Luca tips his head. “So, everyone will die?”
To the side of the Earth’s simulation, the death toll grows higher and higher as time goes on. My heart clenches with this information.
“The World Senate is trying to create options. And when Richard Foster discovered the Starfire ore—”
“Starfire?” Luca asks.
I dig my fingernails into my palms at the mention of Dad’s name.
“Yes. We knew the ore was special right away, but we were shocked by just how. The Starfire has planet equalizing properties.”
“As in healing?” Luca asks.
“That is our hope. The Senate pushed to start mining right way, and the best scientists were tasked with studying the ore’s properties. We needed to discover if bringing the crystals back would stabilize or even rejuvenate Earth’s atmosphere and surface.”
Luca crosses his arms over his chest. “And this is why we’re mining it.”
Hammond tips her head. “We’ve found a better use, a faster one. When Foster discovered the Starfire, he discovered something else too.”
Luca angles his head in curiosity and my breath quickens in anticipation of her words.
“There are others who inhabit Arcadia.”
“What?” Luca asks, his eyes widening. “Where?”
Hammond gestures to the other side of her desk. “You might want to sit down.”
Luca obeys.
“The Starfire creates a”—she pauses as if in thought—“a rift of sorts called the Intersection. Foster told the Board about the phenomenon a year after he’d discovered the ore. On one side of the Intersection is us—the Arcadia we know. On the other is an alternate Arcadia—Paxon. A small population of people called the Alku live there.”
Luca doesn’t say anything and simply stares at Hammond, stunned.
“Our scientists have discovered that, if we take a large amount of the Starfire back to Earth, we can open an Intersection there—a rift to a new world. They’ve done multiple experiments and it works. We believe a completely untainted world exists on the Intersection’s other side on Earth. If we get enough Starfire there, we can use the crystals to open large rifts for many of Earth’s inhabitants to cross through much easier than bringing people here. And, then, we can maintain control of two planets instead of one.”
I swing my attention to Javen, whose face has fallen. Though his eyes glint with anger.
“We won’t be able to bring everyone across on Earth, of course. But first, we’ll take a sample population over to build, like we’ve done here in Primaro. Then once a new city is complete, those deemed appropriate—the best minds, the young, the strong, as well as those who can afford to pay—can cross over. And Earth will have a new start.”
My heart drops. So, who doesn’t get to go? What’ll happen to everyone not chosen?
“The people on Earth will riot,” Luca says, quietly. “They won’t accept that only a selected percentage will have a chance to cross over.”
Hammond taps her fingernails on her desk, as if annoyed that Luca hadn’t heard a word she had said. After a few seconds, she leans back into her chair and says, “As I shared earlier, our hope is that the Starfire’s power will rejuvenate the damage on Earth. We’ll use this to create their hope. And there’s a chance the plan might work, but we can’t risk losing everything when the chance at a new world is within our grasp.”
“Will the ore mining affect the Intersection on Arcadia?” Luca asks.
Hammond redirects her attention to her screen for a few moments and then peers up at Luca. “With the mass removal of ore, we believe it will collapse the other side.”
Javen gasps.
“Killing all the Alku?” Luca’s mouth falls open, and then he clamps it and wipes any trace of horror from his expression.
“We’ve estimated their populations to only be a few hundred thousand. It’s a sacrifice those on the World Senate are willing to make. We can’t bring the Alku to this side permanently because of the tensions that their presence will create. It’s just not possible. We tried to negotiate with their leaders, and they would not cooperate.”
I catch Javen’s attention, and he shakes his head no.
My stomach clenches at Hammond's lies.
“We’ve modified Richard Foster’s terraforming program focus from harvesting to a project called Renewal. Tomorrow, those simulations will begin and mining the day after. You will meet Cassiopeia Foster first thing in the morning to have her commence work on this project. But she’s to know nothing about her father’s discovery or the Alku.”
Luca stares at his hands, clasped tight in his lap. “Cassi ran out on me tonight at our dinner. I don’t think she trusts me,” he admits, eventually looking back up.
Hammond arches her eyebrow once more. “You’re smart, right? Figure out a way to remedy the problem.”
Chapter 17
W hen Luca leaves Hammond’s office, we slip out behind him and use the stairs. We beat Luca to the exit and, as he opens the front with his ID, we race out the door and onto the street.
Breathless, I grab for Javen’s arm and stop him.
“Your people are going to die if we don’t figure out a way to end the mining. Do they understand this is what Hammond is planning?”
“Most have not been willing to fight. So . . . I don’t believe they do.”
I touch his arm. “You must tell them. There’s no other choice at this point. I’ll go with you. I recorded the whole conversation.” I tap my Connect, realizing the video function is still active.
A measure of panic enters his eyes. “No, you can’t come. The Council might accept you, but my uncle Wirrin and his supporters will not. For now, he’s bound to the Council, but bringing you to my side of the Intersection may be too much for those in disagreement with the Council.”
“Do you think you can convince them on your own?”
“There must be a middle ground and I’ll try to find it.”
