The Krysus Effect Part Two
By Steven Koutz
SPOILER ALERT: This tale takes place after the events of book 3 The Children of Home.
The Unstab freighter seemingly phased into existence in the middle of the Timp Nebula. Nissus declared that he could no longer detect the pursuing Teon shuttle. He turned to Rico and asked if he had not declared Krysus dead. Rico was clearly upset and nervous over the discovery that she was pursuing him. He admitted that he had declared her dead in an escape pod crash but had her secretly locked away on a Teon science ship with Teka Lur overseeing the clandestine mission. He reasoned his deceit that he would need her alive if taking her special powered eyes did not work. Nissus did not seem to care as much about the deceit but more about why he was left out of the information loop. He had embarked fully dedicated on this mission to find Dyam, Gahka Agg and his mother. Rico could only apologize and claim that the less Nissus knew would allow him plausible deniability, which would keep him and the others Rico loved from not just the fallout of the discovery but also keep them from the wrath of Krysus.
There was a brief silence that followed as both of them attempted an assessment of the current dilemma. Nissus then asked, “Well, how do you think she got free?” Rico thought deeply. He was concerned about his Teon friend, Teka Lur and just as concerned about Krysus dropping in on them at any moment. The Teon shuttle was caught in the same phase as the breacher device on their ship engaged. It was possible that the nebula itself had thrown Krysus out at another point in time or reality. Rico said, “Something must have happened to the Teon science ship. We can’t worry about that now. We need to figure out if we are in another reality and if so, hopefully we can get our people and get back to our own reality before Krysus crashes our party again. Nissus engaged sensors. There were odd fluctuations. The only thing they could know for certain was that they were definitely not where they were when they phased out at the entry of the nebula. Rico glanced at the clear tube that held the special powered eyes of Krysus. Their green glow was fading. Rico said, “Well I would say we slipped. Are we in the reality we need to be in?”
The star shaped Teon shuttle phased into existence in the Timp Nebula. As it was phasing, the blonde human female Krysus with the full dark blue cyber eye implants could see the Unstab freighter dubbed Dyam’s Quest just ahead of her shuttle. As the phase completed and they were completely solid once more, the freighter she pursued was gone. Krysus screamed out in a mixed tone of anger and frustration. She screamed, “Where the fuck are they Kotch?!” Her skull headed Teon pilot moved his skeletal fingers across his console frantically and rapidly. He stated that he could not locate them with any sensors. The reply was not what the lovely but deadly Krysus wanted to hear. She replied in an even louder and angrier voice, “Find me that fucking ship! Find me Rico! He must pay for taking my eyes! He cannot find his love and he cannot evade me! I will have my fucking revenge or I will kill you!” Kotch’s human-like skull head could not show emotion but he was truly in a full state of panic. He asked, “Could they have slipped into another dimension than we did. Krysus took a long and extremely deep breath before slamming her fists into the panels behind the pilot station. She stated, “If we both slipped into other dimensions, I have no way back. My only hope is that when Rico slips back, that he will slip into this one that I am now stranded in. I have no other way to slip without the eyes he stole from me.” She paused and continued, “We were in their slip stream, we had to come out in the same reality. Maybe they are just in a different area. I want a full long range circular scan. Enhance the buffers to get an outreach as far as you can!” Krysus walked out from the shuttle’s cockpit. She looked outward of the overhead viewing portal at the stars. She muttered to herself, “Where are you, Rico? Without my true eyes, I cannot sense you but you have to be here. You have to be. I must be avenged!”
Dyam’s Quest had taken a position in the near orbit of the closest planet. Nissus read minimal technology from the surface. Rico also pulled up the data on his monitor. It appeared that the planet’s population had not yet managed to break into space. There was detection of test sites that registered familiar science for space exploration. They had not yet succeeded in that quest but it seemed as if they were on the verge of doing so. Nissus broke into communications at one of the sites. There was an increased pace to complete the fourth space rocket attempt. As Nissus continued to search through all the various data he was gathering, Rico told him, “Pause and go back.” Both screens flashed back to a report of an alien visitor. Nissus went deeper into that section of the data. He declared it would take a bit to break into that system.
It was two aras later when Nissus declared he had broken into the system and brought up the data. The recovered alien was reported to be an orange scaled reptilian humanoid was savage intensities. There was a photo that Nissus had to clear the image on. The image cleared to a blurred image but to Rico and Nissus could see a resemblance to a female Derth. Rico said, “It has to be Gahka Agg.” Nissus then added that there was more. He stated that two females had freed the alien test subject before dissection. Rico read the report further. Both females were described as humanoid form but with differences to facial appearances. Rico then brought up an image of the planet’s primary inhabitants. They were humanoid with large lobed ears and three narrow eyes. Rico started to ask but was interrupted by Nissus’ claim that he had already started to search for their different life signs. He added that a few probes would be helpful. Rico looked through the freighter’s manifest and found that the Unstabs that previously owned the freighter had three left from an original inventory of four. He then smiled and said, “Well luck has finally shined on us my friend. They can be cloaked.” Nissus declared his most positive potential of coordinates to get the widest spread of detection. Rico launched the probes and their cloak self-activated as they broke and entered the atmosphere.
A warning siren sounded. Nissus looked at the monitor and said, “Well your stalker found us. They just increased speed to our position. Rico looked at the monitor as well and told Nissus that they were too close to their goal to deal with her now. He took over pilot controls and maneuvered the freighter to enter the atmosphere. Nissus was going to argue if this was a good decision but Rico had already engaged. Nissus then reported that the Teon shuttle was following.
