The Acolytes of Crane

12 THEODORE: THE URIEL





“The Uriel was five hundred and thirty-five feet from end-to-end, with a wing span of seven hundred and twenty feet—nearly the length of two football fields joined end to end. There were panels sporadically placed upon inside walls within the body of the ship to simulate distant stars with luminous white speckles, as if we were watching the giant view screen on the command bridge in Star Trek.”


It was like the Spruce Goose with an iridescent radiance from its faux star glow, fitted with futuristic weaponry, and built on a sleek contemporary design. The great engineers of today’s Earth would probably have heart attacks—out of joy—after seeing that beautiful machine.

The two groups were now banded together in the nerve center of the ship, the Chamber of Rafal. Dan, Lincoln, and Liam were accepting their new surroundings with open arms. But not Mariah.

I hugged Mariah, because she seemed distraught and regretful.

‘Theodore, my parents told me they were getting a divorce tonight,’ she said. Immediately, I thought, where did that come from?

‘What? I’m so sorry. I hope I haven’t made things worse,’ I said. No wonder she agreed to run with me this evening on the spur of the moment. Who wouldn’t, after hearing the same day about the divorce of your beloved parents? There was nothing I could do to console her. I could not tell what she was more concerned about, the divorce or being whisked away to a strange spaceship. She was immediately transferred to a special bay to be debriefed by Zane himself. I was worried that Zane would deport her back to Earth, because she wasn’t entirely willing, as my orders required. Then without the required five, my entire team and myself could have been deemed unfit for the mission and regretfully returned to our home world.

My last visit to the Uriel was brief and left me with no time for exploration. I wanted to put in a request for a tour. I didn’t want to leave anything by the wayside.

The Uriel, our new home, was now situated close by an incredible, breath-taking gigantic space formation called the Cliff of Divinity. It was several light-years tall, much like the Pillars of Creation. It was like a Niagara Falls of interstellar debris flowing into a dark abyss. The flow was a lava lamp-like unification of purple and black. The translucent violet was produced by the light emitted from neighboring stars outside the gravitational pull of the cliff.

We left the chamber to be introduced to our quarters. We walked through hallways that visually seemed to have a transparent wall on the interior side of the ship, re-creating the deepness of space. It was just imagery collected from cameras situated outside the walls of the ship to relieve the feeling of containment, and replace that anxiety with an overwhelming sense of vastness. The other boys were thoroughly impressed.

‘Dude, those Bromels were intense. I can see why they are Zane’s bodyguards. They could probably kick some serious butt!’ Dan said, as he stopped to immerse himself in the infinite black space presented on the wall.

Liam playfully kicked my foot, tripping me. I turned to chase him, and he put me in a headlock, wildly grinding his knuckles into my scalp.

‘Say uncle-say uncle,’ Liam said jokingly.

‘Uncle, Uncle! C’mon goofis! You are going to make me go bald if you keep doing that,’ I said, as I ran ahead to avoid our frisky scuffle.

‘Thanks, Ted,’ Liam said.

‘For what?’ I asked.

‘For this. If you didn’t bring me here, I’d be stuck on the third rock down from the sun in the Milky Way!’ he said, and continued down the hallway.

I laughed, running after him with my lips pursed, and I shouted, ‘You owe me a kiss!’

I could feel the presence of Dietons. They flowed around us, and in the center of our group, the formation of a body rose up from the ground. Level-by-level, the body began to take shape. The robotic man-thing standing beside us introduced himself as Nezatron. I recognized him immediately from my first encounter on the Uriel, shortly after I had been saved from a certain death at Taylors Falls. The others in my group gazed on in wonder.

‘I am Nezatron. Theodore has met me before. As you can see, I am made entirely from Dietons. I am from Sephera; therefore, I am Sepheran. I will be guiding most of your training on this ship. Welcome to the Uriel. It is the name of this ship. You will be sequestered to your sleeping quarters until notified. Don’t touch anything,’ Nezatron said.

Nezatron, as I remembered him from before, was robotic in nature. However, he was now of human form. The facade that he disguised himself with was of a man with platinum hair, slicked back; bright blue-green eyes, like the ocean near a coral reef; and about-average height—standing about six feet.

His voice was similar to before, but more human-like, yet still monotonous. It was the first time I actually saw—with my own eyes—the formation of Dietons. It was a sight to remember.

There was astounding warmth radiating from within my body. It was a feeling of inner serenity that pushed outward from the center of my chest, leaving a tingling sensation at the outermost nerve endings of my body. The quality of the air within the vessel was pristine. I breathed deeply and cleanly.

I rummaged through my sleeping quarters, exploring what was known and unknown. It seemed designed for the comforts of an individual, but there was one important thing missing—a bed. A button on the wall intrigued me. Pressing it, I felt a flow of Dietons again, and then I heard Nezatron:

‘Lie down. Do it. You can trust me; after all, we have been through a lot. C’mon, lie back.’

I leaned backward slowly, and I felt my body braced by an invisible pressure. I lay completely back, comforted by the softest feeling I could ever imagine. It felt as if I were lying on a nimbus cloud, or millions of bubbles.

Nezatron said proudly, ‘What you lie upon is actually millions of Dietons. These Dietons were equipped with microscopic platforms. There are enough to encompass your entire body. No matter which way you move, the Dietons will adjust to give you systematic support at essential points of your body. In other words, they will give you complete comfort while you sleep.’

I rolled around. Nezatron was correct. The Dietons adjusted to my movements and provided an extremely comfortable platform for sleeping. Although, if any human watched me test that technology, they might think I was blithefully possessed by the way I was levitating about my room.

I learned that Dietons could not be observed with the naked eye until they worked together intensely to form an object. It was when they bound together their attachments with finality such that they created an image. The bed that I was toying with presented itself as a light grey transparent sheet of Dietons with slightly visible edges.

Nezatron was the most interesting form of Dietonical mass. He referred to himself as Sepheran, so I realized that when Dietons formed Nezatron, he was considered Sepheran. If the Dietons formed an inanimate object, that however was not considered a Sepheran, since that identity was only given to beings that had formed a new sentient soul. Nezatron certainly qualified. Although he appeared human, and executed flawless mannerisms that wouldn’t cause any by-stander any cause for alarm, he was still essentially robotic in nature. Despite that, he was definitely his own person, with his own soul. That was weird.

