The Black Gate by Richard A. Merk

Author:Richard A. Merk
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Star Trek
Publisher: Inimitably Superfluous
Published: 2010-11-26T22:15:41+00:00

Act 3

14 - Awakening to Darkness

Location: Somewhere in Kurnugi

She opened her eyes, but saw nothing. Was she blind? She tried to remember, but her thoughts were clouded. She raised her hand from her side and held it in front of her face. Yes, she could make out the faint outlines of her wriggling fingers. She sighed in relief.

A brilliant light flared suddenly to life nearby. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the long-absent illumination, but she eventually discerned an old woman holding a smoking taper beside a small oil lamp atop a dresser on the opposite wall of a rock-hewn chamber. The old woman approached.

“I am relieved to see you finally awake,” said the old woman in a kindly voice. “Can you remember your name?”

“Y-Yes. I am Lieutenant Josephine Schmidt of Banshee Squadron.”

The old woman smiled with relief. “Good, then the poison has not damaged your memory.”

Jo struggled to sit up on the cot on which she lay, but quickly realized how weak she was. Her arm gave way and she flopped back to the thin mattress. “What happened? Why do I feel so weak? How long have I been here?” she asked. “Where are the others? Are they all right? And who are you?”

The old woman’s smile grew wider. “I see your curiosity is strong, despite your physical weakness. To answer your questions, I am Ereshkigal. Some of the citizens here look to me for guidance and leadership. As for what happened to you, you are indeed a very lucky girl. Vile creatures known as Aqrabu attacked you just inside the underground entrance and would have killed you, but a passing hunting party intervened, fought off the beasts, and brought you to me. I removed as much of the Aqrabu poison as I could, but you have been unconscious for two days.”

“And my friends? Where are” began Jo, but her vocal exertions sent her into a fit of coughing.

Ereshkigal stepped over to the dresser and returned with a wooden cup filled with water, but when she turned to face Jo again, her smile was gone, replaced by lines of pain and grief mixed with trepidation. “I am afraid that I am the bearer of very bad tidings,” she said heavily. “Your friends were not as fortunate as you during the Aqrabu attack.” She paused a moment to give Jo time to brace herself. “They fought bravely against the Aqrabu, but in the end…”

“No! I don’t believe it!” said Jo as forcefully as her condition allowed. She struggled to sit up again, but the old woman placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

The lines of pain on Ereshkigal’s face deepened. “It grieves me to have to tell you this, but your friends are dead. There was nothing I could do.”

“No, no!” repeated Jo desperately. “They can’t be dead! I don’t believe you! You’re lying!” she shouted, then lapsed into another long fit of coughing. Ereshkigal waited patiently for Jo to recover. When the coughing finally subsided, Jo was no longer hysterical.

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