SACRIFICE OF SORTS

                                     by Enad

The destination came closer and closer. Either the ship was moving at great speeds, or everything else was moving in the same manner with the ship held still. Perhaps no one could ever understand the principle of the drive system aside from the true creators--Ultimate Technologies. Enad the Encephalon wondered about the creators. Then, he thought about the unknown originators of the ruins on Phoebe. "Any connection," he thought. Yet, he mostly pondered over their destination, the people, and the world. Since he, himself, had never been there, it was frightfully intriguing.

"Enad, we've arrived at the black hole. I suppose I'm ready to enter any time now." Megan took a deep breath.

"I suppose that the sooner we get there, the better." With those words, Enad reached for a console, increased deflector shield strength, and began the entry. The ship was pulled and tugged at from the immense gravitational fields. Suddenly there was no light. Even the artificial light of the ship was absorbed into the void.

"Oh, God," Megan whispered. Her body tensed. She was scared. Then she, as well as Enad were struck from forces much like G-forces, yet came from every direction. Enad accelerated the ship to light-speed. Things became distorted then the ship thundered as it reentered reality.

"I would have never thought the void of space to be so wonderful," Enad said. He viewed the area of entrance to 'here'. There seemed to be nothing except a star, the sun to a vast solar system. He quickly probed the planets, planetoids, asteriods, and meteoriod belts. It registered life on the two planets having the same radii to the sun.

"Well, where to go?" Enad asked Megan and himself.

"Perhaps I could be of help."

Megan and Enad were quite startled by the voice. "Where in the world did you come from," the son asked his father.

"You didn't think you could keep us away, now did you? Besides, you have my twenty dollar gold-piece."

"Who is 'us'?" I only see you."

"Oh, Blotzfrig went home to his parents and children, so I stowed away. He reached into a pocket of Enad's vacuum suit obtaining the twenty dollar gold-piece. He carefully attached it to the chain about his neck." If your wondering about this, it is of certain importance. KWAMKUT made it for me. It is a holograph projector. If you had it, you would be too far away for it to work on me, and I couldn't 'bare' that now could I?"

"Of course you couldn't," he replied to himself. "Go to the Planet having the three moons."

They carefully orbited the planet making necessary scans. Enad the Great told of the area where the government reigned. He personally knew their leader. And so, within moments, each member of their party was transfered to the chambers of the imperial leader.

*   *   *

"I knew you would return," Atham said to Enad. Introductions were made, and information was transfered.

"The energy drain has weakened, but only slightly. My people are growing immune to it. However, the people on our sister planet, Thrae, are still seeking our deaths. Recently, their sorcerers drained our world of its water. We are barely able to produce enough to survive. A few have fled this world in search of others, but their chances are slim because their vessels are all sublight. The rest of the people are growing restless. There are rumors that the people of Thrae are causing the energy drain also. They wish to attack. The timid wish to attempt a full scale pilgrimage and follow those who have left. My political control over their actions is ending. I need to rebuild their confidence."

Enad the Great pushed his button on the transmitter each of the Cantible was given. He beamed up to the ship.

"Where in the world does he think he is going?" his son asked. In attempt to follow him he activated his transmitter, but to no avail. "Great, that &%$#@' left us stranded."

*   *   *

Enad the Great piloted the ship through the yellow hole and exited the sun of his home world. Carefully, he landed the ship near the abandoned Devonshire Mansion. He carefully made his way through the once flooded area to a broken cabinet. Upon opening the door, he gathered a copper and silver Chalice. He bent down and picked up the third golden Chalice, which was lying on the floor.

*   *   *

The ocean breeze blew the hair out of Enad the Great's face. He touched the Chalice to the surface of the watery plains. Then dust reigned where once was none. "I think I did right, didn't I?"

"Of course I did. I came to the logical conclusion. The people of the earth are suffering anyway. People like my friend Taft, as well as Pierce, Iffley, and Ledic are seeing to that." He continued the trip back to the ship in silent conversation within his brain.

He entered the ship and checked over preflight. She had had a lot of use recently. He checked some switches accidentally activating the computer's vocal mode. "Hi, Great One."

"What???? KWAMKUT? You're dissasembled aren't you?"

"More like reused. I see that spell still hasn't worn off."

"Shut up, ball-bearing brain. Can you pilot this ship yourself?"

"Just put me on 'auto'."

*   *   *

Enad slept most of the trip back to Malazia. Needless to say, the waters of the Chalice, brought life to those who felt they were in the wake of doom. Now there was a revitalization in their loyalty to their trusted leader. He could win. But to win, there must be a competition. This competition with the sorcerers of Thrae was not a friendly one. What was their next move?