He cut off the communication before the woman could say another word.

What was going on?

The man he’d seen was Jack Arnett.

Or was he?

He frowned.

He’d certainly looked like him.

But he’d seen him from a distance.

“Hey,” he called out. “Why are you shooting at me? I just want to talk, Mr. Arnett.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?” came an angry voice. “You think you can trick me like that? I’m on to you!”

Another phaser blast hit the other side of the pillar that shielded him.

“You’re not Jack Arnett?”

“Of course not! And you know perfectly well who I am, you maniac!”

“I believe this is a case of mistaken identity, sir. This Jack Arnett I talk about looks exactly like you. I have a picture to prove it. If you can stop shooting one second... I’m unarmed.”

Only silence answered.

He took the picture out of his pocket and held it out beyond the pillar.

“Feel free to use your holovisor to zoom in on the photo.”

More silence.

Then: “That’s not me.”

“No, I don’t believe it is. His name is Jack Arnett. He’s a historian.”

“Oh.” Yet another silence. “Alright. You can come out. Slowly!”

He did so, holding his hands up.

The man stood in the open, phaser still aimed in his direction. He looked at him suspiciously.

“Why did you shoot at me?” asked Ed.

“I thought you wanted to kill me.”

“Why would anyone want to kill you?”

The man made a face. “I’ve angered some of those fanatics in Joqqal... I think they may have sent some of their people after me.”

Now that he got a better look at him, he could tell it was not the same man, though they looked eerily alike.

“Well, I can assure you I am not with them. I work for the Weld and can show you my credentials if you’ll let me reach into my—”

“Nah, that’s fine,” said the man as he put away his weapon. “I believe you. You don’t speak like them. You seem sane enough. Sorry for shooting at you,” he said apologetically.

“You should be more careful with that, but I understand your concern. That said, it looks like I’ve been on a wild-goose chase... I really should head back.”

The man nodded. “Be safe.”

Ed turned and walked away, swearing to himself. So much time wasted. Not to mention the return trip...

As he got back into his glider, he hoped he could meet the elusive Jack before any permanent damage was done...

***

The glider took him north, following the coastline.

Paul stared through the window, contemplating the sea. There were mysteries there, too, he knew. Artifacts had been found in the depths, along with ancient ruins, though not much research had been done on those yet. There were too many other projects underway. And with the constant unrest from the local population, it was difficult to bring more scientists in.

It was a fascinating world in many ways. To him, especially, because of his parents. For most of his life, he had not known which world he had come from.

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This woman—the one Alyssya had given the baby to—had, in turn, handed it—him—to an orphanage on Bernice. He had then been thrown into the system, a complex and antiquated system so crushed under its own weight it spent little time tracking all the hoops each child went through.

As an adult, it had proven a nightmare trying to get answers from the higher-ups in those institutions. Everyone he talked to would blame someone else for the flawed system... and then would hurry on to the next person in line.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to help, it was that they were—themselves—crushed by an administration that requested a high ratio turnover. They just couldn’t afford to spend too much time on cases they obviously could do nothing about.

His eyes dropped to the road underneath. Though most vehicles flew, small paths were maintained on every planet—partly for aesthetics, partly for tradition... but also because they still were occasionally used.

He watched as hundreds of men, women, and even children walked toward the north, heads bent. He could imagine them advancing quietly, lost in their thoughts... or maybe chanting?

Were these also fanatics who wanted to kick out all of the foreigners?

“Who are these people?” he asked out loud.

“I believe they belong to the Ranian Cult,” answered the onboard AI. “This must be their yearly pilgrimage to the Valley of Karazan.”

“Why do they go there?”

“According to scriptures, it was there that Lord Valerian first came to them and blessed them with his great wisdom.”

“Lord Valerian?”

“One of the thousands of gods of Qojja. He is said to live in a fortress outside Joqqal.”

