Treasures From Afar

Index

CHAPTER ONE

SELNAAN’S ANNUAL HISTORICAL art festival was being celebrated in the old city of Feenith. Valuable art and historical items were being sold, traded, and displayed. It was the festival’s twenty-seventh anniversary. There was something special this time. It seemed to be more crowded. More people seemed to be interested in the occasion. Most people came to the festival just to observe and admire the art. However, art collectors came from around the galaxy to add to their collections from the vast array of art throughout the festival. It was evident that culture and history played a large role in the festival. As usual, there were Galactic Government Troops scattered throughout the area. They were watching the people to make sure they did not break any of the government’s so-called laws.

The weather was just right. Beautiful sunshine brightened the day. The green fields surrounding Feenith danced as the winds blew through the tall grass. The fresh scent of spring was carried in the wind as it blew in toward the festival.

A man scanned his eyes across an array of ancient printing equipment. He slowly walked along an aisle. His attention was drawn across the aisle to a display of books on the other side. There were books from famous writers and poets. There were journals and encyclopedias of various types. He picked up a small book of poems.

How much for this? he asked the man behind the table.

Five credits, the man said.

Shane grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and took out his digital currency card. He passed it through the scanner slot attached to the table and punched in his account number.

Thank you, the man behind the table said.

Shane put the small book in his back pocket. He noticed a few government troops talking near a display of historical documents. He listened to their conversation. Soon, they left the immediate area. Then Shane walked over to the table.

What was that all about? Shane asked the woman behind the display.

I guess they have orders to search for a missing historical document. Whatever it is, it seems to be urgent, the woman said.

Oh, that’s interesting, Shane said.

Shane looked through the documents on display at the woman’s table. Most of them were old command notes from the First Tiffan Siram Empire. After examining them, he walked to a secluded area and looked around at all the people. An old man walked up to him.

I noticed that you were inspecting those ancient empire notes.

Yeah. Those types of things interest me. I remember when I was in college, I took a class on ancient documents, Shane said.

Did you? I’m happy to see that I’m not the only one who is interested in that type of thing. You’ve also gone to college? Do you like adventure? the old man asked.

Well, that all depends.

See this nice piece of art? the man asked, holding up a painting of a beautiful animal running through a stream of water.

Yeah.

There is something hidden on the inside of the picture. You probably heard the government troops talking about it over there. The document they are searching for is in the back of this picture. It gives clues that lead to something wonderful. If I was your age, I would do it myself. But I want you to take it and get out of here. The troops are after me. Take the picture and go. Do you have a ship?

Yes.

Then, take the picture and go. It leads to a treasure, the man said.

A treasure?

Yes. Now, hurry!

Okay, Shane said, if you think it’s that important.

I do. I do, the man said, looking over his shoulder.

Shane left the festival and headed for his ship. When he was inside the ship, he opened the back of the picture with a knife. The old cloth that covered the back of the picture cut away very easily. An ancient scroll rolled out of the picture and onto the ship floor. Just as Shane went to pick it up, there was a knock at his ship door. The sound echoed through the ship’s hull. He walked back to see who was there.

I am a Galactic Government official. From the markings on your ship, I take it that you are Shane Aslat?

Yes.

You were seen with an older man earlier. He gave you an art piece. I want the art piece, now. It contains something that the government has been searching for, for quite some time.

Shane’s mind raced for something to say. He really wanted to see what that treasure was all about. Why would the government be that interested in a scroll? Shane slammed the ship door and ran to the controls. He quickly started the ship and lifted from the surface of Selnaan.

•   •   •

Ariel stood in a doorway looking out into the rain. She wished that it would stop raining so she could do some business. There were not many people out in the rain. She looked up in the sky. The grayish sky was twisted with black drifts of clouds. The rain beat upon the sidewalk with its dancing drops. It had its own music. If one was to listen closely, they would hear it. Ariel heard it. She stared into the street. Most of the buildings around the area were abandoned. She noticed a bald man walking down the sidewalk toward her. She grew a smile and stepped out in front of him.

How ’bout a little action, babe, she said, ripping her skirt half open.

In exchange for what? the man asked, looking at the rip in her skirt.

What ya got?

Right now, I don’t have anything that you would want.

Then, what did you stop for?

You stepped out in front of me.

Oh, get out of here.

Ariel stepped back into the doorway. The man resumed walking.

Why am I here on this dreadful planet? she thought.

She sat down on the ground in the doorway where it was dry and put her arms on her knees. She rested her head on her arms. When the rain slowed to a slight sprinkle, she got back to her feet and looked back out into the street. Was it going to be another day with no business? She dismissed the question as she saw the man that passed by a few minutes earlier coming back down the sidewalk toward her with a bag in his hand. He stopped where she stood.

How about some action in exchange for lunch?

Ariel looked at the bag of food. Her stomach growled.

All right. Let’s get to it.

I’m in a hurry. Why don’t we just go in this abandoned building here?

Whatever you want, she said, opening the door beside her.

They entered the building.

