge sunk inward in places, and after a moment a blue star hung above the table, formed of soft, translucent energy: the symbol of the StarBlazer Alliance. It hung there for a few seconds, and then Ned let the image fade. He sat back down. "You can shoot at me, too, if you like."

Marnax smiled. "Later, perhaps." He was silent for a moment, thinking. "We are currently on our way to Varlax Kanlor, a StarBlazer outpost. I have some matters to discuss with Uz Janis, the commander of the outpost. You are both welcome to come along. Meanwhile, Ned, I'll have someone show you around the ship. Since you're committed to using your power to aid us, I believe you should learn as much about life here as you can."

Ned nodded, and then Smardwurst offered, "I would be glad to show him around, if you'd like. Green Scorpion can follow us to Varlax Kanlor; it shouldn't take much longer than Galactron to get there."

Marnax smiled. "Good, then. You can send a message to your ship as soon as we're done here. Be sure to show Ned the ASI training systems. I imagine it might be useful for him to learn to pilot spacecraft." The General rose, followed by Ned and Smardwurst. "I look forward to working with you, Ned. It should be interesting to see what we can make of this strange ability of yours."

"I hope I can be of help," Ned replied. The three shook hands and then stepped out of the room. General Marnax waved and disappeared down one of the hallways.

"The Alliance couldn't hope for a better leader," Smardwurst said. Ned nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. He had begun this journey with the intention of learning to control the power of the stone, and to do what he could to help the StarBlazer Alliance in its war against the Empire. Now, however, after talking to General Marnax, Ned was beginning to doubt whether either of those goals would prove realistic. Setting aside the fact that Ned had absolutely no training in Earth combat, let alone warfare involving technology that was unparalleled on Earth, it was beginning to seem highly unlikely that he would ever find any practical use for his power beyond shooting aluminum cans. He had hoped that Marnax would have been able to think of a use for someone who apparently could not be harmed by weapons that might make a difference, but the more Ned thought about it the less likely the prospect seemed. Was it possible that his coming here would prove to be useless after all? What would he do if that turned out to be true? Return home, and risk losing control of himself again? Stay, and abandon all hope of seeing his family again? Smardwurst's tour of Galactron relieved Ned's mind somewhat of that particular train of thought, but his questions remained unanswered.

The Earthling visitor was all but forgotten as Gerran Marnax strode down the corridor to Galactron's pricom. To say that the General's mind was occupied with the war would have been a vast understatement. He had been holding off Anacron's army for well over a year now with a pathetically small force of his own. Even now it sometimes seemed incredible to him that StarBlazer had lasted this long.

The doors to the pricom slid open at Marnax's approach. The crew came to attention as he entered, but he motioned them back to whatever they had been doing.

"Captain," greeted Marvis Harvey, StarBlazer's tactical chief.

Marnax smiled in reply. "How did Galactron stand up to the Yendarians, Major?"

Harvey laughed. He did not need to tell the General that Galactron had suffered no damage. The Empire had plenty more to throw at it, but Yendarian warships were no match for the StarBlazer superfortress.

"Commander Janis sent word a few minutes ago," he said instead. "He would like you to contact him."

"Open a channel," Marnax replied. The image on the forward viewscreen switched from the starfield to the face of Varlax Kanlor's commander.

"Good evening," greeted Janis. "I hear you've gotten word from the mission to Anacron."

"We have," stated Marnax. "I'll discuss it with you when I arrive, but I suspect we'll have to do something to resolve the matter soon. Have you heard anything from Mirana?"

"No, sir. As usual."

"She'll be there. How have you fared in my absence?"

Janis smiled. "Viper's army attacked Tenria Prime, just as you predicted. They got a nasty surprise when they arrived. We lost a few ships, but they lost more. I'm sending the full report over now."

"Good work, Commander. I'll see you shortly."

Uz Janis nodded, and Marnax deactivated the com link. He turned to Major Harvey with an inquiring look. "The fleet did well, sir," Harvey said, glancing over Janis's report, "but next time I'd like to be there to make sure." Galactron had planned on leading the assault, but Marnax had changed plans when he realized that Smardwurst had not returned.

General Marnax looked back toward the viewscreen and stared at the stars shifting past him. In reply to the other's comment, he said simply, "You will."

Sweat beaded on Nedward Simmons's forehead as he watched his radar. He had just barely avoided getting blasted by the Imperial fighter on his tail, and two more were closing. He had tried everything he could think of to lose them, but his shields were nearly gone and he was running out of ideas.

One fighter swept in from the side, and Ned swiveled his ship quickly to face it. It had taken him a while to get used to the fact that position and speed were not defined in relation to anything specific in space; if something was on your tail and you turned completely around, you would automatically be flying toward it, regardless of your previous apparent velocity. He gripped his fighter's controls as if by holding them tightly he might persuade them to do what he wanted them to. Laser fire streaked all around him, and he fought madly to evade it. He locked onto one of the enemy fighters with his missiles and fired. That fighter was vaporized by the explosion, but now Ned had several missiles locked onto him, and the fighters were closing from several directions. He tried to pivot his fighter and destroy the missiles with his laser cannons, but there were too many and they were approaching too rapidly. He fired his thrusters at maximum power in an attempt to escape, but in his efforts to evade the missiles he had forgotten about one of the enemy fighters, and before he could react it had flown "up" from below him and blown him out of the stars.

"You're improving," Smardwurst said as Ned stepped out of the simulator for what must have been the hundred trillionth time. "This certainly is not something you can learn in a day." Smardwurst had been training Ned for several hours now.

Ned took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. "I just can't keep track of all those ships! Aren't I supposed to have wingmen or something to back me up?"

Smardwurst smiled. "Later. It probably isn't really necessary for you to learn to fight battles in space right now. It's enough that you know how to pilot the craft. Which, by the way, you learned rather quickly."

"I know," Ned said. "I think next time I'd better stick with the basics a while longer." He had spent most of the time in the simulators learning the basics of flying: maneuvering, communicating, operating the warp drive, and not crashing into things. It had been his idea to try the starfighter simulator; he thought that maybe his experience with video games back on Earth might give him at least a little bit of a background in it. The idea now seemed absolutely ludicrous. "Those simulators are so real!" he said to Smardwurst as they walked down the corridor to Ned's sleeping quarters.

Smardwurst dropped Ned off in front of one of the many doors along one of the many light gray corridors that catacombed Galactron's interior. After Smardwurst had left and the doors had slid closed behind him, Ned realized what a long and eventful day he had had. He changed into his sleeping attire, crawled into his bed, and was asleep almost immediately.

That night Ned dreamed of Earth. He saw its lush forests stretching out across hilly landscapes, its crystalline rivers and lakes teeming with brightly-colored fish, and its majestic mountain ranges with peaks of pure white snow. He looked down from the starship Galactron and beheld everything he had ever admired about his homeworld and longed to be back.

Then the aliens came. They flew out of the vortex like a swarm of starved locusts, engines glowing menacingly and weapons flaring. They attacked Earth without mercy, sending their missiles and lasers burning into its trees and grasses, tearing up the land with their unimaginable tools of destruction. The StarBlazer forces tried to stop them, but the enemies were too numerous and too powerful for Ned's allies to repel. Ned stood by a large viewport in Galactron's hull and watched it all.

When he could no longer bear to watch, Ned brought up his hand and called forth the power. It flared to life at his command and gathered about him, dancing across his fingertips and pulsating as if given a life of its own. Then Ned sent the power like bolts of lightning into the alien attackers, tearing their ships apart first one by one, and then in massive groups together. The aliens kept coming, but as Ned's wrath grew so did his strength, and within minutes he had annihilated the entire alien army.

Ned tried to call back the power, but, like that final night at home, it would not be repressed. It had become a part of him, and it demanded to be used. With total disregard for Ned's will, the power lanced into the Earth and began to tear it apart. Ned watched in horror as lava burst forth at the edges of tectonic plates, vaporizing oceans and outlining the continents in crimson lines of fire. Then explosions erupted all along Earth's crust, tearing away everything noticeable and leaving the planet a blasted wasteland. Still the power coursed through Ned's body, gathering about his hand before firing in a blinding stream of blue light into the planet. Ned tried to call it back, tried to make it reverse what it had done, but the more he tried to restrain it the more force it gathered.

Now the Earth was no more than a glowing ball of molten rock and metal. Still the power continued. The pressure inside the planet continued to build, the very atoms from which the planet was made being ripped apart by the blue light, until finally the entire planet disappeared in a blinding conflagration of blue energy. The explosion expanded outward in a dazzling array of light, just like Ned had done with countless meaningless objects while he had still been experimenting with his power. He wanted to cry out, but he suddenly felt the energy drained from him. He looked down at his hands and the light had gone out, but all he could see in his mind's eye was the Earth disappearing in the violent explosion that he had caused.

Ned came awake finally, gasping and struggling to shake off the fear and revulsion his dream had generated. No! he screamed in the silence of his mind. No, I will not let that happen! In that moment Nedward Simmons banished all doubt that he would find a way to control this power he had been cursed with. He would do anything necessary to find a way. He would start looking now, today.

### Chapter 6

Smardwurst appeared at Ned's room the next morning with breakfast, but Ned adamantly stated that he wanted to see General Marnax immediately, even before eating.

"I'm sorry, Ned," said Smardwurst, who was obviously concerned at Ned's rather abrupt change in mood, "but we arrived at Varlax Kanlor a few hours ago, and the General is on the surface at the moment. I don't expect him back soon. He has some rather pressing matters to attend to, and you probably won't be able to speak with him until next evening. He did mention to me, though, before he left, that he thinks it would be wise if we kept the purpose of your being here a secret for now. There's no reason you can't come down to the station and look around, though. The scenery isn't the best in the galaxy, but I'm sure we can find something interesting to do."

Ned was forced to reluctantly comply. He had hoped that General Marnax would have some idea as to how Ned could go about learning more about his power. It had occurred to Ned on waking that the General had not given much of anything to him in the way of information.

Ned agreed with Marnax that there was no point in broadcasting the reason Ned was there, especially since the chances of his presence being of any use to the Alliance were seeming more slim every minute. As a result, the conversation between Ned and Smardwurst as they ate, and then as they walked to the shuttle bay to prepare to leave for the planet's surface, was limited to discussing the particulars of Ned's flight training of the previous day and other such matters that were probably relevant but not very satisfying to Ned.

The conversation was cut short, though, as the bay doors slid open and Ned caught sight of Varlax Kanlor through the shuttlecraft's viewport. He realized suddenly that it was the only planet he had ever seen up close other than Earth, and the difference was staggering.

"People actually live there?" Ned asked Smardwurst.

"There were many people there once, before the Empire attacked, but now there's only our outpost."

"But how did they survive? The entire planet is a desert!" Ned was in awe of the massive blotch of red that covered the surface of the planet. It was broken by strips of green and brown, but the red expanse covered nearly all of the side of the planet Ned could see. There was not a cloud in sight. "It's just a big red sand pit!"

Smardwurst looked over at Ned, surprised. "Nedward, the redness is not sand. It is water."

Now Ned was really shocked. He had missed it at first glance, immediately comparing the planet's appearance to that of Mars, but now he could see that the brown and green areas – sick-looking shades of both colors – were continents, and that the seas were colored dark red. It was as if the entire ocean had rusted. "Why is it like that?" Ned asked.

Smardwurst turned away again, a distant look on his face. "Before Dark Viper came to power and this war began, the inhabitants of Varlax Kanlor were enemies of the Anacron Empire. A conflict began between the two powers and lasted several years, but then the Empire developed a weapon that ended the war. The weapon delivered a lethal toxin into Varlax Kanlor's oceans, and a chain reaction resulted that poisoned the entire planet. The Kanlorans were forced to migrate to another world, and the Empire happened to have one to spare. The price, of course, was total surrender."

Ned was aghast. "You mean that a single weapon destroyed the entire planet?"

"Yes," Smardwurst said. "We now have a defense against that type of weapon, but when it was first developed it had a tremendous effect on the balance of power in the galaxy."

As the shuttlecraft flew closer and closer to the planet's surface, Ned kept picturing the Earth in his mind. What, he wondered, would happen if the Anacron Empire ever reached it?

"As I said," ventured Smardwurst at one point, "The view isn't much, but the planet is ideal for a military outpost. Even the air is toxic now, so absolutely no one even thinks of coming here."

Ned wondered momentarily how efficient it would be to have an outpost on a planet where you couldn't breathe the air, but a moment later the outpost came into view as the shuttlecraft flew down over a devastated mountain range, and he had his answer. The outpost was a huge city-like structure covered with a clear protective bubble. Several airlocks were located around the bubble's outer edge, and the shuttlecraft entered through one of these.

Smardwurst showed Ned around. They walked among the buildings that made up the outpost, Smardwurst describing their functions and Ned trying to get a good mental picture of the place so he could find his way around alone when he needed to. The buildings were neither Earth-like nor particularly futuristic; they were little more than sheets of metal bonded together and seemed to have been designed with not falling apart as their sole intended purpose. Aesthetics had apparently not been a consideration. Ned wondered how many planets looked like this. He wondered if he wanted to know the answer.

After an hour or so Green Scorpion arrived at Varlax Kanlor, and Smardwurst, after making sure Ned would be okay in his absence, left to see to matters pertaining to his ship. Ned walked around for a while longer, this time focusing on the different species – or races, as Smardwurst had put it – living there. As was true on Galactron and Green Scorpion, most of the people here looked like humans. There were some, however, who had odd-looking skin, different facial constructions, and even different numbers of limbs. Ned made a conscious effort to keep from staring, but sometimes he was uncertain of how successful that effort was. At what was approximately the planet's noon, Ned ate lunch at one of the station's cafeterias. All of the food he had been given here had been free – whether because he was a guest of Smardwurst and Marnax or because money was not used here at all he wasn't sure, although he doubted that the latter was true. He wondered once again whether he would be able to find a way to repay the Alliance for everything he was being given.

That train of thought reminded him of his purpose on being there at the station, and he decided to try to find General Marnax. Perhaps he would have a few spare moments to speak with Ned. As he walked toward the building in which Smardwurst had told him the General was holding his meetings, Ned went over in his mind what he should say. In truth, he hoped that Marnax would do most of the talking. Ned was quickly running out of ideas as to what he should, or even could, do here, so far away from anything familiar. Ned eyed the building he was heading toward as he approached. It was slightly larger than the surrounding structures and noticeably more elaborate in appearance. He turned off the walkway and entered. The hallways inside were curved overhead, somewhat like the corridors on the starships Ned had been on. Working his way toward the general area where he suspected Marnax would be, Ned turned a corner and stopped cold.

Ned had seen hundreds of people that day, but there was something about the woman striding down the hallway toward him that set her completely apart from them all. She glanced at Ned only briefly and did not slow at all, but in the few seconds it took for her to walk past him she left an indelible impression in his mind. She was about Ned's height and age, although she might have been slightly younger. Her dark blue pants and jacket and her black shirt and boots were obviously not the uniform of a StarBlazer officer, and she wore no insignia of any kind. A rather large blaster hung from her belt. Long black hair fell below her shoulders in waves, and Ned might have thought her pretty if it had not been for the look on her face. It was totally expressionless, as if it had been carved from stone. The look in her steel gray eyes suggested that she had seen and been through more than Ned cared to imagine, along with an expectation that the future would hold nothing better. In that instant when those cold eyes were turned toward Ned he felt that, regardless of any stone he might hold or power he might have, if he ever stood in her way for any reason he would be dead before he could blink.

He stood there for a moment, wondering at the strange experience, then realized that he had stopped walking and slowly continued on. Ned kept walking, but he was slowly changing his mind about speaking to the General right away. First of all, he had no intention of poking his nose into every room that Marnax might be in. Also, even if Ned did find him, and even if he was not in a meeting at the moment, he would probably not welcome the intrusion. Ned was beginning to reason through his feelings on the matter now and decided that his intent had probably been due to impatience; there was no reason he could not wait a few more hours until General Marnax was ready. Ned probably wouldn't be able to get much out of him in the middle of whatever he was doing anyway. Instead, Ned walked back out of the building and toward the edge of the outpost's protective bubble.

The bubble ended on top of a high structure that ringed the outpost, but there was a lift pod that led up to a patio on top, where people could sit and look out on the surrounding blasted mountainside. Sitting and staring at the sorry excuse for scenery, Ned's feelings of hopelessness of the previous day returned to him. What was he going to do? Sit and wait until something happens, he told himself. There was nothing else he could do.

General Marnax sat at one end of a circular conference table and glanced at each individual seated around it. To his right was Marvis Harvey, who was always present during discussions involving war matters – which basically meant all discussions. To the General's left was Uz Janis, who had been in charge of the recent battle with the Empire. Also seated there were leaders of various sections of space and representatives from most of the planets in the StarBlazer Alliance. Ambelshack Devorion, StarBlazer's starfighter fleet commander, usually attended these meetings, but he was currently out with his squadron escorting a group of supply freighters that was being forced to fly close to Anacronian space. Mirana Kelar, of course, had not arrived yet, but then she generally worked according her own schedule.

General Marnax brought the meeting to order, and then listened as the various representatives made their reports about conditions in their respective regions of space and events that had transpired there recently. The news was not surprising in most instances. The Alliance was holding, even gaining new support from civilizations that had been especially hurt by the Empire, but the chances of sustaining against such a massive enemy were uncertain, and they were becoming increasingly so. The last of the representatives was in the middle of her report when the doors slid open and a young woman walked in. Ignoring the speaker, she walked directly to the table and addressed General Marnax.

"You have six days before the Empire sends over two thousand warships to Ergana Prime and annihilates the entire planet. Word has it that the starship Devastator will be joining the battle. I suggest you get moving." She said it matter-of-factly, without any perceptible emotion, and it gave the impression to those present who had not yet met her that she might have been joking.

The impression on Marvis Harvey was somewhat different. He rose to his feet and managed to keep from shouting. "If you're going to barge into an official meeting of the Allied Council an hour late you might at least have the decency to..."

"Mister Harvey, Miss Kelar," Marnax interrupted. "Please sit down. Mirana, are you sure?"

Major Harvey added, "How did you find this out?"

Mirana seated herself and then looked at Marnax again. Her eyes never wavered and her face never lost its iron cast. Ignoring Harvey's question she said simply, "I'm certain."

"Then I think you're right," Marnax said. "We'd better get moving."

The sun – although Ned was quick to note that it was not his sun – was falling below the horizon when Smardwurst reappeared. He called to Ned as he stepped out of the lift pod, and Ned rose and walked over to greet him. Ned had remained on the outpost's perimeter for the remainder of the day, lost in thought, and he welcomed the opportunity to do something new. He would rather have done just about anything, as long as it took his mind off of his feeling of hopelessness.

"Nedward!" Smardwurst called. "How has your day been?"

"Fine," Ned replied.

"You may be pleased to learn that General Marnax has returned to Galactron and wishes to speak with you. Are you ready?"

Ned was elated, and his smile betrayed that fact. "Yes."

Smardwurst had Ned pilot the shuttlecraft back out of Varlax Kanlor's shield bubble and into Galactron's shuttle bay. The controls were designed to be simple, and Ned had spent plenty of time practicing the previous day, and the ride back was a smooth one. Smardwurst had been seeing to repairs on his ship, responding to the few messages that had arrived for him while he had been aboard Galactron, and attending to other business that was either too technical or too boring for him to bother to mention to Ned – although Ned found himself wishing he knew enough about things to comprehend whatever Smardwurst had left out, regardless of how insignificant it may have seemed to the green freighter captain.

Smardwurst offered to walk Ned to the General's office, but Ned said he would be all right alone. Green Scorpion would be staying at Varlax Kanlor for a while longer, so Smardwurst chose to remain on Galactron to look after Ned should the need arise. He had been quite impressed with the progress the Earthling had made in adapting to his new setting. Ned may have felt discouraged about his inability to pilot a starfighter effectively, but almost no one could fly a starfighter well enough to stay alive in a real battle – not without years of practice. Even more impressive to Smardwurst, though, was how Ned was holding up emotionally. It was hard even now for Smardwurst to imagine what it would be like to leave one's home and move to a place where the technology was so vastly superior to one's own and where many of the people did not even look like people by any familiar standard. And it surely did not help that Ned had absolutely no idea what he was expected or even able to do in this new place. He had held up well, though, and Smardwurst, who had been the primary reason for Ned's presence here in the first place, was determined to see to it that things continued to go as well as they had so far.

Ned hesitated for a moment before the door to General Marnax's office. He went over again in his mind what he wanted to say, trying to predict what the General might say in response. He thought momentarily of going back for Smardwurst, thinking that perhaps he might be better off after all with someone else to balance the conversation if Ned said something stupid, but discarded the idea immediately. He would be fine, he told himself. The worst that could happen was that Marnax would be unable to think of anything for Ned to do, and that Ned would be forced to spend the next few days or weeks or months – years perhaps? – learning and waiting. As if speed might somehow ward off that possibility, Ned put a stop to his musings. He strode up and pressed the door call button. It beeped, the door slid open, and Ned stepped inside.

Ned stood at the end of a short, narrow hallway. There were doors to the left and right, but they remained closed as Ned walked past them. Ned correctly guessed that the hall was a security measure, that he was being covertly watched, and that if anyone unauthorized tried to enter the office beyond he or she would meet a rather unpleasant welcome from whatever lay behind the doors. At the end of the hall Ned touched another panel, and Marnax's voice said over a speaker, "Come in, Ned."

These doors slid open as well, and Ned found himself gazing into a black hole. At least that was the impression he got. The polished black walls, ceiling, and floor of the spacious room were in stark contrast to the light gray of the walls without. The room was in the shape of a many-sided polygon. Set into the wall panels were recesses that displayed various works of art – paintings, sculptures, and miniature replicas of starships and other futuristic-looking vehicles, as well as several objects that were probably awards of some type. Potted plants also lined the walls, although none of them looked either familiar or friendly. The plants were adorned with a beautiful array of multicolored flowers and leaves, but they also all had some sort of mouth that looked to be lined with vicious teeth. Long, green tentacles writhed slowly beneath the leaves, and Ned was grateful that the plants were well back from the center of the room.

Gerran Marnax sat directly across the room behind a massive desk, which was made out of the same shiny black material as the floor. Despite the blackness of the room, the lights overhead clearly illuminated everything in it, and Marnax's smile lent some comfort to the somewhat hostile decor. "Come in," he repeated pleasantly. There were several chairs on the near side of the General's desk, and Ned took one of them.

"How are you?" Marnax asked.

"I'm okay, I guess," Ned replied, "considering the fact that I'm lost in space with no idea of what I'm supposed to be doing."

Marnax smiled. "I suspected you might be feeling that way. As a matter of fact, I haven't been able to come up with much either. The fact is that, as far as I can tell, neither you nor I know enough about your power to make much use of it. And I'm not going to send you off somewhere and have people shoot at you just to see how strong the power really is. Even if you really are completely invincible to damage, there are plenty of ways you could be harmed. For one thing, if you were in a ship that was destroyed, I doubt that a protective shield would do much against the vacuum of space, do you?" Ned shook his head. "So there really isn't much that I can think of for you to do, at least not at the moment. Even if I were to have you just go into battle and try to do as much damage as you could, I'm sure the Empire would think of a way to capture you, or worse. I can think of a few ways myself."

This was not at all what Ned had wanted to hear from the General. He had heard it plenty of times from himself, and the sound of it was starting to get tedious.

"The way I see it," continued Marnax, "you have two choices – and they really are entirely up to you. The first is to return home. I know that that would mean abandoning your entire purpose in coming here, but at least you would be able to be with your friends and family again, and maybe you could develop your strange talent on Earth. And it would be considerably safer." Put that way, going home seemed especially tempting. Ned considered it for a moment, but then shook his head. "I can't go back," he said flatly. "I won't risk hurting my family again." As he spoke the words, Ned realized that what he was really saying was that if he was going to lose control again and end up hurting people he wanted them to be StarBlazer citizens instead of his family. He did not like that implication and started to mutter that that was not what he had meant, but Marnax cut him off.

"I understand. I can assure you I would make the same decision if I were in your place." Marnax paused for a moment and then continued, completely changing the subject. "Ned, you have told me why you came here to assist us in the Alliance. Would like to hear why I am here?" Ned said he would. Marnax reached out for a photograph that was sitting on the desk facing him and turned it around so Ned could see it. It showed a woman, a young boy and girl standing next to her, and a baby in her arms. "This is why."

"Your family?" Ned asked.

Marnax nodded. "This war is not my idea of the ideal line of work. I was a starship captain once, much like Captain Varlon. My family and I transported people and goods from planet to planet, and we were very happy. We got to see many different parts of the galaxy, meet different people, and yet we were always together. Ren and Jenez even had friends on our ship, so they had a strong sense of security.

"Then the Alien war started. The Aliens - to my knowledge we never even succeeded in making contact with them, so we never found out what they called themselves – they struck seemingly out of nowhere, and seemingly from everywhere at once. The Empire was strong, but this was the most powerful enemy it had ever faced. Some people I knew left to join the war, but I stayed on my ship, afraid of what would happen to my family if anything ever happened to me. Then one day we were attacked. We were in spacedock around a strongly-fortified planet, or we would surely have been destroyed. As it was, the Imperial forces repelled the attack, but my ship was severely damaged, and several members of my crew were killed. I was more afraid for my family than ever then, but again I chose not to risk my life at war.

"Still, I felt that I should do something to help the Empire, so I ran for a position on the Imperial Council. I was fairly well-known and had a certain reputation for being able to think through difficult situations, and I was admitted. That was the first time I met Trelan Thendrak. He was an ambitious councilmember from the Anacron homeworld, and in many ways he dominated the Council. He was well-respected by everyone on the Council, including myself. He was concerned that perhaps our military would prove to be insufficient against the Alien threat, and he began studies on alternative ways of fighting our enemy.

"Eventually he found one. He did not explain it – did not even reveal it at first, until he had gained significant control over it. When he had, he displayed it to the Council. He did not, however, make it at all clear what his power did. He could control light, much the way you do, and he could destroy things with it, as well. But no one was sure how it worked, nor how powerful it really was. In attempts to discover more about the power, Trelan taught a few of his close associates how to use it as well. Still, none of the rest of us understood at all, but we all trusted Trelan and believed that he was working in the Empire's best interest.

"Then Trelan announced that he was ready to use his power in the war. He and the others who had mastered the power began to accompany our starships into battle, and when they did the results were astounding. Somehow, those four people were able to turn the tide of battle time and again when the odds seemed overwhelming. The power seemed to be just what Trelan had hoped it would be. He named it the Anacron Plasma force – I don't know exactly why – and the Plasma Masters were revered throughout the Empire.

"After a while, though, it began to appear that even the Plasma force would not be enough to hold our enemies off. The Plasma Masters always traveled together, and so they could only be at one place at a time. The Aliens began to overwhelm us simply by their numbers. Trelan stopped fighting for a time and studied his power again. A month or so passed, and then Trelan announced to the Empire that he had discovered a way to unite the powers of the four Plasma Masters and form a weapon that would annihilate anyone who opposed the Empire. His plan required that each of the four Plasma Masters delegate their power to a single person, and that person would then be able to amplify the combined power into an unstoppable force. Trelan offered to instruct whoever the Council chose to wield the power, but it did not take long for them to elect Trelan himself. He had been the leader in matters concerning the Plasma force from the beginning, and everyone was anxious to end the war as quickly as possible.

"But, on the night when the Council finalized its decision and the other Plasma Masters prepared to turn over their power to Trelan, one of them, named Koral Ralok, betrayed the Council and ... this is where the details of the story are unclear, even to me. The Council captured Koral, but he had either lost or sabotaged his power in some way, so that the four powers could not be combined. Trelan's plan was stopped, and the war continued.

"Trelan was furious after that. The Plasma Masters traveled with our army less and less frequently, and most of us on the Council saw them only occasionally. Our military was weakening, and there did not appear to be anything we could do about it. Then Trelan addressed the Empire again. In a speech that turned out to be extremely charismatic, if chilling, he announced that he had thought of another way in which he might use what remained of the power to aid the Empire in the war. He and the other Plasma Masters worked in total isolation after that. Somehow Trelan, who had now been affectionately named Dark Viper – apparently in relation to the speech I mentioned – constructed the superfortress Venom and destroyed the Alien army. The survivors fled, and we have not heard of them since."

Ned wanted to interrupt and ask the General if he was proposing that the stone Ned had found had something to do with the Plasma force, he but restrained himself. He reminded himself that Marnax was supposed to be telling Ned about his family, and that changing the subject now might seem rude.

Marnax continued. "Everything changed after that. Dark Viper had been appointed Emperor by the Council, mainly since the entire execution of his project was dependent on him, and since we had pretty much been doing everything he had said anyway. As I said, he was trusted and respected by just about everyone. Even I voted to uphold him as Emperor, although the vote was originally intended to last for the duration of the war only. No one mentioned voting him out again when it was done, though, and soon it became clear that Viper was there to stay. That might have been the end of things, but Viper, too, had changed. It bothered me that he chose to continue to be called Dark Viper instead of his given name – his motives just didn't seem right. I began to disagree with much of Viper's policy in ruling the Empire, as well. For instance, Viper had the entire population of the planet Anacron moved to Venom. He said it was for protection, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was more of a containment than a protection.

"I voiced my objections, but most of the Council and most of the Imperial subjects who wished or dared to say anything supported him. Instead of incite a rebellion, I decided that the best thing to do would be to simply take my family and leave the Empire. I talked it over with Rinel, my wife, and she agreed. When Anacron moved to Venom, my family and I, along with a few close friends, took our ships and flew beyond the space claimed by the Empire.

"Sometimes I wish it had ended that way, with the Empire continuing on its path and leaving us alone. It didn't. Over the next year or so hundreds, then thousands, then millions of people left the Empire to join me and those with me. Apparently there had been more people who agreed with me than I had thought. They appointed me their leader and we selected the name StarBlazer, and before I knew it entire star systems were pledging their allegiance to us. To me! I thought of leaving again, but that was simply not a possibility. Not only did these billions of people look to me as a leader, but the Empire – or, more specifically, Dark Viper – had begun to be annoyed by the continual emigration of Imperial subjects. Viper forbade anyone to leave the Empire, and perhaps as a convenience for those who already had he defined the borders of the Empire as 'all known space.'

"Needless to say, that offended not only the StarBlazer Alliance, but also other worlds that had not pledged allegiance to the Empire. They all allied themselves with StarBlazer, and before we knew it we had a war on our hands."

Marnax looked into Ned's eyes, and there was a hint of sadness there, mixed with fierce determination. "So you see, Ned, I, too, have in a sense been driven from my home by forces beyond my control. There was no running from the war this time. If I sat back and left the fighting to others I risked losing, and that meant that I risked letting Viper use my family and me as examples of what happened to rebels – which is, of course, what Viper calls us. I had no choice. I assembled my fleet and went off to war. You may think that I'm safe here in this massive battleship, studded with guns and permeated with guards, but I can assure you that my family is safer still. They are locked away where no one will ever find them but me. I never, ever risk direct communication with them anymore for fear that someone will find out where they are. That is what this war means for me. Victory means I will be reunited with my family. Failure ... is not an option."

There was silence for a moment as both pondered what had been said. Finally Ned spoke. "I want to do anything I can to end this conflict."

General Marnax nodded. "I'm glad. You might have guessed that the power you hold is a form of the Anacron Plasma. I am not certain of this, but if it is, then there is a good chance that it can be used for much more than making glowing stars and shattering drink containers."

The possibility intrigued Ned, and frightened him a little, too. "If that's true, though, how can I possibly learn to use it that way? If everyone who knows anything about it belongs to the Empire ..."

"That's what I've been thinking about," Marnax interjected. There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Not all of them do. I told you that the Empire captured Koral Ralok. But even though he admitted to betraying Trelan's wish, he hadn't technically committed a crime. He had never promised to surrender his power. Koral felt he couldn't stay with the Empire, though. Like me, he decided to leave. Some people followed him, and a few more might have followed later, but support for Trelan was high at that time, and Koral was generally regarded as a traitor. I'm not so certain of that, though. I believe that Koral acted just as I did. He withheld his services from a leader he did not think worthy of them."

"So Koral is against the Empire? Do you think he could teach me about the Plasma? Does he still command it? Do you know where he is?" Ned was ecstatic. This was exactly what he had wanted – an opportunity to master his power and put it to some productive use.

"Well, I may or may not know where Koral is now. He has not been heard of since he left. As to whether or not he still has command of his power, I don't know. Certainly he never manifested it after betraying Trelan, but maybe he withheld it so that Trelan wouldn't take it away. I don't know."

"Well, I have to find out!"

"I suspected you would feel that way. I have arranged for Smardwurst to fly you into the Uraxis Nebula. Rumor has it that Koral may have traveled there before he disappeared. I have other pressing matters to attend to or I would accompany you. As it is, I think you will be safe. The Uraxis Nebula is well outside of Imperial space, by which I mean that the Empire doesn't have troops there, although of course they claim it. Something inside the Nebula prevents scanning, and it may be dangerous to travel inside it, but something tells me that you'll want to go anyway."

"Yes!"

"Good. If you're ready, I think you should leave immediately. If this power of yours really is of some use to us, then we definitely need to keep it a secret from the Empire for as long as we can." Marnax rose, and Ned did so as well. Marnax walked around the desk and started to lead Ned out of the office.

Suddenly Ned remembered something and stopped. Turning to Marnax he asked, "General, today as I was wandering around the outpost I saw this girl... I don't know what it was about her, but for some reason it seemed like she didn't belong. Maybe it was just that she was the only person other than me who I've seen here without a StarBlazer uniform, but I'm not sure. Do you know who she is?"

"Blue and black outfit, long black hair, probably looked like she was about to shoot someone?"

"Yes."

"Mirana Kelar. She's something of a mercenary who works for me from time to time. She can be difficult to work with sometimes, but she's the best at what she does. I can't count the number of times she's dug up vital information about Imperial troop movements, attack plans, and a dozen other things for me. I don't know how she does it but she hasn't failed yet and I don't expect she ever will. She charges an enormous price, but it's worth it." Ned and Marnax began walking again toward the door. "The information she brought me today was especially important. That's why I'm a little anxious to get you out and back as soon as possible. Things are beginning to look like this war will be over very soon, and I intend to be the victor."

### Chapter 7

"Welcome aboard, Ned!" Smardwurst called as Ned stepped through the airlock. He had not been aboard Green Scorpion for a while, and it was just a bit like coming home. "So we're headed for the Uraxis Nebula, are we?"

Ned nodded. "Yup." He was about to continue, but then he realized that Smardwurst's crew might not have been told the full purpose of this mission. Smardwurst picked up the conversation, though, and they talked pleasantly as they walked down the hall.

"I was just about to feed Guz," Smardwurst mentioned as they approached his quarters.

"Guz?"

Smardwurst stopped and looked at Ned. "I never showed you Guz! How could I forget?" He hurried down the corridor to his room and stepped inside. Ned followed him in and froze, gasping in air and forgetting to exhale. Less than five feet away stood a monster. It was at least six feet long, although it would have been longer if it were to uncurl its tail, and its body was about three feet high. It had eight legs, plus two huge claws. Several black eyes stared up at Ned above a fanged mouth. A large tail curled up above the monster's body and ended in a sharp point. It was a scorpion. And it was green.

"Guz!" Smardwurst greeted warmly. "I've missed you so much! How are you?" He walked up and embraced his pet scorpion, petting it affectionately. The animal seemed to hug him back, although it was difficult for Ned to tell, among so many legs. "Don't worry, Guz. I've got lots of yummy food right here for you." Ned had recovered from his initial shock, but when Smardwurst momentarily left the room to get the food, Ned and Guz just stood there contemplating each other. Smardwurst saw the look on Ned's face when he came back in. "Oh, he's all right. He'd have you paralyzed in half a second if you were an intruder, of course, but Guz knows the difference." He smiled. "Really, he's fine." Still, Ned was rather relieved when Guz wandered off into another room to play, or whatever giant green scorpions did with their free time.

"I'm glad I finally know what I'm doing," Ned said to Smardwurst when they were sitting on a couch in the Zalorian's entry room. "For the first time since I left I'm confident that I'll be able to do something productive while I'm here."

"I am sure you will," Smardwurst said.

The trip was largely uneventful. For most of two days Green Scorpion flew out toward the boundaries of explored space. They encountered no one; Smardwurst had made certain that his ship carried all the supplies it would need for this journey, and there was very little this far out that would interest anyone anyway, especially in wartime. Uraxis was several days' travel from Varlax Kanlor for Green Scorpion, which had an average warp capacity, but Varlax Kanlor itself was nearly a week from the war's front lines. Smardwurst was confident that he would receive no threat from the Empire on this mission.

The nebula itself, however, was another matter. Not that nebulas were uncommon; the galaxy was full of them, collections of matter thrown off by the death of one star, waiting to coalesce into a new one. They were generally of little interest, except to scientists and stellar photographers. Uraxis, however, was a slightly different story. To Smardwurst's knowledge, it had never been explored, at least not by anyone who had come out to report it. It had been scanned, but there was something within the cloud of matter that prevented accurate readings. Viewed from without, Uraxis was lit only by the million-year-old light from the distant stars. Probes which had been sent into the fringes of the nebula, however, had recorded energy readings from within; perhaps a star already existed in the center of the dark matter. The presence of a star inside the already-massive cloud would have normally been marked by a huge difference in mass and therefore gravity, but at least part of what blocked normal sensors was a storm raging within the nebula consisting of graviton waves; these strange phenomena were extremely rare in nature, and some scientists believed them to be entirely artificial. In any case, they seemed to have gravitational forces that were unproportional to their masses, so even gravity was unreliable in the study of Uraxis.

The bottom line, then, was that Smardwurst did not know what to expect when he entered the nebula, and that bothered him. The Uraxis Nebula would make as good a place as any for Koral Ralok to hide out from the Anacron Empire, but it would have been nice if he had chosen a place where he would not have been cut off from the rest of the galaxy. That was pointless thinking, Smardwurst knew, but the idea of flying in, talking to the long-lost Plasma Master, having Nedward learn about the Plasma force enough to use it as a weapon, and fly back out again in time to overthrow the Empire and restore peace to the galaxy all seemed a little too simple to believe without a healthy measure of caution.

Smardwurst tried to keep his apprehensions to himself during the trip, deciding that all he could do about the matter was to keep his crew alert and his mind open. He spent much of the time on the pricom running the ship, but he spent a great deal of his free time with Ned. Green Scorpion did not have as advanced an ASI training system as Galactron did, but Ned kept himself busy studying about the various planets in the Alliance and Empire, along with various forms of technology he thought he might eventually have to use.

Ned found it all tremendously interesting. And while Smardwurst was worrying about what dangers he may face in the nebula, Ned was reveling in the fact that there was a very good chance that he was about to learn something useful about his power. With a little luck, Ned would learn to control it, report back to General Marnax, and put his abilities to some productive use within a few weeks, and he might even be able to return home within a month or so. Not that Ned was anxious to leave. The details of the war were slowly receding into his memory, and Ned was enthralled by the vast amounts of knowledge he found in the freighter's computer records. His interest in engineering was tremendously boosted by what he found there; the starships, buildings, and other structures he read about were absolutely mind-boggling. In time, Ned thought, he might get used to living here. Maybe, after returning home, he could make a business of applying some of what he learned here, and perhaps someday he could explore the galaxy on his own, without having to worry about war. The prospect seemed very inviting, and, although it was admittedly a long way off, it motivated Ned all the more to finish what he had started here and get on with his life.

It was evening of the fourth day when Green Scorpion dropped out of warp on the fringes of the Uraxis Nebula. From such a close proximity it seemed to stretch in all directions, an endless blanket of gas and dust. Ned stood before the pricom's viewscreen staring at it as the freighter approached, and then the ship was enveloped. Stars slowly faded and disappeared. The particle density increased the farther in they went, although it stayed well within the tolerance level of Green Scorpion's shields. Still, the ship was forced to proceed through the nebula at phase space speeds, since a warp field would have been severely disrupted by the gravimetric activity within the nebula. Besides, the ship's warp-range sensors were useless here, so there would have been no way to know where to stop.

Smardwurst turned to Ned as they passed through the nebula. "In even coming here, we are pretty much assuming that if Koral – or anyone – is living in here, that he will send us some sort of message, or that there will be some sort of artificial passage for us. It would take hundreds of years to search the entire nebula at this speed."

Several minutes into the nebula they did discover what appeared to be a passageway. Energy field generators lined a long, narrow corridor into the nebula, forming a passage that was free of graviton and subspace disturbance. Smardwurst took the ship at low warp along its length, but it ended about a half-hour later. They were well within the nebula now, and a reddish light was clearly visible ahead. Ned asked if it was from a star, and Smardwurst said it might be, but it was also likely that the source of the graviton waves would emit visible light. Shortly afterward they had their answers. The dust and gasses abruptly parted, and the ship's sensors reported an immense pocket of relatively empty space. Green Scorpion came to a relative stop safely behind the near border of the space pocket, and the source of the light could be clearly seen. Innumerable tendrils of energy twisted and coiled along the borders of the pocket. Smardwurst later explained that these energy ribbons were the source of the graviton waves that permeated the nebula. The fact that they were arranged so that they protected such a large space from the incursion of the nebular matter was basically conclusive that they were artificial; natural formations of that type were virtually impossible. It was not the graviton waves, however, that held the gazes of Green Scorpion's crew, but a second, more distant glow. At the exact center of the space pocket was a ball of white light, glowing brightly in the distance. It was a star.

"There is one planet, sir," someone reported. "I can't tell if there's life there or not from here. We'll have to get away from the gravimetric disturbance."

"Sir," said another pricom officer, "the graviton waves are extremely powerful. A collision with one could rip us apart. If we even get close ..."

"I know," interrupted Smardwurst. "Will our communication systems work yet?"

"No, sir."

"Very well. Take us in."

* * *

The wall of impenetrable black metal stretched away in all directions to horizons so distant that they might not have existed at all. Only the faint starlight revealed the detail of the structure; an endless array of sensors, communication devices, and weapon systems stood witness to the perpetual night that cloaked the Anacronian fortress of Venom. Once, before the structure had been completed, an army had been foolish enough to attack the fortress. Its remains now formed an infinitesimal part of the completed spherical shell. From any other star system or deep space outpost in the galaxy the light that the star trapped within had given off long ago would still be visible, but that star had since been sealed off from the rest of the universe, and beyond that massive shell there was only darkness.

There were some who would argue that there was only darkness within, as well.

Several sets of doors the size of large moons permitted entrance into Venom's interior to those few who were granted that privilege. The shell was only eight thousand miles thick, and nearly all of its inner surface was covered in black panels that absorbed the tremendous amounts of energy given off by the star, a virtually endless supply of power for the fortress. There were weapons here as well, but not as many as on the outside; it was so unlikely that anyone could ever breach Venom's shell as to be considered impossible.

Occasionally a ship would pass through one of the massive portals. Inside Venom's shell it was a continuous day; the light from the distant star was always shining its light directly onto all parts of the shell, so that everywhere on its inner surface experienced the equivalent of noon on the planet Anacron's equator. The scenery, however, was somewhat less than tropical. The inner shell immediately surrounding most of the doors was a depthless black; it absorbed nearly all of the stellar light that hit it, reflecting almost nothing.

At one point on the inner surface of Venom's shell was Anacron City, where the former inhabitants of the planet Anacron lived. The "city" was actually as large as a fourth of a planet's surface area, but the inhabited part consisted largely of a vast, metallic landscape of enormous buildings. The Anacronians made the uninhabited part of the city as much like their former home as possible, and to a large degree they succeeded. They kept large, elaborate gardens and forests, and there were even some artificially-constructed mountains and lakes. The entire city was walled all around and protected by an immense force field that made certain that no air escaped, and after so much time the Anacronians had begun to accept this city as their home.

The fortifications of Anacron City were nearly impenetrable, but directly across Venom's shell was a structure even more impregnable. It rose from the black surface of the shell like a stormcloud, all gray and black and menacing. Dark Viper had meant it that way. He did not want anyone who saw the fortress to doubt for a moment what it was or who lived there. Four giant spires rose from the featureless landscape like fangs thrust through the skin of some hapless animal. There were no windows, but there were large, cavernous spaces in some of the towers into whose recesses no light penetrated, and out of these shown small pricks of red, green, or yellow. One might have thought they were the eyes of mysterious, powerful beasts; perhaps they were.

Nothing of its appearance, though, showed even a fraction of what lay beneath.

What lay beneath was the throne room of Anacronian Emperor Dark Viper. His loyal subjects might have doubted his motives in assuming control of the Empire had they seen the throne room in which he spent most of his time, but almost no one was allowed to do so. Set deep within Venom's shell so that even if the entire main structure of the fortress were destroyed his realm would not be damaged, the man who had once been Trelan Thendrak sat alone. The room was cavernous, so that the walls could barely be discerned, but the space was dominated by a large platform at its center. Stairs led up to it and at its top sat a solitary chair. It was always turned away from the room's entrance; it was considered somewhat of a privilege for the Emperor to even turn and face you, although those who had seen the man recently had not found the encounter particularly pleasant.

Dark Viper sat there now, eyes closed, thinking. The war was going well. The StarBlazer Alliance was winning a few insignificant victories, but his plan was developing quickly and efficiently, and there was no doubt that it would be completed. Soon. The rebels could fight all they wanted, could destroy as many ships as they wished, but the fact remained that the Plasma force was his, and soon he would unleash it on his enemies and silence them forever. Soon he would destroy them all.

His eyes opened. Once they had been filled with wisdom and caring, but now the memory of that time was all that was left. Now his eyes revealed nothing but patience, determination, and anger. And power.

Dark Viper rose from his seat.

His eyes were not all that had changed. He wore green, mail-like body armor, and a black cape was draped about his shoulders. His head was uncovered, and his hair, too, was black; although he had been alive for nearly fifty years, his body showed no visible signs of age at all. His face was drawn. His expression did not reveal anger or hatred or anything else, for, although those emotions were certainly present in the mind that raged behind those piercing eyes, his entire being was permeated as well with a sense of calm, a reassurance that nothing could stand against him.

He had been contacted over twenty minutes ago, and whoever had done so was still waiting for him to respond. Now he reached over with his right hand and activated the viewscreen. The hand was sheathed in throbbing, green light.

The screen took up most of the far wall, but now it showed nothing but blackness. A low, rough voice hissed out of the void.

"Dark Viper."

The Emperor smiled.

The inhuman voice continued. "I have learned something of interest. A few days ago a hyperspace vortex was discovered some distance from the Anacron homeworld. A rebel ship chased a fleet of Yendarian fighters through it and destroyed them."

Viper was somewhat annoyed. "I am aware of this."

The voice did not slow or change inflection. "They did not return alone. There is a boy from the other side, one who has ... power." The speaker stopped, letting the implications work themselves into the Emperor's mind."

"The Crystal," he said finally. For the first time in years there was genuine concern on his face. "Where is he?"

"The boy does not fully understand his power. Gerran Marnax sent him to the Uraxis Nebula. There he is to..."

"DOOM!" shouted Dark Viper, clenching his fist. "Doom on that fool Marnax! Doesn't he know that he can never defeat me? Can't he see that there is no power greater in the universe than mine? When did they leave?"

"Marnax is keeping very silent about the matter. They left three days ago. The ship is the Green Scorpion. It should reach the nebula today."

Dark Viper was incredulous. "He left three days ago and you learned of this now?"

The other's hiss just might have been a laugh. "And when did you find out, Emperor?"

Viper's eyes narrowed to slits. "What is the boy's name?"

The voice hissed again. "His name is Nedward Simmons."

Dark Viper deactivated the viewscreen and sat back down, thinking again. It would take Rax and Dren nearly a week to reach the Uraxis Nebula, a little more for the invasion force, which would have to be small, given the situation with the war. But when they got there it would be over soon. Within ten days Nedward Simmons would either be a servant of the Emperor or be dead.

* * *

The gravimetric turbulence caught the ship almost immediately. Green Scorpion's stabilizers kept the ship from shaking apart, but its shields were glowing so brightly that its cameras were virtually blinded.

"Wave approaching at six zeld four, three zero."

"Lateral thrust down to eighty-three."

"Shields holding."

"Another one at two eight one ..."

"Brace ventral shield coil mark delta nine..."

The traversal through the graviton field would have been stressful enough for Ned without the ambiguous communications of the pricom crew, but as it was he felt he was about to go mad. The distance to the space bubble was not great, but they were forced to double back on themselves so many times that it had been over sixteen minutes and still they were less than a fourth of the way through. As far as Ned could tell, the ship was holding together, but everyone seemed so tense; Ned got the impression that no one had made any mistakes yet, because if they had then this journey would have been terminated ahead of schedule.

"Watch that wave!" The ship shuddered as the shields and stabilizers struggled to hold it together. The waves were becoming more frequent and more powerful as they progressed. Apparently that was due in part to the difficulty in arranging a spherical graviton shell in a way that masked the gravity of everything within it to anyone watching from outside the nebula while not affecting the gravity inside the bubble; someone had gone to a lot of work to make this nebula inhabitable. Ned wished that as much work had gone into making the graviton field passable.

"Captain!" someone shouted, and Smardwurst turned around. "We've lost number four thruster! Down to seventy-ril percent drive power!"

"How much farther?" Smardwurst asked.

"Another few minutes. We can make it, but..."

"Sir!"

A massive graviton wake struck Green Scorpion's shields, the red-pink ribbon tossing the ship away like a bear would a paper cup. For a moment everyone was rushing around frantically to assess and fix the damage as the ship shuddered violently, but then abruptly the shuddering stopped.

"Sir! We've been thrown clear of the graviton field!"

Without the gravimetric stress on the shields they could see clearly again. They were within the bubble of empty space. The far side was just a dim glow, the light from the star effectively drowning it out. They could not yet see the planet, but the sensors showed that it was not far away.

"Can we go to warp?" Smardwurst asked.

Someone's control panel beeped. "Sir, that last hit damaged our secondary power generator and the thrust particle containment unit. We can fix it here, but by the time we do we won't have enough shield power left to get back out. We can go to warp, but the power drain will prevent us from leaving, as well. We have enough shield power to get out, and we could probably repair the ship on the other side to get us out of the nebula and send a distress signal. Then we might be able to travel at low warp for a day or two. If we stay here much longer, though, we'll just have to wait for someone to come and find us."

Smardwurst thought about it for a moment. "I don't like the thought of staying here. There's no telling what we'll find once we reach that planet, and even if it's what we're looking for, it could be weeks or even months before the General can send us any help. He won't even know we're in trouble. I take it we're still too close to the graviton field to send a communication?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll go alone." Ned said suddenly. Everyone had all but forgotten he was there. "I could take a shuttlecraft to the planet, and you could take Green Scorpion back and call for help. You can't risk yourselves here, and I can't give up on the mission."

Smardwurst nodded. "You're right. I'll come with you."

"Um, sir," one of the pricom officers said. "The damage is quite extensive. I'm sure we can fix it alone, but it might be better ..."

Smardwurst frowned. His crew was experienced with repairing the ship, but not nearly as experienced as he was. He had piloted Green Scorpion by himself long before he had joined the Alliance, long before any of his present crew had joined. And more importantly, Smardwurst was by far the most experienced fighter on the ship; if they were attacked his skills would be essential. As much as he wanted to accompany Ned, Smardwurst knew his first obligation was to his crew. "I'll send someone else," he said simply.

Ned shook his head. "I'll go alone."

"What?" the idea seemed ridiculous to Smardwurst.

"We're fairly certain that I'll be pretty safe, no matter what's down there. You can't say that about anyone else. I don't want to be responsible for anyone getting killed over this stupid rock. I can pilot the shuttle myself. I should go alone."

"Sir, we need to get back through the graviton field right away."

"I think you should take as many people with you as you can," Smardwurst said.

Ned shook his head. "If Koral's down there, then anyone else who goes will just end up standing around. If he's not, then there's not much use in my being here at all, and it doesn't really matter what happens. In any case, there's nothing anyone can do to help me except Koral Ralok." No one seemed shocked at Ned's mention of Koral, which he decided was necessary at this point. Either they already knew the purpose of the mission, they didn't care, or they were very good at hiding their surprise or confusion.

Smardwurst did not like the idea at all, but something told him that Ned was right. "Go," he said, and Ned was out the door and into the lift pod before anyone could say anything more.

To be honest, Ned wasn't sure he liked the idea of going, either. It just might have been better to have someone along who knew beans about the galaxy, which Ned did not. Still, he was not about to have others risk themselves for no reason, and it seemed very unlikely that having someone else along would make any significant difference. The lift pod stopped, and Ned stepped into the shuttle launch bay. It was much smaller than the one on Galactron, and it took only a moment for him to board a shuttlecraft and key in the departure sequence. The doors slid open, and Ned took the shuttlecraft into space. The intercom beeped, Ned flicked it on, and Smardwurst's face appeared on the com screen. "Good luck, Nedward. I'll see you as soon as Marnax sends us something with stronger shields."

Ned managed a smile. "See you later, Smardwurst. And thanks."

The shuttlecraft was not equipped with warp drive, so it took Ned several hours to reach the planet. There was still a small amount of gravimetric spatial distortion at first, but Ned did not know the first thing about it and decided to ignore it. Nothing seemed to be wrong. He slept for a while, since it was something like nighttime, and when he woke up he could see the blue bulk of the planet looming up ahead. It reminded him of Earth, only this planet had far less ocean. He tried hailing the planet, but the interference was still too strong to allow communication.

Soon Ned was entering the planet's atmosphere. He raised shields and began scanning for anything that looked like a civilization. He was continuously broadcasting a greeting signal, just in case anyone was listening. That was when the port thruster exploded. Ned jumped at the sound and began frantically scanning the diagnostic instruments. Fortunately the other thruster was keeping him in the air, for a moment at least. Ned couldn't guess what had triggered the explosion; maybe the shuttle was somehow damaged by the gravimetric storm. He certainly hadn't spent much time inspecting it. In any case, Ned knew that he would have to land soon. He scanned the surrounding terrain and picked out a wide valley with a river running through it and headed down. He was still a long way up, and he was beginning to feel nervous. He glanced down at his internal sensor readings and gulped. The shuttle's dihydric field coil had been damaged in the explosion, and it was quickly losing stability. In another few minutes it would rupture, the remaining thruster and the shields would fail, and the shuttle would go plummeting to the ground. Ned strapped himself into the seat and hit the eject controls. The cockpit sealed itself off and fired out from the main body of the shuttlecraft moments before the coil went. The shuttle's artificial gravity plate was enough to soften the acceleration shock, and in any case the blue stone in his pocked protected him from whatever bruises he might have otherwise suffered from the jolt. The cockpit's parachute opened, and he started drifting slowly to the ground. Somewhere behind him he heard the shuttlecraft explode. This, Ned thought to himself as he sat there, strapped to his seat, anxiety pumping through his veins instead of blood, was not a good way to start a day.

##  <POWER>
### Chapter 8

The cockpit drifted slowly toward the valley floor and finally hit ground with a jarring thump. Ned climbed out of it, grateful to be alive and almost equally grateful to be on the ground again – although in theory, he could have simply jumped out and counted on a safe landing. He got a backpack from out of the storage compartment and stuffed it with all the food and medical supplies he could fit. He brought a small transmitter, although he wondered how effective it would be. He also had the presence of mind to strap a laser blaster to his belt. He had eaten aboard the shuttlecraft, so for now his course of action seemed clear: he would sit down beside the wreck of the cockpit and feel stupid.

This did not prove to be very fruitful. He did feel rather stupid, but his mind was a total blank as to what he should do now. He might wander around forever on this planet without finding anything. He tried the communicator, with no effect. His efforts to find a purpose for his presence in this half of the galaxy had once again led him to a dead end.

Ned thought about that for a moment and then started laughing. It was just a chuckle at first, but it soon built up into mad fits of mirthful paroxysms. It was too ridiculous! Here he had come to do something productive, making a point to come alone, and now he was stuck here with absolutely nothing to do. The really funny part was that he couldn't really think of anything bad about his situation. He was invincible, to begin with. He had enough food for several days, there was water close by, and there was an excellent chance that help was on its way. Even if it took a while for it to get there, the scanner in the med kit would tell him what he could eat, and there was certain to be plenty of that in a place like this. Nedward Simmons was on an involuntary vacation.

He calmed down and looked around him. The valley floor was heavily forested, so he could not see very far, but what he could see was impressive. Trees towered into the sky, and various bushes and flowers grew in-between. The air smelled fresh, and the sky was a clear blue. It was certainly a change from Varlax Kanlor. After a moment Ned got up and began to explore. Much of the plant life he found looked somewhat familiar, although Ned believed he would have been utterly fascinated by these alien life forms if he knew more about plants in general. He did not see many animals, but they were probably frightened and avoiding him. A few birds flitted among the trees, and he saw some colorful insects. For all he knew he might have been back on Earth.

That fact intrigued him. What were the chances of life here being anything like Earth, let alone virtually indistinguishable? What were the chances that those people who had left Earth long ago would find any inhabitable worlds at all, let alone hundreds of civilizations that were largely like humans – like Earthlings, Ned corrected himself. They were even the same species! Ned hoped that he would one day find an explanation for that.

There were differences here, of course. Ned found a tree with an edible fruit that looked and grew like apples, only it had no core and was sweeter. Also it was blue. He also found what looked to be ten-foot stands of broccoli, although he left those alone. Not all of the plants were green, either. Some of them had purple or yellow leaves, although Ned found himself wondering if they were really plants at all. Large fungus, perhaps? And the differences got stranger as he went. He saw six-legged squirrels, three-eyed birds, and what looked at a distance to be a two-headed deer. After the deer, Ned was not sure he wanted to see more. He walked back to the wreckage of the shuttlecraft, which had become a sort of base camp for him. He could see no point in going anywhere else until he knew what he was looking for.

He spent the remainder of the afternoon pondering that point. It was all well and good that he did not have to worry about dying at the moment, but he still wanted to find Koral and learn about his power. It would seem a rather unfortunate waste if the StarBlazer Alliance came back and found Ned just sitting there, having done nothing but eat blue apples and look at bicranial deer. He was still fairly certain that Koral was somewhere on this planet. It just made too much sense to assume otherwise unless he discovered solid evidence to the contrary. He obviously couldn't do anything from where he was, and that meant that he should go somewhere else. But where?

The sun was lowering toward the valley rim in the direction that must have been west (by definition, Ned supposed), when he decided to explore one more time. This time he would head toward the river. He had plenty of water, but an extra supply wouldn't hurt. The cockpit still contained a computer image of the valley from far overhead that served as a map; the shuttle had taken elaborate pictures of the entire visible portion of the planet as he had descended, but that information had been lost along with most of the rest of the shuttlecraft. It took Ned less than an hour to find the river. It was not very large; he thought he would be able to swim it without much difficulty at all if the need arose. As he strolled along the rocky bank in the fading light, Ned again studied the scenery. The forest's normal (and not-so-normal) creatures were all there, emerging from the foliage to drink, scampering away when Ned got too close. Farther away the landscape disappeared into the trees; a bend in the river masked most of its length, as well. Farther still lay the rim of the valley. The reddish light of the setting sun painted the distant grassy slopes and rocky inclines in an almost surreal setting that...

Ned stopped. There was something up there. He had glanced up at the cliffs before, but perhaps the angle of the shadows at mid-day had masked it. Now, however, with the sun's light beginning to fade, Ned could clearly make out several caves cut into the steeper, rockier parts of the valley wall. The caves were large and craggy, but there was something strange about them. Then he had it. They were all about the same size, and they were fairly evenly spaced along that section of the rock wall. How would caves form naturally like that, especially in a place like this, with no signs of volcanic activity and no water erosion except for the river? Ned guessed that they hadn't. He guessed that they were artificial.

His first instinct was to explore them immediately, but it soon became apparent that there was not nearly enough time left to walk there and back before dark. Of course, there was no reason why he could not just make camp there, especially if there were still people in the caves, but Ned had left most of his supplies back at the landing site, and he would feel a little more comfortable there anyway. After all, he had plenty of time. Tomorrow would come soon enough. As he walked back to his camp, Ned smiled and thought to himself how incredibly lucky he felt. Of course there was no reason to believe that there was anyone in those caves that would be of use to him, but even if there wasn't, Ned's entire situation was looking rather bright at the moment. There were people back on Earth who would have given everything they had to be where Ned was, and he had ended up there practically by accident. Of course, it could be argued that Ned had in fact given up all he owned to be where he was, but even that fact was insufficient to dampen his mood.

After returning, setting up a small tent with an internal heater and eating a dinner of rations, Ned pulled the strange blue rock out from his pocket. It was the first time he had given it much thought in several days; it had been easier and more comfortable to ignore it. The daylight was nearly gone by now, but the stone's facets still glowed their faint, blue light. "What are you?" Ned asked it. "What am I supposed to do with you?" The rock did not answer, so Ned tucked it away, lay down, and drifted slowly off to sleep.

Ned awoke just after dawn. The sun had barely cleared the valley rim east as he crawled out of the little tent, and the night's chill still lingered in the fresh morning air. The birds were chirping again in the trees, and the faint rush of the river could be heard in the distance. Ned stretched, then splashed some water from the canteen he carried onto his face to wake himself up. He planned the day as he ate. Not that there was much to plan. He would pack his gear and hike toward the valley rim, where he had seen the cliffs earlier. There he would explore until he found something or determined that there was nothing to see, and then he would decide where to go from there. Of course, he hoped that there would be people there or a way to contact them, but he was not going to press his luck.

Ned made good time that morning. He was well-rested, and his body welcomed the exercise. He hummed softly to himself as he walked, making it a point to notice as much of his surroundings as he could. He thought in passing at one point that he was going to have quite a story to tell his family when he got home. He missed them greatly, he realized. In fact, the more he thought about it the more he missed everything about his life back on Earth. It might not have been filled with incredible space adventures, but at least he was familiar with the people and customs. He wondered if he would be the same person by the time he got back home. He wondered if anyone would even recognize him. He dwelt on that thought for a while before moving on to others, and he hardly noticed the faint darkening of the skies beyond the valley.

It was approaching noon when it started to rain. He was nearly halfway to the cliffs by that time and he had rain gear in his pack, so the change in weather did not bother him much. Approaching noon, he thought. In addition to mapping the valley, the onboard computer had also calculated the planet's rotation time. It was a few hours less than a day according to the Anacronian time scale that was used on the starships, and that in turn was slightly longer than twenty-four Earth hours. Ned pulled out the calculating device Smardwurst had given him on his arrival and computed this planet's day to be about eighteen-and-a-half hours, Earth decimal system. Over five hours fewer than normal. He felt a little cheated.

The rain picked up as the day wore on, and soon everything was drenched. Clouds darkened the sky in a continuous sheet of gray, and visibility dropped perceptibly. Ned's instruments were water-proof, but the ubiquitous damp started to get to him after a while. It was, after all, the first bad weather he had encountered in over a month – really the first weather at all since he had left Earth. He saw fewer and fewer animals as he went. They were probably waiting out the storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and once Ned thought he heard a rather loud roar, although he could not be sure. The idea of the dry caves was seeming more and more inviting all the time.

At last the terrain started to steepen, and the grassy earth – well, ground – turned rockier. Another hour and he would be there. Ned had stopped a few times to rest already, but his legs were growing tired again. He found an outcropping of rock and sat down under it. He took out his communicator and tried to use it, but there was no response. Either the gravimetric interference blocked out the entire planet or there was some other, incredibly technical reason for the communicator not to work. Or, there was no one there to receive it. Ned hoped that Smardwurst had made contact with General Marnax by now. What had the General meant when he said that it was looking like the war would soon be over? Was he expecting a battle soon? Was he in one now? Ned hoped not. He didn't at all like the possibility that the Empire might win and force StarBlazer into retreat. If that happened, among other things, it might be a very, very long time before anyone found the time to fly in and rescue the Earth boy lost in some obscure nebula. He heard the distant roaring noise again and shivered.

Ned picked up his gear and started walking again. The datapad that showed the map of the valley automatically triangulated his position, and he saw that he was getting close. A few more minutes and he would be at the entrance to one of the caves. The rain was tumbling down the rocks in small streams, and Ned was forced to watch his footing. Then he stopped. What was he thinking? If he could decimate aluminum cans and vaporize cardboard, couldn't he keep off a little rain? Ned closed his eyes and concentrated. He could feel the presence of his body, clothing, and backpack, and he molded an energy field around them. When he could feel himself enveloped by it, he slowly brought forth the light. It was just a faint aura around him at first, but after a moment the light had built to almost a sizzling fire. Ned opened his eyes, and shut them again in irritation. He re-formed the energy field, this time taking care to keep the light out of his eyes. He opened them again. That was better. The rain was still falling on his clothing, but it wasn't seeping through nearly as much, and his feet deflected the water currents so that they could find firm purchases in the rock. Impressed at his ability to finally put his power to some practical use besides stunning unarmed purple aliens, Ned continued on.

