“Khanna not want to go in, Sid Marshall.” The huntress was clearly terrified.

  I took her hand. I'll be right here with you. You don't have to be afraid. Do you trust Sid Marshall?”

  She nodded.

  I have to admit I was putting on a brave face. Taking her hand, we both entered into the Obelisk for the first time.

  Truth be told, it wasn't just Khanna and me. Opal was there as well.

  Paraxen survival suit adjusted for dim conditions. Vision enhanced for darkness. Source of light is ten meters inside. Extra dimensional space detected.

  Yeah, no shit.

  My suit gleamed and everything came into focus. My vision was enhanced, I could tell. The walls weren't stone; they were metal, and at least thirty feet away. It was like walking into a metal cube, and our shuffling footsteps echoed strangely. Khanna's hands were sweaty in mine, and I felt her trembling. There was the faint scent of sulfur in the air.

  “Are we on K’Shaul, Opal?” I asked.

  HOSTNAME: Sid Marhsall and HOSTNAME COMPANION: Khanna are not on K’Shaul. No known quantum signature detected. Unknown location. Extra dimensional space detected.

  Why did that not make me feel better?

  Khanna didn't ask about Opal's answer. Instead, she muttered, “Bad sound is gone. Khanna happy.”

  She was right. The thrum was gone. I found the absolute silence unnerving, so I was glad our footsteps were so loud on the metal floor.

  We slowly walked to the source of the crimson light.

  On the floor was a complicated pattern of the scarlet radiance. Each line of the pattern gave off a wispy smoke, which explained the sulfur. Above the sigil floated a solid stone sphere, about two feet in diameter, perfectly round and polished. The bottom of the sphere reflected the light.

  Khanna had her eyes squeezed closed.

  “What now, Opal?” I asked.

  This unit has no point of reference for further activity in this extra-dimensional space. Extrapolating, this unit suggests physical contact with the sphere.

  Great. She wanted me to touch the damn thing.

  “Fuck it,” I whispered.

  Keeping one hand in Khanna’s, I put the other on the sphere.

  It lit up as various patterns like the Celtic knots outside appeared on the stone. That same pattern appeared on the metal walls, and suddenly it was too bright. Khanna didn’t open her eyes, not one bit.

  For a second, it was hard to see. Then I saw that between the Celtric knots, there were images of different places, like perfectly crisp video, showing a desert, a mountaintop, and yes, a swamp.

  “Hey, Opal, is that video of the Dinosaur Swamp I’m seeing?”

  Affirmative. The image seems to be connected to the Fodoron Obelisk found in Sector 2.303.D.

  It took a bit, but I saw how the patterns in the walls and ceiling were a map, and each video corresponded to an Obelisk. I could see the ocean where we were, and I traced the newly created sector of New Ireland as it cut through the ocean and across the top part of the Dinosaur Swamps, where the other obelisk was. Yes, I could see how this could be very useful.

  However, there were quite a few places where the map was shrouded in darkness.

  “Opal, do you have any theories about why some parts of the map are blacked out?”

  Data suggests that the dark spaces on the map are due to inactive Fodoron Obelisk.

  That made sense. South of where Khanna used to live, there was a blank space in the map. Across from that blank space, I found an image of the yellow desert with the termite towers we’d seen being built. Below it, there were several sectors lost in static. I didn’t know what the static meant, but I didn’t think it was good. Then I saw a sizzling white light move across the face of the map. That had to be a Ravana Storm chopping up the world even more.

  While I gawked, Opal was busy gathering data.

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  Scanning. Processing. Inferna energy usage is ten percent of 10X crystal total power used for every five minutes inside Obelisk. Warning. Data suggests if crystal loses all power exit will close.

  “How long do we have?”

  You have been inside Fodoron Oblisk for ten minutes. You have 90% of crystal power left, which translates into eighty minutes remaining before exit is sealed. Only a 10X crystal will open the portal into the Obelisk. From current data and crystal discovery patterns, 10X crystals are exceedingly rare.

  I realized the video on the walls was also on the sphere, and that I could expand the video or contract it, which then expanded the territory. It was like zooming in on a picture that I had on my phone. Damn, but I missed my phone. Opal was about a thousand times better, but old habits die hard.

  “Hey, Opal, if I expand the territory the Obelisk covers, could I actually block more of the Ravana Storm?

  Affirmative. Protection of territory can be expanded or contracted using the sphere. Scanning complete. Pairing permission requested by Fodoron Obelisk. Would you like this unit to pair with Fodoron technology?

  “Wait, so you can interact with the Fodoron technology more directly than just my touching the sphere?”

  Physical contact is primitive but effective. Arkadian Quantum Universal Intelligence Assistants were created to be more efficient than HOST.

