The strangely shaped Zionese ship bobbed quietly at the end of a long pier as Thaqib and Halima pulled the small row-boat up to the water’s edge and made their way ashore. Thaqib looked up in awe at the crumbling ruins of the ancient Zionese city, wondering what it must have looked like when it was still in use. Suddenly he heard a voice echoing through the cavern. He turned, looking into the distance toward where the voice was coming from. Through the shadows however, he couldn’t see anything. “Did you hear that?” Thaqib asked Halima.

She looked across the lake and nodded. “Yes, sounded like it came from the other side.”

They listened closely, “Thaqib! Halima!” they heard a voice call from across the lake, it echoed faintly against the stone walls of the cavern.

“It’s Judah!” Halima said.

“They made it! Judah! Rast!” Thaqib yelled out. They waited, listening for a response.

“Thaqib!” replied Judah’s distant voice.

“We’re on the other side!” Thaqib replied. “Wait there, we’re coming over to you!”

“OK!” Judah replied.

“Let’s get this ship and go pick ‘em up!” Thaqib said to Halima. They made their way across stone tiles toward the pier where the ship floated. “You really think this thing’s still gonna work?” Thaqib asked.

“Yes, it looks like its been perfectly preserved,” Halima replied.

“I just hope you know how to use it!” Thaqib said as they ran quickly onto the pier, the sound of their steps echoing through the cavern.

They made it to the ship and Thaqib stopped, looking up at it in awe. Its surface was bone white, like that of a sun-bleached seashell, long spines jutted from it in all angles. “How does this thing work exactly? Doesn’t look like any ship I’m used to piloting.”

Halima smiled. “It’s just like the ones we use in Zion. I’ll show you, come on!” she said, eager to climb aboard. Thaqib followed her, climbing onto the ship, via a long spindle, slightly flattened on the top that angled down onto the pier. Thaqib was surprised how sturdy the craft was in the water, not even seeming to tilt at all under their weight. They walked up onto a flat deck that seemed to be molded into the surface out of the same bone-white material.

“What’s this thing made of? Looks like the whole thing came out of a single mold, I don’t see any cut lines anywhere,” Thaqib commented.

“That’s because it wasn’t made, it was grown!” Halima replied.

“Grown? By what?” Thaqib asked, shocked.

“By a divine creature known as a Shanka, this is its shell. In Zion the Shanka exist in great numbers.”

“This came from a living creature!? But it’s huge!” Thaqib marveled.

“There are many divine creatures still living in Zion. I’m afraid along with the elementals, they have not been able to survive in the corrupted environment of Babylon.” Thaqib stared at the strange material, rubbing his hand over it, feeling the subtle ribbing of its surface from the way in which it had grown. Halima climbed up a set of stone stairs that had been inlaid into the shell.

“Sol, activate the Shanka!” Halima said. Sol zipped over Thaqib’s head toward her. Thaqib quickly followed behind, climbing the stairs to where Halima stood. He saw her standing before some kind of intricately carved panel. Thaqib watched as Sol inserted himself into a circular groove that looked tailor made for him.

“Huh? What’s going on?” Thaqib asked.

“All Zionese vessels are powered by an elemental. They breath consciousness into the the ship, allowing us to connect to it internally.”

“You mean like telepathy or something?”

“Yes, something like that,” she replied. Suddenly Sol lit up and the energy from him seemed to ripple through the ship, causing it to flicker with light.

“Whoa!” Thaqib exclaimed, as the ship hummed to life. Up above, upon a tall mast-like spindle, he saw light flickering and coalescing until it condensed into the shape of an upturned triangle that rippled in the air.

“What is that? A sail?” He asked in disbelief.

“Yes. But not a normal one,” Halima replied.

The sail was translucent, Thaqib thought it looked like a hologram but when he touched it, he was surprised to feel a texture like silk. “Is this some kind of magic?”

“Yes, some kind,” Halima said, smiling. “We’re all set to go. Thaqib, step up here and I’ll show you how to pilot it.”

“Me?” Thaqib asked, confused.

“You’re the best pilot I’ve ever seen. The way you got us away from the police on the harbour and through those canals. I think you’re most equipped for getting this boat out of here and into the open sea.” Thaqib didn’t look convinced. “There’s more to navigating a ship than just piloting the vessel, knowing the weather, the currents, you’ve got a lot more experience with that in Babylon than I do.”

Thaqib realized he couldn’t argue with that, if anyone knew how to pilot a ship on the turbulent waters around the island it was him. “But what do I even do? Where’s the engine on this thing? The steering?”

“That’s your engine,” she said, pointing at the sail. It picks up energy far more subtle than wind. Cosmic energies. To find them, place your hand upon Sol. He will act as your intermediary. Let him show you how to connect to it.”

Thaqib placed his hand onto Sol and a sudden rush of electricity ran through his body, it didn’t shock him, it was as though his senses had suddenly expanded, as though he’d developed new ones. He felt the sail above catching the subtle movement of energies bouncing around the cavern, he felt the water lapping against the hull, the currents moving around it. “This is crazy!” he yelled.

“You feel it?” Halima said. “You’ve linked with the ship. This is how Zionese technology works. Through Sol you send your intentions, your will into it and the vessel will respond. Try moving it away from the pier and onto the lake.”

“How?” He asked.

“Use your imagination, see it doing what you wish it to, going where you will it.”

