THE JOINING: The Cycle of the Shards Book One

“Yes, you’re coming with me.” Tomkari was very confused, yet slightly honored as Critock explained the request that Qua’roti Alpha had agreed to. “I’m going to be one of them, and I’m going to have to act like one of them. That means I’m going to need someone there whispering in my ear the things I need to know.”

“Well that’s all well and good, but I’m not a spy! The Qua’roti gives me tasks, and I do them! This isn’t part of what a tender does!”

“If this doesn’t work, then there’s no Marconian Empire, Tomk. There’ll be no Qua’roti, and you’re going to need a new line of work anyway. Might as well get a head start.”

“No, I don’t understand, why me? Surely there are other tenders, other soldiers...”

Critock smiled. Just a few minutes ago, it was him asking the same questions. The pair, Critock walking and Tomkari floating alongside, were being led by Qua’roti Beta, a slightly younger and absolutely silent member of the religious sect. After Alpha had finished, he had quietly spoken to his second in command, who had gestured for the two to follow. Leaving the Qua’roti chambers behind, they had moved deeper into the compound. As they moved, Tomkari was blindsided by the sudden demand. “You’re coming with me because I neither know nor trust anyone else the Qua’roti have to offer. Anyone that Marconia or the Qua’roti themselves actually want to send is someone I don’t want with me.”

“But...I’m nothing. I was just doing a job. How do you know you can trust me?” There was no accusations or challenge in the wisp’s words, just genuine questions, and Critock could detect a lack of self-confidence. He turned to face Tomkari, while the Beta continued moving.

“You’re devoted to your beliefs as a soul, which I can respect. You’re devoted to the Qua’roti, which typically isn’t something I can really endorse, but you’re sincere. And you’re the first person in a hundred cycles that actually was excited to see me. I’m not looking for a spy, and I’m not looking for a soldier. I’m looking for someone to give me a hand that’s not looking to make a name for themselves.” Critock started to walk, and Tomkari followed. “You’re not in any danger there, you can shift your wavelength to match my optics. I’m the only one that’ll be able to see you. You’ll just have to be quiet, if you can. Besides, I need to keep an eye on you if I’m going to get my ten thousand.”

Tomkari sighed. “I should probably have told you...”

“I know, no money. I assumed I would have heard the Alpha say something about it to add to the pot. Nice bluff.”

“No, there’s money. I pay my debts. Just need a little time to get it out of my vault.”

"Your debts?” Critock shook his head. “The ten grand is yours?”

“I needed to get you to the Qua’roti. You can see how important it was.” The Beta nodded to the left, and then moved down a hallway. Critock walked faster and followed him, with Tomkari slightly behind.

“Well, I’m here now. Save your money, and come with me. I don’t know a damn thing about this planet, and it looks like you’re about to get an info dump.” Critock pointed towards the door at the end of the hallway where the Beta had disappeared. In it was a small machine that neither Critock nor the beta could fit anything but their head into, surrounded by two souls and three female Qua’roti. Tomkari groaned as Critock continued. “You’re going to be my eyes and ears of Earth. Makes sense they’d want to load you up before you go.”

Tomkari shuddered. It wasn’t the first time he had been in one of the machines that Critock had elegantly referred to as an info dump, and while it wasn’t the worst sensation in the world, he would have preferred to never undergo the procedure again. Designed as a quick way to train soldiers on infrastructure and etiquette when visiting foreign worlds, the machine beamed an entire schools worth of education directly into the learning center of the brain. It was the only thing that could still give the soul a headache, and left him dazed for a time afterward. “Why can’t you go through this?”

“Because I’m not going to convert myself until it’s time. I’m going to need all the time and energy I can get to plan this out. You’re staying in that form, so you’re going to have to make yourself useful. Not like you can lift too much, so you get to be the little voice in my head.”

Tomkari sighed as he moved ahead. Best to get this over with. As the soul entered the orb-shaped machine, and it’s external white bulbs began to illuminate, Critock felt someone walk up behind him. He bristled defensively, even though here in the holdings he should be safer than anywhere else in the galaxy.

“Calm yourself, General.” The older voice of Qua’roti Alpha sounded low and tired, but as he turned around Critock could see that the religious leader still had some energy to move around.

“You know I’m not a General any more, right? They took that away from me when everything happened.”

