The Idol

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

The lynx adventuress Sha Prisschan slipped quietly among aged, moss covered stones. Pausing beside a graven stone she flashing a small, amber lamp over its surface. Under its light she discovered the carvings that her previous studies had indicated would be there. Reaching up above the carvings, she grasped an oddly carved stone, turning it slightly to the left as she pressed in. With a slight creak the weathered soapstone slipped around and back, its own surface providing the lubrication needed to move after so many centuries. A deep thump sounded as it reached the end of its travel. Sha smiled to herself, everything had so far worked exactly as the ancient monastery scrolls had claimed. Bracing herself, she pushed hard against the crumbling rock. For long moments nothing happened, still she strained. Her back cracking under the load. Then the wall slipped, grinding slowly backwards on rotted stone hinges as it slid inwards. As it opened, warm damp air with a moldy scent rolled over Sha, forcing her back. Coughing, she slipped a small mask over her face, pulling the straps over her head before she stepped back to the opening.

"Sha" came a soft, and well known voice in her ear.

She tapped her earpiece twice as she slipped into the darkness, her flash lamp now lighting a paw carved stone tunnel ahead of her.

"Sha, I'm losing your trace" came the voice again.

Sighing she triggered her voice mike. "Sorry Sana, I forgot to warn you" she answered. "I'm entering the tunnel now. Its carved stone, water soaked. Everything is still going as expected. How's our friends?"

There was a long pause as her partner, Sana Erex, studied her scanners. "North camp is still quiet" Sana answered, "But South camp, looks like Steelwind might suspect. There is an awful lot of activity going on for the hour."

Sha sighed again, in frustration this time. She looked back at the heavy stone door still standing open, wondering if she could close it. And if she did, could she open it again. Biting her upper lip she decided to make the attempt. "Ok, your going to lose me. I'm shutting the door." There was no reply, Sana trusted her. Setting her flash lamp on the muddy floor she braced herself against the door, trying to force it back into position. It moved a few inches, then with a heavy crunch the leading edge slammed into the floor. It took only moments to discover that the ancient stone hinges had failed. “Failed” she reported. “Hinge broke. Going in.” Shaking her head Sha turned and headed down the sloping passage, following the gentle breeze that now fluttered her fur.

Sana watched as Sha's trace flickered then slowly faded. She glanced again at the North camp, dark and quiet. The scientists there sound asleep, their bodies showing bright in the IR scanner. It was the South camp that worried her. Oni Steelwind was there, and there was way too much activity going on for the hour. She wasn't sure why a Steelwind would be interested in an ancient pile of stones on the small island of Burtte. Granted, legend had it that an ancient airship had landed here almost twenty five hundred years ago, sparking the rise of the Onawa Empire. There had never been any proof though, not even a scrap of fabric. Just dozens of small temples, the last having been abandoned over seven hundred years ago. So she could not understand why a Steelwind would be interested in what was obviously a religious archaeological site. Settling back in her flight chair she watched as a small party gathered itself, then left the South camp, headed for the great pyramid of crumbling stone.

Sha staggered as her shoulder slammed into an unseen projection. She backed up, looking in anger at the offending stone. A great toothed reptile glared back at her, its teeth rotted and broken. She laughed in response. In the older days, when females barely had the intelligence to care for themselves, it would have frightened any women. Now, since the Great Experiment, to Sha it was just a badly rotted carving falling slowly to the floor. Reaching into her pouch she pulled out a small paw drawn map. Comparing it with her guesstimated position she nodded to herself. Slipping past the ancient guard she walked to another carving. A strange face looked back at her, furless and soft it, appeared to be frowning. Shoving the map back in her pouch she grasped the ancient head in both hands, twisting it with all her strength.

It didn’t budge, and Sha was known for her strength. Unfortunately that was her strength of honor. Not her physical strength. Carefully setting herself into a position that Sana had shown her, the young Naorhy tried again.