The air charges between us as the situation’s gravity and the intensity between us swells. I wrap my arms around Javen’s neck, savoring the feel of him once more. The air leaves his chest, with sorrow or with longing, I can’t tell. Perhaps both. Standing on my toes, I lift my face to his, my mouth seeking his. And, then, with desperation, my lips dance across his to the melody of my thrumming pulse as a mountain of emotions threaten to consume me. Reluctantly, I ease away a few seconds later, whispering, “Please, Javen, come back to me.”
“I’ll always come back to you, Cassiopeia,” he whispers in reply, a bit breathless. Looking around, Javen pulls me to a secluded spot in the shadow of a building. “The Starfire will release you now, so you must be careful.”
I nod, my tongue unable to form words, and then he vanishes in front of me. Taking a second to gather my bearings, I inhale deeply. I check my Connect and a message alert from Irene appears on the screen.
There’s something you’ll want to see. Come as soon as you can.
I message Max and tell him to come to the dorm. Whether Irene hacked into the feed or was able to access the thumb drive, Max should be there too. Max’s message buzzes almost immediately in reply.
I’m on my way.
I race for the dorm, avoiding people on the street. A woman looks my way as I brush past her. I had almost forgotten that people can see me now.
“Sorry,” I say without stopping.
At the dorm, Max is already there and about to enter the building’s front door.
“Max,” I call out, and he turns my way.
“Was Irene able to access the drive?” he asks.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t been home all night.”
“Well, let’s find out together.” Max smiles and the expression makes me feel guilty for tonight with Javen. I want to tell Max everything. He’s like my best friend here.
We fly out of the elevator and I say to Irene, “What did you find?” as I open the door to my room.
Irene looks up from
a chair in the living area. Her jaw is tense. “Oh, Max. You’re here too?”
“Cassi messaged me to come.”
Irene glances at me, a worried glimmer in her eyes. “Well, shut the door.”
“It’s okay he’s here, right?” I ask.
“You’re going to need to be the judge of that,” she says. “But if he doesn’t mind getting wrapped up in information that could probably get us all arrested, then be my guest.”
Max looks at me, his lips forming a straight line for a moment. “I’m already involved. I’m not going to back out now.”
“Then I want him to stay.” I grab a computer chair and pull it alongside Irene as Max does the same.
“I still haven’t been able to get my hands on the equipment necessary to access the thumb drive,” Irene says, pairing her DataPort to the media screen. “The hardware wasn’t available at work. But I have a friend who does hacking on the side too, and she thinks she can get it tomorrow.”
An image flashes onto the screen and my breath catches. I knew Irene would be showing us the ship’s bay on the day of the explosion. But I didn’t quite know how seeing the footage would affect me. Sickness swirls in my stomach as the feed starts. Staff mill around in the space while preparing the passengers who will disembark.
Max must notice my anxiousness and leans forward to set his hand on top of mine. “You can do this,” he whispers.
I grab his hand and squeeze then let go. “Thank you for being here.”
His lips quirk into a sad smile.
“This is too early,” Irene mutters and swipes her fingers across the screen to move the feed to the correct time frame. “Okay, this should be right.”
I watch as the staff sets up the buffet near where I first saw Javen. He’s not there, but I have no clue if I’d be able to see him on a video anyway, or if he was even in the bay at that time.
“There.” Irene points to the screen’s left.
My stomach tightens as Luca comes into the frame. The security video’s quality isn’t great, but it’s obvious the guy on the screen is Luca. He walks over to the stage area where Hammond had made her speech, and then pivots to the left, closer to the location of the first explosion. He looks around and opens his coat, but then turns his back, blocking my ability to see what he’s doing.
“Can you zoom in?” My heart pounds.
Irene shrugs. “I can, but it’s not going to give you much more information. With all the technology on the ship, you’d think the security system would be better.” She pauses the video and uses her fingers on the screen to both rewind and enlarge.
I lean forward as the three of us watch the scene again.
“What is Luca doing?” Max asks.
Irene pauses the feed again. “Could he have planted the bomb?”
My breathing speeds up, and I lean to the back of my chair, considering the possibilities. “I don’t get it,” I finally say. “What good would it do for Luca, or anyone from the Board, to plant a bomb? If they were trying to kill my dad, it’s a sloppy way to do it. They’d have no idea if he’d be one of the casualties. I’m no fan of Luca or Hammond, but this doesn’t feel right.”
“There’s more you should see,” Irene says.
She fast-forwards and, on the right side of the screen, Dad appears. He stands as if he’s waiting, and then he turns and Luca joins him. With the low quality and no sound, it’s difficult to tell what’s going on. Their body language, however, suggests an argument. Dad backs away from Luca and raises a pointed finger at him. Luca spins from the conversation and walks off, head held high and shoulders stiffened. Just as he leaves, another man, who if I remember right may be on Dad's science team, hands him something. The man is bald and stocky. Dad takes the item, pockets it and rubs his hands over the tops of his arms as if he’s cold. The man parts ways from Dad and walks to the same area Luca was a moment earlier.