“They took many things from you Critock, we are well aware. But things can be restored, even things we have removed ourselves.” Alpha gestured and began to walk, and after a last look at the machine where Tomkari was currently being updated with the latest information the Marconian intelligence community had on Earth, Critock followed.

“Your tender is strong. When he’s back you should give him a raise. Or do you even pay him?”

“Tomkari is a fine soul. One of the best we have. If the need was not so great we would not have lent him out to you. But he will be a good ally, and it is best not to be alone on such a task.” Where they had gone now was only slightly lit, and there were no other workers or tenders around. The hallway became narrow, and while he couldn’t make out exactly what was at the end of the hall from this distance, he could tell it was well lit. “But helpers are not all you will need. I doubt strongly that Pt’ron can be destroyed without a fight, let alone with the Shards to protect him. You will need the help of the Five.”

Critock shook his head. “Ok, look, with as much respect as I can still muster, the Five aren’t exactly around any more, and they haven’t made themselves known for trillions of cycles. Even if I still believed in your bedtime stories, I don’t think they’re going to choose this fight to jump in.”

Alpha wasn’t effected by Critock’s blasphemy. “The Five are always around, Critock. The Prophecies have made that clear.” He paused for a scoffing noise from the bounty hunter. “What form they choose or how they will help you is what is not clear. But when the Shards are near, so too are their power.” Critock, as well as all Marconians and those they had colonized or converted, knew all too well the unending sermons about the Five. A soldier, a doctor, a bodyguard, a nurse, and an engineer had created the Shards, according to the stories, to bring an end to suffering and hatred throughout a dying universe. With the promise of the power the Shards provided, they had brought an end to their reality and had began the universe anew, creating the first world, Marconia.

“And how exactly is that going to help me?”

Qua’roti Alpha smiled, knowing that they were now near enough to see clearly what was illuminated at the far hallway. “Sometimes, it is necessary to help yourself, and the power of the Five will be shown through your actions.”

Critock’s first impression of the item that lay before him on the pedestal was of familiarity. He had seen this before, felt it, used it. It had been a willing partner with him in battle and to be honest he was not sure if he could have accomplished half the things he had done without it. He knew the history of it, had memorized every word of every scripture that had mentioned it. He had always been struck by its shape and abilities and once he had earned it he had never felt more alive. He found his voice, but even saying its name he could not raise above a whisper. “The Sword of Kon.”

Qua’roti Alpha gave a sly smile. “The general finds his reverence. The weapon of the soldier. Crafted in a time long ago, for a fight long since past. For the defense of the Shards, for the defense of the Five. It’s been waiting for you, Critock.”

Critock spoke to Alpha without looking at him, though he was standing next to him. He simply could not take his eyes off of the sword. “You’re giving it to me?”

Alpha chuckled. “As before, lending. It is best to be prepared for any eventuality, and I’m sure that you will have no disagreement.” Indeed, There was no argument to come from Critock, who had been stunned into silence.

The item on the table did not resemble a full sword, but Critock would know the shape of the hilt anywhere. It seemed to beckon to him as it lay still. It was fully black, and to an unknowing observer it would appear to just be broken, part of a weapon that had been shattered long ago. He knew better. Of all the things that had happened to him in his life, his encounters with the Sword of Kon were the closest he ever came to believing his prophecy.

He was shocked out of his stare by Alpha speaking to him again. “Go ahead, Critock.” It seemed improbable that he would ever have been allowed to look upon the sword again, let alone to hold it. But circumstances had led him back here, and for the first time in a very long time he allowed himself to believe that there was something special about his life, that there was a purpose to the strife he had gone through and his exile. When he placed his hand around the handle, clenching it within his fist, he first felt how warm it still felt. It wasn’t quite to the level of actually uncomfortable to hold, but it was a level of heat that suggested whatever energy was powering the sword was barely contained in its construction. Beyond that, the hilt was light. He effortlessly lifted it, and the hilt seemed to come alive, glowing with soft orange lights, and a silver metal blade seemed to materialize from the top of the hilt. When fully extended, its size was comparable to that of a skinny broadsword. It was a strong silver blade, constructed with unidentifiable metals even to the greatest metallurgists the universe had to offer. The blade itself split into two at it’s base, each one rising to a incredibly sharp point even after all the years it had been in service. The two singular blades were only joined by a small metal line in the middle, and other than that they stood independently. Between the two blades, small streaks of orange electricity flowed, their source as unknown as the origins of the sword itself. It seemed to speak to Critock, telling him that it was alive, it was ready. He waved it around in the air, his mind replaying countless battles, and the lives that he took with it in the name of Marconia. So long ago.

