This room held the riches of all the worlds of the Empire.

Gold and platinum bullion was piled against the walls in vast hills, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds poured onto the floor from safes; rare earths more valuable than gold filled chests. Other worldly gems glittered. Icicles of Tihad crystal, forbidden sea gems from Oppu III and mountain fire stones from Zeta IV flowed across dark wood tables. All manner of treasures from thousands of worlds known and unknown lay heaped in front of them.

Almost in a sleep walk the pirates stepped forward. The treasures lured them in as iron was drawn to a magnet, like sleepwalkers they moved closer, reaching out to touch, all except Jenna, Ilisa and the professor.

“Do you think that is wise?” Professor Denner Venkriller had been forgotten by the remaining pirates. Startled they pulled back. He looked at them and they stared back, noting absently that he was still holding his map.

“Why?” whined Lista who appeared to have gotten over her previous terrors.

“Extsu, did you see something in the last room as you looked back?”

“Well, professor, I thought I did. But I…. well it was just a glimpse.”

Back to his pontifical best, the Professor waved at the treasure, “This looks to me to be a classic trap. Touching it could be the worst thing you could do.”

“Looks just find to me!” Lista responded.

“Of course. A trap. I should have thought of that, what have I been thinking of?” Fastos was scourging himself.

“You can touch it then, Lista,” Thurgod waved at the treasure, he was taking no chances, “let us get clear first!”

Costos and Arron stood staring at all this wealth.

Jenna looked the group over, without speaking, she started walking towards the next set of doors. Ilisa followed her, also without speaking. With a sniff the professor moved next. Having stood behind Jenna through all the nightmare journey so far, Tyrone and Draucs followed without hesitation. The remaining six looked at each other, then, not without regretful looks at the treasure, followed, hurrying to catch up, Arron reaching down to pick up a gem as he did so.

The next pair of doors stood open, moving through them Lista, Thurgod and Extsu all looked back one last time. They both gave startled exclamations.

“What’s happening?” Lista sounded puzzled. Costos and Arron also turned around to see. Arron suddenly screamed and staggered back into the room.

 The treasures started moving, heaving, drawing together even as the screaming pilot stumbled closer to the bullion, holding out a glowing jewel as he staggered forward.

“Move!” Thurgod shouted, not waiting to see what was going to happen, he and Extsu grabbed Costos as the pirate chief started back into the room yelling, “You can’t help him now!”

As they dragged Costos into the tunnel the doors began to slowly close, all too slowly it seemed to the pirates now crowding Jenna. The jewels and bullion were drawing together, forming into a giant beast with emeralds for eyes and diamonds for teeth. Its jaws wide open engulfed the still screaming pirate, slamming closed and cutting short Arron’s screams even as the doors finally came together. As the depleted group staggered down the corridor, the creature hurled itself at the doors with a mighty crash.

“Keep going.” Thurgod urged the group, still holding onto Costos.

Jenna had not looked back. Nothing seemed to matter to her except for the figure and the carving she carried.

This corridor was longer than the previous one that connected the last set of rooms and curved to the left. Finally however they saw another set of doors ahead of them. The noise behind them had dimed and finally stopped.

“You can let me go.” Costos told Thurgod, who started. With a jerk he dropped his hand and the two exchanged a glance, but said nothing.

Arriving at the latest set of doors, they saw that unlike the previous ones, these were adorned with carvings. A sailing ship, seas, mountains, forests and in the seas and forests, creatures. As the doors opened, Extsu muttered, “I don’t like the look of those carvings. This is going to be nasty I think.”

Through the now open doors, a smell many pirates of old would have recognised assailed the groups’ senses. The smell of salt air, fresh breezes and sunlight all mixed in together. They took a collective breath and sneezed. “What is that!” one exclaimed.

Surprising herself, Jenna laughed “That is the sea, I remember it well from my youth when sailing.”

Moving down the tunnel, they came to another set of doors. These carried similar engravings to the previous set except that the animals all stood out in high relief. A collective shiver ran through them.

“Well we have an idea of what we will have to deal with anyway.” Tyrone muttered.

“Do not be too sure,” cautioned Fastos. “I would not count on anything here being the same as on the planet surface.”

“Just be alert everyone and don’t stray,” agreed Thurgod.

“What planet?” muttered Costos.

The doors having opened, the group moved into a swampy looking forest. Mist moved through the trees and sidled around their legs. A clammy feeling permeated their bones, different from the clean smell at the previous doors. With all the mist and foliage about them, they could not see any wall, ceilings or even looking back, the doors through which they came. They could just as well have been in a tropical forest on the edge of an ancient salt sea.

Jenna moved wordlessly out into the forest, followed by professor Denner Venkriller. Still looking at his map, he was shaking his head and mumbling to himself. Tyrone following looked him over and shook his head. “Stay alert professor,” he cautioned. Draucs glanced back to see Lista and Ilisa following with Fastos, Extsu, Costos and Thurgod behind.

