The Black Madonna (The Mystique Trilogy) (31 page)

Polaris looked intrigued. ‘And the blast origin?’

Long Island, New York.

He gave a knowing smile. ‘Levi,’ he said.

My memory was suddenly catapulted back twenty years to the moment I’d left my fellow staff member in the secret underground facility beneath the Montauk Air Force Base. ‘Levi is able to command
electromagnetism?’ I asked, stunned. ‘No wonder he wasn’t worried about being left alone.’

A holograph of the
Klieo
appeared above the control panel and her sails lit up.
Blue Flame Energy Function is detecting an incoming current
, the ship told us.

There was a great crack of metal above us and Polaris and I turned immediately to the Blue Flame energy funnel. A beam of blue-green light burst downward into the base mound and continued to flow in a steady stream.

The captain was delighted and began to laugh. ‘So much for not changing history,’ he said. ‘It looks as if Levi has cast a spanner in the works of the new HAARP grid, which will keep the Nefilim off our backs whilst we activate the rest of the stations. And the best news is that you’re off the hook as our only energy source.’

‘So I can go with Killian to free Tamar?’ I asked. I shuddered to think of my husband accompanying Killian into Irkalla, as they would both end up dead. In my heart I knew I was right about Killian, but if it turned out I was wrong, I wanted to be the one to deal with the repercussions.

‘I gather you’ve activated your station at some time in the course of the past twenty years?’ Polaris asked, and when I nodded he thought quietly for a few moments. ‘Come with me to the lab,’ he said eventually. ‘Castor is running a few tests on our new friend.’

‘What kind of tests?’ I was concerned, as Killian had been subjected to enough scientific probing in his short life.

‘Just blood tests and so forth, nothing too drastic,’ Polaris assured me. ‘The aura can be simulated, but genetic information cannot. Come on,’ he urged. ‘Let’s go and see what our friend Killian is made of.’

‘I didn’t even know there was a lab on board,’ I commented as I followed him out the door and to the upper hatch stairs.

The captain smiled as he twisted one of the metal upright supports on the stairwell. The staircase rose upwards and then collapsed flat against the ceiling to expose an elevator beneath.

‘How thirteenth century of you to have a secret passage to the lab…and yet so futuristic.’ I was amused at how the captain had adapted to his history-hopping lifestyle. ‘You are truly a lord of time.’

We descended to the lab, which was an entire deck unto itself. Not only did Castor have a lab down there, but Levi had a huge work station as well. A transparent walled walkway connected the two labs and as we walked along it I peered into Levi’s workshop. It was filled with all manner of intriguing technological marvels, both futuristic and ancient.

‘What is all this stuff?’ I asked.

‘Things I’ve collected, been given or stumbled upon in my travels.’

‘What does it all do?’

‘In truth, we’re still trying to work that out. Levi likes to tinker when he gets a chance…which, lately, seems to be never.’

‘Shouldn’t we be heading to Montauk to retrieve Levi?’ I asked. No one else seemed concerned about this.

‘He’s already on his way back to us, I expect,’ the captain replied. ‘Or have you forgotten about his other little talent?’

‘Levitation…of course.’

‘In the interim, we need to give Killian the all clear to move through the Signet stations in order to get to Irkalla via the Xerthaneus stargate in Antarctica.’ Polaris paused before entering the lab where Castor was observing Killian. ‘If he gets the all clear, Solarian will see you through her stargate. From there you can access Dexter’s Signet station. The rest of us will activate the remaining stations and meet you back at Nova Scotia.’

‘And Arcturus?’ My husband posed our biggest dilemma.

Polaris winced. ‘Obviously, considering the current situation,’ he glanced in at Killian who was chatting with Castor, ‘Arcturus can’t go with you.’ He looked pained. ‘This was his mission and he’s not going to like having it taken away from him…especially by
me.
’

‘But you will tell him?’

The captain forced a smile and gave a hesitant nod.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief and gave him a hug. ‘Thank you.’

‘Are you trying to get us in more trouble?’ he joked.

‘I’m just so very grateful,’ I said, reining in my emotions. ‘Really, you’re such a good friend to us…It’s a shame Arcturus doesn’t realise it.’

The captain had to laugh. ‘I do believe that my partner has found occasion to say exactly the same thing to Arcturus, so in that regard I believe I owe him a karmic debt.’