“It’s exactly like I remember.” Critock whispered as Alpha looked on.

“The Sword of Kon does not age. It is one of the two weapons left from the creation of the universe. It always was, and always will be.”

Critock moved it around, and then jerked his wrist slightly to the right. Immediately the blade dematerialized from the top down in a flash of orange. A beat passed, and he repeated the motion, the blade returning immediately to its full glory. “Have you found anyone else that can use it?”

Alpha shook his head. “As before, the Sword of Kon answers only to a child of the Shards. No one else can activate it, nor use it.” It was indeed this aspect of the sword that had led Critock to believe in his destiny, once upon a time. No matter how many millions at this point in the limitless history of the sword had attempted to use it, it had remained dormant. No amount of tests or scientific inquiry had revealed how the sword had worked, but when Critock grasped the hilt, it awoke with a fury.

Critock looked at the sword, turning it in his hand. “I used to think this meant something, you know? Only one in the universe that can use a alleged weapon of the creators of the Universe?” He looked back at Qua’roti Alpha, a sad anger burning in his eyes. “But it means nothing. I just happen to match the fingerprints of a God.”

Alpha was silent for a moment more, then continued. “Critock, you are right to be angry with the Qua’roti. We have mistreated you and ignored you for too long. In truth, our own power has waned to the point that it was questionable whether we could mount a campaign of this magnitude. Our faith led us back to you, and as we had no right to ask you what we did before so do we have no right now. But by doing this, not only will you save Marconia, you will be saving the Qua’roti. We will be forever indebted to you.”

Critock said nothing, just moved the sword around as though he had been training with it for years. After a moment, he held it up to his face, watching the electric streaking between the blades. He remembered the last time he held this blade. He heard her screams again, and saw Pt’ron’s face. He quietly spoke. “I’m not doing this for you.”

When Tomkari came out of the machine he was woozy, and could swear he saw double of everything, but he also felt smarter than he ever had before. This was one of the side effects of the machine. After imparting all of its knowledge regarding the small green planet, it had left the wisp with a feeling that he knew exactly everything there was to know about Earth and it’s inhabitants, despite the nagging reminder that Marconia was only a passive observer to the primitive planet. He felt overfilled with knowledge, as though every second he was forgetting something important. He had to tell everyone everything he could before it was lost! But the Qua’roti keepers of the machine were uninterested in his facts. He frantically rushed around the room looking for Critock, but he wasn’t there! If he still had the ability to sweat he would have, and he headed out to the hallway to find him, or perhaps someone else that would be interested in knowing exactly how many species of insect were present on the planet. He finally found him, along with Qua’roti Alpha, striding towards him from down a dark hallway.

“There you are! I thought you had left for Earth already!” Tomkari exclaimed, relieved that now that he had this knowledge, he was going to get a chance to put it into practice.

“Nope.” Critock came closer, and Tomkari could see the hilt strapped to his side. “Just had to pick up a little help.”

Tomkari whistled. “That’s very…” He almost lost his ability to speak when he realized exactly what Critock had in his possession. “Is…Is that…”

“It is. Critock has wielded the Sword of Kon in many successful campaigns in the past, it is our hope that he will do so now as well.” Alpha stated, proudly.

Tomkari was star struck just being in the presence of the artifact. He knew that the Qua’roti had the ancient weapon from the beginning, but he never had known where it was, and he learned very early on that when the Qua’roti did not want you to know something, then it would stay unknown. But now here it was…And all he could think about was Earth. Every time he tried to come up with a fascinating fact about the sword’s history and where it had been all that came up was historical dates about land mass discovery and which country attacked which country. It would be maddening, he thought, if he wasn’t so happy about the trivia that he had just learned. He noticed as he was thinking about the sword and Earth that Critock and Alpha had continued walking, and he rushed to join them.

