Chapter 3
Journey to Noelm
When Landen awoke, he found himself in a circular room with the Baalsons, who had already recovered from the effects of the stun gun. They had been waiting for him to regain consciousness.Landen sat up on the floor. "Are we in the spacecraft?" "Yes, but we aren't certain where we're going," Miriam said. "Perhaps you could tell us.""We're probably on our way to Noelm," Landen said."I thought that the Tragadomians were going to attack earth," Miriam said. "Why are they leaving?""They want to evaluate us before they make the final decision to attack," Landen explained. "They will try to determine whether earthlings are formidable enemies.""How do you know this?" Adrian asked Landen."My friend has great psychic abilities. He informed me about the Tragadomian plot and requested that I help him try to stop them.""I don't see anything special about you," Adrian said. "Your friend would have been wiser to have asked for my assistance.""It appears, Mr. Landen, that you must now work with us whether you want to or not," Miriam said."Apparently," Landen said. "Why did you allow yourselves to be captured?""I want to study the Tragadomians," Adrian said. "Of course, I could have destroyed this spacecraft, but then I would have gained nothing. I shall destroy them when they are no longer of any use to me.""What is your source of power?" Landen asked Adrian."I have been given magical spells by a mighty spirit; I am a sorcerer," Adrian said. "My wife is a white witch who practices an earth magic that draws upon forces found in nature. Like you, she is uncomfortable with black magic. Nevertheless, she is a first-rate psychic and has many useful powers. We could both help you. In order to survive on Noelm, you will have to join forces with us."Landen considered his situation. He was tempted to confide in the couple about his mission. It would be good to have two allies to assist him on the hostile planet to which they were going. The couple clearly had special powers that could impress the Tragadomians. They might fare well in any tests to which they were subjected.Yet, though they had strong psychic abilities, they did not have Landen's physical powers. Based on Triamber's training regimen, Landen assumed that most of the tests would be of physical abilities. The Tragadomians did not seem to have any fear of psychic powers; they had successfully vanquished the highly-telepathic Noelmians.Landen had an even better reason not to confide in the couple: he did not trust them. He found their occultism distasteful. They were not his philosophical or spiritual compatriots. Landen instinctively sensed that there was something sinister about them, especially Adrian Baalson.I will not form an alliance with them, Landen resolved. They would not hesitate to betray me to the Tragadomians if they thought that it would profit them."When we land on Noelm, we might be subjected to some rigorous tests," Landen said. "I'm a trained athlete, so I should be able to do well on these tests. The two of you might not do well, though. You must refuse to allow yourselves to be tested. Perhaps you could pretend that you are ill.""Don't worry, Landen," Adrian said. "We have no intention of allowing ourselves to be tested. You can be their guinea pig if you want. My wife and I intend to escape as soon as we get off this spacecraft.""How do you plan to escape?" Landen asked."Since you will not take us into your confidence, I see no reason why we should confide in you." "Adrian, don't be rude!" Miriam reprimanded him."I am treating him with as much courtesy as he deserves!" Adrian declared. "He is obviously keeping information from us. He has not told us what he and that old man were planning. In fact, he has not even told us the name of the old man!""If you're so psychic, why don't you know his name?" Landen retaliated."I have no control over what information the spirits choose to give me," Adrian said."Then I'm not the only one who is keeping information from you," Landen said.Miriam laughed. "He has a point, Adrian."Baalson was not amused.Two Tragadomians entered the room. They moved toward Landen."Conversation is not permitted," one of them told Landen by using telepathy. This direct mind-to-mind communication transcended the limitations of language."Come with us," the other Tragadomian commanded Landen, who followed them out of the room.They took him to another circular room, which was smaller than the one that he had just left. Landen was glad to be separated from the Baalsons.Every day the Tragadomians brought Landen food and water. Landen never saw the Baalsons again on that voyage, which lasted several weeks. During this period of solitude, Landen often established a mindlink with Triamber so that the Loremaster could continue to teach him about Noelm.The day of arrival finally came. Two guards unlocked the door to Landen's cell. At first, Landen thought that they merely had come to bring him a meal, but then Landen noticed that neither guard carried a tray of food."We are about to land on Tragadom," a guard told him. "You must come with us."Landen took a deep breath to relax himself before he left with the guards. He felt a thud as the battle cruiser touched down on the planet's surface.While they walked through the ship's corridors, Landen heard shouting. Several Tragadomians came running through the hallway in front of them."We must wait here for a brief period," a guard said to Landen"What is happening?" Landen asked.The guards ignored his question. They waited in silence for twenty minutes."We can now proceed," a guard said, having received a telepathic communication that Landen could not hear. Escorted by his two guards, Landen went through two more hallways and passed through the open hull doorway. As he walked down the ramp, Landen was surprised to observe that the area was enveloped in an orange fog.This is not a natural fog, he thought. What caused this fog? Where are the Baalsons?Landen stepped onto the planet of his birth. He was led past numerous battle cruisers, prompting him to deduce that this was the main base for Tragadomian warships. Several soldiers took Landen into a huge building which was the center of military operations.They brought him into the room that he had seen in his telepathic vision. A Tragadomian at the table stood up. "I am Salurm, the military ruler of Tragadom. I am glad that you are here. Unfortunately, your two fellow humans have temporarily eluded us. By some trickery, they formed a blinding mist that enabled them to escape. My soldiers shall soon capture them, though."The Baalsons impressed Salurm by escaping, Landen realized. That escape will help our cause. Now I must do my part and impress the Tragadomians even more by doing well on their tests.Salurm candidly explained to Landen that the Tragadomians were trying to decide whether to attack earth and wanted to know more about the capabilities of humans before making a final decision. He said that Landen would have to undergo three tests in order for the war council to analyze these capabilities. Salurm claimed that earth would not be attacked if Landen passed these tests."What assurance do I have that, if I pass your three tests, I will be returned to earth?""You have my word.""The word of a kidnapper is of little value!" Landen said with indignation. "You have violated universal laws by forcibly taking me from my home. Do you expect me to accept your word?""My word is all you have!" Salurm shouted. "If you refuse to take part in our tests, your planet shall be destroyed by our superior weaponry!"Landen decided to bluff the Tragadomian leader. "Superior weaponry? Surely you are not referring to that primitive spaceship which brought me here. Why, our children's toys are more technologically advanced than that hunk of junk.""You lie, human. We have observed your planet for years, but we have never seen anything on your planet which could even remotely compare with our Tragadomian vessels." Landen continued his bluff. "You don't think that we would place our most advanced spacecraft out on public display, do you? Our spacecraft are carefully hidden in underground military bases. Your equipment could not possibly detect them.""I have heard enough of this foolishness!" Salurm responded. He gave orders to the guards. "Take the prisoner to the arena for the first test."