Then he was standing at the large, gaping mouth of the cave. It was pitch black inside. Ned let the light die around him, realizing as he did so that it had taken quite a bit of energy to maintain it for so long. He probably could have used it to illuminate the entire cavern, but he pulled out his flashlight instead. If there were people in the area, it might be wise to keep his power secret for a little longer.

Stepping into the cave and out of the rain, Ned found himself in a large, cavernous chamber. There were a few stalactites jutting downward from the ceiling, but other than that the chamber seemed bare. The walls were not smooth, but they were not terribly rough, either. The floor was almost completely flat, although there were small rocks and pebbles strewn across it. There was something else, too, at the back of the cavern and to the left. Ned could not make it out from where he stood, so he started forward. At the rear of the chamber it looked like other passageways led deeper into the rock, but Ned was not anxious to explore them just at the moment. He was already lost enough as it was, being on this planet. As he drew closer to the object he could see that it was a pile of something. Rocks, maybe, but whatever they were they had a whitish color to them, and they were elongated, almost like... Uh oh.

It was a pile of bones.

Ned's blood froze. I'm invincible, he reminded himself, but it was not very comforting. He could just imagine himself inside the belly of some hideous beast, holding his breath... Ned! Get a hold of yourself! He switched his flashlight to his left hand and drew his blaster. The bones belonged to several animals, each at least the size of a horse. Whatever lived here was big. Maybe it doesn't live here anymore, Ned thought hopefully. He heard the roar again, closer this time. Did it see my flashlight? Should I turn it off? Did it see my rain shield? Stupid, Ned! There was another sound from outside of the cave, a periodic rushing like wind ... Wings!

Then he was dashing across the cavern floor, staying close to the wall to keep from being seen. He was halfway across when he let out a quick shout, which he quickly stifled but knew as he did so that it was too late. The monster had come home, and it had seen him.

The beast glided downward onto an outcropping of rock just outside the cave entrance with swanlike gracefulness. But it was not an image of a swan that hammered itself through Ned's clouded, frantic mind. The monster's body was dark red and covered with scales that glistened in the rain. Two broad, leathery bat wings folded back against its body as it landed, and the huge talons of its hind legs gripped the rock. A serpentine tail twitched behind the monster and ended in a double-barbed tip. The neck was long as well and ended in a head that vaguely reminded Ned of the pictures he had seen of dinosaurs. Huge, sharp teeth lined the inside of the gaping mouth, and a menacing pair of eyes glared at him from above the snout. Steam hissed from the beast's nostrils, and in the few seconds it took it to land and fix its gaze on Ned one word kept repeating itself over in his mind: Dragon!

The dragon remained reared on its hind legs for a moment and roared again, the sound echoing through the endless passages of the cave. Then it lowered onto all four legs and began crawling toward Ned. It was well over sixty feet long, and Ned could see now the row of razor-sharp spikes that lined the creature's back. He stood paralyzed in fear for a moment longer as the dragon slunk toward him, and then he broke and ran.

He was nearly free of the cave when a blast of fire caught him and threw him against the cavern's wall. The red fire and the blue light from the stone tore into the rock and sent chunks of it flying. Ned struck the ground and rolled to his feet. His shield had protected the blaster in his hand, and now he pointed it at the dragon and fired. A red line of light stabbed out of the gun and struck the beast full in the chest. The red beam flared sharply and disappeared. There was no effect. The dragon lumbered closer, faster than Ned would have expected. Ned fired again with his blaster, and again there was no effect. The dragon was nearly on top of him now, and Ned tried the only thing he could think of. He dropped both the blaster and the flashlight and extended his hands, fingers spread. Twin bolts of blue lightning lanced out of them and caught the dragon in the face. Its head snapped back, the huge forearms coming up to block the attack. Ned saw his chance and ran. He looked back only once and saw the dragon standing there, perhaps dazed but apparently unharmed. It turned to watch him go but made no effort to pursue him. Was it possible that it was just defending its den? Ned didn't care. His heart was beating harder and faster than he felt it had a right to, and he was gasping for air. The dragon's blast of fire had consumed much of the oxygen in the immediate vicinity, and Ned had all but forgotten to breathe in the events that had followed. He tripped on the slippery rocks several times and fell, but each time the blue light absorbed the damage, so he got up and ran again.

At last he slowed to a stop. There was still no sign of pursuit, and Ned needed to catch his breath. He paced about for a moment in the pounding rain, trying desperately to piece together what had happened. He would have liked very much to have had someone else there at the moment so he could place the blame for what had just happened on someone besides himself. He wondered suddenly what would have happened if he had let Smardwurst send some of his crew down to the planet with him and shuddered. Of course, they probably would have prevented that situation from happening in the first place, but that seemed irrelevant at the moment. It seemed, in fact, that insisting on coming alone was the only smart thing Ned had done in a very long time.

And then he realized that his pack was missing. He had lost it somehow in the attack; it was probably incinerated by the dragon's fire. Even if it was still intact, Ned was most certainly not going back for it. He still had his map and the pocket scanner that told him what was edible, and that would have to do. For how long? This was madness! What was he supposed to do now? The answer eluded him as he stumbled down the rocky incline. He wanted to put as much distance as he could between himself and the dragon's den before he stopped for the night. He knew he should probably go back to the shuttlecraft as soon as possible, since there were still a few supplies there, but he wasn't going to attempt it tonight. The light was already failing, and the rain had not yet let up. When the rocks ended and the forest began again, Ned found a tree that formed a reasonably good shelter from the rain. He reached for his pack to take out some food, but remembered instantly that it was not there. He was not carrying any weapons now except for the blue light, and he was not about to go out and use it to kill some little animal. For some reason, that idea seemed more barbaric than using a blaster. He looked around for edible plants, but found only some berries. He would have to go to sleep hungry tonight.

The gray, clouded sky was still somewhat light, and Ned did not yet feel ready to sleep. He sat beneath the tree for a while thinking. He had been doing a lot of that recently, and it was becoming tedious. It shouldn't be, Ned thought. It hasn't done much good. His little "vacation" was not turning out the way he had planned. He heard the dragon roar again periodically and hoped it wasn't looking for him. Or were there more than one of them? They were predators, so there probably weren't more than one within several miles. Ned closed his eyes and felt helpless. Anyone else would probably be dead after going through what he had. Was it possible that that was what had happened to Koral's people? Ned doubted that any number of dragons could stand against the incredibly advanced technology of these people, but then again Ned's laser had not had any effect on the dragon. How much could they withstand? Why had the blue light slowed it, when it was certainly not as powerful as a blaster? Ned did not like having unanswered questions. It had always bothered him in school when his teachers were unable to answer his questions, but it was even worse when his life was at stake.

And his life, he realized suddenly, truly was at stake. He had kept nearly all of his rations in his backpack, and now they were gone. He knew of several food sources, but what if what he could find was not enough? The stone's power would probably not do anything against malnutrition. And what if the dragon found him again? How long could he survive if he were constantly enveloped by fire? The stone could not do anything against suffocation, either. Ned no longer felt invincible. And even if he survived, how long would he have to stay here, alone?

Ned was growing tired, and he lay down beneath the tree. He was wet and cold, but there was not much he could do about it. There had been a blanket in his pack, but of course it was gone now. The rain was less now than it had been earlier, and with some luck it would end soon. Still, Ned worried that the night might be too cold to sleep in without some way of staying warm. He could use the light again, of course, just like he had used it earlier, but might that attract the dragon, or worse? Ned thought about it for a moment, and then decided to use it. The dragon had hesitated before when he had used the light, and Ned doubted that it would come looking for him. Besides, he would keep it down, just enough to keep off the chill. What would happen if he fell asleep? Wouldn't the light fade without his conscious effort to maintain it? Probably, but Ned was running out of options. He would have to make do.

Ned brought forth the light in a glowing ball around him and closed his eyes again. His last thoughts before drifting off were of Smardwurst and the StarBlazer Alliance. Were they all right? Would they be able to defeat the Anacron Empire if he did not discover more about his power? Maybe he was being selfish in his depression. Maybe there was more at stake than his comfort, even his life. And Marnax had been so urgent. Ned sighed. If anything were to come of his efforts to increase his power, something was going to have to change very, very soon.

### Chapter 9

Captain Flabbart sat back in his chair and took a sip of his carbonated meat juice. He was nervous. His fleet was shipping raw materials to the starbase Kandara, and he knew full well that the Empire had as much use for those materials as the Alliance did. Nothing had happened so far. General Marnax had assigned the Starhawk squadron to escort him, and so far that seemed to be doing the job. Everyone in the Empire, and everywhere else for that matter, was familiar with Starhawk. It was made up of the twenty-seven best starfighter pilots in the galaxy, or at least that was what the stories said. Their spacecraft were certainly state-of-the-art. Flabbart had seen video recordings of some of Starhawk's battles, and he still was not sure he was familiar with all of the weapons the squadron had at its disposal. There was good reason to be confident in the safety of this mission.

On the other hand, the squadron was only a starfighter squadron. The freighters had weapons, but the General had not thought the mission serious enough to send any warships along besides Iron Talon, Starhawk's mother ship. If the Empire wanted the shipment badly enough, it could certainly muster enough firepower to put up a very formidable fight. Distance would certainly not keep them away; at maximum warp it would only take an attack fleet a few hours to reach the freighter fleet from the nearest Imperial planet. Captain Flabbart sipped his juice again. Things had gone well up to now, but there was no reason to relax yet.

As if to punish his pessimism, the warp scanner beeped and flashed a warning light. Flabbart activated the com system. "Starhawk..."

"We see them," came the reply.

On board the Iron Talon, Ambelshack Devorion turned to Nredj Holmrk, his first officer. "How many?"

"Three destroyers and two attack cruisers," Holmrk reported.

Devorion smiled. "Cake."

After seeing Smardwurst and Nedward off on their mission, General Marnax turned his attention to the impending attack. According to Mirana Kelar he had six days. That was not much time, but he had dealt with worse situations. The problem, as always, was numbers. Two thousand warships was no small number, and it certainly wasn't smaller than what Marnax had in response. There were, however, two points in favor of the Alliance. The first was that, as little warning as he had, Marnax would have no trouble getting whatever ships he could muster to Ergana Prime before the Imperial attack force arrived. He would be ready and waiting. The second advantage was even more important. As was usually the case, it was easier to defend a target than to destroy it, and in the case of Ergana Prime this was doubly so. Ergana was one of the most powerful members of the Alliance, and it was heavily fortified. It was equipped with a powerful shield that encompassed the entire planet, and hundreds of turbolasers and missile launchers protected the surface. It would be no easy task for the Empire to take the planet even if Marnax sent no ships at all.

Apparently, though, it was not difficult enough to keep the Empire from trying. The reasons for the risk were clear enough. Ergana Prime was a major resource provider for the Alliance, it housed a major facility for the production and repair of starships, and it was the home of many of the Alliance's top leaders. Marvis Harvey was born on Ergana Prime. Its loss would certainly be no small matter, and Marnax was determined to see to it that that loss did not occur.

Harvey had begun to prepare for battle as soon as the meeting had ended, and he had not stopped since. Major Harvey was one of the most indispensable people in the Alliance. His military genius was in large part responsible for the fact that the Alliance had held out for so long. In fact, if Harvey had not joined the Alliance early on, it might have fallen apart almost immediately. Before he broke away from the Empire, Marvis Harvey had been in command of a large part of the Imperial Army. When Harvey left he took most of his command with him. In fact, over half of StarBlazer's warships were once Imperial ships under the command of Major Harvey.

At the moment, both Marnax and Harvey were aboard Galactron on their way to Ergana Prime, accompanied by whatever ships had been available on the way. The rest of the fleet would follow shortly. Mirana Kelar had disappeared aboard her ship, apparently wanting to check up on the Imperial fleet's progress. Captain Devorion was still away on convoy duty but would be back in plenty of time for the battle.

Two thousand ships. Marnax believed that, if StarBlazer won, it would very likely be a severe loss for the Empire. That was part of what he had meant when he had told Ned Simmons that the war might be over very soon. If Dark Viper had decided to make all-out assaults on major planets, there would be little room for stalemates in the weeks to come. Marnax believed he might do the same thing in the Emperor's place. The Imperial fleet was bigger; why not take a few risks? Because, Marnax thought, I'm going to throw every one of those risks right back in your face until you crumble and fall. You're reign is coming to a close, Dark Viper. Marnax hoped it was true.

A day before Galactron reached Ergana Prime, Mirana Kelar returned. She stayed aboard Galactron for a time, discussing the war with General Marnax.

"You know," she said at one point, "there just might be a better way of coming at this than simply fighting back. Those are a lot of ships, you know."

"What did you have in mind?" Marnax asked.

"For instance, you could evacuate the planet and cause a thermonuclear reaction in its core. If you planned it right, the planet might take most of the Imperial fleet with it."

"Sacrifice the entire planet? Don't you think that's a bit drastic?"

"Maybe," she replied, "and the Empire might just escape anyway. My point is that there are other options to consider."

"I'm sure Major Harvey has considered them."

Mirana frowned. "Major Harvey is a fool. Yes, he is experienced in combat techniques, but there are times when fighting just doesn't make sense. Do you think that I've stayed alive for as long as I have by fighting every enemy I've met?"

Marnax tried to read her face for some hidden meaning to what she was saying and failed. "Well, if you think of anything, let Harvey know."

Mirana nodded and the conversation turned to other matters, but Marnax knew that there was something on Mirana's mind that she wasn't letting on. That, he mused, was the story of Mirana Kelar's life.

Meanwhile, Marvis Harvey was pondering problems of his own. In a way he envied everyone else in the entire Alliance. All they had to do right now was sit and wait for orders to come, and then follow them. Harvey, on the other hand, had to deal with the responsibility of making sure that every one of those orders pointed StarBlazer toward victory. It was a job he had been doing for a long time and one he felt he had been born for, but at times like these it was incredibly stressful.

Harvey was looking at a holographic, three-dimensional map of the space surrounding Ergana Prime. Battle in space was fundamentally different from battle on the surface of planets, since there was no terrain except for the ships, and since direction and speed were all relevant only in relation to something else. On planets, land formations could offer profound advantages, and other environmental conditions, such as weather, could have significant effects as well, but this was not true in space. As a result, Harvey believed that victory in space was determined by only three things. The first was numbers, and in this category StarBlazer was always at a loss. The second was experience, and there the two sides were about evenly matched, although Harvey liked to think that StarBlazer had more than a few people who put the Empire's tactical experts to shame. But it was the third category for which Marvis Harvey was known throughout both Empire and Alliance. Harvey called it "violent creativity." Harvey was the best there was at knowing where to place ships, when to have them do what, and what people to put where. It had won him more battles that he cared to count, and it was why he was in charge of the second most powerful fleet in the galaxy.

No one knew who was in control of the most powerful. Dark Viper probably wanted to keep his generals' identities secret for fear that Harvey would find out their weaknesses and exploit them. In any case, Harvey had discovered plenty of weaknesses already through experience. He supposed that the bottom line on the matter was that everyone in the Alliance trusted him, and he could never afford to let them down.

Mirana Kelar, of course, was not technically in the Alliance, and she most certainly did not trust him. He wondered why. It was not that she thought him incompetent; he obviously was not that. What then? Harvey had absolutely no idea. Of course, he did not trust her much either. The reason for that, however, was quite clear. Mirana was a mercenary, and Harvey could think of no reason to believe that she would not betray the Alliance in an instant if offered a high enough price. Marnax trusted her, though, and Harvey supposed the General must have a good reason.

That was another thing about Major Harvey. He trusted Gerran Marnax unconditionally. Marnax had been a superb leader while he sat on the Imperial Council, but as General of the StarBlazer Alliance he was the epitome of great leadership. More often than not the people who joined the Alliance pledged their loyalty to Marnax personally rather than to StarBlazer itself. There was a very powerful charisma about the man that Harvey could not understand and yet could not deny. He wondered what would happen if Marnax were ever killed. Probably something not good. Perhaps that was part of the reason Harvey was so determined to succeed; he believed that StarBlazer was the best thing that had happened in the Galaxy since the Aliens had been defeated, and he believed that General Marnax was undoubtedly the most important part of StarBlazer.

This upcoming battle was going to test that determination. Harvey had won fights with worse odds than this, but every battle brought new conditions, new chances to make a fatal mistake. His enemies were learning more with each battle just like he was, and it was no easy task to stay a step ahead of them. Harvey had lost battles before too, of course, and with each one – with each victory, even – the StarBlazer Alliance lost valuable resources, while the Empire seemed to have an endless supply at its disposal.

Harvey hoped that a victory at Ergana Prime might give him an extra advantage. The Empire would have more ships than usual there, and a few well-executed maneuvers might destroy a very large number of them. He would have to be careful, of course. He might be the best tactical mind in the galaxy, but the Empire still new very well how to put up a good fight.

Another series of laser blasts tore into the shields of one of the freighters, and this time its shields could not hold up. The lasers were followed by a barrage of torpedoes, which tore into the ship's hull and vaporized it in a gigantic fireball.

Ambelshack Devorion banked away to avoid being caught in the explosion, then flipped his starfighter over and flew back through it, toward the Imperial destroyer that had fired the shots. His wingmen followed, and together they hammered away at its lateral shielding with hypercharged fusion missiles. They caused the destroyer's shielding to glow like noonday sunlight, and the three fighters scattered to avoid the laser blasts that streaked from the enemy ship like rain. The Starhawk fighters regrouped and came about for another pass.

One of the destroyers had been blasted apart already, and one of the attack cruisers was in critical condition. The StarBlazer fleet had lost only the one freighter. All five Anacronian warships had launched ten starfighters of their own, but by now only a third of them remained. Not a single Starhawk fighter had been seriously damaged; many had not even been hit.

Ambelshack ordered five of his fighters to pass between two of the Imperial ships. The warships stopped firing their lasers for fear of hitting each other, and the Starhawk fighters destroyed the torpedoes fired at them just as they cleared their launch tubes. The momentary cease-fire between the two warships gave the five starfighters just enough time to pump one of the warships full of laser and missile fire. Its shields went down, two missiles buried themselves in its main power reactor, and the entire ship was blasted apart. As they evaded the explosion, the Starhawk fighters took out several more of the remaining enemy starfighters.

Ambelshack and his two wingmen drifted toward each other until they were only a few feet apart with the bottom sides of the fighters facing each other, forming a triangle. A yellow light flared in the gap separating the ships, and the fighters pulled up and away from each other, trailing lines of yellow energy that gathered at the center of the triangle where the three lines met. A moment later the fighters disengaged their charge generators, and the lines ended. The yellow ball at the center flared sharply and flew into the other attack cruiser. The energy ball buckled the warship's shields and tore into its engines. The energy surge caused the engines to fire at full power, and before the ship's crew could do anything to stop it, the attack cruiser plowed forward into one of the remaining destroyers. Both ships exploded violently.

That left one destroyer against an entire starfighter squadron. Its captain was losing heart in the battle and tried to go to warp, all the while constantly raking the space around the Starhawk fighters with laser fire, hitting nothing. He had long since given up on the freighters. There were still Imperial starfighters out there, but they would have to fend for themselves; maybe the StarBlazer force would take them prisoner. Unfortunately for the destroyer captain, Ambelshack Devorion had other plans. All twenty-seven Starhawk fighters picked off the few enemy starfighters that were still in easy range and then converged on the remaining Imperial destroyer, weapons blazing. They dodged the incoming laser fire flawlessly, destroyed most of the torpedoes and evaded the rest, and in moments the last Imperial ship was nothing but a fading ion cloud.

The battle had lasted less than sixteen minutes.

Starhawk returned to the Iron Talon, which had not found it necessary to join the battle and risk damage. The surviving enemy starfighter pilots were captured, their ships taken. The StarBlazer convoy, minus one freighter, continued on its way.

### Chapter Ф

The rain had stopped during the night, and Ned awoke to a rather peaceful morning. The sun had not yet risen, and the forest was just beginning to come awake. His blue heat shield had faded during the night, but Ned was alive, and that was more than he could say for his mood. His throat was sore, and he sneezed a few times as he awoke himself. He realized with dismay but not surprise that he had caught a cold. Or something like a cold. How would his body deal with this alien virus? Would he be able to fight it off?

There was another medkit in the shuttle's wreckage, so Ned was decided on heading back there. He stood up, picked up everything he had, which was absolutely nothing, and started back. There were several plants on the way, and Ned had an almost-satisfying breakfast of blue apples and the petals of a flower that looked like a blob of gelatin that someone had stepped on. He would have to hunt for meat soon, but he wanted to use the laser rifle that was back at the shuttle.

Ned had been walking for nearly an hour when something in the sky above him caught his eye. He looked upward through the branches to see what it was, but it was gone. A few minutes later he saw it again, and this time he got a relatively good look. His trepidation was confirmed: It was a dragon. It was not the same one, though. This one was green, and it was bigger than the other one. But what was it doing? Ned stepped back against a tree and waited for a few minutes. The dragon appeared again, still high up in the sky, and then it was gone again. It was not roaring; was it trying to avoid calling attention to itself? The dragon appeared again, a little closer this time, and then once again wheeled out of view.

Now Ned was really confused. He had to assume that the dragon was looking for him, probably circling above the shuttle's wreckage. If he went back now, it would almost certainly find him. He knew he could not stay where he was forever, but maybe he should just sit still for a while and hope it would go away. Maybe he should even try to put some more distance between himself and the shuttle's wreckage. The dragon appeared again, closer still, and Ned felt his heart beat faster. If he did not do something fast it would find him. Run or hide – either way he would risk being found. Ned chose to hide. He found some bushes tall enough to conceal him and lay down. Almost immediately he began do doubt his decision. It might be harder for the dragon to find him here, but he could not see it, either. If it found him anyway he would not know until it touched down right in front of him, and then it would be too late. Ned closed his eyes and tried to think of something else.

Then something beeped. Ned snapped his eyes open and looked around, but there was nothing there but him. Besides, the noise had come from him... It sounded again. Ned reached into one pocket and withdrew the communicator. Once again it beeped at him. Almost without thinking he pressed a button and whispered, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Hello!" a man's voice came back.

"Who are you?" Ned asked.

"My name is X," the other replied. "Valkron told me there was someone somewhere around here, and I've been looking for you for a couple of hours now. I just found the wreckage of your ship. Where are you?"

Ned hesitated. "Where are you? I'm hiding in a bush because there's a dragon circling above me. That doesn't have anything to do with you, does it?"

"As a matter of fact it does. If you'll come out into an open area and shout at me, Valkron should be able to find you easily. He has very good hearing."

Valkron? Ned was not entirely sure about this, but he crawled out from under the bush anyway. He walked to an area that had relatively few trees surrounding it and shouted, "What do you want me to say?"

"Just keep shouting. I think we're close."

"Hello!" shouted Ned, feeling silly. "Since I can't think of anything relevant to shout into the sky, I'll just mention that the square root of forty-nine is seven and the capital of Nebraska is Lincoln, and..."

"All right," X said through the communicator. "We see you. By the way, seven squared is forty-one."

"Not where I come from!" Ned shouted back.

Ned jumped in spite of himself as Valkron landed several yards in front of him. The dragon dropped down on all fours, and Ned saw that a man was basically standing on the dragon's back. He was holding what looked like reins, but they were simply tied around the dragon's chest below the arms; Ned could not believe that they exerted even the slightest physical control over the animal. X jumped down off of Valkron's back and approached Ned. That was good, since Ned was still rather uncomfortable about going anywhere near the dragon.

"I'm X," the man introduced himself again as he stepped up to Ned. His hair had been ruffled by the wind, and his pleasant countenance suggested a carefree attitude. His pants, shirt, and vest were colored green and brown, causing X to blend in with the surrounding forest.

Ned shook his hand. "Nedward Simmons," he said. "Where am I?" It was the first of about a hundred trillion questions that Ned wanted instantaneous answers to but figured that patience might be worth employing at the moment.

"Welcome to Palandora," X said. "What brings you here? Have you come to join us?"

"Well, not exactly, Ned said." He felt that he should say more but did not know what.

X seemed to sense that there was quite a lot on Ned's mind. "It looks like you have a few things you'd like to ask me."

"I do," Ned said. He began by relating to X everything that had happened since his shuttle had crashed. He said nothing about Smardwurst or the stone or anything that had happened before he arrived, but finished by explaining that he thought he should wait until he was certain of the situation before saying more.

"I would exercise the same caution in your place," X said when he had finished. "I might be able to help you with some of your questions. As for the dragon yesterday, I believe you just startled her. She's not at all used to coming home and finding someone in her house. She was as confused about the incident as you were. The reason your transmittor did not work was that gravimetric interference prevents communication at long distances. That was why I was only able to contact you when I got close. I'm afraid it's like that all over the planet. We have a few communicator booster stations, but usually if we want to talk to someone outside the city we go and do it in person."

Ned was confused on a couple of points, but he remained silent for the moment.

"There was one thing more," X continued. "Delgora – the dragon you met yesterday – mentioned something about 'power.' Do you know what she was talking about?"

Ned didn't know whether to be more shocked that X knew about his power or that the dragon had communicated it to him. "Well, yes, but..."

"I see," X interrupted. "Well maybe I should take you back now. You can talk to the King, and maybe he can help you. Or if not, then I'm sure Koral can."

X did not say it accusingly, but suddenly Ned felt totally exposed. He did not know what to say. "Koral is here?" he managed.

X nodded. "The King will want to see you first, but then we can go and talk to Koral. I'm not sure where he is at the moment, anyway. I think he's out with one of the dragons." X stopped, realizing that there was a great deal left for him to explain. "I'll tell you more about the dragons when we get there, if you want, but we'd better get going. I left as soon as Delgora reached me, and it still took me half the night to get here. Come on. X started back toward Valkron.

"You want me to ride that?" Ned said incredulously.

"It'll be fine," X assured him. "I know it looks awkward, but staying on is really very easy. You just hold the straps. Koral says it's the Plasma that holds you up. Anyway, you'll be fine, I promise."

The Plasma, Ned thought. That might explain a great deal. Grinning widely, Ned followed X onto Valkron's back. The dragon was so big that both men stood on either side of one massive spike, holding the same set of reins. There were foot straps as well, which Ned had missed seeing previously, as well as a lower harness that allowed X and Ned to strap themselves in while sitting. Ned felt a little more comfortable that way. At a word from X, Valkron spread his leathery wings and lifted into the sky. Ned felt his stomach drop into his hip.

The landscape fell away in a panoramic view of trees, rivers, and mountains, and soon it was all just a wash of color far below. Although Ned was able to convince himself that he was safe, his situation was still more than a little strange. This was largely due to his view. To his left was a giant, dark green wing that flapped up and down occasionally. Each rush of wind made Ned a little nervous that he would be blown from Valkron's back, although he supposed that the air was being directed downward, not across. In front, the long, muscular neck stretched away and ended in a massive head that still seemed somehow too exotic to belong to any living creature. Dinosaurs were extinct, and dragons had never existed. To his right was the giant, curved spike, over which X's head barely showed. The spike came to a point right next to Ned's ear, and he was constantly afraid that he would stab himself on it. He reminded himself that neither falling nor stabbing was any threat to him, and it made him feel a little better.

Valkron flew for several hours. They stopped to rest once, and Ned mentioned the fact that he had caught some kind of disease the previous night. But X had nothing with him to alleviate it, so Ned had to wait. He tried to avert his mind by concentrating on the experience of riding a dragon. He had flown before in airplanes, but it was entirely different when there was nothing separating you from the open air. After the initial shock, Ned grew to trust X and Valkron, and he ended up enjoying the ride.

Finally a city came into view on the horizon. It was situated between two sets of mountains, as if it had been dropped there and caused a dent in the mountainside. It sat on a cliff from which a waterfall cascaded to the valley below. The river stretched from the base of the cliff down the length of a valley before winding toward some unknown destination. "Tibrus City," X announced over the rush of the wind. "We'll be there in a couple of minutes."

Ned was amazed at how fast the dragon flew. Its body did not seem to be quite aerodynamic enough to fly at all. And shouldn't the air be blowing stronger if Valkron was really flying that fast? Something about the Plasma, X had said, but what did that mean?

At last they reached the city. They were still far above it, but Ned could see people walking along the streets. The homes here were made of wood or brick; the city as a whole did not look all that different from Ned's home town on Earth. It was not very big, either. There were only a few hundred homes, plus shops and other buildings. Farmland spread out behind the city.

Jutting upward at the center of the city was a castle. It was elaborately constructed, and its architecture vaguely reminded Ned of a Renaissance cathedral. It was surrounded by gardens and trees, and a stone wall circled its perimeter. It was toward this castle that X descended.

Valkron landed in the middle of a large patch of lawn, and when he lay down to let his riders off he took up most of it. Ned was grateful to be on the ground again; his knuckles were white from holding on so tightly. He was feeling a little more comfortable about dragons now, since he had spent several hours with one and it had not attempted to incinerate or eat him. As X patted Valkron's head and spoke to him softly, Ned noticed for the first time that Valkron's hands had opposable thumbs. He thought about how X seemed to communicate with the dragons and wondered how much like humans the monsters really were.

"Is there anyone here?" Ned asked after a moment. The courtyard in which they were standing was empty.

"Actually," replied X, "after I finish here we'll go inside and see if the King can see us now. I talked to a secretary last night, but I don't even know if the King knows about you yet."

X patted Valkron on the nose and then sent him flying up into the morning sky. In a few moments he was out of sight. "Let's go," X said.

He took Ned through an elaborately decorated and meticulously cared-for garden and up to a set of massive, wooden doors that lead into the palace. X knocked, and they swung slowly open. "Hello, Flarg," X said to the man inside, who simply nodded and took them down a long series of hallways and up several flights of stairs. At the top Flarg took them down a hallway and stopped at one of the doors. "The King is expecting you," he said ceremonially, and then opened the door. Ned and X stepped through, and Flarg closed the door behind them.

They stood in a conference hall. Elaborate pictures hung from the walls, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and windows stretched from floor to ceiling and wall to wall at the back of the room. A long table occupied the center of the room, and at its head, on the far side of the room, sat a man who Ned immediately identified by his bright clothing and the crown on his head to be the King. A girl sat next to him.

"Greetings, X," the King said in a warm voice. "And you, stranger. You must have gone to great lengths to reach us. Welcome. I am Narkus Trennon, King of Palandora. This is my daughter, Jenara." The girl said hello, smiling brightly and brushing a lock of light brown hair away from her face. She must have known X rather well – or was it Ned to whom she directed that look? Ned wasn't sure.

"I'm Nedward Simmons," He offered. "I came here looking for a man named Koral Ralok. X says he's around here somewhere." Ned stifled a sneeze. "Thank you for taking me in. A dragon incinerated most of my supplies, and..."

"Yes, you certainly seem to have been through a lot lately. You seem to have taken ill, as well. Would you like a meal and a bath before you relate to us your story? Or we can hear it first, if you like."

Ned was pleased to realize that for once he was the one with the explaining to do, although he did have a great many questions, as well. "Yes, thank you. I am a little hungry."

"Very well, then," said the King. "X, would you see to it that Mr. Simmons gets what he needs, and then call me when you are done? Jenara and I will be here when you're ready."

"Yes, sir," X said. Ned thanked the King and Jenara again, and X led him back the way they had come.

They went downstairs to eat. Ned had not eaten a good meal in a couple of days, and he consumed the meat, fruit, and vegetables ravenously. X took him to a room where Ned showered and dressed in fresh clothing that was provided. X had left some medicine on a chest of drawers in the room, and Ned took it. The cold did not bother him again. Feeling much refreshed, Ned walked with X back into the conference room. The King greeted them again, and this time they sat down at the table. Ned had thought during his meal about what he should say to them. At first he had planned to tell them only what he had related to X earlier, but then he decided that these people were almost definitely friends of Koral, and therefore probably friends of him as well. They certainly acted like it. So, Ned decided to tell them everything. He started by relating what Earth was like, explaining that it was far behind this section of space technologically. He then told them how he had found the blue stone, discovered the power it gave him, and how he had decided to come with Smardwurst through the vortex in hopes that he could help the StarBlazer Alliance and find out how to master the power he had discovered. He told them how he had come to Palandora, hoping that Koral's experience with the Anacron Plasma force would allow him to help Ned in his efforts, and ended with his experiences of the past few days.

"Fascinating," King Trennon said when Ned was finished. "You see, we have had only minimal contact with the outside galaxy since we came to Palandora to live. I had no idea that the conflict between the Empire and Gerran Marnax had grown so fierce. A good man, Gerran is. All that fighting, though – it all makes me very glad to be here, away from all the trouble.

"But..." Ned began.

"Yes, I know. There is always a chance that they will come here. But the gravimetric field is a strong protector, as your friends discovered. Besides, we are located rather out of the way, and there is no reason for the Anacronians to take interest in us, anyway. And you said yourself that your mission here was highly confidential."

King Trennon took a deep breath and smiled. "So," he declared, changing the subject, "You want to see Koral, do you? Yes, I'm sure he will have a great many answers for you. A well-loved man, he is. And very wise. X knows that, don't you? As soon as I learn that he's back, I'll make certain that you get a chance to talk to him. For now, though, you are welcome to stay here."

The conversation basically ended there. X showed Ned to his room after that, showing him how to access computer maps of the palace and the city and how to call for the king's servants if he needed anything. "I'm sorry it looks like you'll have to wait awhile, Ned," X said apologetically. "I'm sure you'll find plenty to keep yourself occupied, though. The palace is a big place."

"I'm sure I will," Ned said. "What I really want, though, is to know about Palandora. How did everyone get here? Who made the space bubble inside this nebula?" He hesitated. "X, is there any way you could stay and answer some of that for me?"

"I'm sorry, Ned," X said, apologetic again, "but I have a ton to do today. I'm already behind. I'll come back later though and check up on you. Will you be all right?"

"Yes. And thank you. I don't want to know what I'd be doing right now if you hadn't come along."

X smiled. "Well, I just hope you can learn something from Koral. I know I've learned quite a bit."

"Can I ask you one thing?" Ned asked X as he was just stepping out of the door to Ned's room. "What do you do here? Your job, I mean."

"Oh! I didn't tell you! I'm a student of Koral's. I'm learning to talk to the dragons!" He smiled pleasantly again, and then he was gone.

Ned sat in his room for a while, pondering what had happened to him. Things certainly had taken a turn for the better, and it looked like he just might finally get some answers to the questions that had been running mercilessly through his mind. Another day or so would not hurt, now that he had apparently done everything that could be reasonably expected of him to do. Smardwurst would certainly be impressed, although perhaps less so if he realized how much of Ned's success had been due to luck rather than skill. Ned had been thinking to himself for days now, though, so after only a few minutes of lying there staring at the ceiling he decided to explore the castle grounds.

There was no evidence here of the storm that had afflicted Ned the previous night. As he walked through the gardens the sky overhead was a clear, crystalline blue. The rush of the river on the edge of the city, coupled with the singing of the birds, reminded Ned of the time he had spent wandering through Palandora's forest, only now he was no longer lost or in danger of being consumed. It was all very pleasant.

Then Ned heard a noise. It was coming from a stand of trees that sat atop a small hill at one corner of the garden. It was faint from where Ned was standing, but it sounded like some kind of musical instrument. He began walking toward it. He noticed as he approached that whoever was playing it was very good. The melody was flawless, and the sound of the instrument, which Ned did not recognize, had an almost mesmerizing effect.

Ned slowed as he neared the top of the hill and approached the stand of trees. He did not want to startle whoever was there, but he had a sudden urge to talk to someone – anyone. Ned believed that almost anyone on this planet would be able to answer at least some of his questions. He circled the trees so he would not come up on the musician's back, and then walked into them. He saw her then. The girl's eyes were locked on him, and she seemed to have seen Ned before he saw her, sitting on the grass with her back to a tree and the skirt of her pink dress spread around her. He recognized her instantly. It was Jenara Trennon, the King's daughter.

Her fingers were playing out an intricate melody on some kind of reed instrument. She finished her tune before setting it down. "That was very good," Ned said conversationally. "How long have you played?"

Jenara smiled radiantly. "Thank you! I first started to play when I was four. My mother taught me. That was quite a story you told us today, Ned. Would you like to sit down?"

Ned picked a spot a few feet in front of her and sat down on the grass. He was beginning to get the feeling that this conversation had been Jenara's idea, not his.

"I've never seen the Plasma," Jenara said after a moment, "although I've heard a lot about it from my father and Koral."

"Would you like to see it?" Ned asked.

"Sure!" Jenara said enthusiastically.

Ned thought he now had an idea of why Jenara was so anxious to talk with him. He held out his hand, palm upward, and caused a series of writhing, sparkling tendrils of blue light to form in a ball above his hand. "I don't know for sure that this is actually Anacron Plasma," Ned said. "I doubt anyone from the Empire ever traveled to Earth. Certainly not Koral."

"That's incredible," Jenara said, not paying full attention to what Ned was saying. Her eyes were fixed on the light. "What can you do with it?"

Good question, Ned thought. "Well, I can form it into just about any shape, for one thing. I can use it as sort of a weapon, like I did with that Yendarian and the dragon, although it takes a lot of effort to do any real damage. Even then it's still a lot weaker than a blaster." He made the light flare dramatically, then let it fade away.

Jenara stood up in a rustle of pink fabric. "Hey, do you want to see the city? I could show you around if you'd like."

"I'd like that," Ned said. He rose, and Jenara led him out of the gardens to the palace gate. She left her musical instrument behind, telling Ned that she could send someone back for it later. Jenara took him all through the city, which seemed a little larger from the ground than it had from the air, but not by much. She introduced him briefly to a couple of people, but mostly Ned and she just talked. Ned was tempted to bombard her with questions about Palandora's history, but he refrained. He was enjoying the conversation as it was. They talked about their homes, of their friends, and of their opinions on various aspects of life. Ned found Jenara very easy to talk to, and the two quickly became friends. Apparently Jenara had not just wanted a look at the stone's light after all.

Ned and Jenara were enjoying themselves so much that they lost track of time. Jenara finally looked at her watch as the day started to wane toward evening. "Oh! It's almost dinnertime!" she said. She then seized Ned's hand and half-dragged him back down the streets toward the palace. They made quite a sight, and several people stopped to stare at the Princess racing down the street, kicking clouds of dust up off of the ground onto her dress and dragging behind her a young man who looked like he only half understood what was happening.

At last they reached the door, and Flarg let them in. King Trennon and X had just sat down to eat. "There you are!" declared the King when they entered the dining room. "I had thought you had decided to eat out tonight. Come, sit down."

Ned became suddenly aware that Jenara was still holding his hand, and he broke away, feeling a little self-conscious. "Jenara showed me around the city today," he informed the King and X. "You have a wonderful planet here."

"Why thank you, Ned," the King said. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I believe X has some news for you."

X smiled and turned toward Ned. "I received a message from Koral today. He should be back by tomorrow afternoon."

"Great!" Jenara exclaimed. "I'll take you up tomorrow after breakfast to wait for him."

"I'll go, too, if you don't mind," X said.

Ned smiled at him and nodded. "That should give you enough time to answer a few of my questions."

"I'll try," X said, "but I have a feeling that that job will be mainly up to Koral."

"It's agreed then," Jenara declared. "We leave tomorrow morning."

Dinner ended with small talk, and then all four went off to bed. Ned was incredibly pleased with how the day had turned out. Last night at this time he had been shivering in the rain and wondering if he would ever see another sentient being again. Now, after only one day, Ned had two new friends and was within hours of meeting the man who would very likely give him the knowledge and direction that his life so desperately needed right now. It had been a very good day indeed.

### Chapter ∩

Ned slept well, and early the next morning he was up, showered, and dressed before the knock on the door came to inform him that breakfast was ready. He opened the door and followed the servant who had come for him downstairs to the table, and X and Jenara followed shortly.

Jenara greeted Ned as she took her seat at the table. "I had Flarg pack us some food to take up. It will take quite a while to get there, won't it, X?"

"It'll be about four hours." X turned to Ned. "Koral lives down here in the city, but he spends a lot of his time in a cave up in the mountains – sort of a second home. I guess the dragons don't really like people, or maybe it's the other way around. We could ride one up, I guess, but it's a beautiful walk, and Koral won't be back until later anyway."

They finished their meal, slung the packs with the food Jenara had mentioned over their shoulders, and headed out. They walked to the edge of the city to where it bordered the forests, and the homes, shops, and streets of Tibrus were quickly left behind. X had been right about the scenery. There were even more forms of both plant and animal life here than there had been in the valley where Ned had crashed, and Ned was stunned by it all. He guessed that Earth's tropical forests might have looked somewhat like this, although the climate here was rather mild. The weather was good, and for the first several minutes the three said nothing, content to take in the view.

Then Ned's curiosity got the better of him. "All right, you two. It's time you told me what's going on here."

"What do you mean?" asked X.

"Let's start with you two. Where are you from, and what exactly do you do here?"

X started. "Well, I was born on Anacron. For a long time I had wanted to be a starfighter pilot, and I got pretty good at it. I wasn't old enough to fight when the war started, but I planned to join a starfighter squadron a soon as I could. There's just something about those ships that I couldn't get enough of. Flying one is like nothing you can experience on land, at least for me. And I was dedicated to the Empire, so it seemed like a good idea to use my talents to help it out.

"But then Trelan got his idea of combining the Plasma force and using it against the Aliens. At first it seemed like a good idea, but Koral didn't agree. He only said a little about the matter, but where I lived it was all anyone talked about for a long time. A lot of people didn't want any one person to rule the Empire. That was how it started, anyway. After a while, though, some people decided that a single ruler wouldn't be so bad, but they didn't want it to be Trelan. So when Koral ruined Trelan's plans for gaining the power and left, a lot of people went with him. I was one of them."

"Did your family go, too?" asked Ned.

"No," X said without changing his expression. "My family was killed in the Alien war. I guess that's part of the reason why I wanted to fight so badly."

Ned did not know how to respond, but X continued, apparently unfazed by the awkward topic.

"So we ended up here, but we were only able to take a few ships, and our supplies are limited. We have a few starfighters, but we don't use them; there's no need. So I was pretty much out of work. The people wanted Koral to lead them, but he didn't want to – but I'll let Jenara explain that. Anyway, Koral got interested in the dragons, and I did too. I guess flying them is kind of like piloting a starfighter, although it's not as fast."

"Cool," Ned said, somewhat inarticulately. His companions looked at him with confused expressions. "Oh. That's slang for 'good.' I keep forgetting that you guys' language isn't all the same as mine. What about you, Jenara?"

Jenara looked up at the sky, remembering. "It seems like forever since I was on Anacron. So much has changed.

"I grew up on Anacron, too. In fact, I went to school with X. We've known each other for a long time. My father owned a business there, and I was just taking life as it came, waiting for something – I never knew what. The war didn't affect me that much, I guess. I was pretty confident the Empire would win, and no one I knew was in the war.

"When the political dispute fired up, though, I got interested. My father had a lot to do with that. He would take me to meetings where we would discuss what we thought about the councilmembers and what they did. We especially talked about Koral and Trelan, even though Koral stopped speaking out against Trelan's ideas almost immediately – I guess he didn't want to arouse suspicion that he might not go along with the idea. I was all for the decision to leave Anacron with Koral.

"When we got here, a lot of people wanted Koral to be our King. Koral said that would be hypocritical, and I agreed. Koral said we should elect a council, just like we had in the Empire. But there weren't enough people who wanted to be an active part of their government, I guess. In any case, my father was elected King, which pretty much means that whatever he says is law as long as the people like him. They like him a lot. No one's said anything about who's supposed to succeed him, but I guess it's pretty likely that I'll be elected Queen someday, when my father retires."

Ned raised an eyebrow, impressed. "I bet you're sort of looking forward to that."

"I'll be ready, if that's what you mean." Jenara's face was serious. "It's not like I'm power-hungry, but the people here need someone to lead them, and after my father, I'm the best person for the job."

"I believe it," Ned said. "So, this whole planet lives here alone, totally self-sufficient and totally cut off from the rest of the galaxy?"

X nodded. "Pretty much."

"Did you make this bubble in the middle of the nebula?"

"No," Jenara said. "Koral seemed to have known about it, but it was here when we arrived."

The conversation had helped to satisfy some of Ned's curiosity. After that they continued talking, laughing and joking about whatever came to mind.

"Ned," Jenara said after a while. "Would you show me a little more about the Plasma? Or whatever it is. I mean, what exactly are you trying to learn here?"

Ned stopped, picked up a rock, and handed it to Jenara. "Stand back and throw this at me as hard as you can."

Jenara smiled awkwardly, and then walked away a few yards. She threw the rock, and it deflected off Ned's chest with a blue flash. Jenara laughed in amazement and tried it a few more times.

"Let me try!" said X, laughing. He smacked Ned with a stick he had picked up. It broke.

X grabbed another stick and swung again, but this time Ned grabbed it, laughing as well. He sent blue fire streaking along its length, and X let go. "It didn't burn," X said when the fire had faded.

"I wasn't trying to make it hot," Ned explained. "Anyway, the light's not very hot even when I want it to be, at least not as long as I'm consciously controlling it. I don't know why, but I'm hoping I'll find out today."

X thought for a moment. "What do you plan to do when we get there? Do you think you'll stay up in the cave with Koral?"

"I guess so. I'll pretty much do whatever it takes. I'd very much like to get home, and I can't do that until I master this power. And I don't want to leave without doing something about Dark Viper, either. If he wins this war, then what will be stopping him from taking his armies through the vortex and attacking Earth?"

They continued walking again. After a few minutes Ned said, "What if the Empire comes here? Your father said it was safe, but is it?"

Jenara thought for a moment. "No. Not for very long. Our shield doesn't cover much beyond the city, and there's no way we could survive if we were cut off from our natural resources. If they ever found us we'd either have to get help from StarBlazer or surrender. Probably surrender."

Ned looked over and saw that X was looking at the ground. Ned was suddenly afraid that he might have done something terrible in coming here.

"What do you call a Werrinian barber eating a bowl of squirp?" Jenara asked.

"What?" said X.

"A squirp-retanum."

X laughed, and Ned laughed too, even though he had absolutely no idea what the joke meant.

The sun climbed through the morning sky, and the three worked their way at a leisurely pace into the mountains. The terrain sloped irregularly, and the group often got breathtaking views of large expanses of dense forest dotted with flowers and other low growth. Streams and waterfalls meandered down the mountainside in their way to the river, and occasionally one of the forest creatures would show itself for a moment before scampering away.

Then the cave came into view. At first it could barely be seen, and they might have missed it if X had not known what he was looking for. It was just a dark spot on the mountain slope. As they approached, though, Ned was reminded of the cave the dragon had lived in. This one, like Delgora's, was fairly evenly cut, and there was no apparent reason why a cave would have formed naturally there.

Then they were at its entrance. X called out, but there was no answer. "I guess he's not back yet," he informed his companions. He then pressed a button that had been built into one wall, and lights went on, showing the way farther into the mountain. "Come on. We can wait for him inside."

The cave walls were bare rock at first, but after a few twists and turns, when the entrance could no longer be seen, the rock turned to metal, and then to what looked like wood. They were in a room filled with comfortable furniture, along with various decorations much like those in Jenara's home. X motioned for them to sit down, and they resumed talking. It was relaxing to finally sit after such a long hike, but Ned was far from calm. He was finally here! He was finally in the home of the man who would be able to help him. His preoccupation led him to drop out of the conversation somewhat, and he began firing meaningless bolts of energy at random spots in the room, just for practice. Jenara and X understood what he was feeling, and they left him alone.

Then there was a thundering shriek and the flapping of monstrous wings, and the three friends knew that Koral had returned. Ned's head snapped around to watch the entrance, and he tried to stay calm. Footsteps sounded along the cave-hallway, and finally Koral appeared. His hair and beard were gray and his face was beginning to show the wrinkles of age, but his countenance was lively and he greeted everyone with a warm smile. "Hello X, Jenara. And you must be our visitor." There was something in the man's eye that suggested that he was as excited about this meeting as Ned was.

Ned rose and walked over to where Koral was standing. "I'm Nedward Simmons of Earth," he said, shaking the man's hand. "Most people call me Ned."

"Koral Ralok. X just briefly mentioned you. Perhaps you'd like to tell me how you got here yourself."

"Sure," Ned said. He desperately wanted to have Koral lecture him on everything in the universe so he could have his questions answered right away, but he knew that Koral had to know who Ned was before he could be of any help. So, for what Ned hoped would be the final time, he began to relate how he had come upon the glowing stone in the forest, discovered the power of the strange blue light, and come through the vortex, hoping to learn more about the power and use it to fight the Anacron Empire.

Based on what X had said, Koral must have guessed that there was a connection between the Plasma force and the dragon Delgora's reaction to Ned's "power," but he seemed totally unprepared for what Ned was telling him. Several times he seemed to have a question on his tongue, but each time he kept quiet. When Ned had finished, Koral just sat there for a time, pondering.

He spoke finally, but his gaze remained distant, as if he were reading the events from his past off of some invisible writing on the far wall. "It started about five years ago, although it seems much longer to me. I had been serving on the Imperial Council for quite some time, and I had grown very well-acquainted with Trelan Thendrak. I don't know how long he had the Plasma before he told us about it, but when some started doubting whether the Empire was strong enough to defeat the Aliens, he decided to reveal his power. At first he only told the three of us: Kayleen Rax, Markan Dren, and me. He told us that an ancient civilization had developed an incredible source of power, which he had discovered but had only begun to understand. He said that Plasma was everywhere and that the ones who created it had used it to rule over a vast empire – one much larger than Anacron. He said that for some reason that empire vanished hundreds, perhaps thousands of years ago, but before they did they created four Plasma Crystals that would harness their power. Each Crystal controlled a different aspect of the Plasma: Shield Plasma, Blast Plasma, Vortex Plasma, and something else. Trelan held the fourth Crystal, and he said that even he did not understand the real nature of his power, but he gave the others to us and taught us to use them. Trelan told us that any one person could only hold one Crystal, so four Holders were necessary to make full use of the power. He gave the Blast Crystal to Kayleen. Its power is destruction. Markan got the Vortex Crystal, which opens gates between two locations and allows him to transport objects quickly – much like the hyperspace vortex through which you traveled to get here, although perhaps not exactly the same. Trelan gave me the Shield Crystal. Its power is to protect its holder from harm.

"For a time the four of us used our powers to keep the Aliens at bay. Kayleen used the Blast Plasma to attack, Markan used the Vortex power to teleport the Aliens' weapons and cause them to hit their own ships, and I used my power to protect our ships from Alien weapons. Trelan coordinated the effort, but I don't ever remember him actually using his power, at least not in ways that I could detect. But there were only four of us, and we always traveled together, so even our power was not enough to turn the Aliens back. So Trelan began working on another plan.

"When he proposed that we find a way to give all our powers to one person – he never actually asked that it be him – I agreed at first. After all, it was he who had discovered the Plasma force and he who understood it best. I was not about to argue. But then I began thinking how much power a single Plasma Crystal gives to its Holder, and I wondered if it would be wise for any one person to hold all of the powers together, even if it were somehow possible. I had learned much about the Shield Plasma, but I knew virtually nothing about the other aspects of the Plasma force, so I could not come up with an alternative. When the Council dismissed my objections and voted to join the powers, I decided to leave.

"Just minutes before the Council was to meet and the powers were to be joined, I left Anacron in my starship. The Council quickly discovered what had happened, though, and sent Kayleen and Markan after me to recover the Shield Crystal. But I had planned for that. As you mentioned, it is very difficult for a Crystal Holder to part with the Crystal, but I had found a way. Just before Kayleen destroyed my ship and Markan pulled me onto theirs, I threw the Shield Crystal away and caused a warp core breach. I had hoped to destroy the Crystal and thereby prevent the joining of the powers.

"The Crystal was apparently designed to protect itself as well as its Holder. But as to how it got to your world in so short a time I am not sure. I think I may have an idea, however. The Blast Plasma, Vortex Plasma, my ship's explosion, and the Shield Crystal's protective energy were all at full force at the same instant. It is conceivable that the combination of these forces opened a large vortex, through which the Shield Crystal was somehow pushed. That would account for the vortex tunnel that connects your region of space to ours. My ship was destroyed very close to where I gather from your story that you left the vortex. At the time of its creation the vortex probably opened very close to your world, but it has since been retracting, as you also said."

Koral sighed. "It's all so amazing. What were the chances that the Crystal would find its way to someone who would eventually return it here? Perhaps they are greater than I suppose. Still, the idea of it all is overwhelming. Ned, may I see it?"

Ned was nearly as shocked as Koral. Perhaps there was something in the way the man told the story that conveyed not only the message but the emotions he felt as well. Slowly Ned reached into his pocket and brought out the stone. The Shield Crystal. "I suppose this is really yours, then," Ned said awkwardly. "Maybe you can find a way to make it let go of me, and then you can have it back again. I'd certainly be more than happy to give it up and go home to my normal life." It was the truth. To give up this newfound power would be no small sacrifice for Ned, but in his opinion the sacrifice would be well worth it if it meant that he could leave this war behind and return to his family.

"No," Koral said quietly. "I do not believe I can find a way, and even if I could I would not take it. When I cast that thing away I gave up an integral part of my existence. But now, after so much time, I feel that I have come to live with that loss. In a way I would welcome the return of the power of the Plasma force, but I am not sure I could handle the power again after forcing the memory of it out of my life. I don't think I could survive."

"But there must be a way..." Ned began.

"No. I will not take it back. What you do with the power is up to you, and I will help you in any way I can to develop your skills, but I will not take back the Crystal. The Shield Plasma belongs to you now, Nedward Simmons. You are the new Shield Master."

Ned felt the weight of his responsibility settle back in again. Of course, he thought bitterly. That would have been way too easy.

Koral changed the subject. "I can see that you have many questions, Ned. I can probably help you with at least some of them."

Ned nodded. There were so many things he wanted to know so badly that they were all crowding each other out in an effort to come forth, and as a result Ned was having trouble focusing on one at a time. "Well," he said finally. "You certainly have told me a lot. I think it would have been worth my coming here just to hear what you just said. But you're right – I do have several more questions. First of all, if this rock is the Shield Crystal, and if there's a separate Crystal to control the Blast Plasma, then why can I use the Plasma as a weapon?"

"That is an excellent question, and I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure. There is one thing I know for certain, though. Your power to use the Plasma as a weapon did not come from the Crystal. Believe me. If there had been a way to use the Crystal in that way, I would have discovered it long ago."

"Then where did it come from? I remember how I first discovered that I could use the light for more than protection. I closed my eyes and sensed the power in the stone and recreated it in my hand. Well, first of all, what exactly is the Plasma? It isn't really plasma, is it?"

Koral shook his head. "It is not merely the state of matter above gas, if that is what you mean. It looks like it, though. I'm sure you have noticed its resemblance to lightning and stellar matter, both of which are forms of 'real' plasma. I think that is why Trelan named it that. Also the word has a certain aesthetic sound to it, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess. Sort of how they call starship's weapons "lasers," when they're not really just light."

Koral nodded. "But what exactly is the Plasma? That I do not know either. For me it was always enough that the Plasma obeyed me. I did not give much thought to what it was, probably because I had no way of finding out."

"Well, where does it come from? Where is it when it's not visible?"

"The Plasma seems to be everywhere. According to Trelan, it is somewhat like hyperspace, coexisting with normal space. The Crystals allow our minds to bridge the gap to the sort of Plasmatic 'ether' where it exists and call it forth into normal space. The nature of the Crystal determines the form it will take."

"Except for me," Ned reminded him.

"Yes. Trelan also told us that the power of the Plasma Crystals was directly related to the understanding and willpower of the Holder. The more experienced the Holder is, the more powerful the manifestation of the Plasma. Physical condition plays an important role, as well. You probably noticed that strenuous or extended use of the Plasma can leave you weak once you stop." Ned nodded. "But it is also true that extended use brings experience. The more you use it, the more powerful it becomes. I suppose it is somewhat like normal physical activity. At first you're tired, but after a while the activity becomes invigorating. When you stop you feel refreshed, but you're also fatigued, at least for a while."

Ned nodded again. "I think I'm beginning to understand. So you're saying that the amount of control you have over the Plasma depends on how familiar you are with it. Is that right?"

"Yes, you could put it that way."

"And abilities don't just come to you; you have to plan and practice them."

"Most of them do. The Shield Crystal automatically protects its Holder, but with experience the Holder can learn to do other things with the protective Plasma, such as extend force fields around other people to protect them as well."

"Well then, I might have an idea as to why I can use the Plasma as a weapon. When I first used the Plasma I didn't know what it was or what it was supposed to be used for. I didn't have any preconceived ideas about what it was supposed to do, so I set a goal that would have seemed unreasonable if I had known the intended power of the Crystal."

"I supposed that's possible." Koral was beginning to see where Ned was going with this. "If you had known that the Crystal was intended only for protection you most likely would not have even tried to use it in that way."

"In fact I probably couldn't. If it's just a person's mind that allows him to control the Plasma, then the preconceived idea that the Crystal's power was limited to protection might have prevented me from using it for anything else, even if I tried. But since I didn't know anything about it, once I connected my mind to the Plasma I was able to manipulate it the way I wanted to. Or something like that. I still don't get why a person's mind can just control the Plasma."

"I might be able to help a little with that in a moment. In any case, I think you must be right. Kayleen, Markan, and I all had preconceived ideas about the Plasma, so we could only use it in ways that fit in with those ideas."

"But what about Trelan? How did he learn all this? Do you think he might have known that the Crystals could do more than what he said they did?"

"He might have known more than he told us, but I still don't think that the Crystals can do more than their intended purpose. If they could, then Trelan would undoubtedly have used all of the aspects of the Plasma from the beginning. He would have had no need of us. Besides, your ability to use Blast Plasma is not really the same as holding the Blast Crystal. When Kayleen first tried out her power, she completely incinerated a ten-foot boulder. Her first time! It seems that although the Crystals are not necessary to use the Plasma in a particular way, they do magnify that aspect of the Plasma greatly."

Ned was confused. "So you're saying that you don't need a Crystal to use the Plasma? Anyone could do it?"

"I think that's probably true, and it has something to do with what I'm about to tell you. But remember, the only reason you even knew the Plasma existed was because of the Crystal, and then you used it as a prototype to tell you what it should feel like to use the Plasma. If I had simply told you about it, and if you had not had the Crystal, do you think you would have been able to control it?"

"Probably not."

"I think almost definitely not. Consider this: after I lost the Shield Crystal, I still had all of my knowledge about the Plasma. But still, no matter how hard I tried, I was never able to call it forth again."

"But your power was entirely rooted in the Crystal. Your mind manipulated the Plasma through the Crystal, never directly. That might account for why you could no longer use it."

"It might, in part. If you're right, then, since your control over the Blast Plasma is independent from the Crystal, you could probably use the Blast Plasma even if you lost the Crystal. But again, that is only because you already know how to do so. I still do not believe that people can control the Plasma force simply by wishing it."

"You're probably right. Now what was it you were going to tell me?"

"Oh yes. First, though, realize that this is just speculation. Trelan told us very little about the origins of the Plasma, but I have been able to draw a few conclusions from my own observations. These observations started here, on Palandora. It started with the dragons."

Ned snapped his eyes up. "The dragons! Of course! That one in the cave – Delgora – she wasn't harmed by my blaster, but she reacted somehow when I used the Plasma! And that wasn't real fire she blew at me, either, was it? It was Blast Plasma!"

"Yes," Koral said, smiling. "I believe so. What I have seen of the dragons leads me to believe that they, too, have some use of the Plasma. They are not only invulnerable to laser fire, but everything else, as far as I know. I have never even heard of a dead dragon. I'd never heard of one breeding, either. If they did, I suppose they would have overrun this entire planet by now."

"And the way they fly! X told me that you said something about the Plasma..."

"They do not appear to have the aerodynamics necessary to fly as fast as they do – perhaps to fly at all. The Plasma may aid them in this, as well.

"Remember, Trelan said that the Plasma force was developed by an ancient civilization. And also remember that the Crystals were created toward the end of that civilization. That means the people back then somehow controlled the Plasma without them. They probably had a great deal more control over it than any of us do, even Trelan. That power may even have encompassed genetic engineering."

"And that would explain why there are so many weird plants and animals on Palandora," Ned noted.

"Yes. It would also explain the space bubble formed by the gravimetric field. I believe that this civilization placed Palandora and its sun here and used this planet for genetic experimentation."

"Wow." Everything was starting to come together now for Ned. "X also seemed to communicate with the dragons. How intelligent are they?"

"Far more intelligent than any animal I have ever heard of. They seem to understand everything we say to them, and early on I was able to teach them some simple signs to communicate back. But it was a long time I before I discovered how they communicate with each other; their vocal chords are too simplistic to produce very complex sound. I didn't find out what they do until Mrandor trusted me enough to use telepathy with me."

"Telepathy?" Ned asked incredulously. "They can read minds?"

"Not exactly," Koral said. "They can project their thoughts into others' minds. At first, the thoughts were so alien that I couldn't make out what they were saying, but eventually I was able to understand simple thoughts. I tried projecting my thoughts toward them, but they never responded, so I assume the communication is one-way."

Ned thought for a moment. "So, why didn't the dragon in that cave try to talk to me?"

"Dragons do not attempt to communicate with someone unless they are extremely familiar with that person. Delgora probably saw you as a trespasser. Or maybe she suspected that you held the Shield Crystal and wanted to test it out. She is not one of the dragons that has seen fit to share her thoughts with me, so it may be hard to find an answer to your question."

"'Delgora'... Do you name the dragons?"

"No. Somehow, their names for each other translate fairly well into thoughts. My guess is that the people who created them gave them names and made them capable of communicating them. Who knows – with the Plasma force as part of their lives, they may have had telepathic powers as well."

"That's incredible. I wonder what happened to those people."

"I don't know. Despite what Trelan told us, I have never seen any remnant of that civilization, – except for the caves. Many of the caves around here seem to have been artificially constructed. A few, like this one, even have metal walls and ordered rooms. There was nothing in them when we arrived, though, and they don't tell us much."

"You know, Koral, for a person who claims not to be sure of very much you sure seem to know a lot."

Koral smiled. "I'm glad I could be of help. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

Ned shook his head. "Probably nothing you could answer, or you probably already would have. I don't suppose you have any idea how Trelan made Venom, do you?"

"I wish I did. That knowledge would probably be useful in combating him. I suspect he used Markan's Vortex Plasma to teleport matter there, although even for the Vortex Master that would be an enormous task. As for how Trelan shaped it into what it is now I cannot imagine. Undoubtedly it has something to do with his mysterious dimension of the Plasma force, but beyond that I have no idea."

Ned and Koral both lapsed into silence for a while. A great deal of information had been exchanged, and both were still having trouble processing it all. Then Ned remembered X and Jenara. "Are you two still awake over there?" He asked jokingly.

"Awake but confused," X replied.

"You're the Shield Master!" Jenara was incredulous. "Do you know what that means?"

Ned smiled. "It means that Koral has a lot to teach me. And it might mean that Dark Viper might someday have a rival." He turned to Koral. "Can you do it?"

"Teach you? Certainly. But as for challenging Dark Viper, I doubt that you will get that opportunity very soon. Trelan must be far more powerful than anyone realizes if he created a structure as large and complex as Venom. And don't forget, Kayleen and Markan still serve him. You can bet that as soon as Trelan learns of you he'll send them to retrieve the Crystal. When that happens, you must be ready."

"Well, the sooner we get started the sooner I send the Blast Master, the Vortex Master, and Trelan packing, and the sooner I get home."

Koral nodded. "We should start today. But let's eat first."

Koral set out a generous meal for them, and they consumed it in virtual silence. It was not apprehension that prevented them from speaking; rather it was the deep significance of what had just been discussed. The implications of it all were just beginning to register. For Ned, of course, this meant that he had finally found what he was looking for – the beginning of the road back home. For Koral it meant that his old life had returned and he would have a very strong influence on the galaxy once more. This both intrigued and disturbed him. For X and Jenara it meant that their new friendship would have to wait for a while; Ned would undoubtedly stay with Koral for at least several days, and there was little either Jenara or X would be able to do that would have much of an effect at all on Ned's training. It also meant that the days of Palandora's isolation might be coming to a close; if the Shield Master was building his power there and the StarBlazer force was on its way to pick him up, then Dark Viper's eye might not apathetically glance over the Uraxis Nebula as it had done up to now.

The meal was finished, and X announced that he should be getting back to the city; there were some people he had promised to meet this evening. Jenara went with him, but not before making Ned feel awkward by hugging him goodbye. Then they were gone, and Ned was alone with Koral.

"We should start by having you show me what you already know," Koral said once his friends were out of sight. "Are you ready?"

Ned turned to him and smiled. "Is dry ice cold?"