As Critock ignored Tomkari’s excited prattling about how Earth’s moon was formed, the three moved down the opposite hallway now. For a change, the hallway got brighter and brighter as they went until suddenly they were a cave-like area, with an opening exposed to the sky. As his eyes adjusted to the light, Critock was surprised to see that his hopper sat in front of him and was being prepared for the journey. He looked at Alpha questioningly.

“We had to assume that you would take on the task as there is little time to waste.” Critock nodded as he moved towards his ship, but stopped when he saw the rest of what was being prepared in this makeshift launching platform.

Two large missiles, in a greenish color, were standing tall in the middle of the room. With smoke and steam emanating from their rear engines, they stretched menacingly far above the group. Critock was a little relieved when he saw that the fuel hoses were still hooked up, but Tomkari stopped in his tracks just the same. “I thought we weren’t going to destroy them? Wasn’t that the plan?”

Critock sighed. “That’s the back up plan. If we don’t find Pt’ron, if we can’t stop the Shards from activating, then those things go off. One at a time, they’re not so bad, just make a nice hole in the Earth. The two together…”

“The Earth would burn, and the Marconian Empire would be doomed.” Qua’roti Alpha finished for him. The three were silent before Tomkari spoke up again.

“How much time are we gonna have to get off world before the missiles hit?”

Critock shook his head. “We aren’t. If we can’t do our job, this is a one way trip.” Cutting Tomkari off before he could protest, he kept speaking. “On that note, should we not fail horribly, what’s the contingency plan for a pickup? I doubt this planet has extra-solar communications yet.”

Tomkari couldn’t contain himself. “They have limited wireless abilities, but nothing that would reach any farther than their own immediate planetary surroundings unless you wanted to wait a few years.”

Alpha just nodded. “Indeed. We have prepared bio-communication devices. Place this on your wrist.” He presented a thin wire to Critock, who immediately placed it against his skin. Upon contact, the metal wrapped itself around his skin neatly, and then seemed to be absorbed into his body. “The device has limited power and is quite fragile. Do not let it get damaged, and only use it to confirm landing, and to let us know when you’re ready to be picked up, if necessary. If we do not hear from you after the allotted time, we are forbidden by first contact guidelines from mounting a rescue.” Clasping his hands behind his back, Alpha moved towards the missiles. “The missiles are each set to be launched shortly before the Shards will come out of their dormancy. By the time they reach Earth, each Shard will be active and will have bestowed their power upon their holder. They will lock on the Shards, and they will destroy the planet to ensure that they cannot again fall into the wrong hands. Please, Tomkari and Critock, please find them. Finish your job.”

Critock nodded, and began walking towards his ship. Tomkari hesitated, and Alpha appraised him. “What is the matter, my child?”

“I just…” Tomkari spoke slowly, embarrassed. “I’m scared. This isn’t a job I ever wanted. And Critock…”

“Critock is a good man. He will do all he can to ensure your safety and both Earth and Marconia. You have nothing to worry about, you have already showed bravery in finding him and getting him here. I salute you, tender Tomkari, and I look forward to our next meeting.”

“I will see you again, I promise.” Tomkari gave the traditional Marconian farewell, and with a last look, headed towards the hopper. Qua’roti gave a silent prayer towards the Five and Gods he both believed and didn’t believe in that the two would succeed in their task and save everything he had known from yet another destructive war. The hopper’s entry ramp closed, and the running lights flickered on a moment later. Soon the ship came to life fully with a small beeping noise. Blue light came from the engines, and it slowly began to move, hovering upward and rotating around. Shortly after, the hopper pitched up, and then faster than the Alpha’s eyes could see, it rushed into the sky with a large roar as it broke the sound barrier. Even after it was gone, the Alpha still looked up, hoping they could carry his wishes for a safe return all the way to Earth.

As he looked up, one of the workers, a green skinned Keyar, carrying a fuel hose around the leftmost missile placed it on the ground, and glanced around him. Satisfied that he could not be seen by anyone of any concern, he held his wrist up to his mouth, revealing his own wrist device. He whispered slowly, knowing that the equipment on the other side of the communication would be able to hear him.

“He’s away. Sending coordinates.”

The Keyar, having finished his task, also looked up into the sky. He wasn’t sending wishes, in fact he was already counting the riches he expected to receive from his mistress for the information that he had provided.

The hopper cleared atmosphere, and with a quick movement across the control panel from Critock, opened a tear, and in a flash of light, the campaign had begun.