Slowly the face turned, the frown being replaced by a smile as the disturbing head rotated. A sharp click informed the lynx that she had won. Panting from her exertion, she shoved against the door, dropping to the floor almost in the same instant. A heavy thud answered her as the door slipped open. Standing carefully she turned around to look at the ancient metal spear, still bright and new, now imbedded into the soft stone wall. Whatever it was made of she realized, it was obviously above the technological level of this pile of rubble. Aware something was now seriously wrong she slipped carefully through the door, into the dryer air beyond. Behind her the door silently slipped shut, relocking itself before Sha could react. Sha looked down and grimaced, her foot was resting on a block a full centimeter lower than any other. Just how stupid could she be the lynx asked herself. Shaking her head at her foolishness, she turned her flash lamp up full, flooding the tunnel with light. It took only seconds to spot the ancient metal crossbow that had fired that first bolt. Carefully looking around she noticed several small holes in the walls and ceiling. 'Now this one is going to take a while' she thought to herself.

Aboard their ship, Sana triggered her receiver again, listening to the faint heartbeats of an amplified signal. She knew Sha would be upset with her, pulling power from the FTL engines to amplify an almost undetectable signal. Still it felt good to hear Sha's twin hearts beating, even if all it told her was that Sha was still alive. Glancing at the monitor to her left she watched as Steelwinds party searched the shattered stone. From the pattern they were using, it would be less than an hour before they located Sha's entry point. Damn the Guild the contracted lynx cursed silently. For letting slip their plans. Then the Guld was known to be corrupt, desiring gold over even honor. She wished that Sha would hurry up, sunrise was less than four hours away. With it would come the scientists, and their guards. She sighed in frustration, sipping a glass of Treem liqueur. Everything now was up to Sha. Short of leaving, there was nothing else that she could do.

Sha nodded to herself, she had finally spotted the only possible safe position. Pulling off her backpack she threw it at the empty crossbow, waiting until it slid to a halt before making her move. Then with a grunt she threw herself against the right wall, slamming into the cold stones and sliding several feet along its length. There were several whispering noises followed by sharp thumps. Then silence. Sha waited, counting slowly. At twenty two there were several more whispers, the ring of metal on metal. A thump above her showered her with dust. Carefully she stood, looking around. The second shower of death had been aimed down the length of the tunnel, thin silver grey shards of metal had slammed into stone with killing force. Carefully she pried a single bolt out of the stones above her resting place. A hand span long it showed no rust, no corrosion, hardly any oxidation. She tapped it against her ring, hearing the sharp click. "Has to be an alloy," she muttered to herself, "But what kind of alloy could an Iron age technology come up with to last this long." Shaking her head in disbelief she moved carefully down the tunnel to her pack. As she walked she could hear metallic clicks and squeals, the trap was rearming itself. That should not have been possible. Not after so long. Simply not possible. Now truly frightened, she shuddered at the genius of it.

Sana watched as Sha's entry point was located, the sudden rush of personnel to a single point. She smiled as she watched the heat points back away from the tunnel mouth. Only a fool entered an ancient place without protective breathing gear. The GWP was a favorite trap of ancient times. She was glad Sha had taken several breathing masks, she would hate to lose her employer just when life was getting interesting. On the screen a single heat point started back to the South Camp, it wouldn't be long now.

Sha patted the ancient crossbow, it had taken only moments to disable the old reloader so that it wouldn't fire again. She was surprised at the elaborate protections, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Turning around she looked at the carving over the next entrance. An ancient language. But she had studied it several months just for this trip. It took several minutes to decipher, more because the message was not the expected one than any other reason. "Chamber of the Idol" she read out loud. Where was the Abandon Hope message so common to such places she wondered. Rubbing dust from her facial fur she stepped carefully through the entrance.

An alarm caught Sana's attention from the disappearing heat points. Turning to the upper scanner she spotted the problem. Two Military Police Ships were slowly lowering themselves into the atmosphere. She knew the Scientists were legal, and Steelwind Clan could go almost anywhere if they could prove First Flight, but she and Sha were as illegal as they could be. Standing up from her control station she walked to a small panel, keying it with her palm print as she mentally calculated the power costs. With a click the panel popped open, a single button hidden behind. "Well Sha" she whispered, "You have five hours before the FTL engines overheat and shutdown, you better make it." She pressed the small button, feeling the engines rumble slightly at the abrupt power drain. The ship faded for her, wavering in and out of reality a moment, then settled as Sana's perceptions matched the ships new condition.

