The Scalian Legacy

“Jack, wake up.” Jack heard the voice whispering to him and shaking him. “Jack, come on.”

Jack opened his eyes to see Dr. Simon looking down on him. “Doc? Why are you waking me up in the middle of the night?”

“Let’s call it trying to save my soul, or at least a little of it.” The doctor smiled at Jack. “You have healed enough to go home, so as your doctor, I’m telling you to go home.”

“What?” Jack was thoroughly confused.

“Look, you idiot!” The doctor shook his head. “We’re breaking you out of here.”

“Out of what?” Jack asked. “Where am I supposed to go?”

“Back to your time, my friend. Back to where you belong.” The doctor smiled again.

“How am I supposed to get there?” Jack was still very confused.

“You have friends that will take care of that,” the doctor said. “My job is just to get you and your friends to the hangar bay at just the right time—and you’re going to make us late with all of these questions. We still need to get your friends. Come on. Get dressed.”

The doctor had brought Jack his original clothes, which were torn, but at least they had been washed. They wanted to make sure that nothing from the future went to the past. Jack was in a private room, while Robbie and Marcelo had been sharing a larger room next door. The doctor gave Jack the original clothes that Robbie and Marcelo were abducted with and then distracted the nurses. This allowed Jack to go unnoticed into Robbie and Marcelo’s room to wake them and get them ready.

The three waited until the doctor got the nurses to attend to some other chores that would keep them busy for some time and then returned to lead them out. They proceeded to the mini-subway elevator, as Jack liked to call it. The doctor spoke to the computer and off they went towards the hangar bay.

As they entered the hangar bay, Jack saw Rivas standing by a ship waiting for them. The ship was a little wider and taller than a full size van, except with wings. The front was slanted and round with a wide reflective window. The ship was held off the ground about five feet by four thick legs; one at each corner. There was a ramp open to the floor near the rear of the ship. Jack walked up to Rivas.

“Anterian, what are you doing?” Jack asked.

“No time to explain right now, Jack,” Rivas answered. “Please, into the ship.” Rivas guided Jack, Robbie and Marcelo to the ramp of the smallish scout ship and they all entered.

“Anterian, can we talk about this?” Jack asked as he entered the ship.

“Please Jack, not yet.” Rivas replied as he pointed them to the seats. There were two rows of three seats each on either side of the ramp and a small cockpit up front that could seat two others. Jack, Robbie and Marcelo all took a seat, while Rivas went into the cockpit.

Within a few seconds, the ship lifted itself off the ground and began towards the hangar bay exit. Robbie and Marcelo appeared mesmerized as the ship exited The Explorer’s hangar bay. They could see the planet Scalia and its two moons right in front of them, with large battlecruisers and space forts all around. Their white star no longer had a greenish hue as the Scalian Sphere had been deactivated for the first time in decades. This allowed for the beauty of the cold Scalian planet to be seen as intended.

As they cleared the hangar bay, Rivas turned their ship to the right and headed for the wormhole. They could see several Pendoran fighters in the distance and Jack knew that the wormhole was just beyond them. Jack had asked Commander Lui plenty of questions about the wormhole. He had learned that the wormhole was not usually visible to the naked eye. The wormhole was fairly small—just over a mile in diameter—and only visible if you happen to notice something pass by it on the other side. When that occurred, the object on the other side could not be seen through the wormhole since the other side of the wormhole was elsewhere.

The power of the wormhole, however, had been expanded greatly by the Scalians by combining it with gravity well technology. The Scalians had apparently learned how to tune gravity wells in such a way as to place whatever crossed the wormhole at nearly any location in the known galaxy on the other side, albeit always about three thousand years in the past.

Rivas stood up from his seat in the cockpit and came to the main area to join his passengers.

“We have a few minutes before we get to the last security checkpoint.” Rivas said as he took a seat next to Jack. “What did you want to talk about?”

“For starters, why are we doing this?” Jack said. “This is too big a risk for humanity. Even I agreed to that. We may end up going back to the end of the world.”

“I’m not going to tell you that’s not a risk, but I suspect it’s a small risk and one that I’m willing to take to set things right.” Rivas seemed quite convinced of his plan.

“Sounds good to me, Jack,” Robbie jumped in.

“O mesmo aqui!” Marcelo said.

“What did he say?” Rivas said.

“He’s agreeing with you and Robbie,” Jack answered.

“Looks like it’s two against one, Jack,” Rivas said.

“Yeah, but there are a lot more people than us affected.” Jack replied.

“I suppose so, but we’re not asking them.” Rivas smiled again, but Jack shook his head. “Listen, Jack, this is not a kidnapping. This is your choice, as well as your friends’ choice, but I would think about it carefully. Sure, there’s a small risk that this will cause a horrible change in time, but if it doesn’t, then they won’t have to worry about anyone finding out about you guys because you will be gone. This is a big benefit to avoiding future issues with the wormhole. So, in the end what we are doing here may actually be a lesser risk. Besides, the alternative is a potential lifelong prison sentence for the three of you. Still, it’s your choice.” Rivas concluded his argument.