“Imagination?” he wasn’t sure he understood her, but he tried anyway. He felt the vessel as though it were an extension of his own body and then he imagined it moving through the water. He felt the sail rotating to meet the subtle energies in the cavern at the right angle to carry out his intention. He realized it was as natural as his own legs moving when he wished to walk, he didn’t have to command the movement of each, they worked independently, so that all he had to do is decide on the direction. Suddenly the boat lurched in the water. “Whoa!” he exclaimed, “It’s moving!”

“That’s it,” Halima yelled, congratulating him. “Now, let’s go into the lake.”

Carefully, he adjusted his intentions, directing the vessel backward away from the pier. The ship lurched again, sending water rushing over the stone tiles. He started to intuit how he could move it more subtly and gradually began edging the ship out into the lake.

“See, I knew you would be a natural at it,” Halima said.

“This is incredible!” Thaqib replied. “I thought the shredder was agile, but this thing feels like it could turn on a dime!” He turned the boat gradually around, moving it into a swift movement across the lake. They swept briskly past the island and the place Halima had vanquished the Shayateen. The lake seemed a lot smaller when they were able to travel at this pace. The far bank came into view, waiting upon it they saw Judah.

“Wait, where’s Rast?” Thaqib asked, as he pulled the boat near the waters edge. He and Halima quickly made their way down off the boat, Judah stood looking at them, a concerned look on his face.

“Where’s Rast?” Thaqib asked.

“He stayed behind to fight Shifun. He told me to go ahead, to find you two and lead you out into the open,” Judah said, seeming unhappy with the situation.

“But Rast, is he OK?” Thaqib asked.

“I don’t know,” Judah replied.

“What!? We’ve gotta go back for him!” Thaqib said.

Judah looked around, “Rast told me to find you two. He said there’s something wrong with Shifun. He told me not to come back.”

“No we have to!” Thaqib yelled. Suddenly he turned and bolted along the path that lead back to the surface.

“Thaqib!” Judah called after him. Halima looked to Judah, “If Rast is in trouble, we should help him.”

Judah nodded. “We better hurry then before Thaqib gets too far ahead of us. How about the ship?” he said, looking at the incredible vessel.

“It will be fine here, without an elemental it’s not going anywhere,” she said, then turned, “Sol!” she called. Sol disconnected himself and flew quickly to her. The triangular sail dissipated as though made of water vapor.

“Alright, we head back up and find Rast then we come back here and take the ship out into the harbor and then the open sea,” Judah said.

Thaqib was already digging frantically at the collapsed tunnel when Halima and Judah caught up to him. “What happened to the tunnel!?” he yelled.

“Rast blew it up. He didn’t want us coming back,” Judah said. “Come, there’s another way up,” Judah said leading them along the corridor where they found another passage up. They made it up a stairwell and then a ladder. Cautiously they emerged from the tunnel. In the distance they could see plumes of smoke rising from the Order’s hideout. But everything else seemed quiet now and there was no sign of Rast.

“Where is he!?” Thaqib asked. Judah looked around frowning.

Suddenly they heard something. They made their way around a rock and there they saw someone crouched low over a body. Thaqib rushed quickly over and was relieved to see that the figure was not Rast.

Judah joined him and quickly recognized the body of Shifun. Mourning over him was Pomo. “Pomo? You made it out of the temple?” he said.

Pomo turned looking up at them. “Judah? It’s you? I thought I was the last one, aside from Shifun that made it out.”

“The last one? You mean others made it out of the temple?” Judah asked urgently.

“A few,” Pomo replied. “Not enough…”

They stood a moment in silence at the sad sight and the remembrance of those that had not made it out. “It was him you know,” Pomo said.

“What do you mean?” Judah asked.

“It was Shifun that told the Babylonians where we were. I heard him speaking to them just before we were attacked.”

“What?” Judah replied.

“Something happened to him, last night when we encountered Abbas. There was something wrong with Shifun. He wasn’t acting like himself when he came back. Somehow they turned him, I know it. Shifun would never have betrayed us,” Pomo said.

“Rast! Where’s Rast?” Thaqib asked suddenly.

“Abbas came. They put him on a chopper. I heard him say they’re sending him to Hexagon.”

“No…” Judah said, shocked.

“Hexagon!?” Thaqib said in despair. “We have to bust him out!”

Judah was silent. “Hexagon’s no joke,” he said, finally.

“We must get him out,” Halima said. “How can we get there? The Shanka?”

“We won’t get anywhere close if they see us coming in that. Not exactly discreet is it?” Judah replied.

“I’ll take the shredder,” Thaqib replied.

“You have a shredder? Where?” Judah asked.

“Back near my neighborhood, we’re not far from there, I can make it.”

“What about us? It only fits one rider,” Judah said.

“You two get the Shanka out of the underground city. I’ll get Rast out of there and meet you at the edge of the island.”

“Thaqib, it’s too dangerous. Let us come with you,” Halima said.

“There’s no time! Who knows what they’re planning to do to him in there.”

“Thaqib,” Judah said, “Rast stayed behind to protect the two of you. If you go rushing in there, all his efforts will be in vain.”

“No,” Thaqib said staring into the distance. “Bring the boat to the island, I’ll get him out of there!” Thaqib suddenly leapt up and bolted away from them, running down the street.

“Thaqib!” Halima called out, but he was lost in his mission.

“What are we going to do?” Halima asked quickly turning to Judah.

Judah surprised her with a smile. “We do what he said. Lets get the Shanka.”

“Wait!” Pomo said, standing. “Let me come with you. The fight can’t end here, let me help you continue the mission.” Judah looked at him with concern. “Please,” Pomo insisted.

Judah nodded. “OK,” he said. They shook hands and Judah quickly led the way back to the underground entrance.