After Dyam’s Quest broke through the atmosphere and into a high altitude in the planet’s pink sky, it was engaged with projectile fire from three aerial combat discs. Rico engaged evasive maneuvers but they were in a freighter, not a fighter. Even the less advanced projectile fire was getting through but shields were holding. Nissus was trying to hack into the aerial combat vehicles’ computer systems and steel control. Suddenly, One of the three exploded. Rico looked to Nissus, who responded, “That was not me.”
Another laser blast hit the second aerial combat disc vehicle and sent it crashing into the first. The Teon star shaped shuttle was now behind Dyam’s Quest and firing aggressively. Nissus claimed the shields were still holding. Rico declared that he wanted all power and systems transferred to forward shields. He then put Dyam’s Quest into a widespread turn. Nissus replied that all focus was on forward shields. He then questioned if the decision was wise. Rico replied, “you ask me that a lot my friend. Have I ever failed you? Nissus mentioned, “There was that incident in the wind tunnel on the Favor Skywalks.” Rico looked at Nissus with shock. Nissus then added the time they failed to avoid the panthars and wingspanners. Rico laughed. He then replied, and yet we are still here.
Dyam’s Quest had come about on the side of the Teon starshaped shuttle and rammed it. The Teon shuttle was sent into a downward spin and followed itself downward with a trail of smoke. Rico adjusted course and headed after the Teon shuttle. The Teon shuttle dropped rapidly through the sky as Dyam’s Quest followed in a controlled pursuit. The Teon shuttle crashed at the side of a mountain and crumbled apart as it slid downward toward the base. Dyam’s Quest adjusted at the last moment to pull away from the mountainside shuttle impact. Rico maneuvered the freighter again. Nissus engaged landing gear and engaged repulsor lifts and vents. The freighter landed calmly. Rico and Nissus were both armed with war arms, a lower arm worn gauntlet with multiple devices and weapons. They were aimed and ready to fire as the debris at the base of the mountain shuffled and cleared. The Teon known as Kotch crawled out from the debris and was held at a pause by Nissus.
As Krysus started to crawl out from the debris, Rico’s focus on her was diverted as three horse-like creatures approached. Nissus started to secure Kotch with energy bands on his wrists created by his war arm. The approaching creatures looked much like a horse but bigger and broader. They were stopped by their masked riders. The rear most rider was not masked and clearly the female Derth, Gahka Agg. The other two, once their masks were pulled away, were revealed to be Nissus’ human mother, Sela, and Rico’s Honsho lover, Dyam.
They were still about twenty feet away and in shock that Rico had actually found them. Gahka Agg had the orange scaly skin, muscular body, thick tail, savage face, and two thick fin-like appendages that ran from each side of her head down to her shoulders and another from the top of her head down her spine and to the upper part of her tail. Sela was a curvaceous beauty with long brown hair cropped over her breasts and the rest ran down to her lower back. Dyam had long blonde hair, the standard Honsho long dropped chin, and each hand head three fingers and two thumbs. Sela and Dyam were donned in leather, while Gahka Agg wore torn cloths.
Dyam screamed out in a questioning tone, “Rico, is that you, my love?” Sela also called out for her son Nissus. Both Rico and Nissus were silenced with their success and slowly staggered forward. Dyam and Sela had dismounted and walked slowly to meet them as Gahka Agg controlled the steeds. All of them walked slowly as if unsure if this was real. Suddenly, from behind Rico and Nissus, Krysus came running at them. She screamed out, “No Rico! You will not be happy! I have won.” Rico turned to fire a pulsating blast at the wounded and battered yet charging blonde woman with dark blue eyes. Krysus managed to dodge the blasts and dove with a spear-like motion to take Rico to the ground. As the two struggled on the ground, Rico ended up on top of Krysus and engaged the short blade from his war arm. Krysus stared back at the mixed breed man that was ready to stab her. She started to laugh. Rico told her that it would be her last laugh. Krysus then said, “I feel them, Rico. I won. I can feel my power.” She may have had the eyes ripped from her but she could feel them engaged as they were again close to her. Their power was still bonded to her presence. Rico looked down at the tube that was hooked to the side of his belt. It held the original eyes of Krysus and they had begun a full and bright jade glow. Rico looked up at Dyam, now only five feet away from him. He noticed the radius around all of them starting to slip away. He looked back at Krysus and screamed out, “Noooooo!” The slipping motion and visual distortion started to increase. Rico could not lose his one love again and stabbed Krysus in her chest. As blood dripped from the sides of her mouth, Krysus managed one last laugh before her head dropped and fell to her side. As she died, everything was slipped away.
Rico felt the reality around him that had seemingly slipped away, start to reform. He was on his knees and alone in a desert. Dyam’s Quest landed behind him. Rico turned in a panic to witness Nissus disembark. Nissus called out to Rico, “She slipped us!” Rico screamed in a panic, “Did you get them!? Are they here!?” Nissus sighed and his body slumped in defeat. After a long silent pause between them, Nissus stated we had found them Rico. We had them!” Rico slowly walked back to Dyam’s Quest without a word and Nissus followed him up the boarding ramp. They silently entered the cockpit and took the pilot and co-pilot seats. Nissus broke the silence. He wondered if they were back in their own reality or stuck in another. Rico held his silence a bit longer as he fired up the engines of Dyam’s Quest. He activated the green eyes of Krysus with an electric current as he had done so many times before. They started to glow again. Rico said, “We will find out where we are and we will find them again. Just like before, no matter how long it takes.” Nissus repeated, “No matter how long it takes.” The glow started to produce the slipping sensation all around them again.
THE END
The fate of Rico, Nissus, Gahka Agg, Sela, and Dyam started in Shadowed Stars book 3 the Children of Home and will be decided in Shadowed Stars book 5 Peril in Deep Space
Up Next for books in 2024 is Shadowed Stars book 4 Remnants
Next Month here at shadowedstarsbooks.com will be another short story around Jan. 20th