Jack squirmed as he spoke with Robbie and Marcelo. He didn’t feel comfortable with this move, but it wasn’t his choice alone. He would also be condemning Robbie and Marcelo to a lifelong prison sentence, and that would defeat the whole purpose of why he started this adventure to save them in the first place. While the decision was difficult, they promised to try to avoid causing any changes that would disturb the timeline. Rivas said he expected nothing less.

“What will happen to you, Anterian?” Jack asked.

“I will likely go to jail, as will the doc and Henry,” Rivas said. “But, we will also save at least a part of our souls.” He smiled.

“Anterian, no,” Jack protested. “Then, let’s go back. We can’t have you do this for us.”

“It’s already too late for that, Jack.” Rivas smiled. “We will be caught for what we have done whether we go through with it or not. So, our fate is sealed. Let’s at least make it worth the sacrifice.”

Jack reluctantly agreed. Rivas then went on to explain that Henry had provided false order to allow passage through the last security checkpoint. Henry also programmed the gravity well on the scout ship to send them to Earth on the other side just where the Redeemer was supposed to go. Due to the time shift between the two sides of the wormhole, the gravity well will remain in place for a few minutes allowing Rivas to return after dropping them off. Also due to the time shift, time had not passed as quickly on the other side of the wormhole.

“While a few days have passed on this side of the wormhole,” Rivas said “according to the calculations made by Henry, only a little more than a day will have gone by on the other side.”

“So, when we arrive, it will be as if we left yesterday?” Jack asked.

“Exactly.” Rivas replied. “Now, I better get ready for the checkpoint.”

Rivas then returned to the cockpit as they neared the security checkpoint. As Rivas anticipated, the orders for passing through the blockade were accepted. They proceeded past the Pendoran fighters and were now just a few miles from the wormhole.

Within a few seconds they approached the wormhole and engaged the gravity well. Jack could see the stars swirl in front of them. A signal came in from one of the nearby battlecruisers to shut down the gravity well, but it was too late. Rivas pushed the ship through the wormhole.

The swirling stars suddenly stretched and became white streaks causing the view to become a bright light shining into the ship. Jack had to cover his eyes. As this was occurring Jack felt an odd stretching sensation as if his body was being pulled at both ends. He suddenly remembered this feeling from several days earlier, when the Scalian ship had left Earth. Just as it was getting too painful to withstand, the stretching sensation stopped. Then he saw it. His beloved Brazilian rain forest. It was daylight. The view from a few hundred feet up was stunning.

Jack’s joy was tempered as the sight of Earth also brought back memories of his lost life with Ellen. He now knew that Ellen’s death was for the betterment of oh so many, but he still missed her and what could have been. In addition, he would likely be too scared to ever marry again in fear of changing the timeline, so overall the feeling was bittersweet. Still, he was home.

The ship softly glided down into the open patch of scorched Earth that Jack remembered leaving behind just a few days ago. Rivas opened the ramp door, and they all exited. Marcelo threw himself on the ashes on the ground as soon as he walked off the ship. Jack and Robbie laughed at him as he got filthy.

“Well, so far so good,” Robbie said.

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

“Didn’t you say that we could have returned to a destroyed Earth?” Robbie said. “It all looks pretty good to me right now.”

“He’s right.” Rivas laughed. “All is well. You guys just need to behave yourselves!” Rivas added.

“We will,” Jack said and then extended his hand towards the tall rhino-hide human for one last handshake. Jack couldn’t help but flashback to when he first met Rivas and marvel at all that had transpired since. “I sure hope they understand when you get back. It wouldn’t be fair to have you put away for this.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Rivas replied.

Robbie and Marcelo then also shook hands with Rivas before he turned and reentered the small ship. Jack, Robbie and Marcelo all backed away as the ship lifted up and disappeared just a few hundred feet in the air.

As Jack, Robbie, and Marcelo turned to see if they could find their way to where they had camped out the night before last, they saw Kenny and Chris gawking at them! The exhausted threesome smiled broadly started towards their old friends.

Jack couldn’t help himself and hugged Kenny as he got to him and then Chris. Both of them feigned a hug in return, but seemed to be mostly in shock. Robbie and Marcelo then joined in as Jack was the first to speak. “You guys waited for us?”

“Yes,” Kenny said. “With you guys gone, we had enough supplies to stay out here a couple of days, just in case you all returned. We figured it was a long shot, but didn’t think anyone else would believe us anyway.”

Chris jumped in. “By the way, what the hell was that?! That thing was like eight feet tall! What the hell happened to you guys? Did they do weird experiments on you?”

Robbie, Marcelo and Jack all laughed, and Jack began, “Slow down, Chris. It’s a long story, but it’s all good. Come on, we’ll fill you in.”