With Jenna picking her way through the swampy forest leading the way, they slowly moved forward. As they went deeper into the woods, they began to hear voices calling to them from all sides.

“Not that way. Over here. This is the right way.”

Lista began to whimper. Her eyes darted side to side. The professor concentrated even harder on his map. Thurgod was looking around, his eyes wide. Extsu and Tyrone were swinging their rifles left and right while Draucs and Fastos both were concentrating on Jenna. So was Costos, certain that Jenna would lead them to the exit. Ilisa showed nothing.

Of to the right came a pop, followed by a hiss. “You are going the wrong way.” Came in a low, hypnotic voice, “This way is the only way,” followed. A swirling sound and ripples in the brackish water were the only evidence of an entity of some kind. More voices followed. “No, not that way, this way.” There were ripples in the water and swirls of things barely seen in the mist, caught out of the corner of their eyes.

Steadily Jenna walked onward, making no attempt to answer any of the voices that called to the ten left of those who had entered the tunnel, how long ago? It seemed days to them but might have been only one or two periods. Gradually the calls, taunts and whispers began to take effect on some of the group, slowly wearing them down. Lista broke first.

“I can’t go on,” Lista whimpered as she sank to the murky floor.

“Jenna stop.” Ilisa called sharply. Fastos echoed her. “Jenna, hold for just a fraction. Please.”

“It is dangerous to delay. We must keep moving.” Jenna replied

Fastos thought rapidly. “Tyrone, you are strongest, can you carry her?”

“I can.”

Thurgod and Extsu were now standing back to back, swinging their weapons around, staring out into the murk. “There is something out there.” Extsu called raising his rifle to his shoulder.

“Do not shoot.” Jenna spoke in a loud clear voice. “There is nothing you have that will stop them and you will only incite them. Follow me.” Slowly Extsu lowered his rifle.

Tyrone held Lista in one arm while still following Jenna. Draucs had moved up beside the professor. Fastos and Ilisa followed close behind. Extsu, his eyes wild, Costos and Thurgod stumbled after them all.

The nightmare continued, drawing on all their doubts and fears. The mist growing steadily thicker until they could barely see one another.

“Hold each other’s arms. Tyrone hold onto me as well as the professor. You can do it and support Lista. Everyone, close your eyes and trust me.” Jenna spoke clearly and calmly. “The worst is to come but soon we will be through.”

Blindly they stumbled forward, clutching at each other. The taunts seemed to come closer until it felt as if nameless demons were whispering in their ears. “Follow me,” they were saying. “She will lead you to your death,” and “Here you will have comfort.” Many other whispered goads came as well. The mist crept around them, seeming to clutch at their legs and arms, slowing their progress to a crawl. Barely moving, they seemed to draw reserves of strength from each other, until finally, “It is over, open your eyes.” from Jenna brought relief.

To the pirates, Jenna’s voice never sounded better. Looking around they were on a dry patch of grass, on a slight rise above the swamp. The voices had died out. The mist was a solid wall at the edge of the grass. With a common reflex, they all shuffled away from it. Looking at the others, Fastos noted without surprise that Jenna and Ilisa were still composed. Lista, on the other hand was curled up in a ball on the grass, sobbing. Tyrone sitting slumped beside her.

Thurgod was standing a wild look still in his eyes. Extsu kneeling beside him looking drawn and gaunt. He was the first to speak. “I was right, that was nasty.”

The professor was also kneeling, looking exhausted. Turning to Extsu, he just said “Yes you were.”

“And you won’t let us forget it.” Thurgod spoke without a laugh. He turned to Lista. “Can you go on?”

“I don’t know.” Came with a sob.

“You must, do you want to stay here alone?” Ilisa bent down to her. Lista continued to sob.

With a steady step, Jenna moved to stand beside Lista, bending only at the knee, she reached down with one hand and laid it on Lista’s head as the rest watched in fascination. The sobbing stopped and Lista looked up. “Courage.” Was all Jenna said. Rising she turned to move away, “You needed this short rest, but our journey will soon be over. Come, we must go on.” She continued to move without waiting.

She has said that before, thought Thurgod. How is she getting this information? He looked at Extsu who looked back. Both had the same thought pass through their minds. Turning to look at Costos, both could see that he was having the same thought.

With a look over their shoulders at the mist which was moving in ever increasing eddies, those on the grass all scrambled to their feet and with the others, quickly followed Jenna. Even Lista who somehow had gathered her nerves. The others looked at her without speaking.

Onto a grass path, smooth and even they stepped, and along this path Jenna lead them. Slowly the forest opened up and a clearing appeared. In the clearing stood an entity unlike any that they had ever seen. Tall and massive, with the head of a raptor, arms and chest of a strong man, hindquarters of a bull. The lower extremities were covered in fur while the head had feathers.  It fixed its eyes on the approaching group.