Gerran Marnax stood at the window of one of Galactron's observation ports and surveyed the scene before him. Directly below was the blue expanse of Ergana Prime. Its shield generators were fully charged and its weapon systems were ready; its inhabitants were not about to make their world an easy target. The vast expanse of space loomed above, but it was dotted by the numerous starships of the StarBlazer fleet. Over zeld hundred ships had arrived already, and more were on their way. StarBlazer would not be able to match Anacron's two thousand, but it would come close enough. Major Harvey had completed his battle plans and was currently drilling the fleet on his expectations. Marnax was familiar with them already and was confident that he could hold the planet. The losses would probably be tremendous, but the losses to the Empire would be worse. Of course, the Empire could afford to lose ships more than StarBlazer could, but it was not as if Marnax had a choice as to whether or not to fight. He did not feel he could afford to abandon Ergana; it was far too valuable, economically and strategically. He would hold it for as long as he possibly could.

The door to the observation port slid open and closed and someone entered. Marnax's back was to the door, but he knew that it was Mirana. She walked up without speaking and stood next to him, looking out at the assembling fleet. Marnax glanced over at her and saw the look on her face; not many people could read that face, but Marnax believed he was one of the few who could. "It's coming, isn't it?"

Mirana nodded. "You can count on it."

She was speaking of the Imperial ship Devastator. In addition to his massive fleet of normal starships, Dark Viper occasionally constructed special instruments that seemed to defy both reason and opposition. Venom was one of these; Devastator was another. It was created from an alloy that no one had yet identified but was known to be incredibly strong. Even with no shields the warship could stand up to attack for a long time. And it did have shields. In fact, although Devastator was nearly the size of Galactron, nearly all of its mass was taken up by weapons and shield generators. It had thrusters, of course, but they were not especially strong and did not need to be. Most ships that came within weapons range were crippled or destroyed before they could inflict much damage, so Devastator had little need of evasive maneuvers.

Its weapons were ruthless. There were hundreds of them, dotting the ship's black surface like warts on some hideous toad. Nearly fifty of them at a time could fire simultaneously at full power. They consisted of lasers and missiles, but, like the Starhawk squadron, Dark Viper had developed a few weapons of his own. These were usually energy weapons, so they could not be destroyed like missiles could. Like missiles, though, they inflicted tremendous amounts of damage. The only drawbacks of weapons of this type were that they took up large amounts of power and required the use of substances that were rare and unstable. They had to be rationed carefully.

Some wondered why Dark Viper did not simply build several of these ships, or at least use the one he had in every major battle. Marnax believed he understood why. The unusually powerful shields and weapons of Devastator probably had something to do with Viper's mysterious power, and that power undoubtedly had its limits. The Emperor had not built other structures like Venom, and that seemed to support Marnax's hypothesis. This meant that Devastator was irreplaceable, at least for the moment, and surely Viper was hesitant to send it into battles that his regular armies could handle without it. Powerful as Devastator was, it was not invulnerable. In fact, in previous battles Harvey had even managed to damage it enough to force it to leave the fight. Of course, StarBlazer had ultimately lost each of those battles.

The presence of Devastator at Ergana Prime, then, was of great significance. It implied that Dark Viper was putting everything he had into this battle, and that Marnax would have to do the same. Marnax had no problem with this, however, because Devastator's presence here was important for another reason. General Marnax believed he had found a way to destroy it.

A sound behind Ned caused him to turn around. He caught sight of the three-foot chunk of wood that had been launched from a concealed catapult. His hand stretched out and a searing blast of blue Plasma fired out of it, caught the chunk of wood, and burned it to ash. It never even hit the ground.

"Last one!" Koral shouted from behind some trees. It's only been a day and you seem to have doubled your control over the Plasma! How do you feel?"

Ned smiled and walked over to him, breathing heavily. He was exhausted. "I like it. It feels like it's a part of me! I can see why it was so hard to give up. I can't wait to learn more!"

The sun was starting to fall below the mountain tops, and Koral led Ned back toward his home in the caves. Ned had spent the entire day since X and Jenara had headed back home training. Koral had observed what Ned had already learned and then decided to expand his power and control over the Plasma by strenuous use of it. Koral had presented Ned with several targets with little warning, such as the wood chunk he had just finished off, and Ned had responded magnificently. Before today Ned had only been able to exert a small force with the Blast Plasma, except for the one time when he had lost control of it completely. Now he could consistently and completely consume much larger targets. And his aim was perfect. With normal blasters Ned was only mediocre at hitting targets at long distances, but with the Plasma he could "feel" the object almost before he saw it. Hitting it with the Blast Plasma was then simply a matter of connecting it to his hand with a line of fire. Of course, the objects he had been working with moved in predictable patterns, but still it was a vast improvement over his previous skills.

They had also worked on Ned's control over the Shield Plasma. As Koral had said, it took no effort for Ned to protect himself from harm, but still there was room for improvement. For example, Koral taught Ned that he could conserve energy by deflecting shots rather than absorbing them and letting the energy dissipate from him, which was what happened when Ned employed no conscious effort. Koral also showed Ned how to block and deflect shots at long distances. This, Koral explained, would allow Ned to stay a step ahead of his enemies, plus it would enable him to protect others as well as himself. Tomorrow they planned on widening the radius of the Crystal's protective shield.

As they walked, Ned turned to Koral. "You said that you used the Shield Plasma in space battles. Can I really use the power to protect an entire ship?"

"Well, yes and no. I believe that a large reason that Markan, Kayleen, and I were able to do so much may have been that Trelan somehow aided us with his own power. I cannot think of any other reason why he would have come with us, and that might explain a part of his power. In any case, when he was not there we found ourselves significantly less able to act. And there is another thing. I told you that the Plasma seems to be everywhere until we release it. This is true, but it is significantly more concentrated around massive objects. So, when our battles were around planets we were able to make use of the increased Plasma of the planet. In deep space, there is almost no Plasma at all except for what you take with you. It is possible to absorb the Plasma and keep it with you – sort of a reserve supply – and that is another reason why were able to defend entire starships. But that takes time and effort."

"Wait. You mean that when I use the Plasma I'm really draining it from somewhere? From myself? And what happens to something if all of the Plasma's drained?"

"Good question. There is no noticeable effect on an object by the Plasma unless one of the Holders causes there to be one. Plasma that is pulled away from its natural place will eventually return. It is somewhat like waves washing up onto a beach; the waves can have an impact on things on the beach, but then the water flows back into the sea."

"I guess that makes sense. There's just so much to learn."

"There is. And you will not be able to learn it all from me."

They had reached the cave, and Koral led Ned inside. They sat down for dinner.

"Koral, I have innate control over the Shield Plasma, and I've learned to use the Blast Plasma as well. Do you think that eventually I might be able to use the Vortex Plasma?"

"It's certainly possible. Transporting something like that is a far more abstract concept than pushing something away or even pulling it apart. It may be that the ways in which you already perceive the Plasma will prevent you from going into that realm. That's no reason not to try, but first I think you should focus on what you know."

They finished their meal, and Koral showed Ned to a bedroom. Ned lay in bed thinking for a time. He was incredibly pleased with how things had turned out with Koral. It was exactly what he had hoped for. Still, he wondered what was going on outside the nebula. Where was Smardwurst? Had he broken free and contacted Marnax? Were StarBlazer ships on the way? What about the battle Marnax had mentioned? Ned did not know, but he decided that those were questions for which he could wait for the answers.

The sleek, black ship raced through the emptiness of space unseen. Anyone looking would have detected it, but this far out there was no one close enough to see. Not that it mattered. Black Fang was more than a match for almost any ship.

"The Kismet reports visual contact with Uraxis," Ensign Frenk reported.

Blast Master Kayleen Rax sat behind him and to his left. She was clad from head to toe in yellow and black battle armor. The colors of the armor's smooth metal gave her the appearance of an angry hornet. She had the personality to match. She was infinitely more deadly.

No less deadly was Vortex Master Markan Dren, seated next to her. He was similarly arrayed in body armor, his purple and green. He almost never spoke, and when he did it was usually to decree punishment. As a result he was in some ways more feared than Rax. No one saw either's face anymore or even heard their real voices; both Plasma Masters almost always wore their helmets, and through them their voices were menacingly distorted. The effect was intentional. Rax and Dren had been seen and known by everyone before Trelan became the Dark Viper, but since then the Plasma Masters had become more legends than people. The legends were not pleasant, but, in times like these, that was what the Anacron Empire wanted in its leaders.

"How much longer until we join them?" came the Blast Master's rough voice.

"Two days."

"Order the Kismet to locate Koral and the boy and then wait for us."

"Acknowledged."

Dren turned to Rax. He spoke on a closed channel so that only she heard. "Dark Viper had better be certain of this. He's risking a lot, taking us away from the battle."

Rax also closed her communication channel. "He's sure. Viper's always sure."

Dren turned back toward the viewscreen. "Then this should certainly be interesting."

"I doubt that a boy and an old man can do much against us."

"No, I meant that grinding Koral's little colony to sand should be interesting."

"Ned! Koral! Wake up!"

It was Jenara. She was shouting wildly as she ran down the corridor leading into Koral's home. X finished settling Valkron and then rushed after her.

Koral was up instantly. "What is it? What happened?" Ned followed a moment later, not quite awake. It had been two days now since Ned had begun his training, and neither he nor Koral had heard from either Jenara or X in that time.

Jenara slowed her breathing as she reached the entry room. "Last night ... from the nebula ... a starship ... Anacron."

Instantly Koral and Ned understood. The Empire had found them after all.

### Chapter 10

The Imperial fleet dropped out of warp in a dazzling array of white flashes. First tens, then hundreds, and then finally over two thousand warships appeared, as promised. The incomprehensibly large fleet loomed toward Ergana Prime and the StarBlazer defense force like a thunder cloud – there were so many ships that it was hard to pick out individual vessels among the encroaching mass. The warships launched their starfighters long before they entered the Alliance's weapons range, and the number of enemy targets suddenly jumped by a factor of thirty. Warp drives powered down, and the vast assortment of weapon systems charged to full power. The StarBlazer troops watched the massive fleet approach in stoic silence. For many of them it was the last thing they would ever see.

Marvis Harvey's voice cut through the almost comforting silence like a scythe. "All ships: attack." And in those three words he set the entire region of space on fire.

The battleships of the two armies clashed in an explosion of red light. Those with the most maneuverability sought to dodge in close to their targets and inflict as much damage as possible quickly, while the larger and better-armed ships covered them from a distance. Lasers and missiles rained from each ship and turned the empty space in-between into a deadly web of sizzling energy. In the very midst of this laser storm flew the starfighters, the most maneuverable spacecraft of all. Coordinated by their mother starships and by Captain Devorion aboard Iron Talon, these miniature war machines drew fire away from less-agile targets and hammered away at the enemy ships' energy shields. They formed smaller groups and attacked other starfighters as well.

"Watch the east-top flank, Maj..."

"I see it!" Harvey shouted back at General Marnax. Of course Harvey knew what he was doing, but it was difficult for Marnax to just sit where he was and watch the battle unfold. He had never been half the military leader Harvey was, but he could not help but take the ultimate responsibility for the outcome of this battle. As it was, he was waiting behind the front lines in Galactron. He was waiting for Devastator.

So far the Imperial super destroyer was holding back. It was a wise tactic; Galactron was doing the same. It was difficult to tell how the battle was turning out so soon, so both sides were saving their most powerful ships until they knew how and where they could be best used.

Marnax glanced down at one of the many display screens in front of him. The enemy fleet was still far from Ergana, so the planet's weapons were useless at the moment. That was actually a good thing, since it meant that the StarBlazer force was holding its ground. Marnax zoomed in on various sections of the battle. His fleet was forming a wall that blocked the advance of the Imperial ships. The enemy ships could have dropped out of warp surrounding the planet if they had wished, but instead they were choosing to come at it from just one direction. This kept them from being as spread out and allowed the Empire to keep ships in reserve; surrounding the planet would have put every warship on the front lines.

The fighting was fiercest at the center of the wall. Rather than attempt to skirt the edges of the StarBlazer defense, which would only result in the Allied ships falling back out of reach and into the protective range of the planet's weapons, the Empire was focusing its attack on the center of the Allied fleet, where most of its ships were. Apparently its goal was to cause as much damage as possible there before it was forced to engage the planet itself.

The tactic was working. Marnax heard Harvey order the fleet to fall back into planetary defense range where Ergana's weapons could join in the battle. This would hem the StarBlazer ships in somewhat between the enemy fleet and Ergana's shields, but the extra firepower was worth the sacrifice. Slowly the Allied ships fell back. The Imperial fleet was on their heels.

Now the battle shifted in favor of the Alliance. Laser shots as wide as a small warship thundered up from Ergana's surface and burned into the Anacronians. They dodged them, of course, but they were only eighty percent successful. The lasers began to take their toll. Target-locking missiles accompanied Ergana's laser barrage, but still Devastator waited.

"General! Destroyers on an intercept course!" The Imperial ships had decided to target Galactron.

Bad move, Marnax thought grimly. "Rally the surrounding ships and take us into the middle of it. Destroy them."

The nearby StarBlazer warships moved to aid Galactron, but they soon found themselves striving to keep up. Marnax's flagship was plowing into the enemy attack force without fear. The weapons tower and the lateral weapons arrays were ablaze with red light as Galactron hammered its attackers with energy. Smaller ships were destroyed in minutes and larger ones were forced to keep their distance. Enemy starfighters raced among Galactron's lasers in an attempt to weaken its shields, but Galactron had three fighter squadrons of its own, each consisting of ten ships, and this escort proved more than a match for the Imperial attackers. At least it was at first. Seeing that Galactron was beset by enemies, several more Imperial warships joined the battle. The odds quickly grew worse, and soon even Galactron's superior armament was only enough to keep the battle even.

Then Iron Talon appeared, and from its hull flew the fighters of the Starhawk squadron. A few of them had been damaged, but so far all of them were still in fighting condition. Swarming around Galactron, Ambelshack Devorion led his squadron in a quick sweep of the enemy starfighters in the area. Then they split up and headed for the warships. Starhawk consistently dodged the rain of enemy laser fire, and soon the primary weapon systems of several Imperial ships were trained solely on these few starfighters. Galactron's weapons tore into the ships that had averted their firepower, and one after another they buckled and exploded, littering the surrounding space with debris. A few more minutes passed, and then the tide of battle turned back away from Galactron.

Then a siren beeped on Marnax's control panel, and he scanned the rear of the enemy lines. It was just as he had suspected. Devastator was moving.

Imperial ships parted to let the Emperor's toy through. No one wanted to be caught in its crossfire. StarBlazer ships tried to move out of the way as well, but the Imperial fleet managed to herd several of the Allied vessels into Devastator's lethal weapons range. They were torn to pieces. Ship after ship made a desperate charge at the seemingly invincible monster. They caused some damage, but not nearly enough. Every ship that challenged Devastator was either destroyed or forced to back away, severely weakened.

"It's headed straight for us, sir."

Marnax nodded. Just a little longer...

Devastator continued to approach. Marnax ordered Galactron farther back into the range of Ergana's weapons, but the Imperial super destroyer did not slow. Now most of the StarBlazer ships were managing to avoid its inexorable advance, but it ignored them. Devastator seemed set on crushing Galactron. A chill began to set in the pit of Marnax's stomach.

Then Major Harvey activated the fleet-wide communicator. "Allied fleet: split! Everyone back!"

Then as one the entire StarBlazer force broke away from the battle and formed a wide corridor of emptiness around Devastator. Got you! Marnax thought. There was a flare of light on Ergana's surface, and then a long tendril of pale green light lanced upward from the planet and completely enveloped Devastator. The ship disappeared in the green aura for a moment, and everyone on Galactron's pricom cheered.

But something was wrong.

Instead of fading and revealing empty space where Devastator had been, the green light began to turn orange. It began to pulsate, and then abruptly beams of orange light shot outward and consumed the closest StarBlazer ships. "It can't be," Harvey muttered, staring at the main viewscreen. "It's still there!"

"Deactivate the beam!" Marnax shouted. "Marnax to Ergana: direct all planetary weapons on Devastator! It must be destroyed!"

Ergana's weapons began firing, but they were not enough. With the last of the orange light Devastator destroyed the closest of the missiles, and already it was heading out of Ergana's weapons range. It was heading directly into the StarBlazer fleet. It was hunting.

Marnax watched as ship after ship was ripped apart. "Viper's not holding back! We have to do something!"

Harvey turned on him, and there was a defeated look in his eyes. "General, Devastator took out over fifty ships with that light. I don't know how it happened, but it did. Most of the ships we have left are surrounded in isolated groups; I can't bring them back together. We can stay and fight, but as long as that thing's prowling around tearing us apart I don't see how we can win. At least, not without losing far more ships than we can afford to. We have to pull out."

Marnax was incredulous. "Pull out? Surrender? Harvey, what happened? There must be away to stop that thing! If we don't do it now, then when?"

Harvey just shook his head. "I don't know. All I know is that the sooner we leave, the fewer ships get destroyed in the process. If we stay, win or lose, this will be the last battle StarBlazer ever fights."

Marnax thought for just a moment before making up his mind. He had always trusted Harvey, and this was certainly not the time to stop doing it. "All ships, this is Gerran Marnax. Prepare to pull out. We'll regroup and reassemble at fallback one."

The citizens of Ergana Prime were already aboard shuttles with most of their personal belongings. Seconds after the planetary shields dropped they were out of the atmosphere and headed toward safety at warp speed. As soon as they were gone, the army broke off and went to warp as well. Ergana's military equipment was all destroyed so that the Empire would not be able to use it. Mines were set all over the planet's surface in hopes that the Imperial invasion force would trip some of them. The homes and wildlife of the planet were left intact in hopes that Ergana Prime would one day be retaken.

Dark Viper had other plans, however. Even before the last of the StarBlazer fleet had left the battle, the Imperial ships barraged the planet with nuclear and biochemical weapons. The entire planet was transformed into a gray wasteland.

* * *

Dark Viper watched it all from his fortress on Venom. It was all perfect. He had known it would be. The StarBlazer army was on the run and badly damaged. The local leaders in the Alliance would no doubt want to see to the safety of their individual star systems, and unless something drastic happened it would probably be several days before Marnax could pull his Alliance back together and plan his strategy. Meanwhile Dark Viper would be orchestrating their doom.

For now, though, the important thing was Nedward Simmons. As long as the Shield Crystal was in the hands of someone fighting against the Empire there remained the slightest threat of defeat. Viper would not tolerate even that small chance. It would be eliminated the very next day, when Black Fang reached the Uraxis Nebula and put an end to Koral Ralok's pathetic little colony. Then Nedward Simmons would have no choice but to join the Empire. When he did, or when he was destroyed instead, the last threat would be eliminated and Dark Viper would reign unchallenged.

### Chapter 11

Jenara had caught her breath, and she and her companions were seated in Koral's entry room. The initial sense of panic was gone, but Jenara's worry was obvious. "Some time last night an Imperial ship came through the graviton field. It's in orbit around Palandora now, but it's not doing anything. We think it might be waiting for something, but we don't know what."

Koral shook his head. "If Dark Viper knows about the Shield Crystal, he'll send Rax and Dren after it. That's what it's waiting for."

"But we don't know for sure that they came for Ned, do we?" X asked.

"Why else would they come? They have left us alone for years, although I'm sure the Emperor must have known that this is where we came."

Ned was staring wide-eyed into space. "Then I brought them here. I knew this was all too good to be true. What have I done?"

Koral put a hand on Ned's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Ned. If the information leaked out, it had nothing to do with you. Marnax would not have sent you here if he had not believed it worth the risk. What matters now is how to deal with this new threat. The planet may be able to provide some defense, but I think it may be time to test your powers, Ned."

"You can't be serious. I might be able to shoot at chunks of wood, but Plasma Masters and starships are totally different. What could I possibly do?"

"I don't know. As I see it we have until Rax and Dren arrive to find out."

"We'll have to evacuate the city," Jenara said. "There's no way we can stand up to an invasion."

"It might not be a full invasion," said Koral. "If Viper is planning to attack StarBlazer then he'll undoubtedly keep most of his ships for the battle. We're little more than one city here. I doubt that he'll consider us much of a threat, so he probably won't send many ships."

"He doesn't consider us a threat because we aren't," Jenara countered. "We don't have anything but a small shield generator, one planet-to-space laser cannon, and a couple of starfighters. That one ship could probably beat us, if it wanted to."

"I doubt they consider you a target, but you are right about evacuating the city. No sense in giving them hostages. There is plenty of room in the caves, and they should offer some protection."

Jenara shook her head. "We need time, Koral. We've got to think of something. If we just run and hide, they'll find us, and then we'll all be made prisoners of the Empire. Or citizens, but I'm not sure which would be worse."

X straightened sharply in his chair. "What about the dragons? Don't they control the Plasma?"

"Yes!" Ned shouted. "There's got to be a way we can use them!"

"Perhaps," Koral said. "First, though, we should all go back to Tibrus. We need to discuss whatever we are to do with the King. You and I can train there as well as we can here, and the sooner the city begins evacuation, the better. X, you can take Jenara back on Valkron. I'll call Mrandor."

X and Jenara mounted Valkron and lifted into the sky, heading back toward the city. Koral whistled, and the dragon Mrandor appeared from behind a nearby mountain peak. He was blue, and Ned wondered if Shield Masters had a history of that color. He thought to ask Koral why the Plasma was blue, but decided the question should wait. He climbed aboard Mrandor, and soon they, too, where flying toward King Trennon's palace.

People glanced skyward as the two dragons approached the palace, but they all quickly returned to their daily business; apparently the King had not told the people about the impending threat. Koral brought Mrandor down in the gardens surrounding the palace close to where X had left Valkron, and he and Ned dismounted and walked quickly to the castle. They found King Trennon in the same room in which he had met Ned before. The King was seated at the far side of the table, with Jenara next to him. Various aides filled most of the chairs, and X was there as well. "Welcome, Koral, Nedward," the King greeted them. "Please, sit down."

"My father was just telling us his plans for the upcoming battle," Jenara informed them with a disturbed look on her face.

Koral was equally disturbed by this news. "You want to fight them? You can't possibly defeat them!"

King Trennon smiled patiently. "I believe we can. They are, after all, only one ship. With our planetary weapons and our starfighters I believe we can disable or destroy their ship, and then we can launch the Chelaris and send people to obtain help from StarBlazer. They will surely help us, seeing that Mr. Simmons is here on Palandora."

"Narkus! You can't! Even if you manage to defeat that ship, which you probably won't, they'll have more on the way! They'll detect the Chelaris as soon as it leaves the nebula, and it will be destroyed before it reaches the nearest planet, let alone General Marnax. Besides, the ship up there is staying out of weapons range, isn't it?"

Narkus Trennon seemed shocked at Koral's words. He was clearly not accustomed to being told that his ideas were foolish. He continued slowly, as if attempting to explain a difficult concept to a child. "As a matter of fact, the ship is too far away to attack right now, but it is not a threat to us there, either. Why are you so certain other ships will be that close? Why would they send just one now if they planned to send more later? Why not all at once?"

"Because most of the Imperial fleet is preparing for a major attack on the StarBlazer Alliance, if it isn't in one already. But the Shield Master is here; I assume Jenara told you. Dark Viper is not going to let him just sit here. He'll send the other Plasma Masters. They're probably a day or two behind this ship, but they're undoubtedly on their way. And in any case the Chelaris is my ship. It's not going anywhere."

Now Trennon looked really confused. "Then what do you propose? That we just sit here and wait to be conquered?"

"No, of course not. As your daughter suggests, you should take everyone in the city into the mountain caves. There's plenty of room, and there's electric lighting in most of them. You already have emergency food rations in there, and you can bring more. The Plasma Masters won't care about you; all they want is Ned. He and I will handle this, and when it's over you can all come out."

Trennon thought for a moment. "That makes sense, except for one thing. What can the two of you do against them that the entire city's defense force couldn't? I know about Ned's power, but still, how can invincibility help here, other than to keep him alive?"

Ned was becoming increasingly disturbed by this situation, as well. He had learned a great deal about the Plasma force, but he did not feel at all ready to challenge another Plasma Master, let alone two at once, let alone two Plasma Masters with two Imperial warships at their command. What was Koral suggesting? That Ned just surrender in order to protect the planet? That did not sound pleasant, but perhaps it would be best. Maybe Koral had an escape plan in mind. Ned felt like he should say something in response to the King's question. "Well, if it came down to it, I could ..."

"Ned and I will handle it," Koral repeated, quickly cutting Ned off. Apparently Ned had chosen the wrong thing to say. "I don't see any reason why you couldn't raise the shields and leave people to control the laser cannon, but everyone else should conceal themselves. If something does happen, at least they'll be safe."

King Trennon thought for a moment. "Well, as long as they're staying out of weapons range there's not much we can do right now, assuming you're right about escape being impossible. And there's no reason why we should put the people at risk. Mr. Pragan will begin preparations for the evacuation immediately. I'd feel a lot more comfortable, though, if you would explain to me in a little more detail how you plan to repel the Imperials."

"Ned and I will begin working on the specifics immediately," Koral said. "I'll let you know as soon as we're ready."

Trennon was not at all relived, but he trusted Koral and could think of nothing else to do. "Very well. You two go ahead and work out whatever you're going to do, and I'll work on preparing the city. I hope you're right, Koral. Everyone, dismissed."

Everyone filed out of the room, and X came up to Ned. "How have you been? I haven't talked to you in a while."

"I'm fine, I guess. I just hope it stays that way."

X turned to Koral. "Do you want me to get the starfighters ready?"

"If you want," Koral replied, "but you're not going to be on them."

"Why not?"

"Because you're going to be on Valkron."

X smiled. "So you think the dragons can help?"

"Valkron and Mrandor can help you and me. As for the others, I don't know how much difference they'll make."

"I see." But X's brow remained furrowed. "So, what exactly do you want me to do for now?"

"Talk to Jenara and see if there's anything you can do for her. If not, then do what you can to prepare Valkron. Practice maneuvering, whatever you can think of. In the end, though, I suspect that the outcome will depend almost entirely on Ned." If Koral saw the look of dismay that crossed Ned's face, he ignored it. "I'll come back to the cave with you. I'm going to live in the city for the next few days, and there are a few things I want to bring." Koral turned to Ned. "I have a few things I need to think about. I'll be back in about an hour." Ned nodded, thinking that Koral had better be sure about this, and then X and Koral were off.

Jenara came out of the conference room after they had gone. The King and his aides had all disappeared off to their duties as well. "Ned!" she called out, walking up to him. "What do you think of all this?"

"I feel like I've been thrown into a cage of big, hairy tarantulas and told to stack them. And I haven't eaten. Have you?"

Jenara smiled brightly, and Ned wished he could do the same. "Yes," she said, "but I'll eat again. Let's go down to the dining room."

They did, and Jenara had one of her servants get some food out for her. The food was some kind of cereal, which was so sweet that Ned wondered if it had any nutritional value at all. It tasted good, though. There were also muffins and some of Palandora's unique fruit.

"Jenara, how old are you," Ned asked when they were finished.

"Old?"

"Yeah. How long have you been alive? How many years?"

"Well, I was born fourteen years ago, Anacronian time. Why?"

"I guess I'm wondering how close in age we are. I've met a couple of people who were about my age since I came through the vortex, but I've never known for sure how old people are. I guess maybe that's because years are so different for all the different planets."

"I think I see what you mean. Actually we don't consider age to be very important, since planets' years are different lengths, and also their people develop physically at different rates. What matters is how mature you are and the skills you have."

"I guess that makes sense. It seems weird though. On Earth your age means a lot; when your reach certain ages you receive certain privileges. It makes sense there, since everyone matures at about the same rate. Sort of."

"Well, we've got some time. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. I guess we might as well just go out and wait for Koral. As soon as he gets back I'm going to try for all I'm worth to gain enough power in the time I have left to defeat two extremely experienced Plasma Masters and their 'little' army and save a planet full of people."

"Sounds fun," Jenara said, trying to cheer Ned up.

They got up and walked out into the gardens in front of the castle. Koral and X had taken the dragons, and there wasn't anyone else in sight. Jenara walked Ned over to a bench and they both sat down.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" she said.

"Yep."

"Are you scared?"

Ned thought a moment. "I don't know. I guess that right now the entire situation seems so impossible that I'm having trouble believing it's true. So I'm not really scared, at least not yet. I'm just overwhelmed. I always planned to do something with my Plasma, but right now I just don't feel like I know enough. I just hope I can learn in time."

Jenara nodded, understanding. "I'm nervous, too. I don't have any specific responsibilities with the government yet, but I can't help feeling like these are my people and it's my job to see that they're kept safe. I know that sounds weird coming from someone so young, but it bothers me the way they relinquish political power the way they do. Back on Anacron most of them were adamant about changing the way the Empire was run, mainly by keeping Trelan out of power. But since we left I've wondered what it was they really wanted. Sometimes I think they just wanted to be alone; Anacron had expanded its Empire so much that some of the people there were beginning to feel small, and they didn't like that. Here, they're basically all that matters to those of us who govern the planet.

"The problem is, that seems kind of irresponsible. There's a lot going on outside of Palandora, and, as we're finding out now, it can have a lot to do with us."

Ned was intrigued. Jenara had never mentioned this topic before. "Do you think that Palandora should join the fight?"

"Palandora can't join the fight. It's far too weak. It might be able to offer natural resources, but that would mean lots of people coming here; in fact it would effectively mean joining StarBlazer. I don't think many people here would want that. I don't know what we should do. I guess what really bothers me is that I've been shut away here for so long that I don't feel like I know what's going on in the universe anymore."

Ned didn't know what to say, so he remained quiet.

Jenara looked up into a stand of trees where some birds were chirping happily at each other. "It's beautiful here, isn't it?"

Ned followed her gaze and smiled. "Yes, it is. I've never seen plant and animal life like they have on Palandora. Genetically engineered! It's all amazing. The trees, the animals, the flowers, the grass..." He trailed off, looking at something.

"What is it?"

"Look at this!" Ned had noticed a particular type of plant growing among the grass surrounding the bench on which they were sitting. Some of the tiny stalks had white or pink flowers at their tips, while the rest ended in groups of roughly triangular leaves. Ned picked one up and examined it more closely. "Hey! It's got five leaves!" He looked at the others. They were all the same.

"Does that mean something?" Jenara asked.

Ned laughed. "There's an old superstition on Earth that says that four-leafed clovers are good luck. Most of them on Earth only have three. Here." He handed the clover to Jenara. "These must be extra lucky. Maybe there's hope for us after all."

He laughed again, and it helped ease some of the tension. Jenara laughed too, and in the act she bumped his shoulder briefly. Ned couldn't tell whether it was an accident. Then both of them lapsed into silence, awaiting Koral's return. They did not have to wait long. After only a few minutes they spotted a dark spot in the sky, and it was growing closer. Jenara wished Ned luck and returned to the palace to see how her father was doing with his preparations.

When Mrandor landed, Ned saw that Koral was alone. Apparently X had found something to do. Koral saw the look of apprehension on Ned's face. "You don't look well, Ned. Are you all right?"

Ned looked at Koral hopelessly. "You tell me. Do you really think there's any chance that I can be of any use here? Do you really think that I can defeat Rax and Dren?" He lowered his gaze. "I don't."

Koral frowned. "You can't afford to think like that. You owe it to these people to do everything in your power to protect them. You were right when you said that you brought the Empire here. I don't think anyone blames you, but I don't think you can very well sit back and let events take their course. Regardless of what you or King Trennon or anyone else may believe, you are the only hope for Palandora. I've seen what Rax and Dren are capable of doing. I've helped them do it. I also know what you're capable of doing because I've done much of it myself. And in theory, you should be even more powerful than I was, because you have the Blast Plasma. I suppose that in this case I might take your place if I could, but I can't. This is up to you, Ned. Are you going to accept it or run away?"

Ned hoped that Koral hadn't been trying to make him feel better, because that little speech certainly had not had that effect. Still, Koral was right. It was more or less Ned's doing that had brought the Empire here, and he was the only one who could protect himself from the enemy Plasma Masters' power. If anything was to be done short of surrender, Ned was going to have to do it. "Let's get started," he said, trying to sound confident and failing.

Koral whipped out a blaster and fired. The shot exploded against Ned's chest, and Ned stumbled back a step. "What was that?"

"You're going to have to be able to withstand a lot more than a blaster shot. This time focus the energy around you, like an airfoil." Koral fired several more times, and Ned quickly adapted. Soon the red energy simply flowed around him like water being poured over a rubber ball. "Good. Now try this." Koral pulled out a grenade and handed it to Ned. "I'm going to walk over there by Mrandor. When I say 'now,' detonate it."

"Here? It'll burn everything around me! The garden will catch fire!"

"No, it won't, because you're going to contain the blast. Make a shield around it, and keep the explosion between it and you. Let it open upward, and that way nothing should get damaged."

"Unless I mess up."

"Don't ever say that again. You absolutely must not 'mess up' in any mentionable way in the next couple of days if you want to survive. Remember, Dark Viper doesn't care about you. If you can't defeat his servants, he'll undoubtedly find a way to get rid of you." Koral was already walking away. "Now!" he called out when he was standing next to Mrandor.

Ned closed his eyes and pictured a large, bowl-shaped energy field surrounding him, open at the top. He pushed it farther and farther out so that the grenade's blast would have as much room for release as possible. Then he focused the Plasma into the field like Koral had taught him over the previous two days. When he felt it was strong enough, Ned activated the grenade. It exploded with a flash of light and a deafening boom. Fortunately, as Ned had also learned from Koral, the Shield Plasma also protected his eyes and ears. Slowly, Ned opened his eyes, half expecting to see nothing but ash for several yards. He didn't. "It worked!"

"Excellent," called out Koral. "Now let's try it with five grenades."

Ned's optimism rose with the sun as noon approached and kept on rising afterward. Koral tested him as he had before, strengthening his skills in protection, attack, and energy absorption and conservation, and Ned completed each challenge successfully. Today, though, something was different about Koral. He was pushing Ned harder than before, as was to be expected given the more pressing circumstances, but there was something else as well. Ned guessed that it might have been anxiety over whether or not Ned would be able to handle the situation that was unraveling faster than anyone wanted, but Ned felt it might have been more than that still. In any case, Ned's power was growing phenomenally. Every time he used the Plasma it seemed to become more a part of him. It was getting to the point where Ned could not imagine life without it.

"I'm proud of you, Ned," Koral said when night started to fall and both of them felt ready for bed. They had trained all day, stopping only for lunch. "I knew you could do it."

Ned was feeling much better. "Thank you for everything you've done for me," he said gratefully. "Without you I'd still be sitting on Galactron wondering what the Plasma was, let alone what I could do with it. Now I can finally begin to see how I might actually use it for something. If I can have just a couple more days I think I might be ready."

"You will be," Koral assured him. "Now you'd better get to bed." Koral rode Mrandor off to his home in the city, and Ned headed back into the Trennon palace. The place was starting to feel a bit like home to Ned. It was no wonder that the Palandorans were not in a hurry to associate with the outside world – or worlds. Everything they needed was right here. Well, almost everything... Ned sent surges of blue light sizzling across his hand as he walked back. Along the way he picked up a fist-sized rock. He squeezed it in his hand and crushed it. Yes, when the time came, the Shield Master would be ready.

Ned ate a quick dinner alone. It wasn't that late, but apparently both Jenara and her father were too busy to eat dinner as a formal meal. Ned finished and crawled into bed, but he found he could not sleep. His mind was far too full of thoughts and images to let him rest. He thought of Earth, his family, his friends, and his former life. They all seemed infinitely far away. Literally thousands of light years, he thought. Ned thought of recent events, as well. He hoped once again that Smardwurst had been successful in making it out of the nebula and that General Marnax had fared well against the Anacron Empire. He wondered if and when Marnax would send more ships and decided it didn't matter. If Koral really had a starship here he could probably take Ned out of the nebula as soon as this battle was over.

This battle...

Ned sat up in bed and stared out the window. Palandora's moon was larger than Earth's and reflected more light, but there were no stars in the sky; the nebula masked them all. Again, Ned felt lonely. He was tired and knew he should sleep, but he could not rest. Finally he crawled out of bed, left his room, and walked down the hall to where a door opened out onto a balcony. He stepped through, into the night's chill. Night birds sang in the trees surrounding the palace, and there was a faint breeze. Ned walked to the railing that surrounded the balcony and looked down over the gardens at the city. There were a few lights on in the windows and several lining the streets, but most of Tibrus's inhabitants were either asleep or had already been evacuated.

The door behind Ned opened, and he turned. He was pleased to see Jenara walking toward him. "I couldn't sleep," he explained.

"Me neither." Jenara inhaled the fresh air and looked up at the sky. "Sometimes I miss the stars. I used to gaze at them forever, back on Anacron. I've sort of gotten used to not seeing them, but I still think the sky looked a lot prettier from Anacron."

Ned looked upward as well. "I didn't even notice that there weren't stars until tonight. Since I got here I either went to sleep before the sun went down or slept where there were no windows, or else the sky was clouded over."

Jenara turned her gaze toward Ned. "We don't have much time left." Ned shook his head. "Are you ready?"

Ned thought for a moment. "Yes, I am. Or at least I will be. I was pessimistic this morning, but I feel better now. I've developed my power far beyond what it was when I arrived, and I'm confident that I can face whatever the Plasma Masters have to throw at me."

Jenara looked at him hopefully. "So you're really not afraid of them?"

Ned smiled weakly. "I'm scared to death. The more I've learned, the more I come to realize how great Rax and Dren's power must be. They were probably using the Plasma when I was learning to write. Still, I am the Shield Master. Rax and Dren together failed to stop Koral from hiding the Shield Crystal, and they'll fail to take it from me. I'll make sure of it."

Jenara lowered her eyes. "I'm scared too – for the citizens of Palandora. Whatever happens I'm sure you'll survive, but even if you manage to drive them off, what will the cost be? What if the Plasma Masters just come in and blast everything in sight? What if they search the caves and take everyone captive? Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who can do anything for them. My father is a good leader, but in many ways he's like them; he's overly optimistic. Almost naive, when it comes to the Empire. He's used to the Empire that was ruled by the Council. He still thinks of the Emperor as Trelan Thendrak. I don't think he really knows what Dark Viper is like. I don't think any of us do. That's why I think it's so dangerous for us to have been cut off from the rest of the galaxy."

"Everything will be okay, Jenara. Koral knows Rax and Dren, and I'm sure he'll be able to come up with the perfect plan. He probably has already. And I'll be ready, too. We're not going to let anything happen to Palandora." Jenara just held his gaze. He was glad he had met her. And X. Without them he would never have been able to find Koral, and he might not have been in any emotional condition to learn as much as he had without having friends to talk to over the past few days. Ned smiled. "Believe it or not, I'm glad I came here."

Jenara smiled back and hugged him. He put his arms around her awkwardly and expected her to let go, but she didn't. She just stood there with her head resting on his shoulder. "Palandora needs you, Ned," she whispered finally, and she sounded like she was just barely holding back tears. "Save my people, okay?"

"I'll do everything I possibly can. I promise."

Jenara pulled back until her mouth was next to Ned's ear and whispered something so softly that Ned couldn't make it out. Ayla few? Then she stepped away, fixed her eyes on his for a split second, and then she turned and walked back inside. Ned shook his head in confusion and walked back to his own room.

He was drifting off to sleep at last before he realized what Jenara had said to him. Three words, not two. His eyes snapped open in terror. Oh no!

He did not see her the next day as he went down for breakfast, nor did she appear as he sat outside in the garden, waiting for Koral. He did not go looking for her. He was afraid of what would happen if he did. He felt very stupid for misjudging the events of the past few days like that. But surely Jenara had misjudged them too, if she really meant what she had said! In any case the matter was chased from Ned's mind when Koral appeared atop Mrandor.

"Climb on, Ned! We're going back up to the caves to practice today."

Ned watched the city shrink as they ascended. It seemed to him to be very fragile, as if it could be wiped from the planet by the slightest disturbance. Like, say, a couple of torpedo blasts. The thought was disturbing, but Ned put it out of his head. The city had shields, and no one would be in it anyway. In any case Ned was going to win this battle. Ned believed that because he knew that the Plasma force was incredibly strong and because Koral seemed entirely confident that Ned's powers would be sufficient when the time came. For the moment at least, that was good enough for Ned.

Then they were at the caves, and Ned and Koral dismounted. Ned was already gathering the power in his fist. "What do I destroy today?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Ned, I have something to show you first." Koral reached into his pocket and withdrew a small metal object. It was a flat, roughly circular metal disk about an inch and a half wide, with a smaller circle in the center and four lines radiating outward to the edge. "Here. Put this on."

"What is it?" Ned asked as he took the object from Koral's hand.

"It is the activator pin for my battle suit. Shortly after Trelan gave us the Plasma Crystals, he also gave us these. They store powerful battle armor in the Plasmatic ether and bring it into normal space when engaged."

Ned pressed the pin to his shirt and it stuck. "What do I do?"

"Just reach into the pin with the Plasma."

Ned did so. He sent a small trail of energy into the pin, and almost instantly it flared to life. Blue light flared outward and enveloped Ned's body, and sparks and tendrils of light danced across him. The light lasted only a second, and when it was gone Ned was wearing the battle suit. He looked downward at himself and chuckled. "I look like a robot. It's neat though!" The suit was made of a shiny alloy colored various shades of blue, with a black material connecting the armor's segments at the joints. There was no helmet at the moment.

Koral smiled back wryly. "'Neat' is an understatement. The battle suit can withstand repeated assault by just about any weapon you can carry. It doesn't use the Plasma, but I believe the material must have come from the same people who created the Plasma force. I've tried to find out what it is, but when I try to scan it I get practically nothing."

Ned tried walking around. "It just feels like normal clothing! It's easy to move in, too. How could a suit made out of metal be so comfortable?"

"The suit's sensors read your body movements and accentuate them. Basically, the suit moves for you. You've got more momentum than normal, though, so be careful or you might break things. Let me show you a few other things. Touch that panel on your left wrist." Ned did so, and it lit up. "That control panel lets you manipulate the suit's various functions. You can also do it with the Plasma once you're familiar with them. This button activates the missile launcher." Ned pressed it, and a panel opened on his right forearm. Fire by double-tapping your ring finger against the ball of your hand with the palm down – but not at me. You have a reserve of sixty missiles, and you can replace them with standard Hornet RT missiles; General Marnax will know what they are. This pouch on your belt dispenses grenades. You have twenty of these, and they, too, are easily replaceable." There was also a blaster holstered at his waist. "The suit will automatically maintain appropriate body temperature, and there is a full day's supply of air – again, stored in the ether until needed. Press this button."

Ned pressed it, and with a blue flash a helmet formed around his head. He could feel it, but his visibility did not diminish as it seemed it should have. "There are two cameras inside the visor," Koral explained. "They determine what each eye should see and display it on two separate screens. That way your sight doesn't suffer. You can turn that off, if you want to." Koral kept explaining the suit's various intricacies for several minutes, and concluded by telling Ned that the suit had a built-in database if he were to forget something important. The bottom line, Ned decided, was that the suit was incredibly powerful and incredibly easy to use. In other words, it was exactly what he needed. He had been optimistic this morning, but clad in this awesome battle armor he felt truly invincible.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Ned asked Koral when they had finished.

"I wanted you to grow as much as you could on your own. I didn't want you to rely on the suit for anything you didn't have to."

Ned nodded, and Koral led him outside to work on his power over the Plasma force. Something happened to Ned that day as he trained with Koral. Part of it was undoubtedly the sense of urgency he felt about the imminent arrival of the other Plasma Masters. It seemed very likely that this would be his last day to prepare. Another part of it was the battle armor Koral had given him. Ned felt stronger in it somehow, emotionally as well as physically. It was as if the armor's cold, expressionless helmet masked all of the fears, doubts, and hesitations that might otherwise have been apparent on Ned's countenance and buried them deep inside him where they would be unable to cause damage. In any case it was a very different young man who worked with Koral this day in an attempt to develop a strategy against Rax and Dren's attack than the one who had come asking Koral for guidance not even a week earlier – a different man even than the one who had risen this morning with barely-concealed apprehension about the upcoming battle. Now, as he lashed out with searing bolts of blue Blast Plasma and obliterated the targets Koral had prepared for him, Ned also reached inside and crushed one by one the doubts and fears that sought to hold him back. When night came and the training ended, Nedward Simmons was ready.

The next morning Ned woke to the sound of Koral's shout. "Ned! Get up! They're here!"

### Chapter 12

"Treason! It had to be! There is absolutely no way they could have known how to beat us unless someone from StarBlazer told them!" Marvis Harvey was pacing back and forth in front of Marnax's desk, screaming in rage. "When I find out who did this I'm going to ..." He couldn't think of anything severe enough fast enough, so Marnax took the opportunity to cut in.

"Marvis! I believe you if you say there's no way the Empire could have done it on its own, but you've got to explain this all to me, from the beginning. And calm down! We won't be able to rendezvous with the others in the Council for another couple of days, so we've got plenty of time to think and plan things out before then. Now tell me; exactly what went wrong?"

The battle at Ergana Prime had ended just over an hour ago. Harvey had rushed about, studying reports and going over sensor logs until he was sure he knew as much as he could, and then he had stormed into General Marnax's office, barely containing his wrath. Now he took a slow breath to steady himself and began to relate to Marnax the events surrounding StarBlazer's secret weapon and how it should have destroyed the Imperial starship Devastator. Marnax already knew most of it, but it wouldn't hurt to go over it again, just for clarification.

"When Devastator was built and started eating away at our army, we immediately started analyzing it – its tactics, its energy outputs – but mostly its weapons. We knew that a couple of its most deadly weapons used substances with which we weren't familiar, and we wanted to know how to defend against them, and if possible to use them ourselves. A month after we started looking we found something.

"One of Devastator's weapons used a substance we call 'anathelium hexaderitia.' It allows a great deal of energy to be stored in a very small space, and in conjunction with several other compounds it provides Devastator with an extremely powerful weapon. Devastator only had two guns that used this weapon, though, probably because anathelium hexaderitia is extremely difficult to produce.

"What we discovered, though, was that it is extremely unpredictable when in its natural state. Without the additional compounds present in the weapon, the substance would undergo a chain reaction and explode violently. Eventually we developed a way to disrupt the balance in the weapon's particle beam and destabilize it. Our lab experiments showed that this should have caused a reaction strong enough to destroy Devastator and any nearby ships as well. We built a weapon that would deliver our destabilizing agent, and just before the battle at Ergana Prime we completed it. When Devastator charged the appropriate weapons, we fired. But, instead of exploding, Devastator absorbed the power from our beam. It then redirected that power and destroyed several of our warships.

"That seems strange, but I talked to Dr. Wernalk and he explained to me that what really happened was very simple. The beam emitter on Devastator that our weapon hit contained no anathelium hexaderitia. In fact it was not a weapon at all. Devastator emitted a replexing bendatulary uridic field just before our weapon hit it. The uridic field allowed Devastator to absorb the matter from our beam, which it then combined with other compounds and fired it at our own ships.

"But, there is absolutely no way that could have happened by coincidence. First of all, we had already observed Devastator's guns firing the appropriate weapon during that battle. There is no doubt that we targeted the right guns. That means that Devastator switched weapons on us at exactly the right moment. And that means they knew what we were doing. Not only that, but the substances they used to create the uridic field require seven weeks to prepare, and they are absolutely useless without the substance we used in our weapon, and there is no way Devastator could have carried enough of it to make it into an effective weapon. The only way they could have obtained enough of it was to absorb it from a massive particle beam, which we provided them with. In other words, the Empire knew what we were doing, exactly the substance we used, and exactly how we planned to deliver it. It knew this all far in advance of our use of the weapon – far enough in advance to not only avoid our weapon, but to manufacture the one thing in the universe that could possibly be used to turn our own weapon against us. They knew, Gerran! They had to! Someone told them!"

Marnax's brow was furrowed. "But how can that possibly be? We manufactured the weapon in five different components, and no one who worked on any of them knew anything about the other four! No one could have known what we were doing."

Harvey nodded. "Besides you and me there are exactly seven people who had all of the knowledge necessary to betray us."

"So we confine our search to those seven people. Easy. But what if it wasn't one of them? What if the Empire has some sort of spy, or some way to tap into our databases?"

"I don't know! That's why I'm here! We have to find out, now, before we go into battle again and risk another betrayal!"

"We'll meet with the others soon. We can work out something then. In the meantime, I'll help you go over everything in relation to the weapon and see if there's anything we missed.

Harvey nodded solemnly and turned to leave.

"Marvis!" Harvey turned. He looked miserable. "We'll find out what happened." Harvey nodded again and left the room.

The one watching them almost laughed. In all likelihood neither of them would ever find out. There was no way they could. StarBlazer would fail, and then the Empire would rule the galaxy. And then what? The answer was obvious. Then my work will be finished and I will leave Dark Viper to his little game. Then it thought of something. The Shield Master. Nedward Simmons. What of him? Perhaps there was hope for StarBlazer after all. It shook its head in disgust. No. Whatever Simmons did, it would be too little, too late. The Alliance was doomed. But then, isn't everything? Hatefully it continued about its work.

### Chapter 13

King Trennon slept well that night – the first time in what seemed like forever. He had finally evacuated the last of his people to the artificial caves beneath Tibrus City. The farmers and other citizens who lived in outlying villages had been brought in as well, along with enough provisions to last for several months; Palandora had already built up a significant supply. If an attack did come, Trennon was confident that his people would fare well, at least in terms of safety. Maintaining freedom and preserving property was another matter, but Trennon was obliged to leave that matter primarily to Koral. Trennon had made sure that the shield generator and laser cannon were manned and prepared for battle, but other than those few measures, Palandora was at a tactical loss. There were no battleships to come to Trennon's aid, no orbiting space stations to ward off enemy attacks. All there was beyond Palandora's limited planetary defense was Koral Ralok and whatever scheme he could come up with.

Not that Trennon was afraid Koral would fail; everyone in the Empire knew that, as a Plasma Master, Koral was capable of a great deal more than most people. Or, at least he had been. Now it seemed that Koral's power had been passed down to this Earth boy Nedward Simmons, and Koral seemed confident that the boy would prove equal to the task. Trennon was not so sure. Still, Trennon trusted Koral, and besides there really wasn't much of a choice in the matter.

That being the case, King Trennon had endeavored to dismiss the matter from his mind and concentrate on what he could do. He had worked to inform his people of the situation without causing an inordinate amount of alarm, and then to move them and as much of their property as was feasible underground. The operation had gone efficiently, and the people seemed to be holding up well. Of course, Trennon had not given them the exact details of the danger they faced. Since there was nothing they could do about it either, the King had determined that it would be wise to maintain calm and fill in the details later.

The last of the people and provisions had been moved underground in the morning of the previous day. The King, his aides, and Jenara had made a last check of the city, making sure that everything was in order, and by evening of the third day since the first Imperial ship had arrived in the nebula the relatively small population of Palandora was safe underground. There was nothing left to do but wait.

When King Trennon awoke the following day the wait was over. He had barely sat down to eat breakfast with his daughter when the intercom beeped. "Sire!" shouted a voice, which seemed to belong to someone who was just barely fighting off total panic. "An Anacronian starship has just left the nebula and is approaching the planet! It identifies itself as Black Fang, and whoever's on it wants to talk to you."

Cold settled in Trennon's stomach, and Jenara's expression told him that she was feeling the same thing. "Wait here," he told her. Quickly he arose and walked down the hall to his office. He wondered as he did so how the ship was able to send a signal from space with all the interference from the nebula. Viper's resourceful. I guess it shouldn't surprise me.

"Greetings, Trennon. It is good to see you again."

The metallic voice sent a chill down the King's spine. He could not see the face behind the yellow and black helmet, but he assumed it was Former Imperial Councilor Kayleen Rax – the Blast Master, as Koral referred to her. "What do you want?" He asked her, almost succeeding in his attempt to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"Not much," Rax replied almost casually. "You have something we want. More specifically, you have two people we want. Hand them over and we'll leave you alone."

"You expect me to just give you Koral and his student?"

"Actually I expect you to exercise that less-than-ideal intellect of yours and defy me. Then I expect to unleash the power of Black Fang on your pathetic little village and obliterate your insolent little colony from off the face of this sorry planet. Then we'll just take the old man and the boy ourselves, if they're still alive. Of course, if you'd like to cooperate, I'd be happy to leave you alone here to perish by your own incompetence. I guess it doesn't really matter what you do, Trennon, but I'm not a very patient person."

"Who do you think you are? You can't just waltz in here and demand that I turn over two of my ..." Rax deactivated the transmission while he was in midsentence, and the King was left alone with his daughter, who had been watching silently from the doorway. He looked over at her and arched an eyebrow. "Any word?"

She nodded. "X just showed up with Valkron. Koral wants you to tell Rax that Ned will meet with her in the valley south of Tibrus. I've got the coordinates here. I don't know anything beyond that – I guess Koral's ready for them."

"I assume the defenses have been activated?"

"Shields are up and the laser cannon is fully powered. The laser won't do much good against Black Fang, but the shields should hold, at least for a while. The starfighters are ready to launch, but we shouldn't do that unless we have to. They're..."

"I know. Six against Black Fang's squadron isn't very good odds. But how do I contact them? I don't know how they got through to us, with all the interference. I guess we'll just have to wait until they..."

A fierce tremor rumbled through the palace. "What was that?"

Jenara brought up an image on the computer screen. It showed flames billowing out from what was left of a massive metal structure several miles away from where they sat. "The shield generator!" she exclaimed in horror. "It's gone!" Jenara and her father held onto the desk as another tremor shook the palace, and again Jenara searched through the short-range sensor readouts. "They've taken out the laser cannon, too! How could this happen? They didn't fire a single shot!"

Then Kayleen Rax's face again appeared on the screen. "Made up your mind yet, Trennon? Your shields are down and your weapons are gone. If anyone – and I mean anyone – shows the slightest sign of resistance, I'll wipe you from existence in the blink of an eye."

King Trennon glared at the yellow and black helmet on his viewscreen. "Nedward Simmons is in a valley a short distance from here. I'm sending the coordinates now."

"You're a fool, Trennon," Rax replied, and then she cut the transmission.

Trennon exhaled sharply. "I hope Koral knows what he's doing. In the meantime, let's get those auxiliary shields up."

Markan Dren's pulse quickened as he read the coordinates the Palandoran King had uploaded. Just a few more minutes and the last Plasma Crystal would be in the hands of the Empire. Dren closed his eyes and concentrated. In his mind he could feel the emptiness of space surrounding Black Fang, and the mass of the planet below. His energy was somewhat depleted from his trip down to the planet to eliminate Palandora's shield and laser cannon, but he was still strong enough to complete his job. As his mental image focused, Dren could make out mountains, then trees. He focused on a valley just south of Tibrus City and smiled. There was definitely someone there. Someone who commanded the Plasma. "I've got it," he informed Rax, keeping his voice devoid of inflection. "Let's go." Rax stepped up beside him, and he opened the vortex. He saw in his mind the streamer of Plasma streaking away from him toward the valley Trennon had indicated. No one else saw it, since it did not exist in normal space, although Rax sensed its presence. Then the streamer touched down, and Trennon began to open it. The Plasma vortex grew in power and cohesion, and after just a few seconds there was a rippling of purple light in the air around the two Plasma Masters. The light deepened until nothing could be seen beyond it, and Rax and Dren stepped through.

Ned Simmons inhaled slowly in order to calm himself. The various scents from the surrounding plants and fresh air would have been a pleasant contrast to the anxiety he felt if he had been able to smell them. As it was he had his helmet on internal air circulation, just in case Rax and Dren tried an airborne virus or something like that. Ned looked down at his hand. Nothing about the metallic glove suggested that anything out of the ordinary lay beneath, but Ned could feel the Plasma pulsing inside his body, aching to be released. He knew it would have its way all too soon.

Koral was nowhere in sight. After waking Ned he had gone over their plan one last time and then disappeared. Koral had contacted Ned via the battle suit's communicator and informed him of the destruction of Palandora's defenses and Rax's conversation with the King, which Koral had been able to intercept, but since then Ned had been alone. Now he stood in the middle of an open field on the sparsely-forested valley floor, waiting.

The vortex closed behind them, and Kayleen Rax took a step toward the blue-clad figure standing several yards in front of her and Markan. Rather than use words, she introduced herself by bringing up the fist that held the multifaceted, glowing stone and sent a beam of yellow Blast Plasma streaking outward. It caught Ned full in the chest and he took a step back, but the blue energy field that erupted around him completely deflected the blast, turning it aside to scorch the ground around him. "Power down your suit and hand over the Crystal, boy! And tell me where Koral is! Do it now, or I'll kill you where you stand!"

Waves of Plasma surged through Ned's body. The feeling was invigorating, stronger than it had ever been before. If he had not trained so long with Koral, there would have been no way he could have extended his shield so far. Rax's blast would have ripped apart his armor and he would have been thrown to the ground. He might have even lost consciousness. As it was now, though, Ned felt more than ready. He had practiced too long and hard to be daunted by a single attack, no matter how powerful. Striding toward Rax and Dren, Ned extended his arm and splayed his metal-gloved fingers. Throbbing tendrils of blue light sizzled out from his hand and streaked toward his attackers.

The beam of light disappeared halfway to its target in a flash of purple. Dren's Vortex Plasma had completely swallowed his attack.

This was frustrating, but Ned had expected it. The key here was not to overpower his enemies with superior force – there was no way he alone could do that. His job, for the moment, was simply to weaken them, tire them. He continued to advance, occasionally firing bolts of blue energy at Rax or Dren, but each time the bolts disappeared as Dren's vortices swallowed them up. Rax fired back at him a couple of times, but he either dodged her shots completely or deflected them with his Shield Plasma.

When he was just a few feet away, both Rax and Dren glowed purple and vanished. An instant later Ned was enveloped in yellow light as Rax, now standing directly behind him, struck him across the back of the head with her glowing fist. The attack threw Ned to the ground, but he instantly rose to one knee and fired his own Blast Plasma – into thin air. In the time it had taken Ned to recover from Rax's attack, Dren had teleported her away, once again placing her behind him. This time Ned tried something else. He sent trails of Plasma through the ground beneath him, and caused them to erupt out of the ground under Rax's feet. At the same instant that she unleashed her next blast of yellow fire she was caught from beneath by Ned's Blast Plasma. She was thrown to the ground, but her suit protected her from the damage the blue light would have done, and Ned was again hammered to the ground. This time the attack had been so strong that he lay still for a moment, trying to regain a measure of his power.

This is bad, he thought suddenly. I know they can't beat me, but I haven't even scratched them, and they don't even have Shield Plasma. What am I supposed to do? Determination rushed in to replace his pessimism, and Ned bounded to his feet, narrowly escaping a series of yellow Plasma blasts. Stretching both arms out, Ned sent several bolts of energy lancing toward both his opponents. They missed, but Ned was again on the offensive. Another beam of yellow light flew at him, but he smashed it apart with a wave of his arm and sent several streams of light back. Dren can't possibly block them all! Dren blocked them all. Where is he, anyway?

Ned saw him on the other side of the valley at the same time he heard a shrill yell from somewhere out of sight. Mrandor! His eyes narrowed. All right, phase two. Ignoring Rax for the moment, Ned fired several blue energy bolts at Dren, hoping to distract him. Dren first simply teleported to a new location, but Ned kept after him. Rax hammered into Ned's back repeatedly, but he gave her just enough attention not to lose balance, concentrating on Dren and on moving steadily toward an outcropping of rock on one of the valley's slopes. Then, just as Dren was vanishing to dodge another of Ned's attacks and as Rax was powering up her Blast Plasma for another strike at Ned, a huge blur of dark blue scales came thundering over the rock formation and barreled toward Kayleen Rax. Dren was just coming out of his vortex, so he didn't have enough time to teleport her to safety. Mrandor opened his huge mouth, and searing red flames lashed into Rax's battle suit. Dren teleported her to safety, but the damage was done. At the same instant heavy laser fire erupted from a stand of trees near Dren, causing him to again momentarily lose track of Rax.

But she was more than able to take care of herself. The instant she regained her feet she enveloped the dragon Mrandor in a cloud of burning yellow light. It shrieked in fury and wheeled away, seeking to escape. Her intercom clicked.

"I'm sure there are more on the way," Markan said. "This kid's a real pest. I assume that was Koral who just tried to hit me with a laser cannon – should we just take him and leave? We could hold him for ransom."

"I'm not leaving. That dragon's coming back for me. Get rid of him, will you?"

Mrandor was just about to divebomb Rax again when he was enveloped in purple light. When the light cleared he was headed straight for the rock formation from which he had come. There was no time to turn. Mrandor slammed into the rock with such force that he dislodged several boulders, which tumbled to the ground on top of him. He stumbled to his feet, but he was not anxious to gain the Vortex Master's attention again.

Ned tried to keep Rax off him by flinging energy bolts at her, but Dren, wherever he was, whisked them all away into oblivion. Bringing the Blast Crystal above her head, Rax sent several quick pulses into Ned, hammering him to his knees, then onto his back, and then melting away the dirt on which he stood. Ned began to sink. He tried to right himself, but all he could see was yellow light. Whenever he stuck out a hand or foot to gain his balance, it just became lodged in the molten soil. And during it all the Blast Plasma burned, tearing away at his shield.

Ned activated the gravity plates in his the boots of his battle suit, and they propelled him out of the pit into which he had been sinking, but Rax's yellow light followed him all the way. She can't keep the fire going forever! When is she going to stop? Rax did not stop. She must have been energizing herself during this whole battle, waiting until the right moment, and now she had decided to strike. As the seconds slipped away, Ned could feel his strength ebbing. The Plasma was everywhere, and it was all hers. The Plasma was everywhere... the Plasma... her Plasma...

But why is it hers? Plasma is Plasma, isn't it? Why should she be able to use this when I have every bit as much of a right as she does to use Plasma? The question flashed on in Ned's head as if someone had turned on a light. What exactly was the difference between Blast Plasma and Shield Plasma? Ned had used both, and he had not noticed any difference at all. Why should it be any different now? It's Plasma, right? Ned's mind took hold on that fact. Plasma. It's all the same. Ned reached outward, striving with all his might to gather the yellow light and make it his own, to make it stop tearing into him and start protecting him. It's Shield Plasma, Ned insisted to himself, demanding that it become true. Shield Plasma.

And then it was.

Bit by bit, Ned stopped deflecting Rax's relentless attack and started absorbing it instead. He could feel it in his mind, reacting as it always did. It was not easy, since Rax still had some control over the Plasma even after she released it, but Ned was learning. He did not know if Rax realized what was happening, but he doubted it. It soon got to the point where he wished she would never stop. Whatever he could not absorb he could now repel with ease, and when Rax finally stopped the energy stream he found himself gasping in anticipation for more. Then he looked up at her, and there was fire in his eyes.

Rax had sensed it. Her strength had finally ebbed, and she cut off the blast and told Dren to teleport her away. Something was very wrong, and she knew it. Yes, Ned had the power to withstand anything, but he should not have been able to maintain consciousness for that long under such a strong attack. The energy she had thrown at him would have been enough to incinerate the entire Palandoran palace, but even all of that focused sharply on Ned's body had failed to overpower him. For the first time, doubt crept into her mind.

Ned looked around. Rax had vanished from sight, but Dren was standing fifty yards off. He was holding a laser carbine, and it was aimed at Ned. Dren fired a couple of shots at Ned as he approached, but Ned ignored them. They might have been gnats, for all he cared. The power throbbing inside Ned demanded to be released, and Ned had no desire to deny it that. When he had closed to a range that satisfied him, Ned raised his hand and brought forth the flames.

Everything seemed to happen at once. Dren must have sensed the power Ned was bringing to bear, because he wrapped himself in a Plasma vortex and teleported well out of Ned's range before Ned could even get the shot off. At the same instant Rax decided to attack, appearing from behind some trees to Ned's right. Ned turned and fired at her. He did not release everything he had, but the blue energy wave that hit her lifted her off the ground and threw her against a tree, shattering it and spraying wood fragments everywhere. Rax's battle suit buckled inward slightly where the blast hit her and nearly split open in a few places, but she managed to regain her feet in time to see what happened next.

Markan Dren exited his vortex on the opposite side of the valley just as Ned's Plasma blast hit his partner. He was about to contact her to find out what he should do when the shriek of a dragon brought him about. Mrandor was swooping toward him, but Dren was not concerned. He teleported to another spot in the valley, where a blast from Ned convinced him to teleport again. Mrandor instantly wheeled on him, and as he did so Dren heard the calls from several other dragons not far away. He teleported again, this time into a stand of trees where the others would not be able to see him. He was about to contact Rax when he realized what had happened. Ned and Mrandor had been herding him toward this stand of trees. But why?

"Give it up, Markan. You couldn't beat me before, and you won't now."

"Koral!" Markan turned around, but there was no one there – just a speaker box hung in the branches of a tree. Dren blasted it with his laser gun, and then the shrill call of the approaching dragons reminded him of what he was doing. "Rax, what do you want to do now? We're not getting anywhere."

