<USS Avalon> Day Two: Leap of Faith

Day Two: Leap of Faith

Dodge Thomas

 

?What have you learned so far?? Dodge inquired. 

For the past day or so, the hunting party lead by Rhonth had been steadily 
descending down a staircase hewn directly from the ice. Even though the entire 
hike was downhill, it was exhaustive. At the moment, the entire procession was 
resting.

Leila shrugged. ?They?re basically the same as we are, aside from the obvious 
physical attributes. Mentally, they could one day be on the same level as we 
are. They seem to have had previous contact with Federation people.?

?Why do you say that??

?Because they know many words that aren?t basic Terran.?

?Like??


?When I inquired as to the source of the light, one of them mentioned bacterial 
bioluminescence. He used that exact terminology.?

?Really??

Rhonth stepped between two of his men, shoving them aside less-than politely. 
?Voost!? He growled roughly. ?Dog.?

?Yes? What can I do for you??

?The Enforcer comes.?

?Who??


?You shall see.?

?Thanks.?

Rhonth disappeared again. 

?What was all that about??

Leila continued as if she hadn?t been interrupted. ?I?ve programmed the 
universal translators inside our communicators to pick up on their dialogue. 
The translation will be sketchy at first, but unless we?re making diplomatic 
contracts with a species who are sticklers for etiquette, I?m sure we?ll be 
fine.? She glanced over at a pair of males who were currently fighting over a 
large piece of what looked to be meat.

?Agreed.? He took the communicator from Leila and looked at it carefully. It?s 
outer casing was marred and tarnished, but it was altogether intact. 

Rhonth came back, ranting about the Enforcer again, and Dodge slipped the tiny 
device back into his pocket.

?The Enforcers are here!? Rhonth said, panting. ?Do not stray from line, they 
are not a glad people.?

?Who or what are the Enforcers?? Dodge inquired.

?They are the guards of the gods. Specially trained and outfitted with the best 
weaponry. They have swords that can set you on fire!?

A tall Ursanoid stepped up to Dodge and sniffed at him. ?You are of the gods, 
are you not??

?What??

?Your words and your scent. They belie you. I know this immediately. You are of 
the gods. Why then, do you travel with this rubbish?? He indicated Rhonth with 
a snort. ?I am Svalld-va-Rusch, Enforcer and Guardian of the gods themselves. I 
shall escort you to the palace of paradise.?

?We are near.? Rhonth began.

?Silence vermin!? 

Dodge looked from individual to individual, not quite sure what to think. 

?You will follow us to the entrance, but from there, you must take the Leap of 
Faith.? Said Svalld-va-Rusch with a tone that bordered on reverence. ?Make 
yourselves ready.?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A short while later found the large group of humans and ursanoids in a large 
chamber. In the center of the floor, a hole nearly four meters in diameter 
existed. 

?The Entrance.? Svalld spoke in the same reverent voice. ?The journey must be 
your choice.?

Dodge took a step back. ?What? Jump? Are you crazy??

He certainly didn?t look crazy, but then, Dodge was a bad judge of newly 
discovered lifeforms and their facial expressions. He looked at Carson, then at 
Leila. Both returned his helpless stare. ?And our alternative??

?You have none.? The Enforcer said, his hand tightening around what looked to 
be a nasty sword.

Dodge walked to the great hole and stared into it gingerly. ?How far does it 
go??


?It goes to heaven. But the choice is yours.? Again the enigmatic and somehow 
threatening tone.

It happened instantly and by accident. Carson had attempted to get a look at 
the hole, but in doing so had upset one of the guards. The guard shoved back, 
hard. Carson stumbled back and flew into Dodge, who had barely gotten a chance 
to turn his head to see what was going on. Dodge didn?t even have time to gasp 
before he toppled over into the ravine. Carson?s spine became ice, his body 
suddenly gripped by a horrific and chilling realization as he hung there, 
suspended by balance and gravity. He looked around, taking in the faces of all 
those around him. He saw his hand convulsively clutching at nothing, the other 
wheeling around helplessly. Leila reached out to catch him, only succeeding to 
grab part of his clothing. 

For a second in time, everything was still. Carson glanced down the hole. Dodge 
was already only a speck of white on the inky depths. He felt himself falling 
as well and let out a startled cry for help before his feet both slipped on the 
icy edge of the hole. Leila quickly followed, unable to steady herself against 
his greater bulk. The last thing she saw before going over were the many 
bemused and fuzzy faces of their ursanoid tormentors. The entire event had 
taken maybe five seconds.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falling to one?s death is a very spiritual journey.

It?s also very boring.

At the moment, Dodge Thomas was catnapping. For what seemed to be hours, he had 
been falling, relentlessly descending to some unknown and (he had been thinking 
for the past few minutes) nonexistent bottom.

He was pulled from his morbid thoughts by the feeling of gradual deceleration. 
He opened his eyes and looked around. Somewhere up above, a small light was 
shining. The light was rapidly growing in size. His stomach seemed to suddenly 
reverse, and his equilibrium was completely thrown off as well. Where he had 
been falling feet first, he was suddenly flying upward?feet first.

Seconds later, he flew out of a hole roughly the same size as the one he had 
fallen into, upside-down and covered in vomit, arms and legs cart wheeling 
awkwardly. He flew upward and to one side. Seconds before he smashed back down 
on the ice (or worse, fell back down the hole), three or four pairs of furry 
arms secured him and began to clean him off.

?You hath made it then? Manners be gone! You are of the gods themselves!?

Dodge?s head was still spinning, but he was able to watch (with more than a 
little amusement) as Carson flew out of the same opening, rapidly proceeded by 
Leila Criswell. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the group exited in much the 
same way, with the exception that they all landed neatly on the ice with out 
any help from the now seated guards. 

A female ursanoid, the first that Dodge had seen as of yet, descended yet 
another roughly hewn staircase (this one was stone). ?I am the Lady Urma 
Klandra, Daughter of Javat Klandra the Third and heiress to the kingdom of the 
Vann. Welcome, strangers, to the realm of the Vann.? She curtsied awkwardly, 
her skimpy outfit looking as if it?s structural integrity was at maximum 
tension.

?I am Lieutenant Dodge Thomas. This is Lieutenant Carson Fuller and Ensign 
Leila Criswell.?

?You speak the language of the gods? We welcome you even more so then. Tonight 
you shall sleep on our finest linen and tomorrow, you shall dine with my 
father, the king himself!? Again the awkward curtsey. She stood and stared at 
Dodge in a way that made him somewhat uncomfortable. Newly discovered species 
or not, Starfleet etiquette and universal laws regarding royalty definitely did 
not condone what that look conveyed. He looked away and when he looked back, 
the heiress was gone.

?Then it is settled. Rhonth, you miserable scum, take the king?s guests to the 
most luxurious quarters.? Svalld gave Rhonth a rough shove and a toothy smile. 
?Now.?

Dodge shifted uneasily, then followed their original guide. Rhonth remained 
silent, despite further inquiry as to the nature of the Vann and their gods. 
Something was amiss, and Dodge was determined to find out just what.



---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search

Other related posts: