Gem

Chapter 1

Like the great list of turning points in the history of man, hidden in the hearts of those beings who, willingly or not, became the focal point for change, Kellon Naper's meeting with Inchanda Teen, princess of Star Black, began with a dream.

In this dream he was secretly watching a meeting of the powerful, the universe molders, people that are seldom seen but their every move and thought shapes the substance of the universe and indirectly affects what the sentient beings of the universe think, feel and do.

On a raised dias in the creative center of a temple room that was a towering pinnacle, a high temple of light, stood a man of ancient yet vigorous form. Kell knew this was Delsis Eeba, from out of his childhood.

This dream was in the world of mind and as in many such experiences called dreams, our knowing is never defined, there seems no history for it but we know what the place is if not the reason for our being there. Kellon did not know how he knew this, but that was the thought - this is the world of mind. It was his own thought and it was quiet, not interfering with the beings that sat in the oval space, a space cut out of fine, shimmering ice, living ice that contained vital waves of patterns that flowed one into another.

Even though the room was silent, silence here was a deep current of subtle sounds. He could clearly hear wind chimes, a faint rustling of leaves, a distant call of some ancient pipe woven together with a hive of bees that must be somewhere close by.

Each being emanated energy, some more subtle than others. One beside Kellon, he could almost touch the man's robe, was full of humor. Kell could feel a great, bubbling sense of the fun of life, the joy of opposites in conflict, resolved only by laughter.

Delsis was speaking. It is true that looking at the world as a plane, we are scarcely very high at this point. Delsis spoke softly, answering unvoiced thoughts.

Delsis moved off the dias and into the seated gathering and settled in the very middle of them. His frail shape formed a cone of power. Not by appearance, but by this power, Kell knew that here was the force that everyone in the chamber worked in concert with. Even grasping this he also knew that some here were even greater focus points for the god force than Delsis was.

But this is the ideal place to observe what we have come here for. The floor beneath them, a deep quartz blue, disappeared. Now the group sat in the vastness of interstellar space, the arches of the temple still glowing above them, a deep blackness yawning below.

It didn't feel like illusion. At this point Kell was aware that he was having this dream. He brushed the thought aside. It was an interesting dream and besides, he knew Delsis Eeba.

Those of you that come from the Earth worlds, a dark and heavy level of life known to us, already are aware of what we are looking at. You can see it clearly from this vantage.

He gestured at a purple blackness. It filled one corner of the galaxy. The effect was of yawning dimensionality. Immense spaces calling to the spiritual travelers.

The stars are life essence in this universe we look at. They radiate primitive energies, transform them so Soul can dwell in the worlds that circle the suns. The blackness that approaches, distorts space and time, twisting the life force to its own dark end, and that end is chaos.

Delsis looked at the 83 beings visible in the temple. Others were present, invisible in this world. He could see all and all could see him. Yet few could see as he did. Those few were the Travelers of the Voice of Sharmad amongst them.

Star Black is the name of this blackness in the sentient universe beneath us. Its servants on the planets are known as Mistophen Nobles and Mothers of the Pleasure Houses. Some of you are from this universe and will be returning to your bodies there after this meeting. Delsis moved to a crystal dias. He reached inside and shifted a globe centered at its top. The blackness shifted and a city of rainbow lights appeared beneath them. The lights poured from a mountain that the city nestled against.

Others of you live in this land and will be going back to your homes. Star Black is known here as well. Though here it is called Rankal, an offshoot of the Lord Kal, ruler of this land. Rankal is somewhat of a son to Kal. Here it is also chaos and is respected and established. But it is not so destructive as it is in the heavier universe beneath it. Here it is a religious business with a strong percentage of adherents.

At another twist the quartz blue of the floor returned and all eyes turned to Delsis.

"The battle for consciousness is fought daily in all planes of these worlds. In the Mental realm the shape of darkness is more subtle. But the solution in each case is the same. The subtle Voice of the Sharmad resolves and harmonizes conflicts to the good of every being that serves It. Then the Voice flows out to benefit all life.'

The 83 listeners suddenly disappeared. Only one lone figure remained with the Traveler. Or so it seemed to Kellon Naper. The lone figure was him, caught at eavesdropping on the meeting. That was his first thought as he stood, his energy body ablaze with light. Added to it was the blue light of Delsis Eeba.

Though you may remember little of this Kellon, I will be with you throughout your struggles with Star Black. To many eyes it appears an impossible fight, a puny mortal, scarcely a breath on one planet, facing the mighty darkness that swallows galaxies. Yet from the pure worlds of the Voice there is no battle, only an acting out of experience, the experience of conscious awareness of the Voice of God.

The blueness spun into almost painful eddies of power on the edge of Kellon's aura. The voice filled his mind leaving no room for thought.

But hear me Kellon. This is a challenge for growth, an evolution for all eternity on a path of consciousness. Only you can guarantee your own awareness. I am with you, your servant and your guide. But each step is yours, each event the creation of your own soul, and the souls you share time and space with.

Delsis withdrew his enveloping presence from the radiant form of Kellon Naper. And Kellon's soul, his beingness, arced out of the temple and down into the darkness of the lower universe, a falling star spearing the black of space.

Kell jumped from his sleep, banging his head on the shelf above his bunk. Well, that was about the strangest dream I've ever had. Tanny, the doggel who wandered through crew quarters to sleep where he chose was close beside Kell’s leg. Tanny stirred, opened one soft, sleepy eye, fixed it on him for a moment, then snuggled closer to his leg and sighed, the inquisitive glance satisfied. Nothing to have his sleep disturbed by.

It's Voice be with you. Delsis' words echoed softly in Kell's mind as he settled back to sleep. He noted the faint vibration of the ship’s shift from star lane to star lane on their return leg to Elandra.

Chapter 2

It looked like the slate gray sheet of rock on the tunnel wall had long ago been antiqued. Sometimes it was indicated by the surface pattern, fine striations from a delineation spray, or even a natural flecking of altair that revealed a secret lode of wealth. This time it was a faint pattern, not quite resolved, like roots growing from some hidden center, and there was a tingling in his gut, an anticipation of something to come.

Control, Three here, Blast setup on the scan you should be getting… now. Kell punched the transmit signal. The main data banks analyzed his data and Skivers’ monitor should reveal the same image as his own.

Say, now that’s just what I needed to set my day right and my blood to running. A view of a lovely, bare wall. Better than the hollie sheets of Latra Bellyo in all her natural wonder. Skivers chuckled at his own humor, then added. There’s not much to indicate a blast point.

Yeah, I know. Kell answered, coming close to mimicking Skivers’ voice and style. Just rubs me to do it, is all.

Skivers laughed sharply, Good one Kell. Good. Say, is your puppy sleeping or what?

Kell glanced at the mechanical nestled to one side of his drivers’ compartment. Just decided I wanted some time without Chattys’ voice in my ear. He hesitated a moment then reached for the activation switch on the meter wide, computer assist robot that travelled with him. Should wake him up, I guess. Kell turned to his screen and began setting blast points.

Your array is accurate Kelly. Why did you let me sleep so long? Chatty’s voice was mild and contained a wide range of human like inflections. Oh, pardon me. The robot said with mock seriousness, You don’t like being called Kelly. It’s turret lit up and spun around a few times by way of apology.

What about Kellon Naper, or perhaps Nabuchednessar. He was a Babylonian on old Earth. Perhaps you are his incarnation in this time and place. People do not know all there is to know about that great figure in your history. Do you realize that he was the first to promote man’s efforts to fly without wings in his era. He actually threw selected volunteers off high cliffs. The experiment was a political success, but scientifically....

Chatty, shut up! Kell barked, already regretting turning on his robot helper for the blast. He set the last point, realizing that the robots habits were established by him over the last six months.

Kell enjoyed people that challenged his thinking and feelings. The self programming of the robot responded perfectly to his own unconscious preferences in a work companion. Chatty lacked only the one necessary ingredient of a friend, Soul, the life force beyond the mechanics of mind, beyond the physics that created the robot. Yet there were some that would question that anything existed beyond the mind as an outgrowth of the developed animal brain.

Chatty grunted in disappointment. If you insist, it almost moaned, then fell silent. It observed the proceedings with two human like eyes, grotesquely out of place in the round canister shape.

At times tunnels were close together so there was a risk of blowing up another miner in an adjacent bore, or creating a cave-in due to faults. A probe that Kell injected into the wall worked through the solid rock and heavy minerals. It would take its time to burrow in and analyze the stresses in the formation. A formation that Kell could see only the flat features of.

Gastof had great respect for his men and wouldn’t risk any of them for minerals, even Calinium, the gold of the universe. He was loved for his concern as much as for his crusty mannerisms. Gastof was the reason not only for the mining project but for the friendship that flowed easily between everyone on it.

Kell eyed the overall setting of charges. The probe had sent its information to the main banks. The all clear signal chimed. it was up to Kell to push the button. Kell felt a strange reluctance as he reached out for the red disk.

For a change Chatty watched but kept silent. The muted thump echoed down the tube. Rock fell from the ceilings and a mild vibration surged through the digger and through Kell’s body.

Opening Kellon. Opening downtunnel 53 meters. Chatty said, his voice mimicking excitement. Rock dust settled in the air around them.

Kell twisted and looked back. He could see that at the bottom of a wall behind him, a slab of rock had fallen away. Shards of shining rock were like daggers around the opening.

What’s the view like? Even Skivers’ voice had a hint of interest in it. Kell looked at the wall in front of him. Nothing of interest there.

Blast doesn’t show any grade. But there is something...down tunnel behind me, 53 meters. An opening against the base of the tunnel wall. I’ll take a look.

He backed the digger up and wheeled it around. This was the first opening that Kell had ever seen or heard of. The planetoid was essayed and determined to be without caverns. It couldn’t be very big.

The digger stopped where Kell could see into the gap. There was a deep blackness that his hand beam couldn’t penetrate. He lowered the diggers lights and set them on high, then quickly slipped out of the cab and down beside it, an air mask in one hand.

No visible limits, Chatty said. The robot was nimble, with small jets that gave it maneuverability for short distances. Scanners set far wall limit at 2000 meters.

Impossible .Check again, It couldn’t be that deep.

I don’t make mistakes. I’m not human, remember! Chatty said as though he were hurt at being questioned.

Give me the shape then. There’s no way a cavern this big could escape the original scans.

It is not a cavern. The shape is tunnel like though it’s wider than twenty meters and narrows at two points to eight meters.

Kell stood beside the cab and held the old fashioned microphone to his mouth. He listened to Skivers analysis.

There are no closed tunnels in the system Kell. If you found something like one, it’s not dug by our crews.

I’m going in light then. Kell responded. He slipped into an air jet suit. Do you read me? I’m suited.

Clear as the quitting chime. Are you on air?

Yes, no reason to take chances. Kell used the maneuvering jets to float just above the ground and down into the hole. There was a short drop at the opening, but the space was easily eight meters high. Above him the ceiling had a polished smoothness to it.

Chatty, you stay here at the opening and observe. You’ll be my safety line.

Kellon, I should go with you. The tunnel appears to be unnatural, not a random event at all.

Just stay Chatty. I’ll be fine. Kell moved along with jet assist. Because gravity was low the jets made travel easy. A canister of Altair spray was part of the suits back unit. He sprayed some swatches on the sides. No color showed.

Are you light and moving? Skivers asked.

Yeah .It's more like a man made tunnel than you’d believe. Maybe someone was here before us?

Who knows. This metal ball is older than a thousand civilizations. Maybe you’ll find giant Devil Tips at the end, waiting for their first meal in aeons.

Funny, Skivers. Funny. That just fills me with happiness, to think of myself as a meal, Kell said, his suit light bouncing with his movement. He glanced back at the comforting lights of the digger. The blackness around that haven of light was intense by contrast as he bounce-walked further down the tunnel. It sloped gradually until even the diggers lights were out of sight. The glow they created along the smooth ceiling had an eerie greenish tint to it.

Kell sprayed altair along the walls. Results were negative all the way to the far wall that Chatty had reported. He sprayed again, this time a big 20 meter swatch where the tunnel turned sharply to the left. Here the ground rose in a steep incline. He waited a few seconds for the Altair to link with any Calinium in the stone.

Kell yelled with shock! It was no small pinpoint of sky blue in lacings of turquoise. No reflective, low grade discovery. The entire wall was the pale blue of pure Calinium.!

By the gods, I don’t believe it, he gasped.

What’s that? Skivers asked.

I’m rich. You’re rich. We’re all rich. Tons! Tons of Calinium. Pure and clear.

Don’t move. We’ll send a crew down there. Skivers squawked over the helmet com.

Kell sat back and stared blankly at the wall. His mind raced with imaginings of trips throughout the galaxy. Journeys of adventure to satisfy his deepest longings. Tara joined his thoughts then. She would be a part of his life. He could buy her from the Pleasure House contract or take her where there would be no possibility of pursuit.

Kell moved around the curve and sprayed more wall. More Calinium! Another abrupt angle and more intense blue drew him on. He stepped out while watching the blue and drifted over a crevasse. Kell waved his arms in panic, then relaxed. The air jets were not quite enough to lift him, but he moved so slowly there was no danger. The glasslike walls here were impossible to grasp.

Hey, I fell into some kind of opening.

I told you to stay put, Skivers added a few choice words, are you still falling?

Yes .But slow. The suit jets don’t have enough power to reverse it.

Your power’s low. Can you see bottom?

Kell shifted to look down. His lights reflected dully off the rocks. Vague shapes seemed to move like wispy winged creatures.

No, but looks like something’s moving under me.

Impossible! Gastof’s voice ripped through the helmet phone. He was angry and concerned. There’s no life form on this planetoid but us. Probably shadows.

Kell looked down again. he could see vague forms, small rock shaped crystals adhering to the sides of the walls. A tiny bit of light emanated from their swirling, misty centers.

Kell .The crew found your trail. We’ll have you out in a minute. And you’re right. Everyone’s rich, impossibly rich. The radio voice was feeble. Kell fell faster. Now he could see thousands of the misty crystals, sparkling. He dropped into a huge cavern, his eyes straining to see what was there, pupils wide.

The cave exploded into a blazing sun of crystal light. The light beat against his brain, shocking the optic nerves and fusing his eyes into a screaming agony of pain and darkness.

Chapter 3

THE SUPREME PLEASURE HOUSE

Excerpt - Inchanda Teen's Diary

"The great blackness has called me and today has grasped me. Since my birth I have been trained by my mothers for this. Yet I fear it and draw back in my heart. Starblack claims me, mind and body. It woos my tenderest longings. Of course, I will obey. I will be the Inchanda. But there is some small part, some place soft and quiet that hides from the great giver, the creator of all my parts. A place withheld from the long suffering God suffers for me. yes and it suffers for all who will know me as its voice, the instrument of its will.

How painful it is to be chosen. To sacrifice myself each moment to the Star Dark, the heart of the great mother of all mothers.

Inchanda Teen's audience with Great Mother was held in a quiet room. The large oval was carefully decorated with slowly revolving glitter hangings. a lazer mural filled the center of one wall. It was of a brilliant swatch of stars. Above the galactic center, descending from the top of the mural like a majestic power consuming the sparkling body of stars, was the black cloud she worshipped and served.

Inchanda Teen was quiet. Now was no time for a mercurial display of temperament for which she was famous. Great Mother ruled the Supreme Pleasure House. She even ruled all future Inchandas. The woman was small and wiry, dressed in the white that all Mothers wore in every Pleasure House on every planet. She wore the skin tight suit with diaphanous skirt about the waist that flowed to the knees. The garment revealed the curves of the womans' body. Even in age she retained a supple and feline shapeliness.

Till the day of consummation. Great Mother said, her voice barely above a whisper. She had no name that any novice knew.

We race to it on the wings of the Source. Inchanda Teen repeated the ritual response. Her voice was passionate with feeling. It was the greeting of the higher order of Star Black.

Sit daughter, the small woman said. Her face was pearly white and smooth. Only the eyes revealed her great years. They were sharp and discerning. Inchanda Teen thought of a hawk that she had once seen through the inner images that filled her mind during the training. It was a bird not found on Rames I. And it would scarcely be found here on the space ring that orbited the metallic blue world beneath them.

Great Mother walked beside her and gripped one of her arms in a pincer like grasp, bruising the skin through Inchanda's white garment.

You must learn control, daughter. Even the Inchanda...No! Especially the Inchanda must be a model of control. Though you will rule the universe, it is nothing if you do not rule your temper. She turned her back, releasing the arm suddenly.

Inchanda refused to rub the arm or to show surprise at Great Mothers handling her. The aged woman turned and sat demurely on a pastel couch.

How are your alone times in the crystal room? Are you deeply in touch with Star Black?

Great Mother's question perplexed her. Surely this woman knew the answer. Did it not show in her aura reading? Had not the Mistophen Nobles reported to her as they always did, keeping the Great Mother and the order informed of the Inchanda's progress?

I am on schedule, she said petulantly. What did Great Mother expect of her, less than the very best? The anger rose in Inchanda's cheeks. She raised her hands as if to stop the redness from appearing there. It was true. She was losing control too easily now.

A wise smile crossed Great Mother's face. Though there are others nearly your equal, others who could be Inchanda, you were chosen despite your anger, despite the reserve of your heart. She pointed to the girl. It is you Inchanda Teen, because of your brilliance and fire. It is said that your defect has at its roots, the very power to greatest serve Star Black. Your anger, once controlled, can become the tool to deliver much of the galaxy to the Source. Great Mother stood and walked to her.

Control it. Bank it like a great fire. Use it to achieve the aims imparted to you in secret by the Source. She held Inchanda Teen's shoulders lightly, bending over the seated girl. Great Mother placed the palm of one hand on her head. Measure time only by achievement! she said, her voice large and strong.

Inchanda Teen bowed her head, eyes closed, waiting for the sound of the panel closing. Then she stood and opened her eyes. The room was empty. The random ordeal was over. She hurried to her chambers now, ignoring the bows of servants in the spacious halls. There was no way she could determine when Great Mother would call her to one of these meetings. Even now she might find a summons to meet again within the hour. It had happened once. That had