Half in and half out of another reality the ship was effectively invisible from outside its shields.

Sha staggered, even on its highest setting her flash lamp was barely able to show the opposite wall and ceiling. Before her sat an ancient dirigible, seeming flight ready. Yet it couldn't be, the design was almost three thousand years old, the stone pile it rested in at least twenty five hundred. There simply was no rational way such an ancient object could survive intact, much less in almost new condition. She looked around, searching for a way down to the vast floor below. To her right she spotted a long stairway, turning her flash lamp down she started for the stairs.

Oni Steelwind looked down at her dead assistants, hearing the clicks and squeels as the trap reloaded yet again. She could see Sha's footprints across the floor from her. Obviously there was a way across, but with her last assistants cowering behind her she would have to figure it out herself. She looked back at the last three women, sighing as she realized they were almost too frightened to move. "Go back to the camp" she ordered, her voice thundering in the small area. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

She shook her head as she watched the three almost run through the wedged door, then turned to search for the trick. It hurt that four of her people were dead. They had been some of her most loyal employees. She felt anger at those who had set this ancient death trap, and the strange weapons that they had used. By rights almost all the traps should have crumbled to dust by now. Her instruments had detected only traces of the GWD fungus at the lowest levels before they had spotted the others trail through the wall. She swung her flash lamp along the tunnel, following the trail back. Suddenly she smiled. "So that's the trick" she whispered to herself. In a matter of minutes she too was standing by the crossbow. Brushing dust off her own fur.

Sha heard the soft steps behind her as she sat in the ancient pilots seat. Setting her flash lamp down she stood to meet the other. Walking toward her was a slightly shorter woman. One clad in ceremonial flight coveralls. Sha held out her hand. "Sha Prisschan, glad to meet you."

Oni stopped, looking into the others eyes. Then slowly she took the others hand. "Oni Steelwind" she answered, "Any idea who his is?" she asked, waving her other hand at the ancient fabric hull.

Sha turned back to the cockpit, picking up a small notebook. "Opening that last door triggered the release, reading this was the rough part" she replied. "You saw the bones" she held up a small silver necklace, a five pointed star in a circle, "Moon priest, back when the First White Church started wiping out everyone who wasn't with them." She paused, slipping the symbol into her jacket pocket. "They had... Ways.. back then. Somehow this one found a way to loop time. I don't know how, but this notebook seems to explain it." She handed the book to Oni, "This was their idol, the ship they escaped the FWC with. Somehow they found out that the FWC and the White Plague were related. They built this pile of rock over their ship, more to hide it than anything else." She shook her head, rubbing her eyes as she searched her thoughts. "I guess they were saving the ship in case they were ever discovered."

Oni glanced through the book. The diagrams she could understand, but the writing was too archaic for her. She handed the book back to Sha, "It is not flight related” she explained. “Thus of no interest t my clan. What brought you here then" she asked.

Sha laughed as she accepted the book. "Treasure" she answered. "I read about the great idol hidden in this dump." She looked around her, seeing again the archaic control center. "But I don't think I can fit this one into my pouch."

Oni stepped back, struck by the thought of someone trying to sneak off with so large a thing. She grinned, then laughed. "I came for legend as well" she said through her giggles. "We hoped to find a fragment of this ship. Something for the race museum, maybe even a drawing or fragments of clothing." She looked around her. "Somehow. Somehow I think we've overdrawn ourselves this time." She joined Sha in laughter. Both women eventually holding each other as they laughed.

"Can you imagine those scientists when they see this?" Sha asked.

Oni shook her head, tears streaming around her mask. "I'd kiss you if it weren't for this stupid mask" Oni declared, then sat down. "Queel, how are we going to get her out of this place?" she asked.