"I've got an idea. Keep your com channel open and step out into plain view."

Dren did so. He quickly spotted Ned, and the boy seemed to be moving toward him. Why?

Ned's first instinct was to burn Rax's battle suit to a crisp with the energy she had tried to use against him and then knock her senseless. When she was out of the fight, he would help Koral round up Dren, if the Vortex Master chose to stick around. But after Ned unleashed his absorbed power that first time Koral contacted him. "Ned!" Koral had said. "Help me get Dren over here by this stand of trees! If we don't take him out you'll never get another shot at Rax."

Ned's blast had thrown Rax so far into the trees that he couldn't see her anymore anyway, so he had turned his attack on Dren. After his and Mrandor's attacks had maneuvered Dren into the trees where Koral was waiting, Ned started walking toward them himself. There was no way Koral could handle the Vortex Master alone, Ned knew, and he hoped that Koral was certain of what he was about to do. Ned was not even a third of the way there when Dren appeared from out of the trees. Rax was still nowhere to be seen.

What's that boy doing? Dren wondered, but his thoughts were interrupted by the laser shots hitting his suit from directly behind him. He was about to teleport away when he realized who it must be. He spun around abruptly and teleported Koral's blaster away in a flash of purple. Koral was far away and ducked out of sight when Dren turned but knew it was too late. Dren grabbed Koral in his vortex and drew the man to himself. When Koral materialized in front of him, Dren fastened his hands on the aging man's shoulders and shook him. "You worm. Do you really think you can beat me?"

Koral was wearing a space suit, so Dren couldn't hear him contact Ned. "Ned! I can only distract him for a moment! Attack now!"

"But I'll hit you! Can you get away from him?"

"Now, Ned! Destroy him!"

Koral's plan was plain enough. As a former Plasma Master, Koral would be able to hold Dren's attention like nothing else would. In theory, Koral would hold the Vortex Master still long enough for Ned to unleash the power he had absorbed from Rax and destroy him, or at least hurt him enough that he wouldn't be able to escape. Rax would then be a sitting duck, which X and the approaching dragon force would be able to hunt down at their leisure. The problem, of course, was that Ned was afraid of hitting Koral in the process. "Hold on! I'm going to try to extend a shield around you."

"Hit him now!"

But then Koral's plan went dreadfully wrong. Ned had barely formed a film of blue shielding between Koral and Markan Dren when a bolt of yellow light tore into both of them. Ned tried to strengthen the shield, but he couldn't sense where Koral was, so the shield he made was too diffuse to do much good. Rax's power did not die. Ned strengthened his power, sending Shield Plasma in a wide blue beam to where he hoped Koral was still lying on the ground, but he could see nothing beyond the yellow light. Then Rax, maintaining the Blast Plasma with her left hand, extended her right and unloaded her battle suit's missile launcher into the yellow blast. Her last two missiles she aimed at Ned, and Ned ceased his Plasma stream for the shortest instant as he flinched at the incoming projectiles. As he did so the yellow light that was enveloping Dren and Koral flared violently as a purple cloud of light exploded outward.

Ned tried to rush over and see what had happened to Koral when five consecutive torpedoes from the approaching starfighter exploded into him. They did no damage, but the smoke obscured his vision. Blindly, he tried to reestablish the shield he had been maintaining around Koral. There was the loud roar of thrusters as the starfighter landed and then took off again, and by the time Ned had made his way out of the flames and smoke the fighter's torpedoes had caused, Rax and Dren were both gone. Where Dren had been standing was a wide circle of blackened soil. In the middle of it lay the scorched body of Koral Ralok.

He was still breathing when Ned reached him, but just barely. Ned deactivated his own helmet and looked down at his mentor with tears in his eyes. Why did you do this? Why couldn't I stop them? The questions screamed in Ned's mind, but the words would not come.

"Ned, you did it." Koral managed a tight smile, although by the sound of his voice he had just a few minutes of life left. "You did it. The Vortex Master is gone." Ned still couldn't bring himself to speak, but the look on his face told Koral that even now his mind was plagued by questions more than anything else – anything but Koral's welfare. "It seems ... that Kayleen Rax valued my death ... more than Markan's life. She destroyed us both. The purple flash ... I ... the Vortex Crystal ... destroyed."

"Koral! Why did you do it? Why did you attack him?"

"The Vortex Master was your obstacle. You can't defeat what you can't hit, and as long as he was around ... he would prevent you from doing what was ... necessary..."

"But I need you! You have to hold on until X gets here! My shield protected you – it must have, or you wouldn't still be here! Hold on, Koral! I can't finish this without you!"

Koral just smiled. "Ned Simmons... You can do anything... You are... the Plasma Master..."

"Yes, I know I'm the Shield Master, but I still need you! You know so much more than me! I could never have made it this far without you!"

"You are ... the Plasma Master."

"Koral! Koral, wake up! Koral, please!"

But there was no response.

Koral was dead.

##  <NEMESIS>
### Chapter 14

X found Ned there just minutes later. Mrandor was lying next to him, his massive body shaking with grief. X swooped out of the sky atop Valkron and just stared. He had known Koral even better than Ned had, and the sight of the man lying there on the battle-scarred ground was almost too much for him. He would have stayed there longer, but there was still business to attend to. "Ned, I know. I know. But we have to go now. Straker and the others can take care of the body..." He fought with himself for a moment, trying not to break down – not yet. "Ned, what happened?" Ned just shook his head.

"We've got to get back. Jenara says Black Fang has gone, but that other ship is still attacking. We don't know what happened, but we've got to get back there right away. Valkron can carry us both."

Mrandor grunted and rose onto his hind legs. "Mrandor says he'll carry you. I'll see you there."

The ride lasted only a couple of minutes, but as Ned watched the lush landscape fly by underneath it seemed like an entire age was passing away. Koral was dead. The mighty Shield Master who had protected his Empire from Alien attacks – and then protected the Empire again by departing when its leader became the threat – was gone, and virtually all he had left behind to carry on his work were a glowing blue stone and an inexperienced, uneducated young man who could not even save the life of one person from two enemies. How could he be expected to overthrow an entire empire? How could he be expected to do anything when his teacher was gone?

As King Trennon's palace appeared from around a bend in the mountain, the answer came to Ned. He could be expected to do what he had to because someone had to pay for what had happened to Koral Ralok and the billions of others whose lives had been taken or forever broken by this mindless war. First Kayleen Rax, and then Dark Viper. They were going to pay. Ned would see to it.

King Trennon and Jenara were waiting as Mrandor and Valkron landed. The looks on their faces told Ned that X had already used his short-range communicator to tell them of Koral's fate. Nevertheless, Jenara smiled at Ned as he dismounted and walked up to those waiting for him. Last night Ned had been apprehensive about seeing Jenara again, but this day's events had drowned out such minor problems as had previously existed. Ned turned his eyes toward the King and saw that he was waiting for Ned to speak.

"Markan Dren is dead. Kayleen Rax killed him along with Koral."

"Ned, you did it!" Jenara could not hold herself back any longer. "Both ships just headed back into the nebula. You saved Palandora!"

Ned assumed that Jenara meant no disrespect by not making a big deal of Koral's death; she was probably just trying to get Ned to focus on the victory. Still, her congratulations seemed to Ned to be out of place at best. "No, I didn't. Just maybe, Kayleen Rax decided to leave because she didn't want to face me alone, but the only reason she would have had to is because Koral gave his life to destroy the Vortex Master. All I did was annoy them." Jenara saw that there was no use arguing the point for the moment, so she didn't try.

King Trennon walked up and put a hand on Ned's shoulder. "We're very proud of you, Ned – of both you and Koral. We know what happened was not your fault; we're just happy our city was saved. I know you must feel bad, but try to remember that his death was not for nothing. He helped to save Palandora, and surely Dren's loss is a great blow to the Emperor as well."

Ned looked into his eyes with hard determination. "I will do everything I can to bring Dark Viper down. Everything. That's a promise."

Ned's voice broke off as he finished the sentence, so the four of them walked into the palace in silence.

"Sir, two ships just passed through the corridor. In just a few minutes they'll be out of the nebula."

That was the best news Smardwurst Varlon had heard in a week. Green Scorpion had just barely left the Uraxis Nebula when an Imperial warship had appeared on warp-range sensors. The warp drive was not even close to being fixed, so there had been no choice but to head back into the nebula. Smardwurst had deviated from the corridor so that the enemy ship would not detect it. It hadn't, and Green Scorpion's crew had been working full-time on repairing the shields and warp drive. This task was made especially difficult by the presence of the distortion waves that were present in small form even this far out. The crew had finally completed the task to a reasonable degree when Black Fang appeared, again forcing Smardwurst to take his ship farther into the nebula to escape detection. He had considered following Black Fang in, but decided there was nothing he could do for Ned in his present condition. Smardwurst had not been able to identify Black Fang and so did not realize the full significance of the ship's presence but had nevertheless felt guilty leaving Ned to deal with two Anacronian warships without him. So, Smardwurst was more than a little relieved to learn that the warships were leaving.

His bulging eyes stared intently at the readout that showed the departing ships' locations until they were safely out of range. "All right, Ensign, let's try this one more time."

The rest of the day passed like a dream for Ned. His entire life seemed just too impossible to believe. He was on a planet full of aliens. He commanded a power that people back on Earth might call magic. It bothered him more than a little how easily he had rushed into battle and nearly killed Kayleen Rax. Yes, it was the right thing to do, but shouldn't it have felt different? Ned decided that he had not really intended to kill her or Markan Dren, just to harm them enough to capture them or maybe drive them off, but still he had committed more violence during that one hour this morning than he had in the rest of his life combined. It didn't bother him, and that bothered him. Worst of all, he had seen a man die. His friend. His teacher. In short, Ned Simmons's life was in chaos.

It helped tremendously when Smardwurst arrived. Ned was able to put aside his negative feelings for a moment and enjoy the fact that his first friend in this alien society was still alive. Ned's mood quickly darkened again though, and Smardwurst had other business to attend to. Ned spent most of the day reminiscing with X about Koral. Listening to X's stories about training the dragons and Koral's fighting the Aliens in the previous war, Ned realized that he knew almost nothing about the man for whom he was grieving. It made Ned feel better to know that there was someone else who felt at least as bad about Koral's death as he did.

A funeral was held that evening, and Ned was pleasantly surprised to find that he was able to control his emotions. He wanted to stand up and give a powerfully inspiring discourse, engraving in everyone's mind the greatness of who Koral Ralok had been and what he had done, but the words just would not come. Ned just sat there, content to let X do an admirable job of it instead.

Sunset approached, and no plans were made for the future, at least none that Ned heard. He was still far from over his grief at what had happened that day, but he had come to accept things and felt that he was reasonably ready to move on. Perhaps that was because Ned had only known Koral for a few days. Perhaps it was because Koral's final message to him demanded that he pull himself together and go on. Ned liked to believe that the strength Koral had given him during those few days of intensive instruction went beyond Ned's use of the Plasma – that Koral had strengthened Ned's character as well.

As everyone else was retiring to their beds, Ned decided to take a walk through the palace gardens. He would probably be leaving Palandora tomorrow or shortly afterward, and he wanted to remember as much of it as he could. He was leaning on the trunk of a tree and gazing outward at the starless night sky when Jenara walked softly up to him from behind.

"Sleepless again?" she asked in her usual cheerful manner.

Ned smiled, glad to be talking to her again. His apprehension about talking to her had completely dissolved, and besides, he had no intention of leaving here without clearing up whatever he needed to.

"Hi, Jenara. I was just thinking."

"About what?" She walked up next to him and looked out at the sky as well. When Ned failed to answer quickly, she changed the subject. "My father says that the Chelaris will be ready to leave the nebula tomorrow afternoon. X is getting the starfighter fleet ready, too. I guess you'll be heading out then."

"I had forgotten about Koral's ship. Yeah, I guess Smardwurst and I don't have much left to do here now. The sooner we're back fighting the Anacron Empire, the better." Ned looked into Jenara's eyes, trying to read the look he saw there. "I'm glad you came to talk to me. I would have found you tomorrow, but now's as good a time as any. I wanted to thank you and X for everything you did for me. Besides feeding me and giving me a place to sleep and showing me how to reach Koral, it really helped to have people I could talk to while I was here – you know, being so far away from home."

Jenara nodded and looked away. "I could have made it even easier, couldn't I? I'm sorry about..."

"No, don't be sorry. I misunderstood you, that's all. I didn't mean... I ..." Ned was irritated at the difficulty both of them were having forming complete sentences this evening.

"I know. When X brought you to Tibrus City and told us about you I couldn't resist learning everything about you I could. I mean, a real Plasma Master here! And then I started to get to know you, and I guess our minds were on totally different things, and I just didn't want to see that you didn't feel the same way I did. We've only known each other for a matter of days; it's ridiculous to expect us to be anything more than acquaintances."

"Wait, Jenara. I'm not so sure we do feel all that differently. Maybe we just express it differently. I really did enjoy being with you this past week. My friendship with you is just about the only thing about my stay here that hasn't turned out to be a complete disaster, except for maybe X and me, but that's different. I really do like you, Jenara, a lot. I just wouldn't call it 'love;' like you said, we haven't known each other long enough. But I don't think we feel all that differently."

Jenara's eyes had been lowered as she spoke, but as Ned talked she brought them up to meet his. The smile on her face made Ned think that maybe he had set her heart on fire. It made him feel good to have the tension relieved. It would be a lot easier to say goodbye now that it was.

"Really?" Jenara said after he finished. "I'm glad you feel that way. It should make things a lot more enjoyable over the next month or so, or however long it takes."

"Takes to do what?" Jenara's smile had turned wry, and Ned was getting nervous. "What are you talking about?"

"However long it takes to defeat the Emperor. Haven't you heard? I'm coming with you. Father put the Chelaris under my command."

"You're coming? To war? But you don't have any experience!"

"Neither do you. Besides, I won't be in any battles. The Chelaris is just a freighter Koral bought before he left. We just figured that General Marnax might be able to use an extra ship, plus six starfighters. X's squadron is really quite good, although I'm sure they're rusty after being alone here for so long."

Ned was still shocked. "You're coming to war?"

"What's the matter, Ned? Don't you want me to come?"

"It's not that. It's just that you'd be a lot safer here. You could get killed! Couldn't someone else..." Ned trailed off, deciding there was nothing to be gained by pressing the matter. "You don't need my permission, you know. You're the Princess."

"And Captain. I know. I just wanted to know how you felt about it."

Ned gave up. After all, what harm could come to her? Marnax wouldn't send an inexperienced girl into any situation he didn't think she could handle. And besides, she was right. It would be more enjoyable to have her around. Ned smiled. "I think it's great. I wasn't looking forward to saying goodbye to you anyway."

"Great! I'll see you in the morning sometime before we leave. And Ned?"

"Yes?"

"About what I told you the other night?"

"Yes?"

Before Ned could react Jenara grabbed his shoulders and kissed him on the mouth. "I meant it." Then she wheeled, deliberately smacking Ned in the face with her hair, and walked away.

Ned just stood there and stared after her, not knowing what to think. His lips still felt warm from her kiss, and his heart was still pounding with the flattery of having the affection of such a cute girl. He was more than a little scared, though. He was at war, and this was no time to pursue a relationship, especially with an alien who he might never see again after this conflict was over. He wondered if it might be best to avoid her, or maybe to tell her it would be best if they didn't spend time together.

But somehow that felt wrong. After all, it was just a normal friendship, with a little flirting mixed in. Yes, Ned was glad that Jenara would be coming with him. The weeks ahead would undoubtedly be filled with plenty of stress and confusion – not to mention danger – and Ned decided that he was going to need all the friends he could get to help him through it.

### Chapter 15

The view from one of Galactron's many viewports looked to Gerran Marnax as if it were snowing flakes of rainbow. At most warp speeds the hyperspace shadows of stars appeared as white dots, but Galactron was one of the fastest ships in the galaxy. At the moment it was taxing its warp drive to its fullest capacity, and the warp field surrounding the ship was so powerful that it refracted the light from the stellar phase shadows, turning them into dazzling pinpricks of color.

If I fail, Dark Viper will have command of every one of these stars within two years. Since StarBlazer's loss at Ergana Prime, Marnax had become more and more convinced that it was going to take more than skill and tactics to defeat the Anacron Empire. It was going to take an incredibly powerful Plasma Master as well. If Nedward Simmons hasn't found a way to become that, I don't know what we'll do. And that was assuming the boy was still alive.

There was reason to believe that he was. Marnax had decided upon reaching his fleet's rendezvous point that there was nothing useful he could do until all of his allies had satisfied themselves that their own homeworlds were not in immediate danger of sharing Ergana's fate, at which point they would rejoin him. Instead of waiting, Marnax had set off at once to see what had happened to Smardwurst and his charge. Galactron had recently detected two starships at the fringes of the sensors' range, and they were headed for StarBlazer space. If they were Imperial ships, they would most likely have gone directly back to Venom to report to Dark Viper. In a more populated region of space the transmission booster stations in-between star systems would have allowed communication at many times the current range, but out here there were no such stations, so the approaching ships had been in sensor range for six minutes and still were too far away to contact. It would not be long now, though.

The intercom clicked. "General," Marvis Harvey called, "They'll be in range in just a moment. Do you want to contact them from your office?"

"Yes, thanks. Marnax out."

Harvey was still not over having his homeworld razed by the Empire. The civilians had all survived, but even if StarBlazer won this war soon they would all have to relocate to whatever planets could be made available. It might take several generations before Ergana Prime could be made capable of sustaining life again. Harvey had been hurt badly by the loss, and lately Marnax had been worrying about him.

The automatic door opened and closed as Marnax left the observation room. He nodded to a couple of crewmembers as he walked down the corridor to his office, and they all met his nod with a smile and a salute. The crew, in general, was taking the defeat well. Marnax knew that their confidence was rooted as much in him as it was in StarBlazer's collective power.

That, he had decided, was a good thing. It was dangerous to put too much trust in one man; after all, no one was perfect and if Marnax made a mistake he would not want his people to follow him into it. Still, Gerran Marnax was confident in his ability to lead his people to victory, and he was glad that his people shared that optimism. StarBlazer's citizens certainly had the skills and strength of character to see this war through to victory. In fact, despite StarBlazer's numerical deficiency, it sometimes seemed to Marnax that the only thing standing between him and victory was the mysterious yet awesome power of Emperor Dark Viper and his little toys. If only Ned Simmons could find a way to get rid of him... Marnax hoped the boy was okay for more reasons than he could count.

He reached his office, entered, and gave a carnivorous plant a friendly pat as he walked to his desk. He sat down, pressed the button to activate his computer screen, and waited. The detected ships were still not in communications range. Marnax's thoughts again turned toward Ned Simmons and the brief time he had spent with him. It hadn't been enough time to give Marnax any accurate sense of Ned's character, but the boy's power itself had been promising enough. Marnax wondered if he should have sent more than just one ship with Ned, but decided that he had made the right decision in keeping his full attack force for Ergana Prime – at least that seemed right if one ignored hindsight.

"General, we're in communications range. They're hailing us."

Ned was looking forward to telling General Marnax of the relative success he had had on Palandora. He could only imagine how the General would react when he found that he at last had a potential weapon against Dark Viper. A potential weapon – that was what Ned had temporarily classified himself as. He did not believe he was any match for the Emperor yet, but after surviving the continued attacks of Kayleen Rax, he believed that he at least had that potential. For the moment, Ned was confident that he could stand against Rax again, or just about any non-Plasmatic force Viper cared to throw at him.

Marnax's charismatic face appeared on the viewscreen. "Smardwurst! Ned! I'm glad you made it back! Are you okay? Did you find him?"

"We had some technical problems and a little run-in with Markan Dren and Kayleen Rax, but we're fine now. I'll let Ned fill you in."

Ned's grin was unrestrained. "I did it, General. I found Koral, and he trained me. You were right! My stone is the Anacron Plasma Shield Crystal!"

"And it works?"

Ned nodded, but the smile disappeared from his face and he lowered his eyes. "It works."

Marnax did not miss the change in countenance, and he decided Ned had said all he wanted to for the moment. "Good job, Ned. We'll have need of your skills soon. We can talk more about it later." He turned to Smardwurst, the hint of a smile returning to his face. "You've brought friends?"

"Gerran, I should tell you that Koral was killed in the battle, along with Markan Dren. I know – we came out on the short end in that exchange. But the King of the people on Palandora – the planet we found – has sent his daughter Jenara Trennon in command of the starship Chelaris to join our fleet. She also has a squadron of starfighter pilots who were once in service to the Empire. I told Princess Trennon you'd contact her as soon as we were finished."

"I will. My consolations on Koral's death, Ned. It must have been especially hard on you. You can tell me what happened when we reach you – it shouldn't be long. I'll see you then."

"The man doesn't look a day older," X remarked after Jenara had completed her transmission with StarBlazer's leader. "He's just like I remember him."

"Did you know him?" Jenara asked, lounging in the ship's command chair.

"Not personally, but I knew practically everything about him. I think everyone in the military did. He had connections with Major Harvey even then, and he's always been a natural leader. The man was amazing. If he had stayed with the Empire and someone else had rebelled, the war wouldn't have lasted a month. Marnax would have wiped out the rebellion in the blink of an eye."

"Marnax didn't really rebel, X. He just left."

"I know, but still."

"He seemed nice."

"What do you think he'll have you do with the Chelaris?"

"I don't know. Maybe nothing. It isn't really very powerful at all. I'm sure he'll put your fighters to good use, though."

"If I can get my squadron trained sufficiently. It's been a really long time since they've had any real practice. It might take a while."

"I guess the important thing now is that we're here. Palandora can't stay locked inside that nebula forever and expect to remain free. Even if we don't end up doing anything here but watching the war, it will be better than staying back there. On Palandora we couldn't even watch what happened around us, let alone affect it. Hopefully that will change soon."

X nodded. He knew Jenara's philosophy about isolation and agreed with it, but now his thoughts were turning toward the war. He was happy to again be using his military experience to fight for a good cause, but doing so meant that he would be risking his life and those of his squadron members very often and very soon. He hoped he could make them ready. "Have you talked to Ned since we left?"

"No, I haven't."

She didn't say anything more, so X let it drop. He hadn't been all that surprised when Jenara had told him of her conversation with Ned before they left Palandora. He knew Jenara better than just about anyone and had been observant enough to notice her attitude toward Ned. X found the fact that Jenara was attracted to Ned interesting, but not terribly important. At least, he hadn't until Jenara had decided to leave Palandora. Maybe now something would develop, but even if it did it probably wouldn't affect X much. X was, however, curious about how things would turn out. Ned and Jenara seemed like a rather unlikely couple, and besides, Ned didn't always seem to have the most accurate picture of things between himself and Jenara. Maybe that was just because Earth customs were so different from those of the Anacron Empire and its former members, but X doubted it. The Anacronian rulers had preserved Earth's customs well enough that Ned had adapted rather quickly to just about everything he had encountered here, so there was no reason to think that this situation would be any different.

"Jenara," – despite her political title X always called her by her first name, even in public – "I'm going to go talk with the rest of the squadron. I'll see you when it's time to dock."

"See you later, X."

"Bye."

As the landing bay doors slid open, the approaching shuttles came into view. Smardwurst's shuttle was the standard gray, sleek design used my most StarBlazer ships for personnel transport, while Princess Trennon's shuttle had been painted green and brown – Palandora's colors – and was a slightly older model. Once the doors had closed behind both shuttles, the bay was repressurized and Gerran walked out from the enclosed waiting area.

"Welcome aboard Galactron, everyone. I'm glad you all made it here safely. I'll show you to a conference room now, and we'll tie up a few loose ends before we rejoin the fleet."

The meeting was informative for all concerned. Major Harvey explained the battle of Ergana Prime and the apparent betrayal StarBlazer had suffered. Smardwurst described his mission to the Uraxis Nebula, and Ned picked up from where he had left Green Scorpion to attempt contact with Koral. He told how he had crashlanded in one of Palandora's forested valleys, been spotted by X, and been introduced to the former Shield Master. He attempted to describe his training sessions with Koral, but found it difficult to describe sensations concerning the Plasma force to people who had no experience with it. He then told of his battle with the other Plasma Masters, and of how Kayleen Rax had killed Koral, and along with him Markan Dren.

"It will take us a little over a day to rejoin our fleet," Marnax informed them when they had finished, "but by the time we get there everyone else should be ready as well. I'd like to talk to Ned about some of the particulars of his power, but until we reach the fleet I'm sure you will find plenty to keep yourselves occupied. Let me know if you need anything."

X stopped to talk to Ned before he left the conference room. "When the General is done talking with you, could I meet you back on the Chelaris? I've got something to show you."

There was not much Ned was able to clarify for General Marnax about the Plasma force, so Ned was onboard the Chelaris within sixteen minutes. Galactron was matching the slower speed of Jenara's ship, so by extending the warp fields Ned was able to take a shuttle between the two ships. X met him in the Chelaris's shuttlebay and led him through a door and down a long corridor.

"Where are we going?" Ned asked.

"To the starfighter launch bay. You haven't seen my ship, have you?"

"Nope. In fact I haven't seen any StarBlazer fighters up close."

A door slid open at X's touch, and X led Ned into the launch bay, where seven starfighters were arranged. They were an impressive sight. They looked very much like fighter jets back on Earth to Ned, but they were not as aerodynamic. They were somewhat boxier, and various weapons and graviton thrusters protruded from their hulls.

"That one's mine," X said, pointing to the closest one. It's called the Relina, after my sister. She's the one who taught me how to fly."

It was the first unprompted reference X had made to his family since Ned had met him, and Ned wasn't sure whether he should say anything. X didn't give him the chance. "See that one on the end?"

"Was it Koral's?"

"How did you know?"

"Well for one thing, it's blue. Koral seemed to like blue."

X laughed. "He did, and it was. He didn't fly it much, but after the Emperor invited him to leave he decided he should own something that could fight. He was not a poor man, and this is not a cheap ship. It's loaded with missiles and hypercharged laser cannons. Nothing like Starhawk flies of course, but it's one of the best you can get without building it yourself." X paused and looked over at Ned. "It's yours."

"What? You can't give it to me! I can barely pilot a shuttle! I'd be blown out of the sky the instant I tried to use it!"

"You don't have to use it to fight, Ned. Koral never did. I figured that since you don't own a thing that isn't back on Earth except your Plasma Crystal and a set of clothes, you would do well to have a mode of transportation. This ship has warp drive, so if you ever disagree with Marnax or get stranded somewhere, you can take off on your own. Besides, you were Koral's apprentice. I'm sure he would have wanted you to have it."

"You were his apprentice. I was just a guy who showed up at his house one day, and I only knew him a week. You knew him for years!"

"Fine, then ownership falls to me, and now I'm giving it to you."

"I don't want to seem ungrateful – I really appreciate this. But if Koral's ship is so great, shouldn't you take it and let me have one of the others? Or sell it and get me something simple, so you could at least keep some of the money it's worth?"

"Nope. I've grown sort of attached to my ship – it's a pilot thing. I've thought of all of this already. The ship is yours."

As they talked they had walked over to the ship, and now Ned gazed at it from up close. He smiled. "Well, thank you. What's it called?"

"Koral never named it. It's registered by its serial code, but that's not much of a name."

"I guess I'll have to think of one. Thanks again, X. I guess we should transport it over to Galactron, huh?"

"You mean you should transport it to Galactron. Jenara wants to see you first, though."

"Okay, let's go see her, and then you can show me how to use this thing."

"Actually, Ned, she wants to see you. Haven't you been paying attention?"

"I've been paying attention. What do you mean though?"

"Jenara's not kidding about how she feels about you, Ned. She's not overstating it, either. You and she aren't just friends anymore, or at least that's not how she sees it. If you disagree, you'd better let her know."

"Well, I guess that depends on what you mean by 'just friends.' I mean, being attracted to someone doesn't necessarily change that much. Nothing real could ever happen between us, X; we're not even from the same planet. After this war is over we'll probably never see each other again."

"Fine, but like I said, just make sure Jenara's on the same phase as you."

"I will. Thanks again, X. For everything. I never would have made it this far without you. If I ever do anything really productive with the Plasma force, I hope you'll take your share of the credit."

X smiled. "I'll do that, Ned. Jenara's waiting in the main shuttle bay. Find me when you're done and I'll help you get this ship out of here."

"Ned! It's been long enough! How are you? What do you think of all this?" Jenara started walking down the corridor, and Ned kept up.

"I'm glad to be back where someone with a lot of power seems to know what's going on. Marnax is going to win this war. I'm sure of it."

"I'm sure of it too, but that's not what I meant. What do you think of space? I had almost forgotten what it's like! When we left the nebula I just sat by a viewport and stared at the stars. They're so beautiful – I haven't seen them in so long!"

"Being in space is a neat feeling. It's not as weird as I always imagined it would be, though. On Earth there's no artificial gravity technology, so people in space float around in weightlessness. I haven't experienced that here."

"It's kind of fun. I'm sure Galactron has some zero-gravity sports arenas, or at least zero-g combat training."

"Let me know your schedule. We should go there sometime."

"I don't have a schedule – not yet. General Marnax hasn't found any use yet for a non-allied freighter. He says he's going to find work for X's squadron, though. Have you met them?"

"Not yet."

"I think they're on Galactron right now. For all the time we've been on Palandora, the only simulators they've been able to use have been the ones on the Chelaris. X is anxious to get them ready to fight in the real galaxy as soon as possible."

"Where are we going?"

"Nowhere. I just like to walk. Do you have anywhere in mind?"

"Nope. I don't have anything planned for today, except that X is going to help me work on my skills in a starfighter. He gave me Koral's old one."

"I know. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, it is. So do you want to go back over to Galactron now and find something to do, or should we do something here first?"

"I'm kind of hungry. How about we eat lunch, and then we can find X and play some zero-g sports on Galactron."

"Sounds good."

Lunch was Palandoran food, and Ned found it delicious. When they were finished Ned was inclined to stay and talk longer, but he found that he and Jenara had just about depleted conversation topics. "It seems like we've told each other just about every story that's ever happened to either of us. Is there anything else about you that you think I should know?"

"I don't know. Like what?"

"Well, is there anything you like to do that you haven't mentioned yet?"

"Hmmm. Well, back in school I loved to dance. I haven't had many opportunities lately, though."

"I can't dance worth beans."

"Are you a quick learner?"

"Let's say I am. Can you teach me?"

"I can do anything. I'm the Princess. Here, let me put on some music." She did, and walked back over to him. "All right. I put my hand on your shoulder, and you put yours around my waist, and then hold my other hand – like this. This music has a four-step beat, so ..."

"Yeah, this is like on Earth. Anacron's rulers really did a great job of preserving the culture. In fact, I'm surprised things don't seem more strange to me. I don't know when your ancestors left Earth, but I'm sure it was long enough ago that Earth culture has changed a lot."

"Well, if you think that our culture is significantly like yours back home, then I'd say it's because you've adapted unusually fast. You can't really say that life here is like it was back on Earth."

"I guess you're right, I have gotten pretty used to things." Ned thought for a moment, then remembered his conversation with X. "X mentioned something to me," he said. "He was worried that I might be misinterpreting you, and that I should make sure we're on the same 'phase.'"

"Do you think we are?" Jenara did not seem concerned.

"Yes, I do. I mean, we talked about it already, right?"

She gave him her standard beautiful smile. "Yeah. And besides, there's only so much you can know about another person's feelings by talking. Beyond that you have to go by how they act, you know? You have to spend time with them." Ned did not respond. He was distracted by how interesting it was to have his hand around her waist and by how nice her hair looked.

Jenara taught Ned a few unfamiliar dances as well, and Ned became reasonably good at them. At last they decided that they had kept X waiting long enough, so they found him and headed over to Galactron.

The trio from Palandora figured that this would be the last really free day they would have together for a while, so they made the most of it. X worked with Ned for a couple of hours in a starfighter simulator on Galactron, since at warp speed it wasn't exactly convenient to practice in a real spacecraft. Then X and Jenara introduced Ned to some popular sports, including several zero gravity ones. Ned invited Smardwurst to join them a few times, but his duties as Captain kept him away for most of the time.

He was done for the day by the time X and Jenara left for the Chelaris, though, and Ned visited Smardwurst's quarters before going to bed. They had talked a lot since leaving Palandora, so there weren't any new issues to discuss. Still, Ned enjoyed talking to Smardwurst. There was something about the Zalorian that Ned found refreshing, and talking to him helped to reduce the effects of the stress he had been feeling. Part of it, Ned was sure, was that Smardwurst had been with Ned at the start of his journey and so reminded Ned more than anything else of his home. Also, although he would never admit it, Ned enjoyed talking to someone who was so obviously alien. All of the technology Ned had seen would eventually have a reasonable counterpart on Earth, and so after being around it for a while it ceased to seem that strange. But no one on Earth had ever seen a sentient being that didn't look like an Earthling, at least not with any definitive evidence. The existence of people like Smardwurst and the other non-Earthlike races in the galaxy was exciting to Ned, and his excitement was kindled anew whenever he talked to Smardwurst.

"I really enjoy life here," Ned remarked. "I wonder if, after the war's over, my family would want to move out here. There's so much here that people on Earth could only dream about."

"That's true, Nedward, but do not discount the advantages of your own home. My homeworld is not the perfect place, but I would much rather live there than anywhere else in the galaxy. Ease and excitement are not everything, you know."

"I know. I probably wouldn't want to live here, but a vacation or two or fifty would be nice. Do you think the hyperspace vortex will hold?"

"We'll see. There are more pressing matters at hand. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, I do. It's been a fun day, but I guess tomorrow will be pretty different, won't it?"

"Tomorrow, Nedward, we will very likely take a large step toward finding a use for your power."

Ned nodded. And the next day, for all I know, I might be carrying out that plan.

### Chapter 16

The villagers of the outlying world of Grenotia completely ignored the vacuum-black starship that came into orbit around their planet. It made no difference that it had not identified itself to startraffic control. Almost no one did these days. Grenotia's out-of-the-way location made it ideal for traders and smugglers and outlaws of all types to stop over or settle in, as their several cases required. The Grenotians did not care. The traffic brought money, and money was life. The war raging outside might not have ever started, for all these people cared. Survival was all they cared about.

Today all they cared about came crashing down in a matter of hours.

It started without any warning at all. A quick spread of torpedoes from the unnamed ship eliminated the planet's weak shields. Then volley after volley of laser bolts rained down on the law enforcement buildings, fire suppression systems, and the buildings most likely to house powerful underground organizations. The spaceports were destroyed as well. Within minutes the entire civilized portion of the planet was left defenseless.

Then the light came. It was not especially fast, nor did it encompass a very large area at any one time, but it was persistent, and it was deadly. It started as a wall of yellow fire that erupted out of the ground at the entrance to one of the major towns. It moved in an unbroken line from one side of the town to the other, swallowing whatever it touched. Most of the buildings were made of wood, so the fire spread quickly, and soon the entire town was in flames.

A few minutes later, the light hit another town. This time it came in the form of searing tendrils of energy that enveloped houses and other structures until they were composed of nothing but yellow light and then exploded, showering the surrounding buildings with molten debris.

The light struck town after town. Each time it came in a slightly different form, but each time it consumed everything. The inhabitants who were fortunate enough to escape the light grabbed whatever they could and dashed into the forests and barren plains that covered the undeveloped portion of the planet. There was nothing they could do but watch as fire after fire sprouted up all across the planet's surface. Grenotia was such as small world that it did not take long before every civilization on the planet was ablaze.

Grenotia was so small, in fact, that in order to make it inhabitable to any large number of people, an artificial gravity generator system had had to be installed. This was the final target. One last barrage of torpedoes from the orbiting ship obliterated all of Grenotia's power generators, including those powering the gravity plates.

A black visor hid from view the pained expression of the woman beneath. It had been a long time since she had exerted her power for such a long time with so few intermissions. She was glad that no one could see her face. But, even though she was exhausted to the point of collapse and covered with sweat, she was smiling. It was an exhilarating feeling for her to stretch forth her power until it blended with other things, until the power pulsed inside them like a heartbeat, and then to activate that power and blast her targets apart. To consume them. This was real power, and, quite unlike the Grenotians, to her, power was everything.

Having accomplished its mission, Black Fang turned and set its course back to the superfortress Venom.

### Chapter 17

Dressed in his metallic blue battle armor and accompanied by Smardwurst, X, and Jenara, Ned walked into yet another conference room. The activator pin was in his pocket, along with his Plasma Crystal. General Marnax sat at a round table in the center of the room with Marvis Harvey and several other people Ned did not know, although he did recognize Mirana Kelar from his stay at Varlax Kanlor. Rows of seats lined the walls. They were mostly empty, but a few aides to those at the table sat there. Ned did not know how StarBlazer was actually governed, but it was apparent that it would be impossible to put a representative from every world in the Alliance on the Council.

Ned's companions stopped at the row of seats and sat down. Ned, as he had been instructed, continued forward and took the last remaining chair at the conference table. Ned was nervous. He wished he could activate his suit's helmet so he wouldn't convey an impression of insecurity by his expression. He had never intended to sit on a governing council of any kind, even if it was just to discuss the services he was willing and able to offer. He had been through worse situations, though, so he kept himself together.

General Marnax rose.

"Greetings, Representatives. Despite all our precautions and the development of our anathelium particle beam, the Anacron Empire has defeated us and taken the world of Ergana Prime. After careful analysis of the battle, Major Marvis Harvey has concluded that this loss was due to a leakage of information regarding the particle beam. I'll leave it to him to explain the details."

Harvey explained to the Council what he had explained to General Marnax a few days earlier. No one could shed any more light on the subject; there did not seem to be anyone who could have known enough about the project and had the opportunity to transmit it to the Anacron Empire without being detected.

"If someone can find out about that, then they could find out about anything," Squignus Frangeld of Plarthron remarked. "For all we know the spy is here, and anything we plan will be leaked as well."

"I share your concern, Councilor," Marnax replied, "but I am not sure the situation is quite as bad as it might seem. First of all, I do not believe that our spy is one of us. If he were, he would have been able to do more than leak the plans for our weapon. He would have been able to use our computers to scramble our communications, and possibly order several of our ships to self-destruct. If one of us were a spy, I do not believe that we would have salvaged enough ships from Ergana Prime to form a parade, let alone an army. Besides, what we are doing here is merely informing each other of facts that the Empire probably already knows. I assure you that all tactical plans will be kept under even more security than usual, if that is possible."

Major Harvey continued. "In addition, we are putting forth every effort toward finding the cause of the information leak. I expect all of you to keep a sharp eye open for anything that might shed some light on the subject. Those who worked on the particle beam project are being very cooperative and have agreed to remain together at a location that will remain secret and heavily fortified. If any of them are the spy then this will eliminate the problem, but I doubt that any of them are. They were thoroughly researched before they were accepted for work on the project."

"There is another matter demanding our attention," Marnax said, "but first I would like to introduce you to a man I met recently. His name is Nedward Simmons, and his story is a rather astounding one. He is from the planet called Earth, known to us as the legendary Terrus, the ancient homeworld of the Anacronians. He traveled here through a recently-discovered hyperspace vortex to aid us in our fight against the Anacron Empire.

"Mr. Simmons has obtained possession of what we now know to be the once-lost Anacron Shield Plasma Crystal – the Crystal that gave Koral Ralok his power. Ned has just returned from the planet Palandora inside the Uraxis Nebula, where Koral and a group of his followers lived. On Palandora Ned developed his power, and he is now ready to use that power against the Empire. As I said, this is a rather astounding story, and Ned will now answer any questions you might have. However, in order to keep this meeting to a reasonable time frame, I ask that you ask only questions pertaining to the situation at hand, not about his recent past, interesting as that may be. I will fill in such details for you all at a later, more appropriate time."

One of the councilmembers gave Ned a suspicious look. "If you really are a Plasma Master, then your power will be a great benefit to us. But I think the main question that needs to be answered here is, what can you actually do?"

Ned took a deep breath. "The Shield Crystal protects me from all damage. In effect, I'm invincible, although I still need things like food and water to survive. I can also use Blast Plasma; in other words, I can use the Plasma force as a weapon. To give you an idea of the extent of my power, on Palandora I was attacked by Kayleen Rax and Markan Dren, the other Plasma Masters. I withstood a prolonged attack from Rax's Blast Plasma, and I then absorbed her power and turned it against her. I must have at least damaged her suit, because she left the planet rather than continue fighting. I'm sure you'd all feel better seeing my power first-hand, and I'm sure General Marnax can arrange that."

Then Marvis Harvey said, to the Council rather than to Ned personally, "General Marnax has made it public knowledge that Markan Dren was killed in the battle Ned referred to. Certainly that is a good sign for us. But really, what difference does it make what the Plasma Masters do? It was Devastator that defeated us at Ergana Prime, and our spy, not the Plasma force. It is the Empire's superiority in numbers that impedes our military progress, not the Plasma force. Even if Ned Simmons were to destroy Kayleen Rax, what difference would it make? It might do some good if he could destroy Dark Viper, but someone would probably take his place. And apparently even Ned does not claim to be able to defeat the Emperor. So what exactly are we suggesting that we do here? If we could get him onto an enemy starship or space station he might be able to cause a significant amount of damage, but it seems to me that he would merely be contained somehow and tossed into space. Forgive my pessimism, but I am not convinced that the Plasma force is all that relevant here."

Marnax was stunned. He had not spoken with Harvey at much length about the prospect of Ned helping the Alliance, but he had not suspected that Harvey considered the matter so irrelevant. Marnax looked around the table to judge others' reactions. They were mixed. Ned simply looked nervous. Mirana Kelar dropped her face into her hand and shook her head. "Stupid," she muttered.

Marnax turned to her. "Mirana?"

She looked up at him as if she were surprised at being asked to speak. "This is exactly the kind of thinking Dark Viper wants to encourage. If we deny his power, we won't fight it, and if we don't fight it, we can't defeat it. Without Viper's Plasma, Devastator would be nothing. Venom would not exist. His image of power and invincibility would crumble. Without the Plasma, Dark Viper would fall. And if Dark Viper falls, the Empire falls with him."

There was silence for a moment, then Harvey said, "Wait, just a minute. How does Viper's power have anything to do with Devastator or Venom?"

"I don't know how. If I did, I'd probably have the same power he does, and then I wouldn't have to listen to your ludicrosity."

"Then what, exactly, are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that your military efforts, valiant as they may be, will ultimately fail. Every victory you earn takes time, and Dark Viper uses that time to build his power. If you let him, he'll build up so much power that he'll be able to strike down your entire fleet by himself, with no army at all. Your only chance at real victory is to destroy him before he can do that. And the only chance you have of defeating him is sitting right there." She indicated Ned with a nod of her head, but her statement was devoid of admiration or confidence. She said it as a simple fact. "You get Ned Simmons inside Venom and have him destroy Dark Viper, or you all die."

Harvey did not have a quick answer to that, but he was obviously not convinced. This time no one spoke for several seconds, and all eyes were turned toward Ned. He decided he had better say something.

"If that's what's necessary, then that's what I'll do. Major Harvey is right about one thing at least – I can't defeat Dark Viper yet. I need practice. Maybe you should try planting me on a space station or a starship and seeing what kind of damage I can do. With the right planning I think something like that would work. What I'd really like to do, though, is to find Kayleen Rax. Besides punishing her for what she did on Palandora, fighting her again would probably prepare me better than anything else for a confrontation with Dark Viper."

Mirana was nodding, but again she waited to be asked to speak.

"You agree, Mirana?" Marnax prompted.

"Yes. If Ned can't defeat Rax, then he won't stand a chance against someone who really knows about the Plasma."

"You don't think Rax really knows about it?"

"Not compared to Dark Viper she doesn't. And besides, despite what Major Harvey might think, I think that the little incident on Grenotia proves that she is capable of a great deal. Getting her out of the way is a very good idea."

Ned was confused. "What incident is this?"

Marnax gave Mirana a slightly irritated glance. "We wanted to wait to discuss this until everyone was acquainted with you and had some idea of your abilities, Ned. But I suppose that has been accomplished as well as it can be for the moment. Shortly after you left the Uraxis Nebula we received reports from the planet Grenotia. It was attacked by a ship we now believe was Black Fang. It destroyed Grenotia's spaceports and planetary defenses. Following the initial attack, survivors report that a yellow light moved from community to community, destroying everything it touched. Then Black Fang destroyed Grenotia's gravity generator and left. There were thousands of casualties, and those who survived are now looking desperately for new homes."

"Grenotia was not part of StarBlazer," Harvey said. "The only reason I can think of that Rax would want to attack it is that it would be an easy target."

Ned shook his head. "I'm confused. If Rax couldn't even defeat me, then how could she destroy an entire planet?"

"She didn't," Marnax said. "Most Grenotians live in wooden buildings – or they did. She probably just started fires in the right places. The people didn't have a chance to get out. And she didn't do it all at once. Reports say that the light lasted for a few hours."

"But why use Blast Plasma? Couldn't she have done at least that much damage with her ship's weapons?"

"Ask her," Harvey said quietly.

"What?"

Harvey looked at Marnax, and Marnax nodded. "We received a transmission from Black Fang shortly after the attack. Text only. Rax wants you to contact her. We tried contacting her ourselves, but she'll only talk to you, alone. We wanted to have this meeting before you did so."

A cold feeling settled in Ned's stomach. "She can't possibly be asking to fight me. In a battle between her and me, I'd win. I can absorb her attacks, and she can't hurt me. She wouldn't stand a chance. When I said I wanted to fight her, I meant we should set some sort of trap or something."

Harvey looked at Ned knowingly. "Oh, this most certainly is a trap, Ned. Sure, you might be able to beat her in a fair fight, but a fair fight is not what she's got in mind." Harvey turned to Marnax. "Ned shouldn't even contact her. If you want to make use of him, we should train him and send him with an invasion force. We can use him in our next attack. I don't think it will do much good, but we can't just send him to his death."

"What do you think, Ned?" Marnax asked.

"I agree with Major Harvey. I think..." Ned trailed off. He had noticed Mirana Kelar staring right at him. He was reminded of the first time he had seen her, on Varlax Kanlor. She looked dangerous, and Ned was glad she was on his side. He was even more glad she had so much confidence in him. But Mirana was telling him something with that stare, and he believed he knew what it was. He forced himself to look away from Mirana's harsh gaze.

"Um, General? I'm don't know exactly what Kayleen Rax wants, but maybe I should at least call her. If she wants to fight, we can make sure it's on our terms. But if I'm ever going to test my power against another Plasma Master, this is the only way. We'll never catch her any other way. And if I don't defeat her soon, she'll just keep preying on innocent worlds like Grenotia. I have to defeat her soon. But first I have to talk to her."

Ned almost thought he detected the faintest trace of a smile cross Mirana's lips.

The Council agreed with Ned's choice to contact Kayleen Rax, and Marnax promised him transportation to wherever he needed to go, should he choose to accept the Blast Master's offer, whatever it turned out to be. Marvis Harvey strongly discouraged Ned from trusting her even the slightest bit, and Ned promised he would be careful. Then the Council adjourned, and General Marnax led Ned to a small communications room where a screen occupied an entire wall. There was a control panel in the center of the room, and standing behind it Ned felt like he was at a podium preparing to give a speech.

Marnax put a hand on Ned's shoulder. "Of course we'll be intercepting this entire transmission, but I have a feeling that Rax will cut it off if we try to say anything, so you're pretty much on your own. Are you ready?"

Ned said he was, and General Marnax left. Ned looked down at his battle suit, hoping it would make him look more formidable. Then he used the console in front of him to key in the transmission code to Black Fang and waited for a response. It came almost immediately. An inverted, red triangle behind a black letter "A" appeared on the screen – the symbol of the Anacron Empire. It was quickly replaced by the face of a woman who looked to be in her mid to late thirties, as measured by Earth time. Ironically, her demeanor was rather pleasant.

"Good afternoon, Ned," she said with a smile. "I'm honored to meet you face to face at last."

Ned was shocked. "Honored? You tried to kill me last time we met."

"No, no. I would not have killed you. I was merely attempting to weaken you enough to take back for the Emperor what rightly belongs to him."

"You mean my Crystal."

Rax sighed. "Ned, I am afraid you have been sadly misled. The StarBlazer Alliance is not the noble organization you have been led to believe, nor is the Anacron Empire the monster you have been told it is."

"I'm listening, but I'm not very convinced."

"Ned, have you ever given consideration to the fact that the only people you have talked to outside of Earth have been members of StarBlazer and its allies? You have not even heard our side of the story."

"I've heard this before, Rax. I've taken history classes. The fact is, I've seen you annihilate Ergana Prime after it was already in your hands and defenseless, attack the neutral world of Palandora without provocation, and murder Koral Ralok." Ned choked back tears; he had not wanted to become emotional here, but he was talking to the killer of the only man in the universe who had been able to help him to control his new power, and that was not an easy fact to forget.

"Ned, no. You have things totally backward. That is why I called you. I would like the opportunity to explain the truth of the situation to you, in person. Will you agree to meet me at a neutral location? We can talk, and then go our separate ways if you don't believe me."

"Why not just tell me now?"

"I would really prefer to speak in person. But, as a sign of good faith, I will tell you as much as I can right now.

"First of all, the Shield Crystal never actually belonged to Koral. All of the Crystals belong to the Emperor; he merely loaned them out to others so that the power could be spread. He asked for the Imperial Council's approval when he wished to join them, but only out of politeness. He had every right to simply take them back. Koral stole the Shield Crystal when he left, but the Emperor decided not to press charges, since once the Crystal was lost there was nothing that could be done about it.

"Then you came along. Dark Viper knew that you would seek out Koral in order to learn more about the Plasma force, so he sent Markan Dren and me to intercept you before Koral had the chance to turn you against us. But we were too late. We were admittedly a bit harsh when we arrived on Palandora, but that was because we knew that we would receive no cooperation from Narkus Trennon. I know the man, and he is incredibly stubborn and short-sighted. We did not want to kill either you or Koral; we simply wanted the Crystal returned. We were fairly sure that diplomacy would not work to this end – not while Koral was there feeding you false information about us. So, I tried to incapacitate you, to exhaust you to the point where we could take you with us. I would not have harmed you even if it were possible.

"Koral's death was an unfortunate accident. This will be difficult for you to understand, but it was not really my fault. Wait – let me explain. Dark Viper had suspected for some time that Markan was not completely loyal to his cause. Markan was always one to try to be the best, and he had displayed an attitude of wanting to become more powerful than the Emperor. Still, the Emperor is a trusting man, and he had no evidence of Markan's disloyalty, so Viper allowed Markan to maintain his status as Plasma Master.

"But then came our battle on Palandora, and Markan's true intentions were revealed. When you extended your Shield Plasma around Koral, Markan believed that Koral had somehow gotten the Crystal back from you. He decided that he would take Koral with him back to Black Fang, and then I'm sure he would have tried to destroy you, me, and the rest of Palandora. But I detected his plan as he began to extend his Vortex Plasma around Koral, so I attacked him. This put me at great risk, mind you; I left myself exposed to attack, and if you had not been focusing your power on Koral, you could have destroyed me easily. Incidentally, I thank you for not doing that.

"Dren shouted at me to let him go, that he would destroy me if I did not. It was through our helmet communicators, of course, so you could not hear. You could not have known, Ned, but your shield was actually protecting Markan as well as Koral. That was why I attacked you. I knew what would happen if Markan escaped; his power was too great for me to allow him to turn it against the Empire.

"So finally I destroyed his Crystal. It exploded, and Markan was killed in the process. Koral was killed as well, but it was Markan's fault, not mine. I'm truly sorry it happened, Ned. I did not personally like the man, but he did not deserve to die."

Now Ned was really confused. He tried and tried, but he could not find a single flaw in Rax's story. And she seemed so sincere! When he was silent for a moment, she spoke again.

"So, will you meet with me?"

Ned looked up at her. Whether or not she was telling the truth in this instance, he did not trust her motives. "If you want to meet with me, come to Galactron."

Rax chuckled. "And let Gerran Marnax capture me? Surely you can't expect me to do that anymore than I would expect you to come to Venom. We'll meet on Brenaria. It's a neutral world, and its people can be trusted to set up a fair meeting between the two of us. We'll both have Brenarian ships pick us up on planets at least a day's travel away. I can see that makes you uncomfortable, but really, don't you think I'm the one who should be nervous? You can't be harmed, and I can. You can absorb my power. I'm putting a great deal of trust in you, Ned. This whole arrangement is off if you won't agree to these terms, and if you won't promise not to attack me. What do you say?"

"I'll have to talk to General Marnax before I make any agreements."

"No. I don't want him to influence your decision. This is between you and me."

Ned did not like this at all, but he could think of no other alternative. "I'll come. If you can convince General Marnax that you're coming alone and that our meeting site is secure, I'll let the Brenarians pick me up on a planet that he chooses, at least a day's travel away. And I promise that I won't attack you if I'm not attacked or otherwise threatened. No other members of the Empire come within a day of us, arranged or not. Keep your people at least a day away from Brenaria. If you can't convince Marnax that everything's safe, the whole deal's off."

"You sound like an attorney. I may or may not be able to convince General Marnax of anything, but if he's not convinced I don't want him sending you anyway, along with a fleet of attack ships."

"I guess neither of us trusts the other much. Not a very good start, is it?"

"All right. If Marnax agrees to this plan, he notifies the Brenarians. I'll do the same. Once Marnax has told them he agrees, all matters of trust are up to them, not Marnax, not me. Agreed?"

Ned felt trapped, but rather than just concede he decided to put a little flair into his answer. "Agreed." Throbbing tendrils of Plasma surged across Ned's body, and he activated his suit's helmet. "Try anything, and I'll bring your entire Empire crashing down around your head. Simmons out." Ned filled the room with flash of blue light and cut the transmission.

### Chapter 18

"Are you sure about this, Ned?" Gerran Marnax was not at all pleased with Ned's decision.

"It's the only way. Do you trust the Brenarians?"

"Yes, I do. I've known Aldrus Brenar since before he became leader of the planet, and he is completely trustworthy. If we decide to hold a meeting there, the Brenarians will make sure it is fair and safe – to the best of their ability. Kayleen Rax, on the other hand, will try to capture you and take the Shield Crystal, just as she did before. There's no telling what kind of trick Dark Viper will think up for this. You let her pick the place, Ned!"

"No I didn't. I'm letting you pick the place, or at least I'm waiting until you agree on it. If you don't, I won't go."

"You seem to think that I have some insight into this situation that you don't, but I'm not sure that's true. We can trust the Brenarians – I'll give you that. But I'm not saying I trust the situation."

"So you're saying it's up to me?"

"Yes, I suppose that's what I'm saying."

"Then I'll go. Remember, General, I have the Shield Crystal. I can't even put it down; there's no way anyone's going to take it from me. And even if they somehow manage to throw me into space, my suit has over a day's supply of oxygen. You can fly in with whatever ships you want as soon as the meeting's over and pick me up. And if they take me to Venom, then maybe I'll get a shot at Viper, although I don't think they will."

"And just what, exactly, do you think will happen, Ned? Do you really think Kayleen Rax just wants to talk to you?"

"I can't say I do. I also can't say I hope I do. If she pulls anything, I will just destroy her Crystal, and she can hope she escapes before it explodes. Maybe I can even get her to drop it, in which case I'll bring it back and give it to you or Smardwurst or something! Anyway, whatever happens, I'll win. I'm invincible. They can't beat me."

"Well, Ned, it's your decision. If you're sure, then I'll call Aldrus Brenar right away, and you can start meditating or whatever you think will help you."

"I'm sure."

"All right then. I'll make the arrangements. But while you're there, remember something. You're not fighting to avenge Koral's death, and you're not fighting to gain power. You're fighting to take a necessary step toward defeating an evil dictator and restoring peace to the galaxy, and if you don't, then there's a good chance that Dark Viper will destroy us all, including Earth and everyone and everything on it."

The General's anxiety was evident, and Ned wanted to do something to ease it. "I never forget that, General. That's why I'm here. I will come back from Brenaria, and I'll be a better weapon against the Empire because of it." Marnax did not look any less tense as Ned walked out of the General's office. Nice try, though, Ned thought.

Jenara was waiting for him outside. "X and I are about to meet with Captain Devorion. Do you want to come?"

Ned said he did, and Jenara led him by the arm down a series of corridors to where X was waiting for them outside a closed door.

"The squadron's inside," he said, "but I wanted to wait and make sure you made it. Captain Devorion is on his way over here from Iron Talon now. We might as well wait for him here, and then I'll only have to introduce everyone once."

X and Jenara chatted while they waited, but Ned said only very little; he was preoccupied with his upcoming confrontation with Kayleen Rax.

A lift pod door down the corridor slid open, and a tall man with wild eyes and a huge smile strode briskly over to meet them. "You must be Princess Trennon and X." he shook their hands, then shook Ned's as well. "And Ned Simmons. It's good to meet you. I'm Ambelshack Devorion." Ned remembered that he had seen Captain Devorion at the council meeting, but Marnax had not introduced anyone.

"Good to meet you, too, sir." Ned suddenly remembered that he was still wearing his battle suit, and he extended a thread of Plasma into his pocket to disengage it. Captain Devorion raised his eyebrows as the suit disappeared in a humming sparkle of blue.

"Nifty suit!"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Well, X, let's meet your squadron."

X led them into the room where the other five Palandoran pilots were waiting and made the introductions. The first pilot was named Straker Dantorn. He was Anacronian by birth and had known X since his first days with the Anacronian military. The second was Liora Fenn, a woman from Deltarius. She had decided to leave her planet to follow Koral when he left the Empire, and none of the other squadron members had known her before then. The next two pilots were obviously not from Anacron, and their names seemed strange to Ned even in comparison to the others he had heard. Garfsmunkle Ingeldorfus was basically a five-foot-tall, green hairball with smooth arms and legs and a pair of enormous eyes. No other features were visible, but his deep voice suggested that there was at least a mouth concealed beneath the long, shaggy fur. Imbelsmift NooFrinchinSminchin, whose last name was almost never used by others, had a reptilian body covered with purplish-brown scales. A horn protruded from his nose, much like a rhinoceros. The final member of X's squadron was Zhin Smud, who looked to Ned to be barely fourteen. In fact, it struck Ned that no one in the group seemed very old, although with Garfsmunkle and Imbelsmift it was difficult to tell.

"We haven't had many opportunities to fly in the past few years," X was explaining nervously, "but we've used our simulator a lot. And we all do have military experience. I think with some training we could successfully aid the Alliance."

Captain Devorion nodded. "I believe you're right. I went over your records before I came here, and I found them very impressive. Seeing that Palandora is not part of StarBlazer, I assume you will want to stay together."

"Yes, Captain, we would."

"You can call me 'Ambelshack.' Everyone does. Well X, I'm not sure what a squadron of six ships can do, but we take all the help that's offered. I'll upload some updated simulator programs to the Chelaris, and we'll see how you do. By the way, what do you want to call yourselves?"

"Back on Palandora X worked with dragons," Zhin offered. "Since he's our leader, why not call the squadron 'Dragon Force'?"

"Sounds good to me," Liora said, and the other pilots added their assent.

"'Dragon Force' it is," X declared. "We look forward to serving with you, Ambelshack."

"So do I. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd better get back to Iron Talon."

As the remainder of Dragon Force filed out of the room, presumably to try out the new simulators back on the Chelaris, Ned told X and Jenara about his conversation with Kayleen Rax and his decision to meet with her alone. To his surprise Jenara actually showed excitement; she said that she was more than confident that Ned would succeed in whatever he had to do there.

"Well," Ned said finally, "I'd better go. I should probably work out some sort of a plan before I leave."

"I guess I'll see you later then," Jenara said, and Ned caught a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Where are you off to, X?"

X was about to answer, but as he turned around to walk his friends out, he noticed that Zhin Smud had lagged behind the rest of his friends. "I didn't mean to intrude," he said rather shyly, "but I was just wanted to say thank you for all you've done for our planet, Mr. Shield Master. All of us are grateful. Whatever Dragon Force ends up doing, I hope it somehow helps you out."

"Well thank you, Zhin." Ned didn't know what else to say.

"Come by and see us sometime, okay? We spend most of our time practicing, but we don't mean to be out of sight all the time."

"I'll do that. The first opportunity I get."

Zhin smiled, then disappeared out the door to catch up with his friends.

"You know, X," Ned said, "he's right; they're out of sight all the time. I've known you for quite a while now, and that's the first time I've even seen them. They seemed pretty quiet, too."

"Yeah, I guess they are. Back on Palandora none of us had much in common with anyone, except that I knew Jenara and shared an interest in dragons with Koral. The rest of them pretty much kept together, though, so they're not used to meeting new people."

"They seem kind of apprehensive about whether they're going to be able to actually fight. Why don't you all just go back to Palandora and be safe?"

"We can't do that!" Jenara cut in, then realized that she must have sounded selfish. "I mean, we could, but we have to offer all the help we can. Otherwise how can we expect to be helped in return?"

"Jenara's right," X said. "They may be nervous, but I know them, and they're some of the best pilots I've met. Remember, they used to fight for the Anacron military. No one becomes an Anacronian pilot without demonstrating exceptional skill. They're good – we're good – and we need to offer StarBlazer whatever help we can. It's just like what you're doing, really."

"I guess you're right. You need to go join them then?"

"Yeah, I probably should."

"Okay, I'll see you whenever. Hopefully soon."

"Bye. And good luck, Ned."

X walked off, and Jenara turned to walk away too, but Ned called out to her. "Wait, Jenara. Maybe I don't need to leave right away. It's kind of early, but do you want to eat lunch?"

"Sure," Jenara said, but Ned could tell she was more happy at being asked that than she wanted to let on. That seemed strange to Ned, but the thought passed. They walked to one of Galactron's dining areas and ordered a meal.

"So what do you think Rax has in mind?" Jenara asked Ned as they ate.

"If I were her, I'd probably try to sneak some people in to help her out, and then try to catch me. But I don't see how she could manage to get anyone past the Brenarians. Marnax is very confident that they'll make sure the arrangement's safe."

"And you can't bring any StarBlazer people?"

"That's pretty much the deal. I doubt the Brenarians would let any StarBlazer people anywhere near the planet until both Rax and I are gone."

"Interesting..." Jenara said almost to herself, and then lapsed into silence for the rest of the meal.

Marnax was sitting at his desk when the com system beeped. It was Mirana. He put her on-screen. "Mirana, where are you?" She had left immediately following the conference.

"Never mind, Gerran. I have some news you might like. The Empire is planning to send a quick norithanium supply from Urdis to Harandus Station in two days. It's so far inside Imperial space that they figure they don't need much protection. No more than ten Defender class ships. If you hurry, and if you bring enough ships..."

"I could have the entire shipment for free."

"Right."

"It seems strange, though, don't you think? Such a careless supply shipment on the very day when Ned is supposed to meet with Kayleen Rax?"

Mirana shrugged. "Maybe it's a coincidence and maybe it's not. The fact is the norithanium isn't really that big a deal to the Empire – they've got plenty more. And there's not really much you can do about Ned's situation anyway, is there? You can't get near him until he's done. I don't care. Do what you want. I get forty percent of the profits if you take it."

"Where did you get this information anyway, Mirana?"

She gave him a wry smile. "If you must know, I happened to be tapping into an Imperial computer on Reltin yesterday while I was refueling. Not very good security there. Not good enough, anyway. See you later, Gerran."

She actually smiled! Mirana never smiled in public, but every once in a while when she was talking just to Gerran Marnax, her old self would slip through for a moment.

Marnax sighed. That poor girl...

When Smardwurst showed up at Ned's quarters later that evening, Jenara was with him. "The General has to leave on some urgent business," Smardwurst explained, "so I'm to take you to the rendezvous point."

Ned smiled at Jenara. "And you're coming?"

"All the way."

"They'll never let you come!"

"I'm not part of StarBlazer, remember? I haven't even signed a peace treaty. Verbal agreement only, as of now. Anyway it's worth a try."

Smardwurst led them to a shuttle and flew them over to Green Scorpion. Smardwurst and Jenara had not had much of an opportunity to meet each other, so the three of them had some interesting conversations as they sat together in Smardwurst's dining room that evening. Jenara was especially impressed with Guz. Eventually it got late, and the three of them headed off to bed. Before Ned reached his room, though, Jenara came running down the corridor.

"Ned! Can I talk to you for a moment?"

She seemed urgent, and Ned said sure. He took her back into the dining room and they sat down. "What is it?"

"Well, I was just thinking. You're going off to do something that has to do with this power of yours, right? In fact, your whole involvement in this war is centered in your use of the Anacron Plasma. Well, it just occurred to me that I really have no idea what the Plasma is. I mean, I know some of what it can do, but what is it? How do you control it?"

Ned smiled. "That is a very, very good question. You heard Koral describe it; you probably know as much about it as I do."

"No I don't! I haven't ever used it. I don't have the slightest idea what it's like."