After the tours of our rooms, Nezatron led us five to a huge conference room in the middle of the ship. It had sunken wide steps that appeared as a circle, with its bottom-most platform right in the center. He beckoned for us to step down to the eye of the circle, and we did. We looked at the cavernous ceiling; it was a glass dome that, again, afforded us a wide view of outer space.

Suddenly, from a holographic projector on the ceiling appeared the image of Zane. We were engaged in a sort of hologram conference call. He said, ‘Attention! Please draw near. My name is Zane, and this is my ship, the Uriel. We are at war. My creators, the Dacturons, which I have long ago disavowed, have chosen a path of destruction. Urilian involvement in their lives angers them, and they choose war as the solution. It is my duty to raise awareness of this growing threat. My belief is that we all must involve ourselves in this fight. You will represent Earth, compliments of Theodore. We ran the database of Earth’s entire population, and with our findings, we now know that he is the only one capable of delivering us from this threat. He has risked his life to get you here, and lost everything, because of Dacturon greed and jealousy. Did you tell them about the death of your grandparents, caused by our enemies, just last night?’


‘Just Mariah,’ I said, with my head bowed down, and my body slouched.

All the other teenagers—even Mariah once again—conveyed shock at the news. They couldn’t cry; it was too unreal for them. But there was no doubting the chagrin on their faces. They were also still not fully recovered from their sudden departure from Earth. It would take several weeks for them to adapt to the new reality, if ever.

‘It is okay, bud. I am here for you. We all are,’ Liam said, and the others comforted me as well.

‘What are Urilians?’ Dan asked.

Zane continued, and said, ‘Urilians are basically anyone who opposes the Dacturons under my rule. This war is between the Urilian resistance and the Dacturons. You are here, because you willingly accepted this fate. If for any reason saving the lives of billions isn’t a cause you are interested in pursuing, then I will send you back to Earth. This mission isn’t for anyone who has doubts of what they are capable of doing. Your doubts might certainly lead to the deaths of others. Every decision you make from here to the end of this conflict will have an effect on the outcome.’

‘Why did you guys let this happen? I mean, Ted’s grandparents are dead. I mean, I don’t know what happened, or who did it, but it sounds like something real bad happened. Couldn’t you have stopped that?’ Liam asked angrily. I stood spellbound, wanting the answers even more badly than Liam did.

‘Liam, my power is finite. You might have been told that I was infinitely powerful and can destroy anyone or anything that isn’t in line with my law. It is true that I have strength, but my power has limitations,’ he said.

‘You can say that again, dude,’ Lincoln growled. ‘You definitely have more power than we do, yet Ted has lost everything that was important to him.’

Zane turned to Lincoln and said, ‘I understand. I am angry too at what I could not prevent. Join me. If you don’t have anything to fight for, you do now. The deaths of Theodore’s grandparents will not be in vain.’

He looked around the room to let his remarks sink in. Satisfied, he said, ‘You will refer to me as Zane. You may not call me Lord, or dude. I am only an Omnian with the ability to do miraculous things, so please spare me any worship. You will train diligently, as I have schooled Bromels for hundreds of years. The Bromels are the brilliant angelic beings that were vital in your escape to the Uriel.’

Dan brightened up, ‘Yeah, those things were super rad!’

‘I can see your attention spans are in short supply, so I will try to move it along. We will use technology unfamiliar to your world. Make no mistake, the enemy wants us dead. We must respond with the correct measures. War is hell, so you may find us training with motives and tactics that may lie below your base instincts. You, in fact, may from time to time experience doubt,’ Zane said. He seemed troubled. ‘But you must have faith in me and know that because you have sacrificed for me, I will sacrifice for you. War isn’t forgiving, loving, or humane. War is disgusting. It is something I am not proud of, but we are cornered more now than ever.’

He pointed to outside, to the crystal clear dome where we could see stars twinkling. ‘Right now, outside of the confines of this ship, wait ten Dacturon destroyers. They don’t advance nor withdraw, so we have to figure out what they’re up to. Undefined purpose, however, does not erase their ability to raid this ship. Although it would be improbable that they would succeed in boarding us, it isn’t impossible.’

‘So we are trapped on this ship, with a threat outside?’ Liam asked.

Zane answered, ‘Yes. Remember, the evil of the enemy is limitless. They are not hobbled by niceties, nor are they gentlemen of war. They are willing to do anything, with no regard to what is just. In contrast, your actions will need to be within the highest attention to morals and integrity. You will listen to Theodore and accept his orders, because that is his gift. His ability lies in his understanding of leadership.’

He gazed at us. ‘Any questions? It’s important that you clear up everything, right now. That is mandatory even before we can start.’

Lincoln cleared his throat. I knew he would be the first to ask.

‘Just two words,’ he said. “Why Earth?’

Zane had a puzzled look. ‘You mean why Earth is involved, or—’

Lincoln’s face was red from excitement. ‘Why are you recruiting from Earth? Why are you guys all pissing each other off on Earth?’

Zane nodded his head knowingly. ‘Excellent question.’

Mariah spoke us, her eyes flashing. ‘Yeah! I know what Linc means. We’re just a quiet, technologically backward planet.’ She looked around in awe. ‘You guys are so much more advanced than us. What possible use can we puny humans be to you?’

Zane stared at her approvingly. ‘You are very clever.’

‘Thanks.’ She glanced at Lincoln. ‘So is he.’

‘The short answer is… you humans are unique. In one very important way. It’s true you don’t have the technology. You’re very weak in terms of physical strength. Almost laughable.’

‘Hey, watch it!’ Dan snarled.

‘But one thing sets you out. You have consistently been proven to be the most … adaptable.’ He paced the room. ‘Other inter-planetary species are bigger, stronger. They’re more intelligent. More advanced. But… you humans are the most adept at strategizing, at surviving.’

A silence filled the room.

Zane continued, ‘We have the technology. We have this nanocom, as Theodore already experienced. We give you the power and strength. You are the most perfect fit of any species we have ever encountered.’ His voice was animated, yet hushed.