He turned to look at Killian again then back to me. ‘You haven’t…I mean, you wouldn’t…’ He was suddenly awkward, which was very unlike him.

I guessed his concern and put him out of his misery. ‘I love my husband, Captain. But I also have a lot of faith in Killian. I know in my heart that he’s integral to the plan.’

‘The question is, whose plan—the Nefilim’s or ours?’ Polaris was still sceptical, and I couldn’t blame him.

‘Killian has managed to suppress his dark side for twenty years and during that time I saw him channel nothing but the good of the Sanat Kumara,’ I said. ‘Who, I recently confirmed, is En Ki himself, our angelic father. So why would our father send us the Antichrist?’

Polaris cocked his head to think about this, and finally opened the door to the lab. ‘Gentlemen,’ he greeted Castor and Killian, then noted the mess the lab was in—there was glass shattered on the floor, tools scattered everywhere.

‘We meet again, time lord,’ Killian replied with a grin.

‘It seems you’re something of a time lord yourself these days,’ Polaris said, still assessing the damage to the lab.

‘Killian’s dark half didn’t like giving blood,’ Castor explained, far more interested in the magnified holographic blood sample he was viewing at his work station.

I was appalled, as Lugh had spent twenty-odd years teaching Killian how to avoid engaging his dark half. ‘You didn’t make him regress, did you?’

‘It was only for a couple of minutes,’ Killian said in defence of Castor’s actions. ‘It was fine really, and I’m curious to know more about me too.’

‘This is just incredible,’ Castor said, beckoning the captain and me to join him around the holograph. He indicated the image of a DNA strand. ‘Average human DNA,’ he stated. ‘And this is Killian’s DNA.’ Another two double helixes entwined into the existing double helix to form a six-strand DNA code.

‘And this is what happens when Killian channels the Sanat Kumara.’ Castor gave a telepathic command and the six DNA strands doubled and rebraided to form a twelve-strand DNA code.

Fortunately, I had an understanding of ascension dynamics, which enabled me to understand the DNA braiding process. There was a double helix for each of our bodies—the physical, the emotional or astral, the mental, the causal, the spiritual and the monadic. Beyond this point, the being reached a state of complete enlightenment whereby it transcended into the higher evolutionary scheme of the next harmonic universe. As each body developed, another double helix activated within the non-coding DNA the being already carried. Even the most modern technology on this planet could not detect the presence of these bodies nor follow their development, as our current scientific community was still oblivious to their existence. Fortunately for us, the races that chaired the guardian councils of our Signet stations were not so spiritually ignorant and had developed technologies that assisted the staff of Amenti to do their jobs here on Earth.

‘Twelve-strand DNA,’ Castor concluded. ‘We staff members average about a ten-strand genetic code.’

‘Christ!’ The captain’s eyes shot to Killian, who smiled broadly at him.

Castor held up a finger. ‘Not exactly, as this is what happens when Killian switches to his dark half.’

The holograph of the twelve-strand DNA code shrivelled to a mere two-strand code, way lower in frequency than the average human being who normally sported four- to six-strand DNA.

‘Oh dear,’ Polaris said. ‘That makes him a huge security risk.’

‘I am in control, Captain,’ Killian pleaded his cause. ‘Please let me do this. How else am I to prove myself an ally?’

‘You have already proved it,’ I reassured him, but Killian was more interested in convincing the males on staff of his allegiance.

He looked over at the room of technological wonders across the transparent walkway. ‘There must be some sort of restraining device in amongst that lot. I’ll risk anything, swallow anything, wear anything you like, just let me go.’

Polaris was thinking, but Killian took his silence to mean he was still reluctant.

‘If Tamar hadn’t cared enough to come after me, I’d still be on the inside,’ he argued.

‘And now you want to go back in,’ Polaris responded. ‘You could end up right back where you started!’

‘Lamhfada has taught me the art of psychic self-defence,’ Killian countered. ‘I don’t fear the Nefilim any more, and, more importantly, I don’t hate them. They no longer hold any power over me.’

Polaris still wasn’t sure. ‘I need…’

‘Hello,’ a voice interrupted.

‘…Levi,’ Polaris said with a grin as his first mate entered the laboratory.

‘It seems the Montauk Project was finally shut down in 2003,’ Levi said sheepishly, having acted contrary to our objective—not to change events in the past.