And then I see him. Javen . . . no, not Javen. I squint at the screen. The person looks a lot like Javen, but it’s not him . . . he’s older. He grabs my dad from behind, and they both vanish. A split second later the explosion detonates, sending people and pieces of the interior flying.
I gasp and whip my attention to Max and Irene. “Did you see that?”
“Okay. You saw the same thing. I thought I was crazy. But he walked away from the man who handed him something and then your father disappeared along with some other guy,” Irene says.
Max is wide-eyed.
“Wait,” I say. “You saw the other man, too? The one who grabbed Dad right before the explosion?”
Irene squints at me in confusion. “There was no one else.” Her gaze moves from my face down to my neckline.
“What’s that?” Max says to me.
I look down to the Starfire, which is glowing beneath my shirt. I slam my hand over the crystal to block the glow. “There was another man,” I mutter, hoping the distraction works.
While still holding the DataPort, Irene throws her free hand onto her hip. “I already thought this whole thing was weird. And now it’s getting weirder. So, start talking.”
I stare at both of my friends. “You’re never going to believe me.”
“We both just saw your father disappear into thin air, Cassi,” Max says. “That, in itself, seems unbelievable.”
“It’s not likely the feed has been tampered with,” Irene says. “And, even if it were, why would someone make the footage look like Dr. Foster disappeared?”
Nervousness races around in my chest, but then a thought hits me. “If this is real, my dad is alive. He didn’t die in the explosion.”
“But where is he?” Max asks.
The excitement rushes from me. “With the Alku.”
“The Alku?” Irene asks as she sets the DataPort down.
I reach under my collar to pull out the Starfire, which has stopped glowing. I unhook the clasp and hold the crystal out. “This is a piece of the ore Hammond talked about on the announcement.”
“How did you get it?” Irene asks.
“I was holding my dad’s jacket when the explosion happened. The crystal was inside a pocket.”
My thoughts flit across several options on how to explain the Starfire and Javen’s people. But every single one sounds ridiculous. Then a thought comes to me. I have no idea if it will work, but I was able to call on the Starfire’s power to cross me over to Javen’s side of the Intersection. So, I might be able to use it to make them understand.
“Can you rewind to the part before my dad vanishes? Right after he argues with Luca?”
Irene raises her eyebrow, as if she thinks I’m stalling.
“Please,” I ask.
She picks up the computer again and swipes to the earlier time frame. The feed starts.
“Now, I need you both to touch the crystal in my hand.” I open my palm and reveal the Starfire. They both give me a look of confusion, but do as I ask. I gesture with my head to the large screen. “Now watch.”
Max and Irene turn their attention to the screen, and my stomach turns as I, once again, watch my dad walk away from the argument. From nowhere, the man who reminds me of Javen appears.
“Where’d that guy—?” Irene asks.
But before she gets the words out, Dad and the man disappear.
Irene removes her hand from me and pauses the feed.
“Did you see him too?” I ask Max.
“Uh . . . that man wasn’t there the first time we watched,” he says.
“Yes, he was. You just couldn’t see him. He cloaked himself from our view.”
Irene plops on the floor. “Well, who was he?”
I take a deep breath. “He’s an Alku. They live on Arcadia. They were here before us.”
Irene's mouth goes slack, and Max leans in, his hands clasped as I explain everything. I tell them about the Alku, the Starfire, the Intersection, but I hold back on the conversation I heard between Hammond and Luca. They can know about the Starfire and how mining it will affect the
Alku. But until I find out more, I don’t want to share how the Earth will die in five years.
Then I tell them about Javen rescuing me in the bay and how we have this connection I don’t understand. Max gently pulls away from me and stares at his hands. My heart sinks to my stomach. Before I can say anything to Max, Irene speaks again.
“You think the appearing-guy was one of these Alku?” she asks.
Max remains silent, brows knitted together.
“That’s the only explanation. It’s the reason you could see him with the help of the Starfire.”
“So, basically, Hammond is planning to mine all the Starfire and send the ore to Earth?” Max finally asks. “Even though she knows doing so could collapse the Alku side of the Intersection?”
I nod, relieved he’s still engaged. “They could all die,” I choke out, “and she’s not allowing them to cross over to this side.”
“Then we need to help them,” Max says with a sad smile my way. “I want to heal the Earth, too. But it’s wrong to take from the Alku to do it. There must be a better way.”
Irene lifts a grim smile as well. “I’m in, too. What do we need to do next?”
Chapter 18
I shoot off my pillow as rustling sounds drift up from below. I peer over the side of my bunk and see Irene packing up her bag for work.
“I was about to wake you. I wasn’t sure if you set an alarm.”
I rub my eyes. “Letting Max stay here until 3:00 am was a bad idea.”
“Especially when you need to be sharp for your first day on the job.” She lifts an eyebrow. “Okay . . . so my friend is meeting me before work to give me the equipment needed to access the data on your dad’s drive. As soon as I find something, I’ll let you know.”
I throw my legs over the side of the bed and reach for the ladder to climb down. “Sounds good,” I say as my feet hit the floor. “Hopefully, there’s data we can use on it.”
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