"I'm not sure I know what you're getting at."

"Well, first of all, what does it feel like?"

"It depends. If you were to, say, stab me in the arm, I'd feel the metal against my skin, along with sort of a warm sensation where the Plasma absorbed the force of impact. When I fire an energy bolt out of my hand, it's almost like I'm extending myself outward. I can feel the Plasma leave my hand, shoot through the air, and hit something."

"So you can sense distant objects? Can you sense me?"

"No, not right now I can't. Only if I extend the Plasma into something."

Jenara was enthralled. She reached across the table and took Ned's hand in hers. "Do it. Send the Plasma into my hand."

Ned had no idea what Jenara was trying to accomplish here, but he did it anyway. A blue glow emanated from his hand and spread outward until it engulfed Jenara's hand as well. Jenara let go and pulled her hand a few inches away, keeping it withing the blue aura.

"Now close your eyes. Can you feel my hand?"

Ned closed his eyes. "No, not really. Well, if I move it around, sort of like I'm probing the area around me... yes, I guess I can feel it. It's not like touching your hand, though. Almost more like hearing it."

"Hearing it?"

"Sort of. I can tell it's there, but I can't tell what it is – or I couldn't if I didn't already know."

Ned let the light fade. Jenara looked down for a moment, then softly said, "Ned, do you think you could teach me to use the Plasma?" That took Ned completely off guard. "I know Koral said that you'd have to have a Crystal to learn, but maybe if you explained it to me ..."

"I don't know. I'll try."

"Because if you could teach other people to use it, maybe ..."

Ned pulled the Shield Crystal out from his pocket and held it in his open palm. "Here. Put your hand on this." Jenara did so. "Now I'm going to charge the Plasma around it. Tell me if you feel anything."

She closed her eyes and concentrated, but felt nothing. "Try something else."

"Okay." Ned picked up her hand again. "I'm going to send the Plasma through your hand. It will feel warm, but I promise it won't hurt. Do you feel it?"

Jenara smiled. "Yes."

"Okay. Now I'm going to pull the Plasma away, but it will still be there, but not in real space. Does that make sense?"

"Not at all. Just do it."

"There. Try to feel it now. It's there, flickering, sort of like candle light. Can you feel it?"

"Nothing. Can you?"

"Yes. It's just like I'm seeing it, but not with my eyes."

Jenara let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just don't understand."

"It's not your fault. I don't think it's really a matter of understanding. Somehow I think control over the Plasma has to be given to you, and the only people who understood how died out a long time ago."

Jenara looked at him with an ironic smile. "And now the Plasma Crystals are being destroyed, one by one. Before long yours will be the only one left. And then what?"

"I don't know, Jenara. I have absolutely no idea."

Ned went back to his room then, but Jenara stayed up late, thinking. She was more than a little surprised to find that she felt lonely. It was not homesickness; her father was just a couple of days' travel away, and X, who was like a brother to her, was even closer. It was not that she felt lost; for the first time in a long time, her life seemed to be going exactly where she wanted it to. The problem had something to do with her relationship with Ned. She really did care for him, and she was very confident in his ability to do whatever he had to, if he could only have the time to learn what he needed to first. But even though they enjoyed each other's company so much, Jenara felt that there was a gap between them that she couldn't begin to breach. Her purpose in asking Ned to explain the Plasma force to her had had nothing to do with spreading the power to a large part of StarBlazer; that possibility seemed simply too good to be conceivable, at least in the near future. What she had really wanted was to understand Ned a little better. Jenara believed she would give a great deal if she could have just a glimpse of what the Plasma was like. Even if she couldn't do anything with it, to just know what it was would change things between them so much. For a brief moment Jenara considered giving up on the matter and having Smardwurst take her back to the Chelaris, but immediately decided against it. I'm just nervous because I don't have any real work to do here yet, she told herself. I will soon, and then I'll feel better. And things between Ned and me will work out. I just need to give it some time. Temporarily relaxed on that matter at least, Jenara finally returned to her room and drifted off to sleep.

"Absolutely not. I don't care what planet you're from, there will be absolutely no escorts. The Empire has abandoned our world at great inconvenience to itself in preparation for this meeting, and I expect Ned's allies – formal and informal – to do the same."

Jenara was not all that surprised. That was part of the reason she had hurried to talk to Ned the previous night instead of waiting a day. "As you wish, Ambassador. In a couple of days, then, Ned."

"I'll miss you."

"Me too." She gave Ned a quick hug and then disappeared back into Green Scorpion's airlock.

"Bye, Smardwurst. Thanks again."

Smardwurst smiled at him with something slightly less than amusement. "The last time you said something along those lines, a dragon and two Plasma Masters tried to kill you. Watch your back, Nedward."

"I will. I promise."

"I don't suppose you want me to leave my battle suit and weapons with you?" Ned asked the Brenarian Ambassador when he was aboard the escort shuttle.

"We are not requiring that of either you or Blast Master Rax. Self defense is a reasonable precaution, and your suits are classified as uniforms."

"Uh huh."

"Do not worry. We are taking every precaution for you both. If there is trouble, I can guarantee it will come from one of you."

Perhaps you'd like to hear a story about a place called Palandora, Ned wanted to say, but congratulated himself on resisting.

### Chapter 19

Everything about the planet Brenaria suggested peace. There was silence as Ned's escort flew him over the cityscape of rounded, softly-colored buildings surrounded by placid lakes and forests of trees swaying in a gentle breeze. The few clouds in the sky were fluffy and white. The sky was clean, and the sun gave just enough warmth to the landscape to ward off any chill the wind might have caused.

I bet Dark Viper would like to rip this place apart, Ned thought to himself. Probably the only reason he doesn't try is so he can use it to snare people like me.

Wrong. There are no people like you. The thought was born out of melancholy rather than pride, and Ned forced it from his mind.

His heart quickened as the transport shuttle neared a landing pad near the fringes of the city. He had spent the entire previous day practicing the use of the Plasma force, trying to increase its strength. The Brenarians would not allow him to detonate grenades in his hands as Koral had instructed him to do on Palandora, neither were there random targets to destroy aboard the Brenarian ship, but Ned had improvised, forming energy fields out of the Plasma and shooting them with his battle suit's laser pistol. He had tried other methods of preparation as well, and he felt as confident in his ability now as he had when he had left Galactron.

The Brenarians were used to requests for private meetings such as this one, so there were several buildings of all sorts constructed along their cities' perimeters. It was to one of these that Ned was being taken now. As Ned approached the building he saw out the viewport another shuttle approaching as well and got the immediate impression that he had made a mistake. What am I doing here? She wouldn't come here if there was any danger to her! But Ned reminded himself that there was nothing Kayleen Rax or anyone else could do to harm him, and decided that he would be fine. Maybe she does just want to talk.

The two shuttles landed and opened their doors, and Ned stepped out onto the ground in front of the building. He was wearing his battle suit, but the helmet was disengaged. Kayleen Rax stepped out of her escort shuttle several yards across from him, and Ned saw that she, too, had her helmet off. That gesture of peace was a much greater risk for Rax than for Ned, and he realized that if he wanted to he could probably shoot her right then and finish the whole business. He knew that would be wrong, though, so he walked over to her.

"Ned Simmons," she greeted warmly, shaking Ned's hand. "It's good to meet you."

Ned noticed absently that it was a bit strange to shake hands wearing metal gloves. "Good to meet you too," he replied, but there was not much diplomacy in his voice. He noted that the Brenarians were already leaving.

"Marnax and I agreed on this building," Rax said. "I assure you, it's completely safe. Let's go."

They walked in the door, down a hall, and through another door, and abruptly all the lights went out. Ned turned to fire of a bolt of Plasma, but before he did a shimmer of green light off to one side caught his eye.

"I've been waiting for you, Ned," said a calm but chilling voice. "For a long time indeed."

Ned could not see Rax, but she had not attacked, so he ignored her for a moment. The light on one side of the room increased just slightly, and Ned saw that he was actually looking at a viewscreen. There was no mistaking the identity of the man it showed. His green, plated armor gave the impression of snake scales, and he was wearing a black cape that billowed slightly. The man had a piercing gaze, and his mouth was twisted in a wicked smile. His right hand was throbbing with green light.

"Dark Viper." The words fell from Ned's mouth like acid.

"Nedward Simmons. Holder of the Crystal of Shield Plasma. Ambassador from the ancient mother land of Terrus. I welcome you."

"What do you want?" Ned kept his voice so low that the question sounded like a dare.

"Only to speak with you. To tell you the truth."

"And what truth is that?"

Viper's smile disappeared. "The truth, Ned Simmons, is this!" He brought up his hand in a fist, and green light exploded forth, filling the room he was in, wherever that was. The light from the viewscreen became so bright that the room in which Ned stood was also bathed in green. Ned noticed Kayleen Rax standing off in one corner. Her helmet was still off.

"The truth, Ned Simmons, is that I am the Master. I have the power, and I will soon rule the entire galaxy. All who oppose me shall fall, for no one – not Gerran Marnax, not Kayleen Rax, not even you – have anything that can even compare to my power. I rule."

"Is that all? Can I go now?"

"You have been lied to, Nedward. Rax has explained the matter, but you obviously do not believe her. Perhaps there are other questions you wish to have answered. I can explain everything, but it will take time. Come, meet with me here on Venom. Once you see the truth, I am sure you will join me. The friends you have made are commendable people, but their cause is wrong, and it is lost. And they do not have the power. Come, join me, and I will give you more power than you can imagine. If you refuse, then I shall be forced to take back what is mine, whatever the cost."

Ned was not the slightest bit fazed. "Maybe, if you had come here yourself, I might be the slightest bit afraid of you. But seeing that you're hundreds of light years away, you don't give me much incentive."

Dark Viper's face froze into a frown. "Very well. Destroy him."

The screen went dark, the lights came on, and Ned spun around just as Kayleen Rax engaged her helmet and extended her hand toward Ned, the Blast Crystal glowing yellow in her fist. Ned rushed to one side, gathered the blue light around his hand, and fired a bolt of sizzling energy at her.

It disappeared in a flash of purple light.

No!

There was another surge of Vortex Plasma, and Markan Dren appeared across the room. There was no time for Ned to dodge the blast from the rocket launcher Dren held, and the blast knocked Ned back against the wall. There was no Anacron Plasma associated with the blast, so there was no power to absorb.

"You are pathetic, boy," Rax said, every trace of friendliness gone from her voice. "You really thought I would kill my own partner just to get rid of someone as insignificant as Koral? Markan teleported away as I finished off your worthless mentor, and now we're going to finish the job."

Ned tried again to hit Rax with his Blast Plasma, but Dren simply diverted his attacks into oblivion. Three more rockets tore into Ned's shielding, melting away part of the wall against which Ned had been thrown.

"The walls in this place are celiuritium, and they're eight feet thick. They'll hold up for at least as long as you do."

Ned tried to detonate the next rocket before it could clear the launcher, but his blast got only halfway across the room before Dren destroyed it. Despair washed over Ned like a tsunami and threatened to drown him. Markan Dren was alive. Projectile weapons were useless. What was he going to do now? Options were fading quickly, so the choice became simple. If projectile weapons won't work, then I'll just have to get closer.

Calling forth the power to swat away the incoming rockets, Ned rose to his feet. Blue Plasma flared all around him and dripped from his body like thick syrup. An instant later Ned burst into flame. The Plasma fire was too close to Ned for Markan Dren to get a good lock on it, so the fire burned on despite the Vortex Master's attempt to quench it. Ned made a quick dash at Kayleen Rax, and she was so surprised that she was not quick enough to avoid him. Ned's hands locked onto her shoulders, and wave after wave of Blast Plasma surged into her suit. Acting out of instinct, Rax fired back at Ned, almost dislodging him with her superior force, but Ned held on, and both combatants tumbled to the ground as Ned absorbed as much of the yellow light as he could. Rax's attack diverted Ned's power enough to let Markan Dren lock onto her, though, and in a flash of purple she was standing next to him, out of Ned's range. Dren fired more rockets at Ned, but he smashed them apart with his fists.

"You're going to have to do better than that," Ned called out defiantly, "or we'll be here forever!" He sent out several pulses of energy, and although Dren was able to keep them all from hitting anything but the walls, Ned used the slight distraction to advance on the couple. He knew that they could escape if he got close enough to do anything, but he had a feeling that they weren't going anywhere far away until this fight was over. For one thing, Dark Viper would probably punish them if they failed. Ned was really running out of ideas now, but he felt strong, so it seemed like the best thing to do would be to keep Rax and Dren thinking.

When Ned got close, Dren teleported Rax and himself to the opposite side of the room. "We need something stronger," he said to Rax. "I've only got about ten more rockets stashed downstairs, and he's not weakening fast enough."

"Then think of something!"

Dren had only managed to teleport fifty rockets, plus himself, past the Brenarian guards. If he ran out he would have to resort to a hypercharged laser carbine. There was no telling how long that would take to wear Ned down, and before it did the Brenarians would probably come to check up on their guests. Rax would be forced to destroy them, and then things would get difficult. The Brenarians would attack with starfighters or worse, and Rax and Dren would be forced to leave without Ned. Dren did not consider that an option.

"Hold this," he said, handing Rax the rocket launcher.

Ned had been gathering his power and was about to unleash it when he was surrounded by a suffocating blanket of fire. At least that was what it felt like. The purple light surrounding him told Ned that Markan Dren was trying to teleport him somewhere; probably underground or somewhere as unpleasant. At any rate it took a tremendous amount of energy to withstand the force of the Vortex Plasma. Ned fell to his knees, then onto his back, and still the purple light pulled at him, trying to carry him away. Ned was forced to put everything he had into resisting it.

If it had been Kayleen Rax attacking him instead of Markan Dren, Ned would have simply absorbed her power. That was why she had stayed out of the fight. Ned understood the Blast Plasma; he had used it before he had even known about Rax. But the Vortex Plasma was completely different, completely foreign. Everyone understood destruction, but until Koral had told him about Markan Dren, Ned had not even known teleportation was possible. How was he supposed to control it?

Once again a wave of despair swept over Ned. He was weakening fast, and before long he would be so weak that his enemies would be able to simply pick him up and drop him in space where no one would ever find him until it was far too late. He had failed. Marnax had failed. Smardwurst, X, and Jenara would all perish. Earth would be destroyed. Dark Viper was going to win, and it was all because of Ned's gullibility and foolhardiness. It was all his fault.

No! The word rung out like a battle cry in Ned's mind. No! I won't let this happen!

Then, just like it had back on Earth when Jared had touched him after the alien attack, something inside Ned snapped. The reasoning that had been coursing through his mind and the despair that had been throbbing in his heart gave way to anger. The Plasma flared up inside him, pressing at his skin, and then it exploded outward with violent force. Ned felt like a mere spectator as the Plasma from within reached out and crushed the purple energy beam directed at him, breaking it apart, draining it away. The Vortex Plasma swirled about Ned in a purple haze, devoid of direction or impact. Then it turned blue.

An azure fire tore back along the purple line extending from Markan Dren's clenched fist. The light entered the stone he held in his hand like water flowing into a sponge. The Vortex Crystal's facets flared for an instant with the power of Ned's attack, and then the Crystal simply flew apart. Purple light filled the room, throwing Ned back against the wall once more, and everything disappeared for an instant. Then the light retracted, imploding back into the space where the Vortex Crystal had been. Bits of metal that had been blasted loose from the walls fell into the vortex, along with pieces of the room's viewscreen that had been torn apart by the Crystal's explosion. Ned, too, was pulled in, but the Shield Plasma around him kept him from being engulfed by the rift the Vortex Crystal had left. At last the purple light disappeared completely, and the room was still once more. Except for Ned, it was completely empty.

Ned lay there on the ground for a moment, trying to catch his breath. Even now he was not sure what had happened. It was as if the Plasma had acted on its own. Certainly he had done nothing consciously that would have enabled him to absorb Dren's power. It took a minute before Ned realized the implications of what had just happened. The Vortex Crystal had exploded, and everything in the room had been pulled into an endless void. Perhaps that final vortex had led to somewhere other than empty space, but that was not likely. It did not matter. As the Shield Plasma had protected Ned, he had been able to sense what the collapsing Vortex Plasma was doing. Everything pulled into the vortex had been crushed down to the size of the Vortex Crystal before being pulled through. Ned would have been killed if not for his Shield Plasma. And Markan Dren had not had the luxury of Shield Plasma.

Ned felt like he was about to throw up, but a homeostatic regulator in his suit prevented it. You killed him! You killed them both! Tears came to Ned's eyes, and he rolled over, holding his head in his hands. Yes it had been necessary, and it had not even been a conscious effort, but that did not make it any more bearable. You killed them! Ned decided that he needed to get his mind off the subject. He needed to find someone to get him back to General Marnax before he lost control of himself completely. Shaking off as much of the irrational feeling of guilt as he could, Ned climbed to his feet and walked toward the hole in the wall the door had left when it had been sucked into the vortex.

"Freeze!" Kayleen Rax shouted as Ned stepped into the hall. Ned whirled to his right and instinctively let out a stream of Blast Plasma. It knocked Rax to the floor, but she jumped back to her feet. The stone she held in her fist was pulsating with light. "Don't move!"

Ned could have attacked her, but the very thought made him sick again. "You survived," he muttered instead, trying to sound emotionally stable.

Rax's voice sounded harsh through her suit, but that was not enough to mask the emotion in it. Kayleen Rax was terrified. "I ran out of the room when I saw what you were about to do. Markan ..."

"He's dead," Ned finished for her. "Now hand me that Crystal and get out of here. I don't want to kill you too."

The yellow light in Rax's fist intensified. "I can't. Dark Viper will torture me if I return now, unless I kill you first."

"Run away."

"He'll find me. We fight to the death."

"Kayleen, listen to me."

She didn't. The full power of her Crystal came streaking out at Ned in a searing blast of yellow energy. Ned jumped away and Rax's attack missed, completely destroying the wall behind along with the several rooms beyond that. Ned sent a blast of his own toward the Blast Crystal, and it hit dead-on. But Ned did not allow the Crystal to explode with the violence Markan's had. He enveloped it with an energy shield, and since most of its internal energy had been expended in Rax's blast, the shield held. Ned absorbed a great deal of the explosion, and the Plasma that did escape ripped into the metal of Rax's battle suit, but it did not reach her body.

Rax lay on the ground, groaning at the sense of loss that the destruction of her Crystal had left her with. She tried to deactivate her broken armor, but without the Plasma force she couldn't. Instead she released the helmet and pulled it off by hand. It was only then that Ned realized that he had never activated his own helmet. Rax's eyes met his, and he smiled slightly.

"You meant to do that. You couldn't hide from Dark Viper while you held the Crystal, and you couldn't get rid of it by yourself. You knew that if you expended your full strength first I would be able to protect you."

"Maybe you're not such a fool after all, boy. So now what? You take me prisoner of war?"

"I guess so." Ned was disgusted at the prospect of Rax sitting out the war in peace after everything she had done. Better that then having to kill her here, though. "Come on. Cooperate, and I'll make sure you're protected from whatever Viper tries to do to you." No promises about Marnax though, he added to himself.

Ned turned and walked her toward the exit, but when he turned a corner a bolt of black fire streaked out of the air in front of him and hit him full in the chest. There was no response from his Shield Crystal. It was as if it did not exist. The battle suit blocked the damage, but Ned was jolted several steps back. Kayleen Rax was completely forgotten. The black "light" fired into him again, and though Ned fought consciously to protect himself this time, his assailant's power burned into him without regard for his Shield Plasma. Ned quickly tried to activate his helmet, but before he could do so something closed around his neck and forced him back against the wall.

A harsh, unembodied voice hissed at him from the air. "Don't move, don't speak. I could kill you where you stand. And leave your helmet off." The thing slowly withdrew from his neck. A hand? But that was impossible! There was no one there!

Then the air in front of Ned darkened, and the darkness increased and coalesced until it formed the black silhouette of a human. Or something like one. No light reflected off of it; it was as if someone had cut a hole in existence in the shape of a person.

The hissing voice came again. "You are a very powerful one indeed, Nedward Simmons. But you are nothing compared to me. I am the Shadow Master, and your Plasma is of no consequence to me. I serve Dark Viper occasionally, but my motives are my own. That is why you are still alive.

"You interest me, Ned. I would hate to see power like yours go to waste. But Dark Viper was right when he said that your cause is a lost one. You could go to him now and he would make you his prince, and you would truly have more power than you can now imagine. But I know you will not. You are stubborn, and you will see the StarBlazer cause through to the end, even if it kills you. And you certainly can be killed, Shield Master. The Shadow Plasma cuts through your shield with ease. Never forget that.

"Fortunately, I have other plans for you. You will serve me best back among your friends and allies, filling their minds with false hopes of victory and fears of the invisible Plasma Master walking in their midst. You will serve me best by speeding them on their way to their doom.

"But you do interest me, and I hope that you will eventually see the light – or the darkness, as the case may be. It would be a shame to let such power as yours go to waste, inferior though it is. Then know this: even now the Emperor is constructing a starship with enough power to make Devastator look like a child's toy. I have even added an enhancement of my own! If you go into battle against this ship, it will destroy your fleet and leave you to perish in the cold emptiness of space. Heed my warning, Shield Master. If you value your life more than StarBlazer's freedom, join the Empire, and do it soon.

"I leave you with this reminder of my power and what it can do to you." The Shadow Master struck Ned across the face with its fist, sprawling him on the floor. For the first time in longer than he could remember he felt physical pain, and the feeling was excruciating. It was as if he were being hurt for the first time. Ned lay there for a moment, half-expecting to be struck again, but nothing happened. "Hello?" he called out, feeling foolish but needing to know if his visitor was still there. There was no response. Ned had heard no departing footsteps, but perhaps the Shadow Master could walk in silence. He rose to his feet and looked around. Kayleen Rax had long since fled.

The enormity of what he had just experienced nearly overwhelmed Ned as his escort flew him back to where he was to meet with Smardwurst following his so-called "interview" with Kayleen Rax. He felt devastated inside after what he had done to Markan Dren and after what he had been told by this new enemy, the Shadow Master. What did it all mean?

First of all and most importantly, Ned told himself, the Blast Master and Vortex Master were gone for good. And, to a certain extent, Ned had discovered the spy who had leaked information about the particle beam to the Empire. As for a method of catching the culprit, that was up to Marnax. In any case, Ned had survived, and that in itself was no small feat at all.

### Chapter 1Ф

General Marnax met with Ned immediately following his successful ambush on the Imperial norithanium convoy. He quickly gathered Marvis Harvey, Smardwurst Varlon, Mirana Kelar, and Ambelshack Devorion together to hear Ned's report. Marnax had the room flooded with greenish mist before they began so as to make sure that the Shadow Master was not there; in theory, even an invisible person would displace the mist and so be revealed. There was tense excitement as Ned described his battle with Rax and Dren, and everyone listened in shock as he told of how the Shadow Master had come to him.

"If this 'Shadow Plasma' can annihilate Ned's power, then trying to use Ned against Dark Viper is even more hopeless than I thought," Major Harvey declared dismally when Ned had finished.

"Maybe not," Marnax said. "If it were really out to destroy us, surely it could have done so already. It must have some other motive."

"Ned's conversation with it would certainly support that," offered Smardwurst. "What do you think of this ship it mentioned? The one that could destroy even Devastator?"

"I'll tell you what I think," said Mirana, who had not spoken since the meeting began. "I think I want it." Everyone turned to look at her, so she continued. "Rumor among the Imperial elite is that there is a secret warship under construction at the Sigma Omicron shipyard. Its name is Nemesis. If this Shadow Master is right, then we absolutely can't let the Empire use it, even once."

Harvey pounded his fist on the table. "Sigma Omicron! This is obviously a trap! Why else would the Shadow Master tell Ned about this 'secret' technology?"

Smardwurst's bulging eyes looked upward thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is. However, that does not mean that we should automatically discard the idea. Remember, Brenaria was also a trap, but the result of playing along was the elimination of two enemy Plasma Masters."

Marnax held up a hand. "Wait. I think the immediate question here is whether or not taking Nemesis is even possible. We have waited too long since Ergana Prime; we must strike at the Empire soon, and we must do it with all of our strength. Sigma Omicron is too far inside Imperial space to be a viable target. Mirana, you think we can get this ship away from them?"

"Not a chance." Mirana raised an eyebrow. "I can get it away from them."

"How?"

"I can lead a small, disguised group into Imperial space, get us into Sigma Omicron, and get back out with Nemesis. But I won't do it for free."

"Oh, of course!" Harvey was appalled. "And what, exactly, did you have in mind as payment?"

Mirana stared laser bolts through him. "When we're done, I get to keep Nemesis. Indefinitely."

"No! Absolutely not! Why are we even listening to her! You must be out of your mind, mercenary!"

Marnax was equally surprised, but he exercised a bit more tact. "Mirana, that does seem a bit steep. What motivation do we have to support you in this if you keep the ship? Would you accept something else as payment?"

"No, but you have my promise that I will use Nemesis to fight with you against the Empire until the war is over. After that it's mine to do with as I chose."

"Every battle, including the one we're about to wage."

"Every battle, including that. If I get there in time. I'll be pressed for time as it is."

Harvey saw that he was losing ground once again. "General..."

"I don't think we have much of a choice. As long as Nemesis fights on our side instead of the Empire's, I think it's worth the cost."

"And one more thing," Mirana said. "I lead the mission; I pick the team."

"I'll go," Ned volunteered.

"No. Invincibility won't help us here. We need stealth and experience, and that's not you. Gerran, give me a list of your best reconnaissance people and I'll pick from them. The sooner I leave the better the chance I have of getting to Sigma Omicron before Nemesis is launched."

"I believe you have yourself a ship, Mirana. And the rest of us have a battle to plan. Remember, everyone, no one speaks a word of what has been said here unless I order it, except that Ned has defeated Rax and Dren and destroyed their Crystals. From now on we'll flood the room with frinoxidine before every meeting, just in case the Shadow Master tries to listen in. Screen all incoming spacecraft in the same way. I want to keep that thing off this ship if it's at all possible."

"General?" It was Ambelshack who spoke.

"Yes?"

"I have a suggestion as to what Ned might do in relation to our next attack. If he can extend his invincibility shield outward a little, he could envelop an entire starfighter."

"I'd be unstoppable!" Ned nearly jumped to his feet. "Yes! I'll just need to build up my strength so I can resist repeated attacks without losing consciousness. I could just sit in your power reactor or something to build up my resistance!"

The idea seemed good to Marnax. "I won't have you tearing up my power reactor with your Plasma, but I will make whatever arrangements you need to increase your power. You should also train on the starfighter simulators. Captain Devorion will be busy with me. Can X teach you?"

"Yes! This is perfect!"

"Good. Now. Major Harvey, would you briefly explain the plan for our next attack on the Empire?"

"Certainly." Harvey activated a large viewscreen on one wall that showed several planets and the positions of StarBlazer and Anacron forces. He indicated locations on the map as he spoke. "Since Ergana Prime, Anacron has attacked outposts at Norisa and Chenardus, as well as the planet of Asaran. We drove them off from all three, and Galactron was not even there. Also since Ergana Prime we have retaken our outpost at Threlia Four, with most of it intact. If you notice the locations of these battles, the Anacronians could easily have supplied their forces there with plenty of reinforcements and swept us away, or at least taken fewer casualties than they did. In light of these and other recent battles, I believe they are massing their forces at Moldrona Kren. Doing so would give them an excellent chance at taking Pendarus and Tarlonus, and that would nearly cut us off from a large portion of StarBlazer space. In response to this we plan to mass forces here, here, and here. This will make it seem as though we are about to attack one of these systems here, but should give us the opportunity to combine forces near Moldrona Kren within twenty hours' notice. The Empire will become suspicious when our forces there get too large, so our best chance is to spread the word quickly and act before they have a chance to analyze our movements. I believe we can mobilize a sufficient armada and strike at Moldrona Kren in ten days."

"Thank you, Major. Does that seem reasonable you, Captain Devorion?"

"Yes, it does. You'll have Starhawk and a vast fleet of starfighters at your service, plus one invincible Plasma Master. We can't lose."

### Chapter 1∩

Jenara was not planning on giving Ned an emotional welcome on his return, but the instant he arrived on the Chelaris with Smardwurst she ran up and embraced him like a vice. "You're safe," she whispered, and nervously wiped a tear from her eye. Ned did not know what to say, but the haunted look in his eyes as she pulled away told Jenara that Ned was no less grateful for his return than she was.

"Ned, what happened?"

"I can't talk about all of it. You know, security. But anyway, when I got to the meeting place, Dark Viper contacted me and told me to join him or he'd destroy me. Then Rax attacked me. I fought back, but my shots disappeared."

"No."

"Yeah. Markan Dren was still alive. Anyway, he tried to grab me with his Vortex Plasma and weaken me, but somehow when I thought it was over my power flared inside me. It traveled back along the vortex and destroyed Dren's Crystal. The Plasma escaped from it, and Dren was crushed by the explosion. Kayleen Rax escaped and fired Blast Plasma at me, but I destroyed her Crystal too, and she escaped." Ned was careful not to mention the Shadow Master.

Jenara smiled. "Then you did it. You won!"

Her smile melted away the negative feelings the memory invoked. He put his arm around her and walked her toward the training simulators, where he had promised to meet Dragon Force. "You know what I think happened? I think that when I thought about how awful it would be if I lost, about what would happen to you and everyone else, the Shield Plasma sensed danger to me and automatically protected me, just like it always does."

"Maybe."

"And if that's true, then thinking about you helped me win. You helped save my life."

The members of Dragon Force were ecstatic at the return of their two-time hero. Sensing that Ned did not want to talk about the battle, Jenara about told it for him, adding a dramatic touch to make it sound more impressive. The eight of them chatted for a while, and then Ned announced that General Marnax had assigned him to learn to fly a starfighter so he could use his power in upcoming battles.

"That's great! X said. I'll get you set up right away. We'll see how you do against my friends here."

Ned did terribly against X's friends. They absolutely nailed him in one-on-one fights, and when Ned teamed up with X, Ned got shot down early and X had to fight alone.

"Why did you do that?" Jenara asked X when they had finished. "Why not start him off with something easy?"

"I wanted him to see what he was shooting for. Without a goal you don't get anywhere. Besides, I bet you learned a lot, didn't you Ned?"

"As a matter of fact I did. Care to set me up on an easy simulator?"

"We'll see how you do on intermediate. Ready?"

An attack squadron of five cobra fighters dropped out of warp and Ned and his simulated wingman headed straight for them. The cobras split into two groups in an attempt to get someone behind Ned, and he followed the group of three. Ned flew in an erratic pattern to avoid being hit by random shots as he approached, and when he got close enough he fired two missiles. The cobras fired missiles of their own to destroy Ned's, but laser fire from his ship destroyed one of the interceptor missiles. One of Ned's missiles exploded against its target, and a silvery egg-shape surrounded the enemy fighter as its shields weakened.

Ned detected multiple missile lock from the two ships that had come in behind and below him. Rather than running or turning to face them, Ned pivoted his ship so that his rear-firing laser cannons could mark the trailing attackers. Several of his shots hit, and Ned's computer-controlled anti-missile lasers destroyed the incoming projectiles. By dealing with the threat with his rear arsenal, Ned had been able to keep the other three cobras in his forward sights.

One of the three split off and went into a wide loop as Ned approached. He ordered his wingman to follow the other two and went after the one that had broken away. By keeping his nose constantly pointed toward the cobra he was able to keep it from escaping, and after a short chase he blasted the enemy ship into a cloud of glowing gas.

Ned's wingman had done the same with one of his targets, and Ned rejoined him to take on the remaining three. Both Ned and his wingman fired a long barrage of missiles at a single ship, and there was no chance for it to dodge. The missiles ripped through its shielding and destroyed it.

The remaining ships fired their missiles as well, and some of them hit. Ned's shields were weakened considerably, but they held as he hunted down yet another cobra. His wingman was unable to follow him in the chase, however, and one of the remaining cobras shot him down.

Ned's sensors reported that his shields were stronger than those of the remaining ship, so he flew straight for it with weapons blazing, ignoring the damage from his target's attacks. The cobra's shields failed first, and Ned won.

"Nice going," X said. "It's always nice if your friends survive, though."

"Yeah, and I was lucky there were only five. My shields were so weak after that last run that another fighter could have wasted me."

"You were great!"

"Thanks, Garfsmunkle."

A disturbing thought came to Ned that night as he lay in bed. As skilled as they were, the Dragon Force pilots really did seem just like young children to him. After their first meeting Ned had assumed it was just because he did not know them, but now, after spending several hours with them, they still seemed young. That meant one of two things. Either they were actually mature and their culture was just significantly different from Ned's, or they really were young, and the advances in military technology had made it possible for people as young as they were to fight wars. That was an incredibly disturbing prospect. It was always tragic when people died young, perhaps especially in war. But the thought of people as innocent and hopeful as Garfsmunkle, Imbelsmift, Straker, Liora and Zhin being forced, asked, or even allowed to give their lives because someone like Dark Viper wanted power was absolutely horrendous.

Ned was really terrified when he saw where that line of thought was leading him. Dragon Force was probably not significantly more skilled than many Anacronian pilots, and they were going to war in just ten days, according to Major Harvey. That meant that, in all probability, not all of them would come back.

### Chapter 20

Mirana Kelar had gotten herself into more places where she was not allowed than she cared to count, but this time it was different. It was not that Sigma Omicron was so heavily guarded; she had been to Venom itself without being suspected. It was not that she was afraid of being recognized; although her face was known by many Imperial officers, none of them knew of her ties with StarBlazer. At least, none that were still alive. The thing about this mission that made it more difficult than her previous ones was that this time she had to rely on ten other people, and experienced as they were she did not fully trust them.

The preparations had been easy. Mirana had taken her group to the agricultural world of Vrelin, where they had landed after three days of travel in an old transport shuttle. Mirana told startraffic control that they were a group of workers being hired on one of the many plantations, and she had provided records of her dealings with the plantation's owner as proof. The records were flawless because Mirana had fabricated them herself.

On reaching the plantation, Mirana had immediately departed for a spaceport several thousand miles away. She provided her group with Anacronian military uniforms and uploaded more falsified records. The group was now part of the crew of a freighter that had been ordered to deliver a new supply of food to Sigma Omicron. The ten Mirana had chosen from among General Marnax's agents had blended superbly into the roles she had created for them, and so far things had gone smoothly.

The first problem arose just after they had boarded the shuttle. Mirana and a few StarBlazer agents were alone in a junior officers' lounge, and Mirana had sliced into the ship's computer again to double-check their flight plan. It had changed. "This is very, very bad," she told Randar, her second in command. "Apparently they've decided that Moldrona Kren needs the supplies more than Sigma Omicron does. They've rerouted us to there." Mirana knew Marnax would not want her to mention that StarBlazer was about to attack Moldrona Kren and that anyone caught there would stand a good chance at being killed, but the problem was big enough even if one ignored that fact.

"I assume you can't change the schedule again without looking suspicious."

"Right. Somehow we've got to get the Captain of this ship to make the decision for us."

"We could flood the ship with toxic gas and take control of it, but I recommend against it."

"The way I see it, the only way the Captain will stop at Sigma Omicron instead of Moldrona Kren is if it's physically impossible to do otherwise."

"Sabotage the engines?"

Mirana was pleased that Randar was not as slow as she had feared. "Good. I could program a defect from here, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have time to cover my tracks fast enough."

"Then we'll have to go down to engineering and break something ourselves."

"I can handle the security cameras if you can find a safe route."

"You're sure you can handle it?"

"Sure. I'll just program false images over the recordings of wherever you go. I've done it a million times. I'm doing it with this room right now."

"Great. Cover the crawlspace above the room as well, and I'll be going." Randar called over two of his men and opened a panel in the ceiling that everyone else but Mirana had missed. The three StarBlazer agents disappeared up into the crawlspace, and the remaining agents resealed the opening. Mirana monitored Randar's progress as he crawled toward the ship's propulsion systems. Years of experience allowed her to mask all traces that anyone had left the lounge. It would have been more difficult if anyone had been watching the passageways in real time, but Mirana had conveniently arranged that all jobs on the ship that might pose a threat to her were given to her men.

Randar's task was not as simple, but he was just as confident. He was older than Mirana Kelar by a good ten years, and he had not put that time to waste. No detail escaped his senses as he and his men moved silently through the passageways that allowed access to the starship's inner workings. The passages were intended for maintenance purposes, but as far as Randar was concerned they served just as well for sabotage.

It had been just over six minutes when Randar reached the spot he wanted. He was positioned just outside of a dantonium conduit. The conduit pumped fuel into the main fuel reservoir, which in turn pumped fuel into the warp reactor chamber. If he could disable this conduit, the ship would lose access to half its fuel supply, and it would have to stop at a station for repairs. Sigma Omicron was not the only possible destination, but it was the best. The freighter Captain would almost definitely stop there, especially given his previous orders, but even if he did not, Mirana would probably have time to fabricate new orders for the group to be transferred to Sigma Omicron from wherever they ended up. Just as long as it was not as far away as Moldrona Kren; even if they managed to get passage from there to Sigma Omicron it would add over a week to their trip, and by then Nemesis would already be launched.

As his companions took up watch positions to his left and right, Randar opened a maintenance hatch near the conduit and removed several tools. It was not an uncommon error for a starship's dantonium conduit to fail; it happened all the time to older vessels. Imperial ships usually took good enough care of their engines that such occurrences were relatively rare, but Randar worked with such precision that even the most skilled engineer would mistake his work for an accident.

"There," he said at last. "This conduit has exactly twenty minutes before it shuts down completely. Someone's going to get in big trouble for this, but it's not going to be me."

"If my mom saw what I was doing, she'd pass out." Despite the ridiculously dangerous situation Ned was in, though, he was enjoying himself. The view from the barrel of the Chelaris's starboard laser cannon was somehow relaxing: all those stars out there, just sitting in space. It was almost possible to forget that there was a war going on.

Ned felt a slight vibration through the cannon's metal casing as the weapon charged. Then everything disappeared in a blaze of red light as supercharged brenitium plasma – the normal kind – discharged into space. Blue energy flared all around Ned, but he was pleased to find that he could protect himself with ease. The Chelaris fired again and again, but Ned stayed where he was, rooted in place by attachment clamps that had been built for him on the inside of the laser cannon; his Shield Plasma was also protecting these.

It was the second day of his preparation for the upcoming battle; there were zeld days left until the battle itself. Ned was progressing magnificently. The power he had absorbed from Markan Dren's attack and from the Blast Crystal had significantly strengthened him. Not only was Ned able to withstand repeated laser blasts with increasing ease, but he was becoming a better-than-terrible pilot, as well.

Another series of laser blasts fired out of the cannon, and this time Ned started to tire. "Okay, hold off for another couple of minutes," He called through his intercom to the officers in the Chelaris's primary command.

Going over Koral's teachings had been a tremendous help to Ned as well. One of the most important things Koral had taught Ned was that Plasma was, more or less, everywhere. It was concentrated around bodies with large mass, which was why Ned had felt it so strongly surrounding Earth. (He had wondered why he had not felt it around Varlax Kanlor and other worlds, and for the time being he assumed that it was because the Plasma in him originated in Earth, and that somehow made him more sensitive to Earth's collective Plasma field.)

What this meant in terms of Ned's training was that, given enough time and skill, he could absorb Plasma from just about anywhere. Absorbing power in this way was not nearly as easy for him as it had been to absorb Kayleen Rax's Blast Plasma; the Plasmatic ether, as Koral had called it, transferred energy only very slowly, and it was very difficult to speed the process up.

Yet, that was exactly what Ned, and presumably the other Plasma Masters, had learned to do. It still was not a quick process, but now, as Ned sat there inside the barrel of the laser cannon, he could feel the power he had expended returning to him. Ned was getting better at it each day.

Still, all this optimistic thought was starting to make Ned suspicious of his luck. After all, if he had these skills, then surely Dark Viper and the Shadow Master would have them as well. Given the respective amounts of time that Ned and his enemies had known about the Plasma force, his enemies were probably much more knowledgeable. That would have applied to Rax and Dren as well, though, and he had defeated them, so this was not the main point of Ned's concern.

The thing that had continually interfered with Ned's satisfaction in his progress was the prospect that, while Ned was increasing his power of invincibility, the barely-grown members of Dragon Force were very likely preparing for their deaths. Ned had told himself time and again that the choice was theirs, that there was nothing he could do about it, but that answer just did not seem good enough. There had to be something he could do. There had to.

Randar's work was successful; just minutes after he left the sabotaged conduit, the starship's engineering crew detected the defect and the Captain ordered their course changed to stop at Sigma Omicron for repairs. The rest of the six-day trip passed without incident, and Mirana smiled at her success so far as they approached the massive station. Larger than some moons, Sigma Omicron was the primary starship production facility for the Empire after Venom. The main part of the station consisted of a large, mostly hollow sphere inside which the starships were actually constructed. Surrounding the ball was a torus-shaped ring, which made the station look something like a gas giant planet. It was within this ring that most of the station's inhabitants lived. Connecting the ring to the ball were four cylindrical tubes positioned at ninety-degree intervals to each other, which served as docking ports for the starships that visited the base. Mirana knew that Nemesis would be finished by now, and it would be docked either at one of these connecting tubes or inside the central sphere. None of the ships in view registered as Nemesis, so if it was on a connecting tube it would be on the opposite side of the station.

Since the freighter needed repairs as well as maintenance it was scheduled to dock inside the sphere. As it approached Sigma Omicron's "underside," the bottom of the sphere split into four claw-like door sections. The sections opened like an upside-down flower, and the resulting portal was so wide that even Devastator would have been able to fit through it. In fact, it was right here that Devastator had been built.

At last the freighter docked, and Mirana, Randar, and the others walked through the airlock and onto the station. It would be several hours before the freighter was repaired and ready to go, and Mirana hoped to be long gone before that time.

### Chapter 21

In a station as large as Sigma Omicron it was fairly easy to find a place where others would not intrude. Having infiltrated this particular station several times before, Mirana found one especially quickly. Once again she disabled the room's security systems and gathered her group for one last briefing, just to make sure they all knew their tasks.

She brought up a map of the station on a computer console. "According to this, Nemesis is docked here." She pointed to one of the connecting rings. "Its official crew is not yet aboard, but it's scheduled to be launched this evening. We've got plenty of time, so play it safe.

"All right. There are ten of us, so we'll split up into three groups of four. Geld, you lead group one, Randar leads two, I take three. Group one will take position here, in the tertiary reactor room." She indicated the power generator at the junction between the connecting tube and the sphere. "I have valid security clearance right here. Once this generator goes down the power will be cut off to this entire docking tube, including the station's shields. Auxiliary power will come back on, but automatic security systems will be severely compromised. As soon as the power goes down I'll upload a virus that will make sure they're all out.

"Group two will take position on the outer ring and will provide cover for me as I work my way along the tube from just ringward of the sphere. We'll try to get as far down the tube as possible before we're stopped, but security will tighten up as we near Nemesis. If we get too close to the docking port before the power goes down our cover will be blown and we won't stand a chance. Randar, anything you can do to block off reinforcements from the ring section and the other docking ports will be appreciated, but don't get yourself killed; it will take me nearly twenty minutes to reach Nemesis, and I can't have my cover fire go dying on me early.

"When the power goes down, group three storms the launch tube until we reach Nemesis. Randar, you'd better meet me there if you don't want to get left behind. We'll most likely be under heavy fire by the time we get to where Nemesis is docked. We board the ship as quickly as possible, arm it, and get out of here as fast as we can.

"The first thing they'll do when they realize what we're doing is try to get the shields back up. If they succeed, we'll be trapped. Group one, there's absolutely no way you're going to have time to catch up with the rest of us. If we succeed, you can try to make it back to the freighter, or I've got another set of IDs that will get you passage out on another outgoing freighter. The fewer the people that see you, the better your chances.

"We can contact each other through our private com links, but don't until our cover's blown, and then only if you have to; they'll probably be able to trace the signal. Any questions? Good. Don't let my confidence here comfort you; I don't think anyone has done what we're about to do and survived. One mistake and we all die. Let's go."

A few Anacronian officers saluted Geld, Tren, Norkrin, and Jalin as they made their way from their meeting place upward to the power reactor Mirana had indicated. They reached the reactor's engineering room, presented their identification, and were admitted. They immediately went to work monitoring the station's power output and doing various other tasks, waiting until enough time had passed for the other groups to get into position.

Randar joked heartily with his men as he strolled down docking tube four, he and his group performing a very convincing rendition of four civilians walking home from a long day's work at one of the station's restaurants. A few eyes turned in their direction to stare, but that was good; there were hundreds of people just like Randar on the station, and he fit right in. They would not have, though, if anyone had checked inside the bags they were carrying and seen the arsenal of laser weapons and explosives.

Mirana had far less distance to travel than the other groups did, so she and her trio of escorts traveled slowly. They stopped for lunch at one of the few civilian eating establishments located in the sphere section, then stopped again at a couple of shops in order to purchase various household goods. At last they entered the docking tube, entered a lift pod, and began their journey outward toward the docking port where Nemesis was awaiting launch.

When the time was up, Geld found a solitary workstation and began dicarbulating the netroprocessing links. Norkrin closed down the backup field coils and scheduled them for emergency maintenance. Jalin intentionally made a large error in computation and distracted the room's commanding officer by asking him about it. Tren continued the work he had been assigned by the Anacronian officer, watching the others and making sure they were not detected.

Geld completed his task, glanced around the room to make sure the others were ready, and cut out the room's automatic security systems. There was not nearly enough time to hide what he had done, so an alarm sounded and the room's lights went red. At the same instant Tren pulled out a laser carbine and shot the armed guards closest to him, then two more across the room. Laser fire from the remaining armed officers in the room turned to him, but now Geld and Norkrin had joined the fight. The Anacronians were taken completely off guard.

Only Jalin remained at a work station. After knocking the commanding officer senseless, he turned to initiate the core overload. He then pulled an energen disruptor from his pocket and placed it on his console. Half the work consoles in the room exploded. Jalin grabbed a blaster.

"It's set! Let's get out of here!"

As far as bringing down the docking tube's power grid went, their work was done. It was now an added bonus if they could find a way to escape without being captured and shot or caught in the power core's explosion. They had shut down all communications into and out of the engineering room prior to initiating the core overload, so no one would know their identities yet. Geld led his men to one of the doors leading out of the room, hoping to catch a lift car that would take them clear of the blast.

Norkrin glanced at one of the intact computer stations. "Wait! They've broken through my encryption faster than I thought. They're trying to cut power to this core!" Without sufficient power, the overload would not occur and the Imperials would be able to reroute power to the docking tube from other generators. "I've got to stop them!"

"Go!" Geld shouted. "Head to the rendezvous point when you're finished. We'll see you then." He led Jalin and Tren out of the room and toward a lift pod. The instant the doors opened, laser fire poured into the room and Geld went down.

"Up!" Jalin shouted, moving back into the engineering room. The power core was situated several levels below them, so there was a chance that they might get high enough above it that the explosion would not reach them. Tren sealed the doors, and both men climbed ladders that lead to the room's upper workstations. Once there, they opened a ceiling panel and crawled into the access passages above. "We've got to find a vertical shaft or we'll never make it in time. How long do we have?"

"Three minutes!" Tren shouted back at him. It took them a minute to find a vertical shaft and crawl into it. Using a nearby access panel, Jalin inverted the shaft's gravity, and an instant later both men were falling upward, away from the explosion. A deep rumbling sounded from below them. "We're not going fast enough. The explosion's going to catch us."

Back in the engineering room, Norkrin was inclined to agree. He had blocked out whoever was trying to cut the core's power supply, but after a glance at his watch he knew there was no time to escape. He had expected as much. The entire place was probably swarming with Imperial troops anyway. The sound of explosions just outside the sealed entrances told Norkrin that they were about to break into the engineering room. He thought for a moment about what he could do that would mean anything, then began working frantically again, his eyes riveted to his monitor.

Imperial citizens looking out their windows from the inner side of the ring watched in terror as a large chunk of the station, just above where docking tube four connected with the central sphere, melted away in a violently expanding cloud of green.

Sigma Omicron's inertial dampers almost blocked away the trembling the explosion caused.

"Admiral! We're too late! It's gone!"

Admiral Sradix slammed his fist down on the table. "What is going on here?"

"Main power down on docking ring four. All automatic security systems there just went off line as well. Multiple explosions along ringside of the docking tube."

"Nemesis. They're after Nemesis. Send all available troops onto docking tube four. Bring all available starships there, too, in case they try to get at Nemesis from the outside." He would have preferred to launch the ship immediately, but even he did not have the necessary command codes; only the special crew coming in from Venom could launch Nemesis, and they had not arrived yet. "We can't let them have that ship."

After detonating several explosions along the docking tube, effectively blocking passage from the ring, Randar began the long trip to Nemesis's docking port. If he did not get there in time he would be left behind. The lift tubes had been deactivated when the main power had gone down, forcing him to make the journey on foot. There were people running everywhere in the launch tube, trying to escape from whatever was happening. Randar and his companions played along with them, screaming and adding to the confusion as well as they could. All the while they moved toward Nemesis's docking port. There was no pursuit from behind yet, but Randar wondered how Mirana was doing.

When the power had gone out, hundreds of people had come thundering along the main corridors of the docking tube, away from the explosions on the ring side of the tube. Rather than move against them and risk being run down or detected because of the direction she was traveling in, Mirana chose to use the maintenance corridors within the floor, between decks. Anyone who saw her there would immediately realize what she was trying to do, but she was quick with a laser gun and no one she met had time to report anything. As of yet these corridors were mostly empty, but Mirana knew that pursuit would not be far behind.

Luck ran out when Mirana came near the docking port. In order to reach it she knew she would be forced to leave the maintenance shaft she had been using, and there were sure to be troops outside. She hesitated for just an instant, and in that instant the passageway behind her erupted with laser fire. Two of her companions were hit and fell to the floor, but Mirana and the other in her group, a man named Ornid, jumped into an intersecting passage. Mirana's pursuers were coming up fast, and time was running out. "I'm sure they've got the outer corridor watched too," she told Ornid. "They were waiting for us to get here so they'd have us trapped. Come on."

She ran down along the maze of maintenance passageways, working her way toward the outer hull of the docking tube. Along the way she stopped briefly to open a supply locker and pulled out two pressure suits. She pulled one on and handed the other to Ornid. His face was tense; he trusted Mirana, but she knew he had to be wondering what she was up to. At last the corridor ended in a small room. Mirana closed the door behind her to seal off the passageway, but the sound of footsteps was growing louder behind them, and Ornid thought Mirana had made her last mistake.

Mirana worked for nearly a minute at a computer console there. Most such minor access panels had been rendered inoperative by the virus Mirana had uploaded earlier, but she managed to bring this one on line so that she could use it. When she finished she contacted Randar.

"Imperial troops have sealed off the docking bay," he informed her. "I can't get in."

"Fine. Make your way down maintenance shaft 421-D. Wait at the end. Got it?"

"I think so. This had better work."

Mirana tapped a control panel on the wall opposite the door through which they had entered, and the entire wall exploded outward into space. Mirana and Ornid were blown out along with it. Sigma Omicron looked absolutely huge from this vantage; it was just barely possible to detect the curvature of the sphere. But it was not the station that impressed Mirana. It was the starship that was docked not sixty yards away.

When the power core had exploded, Jalin and Tren fully expected to be taken along with it. Falling upward along the access tube, they had no way of increasing their acceleration and getting clear of the blast. They certainly had no way of stopping. At last the countdown finished, and a green fireball engulfed a huge portion of the station. Green fire shot up the access tube, sucking away the air. The wind flowing back to fill the resulting vacuum slowed Jalin and Tren's fall, and they managed to grab onto some instruments protruding from the walls to stop themselves. The fire continued to approach, and just when the heat began to sear their skin, a silvery flash of energy lit the corridor between them and the explosion. It lasted as long as the explosion did, then died down. Jalin caught his breath, wondering what had happened, and suddenly he knew. "Norkrin! He set up a force field to block the explosion!" His excitement instantly turned to sorrow as he realized that his friend had perished in the blast.

Tren looked up and down the shaft. "Come on. Let's find some pressure suits and get out of here." Tren was thinking along the same lines as Mirana. Travel within the station was suicide, but people in pressure suits floating around in space just might be ignored. Tren found the suits and worked his way to where the power core's explosion had ripped a hole in the central sphere's hull, but he was not anxious to spend a great deal of time floating in space. "We'll just sit here until Nemesis starts to move, and then we'll jump out and try to get her attention."

"And hope it's Mirana piloting the ship," Jalin added.

Nemesis was a magnificent sight. Its main hull was basically a flattened cylinder with a rounded front, and huge thrusters formed winglike projections on the sides. The aft end bulged upward and to the sides where the powerful warp engines sat. The ship was not much bigger than Green Scorpion, not nearly as big as Devastator. From her research Mirana knew that Nemesis, like Devastator, was nearly all weapons and shield generators, but the shield generators on Nemesis had been built using a newly-developed technology that allowed the ship to deflect an unprecedented level of energy. The weapons, too, were new. Dark Viper had been hard at work making improvements on the weapons used on Devastator, and he had finally created one that satisfied him. The annihilator cannon, as Viper called it, was strong enough to breach the shields of just about any starship in just a few seconds. Nemesis had two.

And then there was the addition the Shadow Master had mentioned.

While she had been working on the computer console in the maintenance airlock, Mirana had managed to open a similar airlock on Nemesis. Motioning for Ornid to follow her, she turned on her suit's propulsion jet and made her way along the docking tube's hull toward the ship. The other starships in the area were expecting her to try to steal a shuttle and fly to the ship, but no one was looking for two people with nothing but space suits for transportation. Eventually they were spotted and some of the ships opened fire, but by then it was too late. Mirana reached the hatch and pulled herself inside, and Ornid followed her.

"Come on, Ornid. It's time for a crew change."

Mirana had long since memorized the layout of Nemesis. There was not much of one, at least not if one ignored the maintenance tunnels. There were only quarters for six crewmembers, and that was probably more than it needed; another advantage of Nemesis was that it could be run by just one person, if necessary. What that meant at the moment was that there were only two security guards on board, and they were facing out, not in. Once they were gone, Mirana and Ornid headed for the pricom.

"Admiral Sradix! Nemesis is powering shields and engines!"

"That's impossible! The crew hasn't arrived yet!"

"It's ripped free from its docking clamps, sir. We've lost it."

"Order all ships to open fire. The rebels must not escape with that ship. Destroy it!"

As soon as Mirana entered the pirated command codes and brought Nemesis on line, every available weapon on Sigma Omicron and the surrounding ships opened fire. Mirana Kelar's eyes narrowed as she sat in the command chair, glancing at the various readouts and camera views in front of her. She quickly brought the ship about and pumped the nearest ships full of torpedo fire. Their shields buckled and went down, and the ships broke apart in seconds.

Then Mirana activated the engines. Faster than any ship docked at the station, Nemesis swerved in and out of the attacking starcraft, leaving a wake of destruction wherever it went. Mirana targeted several of the station's weapon systems as well and blew them apart. When the torrent of enemy fire had died down a bit, Mirana headed back toward docking tube four. She locked her lasers onto locations on the wall surrounding the end of maintenance shaft 421-D and fired. A small chunk of the station flew outward, and three men in pressure suits jumped clear of it. Dropping shields for just a moment, Mirana opened Nemesis's shuttle bay, locked onto Randar and his two surviving companions with a tractor beam, and pulled them aboard.

"Mirana! This is Randar. I was contacted just a moment ago by Tren. They're waiting in the hole the power core blew in the station."

"I see them. Hold on."

Mirana picked up the remaining two members of her team in similar fashion and prepared to leave. The damage she had suffered while her shields were down was practically nothing, thanks to the specialized material of her new ship's hull.

"Mirana, they've got auxiliary power to the hole we made in the shields. Not full strength, but we can't fly through."

"Are the annihilator cannons charged yet?" Mirana asked Ornid.

"Fourteen seconds. I have warp drive on line."

Mirana continued to hammer away at Sigma Omicron's defenses as the annihilator cannons charged, but she was anxious to go. Most of the ships at the station had already left the battle, but the station's weapons seemed unlimited.

"Charged!"

Mirana aimed her newly-acquired starship away from the station and fired. Twin beams of sparkling green energy lanced out from Nemesis's twin wingtip cannons and struck the station's shields where they were only partially charged. After ten seconds of this attack the station's shields went down again, and Nemesis flashed into a higher warp speed than any starship in the area could dream of matching.

### Chapter 22

Three days after the starship Nemesis mysteriously disappeared from Sigma Omicron, the StarBlazer army was ready to launch its assault on Moldrona Kren. Nemesis had not yet arrived, but Marnax had run out of time. As of now the Empire was not aware of his plan to attack, but the longer he waited the greater the probability became that Dark Viper would launch an attack of his own. The time had come.

The instant the StarBlazer fleet dropped out of warp the entire star system exploded into battle. Though the Anacronian fleet had not known of the impending attack, the approaching attack force had shown up on Imperial scanners in time for them to mobilize their forces. Dark Viper had ordered even more starships to Moldrona Kren than he had to Ergana Prime, but this time General Marnax had brought nearly his entire fleet, leaving only enough ships behind so as not to leave the worlds under his care completely unprotected. The result was that there were nearly as many StarBlazer ships at this battle as there were Anacronian ones.

This time Devastator entered the battle immediately. It nearly caused a breach in the StarBlazer lines, but Ambelshack Devorion and his Starhawk squadron attacked a group of Anacronian warships so fiercely that Devastator was forced to return and defend them.

Galactron seemed to be everywhere at once. Marvis Harvey was masterful in his positioning of StarBlazer's flagship, and almost every time the Empire seemed to gain a tactical advantage, Galactron would come thundering into the battle with lasers and missiles hammering into the enemy ships.

Smardwurst Varlon hung back behind the front lines for as long as he could, but before long a group of StarBlazer ships was beset by a particularly troublesome group of Imperial starfighters, and Smardwurst decided he had waited long enough. He brought Green Scorpion up and launched six fighters into the fray.

"This is Dragon Leader. Dragons One and Two, take the enemy squadron to port. Three, Four, and Five, see what you can do to that attack cruiser. I've got those cobras."

X went in pursuit of a full squadron of ten Imperial cobras. He was dreadfully outnumbered, and the cobras moved to surround him and finish him off quickly. His laser cannon tracked one of them and inflicted heavy damage, but before he could finish it off two enemy missiles exploded against his ship.

There was a surge of blue light, but he received no damage.

X finished off that first cobra and started chasing another one, but the Imperials did not take the hint. A long stream of laser fire hammered into him, followed by another barrage of missiles. Still, no damage; his shields were at one hundred percent. A few quick maneuvers and the cobras were reduced to seven. The remaining ships retreated toward an Imperial destroyer so it could provide cover for them with its superior firepower, but the destroyer's lasers had no more luck than the fighters' had. The chase lasted a few minutes more, and then X finished off the last of the cobra squadron.

"Dragon Force, report."

"One here. We're done."

"The destroyer's crippled and retreating."

"All right," X said. "Let's pull back and give our Shield Master a rest."

Ned Simmons was lying in bed, barely breathing. His body was motionless but trembling, and his eyes were closed. A sheen of sweat covered his entire body. Jenara Trennon sat beside him, temporarily forgotten by him but full of concern.

Four days before the battle, Ned had given up on Ambelshack's idea of him flying around shooting enemies down. He had improved as a pilot, but not enough to matter. He was convinced that he couldn't hit a single Imperial ship if he had an entire lifetime. What was more, Ned had vehemently rejected the entire concept of Dragon Force pilots flying to their deaths. It was not right, and it could not be allowed. Finally he had come up with a plan. Rather than grant himself unlimited invincibility, he would extend his power outward and protect the Dragon Force pilots for brief periods at a time. He had presented his idea to Ambelshack, and the Starhawk leader had agreed wholeheartedly. It made perfect sense; X's squadron would be able to do much more damage than Ned would ever be able to.

There was, however, a problem. In the first place, Ned's new plan required him to deflect attacks on several ships simultaneously. The real problem, though, was that it required Ned to extend his focus of concentration far beyond himself to the battle outside. Ned had managed to do this, but it was extremely draining in every sense, including emotionally. It took so much concentration to maintain Plasma shields around six starfighters, all of them far away, that Ned felt that his very mind was being stretched beyond its limits. He had hoped to lessen the effort required by placing himself aboard one of the fighters, but from a constantly accelerating starting point it had been impossible to keep track of the other fighters. Exhausting as it was to project his Shield energy into space from Green Scorpion, it appeared to be the only solution. During the past few days, while he had not been practicing with the Plasma, Ned had sat virtually motionless, staring out into space. He had declined all conversational and recreational activities, fearing that participating in them would rob him of the discipline he had developed to extend his powers so far outside of himself.

It would all be over soon, he had said, but still Ned's friends had worried about him. Especially Jenara. It had already bothered her that she could not understand the Plasma force, and now it seemed to be all that Ned was. She had watched him with apprehension as he practiced with X and his squadron and hoped Ned was right, that as soon as the battle was over he would return to normal. It was her greatest fear that he would not.

As she sat next to Ned, wondering what was happening inside him, his mouth moved – just his mouth. Into the communicator which had been placed by his head, he muttered, "X. Go."

X understood. "Dragon Force. Ned's ready for another round. You have your assignments. Attack."

"Get Golden Eagle and Freedom over here!" Harvey shouted. "Devastator's coming up fast!"

The two starships he had requested joined Galactron and Liberator in an attempt to hold Devastator off. The four of them combined were a massive fighting force indeed, and Devastator was alone. Starhawk, its casualties yet light, still raked the Imperial ship's shields, but its commanding officers were obviously no longer daunted. On it came, filling the space around it with a web of red energy as its lasers reached out toward the StarBlazer ships nearby.

"Ready all weapons. We'll all fire together, and hopefully Devastator won't be able to destroy many of our missiles. Get ready; this is going to be ugly."

Then Devastator got too close, and Golden Eagle attacked. Missile launchers spat projectiles like a swarm of gnats, and those that were not destroyed exploded against Devastator's shields. An instant later Liberator struck from the other side, its hypercharged lasers drawing sparks from the monster ship's shielding. Still Devastator came on. Freedom pulled in front of Galactron as its weapons joined the assault on the Imperial war machine, and finally Devastator slowed. It was surrounded on three sides and Starhawk still defied its targeting scanners while peppering its shields with laser fire, and the Imperial Captain aboard decided it was time to stand and fight.

Something was wrong, and X knew it. Ned had authorized him to go on five more invincibility runs, and there had only been about sixteen minutes in-between each. Shouldn't the interval be increasing? Wasn't Ned tiring? X flicked on his communicator and contacted Ned's room. "Jenara? Are you there? What's going on?"

"I'm here, X. I'm worried. Ned's breathing has increased, and his heart is pumping like mad. I don't know how much more he can take."

"Understood. Dragon Force, let's play it down a little. Remember, invincibility's not free. Every hit we take, Ned feels a hundred percent. Let's try to minimize damage to him as best we can."

Liberator broke apart in a series of huge explosions. Devastator had finally ripped a hole in its shields and left it exposed to its vast armament of lasers and missiles. Golden Eagle's shields failed as well, and it pulled away from the battle as Devastator carved chunks out of its hull. Galactron had joined the battle, and now its shields were barely at half power. Freedom was at one-fourth.

"How much longer can that thing's shields hold?" Marnax asked.

"Sensors estimate Devastator shields at ninety percent," came the report.

"We're gone," Harvey said. "Viper's got us this time."

"Major! Imperial starship approaching at warp sixty! It's Nemesis!"

The instant Mirana dropped out of warp she ordered Randar to start powering the annihilator cannons. Meanwhile she swooped in at Devastator for a quick strafing run intended to draw it off of Galactron. The maneuver worked, and it bought enough time for an additional StarBlazer warship to move into position to defend Galactron. While the cannons charged, Mirana made good use of Nemesis's capabilities. She targeted a nearby destroyer and pumped it full of lasers and missiles. Its already weakened shields buckled, and Mirana ripped it apart.

"Cannons charged."

Nemesis flipped over and headed back toward Devastator. The larger ship's weapons made the shields glow, but Mirana dodged most of the incoming shots. At last she was in range, and she pressed the trigger. Trailing swirling tendrils of light, the particle beams from the annihilator cannons ripped into Devastator's shields, and when they stopped firing they left two glowing green marks where they had hit. Like bite marks from a snake, Mirana observed.

"Their shields are at sixty percent," Randar said. "We got hit hard too, though. Five minutes until we can fire annihilator cannons again."

Mirana knew that she was taxing her ship to its limit. She had taken a lot of damage at Sigma Omicron before blasting her way out, and Devastator had a knack for ripping shields apart. Mirana rose from her chair and headed to the door at the back of the pricom. "Randar, take the helm. Tren, charge the warp engines to full. When I say now, engage them."

"Why?"