‘It certainly seems that way,’ Polaris replied, reserving judgement.

‘The good news is it’ll probably take HAARP a few days to get back online, so we’re off the radar for a while.’ Levi smiled, hoping to avoid a reprimand.

‘Then we should get moving.’ Polaris headed towards the door. ‘Better get our new teammate a suit,’ he said to Levi on his way past, who looked stunned to hear Killian described that way.

‘So I can go?’ Killian sounded hopeful.

‘I’m sure Levi can come up with some way of ensuring your loyalty,’ Polaris said, and glanced to Levi, who didn’t ask questions, just nodded.

‘I think we still have some remotely detonated liquid-light capsules that we used on Taejax when first he joined our ranks,’ Levi suggested.

‘Make it happen yesterday,’ said the captain. ‘We still have three stations to activate.’

Once Killian was suited up and had recovered from the novelty of being able to transform his attire at will, Levi gave him a capsule of liquid light to swallow.

‘This works pretty much like a liquid-light bullet, but the shot is administered remotely,’ he explained as Killian swallowed the device.
‘Should you lose control, this remote detonator will trigger the capsule to burst and give your personal frequency a positive boost.’

‘Excellent.’ Killian sounded most reassured by this.

‘I suggest that Castor looks after the remote,’ Polaris said, and Levi passed it over. Castor was pleased to finally be allowed to leave the ship.

‘Our weapons will work in Irkalla, but our psychic powers aren’t supported there,’ Dexter briefed Castor, Killian and me in a closed meeting in the captain’s quarters. ‘Obviously the negativity levels are intense, so don’t let anything get a rise out of you. Try to stay as lighthearted as possible…and believe me, it will be near impossible.’

Levi had armed us to the gills, with our preferred weapon of choice the liquid-light gun. During my stint in the Dark Ages I had learned to wield a sword, so I’d added one to my cache, in addition to my usual collection of knives. Castor was a little light on: he carried only a liquid-light pistol as his preferred weapons were the jaws, fangs and claws of the animals he could transform himself into. Dexter, on the other hand, seemed to be sporting every weapon known to humankind and a few yet to be discovered. Killian, our guide, wasn’t permitted to carry a weapon, but in all honesty he didn’t need one—he could summon more power than the entire staff of Amenti put together and could have destroyed us all at any time.

‘Solarian is waiting to guide you through to her station,’ Polaris announced at the end of the briefing.

Arcturus appeared at the door. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked, but from the disappointed look on his face it was clear he’d already worked it out. ‘What, I’m off the mission now? She’s my daughter too, you realise!’

‘We don’t have time for this right now,’ Polaris said, making the call. ‘They have to go, and so do we.’

We filed from the room, and when Killian passed Arcturus I saw daggers in my husband’s eyes. I was the last to leave and when Arcturus looked at me, the pain on his face broke my heart.

‘I love you,’ I told him, ‘but when you’re jealous you’re dangerous. And there’s really no need for it.’

‘Isn’t there?’ he asked quickly, although his tone wasn’t aggressive. ‘Shouldn’t I be concerned that you’ve spent the last twenty years with another man?’

‘It wasn’t something I
chose
,’ I said. ‘And I wasn’t in his company for all that time. I caught up on my writing, honed my psychic skills and learned how to wield a sword! I missed you, Albray. And twenty years is a long time to miss someone constantly.’ My tears welled, but I sniffed them back; this was no time to crumple into an emotional heap.

‘Constantly?’ he said, his annoyance melting away.

I nodded and moved in for the hug we both so badly needed. ‘Please don’t let us part on bad terms. Just trust me,’ I pulled away to look him in the face, ‘can’t you?’

‘You’re a surprise a minute, Mrs Devere,’ he said with a smile. ‘It just takes me a little time to catch up.’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake,’ called Dexter from the corridor outside. ‘Will you just kiss her so we can get on with the mission!’

We did kiss, our first kiss in twenty years, and how I wished I could linger with my lover and finally fulfil all the lustful thoughts I had been entertaining about him for what seemed like an eternity.

‘On second thoughts,’ Dexter called impatiently, ‘forget the kiss or we’ll never get out of here!’

‘Go get our daughter,’ my husband said and gave me a nod of encouragement. Then he escorted me out into the hall where the rest of my party were already leaving the ship.