The Colony (The Survivors Book Seventeen)

by Nathan Hystad

It seemed to be working.

  Once they released the vessel from their hangar, it was off to Traro. Jules knew of the Collector, but she didn’t want to visit him. He’d done enough damage during his time, but she also appreciated him. Without the specimens on his ship, Karo wouldn’t have met Ableen and raised children. She wouldn’t have met Lan’i, or the rest of the Zan’ra, which had set off the introduction to the Deities. Magnus wouldn’t be here from the other dimension without them, and she might not have control of her powers. It was funny how life often worked out.

  Jules was at her desk, and she accessed her personal messaging system. She clicked Dean’s name and typed a message.

  Dean, it’s me. We found the girl that was in stasis. Her people need our help, but we’re heading to Traro first. Can you believe they lost their prisoner? Magnus is staying calm, but I can tell he’s bothered by the news. Udoon was attacked, and we think she’s behind it. We’re still trying to learn why.

  Jules stared at the screen, wanting to say so much more. She felt for her necklace, but it wasn’t there.

  I miss you, Dean. I was stupid to…

  She deleted the last bit.

  Your mom is doing well, and really fitting in with the crew. I’ll keep you posted on how this goes. – Ju

  She read it over once, making sure it wasn’t sappy or desperate, and sent the note. It showed delivered.

  Jules opened another message, finding her parents. They should be halfway to Ebos, and she wished she could talk to them in person. This would have to do.

  She typed to them about what had happened, and ended the message with a warning.

  The crazy thing is, the location we discovered on Peters’ computer showed that she was on Ebos. Or would be. It sounds like she only fled Traro forty-eight hours ago, and this message was sent to Peters weeks prior. Anyway, we can’t be sure that Death’s Maiden is the same puppetmaster as the Udoon strike, but that’s where our gut’s leading us.

  Hope your journey is smooth. Did you have fun on Rylan? Send me a message. I haven’t heard from you yet, and am starting to worry. Love you guys – Jules

  She sent that one as well, and waited for the green checkmark. It didn’t come.

  Undelivered

  “Why won’t you send?” She checked that the connection was solid, and tried again, with the same result. Jules asked it to keep resending, and closed the program.

  A light on her computer flashed, and she saw Rumi’s face appear. “Jules, can you come to the bridge? The captain is asking for you.”

  Only an hour ago, Magnus had demanded she get some sleep. Jules glanced at her fingers, which had vastly improved since her incident with the explosion. “Tell him I’ll be right there.”

  A disheveled Jules walked onto the bridge a few minutes later, and Magnus’ expression told her bad news was coming. “What is it?”

  “The wormhole genie is acting up. We’re on it, but we think it’s going to be another three days before we can use the drive to fly to Traro,” Magnus said.

  “Three days? This is what we get for rushing the production of the warships,” Jules muttered. They’d already let the ship be breached by two groups, and now this. Outpost was cursed.

  “It’s fine. We can bring Leshi and Drav most of the way home, and then continue. And it’ll give you a chance to actually heal before you stick your neck out again.” Magnus grinned, and she relaxed.

  “You’re probably correct. Okay. You could have told me this over the screen, you know,” Jules said.

  His smile faded. “There’s something else.”

  “What?”

  “Your parents…”

  Her heart thrummed. “What about them?”

  “Nothing concrete, but I can’t reach their Cyclone. Have you had any luck?” Magnus asked.

  “No. Says undelivered.”

  “Same here,” Rumi told her. “I’ve struggled to bounce it off Haven first. Ableen is on it. And Suma is attempting, with the same results.”

  “Have you contacted the Takmas?” They should have made the exchange a day or two ago.

  “No. Good idea. Rumi, try to communicate with them,” Magnus ordered.

  They waited for an hour, and Natalia entered the bridge wearing a fresh uniform. Jaessa tagged along with her, and smiled at Jules.

  Nat looked worried when they filled her in on the issue.

  Rumi interrupted the conversation. “I’ve heard from Rylan. Your parents were there two days ago. They departed with the Travelers, and they made quite the impact.”