  Khanna sighed. “Khanna does not like Sid Marshall murmuring to spirit in his English. Khanna does not like this place at all.”

  “Sorry, Khanna. Hey, Opal, what are the risks of pairing with the Obelisk?”

  Unknown.

  “What do you think?”

  This unit does not think that HOST and this unit process data in the same manner. This unit understands the risks of pairing with Fodoron technology are not zero. The consequences might be contamination, destruction of internal systems, a complete discharge of battery life, or death of HOST and HOST COMPANION.

  “Why do you say that? Do you detect anything evil?”

  Evil is a moral concept outside of this unit's capability. While some cultures consider Inferna energy to be evil, data suggests that the use of said energy can be used in any number of ways, some of which might be considered detrimental to the physical and mental health of sentient life. Other usage could benefit sentient life.

  “Inferna sounds an awful like the Inferness,” I said, suddenly.

  Khanna hissed. ‘Do not talk about the Inferness. It might bring demons. Can we leave now?”

  “Not yet.”

  I had a decision to make. Should I risk having Opal pair with the Obelisk? There was no reason to. We could always come back, once we got more data. I’m sure Opal was processing a whole bunch of information.

  But at least we had a rough map of the sectors.

  The Fodoron Obelisk where we stood was the most western of the obelisks, and then Dinosaur Swamps, and then there was one way north in the sector above Fry City, a cold blasted tundra of ice and snow.

  Farther east, I saw video of a high alpine forest, with big mountains rising up into vicious storm-filled sky. The very top of peak, almost lost in the black clouds, was a structure that looked similar to the Foiros spaceship. It was a few sectors over from New Ireland, and some of those sectors were blank. The Waystation was nearly at the center of the map, the perfect place for Sector X.

  I had to grin. “Opal, is that the Foiros Waystation?”

  Affirmative. The Foiros Waystation would have an AQUIA charging station. Current charge is 99% of full. Please charge this unit to 100% for optimal functionality and for additional information on this unit’s original primary mission.

  I was about to tell her how much of a pain in the ass she was, when a gigantic, winged creature came swooping through the air above the Waystation. It landed on the edge of the place and roared. It was massive, a huge reptilian beast, with black scales. Around it swirled mini tornados. Lightning dramatically threw forks through the dark sky.

  “Hey, Opal, is that a dragon?”

  Dragons are mythical creatures that have symbolic significance to many different cultures across the universe. The animal in question should not be able to fly, given the nature of its body and its wings. Unknown species. More data needed. Damage to Foiros Waystation detected. Possible damage to reactors. More information needed.

  “Unknown species my ass…that’s a dragon.”

  The dragon took off into the air and left the frame of the camera image. I tried to adjust the camera, but I couldn’t figure out the controls. I did end up getting a view of the mountain slope below the Waystation. There was a bunch of stuff there, but it was hard to see what it was. I could only assume that if Opal was paired to the Fodoron Obelisk, she’d have more control over the camera. I wasn't ready to risk the pairing just yet. I had a lot to consider. Also, I wanted to make sure the 10X crystal worked at the Fodoron Obelisk that was closer to us.

  “No, Opal, don’t pair with the Obelisk. Let me think about what our next move should be. I am wondering about the Obelisk in Sector X. Do you think it might be special?”

  Unknown. Pairing to current Obelisk would be a source of information that could answer that query.

  “Yeah, but we’re not going to do that just yet.”

  I was about to go when the tundra cam in the sector above Fry City showed a collection of motorcycles zooming past the camera. They were there and gone in seconds. Had they been motorcycles, or were they snowmobiles? I wasn’t sure, but something about them put a bad feeling in my belly.

  Back in Fry City, Opal had mentioned something about vehicles and sentient life. It seemed she had sensed some kind of motorcycle gang. Maybe they’d killed all the Sleezenak but kept a statue of Sakata around to act as a drum machine.

  Leaving the Obelisk, I took the 10X crystal out of the housing. The thrumming returned, and in a flash, quicker than the eye, there was solid stone instead of darkness.

  Khanna and I were back on K’Shaul, and the sky was gloomy, and it was raining. We still had some daylight left, but Khanna looked so miserable and exhausted I knew our Marusian sea adventures were over.

  “Let’s head back to Lonetree.” I kissed her cheek.

  Khanna threw her arms around me and sobbed.

  So much for the tough huntress act. Yes, she’d been able to go into the Obelisk with me, but it had taken everything out of her. I couldn’t really blame her. After the day we had, we could use a break. And I was dying to tell Holly and Billie about the Fodoron Obelisk.

  On the way back, we saw the rowboat tied off to one of the buildings of San Submerged. That rowboat would change everything.

  Land of the Lust: Guns of K'Shaul), so if you can't wait, you can run on over there to keep on reading. And if you have some extra cash and like the story, I have a PayPal.