TTO Episode 5.2

 5.2        

The next thing I knew was Edo had collapsed onto the flooring. I rushed forward and held her in my arms. She was in a dream state form my initial assessment. Her eyes pupils were moving rapidly then and her breathing was intense. I looked up at the five masters but they have retreated to the rear.

“Hold it!” I shouted to the masters. “What did you do to her?”

There was not reply then but I soon found myself surrounded by troopers. There were five of them then with the Trooper Leader. He held up the communicator and advised the Central Command of our capture.

“Command, we have the apprehended the one named Edo Harashi.”

There was no time to delay then and I hit out with my right hand. I grabbed the nozzle of the nearest trooper and aimed it at the others. In the confusion, the trooper whom I grabbed his rifle fired at the others. Two of the troopers went down in the shooting before I reached out with my left hand to topple the trooper. I used that trooper body as leverage to swing over with the legs lashing out. I caught the trooper leader in the kick and then landed with a half body crouch. I had then the first trooper’s rifle and tossed it to land hilt side on my right hand. I found the trigger and shot the last standing trooper. All it took was three point five seconds with my enhanced frame versatility.

I fired one blast into the recovering trooper leader and then the one which I toppled.

“Do not shoot me.” Greco pleaded with his life. I looked to the masters and saw that they have fled the scene.

“I have no knowledge of this.” Greco was trembling there when I hand carried up Edo. We needed to escape and I was unsure of how to do it. It was Greco who offered me his assistance. I followed the long haired figure with Edo slung over my right shoulder. Our escape involved climbing down the dim lighted stairs to the lower levels. Greco took me into a labyrinth of tunnels which every one of it was lighted by gleaming wall materials. It was dark at some stretches where Greco had told me to take the steps ahead with faith. There was no breeze in the tunnels but I felt the coldness in there. Soon we came upon a high door made of some hard material. Greco placed his right hand on the right side of the doorway. There may a hidden switch there which Greco triggered the door to slide open. The door slide wide but there was no breeze from it. All it showed was more darkness.

Greco stepped into the chamber and the place lighted up by the burning torches that were lined up all around the wall. Each of them came to light one after another. The chamber slowly brightens up and my first sight was the uncovering of the high ceiling.  Either the door or our presence triggered off the switch to the torch. The chamber was shaded in white and despite the ages on the wall the shades were as pristine if it was printed yesterday. On the side of the wall in the cavern, there were the high erected statues of the Grecian warriors before the people became pacifists.

“This is the ancient chamber of the Heroes. Since we became the new Grecian, the masters have us moved the old figurines to here for storage.” Greco looked at the tall statues measuring over thirty feet each. There were twelve of these statues there positioned in a line up. Each statue was designed individually with the details of each hero. The statues were shaded in white but their eyes were unique. Each set of eyes held different shades of the minerals materials. 

“I come here for the passages of understanding.” Greco explained. “My people have been pacifists since the Battle of Yarn. We have never wielded any weapons but here these ancient heroes held one each. They were heroes before.”

I looked at the statues line up and saw their expression of strength. I recalled in my memory data, the Grecian were once warriors. I laid Edo down and the checked the nearest statue. I recognized the crude sculpturing as that of the warrior Persian with the distinguishing trident in the left hand. He was one of the great leaders of the Grecian and conquered many tracts of land for the King then. He had the long beard but it was his deep sunken eyes that made his enemy fearful of him.

“Persian the Brave.” Greco muttered the name. “He was the greatest of them all. He once bested the great beasts in a single combat.”

I crammed up a smile to Greco. He lowered his head and chuckled.

“Despite our long standing for peace and non-violent, the history of the Grecian is still available to all.” Greco explained. “I did my submission on the virtues of violent when the needs arise but the masters rejected my reading for it was deemed unacceptable. I escaped here to ponder their decisions but till today, I have not their reasons for it.”

“How did the troopers come here?” I asked for it was known that the Federation of Planets have not posted any of their units here for the respect on the Grecian’ lifestyle of peace. They detest anything that invoked violence.

“All I knew was the troopers staked a base nearby for some time now with the end of the hundred years reign.” Greco said. “That was not all I heard. The troopers are everywhere in the galaxies, and their fleets now ply the space routes. There is a fear on the last reign of the ten years which the Federation of Planets feared may be its demise.”

“What are you saying?” I asked back.

“There is an unconfirmed finding that Grand Master Seldon had written down the notes on the hundred and the last ten years reign. He never disclosed it but left it was to be made known only on the end of the thousand years reign. The masters then had complied with his wishes but they did not tell the others of the findings. Instead they have sealed the notes in places not disclosed.”

“Why? Why would the masters do that unless….” I worked with logic and it did not compute then except for some undisclosed logic. I was to query further.

“Did any of the rumours indicate of any locations?” It was a wide shot. Greco shook his head. So much for the pacifist that ventured into the opposite which in my understanding may be a full circle in his journey. I then focused on the statues and the chamber. It was secured for then, and allowed me to check on Edo. She was still unconscious.

“The Federation of Planets had their First Fleet here in the system. They scanned the planet surface with their sensors.” Greco suddenly voiced up again. “I doubt it could reach this level.”

A reassuring thought and then it intrigued me further. I queried Greco on the chamber and who had known of it.  

“There are few but among them, only myself dared to come more than once. The others feared the statues will come to live perhaps.” Greco laughed. “Even the masters declined my call to check the chamber but nevertheless I came. It’s a good place to reflect on the mind.”

“Then I assumed the place is taboo to your people.” I then walked to the statue named after the warrior Persian. I once saw Edo spoke to a statue before. When I questioned her, she told me it was a ritual of the House to speak to that statue. It was then I noticed that the twelve statues were staring at one direction. It was a spot on the far wall. I walked towards it and saw the carvings on it. It was of a single eye; a rather evil looking one. It had the double thick eye lids with the large orbs in the middle. When you stared at it, I felt the eye following me. I did a scan on the wall and noted that it had a hollow cavity behind it.

“Is it okay for me breach the wall?” I asked Greco. His facial expression could be well described as shocking.