  Jules read the message, seeing the note about meeting Mr. and Mrs. Parker, as well as their son. “Son?” she whispered. “Why was Hugo there?”

  “No idea,” Nat said. “If they were fine two days ago, we can assume their Cyclone is experiencing a glitch. Those Inlorian spacecraft are infamous for faulty wiring on their transponders. Your dad will fix it up when he realizes it’s not working.”

  It sounded plausible. “I don’t want them arriving at Ebos only to find Death’s Maiden waiting for them.”

  “How would she be expecting Dean and Mary Parker?” Magnus asked.

  “She seemed to be aware of the second we’d be coming to Udoon. Who knows how much information she’s gathered? Someone has to be helping her, if she broke free from Traro and had this level of detail on us,” Jules said.

  “Good point. Everyone call it a night. We’ll reconvene tomorrow. Rumi, bring the second shift in. Raron, take the bridge. We’ll all rest.” Magnus set a hand on Jules’ shoulder. “They’ll be fine.”

  Suddenly, the last few days hit her, and she could barely stand on her own two feet. Jules fed some energy into her veins, enough to aid her to her quarters.

  When she closed her door, she checked to see if the message to her parents worked, but it hadn’t been delivered.

  There was a note from Dean at Terran Thirty on New Spero. She didn’t open it, and flopped onto her bed instead. The stone on her desk began glowing, but she was already drifting off.

  ____________

  “You allowed me to sleep that long?” Jules was furious, but her auntie wasn’t going to budge.

  “Jules, you may have these gifts, but every time you use them, it takes a toll on your physical body. It needed rest, so we let you snooze.” Her voice was soothing, and she stroked Jules’ hair like she had when the girls were young and having a sleepover.

  She slid off the bed, remembering that Dean had returned her communication. Now he’d think she was ignoring him. Fourteen hours was nearly forever without responding.

  “Don’t worry,” Nat said. “I told my son you were in bed.”

  “How do you do that?” Jules asked from the bathroom.

  “Do what?” There was a hint of amusement to the question.

  “Guess what I’m thinking.” Jules turned on the shower, ready to wash away her exhaustion.

  “It’s one of my many talents,” Nat told her above the noise of the rushing water.

  Jules smirked and went to the main room. “And what tipped you off?”

  “A girl in love.” Nat’s grin was contagious. “I always thought you two would be together forever.”

  “So did I,” Jules whispered.

  “I also understand why you broke it off.” Nat leaned against the doorway, watching Jules with a warmth only a mother could pull off.

  “I hoped you weren’t mad at me.”

  “Mad? Not in the least. I had my own issues. After what happened to me, and when Magnus… my Magnus found me all those years ago. I’m not saying our stories are the same, but when you got your powers back, I felt a connection to you. As if I’d experienced the same thing. An uncertainty of what direction your life was going to take.”

  Jules gulped, hearing her inner thoughts verbalized by her Auntie.

  Natalia had been such a rock in her life, and she stared at the woman who might have been her mother-in-law someday. “Dean is bullheaded, and he has dreams too. He wants to captain his own All
iance warships. But he would prefer to explore like his father.”

  “Magnus died because of an exploration trek,” Jules whispered.

  “You don’t have to remind me. I nearly did too.” Nat frowned, and Jules wanted to give her a hug, but refrained.

  “I didn’t mean to bring it up. I’m… I can’t be with him always, and it felt like the best option was to give him space, and let us both decide what we truly want. I’m stuck with these things.” Jules lifted her hands, and they glowed green. “I’ve tried to hide them, to bury them within me, but I’m marked. It’s my curse.”

  “Curse?” Nat held her at arm’s length. “This is the opposite, Ju. You’re an angel here to protect us. You defended us against the Arnap. You gave the people of Sterona a future. You’ve done so much good. Without your gifts, the portals would be inactive. The Academy wouldn’t exist. You”—she tapped Jules on the collarbone—“are a blessing sent from the Universe. Remember that next time you’re feeling sorry for yourself. And yes, it’s not always going to be easy. Nothing good ever is. But your sacrifice will mean great things for so many others.”