"Shut up and do it." With that, she was out the door. She ran to the engineering room and glanced around. Finally she saw what she was looking for: the warp field emission control. Ships in warp emitted a warp field roughly conforming to the surface of the ship. Mirana knew that by modifying the field output so that it projected the shape without the phase change, she could envelop the ship in another kind of energy field entirely. This was what the Shadow Master had meant, and this was why Mirana had wanted this ship from the first time she had heard about it. She made the necessary modifications and then turned on the intercom. "Tren, now."

Tren did as he was told, and in a rare display of emotion, Mirana laughed triumphantly. "IT WORKED!"

What Tren and the rest of Nemesis's crew saw was a set of readings that indicated the generation of a useless pseudo-warp field. What everyone else saw was completely different. Devastator's gunners were marking Nemesis as it came in for another pass when it simply faded from sight.

Visible light, infrared rays, subspace; all of it passed in one side of Nemesis and traveled out the other, with no detectable refraction at all. Nemesis was gone. With the shadow field engaged, Mirana, once again at the helm, prepared for Devastator's final moment.

Gerran Marnax watched in shock as green lines of light fired out of nowhere and ripped into Devastator's hull. Its shields fell to twenty percent, but Mirana was not done yet. She struck again and again, each time from a new place, and each time for just an instant. Occasionally Devastator got lucky and hit her, but not nearly as often as it would have if she had been visible.

"Mirana, it's pulling away. It's running."

"Send a message to Marnax; tell him to put everything he's got in Devastator's path. Don't let it go to warp."

For Nedward Simmons, the galaxy was on fire. It was not pain as much as it was energy; in the six streamers of Shield Plasma trailing away into space, Ned felt more power than he had ever felt before. He realized now why Dark Viper was so obsessed with his power. It was not enough to have the Plasma force. The real power came in its use. It seemed to Ned that all that he was existed in terms of the power he extended out to those six ships. Yes, he weakened occasionally, but each time he rested much of his power returned, and he felt as if he could go on all day.

The power was focused on the starfighters, but Ned knew that it came from the small Crystal in his pocket. Even with his eyes closed he could feel its power throbbing inside him, drawing in Plasma and giving it over to Ned's control. He had struggled with Blast Plasma – struggled to command it, struggled to absorb it. His escape from the Vortex Plasma had seemed no less than a miracle. But it was not like that with Shield Plasma. The Shield Crystal gave its power freely, without effort and without cost. That was why Ned was able to use it with such power when he could not even pierce Kayleen Rax's battle armor. His safety right now depended on his ability to wield the Shield Plasma, and so the Crystal granted that ability. Ned felt that, at this instant, his life depended on his connection to the Plasma he was extending so far away, and he was grateful that he had been able to maintain this connection for so long. The connection was power, and power was life.

And then a great shadow passed between Ned and Dragon Force. The connection he had so cherished was gone.

Mirana continued to chip away at Devastator's aft shields until the annihilator cannons were charged again, and then she flew in for one final shot. "All right. Tell Marnax to get everyone clear." The distance closed quickly, and finally Mirana hit the trigger. Devastator's shields held up for just a moment against the green light, but then they shuddered and failed altogether. The trailing edge of Mirana's blast tore into Devastator's warp engines, and then it was gone. A compression shock wave ripped the ship in half, and then a giant fireball incinerated everything that was left over. Nemesis did not completely escape from the explosion, but its shields held anyway.

Ned inhaled sharply and his face contorted as if he were gasping for air. His eyes rolled back in his head, and a series of convulsions ran through his body.

"Ned!" Jenara gasped in horror. She leaped out of her chair and looked around the room as if something to be found there would help him. She called his name again, but there was no response. Jenara was frantic. "Ned! What's wrong?"

She reached down and grabbed Ned's shoulder in attempt to steady him. At her touch he sat up sharply and stared blankly into her eyes. In the same motion his hands fastened onto Jenara's wrists, and a flash of light flared out of her arms and ran into Ned's body. Immediately the convulsions stopped. Ned inhaled deeply, slowly this time, and his eyes closed. His body remained rigid for a moment, and then he collapsed into unconsciousness. Jenara looked down at him in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened, remembering the look she had seen on Ned's face when he had reached out to her.

Then she turned and fled.

"They're running," Harvey whispered two hours later as he surveyed the battle scene before him. "We did it. We won."

Gerran Marnax nodded solemnly. StarBlazer had suffered tremendous losses that day, but, miraculously, Anacron's losses were greater. Nemesis was theirs, Devastator was gone, and Harvey's military genius had come through once more. Marnax thought on all of this and smiled. As if to reassure himself that it was real, he repeated Harvey's words. "We won."

### Chapter 23

The medics aboard Green Scorpion attended to Ned, and he was conscious again before the battle was over. But just barely. Though the medics were not sure what had physically gone wrong, they were certain that it was serious and that Ned needed rest in order to recover. They strongly encouraged him to stay in bed, but he insisted on seeing Jenara as soon as possible.

It was all too clear what had happened to him. Somehow, the Shadow Master had been at the battle. Only Shadow Plasma could cut through as strong a bond as he had formed with X's squadron. When that power had been cut off, Ned had been left to himself, and the sudden loss of power had done something to him – sort of like the effect on the eyes when a bright light is flicked on in a dark room, only the opposite. Nearly all of Ned's Plasma had been out in space, and when it was cut off he was left with practically none at all. Jenara, on the other hand, like all people, had a healthy supply of Plasma associated with the matter in her body. When she had touched Ned he had sensed it, and he had swallowed it up like a parched man drinking water.

There were still unanswered questions, though. First of all, what had been that look on Jenara's face? Had she been injured somehow? And, why had Ned not simply absorbed the Plasma from Green Scorpion? He told himself that he had already absorbed all the Plasma from the inanimate objects in the area in the process of recharging. Still, that was not enough information to satisfy him. In any case, Jenara had just saved his life, and he wanted to thank her for it. As soon as he was able to stand, he walked to the room she was staying in and pressed the intercom panel. "Jenara?"

A few moments passed before he heard her barely-audible reply. "Enter." The door slid open, and Ned saw her standing across the room from him, glaring at him. He started to explain, but when he saw the look in her eyes he stopped cold.

"What do you want?" she asked. She looked at Ned as if she had never seen him before.

"Jenara? What happened?"

"I don't know! You tell me! First you spend four days staring off into space, not talking to anyone, and then you just lie there on that bed, barely breathing. Then you scare me to death by going into a fit of paroxysms of who knows what kind, and then the next thing I know you're holding my wrists and some weird light comes out of me! And you're asking me what happened? I ..." She started to cry then. All of the tension of the last several days came gushing out at once. She stepped backward and sat down in a nearby chair and hid her face in her hands.

"Jenara, I'm so sorry."

"Stay away from me!"

"Jenara, I'm fine now, I ..."

Jenara leaped back onto her feet and clenched her hands into fists, heedless of the tears streaming down her cheeks. "No you are not fine! You've turned yourself into some kind of monster! This Plasma of yours" – she spoke the word like a curse – "means more to you than people! More than me! I don't understand you, Ned! I can't! I've tried, I really have, but I don't even know what you are anymore! Now get out of here! Now!"

Hearing her talk like that brought tears to Ned's own eyes, but there was obviously nothing more he could do. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and then he turned and left.

X went to check up on Ned as soon as the battle was over. Ned had fallen fast asleep, and the medics refused to wake him, but Ned had already explained everything to Smardwurst, and Smardwurst explained it to X. After hearing about what had happened, X decided to go and talk to Jenara. When she answered her door he could tell she had been crying. She was glad to see X, though, and motioned him inside.

"Smardwurst told me what happened. Either the Shadow Master was at this battle, or else when Mirana Kelar brought back Nemesis she accidentally flew between Green Scorpion and Dragon Force. See, the Shadow Master did something to Nemesis so it can become invisible, too."

Jenara shook her head, barely listening. "Oh X, I've been so stupid. When Ned showed up on Palandora I thought of all the adventures I could have with someone like him, free and outside of the nebula. His power seemed so great. I wanted to know everything about it. Then I got to know him, and he was so nice, and I guess I got carried away. I wanted to spend all my time with him, to know everything about him. But the whole time he wasn't thinking about me, he was thinking about the Plasma force and how he could use it against the Empire. He considered me a friend, but he didn't feel the same way I did. He thought I felt like he did, and I wanted to believe that he felt the same way I did, but we were both so wrong." After a moment she looked up at X. "Does that make any sense?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact it makes perfect sense. I guess you've both learned something from the experience, and it looks to me like everyone came out more or less okay. The important question here is, what do you want to do now?"

Jenara looked downward and did not answer for a moment. "I want to go back."

"Home? To Palandora?"

"Yes."

"But why? What about learning about the galaxy?"

"Other people can do that. You can do that. I'll come back eventually, but not until this is over. There's nothing I can do here. There's nothing I have done here that's mattered at all. I'm sick of this whole business, and I want to go back to what I know and understand."

"That's your decision. But there are a few things you should know. First of all, it's not true that nothing you've done here has mattered. For one thing, as awful as it was for you, you saved Ned's life back there when he absorbed Plasma from you. His had all been cut off, and yours was the only thing that could bring him back."

"But that situation will never happen again, so it doesn't matter. I still want to go back."

"That's fine. I'm not saying you shouldn't."

She sniffled. "And what else should I know?"

"Jenara, if you go back to Palandora, then I'm coming too."

"You can't. You have a squadron who needs you."

"No I don't. Not here. Ned was right to be concerned about the risk the others were taking in fighting this battle. We all made it back, but not all of us would have if it hadn't been for Ned. I think everyone can agree that Ned shouldn't pull that little stunt again, so we shouldn't be here. I guess if you order me to I'll stay, but otherwise I'm coming back."

"I'm not going to order you to do anything. But why? Why not at least stay with Ned? He's your friend, and right now he needs all the friends he can get."

"He needs all the helpful friends he can get, and I'm not so sure I fit into that category anymore. Besides, I'm a Palandoran, and that means my first responsibility is to you. And besides that, you're my best friend, Jenara. You always have been. I came here because you came, and now I'm going back to Palandora because you are."

Jenara smiled gratefully. "Thanks, X. Thanks for understanding."

X returned her smile. "I'll tell the guys; I assume they'll be coming back too. Then I'll contact the Chelaris crew and have them pick us up the first chance they get."

No one ever got as angry as Dark Viper. No one. And right now Dark Viper was very, very angry. He was pacing back and forth in his throne room in the most inane conversation he had ever had, and it was all he could do to control his temper. This Shadow Master was lucky Viper knew absolutely nothing about it; if he did, he would probably have had it hunted down and shot. Or worse.

"You mean to tell me that you armed my starship with your power of invisibility because you wanted to, and then sat idly by while my enemies stole it right from under the incompetent noses of those fools at Sigma Omicron, who will, by the way, die for their failure?" He did not change his tone of voice at the slight digression. There were just too many people to hate right now to fit them all into a single sentence.

"It was necessary."

"Necessary for what? I am the Emperor. I decide what is and is not necessary. You are merely an informant. You get me information, and I tell you what to do. And there's another thing! You did not even tell me of this power of invisibility you have! If I had known, do you know what I could have accomplished by now? I could have had you murder Gerran Marnax, Nedward Simmons, and every other fool who dared to oppose me, in their sleep! I would have no enemies!"

"I serve you occasionally because I choose to. I have left your enemies alive because I want them alive. For one thing, I do not trust you to defeat Marnax or Ned Simmons on your own. You have failed already. And defeat does not necessarily mean death. I have other purposes in mind for them. Be careful how you deal with me, Emperor. I am your ally, but you would do well to respect my power."

"I will respect you when you prove you are of some use to me. What has your help gotten me? It has helped me to win a few battles, but I would eventually have accomplished the same ends anyway."

"You had practically no losses at those battles."

"I don't care about losses! Soldiers don't matter! The Plasma force is the only thing that matters! You, of all people – if a person is what you truly are – should know that!"

"Are you forgetting that I also informed you of the presence of Nedward Simmons?"

"And because you failed to get rid of him yourself, he has destroyed my most powerful servants. Your information gained me nothing."

"It cost you nothing either. And I correct you on one point: I am your most powerful servant. I am prepared to prove it. I should not even have to tell you this; given my power and the fact that I am aiding you, you should trust me implicitly. But since you do not, I will tell you why I did what I did concerning the starship Nemesis. First of all, the loss of Devastator will mean nothing in the long run. Its purpose was to destroy StarBlazer ships, and my plan will assure the destruction of all of them.

"Now, consider the weapon Marnax now has. He has immense firepower, and he can go wherever he wants without being detected. What do you suppose he will try to do with this power?"

Dark Viper's scowl deepened even further. "Destroying my armada would seem like a logical course of action."

"Don't be ridiculous. Marnax could use Nemesis in battles, but it would still be hit by randomly fired shots. It would help tremendously, but it wouldn't end the war as fast as Marnax needs it to end. No, there is only one thing on the General's mind right now: getting Nedward Simmons onto Venom so he can destroy you."

"Is that so? And just how is he going to do that? Nemesis might be invisible, but Venom, if you haven't noticed, is enveloped in an impenetrable shell. The entrances have two doors each. When my ships come or go, all I have to do is pump the entrance corridor full of gas while they're between the two doors. If there's a bubble of emptiness the size of a starship, I don't open the inner doors."

"I am not accustomed to explaining myself. Suffice it to say that Nedward Simmons will be here. And when he arrives, I will be waiting. As should you be. Meanwhile, I intend to keep you apprised of StarBlazer's military plans."

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but if this doesn't work I swear I will destroy you. You may think you are powerful, but you are nothing compared to me. From now on your actions will be approved by me or you will not act. Do you understand?"

"I understand things far better than you do, Emperor."

"Then understand this! I am through with your games! I want Nedward Simmons and Gerran Marnax dead tomorrow! Do it!"

The Shadow Master laughed menacingly, and its hissing voice made the sound that much more chilling. "Be ready when Nedward Simmons comes, Dark Viper." And then the communication was cut, and Dark Viper stood alone.

"Be ready," he says. Indeed. I will let him play out his little game and bring Ned Simmons to me if he will. Then, once he is gone, I will show this Shadow Master the consequences of defying me.

It did not take long to reach the Chelaris. Following the battle Marnax quickly redispersed his forces back to where they had come from, leaving enough behind to maintain the world of Moldrona Kren. Galactron and Green Scorpion retreated back deep into StarBlazer space, where they had left Jenara's ship behind days ago. The Chelaris met up with them along the way. Jenara had told Ned of her decision to go back, and although he was disappointed, he did not try to stop her. She was probably right, he decided. After all, he had never expected to know her for very long; now was as good a time to say goodbye as any. When they met up with the Chelaris, Ned met Jenara and X in the shuttle bay to see them off.

"Thanks again, Jenara. I've had a great time with you. Good luck on Palandora."

"Thank you too, Ned. I'm sorry if I hurt you. I certainly didn't mean to."

"I understand. It was great knowing you too, X. And thanks for the starfighter. I'm sure my government will have a lovely time with the technology I sell them for billions of dollars when I get home." X laughed. "No, I'm serious!"

X shook Ned's hand. "I almost wish I weren't going, Ned. It would be great to see you when you glue Dark Viper's face to the wall. Come back and see us sometime, okay?"

"I'll try, X. That seems like a long way off."

"I know. Well, goodbye. And good luck. Shield Master Simmons."

"You too, Dragon Leader."

Ned shook the hands of the rest of Dragon Force, trying not to meet their gazes for too long, worried he might become emotional seeing the unmasked admiration they all had for him. And then the Palandorans were aboard their shuttle and heading back to the Chelaris. Ned felt like they took a piece of him with them as they went. That's okay, though. There's still plenty of me left to be found, somewhere in the near future on a place called Venom.

##  <VENOM>
### Chapter 24

General Marnax held a council of war immediately following the battle, but this time Ned was not asked to attend. Ned supposed he understood this; the meeting was much longer than any Ned had yet attended, and Ned would not be able to aid in, or benefit from, discussions on military tactics. Still, it seemed strange that after so significant a battle Marnax would not involve Ned in such a major discussion. After all, Ned's experiment with Dragon Force had been a tactical success. He did not intend to repeat it, at least not unless it was necessary, but Ned did feel that he had learned a great deal in the process. In any case, Ned believed that he had proven himself to be a very useful asset to StarBlazer.

Smardwurst was not at the meeting either, so he came aboard Galactron to talk to Ned. They spoke for a long time. At one point, Smardwurst asked Ned was how he felt about X and Jenara's sudden departure.

"I definitely had my priorities wrong with Jenara," Ned explained. "She and I weren't just on different warp phases like X feared; we were in two different galaxies. I had no idea she placed so much importance on our relationship. I should have seen it, but I didn't."

"And what about your friendship with X?" Smardwurst asked.

"I enjoyed his company, but I never had that much in common with him. He did a lot for me, but now that I think about it we weren't really that close. We never talked about anything real except for him training me as a pilot, and you know how that was."

"So you think it was good that they left?"

"I'll miss them both, but yeah, I guess they were right to go. I probably shouldn't be socializing much anyway; I have to build up my power so I can face Dark Viper. I never thought this moment would ever come, but here it is."

"Are you saying you're ready to face the Emperor?"

"No. Not yet, but it might not be far off."

"Your experience at Moldrona Kren helped?"

"I learned a lot about building up power. If I had enough time, there might be no limit to what I could absorb. I know Dark Viper can do that too, and he's undoubtedly better at it than I am. But still, the Shield Plasma is automatic. He can't hurt me. If I can prepare myself awhile longer and then get to him, I'm sure I'd find a way to win. I did with Rax and Dren."

"You don't sound completely convinced, Ned. Is there something wrong?"

Ned shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, yeah. There is. A couple of things. First of all, it really bugs me that I don't know the slightest thing about Dark Viper's power. There were four Plasma Crystals: one for attack, one for defense, one for transportation, and one for something else. What? What's missing from the first three that the Plasma force could do? I have no idea."

"One for invisibility. Don't forget that."

"Yeah. That's the other thing that worries me. If the Shadow Master found out about me trying to attack Dark Viper, it could just find me and nail me, and I'd never even know what happened."

"But its power is not strong enough to pierce your battle suit, is it?"

"Not as far as I know. But it doesn't really matter. It could find me here, when I'm not wearing my suit, and then I wouldn't have a chance."

"But surely it has been to Galactron before. And you were not wearing your helmet when you met it. Surely it wants you alive for some reason."

Ned let out an exasperated breath. "I know! I hate knowing so little about my enemies. I don't know Dark Viper's power, and I don't have the slightest idea what the Shadow Master's up to, or what it even is. It's obviously on the Emperor's side; it told the Emperor about Marnax's weapon. I'm sure it's leaked all sorts of other information too, but it wasn't as obvious. And then all of a sudden it reveals itself and tells us about Nemesis. Why?"

"Actually, Mirana Kelar found out about Nemesis by herself."

Suddenly a light clicked on in Ned's head. "I wonder if she knows anything about Dark Viper. Or even the Shadow Master. She seems to know everything else."

"I doubt it," Smardwurst said. "I would think she would have told you about it if she did."

"Why? So far she's kept pretty quiet except when she has information that applies directly to the current situation. Up to now, information about Dark Viper wouldn't have helped anything."

"It couldn't hurt to ask. At least, I don't think it could; she's not very friendly. In any case, she's not here. As far as I know she's still on Nemesis. The StarBlazer crew came back, but she wasn't with them."

"You mean she's there alone? One person to run an entire starship?"

Smardwurst merely shrugged his shoulders. There was a moment of silence as they both pondered the vast array of questions that had arisen recently.

"Ned, if Marnax could find a way to get you into Viper's fortress without the Shadow Master finding out about it, would you go? Let's say it had to be next week or never."

"Well in that situation I don't see that there would be much of a choice. Yeah, I'd go."

"Would you win?"

"I'd hope so, but how could I know? Why do you ask?"

"Because even in the situation I just described, there would be another option, one you may not have considered for a long time."

"What's that?"

Smardwurst looked directly into Ned's eyes. "You could go home."

"Go home? After everything that's happened?"

"Ned, you came here to learn control of the Plasma force. You have already accomplished that goal. You also came here to aid the StarBlazer Alliance, and you have done that as well; you have destroyed the powers of two enemy Plasma Masters and brought back vital information regarding an Imperial spy. Also you have rendered a squadron of Palandoran pilots invincible for an entire battle, enabling them to destroy far more enemy ships than they would otherwise have been able to do. And you probably saw them all safely home. If there is nothing further you can do, then no one will condemn you for leaving now."

"You're right; I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I should just go home. I'm sure my family would like that, and I'd like to see them, too. It's kind of scary, but I haven't even thought of them in a while."

"You haven't thought of much of anything in a while, remember? You've been training."

"Yeah. I know." Training. That was putting it mildly. "Well, I'll think about it. I'd better get to bed, Smardwurst. Thanks."

Ned walked back to his room and thought. The prospect of going home was tempting, but Ned considered it to be a last resort. Whether or not others would condemn him for the choice, Ned did not feel that he had truly finished what he had come here to do. For one thing, he neither understood the Plasma nor controlled it as well as he would like. He had lost control of himself again on Brenaria while fighting Markan Dren, and that in itself was enough to give Ned strong doubts about the wisdom of returning home this soon.

Another motivation for staying was the prospect of leaving Dark Viper without even a potential rival. If Viper won here, he might find the hyperspace vortex and attack Earth – but even if he did not, Smardwurst, X, Jenara, and everyone else this side of the vortex would suffer tremendously. Ned decided that he could not abandon them as long as there was even the slightest possibility of defeating Dark Viper.

Perhaps Mirana Kelar would be able to shed some light, but what if she couldn't? Ned wished there was something more he could do, something that would give him an extra edge. Right now Dark Viper had a very distinct advantage over Ned; the Emperor presumably knew all of Ned's powers, and Ned knew none of Viper's. If only there were something Ned could learn to do that no one else knew about. Maybe then Ned would be able to catch Viper off guard somehow. Then Ned thought of something. His powers had grown beyond the intended use of his Plasma Crystal, so might not Dark Viper have the same ability? In addition to his Crystal's power, would Viper be able to use his Plasma to attack and defend? What about teleportation?

What about teleportation? Ned thought about it for a moment. If Viper could do it, then maybe Ned could also. But what if the Emperor had not mastered it? Certainly Vortex Plasma was more difficult for Ned to understand than Blast Plasma was. Perhaps, even if Dark Viper could use his power as a weapon, he would be unable to use teleportation. And if that were true, then if Ned could learn to use Vortex Plasma, he just might gain the advantage he would need to beat Dark Viper. It made sense that it would be possible for Ned; after all, Ned had recently absorbed a great deal of Vortex Plasma, and presumably that was not true of the Emperor.

Ned decided to try, but he knew that he must keep his attempts secret. If the Shadow Master somehow discovered what Ned was doing, it would undoubtedly inform the Emperor. Ned glanced around the room cautiously, looking for something he might try to teleport that would not arouse attention, even if the Shadow Master were in the room with him at that very moment. It would have to be something small enough to fit inside his hand. The Shield Crystal? No, Ned did not want to risk accidentally teleporting it into oblivion somehow. What about his battle suit's activator pin? No, same problem. Ned remembered that he had brought along some money from home, just in case he ended up being dropped off somewhere on Earth other than his house. He rummaged through his belongings and pulled out a quarter. It seemed a little paranoid to even consider the possibility of the Shadow Master being in the room, but he had to account for the possibility. He closed his fist around the quarter and sat down on his bed. Hopefully, if the Shadow Master were there, it would believe he had pulled out the quarter to remind him of home, and that he was now resuming whatever thought process had been going through his mind previously. He closed his eyes and searched out the quarter, just as he had done with Jenara's hand on the way to Brenaria. He tried to imagine a tunnel connecting it to his other closed hand, but that did not work. Ned was able to link his hands with a line of Plasma, but it was just the kind he had always used, and he was no closer to teleporting the quarter.

Then he thought back to his first few days of experimentation with the Plasma. The way he had first used the Plasma for something other than protection had been to study how it worked when the Crystal controlled it and then recreate what he had felt. He had felt the Plasma's motion when the Crystal protected him, and then he had recreated that motion between his fingertips. Ned had believed that the only example of Vortex Plasma he had to work from was the Plasma that Markan Dren had used against him, but now he realized that he had been mistaken. He did have something that used Vortex Plasma. My activator pin!

Ned's battle suit was not constructed of anything having to do with the Plasma, but when he deactivated it, what happened to it? Koral had never really explained it, but Ned suspected that Vortex Plasma somehow stored it somewhere. The pin was in Ned's pocket, where he had been keeping it recently. He put down the quarter, then reached into the activator pin with the Plasma and turned it on. Paying close attention to what happened within the pin, Ned noticed that the spark of Plasma he felt as the suit formed around him was definitely unlike anything he had ever caused. It was not, however, unlike what Markan Dren had done. Ned flicked the suit off and on a couple of times, and each time he got a clearer concept of what was happening. He tried replicating the phenomenon with the quarter, but nothing happened.

Ned was not sure how normal turning his suit on and off repeatedly would look to anyone spying on him, but it was a risk he had to take. If only he could flood the room with gas like Marnax had started doing in his meeting rooms... Wait! I don't need gas! Ned stood up and sent out a faint blue mist that filled every corner of the room. There was nothing there. Great! Now I can do this all night!

At the rate he was going it seemed as though it would take at least that long. The activator pin was helpful, but after half an hour Ned stopped learning anything new from its use. It was too detached; it worked on the suit and nothing else. Ned could study what it did, but not how it did what it did, at least not as closely as he needed to in order to replicate it. When he reached an impasse with his pin, Ned once again probed his memories of Markan Dren's hold on him on Brenaria. He thought about how it had felt to be in his grip, what the Shield Plasma had done to block Dren's power, and what had happened with the Plasma force when the Crystal had exploded.

It was about two hours before Galactron's designated "dawn" when Ned formed a tunnel between his two hands and the quarter slipped through it. At first Ned just sat there and stared. Was he just way too tired, or had he finally done it? He did it again just to make sure, and then he started teleporting other things. The Vortex Plasma worked with larger objects as well. There were a few plants in his room, and he teleported them without harming them. Then Ned decided to teleport himself. Perhaps there was some risk of doing something horrible to himself, but Ned was content to activate his battle suit and call that protection enough. He stood at one end of the room, closed his eyes, and sent the Plasma out to the other side of the room. He enveloped himself in Vortex Plasma, created a portal across the room, and then he opened it. Suddenly he was facing the spot where he had been standing just a second earlier, from across the room. Ned had to restrain himself from laughing. He had done it. The Vortex Plasma was his. He was going to defeat Dark Viper soon. He was sure of it. But first, he was going to collapse on his bed and instantly fall asleep.

An hour and a half later, Ned awoke to the incessant beeping of his intercom. "Ned! Are you there? It's Marnax! Ned?"

Ned awoke feeling a little uncomfortable – he was still wearing his battle suit. He deactivated it, crawled out of bed, and groggily answered the call. "Ned here. What is it?"

"Ned? Did you get any sleep? You sound awful!"

"I was up thinking. What is it?"

"I need you in my office as soon as you can get here."

"I guess so. See you in a minute."

Ned took the time to shower and eat a quick breakfast, but he was in the General's office inside of twenty minutes. He was surprised to see Mirana Kelar there as well. There was no one else.

Marnax beckoned for him to sit down. "Ned, as you're aware, I've spent the last several hours talking with the Allied Council about our future plans. In fact, we're in recess right now, and we'll be continuing them soon. Moldrona Kren was a significant victory, but if we do not take advantage of it quickly we may lose some irreplaceable opportunities.

"Let me tell you what we've decided on so far. We have several attacks on Imperial outposts scheduled, and we're going to heavily fortify some of our more vulnerable bases. In addition, though, we're going to be calling several ships to the planet Nembis Four. I didn't tell the Council why, just that it was necessary. The planet is completely devoid of any life at all. In fact, the only thing there besides rocks and metal is a thermonuclear detonator placed at its center, which is strong enough to blow the entire planet apart. Now, I'll let Mirana describe what I haven't told anyone else but Major Harvey, and you're not to tell anyone else either. No one. Understood?" Ned said yes.

Mirana fixed him with her steel gaze. She seemed to be looking right through Ned, but he couldn't figure out why. "Well, Shield Master, I must say I'm impressed. I'm not sure even Kayleen Rax and Markan Dren developed their powers as quickly as you have, and they had help."

"Thank you," Ned managed. "I should congratulate you as well – on taking Nemesis I mean."

Mirana simply nodded. "With his opposition growing so significantly, Dark Viper will be growing tense. That is why we have announced such a major increase in military activity. Viper undoubtedly wants to get back to the kind of fighting he's good at, which is head-to-head, without Plasma Masters or commando missions. He still has the advantage in numbers, and he will see our increased efforts as a means to exploit that advantage. The StarBlazer troops will take heart at the news as well. After the victory at Moldrona Kren, many of them will indulge in a sense of invincibility – at least for a while. That brings us to the matter of Nembis Four."

Ned raised an eyebrow. "Nothing there but a bomb."

"Correct. Of course, rumors have already started to spread. Some creative minds have concluded that Nembis is a massive starship production facility, others that secret weapons are being produced there. Still others believe that Gerran has found a way to make biological warfare feasible again, and that he's planning on infecting every planet in the Anacron Empire with a deadly virus."

"And a few others," Ned concluded, "must think the whole thing's a trap, some sort of decoy."

"Absolutely. But Marvis Harvey is quite capable of making the whole thing look quite authentic. As a matter of fact, for several months we actually had been planning to set up a hidden starship production facility there. It is only now that the plans have changed."

"Then I'm right, aren't I? It's just some kind of a trap."

"Not a trap, really. When the Anacronian forces reach Nembis Four and we detonate the planet, the explosion will undoubtedly take out several Imperial ships, but not enough to matter in the long run. 'Decoy' is actually more accurate. We simply want to take the Emperor's attention away from our real goal."

Ned could not help smiling. "Then you're going to do it! You're going to attack Venom!"

Mirana eyed him quizzically. "You sound like you're planning a vacation."

"Sorry. It's just that, well, I guess it's like this whole thing's finally reaching the end. It's almost over. So how are you going to do it?"

Mirana glanced back at Marnax. "You sure you don't want to explain it yourself?"

"No, go ahead."

"All right." She turned back to Ned. "As you know, the outer shell of Venom is bristling with weapons. Any ship that comes even close gets vaporized before it can even turn around and try to escape. The only way you get through the doors is if you have clearance from the Emperor, which no StarBlazer ship does."

"What if you're invisible?" Ned hazarded.

"Not going to work. The same methods Marnax has taken to keep the Shadow Master out of these meetings will work just as well on Nemesis."

"So you're saying there's no way in?"

"No way to get past the wall," Mirana corrected. "But think. What if the wall did not exist?"

"That would be great, but how are you going to destroy it if you can't even get close?"

"We're not going to destroy it. Marnax said that Smardwurst explained the principles of hyperspace to you."

"Yeah, but ... Wait! You mean that since the shell doesn't exist in hyperspace you can just warp in and attack from inside?"

"Almost, Ned. That concept has been known for a long time, and even the smallest space stations have means to keep warped objects out of their shield bubbles. Objects at warp can be easily detected, and missiles and other weapons can travel at warp speed to intercept them. In fact, a static warp field can be generated around phase space objects, and then they have substance in hyperspace."

"I see. So you can't warp in, unless Viper doesn't see you coming."

Mirana exhaled a little more audibly than normal. "Again, not quite. Viper always has a static warp field in place around Venom. Not even Nemesis can get through."

"I'm going to stop guessing now."

"Here's the plan, Ned. You and I board Nemesis. I have been inside Venom many times, and I am confident I can get us inside, with Nemesis. I haven't even told Gerran how, but I'll let you know when the need arises. When we're in, we will plant mines over one of the generators for the static warp field. I can't extend the ship's shadow field that far, so they will be detected as soon as they are set. That means we'll have to act fast and get out before they explode. The generator is only one in billions, and the fields from the others overlap. As a result, the hole we punch in the field will be less than a mile in diameter in warped space. It will last for maybe a minute, and then the Anacronians will redirect power to patch it up. In order to get any significant number of ships through the gap in that amount of time, they'll have to enter simultaneously at multiple warp phases – some at warp thirty, some at the same time at warp thirty-one, some at thirty-two, and so on. Theoretically, we could get thousands of ships inside Venom's bubble in this way, assuming nothing goes wrong.

"Meanwhile, Marvis Harvey will have completed his plan to lure Anacronian ships to Nembis Four, fully a week away from Venom for most ships. The bulk of the Anacronian fleet will be on its way there as we attack, so we should have minimal resistance."

"Assuming nothing goes wrong," Ned repeated.

"You look skeptical."

"That's an understatement. Even if we get inside, there still could be thousands of Anacronian starships waiting for us. And even if there aren't, there are bound to be weapons on the inside, just like there are on the outside. Not to mention shields – stellar powered shields, so you can't take out their power source unless you blow up Venom's star."

"Well technically, stars are always blowing up. That's what makes them stars. But don't worry. It gets worse."

Ned was a little shocked. Was Mirana trying to be funny?

"You and I will leave Nemesis and travel into Dark Viper's fortress. We will lower the shields around his fortress, allowing the fleet to destroy it. We won't be able to communicate with the fleet from inside, so Gerran will have to be waiting for us. And that means that if we can't get the shields down in time, it's all over." Mirana swiveled in her chair so that she was facing Marnax again.

Ned turned to the General as well. "And then what?"

"And then," Marnax said, "we win. The shields come down, and we destroy Viper's base."

"But you've left out the most important part! How do we get the shields down?"

"Mirana knows her way around. She says she can do it, and I believe her."

"I don't want to give out too much information," Mirana said. "It's best that each person in this knows only what he or she needs to. That way we don't get distracted."

"But Marnax is the leader!" Mirana did not respond. Ned said, in almost a whisper, "You don't know, do you? You haven't figured out how you're going to do it."

Mirana's hand knotted into a fist. "There's no way I can predict every detail until I'm there, inside the fortress. I've been there before, but I haven't been very far inside, and the computers there don't have maps for most of it. I'll just have to get in quietly and then think fast."

Ned thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No. I won't do it. Not unless you can give me a better guarantee that it will work. And there's another thing." Ned brought his eyes up, and his gaze was almost as hard as hers. "You haven't mentioned what I'm there for. If you're going to sneak into the fortress, then you don't need my Shield Plasma, so why bring me along?"

"Why do you think?"

"Obviously, so I can fight Dark Viper. So why haven't you even mentioned that?"

Mirana studied him carefully before speaking. "Ned, remember what I said about not being able to know exactly what to do before I'm there?"

"Yes."

"Well, the same is true of you. No one knows exactly what Dark Viper's power is. No one but you can really understand what yours is. Because of that, you are the only one who can judge how to confront the Emperor, or even whether he should be confronted at all. When Gerran, Marvis and I formulated this plan, we left you out of it because Marnax did not want to rely on something he couldn't understand. The plan was to rest primarily on my skills and on Nemesis's shadow field. But I insisted on bringing you along. Since you don't have an assigned mission here, you will follow me until you see the opportunity you need, and then you will act."

Ned was taken aback by that. All of a sudden the entire responsibility for confronting Dark Viper had been thrust onto him. "And what if I don't come with you?"

Marnax replied, "Then we go on ..."

"Then StarBlazer dies!" Mirana interjected.

General Marnax jumped back in his seat. "Mirana, please! Ned, if you do not come, we will carry out the plan anyway. I cannot imagine how the Emperor could possibly survive the destruction of his fortress, and if he does then he certainly will not be in a position to threaten us, at least not for a very long time. With Viper gone, we will quickly take control of Venom, and then the war will be ours."

Ned could tell that Mirana had more to say, but she stared at him silently.

"The attack must be perfectly coordinated," Marnax said. "The latest Mirana can leave with Nemesis in order for this to work is a week from now, according to her."

"I'll think about it," Ned said. He did not at all want to end this meeting here. It was all too unstable. He felt that if he could not get a better sense of what was happening, he would not feel right trusting himself to such a risky plan.

"That's all I have to say," Mirana announced. "I have work to do." With that, she rose and left the room.

Ned watched her go, then turned to Marnax. "If I don't come, will she still go through with the plan?"

"She doesn't want to. But she has promised me that Nemesis is at my disposal until the war is ended, so if she does not carry out the mission she will have to let someone else take her place aboard Nemesis instead. But she would never do that. She doesn't trust anyone else enough."

"So she'd go through with it, even though she thinks it won't work?"

"I think so." Marnax looked upward, thinking. "You're not coming, are you?" He made it not so much a question as a prediction.

"I don't know," Ned replied. "I ... I don't know. Give me some time."

Marnax nodded, and Ned left the office. He had to go back to his room and think.

"Target on sensors. Closing, rilteen minutes to intercept."

"And the ships behind us?"

"Twenty-six minutes. You're going to have to make this quick."

"Don't worry. I can be very persuasive. Besides, I don't intend to give Princess Trennon much of a choice."

### Chapter 25

Gerran Marnax felt terrible. He had wanted to make sure the decision of whether to participate in the mission or not was completely up to Ned, his reasoning being that Ned would only stand a chance at succeeding if his whole heart was in the mission. Marnax did not feel that such determination was something he could hammer into someone. But now he was not sure if he had made the right choice. Perhaps he should have been more insistent and not given Ned a choice at all. Of course, he was not sure he would have the power to force Ned to do anything, but the situation now seemed bad. It was not that the mission was doomed without a Plasma Master to defeat Dark Viper; Marnax was genuinely confident that Mirana could carry out the mission herself. Once the fortress was destroyed, Marnax would take command of Venom's defenses, and then the Anacron Empire would have lost every advantage it now had. No, the problem was ultimately not with Ned. It was with Mirana.

If Ned did not come, Marnax feared that Mirana would become so pessimistic about the mission that she would not allow herself to do the kind of work she had proven she was capable of. If Mirana failed, Marnax would not even know until it was too late. And the battle that he was now planning would undoubtedly be the decisive battle in the war. Perhaps it would be the last.

Once again Marnax wished that this war had never started and thought back to his life before. He had been happy then, free to spend time with his family, not burdened with the responsibility for the lives and liberty of nearly a quarter of the known universe. Not only that, but Mirana had been different then. Not entirely happy, but content. She, too, carried a tremendous burden, although Marnax was sure he did not understand all of it. Yes, Mirana had been an entirely different person before the war. She had been full of optimism, full of life. Marnax smiled as he remembered. The first time they had met, Mirana's fullness of optimism and life had nearly gotten him killed.

It was while Gerran was still serving on the Imperial Council, years before the Aliens had attacked. There had been other threats in the galaxy, but on the homeworld of Anacron one could almost forget that. Civilians went about their lives in relative safety, and they did not fear invasion. Their sense of security was not at all deluded, either; not only was Anacron situated well inside Anacronian space, but it was surrounded by hundreds of orbital defense stations, and it had the most powerful planetary shield in the galaxy surrounding it.

One day, though, the peace in the Crelandis District was shattered by a massive explosion. At first it was unclear what had caused it, but it was soon shown to have been accidental. One of the power distribution conduits had overcharged, and several miles of it had exploded. Once disaster control officials declared that the area was no longer dangerous, the Council had assigned Gerran go visit the Crelandis District as a show of concern from the government, and to offer whatever aid he could to the survivors.

Gerran could only stare as he stepped off of the transport shuttle that had brought him. The damage was terrible. In the primary blast zone nothing remained but blackened soil and fragments from the buildings whose tops had been high enough to reach out of the zone. But even those sections of building had fallen from several miles up, and secondary generators in them had exploded as they hit the ground. There was nothing recognizable left there.

Toward the perimeter of the damage area there were still structures standing, although radiation and secondary explosions had caused severe damage here as well. Aid units rushed injured survivors to hospitals, but many of the wounds were fatal. Many did not even survive long enough for the aid units to reach them.

As Gerran rode a hover sled through the wreckage, offering consolation to those he saw and assuring them that more help was on the way, his heart melted. He had nearly lost his family once in an attack on his freighter, and he could still remember the feeling he had experienced. But even that feeling was merely anxiety about a possible future, and what these people were feeling was infinitely worse. Their future was upon them; the damage was done.

Then Gerran and his companions reached an area that had been completely abandoned. It was obvious why; all of the buildings in the area were nothing more than massive hulks of wreckage. Explosions had ripped the entire neighborhood apart and left virtually nothing behind. Those who had survived the blast had already been taken to hospitals, so there were no signs of life left. Except one.

"Councilor, we're picking up life signs from that building over there." Ormik, Gerran's aide, indicated a building perhaps half a mile away. It was a large structure, and the back of it had been completely blown away. The front was still there, however, and it looked as though parts of it might still be intact. Debris lined the streets, and the hover sled's relatively weak engines would have severe trouble reaching the building. "Shall I call for an aid team, sir?"

In one of the most pivotal moments in his life, Gerran answered, "No." The aid units would take time, and there were still people for them to help elsewhere. Besides, they had already been there. Wouldn't they have picked up the same life signs? "I'm going in for a closer look."

"I'm with you, sir."

Leaving the hover sled where it was, Gerran and Ormik made their way over the debris. Passage was not as difficult as it had initially looked; the large, jagged fragments of metal thrusting into and out from the street were too large and erratic for the hover sled, but they were easily circumvented on foot.

It was not long before Gerran was standing in front of the building. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted. "Hello? Is someone there?" No one responded.

"The life signs seem stable, sir. Perhaps whoever it is does not wish to be disturbed."

"That's what it looks like." He entered anyway.

The light inside was dim, but there were so many holes in the walls and ceiling that Gerran could see clearly. "Hello!" he called again, but there was still no answer.

Ormik checked his scanner. "Whoever it is is moving with us."

They walked farther in, searching futilely through the shadows for some sign of movement. "I'm Gerran Marnax," Gerran called out. "I'm here to help, whoever you are. I don't want anything. Is there anything you need? I ..."

And suddenly he was staring down the barrel of a laser pistol.

"If there's anything I need," an angry voice shouted at him, "it's for people like you to stay away from here and leave me alone. Now turn around and get out."

Gerran nodded, trying to catch his breath. Then he looked at the person holding the gun and stared. It was a zeld-year-old girl.

As soon as he regained his composure he ...

"... General Marnax?"

"Yes!" Marnax said, straightening in his chair as he activated the desktop viewscreen in front of him.

"Hello, sir," his secretary said. "Minister Jorin of Telaria is here to see you about the shipping agreements."

"Oh, yes. Send her in, please."

When Ned left Marnax's office, his first instinct was to go and find Smardwurst. Up to now, he had talked to his Zalorian friend about everything important, and Ned felt that he needed him now more than ever. But, of course, now that was impossible. He had promised not to discuss Marnax's plans for the attack on Venom with anyone. That meant that he had to make this decision alone. Ned headed back toward his room, but then realized that Smardwurst would probably find him there. Ned could always talk about something else, but he did not think he could hide his anxiety very well. He thought for a moment about where he should go, then turned town an intersecting corridor and found a lift pod.

The hangar doors slid open and Ned stepped into the space where Marnax was keeping Ned's starfighter. It still did not have a name, and Ned didn't have any ideas for the moment. The ship really was an impressive sight, though. It was sleekly formed, with a bubble canopy on top and trapezoidal wings with laser cannons on the ends. Missile launchers were concealed beneath the wings and where the wings attached to the main hull, and more laser cannons were located in the rear to the sides of the main thrust vent. In addition to the nose protruding from the front of the cockpit were two other nose-like protrusions just to the left and right, so the front of the ship looked like a three-pronged fork, with the middle prong the longest. The two areas in-between the prongs glowed green. These locations were emitters for the dralanium particle beams, by far the ship's strongest weapons. This was the kind of thing Starhawk's ships were studded with. The ones on Ned's ship could not carry a lot of ammunition, but they were strong enough to rip through the shields of most starfighters in just a few hits. He had never used such weapons in simulators, either because Smardwurst and X hadn't wanted him to rely on weapons with such limited ammunition, or maybe just because they thought it would make things too easy.

Ned reached down to his belt and unclipped the small control device that X had given him along with the fighter. He pressed a button, and the floor of the cockpit lowered itself to the deck, allowing access to the command seat. Ned sat down and raised the seat back up. Inside the cockpit, Ned closed his eyes. There was just so much on his mind. He had intended to come here and just think, to sort through all of the questions blasting through his mind, but abruptly he decided not to. He brought up a map of the area surrounding Galactron on his console and found that he had been right in his guess: Galactron was in orbit around the planet Telaria. He contacted the shuttle bay control center and got flight clearance, then reached out with the Plasma force and activated his suit, bouncing forward a little as the extra thickness materialized between his body and the chair. Engaging the safety harnesses, Ned brought the fighter's main power on line.

The large set of doors in front of him opened, and beyond them Ned could see the short launch tunnel leading into space. He gently lifted his ship off the hangar floor, aimed its nose straight down the launch tube, and fired up his thrusters. Ned felt a rush of adrenaline as he sped down the launch tube, its walls just a few feet away in any direction, and then burst out into the starry expanse of space. Bringing his ship about, Ned could see the massive battleship Galactron, and behind it several other StarBlazer ships as well. The most impressive sight in the immediate area, though, was the planet itself. Telaria's continents looked nothing like Earth's, but even so Ned could not help but be reminded of his homeworld. The planet looked so beautiful from up there – its crystalline blue oceans, the brown and green of the land masses crisscrossed with rivers and dotted with lakes, and the white, ethereal forms of the clouds. It was mindboggling to consider the size of the planet; even as far up has he was, it was not at all difficult to position himself so that the planet took up nearly his entire field of view. It was refreshing to see an actual planet up close again after being inside starships for so long. Ned briefly considered landing and looking around, but decided against it. Too much could go wrong, he told himself, and at the moment he had plenty of problems to worry about.

And there it was again, the question as to whether he should go home or go to Venom. Just this morning he had been practically obsessed with the idea of getting to Venom as quickly as he could, but now that the opportunity was so real, the entire idea scared him to death. He supposed that the reason for the quick change of heart was that Ned had always assumed that StarBlazer's leaders would be able to come up with a reliable plan, and that all Ned would have to do would be to carry it out. But now, he was simply being offered free passage to Dark Viper's front porch, and he was supposed to figure out what do to once he was there. And he was supposed to figure it out after he got there! What kind of a plan was that? An incredibly stupid one, in Ned's opinion. One that did not even merit consideration.

Except for one thing. Both Gerran Marnax and Mirana Kelar had placed their complete confidence in it. Well, not quite. It's not the plan they're confident in. It's me! Why? Ned had great power, but Dark Viper had demonstrated that his was greater still. Hadn't he? More questions. This thought process was an old one, and it was beginning to wear on Ned.

If only I knew more.

Ned glanced down at his controls, blankly studying them. His eye rested on one particular device, the communicator. His head snapped up. Quickly he opened a channel to Nemesis. "This is Ned Simmons. Mirana – Miss Kelar, are you there?" No response. Ned tried a few more times, but still there was no answer. He hadn't seen Nemesis in the fleet; maybe Mirana had left. He laid in a course for Galactron. He had been flying around for nearly an hour now, and he was hungry.

Suddenly, Galactron faded to black and disappeared. So did the stars surrounding it.

An instant later the space directly in front of Ned's ship brightened slightly into a grey silhouette. Ned's blood ran cold. The image burned into his mind of a giant shark bearing down on him; Nemesis was less than a hundred yards away and closing. Ned quickly pulled back on the control stick to avoid a collision, but his ship merely shuddered. An indicator panel on his console informed Ned that he was caught in a tractor beam. He was being pulled into Nemesis's shuttle bay. That was a relief, although Ned could not see why Mirana had found it necessary to scare him to death in order to answer his hail.

If Nemesis were to be compared to a shark, then the shuttle bay was right where the mouth would be. Ned breathed deeply as the tractor beam brought him down on a landing pad, hoping he would be sufficiently calm when Mirana appeared. He waited patiently as the bay doors closed and air was pumped back in, then lowered the cockpit seat and climbed out. Mirana was nowhere in sight.

Ned deactivated his battle suit as he left the shuttle bay and looked for a computer console. He found one built into the wall nearby and brought up a map. Ned was surprised to see how small the corridor layout was. The pricom was at the center, and six living quarters were located just forward of it. Also surrounding the pricom were a kitchen, a dining area, and two other rooms that Ned could not identify. Corridors led to the shuttle bay and the engine room, and various access passages led elsewhere into the ship for maintenance, but other than that there was nothing but engines, weapons, and shield generators. And a shadow field generator as well, somewhere in there. Ned took a moment to memorize the main part of the map, then made his way to the pricom.

Ned walked until he reached the place where the corridor from the shuttle bay intersected the main corridor surrounding the pricom and turned the corner. He had just caught sight of Mirana when she spun and directed a powerful kick at him, her boot passing barely an inch in front of his face. Ned froze, the Plasma building up annoyingly in the bridge of his nose.

"What ... What was that?" He managed, once again struggling to catch his breath.

Mirana put her face right up to his. "You're slow, Simmons. Walk into Venom like that and you'll be dead before you can blink."

Ned stepped back. "What are you talking about? Why did you do that?" Mirana just stood there with her arms folded. "If you had made contact, the Shield Plasma would have shattered your foot! What were you thinking?"

"Come with me, Ned. I imagine you're hungry after your little trip." She led him down the corridor at a brisk pace toward the dining room.

"How did you know what I was doing?"

"I've been watching you." The door slid open, and Mirana motioned him inside. She followed him, and they sat down across from each other at a table which had been prepared with one of the many alien dishes Ned had become accustomed to. Ned looked at Mirana, expecting her to explain, but she just looked back at Ned. Exasperated, he began eating, and Mirana did so as well. Ned tried to piece together what was going on as he ate, but very little was making sense at the moment. Mirana pushed her dishes aside when she was finished, and when she spoke, the edge was gone from her voice.

"You still haven't decided, have you?"

Ned was not sure what he should say, but he figured that it would be best to tell her everything he could. If anyone could answer his questions, it was probably Mirana. "I was leaning toward going home, but I kept thinking about how confident you and General Marnax seemed in me. I just can't figure out why you could have that kind of confidence in such an uncertain plan, but since you did have that confidence I just couldn't tell myself it was impossible. I called you to see if you could explain things to me, but you don't seem to have a lot of confidence in me at the moment."

"I have a great deal of confidence in the Plasma force and in your ability to control it. You have demonstrated that ability on numerous occasions, and your power seems to increase with each conflict. I also have confidence in your potential to defeat Dark Viper. But there's a lot you need to learn. That's why I dropped the shadow field right in front of your ship and then startled you in the corridor. I wanted to show you that even with the Plasma force there are things that can be a threat to you, and you need to be ready for them. If you thought I was suggesting this morning that you walk through Venom's corridors until you saw something that demanded your attention, the way you were walking through Nemesis's corridors just now, you were mistaken. You need to learn to plan ahead, to be ready for things even if you don't know they're coming."

"And you risked breaking your foot to tell me that?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I wasn't trying to hit you, so there was no chance of me doing so."

"I see."

Mirana rose from her chair, walked around the table, and took a seat next to his. She turned to face him and leaned forward. The hardness of her countenance eased up just slightly as she spoke. "Ned, I know you miss your home and your family. I know you are not used to a life where every decision means life or death for you and trillions of others. But you are in that position, and you have to make a decision. Now."

"General Marnax said I had a week. And besides, he seems convinced that you can complete the mission without me."

Mirana looked away for a moment, thinking. When she looked back, the hardness had returned. "I believe that if I wanted to I could bring down the shields on Dark Viper's fortress. I believe that if Gerran coordinated it right, he could get enough firepower inside Venom to destroy that fortress, although it would take nearly all the missiles and laser energy he had. But suppose he did that. Suppose he managed to destroy Dark Viper's fortress. What would that accomplish? All it would mean would be that he would have that much more to defend, that much more to lose. Worse, I believe that Dark Viper would escape. The fortress is nothing if Viper survives. He could probably take control of Venom from somewhere else. I don't know everything that goes on in Gerran's mind, but I don't think it's enough to pull him out of this. It's political leader and military strategist against Plasma Master. It just can't work. Gerran can't win. Only you can."

"You seem sure of that."

"I am."

"You seem to know a lot about Dark Viper. Are you sure you have no idea what his power is? What it can do?"

"I can tell you this: With nothing more than Rax and Dren's powers to aid him, and with very little funding, Trelan Thendrak accumulated enough matter to construct Venom, and then built it. It must have drained his power significantly to do that, because he has not even attempted anything on that scale since. But just like you, Dark Viper can increase his power, and eventually he will build it up to the point where it was before he built Venom. I don't know when that will be, and I doubt anyone will until it is too late. But when it does happen, no one will be able to stand in his way without equal or greater control over the Plasma force."

"His version of world peace," Ned mused, mainly to himself.

"Don't bet on it. Someone who cares about his people does not live in an isolated fortress, having almost no contact with them. Someone who cares doesn't send his people into battles of attrition just to gain a few more worlds or to destroy just a few more of his enemies. He cares about himself. Nothing else."

"I see," Ned said again.

"Do you? Do you really see what all of this means? It means that if you go home, the galaxy will fall to him. We'll lose. There are only two Plasma Crystals left, one for you and one for him. You can't give it to anyone else, so you have to use it. You have to."

"Three Crystals, remember? There's always the Shadow Master. Whatever it is, its power is a lot greater than mine. I can't hurt it, I can't defend against it. If Dark Viper has any sense at all, he'll just send the Shadow Master after me, and that will be the end. I'm surprised he hasn't done it already."

"Don't you think you're oversimplifying things?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if Dark Viper really had that much control over the Shadow Master he would have done exactly what you suggest long ago. Either that, or the Shadow Master's power is not as great as it seems. In any case, none of that changes what I have already said. If the Shadow Master is a threat, then you'll have to deal with it. Either that, or leave the matter to someone else, someone who's not invincible, someone who can't shoot lightning bolts at will. Someone who will lose."

Ned looked at the floor. "When you put it that way, it doesn't seem like I've got much of a choice."

"When I put it that way, it doesn't seem like you could come up with much of a reason to want to choose differently."

"I can think of one reason. Not a very good one, though."

"And what is that?"

Ned forced himself to look directly into those cold, gray eyes. He had to fight back a tear. "I don't want to go because I'm scared to death of what will happen to me if I do. I know there will be bad consequences, but the immediate threat to me is there. I can't shake the feeling that if I go there, I'll be killed."

Mirana's eyes narrowed. "Fear is what's stopping you? Do you mean to tell me that the most important thing to you is comfort? Feeling good?"

"Life, Mirana. You forgot life."

"Then there's nothing you would give your life for? It's going to end eventually anyway, you know."

Suddenly the fear and sense of weakness Ned had been feeling gave way to anger. "How can you say that? How can you ask me that question? Of course there are things I would give my life for! I left my family on Earth and came to a place where I am a hundred years primitive because if I stayed I would risk harming them! I fought Kayleen Rax and Markan Dren because they were about to kill everyone on Palandora! Then, after I had gained control of the Plasma, I could have gone home to my family and not risked harming them. But I didn't! I stayed, I fought Rax and Dren again, and I beat them! I destroyed their power! I killed Markan Dren! Do you know how that felt? Do you know what it's like to take someone's life on purpose? I'm not sure I'll ever get over it! And I did it for these people, the people on this side of the Galaxy, most of whom I will never see or even hear of. Strangers. And now you're demanding that I give my life on a mission that will probably fail anyway!"

"Are you through?"

"Yes I am. In fact, I think I just might be through with this entire business. Thank you for helping me make up my mind. I'm going home." Ned started to get up.

"Ned, wait, please."

Ned turned back to her, fuming.

"Ned, I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to say that you haven't done anything unselfish or productive. I know you have. That's why I'm here. I'm not asking you to give up your life. I'm asking you to let me help you learn how to use your life to save hundreds of billions of others. Maybe the entire galaxy is at stake here. But don't think of it like that.

"You know, it just so happens that I do know what it's like to be responsible for someone's death. I lost count a long, long time ago. It never gets easier. Never. But I keep doing it. Do you know why? Because it's necessary. Sometimes you have to ignore what feels right and think. You have to look at you priorities, and decide which decision will best protect the things you care about. So think. What is important to you, Ned?"

Ned was so blown away by what Mirana had said that his mind locked up for a moment. Why was she doing this? The woman who not two hours ago had no personality and no shred of warmth in her was now lecturing him on morality. But what she had said made sense, and Ned began thinking about her question. "Well, it's like you said before. I care about my family, and my friends. I guess to some degree I care about just about everyone."

"Well if you care about people most, then the decision is simple. What can you do that will have the best outcome for people? For your family and friends?"

Ned just stared at her. He saw in his mind his father and mother and Jared. He remembered everything he had done with them and thought about how badly he wanted to be back with them. But if he couldn't be back with them, he knew that at least he would want them to be safe. Then he remembered the dream he had had that night before he went to Varlax Kanlor, the one where the Plasma force had flown out of him and consumed Earth. Now it was replaced by a new nightmare, one of Dark Viper's terrible power unleashed on his homeworld. No. It won't happen. I'm going to make sure of it.

"Mirana?"

"Yes?"

"I'm coming."

### Chapter 26

"Jenara, you're not going to like this." X could hardly believe it himself even though he was looking right at the warp range monitor.

"What is it?"

"Jenara, it's Black Fang. It's coming after us."

Jenara went pale. "No."

"I'm afraid so. I'll get the fighters ready."

"X ..."

"I know. Don't worry."

Jenara put her arm on X's shoulder to restrain him. "Six starfighters against that thing can't do anything. Stay here. We'll try to talk our way out of this."

"Any ideas, Jenara?"

"I have a couple of minutes to think one up."

"We're in communications range. Thirteen minutes until Malignus catches up with us."

"Open a channel."

The main viewscreen showed the pricom of the Chelaris, and Kayleen Rax smiled. Princess Trennon looked like she was on the brink of collapse. Good. "Greetings, Princess. I'll make this brief. I have quadralexic particle beams; you have type-two laser cannons. I have thermophyric Sidewinder torpedoes; you have Mark 5 Hunters. I have triple-reinforced shields. You don't. Unfortunately, Dark Viper wasn't very happy about what happened back on Brenaria, so I also have a Sweeper-class battleship four minutes behind me."

"What do you want?"

"It's simple. You see, Malignus is only the first ship in line, the only one that can beat us in a warp chase. There are four slower ships behind it, and maybe sixteen more after that. I can beat Malignus, but it might not be soon enough. If the others show up before I can go to warp, it's all over. With your help, things might go a little more quickly."

"So we help you, and then we get left for the others to rip apart."

"Actually, I was hoping you'd agree to join me on Black Fang. We could easily make it to Palandora before the others, and I'm sure you can appreciate how easy it would be to defend the corridor into the Uraxis Nebula from inside – that is, it would be easy if you had my ship. Alone you'd be, as you said, ripped apart."

"And then what?"

"And then I have a deal to make with you. If you refuse it, I'll be on my way."

"Why not make it now?"

"No time. Besides, I want to make sure I get to Palandora safely before I start handing things over to you."

"You're not making a lot of sense, Rax."

"Princess, if you don't launch those starfighters of yours and help me beat Malignus, I'll simply have to rip you apart and then start running again. That's all you need to know for now."

Jenara muted the volume and turned to X. "What do you think?"

"I think we'd better send a distress signal to Gerran Marnax, and then help her out. I think she's telling the truth about ripping us apart if we don't help. The part about the ships behind her is probably also true."

"Princess," the communications officer called, "Black Fang is jamming us. We can't send a distress signal."

Jenara sighed and restored the volume. "All right, Rax. We're going to battle stations now."

"I had a feeling you might say that," Mirana said.

Now that he had made a decision, Ned felt some of his tension lifting. "So what do we do now? Go tell General Marnax, I guess. I really should say something to Smardwurst, even if I don't tell him where I'm going."

"Smardwurst Varlon is smart. He'll figure it out. So will Gerran. Come with me to the pricom. We're leaving."

"Now? I don't have my things!"

"Your things?" Mirana had a point. There was nothing excuse-worthy back there.

"But what if someone saw you pick me up? Won't they be suspicious?"

"No. The Telarian security perimeter is completely reliable, and there's not much of a tactical significance to this planet anyway. Anyone who saw me pick you up will assume I dropped you off on Galactron later, some other time. Or if not, they'll think I've taken you to Nembis Four. Room six is ready for you. We're leaving now."

Just moments later, the journey to Venom was underway.

The Chelaris was no small ship, but Black Fang was five or six times larger. As it dropped out of warp, X was glad that for the moment they were on the same side. "We're ready, Jenara. Just give the word and we go thundering heroically into space." He did not try to mask his sarcasm.

"Play it safe, X. Let Rax do the hard work. It's the least she owes us."

"Right."

X spent the minutes remaining studying the specs and battle tactics of Malignus that Kayleen Rax had transmitted. He was anxious to get this matter over with so the former Plasma Master could be on her way. Something told him, though, that things would not be that simple.

"Rax to Dragon Leader. Are you ready?"

"You're asking the leader of a six-ship squadron who's about to take on a Sweeper-class starship alone if he's ready?"

"Hardly alone, X. I have a pair of fighter squadrons to help you out. You just distract the enemies and keep yourselves alive. We wouldn't want to anger the Princess, would we?"

"Whatever. How long until they're here?"

"Sixteen seconds. My fighters are deployed and ready. Get out here."

"Jenara?"

"Do it," Jenara confirmed.

"Right. Dragon Force, launch."

X, Straker Dantorn, Liora Fenn, Garfsmunkle Ingeldorfus, Imbelsmift NooFrinchinSminchin, and Zhin Smud streaked out of their launch tubes and dodged laser fire for all they were worth. Malignus was not as heavily armed as Devastator or even Galactron, but it had enough firepower to put six starfighters on the run. Malignus launched three squadrons of fighters of its own, and X found himself desperately hoping that Kayleen Rax knew what she was doing.

Then Black Fang attacked, hammering into Malignus with more kinds of weapons than X could count quickly. It struck so hard that Malignus, its engines temporarily powered down, was actually knocked backward by the attack. Its shields held, though. Still, Black Fang's onslaught drew most of the other battleship's attention, so X was able to concentrate on the starfighters. His and Rax's squadrons were outnumbered, but Rax had apparently reserved some of Anacron's finest pilots for her ship. Their black and red fighters swept into the midst of the enemy ships with the same fury that Black Fang had thrown onto Malignus, and the enemy fighters scattered. X targeted a particularly small group of them and attacked. Jenara brought the Chelaris up behind him for support.

It had been a long time since X had fought a real battle, not counting the invincible one of Moldrona Kren, but his skills were still there. Dragon Force swept away its first few targets in a matter of minutes, and X surveyed the battle. At a glance, it seemed that Black Fang was winning.

"X, this is Rax. Nice job, but see if you can draw some more fire from my fighters so they can hit Malignus again. The next wave of Anacronian ships is just ten minutes away, and we have to at least get rid of Malignus's warp drive before they get here. You'll die too if we fail, you know."

X regrouped with his squadron and attacked again. This time, though, he was more severely outnumbered, and Dragon Force took serious damage. X was fairly skilled at dodging, but Zhin's shields failed after one too many torpedo blasts, and he was forced to eject in order to escape its imminent explosion. After making sure he was picked up by the Chelaris, X contacted Kayleen Rax.

"This isn't working. I don't think we're helping you out here."

"You're going to have to do better, X. They're coming." Rax seemed almost panicked.

X thought for a moment. "Rax, I have an idea. But I have to have your word that you'll take us safely to Palandora. Really."

"That is the deal, isn't it?" She didn't need to say that X had no choice.

"Whatever. Open your shuttle bays and prepare to receive the Chelaris's crew. I'm going to call Jenara and tell her my plan."

The crew on Malignus must have been slightly relieved as Black Fang pulled off its attack and flew over toward the Palandoran freighter. Malignus pursued, of course, but it stayed far enough back to allow it to make repairs, so the fire fight died down slightly. After all, a delay would favor Malignus. Meanwhile, Jenara Trennon was shuttling her crew over to Black Fang as quickly as she could. It was a difficult process, since it was necessary to keep enemy fighters away from the transports, but soon everyone was aboard Black Fang or a starfighter, and the Chelaris was being controlled remotely from Rax's ship.

"Enemy warships closing. Five minutes," came the report.

Rax punched in one final command to Jenara's freighter, then turned to her tactical officer. "Call in the fighters. We're ready."

As Black Fang moved away to expose the Chelaris to the guns of Malignus, the Palandoran freighter powered its warp drive. Then, when the warp coils were fully charged, it pivoted directly toward Malignus. The thrusters fired at full power, and the Chelaris barreled into Malignus's aft at full speed. There was no time for Malignus to evade the collision; the ships were simply too close. The impact caused the Chelaris's warp drive to explode in a searing burst of energy, and Malignus's aft shields failed completely. Before Malignus's crew could prevent it, Black Fang spewed weapons fire into the other ship's exposed drive section, and Malignus disappeared in a blast of fiery light.