‘Okay,’ Mariah frowned. ‘That makes sense. But—why did you recruit—’ Mariah pointed to me, herself, and Lincoln—‘three fifteen-year-olds…’ She further pointed to Dan, then Liam.‘…a sixteen-year-old, and a seventeen-year-old? Why didn’t you recruit some career soldiers from Earth? Or our most brilliant scientists and engineers?’

‘We need willing kids who are not entirely set in their ways,’ Zane said. ‘Adults with a significant skill in demand by a powerful nation will likely resist leaving Earth, and they may also have children of their own that they cannot leave behind. Our resistance to the Dacturon Empire is mapped out over the next several years. This isn’t going to be an overnight victory. So if you are not willing to devote some of your own time to saving your world and the existence of Sephera, then your journey can end now, and you will be sent home. If anyone feels like this is the end of their journey, please speak now,’ he said, waiting for a moment to observe any quitters. ‘Ah, no one speaks. Good! The success of your training will be a reflection of the effort you put forth. Thank you for your time.’

From my observation of the room, I could tell my team wasn’t satisfied with the explanation of why Zane was recruiting teenagers, and they were just afraid of challenging him.

Dan started to speak up twice, then backed down each time. Finally, he asked, gesturing with his hands, ‘If the Dacturons are so powerful, then why would they need Travis? He is only a teenager, like us.’

There was a few seconds of what I assumed to be quiet pondering and Zane projected his voice, ‘Dan. Travis is not a teenager, I assure you.’


My colleagues looked at each other in puzzlement. Lincoln burst out, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Travis is the same age as Ted, and—’

Zane cut him off, with a tone of impatience. He was signaling his time with us was up soon. ‘Theodore knows. I repeat, Travis is not a teenager anymore. Theodore will fill you in on that I presume.’ He then stepped through the sliding doors.

My teammates were now murmuring among themselves in confusion.

Nezatron took over the situation. He sounded off through the intercom. He said, ‘Hello, feel free to ask questions at any time, if you don’t understand something. The key in working together well is to know what your brother or sister is capable of, on your left and your right. Liam’s strength and size are his advantages. Daniel’s amazing display of agility makes him unpredictable and thus formidable in battle. Lincoln’s attribute is his state of mind. He can prescribe what a correct course of action is, and he will be important in the decisions that you make together. Mariah is graceful and athletic. She outran every boy in her class this year. Three of you have been chosen for your physical skills, and one for his mind, two if you include Teddy. It is important for you to know that you are not limited to these skills. Every one of you is capable of becoming great in mind and body. However, I want you to sharpen your unique skills every day and advance those that need work. Theodore was chosen for scientific reasons too difficult for your young minds to understand. Regardless, you must follow his guidance. One by one you will be taken to the Chamber of Rafal to be fitted with the same telepathic devices that Theodore uses. Teddy-boy will give you a lesson in working these devices after we are done with the insertion.’

‘Wait! What? You are going to put something in our heads. No way, not me man,’ Dan said.

‘You will not feel a thing, Dan. We have been at this for a long time,’ Nezatron said.

‘But what makes you think we want something in our heads?’ Liam asked.

Nezatron said, ‘We are all equipped with nano technology, so don’t be concerned about us trying to control you. It will help you communicate. The Multiversal council mandates regulations that prevent anyone from using a nanocom to relinquish a person's rights. We will respect these regulations. The procedure isn’t painful. It is exactly what you need to ensure an advantage in this war. I will be your eye in the sky when you are in the field, and I will be your on-board computer. I am sure your training on computers has been limited to video games and to surfing hundreds of websites. We are going to take your current experience to the next level. If you are truly willing, I will evolve you into a band of human warriors in the Chamber of Rafal. Then you will rest, because tomorrow your training will begin, and believe me when I say this, or anything: you will always need your rest. If you don’t rest when you have been given the opportunity to do so, bad things might happen, and people can sustain injuries because of it. Okay, that is enough talking for now.’

‘I get it now,’ Lincoln said. ‘The reason you need teenagers—’

“That’s what I thought too,’ said Mariah.

‘—is that it doesn’t really matter what age we are. When this implant is done, we are no longer teenagers in our minds.’

‘Whoa!’ said Liam.

‘We’re practically like adults when this is done,’ asserted Lincoln.

Dan piped up, ‘I’m not sure I want to change! I like being a teenager.’

Nezatron took control of the discussion. ‘Yes and no. You will be like a hybrid. Physically, you will still be teenagers. Your mind will always have that malleability that is so important in teenagers.’

A foreboding air of silence hovered in the room as reality sunk in.

‘As Zane likes to say, ‘Youth is wasted on the young.’ We will ensure that not one bit of your youth is wasted,’ Nezatron said.

Give Liam credit for putting us back at ease. ‘When do we eat?’ he asked, rubbing his hands with glee.

‘We will notify you about dinner. You will find your new clothes behind the platinum doors next to your beds. Take a moment to explore your rooms. Within your closet, there is some unique tech-gear, try to avoid the temptation to use them until your training.’

The ambient lighting throughout the quarters made me feel at home. There was no denying it. The Uriel was my home. With my grandparents deceased, my mom and dad incapable of parenting, I was willing to accept these changes with no resistance. I was still deeply cut by the loss of my guardians.

Zane gave me credit for sacrificing everything, and that surprised me. I could have ensured the death of Travis by driving him into the ground myself, but someone was watching the altercation and teleported him. I should have finished him when I had the chance.

‘Theodore, may I please come in,’ came a young girl’s voice through the door intercom.

I said yes, and when she stepped in, I have to admit, I was taken back. She was covered from head to toe in sandy brown hair, about an inch long. The hair appeared soft and alluring, shifting slightly in hue as I adjusted my line of vision.

She wore a crown. It was a rolesk. Clothed in a sort of toga, she reminded me of a Greek goddess, and her voice was gritty, yet enchanting.

Her pupils were a shade of brown not far from black, and the whites of her eyes contrasted sharply against them. I felt drawn toward these gorgeous features, my heart palpitating.

She stood proper, punctual, and perfect. Her posture reflected her sense of grace and poise. I found myself attracted to her aura of mystique and beauty.

‘I am Tez. I will be escorting you to the Chamber of Rafal. Welcome to the Uriel.’ She smiled to me, tilting her head. ‘What is the matter, you have never seen a Karshiz princess before? I am a leader like you. My father is King Trazuline.’