“Yeah, sure.” Chris looked at Jack suspiciously. “But I’m keeping the gun with me in case something comes out of one of your stomachs. Okay?”

Jack laughed again and shook his head as he began his explanation.

As Rivas reentered his side of the wormhole, something went wrong. As had occurred when he had traveled in the other direction, Rivas felt that unique stretching sensation and prickly pain. However, this time there was also a bright flash, and the shuttle began to spin out of control. Rivas could have sworn he had briefly seen another shuttle, but it had just been a quick glimpse—and then it was gone. Rivas shook that vision out of his head as he focused on straightening out his shuttle. After a few seconds, he managed to stop the spinning.

Once Rivas’ nerves calmed, he looked around, confused. Not only did he not know what had just happened to him, but he was also wondering why a full contingent of Pendoran fighters, or other ships, weren’t ready to pound him given his disobedient act. There was nothing. He was able to simply go back through the Pendoran fighters protecting the wormhole and head toward the Explorer. As he neared the Explorer, Rivas requested entry and was allowed onboard—the same procedure he had followed during any return to his ship. He glided the small scout ship into the hangar bay, where he saw the captain and Doctor Simon standing near the rear entrance, waiting for him.

Confused, Rivas exited the small scout ship to see a concerned look on his captain’s face. But, there were no security guards ready to take him away. Why not? He had just committed treason.

“Are you okay?” the captain asked. “That was odd.”

Rivas decided to play dumb. “What was?”

Maybe she thought he had been out doing something else. Something that simply warranted concern rather than a prison sentence.

“Well, we thought your ship exploded as it entered the wormhole, but instead you came out spinning,” the captain said. “What happened? I guess you were able to drop off your passengers, since they aren’t with you?”

Now Rivas was at a complete loss, so he started slowly.

“Actually,” he said, “I don’t know what happened there at the end. I thought I saw another shuttle, then there was a flash and I came out spinning. But, the shuttle seems okay and I was unharmed.”

“So, the mission was a success then?” the captain persisted.

“The mission?” Confounded, Rivas looked at the captain and Doctor Simon.

“Yes, you know. Taking our older visitors back to their time, of course,” the captain said. “Since when did you get a sense of humor?”

Now Rivas was beyond perplexed. The captain was happy about what he had done? What was going on?

“Yeah, it was uneventful. I just left them off where they had been taken.”

“Excellent,” the captain said. “Great job. I will let the admiral know. He’s been meeting with the Scalian Senior Council, but he was interested in making sure that our hero got back home safe and sound with his friends. Although, we kind of already knew that he did, didn’t we?” She laughed. “What a crazy few days, huh?” She laughed again and turned to exit the hangar bay as the doctor walked up to Rivas.

“What’s wrong, bud?” the doctor said. “You look real confused.”

“I am, doc,” Rivas replied. “We just committed treason and yet the captain and the admiral seem fine with it. I don’t get it. What happened? Why aren’t we going to jail?”

“What are you talking about? I think I better check you out in the medical area.”

“I’m talking about us disobeying orders to keep Jack and his friends as prisoners onboard our ship, and instead sending them back to their time,” Rivas said. “You helped with this, and it was less than an hour ago. You’re the one that needs to be checked out.”

“Anterian, something has happened to you,” the doctor said. “We always knew that Jack and his friends were supposed to go back to their time. Remember, you read his history when we first met with him. He, his brother Robbie, and Marcelo lived a full life, and from what we can tell, never told anyone about what happened. That’s why you were ordered to send them back to their time. We didn’t want to risk altering the timeline by having them stay with us.”

Chills ran down Rivas’s back. By returning Jack, Robbie, and Marcelo back to their time, the old timeline had been altered once more, just not in any way he had anticipated. It all made sense, though. Once he sent them back, their return initiated a new timeline, and the future—or his present—would have to reflect this. The historical databases would have reflected that they lived a nice long life. The only very strange side effect was that all he had experienced the last few days had changed—and he had no memory of it.

“Doc, I need to tell you a story, and you need to fill me in on some recent history,” Rivas said with a smile, relieved that he wasn’t going to jail. He put his arm around the doctor and began to walk out of the hangar bay.

****

Want more? The adventure continues with Nagaran’s Revisals!

The Scalians are back! In another surprising twist, the end of ”The Scalian Legacy" was not as it seemed, and humanity is still in grave danger. In Nagaran’s Revisals, Admiral Tarza matches wits once more with humanity and their allied species for control of the galaxy and time itself. Timelines change rapidly, and the theater of battle spans several millennia in this fast-paced space odyssey. Jack Felder, his brothers, Anterian Rivas, Doctor Simon and other entertaining figures from the original book are joined by new characters as the epic adventure expands and the mysteries of Scalia’s past are revealed.

Other books from the author:

Nagaran’s Revisals

Lost Time

The Last Gathering