Chapter 24

Bracken took another sip of the warm brew in his mug.  He stood watching a large wave break on the shore a short distance away. He missed Lisha already, although he could hardly admit it to himself.   He wondered if she missed him as well.  He tried to forget about her, forcing down another drink of his brew.  Chepa sat nearby, stoking a Campfire he had built at the base of a large rock. Several trees grew from its stony surface.  The branches sculptured by the sea wind, twisted in poetic grotesqueness toward the cliff above.   A steady breeze blew in from the water, carrying a salty scent to Bracken's nostrils.  Two sea birds whirled in the eye of the morning sun, as it rose over the high mountains at Bracken’s back.  The last of the planet's moons, still remaining in the morning sky, gave off a pastel glimmer as it descended toward the sea.   Refreshed by the warm drink, Bracken turned and walked back to where Chepa poked at the remains of the fire.  He yawned and stretched.

"Do you think your friend Dalfang will be at his cabin?"

Bracken poured the dregs of his drink over the dying coals.  I can't be sure, but even if he isn't, I'm sure I can get into Malchag without his help."  He reached into his pack and drew out the polished metal piece that Dalfang had given him.  "The code is etched right here on this plaque.  Speaking its phrases triggers the mechanism that opens the dimension porthole to Malchag." Bracken rubbed its surface with his sleeve removing some fingerprints he left on its glossy surface before he returned it to his pouch.   He would be glad when he was back with Brish in Malchag.  Nerkush was a nightmare.  Its people were growing more and more evil every day.

Chepa collected his sleeping gear from the sandy ground.  "Sounds unbelievable to me.  But after the Mingus realm anything seems possible, even making rock disappear by speaking to it."   He stuffed the remainder of his things into his bag and started up toward the mountains.  "How long do you think it will take us to reach Malchag's entrance?"

Bracken slipped his bag over his shoulder and crushed the remaining embers under his feet.  "It's quite a climb, but it shouldn't take us long after the good night's rest we've had."   They had been a day in their journey from Accad, after leaving Ley and the others.   Rather than climb up the canyon to Dalfang's in the dark, they had chosen to spend the night at the beach.

Chepa finished his drink and stowed away the cup in his pouch at his side.  "Well, I'm following you."

"Fine, we'll leave just as soon as I'm sure the fire is out."  Bracken leaned over to check the darkened cinders and as he did a white oval object slipped from his baggage and dropped onto the sand.

"What's this?" wondered Chepa, stooping beside Bracken and picking up the item.

Bracken reached out and retrieved the oval.  "This is an energy egg, probably the same kind the Pirax used to blast Ley's house."

"If that's the case, how did you ever get a hold of one?"

"Ley gave it to me when we were being chased by some Gem pirates back in Accad.  He probably got it on the underground market. It's amazing the things you can get there.  I don't suppose Ley ever showed you his fire pellet tube?"

"No." Why the weapons, Chepa wondered.  But after the run in with the 'Rax, he could understand.

"He picked it up on the market."

Chepa took the egg from Bracken to examine it more closely.  Gently, he popped back what appeared to be a protective plate on the side of the egg.  Several buttons with numerical markings rose out of its surface.

"Be careful! Don't touch those studs, they activate the triggering mechanism."  Chepa warily snapped the cover shut.

"That's better," sighed Bracken.  "Don't ever open that lid unless you are ready to set one off.   A few people have been accidentally blown apart just fooling around with one of those."  Bracken took the lethal object from Chepa and slipped it back into his knapsack.

Bracken pushed a mound of sandy soil over the dead fire and started up the ravine toward Dalfang's cabin.   "I guess we'd better get moving.  That hill's not going to shrink any by us standing here."