  “Like Jaessa?”

  “Exactly. Jaessa already looks up to you, and she’s known you all of a week. Her people are likely gone, but I fully expect you to assist them, if they continue to exist. If I had one person to trust with my utter confidence, it’s you, Jules Parker. You’re the star in our skies.” Nat hugged her again, and Jules melted into her warm embrace.

  “You mean it?” Jules sniffled.

  “With every part of my being.” Natalia kissed her forehead and wiped a tear from Jules’ cheek. “We’re meeting about our plan for Traro in two hours. Will you shower, eat, and join us?”

  “Yes.”

  Nat’s fingers rested on the door handle, and Jules cleared her throat. “Do you think Dean forgives me?”

  She glanced back and nodded once, then left.

  It was time to stop sulking, and to take charge. Natalia’s kind words shook loose something in her, and Jules smiled as she hopped into the shower.

  Traro couldn’t come soon enough.

  Twelve

  “Are we all set?” Magnus sat in his captain’s chair while they watched the fuel casting through the clear tubes.

  “Wormhole generator online, and at one hundred percent efficiency. Ready on your word,” Rumi said confidently.

  Jules’ heart drummed with excitement. Leshi and Drav had been successfully returned home, and it was time to make the leap to Traro Belli to learn how Death’s Maiden had managed to free herself. They had no communication with her parents yet, but Jules was sure it was a minor issue.

  “Hit it,” Magnus ordered, and they permeated the newly formed wormhole. Her dad had used the portal to get there, but they would be descending in a transport ship instead.

  Traro Belli wasn’t a large planet, and Outpost slowed as it approached.

  “Clearance being demanded.” Rumi glanced at her and Magnus.

  “Tell them it’s Magnus of Outpost, responding to the Alliance’s newsfeed about the Maiden.” Magnus grunted. “Your father wouldn’t have this problem.”

  “Actually, it took him a while to convince the Guardians to let him and his allies past the portal room entrance,” Jules said.

  This seemed to lift his spirits. “Good. The unflappable Dean Parker persona can get somewhat irritating.” He smiled, letting her know he was kidding. “It’s nice to see that he’s not perfect.”

  “He did end up on the surface, though, and managed to obtain all the information he sought, so I guess you could say it was almost perfect,” Jules added, and he frowned again.

  “Never argue with a Parker,” Magnus muttered. “Rumi, what’s the word?”

  “They’re refusing us access,” he said.

  “What?” Magnus stood, and walked to the primary helm position. “You have to be kidding me. No admittance. Put them on visual.”

  Magnus watched the screen, and Jules strode over to them, curious how this would pan out.

  “They’re rejecting it,” Rumi said.

  “Damn it.”

  “Can you tell the Guardian we are seeking the one they call Ave? She’s the captain of the Guardians,” Jules suggested.

  Rumi keyed in the message. “I think it might work.”

  A picture emerged on screen, and it took Jules a second to realize it was a video. The Guardian was in uniform, a helmet with a dark visor over her face. She pressed a button on the head covering, making the visor recede. They were greeted by a striking woman with yellow eyes, and tattoos on her skin.

  “How did you know to ask for me?” the woman seemed perplexed.

  “Are you Ave?” Jules asked.

  “That I am.”

  “You may remember my father, Dean Parker. He was here…”

  “I recall.”

  “We’ve been notified that one of your prisoners managed to leave your facility, and we have reason to believe she’s involved in illegal activities at Udoon Station,” Jules informed her.

  Ave’s eyes sparkled at the news. “Child, a quarter of our patrons once frequented that space station on a regular basis.”

  “We’d like to speak with you. In private.” Jules took charge, walking closer to the viewscreen.

  “You’re allowed one companion. I’ve sent you the coordinates.” The viewscreen flashed off, and once again showed the planet beyond their warship.

  “Who wants to come?” Jules asked.

  “I’d like to,” Jaessa said. She’d been so quiet, Jules forgot she was even on the bridge.

