20

Nov 4, Saturday, 11:50 A.M.

    Ian jumped as the door to his room swung open suddenly.  He had been sitting on his bed and devising his plan when a yellow-skinned, male Vallorian barged into his room.

    He barked some words in alien, then, remembering that Ian was from Earth said, "Get up!  Come!"

    Ian grabbed his jacket and rushed after the alien.  After agreeing to help the Vallorians, he and Chelsea had been treated as guests and the Vallorians had even given them some clothes.  Ian now wore a dark blue scientist jumpsuit with a black jacket.  They had also given him hard metallic boots that were surprisingly light and easy to walk in.

    Ian had spent all night pouring over his plan and he finally believed he could pull it off.  All it took was some good acting.  First, he had to fool Zeetro, which wouldn't be too hard because Zeetro trusted him to fix their shield.  If Ian said there was a problem, then Zeetro would most likely believe him.  

    The hard part was getting Chelsea to believe him.  She had grown up with him and knew exactly when he was lying.  Maybe they would both be assigned to different parts of the shield.  But Ian highly doubted that.

    "In there," said the guard, pulling Ian out of his thoughts.

    He pointed towards a large white door and Ian pushed it open and entered.  

    The room he came into was small and circular, with a beautiful glass dome ceiling above it.

    Chelsea was already there and didn't look up when Ian entered.  He wondered how long it would take for her to at least smile at him again.

    Zeetro stood in the middle of the room with Chelsea and Zelle on either side of him.

    "Stickle, stand next to your friend," Zeetro said. "You are about to meet the leader of all Valloria.  So I expect you to not talk and stand still."

    At the word "friend" Ian saw Chelsea roll her eyes, but he went to stand next to her anyway.  Suddenly, the floor began descending.  Soon the dome ceiling was out of sight and the room they were in was zooming downwards at a high speed. 

    Ian and Chelsea, who were used to being on elevators, didn't think much of their ride until the room stopped moving, and then

set off straight forward.  When this sudden change happened, Ian and Chelsea both lost their footing and feel against the wall.  Ian hit it first and Chelsea landed on him.  

    He bumped his head painfully against the metal walls but was glad to have softened Chelsea's fall.

    She ragained her composure quickly, and realized that she was touching him.  Chelsea jumped away and strode back to stand next to Zeetro, blushing profusely.

    Ian rubbed his head as Zelle came over and helped him up.  She smiled kindly and asked, "You are hurt?"

    "No," Ian said.

    She took his arm and led him to stand next to her, which was a far away from Chelsea as possible.

    The elevator stopped again and this time began rising.

    "So where does this guy live?" Ian asked, trying to break the tension in the area.

    "The Jahliheilm, or, in English, Great Warlord, lives a few miles south of our compound.  He was the one who oversaw the creation of the A.O.H. and he made me the director."

    "Oh, does he have a palace?"

    "Yes," Zelle answered excitedly. "It is the most beautiful place in Valloria!  There are crystal chambers and mountains of colorful forests."

    "But we are not going to look at the landscape," Zeetro said, giving his sister a frown.

    Zelle hung her head and shuffled her feet.

    "Why are we going?" Chelsea asked.

    "To approve your mission," Zeetro explained. "The Jahliheilm has

power over everything we do.  He is only second to the One who made this universe.  I am sure he will say yes, but he has always been wary of humans, which is why I brought you two with me.  I want him to meet you so he will feel at ease.

    "A few rules before we get there.  You must not bow as you enter, but nod if he speaks your name.  The Jahlihielm does not know as much Earthling as I do, so try to understand everything he's saying to you.  Do not ever correct him.  If he mistakes a word then I will translate."

    Ian nodded and gulped.  Was this ruler going to ask what he planned to do with the shield?

    What if he accidentally let something slip?

    If he was caught would they imprison him?

    What about Chelsea?

    Ian could never be responsible for her never going home.

    He stood resolutely and was determined to keep his cool and fool the highest being in Valloria, no matter what he had to say.

21

    Chelsea looked up and watched as the hole in the ceiling grew bigger.  She saw Ian's jaw clench and thought that he must be hiding something.  She knew him better than anyone, but what was it he was hiding?

    The elevator stopped at the top and her eyes were blinded for a few seconds.  The room they entered was more a cave than a room.  

    But every inch was covered with shining crystals.  Torches lit up the room and the crystals reflected the light.  

    Chelsea squinted and made out a large shape in front of them.  A beautiful crystal stairway rose ahead and Zeetro began walking 

up it.  

    They all followed and it led them into a silver room with one large chandelier hanging from the ceiling.  In the middle of the room was a mat with a small Vallorian child sitting on it.

    The child had long pink hair and bright yellow skin.  The contrast made Chelsea squint again.

    Zeetro said a few Vallorian words and the child jumped and turned around.  Her eyes widened at the sight of Chelsea and Ian and she immediately scrambled off through a small doorway in the side of the room.

    Zeetro turned to them and said, "That was one of the Jahliheilm's children."

    "Oh, how many does he have?" Chelsea asked.

    "Around a hundred and fifty," Zeetro responded as if the number