Page 42 of Neverwylde 6
The door opened again, and Sandow and Jules came in. They exchanged hugs with Kelen, then everyone found a spot to settle.
Kyber smiled at them. “It is good to see everyone again. You look almost fully recovered.”
“Yeah, but it’s getting to the point where boredom is starting to set in,” Cooter dryly remarked. “Almost makes me wish we could go back to that neverwylde planet just to see a little action.”
“We have that option,” Kyber stated.
The others stared at him in stunned silence. “I was kidding,” Cooter remarked.
“We’re not,” Kelen countered, straight-faced.
The stunned expressions returned. Sandow was the first to speak. “We’re listening. What have you got?”
“Kelen and I have spoken at length with Colonel Pfeiffer. He is the commanding officer of this outpost. After our chemical interrogations, he is convinced we are not the convicted criminals my brother claims we are.”
“Is that why we were released from the brig and given allowance to roam freely?” Massapa asked.
“Precisely. He also believes, as Kelen and I do, that all of Duruk’s bluff and bluster is a smokescreen to hide his real intent.”
Kelen laid a hand on Kyber’s arm. “Actually, we have taken into account Duruk’s rhetoric. We believe the man means what he says, and that is he’s out to bring Kyber down by every means possible. But there’s also a second purpose to it.”
“In what manner?” Massapa asked.
“We think the real purpose behind all this is because the Seneecians don’t want word to get out about the existence of Neverwylde,” she responded.
“You mean Ganj,” Mellori corrected her.
Kelen shook her head. “No, Neverwylde. It’s a Seneecian term regarding a planet that’s suffered a catastrophic event, yet continues to sustain life.” She motioned to Dox. “Dox was correct all along in calling it Neverwylde. Although, I don’t know how he knew of the term.”
“Written on the wall,” the young man declared.
“Wait.” Jules pointed at Dox. “The word Neverwylde was inscribed in those glyphs?”
Dox nodded instead of answering. Jules gave a low whistle and looked back at them. “Do you realize what that means? It means the Seneecians have been there previously. It means they may have been exploring that half world in the past.”
“Which further bolsters the supposition that they’ve come across something that’s so valuable, or dangerous, or hell who knows, and they’re damned and determined to keep it safeguarded,” Cooter remarked.
“If that’s true, then Five’s people must have had contact with the Seneecians,” Sandow surmised.
Kelen started to ask Dox if he would question the furry to see if Seneecians had been on the world before them, but the young man had anticipated her question. A series of squeaks and chitters were exchanged between Dox and Five, then Dox replied, “Many many cycles ago, yes.”
“Don’t reckon the little critter could tell us the name of the Seneecians who were there, could he?” Fullgrath quizzed.
Dox bobbed his head. “Pavilor.”
Kelen noticed Kyber stiffen. A quick glance at the other three Seneecians showed they also appeared to recognize the name. “Who’s Pavilor?”
“A brilliant and well-loved Seneecian scientist and explorer. He and his crew disappeared many years ago and never returned.” Kyber turned to look at her. “There have been stories and rumors through the years that his ship was discovered someplace far away, although no bodies were ever recovered.”
“Which brings us around to that bombshell you dropped on us a couple of minutes ago.” Fullgrath crossed one ankle over a knee. “You’re thinking of going back to Neverwylde?”
“Colonel Pfeiffer has spoken to several heads at Central Command,” Kelen told them. “They’re willing to send a special envoy and at least forty troops to the planet to explore it, investigate it, and hopefully discover its secrets.”
“And let me guess, they want us to lead the way since we’re already familiar with the planet,” Cooter concluded. He made a cocking motion with his hands and raised his arms to simulate firing a pulse rifle. “Just give me my baby back, and I’m there.”
“To make this clear, this is not coming down as a mandate,” Kyber hastened to inform them. “Your participation is voluntary.”
“Do we know how long this so-called voluntary assignment is supposed to last?” Jules piped up.