Yes! King Trazuline, whom I had met when I escaped from my near-certain death at Taylors Falls. ‘I am Theodore. You can call me Ted if you like. You are right, I have never met a princess. The only thing I—that is a matter—I mean, what is—. Dang it, I cannot talk! It is just, you are...’

‘Different?’ she asked.

‘Yes, don’t get me wrong, you are beau—’

‘Okay, okay, let’s just get to the Chamber,’ she said, ‘I remember when I went to the chamber for the second time. It was after I was given the rank of Messiah.’

‘Messiah? What rank is that, like, is that in the military on your planet?’ I asked.

‘No, it is more of a position. You are a Messiah too. Let me explain. If Zane is at the top, you and I are two levels underneath him. That is just if you are organizing us in a level of importance to the resistance. If we were talking about military rank, I would say Migalt and Nezatron are closer to the top, but they don’t formally have a position. They are like Zane’s left hand and his right hand. King Trazuline, my father, definitely has an official position. He is a General, and he is Zane’s tactician and advisor. He would be directly under Zane in rank. All Generals carry out Zane’s orders.’

We walked for a bit down the hallway. The hallway of the Uriel made it seem like I was separated from space by glass, walking on a bridge toward the next wing of the ship.

Once we arrived at the chamber, there was a machine guarding it. Box-like, it had about fifty camera lenses on the flat surfaces of it, peering out in every possible direction. It easily swiveled in response to motion, balancing perfectly on an anti-gravity sphere that allowed it unlimited mobility.


‘What are those things?’ I asked Tez in awe.

‘That is one of the Ophanims. When the ship Uriel elevates its defensive readiness, the Ophanims spread their forces across the ship, making sure there are no security breaches. The eyes on the Ophanims are cameras. They record many different vantage points and process all the information to be sent into the mainframe—Nezatron. If there is a breach, they are known to be extremely deadly, with the use of lasers and plastic monofilament restraints.’

The ship’s defenses made me feel safer. When we stopped at the gate leading to the chamber, the Ophanim protecting it spoke:

‘Please state your name and your purpose. First, tell me the security response to this phrase: People of purpose are…?’ the Ophanim requested in a female robotic voice.

‘Security response: prisoners of production,’ Tez quickly responded confidently and precisely, as the Ophanim beeped in approval. ‘I am Tezmarine Halperin, daughter of King Trazuline Halperin, and princess of the planet Karshiz. I have with me Theodore Crane, Messiah by Urilian order.’

While Tez spoke, the Ophanim scanned our eyes and pricked the tips of the index fingers of our right hands, matching up the results to a pre-screened database. We were clean and good to go. The gates opened, and the Ophanim collapsed into the wall ergonomically.

‘Okay Ted, this is where I stop. Theodore, your life from here on out will be—different. You have to separate friendship from leadership. The humans that you brought are your subordinates now, and should be treated like soldiers of the resistance, with respect, but not love in the sense of friendship. However, they should be valued just through hard work and dedication to you as their leader. Congratulations Theodore, you deserve it—your story inspired me to join in the fight.’

‘My story?’ I asked, ‘You mean people know about me?’

‘Yes, Theodore. Right down to your abusive parents. It is amazing you have made it so far, having parents like that.’

I felt embarrassed.

‘Okay, one last thing—you have a hole in your shoe.’ She giggled and turned her back to me. As she walked away, I felt drawn to her.

I dug deep to think of something clever to say. Fumbling, all that I could come out with was, ‘You too.’

She shook her head without glancing back and continued on, as the vault to the chamber closed right behind her. I bent my knee to bring up my foot at an angle into my line of vision. She was right. I had a hole in my old shoe hologram that was programmed into my XJ-731’s. Thus, the hole was fake, but obvious to any passer-by. I re-programmed the hologram to get rid of the hole.

I walked into the chamber, and its decontamination field inspected my entire body for viruses and mutant micro-organisms. Once in, I noticed that everyone from my crew was in the Chamber of Rafal.

‘What are you guys doing here?’ I asked.

Lincoln was swift to address me, ‘We’re here to watch your little promotion to the rank of weirdo—I mean—Messiah. Seems like you are the only one they needed. I don’t know why you needed us.’

‘We are a team and that is the end of it,’ I said warmly, smiling over the sense of adventure that we all would collectively embrace. Hopefully.

‘Whatever,’ Lincoln said. He stepped about five feet away from me with his arms crossed. I wasn’t sure what was bothering him. He had been quiet ever since we had that argument with Liam at my grandparents’ house. Lincoln just wasn’t himself.

‘This is Nezatron. Sorry for the interruption, now that we have you all here we can get started. Because of your dedication to duty and your fearless ascent into space we are rewarding you all with Sandolphin’s Bracers.’ He stopped for a moment, and an airborne robotic-looking Sepheran, hovering from one teammate to another, strapped the dark polished gray bracers to our wrists and forearms. ‘These bracers confer endless offensive and defensive benefits. The purpose of these bracers is to encapsulate or cover your hands with titanium nano-chain mail. Liam, please demonstrate by simply pressing the ruby button at the back of your hand.’

‘Just press right here?” Liam asked.

We all looked on at this chain mail—tiny rings of metal interlocked together to provide a sheath of protection over parts of the body. It looked like a macramé coat of metal.

‘Yes. This mail armor is used for hand-to-hand combat,’ Nezatron said, ‘With these titanium gloves on your hands, your bones will not break. Otherwise, if you lose a hand or a finger while fighting, it can be devastating to the team in the heat of battle. Moreover, these gloves can cause serious damage to any enemy. Since these gloves are so powerful, you have to show your restraint while fighting. Their force is so great that you could break a bone in your arm located beyond the support of your bracers. So ease up on whatever knock-out blow you deliver.’

Nezatron paused. ‘Finally, it is because of one courageous boy that you are assembled here today. Make no mistake; without you, he would not be here either. However, it was his blind devotion to Zane that gives us this newfound advantage over our enemies—Odion, Travis, and the Dacturon Council. Because of that devotion, the rank of Messiah was bestowed upon you, Theodore! Zane decreed it the moment you entered his ship.’

‘That is awesome, dude—good job!’ Dan said.