Less than twenty seconds before the approaching ships arrived to disable and destroy Black Fang, Kayleen Rax and her companions thundered into hyperspace and were gone.

### Chapter 27

After setting Ned up on the ASI training simulator, Mirana retired to her quarters to recheck her plans for getting into Venom. The procedure was fairly well ingrained in her mind by now, and she found her thoughts wandering to that strange Earth boy she had brought along with her. Mirana had been thoroughly pleased with the success of her little speech back there. She had felt more than a little out of character discussing philosophical issues at all, let alone with someone she barely knew. Still, Ned had truly been on the brink of going home, and that decision had to be averted, even if it had required some inane rambling on Mirana's part.

Once he had made the decision, Ned had put aside all of the concerns that had been bothering him and focused completely on the task at hand, a quality Mirana respected a great deal. At the moment Ned was sneaking around inside a simulated enemy base, shooting everything that moved. He was quite good at it for someone so inexperienced, but he was going to have to get a lot better. Fortunately, Mirana believed she could do most of the fighting without Ned's help, just as long as he could keep up with her.

It annoyed Mirana a bit that she was thinking about Ned so much. More accurately, it annoyed her that she had to think about him so much, that it was so necessary that he be a part of this mission. On Sigma Omicron she had successfully completed a major mission with other people to worry about, but they had all been highly trained and required a minimum of instruction. Even so, fully a fourth of them had not made it back. Now here she was with a man who had never been on a mission remotely like this, and practically everything depended on his survival, not to mention the successful use of the Plasma force. Mirana could understand why Ned had been so uncomfortable with this mission. In fact, the only reason Mirana had been so dedicated to it while Ned had been so hesitant was that Mirana had long since known what Ned had realized just hours ago: there was no other choice.

Mirana's door beeped. "Mirana? Are you there?"

Oh, great. "What is it?"

"I was hoping I could talk to you for a moment."

"Fine. Come on in." Mirana swiveled her seat around as Ned entered and pulled up a chair across from her. He looked a little nervous. "I've been monitoring you. You've gotten a lot better."

"Thanks."

"What do you want?"

Ned stared at nothing for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Mirana, why are you here?"

"This is my room." She was afraid she could see where this was going, and she didn't like it at all.

"No, I mean why are you fighting this war? I mean, if you're really a mercenary like they say, wouldn't it be a lot more profitable to work for the Anacron Empire?"

Mirana's eyes grew even colder than usual. "There's a lot you don't understand, Ned. A lot. The only thing you need to know about me is that I am very, very good at what I do, and the only way you're going to get through this alive is to do what I say. I brought up a personal matter today so I could show you that it was in your best interest to come with me on this mission, but that doesn't mean that all of a sudden we're best friends."

"I know. I didn't mean it like that."

"Is that all then?"

"Actually there was one other thing I wanted to ask you."

"I see."

"How is it that you know so much about the Anacron Empire? I mean, you said you've been inside Venom! How?"

"Like I said, I'm good at what I do."

"That's a little vague, don't you think?"

"Listen, Ned. If I had wanted you to know about my past, don't you think I would have told you? It's not much of a story, I assure you. Now I have work to do, and so do you. You're going to be face to face with the most powerful man in the galaxy in less than a week. Start preparing."

Ned was obviously not satisfied, but he nodded and walked out of the room.

Blue light filled the room and then coalesced around Ned's clenched fist. More light flowed inward in streamers from out of the walls, floor, and ceiling. Ned closed his eyes and pulled it toward him, gathering the Plasma as Koral had taught him to do. It seemed like one good way to prepare for fighting Dark Viper would be to absorb as much of the Plasma force as he could. Undoubtedly Dark Viper already held more than Ned did, perhaps even all of the Plasma on Venom. The thought was not a pleasant one, so Ned was anxious to even things out as much as possible. Ned stood there for a long time. After a while the influx of power was little more than a slight trickle, but still he continued, anxious to push his capacities to the limit. Then abruptly the influx stopped. It was not that Ned could not absorb any more; it was simply that there was no more to absorb. It was a curious sensation, one he had never experienced before. At first he believed it was because he had absorbed all of the Plasma on Nemesis and that there was no more beyond its hull. That did not seem right, though. Even in space there was a little Plasma. Then Ned got another idea. He sent the power outward to test its limits, and then opened his eyes. He had been right. Not only could he not absorb power from outside Nemesis, but he could also not extend his own power beyond the ship's hull. It was not a void that was limiting the amount of power he could absorb. It was a wall.

The shadow field. Ned was not anxious to talk to Mirana again after their previous conversation, but he thought she might find this significant. He walked over to a computer console and called her up.

"What is it now?"

"Mirana, I was trying to increase the amount of Plasma I could absorb, and I found that I can't extend it beyond the hull of the ship."

"Of course you can't. Nemesis is in shadow drive. Didn't you say you can't pierce Shadow Plasma?"

Ned stared at her for a moment. "Of course. I guess for some reason I didn't realize that the shadow drive actually used Shadow Plasma. I guess it would have to, though."

"You look nervous."

"I guess I sort of am. I mean, what if it collapsed inward? What if some of it leaked out and touched me?"

Mirana looked genuinely concerned. "Do you think that's a possibility? We can't do this if we're visible, you know. Nemesis is the whole reason this mission was decided on."

"I don't know. It seems like we have to go on like we are and hope nothing happens. How much do you know about the shadow drive?"

"I know it works, and apparently it hasn't affected you yet. It uses the warp field generators, which means that when I engage the shadow field the Plasma travels aft to the warp drive and then out in a bubble around the ship. When I turn it off it goes back in. No corridors intersect any of the warp conduits, obviously, so you should be safe."

"Okay, I guess that will do. But still, I can't do much in the way of preparation while I'm stuck here like this. There's nothing to practice shooting at, and I've absorbed everything I can."

"What do you suggest?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you might have some idea, but I don't suppose you would. I guess I'll just have to wait until I get to Venom."

"I guess so. I wouldn't try using your Plasma there unless you want Viper to know where you are, though. Well, I've got a lot to do. You know how to get yourself dinner, then get some sleep. I think the best thing you can do right now is to let me do what I have to do. Understand?"

"I believe so. Good night."

Mirana responded by flicking off her viewscreen.

Delightful young lady, Ned thought sarcastically. "Let me do what I have to do," she says. What she means is, "Stay out of my way and stop bothering me."

Ned headed off to the kitchen to get himself some dinner. He almost felt like despairing again that there was nothing he could do and that he was doomed to failure, but he had tried that already a couple of times, and it never did any good. Besides, he had always been wrong about it. In fact, after a few minutes Ned found it difficult to be angry at Mirana for being so unfriendly when she was the only person Ned was likely to see for a while. She was, after all, making a great personal sacrifice on his behalf in taking him to Venom, and she was showing tremendous faith in him as well.

But why?

The next day as Ned was training in the ASI simulator, Mirana interrupted him over the intercom.

"Ned, meet me in the shuttle bay. I'll explain later."

Ned smiled. How to describe Mirana Kelar in three words: "I'll explain later."

Mirana met Ned just outside of the airlock. A viewscreen on the wall showed an asteroid field, with an especially large asteroid up close. "I found this asteroid field on the sensors. It's not too far off course, and I figured you could use one last practice before going on to Venom. I take it you haven't had a lot of practice lately, which is good; it will make this little experiment more accurate."

"What do you want me to do?"

Mirana looked at him quizzically again, and Ned was beginning to think that maybe that was Mirana's version of a smile. "I'm dropping you off on a barren asteroid," she said. "What do you think you should do?"

"You mean you want me to destroy it."

"We're not in sensor range of anything, I assure you. Now go. I'm timing you."

Ned activated his battle suit and walked through the airlock into the depressurized shuttle bay. All Ned could see through the open doors was a stretch of barren rock, and Ned wondered just how big this asteroid really was. He walked to the edge of the shuttle bay and jumped. As soon as he was out of the ship he felt the effects of near-zero gravity. The asteroid's gravity pulled him slowly downward, but he used his suit's maneuvering jets to speed up his descent. At last he was standing on the asteroid, and he was amazed. It was about as big in diameter as a small city, dotted with craters of various sizes. The horizon was amazingly close, and the asteroid's curvature was visible. Still, it was a rather large thing to try to destroy.

Using his maneuvering jets to guide his jumps, Ned moved over to a crater wall and placed his hands on it. He sent the Plasma into the rock and felt that the asteroid was full of it. Good. He reached out to draw it in, just as he had done on Nemesis. After having absorbed the power from Nemesis, the asteroid's power was slow in coming. Ned focused his whole mind on bringing it in, but still the process was slow. It was a lot like cramming cotton balls into a shoebox, Ned thought. At first it was easy, but eventually it filled up. When that happened, you could keep cramming more in, but each time you had to compress them more, and the resistance increased. After about sixteen minutes Ned stopped.

This isn't working. I'm going to have to try something else. Ned knew that at the moment he did not have enough power to destroy the asteroid on which he was standing, and that very likely meant that he did not have enough power to defeat Dark Viper. He suddenly realized just how wise Mirana had been in stopping here; if she had not, Ned might not have realized just how inadequate he was until it was too late. He had to learn something new about the Plasma now, while it still mattered.

Ned's first thought was that there might be a limit to how much Plasma could be associated with a person's body, just like there was a finite number of cotton balls that could fit in a shoebox. But Dark Viper had created Venom somehow, and Ned did not believe that something like that could be done by the power of a Plasma Crystal alone. Dark Viper must have had a lot more power than Ned did.

Then Ned thought back to all the other advances he had made over the Plasma force. When he had learned to absorb power, and when he had learned to use Blast Plasma and Vortex Plasma, he had done so by thinking. It was almost as if realizing how something was possible was all it took to make it possible. Did that make sense? Maybe a little. If it were true, then perhaps all Ned needed to do was realize that he could absorb the asteroid's power.

I can absorb the asteroid's power. Easily!

It didn't work.

Perhaps, then, Ned had not been that far off in the first place. After all, he had been able to absorb some power, so he must have been on the right track already. Ned tried to articulate exactly what it was that he did in order to absorb power. He decided that he imagined an object full of a fluid, and himself, only partially full of a fluid, and he caused the fluid – the Plasma – to flow out of the object and into him. His present problem was that, in this hypothetical model, Ned's container was full, while the asteroid still had a lot more in it.

I can easily hold a lot more Plasma than I'm holding right now.

That didn't work either.

It must be more than must saying it, then. Maybe I have to work with the model I have. Ned pictured himself and the asteroid again, each holding some supply of Plasma. Then he reached into himself in an attempt to tie the image in his mind to the actual power he was dealing with, then did the same with the asteroid. Slowly, Ned started absorbing power again, and adjusted his mental image to account for the exchange. It was like the Plasma inside him was compressing, but it didn't want to compress any more. He tried to imagine it compressing more easily, or to imagine that his supply was not nearly full, but it did not make much of a difference. Maybe he really was carrying as much power as he actually could.

To take his mind off of the immediate problem, Ned extended his arm toward a large boulder and fired. A blue streak of Blast Plasma tore into the boulder and melted it, showering the surrounding area with drops of molten rock. Unfortunately there was no air, so Ned didn't hear a thing. Sad.

But the explosion got Ned thinking. When the rock had exploded it had expelled Plasma, but that Plasma had not come from within it. It had come from Ned. Maybe Ned needed to think more along those lines. Rather than gather power and then use it, perhaps he could manipulate Plasma that was not in him. Really, he was doing that whenever he fired Plasma out of himself, so there was no reason it should not work in this context. He extended a beam of energy outward and enveloped another boulder. He created a shell of energy around it, and then slowly collapsed it, constricting the Plasma of the boulder. The constriction took place within the Plasmatic ether, so there was no visible effect yet, but Ned could feel the Plasma building in the center of the rock. Finally, when Ned could feel the power inside the rock exerting enough of an outward force, he removed the shell he had created. In the same motion, he pulled the Plasma inside the rock into normal space. The rock exploded, just like the one he had shot. Yes! It had worked! Now all Ned needed to do was to apply that principle again – only about a million times stronger.

Turning back to the crater wall, Ned placed his hands again on the rock. He reached outward in all directions, blanketing the entire asteroid in a thin layer of Plasma. He continued to let the Plasma flow out of him, strengthening the blanket. At the same time, Ned absorbed as much Plasma from within the asteroid as he could. In this way, Ned was acting not as a receptacle for the Plasma or a source of it, but more like a conductor, merely pulling it from one place and sending it somewhere else, in a different form.

Finally the Plasma blanket was strong enough all over the surface of the asteroid, and Ned began to contract it. It was a very slow process, given the enormous amount of Plasma he was trying to contain. Still, the Plasma inside the asteroid was not already compressed like the Plasma inside him was – at least that was how he thought of it – so it was fairly easy to press it toward the center of the asteroid. Ned worked steadily for ten minutes, then twenty, and eventually he completely lost track of time. Trained by the time he had spent on Galactron preparing for Moldrona Kren, Ned was able to keep his attention focused entirely on the manipulation of the Plasma force despite the monotony of the task.

Even with the training, though, Ned had expected it to be more difficult than it actually was. There was something about the Plasma force – a beauty even – that Ned could not quite describe. Something about the way it flowed, the way it felt to him as he sensed it, that invigorated him and compelled him to work with it. It was like artwork to him. He wished he could explain the feeling to others so that they too could understand. There was a loneliness to the enjoyment he took in the Plasma force. Koral had understood, but now the only people in the galaxy who could relate to Ned in that way were all his enemies. Ned had never really thought about it quite in that way before, and he found himself hoping that someday he would be able to show someone else how to use the power like he did, even if it was only so that he could share what it was like with someone.

Ned's thoughts trailed off as the asteroid's Plasma started to resist his constriction. He was almost ready; he could feel it. He pushed it together for a moment longer, then stopped. Just holding it still did not require as much of his concentration, so he flicked on the com link to Nemesis.

"Mirana."

"Yes."

"I've just about got it. Make sure you get a video recording of this; it's going to look really neat."

"Whatever, Ned."

Ned maintained the Plasma shell for just an instant longer, then let go.

This time, the explosion made plenty of noise. The escaping Plasmatic energy instantly broke apart all of the atomic bonds of every particle of matter it struck. Great pillars of light stabbed upward out of the asteroid in its weakest places as it disintegrated, but it was only a fraction of a second before everything disappeared in a white burst of light. Protected by a furiously sizzling shell of blue energy, Ned was flung far beyond the asteroid's former location. Floating now in empty space, Ned was tempted to try to "stop" himself by firing jets of energy, but there was nothing to use as point of reference – for all relevant purposes, he was stopped already. So he just floated there, still rather dazed. Then everything abruptly darkened to black, and he found himself floating inside Nemesis's shuttle bay. He righted himself as the artificial gravity kicked in so that he hit the ground standing. "You like doing that, don't you?" He said over his intercom as he waited for the airlock to pressurize, then deactivated his suit.

Mirana entered the shuttle bay. "One point three hours. Not bad I guess, but you might not want to make Dark Viper wait that long before blasting him."

"I had no idea it took that long."

"So did it help?"

"A lot! I learned a whole new way of using the Plasma force! I bet I'm at least a hundred times stronger now!"

Mirana raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm impressed."

"It was your idea! Thank..." Something about Mirana's demeanor made him stop. "So... what were you doing during those one point three hours?"

Mirana's expression softened so much Ned was afraid it might break. She seemed almost sad. "Ned, come with me. I have something to tell you."

Dark Viper looked into the throbbing green light of his hand. The power there helped to calm him, to remind him that he was the Emperor, and that nothing could ever stand in his way. It helped sometimes to remind himself of that fact, because there were times when it almost seemed that his enemies had become a real threat. Or, in the case of the Shadow Master, his allies as well.

Dark Viper had come to hate the Shadow Master very much since the events surrounding the disappearance of Nemesis from Sigma Omicron. Previously he had believed he was merely dealing with a very good computer pirate who every once in a while learned something worthwhile and offered it to him, perhaps hoping for a reward some day. But now that he knew that his mysterious messenger was a Plasma Master capable of invisibility, the only thing Dark Viper could think about was the incomparable amount of destruction the Shadow Master could have done for him and had chosen not to. Now the Shadow Master had contacted him, and he was wondering whether or not he should even respond. He finally decided that he would. He flicked on the monitor. As always, though, there was nothing there but blackness.

"Greetings, Emperor," rasped the Shadow Master's voice.

"And what invaluable news have you brought me today?"

"Your sarcasm is ill-chosen, Emperor. You should rejoice. Even now your Shield Crystal is on its way to your doorstep. Thanks to me, of course."

"That would be good news indeed if it did not have a Plasma Master attached to it!"

"Just a few days, Emperor. Shall I leave now, or would you like to know the other tidbit I have learned?"

So it wants to me to beg it for information? Hah! "I suppose it is your choice. I can't say I expect you to tell me, given your recent lack of loyalty."

"Then I will surprise you yet again. I have learned that Gerran Marnax is planning something special at Nembis Four. Something you will undoubtedly like to see."

"Is that all? Would you like to know how long I've known that?"

"Fortunately, I have learned from a more reliable source that Nembis Four is merely a decoy. Gerran Marnax plans to draw your attention there so he can sneak Ned Simmons into Venom."

"You must be joking."

"Be ready for him, Emperor. Goodbye."

Dark Viper thought for a moment over the news he had just learned. Perhaps it was true; perhaps not. It did not matter. It took only a few minutes for a plan to form in the Emperor's mind, one that would take into account every contingency and destroy StarBlazer once and for all. And then ...

Dark Viper almost laughed.

Mirana had set up one of the vacant rooms on Nemesis as a lounge area, and it was to this room that she brought Ned. "Last night I thought about some of the things you said," she began. "As I told you, I do not like to have others know much about me. Knowledge can be very powerful, and I don't like to give power to other people. But you are putting a great deal of trust in me in coming on this mission. In fact I hope for your sake that you never have to rely on anyone this much again. So, I believe you are entitled to a degree of trust in return. I must have your word on this, though. You must promise to never tell anything of what I am about to say to anyone, even if you think they already know."

"I won't, I promise. Not unless you tell me I can."

Mirana looked into his eyes for a moment as if to measure the worth of his promise, then continued. Her eyes were distant as she spoke, and the hint of sadness on her face seemed to increase with every sentence.

"Mirana," Ned said quickly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I thought about our conversation too, and you have a right to ..."

She dismissed him with a shake of her head and went on. "I was born on Anacron and raised by my father. My mother died when I was very young. I was basically an average child, a little smarter perhaps. But I had friends, I went to school, I played games. My father taught me to live on my own when it was necessary, but it was always for fun. We went camping sometimes, just to see how long we could survive without modern technology. Then one day while I was out in the woods playing by myself there was an explosion in part of the city's power grid. Many homes were destroyed. Mine was one of them. Something happened inside me that day. I did not mourn, I just locked myself up. I guess I was afraid of what would happen to me if I paid attention to how I felt at the time. I have since wondered whether that was such a good idea, but I can't say I regret it. It kept me going when I might have fallen apart completely. I decided that I was alone, and that I had learned enough about life to live that way. A bit of that attitude I picked up from my father, but a bit of it was my own. I had always dreamed of being independent, and I decided to look on that day's events as the beginning of the road to that goal.

"I walked around and gathered everything of use that I could find that had survived the explosion. There was not much, but it was more than enough for me. I spent several hours at it, working in order to block away the fear and sadness that were threatening to overwhelm me, and then a scanner I was carrying detected someone coming toward me. I tried to hide, but of course they had a scanner too, and soon I realized they were going to find me sooner or later. So I waited in a ruined building until they were close, and then I used a technique my father had taught me about temporarily jamming weak handheld scanners. I quickly approached them – there were two of them – and shoved my blaster into the leader's face and insisted that he leave." Mirana eyed Ned meaningfully. "It was Gerran Marnax." She paused as Ned's eyes widened in surprise, then continued.

"He didn't leave, of course. He stayed and talked to me, told me that a home could be found for me. I told him I wasn't going to live with anyone I didn't know. I said I wanted to live by myself. Gerran was always so kind; he told me that he could arrange for me to live in a small apartment by myself, and that he would make sure I got the things I needed. I told him I would not need much, but I accepted his offer for a place to live. As it turned out, the apartment he was referring to was a room in his home. Gerran and his wife Rinel moved their things out and let me live there for years, until I decided to leave. I was not always perfectly kind to them, if you can believe that, but they were like second parents to me. They saw my eagerness to learn about the world, and they taught me a great deal as well. During the time I lived with them I went to school, and I worked – as Trelan Thendrak's secretary."

"You're kidding."

"No. Gerran was sitting on the Imperial Council at the time, Trelan's old secretary moved to Jendaris Prime, and I had all of the necessary skills. And it paid a lot of money. I didn't spy on Trelan then, of course. Both Gerran and I believed him to be an honorable man. But I learned a lot about him, and about the other councilmembers as well. Including Kayleen Rax and Markan Dren. In fact, I was present on many of the occasions when they were learning to use the Plasma force.

"After a while I saved up enough money to buy a small starship, and I went out on my own. I stayed in touch with Gerran, though, and when he decided to leave, I decided to stay and watch Trelan, who by that time was starting to be called 'Dark Viper.' As much as I learned from my father and Gerran and Rinel, I taught myself a great deal more. My newfound skills included breaking into computer systems, piloting a starfighter, and fighting in hand-to-hand combat. As you can imagine, that kind of thing is occasionally useful in my line of work. In fact, I have been inside Venom a couple of times. I've intercepted one or two of Viper's transmissions as well, but I've never been to see him personally since he retired to his fortress."

Ned was smiling, not because it was a pleasant story, but because things were starting to fit into place now. "That's incredible! Back on Earth they make movies about people like you! I'm sorry I was skeptical about you, Mirana. I really appreciate the sacrifices you've made, like risking your life like this to bring me to Venom."

"I didn't tell you that to entertain you."

"I know. I didn't mean it like that."

"Ned, as I watched the Plasma Masters develop their power, there were some things I noticed, some things that you should be aware of."

"Like what?"

"Well, let me ask you this: what was it like today as you used the Plasma force to destroy that asteroid?"

"It was exhilarating! There was a huge amount of power flowing through me, and I was controlling it and shaping it – it was almost like music."

Mirana did not look impressed. "Ned, I have to assume that your planet's history is not that different from the history of every other inhabited planet in the galaxy. What happens when someone gets a lot of power and really enjoys using it to destroy things?"

"Mirana! It's not like I was attacking people with it! It was just an asteroid!"

"I know. With Kayleen Rax it started out with big rocks too. I really don't think Trelan Thendrak started out with a burning desire to destroy everyone in the galaxy. Incidentally, I also don't think you'll turn out like him. But it's something to be aware of. Power can be subversive. If you destroy the Shadow Master and Dark Viper, then you'll be the only Plasma Master left in the galaxy. I don't think now's the time to plan how you're going to use it, but you really should be careful every time you use the Plasma force. Make sure you're using it for the right reason."

"I guess you're right. Thanks, Mirana. Thanks for telling me this."

"Don't thank me yet. You have two boring days of combat training ahead of you, and then you and I get to break into Venom. Once we're in, I don't think you'll be in a very grateful mood."

### Chapter 28

Gerran Marnax was annoyed that Mirana would take off with Ned leaving only a simple coded message that he should prepare his invasion force immediately, but he was not all that surprised. In a way it made sense, too. Leaving quickly avoided another mysterious meeting, and it got things moving that much faster. Marnax wondered how she had convinced Ned to go with her so quickly, but he supposed it did not matter. The matter of the Plasma force was finally off his shoulders, but now he had to plan an attack on what was undoubtedly the most heavily fortified structure in history.

There were a lot of technical things to take care of. He needed to uphold the illusion of a secret project at Nembis Four until exactly the right time and make sure he leaked exactly the right information to draw the enemy fleet there. Then, once the Anacronians had been lured away from Venom, he had to assemble as many ships as he could close enough to Venom to coordinate the approach, yet far enough away to avoid premature detection. When they went in, each ship in the invasion fleet would have to enter the hole in Venom's warp shell at a precisely-calculated moment in order to avoid a mass collision. Then would come the most difficult part of the plan. The StarBlazer fleet would have to hold off whatever Anacronian defenses were in place in Venom's interior until Mirana could give them a clear shot at Dark Viper's fortress.

The first part of the plan had worked perfectly so far; intelligence reports showed that Imperial forces were becoming suspicious of the so-called Nembis Project. It would take time for the ships to reach Nembis Four from Venom, so if Mirana had left already, Marnax needed to start drawing them out immediately.

His door beeped, and Marnax called Major Harvey into his office. The two men shook hands, and Harvey sat down.

"Here are the ships we can afford to send to Nembis Four without severely weakening the front lines," Harvey said, handing Marnax a datapad. "I've managed to put more ships on that list than I had originally expected, but I don't think I can push the number any further without taking ships from our attack force."

"We need as many ships as we can get for the attack on Venom," Marnax said. "Still, do you think these ships alone will be enough to draw away Venom's defenses? If I were Dark Viper, I'm not sure this would convince me to take a risk like that."

Harvey leaned back in his chair. "Well, General, maybe we need to take more of a risk here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if we only bring ships to Nembis Four that we can spare, then Dark Viper will only send the ships of his that he can spare. On the other hand, if we completely pull out of a few key star systems, then that would look a lot more like we need to get to Nembis Four immediately, and it would look a lot more like it would be in the Empire's best interest to stop us."

"Key systems, like where?"

"Your choice, really. Tactically it really won't matter much."

"And why is that?"

"Because if we're really going to try to pull this off, none of the other battles will make any difference. If we take Venom, we're pretty much guaranteed to win the war. If not, we lose, regardless of whether or not we maintain a few star systems. It seems to me that we'd better forget about all other goals for the moment and put everything we have into this."

"So we just abandon a bunch of our strongholds and run like mad to Nembis Four? It might be more convincing, but I doubt the inhabitants of the places we abandon would be very pleased."

"It wouldn't necessarily have to be inhabited star systems. I think there are enough mining and production facilities the Empire has its eye on that we could abandon. We could even set a few traps just in case the Anacronians decided to move in."

"That sounds reasonable. Come up with some major supply bases you want to use and arrange for the civilians to be moved away at the last minute. How long will you need to pick the bases you want to evacuate?"

"Done. I plan to evacuate all of them."

Jenara Trennon was greatly relieved as they left the graviton storm and Palandora appeared on the viewscreen. So far, Kayleen Rax had been right; none of the pursuing ships had gained on them since the destruction of Malignus, and Black Fang's powerful warp drive had allowed them to complete their journey home in about a day. In fact, the pursuing ships had broken off the chase after a few hours, apparently realizing that there was no way they could keep up with Black Fang.

Jenara turned and looked over at the woman who had dragged her into this harrowing chase and gotten Jenara's starship destroyed in the process. "So, Rax," she said, tactfully masking the contempt in her voice. "You said you had a deal to make with us."

Rax looked back at her and smiled, but the gesture was more fiendish than friendly. "Yes, I do. As you have noticed, Dark Viper is very unhappy with me, and he's anxious to explain to me the extent of his anger. I'm sure I could keep running from him forever, but it would make for a very unpleasant life. I would never be safe anywhere in the Empire, and StarBlazer is probably just as mad at me. So that leaves one of the many neutral planets."

X cut in. "If you haven't noticed, Rax, we don't care much for you either. You killed the founder of our planet just so you could make Ned Simmons think that Markan Dren was dead as well!"

"Yes," Jenara said. "I think you'd better look for a different neutral world to seek refuge on. In fact, the sooner you leave, the sooner we can stop worrying about Imperial warships coming here looking for you."

"No. I need a planet that's well defended. You might not have much in the way of weapons yet, but the Uraxis Nebula is a natural barrier to everything. All you need to do is shoot into the corridor, or even just temporarily deactivate it, and nothing gets in. There are plenty of natural resources on Palandora, so there's nothing to worry about from a siege."

"You said we didn't have many weapons yet," X commented. "Are you proposing that we grant you asylum in exchange for weapons?"

"Better than that," Rax replied. "I'm proposing that you grant my crew and me asylum in exchange for Black Fang."

Jenara's mouth dropped open. "You're joking."

"Not at all. With a warship like that, you could easily defend the entrance corridor, and you could visit other planets as well without making a week's journey out of it. You can have everything on it, too, except for our personal belongings, and also we'll take three starfighters; we have to have transportation, you know. And you must give us land so we can support ourselves here. That shouldn't be asking too much, given the amount of undeveloped space on this planet."

This was all terribly amusing for Kayleen Rax. She was well aware that the entire population of Palandora felt nothing but loathing for her, just like X had said. But they really could not refuse her on this. Rax was no longer a threat to them, even with her crew. She didn't have the Blast Crystal any longer, and three starfighters would not be any kind of a threat to Black Fang and the rest of its fighter fleet. The really ironic thing, though, was that Rax would actually be an invaluable asset to Palandora. Since the planet had been isolated for so long, no one there would know anything about the galactic economy. Rax could show them where to go to purchase materials for planetary defense weapons and the like, and she could show them how to use Black Fang's powers to make enough money to finance those purchases. And King Trennon would pay her dearly for the service, as well.

"How do we know you're not going to set the ship to self destruct as soon as we're on it and you're not?" X asked.

"You don't, I guess. But really, would that be in my best interest? What would Jenara's father do if I tried that? My goal is to make myself safe, not dead. In any case, I'm not in any hurry. You can go down to the planet and think for as long as you like, and I'll just sit up here. The only difference between now and after we make the deal is that right now I'm the one with the warship."

Jenara knew better than that. "I don't think so, Rax. You're coming down to the planet until we make a final decision. Besides, it's my father you have to convince, not me."

The sun was low on the horizon when Kayleen Rax and the Palandoran crew touched down on the planet. Jenara immediately took Rax in to meet with her father, but X was not very interested in the meeting. He walked out of the palace and whistled. Valkron had undoubtedly seen the shuttles land, and hopefully he had come far enough out of the mountains to hear him. Dragons had very good ears, and before long X could see the green dragon approaching. He mounted up when Valkron had landed, and then the pair lifted into the sky. Palandora looked beautiful from up there, and X was glad to be home. But for how long? He wanted to stay up there forever, but he knew that Jenara, her father, and Rax would finish their discussion before too long, and he wanted to be there when they did. He turned Valkron around and returned to the palace gardens.

It was late in the evening when Jenara came walking out of the palace and found him standing under a large tree, thinking.

"How'd it go?" he asked her.

"You could probably guess. My father didn't want anything to do with her, but in the end he had to make the deal. There really is a lot we could do with a starship like that."

"Yeah." X was staring off into the darkening sky.

Jenara looked concerned. "X, are you all right?"

"Yeah," he said again. "I was almost hoping you and your father would turn her down. Not really, it's just that now we have to decide what to do with the ship."

"What do you mean? We should keep it here and guard the entrance to the nebula, just in case the Anacronian ships come looking for Rax."

"Maybe."

"What else did you have in mind, X?"

"Black Fang is a very powerful ship. It could do a lot for the StarBlazer Alliance."

"What are you saying? That we sell it to them?"

"No. But maybe I should take it and use it to help them."

"X, I thought we agreed that our part was done in this war."

"Yes, but that was before we had something that could make a difference."

Jenara looked up at the sky for a moment as well. "X, after I told my father about the things you did while we were gone, he decided to give you command of the ship. He was going to give it to me, but I didn't want it. It was all right with the Chelaris, but Black Fang is a warship, and that's not a field I'm interested in going into."

X looked over at her. "You know, Jenara, war isn't something I'm interested in either. I mean, I hope to increase Palandora's defense systems, and if we're ever attacked I'll do everything I can. But I don't think this warrior stuff is for me. I don't like running around defending people who aren't there with me. I know it's necessary for some people, but I don't like being the one to do it."

Jenara smiled at him. "I'm glad you feel that way, X."

X's face remained sad. "But Jenara, for the moment I have more battle experience than anyone on the planet, and I can help to defend it by fighting Dark Viper. If StarBlazer wins without us, then we'll be fine, except that we will not have sacrificed anything for our safety. We won't have any more respect in the galaxy than we do now, and we'll probably continue to be overlooked. On the other hand, if Palandora helps StarBlazer to win, then Gerran Marnax will be a lot more inclined to form an alliance with us, and that means we'd have a lot more protection than one warship. StarBlazer might even pay us for our efforts."

"But what if you go and StarBlazer loses? What if you get killed?"

X was running out of things to say. He didn't like the idea of leaving, but he really felt it was the right thing to do. "I'm not trying to be a hero here. I'll do everything I can to stay safe. I promise."

Jenara nodded silently and then put her hand on X's shoulder. "I can't say I agree with you on this, but I think I understand, and I'm not going to stop you. I trust you to get back in once piece, it's just that ..." She was going to try to explain herself in words, but she just hugged him instead. "I'm going to miss you," she said finally.

"Me too," X replied. "I'll hurry back."

After they parted X gathered together enough Palandorans to form a skeleton crew for Black Fang, and in less than three hours he was on his way.

### Chapter 29

On the second day of travel, a tiny dot appeared on the long range sensors. It was a long way off, but it was also the largest solid object in the galaxy, so the sensors had no trouble identifying it: Venom. All preparations were complete, so Mirana just sat and watched the dot grow steadily larger as they approached. It was hard to believe that the war was almost over. It was even harder to imagine what it would be like once it ended. But surely that was what was going to happen in just a few days. The war would end, one way or the other. And it would all come down to the actions of just two people, her and Ned Simmons. Mirana shook off the sense of foreboding that threatened to creep over her, deciding that both she and Ned were up to the task.

A few hours later she called Ned into the pricom and then dropped out of warp. Ned simply stared. Venom's dark form was visible, even though from this distance most planets would have been just specs against the starfield. Ned could see lines crisscrossing Venom's surface, but as they approached, those lines became more complex sets of lines, as did those. The fractal surface continued to unfold until Venom took up the entire field of view. From this close, the Anacronians' fortress looked like a giant metal desert, cracked and scarred as if it had been sitting there forever, subject to impossibly strong winds and rain. And it was dark – without the viewscreen's artificial image enhancement, Ned would not have been able to make out any details at all.

"What is all that?" he asked Mirana.

"The marks on the surface? Most are weapons, but there are some sensors, tractor beams, and communications ports as well. I can't imagine where Dark Viper came up with the resources to build so many complex devices in such a short time."

"So if we dropped the shadow field right now, how long would we last?"

"The shadow field wouldn't even finish disengaging before the ship was completely destroyed."

Ned could see why Marnax wanted Venom for StarBlazer. "How do we get in?"

"Hold on."

Mirana continued to guide Nemesis over Venom's surface for a few minutes before bringing the ship to a stop. She transmitted a message into the communications port directly below the ship and then leaned back in her chair. "Now we wait."

"For what?"

"Just be patient. I'll let you know how I did it as soon as it's done."

It was a long time before Mirana got the reply she had been looking for. After she did, she moved Nemesis forward once again. She traveled for some time around Venom's surface, and then a door appeared ahead. It looked like a gigantic, circular valley, but Ned guessed that it was large enough for the continent of Australia to fit through with room to spare. Nemesis had just reached the door when it opened slightly, just enough for the ship to slip through, into a corridor that lead to a similar door in the distance. Mirana quickly flew through the crack, and the outer door closed behind them.

"Come on," Mirana said. Ned wanted to ask her what she was doing as she stood up and left the pricom, but he knew he would get no answer, so he just followed her. She led him to the airlock, where they both put on StarBlazer space suits; Mirana told Ned not to turn his battle suit off or on except when he was aboard Nemesis, since there was a chance that Dark Viper might detect it if he did. The airlock doors opened, and Ned and Mirana jumped into the nearly-black void. Ned followed her as she moved toward the tunnel wall. When they reached it Ned saw what Mirana had been heading toward. It was a small doorway, perhaps some kind of maintenance hatch. Mirana opened it, motioned Ned inside, then closed the door behind her. Then the airlock they were standing in repressurized, the gravity plates engaged, and the lights came on.

The airlock door led into a room with several lift pods lining the walls. Mirana chose one, they climbed in, and it sped off along its track. The ride lasted for over an hour, and Ned's muscles began to cramp, but he could not help but smile. For the moment it was enough that things seemed to be going exactly as Mirana had planned. The ride ended in a room that looked much like the one they had come from, only smaller. Mirana led Ned out of the lift pod, through a door, down a corridor, and stopped by what looked like a blank wall. She pressed her hand to it, and it slid open to reveal yet another corridor. At the end was another door, and at a touch from Mirana's hand it opened. Beyond the door was someone's living room.

At least, that was what it looked like. Flowery furniture adorned the room, and paintings hung on the walls. There was even a curtained window, although it was obviously just a viewscreen showing scenery. A middle-aged woman sat in a couch facing away from them, but she rose to greet them when they entered.

"We're here," Mirana announced as she removed her helmet.

Ned removed his as well, and immediately he lurched backward.

"What is it," the woman asked, a look of concern on her face.

Mirana grabbed Ned's arm to steady him. "Ned?"

"I don't know," he said, quickly pulling off the rest of the space suit. "I feel something."

"Oh, no." Mirana muttered. "Ned, what is it?"

"I'm all right," Ned said finally. "It just took me by surprise."

"What is it?" prompted the other woman. "Come sit down, both of you."

Ned sat down, trying to ignore what he was feeling. "When I took off my helmet, I sensed something. Plasma, I assume, but it's different. It's almost as if it's alive."

"Ned," Mirana said, "If I learned right by observing the Plasma Masters, the Plasma is supposed to be associated with matter. Venom is by far the most massive thing you've ever encountered. Do you think that might be it?"

"No, I don't think so. It's more like when I was fighting Rax and Dren, when they attacked me. The Plasma feels like someone's controlling it."

Mirana looked worried. "Do you think he can sense you? If he can, we have to leave now."

Ned pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "I think it's alright," he decided out loud. "Somehow it doesn't feel like the Plasma's reacting to me. It just feels different, and that took me by surprise. Really, it's okay."

After a moment, the woman who had been waiting for them extended her hand to Ned. "You must be Ned Simmons, the Shield Master."

Ned shook her hand. "That's right. Sorry about that. It wasn't much of a greeting."

"Ned," Mirana said, "this is Rinel Marnax, the woman who disabled the sensors so we could get in."

Ned looked back at Rinel. "Of course! I saw a picture of you! But why are you here? General Marnax said his family was somewhere safe!"

Rinel smiled. "And what place is safer than this?"

"For the wife of StarBlazer's leader, I imagine I could think of a few."

Rinel laughed then, and the sound was a pleasant change from the solemnity of the past few days – weeks, really. Then she reached out to take Mirana's hand in hers. "It's so good to see you again. It's been so long."

Mirana looked into Rinel's eyes for a long time, and finally she smiled. To Ned it seemed like a miracle; perhaps Mirana was not the chiseled block of ice she made herself out to be in public. "Yes, it's good to see you too. Thank you for letting us in."

"Your message was very interesting, Mirana. Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Ask him," Mirana said, nodding in Ned's direction. "He's the one who's going to pull it off."

Then Ned laughed too. "Well I can definitely say that I have no idea what Mirana is doing. Would someone please start explaining?"

Mirana's face was serious again when she spoke to Ned. It was like she was trying to be two people at once. "Rinel lives here on Venom with Ren and Jenez and Irina. They came with the rest of the Anacronian population when Viper moved them here, and I helped them quietly disappear. The Empire thinks they left with Gerran, so Viper's not even looking for them. Rinel and I have developed a way for me to get in and out of here when it's necessary."

"Does General Marnax know this?" Ned asked.

"I think he suspects it," Rinel answered. "If he does, he's undoubtedly very unhappy with the idea. But it's necessary."

"I don't think he knows," Mirana said. "There's no way he would let me come here if it meant putting his family in the slightest bit of danger."

Rinel stood up. "Well, you two must be hungry. I have some food for you, but I think I'll bring it to you. I think it would be best if the kids didn't know you're here, given the circumstances."

"Right," Mirana said, and then she brought Ned through a doorway and into a room with nothing but cupboards on the walls and a table in the center. Open doors to the left and right led into identical rooms. "It's not easy to build a house inside a place like Venom," Mirana explained, "so there aren't extra rooms here. You and I will stay here in the storage area. Make yourself comfortable."

"How long are we going to be here?"

"Gerran said to give him four days before opening the hole in the static warp field. Don't worry, there are mattresses and blankets here. You can sleep in the room to the right; just don't fall off the table."

Gerran Marnax had seen many battles in his life and commanded many starships, but he had never seen so many ships in one place. Over three-fourths of his fleet was assembled, hundreds of thousands of ships strong, dotting the starscape in all directions like rocks in an asteroid belt. Taken all together like this, it was hard to imagine that anything could stand in his way. It was truly humbling that the fortress he was about to attack could very well extinguish every life in his fleet in a matter of seconds if something went wrong.

"All ships check out, General," Harvey reported. "Dark Viper's time is counting down fast."

"How's the decoy, Harvey?"

"Reports show heavy movement in the direction of Nembis Four."

"But they're still closer to Venom than we are?"

"Yes. The main bulk of the fleet won't reach Nembis for a few more days. Longer than we can afford to wait, I'm afraid."

The communications officer turned around in his chair. "General, there's another starship coming in at high warp. It's Black Fang, but its index is Palandoran."

"You've got to be kidding. Can you put them on?"

"Warpcom booster station located. I've got them."

"Back already?" Marnax asked X as he appeared on the main viewscreen.

"Hello, General. I don't suppose you could use another starship?"

"X, how in the world ..."

"We had an interesting trade agreement with Kayleen Rax. Long story. Don't worry, though. We've checked the ship out thoroughly. I've got two squadrons of empty starfighters, too, if you've got some extra pilots."

Marnax folded his arms across his chest and managed a smile. "Good news is always welcome, X, but this seems just a bit too true to be good. I'll send over some pilots, along with some technicians to go over your ship one more time, just to be sure. Harvey, get him an entrance vector."

"Sir," X said, "what exactly is going on here? The StarBlazer base we stopped at for fuel told us to come here, but only after confirming my recent association with you and checking over my ship. I figured you might be up to something, but I didn't expect to see the rest of the fleet as well!"

"Excuse me; I forgot you hadn't been told. We're going to end the war, X. We're going to Venom." X looked understandably shocked. "I'm afraid that you'll have to come with us now that you're here; we can't risk a security breach. You can join me on Galactron, though, if you'd like. I'm sure I could find a crew for your ship."

"No, that's okay, General. I'll manage. We're receiving your data now. X out."

"Let's hope that's a good sign," Harvey said. "All ships report ready."

Marnax took a deep breath and looked forward into the stars. Here I come, Rinel.

"StarBlazer fleet. This is General Marnax. Go."

On the third day in Rinel Marnax's home, Ned began to grow uneasy. It was not the mission itself; so far everything had worked according to plan. Nemesis had come through the doorway under automatic control, and Rinel's skill had wiped out all traces of its entrance. Ned was fairly certain of this not only because both Rinel and Mirana were confident in it, but because Ned did not believe that any of them would still be alive if Dark Viper had discovered their presence there. Part of what bothered Ned was sitting around and doing virtually nothing when perhaps the most important thing he would ever do was just days away; it felt like he should be preparing, somehow.

Another, slightly more significant disturbance was the strange sense the inert Plasma on Venom had. He had grown accustomed to it, but it had not subsided since he had exposed himself to it by removing his space helmet. Ned had discussed the matter with Mirana that first day before retiring to his storage room to sleep, but the only thing the two of them had decided on was that Ned should focus on not allowing the altered sense of the Plasma to distract him. That he had done. It no longer distracted him; it only infuriated him. What was it? Why was it so different? Ned had a feeling that it had something to do with Dark Viper's power, and that meant that it might hold the key to defeating the Emperor. In any case, Venom's Plasma force was a constant reminder to Ned that he must keep his own Plasma under control. Whatever other properties Venom's Plasma had, Ned had little doubt that it would alert Dark Viper if it were at all disturbed.

In an effort to take his mind off of the matter, Ned decided to try to talk to Mirana. She had been rather quiet since their arrival, and Ned believed it might have something to do with Rinel. Mirana always acted very differently around Rinel, as if her presence were some kind of license to indulge in "normal" life for a time. Ned wondered at the wisdom of bringing up the subject with Mirana, but he was becoming restless, and eventually his curiosity got the best of him. He walked across the room to Mirana's door and knocked.

There was the sound of footsteps, and then Mirana opened the door. "What is it?" she asked, her tone of voice indicating that the only proper response was for Ned to say "Nothing" and then go away.

"Can I talk to you for a while?"

"More questions?"

"Can you blame me?"

"Of course I blame you. Come over here and sit down." Rinel had brought some chairs into the center storage room, and Ned and Mirana sat down in them. "The Plasma bugging you again?"

"Actually, I was going to ask about you."

Mirana's eyes narrowed. "What about me? Didn't we already have this discussion?"

"You don't need to talk to me if it makes you uncomfortable," Ned said.

Manipulative, thought Mirana. I'm impressed. She wasn't about to give the impression that mere discomfort would dissuade her from doing or saying something. "All right, Simmons. Let's have it."

"Well, you answered my previous question about why you were on StarBlazer's side and not Anacron's. But you answered it by telling me about your past. I was hoping you'd tell me a little about you."

"Last I checked, my past self and I are the same person."

"Yes, but ... Okay. When you were trying to convince me to come here, you asked me what was important to me. Well, what's important to you? What do you enjoy?"

Mirana clenched her jaw. She obviously did not want to answer the question, but the fact that she did so anyway convinced Ned that it was all right to have asked. "First of all, those are two separate questions. Enjoyment is not necessarily important at all. People find enjoyment in lots of things. Some people find enjoyment in pumping their bodies full of narcotic chemicals and depriving themselves of their minds and personalities. Some people find enjoyment in discarding their self-respect in casual intimacy. Others, like Dark Viper, derive enjoyment from murdering billions of innocent people."

It seemed to Ned that perhaps Mirana was dodging the question. He was about to say so, but instead he replied, "Yes, but I think we can agree that all of those things are immoral. I guess what I'm asking you is, what do you value?"

Mirana exhaled in exasperation. "I guess, judging by what I do, that I value staying alive, and the things that facilitate that."

"And what things are those?"

"Dollars, funds, profits, lucre, assets. That sort of thing."

"You expect me to believe that you aren't interested in anything but making money and staying alive? What about your family?"

"My family is dead, remember?" Her voice was rising toward a shout, but Ned felt that it would be wrong to end the conversation there.

"I meant Gerran and Rinel Marnax and their kids. They're like a family to you, aren't they?"

Mirana looked away then, and her breathing slowly returned to normal. After it did, she turned back to Ned with the usual cold look in her eyes. "Look, Ned. I realize that you're just trying to be friendly. But take some advice. I don't make a very good friend. I work alone, and I work for myself. When this is all over, I'm going to congratulate you, and then you can go home and we'll never see each other again. There's nothing to be gained by this kind of conversation. You're just going to get us both distracted from the task at hand."

This time Ned returned the cold, skeptical gaze. "Mirana, don't you think that I should be the judge of whether I want to be your friend? Every time I talk to you I become more convinced that you're not as heartless as you make yourself out to be. I can see why you want to be that way in public, but everyone needs friends, even you. And for people in your line of work, I would think that an invincible friend would be a rare commodity. Besides, you've observed the Plasma Masters at work. You understand how the Plasma works, and that is not true of anyone else except for people who have tried to kill me. The way I see it, we'd make perfect friends, even if our planets are a galaxy apart. There is such a thing as warp drive, you know, and I haven't decided yet just what I'm going to do once this is over. And as for getting distracted, there's nothing to get distracted from right now except sitting around and staring at the wall. Now, if there are things you don't want to talk about, then I don't want to push you. But please don't avoid me just because you think you're doing me a favor!"

Mirana was silent for a long time. She just sat there, staring back at Ned. She had not expected that out of him, and it surprised her that he could surprise her so significantly. "Very nice," she said finally. "I see I'm not the only one who can deliver inspiring, heartfelt lectures at will. As a matter of fact, there are a few things I'd rather not discuss with you; namely, you and me."

"Why on Earth not?" Ned asked, catching his poorly-chosen idiom too late.

"We are not on Earth," Mirana snapped back. "That's the whole point. We are on Venom, and in a matter of days this monster planet and everything inside it is going to explode into war. Now if you want to prepare for that, I'll do everything I can to help you. But if you're looking for an alien friend, you're going to have to give Smardwurst Varlon or X or cute little Jenara Trennon a call, because I am not interested. Do you understand?"

"Very little," Ned replied.

"Doom on you, Ned. I am risking everything on you here, and you had better not let me down." She quickly rose from her chair and walked back toward her door.

"It looks like I already have," Ned muttered sadly. He knew she had heard him, but she closed the door without a response.

### Chapter 2Ф

They each ate dinner alone, and Ned went to sleep wondering what he was going to do to repair the situation before the StarBlazer fleet arrived and he and Mirana had to work together. He decided finally that the first thing he should do was apologize, so first thing in the morning he went and knocked again on Mirana's door. Surprisingly, she answered it.

"Mirana, I'm sorry about last night, again. I shouldn't have ..."

Ned was cut off by Rinel Marnax as she rushed into the room. "Mirana!" she shouted. "The fleet's here! Inside Venom!"

"What?" Mirana shoved her way past Ned, into the center storage room. "Gerran's here already?"

"No! Not Gerran's fleet! The Anacronian fleet! Practically the whole thing! I just looked at the scanners, and the sky is just swarming with warships!"

"Oh, no. Ned, do you know what this means?"

Ned was relieved to see that the anger was completely gone from Mirana's face. Perhaps that simple apology had been enough. "Off hand, I'd say that the party's off."

"No. We can't quit now. We just have to change our plans."

"What part don't we change?"

"The part about us. We'll just leave for Viper's fortress now. If Gerran gets here and Venom's warp field is still intact, he'll assume we've failed and go back. He has to go back if he wants to stay alive."

"Mirana," Rinel said, "This must mean that Gerran's plan was betrayed somehow. That means Dark Viper might be expecting you, too."

"That's impossible," Ned said. "There's no way the Shadow Master could have found out about the plan."

Mirana was already moving. "Grab something to eat, Ned. I'll check the internal sensors and make sure it's safe for us to leave. Rinel, you'd better keep the kids out of the front room. We've got to get out of here as fast as we can.

"Can't we get a message to the General?" Ned called out as Mirana disappeared through a doorway.

"No, not in time. Not without being detected. Hurry!"

Sixteen minutes later Rinel Marnax was leading Mirana and Ned up through the corridors to Venom's surface to where Nemesis had landed itself three days earlier after continuing through the entrance corridor on autopilot. They stopped at an airlock to say thank-you and goodbye, and then Mirana led Ned out onto Venom's inner shell. Sunlight beat down on them in a perpetual noon as they made their way across the black landscape toward absolutely nothing, as far as Ned could tell; there was only metal in all directions until the land curved skyward in a concave non-horizon that blurred away all detail. Mirana stopped after about a hundred yards, where the lines on the ground formed an X. She motioned Ned to stand next to her, withdrew a controller from her suit's pocket and pressed a button. A tractor beam caught the pair and levitated them into the air, dropping them onto an invisible surface high above the ground. There was a slight vibration as huge doors closed, and then the shadow field covering the inside of Nemesis's shuttle bay dropped.

"Now we just hope no one saw us," Mirana announced. "Get out of that space suit and follow me to the pricom. Maybe this time I'll even tell you what we're doing ahead of time."

Ned noted several enemy warships on long-range scanners as Mirana headed for their target. It almost seemed a shame that they needed to preserve secrecy for as long as possible, or she would have been able to destroy a few of them along the way. Then again, Ned wondered if that thought were merely an unconscious desire to delay the inevitable conflict a bit longer. In any case, Mirana flew in a direct line toward Dark Viper's base, almost all the way across Venom from Rinel's concealed home. Ned saw the fortress in detail as he approached. Four curved spires thrust upward from Venom's surface, all pointing in toward the center of the formation. The vast building complex below was similarly symmetrical, and structures that Ned assumed were weapons protruded from everything. The fortress was ringed by a low, circular structure, which Mirana said marked the perimeter of the shields. She brought Nemesis up until it was near the place where the shields touched the ground and then stopped.

"You're going to like this, Ned. You know about the problem with static warp fields. Well, there's one around this fortress. But there's a way through, now that we have Nemesis. See, in order to block warp travel with a static field, you have to have the field resonate on all of the warp phases you want to block. It's pretty simple for a planet's power generators to charge a field that resonates on higher levels than any known ship can go, including Nemesis. But no one ever bothers with subspace, because traveling in subspace would make you go a lot slower, and it would be really easy to take you out while you were moving through the shield."

Ned was smiling. "But Dark Viper can's see us, so it doesn't matter how long we take."

"Right. It would have taken forever to get through Venom's shell that way, but this shield's small enough to make it reasonable."

"One question though. Why stop with the shields? Why not drop into subspace and travel inside the fortress, and then send missiles or something into normal phase space and blow the fortress up from the inside?"

"Good thinking again, but it won't work. If we tried to send a missile into normal space that was already occupied by something as dense as the fortress, the missile would explode in subspace and damage us, not the fortress. There are other reasons too, but the physics get complicated. Ask Smardwurst when you get back. We'll just have to settle for the shield."

Mirana dropped Nemesis into warp negative one and proceeded to move through the shields. It took over four hours to move just the length of the ship, even with the ship's above-average thrusters firing at full power. Ned was glad when they returned to normal space.

Mirana surveyed the massive fortress towering over them. "Well, we made it. Now I try to figure out the general layout of the fortress so we can make a semi-intelligent guess at Viper's position. Unless of course you just want to step out of the ship and use your Plasma. Maybe Viper would come out to meet you, but I have a feeling he'd fire every weapon he's got at us instead. What do you think?"

"Mirana, I think you should see this."

Mirana glanced at the sensor screen Ned had been looking at. When she looked up at him, her face had gone pale.

General Marnax had dropped out of warp a safe distance from Venom, as planned. Also as planned, he found that a small hole had been opened in Venom's static warp field, so Marnax arranged to send the fleet through. The passage through the hole was executed flawlessly, and it was not until he dropped out of warp inside Venom that Marnax realized that he had made a very, very serious mistake.

The decoy had failed. Anacron's fleet was waiting for him.

Before Marnax could even think about escape, the opening in the warp field that Dark Viper had so conveniently given him closed, sealing the StarBlazer attack force inside.

Then the final battle between StarBlazer and Anacron began.

Starfighters poured out of their mother ships like angry bees defending a hive. Battleships spewed laser and missile fire into the enemy fleet in a continuous burst of searing energy. Captains and Admirals poured frantically over diagrams of the battle zone, seeking to optimize their attack resources. But even a child could have summarized the situation that day as the battle ensued; StarBlazer was surrounded from the moment it arrived, and it was being ripped apart.

For the moment, though, that fact did not carry any weight for Marvis Harvey. He had recently won several major victories over the Empire, and he viewed this battle as his chance to use the knowledge he had gained from those victories to repay his enemies for what they had done to his homeworld. He gave Black Fang an escort of twenty Crusher-class warships and sent it into the largest mass of enemy ships. The specialized weapons on Black Fang dematerialized several ships in a matter of minutes and sent dozens of others into a mad frenzy to escape. Most failed. Harvey usually left starfighter matters completely to Ambelshack Devorion, but today he gave Starhawk explicit instructions as to which starships they should attack and defend. In this way, Harvey used the most skilled and experienced starfighter pilots to balance the scale of power in exactly the right places. After an hour of fighting, StarBlazer was still losing, but it was not losing as badly.

Harvey mainly kept Galactron out of the fighting, not wanting to endanger himself and the General. However, he occasionally used the ship to annihilate groups of enemy warships that made severe tactical mistakes and opened themselves up to attack. The starship Harvey really wanted, though, was Nemesis. It hurt to think of the damage the advanced weapons on that ship could be causing and were not. Instead, Nemesis was probably parked somewhere on the other side of Venom, waiting for that fool Mirana Kelar to carry out her side of the plan. You owe me, Kelar, Harvey thought. You'd better make this good.

"I was going to come with you," Mirana told Ned as she pulled her stolen Anacron-issue battle suit on, "but this changes everything. There's no way Gerran is going to break out of here unless we can help him. I'll give you as much of a map as I can, but you've got to find the Emperor and defeat him. I'm going to see about the shield generators. If I can bring the shields down, they might have a chance. I'll take you as far as I can, but be ready to run."

Ned listened in silence as he pulled on a suit identical to Mirana's; rather than draw immediate attention, the idea was to try to pass themselves off as Anacronian soldiers for as long as possible before being detected. The Emperor would undoubtedly have himself surrounded with thousands of soldiers, so two more should not make much difference.

Mirana had explained their plan of attack during the passage through the shields, and by now it was firmly implanted in Ned's mind. Before they had left the pricom, Mirana had programmed Nemesis to extend its shadow field downward until it intersected a subterranean corridor. Nemesis had then fired a high-power laser with a very narrow beam into Venom's shell, slicing out a piece of the ground down to the corridor like a cookie cutter. After shielding was installed in order to keep the air from escaping, a tractor beam had lifted the section upward, and now it was time to enter. The airlock's outer door slid open, and Ned and Mirana jumped out, using their suits' booster rockets to slow their descent to the ground. The fortress looked enormous from here, even though only a part of it was visible from this point of view. Mirana motioned Ned over to the hole Nemesis had cut in the ground just a few yards away, and once again they jumped down. Mirana had Nemesis lower the cut-out ceiling section back into place.

Ned looked around. Viper's fortress was nothing like he had imagined. They were standing in a black, roughly circular tunnel extending forward and backward farther than Ned could see, with only a red light strip on each side of the tunnel to illuminate the way. There was absolute silence, and there was no one in sight. Ned wondered what Mirana was thinking of all this, but he knew that her face would reveal nothing of her emotions, even if it were not hidden behind her suit's tinted visor. She raised the rapid-fire blaster rifle she had slung over one shoulder, checked the smaller blaster at her hip, and started forward. Ned followed, his own blaster rifle also held ready, his eyes searching the sensor readout on the weapon's top for some sign of movement ahead or behind. There was nothing.

The tunnel went on like that for a long time. They walked in silence for over twenty minutes, and still there was nothing but the circular walls and the two red light strips. Ned was already nervous, but after this long, monotonous walk his heart was pounding. He was finally inside Venom, at most a few miles from Dark Viper himself, but Ned had somehow expected that he would feel more prepared by the time he got this far. He had to assume that Mirana knew what she was doing; she had not failed him yet. Still, hadn't Mirana predicted that Viper's fortress would be crawling with soldiers? She had said before that she had been a certain distance inside the fortress, but maybe they were much farther than that now. Did that mean that Mirana no longer knew exactly what she was doing? It did not matter, Ned decided, and the time for such questions was past. He was the Shield Master, and even if things went wrong, he was going to win. He had to.

At last the tunnel reached a T-junction. The intersecting passage sloped slightly, up to the left and down to the right. Mirana turned right and kept walking. Still there was no sign of movement. The computers built into their suits and weapons had been drawing a rough map as they had uncovered new territory, and after a while Ned noticed that the passage they were in not only sloped downward, but it also curved slightly to the around to the left. Presumably, Ned supposed, the passage would continue to spiral downward until they reached ... something. He decided he would be best off not trying to guess what.

It was not long before the passage began to cease its monotony. Other passages intersected the one they were in. Mirana passed them all by without slowing. There were differences in the walls, as well; occasionally there were slight cracks outlining rectangles in the walls – doors, perhaps, although it was impossible to tell. Still, there was no sound, no movement. Ned was just beginning to think that Dark Viper lived alone in this massive fortress when Mirana fired her weapon, destroying something up ahead. In the same movement she spun around and fired again, once again destroying her target before Ned could see what it was.

There were more up ahead, though, and this time Ned caught sight of them. They were robots of some kind, composed of the same black material as the walls. They did not look like they were primarily for combat purposes, since they each only carried a single blaster, similar to the ones Ned and Mirana had. Two green eyes glared out at them from the otherwise-featureless faces. Ned did not bother to contemplate the robots' appearance, though. As soon as he saw them he raked laser fire from his blaster across them, detonating their power generators. Mirana destroyed three more robots behind them, and then there was silence.

Ned scanned the darkness furtively, but neither his eyes nor his scanner indicated that there were more robots close by. As they continued down the hall, faster this time, Mirana spoke for the first time since their departure from Nemesis. "They seemed to be nothing more than maintenance droids. It looks like Dark Viper doesn't feel that he needs protection down here. In any case, the robots shouldn't be much of a problem unless they attack in large groups."

"Should I use my Plasma now?" Ned asked. "I think we can assume Dark Viper knows we're here."

"Not necessarily. If he did, don't you think he'd have all of his forces converge on us? It seems to me like the weak security force he does have is automatic. Don't use it yet."

The robots attacked again just seconds later, more this time. Mirana had to duck into an intersecting corridor to escape the robots' crossfire. She set two grenades at the intersection and then ran with Ned down the new hallway before the grenades detonated and collapsed the ceiling, blocking the robots on the other side. This hall soon intersected another spiraling one, and once again they started descending. After little more than a minute, the scanners showed several dots moving toward them from several directions.

"Mirana ..."

"I see them. Keep moving." Mirana took another series of intersecting passages in order to keep from being surrounded, but when she came out in a large room that spilt off into several passages, she stopped. "They're coming from four or five directions now," she said. "This is where we split up. I'm going to draw their fire and then head in this direction. According to the scan I did back on Nemesis, there's a major power source over that way. If it's not the shield generator, it will at least give me some idea of how to get to it. There's nothing you can do to help me now; you'll just slow me down. You go on ahead, and try to continue downward as far as you can go. I wish I could help you more, but you're on your own. Got it?"

Ned nodded. More emotions than he could count were boiling up inside him, but he forced them down. "Good luck," he said simply, and then he took off along a downward-sloping passage. He heard explosions behind him as Mirana sealed off several passageways, and then there was silence again.

Once again Ned forced down the confusion, telling himself that Mirana knew far more about this sort of thing than he did. Then a thought pried itself to the front of Ned's mind: Mirana had not told him anything more because they had finally reached the part of the mission that she had mentioned back on Galactron when she had first explained it to him; Mirana's plan no longer took Ned into account, and it was now up to him to make his own victory. She had left him, and from then on she would no longer even take Ned into consideration. Ned slowed. So, what was he going to do? There was no sound of pursuit; perhaps Mirana had succeeded in drawing it after her. Was that wise? Could she handle all of those robots by herself without Ned's Plasma to protect her? Should Ned continue farther downward in an attempt to get close to Dark Viper before he detected Ned's presence, or should he try to draw the Emperor to him? He started walking again, deciding that he might as well follow Mirana's previous advice until he thought of a better idea.

Minutes later he was attacked again. He detected the robots before they reached him, and his laser destroyed them before they could bring their weapons to bear. More were on the way, though, and Ned knew that this time he would not be able to evade them; he was going to have to stand and fight. He planted his back against a wall and waited.

Laser fire came from the left and right at once, and Ned jumped out of the way just in time. His blaster tracked the shots from the left and destroyed the robot there, and he jumped aside just as the robot on the right moved into position and fired again. Ned destroyed it and then threw a grenade in its direction to slow the other robots approaching from that passage. His scanner showed that several robots were massing ahead of him. Mirana undoubtedly would have been able to deal with them, but Ned was not nearly as skilled as she, and he figured his cover, if he ever had any, was just about gone. He ran toward the robots ahead, weapon blazing.

Two robots exploded instantly, followed by two more. But there were too many this time. A laser bolt tore through Ned's helmet, sparking Shield Plasma to life against his face. Ned dropped another robot, and then several more shots hit him. He was not sure, but he thought he felt a slight stirring in the Plasma around him. Had Viper heard? Ned destroyed a few more of his attackers, but by then his body was engulfed in blue light. It was over, he realized. The time for stealth had long since passed. His blaster rifle exploded, struck by an enemy laser. Ned dropped the remnants and extended his arm.

Just like he had done on the asteroid, Ned channeled the Plasma around him and gathered it about his hand. Venom's Plasma shuttered as it was disturbed, but Ned was able to control it despite the strange sense he had felt in it. A broad band of light surged forward from Ned's hand and exploded into the robots in front of him. More robots were approaching, dozens this time, but the euphoria he had felt on the asteroid was returning, and Ned felt truly invincible. He started forward once more, slicing apart everything that moved. After a while he became aware of a new stirring in the Plasma force, a series of eddies that felt entirely foreign. They were emanating from somewhere ahead. He's found me, Ned thought, but the idea evoked no fear, only anticipation.