  “Maybe we should…” Magnus started, but Nat lifted a finger.

  “I think it’s a good idea. We can work on contacting the Institute while you’re away. See if anyone has spotted the Maiden, or had any interactions that might fit her patterns,” Nat said.

  “Okay. Bring the girl, but be careful.” Magnus glanced at her, then Jaessa.

  “Yes, sir.” Jules rushed to the exit, waving Jaessa over.

  When they were alone in the hallway, she turned to the younger alien. “Why are you so interested?”

  “I guess I’m tired of being left behind,” Jaessa said with a semblance of grit.

  “Fine. I’d be happy to have you along.” They jogged to the hangar, where a transport lander was primed and waiting. Jules hadn’t flown a lot of smaller ships lately, but felt at home as she checked off the quick pre-flight routines.

  In a minute, they were lowering to the planet, using the beacon Ave sent them as a guide. There were hundreds of individual black buildings arranged in what appeared to be random order as they descended, but Jules assumed there was a rhyme and reason to their layout. Dozens of other ships were present, most of them sizable and well-armed, from the looks of things.

  Armored Guardians were everywhere, each with a skinny gun in their grip, and Jules instinctively shielded herself and Jaessa against any potential assaults. She couldn’t be too careful.

  The air was warm when she opened the ramp, and Jaessa stayed behind her as they walked to the grass.

  Ave stalked toward them with her helmet off, and Jules fought the urge to retreat. Ave had a strong aura about her.

  “What can I help you with? As you can see, we’re in the middle of something,” Ave said.

  “What are they…” Jules watched a hovering crate being relocated from a building to a spacecraft.

  “The word is out that Death’s Maiden escaped, so some of our customers have elected to come gather their prisoners. They think they have a better chance of keeping them in captivity than we do,” Ave told them. She glanced at Jaessa with a confused expression.

  “This is my… ally, Jaessa.”

  “I’ve never encountered someone like you,” Ave said. “And I’ve seen every kind of person the primary galaxies have to offer.”

  Jules smiled. “She’s not from around here.”

  “I have to agree.”

  “What are you going to do about you
r reputation?” Jules asked.

  Ave pointed to the nearest structure. “Come with me.”

  They followed along. The sun was high, and the day was nearly as hot as the summer at Terran Thirty. Jules was used to it, but it was more humid than the Institute’s desert landscape. Jaessa was already sweating, beads dripping over her olive brow.

  The instant they entered the doors, chilly air cooled them. “This is where we accessed level one.”

  “Level one?” Jaessa asked.

  “Death’s Maiden was the most dangerous person in the known universe. She had more guards than any other person. Twenty full-time staff. Her escape was impossible,” Ave said.

  “That can’t be. Because she’s gone.” Jules peeked in the foyer, finding it lined with Guardians.

  “Let me show you.” Ave took them down a flight of stairs. Every few steps, they passed more guards. They continued until they were well below the ground, and Ave used a code to remove the five layers of electrical barriers. “These were never turned off.”

  Jaessa gawked at the fortification like someone was about to surprise her around each corner.

  Jules breathed evenly, trying to picture how the woman escaped. The cell was farther underground, with another ten layers of impressive metals and pulsing shields. There was no way anyone could have bypassed them. “Can you leave those up?” Jules asked.

  Ave left the shields, and crossed her arms while Jules set a palm on the exterior wall. Inside was a cell. A prison where the most notorious criminal of their time had been living. Jules floated off the floor. She ignored Ave’s gasp, and entered the barriers. She kept going, trying not to freak out about penetrating a series of walls.

  Eventually, she was in the prison cell. It had everything you might expect. Metallic walls and matching floor. It was shiny and clean. The bed was made. Whoever this woman was, she preferred things tidy.

  She searched for signs of escape, but didn’t spot any.

  The barriers receded, and she saw Jaessa and Ave staring at her. “How did you do that?” Ave asked.

  “I’m a Deity.” Jules didn’t offer further explanation. “So these were never disarmed?”

  “Not until after we discovered her absence,” Ave said.