‘The next day, we will ensure that each of you enter the Chamber of Rafal. Theodore has already been adapted. Now it is up to the rest of you to await your turn. When you finish, you will be given a rolesk for the rest of your years,’ Nezatron said, “With the rolesk, you will have a vast but limited ability to control Dietons. There have only been twenty-five rolesks issued in the history of the multiverse. When you are in the Chamber of Rafal, it will only take about fifteen minutes, and it will help you to understand the conflict on a deeper level. You will be provided with history of the multiverse and the resistance. Now, dinner will be ready in half an hour. Although I am a robot, I have been programmed with the understanding of the human need for bonding. You may take fifteen minutes to share camaraderie and freshen up before we have dinner.’ He left.

‘Man, I wish they had one of these chambers in school. I would much rather have fifteen minutes a day to learn everything, than seven hours a day in the classroom!’ Liam said.

‘Hell yeah, that would leave more time for shredding pavement,’ Dan said. He dreamily visualized his skateboard.

‘I guess we head to our rooms now,’ Lincoln said, ‘Mariah, you have not said much, are you alright?’

‘No posanada…’ she started, speaking in Spanish before she caught herself. ‘I mean, don’t worry. I’m fine. Can you walk me to my room, Linc?’ she asked.

Her room must have been down at the other end of the hallway, so we had to part ways. Liam, Dan and I kept fooling around with our bracers. We were giving each other a made-up handshake with the bracers equipped. We were clanging metal together all the way back to our rooms. Meanwhile, Lincoln and Mariah were having a heart-to-heart.

‘Listen Lincoln, I know you are having a hard time not getting all the attention, but I think you should lay off Theodore a bit.’

‘It isn’t that. I don’t really feel like talking about it right now. What is wrong with you? You have not said much of anything since we got here,’ Lincoln said.


‘I know, it is just, I miss mi familia and well, there is more. I don’t feel like talking about it either. Do you need a hug?’ she asked.

Lincoln leaned toward Mariah and gave her a hug. I caught just a glimpse of the embrace as I was entering my room. I badly wanted to halt in mid-step and drink in all of the spectacle, but was too embarrassed to stick around.

I will admit, it bothered me, but I had so much more to think about than women. Tez said I needed to distinguish my leadership from friendship. I really took that to heart. Resting on my bed, I decided to use the time from that moment until dinner to read my grandfather’s research and to learn about my rolesk.

Looking through the pile of research papers was going nowhere. I flipped to the last page and I discovered the one truth that could destroy everything Zane had desired to protect. The night of the storm, when our tree was ravaged, my grandfather found hundreds of glowing Dietons, or Metalons as he called them, scattered amongst the yard. The remains of the Dietons were left dismantled on blades of grass and other surfaces.

Reading on, I learned about Marvin's final postulation. After microscopic investigation, he believed the Dietons were destroyed by the lightning bolt's extreme surge of electricity.

He journaled further of an experiment that would test his theory, but I reached the end of his research and there were no results to follow. He wouldn't live to test the Dietons. If the Dacturons got their hands on that information, Sephera could potentially see destruction.

I switched my focus from the research toward the rolesk. I was hankering to settle my curiosity of it.

‘Rolesk,’ I said. Since I was now aboard the Uriel, I didn’t have to hide my inquiries anymore, so I just said it aloud.

Nezatron said, ‘The invention of the rolesk was initially to help Zane amplify his powers of telekinesis. It was necessary to control so many Dietons. Later, when he enlisted individuals to help him, he knew that he needed these rolesks for them as well. Therefore, he developed rolesks with varying degrees of security levels and limitations. Theodore, since I have your ear, I must inform you there are two other teams aboard the Uriel. As you know, there are you five, who comprise the Humans. Then the other two teams are the Bromels and the Karshiz.’

I attempted to set the record straight. ‘The Bromels—these giant angels, like Migalt?’

‘Yes, Theodore.’

‘And who are the Karshiz? Oh, you mean those under King Trazuline—ruler of the planet Karshiz?’

‘Correct. The race is named Karshiz, after the planet. This makes it easy to remember.’

I nodded.

Nezatron’s voice took on an urgent tone. ‘You now know one important thing. Zane and I believe there is an evil presence aboard the Uriel. A traitor. Someone is here on the orders of Odion. Stay sharp, and see if you can sniff out this evil.’

My blood ran cold. ‘How do you know?’

The robotic Sepheran hesitated. ‘Last week, before your team arrived, we found an unauthorized forced attempt to access the nerve center of the ship.’

‘Did you find out who did it?’

‘No, Theodore. What is puzzling is that our Ophanims were recording all visuals within the command room. There is no recording of anyone at the exact time and location this authorized entry was attempted. Nonetheless, we are dealing with a very cunning adversary.’

‘Is it possible there was a probe of the Uriel by another ship, like one of the Dacturons?’

‘No. There was no record of transmission by any outside source into our ship. We record all incoming and outgoing transmissions, even that of subterfuge,’ Nezatron said. ‘Therefore, it must be someone on this ship.’

‘Nezatron,’ I said, thinking of something that could help ease his mind.

‘Yes.’

‘I have some of my grandfather's research. There is something I think you should read in here.’

‘Your grandfather was under our Dieton surveillance. We are aware of his revelations and are working hard to ensure we can protect ourselves from the horrifying predictions he had formulated. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I will notify Zane of your loyalty. You will make a wonderful Messiah, Theodore. We are certain of it. I will see you at the gathering.’

A traitor maybe, as if I didn’t have enough on my plate to think about that day! Getting up from my bed, I went to my closet to inventory my equipment. When I walked over to the closet door, I touched the sensor, and it slid over mechanically.

I laid my bracers next to my flying kicks, and I noticed a few other things that were peculiar, but there was one special item lying in my closet: a gun blade, similar to the one that Migalt had on my first trip to the Uriel. Whoa! I stood there, transfixed by its terrible firepower.

It wasn’t as big as Migalt’s of course, but it was majestic. I remembered how he activated the blade, and I had to test it out for myself. Picking it up gingerly, I caressed the emblem on the titanium handle of the sword in order to activate it. I remembered the technique from watching Migalt back then. Upon my command, the tritium phosphoritite and magnesium substance rapidly jutted out.

