by Jacinta Jade
Deson shrugged, a wide smile on his face. ‘I don’t really know. I was concentrating hard there at the end, but personally, I think the pressure got to her.’
Wexner laughed. ‘That can defeat the best of us. But let’s go celebrate your victory with a drink!’ And he ushered them all in the direction of the couches and servery.
After a while, Siray forgot all about Melora as she joined in on the joking and revelry and the group strategizing about how Deson could fight his way up the leaderboard to become number one. That, of course, had Zale weighing in on the discussion as number one on the board, with him and Deson throwing friendly taunts at one another as they all grew more lightheaded and carefree.
Their group was the last to leave the recreation room that evening, but eventually, one by one, they all began yawning, and Kinna finally declared she might actually fall asleep right there if she didn’t get to her bunk soon.
Siray and Genlie voiced their agreement, and the three of them led the move from the room.
At the end of the central hallway, Zale and Kinna broke away to go to their own rooms, although Siray could have sworn Zale hesitated for a moment. But she knew there was no chance for any further discussion with him at that late span without the others in her group wondering what was going on.
And she still wanted to get Genlie’s advice before Zale tried to continue any such discussion.
But, even more so, she was tired, and her head had started to throb again. Drinking the batra juice might not possibly have been the wisest decision, she reflected.
So, she waved good night to both Kinna and Zale and tiredly chatted with the others as they headed for their room. Once inside and by her and Genlie’s bunk, Siray shrugged out of her uniform and groaned as she tilted her face upwards to view the climb to her bed.
That set Genlie off into a fit of giggles, and Siray glared down at her friend as she forced her body upwards before collapsing onto her bed.
Someone helpfully hit the activation pad for the lights, and darkness consumed the room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
SPANS LATER, a thrumming against Siray’s arm pulled her from sleep. She rolled over and groaned, burying her face in her pillow, which, of course, did nothing to stop or shut out the sensation of something beating its wings incessantly against her arm. Annoyingly, the devices were somehow able to detect when you were actually awake enough to respond, and it was her irritation with the gadget that eventually managed to fuel Siray with enough energy for her to pull her arm up to squint at the screen.
Report to command, the white message read.
There was no countdown attached, but the message flashed repeatedly, and still the buzzing against her arm hadn’t stopped.
Frowning, Siray sat up. It was at times like this that she wished these things would work two ways, so she could ask why she had to report. Sighing ruefully at the sleep she was going to miss out on, she pushed back her blankets and organised her limbs for the climb down the end of the bunk.
As her foot touched the floor, something grabbed at her hand, which was still clasped around part of the bunk, and she gasped.
‘Ssshhhh … it’s me,’ came Genlie’s voice.
A breath rushed out of Siray in relief, and when Genlie let go of her hand, she swatted out blindly at her friend in the dark. ‘What are doing scaring me like that?’ asked Siray in an aggravated whisper. The darkness was barely broken by the light of the activation pad by the door, and she could just make out Genlie’s lean form as she got out of bed.
‘Me? What are you doing?’ Genlie asked in a similar whisper.
Siray moved to show Genlie her device but then remembered she wouldn’t be able to read it. ‘I got a message on my armband,’ she explained instead. ‘I’m supposed to report to the command level.’
Genlie didn’t say anything for a moment. ‘Are you sure it’s actually from command?’
Siray paused, her stomach tightening. She hadn’t thought of that, half asleep as she was. She was debating what to do when another whispered voice interrupted.
‘Genlie? Siray? What are you two doing up?’
They both twisted to see the shadowy form and face of Deson materialising out of the darkness.
‘Siray got a message that she must report to the command level,’ Genlie told him quietly.
‘Me too,’ said Deson, sounding surprised.
Now Genlie seemed confused. ‘It’s the middle of the night. What could be so urgent?’
Deson’s silhouette shifted as he shrugged. ‘Maybe they want to give us the mission briefing now, so we can leave early in the morning.’ His head turned further in Genlie’s direction. ‘You didn’t get a message?’
Genlie shook her head. ‘Nope, I’m just a light sleeper.’
Knowing that Deson had also received a similar summons resolved any concerns Siray might have had about the origins of the message. ‘Well, we better go report, then.’
Deson nodded.
Spotting a pile of clothes on the floor, Siray picked them up so she could dress, but Genlie slapped at her hands playfully.
‘Those are mine, silly.’ Genlie bent down towards the pile of clothes that was actually Siray’s and swapped those for the ones Siray had.
Once dressed, Siray patted Deson’s arm to let him know she was ready. They turned towards the door, but Siray paused when she felt a tug on the back of her shirt. She glanced back.
‘If I’m asleep when you get back, make sure you wake me up first to tell me what they said,’ Genlie said in a commanding whisper.
‘Okay,’ Siray agreed before twisting around again and making her way quietly over to Deson, who stood waiting by the closed door. As she reached him, he activated the door, and they both stepped through quickly, hitting the pad on the outside to shut off the glow from the hall before it could wake any of the others inside.
Blinking in the too-bright light of the hallway, they both began walking down the outer hallway in the direction of the risers.
