| |
Marlena didn't want to sit in the Captain's chair but her father urged her to do so.
Her father sat in the communicator's chair to her right. Yaddle sat in front of her in the navigator's console.
Marlena said, "Yaddle, are you okay? Do you want more bed rest?"
"Nay," Yaddle said. "I'm as fit as a stout young dwarf."
Marlena wasn't sure about that. Yaddle and Captain Grendel were almost killed by her old friend, Justina. She wondered if her friend was dead. Marlena felt that she was, and that she’d died in the battle with the mutant Grogs.
Captain Grendel said, "Marlena, if your vision was true then we need to get back to the Hive as soon as possible."
"I can tell it was true. The traitor was Duke Volterus, and he knew I was watching him," she said.
"That's amazing. I don't know how strong his magic is, but he saw you."
"I don't understand it myself," she said, "and I don't understand how I had the vision. I think Merlin helped me."
Marlena shook her head. "We need to stop and think."
"We need to get back to the Hive and back to the correct timeline." He paused. "And I think I know a way to do that."
"How are we going to get back?” she asked. “We don't have access to another magical portal." She stopped and looked at her father's smirking face.
"You forget, my daughter. Earth has always been the principle magical center. And Earth still has its magical nexus points."
"You mean, we can use Earth's magical nexus points as a portal?"
"Yes, that was how we left Earth in the first place," Captain Grendel said.
"So, father, how are we going to do that and get to our original timeline?"
"We can use your magic for one, and then tie that in with Earth's powers," the Captain said.
"It sounds complicated," she said.
Yaddle growled. "It is our only chance."
"Where is this magical nexus located?" she said.
Captain Grendel stood and pointed at the sun.
"There? Are you crazy?" Marlena said.
Yaddle huffed. "He is not kidding. We had talked about this before you came on board."
Marlena didn't like this at all. "Father, when you came to this timeline, didn't the elf Mages show you a way to get back?"
"Yes," Captain Grendel said, "but that magical crystal was destroyed on my ship."
Marlena shook her head. It sounds too crazy, but her father would think of everything before he would decide on a last choice.
"So, what do we need to do?"
"As you know, Marlena, I'm not a magic user, but I know Earth's history and how the Hive ship was sent away from Earth. I believe this will work. Yaddle, tell her."
The old dwarf grumbled. "We need your magic to do this. It is all depends on you."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Well," Captain Grendel said, "yes and no. I know how to get the spell, but you need to cast it. Do you think you can do it? Think about mom. She is vulnerable."
Marlena stared at the large screen before her. They were orbiting Earth. The planet was beautiful with the different greens, blues and ochre colors swirling on its surface.
"Okay, how will you get the spell?" she said. Marlena was surprised she was going for this, and she was also amazed her father wanted her to cast this dangerous spell. But she knew her mom was still stuck in the hospital. They needed to get to the Hive as soon as they could.
"I still have my mainframe computer on board here," he answered.
Marlena recalled how her father retrieved a copy of his ship's computer memory before his ship was destroyed. Marlena felt a burning desire to destroy Justina. Yet, Marlene knew she was already dead.
"We entered all the data onto this ship,” said Yaddle. “We looked at the schematics of the spell combined with the proximity of Earth. It could work."
Marlena said, "So, what is the tough part? Everything seems simple."
Captain Grendel walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Most of the spell is controlled by the computer, but this is the difficult part. We need you as the magic user to control the power from Earth and direct it toward the engine’s core."
"I don't understand," Marlena said. "I thought I would be conjuring the magical gateway out in space."
"Well," Yaddle said, "we are doing something different. What we are doing is creating a magical singularity from within the engine’s core."
"That sounds treacherous," Marlena said.
"Yes, that is the dangerous part. You have to be the person to control the flow," Yaddle said.
Marlena stood and moved away from her father. She stared at Earth and the stars beyond. "Father, I'm not sure about this. I was not trained at the Magical Conclave. So, if I cannot control the ebb of magic, what will happen?"
Yaddle said, "We might explode or burn up when we get too close to the sun.”
"So, let me understand this," she said. "If I give too much power to the ship's engines we will be obliterated, or if I give too little we will perish in the heat of the sun," she said. "Explain to me why we have to travel to the sun."
Captain Grendel said, "The nexus of power is greatest at the sun. So, when you take the magic from Earth, you will also be taking the power from the sun."
Marlena walked over to the large monitor. She was tired, and didn't want to do this. But she was thinking about her mom and all the people on living on the Hive. Marlena, her father and Yaddle were the only people who knew about the treacherous Duke Volterus. They needed to stop him, and now, before everybody who was affected by the wasting disease either killed themselves or went crazy.
"Give me some time," she said. "I need some rest. Also, I want to read the files on this spell."