My blade was a fiery teal, and I could see Dietons around me spark as they hit the edge of the blade. The edges were burning hot. Excited, I parried the gun blade, pretending to fight an unseen foe. Oops! I burnt my sheets on my bed as I wasn't properly trained. Thank goodness I did not sear my leg with the red-hot object. I smelled the smoke arising from the rips in my bed sheets, trimmed with blackened burn marks.

Oh no! When I lifted up the sword in reaction to my accident, I became even clumsier and destroyed the shield to the lighting mechanism on the ceiling. Sparks flew down from the ceiling and rained harmlessly on me. Gulping at my ineptitude, I turned off the lethal weapon.

I heard Nezatron laughing over my nanocom. ‘Theodore, it is time for dinner, please head down to the dining hall. Teddy, let’s put the sword away. I will send a Dietonian to fix what you destroyed. Oh and by the way, that sword was wielded by Zane during our dark ages when he was being hunted by Odion and the Dacturon Elite. Wrath is its name—it’s one million years older than you are. It would be wise to respect it—weapons like these are unforgiving, and evolve based on their user. I can see it has already changed to suit you.’

‘Wait, Nezatron,’ I said.

‘Yes, Theodore?’

‘I need to know more about our sworn enemy—Odion. How can I best fight him?’ I demanded to know.

‘I figured we may have this conversation,’ Nezatron said, ‘You have met him once, and that’s far more than the vast majority of any other beings in the universe. You have first-hand witness of his power. Imagine the hatred that Travis has, and multiply that by infinity, and you will have Odion. In the beginning of this mess, when Zane was created, there was another—’

‘Another Omnian? Yes, I do remember. He and Zane are brothers, and they are still the only Omnians in the multiverse,’ I said.

Nezatron said, ‘Yes Ted, he was taken from the Dacturon scientists who created him, and was raised by the Dacturon Council. Zane was also created in that same laboratory, but with different results, and he was exiled by the Multiverse Council. They could not handle his power.’

‘What makes Odion so powerful? He got to me, I guess,’ I asked.

Nezatron said, ‘In terms of physical strength, he is nowhere as powerful as Zane. It is his power over the mind that sets them apart. Zane does not wage battles in the mind of man or beings of the multiverse, but Odion does and is capable of destroying an entire nation in your world with a simple notion of doubt or jealousy.’


I said, ‘What’s stopping him from entering the mind of Zane? Or any of us, actually?’

‘Smart thinking, Theodore. Zane’s rolesk shields him with Dietons from any outside telekinetic stimuli,’ Nezatron said. ‘All this time, the Dietons have shield you personally, as you know. They also shielded your grandparents’ house. We were surprised when he was able to enter your mind that one time. We were also surprised that he was able to have Travis to enter your grandparents’ house, but we will ensure such a major breach of security never happens again. Make no mistake Theodore, he will try again, and when he does, it is your love of Earth that will save you. Now, enough. You have to go, enjoy dinner, and play some Jengitch.’

It was a lot to take in for a fifteen-year-old. This was a feat for someone as brave or as valiant as King Arthur or Aragorn. How could Zane ever conceive that I would be able to handle Odion with all his might and paramountcy?

My thoughts of inadequacy were eclipsed by my desire for food. I was close to nibbling on the potted plant in my room if I didn’t hurry to the chow hall.

On my way to the cafeteria, I mulled over the looming threat ahead. I thought I sensed an ominous presence about me, but it was highly improbable for an enemy to sneak around within the Uriel.

I continued on to the dining hall, and I used the Dietons to guide me. The rolesk was already proving to be handy. I just didn’t want to become too dependent on it. My grandma always told me if my skateboard broke, I would have to walk all the way home.

I heard a shuffling of some feet, and when I turned back to look, I stumbled backwards over my own heel, grasping for anything to break my fall. I braced myself against a soft, warm body standing right behind me.

‘If it isn’t the puny human Messiah. It does not even know how to walk, let alone lead! I hope we don’t have to rely on this twerp,’ the young Bromel said nastily. He was about seven feet tall, which was small for a Bromel. ‘Do you have a name, tiny thing?’

I sneered back. ‘My name is Theodore, thanks for breaking my fall.’ Drawing my glance upwards to meet his, I mocked him. ‘Looks like you have some food on your chin. A brute like you cannot even eat without getting food all over his face. Shocking!’

Lincoln saved the day. He knew it wasn’t time to mess around with much bigger dude than oneself. ‘Come on Theodore,’ he whispered to me, out of earshot. ‘This guy’s head is as big as watermelon, but his brain works at a third-grade level.’ He pulled me into the dining hall.

‘Why were we hiding, Linc?’ I asked.

‘I was going to sneak-up on you to scare you, then you ran into that big dork,’ he said.

Our attention turned to the magnificence of the hall, enclosed by glass everywhere. There were mini-canals, or flumes of Elon water running at an elevated level, about waist height, along the walls. Everyone was passing by them one after another, rinsing their fingers in the turbulent water as if they were baptizing themselves, but not making any religious gestures. I noticed Lincoln didn’t dip his fingers into the water like everyone else. ‘Dude, aren’t you going to wash your hands or whatever?’ I asked.

‘Everyone’s dipping their grubby fingers into that water, if you want to put your fingers into a germ pool, be my guest,’ Lincoln stated. He had a valid point.

There were three round tables in the center of the dining hall, with six settings of food placed upon the tables, groaning against the weight. Throughout the room, there was a hive of Sepherans bringing out mouth-watering food that appeared mystifying to me.

At the front of the dining hall, Nezatron, preening himself, looked like he was preparing a speech, and the Sepherans were lining up in formation side by side, as if they were going to sing.

One glass wall in the dining room showed off a slice of flora and fauna only found on other worlds. The giant aquarium had teeming plant life everywhere within. Trees and foliage lined the walls within this huge enclosure. The oxygen fed in from this conservatory was so clean—I could breathe deeply and comfortably. Visually quixotic birds were fluttering about within, and grotesquely formed yet alluring animals were prancing about. What a spectacle to those dining, to be able to see a whole new world across the thick glass.

I was gazing intently. At one end of his gigantic nature conservatory were guests of the ship who had entered through a secure door from the dining hall in order to entertain themselves.

‘Come on, Ted, let’s take a look, we can eat later,’ Lincoln tugged at me to go inside the world of vitality, clearly enthralled. We ducked in through an electronic entrance that checked our identity and beeped as we successfully passed through.