‘So, you think it’s a briefing about the mission, then?” Siray asked Deson.
He nodded. ‘It fits with what you told us about your discussion with the captain.’ He rolled his shoulders, yawning as they walked. ‘But I wish they’d let us have a bit more sleep.’
‘I’ll support you if you want to make an official complaint,’ she quipped.
Deson chuckled, but he sobered fast as they rounded a corner and were eyed by the guards, who appeared to be having no trouble staying alert at this time of night.
The pair rapidly cleared Siray and Deson and summoned a riser for them.
Once on a platform with the closed doors shutting them off from the view of the guards, Deson began rolling his shoulders vigorously again, and he shook his head as if that could remove the drowsiness from it.
Siray started chuckling at his routine, but then a big, long yawn escaped her, and she groaned, making Deson laugh. She shrugged sheepishly. Maybe he did have the right idea.
She got in some quick stretches before the hum of the moving platform started to quiet and had resumed a casual stance once more as the doors of the riser glided open.
The four guards standing before them were as alert as the ones they had just left, and they waved them both out to perform their usual checks. Then two of them escorted Siray and Deson down the hallway, leading them in the direction of a familiar pair of doors. Stepping into the next foyer, another group of guards—this lot wearing helmets—met them and waved the first set of guards back to their posts.
‘Follow us,’ said one of the new guards, his voice devoid of any emotion as it sounded through the grill of his helmet.
The male spun and, alongside the other soldier, led them both Siray and Deson down a hallway Siray hadn’t yet seen. Partway along, the guards stopped and activated a door, gesturing for Siray and Deson to enter the room.
Once inside, Siray noted that this room was basically a larger version of the room where Captain Huroy had ques
tioned her on the day of her release from the healing level. With just a table and chairs, the room was as bare as the other.
‘Please sit,’ said the second guard, her voice giving her away as female despite the muffling effect of the helmet she wore. She watched as Siray and Deson complied before she retreated from the room to join her companion at his post outside the door.
Familiar with the routine, both Siray and Deson relaxed in the chairs across the table from the door, expecting a long wait.
Unlike last time, however, they had barely been sitting down a moment when Captain Huroy entered the room. He promptly took the remaining chair on the other side of the table and smiled widely at them both.
The smile caught Siray off-balance somewhat, as she had expected the captain to be all business at this span of night, but she gave him a tentative smile back.
‘Deson, Siray—thank you for coming so promptly, and I hope you can forgive me for disturbing your sleep.’
They both nodded at him, and the captain smiled again.
‘Good. Now, Deson, I hear congratulations are in order.’
This comment confused Siray even more, and she glanced at Deson, then back to Huroy, unsure to what he was referring.
Deson also appeared mystified by the comment.
‘I am referring to, of course, your win last night and your move into the top three,’ the captain elaborated.
Astonishment, then a pleased look, passed over Deson’s face. ‘Thank you,’ he managed to get out.
Huroy smiled and leaned forwards to rest his hands on the table. ‘But, of course, I didn’t just call you up here to offer my compliments,’ he said.
Siray sat up straighter, as she recognised that they were about to get down to the matter at hand—their mission. Her stomach tightened eagerly. This was what she had been waiting for.
‘I called you both hear to discuss the fact that you can both take the form of a sevonix,’ said the captain smoothly, smiling widely again.
Siray froze, the small smile she had been maintaining as a courtesy falling away. Huroy knew. Or, maybe he didn’t, but something had triggered his suspicion.
Deson must have thought the same thing, as he said with passable conviction, ‘I appreciate the compliment, Captain Huroy, but you must be confused. My only animal form at this time is an udun.’
Siray nodded, keeping her expression friendly. ‘And I believe you also saw my form when we arrived—a red yeibon.’
The captain nodded. ‘I expected you would say as much. But I know those are both your third forms.’
It was an effort for Siray not to glance across at Deson, and she fought to keep her hands from fidgeting.
Huroy continued. ‘It’s a shame that you both kept this ability from me after you arrived. I would, of course, have offered you guidance and my confidence in the matter.’
After another moment of silence, Siray thought she had better say something. ‘We thought it best to keep it to ourselves, knowing the importance our people can attach to the form.’
The captain interlocked his fingers together on the table before him, his smile sympathetic. ‘I understand, of course. Having others find out would mean unwanted attention from your fellow soldiers, but most importantly, from the enemy.’ He shook his head. ‘I, of course, will not let this information fall into the wrong hands, but certain precautions will need to be taken.’
Siray breathed a little easier. ‘We never take our sevonix forms in front of anyone but our unit, and they know not to speak of them to anyone else.’ She conveniently left out the fact that she had assumed her sevonix form in the desert to fight off the Faction soldiers, and the consequences of that decision, the scars on left side of her face burning slightly.
The captain nodded. ‘That’s good.’
‘So, we can still go on the mission, then?’ asked Deson.
Huroy contemplated them both. ‘I still think your unit could play a valuable role in gathering some intelligence for us,’ he said slowly.
Siray relaxed and exchanged a look of relief with Deson.
‘But I think you two could have greater value here.’
Siray snapped her head back to frown at the captain. ‘What do you mean?’