Paul sighed. Why did they have to have so many gods here? What was the point? Wouldn’t one be enough? All this nonsense seemed to create more trouble than it was worth.

And now he needed to find one of these divine beings...

He had not told his friends his mother was supposed to be a goddess... how could he when he did not believe it himself? Besides, what purpose would it have served to mention it?

“How much longer before we reach Sidut er’Nadiv?”

“Two hours and twenty-three minutes,” answered the glider’s AI.

He tapped on the TriVid screen and browsed through a list of movies.

Might as well find something entertaining to pass the time.

***

Why did everyone keep telling him it was impossible? He did not want to hear that!

The human before him was tall, skinny, with bulgy eyes, and a tendency to look him in the eye which infuriated him. Not to mention the sickening smell...

He finished explaining what it was exactly he wanted.

The man then stared at him as if it was the most fantastical thing he’d ever heard. He opened his mouth...

“Don’t tell me it’s impossible!” warned Valerian, waving a finger at him.

The smelly, abominable mouth was shut, though only for a few seconds.

“I mean no disrespect, your lordship, but it’s just that no one has ever pulled it off, so...”

“Just because no one has ever done it, doesn’t mean it can’t be done! You just need to try harder.”

The human looked offended—the gall! If anyone had a right to be offended, it was him! How dared he? Valerian thought he should have the impudent skinned alive for such audacious behavior.

“Then why not have your people do it?” The man pointed at the window behind him, contempt dripping from his tongue.

He did not need to look to know there still were hundreds kneeling in the court beyond, praying and praising his name, hoping they might be blessed with a few seconds more of his time.

Valerian snorted. Disgusting worms, the whole lot of them. Of course, any of them would have killed for the honor of serving him... he knew this, and he would have had no qualm in abusing their blind credulity... but this was too important. He could not entrust this to such inept creatures.

But he knew better than to say it out loud—especially to one such as this blood-thirsty mercenary.

He was boiling inside, though, wishing he could rip that insolent’s tongue out... But knowing it would get him into trouble, he resisted the urge.

“Can’t you just cut around it... blow the wall up or something?”

The man grimaced. “Getting into the cave would be hard enough. Doing what you suggest would be loud and disruptive. Not what you want in a covert operation. We’d be swarmed with cops in no time. Plus, it would also risk damaging the mask—which I’m guessing is not something you would want.”

“So,” said Valerian as he felt his rage rising, “what you’re saying is that it’s impossible?”

The hideous human shrugged his hideous shoulders. “I’d love to take your money, but I can’t commit to something I know can’t be done.”

Without waiting to be dismissed, the despicable excuse for a sentient being turned and walked out.

Valerian screamed his fury as he grabbed his goblet and threw it hard against the wall. He had half a mind to have the man stopped and hung upside down, then slowly peel his skin off. That would teach him.

But he knew the rules.

One day they would change, though. He would see to it. And oh how they would pay, then, those puny creatures...

One day soon.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused.

“Thomas!” he yelled.

His young raven-haired servant came quickly and fell on his face in front of him. At least this one had more sense than that previous one he’d had to flail and throw to the serpents.

“I’m hungry. Bring me food!”

The servant crawled backward, his forehead all the while pressed against the floor, only standing once he’d reached the door.

For some reason, this appeased him. A smile even crept across his lips.

Well, he wouldn’t give up, would he? He’d find a way. There had to be one! If the mask had been placed there, then there had to be a way to remove it...

Thomas returned with a young female with long, dark hair.

The would-be god looked her up and down, then motioned for her to approach.

She stepped up to him with her head bowed.

“Have you bathed?” he asked.

“Yes, your lordship.”

He circled around her, sniffing her hair. It was not perfect, but the soap was covering most of the human stench. It would have to do.

With a sigh, he sat in his chair. She knelt before him and lay her head in his lap, face turned away from him.

Pushing the hair off her neck, he bent down and pressed his fangs deep into her smooth, ripe skin.