Enchanted, I looked around at the beguiling ecosystem. There was wild grass on the floor of the room, and various beings—Bromels, Karshiz, and Sepherans—were joyfully playing a type of hacky-sack. It looked like they were playing PELT, which was a game we made up on earth. To my immediate left, a tree stood about ten feet tall and looked a lot like a Venus flytrap. I leaned in closer to touch a leaf.

‘I would not do that if I were you; it is said that it can engulf and slowly digest its prey for eternity,’ a familiar soft Karshiz voice said from behind.

I turned around. ‘I wasn’t going to touch it. What is this place?’

‘This is the Hall of Efran, and that tree that stands before you is a deflicontis.’ Tez said. She was excited for knowing something I didn’t. Again, she was awesome on the eyes of budding young men. Unlike their male counterparts, the women’s entire body was covered in luscious thick hair of about one inch, with only the eyes easily visible.

‘I think you are pulling my leg for sure now,’ I said.

She looked at me bewildered and asked, ‘How could I pull your leg? I am standing over here with my hands on my hips.’ She rolled her eyes as she thought some more, then frowned. ‘Oh, I see! This is one of those human idioms.’

‘Well, I am not sure what an idiom is, I just know that it means joking. I felt you must have been joking with me. So this is where things are created?’ I asked.

‘It is a more complicated than that. . .’ she said, before being interrupted by the voice of Nezatron.

‘Attention everyone, please take your seats back in the dining room. I see all are engaged in a game of Jengitch over there. Please stop your game for a moment, so I may have a word,’ he waited about five minutes for everyone to take his or her seats, chatting among themselves.

Once everyone was sitting before the food, Nezatron positioned himself at the front of the dining hall. ‘I see that you have been fascinated by The Hall of Efran just across from this room. This fascination is well deserved. This Hall was used millions of years ago in the raising of newly created species. The ship has since then outgrown this Hall, and now instead all of our creations are fathered from the massive Garden of Odion which is located on the second level of the Uriel.’

Odion? I thought, puzzled. Why was such an honored enclave on the ship named after Zane’s most mortal enemy? I’ll find out later, I told myself.

The voice continued, ‘I must add that this Garden of Odion is strictly forbidden for many reasons, one of which being the existence of unpredictable predators, who can kill you if you are foolish enough to try to enter. The only person having a safe passage through that realm is Zane himself. Not even Migalt steps into the Garden of Odion without a gun blade close by.’


Nezatron paused for dramatic effect. ‘Dacturons are invading your planets. They are not doing it in a manner that causes widespread panic, but by stealth. You are here on the Uriel to train for your entry into the fight. The resistance is comprised mostly of three major species: the Bromels, the Karshiz, and the Humans. The Valeon Galaxy has yet to be tainted by this wicked plot, but there is no telling what may be going on beneath our noses. Now please enjoy the food, have an open mind, and embrace the unknown because that is what will make you succeed in these dark times. Acceptance of meaningful change leads to evolution.’

Tez was so enthusiastic that she clapped before Nezatron had finished, then a resounding escalation of applause followed. The cheering and noise subsided, then there was much imbibing, munching, laughing, and backslapping among three vastly different species of beings.

The tamed wildlife in the hall grew quiet as well and watched us through the secure glass while we ate. Everyone was digging into their roast beast and vegetable-like items. There were sauces that glowed, and huge colorful bugs that were piled into pyramids and presented as entrées.

The Bromels were devouring the crunchy bugs, and they seemed to enjoy them immensely. My crew just glared at the other tables with astonishment. The buffet style assortment of food, much of it unfamiliar to us, was quickly disappearing.

‘Alright, who is going to be the Guinea pig?’ I asked, hinting that I didn’t want to be that person.

Liam looked at us and shook his head. ‘You guys don’t get it. Either you eat, or you don’t. One option leaves you satisfied and the other leaves you starving. I don’t know about you guys, but I am doing it.’

After Liam was done speaking, he ravaged the food within his reach. He just couldn’t stop. We followed his lead, and for me, I had no regrets.

The roast beast was juicy and savory, and what looked like a prehistoric bird leg, had actually tasted similar to chicken. There were these plant-like long purple stalks, with orange flowerets at the top; they tasted just like peanut butter, which was odd. Everything was cooked to perfection, and it was like an alien smorgasbord of awesomeness. I was satisfied.

Then I noticed that Mariah and Lincoln were talking quietly. They seemed like they were hitting it off, and feasting on each other with swooning eyes.

I was swept away by the atmosphere of the hall, and by the delicacy of the food. My friends were ecstatic. Enjoyment fulfilled —there was no sign of kids feeling torn about abandoning their lives on Earth. No symptoms of regret from a decision of self-exile.

We all worked our way around the room to talk with people. It was as awkward as I thought it could be, given the clash of cultures, languages, and outlooks. I didn’t think it was going to be a quick adjustment for anyone.

Dan ran up to me and said, ‘Okay, so listen here sweetie pie.’ He gave me a new nickname each week. ‘I have a few ideas for our team name. I went with downright simple first, how about B-Team, The Minnesota Loons, or Abominable Hockey Fans?’ I gave Dan a look of disgust for his suggestions, and told him I wanted something fresh and new. ‘Crap, okay, I saved the best ones, just in case you hated those. How about Regulators or Crane’s Five, okay—so you don’t like those either. Well, last shot: the Outsiders.’

‘That is good,’ I said, happy that he finally brought forth a good option, ‘but we don’t need a name.’

‘I guess you are right, dude,’ he said. We looked around, wondering what we were going to do next.

Everyone was mingling well, there were cliques forming faster than gossip itself, but that was to be expected. There was a clique of a few Karshiz and Bromel folk playing a game of Jengitch near the entrance to the Hall, as we had seen earlier. Now, this time, we didn’t want to miss the fun. I grabbed Dan and dragged him over.

‘Excuse the interruption, you think we could jump in and play with you guys? This is Daniel, and my name is Theodore,’ I said, as politely as I could.

The bullying Bromel who had attempted to trip me a few hours earlier was in the group, and he put his hands on his hips to respond. He muttered snarkily, ‘Honest, you think you’re worthy? My pals can beat you with their eyes blindfolded.’ He scoffed.