Stretching, Sha beckoned to the other. Standing, Oni followed Sha out of the ship, walking quickly to the bow. "I wondered how their traps were still active, why no rust or corrosion." Sha said as they walked. "I think everything was in a single loop, opening the face door released everything." She stopped, facing the wall at the ships bow. Massive, it leaned away from the ship. A single grey-blue crystal pulsing next to it, ripples of light playing along the wall. "If I remember rightly that wall is a cliff of the other side" Sha whispered. Walking over to the glowing crystal she laid one paw upon its surface.

Sana spun back to the cockpit as alarms screamed. Less than a thousand feet away the great cliff face slipped, then fell away. Millions of tonns of stone, dirt, and foliage fell with a rumble to the river below. She glanced over at the two police ships, one now hovering over each camp. They both spun quickly, bringing their noses to face the sudden fall. A great dark cavern showed where the wall had been, something huge within moved slowly, nosing towards the light. At the same moment Sha's signal came through loud and clear, forcing the waiting lynx to cut the volume even as she shut down the camouflage system and brought the lift engines on-line. With the police ships occupied she might just be able to slip away, come back from another direction and get Sha away.

Sha watched quietly as Oni handled the ancient craft with nimble fingers. "From your outfit, I thought you were active duty" she asked. "Is that where you learned to fly one of these things?"

Oni laughed, "Active duty detached," she answered. "Clan business this." She fought the crafts sudden twist as the canyons breeze struck it, trying to twist it up and into the ridge above. "As for this barge, Steelwinds are born to fly. I've never even been on a trainer for this kind of thing."

Sha settled back, forcing herself to relax, while watching the smaller woman fight controls obviously designed for larger males. Her communicator abruptly hissed. "Sha, do you hear me?"

She reached up, fingering the small mike. "Quite well, what is it?" she answered.

"Two police ships, Portside plus ninety." Sana answered. "I'm coming in from behind them, plus three hundred. I'll open the gate as close to your signal as I can in thirty seconds, be ready."

Sha shuddered, she hated the gate devices. Walking from here to there with a single step, hoping it didn’t shut down while you were halfway through. "All right, give me forty then open the door" she replied. Standing up she tapped Oni's shoulder. "I'm stepping to the back for now, looks like you have everything under control here."

Oni glanced up, then back to her controls. "We've cleared the cavern" she reported. "Only a few more minutes and we'll be high enough for me to relax. Once this thing is back on the ground you can fill me in on the rest of your story."

Sha laughed. "Ok. Deal. Next time I see you I'll just do that." Oni glanced up again for an instant, then back down as an errant gust of wind shoved the craft sideways. Quietly Sha turned and walked out of the cockpit, moving into the darker depths below.

Sana frantically set the gates controls, locking onto Sha's signal as she walked. In a matter of seconds the portal opened and Sha was aboard their own ship, jumping off the small platform. "I hate that thing" she yelled as she shook herself. High energy particles making the nerves just under her skin fire randomly.

Sana laughed from the control room a dozen yards away. "Telephysics scientists call it, everyone else simply call it a gate. What's not to like?"

Sha waved her book as she hurried to help her employee, making a rude gesture with her other hand, "It just feels weird, makes me feel all crawly" she answered. Stepping towards her own seat she looked back, in the direction that Oni must be. Though all she could see was bulkhead. “We better get our tails out of here before those police ships stop gaping at that ghost and notice us."

Sana nodded her head as she finished shutting down the gates power hungry systems. "If we're going to keep this lifestyle up we're going to need another crewwoman" she answered as she hurried after the rapidly moving Sha. “One that can keep up with you.”

Oni hard heard the static hum of a gate portal. Glancing backwards she just caught Sha's disappearance. 'Hai, so she's not going to share the spotlight' she thought as she turned back to the job of landing her ungainly craft. Outside she could see the two police craft, clouds of vapor still steaming off their star cold hulls as they waited. Behind them she spotted an older craft slipping away into the morning bright clouds, its cameo-field fading as it vanished. "We'll meet again Sha Prisschan" she muttered, bracing herself as the old crafts landing barbs dug into the forest floor below. "Oh yes, we will. And your going to tell me all about that book you accidently forgot to leave."