Ned ran on for several minutes more before realizing that the robots had stopped attacking. The stirring in the Plasma had ceased as well. Ned's thoughts went back to what Mirana had said about the Plasma force being addictive or subversive, and he realized that there might be more to her words than he had understood. He stopped for a moment to calm himself down, quenching the light that had been enveloping him, gathering the Plasma about him once more. He was going to have to watch himself, he realized. By losing track of himself like that he might have put himself in serious danger.

He really had lost track of himself. Looking around, Ned noticed that the corridor had changed significantly. It was colored grey now, with normal white lighting overhead and clearly-defined doors. His mapping computer had been destroyed along with his space suit, so he was now hopelessly lost. First things first, though. Ned engaged his battle suit, then turned in the direction from which he thought he had felt Dark Viper's power and began walking.

The battle was going very, very badly. Galactron, Black Fang, and the rest of StarBlazer's more powerful ships were still intact, but dozens of smaller ones had perished in the effort to defend them. Marvis Harvey was holding the battle together, but the StarBlazer casualties were exceeding those of the Empire.

General Marnax had long since given up the goal of attacking Dark Viper's fortress. Even if he were to succeed in destroying it, the Anacron fleet would still be able to annihilate the StarBlazer force before Marnax could take control of any of Venom's defenses. As if to simplify Marnax's options, the Anacronian fleet had transmitted a message early on, informing him that the Empire would accept no prisoners, no surrender. It seemed the only option now was escape through one of Venom's doors.

Of course, the Anacronian leaders were aware of that. All of the doors were heavily guarded by starships, not to mention the ring of laser cannons circling each door. Breaching those defenses was no easy process. The StarBlazer fleet had inflicted heavy damage on one of the doors, but it was not nearly enough. Not only would it be necessary to completely destroy both the inner and outer doors in order to allow StarBlazer's ships to escape, but any ship that made it out would immediately become a target to the innumerable weapons that dotted Venom's outer surface. The only way to make a successful escape would be to be go to warp before the lasers locked on, and not many ships would succeed in that.

Perhaps none would. Perhaps it was all over.

Gerran Marnax watched the viewscreen as Galactron's guns destroyed another enemy warship. It's not enough, he thought. We can't win like this.

"Sir, ten Anacron ships approaching. Eight destroyers and four Nova-class cruisers. Golden Eagle is under heavy starfighter attack and has been forced to drop out of our escort."

"Get me Iron Talon," Harvey ordered. Nredj Holmrk appeared on the viewscreen. "Holmrk? Where's Captain Devorion?"

"He gave me command of the ship and left the pricom not a minute ago. Didn't say why. What do you need?"

"Golden Eagle needs starfighter assistance. Galactron is about to be attacked by ten enemy warships."

"I'll take care of it, sir. I think Captain Devorion is heading in your direction too."

Ambelshack Devorion was the type who looked for opportunities to ignore protocol. One of the most important protocols in starfighting was that you never traveled alone, but if there ever was an excuse to ignore that, this was it. His fleet had been reduced to twenty-one ships, and there was no way he was going to pull even one of the remaining fighters out of the fight just to follow him into something like this. All of the Starhawk pilots were elite to say the least, but not one of them would be able to keep up with Ambelshack in what he was about to do.

His first target appeared up ahead: one of the destroyers closing on Galactron. Laser fire immediately streaked out at Ambelshack's fighter, but his ship and his mind were so quick that he dodged all of the shots out of pure reflex. Further up ahead was the ship's starfighter escort. High-powered missiles from Ambelshack's ship locked onto two of the enemy ships from a ridiculously long distance. They fired so fast that the ships had no chance to break the target lock, and both missiles obliterated their targets. At a closer range, two panels slid open on the underside of Ambelshack's ship, revealing supercharged tractor beam emitters. Ambelshack scattered a part of the enemy fighter fleet with shots from his wingtip particle beams and then locked onto one of their ships with a tractor beam. Modifying the beam to integrate with the enemy ship's shields, Ambelshack extended the beam off of the captured ship and directed it toward another fighter. Trailing this chain of two enemy fighters, Ambelshack continued to approach the destroyer as he added another ship to his chain, then another. A few shots exploded against his shields, causing minimal damage. The tractor beams had captured a chain of eight starfighters by the time Ambelshack was point-blank with the destroyer. He fired an energy disruptor at the destroyer's shields where they protected the engine ports in order to weaken them slightly, and then he flew straight toward the spot he had hit. At the last instant he pulled up into a steep climb and deactivated the tractor beam. Laser shots from the destroyer tore at the underside of his ship, but Ambelshack pulled away before too much damage could be done.

The starfighters Ambelshack had temporarily captured were not nearly as maneuverable as his. The first plowed into the weakened portion of the destroyer's shields, followed by the second. By the time the sixth fighter exploded against the shields they were so weak that a breach opened. The seventh fighter flew through it and crashed into the destroyer's exposed aft, while the eighth was able to barely escape.

Dodging enemy fire, Ambelshack flew in again for a final run. He targeted the hull of the destroyer where the shields had been stripped away and fired a turantium missile at it. The missile burst open as it struck the destroyer, spilling turantium acid all over the hull. The turantium instantly burned into the metal, exploding into a chain reaction that tore its way to the destroyer's warp drive. A purple ball of light burst out from the destroyer, engulfing everything it touched.

Ambelshack lamented the fact that Starhawk had only been able to construct just that one turantium missile as he targeted the next destroyer.

This one still had a healthy supply of missiles in reserve, and it fired several of them at Ambelshack as he approached. He destroyed many of them long before they reached him, but the others he evaded by taking advantage of his fighter's phenomenally short turn radius; nothing could stay on his tail for very long. He had hoped that this ship's starfighter escort would shy away from him after what had happened to the people defending the previous ship, but they did not. He was forced to hunt down and destroy most of them before he could get a clear run at the destroyer.

At last he had the starfighters on the run and set up his attack on the enemy ship. He flew toward it, evading missiles and firing occasionally with his lasers in order to mask what he was really doing. As the destroyer began to fire at him with its laser cannons, Ambelshack released a nearly-invisible fluid from the back of his starfighter. The fluid was highly viscous, and it clung to the release valve on his ship, spreading out behind him in a wide wake. Ambelshack dodged the incoming laser fire just barely so that the lasers struck the fluid trailing behind him. The energy from the lasers caused the fluid to sparkle and glow, and soon it had absorbed the combined energy of several dozen laser blasts. Again Ambelshack's ship was struck a few times, but still his shields held. When the fluid was saturated with energy, Ambelshack set a collision course with the destroyer, charging his warp drive as he went. He went to warp just before he struck, avoiding the destroyer by passing through hyperspace instead. The fluid was pulled toward hyperspace by the trailing edge of Ambelshack's warp field, but the effect soon decayed – just as the fluid struck the destroyer's shields. The combined energy from the warp field and the absorbed laser power shattered the shield barrier, leaving the destroyer an easy target for nearby StarBlazer ships. It was reduced to scrap in minutes.

"Only zeld ships left," the officer on Galactron reported. "Starhawk also eliminated most of the enemy fighters around Golden Eagle; it will be joining us momentarily."

Nice work, Marnax thought.

"Sir," came another report, "they've managed to keep Black Fang away from the door. The attack force you sent there has just been wiped out completely."

Harvey slammed his fist down on the arm of his chair. "Form another attack force and get it in there as soon as possible. Bring Galactron up with Black Fang. We've got to free up that ship now, or we'll never get out."

Harvey and Marnax exchanged glances, and their thoughts were conveyed easily without words. Small victories, tremendous losses. This battle was as good as over. Six hours, Harvey thought. If we don't do something major by then, StarBlazer will cease to exist and Dark Viper will rule the galaxy. Then determination welled up within him once more and he turned his mind back to the task at hand. "Varnes, that attack cruiser over there is vulnerable. Rip it apart."

### Chapter 2∩

The robots did not attack again, nor did Ned feel Dark Viper's influence. He walked for a long time in the direction from which the strange sensation had come, but the corridor seemed to stretch on forever, its grey walls interrupted only by the occasional door or intersecting passageway. The thought crossed his mind that he had not eaten in quite some time, but he was pumped too full of adrenaline to feel hungry now. Still, the monotony of the walk was beginning to grate on his nerves as much as hunger would have. He was rather relieved, then, when the passageway opened up into a large chamber. Ned could not figure out what it was for, but wide, metal pillars rose from floor to ceiling in fairly even rows. Ned looked around the room in hopes that he might find something of use, such as a computer console, but there was nothing. Finally he decided to continue on his way. He was almost to the open passage opposite the one through which he had entered when a massive door came crashing down in front of him, sealing him in. Ned spun around just as another door sealed the other passageway as well.

Ned turned around, intending to rip through the door with a blast of Plasma, but there was something wrong. It was like the Plasma of the door and the surrounding wall, floor, and ceiling was solid; Ned could not control it. Then suddenly there was the sound of laughter behind him, harsh and rasping. Ned spun around to face it. There was no one there.

Ned froze. The Shadow Master!

"I see you are not one to listen to wisdom, Nedward Simmons. I must say I am disappointed." The voice was coming from somewhere in front of him. "I must give you some credit, though. You served me quite nicely, bringing your friends here to their doom, just as I said you would."

Ned wanted to say something, but his mind was blank. He wanted even more to run, but that option seemed impossible. What should he do? Stand and fight? His thoughts lasted only a moment and were cut short by a slow darkening of the air before him. Once again, a humanoid form seemed to absorb all light as if a black hole had just formed in the middle of the room. This time, though, the figure did not remain that way. Light slowly began to reflect off of its surface, and within a few seconds Ned could see the figure clearly. It wore a battle suit similar to his own, although the metal was black. Even now it reflected almost no light at all. The helmet was featureless except for a thin, glowing-red visor. It gave Ned the impression that the figure standing before him was glaring back at him hatefully. Seeing it as a solid being relieved some of Ned's fear, however; perhaps he could fight this creature after all. Bringing his thoughts under control, Ned spoke.

"I don't have time for this. Open this gate, now." He managed to put a degree of authority into his voice, despite the fact that he was trembling under his battle suit.

The dark figure hissed mockingly at him. "Confrontational, are we? Have you forgotten your lesson already?" The Shadow Master extended its open hand toward Ned, palm outward, and a bolt of black fire erupted out of it. Ned was ready, though. He rolled out of the way before the blast struck him, blaster already in hand. He quickly regained his balance and fired at the dark figure, but it was far too quick; Ned's shot went wide. Ned jumped behind one of the metal pillars, dodging another beam of black energy. When he peered out from behind the pillar to fire again, the Shadow Master was gone. Ned realized too late what had happened, and a blast of Shadow Plasma from off to the right knocked him down. He tried to fire at the source of the blast, but already his invisible attacker had moved.

Ned was not about to fight like that. He sent a thin haze of blue light outward to fill the room and quickly discovered a hole in his energy field. The Shadow Master was caught off guard, and this time Ned's shot hit. He ducked behind the pillar again, but he did not evade all of the wash of Shadow Plasma fired back at him.

When the Shadow Master attacked again it had dropped its shield of invisibility. Still, it moved in complete silence, and Ned was caught completely off guard as the bolt of black Plasma struck his suit from behind. He turned around too late to catch his opponent before it disappeared behind a pillar.

This wasn't working, Ned realized. The pillars were serving his enemy more than they were him, and despite all of Mirana's battle training, Ned was having a terrible time getting his laser blasts to make contact. Even without invisibility, the Shadow Master possessed more speed and stealth than he did, and probably more experience and marksmanship as well. If Ned fought it on those grounds, he was going to lose. There's only one advantage I have over that thing, Ned thought as he was struck again by an unanticipated Plasma blast. He switched his blaster to his left hand, then charged a bolt of Plasma in his fist as he scampered among the room's metal pillars. Judging by the attacks his opponent was using, Ned guessed that he was a great deal more creative in his use of the Plasma force. Bending quickly to the ground, Ned slammed his glowing fist into the floor. Jagged sparks of blue light ripped outward from where his fist struck, splintering the floor from wall to wall. Ned heard a low grunt as the Shadow Master lost its footing. Tag!

Ned rushed to the source of the noise. The Shadow Master was invisible again, but the blue haze was still lingering, so Ned spotted his opponent anyway. He hurled a grenade at it and leaped for cover, grinning victoriously as the grenade detonated just feet from its target. Not wanting to give the Shadow Master a chance for escape, Ned brought up the Plasma force again. This time he sent out a beam of energy, but not as an attack. He sent the blue tendril arcing out away from him and then back to where he could hear the crunching of the Shadow Master's feet against the ruined floor. The energy bolt did no damage, but it enveloped the Shadow Master in a mass of seething blue light. Before it could break free Ned ran past it, firing several shots at its helmet. The Shadow Master had been temporarily blinded by the blue light striking its visor, so none of its shots hit Ned. By the time it crushed the blue aura with its own power, Ned was hiding again.

Ned had temporarily run out of creative ideas, though, and he was hit several more times in quick succession without getting off a successful shot. His suit's warning alarm sounded in his ear; it was reaching its limits of energy absorption. He had to finish this fight quickly. He paused for a moment, thinking of his limited past experiences in combat situations like this, then ran toward one corner of the room.

Along the way Ned passed a proximity mine the Shadow Master had left on the floor. It exploded, throwing Ned to the ground. Although his Plasma shield absorbed the blast, the Shadow Master took the advantage of Ned's temporary immobility to emerge from hiding and burn into his suit with a wave of black energy. Ned fired his blaster, driving his enemy into cover once more, then dashed again toward the corner of the room.

When he reached it, he planted his back against a nearby pillar and waited, facing the corner. He wanted to force the Shadow Master to approach him from the front, at close range. Ned was caught a bit off guard as the pillar abruptly exploded, hit by one of the Shadow Master's grenades. Quickly Ned adapted his plan. He turned around and ran though the explosion, ignoring the beams of black fire streaking toward him. He sent beams of Blast Plasma into the floor to the left and right of the Shadow Master and brought them together directly behind his target. The floor where they met exploded, showering the Shadow Master with large chunks of metal. It backed away from the flying debris, and that gave Ned enough time to catch up to it and fasten his hands onto its shoulders. In each hand were three grenades, all activated.

Since he had been ready for the blast, Ned had no trouble diverting all of the energy from the exploding grenades downward, into the Shadow Master's battle suit. Ned could hear a rending crack as the black metal began to break apart. A tremendous blast of Shadow Plasma burned into Ned's suit, but Ned maintained his grip with one hand. With the other hand he reached for his blaster, ready to empty it into his opponent's helmet, but another wave of Shadow Plasma hit him full in the chest, and this time he was thrown back.

The Shadow Master did not attack again, though. It vanished once more, and by now Ned had completely neglected the blue energy field he had used to detect it. He lay there panting for a moment, stunned with the shock of the sudden attack and the unexpected battle. But there was no time to stop and think, he knew. He got up and ran to the closed door. It opened briefly and then slammed down again just as Ned stepped into the doorway; Ned was caught underneath. Although he was not able to willfully control the Plasma in the door, the Shield Crystal redirected the door's energy in an effort to protect Ned, and the entire door crumbled to dust. The path was clear.

Ned stood up, startled by the abrupt attack, and scolding himself for falling for the trap. He stopped for a moment, scanning the corridor for any further signs of danger. As he did, he took the opportunity to draw to himself as much of the surrounding Plasma as he could. The exhilaration he always felt when using the Plasma force was coursing through him again, but this time it was more controlled. He had won; he had survived a battle with the only being in the galaxy who could cancel out his power. As he reached out to the surrounding Plasma, Ned could feel something up ahead, something powerful. He hoped with all is heart that it was Dark Viper. The Emperor's reign was at its close.

The hallway ahead was long, straight, and completely black. With blue Plasma sparkling up and down his body, Ned Simmons approached his destiny.

### Chapter 30

The hallway ended in a massive set of doors marked with the Emperor's personal insignia: a green "V" over a red triangle. Ned raised his hand to destroy the doors, but before he could bring the power to bear, the doors slid apart. Ned stepped quickly into the pitch-black room beyond.

The doors slammed shut as he entered, and the lights came on. It was a large room, but it was almost completely empty. Directly in front of Ned a staircase led up one side of a small pyramid, atop which sat a chair, its back to the entrance. Dark Viper slowly turned to face his visitor and then rose.

He was a tall man, taller than he had looked on the viewscreen on Brenaria. He wore the same plated armor Ned had seen before, but it only covered his chest, legs, and arms. The Emperor's boots were made of black snakeskin leather, as was the cape he wore about his shoulders. His head was bare, and Ned noted that he looked incredibly young; certainly no older than twenty-five Earth years. As before, Dark Viper's right hand was sheathed in a pulsing green flame. He gazed intently into Ned's helmet visor and opened his mouth to speak.

Before he got the chance, Ned lashed out at Viper's head with a bolt of blue Plasma. Without averting his gaze, Dark Viper whipped his glowing hand upward and sent a beam of green fire lancing outward. The fire caught Ned's blast and stopped it midair, and green light exploded down the length of the blue beam. When the green light reached Ned's hand, he jolted backward as if he had been bitten. It was not a physical sensation; rather, it was as if the strange inaccessibility Ned had felt in the door of the room where he had fought the Shadow Master had been forced into him by Viper's green light. Ned looked back up at the Emperor, his eyes wide.

Dark Viper's lip curled into a sarcastic smile. "Care to try that again, or should we talk a bit?"

Ned took a step forward. "It's over, Viper. I've beaten your Shadow Master, and now there's nothing you can do to harm me. Give me your Plasma Crystal and leave."

Viper let out a heartless chuckle. "Such a fool, Ned. You should never have defied me. There is so much you wish to learn, so much I could teach you. I still could, you know. I'll even let you keep your Crystal. Just join me."

Ned said nothing as he gathered Plasma around his fist for another attack. Suddenly Dark Viper thrust out his hand again, and this time the blast lifted Ned off his feet and pinned him against the far wall. "I am waging a war, Shield Master. I do not have time to indulge you in foolish games. I am prepared to answer a few of your questions about myself, but only if you are prepared to make yourself a civilized guest and refrain from tossing your useless fireworks at me. Take off your helmet. I want a look at you."

Ned remained still, but it was all he could do. It terrified him that Dark Viper could hold him like this, and it baffled him as well. How was he doing it?

"Remove your helmet."

Ned felt like he was choking in the aura of green light. He had to do something to stall the Emperor, to give himself a chance to ascertain Viper's weakness. He deactivated his suit's helmet.

Dark Viper lowered Ned slowly to the ground and released him. "That's better," he said, looking into Ned's eyes. "I see you are not as confident as you would like to be. I could change that, you know."

"What are you?" Ned asked.

Viper laughed again. "Well put! What you really mean is, 'What power do I hold,' but I see that you realize that for us, for Plasma Masters, those questions really are the same. Very well. I'll explain it all to you if you're willing to listen, and when I am finished I hope you will see the wisdom in following me." He clasped his hands behind his back and paced in front of his throne as he spoke, pausing occasionally to look at Ned and gauge his reactions.

"Many years ago, longer than anyone even suspects, I was traveling on a distant planet when I came across the remnant of an ancient civilization. I studied their writings and learned of a mysterious power that they created and used to command a vast empire. That empire crumbled long ago however, leaving behind nothing of its power except for four glowing Crystals. I learned that any one person can only hold one of them at a time, so naturally I experimented with the Crystals, one at a time. After mastering each of them, I chose the most powerful for myself, and later gave the other three to some of my most trusted colleagues, whom I then instructed in some of the things I had learned. Then war broke out. The four of us defended the Empire against the Alien invaders, and I continued my study of the Plasma force.

"Then came my great discovery. I learned that it would in fact be possible for one person to combine the four powers of the Plasma Crystals. As you can imagine, such power would make any individual unstoppable. Had I accomplished my plan, I would have saved billions of lives by ending the war in a matter of weeks. As you know, however, Koral Ralok stole the Shield Crystal, preventing me from joining the four. And later, you felt it necessary to destroy the Vortex and Blast Crystals, ruining any possibility of a unification forever. Fortunately for you, I am willing to forgive you for that."

Dark Viper cupped his chin in his hand, bathing his face in the hand's green light. "But of course I've left out what you were really wanting to know, haven't I? 'What am I,' as you said. What is my power? You see Ned, that ancient civilization used the Plasma force for everything – every aspect of their lives. When they knew they were going to be destroyed, they picked four categories into which their powers could be divided, and they picked them somewhat arbitrarily. The Shield Crystal, which you hold, was designed to bestow upon its holder the powers of defense. The Blast Crystal controlled the Plasma's ability to channel raw energy, which came in very handy for destructive purposes. The Vortex Crystal controlled transportation. And then there is the fourth crystal, the power of which encompasses the remainder of the powers of the Plasma force. Its ability is to find order where there appears to be nothing but chaos, and to instill order where there is none. The power that I hold allows me to bind together matter and energy in whatever form I chose: Matrix Plasma, I call it, for reasons you perhaps cannot yet fully understand."

Ned indeed did not understand all of what Dark Viper was saying, but he knew that he did not like it. "So you used the Matrix Crystal to build Venom?"

"Precisely. Markan Dren, powered by Kayleen Rax and directed by me, transported matter from several neutron stars into orbit around this star, and I used the power I had accumulated to mold it into a metallic sphere around the star. Stellar energy cells were quickly constructed, again sped along by my power, and even long before its completion Venom had enough power to crush the armada of Alien warships that threatened the Anacron Empire."

"It seems it doesn't have quite enough power to crush the StarBlazer armada, does it?"

"Hmm. My power was greatly diminished after such a great work as the construction of Venom. I could only synthesize a certain number of laser cannons; the rest were made by Venom's production facilities. It taxes our resources to have so many on the outer shell, and I did not think it necessary to put as many inside. And I dare say I was right. The StarBlazer 'armada,' as you call it, is just hours away from its own demise, and if any of its ships manage to escape Venom's shell, they will be completely destroyed by the outer weapons array before they can even think of going to warp."

"And for this you think I'm going to want to join you?"

"You're on the losing side, Ned. But no, I don't imagine that's enough to convince you. But perhaps this will: My power was diminished by the construction of Venom, but it was not expended. Specifically, I had more than enough power just now to wrap your energy beam in a Plasma Matrix that was far too complex for you to grasp, let alone control. The Plasma that I control cannot be absorbed by your rudimentary skills, while I can easily adapt your Plasma for my own use. I may not be able to harm you, but I can easily incapacitate you, and I have trouble seeing how you will survive after I dump you in empty space."

Ned was not going to get any helpful hints from Dark Viper, and he knew it. He had to attack now, while the Emperor was talking. Perhaps he could catch him off guard. Ned sent tendrils of Plasma snaking through the walls, ceiling, and floor. Then, from several points in the room at once, he fired beams of Plasma directly at Dark Viper's exposed head. This time the beams struck – all of them. The Emperor fell back into his throne, enveloped in burning blue light. Ned did not let up his attack, afraid that if he stopped he would lose his only chance at victory. He kept hammering the blue light into the top of the pyramid. The throne itself was consumed in seconds, but still Ned did not stop. He walked up the stairs, focusing the power now into a single, powerful blast emanating from his outstretched hand. Then he stood at the top of the pyramid, standing over the blue fireball that enveloped Dark Viper's body.

The instant Ned stopped approaching, that fireball turned green.

Dark Viper rose from the flames in a heartbeat, and his green hand fastened around Ned's exposed neck. Ned could feel Viper's Matrix pressing up against the Plasma within him, cutting him off from the rest of the room. All of the blue light died instantly as Ned turned his whole attention toward breaking Viper's lethal grip.

"Look at me," Viper snarled, lifting Ned off the ground. A faint blue glimmer shone around Ned's neck, protecting him at least from choking to death.

Ned turned his eyes on the Emperor and stared. His face was not even burned.

"Now do you see?" shouted the hateful voice. "My power allows me to reconstruct the very cells of my body! I no longer need to eat or drink or sleep! I don't even have to breathe! I do not hold the power of the Plasma force; I am the power! It courses through me and gives me life, and no one can take it away from me! I have had it with you, boy! You have plagued me long enough! While your foolish friends waste their lives away outside in their futile military struggle, I am just going to hold you here until you die of thirst!

Ned reached down inside himself, gathering everything he had left, focusing it into his neck. He exploded the whole of his power outward at Dark Viper's hand, but still nothing happened; the Plasma could not even leave his body. Viper had complete control over all of the Plasma surrounding Ned, and Ned could not think of a single reason why the Emperor's plan to kill him would not be successful. It was over, Ned realized. This time there would be no final burst of uncontrolled power to come to his aide. There was nothing Ned could do to save himself. It was all over.

Then Plasma exploded all around him, and everything went black.

### Chapter 31

X stared at the viewscreen in dismay. The last of his escort had been destroyed, and Black Fang was now completely defenseless against the Anacronian forces. Jenara Trennon was not often wrong, and now more than ever before or ever again X wished he had taken her advice.

Only fifteen pilots left! Ambelshack Devorion thought in dismay. The most elite group of starfighter pilots was being destroyed one by one. The worst part about it was the knowledge that, since he was by far the greatest pilot of them all, Ambelshack would survive to see each of them fall.

"Sir! Freedom has just lost main thrusters! Our shields are down to fourteen percent, and we're completely out of missiles!"

"Curse this," Marvis Harvey muttered. "It's over. Kelar and that boy Simmons have failed."

Gerran Marnax was not even listening. He was looking off into the distance, on the other side of Venom's star. At least they're safe, he thought. I love you, Rinel.

Green Scorpion was so damaged it had been left for dead in the middle of space. Not even the thrusters were working. Sitting in his command chair, Smardwurst Varlon closed his eyes. Nedward. Help us. Please. We need you.

All of a sudden the Plasma Matrix was gone, and Ned sucked in as much Plasma as his body could handle. He shuddered as the power flowed into him, and all he could think was I'm alive. But for how long, he wondered. Slowly, he raised his head and looked around. He was still on top of the pyramid, sprawled at the top of the staircase. Dark Viper was standing at the other edge of the pyramid's top, but he wasn't looking at Ned. He was looking off to Ned's left. At the Shadow Master.

Dark Viper acted first. He fired a Plasma bolt into the pyramid floor, and a slab of it curled upward, reaching to envelop the black figure. The Shadow Master sliced apart Viper's beam with a surge of black energy, and an instant later Ned burned the rising slab of metal to dust with a blast of his own. Then Viper fired again, tearing up the floor in several places, launching shards of metal at the Shadow Master. Ned did not understand all of what was happening, but it was clear that for the moment the Shadow Master was on his side. Realizing that his helmet was still off, Ned reengaged it. The metal appearing from nowhere suggested a new strategy, and he smiled grimly.

Viper briefly stopped his attack on the Shadow Master when something else caught his eye. Ned Simmons had disappeared in a flash of blue light. Then something struck him across the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. Not disappeared, Viper realized. Teleported! He fired at Ned, trying to drive him away, but as he did so a beam of black fire burned into his face. He tore up a piece of ground to block the rest of the Shadow blast and repaired the damage it had done, but in the same instant a blue lance of energy burned up from the ground and into his legs, stealing away his balance. He fell to the ground just as Ned reappeared in a different location, firing again. Viper could not get a lock on Ned's position, so there was no way to crush out his power.

And then the chance was gone forever. The Shadow Master was invisible again, so Dark Viper had no chance of hitting it with anything, but all of a sudden he was once again surrounded by black fire. For an instant he thought he was going to be burned alive, but nothing happened; the fire did not burn this time. It only held him captive.

Ned reappeared several yards away from the black ball of energy that held Dark Viper prisoner, wondering what to do now. It would do no good to fire into the Shadow Plasma, since his own power would be nullified before it struck its target. Besides, now that he was not under immediate attack, he had to wonder what purpose the Shadow Master could have in rescuing him now, after having tried to kill him just minutes earlier.

"Ned," the Shadow Master's rough voice shouted at him. "Take the Crystal!"

Ned looked at the dark figure, then back to the sprawling form of Dark Viper, then back again. His heart was pounding, and he was having trouble sorting out what was happening.

"Ned, take it! Now!"

"What are you talking about?" Ned demanded. "What's going on?"

"Ned," the voice rasped back. "The Matrix Crystal is inside him! Look, I've opened a path to it! Teleport it away, quickly!"

Ned looked down at Dark Viper again. The black fire had parted around the Emperor's chest, and Ned could feel tremendous power emanating from that part of his body. He reached out with his own Plasma to probe what he was feeling, and then he realized what the Shadow Master was saying. Dark Viper had implanted the Matrix Crystal inside himself, right next to his heart. That way, since his body had the power to heal its own wounds instantly, no one would ever be able to take the Crystal from him. Unless that person had Shadow Plasma to pierce Viper's power, or Vortex Plasma to steal it away.

Of course, there was another option. He could simply kill Dark Viper right away. But why hadn't the Shadow Master done that? And again, why was it helping him?

The dark figure seemed to sense his hesitation. "Ned! Do it! Save the Crystal!"

Save it? Was that what this was about? Was the Shadow Master afraid that attacking Viper would destroy the Matrix Crystal and prevent it from using it? A warning pricked Ned in the back of his mind. What did the Shadow Master plan to do when Ned took the Crystal from Dark Viper? Steal it from him? Surely Ned would not be able to use it, now that he was already linked to a Plasma Crystal. Maybe the Shadow Master planned to take it, to somehow use it against him. After all, the Shadow Master still must still be weak from its recent battle with Ned...

"How do I know you won't attack me the instant I do?"

"You have to trust me!"

Surely, that had been a joke. Ned looked into the thin red visor, wishing he could at least guess at a motive. "No."

"Ned, please." And then the Shadow Master disengaged its helmet, or at least made it invisible.

Ned stared in absolute shock.

It was Mirana Kelar.

"Mirana?"

"Ned, take the Crystal. Do it now."

Ned just shook his head, aghast at what this meant. "You! You were the traitor!" It took a moment for the implications to sink in. "You helped Viper destroy Ergana Prime! You left me to the robots and then tried to kill me when they failed. Koral..."

Mirana cut him off. "You can indict me later! You have to take the Crystal!" Her face showed sincere urgency, but Ned's indignation eclipsed the desire to understand its source."

"The Crystal," Ned repeated, still trying to puzzle together Mirana's involvement in all of this. "You brought me here for this," he said, almost to himself. "Somehow you knew I could teleport. Or something. You want Viper's power for yourself."

Mirana shook her head, gritting her teeth in frustration. She made a motion as if to step forward, but holding Viper bound was obviously requiring a lot of concentration.

Ned brought up a glowing fist in warning. And in that instant, a plan formed in his mind. It was not one he would have sought for, but it seemed so reasonable now. He had noticed that Mirana's voice was no longer distorted. Which meant her helmet really was off.

He could attack Mirana instead.

It would make perfect sense. Both of his enemies were weak now. He could fire two shots at once – one at Dark Viper, and the other at the already-weakened Shadow Master. With Viper's hold on the Plasma gone and the Shadow Master's guard down, surely Ned would have the advantage in that battle. In all probability it would be over in seconds. He didn't want to harm Mirana, but under the circumstances, did he really have a choice?

Mirana could not have seen the look on Ned's face, but she must have sensed what he was thinking. "Yes," she said softly, "you could kill me now. I don't deny that I would deserve it. But you'll have to take the Crystal first, or Viper will finish you off."

Ned scowled. Mirana's apparent concern for his life only added to his sense of betrayal. He had spent so much time with her over the past few days, relishing the notion that someone in the galaxy could understand him. He had put so much effort into developing a friendship with her, letting himself believe that she had opened up to him – even just that little bit – because she had trusted him. But now it was clear that it had all been a manipulation. She really was just the mercenary she had claimed to be, after all.

"Remember what I told you about power, Ned. Wielding too much on your own can corrupt you. I wasn't really talking about you. I was talking about myself. You can't just pass judgment and wage war because you have the power to get away with it. You'll end up... regretting it. Now trust me for just one moment. You came here to defeat Dark Viper. Take his Crystal and be done with it!"

Ned knew he could not just stand there forever. For whatever reason, Mirana was unable or unwilling to finish Viper off. He was going to have to either do it himself or walk away, and he knew he could not walk away. He extended a Plasma field into Dark Viper's chest and opened a vortex. An instant later the Matrix Crystal was resting in Ned's hand.

Mirana let the Shadow Plasma around Dark Viper die, and her helmet appeared again. "It's over," she said.

The distorted sound of the Shadow Master's voice brought Ned's attention back to the threat of battle. Dark Viper lay on the ground, breathing heavily, wincing as if in pain. Mirana had not moved, but for all Ned knew she was merely charging power for a strike against Ned. Still unsure of whether to attack or run – even more unsure of where he would go if Mirana took Nemesis – Ned looked down at the Matrix Crystal. It quietly pulsed with its greenish glow, but Viper had been right about a person only being able to control one Crystal at a time; the Shield Crystal prevented Ned from accessing the Matrix Crystal's power.

That moment of hesitation and contemplation gave Dark Viper the opening he needed. Drawing a blaster from the holster at his hip, Viper aimed at the Crystal and fired.

The laser bolt struck the Matrix Crystal and ripped it apart. Green light exploded into the room, buried itself in the walls, and everywhere the metal shined green. It lasted for just an instant, and then the metal began to come apart. The ceiling dripped molten metal trailing green sparks, and the walls sagged downward. Dark Viper disappeared into a door hidden in the side of the pyramid and was forgotten.

Mirana stepped close to Ned. "Can you teleport us to the surface?"

"I'll try," Ned said. Mirana had not attacked him, so it made sense to work together to at least escape the collapsing fortress.

With the Crystal had died Dark Viper's hold over the Plasma, so Ned was able to gather it around himself. When he had charged himself sufficiently, he clenched his fist and thrust it toward the ceiling. A twisting bolt of blue Plasma shot upward, burning toward Venom's surface. For an instant Ned stood there, looking upward, blue light flaring all about him as he channeled his power into the energy beam. Then he felt it break free of the ground. Expanding the light outward to encompass Mirana as well, Ned opened a vortex and teleported them both away.

The starship Galactron was all but gone. Its weapon systems were almost completely discharged, its shields had practically vanished, and every ship in its escort was in at least as bad a situation. An attack force of fifteen Anacronian ships was less than a minute from weapons range. Gerran Marnax and his crew prepared for their final moments.

What happened next was simply impossible, as far as anyone could tell. A beam of sizzling green light flew out of nowhere and ripped through the shields of the first Anacronian ship in line, destroying it completely. The green energy beam continued straight through the wreckage, striking the next ship in line and obliterating it as well. Five ships were destroyed by that single burst of energy, and in the next instant a second blast of green light ripped apart another four. Then lasers and missiles fired from nowhere, tearing into the remaining ships. Those that were not destroyed scattered instantly, anxious to avoid the fate of their companions.

Marnax could not believe what he was seeing. "It's Nemesis. Mirana made it out." He tried to open a channel, but there was no response. There were no more attacks from the invisible warship, either. Apparently Nemesis was gone.

"General, you should see this."

Marnax looked at the viewscreen and stared in increasing disbelief. Dark Viper's fortress was glowing green, and it was melting.

"What is that?" he asked.

"I don't know, sir."

Then an explosion of green light blasted apart what was left of the fortress, spraying its remains into space. Gerran laughed in spite of himself. "It's gone! Marvis! Ned and Mirana did it!"

"Um, sir ..."

The viewscreen image zoomed out, and Marnax saw what Harvey was talking about. The explosion had not stopped. It was spreading outward, tearing up Venom's shell as it went.

"Sir, it looks like the entire structure is coming apart!"

"Sir! Incoming message from the Anacronian General!"

General Slardin appeared on the secondary viewscreen. "Gerran! What have you done!"

Marnax glared angrily at the screen. I believe my forces have just destroyed your fortress. And your Emperor. Fortunately for you I am willing to accept surrender."

"Doom on you, Marnax! The City will be destroyed! Don't you care about the people?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Anacron City? If that explosion continues, it will crush the entire city!"

Rinel! "All right, General. I'll help you evacuate the city if you'll surrender your army to me unconditionally. Power down all weapons on all ships. Get started, and I'll help you out as soon as my family is safely on board."

"What?"

"Marnax out."

It was fortunate that Dark Viper chose to build his fortress on the opposite side of Venom from Anacron City; by the time the last of the civilians were evacuated, the explosion of green light was less than a planet's diameter away. The static warp field had long since disappeared, though, and the ships had no trouble jumping to warp speed.

Green Scorpion was tractored away by a StarBlazer warship, but Smardwurst convinced the ship's captain to stop a safe distance away from Venom to watch its final moments. Smardwurst knew that Ned would enjoy watching the recording and seeing the green, boiling remains of the cause of so much anguish throughout the known galaxy shudder pitifully and then explode outward in a double spherical blast, complete with an expanding circular shock wave twice the height of any gas giant planet.

### Chapter 32

The minute they were back on Nemesis, Mirana told Ned to wait in his quarters and started to walk away. She was invisible before she had taken two steps.

"Stop." Ned spoke it as a command, and although he had no authority over her, Mirana stopped and reappeared. Her armored back was still toward him. A little worried about what she might do, Ned tried to keep the confidence in his voice. "We need to talk. Now."

Mirana spoke without turning. "There's still a battle going on," her distorted voice declared. Then after a moment's hesitation, she added. "Come with me."

Ned felt his control over the situation slipping away as he followed Mirana to the pricom. They were aboard her ship now, and surely she would regain more of her strength as time passed. But he could not simply kill her now, after she had helped him. And something told him that he was on the brink of understanding all of this.

They reached the pricom, and Mirana took her seat in the command chair. Ned stopped at a weapons station. He was not really trained in its use, but it seemed like the least useless place for him. He had to wonder what Mirana's agenda was at the moment. He wanted to keep his anxiety concealed, but he could not just wait for Mirana to act this time. Instead, trying to minimize the bitterness in his voice, he asked, "Which side are you going to help?"

The dark helmet looked back at him once – probably a scowl. "I am going to make sure Gerran is safe, and then we are leaving." Mirana offered nothing more, and for the moment that was enough for Ned. Mirana sped through the Anacronian fleet, and soon Ned could see Galactron ahead on the battle readout. "They're surrounded," he realized to himself. With grim precision, Mirana cut through more ships than Ned could count, leaving nothing but wreckage in her wake. The Anacron forces stood no chance against the invisible weapons of Nemesis. It seemed that the battle was still in progress when Mirana apparently decided she was done and pulled away from the fight. Seeing that Galactron was no longer under attack, Ned let out an audible sigh. Abruptly, Mirana jumped up from her seat, disengaged her armor, and advanced on Ned.

"Are you feeling relieved?" she asked accusingly.

"Galactron is..."

"I just killed five hundred soldiers in the army I swore to protect!" Mirana interjected. Her tight-lipped face was barely suppressing a yell. You heroes always come to rescue people, but you don't seem to care how many people die in the process. Don't follow me."

And with that, Mirana vanished and left the pricom.

Ned sat in his room aboard Nemesis and wondered. He had started this journey wondering, and he had been wondering at every point along the way, so he supposed that he should not be surprised that now, at the end, he had more questions than ever.

A part of him wanted to ignore the questions and just feel relief that Dark Viper was defeated and that StarBlazer had been given at least the chance at escape. But Mirana was right in pointing out that a lot of people had died in the process, and understanding why was no longer a matter of mere curiosity. It felt more like a duty.

On the other hand, it had been a bit hypocritical of Mirana to accuse Ned of not caring about the deaths along the way, considering the number of deaths that she herself had caused. And no matter how long or hard he tried, he could not think of a motive that would make any sense. Mirana had been close to Gerran Marnax before the war had started, and she had rescued him and Ned at the end. What could have happened in-between that would make her help Dark Viper? A part of him wanted to believe there was some justification behind it. But he could think of none.

It had been a full day, and Ned had eaten a meal and grown tired without any contact from Mirana. Somehow going after her seemed very unwise, and Ned chose to trust that feeling. Instead, he ended up falling asleep.

The sleep lasted for several comfortable hours, but when he woke he was still unsatisfied with life, and now sleeping was no longer an option. He showered, then went to the kitchen and made himself some breakfast. Then he returned to his room, sat down on his bed, and wondered.

He was not sure whether to be relieved or worried when Mirana finally called at the door and entered his room. She was wearing her normal clothing again, and her face was once again the cold, hard, icy mask that it had been the first time Ned had seen her. Almost. When Ned looked at Mirana's eyes, he could see that something very significant had changed. He rose to greet her as she entered the room.

"Mirana ..."

"Sit down, Ned," she said. Her voice was not harsh this time; it was weary. "I need to talk to you."

Ned took a seat and forced himself to be quiet. Mirana pulled a chair up in front of Ned and sat down as well. Her eyes stayed focused on the floor.

"It started a long time ago," she began. "I don't know how long. My father learned about the Shadow Plasma from his father, but he never told me how he got it. 'I'll tell you when you're older,' he would say, but he never got the chance. It wasn't called Shadow Plasma then; my father just made up that name when Trelan Thendrak revealed his discovery of the Plasma force. I'm not even sure whether it's the same thing. It doesn't matter. When I was very young my father taught me how to disappear. The power was just a toy to me then, a way of playing jokes on people and getting into places I wasn't supposed to."

Mirana paused, as if wondering how to piece together everything she wanted to say.

"Some time before I can remember, my family was on a space station that was attacked by a group of pirates. My father and I were surrounded in an area that was being flooded with toxic gas. Trelan was the station administrator then, and he led a small group of security officers on a rescue mission. He saved our lives – even before he was a Plasma Master. But my mother hadn't been with us, and it turned out that she had been shot and killed in the initial pirate attack. I don't have a lot of details; my father said he erased all records that might have linked him to Trelan. But when he taught me about the Shadow Plasma, he told me that there would be forces that would try to destroy Trelan Thendrak, and that it was our duty to protect him from them. He told me that we owed him a debt. He also told me that Trelan was never to know this. It's cryptic, I know. But he was very serious. I promised to honor that debt.

"A short time later my father died, and I was raised by Gerran and Rinel. I came to love them, although I was a bit hesitant to open up to them. I was practically still a child – I didn't want to feel like I was betraying my parents by replacing them. And then came the mess with the rebellion. Koral escaped with the Shield Crystal..." Mirana glanced up at Ned with an accusatory look, as if in response to something he was about to say. "Koral stole it," Mirana said. "The war could have been over in a few weeks, but Trelan had to search for a new plan. Millions of people died as a result." Ned's stomach turned at the suggestion that Koral had been responsible for those deaths; Koral had believed that giving Trelan the full power of the Plasma would have been even worse. But Ned kept silent, wanting to hear the rest.

"And then Gerran left," Mirana continued, her eyes once again to the floor. "I couldn't believe he was abandoning the Empire when it was so clear that it was in danger and needed his leadership. The Aliens had retreated, but there was no telling when they would return. And a lot of the Empire's best leaders, businesses, and even military forces left with him. I know you think they were fleeing an evil leader, but really, if part of your country back home were to decide to just leave because it didn't like your leaders, would your government just let them go? Trelan had to bring them back."

"Dark Viper," Ned corrected, unable to continue listening to what sounded like such a twisted version of history.

"Darkness does not necessarily represent evil," Mirana said. "Darkness can keep things safe. It can provide contrast to light and make it easier to see things that might otherwise get lost in the glare. Trelan needed a title that would convey power, one that would intimidate his enemies. And yes, in the end I think he took it too far. But again, just because an empire is led by someone who isn't perfect, that doesn't mean you can just abandon it. You stay and fix it."

Ned was silent, so Mirana continued her story. "I thought Gerran was wrong to leave, but I didn't want to hurt him, either. On the other hand, I couldn't just sit still and do nothing. Not with the skills I had learned. So I picked my battles. I gathered information that I thought would help Trelan end the war quickly, and I went on specific missions for Gerran. I tried to live two lives at once so that I wouldn't feel like I was betraying either one. But then you came along. All of a sudden a final conflict seemed eminent. The thing is, that was what seemed best for both sides. The longer the war went on, the more people would die. And you wanted to face Dark Viper. So I arranged it."

"But not before trying to kill me yourself," Ned noted.

"Yes," Mirana said, not even attempting an excuse. "My loyalty was still to the Empire, and I couldn't just lead an enemy to his door. But..." she glanced upward, looking for words. "I hoped I'd lose. Talking to you had made me realize that the war wasn't just about picking sides based on political issues. I started to feel that it was okay to side with the people you cared about. And all of them were with StarBlazer. During that battle, I found myself afraid – afraid that I would kill you, afraid of what Dark Viper would do after he won. But I have become very good at not letting my feelings distract me during battle. I honestly did try to kill you. I can't expect you to overlook that. A part of me felt relieved when you defeated me and then went off on your own. I was too weak to keep fighting, but I followed you. I guess a part of me wanted to see you end the conflict and put a stop to my need to live two lives.

"But everything fell apart when you fought Dark Viper. He broke down everything you could throw at him, and I saw that I had put you in a position where you didn't have a chance. I finally came face-to-face with the consequences of the life I had chosen for myself for so many years, and I hated what I had become. I had to do something, but my mind was tearing itself apart trying to piece together all the logic and reason I had previously been using to justify my actions. Finally I just gave up on it all. I had already betrayed both Gerran and StarBlazer and you, and in my heart I had long since betrayed Anacron as well. In that instant all my rationalizing seemed like a joke; it had all come to nothing.

"Then I remembered something I had said to you once. I told you that sometimes you have to stop thinking about what feels right and think. I realized that that was what had been driving me ever since I had met Gerran Marnax. I had built up a wall of carefully-constructed logic that allowed me to believe that bringing the war to a quick close was what was best for everyone else, but I had ignored the fact that it had felt wrong. And as soon as I let myself see that, the reason became perfectly clear. I was afraid that if I turned on Trelan now, after having helped him so much before, that I'd be admitting that I had been wrong all along. So I tried to use you to end the conflict for me. Deep down, I wanted you to win, so I could admit defeat and continue ignoring my choice.

But when I saw Dark Viper holding you there by the throat, I saw that my hope of you getting rid of Viper and freeing me of my promise was gone. Not only that, but the StarBlazer fleet was about to be destroyed as well. I never intended for them to be trapped there; I told Dark Viper that Nembis Four was a decoy, but I didn't tell him that the StarBlazer fleet was coming here. I just mentioned you. He must have figured the rest out for himself.

"I tried to think of ways to patch up my plan and make things work, but I couldn't think of anything. That wall I had built up came tumbling down so fast I was afraid it was going to crush me. Finally I just discarded all of my self-justifications and did what I should have done long ago. I gathered the Shadow Plasma around me and struck Dark Viper down."

Mirana lowered her face into her hands. "Now I have betrayed my father as well. I feel like there's nothing left of me but the black fire that burns inside me. There's nowhere I can go anymore, no one who can trust me. I guess it's time for the Shadow Master to disappear one final time."

She looked up, and her gaze was once again cold. "I had to tell you, though. I had to tell someone. I can never tell Gerran this; I can never even talk to him again. But I knew you would want to know, that you would listen. I know you'd probably like to resume that battle with me, but I think you'll see that this time I have a distinct advantage, so I suggest you just stay here until I drop you off on Anacron – the war is over, and Gerran is heading there to finalize the treaty. Then you can do whatever you want and you'll never see me again, just like I told you. Goodbye." She quickly rose from her chair and turned to leave.

"Mirana, wait."

She stopped but did not turn around. "What?"

"Mirana, sit down, please. I need a moment to think."

"What is there to think about, Ned?"

"Mirana, please."

Finally she turned and looked at Ned. She was puzzled to find that there was neither anger nor hatred mirrored on Ned's face, so she sat down again. "What is it?"

Ned did not know what to say. His emotions were all in contradiction. The obvious thing to feel would be unbridled indignation that Mirana had betrayed StarBlazer for all these years, but for some reason that seemed far too simple after hearing her story. Not only that, but the fact remained that Mirana was now the only person left who could ever really relate to him in terms of the Plasma force, so he wanted desperately to find a reason to justify what she had done. Still, a lot of people had died because of her choices, and Ned felt sure that he would have acted completely differently in the same situation. But how could he know? Maybe Ned was putting too much of a judgment on her. After all, when the conflict had first begun between Gerran and Trelan, the lines between good and bad had not been all that clear.

"Mirana," Ned said finally, "I want to look past all of this. You saved my life, and you helped StarBlazer win. If you had done nothing at all, I'm not sure they could have managed it. Calling you a traitor would be too simple." Then he ran out of words.

"But, ..." Mirana continued for him.

"But I just can't wrap my head around why you sided with Anacron. I mean, Trelan saved your life, fine. So that means you were obligated to help him wage a war? You said the StarBlazer people were wrong to leave, but even if that's true, did they really deserve to die for it?" Mirana offered no response, so Ned continued. "And Ergana Prime. An entire planet..."

"Oh, please," Mirana interjected. "Ned, how many civilian casualties were there at Ergana Prime?"

"I don't know..."

"Exactly zero. They evacuated the planet before the fighting was even over. The battle hastened the end of the war."

"They managed to evacuate it. Are you telling me that the Anacron army wouldn't have attacked if the civilians hadn't left?"

Mirana stood up, her breathing quickening. "I'm done," she said as she turned away.

"Mirana, wait!"

She turned on him, and the fire was back in her eyes. "I didn't come here to ask forgiveness. I'm not going to defend my opinions or my choices. I just wanted you to know what happened. After all you've done here, I thought you deserved that much."

Ned's voice caught in his throat. After all this, Mirana was still doing him favors. He couldn't really hate her, could he? Then the terms "traitor" and "Shadow Master" flashed through his mind, along with the images of starships burning into vapor. She's still responsible, came a voice in his mind. What's to keep her from attacking again? But it was a hollow thought. Her conflict was over, and Ned knew it. He had known back on Venom when he had teleported her to safety along with himself.

"Mirana," Ned said. "This is a lot to take in, and I'm still not sure what to think about all of it, but I am sure about one thing. I left my planet with no enemies, and I want to go back the same way. I can't say I agree with your choices, but I don't want you to leave thinking I hate you. I... thank you for telling me."

Mirana looked at him appraisingly for a moment, then nodded. "I'll let you know when we reach Anacron," she said, then turned and left.

Mirana was characteristically absent or silent for the rest of the trip. Ned tried to read, hoping to distract himself with facts about Anacronian history or new scientific principles, but he was so unsure about his immediate future that it was hard to find anything that seemed worth the time. He thought of home, but even with his return seeming so close, the topic was stressful. He would have to decide between sharing the knowledge and power he had gained with the world and living with the consequences of what others did with it, or he would be forced to keep silent and hide what had become the most important part of himself. In the end, his thoughts kept turning back to Mirana. But clarity in that area was slow in coming.

When at last they were in orbit around Anacron, Mirana met him in the launch bay.

Ned stood for a moment looking up at his starfighter, wondering if this was the last conversation they would ever have. How did a person say goodbye under circumstances like this? "Where will you go now?" Ned asked her, trying to sound conversational. Mirana surprised him by answering in the same tone.

"I have some business to take care of," she said. "First of all, I need to make sure that Gerran ties things up without attacks from some dissident group. I won't let him know I'm helping, but I can't let things fall apart now. Maybe I'll spend some time studying Nemesis. It would be very handy if I could replicate annihilator cannons. Maybe I could even duplicate the shadow field, but I doubt it. When I learned that Dark Viper had based one of the warp drive components on the Plasma Crystals, I decided to try fusing the Shadow Plasma with it, and somehow it worked. But I have no idea how he made the component..." And there was the matter of the Plasma again. There was really no way around it, not with them. Ned decided that maybe that was okay.

"Thank you again for teaching me about the Plasma," he told her, offering his hand.

Mirana shook it. "You did well," she said simply.

And then Ned was feeling emotional again, for a reason he couldn't quite explain. He didn't speak the word "goodbye." He just managed a friendly smile, then turned and teleported himself into his fighter's cockpit. Mirana walked back through the airlock and engaged the shadow field, hiding the inside of the launch bay as well as the outer hull. As Nemesis disappeared, the planet Anacron came into view below, its lush forests and clear lakes interspersed with cities large enough to see from space. Ned waited for several minutes so that Mirana would have plenty of time to open the bay doors and fly away, and then he fired up his engines and began looking for Galactron.

He found it quickly and received permission to dock in the shuttle bay, where he was told that the General was waiting for him in his office. Ned took a lift pod there and stepped inside.

As Ned entered, Gerran Marnax rose from his desk. Rinel Marnax, Smardwurst Varlon, Marvis Harvey, Ambelshack Devorion, and X were there. General Marnax had sent word to Palandora, and Jenara Trennon was visible on a viewscreen over a remote connection. Everyone present stepped forward, shaking Ned's hand and embracing him and congratulating and thanking him all at once.

"Nedward, what's wrong?" Smardwurst asked, seeing the look on Ned's face.

"It's a long story," Ned managed. And then for the first time in a very long time, Ned was the one to do the explaining. He told them of his journey to Venom, of the time he had spent with Rinel, and of the conversations he had had with Mirana Kelar. He told of his entrance into Dark Viper's fortress and his battle with the Shadow Master. It occurred to him that he could leave out what Mirana had told them, but he decided that it would be easier for Mirana if she did not have to tell Gerran and Rinel herself. Besides, everyone in the room deserved to know who had betrayed them. He told the whole story, leaving nothing out. It was all he could do to keep everyone silent until he had finished, but he insisted on explaining his conversations with Mirana aboard Nemesis.

"I don't see why you're feeling so conflicted," Marvis Harvey declared angrily when Ned had finished. "It doesn't matter what her excuses were. She's a traitor. She must be captured and executed."

"You're right about one thing," General Marnax said. "It doesn't matter anymore. We'll never see her again. If there's one thing Mirana has always been good at, it's staying hidden." He and Rinel managed to hold back the tears that threatened to break free, but Ned knew that they would not be able to hold them back forever. And suddenly Ned realized just how deep his feelings about Mirana's betrayal had been. If he were having trouble resolving his disgust at what she had done and his desire to justify her so that he could consider her a friend, how much more must Gerran and Rinel Marnax be feeling that conflict? Not only were they closer to her, but General Marnax also found himself in a position of having to decide what sort of consequence she deserved. And if he chose to respond as a government leader instead of as a father, what would that do to Rinel? Or to their children, who looked to Mirana almost as a sister?

Before he could ponder the matter for long, Jenara decided to change the subject. "So, Ned, what are you going to do now? You'd be welcome to come back with us to Palandora for a nice vacation, if you like."

"Thank you. Thank you, everyone, for everything you've done for me and the galaxy. But I think it's time for me to go home now. I've been away from my family for too long already. I don't know how long the vortex that leads to Earth is going to last, but if I can I'd like to come back some day."

"You will be missed, Shield Master," General Marnax said.

"That title is insufficient now," Rinel corrected. "All of the powers that Trelan Thendrak discovered have been destroyed except one, and Ned has expanded his power far beyond the capacities of the Shield Crystal. His proper title now should be Plasma Master."

"It sounds good to me," Smardwurst commented.

Ned smiled. "Me too. I'll accept it under one condition."

X put his hand on Ned's shoulder. "I think after what you've done for us, we owe you whatever you want. Don't you all agree?" They voiced agreement, although Major Harvey gave it as a simple nod. Ned had to admit that there were people who had sacrificed far more than he with no special reward, but he did not bring that up now.

Ned's smile disappeared and he looked around the room soberly. "I want you to pardon Mirana Kelar of any crimes she may have committed against the StarBlazer Alliance or anyone else. She was an Anacronian soldier who risked her life and betrayed Dark Viper because she cared about her adopted parents." It was strange hearing Mirana's point of view come out of his mouth, but the look in Rinel Marnax's eyes made him continue. "You aren't trying to punish the crews of the Anacronian ships that surrendered. I don't want you to pursue her either."

"She betrayed us," Harvey objected, barely keeping down his anger.

"I insist on this one thing. I ask nothing else, but I demand that you forgive Mirana. Maybe she doesn't deserve forgiveness. But you have agreed that you owe me something. And I want to know that I've left you all in a state of peace, not in a hunt for vengeance that you know would never end, because you could never catch her anyway."

There was silence for several moments. "All right," Marnax said finally. "I'll see to it that Mirana is pardoned for everything she's done. Ned ..." He reached out to shake Ned's hand. "Thank you." As he looked into the General's eyes, Ned saw that Gerran was thanking him for his words here as much as for his actions on Venom.

There was another round of goodbyes, and then Ned was aboard Smardwurst's repaired Green Scorpion and on his way back to Earth.

### Chapter 33

I hate. Dark Viper used the verb intransitively because for some reason the hatred had no focus. It was just there, and for the moment nothing else was. I hate. Once there had been reason, purpose, even power, but that was all gone now. Now there was only the hatred. It was everywhere; it was everything. For Dark Viper, nothing else in the universe existed.

No, there was something else. A memory? Yes, a memory of something that seemed to have happened a very long time ago. Faces. People. I hate. Who were they? Had he known them? Yes, them. He knew them. The faces. Nedward Simmons. Mirana Kelar. I ... hate ... them.

His eyes snapped open, and suddenly it all came back to him. Nedward Simmons had stolen the Matrix Crystal from him, and Dark Viper had been forced to destroy it in order to prevent others from sharing the power. When the Matrix Plasma that held Venom together had been released, the entire superfortress had come apart. Dark Viper had made it to his escape craft and jumped to warp speed before anyone else had managed to leave Venom, but he was willing to bet that others had escaped as well. The memory burned within him, and the hatred increased. Nedward Simmons. Mirana Kelar. Yes, I hate them.

But the memory was of something else as well. There had been something else before the hatred, something important. Plasma. Power. Was it really gone? The feeling of immortality he had enjoyed had vanished. Already there was a pain inside him that he had not felt for longer than he could remember. Hunger. Thirst. He looked at his right hand. The light had gone out. The power was gone. No.

No, it could not be gone. It was not gone. Only the Crystal was gone; the power remained. It was unharnessed, uncontrolled, but the power remained. Dark Viper extended his hand, feeling for it, reaching for it as if it were the last lifeline left in the universe. For him it was. For him the power was everything.

Yes. The power was still there, waiting for someone to take it. Waiting for him. He reached out to it and drew it to him, remembering what it had felt like before. It did not come all at once, and it did not come easily, but it came. He did not need a Crystal. Nedward Simmons had not needed a Crystal do teleport away from him or to attack him with that cursed blue light. Dark Viper did not need a Crystal. Only the power. The power. The power!

His mouth opened to reveal a row of hooked teeth. Set back in the scaly flesh of his face, Dark Viper's eyes glowed green.

* * *

A gentle breeze blew across the tops of the trees as Valkron flew through the evening Palandoran sky. The clouds on the horizon glowed a brilliant pink as they reflected the light of the setting sun. Below, Valkron's sharp ears picked up the splattering of stream water as it tumbled over the rocks on its way down the mountain slope to the river.

There was another sound, as well. Voices. Valkron knew the voices well; he had known X and Jenara for many years now. He circled above them and looked down on the couple as they walked through the woods, hand in hand, talking and laughing. It was good to have them home again. It pleased Valkron that they were together. They had always been happiest when they were together, and something about the way they walked and spoke suggested that they would be together for a very, very long time. Perhaps forever. Valkron let out a mighty roar and rose into the darkening sky.

* * *

People stretched out across the floor of the Anacron Colosseum for as far as the eye could see. Two million of them fit in this structure alone, and hundreds of billions more were watching the ceremony on viewscreens across the galaxy. The Anacronian sun glowed brightly overhead, showering its light over the faces of all who watched. High above the crowd, Gerran Marnax looked down on the people who had finally agreed to unite under a single banner. His banner. He delivered a speech to them, one of honor and commitment and justice. They cheered his every word, and Gerran was surprised to find how much he loved them all. They had suffered so much at the hand of an evil ruler, and now they deserved something more, something better. Gerran Marnax was prepared to give them everything he had.

The first thing he had done after uniting the worlds of the StarBlazer Alliance and the broken Anacron Empire was to reinstate the Imperial Council. People from all over the galaxy were elected – not appointed, as in the past – to represent their worlds and their people. Gerran, of course, was elected to lead the Council, and he heartily accepted the honor. Standing before the billions he had helped to liberate, not least among them his family, Gerran Marnax took command of the most powerful organization in the known galaxy: the newly-reunited Anacron Empire.

* * *

Standing at his side was Mirana Kelar. She was invisible, of course; she did not yet feel ready to face her adopted family. But she needed to see Gerran and Rinel happy again, reunited and free to enjoy the rest of their lives in peace. If she had done nothing else, Mirana had given them that peace, and for them she could think of no greater gift.

After the ceremony, Mirana returned to Nemesis and left orbit. She had many things to do in the months ahead; she had only scratched the surface of her agenda in her conversation with Ned. She felt a debt to both Gerran Marnax and to the Empire he had fought against, and she intended to find a way to repay it, to whatever extent that was possible. She also needed time for some serious self-reflection; she had gone to such a great effort to hide who she really was and what her motives were that she had to wonder how well she really knew herself.

And the Plasma. Mirana's few conversations with Ned had shown her that there was a great deal about the Plasma that she did not understand. Why was the Shadow Plasma so powerful? How did it make her invisible? How, exactly, was it transferred to the warp drive on Nemesis? Why were her Shadow Plasma blasts black instead of invisible? The questions intrigued her, and she intended to answer them all.

She realized that all her questions might take years to answer, though, and there were matters that needed resolution before then. Eventually she would have to face Gerran and Rinel and explain herself to them. At some point she would have to attempt to discover what had happened to Dark Viper. In the back of her mind, she suspected that finding the answers she sought would require her to someday seek out Ned Simmons again. She was not sure yet how she felt about that, but the prospect was certainly interesting.

* * *

Ned smiled as it appeared on his starfighter's scanners: Earth. Even compared to Anacron and Palandora it looked beautiful to him. There had been several times when he had been convinced that he would never see his homeworld again. He was filled with intense gratitude that each time he had been wrong.

His family was there, he knew, waiting for him perhaps. Or were they? Had they given up hope that Ned would survive the battles awaiting him on the other side of the vortex Smardwurst had taken him through? Certainly they must have considered the possibility; Ned had wondered about the same thing. But it had not been Ned's greatest fear. When he had left Earth, the question that had bothered Ned the most was whether he would be able to control the Plasma force sufficiently to allow him to return home without the risk of accidentally harming his family. It was the terror of that night when he had struck out at Jared that had driven him away from his home. It was the fear that the Plasma had enslaved him and that he would remain its slave forever.

Looking back on the time he had spent with Smardwurst and General Marnax and Mirana and the others, Ned could not help but be pleased. He had helped to save the lives of billions of people from tyranny and death. He had overthrown the power of an evil dictator and his most powerful minions. But most importantly, Ned had found the answer, the control, and the power that he had been searching for from the beginning. He had found his ticket home. There had been many questions at the start of the journey and there were many unanswered questions now, but the one fact that stood out for Ned as all-important was that he was no longer the slave of the Anacron Plasma force. He was the master.

### Afterword

A Brief History and Acknowledgements

I thought about science fiction a lot growing up. I would see a TV show or read something in a book and think about how I would like to have short-circuited the plot by defeating the bad buys with my amazing piloting skills or by casting bolts of lightning. I had little disjoint episodes of some science fiction story going through my mind quite frequently. Finally, when I graduated from high school and found that I had some time on my hands before college started, I had the spark of an idea that I figured might let me pull some of those ideas together into a coherent story. So I started writing.

My goal was strictly to write a story that I would enjoy reading. I would leave out all of the tedious plot elements that bothered me in other books (like the bad guy posing as the good guy – I hate that), and I would make sure nothing was gory or otherwise morally prohibitive. And of course I would work in as many cool technical-sounding terms and wacky names as I could. I had a couple of events and characters in mind, but most of the time I discovered the story as I wrote it. It was actually pretty exciting. So if the book seems amateurish, that's really fine with me. I'm not an aspiring author. But I do think this is a fun story and will appeal to folks who like science fiction action that isn't bogged down with too much character drama.

The story clearly incorporates archetypal elements that will be recognizable to anyone familiar with the movies and TV shows that epitomized the genre. In particular, my imagination owes an immeasurable debt to Star Trek, Star Wars (including Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire series), and the original Shannara books – not to mention a Nintendo game or two. I don't think I've copied anything directly, (and I could name a few popular books that are much more derivative than this one,) but I have tried to incorporate the feel of the stories that captured my imagination growing up.

On the other hand, there are also similarities to a bunch of fiction that has come out after I wrote The Plasma Master – in names, similar characters, and plot elements. As much as I want to give inspirational credit where it is due, I'd hate to give the impression that some of these other elements were swiped. The term Matrix Plasma was derived from math, not a computer movie. The name and concept for Palandora predate a certain CGI movie by more than a decade. Just to name a few. Remember, except for some recent polishing, the story was completed in 1997.

In conclusion, I'd like to thank my brother Kevin for being interested in The Plasma Master back in the day, and for providing some editorial guidance in preparation for public distribution, not to mention the original cover art. The story's introduction and resolution are probably ten times better as a result. (And yes, that's the Anacronian "ten.")