•   •   •

The rain was cold and damp as it fell on Shane while he ran through an alley. His boots were soaked from splashing through the puddles in his way. Not far behind him were several uniformed men with rifles. Shane dashed around a corner into another alley just as the men shot their laser rifles. Light blue beams of intense power destroyed an old brick wall. Shane’s heart was pounding fiercely. Before the uniformed men ran around the corner, Shane went through a door into an old building. He noticed an old, wooden barrel hidden underneath a stairway. He quickly jumped inside and covered it with the lid. Soon, the door slammed open and the men entered. They looked around the room with a flashlight and then went up the stairs. After quite some time, the men came back down the stairs and left the building. When Shane felt that it was safe, he lifted the lid from the barrel and leaped out. Standing in the darkness, he looked around the room. There was light shining from the top of the stairs. He reached the bottom of the stairs and looked up. Necessity more than curiosity forced him to go up. As he walked up the creaky, wooden stairs, he noticed a couple of large spiders on his jacket. With a quick yelp of terror, he backed against the wall and flung the spiders down the stairs. When he reached the second level, he was surprised to find that he was in an abandoned hotel. He looked around the building. In the rooms on each side of the corridor, there were old, torn mattresses and other furniture covered with dust. One particular room adjacent from the corridor was clean and organized.

I wonder who’s been keeping this room nice and neat, Shane thought.

Shane entered the hotel room and shut the door. To the left of the bed there was a dresser with a large mirror attached to it. To the right of the bed there was a chair, a closet full of clothes, and a small bathroom. The bed had a white comforter and two fluffy pillows on it. It looked very comfortable to Shane. He was extremely exhausted from the chase. He lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

•   •   •

Shane Aslat was one point eight meters tall. He had long, brown hair and green eyes. He wore a long, dangling earring in his left ear. He was a very intelligent and organized man. Throughout his life, he had been through many painful experiences. Because of the painful experiences and memories of it all, Shane was a very cautious man. He was basically searching for his inner self, his inner feelings. He was a drifter.

Shane was born on the planet Elbi and raised in a poor family. His parents were killed on Elbi in a series of wars, the Telfire Wars. Shane left the planet with an emergency departure ship. A special unit took refugees to several different planets whose local governments offered to take certain percentages of the refugees. Shane Aslat was taken to the planet Sheth. He went to several colleges there. The knowledge and wisdom that he received on Sheth was very helpful to him. From there, Shane moved to Bathannia’s World where he lived above an intoxication joint. Drinking and gambling became part of his daily life. In one of his card games, he won a very fast fighter ship. Its previous owner was a bald warrior named Torra—a native to Bathannia’s World. As soon as Shane saved enough credits from his gambling, he left Bathannia’s World. He left the remote planet and hung with the Tyrris Militia space gang. The renegade pirates attacked other spaceships and stole riches from the innocent passengers. After several raids and assaults on unarmed ships, Shane left the Tyrris Militia. He went on his way, on with his life. Shane liked traveling through space, to other planets. He did not really know what he wanted in life.

The Telfire Wars began in the year 15073. The series of wars erupted in the Telneth Star System when the people demanded that the system’s space freight monopoly be broken up. The freight company knew that if competition was formed, they would lose millions of credits. The Galactic Government would also lose if the freight monopoly was broken up. Because of this, the Galactic Government kept procrastinating the support that it had promised to the system’s people. Finally, the government announced to the people that it chose not to be involved in the dispute. Soon after the announcement, many freight companies were formed. The competition became very fierce. The original freight company began modifying their ships with laser weapons and torpedoes. After they assaulted two other freighters, the majority of the competition began modifying their own ships. Many space battles occurred between the freight companies. Insurance for the products being transported rose drastically. It was a great opportunity for the insurance agencies. And to no one’s amazement, the Galactic Government was collecting big credits from those agencies. The people of the Telneth System were extremely angered. An organized boycott was formed on the planet Alnor. Soon, the other planets of the system joined the boycott. Many people started transporting their own freight in their personal ships. As this became more and more popular, the space freight companies began firing on the civilian ships. Hundreds of innocent people were purposely killed. It was not until the public avoided the freight companies that the grudges came. It seemed that everyone wanted revenge. Many wanted to avenge their lost ones who had been killed. The war only escalated. One of the larger space freight companies mysteriously came across several massive nuclear weapons. A plan was devised by that company to systematically destroy each planet in the system. It did not take long for the classified information to reach the public; there were many disloyal people in the freight business. People were helpless against the companies. A plea was given to the Galactic Government asking for their help. Avoiding the Telfire Wars, the government repeated their position. They did not even want to help evacuate the people and save them from nuclear destruction. A fleet of ships from another system offered to evacuate the children. There was not enough room aboard for the parents; however, some of the more wealthy people managed to hitch a ride. Shortly after the evacuation, Alnor, Elbi, Bartu, and Shallum Ibner were destroyed. Millions of people died because the Galactic Government considered large amounts of credit more important than life.

•   •   •

Shane awoke to find someone coming into the hotel room. It was a woman.