Captain Huroy leaned backwards in his chair and pressed his fingertips together, his elbows balanced on the table. ‘There isn’t just the battle on the front lines against the Faction. There is also a constant fight to drive and lead the Resistance to victory—to ensure we have the resources, the capability, and the motivation to win.’ He shook his head slowly. ‘Sadly, it is the internal battle that worries me the most, but the two of you could help alter that.’
Siray watched as the captain scrutinised them both, an uncomfortable feeling beginning to itch at her.
‘Together,’ Huroy continued, ‘you would represent a new ray of hope, a potential future leadership pair that this Resistance could believe in, and support.’
Siray didn’t like what she was hearing. ‘What does Commander Dacelin have to say about this?’ she asked.
Huroy sighed and leaned forwards to place his hands flat against the table. ‘Unfortunately, the commander is one of the reasons we’re losing this internal struggle.’ He shrugged. ‘It takes a great leader to establish and run something like this, but it takes an even greater one to actually win a war. Commander Dacelin has done well, but we need to move forwards and embrace new leadership to get back any advantage.’ His gaze fell eagerly upon Siray, then Deson. ‘And that’s where you two come in. Upon the revelation of your abilities, and with you both supporting a more suitable candidate for the leadership of the Resistance, a new leader would be able to bring greater strength to our cause. And we would have victory at last.’ Huroy sat tall in his seat as he delivered his last words.
Deson tensed. ‘And you would be that leader?’ he asked carefully.
The captain nodded. ‘Yes. I will make us strong. I will draw out our enemy, and then’—he paused—‘I will destroy them.’ He sat there, his chest puffed out, his confidence obvious.
Siray kept her face impassive as Huroy’s words confirmed what she had already guessed. He had obviously had this plan brewing for a while, and now thought that she and Deson would be the final pieces to bring his scheme to fruition. She leaned forwards, mirroring the captain’s position. ‘What makes you think that our support would assist you at all?’ she asked gently. ‘Not everyone will accept us as the ideal leaders of the future.’
Huroy smiled knowingly. ‘Siray, I think you underestimate yourself. And Deson. A male and female of the same general age who can both Change into a sevonix? Who both trained together to fight for the Resistance? And who have had the unique ability from the first day to communicate mind to mind?’
Siray felt herself pale. By the Mother—he knew all of it, then.
Huroy turned to Deson. ‘You didn’t think your rapid success at the Force of Wills game was just because of your own sheer brilliance, did you?’
Deson looked confused.
‘Ah—you actually did.’ The captain smiled in amusement. ‘Placing the Force of Wills game in the recreation room was one of my better ideas. It allowed me to learn who had exceptional natural fighting talent—or other hidden skills—without them realising.’
Zale’s words came back to Siray. It also happens that usually the best players are also those who are our top fighters …
Huroy was nodding at the understanding beginning to register on their faces. ‘After learning of Deson’s climb through the ranks, of how his last match happened to play out, and learning a few bits and pieces of other information, it wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on.’ Huroy glanced between Siray and Deson for a moment, enjoying their confused expressions. ‘Deson has been drawing on your combined mental strength, through your bond,’ he said simply.
Siray struggled to contain her shock, but failed, the captain smiling knowingly at her. ‘I’m betting Siray that you felt mighty tired after some of Deso
n’s matches, yes? More so for the ones you were actually there to watch? And Deson,’ continued Huroy, turning to Siray’s disbelieving friend. ‘Wasn’t it easier to win when Siray was there and also focused on your match? No doubt, also mentally urging the mist to comply with your desires?’
Deson’s mouth was working, but no sound was coming out.
‘Special bond indeed,’ mused Huroy, shaking his head and smiling. ‘With my guidance to help you, the rest of Kaslon won’t see anything else but the next ruling mated pair.’ He leaned back in his chair again. ‘And, of course, when we have defeated our enemy, you will both still need guidance as you lead our world into a new era.’
Her skin went cold as Siray saw Huroy’s eyes gleam. What he was asking of them was impossible, and a betrayal to what she and Deson had been fighting for. But she was at a loss as to how to get them out of this.
Deson managed to get over his surprise at Huroy’s earlier revelation and attempted a different approach to talk some sense into the male before them. ‘Captain, I understand what you’re asking, but I don’t have any intentions towards Siray in that way,’ he lied smoothly. ‘We are, and have been since the day we first met, just good friends.’
Deson’s words caused a memory to stir in Siray’s mind, when she had once said to him: And … it’s not like there is anything between us …
It seemed so long ago, and yet, hadn’t she been lying to herself even then?
‘It’s funny,’ said Huroy, his voice snapping Siray back to the present moment. ‘But I don’t get that impression at all from the intelligence I have on you both,’ he remarked in a casual manner. ‘And, as the head of a facility that specialises in gathering information, I doubt that my sources are wrong. Wouldn’t you agree?’
Deson didn’t reply, and the captain clapped his hands together.
‘So, as of this moment, I’m restationing you both up on this level. From now on, you’ll both work with me, and we’ll transform this Resistance into something to be proud of.’ He pushed back his seat and stood, gesturing them to accompany him from the room.