A Karshiz stepped forward. ‘Don’t mind Drangle here. You’re welcome to join us. Jengitch is a game similar to your hacky-sack on Earth except the object we’re kicking around—a Jengitch—is way more potent than an ordinary hack-sack. A Jengitch ball can think on its own. It has different offensive and defensive moves designed to cause you to be frustrated enough to pull your hair out. It can spray you with water, or sling you up by your feet. You have to use your eye-foot coordination as well as your agility to escape its attacks. Just try to keep it going and watch out for unknown attacks by the object. This game is based on elimination. If you drop the Jengitch, or if you are messed up from its attacks, then you’re out.’

Dan and I walked into the circle. I brought Dan into the equation, because after watching the gameplay, I thought he would be a natural. Drangle, the bully, served up the first Jengitch. It had a rainbow-like trajectory and dropped down near my waist. Acting instinctively, I kicked it up in the air.

Before the ball even made its descent back to our circle, Drangle kicked it with what looked like a kick-boxing move. Once he kicked it, the Jengitch fired tranquilizer darts in all directions, I knew they were tranquilizers, because one kid was hit, and had fallen asleep for the rest of the game.

The bully was doing well and hit it five consecutive times. When someone hits it five times in a row, the Jengitch freezes in front of him alone, and he can grab the Jengitch to make a direct attack on anyone else in the group. Kind of like a pelt in a game of hacky or dodgeball.

Once Drangle grabbed the ball, everyone’s readiness was intensified for the incoming blow. He made his choice, and of course, he threw it at me. The Jengitch zinged past my head, and I thought I was out of danger for now. How wrong I was! As everyone else in the Jengitch group looked on in astonishment, until the ball mechanically clicked behind me, spun rapidly around my torso, and wrapped me in monofilament. Grunting and struggling, my arms were immobile in what appeared to be clear plastic fishing line. Ugh!

The game thundered on. One by one, as Drangle peered on with a mischievous grin, more opponents were kicked out of the game.

Now it was down to Dan, alone against the Bromel bully! While I was watching intently, I used my rolesk to have the Dietons release me from my monofilament. One of the Bromels looked over at me and called me a show-off for daring to use my rolesk.

It was an epic match. The bully and Dan were battling for the win. After an unexpected bounce off the Bromel’s foot, Dan lunged to kick it up with his toe. Dan blazed it toward Drangle, and just before it hit, the Jengitch fired four taser-like devices that zapped the seven-foot tall Bromel, causing him to collapse to the ground. I ran over to Dan, and we exchanged high fives.

The Bromel stood up, then bent his massive frame in order to ogle into Dan’s face. ‘You are a twerp, that was pure luck,’ he said. ‘No one ever has beaten me on his first game. I’ll be watching you!’

Dan swore, ‘Screw you, you are big and slow, and you can watch me all you want dude, but it isn’t going to help you win. I don’t get lucky. So you can shove it!’ I yanked Dan’s arm, afraid that there would be a fighting match.


I admonished him. ‘Dan, you can’t talk that way to people, even if they are acting that way. We have to respect him. We might need these guys at some point.’

Eventually, Mariah, Dan, Liam, Lincoln, and I re-united, a little overwhelmed. The consensus was that we were all tired and overloaded with the Urilian culture. We all gathered near our sleeping quarters.

I gave a little speech to my team. ‘Well, let’s call it a night. I want everyone to use their IPU to practice martial arts. It is important for us to get better with our fighting skills. You can tell the other groups already have been at it. So please put an hour of effort into martial arts each night; it does not matter to me which one you choose. Then, as you rest for bed, spend an hour into researching the technology behind your devices, like Nezatron said. Alright, see ya tomorrow.’

We all dispersed to our rooms for the night. I began to walk away, and I heard someone tailing behind me.

‘Theodore, I really didn’t see you much in the Hall of Efran…’

I stood there, enchanted by Tez once again. “You mean in the room of wild life?’

‘Yes, did you have a good evening? Did you enjoy yourself?’ she asked me. She was a sight for tired eyes, and pleasingly exotic. It may be hard for someone to believe that an alien covered in hair was beautiful, but she was. She appeared as huggable as a cuddly teddy bear. Her voice was exotic and uplifting, and her slender figure showed off her slight bosom and hips. Her eyes were like emeralds, green and beguiling. Her presence held me captivated; any other thoughts I had were banished.

‘Yeah, I mean no, well, it was good. I just, wow, you are—’

‘Beautiful?’ she asked, her eyes twinkling. She was clearly enjoying my attention.

‘Yeah, very. I am sorry. I am not trying to be a dork, and I just think you are great.’ My face turned red; I badly wanted to exit before I wilted in front of her. Mumbling, I barely sounded articulate. ‘I have some studying to do in my room. I better get going.’

I thought about turning around to break off eye contact, but I just couldn’t. Tez still looked at me expectantly. ‘Theodore, can I call you Theo for short?’

My heart thumped like crazy at these words of intimacy. ‘Yeah—sure! You’d be the first!’

A faint smile on her face widened into a broad grin. ‘Very good, Theo. Good night.’ Tez started to walk away.

‘Wait, Tez,’ I yelled after her, not wanting to end the moment just yet. ‘Why is the Garden of Odion named after the person we are trying to defeat?’

She turned and looked at me. ‘Theo, I don’t even know if I should tell you this, but Odion and Zane worked together for quite a long time. The garden was Odion’s idea. When the Dacturons decided they no longer wanted to take part in Zane’s mission, Odion sided with them. That led to the irrevocable split between the two powerful brothers, and the universe’s never been the same since. That led to the theft of the Chamber of Treark. That is enough information. If you want more, you have to ask Nezatron yourself. Will I see you tomorrow?’

‘I hope so,’ I said, and we walked off in separate directions. I looked back to steal one last glance at her beauty and just when I sneaked a peek, she arrested me with another glimmering twinkle from her eyes. She probably knew—and savored—the fact that I was all ravished by her delicate elegance, and I was playing right into it.

“I continued to walk proudly because I detected an iota of interest from her in me. Combined with the exciting tour of the ship, and Dan’s decisive defeat of the Bromel, the day was a success. More importantly, I felt as if I was in love. I could not stop thinking about what Tez said.”